Agriculture and Farm Innovations and Inventors

Agriculture and Farm Innovations and Inventors Farming and farm machinery were basically unchanged in Europe and its colonies for over a thousand years until the Agricultural Revolution  beginning in the late 1700s. Modern agricultural machinery has continued to evolve. The threshing machine has given way to the combine, usually a self-propelled unit that either picks up windrowed grain or cuts and threshes it in one step. The grain binder has been replaced by the swather which cuts the grain and lays it on the ground in windrows, allowing it to dry before being harvested by a combine. Plows are not used nearly as extensively as before, due in large part to the popularity of minimum tillage to reduce soil erosion and conserve moisture. The disk harrow today is more often used after harvesting to cut up the grain stubble left in the field. Although seed drills are still used, the air seeder is becoming more popular with farmers. Todays farm machinery allows farmers to cultivate many more acres of land than the machines of yesterday. Famous Agriculturists Luther Burbank - The Idaho Potato: Horticulturalist patented many cropsGeorge Washington Carver: Agricultural chemist who diversified agriculture and promoted crop rotationJethro Tull: Inventor of the seed drill Milestones in Farm Machinery The following inventions and mechanization led to an agricultural revolution in America in its first two centuries as a nation. Corn picker:  In 1850, Edmund Quincy invented the corn picker.Cotton gin:  The cotton gin is a machine that separates seeds, hulls and other unwanted materials from cotton after it has been picked. Eli Whitney patented the cotton gin on March 14, 1794Cotton harvester:  The first cotton harvester was patented in the U.S. in 1850, but it was not until the 1940s that the machinery was widely used.  Mechanical cotton harvesters are of two types: strippers and pickers. Stripper harvesters strip the entire plant of both open and unopened bolls, along with many leaves and stems. The cotton gin is then used to remove unwanted material.​  Picker machines, often called spindle-type harvesters, remove the cotton from open bolls and leave the bur on the plant. The spindles, which rotate on their axes at high speeds, are attached to a drum that also turns, causing the spindles to penetrate the plants. The cotton fibers are wrapped around the moistened spindles and then removed by a special device called a doffer; the cotton is then delivered to a large basket carried above the machine. Crop rotation: Growing the same crop repeatedly on the same land eventually  depletes the soil of different nutrients. Farmers avoided a decrease in soil fertility by practicing crop rotation. Different plant crops were planted in a regular sequence so that the leaching of the soil by a crop of one kind of nutrient was followed by a plant crop that returned that nutrient to the soil. Crop rotation was practiced in ancient Roman, African, and Asian cultures. During the Middle Ages in Europe, a three-year crop rotation was practiced by farmers rotating rye or winter wheat in year one, followed by spring oats or barley in the second year, and followed by a third year of no crops. In the 18th century, British agriculturalist Charles Townshend aided the European agricultural revolution by popularizing a four- year crop rotation with rotations of wheat, barley, turnips, and clover. In the United States, George Washington Carver brought his science of crop rotation to the farmers and save d the farming resources of the south. Grain elevator: In 1842, the first grain elevator was built by Joseph Dart.Hay cultivation:  Until the middle of the 19th century, hay was cut by hand with sickles and scythes. In the 1860s early cutting devices were developed that resembled those on reapers and binders; from these came the modern array of fully mechanical mowers, crushers, windrowers, field choppers, balers, and machines for pelletizing or wafering in the field. The stationary baler or hay press was invented in the 1850s and did not become popular until the 1870s. The pick up baler or square baler was replaced by the round baler around the 1940s.In 1936, a man named Innes, of Davenport, Iowa, invented an automatic baler for hay. It tied bales with binder twine using Appleby-type knotters from a John Deere grain binder. A Pennsylvania Dutchman named Ed Nolt built his own baler, salvaging the twine knotters from the Innes baler. Both balers did not work that well. According to The History of Twine, Nolts innovative patents pointed the way by 1939 to the mass production of the one-man automatic hay baler. His balers and their imitators revolutionized hay and straw harvest and created a twine demand beyond the wildest dreams of any twine manufacturer. Milking machine:  In 1879, Anna Baldwin patented a milking machine that replaced hand milking - her milking machine was a vacuum device that connected to a hand pump. This is one of the earliest American patents, however, it was not a successful invention. Successful milking machines appeared around 1870. The earliest devices for mechanical milking were tubes inserted in the teats to force open the sphincter muscle, thus allowing the milk to flow. Wooden tubes were used for this purpose, as well as feather quills. Skillfully made tubes of pure silver, gutta percha, ivory, and bone were marketed in the mid-19th century. During the last half of the 19th century, over 100 milking devices were patented in the United States.Plow:  John Deere invented the self-polishing cast steel plow - an improvement over the iron plow. The plow was made of wrought iron and had a steel share that could cut through sticky soil without clogging. By 1855, John Deeres factory was selling over 10,000 stee l plows a year. Reaper:  In 1831, Cyrus H. McCormick developed the first commercially successful reaper, a horse-drawn machine that harvested wheatTractors:  The advent of tractors revolutionized the agricultural industry, freeing agriculture from using oxen, horse, and manpower.

Howard Zinn Essay Example

Howard Zinn Essay Example Howard Zinn Essay Howard Zinn Essay When he returned home, he turned in all of his medals he earned and wrote Never Again. Howard Zion really had three major accomplishments in his life. His civil rights move meet, his anti war movement, and a publication of A Peoples History of the United States. Body Zion was very passionate about being part of history and did so by helping In the call rights movement. A. He became an Adult Adviser to the Student Nonviolence t Coordinating Committee and marched for call rights with his students. B. He Ana many meetings Witt call RL sharecroppers and children who were involved in the movement. Ants leaders Ana C. He took many notes on what happened today and recorded the history being made. Howard Zion opposed to militarism. A. He dedicated half a century opposing at home. He practiced what he preached and Joined many picket lines of striking workers. B. He endorsed and worked with the anti war movement to build the strongest opposition to the Iraq invasion and other colonialists wars. C. One of the most remembered dates he marched he w rote I will be marching March, 17 with my wife, with friends, to express our solidarity with those people all over the country who demand that the United States bring our troop s back from Iraq. We need to make clear that the democrats in congress that we expect bold action from them to stop the war, to save lives of Americans and Iraqis, and use the enormous sums wasted on war to serve the needs of people. Howard Zion wrote a history textbook A Peoples History of the United States. A. This book provided other perspectives of American H story and was a finalists for the National Book Award in 1981. B. Let depicts the struggles of Native Americans gains European and U. S. Conquests and expansion, slaves against slavery, unionists and to her workers against capitalists, women against patriarchal, and African American civil RI sights. C. The Zion Education Project was started because of the is book. It was launched to support educators using A Peoples History of the United Sat sees. Conclusion Civil rights were eventually established. People are still trying to get the troops brought HTH home to this day. Zions works and publications are read all the time. Howard Zion heel peed in being a big part of many great movements and works. He was a great man many Poe plea appreciated and adored. Zion influences millions who have read his work and have been inspired by his action s. He left us with these encouraging words: We dont have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an endless succession of presents, and to live now as we think humans would live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory.

Do The Right Thing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Do The Right Thing - Essay Example However, the younger son of the Pizzeria owner, Vito, is different, because he is friend with Mookie (Lee, 1989). Everybody in the neighborhood is going about their business, on a hot and sunny day. The conflict in the movie revolves around the Sal’s Pizzeria, where he refuses to include any pictures of a black man in his list of the wall of fame. Buggin' Out is the character who sparks off the conflict about the wall of fame, by demanding that Sal should include some blacks, since he sells Pizza in a black neighborhood to the black people (Lee, 1989). However, Sal refuses and asserts that he is proud to be an Italian-American, and thus his wall of fame should only consist of the Italians. This argument degenerates into a confrontation, with Sal threatening to bash Buggin' Out, who has no support, except that of Raheem and Smiley. The whole activities of the day degenerates into chaos with the involvement of the police, with Buggin' Out starting a fight with a white man, while Mookie and Pino stages an argument regarding which race is better between the blacks and the Italians, which involves a lot of racist insults. However, the greatest of the fight occurs between Radio Raheem and Sal, who fights physically, and their fight spills into the street, which attracts all in the neighborhood, the police inclusive (Lee, 1989). The police appear and apprehend Radio Raheem, with one officer killing him, while Buggin' Out is arrested. Even after Radio Raheem is dead, the police continue to beat him up, demanding that he stop pretending. When the crowd of onlookers realizes that the police had killed Radio Raheem, they turn against them, and the police run away. Their anger is then turned against Sal’s property, which is then destroyed by the black community. The riot breaks in the whole neighborhood with the residents fighting against the police and the firefighters. Eventually, Smiley, who had set Sal’s Pizzeria on fire then creeps into the remain s of the burning building and hangs a picture of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr., on the remains of the wall of fame. Nevertheless, in the first scene, both Mookie and Sal, who are the major representatives of Races end-up reconciling (Lee, 1989). Discussion Racism rears its ugly head through the expression of the discontent regarding the wall of fame. Despite the fact that there were other racist sentiments amongst the characters such as Pino in the previous scenes, the actual reality of the racisms breakout with the demand by Buggin' Out, that Sal should include pictures of blacks who were considered as heroes in his wall of fame, considering that he was running a Pizzeria in a black neighborhood, and selling the Pizzas to the blacks (Lee, 1989). This demand activates the racism in Sal, who responds by saying he is an Italian and is proud of that, and thus should only include the pictures of the Italians in the wall of fame. Sal threatens to bash Buggin' Out with a baseball bat, which then attracts both Radio Raheem and Smiley to support Buggin' Out (Lee, 1989). The whole issue degenerates into a major confrontation, which spills over the streets, and becomes the subject of the property destructions in the neighborhood. Mookie is another character who is a racist, and he

Discussion Board Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Discussion Board - Essay Example Four issues have arisen regarding the criminal justice system and its relation to individual rights and social control – restorative justice, retributive justice, psychiatric imprisonment and transformative justice. Restorative justice assumes that the victims can be restored to a condition â€Å"just as good as† before the criminal incident and that penalties for wrongs include community service, restitution and other alternatives to imprisonment. Psychiatric imprisonment, on the other hand, treats crime nominally as illness and, therefore, could be treated by psychoanalysis, drugs and other techniques. Transformative justice, meanwhile, does not consider the life of the victim and the offender, nor make any comparison about it before or after the criminal incident. It assumes that all people can be transformed and not to re-offend nor avenge. (Criminal) It is in my opinion that the United States criminal justice process follows the retributive model. That is because our system uses punishment to â€Å"pay back† wrongful deeds. When we say pay back we do not necessarily mean primitive forms of vengeance, but imprisonment, capital punishment and other punishments that the law deemed proportionate to criminal acts done against other human beings and the society as a whole. Our retributive system does not advocate vengeance per se, but justice in response to the wrongs committed against the victims and innocents. (Maiese) There are three important features in the United States criminal justice system. First, the US criminal jurisprudence is designed to protect the rights of the accused. Second, it is an open system where the court responds and reflects to its environment and therefore, is inevitably connected to the political process. And finally the third feature is the interdependency of the agencies within it – the police, courts and correctional departments. Currently, the US criminal justice

ADVERTISING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

ADVERTISING - Essay Example Failure to come up with a well-planned advertising strategy could cost the company lots of money. Advertising contribute a lot to the economy. Advertising is now a 250+ billion dollar industry. Advertising is a substantial part of the income of mass media. Advertising creates jobs in the economy. Advertising has been the ingredient that has made many firms successful. Disallowing advertising would cause failure of many of those firms. Failure of firms hurts the economy (Taylor). On the contrary, successes of business enterprises have a positive impact on the overall economy thus creating more jobs. Advertising has become the prime source of marketplace information for consumers (Taylor). Many readers are grateful for advertising because it lets the vendor speak directly to the consumer about the product, without the editorial filtering evident in most reviews and resource articles (Hegener). Paid commercial advertising can be viewed as a gesture of faith in the readers ability to weigh the arguments provided and to make an informed decision. Many readers purchase magazines speci fically for the advertising they contain, and travel, hobby, computer and fashion magazines are only a few categories where advertising routinely makes up a large percentage of the overall content (Hegener). However, today’s advertising field is like a jungle, advertising media in any form are being bombarded with huge amount of advertisements. In order for businesses to attract a customers attention to their particular advertisement, the ads need to be eye-catching and perhaps make use of the psychological effects of color (Advertising). One main disadvantages of advertisement is that consumers may tend to be more familiar with a whole brand, as opposed to individual products (Advertising). Moreover, the process of advertising has made the consumer associate values with products that may not have a real connection to them - for instance, Nike has always

Mcdonalds Corporation Is The Worlds Largest Chain Marketing Essay

Mcdonalds Corporation Is The Worlds Largest Chain Marketing Essay McDonalds Corporation is the worlds largest chain of fast food restaurants, serving nearly 47 million customers daily through more than 31,000 restaurants in 119 countries worldwide. McDonalds sells various fast food items and soft drinks including, burgers, chicken, salads, fries, and ice cream. Many McDonalds restaurants have included a playground for children and advertising geared toward children, and some have been redesigned in a more natural style, with a particular emphasis on comfort: introducing lounge areas and fireplaces, and eliminating hard plastic chairs and tables. Each McDonalds restaurant is operated by a franchisee, an affiliate, or the corporation itself. The corporations revenues come from the rent, royalties and fees paid by the franchisees, as well as sales in company-operated restaurants. McDonalds revenues grew 27% over the three years ending in 2007 to $22.8 billion, and 9% growth in operating income to $3.9 billion.  [1]   History analysis: The business began in 1940, with a restaurant opened by brothers Dick and Mac McDonald in San Bernardino, California. Their introduction of the Speedee Service System in 1948 established the principles of the modern fast-food restaurant. The original mascot of McDonalds was a man with a chefs hat on top of a hamburger shaped head whose name was Speedee. Speedee was eventually replaced with Ronald McDonald in 1963. The present corporation dates its founding to the opening of a franchised restaurant by Ray Kroc, in Des Plaines, Illinois on April 15, 1955 , the ninth McDonalds restaurant overall. Kroc later purchased the McDonald brothers equity in the company and led its worldwide expansion and the company became listed on the public stock markets in 1965. With the expansion of McDonalds into many international markets, the company has become a symbol of globalization and the spread of the American way of life. Its prominence has also made it a frequent topic of public debates about obesity, corporate ethics and consumer responsibility.  [2]   Vision To be the best and leading fast food provider around the globe Mission McDonalds brand mission is to be our customers favorite place and way to eat, and improve our operations to provide the most delicious fast food that meet our customers expectations. Values Our values summarized in Q.S.C. V.. Provide good quality, services to customer. Have a cleanliness environment when customer enjoys their meal. The value of food product makes every customer is smiling. Suppliers Substitutes Buyers Potential entrants Competitive rivalryThe Five Forces Framework The Threat of Entrants Large established companies with strong brand identities such as McDonalds BKC, YUM, and WEN do make it more difficult to enter and succeed within the marketplace; new entrants find that they are faced with price competition from existing chain restaurants. Bargaining Power of Buyers Low bargaining power of buyers. Bargaining power of suppliers Bargaining power of suppliers within the fast food industry would be relatively small, unless the main ingredient of the product is not readily available. Threat of Substitutes This could range from a competitive fast food restaurant to family restaurant to a home cooked meal. Competitive Rivalry The strength of competition in this industry is very high; the main rivals are BKC, YUM, and WEN. They compete with international, national, regional, local, retailers of food products (restaurants, quick service, pizza, coffee shops, and supermarkets). PESTEL Framework: Political: The international operations of McDonalds are highly influenced by the individual state policies enforced by each government. Economic: McDonalds has the tendency to experience hardship in instances where the economy of the respective states is hit by inflation and changes in the exchange rates. Market leader. Very high target market. Low cost and more incomes. The rate at which the economy of that particular state grows determines the purchasing power of the consumers in that country. Social: Working within many social groups. Increase employments. Technological Advanced technology development. Quality standards. Environmental: Quality packing. Local manufacture using foreign supplies. Legal: Legislation for product. Sustained logo. SWOT ANALYSIS Opportunities Threats Growing health trends among consumers Globalization, expansion in other countries (especially in China India). Diversification and acquisition of other quick-service restaurants. Growth of the fast-food industry. Worldwide deregulation. Low cost menu that will attract the customers. Freebies and discounts. Health professionals and consumer activists accuse McDonalds of contributing to the countrys health issue of high cholesterol, heart attacks, diabetes, and obesity. The relationship between corporate level McDonalds and its franchise dealers. McDonalds competitors threatened market share of the company both internationally and domestically. Anti-American sentiments. Global recession and fluctuating foreign currencies. Fast-food chain industry is expected to struggle to meet the expectations of the customers towards health and environmental issues. Strength Weakness Strong brand name, image and reputation. Large market share. Strong global presence. Specialized training for managers known as the Hamburger University. McDonalds Plan to win focuses on people, products, place, price and promotion. Strong financial performance and position. Unhealthy food image. High Staff Turnover including Top management Customer losses due to fierce competition. Legal actions related to health issues; use of trans fat beef oil. Uses HCFC-22 to make polystyrene that is contributing to ozone depletion. Ignoring breakfast from the menu. COMPARISION McDonalds Burger King Yum Brands Wendys Critical Success Factors Weight Rating Weighted Score Rating Weighted Score Rating Weighted Score Rating Weighted Score Price 0.15 4 0.60 3 0.45 3 0.45 3 0.45 Financial Position 0.08 4 0.32 3 0.32 3 0.24 2 0.16 Consumer Loyalty 0.10 4 0.40 3 0.40 3 0.30 2 0.20 Advertising 0.10 3 0.30 3 0.30 4 0.40 2 0.20 Product Quality 0.10 4 0.40 3 0.40 4 0.40 2 0.20 Innovation 0.15 3 0.45 3 0.45 3 0.45 2 0.30 Market Share 0.10 4 0.40 2 0.20 3 0.30 2 0.20 Management 0.07 4 0.28 3 0.21 3 0.21 3 0.21 Global Expansion 0.15 4 0.60 2 0.30 3 0.45 1 0.15 Total 1 3.75 3.03 3.20 2.07 External Factor Evaluation (EFE) Matrix Key External Factors Weight Rating Weighted Score Opportunities Growing health trends among consumers 0.08 3 0.24 Globalization, expansion in other countries (especially in China India). 0.12 4 0.48 Diversification and acquisition of other quick-service restaurants. .04 3 0.12 Growth of the fast-food industry. .10 3 0.30 Worldwide deregulation .04 2 0.08 Low cost menu that will attract the customers. .08 2 0.16 Freebies and discounts. .08 1 0.08 Threats Health professionals and consumer activists accuse McDonalds of contributing to the countrys health issue of high cholesterol, heart attacks, diabetes, and obesity. 0.10 3 0.30 The relationship between corporate level McDonalds and its franchise dealers. 0.09 3 0.27 McDonalds competitors threatened market share of the company both internationally and domestically. 0.12 4 0.48 Anti-American sentiments. .07 2 .14 Global recession and fluctuating foreign currencies. .04 3 .12 Fast-food chain industry is expected to struggle to meet the expectations of the customers towards health and environmental issues. .04 2 .08 Total 1.00 2.85 Financial Ratio Analysis 12/2007 Growth Rates % McDonalds Industry SP 500 Sales (Qtr vs year ago qtr) -3.30 4.20 -3.80 Net Income (YTD vs YTD) 84.70 47.90 8.40 Net Income (Qtr vs year ago qtr) -22.60 -59.90 -94.80 Sales (5-Year Annual Avg.) 6.53 8.14 13.26 Net Income (5-Year Annual Avg.) 23.39 15.30 14.45 Dividends (5-Year Annual Avg.) 32.36 22.36 12.30 Price Ratios Current P/E Ratio 14.7 14.2 13.0 P/E Ratio 5-Year High N/A 9.5 12.5 P/E Ratio 5-Year Low N/A 4.7 2.0 Price/Sales Ratio 2.62 1.88 1.47 Price/Book Value 4.62 3.54 3.00 Price/Cash Flow Ratio 11.20 10.00 9.00 Profit Margins % Gross Margin 36.7 32.1 39.4 Pre-Tax Margin 26.2 17.2 13.2 Net Profit Margin 18.3 12.0 9.1 5Yr Gross Margin (5-Year Avg.) 33.9 33.3 39.1 5Yr PreTax Margin (5-Year Avg.) 19.8 14.2 16.6 5Yr Net Profit Margin (5-Year Avg.) 13.7 9.8 11.45 Financial Condition Debt/Equity Ratio 0.76 .80 1.03 Current Ratio 1.4 1.2 1.4 Quick Ratio 1.3 1.1 1.1 Interest Coverage N/A 1.2 29.9 Leverage Ratio 2.1 -5.3 1.9 Book Value/Share 12.00 10.00 19.75 Investment Returns % Return On Equity 32.2 44.4 27.9 Return On Assets 14.9 11.3 8.1 Return On Capital 17.0 13.7 11.2 Return On Equity (5-Year Avg.) 19.7 22.8 20.6 Return On Assets (5-Year Avg.) 10.0 8.98 8.5 Return On Capital (5-Year Avg.) 11.4 11.0 11.5 Management Efficiency Income/Employee 10,783 9,401 91,499 Revenue/Employee 58,806 98,207 1,000,000 Receivable Turnover 23.7 44.7 15.8 Inventory Turnover 125.7 98.7 12.3 Asset Turnover 0.8 1.1 1.0 Internal Factor Evaluation (IFE) Matrix Key Internal Factors Weight Rating Weighted Score Strengths Strong brand name, image and reputation. 0.12 4 0.48 Large market share. 0.10 4 0.40 Strong global presence. 0.04 3 0.12 Specialized training for managers known as the Hamburger University. 0.04 3 0.12 McDonalds Plan to Win focuses on people, products, place, price and promotion 0.12 4 0.48 Strong financial performance and position. 0.08 4 0.32 Introduction of new products. 0.06 4 0.24 Customer focus (centric). 0.06 4 0.24 Strong performance in the global marketplace. 0.08 4 0.32 Weaknesses Unhealthy food image. 0.08 1 0.08 High Staff Turnover including Top management 0.04 1 0.10 Customer losses due to fierce competition. 0.04 1 0.04 Legal actions related to health issues; use of trans fat beef oil. 0.04 2 0.08 McDonalds uses HCFC-22 to make polystyrene that is contributing to ozone depletion. 0.04 2 0.08 Ignoring breakfast from the menu. 0.06 1 0.06 Total 1.00 3.16 SPACE Matrix Financial Strength Rating Environmental Stability Rating Return on investment 4 Rate of inflation -3 Leverage 4 Demand Changes -3 Net Income 6 Price Elasticity of demand -1 EPS 5 Competitive pressure -3 ROE 5 Barriers to entry new markets -3 Cash Flow 4 Risk involved in business -2 Average 4.67 Average -2.5 Y-axis 2.17 Competitive Advantage Rating Industry Strength Rating Market share -1.00 Growth potential 5 Product Quality -1.00 Financial stability 5 Customer Loyalty -1.00 Ease of entry new markets 4 Control over other parties -2.00 Resources utilization 4 Profit potential 5 Demand variability 3 Average -1.25 Average 4.33 X-axis 3.08 Directional vector point is 🙠 3.08, 2.17) Conservative Aggressive Competitive Defensive FS IS CA ES Grand Strategy Matrix Quadrant II Quadrant I Quadrant IV Quadrant III Rapid Market Growth Strong Competitive Position Weak Competitive Position Slow Market Growth The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Matrix Question Marks Cash Cows Dogs Relative Market Share Position Industry Sales Growth Rate Stars MCD The Internal-External (IE) Matrix The IFE Total Weighted Score Strong Average Weak 3.0 to 4.0 2.0 to 2.99 1.0 to 1.99 III II I High 3.0 to 3.99 VI V IV The EFE Total Weighted Score McDonaldsMedium 2.0 to 2.99 IX VIII VII Low 1.0 to 1.99 The Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM) Strategy 1 Expand further in Asia by adding 500 restaurants Strategy 2 Applying 0 grams Trans fat in all worldwide McDonalds restaurants Key Internal Factors Weight AS TAS AS TAS Strengths   Strong brand name, image and reputation 0.12 4 0.48 4 0.48 Large market share 0.10 4 0.40 2 0.20 Strong global presence 0.04 4 0.12 2 0.08 Specialized training for managers known as the Hamburger University 0.04 McDonalds Plan to Win focuses on people, products, place, price and promotion 0.12 4 0.48 4 0.48 Strong financial performance and position 0.08 4 0.32 4 0.32 Introduction of new products 0.06 Customer focus (centric) 0.06 1 0.06 4 0.24 Strong performance in the global marketplace 0.08 3 0.24 1 0.08 Weaknesses Unhealthy food image 0.08 1 0.08 4 0.32 High Staff Turnover including Top management 0.10 Customer losses due to fierce competition 0.04 3 0.12 1 0.04 Legal actions related to health issues; use of trans fat beef oil 0.04 1 0.04 4 0.16 Uses HCFC-22 to make polystyrene that is contributing to ozone depletion 0.04 SUBTOTAL 1.00 2.34 2.40 Strategy 1 Expand further in Asia by adding 500 restaurants Strategy 2 Applying 0 grams Trans fat in all worldwide McDonalds restaurants Key External Factors Weight AS TAS AS TAS Opportunities Growing health trends among consumers 0.08 1 0.08 4 0.32 Globalization, expansion in other countries (especially in China India) 0.12 4 0.48 1 0.12 Diversification and acquisition of other quick-service restaurants 0.04 Growth of the fast-food industry 0.10 4 0.40 4 0.40 Worldwide deregulation 0.04 4 0.16 1 0.04 Low cost menu that will attract the customers 0.08 Freebies and discounts 0.08 Threats Health professionals and consumer activists accuse McDonalds of contributing to the countrys health issue of high cholesterol, heart attacks, diabetes, and obesity 0.10 1 0.10 4 0.40 The relationship between corporate level McDonalds and its franchise dealers 0.09 4 0.36 1 0.09 McDonalds competitors threatened market share of the company both internationally and domestically 0.12 4 0.48 4 0.48 Anti-American sentiments 0.07 Global recession and fluctuating foreign currencies 0.04 Fast-food chain industry is expected to struggle to meet the expectations of the customers towards health and environmental issues 0.04 1 0.04 4 0.16 SUBTOTAL 1.00 2.10 2.01 SUM TOTAL ATTRACTIVENESS SCORE 4.44 4.41 . Conclusion McDonalds faces some difficult challenges. Key to its future success will be maintaining its core strengths-an unwavering focus on quality and consistency-while carefully experimenting with new options. These innovative initiatives could include launching higher-end restaurants under new brands that wouldnt be saddled with McDonalds fast-food image. The company could also look into expanding more aggressively abroad where the prospects for significant growth are greater.   The companys environment efforts, while important, should not overshadow its marketing initiatives, which are what the company is all about. Recommendations Expand further into Asia markets over a 2-year period by adding 500 restaurants per year at a cost of $4 billion annually, and applying 0 grams Trans fat in all worldwide McDonalds restaurants.

Enrollment in Institutions of Higher Education :: Teaching Education

Enrollment in Institutions of Higher Education As the years go on, more and more students are enrolling in higher forms of education, including collages, institutes, technical schools, and universities. This rise can be from the increase of students due to the growth of population, or the realization of the importance of after high school education. The rise of students from 1992 to 1993 was from 281,000 students to 293,000 students, a 12,000 people increase. From 1993 to 1994, the rise was from 293,000 students to 295,000 students, a 2,000 people increase. Some of the businesses affected by the growth are construction companies, staffs, cafeterias, school supplies, public transportation, and areas of entertainment. The construction companies get business by the incoming students. They get jobs building extra dormitories, class rooms, cafeterias, and anything else the collages may need. Also, home owners can raise the prices of apartments and houses because of the rise in the demand for a close by campus home. The school staffs are greatly affected by the increase of incoming students. More teachers will be hired, as well as custodians to keep the campus a clean environment. Guidance counselors and secretaries will also be needed to keep the school organized. The cafeterias in or around the campus will have more customers every day, mostly from the students who live in or around the campus. Students commuting to the school are more likely to not use the cafeterias around the school. With the rise of students, the sales of text books, pencils, book bags, and other everyday school supplies are likely to increase. This is great for the schools bookstores, the publishing companies, the book authors, and large or small school and office stores in or around the campus. School supplies are a must in collage. Most students who live on campus do not have a car. Mostly because of the most of parking, students use public transportation such as trains, busses, and taxi cabs to get around. Also, maybe areas of study are in the city where having a car is not as beneficial as in suburban areas. Movie theaters, restaurants, and comedy clubs will have more customers from students who like to have fun. Also bars, strip clubs, and liquor stores will have more business from the collage student who likes to party and have fun. Many people gain from the increase of

The New Digital Era called “MP3 Technology”

Downloading of music has been a long time subject of piracy. In the 1920’s, radio stations played records that are not tracked. It is a not-so obvious manner of piracy but did impact writers who were losing money due to public performance of their works without proper accountability. No one was making money through this procedure but only radio stations via their sponsors. (Wicknick, par. 1) With this, the performance rights societies including ASCAP and BMI worked with the Congress and the FCC to change legislation to ensure that radio stations will track airplay and pay blanket licenses that were given to writers based on airplay. (Wicknick, par. 1) It is impossible to copy a record before the invention of blank tape. Its either you bought it or borrow a copy and played it until the needle lost its tip. (Wicknick, par. 3) In the mid 1960’s, even after the invention of blank tapes, copying a record is sill a clunky process. (Wicknick, par. 3) In the advent of cassette tape, people learned to do dubbing. But marketing of these tapes are low because it is still evident that it is dub due to sonic integrity has been compromised. ASCAP and BMI, together with the FCC, they began to collect blanket license fees on the sale of blank media and give them to writers and publisher members. (Wicknick, par. 4) In 1982, in the faà §ade of CD in Europe, Japan and in the United States by 1983, it was read-only. Burning to a CD is impossible before. But advancement in technology made it possible. In the year of 2003, you can burn CD from mp3 and sources like iTunes. However, MP3 and iTunes do charge for licensing, worked out deals and propose duplication allowances. (Wicknick, par. 5) The onslaught of the digital wave in 1999 started with the newly created MP3 file sharing software called Napster, stated Catherine Edwards, in her article â€Å"The Napster Challenger.†Ã‚   Lee Bockhorn, in his article â€Å"MP3 and Me: How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love Online Music File Sharing (sort of)† stated that on one side of the wave is the estimated 60 million MP3 Internet users that enjoy the advantages of ala carte collection choice, downloading these selections for free and testing music before purchasing. On the other side are the artists and recording companies making strong claims for illegal sharing of copyrighted material states John Healey and Jeff Leeds in their article â€Å"Tone Deaf to the Moral Dilemma?†Ã‚   The new MP3 file sharing technology has brought to us into a new digital age madness designed for music lovers.   Claiming violation of copyright laws, the greedy recording companies and music artists do not wish to give up the present business structure and refuse to embrace the exploding expansion of digital technology that will allow ‘ala carte purchases’. The start of this digital age software began with a 19-year-old freshman at Northeastern University in Boston in 1999.   His name is Shawn Fanning.   He revolutionized the music industry, developing a software program called Napster.   Napster allows music fans to share and download music files via the Internet for free.   Shawn received $15 million to start the corporation and is now a famous CEO (Edwards 160). Then, one and a half years later, in 2001, 2 famous bands, Metallica and Dr. Dre, sued Napster. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) sued as well, claiming Napster violated record label copyrights.   This case is still on appeal.   Since this time, Napster has joined with BMG Entertainment (a $50 million dollar deal) offering a new fee-based system (Edwards) The RIAA has been taking drastic measures to limit piracy. Consumers of music sees file-sharing or downloading as the wave of the future and legal in their own right. The lawsuits include a twelve year old for downloading contents online and an 80 year-old grandfather who were sued for his computer activity wherein he claimed that he don’t even know how to turn a computer on. Many of the grandparents bought computer for their grandchild as a treat whenever they come to visit their place. But a twelve year old may be well aware on the usage of the computer technology as well as a graduate student but doesn’t know or understand the violations of what they have done. (Wicknick, par. 2) The next approach for RIAA is to target college students and parents with further lawsuits alleging copyright violations.   â€Å"One goal is to persuade parents to crack down on their children’s file sharing before an entire generation comes to expect music to be free† (Healey and Leeds 175).   This may prove to be a futile effort with the millions of Internet users copying music for free on the new sites that have popped up, such as Kazaa or Limewire.   Also, many parents condone students’ downloading even though it’s unethical.   RIAA lawsuits will attempt to target the Internet account that is used to share the file (Healey and Leeds 177).   These lawsuits may change the attitudes of 12-22 year-olds, that when surveyed said that 70% of them would stop if at risk of a fine or jail (Healey and Leeds 178). According to the Pew Internet Project’s national survey of adult Internet users conducted last January-February 2005 resulted that about 7 million adults downloaded files from someone’s iPod or MP3 player. (Madden and Lee par. 2) Approximately, 10 million people get their music and video files through email and instant messages. But there are people who use both the same sources. Other alternative sources of downloading include music and movie websites, blogs and online reviews. There is also a legislation being pushed in Congress by the record companies.   If approved, it would use software to flood peer-to-peer sharing with dummy files, search public folders for illegally copies music and block users from downloading.   Even though it’s difficult to empathize with rich artists and greedy record companies, it is still, according to law, an illegal practice to share and download copyrighted music online.   Millions of people through MP3 technology are sharing files, making the concept of ‘fair use’ ridiculous (Bockhorn 163). Further in his article, Bockhorn writes of his personal exposure to the Napster era.   At the start of the Napster take-off he felt that it just wasn’t right to not pay an artist for his/her music.   He explains that his first temptation came after attending a Norah Jones concert.   He later downloaded her performance of the ‘Tennessee Waltz’ thru I-Tunes. His justification was that he had paid to see the concert and had bought previous albums (Bockhorn 162).   In a forum done by eight graders, some students thought that the music industries have huge incomes and it would not hurt if they will get a song or two from an album through the internet. A student said that the artist will still have an income because they are still buying T-shirts and watch their concerts. (Hafner, par. 13) Curiosities about MP3 file sharing, lead to Bockhorn’s downloading of Limewire, a successor to Napster.   He agrees that it is unquestionably, great technology, without paying a fee.   Drawbacks to MP3 are availability of music, modem connection speed, and the guilt of acquiring music without paying.   â€Å"If I want to download My Cherie Amour, Stevie Wonder should get a cut of whatever price a true market . . . determines the song is worth . . .† (Bockhorn 162). Currently, Bockhorn’s primary concern is that MP3 technology has definitely warped the minds of users copying illegal files to build their music collection.   But, why does the music lover continue to partake?   Number one because of choice and number two because it’s free (Bockhorn 163).   Most people will agree that it’s illegal but will continue to do it.   â€Å"Like countless millions, Miriam Philips felt no guilt in downloading music from a shared campus folder† (Healey and Leeds 175).   Philips offers no sympathy for the artist and the record company, â€Å"They’re rich, they can deal with it†, (Philips via Healey and Leeds 175). According to a 13-year old girl, if you wanted a song or two in a certain album, it is not a big deal.(Hafner, par. 3) However, when someone consistently downloaded an artist whole CD, it might be the right time to call them thieves. Almost all of the houses here in the US have Internet-connected computers in their homes. A student even asked that if downloading of music is really illegal, why do PCs were sold with CD burners? (Hafner, par. 18) Downloading of music through CD burning is very convenient especially to students who were mostly doing it.   Just a few clicks away, they will be able to have the songs they wanted. (Hafner, par. 9) Though some of these people knew that they are violating the law, but they can’t afford to give up convenience and less expensive or the free copies of the recordings of their own choice. On the other hand, there are some advantages to the downloading frenzy.   This technology has prompted some users to purchase CD's based on a new interest in a particular type of music.   It is able to give a taste of a certain type of music or unknown band before purchasing an entire CD.   Users will find that if they’re downloading more than 2-3 songs they will probably go out and buy the entire album. Internet users will also argue that it is difficult at times to locate a particular piece of music that they’re looking for.   Also, this activity is for personal use, not resale (Healey and Leeds 176).   There is also no evidence that MP3 file sharing has dramatically hurt CD sales.   In 2001, sales dropped 10% and in 2002 sales dropped 7% (Bockhorn 163). There are news and write ups on lawsuits for music-downloading like the Napsters and Metallica lawsuits but possible loss of revenue for recording industry were not perceived. Music-downloading is hurting the businesses of music retailers. While downloaders are getting music for free through downloading it from internet or MP3s, it is a loss of income for massive music retail outlets. (Bestul, par. 5) People resigned from buying or purchasing music and switch over to downloading it from the computer instead. What they haven’t thought about is the income that music retailers or outlets will lose every time they download the music for free from computer or MP3 instead of buying a CD from retail outlets. In attempting to defend this illegal behavior, consumers will argue that corrupt record companies refuse to embrace technology that will allow ‘ala carte’ purchases.   Consumers wish to purchase the one or two songs from an album that are worthy of purchase.   This choice could lead to the extinction of great albums such as the Beatles’ Sgt. Peppers album (Bockhorn 163).   Bockhorn believes that people want to do the right thing, and hopes that record companies will provide us options for subscription or ala carte, but thus far they have been very reluctant.   If record companies would join the new technology, all of us could rest easier know that the artist got his/her share (Bockhorn 164). It is believe to be impossible to stop the downloading of music because it is the fad as of this era. Aside from the fact that many people are music lovers, the technology that we have today is unstoppable. Advancement in technology might be the reason why people can come up in this kind of technique in getting what they want for free or at a lesser cost with much ease. Maybe in the future, we might have other ways or means of downloading music or files in a more convenient way based on how technology progress on every generation. Future growth of MP3 digital technology is yet to be determined, with many changes to come.   Millions of Internet users each day have access to use of this technology, either through free or paid Internet sites.   Consumers do have a choice, the questions remains to be, how many will lean toward their obligation of legal choice.   Future enforcement of the free technology won’t be effective unless the music industry offers a legal alternative to file sharing. References Bestul, Michael J. (11 December 2003). â€Å"Lost in the controversy.† Blogcritics.com Retrieved last October 19, 2006. Websites: http://blogcritics.org/archives/2003/12/11/082220.php Bockhorn, Lee.   â€Å"MP3 and Me: How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love Online Music File-Sharing (sort of).† The Weekly Standard 16 October 2002 Edwards, Catherine. â€Å"The Napster Challenge.† Insight on the News January 2001 Hafner, Katie (19 September 2003). â€Å"Is it wrong to share your music? (Discuss).† The New York Times Retrieved last October 19, 2006. Website: http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/featured_articles/20030919friday.html Healey, John, and Jeff Leeds. â€Å"Tone Deaf to the Moral Dilemma?† The Los Angeles Times 2 September 2003 Madden, Mary and Rainie, Lee (25 March 2005). â€Å"Music and Video Downloading Moves Beyond P2P.† Pew Internet and American Life Project Retrieved last October 19, 2006. W Website: http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/153/report_display.asp Wicknick, Darcie-Nicole. â€Å"The RIAA Muic Downloading Controversy: Both Sides of the Record.† MusicBizAdvice.com Retrieved last October 19, 2006. Websites: http://www.musicbizadvice.com/a_little_history_on_music_piracy%20.htm http://www.musicbizadvice.com/the_music_downloaders_point_of_view.htm http://www.musicbizadvice.com/RIAA_Music_Downloading_Controversy.htm ; ; ; ;

The Government of US

The Government of US The US is the only state in the international system with the busiest elections calendar. This is because elections are held at state, federal, and local levels. This means that the American voter would vote more in his or her lifetime as compared to German, Japanese, and British voters. High-visibility elections are given much focus due to the intense lobbying and voter mobilization.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Government of US specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The senatorial, presidential, and governorship mobilizations are conducted by professionals, such as media advisors, pollsters, speechwriters, and political scientists. Presidential mobilization emphasizes more on mass communication. In this regard, television adverts are often utilized to access voters. Furthermore, high-visibility elections are based on issues rather than ethnicity and partisan politics. At the local levels, elections are waged on sm all scale because local politicians do not have enough resources to launch formidable elections. It is surprising to learn that even judicial offices are contested in the US. In other parts of the world, judicial officers are simply appointed by governmental agencies, such as the judicial service commission. The main aim of contesters is to reach potential voters. Individuals seeking political offices are faced with a dilemma of balancing scarce resources with the demands of voter mobilization. The author reveals some of the astonishing factors that are considered when designing a campaign structure. One of them entails the steps that would be taken when formulating campaign policies while the other factor relates to cost-effectiveness (Gerber and Green 37). Cost-effectiveness and restructuring of campaigns are the two useful factors that influence voter mobilization in any voter recruitment process. The two factors influenced the electorate in the just concluded US presidential ele ctions in a number of ways. Regarding cost-effectiveness, it is always important to consider the number of votes that a single dollar would bring before spending. In a densely populated region, making phone calls would be ineffective because few voters would be reached. In a densely populated region, a door-to-door campaign would be effective. Door-to-door campaigns are costly, but they generate high number of votes as compared to making phone calls.Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In particular, randomized door-to-door campaigns have higher chances of soliciting high numbers of votes as compared to any other technique. The technique is preferred in the US because of a number of reasons. One of the advantages is that it defines the observed population. The observed population consists of all individuals who will be sampled. Another advantage is that the sampled population i s divided into a number of groups. The sampling itself is random meaning that those mobilized would represent all groups in a sample. Another advantage is that an intervention strategy would be devised upon studying the group behavior. For instance, members from the treatment group would be contacted through emails, encouraging them to vote for the preferred candidate. The above technique was applied in the just concluded presidential elections. The Republicans and the Democrats had limited resources yet they had to reach many voters in the country. In regions considered that belonged to Republicans, Democrats employed randomized voter recruitment technique because it would help in identifying some of the behaviors of voters. However, each party had an effective method of reaching voters. It is because of advanced voter mobilization techniques that the pollsters predicted a cutthroat presidential competition. However, the party that had the ability to blend the various techniques em erged winner. Gerber, Alan and Donald Green. â€Å"Social Pressure and Voter Turnout: Evidence from a Large-scale Field Experiment.† American Political Science Review 102.2 (2008): 33-48. Print.

Biology Research Paper Topics

Biology Research Paper Topics A research paper in biology is one composed of data and other important information gathered by the researcher. Accuracy of the results and clear presentation of information and data are key features in a biology research paper. Standard biological research leaves little or no room for errors. Errors found make the work irrelevant and non-usable and such work can not be presented. Study of life and life forms is quite tedious and lengthy and keeping data is not easy. Usually, much of the work done is confined within laboratories and field work. Biology is a vast subject with many categories ranging from ecology to biochemistry. Choice of a biology research paper topic will depend on the scope of work you want to do. Some topics will require laboratory work and others a review of what has been done by other researchers. A lengthy topic is disadvantageous especially when the entire work is to be done in a laboratory. Some work may require use of sophisticated apparatus and expensive materials, availability of these things should be considered before choosing a topic.Techniques used in biology research are many and a mastery of these techniques is essential. Biology research paper topics that do not require laboratory work, the sources of information chosen have to be relevant to the topic of choice. There are a number of categories in biology that a student can choose from such as ecology, plant pathology, immunology, molecular biology and cellular biology. Some of the most popular biology research paper topics include; biological pest control, effects of global warming on marine life, prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa, control of genetic diseases using gene therapy and ethical issues arising from the use of genetically modified organisms. Research questions, challenges and problems determine the choice of a biology research paper topic.

Heroin trafficking from Afghanistan Research Paper

Heroin trafficking from Afghanistan - Research Paper Example Hence, heroin production and trafficking from Afghanistan is a major threat to humanity. Thesis statement: An investigation to unearth the role of Afghanistan in Heroin trafficking to global market and possible preventive measures. As pointed out, heroin production and trafficking is based on poppy cultivation and opium based drugs. The opium markets distribute raw opium to traders and they refine it with the help of precursor chemicals and produce heroin. But these refinement workshops are located near to the border areas and poppy farms. So the government control over these areas become limited and it helps the heroin traffickers to form a parallel governing system. The refinement workshops make use of typical equipments for the basic processing of opium. But further refining needs technical expertise and it is provided by some foreign chemists. Morphine base, crude form of heroine is produced from opium. But it is difficult to produce heroin from morphine base. For instance, the heroin traffickers make use of mobile labs to overcome this trouble. Innovative methods like usage of large trucks for the production of heroin help the traders to keep themselves away from the authorities. Some Afghani districts like Nangarhar’s Achin are notorious for heroin labs and large scale heroin production. Frank Clements in the work ‘Conflict in Afghanistan: a historical encyclopedia’ opines that large scale refinement of heroin in Afghanistan helps to smuggle the same through borders without further difficulties (Clements 78). When the refinement process becomes more difficult, cost and demand of pure heroin in the global market shows increasing tendency. Earlier, refining opium was done in Pakistan or Turkey. But in 1995, the Pakistani authorities destroyed illegal workshops and it helped to hinder heroin trafficking from Afghanistan to Pakistan. But the heroin traders discovered an innovative way to handle this situation. They

Management Control System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Management Control System - Essay Example superiors and subordinates) works together towards a goal. To work together requires every member of the organization to have a direct participation in every plans and actions that will be taken by the organization. Giving each member the right to speak out and express their views towards existing situations will eliminate the gap between superiors and subordinates, and will unite the two separate levels. It gives subordinates a feeling of satisfaction on their job by giving them a chance to play vital roles in administrative planning, thereby motivating them to be more productive on their work. Participative budgeting promotes respect to every member of an organization, thereby tightening working relations in the organization that is a key factor of an organization effort to attain their goals and objectives. Budget Allocation is not an easy task. A reliable budget proposal comes out from proper analysis of the strategic and operational plans, which are submitted by key people of an organization. These plans are based on the current situation and need of every level of the organization. If each member is given the chance to decide on the expense and income of the organization, it is much easier to formulate more reliable budget plans. The procedure may take time conducting open forums or debates, but it will surely lead to a well-synthesized budget plan. Operational plans will become effective by emphasizing priorities. Transparency Corruption is the biggest problem among organization. Through participative budgeting, there will be a clear statement of the allocation of resources, expenses, and transparent administrative procedures of how the plans are formed. Those who are in-charge of budget monitoring will be more accountable of their action to avoid mishandling of funds. Goal Congruence and Responsible Management Managers and members of an organization become more responsible for their departments as watchers of action plans, and budget analysts. Subordinate managers who are in direct control of everyday operation and who have direct knowledge of the every situation could enhance the planning process. By giving the subordinate managers to create their own budget, it opens the chance to subordinate managers to create a budget that would meet their department's goal resulting to higher degree of goal congruence. Complexity in the budget could be minimized when every member of the organization work together to provide alternative solutions to problems. 2. Identify deficiencies in Scott Weidner's participative budgetary policy for planning and performance evaluation purposes. For each deficiency identified, recommend how the deficiency can be corrected. Deficiencies 1. Appropriation of target figure is done by superiors. Managers are not allowed to participate in setting the appropriation target figure. Recommendation: Managers should be given the chance to participate in setting up the appropriation target. Managers are the one who knows the actual needs of their department, so they should be given the right to propose or give input for the setting up of the appropriation