Legalizing marijuana for recreational use Speech or Presentation

Legalizing marijuana for recreational use - Speech or Presentation Example This can be put into a few basic facts. Both Washington’s Initiative 502 and Colorado’s Amendment 64 which legalized cannabis for people aged 21 and above, proposed a relatively heavy taxation on the drug. They called for a 25 percent tax rate to be imposed on the product three times; from grower to processor, from processor to retailer, and from retailer to customer, (Smith 1). While it is not clear the amount of revenue this would raise, estimates for this measure are out at about $500 million. According to a study carried out by the Colorado Center on Law and Policy, about 13 percent of people in Colorado use the substance. This translates to about half a million people. By legalizing this retail market, the regulation could raise about $46 million in combined local and state revenue between excise and sale taxes. In California, a similar measure in 2010 known as Proposition 19 was estimated to earn $352 million in tax revenue annually, (Smith 1). This revenue can go to a state fund where it can fund the construction of schools. Besides raising revenue, marijuana is used for medical purposes. It is commonly referred to as medical marijuana. According to Stone (1), marijuana has long been utilized in treating ailments that are associated with inflammation and pain. It is also used to relieve symptoms that are related to chronic illnesses such as cancer. For example, for many decades, cannabis has been used to treat glaucoma. It usually lowers the intraocular pressure when treating glaucoma symptoms, and is more effective when smoked, ingested, inhaled, or administered intravenously. Also, the National Cancer Institute (1) recognizes cannabis and its components as a treatment for individuals with cancer-related symptoms. Besides these, medical marijuana has been associated with the treatment of AIDS, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, anxiety, and chronic pain. The legalization of marijuana could also significantly cut down on crime. On one hand, it i s illegal. On the other hand, the people demand and want to use it. This provides room for a middleman who carries out the illicit trade, and hence crime. Therefore, legalizing marijuana would mean that drug cartels will lose business, there will be less crime in borders since there is no need for trafficking, and crime will ultimately reduce in the streets and in the country. According to former Seattle police chief Stamper (1), this will free up police resources that can be focused on tackling other crimes such as robberies, burglaries, and sexual assaults. However, there needs to be guidelines that control the use of marijuana. These should be in form of legislations. One such legislation made in the California is the Medical Marijuana Regulation, Control and Taxation Act, which stipulates the guidelines for the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes. Other guidelines should include the amount of cannabis that a person can be in possession at any one time, or the number of mariju ana plants that one can plant at his or her backyard. These political guidelines need to be clearly set, implemented, and enacted. Without such guidelines, there would be a total mess with students even â€Å"puffing† on the school corridors just like cigarettes. Therefore, it means that once marijuana is legalized, society has to deal with it. Many opponents to the legalization claim that it draws the path to drug usage in the society. According to Citizens Against the Legalization of

The Parliament Acts of 1911 and 1949 Reforms to the House of Lords Essay

The Parliament Acts of 1911 and 1949 Reforms to the House of Lords - Essay Example The act was as result of a reaction to the rivalry between the incumbent government and the House of Lords with regards to the 1909 People’s Budget. The chancellor of the exchequer of the time named David Lloyd George, had proposed the incorporation of a land tax (Dorey and Kelso 119-124). The new tax would have adverse effects on owners of large pieces of lands, majority of who were persons in the conservative opposition. In this regards, the conservatives believed in another alternative source which was to be tariffs on imports as this has much prospects to the British local industries as well. They had leverage in their large majority numbers which they used to vote down the budget. This was even perpetuated further by the veto power they possessed on Public Bills. This challenged the Liberals so much that they prioritized reducing the power of the Lords come the next general elections. After the elections, the Liberals still formed the minority government hence the Lords s ubsequently accepted the People Budget only after the land tax proposal had been dropped (Dorey and Kelso 126). The dispute over the budget however prompted the government to introduce new resolutions which were geared towards limiting the power of the Lords. ... The provisions of the Act abolished any veto powers of the House of Lords to any public bill introduced in the House of Commons. Exception was however granted to Bills which contain any provision to extend the maximum duration of parliament beyond the normal five years or any Bill confirming provisional order (Gordon 14-19). Again, the Bill did not alter any provision to the Bills introduced in the House of Common, as well as Private Bills and delegated legislations (Gordon 19). The Labour government amended the 1911 Act to further reduce the power of the House of Lords. This was prompted by the fears that the radical programme of nationalism which they advocated for, would be delayed by the House of the Lords barring its completion within the life of the parliament (Thompson 191). In 1947, a Bill aimed at reducing the time by which the Lords were bound to delay Bills form three sessions over two years to two sessions over a year, was introduced. After an attempt by the Lords to bloc k the bill, it was reintroduced in 1948 and 1911 as well (Thompson 193). The Bill was finally passed in 1949 with the application the provisions of the 1911 Act. The passing of the 1949 Act into law prompted various controversies. A number of legal personalities raised some doubts as to whether the use of the 1911 Act to pass the1949 Act, which in turn amended the 1911 Act itself was valid (Zander 94). They claimed that, the continued ability of the Lords to veto a bill to prolong the parliament life would not be entrenched if the 1911 Act could be used to amend itself first as this could end up removing this restriction (Hood 42). Also, they argued that the 1949 Act could be considered as a secondary legislation

Psychology and Care Plan Essay Example for Free

Psychology and Care Plan Essay Questions 1 – Be able to assess the development needs of children or young people and repare a development plan. 1.1 – Explain factors that need to be taken into account when assessing development. * Progress * Improvement * Behaviours * Look at goals within care plan are they on track? * What activities they are partaking in and how well are they dealing with them. * Whether they are interested, compliant and accepting or not. 1.2 – Assess a child or young person’s development in following areas :- physical, communication, intellectual/ cognitive, social, emotional and behavioural and moral. A) Please see attached sheets of evidence (Daily session record and behaviour tick sheet) 1.3 – Explain the selection of assessment methods used. A) These methods are used to monitor mood, behaviour, what the young person has been doing during that session also the date and time of the session, so we can monitor if something is a regular occurrence on or at a certain time of day (looking for patterns). 1.4 – Develop a plan to meet the needs of a child or young person in the work setting. A) Please see attached care plan 1 – Be able to promote the development of children or young people 2.5 – Implement the development plan for a child or young person according to own Role and responsibilities, taking into account that development is holistic and interconnected. * Monitor the care plan on a daily basis to be aware of any changes and implement if necessary. * If I notice certain areas of the care plan are not working efficiently to meet the needs of the young person and could be improved upon it is my responsibility to report this back to the correct senior member of staff, so they can review and update if necessary. * When working with the young person if I notice any changes/ unusual behaviours to report to senior. 2.6 – Evaluate and revise the development plan in light of implementation. A) In reading the care plan since it was last reviewed I would advise it does need an update in regards of :- * The YP’s getting up in the morning as states that he is not good at getting up, but now is a lot better and tends to get straight up and for a shower with no issues and with little prompting. * The care plan states what the YP likes for breakfast but does not state that he also likes to make it himself. * Again stating the YP is getting better at going out and likes to go out, but doesn’t state specific preferences as he particularly likes to go to the park on the swings. * In the care plan I have noticed it doesn’t make aware that the YP finds his PECS strip useful at times instead of verbal communication and also avoids confusion with the YP * All others areas of the care plan remain unchanged at this time but will continue to review and monitor, so that any changes can be implemented asap to enable improvement and progress for the YP. 2.3- Explain the importance of a person centred and inclusive approach and give examples of how this is implemented in own work. * To meet the INDIVIDUAL needs of the Young person to ensure they are gaining all the positive effects and influences around them and developing at their individual pace. * Individual care plans of which the Young person has input * Following and adhering to the care plans * Residential meetings – asking the young people if they are happy with surroundings, if not what they would like to change. * Giving the YP’s choices of meals, activities and clothing to show individuality and personality 2.4– Observation 2.5 – Encourage children or young people to actively participate in decisions affecting their lives and the services they receive according to their age and abilities. * Residential meetings * Asking likes and dislikes * Giving choices around personal hygiene/ dietary needs * Giving choice in social activities * Choice of clothing for personal identity * Supporting in finance matters, giving them a choice what to spend their personal finances on. * Given as much choice and inclusion in decisions to meet individual needs 2 – Be able to respond to inappropriate behaviour 3.7 – Explain the features of an environment or service that promotes the development of children and young people. A) Within the service to be aware through care plans of the trigger points of YP’s that initiate the inappropriate behaviour B) To be aware through the care plan how best to respond to the individual to defuse inappropriate behaviour C) Use positive reinforcement and praise when individual responds well and behaviour improves, hopefully enabling young person to develop and recognise themselves that the inappropriate behaviour is not rewarded or acceptable, hopefully making the occurrence of inappropriate behaviour less often. 3.8 – observation 3 – Understand how working practices can impact on the development of children and young people. 4.9 – Explain how own working practice can affect children and young people’s development. * My different approaches and attitude can affect the YP’s mood, behaviour etc as if I appear abrupt or aggressive in manner it may cause the YP to become aggressive themselves or non-cooperative and act out. * If I do not follow care plan this may have an effect on the YP as I am not meeting their specific needs which may cause agitation as they may not be getting what they need. * If I follow the care plans and have a happy positive attitude towards the YP it is more likely they will be content. 4.10 – Explain how institutions, agencies and services can affect children and young people’s development. A) They can have a positive effect on development by setting guidelines and standards to follow that are suitable for the individuals needs and ensuring reviews are done regularly to keep up to date with any changes and ensuring all the services etc are working with one another with a clear exchange of information to be able to work towards a common goal for the best outcome for the individuals development. B) If the above did not happen it would have a negative effect on the individual as no one could assure them that the quality of standards and individual needs are being met and this would have a negative impact on their development as structure and communication is key. 4 – Be able to support children and young people’s positive behaviour 5.11 – observation 5.12 – Evaluate different approaches to supporting positive behaviour. A) When using different approaches such as verbally praising and positive actions to reinforce positive behaviour, this encourages positive responses and outcomes enabling them to complete set tasks and activities within their care plan. 5 – Be Able to support children and young people experiencing transitions 6.13 – Explain how to support children and young people experiencing different types of transitions. A) Being aware of the YP’s fears and concerns of the transition by communicating with them. B) Explaining the reason to the YP of why transition taking place C) By providing initial support and on-going if required D) Accompany them during transition E) Make others aware of the concerns/ support needs the YP may have F) On-going discussions with the YP to allow them to express any fears or concerns with an on-going transition.

cars Essay -- essays research papers

History of Cars By Kenny Carroll Motor car, road vehicle which first appeared in the 19th Century. The steam propelled the first cars, but such vehicles were not a success and the age of the motor car really dates from the introduction of the petrol-driven horseless carriages of Gottfrield Daimler and Karl Benz (1885-86). The internal combustion engine for these cars had been developed earlier by several engineers, most notably by the German, Nickolaus Otto, in 1876. The main components of a motor car, from then till now, are a body or chassis to which are attached all other parts - including the engine or power plant, the transmission system for transferring the drive to the wheels, and the steering, braking and suspension mechanisms for guiding, stopping and supporting the car. A few experts assembled the first cars, but Henry Ford and R. E. Olds in the USA began modern mass-production in the early 1900s. By this means, the cost of a car was drastically reduced, and more people could afford done. In most modern ca r factories component parts are put together on assembly lines - slow-moving conveyor belts. Each worker usually has a specific task, example fitting doors or crankshafts. Bodies and engines are constructed on separate assembly lines, which converge when the engine is installed. Overhead rail conveyors move heavy components to and along the assembly lines, and lower them into position. At a later stage on the assembly line such items as lamps are fitted, and electrical, braking and control systems are tested. The fully assembled car is road tested before sale. The automobile was not invented overnight. It took shape from an accumulation of technical advances that resulted in a light and efficient engine. The accepted "fathers of the modern motor car" are two Germans, Karl Benz (1844-1929) and Gottfried Daimler (1834-1900), who built their first petrol-fuelled motor vehicles within a few months of each other (1885-6). More than a hundred years earlier, the first self-propelled road vehicle had rumbled through the streets of Paris at nearly 5km/h (3mph) when Nicolas Cugnot (1725-1804) demonstrated his steam-driven wagon. The German Nikolas Otto (1832-91) made the first four-stroke internal-combustion engine in 1876 and in 1885 Daimler had installed a small four-stroke engine in a cycle frame. He drove his first four-wheeled petrol-dr... ... the advantage somewhat. Diesel engines offer economies in fuel consumption at the expense of a loss in performance; they are particularly suited to frequent stop and start duties, and as a result are widely used in taxis, buses and lorries. The gas turbine, a completely different kind of engine, was first devised at the beginning of the twentieth century (1900s) and perfected in the 1930s. It usually has a single shaft carrying a series of propeller-like fans divided into two groups, the compressor and the turbine. In an operating gas turbine air is drawn in the compressor fans and its pressure increased. The compressed air is mixed with fuel and ignition takes place, further increasing temperatures and pressures. The burned mixture leaves the engine through the turbine, driving the blades round. The compressor, which is often driven directly by the turbine, takes up much of the power produced, but enough is left to make the gas turbine exceedingly powerful form of engine. Efficiencies are not high, but the good power-to-weight ratio of a gas turbine makes it suitable for aircraft propulsion. A gas turbine is about three times as powerful as a piston engine of the same weight.

Literary Analysis of American Literature Essay

As Elinor Ostrom explains, â€Å"To a great degree, his stories speak for those who are disenfranchised, cheated, abused, or ignored because of race or class. † Hughes’s stories speak of the downtrodden African-Americans neglected and overlooked by a prejudiced society. The recurring theme of powerlessness is exemplified in his narration â€Å"Let America Be America again†, â€Å"Harlem† and â€Å"The Negro Speaks of Rivers†. Hughes uses rhyme to draw attention to the poetic element of his narration â€Å"Let America Be America Again†. Words such as â€Å"be† and â€Å"free†, â€Å"dreamed and â€Å"schemed†, â€Å"wreathe† and â€Å"breathe† etc. all demonstrate rhyming. The central theme is that the author feels left out of the American Dream. Hughes is writing a poem of someone who feels that America is a land that lives up to begin to add up to that. The tone is angry and resentful. In this poem he is not representing the point of view of one particular group. Hughes conveys that there are many people who’ve come here with hopes and dreams and they’re being let down. He’s also saying that there is an economic disparity between people. In essence the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer, because there is no equal opportunity. That idea is something that is not real for many people because of their race, economic situation, and come up. The reader is immediately introduced to the fact that the author does not believe that America is all it can be due to the fact that the word again is used. He wants America to be â€Å"the dream it used to be. † But the powerful line is #5 which reads â€Å"America was never America. † This enhances what many people feel, that Americas ideals of equality, liberty, and land of the free don’t seem real. In a sense there is a positive tone because there is a hope that America can be a â€Å"great strong land of love,† O, let my land be a land where liberty Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath, But opportunity is real, and life is free, Equality is in the air we breathe. Liberty, which is another word for freedom is important in the dream America holds so preciously. The central message here is one of greed. Money is at the center of what America has become. Hughes feels that â€Å"power, gain† and owning property is the focus. It’s all about money. He says in line #32 to what America has become in his views. â€Å"Of owning everything for one’s own greed! † At the later stage of the poem, Hughes is coming back and saying sarcastically that he wouldn’t say there is freedom. He is speaking for the â€Å"millions† of people who have been struggling, hoping, working, flying flags, â€Å"who have nothing† except for dreams that are â€Å"almost dead. † â€Å"Harlem† by Langston Hughes is a poem that talks about what happens when we postpone our dreams. The poem is made up of a series of similes and it ends with a metaphor. The objective of the poem is to get us to think about what happens to a dream that is put off, postponed; what happens when we create our very own shelve of dreams? The â€Å"dream† refers to a goal in life, not the dreams we have while sleeping, but our deepest desires. There are many ways to understand this poem; it varies from person to person. Someone like me may see this poem as talking about just dreams in general. Others may see it as African-American’s dreams. Although the meter of â€Å"Harlem† varies, the poem has a rhythmic, lyrical quality achieved through alliteration, rhyme, repetition of certain words, and carefully placed stressed syllables. People need to think twice before deferring their dreams. Langston Hughes says it best in his poem Harlem asking the question. What happens to a dream deferred Langston Hughes describes the outcome of the question as an altogether bad idea, saying that deferring your dream is â€Å"fester like a sore† or â€Å"it stinks like rotten meat†. By using imagery, he wants the reader to know what it is like to defer a dream and how bad it is. The first image in the poem proposes that the dream dries up like a raisin. This simile likens the original dream to a grape, which is round, juicy, green and fresh. Once the dream has lain neglected for too long, it dries up. Where the raisin image invokes the senses of taste and sight, the simile of the sore conveys a sense of touch and bodily impact. By comparing the dream to a sore on the body, Hughes suggests that unfulfilled dreams become part of us, like scars. In Langston Hughes’ poem â€Å"The Negro Speaks of Rivers,† Hughes makes use of some interesting poetic techniques. This poem is written in free verse, at first glance, seems to be unstructured. Hughes repeats words and lines, but does not make use of repeated sounds. Finally, some of his word choices near the end of the poem help to bring the message of the poem across more strongly. These poetic techniques contribute greatly to the quality of the poem. The textual details of the poem invoke strong imagery related to veins, rivers, and the roots of trees and give the reader a sense of the timelessness of these objects. In the short first stanza, the speaker in the poem by Langston Hughes states that he has â€Å"known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow of human blood in human veins. † From this early point in the point in the poem, images of the canals of veins that run throughout the human body as well as similar images of rivers that wind around and are shaped like veins form our understanding that this poem is about more than blood or water, it is about roots and circuits. He has a very deep meaning about how people feel by debating that his soul is so much stubborn now at this point that no external source could change it. Hughes’ poems illustrate many of the problems that African Americans faced during the depression era, ranging from prejudice and discrete racism to a general air of hopelessness and despair. His poetry basically develops the idea of celebrating and idealizing the Negro life in America. He is not much like the other poets who just uses a single voice/entity, instead has a tendency to express the visualizations through a number of voices making it more realistic. His expression consists of renunciation and feelings of personal cruelty.

Cola Wars Continue: Coke and Pepsi in 2010 Essay

Analysis of the US carbonated soft drinks (CSD) industry (a) Strategic issues The CSD market in the US (approx. $74 billion) is dominated by two concentrate manufacturers – namely Coke and Pepsi –. Both companies have been competing intensely since the 1970s, yet have thrived from this competition and have grown the business very profitably, as both have benefitted from the CSD market growth rates of around 10% p.a. until the early 2000s, when domestic consumption started to decline and in 2009 fell back to levels of 19901: U.S. Liquid consumption Trends (gallons/capita): 1970 Carbonated soft drinks 1990 2000 2009 22.7 46.9 53.0 46.0 U.S. Soft Drink Market Share (Unit Case Volume %): 1970 Coca-Cola Company PepsiCo, Inc 1990 2000 2009e 34.7 19.8 41.1 32.4 44.1 31.4 41.9 29.9 In order to understand the strategic issues of the concentrate manufacturers in the US market, an analysis of the CSD industry structure appears necessary. A practical tool for assessing strategic issues is Porter’s Five Forces, as this tool supports analyses of competition, as strategy is fundamentally about competition2. The model of Porter is an outside-in business unit strategy tool that analyses the attractiveness (value) of an industry structure, capturing the key elements of industry competition. Source: HBS case study ‘Cola Wars Continue: Coke and Pepsi in 2010’ May 26, 2011, Exhibit 1 Source: Porter, ‘Competitive Strategy’ Figure 1: Porter’s Five Forces Analysis Summary on figure 1 Barriers to entry are very high due to the following key factors: (1) anybody trying to break into the CSD market must compete with Coke’s and Pepsi’s combined market share of >75%; (2) the market leaders have – over decades – built up strategically critical supply, production and sales channels, which would require enormous investments for followers to copy and (3) the strong brand recognition in the market mainly developed via the cumulative effect of long-time advertising and the geographical availability of their products. Understanding the CSD industry and its competitive landscape and – given that the overarching goal of the concentrate manufacturers is to secure profitable growth – the primary strategic issue (central problem) for the concentrate manufacturers is the declining demand for CSDs, as these manufacturers have built their strategy over the decades on large volume production and distribution involving high amounts of investments (fixed assets) which are now (1) underutilized and (2) are not designed for alternative products (‘non-carb’). (b) Macro-environmental factors shaping the US CSD industry Since the early 2000s several macro-environmental factors have started re-shaping the US CSD industry. To obtain a full picture of the potential macro-environmental impact on this industry, I used the PESTLE framework. PESTLE stands for – Political, Economic, Sociological, Technological, Legal and Environmental. This framework is a tool for identifying, tracking, projecting and assessing macro-environmental trends and patterns which helps decision-making and to plan for future events. Figure 2: PESTLE Analysis Summary on figure 2 Based on the PESTLE analysis, 4 major trends that have already shaped respectively will continue to shape the current US CSD industry and influence the attractiveness of this industry are: (1) Shift in consumption  patterns towards healthier nutrition (non-carbs such as juices and juice drinks, sports and energy drinks and tea-based drinks but also bottled water) causing the CSD to fizzle (2) US Government fighting the US #1 health problem obesity by tightened nutrition guidelines and imposing taxes on CSDs (3) Increasing pricing power of emerging mass-merchandisers (e.g. Wal-Mart) posing a new threat to profitability for Coke, Pepsi and their bottlers (4) Non-carb market is open to new market entrants, as it is a stronger fragmented market not dominated by the ‘classical’ CSD companies (Coke, Pepsi, DPS, etc.) The PESTLE analysis also reveals that the change in the US CSD industry is not a one-timeimpact but rather an ongoing process: 2000s (early): start of a declining domestic consumption of CSDs 2005: new federal guidelines to fight obesity 2010: already 29 states introduced a ‘soda tax’ (c) Future attractiveness of the US CSD industry The US CSD industry will continue to be a very attractive market for the established players alone considering the size of the market and the strong position in the market of these players. The 3 A’s (Advertising, Addiction, Availability) continue to be the main purchasing criteria for consumers. Still these players will have to adapt their strategies to maintain market levels for CSDs. Possible strategic moves to act / react on the trends stated above should be based on the findings of the Five Forces Analysis and the PESTLE Analysis and could include: (1) Development of (approved by the US F&D Admin.) alternative sweeteners to reduce obesitycausing sugars (2) Compete on availability (through their impressive geographical reach) (3) Create a fragmented bottling network but give territorial exclusivity to bottlers as incentive to ‘grow the pie’ and use the bottling network as a competitive firewall (especially against massmerchandisers) (4) Escalate advertising sp ending to keep out entry Further market analysis can be carried out by using proven tools such as ’Ansoff’s Growth Strategy Matrix’ (market present vs. market future / product present vs. product future) or the brand analysis (brand strength = differentiation + relevance vs. brand stature = knowledge + esteem) but which I have not described in this report. The competition in the CSD industry is a stronghold between Coke and Pepsi with a few minor players together holding approx. 25% market share. Coke and Pepsi leverage their strong market position and build on economies of scale crowding out smaller players or – if necessary – acquire them. Competition between Coke and Pepsi is reciprocal, with both responding to each other’s strategy shifts. Most prominent were the development of diet and flavored varieties of CSDs. To further support the analysis of the future attractiveness of the US CSD industry, the following Force Field Analysis is useful, as it also reveals potential ‘restraining forces’ of change. As figure 3 shows, especially the market disruptions coming from domestic consumption of CSDs continuously declining have caught – to a certain extent – the ‘classical’ CSD companies by surprise, as they cannot respond to this development by standard measures – such as increasing advertisement or bringing new CSDs to the market – but are now facing a structural change in the beverage market with an uncertain outcome. Figure 3: Force Field Analysis The Force Field Analysis – as described in literature – is especially useful to identify â€Å"resistance to change†, providing a systematized framework that supports identify factors that hinder change (restraining forces) and factors that support change (driving forces). Kurt Lewin developed the principle, which is a significant contribution to the fields of social science, organizational development, process management, and change  management. (d) Potential impact of the four pressures (industry dynamics, globalization, risk and ethics) on the future attractiveness of the US CSD industry The insights gained from the analyses carried out under 1(a), 1(b) and 1(c) summarize the potential impact of the four pressures as follows: (1) Industry dynamics (defined as understanding how industries and companies change over time and understand their drivers of these changes): The environment in which CSD companies have been operating until the early 2000s was 5  characterized by competition but the industry dynamics tended to be ‘evolutionary’. The PESTLE analysis has shown, that since that time, market dynamics have dramatically picked up and several lasting disruptive changes (e.g. introduction of a ‘soda tax’) have happened. Subsequently this has had an impact on top and bottom line of the CSD industry (‘Cola Wars’ business case, Exhibit 3a). (2) Globalization (defined as when an industry globalizes, it undergoes structural shifts, so that the organizations within it find that their position in one country is significantly affected by their position in another country): Even if the aforementioned analyses are aimed to the US CSD industry, the data provided by the case study reveals that Coke’s share of US business in % of total global business is around 20% while Pepsi’s share is around 50%. The international business – in contrast to the US market – has been growing nicely given the strong population growth in emerging countries and the establishment of a ‘middle class’ in large nations such as India and China that can now afford CSDs. Coke has stronger benefitted from this growth as Pepsi has. This should give Coke further potential for economies of scale which should benefit bottom line considerably. (3) Risk (defined as the evaluation of levels of risk and reward attached to each potential business opportunity): The exposure of risk in the CSD industry – given that especially Coke and Pepsi (a) have a significant share of business in the single largest CSD market worldwide, which is the US and (b) rely on the success of a single type of product (carbonated soft drink) – is high. Impacts coming from macro-environmental factors – as shown in the PESTLE analysis – can be game changing for this industry, as already happening since the early 2000s. (4) Ethics (defined as a set of values and beliefs that do transcend cultures, time and economic conditions): Again stressing PESTLE, environmental protection has become one of these values that have affected the CSD industry and have at least forced the CSD companies to re-think their packaging strategy and in consequence potential changes in the production and bottling process. From the aforementioned I would draw, that industry dynamics has the major impact on the future attractiveness of the US CSD industry. General observations on using module concepts Engaging with theory and applying this to day-to-day business life has many advantages of which I would highlight: best quality: proven concepts efficiency: not to â€Å"re-invent the wheel† for free: applying theory in daily business life is – from an intellectual property stand point – basically not linked to any cost [except costs for implementation] The challenge left for every corporation is to understand, select and implement the theories, methods and tools that best suit their purpose. This requires experienced managers and experts that are capable of making use of theory to change practice. 1. Module concept I: Porter’s Five Forces Strategy is fundamentally about competition. Competition comes from many places. Therefore it is essential to carry out an ‘environmental scan’ in a systematic way. Porter Five Forces model is a proven outside-in business unit strategy tool that analyses the attractiveness (value) of an industry structure, capturing the key elements of industry competition. (a) Strengths of the framework Porter refers to these forces as the micro environment or line-of-business industry level (those forces that are close to the company and that drive the business). If changes happen in one of these forces, the company should re-assess their strategic position and – if required – take corrective action. Also it provides useful input for performing a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis. (b) Limitations of the framework The framework does not look at strategy from the inside-out. Consequently the view on core competencies on a company are ignored. I would have found it useful to understand where Coke has developed a competitive advantage vs. Pepsi and vice-versa. Therefore a SWOT analysis should always complement the Five Forces Analysis. Another critique I would make to the framework is the fact, that the 4 forces (1) entrants, (2) substitutes, (3) customers and (4) suppliers only relate to the center (competitors) but do not ‘interact’ among themselves. In the ‘Cola Wars’ e.g. the interaction between substitutes and customers would have been of interest. Last I would criticize the framework is not very useful for environments that are characterized by rapid, systemic and radical change which requires more flexible or emergent approaches to strategy formulation (this often happening with industries where disruptive innovation is foreseeable). This is also true for disruptions that give the possibility to create completely new markets (how to create uncontested market space and make the competition irrelevant)3. 2. Module concept II: PESTLE framework The PESTLE framework is a powerful tool and I used it to weigh up the wide range of factors in an organization’s environment that will impact on its strategy. Reading through the ‘Cola Wars’ business case it quickly became evident, that it is not one but several factors that are influencing the US CSD industry. PESTLE very much serves as a checklist of macro-environmental factors that can influence strategy. I personally prefer using the PESTLE framework in combination with the Force Field Analysis as I believe that PESTLE covers well the ‘driving forces’ of change but does not address the ‘restraining forces’. This becomes particularly evident in the analysis carried out under 1(c). (a) Strengths of the framework Similar to the Risk Management System, PESTLE provides a comprehensive ‘checklist’ of macro-environmental factors to make sure, that all ‘dimensions’ have been thought of and have been documented systematically. Also these factors can be classified as opportunities  and risks in the SWOT analysis as well as a risk register. Last but not least, PESTLE is easy to use and adaptable to any business. (b) Limitations of the framework Except for the stated under 2., I have not identified any major limitations of the framework, making it a tool I prefer working with. 3. Module concept III: Lewin’s Forces Field Analysis Lewin’s Force Field Analysis belongs to the great change management tools. He saw the drivers for and against change as a moving equilibrium and developed a way to analyse these drivers, giving birth to what he called a ‘force field analysis’. By knowing the driving and restraining forces of change, strategies can be developed to reduce the impact of the restraining forces and strengthen the driving forces. Even if the Force Field Analysis looks simple at a first glance, the following benefits are built into the system: Dynamics on action vs. reaction Allows different perspectives Highlights most critical matters (size of the arrow) (a) Strengths of the framework The Force Field Analysis complements the PESTLE framework as PESTLE covers well the ‘driving forces’ of change but does not address the ‘restraining forces’ in a structured or transparent manner. It is easy to use and adaptable to many situations in business. Especially I would like to highlight, that one has to put himself in the shoes of the other to understand drivers and restrainers for change. This can make a difference in outlining a strategy. (b) Limitations of the framework The Force Field Analysis is – different to e.g. a Risk Management System – by far not so sophistically developed. One generally starts the analysis on a white piece of paper with only very few supporting guidelines. ‘Checklists’ to avoid omissions of major drivers / restrainers are not known to me.

Fast Food Industry Essays

Fast Food Industry Essays Fast Food Industry Essay Fast Food Industry Essay In his essay, â€Å"Fast Food Nation† Eric Schlosser condemns the impact of fast food on human health and American economy. Schlosser detests the fast food chain because it causes thousands of independent business to come to an end. As a result, unemployment plays a major role among these small scale businessmen. In addition it creates social differences among the people due to food market being captured by fast food chain. In order to attain a monopoly and dominate the fast food industry, they employ low paid and unskilled work force which is a threat to the public and migrant farm workers. Every citizen has the right to know the ingredients being used in the food so they can avoid the deleterious effects of the fast food on their health. His assertion, â€Å"introduction of deadly pathogens† states the risk encountered by small children who are the future generation of the modern world ( 392). Addition of harmful chemicals to increase the taste and aroma of food leads to chronic diseases like cancer, stroke and heart diseases. Furthermore Schlosser’s fear about the fast food being a social problem and turning out to be a threat to the American economy is the pinnacle of this essay. : Small scale farms and full-time farmers are in the risk of losing their livelihood with the emergence of the fast food industry. He also points out the inability of the Government to eliminate the lethal meat which paves its way into the fast food industry and pose health problems. Then he moves onto the consumers and asserts that, â€Å"Even the anticipation of consumer anger has prompted McDonald’s to demand changes from its suppliers,† – this reveals that the consumers should be provoked and created an awareness about the ins and outs of the food they are eating (396). The insight of the author about the fast food industry builds up in a gradual process and finally reiterates the need for the public to take immediate action and cease the use of fast food as their regular food and search for other healthy options like simple and healthy cooking which would help them retain a hale and a healthy life. Saying no to the fast food makes the fast food industry to rethink their formula of safe food and saves our precious life as well as the future generation. Let’s think about it.