Halina Mountain Resort Part Essay

Victor Herrera, chairman of the board of Blue Heights Realty & Development Corporation, desired to launch his company’s first big project, a mineral hot spring resort at Bucal, Calamba, Laguna named Halina Mountain Resort (A). He wanted to make it as â€Å"something he could leave for his family†. Blue Heights Realty & Development Corporation was organized in October 1976 attached in owning, improving and managing real estate; it is considered a stable company with authorized capital stock of P1 M and paid-up capital of P900T. The proposed resort was planned to establish to their 2.2 hectare land in Bucal, calamba, Laguna. The land was composed of 1.5 hectare Victor inherited from his father in 1974 and the other 700T hectare which he purchased from his commission from commodities trading. Upon the proposal of the project, Victor asked his son Victor Jr. to make a survey and gathered enough data and information about the vicinity and its rival resort. Also, he made an application with the Ministry of Tourism requesting the approval for the establishment of the resort stating his reasons for going into the resort trade. And lastly, he made a loan application for a P1.3 M with Far East bank and Trust Company however, there is no assurance if it would recognize the merit of his proposal, with a complete paper requirement, Herrera strongly believed that his project is viable & attractive and their reports are unbiased. The only problem would be the approval of his loan application with the Far East Bank and Trust Company. I. Statements of the Objective/s * To pursue the loan from the bank and continue with the desired project for the resort. * To be able to impress the management of the bank to grant their loan. * To seek ideas that will make the Halina Mountain Resort a unique place that will stand out against its anticipated competitors. II. Central Problem/s * Loan Application III. Areas of Consideration * Strengths i. New ideas are being brought up ii. Wide/spacious land to utilize iii. Strong market study iv. Road side v. New business along the area * Weaknesses vi. Large number of competitors vii. No enough funds to start the project viii. New business that the banks are too meticulous to grant their loan application. ix. Limited facilities set up by the Tourism Department of Laguna. * Opportunities x. Create new offerings that will make the resort a different one. xi. Offer packages that are affordable. xii. Apply for the approval of the Tourism Department for the additional facilities for the resort. * Threats xiii. Failure to be granted by the bank with their loan application. xiv. The public may not patronize their new resort. xv. A lot of competitors are near the area. IV. Alternative Courses of Action 1. Halina can present to the bank the result of the market study made by Herrera for their application of loan to be granted. *Advantages: a. It will make the resort look more competitive and strong. *Disadvantages: a. Unsure if this new business will be accepted by the public. 2. Halina can make it a new line of business and make it a subsidiary business by their company. *Advantages: a. More funds may be used without applying a loan from the bank. *Disadvantages: a. The resort will now be a company owned. 3. Halina can offer membership schemes that will generates funds for them to materialize the project. *Advantages: a. It will make the resort a private resort where members can only use the facilities of the resort. *Disadvantages: a. Limited market segment. V. Strategy Formulation I, therefore, conclude that the best solution to the problem is the alternative course of action no. 1, where the Halina Mountain Resort will present to the bank the studies made by their selected firm that their proposed business is a strong and competitive one. They must explain what are the edges of their resort over their competitors that will make them a unique place to stay. VI. Plan of Action 1. Set a meeting with the proper authorities of the bank and discuss the project. 2. If approved, materialize the project and supervise well the actions taken by the people of the resort. 3. Find alternative ways to promote the resort with a minimum cost, i.e. social networking sites. 4. Always make a customer evaluation for management to know what should be improve with their services and facilities. VII. Potential Problems * What if the bank would not approve their loan application? * What if the result of the project will not turn out as planned? * What if there won’t be any customers that will patronize their resort? VIII. Contingency Plan * Halina should try the alternative course no. 2 and pursue the project their company as the head company of the resort. * Find other alternatives that will make the project more attractive to the target market and create a team that will market the resort. * Offer packages that will make it more appealing to the public to try their resort.

Panera Case Essay

Industry Analysis Dominant Economic Characteristics Panera Bread Company is a chain of restaurants, both company owned and franchised, that provides food and beverages with more of a cafà © experience as oppose to a traditional fast food restaurant. Panera NAICS code is 722310, which is classified as food service contractors. Food service contractors can be can be classified as cafeterias, fast food restaurants, or regular restaurants just to name a few. In 2007 there were approximately 23,250 establishments in this industry, which was up from 20,693 in 2002 and 18,991 in 1997, which shows that people are continuously opening more and more restaurants each year. Since 1997, the food industry under this NAICS code has seen significant increase in sales. The total number of sales in this industry has more then doubled since 1997, which can be attributed to two things. One of those is that they’re a just more establishments out there in 2007 then there were 10 years ago. The second, and probably most important reason why sales have more then doubled, is that people are just simply going out to eat more as oppose to cooking at home. Success in this industry is predicated on the ability to be able to not only appeal to consumer taste and preferences but continually changing product offerings to keep these customers happy and loyal to your restaurant. More often then not, companies in this industry fail and go out of business prematurely because they are not able to appeal to a wide enough customer base. Obviously you must have great food in this industry, but equally as important is the location, customer service, prices, and time of day that you choose to do business. If you don’t have a handle on these items then you will likely not make it past the first year without taking a significant loss. Due to the fact that there are different types of needs among customers, there is no way one establishment can serve the needs of everybody. Each restaurant must figure out the few things they do well and service those customers whose needs fit into what that restaurants do well. Driving Forces One of the key driving forces in this industry may seem obvious and simple but it is the most important thing in this industry. The restaurants must have good food to satisfy the ever-changing needs of customers. Since customers do have different preferences and these preferences could change at anytime, food companies must figure out a way to not only attract, but also maintain customer who love their food. However, to develop a sustainable advantage on taste alone is not likely when there are so many options when people eat away from home. Price is also a driving force as it is with any industry. A company must be able to provide their products cheaper then their competition or be able to convince their customer base that their products are worth the extra buck. In order to justify customers spending more money on your products, you have to somehow differentiate your product. Typically, companies either make their products healthier or find ingredients that make the products taste better then the competition if they are charging a premium price. If they are unable to convince consumers that their products are worth the premium price then they must figure out a way to drive down costs so they can charge as little as possible. With the economy struggling, this is a viable option for many companies in this industry. The last driving force is in this industry is location. A prime location can make or break a company. A company can have the best food in the world and even offer their products at great prices, but without the ability to get the foot traffic, because of a bad location, the company is doomed before it is even started. A restaurant must pick a location that will be able to service as many people that they have identified as potential customers. For instance, a healthy sub shop may be inclined to locate their business next to a health spa where people workout. The restaurants that are able to find an optimal location give themselves a far better chance to succeed for many years. A great location can be a sustainable competitive advantage and allow companies to outperform their rivals. Key Success Factors One of the key success factors is to be able to adapt to customer taste and needs in this rapidly changing market. To put it plain and simple, people get tired of eating the same thing so in order for a company to be successful, Companies must have a wide variety of product offerings. This is why you see many restaurants introducing new products for their customers to try. They have trail stages to see if these new products will be a hit and if they are then they keep them on the menu. If their customers do not accept them then they take them off the menu and try something else. So not only must you have a great core group of food options on your menu, but you must be able to change up your menu so that customers don’t get bored with the same options. Another key success factor in this industry is customer service. When people elect to eat out instead of eating at home, they expect to be treated well by the restaurant personnel. Obviously the level of customer service changes depending on the place that an individual is eating at. The more money someone is spending then it is likely that they will expect better customer service. Part of going out to eat is the experience and bad customer service can cause a company to lose customer even if their products are top of the line. Location is also a key success factor and a big one at that. Many companies that are unable to acquire a prime location are unable to stay in business. People don’t want to have to go out of their way to go to a restaurant in most cases so if a particular restaurant is not in a convenient place then they will not get much foot traffic. Foot traffic is the only way that companies in this industry can keep up with their financial obligations and turn a profit. I can say from personal experience that I have chosen to go to a restaurant based on convenience of the location and I feel that I am not the only one who has made a decision like this when choosing a place to eat. Porters Five Forces Threat of New Entrants The threat of new entrants in the food service contractor industry is extremely high. The restaurant industry is one of the most entered  industries year in and year out. The barriers to open a restaurant are nowhere near as high as other industries and if a restaurant owner can find a niche group of customers in a good location then they can be profitable. However, this is a feat that is much easier said then done. Although it is very feasible for new entrants to enter into this industry, it is definitely not an industry that is easy to have longevity in. The threat of new entrants for Panera Bread is not as high as some of the other restaurants in the industry. They have many established cafes all across the country that have been successful for years and would be hard for new entrants to compete on their level. In local markets a new entrant may be able to undercut the business of one individual store but it would be much more difficult for a start up to undercut Panera in the national or even the regional scene. Also, the fact that Panera Bread has a very aggressive growth strategy makes it even more problematic for new entrants to be able to compete at the level the Panera is on because they are always playing catch up. Substitute Products Substitute products are very prevalent in this industry and it affects all restaurants that are in the food service contractor industry. If you ride down a main street in any decent size city in this country for five minutes you will pass at least one hundred places to eat. Each one of these places is a substitute for one another, which makes this industry one of the most competitive industries that we have. With the number of restaurants growing, there are going to continue to be a plethora of substitute products. Also, items that people purchase at grocery stores and cook themselves are substitutes for restaurants in this industry. Americans are becoming more cognizant of what they put in their body and the best way to be absolutely sure that what you are putting in your body is exactly what you want is to prepare the food yourself. Just like every other company in this industry, Panera Bread is not immune to substitute products and must always account for other companies that offer substitute products. There are many viable eating options for customers in close proximity with nearly every Panera Bread cafe. With this  being the case, Panera must always look for ways to continue to bring customers into their cafes instead of those customers picking another option. Panera has been able to offer some unique products that are perceived as healthy which allow them to lessen the threat of some substitutes but it would be nearly impossible to get rid of the threat of substitute products because there are so many options. Perhaps the most difficult thing for competitors to be able to duplicate is the experience that is provided at Panera. Although there are other companies who are able to offer a pleasant dinning experience in the fast-casual restaurant industry, there is no substitute for this type of customer servi ce. Either you have quality service for your customers or you don’t. Power of Suppliers The power of suppliers in this industry is relatively low. This is due to the fact that there are often many possible suppliers to supply the needs of the restaurants. When this is the case, suppliers have no negotiating power to charge extremely high prices and must come to terms with the restaurants that are purchasing the various ingredients that go into their products. If suppliers are able to develop an ingredient that is rare or somehow do a value chain activity better then other supplier then they may have more negotiating power. However, even with this fact, the majority of the power in this relationship lies with the restaurants that are making the purchases. Panera Bread has 17 regional facilities that make all of its dough and then it is shipped out to each individual store. These facilities are owned or franchised out by Panera Bread, which gives them a huge competitive advantage. They control every step of the making of their main ingredient and this obviously gives them all of the power when it comes to purchasing dough. As long as the people who work there are satisfied then they will have no problem with having there dough needs met. They do ensure that these facilities make a profit but obviously not at the expense of Panera Bread. However, with other products that they use such as paper goods, coffee, and sweet goods, they use independent distributors to meet these needs. These suppliers have a very low amount if power when negotiating with Panera. These suppliers likely depend heavily on the Panera account to survive so  they must meet virtually all of Panera’s requests if they want to continue to do business with them. Some products that each individual store may have to order on a frequent basis may find that they have a little less negotiating power if a particular supplier is able to delivery these supplies on a timely basis. With this being said, the bulk of the power lies with Panera and not the suppliers. Power of Buyers The power of buyers in this industry is extremely high for various reasons. The main one is that there are low switching costs when an individual chooses to go from fast-casual restaurant to fast-casual restaurant. The only real cost may be one place may be further then the other which brings gas prices into play but typically these types of restaurants are located in similar areas so this is not that big of a factor. Anytime someone is spending money in a saturated market with several options, the consumer has all the power. The only way for restaurants to get some of the power back is to offer products that are perceived to be better then the competition. Panera Bread customers have an extremely high degree of power just like customers that buy food within this strategic group in the market. There are viable options for customers of Panera to choose from which always puts Panera in a position in which they have to convince customers that Panera is the best option to meet their needs. Panera must continue to evolve their menu and keep coming up with new items that keep their customers coming back for more. This is the only way that they can take some of the power back from their customers. Rivalry Among Competitive Sellers Everybody wants a piece of the American Dream in this country and the good thing about this country is that through hard work and dedication, anyone can be successful. With this being the case, there is fierce competition in virtually every industry in our country. The food service contractor industry is no exception to this fact and possibly is more competitive then most other industries. There are major players at every single level of this industry and each individual company is always looking for a slight advantage over their competitors. The fast-casual sector of this industry is rapidly growing and it is likely that we will continue to see more and more  companies vying for market share in this industry. The fact that people are spending significant dollars in fast-casual restaurants gives companies in this industry a golden opportunity for continued growth. Panera Bread has been able to carve out a niche in the fact that their dough process is not easily duplicated and nobody has been able to create products quite like Panera Bread. So, in this respect there is not a competitor that is selling the exact same thing that they are selling. However, I feel that Starbucks is a close competitor and they may have some of the same customers. When you think about a place that you can go and hang out with friends or catch up on some work or read a good book, Starbucks definitely comes to mind. In this relationship, Starbucks is definitely big brother and has far more locations around the world then Panera does so they obviously bring in more revenues yearly. Panera is trying to duplicate the atmosphere of a casual place to hang out but they are still playing catch up at this point in time. I also think Chipotle is a competitive rival but for different reasons then Starbucks. Chipotle is a fast-casual restaurant that has been able to create a product that consumers consider different and really tasty. It is a place that you can order and get your food relatively quickly and sit down and enjoy your meal with friends on the inside of the restaurant or outside. Although Chipotle definitely doesn’t have the atmosphere that Panera Bread has, it is very believable that when people are sick of fast food and are looking for a fast-casual restaurant to eat at, these two places come up. I can speak from experience that this has definitely been the case for myself on numerous occasions. Internal Analysis: SWOT & VRIO Framework SWOT Analysis Strengths A. Strong Brand Name B. Atmosphere of Restaurants C. Own Subsidiary for there main ingredient Weaknesses A. Lack of international/domestic presence in comparison to competitors Opportunities A. Expand Domestically/Internationally B. Continue to expand catering activities Threats A. Recession B. New Restaurants Strengths Panera Bread has been able to continually grow and make significant dollars year in and year out because they have many things that they do well. One of these strengths is the brand name â€Å"Panera Bread.† When people think of Panera they automatically think of a fast-casual restaurant with good food. It is somewhere that people can go and not pay significant dollars and walk away being happy with the food that they ate. This is probably the biggest strength that you can have in this industry because if your restaurant name is not associated with quality food then you have no chance of succeeding in the restaurant business. After all, nobody wants to eat food that is not enjoyable going down. Another strength that Panera has is the atmosphere and dinning experience that they provide for their customers. When people think of Panera they think of someplace that can offer relaxation for themselves as well as friends. Its just a great hang out spot where people can catch up on homework, read a good book, and hang out with friends all while enjoying some of the great products that Panera Bread offers. Panera is also able to produce its own dough, which is strength in two ways. The first is the most obvious. They can cut out significant costs when buying from their subsidiary and don’t have to worry about not being satisfied with the end product because ultimately they are producing it. Also, since dough is their main ingredient and what they are famous for they would not want outside knowledge of this trade secret. By producing the dough themselves minimizes significantly the possibility of other companies being able to capitalize on Panera’s trade secret. Weaknesses The biggest weakness that I saw in doing this case study is the fact that they have a lack of an international presence. If they are trying to compete with Starbucks with there dinning experience then they need to be everyplace that Starbucks does business so that customers can choose. This type of expansion could mean more revenues as well as continuing to increase their strong brand name. Domestically they do have a strong presence in the market but they are not at the level that Starbucks is at. Opportunities Panera has several opportunities to improve their position in the market place. One of those opportunities is to continue to have an aggressive attitude about expanding domestically and also to turn some of that energy into international endeavors. Domestically they have a strong presence but if they are going to overtake Starbucks as â€Å"The† fast-casual restaurant then they need to continue to find new markets to put their stores in. Currently they do not have an international sector at all. This is limiting their growth potential significantly and not really giving them a chance to be at the top of the totem pole in their sector of the restaurant business. International expansion could help Panera take their brand name to new heights. Another opportunity they have is to continue to expand their catering sector of their company. In 2004 they started to make a hard push into catering for other locations outside of the stores. By the end of 2005 they saw about 80 million dollars in sales in new sales from this catering sector. The ability to generate these types of sales in this short period of time gives Panera’s management incentive to continue to explore this opportunity. Threats The recession is a huge threat to all businesses that do not provide something that is a basic need for survival. Although Panera does provide food, which is a necessity, they still have to fight with the recession, as people do not eat out as much during tough economic times. Instead, people penny pinch and try to cut down on as many things as possible. Although they could discount their products and possibly generate more sales during this tough economic time, this strategy could make people start to associate their brand as being generic. This strategy would ultimately hurt them in  the long run. Another threat would be new restaurants coming into territory that they do business in and undercutting some of their sales. People have ever-changing taste and are always looking for the new â€Å"hot† thing. Since this is the case, new restaurants that are able to get the attention of consumers in the areas that Panera has restaurants in could pose a huge threat. VRIO Framework Sustainable competitive advantage is the key to any company’s long-term success. Are any of Panera’s strengths sustainable? Strong Brand Name  Valuable: Yes, a strong brand name in the business world is very valuable. It is especially valuable in the restaurant business because when people associate your brand name with having good food then people are automatically going to come in your place of business to get food. Also, this strong brand name gets people talking about your products and word of mouth advertising is amongst the top if not the top form of advertising. Rare: No, a strong brand name is not rare in the restaurant business. Many other restaurants in the fast-casual sector have a brand name that is associated with good food. This is the reason why there are so many of these types of restaurants out there that are able to perform well year in and year out. Although there are many restaurants that are able to build a strong brand name, there are many more t hat are not able to establish this strong brand name. Most restaurants fail within the first year because of this fact. Imitated Easily (Immutable): No developing a strong brand name is not easy. It takes years of creating quality products that people grow to love. Another way is to come up with something so innovative that people have no choice but to recognize that food product with your brand name. Both of these scenarios are extremely hard to pull off successfully. Organization: Yes, the Panera organization is very committed to continuing to build their brand name. This is especially evident in how they franchise their company out to other people. Their franchise owners have to adhere to certain rules and regulations in order to open up a Panera Bread restaurant. Atmosphere of Restaurants Valuable: Yes this is a very valuable aspect of their restaurants. The fast  casual style gives Panera bread an edge over other restaurants and makes it more then just a place that you can get great food. The amenities that are offered at Panera bread makes it a friendly place to eat as well as do various other activities such as hang out with friends or catch up on work. They opened their doors with the idea that the overall atmosphere is what was going to set them apart from others and give them a competitive advantage and that is precisely what they have been able to do. Rare: Yes and No. This overall atmosphere is available in most coffee shops around the world so from that perspective it’s not that rare. However, it is rare in the fact that they have been able to expand into one of the top brands in this sector and are really only second to Starbucks as far as atmosphere goes. They compete on a level that most coffee shops can’t. Imitated Easily (Immutable): Yes and No. Anybody can set up wireless internet and make a space conducive to hanging out and reading books. So in regard to this it is easily imitated. The part that is not easily imitated that Panera has been able to accomplish is that they are recognized by a large number of consumers as a place to go and do the activities mentioned above. Organization: Yes, the Panera Organization is committed to making their restaurant a place where people can go be in a friendly atmosphere. That was the whole basis of what they thought would create their competitive advantage when they opened their doors. Own a Subsidiary for Their Main Ingredient Valuable: Yes, the fact that they own subsidiaries that make their main ingredient is a huge advantage that they have. They are able to cut down on cost as well as always knowing that their dough’s will be exactly what they are expecting. They don’t have to ever worry about negotiating with outside vendors about prices or any other terms for this key ingredient. Also, they can protect their trade secret that is the ingredients and process of creating their dough. Rare: No, they are most definitely not the first company to own a subsidiary that is apart of the value chain. Many companies vertically integrate to gain some of the benefits that I mentioned above. Imitated easily (Immutable): Yes, this is very easy to imitate. The company must have the capital investment to make this happen but gathering the money is not something that can’t be imitated. Typically what keeps companies from  doing this is that they can simply buy the materials needed at a cheaper cos t versus creating these materials themselves. Organization: Yes, Panera is obviously committed to making this subsidiary successful. They could have hired out someone else to make their dough’s but then they would risk exposure of their trade secrets and may have to pay more for the dough. The subsidiary not only cuts down on certain costs but also protects their process of making their dough’s. Strategic Cost Analysis: Value Chain Analysis Primary Activities Supply Chain Management Panera Bread uses a subsidiary to supports its supply chain management as well as other independent suppliers. They get their dough, which is their key ingredient, from their subsidiary. This dough is used to make their assortments of breads, which is obviously what they are known for. They deliver the dough to each individual restaurant and then the restaurant bakes the bread so that the bread is fresh when it reaches the consumer. However, they do receive some of its ingredients for its doughs from other suppliers. Also, sweet goods, paper goods, small ware, and coffee are bought from outside suppliers. Panera feels like it is cheaper to buy these products from various suppliers instead of producing them internally or through a subsidiary. Operations Panera prides itself on being different from the pack in the world of fast casual restaurants. They do this by providing a friendly atmosphere in their restaurants in which their customers can come and get more then just food. This operation technique gives them an advantage over your average fast food restaurant but it is still someplace that you could go to get a meal quickly. Another key aspect of their operation is the fact that they are always changing the menu to appeal to the current customers as well as attract new ones. This is something that is necessary for any restaurant and has proven to be something that Panera does well. Distribution In most major cities in the United States you can find a Panera Bread restaurant to eat at. This is the primary activity for Panera to get their  products to the customer. In this regard, they compete just like every other restaurant in country. However, they are really starting to pick up their catering sector of their company and this could lead to new customers and more revenue. Not only does catering give them another way to sale their products, but it may also expose individuals to Panera for the first time if they are at the catered event. Support Activities Word of Mouth Word of mouth is a huge support activity for pretty much every successful restaurant in the country. This is especially true for Panera Bread since they really don’t do too much to market their restaurant. They rely heavily on current customer’s positive experiences at their restaurant to spark them to tell somebody else. Through this positive word of mouth they are able to gain loyal customers, which is why they are able to sustain their company. Franchises Panera’s Franchise operations are a huge supplement for their company owned stores and they are able to generate significant revenue from their franchises. There is a significant investment required from a potential franchise owner. The franchises give Panera an opportunity to capitalize on their strong brand name. However, they must keep a close eye on each franchise so that they can maintain the Panera reputation. If they let the franchise operate under the Panera name without any rules then they are exposed to the risk of tainting their brand. Strategic Cost Analysis: Competitive Strength Assessment Panera Bread Chipotle Starbucks Key Success Factors Importance Weights Strength Score Strength Score Strength Score Brand Image 0.25 9 2.25 10 2.5 10 2.5 Restaurant Atmosphere 0.2 8 1.6 5 1 9 1.8 Word of Mouth Advertising 0.25 8 2 9 2.25 8 2 Adjusting Menu To Adapt to Consumers 0.1 9 0.9 5 0.5 6 0.6 Price 0.2 8 1.6 8 1.6 6 1.2 Total 1 42 8.35 35 7.85 39 8.1 When performing the competitive strength assessment for restaurants that are in the same strategic group as Panera Bread there were several key success factors that were important. Panera, Chipotle, and Starbucks all performed well in this assessment but with the success factors that I felt were important, Panera did just barely edge out Starbucks. Brand Image was extremely high on the pedestal in the key success factors because in the restaurant business, how the public perceives you will either make or break your restaurant. All three companies performed well in this category but I felt that Starbucks International presence gave them a slight edge over Panera and Chipotle. I rated the restaurant atmosphere as a .2 because I felt like it was a very important factor by not quite as important as brand image. Chipotle struggles with their restaurant atmosphere in comparison to the other two places however; they are still able to succeed in this industry. They have not put as much importance on their dining experience; where as Panera and Starbucks whole method for differentiating themselves from other fast-casual  establishments are creating that warm dinning experience. However, Starbucks also wins this category by a small margin. Word of mouth advertising is a .25 because this is how you grow as a company. When you are able to get your loyal customers to get prospective customers to try out their products then restaurants give themselves a great opportunity to retain new customers. I thought that all of these places do a good job with generating this type of advertising but based on my experiences, Chipotle gets a little more of this type of advertising then the other two, especially from college students. The only one of these three that really makes a true effort to change up their menu is Panera Bread. They are constantly introducing new things to appeal to their customers. However, I didn’t feel as if this was nearly as important as some of the other key success factors. Chipotle and Starbucks have been able to create a menu that their customers like and are not likely to grow bored of eating which is why they are still successful. Since they don’t put an emphasis on changing their menu much, Panera takes this category relatively easy. Price is important within the restaurant business especially during these rough economic times. People are much more cognizant of where their money is spent. Chipotle and Panera offer quality products at decent prices even in these tough times. On the contrary, Starbucks would be on the pricier side especially when it comes to their food selection. They don’t offer big portions and individuals would likely still be hungry shortly after leaving the restaurant. Panera and Chipotle tied in this category as both of them offer good prices for valuable menu items. Financial Analysis The following are some basic income statements for Panera Bread and Chipotle as well as some financial Ratios. I chose these 2 because they are similar in size and are both considered fast-casual restaurants although they do serve different menu items. I do feel that Starbucks is a competitor of Panera Bread as well but they are a much larger company and there statements would make for a very good comparison. Panera Bread Statement of Operations (% of revenue) 2007 2006 Revenue 100% 100% Total Cost and Expenses 92% 89% Operating Profit 8% 11% Income before taxes 8% 11% Net Income 5% 7% Panera Bread Statement of Operations ($ in thousands) 2007 2006 Revenue 1,066,691 828,971 Total Cost and Expenses 977,801 736,295 Operating Profit 88,890 92,676 Income before taxes 88,890 92,676 Net Income 57,456 58,849 Chipotle Statement of Operations (% of revenue) 2007 2006 Revenue 100% 100% Total Costs and Expenses 89.5% 92% Operating Profit 10.5% 8% Income before taxes 10.5% 8% Net Income 6% 5% Chipotle Statement of Operations ($ in thousands) 2007 2006 Revenue 1,085,782 822,930 Total Cost and Expenses 971,780 754,675 Operating Profit 114,002 68,255 Income before taxes 114,002 68,255 Net Income 70,563 41,423 Ratio Gross Profit Margin Net Profit Margin Operating Profit Margin Panera 2007 .74 .05 .08 Panera 2006 .76 .07 .11 Chipotle 2007 .68 .06 .10 Chipotle 2006 .69 .05 .075 Return on Assets Current Ratio Return on S/E Equity Panera 2007 .08 1.17 .13 Panera 2006 .11 1.19 .15 Chipotle 2007 .105 2.75 .126 Chipotle 2006 .08 2.92 .087 As you can see both of these companies are doing well and have been able to turn a nice size profit for these past 2 years. However, Chipotle has been able to grow from 2006 to 2007 as their net profit margin went up by 1% whereas Panera Breads has dropped 2%. I think the newness of Chipotle has given them an advantage in these early years but I don’t think it will be sustainable once people get use to the menu. The recession has hurt Panera more then Chipotle but due to the low liabilities that Panera has, they are still able to make a profit in 2007 that is not much lower then the profit from 2006. I believe that the overall dinning experience and the variety of the Panera menu will prove to be a sustainable competitive advantage going forward over many of its rivals and will provide them financial well-being. Business Strategy Analysis: Porter’s Generic Strategy Panera Bread’s goal is to create the greatest amount of value for the customers when they walk into one of their restaurants. The generic strategy that most closely resembles what they are trying to accomplish is Best-Cost Provider Strategy. This is providing quality products at a cheaper price then what you can get elsewhere. Full meals at Panera can be bought for very reasonable prices and there various bread selections give them an advantage over other fast-casual establishments. So on the basis of taste their products can be considered a bang for your buck. Also, they provide an atmosphere known as â€Å"Panera Warmth† which is something that is not provided  at many other places. Between the reasonable prices for the quality products and the customer friendly environment, they are able to provide more value for their customers then most other fast-casual restaurants. Corporate Strategies: Diversification Diversification in Panera Bread has been an important aspect since they have been open for business. Starting as a company called Au Bon Pain in the 80s, they would eventually change to the Panera name once it took off. This was a move that allowed them to really expand their brand in the 90s and into the 2000s. Another thing that they did to diversify their company was purchasing majority of Paradise Bakery and Cafà © in 2007. Paradise had 70 locations, which gave Panera more restaurants as well as some other knowledge that came along with the purchase. Panera has a very aggressive growth strategy and plan to have 2000 stores open by the en of 2010 in the United States. This type of growth strategy has the potential allow Panera to continue to climb the ladder to being one of the top fast-casual restaurants. Issue 1 A big issue that I see with Panera bread at this point in time is their untapped markets not only domestically but also internationally. They have several major cities that do not have Panera Bread in the city at all which is not allowing them to maximize their earning potential. Also, they have no international presence at all. These cafà © style restaurants would likely catch on well internationally considering the success that Starbucks has had with their international establishments. Recommendation Panera Bread should continue with their aggressive growth strategy. They must make sure that they tap into some of the major city markets that they have yet to such as New York City, Washington D.C., and New Orleans. Panera needs to have several locations in these cities and should make it a goal to have at least 20 in these cities by 2012. Also, they should continue to add restaurants in places like Miami and Seattle where they only have 2 and 5 establishments respectively. In competitive markets in the United States, Starbucks has more then 8 times as many locations as Panera. This is a huge problem is if they ever want to be on the same level as Starbucks.  Internationally, they should pick a few countries where cafes are popular and try to tap into those markets. However, internationally I think that they should take their time instead of implementing the fast growth strategy that they have in the United States. I think they should try to have 100 restaurants internationally by 2012. They have to tap into the international market if they ever want to truly compete with Starbucks and they are in a good position financially now to expand slowly in the international market. Issue 2 Another big issue that is lingering with not only Panera Bread but also every single restaurant is the recession. This recession has hit many Americans hard financially and they have not been eating out as much. This decreases the amount of possible business that fast-casual restaurants can get and this includes Panera Bread. They must figure out a way to continue to grow despite the tough economic times. Recommendation 2 There are a number of things that Panera Bread can do to offset this rough economic stretch that we are in. One of those things is to offer discounts on certain menu items but only make this discount good for a certain period of time. This makes people feel like they are getting a deal on Panera’s products and be more likely to pull in during lunch as oppose to packing their lunch. The limited time on the discounts ensures that your products don’t become generic which is also important for when the recession is over. Another thing that they can do if offer free food to customers after they have purchased so many products from the menu. This gives customers incentive to eat out at Panera even in the midst of a recession. Works Cited Panera Bread. â€Å"Www.panerabread.com.† Panera Bread †º Company Overview †º Our History. 2012. Panera Bread. 06 May 2013 . Securities and Exchange Commissions, U.S. (2008). â€Å"Filed by Bowne Pure Compliance.† Filed by Bowne Pure Compliance. 2008. Annual Report Chipotle. 06 May 2013 . Securities and Exchange Commissions, U.S. (2008). â€Å"Form 10-K.† Form 10-K. 2008. Annual Report Panera Bread. 06 May 2013 . Thompson, Arthur A., A. J. Strickland, and John Gamble. Crafting and executing strategy: The quest for competitive advantage : Concepts and cases. Boston: McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 2008. United States Census Bureau. â€Å"Industry Statistics Sampler.† : NAICS 722310- Food service contractors. 2007. United States Census Beaura. 06 May 2013 . United States Census Bureau. â€Å"Industry Statistics Sampler.† : NAICS 722310- Food service contractors. 2007. United States Census Bureau. 06 May 2013 .

Globalization, Australia and the Asia-Pacific Essay

In terms of international relationships, â€Å"the end of the second millennium and the start of the third are characterized by two developments of major importance†¦ the successful conclusion of the most ambitious round of multilateral trade negotiations in the history of humankind [and the] proliferation of regional trading arrangements unprecedented at any period in history. † Through it all, Australia has been a major participant in these agreements. Owing to the steady progress of Australia’s economy and politics, it has been involved in all of the international policy-making in that span in history. However, due to these numerous activities, there are different circumstances that require variations of these treaties. Multilateral trade treaties are trade agreements made between multiple nations, over multiple regions, at one time. Although multilateral treaties are generally complex and difficult to negotiate and implement, these treaties are very powerful when all interested parties agree on it. The primary advantage of multilateral treaties is the equal treatment, at least relatively, of all parties, regardless of size or power. Examples of these are Australia’s â€Å"Protocol of 1988 relating to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea†, â€Å"United Nations Convention on Conditions for Registration of Ships† and â€Å"Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Maritime Navigation†. Regional trade treaties are parallel to multilateral trade treaties. Both are generally complex and involve multiple countries. However, they do institute a condition that has both advantages and disadvantages. Regional trade treaties are confined to countries within a certain geographic area, such as the Americas, the Atlantic or, in Australia’s case, the Asia-Pacific region. This comes from the perspective of â€Å"conceiving of the world in terms of structures is what some analytical perspectives in international relations and the social sciences more generally suggest. † according to Breslin. The obvious disadvantage of regional trade treaties is that it would exclude other countries from the agreement. There are, however, advantages that outweigh this negative aspect. Regional agreements would be easier to negotiate since countries within a certain geographic area generally have similar or related economic products, conditions and concerns. Such agreements would also mean that the general concerns of that certain area are given due consideration when viewed by the rest of the international community. Examples are the â€Å"Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific Region† and â€Å"South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement†. Bilateral trade treaties are the simplest and most basic agreements. These are the agreements negotiated exclusively between to countries. Simple they may be, however, â€Å"the pursuit of discriminatory trading agreements is arguably the most dramatic development in intergovernmental relations in the western Pacific since the financial crises of 1997-98†, in Jayasuriya’s view. An example of this is Australia’s â€Å"Treaty between Australia and the Republic of Austria concerning Extradition† Australia resides in the South Pacific area but has a mixed economy in the pattern of many Western countries. Its main exports are coal, gold, coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, iron ore and wheat. It has strong relations with countries in Asian, notably Japan and Korea, and Western countries such as Germany and the United States. Bilateral agreements would ensure mutually advantageous situations for Australia and its partner countries. This would go a long way in cementing international political relations as well as economic strength. However, bilateral agreements are limited in their potential to affect great international change. Regional trade agreements would prove to be more advantageous to Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. Their interests would be represented and protected in the international arena. However, the full potential to affect significant change is not realized when only a few countries are involved. Ideally, Australia should prioritize multilateral trade agreements because these are the ones that have to greatest potential to affect positive change in the international community. These are also the agreements the ones that require the most planning and negotiation and should be kept at the forefront for the process to be as quick as possible. BIBLIOGRAPHY Sampson and Woolcock, Regionalism, multilateralism and economic integration: The recent experience United Nations University Press, 2003 Amadeo, Kimberly, US Economy (2005) [http://useconomy. about. com/od/glossary/g/ multilateral. htm] accessed 06/04/08 Treaty Database DFAT online database, accessed: 06/07/08 [http://www. info. dfat. gov. au/info/treaties/treaties. nsf/WebView? OpenForm&Seq=2] Breslin, Shaun et al. , New Regionalism in the Global Political Economy: Theories and Case London: Routledge, 2002 Jayasuriya, Kanishka, Asian Regional Governance: Crisis and Change New York: Routledge, 2004

The Performing Arts and Digital Reproduction Essay

The Performing Arts and Digital Reproduction - Essay Example Quality in the presentation of performing arts is not as enhanced as it is in the recorded arts, which poses a huge threat to attendance of theatre sessions. Technology has made a huge contribution in visual, audio and presentation for art, which is also taking part in the performing arts. Even if the two arts cannot be compared in terms of presentation quality, the relative role of performing arts by far out-competes recordings. According to Bendixen (2010), the status of performing arts in the society is indispensable concerning social vitality. He states that specifically, the modern society gets integrated in shaping the societies values, norms and structures using communication as the fundamental communication tool. The relative drop in the quality of art cannot therefore stand in the way of art achieving this objective. Location of attending a performance creates a lasting impression in the experience obtained in a performance. Human beings are social creatures that place a lot of importance in their emotions, especially when the environment becomes a factor. For instance, watching a movie at home with the family cannot be compared to attending a live performance with the family in a theatre. Romantic experiences have been reported to be at a pick high when an outing to a live art show is preferred in place of watching a romantic movie indoors. Social role of live performances cannot be captured in a better way than when social functions are taking place. It occupies a crucial position.

Write and 150 words introduction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Write and 150 words introduction - Essay Example With a history of 120 years, Fosters today is available in over 150 countries. Both companies have their unique organizational cultures and both have been very successful. For this takeover to be a success, it is important for SABMiller to identify the various features that are essential to facilitate the take over and design strategies to successfully facilitate the integration of the two companies. This report in the first part identifies and analyses the various facilitating features that needs attention of the management. The second part of the report suggests the various steps to be taken and strategies to be designed to successfully facilitate the integration. SABMiller plans to lead in the stable and profitable Australian beer industry through thorough knowledge of Foster’s and the Australian market and to improve Foster’s financial and operating performance. SABMiller will create value for shareholders, through making Foster’s an important part of its global business, whilst taking into account Foster’s strong heritage (Greenblat 2011). Some promised strategies, in which SABMiller has proven capabilities (Payne, 2011) include improvement to Foster’s weak, underperforming brands, restructuring business segments, saving costs, focusing on new profitable segments and bringing in global scale benefits (SABMiller.com, 2011). Running local brewing operations worldwide and understanding differences between the overseas and Australian Market would help the SABMiller-Foster’s integration. Additionally, SABMiller already owns and manages Foster’s brands in India and America (SABMiller.com, 2011), p roving the strategic fit between the companies. A location strategy advantage is created from SABMiller and Coca-Cola Amatil’s joint venture whereby it will be dissolved with SABMiller taking control of the NSW Central Coast brewery at Warnervale. This brewery will be converted to a Foster’s on-tap beer production brewery for NSW instead of

Hinduism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Hinduism - Essay Example e answer to this question can be found in the book â€Å"God is Dead: Secularization in the West†, 2002, wherein Steve Bruce defines religion as â€Å"beliefs, actions and institutions predicated on the existence of entities with power of agency (that is gods) or impersonal powers or processes possessed of moral purpose (the Hindu notion of Karma), which can set the conditions of, or intervene in human affairs†. Thus Karma is an essential component of Steve Bruce’s definition of religion and moral purpose that unites all Hindus. For Hindus the central belief is the never ending cycle of birth and death that an individual has to go through in his earthly existence, till salvation through unification with the Almighty is attained. In these different phases of an existence an individual is likely to commit both good and bad deeds. Karma is the total effect of these good and bad actions, which is the determining factor of the destiny of the individual (Chaudhuri, C. N., 1979). Hinduism is an open religious philosophy that gives its followers to tolerate any other religious beliefs. There are many who believe that Hinduism is more a way of life than a religion. In short this implies that it is the cultural and societal influences of Hinduism that are more important than the rigid religious beliefs. This aspect of Hinduism becomes extremely valid for the sub-continent of India, where Hinduism originated. The region is one of the most densely populated regions of the world. This population is made up of diverse religions in varying proportions with Hindus being the dominant religious grouping by far. Hinduism has provided to beneficial factors for the region. In the first place it as extremely tolerant religion on the basis of its nature, and thus religious minorities by far have not been subjected to domination by the Hindus. On the contrary in India the minority religious groups are recipients of special benefits from the administration just because they a re a

The Effects of Digital Technologies on Cinema Assignment - 1

The Effects of Digital Technologies on Cinema - Assignment Example Development of color component allowed the color to be photographically recorded directly from nature instead of artificial/manual addition of black and white colors to prints (Ceram, 1965). Digital cinema is defined as the use of digital technology to project and distribute motion pictures.   The process of doing this is called digital cinematography. Therefore cinematography is defined as the use of digital technologies to capture motion pictures in the form of digital images instead of capturing them on a film. The images are captured on hard disks, tapes, flash memory and other media capable of recording digital data. Examples of such digital film-making technologies are Phantom HD High-Speed camera, Thomson Viper, Red Digital camera, Genesis, Aeroflex D-20 and now 2K d-cinema and digital projectors. The introduction of such technologies has ushered in yet another new era of digital cinematography (Barda, 2002).   Digital imagery existed as from the 1980s as evidenced by Disney’s Tron produced in 1982. This was the first movie to contain high-resolution. However, the first film in digital format was marketed in 1997. From that time henceforth, cinema has experienced technical and social changes as a result of digital technology. The visual components of digital cinema are an important source of its worldwide attraction.   Some of the effects of digital technologies on cinema are positive while others are negative. For example, the new technology has diluted the real meaning of cinema by creating increasing levels of artificialism. Even as we consider the effects of digital technology on cinema, we cannot ignore the persistent relevance that pre-digital filming methods and practices still hold for the current digital cinema (Kotian, 2005). The arrival of the digital technologies brought a sharp division between the old and new media.  

Why it is important to support the National Rifle Association Essay

Why it is important to support the National Rifle Association - Essay Example These groups constantly portray our organization as one that seeks to return this great country to the Wild West era as we continue to lobby for each individuals right to bear arms. . Irresponsible gun owners have given our organization a bum rap over the years. The time has come to finally show people that the National Rifle Association is not an enemy but rather an ally in the quest for peace and order when pertaining to certain settings. The National Rifle Association is not an advocate of violence. Rather, we advocate peaceful co-existence with the non-NRA groups that share similar beliefs with our organization. While these anti NRA groups constantly delve on the fact that we support gun ownership and the right to use it when a threat to ones physical well - being is imminent as being a negative aspect of the group, the reality is that our organization does a great service to our government since we in the private sector can worry about the possibility of fire arm misuse and its prevention with a much wider breadth of movement. Our organization has never been one to advocate gun violence. Having been founded in 1878, we have always advocated the use of proper use of guns in the quest for relaxation and the protection of life and private property. Our quest has always been to promote the proper handling and use of firearms in public settings. The NRA has not once ever advocated any course of action that could be deemed as an endorsement of gun violence. Rather, our 4.8 million member strong group has done its best to sponsor responsible gun ownership programs during a point in time when our police force is beginning to dwindle due to budgetary cuts and the option, or rather need, to protect ones self is of the utmost importance. With the spotlight once again zeroing in on our organization due in no small part to the Trayvon Martin shooting, it has become of the utmost

Public Health Policy and Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Public Health Policy and Society - Essay Example In April 2008, the Australian government increased Alcopops tax by seventy percent (Squires, 2008). Ever since, the government has been collecting these taxes and withholding them from the liqueur companies. By May this year, the government had collected more than four hundred million dollars (Squires, 2008). A bill was passed by the lower house of Australian parliament that allowed the government to keep that money. The bill was passed in the month of May (Skov, 2009). This bill is highly likely to be passed by the senate. Another bill allowed the government to go on collecting those taxes until May 2010. The aim is to bring to the floor of the house a bill that aims to make this taxation a permanent feature of Australian tax revenues. This taxation aims to cut down on the production and consumption of alcohol in Australia. This will be in line with other developed countries that charge the liquor companies higher taxes. The alcopop tax was introduced to curb the consumption of ready to drink alcohol. This kind of alcohol is what is referred to as alcopop (Skov, 2009). It includes those canned beers that are sold in the supermarkets, for example Smirnoff, vodka amongst others. It is not only aimed at those canned drinks but all form of alcoholic beverages that are ready to drink, excluding the spirits. This taxation has been informed by the issues of the health of the Australian public. This was a result of the realization that â€Å"social context and the health of the community and individuals are interlinked† (Macdonald, 2005: 53). Therefore alcoholism, a social aspect, affects the health of the public. Alcopop taxation has been welcomed by the Royal Australian College of Physicians (Skov, 2009). Though it has not yet been passed by the senate, the college believes that this is a step in the right direction. This is because alcoholism has been found to be a very important public health issue (Macdonald,

The resistance of a wire varies with its length Essay Example for Free

The resistance of a wire varies with its length Essay To investigate how the resistance of a wire varies with its length Equipment Needed: o power pack o 5 wires o Voltmeter o Length of wire o Ruler o Ammeter o Crocodile clip Circuit Diagram: Prediction: The equation V=IxR is how you find the resistance rate. Im now going to re-arrange it to R= V for this to work the temperature has to stay I Constant or it will not work. So I predict that if I increased the length of the wire the resistance will be increased. So I think that if you double the length of the wire the resistance will be doubled. Method: o Collect the equipment and set up the circuit by measuring the wire o Turn on the power pack. o Slowly increase the power o Connect the crocodile clip onto the copper wire to make the circuit complete. o Using a ammeter to measure the amount of current in the circuit o Using a voltmeter to measure the amount of voltage across the circuit o Record results Repeat this with all the different lengths on the wire. Also on the experiment make sure that you read the meter from directly in front by using parallax. Another thing makes sure that the needle is not moving around this then makes the measurement correct. Fair Test: To make this a fair test Im going to keep everything the same in each test apart from the length of wire. The wire will be the same thickness and material every time. Safety: Its important that the wire does not get to hot that it burns. To prevent this from happening I wont let the current go any higher than 2amps. Preliminary work: Current (A) Measurement (CM) Voltage (V) 2. 0A 10CM 0. 4 1. 5A 10CM 0. 3 1A 10CM 0. 2 0. 5A 10CM 0. 1 Current (A) Measurement(CM) Voltage(V) 2. 0A 90CM Off scale 1. 5A 90CM 3. 4 1. 0A 90CM 2. 5 0. 5A 90CM 1. 0 We decided not to use a current of 2 Amps because it melts the wire. The other thing was we decided not use 90CM because one of the readings was off the scale. Practical Results: Length (CM). Current (A) Voltage (V) Corrected Resistance ( ) CorrectedLength (CM) Current (A) Voltage (V) Corrected Resistance ( ) Corrected Length (CM) Current (A) Voltage (V) Corrected Resistance ( ) Corrected   Our meter read 0. 1V even when no circuit was connected so I had to take this reading off all the results which is why there is a corrected column. Length (CM) Average resistance (ohms) Conclusion: I have noticed that as the length of the wire increases the resistance also increases. This happens because: This all happens because the resistance has doubled like I said in my prediction. I checked this by looking on my graph E. g. 20CM= 0. 44 40CM=0. 88 80CM=1. 76 See each time it has doubled. Evaluation: We found out that there was an error in our voltmeter which meant our first point was on 0. 1. This made our results incorrect which meant we had to re calculate the numbers. We read all our results to one decimal point instead of two. I have an Anomalous point at 20cm. I can see from my results there was a error at 15amps. If I ignore this result and take an average of 0. 5+1. 0amps I get a point that lies on my line. I have shown this on my graph in red. This error accrued by reading the metre wrong. Holly Atkins Page: Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Electricity and Magnetism section.

Kraft Foods: Strategic Business Plan

Kraft Foods: Strategic Business Plan Introduction This business report aims to discuss an example global organization, wherein the Kraft Foods Company (KFC) was used here. Topics were discussed on responses on the 2009 challenge of an external market assessment as an aspect of organization management and the evaluation of the SWOT analysis technique as an existing business strategy, consumer sector data and market share of revenues. Its chairman and CEO, Irene Rosenfeld, said: Weve had a very solid start to the year, and were on track to deliver our 2009 commitments. Our business momentum remains strong despite a challenging consumer environment. We are intensely focused on investing our cost savings to build our core brands, improve our product mix and drive superior retail execution. This will further enhance our profit margins and improve market shares as the year unfolds. Being an already flourishing food maker of the industry, KFC still aims deliver its commitments in full blast, with a head strong business momentum, using business strategies on investing cost savings to be able to continue making its set of core brands, enhance its product mix and maintain a world wide reputation in excellence as a retail manufacturer. It also ensures that its investments adds profit margins and instigate productive market shares in the next years to come with a timely full-year tax rate. Lastly, KFC has confidence in achieving its goals with a very good net revenue growth of approximately. Such performance never fails to frustrate us and other competitors as well in the food industry. Literature Review 1. Kraft Foods Company Background Kraft Foods Company (KFC) currently produces delicious foods across 150 countries. It has 103,000 employees in hand. Product brands ranges from American brand icons like Kraft cheeses, dinners and dressings, Maxwell House coffees and Oscar Mayer meats, to global powerhouse brands like Oreo and LU biscuits, Philadelphia cream cheeses, Jacobs and Carte Noire coffees, Tang powdered beverages and Milka, CÃ ´te dOr, Lacta and Toblerone chocolates. Now, it is the worlds second largest food company in generating annual revenues of $42 billion. Also, the company is an affiliation of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Standard Poors 500, the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and the Ethibel Sustainability Index (Kraft Foods Company, 2009.) Kraft was founded in 1903 by James L. Kraft, with starting only as a cheese delivery service. It was transferred to Krafts brothers Charles, Fred, John, and Norman, during its down times. They named it incorporated as J.L. Kraft Brothers in 1909. It then again changed the name to Kraft Cheese Co. back in 1924. With a follow suit trend in per se, there were turn abouts of Kraft Foods Co. in 1945, Kraftco Corporation in 1969, and Kraft Inc. in 1976. It also merged with Dart Industries in 1980 and again change the name to Dart Kraft, but got forgotten in 1986, where it is again Kraft Inc. From then, it was bought by Philip Morris (now is Altria) in 1988. It also absorbed competitors General Foods and Nabisco. Finally in 2007, Altria managed Kraft Foods. During its long business run in the industry, a couple of celebrity endorsements were done to promote its products. There were Bill Cosby (a comedian), Michelle Kwan (a champion figure skater), Lindsay Lohan (Hollywood actress) and Joe Montana (a football star) (NNDB, 2009.) 2. The Business Vision and Mission KFC slogan is Make today delicious Thats our higher purpose. At Kraft Foods, delicious is our difference. Its products are trusted during That first cup of coffee in the morning. A tasty low-fat snack. A nourishing meal on a budget. An indulgent treat. These are KFCs vision and mission (Kraft Foods Company, 2009.) Company objectives revolves around perspectives rewriting the organization for growth, reframe categories, exploit our sales capabilities, drive down costs without compromising quality and strategies growth. With goal of achieving the new Kraft = growth (KFC, 2009.) It aims to meet responsibilities as a public company and promote that being a global citizen is the right thing to do and what is right for its business. They transforming the brands that consumers have lived with for years into new brands they will love. Its corporate responsibility indexes are the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Dow Jones Sustainability Index and 2006-2008 Ethibel Sustainability Index. Last September 12, 2008, it started the mission program The Lunchables Team and First Book Launch the Million Page Mission and Help Children Receive Much-Needed Books (KFC, 2009.) Discussion The External Market Assessment KFC runs under the food industry, with a stock market ticker of NYSE:KFT. Its headquarters is located at Northfield, IL (NNDB, 2009.) Finances of KFC, as of 2008, are (in millions, except per share data) Net revenues $37,241 8.4%, Operating income 4,331 (4.2%), Net earnings 2,590 (15.4%) and Diluted earnings per share 1.62 (12.4%) (KFC, 2009.) Its external market share now is a percentage of more than 99% of U.S. households. The international market sells its leading brands, which are almost all of KFC products. It has 9 brands with revenues greater than $1 billion and 50+ additional brands garner revenues beyond $100 million. To this, about an exceeding number from 40 of KFC brands have an age life of 100+ years old. The billion dollar brands include: Kraft, Jacobs, LU, Maxwell House, Milka, Nabisco and its Oreo brand, Philadelphia, and Oscar Mayer With an estimate figure of 103,000 employees worldwide, it has 180+ manufacturing and processing facilities across countries. With the consumer statistics of millions times a day, computed in an account of 150+ countries, these persons eat their favorite Kraft brands. It is also a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. The figure 1 below is the market share of revenues in each type of KFC Brands as of 2007 (KFC, 2009.) Figure 1. KFC Market Share of Revenues 2007 (KFC, 2009) Existing Business Strategy KFCs follows SWOT analysis technique for its existing business strategy. To start with Strategy is the practice of settling on placing the organization in its competitive environment righty, with the goal to achieve and sustain competitive advantage as well as profitably. It is the onion skin approach in business, wherein each layer of skin must be peeled off and studied on prior to the core Strategic Business Unit (SBU) element is arrived at (Elkin, 1998.) The SWOT analysis is an extensively used philosophy framework for classifying an organizations strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. SWOT entitles key factors to be apparently documented as a high level summary of a business (or personal) circumstance. Defining it is a summary which is simple but powerful; its system is generally used by consultants to certificate the key factors that should derived from the examination of a particular project or business. Moreover, SWOT allows an investigation to be conducted on the whole perspective view of internal as well as external conditions of a business and the plans in which it is surging on, from the means of knowing its current Strengths and Weaknesses. An added aspect is the allowed ability of a judgment on external business environment, which can greatly influence the performance. SWOT technique aids in putting in to comprehensible explanations of strategic choices, in order to have clear executive decisions that are to be a ssessed and identified. Lastly, it compares existing and potential future traits of the organization and supports evaluation of the consequences from alternative actions (Elkin, 1998.) Recommendations Experts Advise During the press release of Kraft Foods Q1 2009 Earnings Report in May 5, 2009. Irene Rosenfeld, its chairman and CEO, said: Weve had a very solid start to the year, and were on track to deliver our 2009 commitments. Our business momentum remains strong despite a challenging consumer environment. We are intensely focused on investing our cost savings to build our core brands, improve our product mix and drive superior retail execution. This will further enhance our profit margins and improve market shares as the year unfolds (KFC, 2009.) She further advised the KFC group on a solid drive in gaining heightened profits from operations. In the previous year, there was a drive for cost-driven pricing actions, which yielded organic net revenue growth and an exceeding expectation of a better-than-expected volume/mix number of sales. She also advised that the business segments drive for operating gains across the globe should be focused on operating income growth, margin expansion and higher earnings per share (KFC, 2009.) This years forward-looking statements are reaffirmed 2009 GAAP EPS guidance; that KFC is on track to deliver 2009 commitments; that business momentum will be strong; that it is greatly focused on investing cost savings to formulate core brands, enhance product mix and execute excellent retail execution; that the investments adds profit margins and induce fruitful market shares as the year unfolds; timely full-year tax rate; and gain confidence in achieving 2009 organic net revenue growth of approximately 3 percent (KFC, 2009.) Implications It is advisable to used the environmental mapping as a new business strategic plan as an improvement from KFCs current SWOT analysis technique. It is a kind of technique which is aimed to define the key characteristics of the environment in relation from where the business operates. It presents the `backcloth formula that will make visible the future strategies and plans. Its model consists of four areas of focus. Advised action under this kind of strategy is to separately map the varied environments where the diverse countries of the company operate. How should KFC apply environmental mapping into their company business process? Necessary information and records should be based from the senior management of the business from their own accounts knowledge and experience. During cases this is not possible, external knowledge should be consulted from sources to supplement the present management needs. The mapping defines general pressures and conflicts which encircle the industry wherein the business operates, main conditions of environmental group, and matters that are prevailing and are plausible to bring to bear the most difficulty or authority on the upcoming direction and prospects of KFC. This is normally accomplished by using H/M/L (High/Medium/Low) tagging of every factor (Elkin, 1998). In writing and formulating an environmental mapping for KFC, these questions should be asked and answered: What are the characteristics of the environment(s) in which the business operates?, How are the key factors changing? and What will be t he impact on future strategic choices? Conclusion In conclusion, Kraft Foods Company (KFC) has shown exemplary performance in the year 2009 being an example global organization. Its external market assessment has a gradual uprising line, which basing from the theories of organization management and the evaluation of its SWOT analysis technique proves that KFC uses an effective existing business strategy, generates high consumer sector data and earns more market share of revenues than any brands in the market. Basing on the consumer sector data and market share of revenues feedback on the current performances indicators of KFC, there is a definite positive satisfaction gained from its range of products. With patterns from a strategic business plan, it is able to handle functions to promote their views, handle communications and even handle a global environmental concern. It is very sensible to use the environmental mapping as a business growth from KFCs usual technique of using a SWOT analysis. Not only does it endow consumers with healthy products, it is also a new strategic business plan that shows mature key characteristics of an organizational awareness for the environment for the present and future. This way in improving business performance can also determine general pressures and conflicts to deal with aside from catering to a global concern that allows main conditions of environmental group to work together with the present matters on the continued success of KFC.

Food and Nutritional Requirements for Dogs

Food and Nutritional Requirements for Dogs INTRODUCTION Domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) are the most popular pet species in Britain, excluding fish (PFMA, 2014), and as such there are a wide variety of stakeholders in dog welfare, ranging from the owner and veterinarian to insurance companies and animal welfare charities (Buckland et al., 2013). The pet food business is a multi-million pound industry which aims to produce adequate foodstuffs for pets in terms of nutritional content, but also aims to turn a profit as in any other trade (Thompson, 2008; FEDIAF, 2012). As such, the nutritional quality of pet food varies between brands and the usage of non-meat sources of protein has been questioned (Hilton, 1987). This paper aims to highlight the carnivorous origins of domestic dogs, review their major protein, vitamin and mineral requirements including some of the issues pertaining to inadequate pet food nutrition and develop a conclusion to the hypothesis: dogs can survive on a ‘vegetarian’ diet. TAXONOMY AND EVOLUTION All dogs, Family Canidae, are members of the Order Carnivora and possess the enlarged carnassial teeth associated with the carnivorous diet characteristic of this taxon (Wang et al., 2004). Carnivora is split into two suborders: Feliformia, which includes felids, and Caniformia which includes canids. The Suborder Caniformia is then further divided into two sister subfamilies: Cynoidea, which includes Canidae, and Arctoidea which includes the Mustelidae, Procyonidae, Ursidae and Pinnepedia. Canidae is reported to be the earliest diverging family of the Caniformia, approximately nine million years ago (Wayne O’Brien, 1987) and currently hosts 34 extant species of wolf, dog and fox. Domestication of dogs has been traced back approximately 15,000 years, with the earliest known C. familiaris fossil dating back 14,000 years (Sablin Khlopachev, 2002). The grey wolf (Canis lupus) was almost certainly the precursor species of the domestic dog, based on mitochondrial DNA sequencing (Garcia-Moreno et al., 1996). Studies on grey wolf diet have shown it to be a primary carnivore which is highly adaptable to variations in prey, whereas domestic dogs have a much wider tolerance of different food types, facilitated by the adaptation of three genes involved in starch metabolism (Axelsson et al., 2013). Distinctive breeds appear to have diverged approximately 3000-4000 years ago (Harcourt, 1974; Clutton-Brock, 1984), with the greyhound being one of the most ancient breeds, however modern domestic dogs are known to exhibit similar foraging behaviours to their wild ancestors (Bradshaw, 2006). The variation in size and therefore energy requirements of breeds within dogs is the largest of any mammalian species (Lauten, 2006). Therefore pet food must accommodate not only differences in breed and size, but also other factors such as age, activity, reproductive status, environment and health (FEDIAF, 2013). PHYSIOLOGY Cats are described as obligate carnivores because protein is metabolised for energy as well as functioning in structural and synthetic processes (Zoran, 2002). In contrast, dogs can survive on an omnivorous diet by adjusting the catabolism of protein within the body when fed a low-protein diet, and can metabolise glucose from higher concentrations of carbohydrate thereby reducing the need for proteinaceous energy (Zoran, 2002). Dogs are unable to synthesise ten essential amino acids which are required for the synthesis of protein within the body for structural and metabolic processes (Lotspeich, 1949). Therefore protein is in essential component of the diet, providing a vital source of essential amino acids. NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS For adult dogs, the minimum recommended level of protein within dry matter food is 18g/100gDM. For pregnancy and early growth stages, i.e. puppies under 14 weeks old, this requirement is increased to 25g/100gDM. Above 14 weeks old, but still before adulthood, a minimum of 20g/100gDM is recommended (FEDIAF, 2013). With every 1%DM increase in protein, an extra 0.01g of arginine is recommended (NRC, 2006). Pet food manufacturers are required to meet these minimum recommended amounts of dietary nutrition for the target consumer animal they are producing for (FEDIAF, 2013); this means that owners have peace of mind when choosing a diet for their dog, knowing that it is nutritionally balanced. However, constituents of pet food must meet optimal criteria for nutrition, palatability, digestibility and be economical (Thompson, 2008). If a food is too expensive, owners are likely to resort to a lower cost food or feed their dog upon scraps which increases the risk of an unbalanced diet and imp roper nutrition (Coffee et al., 1980). Table 1: Popular and premium dog food constituent comparisons. Prices with a sourced from Tesco (2015) or b from Petplanet (2015), dashes indicate no data. Dog Food Brand Dry/Wet Crude Protein (%) Fat (%) Crude Ash (%) Fibre (%) Moisture (%) Cost ( £/kg) Source Bakers Complete Tasty Beef Dry 21.0 10.0 8.0 2.5 2.66a Bakers (2015) Ceser Can with Chicken and Turkey Wet 9.0 5.0 0.3 83.0 3.73a Tesco (2015) Hi Life Feed Me with Turkey and Chicken Dry 21.0 7.0 3.0 21.0 2.50a Tesco (2015) Iams ProActive Health Adult Small Medium Breed Dry 26.0 15.0 7.4 3.0 8.0 2.50a Iams (2015) James Wellbeloved Adult Fish and Rice Dry 21.5 10.5 7.3 3.1 2.79b James Wellbeloved (2015) James Wellbeloved Adult Turkey and Rice Wet 6.5 4.0 1.5 0.5 81.0 4.66b Pedigree Complete Adult with Chicken Dry 21.0 13.0 3.0 12.0 2.50a Pedigree (2015) Pedigree Complete Puppy Nutrition Chicken and Rice Dry 28.0 16.0 2.5 12.0 2.33a Pedigree with Beef In Gravy Wet 7.0 5.5 0.5 81.0 1.50a Royal Canin Giant Adult Dry 28.0 20.0 5.2 1.8 8.0 2.93b Royal Canin (2014) Royal Canin Medium Adult Dry 25.0 14.0 5.9 1.2 9.5 2.93b Royal Canin X-Small Adult Dry 24.0 18.0 5.7 1.7 9.5 5.66b Tesco Everyday Value Beef Chunks in Gravy Wet 6.5 4.0 2.0 0.5 81.5 0.81a Tesco (2015) Tesco Everyday Value Complete Dog Food Dry 21.0 8.5 3.0 0.59a Wafcol Vegetarian Dog Food Dry 20.0 5.0 7.0 6.0 1.73b Petplanet (2015) DOG FOOD CONSTITUENTS Complete dog foods are those which are nutritionally balanced and suitable to be fed daily (FEDIAF, 2013). They meet the minimum FEDIAF standards and do not exceed maximal recommendations where stated (e.g. lysine during growth), although differences in protein, fat and carbohydrate ratios are seen among brands with cost typically increasing with protein content (Thompson, 2008), as described in table 1. Traditional dog foods use meat protein sourced from cuts of meat, viscera or meat meal and may be packaged in cans or within cereal based dry kibble which is treated with meat flavours to improve palatability (McGrane, 2006). Extrusion is a technique used in the production of about 95% of dry pet foods in order to improve the palatability and utilisation of protein through heat treatment (Bednar et al., 2000; Tran et al., 2008). Processing of soybeans is carried out to remove toxins such as lectin and protease inhibitors but also destroys the naturally high concentrations of B vitamins such a thiamine (Gregory, 1985; Hilton, 1987; LebiedziÅ„ska Szefer, 2006). Dietary protein may come from either animal or vegetable sources (NRC, 2006), with a huge increase in the usage of soybean products (ground soybeans, soy flour, soy hulls, soybean oil and concentrate) reducing production costs of pet food and facilitating the anthropomorphic ‘vegetarian’ diet which some owners are feeding their pets (McGrane, 2006). However, Kienzle Engelhard (2001) found that only two of the twelve commercially available foods investigated in their European study provided adequate nutrition according to recommendations set out by AAFCO, mainly on the basis of protein concentration. As shown in table 1, the vegetarian food had the lowest percentage of protein, and it has been suggested that the vegetable products those diets are made up of may not contain the correct balance of amino acids neccessary for a healthy dog (Coffee et al., 1980; Hilton, 1987). For example, arginine, which is required for optimal growth in young dogs and plays an intermediate role in the urea cycle (Burns et al., 1981; FEDIAF, 2013), cystine and methionine, both implemental in coat condition, are all naturally abundant in animal tissue (Wu Morris, 1998). The levels and source of dietary protein and the form it is delivered in can have significant effects on the health of a dog. For example, diets low in protein can cause hypoproteinemia (a low concentration of albumin and total protein in the blood) leading to edema (Weech et al., 1935) or pancreatitis in high-fat, low-protein diets (Lindsay et al., 1948). Zhao et al. (1997) demonstrated that assimilation of protein into the gut is limited by digestibility, which in turn is affected by the form of protein with a food. If the source of protein available within the food is intact, around 40% remains undigested but available within the ileum four hours after a meal. In comparison, hydrolysed proteins (those which have been broken down into constituent amino acids) have an absorption rate of over 70% within an hour in humans (Chung et al., 1979). EFFECTS OF A VEGETARIAN DIET Diets reduced in meat and fish are most often fed to dogs due to owner preference as opposed to health reasons; in studies recruiting pets fed vegetarian diets all owners report being vegetarian themselves (Kienzle Engelhard, 2001; Michel, 2006; Rothgerber, 2014). The reported effects of a vegetable-based diet for dogs are variable due to the low incidence of vegetarian dogs in the population and the lack of long term studies (Kienzle Engelhard, 2001). Some diets are strictly vegan and supplemented with vitamins and minerals, whereas others are more lenient and treated with meat-based products in order to increase palatability (Michel, 2006). In a study carried out across Germany, Switzerland and Belgium (Kienzle Engelhard, 2001), nutrient intake of 86 dogs fed a vegetarian diet was investigated through owner interviews and blood samples. The study found that protein intake was not sufficient in over half of those dogs tested, 62% showed sub-optimal calcium levels, 73% showed insufficient sodium intake and deficiencies in zinc, iron and vitamin D were also common. In a separate study, zinc deficiency caused by phytate, a zinc-binding molecule present in soybean meal, led to the development of skin conditions in puppies fed on a soy based diet (Sanecki et al., 1982). The high fibre content associated with vegetable and cereal foods can cause bowel irritation by affecting gastrointestinal motility and absorption of nutrients (Bueno et al., 1981; Earle et al., 1998). Proteins play a vital role in the condition of a dog’s coat, particularly those high in methionine and cystine amino acids because they synthesise keratin (Dethioux, 2008). Complete dog food diets contain these amino acids in suitable concentrations through meat protein, however vegetarian diets show a marked deficiency in these amino acids, and soy protein has a proven negative effect on serum lipids (Anderson et al., 1995); therefore the dog may suffer from alopecia and depleted coat condition when on a plant-protein diet (Dethioux, 2008). Thiamine is a vital part of carbohydrate metabolism and deficiency can severely affect parts of the body which have high energy requirements, such as the brain (Markovich et al., 2013). Clinical signs of thiamine deficiency may take weeks to develop, but will be characterised by a progressive loss of normal motor function such as a head tilt, falling and lack of coordination, ultimately ending in seizures and death if untreated (Markovich et al., 2013). Furthermore, soy has been identified in controlled studies as an important allergen, although incidences of soy allergies were significantly lower than those relating to beef and dairy (4.7% and 34.2% respectively) (Wills Harvey, 1994). Treatment for amino acid, vitamin and mineral deficiencies involve feeding a balanced nutritional diet appropriate for the dog’s size, age, activity level and health, which in a vegetarian diet is possible through the addition of supplements (Michel, 2006). CONCLUSION Proteins from non-meat sources are harder for dogs to digest and therefore are of less nutritional value than meat. While dogs can survive on this diet, the lack of sufficient protein and other dietary constituents such as vitamins and minerals will lead to improper nutritional value which can ultimately affect the health of the animal. From a manufacturer’s perspective, it is possible to create a vegetarian pet food which complies to AAFCO standards of nutritional content, however the economic savings of not using meat are offset by the need to add supplements and highly refined components to improve palatability and digestibility. For the owner, although they may feel less guilt by feeding their pet a vegetarian diet, they must feed a greater quantity to achieve similar levels of protein and nutrients within the animal (Rothberger, 2014) and the general healthy appearance of their pet is often diminished (Dethioux, 2008). Although dogs can survive on a diet of vegetarian-bas ed protein, the natural instincts of a hunting animal still exist from the ancestral wolf and given the opportunity a dog will forage for alternative sources of food (Bradshaw, 2006). The general literary consensus remains that dogs are opportunistic feeders within the Carnivora, and their physiology shows a preference for ingesting and digesting meat protein (Hilton, 1987).

Essay --

The tensions that would ultimately produce the 2013 shutdown began to take shape after Republicans, strengthened by the emergence of the Tea Party, won back a majority of the seats in the House of Representatives from the Democrats in 2010.[19][20][21][22] Even at that time, some conservative activists and Tea Party-affiliated politicians were already calling on congressional Republicans to be willing to shut down the government in order to force congressional Democrats and the President to agree to deep cuts in spending and to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which had been signed into law only a few months earlier. Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, a Republican who had presided over Congress during the last government shutdowns 15 years earlier, said in April 2010 that if Republicans won back control of Congress in the 2010 election, they should remove any funding for the Affordable Care Act in any appropriations bills they passed. Gingrich said Republicans needed to "be re ady to stand on principle" and should refuse to fund the new healthcare law even if their refusal would result in a shutdown of the government.[23] As the November 2010 congressional elections drew near, Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, a Republican from Georgia, said that if the Republicans won a majority of seats in the House, they would pass appropriation bills that the President would veto, leading to a government shutdown. Westmoreland told supporters: "We have put Band-Aids on some things that need to be cleaned out. That is going to take some pain. There's going to have to be some pain for us to do some things that we've got to do to right the ship."[24][25] Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, then running for office as the Republican Party's nominee, said that altho... ... and to curtailing the Environmental Protection Agency's authority to enforce the Clean Air Act and carbon dioxide emissions.[29][31] House Republicans gave Speaker John Boehner an ovation when he informed them that he was advising the House Administration Committee to begin preparations for a possible shutdown.[32] A budget deal was agreed to less than two hours before a shutdown would have begun.[33] Several similar funding crises resulting from disagreements over budgetary policy ensued in the following three years, with shutdowns being narrowly averted by last-minute deals each time.[34][35][36][37][38] Congressional Republicans remained committed to eliminating or undermining the Affordable Care Act, taking more than 40 largely symbolic votes passing bills to repeal or defund the act which the Democratic-controlled Senate rejected or refused to consider.[39][40]

European Animals The Major Part They Took In Forever Altering the Ecology of the Americas :: essays papers

European Animals The Major Part They Took In Forever Altering the Ecology of the Americas Although the Europeans presence in the Americas from 1492 to many years later caused drastic change in the environment, their part in forever altering the entire American ecosystem was minor when compared to the part of the true criminals: the European animals. The introduction of these European animals into the New World had the most destructive effects on the new environment and everlastingly altered the ecology of the Americas. During the time that pre-dated the arrival of the Europeans, the Americas remained basically untouched and prevailed as virgin land. The land was populated with not just American Indians, but also populated by vast numbers of plants and animals. These inhabitants "lived, died, and bred alone for generation after generation, developing unique cultures and working out tolerances," that is up until 1492, when Columbus and the European conquerors invaded the harmonious land and instantaneously initiated the many long years of corruption. The arrival of the Europeans immediately brought drastic changes to the way things were previously done in the Americas; they "immediately set about to transform as much of the new world as possible into the old world." Because they were people who practiced mixed farming with a heavy emphasis on herding and because they saw only very few domesticated animals in the new land, the Europeans began the action of importing Old World domesticated animals, such as the pig, cow, and horse. This action could most definitely be described as "the greatest biological revolution in the Americas since the end of the Pleistocene era." The Europeans had no idea as to what they unleashed upon the New World when they introduced their domesticated animals. Many of these animals flourished in the new environment beyond the wildest hopes of their European masters. The animals and their diseases "moved through the virgin lands of America faster than did the people who had brought them to the New World." By surpassing their masters, the animals became unstoppable, and their destruction was unfortunately boundless. Pigs, for example, existed as one among the many animal groups that played such a significant role in the changes that wrought the ecology of the New World. Out of all of the imported animals, the pigs adapted quickest to the new environment.

My Summer Vacation Essay

The dream summer vacation of every person only comes once in a lifetime. In the summer of 2014 i had just completed my first year of college and my parents wanted to take me some where I’ll always remember for my profound work. I had no clue of what their intentions were or what to even expect from them. My parents had invited just about all of our closes relatives and family friends to come along and celebrate the occasion with us. Majority of those that came brought gifts and money to encourage me to do well. Of course this made me the most thrilled person in the world, because I not only had family and friends over to celebrate but they also spent the night over for the trip my parents had put together to take us on. The following morning my Father woke everyone up at 2oclock in the morning to get situated and hit the road for the airport by 3oclock. How ironic they had everything planned out from the bathroom time to the seating in the vehicles. But yet each and every time I pampered the question in their heads as to where we were going they never answered me. Anxious to know I was, so i began thinking of all the possibilities of the places they’d consider going. I began to get drowsy from how early I woke up and all the curiosity running through my veins. After getting to the airport at 4oclock our flight finally left at 6:45am and we arrived at our destination into Fort Lauderdale, Florida. We collected our bags and was on our journey once again this time it had felt as if we had been driving forever. I had woken up to screams and shouting from almost everyone around me, yet I still had no clue as to what was going on. As my dad was trying to find a parking spot I started to look out the window in search of any clues that could help me figure out where exactly we were. Once we pasted the entrance my eyes blew up when I saw the words Carnival Cruise Lines. After seeing all the commercials with all the festivities that occur, all the famous people that appear in person, the amazing games and family activities, the theatre and food that was on board, this was indeed the place I would give the world to go to. When asked by my parents how I liked my gift, I became lost for words and could only smile for how happy and filed with joy I was.

Succubus Dreams CHAPTER 6

I hadn't realized how late it was until I showed up at Seth's around two. He actually wasn't writing for a change, and I found him sprawled on the couch, flipping through late night television programming. â€Å"Hey,† I said, dropping my coat and purse near the door. He glanced up from the TV. Its light cast ghostly shadows on his face in the darkness. â€Å"Sorry it's so late. Something came up.† â€Å"Yeah,† he said, voice still flat. â€Å"I can tell.† Immediately, I caught his meaning. It was a sign of how well he'd come to know me and recognize subtle succubus signals. I was wreathed in Jude's life energy. Immortals would actually perceive it as a literal glow. Mortals couldn't see it, but they could sense something insanely alluring and attractive about me. Usually, they just wrote it off as a sign of my beauty. Seth knew better. When he sensed it around me, he knew what I'd been doing. I hated for him to see me like this, but it was inevitable. â€Å"Sorry. It's what I do. You know that.† â€Å"Yeah,† he agreed, sounding tired – mentally tired, not physically tired. He straightened up. â€Å"But did you have to do it tonight? You trying to punish me for standing you up?† I sat down in the armchair across from him. The energy from Jude burned through me and made me feel alive. I didn't want a fight with Seth to ruin my good mood, particularly after I'd been so annoyed for most of the evening. â€Å"I did it to survive. I wasn't trying to get back at you.† He sighed and stared off into a dark corner. â€Å"It's so hard sometimes.† I moved over to the couch, scooting up beside him. â€Å"I know.† He slid his arm around my shoulders and regarded me with a look both tender and exasperated. Leaning down, he brushed his lips against my neck. The small touch made my blood burn. â€Å"God, you're beautiful. I just wish it wasn't the result of some other guy.† â€Å"Yeah,† I said. â€Å"Me too.† â€Å"Sorry I blew up.† â€Å"You call that blowing up?† I asked. â€Å"That was nothing.† â€Å"And I'm sorry I stood you up. That wasn't right.† Seth had moved up my neck and now nibbled my ear. I closed my eyes and tilted my head back. â€Å"It's okay,† I assured him. â€Å"Really.† â€Å"You're awfully forgiving.† â€Å"Hey, what can I say? Christmas love and kindness, right?† He laughed and ran his fingers through my hair. â€Å"For someone allegedly so evil, you sure are good.† â€Å"Well,† I said, pressing into him. â€Å"I'm not that good. I'm thinking some very bad thoughts right now.† â€Å"Yeah. Me too. If our thoughts condemn us, I think I'm headed straight for Hell.† â€Å"No, you aren't. Hugh says your soul's like a supernova. You're going straight to the pearly gates.† Warm love and desire enfolded us, supplanting the cold tension. Yet as we curled up and chatted about light topics, I couldn't help but morosely think this was a common scene between us. Fight. Brood. Apologize. Snuggle. In all the fantasies of a stable relationship that I'd harbored over the last millennium, this pattern had never been a part of them. After a while, we sort of surpassed snuggling and moved onto something of a more adult nature. At least I did. Sometimes Seth could be coaxed into sating his lust, though it always made him incredibly self-conscious. Me, I loved watching him come. He was always so damnably blas? ¦ that seeing him lose control in an orgasm almost did more for me than my own climax. He apparently had the same feelings toward me and was content to simply watch me touch myself tonight. After not getting off with Jude, I was more than happy to take things into my own hands. When I finished, languid and content afterward, he lay down on the couch beside me, lacing his fingers with mine. â€Å"I don't think I'll ever get tired of that,† he sighed. â€Å"You should finish yourself off.† â€Å"I'm okay.† â€Å"You sure?† He smiled. â€Å"Self-control, Thetis. Self-control. Besides, I have a good imagination. Sometimes it's enough to pretend I'm the one doing that to you.† I shivered as an image of Seth played in my mind, his body inside of me while I came, muscles clenching around him as I cried out his name and dug my nails into his back. â€Å"Jesus,† I said softly, closing my eyes. â€Å"Yeah.† We realized then that it was really late and started getting ready for bed. When I emerged from the bathroom after brushing my teeth, I found him waiting for me in the bedroom with a small box. He handed it over. â€Å"I told you I had an early present.† I turned the package over in my hands, running my fingertips over the edges. It had been wrapped in gold paper and had a red bow. Judging from the sloppy wrapping and misaligned ribbon, I was willing to bet he'd wrapped it himself. I offered up a small grin. â€Å"It's way too early. Presents before Christmas? That's not right. I mean, I'm not that evil.† He sat back on the bed, leaning against the headboard, looking supremely pleased with himself. â€Å"Well, I am. I guess my soul just dimmed a little. Open it.† Sitting down as well, I hesitantly tore the paper. There was no question in my mind that this was a jewelry box. The question was: What kind? Seth occasionally showed a romantic spirit, but he wasn't the type to do anything crazy like propose. At least I didn't think so. Hoping for a tennis bracelet, I instead found a ring. But it wasn't an engagement ring, not in the current way of thinking. It was one of the modern recreations of the Byzantine rings. Only this wasn't one of the ones we'd seen at Erik's, not exactly. It was platinum for one thing, glowing soft and silvery in the dim lighting. The smooth disc on top had a dolphin engraved in it, decorated with a few tiny, embedded sapphires. I stared at it, unsure what to say. â€Å"Do you like it?† Seth asked, a hint of nervousness in his voice. â€Å"I†¦yeah. Yes, I do. Very much.† My words came out haltingly. â€Å"You seemed so sad about losing the other one that I thought maybe this would be a nice substitute.† He looked so rapt and excited that I couldn't bear to tell him that not only had I not lost the original ring, I'd actually hidden it away in the closet so as never to see it again. This one was very different, true, but the similarities were strong enough to dredge up all the dark feelings I tried to keep buried, memories of a sunny day long ago when my husband – the husband I'd eventually betrayed – had slipped the other one onto my finger at our wedding. â€Å"It's beautiful,† I said after a long stretch of silence, needing to reassure him. It had been very kind, after all. Seth didn't know my history or the pain intertwined with it. â€Å"Why a dolphin?† â€Å"Yeah†¦it's kind of cutesy and trendy, but†¦well, none of those Greek letters meant much to me. But I read something about dolphins being important in old religions on Cyprus, so†¦Ã¢â‚¬  That brought a true smile to my face. â€Å"Yeah. They were. Messengers from the sea gods. Good fortune and all that.† Something occurred to me. â€Å"We saw these at Erik's, like, a couple days ago – but not this one. How'd you get it? Did he have more in stock? Or did you go somewhere else?† His eyes crinkled with amusement. â€Å"Hey, I'm learning your powers of persuasion. I got in contact with the artist and commissioned it.† Good lord. Seth had had a custom ring – a platinum custom ring – made right before Christmas. And he'd had it done in a matter of days. The cost must have been through the roof. The queasy feeling in my stomach intensified. Observing my silence, his smile faltered. â€Å"You sure you like it?† â€Å"Yeah, yeah†¦of course. I just†¦I'm sorry, I don't know what to say. It's great.† I slipped it onto my right ring finger. It fit perfectly. Hesitantly, I met his eyes. â€Å"This is a, uh, friendship ring right?† â€Å"Yeah, don't worry. If I propose, you'll know it. For one thing, I'll be hyperventilating.† A sly smile – surprisingly sexy – turned up his lips. â€Å"And it'll be a ruby.† â€Å"Rubies? No diamonds? Too expensive for the old writer's salary, huh?† He made a disparaging grunt at that. â€Å"No, I just think diamonds are common, that's all. If I get married, it'll be because something uncommon is occurring. Besides, you wear a lot of red, right? I know how important it is for your accessories to match.† I snorted at that and let him draw me into the bed. He fell asleep quickly, as always, but I lay there, touching the ring. Its metal had warmed to my skin, and I could trace the dolphin and sapphires with my fingertip. The unpleasant memories the ring stirred up hadn't abated, but somehow, lying in his embrace, they seemed a little less painful. Sleep finally came to me, and I immediately started dreaming – the dream. I was back in the kitchen, surrounded by all the same vivid sights, smells, and sounds as before. My hands in the water. The scent of orange soap. â€Å"Sweet Home Alabama.† It was a repeat of what I'd seen before, my dream-self washing dishes and humming along to the music. She glanced behind her into the other room. This was where the dream had ended last time. Now it kept going. A little girl sat in the living room, about two years old. She was on a blanket on the floor, surrounded by stuffed animals and other toys. She clutched a plush giraffe in her hands. It rattled when she shook it. As though sensing my dream-self's gaze, the little girl looked up. She had plump cheeks that hadn't quite lost their baby fat. Wispy, light brown curls covered her head, and her hazel eyes were large and framed with dark lashes. She was adorable. Behind her on the couch, Aubrey lay curled up in a tight little ball. Another cat – covered in orange-and-brown patches – sprawled nearby. I'd never seen it before. A delighted smile spread over the little girl's face, creating a dimple in one check. A powerful wave of love and joy spread through my dream-self, emotions that my watching self felt. I knew then – knew in a way I couldn't explain but knew with absolute certainty – that this girl was my daughter. I woke up. Just like last time, morning had arrived with almost no passage of time for me. Sunlight again poured through the windows, and beside me, Seth still slept. Also like last time, my energy was gone. I was drained. But the ache of that missing energy was nothing compared to the ache I felt from being ripped out of the dream, of being stripped of the powerful emotions my dream-self had felt for that little girl. Her daughter. My daughter. No, that was impossible, I scolded myself. Succubi could have no children. I'd left that path behind when I sold my soul. It had felt so real, though. So intense. It was impossible for me to have a child, but in that dream, she had been mine. No doubts. Even now, I felt that maternal tug, and not having her here right now tore at my heart. And again, I told myself that was stupid. Dreams weren't real. That's why they were†¦well, dreams. And I had bigger problems to deal with. Like the missing energy. Beside me, Seth stirred and unconsciously pulled the covers around him, leaving me uncovered. I yanked them back, and he turned toward me, opening sleepy eyes. â€Å"Hey,† he said. â€Å"What gives?† â€Å"Not you, apparently.† â€Å"Not you either, apparently.† â€Å"Hey, I'm the evil one, remember?† We bantered a bit more and continued playing tug-of-war with the covers. I put on a smiling face so I wouldn't have to explain my problems to him. Finally, I slipped away, though part of me wished I could stay in bed for the rest of the day. Dreaming. But Seth had writing to do, and I had an afternoon shift to work. Back home, I found Vincent up and around, making breakfast in the kitchen with Yasmine. They greeted me boisterously, giggling over some conversation that had occurred before my entrance. â€Å"You want some eggs?† he asked me, catching a stick of butter tossed over by Yasmine. Presumably they'd gone grocery shopping since I hadn't had any butter in my kitchen before this. Or any food, really. â€Å"No thanks,† I said, settling myself on a stool. â€Å"I already ate.† â€Å"You're missing out,† she said. â€Å"Vincent makes eggs that are so decadent, they're totally sending him straight to Hell.† Setting a skillet on the stove, he turned on the burner, listening to the clicking sound made while the gas took a moment to ignite. â€Å"Oh, it's the eggs that are going to do it, huh? Last time you told me it was going to be my parking.† The angel's eyes sparkled with mischief. She'd pulled her sleek black hair up into a ponytail, making her look very young. Ironic, considering her age was beyond human or succubus comprehension. â€Å"Oh, geez. Yeah. I forgot about that. Huh. Now there's a toss-up. I'm not sure which is going to send you down below faster. Needing a stick of butter to cook two eggs or parallel parking three feet from the curb.† He jabbed her arm with a wooden spoon. â€Å"Three feet? You know, I've never even seen you drive a car. The only thing you drive is me – crazy.† â€Å"Oh yeah, whatever. You were crazy before I ever came along.† Glancing back and forth between them as they bickered further, I realized they'd forgotten my presence. Feeling intrusive, I discretely backed away, down the hall and to my bedroom. Closing the door, I glanced in astonishment at Aubrey. She sprawled on my bed, warmed by a patch of sunshine. â€Å"Has that been going on all morning, Aub?† Yawning, she blinked at me with green eyes and then curled into a perfect white ball – similar to the position I'd seen her in in the dream. She covered her face with one paw. Um, okay. This was unexpected. I mean, was I crazy? Or had they†¦had Yasmine and Vincent been flirting? I mean, sure she was a friendly angel and everything, but that†¦yes, the more I thought about it, the more I believed they had been flirting. More than flirting. Weirder still, it hadn't been the kind of banter two people toss back and forth during the courtship phase either. It was the familiar teasing of two people who had been together for a long time, two people so utterly comfortable in each other's presence that they could almost finish each other's sentences. It was like the phenomenon Erik had described with Seth and me. â€Å"They're in love,† I told Aubrey disbelievingly. She continued to ignore me. How did that even work? They couldn't be sleeping together. I'd learned a while back that doing that would make an angel fall, and Yasmine was still clearly on the side of truth and justice. So what did that mean? Was it okay if an angel loved a human so long as they stayed physically apart? Something inside of me didn't think so. After seeing how prudish Joel had been, I felt pretty confident even a chaste love affair wouldn't fly with him or the others. So none of them probably knew, not even Carter. And honestly, I didn't know if I wanted to know. I was a sucker for star-crossed lovers, but those relationships never actually ended well. Grabbing some clothes and heading for the shower, I realized I might be witnessing a romance even more fucked up than my own. Who'd have thought that could happen? I guessed with angels, miracles really were possible. I finished showering and drying my hair, still pondering the puzzle of this love affair. I headed back out to the living room, wondering if I'd find more flirtatious behavior. Instead, what I found was a familiar and unwelcome immortal signature. Slimy and musky. Niphon was sitting on my couch.