Analysis of Starbucks and the coffee industry

Analysis of Starbucks and the coffee industry Starbucks is the worlds largest and most popular coffee company. Since the beginning, this premier cafà © aimed to deliver the worlds finest fresh-roasted coffee (Starbucks Heritage, 2010). Today the company dominates the industry and has created a brand that is tantamount with loyalty, integrity and proven longevity. Starbucks is not just a name, but a culture. Extensive research has provided keen insight as to why the entity has become the multibillion dollar empire that it is. The company has received many high accolades also, for their quality products as well as their commitment to the community, their partners, and the environment. BACKGROUND Starbucks was founded in 1971 by teachers Jerry Baldwin and Zev Siegl, along with writer Gordon Bowker. Coffee first originated in the Moslem population before making its way to Europe in the 1600s. It eventually became the beverage of choice at meeting places where intellectuals would converge, and was recognized for both its sociability and taste then, just as it is now. (Starbucks and the lifecycle of specialty coffee: An industry evolving, 2010). The foundation of this commerce is one Starbucks strives to keep although the business has come a long way from the modest storefront it began as. For over 15 years the company was based solely in Seattle, Washington but has since evolved into an international giant with over 16,000 locations in more than 50 countries. The growth of the company has been simply phenomenal, with approximately 1,000 stores being added to its chain each year for the last decade. Howard Schultz, who is now the current chairman, president and CEO of the compan y, was indispensible to this expansion and has been instrumental in establishing the development of the coffeehouse as we know it today (Starbucks Timeline and Heritage, 2010). One of the most critical components a business should have is a vision and mission statement. According to an online article, these pieces of information are defined as the inspiring words chosen by successful leaders to clearly and concisely convey the direction of the organization (Unleashing the Power of Purpose, 2010). Starbucks has adopted a mission statement that aims to inspire and nurture the human spirit one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time (Starbucks Mission Statement, 2010). Further, there are six governing principles the company adheres to in an effort to fulfill their purpose and intentions. They are: To provide quality coffee. To treat partners with respect and dignity and to embrace diversity. To create a relationship that is satisfying and uplifting for customers. To produce a store ambiance that is comfortable and enjoyable. To nurture, protect and invest in the community. To provide accountability and favorable rewards to shareholders. The application of these values has helped Starbucks launch to its current status as being one of the best 100 places to work, according to Forbes magazine, with an astonishing 140,000 employees. Outside of the local neighborhood, Starbucks can be found in airports, malls, supermarkets, and even bookstores all around the globe. Like most other companies, Starbucks relies heavily on its investors to help fund business operations, generally through the stock market, and can be found on NASDAQ under the symbol SBUX. Until 2008, profitability was on the rise but has since decreased due to downfalls in the economy and impeding competitors such as Dunkin Donuts, BIGGBY, and Caribou Coffee. Cost reductions and improved operating efficiencies alone would not be enough to boost sales in this economy. Improved customer service and the ability to aggressively differentiate and innovate have kept Starbucks ahead of their competition. Starbucks saw customer satisfaction scores increase by 10 percent as a result of their efforts to improve customer service. Some changes include more focus toward in-store offerings, simplifying the demands on the partners, raising the already-high standards for beverage and food offerings, and an overall in-store experience (Starbucks Investor Relations, 2010). Despite tough economic times, the company had an impressive finish in 2009 with approximately 21,600 shareholders, $562 billion in operating income, and net revenues totaling $9.8 billion. As of October 8, 2010, the current stock price was $26.07 a share with a 52 week high of $28.50 and a low of $18.69 (Market Watch). Starbucks is expected to continually recover from their losses and is estimated to grow even more over the next few years as illustrated below (Bloomberg Business Week, 2010). Quarterly Earnings Estimates STARBUCKS CORP (SBUX) EPS Earnings Per Share Pre Exceptional Q1 2011 Starbucks Corp. reported 3rd quarter 2010 earnings of $0.29 per share on 07/21/2010. Quarterly Revenues STARBUCKS CORP (SBUX) Q1 2011 Starbucks Corp. had 3rd quarter 2010 revenues of $2.6B. This bettered the $2.5B consensus of the 16 analysts covering the company. This was 3.0% above the prior years 3rd quarter results. Reproduced from Bloomberg Business Week. One of the reasons Starbucks is dominating the coffee industry is due to their willingness to take risks and try out new ideas. An example of just how popular Starbucks has become is evident after a quick Google search produced well over 5 million hits, with products ranging from the handcrafted beverages many have grown to love, to merchandise and gift cards. The company continues to offer new products, such as whole grains and the use of other wholesome ingredients in their brands. They have also changed portions of their food offerings to simplify recipes and remove artificial trans-fat, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors and dyes (Starbucks Nutrition, 2010). In-store products include fresh food, music, and the very popular Tazo Tea which is a label purchased by Starbucks in 1998. Starbucks has also increased its trademark and now promotes ice cream, ready-made mixed drinks, and VIA, an instant coffee that is manufactured through the companys own roasting facility (Starb ucks Profile, 2010). ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND CULTURE After conducting eight interviews, there was a general consensus that the Starbucks hierarchy ranged from immediate supervisors to higher management officials. Some employees interpreted organizational structure to be a form of the way management divides duties and responsibilities amongst employees, while others considered it to be teamwork, meaning, when everyone comes together to meet the same goals; the unique way business is conducted; and the flow/channels of the company and management impact. These definitions go hand-in-hand with organizational culture. In the book Organizational Behavior, authors describe such a climate as the shared knowledge within an organization regarding the rules, norms, and values that shape the attitudes and behaviors of its employees (Colquitt, Lepine, Wesson, p. 557). Some of the components involved in the culture of an organization are observable artifacts, espoused values, and basic underlying assumptions (Colquitt, et al., p. 558). Together these three elements makeup what can be related to as being the body of an organization. For example, what a person sees through images and logos helps to distinguish one brand from another. Further, the physical setup of an establishment often sets the atmosphere or tone which tends to decipher a company from being an office, department store, mechanics shop, or in the case of this study, a coffeehouse. Some Starbucks are more casual such as in medical establishment or movie theater, whereas other places require a little more sophistication such as in a courthouse. Additionally there are usually bulletins, replicas or other signs on the walls of the business that speaks the unique language of the respective location. There might also be organizational charts displayed, which is a drawing that represents eve ry job in the organization and the formal reporting relationships between those jobs (Colquitt, et al., p. 527). When a person walks into a Starbucks it is clear that you have just entered into a cafà © that is designed to be a tranquil meeting place for family, friends, students or even business partners. LEADERSHIP ROLES RESPONSIBILITIES At Starbucks, employees feel the atmosphere is relaxed, upbeat and/or energetic and most thought working together as a group was encouraged. They also appear to have a clear understanding of leadership and what it entails, although not everyone agreed management styles were the best. Several interviewees thought management appeared arrogant and demanding at times, while others thought the complete opposite of their managers defining them as being friendly, caring and considerate. While most interviews had distinct and varying responses, it can be said that every person believed they were valued and appreciated. Many also felt they were a part of the decision-making process at times, where their thoughts and opinions on a particular issue were gathered, although the final decision still lay with management. One type of occurrence that displays this level of commitment to employees was the implementation of Optimal Scheduling which is the result of an employee request. The initiative of the program was to enhance the existing flexible work schedules to allow opportunities for a more regular arrangement, complete with a consistent timetable and increased hours to those who were available. It also allowed customers the opportunity to develop relationships with staff which is a part of the Starbucks vision, to connect with its customers beyond making a perfectly blended drink (Starbucks Newsroom). STRESS FACTORS COPING MECHANISMS An overall satisfaction with ones current position was the general consensus obtained from the dialogue as well. Most considered their rate of pay to be less than desired and unable to meet long term goals. A lot of the discussions were with college students who favored upward mobility whether through Starbucks or elsewhere. Aside from pay, stress seemed to be high on the list of reasons for being dissatisfied also. Stress is defined as a psychological response to demands that possess certain stakes and that tax or exceed a persons capacity or resource. Such demands are referred to as stressors while the negative consequences are considered the strains (Colquitt, et al., p. 144). Most of the stressors at Starbucks was caused by issues with partners, budgets, or performance. Role overload was another factor that seemed to affect many of the managers interviewed due to pressure to get daily tasks done in a timely manner, such as paperwork and conference calls. There were also a lot of unforeseen assignments like equipment malfunctions and call-ins. While some stress is an everyday part of life, excessive stress interferes with ones productivity and reduces a persons physical and emotional health; therefore, it is vitally important to find ways to help keep it under control. Some steps to help reduce stress and avoid pitfalls while at work include taking responsibility for improving your physiological and psychological well-being, identifying negative attitudes that add to the stress at work, and learning better communication skills to ease and improve the relationships with management and coworkers (Stress at Work, n.a.). ORGANIZATIONAL STRENGTHS Customer Loyalty Service Customer service at Starbucks is actually a culture type focused on service and quality (Colquitt, et al., p. 562). In addition to the vast presence in the United States, the company has 9,000 international coffeehouses in almost 40 countries. It seems that no matter where they serve, their reputation for fine products and services remains intact, as well as their brand preference and strong customer base. By extensively training employees for at least twenty hours prior to full employment, Starbucks maximizes employee responsibility and attentiveness in an effort to decrease wait time for its customers. Furthermore, by closely tracking consumer needs and wants, Starbucks is able to introduce more popular products with less time between presenting new items. By decreasing wait time and increasing choices for customers, Starbucks increases loyalty among current regulars while simultaneously attracting more consumers. Another cornerstone for Starbucks success is the opening of additional stores in various communities. By adding more locations, the frequency of visits by supporters is usually also maximized, especially since the Starbucks label is already so popular. In addition, many of these new stores are being developed with a drive-thru for double the convenience. With this, Starbucks is targeting a particular segment of its customer base that is comprised of professionals and on-the-go parents. To measure the effectiveness of these strategies, Starbucks continuously compares data between newly opened stores and existing stores, trying to increase the profitability of both units while maintaining a steady growth rate. This pattern can be outlined by the Service Culture Process which starts out with service-oriented leadership behavior that impacts both customer and employee attitudes. If favorable, sales would likely increase as a result of high performance (Colquitt, et al., pp. 562-564). Employee Retention Job Satisfaction As the old saying goes, you are as strong as your weakest link. This belief seems to be highly recognized by Starbucks as they remain adamant about investing in their staff providing them with training, benefit packages, and other opportunities to advance. Since most of the advertising stems from inter-relation between staff and consumers, Starbucks is able to expend more of their budget on educating their staff which in turn influences both quality and quantity. Such a plan also strengthens the work environment, creating an atmosphere where workers are confident about their knowledge, skills and abilities regarding the products they serve. It is also a reason why their employees continue to feel valued and appreciated which is one of the two top reasons people work for the company. The other reason is that employees feel the teams at Starbucks are very enthusiastic (Hammers, 2003), and a happy employee typically makes a happy customer. Another explanation as to why Starbucks employees remain with the company is their great compensation and competitive benefits packages which are available to both full-time and part-time workers. In fact, the corporate staff is very forward thinking and believes offering healthcare benefits would attract a higher quality of employees which, consequently, would cause the turnover rate to decrease. Time has proven this strategy to be true. For example, at the time of inception, the turnover rate for retail or fast food ranged between 150% and up to as high as 400% a year but for Starbucks it was only 60% at the barista level and 25% at the managerial level which is the lowest in their industry (Schultz, p. 128). Starbucks employees also benefit from the Bean Stock incentive which is the offering of stock ownership to all workers. It is a really good way to get employees involved in the equity of the business, and even more reason for each individual to strive for success and treat cus tomers with exceptional service (Colquitt et al., p. 135). Strong Financial Foundation With its strong financial base, Starbucks is able to undertake new business ventures much more frequently than other companies. This is largely due to its investors who have been able to buy company shares since 1992. At the time, shares were $17 each, today the rate of exchange has increased by more than half which is a great benefit to shareholders. Stock can be purchased through a broker or via a direct buy. Additionally, over 20 analysts cover Starbucks earnings and an estimated 10,000 shareholders attended the companys annual meeting in 2008 (Investor Relations, 2010). Today, the company has well over 20,000 shareholders with little signs of slowing down. The company is also very committed to corporate social responsibility, to include their economic, legal, ethical, and citizenship expectations of society (Colquitt, et al., p.244, p. 524). They were the only restaurant and cafà © named as being one of the most ethical companies in the world (Ethisphere, n.a.), and has been on the list for many years. There are governing principles and charters specifically designed for these efforts which are to be strictly upheld by a team of 11 members that makeup the board of directors (Starbucks Corporate Governance, 2010). ORGANIZATIONAL WEAKNESSES Store Closures The mission to nurture one neighborhood at a time started to dwindle when over 600 Starbucks stores closed, causing the company to lose revenue and layoff thousands of workers. Undoubtedly, employee morale is not as high as it once was due to the fear of losing ones job. It has been said that The economic crisis is eating in to high-end coffee consumption, as Starbucks found out in its fiscal first quarter (Ahrens, 2009). At the time, reports revealed the coffeemaker would lay off up to 6,000 employees at its stores and let go another 700 non-store employees, half of which would come at the companys Seattle headquarters. First-quarter revenue at the coffee giant was also down 6 percent and earnings were down a venting-sized 69 percent. Additionally, the plan to open 140 new stores in the U.S. and 170 new stores internationally went down from its earlier goal of 200 and 270, respectively. Capital expenditures were expected to face at least a $100 million cut (Ahrens, 2009). Fierce Competition Since the economic downfall, customers are moving away from paying gourmet prices and are purchasing from other chains to include gas stations. Many consumers state they experience the same taste they crave without the steep prices. Starbucks competitors in the coffee beverage sales include Dunkin Donuts, BIGGBY Coffee and Caribou Coffee, as mentioned previously, as well as 7-Eleven, McDonalds, Panera Bread, and Einstein Bagels. Competitors such as McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts not only have extensive menus, but also the financial resources and position to leverage their strengths to threaten Starbucks profitability. In terms of perception, 7-Eleven and Dunkin Donuts provide coffee in a no-nonsense fashion, which attracts customers who are extremely price sensitive. Caribou Coffees environment is similar to that of Starbucks because of furniture, free internet, and cozy surroundings, but their lack of market expansion has prohibited them from gaining the notoriety Starbucks has achieve d. Finally, BIGGBY Coffee is in the middle ground where the likes of Dunkin Donuts and Caribou Coffee separate themselves (Bhaskar, 2009). Lack of Advertising In times past, Starbucks did very little advertising but relied on the infamous word-of-mouth approach to getting news out about their company. Most information came through the use of relation theory, mainly the relationship with staff. For example, no matter which market it entered, Starbucks did not advertise. Instead, broadcasts came via the reports of employees, and consumers quickly followed suit. Ads can now be seen on billboards and through social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, allegedly due to the drop in sales the coffeehouse experienced (Advertising Age, 2010). Financial Uncertainty As mentioned in the interviews, a lot of employees felt their salary was less than desired. At this time, there may not be much that can be done in this area, but the issue is still a factor nonetheless. The average barista salary is $8.64 per hour and shift supervisors earn about $10.68 per hour. The average salary for store managers is $42,698 per year (Starbucks Salaries, 2010). IMPLEMENTION PLAN RECOMMENDED CHANGES Starbucks is an organization that is on the move. However, no organization is exempt from implementing critical changes that can impact the growth of the organization. When organizations become as large as Starbucks, sometimes the focus and mission statement can be pushed to the side due to trying to keep up with the demand. Other times, there are situations beyond ones control, such as the financial woes the company experienced at the start of the recession a few years ago. One of the things Starbucks did to help revamp the business was create a website that encouraged public comments about changes they would like to see in the company. The page is located at www.MyStarbucksIdea.com and has been instrumental to developing innovative differences at the company. For the purposes of this assignment, other avenues the company may utilize are suggested below. More Programs In an effort to build upon an already exciting environment, Starbucks can liven the atmosphere even more with offering Band Performances and Poetry reading nights. This would be a bonus for the company since a lot of its competitors do not have such a setting available to them. They could utilize local musicians which would add to the companys desire to invest in the community. In addition, the implementation of Awareness Month is an option where a special drink is developed each month and every time someone orders the beverage, proceeds go to awareness charities such as a breast cancer, diabetes, or sickle cell foundation. In an effort to boost sales and promote the existing Going Green Goals of the company, daily discounts could be provided to customers who bring in their own coffee mug. The initiation of these options would give Starbucks an edge on their competitors without decreasing the product eminence Starbucks is known for. More Advertising Instead of relying on partners to do most of the advertising for the company, perhaps its time for Starbucks to spend more dollars in this arena to inform the public of their good will, as well as the great programs that are available to them. The business is very committed to the environment, and recognizes both the economic and societal need to invest in products that can bring about changes to the ecosystem. Starbucks strives to lead this effort and aims to produce cups that are purely ecological by 2015 in addition to conserving water and energy use, building greener stores, and making recycling a mandatory part of daily transactions. Other specialized efforts include RED which helps to fund medical supplies needed for HIV patients in Africa; Starbucks Foundation, a literacy program in the US and Canada; and Ethos Water created to fund clean water in countries that are less fortunate (Starbucks Shared Planet, 2010). Training Incentives An implementation plan should not be limited to the products that make up the coffee franchise conversely; the coffee franchise must ponder on innovate ways to keep up employee morale too. For example, there was an incident with an employee who felt lack of routine training created a very tense situation when a drink that should have only taken five minutes to make took 20 minutes. It was stated If you dont use it, you will lose it, and that is exactly what happened when the need to make a drink on a machine that hadnt been used in six months arose. Perhaps things would not have taken as long if other teammates were available, but several of them called in sick, leaving the interviewee to fend for himself. This is a classic example of role ambiguity and also the result of time pressure, a work challenge stressor that occurs when there is a sense that the moments available is not enough to perform the task at hand (Colquitt, et al., p. 146). Some of the ways Starbucks can alleviate this type of event from occurring again is by offering more training sessions at each store weekly, bi-weekly, or at least monthly, so that ones thoughts on how to make beverages are kept fresh. Additionally, the development of incentive programs where employees are rewarded for their ability to make drinks faster than their co-workers; their ability to master items found on the menu; and/or their ability to decrease customer wait time may prove to be beneficial. Rewards would include cash and gift-cards outside the Starbucks chain such as for the movie theater or gas station. More Management Accountability When the CEOs of Chrysler, Ford, and GM flew private jets to plead their case for more taxpayer dollars, the public was livid! Since then the executives have agreed to give up this luxury as well as take pay cuts to help balance the needs of their company (Big Three CEOs, 2008). In response to the financial distress of some of its employees, Starbucks can help fund some of the salaries of those at risk of losing their jobs by following such a plan, which may even keep more stores open. The company could even play around with the idea of offering lower stock prices to boost shareholder interests even more. It was also mentioned that managers get bonuses, so one thing Starbucks could is restructure the bonus program for top managers, at least until profits are steady, and to only award them based on how well the store is performing. Such a plan would work in reverse order too, if a store is not functioning properly, the bonus should be lowered or unavailable all together. By basing bon uses on this strategy, it might encourage the manager to devote their attention on increasing sales by being involved on the floor more, and assimilating with customers versus just doing office work. SUMMARY CONCLUSION Starbucks is known across the world as being a well-built global brand of coffee. As with any company, their main and goal is to increase profits. They achieve this by training their partners to provide coffee lovers with a great experience. Over the years, the company has been recognized for valuing their employees and consumers so profoundly, that it helped to shape them into one of the largest coffee entrepreneurs in the world. They are continuously chosen for being a great place to work. Competitors seem to only fuel Starbucks expansion, strengthening their ability to stand out from all the rest. Employees receive innovative training to ensure they are working at their full potential, and to be passionate people who take pleasure in serving great tasting coffee. In order for Starbucks to remain successful, they must focus on a variety of strategies to maintain their competitive edge, and constantly reinvent products to stay on top of the coffee business. One of the secret to Star bucks success is the opening of new stores in neighborhoods, malls, grocery stores, making it convenient to partake of the Starbucks experience. Management also takes pride in work specialization, and strives to create an atmosphere filled with individuals who are masters at brewing the perfect cup of coffee. Extensive training is provided for all managers in an effort to pursue and achieve the ultimate goal of being the premier brand of coffee that is respected all around the globe. Starbucks is adaptable and knowledgeable when it comes to furthering their profits and market share, and they have a number of capabilities which separates them from other specialty coffee retailers. Howard Schultz, the chairman, president and chief executive of Starbucks, says that a great leader knows how to demonstrate vulnerability, because that will bring people closer to you and show people the human side of you. (Bryant, 2010)

Summary Response: Discrimination

JUST WALK ON BY Have you ever been obsessed by the fear of being different from other people? People usually give the wrong perception on the others based on their appearance, or their skin. In the article â€Å"Just Walk on by†, the uk/rhetorical-devices-in-night-walker-by-brent-staples/">author Brent Staples tells a story about his own experiences, which are how he was discriminated because of his appearance: a black man. The story begins when the author was mistaken for a criminal due to his black skin by a white woman. Although Brent Staples was just a graduate student, every time he went to the public, almost everybody, especially the women tried to run away from him.Simply, he is black, and they considered that a black man could be a rapist, a mugger or worse. The readers can picture how a young black man is isolated from the public through the author’s experiences: being perceived as dangerous on the street, or being mistaken for a burglar at work. At the end, he found out that he was not able to change the bad perception on his black skin, so he learnt to get use to it and tried to be successful. In response to the essay, there are three points that crossed my mind after read the article; specifically, these are the discrimination, the compassion and ways to get over the obstacles. Related essay: On Compassion SummaryTo begin with, discrimination is the first issue which was pointed out very clearly in the article. Discrimination has lasted for many decades. There are many kinds of discrimination, such as skin colour, religion, national origin, and gender. Although many laws, controversies, demonstrations have exploded to against the discrimination, a lot of people are still suffering from that issue. The victims often receive the bad perceptions of the others on their own appearances, and as the results, they are not trusted by anybody or even be considered as a criminal, and worse for the society.For example, the author was mistaken for a burglar at his workplace just because he is the black. He finally chose trying to be successful as a way to overcome the discrimination. However, how many people who are discriminated can be optimistic to get over their obstacles as Brent Staples did? The victims of discrimination usually feel stressed, depressed, and insult ed, so it’s very hard to think of a positive way to overcome it. Some of them choose to suicide or kill any people who hurt them. Obviously, they become worse as a result of discrimination.When we were born, nobody was able to choose our parents, skin colour or gender, so we have no rights to evaluate or give any poor perception on other people based on their appearance. Another point that I want to share after reading the article is the compassion. Being discriminated by other people is the worst feeling in the world. As a person who comes from a poor country, I am often affair of being discriminated. I’m not black, but some people gave me the bad perception because they thought that I come from a poor country which means I have a poor education.Everything I have is worse than theirs. Moreover, I used to be discriminated by a Vietnamese who was born in the America. He usually makes fun of me because I’m not good in English. As the results, I’m often relu ctant and feel shy when talking with a stranger in English. Back to the article, the author’s story about discrimination reminds me of a poem I read many years ago: COLOURED When I born, I Black, When I grow up, I Black, When I go in Sun, I Black, When I scared, I Black, When I sick, I Black, And when I die, I still black, And you White fella,When you born, you Pink, When you grow up, you White, When you go in Sun, you Red, When you cold, you Blue, When you scared, you Yellow, When you sick, you Green, And when you die, you Gray, And you calling me Coloured ? This poem was written by an African child. Eventually, discrimination exists everywhere in the world. The black is usually distrusted in both workplaces and society. In Brent Staples’ story, even though he had a good job in Chicago, he was still considered as a burglar. Not all coloured people are bad and aggressive, and not all the white are good.Therefore, as coloured people, we should show the talents and prove our values to the world that everything white people do, we can do it, and even better. The final thing i learnt from the article is the ways to get over the discrimination. I really admire Brent’s spirit when he faced to his obstacles. He chose to avoid misunderstandings and tried to be successful as ways to against discrimination. Actually, in life, we can see a lot of coloured people who used to be discriminated proved their own values to the world.For example, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and many other celebrities have showed their talents and been admitted by the millions people in the world. Plus, recently, Barack Obama is the first coloured president of America. Nevertheless, beside positive sides, there are some people choosing negative ways to overcome the discrimination. They suicide as a way to escape, or they kill anybody who hurts them. Sometimes, being friendly and optimistic is a good way to solve problems rather than being aggressive and pe ssimistic.Our skin colour doesn’t make any senses; the way we perceive and get over our obstacles will make our own values. In conclusion, I’m strongly against the discrimination, but I also sympathize with the author in the article, and I admire the ways he chose to get over the discrimination. There should have more laws and organizations to support and protect people who are discriminated. Moreover, nobody have rights to evaluate or comment, especially discriminate other people based on their appearances. This world might be peaceful and happy if everyone lived by such tenets as â€Å"Never cause discrimination between human and human†.

Computers †A Boon or Curse Essay

In my opinion computer is a boon to the mankind. Dear friends can you imagine the world without computers. It would be like the life a 100 years back. Would you accept that life? Today we enjoy such a comfortable life, don’t we owe this to computers. Look at the way the computers have a role to play in our life. Today when we get up in the morning and want to read the newspaper, internet permits us to read the latest news of any newspaper in the world. Before going to office we can check the mails and also reply them instantly. There is no need for physical mail, paperwork and delays. In the office computers help us to connect with the various locations and discuss with them any problem at a time through videoconferencing. Earlier to deposit or withdraw money one had to go to bank and stand in a queue, but today we can do this online through wire transfer or ATM. Not only that but we can purchase anything from the shops through Credit or Debit Cards. No need to carry physical cash. Look at the railway or flight reservations. No more agonizing pain of standing in queues for hours. Today you can book any ticket of any flight in the world at the click of a button. Even hotels booking can be done online. In the field of education computers have simplified the learning process, we have CD’s of reputed faculty, additionally, internet allows browsing any book or tutoring from the experts in the field. You can even solve any query you have. In the field of medicine, computers help doctors in operations, accuracy and clear diagnosis of a disease. Computers also help in data logging, data backup and easy data transfer. Complicated mathematical and statistical  problems can be solved in few seconds. Thus there is no field untouched by computers today. Computers thus have saved our precious time, energy, space and improved the living standards and life of mankind. So Computer is a boon to mankind

Individual Balanced Scorecard - 4561 Words

Why Your Employees Are Not Happy and Engaged; Personal Balanced Scorecard as Roadmap for Employees Happiness and Engagement Dr. Hubert Rampersad Lack of engagement is endemic, and is causing large and small organizations all over the world to incur excess costs, under perform on critical tasks, and create widespread customer dissatisfaction. The annual financial loss in the US due to disengagement of managers and employees is about $300B US (Gallup Poll, 2005). Improving organizational performance requires a highly engaged and happy workforce. Research on happiness in the workplace suggests that worker well-being plays a major role in organizational performance and that there is a strong relationship between worker†¦show more content†¦These are pointed to your personal well-being and success in society. Your personal ambition (personal mission, vision, and key roles) enables you to express your personal intentions, identity, ideals, values, and driving force, as well as gain more insight into yourself. The elements of the PBSC are divided among the following four perspectives: 1. Internal: your physical health and mental state. How can you control these in order to create value for yourself and others? How can you remain feeling good in your skin at work as well as in your spare time? 2. External: relations with your spouse, children, friends, employer, colleagues, and others. How do they see you? 3. Knowledge and learning: your skills and learning ability. How do you learn, and how can you remain successful in the future? 4. Financial: financial stability. To what degree are you able to fulfill your financial needs? These four fundamental perspectives form an integral part of your personal ambition, and together with your personal critical success factors form the bridge between personal ambition (long term) and personal objectives, performance measures, targets and improvement actions (short term). The PBSC can be defined as follows in formula form: PBSC = personal mission + vision + key roles + critical success factors + objectives + performance measures + targets + improvement actions (divided along the four perspectives:Show MoreRelated1.0 Introduction The Balanced Scorecard has emerged in recent years as a performance measurement1500 Words   |  6 Pages1.0 Introduction The Balanced Scorecard has emerged in recent years as a performance measurement system in various organizations. This paper will discuss the origin and concept of the balanced scorecard and how it was first implemented. 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The concept was originated by Robert Kaplan and David Norton in the early 1990s. In the HR fieldRead MorePhilipss Balanced Scorecard Performance Measurement System1259 Words   |  6 PagesPhilips consumer lifestyle, Philips Healthcare and Philips Lighting (Company profile, Philips, 2013). This report will discuss Philips’s balanced scorecard performance measurement system in different perspectives, which helps it plan and monitor performance, as well as grow and to maintain be a leader in this industry. 1. Overview of the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) Every organisation, in order to increase performance, profitability, efficiency and gain competitive advantage, needs a good strategicRead MoreThe Balanced Scorecard As A Strategic Management System777 Words   |  4 PagesRobert S., and David Norton. Using the Balanced Scorecard as a Strategic Management System. Harvard Business Review 74, no. 1 (January–February 1996): 75–85. (Reprint #96107.) This article published in 2007 and written by Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton. After clearly reading this article, the author would like to show us that he focuses on using the balanced scorecard that provides the strategic management system for us. Using the balanced scorecard as a strategic management system providesRead MoreMountain High Bike Is A Company881 Words   |  4 PagesThey want to continuously improve the functionality, reliability, and quality of bikes. . While considering a balanced scorecard, there are several steps involved in implementing. Mountain High Bike also should consider four perspectives of the balanced scorecard and the strategic and discuss the pros and cons of the balanced scorecard There several steps when implementing a balanced scorecard that Mountain High Bikes. The first step is clarify, vision, core competencies and strategies. This is concernedRead MoreThe Hr Scorecard1189 Words   |  5 PagesThe HR Scorecard: Linking People, Strategy, and Performance by Dave Ulrich This Book Is Rapidly Becoming An Industry Best Practice Framework Providing the tools and systems required for leading a measurement managed HR architecture, this important book heralds the emergence of human resources as a strategic powerhouse in todays organizations. Three experts in the field outline a powerful measurement system that highlights the indisputable role HR can play as both a prime source of sustainableRead MoreThe Balanced Scorecard ( Bsc ) Essay1385 Words   |  6 PagesThe Balanced Scorecard (BSC) is a great invention in the business area due to the utility. This essay will demonstrate the feature and the usage of the Balanced Scorecard, the historical development and the usefulness of BSC. Then the essay will analyse why BSC is suitable for the company to acquire another company. What is the Balanced Scorecard? The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) is a powerful diagnostic tool which provides managers with a vision and strategy of the organization to completely value

Blackhorse Espresso Bakery And Bakery - 1820 Words

Many know BlackHorse Espresso Bakery as the spot to grab a quick cup of coffee, a fancy latte, a yummy panini, or get some studying in. Many, however, probably do not know how this local chain began. BlackHorse Espresso Bakery is a series of four small town coffee shops in San Luis Obispo. Since its establishment in 1995 as â€Å"Uptown Espresso,† BlackHorse is now renamed, under a new ownership, and has expanded from one to four locations throughout San Luis Obispo. According to AnnMarie Cornejo, writer for The Tribune, Randy Coates opened the first store, Uptown Espresso, on Higuera Street in 1995. Coates then introduced the name BlackHorse in 2007. The name is said to be in honor of the legend, O. L. Deloloy, a â€Å"poor, immigrant grandfather† who rode his black horse around Seattle stealing coffee beans from the docks and brewing them into coffee to give to his neighbors. In 2008, Randy Coates retired and sold BlackHorse to Tom Brown and Greg Hind, who in 2009 p roceeded to open a second location in Broad Street Village (Cornejo, 2011). BlackHorse continued to grow in 2011 when they opened their Foothill location and again in 2013 the LOVR location opened. BlackHorse is not just any espresso and bakery; it is a company that prides itself in a strong culture and vision for its aspirations. According to the company website, BlackHorse’s mission statement is to provide the best coffee and customer service by â€Å"equipping [their] baristas with top-of-the-line espresso machines,

Aldous Huxley s Brave New World Essay - 1279 Words

â€Å"It isn’t only art that’s incompatible with happiness; it’s also science. Science is dangerous; we have to keep it most carefully chained and muzzled† (Huxley, 1932, p. 202-203). Perhaps science is to be utilized with caution because if it becomes too advanced, it may attain the sole power to create a shallow, dystopian world. Inhabitants of a dystopian world live a life that proves to be an inescapable fate. This kind of world is vividly illustrated by Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. The corrosive relationship between technology and humanity is reflected through Huxley’s portrayal of how technology makes individuals become less human, how the dystopian world in Brave New World closely represents modern-day society in the 20th century, and how technology negatively impacts the meaning of humanity. In the novel, technology dehumanizes the civilized members of the World State. This can initially be seen in the artificial procreation of humans in incubators. The notion of love has been completely eliminated in the standards of the World State because it causes for societal instability. Since instability stems in relationships, families, motherhood, and birth, the society deems these concepts as imperfect and unacceptable. From an objective standpoint, reproduction is a key factor of love, and is required for sustaining life throughout numbers of generations. Thus, the mass production of creating identical beings eliminates the need for people to form intimate andShow MoreRelatedAldous Huxley s Brave New World1334 Words   |  6 Pageso read Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World is to understand the fear for the future during the 1930’s. Widely considered ahead of its time, Brave New World is one of the most influential novels regarding the destructive outcome of gen etic and public manipulation through regime control. The story contrasts two worlds: the traditional world where the â€Å"savages† reside and the new World State: a negative utopia where unrestrained sexual freedom, reproductive technology, and mind numbing drugs run rampantRead MoreAldous Huxley s Brave New World1329 Words   |  6 PagesIn Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, life is peaceful without any rebellion from its citizens. The society is called ‘The World State’, where scientist can finally produce eggs, without women getting pregnant. As a result, there is no such thing as a â€Å"family†, and the word ‘Mother’ and ‘Father’ are consider as obscene. â€Å". . . the loathsomeness and moral obliquity of childbearing –– merely gross, a scatological rather than a pornographic impropriety† (Huxley 159). 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Rarely one is commended for simply living a brave life, facing challenges they do not even understand. The characters in the Aldous Huxley’s Brave New Wor ld live a peculiar lifestyle demonstrating bravery for just breathing. Although Huxley’sRead MoreAldous Huxley s A Brave New World1649 Words   |  7 PagesAldous Huxley has presented us a compelling story in the 20th-century called a Brave New World. One of the most notable dystopian novels, it calls for a reader to conceptualize a world, in which society and science are synonymous with each other, history had faded far into obscurity, and Henry Ford, the creator of the assembly line, becomes a deity to many uniformed individuals. The book was about how humans are no longer created by the conventional means of mating, rather artificially, throughRead MoreAldous Huxley s Brave New World1904 Words   |  8 PagesAldous Huxley’s Brave New World, published in 1932, is a masterpiece of science fiction. His imagined, dystopian state creatively employs facts and theories of science, as well as his very own thinly-veiled commentary on the future of society. His family backg round and social status, in addition to molding Huxley himself and his perspective, no doubt made impact on his writing and contributed to the scientific accuracy of his presentation. However, Huxley certainly qualifies as a social commenterRead MoreAldous Huxley s Brave New World1564 Words   |  7 Pages Envision a world where everybody is happy, there is no sorrow or suffering, no fear of death, no misery, everything is pleasant, and the government doles out happy pills, known as Soma. Aldous Huxley’s novel â€Å"Brave New World† describes this world. Is everyone truly happy, and what do the citizens sacrifice in exchange for living in this utopia? Huxley helped shape the modern mind with provocative theories about humankind s destiny, and he was concerned with the possible social and moral implicationsRead MoreAldous Huxley s Brave New World1038 Words   |  5 PagesAldous Huxley, the author of Brave New World, portrays a World State that has made consumption one of its centerpieces. Economic stability is essential to the effectiveness of the World State. They are brainwashed by advertisements and organizations that make them feel as though they are free. The people within the World State continuously consume because of the conditioning they obtained when they were younger. They are educated that when an object or good is in need of fixing, they must get ridRead MoreAldous Huxley s Brave New World2645 Words   |  11 PagesTimes: Aldous Huxley was born into a family of renowned scientists in 1894. He lost his mother at age 14, became virtually blind due to illness three years later, and lost his older brother to suicide at age 21. Despite these setbacks, he went back to school after dropping out of Eton and earned a degree in English literature from Oxford. Because of his blindness, he was not able to do the scientific research he had previously wanted to do, and turned to writing. He wrote Brave New World in fourRead MoreAldous Huxley s Brave New World2041 Words   |  9 Pagesâ€Å"I wanted to change the world. But I have found that the only thing one can be sure of changing is oneself†- Aldous Huxley. Throughout Aldous Huxley’s life he encountered malicious experiences that changed him drastically. He found out that he was a great writer through the dreadful and exceptional events in his life. In the novel Brave New World, Huxley uses conflict and characterization to illustrate how the adv ancement of technology can potentially cause human destruction and how individual motivation

The Woman in Black free essay sample

Susan Hill creates a sense of isolation since the beginning of the novel, when Arthur is at Monk’s Piece. The name of Arthur’s new house (Monk’s Piece), suggest that it is a calm place, but it also could suggest that it is isolated, because in the Middle Ages monks used to meditate alone in isolated places. Isolation is also presented in the other house in the book, which is Eel Marsh House. The only way to access to Eel Marsh House was by crossing a place called ‘Nine Lives Causeway’, which is the only path next to the house. Arthur describes Eel Marsh House as ‘submerged’ and ‘untraceable’, this implies that it is almost impossible to escape from Eel Marsh House. It is submerged because the causeway is under the water and it is untraceable because the marshes last forever. The name of the causeway also creates a sense of isolation, it is called Nine Lives Causeway, and this suggests that you must have nine lives to cross it (or to be very lucky and brave). The central themes of the play are familiar to Gothic horror fiction such as Collins’ Woman in White or Bronte’s Jane Eyre; the character of Kipps is a father, and the character of the Woman in Black is a mother, and so fear of children or infanticide, as well as the fear of death are very prevalent in the story. Not only this, but social morality is also a theme in the same way as it is in Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, or Priestley’s An Inspector Calls. The ghost in The Woman in Black is haunting the characters because she has a message for society about the mistreatment of women. Another central theme is the idea of fear and fantasy, in that Kipps wants people to believe his story which, bearing in mind he was the only one who experienced the haunting at Eel Marsh House, nobody seems to. He is therefore planning to put on the performance with the Actor to tell his story, which creates a sense of dramatic irony: at the end of the play the Woman in Black is proved to be haunting Kipps still, and has been playing her own part throughout the story. There are only three actors in the play, one of whom appears rarely. The two main actors, who play Kipps and the Actor, use physicality to show when they are playing different roles, changing the way they walk, stand and sit, for example the actor playing Kipps would, when playing Keckwick, slouch when sitting. Both actors also change the way they speak depending on the character they are playing, for example when the actor playing Kipps plays Keckwick he speaks in a low tone with a husky voice, and uses a broad country accent. This gives the audience the impression that Keckwick is a less classy and more reserved character,  which in the context of the scenes in which he appears creates tension; the character of Kipps, being played by the Actor, is curious – as is the audience at that point in the narrative – to learn more about what is going on. Keckwick however, being so quiet and blunt, doesn’t give much away. Remembering that there are only two actors on stage for the majority of the play, that the actor playing Kipps takes on all the roles of the side characters in the play, while the Actor – who takes on the role of Kipps – only takes on one, creating an interesting effect; the actor playing Kipps creates harsh characterisations for the individual roles. At the beginning of the play, for example, the character of Tomes is identified by a repeated sniffing sound and stiff-backed posture. This kind of caricaturing makes it easy for the audience to identify the diffe rent roles, while also creating tension because the audience is likely to wonder which character will appear next, and how the actor playing Kipps will keep them distinct from the rest. Physicality is also used in reference to mime, with the actors creating another character purely through their movements and speech. Spider, Bentley’s dog, accompanies Kipps during his time at Eel Marsh House, but there is no dog on stage. Instead, the actor playing Kipps and the actor playing The Actor mime the dog by stroking the air where the dog would be, calling the dog to them by slapping their thighs, and by miming throwing a stick for Spider to fetch. By maintaining their eye-lines with the imaginary space in which Spider inhabits, and being consistent in terms of the height they stroke, the two actors created the illusion of another presence, one that could not speak but who was unpredictable and therefore another source of dramatic tension. There is a moment, for example, where Spider is so scared that he runs away and falls into the marsh surrounding the house. This series of events is played out entirely in mime, but the very idea of a dog being so scared is empathetic for the audience: the audience feels scared in the same way that Spider does, and even though the dog is imaginary they vicariou sly experience the level of fear that drives Spider to behave that way. Costumes are also used to differentiate between different characters. There is a coat stand in the downstage-right corner of the stage, and every time Kipps changes character he puts on a different item of clothing to show that he is someone different. For example, Kipps puts on a big coat to show that he is Keckwick, while the Actor puts on a  suit to show that he is becoming Kipps. This helps to differentiate between characters, and helps the audience to not get confused with all the different identities in the play. Sound is another dramatic effect used in different ways to create effects, in particular tension but also shock and fear, throughout The Woman in Black. More than anything, sound is used to create atmosphere and ambience, for example to show that a pony and trap is approaching the sound of a horse and carriage is used. This is very distinctive, and helps the audience to imagine around the reality on stage, in that the horse and trap are physically represented by only a wicker hamper on which the characters sit and rock, giving the impression that the ‘carriage’ is moving along bumpy roads. This combination of theatrical effects helps the audience to suspend their disbelief as what’s on stage is not an example of naturalism, but a combination of sound, costume, movement and props creating a metaphorical illusion, almost like children playing dress-up. Lighting also creates a mood in the play, for example there is a moment when a loud knocking on the door is heard in a moment of tension and quietness. This shocking outburst, knowing that the Actor or Kipps aren’t making the sound, it’s likely to make the audience worried. Kipps says that there is another person in the theatre in charge of sound effects and lighting, but since we don’t ever see this person their actions stay unpredictable and mysterious. To emphasise further the shocking and surprising sound of the door knocking however, a red spotlight shines on the door in a red glow, and all lighting everywhere else on stage and in the theatre is blacked out. This focus on the mysterious knocking, heightened by the colour red, representative of blood and danger, implies to the audience that the Actor and Kipps, as well as the audience themselves, should be wary about what’s behind the door. The play is a minimalistic play as there aren’t many props used. One prop which is used is a torch, carried by the actors, which again focuses the audiences’ attention on specific places onstage. Without the ability to see what else is going on onstage, the audience is deprived of certainty about what is happening next and where it might be coming from, and they are therefore likely to be scared: with only a prop torch to guide them, tension is created in such a way as the audience is likely to scream and shout to release their nervousness. Additionally, when the torchlight is shone over the character of the Woman in Black for  only a moment for example, but when the light is shone back onto the same spot and she has vanished, the audience are likely to wonder whether she is real or part of the imaginations of the characters. The set is used also used for effect in The Woman in Black. The stage is split, first of all, between a downstage, â€Å"front† part, where most of the action takes place and an upstage, â€Å"back† section, split off from the main area of action by gauze. This gauze is opaque for most of the play, but when backlit it becomes almost trans lucent, allowing the audience to see what is behind it. At first the set behind the gauze represents a graveyard with tomb stones, after which it is transformed into a nursery behind the door which the aforementioned knocking comes from. Behind the nursery however there is revealed to be yet another layer of set where stairs lead upwards, out of site. This layering effect creates a sense that Eel Marsh House is full of mysteries which it will give up only in time. Additionally, the way the backstage areas are obscured by the gauze for most of the performance means that set changes can take place without the audience knowing, making the play all the more unpredictable and the reveal of what new things are suddenly behind the gauze being shocking. An example of this is when the gauze is lit to reveal a rocking chair moving despite the fact that nobody is sat in it. Later, the audience hears the rocking chair moving again, and the gauze is once again backlit but this time the Woman in Black is actually sitting in it. This sense of unpredicta bility, of the hidden and revealed, hints at the idea also that the human mind is full of many layers, that the supernatural is invading the consciousness of Kipps and the Actor, as well as the audience, creating further an atmosphere of tension, unpredictability and fear. Another interesting theatrical effect explored in the play is the breaking of the fourth wall. There are moments in the play when the Woman in Black appears amongst the audience, suddenly prompting disbelief as to how she has broken free of the action onstage and is now rampant on balconies and in the aisles. This creates tension and fear as there is a sense in which the Woman in Black is almost omniscient – she can appear at any time and cannot be escaped. This feeling of dread is reinforced by the ending of the play, in which the Actor tells Kipps that he is impressed at the actress he hired to play the Woman. This is a twist ending, because neither Kipps nor the Actor hired an actress, but rather the real Woman in Black has  followed Kipps from Eel Marsh House and is haunting him still. The primary effect of adapting the story of The Woman in Black for stage from its original form as a novel is that it creates an experience full of group fear. Books are able to get into the mind of the reader, to scare and to shock, but there is never a sense when reading that you share your terror with a crowd. Additionally, the way the story is framed, in that the play is taking place within another play, encourages the use of theatrical effects and devices, such as lighting, sound and physicality, unavailable to the authors in books. Lastly, the way that Kipps and the Actor believe they’re in an empty theatre, and behave as if they are, yet the audience is watching on, gives an immediate feeling to the audience that they’re trespassing in a place they should not be, almost like Kipps en tering Eel Marsh House and stirring up the ghost of the Woman in Black.