Corporate Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Corporate Strategy - Essay Example tinuous corporate process which examines the corporate business status and the industry competition in which the corporate is operating in, assessing the competition and setting goals and strategies to meet new challenges. (David, 1989) This paper will therefore look into a mini case for Starbucks Company which is trying to enter the Indian market. The main issues that will be addressed by the paper will be; entry problem and market entry analysis using porters 5 forces model. It will finally give a briefing note on the case. In the recent past, trading has become increasingly global in some way because of the need to gather and increase the company’s financial base. To achieve greater investments and better market opportunities in the international market, companies are opening new branches in different countries. Starbucks Company is one of the companies that are expanding its market and it has targeted the Indian market. Starbucks Corporation is an American company based in Washington, which buys makes and sell coffees and coffee drinks in many of its international retail outlets chains. Starbucks started as a seller of packaged high quality coffee, today Starbucks has developed to become one of the best companies known for its coffeehouses, giving its customers a place to buy beverages and other food items in addition of the packaged whole bean coffee. The company is given credit on changing how people in America and the world all over perceive and take coffee. (Business Week, 2007) In relation to its expansion plans Starbuck has been eyeing the Indian market which is among the biggest markets in Asia because of the high population the country has. However, the government of India have been taking time in allowing the company to enter the Indian market. Starbucks Company had intended to have a joint venture with an Indian company named New Horizon. New Horizon Company already operates 45 Starbucks retail outlets in Indonesia. The joint venture was a

Fast Food and Childhood Obesity Essay Example for Free

Fast Food and Childhood Obesity Essay In the past decade there has been a rise of obesity in children. I believe along with many credible sources that a lot of the reoccurring obesity problems we face with children have to do with fast food. You could almost say that fast food is kind of like a drug for kids. It is always fun to go out to eat as well as take in food that is high in calories and saturated fat. Although fast food may be a large factor in childhood obesity, it is also safe to say that it’s not the only factor. Are we placing too much blame on the fast food industry for making our kids obese, or is it our fault as parents and caregivers? Fast Food Then and Now Compared to how fast food chains functioned when they first opened and how they operate now you will see a huge difference; not only in their food selection but also in the portion sizes. For example, when McDonald’s first opened in 1955 their cheeseburger was only 1. 6 ounces and now you can get a cheeseburger for almost 8 ounces (Monte, 2008). The sizes are almost a 400 calorie increase—400 calories could be more than one whole meal for a child. Every year portion sizes are essentially getting larger and larger. A small now would have been a medium just five years ago (White, n. d. ). Not only have the portion sizes gotten larger but so has the menu. Fast food chains now have been offering smoothies, sundaes, pie slices, and even cinnamon rolls. They offer more menu options that offer more calories and saturated fats. Along with these they have also gotten better with offering some healthy options too like apples and low fat milk, but who goes to a fast food restaurant to get apples and milk? There are 3,039 possible kids’ meal combinations and out of that only 12 combinations meet the nutrition criteria for preschooler’s and 15 for all other children (Oren Dodson, 2010). The only kind of company who would essentially poison children like that is ones who are trying to make a fast buck and that is the goal for all of these fast food companies. They don’t realize or they do and just don’t care that they are poisoning our youth and even adults. Advertisements For the past ten years or so fast food chains have been advertising to children. Kids spend more time watching TV than any other activity they do besides sleeping (Nestle, 2006). Fast food chains have taken advantage of this by placing most of their ads on programs like Nickelodeon, Disney, and even PBS. They know that if they spend millions on advertising on children networks that they will get their return on investing in them. Children see more than 32% more fast food ads on TV now than in 2003 (Oren Dodson, 2010). In 2009, McDonald’s spent the most out of all the fast food companies on advertising to children. They spent almost 900 million dollars targeting ages 6-11. Subways was in a very far out second spending a little over 400 million dollars targeting 12-17 year olds (Harris, Schwartz Brownell, 2010). Studies have also shown that Hispanics and African American children see more than 50% more fast food ads than white children (Oren Dodson, 2010). With this there are more fast food chains in African American and Hispanic dominated neighborhoods. Family Statistics You can probably assume that every family in the U. S. goes to fast food restaurants on occasion but some go more than others. Studies have shown that families with lesser income are more exposed to fast food than other families who have a higher income (Block Scribner, 2004). With the economy the way it is, much more people are making much less and this is causing more and more families to visit fast food places rather than eating at home. You can go to a fast food joint and spend ten dollars for the whole family to eat rather than spending hundreds of dollars at a grocery store. In an article I just read, less than one third of Americans are eating their meals from scratch; meaning actually cooking and serving them to their families (Voigts, 2005). This was published seven years ago—just think of where we are now! I conducted an interview with my sister, Morgan Dutton, who is an extreme fitness guru, health nut, and she also has children. I asked her what she thought about this obesity epidemic in our youth and she said, â€Å"I cannot believe all of the staggering statistics regarding kids and fast food. I am not sure why parents wouldn’t want their kids eating the healthiest food option rather than the fastest. Kids are starting to get diabetes earlier and it reduces their life span by years. Fast food is essentially killing our kids, it may be slowly but it is happening (personal communication, October 15th, 2012). † Drawing the Line So whose fault is it that our children’s generation is getting more and more obese? Should we blame it on fast food—when can we blame ourselves? As a parent I want my child to live the longest healthiest life they can live and when I take them to places like McDonald’s and Burger King I am basically poisoning their body. It may be fast food that is making them obese but isn’t it our fault for taking them there in the first place? Exposing them to that kind of food especially early on in their life is only going to make it harder for them when they get older and can make their own decisions. Conclusion Rather than placing blame for the obesity problem with our children maybe we should be taking action. You could blame fast food chains for making your kid obese or you could even blame yourself because you took them there. Parent’s need to start making better decisions on what they are putting in their kids bodies because they may outlive their own child. There are so many chemicals and toxins in fast food that people are not aware of. Fast food may be cheap and it may be fast but in the long scheme of things, it is killing our kids.

Musical Expression and Musical Meaning in Context :: Music Philosophy Essays

Musical Expression and Musical Meaning in Context 1. Some preliminaries. There is a growing body of work in the philosophy of music and musical aesthetics that has considered the various ways that music can be meaningful: music as representational (that is, musical depictions of persons, places, processes, or events); musical as quasi-linguistic reference (as when a musical figure underscores the presence of a character in a film or opera), and most especially, music as emotionally expressive. Here I will focus on the last topic, for I believe it will be useful for researchers in music perception and cognition to avail themselves of the distinctions that aestheticians have worked out regarding the musical expression of emotion. Now we often say that music is "expressive," or that a performer plays with great expression, but what exactly do we mean? There are at least two things one may be saying. First, one may be praising a performer for their musical sensitivity, that he or she has a keen sense of just how a passage is supposed to be played. Such praise is often couched in terms of the performer's "musicality" (in statements that border on the oxymoronic, as when one says that a performer plays the music very musically). Such praise may also be couched in terms of expression--i.e., that a performer plays "expressively." I have little to say about these attributions, save that they are often linked to the second thing one often means when speaking of the music or a performance being expressive: an expressive piece or performance is one that recognizably embodies a particular emotion, and indeed may cause a sympathetic emotional response in the listener. Thus if one plays "expressively," this means that the music's particular emotional qualities--its sadness, gaiety, exuberance, and so forth, are amply conveyed by the performer. Before we discuss those emotional qualities a number of other preliminary remarks are in order. When we speak of the expressive properties of music, these are distinct from the expressive properties of sound. Sounds may be loud, shrill, acoustically rough or smooth, and so forth. These acoustic qualities have expressive correlates and may trigger emotional responses, and of course one cannot have music without sound. But musical expression is more than this: it requires the attention to the music qua music, rather than as mere sounds. The opening "O Fortuna" of Carmina Burana may shock (and indeed scare) the listener due to its sudden loudness (especially when the bass drum starts whacking away), but this shock isn't a musical effect--we get the same reaction when we here a sudden "bang" at a fireworks display or when a car backfires.

Poetry Questions Essay

In Ralph Waldo Emerson’s work, â€Å"Nature†, the speaker forces the reader to analyze their core beliefs and values. The speaker asks, â€Å"why should we grope among the dry bones of the past, or put the living generation into masquerade out of its faded wardrobe? The sun shines today also†. By asking this simple question, the speaker is essentially asking the audience why they should accept the beliefs and traditions handed down to them through their ancestors instead of creating their own. This question is furthered when the speaker states, â€Å"There are new lands, new men, new thoughts. Let us demand our own works and laws and worship†. The speaker is making a call to his readers for a change in society. Rather than blindly accept the laws and beliefs from long gone ancestors, the speaker is challenging his audience to be independent thinkers, and follow their own path of discovery, rather than continue to be force fed hundred year old traditions. In the poem, â€Å"Apparently With No Surprise†, the speaker is admiring a flower and suddenly it dies. Through the language in the poem, it seems as though the speaker is questioning whether God oversees life and death within nature. In this poem, nature is portrayed as a brutal assassin, taking the life from an innocent and blooming flower. The Frost is named the murderer, but the speaker says that it has done so in â€Å"accidental power† while at play. The speaker proceeds to question whether there is a God that controls nature’s violent tendancies. In the last few lines of the poem, the speaker answers her own questions, by noting that God is approving of nature’s order, which is reflected in the line that reads, â€Å"The Sun proceeds unmoved to measure off another Day for an Approving God†. The tone of the poem suggests that the speaker things that God is just as malevolent as nature for allowing nature to take its course. 3. The most important characteristic of the landscape in â€Å"Desert Places† is the snow. Frost notes that the ground is â€Å"almost covered smooth in snow†, which gives the reader a sense of coldness and expansive nothingness in an environment that is typically warm and inviting. It seems as though Frost is comparing this desert to himself. By stating that the desert is a â€Å"blanker whiteness of benighted snow with no expression†, Frost gives the reader a sense of emptiness that not only is a characteristic of the snow, but also of how empty and emotionless he feels. Frost ties together the desert and his own emotions in the last few lines of the poem. Frost ties the description of a vast and barren desert with the feelings of emptiness and lack of emotion that he feels about his own life. By ending the poem with the line, â€Å"to scare myself with my own desert places†, Frost displays his fear at his absolute lack of emotion and emptiness. â€Å"Kitchenette Building† uses many terms to explain how life in this urban society feels. Gwendolyn Brooks uses the term â€Å"involuntary plan† to describe the situation that the black speaker is currently in. The â€Å"involuntary plan† describes shady real estate deals that created small, cramped apartments for black tenants from what were previously spacious apartments in white neighborhoods. The speaker is showing the reader how the slum lords have exploited the black tenants in this urban society. The speaker makes reference to the â€Å"garbage ripening in the hall†, which is another way in which the exploitation of the black tenant is made apparent – the simple maintenance of disposing of the trash is ignored by these shady landlords. The speaker also notes that â€Å"we wonder. But not well! Not for a minute!†, which indicates that she doesn’t have the time or the energy to meditate on the problem of exploitation, or any wa y to attempt to change it. As soon as the fifth member of the family emerges from the bathroom, her thoughts shift to more practical things, such as a warm bath. 5. In Allen Ginsberg’s work, â€Å"Howl†, he makes reference to Moloch in an attempt to criticize the society of 1950s America. Moloch refers to a biblical idol to which sacrifices of children were brought. By comparing 1950s American society to this bloodthirsty idol, Ginsberg is painting a clear picture of his view of the era that America had entered into at that time. Ginsberg paints prisons, apartments, and industries as all that is evil with society with the line that reads, â€Å"Moloch! Moloch! Robot apartments! invisible suburbs! skeleton treasuries! blind capitals! Demonic industries!†   Ginsberg is making the point that with the new industrialization of society, the forgotten artists, musicians, and creative thoughts are forgotten, and even given a negative connotation. Ginsberg makes it clear that he believes that the industry with their factories and warehouses only create more of a diversion from the artistic world of colors and music. This point is made though the line that reads, â€Å"Moloch whose factories dream and croak in the fog! Moloch whose smokestacks and antennae crown the cities!† As an artist himself, Ginsberg is forcing society to recognize the apparent evils of the industrialization of his society.6. In Sarah Orne Jewett’s work, â€Å"A White Heron†, the main character, Sylvia is a young girl, who has a love for animals. She is befriended by a hunter, who is tracking a white heron that he intends to kill and add to his collection of stuffed birds. Sylvia perches in a giant pine tree very early in the morning, searching for the heron to make her new friend happy. Sylvia finds the bird nested on a branch not far from where she sits. The bird flies away and Sylvia runs home to tell the hunter where the bird is. Upon returning to her house, however, she has a change of heart and realizes that she cannot tell the hunter where the heron has gone. Though Sylvia obviously has a crush on the hunter, she allows him to go on his way without giving him the location of the heron. Though she is only a child, Sylvia has made a very adult-like choice by electing to save the life of the white heron, and not allowing herself to be coerced into confessing the bird’s whereabouts to the attractive man. Even though the hunter offered Sylvia a $10.00 reward for helping him find the heron, she still chooses to keep silent about the heron’s location. Sylvia realizes that she values life more than any reward she could receive. In William Cullen Bryant’s work, â€Å"To A Waterfowl†, the speaker views a bird in flight and seems to feel an almost spiritual connection with the bird. The speaker admires the bird’s ability to continue on its way, day or night, even with the threat of being hunted by man. The speaker says that, â€Å"All day thy wings have fann’d at that far height, the cold thin atmosphere: Yet stoop not, weary, to the welcome land, though the dark night is near†. In this line, that speaker is almost admiring the bird’s dedication to continuing on its path until it reaches its destination, without stopping because it is tired. This gives the speaker a sense of pushing forward even when things seem hard or one is weary. The speaker watches the bird and imagines it reaching its destination and finding a â€Å"summer home, and rest†, which is the bird’s reward for its dedication. The bird disappears into the sky, and the speaker feels that the bird has been cared for by God. This thought makes the speaker realize that if God can care and provide for a bird, God can certainly guide the path of the speaker.

Ratio Analysis of Starbucks vs Mcdonald’s

Running Head: RATIO ANALYSIS Starbucks Corporation & McDonalds Corporation McDonald’s Corporation McDonald’s Corporation operates in the food service industry. The company has its restaurants in more than 100 countries of the world. McDonald’s, the world’s largest food chain is headquartered in U. S. having an employee population of 390000 (About McDonald's†¦ , 2008). Starbucks Corporation Seattle based, Starbucks Corporation is the leading coffeehouse chain in the world. The company has its operations in more than 44 countries. The main products offered by Starbucks various kinds of drinks, snacks, coffee beans. The company also operates in the field of marketing of music, books (The Company, 2008). Ratio Analysis Ratio Analysis (2007) RatiosStarbucksMcDonalds Current Ratio0. 790. 80 Quick Ratio0. 300. 67 Debt Equity Ratio1. 340. 92 Proprietary Ratio0. 430. 52 Solvency Ratio0. 570. 48 Inventory Turnover Ratio12. 13118. 77 Gross Profit Ratio (%)23. 3434. 69 Net Profit Ratio (%)7. 1515. 67 Return on Proprietors' Funds (%)29. 4515. 67 Earning Per Share0. 912. 06 Current Ratio Current Ratio may be defined as the relationship between current assets and current liabilities. It is also known as working capital ratio or 2: 1 ratio. It is calculated by dividing the current assets by current liabilities. The main components of this ratio are current assets and current liabilities. Current assets of a firm represent those assets which can be, in the ordinary course of business, converted into cash within a period not exceeding one year. Current liabilities mean those obligations which are to be paid within a period of one year of current assets or by creation of current liabilities (Van Horne, Wachowicz & Bhaduri, 2005). Current ratio of the Starbucks Corporation and McDonalds Corporation is . 79 and . 80 respectively in the year 2007. There is little difference in the current ratio of both the companies. The ratio reflects weak liquidity position of both the companies and it shows that the companies do not have short term solvency. Liquidity position can be improved to some extent and can be made equivalent to industry average. The industry average of current ratio is . 90: 1. Quick Ratio This ratio is also helpful in analyzing short term financial position of a business. Quick ratio is the measure of the instant debt paying ability of the business enterprise, hence it is called quick ratio (Van Horne, Wachowicz & Bhaduri, 2005). A quick ratio of 1:1 is considered as an ideal ratio. If the liquid ratio is more than 1:1, the financial position of the firm seems to be sound and good. On the other hand, if the ratio is less than 1:1 the financial position of the firm is unsound. Quick ratio of Starbucks is . 30:1 and McDonald’s ratio is . 67:1. There is high difference between the quick ratios of both the corporations. McDonald’s liquidity position is much better than Starbucks. Overall, the short term liquidity position of both the firms is quite poor because both the ratios are less than the desired norms. For instance, current ration should be 2:1 whereas, it is 1:1 approximately. Similarly the liquidity ratio is much less than 1 as compared to ideal standard of 1:1. Therefore, the companies will face difficulties in current obligations on maturity. Debt Equity Ratio This ratio indicates the relative proportion of debt and equity in financing the assets of a firm. Debt Equity ratio reflects the relative claims of creditors and shareholders against the assets of a firm. The industry average of ratio is . 42:1. Debt equity ratio of McDonalds is . 92:1 which is highly satisfactory as normally the ratio of 1:1 is considered reasonable. The Starbucks ratio is 1. 34:1 which is very high. A high debt equity ratio has serious implications from the firm’s point of view. A high proportion of debt in the capital structure lead to inflexibility in the operations of the firm as creditors would exercise pressure and interfere in management. Proprietary Ratio Proprietary ratio establishes relationship between proprietors or shareholder’s funds and total assets of the business. This ratio highlights the general financial strength of the firm. It is of great importance to creditors since it enables them to find out the proportion of shareholder’s funds in the total assets used in the business. The ratio of Starbucks is . 43:1 and for the McDonalds it is . 52:1. Though, ratios are quite similar but McDonalds again has a better position than Starbucks Corporation. Solvency Ratio This ratio measures the long term solvency of the business. It reveals the relationship between total assets and total external liabilities. This ratio measures the proportion of total assets provided by creditors of the firm i. e. what part of assets being financed from loans (Van Horne, Wachowicz & Bhaduri, 2005). The total assets of Starbucks and McDonald’s are more than total liabilities which indicates that the company is solvent. So, the higher the ratio, the grater is the amount of creditors that is being used to generate profit foe the owners of the firm. The difference in both the companies’ ratio is small but still Starbucks has better performance than McDonald’s in terms of solvency. Inventory Turnover Ratio The ratio indicates the number of times inventory is replaced during the year. It measures the relationship between the cost of goods sold and the inventory level. The inventory turnover ratio measures how quickly inventory is sold (Van Horne, Wachowicz & Bhaduri, 2005). The inventory turnover ratio of Starbucks is 12 times while McDonald’s ratio is 118 times. McDonald’s has an efficient inventory management. Whereas Starbucks has low inventory turnover ratio and it is unsatisfactory. In general, a high inventory turnover ratio is better than a low ratio. A high ratio implies good inventory management. A very low level of inventory has serious implications. It adversely affects the ability to meet customer demand as it may mot cope up with its customer requirements. Gross Profit Ratio The ratio expresses the relationship of gross profit on sales to net sales in terms of percentage (Van Horne, Wachowicz & Bhaduri, 2005). Goss profit is the result of the relationship between prices, sales volume and costs. Gross profit margin of Starbucks Corporation is 23% whereas the ratio for McDonald’s is 35%. McDonald’s ratio is high as compared to Starbucks which is a sign of good management. It implies that the cost of production of the firm is relatively low. The McDonald’s has reasonable gross margin which ensures adequate coverage for operating expenses of the firm and sufficient return to the owners of the business, which is reflected in the net profit margin. Net profit Ratio This measures the relationship between net profits and sales of a firm. The net profit margin is indicative of management’s ability to operate the business with sufficient success not only to recover revenues of the period, the cost of merchandise or services, the expenses of operating the business and the cost of the borrowed funds, but also leave a margin of reasonable compensation to the owners for providing their capital at risk (Van Horne, Wachowicz & Bhaduri, 2005). Net profit ratio of McDonald’s and Starbucks is 15. 67% & and 7. 15% respectively. McDonald’s is generating adequate returns for its owners. On the other hand, Starbucks net profit margin shows inadequate returns to its owners. Overall efficiency and profitability of McDonald’s is higher than Starbucks. Return on Proprietary Funds The ratio expresses the percentage relationship between net profit and proprietors funds or shareholder’s investment (Van Horne, Wachowicz & Bhaduri, 2005). It is used to ascertain the earning power of shareholders investment. Return on proprietors’ funds for McDonald’s is 15. 7% and for Starbucks it is 29. 5%. Starbucks has better performance and higher return than the McDonald’s. Earning Per Share The rate of dividend on shares depends upon the amount of profits darned by the firm. Whatever profit remains, after meeting all expenses and paying preference share dividend, belongs to equity shareholders (Van Horne, Wachowicz & Bhaduri, 2005). These are the profits earned on equity share capital. The earning per share is calculated by dividing the profit available to equity shareholders by the number of shares issued. This is a popular ratio as it measures the profitability of a firm from owner’s standpoint. McDonald’s EPS is higher than Starbucks which shows that the market price of the firm would be greater. It will also help the company to raise additional capital without any difficulty. This ratio plays an important in comparison of two companies from investment point of view. Investment Decision I would like to invest in McDonald’s Corporation as the overall performance and productivity is high for the firm. The liquidity analysis performed through current ratio and quick ratio reveals that the McDonald’s is better in terms of liquidity position. The company also has satisfactory position in terms of long term solvency. Though solvency ratio of Starbucks is higher but overall McDonald’s has good financial position. Firm is able to quickly convert various assets into cash. McDonald’s has high profit margins which is necessary for the higher returns to the shareholders. It shows that the resources are effectively utilized at the firm. EPS is very high which is necessary for the investment. Thus, investment in McDonald’s Corporation is beneficial and it would give higher returns. References About McDonald's†¦ (2008). Retrieved November 19, 2008, from http://www. mcdonalds. com/corp/about. html McDonald's Corp: Financial Statement. (2008). MSN Money. Retrieved November 19, 2008, from http://moneycentral. sn. com/investor/invsub/results/statemnt. aspx? Symbol=US:MCD&lstStatement=Balance&stmtView=Ann Starbucks Corp: Financial Statement. (2008). MSN Money. Retrieved November 19, 2008, from http://moneycentral. msn. com/investor/invsub/results/statemnt. aspx? Symbol=SBUX&lstStatement=Balance&stmtView=Ann The Company. (2008). Retrieved November 19, 2008, from http://www. starbucks. co m/aboutus/overview. asp Van Horne, J. C. Wachowicz, J. M. & Bhaduri, S. N. (2005). Fundamentals of Financial Management (12th Ed. ). (pp. 130-133). United Kingdom: Pearson Education.

Operations strategy and competitive advantage The WritePass Journal

Operations strategy and competitive advantage Abstract Operations strategy and competitive advantage , p. 11).   The most important criteria for winners in the hospitality industry centre on service, expertise, trust, knowledge, location, quality, price, reliability and speed.   Once each company enables a strategy that creates the means to meet these consumer expectations, the level of competitive advantage will have been raised in their favour (Hart 2012, p. 11).   The strategy of market penetration employs the relevant qualifiers and winners in order to establish a foothold in the market, making this evaluation critical. Market development uses the qualifiers to expand the reach of the parent company by addressing the emerging wants of the consumer base (Hart 2012, p. 11). The product expansion strategy utilizes the qualifiers and winners to build and expand on the foundation of the existing product line.   In each case the operational strategy is dependent on the consumer assessment.   The areas of cost, flexibility, service and delivery have a tremendous impact on eac h strategy (Rhee 2009, p. 30). The type of order qualifiers and winners are heavily influenced by the expectations of the consumer (Victorino and et al 2005, p. 555).   In the areas of luxury travel and hospitality the focus is on the innovative nature of the qualifiers such as inclusive child care.   Lower economic competitors are less susceptible to service qualifiers as the desire to save money and capitalize on available finance asserts itself (Victorino and et al 2005, p. 555).   With the lower level of spending the nature of the expectations turns to the facilities, including features such as kitchenettes and balconies, rather than the additional services. Associated industries such as the upscale and luxury wine industry base their qualifiers on variety (Verma and et al 2002, p. 11). This approach is not available to the lower end suppliers that must rely on other incentives to match the resources of the upper tier. In this case, winners in the economy sector of the hospitality industry will differ fr om the winners found in the luxury setting (Victorino and et al 2005, p. 555). Hassin (2009, p. 48) describes the area of human resources as a viable segment of order qualifiers and winners for the hospitality industry. Utilizing a series of multi skilled human resources adds a valuable layer of expertise and personal understanding to the operational strategy, ensuring a high level of service. This area of order qualifiers is supported by the Stanley and Wisner (2001, p. 287) study that confirms that the supply chain benefits through the implementation of internal qualifiers. By building on the foundation of good communication with the internal personnel, the perception of an inclusive and effective demeanour is transmitted to the consumer base, benefiting the entire strategy (Hassin 2009, p. 48). Further, the continuous training and development of these personnel will serve to cement their loyalty and skill set, thereby adding to the functional assets of the company. It is vital that the areas of human resources be included during the evaluation of any operati onal strategy (Hassin 2009, p. 48).   Lacking this key area of consideration will diminish the capacity to reach the expected goals. An evolving order qualifier is the application of mass customization based on the utilization of technology (Kumar 2007, p. 1). The ability to tailor a stay or service in the hospitality sector to an individual’s desires has the potential to become a order winner.   This form of qualifier has been made available through the inclusion of online technology that has come about due to the near universal reach of the Internet (Kumar 2007, p. 1).   Yet, while in the beginning this form of service would have been deemed an all-around winner, the sheer availability of   it has caused the consumer base to expect nothing less, making what was once considered a winner now a qualifier. The strategy of mass personalization has given many companies in the service industry a potent tool with which to attract the constantly shifting consumer base (Kumar 2007, p. 2).   With the primary factor of the hospitality service industry being personal service, the only sure way to create order winners is to possess a product or service that the consumer absolutely must have above all others. Verma and et al (2002, p. 470) assert that the area of customer choice provides a wealth of order qualifiers in the hospitality industry. The sophistication of technique and opportunity serves to draw in a substantial consumer base.   Utilizing a consumer choice modelling method enables a tailored approach to each market, providing more relevant qualifiers to the operational strategy (Verma and et al 2002, p. 470). Ritz Carlton Order Winners â€Å"the most important element of their [Ritz Carlton] hotel stay is being pampered† (Wyle 2009, p. 8). This Ritz Carlton experience is designed to enliven the senses, instil wellbeing and fulfil expectations. The hotels approach to the hospitality industry rests in the upscale, luxury avenue (Wyle 2009, p. 6). With a world renowned reputation to maintain, the leadership utilizes the expectation factor to manufacture order winners. The effort to maintain a superior level of customer satisfaction through the anticipation and provision for each need is a long time avenue to meet this goal (Wyle 2009, p. 3). However, this very element can also serve to create obstacles that can serve to slow down consumer acceptance. Alongside the effort to establish a very high threshold of service, the Ritz Carlton is open to the magnified perception of failure when their service fails to meet the consumer perceptions (Drejer 2002, p. 65). With a very real appreciation of the factors that com bine to create order winners, such features as the doorman meeting each and every customer with an open door only serves to frame the offered package. For the Ritz Carlton Company, order winners are centred on the consumer’s perception of efficient and all inclusive service (Wyle 2009, p. 9).   Utilizing a process centred approach featuring the Gold Standard, management takes extra care to create and preserve the feeling of being completely taken care of. Consumer appreciation to this offering can be found in the very high return rate of satisfied customers. Another example of their willingness to meet the needs of the consumer through service was found in the staff ordering specific glass ware for a specific client (Wyle 2009, p. 4).   This attention to detail adds value to the consumer which creates a clear order winner for the Ritz Carlton. With this approach it is the area of quality control, human resources and consumer satisfaction combining to create a process that provides a method for qualifiers to become winners. In order capitalize on the potential to identify internal winners; the Ritz Carlton institutes a Total Quality Management process, with the goal of strengthening the employees (Wyle 2009, p. 4). This approach to order qualifiers provides a well-educated staff to the consumer base, which responds by recognizing the capacity of the talent and purchases the service.   This human resource approach to order winners lays out a specific process for each consumer interaction which establishes a baseline for operations (Wyle 2009, p. 7). With additional features including a personal walk to the room as opposed to pointing, or a smile from each employee, the recognition of the value of the personnel to win continued patronage is apparent. In the case of the Ritz Carlton, which holds the international reputation as the ‘Hotelier to the Kings’, it is necessary to maintain the very highest standard of personnel (Wyle 2009, p. 8).   Coupled with this approach to a human resource centred order winners, is the annual recognition of the best performing employee, which in turns adds gravitas and confidence in the staff and underlying management (Wyle 2009, p. 8). Each of these areas create avenues to order winners for the Ritz Carlton management and is achieved through the recognition of process design, quality, innovation and human resources. The Ritz Carlton recognizes the area of quality as high on their list of competitive priorities (Russel and Taylor 2006, p. 2). In order to capitalize on the full range of opportunities, the leadership has developed a much targeted set of standards (Russel and Taylor 2006, p. 2): Each and every employee is trained and enabled to satisfy any guest’s wish. There is a process in place that creates teams at every level that creates objectives and devises the quality action plans. Each and every hotel has a quality leader. The creation of quality report tracks: Track guest room maintenance Percentage of consumers that do not have to wait. The time spent to achieve the industry best clean room appearance. A guest preference report which is then put into a working database. Utilizing this approach to quality management coupled with comprehensive training serves to create a steady stream of order winners for the Ritz Carlton Company.   This process of customization to meet consumer need is achieved by changing the service or the product designs (Krajewski and Malhota 2010, p. 14).   The Ritz Carlton considers a range of factors in order to create the best possible strategy: Low volume Close customer contact Easily reconfigured processes. The very high standards that are illustrated by the Ritz Carlton are the result of a very well developed, long term strategy (Drejer 2002, p. 61). This strategy has solid basis in theory as the concept of the hybrid model of combining approaches to find order winners is found viable in the research of Hallgren (2011, p. 511).   There is a need to balance between the factors of cost efficiency and overall flexibility. This can be achieved through the utilization of delivery and quality process performance (Hallgren 2011, p. 511). Conclusion This study has assessed the area of order qualifiers and order winners to determine their characteristics in the hospitality industry. The strategies that the Ritz Carlton employs to first identify order qualifiers and their subsequent ability to choose order winners is a demonstration of effective long term strategy coupled with a diverse support infrastructure. This area of study has a direct impact on the entire service industry by demonstrating the very real potential to be found in recognizing the value of identifying qualifiers and winners. Order qualifiers are the criterion that provides the consumers the incentive to buy the offered service or product, with the winners being the methods that have deemed successful.   There is the recognition that there is a limited life span of the winners in the hospitality industry, and the rapid evolution of technology and innovation will continue to provide means for competitors to find a way to appeal to consumers. The Ritz Carlton utilizes the quality and human resources approach to provide their consumer base with a comprehensive, in depth experience that is credited with the creation of a steady stream of order winners.   With specialized training that excels at providing the staff with both the authority and the education to complete the entire range of necessary services, the Ritz Carlton has recognized that to survive and excel in the luxury service industry requires a very high standard of operation. As the evidence in this study revealed, the expectations for the Ritz Carlton are going to be much higher than for more economical competitors, making the segment of training and customer service absolutely essential to progressive operation. Through the advent of positive branding and long term success, the Ritz Carlton has established a high threshold of expectation that requires a strong effort to maintain.   Yet, this achievement has been credited with maintaining the profile of the company. In each segment of the hospitality industry, the opportunity to generate order winners is found most often in the positive interaction with the clientele.   In the end, it will be a combination of practice, policy, experience and resources that will determine the effectiveness of any operational strategy. References Azorin, J., Pereira-Moliner, J. and Claver-Cort\Es, E. 2010. The importance of the firm and destination effects to explain firm performance.  Tourism Management, 31 (1), pp. 2228. Blanco, E., Rey-Maquieira, J. and Lozano, J. 2009. Economic incentives for tourism firms to undertake voluntary environmental management.  Tourism Management, 30 (1), pp. 112122. 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The author portrays them to have strong beliefs in the practicality and benefits of genetic engineering over that of cyber exuberance. He uses Vinge to demonstrate the theory of Singularity in which the group purports. They believe that the Singularity theory will prompt transcendence in which intelligence surpasses other forms of human revolution. The second scenario advocates The Hell. Here, the advocate is Bill Joy, who founded the Sun Microsystems. This scenario argues that as the society inclines to genetic engineering, the innovation will have inequalities, and there would be a sprout of the ruling elite. It will have more powers than the other individuals in the society. In the third scena rio, the author focuses on the Prevail in which Jaron Lanier represents this scenario. It analyzes the possibility of Tanscendence in the society, which would be neither predictable nor smooth. The credible scenario is The Prevail scenario as the transcendence depends on more than one individual (Gay 23). The human revolution cannot be predictable under normal circumstances. The most probable is The Heaven scenario. Most scholars and scientists have experimented that there is a strong belief in Singularity in realizing human revolution. Ideally, with the transcendence from the animal hominids to the human hominids that have been experienced, the stage for human evolution in the future has initiated. The Russian philosopher, Nikolai Fyodorov, advocated for physical immortality, radical life extension, and the possibility of resurrection after death. The philosopher analyzed the trends of the human revolution and deduced that, under the same conditions and trends, the society will experience a human revolution. In the current society, there has been tremendous change in the human activities (Chorost 13). This has been facilitated by the immense technological advancement in the past few decades. The trend seems to continue and the possibility of radical life extension and physical immortality are on the way to being practical. However, in order to realize t hese changes, the scientists need to undertake research and encourage the society to embrace technological change. In the near future, the society will shift their focus on technology-knowhow. This will mean that the Information Technology and Computer Science courses will be in demand. The scientists and philosophers will need Information Technology specialist that will enhance the realization of their objective (Chorost 89). For instance, specialists in the sector can only pperform genetic engineering. An individual from other field, apart from Information Technology, may possess knowledge on the genetic impairing in enhancing human revolution. Genetic engineering contribution will improve life of human beings. This will be achieved through its contribution to the health care, agriculture, energy, mining, and a host of other activities in the economy. However, human revolution will not spread smoothly in the society. For instance, genetic engineering will not only bring comfort but also greater health to those who use its products and services. It brings wealth and prestige to the individual who invented the gene and developed the human therapy. Although technological advances have brought benefits, they have also created problems. Human possesses the ability to alter and exploit the natural environment in ways not possible in this changing world. Technology has enabled humans to alter the nature beyond the natural carrying capacity of the Earths ecosystem. The advancement of technology has been a catalyst for globalization and human revolution. Technology has enhanced the interaction between human beings in the realization of a common goal (Gay 129). In conclusion, human revolution is a vital aspect in the current volatile society. The economy is characterized by gradual improvement of the way of life of human beings in the society. Indeed, for better realization of genetic engineering, and overall human revolution in the economy, technology has played a vital role to enhance its achievements. Joel Garreau analysis of the three scenarios clearly outlines the effects that the society will face in the near future. Indeed, human revolution is inevitable. Buy custom Radical Revolution essay