Issues in Uganda’s human rights Essay

Assignment – Research Paper Research Topic: Issues in Uganda’s human rights As a female-born Canadian, living in one of the better countries of the world, take solace in the fact that as a person, have consciously been able to exercise my â€Å"rights and freedoms† through working, schooling or voting. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Constitution Act, 1985.) safeguards our basic human rights. As Canadians, we feel protected in this way, exercising our rights without much thought, passing through our day and night without griping fear for our lives, or of the police. Imagine for a moment waking up and the army has moved in, soldiers, police, trucks, tanks control the streets. All â€Å"left-handed† people, regardless of age are being taken away, and secretly relocated for re-education?! As a society or an individual within, we would be helpless and vulnerable, should some form of organized brutality be thrust upon us. The western countries of the world place human rights, in high esteem. In stark contrast, woefully many countries, U ganda in particular, are continually in a desperate struggle for the advancement of human rights. (Ewins, 2011) The country still faces heavy criticism regarding the treatment and growth, or lack thereof in the area of human rights. In particular, the specific malfeasance shown toward women, children, homosexuals, and the disabled. Officially known as the Republic of Uganda, is a sovereign nation located in the continent of Africa, bordered by Kenya, Sudan, the Republic of Congo, Tanzania, and Rwanda. Even though this republic is only forty-six years old, since gaining independence from Great Britain, methods of torture and child labour still exist. Continually, there are seemingly insurmountable struggles (i.e. arrests, enslavement, poor laws, etc) (Middleton & Miller, 2008). Additionally, the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) and the mentally/physically ill in Uganda have virtually no protection at all, and both male and female homosexual activity or interaction is illegal. (Ewins, 2011) The Uganda Human Rights Commission, an agency established in 1995, still continues to struggle trying to put an end to the cruelty concerning the treatment of women, children, homosexuals, and the mentally ill. This same  agency is responsible for crimes against children, which is an underlying problem that only exacerbates the situation for the advancement of human rights in Uganda. The practice of child abuse is considered exploitative, extremely unethical, and inhumane. Commonly, children are laboured for days on end, performing chores for superiors. Ugandan children are trafficked within the country, as well as to other countries as Canada, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia for forced labour and commercial sexual exploitation. (Clark-Kazak, 2010) Karamojong women and children, an ethnic group of herders living mainly in the northeast of Uganda, are sold in cattle markets or by intermediaries and forced into situations of domestic servitude, sexual exploitation, herding, and begging. Many Ugandan security and government agencies, including Uganda’s Rapid Response Unit, the police force, law-enforcement officials and the military, have been accused of torture. (Clark-Kazak, 2010) These agencies persecute opponents of the government, carry out abductions, disappearances, extrajudicial killings and torture and act both independently, as well as interdependently with each other, and in cooperation with the Ugandan Police. Some of these inhumane acts of torture include kicking and beating, which is described as â€Å"kandoya† – a tying of the victim’s hands and feet behind the body and strung from the ceiling, and even electric shock by attaching wires to the male genitalia. Because these agencies operate through the Ugandan Police, not much stance has been taken by the government. (Clark-Kazak, 2010) Over the past twenty years, the rebel group LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army) has abducted more than 30,000 boys and girls as soldiers. Attacks against Uganda’s Acholi people have resulted in severe trauma to civilians from extreme violence and abduction. Girls are often forced to become sex slaves, and the UPDF (Uganda People’s Defence Force) has recruited small numbers of children into its forces, some as young as thirteen. (Mujuzi, 2011) Not only are children being treated as property with no rights protecting them, women also receive similar treatment. For many decades, the Ugandan culture has made it clear that women should treat men as higher class citizens, and respect their commands, as they are higher in value than women. Despite the substantial economic and social responsibilities of women in Uganda’s many traditional societies, women were taught to accede to the wishes of their fathers, brothers, husbands, and sometimes other men as well, and to  demonstrate their subordination to men in most areas of public life. Customary law also prevails in the event of divorce in that child custody is typically awarded to the father. (Mujuzi, 2011) The physical integrity of Ugandan women is poorly protected. Violence against women is widespread: some estimates say that more than half of the women in the country have suffered domestic violence at the hands of their partners. Domestic violence has wide social acceptance, even by women. Rape is very common in Uganda. In nearly half of sexual violence cases, the victim’s husband or partner is the perpetrator reflecting a widely held belief that spousal rape is a husband’s prerogative. (Ehiri, 2009) Many women were raped by rebel soldiers during the conflict in northern Uganda. Women of the Sabiny tribe are subjected to female genital mutilation. There are no laws prohibiting the practice, but the local authorities have issued a decree denouncing the custom. (Kafumbe, 2010) In addition, in 2006, The World Health Organization (WHO) published results of a study on countrywide domestic violence and women’s health in Uganda. In the study, they found that 22% of adult women in the country experienced sexual violence, with 76% of men transmitting the HIV virus with 82% chance of the women becoming pregnant. 70% of women and 60% of men agreed that wife beating was justifiable under certain circ umstances. Ethically speaking, this makes the situation extremely uncomfortable. (Ehiri, 2009) An example one of which can be seen as a step in the right direction is with regards towards marriage and divorce laws in Uganda. The proposed legislation, the Marriage and Divorce Bill, which was passed in March of 2011, recognizes cohabitation in terms of property rights, abolishes forced marriage, prohibits same sex marriage and allows women to divorce their husbands on grounds of cruelty. Ultimately, the Bill still condemns same sex marriage, however, gives women in marriage more freedom. While polygamy has been quite popular in Uganda, it has been decreasing every decade, with only 27% of men having more than one wife, as opposed to 43% of males with more than one wife in 1988. (Kafumbe, 2010) The situation compared to decades ago, where polygamy was on the rise, is much less in existence. Granted, the government still has a vast array of issues to fix. For example, the period following the collapse of Idi Amin’s regime (which lasted from 1979–1986), was characterized by continued turmoil, violations of human rights, including the killing of innocent people, mismanagement of  the economy, a nd guerrilla warfare, which is civilians attacking members of the military. The army, led by General Tito Okello, overthrew President Obote in 1985. This gave the rebels of Yoweri Museveni, a former guerrilla leader, an advantage to take over government from Okello on January 26th, 1986. From 1986, however, with a new government headed by Museveni, Uganda started on the path to reconstruction and rehabilitation with new promise of security, peace, and development. (Middleton & Miller, 2008) One issue that it is not showing any signs of improvement, applies to the gay citizens in Uganda. Homosexuality in all its forms is illegal. This includes sexual acts, and just being gay. The consequence for homosexuality can put a Ugandan in prison for life. Prior to 2000, only male homosexuality was criminalized, then in 2000 under the Penal Code Amendment (Gender References) Act 2000, all references to â€Å"any male† was changed to â€Å"any person† so that lesbianism was criminalized as well. A new bill has been introduced into parliament, providing for harsher penalties for homosexuals, including the death penalty for â€Å"repeat offenders.† Ugandan citizens would be required to report any homosexual activity within twenty-four hours or face a maximum penalty of three years imprisonment, and Uganda would request extradition if Ugandan citizens were having same-sex relationships outside the country. Gays and lesbians face discrimination and harassment at the hands of the media, police, teachers, and other groups. According to Jessica Stern of Human Rights Watch, â€Å"For years, President Yoweri Museveni’s government routinely threatens and vilifies lesbians and gays, and subjects sexual rights activists to harassment.† (Clark-Kazak, 2010) There appear to be two types of harassment of the Ugandan LGBT community: human rights violations against this community, as well as failure to provide governmental and non-governmental services to this community. First, in Uganda, there is a strong cultural abhorrence and complete lack of understanding of LGBT individuals. This is reflected in everyday actions throughout the country, from minor forms of harassment in clubs, restaurants, and on the streets, to more pernicious forms of discrimination in terms of jobs and service distribution. Interviews with members of the LGBT community suggest that an openly gay individual will likely be excommunicated by his or her church, will be neglected by his or her family and community, may be kicked o ut of school, will have difficulty finding and  holding a job, and will be otherwise persecuted in everyday life. Stories of people being maimed or killed because they are thought to be gay are a persistent, minute to minute reminder to the LGBT community to maintain strong secrecy, often forcing people to engage in heterosexual relationships to give the impression of being straight to the outside world. Much of this type of cultural bias and discrimination cannot be attacked using current laws; it can only be attacked through new laws creating positive rights enabling LGBT individuals to be free from this type of harassment and discrimination. (Hollander, 2009-10) Condemned by world leaders, some western governments threatened to withhold financial aid. In the United States, Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon has argued that, should the legislation become law, Uganda would be ineligible for trade benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The global backlash to this bill has been significant. President Barack Obama recently denounced it as â€Å"odious† and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton communicated her â€Å"strongest concerns† over the proposed legislation directly to Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni. Resolutions have been introduced in the U.S. Congress condemning the proposed bill, calling on the Ugandan Parliament to reject it, and urging all governments to reject and repeal similar laws criminalizing homosexuality. Some countries have gone even further; with Sweden has threatening to cut off all aid to Uganda should the bill become law. (Ewins, 2011) As well, the U.K. partnered up with BBC to film a documentary on Uganda’s treatment of homosexuals. It was filmed in Kampala and its surrounding slums, where they interviewed leaders in the anti-homosexual movement, as well as homosexuals who are out and living in fear. Radio DJ Scott Mills travels to Kampala where the death penalty could soon be introduced for being gay. This was aired in the U.K. on February 2011 before the Bill was killed. Mills, who is openly gay, finds out that the living situation in Kampala and around Uganda is incredibly frightening and horrific. Those who are openly gay are disowned by their family and friends, and are forced to live in slums and outside the city so they can be somewhat protected. An effective way that the Ugandan people â€Å"capture† homosexuals is through their newspapers. The newspaper â€Å"The Rolling Stone† publishes photos of openly gay Ugandans living in and around Kampala, asking citizens to call them or the police if they know where they are located. (Mills, 2011) If a  person gets caught, they are persecuted and thrown in jail for adultery. In the documentary, we meet a lesbian named Stosh. When she was a teenager she was raped by a man to try and â€Å"cure† her of her lesbianism and as a result was infected with HIV. To make matters worse, Pastor Male is part of the self styled National Coalition against Homosexuality and Sexual Abuse in Uganda and claims he was the first person in the country to come out openly against gays. Male believes that no one is born gay and that through counseling they can be cured of this â€Å"affliction†. (Mills, 2011) Exercising tolerance of ignorance can be quite a bitter pill to swallow Although the focus of most research in the media on Uganda has been surrounding women, children, and the LGBT community, often overlooked is the mistreatment of the ill, specifically those with mental disorders. A survey of the existing mental health system in Uganda was conducted using the WHO Assessment Instrument for Mental Health Systems. (Fisher, 2010) In addition, 62 interviews and six focus groups were conducted with a broad range of mental health stakeholders at the national and district levels. Despite possessing a â€Å"draft† on mental health policy that is in line with many international human rights standards, Uganda’s mental health system inadequately promotes and protects, and frequently violates the human rights of people with mental disorders; through physical and emotional abuse. Qualitative interviews with a range of stakeholders revealed that patients had experienced various forms of direct human rights abuses within the mental health facilities and units in the country, particularly in psychiatric units in general hospitals. (Fisher, 2010) In discussions with the mental health service facilities, many stakeholders from different groups spoke about how it is fairly common for mental health professionals to infringe on the rights of patients. Numerous respondents, particularly mental health care service users themselves, spoke about the stigma and verbal abuse patients experience from mental health professionals. As one service user lamented: â€Å"Sorry to comment on psychiatrists, but when you are in hospital, instead of calling you by name, they call you ‘case’, ‘this case here’, ‘this mental case’ That is not a proper way to address people. Why do you call me case? I have a name. I am not a case and I have a right to be called my name. But because they have an attitude of labeling. You are  being turned into an object by them.† (Fisher, 2010) Many respondents also spoke about the ‘poor food supply in the mental health units’, which is ‘never enough for everyone’, and is often ‘old’ or ‘so bad you would not wish it upon anyone’. Poor dietary supplies were seen as impacting especially badly those patients who are also physically ill (i.e. as HIV-positive patients). The patients are continuously secluded, sometimes they are beaten up, or starved as punishment, and sometimes they are left alone for hours with no one attending to them. This study was done in every mental institution in the country except for Butabika, which is known as the best mental establishment and is known for its good conditions. Although that does say there can be good and bad institutions, knowing there is only one with a positive rating in the whole country is beyond troublesome. (Bernstein & Okello, 2007) Briefly, a final problem, which falls under the umbrella of human rights, is that of refugee status. In Uganda, refugee policy and programming is focused almost exclusively on providing protection and assistance to refugees residing in rural settlements. While international law allows refugees the right to freedom of movement and choice of residence, Ugandan legislation restricts refugees’ residency to rural settlements, subjecting those who wish to live outside of settlements and in urban centers to severe restrictions. This study sheds light on the reasons refugees choose to reside in Kampala as opposed to rural settlements and the challenges they endure while attempting to sustain and support themselves. Research findings indicate that at all stages of exile, refugees in Uganda are put under pressure, either implicitly or explicitly, to relocate to settlements. The lack of progressive thinking and hence over-reliance on settlements as the mainstay of refugee protection and assistance has hampered reforms of refugee policy and hindered the broader involvement of municipal authorities in responding to protection and assistance needs of refugees in urban areas. Research findings suggest that many refugees have talents, skills, and abilities, which would enable self-sufficiency in Kampala and other urban areas. However, these capabilities are currently undermined by a refugee regime which only promotes self-reliance in rural settlements. In an effort to enhance refugees’ overall human security and to support their own efforts to become independent and self-reliant, this paper asserts that refugee policy in  Uganda should be reformed to support refugees’ decisions to choose their own places of residence, instead of restricting them to rural settlements. (Bernstein & Okello, 2007) When first beginning my research on Uganda, I wanted to focus specifically on the lack of rights for the LGBT community, yet there is a glaring human rights problem all throughout the country, especially including women, children and those with mental/physical ailments. While researching through my references, it is positive to note that â€Å"human rights† is a hot button topic in Uganda, there is some progress; albeit small. (Ewins, 2011) There is focus on the topic of â€Å"human rights† in Uganda and how it effects women, children, the mentally ill, and homosexuals. As a Canadian, I recognize and exercise my rights because I have all of them as a woman and a Canadian citizen. Often times, people seem to forget how fortunate they are to live in a first world country where they do not have to be afraid everywhere they look because of who they are. Dismally, many Ugandans have to exist that way with no escape in sight., as a significant amount of the population are poor and unable to flee to a safer place. Having always been interested in human rights in all countries and how they differ from Canada’s laws, researching the human conditions in Uganda has been a huge eye opener concerning the depth of despair. Although I am not gay myself, rights for LGBT members is one of things that I am very passionate about changing around the world. My research will show what they have to go through on a daily basis as Ugandans and changes that have been made throughout the decades to improve on these rights, or make them harsher. With my research, I have developed the following research questions: Creating the Anti-Homosexual Bill has received negative attention from countries around the world including the United States and Sweden. How has the Ugandan government dealt with this image the rest of the world has about their country? In Uganda, if someone is homosexual, they will most likely be discriminated against. What acts of discrimination by the rest of the Ugandan population will put homosexuals in danger? Some forms of data that will be presented are primarily from observation and  documentaries. Ideally, it would be more advantageous to travel to Uganda and experience life there first hand, therefore many researchers document their work by recording it, so others can see exactly what they saw. Most of my references are in text form and come from either observation from the writers’ own perspective or research from other writers, which can be also known as unobtrusive research (Trochim, 2006), or more specifically, content analysis. (Chapter 10, textbook) All my research has been through the Concordia Database in the Sociology section. From that database, the oldest document used is from 2006, with an exception to the New Encyclopedia of Africa†. (Middleton & Miller, 2008) which described various significant years in Uganda’s fight for human rights in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Additionally, this specific topic is not one that I can do myself or ask people about whil e I am in Montreal. These observations are helpful for my research, as it is the easiest and most precise type of research. The work will be even more helpful if anyone can see it first hand rather than just reading text. The documentary will show you more of an in-depth, depressing look at the lack of human rights in Uganda. The ethical issues I will be facing are my own, since being aware of these issues, I feel obligated to help in some manner. I do not know anyone from Uganda that faced the brutality or human rights violations themselves, or someone who has studied human rights in Uganda. While not doing interviews myself, several of my references have taken certain documentaries when it comes to citing their research. One in particular, which I happened to find on YouTube, is a documentary done by BBC3 in the U.K titled â€Å"The World’s Worst Place to Be Gay?†. It is hosted by a British radio DJ and openly gay Scott Mills, who traveled to Uganda where the death penalty is the huge is sue for homosexuals. He finds out what it is like to live in a society which persecutes people such as himself, and meets those who are leading the hate campaign. In its favour, is that it is a recent documentary, originally aired in February of 2011 on BBC. I have also located two other documentaries under my own independent online research, one entitled â€Å"A World of Conflict† in which reporter Kevin Sites covers every major war zone in the world in one year, and another called â€Å"Hope for Uganda†, a documentary created by World Vision, a non-governmental organization. While these highlight how poorly a condition Uganda is in, there are definitely  ethical issues that occur during filming. Ethical issues include threats of violence open discrimination and hate. While I seemingly cannot do anything to prevent it, it still remains extremely horrific and unethical. One has to come into contact with this venue of research to appreciate this line of study in a proper context. I have not required any approvals, as all of the research I have is not mine. The documentaries were approved by World Vision and BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation). With regards to the rights of the Ugandans shown in the documentaries, they were given approval to show themselves on camera beforehand. If they were not comfortable being on television, their faces would be blurred out. While filming â€Å"The World’s Worst Place to be Gay?† in Kampala, the city was warned beforehand that there would be camera crews around. Given that all the stories in the documents and in the films are quite painful, the risks were ever present. Some quotes remained anonymous, some were given with names. It took a great deal of courage for Ugandans to come forward with their hardships and their pain, however it sheds light on the primitive condition of human rights in their country. In conclusion, this topic was something I chose to study, due to the fact that this is a subject that greatly interests me, and that one day, might want to help to fight for this cause, or be involved with as a career. While I might not ever travel to Uganda or work in Africa, I can pursue those fights in Canada. It is certainly an area in which I desperately want to see change in the world; equal rights at every level for everyone, regardless of gender or sexual orientation. Despite having some background knowledge on this issue, I have many more things to learn, and that is also again in support of my selection. Something I know a lot about is not as challenging or interesting to research. I somehow feel consciously and morally obliged to learn more about the violated and disenfranchised of this country. Lastly, there will be an examination of the â€Å"human rights† issues in Uganda, focusing on how children, women, and homosexuals are treated. The research covered many kingdoms and cities all over the country. I am hoping that because of this paper, the readers will learn more about the situation in Uganda and are motivated to get involved in a project such as this, and possibly compel them to do something to help. At the beginning of the course, deciding which subject I would focus this research paper on, and focusing it on something I want to see change and would want to make a  difference in that situation. In the future, it is my hope that Uganda’s human rights will be improving in the years and decades to come, with the determination, aid, and influence of other countries, apolitical outside agencies, as well as Ugandans learning to help each other. By doing so, people can make the world a better place, not just for today, but rather for the future, and proactively forever. In my future, there will always be a watchful, hopeful eye on Uganda. References: 1.) Cooper, S., Ssebunnya, J., Kigozi, F., Lund, C., & Flisher, A. (2010). Viewing Uganda’s mental health system through a human rights lens. International Review Of Psychiatry, 22(6), 578-588. 2.) Kafumbe, A. (2010). Women’s Rights to Property in Marriage, Divorce, and Widowhood in Uganda: The Problematic Aspects. Human Rights Review, 11(2), 199-221. 3.) Miller C. J., John, M. Ed. (2008). â€Å"Uganda.† New Encyclopedia of Africa. Detroit: Charles Scribner’s Sons. 119-127. 4.) Bernstein, J., & Okello, M. (2007). To Be or Not To Be: Urban Refugees in Kampala. Refuge, 24(1), 46-56. 5.) Ewins, L. (2011). â€Å"Gross Violation†: Why Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act threatens its trade benefits with the United States. Boston College International & Comparative Law Review, 34(1), 147-171. 6.) Hollander, M. (2009). Gay Rights in Uganda: Seeking to Overturn Uganda’s Anti-Sodomy Laws. Virginia Journal Of International Law, 50(1), 219-266. 7.) M ujuzi, J. (2011). Protecting Children From Those Who Are Supposed To Protect Them! The Uganda Human Rights Commission And Children’s Right To Freedom From Torture. Journal Of Third World Studies, 28(1), 155-168. 8.) Clark-Kazak, C. R. (2010). The politics of protection: aid, human rights discourse, and power relations in Kyaka II settlement, Uganda. Disasters, 34(1), 55-70 9.) Emusu, D., Ivankova, N., Jolly, P., Kirby, R., Foushee, H., Wabwire-Mangen, F., & †¦ Ehiri, J. (2009). Experience of sexual violence among women in HIV discordant unions after voluntary HIV counselling and testing: a qualitative critical incident study in Uganda. AIDS Care, 21(11), 1363-1370 10.) Mills, S. (Producer) (2011). The world’s worst place to be gay? [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=168gaNmaIFo 11.) Allyson, S. (Producer) (2007). Hope for Uganda [Web] Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IGKnQRPF-I 12.) Trochim, William. â€Å"Unobstrusive Measures.† Research Methods: Knowledgable Base. (2006): 1. Web. 4 Apr. 2012. . 13.) Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, section 15. (Constitution Act, April 17th 1985.)

Explore the impact of social, cultural and historical on your play

The historical, social and cultural influenced our play immensely because in order to create an understanding of our stimulus gender we needed to explore different sides to gender. We decided that in order for the audience to work out the meaning behind our play they needed to fully understand the idea of gender both past and present. During the creation of our play we thought it was important to bring up certain topical issues, we decided the main issues would be how women were treated in the past and present, domestic violence, love and relationships, stereotypes and social roles. We chose the idea of ‘lion tamers' because it was based on a circus however we twisted it so the scene was ‘lady tamers' to show how women were treated in the past. We started off with the ladies as wild animals with the men in the middle shouting out the orders such as ‘wash the floor'. Then we went onto more advanced techniques were we stood in a ‘Stepford wife pose' and spoke lines such as ‘have dinner ready, plan even the night before so he can have a warm meal on time. In order to create a realistic impression of what women's roles were in the past we looked at The Good housewife's guide this was a booklet of instruction from the 50s telling young women how to be a good housewife and because some of the instruction were incredibly †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ and unrealistic which we thought the audience would find humorous. We then decided to do go the other extreme with the scene where the ladies take over, we wanted the women to be powerful both mentally and physical this was to show how times have changed and in particular how women in society have changed. A very important issue we wanted to concentrate on was domestic violence because this was a hard hitting issue involving gender. We researched different aspects of domestic violence and found that it is equally common nowadays as it was in the past and although it isn't necessarily true for every case men seem to be the†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ of the problem. We had a real problem incorporating this issue into the initial idea of the circus because we didn't know how to make a serious topic humorous. Eventually we came up with a Punch and Judy sketch and this was Perfect because it showed the issue of domestic violence and stuck to the idea of the circus. As a group we decided that it would be nice to look at the positive side of gender because up till then it had all been negative. We used the idea of a tight rope act to show the ups n downs of relationships and love, we had a boy at one end of the tight rope and a girl at the other and they would walk along and take turns saying what they didn't like about each other and the other person would begin to wobble on the tight rope however after each little speech they would end it with ‘but I love him/her. ‘ We wanted to embrace the opposite sexes differences and make the audience view gender in a positive light.

Anhauser Busch Balanced Score Card

|Anheuser-Busch InBev | | | |[pic] | | | |Balanced Scorecard | |Executing the Strategic Plan | | | | | | | | |Throughout the business environment it seems that almost every profession has some means of communicating clearly to the end user. However, for people engaged in strategic planning there has been an on-going dilemma. The finished product, the strategic plan, has not been communicated well enough to reach the end user. Strategic plans may be great to look at, full of bar charts, nice covers, well written, and professionally prepared; but they often fall short and fail to impact the people who must execute the strategic plan. The end result has been poor execution of the strategic plan throughout the entire organization; and execution is everything. Upper management creates the strategy, but execution takes place from the bottom up.According to the Balance Scorecard Collaborative, there are four barriers to strategic implementation: †¢ Vision Barrier – No one in the organization understands the strategies of the organization. †¢ People Barrier – Most people have objectives that are not linked to the strategy of the organization. †¢ Resource Barrier – Time, energy, and money are not allocated to those things that are critical to the organization. For example, budgets are not linked to strategy, resulting in wasted resources. †¢ Management Barrier – Management spends too little time on strategy and too much time on short-term tactical decision-making.Implementing the Balanced Scorecard as a management tool creates clarity in the communication of strategy. By using measurements and targets, employees can relate to what must happen and the result is higher productivity that results in the achievement of company goals. This is achieved through four strategic objectives: †¢ Financial – Delivering expected financial results for investors. †¢ Customer – Delivering value and benefits fo r customers. †¢ Internal Processes – The set of processes that must be in place in order to meet the requirements of customers. †¢ Learning and Growth – the set of values and principles related to intangibles (employees, systems, and organization), supporting and providing the required internal processes.The financial and customer perspectives represent the deliverables, and the internal processes and learning and growth perspectives represent those things the organization must do. Balanced Scorecards tell you the knowledge, skills and systems that your employees will need (learning and growth) to innovate and build the right strategic capabilities and efficiencies (internal processes) that deliver specific value to the market (customer) which will eventually lead to higher shareholder value (financial). – â€Å"Having Trouble with Your Strategy? Then Map It† by Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton – Harvard Business Review Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) is a good example of institution theory working at its best as it uses a strong mission and vision statement for adaptation in growing markets.A solid mission statement is a vital part of any company as it states the purpose or reason for the organization’s existence, which in turn, establishes the parameters for the company’s strategic plan. Moreover, it tells society what the company is providing: service or product. As the textbook points out, â€Å"a well-conceived mission statement defines the fundamental, unique purpose that sets a company apart from other firms of its type and identifies the scope or domain of the company’s operations in terms of products/services offered and markets served† (Wheelen, et al 13). Mission statements throughout an industry can vary greatly, and the alcoholic beverage industry is no exception.Anheuser-Busch strives to â€Å"Be the best beer company in a better world; and to â€Å"Deliver superior re turns to our shareholders† (Anheuser-Busch). This mission statement clearly defines who they are, â€Å"The best beer company†, and it also identifies the scope of the company’s operations, as they would like to deliver superior returns to their shareholders. Having a narrow business statement, which very clearly states the organizations primary business, helps AB InBev in this tough economy because it keeps the firm focused on what it does the best. The vision statement is the framework for the company’s strategic planning, and it also allows a way to let potential customers become aware of what the company’s future goals are.The vision statement often states a unique purpose that the business hopes to achieve, but it should primarily be focused on what the company wishes to become. AB InBev’s vision statement is â€Å"Through all of our products, services and relationships, we add to life’s enjoyment†. Moreover, their goal is to be the world’s beer company, their unique purpose is to enrich and entertain a global audience, and their scope of their operations is to provide superior returns to their shareholders (Anheuser-Busch). The Financial Perspective: The first aspect of the Balanced Scorecard is the financial perspective, which answers two questions: How do we appear to shareholders?And how should we act with respect to the shareholders in order to achieve financial success? According to their annual financial report, AB InBev remains focused on three core objectives designed to enhance long-term shareholder value: Increasing domestic beer segment volume and per barrel profitability which, when combined with market share growth, will provide the basis for earnings per share growth and improvement in return on capital employed. A number of acquisitions, divestitures and joint ventures influenced Anheuser-Busch InBev’s profit and financial profile over the past couple of years. Profitabil ity is the first objective of the financial component that is considered in AB InBev’s Balanced Scorecard.There are several ways in which to measure the profitability of a company including Return on Equity (ROE). Return on Equity is defined as the amount of net income returned as a percentage of shareholders equity. ROE measures the rate of return on the ownership interest (shareholders' equity) of the common stock owners. It measures a firm's efficiency at generating profits from every unit of shareholders' equity and shows how well a company uses investment funds to generate earnings growth. The benefit comes from the earnings reinvested in the company at a high ROE rate, which in turn gives the company a high growth rate. ROEs between 15% and 20% are considered desirable (Woolridge, et al 2006).AB InBev is committed to high ROE as is depicted in this statement on their Web site, â€Å"Our business is guided by strict financial discipline, enabling us to free up funds for investments in growth, while we also benchmark and measure our performance to ensure that we deliver on our commitments†. Another objective in the financial component includes revenue growth. This is manifested through, ideally, a positive percent change in revenue from year to year. This revenue increase can be initiated in many ways including increasing unit sales, which is one of the financial goals laid out in the AB InBev financial statements. Currently, AB InBev’s revenue is $36,297M, up 4. 4% from the previous year.According to the latest AB InBev financial report, their earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) is up 6. 5% from last year in spite of an overall decrease in North American earnings due to synergies and lower cost of sales. [pic] The first exhibit shows how the dollar amount sales of Craft Brewers, which includes Anheuser-Busch, starts to fall with the economy in 2005 and hitting a low in 2006. Slowly however, the industry is making a recovery. Rob ert S. Weinberg, principal of the Office of R. S. Weinberg- a research company located in St. Louis, stated in an interview that â€Å"the nature of competition in the industry has changed radically in the last two years† (a ixed forecast†¦) With the economy still on the rocks, and Europe’s economy on the offensive as well, many industries are having a hard time coping with the stress. Anheuser is affected by both economies as it operates not only in the USA but in Europe as well. As previous stated, Anheuser’s strong mission statement, values and dedicated employees come into play here as it gives them a boost that other companies may be lacking. Furthermore, analyses are making predictions that although the economy remains slow, â€Å"Craft beer sales will continue to explode, with 10% growth in 2011 on a larger base, particularly large format bottles, fueled by a rash of positive press in the general media† ( Beer Business Daily). The third object ive in the financial segment is debt management.Currently, AB InBev has a net debt to normalized EBIT ratio of 2. 9. Within the past year overall debt has been decreased by $5500M in 2009, AB InBev reported debt of $45 174, and $39 704 in 2010. The Customer Perspective: The second aspect of the Balanced Scorecard addresses two questions surrounding the company’s customers: How do customers view us? And how should we approach our customers in order to realize our vision? AB InBev seeks to provide their customers with a high level of value by focusing on responsive supply as an objective and providing on-time delivery. On-time delivery means that AB InBev customers will get what they want, when they want it.Since 1994 AB InBev has an established multi-disciplinary Production and Logistics team whose focus is to re-engineer the supply chain to better cope with the challenges of complexity. Since AB InBev is involved in two logistically distinct businesses – established hi gh-volume products and low-volume â€Å"growth† products, with the latter accounting for over 80% of brand/package combinations and only 10% of total volume, effectively managing the supply chain is of great importance in order to provide customers with the highest level of value and service possible. Growth products represent important market opportunities, but they have greater demand variability than the established products, require greater flexibility, and impose more costs and complexity throughout the supply chain.In order to reach the goal of on-time delivery, the team recommended a series of strategic initiatives, beginning with re-engineering of production and inventory deployment, proceeding to transportation, and culminating in order fulfillment. The growth products were assigned to fewer plants with shorter production cycles, and their inventory was predominantly deployed across 35 wholesaler support centers throughout the U. S. The resulting improvements have be en dramatic: †¢ 90% of low-volume items are now within 200 miles of their destination, compared to 25% previously. †¢ Costs of purchasing, operations, and transportation are minimized without loss of customer service. †¢ Anheuser-Busch is well positioned for future expansion in its growth segment.An important element of the re-engineering effort was an initiative called â€Å"Transportation Advantage,† which involved review and re-configuration of the transportation processes for both long haul and short-haul delivery of beer to wholesalers. The objective was to lower costs and improve service by leveraging the buying power for all brewery inbound and outbound transportation, including truck and rail, through one customer – Anheuser-Busch (John, et al). According to the report, AB InBev was able to produce the follow results in the following areas: In Brewery Operations: †¢ Partial pallets into support center territories have been reduced 56%. †¢ Interplant shipments have been reduced 78%. Items per brewery load have been reduced 41%. †¢ Transportation costs have been reduced 15%. In Wholesaler and Support Center Operations: †¢ Wholesale support center costs are 7% below expectations. †¢ Transportation service is 99% on-time or early. †¢ Wholesaler Out-of-Stocks have decreased 30%. By incorporating specific strategies, AB InBev was able to reach their on-time delivery goal of 99% while reaping additional benefits in terms of cost reduction and product growth positioning. The goal is to maintain this competitive advantage by continuing to monitor their supply chain, making changes where needed, and eventually reach their goal of 100% on-time delivery for their clientele.The second area that AB InBev focuses in on in order to service their customers best is in the realm of customer satisfaction. A study referred to by the Brookston Beer Bulletin shows that AB InBev’s beer drinker satisfaction fell from its all-time high of 84 in 2009 by 2. 4% to 82, driven by a sharp decline for AB InBev products. In 2008, shortly after its acquisition by Belgian InBev, AB InBev recorded its best American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) score ever and captured the industry lead. Now that gain has disappeared as the sales of the Budweiser brand fell by almost 10% during 2009 as younger drinkers have increasingly turned to microbrews and low-calorie products. Now the ratings are stalled across the beer industry with a low of 81 and a high of 83.An article published by the Pittsburg post talks about how the modern day drinker is more â€Å"sophisticated† and more willing to try something new, â€Å"looking for different beverages that are appropriate for different occasions† (Boselovic, Len). Boselovic goes on to say, â€Å"†¦more importantly, the modern day drinker doesn’t want to be seen as a guzzler, a dumb guy, six-pack drinker†¦they want to be seen as a c onnoisseur†. AB InBev has responded to this latest information by invoking a Fresh Ideas Initiative, encouraging employees to think about beer in a whole different way. This led to the introduction of Beach Blond Ale in 2006 with an advertising message of its â€Å"rich golden color, pleasant hop aroma and slightly spicy malty taste†.In subsequent years, AB InBev has continued to produce more new products including Tilt, a raspberry flavor premium malt beverage infused with caffeine, guarana and ginseng; BE, a beer that combines the drinkability and broad appeal of beer also with the combination of caffeine, ginseng and guarana; Bacardi Silver Watermelon and Budweiser Select, are all taking their place in the beer category along with such brand powerhouses as Budweiser, Bud Light and Michelob to challenge the established perception of beer and expand its market over the long run (Boselovic). By using the strategy of responding to customer demand and preferences by intro ducing new and exciting beverage options, AB InBev hopes to regain the lead in the ACSI Index and even surpass their previous all-time high. The third objective for AB InBev regarding their customer base pertains to market share growth. Large market-share percentages are a strong indicator that customers perceive value in a company’s product and are willing to spend their hard-earned dollars on the company’s products. Currently, AB InBev holds close to half of the American beer market.In recent press releases, AB has revealed its plans to pursue international beer market segments including China (which is currently the fastest growing beer market and the second largest next to the United States), and Belgium. According to AB InBev’s CEO, Carlos Brito, the company may seek acquisitions to keep pace with market growth. Even as the company focuses on revenue growth on its own, it won’t rule out purchasing rivals, including in Germany, where it plans to incre ase its market share â€Å"significantly,† (Johnson). In pursuit of its interest to increase international beer segment profit growth, Anheuser-Busch has made significant marketing investments to build recognition of its Budweiser brands outside the United States. These investments include owning and operating breweries in China, including Harbin Brewery Group, and in the United Kingdom.The company also has a 50% equity position in Grupo Modelo, Mexico’s largest brewer and producer of the Corona brand. AB InBev plans to expand in China where volume growth is 2-3% and implement a focus brand at mid to high teens. AB InBev plans to use a Concentration Week Initiative to promote their Budweiser brand to new and existing clientele. These promotions will be enhanced by new TV ads aimed at growing their premium and super premium brands in the healthy lifestyle community. Upon consolidation with InBev, the company employed a series of asset disposals, which included divesting during 2009 its 27% equity position in Tsingtao, the largest brewer in China and producer of the Tsingtao brand.Asset disposal and divesting of less profitable business segments is in line with AB InBev’s goal to provide the best possible returns on shareholder equity (Johnson). The following, based on the AB InBev’s annual report information, is an explanation of the forecasted increase in market share percentage per region: North America: 4. 0% The brands Budweiser and Bud Light, with strong marketing efforts, have continued to gain market share and report good results, with Bud Light consisting of 5% of the Canadian beer market in Q310. Latin America North: 25. 5% This area will continue to reap rewards from anticipated industry performance improvement. Economic conditions are anticipated to continue to improve as AB InBev rolls out Budweiser and Budweiser Brew N ° 66 into the Brazilian market in 2011.AB InBev has been highly successful in market introductions, a s shown by the innovations introduced over the last three years which alone now account for more than 10% of the Brazilian beer market. Latin America South: 8. 7% AB InBev heavily invested in Focus Brand promotion in 2009, particularly during the FIFA World Cup, the effects of which are expected to be felt in 2011 in sales volume increases in Stella Artois and Quilmes. Beer volumes in Argentina have been recovering from weak industry performance in 2009, fueled in large part by premium brand sales, which continued to grow substantially throughout 2009 as well in 2010. Western Europe: 2. 9%Sales in this segment are anticipated to follow a trend of flat sales. The beer industry in Western Europe is in decline, though AB InBev remains a market leader. Belgium sales volume saw a 2. 2% decline in 3Q10 due to abnormally poor weather conditions. As long as weather conditions are somewhat normal in 2011, volume should increase. Budweiser Brew N ° 66 and Stella Artois were launched in Augu st and September 2010, respectively in the United Kingdom. Central & Eastern Europe: 33. 8% The Russian government has been promoting the consumption of beer in order to reduce that of vodka. The combined efforts of AB InBev and the government will increase sales in 2011.In 3Q10, awareness for Bud was built through a range of media initiatives, including television, social media, and out-of-home ads, resulting in strong volume performance, confirming the brand’s potential in Russia. Asia Pacific: 21. 9% Planned national marketing campaigns, in addition to the recent launch of Budweiser Lime, will boost market share in the rapidly expanding China beer market. The Focus Brand portfolio volumes in the area increased 17. 5% in 3Q10 as a result of these campaigns, and AB InBev will continue to invest in the Focus Brand campaigns. While the above market share increases for 2011 can be forecasted due to industry analysis based on what has occurred in the past year, major growth rate increases cannot be sustained from year to year.Projections for the remaining two years have been reached through calculating the average growth rate typical for the beer industry and AB Bev’s unique performance, which is roughly 12. 4% of the previous years’ growth performance. As 2011 unfolds, recalculations will need to be made incorporating current events and economic conditions. [pic] Internal Business Perspective: In the third part of the Balanced Scorecard, the question surrounding business processes is handled by answering the following: In what business processes must we be the best in order to satisfy our customers? Goals should be formulated for innovation, customer management, operational processes and integration into the environment.AB InBev has credited its efficiency with effective communication with their retailers. The strategic plans were shared with retailers to include them in the process from beginning to end. The products and services are doing very well at AB InBev. The valuable tool of Reco has resulted in fast communication to its retailers and ensuring that its alcoholic beverages get stocked immediately to satisfy its clientele. Anheuser-Bush fosters an environment of growth and innovation. This has resulted in great success to the company. Efficiency through its distribution, sales, and marketing abilities has helped Anheuser-Busch become very successful. DistributionAnheuser-Busch is very team oriented environment that encourages innovation and expansion. The costs of products are closely monitored and are able to be minimized through communication. A prime example is the successful introduction of Bud Light Lime. â€Å"Our goal is to provide our retailers with the products and packaging that best appeal to their shoppers,† said Bill Laufer, vice president, grocery sales for Anheuser-Busch. â€Å"With the introduction of Bud Light Lime, we worked with retailers well in advance of the launch to help them sell the product by providing them with the strategy behind the brand, packaging options, target audience, sales expectations, recommended shelf placement and marketing plans. The communication between AB InBev and its retailers is a huge success. Anhesuer’s business strategy is to closely monitor its products all the way to the finish line while providing information to its retailers on the products details. Bill Laufer points out, â€Å"Because we worked closely with retailers to support the launch of this product, we have been able to obtain a 0. 9 share in supermarkets for a product that was released at the end of August† (IRI Supermarket Data, week ending Oct. 19). Communication is very vital to the growth and continued success of AB InBev. The constant feedback has resulted in positive growth of its new products such as Bud Light lime.The distribution has varied for Anheuser-Busch. For the years of 2008 the distribution was 6. 4%, 7% for 2009, and 8% for 2010 (www. a nheuser-busch. com). The distribution costs have gone up due to the prices in materials. Cost of Sales Anheuser-Bush uses  the accounting method of last in, first out method in its inventories. According to Anheuser’s Web site, â€Å"Inventories are valued at the lower of cost or market. The company uses the last-in, first-out method (LIFO) valuation approach to determine cost primarily for domestic production inventories, and uses average cost valuation primarily for international production and retail merchandise inventories. The costs are calculated differently for domestic inventories as well as international inventories. â€Å"LIFO was used for approximately 71% of total inventories at December 31, 2004, and 76% of inventories at December 31, 2003. Average cost was used for the remainder† (Anheuser-Busch). This method has proved to be quite effective at handling the companies’ finances. The cost of sales has defiantly fluctuated looking at the annual rep orts of 2008-2010. The costs of sales are for 2008 are 41. 1%, 46% cost of sales for 2009, and 44% cost of sales for 2010. Sales and Marketing The tool that has enabled Anheuser-Busch to become very efficient and productive with its retailers is called Reco.According to AB InBev’s Web site, â€Å"Anheuser-Busch was recognized for its ability to develop tools to enhance the beverage business of retail customers. In selecting Anheuser-Busch, Progressive Grocer highlighted Reco, a tool the company designed to enhance its planogram management tool and improve feedback to chain customers about retailer compliance of their plans. The system has helped retailers reduce their out-of-stocks and helps to ensure they stock a consistent mix of products to meet the unique needs of their consumers. † The tool Reco that AB InBev created has enabled the company to put its different types of alcoholic beverages on the shelves and keep them in stocked.The program has been very successfu l in providing communication about the company’s plans to its retailers. The feedback from the retailers is critical to the success of the business partnership. Reco has proved to be a very productive tool for keeping items in stock and meeting the demands of its thirsty consumers. This has definitely helped in the sales and marketing department. Sales and marketing for the years of 2007 is 14. 8%, 2008 is 14. 9%, 2009 1is 4%, and 2010 is13%. There has been 1% percent of a dip. (Anheuser-Busch). The Learning & Growth Perspective: The next question to be answered is how can AB foster change and growth potentials in order to achieve business goals?For AB to grow and learn they need to harness their intangible assets such as technology, human capital and the potential of AB’s corporate culture. Since 1852 Budweiser has invested in their human and technological as well as additional financial resources to build a strong company. At AB InBev’s 2007 Green Week Doug Mu hleman, group vice president of Brewing Operations and Technology, announced â€Å"AB has been involved in conservation, education, research and preservation efforts for more than 100 years†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Employees Help†¦). The ability to foster change and growth comes from within; AB InBev has continually evolved despite being within the mature industry of beer. One of AB’s aims is to become the â€Å"Best Beer Company in a Better World. To achieve this AB must use innovation, creativity, brilliance, employee job level satisfaction, and corporate citizenship to excel within their industry. AB’s Technological Tools The process of making beer has not changed much over the last hundred years, but AB continues to find other means of innovation. A great deal of innovation has been achieved through conservation and by AB setting an example of how a large corporation can improve its processes to make a positive impact on their surroundings. AB has become a technologic al leader by continuously exploring new emerging technology to improve efficiencies and conserve natural resources. In 2009 AB US breweries recycled 99. percent of solid waste by reducing and reusing almost all materials generated during the brewing and packaging of their beers. AB uses Bio-Energy Recovery systems (BERS) to convert brewery wastewater into renewable fuel, providing 8% of their US operation fuel needs (Employees Help†¦). Water is a main ingredient in beer, so water conservation is crucial to sustain this vital ingredient in AB’s brewing and agricultural processes. Since 2000 AB’s US breweries have reduced their water use by almost 37% believing, â€Å"you need great water to make great beer†. Since 2005 AB/In-bev have been actively working on reducing the amount of energy needed to create a liter of beer and at the same reducing the amount of CO2 emissions.Program like Voyager Plant Optimization (VPO) have created a standardized way to operat e breweries and continuously improve performance. Per their website (www. ab-inbev. com) â€Å"The implementation of VPO has brought measurable process achievements, including an increase in brewing capacity; an improvement in packaging efficiency, a reduction in changeover times, and improved energy use† (AB-InBev). AB uses a â€Å"healthy innovation pipeline† to continuously improve their technological know-how. AB’s Employees With approximately 114,000 people working across 23 countries AB knows employees are a â€Å"key ingredient† in their corporation (Anheuser-Busch).They seek employee input by promoting an atmosphere where ideas are valued and accepted. One of AB’s core values is â€Å"building a high performing and diverse workforce,† this may be why employees are known to stay for years and even decades. AB understands that the talent of people that they hire and the teams they organize reflect on the company as a whole and provide a truly sustainable competitive advantage. Anheuser-Bush Training and development group (ABTDG) support their employees at every stage of their careers by providing extensive training and education. One of their tools is The Global Management Trainee Program (GMT) to recruit new talent.This 10 month program provides a systematic overview of AB /InBev Corporation to develop insight into every aspect of the business. The program includes local and global business exposure where upon completion GMT trainees are assigned an entry-level management job. To help their people succeed they provide clear expectations to ensure commitment and motivation with good leadership. The company aims to â€Å"get the right people into the right roles at the right time† (AB-InBev). Welcoming people with vision, commitment and drive; celebrating diversity and having a no tolerance policy toward discrimination. CEO Carlos Brito CEO of AB InBev summarizes the company’s view with a statement d irected towards their employees, It’s up to you to achieve your own success, but we provide the framework for you to unleash your full potential. Together, we can fulfill our dream to be the best beer company in a better world. † AB’s corporate culture AB is a global citizen; meaning how the rest of the world perceives its actions is a message to all of its shareholders. AB’s more than $450 million in charitable donations since 1997 demonstrates that they are interested in more than just the bottom line. The Anheuser-Busch Foundation’s first philanthropic effort was first seen in 1906 to support the San Francisco earthquake. They continue their support today by donating water following natural and other disasters.AB also supports Employee’s commitment to non-profits through gift matching and employee volunteer grant programs. The foundation’s focus has been on education, economic development and environmental conservation primarily whe re the company is located and where employees work and live. Selling four of the world’s top selling beers, AB recognizes their obligation to promote responsible drinking with ads such as â€Å"Budweiser Means Moderation† dating back to the early 1900s (Anheuser-Busch). They have invested more than $830 million in national campaigns to prevent underage drinking and drunk driving. AB is well aware that it is their culture that defines the company giving them a competitive advantage that cannot be duplicated.It’s about how a dream can motivate people to work in the same direction and how a good cultural fit results in improved performance. This is the first of ten principles AB uses to reflect the mission of the company. AB emphasizes that they are a company of Owners because â€Å"Owners take results personal† (Dream, people†¦). With clear measures of accountably managers are expected to lead by example showing employees that â€Å"we do what we say. † AB has a zero-complacency policy, recognizing a job well done, but always looking for the next challenge to stretch their expertise. Costs are managed tightly to allow needed finances to support growth. By working as a lean company AB can shift money to new products for consumers.This collection of beliefs has a powerful positive influence on employees helping the company reach their strategic goals. Balanced Scorecard Overview: Anheuser-Busch InBev continues to use all of their resources, not just financial, to align their business activities. Working to improve communications, monitor performance processes, technology, and innovation while investing in relationships with customers, suppliers, and employees. They refuse to take short cuts and are constantly seeking bigger and better ways to improve their products and services. In 2010 Patrick O’Riodan, Global Director of Innovation at AB InBev, spoke about lessons for innovators.His highlights summarized the basic s trategy of using tangible and intangible assets to achieve business objectives. This in-turn helps the company create a balance scorecard. First, explain objectives in simple terms, this makes goals clear and measurable. Second, have defined strategies, AB uses renovations to strengthen existing products and innovations for developing new ones. Third, have clearly defined processes, AB uses both front-end and back-end process for defining business growth strategies. Finally, draw from non-obvious places, looking to business outside of the beverage industry for insight helps AB Inbev realize their full potential (Anthony, Scott). Anheuser-Busch InBev Balanced Scorecard | |Perspectives |Objectives |Measurements |Targets |Initiatives | | | |Financial |Profitability |Return on equity | | | |Domestic Growth | | |Revenue Growth |% Change in revenue | | | |International Growth | | |Manage Debt |Net debt to normalized EBIT ratio |2. 6 |2. 3 |2. 0 |Acquisitions | | | | | | | | | |Customer | Responsive Supply |On time delivery |99. 3% |99. % |100% |Transportation Advantage | | | | | | | | | | |Leading in Customer Loyalty |Customer satisfaction rating |83 |84 |85 |Fresh Ideas Initiative | | | | | | | | | | |Market Share |% of Market Share Growth |4. 0% |4. 96% |5. 58% |Concentration Week | | | |North America |25. 5% |28. 66% |32. 1% | | | | |Latin America North |8. 7% |9. 78% |10. 99% | | | | |Latin America South |2. 9% |3. 26% |3. 66% | | | | |Western Europe |33. 8% |37. 99% |42. 7% | | | | |Central and Eastern Europe |21. 9% |24. 62% |27. 7% |Focus Brand Campaign | | | |Asia Pacific | | | | | |Internal |Manufacturing Excellence |% Cost of Sales |41. 1% |46% |44% |Reco | | | | | | | | | | |Optimal Cost |% Of Distribution |6. % |7% |8% |Last In, First Out Method | | |Fast Delivery | | | | | | | | |% Of Sales& Marketing |14. 9% |14% |13% |Average Cost Valuation | |Learning |Global Citizenship |Philanthropic Donations | | | |Anheuser-Bush Foundation | |And | | | | | | | |Growing |Environmental Stewardship |Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 5% from | |-5% |Target Met |Reduce 13% by 2013 | | |2005-2010 | | | | | | | | | | |2. 1% | | | |InBev Worldwide Volume |% Organic Growth by Total Volume |0% |-. 7% |-3. 0% |Voyager Plant Optimization | | | |North America |3. 1% |-2. 0% |10. % | | | | |Latin America North |1. 0% |8. 8% |3. 9% | | | | |Latin America South |10. 4% |-3. 8% |-1. 6% | | | | |Western Europe |-4. 8% |-4. 9% |-. 9% |The Global Management Trainee program | | | |Central and Eastern Europe |-6. 1% |-10. 8% |5. % | | | | |Asia Pacific |0. 1% |-2. 0% | | | Works Cited â€Å"A Mixed Forecast for Beer†. Modern Brewery Age: the business magazine for the beer industry. 11 February 2011. ; http://www. breweryage. com/industry/; Anheuser-Busch. ; http://www. anheuser-busch. com/Company. html;. Anheuser-Bush Annual Reports . Anheuser-Busch InBev. Anheuser-Busch InBev. â€Å"Dream, People, Culture 10 principles† Anthony, Scott. Four Innovation Lessons from Anheuser Bush,† The Street. 10 February 2010. Boselovic, Len. Sophisticated Beer Drinker†. Post-gazette. com: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 6 August 2006. 19 February 2011. ; http://www. post-gazette. com/pg/06218/711317-28. stm;. C. Gregory John and Michael Willis, â€Å"Supply Chain Re-engineering at Anheuser-Busch,† Supply Chain Management Review, pp. 29-35. â€Å"Employees Help Power Anheuser-Busch's Green Week† St. Louis Front Page. 22 April 2007. Johnson, Jennifer. â€Å"Ahold, Barclays, Carrefour, EDF, Safran, VastNed: European Equity Preview†. February 27, 2011. . The American Customer Satisfaction Index. October 2010 Press Release. . Woolridge, J. Randall and Gray, Gary. â€Å"Applied Principles of Finance,† (2006). .

Female Charcters in Fairy Tales Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Female Charcters in Fairy Tales - Essay Example Not all agree with the claim that traditional fairy tales such as â€Å"Cinderella† positively portray females. Pollitt maintains that it is virtually impossible to come across a fairytale in which women are portrayed as â€Å"active, brave and determined.† Instead, in the world of fairytales, Pollitt (1995, p. 479) maintains that females â€Å"blend seamlessly into the animated cereal commercials.† Indeed, these remarks are perfectly applicable to the Disney film versions of â€Å"Cinderella,† â€Å"Snow White,† and â€Å"Sleeping Beauty,† among others. In none of these movies do the female characters commit themselves to any action or even make an attempt at defending themselves. Cinderella’s single act of rebellion was to go to the ball without her stepmother’s knowledge but with her fairy godmother's permission and protection. This act is never repeated. In the shoe-fitting scene, she hangs back and does not come forward unt il she is pressed to by Palace officials. This is the ultimate in passivity since she knew that were she just to step forward, her entire life would change. She does not, however, and this in itself, evidences the fact that the course and direction of her life are shaped by others and not be herself. Consequently, within the context of Disney’s film versions of popular fairy tales as â€Å"Cinderella,† one can safely assert the prevalence of negative gender stereotypes. The negative gender stereotypes which audiences can detect in Disney’s â€Å"Cinderella† were not imposed upon the movie by the fairytale itself.... The negative gender stereotypes which audiences can detect in Disney's "Cinderella" were not imposed upon the movie by the fairytale itself, since, in none of its versions are females depicted in this weak, passive and inactive manner. In different versions of the "Cinderella" story, the male character does not make any impression at all, and is only reacts to the actions of the female characters. In the Grimm version, the action of the plot is shaped by the step sisters' determination that Cinderella does not go to the ball, and Cinderella's determination to go. She defies her stepsister when she does not perform the tasks they set for her but has the magic pigeons do it for her. Furthermore, all through this story, the events are shaped by Cinderella's dead mother's spirit. She is the one who sends her daughter the pigeons and gives her the chance to go to the ball. Actually, the prince does not choose Cinderella but both she and her dead mother choose him for her as the only one t hat is good enough for Cinderella. It is all like a magic matchmaking story where the prince walks into the marriage trap that was set out for him by the dead mother. The whole plot is a conflict between women and it is very easy to imagine the Prince's character replaced by another prize symbolizing the victory of the good over the evil, but it is not possible to imagine the story without Cinderella or the evil stepsisters. The Charles Perrault version of the "Cinderella" story confirms the view that men, not women, are very much on the borders of the story. The prince does not appear until halfway through and the first male character we see,

Critical Review based on project from litrature review, methodology Essay - 1

Critical Review based on project from litrature review, methodology and analysis - Essay Example The literature review project is instrumental in showing us how the DICOM technology has long been practised in the medical field. DICOM has been in existence in imaging area of the clinic. It has not been able to avoid DICOM in the medical field since its essential. In chapter 4 of this paper methodology there is the project application by the use of the imaging in the medical field. All the processes involved from taking the images to storing them in the online database are all expounded. With time the imaging applied by the use of DICOM has migrated from the research based to the clinical based. For example the stroke perfusion CT and MR, hippocampal volume, amyloidal and FDG PET, tumour size, Due to need for better treatment, improved technology will serve a better chance in ensuring doctors can access quality information in good timing. This system will provide practitioners with the best, hence enabling better performance. It will also important for others who need information for academic use outside the hospital since they can access it too. It is given that implementing structured data management solution or program has potential problems upon incorporation of such system (Lowe, 1995). The biggest challenge of this project emerges from inflexibility in relations to the system users. This project has the inflexibility problem where the clients or users would feel inhibited from their practises of processing and the usual coding. This way, problem like UML diagram and function not working would arise in the course of the user being constrained from the use of this system. In the methodology part of this paper, there was the use of codes, which were not easy to apply due to the occurrence of syntax and run time errors. These codes were required in entities like tumours, tissues and lesions. These features were necessary to enhance meaning and it was not that easy to come up with the right final code. The

Ethical Dilemmas Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethical Dilemmas - Essay Example At such junctures, there are times when overlooking the important details or critical details seems to be favored than doing one’s own due diligence. This ethical dilemma usually occurs between having to submit some degree of research by the given deadline. Of course, this leads to the outcome that a research itself is half-baked or lack of useful content for it. Of course, this was done so that the paper can reach the acceptable deadline. Having to do any further research beyond the set or acceptable deadline may prove to be very problematic itself. To overcome such a dilemma, it would be wise to do ahead with the necessary preparations for researching and plan or schedule the steps for the research to be taken. Being organized with a proper working schedule helps prevent any researcher from being placed into the dilemma between giving an unsatisfactory research work or having the paper not being accepted due to tardiness. No matter how simple a research work can be, always be prepared ahead of time. Another ethical dilemma one faces in doing research work is by making the research too personal in nature that it is merely biased. Biased research occurs when a researcher has personal preferences regarding an issue within the subject matter and will focus on supporting that point solely. There is no problem in having a personal stake in doing one’s research since it allows an individual to share personal insights and opinions regarding the issue at hand. In fact, having a personal voice and perspective in a research paper is what will add a level of interest and unique color in its ideas. However, focusing solely on one issue while neglecting other points in the research would lead to an insufficient result and conclusion. Being biased not only shows lack of understanding for research, it also shows a lack of academic acumen. To deal with this, a researcher must make a mindset to be as objective as possible. Research requires taking data and

Discussions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 8

Discussions - Essay Example The Roman Empire was extensive, but eventually in the 3th century ethnic and cultural forces divided the empire with the blessing of the imperial government into two political entities (Bentley, Ziegler, and Streets 67-78). According to Heather and Streets (2003), the Byzantine Empire owns is birth and transformation to Justinian. The empire in his time became different from the Roman political system and was replaced with new bureaucracy having power in royal palace over the ancient senatorial system. In the 7th century, the Greek language became official language of the state (Bradie and Michael 43-44). The Greeks continued to use a title of the Roman Empire for long time, nonetheless. But with the emergence of the Charlemagne who became the emperor of the large Frankish empire, the Greek descendant stopped to be seen as the continuation of the Roman Empire. The â€Å"byzantine term is rather new; nonetheless, since the 800 onward, the non-Greek world following Rome and Pope considered that restoration of the imperial title to the Frankish kings used own term on Greek state†. For example the 9th century writers and historians from Central and Western Europe refer to various monarchs of the Con stantinople as the emperor of the Greek (Sanders, Nelson, Morillo and Ellenberger 33-55). The empires loss of territory was offset to a degree by consolidation and an increased uniformity of rule. The emperor Heraclius fully Hellenized the empire by making Greek the official language, thus ending the last remnants of Latin and ancient Roman tradition within the Empire, Heather and Streets (2003). Islam means submission to Allah (God). Islam was revealed to the â€Å"Prophet Muhammad who lived from 570 CE to 632 CE in Mecca in modern-day Saudi Arabia. Muhammad was called to prophet-hood when God dictated the Quran to him through the archangel Gabriel† (p. 132). Two years later, in front of the Kaba in Mecca, he declared Islam the religion of the

The America Story Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The America Story - Term Paper Example There are also other stories like the slave trade and it abolishment, the confrontation that existed between the Southern and the Northern States as well as the civil war of 1861-62. Moving into the nineteenth century, there are a plethora of stories about America, Their involvement in the First and Second World War and later Cold War with Russia, the civil movement in the US over discrimination led by Martin Luther and on the other front by Malcolm X (Foner and John 46). The spread of capitalism ideology to counteract the Communism spread by the Russian, there rise to World super power and the ensuing rivalry with USSR. These are just some of the stories that make part of the American story, throughout the movie reviews in our learning modules; I have considered some of the reviews to be American history by virtue of their contents. One of the movies that were reviewed had its central theme being the slavery in America, in deed, slavery is one of the stories America is widely known for, it explains the presence of the Blacks in most of the southern States of the US. During the Agrarian and industrial revolution, there were high demands for raw materials and labor to meet the escalated demands at the time. The US then engaged in slavery to obtain extra human resource that would be working in the farms and the industries, this activity continued in the US until mid of the nineteenth century when others considered it unproductive. The different views that were held in regard slavery necessitated the civil war in the US that was fought in 1862 between the Southern and the Northern States. Historically, Northerners were industrialist while the Southerners were agriculturalist; this classification made the Southerners to engage in slavery that the northerners, slaves were used in the farms as well as to run other errands that were related to agriculture, land was owned by few people while the rest were landless and had no right to own land. This meant that there was a few demand for the industrial goods that were made then, this did not augur well with the Northerners who wanted the feudal land policy to be done away with and slavery stopped in the hope that market for their products will be enhanced (Foner and John 56). From the movie review, it can be seen that Thaddeus Stevens were against the new rule that stopped slavery since it was going to hinder his progress economically, they wanted to prolong slavery, but Johnson’s plan to stop slavery could not be avoided. This move was vehemently resisted by pro slavery and sparked a fight between the Northern states and the Southern States popularly known as the civil war. Even Lincoln himself before being elected vowed not to stop slavery in the US but later while serving as the president, he saw the need to facilitate its abolishment. Like in the movie Kate Stone and her mother were almost rendered bankrupt after the war that fought slavery, they had about one fifty slave but were eventu ally left with none. It was a protracted struggle to abolish slavery and even after the abolishment, blacks were still being discriminated against and this led to the rise of civil movement in the US. Slavery and its consequences are part of the rich American story that cannot be avoided; in fact, the history of the US is not complete without talking about the slavery and the later civil movement that was witnessed in the nineteenth century. Following slavery in the US, it is interesting to note that other states did not approve it and was thus outlawed. In some cases when one moved from one state that approves slavery to the other that do not, they were forced to free the slaves. In the constitution of the US, slavery was not

How can a firm use social media in branding Research Paper

How can a firm use social media in branding - Research Paper Example This study looks into Apple Incorporation as a big name in the computer and electronic industry. The company is known for its continuous innovation and innovative products. Apple is famous for the different ideas and strategies in comparison to the competitors and as a result create a clear edge competitive advantage in the market. In this section, the social media marketing strategy of Apple has been evaluated along with the explanation of the consumer issues and needs. Social media marketing is gaining popularity rapidly among different organizations. It has taken important place in the Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) strategies of the organizations. Social media marketing allows the organization to communicate and interact with the target market in more easy and convenient manner. Different social media sites and blogs provide the organizations with the platform to interact with the customers directly. These social media platforms also allow the customers to raise any que ry or issue related with the products of services of the organization. Owing to the high importance of social media marketing, it is being used by almost all organizations as a branding tool in order to formulate and communicate the brand image and identity. The brand image and brand identity of any organization or product is directly dependent on the perception consumers built about that particular product or organization. In this regard, the online presence of the organization contributes towards formulating consumers’ perception. ... Social media marketing allows the organization to communicate and interact with the target market in more easy and convenient manner (Mangold & Faulds, 2009). Different social media sites and blogs provide the organizations with the platform to interact with the customers directly. These social media platforms also allows the customers to raise any query or issue related with the products of services of the organization. Owing to the high importance of social media marketing, it is being used by almost all organizations as a branding tool in order to formulate and communicate the brand image and identity (Chan-Olmsted, 2011). The brand image and brand identity of any organization or product is directly dependent on the perception consumers built about that particular product or organization (Hawkins & Mothersbaugh, 2009). In this regard, the online presence of the organization contributes towards formulating consumers’ perception. Apple Incorporation has been coming up with di fferent marketing and promotional strategies in order to attract more and more customers. However, it is important to acknowledge here that the social media marketing strategy of the company has been under serious criticism by different analysts and also the customers. The management of Apple has been only focusing on maintaining the online presence through the itunes and Apple Application store. The main focus of the organization is on the different innovative and high quality electronic products (Subramanian, 2010). Apple does not have any official facebook fan page and twitter account. Although, Apple maintains some discussion forums, which are for replying to the queries and questions of the customers, but unfortunately the staff and employees at

Financial Markets - Understanding Stock Option Information Essay

Financial Markets - Understanding Stock Option Information - Essay Example â€Å"Technical analysis is the study of specific securities and the overall market based on supply/demand relationships.† (Page 1, International encyclopedia of Technical Analysis, Joel G Siegle, Jae K Shim, Anique Quereshi, Jeffrey Brauchler.) Charts and Graphs are the technician’s tools. They interpolate data and decide using graph trends, volume count, and 50 and 200 day moving average charts. To understand patterns one must observe carefully the breadth and movement of the market. Understand how accumulation or distribution (Accumulation, the buying of stock, distribution is the sale of stock.), forecast the future expectation of stocks or options. (Ascending and Descending tops P. 15 International Encyclopedia of Technical Analysis Page 15 and 16,), these illustrations show ascending and descending price top transitions, from time period- to- time period, that trail stock directions. Volatility charts show extremes —specifically, option volatility charts sh ow relationships between puts, calls, strike prices, and expiration dates. Assumption associations are derived from historical patterns, price patterns, and supply and demand relationship. Historical relationships signal the likeness of direction, whereas, price patterns point to quantity of decrease and increase. â€Å"Market factors (Interest rate changes, economic conditions, political factors, announced pending acquisitions.), are already incorporated into current market price per share. If demand exceeds supply, the stock price will increase, and vice versa.†

Animal Rights Opinion Essay Essay Example for Free

Animal Rights Opinion Essay Essay To have a liable viewpoint on the topic of Animal Rights, one must practically have the abilities of a well-practiced philosopher. You must be able to fully evaluate the characteristics of every possible relationship, good or bad, between man and his fellow members of the Animal Kingdom, and their potential outcomes. You must also decide if you believe in human exceptionalism, that is, whether or not we are equal to animals. â€Å"A rat is a pig is a dog is a boy. † Says Ingrid Newkirk, head of PETA, in 2003, â€Å"They are all mammals†. Other individuals, however, such as Wesley J. Smith (2010), believe that this attitude will devalue the â€Å"the unique status of humans†. Everyone has their own take on this topic, and, if we resolve this in a civilized and orderly fashion, we can potentially have a perfect balance between humans and the world’s diverse flora and fauna. Across the globe, there are hundreds of organizations that are constantly fighting for the equality of animals, and the elimination of their mistreatment. Some of the bigger names include the World Wildlife Fund, (WWF), and PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). These groups rally, lobby, and petition against criminal acts against practically every species of animal, and believe you me they have their hands full! In some laboratories, primates are being rigorously forced through difficult tests, and on some farming facilities belonging to today’s big corporations, such as the large restaurant chain known as Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), animals are being harvested in an inhumane manner. Among the worst cases is the solicitation of â€Å"crush films†, in which puppies and small, cute animals are â€Å"slowly crushed or impaled by women wearing heels,† reports David Michael (2010). These videos were banned in 1999 by the Supreme Court, until the federal law had overreached, and the law was overturned. These acts are clear examples of cruelty towards animals, and can never be truly justified. If we take the rights steps, in a warranted and honest manner, then we can stop animal abuse, and save future species from an unruly and unjustified future as slaves to man-kind. There also exists a whole other group of people who believe that life is just a game of the survival of the fittest, which is similar to the point of view of Wesley J. Smith, author of A Rat Is a Pig Is a Dog Is a Boy: The  Human Cost of the Animal Rights Movement. He, and many others, believe that â€Å"valuing humans over animals is a form of discrimination† against humans, which he describes in his new book published in 2010. He also tells us that giving animals the same legal status takes away from who we are, as the dominant species of Earth. I personally, do not believe this is completely true. We moved these creatures out of their homes to build our houses and buildings, and then polluted them with the carbon outputs of our cities and towns. This makes it our responsibility to help them find new homes any way we can. On the other hand, he did mention something I could partially relate to. â€Å"Humans do indeed have a moral obligation to promote animal welfare, but they are also entitled to use animals, particularly if the use of animals alleviates human suffering.† I can get behind this statement to some extent. There are hundreds of scientists using animals to research possible cures for certain diseases that affect thousands of humans daily. However, harming these animals would be completely unacceptable. We could use alternative solutions, like observing animals in their natural habitats, if possible, and study them there, or at least let them go, unharmed, after the experiment is completed. Although many groups and individuals are taking the right steps to put an end to this epidemic, not everyone likes to play by the rules. There have been numerous cases of arson, theft, and animal right activists terrorizing companies that test on animals. In fact, â€Å"fifty-one out of fifty-eight of the incidents of domestic terrorism identified in the FBI’s report Terrorism 2002-2005 were suspected to have been perpetrated by animal rights activists,† claims Smith (2010). â€Å"Which is surprisingly violent for its (animal rights movement) allegedly non-violent goals,† agrees David Michael (2010). Some of the more extreme cases include lighting entire laboratories on fire, death threats, and, in 2007, a researcher’s children being sent HIV-infected needles in the mail. Even PETA is not completely innocent of such acts. In 1995, they donated over $45 000 to the defense funds of Rodney Coronado, who was guilty of burning down a Michigan State laboratory. PETA finds these are â€Å"acceptable crimes†¦when used for the animal cause,† says Alex Pacheco, a co-founder of PETA. They also compared animal cruelty to the Holocaust in one of their many campaigns, to get their message across crystal clear, which offended many members of the public, and therefore raised many eyebrows. I believe that we must find was  to eliminate animal abuse with this ‘militaristic’ component. In conclusion, I believe that, a long time ago, before man first started his evolutionary track, a balance of rights and respect between our kind and the rest of the world’s fauna existed. However, as we evolved, this balance shifted into our favor. We became the dominant exception in the Animal Kingdom, removing inferior species from their homes, either by enslaving or killing them. This behavior is unacceptable, and must be stopped, because of its excessive injustice towards animals. I also believe that organizations like PETA are on the right track. In order to make change, we have to fight for it, but to certain extents. Arson and burglary are deplorable, and will only make the problem even worse. We must deal with these issues in a civilized and organized manner. Burning laboratories simply won’t do. Once these steps are taken, and if we are able to treat animals with the respect and value, we will be able to coexist in harmony with the rest of the Animal Kingdom, and the balance we once had can be restored. Works Cited Michael, D. (2010, July 21st). Animal Spirits. Retrieved July 30th, 2010, from the Book: http://www.tnr.com/book/review/animal-spirits

Exam Study Guide Essay Example for Free

Exam Study Guide Essay Attitude is determined by beliefs on performance of the attribute and importance of that attribute To change their attitude on a brand/competing brand change their belief on attribute and their perception of the value of that attribute and add a new attribute to the mix. Classical Conditioning vs. Operant Conditioning vs. Psychoanalytic Research Classical Conditioning (Association) using an unconditioned stimulus to generate an unconditioned response which eventually becomes a conditioned response to a conditioned stimulus Pavlov’s Dog Operant Conditioning (Instrumental) behavior is followed by a positive or negative consequence which determines probability of behavior reoccurring Use positive reinforcement to encourage behavior Psychoanalytic Research (Freud) motivation to purchase is determined deep in subconscious mind Need qualitative research- in depth interviews, focus groups, etc. Source Attributes Power Ability to reward or punish recipient through their perception of source’s power based on recipients perceived control/scrunity/concern of the source over them Can induce to respond to their position Credibility Expertise (experience,skill) trustworthiness (honest) Attractiveness Similarity btwn source and recipient Familiarity through repeat exposure Likeability through affection for source caused by looks/behavior/traits Elaboration Likelihood Model Ways consumers change/form attitudes in response to persuasive messages Routes to attitude change Central highly motivated/able to process message, pays close attention Peripheral less motivated/able to process message, pays attention to peripheral cues not message Ex. An attractive endorser Meaning Transfer Model Celebrity effectiveness as endorser dependent on meaning culture has associated with them and how they are brought into the endorsement process Ex. Status, class, age Stage 1: Culture Objects/persons/context popular to culture transferred into meaning associated with popular celebrity Stage 2: Endorsement Cultural meaning of celebrity Celebrity transferred onto Product Stage 3: Consumption Product is consumed by consumer transfer meaning of product onto consumer Consumer Decision Rules Simplified Heuristics rule of thumb used to make quick decision Affect Referral Decision Rule overall impression instead of detailed comparison Non- Compensatory short cut to making a choice, a product with low standing on one attribute can’t compensate by being better on another attribute and is eliminated Compensatory allow product to make up for lack on one attribute by being better at another Response Hierarchies Traditional Hierarchy of Effects Alternative Response Hierarchy FCB Planning Model Traditional Hierarchy of Effects Model Stage 1: Cognitive Stage (Learn) Awareness Knowledge Stage 2: Affective Stage (Feel) Liking Preference Conviction Stage 3: Behavioral Stage (Do) Purchase Alternative Response Hierarchies Based on level of involvement in purchase and perceived level of differences in alternatives Learning Model High involvement, high differentiation- learn then develop attitudes then behave based on Cognitive (learn) Affective (feel) Conative (do, action) Dissonance/Attribution Model High involvement, low differentiation- behave first then develop attitudes then learn/process the behavior Conative(do) Affective (feel) Cognitive (learn) Low Involvement Model Low involvement, both high and low differentiation- learn first, then behave, then develop attitude Cognitive (learn) Conative (do) Affective (feel)

A pizzeria business plan

A pizzeria business plan Executive Summary This is a business plan for a Pizzeria based on producing a differentiated product in a premium location. The objective is to differentiate the operation from any other restaurant operation based on the concept of superior quality food based on the exclusive use of premium natural ingredients for every element of the product delivered from a conventional cheese and tomato pizza to the unique menu items. At the same time the operation is such that its environmental footprint is minimized and it operates in a manner that maximizes social responsibility in every facet of its operation. Pricing relative to other Pizzerias will be premium, but compared to most of the restaurants in the same quality bracket very competitive. The longer-term plan will involve additional Sofian Eat restaurants on either an owned or franchised basis or a combination of the two. This initial plan is for the pilot operation, which will serve as a model for future openings of Sofian Eat. Essentials to success The planned operation is a restaurant. The underlying keys to successful restaurant operation are good food served in a clean and pleasant atmosphere. These are a ‘given in any successful restaurant, but in themselves are not sufficient to create any great success. â€Å"Positioning is an underleveraged restaurant marketing component. Positioning is the place you hold in the customers or prospects mind relative to the competition (the cheaper choice, the higher quality choice, et cetera). Effective positioning involves incorporation of your Unique Selling Proposition (U.S.P.).†[1] (Quantified Marketing Group, 2010) In Sofian Eat success will depend on creating a unique â€Å"product† based on the publics concern for the environment and the wholesomeness of food. This will be incorporated into a unique ambiance and menu that will provide a dining experience that hopefully customers will enjoy and wish to repeat. An important element in the overall concept is that because Sofian Eats is dedicated to concepts concerning the environment and natural food, which the client is aware of and approve, they will have an underlying â€Å"good feeling† about what they are doing when they enjoy a meal at Sofian Eats. In Principles of Marketing Dr. Philip Kotler uses the fast food industry as an example of marketing being used to sell. â€Å"Shoddy, harmful or unsafe products†, and bemoans the fact that this American approach to restaurant marketing is catching on in Europe.[2] The marketing approach used in this project is unashamedly copied from another American Company, Ben Jerrys Ice Cream that takes a totally opposite approach.[3] While not as successful as McDonalds, Ben Jerrys built a business from a single tiny location to a major company and the founders finally sold the company to Unilever in 2000. 1.0 Terms of Reference 1.1 To 1.2 From These three items are not ordinarily a part of a business plan, and I am not totally clear on what is wanted here. Clearly, I cannot fill in â€Å"to and from†. I suspect that the three items involves only a few words with the possible exception of â€Å"terms of reference†. I will gladly write something for you about this as a revision if you can tell me what it is supposed to do. Thanks. Your writer 1.3 Business Plan (Sofian Eat) The plan is for a pilot restaurant in what is hoped will become a chain or franchise operation in the long term. This plan is based entirely on the pilot project and does not include any discussion of possible future developments or expansion into additional locations. Decisions concerning this will be made based on the success of the pilot project and what is learned by operating what is planned as a unique style of restaurant operation. 1.4 Date handed in The due date of the project is 18 March 2010. 2.0 findings The research findings are based on the work of Kivela, Inbakaran and Reece[4] and Quantified Marketing Group[5], which seem to support each other closely. The consensus is that restaurant marketing is difficult, and to be successful requires very careful research and analysis. A part of the problem is that restaurateurs are just that and not professional marketers. They know how to operate a restaurant but are not ordinarily knowledgeable in modern marketing techniques. This can be considered a positive element as it potentially provides an entrepreneur that is trained in marketing a competitive advantage. The suggestion is that conventional marketing using mass media is not practical while so called neighbourhood marketing is. Invest marketing funds in persuading customers to spend more per check and return more often. 2.1 Market research The questionnaire and research approach were based on the work of Clark and Wood.[6] (Clark Wood, 1999) Their work implies that the quality, range and type of food are key determinants in consumer loyalty. Their work also suggested the nature of the target clientele of the operation. A summary of the finding of the limited sample of 25 street interviews in the target neighborhood is presented below. The questionnaire is included as an appendix. What we see in the market research is a demographic pattern that is almost ideal and emphasis on the quality of the food and variety of menu offerings as criteria for restaurant selection. The emphasis on the mid price range and above is also the target market sought. There was no pattern in the response to favorite restaurant with only one being mentioned twice and the others all individual choices. The most common response to the why is it your favorite centered on the combination of good food and pleasant atmosphere. The only surprise is that five respondents indicated that a personal relationship with the proprietor was an important factor. 2.2 Location 142 Cowan Street, Kensington, London SW1. (This is obviously a fictitious street location) 2.3 Competition The competition broadly defined is any and every restaurant or eating establishment in London, and eventually anywhere a Sofian Eat is opened. What is planned is the creation of a unique â€Å"niche† where the competition will be limited or non-existent. 2.4 Objectives mission statement The Mission of Sofian Eat is threefold: The social mission is to operate the company in a manner that recognizes the role played by businesses in society. It will facilitate this goal by developing original and innovative approaches to improve the quality of life in the areas in which it operates The product mission is to produce the finest quality all natural pizza and innovative new culinary creations. The commitment of the business is to incorporate only wholesome natural ingredients and promote business and culinary practices that respect the earth and the environment. The Economic Mission is to operate the business on a sustainable financial basis of profitable growth and expansion. This will increase the values for stakeholders while it expands opportunities for the development and career growth of the companys employees.[7] 2.5 Business name The business name will be Sofian Eat 2.6 Legal Structure The initial public structure will be a corporate structure created with the longer-term objective of selling shares in a public offering at some point down the road. 2.7 Marketing Plan The marketing plan will be based entirely on product differentiation. Any attempt to create a marketing plan based on price competition in conventional pizza or Italian food is doomed to be at best a â€Å"me too† operation. There is no shortage of pizzerias or ethnic restaurants in London or almost anywhere else. The underlying marketing plan is based almost entirely on differentiating the product and the restaurants in which it is served from the competition in terms of the restaurants dà ©cor and ambiance and the menu. The long term objective is to create a â€Å"brand† that will be difficult to duplicate and will present an immediate â€Å"picture† in the mind of the consumer when they think Sofian Eat. The fact that this operation will have a formal marketing plan is in itself a competitive advantage. A marketing consulting company, Quantified Marketing Group, has an extensive and professional discussion of restaurant marketing tactics. While there is little relevant academic research on restaurant marketing this source is a good substitute. They discuss exactly the topics underlying this project such as branding, positioning, differentiation and segmentation.[8] 2.7.1 Marketing USPs The marketing Unique Selling Propositions will include the concept that everything provided on the menu is created from wholesome natural products and produced and served in a way that is at least environmentally neutral and hopefully environmentally positive. For example, the take out pizza boxes will be made of recycled paper and biodegradable. The layout and ambiance of the restaurant will contribute further to the concept of a USP. A further USP will be menu items that are unusual and unique. For example, Sushi Pizza will be sushi served on a crisp pizza dough â€Å"platter† with individual items arranged artistically on small segments as finger food. Kebab pizza will be thin sliced roasted lamb with fresh vegetable bits and yogurt sauce. While these may not be huge volume items they will help differentiate Sofian Eat from the competition. They also emphasize the wholesome ingredients aspect of the menu. A further differentiation will be the offer of two dining rooms, one for adult dining and one for family dining with children. The ambiance will be different, and the family dining area will offer a special menu for families featuring offering that will particularly appeal to children in addition to the menu offered in the adult section. In his book Marketing Management Philip Kotler emphasizes that a USP can vary from segment to segment, but the key is that it amounts to formulating a benefit, motivation, identification or reason why the audience should think about or investigate the product.[9] 2.7.2 Marketing segmentation Obviously, any restaurant wants to appeal to the widest possible array of potential clients. Sofian Eat is aimed primarily at a relatively young and affluent audience with some refinement of taste. This would encompass singles, families with children from toddler to teens, and some older and middle-aged clients that enjoy dining out. As a pizzeria, pricing would be at the upper end of the scale of pizza restaurants, but not premium priced. If pricing were compared on comparable items, for example a 30-cm. pizza with onion, garlic, mushroom, cheese and tomato sauce the premium would be a pound or two. Conversely, the sushi pizza would be a relatively expensive item compared to most pizza products, and the kebab pizza would be several pounds more than a pizza bolognaise in the typical pizzeria. In an attempt to widen the potential market Sofian Eat would offer a variety of additional menu choices outside of the typical Italian offerings of spaghetti and Lasagna. The wine list would also have an extensive variety of quality offerings appropriately priced. 2.7.3 Product The product is the key to the potential of Sofian Eat. The insistence on pure wholesome ingredients without any chemical contaminants or preservatives is the first requirement for a differentiated product. Cooking over natural wood fires and in wood burning brick ovens is another element. Using these natural products to create innovative menu offerings such as the sushi pizza is another product innovation. Product is the ultimate key to branding and product positioning. It is the objective to convince the customer that food made of wholesome natural ingredients and prepared in an environmentally friendly or at least neutral manner is both better tasting and healthier than the alternatives offered by the competition. â€Å"Positioning is the place you hold in the customers or prospects mind relative to the competition†[10] It is also the key to branding. â€Å"Brand-building is closing the gap between what you promise and what you deliver. A strong brand is one that has alignm ent between the promise and execution.†[11] The product and product quality is the foundation of a successful restaurant brand. 2.7.4 Pricing In spite of the insistence on ingredient quality, the menu model would try to keep food costs to less than 30% of menu item price. It is envisioned that menu prices will be above pizzeria averages, but still modest compared to up-scale restaurants. They would be in keeping with the income of the target market of middle to upper income clientele. 2.7.5 Promotion Restaurant promotion is a complex subject. Initially, it has to be aimed at getting diners through the door and to a table for the first time. This is however the most expensive and least effective forms of promotion. Research has shown that new customer acquisition is 7-10 times as expensive as building sales through increasing frequency, party size and check average. Because Sofian Eat is initially at least a neighborhood restaurant, flyers, local billboards and similar media are more appropriate and hopefully more effective. A sidewalk food sample give away is a tool that has been carefully considered and is deemed worthy of an experimental effort. 2.7.6 Place The initial restaurant will be located in Kensington, London. While Kensington is a high cost and highly competitive area it also has the affluent clientele that Sofian Eat is targeting. It also has relatively high foot traffic and high rent is offset by high visibility. This is closely associated with promotion as discussed above. 2.8 Finance 2.8.1 Sources Initial investment will come from the resources of the founders and a few selected outside investors. As the operation envisioned will be fairly extensive, involve a high rent location, and will probably be cash flow negative for some months at least, substantial initial funds are required. Based on the expected success of the pilot operation in a high visibility neighborhood expansion of additional restaurants emulating the first one is considered as part of the plan. This would require substantial external financing and a public offering to finance this is anticipated. 2.8.2 Cash Flow The companys cash position is based on an equity contribution of  £1,000,000 and borrowings of  £2,000,000 repayable over 10 years starting in year 3. The company is expected to pass the break even point late in its second year of operation and obviously the cash position will deteriorate continuously to this point. It would drop to somewhere in the vicinity of  £100,000 or a bit more prior to the projected passing of the break-even point in the second half of year 2. It should improve to the point where the first payment of  £200,000 on the debt could be handled without problem in year 3. 2.8.3 Profit and Loss accounts The company is projected to loose money in its first two years with the break-even point reach in the second half of year 2. Food cost is projected to drop progressively as volume increases as a result of volume purchasing and lower waste as volume grows. In the model revenues from food and beverage sales are combined, as are their costs. Rent is based on a restaurant of 700 sq. meters with rent of  £1,200 per meter per year or  £70,000 per month,  £840,000 per year. The projected lease is for 10 years with no provision for rent increases in that period. Depreciation is based on the investment of  £1,200,000 in fixtures, dà ©cor and equipment with the depreciation based on the 10-year initial lease with a zero residual value. Selling, general and administrative and other expenses are estimated with more detailed budgeting at a later point. The tax rate is arbitrarily set at 36% over the entire period of the projection. This should prove to be conservative. In fact, in the th ree years included in the projection no tax will be due in the first two years on operating losses and in year 3 any tax due would be more than offset by loss carry forwards. The Personnel cost is based on the Personnel Model included in the financial statements show as appendices. 2.8.4 Balance Sheet The projected balance sheet presented is simplistic. The only current asset is actually cash and some small quantity of inventory. The Liabilities would be accruals of the SGA and operating expense and payroll costs. In the balance sheet model they are show as exactly offsetting current assets other than cash for the sake of simplicity. Effectively, working capital would be the cash position. In practice, the loan might well be taken down in tranches as required. Equity is shown as negative by the end of year 1 and remains negative throughout the three years projected. It would turn positive at some point in year 4 based on the projected income of over  £250,000 in year three and still growing. 2.9 Organization 2.9.1 Structure The organization of a restaurant is fixed in that there is the â€Å"front of the house†, the tables and bar where patrons are served and the â€Å"back of the house† or the kitchen. The Maitre de Hotel or headwaiter that supervises the wait staff and seats patrons runs the â€Å"front of the house†. The kitchen is obviously run by the Chef who in addition to being responsible for the recipes supervises all the actions of the kitchen staff and is responsible for purchasing the ingredients. There is a manager and assistants who are responsible for the overall operation and supervision of the till. The general manager would also be responsible for keeping records and payment of accruals and salaries.[12] 2.9.2 Motivation Virtually every text on restaurant and hotel management stresses the importance of training for the staff. Motivation is a key element in this training process. In a restaurant operation one of the obvious keys is the quality of the chef. He might be compensated on a profit sharing basis that also reflects the relationship of food cost to food revenues. In practice, the service staff is compensated in large part by tips that reflect the quality of their service and their attitudes. Motivation is not usually a problem in this area. For the other members of the staff training, fair treatment and recognition of good performance should provide the level of motivation necessary.[13] 3.0 Conclusion 3.1 Strengths The key elements that are expected to contribute to success are the differentiation of product based on the exclusive use of natural and wholesome ingredients. This combined with a prime location, attractive dà ©cor and the use of separate facilities for patrons with and without children are the elements that make Sofian Eat a unique and attractive dining experience. The underlying approach is to build a marketing plan based on product differentiation. Restaurants all serve food, and basically food is food. It does vary in quality and presentation. Sofian Eat is certainly not the only restaurant to serve premium quality food, but it is hoped that the presentation and menu combined with good value will build a solid business. 3.2 Weaknesses The most serious weaknesses as this plan is being prepared are the world economic situation, the number of strong competitors in the selected location, and the very high cost of the desirable location. The economic situation, which has produced high unemployment in the UK, has impacted the traffic of the restaurant industry as potential patrons close their pocketbooks. This is at odds with the continued premium rents commanded for prime locations. The timing of the opening is possibly the most serious weakness of the plan. 4.0 Evaluation 4.1 Internal The internal elements that are of greatest importance are the ability of the operation to differentiate itself from the many other restaurants in London based on the menu, the quality and presentation of the product, and the ambiance of the operation. It is essential that dining at Sofian Eat is a very special experience. This will result from the ability of the management to produce an operation that is superior in all respects from the opening day. The standard of every facet of the operation must be â€Å"perfection†. While this is obviously unattainable, the deviations from this standard must be few and far between. This will be the element that makes the operation a success in spite of economic difficult or strong competition. 4.2 External The primary external question is the economic situation and the recovery of the United Kingdom economy. There are no other particular external factors that will influence Sofian Eat any differently than they do any other restaurant operation. The economic situation makes the situation difficult for almost any business and starting a new business will be particularly difficult base on it. References Ben Jerrys. (2010). Ben Jerrys Mission. Retrieved March 15, 2010, from http://www.benjerry.com/activism/mission-statement/ Clark, M., Wood, R. (1999). Consumer loyalty in the restaurant industry: A preliminary exploration of the issues. British Food Journal, 101(4), 317-327. Kivela, J., Inbakaran, R., Reece, J. (2000). Consumer research in the restaurant environment. Part 3: analysis, findings and conclusions. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 12(1), 13-30. Kotler, P. (1991). Marketing Management (7th ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Kotler, P., Armstrong, G., Wong, V., Saunders, J. (2008). Principles of Marketing. Essex, UK: Pearson Education Ltd. Quantified Marketing Group. (2010). Restaurant Marketing Tactics. Retrieved March 16, 2010, from http://www.quantifiedmarketing.com/learning_center/restaurant-marketing.php