Is India Safe for Its Residents? Essay

In fact I think INDIA is the safest place to live in on earth for Indians.Yes I do agree that there is terror of terrorism; but then u need to firmly fight againstit. U can run off ur responsibilities by saying that India is not a safe place. Toh†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. do u think that settling down in foreign can make u feel secure If u think so ur definitely wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Are Indians safe in a country like AUSTRALIA,infact Indians are insultedthere and where ever we go and what ever we do†¦..there is nothing that equals our mother and mother land. violence and problems maybe a trouble for us ..but i think there will be no placewith out problems †¦. what we need to do is justto manage ourselves†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ any ways to sum it up..INDIA IS THE SUPERIOR,THE SUPREME AND THE HEAVEN FOR INDIANS. right ______________________________________†¦ In India there has been lack of political will and assertive decision making to bring such fugitives to justice. Barely a month later, with the Delhi blasts this weekend, the NSA might have to revise his earlier estimate; his claimssound meaningless. Jammu and Kashmir is facing unrest. The Northeast is unsettled.West Bengal andTelangana are simmering, over 160 districts in 13 states are in the grip of left wing extremism. While the crime rate is growing, abductions and extortions have almost become an industry. The rangdari and supari culture is now a new brandof threat to the Indian citizen.Money laundering, hawala, small arms proliferation and human trafficking are on the rise. The debate on countering these internal threats, however,has been overwhelmed by politics, rather than deterrent action.While India seems tobe safe are Indians secure? Or are we on course to a functional anarchy? India’s current crisis of internal security has been a concern particularly since Decembe r 2001. When terrorists assaulted Parliament, they struck at India’s nerve centre; a qualitatively different target; and at variance with India’s previous experience with multiple threats of insurgencies, terrorism, left wing extremism, narcotic trafficking, religious fundamentalism and subnationalism. The Indian security apparatus and elite are largely indifferent, or have shied away from formulating an internal security doctrine. There has been no serious attempt to institutionalise a mechanism, direction or assertive policy to deal with â€Å"internal threats†; interim, ad hoc and incremental means have been the favoured methods adopted by successive governments. There is virtually no means to define coherentlythe enemy within. The continuous assault on Indian citizens and their psyche has shown clearly that the security apparatus has failed to plug the reocurrence of terrorist attacks. The intelligence fraternity gropes in the dark about the actual strength, source, capacity and logistics of the enemy’s next attack.With our domestic security apparatus going so horribly awry we can take it for granted that we will almost never apprehend the killers. Worse, these terror attacks and militancy are seen as merely a â€Å"law andorder† concern and treated as subject of state, whenever, political violence on a massive scale breaks out in a state, the police become the first responders. The police in India are trained, equipped and mentally conditioned to deal only with civil disorders.When confronted with serious threats to internal securitylike terrorism, insurgency and other proxy war situations, they find it difficult to respond effectively. In such a situation, the state seeks the expertise of paramilitary forces. Creation of fast track courts to avoid judicial delay and enactment of a deterrent anti-terror law would constitute an essential step forward. The need of the hour is toinstitutionalise, develop procedures and processesthat would boost inter institutional co-ordination, facilitate professional conduct of operations on athorough, professional policy analysis. Lack of professional mindset for informed debate, fierce expression of spite, bitterness and mutual political acrimony take place instead of constructive policy discussions

Cartesian Diver Essay

â€Å"Cartesian† is named after the French mathematician and philosopher Rene Descartes, who lived from 1596 until 1650. Cartesian diver lab is used commonly in scientific experiments to illustrate principle of buoyancy. The objective of this Cartesian diver lab is to demonstrate Pascal’s law and Archimedes’ principles. Observation is the key to conduct this experimental study of the Cartesian diver. First a 2-liter bottle is filled with water to almost all the way to the top, then prepare the diver which is a test tube, fill the test tube about 50-60% with water, place the diver inside the bottle the diver should float near the water surface then secure the cap on the bottle. When the container is squeezed, the diver should sink to the bottom of the container. Release the bottle slowly, the diver should come up in reverse order. The Cartesian diver shows that air is compressible and water is incompressible. When the container is squeeze, the pressure from squeeze is distributed equal throughout the container and the volume of air in the diver decreases because of the increased pressure of the water surrounding the diver. Since the volume of air inside the diver decreased, and water filled up where the air use to be, the diver becomes denser and will begin to sink if enough pressure is applied. It begins to sink because it becomes denser so the upward force of the water is not great enough to keep the diver floating. When the container is not squeezed, the diver will float back to the top because the pressure that was compressing the air in the diver was relived so the air could take is normal volume again which make it least dense. Therefore the Cartesian diver does demonstrate the compressibility of a gas, the incompressibility of water. The Cartesian diver experiment also demonstrates the Pascal’s law. According to Pascal’s law, when the bottle is squeezed, the applied pressure increase throughout the bottle by the same amount include inside of the diver. The control volume for this lab experiment is the entire water bottle including the diver inside. Objects float or sink as a result of their density. Density can be described as the amount of weight in a specific volume. An object is buoyant if its relative density is less than the density of the fluid that is surrounding it. According to Archimedes’ principle, an object will be buoyed up by a force that is equal to the weight of water that it displaces. The air inside the diver can be compressed much more easily than water, therefore the water level inside the diver increase as the bottle is queezed due to the pressure increase. The applied pressure by squeezed the bottle can be determine by using this equation: P =F/A(1) Where P is the applied pressure, F is the force by the fingers and A is the area of the fingers touch the bottle 14. 14? cm? ^2. With the applied pressure, the pressure rise in the bottle based on water level change inside the diver can be estimate by using this equation: P =? gh (2) Where P is the applied pressure, ? is the water density, g is gravity and h is the height of the water rise, 0. 3cm. Combine equation (1) and (2) the force by the figure equals 0. 416N and applied pressure equals 29. 43pa The Cartesian diver experiment demonstrates Archimedes’ principles. Objects either float or sink because of buoyancy, buoyancy is the upward force that keeps objects floating. If the buoyancy exceeds the weight then the object floats and if the weight exceeds the buoyancy then the object sinks, therefore Neutral buoyancy is achieved when the mass of an object equals the mass it displace s in a surrounding medium. This offsets the force of gravity that would otherwise cause the object to sink. An object that has neutral buoyancy will neither sink nor rise. According to Archimedes’ principles the buoyant force acting on a body of uniform density immersed in a fluid is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the body, and it acts upward through the centroid of the displaced volume: F_B=? _f gV_sub (3) Where F_B is the buoyancy force, ? _f is fluid density, g is gravity and V_sub is the submerge volume. F=mg (4) Where F is the weight of the object, m is the mass of the object and g is the gravity. By relating equation (3) and (4) the buoyancy force equals 0. 1N and mass of the tube is about 1g. PV=? RT (5) Where P is the pressure, V is the volume, ? is the density, R is the gas constant and T is the temperature. P_2/P_1 =h_1/h_2 (6) Where P_1 the pressure rise of the bottle, P_2 Pressure rise of the diver, h_1 is the height of pressure rise in bottle and h_2 is the height of pressure rise in diver. Cartesian diver can achieve a neutrally buoyant state. However wh en the Cartesian diver reach the neutrally buoyant state it will be an unstable equilibrium like a ball on a hill, a very small change can cause to rise or sink again. The hydrostatic pressure is a very important factor in the Cartesian diver, the hydrostatic pressure is the pressure exerted by a fluid at equilibrium due to the force of gravity. The hydrostatic pressure of the water increase as the diver sinks, for this particular Cartesian diver a small change in hydrostatic pressure will affect the diver to sink, rise or stay and the key to achieve the diver to stay neutrally buoyant is the precise measurement of how far the diver sinks before it sinks completely or floats. The principle of buoyancy of a submarines are very similar to the Cartesian diver. Submarines can control their buoyancy by pumping air into the ballast tanks increases the submarine’s buoyancy and allows it to float to the surface like Cartesian diver at initial state when there is enough air inside of the diver, the Cartesian diver can also control buoyancy depends on how hard the person squeezed the bottle. Submarines could also releasing air and allowing water to fill the ballast tanks to decreases the submarine’s buoyancy and allows it to sink, similar to the Cartesian diver when the bottle is squeezed, the water level in diver increase which also decrease its buoyancy, so the Cartesian diver sinks. For submarines to reach neutral buoyancy, the water filling in the ballast tanks must be precise so the buoyancy force will equals to the weight of submarine, similar to the Cartesian diver when the applied force is just right, the diver will to reach neutral buoyancy. The Cartesian diver lab shows the fundamental principles of Pascal’s law and buoyancy. At the initial state of the Cartesian diver, the diver floats on top of the water. Because of buoyancy is greater than the diver’s weight then as bottle is squeezed the pressure increase uniformly which cause the diver increase its water level which decrease its buoyancy so it drops to the bottom of the bottle. When the bottle is release the diver rise to top of the water again due to the pressure that was compressing the air in the diver was relived so the air could take is normal volume again which increased the buoyancy back to its initial state.

Deception Point Page 19

Rachel found herself uncharacteristically tongue-tied. Sensory overload was setting in†¦ the habisphere, the meteorite, the secrets, finding herself unexpectedly face-to-face with a television star. â€Å"I'm surprised to see you here,† she said, attempting to recover. â€Å"When the President told me he'd recruited civilian scientists for authentication of a NASA find, I guess I expected†¦ † She hesitated. â€Å"Real scientists?† Tolland grinned. Rachel flushed, mortified. â€Å"That's not what I meant.† â€Å"Don't worry about it,† Tolland said. â€Å"That's all I've heard since I got here.† The administrator excused himself, promising to catch up with them later. Tolland turned now to Rachel with a curious look. â€Å"The administrator tells me your father is Senator Sexton?† Rachel nodded. Unfortunately. â€Å"A Sexton spy behind enemy lines?† â€Å"Battle lines are not always drawn where you might think.† An awkward silence. â€Å"So tell me,† Rachel said quickly, â€Å"what's a world-famous oceanographer doing on a glacier with a bunch of NASA rocket scientists?† Tolland chuckled. â€Å"Actually, some guy who looked a lot like the President asked me to do him a favor. I opened my mouth to say ‘Go to hell,' but somehow I blurted, ‘Yes, sir.'† Rachel laughed for the first time all morning. â€Å"Join the club.† Although most celebrities seemed smaller in person, Rachel thought Michael Tolland appeared taller. His brown eyes were just as vigilant and passionate as they were on television, and his voice carried the same modest warmth and enthusiasm. Looking to be a weathered and athletic forty-five, Michael Tolland had coarse black hair that fell in a permanent windswept tuft across his forehead. He had a strong chin and a carefree mannerism that exuded confidence. When he'd shaken Rachel's hand, the callused roughness of his palms reminded her he was not a typical â€Å"soft† television personality but rather an accomplished seaman and hands-on researcher. â€Å"To be honest,† Tolland admitted, sounding sheepish, â€Å"I think I was recruited more for my PR value than for my scientific knowledge. The president asked me to come up and make a documentary for him.† â€Å"A documentary? About a meteorite? But you're an oceanographer.† â€Å"That's exactly what I told him! But he said he didn't know of any meteorite documentarians. He told me my involvement would help bring mainstream credibility to this find. Apparently he plans to broadcast my documentary as part of tonight's big press conference when he announces the discovery.† A celebrity spokesman. Rachel sensed the savvy political maneuverings of Zach Herney at work. NASA was often accused of talking over the public's head. Not this time. They'd pulled in the master scientific communicator, a face Americans already knew and trusted when it came to science. Tolland pointed kitty-corner across the dome to a far wall where a press area was being set up. There was a blue carpet on the ice, television cameras, media lights, a long table with several microphones. Someone was hanging a backdrop of a huge American flag. â€Å"That's for tonight,† he explained. â€Å"The NASA administrator and some of his top scientists will be connected live via satellite to the White House so they can participate in the President's eight o'clock broadcast.† Appropriate, Rachel thought, pleased to know Zach Herney didn't plan to cut NASA out of the announcement entirely. â€Å"So,† Rachel said with a sigh, â€Å"is someone finally going to tell me what's so special about this meteorite?† Tolland arched his eyebrows and gave her a mysterious grin. â€Å"Actually, what's so special about this meteorite is best seen, not explained.† He motioned for Rachel to follow him toward the neighboring work area. â€Å"The guy stationed over here has plenty of samples he can show you.† â€Å"Samples? You actually have samples of the meteorite?† â€Å"Absolutely. We've drilled quite a few. In fact, it was the initial core samples that alerted NASA to the importance of the find.† Unsure of what to expect, Rachel followed Tolland into the work area. It appeared deserted. A cup of coffee sat on a desk scattered with rock samples, calipers, and other diagnostic gear. The coffee was steaming. â€Å"Marlinson!† Tolland yelled, looking around. No answer. He gave a frustrated sigh and turned to Rachel. â€Å"He probably got lost trying to find cream for his coffee. I'm telling you, I went to Princeton postgrad with this guy, and he used to get lost in his own dorm. Now he's a National Medal of Science recipient in astrophysics. Go figure.† Rachel did a double take. â€Å"Marlinson? You don't by any chance mean the famous Corky Marlinson, do you?† Tolland laughed. â€Å"One and the same.† Rachel was stunned. â€Å"Corky Marlinson is here?† Marlinson's ideas on gravitational fields were legendary among NRO satellite engineers. â€Å"Marlinson is one of the President's civilian recruits?† â€Å"Yeah, one of the real scientists.† Real is right, Rachel thought. Corky Marlinson was as brilliant and respected as they came. â€Å"The incredible paradox about Corky,† Tolland said, â€Å"is that he can quote you the distance to Alpha Centauri in millimeters, but he can't tie his own necktie.† â€Å"I wear clip-ons!† a nasal, good-natured voice barked nearby. â€Å"Efficiency over style, Mike. You Hollywood types don't understand that!† Rachel and Tolland turned to the man now emerging from behind a large stack of electronic gear. He was squat and rotund, resembling a pug dog with bubble eyes and a thinning, comb-over haircut. When the man saw Tolland standing with Rachel, he stopped in his tracks. â€Å"Jesus Christ, Mike! We're at the friggin' North Pole and you still manage to meet gorgeous women. I knew I should have gone into television!† Michael Tolland was visibly embarrassed. â€Å"Ms. Sexton, please excuse Dr. Marlinson. What he lacks in tact, he more than makes up for in random bits of totally useless knowledge about our universe.† Corky approached. â€Å"A true pleasure, ma'am. I didn't catch your name.† â€Å"Rachel,† she said. â€Å"Rachel Sexton.† â€Å"Sexton?† Corky let out a playful gasp. â€Å"No relation to that shortsighted, depraved senator, I hope!† Tolland winced. â€Å"Actually, Corky, Senator Sexton is Rachel's father.† Corky stopped laughing and slumped. â€Å"You know, Mike, it's really no wonder I've never had any luck with the ladies.† 22 Prize-winning astrophysicist Corky Marlinson ushered Rachel and Tolland into his work area and began sifting through his tools and rock samples. The man moved like a tightly wound spring about to explode. â€Å"All right,† he said, quivering excitedly, â€Å"Ms. Sexton, you're about to get the Corky Marlinson thirty-second meteorite primer.† Tolland gave Rachel a be-patient wink. â€Å"Bear with him. The man really wanted to be an actor.† â€Å"Yeah, and Mike wanted to be a respected scientist.† Corky rooted around in a shoebox and produced three small rock samples and aligned them on his desk. â€Å"These are the three main classes of meteorites in the world.† Rachel looked at the three samples. All appeared as awkward spheroids about the size of golf balls. Each had been sliced in half to reveal its cross section. â€Å"All meteorites,† Corky said, â€Å"consist of varying amounts of nickel-iron alloys, silicates, and sulfides. We classify them on the basis of their metal-to-silicate ratios.† Rachel already had the feeling Corky Marlinson's meteorite â€Å"primer† was going to be more than thirty seconds.

Thee prevalence of alcohol consumption in adults in various geographic Essay

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History of Fast Food Essay Example for Free

History of Fast Food Essay Fast food has been a growing phenomenon for since its introduction in 20th century. The changes in American culture pushed the fast food industry into a staggering growth arena and have changed the way consumers purchase and eat forever. The fast-food industry that now extends throughout the world has its roots in the United States. Fast-food restaurants are often regarded as emblematic of a new global culture, but the industry has indisputably been shaped by its American origins. (Leidner 8). Fast Food has developed from being a convenience to a necessity, widened the financial gap and became an international phenomenon. The first drive-in restaurant, Royce Haileys Pig Stand in Dallas, Texas, was opened in 1921, and offered pulled pork BBQ and introduced Texas Toast. As one southern fan of Royce Hailey’s pig stand put it: â€Å"Folks went hog wild when the first Pig Stand opened in Dallas in 1921. Agile car hops leaped onto running boards of Model-Ts to deliver curb service to a generation on the go. It was the age of the automobile, and Pig Stands multiplied across America faster than you can say soooo-eeee. It took the Great Depression of the 30s to slow The Pig down. †(Sowa). Drive-in services were not very popular at this time because automobiles were expensive and few and far between during the Great Depression. Then nearly three decades later the drive-in restaurant enjoyed a degree of success during the 1950’s. Drive-ins celebrated the cultural importance of the automobile and Drive-in restaurants proved (to be the) most popular, places where carhops served customers directly in their parked automobiles (Young, and Young 29). This convenience which enabled people to order their food and eat it in the open air without having to unbuckle their seatbelts changed American fast food forever (Woloson). Car hops, as they were also called, became familiar congregation centers for teenagers as well† (Woloson). The rise of the fast food restaurant would not have been possible without constant changes in American culture. The 1950’s brought about American lifestyle changes. With the end of the war Americans had saved money and moved to the suburbs. For the first time in history middle class married women with women with children were entering the work force. â€Å"Married women comprised the majority of the growth in the female work force throughout the 1950s, and between 1940 and 1960 there was a 400 percent increase in the number of working mothers; by 1960, women with children under the age of eighteen accounted for nearly one-third of all women workers†(Coontz 161). The working women and the decrease of free time may be a direct contributor to the growth of the fast food industry. The development of an affordable automobile and the simultaneous governmental support of new road systems physically reinforced this cultural melding, enabling car owners, especially, to go to places they had never been before. There was a boom in the tourist industry in the 1950’s and 1960’s. The key to the expansion of tourism demand was the rise in disposable incomes in the 1950s and 1960s. (Beauregard 225). Travelers, who once went by rail, boat, or horse, were now moving faster by car. Consumers began to value things such as speed and convenience as part of their trips. Fast food restaurants began making their food faster and faster and Americans love the convenience of letting someone else do the cooking, especially when they are vacationing (Bijlefeld, and Zoumbaris 51). As travelers not only did they need affordable and reliable places to stay they needed quick, convenient, and inexpensive eateries. The need for fast, reliable, affordable, and convenient food, along with an increasing acceptance among Americans of more fast pace culture, led to the rise of the fast food industry. Fast food restaurants sprang up in both urban areas and along the nations highways in record numbers after the introduction of the fast food phenomenon known as McDonalds. â€Å"The first fast food restaurant (was) opened by the two McDonald brothers in 1937 in Pasadena, California. Their established restaurant had experienced high demand at specific times (for example, workers’ lunchtimes) and they responded with a circumscribed menu (burgers) and were able to serve large numbers at high speed and low price. The assembly line procedures, with food preparation and serving made into simple repetitive tasks, combined with a specialized division of labor for each stage, have been recognized as constituting the first ‘fast food factory’† (Beardsworth, and Keil 120). This enabled people to get their food faster and set the standards for the future of the fast food industry. As the McDonalds chain grew and other chains started to sprout up people began to accept the new culture of food service. The working-class food held largely in disrepute. The gaining widespread popularity of fast food made it a staple food in diets of many Americans diets. The most successful of these stands quickly multiplied, taking advantage of the growing popularity of this new fast food and applied industrial principles of standardization to its development. McDonald’s is considered the first fast food restaurant and recognized the potential of this relatively fast and simple food. The organization of McDonalds created standardized methods in its production. The history of White castle dates back to the 1920’s is seen as the first and most influential restaurant chain (â€Å"White Castle†). â€Å"White Castle is credited for beginning the franchise system that inspired many â€Å"(Woloson). White Castle set standards, began standardization of the cooking line, and created the first restaurant which duplicated the original. In retrospect it can be said that White Castle was the start and set high standards for all the other franchise restaurants in the United States. The hamburger fulfilled economic as well as cultural needs for inexpensive food. Although there was not a food shortage during the great depression food was expensive and affordable food options like the local hamburger stand was a blessing. By the end of 1930, White Castle had sold over 21 million hamburgers and then by the end of 1937, this number had increased to over 40 million (Woloson). Fast food began to make a steady incline towards the end of World War II. â€Å"Franchises were not unique to the 1950s; they had been around since the early decades of the twentieth century, patronized by a public increasingly used to and insistent upon the supposed reliability and trustworthiness of branded goods†(Woloson). White Castle, A W Root beer, and Howard Johnsons, were some of the first and most successful restaurant franchises. Although it took the ideals of postwar culture to wholly support the fast-food franchise it laid the foundations for the companies to make billions of dollars. In 1955 Ray A. Kroc, a Chicago Milkshake salesman, discovered the McDonald’s restaurant in California and saw a goldmine. He partnered with the McDonald’s brothers, opening 228 franchises by 1960. Kroc happily bought out the McDonalds’ shares of the company in 1961. Kroc, an incredible entrepreneur, wanted to make the customers to identify with the restaurant and make it seem homey. â€Å"By 1988, McDonald’s had opened its ten thousandth restaurant and today there are over 30,000 McDonald’s restaurants worldwide† (â€Å"History of Franchising†). â€Å"Krocs success lay in his approach not specifically to cooking individual food items, but in conceiving of his franchise operation in its entirety† (Woloson). The methods and success of McDonald’s Franchises have set a tone for the fast food industry. Although â€Å"White Castle was the first restaurant that encouraged carry-out for those customers on the go the restraint developed standard floor plans and architectural designs that could be easily duplicated† and set these standards for others in the industry (Woloson). McDonalds uniform restaurants, kitchens, dining rooms, and methods of standardized cooking techniques set this great restaurant apart and distinguish it from the other fast food restaurants. Ray Kroc had some competition with the introduction of popular fast food restaurants such as Taco Bell, Wendy’s, and Burger King. One may say ethnic food could be considered a genre for the fast food franchise system, Taco Bell originated in 1962 and was the first ethnic franchise restaurant, paving the way for many more. â€Å"Wendys, specializing in bigger, better, and more expensive hamburgers and introduced the first drive-thru windows at their restaurants, which were so popular that Burger King and McDonalds had to follow suit†(Woloson). As an industry fast food will continue to grow, change, and adapt to the needs of the culture around it. Expanding to international markets the fast food industry offers cultural acceptable products. â€Å"Multinational fast-food chains have now become household names, and in terms of sales and units tend to dominate national markets. Indeed, the industry is becoming more internationalized with brands like Burger King being bought by the British multinational Diageo; and McDonalds has recently bought a stake in Pret a Manger. However, some of the largest brands in this sector are still American-owned, such as McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut, and Wimpy†(Royle and Towers 3). One great concept is international fast food chains often support the local economy, buying local products, but sticking to the same well known recipes to get desired results. The fast food franchise of the 20th century has set and defined a world-renowned concept of the way people order, eat, and enjoy the food that they purchase. The fast food industry is one of enormous power and economic strength. Fast food restaurants represent Americas cultures and, in many ways, how other cultures strive to be like America.

Evolution Of The Bric Countries And Their Future Economics Essay

Evolution Of The Bric Countries And Their Future Economics Essay Q1) Map the proposed sequence of evolution of the economy of the BRICS. What indicators might companies monitor to guide their investment and organize their local market operations? In 2001 the Goldman Sachs global economic team in their paper Dreaming with BRICs: The Path to 2050 developed the BRIC theory that groups together the economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRICs). These countries look set to become the dominant economies by 2050. The BRICS have experienced a lot of changes in their economies. Around the middle of the 20th century China witnessed its communist revolution, India became independent, Brazil was controlled by the military for 21 years and Russia came out of the Second World War as a major rival to the US. This was just the starting point for the BRIC economies. Brazil During the financial crisis, Brazil remained very strong and its early recovery, including 2010 growth of 7.5%, has contributed to the countrys transition from a regional to a global power. (www.traveldocs.com) The economy is the worlds eighth-largest and is expected to rise to fifth within the next several years. Brazil is classified as an upper-middle-income country with a GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬973 billion. During the administration of former President Lula, surging exports, economic growth and social programs helped lift tens of millions of Brazilians out of poverty. For the first time, a majority of Brazilians are now middle-class, and domestic consumption has become an important driver of Brazilian growth. The economy of Brazil is characterised by large well developed agricultural, mining, manufacturing sectors and service sectors. The services sector takes the biggest share of their economy (66% of GDP), supplying services for the domestic economy mainly. Brazil has enjoyed sustained economic growth since the year 2004, which has increased the rate of employment and real wages. After an economic growth in 2007 and 2008, the global financial crisis finally hit Brazil however Brazil was one of the first emerging markets to stage a recovery, with GDP growth returning to positive levels. Brazil is becoming a global power like the other BRIC nations. There are a number of reasons for this. Brazil is involved in major manufacturing industries such as aerospace, bio-ethanol and auto-motives. Since 2004, a more outward look policy has been implemented by the government, promoting exports and fostering technological development to increase international competitiveness. In 2008, additional tax incentives for investment, RD and exports were introduced. Since 2003, Brazil has made progress towards putting in place the foundations for growth, with particular emphasis on achieving economic stability. Stabilisation has paid off: inflation has fallen and some progress has been made on reducing the public debt. However, stabilisation has come at a high price. Real GDP growth has averaged only 2.7% since 2003, with the adjustment explaining in part why actual growth rates were lower than the rate of 3.7% used in our BRICs studies. The future for Brazil will be very interesting to see. According to Goldman Sachs, over the next 50 years, Brazils GDP growth rate averages 3.6%. The size of Brazils economy overtakes Italy by 2025, France by 2031 and the UK and Germany by 2036. According to Sachs, Brazil will remain an important destination for fixed income, equities and direct foreign investment inflows, because of the high carry trade, the value of the embedded option on growth, and its sound macroeconomic policies and external credit fundamentals. Brazil is generally open to and encourages foreign investment. It is the largest recipient of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Latin America, and the United States is traditionally the top foreign investor in Brazil. Since domestic savings are not sufficient to sustain long-term high growth rates, Brazil must continue to attract FDI, especially as the government plans to invest billions of dollars in off-shore oil, nuclear power, and other infrastructure sectors over the next few years. The major international athletic competitions that Brazil will host every year until the 2016 Rio Olympics are also leading the government to invest in roads, airports, sports facilities, and other areas. Russia Russia is currently the 6th largest economy in the world in terms of purchasing power. They are the worlds 2nd largest oil producing country with up to 14% of world proved oil in reserves and 36% of world gas reserves. A lot has happened in Russia in the last 10 to 20 years. The Russian economy underwent tremendous stress in the 1990s as it moved from a centrally planned economy to a free market system. Difficulties in implementing fiscal reforms aimed at raising government revenues and a dependence on short-term borrowing to finance budget deficits led to a serious financial crisis in 1998. Lower prices for Russias major export earners (oil and minerals) and a loss of investor confidence due to the Asian financial crisis exacerbated financial problems. The result was a rapid and steep decline (60%) in the value of the ruble, flight of foreign investment, delayed payments on sovereign and private debts, a breakdown of commercial transactions through the banking system, and the threat of runaway inflation. With oil prices low and the economy in a deep recession, the government was unable to collect taxes to cover its large expenditure commitments. The government embarked on a rapid privatisation of state-owned assets, in a struggle for control of the most valuable assets. After the collapse of the USSR in 1991, the world community supported a plan of economic reform. However in 1992 Russia became plagued with serious poverty and political conflict. This hampered their efforts for global reform. Despite all the pitfalls, there has been significant growth in their economy in recent years. In fact the Russian economy has been booming in the past decade Russian GDP growth exceeded 8% in 2007; even in 2008, when the global financial turmoil started to bite, GDP growth still reached 5.6%. During the past five years, real GDP increased by more than 40%. 2010 saw Russias economy return to growth with a 3.8% increase in GDP. Russias Economic Development Ministry predicts that the nations GDP will grow 4.2% in 2011. In 2007, a new long-term development programme and a new industrial policy, respectively, was launched, aiming at the diversification of the production structure towards (high-tech) manufacturing by improving the investment climate, promoting public private partnership and investing more in infrastructure. From essentially a government led and government controlled economy to something of a more free market base and international trading economy was the starting point towards the Russian economy which we see today. Russia is now an emerging market worthy of the same breath as the other BRIC nations. The success in Russia can be seen through companies investing here. Examples of Russian investments include Novartis who have committed $500 million to be invested over a 5 year period. The centrepiece of this agreement is the creation of a manufacturing plant in St. Petersburg. Foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2009 fell to less than $40 billion after reaching an all-time high of $75 billion in 2008. Much of the FDI in recent years was Russian capital. Moreover, although the annual flow of FDI into Russia was in line with those of China, India, and Brazil, Russias per capita cumulative FDI lagged far behind such countries as Hungary, Poland, and the Czech Republic. Most foreign mergers and acquisitions in 2009 were in the politically sensitive energy sector, largely because of the huge capital requirements required relative to other sectors. By the end of 2010, analysts predicted that the total FDI for the year would again top $40 billion, but not reach the levels seen in 2008. (Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, 2011) India India has fared the global financial crisis remarkably well. Despite the 2008-2009 downturn, the government expects the annual GDP  growth to return to around 9%. Indias population is estimated at more than 1.1 billion and is growing at 1.55% a year. It has the worlds 12th largest economyand the third largest in Asia behind Japan and Chinawith total GDP in 2008 of around $1.21 trillion ($1,210 billion). Services, industry, and agriculture account for 54%, 29%, and 18% of GDP. Since 2003, India has been one of the fastest major growing economies in the world. Its economic development is essentially service-led, supported by exports of services (especially IT-enabled services); manufacturing exports are relatively small and are concentrated on a few sectors only. India is capitalizing on its large numbers of well-educated people skilled in the English language to become a major exporter of software services and software workers, but more than half of the population depends on agriculture for its livelihood. India continues to move forward with economic reforms that began in 1991. Reforms include foreign investment and exchange regimes, industrial decontrol, reductions in tariffs and other trade barriers, opening and modernization of the financial sector, significant adjustments in government monetary and fiscal policies, and more safeguards for intellectual property rights. The economy has posted an average growth rate of more than 7% in the decade since 1997, reducing poverty by about 10 percent. India achieved 9.6% GDP growth in 2006, 9.0% in 2007, and 6.6% in 2008, significantly expanding manufactures through late 2008. Growth for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2009 was initially expected to be between 8.5-9.0%, but has been revised downward by a number of economists to 7.0% or less because of the financial crisis and resulting global economic slowdown. However economic growth is hampered by inadequate infrastructure, bureaucracy, corruption, low wages, regulatory and foreign investment controls. India  could become the worlds  third largest economy  by purchasing power parity (PPP), overtaking  Japan  in 2012.  This would be almost 20 years ahead of Goldman Sachs projection of 2032 in its BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) report.   India is also expected to grow faster than  China  after 2020. China, which was projected to become the worlds largest economy by 2041, now looks set to achieve the distinction sometime around 2020. Foreign investment is particularly sought after in power generation, telecommunications, ports, roads, petroleum exploration/processing, and mining. Indias external debt was nearly $230 billion by the end of 2008, up from $126 billion in 2005-2006. Foreign assistance was approximately $3 billion in 2006-2007, with the United States providing about $126 million in development assistance. The World Bank plans to double aid to India to almost $3 billion a year, with focus on infrastructure, education, health, and rural livelihoods. China China is seen as the most continuous civilisation in history, not just in terms of politics but also in terms of cultural continuity. The country has a tragic history marked by economic decline, political instability, military humiliation and social regression. China was seen as an economic disaster. This is not only due to the Civil War and Japanese invasion but also due to the plans of the Cultural Revolution. Between the end of the 18th century and the 1960s, Chinas GDP fell from nearly one third of the worlds GDP to less than 5% and only managed to recover in the 2000s. Between 1976 and 2004, China achieved an average GDP growth rate of 9.6%. No other country has experienced such a rapid increase in living standards and working conditions. (Overholt, 2005) Now we have a China that supports economic reform and a China that joins the IMF (International Monetary Fund), World Bank and WTO (World Trade Organisation). But more importantly we have a China that believes in political stability, free trade and free investment. The success of China can be associated with liberalisation and globalisation. In 2004 international trade accounted for 70 percent of Chinas GDP, as compared with 24 percent for Japan. Chinas economic development is driven by manufacturing exports and by investments. (Including infrastructure) Foreign Direct Investment plays an important role, especially for exports. Recently outward FDI, mainly to secure raw materials, has been increasing. Although generating fast growth for over 30 years, the Chinese economic system has come under criticism recently because of rising income inequalities, rapidly increasing energy demands and external imbalances. (O Regan Herciu, 2010) China has also established competition as a very important economic practice. (Failoa, 2009) By incorporating local brands into Chinese local culture it has given China a competitive advantage over countries that are less educated. Education is very important in a nations competitive advantage. It is easier to start operations in a nation with a trained workforce, than in nations where time-consuming and costly training is necessary. China has had great success in promoting first, second and third level education. In fact it is the success of China that is influencing its neighbors like India. India has learned from China the advantages of a more economy open economy. Chinese growth has brought American companies new markets. Their booming economy has attracted firms from Europe, North America, and Asia that are eager to sell their products to the countrys 1.2 billion resident. (Griffin and Pustay, 2005) Like the other BRIC nations, China also faces challenges for the future. In order for China to continue to be recognized internationally as a global power it must reform its areas on human rights. It must also continue to reform state run enterprises. Currently Chinas banking system is the worst in the world. Other than that the future of globalization for China is looking very bright. As Napoleon Bonaparte once said 200 years ago let China sleep, for when she wakes, she will shake the world. (Wolf, 2006). These large emerging economies are playing a huge role in the world economy. The BRICS economies are on the verge of the rapid growth of their consumer markets. (Experience indicates that consumer demand takes off when GNI per capita reaches levels between $3,000 and $10,000 per year.) In Russia there is already significant evidence of the growth of consumerism during the past decade. There are also early signs of similar trends in China and India, where the growth of their middle classes is very rapid. It is expected that within a decade or so, each of the BRICs will show higher returns, increased demand for capital, and stronger national currencies. Rising incomes in the BRICs nations will create a new middle consumer class. Growth in the middle class will be led by China, where number of people entering the middle class is accepted to peak during this decade. Meanwhile, middle class growth in India will accelerate throughout this decade. As China and India are the worlds two most populous countries, rising incomes there will have much greater impact on global demand than any other countries could. Other BRICs (and other emerging markets) will also see a rising middle class in the next decade, and should also see a rising upper class. With the explosion of the middle classes, spending patterns are likely to change. Thus, foreign firms will want to monitor major economic indicators such as GNI (Gross National Income), PPP (Purchasing Power Parity), and the Human Development Index, as well as developments in the cultural, political, and legal environments of those nations in order to guide their investments and organise their local market operations. Q2) What are the implications of the emergence of the BRICs to careers and companies in your country? The implications of the emergence of the BRICs to careers and companies can be analysed by looking at the opportunities and threats for Ireland. In the last year, Ireland like many other countries has been affected by the global economic crisis. The emergence of the BRIC countries can offer huge benefits for Ireland and the BRIC countries can gain a lot by interacting with Ireland. Research shows that the BRIC countries struggle with innovation due to shortages of human capital, limited access to the latest technology, and limited access to capital. These disadvantages can be overcome by the BRICs interacting with countries that do have access to an innovative and highly skilled work-force, lime Ireland. During this time of global financial turmoil, emerging markets will be the main driver of economic growth in future years. Currently the BRIC nations offer some of the most exciting investment opportunities in the world. However, according to figures from the Central Statistics Office, from January 2008 to Oct 2010, the share of Irish trade with the BRICs constituted less that 4% of our overall external trade. (Central Statistics Office) Yet, in terms of potential growth and income, the BRICs represent an opportunity for Ireland. Ireland has a solid reputation for being business friendly to foreign investors as it seeks to attract investment to create jobs. Ireland has the potential to further grow our existing key markets in high-growth and high-potential markets, such as Brazil, Russia, India and China. Key strengths for Ireland include our strong entrepreneurial culture, an educated and highly skilled workforce, a favourable taxation regime, EU membership, our track record in attracting FDI, our strong indigenous sector, and our reputation as a premium tourist destination. Key challenges are in the areas of cost competitiveness, access, transport links, telecommunications infrastructure and banking links. The BRIC group of countries will play an important role in Irelands trade, investment and tourism strategy for the years ahead, reflecting changes in the global economy. In order to create jobs in Ireland, it may be necessary to engage in ventures with, and in the other BRIC nations, firstly, Brazil. (www.labour.ie) Despite Brazils economic success, it is fair to say that the level of trade and investment between Brazil and Ireland does not match the potential of both countries. In fact, while total trade reached US$ 202 billion between January and October 2009, bilateral trade was only US$ 670 million (US$ 265 million exports from Brazil and US$ 404 million imports from Ireland). As export-led growth is the only sustainable route for Ireland, the growing Brazilian demand and the valuation of the Real (Brazils national currency) will certainly ensure high levels of imports in the coming years. On the other hand, Brazil is an important and competitive world supplier of both manufactured and primary goods, as well as a significant service provider. Therefore, more could enter the Irish market. (The Embassy of Brazil in Ireland, 2011) Enterprise Irelands trade mission to Brazil back in November 2010 is an example of the successful relationship between the two countries. The trade mission had brought 34 Irish companies to Brazil with an aim to increase export sales to this vast market. Enterprise Ireland said the country holds huge business opportunities for Irish firms as Brazil is in the middle of major modernisation, infrastructure and development projects. Some examples of Irish companies setting up in Brazil include, Louth Company, Suretank. This company won a contract worth à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬900,000 to supply its cargo carrying units to ISEW, a major supplier of tanks and containers to the oil and gas exploration industry. Also Monaghans Combilift has secured a deal valued at à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬800,000 with Brazilian steel giant Gerdau. Not only are Brazil gaining foreign investment but they are also gaining valuable expertise from Ireland. Its important that Ireland keep up this relationship with Brazil and if there are more opportunities for companies to open new markets, they should. Russia is Europes largest emerging market and the 11th largest economy in the world and continues to offer opportunities to Irish companies. It is a key export market for Irish businesses in sectors such as ICT, engineering, aviation and aerospace, education and training, the life sciences, construction and building services and food and beverages. With the rapid emergence of Russia as one of the BRICs, Ireland continues to benefit from this with more companies both Russian and Irish locating here and in Russia, providing many jobs in different sectors of Industry. Irish companies are responding to the worldwide economic slowdown by actively developing opportunities in new markets. While Russia has not been immune to the current economic difficulties, the continued economic development of Russia has resulted in a much wider range of business and commercial opportunities for Irish companies. Irish exports to Russia continue to grow year-on-year and combined exports of goods and service are now over à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1.3bn. Irish-owned SMEs export more to Russia than any of the other BRIC countries. According to Enterprise Irelands Head of International Sales and Partnering Gerry Murphy, there are particular opportunities for RD collaboration between the two countries, Ireland and Russia have a very similar national research and development goals, with a strong focus on funding research in nanotechnology, life sciences and ICT. There is considerable scope for Irish educational institutions to build linkages with Russian universities in joint programmes and the commercialisation of Russian RD. Such linkages could benefit both Ireland and Russia, as both countries continue to build knowledge-based economies. (Enterprise Ireland, 2009) It is vital, Ireland continue its trade links with Russia. This relationship will offer huge employment opportunities for people in Ireland and Russia. The political relationship between both countries also contributes to the deepening of the trade-economic cooperation. (Russia IC, 2008) Like the other BRIC countries, India also offers some opportunities to Irish companies and careers. India is a land of opportunity for Irish software and IT companies. Significant potential exists for increasing trade between Ireland and India particularly through software, information technology and e-Business partnerships. India is not only a major market in itself for Irish business but it is also seen by Irish companies as offering an excellent opportunity for developing business, products and markets internationally. Many Irish companies are taking a greater interest in India and Indian companies are also looking towards Ireland. India could provide a safety valve for the Irish Software industry which is currently experiencing a skills shortage in certain disciplines. However Ireland has to compete with the United States and other countries for this talent. The government of Ireland has identified India as a country in Irelands Asia Strategy, and this new thrust could be utilised to increase economic and commercial relations. Indian businesses could exploit the opportunities of investment in Ireland provided by its membership of the European Union, its low corporate tax and its tax incentives for investment in innovation, research and new technologies. Not only that but Ireland is becoming a significant destination in Europe for Indian students for higher education, particularly for post-graduate, doctoral and post-doctoral studies in the areas of engineering/technology and management studies. About 1200 Indian students are currently studying in Ireland. Because of the high quality of higher education institutions in Ireland, there is considerable promise for bilateral linkages between higher education institutions, particularly in science and engineering. Concerted efforts are under way to promote and intensify such linkages. The emergence of India will benefit Ireland hugely in both employment opportunities and investment opportunities for Irish businesses.

Marketing Environment Audit Of Wh Smith Marketing Essay

Marketing Environment Audit Of Wh Smith Marketing Essay Executive Summary The objective of this report is to conduct a marketing audit and appraise some of the processes, models and techniques used. This will include an evaluation of the actual external marketing environment in which an analysis of Porters Five Forces will be conducted to identify ways forward for WH Smith to stay competitive in the retail environment. P.E.S.T. analysis will be undertaken to identify the opportunities and threats facing WH Smith and an assessment of the actual internal marketing environment will be conducted in order to identify the strengths and weaknesses affecting WH Smith. This report found the relevant information from a variety of different sources including academic text books, case study texts, and various web sites including newspaper articles, the national statistics web sites, WH Smith annual reports and Datamonitor reports. Based on analysis from Porter Five Forces and P.E.S.T. the report found WH Smith lacking in the areas of expansion outside of the UK market in both the travel and high street divisions, WH Smith online store needs to be updated and more media needs to be added also the digital music download industry is worth looking into for future growth of the company along with the development of the already existing eBook website. And promotion and advertising is needed across all divisions and areas of the WH Smith. Introduction Background WH Smith is one of the leading retail groups in the UK. Its engaged in the retailing of newspapers, magazines, stationery, books and entertainment products. The company operates 565 high street stores and 490 travel outlets located at high streets, airports, train stations, hospitals work-place motorway service areas across the UK (WHSmithplc, 2008; Datamonitor, 2008). Key facts about WH Smith: WH Smith employs over 17,000 people. Every year 70% of the UKs population visit a WH Smith store On average, over 1.2 million people visit a WH Smith High Street store every day of the year WH Smith operates two divisions: High street and Travel. Every year 125 million travellers pass WH Smiths busiest Travel store at Londons Victoria Station WH Smith sells 1.5 million magazines every week; 24,000 magazines every hour they are open WH Smith sells in excess of 40 million books yearly On average, WH Smith sell 3,000 A4 pads daily End to end the sales of WH Smiths 3 best selling rulers would stretch from London to Spain (WHSmithplc, 2008; Datamonitor, 2008; Network Rail). Terms of Reference The aim of this report is to undertake a marketing audit appraise some of the processes, models techniques used for auditing the marketing environment. This is conducted thru evaluation of the external marketing environment assessing the actual internal marketing environment for WH Smith. From this the potential impact will be assessed to identify its impact on WH Smiths marketing planning marketing mix. The report will finish with a conclusion and recommendations will be made as regards the company going forward. Main Findings Kotler (2000, p. 708) states a marketing audit is a comprehensive, systematic, independent, periodic examination of a companys-or business units marketing environment, objectives, strategies, and activities with a view to determining problem areas, opportunities and recommending a plan of action to improve the companys marketing performance. An audit should be conducted on a regular basis, thoroughly and be well organised (CIM, 2002). An audit is undertaken so a company can identify its standing in the marketplace and involves an internal and external environmental analysis. Internal environment analysis: It is imperative for an organisation to regularly asses their marketing, financial, manufacturing and organisational competencies to ascertain the strengths and weaknesses of each factor (Kotler, 2000). Models used in this analysis: Value Chain Analysis PIMS (Profit Impact of Marketing Strategy) GAP Analysis Portfolio Analysis PLC (Product Life Cycle) Innovation Audit NDP (New Development Process) Experience Curves External Environment Analysis Theory: This analyses the micro and macro environments of the organisations which will lead to identifying the opportunities and threats facing the firm. Micro Environment: Factors closest to the organisation (customers, competitors, distributors, suppliers), these can have a considerable impact on the firms performance within the marketplace; the firm has no direct control over these factors but can have some influence (Businessdictionary, 2009). There are four techniques used in analysing the micro environment: Market analysis: Netmba (2007) states The goal of a market analysis is to determine the attractiveness of a market and to understand its evolving opportunities and threats as they relate to the strengths and weaknesses of the firm. Customer analysis: Identifying and understanding the needs and wants of your customers, exploring new trends for growth and expansion of the organisation (wmep, 2008). Competitor analysis: Entrepreneur (2009) describes competitor analysis as identifying your competitors and evaluating their strategies to determine their strengths and weaknesses relative to those of your own product or service Industry analysis: Industry analysis involves reviewing the economic, political and market factors that influence the way the industry develops. Major factors can include the power wielded by suppliers and buyers, condition of competitors, and the likelihood of new market entrants (Businessdictionary, 2009). A useful model that can be used when carrying out the internal analysis is Porters Five Forces: Porters Five Forces Model To quote from Hooley et al (2008, p 73) Porter (1980) suggests that five main forces shape competition at the level of strategic business units and that a systematic analysis of each in turn can help managers identify the key to competitiveness in their particular industry Competitive rivalry: Venturenavigator (2009) describes this as the intensity of competition between existing organisations in an industry. E.g. price, quality, and innovation. Threat of new entrants: Mallon (2005) suggests the risk of new entrants is based on the industrys barrier to entry, e.g. of brand capital costs, access to technology or requirements to obtain licenses. Substitutes: A substitute product is a product that replaces the need for your product altogether, e.g., Timber framed houses being replaced with steel frames (Whatmakesagoodleader, 2009). Supplier power: Buyer power looks at the relative power a companys customers has over it, size plays a factor, if the company is much larger than its suppliers, and purchases in large quantities, then the supplier will have very little power to negotiate. i.e. Tescos buying in huge amounts leads to suppliers having no power (Mallon, 2005). Buyer power: Customers can exert their power to shop around and demand lower prices; this creates price wars with companies which lead to reduced prices (Smit, 2006) also large businesses that purchase huge quantities from suppliers have greater buyer power and can demand lower prices; smaller firms do not have the same bargaining powers (Mallon, 2005). Macro Environment: Opportunities threats occur here, they are uncontrollable short-term factors that affect the organisation as well as everybody within society, and the organisation has no control or influence over these factors (CIM, 2002). In order to identify opportunities threats a PEST analysis must be conducted; this looks at four external factors affecting the firm: PEST Analysis Political: Political factors hold alot of weight over the regulation of a company e.g. consumer competition laws. Economical: The state of a countrys economy is central when deciding on business trading e.g. interest rates and inflation. Social: Social and cultural influences change from each country and must be measured e.g. changing trends, education, health system and ethnicity Technological: Technology is vital for competitive advantage, and is a major driver of globalization (Marketingteacher, 2010). SWOT Analysis: Hooley el al (2008 p42) states a SWOT seeks to identify the most significant factors, both internal and external, affecting the organisations and its markets. It provides a quick executive summary of the key issues. Secondly, however, by looking at where the strengths and weaknesses align with opportunities and threats it can help strategy formulation. The organisation can begin to see where its strengths might be best deployed, offensively and defensively, as well as where its weaknesses leave it vulnerable to change or competitor action. Porters Five Forces Analysis This analyse will report on the industry as a whole and identify ways forward for WH Smith to stay competitive in the retail environment. Buyer power High Having such a large operation gives WH Smith huge bargaining powers to negotiate terms without the risk of losing suppliers as switching costs are low and this makes industries highly competitive in reducing prices to win contracts with companies such as WH Smith (Datamonitor, 2009). Supplier power Low Supplier power becomes reduced for industries such as books, cards, stationery and entertainment because of the large number of companies within these industries that can supply WH Smith, also switching costs is relatively low (Datamonitor, 2009). Threat of new entrants High The rivalry from established competitors such as WH Smith discourages new entrants into the market but because the industry does not involve huge investment this encourages other businesses to start up (Datamonitor, 2009). Substitutes High eBooks threaten the traditional form of books but are a relatively new idea and currently not as popular as the traditional book concept, the reading devices are expensive which can turn customers off initial purchases, but WH Smith has adapted to this idea with the introduction of http://ebooks.whsmith.co.uk in October 2001 (Encyclopedia, 2002) another substitute to WH Smith is the increasing sales of second-hand books on sites such as Amazon and eBay. Competitive rivalry High WHSmithplc (2008) states large customer such as Tescos sell almost everything that WH Smith but at a reduced price such as cutting the prices of CDs to under  £10 damaging WH Smiths market share (Cope, 2003), all the while giving its customers the opportunity to carry out their grocery shopping at the same time. Consumers are looking for more value for money and it seems consumers are swapping trips to the high street in favour of a spin around a virtual store (Rigby, 2006), online retailers as Amazon give customers easy access to products online while facilitating easy access to compare prices and get more value for money. WH Smith needs to offer reduction and offers to match retailers such as Tescos and build on their web site. P.E.S.T Analysis Political: National minimum wage increase Threat The Office for National Statistics show that in October 2009 an increase from  £5.73 an hour to  £5.80 for adults was awarded with 18-21 year olds increased from  £4.77 to  £4.83. The majority of WH Smith employees would have benefited from this increase but WH Smith will be at a disadvantage with higher over heads being the main issue at a time when the economy is on a downturn (Hopkins, 2009). VAT increase in 2010 Threat Hopkins (2010) states the VAT increase of 2010 is another hit to WH Smiths profit margins as it increases from 15% to 17.5% in January, as this is necessary to bring stability to the UK economy it is also putting the company at a disadvantage, WH Smith high street stores have already seen a drop in sales over 2009 due to the economic downturn in the UK, this shows expansion is needed into other countries to avoid such risks throughout the company but as the WH Smith annual report shows there are no new plans to expand the high street division (WHSmithplc, 2009). Terrorist attacks Threat WH Smithplc (2009) states The spread of a deadly disease, an act of terrorism or war could decrease the number of customers visiting WHSmith outlets. The Travel division of WH Smith was particularly affected by such events on 11th September 2001 (New York City) and 7th July 2005 (London), which saw decreased amounts of commuters using airports and public transport which lead to a drop in sales (WHSmithplc, 2009). Due to the United Kingdoms involvement in the current war in Afghanistan WH Smiths Travel and high street divisions will be devastated by every terrorist attack in the UK for the foreseeable future due to their locations. Economical: Economic recession Threat The office of national statistics shows that the UK contracted by.02% in the third quarter of 2009 and remains 5.1% lower than the third quarter of 2008; however there is an increase in activity from the second quarter of 2009 showing the economy is slowly starting to recover. WH Smith (2009) Annual report shows high street division recorded a loss in sales of 2.3% over 2007 another loss of 5% over 2008, along with the closures of book outlets such as Borders and Woolworths this increase in the economy is good news for WH Smith in 2010. Interest rates Threat Interest rates were left unchanged at 0.5 per cent by the Bank of England today, as the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) continued its policy of keeping the price of money at record lows to stimulate the flagging economy (Sabbagh, 2010). Ian McCafferty, the chief economic adviser at the CBI, states the unchanged interest rate is unsurprising due to the fact that recovery in the UK is likely to be slow and drawn out, similar to that following the 1980s recession with sub-par growth continuing into 2011. This hold on rates will promote consumer spending but is still a threat to WH Smith as this is not a permanent hold on rates and can be increased. Unemployment Threat The office of national statistics identifies that as of 16th December 2009 the unemployment rating stood at 7.9% which was relatively unchanged from the previous quarter and has risen 1.9% on the same quarter in 2008, this stands at one of the smallest increases in unemployment since spring 2008 giving hope that the economy is back on track, with more people in employment it will promote consumer morale and more spending which will lead to increased profits for WH Smith. Social: Increase in the travel industry Opportunity A survey conducted by Travelzoo showed that over half of the UK respondents said they had plans to travel more in 2010, 66% of UK respondents are hoping to take one or two holidays and 31% are thinking about more than three trips. This shows the importance of holiday to UK residents as 25% will give up nights out, 22% will give up house improvements and 52% will get rid of luxury goods in order to be able to travel in 2010 (news.holidayhypermarket, 2009). With more people that ever travelling in 2010 it shows the travel industry is back on track and will promote increased profits for WH Smith in 2010. Acquisitions and partnerships Opportunity WHSmithplc (2009) shows acquisitions of Leeds-based UNS with 71 retail units, 8 Caffee Nuovo coffee shops in 62 hospitals and 23 airport units from Alpha Retail UK Limited also a franchise deal with Road Chef was also confirmed in 2008 (Hasell, 2008). 2010 will see six units opening in Delhi airports giving WH Smith a good share of the Indian market and shows the division is set on further international expansion outside of the UK. An alliance with Penguin in which Smiths will stock only Penguins overseas guides in the majority of its travel stores in airports, and rail and bus stations to the exclusion of all rival brands titles is another step forward in a time of retailing giants like Tescos taking over the book industry WH Smith has taken steps to ensure its competitiveness in the marketplace as discounts from suppliers ensures lower prices for end users (Freedman, 2009). High street benefited from the closure of the Woolworth stores in 2008 with WH Smith looking to have control of ten of the Woolworths stores before the end of 2009 (Felsted Lemer, 2009), this is another step forward for the UK market but having only two stores outside of the UK shows high street needs to be more active in foreign expansion. Technological: On-line sales Opportunity Whsmith.co.uk was launched in May 1999 with the intention of winning a third stake of the online book-market within three years but problems identified in customer service, lack of products available and poor promotion the site is losing customers to bigger competitors such as Amazon, the same can be said of the entertainment and eBook sites WH Smith operates (news.bbc, 1999). The economic recession is making more people price sensitive and so many more consumers are searching the internet in the hopes of better deals and a bigger range of products, as Rigby (2006) states Shoppers, it seems, are swapping trips to the high street in favour of a spin around a virtual store. Investment, promotion and management into the online stores would yield endless profits for the company. Digital music and eBooks Opportunity Encyclopedia (2002) shows WH Smith has made advancements into the eBook industry starting with the launch of http://ebooks.whsmith.co.uk in October 2001, but as with whsmith.co.uk the eBook site is lacking in promotion and available products on the web compared to Waterstones who identify eBooks as being a big part of their business and a fast growing part of the book industry over the past twelve months (Allen, 2009), also digital music is an area WH Smith has no investment in but should be taking steps to invest in as more customers are turning to digital music rather than purchasing CDs as Garrahan (2009) states Physical album sales have fallen sharply as music retailing has evolved from CD album purchases in retail outlets to digital downloads of songs from online stores. According to research the author defines the strengths and weaknesses as follows: Strengths: Widely recognised brand in the UK WH Smiths (2009) states their business model is based on their widely recognised and respected brand which has been part of the UK economy for the past 217 years, Datamonitor (2009) states The Companys brand is an important asset and strongly appeals to the customer, thereby positively affecting the companys business an example of this would be 70% of the UK population visit a WH Smith store every year (WHSmithplc, 2009). Wide retailing operation in the UK Travel operates 490units: 135 are in airports, 114 in railway stations, 118 in motorway service area, 95 in hospitals and 19 in locations such as bus stations and workplaces, nine units are in four non-UK locations, in Paris, Shannon, Copenhagen and Stockholm (WHSmithplc, 2009). High street operates in 565 High Street stores located in almost all of the UKs major high streets (WHSmithplc, 2009), it benefited recently with the closure of Woolworths and is taking the appropriate steps to expand its presence with plans to take over ten of the Woolworths sites as stated by Felsted Lemer (2009) and the recent collapse of the 45 stores Borders book chain occupied in the UK was another opportunity for expansion of the high-street stores which WH Smith decline to invest in, WH Smith had initially shown interest in a deal but then pulled out of talks (Marlow, 2009). The company has show to be a strong competitor in the UK market but more focus is needed in expansion into foreign markets as competitors such as Amazon have done. Strong performing travel division 2009 showed profits of 17% to  £48million and 8% profit growth, the division operates from 490 units (2008: 449 units), 135 are in airports, 114 in railway stations, 118 in motorway service area, 95 in hospitals and 19 in locations such as bus stations and workplaces, nine units are in four non-UK locations, in Paris, Shannon, Copenhagen and Stockholm and these units have shown to perform higher in rush hour than some lower performing high street stores (WHSmithplc, 2009). 2010 will see six units opening in Delhi airports which will give WH Smith a good share of the Indian market and shows the strength of the travel division, its stability in an economy downturn and shows the division making the necessary steps for foreign expansion (Hall, 2009). Weaknesses: Geographic concentration: Datamonitor (2009) identifies high street as having two locations outside the UK: Paris and Belfast with travel operating nine units in four non-UK locations Paris, Shannon, Copenhagen and Stockholm with six more to be opened in Delhi airports in 2010 (Hall, 2009) . WH Smith is open to many negative environmental factors having all of its operations in Europe, one such factor is the current economic recession that resulted in a 2.3% loss in sales over 2007 and another 5% loss over 2008 for the high street stores. Competitors like Amazon have operations in Canada, Japan, UK, China, France, Germany and the US; also Borders operate in Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates (Borders, 2010; Amazon, 2010). As Travel is taking steps for foreign expansion high street has no plans for expansion as WHSmithplc (2009) points out The High Street plan remains unchanged thus making the company vulnerable to adverse market conditions in the region and puts it at a competitive disadvantage over global retail giants (Datamonitor, 2009). SWOT Analysis Strengths Widely recognised brand in the UK Wide retailing operations in the UK Strong performing travel division Weaknesses Geographic concentration Opportunities Increase in the travel industry On-line sales Digital music and eBooks Acquisition and partnerships Threats National minimum wage increase VAT increase in 2010 Terrorist attacks Economic recession Interest rates Unemployment Marketing mix: Product WH Smith offers a wide variety of Books, Stationary, Gifts and Cards, Magazines, DVD, DVD formats, UMD formats, Blue-ray and HD DVD, Music, Games, eBooks, PC and Electronics in the high street and travel division. WH Smith needs to invest heavily in digital media; along with eBooks focus must be put on investment in digital music as this market shows huge growth with ITunes being the market leader. Price Due to the increased amount of competition entering the market WH Smith needs to adjust its pricing structure in line with its competitors to ensure customers feel they are getting value for money thus increasing its market share, as customers become more price sensitive and shop around for better deals online and high street. Agreeing partnerships as the travel division has done with Penguin is an example, this ensures a reduced prices for the customer at the till as it reduces supplier costs, and this in turn increases competitiveness with such rivals as Tescos and Amazon. Place WH Smith high street has 564 stores present in almost all of the major high streets within the UK and travel has 481 units in airports, hospitals, motor service, bus and train stations within the UK, the UK market works well for WH Smith but it now needs to focus on foreign markets. Travel occupies nine travel units in Paris, Shannon, Copenhagen and Stockholm, the recent plan to open six units in Delhi airports in 2010 is such a way forward but more expansion into other countries is needed to stay competitive. High street offer two stores outside of the UK in Paris and Belfast with no plans to expand further in 2010, while competitors such as Amazon and Borders have a presence worldwide WH Smith needs to expand to stay competitive with such companies. WH Smith online has a weak presence, a huge amount of investment in promoting and managing the site is required. It has been shown that more people are moving to the internet for day to day purchases, research on products and value for money, if WH smith is not seen to be offering these to consumers they will move to competitors such as Amazon. Promotion Advertising offered by WH Smith is poor for all divisions as this has an impact on sales, more focus needs to be put into the advertising and promotion of both divisions, i.e. TV, radio, internet, ideas such as sponsoring Universities/teams as students would cover a big part of WH Smiths customers, reduction in prices would also be classed as advertising, cutting prices below competitors and this would also lead to customer passing on the information thru word of mouth. Marketing planning (strategic tactical planning): Businessdictionary (2010) states Tactical planning is Systematic determination and scheduling of immediate or short-term activities required in achieving the objectives of strategic planning, while Strategic planning is a business process that many companies employ to identify their critical success factors that set the course for future growth and profits (Gaw, 2009). Tactical planning as relates to WH Smith includes short term plans including pricing structures, discounts, and loyalty cards. Strategic planning is more focused on long term goals such as expansion into new markets such as the move into India with six travel units opening up also developments in industries such as digital music downloads needs to be a main focus of WH Smith going forward as the world is moving into the digital age. Conclusion The report found WH Smith to possess a huge market-share within the UK, but lacking in the areas of expansion outside of the UK compared to other competitors such as Amazon and Borders which leaves it vulnerable to negative effects on the economy such as the current economic recession. Also retailers as Tescos and Asda can offer drop down prices of mostly all products WH Smith sells included in a customers weekly grocery shopping which heightens competition for WH Smith with these retailers WH Smiths attempts into the digital era is lacking, the companies websites (entertainment, eBook, whsmith.co.uk) were found to be in need of attention is areas such as customer service, products available and promotion as customers are not satisfied with the current system. Also the digital music industry was found to be a growing market and it would be in WH Smiths interest to invest in this area. Recommendations The report finds that the WH Smith needs to be more active in promoting the company outside of the UK, competitors such as Amazon and Borders have done this successfully, expansion into other countries reduces the chance of being affected by economic factors such as the economic recession in the UK which has had negative effects on WH Smith high street division with a reduction in sales over 2007 and 2008. WH Smith on-line needs vigorous investment in all online stores, customer service, availability of products and promotion are the main issues to start with. Amazon has a great online presence as it markets its site very well, targeting its customers with items relating to previous purchases, this is a good idea for WH Smith to work on. Investment in digital music downloads is advised as this market has shown to be growing rapidly with ITunes as market leader. More partnerships like Penguin need to be agreed in both divisions, thus reducing supplier costs which can be passed onto customers; this will help with competition from Tescos and Asda. 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Comparing the Struggle for Power in 1984, Fahrenheit 451, Invisible Man and Julius :: comparison compare contrast essays

The Struggle for Power in 1984, Fahrenheit 451, Invisible Man, Julius Caesar, and Lord Of The Flies If you delve into the content of almost any novel, there is almost always some kind of struggle for power. It could be for rightful integration into society; power over an island; power over a country; or in some cases, even power over the minds of others. These not at all uncommon struggles for power are what keep us interested in the plot of a book. The ongoing battle between a character and his cause makes it impossible to put down a good book. For instance, the novel 1984 by George Orwell is about the struggle of a man and a woman to somehow find a way to get out of the constant barrage of cameras and mind control conducted by their government. Although the two of them eventually lost the battle, there was still a victor in the struggle for power: their government. In the novel Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, the main struggle for power deals with the government. This overly oppressive, almost Orwellian style bureaucracy, tries to make sure there is no interaction with books at all. They believe that books permeate their society and corrupt the minds of the people. Unannounced searches of property by "firemen" are not at all uncommon. At the slightest inkling of this futuristic contraband, these firemen will rummage through all of one's property, at times, destroying everything in their path. On the opposite side of that spectrum, there is a struggle for power by the people as well. There is the woman who hid several thousand volumes of books in her house. She loves these books so much that when the firemen ransacked her house, she went down with the books without hesitation. In another example of this ongoing struggle for power, some people's lives were actually transformed into books. Their names changed to the title of the book, and they had to memorize every single written line of text. These people were so determined to fight for what they believed, that it would be impossible to say that some kind of struggle for power did not exist. They were struggling for the power of freedom. There is not only one kind of freedom you can have. Some peoples struggle for the power of freedom might be just to be allowed to exist at all.