Management Practice of the 21st Century Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6250 words

Management Practice of the 21st Century - Essay Example decentralized command-and-control, and so forth. (Manager2006) To some extent they have experience managerial behaviour in different tastes and concerns. For example in business concerns sales: Today do we deploy the same patterns of selling behaviour as it was some decades ago Does that pattern is aligned by product, geography, or industry Does technology have some impact in the marketing of that product Many twenty-plus year sales veterans recall that they have witnessed all three models implemented within the same firm, seen them come, and go, and come back. However, managers, and especially senior executives, are increasingly learning that relying solely on memory of past experiences to make decisions is also problematic. If an industry or market is changing, prior experience and personal memory may be outdated, irrelevant to the new circumstance. An incorrect lesson can also be drawn from prior experience. Coca-Cola's senior management appeared quite affected by this when they decided to retire the firm's premier product the Coca-Cola drin k and replace it with a new variant. The results were disastrous and the firm had to bring back its main product, now called Coca-Cola Classic. The episode has gone down in business history as a classic misjudgement. Smart people just drew the wrong lessons from past events. That is why the rigors of knowledge management and analysis of market conditions must exist side-by-side with personal expertise and experience. (Manager2006) According to Winchester John, organizations that adopt e-business practices make use of electronic networks to transform their processes and exchange value, including money, goods and services. The model for these new kinds of companies has evolved from websites through e-commerce and e-channels to an all-pervasive use of electronic means to interact, collaborate and transact business. The significant investment that is being made by enterprises in this sector is accelerating the pace at which transactions and information can be moved across the world's communications networks and in turn is transforming more customers into e-consumers. In addition to the development of the market itself, advances in technology are enabling these solutions to perform more business functions and services than ever before. (Winchester, 2006) Managing Supply Chain 21st century business environmentis defined byrapid change on a global scale, in terms

Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship Essay Example for Free

Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship Essay The songs or lieders made by Hugo Wolf and Franz Schubert, although of the same origin, are totally different when analyzed side by side. For a brief history, the song is from the poem â€Å"Do you know the land where the lemon trees bloom? † and is written as a part of the novel Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship. This was the script for the actor of Mignon, a lady whom Wilhelm encounters on his travels. The two composers perfectly created a melody each distinct from each other, showing their vast differences in terms of style, knowledge, and even understanding of the poem itself. In listening and discerning these pieces, one must understand the two composers had different theories and practices pertaining to composition. This would help in understanding the songs even better. A very noticeable fact, even for first time listeners would be the difference in the overall structure of the songs. Franz Schubert’s song seems to be composed of two main parts, a verse followed by a chorus, then repeated again for a number of times. But it can’t be helped to notice that the chorus is of a different mood, and totally contrasting to the preceding verse. The verses have hints of sorrow, and mystery to it while the chorus is almost like a jolly tune in terms of melody and rhythm. Hugo Wolf’s piece on the other hand was slow, mellow and dark all throughout. The whole song also seemed to flow continually, with different melodies happening every time. There was still a chorus type of part, which was repeated for about three times during the song. But unlike Schubert’s contrasting themes, Wolf’s chorus only intensified the dark and minor theme of the song. In Wolf’s composition, the use of a very thick texture is dominant in the chorus. The piano plays the bass part heavily, while his use of the hamper pedal occasionally brings up a very striking minor melody. It is also more chromatic compared to Schubert’s, which is predominantly diatonic. On Schubert’s side, there is a lesser change of texture during the parts of the song, but more on rhythm change. There are some instances however, like when the chorus ends, where a very appropriate change in volume occurs that signifies the end of that part. Although the sudden return of the verse gives away the sense of texture that could have occurred. In a whole, Schubert’s song seemed to be played straightforward, but his change of mood gives the listener a type of excitement. The two songs also differ greatly in the vocal parts sung by the singer. In Schubert’s arrangement, the voice seems to be very attached to the piano’s melody. Almost as if the piano was playing the exact melody the singer is singing. There is also less change in power, but more of, as said earlier rhythm change. The singer shifts from legato lines to staccato-like phrases beautifully but keeps her volume and projection at an almost constant level, except for the ends of the choruses where she follows the rising tone of the accompaniment. The singer also had a wider range of notes to work with. In contrast with Wolf’s piano lines, the melody only seems to support the singer, to provide a cushion on which the singers sing on. This is very evident during the chorus parts where the melody played a stream of sad notes completely off with the singers rhythm. The singer stayed at a constant feel, increasing the projection and power as the accompaniment does. I can say that in Wolf’s song, the singer would have worked harder in hitting those notes with the right amount of power. The range of notes are very much wider than that of Schubert’s. These and many more differences on the two compositions show a much deeper idea in composing other than just scales and notes. By thoroughly understanding the poem and the two song arrangements, we can make a conclusion regarding the view of the composers in regard with the said poem. In summary, the poem seems to be questions by the singer to a certain someone. The singers hopes of finding a place, somewhere where the lemon trees blossom and the roof rests on the pillar of the house. Franz Schubert may have viewed this as a two mood poem – the solemn, sad part where the singer asks the questions and a happy one where the singer got a kind of excitement in knowing that the place was found. This is very much portrayed in his composition. By using two totally different rhythm and modes, he is able to allow the listener to perceive a change in the singer’s mood. It is as if the singer found hope in her questions. The continuously sad atmosphere of Wolf’s piece on the other hand may suggest that Wolf sees Mignon as a woman of a dark and mysterious background. Something where happiness may be drawn out of her, and the questions asked were in hope of desperation. Finally, the songs differ in terms of their effect to the listener. Schubert’s song kept on resolving every time the chorus was sung. It is evident that there are only two major parts, and a very well made fake ending covered the real one. It is as if the song had been repeating after the first set was done. This leaves a distinction of hominess, where the listeners tend to feel relieved, safe, at home. The diatonic nature of the song and the frequent tonic tone heard helps in providing this certain feeling. But for Wolf, the chromatism and dissonance created a lot of tension during the songs. Wolf is known for avoiding resolving at the home key when not needed. This song shows much of this character, as there is a sense of floating when one hears it. Wolf also tries to avoid the common strophic type of songs. He likes building his melody as he goes along, making verses differ from each other. These two songs are great manifestations of their composers’ ideas. Each has different structures and quality, none of which is inferior to the other. By analyzing these, we can conclude that composers not only compose the melody, but they also create a certain atmosphere on which the listeners can submerge to, by using different styles. And Franz Schubert and Hugo Wolf’s songs are great examples of these.

The structure of a commercial aircraft

The structure of a commercial aircraft Introduction This is assignment is based on structure of an aircraft. The structure of an aircraft has been explained briefly in this assignment. I am going to start my assignment with typical aircraft diagram. This assignment is particular based on commercial aircraft, emphasising various major structural components. The major structural components refer to the primary structure of an aircraft. If the primary structure fails the aircraft wont be capable of flying anymore. It can lead to complete structural damage. I am going to do an intensive research on load transfer structure using Aircraft structure from engineering book, and I am going to explain about the maximum load case which will cover N-V diagram as well Structure Classification: For the purpose of assessing damage and the type of repair to be carried out on the aircraft the structure is divided into three main categories Primary Structure Secondary Structure Tertiary Structure Primary Structure: Primary structure includes all the portions of the aircraft, the failure of which during flight or on the ground would cause catastrophic structural collapse and loss of control. Examples of Primary Structure include: Wings Fuselage Tail Landing Gear Wings Wing is a surface providing the lift to the aircraft. They are attached to fuselage on each side .They are usually in aerofoil shape. They can be attached at the top, middle, or lower portion of the fuselage depending on the required performance for the particular airplane. The number of wings can also vary. The wings consist of two essential parts. The internal wing structure which consist of spars, ribs, stringers and the external wing, which is the skin. C:UsersRIZWAN ULLAHPictureswing-components.gif Fig 2: Components of the wing (2) In a fixed-wing aircraft, the spar is the main structural member of the wing, located at right angle to the fuselage running spanwise. They run from the base of the wing toward the tip and are usually attached to the fuselage by the wing fittings. It carries flight loads and the weight of the wing. Sometimes more than one spar may be located on a wing or there might be none at all (3) In the framework of a wing, ribs are the crosspieces running from the leading edge to the trailing edge of the wing. The ribs give the wings its contour and shape and transmit the load from the skin to the spars. Ribs are also used in ailerons, elevators, fins and stabilizer (4) Stiffener which assists sheet materials to carry loads along their length. With integral construction they are machined or etched out of the skin panel Fuselage The body of the airplane, which carries the crew and payload, such as passengers or cargo, is called the fuselage. It looks like a tube which holds most of the aircraft together. The other structural units are directly or indirectly attached to it. It also provides stability and also control pitch and yaw movement of the aircraft C:UsersRIZWAN ULLAHPictureshttpimages.google.co.ukimgresimgurl=httpwww.grc.nasa.govWWWK-12airplaneImagesfuselage.gifimgrefurl=httpwww.grc.nasa.govWWWK-12airplanefuselage.htmlusg=__JKzqTJ1GPBfQcNIPubnvd2PTbqk=h=533w=710sz=22hl=enstart=1sig2=YzE.jpg (5) Fig 3: Fuselage Types of Structure: There are two different types of structure: Monocoque type Semi Monocoque type C:UsersRIZWAN ULLAHPicturesUntitled.jpg (6) Fig 4: Warren truss of welded tubular steel Monocoque Construction: This is further classified into the true Monocoque construction and the more common semi Monocoque construction. The true Monocoque construction uses formers, frames assemblies, and bulk heads to give shape to the fuselage, but the skin carries the primary stresses. Since the bracing members are present, the skin must be strong enough to keep the fuselage rigid. Thus, the biggest problem involved in Monocoque construction is maintaining enough strength while keeping the weight within allowable limits. C:UsersRIZWAN ULLAHPictureshttpairplanegroundschools.comAircraft-StructureFigure1-3.jpg.jpg (7) Fig5: Monocoque Construction Semi Monocoque Construction The semi monocoque fuselage is constructed primarily of the alloys of aluminium and magnesium, although steel and titanium are found in areas of high temperatures. C:UsersRIZWAN ULLAHPicturessemimonocoquefuselagedesign1.jpg (8) Fig6: Semi Monocoque Construction The principal structural parts of the fuselage are longerons, formers, stringers and bulkheads Longerons are main structural member of a fuselage or nacelle. Longerons are a thin strip of metal to which the skin of the aircraft is fastened. Longerons are attached to formers in the case of fuselage (9) The vertical structural members are referred to as bulk heads, frames and formers. The heaviest of these vertical members are located at intervals to carry concentrated loads and at points where fittings are used to attach other units, such as the wings, power plants, and stabilizers Tail The stabilizing surfaces at the rear of the airplane are the horizontal and vertical tails. These major components are often divided into smaller elements. The forward, usually fixed, part of horizontal tail is the horizontal stabilizer. Attached to it is a movable control surface called elevator. Changing the elevator deflection changes the lift on the horizontal tail and thereby controls the angle of attack and lift of the wing. Similarly, the vertical tail is divided into the fixed vertical stabilizer or fin and the rudder. The main role of horizontal stabilizer is to provide longitudinal stability about lateral axis. It refers to motion in pitch; thereby it controls the angle of attack. The main role of the vertical stabilizer is to provide directional stability about the normal axis. It controls the yawing motion of an aircraft. (10) Fig7: Empennage Load Transfer Structure The basic function of an aircrafts structure are to transmit and resist the loads applied on aircraft so the structure can provide aerodynamic shape and protect the aircraft from environmental conditions encountered in flight. The two classes of loads may be further divided into surface forces which act upon the surface of the structure and body forces which act over the volume of the structure and are produced by gravitational and inertial effects. Basically all air loads are the resultant of the pressure distribution over the surfaces of the skin produced by steady flight, manoeuvre or gust conditions. Generally, these resultant cause direct loads, bending, shear and torsion in all parts of the structure. First, we shall consider wing sections, while performing the same function can differ widely in their structural complexity. The shape of the cross section is governed by aerodynamic considerations and clearly must be maintained for all combinations of load. They also act with the skin in resisting the distributed aerodynamics pressure loads; they distribute concentrated loads into the structure and redistribute stress around discontinuities, such as undercarriage wells, inspection panels and fuel tanks, in the wing surface. Ribs increase the column buckling stress of the longitudinal stiffeners by providing end restraint and establishing their column length; in a similar manner they increase the plate buckling stress of the skin panels. In the outer portions of the wing, where the cross section may be relatively small if the wing is tapered and the loads are light, ribs act primarily as formers for the aerofoil shape. Fuselages, while of different shapes to the aerodynamics surfaces, comprise members which perform similar functions to their counterparts in the wings and the tailplane. Aerodynamics forces on the fuselage skin are relatively low; on the other hand, the fuselage supports large concentrated loads such as wing reactions, tailplane reactions, undercarriage reactions and it carries payloads of varying size and weight, which may cause large inertia forces. (11) Maximum Stress Load case Many forces and structural stresses act on an aircraft. When it is static, the force of gravity produces weight, which is supported by the landing gear. During flight manoeuvre causes acceleration or deceleration which increases forces and stresses on wings and fuselage. V-n Diagram (15) C:UsersRIZWAN ULLAHPicturesimage2.gif Fig 8: Manoeuvre Diagram This diagram illustrates the variation in load factor with airspeed for maneuvers. At low speeds the maximum load factor is constrained by aircraft maximum CL. At higher speeds the maneuver load factor may be restricted. The maximum manoeuvre load factor is usually +2.5 . If the airplane weighs less than 50,000 lbs., however, the load factor must be given by: n= 2.1 + 24,000 / (W+10,000) n need not be greater than 3.8. This is the required manoeuvre load factor at all speeds up to Vc, unless the maximum achievable load factor is limited by stall. The structural stresses to which the aircraft is subjected to its maximum: Tension Compression Torsion Shear Bending Tension It is defined as pull, in level flight, aircraft engine and propeller pulls the aircraft forward while fuselage and tail resist that movement because of the airflow around them. Airframe is stretched as a result. Elevator control cable is in additional tension when the pilot moves the control column Compression Compression is the resistance to crushing. Aircraft wings are subjected to compression stresses, on the ground aircraft landing gear struts are under compression stress C:UsersRIZWAN ULLAHPicturesaaaa.jpg (12) Fig 9: Compression and tension stress Torsion It results from a twisting force. It is produced in an engine crankshaft while the engine is running. The airframe is also subjected to stresses during turns. C:UsersRIZWAN ULLAHPicturesUntitled.jpg (13) Fig 10: Torsional stress Shear Shear stress is the outcome of sliding one part over the other in opposite directions. The rivets and bolts experience shear stresses. Bending Bending is a combination of tension and compression. The wing spars of an aircraft in flight are subject to bending stresses C:UsersRIZWAN ULLAHPictureshttpwww.aerospaceweb.orgquestionperformanceq0146.shtml.gif (14) Fig 11: Banking angle When the aircraft is taking a sharp turn most of the forces acting on the aircraft are its at maximum, because there are forces that tend to keep the aircraft in its original path.

Pornography Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Essays

Pornography Pornography is ripping apart our society. Although Christians are sometimes discus tied with the impact and apathetic about the need to control this menace. Pornography is a year business with close ties to organized crime. Pornography involves books, magazines, videos, and devices and has moved from the society into the mainstream through the renting of video cassettes, sales Of so-called "soft-porn" magazines, and the airing of sexually explicit movies on Cable television. To some, pornography is nothing more than a few pictures of scantily clad Women in seductive poses. But pornography has become much more than just Photographs of nude women. Computer technology is providing child molesters and child pornographers with powerful new tools for victimizing children. Pornography as "the sexually explicit depiction of persons, in words or images, Sexual arousal on the part of the consumer of such materials. No one can prove those films with graphic sex or violence has a harmful effect on viewers. But there seems to be little doubt that films do have some effect on society and that all of us live with such effects. The question of how society will function when all checks that a few thousand years of civilization have imposed have disappeared has yet to be answered. Society has been trained to view photographs as representations of Reality, but digital imaging has quickly tossed that mindset aside. The underlying Problem results in questioning of everyday events such as, the ability to look at a Photo and trust that the images we see are truly representative of the situation. The ability to alter images can open creative outlets for photographers and In turn, produce better quality work. Any photog... ...nities of the porno plague. We should express our concern to local Officials through letters and petitions about adult movie houses and bookstores in the community. But if we receive pornographic material in the mail, we should Report it to our postmaster and request that federal agents take action. One Important thing is not to patronize stores that sell pornographic materials. Consider organizing a boycott and pickets in order to get community attention Focused on the problem. And even try to start a neighborhood meeting or something to help out around the community. To conclude this report pornographic material is hurting America but not in a big way and it is bringing us down as a society and not really being great role Models to our kids. Its might be a good thing to have and to some people might be A bad thing to someone. Thank you for reading my report. Pornography Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Essays Pornography Pornography is ripping apart our society. Although Christians are sometimes discus tied with the impact and apathetic about the need to control this menace. Pornography is a year business with close ties to organized crime. Pornography involves books, magazines, videos, and devices and has moved from the society into the mainstream through the renting of video cassettes, sales Of so-called "soft-porn" magazines, and the airing of sexually explicit movies on Cable television. To some, pornography is nothing more than a few pictures of scantily clad Women in seductive poses. But pornography has become much more than just Photographs of nude women. Computer technology is providing child molesters and child pornographers with powerful new tools for victimizing children. Pornography as "the sexually explicit depiction of persons, in words or images, Sexual arousal on the part of the consumer of such materials. No one can prove those films with graphic sex or violence has a harmful effect on viewers. But there seems to be little doubt that films do have some effect on society and that all of us live with such effects. The question of how society will function when all checks that a few thousand years of civilization have imposed have disappeared has yet to be answered. Society has been trained to view photographs as representations of Reality, but digital imaging has quickly tossed that mindset aside. The underlying Problem results in questioning of everyday events such as, the ability to look at a Photo and trust that the images we see are truly representative of the situation. The ability to alter images can open creative outlets for photographers and In turn, produce better quality work. Any photog... ...nities of the porno plague. We should express our concern to local Officials through letters and petitions about adult movie houses and bookstores in the community. But if we receive pornographic material in the mail, we should Report it to our postmaster and request that federal agents take action. One Important thing is not to patronize stores that sell pornographic materials. Consider organizing a boycott and pickets in order to get community attention Focused on the problem. And even try to start a neighborhood meeting or something to help out around the community. To conclude this report pornographic material is hurting America but not in a big way and it is bringing us down as a society and not really being great role Models to our kids. Its might be a good thing to have and to some people might be A bad thing to someone. Thank you for reading my report.

Ife, Efe, and Space Matrix of Coca-Cola Essay

INTRODUCTION Coca-Cola, the product that has given the world its best known taste was born in Atlanta, Georgia on May 8, 1886. Coca-Cola Company is the world’s leading manufacturer, marketer and distributor of non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups, used to produce nearly 400 beverage brands. They have a strong management and marketing team, and they produce products that people want and in some cases need. Examples of well-known brands they own include Coke, Sprite, Fanta, Vitamin Water, Minute Maid, Bonaqua and Powerade. Although, even a successful company can come tumbling down, and in order to stay ahead of the competition and to continue revenue growth, we would advise the company to seek out additional business strategies in which will explain in depth in the following sections (our company, 2014). CURRENT MISSION, GOALS AND STRATGIES: Coke’s mission is to, â€Å"refresh the world, inspire moments of optimism and happiness, and to create value and make a difference.† Coca-Cola believe that they main responsibility is providing customers with refreshing beverages including soft drinks, water, energy drinks, juice and tea to fit any occasion in their daily lives. Coca-Cola signature product, Coke, is a favorite around the world and a wide variety of products are sold in over 200 countries. They use the only the most sophisticated equipment to process and make the products to ensure each glass of coke product it as good as always. Besides, employees are fairly compensated and we practice fair trade in all markets we compete. Coca-Cola values their responsibility to all communities to serve and support many educational programs. Furthermore, The Company’s goals include maximizing growth and profitability to increase shareholders’ wealth and to be globally known as a business that conducts business responsibility and ethically and to accelerate sustainable growth to operate in tomorrow’s world. The strategies that The Coca-Cola Company is currently pursuing to achieve these goals include: product innovation; creating well planned packaging and pricing schemes; and increasing operating efficiencies. The Company often reviews and evaluates their business plans and performance to improve their earnings and analyze their  competitive positioning the market. They make decisions in realigning their business models to match the objectives of the Company by using strategies and tactics in the analysis of their performance (our company, 2014). INTERNAL ANALYSIS: (See attached IFEM) The Coca-Cola Company has an IFEM score of 2.82, which is an indication of a strong internal position. It can also be observed that there are much more internal strengths than the weakness which is why also the company has a strong internal position. FINANCE: Coca-Cola has consistent financial operating results and compared to their competition, they are much better financial shape. For the year ending 2013, the company generated a whopping $48 billion in revenue, an increase over the past two years. According to the company’s 2013 Income Statement, net income, operating income, and gross profit resulted in a positive year-over-year percent change. Coca-Cola has a Quick Ratio of 0.92% and a Current Ratio of 1.03%, thus having a low projected risk of delinquency and a low risk of failure. Coca-Cola has the total debt to asset ratio of 41.17 and profit margin of 18.22%. The company meets its goal of maximizing shareholders’ wealth as the company’s stock (KO) price plus reinvested dividends continue to trend upwards. MANAGEMENT: There are a lot to say for a company that is been in business for 127 years and it’s evident that the management structure is strong, the company also has a global employee workforce of 150,900 that contributes to the overall success of the organization. The company strives to make a positive impact in the world and intends for their core values to display not only inward but also outward toward the customer. Some of those core values are: diversity, collaboration, passion, accountability, and integrity. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT: With the proper qualitative research, the company can gauge what type of beverage the consumers want and whether or not their products taste good to the consumer. The company offers over 91 products worldwide, but in order to stay ahead of competition, the development of new products, product packaging, and product diversification is essential. MARKETING: Coca-Cola is a marketing giant, which proves to be an internal strength for the organization. Through effective marketing strategies, 98% of the world’s population recognizes the famous white and red Coca-Cola logo. Over the years, Coca-Cola has had many creative slogans such as â€Å"Open Happiness† and  Ã¢â‚¬Å"It’s the real thing†. Consumers also enjoy the yearly Coca-Cola Super Bowl commercials that often promote happiness with the Clydesdale horses or Polar Bears. In addition, Coca-Cola is taking advantage of social media sites to communicate with their customers. In summary, The Coca-Cola Company yielded a positive internal analysis. The company is in good financial shape and continues to improve and produce positive year-over-year profits. As long as the company can keep its debt under control, they will continue to be in good financial health. The management team and global workforce at Coca-Cola are strong and their core values reflect positively though their commitment to social responsibility. The company should continue to research what type of beverages best suit consumer’s needs in order to stay ahead of the competition. Lastly, the company excels with their marketing campaigns and should continue with aggressive and creative marketing to maintain market share. EXTERNAL ANALYSIS (See attached EFEM) Company Coca-Cola appears to be competing in a hostile environment as indicated by the EFEM score of 2.39. It can be seen in the External Factor Evaluation matrix that the industry is facing more threats than the opportunities and the priority of the threats are also more than the opportunities. This means that the industry is more vulnerable to the effects of threats than opportunities. DEMOGRAPHIC: Coca-Cola is the most well-known product throughout the world. The demographics used to segment those users of Coca-Cola located in the United States are as follows: age, race, income, education, employment, household size, gender and lifestyle. Coca-Cola was originally created as syrup to be sold to soda fountains, where it would be mixed with soda water and served to patrons, typically teenagers and young adults. And just as it was created for the younger generation, that’s where it’s popularity has remained, with the 18-24 year-old age demographic. However, Coca-Cola’s volume potential is highest for 25-34 year-olds. In the adult population, Coca-Cola is most popular among men, and more specifically, single men. However, there is significant volume potential for married persons, and Coca-Cola could therefore prospectively increase their sales volume by marketing more towards married persons ages 25-34. COMPETITION: Existing Rivalry in the soft drinks  industry is between Coca Cola PepsiCo and Dr Pepper Snapple. However, Coca Col a remains to be the market leader and has maintained the leadership through its intensive marketing campaigns, innovation in introducing brands which captures the evolving customer needs and the wider presence of its brands in many countries across the world. This combined by the significant market experience for the many years the business has been in the industry gives the Coca Cola a competitive edge over competitors. New entrant’s new entrants: Coca cola as the leading soft drink sel ler in the industry has a large network which gives it economies of scale and wide presence all over the world. The economies of scale makes Coca Cola’s average cost to be too low for new entrants to be able to enter the market since they cannot afford to produce at such low cost hence the market has low entrant. The cost of entering the soft drinks industry is also high due to the much research needed for the brands development, equipment and expertise involved which also keeps away many potential entrants in the market. This gives Coca Cola a competitive edge against any potential entrants. ECONOMIC: Inflation rate rise which is the general rise of the price level reduces the consumer’s purchasing power reducing demand for the business’s products while its reduction increases purchasing power increasing demand. Next, Emerging markets are increasing business operations in international market l. This can be demonstrated by the significant performance of the company with the earnings before interest in markets outside US representing 80% of the company earnings. Interest r ate determines the cost of borrowing for investors in the market. Thus a rise of the rate increases the cost of investment which reduces competition in the market while a fall of the rate reduces the cost of capital increasing competition in the market. Unemployment rise affects the amount of disposable income available to the consumers with its rise reducing the income hence reducing demand. On the contrary, an increase in employment increases the disposable income increasing demand for goods boosting the business performance. Economic growth rate and performance determines the level of income in the economy which determines the aggregate demand in the market. Thus a positive economic growth increases demand in the market while a negative growth reduces demand. SOCIAL: Lifestyle change in the market changes demand for products, calling for the business to introduce products that meet the new  demand while phasing out the old products with no demand; this has promoted innovation of the company in introducing relevant products like the diet brands and low or Zero calories brands. Aging population and population composition change and diversified products preference in the market as different age groups have different tastes and preferences, with the elderly becoming more concerned with their health hence having their demand change to healthy products reducing demand for some of the businesses products. The consumers health concern and age preferences has resulted to Carbonated drinks being much preferred by and commanding a large youthful market segment who care less about carbon health effect which has been the concern. There has also been a significant growth of healthier soft drinks due to their branding image that they are natural but the carbonated brands consumption among the children and the adults has reduced. STRATEGIC OPTION ANALYSIS: See the I/E, SPACE, TOWS and QSPM I/E MATRIX: The I&E Matrix plot depicts a strategy area of 2.56 which indicates that the company should â€Å"hold and maintain. Suggested strategies for this position on the I&E Matrix are market penetration, market development, and product development. This is not a large problem for the company as they are in a very strong financial position to hold and maintain the current market position. Elimination of the major problems of Coca-Cola in term of production and marketing will strengthen the company internally and facilitate the adoption of a broader range of strategies. Coca-Cola must also consider to creating products for market niches in order to make it less vulnerable to competition (Product Development).One of the threat in the market is customer are changing health-consciousness attitude, the company have to develop products that can satisfy the need of customer and that are perceived as being clearly superior to the competition. SPACE MATRIX: The SPACE matrix shows a borderline plot in the AGGRESSIVE quadrant, which correlates with the result from the IE matrix as well. The plot ensure the company’s strong financial position (FS+5) with a great competitive advantage (CA-1.50). The industry itself is strong (IP+5.2) but the Coca-Cola finds itself in an unfavourable environment (CP-1.80). Due to  these factors, it is best that Coca-Cola be aggressive and cautious at the same time. The plot suggests that Coca-Cola needs to use their internal strengths to develop a market penetration and market development strategies to stay ahead of the competition. Some of the factors that afforded Coca-Cola with a competitive rating are their large percentage of market share, consumer loyalty to the brand, and their high-quality product offerings. TOWS MATRIX: The TOWS Matrix Yielded Ten Strategies. Two of the strategies were functional strategies and the remaining eight were Business/Corporate strategies. These functional strategies deal with the organization structure and sales force of Coca-Cola. Ten distinct B/C strategies were identified to include product development, concentric diversification, market penetration, horizontal integration, management, market development and joint venture. The QSPM and the QSPM score Summary Sheet: The eight distinct B/C strategies were evaluated by the QSPM. The tentative priorities established in the analysis of the BMS matrix were somewhat revised based on QSPM scores. All scores were at least moderate-above 50% of Max Possible Score (MPS) overall. Strategy #2 had a high overall score- 80% with an extremely high external argument score of 79%. It appears that the strategic thrust inferred in the I/E and BMS analyses and their supporting strategies are generally sustained by the QSPM analysis. RECOMMENDED STRATEGIC THRUST AND SUPPORTING STRATEGIES Coca-Cola should adopt a strategic thrust, which is aimed at positioning the company as a company that owns the innovative products. Aside from that, Coca-Cola should become a creative and memorable leader in the food and beverage industry. Coca-Cola should seek to at least maintain, but preferably increase its market share. Major emphasis should be placed on further penetrating foreign markets, with emphases on our marketing which able to tap into the psyche of the public, especially the teenagers (Hoistein, 2014). It should, as soon as possible, enter the teenagers market  by bringing the wonderful products that could catch the teenager’s mind. Coca-Cola must make its products more attractive and tasty to fulfill the customer’s expectation. FUNCTIONAL STRATEGIES The following functional strategies should be carried out in the time frames indicated. F/MG: Create new department to research and develop nutrition products. Product life cycles are shortening because of the people’s preference and trends are changing rapidly. Develop a â€Å"Market need† products for consumers in order to compete with other competitor. For instance, Coca-Cola must develop the right pricing and packaging, with small packs, large packs, or take-home packs (Hoistein, 2011). This need is pressing and paramount. SHORT RANGE, but will be an ongoing need. F/MG: Develop talent human capital in sales team. The organization’s structure must be redesigned to be more responsive to the field and unpredictable nature of the competitive environment. A talented sale leaded is needed to lead their team in order to provide the best in town services for the customers. SHORT-MID-LONG RANGES. B/C (BUSINESS/CORPORATE STRATEGIES) SHORT RANGE-INITIATE IMMEDIATELY AND IN PRIORITY: Strategy #2 and #3 – Research and development to create innovative products that appeal to the health conscious consumers and Capitalize on their strong brand name and expand operations to include food (SO) and (WO): Coca-Cola should employ more creative and innovative worker and gain several new attractions for the products Hire more creative and innovative worker able to generate more new ideas for Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola could increase the level of satisfaction of customers. For instance, Coca-Cola must understand the culture of every country before enter into the international market in order to increase the competitive advantage. For example, Coca-Cola has announced plans to launch a new version of its best-selling soft drink with a third less sugar and a third fewer calories in the market (Smithers, 2014). New green cans and bottle labels will feature alongside its range of drinks from the iconic 330ml red tins with 139 calories to Coke Light and Zero with no calories (Sayid, 2014). It can help Coca-Cola increase the  market share. Both strategies have the highest priority. Strategy #4 – Increase marketing efforts for bottled drinks (WO): Coca-Cola should do research on the bottled drinks. Coca-Cola has to make the bottled drinks that the customer feels attractive and purchase us. According to Fox (2014) Coca-Cola will personalize its bottled drinks with 250 of the nation’s most popular names among teens and millennial. Nowadays, most of the people likes fresh and new the products, which able to grab their attention. This trend had brought an opportunity for Coca-Cola to generate more customers. MID RANGE – BEGIN PLANNING IMMEDIATELY FOR IMPLEMENTATYION IN 2 TO 3 YEARS Strategy #1 – Improve environment awareness with community involvement (SO): To achieve environmental awareness Coca-Cola should organize seminars for the public in order to share the information and knowledge of the company. Aside from that, every bottled drink should print the information about environmental awareness to remind the customer regards the crucial of it. LONG RANGE-BEGIN PLANNING NOW FOR IMPLEMENTATION IN 4 TO 5 YEARS. Strategy #5 Increase advertising to maintain competitive edge (ST): Concentrate on every single advertisement able to maintain a competitive edge. Coca-Cola should target all audiences when advertise for its products. If the advertisement able to grab the attentions of consumer it means the advertisement was a good advertisement. Zmuda (2014) said increase the effectiveness of our marketing investment by transforming our marketing and commercial model to redeploy resources into more consumer facing marketing investments to accelerate growth. It proves that a good marketing will plan a good advertisement and it could maintain the competitive advantage. Strategy #6 – Acquire Golden Enterprises (GLDC) to help diversify the product line (ST): Coca-Cola should diversify its product line for market development and GLDC is required for this strategy. Coca-Cola must do research and development to achieve this goal. NOT RECOMMENDED: Strategy #8 – Advertising on encourages consumers to lead a healthy lifestyle (WT): Coca-Cola should not advertise a healthy lifestyle advertisement, products of Coca-Cola not a drink that can drink for healthy purpose. It  seems to increase the risk of failure if advertise healthy lifestyle advertisement. References (2014), Our Company. Retrieved from http://www.coca-colacompany.com/our-company/ David, F. (2013). Strategic Management A Competitive Advantage Approach. 14th ed Pearson Education, Inc. Fox. (2014). Why you may see your name on a bottle of Coca-Cola. Retrieved from http://www.myfoxorlando.com/story/25742524/why-you-may-see-your-name-on-a-bottle-of-coca-cola Hoistein, W. J. (2011). How Coca-Cola Manages 90 Emerging Markets. Retrieved from http://www.strategy-business.com/article/00093?pg=all Ruddick, G. (2014). Coca-Cola to launch new stevia-flavored drink. Retrieved from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/10890702/Coca-Cola-to-launch-new-stevia-flavoured-drink.html Sayid, R. (2014). Coca-Cola Life to launch in UK as new low calorie alternative to classic brand. Retrieved from http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/coca-cola-life-launch-uk-3672697 Smithers, R. (2014). Coca-Cola Life: Coke with fewer calories and less sugar to tackle obesity. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/jun/11/coca-cola-fewer-calories-less-sugar Zmuda, N. (2014). Coca-Cola Boosts Media Spending as Demand Slows, CEO Muhtar Kent Defends the Importance of Marketing. Retrieved from http://adage.com/article/news/coca-cola-boosts-marketing-spend-demand-slows/291747/

Claudio Monteverdis Orfeo and the development of Baroque Op essays

Claudio Monteverdis Orfeo and the development of Baroque Op essays Any aspiring musician in this day and age should expect certain things from opera productions; drama, lyricism, and sensitive instrumental accompaniment. But if we observe operas written in the 16th century, we will find a very different style of vocal drama, a formality and dryness that has all but vanished in operas developing past the baroque, classical, and romantic eras. Then, is it possible to trace the seeds of expressive opera back to a specific work or composer at the dawn of the baroque? When asked to consider this question, the opera Orfeo, and its composer, Claudio Monteverdi, inevitably comes to mind, as possessing these seeds for future growth. But how can one justify giving credit to Orfeo, and to Monteverdi, for such radical change in the opera world over the years to follow? _____Before Monteverdi entered the baroque opera scene (which was early in the 17th century), opera was established as a lavish and extravagant, although not entirely refined art. Evolving from the intermedi and the madrigal-cycles of the late 16th century, opera was reserved for royalty and their special events, and was more theatrical than musical. Opera relied on costumes and scenery to bedazzle the audience, rather than the expressive lines that Monteverdi would later write into his recitatives (Grout 277-278). Instrumentation was sparse, and usually unspecified. Composers and scholars alike could not agree on the extent to which Greek theatre (almost exclusively emulated in opera and theatre at the time) should be sung, or performed. A Florentine scholar named Girolamo Mei theorized that the entire drama should be sung, in his books De Modis Musicis. Most of Mei's research took place in the 1560s, and was later discussed by an informal gathering of scholars in Florence kn own as the Camarata, lead by Giovanni Bardi (Grout 279-180). At the same time in Mantua, Cesare Gonzaga (Duke of Guastalla) founded the Mantuan Academy (the group...