Sunday, September 15, 2019

Entrepreneur ship Essay

Regardless the state of the country, one can realize that coffee is one of the most favorite products among American people. It has remained in the top positions for some decades. However, drinking coffee is not only the consumption of a product; it has become a daily activity. It is normal to hear this question when someone wants to meet up with one person: â€Å"do you want to get a coffee tomorrow and we can talk about†¦? † Any excuse is good enough to get a cup of coffee. The beginning of the coffee industry dates back to the 1960’s, when a man named Alfreed Peet felt the inspiration to create the first gourmet coffee shop (Peet’s Coffee). That inspiration came, between other reasons, because he grew seeing his parents ‘coffee business (Peet’s Coffee). He was living in Holland and later in Indonesia. After that, he went to California where he thought he had the necessary knowledge to start his own business. By doing that, Peet started to produce a richer and more complex coffee that the available coffee at the market (Peet’s Coffee). Because of his marketing strategy, motivation through employees and resilience to fall, Alfreed Peet was one of the most innovative and creative entrepreneurs of coffee industry. Some people think that entrepreneurs are different from everyone else since they think these people were born with a special ability that nobody else has. However, these people are what they are because they learn from experience, including inconvenient experiences. Peet reached a great success because he did it. Despite this level of success, Peet can still became a better brand by introducing an aggressive advertising, worldwide expansion, and improving the pricing system. Peet had the features that best define an entrepreneur. First, he had the vision to open a shop in an unfamiliar market, the coffee market. Vision is a characteristic that most of the entrepreneurs have (Boone and Kurtz 608). Entrepreneurs do not fall depressed when people tell them that their business will not run successfully. Instead, they trust in their intuition and continue until they get what they want (Kelly and McGowen 92). Along with vision, Peet had passion about his coffee. He did not think in becoming rich or famous, but making the best coffee he could. He knew the importance of enjoying the process rather than thinking about the outcome. Moreover, he had enough motivation to start his business and offer the best product and service. This is the most important factor that one person must have to get anything in his or her life. Some people do not pay enough attention to how important the motivation is to succeed in any field. When one is motivated, it is much easier to reach any goal. Time does not seem to go by when one feels a motivational force inside him. Furthermore, the motivation makes one enjoy whatever he or she is doing. Then, along with this enjoyment, the results come without the sense of effort. â€Å"Motivation is important simply because it allows you as a leader to meet and even exceed your own organizational goals† (â€Å"importance†). However, motivation is not enough if one does not spend time working. For this reason, Peet knew that dedication was important if he wanted to be successful in the coffee industry. He did not believe in luck, but in causality. Another reason why he was a successful entrepreneur was that he wanted to see the growth of his family? s coffee business. He wanted to continue what was started decades ago. Finally, the word â€Å"commitment†. To Peet, it meant to be persistence. If he wanted his dream to become a reality, he had to overcome big obstacles. It meant never giving up and to being congruent by taking action instead of just talking. Peet? s coffee should be an admired company because of its behavior towards employees and customers. Peet? s makes an effort in having a good workplace where employees must be prepared to create the great coffee that customers like (Peet’s Coffee). It has been proven that the performance of the employees is greater when they are in a comfortable and attractive environment. Moreover, Peet knows the importance of making his employees feel well. An employer should not only think of the employees as part of the company, but should also take into consideration their opinions and complaints. â€Å"Democratic leadership ordinarily produces higher member satisfaction and morale. It also results in higher quality decisions when members have as much or more knowledge than the leader regarding a particular problem† (Sharpe). The results of a company depend on the performance of the employees. Espinosa states that an important step is â€Å"to be a positive model as a leader. You’re supposed to be a good example for your members to emulate, and a person worth respecting. † Good team work is an essential part of any job because the best results are achieved when everybody goes in the same direction. Moreover, motivation is crucial to push people to get their goals. â€Å"Democratic leaders involve members in decision making either by reaching consensus or by using parliamentary procedure. They pursue open, trusting, follower-oriented relationships† (Sharpe). The relationship between Peet and his customers has also been excellent during the time that Peet’s coffee has existed. (Peet’s Coffee). This relationship is passed from parents to their children and grandchildren and it seems to be continuing for a long time. Besides, Peet’s company has developed different economic and education programs in order to collaborate with the growth of the countries that provide beans and leaves for his coffee (Peet’s Coffee). To summarize, Alfreed puts the emphasis on being a big family who plays on the same team. Every member of the team has different tasks to do in order to reach the same goals for Peet’s coffee, which are to make a profit, offer an excellent service to the clients, and of course, to enjoy while doing it. Peet knows that the world has changed in the last decades; therefore, he has adapted to the marketing changes along these years. At the beginning of his expansion, Peet started in a local place where the coffee market was becoming more popular. At that time, the marketing concept changed and the business’ owners started to offer the goods and services that their clients demanded in a higher quality than their competitors (Boone and Kurtz 380-381). Thus, Peet wanted to get customer satisfaction more than anything else. However, times changed and Peet had to adapt if he wanted to continue being successful. Peet spread out his stores to different states of the country such as California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Oregon and Washington (Peet’s Coffee). Moreover, the last decades are characterized by some changes in marketing. Marketers are conscious of the importance of keeping loyal customers. Boone and Kurtz say that â€Å"acquiring a new customer can cost five times more than keeping an existing customer† (380-381). For this reason, Peet not only provided his products in his stores, but he started to look for ways that customers could find his products everywhere. Customers can now buy his products in different supermarkets around the country. For example, Safeway, Super-valu and Ralphs offer his products (Peet’s Coffee). In addition, Peet has seen how technology has grown in the last years and he has created his own website. This website gives the customers the opportunity to see, compare and buy Peet’s products. This website has also a service for customers and they can ask any question related to the products which will be answered by his representatives (Peet’s Coffee). Another important marketing feature of Peet’s business is that he is not only a retailer for his customers, but he is also a wholesaler for distributors of restaurants and food services (Peet’s Coffee). Even though Peet’s coffee is famous and well-known by coffee drinkers, there are some strategies that he should use in order to expand his business. First, a better advertising marketing strategy should be utilized if he wants to become more known around the country considering most people do not know about Peet’s coffee. However, when someone tastes this coffee they should ask themselves: How come I have never heard about this coffee? Peet should then invest money in publicizing his products. For instance, an advertisement on television and in a newspaper would make people arouse curiosity about this coffee. Second, it would be a good idea to emphasize the selling in the universities. Between students it is really popular to drink coffee, especially when exams are approaching. Peet should promote specific campaigns where executive go to different universities to publicize its products. The most important thing would be to franchise Peet’s stores in different universities. By doing this, students would start to know Peet’s coffee and it would be an excellent opportunity for Peet to grow his brand. Finally, in my opinion, the best strategy would be to expand his business to other countries of the world. Peet only has stores in the United States. In this situation, he can not expand his branch more than one point. He could expand his stores to other countries of the world because people like to try new brands. Even if one brand like Starbucks is successful around the world, people will still be attracted if a good product is offered to them. If Peet’s marketing strategy has worked in the United States, there is a high probability that it may work in other countries. Peet’s coffee would be successful around the world and it would keep in people minds for ever. Works Cited Boone, Louise E., and David L. Kurtz. Contemporary Business 12th Edition. Mason: Thomson, 2006. Print. Espinosa, Jerome. â€Å"How to effectively handle union negotiations. † Helium. com Helium 06 Oct. 2010. Web. 03 February. 2012. â€Å"Importance of Motivation. † Leadership-central. com Leadership-central. com, Web. 20 Jan. 2012. Kelly, Marce. , and McGowen, Jim. BSN3. Mason: South Western Cengage Learning, 2006. Print. Peet’s Coffee and Tea. Peet’s Coffee and Tea. PCT, Web. 14 Dec. 2011. Sharpe, Dave. â€Å"Choosing Leadership Styles. † Msuextension. org Montana State University Extension, Web. 20 Jan. 2012.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

The Story of an Eyewitness Essay Analysis

In The Story of an Eyewitness, journalist Jack London gives readers a vivid first-person account of the terrible aftermath of the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco. London's report originally appeared in Collier's Weekly, May 5, 1906. As a reporter, London uses his writing experience to illustrate the devastation he witnesses by using similes, metaphors, irony, and personification. His incredible descriptions transport the reader right into the burning streets. The story begins with the earthquake destroying many buildings and causing hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage. However, London expresses emphases on the fire that caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damage. He uses a metaphor to describe what he saw, â€Å"San Francisco's burning was a lurid tower visible a hundred miles away. † Next, he uses personification to illustrate his picture, â€Å"and for three days and nights this lurid tower swayed in the sky. London states that the fires spread quickly throughout the city, and could not be controlled by any man. Again, he uses personification to bring the fire alive, â€Å"Thus did the fire of itself build its own colossal chimney through the atmosphere. † London uses irony to describe the fires on Wednesday night, â€Å"Remarkable as it may seem, Wednesday night while the whole city crashed and roared into ruin, was a quiet night. † The fires lasted two days, Wednesday morning until Thursday night. While the city was burning, inhabitants tried to flee the city with their belongings. People tried to make it up San Francisco’s many steep hills, but had a hard time, so they ended up leaving most of their things behind. London uses a simile to paint the picture of the people giving up, â€Å"In the end, completely played out, after toiling for a dozen hours like giants. † After the fires burned out, all of the buildings, hotels, stores, and houses in San Francisco were gone. Many people became homeless. London’s simile describes the aftermath, â€Å"San Francisco, at the present time, is like the crater of a volcano, around which are camped tens of thousands of refugees. † Ironically, Jack London does not end the story with gloom and doom. After all the destruction and devastation, London brings back hope by informing readers that the United States Government is going to help the refugees. Also, we are assured that San Francisco is not dead because the bankers and business men have already set about making preparations to rebuild San Francisco.

Friday, September 13, 2019

PRINCIPLES OF FINANCE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

PRINCIPLES OF FINANCE - Essay Example However, the yearly interest expense should be included in the cash flow table since it contributes to the net expenses which reduce the net income amount. c) The depreciation allowance should be included in the cash flow table since depreciation occurs yearly or continuously. The only difference is the rate of depreciation per year which should be taken into consideration. The $18,000,000 new investment, is only included in the cash flow table if the investment took place within the years whose cash flows were being determined, however, it should only be included in the very year it occurred. I would therefore recommend the board of working computers, under payback period, to invest the $18,000,000 in Bernoulli since the initial investment will be paid back only during the second year of operation where the net cash flow will be $20,385,808. Following the NPV calculations above, the NPV is $30,794,219/ the general criterion for NPV is that, a project is accepted if it has a positive NPV. A higher NPV is even more preferred. In this case, if working computers invest $18,000,000 in Bernoulli, the NPV is positive hence I would advise them to invest in the project. The general criterion on IRR is that, the project is accepted if the IRR is greater than the cost of capital. The cost of capital here is 14.5% and IRR is 66.98%. Therefore, I can recommend that the working computers should invest on the Bernoulli since the IRR is greater than the cost of capital. Working computers would use the sensitivity index to make a proper decision on whether to contribute $18,000,000 to the Bernoulli division. A part from the sensitivity calculated above, the Company can also use NPV, IRR and the payback period methods to make an informed decision on whether to contribute to the Bernoulli Division, $18,000,000 for the project. To begin with, a negative sensitivity always means that, the output (Net present Value) decreases with an increase in the cost of

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Radioactive Waste Disposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Radioactive Waste Disposal - Essay Example It is likely that UK will opt for underground storage of their radioactive wastes. The DEFRA document discusses some of the other options that have been considered for waste disposal and why they are unsuitable. The surface level repositories in which UK stores its ILW and HLW may be considered as a long-term option but there is constant threat of human intervention, which can be risky. Also designing structures and packaging of these wastes could be difficult as a significant portion of the wastes could emit radiation for over 10,000 years. Other options include disposal at sea and in empty offshore oil and gas fields. However these been ruled out under the 1997 London Convention and Convention for the Protection of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR). This agreement calls for UK to stop sea dumping and using sea beds for storing wastes. Disposal in outer space has also been ruled out as a large number of rocket launches would be required and the potential dangers of a launch failure. Two other options that have been considered are the subduction zones and ice sheets. Subduction zones are areas where a geological plate is driven towards the earth’s core by collision with another plate an d ice-sheets are the polar ice caps under which the wastes may be disposed. However both these are not considered suitable as there is uncertainty about the fate of these wastes in the long term. .( Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

A Property, Market and Class-based Foundation of Disney Essay

A Property, Market and Class-based Foundation of Disney - Essay Example The Walt Disney Corporation conforms to this model suggested by Rifkin. Firstly, it is akin to a gated, networked community where a virtual reality is created through networking. Secondly, the diversification of its capital and business interests – the shift away from property into internet-based leasing, outsourcing and primarily marketing. The third aspect is the shifting emphasis placed on cultural and intellectual capital as opposed to material goods. Rifkin’s theory is grounded in the basic premise that in the age of access, the foundation of commerce is shifting away from the property and out into cyberspace. The Hollywood organizational model is a manifestation of this phenomenon. It consists of individual productions where actors, directors, production personnel, investors and a host of ancillary talent comes together for a short period in order to take advantage of an opportunity offered by a particular market, only to dissolve again once the production is completed (Rifkin 28). For subsequent productions, different elements will be brought together. The idea behind this is a partial synergy of sorts wherein capitalistic self-interest in a networked economy is completely governed by the prevailing market at a particular time.This principle may be seen to operate in the case of Disney, especially in its mergers with other companies that have been carried out at strategic times. Disney’s latest acquisition of a c omputer animation company Pixar is only one of a long line of mergers and strategic partnerships that have helped Disney to adapt successfully to changes in the environment. The creative elements supplied by Pixar when working in synergy with the financial clout of Disney have served to produce a superior product.The strategic move of acquisition of Pixar is a response to the technological environment where success is inherent in intellectual products that are a source of revenue through the provision of the license to access. In a similar manner, Disney and ABC television have merged, in order to strategically exploit the combined market that belongs to both companies through one entity.

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Microsoft Zune vs Apple iPod Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Microsoft Zune vs Apple iPod - Essay Example Apple released its first-ever portable media player, iPod Classic, in 2001. Like the usual portable media players, one can listen to music, watch videos, show pictures and even play games on the iPod. Apple has since modified the original iPod and has made it small and wearable (iPod Shuffle) and with more and more features like having built-in Wi-Fi and enabling it to record and edit HD videos, download and play online games, among other things. Each product has its own device generation as well.Microsoft released its own media player device in the year 2006 and called the original Zune 30. The numbers in their name indicates how big the capacity of the device is. Zune 30 can play songs, video and show pictures just like the iPod. The only difference is that photos and videos can be watched or played in either portrait or landscape mode. The Zune can also be modified to play games and can play in many different audio formats. It also has a Zune-to-Zune wireless sharing of music and photos. Next is Zune 4 which has the generation of 8 and 16. According to Surhone et al. (2010), it can be clicked 5 ways. Like its predecessor, it has Wi-Fi used for wireless sharing of photos and music in other Zune. It has also a FM radio. Zune 80 or 120 was the next release for the Microsoft, which produce positive results as it was called an â€Å"iPod alternative†. The features are the same as its previous predecessor but with higher capacity as the number indicated in the name and bigger screen.   The most recent release is the the Zune HD. As its name suggests, one can buy and rent high-definition (HD) movies and TV shows, play HD radio, download apps and games and surf the internet on the Zune HD.  

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Accounting theory practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Accounting theory practice - Essay Example This revised IAS 1 is applicable to all entities whether those are profit oriented or not- for profit entities. ‘Not- for profits entities in both the public and private sectors can apply this standard, however they may need to change the description used for particular line items within their financial statements and for the financial statements themselves. This standard applies to those entities that present consolidated financial statements and those that present financial statements as defined in IAS 27: Consolidated and Separate Financial Statements. It does not apply to the structure and contents of condensed interim financial statements prepared in accordance with IAS 34: Interim Financial Reporting.’ (Barry and Jermakowicz, page 22)2. In other words IAS 1 is applicable to all financial statements that cater general purpose needs. ‘General purpose financial statements are those intended to meet the needs of users who are not in a position to demand reports t ailored to meet their specific information needs. They include statements presented separately or those within another public document, such as annual report or prospectus.’(David Alexander and Simon Archer, 3.04)3 IAS 1 revised in September 2007, issued by International Accounting Standard Board (IASB), is the first of the series of expected revisions on the standard. While issuing the revised IAS 1, IASB (2007)4 stated in the press release that ‘the changes made are to require information in financial statements to be aggregated on the basis of shared characteristics and to introduce a statement of comprehensive income. This will enable the readers to analyze changes in a company’s equity resulting from transactions with owners (such as dividend and share purchase) separately from non- owner changes (such as transactions with third parties)’. This indicates that the basic objective of changes is to present each financial