Medical equipment lifecycle ( Medical Equipment & Technology Services Essay

Medical equipment lifecycle ( Medical Equipment & Technology Services Management) - Essay Example The advantages which are connected with medical technology are substantial. There exists a disturbing rise in the index of patient moratlity of which medical facility error has been a causal attribute. Medical Technology Equipment from the User's Perspective Academic articles and books have recommended that user participation by means of the inclusion of the ergonomic engineering inside of the medical component architecture and production process (MDDD) presents many advantages which facilitate the production of less hazardous and more efficient medical technology components which cater to the user's needs in a more effective manner. There has not been a great deal of research which has been completed with regards to the user participation in this procedure, the efficacy of the participation of the medical equipment user in providing feedback (Money et al., 2011). Medical technology equipment usage at the planning phase was discovered to be the greatest due to the participation of th e users. Participation of the users at the planning stage is regarded to be of great importance. The most elevated user involvement during the planning phase was to formulate user directed designs which are applied to implementing new efficient product designs. The design outcomes are applied to the manufacture of medical components which have increased equipment user security and that may be effectively applied. Another purpose for the increased user participation at the planning stage is the need for formal planning procedures which should be initiated and concluded with the customer requisites as per regulation ISO 9001. Nonetheless, each phase of the medical component life cycle is integral and required (Shah, 2006, p. 506). In considering a holistic perspective to the comprehension of the interactions between individuals and system components, it becomes feasible to classify the technological characteristics that will best comply with the user's requirements. This holistic pers pective will augment the quality of the medical technology equipment experience and the well being of the user when applying the medical technology. The user centered perspective which is applied by practitioners with respect to ergonomics may enable health care organizations to possess a methodology of application when procuring and applying medical technology. This users perspective includes the ascertaining if the medical technology equipment complies with the ergonomics requisites of the user and if there will be any adverse impact on the technology system of which it will become an integral element (Shaver and Braun, 2008). The Nielsen -Schneiderman Heuristics Perspective The Nielsen- Schneiderman Heuristics are the following elements of evaluations which should be applied from a user's perspective on the ergonomics of medical technology equipment: 1. Consistent results- The users should be aware that the actions which are performed will provide empirically assessed results. 2. Visible operation of the medical technology equipment. 3. Mental compatibility of the user's perception of the medical technology equipment concept. 4. Minimal information requisites. 5. Minimal memorization of the medical technology equipment required. 6. User feedback on the efficiency of the medical technology equipment. 7. Resiliency- The user should be able to custom tailor the medical techn

Termination of Pregnancy on Women Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Termination of Pregnancy on Women - Essay Example This paper will analyse the impact such TOP's have on women from the perspective of different genres, facilitated by my work in gynae nursing and looking after women undergoing such medical conditions along with other gynae related ones. To enhance my understanding of this along with the needs of these women, I feel an urge to explore this issue in more detail with relevant research producing this article. There are eight different types of miscarriages with the following five self explanatory: threatened miscarriage, incomplete miscarriage, complete miscarriage, missed miscarriage and recurrent miscarriage. Blighted Ovum occurs when the fertilized egg implants itself into the uterus but fetal development never begins. Ecotopic pregnancy occurs when the fertilized egg implants itself in places other than the uterus which can cause severe maternal complications if not treated in time. The last, Molar Pregnancy, is abnormal growth of tissue within the uterus during the fertilization process. They are all generally referred to as miscarriage by most though, applicable when the fetus is lost within the first 20 weeks of gestation. Vaginal bleeding is meant to last for a week or so, on the same pattern as a normal menstruation. Light bleeding is also an after effect, known as spotting due to the clots and/or bits of tissue. As for the normal monthly menstruation cycle, it should resume after three to six weeks though. Symptoms of pain are usually centered around the lower abdominal area and may last up to two days, often resembling that pain during a womans' period. Breast discomfort may also be an after-effect, lasting for approximately a week in the form of engorgement or leaking milk. Some of the pregnancy hormones are also said to remain in the blood for about a month or two after the miscarriage. Religious and Cultural Most religions and cultures place a high value on sexual purity, privacy and modesty and the woman plays a key role due to her 'child bearer' status. In India as well as Pakistan, a womans' procreative role is a salient disappointment when failed, often leading to emotional imbalances for the weaker sex. As for small agrarian societies, the disappointment may be more pronounced due to ignorance and an anthropologically sounder footage for extremism. To Wetzel (1982) in the article 'Miscarriage: A Special Type of Family Crisis' (1987, p. 305), "Miscarriage is a special type of dismemberment; the unborn fetus occupies a limited, semi-visible role. After the spontaneous abortion, there is usually no funeral or death ritual, but loss is felt". The vagueness of the term 'life' has led to cultural uncertainty and a lack of culturally defined rituals for the miscarriage process. In fact, hospital procedures regarding the dead fetus disallow the mother to see it and furthermore, most of them end up as remains in hospital sewage. Thus, the unavailability of such ritualistic transitions

ERP And Network At Dabur Essay

ERP And Network At Dabur Essay Dabur is a Indian consumer goods company with interests in Oral Care, Hair Care, Skin Care, Health Care, Home Care and even in foods. From its humble first phase in the bylanes of Calcutta in the year 1884 as an Ayurvedic medicines company. Dabur has come a stretched way today to become among the top companies. Dabur India Limited is the 4th largest FMCG Company in India. Dabur had a turnover of approximately Rs. 3390.9 Crore FY 09-10 Market Capitalisation of over Rs 15500 Crore which clearly shows the companys stand. The company has kept an eye on new generations of customers with a variety of products that provide to a modern lifestyle, while supervision not to estrange past generations of faithful customers. Daburs network is in the form of star topology with 6 DAMA (Demand Assigned Multiple Access) links from Hughes Escorts Communications Limited (HECL). There are approximately 40-50 Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) VSATs (Very Small Aperture Terminals), which will be used for linking the distribution network. Then there is Virtual Private Network (VPN) connectivity involving Daburs offices at various places like Delhi and Mumbai, moreover the corporate office. This link will soon be un-mitigated to other locations, also.The choice of the network depends upon location and feasibility runs on multiple media. The company uses IDSN connectivity as a support for its prime connectivity. Astonishingly, contrary to the current trend, Dabur doesnt have various leased lines to hold up its datacom network. The Situation: Problem Faced By The Company Before ERP Implementation For many years, Dabur had been using Fox Pro based systems for its handling logistics but as the network has grown the distribution pressure rises technology development was necessary. Fox Pro was a database in which each of the department likes sales, finance etc had a separate database for their respective departments. It was not a relational database. The company faced a lot of problem because this like data inconsistencies etc. It become necessary to integrate the fragmented distribution network for the benefit of the company. This was the time when Dabur felt the need to implement some kind of ERP system. ERP Implementation in 4 stages till now 1st ERP implementation Baan Dabur implemented Baans ERP system in 1999 for automation of the manufacturing process. This was the first ERP system which was implemented by the company in the major plants at Sahibabad and Baddi respectively. The server used for this was Alpha Unix servers and this was situated at the commercial office are used for Baan and around 200 concurrent users can login from in cooperation with plants using PAMA VSATs and fibre in the distant Baddi plant. In Baan ERP system the key modules includes finance, manufacturing,master production planning, intelligent resource planning,dealer planning and costing. The various modules keep the track of the material as the inventory moves through the plant and they are synchronised to each other. The primary distribution plan becomes a very important component of the manufacturing system. The planning process of the compnay includes one months stable Rolling Production Plan (RPP) of the company and two months rolling plan later on, based on a Rollin g Sales Forecast (RSF) of Dabur. Problem in case of Baan The operation of the manufacturing system has been very difficult as raw materials for Daburs products are mostly sourced from the various unorganised sectors where fruits and herbs and other natural recourses are procured. The other challenge was of extensive customisation which was necessary to meet stringent FDA regulations in the quality circle in Pharma product lines. Not only this, BaaN requires a central server which was also a problem for the company. As with the majority companies, sales at Dabur crest in the last 4-5 days of the particular month which leads to more load on the server. If the company dabur in this case,depends on this sort of central server architecture, which would be associated through VSATs, the network would be extremely overburden during each and every month-end. However, Dabur never required making the network a serious component in the automation of the outbound logistics. The company determined to go for an ERP answer which was Network Independent and it found that MFG/PRO could be run on independent servers at every location it was a good choice that suited its unique needs. 2nd ERP implementation MFG/PRO ERP Dabur therefore initiated automation of the outward logistics system in April, 2001 by means of its primary circulation system named Project Synergy, which involves the execution of the MFG/PRO ERP system. The MGF/PRO system was running in greater than a dozen Carrying and Forwarding Agents (CFAs) and the major warehouses all over the country. It had covered more than 90 sites in the main Distribution will be finished by 2002. Implementation Once it was decided that MFG/PRO it will be to lever the outbound logistics then a core implementation team was made which includes end users from dissimilar departments, like IT, sales, distribution and planning, finance and was set up in order to work. The deployment was made in four stages. In the first stage a requirement study was done here a model was developed. Dabur has many other strategic business units each one of it is having a different need in terms of outbound logistics. It is a traditional FMCG company into family units and healthcare products, pharmaceutical products, food products, which is a perishable products division, ayurvedic products for both the medicine and home segments. All these divisions have diverse requirements. The heart team had its job to cut out plus it had to develop a ordinary business model, which could supply to each and every segment at the identical time. Significant benefits were visible in locations where the ERP system had been implemented. These include: Improvement occur in sales dispatches to the carrying and forward agents (CFA). The sales earlier were greatly overloaded with 80 percent of sales taking place in the last week of the month which led to a number of trouble such as cheque bouncing and sales returns from pushed sales to meet sales targets. Improvement was seen in collections process also. Collections have recorded an improvement of about 6 days after implementing ERP and now are more evenly spread more than the month which leads to substantial savings on working capital protected up in out-bound logistics. Reduction in unsold stock inventory nad sales returns. Stocks in carrying and forwading agents are noticeable to fundamental distribution planners in commercial and un-saleable categories most important to better distribution nad management. fundamental management of sales schemes. The corporate office manages the schemes and free issues and the ERP system keeps a tough test on schemes most important to decline in misuse of schemes in the field. Reasons: why the shifted to another ERP system (SAP) By 2005 Dabur felt the need of maintaining two independent ERP systems for the company. They were facing some of the issues like there were still data redundancies and inconsistencies in the database system. Substantial amount of rework was essential in just data format translation between the two systems. It still did not provide a holistic image and thus posed troubles in formulating a policy or taking business significant decisions. Maintenance cost of MGF/PRO was also very high. Dabur realized that it is not just the operational excellence it needed but in also needed decision support infrastructure and as a result of this the proposal of a solitary organization wide ERP implementation was planned in Dabur. So, with the help of Accenture, Dabur implemented strategic and operational changes by implementation of organization wide SAP core modules. 3RD ERP implementation SAP (major change) Migrated from standalone Enterprise Resourse Planning systems which includes Baan and Mfg to centralized SAP ERP system from 1st April, 2006 for all the business units of dabur. Dabur implemented a country wide new Wide Area Network infrastructure for running centralized Enterprise resourse planning system and setting up of new data center at KCO head office in Ghaziabad. Addition of system to the distributors for capturing Secondary Sales Data information to collect near real-time pipeline information was done by 2004. Dabur decided to turn round out the IT services to the latest plants in the country. Dabur is no immunity with respect to other industries and realized it needed to execute enhanced and quickly and make more rapid decisions in order to outpace its upper class in revenue and prosperity growth. Accenture projected infront of dabur that Dabur to improve its supply chain management, to meet such goals and sales and distribution capabilities should also be improved and use IT as a strategic enabler for its business strategy. This incorporated migration to a nimbler outsourcing model that would create significance through quickness and sustain business initiatives and safeguarding of its SAP ERP system. SAP basically, was selected due to the extensive experience in India and it is used by its competitors also. How Accenture helped Dabur Accenture proposed that Dabur improve its sales and distribution services and supply chain management capabilities and use information technology as a tactical enabler for its business strategy. From an IT standpoint, Accenture suggested a two-pronged strategy to Dabur that includes resettlement to a nimbler outsourcing model that would create value through nimbleness and hold up business initiatives and protection of its SAP enterprise resource planning system. Accenture assembled a group of extremely trained industry experts so that it can bring these initiatives to life, as well as some professionals who have widespread SAP design and implementation experience in this field which was an important factor. It implemented a new sales and distribution strategy and in this Accenture helped in developing a widespread strategy that was noticeable as Daburs first significant endeavour to identify key customer segments in urban and rural markets, customize sales programs for key accounts and reorganize Daburs sales teams by one of four trade channels. There was some profit from these initiatives like increase in annual sales by 17% whereas amplify in profits by over 40% performance more operational effectiveness and cutting down of costs. Operational Benefits Impact Lost Sales -40% Forecast Error -53% Full, on time delivers +7% Rolling production plan adherence +73% Accenture supported this business approach with a lucrative IT solution. It has developed in-house over several platforms, which captured actionable information crosswise the national footprint of practically 500 distributors. In the area like that of product distribution, the desired team focused on bolstering the efficiencies and rural market diffusion and designed a channel-specific strategy for chemist , modern trade, wholesalers and convenience stores. In just the beginning of a supplementary efficient sales program, Accenture paid special consideration to how Dabur might recover service to Indian extra-large retailers, which are likely to account for an additional 15 percent of consumer product sales by 2010. For this group of customers, the group recognized a totally new operating model that includes a pricing architecture framework to aid negotiations and revised role and odd jobs for each and every one members of the trade field force. In devising this strategy, the Accenture and Dabur team optimized the companys distribution processes and internal logistics for mega retail customers, and put incentives in set to drive definite goals such as uniformity of sales in grocery stores, increased sales via wholesale channels. 4th ERP implementation SAP APO (Current Scenario) Automating forecasting: Dabur hence decided to automate the procedure to develop its forecasting procedure. The company was already running SAP ERP from 2006 and decided to put into practice SAPs Advanced Planner and Optimizer (APO).To guarantee the precision of SAP APO, chronological data was deconstructed to originate the baseline sales and impact of ATL/BTL inputs. Dabur has to a great extent gets benefits from SAP APO with enhanced business outcomes. Project was divided into four different phases. The first phase was Diagnosis in which design and organisation structure was done. It also established the potential opportunity size and the business case. In the second phase the design of the supply chain took place. The third phase the actual implementation of APO modules took place. In the last phase the actuall running took place (April 2010). Once you have input the growth target the entire sales volume plan will be generated. All the other calculations are in real time like required capacity planning, markets where we can get more business. The ERP system will then convert the sales which was forecasted into the real/actual sales at factory level. Changes experienced in top line, bottom line and inventory turnover due to ERP implementation Before the deployment, the lost sales which were earlier accounted to 6% were decreased to 3.75%. More-over the companys error forecast was also reduced from 85 to 40 percent and its forecast accuracy amplified from 25 to over 60 percent. Achieving this act in less than eight months was a enormous success for Dabur. This would not have been possible exclusive of a business benefit-led move towards to the exercise moderately than an IT-led approach. With the recent execution of ERP, the effectiveness of the distribution and logistics network is expected to advance more in the future. Consumer health division grew by 12.5%, that division has been impacted in the first quarter by the ERP platform changeover. Future Challenges Forward integration of SAP with distributors and stockists is a big challenge. Implementation of SAP HR and payroll has to be done. Along with this backward integration os SAP suppliers. Conclusion The implementation of ERP system in a consumer goods company is an enormous complex undertaking, ERP system can effect every aspect of organizational functioning and design.ERP system lead to highly standardised and highly computerised information. A strong program management approach and an implementation partner having good business understanding and proven experience were other factors that served as catalysts.

Dreams in Invisible Man Essay -- Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man

   There are many types of dreams and many interpretations of those dreams. Dreams of power... of glory... of the past and the present... but none are as vivid as those that are found in Ralph Ellison's novel, Invisible Man. The dreams start occurring in the very beginning of Invisible Man. In the infamous "Reefer Dream", IM talks about a dream he had after he used narcotics. In this bizarre dream, IM hears a speech on "the blackness of black", is assaulted by the son of a former slave, and is run over by a speeding machine. All of this occurs while listening to "What Did I Do To Be So Black and Blue?"(pgs 9-12). This is one of the most significant dreams in the book. In another important dream, IM's deceased grandfather gives him a letter that says," To Whom It May Concern, Keep this Nigger-Boy Running (Ellison 33)." At the time IM had no insight to its meaning, but this dream would constantly be used as a reference throughout the story. Trueblood has a dream about his home, Mobile, Alabama, that directly affects IM's future. At the same time, Trueblood was having sex ...

Explain the Importance of the Pharmaceutical Industry in the Late 19th and 20th Centuries and Its Effect on the Treatment of Illness

Explain the importance of the pharmaceutical industry in the late 19th and 20th centuries and it's effect on the treatment of illness. (9marks) During the late 19th and 20th century many apothecaries (pharmacists) and herbalists were transforming family shops into chains of pharmacies (Boots). This made the pharmaceutical industry increase in importance from the late 19th century onwards as new discoveries were being made . The Pharmaceutical Industry grew hugely in importance in the late 19th and 20th century.This was partly due to ‘preparations’ which were being made and researched and the use of pills in medicine was transformed when Brockedon invented a machine that made standardised pills. These ‘preparations’ were being marketed as being a cure for practically anything and came in the forms of potions, ointments and pills and were made from things such as coloured liquids, alcohol, lard and arsenic. These however didn’t seem to work and therefor e could have been worsening the ill people or not helping the patients at all.The effect of treatment for illnesses, like Infectious diseases were still being researched so there were no cures. Researchers worked on identifying disease germs and inventing vaccines or cures. Prevention, not drugs, was thought to be the future of medicine. During the 20th century the Pharmaceutical industries importance began to expand, and pharmacies/apothecaries were becoming increasingly popular and in demand. The Pharmaceutical industry actually began with textile dyes. In 1909, Paul Ehrlich invented salvarsan as a drug to cure syphilis.He was inspired by the specific staining or non-staining of bacteria with dyes for microscopic study. He made hundreds of dyes with arsenic atoms attached; hoping that the dye would attach itself to a bacterium and the arsenic would kill it (‘magic bullet,). Compound No. 606, which they had originally dismissed, was a success and effective. Advances in medici ne were slow until 1932. Domagk at the Bayer Company went through thousands of compounds that Bayer had made in discovering new dyes.He found one, prontosil that cured streptococcus infections in mice. Also, in 1928, Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin. He and others realized the importance of drugs that could cure infections and infectious diseases. In conclusion, the importance of the pharmaceutical industry in the late 19th and 20th centuries became increasingly more important in everyday life as people started to depend on the medicines/drugs and how well it treated or seemed to treat the symptoms of illness.

Publix

Journal of Business Case Studies – Fourth Quarter 2007 Volume 3, Number 4 A Retailer‘s Steady Growth Strategy: Should Publix Stay National Or Go Global? Bahaudin G. Mujtaba, (E-mail: [email  protected] edu), Nova Southeastern University Erica Franklin, (E-mail: [email  protected] edu), Nova Southeastern University ABSTRACT Publix Super Markets, Inc. is a Florida-based grocery chain which has over 120,000 employees and annual sales in 2005 of $20. 7 billion. Presently, Publix serves over one million customers every day and is one of the largest employee-owned companies in the world.Publix is one of Florida’s premier supermarkets and has responded to most cultural trends in the grocery market-organic foods; natural foods, health foods, ethnic ingredients, prepared meals, etc. Publix has enjoyed great success in the grocery industry and has expanded in many states. With the advent of globalization affecting almost every industry, the supermarket/food retailing in dustry has joined the trend. Domestic and international food retailers across the globe have begun to internationalize at a rapid rate and open operations around the world.However, as you will see, the growth of supermarket chains beyond their home countries has been done mostly by European and Asian companies. With the exception of Wal-Mart, few U. S. food retailers have expanded abroad. Currently there are no plans for Publix to expand internationally but this case seeks to examine the possibilities of Publix making a step toward going abroad and highlights the various factors in the global environment that may directly or indirectly affect the company. INTRODUCTION A of August 2006, Publix was operating 833 stores. Publix operates 642 stores in Florida, 164 stores in Georgia, 37 stores in South Carolina, 27 stores in Alabama, and 13 stores in Tennessee. Publix carries items ranging from food products to personal care and household goods. The company also has their own line of pri vate label goods that span the same spectrum. To better cater to their market and expand operations, Publix has also created new concept stores for its different target markets, Greenwise and Publix Sabor.The Greenwise store features organic produce and natural foods; Publix Sabor caters to the large Latin-American population in Central and South Florida and carries food products highly-demanded by these consumer. Publix has also moved into the restaurant business through their equity investment in Crispers, the fresh salad and sandwich meal concept-restaurant. In addition to the restaurant subsidiary, Publix Supermarkets Inc. , also owns seven other subsidiaries: 1) Publix Alabama, LLC; 2) PublixDirect, LLC; 3) Publix Asset Management Company; 4) Publix Tennessee, LLC; 5) Real Sub, LLC; 6) Lone Palm Golf Club, LLC; and 7) PTO, LLC.In 2001, Publix began online operations for its consumers for home delivery of groceries. However, its Broward County, FL and surrounding areas pilot pro grams failed to meet revenue and profit goals; so Publix Direct discontinued operations in August 2003 just short of two years after it was launched. The core of Publix‘s operations is the belief in doing everything for the customer. The company holds a superior belief that success lies in customer value and employee appreciation.They developed a policy of Customer Intimacy, which means that their guests need an intimate, professional, thorough, consistent, and disciplined method of serving customers that has become a normal way of doing business. See Table 1 for an evolution of Publix‘s growth since its inception. COMPANY EARNINGS In terms of financial success, in some years, Publix has outperformed the S&P 500 Index and the customer Peer Group Index with regards to return on investment. The Peer Group includes A&P, Albertson‘s, American Stores, Bruno‘s, Food Lion, Giant Foods, Hannaford Bros. , Kroger, Safeway, Smith‘s Food & Drug, Weis Markets, and W inn23Journal of Business Case Studies – Fourth Quarter 2007 Volume 3, Number 4 Dixie. Publix announced their 2005 annual results on March 2nd, 2006. Their sales for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2005, were $20. 6 billion. Net earnings for 2005 were $989. 2 million, compared to $819. 4 million for 2004 (Publix Announces 4th Quarter, 2006). Dividends for 2006 were $1. 00 up from 70 cents in 2004 and 40 cents in 2003, which shows that the efforts of Publix‘s associates to increase earnings via customer value enabled the firm to return an even higher profit to its private stockholders.The 2003 dividend was 40 cents per share, up from 33 cents per share in 2002. Publix CEO Charlie Jenkins Jr. expressed his thanks and appreciation to the firm‘s workers for their performance that helped increase value to customers and, as a result of which, ensured good financial results for the year. Year 1930 1940 1944 1950 1957 1959 1963 1971 1973 1974 1975 1980 1984 1986 1987 1 990 1992 1993 1994 1998 2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 Table 1 – The Publix Spirit Over The Years Accomplishments First Publix Super Market opened in Winter Haven, Florida.First store known as the ? marble, tile and stucco food palace? built in Winter Haven, featuring such revolutionary retail concepts as air conditioning, wide aisles, and electric-eye doors. Publix bought the 19-store chain of All American Food stores in Lakeland and moved the headquarters to Lakeland. New 70,000-square foot grocery warehouse built in Lakeland. Today this warehouse occupies over 2,000,000 square feet. Publix Employee Federal Credit Union opened in a Lakeland warehouse. Publix opened its first store in Miami and bought seven stores.Publix opened the Southeast Coast Headquarters and Distribution Center in North Miami. Two stores opened in Jacksonville. Publix opened the Bakery Plant and constructed the Produce Distribution Center in Lakeland. Publix sales passed $1 billion annually. Publix open ed Distribution Center and Division Office in Jacksonville. Publix Employee Stock Ownership Trust (ESOT) started this year. Publix celebrated 50 years of shopping pleasure. Dairy Processing Plant opened in Lakeland. Checkout scanning implemented chain-wide.It was during the early 1980‘s that Publix started being open on Sundays. Publix sales passed $3. 23 billion. According to Progressive Grocer, Publix‘s 2. 36% before tax net was the highest of top ten super market chains, 2 ? times better than Safeway – the industry leader. Publix opened its first Food and Pharmacy stores in Orlando and Tampa. Publix opened its Dairy Processing Plant in Deerfield Beach. Publix had 400 stores and 74,000 associates in Florida. Publix announced their expansion plans to Georgia and South Carolina.Implemented a company-wide Quality Improvement Process (QIP) and Work Improvement Now (WIN) tools for fact-based decision-making and employee empowerment. Sales were $8. 66 billion. Publix implemented a chain-wide Customer Intimacy program. Publix has sales of over $12 billion and 120,000 associates. Almost 600 stores in four states. Publix was ranked 132 on the Fortune 500. Charlie Jenkins Jr. replaced his cousin Howard as CEO of the company. Publix began opening stores in Nashville Tennessee. Publix makes initial investment in Crispers restaurant chain Publix develops ? oncept-stores‘-Greenwise & Publix Sabor ; Sales equal $20. 7 billion Publix stock splits one to five. Publix opens walk-in medical clinics at select grocery locations in Atlanta, Miami, Orlando and Tampa. Publix further expands with 6 new store openings between June and August: Huntsville, AL; Atlanta, GA; Jacksonville, FL(2); Sebastian, FL; Palm City, FL. Howard Jenkins, previous CEO of Publix, has been quoted in the past commenting on his company‘s dedication to customer value, ? Publix people have been working hard, preparing for an even grander vision of our future.Earlier in this dec ade, we committed ourselves to a mission to become the premier quality food retailer in the world. We introduced our own quality improvement process and later adapted a discipline of Customer Intimacy, which is helping us to listen more effectively to our customers. All of these initiatives have engaged the resourcefulness of thousands of associates from every area of our company. Together we are discovering powerful new methods for delivering customer value.? 24 Journal of Business Case Studies – Fourth Quarter 2007 THE COMPANY Volume 3, Number 4A key differentiating factor in Publix‘s success formula can be attributed to the philosophy of its founder, Mr. George W. Jenkins who stated that ?†¦ some companies are founded on policy. This is wrong. Philosophy, the things you believe in, is more important. Philosophy does not change frequently †¦ and is never compromised †¦ we attempt to adapt a philosophy in such a way as to allow ordinary people to achieve the extraordinary †¦ to reach higher†¦ to look upon average with disdain.? The philosophy of caring for people has been embedded in Publix‘s corporate culture throughout its stores.Publix associates understand that they are not just in the grocery business but also in the people business. Therefore, taking care of associates, customers, suppliers, and community members is important to Publix people and the communities which they serve. Publix‘s Mission Statement very clearly states that Publix is passionately focused on customer value. Publix is committed to satisfying the needs of their customers as individuals better than their competition. Also, research shows that the majority of supermarket shoppers shop and visit supermarkets on a weekly basis.So, building a relationship with customers is a necessity as opposed to a luxury in order to stay aware of their needs and expectation. Publix associates are encouraged to interact with their customers on an hourly basis. Publix associates constantly attempt to keep their fingers on the pulse of the customer in order to get immediate and local feedback. One of the District Managers in the Central Florida region used to encourage, and in some cases require, his department managers to learn at least two customers‘ names, every day through face-to-face introduction and interaction.This is important because Publix employees serve their own communities and through this face-to-face interaction they can better determine customers‘ needs, wants, and desires faster than any research firm could ever do. KEY SUCCESS FACTORS At Publix, everything they do revolves around pleasing the customer; this is why they have enjoyed the kind of success they have had since the 1930's. Bill Fauerbach, Vice President of the Miami Division, said ? only we can give our customers a reason to shop elsewhere.?The President of Publix, Ed Crenshaw, during his first year in the office introduced four success driv ers for the company. The four drivers are: knowing the business, knowing the product, knowing the customer, and continuously training people. As a result, every department implemented different means of doing a better job with these four success drivers. A philosophy of employee appreciation has been embedded in the culture of the organization; so when the upper echelons visit retail stores, especially during appreciation week, they make it a point to personally see and thank every associate.One obstacle Publix is faced with is strong competition in the supermarket industry. For example, Wal-Mart, now the #1 retail grocer in the world, is opening major supercenters throughout Florida. However, Publix is not willing to concede their customers to the competition. As long as they take care of their customers better than anyone else, they will do well. The new generation of Publix leaders understands that complacency is their number one enemy; therefore they continue to focus and improv e on factors which have made them successful in the past.They further understand that delivering superior customer value is a race without a finish line in today‘s fast-paced world. Therefore, they never lose sight of caring for people, delivering quality products and service, and excellence in everything they do. They understand that people need recognition and sincere thanks for their hard work and commitment to the company. Publix has invested heavily in developing an internal professional development curriculum to develop associates‘ skills and help them assume greater responsibility and leadership roles at Publix.Most employees begin working for Publix at a young age and tend to stay there after college. While a college education is very important for leadership and management positions, Publix provides many continuous development opportunities and on-the-job training for their associates. The philosophy of Publix is not just to satisfy and delight customers one tim e; customers must be satisfied, delighted, and excited every time they visit or shop at their store. Publix associates are taught that customers are their most valued assets whom must be welcomed, cherished, and appreciated.Publix associates understand that if they cannot satisfy customer‘s requirements and meet their demands, the customer will cease to do business with them and may shop with other retailers. They remember that if they, as Publix associates, don‘t offer a great shopping experience for their customers then someone else will. Therefore, besides discussing many other valuable concepts, all retail associates are taught the 10-Foot and 10-Second Rules to help them quickly acknowledge customers. The 10-Foot rule states that one must acknowledge all customers that are within ten feet 25 Journal of Business Case Studies – Fourth Quarter 2007Volume 3, Number 4 of one‘s surroundings and the 10-Second rule states that these customers must be acknowledg ed within ten seconds of entering into the service counter area or the 10-Foot zone. Research in the supermarket industry indicates the factors that affect customer loyalty: ? ? ? ? ? The largest percentage of customers (68%) leave if they perceive an attitude of indifference. Some customers (14%) leave because they feel they can find better quality products and services elsewhere. Customers (9%) shop elsewhere because they think your prices are higher than your competitors.A few of the customers (5%) become friends with people who work for a competitor and take their business there. Some customers (3%) leave because they move to a different area. Publix Associates are also encouraged to use their daily observations, customer feedback, survey evaluation, and other data to improve their jobs, better serve their customers, and make Publix a better place ? where shopping is a pleasure. Publix teaches the principle of ? deliver plus 1%? which states that you must consistently meet your customers‘ shopping needs and then exceed their expectations by improving your service one percent.They believe in positively surprising the customer by over-delivering on what customers value. This principle further states that when you make a promise to a customer, you must be consistent and deliver all the time. It means before exceeding your customers‘ expectations, make sure you are satisfactorily meeting their needs. And if you promise any extra services, make sure you deliver as promised. Finally, Publix rewards top-notch service by implementing an awards program which shows associates how much management values their efforts to provide delightful service to customers.Delightful Service Awards are given for customer service that is over and above the minimum standards listed on the Observation Sheet for the area. Associates are expected to provide great customer service as part of the job requirement. The awards are given to associates who make the extra effort to delight customers who shop at Publix. To receive a Delightful Service Award associates must provide delightful service to a customer in a way that is formally recognized by either the customer, by a ? mystery shopper? who is purposely appointed by district management, or by a member of the store management team.Associates are trained and encouraged to set personal goals for themselves with regards to better serving customers and exceeding their expectations. They are asked to find out what they can do to increase and improve their personal commitment to customer intimacy. They are encouraged and rewarded for setting goals to increase their awareness of customers as well as customers‘ wants and needs. It is through these types of programs and committed people that Publix is able to offer its employees an environment ? where working is a pleasure? nd its customers an environment ? where shopping is a pleasure.? Publix associates‘ success with customers originates from the ir belief that no sale is final or complete until the meal is eaten and fully enjoyed. Then, they have made a positive and lasting impression. Publix‘s guarantee, which every associate is aware of, reads that ? we will never, knowingly disappoint you. If for any reason your purchase does not give you complete satisfaction, the full purchase price will be cheerfully refunded immediately upon request.?These are not just words to live by but they are moral imperatives for retailers which have made Publix the successful and innovative giant it is today. According to Howard Jenkins, member of the Publix board and retired CEO, ? growth is the end result of a simple equation. As each of us continues to please our customers, more customers will look to Publix for their shopping needs. We must never lose sight of exactly what those needs are.? Keeping their sight on the changing needs of their customers and effectively filling those needs have paid big dividends for Publix‘s cons istent growth and achievement over the years.As a result of the its continued efforts to grow through providing superior customer service and developing and retaining content employees, Publix was once again announced in 2005 a ? 100 Best Company to Work for? by Fortune magazine. Publix also received its 13 th award by Fortune Magazine as a ? Most Admired Company.? CURRENT TRENDS IN THE GLOBAL GROCERY INDUSTRY As the business world becomes smaller and firms look to expand their reach globally, managers are faced with the task of developing and implementing plans to make the next step to take their firm into the international arena. As 26Journal of Business Case Studies – Fourth Quarter 2007 Volume 3, Number 4 companies in other industries such as electronics, clothing, and food service have taken their companies abroad, a new trend has begun to emerge within the last decade—grocery chains and supermarkets expanding their companies internationally. The company leading t his trend is Wal-Mart which has expanded mostly to Europe and Latin America. However, this trend has been limited to foreign supermarkets expanding into the U. S. market such as Aldi, Tesco, and Famima. American grocery stores have not been very prevalent in the expansion of the industry globally.Tesco and Famima are looking to bring smaller scale grocery retail stores to the U. S. mostly concentrated on the West Coast in California. Famima, the Japanese grocer will offer Chinese and Japanese items which would be sure to please ethnic food seekers. There are a variety of reasons why some U. S. firms have been prompted to expand abroad. The main reason is because of competition in the form of consolidations of grocers. There are a variety of methods firms in the grocery industry use to reach the global market, the most popular being via acquisitions of smaller stores in the host nation.WalMart and IGA have both expanded their global reach through acquisitions. Tesco has expanded thei r company through the use of joint ventures, acquisitions, stand-alone operations and start-up concepts. Within the grocery industry, traditional grocers are beginning to stock items that normally do not dot the landscape of a grocery store such as non-food items and traditional retailers of non-food items are starting to sell food products. U. S. Grocery stores and supermarkets thinking of expanding abroad also have to contend with the food retailers in the host nations of both local and foreign firms.For example, hypermarkets are well known throughout Europe and Africa and sell lots of goods ranging from home improvement products to frozen foods; a small U. S. supermarket may have trouble competing with this type of store in an overseas market. Also Wal-Mart has introduced their concept grocery ? Neighborhood Center? stores in the U. S. which sell only food products; their strategy abroad involves the large supermarkets, which compete with the local hypermarkets. So not only does a small U. S. grocer have to compete with a local firm, it must compete with other foreign, mainly American firms as well. The rapid growth and development of ? upercenters? as evidenced by Wal-mart‘s grocery industry ascendancy is testament to the viability of hybrid formats (i. e. , grocery and general merchandise). Supercenters‘ sales exceeded $100 billion in 2000 (half of which was accounted for by the grocery side of the store). In another example, domestically, Wal-Mart has begun to add new organic food products to its shelves to attract more upscale buyers that would normally attend specialty organic markets or upscale supermarkets. In addition, the legendary furniture producer Ikea has recently decided to expand it specialty-foods segment and will begin selling the items in its stores.The firm has always sold food products and even operates a few restaurants. Retailers also are starting to develop new concept stores which bear the name and likeness of the parent store but cater to a particular ethnic group or food trend. Publix has their two chains, one Latin-oriented and the other organicoriented. Wal-Mart has also developed and expanded their ? Neighborhood Market? limited grocer concept. Over 20,000 new items are hitting the market every year and understanding the value of each product to each customer is no easy task.Therefore, the value of understanding, anticipating, and determining consumer preference cannot be overestimated. Changing effectively is a matter of keeping up with the demands of consumers, offering more value for the customer‘s dollar, being competitive, and creating raving fans. For example, Publix offers readymade meals which are a growing trend abroad, especially in Asia. Other countries view American brands as a welcome addition to their market place. For example, Japan is a large importer of foreign food supplies and a report out of Sweden recently found Japan as a viable market for foreign investment in food products and supplies.Food safety is becoming a major issue in the grocery industry. According to a Better Homes and Gardens panel study, only 20% of the panelists were very confident that the food they buy is safe to eat. Global activist group Greenpeace, has joined two other coalitions-True Food Now and GE-Free Markets-which are trying to convince two supermarket operators in California to stop using genetically engineered ingredients in their private label food lines. According to NBC Dateline investigation, seven of the nation's largest grocery store chains, operating more than 7000 tores in nearly every state, admitted to re-dating meats and fish after they had reached their original â€Å"sell-by† date. In the food retailing industry, leaders are paying more attention to ensuring that food products are safe and produced in a clean environment. According to the corporate quality assurance lab coordinator at Publix, their associates are constantly looking at all the risk factors associated with food quality, as well as food safety, while attempting to eliminate them. Firms in any industry operating abroad and at home must also be aware of health risks.The ever publicized, bird-flu, can affect how companies conduct operations. In one move, Publix announced that in case of a bird-flu epidemic in America, it would think about providing curbside delivery of goods to customers. In light of the health risks present to retailers and 27 Journal of Business Case Studies – Fourth Quarter 2007 Volume 3, Number 4 their food supplies, supermarkets must also craft procurement strategies to ensure the products selected to be sold in their stores are free from exposure to such elements prior to being stocked on the companies‘ shelves.Natural disasters also play a role in food safety as well. When a natural disaster strikes, cities and neighborhoods are often left without electricity and as a result, food establishments are not able to store their peris hable items because of the risk of spoilage and making customers sick. To counter this problem, Publix has prepared all of its South Florida stores for hurricane disasters by installing generators in these stores as part of its ? Business Recovery Program.?This move is seen as a way for the company to remain open during the aftermath of a storm and continue to serve their customers by hopefully reducing lost perishables inventory and helping to ensure that spoiled and tainted food products are not sold to their customers. Today‘s customers are increasingly more concerned and vocal about the quality and nutrition of the food they purchase. According to research, 70 percent of women and 54 percent of men say they consider nutrition to be an important factor in their consideration of food purchases. Once a niche category, organic foods are becoming increasingly mainstream as small, egional organic food-producing companies have been acquired by major manufacturers. Today‘s n utrition-conscious supermarket shoppers are checking labels as never before. The Food and Drug Administration is requiring that trans fat (trans fats are found in foods ranging from partially hydrogenated oils to fried foods, cookies, pastries, dairy products and meats) content appear on all food labels as of January 1, 2006. Finally, some manufacturers are considering the idea of offering ? functional foods? which are fortified with a growing number of popular herbs, vitamins, hormones and other healthy additives.The days of preparing complete meals at home are becoming a distant memory for most working people living in the United States and other developed nations. Today‘s time poor shoppers are opting for prepared foods such as precut produce, cooked dinners, and prepared takeout foods. Also, 77. 4 percent of the respondents purchase prepared foods to eat at home and 49 percent of those who eat at home said they do so because they are more careful about what they eat. It ha s been said that over 40 percent of all consumer spending on food is for meals that are eaten away from their homes.EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AFFECTING GLOBAL EXPANSION Economic. The economy of the country affects companies if they decide to expand abroad and how they operate. The countries‘ monetary and economic policies could be discouraging to international investment such as currency controls; unstable exchange rates; high external debt, etc. A retail establishment might be affected by unstable currencies which could leave some customers unable to buy the companies‘ products and could hamper repatriation of profits back home. The type of economy a country operates under can also have an impact on foreign firms.For example, command, communist, socialist or market-oriented economies also pose different challenges to the multinational firm, and policies of these various economies will in effect determine companies‘ direction. Socio-cultural. Elements in the f oreign socio-cultural environment will affect decisions to locate abroad. There are various cultural norms that influence consumer behavior, company policies, marketing and product selection such as religion, ethnic norms, etc. The firm must look at new social and cultural trends in the global and country-specific environment and how they affect the market.Some social trends that have emerged in the food industry are healthy foods, organic and natural foods and gourmet take-out. Supermarkets wishing to expand abroad also must take note of regional and country preferences of the consumers in the host nation. What is normally for sale in the home market may be significantly different in the host nation; even more so than the differences in regional areas of the home country. Change is constant and ubiquitous throughout the supermarket industry because customers are becoming more knowledgeable and demanding.In today‘s market-based economy, customers want a variety of ethnic foods that are made with quality ingredients and represent their culture; therefore quality service must be aligned accordingly with the best prices in order to deliver superior value. Political/Legal. One of the biggest factors affecting expansion abroad is the level of political risk of a country and its legal environment. The level of political risk involved and its resultant effect on foreign firms are often taken into consideration before a company decides to locate in a foreign market. A new government may expropriate or nationalize 28Journal of Business Case Studies – Fourth Quarter 2007 Volume 3, Number 4 foreign owned property or all of the companies in a particular industry often with detrimental results to the foreign firm. Also governments sometimes pose through their legal system investment restrictions on foreign firms seeking FDI in their countries. This ranges from disallowing 100% ownership by foreign firms in the host country; mandatory joint venture or strategic alliance agreements; and even restrictions on the building of manufacturing or distribution facilities in the new country. Demographic.This particular factor in the external environment relates to ? who will your customers be Will the same demographic segment targeted by the firm in its home country be present in the host nation, such as income, gender, age, education? Are these consumers accessible? Is there a need or want for the firm‘s particular products? For example, will a traditional supermarket with middle class consumers at home have a large demographic base in a village where poorer customers buy produce from open-air markets? How will the characteristics of the intended target group affect operating strategy?All of the questions must be answered and will directly affect the strategy that a company will take when expanding abroad and even will affect the country of choice for the firm. Technological. The firm needs to look at new trends in the industry or related in dustries that will have an effect on their expansion and operations at home and abroad. There is in fact rapid technological innovation in the food-retail industry that companies are starting to take notice of and adopt. Technology which allows customers to be their own cashiers and checkout their own groceries have been around for many years.However, it is only recently that some food retailers are toying with its implementation as a strategic tool to enhance their competitive position and offer better service to the time-impoverished customer. This is because self-checkout technology, which allows shoppers to scan their own items, offers savings to both the shopper and the retailer along with an added convenience. Self-checkouts can serve only a segment of the market which wants to scan their own groceries and have a debit card to pay for their groceries. Check-out efficiency has also been improved by widespread use of debit and credit card payment systems.CONCLUDING REMARK Publix ‘s history shows that they bought seven Grand Union stores in Miami in 1959 and 19 All American stores in 1945 to expand their market share in the Florida market. According to Publix leaders, currently there are no specific plans for mergers or acquisitions. However, they are not against the idea of acquiring another company that fits Publix‘s culture and philosophy. An executive commented that ? If the right opportunity came up we could acquire another company†¦ we may or may not find another company we like†¦we believe in internal growth, building our own stores.?The supermarket industry is becoming increasingly concentrated as large regional chains such as, Wal-Mart, Kroger, Safeway, and Albertson‘s dominate their markets Publix‘s current strategy is to steadily grow from within and expand the Publix culture throughout its stores across different states in the United States. If they choose not to go abroad, they better be fully prepared to compet e with global firms that will be planning to invade their market in the coming decades. One must ponder on a strategy of Publix going abroad to gain new market share and to gain the relevant experience to compete with global competitors.Or, Publix can simply prepare to protect its territories from foreign retailers that will be competing with them in the United States. What should Publix executives do and how should be they proceed if they are to maximize the value of their stockholders in the long-term? DISCUSSION QUESTIONS ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Is Publix ready to go abroad? Defend your statement selection as thoroughly as possible. Do Publix managers and employees have the experience to compete in global markets? Discuss. What route if any should Publix take to expand abroad? (Think about joint-venture, strategic alliance, licensing, manufacturing, greenfield, etc. If international expansion is not feasible at this time, develop some alternative solutions to Publix growing successfully am id global competitors. Beyond product selection, what other aspects of Publix‘s operations may be affected by going abroad? What other factors in the firm‘s external environment may affect international expansion for Publix? Is it better for Publix to go abroad and compete in new markets or simply prepare to compete with global retailers that will be coming into the neighborhood? 29 Journal of Business Case Studies – Fourth Quarter 2007 Exhibit 1 – Stages of Internationalization Volume 3, Number 4Foreign Sales Office Domestic Sales Direct Exporting Foreign Manufacturing Subsidiary Amount of Involvement in the Foreign Country Exhibit 2 – Consolidated Earnings Publix Super Markets, Inc. Consolidated Statements of Earnings Years ended December 31, 2005, December 25, 2004 and December 27, 2003 2005 2004 2003 (Amounts are in thousands, except share outstanding and per share amounts) Revenues: Sales$ Other operating income Total revenues Costs and expenses : Cost of merchandise sold Operating and administrative expenses 20,589,130 155,681 20,744,811 18,554,486 131,885 18,686,371 16,760,749 126,120 16,886,869 5,059,680 4,231,402 13,577,740 3,869,791 12,275,132 3,613,759 Total costs and expenses Operating profit Investment income, net Other income, net Earnings before income tax expense Income tax expense Net earnings Weighted average number of common shares outstanding Basic and diluted earnings per common share based on weighted average shares outstanding 19,291,082 1,453,729 74,293 22,716 1,550,738 561,582 $ 989,156 7,447,531 1,238,840 35,311 20,860 1,295,011 475,628 819,383 15,888,891 997,978 21,926 27,185 1,047,089 386,156 660,933 172,039,137 176,775,733 184,112,742 $ 5. 75 4. 64 3. 59 30 Journal of Business Case Studies – Fourth Quarter 2007 Exhibit 3- Consolidated Comprehensive Earnings Publix Super Markets, Inc. Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Earnings Years ended December 31, 005, December 25, 2004 and December 27, 2003 2005 2004 (Amounts are in thousands) Net earnings Other comprehensive earnings (losses) Unrealized (loss) gain on investment securities available for-sale, net of tax effect of ($8,484), $419 and $3,174 in 2005, 2004 and 2003, respectively Reclassification adjustment for net realized gain on investment securities available-for-sale, net of tax effect of ($1,692), ($1,348) and ($800) in 2005, 2004 and 2003, respectively Comprehensive earnings $989,156 819,383 Volume 3, Number 4 2003 660,933 (13,510) 668 5,055 (2,695) $972,951 (2,147) 817,904 (1,274) 664,714REFERENCES 1. 2. 3. Appleson, G. (2006, August 14). Grocery chains blur retailing lines as they bottle Wal-Mart. Knight Ridder Tribune, P. 1 Awbi, A. (2006, June 16 Tesco Shifts Focus as foreign business booms. Food & Drink Europe. com. Retrieved August 21, 2006 from http://www. foodanddrinkeurope. com/news/ng. asp? id=68453. Klintenberg, H. (2003). Japanese Food Market Consumer Market Characteristics, and the foreign entr y situation from a Swedish Perspective. Gotenborg, Dept. of Human and Economic Geography. Retrieved August 21, 2006 from http://www. handels. gu. se/epc/archive00003058.Ikea to move into specialty grocery market. (2005, July 11). Food & Drink Europe. com Retrieved August 24, 2006 from http://www. foodanddrinkeurope. com/news/printNewsBis. asp? id=61218 Jackson, J. (2006, April 6). Experts discuss bird-flue response: Publix plan for curbside delivery is an example of how business for the worst. Knight Ridder Business Tribune. Retrieved August 21, 2006 from ProQuest. Mujtaba, B. G. (April 2007). Cross cultural management and negotiation practices. ILEAD Academy Publications; Florida, United States. ISBN: 978-0-9774211-2-1. Website: Ileadacademy. com. Mujtaba, G. B. Johnson, W. , (2004). Publix Super Markets Inc. : Achieving Customer Intimacy. Case 15; pages 375-392. In William Johnson and Art Weinstein‘s book entitled Superior Customer Value in New Economy. Second Edition. CRC P ress. Orgel, D. (2002, June 17). U. S. Supermarket Operators need a foreign policy. Supermarket News. Retrieved August 21, 2006 from ProQuest Database. Pint Sized Imports. Progressive Grocer (2006, May 15). 8, p. 18. Retrieved August 21, 2006 rom ProQuest Database. Publix. (2006, March 2). Publix Announces 4th Quarter and Annual Results for 2005. Retrieved August 21, 2006 from www. ublix. com. Publix. (2006, April 13). Publix Announces Annual Dividend. Retrieved August 21, 2006 from www. publix. com. Publix. (2006). Publix website visited on August 21 2006 at http://www. publix. com 31 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. Journal of Business Case Studies – Fourth Quarter 2007 13. 14. 15. Volume 3, Number 4 16. 17. Publix plans natural prototypes. (2005, May 13). South Florida Business Journal. Retrieved August 21, 2006 from http://www. bizjournals. com/southflorida/stories/2005/05/09/daily52. html. Grocer to add flavor with Hispanic themed stores. (2005, March 7).South Florida Busin ess Journal. Retrieved August 21, 2006 from http://www. bizjournals. com/southflorida/stories/2005/03/07/daily5. html. Ideal Media, LLC. (2006). Restaurant Business: Street smarts for the entrepreneur. Retrieved August 21, 2006 from http://www. restaurantbiz. com/index. php? option=com_content&task=view&id=13355&Itemid=93. Publix. (2006). Publix Super Markets Inc. Annual Report to Stockholders: The Character of Publix. Publix (2006, February 6). Publix and the Little Clinic to open walk-in medical clinics. Retrieved September 16, 2006 from www. publix. com NOTES 32

Semi Barbaric Princess Essay Example

Semi Barbaric Princess Essay Example Semi Barbaric Princess Paper Semi Barbaric Princess Paper Essay Topic: Hilarious The Prince After reading this story, it is my opinion, based on the text quote below that the young man chose the door with the Lady behind it. Here is why. The Princess cant bear to see the young man die at her instruction. How her soul had burned in agony when she had seen him rush to meet that woman, with her flushing cheek and sparkling eye of triumph; when she had seen him lead her forth, his whole frame kindled with the Joy of recovered life; when she had heard the glad shouts from the multitude, and the wild ringing of the happy bells; when she had seen the priest, ith his Joyous followers, advance to the couple, and make them man and wife before her very eyes; and when she had seen them walk away together upon their path of flowers, followed by the tremendous shouts of the hilarious multitude, in which her one despairing shriek was lost and drowned! (Stockton) The Princess has gone through a great deal to discover the identity of the two doors. She loves the young man, but she knows tha t she can never marry him. The author gives us much more detail about the Princesss reaction to the marriage of the young man and the lady. Even though she questions her decision, I think that she signaled him with the door where the lady stood, because she loved him, and could not bear to lead him to his death. She would be far more haunted by this ide a, knowing that she was responsible for him being torn apart by the tiger. With all due respect, I think #3 needs to look at the quoted section of text more closely. How in her grievous reveries had she gnashed her teeth, and torn her hair, when she saw his start of rapturous delight as he opened the door of the lady! The princess did ot want him to find happiness with anyone else. She had a barbaric nature, and she knew that the beautiful young woman had cast glances upon her lover, and she had perceived those glances to be returned. This would not been taken lightly, and it is safe to say it would probably not be forgiven. In addition, let us not forget the savage blood that coursed through her and the barbaric ancestry she came from, and the fact that she hated the woman behind the door. It would seem that due to her barbaric nature she would have not wanted her lover to find happiness with another oman, and so we could assume she guided him to the door with the tiger. Now with all that being said, we are told also that her lover understood her nature.. o if that is true then perhaps he would know she might not want any other woman to have him, and he would choose the door opposite the one she directed him to. So if the lady came out, perhaps it was because he outwitted his barabic lover. I think you and # 3 have some solid evidence. but i think you missed the part where it said that he went to the door on the right so he could not have outwitted her. Think about this people. The story explains about her barba ric nature like her fathers. We are also told that her lover knows her true nature. If these things are true, the princess would have directed him to the door with the tiger, but her lover would have known that. Consequently, he would have chosen the door she did not indicate, and he and the beautiful girl would live happily ever after. In the story it says, Her right arm lay on the cushioned parapet before her. She raised her hand, and made a slight, quick movement toward the right. No one but her lover saw her. Every eye but his was fixed on the man in the arena. He turned, and with a firm and rapid step he walked across the empty space. Every heart stopped beating, every breath was held, every eye was fixed immovably upon that man. Without the slightest hesitation, he went to the door on the right, and opened it. So her lover chose the door that she indicated, Frank Stockton tells us that much. Think about this people. The story explains about her barbaric nature like her fathers. We are also told that her lover knows her true nature. If these things are true, the princess would have directed him to the door with the tiger, but her lover ould have known that. Consequently, he would have chosen the door she did not indicate, and he and the beautiful girl would live happily ever after. With all due respect, the author specifically says, She raised her hand, and made a slight, quick movement toward the right. He also says, Without the slightest hesitation, he went to the door on the right and opened it. Therefore, the lover of the princess could not have outwitted her. See more at: enotes. com/homework-help/did-tiger- come-out-door-did-lady-387697#sthash. ZBMVMJ6a. dpuf

Outkast essays

Outkast essays Stankonia vs. The Love Below/Speakerboxx Dalton Higgins, from the Amazon.com, wrote an article on the rap group Oukasts differing styles between two of their albums. Outkast is one of the biggest and most influential hip-hop groups of todays era. The group feature two members: Andre and Big Boi. Their first album titled southernplayalisticadillacmuzik came out in 1994 and they have not looked back. Since that time Outkast has produced 4 more albums: Atliens, Aquemini, Stankonia, and their most recent and most popular The Love Below/Speakerboxx. In 2000, when they came out with Stankonia, Outkast had a sound full of clever rap beats and smooth melodic lyrics that could not be matched. However in this year, 2004, Outkast decided to experiment. Both Andre and Big Boi decided to create their own CDs and put them together in one package. Andres CD was called The Love Below and Andres CD was called Speakerboxx. While both CDs were quite different in style, they came together to make one of the best selling CDs of all time. The style differences between Stankonia and The Love Below/Speakerboxx are very hard to ignore. When Outkast came out with Stankonia they produced an album that was strictly rap and hip-hop. It was a record that was full of hard-hitting gangster beats and rhythms. The lyrics, while beautiful, were not meant to connect with mainstream America. Stankonia fit the genre of being just another rap album, yet something was different; it seemed to rise above all other rap albums to create a special sound. After 2000, it became obvious that Outkast would not fall in to the bottomless pit that is pop music. In 2004, Outkast did a complete 180 and created The Love Below/Speakerboxx. Never has one rap group d ...

Accounting Business And Corporate Banking

Internal and External Audits of Westpac The financial declaration of Westpac Group is prepared and presented as per the conditions stipulated under Australian Accounting Standards (AAS) Interpretations as declared by AASB Corporation Act 2001 as well as banking at 1959 modified. In addition to this, the financial statement also complies with IFRS and ISB. As per the declaration of the auditor independence stipulated 307c of the Corporation Act, there exists no contravention of the requirement of independence of the auditors under Corporation Act 2001 in association to audit. Furthermore, there also exists no contravention of any professional conduct code in association to audit. Corporate Governance of Westpac encompasses the major principles for serving the rights of the shareholders. Board is committed to highest standards in aligning with Corporate Governance in recognizing fundamental for all the activities. This involves regular analysis of improved government practices for monitoring the global developments as per best practices in Corporate Governance[2]. Corporate Governance Statement of Westpac sets out the given principles covering the main aspect such as: The management of Westpac confirms with ASX Corporate Governance Principles as well as Recommendations namely third edition declared by Corporate Governance Council of ASX Limited. This tactics refers to the commitment of the company towards achievement of excellence in governance stipulations. Business Strategy of Westpac involving in conducting customer-focused those will deliver superior customer experience as well as broadening of customer relationships. In other words, driving operational efficiency for Westpac in balancing risk and reward As per the Director report presented in the annual declaration of the company, Westpac intends to attract and retain talented workforce. This means the company also adopts innovative recruitment strategies, superior working conditions for meeting up altering expectations of the employees and developing right people for right job. The company has retained â€Å"Employer of choice for Gender equality provided by workplace Gender equality agencies†. The company also abides by legislative liabilities â€Å"Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998†, Accident Compensation Act (1985), Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1986. Employee working at Westpac is provided with efficient formal as well as training session at the time of induction programs[4]. Commitment to employees at Westpac involves staff member receiving adequate training as well as development selected on merit basis. 2. It reveals conducting appropriate research for determining the Australian Accounting Standards in case for reporting as well as non-reporting entities. By summarizing, it can be noticed that Board list entity after approving from entity financial statements for given financial period. From the financial records, information are taken out regarding the reporting standard and non-reporting entities in compiling with appropriate accounting standards for rendering true and fair view of financial position[5]. The general purpose of financial report for preparing financial statement in accordance with Australian Accountant Standards from the Corporations Act 2001 Shim J, Siegel J and Shim J,  Financial Accounting  (McGraw-Hill 2012) 'Westpac - Personal, Business And Corporate Banking' (Westpac.com.au, 2016) accessed 10 November 2016 'Westpac - Personal, Business And Corporate Banking' (Westpac.com.au, 2016) accessed 10 November 2016. Jae K Shim, Joel G Siegel and Jae K Shim,  Financial Accounting  (McGraw-Hill 2012). Westpac - Personal, Business And Corporate Banking' (Westpac.com.au, 2016) accessed 10 November 2016. Westpac - Personal, Business And Corporate Banking' (Westpac.com.au, 2016) accessed 10 November 2016. Westpac - Personal, Business And Corporate Banking' (Westpac.com.au, 2016) accessed 10 November 2016.

Assess the role of the French Revolution in the Rise of Nationalism Essay

Assess the role of the French Revolution in the Rise of Nationalism - Essay Example Originally, the revolution was seen as an accepted rebellion against the supreme power of the king and against the civil liberties and wealth of the selected few, however, they were carried out in the name of liberation, egalitarianism, and fraternity. Nevertheless, in actual sense it resulted to the loss of liberation, tyranny, and nationalism, additionally, the revolution was due to a detestation of tradition and yearning to utilize the power of the state to generate a new-fangled order. Therefore, people were bestowed new identities as citizens of the state, but to put an end to the resistance towards revolution and the new order, about 18,000 - 40,000 people were killed.3 Thus, because of the death of many people, the revolution was not capable of establishing a long-lasting system of governance, hence, in the subsequent century; France could be ruled differently as a republic, a tyranny, a legitimate realm, and two diverse empires and under several dissimilar constitutions. In addition to that, the following incidents caused by the revolution encompass the Napoleonic wars, the re-establishment of the realm, and two extra revolutions as recent France developed.4 Moreover, numerous incidents took place during the revolution that started from the very significant function of National Assembly beginning 1789 to 1791.5 This was followed by the collapse of the fort of Bastille, assertion of human rights, the detention of king and queen that was later followed by their murder, stop of the reign of terror with Robespear. Furthermore, revolution put an end to tyrannical and corrupt rule in France, judicious thoughts overthrew the orthodox, limitless monarchy, and feudalism was discarded.6 On the other hand, revolution had also consequences on the world in which it provided recommendation to the world that the king can never be an emissary of God but of people. Revolution also

Identify a standard used by the VA in its information security Research Paper

Identify a standard used by the VA in its information security program, then compare and contrast with another similar standard - Research Paper Example The department therefore contains a lot of sensitive information meaning that the entity needs the proper forms of internal controls in order to protect data on the different people that is contained within the system. It is therefore a requisite for the organization to adopt the best and most secure system as not only serves the veterans but liaises with other departments to ensure proper service delivery for the veterans. There are the mandatory standards that are required by the federal government and the other standards that the entities adopt in order to have a set level of pedigree within the global trends. One of the security requirements by the Federal government that the entity has adopted is the FIPS 200 that is a standard specified by the Federal Information Security Systems Act (FISMA) that is an important part in risk management (Norman, 2007). The security systems specified under this standard are important for ensuring the integrity, confidentiality and availability of the computer system and its information while ensuring that the risks that the company may face in the process have been significantly reduced. Under the FIPS200 standards there are the management safeguards, technical safeguards and the operational safeguards. The management safeguards deal with risk assessment and security planning factors while the operational standards are mainly concerned with the personnel security and the software and hardware maintenance within the organization. The technical safeguards on the other hand are concerned with the audit trails and communications protection (Norman, 2007). Th e FIPS 200 standard is applicable to all federal government information so as to require the protection of information against any unauthorized disclosure. The standards has the minimum security requirements that it requires of the organization in the different areas that

Business Policy and Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Business Policy and Strategic Management - Essay Example It is a discount store outlet, focused on marketing brand names for lower prices. Similar stores such as Woolco and Kmart were not as successful as WalMart, because the latter had some unique operating principles which worked to its benefit. After four decades of operation, Woolco outlets have disappeared, while Kmart has moved into bankruptcy, so that WalMart is the top ranking store in the United States. In international locations, Walmart attracted customers by its Everyday Low Prices. It maintained a relentless cost control system by allowing few perks for its officers and employees. It was also able to negotiate tough deals with its suppliers, using its ability to place bulk orders to also make other demand such as high quality and low prices, which it then passed on to its customers. It maintained several distribution outlets and initiated an electronic data interchange system, allowing suppliers to track sales to deliver new stocks and they were also able to exchange invoices, purchase orders and other documents electronically. Another important aspect contributing to Walmart’s success is its human resource and motivational policies.

Everybody's History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Everybody's History - Essay Example This was an organization, which sometimes referred to themselves as â€Å"Lincoln Inquiry,† and included of historians, lawyers, genealogists, collectors, college presidents, teachers, and new paper editors. These participants were upset that Lincoln biographers either ignored Indiana or featured it as a backwoods place that Lincoln was glad to escape. They thus joined together in the1920s and 1930s to recuperate a part of Abraham’s life which his biographers had left out: the ages between seven and twenty-one years, when he resided on the Indiana border. To prove the biographers wrong, they conserved, researched old records, recorded, and shared the Southern Indiana history as essential to Lincoln’s life and to the history of the American border. Along the way, they involved most of the historical agencies of the State, competed with his contemporary biographers, civic commemoration, and conflicted with the Ku Klux Clan. They also interviewed aging witnesses, bu ilt a historical village, hosted pageants, and presented their findings in print publicly. They successfully rescued some of Indiana’s history through correcting an eliminated chapter of Lincoln’s life. The â€Å"Lincoln Inquiry† felt that is was important for them to tell about Lincoln’s youth in the Indiana State since despite the omission from his biography’ he indeed grew up here. ... because he spent fourteen of the most determining years of his life growing into manhood from youth (1816-1830).Many of the moral values and character traits that made him one of the most respected leaders in the world were created and nurtured in Indiana. It was in this rural farm where Lincoln learned to chuckle with his father, mourned over the death of his mother, studied the books that opened up his mind, and conquered the hardships of life on the frontier. Prior efforts to claim Abraham for Indiana were focused on relating external events of his adulthood with items during his youth. The group argued that to be a lawyer, Lincoln read a book on law while living in Indiana. They believed that Illinois is what it is because of Lincoln’s making, cultivated by his life experiences in Indiana. But until they provide data to back their claim, then people will be left to create vague assertions on Indiana being significant, critical, or formative. The historical society preserve d evidences that they could convince people about the youthful years of Lincoln. His boyhood National Memorial, which is a component of the National park service was utilized as site to conserve the farm on which Abraham spent his life during the seven to twenty-one age bracket. The park consisted of a memorial visitor center put up by the Indiana state in 1940s; a hut site memorial, the graveyard where his mother was buried, as well as a recreated living history ranch where visitors get an understanding of the frontier life. Here, the group could bring in visitors and those interested in Lincoln’s history and educate them much about his real biography. Groups such as the Southwestern Indiana Historical society have plaid a big role in American politics and more so, on myths about Lincoln.

Memorandum Project Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Memorandum Project Paper - Essay Example The other three post-impressionist paintings that I will choose are Paul Gauguin’s Fleurs dans un vase avec partition musicale; Edward Le Bas’  Thames from Rotherhithe; and, Paul Gauguin  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœs Yellow Christ. The Riviere et falaise is perceived by Courbet as symbolic of freedom and the painting expressed his passion for liberty (Courbet-Gustave, 2012). Courbet is among those who engaged self in a realist movement and had positioned himself in figurative landscapes, compositions and seas but depicting the semblance of social issues specially those of peasants and labor (Courbet-Gustave, 2012). Courbet wanted to show the realist’s mission for truth and the contradictions evident in society. The artist explored his passion for oil painting while he was in Paris in 1839 at Steuben and Hesse studio. He was strongly influenced by Victor Hugo and George Sand, Rembrandt, Hals, and some Dutch masters (Courbet-Gustave, 2012). This painting which showed the rivulets of river and nature will be displayed at the visitor’s lounge area to evoke natural beauty. The river is also perceived as the passage of abundance. It is inspiring to welcome guests and visitors with the aesthetic concept of abundance. The piece is historical too because it reflect the artist’s controversial refusal to accept the Legion of Honour offered by Napoleon III and his signature will remind viewers about his participation in 1871 revolutionary Paris Commune when he was designated at Paris’s arts museum (Courbet-Gustave, 2012). Reggianini’s painting â€Å"Lecture† will be posted at the conference room . The artist gained historical prominence as an affiliate of Florentine painters, enjoyed the life of bourgeoisie who devoted their lives in gaining knowledge, discourse and poetry (Reggianini , 1939). His arts embodied the mixture of reality, sensuality, sensibilities, luxury, elegance and sophistication. The interest for knowledge is fitted in corporate life where business managers ought to be constantly engaged in analysing the market and trends. Business management require an infinite interest for learning, meeting and discourse to improve operation and interrelationship with clients (Reggianini , 1939). Bouvar’s Venetian canals and architecture is an aesthetic art which arrests the significance of light to defect atmospheric effects and reflect the splendour of Venice. Artist is from St. Jean-de-Bournay in L'Isere and learned architecture at the  Ecole des Beaux-Arts  in Paris. The picturesque paintings provide a breather of the urban scene and were said as quite an interest for fine art connoisseurs. This painting will be displayed at the receiving hall to provide an illusion for guests and workers that they are outdoor although they are within the confines of the corporation and hence, can relax with its sun-inspired aesthetics. Gauguin’s Fleurs dans un vase avec partition musicale, on the other hand, will be posted adjacent or along the passage to the restroom area. This painting is among the first few paintings done by the artist and this is considered rare. A painting of flower with musical score to the restroom area will soften and ease the thoughts of the persons. The color and the effect of this painting illustrated artist’s technical proficiency which gained appreciation with fellow

International Currency Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

International Currency - Essay Example However, it is not secret that dozens of countries all over the world including Great Britain define the value of their currencies through a fixed exchange rate with the dollar. Many others, especially in Asia, keep their currencies tightly linked to the U.S. currency (Altman, 2004) Much of the world has come to realize that the dollar's value is steadily being undermined. But few Americans understand that the government along with the Federal Reserve is accomplishing the undermining. And few also realize that the main cause of the continuing failure of the American dollar is federal indebtedness brought on by virtually uncontrolled federal spending. Responding to the vast hole they have dug for all Americans, the US leaders have paid the nation's bills by borrowing from almost every corner of the globe and by creating more currency out of nothing (inflation). According to the statistics from 2006, the YS current-account deficit equals $857 billion that is absorbing the major part of the world's capital outflows. To finance this constant deficit, the United States has accumulated trillions of dollars of foreign debt, depreciating their currency, the dollar, and appreciating other world currencies. Current paper looks at the trends and implications of the "cheap " US dollar and its effects on the world major currencies, emphasis the British pound. Causes of the dollar decline Since the introduction of the euro in 1999, the US experiences severe balance of payments deficits on current account. The biggest deficits were with China and Japan. However, in order to protect their export competitiveness, both China and Japan followed macroeconomic policies that would maintain fixed exchange rates between their currencies and the US dollar. In order to accomplish this result, both China and Japan had to intervene in the foreign exchange market by buying up massive amounts of US dollars while selling corresponding amounts of their own currencies, the Chinese Yuan and the Japanese yen. These purchase showed up as capital inflows into the US. However, as the US continued to maintain historically low interest rates to stimulate its domestic economy, some critics wondered if China and Japan would continue to hold so many US dollars (Eiteman, Stonehill, Moffett 2007). As a result of extensive US exports, the country has become the world's largest debtor, rather than th e world's largest creditor, the position it held in earlier years. Net foreign purchases of US securities have retreated from their peak in 2001, while the US balance of current accounts has worsened, as show in Figure 1. Figure 1: Balance of US current account 1960-2001 According to APF Business news1, the US balance of payments deficit narrowed in the second quarter to 190.8 billion dollars from 197.1 billion in the first quarter, the Commerce Department reported Friday. The US current account figure, roughly in line with analysts' forecasts, represented 5.5 percent of US economic output or gross domestic product. For the first quarter, the current account deficit was revised up to 197.1 billion dollars or 5.8 percent of GDP. The improvement in the current account deficit, the broadest measure of trade and income flows, suggested some easing of balance of paymen

Memorandum Project Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Memorandum Project Paper - Essay Example The other three post-impressionist paintings that I will choose are Paul Gauguin’s Fleurs dans un vase avec partition musicale; Edward Le Bas’  Thames from Rotherhithe; and, Paul Gauguin  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœs Yellow Christ. The Riviere et falaise is perceived by Courbet as symbolic of freedom and the painting expressed his passion for liberty (Courbet-Gustave, 2012). Courbet is among those who engaged self in a realist movement and had positioned himself in figurative landscapes, compositions and seas but depicting the semblance of social issues specially those of peasants and labor (Courbet-Gustave, 2012). Courbet wanted to show the realist’s mission for truth and the contradictions evident in society. The artist explored his passion for oil painting while he was in Paris in 1839 at Steuben and Hesse studio. He was strongly influenced by Victor Hugo and George Sand, Rembrandt, Hals, and some Dutch masters (Courbet-Gustave, 2012). This painting which showed the rivulets of river and nature will be displayed at the visitor’s lounge area to evoke natural beauty. The river is also perceived as the passage of abundance. It is inspiring to welcome guests and visitors with the aesthetic concept of abundance. The piece is historical too because it reflect the artist’s controversial refusal to accept the Legion of Honour offered by Napoleon III and his signature will remind viewers about his participation in 1871 revolutionary Paris Commune when he was designated at Paris’s arts museum (Courbet-Gustave, 2012). Reggianini’s painting â€Å"Lecture† will be posted at the conference room . The artist gained historical prominence as an affiliate of Florentine painters, enjoyed the life of bourgeoisie who devoted their lives in gaining knowledge, discourse and poetry (Reggianini , 1939). His arts embodied the mixture of reality, sensuality, sensibilities, luxury, elegance and sophistication. The interest for knowledge is fitted in corporate life where business managers ought to be constantly engaged in analysing the market and trends. Business management require an infinite interest for learning, meeting and discourse to improve operation and interrelationship with clients (Reggianini , 1939). Bouvar’s Venetian canals and architecture is an aesthetic art which arrests the significance of light to defect atmospheric effects and reflect the splendour of Venice. Artist is from St. Jean-de-Bournay in L'Isere and learned architecture at the  Ecole des Beaux-Arts  in Paris. The picturesque paintings provide a breather of the urban scene and were said as quite an interest for fine art connoisseurs. This painting will be displayed at the receiving hall to provide an illusion for guests and workers that they are outdoor although they are within the confines of the corporation and hence, can relax with its sun-inspired aesthetics. Gauguin’s Fleurs dans un vase avec partition musicale, on the other hand, will be posted adjacent or along the passage to the restroom area. This painting is among the first few paintings done by the artist and this is considered rare. A painting of flower with musical score to the restroom area will soften and ease the thoughts of the persons. The color and the effect of this painting illustrated artist’s technical proficiency which gained appreciation with fellow

Adele Laurie Blue Essay Example for Free

Adele Laurie Blue Essay Adele Laurie Blue Adkins was born on May 5, 1988 in North London, England. She was the only child of Penny Adkins who was just 18 at the time of her birth, and a Welsh father, Mark, who left the family when Adele was only 4 years old. Mark, who never married Penny, stayed in contact with his daughter up until her teen years, when appeared problems with alcohol. That is the reason why Adele grew close to her mom, who said her young daughter to explore, and not to stick with one thing†. Adele developed a passion for musicin her early years. Because of it her mother took Adele in the BRIT School for Performing Arts Technology, where Amy Winehouse studied. While at school, Adele made a three-track demo for a class project, which was posted on her MySpace page. When executives at XL Recordings heard the tracks, they contacted the singer and, just four months after Adele had graduated school, signed a contract. Adeles debut album, 19, hit record stores because of two singles Hometown Glory and Chasing Pavements which became very popular. She won Grammy and the Critics Choice prize at the BRIT Awards. See more: Homeless satire essay Her album 21, selling 352,000 copies by its first week. Her two singles, Rolling in the Deep and Someone Like You, became top and 19 and 21 became a top albums in the same week. Adele also broke the solo female artist record for staying at No. 1 for 11 weeks. At that year Adele won six Grammies. In this year Adele won her seventh Grammy for her hit single Set Fire to the Rain†, an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for the song Skyfall†. Also Adele has a child. The babys father is Adeles boyfriend, Simon Konecki. She said that she wants to have three sons by the time shes 30.

The Marketing Functions Of Walt Disney Tourism Essay

The Marketing Functions Of Walt Disney Tourism Essay The Walt Disneys core business area is Amusement and theme parks. Organization started business in 1955 with an 80-acre Park in California US. Currently they have theme parks in US, Tokyo and France. Euro Disneyland was one of their biggest projects in 1990s; the venture was one of the American efforts to expand their business in foreign countries. Even though Walt Disneys first foreign venture in Tokyo was a success, their next expansion of business in foreign soil Euro Disney became a failure. Objective of this document is to examine marketing management and its role in the business at Euro Disney. Throughout the document it focuses on current marketing function and identifies significant issues which has caused noteworthy drop in the performance of Euro Disney and analyses fundamentals of consumer market behaviour and the use of marketing concept to overcome the situation. Euro Disney Marketing Functions Marketing research   Since Tokyo Disneyland became an instant hit, Walt Disney Company executives believed they learned so much about operating a theme park in another country, they began immediately to search for a site for a fourth park. The selection was Paris for many reasons. France had a spectacular transportation network because of its large population. The Walt Disney Company executives believed since Tokyo Disneyland and Paris was located in almost the same latitude and shared a similar cold-weather climate that they would be able operate successfully. Their research was aimed at Europe because Disney films historically have done better there than in the United States. Because of this Disney entertainment was already familiar with western European audiences, (Scimone, 1991). Marketing planning   SWOT Analysis Product development   Development of Euro Disney was mainly focused on not to repeating two mistakes that they did during past ventures, i.e. Allowing other establishments to open hotels in surrounding area of the theme park As happened in Orlando, Florida, where only 14% of the hotels owned by Disney. Allowing another company to own the theme park Where Disney just collects royalties from an immensely profitable attraction (Solomon, 1994) Consequently, Walt Disney bought far more land then it needed in order to eventually build 700,000 square meters of office space, a 750,000 square meter corporate park, 2,500 individual homes, a 95,000 square meter shopping mall, 2,400 apartments and 3,000 time share apartments (de Quillacq, 1994).   Advertisement and sales promotion Euro Disneyland did marketing to emphasize that it is a Complete vacation destination that offers enough to keep family happily occupied for a week(Scimone, 1991, p18). They promoted Euro Disney as a place where French guest could visit and stay for a long duration. Their main strategy of marketing was promoting the theme park by adopting American Style. i.e.Bigness and extravagance (Wentz Crumley, 1993, p. I 23).Furthermore they used little showcase to market what adventures guests could perform and used characters to explain what they could see inside the park. All the sign boards inside the park were themed with Pirates of Caribbean style and trademark was Smile a lot. To achieve more guest attraction into the park, Euro Disney organized events such as Halloween. Law price tickets were sold after 5pm specifically targeting Parisians, another marketing tactic was to give reductions to school groups and people below 25 and over 60. Selling and distribution   The accessibility to the location of euro Disney Land has been made easier by location itself, where its only 20 miles away from center of Paris and also its situated between two international airports of Orly and Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle. Also the site is connected with French railway regional express where its connected with the Paris metro system. On the opening day itself the direct rail link to Great Britain via the English Channel wade the pathway to countless additional potential guests.   Public relations The employees with trilingual capabilities were given more prominence in recruitment of staff, since Disney hoped to attract visitors from all over Europe. These employees were given special human resource training to implant the Have a nice day mentality and to smile the Disney Smile. Employees were also instructed to adhere to the Disney Look to be in line with the Disney culture. Analysis of the fundamentals of consumer behaviour The buying process There are four types of buying behavior: Disney Europe expected a variety seeking buying behavior from the customer, as they offered a variety of products within the theme park. Ranging from theme park rides, interaction with Disney characters, food, beverages, Disney merchandize and many more. Root cause Analysis The strategy that Disney wanted to implement was the same tried and tested model that they had adopted in the Unites states and Tokyo. However the root causes for their failure was also this strategy which failed to factor in the socio cultural differences of the French and Europeans and their over ambitious plans to develop the site plus their financial structure itself. Strategy mismatch at Euro Disney The root cause of the blunder that Disney made in France was that they perceived that their theme park was a monopoly due to its size a monopoly is described in literature is described as a single supplier with no rivals and high barriers to entry.   When comparing Disney to the other theme parks that were in existence at the time its evident that all of them were small and less known than the famous Disney brand. Also it was very difficult for an investor to come up with a park of the same size and quality due to the high cost involved. Therefore Disneys assumption about the monopolistic position could not be faulted. Disney was also focusing on tourists who would spend several days at the park in order to experience the entire park, which would entail revenue from their hotels, food and merchandise;. Euro Disney due to their perception of their park being a monopoly also priced themselves at a premium, which was more expensive even compared to the tickets for their venues in America. It was also discovered that consumers were not behaving in the manner expected for a monopolistic market. However what transpired was that the French saw it as a day destination which made Disney compete with many other smaller theme parks scattered around France. Euro Disney also miscalculated the per-capita spending of visitors to the park. It was assumed by them that customers would spend as much as Americans and Japanese, however French visitors spent about 12% less than their counterparties. Europeans left the theme parks empty handed whereas this was rarely seen to take place in America and Japan. Cultural Issues Disney failed to identify the existence of cultural differences in Europe resulting in them making the following mistakes; Disney executives thought that Europeans had the same holiday patterns as Americans who spent their money on several short holiday sprees, whereas the Europeans and French were more likely to spread their money and take a few longer breaks. The company also miscalculated the eating habits of the European visitors where they thought they would emulate the Americans by having a quick meal rather than a sit down meal at the appointed time accompanied with wine and liquor. This caused a huge uproar as the French were accustomed to taking a glass of wine with a meal. The employees who were predominantly French were expected to act in a manner that was contradictory to their social customs. The Disney Company expected their employees to adhere to a strict thirteen page guideline which imposed a well scrubbed American look. This did not sit very well with the employees who preferred their individualism. Marketing strategy mismatch The theme park was marketed as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦a complete vacation destination that offers enough to keep the family occupied for a week (Scimone, 1991.p.18) this strategy boasts typical American style bigness and extravagance. Where they have completely alienated the emotional aspect of it by neglecting to emphasis on the special memorable experience the family could have. This clearly shows that the company did not consider the views of the Europeans when developing their strategies. Euro Disney also did not see the approaching recession which tumbled the French real estate market which largely negated their strategy of developing property and selling it to potential buyers; it also shrunk the European and French disposable income so that families thought twice before taking a costly vacation at Euro Disney. Operational Strategy Mismatch Euro Disney encountered several operational mismatches during its early existence some of which are still in existence today such as the right level of staffing at the theme park, it was assumed that Monday would be a light day for guests and Friday would be heavy but the reverse was true. They also miscalculated the facilities available for parking, hotel check out positions, poor management of the crowds (Large queues, restaurant seating capacity) Strategic Action Plan for Disney Euro Seven Ps of Euro Disney Product Happiness Place Euro Disney Park Promotion Powerful and widely known brand name The amount of publicity generated by the project Price Determined by benchmarking those of other Disney parks People All the cast members , current and previous customers Physical environment Theme park , hotel , retail complexes and recreational facilities Process The process by which the product happiness and satisfaction is delivered to customers Recommendation and conclusion By analyzing the above facts, there are two main objectives that Euro Disney Co will consider; those are to overcome their high debt incurred along the way of its operations and to fulfil the gap of the cultural mismatch. Euro Disneyland reported $905 million loss for the fiscal year that ended in September 30, 1993(Sterngold, 1994), and by December 31, 1993, Euro Disneyland had amassed cumulative loss of 6.04 Billion French Francs or 1.03 billion US dollars (Grumbel Turner, 1994). Therefore to overcome these debts the following strategies and tactics are recommended; Issuing of shares to the borrowers to set off against the outstanding debts. Rights issue to the existing share holders in order to raise funds to recover the company debts. Downsizing of employees. Reposition the brand to reflect its proximity to Paris. Price deductions on entrance fee and hotel prices on special promotional periods, and on different custom segments such as schools, age and etc. Offer all inclusive packages which include transport, food and accommodation to attract budget tourists. Design special festivals aimed at different seasons of the year such as Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter this will entice visitors to the park several times a year to have a different experience.(Increase Consumption) Introduce activities such as golf, tennis etc to cater to the different segments of visitors. Revamping of the way it was marketed to be a family oriented vacation highlighting the emotional aspect of it. Expand the market to other untapped markets such as the Middle East and Afric A better mechanism to lighten up the current customer service in order to attract more customers to the business. By achieving the plan mentioned above we are confident that the euro Disney operation can be made profitable successful.