Managing Employee Retention Essay

One of the first steps in analysis of the data is to make a comparison of the 10 most profitable stores and the 10 least profitable stores. Hart claimed that the manager and crew tenure in the most profitable stores was almost four times the level of that in the least profitable stores. This analysis is however based solely on the summary statistics for those ten stores in each category. Taking a closer look at the results for the individual stores would suggest that the relationship is not so simple. For example looking at store 47, which is at the bottom of the ten most profitable list, both the crew and manager tenure are very low in comparison to the other stores in the list. This means that it would not be expected that store 47 would be so profitable if the manager and crew tenure were the only influencing factor on profitability. In fact, the levels of tenure in this store are lower the average of those from the ten lowest profit stores, which would indicate that very low leve ls of profit would be expected from the store. A more in-depth analysis is therefore required. There is further evidence that neither manager tenure nor employee tenure alone significantly influences the profitability of each store. This may seen in the scatter-plots which are included below as Figure 1 and Figure 2. It appears clear from Figure 1 that most managers have been at their store for less than 50 months, and the mean which is given for manager tenure is 45.3. This mean may however be slightly higher than the median would be given that there are several exceedingly high values which would influence the calculation of the mean. A similar pattern may be seen in Figure 2, where it is clear that most employees have lower than 20 months retention, with the mean given as 13.9 months. What is also apparent from these plots is that neither variable may significantly explain variability in the profitability of a store. This is evident in the r-squared value, which indicates that only 19.6% of variation in profitability may be explained by manager tenure alone. Similarly, only 6.7% of this variation may be explained by employee tenure alone. It  therefore is apparent that there are multiple variables which may influence profitability. In order to assess whether a manager and employee tenure combine to influence profitability a multiple regression model may be formed using these two variables. The results of this regression may be seen in Table 1. Figure 1: Correlation between manager tenure and store profitability Figure 2: Correlation between employee tenure and store profitability From Table 1 it may be seen that when considering both manager and employee tenure there is still only 21.7% of variation in profitability which these variables may explain. This therefore indicates that there must be other factors which exert an influence. It would therefore be suitable to construct a multiple regression model which takes into account other variables for which data is available. Although it was originally believed that the relationship may be non-linear, this still does not significantly increase the r-squared value. Table 1: Regression model in which manager tenure and employee tenure are included |Regression Statistics | |Multiple R |0.465617551 | |R Square |0.216799704 | |Adjusted R Square |0.19504414 | |Standard Error |80212.7404 | |Observations |75 | Multiple Regression Model The first multiple regression model which is included is that which includes all of the variables for which data are available. These variables are: Y: Profitability X1: Manager tenure X2: Employee tenure X3: Population near store X4: Competition near store X5: Visibility of store X6: Pedestrian count X7: Residential or industrial area X8: 24 hour access The results of the regression model may be seen in Table 2 below. This shows that using the model with all eight variables included 63.8% of the variation in profitability may be explained. This suggests that the model may be valid in explaining the impact on profitability. In addition to this, from Table 3 it may be seen that the value of the F-test statistic is 14.53, with a significance of less than 0.05 which also shows that the model is significant. However by looking at the results in Table 4 it may be seen that not all of the variables which are included in the model may be significantly contributing to the model. As the variable X5, which is the visibility of the store, has a p-value of more than 0.05 this suggests that the variable is not contributing significantly to the model. This would suggest that removing this variable may further improve the model. In addition to this it would be necessary to remove any variables which were collinear as this could interfere with the results of the regression. After using the program PHStat to analyse the variable inflation factors (VIFs) of the variables these are all below 5, which shows that there is no collinearity between variables. Therefore the improved model would be one which included all variables except X5. The Impact of Increasing Crew Tenure From the regression equation which is calculated from the multiple regression model it may be seen that increasing both manager and employee tenure is significant in increasing profitability of stores. Specifically, the model predicts that for every month increase in manager tenure there would be an increase in profits of around $787 if all other factors were kept constant. Also, for every increase of one month in employee tenure there is predicted to be an increase in profitability of around $963 if all other factors were kept constant. It was suggested that the relationship between tenure and profitability may be dependent on the length of tenure, i.e. a non-linear relationship. However the fitting of a trend line to the scatter-plot suggests that a non-linear relationship does not fit the data significantly better than a linear trend line. Therefore it would be predicted that an increase in employee tenure of 1.38 months would result in an increase in profitability of around $1330 . Validity of the Data The data on which the above analyses are based contains information taken from 2000, which is now eight years old. Therefore it is possible that the financial implications of increasing crew tenure have changed somewhat. It would however be considered valid to use the data to provide an estimate of the financial implications as the factors which would influence the regression model used would be largely the same. Although the data also included only the data from 75 of the 82 stores, this is a large enough sample to be considered representative of the chain as a whole. It would  therefore be expected that while these other stores may not follow the model precisely, it should still provide an indication of the influence of tenure on profitability of these stores. Recommendations Based on the analysis of the data it would be recommended that increasing both manager and employee tenure may significantly increase profitability of stores. In particular, the current bonus plan would be profitable to the company if the amount of bonus offered were less than around $1330, as this is the increase in profitability which would result. However, it is also possible that offering these bonuses would increase manager tenure, which would then further increase profitability. It would however be suggested that this alone may not be sufficient to largely increase the profitability of some stores, as the overall profitability of stores is a result of an interplay of both site-location and people factors. Bibliography Berenson, M.L., Levine, D.M. & Krehbiel, T.C. (2008) Basic Business Statistics. 11th Edition. Philadelphia, PA: Prentice Hall. Kazmier, L.J. (2003) Schaum’s Outline of Business Statistics. New York: McGraw-Hill. Levine, D.M., Stephan, D.F., Krehbiel, T.C. & Berenson, M.L. (2007) Statistics for Managers Using Microsoft Excel. Philadelphia, PA: Prentice Hall.

Fireworks Factory Essay

Jerry Yu is an American born Chinese man with an MBA who runs a small family chain of businesses in New York. He is faced with a decision to invest in the Chinese fireworks industry. Jerry must assess the attractiveness of the fireworks industry along with the risks involved. Throughout this paper we will analyze the pros and cons of entering the market of Chinese fireworks. In our opinion, Jerry Yu should not invest in the Liuyang fireworks factory. While there are many factors that could give Jerry the opportunity to be successful, the low profit margin and the high instability of the market outweigh the chances of success. The regulations throughout the fireworks industry varies from market to market. For example, China’s domestic market has deregulated since 2005, while the American market remains regulated. The high competition paired with the low selling prices due to undercutting has caused the profit margin to decrease, especially for new entries. The reason for this is that the established fireworks companies have long term contracts with suppliers, causing Jerry to sell his fireworks at a lower price. Established companies also cause a problem because of their relationships with the raw material suppliers. Due to their longstanding relationships, these companies have a right to supplies before the new entries. This results in the new entries receiving lower quality materials, leading to a worse product and less safe working environment. Even though technology is involved in the production of the fireworks, the cheaper quality materials cause a greater risk of an accident during the manual mixing of powders, which is the most dangerous step. The risk of an accident is so high that most factories are built in rural areas near a water source with separated departments in case of an explosion. Another factor that should be considered is the environmental hazards of fireworks production and use. With an increase concern for the environment and â€Å"going green†, stricter regulations have been put into place. With the new restrictions and concern to avoid pollution, the consumption of and desire for fireworks could eventually fade away. Substitutes have already entered the market that are more environmental friendly. These substitutes include popping of red balloons and laser light shows. Considering all of the risks, along with the entrance of substitutes, we advise that Jerry Yu not invest in the Chinese fireworks industry. Jerry Yu has many factors to consider involving risk  associated with the Chinese fireworks industry; however, there are many advantages in investing that he should not overlook. The Chinese fireworks industry is a highly competitive market. With over 6,000 companies, it is hard to differentiate products. The attractiveness of investing in the industry is that there is easy entry. In Liuyang, there are over 400,000 laborers working in the industry, and this makes for low cost labor and easy access to skilled labor. While the majority of workers in China are not skilled, the residents in Liuyang have gained experience with producing fireworks. Jerry has an opportunity to use this to his advantage. If he can rework the business structure of the company previously run by the village, he can set his factory apart from the average family run and operated businesses. Jerry Yu must recognize that in 2009, the current market size is $675 million, and if he plays his cards the right way, he can grab a large portion of the market share. In order to do this, his factory should have a competitive advantage. The question is, how can he go about this? We believe that he can achieve this goal by building his factory to be different from all others in the industry and specializing specifically in fireworks instead of firecrackers. Jerry Yu needs to create a niche where he, and only he, has the ability to make the highest quality of fireworks in the world. He must create a marketing strategy that has not been introduced to the current market, and he must hire the most qualified engineers to make the safest and most extraordinary combination of fireworks that exists. In doing so, Jerry has an opportunity to push the technology bubble to a place that fireworks have never been before. Creating a more unique, high quality product that will blow the competition away will give Jerry the ability to set his prices higher than other manufacturers. Jerry does not need to concentrate his sales upon the low cost average firework sales that sell in bulk, but he must sell a few high quality fireworks that give him a large margin. He needs to stay away from the price competition, and the way he will do this is by creating a niche firework that the world has never seen before. One way that Jerry can set his factory apart from other firework competitors is to embrace the new and changing technologies. Instead of looking at lasers and music as negative competition, he can make an alliance with them. Jerry can team up with a laser light show and a music show to complement the firework display. Creating a bundle package for the most  elite firework show that the world has ever seen is an answer to the niche market that Jerry should pursue. Jerry Yu should also focus on brand advertising and brand awareness, so his brand of fireworks can stand out above the other businesses in the market. He could create a marketing campaign that emphasizes that his fireworks are the best in the world, as well as the safest. A major objective for Jerry Yu should be to aim for a specific, high paying target market. The competition is high in the basic firework industry, and entering this market would result in price gouging; this would be too hard for Jerry to gain market share at this level. He will have to set his product apart from what already exists. He should guarantee that his fireworks are the safest and highest quality, which can give him the competitive advantage to target high paying customers. For example, Jerry Yu does not need to concentrate his sales to the common buyers. He should aim to get his product to a popular show, such as the Beijing Olympics, or to high paying customers in the United States and Europe where the price is not a huge concern. In ensuring his high paying customers of safety and quality, there will be very few businesses, if any, that can compete with Jerry. While the objective of Jerry Yu should be to aim at a particular market, this goal is not in the best interest of Liuyang Firecrackers and Fireworks Industry Department to go that route. In our opinion, Jerry Yu should advise Liuyang to encourage its citizens to consolidate its family owned businesses into bigger corporations. As of now, one of the only ways to differentiate products is by undercutting other manufacturers’ prices. The entire industry should focus on a way that each company can pull away from price gouging and work together to make sure the prices stay at a constant medium that will benefit all of the manufacturers. One way businesses could do this is to designate certain types of fireworks and firecrackers to be made by specific manufacturers or areas. In doing so, the designated companies could increase productivity and steer clear of price gouging. After analyzing the circumstances associated with entering the Liuyang fireworks factory, we believe Jerry Yu should not invest his time and money into the market because the risks highly outweigh the benefits. The market is too unpredictable, restricted, and saturated to guarantee a successful investment. If Jerry Yu did take on this investment opportunity, the costs he would endure to improve the company would not be  worth it in the long run. With the industry being the way it is, it would be difficult for Jerry Yu to become profitable.

Cuss Time Summary Essay

In Jill McCorkles’s article â€Å"Cuss Time† she explains, â€Å"By limiting or denying freedom of speech and expression, we take away a lot of potential.† With saying this McCorkle backs up her argument with many different personal stories and experiences. The title â€Å"Cuss Time† comes from an experience between McCorkle and her son. When McCorkle saw her son â€Å". . . silently mouthing a lot of new vocabulary while riding in the car or drawing,† she decided to let him have â€Å"Cuss Time† McCorkle explains for 5 minutes a day he was allowed to say any word he wanted, but when Cuss Time ended he wasn’t allowed to cuss till the next twenty four hour period when Cuss Time started again. Part of McCorkles’s reasoning was without cussing (Or other words society has viewed as wrong or bad) it limits our potential in how we express ourselves. Her last point that she addressed was if these words are taken away then more will be taken until it’s a dead language. â€Å"Word by word, our history will be rewritten if we don’t guard and protect it. . .). In this quote she basically says our language will be changed if we don’t stand up and take action on our Freedom of Speech. Throughout her essay McCorkle gives a strong argument to support her thesis and get her opinion across.

American Popular Culture Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

American Popular Culture - Assignment Example This is an area that requires a study by someone whose interest is on the modern culture (popular culture and the cultural studies) either in America or the world. This has significant effects to the world at large. Ashby has reviewed on this very dynamic popular culture as well as the cultural struggle. He provides a readable narrative that finds the appropriate balance between the sufficient history and the complexity of this culture (Ashby, 132). Popular culture has continually commoditized the radical ideas that exist all over the world and has changed tastes and expectations of people significantly. Popular culture usually condones fantasy, gossip and sex as well as fraud by big fishes at higher places thus impacting the whole world by instilling these vices in the Americans and the world society at large. It is evident that gossip and sex scandals have increased in the recent past among the big names such as Presidents, musicians etc. President who have been involved in this in clude; Bill Clinton, South African President Yacob Zuma etc. It is democratic and continually reverberates with the always contested history of the modern days. The popular culture is a critical component with the kind of the market economy emerging and the wide values of the middle class. This also provides an opening for the fantasy, dreams and dissent as well as its commoditization. Ashby related the popular culture with the political conflicts which actually defined the American life as well as their identity. This actually started at war eras and this later lead to the emergence of mass media which brought about great change to the whole world. These mass media included; radio, television and also film. In the Cold War era there were some contradictory forces which defined America as free and with no class in the society later to intensify xenophobia and censorship which is seen as inclusionary versus exclusionary. Growth in music industry such as development and popularity of country music in the post war times brought the dark side of life as these songs mainly were on the loneliness, suffering and failed love as well as cheating. These vices have been condoned at the modern culture and they are on the increase and its fascinating history of values and cultural politics that reflects on family values as well as the terrorism that reminds about the cold war attacks. Extremists and evangelists argue that the best measures of ideological conflict are the conservative reactions which should be employed on the developments of the popular culture. It is believed that the American popular culture is giving a moral ruin throughout the mass media resources which has resulted to changed morals of the media sources of the other part of the world (Ashby, 240). However the popular culture is contain inspirational and instructive messages and therefore promotes diversity as well as the victories by the people who practice on this inspirational information. There are more dreams that exist and researchers as well as the artists across the globe will have more significant change to the popular culture. Popular culture is a dream machine which acts as a flagship of democracy in culture. This is a gateway that gives a chance for trash to be elevated to the highest places of wealth and fame thereby having great impact to the generation and generation being raised and no hope of getting back to where we came from. This is the effect of the democratic culture that has developed. Currently in

The Problem of Authority in the Continental Reformers Assignment

The Problem of Authority in the Continental Reformers - Assignment Example Luther's detestations towards the power of the Catholic Church and the' legitimacy of the Pope's indulgences, for instance, were marked by the dictates of his belief in political realism which was coupled with the 'ethical consequences of his doctrines' (Davies 37. Scholars contend that Luther was an 'accomplished theologian politician' whose struggles were 'inner' and spiritual yet, he likewise took controversial political stands in order to defend his goals of religious reformation. This clearly depicts Luther's ambivalent position on religion and politics. Luther asserted that men needed the restrictions that laws provide and advocated absolute obedience to authority while upholding spiritual freedom (New 34). This contention on absolute obedience is dubious since Luther decried the same absolutism brought about by the 'indulgences' of the Pope. Furthermore, his overly passionate stance on the foreigners' exploitation of Germany evoked hostile resentment against the foreigners, as well as patriotism and indignation from the Germans (New 35). For many liberals and humanists in that period, Luther's type of reformation was fundamental - overly passionate and almost bordering on rebellion. John Calvin employed the same kind of radicalism in order to alter the political and social environments of his day. Fashioning social and political organizations completely from biblical principles, Calvin impressed on the people of Geneva, a very stringent moral system obtained from a literal reading of the Bible. These new impositions went through protestations as the people believed that they successfully dislodged the Papacy only to be disappointed by the experience of a similar form of the papacy with Calvin at the helm. Calvin's innovative political philosophy and social reforms had brought about a radical transformation in Europe. Zwingli, as compared Luther and Calvin who discussed various theologies in their writings and arguments, opted for a unified theme. Nevertheless, Zwingli tackled an analogous fundamental movement in the form of a very stringent Protestantism in which the Gospel was almost treated as a law (Bromiley 121). Zwingli's contribution to the social life of his generation cannot be discounted as his teachings became the foundation of social and organizational principles of the fundamentalist Protestants and the Puritans which later became the basis of the political and social structures of the English colonies in the United States. Zwingli's ideas were so pervasive that up until this day, the principles of a social organization still persist. Hence, Zwingli's reformation movement can be characterized as rather revolutionary and political as observed in his preoccupation with both clerical and secular politics (Bromiley 128).

Reporting results Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Reporting results - Essay Example It is important for organizations to make such adjustments in order to provide an accurate position of the firm in respect to assets. In order to determine the depreciation expense on a given asset, an organization has to establish the initial cost of the asset, its book value, and the period taken for the value to depreciate from the cost to the book value. Nevertheless, if a firm knows the lifespan of an asset and the residual value, then calculations of depreciation of expense may be calculated. For instance, if a firm bought an asset for $50,000 and the expected lifespan and residual values are 10 years and $10,000 respectively, then the organization may use the straight line method to calculate depreciation expense as $4,000. Therefore, even though accurate stating of an organization’s financial position requires that the book or current value of an asset to be established, it is does not lead to a serious challenge in calculating the depreciation expense given the straight line method (Finkler, 2010). The straight line concept can be used in such scenarios where the cost, residual value, and the lifes pan are required. From the explanations, it is evident that the difficulty in determining the current value of an asset does not create a significant a problem in determining the depreciation expense that should be charged for a

About fear Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

About fear - Essay Example Dr. Ivan Kos presents a number of diverse stages of fear. The first is real fear that is based on life experiences and states. If something or someone causes hurt to an individual, there is a reason to fear similar scenarios. The basis of this kind of fear is entirely dependent on past familiarity with emotions that cause tension and mixed interpretations with respect to an individual’s understanding of fear. The second articulates a sense of realistic fear. This focuses on the realities that grounds and drives people to steer clear of risks. The last is the poignant and the larger-than-life fear that heavily reflect on an individual recollecting past occurrences whilst injecting those events into the current state of affairs. Also, this group is particularly applicable to arguments. It generally affects the line of attack of people in dealing with varying positions (Willa 138). Often, conflict is the equivalence of unfulfilled needs and this highlights fears linked to the nec essities. The most prevalent fear in intractable inconsistency is the fear of loss in regard to one’s security or identity. Social groups and individuals recognize themselves in varied ways in the context of language, culture, religion, and race and this renders them opinionated.

Stratigic Management - McDonalds Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Stratigic Management - McDonalds - Assignment Example The analysis of these factors can reveal the internal strengths and weaknesses of a company (Barnat, â€Å"Internal Organizational Analysis†). McDonald’s is one of the biggest fast food restaurants with customer base of 47 million. McDonald’s operates in almost 119 countries in the world. It has complicated distribution channel and its supplier’s network is spread throughout the world. McDonald’s marketing strategy aims to raise the sales and to maintain its brand image. McDonald’s constantly alter the strategies according to the customer’s tastes, standard of living and opinions. McDonald’s is quite approachable in countries where people are sensitive towards consuming various foods, for example, the market of India (Scribd, â€Å"Internal Analysis on Macdonald’s†). ... In the year 2006, McDonald’s had faced criticism in Japan because of including forbidden foods and dishonest coloring of apple pies. Another critic stated that McDonald’s and its other fast food competitors demoralized native cooking and developed identical international culture. Besides, McDonald’s had faced bad reputation because of unhealthy food and bad employee relation in many of their outlets. There was objection against McDonald’s for making people work for lower wages (Gibison, â€Å"McDonald’s: A Good Image with Bad Ethics†). Section 3: In-depth Internal Analysis Resource Based View of McDonald’s The marketing strategy of McDonald’s is based on the internal resources. Tangible Resources: Product: With regard to fast food products there are many choices for a customer. Thus, McDonald’s focuses on creating a menu that most of the consumers require as well as prefer. McDonald’s always examine the preferences of customers as the preferences change from time to time. To facilitate the change in preference, McDonald’s continuously develop new products and replace old products (McDonald’s Corporation, â€Å"Marketing at McDonald’s†). Intangible Resources: Brand Reputation: McDonald’s has good brand reputation. In the year 2008, it was ranked number eight among other international brands. It had ranked in first position among other fast food international brands. The brand value was calculated to be around 49,499 million USD. In the fast food markets of North America, McDonald’s brand was ranked in seventh position (Millward Brown Optimor, â€Å"Top 10 0 B rand Ranking†). In the year 2010, McDonald’s brand was ranked sixth in the year 2010, among ‘most valuable global brands’ (Social Brand Value, â€Å"Brand

Digital Equity Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Digital Equity - Assignment Example For this reason, the provision of free laptops or home computers has a little help in reducing the academic gap between the haves and the have-nots. From a research conducted by Pew, students in rural areas spend up to $80 per month on internet connection while those in the urban areas spend $36 per month. Although these figures might be small for the rich, the poor cannot afford such expensive connection. Consequently, they have limited access to information, class notes, and often late with their assignment completion and submission. The solution for educational gap does not depend on internet access but rather on the educational policies. The government should introduce a program to ensure that each student has equal access to educational materials regardless of their financial status. Your assertion that technology is an important instrument in facilitating the access to educational material and a communication tool where educators can distribute learning material to the student is compelling. In addition, your acknowledgment that limited access to the internet due to high connection prices provides the reality of the matter as it affects the poor students. Finally, the proposal you make to ensure all students complete and submit their assignment on time shows a high level of consideration. Specifically, this is because you have considered the situation of various students within the society and offered a solution that can help in improving their academic

President Obamas' Verbal and Non-verbal Communication Essay

President Obamas' Verbal and Non-verbal Communication - Essay Example Therefore, in order to communicate effectively with the public the governmental figure must show various characteristics that are essential to do so. In this paper, we shall be analyzing how the President Obama communicates as well as whether he takes correct steps and procedure when passing his message to the public. The first thing that can be noted when Obama is communicating is that he shows a great deal of confidence while speaking. This serves to give the public the opinion that he is confident in what he is saying and that he actually believes it to be true. It is a known fact that the public is more appreciative of listening to a confident person than to a person without confidence because a message delivered with confidence is always better received. Confidence also gives the impression of the speaker is telling the truth because all his words are said without anything that might suggest that he is lying to his audience. Furthermore, confidence ensures that the audience give s the speaker their utmost attention throughout his speech and because he has their attention, the message he is trying to communicate will be received with little or no distortion (Denham, 1998). The second thing, which is notable in Obama and most if not all governmental officials when communicating with the public is their being well, versed in the subject matter of what they are trying to communicate. It can be seen that they have studied the history of what they are communicating and have made their own personal analysis of it before coming to make their speech to the public. It seems that the public is more receptive of the speaker and what he is saying because of this and this may ensure that the speaker has the undivided attention of the public. The knowledge of the subject matter ensures that the speaker is able to communicate well with the public and that what he says is comprehensible (Sam, 2003). His understanding of the subject also ensures that the speaker is able to i nterpret and simplify the message for his audience so that they are better able to understand what it is he is trying to pass on to them. A result of having prior knowledge of what he is communicating is that it gives the governmental figure the necessary confidence to not only pass on the message he wishes to the public, but he is also able to add on to it his own opinions and relate them to the current situation. When communicating to the public, it can be noted that President Obama pauses often to let his message sink in. these pauses often occur immediately after the speaker makes an important point or when there is an ovation from the public after he has stated what has pleased them. These pauses are important not only to allow the audience to receive the message well, but it also ensures that the audience does not lose track of the speech itself while making their ovations. A good speaker should take note of where and when make these pauses in his speech so that he does not lo se his audience (Trahant, 2006). In addition to making pauses in his speech, the governmental figure also seems not only to be serious throughout the speech but his facial expression follows the mood of his audience. However, he does not allow the audience to control completely the process, and in fact, he is the one who controls the mood

Leadership styles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership styles - Essay Example Delegative leaders permit group members to make decisions. This style is best used in circumstances where the head needs to trust on experienced employees. The leader cannot always be correct at all times; thus, and that is why they entrust other duties out to professional and reliable or responsible group members. Leadership attributes needed for graduate level nurses may include team building and communication skills, management and technical competencies, personal integrity, strategic vision or action orientation and personal skills. All these attributes are needed to be a good leader. Leaders are often described as being unrealistic, fortified with strategies. Meaning that strategy and aspiration must be implemented to lead others to a future goal (Kelly, 2012). A potential leader is required to use problem-solving methods to retain member’s efficiency and improve group recognition. They should also be active, eager to have an inspirational impact on other people. They should be focused in finding solutions and pursue to encourage other colleagues. Leaders must be ready to practice these essential qualities even to their work so as to gain the admiration and confidence of his or her group members and guide the progress of clinical exercise, by exhibiting an active leadership style. A leader ought to influence the prosperous progress of other staff members. Leaders should also ensure that qualified standards are sustained and allowing the development of capable experts. Leaders who are looked up upon as driving forces are always admired by their staff members. They are always highly considered as a source for motivation and role models for nurses who inspire to be leaders in the future (Rigolosi, 2013). Leadership for the head nurses is mostly about the following: resolving conflict; delegating appropriately; making decisions, acting with integrity and responsibility. The role also includes encouraging others and being responsive of

State of Israel Essay Example for Free

State of Israel Essay The two friends remain separated till the official declaration of the State of Israel is made by the United Nations. When it is obvious that Israel will ultimately win over the Arabs, Reb Saunders gives in and allows his son to renew his friendship with Reuven. Though the bond of friendship between them is once again secured and strengthened, Reuven bears a grudge against Danny’s father. Throughout the novel, Reuven is portrayed as being highly intellectual and open-minded and not one to judge a person on impulse. But when it comes to Reb Saunders, Reuven makes quick and harsh judgment of him. However, towards the end of the novel, Reuven appreciates Danny’s father’s approach and realizes he had missed seeing the complexity of his character. Reb Saunders gives a convincing explanation for all his actions. Through his characters, Potok presents an insight into the American Jewish faith in the wake of the Holocaust. Moreover, the conflict between modernity and tradition is captured picturesquely. The emotional turmoil of the characters just could not be expressed better. The novel also portrays the various ways in which Jewish observance is balanced with the modern life in America in the twentieth century. These fundamental differences in their opinions push the novel in an interesting manner. Thus it is clear that Zionism had different effects on different people. Though we see the impact of Zionism in Potok’s novels, we cannot say for certain if he was in favor of it or against it from this novel. It is clear that Potok is trying to voice his thoughts through the characters. But the characters themselves are divided in their views. So, what could be told about the effect of Zionism is, it is present just like any other event in a novel, the characters reacting in different ways as they would to other events in life. Zionism was a part of life and reality, and people had various approaches to it. We can see the effect of Zionism in almost all the characters. Almost all the characters are affected by a single person’s view. An individual’s perspective of Zionism affects the lives of many people around him. Reb Saunders’ anti-Zionist stance, sort of, changes when he gives his son permission to talk to Reuven. Reb Saunders finally apologizes to Reuven and Danny for causing the separation. When Reb Saunders explains the reasons behind his actions, Reuven feels great admiration for him. Saunders’ only concern is that his son should be humane and should understand the pain and sufferings of his fellow beings. He also wants Danny to stick to the religious beliefs and observe the Ten Commandments. When this is assured, Saunders does not have much difficulty in allowing his son to choose the profession of his liking. Reb Saunders is grateful for having got to know Reuven and his father. When Reb Saunders talks about the duties of Jews, he says that it the duty of every Jew to accept the destiny and the responsibilities of being born a Jew. His view is that a true Jew should pay little or no attention to the outside world and instead be immersed in the study of Jewish texts and dismiss the non-Jewish world around them. Even the slaughter of millions of European Jews in the Holocaust does not bring about the change in his views. He again feels that it is the will of the God. But towards the end of the novel, Reb Saunders’ view on the duties and obligations of the Jews seem to dilute. He is able to accept Danny’s decision to become a psychologist. He is finally able to appreciate the fact that one could be true to his faith and still be bonded with the outside world. These events are not only a milieu for the novel, but also adds significantly to the plot. These writers relied more on their imaginative and writing skills. Henry Roth was yet another American Jewish writer who in his own superior style picturesquely portrayed the cultural conflicts of the immigrant Jews. Though there was a long break after his successful debut novel Call It Sleep, critics feel that this single novel is credible enough to gauge his style.

Financial Ratio Analysis for HSBC

Financial Ratio Analysis for HSBC HSBC is the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, established by Thomas Sutherland, in 1865. HSBC is one of the leading banking group on the financial market in the world today. In 2000, it ranked fifth largest global company in the world. HSBCs headquarters is located on the HSBC tower, Canary Wharf, London. HSBC bank is a wholly owned subsidiary of HSBC Holding plc. The shares of HSBC bank are not publicly-traded, but those of HSBC Holdings plc are traded on the London, New York, Hong Kong, Paris and Bermuda stock exchanges. The HSBC Corporation has been expanding rapidly with merger and acquiescing and it ranked second with assets for worlds wealthy company. HSBC has $1.861 trillion in assets as compared to Citigroup, which has $1.884 trillion, 31 Dec 2006. Nearly 22% of HSBCs earnings are derived from Hong Kong, which is one of its major operational bases. HSBC has grown into one of the largest global financial institutions with 9,500 offices in 79 countries and identity of HSBC brand have been well recognizing in the worldwide since it established. Known as the worlds local bank, HSBC has a history of helping millions of customers for their financial needs. FINANCIAL RATIO ANALYSIS Financial ratios for HSBC (2005-2009), for the industry of Foreign Money Center Banks are provided below. Industry 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2009 Net profit margin(%) 9.0 6.1 20.6 20.7 25.1 11.9 Return on Equity(%) 4.5 6.1 14.9 14.6 16.1 12.6 Return on Assets(%) 0.2 0.2 0.8 0.8 1.1 7.9 Debt to equity 1.38:1 2.23:1 2.12:1 2.33:1 2.90:1 3.68:1 Current Ratio(2:1) 1.05 1.03 1.06 1.06 1.07 1.40 Interest Coverage(times) 1.3 1.2 1.4 1.5 1.7 1.2 Profitability Ratios Profitability ratios are show effectiveness of the business with generating profit. This ratio is popular that assessing a business to assess the amount of wealth generating for the amount of wealth invested. In 2009, HSBCs net profit margin ratio (9.0) is dramatically lower than year 2005. In 2005 net profit margin ratio is the highest (25.1) in other years. The lowest net profit margin ratio appeared as a 6.1 in 2008 and that had brought by global economic recession. There is slightly lower ratio (9.0) on net profit margin compare to its industry (1.9) in 2009. The higher net profit margin explains HSBC has good financial performance and cost of sales lower than other years in 2005. Liquidity Ratio HSBCs liquidity ratios are almost remained the same, between 2005 and 2009. Although, HSBC is slightly less liquided than the average firm in the industry, with both a current ratio and a quick ratio that is lower than the industry average. If a both ratios are lower than its norm (current ratio2:1, quick ratio1:1), it could be face liquidity problem. Capital Gearing Ratios Capital gearing is concerned with the relative sizes of the funds provided by share-holders, on the other hand by loan creditors. HSBCs Debt/equity ratio has dropped from (2.90) in 2005 to (1.38) in 2009. The lowest figure (1.38) occurred in 2009 on debt to equity and its dramatically lower than its industry (3.68). Debt to equity ratio indicated that HSBC is less leveraged than other firms in industry. This lower leverage shows HSBC has good financial performance in its industry. Management efficiency 2010 (1st quarter) HSBC Barclays Industry SP(500) Income/employee 22,226 36,763 66,753 99,430 Revenue/employee 238,067 303,095 396,097 896,721 Net profit margin 14.0 11.6 11.9 HSBC has net profit margin higher than other firms in industry and SP(500). But if we look at productivity of HSBC, and compare to Barclays, its industry and SP(500), its dramatically lower than any other those. Which means productivity is poor and $14,537 ($36,763-$22,226) lower than Barclays productivity of per employee. Therefore, there is a conflict between practice and theory of (productivity and net profit margin). According to theory productivity should be high if net profit margin high, in that case they are not. Perhaps HSBC need to consider about poor fixed and indirect cost. Conclusion We need to consider about market efficiency (which form of efficient market hypothesis). Seems to me, the efficient market hypothesis is involved in semi-strong form, which means we able to use all available public information including firms data (annual reports, income statement, exchange commission etc.), competitors financial situation, macro economic factors etc. . .Before we invest 250,000 pound to buy some share of HSBC. HSBC has strong balance sheet, income statement is perfect except some losses between mid 2008 and early 2009 and price earning per share higher than its main competitors of Barclays, SP500, and its industry. The management efficiency little bit poor but the management performance getting strong and they making their share price uptrend dramatically since the economic recession (in 2008). HSBCs net profit margin was 9.1% in 2009, now it is increased at 14% in 1st quarter of 2010. Which means the management performance is strong and marketing is effective in the market place. The history of share price chart is illustrated the share price increased slightly from at the price of 81.00 GDP in September 2005 till at price of 90.00 GDP in December 2007 and it is peaked up at 100.00 GDP in January 2008. January effect is very strong in HSBCs share price. The share price huge difference between End of December and January of every new a year and since 2005, the investors were making profit (3.00 GDP to 5.00 GDP) on per share in 3 weeks. I would like to recommend that we need to make an investment on HSBCs share with 250,000 GDP before January effect (end of December most of the stock holders want to sell their stocks, because of tax issue). The strategy of stock investment is buy-and-hold. That would be good investment for buying HSBCs shares.

The Strategic Analysis Of Adolph Coors

The Strategic Analysis Of Adolph Coors Beer is the oldest alcoholic beverage in the world. It has produced in an artisanal setting for thousands of years, dating back to around 3500 BC (History, 2010). As developments in agriculture and technology occurred, beer production shifted to industrial manufacturing. Beer is produced using a process called brewing. The brewing process involves variable amounts of time in which a source of starch, usually hops, is fermented to produce alcohol. The process can produce countless types of beer, with variable concentrations of alcohol, varying flavors, and appearances. These beverages are packaged into either kegs, glass bottles, or aluminum cans. A building or organization dedicated to this process is known as a brewery. The brewing industry today is a global business that is made up of several dominant companies. As of 2010, the key players in the industry are MillerCoors and Anheuser-Busch. Anheuser Busch is the largest brewing company in the United States with 32 breweries globally, 12 of which are located in the United States. In late 2007, SABMiller and Molson Coors Brewing Company joined forces in order to better compete with Anheuser-Busch. These major brewing companies make up the largest segment of the brewing industry. There are also thousands of smaller regional breweries often referred to as microbreweries which make up a second segment. Finally, a very small percentage of homebrews and domestic production occur. This analysis will focus almost exclusively on the segment that consists of the multinational conglomerates such as MillerCoors and Anheuser-Busch. The US beer market produced total revenues of $78.8 billion in 2008. Lager sales account for $28.2 billion of the total (Datamonitor, 2009b). Beer accounts for 52.9% of the alcoholic drink industry in the US, with spirits at 29.4%, and Wine at 17.7% (Datamonitor, 2009a). *A stipulation to this analysis is that it will be based primarily on the Harvard case study Adolph Coors in the Brewing Industry. Outside information will be incorporated where necessary for a complete analysis. *In the absence of specific statistics from past years, current numbers are substituted. *Brevity is highly valued for this analysis, though not at the expense of a thorough analysis. PEST The PEST model is a framework which is used to analyze the macroenvironmental factors that companies within an industry must take into account. This PEST analysis will examine the political, economic, social, and technological factors in relation to the brewing industry. Political and Government regulation There are significant rules governing general alcohol consumption. First, drinking in public places such as streets or parks is prohibited. Second, the minimum age of consumption is 21 years old in the United States. There are also restrictions related to the manufacturing, sale and possession of alcohol. In the United States, the sale of alcoholic beverages is controlled by individual states. Finally, the production of spirits is taxed and requires a permit to operate a plant (TTBGov, 2010). Economic The brewing industry benefits from having commodity-based inputs. There is little variance in the raw materials necessary for the brewing process, as they are mainly agricultural commodities. Price elasticity of demand for beer is low, ensuring steady demand. Social-cultural Consumer preferences are important in the brewing industry. Consumers have varying tastes, and prefer to be able to choose among the varying types of beer. However, alcohol consumption can have adverse affects on human physical health. Beer is high in carbohydrates, and it can be argued that high consumption can cause weight gain, or even liver-disease. There are also benefits of alcohol consumption. The age of the consumer affects the industry. As baby boomers reach the legal drinking age, the number of beer drinkers rose, and also the amount consumed (Ghemawat, 1992). Additionally, more and more Americans drink more beer at home, whereas they had traditionally had it in bars and restaurants (Ghemawat, 1992). Technological Brewing techniques affect the brewing industry heavily. Post WWII developments would allow for less time needed for the aging process. The pasteurization process would allow beer to last up to six months unrefrigerated (Ghemawat, 1992). Capacity and efficiency are highly based on technology of both the brewing, and packaging machinery. Also, the switch from glass bottles to aluminum cans was a large technological development. The technology surrounding television and web marketing have changed, giving firms easier methods for greater exposure, and also shipping and transportation costs fluctuate, affecting value-added (Ghemawat, 1992). III. Porters Five Forces A. Threat of New Entrants (LOW) The following elements will help determine the level of threat from new entrants. 1. Economies of scale Economies of scale are significant for the brewing industry. This represents a high barrier to entry for potential competitors. Large, established firms such as MillerCoors and Anheuser-Busch have enormous brewing capacity, and are able to realize economies of scale that come from mass production and larger contracts. As of 1985, doubling the scale of a brewery cut unit costs by 25% (Ghemawat, 1992). During the rising demand that the industry experienced during the 1960s and 1970s, both Anheuser-Busch and Schlitz, major players at the time, added large breweries to help cope with the demand, and to benefit from economies of scale (Ghemawat, 1992). This allows existing firms to decrease their cost per unit produced. Any new entrant would have to invest a large amount of capital in production facilities. This makes the industry unattractive. 2. Working capital requirements The cost of operating a brewery is significant. A significant implication of the brewing process is that it takes time. A major development in the brewing process after WWII allowed brewers to cut the aging time from 30 days to 20 (Ghemawat, 1992). Even with this decrease, it is still costly not only to facilitate the brewing process, but to maintain locations in which the beer can be aged. This serves as a deterrent for small firms who wish to enter. 3. Proprietary product differences Coors, like many most brewers, has a unique taste associated with its beverages. Little information was available as to the nature of the Coors recipe, however, it would not difficult for any knowledgeable entrant to the industry to imitate the taste of the varying Coors lines. Coors does age its product for 70 days, rather than the industry average of 20-30 (Ghemawat, 1992). Imitation of the Coors brewing process would also be easy, and therefore, threat of entrants is increased. 5. Brand identity Brand identity is important in the brewing industry. For Coors, their marketing expenses as a percentage of sales increased from 3.3% in 1973 to 10% in 1985 (Ghemawat, 1992). This decreases the threat of entrants, as it takes significant investment to establish brand recognition. 4. Absolute Cost Advantages As stated above, Coors and its major competitors can take advantage of economies of scale, which gives lower manufacturing costs, and also cheaper access to raw materials. Coors produces its own malt through long-contracts with farmers (Ghemawat, 1992). These connections are likely exclusive to large firms, and decrease the threat of entrants. 6. Access to distribution Coors products reach the market primarily through retailers and wholesalers. As of 1985, Coors distribution network consisted of 569 wholesalers, and 5 additional Coors-owned wholesalers. Coors also has its own trucking subsidiary, which takes on a large amount of its transportation needs. This decreases the threat of entrants (Ghemawat, 1992). The threat of new entrants is low. The capital requirements for starting a brewery, and quickly achieving the necessary economies of scale is a large barrier. Access to distribution networks takes time, and also contracts to obtain necessary shelf-space to sell product. These factors make the industry unattractive for new entrants. B. Suppliers (LOW) 1. Supplier concentration The main suppliers in the brewing industry consist of malted grain and hops for the fermentation process, and bottles or barrels for storage and transportation. Supplier power is weak because of their size, relative to the brewers, and also because farming operations are numerous (Brewing Industry US). 2. Presence of substitute inputs The presence of substitutes in the brewing industry varies. If aluminum cans are considered a substitute for bottles and barrels, then this factor is an issue. Also, lower quality hops might be substituted for higher quality, more expensive, flavorful hops. 3. Differentiation of inputs Since ingredients required for brewing have little qualitative differentiation, supplier power is lowered. 4. Importance of volume to supplier There are few other uses for hops, especially commercially, than brewing beer. The brewing industry purchases a significant percentage of the total hop production, which diminishes supplier power. However, there are alternative uses for barley, which can be integrated in the brewing process, but isnt as common. This slightly boosts overall supplier power (Brewing Industry US). 5. Impact of inputs on our cost or ability to differentiate Agricultural inputs account for 20-25% of total raw materials costs for major brewers. The remainder is allocated for packaging (Ghemawat, 1992). This increases supplier power, as the price of their product affects the final product. 6. Threat of forward or backward integration Since suppliers are small in comparison to breweries, forward integration is uncommon. However, there is evidence of backwards integration by large brewers. For example, Coors acquired a grain-processing plant as well as other operations to protect itself from price fluctuations (Ghemawat, 1992). 7. Access to labor As of 1985, Coors was the only major brewer that was not unionized (Ghemawat, 1992). The implication is that the brewing industry is unionized. During a strike in 1977, a strike caused Coors to have to shift employees within the company. The production levels were quickly returned to normal, indicating that skilled workers are not necessary (Ghemawat, 1992). Labor supplier power is low. Supplier power is low because of unfavorable supplier concentration. Suppliers of the brewing industry need the brewing industry as there are little other uses for their products, and their products are considered commodities. C. Buyers (MODERATE) 1. Buyer concentration Buyers in this market are highly concentrated. In 1985, 4,500 independent wholesalers existed in the United States (Ghemawat, 1992). Larger buyers are able to negotiate contracts effectively (Datamonitor, 2009b). 2. Buyer switching costs Buyers do not have particularly high switching costs. Many buyers are willing to switch brands based on price and differentiation. The lack of buyer switching costs increases buyer power, making the brewing industry more unattractive (Datamonitor, 2009b). 3. Threat of backward integration There is no indication that buyers are backward integrating, and producing their own product to sell, making the industry more attractive. 4. Pull through Pull through exists in the brewing industry because brand identity is important. Advertising expense as a percentage of sales over time for the brewing industry has been trending upward. As of 1973, advertising expenditures were 3.3% of sales. That amount increased to 10% of sales by 1985 (Ghemawat, 1992). Therefore, the brewing industry has power over the buyers, making it more attractive. 5. Price sensitivity The brewing industry is able to pass cost increases on to the buyer as indicted by the existence of multiple beer segments. End consumers are willing to pay more for quality beer. Brewers are not able to pass on shipping costs however, reducing attractiveness (Ghemawat, 1992). Buyer power is moderate. There are more buyers than firms in this industry, and pull-through from brewers creates power. There are shipping costs and other aspects that the breweries cannot pass on to their customers. D. Substitute Products (MODERATE) Substitute products for beer consist of wine, liquor, as well as imported beer. These products constitute a moderate threat. In 2008, Beer had a 52.9% share of the alcoholic drinks market, with spirits at 29.4%, and wine at 17.7% (Datamonitor2009a). 1. Relative price/performance relationship of substitutes The per-unit-volume price is often affected by alcohol content, which is higher in liquor and spirits. Also, shelf space is more expensive for items such as beer, which must be refrigerated (Datamonitor,2009a). The threat of substitute products is increased. 2. Buyer propensity to substitute Projections for the industry indicate that consumers may switch away from beer to other alcoholic beverages as consumers become more confident and begin spending their discretionary income. Consumers who may normally drink higher priced alcoholic drinks tend to switch to lower priced beer during a recession (Ibisworld, 2010). This effects the buyers of the brewing industry as their demand will fluctuate. The threat of substitute product is moderate because of end-user propensity to switch away from beer when possible financially. Other forms of alcoholic drinks are often more potent, making them a better deal for the consumer, depending on their intentions or desires. E. Rivalry (HIGH) 1. Degree of concentration and balance among competitors The brewing industry is highly concentrated, and unbalanced. In 1985, the six major players in the industry controlled 75% of market share. In 2009, this number had changed to the two major players controlling 79.2% of the market share. Anheuser-Busch controls 50.1%, and MillerCoors, the remaining 29.1%. This heavy rivalry makes the industry unattractive (Ibisworld, 2010). 2. Diversity among competitors Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors are following similar strategies. Both companies are focusing on promoting their largest brands, expanding their geographic reach, and increasing efficiency (Ibisworld, 2010). This makes the industry unattractive. 3. Industry growth rate (past and projected) The brewing industry is experiencing maturity, growth rates have been slow, and consolidation frequent. From 2010 to 2015, the industry has experienced a -0.3% growth rate. However, it is projected to grow 1.3% by 2025 (Ibisworld, 2010). The industry is unattractive. 4. Fixed costs to value added Fix costs are high and economies of scale are possible in the industry. Value-added trended upward until its high point in 2003 of $25,924.3 million, but has since fallen to just over $23,038 million. The industry is at maturity and rivalry has increased, making the industry unattractive (Ibisworld, 2010). 5. Intermittent overcapacity As of 1985, the 6 major competitors in the brewing industry were operating at an average of 83% capacity. The brewing industry has been plagued with overcapacity issues in the past (Ghemawat, 1992). Rivalry is increased. 6. Product differentiation Firms differentiate their products in this industry through advertising, segmentation, and packaging. Advertising helps firms reach critical thresholds of exposure, while segmentation increases market share (Ghemawat, 1992). Brewers can differentiate their products by segments, but also can use brand, ingredients, and style. The degree of differentiation makes the attractive (Datamonitor, 2009b). 7. Growth of foreign competition To what extent are foreign firms able to penetrate the US market? If there is a growth in foreign firms penetration, this increases rivalry making the industry unattractive. It also shows that US firms are not being globally competitive. 8. Corporate stakes As of 1985, 84% of Coorss revenues came from its brewing division (Ghemawat, 1992). This increases rivalry, making the industry unattractive. 9. Exit barriers Firms in this industry could exit by converting operations to another product, or as shown by the consolidation of the industry, exit through merger or acquisition. Rivalry in this industry is high. Since the brewing industry is so highly concentrated and unbalanced, the major firms in the industry have very similar strategies and compete for similar niches. This makes the overall industry attractiveness low. IV. Conclusion After analysis of the items above, conclusions can be drawn about the brewing industry. A. Critical Success Factors There are a number of critical success factors for this industry: Economies of scale are a necessity to be profitable in the industry. Firms must have production facilities that are large enough to spread the fix costs of production out of millions of barrels of product. These facilities must also have high capacity to deal with demand fluctuations. Second, firms must have strong, differentiated brands that fit into multiple segments. Finally, a strong distribution network is imperative to obtaining sales levels. B. Prognosis Entering into the brewing industry would be a uncertain venture. There are many barriers to entry for small firms such as microbreweries, such as economies of scale and capacity. The brewing industry is projected to contract, but the major players will continue to jockey for market share (Ibisworld, 2010). Competitive forces have contributed to consolidation in the past and likely will in the future, as smaller firms merge with larger ones, in order to better compete in the industry. Part II: Firm Analysis I. Current Situation A. Brief firm history Adolph Coors brewery was founded in Golden, Colorado in 1873. After surviving the prohibition era of the 1920s, Coors would become very successful. After the repeal of Prohibition, Coors sold 90,000 barrels of beer. It also began expansion with its introduction of wholesalers outside of Colorado, in Arizona, and eventually 9 other states. The size of the company would increase exponentially. By 1960, Coors sales volume reached 1.9 million barrels, 7.3 million by 1970, and finally 12.3 million by 1974. In 1975, the Coors family offered non-voting stock to the public (Ghemawat, 1992). More recently, the Adolph Coors Company became the parent company through a merger with Molson, a Canadian brewing giant. Coors would begin numerous ventures and partnerships, most notably, a joint venture with Miller Brewing to form MillerCoors in June of 2008 (Datamonitor: Coors). Today, the company operates 18 breweries and distribution centers over 30 countries. The US segment operates 8 major breweries with a capacity of 85 million barrels annually. The brands sold in the US are Coors, Coors Light, the Blue Moon line, Killians, Keystone, and Molson among others. Molson operates Coorss Canadian operations with 6 breweries. Coors also sells around 9 million barrels in the UK (Datamonitor, 2009c). MillerCoors currently controls 29.1% of market share, behind industry-leader Anheuser-Busch with 50.1%. Coors broad portfolio of over 40 brands allows it to reach a wide range of market segments (Ibisworld, 2010). B. Strategic Posture The current vision of MolsonCoors is to be a top four global brewer in profitability, fueled by our people who are committed to delivering exceptional results and creating extraordinary brands (Molson, 2010). The mission statement was not stated anywhere. The first portion, to be a top four global brewer in profitability is quantifiable through revenue. The last 2 parts are more difficult to measure, though Coors does have a large portfolio of successful brands. II. External Environment (Opportunities and Threats) The findings of the above industry analysis apply specifically to Coors in the following manner: A. General Environmental Factors The issues that affect Coors more heavily are the issues of product differentiation to meet consumer needs, and also the capacity and efficiency factor. The opportunity to market their products more extensively is important to Coors. B. Task Environment The Rivalry factor is currently affecting the level of competitive intensity within the brewing industry. Coors faces strong rivalry from Anheuser-Busch. They currently pursue very similar strategies, making competition strong. Currently Anheuser-Busch controls over 50% of the market share. As they compete for the same markets niches, it will be important for Coors to maintain competitive levels of advertising. Also, Coors has been efficient in their production capacities in the past, but as demand grows, they may need to make changes to keep up. III. Internal Environment (Strengths and Weaknesses) A. Management The Coors board consists of nine members, four of which are members of the Coors family. As of 1985, the Coors family continued to hold all of the voting stock (Ghemawat, 1992). Peter Coors became president of Coors in 1985. There was some dissent between the younger members of the board, including Peter, suggesting that had a differing vision for the direction of the company. It is implied that he thought it was necessary to add effective marketing skills to the manufacturing skills that the company already had (Ghemawat, 1992). B. Marketing Coors operates in every segment except for the low-price popular segment. In1985, Anheuser-Busch had a particularly strong product mix, much as Coors had, though Anheuser-Buschs market share was much larger. The most notable major competitors products were Anheuser-Buschs Budweiser, with 25.8% of market share, and Millers Lite beer, and High Life which together accounted for 17.5% of market share (Ghemawat, 1992). Coors pricing is appropriate for the market. There are no strong indicators that Coors pricing strategy is not competitive. In 1985, domestic producers supplied barrels at $67 each. Distribution is a major issue for Coors. In 1985, all of the major competitors except Coors functioned in all 50 states, but only had a median shipping distance of 300-400 miles. Coors was shipping their product 1,500 miles. Beyond this, their inefficient trucking system added 10-15% additional cost (Ghemawat, 1992). Finally, Coors launch of new products called for an increase in advertising. Coors silver bullet campaign proved successful, as Coors Light had become the 2nd best-selling light beer (Ghemawat, 1992). Coors spends less than the industry average for its promotional efforts. There is also statistical evidence that 90% of the effect of advertising is lost within one year (Ghemawat, 1992). Coors has not marketed itself as heavily as some of its competitors, which puts it at a disadvantage. It likely has much to do with the smaller size of Coors market share. C. Operations/Production Productivity improvement has been extremely important to Coors in its history. In 1985, Coors capacity utilization was above that of both the top players in the industry at 92%, which is high. The issues Coors is facing pertaining to distribution, and whether or not to open a new brewery would be a result of the firms re-invention. Growth through product development is important to Coors. It has six product lines in varying segments, indicating it is emphasizing product development within the brewing industry. At some points in its history, it was diversified outside of the brewing industry, but decided to focus on core competencies (Ghemawat, 1992). Coors benefits from high historical efficiency in production, and also strong brands that it can use to differentiate itself. D. Human Resource Management Unions have historically had little effect on the operations of Coors in particular, but they are present in almost every other firm in the industry. A strike during 1977, illustrated Coors lack of vulnerability to this threat (Ghemawat, 1992). E. Management Information Systems This section is not applicable. IV. Critical Success Factors This section will briefly outline how Coors is managing the critical success factors in its industry. Economies of scale are a necessity to be profitable in the industry. Coors Golden Colorado brewery is the largest in the industry, capable of producing 25-30 million barrels a year (Ghemawat, 1992). This production facility has allowed them to take advantage of economies of scale and spread the fix costs of production out of millions of barrels of product. Coors brewing facilities have historically had high capacity to deal with demand fluctuations, but future demand may prompt changes. Second, Coors has strong, differentiated brands that fit into multiple segments. Coors broad portfolio of over 40 brands allows it to reach a wide range of market segments (Ibisworld, 2010). Finally, a strong distribution network is imperative to obtaining sales levels. This is the aspect in which Coors is the weakest. Economics would dictate that an in-house operation would increase value-added, but Coors distribution network is not strong enough for them to realize financial benefit. V. Strategic Problem Management has failed to ensure the longà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ term survival of Coors because they have neglected the importance of strong distribution networks, and shipping expenses associated with proximity to markets, and of refrigeration needs. If Coors wants to successfully compete on a national level, like its competitors, it will need to boost the efficiency of its distribution network. VI. Strategic Alternatives Option 1 Construct an additional brewery in the eastern United States such as the location in Virginia. This brewery would serve the eastern United States, and add additional capacity to Coors overall. The pros of this option are as follows: It would reduce costs associated with shipping from the Golden Colorado site. Coors estimates a $2.50 saving per barrel if it would not have to ship its entire product the average 1500 miles. Although the brewing industry is not projected to grow, it would not hurt Coors to have more resources and capabilities, and not have to base their entire operation on the single brewery. The cons of this option are as follows: It would take a large investment to establish a new brewery, and maintain its production. A 5-million barrel brewery would cost $200-$250 million (Ghemawat, 1992). Option 2 A second option would be to begin focusing heavily on marketing. The numbers show that Coors is considerably behind their competitors in advertising spending as a proportion of sales. The company has strong brands that could perform better with additional promotion. The pros of this option are as follows: Increased brand awareness, and information about the varying brands that Coors produces will result in additional sales volume. Targeting advertising about certain product lines to certain target markets could increase penetration into market niches, and result in additional market share. The cons of this option are as follows: The additional costs of a national advertising effort will be high. ROI may be low because of statistical data from studies indicating that advertising in this industry does not create lasting impressions (Ghemawat, 1992). VII. Recommendation After weighing the alternatives and their pros and cons, it would be most beneficial for Coors to select strategic option one, and construct an additional brewing facility. If they were to select strategic option 2, and the effects of their marketing campaign were favorable, they may not be able to keep up with demand which would be disastrous for the company. It may take them too long to make the necessary expansions in time to capture the additional market share. Constructing another brewery would also serve to drastically lower shipping costs. VIII. Implementation There are a number of strategic steps that will need to be implemented. Coors will need to ensure that it has the necessary funds for completion of the project. If they do not have the necessary funds, they will need to be acquired through efficient channels. Second, the site will have to be purchased. Any local environmental or social regulations or preferences will need to be planned for. Construction of the brewery will begin. Finally, the project will need to be completed on time to meet projections of needed capacity from the brewery to satisfy the demand needs of the east coast. Necessary sunk costs will need to be maintained to aid in startup of the facility including provisions for raw materials and machinery, as well as beginning the brewing process. Finally, Coors distribution network will need to smoothly integrate the new site into the existing framework. The brewery will allow for additional production of all of Coors product segments, using the existing brand recognition and perceived quality that Coors brands have. The costs associated with shipping will be reduced drastically. Coors has an opportunity to further expand its capacity. Coors position within the industry is currently strong, but the company will need to take the necessary steps to facilitate growth. Fierce competition from Anheuser-Busch, the industry leader will only get tougher if Coors does not take a proactive rather than reactive stance. If the company follows the strategic recommendation above, it puts them in a good position to market themselves additionally, but only after they have the necessary capabilities. IX. Bibliography Datamonitor, Inc. (2009a). Alcoholic Drinks in the United States: Industry Profile. New York, NY. Retrieved April 19, 2010, from the Datamonitor Company Profiles Authority Database. Datamonitor, Inc. (2009b). Beer in the United States: Industry Profile. New York, NY. Retrieved April 19, 2010, from the Datamonitor Company Profiles Authority Database. Datamonitor, Inc. (2009c). Molson Coors Brewing Company: Company Profile. New York, NY. Retrieved April 20, 2010, from the Datamonitor Company Profiles Authority Database. Ghemawat, P. (1992). Adolph Coors in the Brewing Industry. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School. (Original work published 1987) History of Beer Brewing. (2010). Wine Making | Beer Brewing. Retrieved April 21, 2010, from http://www.winemakingbeerbrewing.com/history/history-of-beer-brewing IBISWorld, Inc. (2010). IBISWorld Industry Report 31212: Beer Production in the U.S. Washington, DC: Areeb Pirani. Molson Coors Brewing Company.

All Is Not For The Best Essays -- essays research papers fc

"All is Not for the Best" 10-K Candide Voltaire's Candide is the story of an innocent man's experiences in a mad and evil world, his struggle to survive in that world, and his need to ultimately come to terms with it. All people experience the turmoil of life and must overcome obstacles, both natural and man-made, in order to eventually achieve happiness. In life, "man must find a medium between what Martin (scholar and companion to Candide) calls the "convulsions of anxiety" and the "lethargy of boredom"" (Richter 137). After a long and difficult struggle in which Candide is forced to overcome misfortune to find happiness, he concludes that all is not well (as he has previously been taught by his tutor, Dr. Pangloss), and that he must work in order to find even a small amount of pleasure in life. Candide grows up in the Castle of Westphalia and is taught by the learned philosopher, Dr. Pangloss. Candide is abruptly exiled from the castle when found kissing the Baron's daughter, Cunegonde. Devastated by the separation from Cunegonde, his true love, Candide sets out to different places in the hope of finding her and achieving total happiness. On his journey, he faces a number of misfortunes, among them being tortured during army training, yet he continues to believe that there is a "cause and effect" for everything. Candide is reunited with Cunegonde, and regains a life of prosperity, but soon all is taken away, including his beloved Cunegonde. He travels on, and years later he finds her again, but she is now fat and ugly. His wealth is all gone and so is his love for the Baron's daughter. Throughout Candide, we see how accepting situations and not trying to change or overcome obstacles can be damaging. Life is full of struggles, but it would be nonproductive if people passively accepted whatever fate had in store for them, shrugging off their personal responsibility. Voltaire believes that people should not allow themselves to be victims. He sneers at naive, accepting types, informing us that people must work to reach their utopia (Bottiglia 93). In Candide, reality and "the real world" are portrayed as being disappointing. Within the Baron's castle, Candide is able to lead a Utopian life. After his banishment, though, he recognizes the evil of the world, see... ...appiness. He believes, in his optimistic way, that he will find Cunegonde, his true love, and Dr. Pangloss, his mentor, and all will be well. When Candide is reunited with both he realizes that he was right not to lose hope. In essence, it was Candide's optimism that keeps him from a state of total dejection, maintaining his sanity during troubled times. Candide eventually achieves happiness with his friends in their simple, yet full, lives. The book's ending affirms Voltaire's moral that one must work to attain satisfaction. Work helps Candide overcome his tragedies and enables him to live peacefully and in contentment. The message of Candide is: "Don't rationalize, but work; Don't utopianize, but improve. We must cultivate our own garden, for no one is going to do it for us" (Richter 161). Works Cited Bottiglia, William. "Candide's Garden." Voltaire: A Collection of Critical Essays. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968. Richter, Peyton. Voltaire. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1980. Tsanoff, Radoslav. Voltaire's Candide and the Critics. California: Wadsworth Publishing Company, Inc., 1966. Voltaire. Candide. New York: Viking Publishers, 1976.

Food as a Metaphor for Unexpressed Emotions in Like Water for Chocolate

Food as a Metaphor for Unexpressed Emotions in Like Water for Chocolate  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      An oppressed soul finds means to escape through the preparation of food in the novel, Like Water for Chocolate (1992). Written by Laura Esquivel, the story is set in revolutionary Mexico at the turn of the century. Tita, the young heroine, is living on her family’s ranch with her two older sisters, her overbearing mother, and Nacha, the family cook and Tita’s surrogate mother. At a very young age, Tita is instilled with a deep love for food "for Tita, the joy of living was wrapped up in the delights of food" (7). The sudden death of Tita's father, left Tita's mother's unable to nurse the infant Tita due to shock and grief. Therefore Nacha, "who [knows] everything about cooking" (6) offers to assume the responsibility of feeding and caring for the young Tita. "From that day on, Tita's domain was the kitchen" (7). Throughout the novel, food is used as a constant metaphor for the intense feelings and emotions Tita is forced to conceal. The story begins with Tita passionately in love with Pedro Muzquiz and he with her. "She would never forget the moment their hands accidentally touched as they both slowly bent down to pick up the same tray" (18). Their romance is cursed from the start, however, because of an old family tradition, stating that the youngest daughter must remain unmarried and care for the mother as long as either may live. Pedro, unaware of the tradition, comes to the ranch to ask Tita's mother, Mama Elena, for Tita's hand. Mama Elena tells Tita, "If he intends to ask for your hand, tell him not to bother. Heà ­ll be wasting his time and mine, too. You know perfectly well that being the youngest daughter means you have to take car... ... other," and "[make] mad passionate love wherever they happened to end up" (242). Unlike the first wedding, Tita too is infected with the powerful enchantment of the food. "For the first time in their lives, Tita and Pedro made love freely" (243). The novel ends with both Pedro and Tita, overcome with pleasure and emotion, dying in each other arms. Metaphors are powerful tools often used by authors to communicate a deeper meaning. Metaphors also tend to make the piece more thought provoking, and thus more interesting and intriguing. Laura Esquivel does a marvelous job of using food as a metaphor for unexpressed emotions in the novel Like Water for Chocolate. She takes the aching soul of a young girl and turns it into a cookbook of feelings and emotions cleverly disguised with food. Work Cited Esquivel, Laura. Like Water for Chocolate. Doubleday, 1992.

Critique Of Research Article Essay

The nursing profession comprises of various dimensions. These dimensions however have not been appreciated by the society by understanding the complexity of the nursing profession. The role of nurses has changed over times and is dynamic. To many, nursing profession is solely for physical health provision. This is not exactly the case as nurses are also involved in provision of other aspects of care such as social and spiritual care. The role of nurses as care givers is unique and needs to be appreciated. Nurses all over the world are connected by the technical skills that they posses. These professional goes beyond the mare health care provision by the technical skills only. (Nieswiadomy, 1998 pp. 97-135) This paper is a critique of the article â€Å"Dimensions of caring: A qualitative analysis of Nurses’ Stories’’ by Sharon Hudacek. In this article Hudacek has written on a research conducted carried out in a qualitative manner to identify the dimensions of nursing profession. The research focused at analyzing the stories that were obtained from nurses around the world where analysis was done using Giorgis methodology which assisted in deducing the multidimensional and complex of the roles of nurses in provision of care. This essay consists of two major parts in criticizing the article. The first part of the paper will criticize the significance of the research to nursing and the clinical practices in general. It will also examine the reason as to why the research was based on qualitative methodological approach. (Streubert & Carpenter, 1999 pp 67-89) In the second part of the essay, the research will be criticized in details through qualitative research critique methods. This critique will look on both the weakness and the strengths of the research based on the following components: ? Definition of the research problem ? Literature review ? The research design ? Data collection strategies ? Data analysis strategies ? Interpretation of the result finding ? Ethical consideration PART ONE Rationale for research area Nurses are entrusted in the provision of health care and are available to assist the sick in their most needy times. This unique responsibility brings about a unique relationship between the nurse and the patient. Hudacek’s article is on research about the stories of nurses in their day to day duties which are of different nature and challenging. The nurse plays the role of a life saver yet nurses also witness their patients pass inevitably. In establishing what the nurses have to say to the public and to other professionals in their work of care giving. Hudacek collected stories from nurses from various parts of the world about the uniqueness of their job through experiences in care provision. These stories are an important base in understanding the role of nurses and appreciating the multidimensional complex essential care provided by the nurses. The work of nurses should be acknowledged and through their stories it is easy to understand the specialty of this profession in the society. (Beanland et al. 1999 pp 57-107) Leaders in nursing stress on nurses telling on their stories to better understand the practice of nursing. It is obligatory and persuasive to share and the human experiences in daily life activities. In nursing telling stories of personal encounter with patients is a reflection on clinical practice and the essence of working at the bedside. The essence of this research is to encourage nurses to tell there stories through written or oral means to the public and to the professionals. This is necessary in generating critical thinking and review which connects and illuminates the complexity and great inherent within the nursing profession. The narrative stories of nurses about their experiences in bedside care with their patients take the nurses back to a deep etched memory at one time in their care giving activity. This is necessary in motivating the nurses in the provision of care that constitutes more than health care provision as the research identified. The stories enhance the relationship between nurses and their patients through touching of each others life. (Polit, & Hungler, 1997 pp 102-156) There are times when the nurse may touch the heart of a patient and make a change to their lives and the patients also may touch the life of a nurse and bring about change which improves the provision of health care and other services in the care giving practice of nurses. According to Crookes and Davies 2005, it is the story of the nurses which unfold the trusting relationships between nurses and their patients. This research is also important in revealing of the unique nature of nursing profession which can create a good public relation. The care giving practice of nurses is special and innovative which integrates analysis, interpretation and the technical skills possessed by nurses. The research identified seven dimensions care giving in the nursing practice which helps us to appreciate the critical contribution of nurses in the society. These dimensions are as follows. ? Compassion ? Caring ? Community outreach ? Providing comfort ? Crisis intervention ? Spirituality and ? Caring the extra distance. This research assisted nurses to break the silence after many years of service which is more personal and meaningful. It has brought into light the true aspect of nursing through the written narratives they provided for this research to be able to come out with conclusive results of the various dimensions of care giving in the nursing practice. (Parahoo, 1997 pp 56-114) The research is also helpful for further research in the care giving practice of nurses. The finding of this research are useful and can open further research studies in the field of nursing by assimilating theories and the results of this research in conducting useful research that brings the true meaning of care giving within the nursing profession as well as improving the relationship between nurses and patients in all aspects of care giving established in this very research by Hudacek. Methodological approach Research is essential in every aspect of life. In nursing various researches have been carried out in improving and demystifying the care provision in the nursing profession. Various research methods are applied depending on the type of research and the aim of the research. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods have been widely used in research in nursing. These two methods of research can contribute to useful knowledge in nursing. In research it has become useful to use multidimensional research that includes both qualitative and quantitative research techniques. Therefore the polarization of this two research methods is no longer in existence and one cannot entirely work on its own. In the research article by Hudacek, qualitative research was used and analysis performed through Giorgi’s methodology for existential methodology which is a qualitative research design. This research method is focused on the experiences of people in their day to day activities. (Giorgi, 1985 pp 111-142) This research allows individuals to describe their experiences. In the research by Hudacek, questionnaires were sent through mail to different individuals in different countries serving in the nursing profession. The question was not open ended question as it directed the nurse on the type of response one was required to provide. The stories collected all were expected to tell of an experience in care giving that touched the life of the nurse or that of the patient. This is one of the weaknesses of this research methodology which uses closed ended questionnaires as it limits the nurses on telling stories about the challenges they face in providing care to their patients which also may touch their lives or change the life of the patient. However qualitative research is appropriate in the study of human behavior through experiences. It involves interactive process instead of linear. This is essential in asking a general question which refines the intended meaning of results of the research as the research continues. The qualitative research tries to understand the whole phenomenon in the context of the research field. This is done through inductive reasoning with no preconceived ideas about the study outcomes as it involves the investigation of individual experiences of the nurses in a naturalistic setting that put meaning to the theory and practice of nursing and for further research work. (Streubert & Carpenter, 1999 pp 80-165) The qualitative phenomenological research is common and is interested in descriptive data rather than numerical data. The phenomenological qualitative research is flexible and people centered which enhances the respondents in the research to be true to their story, that is, it increases the credibility of the data obtained through questionnaires. Considering that the nurses are emailed from a foreign country and are given a guideline question is important in producing reliable research result. Qualitative research is holistic and has continuous analysis of data to invent successive strategies. The quantitative research however has strengths over qualitative research as it applies deductive reasoning. It offers numerical data that allows the researcher to reject or accept the data in relation to the formulated hypothesis. In the research article by Hudacek, there was no null hypothesis to guide the information collected during the research. The questionnaires sent to Australia, Argentina, United States, Slovakia, Cuba, Tekrik, Tokyo and other parts of the world including Africa may have been taken in a different way. Considering that the different nurses come from different societies and have differing personal attributes could have brought about controversy in answering the question. This might be the reason unto why out of all the sent mails to the respondents; only two hundred were mailed back. (Burns and Grove, 2007 pp 90-198) Qualitative research fails to give an analysis of the real data. It does not break down data into meaningful conclusion. Out of the two hundred responses or stories that were received, they are not specified where they came from. There is a possibility of the responses coming from one region or state which can not be reliable for drawing out a general conclusion. Quantitative research and analysis of data could have been applied in this research article to address such shortcomings that the article failed to consider. In quantitative research data is numerical and therefore statistical data analysis methods are deployed to come out with a information emphasizing objectivity. In the research article by Hudacek, qualitative research has been singly used in establishing the role of nurses in health care provision in the named countries. The response obtained within twelve months time span from two hundred nurses was used to determine the heights of care giving practice of nurses. The Giorgi’s phenomenological research analysis was applied to give meaningful evaluation of the two hundred stories received. This qualitative method of data analysis used four major steps that helped in giving meaning to these stories in connection to the research topic. (Giorgi, 1985 pp 34-102) These steps assisted in the study of data obtained and were applied as follows; ? The general reading of the narrative stories for general sense of the whole work. ? The re-reading of the narratives to filter the meaningful section ton be used in the drawing conclusive meaning to research. ? The reflection and focusing of each story to the phenomenon under investigation. ? The final synthesizing of meaning units into reliable structure of learning. Generally the qualitative research used in this research were appropriate to the investigation of the phenomenon of care giving by nurses and helped in deducing seven dimensions of care giving by nurses who share a common technical skill despite the boundaries, race, religion, gender age and most important the level of development of the countries they live or give services in. PART TWO Problem definition Research in the field of nursing is endless and is important in filling in gaps in knowledge that is needed for care giving in nursing practice. The purpose of a research is a clear and concise statement of a specific goal, aim or objective of the research study generated from the research problem. There are three major characteristics which a good problem should hold; ? The problem statement should clearly identify the variables under consideration. ? Should specify the group of population to be studied ? Should involve the possibility of empirical testing. The article by Hudacek the statement of the problem in the research is clearly stated in the very first paragraph of the article in the abstract. It has also been expounded into more than just a problem by describing the methodology of research that would be applied in the research. The problem states, â€Å"The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study is to describe dimensions of caring as they relate to and clarify the practice of professional nursing† This definition of the research problem is descriptive of the nature of research that one expects and the purpose of carrying the research is vivid to the reader. In fact the articles abstract is a summary of every aspect of the research which puts the reader toes. The reader also gets to know the extent at which the research goes into investigation of the problem. (DePoy, & Gitlin, 1994 pp. 58-94) The statement of this problem is clear and eliminates the possibility of ambiguity to the reader. The statement gives the summary of the article. The article puts it clear of the nurses stories obtained telling of the great experiences the nurses encounter in their day-to-day activities of health care provision. The article also explores the fact that nurses have not been telling their stories about their unique care giving practice. Literature review In research, literature review is usually a written summary of the position of the existing knowledge on a research problem. Literature review is the use of theoretical and empirical sources to form a clear picture of what is known and what is not known in regard to the statement of the problem which gives the basis of the conducted study. In simple terms, literature review is the process by which the researcher takes account of the known knowledge about a given research topic. In the present research by Hudacek, the scope of the nursing profession in health care provision has been screened and analyzed deeply from different sources. These sources include both secondary and primary sources. The research problem of the nurses’ silence about their daily experiences has been supported from other works. Hudacek has also used evidence of other available knowledge about the leaders in nursing encouraging nurses to give narrative stories in written form to express their day-to-day experiences in care giving practice. He uses evidence from books of various writers that the use of story telling to understand the nursing practice of care giving has been endorsed. Of all of the articles and books used are current. The research used very recent scholarly works in the literature review which gives the research a sense of validity. (Hudacek, 2005 pp 89-153) Research design Research design is the recipe for conducting a research study and is responsible for optimizing control over factors that could get in the way with the validity of the findings. The research design controls and guides planning and implementation of a research study in order to achieve the desired results and findings. (Crookes & Davies, 2004 pp 89-130). In Hudacek research, the research design used is too weak to draw out conclusions. The mailing of questions to nurses was not random in the first place. The names were provided from the University for the Research Group. This could have led to biasness of the respondents in writing their stories. The time span given to the respondents was quite enough in the research and amazingly only a small number of two hundred out of over thousand were received. The study design was not efficient in conducting this research and could not be valid to conclude the research. The narratives were not controlled from the place of source. That is, there was no criterion for picking up stories for example at least ten from each state as most of them could have come from the same state. Therefore in the current research by Hudacek, the research design is generally poor. Sampling Sampling is the selection of the elements from the entire population to be studied. These elements can be people, behaviors or events among any other element that can be researched on. (Beanland et al. 1999 pp 45-123) In Hudacek article, a global database was used to provide names of nurses to be invited in the research. The participation was also voluntary. In this non probability non purposive sampling, results are credible and fit for research study. Here the subject is not hand picked by the researcher. Data collection strategies This is the process by which information to be used in study of the research problem is gathered. The method of data collection is determined by the research method or the aim of the study. In the article by Hudacek, self report data was found appropriate. Structured self report data was collected by means of written form in stories that were mailed to the respondents. The respondents sent back the written stories via mails. In the research study by Hudacek, the question was formed to guide the respondent on the orientation of the study by just writing a narrative story on ones experience with a patient who changed the life of the nurse. Approval was sought from the University of Scranton nursing department review board which approved the study. Data analysis strategies This is the systematic organisation and synthesis of research data. It is aimed at giving meaning to the data or information collected. In the current article Giorgi’s phenomenological methodology of data analysis was used. The stories were read and interpreted to give meaning to the research problem using the three steps reviewed earlier in this essay. Interpretation of findings, Conclusion and Recommendations Findings of a research are the result of the analyses of the study information obtained from the research question. Conclusion on the other hand is the synthesis and explanation of the research findings. Result interpretation takes into account the objectives or goals of the study and the existing body of knowledge related to the research study. In the research by Hudacek it was found that practice of nursing is meaningful to them and goes beyond the health care provision, i. e. , care giving practice is a multidimensional practice. From the findings seven dimensions of care in nursing practice were identified. These are, Caring, compassion, spirituality, providing comfort, crisis intervention, community outreach, and going the extra distance. (Parahoo, 1997 pp 98-134) Hudacek also encourages more research in his article on matters pertaining care provision by nurses. The research helped in liberating nurses from the traditional restraints that may have caused them to feel unappreciated. Ethical issues Every research should be guided by ethical principles which ensure respect for person, beneficence and justice. Beneficence is entails the protection of the participant from harm which can either be psychological or physical. Ethical considerations in a research study outweigh the possibility of risks to the participants. In the research by Hudacek, ethical issues were considered in the best way. The mailing of the questions was personal and never involved a third party. In giving information, anonymous was used to ensure that the stories were neutral and safe to be published in the article by Hudacek. Participants were not named neither did there stories were published with names of the patients. Professional code of ethics has been respected in the Hudacek research article i. e. Privacy, anonymity and confidentiality were observed during the research. (Roberts & Taylor, 2002 pp 34-69) The essay criticized the article on the dimensions of nursing: A qualitative analysis of nurses’ stories by Hudacek. In the critique all aspects have been looked into clearly and weaknesses and strengths pinpointed during the critique. The abstract of the article defines the research problem statement and gives a summary of the whole article at a glance. The research was effective in achieving its goals all the same despite the pinpointed methodological shortcomings in the research. References Bailey, P. H. , & Tilley, S. (2002). Storytelling and the interpretation of meaning in qualitative research. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 38, 574-583 Burns, N. & Grove, K. (2007). Understanding nursing research: Building an evidence-based practice. (4th ed. ). Philadelphia: WB Saunders. Burns, N. & Grove, K. (2007). Study Guide for understanding nursing research – building an evidenced-based practice. (4th ed. ). Philadelphia: WB Saunders. Beanland, C. et al. (1999). Nursing research methods. Critical appraisal and utilisation (1st Australian ed. ). Sydney: Mosby. Burns, N. & Grove, S. (2005). The practice of nursing research, conduct, critique and utilisation. Missouri: Elsevier Saunders. Crookes, P. & Davies, S. (2004). Research into practice: Essential skills for reading and applying research in nursing and health care. Sydney: Balliere Tindall. DePoy, E. & Gitlin, L. (1994). Introduction to research: Multiple strategies for health and human services. Sydney: Mosby. Giorgi, A. (1985). Phenomenology and psychological research. Pittsburgh, PA: Duquesne University Press. Hudacek, S. (2004). Making a difference: Stories from the point of care (Vol. 2). Indianapolis, IN: Sigma Theta Tau International. Hudacek, S. (2005). Making a difference: Stories from the point of care (Rev. ed. , Vol. 1). Indianapolis, IN: Sigma Theta Tau International. Maher, J. (2003). The use of narratives in nursing. Whitireia Nursing Journal, 10, 11-16 Nieswiadomy, R. (1998). Foundations of nursing research (3rd ed. ). Connecticut: Appleton & Lange. Parahoo, K. (1997). Nursing research: Principles, processes and issues. Basingstoke: Macmillan. Polit, D. & Hungler, P. (1997). Essentials of nursing research: Methods, appraisal and utilisation (4th ed. ). JB Lippincott. Roberts, K. & Taylor, B. (2002). Nursing research processes: An Australian perspective. Victoria: Nelson. Streubert, H. , & Carpenter, D. (1999). Qualitative research in nursing: Advancing the humanistic imperative (2nd ed. ). Philadelphia: Lippincott.