Leadrship Development and business Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Leadrship Development and business Ethics - Essay Example orders illegally from their clients was exposed in 2004 when a senior executive of the Company, Michael Kutschenreuter, received a worrisome call from Al Etsalat, an employee of a Saudi Consulting firm. Kutschenreuter was actually requesting for $910 dollars bribe for having assisted the Siemens Company to obtain telecommunication contract with the Saudi Arabia government. Al Etsalat threatened to expose the scandal to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, if the Siemens Company failed to pay him the agreed bribe. Kutschenreuter reported the matter to the Siemens management Company, and the Company agreed to pay Al Etsalat $50 millions so as to settle the matter. After the Kutschenreuter’s revelation, another senior executive of the company, Reinhardt Siekaczek , confessed of being aware of the Siemens’s Company management use of illegal means to obtain contracts from the clients. As the consequence, investigation was done, and the Company management were prosecuted for involvement in illegal deals. One of such deal was the illegal payment of 6 million Euros to an Italian government owned Company, Enel, so as to secure power generation equipment contract. The management of the Siemens Company were found guilty of bribery, and the Company was fined $ 51.4 million for the crime. The managers of the Company were also punished accordingly for the crime. Thereafter, the Siemens Company was prosecuted for many such crimes, and the Company lost more than $1.6 billion in fines for bribery. And in a move aimed at enabling the workers of the Siemens Company to freely give evidence of what really was happening in the Company, the workers were granted amnesty. This move enabled the workers to give evidence freely, without any fear of prosecution. A look at the Siemens’ company management manner of doing business and making profits, shows that the managers were guided by the utilitarian ethical principle, whereby it is the end that justifies the means; in other

Mgt 401 Week 2 Essay Example for Free

Mgt 401 Week 2 Essay Business Model Comparison Most small businesses require some outside funding. Not many entrepreneurs have enough personal capital to open and maintain funding for a business. To attract investors and attain partnerships, a business owner should consider a business model necessary. This paper will compare two restaurant businesses, identify the business model and forms of ownership for each business by completing a Comparison of Business matrix, describe benefits by building a sustainable competitive advantage, and giving advantages and disadvantages of each business ownership. Great introduction. You state the purpose and what you plan to address! McDonald’s restaurants are among the most recognizable in the world. Their quintessential arches can be identified in almost every country. This fast-food mogul is one of the biggest and most profitable corporations in the industry (what industry? Make sure you provide information on the restaurant industry). Serving as a polar opposite is Datillo’s restaurant in Hemet, California. This small restaurant is known as the only fine dining experience in town and has only one location. The companies both represent the polar opposites of forms of business ownership. Comparison of Businesses Matrix |Comparison Items |McDonald’s |Datillo’s | | |Fast food, low quality, low prices. |Sit-down restaurant, high quality, and | | | |mid-level prices | |Value Proposition |â€Å"We place the customer experience at the core|â€Å"Welcome home, here you can enjoy a casual | | |of all we do† |lunch or dinner in a warm, festive | | | (Values In Action, 2013). |atmosphere.† | | | | (Datillos Ristorante: About Us, 2013). | |Target Market |All Markets, all classes |All Markets, all classes | |Value Chain |Attractive to people looking for inexpensive |Attractive to people looking for a fine dining| | |and fast food. Fast growth rate. |experience. Can compete with rivals on quality| | | |and service. | |Revenue |In 2012 gross income was $27.6 Billion. |In 2012 gross income was | | | |$459,000. | |Position |More opportunity for expansion and |Unique cuisine (niche) offers competitive | | |competitive advatange |advantage, less opportunity for expansion | |Competitive St rategy |Serving food at the lowest possible price |Only fine dining in town. Authentic Italian | | |while reserving as much quality. Also reliant|food, very high quality products. | | |on nostalgia to bring customers back. | | |Form of Ownership |Corporation: When a business is owned by |Sole Proprietorship: a business that is owned | | |multiple people and run by lower-lying |and managed by one person. | | |managers and employees. | | Good information! Benefits To Building A Competitive Advantage When evaluating the benefits of each business, it is important to consider the size of each business. As an example, both sole proprietorships and partnerships are relatively small in size and may perhaps provide more personalized service to each of their clients. In many businesses, customers appreciate personalized service and may in turn hire small businesses for that service. On the other hand, a larger business, like McDonald’s, typically is composed of more resources and may offer the prospective customer a lower price. Another competitive advantage of a smaller business, like Datillo’s, is the ability to provide customers with a higher level of quality. Because customers of small businesses deal more closely with a ‘tight nit’ group of employees, the quality and service provided to the customer is much greater than a larger corporation composed of numerous locations. Both small and large businesses each have distinct advantages that enable them each to thrive. Although some customers may appreciate the more personalized service of small businesses, others may prefer a lower price and a larger name brand. Make sure paragraphs are a minimum of 3 sentences! Advantages and Disadvantages of Business Ownership McDonald is known for the quality the restaurant serves, and the opportunities the McDonald restaurant offer. McDonalds has been number one in the fast-food market in the United States, and the most memorable brands, products, and mascots. McDonalds franchise owner can be safer than lesser-known franchises because the McDonalds name and operational model comes packaged with its own legion of loyal customers and industry-best practices for restaurant success. A franchise store such as McDonalds can help business owners to achieve financial independence by associating with an international powerhouse that can almost guarantee a certain degree of success. Another advantages of McDonald have is that McDonald’s cis that they can invest behind any market research it does and eliminates the need for a franchisee to do expensive research. Although McDonald it has its advantages, there are disadvantages associate with McDonalds. The restaurants have been target in a battle against what has been term the obesity epidemic, casting McDonalds outlets along with their owners in a highly negative light in the media, and their communities. McDonalds and its peers respond to this negativity by attempting to add healthy options to their menu, but the stigma is likely to linger. One of the advantages Dattilo’s Restaurants is that the restaurant’s offers an extensive classic Italian menu, comprised of items made from locally sourced premium quality ingredients, cooked to orde r for each guest. The restaurant uses authentic and healthy Italian accent. Dattilo’s also offers Internet special discounts and family gathering for its customers (Dattilo’s Ristorante, 2013). The disadvantage is Dattilo’s restaurant location are limited, the restaurant has not expanded their services statewide. Confusing sentence, consider rewording! Conclusion A business model is one essential factor in the success of a business. The business models of McDonald’s and Dattilo’s are much different but both successful. McDonald’s is a major corporation with thousands of locations and Dattilo’s with just one, but both have been in business for many years. There are advantages and disadvantages of both types of businesses, but regardless building a sustainable competitive advantage is achievable. The two restaurants compared in this paper offer different levels of quality, service, and cuisine, thus requiring a different level of ownership that each business model relays. References Datillos Ristorante: (2013).About Us, 2013, rRetrieved from: http://dattiloristorante.com/?page_id=8 McDonald’s: Values in Action, 2013, retrieved from: http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/home.html |Content and Organization |Points |Comments: | |70 Percent |Earned: 6.5 | | |Profile of a Small Business (Week 2) | |All key elements of the | | | |assignment are | | | |covered†¦good job! | | |Y | | | | | | | | |You clearly identify the| | | |two businesses but make | | |Y |sure you clearly | | | |identify the industry. | | | | | | |N |Good job explaining the | | | |advantages and | | | |disadvantages. | | |N | | | | |Make sure you provide | | | |academic and business | | | |research to validate | | | |your thoughts and | | |Y |opinions. | | | | | | | | | | | |Your introduction | | | |clearly states your | | | |purpose and what you | | | |plan to address. | | |Y | | | | | | | | |Your conclusion needs to| | | |review the major points | | |Y |of the paper- good job | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Y | | | | | | | | | | | |Y | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Y | | |All key elements of the assignment are covered in a substantive way. | | | |700 to 1050 word count | | | |The content is comprehensive, accurate, and/or persuasive. | | | |The paper develops a central theme or idea, directed toward the appropriate | | | |audience. | | | |The paper links theory to relevant examples of current experience and industry | | | |practice and uses the vocabulary of the theory correctly. | | | |Major points are stated clearly; are supported by specific details, examples, | | | |or analysis; and are organized logically. | | | | | | | |Identify an industry with which you are familiar, and then choose two | | | |businesses in that industry. | | | | | | | |Identify the business model and forms of ownership for each business, then | | | |complete the Comparison of Businesses Matrix. | | | | | | | |Describe benefits associated with each business by evaluating how they built a | | | |sustainable competitive advantage. | | | | | | | |Explain advantages and disadvantages of each business’s ownership. | | | |The introduction provides sufficient background on the topic and previews major| | | |points. | | | |The conclusion is logical, flows from the body of the paper, and reviews the | | | |major points. | | | | | | | |Readability and Style |Points Earned: 1.5 |Comments: | |15 Percent | | | | | |Great job†¦your sentences| | | |are well-written and | | |Y |error free. | | | | | | |Y | | | | | | | |Y | | | | | | | |Y | | | | | | | | | | | |Y | | |Paragraph transitions are present and logical and maintain the flow throughout | | | |the paper. | | | |The tone is appropriate to the content and assignment. | | | |Sentences are complete, clear, and concise. | | | |Sentences are well-constructed, with consistently strong, varied sentences. | | | |Sentence transitions are present and maintain the flow of thought. | | | | | | | |Mechanics |Points |Comments: | |15 Percent |Earned: 1 | | | | | | | | |Research adds validity | | |N |to your thoughts and | | | |ideas. Continue to | | | |expand your use. You | | |N |provide no business | | | |research or materials | | |N |from class. | | |Y |Ensure paragraphs are | | | |complete thoughts and | | |Y |flow into each section. | | | | | | | | | | | |Please continue to | | | |review the CWE and APA | | | |guidelines. | |The paper, including the title page, reference page, tables, and appendices, | | | |follow APA guidelines for format. | | | |Citations of original works within the body of the paper follow APA guidelines.| | | |The paper is laid out with effective use of headings, font styles, and white | | | |space. | | | |Rules of grammar, usage, and punctuation are followed. | | | |Spelling is correct. | | | | | | | | | |Comments: | | | |Great work team! | | |Points earned: |9 |

Do We See With Our Eyes or Brain?

Do We See With Our Eyes or Brain? Perceiving our world may seem simple and may be taken for granted. Yet, the occipital lobes form the largest part of the cortex and are dedicated to visual perception. As light enters the pupils and hits the retina, a two dimensional image is created and sent to the occipital lobes through geniculate and striate pathways. The occipital lobes process the visual information, deciphering and generating an image which we understand. Thus it is argued that we see with our brain, not with our eyes. This essay will illustrate supporting evidence for this statement found in research of visual illusions. For instance, we will discuss the Ebbinghause illusion as well as Milner and Goodales (1995) vision for action and vision for perception model. Additionally, the Mà ¼ller-Lyer illusion as explained by Gregory (1996) will be discussed as well as the checker shadow illusion (Adelson, 1993). The Ebbinghaus illusion, is a well-known cognitive illusion whereby two circles are central to smaller or larger circles respectively. These smaller circles surround the central circle. While both central circles are the same diameter, the surrounding circles provide a context which confused our perception of the size of these central circles. Thus, we perceive the central circles to be different in size (Giusberti, Cornoldi, De Beni, Massironi 1998). Milner and Goodale (1995) suggested the existence of two different visual systems in the brain which fulfil different functions. One system is for vision for action and guides motor actions through the dorsal pathway. This system is active when grasping for items. The second system is vision for perception through the ventral pathway, and controls perception and object recognition (Goodale Milner, 1992). Supporting the notion of two visual systems, studies (Aglioti, DeSouza, Goodale, 1995; Vishton, 2004) have shown that participants asked to grasp the central circles in the an Ebbinghaus illusion fashioned from physical disc objects, the scale of their grip aperture was not affected by the illusion and the effect of illusion on their misjudgement of size decreased. However, this theory has been challenged (Franz, Fahle, Bulthoff, Gegenfurtner, 2001; Smeets Brenner, 2006) by contradictory findings reporting no dissociation between action and perception, and which have found grasping to be insensitive to the illusion. Rose Bressan (2002) state that no single hypothesis has yet sufficiently explain the mechanism behind the Ebbinghaus illusion. The Mà ¼ller-Lyer illusion contains two lines of equal length which appear to be unequal when an inward and outward directed angle is placed at the ends. The line with inward pointing angle appears to be longer whereas the line with outward pointing angle appears to be shorter. Gregory (1966) suggests that although what we see is a two dimensional parallel line, our brain uses its knowledge of the third dimension to erroneously add information to the stimuli resulting in our interpretation that one line is longer than the other. Size constancy is explained as the brains ability to estimate size (Weidner, Boers, Mathiak, Dammers, Fink, 2010). The visual system is able to acquire a stable perceived size, despite the fact the image reflected on the retina changes (Sperandio, Chen, Goodale, 2014). We therefore perceive an image created by our brain by a combination of the retinal image size and distance information. The checker shadow illusion (Adelson,1993) relates to our perception of colour and brightness. Visual information processed by our occipital lobes is continually adjusted and colours perceived are due to the interpretation of our surroundings. The illusion is created from a chessboard with varying dark and light squares. In the right top corner is a cylinder which reflects its shadow on the board. Two squares are marked with â€Å"A† and â€Å"B† on the chessboard. Square â€Å"A† is a dark square outside of the cylinder’s shadow. Square â€Å"B† is a light square under the shadow of the cylinder. Square â€Å"A† is perceived as darker than â€Å"B†. However, they are exactly the same colour. Adelson (1993) provides two levels of explanation for this illusion. As per the visual system explanation, cues are used to identify the changes in brightness due to shadows. One of these cues are the local contrasts, the squares on the chessboard are darker and lighter. The light coloured square â€Å"B† is surrounded by dark squares and it appears to be lighter compared to its surroundings, although it is darker due to the shadow. The second cue is variation due to the shadow which has soft edges. The visual system tends to ignore the slight brightness changes, also the object casting the shadow is visible. Hence, the colour variation of the squares with sharp edges is interpreted by our occipital lobes as changes in surface colour. A more general explanation provided by Adelson (1993) suggests it is important to break down the larger image into smaller meaningful components to see the essence of the objects. The phenomena of visual illusions provide a good examples of the limitation of visual perception. Moreover, it indicates that the brain adds information such as depth cues to the raw visual input from our eyes to make sense of the 2 dimensional retinal images. For instance, as with the Ebbinghaus illusion, the human brain combines context information naturally. The neighbouring smaller and larger circles impact on our judgement of size resulting in the central circles to appear different in size when this is not the case. Goodale and Milner (1994) hypothesized the Ebbinghaus illusion to result from double dissociation between grasping and shape perception. Furthermore, the Mà ¼ller-Lyer illusion (Gregory, 1968) suggests the brain adds knowledge of third dimension cues to 2 dimensional retinal images. The explanation based on size constancy refers to the brain reinterpreting the scene based on the assumption that inward angles appears to be closer and hence the line appears to be sho rter. Adelsons (1993) checker shadow illusion provides multiple explanations. As per the visual system theory, cues of brightness from the chessboard and shadow, sharp and soft edges of contrast lead to a perceived change in surface colour. While we see with our eyes in the sense that information enters the visual system via this aperture, it is our brain’s occipital lobes which process this information. The examples provided from visual illusions provide supporting evidence of this process. References Adelson, E. H. (1993) Perceptual organization and the judgement of brightness. Science, 262(5142), 2042-2045. Aglioti, S., DeSouza, J. F., Goodale, M.A. (1995). Size-contrast illusions deceive the eye but not the hand. Current Biology, 5, 679–685. Franz, V. H., Fahle, M., Bulthoff, H. H., Gegenfurtner, K. R. (2001). Effects of visual illusions on grasping. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 27, 1124-1144. Giusberti, F., Cornoldi, C., De Beni, R., Massironi, M. (1998). Perceptual Illusions in Imagery, European Psychologist, 3(4), 281-288. Goodale, M. A., Milner, A. D. (1992). Separate visual pathways for perception and action. Trends in Neurosciences, 15, 20–25. Gregory, R. L. (1966). Eye and Brain, The psychology of seeing. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson . Haart, O., Grace, E., Carey, D. P., Milne, A. B. (1999). More thoughts on perceiving and grasping the Mà ¼ller–Lyer illusion. Neuropsychologia, 37(13), 1437-1444. Milner, A. D., Goodale, M. A. (1995). The visual brain in action. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. Rose, D., Bressan, P. (2002). Going round in circles: shape effects in the Ebbinghouse Illusion, Spatial Vision,15(2), 191–203. Smeets, J. B., Brenner, E. (2006). 10 years of illusions. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 32, 1501–1504. Sperandio, I., Chen, J., Goodale, M. (2014). Electrophysiological correlates of size constancy. Journal of Vision, 14(10), 146-146. Vishton, P. M. (2004). Human vision focuses on information relevant to a task, to the detriment of information that is not relevant. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 27(1), 53-54. Weidner, R., Boers, F., Mathiak, K., Dammers, J. Fink, G. R. (2010). The temporal dynamics of the Mà ¼ller-Lyer illusion. Cerebral Cortex, 20(7), 1586-1595. The effect of recall latency on primacy and recency effect in a word recall test. SID1250948, STU1250948 Anglia Ruskin University Word count for report 2: Abstract This present study investigates the recency effect in the presence of distracter task which stands in line with the Atkinson and Shiffrin multi store memory model. The serial position effect was observed where 132 randomly selected people were asked to recall simple words in a series of six rounds which included three distracting tasks. A recency effect was observed in the presence of a distracter task. As with previous studies of recency effect was observed contradicting the predictions of the multi store model. The result of the report is in contrast with the findings of Bjork and Whitten (1970), as they revealed that the interpolated basic mathematics task which creates delay, still resulted in striking recency effect. Introduction In free word recall test, the serial position effect produced provides support for the multi store model of memory as it was previously investigated (Deese Kauffman, 1957, Glanzer Kunitz 1966). Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968) explain the U-shape of the serial position as the primacy effect is due to the first words being transferred to the long-term memory and the recency effect emerges from the short-term memory. Higher recall initially occurs due to participants rehearsing of the words at the beginning of the list, allowing encoding these words into long term memory. The decline of the U shape occurs due to insufficient rehearsal time while exceeding the capacity of short term memory which is 7 -+2 as per Miller’s (1976) findings. However when testing the primacy and recency effects with delayed recall, Whitten and Bjork (1974) found a striking effect of recency during the distraction condition of a free word recall test, thus contradicting the predictions of the multi store model Atkinson and Shiffrin (1960) and suggestions of Rundus (1971). The present aims to assess the prediction of the Atkinson Shiffrin multi store model in relation to recency effect in the presence of distracting task prior to word recall. Based on the multi store model it is hypothesized that there will be higher percentage of word recall earlier in the list for immediate recall condition thus demonstrating a primacy effect. Furthermore it is predicted that there will be a lower percentage of word recalled after distraction task demonstrating a lack of recency effect. Methods Design A repeated measures experiment was performed using a free word recall test. Recall latency was our 2 level independent variable (immediate recall, and delayed recall at 30 seconds). Percentage of word recalled was our dependent variable. Procedure Participants completed the free word recall test, consisting of 6 lists. Each list contained 12 emotionally neutral words. Words were displayed for 2 seconds with 3 seconds interval. Upon display completion, participants were instructed to recall and write down as many words as possible. Every second list contained a distracter task where participants were asked to perform 10 simple arithmetic exercises lasting a total of 30 seconds. Participants could proceed with the next word list once they could not recall any more words. Participants Two hundred and sixty-four students from Anglia Ruskin University were randomly contacted via Students Records. Every second person was recruited into the experimental sample providing a total of 132 participants (30 males) aged 18 to 44 years old (M= 19.87). Participant received course credits for taking part in the experiment. All participants were given written consent and the experiment was approved by the ethics committee of the university. Materials The experiment was performed in an Information Technology classroom providing participants with desktop computers to display word lists. The 6 emotionally neutral word lists each consisted of 12 one to two syllable words. The arithmetic exercises provided as a delay task consisted of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division with numbers below 100. Participants were supplied with a pen and answering sheet. Results The primacy effect was more prevalent for both immediate word recall (M=55.49, SD=33.36) and delayed recall (M=42.92, SD=33.36) than the recency effect for immediate recall (M=48.85, SD=31.37) and delayed recall (M=35.51, SD=31.37). Testing hypothesis 1, a repeated measures t-test was performed comparing primacy (M= 49.20, SD= 24.10) and recency (M= 42.18, SD= 21.81) effect regardless of recall latency. A significant difference was observed demonstrating a larger effect of primacy on percentage of words recalls, t(263)= 4.37, p There was a significant difference in the scores for primacy effect immediate and primacy effect delayed conditions (t(132)=3.45, p A significant difference was also found in recency effect between scores for immediate and delayed conditions (t(132)=3.95, p Discussion A higher percentage of words were recalled at start than at the end of the word list providing support for our first hypothesis that a primacy effect would be more prevalent than a recency effect. Our second hypothesis was also supported as the percentage of word recall at the start and end of the word lists were both reduced by the distractor task lowering the effect of both primacy and recency. Our findings stand in line with Bjork and Whitten (1974). Differences between Bjork Whitten study for instance, our study employed 132 participants compared to their 20, reflecting the higher statistic power of our analyses. Furthermore, Bjork and Whittens distractor task lasted for 12 second compared to our 30 seconds. As such our distractor task would exceed the time of the short term memory (Miller, 1954) while Bjork Whitten’s distractor would not allowing for a greater effect of recency. Our experiment provided additional support (Rundus, 1971) for Atkinson Schiffrin’s m ulti store model. Our results reflect theoretical predictions based in the model regarding primacy effect as words are transferred to long term memory via rehearsal. Moreover, while a recency effect can be observed this is greatly reduced by a distractor task which fully occupies the capacity of the short term memory hindering recall. We suggest that further experiments be conducted exploring the effect of varying types of distractor task on short term memory. This is suggested due to assertions of the Baddley and Hitch working memory model whereby short term memory processes are split under phonological and visuo-spatial ones. References Atkinson, R. C., Shiffrin, R. M., (1968). Human memory: a proposed system and its control processes. Stanford: Stanford University Press. Bjork, R. A., Whitten, W. B. (1974). Recency-Sensitive Retrieval Process in Long-term Free Recall. Cognitive Psychology, 6, 173-189. Deese, J., Kaufman, R. A. (1954). Serial Position effects on recall of unorganized and sequentially organized verbal material. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 54, 180-187. Glenberg, A. M., Bradley, M. M., Kraus, T. A., Renzaglia, G. J., Shiffrin, R. M. (1983). Studies of the long-term recency effect: Support for a contextually guided retrieval hypothesis. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 9(2), 231-255. Glanzer, M., Cunitz, A. R. (1966). Two Storage Mechanisms in Free Recall, Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behaviour, 5, 351-360. Kurbat, M. A., Shevell, S. K., Rips, L. J. (1998). A years memories: the calendar effect in autobiographical recall. Memory cognition, 26(3), 532-552. Miller, G. (1956). The magical number seven, plus or minus two: Some limits on our capacity for processing information. The Psychological Review, 63(2), 81–97. Rundus, D., (1971). Analysis of rehearsal processes in free recall. Journal of Experimental Psychology 89 (1), 63–77. from results: Two further repeated measures t-tests were conducted comparing the effect of primacy and recency in immediate recall and delayed recall. from intro: Rundus (1971) also found evidence which supports that when words which are presented first are rehearsed more often, allowing them to move to long term memory. Rundus suggests if the recall is delayed by a distracting activity which lasts longer than the capacity of the short-term memory, the recency effect is cancelled.

Heavens Delight - Vanilla :: Botany

Heaven's Delight - Vanilla Commercial vanilla is the fruit (capsule) obtained from several different species of Orchidaceae, namely, Vanilla pompona Schiede (West Indian vanilla), Vanilla tahitiensis J. M. Moore (Tahiti vanilla) and Vanilla planifolia Jackson (Mexican vanilla). The most important is Vanilla planifolia Jackson, from which almost all vanilla fruits come from (Ferrà £o, 1993). The genus Vanilla has about 100 species, and the Orchidaceae family is one of the largest in the Plant Kingdom, with more or less 20,000 species. Etymologically, the word vanilla came from the Spanish vainilla, which means a small pod, due to the great similarity between this fruit and a true pod (Ferrà £o, 1992; Mabberley, 1993). Floriculture is the field that we immediately recall when we think of orchid plants. However, the genus Vanilla is the only one of the family that is of direct economic interest. Some rural societies in Turkey and Greece still use salep, a staple flour made from the tubers of certain orchids, especially those included in the genus Orchis. Although the use of orchids for this purpose is rather localised, it is bringing some species of this genus to the edge of extinction (Baumann, 1996). The vanilla plant is a vine, native from the tropical forests of Central America and some areas of South America. In its natural habitat, it may reach a length of 25 meters, climbing with the help of adventitious roots. The stems are thick and fleshy green; the leaves are alternate, long elliptical, sessile and bright green. The flowers, in clusters, appear in the leaf axils. They live only 8 hours and die if fertilization fails to occur. The plant blooms three years after the cuttings are planted and the yellow greenish fruits many have up to 90,000 seeds, taking five to seven months to mature. The fruit is scentless when harvested, it has a length between 10 to 25 cm and a weight of 5 to 30g (Ferrà £o, 1993). Vanilla was brought to Europe by the Spanish conquerors of the New World. They found it in Mexico, when Montezuma, the last Aztec Emperor, offered them a drink made of chocolate, vanilla, red pepper and honey. Local aristocracy used it to flavor chocolate, a custom still practised today (Brosse et al. 1989). The Dutch introduced vanilla in Java (Indonesia), a former European colony in East Indies, at the beginning of the nineteenth century and the French did the same in the Reunion Island, Mauritius and Madagascar, all located in the Southwest Indian Ocean.

Meubles Canadal: Looking Towards the Future Essay

Introduction Meubles Canadel is Canada’s leading manufacturing firm in producing high quality furniture for dining purposes and was established in 1982 by three brothers in Louisville, a small town in the province of Quebec in Canada. It is a privately own company and established itself from a small to a large international operating company with still increasing sales around $125 million in 2000. Between 1987 and 1991 Canadel grew rapidly. This was due to the fact that the firm focused on demographic changes. The families’ size decreased in this time and shifted the demand from the â€Å"lunch-corner† and formal dining room segment to dining room furniture to everyday use. Canadel took advantage of this change and started to produce high quality dining furniture. With continued increasing sales, the firm expanded to the U.S market and additionally serves now the eastern part of the U.S with its products. Looking at Canadel in 2000, the firm owns 50% of the dining room market although prices are generally higher than competitor’s prices. At this point in time, the company’s sales were mostly coming from the U.S (75%), 20% from the Canadian market and five percent from Europe and Japan. Further, Canadel’s staff represented 1,550 people of which 800 are directly employed. In the following a case analysis of Canadel will be conducted. The first part represents the external environmental analysis whereas the second part focuses on the internal factors influencing the firm. Ultimately a conclusion will be drawn. External environmental analysis An external environmental analysis contains a macroeconomic and a microeconomic view on firm’s influencing factors. On the macroeconomic level one could ask a general question for example which environmental factors do affect the firm and its strategic management. It is necessary for Canadel to maintain a coherent strategy that fit in its environment in order to reinforce its distinctive competencies and establish sustainability in creating value to its stakeholders. In order to answer this question a PESTEL analysis will be conducted, where the macroeconomic view is studied. PESTEL stands for political, economic, sociocultural, technical, environmental and legal factors, which affect the firm and its strategy. Regarding political factors, the Canadian furniture industry was massively influenced after the introduction of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the United States and Canada in 1989. Trades between both countries have become easier due to the elimination of tariff s and in addition competition increased. However, Canadel was not operating internationally in this time therefore, only the increase in competition could have influenced the firm. The next factor, which influences Canadel, is the economic impact. Exchange rate fluctuations between the U.S. and the Canadian dollar can affect the export to the United States, which can cause both losses and profits for Canadel. At the moment the firm has an advantage because the Canadian dollar has a strong position compared to the U.S. dollar. However, this used to be different and therefore it is important for the three Deveault brothers to take this factor into consideration in order to avoid losses. Another point is the huge unemployment rate that is mentioned. The Deveault brothers feel that they have an obligation to stay in Quebec in order to support their hometown and province, which would not be ensured if they would look for other suppliers in different regions. This decision influences the firm’s management strategy. On the one hand it could mean that Canadel does not take the opportunity to look for other suppliers in different regions who might be cheaper and therefore would enable the firm to benefit in costs savings. On the other hand it improves the relationship to its suppliers and increases loyalty on both sides, which can be more valuable than any cost saving strategy. The next external factor is the sociocultural development over time. As already mention, Canadel is a local company carrying about its employees and suppliers. This clearly influences its strategic operational decision as above discussed. Moreover, the company took advantage of the demographic changes in lifestyle and family size. It began to produce smaller exclusive tables and profited from the decrease in family size. Further, Canadel has a very unique attitude towards work, hiring policy and leisure. It is mentioned that the Deveaults try to maintain a small power distance between their employees and the management level. The company does not have a hierarchal structure and stands for an open-door policy where employees any time have the possibility to see the mangers and talk to them. Meetings held within the management level or with suppliers are classified as very informal without a secretary taking notes. These characteristics affect Canadel’s business decision like staying in the region of Quebec to conduct its business in favour of the local population. Another economic factor is the technological change in the last couple of years. It is obvious that machinery improved and facilitated the manufacturing process of wood. However, one has to remember that the company emphasises the production of unique hand made dining tables. This could lead to the conclusion that the technological improvement did simplify the manufacturing process however, not in the major way. This is solely due to the fact that the production of exclusive dining table is very labour intensive. The last two macro-economic influences environmental and legal impacts are not sufficiently addressed in the case and will be left out in this analysis. On the microeconomic level the model of Porter’s five forces will be used to detect competitive forces that affect the firm’s business decisions. First, the entry barriers are described as very low, which increases the risk of potential new competitors for Canadel. This might give reason to establish the firm as a market leader in the industry in order to threaten potential new competitors. This could be important due to some potential competition from the Asian markets. However, this does not necessarily mean loosing all of the firm’s customers if competition increases because Canadel produces a very specialised product, which cannot be easily copied. Nevertheless, it can complicate Canadel’s business strategy and force them to decrease costs in order to possibly decrease its very high prices for dining furniture. Another fact is that Canadel has a very good relationship to its suppliers and staff, which enables the firm to profit from this loyalty if competition increases. Summarising, it can be said that overall competition is low in this industry. The threat of substitutes can be described as relatively low because people who can afford to pay around $7,000 for a dining table would probably not purchase furniture at firms like IKEA. Moreover, Canadel’s products seem to be very unique and therefore hard to find anywhere else. Analysing the bargaining power of suppliers it can be said that the firm operates with many smaller suppliers in the region of Quebec. Thus, a low bargaining power is identified. Compared to that the bargaining power of customers is characterised as significantly stronger because Canadel produces very unique products, which addresses a specified branch of customers. This could lead to problems if sales decreases and might cause the company into trouble and force them to adjust for this changes. Internal environmental analysis The next part describes the internal factors which influences the firm’s operating strategy. This can be established by a SWOT analysis to detect the firm’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. One of the most important strengths Canadel can present is the large subcontractor network, which it can rely on. Long-time relationships are important for the firm, as it knows most of its stakeholders from the very beginning. Therefore, controversies and conflicts are probably less frequent and decrease the fear of shortages in resources used for the production process. Further, Canadel has a well developed retail network, which shortens its delivery time compared to its competition. A next strength is the uniqueness of its products and its high quality, which is very much appreciated by the consumers. The high price of Canadel’s products can be identified as a weakness and might decrease its potential number of customers. Maybe it might be valuable to think about an additional production line that is cheaper and hence affordable to more people. A further weakness is the just-in-time (JIT) inventory system that could easily cause shortages although the firm accounted some time lack due to human errors. That JIT inventory system can be of course also identified as a firm’s strength. Canadel’s opportunities are already recognised by the expansion in the U.S. market, which could also be extended to the western part of the U.S. The already mentioned cheaper product line could be an opportunity to attract more consumers and to increase sales or to broaden the firm’s product segment. Major threats of the company are the Asian manufactures, which are likely to produce cheaper products and therefore might capture some of Canadel’s sales. Moreover, it can be said that Canadel has a major competitive advantage in producing high quality and unique dining furniture. It has the capabilities and resources, which is supported by the geographical location. A strong value chain can be identified with a good stakeholder network and a good infrastructure. These factors facilitate the firm’s operating position by focusing on the resources, capabilities and resources of Canadel. Conclusion In conclusion it can be said that Canadel managed to establish itself with a strong position in the fast growing dining room market. It has many opportunities to improve this position and expand its business by increasing its product line and thus attract more consumers. Further, it needs to pay attention to possible new competitors entering the market. Therefore, the philosophy to â€Å"grow when its time to grow† should not be taken too seriously because this might cause trouble to Canadel. It has to adjust to demographic and environmental changes. However, it should maintain its unique business culture and operation strategy. References Johnson G., Whittington R., Scholes K. (2008). Exploring Corporate Strategy (9th edition). Harlow UK: Pearson Education. Mark K., Hebert L., Crossan M,. (2001). Meubles Canadel: Looking towards the future. Richard Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario.

Big Fish

The Big Fish is based on a genre, Southern Gothic, where freak nature comes in a role in story telling. The Big Fish have three most common elements in Southern Gothic. Those elements are imprisonment, freakiness, and supernatural. The father would tell a story to his son about his life. However, his son thinks his father is full of lies. It brings the conflict between reality and fiction. In Southern Gothic, it doesn't matter because it combined reality and fiction into one story. Although, it is hard to see the reality behind it because in the movie, the father make up a lot of stuff even though it is almost true. Imprisonment is found in The Big Fish, because the father is imprisoned in his room and in the hospital. Also, the villiage kept all of its people until Ed left the villiage. Those people could've been there for years because they love their home so much. The giant was in his cave because he was shunned and feared by the people until Ed befriended the giant. Imprisonment is found in Southern Gothic, and is in found in the story as well. Supernatural is everywhere in The Big Fish, because there was a woman who turned into a fish during the movie. The twins were conjurned but at the end they were serparated. Also, the giant was a huge person who was isolated for a long time. The circus was filled with strange people. Even the headmaster is a wolf at night, and The Eye shows a person's future death. Also, the way the son was born was very There was a lot of supernatural involved with the movie. Freakiness is all around in the movie, because the villiagepeople had no shoes nor socks on. They walked around barefoot. Even the father was telling a story with his wild imaginations. He even made his death the way he saw in The Eye. He accepted his death from the beginning he saw his death. The father never once freaked out but rather looking foward to the day he dies. Everyone was there at his funeral. By everyone he knows in his life showed up for his funeral.