Managing Diversity Essay

1. Put forward a business case for taking a ‘managing diversity’ approach at Hinchliffe Cards. Britain now has one of the most diverse workforces in the world, consisting of a wide range of religions and ethnic backgrounds. However, diversity is not just acknowledged in terms of religious and ethnic origin. It can refer to political beliefs, age, sexual orientation, nationality, colour, etc. Therefore, it is absolutely paramount that diversity is managed effectively in parallel with Britain’ s rapidly changing social society. The need to manage diversity is even greater after the events of 9/11 as the world’s societies have become more politically charged and involved than ever before. Attached to diversity is the concept of equality from which any contentious questions arise. One such issue is the extent to which UK organisations are fair when it comes to offering equality of opportunity to minority groups in employment. There is a wide range of elements involved in managing diversity including legislative considerations, the handling of equal opportunity issues, as well as the aims of making ‘managing diversity’ work for organisations. The traditional approach has focused on using the legislation driven equal opportunities route in tacking issues of diversity, and the broad aims of managing diversity are similar to that of equal opportunities, but managing diversity has a more internal focus. Many of these aims are bound up with the various legislation that outlaws discrimination on the grounds of sex, pay, race, disability and criminal record: * Sex Discrmination Act 1975 and 1976. * Equal Pay Act (Amended) 1983. * Race Relations Act 1976 (Amended 2000). * Disability Discrimination Act 1995. * Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. So why should organisations make the most employee diversity? Well, as mentioned previously, the make-up of our society is changing, and businesses must reflect this change. Wheatley, (p, 30, 2000) highlights three important trends that exist and are continuing to develop further. Firstly, the UK population is ageing fast. In 2000, there were 1.5M fewer 16-25 year olds entering employment than in 1987. Secondly, ethnic minority groups made up 5.5% of the total UK population at the time of the 1991 census. Thirdly, women now are a large and significant proportion of the UK workforce. Generally, the management of equal opportunity issues involves a social responsibility on the part of the individual organisation, objective consideration when taking selection decisions, develop a reputation for managing diversity, creating a more healthy business environment including high staff morale. Managing diversity also holds huge significance for business growth. Managing diversity also entails issues of organisational culture that refer to an organisation’s norms, values and beliefs. A diverse organisation in which there is a broad mix of people will add to the social dimension of the organisation and help to reduce the under-representation experienced by minority groups. Managing diversity is an internally driven proactive mechanism that acknowledges the interests of these groups. Moreover, at a strategic level, managing diversity involves: * Board level participation, responsibility and accountability on diversity issues; * Links to all business plans and benefits at all levels; * Employee ownership of diversity objectives; * Commitment of resources for training and research; * A proactive diversity approach to recruitment, marketing and supplier selection; * The building of diversity issues into recruitment, performance and reward systems. Source: Wheatley, (p. 32, 2000) Managing diversity focuses on the individual as opposed to Equal Opportunity (EO) that focuses on treating individuals as groups. Managing diversity (MD) goes beyond the EO perspective. It acknowledges differences in a more positive light. It does this by intending to proliferate staff performance, generating greater flexibility in the workforce and working practices as well as making organisations more equitable. It endeavours to use the differences to the benefit of the organisation. As stated by kandolla and Fullerton, the concept of managing diversity ‘is founded on the premise that harnessing these differences will create a productive environment in which everyone will feel valued, where there talents are fully valued, where there talents are fully utilised, and in which organisational goals are met’1. Whilst EO is legally driven, and subject to the achievement of the performance target, MD seeks to accommodate diverse interests. MD will also enable organisations to become a good corporate citizen, by ensuring that the workforce reflects the (local) population. Moreover, having a diverse workforce will help organisations explore new markets or client groups as MD adds to the social dimension of the organisation. This is particularly relevant after the events of 9/11, which require good understanding of race and cultural issues. In a business sense, it is important to have a workforce that understands diverse cultural backgrounds, especially as businesses become more internationalised. As stated above, MD uses individual differences and recognises them as strengths and talents, which help to dismantle barriers which otherwise prevent them from doing so. MD also brings with it in-built proactive measures such as maternity leave, flexible working patterns etc By doing so, organisations can improve their efforts in meeting their customer’s needs and increase their organisation’s profile. Under MD, people are acknowledged as the nucleus the organisation, and organisations can benefit from the following: * MD recognises that female managers have distinct managerial styles and abilities; * Mature workers can offer organisations increased reliability, stability, quality, experience and overall efficiency; * Members of ethnic groups can provide a rich and cultural experience at work; * Disabled people can offer highly developed problem solving and analytical skills because they operate in an inaccessible environment; * Individuals can feel confident in their abilities and their contribution to the organisation; * MD will add to the creative side of the organisation; * MD views employees as an invaluable asset; * MD recognises the need for n-going training; * Increased emphasis and responsibility to diversity issues; * Better recruitment, retention and performance systems. MD provides a more transparent and proactive method of dealing with employee diversity. This involves a fundamental transformation of the organisation’s working practices, making it more staff-friendly, re-consider the management structure and introduce more fairer recruitment and retention procedures. MD eliminates barriers to opportunity by recognising differences of individuals as positive strengths that can be used to develop a culture of diversity. Successful companies are those that are able to monitor and meet shifts in social expectations, to control risks and to anticipate market opportunities. Businesses that have the vision and the will to create an enabling environment for diverse parts of the community will prosper. 2. Analyse how the human resources activities might have to be changed at Hinchliffe Cards and make recommendations based on your analysis. The main problem the company is having is managing diversity while the organisation is evolving. The case study highlights many issues, which are fundamentally flawed in creating a more diverse productive organisation. At present 70 % of Hinchliffe Cards workforce is made up of women. There is only one woman manager within the organisation dealing with HRM, which is not a primarily authorative role. These statistics are very worrying when you consider that projections show that ‘in less than ten years time there will be two million more jobs within the economy – 80% of which will be filled by women’2. In order to meet with theses changes Hinchliffe Cards would have to consider having more women in leadership and decision making positions. Many factors may have led to this lack of women in senior positions, like discrimination due to family commitments, womens lack of confidence, the attitudes of senior executives or even men seeing women as a threat. Nevertheless organisations which fail to utilise the potential of women managers will be commiting ‘economic suicicde'(Davidson, 1991). As women managers come with many potential benefits i.e, participative and caring management styles . Hinchliffe Cards have also started to use casual labour during the spring months to deal with the Christmas demand. Over this period they use 20 casual workers to help operate some of the more sophisticated machines during this period. This is due to the current shortage of skill within the industry. This has been met by much discontent from the full time worker who doesn’t believe they have the same pride in their work, which affects its quality and ultimately the workforces bonuses. Hinchliffe cards should really be working trying providing a positive learning environment for all staff. A positive learning environment is one in which the values of the organisation include the expressed and acted on belief that the development of its human capital through effective learning is necessary or achieving a competitive environment. The existence of such a environment depends on the active encouragement and support of top management, the belief by lie managers that learning and deve lopment activities pay off, and the extent to which the workforce are motivated to learn The female workers are also complaining about the opportunities open to them within the company, as they have not been trained on the complex machines. They feel left out as these machines offer the highest rewards in terms of bonus. In addition to this they are also concerned about the long hours they are made to work during peak periods, which is seen to interfere with their family life. This shows discrimination towards the female staff in using more complex machinery. This is bad for Hinchliffe cards because taking action on diversity and equality has many benefits for the organisation. According to government research it can lead to better recruitment and retention- followed with better morale and performance. If this discrimination and unfair treatment can be reduced, it can have a knock on effect on grievances and relations in the organisation. This can reduce absenteeism and labour turnover by enhancing employee’s attachment to the organisation and have a positive effect on labour productivity. Concerns about being able to balance family life with work is also a major problem. The costs for businesses who don’t meet these needs can be striking. According to british industry, ‘sickness and absence costs cost employers around à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10 billion a year and 30% of this may be related to stress’. In a recent survey, over a fith of women said they would change they’re jobs for more flexible arrangements. Employers may incur additional costs in adopting policies to support work-life balance, including increased managerial worloads. Such costs are however generally outweighed by the gains in achieveing strategic objectives. Hinchliffe have also recently outsourced their work to in home workers to cope with recent demand for handmade products. These workers are mainly women from ethnic groups and the company is experiencing a high rate of labour turnover. Due to this the company is thinking of investing in a team of in house designers employed officially by the firm who can be based in the firms headquarters. However the majority of the women aren’t interested in this option as they fit they’re work around looking after small children. They believe they’re getting a rough deal from the company as materials are often not delivered on time and they’re has been some talk of covert racism form the company. Senior managers also believe there is position for the company to expand into the EU. The company however would have to be equipped with a workforce with a more diverse range of skills from sales and marketing staff. This would mean being able to speak a different European language and be comfortable dealing with managers from different cultures. The current sales and marketing staff however lack these skills. References 1. Bunderson J S and Sutcliffe K M (2002) â€Å"Comparing alternative conceptualizations of functional diversity in management teams: process and performance effects†, Academy of Management Journal, Oct 1, 2002 v45 i4 p875(19) 2. Caudron, S., (1990) â€Å"Monsanto responds to diversity†, Personnel Journal, 41, 72-80. 3. D’Netto B and Sohal A S (1999) â€Å"Human resource practices and workforce diversity: an empirical assessment†, International Journal of Manpower, Volume 20 Number 8 1999 pp. 530-547 4. Jackson, S.E., May, K.E., Whitney, K., 1995, â€Å"Understanding the dynamics of diversity in decision-making teams†, Guzzo, R., Salas, E. and Associates, Team Effectiveness in Decision Making in Organizations, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA, 204-61. 5. Jenner L (1994) â€Å"Diversity management: what does it mean†, HR Focus, Jan 1994 v71 n1 p11(1) 6. Kandola R and Fullerton J (1994) Managing the mosaic diversity in action, IPD (1994), p19 7. Morrison, A.M. (1992) The New Leaders: Guidelines on Leadership Diversity in America, Jossey-Bass Publishers, San Francisco, CA. 8. Mullins L J (2002) Management and organisational behaviour†, 6th edition, Prentice Hall, Essex 9. Personnel Journal (1994) â€Å"Diverse networking prompts change†, Personnel Journal, August 1994 v73 n8 pS20(2) 10. Personnel Journal (1995) â€Å"Open the corporate closet to sexual orientation issues†, Personnel Journal, August 1995 v74 n8 p42(7) 11. Peters T (1993) Video â€Å"Management revolution and corporate reinvention†, BBC for Business. Cited in Mullins (2002). 12. Schreiber, C.T., Price, K.F., Morrison, A., (1993) â€Å"Workplace diversity and the glass ceiling: practices, barriers, possibilities†, Human Resource Planning, 16, 2, 51-69. 13. Soni V (2000) â€Å"A Twenty-First-Century Reception for Diversity in the Public Sector: A Case Study†, Public Administration Review, Sept 2000 v60 i5 p395 14. Zeffane R M and Mayo G (1994) â€Å"Career Trends and Staffing Strategies in the 1990s†, International Journal of Career Management, Volume 06 Number 5 1994 pp. 30-35 1 Armstrong, M. (2003)A handbook of Human Resource Management practice (9th edition). P133 2 www.dti.gov.uk/bestpractice/assets/bdciv.txt

Principles of Marketing Essay

   (Distance Learning) Semester Course Leader Office Location Telephone E-mail Consultation Hours : February 2014 : Normaziah Che Musa : FBIT, UNITAR International University, Level 12, Wing A, Tierra Crest, Jalan SS3/6, Kelana Jaya, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor DE. : 03- 7627 7265 : normaziah@unitar.my : Wednesday: 9.00 am – 11.00 am & 3.00 pm – 5.00 pm or By Appointment Course Synopsis This course is designed to introduce students to marketing principles and practices. Emphasis will be placed on marketing in the context of the firm and society. The course content includes a study of the relationship between marketing and society, nature and functions of marketing, marketing management processes, marketing tools, the markets, and the consumers. Course Objectives The main goal of the course is to provide an overview of the basic principles underlying modern marketing theory and practice. It will provide participants with an understanding of the analysis that is necessary for taking marketing decisions, and the wide range of factors (and interactions of those factors) that need to be considered in the design of a marketing program. Students should come away with this course with an understanding of the marketing system and its role within the Malaysian economy and within an individual firm by studying how products and services are planned, priced, promoted, and distributed in order to satisfy consumers’ wants. Learning Outcomes Upon completion of the course, students should be able to: ï‚ · define and apply knowledge of the key marketing concepts. ï‚ · explain how marketing decisions are influenced by environment, trends and developments. ï‚ · discuss the factors influencing consumer behavior. ï‚ · discuss the ways in which product, pricing, place (distribution), and promotion affect marketing . ï‚ · write a simple marketing plan. Required Materials ï‚ · Kotler, P. & Armstrong, G. (2012), Principles of Marketing, 14th Edition, Pearson. Optional/Additional Materials ï‚ · ï‚ · Nor Khalidah Abu and Yusniza Kamarulzaman (2013). Oxford Revision Series: Principles of Marketing, (2nd ed), Oxford University Press, Shah Alam. Lamb, C.W., Hair, J.F. & McDaniel, C. (2012). Essentials of Marketing, 7th ed., South-Western CENGAGAE Learning, USA. Course Assessment Coursework (Assignments/ Group Project) : 40% Forums Final Examination : : 10% 50% Total 100% Course Requirements & Policies ï‚ · Attendance Attendance will be taken. Students are expected to turn up to class on time as to avoid disturbances and being late for participating in the class discussions. Attendance policy will be based on policies stated in the university’s Academic Regulation. ï‚ · Class Participation Students are encouraged to participate as much of the learning will come from discussion during class. It is expected that you switch off your hand phone! â€Å"SMSing† is totally prohibited! During class, you may be required to join as participants in marketing research projects. Please dress decently and appropriately (according to university’s dress codes) when attending classes. ï‚ · Group projects & Assignments There will be group projects and assignments. For group project, work together with your group members and at the end of the project your group members will assess your contribution to the project. You are expected to do a group presentation before submission of written copy during the semester. Assignments will be uploaded in UNIEC. In class assignments must be submitted on the specified date otherwise you may be penalized for late submission. If you encounter any problem to submit assignments on the specific date, you are required to inform the lecturer within 2 days of the specified date. For any type written assignments given, the format of the paper should be as follows: ï‚ § A cover page with your details – Name, Student ID and Sections ( as registered in CMS) ï‚ § Font: Time New Roman , size 12 with 1.5 spacing ï‚ § Include a reference page for every assignment that you submitted. ï‚ · Forums Students are required to participate in ALL 3 forums posted by the Course Leader and marks will be assigned based on the quality of the discussion. ï‚ · Accessing/ Checking UNIEC Virtual It is utmost important for students to access and check their UNIEC Virtual for any updates and information pertaining to the course regularly throughout the semester. Ignorance is NO EXCUSE. Examination Format Final examination will be a three hours-examination. The exam will evaluate your level of understanding and knowledge acquired in this course. The question formats may consist of multiple choice, true-false, short essays, and case-based problems. Week Topics Covered Overview 1 2 3 4 Topic 1: Marketing: Managing Profitable Customer Relationship Topic 2: The Marketing Environment and the Marketing Information Topic 3: Consumer Markets and Consumer Buyer Behavior Topics/Activities Remarks/ Deadlines Introduction. Class activities: – Getting to know. – Overview of course plan. Marketing: Managing Profitable Customer Relationship ï‚ · Definitions of marketing ï‚ · Basic concepts of marketing ï‚ · Evolutions of marketing ï‚ · Relationship marketing ï‚ · Marketing strategy and the marketing mix ï‚ · Marketing Challenges in the future Read: ï‚ · Kotler: Chapter 1 ï‚ · Harley-Davidson case. Chapter preview p158. Class activities: ï‚ · Discuss reading materials Topic 1 ï‚ · Discuss Harley Davidson exercise. The Marketing Environment and Marketing Information ï‚ · Company’s Microenvironments ï‚ · Company’s Macroenvironments ï‚ · Marketing research process Read: Forum 1 ï‚ · Kotler: Chapter 3 & 4 ï‚ · Real Marketing 4.2 ‘Tracking consumers on the Web: Smart targeting or a little creepy’. p 151 Class activities: ï‚ · Discuss reading materials Topic 2 ï‚ · Discuss ‘Prius: Leading a Wave of Hybrids’ case Consumer Markets and Business Market ï‚ § Consumer Buying Behavior ï‚ § Consumer Decision-making Process ï‚ § Factors Affecting Consumer Buying Behavior ï‚ § The Organizational Market ï‚ § The Organizational Buying Process ï‚ § Factors Affecting Organizational Buying Behavior Read: ï‚ · Kotler: Chapter 5 & 6 ï‚ · Real Marketing 5.2 ‘Lexus: Delighting Customers After the Sale to Keep Them Coming Back’, p 180. ï‚ · Real Marketing 6.2 ‘International Marketing Manners: When in Rome, Do as the Romans Do’, p 203. Class activities: ï‚ · ï‚ · 5 Topic 4: Creating Value To Target Customers Discuss reading materials Topic 3 Discuss ‘Arabic Blackberry: Adapting to the language of the market’ Creating Value To Target Customers ï‚ · Market Segmentation Bases ï‚ · Market Targeting ï‚ · Differentiation and Positioning Read: ï‚ · Kotler: Chapter 7 ï‚ · Real Marketing 7.2 ‘Dunkin’ Donuts: Positioning for the Average Joe’ p 235. Class activities: ï‚ · Discuss reading materials Topic 4 Product ï‚ · Levels & classifications of product ï‚ · New product development ï‚ · Product life cycle stages ï‚ · Product & service decisions ï‚ · Service marketing 6 Topic 5: Product & Services Read: ï‚ · Kotler: Chapter 8 & 9 ï‚ · Chapter preview ‘Customer-Driven Marketing Strategy’, p 214. ï‚ · Chapter preview ‘New Product Development’, p 280. Industry Linkages: Submit Group Assignment 1 Class activities: ï‚ · Discuss reading materials Topic 5 ï‚ · Discuss ‘Britvic: Creating a brand flavor’ case, p 278. Product ï‚ · Levels & classifications of product ï‚ · New product development ï‚ · Product life cycle stages ï‚ · Product & service decisions ï‚ · Service marketing 7 Topic 5: Product & Services Read: ï‚ · Kotler: Chapter 8 & 9 ï‚ · Chapter preview ‘Customer-Driven Marketing Strategy’, p 214. ï‚ · Chapter preview ‘New Product Development’, p 280. Class activities: ï‚ · Discuss reading materials Topic 5 ï‚ · Discuss ‘Britvic: Creating a brand flavor’ case, p 278. 8 9 MID SEMESTER BREAK Topic 6: Pricing Pricing ï‚ · Objective of Pricing ï‚ · Factors influencing price ï‚ · Pricing strategies and tactics Forum 2 ï‚ · Special pricing issues Read: ï‚ · Kotler: Chapter 10 & 11 ï‚ · Real Marketing 10.0 ‘Ryanair: Pricing low and Proud of it’, p 318. ï‚ · Real Marketing 10.2 ‘Pricing high and Proud of it’, p 325. ï‚ · Real marketing 11.1 ‘Pricing Dishonesty?’, p 342 10 Topic 7: Place Class activities: ï‚ · Discuss reading materials Topic 6 ï‚ · Exercise Price Place ï‚ · Marketing channel ï‚ · The importance of intermediaries ï‚ · Functions and activities of marketing channel member ï‚ · Channel Design Decisions ï‚ · Marketing Logistics and Supply Chain Management ï‚ · The role of wholesaling ï‚ · Different types of wholesaler ï‚ · The role of retailing ï‚ · Different types of retail operations Forum 3 Read: ï‚ · Kotler: Chapter 12 & 13 ï‚ · Chapter preview ‘Marketing Channels’, p 360. ï‚ · Real Marketing 12.1 ‘Netflix: Disintermediator or disimtermediated?’ p 372 11 12 Topic 8: Promotion Topic 8: Promotion Class activities: ï‚ · Discuss reading materials Topic 7 ï‚ · Discuss ‘Zara: The Technology Giant of the fashion world†, p 390. Promotion ï‚ · Promotion Mix – Advertising, Public Relations, Personal Selling, Sales Promotion, Direct & Online Marketing ï‚ · Integrated Marketing Communications ï‚ · Marketing Communication Process ï‚ · Shaping the Overall Promotion Mix Read: ï‚ · Kotler: Chapter 14 – 17 ï‚ · Real Marketing 15.2 ‘The Super bowl: the Mother of All Advertising Events – But is it worth it?’ p 469. ï‚ · Real Marketing 17.2 ‘Online Social Networks: Targeting Niches of Like-Minded People’, p 538. Class activities: – Discuss reading materials Topic 8 Promotion ï‚ · Promotion Mix Presentation of Group Advertising, Public Relations, Personal Selling, Sales Promotion, Direct & Online Marketing Integrated Marketing Communications Marketing Communication Process Shaping the Overall Promotion Mix – ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · Assignment 2 Read: ï‚ · Kotler: Chapter 14 – 17 ï‚ · Real Marketing 15.2 ‘The Super bowl: the Mother of All Advertising Events – But is it worth it?’ p 469. ï‚ · Real Marketing 17.2 ‘Online Social Networks: Targeting Niches of Like-Minded People’, p 538. Class activities: – Discuss reading materials Topic 8 Global Marketing ï‚ · Global Market Entry Strategies 13 Topic 9: Global Marketing 14 Revision Self study 15 Revision Self study 16 Read: ï‚ · Kotler: Chapter 19 ï‚ · Real Marketing 19.1 ‘Oreos and milk, Chinese Style’, p 594 ï‚ · Real Marketing 19.2 ‘Watch your language’, p 597 FINAL EXAMINATION WEEK Note: Course leader has the right to make amendments to the course plan as deemed necessary.

Assignment 2 MJTJM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Assignment 2 MJTJM - Essay Example As a result, she developed an autonomous face generating and categorizing software, with which she gave unique presentations of the human face. The artist produces and displays artworks from DNA extracts of people from leftovers of substances such as cigarettes, chewing gums, and other items. Her work depicts the importance of scientific approaches to art. For instance, Dewey-Hagborg uses computer and laboratory technology to generate 3-D images of people from the extracts that she collects from public places. This work reviews one of her artistic pieces of work called Stranger Visions, which lasted from 2012 to 2014. The portrait reveals a scientific approach to human identity and the fact that the DNA codes represent genetic information of individuals. Precisely, the DNA is a carrier of genetic information concerning information and technology can decode the information to reveal identities of people. Strange Visions is a collection of portraits that the artist made from an assembly of DNA information from collected specimen of individuals. The portraits reveal that the DNA is found in people’s bodies. Its transmission is through anything that an individual comes in conduct with. At the same time, the work indicates that many people do not have the consciousness that they leave trails of their genetic information in almost all the places they visit. Another aspect of the DNA in the artwork is the fact that it provides essential information on crime detection. For instance, there are possibilities of constructing the exact identities of individuals from an analysis of collected specimens from a crime scene. For such a reason, the artist drives a sense of caution in individuals because she confirms through her work that tracking crime is that easy. For example, the art reveals all the facial aspects of the individuals from which she collects her specimen. Strange

Festivals in Canadian Cities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Festivals in Canadian Cities - Essay Example It can be seen that there is a specific agenda related to Canadian culture when looking at the festivities practiced. Background of Festivals in Canada The festivities that are in Canada are divided by specific observances for various occasions. The first way in which this is divided is by the rituals that have been observed by indigenous cultures that are in Canada. While this isn’t observed nationally and practiced by the majorities, there are still groups that observe seasonal festivities and religious festivals for different needs within the community. The festivals in Canada began to grow and change with the immigration that occurred throughout the 1700s and which formed present day Canada. The religious and cultural festivals of France began to be observed in the land. Religious processions, such as Christmas, were added in as observations from the church and other components which related directly to the religious beliefs of those that came to Canada. As the population grew into a more diverse set of groups, were also changes in religious festivals and observations, all which were based on the cultural and religious beliefs that were practiced by different groups (Riendeau, 60). The religious festivals that grew into the mainstream of Canadian culture were followed by ethnic and cultural identities that became a part of the different social aspects of society. These began to grow specifically after World War II when a large influx of immigrants moved to Europe. This was followed by statements in politics which created a belief that Canada accepted equal rights among all ethnicities. When this was proposed, a growth in ethnic and cultural festivals became a part of Canada. This was followed by different reasons for having festivals. Economic stimulation is one of the main reasons why the festivities began to grow in Canada. For instance, holidays such as Valentines Day are observed not only as an expression of love but also as a time for gift givin g in Canada and to provide stimulation to the economy. Folklore is combined with this as a part of the ethnic spectacle to create a defined part of the holidays. Self – definition of immigrants is followed with this as well as ethnicities having the desire to educate others about a specific culture or tradition. Another reason is to have forms of entertainment available for those who are interested in performances and celebration within the community (Bramadat, 3). Carnival de Quebec The Carnival de Quebec is one of the largest events held in Canada and is celebrated each year to bring in the winter. The festival lasts for 17 days and is the third largest festival in the world. The carnival began hundreds of years ago in Europe to welcome in the spring and to allow farmers to have a chance to pray that the animals would remain healthy as the seasons changed. The main concept with the festival was related to the idea of change of seasons, years and of the main occurrences thro ughout society. The French association with this was passed through not only with the Carnival de Quebec, but also is related to the Mardi Gras that is celebrated in New Orleans every year. The association with bringing in a different season remains the main component that is celebrated throughout each region (Morales, 13). The traditions that are a part of the Carnival de Q

E-Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

E-Business - Essay Example Second, the brick and mortar presence will serve as a show room to support the products and services online where customers can actually interact with the company’s personnel and hold, touch, and test the products that the company is selling. The brick and mortar stores can also be taken as an expansion. People who do not normally make their purchases or avail services online can also visit the store/office and buy or transact the traditional way. This is serving non-technology savy segment in the market. The sales made through the stores may not be its core business but it could signficantly supplement the online store. The interaction of the customer with the employees personnel could also serve as forstering goodwill among its customers to enhance its position in the market. The brick and mortar presence is very important especially if the company is offering pricey tangible products where customer’s need to see, test and have a feel of the actual product before buying

Illegal Immigration in the US Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Illegal Immigration in the US - Essay Example For example, editorial of the Los Angeles Times hits the Republican presidential hopefuls’ illegal immigration solutions as simply nothing but rhetorical promises that do not resolve the problem but aim only to win Latino votes; whereas, editorial of the New York Times challenges Obama’s leadership in bringing about his promise to reform the immigration law and to protect the civil rights of immigrants, citing his presidential powers enough to legally question the deeply unjust Arizona law against illegal immigration. The main concern of both editorials is to see that the country’s problem of illegal immigration be resolved; both are also doubtful on the sincerity of both Republicans and Democrats to solve the problem, accusing both political parties of simply using the issue for political expediency – to win immigrant votes for the coming presidential elections. Although both news companies criticize and challenge both the Republican and Democratic partie s’ stance on illegal immigration, they however differ on their specific concern from which their bias on the issue is observable. For example, the LA Times did not bother to comment on the Republicans’ call tougher and stricter immigration law enforcement despite contending public opinion on the extremism of the Arizona Law – This law essentially criminalizes illegal immigration and makes all immigrants feel unsafe (Baker A12; Editorial, New York Times, A24). Instead, the LA Times showed more concern on the practicality of the solutions the Republican presidential hopefuls offer, citing existing immigration policies and practices that render their proposals useless – e.g. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney’s proposal to impose a national identification card combined with an electronic database for employers to verify their workers’ immigration status is criticized to simply force illegal immigrants to underground economy rather than self- deport; Newt Gingrich’s proposal to create a guest worker program is criticized for its failure to consider the 10-year ban against illegal immigrants; while Rick Santorum’s call for illegal immigrants to go back in line to immigrate legally is criticized to see that there is no such line for poor immigrants (Editorial, Los Angeles Times, par. 3-6). While the LA Times seemingly agrees with the Republicans for tougher and stricter border enforcement, it criticizes them for not heading-on the issue, cautioning them that such posturing will not win them the Latino votes. On the contrary, the NY Times concern centers more on challenging Obama – a democrat – to fulfill his promise to protect the rights and dignity of migrants, that he so strongly defends in his speech citing the cruelty of the Arizona Law, as he urges the US congress to reform the immigration law. The NY Times challenges Obama as he is confronted with Republican senators who have rejected bipa rtisanship and have dissented any practical and reasonable immigration reform (Editorial, New York Times, A24), and as Obama is similarly suspected of using the issue of illegal immigration for the coming presidential elections. Meaning Obama’s call for a bipartisan reform of the immigration law is meant to win Hispanic and middle-class votes and to put the blame on Republicans for the failure of

In General, Toyota's Foreign Plants Have Achieved Productivity Levels Essay

In General, Toyota's Foreign Plants Have Achieved Productivity Levels Similar To Those In Japan - Essay Example This system involves team and individual discipline in the assembly line operation and a paradigm shift from doing quantity production to creating quality products the first time. Toyotas culture of quality work and continuous improvement through a team-based work place as implemented by Ohno Taichi has made Toyotas manufacturing facilities and assembly lines efficient and effective. Without the aggressive implementation of these corporate values of discipline, quality and continuous improvement, Toyotas lean production system would have been a failure and productivity would not have increased. The culture of Toyota has become the company strength and competitive advantage in the automobile industry. A global corporation is defined as an organization that coordinate and integrates its activities on a worldwide basis. It offers its customers a standardized product or services. The company is a highly centralized structure. The role of local subsidiaries is to assemble and sell products developed centrally. (Bartlett and Ghoshal, 1989). Toyota as a manufacturer of automobile products has highly standardized its product, manufacturing processes, and operations in all of its facilities worldwide. The production process of Japan and foreign plants of Toyota utilizes the Kanban system, a simplified assembly line called Global Body Line and supplier support system. The allocation of resources, responsibilities, and controls are centralized on a global basis towards the home-country, Japan.

Class student dicussions answers week 4 Assignment - 1

Class student dicussions answers week 4 - Assignment Example When revising written messages, it involves trying to find the errors within the message. In doing this, I would read the message to others and take their opinions. Then using their opinions I would go back and step by step correct the errors. In cases where no one is available, I would use different references to see if the message is constructed correctly. I still am learning new ways to better construct my messages, and how to revise them. Over the years, I have done great in courses in revising my messages, and within my written, this course is my first to not get it done properly. I go over my messages, and try to correct them, and use many resources to help, but I find myself still coming up short. Even with spell-check and other things to help aide me, it seems not to be working. It seems that the best revising plan for me would be to keep working on my revising, and being open to many new ways to revise my work. I agree with Joshua scenario on the chosen OSI Model. However, I think a model in computer networking will clearly explain this model. Messages or data is sent from one computer user to another via the internet. The Application layer is where a person decides on the interface to use like Mozilla Firefox. The Presentation layer is where the message will be encrypted into a Microsoft Office document and then copied to the interface. The Session layer is where the sender ensures that the computer is well connected to the internet. The Transport layer is where the sender decides on how to send the message and based on a given priority. The Network layer is to obtain information on the required email address and obtaining the IP address of the sender. The Data-link layer puts the email address to the subject of the email where the MAC address of the sender is stated while the Physical layer involves the sending of binary signals in the process of data exchange. The scenario used

Ralph Lauren Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Ralph Lauren Case Study - Essay Example In the same way, there are several ways that the value of a brand can be exploited for the beneficial purpose of the organisation (Keller, 2005). For Ralph Lauren, brand image is highly significant. Ralph Lauren sold his tie line at higher prices than that of market prices with the assumption that customers have greater preference for the product which is rendered at higher prices. It is because according to Ralph Lauren customers perceived that higher price refers to better quality. He diversified his business through own retail store to attract younger generation as well as baby boomers that can help the brand to catch the attention of the customers. Furthermore, Ralph Lauren diversified its business from menswear to womenswear in the year 1971. In the year 1972, the Polo brand was introduced in 24 colours with the tagline â€Å"Every team has its colours, Polo has 24†. This innovative promotional strategy facilitated to fabricate the brand equity for Polo. Ralph Lauren conc entrated on sportswear and trendy fashion wears. He is believed to be the pioneer of ‘lifestyle merchandising branding’. He promoted his brand ‘Polo’ very strategically. By 1980, he set up seven new stores across the markets. His brand was promoted through Hollywood movie ‘The Great Gatsby’ and the costume designer was awarded Oscar for costumes. The above mentioned issue helped the brand to be recognised throughout the world. He considered the social as well as the cultural factors to enhance brand awareness in the American market (Hancock, 2009). Accordingly, in 1978, he introduced fragrances for both men and women. The aromas of the fragrances were apparently distinct and customers would prefer to be familiar with, even if they were not concerned about the clothing line developed by Ralph Lauren. Ralph Lauren made an advertisement campaign with the assistance of Weber (photographer) with an eye-catching tagline â€Å"Rough wear-it was made to be worn†, in the year of 1979, that had a strong impact on brand advertising in those days. In 1981, Ralph Lauren launched a new brand namely Santa Fe collection which facilitated the romanticism of American fantasies with cowboy outfits. In the same year, Ralph Lauren executed its own boutique in London and he became the first American designer in the European market (Hancock, 2009). Next, Ralph Lauren diversified his business towards furnishings with the tagline of â€Å"How Tradition Begins†. Each product under this segment has its own image in customers’ mind. In the year 1986, he emphasised on a flagship store in New York which can define his brands within one corporate entity. The key factors of success for Ralph Lauren are innovative ideas with the combination of networking which creates public awareness and a specific vision about the brand. 2. Evaluation of the Role of Brand Association in the Company’s Success Brand association is related with the customers’ outlook connected with brand and it reflects the strategic position of the brand. Associations can provide to summarise a set of facts and specifications that would be complex for the customer to access and high-priced for the company to correspond. Brand association can facilitate to generate brand awareness in customers’ mind. A differentiating brand association is capable to assist the organisation to obtain competitive advantage. For instance, Ralph Lauren is synonymous with higher price

Organic Food Production Values Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Organic Food Production Values - Essay Example Any substance that is formulated or manufactured by a chemical process, or by a process that results in a chemical change in a substance extracted from a naturally occurring plant animal or mineral source, is termed a synthetic material. The main emphasis of organic farming is to minimize air, soil and water pollution. Animal and crop wastes, botanical, biological or non-synthetic pest control methods are used in organic farming. When required only permissible synthetic material that can be quickly broken down by oxygen and sunlight are used. Alternative methods to increase soil fertility such as crop rotation, tillage and cultivation practices, cover crops, and natural products such as natural fertilizers and pesticides are used. To be used for organic farming, a plot of land has to be free from the use of prohibitive substances for a minimum period of three years before the harvest of an organic crop. Organic farming, therefore, takes a long start-up period. â€Å"Organic foods are produced according to certain production standards. For crops, it means they were grown without the use of conventional pesticides, artificial fertilizers, human waste, or sewage sludge, and that they were processed without ionizing radiation or food additives. For animals, it means they were reared without the routine use of antibiotics and without the use of growth hormones. In most countries, organic produce must not be genetically modified.† (Wikipedia) The Biodynamic Movement founded by Rudolf Steiner is the main concept behind organic farming. Conceived in the 1920s, biodynamic agriculture is the oldest consciously organic approach to agriculture. Biodynamic agriculture is stricter in its requirements for on-farm self-sufficiency, in terms of manure, compost and animal feed, than other types of organic farming.

Early Photography Essay Example for Free

Early Photography Essay Photography nowadays becomes an accessible form of hobby. The latest technology used for photography appears to be affordable for everybody who wants to pursue a skill in taking photos. Before the digital age, photography is known to be a pricey and a hard task to be an expert with but due to the accessibility that modern technology offer, photography is enjoyed by people coming from all walks of life. Capturing a real still-life image is the groundbreaking phenomenon that photography presented when it was created. The moment photography came to life; it opened an array of opportunities when it comes to media such as the television. Photography became established around early 1800s. The campaign for realism in any artistic endeavor flourished during the Renaissance period and the invention of photography was made out of that pursuit. Realism manifested in every form of art such as in sculpture, drawings, and paintings where the real-life images have been the goal of every artist to attain. Though photography has been established as a branch of art and science, capturing images was a subject of research during ancient civilizations such as in the time of the great Greek philosophers. Simple devices were developed in attempting to capture real images and as realism became an intense motivation in the arts and the study of science, the invention of photography contributed to various disciplines of its capability to capture real images. The invention of photography provided a whole new venue and easier way of capturing reality. Its popularity increased when sophisticated devices were further created and visual arts was taken into a different level. However, through the creation of photography, the interests to arts began to focus on taking real life pictures disregarding other forms of visual arts which were well-practiced before. Photography threatened painting and drawing because it brought the fullness and particularity of past reality alive in the present, a quality Benjamin calls the ‘spark of contingency. ’ The extension of industrial and mechanical means of reproduction to cultural products had a potentially transformatory impact on the traditional form of art. (Dant 115) This impact can be considered as the convenient use of cameras in photography. Unlike painting and drawing, producing does not take up so much time, inexpensive, and can be easily reproduced. Photography is indeed a breakthrough in the field of arts. It recorded the most important events in history with just one press of the shutter and reproduced and preserved throughout the years. Technology became an artist’s company in terms of executing his or her own concepts. Photography is a discipline of art which has been enhanced by modern technology. Without its invention, there would be no visual records of historical details which can be shown to the future generations. The photos generated by early photography served as a time machine to show what happened in the past. The preservation of such events like the two major World Wars became possible because of photography. Restoration and reproduction became easier and did not require lots of work, unlike with painting and drawings. Photography is an art. Just like painting and drawing, capturing the images from reality can be manipulated with usage of devices. In photography, to be able to achieve different results, natural light is the element in which it can be manipulated to be able to came up with an enhanced or various effects of a real image. The creative vision of the artist is the main tool for photography to consider as an art because the camera is just a tool and the settings are provided for the photographer’s use. This vision is being performed in photography in manually positioning of artificial and natural light and the object itself through the lens. The works of modern photographers such as Cindy Sherman became known for their photos where they determine the position of lights and the objects. Photography is a discipline where there are theories to follow but for it be called an art, it is highly dependent on the execution of the photographer. References Dant, T. (2003). Critical Social Theory. USA: Sage.

Effects of Living With A Pacemaker

Effects of Living With A Pacemaker Mackenzie Crowe Millions of people live with the help of a pacemaker on a day to day basis. An enormous 600,000 pacemakers are implanted each year and a total of 3 million people worldwide are living with a pacemaker.1 Like most scenarios, health hazards do not really affect someone until a family member or close friend is diagnosed. We usually do not become curious until someone we truly care about requires some sort of help. That’s just what my family member’s heart needed. My family member lived with a pacemaker quite a few years before he passed. Along with his age, he had other health complications that lead to arrhythmias, or irregular heartbeats, and his body became too weak to keep up with the demand of pumping blood to all parts of the body; so they implanted a pacemaker. A pacemaker, also known as an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), is a miniaturized computer that sends electrical stimulation to the heart whenever it senses that the heart is not beating or is beating too slowly.2 The pacemaker is about the size of two stacked silver dollars and weighs approximately 17-25 grams.2 This device’s main purpose is to help the heart maintain its repetitive rhythm, but it can also store information for a doctor to retrieve which will allow the best possible therapy per individual.2 Newer pacemakers can also treat heart failure by resynchronizing the electrical impulses in the heart’s four chambers- therefore improving the hear t’s ability to pump blood.2 From the time my family member had one implanted to the time that he passed, he had gone through two pacemakers. Like anything else, pacemakers can malfunction. In my family member’s case, his pacemaker just wasn’t working properly and so they just simply implanted a new one. From then on, everything pertaining to his pacemaker went rather smoothly. When I was young my cousins and I always asked him questions as to why he had it, what it did for him, and sometimes he would even open his shirt and let us feel where the pacemaker was in his chest. Although I didn’t live with my grandparents I did spend a lot of time at their house and the fact that my family member had a pacemaker rather bothered me. I wanted to know everything about it. I wanted to know what to do if something were to go wrong. I wanted to know if there could be complications that others needed to be aware of. I wanted to know that having a pacemaker wasn’t going to prohibit him from doing normal daily activities. As I spent more time with him and did some research of my own, I learned a lot more about pacemakers. I learned what it’s like to live with someone who has one compared how an individual’s life can change from getting a pacemaker implanted. This paper aims to help the reader understand exactly what a pacemaker is, and what it does for someone. The reader will also learn about problems associated with having a pacemaker, latest trends and treatments, and trends in nutrition, which will include medication(s). I also hope to see the reader understand how a family can be affected by living with someone who has a pacemaker, and how caring and monitoring a person with a pacemaker can be difficult at times. In a medical aspect, this paper will connect pacemakers and dentistry together. The reader will learn of risks associated to pacemakers in a dental office, dental implications, dental complications, and how to educate a patient of good oral hygiene with the use of pacemaker in place. I have also attempted to identify important questions for the patient and what to do in the instance of an emergency. Due to the vast amount of pacemakers used throughout the United States, researching and learning about pacemakers will help me be prepared for the evaluation of a patient with this medical history. I know that as a dental hygiene student it is my responsibility to be prepared for patients that present items that could interfere with the dental practice and be ready to make modifications as needed. As a health professional it is also my job to put the health of that patient at the forefront of my care plan when preparing for treatment. A pacemaker is not to be confused with the heart’s natural pacemaker. This artificial medical device uses electrical impulses, delivered by electrodes contracting the heart muscles, to regulate the beat of the heart.3 Its primary purpose is to keep the heart beating adequately, either because the natural heart is not fast enough, or there is a block in the electrical conduction system. Some pacemakers are combined with a defibrillator in a single device, while others have multiple electrodes stimulating different positions within the heart to help improve irregularity of the lower chambers of the heart.3 Pacemakers are a necessity for many people. Millions of people wouldn’t be able to participate in day to day activities if not for their pacemaker. Pacemakers give a sense of normality to those who would otherwise be struggling to complete an activity that seems so easy to someone whose heart functions fine without assistance. Some complications with pacemakers during or after implantation (acute) could be bleeding, infection at implantation site, allergic reaction, swelling, or a collapsed lung, all of which are uncommon and can be treated easily and effectively.4 Later complications (chronic) can be generator failure and lead failure, both of which are extremely rare.5 If patients follow a precise routine of physician care appointments, most complication can be detected before becoming serious. Patients should be aware of symptoms such as weakness, being easily fatigued, lightheadedness, dizziness, and loss of consciousness.5 If these symptoms appear after implantation, the patient’s doctor should be notified immediately so that the pacemaker can be checked in correspondence with these symptoms. Patients with pacemakers should try to adhere to a heart healthy diet after the implantation process in order to have a successful and quick recovery. This type of diet includes low fat and low simple sugars and high fiber contents.6 The patient’s diet should also be based on height, weight, current diet pattern, medical history, and level of physical activity. Family members who are in the role of caretaking for post-surgery patients should encourage the patient to try and maintain their current weight or lose weight is the patient is considered overweight by a physician. They should emphasize eating whole foods such as whole cereals, grains, beans, and fresh fruits and vegetables.6 Proteins such as eggs, milk, fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, and poultry should also be included.6 Fatty foods, fried and salty foods, sweets, or bakery items like cookies and cakes, along with carbonated beverages should be avoided.6 The patient should also try to avoid any kind of stress wheth er is it physical or psychological, and they should take further measures to quit smoking.6 If the patient drinks alcoholic beverages, it can be continued but should be done in moderation such as limiting it to one per day or as otherwise discussed with the physician.6 Most pacemakers now allow for patients to get engaged in physical activities which is an important aspect in congruence with a healthy diet. Exercise will not only help maintain body weight, but it will also help improve the patient’s cholesterol.6 Before beginning any physical activity, exercise should be discussed with the patient’s specialist or dietician. Family members are the best advocate to help keep the patient on track and in line with multiple aspects of their diet, stress levels, smoking, and physical activity. As of now, no drugs are used along with a pacemaker because treatment consist of upgrading or reprogramming the pacemaker. Sometimes medications are given to the patient when the implantation process begins so that they patient is able to relax but still be aware of their surroundings.7 They will still be able to hear and talk to the medical team throughout the process. The patient will also receive anesthetic (numbing) medication at the site of the incision.7 Certain patients with atrial flutter/fibrillation or venous problems may be on medications such as Coumadin or patients that have had previous stent replacement may be on Plavix to reduce the chances of blockage.8 These medications are not normally prescribed after implantation but if the patient is already taking them before implantation they are normally switched over to a Heparin IV drip for surgery and then slowly moved back over to their medications afterward.8 Caring for patients with pacemakers can be difficult if the patient does not value their health as much as they should. It can be hard to take care of someone who would rather let the caretaker do all the work. Patients should be motivated to stay healthy. While most know that this is easier said than done, family members should try to emphasize a healthy diet and how it can really make a difference in their daily living. Elderly patients will need more recuperation time and won’t be able to participate in strenuous activity like a middle aged patient. It is imperative that the caregiver try to get the patient to be self-sufficient so that when the time comes for them to take care of themselves, they will know where to take off from what their caregiver was doing for them. The implantation of a pacemaker can affect the patient’s ability to undergo various medical procedures. Dental procedures, X-rays, MRI’s, CAT scans, bone density tests, mammograms, and ultrasounds can all affect pacemakers because of the reactions of the energy waves involved in the tests and the electronic component of the pacemaker.9 If the pacemaker is not programmed to resists these types of interferences, complications can arise. Dental care, like any specialized treatment, is a necessary and routine healthcare issue. Most dental care visits include x-rays, ultrasonic scaling, drilling, and other procedures that might produce high electromagnetic energy. To avoid malfunctions to the pacemaker and possible harm to the patient, it is extremely important to tell the clinician about the pacemaker in advance. The oral cavity is a likely source of bacteria that may elicit infections on pacemaker and ICD devices after systemic transmission.10 According to the American Dental Association, studies show that dental patients with a pacemaker are particularly at risk for developing endocarditis.11 This infection or inflammation of the heart occurs as a result of bacteria that enters the bloodstream from the mouth.11 Under certain conditions, patients with heart problems will be given antibiotic medications before procedures to help prevent bacteria from spreading to the bloodstream.11 This is a proactive approach that protects the patient and the dentist. Certain dental procedures often involve the use of electrical equipment that may come into close proximity to an implanted pacemaker. There is a possibility that exposure to some of this equipment may temporarily affect the function of the pacemaker. Some potential interactions that might take place are: inhibition of pacing: pacing not provided when needed, asynchronous pacing: pacing provided at a fixed rate whether needed or not, and inappropriate shocks: shock therapy provided when not needed.12 Some manufacturers contraindicate product use in patients with pacemakers, but there are also other things that can be done to avoid complications.12 The clinician should seat patients away from power sources or adjust equipment to the lowest possible setting and should also avoid draping cables over the implantation site.12 If the patient begins to feel lightheaded, have increased heart rate, experiences a shock, or hears beeping from their device they should move away from the source of interference or the clinician should power down the device.12 This will allow for the pacemaker to return to normal. According to the Boston Scientific Analysis of Dental Equipment, drills and cleaning equipment, dental x-rays, and apex locators all showed no signs of interference.12 Ultrasonic scalers can cause disturbances but are very unlikely unless notified by the manufacturer.12 To be on the safe side, the majority of dentists would not use an ultrasonic scaler to perform a scale in a patient fitted with a pacemaker or an implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD).13 Other dental office equipment that may cause interferences are dental chairs with magnetic headrests and electrocautery.12 Both are temporary affects although if patient’s pacemaker is programmed not to respond to magnetic headrests then patients may sit in these chairs.12 Patients considered to be at risk from external interference can have a magnet placed over the pacemaker to switch the pacemaker to fixed-rate mode making it immune to external signals.14 Use of mini magnets in prosthetic dental procedures is safe for patie nts with implanted pacemakers.15 Clinicians should be prepared to make accommodations for patients that have pacemakers. The use of hand instruments will be critical if a patient shows signs of being sensitive to electrical devices. It is the job of the clinician to be able to adapt to that patients’ needs rather than making the patient adapt to the office; this includes helping the patient make changes at home as well. Some patients with pacemakers may need assistance when it comes to good home care. The patient will most likely need accommodations to be made shortly after surgical implantation. It may be hard for the upper chest and dominant hand to move a toothbrush around the oral cavity. Clinicians should be aware of this need and should be ready to make suggestions based on the individual. Some ideas that may be beneficial are having another person brush for the patient for the first few days after the surgery. If the patients then feels better suited to take over they could begin brushing once a day along with a mouth rinse and slowly move up to brushing twice a day and flossing when they feel fit to do so. This may be easier for the patient and at the same time they are still accomplishing good oral health care. Before beginning treatment in a dental office the patient should make sure that their clinician knows of their personal health status with their pacemaker included and that their clinician is prepared if an emergency would arise. It’s best to have a clinician certified in CPR and that is knowledgeable on how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED) if necessary. CPR chest compressions can be done as usual on a patient with an implanted pacemaker.16 Implantable pacemakers are also designed to withstand the shock of an external defibrillator but the pads should not be placed over the device or the pacemaker can sustain damage.16 If the patient has an implanted medical device, an alternative AED pad position is advised, such as the anterior-posterior position.17 It is best to place the pads as far from the source of the pulse as possible and to use the lowest power clinically acceptable to try and deliver a shock that will not damage the device but will restart the patien t’s heart.16 Pacemakers are a vital source of life for many Americans. They enable people to keep living a normal lifestyle. Although there will always be aspects that patients can do to sustain better care for themselves, having a pacemaker is really quite easy. Monitoring the device is important and routine doctor visits are necessary for upkeep and general health. My family member was able to go on living his life as he normally would’ve because he had the help of his pacemaker. Without that, I may not have had as much time with him as I was able to have, and for that I am truly grateful. Modern technology is continually growing and the pacemaker system is developing with it. I hope that this paper gives you a general knowledge about pacemakers, health importance at home and with family members, and their connection to the dental office. Sources Available at: http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/105/18/2136.full. Accessed November 9, 2013. Available at: http://health.sjm.com/arrhythmia-answers/treatment-options/implantable-devices/pacemaker. Accessed October 9, 2013. Available at: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_pacemaker. Accessed March 14, 2014. Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pacemaker/MY00276/DSECTION=risks. Accessed October 9, 2013. Available at: http://cdn.intechopen.com/pdfs/13786/InTech-Common_pacemaker_problems_lead_and_pocket_complications.pdf. Accessed March 14, 2014. Pat. A Heart Healthy Diet for Pacemaker Implant Recovery. November 10, 2008. Available at: http://www.diethealthclub.com/blog/diet-tips/a-heart-healthy-diet-for-pacemaker-implant.html. Accessed October 9, 2013. Available at: http://health.sjm.com/arrhythmia-answers/treatment-options/implantable-devices/pacemaker. Accessed October 9, 2013. Available at: http://www.pacemakerclub.com/public/jpage/1/p/story/a/storypage/sid/13421/content.do. Accessed March 25, 2014. Available at: http://www.ehow.com/way_5601960_implanted-pacemaker-dental-precautions.html. Accessed October 9, 2013. Eberhard, J., Stumpp, N., Ismail, F., Schnaidt, U., Heuer, W., Pichlmaier, M., . . . Stiesch, M. (2013). The oral cavity is not a primary source for implantable pacemaker or cardioverter defibrillator infections. Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery, 8, 73. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1749-8090-8-73 Available at: http://www.ehow.com/way_5601960_implanted-pacemaker-dental-precautions.html. Accessed October 9, 2013. Available at: http://www.bostonscientific.com/lifebeat-online/assets/pdfs/resources/ACL/ACL_Dental_Equipment_020209. Accessed October 9, 2013. Thompson, S. A., Davies, J., Allen, M., Hunter, M. L., Oliver, S. J., Bryant, S. T., Uzun, O. (2007). Cardiac risk factors for dental procedures: Knowledge among dental practitioners in wales. British Dental Journal, 203(10), E21; discussion 590-1. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/bdj.2007.889 Jowett, N., Cabot, L. (2000). Patients with cardiac disease: Considerations for the dental practitioner. British Dental Journal, 189(6), 297-302. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.4800750a Schulmeister, L. (1999). Pacemaker interference. Nursing Management, 30(3), 14. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/231428997?accountid=14752 Available at: http://www.bostonscientific.com/templatedata/imports/HTML/CRM/A_Closer_Look/pdfs/ACL_CPR_and_External_Defibrillation_063008.pdf. Accessed March 18, 2014. Jevon, P. (2012). Defibrillation in the dental practice. British Dental Journal, 213(5), 233-5. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2012.778

Entering the Fast Food Industry

Entering the Fast Food Industry Introduction Pull open the glass door, feel the rush of cool air, walk in, get on line, study the backlit color photographs above the counter, place your order, hand over a few dollars, watch teenagers in uniforms pushing various buttons, and moments later take hold of a plastic tray full of food wrapped in colored paper and cardboard. The whole experience of buying fast food has become so routine, so thoroughly unexceptional and mundane, that it is now taken for granted, like brushing your teeth or stopping for a red light. Eric Schlosser from the book Fast Food Nation The food that people always eat or dont it was always determined by some economical and environmental forces. And the big growth of the Egyptian fast food market occurred according to some main changes in the Egyptian society. One of the main changes was the huge entering the women the workforce, which increased the request on some service which women usually do like cooking, cleaning, and child care. And now you can see the double income of the household which make an increase of the requested fast food. Socially, these fast food chains created many changes within the Egyptian behavioral patterns as well. Cleanliness and quality allowed families to feel safe and comfortable, permitting their children to go out on their own. A cheerful atmosphere and fun promotional items and gifts available at these chains attracted children and the younger generation began to frequent them more often, meeting friends and planning parties. It gave the Egyptian youth a safe acceptable place to go to. From here was born the concept of home delivery, a hugely profitable business today. Now, one can order virtually any consumer product by telephone for delivery and thousands of young people are employed in this sector. As consumers became frequent customers, the database developed into a very important asset. Promoting sales and keeping information classified was a must, not to mention boosting an already-escalating competitive environment. Entering the fast food market can be done in several ways that each one of them differs from the other. There are two main choices; first is acquiring a franchise license from an international-branded fast food chain, the second is to create a new brand that is developed locally and independently. Each one of them has their own advantages and disadvantages, and choosing an entry strategy heavily depends on several factors which will be analyzed in this paper. Before choosing an entry strategy the market has to be assessed extensively and to do so Porters Five Forces and the PEST (Political, Economical, Social Technological) analysis models represent the perfect harmony in analyzing the heavily saturated and very competitive Egyptian fast food market. Office of government commerce, (2006) Definition of alternatives Before proceeding with the market analysis we have to understand clearly what is meant by each one of the entry strategies to avoid any misunderstandings; According to (Treas, 1973) franchising can be defined simply as a business relationship between two entities; the seller (franchisor) and the license buyer (franchisee). The franchisee buys a royalty license from the franchisor to have the permission of doing business and opening fast food chains under the brand name of the franchisor. However, the franchisees are still independent and the chains are under full supervision and management by them but they have to abide to certain quality standards and regulations set by the franchisor to help them maintain and save the brand image of their trade mark. (Treas.1973) (Kaufmann Dant, 2001) On the other hand, opening an independent (locally branded) fast food chain is the total opposite of franchising. Instead of buying a franchise license from a well known established brand, the founder decides to create a new novel brand enduring all of the associated costs and taking the risk of creating a new brand image that requires time to gain the desired reputation. Some of the successful franchises in Egypt could be: McDonalds, Pizza Hut, KFC, Burger King, and Sbarro. While Successful examples of independent in Egypt could be: Cook Door, Smileys, Momen, Amo Hosny, Bon Appetite, and Prego. Porters five forces analysis Michael Porter in this analysis suggested a frame that industry influenced by five forces. These forces can determine the competitive intensity and therefore the attractiveness of a market and attractiveness means the overall industry profitability. These forces represent the micro-environment side which is more specific than the more general macro-environment one; they consist of those forces close to a market that affect its shape and stability. (Figure 1: Porters Five forces Model) (Michael E. Porter 1980: 31) Rivalry among existing competitors The first component of the five forces analysis focuses on the competitive rivalry. Competitive rivalry is one of the key areas for an industry, because in many cases it may determine the marketing strategies that will be developed and implemented. The purchasing power of the Egyptian consumers is quite strong and naturally those consumers have high expectations. That is the reason why fast food chains constantly compete for better products and more attractive promotions. For instance, McDonalds was the first fast food chain in Egypt that offers toys and games with meals to trigger childrens interest and this was hugely successful where most of the children buy McDonalds happy meal in order to get the offered toy. Rivalry can be found in many familiar forms such as advertising campaigns, price discounting, new product introduction and service improvement. The more the degree of rivalry the more it becomes an obstacle for profitability, and the degree of rivalry is determined through the intensity of the competition and on how they compete. The intensity of rivalry is influenced by the following characteristics: Large number of competitors: The huge existing numbers of food chains makes the competition more intensified where they have to compete for the same customers and resources in order to gain more market share. The market includes two main categories of chains; local branded fast-food chains which include (Momen, Smileys Grill, Cook Door and El-Shabrawy), and international branded fast-food chains such as (KFC, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Burger King, and many more) Slow market growth: If the market growth is slow the fast-food chains will fight more for the existing market share. On the other hand, if the market growth is fast, the fast-food chains will be able to improve revenues simply because of the expanding market. Egypt is considered the largest in both Africa and the Middle East in the fast-food service industry where it represents US $7 billion and is expected to reach US $10 billion over the next five years (Schaefer 2008: 1) and due to this the fast-food market in Egypt is very fast growing. Highly perishable products: Food products is considered highly perishable where it urges the seller to sometimes lower the prices and sell the product while it is still consumable, thus it intensifies the rivalry. Low switching costs: When a consumer can freely switch and choose from one product to another there is a greater struggle to capture consumers and since most of the fast-food chains meals prices are nearly similar the threat for competitors is high where consumers can switch to another competitor at any time and this creates a pressure on the fast-food chains to create a competitive edge. Low levels of product differentiation: The low levels of product differentiation tends to increase the levels of rivalry thats why fast-food chains tends to increase their brand identification to maintain their market share since they are all serving relatively the same target customers with relatively similar products. Industry shakeout: The growing market of the fast-food industry and the potential for high profits encourages new competitors to enter the market and the existing competitors to increase their size. A point is reached where the industry becomes crowded with competitors and demand cannot support the new entrants and the resulting increased supply creating a situation of excess capacity with too many goods chasing too few buyers. Exit barriers included the issue of asset specialization which can determine how easy a fast food chain can exit the market without having difficulties in liquidating its assets. Due to the fact that most of the fast food chains require some tailor-made equipments that serve their specific needs and helps in maintaining their brand image throughout their products, the degree of asset specialization is quite high in the fast food market which subsequently creates many exit barriers. (Edward 2010) (Yacoub 2010) (Hamza 2010) When a rival acts in a way that draws out a counter-response by other competitors, the rivalry intensifies. The intensity of rivalry is commonly based on the chains aggressiveness in attempting to gain an advantage. In pursuing an advantage over its rivals, a fast-food chain can choose from several competitive moves: Changing prices: Raising or lowering prices to gain a temporary advantage, and many chains try to offer money saving combo meals that sounds more economically to the consumer. Improving product differentiation: Providing innovative and new products and improving the production process itself. For example, Pizza Hut has recently introduced interesting new types of pizzas that helps them to build a strong product differentiation. Using new channels of distribution: McDonalds was the first fast-food chain to introduce the drive-thru chains that conveniently have suited many consumers helping them to co-op with the fast paced lifestyle. Threat of substitute products or services Porter describes substitute product as it is another product that can be chosen as a substitution of the required product. The elasticity of demand could be affected by more than one variable like the price, quality, availabilityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The consumer buying decision can be changed to substitute products according to the change of the price, this change increase the demand on the substitute products. Also the consumer behavior now increased to healthy food which will affect the fast food market negatively. The threat of substitutes is increased if: The substitute product offers more convenient price or performance rather than the fast-food industry because consumers always choose the alternative that offers him greater value. For example, many consumers could choose eat-in restaurants because it can provide them with more food quality rather than the fast-food chains but eating in a restaurant can be more expensive. The switching cost is low and minimal, the threat of substitution becomes higher and the consumer has the ability to switch between alternatives easily with no extra charge and this is the case in the fast-food market Bargaining power of buyers There are several types of buyer power. The first is related to the customers price sensitivity. If each brand of the fast-food chains is similar to all the others, then the consumer will base the purchase decision mainly on price which will increase the competitive rivalry, resulting in lower prices and lower profitability. For example, some consumers would choose McDonalds rather than Burger King for being cheaper. Also the more number of substitutes is available for the buyer, the more powerful he becomes. The other type of buyer power which is not strongly relevant to our market analysis is the negotiating power where larger buyers tend to have more leverage to negotiate prices. Bargaining power of suppliers The fourth part of the five forces analysis focuses on the power of the suppliers and how is it easy for them to drive up prices. This is driven by the number of suppliers available for each key input. The uniqueness of their product or service and the cost of switching from one to another determine how powerful they are. Powerful suppliers can squeeze profitability out of an industry that is unable to pass on cost increases in its own prices. The supply power in our case is represented through the people who provide materials used for the fast-food production such as bakery, poultry, vegetables and packaging. To determine how much the suppliers are powerful we have to asses several aspects; The supplier will become less powerful if he depends heavily on a certain buyer for revenues. For example, Farm Frites-Egypt supply McDonalds for their French Fries, and McDonalds represent a major revenue resource for them where they cannot afford to lose such a strong customer, and this is the case for most of the fast-food chains in Egypt where the suppliers for the materials depend heavily on fast-food chains willing to offer convenient prices for them to become his exclusive supplier for a certain material. (Aly 2010) (Eslam 2010) Changing suppliers for fast-food chains have relatively high switching costs because choosing a supplier comes after several quality tests and approvals by the fast-food chain. Also most of the fast-food chains require exclusive materials and products to be made especially for them like for instance the packaging. (Edward 2010) The supplier will become more powerful if there are no substitutes for him, but in the fast food market in Egypt each key entry has several substitutes that a fast-food chain can choose from. As mentioned before, McDonalds depends on Farm Frites-Egypt to supply them with French Fries, but at the same time McDonalds has the option to choose another supplier with the same standards of Farm Frites such as UniFood. (Aly 2010) Barriers to entry/ Threat of entry It is not only the existing rivals that represent a threat for competitors in the fast-food industry; the possibility that new firms may enter the industry also affects competition. In theory, any competitor should be able to enter and exit a market. In reality, however, there are several aspects that can represent an obstacle for entry and these are called entry barriers. Entry barriers are unique industry characteristics that define the industry; it can reduce the rate of entry new rivals, thus maintaining a level of profits for those already in the industry. These barriers arise from several sources: Government creates barriers Present days, the procedures a fast food chain under-go to open a new outlet is very excruciating, time wasting and requires lots of paper work. This includes; safety regulations, health inspections and taxation procedures. And due to the high levels of bureaucracy in Egypt, the task is never easy. (Aly 2010) (Edward 2010) (Eslam 2010) In the past, the regulatory authority of the government in restricting competition is evident in Egypt during the era of Gamal Abdel Nasser in the sixties, most of the consumer products where locally produced by governmental companies. For example, consumer durables where locally produced by the Ideal national company. Anwar El-Sadats shift of alliance from the Soviet Union to the western world in the early seventies was followed by the Open door policy, or privatization at the expense of the public sector state monopolized large scale industries. The shift from Nassers State capitalist era to full integration into the world capitalist system went hand in hand with encouraging consumerism and franchising activities in Egypt.(Oweiss1988:73-76) b. Patent rights Ideas and knowledge that provide competitive advantages are treated as private property when patented, preventing others from using the knowledge and thus creating a barrier to entry. KFC has their own patent rights for the chicken recipe which positions them aside from other competitors as the leading fast-food chain serving chicken making it hard for competitors to compete in the same market. (Hamza 2010) c. Customer switching costs It becomes harder for new entrants to enter the market if the switching costs are high because it makes it harder for the consumer to switch their decision, and since switching costs between different brands of fast-food chains is low, then it is easy for consumers to switch their decision, thus, making it easy for new entrants to enter the market and gain market share. d. Capital requirement. Since entering the market requires huge financial capital requirement therefore the new entrants will decrease. Capital may be necessary not only for fixed facilities but also to extend customer credit, build inventories and fund start-up losses. There can be two types of start-up costs in our case; the first one is the cost of starting a locally branded fast-food chain, the other one is the cost of franchising an existing internationally branded fast-food chain which sounds easier than starting a locally branded one but can be more costly. Further details will be discussed when comparing between the two market entries alternatives. PEST Analysis. While starting the franchising or broadly speaking starting an international business the new market that the company wants to start business in should be analyzed to make sure that the company operations would work effectively in this market. One of the important tools that companies uses in the analysis process is the PEST analysis which analyze the market considering four factors Political, Economical, Social and Technological factors. In the coming words the four factors will be discussed. Office of government commerce, (2006) (Figure 2: PEST Analysis Model) The Times100 (2008) PEST Analysis of Egypt. 3.1. Political factors Examining the political factors is a very important task any company should do before entering a new market while focusing on the Egyptian case we can find that Egypt is politically stable compared to many countries, however sometimes companies faces some political issues there are many incidents that we can find people trying boycotting specific company because of the home country of the brand as for example USA, In many times there are people boycotting American restaurants therefore we can find many companies as for example McDonalds building on the local identity of the brand by producing a product locally as for example McArabia, McFalafel, etc and that helps in building the feeling that it is a local brand. Waguih (2002) 3.2. Economical factors As mentioned previously the change in the economy in the period of Sadat to his open door policy and globalization helps franchisors to work in Egypt because it is a healthy economy. While starting the business franchisors were used to import every ingredient, but after several years of success, they began in building food factories licensed by the international brands. Consequently, factories became so efficient in the production of quality goods that after fulfilling the local demand, they began exporting their products to countries throughout the Middle East and Europe. Aboul Fath, (2008) In the past few years there were a growth in the Egyptian economy the figure 3 below shows the increase in the GDP per capita which shows that economically the market is attractive for investments. Ministry of Finance Macro Fiscal Policy Unit (2008) (Figure 3: Annual Percent Change %) Ministry of Finance Macro Fiscal Policy Unit (2008) The Egyptian government has identified foreign investments as a critical component to sustained economic growth. As a result, investors are given special exemptions and incentives. However, several barriers to investment remain including a high level of bureaucracy, complex tax systems and customs procedures. To overcome these obstacles, the Egyptian government is currently directing its effort to increase privatization and fiscal transparency, and to improve tax regulations thus encouraging foreign investments and easing the path for franchising. Aboul Fath, (2008) 3.3. Social factors Demographics The group of consumers in Egypt consist of low income families, middle and high income this may secure the success in Egyptian fast food market. In addition to that there is about 50% of Egyptian population young consumer which presented in figure 4. That may make an opportunity for the fast food chains as their young group becomes more targets to the American and European chains. There is also the percentage of the working age where they representing the purchasing power are nearly 62% showed in figure 4 below. The middle aged is seeking fast food as a solution for a ready meal. Awad, Zohry (2005) Shaefer(2008) (figure.4: Egyptian Population by Broad Age groups 1950-2010) Awad and Zohry (2005) Fast food expenditure and consumption patterns: In a study conducted by Fabiosa and Soliman (2008) they focused on explaining the impact of income changes on the expenditure behavior for the households, . Another study by Fabiosa (2008) shows the household food-away-from-home (FAFH) expenditure pattern in Egypt. When reviewing the life style of Egyptians, we can find that Egyptians eats three main meals, traditional Egyptians meals is made of rice or pasta and vegetables. Meat is also included depending on whether they can afford its cost or not. However in the past decade there were rapid increases in the interest of the Egyptians in the fast food especially in the American and European food. However, high class families usually are aware about healthy food and may choose products with lower fat and cholesterol. Fabiosa and Soliman, (2008), Fabiosa (2008) Average income families usually can afford to eat once a month outside, although dining outside of home is increasing in popularity among many consumers. More well-off households and single people may eat out more than once a week. The young consumer segment, especially wealthier segment, typically eats out more than it cooks at home and the consumption can reach as much as four or five times a week. Fabiosa, (2008) 3.4. Technological factors The several advancements in technology have allowed the food production to grow massively and at much lower costs than it used to be. Now, there are several ways a person can order his food; through telephone, internet, and drive-through fast-food chains. All of these ways are of course available beside the traditional way of ordering fast-food which is take-away. Due to technological advancements, buying fast-food is one of the easiest tasks a person can do nowadays. Technological advancement also reached the food itself, now with the increased health awareness, fast-food chains try to focus on producing healthy food and reducing all the harmful ingredients. For instance, KFC announces that they are using Trans-Fat free ingredients which raised many health concerns among consumers. Also technology offers wide array of flavors that can be added to make food more appealing to consumers. A.Hamza, (Branch Manager Hardees Restaurants. Personal Interview. 1st of Feb, 2010). 4. The Egyptian fast food sector Entering the fast food market in Egypt can be successfully done in two main ways according to the successful stories in Egypt which will be explain later; first is acquiring a franchise license from an international-branded fast food chain, The second is to create a new brand that is developed locally and independently. Opening an independent (locally branded) fast food chain is the total opposite of franchising. Instead of buying a franchise license from a well known established brand, the founder decides to create a new brand enduring all of the associated costs and taking the risk of creating a new brand image that requires time to gain the desired reputation. Aboul Fath ,(2008) 5. Franchising as an international business tool Internationalization became one important way of doing business allover the world.1980s shows the increasing in distribution number of international retailers. The retailers were acquired and forced to move and enter international markets as the domestic market gave them a limited option to distribute their products or services. By this increasing numbers of distributing in international markets which continued in 1990s the retailers considered developing themselves to enter new markets outside, Quinn Alexander, (2002). To enter a new market there are three main ways which are first is independent as to invest in the new market and work directly from there. On the other hand there is two ways which are distributorship and formal relationship and these two ways are to work throw another party which could be in many ways, figure 1 briefly explain this ways. Entry modes Independent Distributorship Formal relationship Joint venture Acquisition Franchising Licensing (Figure 5: Modes of entry) Distributorship theory which is having a relation with the supplier, the distributor buys in bulk quantities and sell in smaller quantities, this independent distributor can work with many suppliers and he may not receive training or support from the supplier and the relation simply is to buy the product from the supplier no more. Formal relationship: Elaborating more on the facts showed in the chart, there are other options in this case is to join another party as acquisitions, joint venture, licensing and franchising. 5.1. Franchising Concept Many people think that fast food restaurants like KFC, Pizza Hut, MacDonalds or Burger King are the only examples of franchising but already there are many types of franchising and as Mr. Sidney J. Feltenstein the chairman of international franchising association says one out of every three dollars spent by Americans for goods and services is spent in a franchised business. Homes we buy can be throw franchised business, cars we buy clean or cared also can be through franchised business. We can travel from country to another through franchised business transportation firms so there are many types of franchising. (Beshel, 2000). Beshel, (2000) defined franchising as an agreement between two parties or two independent persons which give that: one from this two parties (franchisee) get the right to trade or to work by the trade mark of the second party (franchisor) Franchisee gets the right to use the operating system of franchisor and his obligation to pay fees to the franchisor. Franchisors obligation to provide rights to support franchisee. So franchise is a continuing relation between the franchisor and the franchisee. This relation depends on the franchisors experience, history, image and success. Also franchisor technique in doing business is important point to be consider when use franchising. The agreement of franchise can be made using several arrangements. It can be by fixed fees, percentage of sum of sales or the franchisee purchasing the product from the franchisor. Rothenberg, (1976). Independent vs. Franchised Comparing between the two routes for analyzing the effectiveness of franchising on food market in Egypt, some points considered to show that. To gather such in-depth information, interviews were conducted with several fast food chains managers and supervisors (franchised and local) to help us compare and choose the most appealing strategy for market entry. 6.1. Start-up Capital To acquire a franchise license is a very difficult task, the reason is that the franchisor expects from his franchisee to be withholding a respectable amount of monetary resources that can enable the franchisee to be up to the franchisors expectations and standards. For instance, the franchisee can be subject to some strict conditions set by the franchisor asking him to open a minimum number of chains with certain quality standards or else the franchise contract will be voided. Kaufmann Dant, (2001) (Calhoun 1975) A.Aly. (CEO of Target Franchises. Personal Interview. 11th of Feb, 2010) On the other hand, starting up an independent local fast food chain can be much easier and much less in terms of cash resources required. You can start small and then expand and grow gradually without having the limitations and strict conditions of a franchise contract that can be in terms of: Huge initial franchise fees Previous experience Quality standards Size vs. time frame available for growth Thus, keeping up with the franchisors conditions and standards require huge capital investments at the beginning which can be a drawback for choosing the franchise route as an entry strategy for the fast food market. But in some cases, financing a franchise can be easier because are sometimes more likely to offer loans to buy a franchise with a good reputation. O.Eslam, (General Manager of Target Franchises. Personal Interview. 11th of Feb, 2010).H.Anis( Founder of Harris Cafà ©. Personal Interview. 28th of Feb,2010). 6.2. Established Name A franchise opportunity provides its franchisee a well established and internationally recognized brand name and image that can acquire customers. In other words, buying a franchise can be like buying a business with built-in customers. Franchising a brand also doesnt carry the same risk as building a new one because when considering the option of entering the fast food market with an independent brand chains, founder will be struggling at first to achieve a good reputation and strong brand image that can earn the trust of consumers without having any doubts related to health or quality issues because one of the most difficult things to do when starting a business is to develop a recognizable presence with customers. This usually only happens over time and franchises eliminate this obstacle which saves both money and time. Also the franchisees will capture the benefits of the parent companys national marketing campaigns and advertising. A.Aly. (CEO of Target Franchises. Personal Interview. 11th of Feb, 2010) S.Edward, (CEO of Future Franchises. Personal Interview. 13th of Feb., 2010). O.Eslam, (General Manager of Target Franchises. Personal Interview. 11th of Feb., 2010). M.Yacoub,.( Branch Manager of Cook Door. Personal Interview. 25th of Feb., 2010). (Peterson Dant, 1990) 6.3 Access to Technology and Training When buying a franchise, the franchisor gives you support usually including training and orientation to help setting up the business and they provide you with manuals telling you how to run the business and ongoing advice. Also, most of the times the franchisor provide you with all the equipment, supplies and materials needed to conduct the business so you dont have to worry about acquiring assets that include state of the art machines and equipments like you do when opening an independent new chain. (Peterson Dant, 1990) M.Telleb,. (Branch Manager Starbucks Cafe. Personal Interview. 28th of feb, 2010). 6.4 Operating cost The franchisee will be able to acquire all necessary supplies at much lower costs because the prices are negotiated by the company with the suppliers in behalf of all the franchise units. Because of the size and regular occurrence of orders, the franchisor is able to get huge discounts on supplies. This gives an advantage compared to the route of entering the market with a new local independent brand. M.Yacoub,.( Branch Manager of Coo