cooperate finance Essay - 914 Words

GSBS6130- Corporate Finance 1. Introduction Even though the operating performance of Innovative Chemical Corporation (ICC) has been outstanding, there are some problems in respect of the share price appreciation. Firstly, P/E ratio will be used to evaluate the company’s stock and factors which affect company’s P/E ratio will be listed. Furthermore, discounted dividend valuation model will be demonstrated and fundamental factors which impact the share pricing will be analysed. Finally, the value of ICC at 30 June 2010 will be calculated using P/E ratio and DDM model. Meantime, the weakness of those two models will be illustrated, and alternative methodology will be applied to calculate the intrinsic valuation of ICC and then compare†¦show more content†¦CAPM).According to this table, we find that the net income increase from 24.442 to 70.221 in 2005 and 2010, the share price increase from 5.81 to 58.80 in 2005 and 2010 as well. According to the calculation of P/E ratios for ICC in these years are higher t han the average annual P/E ratio, which means that the company overpricing his share price. Obviously, the dividend payout ratio at the same time appear in city is filled with the molecular formula with the denominator. At the molecular, dividends payout ratio, the bigger the current dividend level higher, the greater the P/E ratio; But in the denominator, dividends payout ratio, the bigger the dividend growth rate is lower, the smaller the P/E ratio. So, with P/E and the relationship between the dividends payout ratio is uncertain. 4. Intrinsic value of ICC 4a calculation P/E RATIO The intrinsic value for ICC at 30 June 2010 using P/E ratio is $50.93492181, which is lower than the share price at the same time. Again this shows the company overpricing the share price. DDM MODEL According to the calculations from the table, we can find out the intrinsic value for ICC at 30 June in 2010 is $ 6.2. 4bweakness of P/E ratio and DDM method P/E ratio weakness P/E ratio is a very rough index, considering the comparability, the same index of different stages of the P/E ratio is meaningful comparison, and to different market is transverse comparison should be especially careful. DDMShow MoreRelatedBusiness Models Of Internet Finance1699 Words   |  7 PagesAbstract The internet finance industry is newly developed in China, with only a very brief history. However, the industry is growing at a rapid pace and is becoming a significant part of the overall financial industry in China. In terms of financial functions, internet finance is mainly comprised of payment and settlement services, sales of asset management productsï ¼Å'and financing. 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In the area of auditing, each registered public accounting firm is required to:†¢Prepare and maintain work papersRead MoreDividend Policy as a Strategic Tool for Wealth Maximization Essay12334 Words   |  50 Pagesfuture business performance and financial situation. When the expectation is good and is thought to be keeping continuously in the future, the enterprise will adopt more positive dividend policy, and vice-versa.so it’s important to make the policy cooperate with enterprise’s investment decision, some factors, such as the arrangement and adjustment of decision of financing will influence the dividend policy, the ability of financing outside the company will inevitably influence the proportion of retained

Ucla Econ 101 Final Spring 2011 Free Essays

1 Final Exam (VERSION 1): Econ 101 †¢ Please write your name at the top of every page of this mideterm †¢ Please write your name, TA’s name, and the time of your discussion section here Your Name: TA’s Name: Discussion Time: †¢ The exam has one parts: Written Questions. †¢ There should be 16 total pages (front and back). Quickly read through the exam before beginning. We will write a custom essay sample on Ucla Econ 101 Final Spring 2011 or any similar topic only for you Order Now †¢ There are 100 total points available. Point values are listed next to each problem part. Please allocate your time accordingly 1 2 Written Questions 1. Consider the following payo? matrix Player L M T 2, 0 3, 1 Player 1 C 3, 4 1, 2 B 1, 3 0, 2 2 R 4,2 2,3 3,0 . (5pnts) Find the pure strategy Nash equilibria of the simultaneous game b. (5pnts) Now suppose the game is played sequentially. Find the subgame perfect equilibrium if player 1 goes ? rst and if player 2 goes ? rst. c. (5pnts) Discuss whether each of the players would want to go ? rst or second. d. (5pnts) Write down a system of equations such that the solution to the system would give a completely mixed strategy equilibrium of this game (please clearly de? ne all of your notation). Can this system of equations be solved? (Hint: think about the condition requiring player 1 to play B with positive probability). Explain what the answer means. 2 WORK SPACE 3 WORK SPACE 4 2. Suppose Player 1 and Player 2 are playing a simultaneous move game with the following payo? matrix: Player 2 L R T 0, 4 ? , 3 Player 1 B 3, 3 4, 6 where ? ? 0 a. (5pnts) De? ne a dominant strategy equilibrium. Is there any value of ? for which there is a dominant strategy equilibrium. If so, ? nd the values of ?. If not, show why. b. (5pnts) Describe all the pure and mixed strategy equilibria of the game as a function of ? c. (5pnts) Suppose ? = 5. What would the outcome be if the players could cooperate? 5 WORK SPACE 6 WORK SPACE 7 3. Billy has just inherited a horse ranch from his uncle. The ranch is located in Oshkosh, WI and rents horses. A unique feature of the stable is the nearby riding trails that overlook Lake Winnebago. Billy has two types of potential customers: novice riders (N) and serious riders (S). The (per customer) demand for horse rides on the ranch is qS = 75 ? 1. 25PS , where qS is the number of hourlong rides a serious rider makes per year. The demand for novice riders is qN = 57 ? 1. 25PN . Assume there are 75 riders of each type in the town. Billy’s cost function is T C = 12q, where q is the total number of hours the horses are ridden per year. . (5pnts) Suppose Billy does not price discriminate. Find prices, quantities, and Billy’s pro? t. b. (5pnts) Suppose Billy can tell who’s a serious rider because of the types of hat they ware. Find the 3rd degree price discriminating prices, quantities and pro? ts. c. (5pnts) Suppose Billy is not able to tell the di? erence betwee n the two types of rider. He decides to start charging a yearly membership fee, T , as well as an hourly price, p. Find the optimal choices of T and p d. (5pnts) Suppose Billy IS able to tell the di? erence between the two types of but still thinks the 2-part tari? is a good idea. Find the annual fee and per hour price that Billy would charge to each group 8 WORK SPACE 9 WORK SPACE 10 4. (16pnts) Boeing and Airbus are the 2 ? rms that produce commercial aircraft. The demand for airplanes is given by: Q = 10 ? P . Boeing’s costs are given by T CB = cB qB and Airbus’ costs are given by: T CA = cA qA where cA , cB are constants. a. (5pnts) Find the Cournot quantities, prices and pro? ts. Find Stackelberg quantities, prices, and pro? ts assuming Boeing chooses output ? rst b. (5pnts) Suppose that right now cB = cA = 5. Boeing has access to a process innovation that will lower marginal costs from 5 to 0. How much would Boeing be willing to invest to implement the innovation. (Assume Cournot Competition from here on) c. (5pnts) Suppose that the innovation is such that Airbus can (imperfectly) copy it, so if Boeing makes the investment Airbus’ costs fall to 2. How much is Boeing willing to pay now? d. (5pnts) If Airbus can perfectly copy the innovation, how much would Boeing be willing to pay? Why is Boeing willing to pay a positive amount? 11 WORK SPACE 12 WORK SPACE 13 5. There are two types of people in the world Sky Divers and Cat People. Both types have wealth W = 100 and utility functions U (W ) = ln(W ). Both types of people can have an accident that leads them to lose $50 of wealth. Sky Divers are riskier and have accidents 75% of the time, while Cat People have accidents only 25% of the time. The proportion of Sky Divers in the economy is pS and the proportion of Cat People is pC = 1 ? pS a. (5pnts) How much would each type be willing to pay for an insurance policy that fully reimbursed them in the event of an accident? b. (5pnts) Write down the equations that, if you solved them, would give the amount each type would be willing to pay for insurance that covered half their losses? . (5pnts) What is the fair price of (full) insurance for each type (i. e. if an insurer knows which type he is dealing with)? What is the fair price if the insurer cannot distinguish the two types? d. (5pnts) Assume insurers cannot distinguish the two types and that insurance markets are competitive so prices are the fair prices. Describe prices and who is insured in equilibrium as a function of pS e. (5p nts) Discuss the meaning of adverse selection in the context of this example 14 WORK SPACE 15 WORK SPACE 16 How to cite Ucla Econ 101 Final Spring 2011, Essay examples

Fahrenheit 451 Theme Essay free essay sample

â€Å"Censorship is the tool of those who have the need to hide actualities from themselves and others. Their fear is only their inability to face what is real. Somewhere in their upbringing they were shielded against the total facts of our experience. They were only taught to look one way when many ways exist.† Charles Bukowski, an American author, unintentionally explains perfectly the customs of the people, influenced by the government, in relation to Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury; he does this by explaining the habits of people who are naive and intellectually vacuous. Bradbury elucidates to readers the idea of what might come about if citizens slowly stop expanding their knowledge and begin letting the government have all authority. Through Fahrenheit 451s dynamic character change, the significance of imagination and the intellectual confidence of knowledge rather than a blithe attitude and love for entertainment becomes apparent. Montag’s interaction with social outcasts and insouciant conformists implies that Fahrenheit 451 is anticensorship. We will write a custom essay sample on Fahrenheit 451 Theme Essay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Individuality, it separates the creative thinkers from the simple-minded society. Clarisse is a very audacious person; Montag hasn’t ever met someone so jovial. â€Å"I like to smell things and look at things, and sometimes stay up all night, walking, and watch the sunrise.†(Bradbury 7) no one in this society takes the time to observe the surroundings anymore, but unlike them Clarisse sees the beauty in life. She reveals Mother Nature to Montag, who actually takes the time to see it and how it blooms into so much more than just admiring the scenery. â€Å"When I said something about the moon, you looked at the moon, last night. The others would never do that. The others would walk off and leave me talking.†(23) Clarisse points out to Montag that maybe he is different, that he actually sees the wonder and pulchritude in living. She clarifies to him that he takes the time to listen, look, and acknowledge what she speaks to him. Clarisse’s creative thoughts help Montag to in fact change his perception of the society in Fahrenheit 451. Futuristic fast cars, television, and radio all occupy the general public, but what about real conversations, thinking for yourself, emotions, and how about history? Leisure activity has taken up the entire population’s time â€Å"Yet somehow we think we can grow feeding on flowers and fireworks, without completing the cycle back to reality.†(83) Faber, by comparing flowers to the society,  states that the society’s foundation is unstable because the people are not facing the veracity of existence. His philosophy of books â€Å"Number one, as I said: quality of information. Number two: leisure to digest it. And number three: the right to carry out actions based on what we learn from interaction of the first two.† (84, 85) gave Faber the comprehension to absorb the information in it. From learning this, Montag discovers that the information in the books portray humanity in such a manner that the government doesn’t want anyone to distinguish. â€Å"Doesn’t everyone look nice! / Everyone looks swell. / Isn’t this show wonderful?†(93) Mildred and her friend continually compliment each other on appearance not once going into detail on their faà §ade; they all live carefree with no worries. The ladies came in with â€Å"martinis in their hands†(93) and they watched shows in the ‘parlor’. Even under a vicious stare from Montag, the women still were â€Å"lighting cigarettes, blowing smoke, touching their sun-fired hair and examining their blazing fingernails†(95). The general public lives in a lighthearted, untroubled society were ‘convivial’ and relaxation is essential. The meaning of life, no one knows precisely what it is. If there was anything that did discern it, it would be books. Fahrenheit 451 reveals the value of books to readers by showing that unintelligence and excitement is not always exceptional. This novel remains today one of the best-known warnings against the danger of censorship and the more subtle loss of minds eye and originality that occurs when cultural treasures are obscured by the often mindless entertainments and uneducated enough population.

One

Introduction In an effort to use aptitude as well as students’ achievement among several demographic variables in determining high school seniors’ choice of career after high school, a survey was conducted among over 500 students.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on One-Way Manova specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A one way multivariate analysis of variance was then conducted with â€Å"collplan† being the predictor variable whereas student’s career plan in college after high school had nine categorical variables including: agricultural college, no plans yet, liberal arts, none, engineering college, music/arts, teacher college, other and university. The quantitative outcome variables in this dataset were â€Å"abstract†- a test of abstract reasoning and â€Å"creative†- a test of creativity. The One-Way MANOVA was conducted in an attempt to answer the following question: How w ell do the categorical predictor variable â€Å"factors† (levels) predict scores on a.) a measure of abstract reasoning ability, and b.) a measure of creativity? After conducting a One-Way MANOVA on the dataset using SPSS, the results of the analyses were presented and interpreted as described in below. The author hypothesizes that categorical predictor variables (none, Teacher College, agricultural college, engineering college, liberal arts, music/arts, university, other, and no plans yet) are significant predictors of scores on a measure of abstract thinking ability and scores on a measure of creativity. This has been explained by the descriptive statistics as well as the MANOVA test, specifically the Wilk’s lambda and the between-subject effects of the variables. Descriptive Statistics The GLM statistics for between-subjects factors indicated that there were 178 seniors who did not plan to join any of the listed institutions in this study and this was the highest nu mber of students. This was followed by students who had plans of joining university and these amounted to 88 students. The third largest category of seniors had plans of doing liberal arts and these amounted to 59 students.Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More These were followed by 57 students who had â€Å"other† plans after high school. The number of those who had no plans yet was equal to that of students who wished to join a teachers college (38 students). There were 29 seniors who had plans of joining an engineering college, 11 who wished to do music/arts and finally only 4 students had plans of joining an agricultural college after high school (Table 1). From the descriptive statistics (Table 2), it is evident that having significant differences between the dependent variable and the independent variables may be somewhat impossible since some categorical variables have very large cell sizes (N) which are many times larger than the smallest cell size. For instance, the cell size for â€Å"none† is 178 whereas â€Å"agricultural college†, the smallest cell size has a size of N =4. For the fixed factor â€Å"abstract†, the mean abstract thinking for seniors who did not have plans after college (â€Å"none†) was 8.94, SD = 2.616 whereas the mean for those who had plans of joining a teacher college was the same as that of students who had plans of joining university i.e. 10.37, SD= 2.509 and 10.37, SD = 2.709 respectively and these were the highest means for the â€Å"abstract† category. The lowest mean was for students who wished to join an agricultural college, mean = 7.25, SD = 2.50 followed by those who did not have plans yet, mean = 8.84, SD = 2.881. The means for students who aspired to join an engineering college, do liberal arts and those who planned to do music/arts were 10.17 SD = 2.156, 9.97 SD = 3.129 and 10.09 SD= 2.914 respectively. Finally, the mean for abstract thinking for seniors who had other plans other than those included in the study was 9.74, SD = 2.482. Table 3 indicates that the 95% CI for â€Å"none† in predicting the abstract reasoning ability of high school students was 8.549 – 9.338 whereas the CI for â€Å"teacher college† on predicting the abstract reasoning ability was 95% CI (9.515 – 11.222). The 95 percent CI for â€Å"agricultural college† on determining abstract thinking was 4.619 – 9.881 whereas that of â€Å"engineering college† was 9.915 – 11.150. The confidence interval for â€Å"liberal arts† in determining abstract thinking was 95% CI (9.281 – 10.651) while the 95 percent CI for â€Å"music/arts† was 8.504 – 11.678. The 95% CI for â€Å"university† as a predictor of abstract thinking was 9.814 – 10.936 while the confidence interval for â€Å"other† was 95% CI (9.040 – 10.434). Finally the CI for â€Å"no plans yet,† as a determinant of abstract thinking was 95% CI (7.988 – 9.696). It is clear that all the categorical variables have their CI ranging from positive lower boundary value to a positive upper boundary value. This implies that the set of data is somewhat normally distributed as earlier confirmed by the Levene’s F statistic.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on One-Way Manova specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Table 3 also indicates that the 95% CI for â€Å"none† in predicting the creativity level of high school students was 8.084 – -9.163 whereas the CI for â€Å"teacher college† on predicting the creativity level was 95% CI (8.516 – 10.852). The 95 percent CI for â€Å"agricultural college† on determining creativity was 7.901 – 15.099 whereas that of â€Å"engineering college† was 11 .146 – 13.820. The confidence interval for â€Å"liberal arts† in determining creativity level of high school seniors was 95% CI (10.673 – 12.547) while the 95 percent CI for â€Å"music/arts† was 86.920 – 11.261. The 95% CI for â€Å"university† as a predictor of creativity was 10.426 – 11.961 while the confidence interval for â€Å"other† was 95% CI (8.625 – 10.532). Lastly, the CI for â€Å"no plans yet,† as a determinant of creativity was 95% CI (7.648 – 9.984). Again, it is clear that all the categorical variables have their CI ranging from positive lower boundary value to a positive upper boundary value. This implies that the set of data is somewhat normally distributed as earlier confirmed by the Levene’s F statistic. According to Table 1, the mean for creativity test score (â€Å"creative†) for students who had plans of joining an engineering college was the highest, 12.48, SD = 3.203 whereas the creativity score for seniors who did not want to do anything after college was the lowest, 8.62, SD = 3.378. Students who had plans of doing liberal arts after school had a higher mean creativity score, 11.61 SD = 4.115, compared to those who had plans of joining an agricultural college,11.50 SD = 4.796, or joining university, 11.19 SD= 3.977. The mean creativity score for seniors who had â€Å"other plans† after college was relatively low, 9.58 SD =3.822, but this was higher than the mean of those who had â€Å"no plans yet†, 8.82 SD = 3.220 or those who planned to do music/arts, 9.09 SD= 4.636. Finally, the mean creativity test score for seniors who had plans of joining a teacher college was 9.68, SD = 3.557. Box’s M Statistic and Wilk’s Lambda The Box’s M statistic is useful for determining homogeneity of covariance existing across the various groups of categorical variables. The significance level is usually set at p.001. In this an alyses, the Box’s M = 23.586. The F Test for Box’s M= 23.586, F (24, 3373.80) =.925, p =.568, which is greater than p =.001 (Table 4).Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This implies that there existed no significant differences between the covariance matrices and therefore the assumption of homogeneity of covariance across the groups was not violated. This also gives us a green light to use the Wilk’s Lambda test for the analyses. Since the Box’s M test is non-significant and has proved Wilk’s Lambda as a good test for MANOVA, a MANOVA test was conducted and interpreted using the Wilk’s Lambda test. The significance level was considered at p.05. Table 5 therefore indicates the Wilk’s Lambda =.851, F (18, 984) = 4.603, p =.001. The F value for Wilk’s Lambda is significant indicating that significant differences existed among the plans of seniors’ (â€Å"collplan†) after completing high school on a linear combination of the abstract test score and creativity test scores (dependent variables). In addition, the Wilk’s lambda is large i.e. greater than.8 thus indicating that the null hypothe sis that the categorical factors can be used to determine the student’s creativity and abstract reasoning ability, is supported. Levene’s F Test In a MANOVA test, the Levene’s test is useful in determining whether there are any differences in variances/covariance of every variable across the groups. For the assumption to be maintained that no variance exists across the groups, the Levene’s F should be non-significant, otherwise the assumption is violated (Field, 2009). The Levene’s F for â€Å"abstract† was F(9, 493) =.844, p =.576, indicating that the Levene’s F was not statistically significance (Table 6). It therefore means that there are no significant group differences in variance on the variable â€Å"abstract.† Moreover, the F value is small hence doubts that are brought about by large values of F regarding the null hypothesis are excluded (Tabachnick Fidell, 2001). On the other hand, the Levene’s F value for the variable â€Å"creative† was F(9, 493) = 1.400, p =.185 which also indicates that there are no significant differences in variance on the variable â€Å"creative†. Overall, it can be assumed that the dataset is normally distributed since variances differ insignificantly. Between-Subjects Effects The Wilk’s Lambda indicated that the MANOVA is significant thus it is appropriate to examine Table 7 which essentially provides the univariate results for the dependent variables (abstract and creative). The test of between-subjects effects indicate that the pairs of means for collplan i.e. abstract and creative are statistically different. For instance, the Mean Square for abstract was 24.322, F(9, 493) = 3.390, p =.001 whereas the Mean Square for creative was 99.880, F (9, 493) = 7.440, p =.001. The R squared value for abstract was.058 indicating that abstract reasoning equivalent to 5.8 percent of multivariate variance in the model was contributed by the student†™s career choice after high school i.e. students’ plans after high school. On the other hand, the R squared value for creative was.120 indicating that creative thinking contributed to 12 percent of multivariate variance in the model i.e. determining the students’ plans after college. It is therefore evident that creativity level of a student has a highly contributed by the student’s plans after high school compared to the contribution on the student’s abstract reasoning ability by the same. However it is important to note that both abstract reasoning ability and student’s creativity levels are significantly affected by the student’s career plans after high school. This is confirmed by the fact that F values for both variables are significant at the level of.001. In other words seniors’ plans after high school were significantly different depending on the student’s abstract reasoning ability (F(9, 493) = 3.390, p=.001) and stu dent’s creativity level (F(9, 493) = 7.440, p =.001). Summary The decisions of high school seniors regarding their plans on career choices after completing high school were evaluated based on the student’s abstract reasoning ability and creativity. Factors such as having no plans of a career choice after school, joining a teacher college, an engineering college, doing liberal arts, music/arts, joining university, any other plans or those who had no plans yet were used to determine the student’s abstract reasoning and the student’s creativity. It is evident that overall, most high school seniors did not have any career choice after completing high school. It is evident that most high school seniors do not prefer joining an agricultural college after high school as demonstrated by a low number of students (4) preferring to join an agricultural college. The highest number of high school seniors (88) would prefer to join university after high school, followed by those who would like to do liberal arts (59), and those who had other plans (57). The preference for joining either a teacher’s college or an engineering college was relatively high (38 and 29 students) whereas the preference for doing music/arts was relatively low (11 students only). Having plans of joining a teacher college and/or joining university translated to a high level of abstract reasoning among high school seniors. However, having plans of joining a teacher college translated to a lower creativity score compared to abstract reasoning ability. On the other hand, the creativity level increased with having plans of joining university compared to the effect of the same plan on abstract reasoning ability. Having plans of joining an engineering college was associated with a high creativity score which was beyond the abstract reasoning ability resulting from the same plans. While the lowest creativity score resulted from students not wanting to do anything after high schools, the lowest abstract reasoning ability emanated from planning to join an agricultural college after high school. Having plans of doing liberal arts translated to a higher creativity score than abstract reasoning score whereas having plans of doing music/arts after high school translated to a higher abstract reasoning ability compared to creativity level. There was only a very small difference in creativity level and abstract reasoning ability as a result of having â€Å"no plans yet† after completing high school. The creativity and abstract reasoning ability of high school senior students is demonstrated as being significantly affected by the student’s choice of career after high school. Creativity and abstract reasoning differs depending on whether the student has any plans of joining a specific career after high school or not. Overall, there is a higher creativity among high school students as a result of future career choice compared to the abstract reasonin g ability emanating from the same. In essence, up to 5.8 percent of abstract reasoning is as a result of the career choice a student has after high school whereas 12 percent of creativity is as a result of the student’s choice of career after completing high school. Reference Field, A. (2009). Discovering statistics using SPSS, Third Edition. San Diego, CA: SAGE Publications Ltd. Tabachnick, B. G. and Fidell, L. S. (2001). Using multivariate statistics. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Appendix Table 1: Between-Subjects Factors Between-Subjects Factors Value Label N collplan 1 none 178 2 teacher college 38 3 agricultural college 4 4 engineering college 29 5 liberal arts 59 6 music/arts 11 7 university 88 8 other 57 9 no plans yet 38 10 10 1 Table 2: Descriptive Statistics for â€Å"Collplan† Descriptive Statistics collplan Mean Std. Deviation N abstract none 8.94 2.616 178 teacher college 10.37 2.509 38 agricultural college 7.25 2.500 4 engineering college 10.17 2.156 29 liberal arts 9.97 3.129 59 music/arts 10.09 2.914 11 university 10.37 2.709 88 other 9.74 2.482 57 no plans yet 8.84 2.881 38 10 11.00 . 1 Total 9.59 2.735 503 creative none 8.62 3.378 178 teacher college 9.68 3.557 38 agricultural college 11.50 4.796 4 engineering college 12.48 3.203 29 liberal arts 11.61 4.115 59 music/arts 9.09 4.636 11 university 11.19 3.977 88 other 9.58 3.822 57 no plans yet 8.82 3.220 38 10 15.00 . 1 Total 9.89 3.870 503 Table 3: Estimated Marginal Means and Related 95% Confidence Intervals for Collplan collplan Dependent Variable collplan Mean Std. Error 95% Confidence Interval Lower Bound Upper Bound abstract none 8.944 .201 8.549 9.338 teacher college 10.368 .434 9.515 11.222 agricultural college 7.250 1.339 4.619 9.881 engineering college 10.172 .497 9.195 11.150 liberal arts 9.966 .349 9.281 10.651 music/arts 10.091 .808 8.504 11.678 university 10.375 .286 9.814 10.936 other 9.737 .355 9.040 10.434 no plans yet 8.842 .434 7.988 9.696 10 11.000 2.678 5.737 16.263 creative none 8.624 .275 8.084 9.163 teacher college 9.684 .594 8.516 10.852 agricultural college 11.500 1.832 7.901 15.099 engineering college 12.483 .680 11.146 13.820 liberal arts 11.610 .477 10.673 12.547 music/arts 9.091 1.105 6.920 11.261 university 11.193 .391 10.426 11.961 other 9.579 .485 8.625 10.532 no plans yet 8.816 .594 7.648 9.984 10 15.000 3.664 7.801 22.199 Table 4: Box’s M Test Box’s Test of Equality of Covariance Matricesa Box’s M 23.586 F .925 df1 24 df2 3373.800 Sig. .568 Tests the null hypothesis that the observed covariance matrices of the dependent variables are equal across groups. a. Design: Intercept + collplan Table 5: Multivariate Tests- Wilk’s Lambda Multivariate Testsc Effect Value F Hypothesis df Error df Sig. Intercept Pillai’s Trace .684 532.157a 2.000 492.000 .000 Wilks’ Lambda .316 532.157a 2.000 492.000 .000 Hotelling’s Trace 2.163 532.157a 2.000 492.000 .000 Roy’s Largest Root 2.163 532.157a 2.000 492.000 .000 collplan Pillai’s Trace .153 4.542 18.000 986.000 .000 Wilks’ Lambda .851 4.603a 18.000 984.000 .000 Hotelling’s Trace .171 4.663 18.000 982.000 .000 Roy’s Largest Root .138 7.570b 9.000 493.000 .000 Exact statistic The statistic is an upper bound on F that yields a lower bound on the significance level. Design: Intercept + collplan Table 6: Levene’s Test Levene’s Test of Equality of Error Variancesa F df1 df2 Sig. abstract .844 9 493 .576 creative 1.400 9 493 .185 Tests the null hypothesis that the error variance of the dependent variable is equal across groups. a. Design: Intercept + collplan Table 7: Test of Between-Subjects Effects Tests of Between-Subjects Effects Source Dependent Variable Type III Sum of Square s df Mean Square F Sig. Corrected Model abstract 218.894a 9 24.322 3.390 .000 creative 898.919b 9 99.880 7.440 .000 Intercept abstract 6326.276 1 6326.276 881.844 .000 creative 7822.492 1 7822.492 582.683 .000 collplan abstract 218.894 9 24.322 3.390 .000 creative 898.919 9 99.880 7.440 .000 Error abstract 3536.740 493 7.174 creative 6618.497 493 13.425 Total abstract 50020.000 503 creative 56763.000 503 Corrected Total abstract 3755.634 502 creative 7517.416 502 a. R Squared =.058 (Adjusted R Squared =.041) b. R Squared =.120 (Adjusted R Squared =.104) This essay on One-Way Manova was written and submitted by user Shania Kerr to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Sans-Culotte Essays - French Revolution, Clothing, Sans-culottes

Sans-Culotte Essays - French Revolution, Clothing, Sans-culottes Sans-Culotte Power within the Paris sections of 1792-94 - its social composition, dynamics, and ideology -.(1) That is what was explored in the book The Sans-Culotte. Albert Soboul describes and outlines the composition and activities of the different sections in Paris during Revolutionary France. Soboul describes the activities of these sections as a popular movement by the people of Paris. He explains how the people of Paris united to form different sectional assemblies with their main goal being to improve the lives of the middle and lower class individuals in not only Paris, but France in its entirety. In The Sans-Culottes, Soboul explains in great detail the different ways these sections influenced law making and tried to gain equal rights for all. In addition to describing the political activity of the sans-culottes and the other sections, Soboul also explains some of the military activities and movements of these sections during the revolution. Soboul's book has always been thought as the main authority on the sections in Paris, but in the early 1980's, a critique was written on The Sans-Culottes and many things were found to be wrong with the book. In the critical evaluation of Albert Soboul's The Sans-Culottes a full critique of the book takes place and many problems with the book are pointed out. The problems or shortcomings discussed in the critical evaluation range from a lack of description of the sans-culottes and other sections in Paris and errors in explaining what type of people constituted the membership of the sections, to a lack in a wide range of quality sources. The two problems in The Sans-Culottes that will be discussed in this essay are the lack of quality sources and the lack of description of the sections and who constituted them. The lack of description of the sections in Paris is a major blemish with the book. The critique points out that Soboul lumps all of the sections of Paris together when describing them. He fails to separate them into exactly what they are: sections. It is true that there were movements made to try and unite all the sections, but this never becomes a reality so distinction between sections should be shown. Soboul makes no distinctions between quartiers' and sections, and between socio-economic geographies and local politics.(2) Soboul's history of the sections from June, 1793 to sid-July, 1794 described them horizontally, en masse....(3) This lumping together of the sections leads one to the false conclusion that sections were all one entity, but they were not; they were very much seperate. Soboul also leads the reader to incorrect conclusions by calling the sections and sans-culottes a popular movement. He frequently makes this statement. Soboul describes many changes in the policy of the sections that allow the lower class to join the assemblies. A quote used by Soboul by Hanriot states, For a long time, the rich made the laws, it is about time the poor made some laws themselves and that equality should reign between the rich and the poor.'(4) This leads the reader to believe that everyone was involved actively in the sections and that anyone could become leaders of a sectional assembly, but this was not the case. The lower class, or plebeians, did very little except for what the leaders let them or told them to do. As written in the critique: Their [plebeians] pressures were selectively channeled into politics by the sans-culotte' leadership.... During the regeneration' battles of the spring and summer of 1793 by which sans-culottes' won official sectionary power, plebeians appeared forcefully in the general assemblies - not as atomistic individual voters, but as groups of workers mobilized by their sans-culotte' employers for temporary muscle when ballots were to be cast by fists and feet.(5) This quote shows that the lower class, or plebeians, were merely ponds for the sans-culottes. They were permitted to vote when the leaders felt the votes cast by the plebeians were necessary to achieve victory. The view one gets from the critique is totally contradictory to that of Soboul's book. The generalization Soboul used when describing the members of the sections can also lead to confusion on the readers part. Soboul repeatedly describes members as being part of a certain trade,

12 Interesting Facts About Activist Grace Lee Boggs

12 Interesting Facts About Activist Grace Lee Boggs Grace Lee Boggs isn’t a household name, but the Chinese-American activist made long-lasting contributions to the civil rights, labor, and feminist movements. Boggs died on Oct. 5, 2015, at age 100. Learn why her activism earned her the respect of black leaders such as Angela Davis and Malcolm X with this list of 10 interesting facts about her life. Birth Born Grace Lee on June 27, 1915, to Chin and Yin Lan Lee, the activist came into the world in the unit above her family’s Chinese restaurant in Providence, R.I. Her father would later enjoy success as a restaurateur in Manhattan. Early Years and Education Although Boggs was born in Rhode Island, she spent her childhood in Jackson Heights, Queens. She demonstrated keen intelligence at an early age. At just 16, she started studies at Barnard College. By 1935, she’d earned a philosophy degree from the college, and by 1940, five years before her 30th birthday, she earned a doctorate from Bryn Mawr College. Job Discrimination Although Boggs demonstrated that she was intelligent, perceptive and disciplined at a young age, she couldn’t find work as an academic. No university would hire a Chinese-American woman to teach ethics or political thought in the 1940s,  according to the New Yorker. Early Career and Radicalism Before becoming a prolific author in her own right, Boggs translated the writings of Karl Marx. She was active in leftist circles, participating in the Workers Party, the Socialist Workers Party and the Trotskyite movement as a young adult. Her work and political inclinations led her to partner up with socialist theorists such as C.L.R. James and Raya Dunayevskaya as part of a political sect called the Johnson-Forest Tendency. Fight for Tenants’ Rights In the 1940s, Boggs lived in Chicago, working in a city library. In the Windy City, she organized protests for tenants to fight for their rights, including living quarters free from vermin. Both she and her mostly black neighbors had experienced rodent infestations, and Boggs was inspired to protest after witnessing them demonstrate in the streets. Marriage to James Boggs Just two years shy of her 40th birthday, Boggs married James Boggs in 1953. Like her, James Boggs was an activist and writer. He also worked in the automobile industry, and Grace Lee Boggs settled with him in the auto industry’s epicenter- Detroit. Together, the Boggses set out to give people of color, women, and youth the necessary tools to effect social change. James Boggs died in 1993. Political Inspirations Grace Lee Boggs found inspiration in both the nonviolence of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi as well as in the Black Power Movement. In 1963, she took part in the Great Walk to Freedom march, which featured King. Later that year, she hosted Malcolm X at her home. Under Surveillance Because of her political activism, the Boggses found themselves under government surveillance. The FBI visited their home multiple times, and Boggs even joked that the feds likely thought of her as â€Å"Afro-Chinese† because her husband and friends were black, she lived in a black area and centered her activism on the black struggle for civil rights. Detroit Summer Grace Lee Boggs helped to establish the organization Detroit Summer in 1992. The program connects youth to a number of community service projects, including home renovations and community gardens. Prolific Author Boggs penned a number of books. Her first book, George Herbert Mead: Philosopher of the Social Individual, debuted in 1945. It chronicled Mead, the academic credited with founding social psychology. Boggs’ other books included 1974’s â€Å"Revolution and Evolution in the Twentieth Century,† which she co-wrote with her husband; 1977’s Women and the Movement to Build a New America; 1998’s Living for Change: An Autobiography; and 2011’s The Next American Revolution: Sustainable Activism for the Twenty-First Century, which she co-wrote with Scott Kurashige. School Named in Her Honor In 2013, a charter elementary school opened in honor of Boggs and her husband. It’s called the James and Grace Lee Boggs School. Documentary Film The life and work of Grace Lee Boggs were chronicled in the 2014 PBS documentary â€Å"American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs.† The director of the film shared the name Grace Lee and launched a film project about well-known and unknown people alike about this relatively common name that transcends racial groups.

Food chain security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Food chain security - Essay Example concerns related to food products especially during the 1990s mandated the European Union and other nations around the globe to review their policies regarding food safety and finding means in protecting consumers against contaminated food products (Newcomb, 2013, 43). During the year of 2001, the European Union prepared a paper on food safety as framework for the new legal basis for the production of suitable food and animal feed production plus food safety control measures. The Codex Alimentarius Commission is an organization mandated to developing internal guidelines, standards, and recommendations that are meant to reducing risks associated with food contaminations. The Codex Alimentarius established a risk analysis, the HACCP and the approach of the integrated food chain. The paradigm of the food analysis includes risk management and assessment. The risk communication has also been included as the universal principles in the European Union regulations and they are the ones which forms the legal basis of the food safety systems in EU member countries (FAO, 2012). Many people around the world today, including scholars have been concerned on the negative effects of unsafe food on human health. A lot more have begun to explore the issue from a range of perspectives such as crisis management, food safety, state responsibility and so on (Charles, et al n.d, 2). . This paper discusses how the principles of risk analysis and food safety management can be applied to ensure food safety in the food chain. We will evaluate various principles such as HACCP, BCP and Traceability and Recall Management as measure that ensure food safety in food chains. Risk management remains a major concern for governments and food processors in protecting their consumers against harmful food products. Although Risk management may be based on both scientific evidence and risk evaluation, other areas of food production such as environmental protection and animal warfare could be

Guns and Other Weapons in Schools Research Paper

Guns and Other Weapons in Schools - Research Paper Example The origins of capital punishment date back to ancient times, where it was used to punish and deter crime; and as a political tool, to suppress rebellion and dissent among the masses (Aiken 207). One of the most famous examples of capital punishment is the death of the philosopher Socrates, who was required to drink poison for heresy (Schabas, â€Å"The Death Penalty† 164). Seventh century Athens, meanwhile, decreed capital punishment for any and all proven crimes (Murrie, Anumba and Keesler 125). Regio cites that ancient Babylon also decreed capital punishment for certain crimes - though it is surprising that murder was not among these. Research also highlights the role of religion in the origin of capital punishment - Islam, for example, commanded capital punishment for offenses such as treason and rape; while Mosaic Law did the same for other crimes (Regio). By the eighteenth century, British colonies were enforcing the capital punishment for over two hundred different crim es (Murrie, Anumba and Keesler 125). This shows a varied and liberal use of the death penalty; it is possible to infer from this kind of use that the barriers to putting someone to death for crime till the nineteenth century, were anything but great. Reviewing literature on capital punishment highlights two striking features of capital punishment in ancient and medieval times: the lack of due legal process preceding it, and the brutality characterizing it. Burns demonstrates how the witch hunts of Europe are a classic example of both these features - between the thirteenth and seventeenth centuries, thousands were tortured and burned alive for practicing witchcraft, often after trials by ordeal - in a large number of cases, guilt was decided by submerging the accused in a body of water, and seeing whether the accused sank or floated (95). Jewish traditions included execution through stoning, crucifixion and sawing through convicts (Regio). The absence of an objective legal process i s also seen in the norm of torturing people who would not confess to their crimes; and executing criminals by boiling them - some for several hours - until they died (Regio). Researchers have argued that it is important to see all of this in context - olden times were different from the modern era, their societal laws and values built in an environment of fear, hardness and suspicion that had resulted from uncontrolled and rampant disease and death, as well as the difficulty of finding practical evidence (Schabas, â€Å"The Abolition of Death Penalty,† Burns 94) - but, whatever the debate on why capital punishment was so executed may be, what all researchers can agree on is a general lack of regulation and fairness in capital punishment before the modern era. With humankind’s progress towards civilization, both of these things have changed. Schabas believes this is because the advance towards civilization has changed the nature of human motivation - the author argues t hat the socialization and interdependence that characterize the modern era, also lead to a legal system where the promotion of ethics - and not harsh deterrence - becomes the core function of criminal law (â€Å"The Abolition of the Death Penalty†). Over the centuries, then, societies around the globe have moved towards a legal system which regulates the nature of capital punishment, and the reasons and processes for awarding it (Schabas, â€Å"The Death Penalty† 159). One of the first steps towards this was made in the 1966

Right and choices for individuals with dementia Essay Example for Free

Right and choices for individuals with dementia Essay Human Rights Act 1998 Under this act residents of the United Kingdom are entitled to seek help from the UK courts if they believe that their human rights have been infringed. The human rights act guarantees: †¢The Right to life †¢The right to freedom from torture and inhuman or degrading punishment †¢The right to freedom from slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour †¢The right to liberty and security of person †¢The right to a fair and public trial within a reasonable time †¢The right to freedom from retrospective criminal law and no punishment without law †¢The right to respect for private and family life, home and correspondence †¢The right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion †¢The right to freedom of expression †¢The right to freedom of assembly and association †¢The right to marry and found a family †¢The prohibition of discrimination in the enjoyment of convention rights †¢The right to peaceful enjoyment of possessions and protection of property †¢The right to access to an education †¢The right to free elections †¢The right not to be subjected to the death penalty see more:describe how a conflict of interest can be addressed between carer and individual with dementia Because of the introduction of the Human Rights Act, the Government had to show commitment to protecting the most vulnerable adults as well as children so now that everyone can access their rights. In the Health care sector lots of organisations are covered by the Human Rights Act. Anyone working in health and care will be working within the requirements of the legislation on a daily basis. The act is about respecting and promoting the rights of individual people. Within social care making sure peoples’ rights are protected is a key part of your professional role. Just because an individual has dementia does not mean they don’t have the same human rights  as anyone else. Their rights are not any less important just because they are unable to defend them. The act clarifies exactly how public services should be delivered and interpreted and ensures that the people delivering the service know what their responsibilities are. The legislation states that all public bodies ensure that human rights are at the core of their day to day work. Equality Act 2010 The Equality Act sets out the different ways in which it is unlawful to treat someone, such as direct and indirect discrimination, harassment, victimisation and failing to make a reasonable adjustment for a disabled person. This act replaces many other previous acts and protects different kinds of people under just one act. †¢Age †¢disability †¢gender reassignment †¢marriage and civil partnership †¢pregnancy and maternity †¢race †¢religion or belief †¢sex †¢sexual orientation The equality act helps protect people with dementia by ensuring they can maintain their independence by enabling them to continue to work for as long as possible. The Act ensures that employers must make reasonable adjustments to enable and individual to do their job and ensure that they cannot be discriminated against because of their condition. Mental Capacity Act 2005 The primary purpose of the MCA is to promote and safeguard decision-making within a legal framework. By empowering people to make decisions for themselves wherever possible and by protecting people who lack capacity by providing a flexible framework that places individuals at the heart of the decision making process By allowing people to plan ahead for a time in the future when they might lack the capacity for any number of reasons This Act is very important for people with dementia. Because of the MCA people must  now have the opportunity to consider and make decisions for themselves wherever possible. Just because an individual has dementia it should not be assumed that they cannot make decisions. It is not the outcome of the decision that a person makes that is looked at but the persons ability to go through the process of making the decisions. Deprivation of Liverty Safeguards (Dols) These safeguards are in place to ensure that assessments are carried out before anyone can be detained in hospital, residential care or any other facility ensuring that someone who is unable to give or refuse consent cannot be detained. People that do have their liberty restricted must have a Relevant Person Representative. This is usually a family member or friend. Their role is to ensure that the persons rights are respected and that they understand as much as they possibly can why their liberty is being restricted. Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 The SVG act is intended to prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable people and to reform current vetting and barring practices. Mental Health Act 2007  This act protects the rights of people in England and Wales who are assessed as having a mental disorder including dementia. If an individual is considered to be in danger or harming themselves or others then they can be detained or sectioned under the mental health act. The act also allows individuals to appoint someone as their guardian to make decisions on their behalf. Previously this would have been the nearest relative, now an individual can request someone they want. 1.2 Here at Omega Oak Barn and in any other organisation that you might work in there will be policies and procedures in place to ensure that peoples right are protected and that you are working within the law and national guidelines. This is called a Duty of Care and it is there to ensure that people can make their own choices and decisions about how they want to live, it does not mean taking their rights away and wrapping them up in cotton wool. As a duty of care you should ensure an individual has their needs met whilst if they have capacity they have the right to refuse help if they wish  too even if you don’t agree with their choice. Within the social care field in the UK we have what is called Codes of Practice for both employers and the workforce/carers. For employees these are a list of statements set out to ensure that the best practice and professional standards are achieved by care works as they go about their duty. They Codes of Practice for employers sets out the responsibilities they have in the regulation of social care workers. Employers must follow the standards set out in the codes and help employees to follow there codes. If employees are not meeting the codes and standards then employers must take action. I think that the codes of practice are a good idea. It sets out for everyone just exactly what they should be doing. Explaining what is expected of them. This helps to ensure that all service users receive the same treatment and a higher standard of care. If it wasn’t in place employers and employees would treat people how they thought was correct rather than letting them have their own opinions. Rights covered by code of practice: Confidentiality Diversity and respect for differences Right take risks Equality in care practice Anti-discriminatory practice Control over own life, choice and independence Dignity and privacy Effective communication In the UK we also have what is known as National Minimum Standards. In England we have the Care Quality Commission. They are responsible for inspecting all social care facilities to make sure they comply with the standards. There are different types of standards for different types of services. The standards set out the minimum quality of care that an individual can expect to receive for an organisation and also sets out that they have to provide information there services that is easy to understand so that service users know the level of care they should expect to receive. This is important as it ensures that people know the minimum standards. If they know what they are expected to receive then they know if the service is failing them or not meeting the proper requirements so then they can make a  complaint. The national minimum standards also help care workers as they set out what should be delivered to the service user in your work setting. Here at Omega Oak Barn we also have policies and procedures in place to ensure the rights and choices of individuals that we care for. Moving and Handling – this sets out how people should be moved and handled, using aids such as hoists or slide sheets where needed ensuring that the service user and ourselves are not injured in anyway. All staff must receive training in moving and handling before they attempt to assist somebody. This is an important policy as it ensures that no one gets hurt. If it wasn’t in place carers could seriously injure themselves or someone else by pulling them about or not know correct techniques. Policy and guidelines for medication – This is an extremely important policy as it sets out how medication should be stored, how it should be administered and who can administer it, how it should be recorded on MAR sheets and how it should be disposed of. It also explains how individuals have a right to refuse medication. If this policy didn’t exist medication could fall into the wrong hands, the wrong individual could end up taking it or an individual may administer something when they are not trained to do so. Confidentiality – this sets out how an individuals’ confidentiality can be protected Whistleblowing – this is another important policy. It explains what you can do if you are concerned about an individual. Such as about how they are being cared for or perhaps if you suspect abuse. It explains what procedures to go through and who you can talk to about it. This is of great importance. It ensures that everyone knows the correct procedure, ensuring that everybodys welfare is protected. There are many other policies and procedures and they are all extremely important and ensure that the care received is of a high standard. They are available for staff to read at all times. If a member of staff is unsure of something they can refer to them when needed. 1.3 Caldicott Standards The Caldicott Standards are based on the Data Protection Act 1998 and are set out in the form of Principles. Caldicott Principles 1) Justify the purpose for which the information is needed. 2) Only use personally identifiable information when absolutely necessary. 3) Use the  minimum personal identifiable information possible – if possible use an identifier number rather than a name. 4) Access to the information should be on a strict need to know basis. 5) Everyone should be aware of his/her responsibilities to respect clients confidentiality. 6) Understand and comply with the law. The most relevant legislation is the Data protection Act 1998, the Police Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and the Human Rights Act 1998. Data Protection Act 1998 The Act sets out in principles, how personal information must be handled and gives clear rules on how any processing of that information should be carried out. the information should only be used for the purposes explained when it was collected the information should not be disclosed to anyone who has no right to see it the information collected should be relevant and contain no more than is necessary for its purpose the information should be accurate when collected and where necessary kept up to date individuals should have access to the data held about them  appropriate security measures should be taken to prevent unauthorised access to data. All information given by an individual or on behalf of an individual is confidential and should and cannot be disclosed to anyone without their consent. It is important that the people you support especially if they have dementia understand that there will be records and reports about them and that confidentiality affects them. With an individual with dementia you may need to tell them often that the information they share is confidential as they may forget or explain in a different way so that they can understand you. If you need to share information with other professionals you must always seek agreement from the person concerned even if relates to their health. It is good practice to ask an individual if you can let other people know about their situation. Unless they say it is acceptable to do so then everything should remain confidential. In some circumstances information can be passed on to others on a need to know basis. This could be for example to others involved in caring for or supporting the individual, such as other colleagues, manager or other professionals working  with the person. Even then consent should always be given and it should be explained to the individual that relevant information will be passed on. When information is passed on to others it is also on the understanding that it remains confidential. It is important that you check who you are giving information too such as checking proof of identity so that information doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. In some circumstances you may find that you have to pass on information because keeping it to yourself could result in harm to the individual you are supporting or someone else or even yourself. This is always difficult when dealing with people who have dementia. Because of the illness a persons capacity needs to be continually re-assessed as to whether they can make their own decisions and review risks taken when they make them. The well-being of the person should help you to decide whether or not to pass information. 2.3 Individuals with dementia may need support to make decisions but this does not mean they are unable to make them. They may be able to make decisions on a day to day basis about what they want to eat and drink, or what they want to wear or watch on the television but may have difficulty with sorting their finances or paying bills. Just because an individual lacks capacity in one area does not mean they lack capacity to make all decisions. This is set out as one of the principles in the Mental Capacity Act 2005. It also states that unless proven otherwise then it should be assumed that everyone has capacity to make their own decisions. If an individual has communication problems and has trouble explaining what they want then all necessary support should be provided such as using alternative measure like flash cards or pictures. It is important even with individuals that suffer from dementia that they feel in control of their own lives. It is part of our human rights to be able to make our own choices. It is also good for self esteem and overall well-being. Individuals with dementia can also make advance decisions. These are recorded and usually called an advance care plan. These are often done before dementia progresses and while they are still able to make decisions for themselves. Advance care plans can be about any decisions the individual wants to make in advance. Such as where they want to live, what future care they wish to receive, medications they want to take and even how they wish end of life care to be given. All this  can be referred to and looked back on by professionals when needed. It also helps the individual to feel involved in all decisions being made and takes into account their wishes. 2.4 Individuals with dementia often have a fluctuating ability to make decisions. They have good days and bad days or even change their moods within the same day which can result in them not being able to make a constant decision. Because of this they may be able to make a decision about something one moment but not even remember it an hour later. Physical factors can also be accountable for an individual with dementia fluctuating with decisions. It could be that there not feeling well or are in pain. Being tired also affects people with dementia. They are often more unsettled on an evening so less able to make decisions that they could of made earlier in the day. Also emotions can affect how a person with dementia understands the information given in order to make a decision. If they are feeling anxious, depressed, frustrated or angry they may find it hard to retain information. 3.2 Conflicts between carers and a person with dementia often occur. This could be because the individual with dementia may want to be involved in activities, do things that give them independence and make their own decisions resulting in exposing themselves to risk or harm. The individuals family/carers may disagree with them doing these things and want to protect them and not want them to any risks so try to stop them. This is a conflict of interests. Even when working with individuals with dementia it is there right to make their own decisions if they have the capacity to do so. It is your duty to support he individual with dementia but at the same time you have a duty to the persons carers/family to try and resolve the situation. A capacity assessment can be carried out although it still may not be easy for a family to accept the outcome if the decision goes against them or seems foolish to them. 3.3 All service providers or organisations have complaints procedures. There is always clear imformation about how to complain and who too and the timescale for the matter to be dealt with. Organisations learn from complaints they  can be used as a way to improve the services offered. If nobody complained then organisations wouldn’t know they are offering poor service. Complaints procedures should be made available for people to use. As a carer it is important that you make service users and their families aware of complaint procedures or even support them to make a complaint. Individuals and carers/families may find that decisions are being made on their behalf even though people with dementia should be in charge of their own decisions. People may find it hard to challenge a decision or complain. They fell intimidated by professionals or not realise that they have a right to complain. They may not know how to go about it or just simply lack confidence to do so. You should offer practical help and advice and encourage and support individuals with dementia and their carers to speak out and exercise their rights. Everyone has the right to complain about poor service. It should be made clear that to operate to high standards complaints are used as a process to monitor and improve services. At Omega Oak Barn we have our own complaints procedure and this is readily available to anyone who wishes to use it. 4.1 If an individual needs help with personal care it is important that they maintain privacy and dignity. You should ensure that you knock on the door before entering their room an do not assume it is ok to just walk in. Before carrying out any form of personal care it is important that you ask permission and explain exactly what you intend to do. Do not just take over and do everything for them. Support them with the things they are able to do for themselves and assist where needed. Perhaps they just need prompting to have a wash rather than having it done for them. If someone does need maximum support with personal care privacy can still be maintained. Towels and sheets can be used to cover them as much as possible so that they aren’t totally naked an embarrassed. Also make sure that the door is shut and that you are uninterrupted. If they are using the toilet shut the door and let them have privacy, give them a buzzer to ring when they need assistance or explain that you will come back in a couple of minutes don’t just stand and watch.

Naming Death A-I-D-S :: AIDS

Naming Death    I was visiting a doctor in Kwazulu-Natal, the province hardest hit by AIDS, to see for myself the impact of AIDS in the region. The doctor was just finishing up with an elderly patient from a village. After I introduced myself and stated the purpose of my visit, she immediately leaned towards the woman and demanded, "Tell her, just tell her how many young people you've buried this week."    The elderly woman softly replied, "Five funerals this Saturday. Every week about five or six."    "We've been told that one in eight South Africans are estimated to be HIV-positive," I said.    "My dear," the doctor matter-of-factly replied, "it's not one in eight here; 95 percent of the people I see are HIV positive."    95% ! I want you to close your eyes and imagine all of your friends and family - the people nearest and dearest to you. Now, I want you to imagine 95% of them gone.    This is what HIV does, this is what it is doing in South Africa and other parts of the world. What we saw there is a veritable genocide.    Before our trip, all of us read the statistics and in some way thought we understood the magnitude of AIDS epidemic, but you understand it only when you realize there is a human face behind every statistic. When throughout the country it is estimated that 1 in 8 people are HIV positive, do we really think that this battle can be won by multivitamins and condoms?    Yet, this is what I saw over and over again throughout Cape Town and other parts of the country. "These people are living in poverty," health care workers told me. "They can't get jobs. They can't even afford proper food, forget about drugs." The same doctor who told me that 95% of the patients are HIV positive lamented that the only treatment she can offer is multivitamins and one antibiotic!!!    How do we expect the younger generations to hope for a brighter future in this environment? I was told that many South African young people have a fatalistic, "I'm-going-to-die-anyway" attitude. How do you convince them to practice safe-sex? Or that their lives are worth living? There's a stigma attached to being HIV positive (we know that in this country as well).

Keurig: Convenience, Choice, and Competitive Brands Essay

In 1990, John Sylvan and Peter Dragone entered the coffee brewing industry by launching their company Keurig built upon on the question of, â€Å"why do we brew coffee by the pot when we only drink it by the cup?† Within a few years after their start-up, they were able to secure multiple patents as well as acquiring $1 million from venture capitalists to improve upon their prototype. By 1998, Keurig, which is German for excellence, was finally able to launch their first industrial strength, single-serve machine delivering a perfect cup of coffee every time. Keurig was lucky to join the coffee market at the dawn of its explosion, when consumers’ wants and needs began to shy away from traditional coffee pot brewing and shifted more towards a single cup of premium, gourmet roasted coffee. As the coffee market continued to grow, it exhibited two trends. First being the â€Å"mainstreaming† of specialty coffees and secondly, only brewing one cup of it at a time. Keuri g focused its efforts towards adapting to these changes by dramatically boosting innovation, technology, and their R&D department. Keurig changed the game in the single cup sector by introducing their patented K-Cup and partnering with Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR). These were tiny plastic cups that contained the coffee grounds already within the filter and sealed with an aluminum lid. All the consumer then has to do is place the cup within the Keurig machine (without removing the aluminum), close the lid and press a button, and in less than a minute, a fresh cup of coffee awaits. From the time of its launch in 1998, Keurig offered only 8 varieties of GMCR coffee and by the early 2000’s consumers had the choice of over 200 varieties from 30 different brands. When it comes time that Keurig’s patents will expire, competition will skyrocket, so it is extremely important that they pay close attention to their competitors’ moves. After an in depth analysis of the entire coffee industry, its competitors, and major market players, I have determined three recommendations to go forward with: Recommendation 1: Expand internationally using a transnational strategy. Recommendation 2: Follow GMCR’s 2012 initiatives with increased innovation Recommendation 3: Pursue a recycling initiative or biodegradable K-Cups With the coffee drinking market growing as fast as it is along with the amount of competition that  can present in the market, it is important that firms build their brands and are constantly improving what they have to offer. Recommendation 1: Expand internationally using a transnational strategy. Current in the industry, the top market players have established themselves in the United States as well as in other various parts of the world such as Europe and Asia. In order to be a serious competitor, Keurig must consider the advantages to expanding internationally, not only for sales but for manufacturing purposes as well. That being said, it is extremely important that companies pay close attention to other cultures and certain characteristics that effect each community differently. Especially when you are attempting to enter somewhat of a segmented market. Keeping foreign cultures in mind, implementing a transnational strategy would be the most advantageous in terms of serving the needs of other countries. Keurig would impose a think global, act local strategy or â€Å"glocal†. The book describes this as a middle ground strategy for when there are relatively high needs for local responsiveness as well as appreciable benefits to be realized from standardization. Although coffee is somewhat the same all over, different cultures prefer different types or blends. It is crucial that a company understands a cultures preferred wants and needs before embarking abroad. Although it may be difficult to implement, the benefits of sharing information and resources across boarders along with flexible coordination can far outweigh the negatives. Because coffee can become so standardized, it will not be extremely difficult or costly to differentiate between the lines. If Keurig wants to be able to compete with the other industry leaders, it is essential that they take the time to do careful research, then implement their strategy for expanding abroad. Recommendation 2: Follow GMCR’s 2012 initiatives with increased innovation With the expiration of Keurig’s patents coming to a near, it is crucial that Keurig be on the defensive end for a while and prepare themselves for any major market moves. In order to prepare themselves, Keurig must also have some tricks up their sleeve to keep their market share and diversification high because of the relatively low barriers to entry. There were two of GMCR’s 2012 initiatives that stood out as goo d plans for attack. The first one dealt with launching new coffee makers such as the Rivo Cappuccino and Latte System as well as new variety blends to accompany them. When their patent expires, launching  a completely new product with new patents will pave the way for increased market share. Keurig will be able to compete in a much broader market and can appeal to greater amounts of consumers. In addition to developing new variety packs, it is also essential that Keurig pursue more beverage options to appeal to a broader market. For instance, GMCR mention introducing a Wellness Brewed line to include healthy beverages containing vitamins and antioxidant ingredients. Keurig must continue growth between certain partnerships to keep up with certain trends in the market to be able to jump on new opportunities that present themselves and can be taken advantage of. Innovation is extremely key to remaining on top, and it is one of Keurig’s primary key success factors. Recommendation 3: Pursue a recycling initiative or biodegradable K-Cups Pursuing a green initiative, I believe will bring nothing but prosperity to Keurig. Being economically and socially responsible can yield high returns if done in the right way. With the coffee industry already in the global spotlight wi th Fair Trade agreements, it certainly would add credibility to a brand. With a large number of coffee drinkers already economically conscious, it would exponentially boost ratings if they were enforce a recycling initiative similar to what Nespresso did with their â€Å"ecolaboration† and encouraging consumers to recycle. Equally as important, if not more, would be the need for developing biodegradable K-Cups. It is very important to the world and its consumers to give back to the earth and not harm our environment. With the extremely high number of K-Cups produced, it would be extremely beneficial to find a way for those tiny little cups decompose into the ground. From the time Keurig was launched until 2006, over 1 billion K-Cups had been consumed. Within the next two years, another 2 billion had been consumed by 2008. That is an exceptionally large amount of K-Cups potentially harming the environment that could otherwise be helping to add to our nutrient rich soil. Industry Analysis Exhibit 1: Dominant Economic Forces Market size and growth rate: The coffee market within the United States is steadily increasing from year to year. In 2012, the US alone consumed nearly one-third of all coffee worldwide. That equals out to roughly 400 million cups of coffee per day.  During World War II, US coffee consumption accounted for nearly 80% of all coffee worldwide. Despite the drastic change in percentages, the coffee industry has never been as profitable as it is today because consumer value migration. In the early 90’s, P&G, Phillip Morris/Kraft, and Nestle held nearly 90% of the entire coffee market. When the market for specialty coffees began to take hold, within six years, that market had already grasped 22% of the total market share, leaving the big 3 in the dust without knowing how to properly react to the extensive growth. The big names were concerned with price and consistency while specialty coffee focused on origin, quality, processing and cultivation. It was estimated that the total coffee market consumption was nearly 2.9 billion pounds or $30-$32 billion in 2012. Specialty coffee accounted for nearly 37% of volume share and over 50% value share meaning it was far more profitable than generic coffee. In 2010, there were 90 million coffee brewers within US households and in 2012 alone, approximately 24 million brewers were purchased. During this growth phase, single cup brews increased 52% while all other brews only increased 3%. Coffee pods and single cup brews have experienced dramatic growth and have begun taking over the entire coffee market share. From 2011-2017, it is expected that these will lead the evolution with a 74% off-trade growth. Number of Rivals: Within the specialty coffee industry, there are only a handful of companies that compete at the level of Keurig and their single K-Cup technology. There are four main market players that have similar brewing technologies. The most successful competitor would have been Nestle with their Nespresso brewing machine released in 1976 that utilized pods for their espresso. Their technology has been around the longest but with the emergence of Keurig, they slowly began to be overshadowed. Keurig’s other three primary competitors included Mars’ Flavia beverage system which targeted offices, Kraft’s Tassimo system which offered an at home brew, and lastly there was the Senseo brewing system manufactured by Sara Lee. Scope of competitive rivalry: The coffee industry has a massive international market that reaches all points around the world. The US has the next largest market compared to  France. Americans consume 276 cups of coffee a year while the French consume 395. Nestle took advantage of this by expanding its technology to Europe to include both France and Switzerland as well as in Japan and China. Within the US, Keurig began to dominate by purchasing companies nationwide to increase its market share much quicker than rival companies were able to keep up with. Specialty coffee already had a strong foothold in New England. To expand their brand, Keurig partnered with Van Houtte to gain market share in Canada and later purchased Caribou Coffee (Midwest) as well as Tully’s coffee (Pacific Northwest). Number of Buyers: The number of buyers within the Unites States is extremely vast. As mentioned earlier, nearly 90 million of American households had a coffee brewer of some sort. The scope of brewers reaches far beyond that and can be classified into smaller groups. Households: extremely prevalent within the industry with high purchase power Hotels: approximately 5 million coffeemakers are in hotel rooms in the US Businesses: most, if not all businesses have a coffeemaker onsite or in their break rooms. B2B: Wal-Mart, Starbucks, Office Depot, Staples, Bed, Bath & Beyond Pace of technological change: The increase of technology and push for innovation plays a huge role in gaining market share. The evolution from a coffee pot to single cup brews has sparked a huge push to develop the perfect cup of coffee while at the same time making the process simpler. Coffee pods lead the way for the early 2000’s but when Keurig introduced their K-cups, other companies were eager to jump on board. Their patented technology included the coffee and the filter all into one simple cup. Keurig also released the My K-Cup, which allowed consumers to use their own coffee grounds to make a single cup roast. Upon Keurig’s patent expiration in 2012, other companies such as Breville and Cuisinart developed their own single cup brewers and even offering a My K-Cup as part of the package. Specific brewing techniques are important to customers in terms of getting the most out of your cup of coffee. Improving upon the injection brewing process is the key to perfecting the brew. Innovation is extr emely crucial in order to meet customer demands as well as keeping up with their wants and needs. It is  critical to have a strong research and development department to keep up with these changes. Standard Products: Within the specialty coffee market there are two products used within conjunction. There is the brewing machine itself and then there is the pod or the cup. There is mild differentiation between products but vast differentiation between different blends or roasts and so on. In the end, what it comes down to is the techniques applied to the brewing processes. Though coffee is not the only thing a Keurig can brew. It can brew a wide variety of beverages such as tea, lemonade, cider, fruit brews, and cocoa, which many competitors cannot compete with. Vertical Integration: By partnering with Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Keurig was able to keep the manufacturing and selling process within the boundaries of their supply chain. Also by partnering with Van Houtte, they were able to acquire an already very successful vertically integrated company on top of being able to expand their market share into Canada. GMCR divided their operations into 3 different segments: Specialty Coffee business unit (SCBU), Keurig business unit (KBU), and Canadian business unit (CBU). Each of these carry out different responsibilities such as packaging processes or customer relations. For instance SCBU deals traditional packaging for supermarkets, convenience stores and distributors, while KBU focuses more on single serve packs for at home brewers. Keurig also has many licensing partnerships to carry and promote their product in their stores such as Wal-Mart and Starbucks. Exhibit 2: Five Forces Analysis Rivalry: Weak to Moderate Buyer demand is growing rapidly (-): the specialized coffee industry is growing as exponential rates, in some years even double digit increases Costs to switch are high (-): if a consumer owns a Keurig, then they are unable to switch to any other brand that does not utilize K-Cups Number of buyers are increasing (-): it is a growing market that is spreading rapidly and gaining nationwide attention Fairly high product differentiation (+/-): The brewers themselves are strongly differentiated as well as the diversity in the roasts themselves Threat of New Entrants: Strong Entry barriers are low (+): once Keurig’s patents expired, it made it easier for companies to enter the market and mimic preexisting products Buyer demand is growing (+): specialty coffee drinks are growing dramatically Expanding market segments (+): companies are purchasing or partnering with other companies to increase the geographical market segment. In doing so they are also expanding their product lines buy adding new brews Threat of Substitutes: Moderate to Strong Substitutes are readily available (+): consumers can choose to go to Starbucks or other coffee shops. Customers can also pursue another source of caffeine such as sodas, energy drinks, or 5-hour energy Substitutes have comparable features (+): Whether customers are pursuing a caffeine fix or looking for a good cup of coffee, they are each similar and readily available Relatively high switching costs (-): it would be much cheaper to put a K-Cup into the brewer than to go out to a coffee shop and purchase a specialty brew. Same idea applies for purchasing sodas or energy drinks Supplier Power: Very Strong Differentiated product selection (+): the products available are specific to each company’s needs such as K-Cups or pods. Coffee blends are very specific as well and rely on the same product on a regular basis No good substitutes for suppliers without high switching costs (+): it can be extremely difficult to switch coffee producers. There are specific contracts in place that need to be fulfilled. Supplier industry is more concentrated (+): Keurig obtains its coffee from specific companies that their sole purpose is to provide coffee. The industry is also dominated by a few large companies Bargaining Power of Buyers: Weak Buyer demand is growing (+): It is expected that the specialized coffee industry will continue to grow and bring high demand Buyer might not necessarily be able to postpone purchase (-): The primary purpose of purchasing coffee is for the caffeine intake and waking up. Certain customers integrate coffee into their daily routine and do not fare well without it High switching costs (-): difficult and expensive to purchase an  alternative product. Buyers price sensitive (-): In Keurig’s case, this works to their benefit because purchasing a specialty cup of coffee is more expensive than purchasing K-Cups and customers are likely to revert to Keurig when money is tight Exhibit 3: Driving Forces Entry or exit of major firms: In 2012 when Sara Lee was forced to discontinue their Senseo coffee maker, that in turn opened up a great deal of market share for competing companies such as Keurig to take advantage of. Companies were able to thrive off their misfortune and gain market share and new customers. On the contrary, barriers to entry into the market are relatively low, meaning new competition can arise causing existing companies to have to shift their focus and execute counteracting strategies. Buyer preferences shift to standardized product: With this situation I believe that Keurig has the upper hand whether buyers prefer a standardized product or a differentiated product. The same can apply for a situation in which buyers have to cut costs. Keurig offers both cheap, generic beverages and expensive, high end K-Cup choices. Keurig is the better alternative to purchasing an expensive specialty drink at a coffee shop. Regulatory or government policy change: There could be an increase in price between trade agreements or extra tariffs imposed for importing coffee into the United States. This could cause Keurig to have to make drastic changes in their pricing or expenditures. Although they might not deal directly with importing the coffee, they would surely be impacted down the line and consequently have to bear the brunt of it with increased prices from suppliers. Product innovation: There is always a high probability of a competitor coming out with a revolutionizing innovation that boosts them to the forefront of the market. Both Kraft and Nestle are capable of improving their products and making Keurig seem outdated. Keurig would in turn have to implement a sound strategy to counteract their move and boost their research and development teams. Exhibit 4: Key Success Factors Technology and Innovation: Held 26 US patents and 65 international patents in 2007  Patented proprietary portion-pack system using specially designed filter, sealed in a low-oxygen environment to ensure freshness (K-Cups) Specially designed proprietary high-speed packaging lines that manufactured K-Cups Brewers that precisely controlled the amount, temperature, and pressure of water to provide a consistently superior cup of coffee in less than a minute Eliminating the need to measure water and coffee grounds Marketing: Penetrating the medium and low income homes and not just appealing to high end Reliable pod machine, with easy to use refills, and a variety of coffee flavors that are easy to find. Leading to a 94% customer satisfaction rating Offering My K-Cup to use for personal coffee grounds Encouraging distributors to give away or lease Keurig brewers to businesses in order to attain the real profits from the K-Cups Utilizes â€Å"razorblade model† that keeps customers continually having to replenish their K-Cups once they have purchased the brewer GMCR deriving 90% of consolidated net sales from Keurig appliances and K-Cups and receiving $.04 royalties from every K-Cup sold through partners Expanding Brand Name Vertically integrating their business to keep it within the supply chain Partnered with Van Houtte, Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Newman’s Own, Gloria Jean’s, Coffee People, Caribou Coffee, and Tully’s coffee in order to increase market share Partnering with large corporations such as Starbucks, Home Depot, Wal-Mart, Staples, and Bed, Bath and Beyond to promote and stock their product on their shelves With these partnerships, Keurig was able to expand their customer base not only geographically but also by expanding their beverage variety to more than coffee and tea Exhibit 5: Competitor Overview Competitor Analysis Despite stiff competition and rapid growth of single cup brewing, barriers to  entry remained relatively low. Although, the high demand for Keurig’s K-cup technology began to vastly outnumber that of its competitors, many still pursued their techniques and innovative strategies. Sara Lee: Their brewing line was called the Senseo which was the first real competitor of Keurig. The Senseo utilized similar brewing techniques by being able to vary the amount of water passing over the coffee, which affected the flavor and strength of the brew. When Keurig introduced their Vue system in 2012, Sara Lee was unable to compete forced to shut down production due to unreliable performance and short product life span. Kraft Foods: Launched their product called the Tassimo, which utilized coffee pods called T-Discs that caught on extremely well in France. After spending nearly $10 million in promoting T-Discs, coffee pod volume grew 26% in 2005 and another 35% the following year in France. Unfortunately, due to lesser quality of coffee and limited user control features, sales were negatively affected. On top of that, in 2012, approximately 835,000 coffeemakers in the US and another 900,000 in Canada as well as 4,000,000 T-Discs were recalled after reports of brewers spraying hot liquid and causing second degree burns to consumers. Mars: They developed a brewing system named Flavia. Their primary focus was creating a coffee maker that would be ideal for the workplace or in a business environment Nestle: Nestle has been in the coffee industry the longest out of the competitors. In 1976 the launched the Nespresso machine that was one of the first to encapsulate the single cup espresso. Their technology quickly caught on and within ten years had expanded their market to Switzerland, Japan, and Italy. In the early 90’s they introduced their household espresso machine in France. By 2000 they were experiencing double digit growth by focusing on the highest quality coffee. Their industry was skyrocketing and in 2006 exceeded revenue of 1 billion, quickly followed by 2 billion in 20 08, then 3 billion in 2010. By 2012 they had over 8,300 employees across 60 countries, offering 30 machine models, which all lead to their 19% market share in espresso and premium coffees that paved the way for the rest of the premium coffee roasters. Exhibit 6: Financial Breakdown The chart below demonstrates the breakdown of net sales between 2010 and 2012 of each of the products the Keurig sells. It is clear the vast majority of  sales is due to sales of single serve packs growing on average nearly 1 million a year. Keurig has experiences substantial growth from year to year with the exception certain royalties. Their ability to rely on the sales of single serve packs acts as their distinctive competency. Exhibit 7: Weighted Competitive Strength Assessment The weighted competitive strength assessment demonstrates that Keurig and Nestle both have the strongest market positions compared to the inferior Kraft and Sara Lee. Keurig exemplifies its strengths in quality and innovation while Nestle has the upper hand in their developed brand name and advertising abilities. Kraft and Sara Lee have lower scores considering their failed attempts to compete at the top only to have their products discontinued or recalled which reflects their overall quality which is demonstrated in the group map below COMPANY ANALYSIS Exhibit 8: Business Level Strategy Keurig focuses their strategy around broad differentiation by offering customers something that competing rivals cannot. Keurig coffee makers have appeal to all coffee drinkers worldwide, especially in the Unites States, whether they are pursuing a premium roast or a basic cup of coffee. They appeal to the niche market of specialized gourmet coffee drinkers with the ability to reach the broader section of all coffee drinkers. They offer something attractively different while keeping quality at a premium. In doing so their customer loyalty continues to flourish with nearly all of them being repetitive buyers as well as a 94% customer satisfaction rating. Through all of their partnerships with other coffee companies they are now able to appeal to vast array of customers, and not just coffee drinkers. Their massive selection of K-Cups includes over 30 brands with over 200 varieties to choose from. Their partnerships have also put them to the forefront by being able to grasp a nationwide market share that appeals to everyone. When it comes to innovation, Keurig’s puts that as a top priority, which keeps them ahead of their imitative competitors, especially when it comes to the speed and simplicity of using their product. Their ability to evolve their technology through innovation is their strongest sustainable  competitive advantage. In addition, their continued increase in capital investments is why they have remained an industry leader as well as their large amount of patents they are able to retain. Keurig would not be nearly as successful without their well-built, in-depth research and development team. Keurig stands by their name of excellence. Lastly, their implemented growth strategies is what will keep them on top with continual improvements and innovations to all aspects of their brand. Of the 90 million households with coffee makers, Keurig has made it their goal to convert half of those coffee makers to Keurigs as well as strongly pursuing hotel rooms to implement their technology. GMCR has four vectors of their growth strategy for Keurig which include new brewer technologies, new beverage categories, new brands, and new channels. Keurig clearly demonstrates their strive for product supe riority over the rest of the market. Exhibit 9: Resources and Competitive Capabilities Resource Strengths Keurig has developed a strong loyal customer base that spans beyond specialty coffee drinkers, and even beyond coffee drinkers for that matter, including tea and cocoa Acquirement and partnership with multiple established companies nationwide that strengthen their market share, customer base, and supply chain success Core Competencies Strong differentiation from their competitors in terms of offering their superior K-Cups and premium roast coffee blends Their strong ability to improve upon their technology with their extremely advanced and well-rounded research and development department Distinctive Competencies Keurig has become an industry leader in the single cup market by vastly differentiating their products from competitors through a series of patents that revolutionize the speed and simplicity of using their coffee makers. Exhibit 10: S.W.O.T.O. Analysis Strengths Keurig is one of the leading innovators in the industry with one of the best research and development teams to back them that are constantly aiming to  improve their brand Expanding the firms brand vertically and geographically to gain greater market share and appeal to consumers by broadening their beverage horizons and offering over 200 different varieties The idea that customers will continually run out of K-Cups and have to repurchase them and earning a $.04 royalty with every K-Cup sold through another brand Weaknesses Keurig, unlike many of the other industry leaders, has not firmly established itself as a strong international brand. In order to stay at the top, a company must compete with its rivals on other playing fields. There is tremendous room for growth internationally, especially with the technology Keurig has to offer Opportunities Total coffee machine sales are projected to increase by 20% from 2011-2016 The specialty coffee industry is experiencing rapid growth New iced coffee drinks are becoming more popular in the market Threats The idea that some of Keurig’s key patents will expire in 2012, meaning they are vulnerable to mimicking as well as potential flooding of new entrants due to the relatively low barriers to entry Increased tariffs or trade barriers Options Implementing a green initiative to encourage recycling as well as developing biodegradable K-Cups to not hurt the environment Expanding internationally and increasing its market share Push to partner with hotels to include a Keurig coffee maker in every room