Operations Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5500 words

Operations Management - Essay Example Operation management is the function of managing core activities such as creation, production, distribution and delivery of the organisation’s goods and services (Chase, and Aquilano, 1977). This management of organisation is associated with the conversion of labour and material into goods and services efficiently to maximise the profits of the organisation (Gaither, 1984).Managing of operations appropriately is important for organisations in order to ensure high productivity, and customer satisfaction (Krajewski, Ritzman, &Malhorta, 2007). 1.2 What will be discussed in this case study?(Synopsis) This case study will provide an extensive knowledge regarding the operational problems being faced by the hospital; Riyadh Medical Hospital. This case study will be focused on highlighting the critical operational problems such as Supply chain management, Inventory management, Waste and lean management; and Quality management Along with these critical problems, the case study will pro vide an overview of the structure and growth that are relevant to these essential areas of operational management.The elements mentioned above will be separately investigated to evaluate the importance of each of the operational management issues. ... spital.The operation management deals with managing core activities from the conversion of labour and material to goods and services (Apte, Maglaras, and Pinedo, 2008). This would allow us to better understand the issues related to operation management at Riyadh Military Hospital. This case study addresses the major operational management issues such as supply chain management, inventory management, waste and lean management and quality management at Riyadh military hospital. Each of the issues mentioned are a hurdle for the hospital to work effectively and efficiently. This case study helpsto analyse and provide recommendation to improve the understanding of these problems. The concept of operation management would be used to understand the information and the problems associated with the management at Riyadh Military Hospital. The supply chain management issue wouldhelp in learning more about the importance of supply chain in a hospital and how can the supply chain management affec t the overall performance of the Riyadh Military Hospital. Similarly, the inventory management issues will highlight the importance of keeping balance between the required inventory and the amount of inventory at hand. The excess inventory in a hospital can lead to unfavourable situations as it reduces the capacity of the organisation and the value perceived by the customers reduces. On the other hand, the waste and lean management issue would highlight the importance of processes that are aimed to reduce the waste and improve the efficiency of the hospital. Lean management is aimed to transform the processes radically and to reduce the cost of the processes(Schemenner, 1984). The last but not the least operational management issue; quality management, would highlight the importance of

Unit9englassignm Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Unit9englassignm - Essay Example Initially not intended to house non-violent criminal offenders, current trends indicate that youths convicted of crimes, even very minor offenses, are being increasingly committed to detention centers in preference to the implementation of less stringent methods of punishment and rehabilitation (Foley, 2001). However, the large-scale use of detention centers as the sole method of deterring youth crime is insufficient to the purpose as it increases the familiarity and acceptance of criminal attitudes and behaviors, has a negative impact on the mental condition of detainees, and hinders both education and the healthy development of acceptable social behaviors. The detention of minors who have exhibited criminal tendencies and/or engaged in illegal activities within this type of large, secure holding facility does not result in a direct, significant level of discouragement to future crime. On the contrary, communal youth housing practices used in such detention facilities has been proven to create an atmosphere which aggravates the rate of recidivism among minors. Studies based on information compiled from multiple states suggest that as many as 60 percent of young offenders sentenced to time in a juvenile detention center have later been required to return, often to the same facility, following the commission of new criminal offense(s) (Sander, Sharkey, Tanigawa, and Mauseth, 2010). Such an excessively high rate of recidivism does little to support the notion of rehabilitation through detention. Though many factors have been blamed for the high rate of recidivist practices among delinquent youths, one influential element of this recurring criminality is the reinforcement of negative behaviors and attitudes within detention facilities themselves. Statistics concerning a seeming reduction in youth crime rates fail to consider this

Information Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6000 words

Information Management - Assignment Example Instead, the company's efforts should focus on other cultural matters. Coffee is a universal beverage. As such, almost every country has established its own coffee company. Expanding a coffee business, as in all types of enterprise, in a new location would mean giving due consideration to the inherent culture of that area. Understanding and talking the language is the first step to better comprehend the business environment of the locality. I believe that communication is one of the fundamentals of business. It took quite some time and research before Starbucks management made its final decision to open its first coffeehouse in Tokyo, Japan in August 1996. In 1995, Starbucks Coffee International forms joint venture with SAZABY Incorporated to develop Starbucks coffeehouses in Japan (Starbucks Japan, 2003). The partnership enabled Starbucks to be aware of the trading atmosphere in Japan, the attitude of Japanese towards work, and the locals' appreciation of sprouting foreign business in the area. Japanese can also be categorised among the educated businessmen in the world. Education and stock knowledge of future partners on business and technology have to be considered, particularly those coming from developing countries where e-learning is few steps behind from fully developed countries. The employees' outlook in work is vit... 3.2 Attitude The employees' outlook in work is vital. Workers of different nationality also vary in attitude towards their career. Stuart Duff, Head of Development at business psychologist firm Pearn Kandola, compared workers in Holland and the United Kingdom: "In the Netherlands research suggests that employees are more likely to seek long-term role security while in the UK employees will tend to look for more variety and changes in role through their career (Business Management Europe, 2006)." 3.3 Leadership Style Leadership styles also vary in some country. Gender matters in some member-countries of the European Union. Business Management Europe (2006) talked to Colin Meager, European Executive Committee member of Integra International. Meager says, "Certain EU countries have a more formal and rigid management structure and this can be exasperating to those who are used to more flexible and informal management systems." 3.4 Economy A country's economy is worth to be considered. Can the populace purchase our products Starbucks' target markets are the business class (traders and professionals) and the academe (teachers and students). These people abound in developed countries and going to a caf would be an ordinary routine. Whilst in developing countries like the Philippines, professionals as well as students from well-off families are excited to see international names among the cafes in the neighborhood. Turban, Rainer & Potter (2001, p. 4) wrote that in a global economy, "goods and services are produced profitable as dictated by competitive advantages that any nation might hold (e.g. expertise with certain technologies or low labor costs)." Labor costs differ from one country to another. Hourly Industrial Wages in Different Countries (in US

Coffee and Starbuck Essay Example for Free

Coffee and Starbuck Essay Summarize the overall strategy of Starbucks Management in its effort to create and develop a new concept and a rapidly expanding company. The overall goal of Starbucks Management was to create an American version of the Italian coffee bars that Howard Schultz had experienced first-hand in Milan. He believed that Starbucks should function as an important part of the community, as a meeting place for its customers. He wanted Starbucks to become an experience that would differentiate itself from its competitors. One of their key strategies in meeting this goal is a focus on customer service in order to create an experience for its consumers. Another one of their strategies is to ignite their emotional attachment with consumers. They also have a commitment to improving their business through better training, tools, and products and to give attention to store-level economics and operating efficiency. All of these are prongs to their strategy that will allow Starbucks management to turn Starbucks into a location where people don’t just go to grab coffee, but to experience the atmosphere of an Italian coffee shop. Another prong to their strategy is to offer many different products and to distribute them among a variety of distribution methods. Which one of the five generic competitive strategies discussed in Chapter 5 most closely approximates the competitive approach that Starbucks is employing? There are five generic competitive strategies that can be employed and they are low-cost provider strategy, broad differentiation strategy, focused low-cost strategy, focused differentiation strategy, and best-cost provider strategy. The strategy that Starbucks uses is broad differentiation where they seek to differentiate their product offerings from rivals’ with attributes that will appeal to a large variety of consumers. The key market characteristic for the strategy of differentiation to work is that buyers’ needs and preferences are very diverse and cannot be satisfied with a standardized product offering. This is an evident characteristic of the market because consumers all have different preferences on the way they like their coffee. Which is the reason why Starbucks offers many different product options like lattes, skinny lattes, coffee, iced drinks, blended drinks, etc. They also offer fruit cups, water, and bakery items to provide even more options for their consumers. If a differentiation strategy is successfully implemented the firm will be able to do one of the following: command a premium price for its products, increase unit sales, and/or gain buyer loyalty to its brand. Starbucks has some of the highest prices for the type of products they offer and people tend to be extremely loyal to whatever coffee they are used to purchasing, because they trust the quality. Methods to enhance differentiation 1. Create superior product features, design, and performance Starbucks has a superior knowledge of coffee and a commitment to providing customers with quality coffees. Providing top-quality, fresh-roasted whole-bean coffee was the company’s differentiating feature and a core value since the beginning of its founding. Couches, fireplaces, newspapers, drive-through windows, kiosks in supermarkets and other public places were added to locations depending on what would add value to their consumers. Due to their focus on providing a different experience depending on the location of the store, their international strategy is a multi-domestic approach. The core characteristics of each new store was based on local materials and craftsmanship, a focus on reused and recycled materials and exposure of structural integrity and authentic roots. Most important of all they believed that coffee should be central and that distractions should be removed. They believed that the combination of all these elements should tell a story that would engage the consumer’s five senses and provide them with flexibility to meet the needs of the many different consumers that would be attracted to Starbucks. 2. Improving customer service or adding additional features When Howard Schultz first became part of the company he realized that one key problem Starbucks was having was that first-time consumers often felt uneasy about their absence of knowledge about high-quality coffee. An additional problem was that the employees came off as arrogant and unapproachable. He then worked with employees to teach them about friendly customer service and created a pamphlet to teach new customers about coffee. He also began to offer part-time employees health insurance and a stock option plan for all employees, because he believed that if a company treated their employees well, then they would in turn treat their consumers well. The additional features that Starbucks offers are fireplaces, couches, music, Wi-Fi access, ability to use paid sites and services like Wall Street Journal’s site, exclusive content and previews, free downloads, local community news, and activities. 3. Pursuing production RD activities Starbucks is constantly brewing new flavors and blends to offer their consumers a variety of coffee to try. Flavors are rotated daily or weekly to offer constant variety. They also test new product offerings like Frappuccino’s, Lattes, Skinny Lattes, and seasonal drinks. 4. Striving for innovation and technological advances One way that Starbucks was able to constantly strive for innovation was by controlling the cost of opening and renovating stores by centralizing buying, developing standard contracts and fixed fees for certain items, and consolidating work under those contractors who displayed good cost-control practices. Starbucks retail operations group outlined the minimum amount of equipment each store would need. This meant that standard items could be ordered from vendors in volume at 20 to 30 percent discounts. The items would then be delivered to the site from a warehouse or from the vendor. A technological advance was that they used computer software to build store layouts that would calculate costs as the design progressed. This cut costs by a significant amount and shortened the process of opening a store to 18 weeks. 5. Increasing intensity of marketing and sales activities Originally, Starbucks didn’t spend a lot of money on advertising, because they relied mostly on word-of-mouth. In 2008 McDonald’s stepped up their advertising to highlight their McCafe coffee drinks. In order to counter this Starbucks undertook the largest advertising campaign ever. 6. Seeking out high-quality inputs Starbucks promotes environmentally sustainable practices in coffee cultivation methods and have specific guidelines they follow called Coffee and Farmer Equity Practices that help farmers to grow high quality coffees in environmentally beneficial ways. In 2000 they began purchasing their coffee organically and a growing percentage of their coffees were grown organically as well as Fair Trade Certified. 7. Improving employee skill, knowledge, and experience Starbucks has a commitment to training their employees so that they are better able to serve their customers. All partners and baristas receive at least 24 hours of training in their first two to four weeks on topics such as coffee history, drink preparation, coffee knowledge, customer service (for a total of 4 hours), and retail skills. Baristas in particular are required to learn how to grind beans, steam milk, pull perfect shots of espresso, memorize recipes, practicing how to mix drinks, and how to customize drinks. Sessions also include how to operate the cash register, clean the milk wand, explain the Italian drink names, and making eye contact with customers. Management trainees are required to attend classes for 8-12 weeks and learn about store operations, practices, and procedures. When a new store is opened a Star Team of experienced employees are sent to make sure everything runs smoothly. From time to time, Starbucks conducts special training programs, including a coffee masters program, leadership training program, and career programs for partners in all types of jobs. When does a differentiation strategy work best? A differentiation strategy works best when buyer needs and uses of the product are diverse, there are many ways to differentiate the product or service that have value to buyers, few rival firms are following a comparable differentiation approach, and technological change is fast paced and competition revolves around rapidly evolving product features. Starbucks’ actions to differentiate their product line They have expanded their product offerings along many different distribution channels by capitalizing on their growing brand name and awareness. First they were able to market their product to restaurants, airlines, hotels, universities, hospitals, business offices, country clubs, and select retailers. United Airlines, Hyatt, Hilton, Sheraton, Radisson, Westin hotels, and Wells Fargo all began to serve Starbucks coffee. A joint venture with PepsiCo came with the sale of a bottled version of the Frappucino drink and Starbucks Doubleshot espresso drinks. In 2008, they partnered with Suntory to sell ready-to-drink Doubleshot drinks in Japan. In 2010 a partnership with Arla Foods spread Doubleshot products and Starbucks chilled cup coffees into retail stores in the UK. A 1995 partnership with Dryers created a new line of coffee ice cream under Starbucks names that was later disbanded in 2008. At this time the rights to manufacture, market, and distribute Starbucks ice cream was given to Unilever. In 1998 Kraft Foods began marketing and distributing whole bean and ground coffee to supermarkets in the US. Tazo Tea was acquired by Starbucks in 1999 and in 2005 they acquired Ethos Water. A partnership with Jim Beam Brands created Starbucks Coffee Liqueur in 2004 and Starbucks Cream Liqueur in 2005. In order to offer healthier options they began offering skinny lattes, banana walnut bread, fruit cups, yogurt parfaits, a farmer’s salad, and smoothies in 2008. Also in 2008, Starbucks responded to customer’s wishes to have a blend of coffee that was always in stores. They created the Pike Place Roast in order to satisfy these customers. 2009 saw the introduction of VIA instant coffee. In 2009 the retail sales mix of Starbucks was 76% beverages, 18% food items, 3 percent coffee-making equipment and other merchandise, and 3% whole bean coffees. What are the key policies, practices, business principles, and procedures that underlie how Howard Schultz and Starbucks’ management have implemented and executed the company’s strategy? Key Policies, Practices, Business Principles, and Procedures The key policies that have been implemented can be broken down into five groups. First is how the company goes about expanding the number of Starbucks stores. The second is their international expansion practices. The third group is their staff training. The fourth is their principles towards ethical business practices. Fifth, is their coffee roasting practices. Store Expansion Starbucks management’s approach to store expansion is using a hub city approach. After a suitable demographic area is chosen Starbucks begins to open up stores in a large city that serves as its hub. After about 20 stores are opened in this hub city, they will then move on to the surrounding areas that are the spokes. This expansion strategy serves to create buzz and brand recognition for the company in an area that has a high amount of foot traffic before moving into a location that has less customer traffic. When a new area was selected for expansion a group of professionals were sent to facilitate the opening. Starbucks also had zone vice presidents who would oversee the expansion process and instill the culture of Starbucks in the new stores. International Expansion When expanding internationally Starbucks has two options; they either open company-owned and operated stores or license to a company that has a good reputation and the knowledge of retailing in that area. Starbucks prefers to license, rather than franchise because licensing provides more assurance of quality control. When they move into foreign markets one of their practices is to use a partner or license to help recruit individuals for employees, set up relationships with suppliers, find store locations, and learn how to cater to local market conditions. For stores that were licensed Starbucks would receive a license fee and a royalty on sales. Companies that were licensed to supply Starbucks coffee were required to follow their detailed operating procedures. Not only that, but managers and employees were required to attend the same training as employees at company-owned stores. Staff Training As mentioned previously, employees are put through an extensive amount of training to learn daily practices and how to treat customers. They are put through this training because customer service is so integral to their organization. Some of the things that baristas learn in their 24 hours of training are coffee history, drink preparation, coffee knowledge, customer service, retail skills, and beverage preparation. Beverage preparation includes grinding the beans, steaming milk, pulling a perfect shot of espresso, memorizing the recipes, practicing the drinks, and learning how to customize drinks. Finally, partners were trained on cash register operations, how to clean the milk wand, how to explain Italian drink names, how to sell espresso machines, making eye contact, interacting with consumers, and taking responsibility for the cleanliness of the store. Not only that but they had many rules that needed to be learned as well such as: milk needs to be steamed to 150 degrees Fahrenheit but not more than 170 degrees, an espresso shot not pulled within 23 seconds needs to be thrown out, coffee can’t sit in the pot more than 20 minutes, and disgruntled customers were given a coupon for a free drink. Managers were required to go even more in depth with their training. Ethical Business Principles Starbucks purchases products that are Fair Trade Certified, meaning that farmers make a fair amount of money for their products. They are very involved in Corporate Social Responsibility and take a number of measures to reduce, reuse, and recycle. They are also committed to purchasing from companies that use environmentally sustainable growing practices. Coffee Roasting Practices Coffee recipes are put together by the coffee department once all components have been tested. In order to be sure of consistency computerized roasters are used. Trained personnel are required to monitor the process by using hearing and their sense of smell to check when the beans are perfectly done. There are extremely exacting standards that must be met and the color of the beans is tested in a blood-cell analyzer and if it doesn’t meet the requirements the batch is discarded. Directly after roasting and cooling coffee is vacuum-sealed into bags that are guaranteed to preserve freshness for 26 weeks. However, policy says that after three months they need to be used. Once opened the shelf life is seven days. What â€Å"values† does Starbucks have? How well do they connect to the strategy and to the manner in which the company conducts its business? Are they successful in implementing to them? The values that Starbucks consider important are included in their mission statement and those are: 1) Coffee: They are committed to providing their consumers with top-quality coffee that is ethically sourced, and to improve the lives of the people who grow the beans. They do this through a variety of methods. First is their Coffee and Farmer Equity Practices (C. A. F. E Practices). These practices specify product quality, that the price received by farmers/growers is fair, that safe and humane working conditions are being used, and that the methods of growing are environmentally responsible. Second, they do not add artificial flavorings to their coffee beans. Third, they have Farmer Support Centers in Costa Rica and Rwanda. These support centers were staffed with agronomists and experts on environmentally responsible coffee growing methods and worked with coffee farming communities to promote best practices in coffee production They also worked to improve coffee quality and production yields. 2) Partners: In order to better care for their employees Starbucks has a health care plan available for all employees, a stock purchase plan, employee training, and employee recognition. Some of their employee recognition awards include Coffee Master awards, Certified Barista awards, Spirit of Starbucks awards, Manager of the Quarter, Green Apron awards, Green Bean awards, and Bravo! Awards, 3) Customers: They value connecting with customers and uplifting the lives of consumers by providing the perfectly made beverage and going the extra mile for their customers. Employees are trained to take heroic measures to make customers happy. 4) Stores: Starbucks management’s goal was to create the stores to be a haven where customers belong and meet with friends. They do this by creating a store ambience, having interesting music playing, leather couches to sit and read newspapers in, and they make sure that nothing overpowers the smell of coffee. 5) Neighborhood: Their stores are part of its community and to be a force of positive good in the area. One way they do this is by using local materials and craftsmanship. They are also extremely involved in Corporate Social Responsibility. The commitment to do the right thing has been a significant part of how Starbucks operates as a company ever since Schultz became CEO. Starbucks has been named to Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s list of â€Å"The 100 Best Corporate Citizens† for the 10th time in 2010. 6) Shareholders: Starbucks is committed to getting all of the above values right so that they can help everyone that is involved and affected by Starbucks thrive. What is your evaluation of Starbucks social responsibility strategy? How much does it help to create their public image? Starbucks CSR strategy has four main parts which are: 1) Ethical sourcing of products: They do this through their C. A. F. E Practices, purchasing Fair Trade Certified products, and buying from manufacturers that have a commitment to environmental and social responsibility. 2) Community involvement: Starbucks has several organizations to foster community involvement. First, is the Starbucks Youth Action Grants which involves young people in community involvement projects. Second, is their program to give medicine to people suffering from HIV in Africa. Third, is the Ethos Water Fund where they donate 5 cents every time somebody purchases a bottle of Ethos Water. Fourth, they donate money to the Starbucks Foundation which was the fund that was started in 1997 to handle all the Starbucks’ philanthropic actions. 3) Environmental Stewardship: In order to achieve this goal they have several methods. First, they focus on increasing recycling and reducing waste which they do by giving discounts to people who bring in their own mugs, coffee grounds are donated for use as a soil amendment, they take part in Earth Day activities, they purchase paper products with recycled content and unbleached fiber, and they encourage their suppliers to provide energy-efficient products and eliminate unnecessary packaging. They also have commitments to be more energy efficient, use renewable energy sources, conserve water resources, use green facilities, using environmentally friendly building materials and energy-efficient designs. They also have plans to achieve LEED certification globally. In 2009 they became part of the Businesses for Innovative Climate Change and Energy Policy coalition. They have also collaborated with the Earthwatch Institute and work on replanting rain forests, mapping water resources, and biodiversity indicators, and sharing sustainable agriculture practices with coffee growers. 4) Farmer loans: They provide funding to organizations that make loans to coffee growers. Their goal for 2015 is to donate $20 million dollars to these funds. They have also committed money to hurricane Rita and Katrina victims, as well as to help the devastation after the earthquake in Haiti. Having a strong CSR campaign adds to the value of Starbucks’ products if consumers know that they are involved in these activities. It lets consumers know that part of the money they are spending is going to a good cause. By getting on the Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s list of â€Å"The 100 Best Corporate Citizens† for the 10th time in 2010, it increases the knowledge that people have about their CSR strategy. Compare the US and International share of yearly revenue, revenue growth, and operating income/revenue. What do these ratios tell you? What is your overall assessment of Starbucks’ financial performance during fiscal years 2005-2009? Explain the performance of Starbucks stock. Exhibit 1 Comparison of Starbucks Financial Performance in the US and Internationally| | | 9/27/2009| 9/27/2008| 9/30/2007| 10/1/2006| 10/2/2005| Yearly Revenue ($ millions)| | | | | | | United States| $ 6,572. 10 | $ 6,997. 70 | $ 6,590. 20 | $ 5,495. 20 | $ 4,359. 50 | | International| $ 1,608. 00 | $ 1,774. 20 | $ 1,437. 40 | $ 1,087. 90 | $ 852. 50 | Revenue Growth ($ millions)| | | | | | | United States| -6. 08%| 6. 18%| 19. 93%| 26. 05%| | | International| -9. 37%| 23. 43%| 32. 13%| 27. 61%| | Operating Income/Revenue ($ millions)| | | | | | | United States| $ 531. 80 | $ 454. 20 | $ 1,005. 20 | $ 955. 20 | $ 818. 50 | | International | $ 92. 90 | $ 110. 00 | $ 137. 70 | $ 108. 50 | $ 82. 30 | These ratios tell us that overall they have been increasing their revenue growth by significant percentages of an average of 20% internationally and 12% domestically. Domestically the amount of revenue growth per year slowed down in 2008 and went negative in 2009. Revenue growth also went negative in 2008 internationally. This makes sense because 2008 was the beginning of the economic downturn which affected the company’s bottom line. Operating income has fluctuated quite a bit since 2005 and since its peak in 2007 ($1,0005. 20 million) has decreased significantly to $531. 80 million. Internationally it has remained steadier at an average of $106. 28 million. Again these numbers make sense because it was in 2008-2009 that the economic downturn occurred and Schultz instituted strategic initiatives and revamped strategy execution efforts to fix these financial problems. One reason that the economic downturn affected Starbucks’ bottom line badly is because it was considered a treat to go to Starbucks and to get coffee that wasn’t brewed at the home. Less people were indulging in coffee by the cup. In 2006 and 2007 Starbucks reached its peak growth in the period displayed in exhibit 1. This is represented in the stock chart because it is also when their stock performance reached its peak at 40. The lowest point on the stock chart was in 2008 which makes sense because this is when the economic downturn occurred so many people were selling stocks. In 2008-2009 Schultz’s measures to institute strategic initiatives and revamp strategy execution efforts began and clearly worked because in the period of time from 2008-2010 stocks returned to almost 30. What are the key elements and your evaluation of Howard Schultz’s transformation agenda for Starbucks during 2008-2010? What do you think of the letters shown on page C-364 and C-365? Has Schultz done a good job since his return as Starbucks’ CEO? Why or why not? Elements of the Transformation Agenda Howard Schultz’s transformation agenda during 2008-2010 had several key elements. First, he planned on slowing new store openings to 73 internationally. Second, 900 underperformed company-owned stores were closed in the United States. The goal of this action was to raise sales and traffic at nearby sales. Around 75% of these stores that were considered underperforming were within three miles of an existing store which shows that their strategy of having a Starbucks everywhere was cannibalizing their sales. The third element of the transformation agenda was raising the projected return on capital requirements for proposed new store locations. This is a way for Schultz to be more particular about new store placement and to have a better chance of making a significant amount of profit and not losing traffic to existing stores. Fourth, he planned on revamping the company’s locations in Australia with a focus on Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney as the hub cities. He planned on closing 61 under-performing locations in order to do this. Fifth, it was important to Schultz that there be an emphasis on developing new store designs in order to promote a refreshed customer experience. In order to do this the character of each store would be a reflection of the area it was in to make the customers feel more at home and to make Starbucks the center of that community. Sixth, customer experience would be heightened through a variety of methods. The first method was by removing warmed sandwiches from the menu, because it inhibited the aroma from the coffee. Second, high-quality baked goods and pastries would be offered at the store along with new menu items for healthy eating on the go. For example, fruit cups, skinny lattes, yogurt parfaits, salads, smoothies, and healthier bakery selections were all a result of this step in Schultz’s transformation agenda. The seventh part of the agenda was to create a program to share best practices in stores globally, this would promote quality control and improve customer service, which was one of the things that Schultz had found lacking when he became CEO again. Eighth, Schultz thought it was important to provide resources and tools for store employees such as laptops and internet-based software for scheduling. Ninth, there were cost-containment initiatives put in place in order to improve the bottom line that included a reduction of 1,000 people in staffing. Finally, the last part of the agenda was to renew the attention placed on employee training in order to reignite the enthusiasm to please customers that is vital to the mission of Starbucks. Evaluation The goal for 40,000 stores worldwide as a long-term objective and the rapid expansion that Jim Donald began led to a decrease in customer traffic in the US stores, new store openings that continued at a rate of 6 per day worldwide, and the emphasis on increased store operations efficiency put financial strain on the company and led to a decrease in customer service. Good customer service is one of the cornerstone values of Starbucks and was a central idea during Schultz’ leadership. Schultz’ return to CEO and his strategic initiatives mentioned above will help to return Starbucks to the values it originally held as very important and to return it to profitability by slowing down on expansion to focus more on the three main themes Schultz saw as important to his strategy. These themes are: strengthening the core, elevating the experience, and investing and growing. Before he can focus on growing the company, they need to have a strong base of employees and a focus on the experience that Starbucks is meant to provide its consumers. Letters from Schultz The letters that are shown on page C-364 and C-365 of the case show that Schultz is dedicated to his shareholders, which is one of the values in their mission statement. He is being extremely open and upfront the concerns of shareholders and about the actions that will be taken to address those issues. The first letter is addressed to customers and he explains that he has come back to Starbucks as CEO in order to ensure that the customers receive the experience that he believes Starbucks is known for. This letter shows that he truly cares about the thoughts and concerns of consumers. The second letter is to the employees of Starbucks. In this letter Schultz addresses them as partners in the path to revitalizing Starbucks’ mission. He even says, â€Å"I am proud to be your partner†¦Ã¢â‚¬  By treating his employees like this he is able to foster accountability for the actions that everybody can take in helping to turn around Starbucks to what Schultz’ vision for it is. Evaluation of Schultz’ work. Schultz has done a good job by creating strategic initiatives in order to return Starbucks to where he thinks the company should be. His vision includes becoming the authority on coffee, engaging and inspiring Starbucks’ partners, igniting the emotional attachment with customers, expanding global presence and making each store the neighborhood’s heart, being a leader in ethical sourcing and environmental impact, creating innovative growth platforms, and delivering a sustainable economic model. Every one of these visions is addressed in some way in his agenda, which shows he has a clear idea of where the company should go and how to get it there. In 2008-2009 the company experiences five quarters of deteriorating sales, but from 2009-2010 had five quarters of improving sales, which shows that Schultz’ transformation agenda has been working. What issues confront the company as of mid-2010? What should Starbucks’ management be worried about? What are the challenges in expanding internationally? Issues as of mid-2010. 1) Oversaturation of the market: With the â€Å"A Starbucks Everywhere† approach and the rapid expansion steps taken by Donald, there was a decrease in customer traffic at the stores, resulting in a loss of profit. 2) Lack of emphasis on customer relationships: The emphasis on increased efficiency in store operations led to a decrease in good customer service. 3) Drifting away from the original values of Starbucks: Starbucks was built with an emphasis on high-quality coffee, good customer service, and a commitment to creating an experience for customers. However, when Schultz became CEO again he noted that this was lacking. 4) Offering high-quality products: As Starbucks moves into new locations in order to draw attention away from local popular spots they will need to offer a product that is of high enough quality to keep consumers coming back. 5) Differentiation: Again, as they move into new markets they will need to do significant research to find out what those consumer’s value. They need to be able to give it to them in order to achieve their goal of being the heart of the neighborhood. 6) Coffee prices: Coffee prices fluctuate significantly due to weather, economic, and political conditions in the countries where they are grown. What should management be worried about? Management should be worried about offering high-quality products. If they cannot prove that their product is better due to quality or differentiating features then locations that sell coffee and consumers are already loyal, they will have issues drawing consumers away. However, Starbucks does have an extremely strong brand image and hype associated with their name, which is an asset for them in entering new markets. International Challenges Some challenges that Starbucks will face internationally are: 1) Adapting their stores to fit the location they are in 2) Creating partnerships and licensing agreements with reputable companies to offer their products abroad 3) Regulations on foreign businesses moving into their country 4) Having enough control over the quality in the international stores that are licensed. 5) Higher production costs Starbucks has chosen to follow a multi-domestic approach to international expansion, meaning that they customize their product offerings to match the tastes and preferences of local buyers. The main challenge that Starbucks will face in entering international markets is knowing what that group of people wants and prefers. Another problem is that they will need to make partnerships and licensing agreements with reputable companies in order to be sure that the culture of Starbucks is continued to their new stores. Finally, they will have the issue with tailoring their stores to fit the environment they are in, because they will be unable to use a set design which could raise production costs. What recommendation would you make to Howard Schultz to sustain the company’s growth and support continued strong financial performance in the years ahead? Consider both the US and International strategies. Recommendations * Coordinate with suppliers to address consumers’ needs better: By coordinati.

The Basic Informational Macromolecules Biology Essay

The Basic Informational Macromolecules Biology Essay Nucleic acids are the basic informational macromolecules that contributes to the most essential characteristic properties of living system, reproduction and genetic conttrols. Lower and higher molecular weight of nucleic acids are utilized in metabolic and catalytic reactions respectively. DNA(deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA(ribonucleic acid) are nucleic acid of polymers composed of nitrogenous base either a double ring of purines and single ring of pyrimidine which is further connected to the phosphorylated sugar to make up the nucleotides.The sugar attached with base without phosphate group is called nucleoside.The DNA molecule has sugar 2-deoxyribose and RNA molecule has ribose and every backbone of DNA or RNA chain are linked by covalent phosphodiester bond between 5and 3carbons of two sugars either from 5>3 or 3>5 directions. Phosphate groups are attached at the end of the sugar at 5-carbon and at the 3end ,the hydroxyl group is added.Most probably all natural DNA or RNA polymer extend in a direction of 5to 3end direction.The structures that join the nulceotides together in DNA and RNA are called phosphodiester bonds due the presence of phosphoric acid linkage between the two sugars(fig.1) Fig.1 RNA nucleotides linked by phosphodiester bonds between 3-OH and 5-C. (RNA structure,n.d) Structures of DNA DNA(deoxyrinucleic acid)is the linear of nucleic acids which is composed of four different building blocks of nucleotides and is lack of one oxygen atom at carbon2(fig.2) and as a result it is named as deoxyribose sugar. Fig.2 Structure of DNA. (DNA Structure,n.d) DNA is commonly found in nucleous and scientist called Erwin Chargaff found that DNA has four nucleotide bases namely pyrimidine(cytosine and thymine)and purine(adenine and guanine) (fig.3) Purines: a)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Adenine A  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Guanine G   Pyrimidines: b)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thymine T  Cytosine C   Fig.3.Structure of DNA bases. (DNA and RNA Structures,n.d) The total amount of pyrimidine nucleotide bases thymine+cytosine is always equal to the total amount of purine nucleotide bases adenine+guanine.The amount of thymine is always equal to the amount of adenine(A=T)and the amount of cytosine is always equal to the amount of guanine(G ºC).But the amount of adenine +thymine is not necessarily equal to the amount of guanine+cytosine. ( Gupta ,P.K., 2000) The Double Helix Structure By the study of x-ray diffration, Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkens suggested that DNA has a helical structure with a diameter of 20A and 34A distance in the helix(fig.4a). DNA consists of two helix which the two chains are coiled around the same axis to form a right-handed helix and they can be separated from one another only by uncoiling. The backbone of altertnating deoxyribose and phosphate groups are placed outside the helix facing the surrounding water(hydrophilic) whereas the bases are inside the helix(hydrophobic) and are set in a plane at right angle to the long axis.The right-handed DNA forms are called B-DNA having 3.4A distance between the two base pairs and it has 10 base pairs in each turn. DNA can also exist as left-handed and since left-handed DNA follow a zig-zag way,it is called as Z-DNA.The main difference between Z-DNA and B-DNA is that in Z-DNA,one complete helix has 12 base pairs per turn whereas B-DNA has only 10 base pairs per turn. (Gupta,P.K., 2000) Fig.4)a) Structure of double helix, b) DNA structure showing parallel and anti-parallel, c) double helix showing minor and major grooves. (DNA Structures,n.d) In double helix,the two strands of DNA runs opposite in direction ie,5> 3and 3> 5 which means the two strands should be parallel or anti-parallel to make the stabilized structure and hold the two polynucleotides together.There is an interaction of base-pair between the adenine on one strand and a thymine on the other(A=T) and similarly between cytosine and guanine (G ºC (fig.4b) with hydrogen bond two and three rrespectively.These pairing of this two strands creates minor and major grooves on the surfaces of double helix(fig.4c) . In DNA double helix,one strand act as parent strand and the other new strand as template which synthesize complementary daughter strands(fig.5).The double helix is hold together by H-bonding between complementary base pairs and base stacking interaction. (Voet,D. Et al Fig.5 DNA replication. Each strand of a parental DNA acts as a template for the synthesis of a complementary daughter strand. (Voet,D. et al,2006) Structure of RNA RNA(ribonucleic acid) is the second type of nucleic acid found in throuhtout the cell. In case of RNA , it has a sugar and an -OH group at 2 carbon atom(fig.6). Fig.6 Structure of ribose. (RNA Structure,n.d) Similarly, RNA has also four nucleotide bases as purine and pyrimidine(fig.7) except the thymine is replaced by uracil in pyrimidine. Purines:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Adenine A  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Guanine G   Pyrimidines:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Uracil U  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cytosine C   Fig.7 Structures of RNA bases. (RNA and DNA Structures,n.d) Though RNA is single -stranded structure ,when RNA fold back on itself ,by chance or occasional base pairing and hydrogen bonding ,it forms some of a paired helical structure (fig.8) which results in three dimensional structure and they are copmplex and unique. They form intra-strand base pairs from self complementary region along the chain. Fig.8 Base pairing within a single strand of RNA showing a possible folded structure. (RNA Structure,n.d) The information from RNA determines the protein synthesis through the series of translation which involves three types of RNA molecules to perform different functions: 1)Messenger RNA(mRNA)Structure Messenger RNA(mRNA) is a linear sequence of amino acid in polypeptide chain and has longer chain than the reading frame that has to be translated.To begin and end translation , specific start and stop codons are required. Mostly mRNAs has start (initiator) codons AUG that can be served as methionine codon at 5carbon.. Occasionally GUG and CUG can alsobe used as initiator codon in some of the bacterial and eukaryotic mRNA respectively. GUG codes for valine and CUG for leucine to initiate a protein chain. The stop codon are UAA, UGA and UAG and do not code for any amino acid. The stop codon indicates that translation is to be terminated and the ribosome has to be released polypeptide product. The sequence of start and stop codon are called a reading frame. Codon having overlapping information, mRNA can be translated to different reading frames and formed different polypeptides(fig.9). Each genetic code specifies different amino acids and rarely unusual coding occurs. ( Lodish, etal , 1986) Frame 1 5à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â€š ¬ GCU UGU UUA CGA AUU A à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â€š ¬ mRNA à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â€š ¬ Ala Cys Leu Arg Ile à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â€š ¬ polypeptide 1 Frame 2 5à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â€š ¬ G CUU GUU UAC GAA UUA à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â€š ¬ mRNA à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â€š ¬ Leu Val Tyr Glu Leu à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â€š ¬ polypeptide 2 Figure 9; Multiple reading frames in an mRNA sequence ( Lodish , etal , 1986) 2)Transfer RNA(tRNA) Structure Transfer RNA(tRNA) is an adaptor molecule that serve as a bridge between mRNA and the amino acids leading to the Polypeptide chain.tRNA exists in primary,secondary and tertiary structure. A tRNA molecule is chemically linked to amino acids through a bond forming an aminoacyl-tRNA. The general structure of tRNA is represented by Cloverleaf model(fig.10). The anticodon at the bottom is complementary to the mRNA codon with the pairing of base to it. Due to the presence of mRNA codon and tRNA anticodon, base-pairing is in anti-parallel directions.Amino acids are attached to the acceptor stem at the 3 terminus having sequence CCA and protrudes beyond the 5 end. The dihydrouracil loop(D loop)contained always uracil base and TCG loop has invariant sequence of bases.Variable loop has variation in both nucleotides composition and in length. (Lodish,et al,1986) Fig.10. Structure of tRNA. (RNA-Ribonucleic acid,n.d) 3)Ribosome RNA(rRNA) Sructures Ribosome RNA(rRNA) carries ribosome particles and consists of one small and one large subunit ribosome and protein. The rRNA is the largest structure among the RNAs. Each of the subunits composed of one to three rRNA s types and as many as protein components. Comparing to prokaryotes, eukaryotic cells are larger and more particles whereas the eukaryotes has 40s and 60s with 80s for complete ribosome. Functions of DNA †¢ DNA serve as a storage materials for genetic information in all living cells. †¢ Due to the double helical structure,DNA provides more stability storing more genetic information since the double bond required more force to break up the structures . †¢ DNA is building block of the protein synthesis which takes by the process of Central Dogma relationship.Genetic information from the DNA is transcribed to mRNA carrying the genetic codon and later translated to the polypeptide chain. †¢ DNA provides for long term storage of genetic information due to the presence of deoxyribose sugar at 2carbon,thus preventing the formation of cyclic phosphate ester since hydrogen cannot hydrolysis the phosphodiester bond, whereas 2hydroxyl group in RNA act as a nucleophile attacking the phosphodiester bond and results in less efficiency of storing information. (Lodish, ea al,1986) †¢ DNA act as template or semiconservative.During the replication of double helix,DNA double strsnded DNA that consists of one old (template) strand and one new daughter strand. two ddaughter duced pronew daughter strand.This two new DNA molecules is identical to the parents molecule and this type of conservation of old template strand is called semiconservative. †¢ The major and minor grooves formed during the coiling or wounding of duoble strands provides the reading of protein binding DNA.s ( Lodish, etal, 1986) Function of mRNAs: †¢ mRNA carries genetic information which is transcribed from DNA in a linear sequence of amino acid to a peptide chain. †¢ mRNA carries three codons for a specific amino acids.AUG act as start codon for a specified amino acids at 5 and UAA, UAG and UGA as stop codon or termination of translation. Function of tRNA: †¢ The main function of aminoacyl-tRNA is to recognise the specific codon for the activation of correct amino acids. †¢ tRNA make sure that the amino acid are placed in correct sequence to the growing peptide chain during the interaction of codon with the specific anticodon. †¢ Helps in Abinding the growing peptide chain to the ribosome during translation process. ( Conn, E.E.,1987) Function of rRNA: †¢ rRNA could serve as template RNA . †¢ rRNA with ribosome particles provides shapes and structure during protein synthesis. It also helps in speeding or catalysing the chemical reaction by enzyme called ribozymes. The main difference between the DNA and RNA structures are that DNA has deoxyribose sugar and lack one oxygen at carbon 2,wheraes in RNA has ribose sugar and one -OH group attached at carbon 2. DNA is double stranded in nature ,providing more stability than single stranded RNA. Again one big difference is that the presence of thymine in DNA and uracil in RNA srtucture. The main difference in the function of DNA and RNA is that the DNA functions mainly for the storage of genetic informations and the RNA as transcription and translation of genetic informations. Since the DNA is double helix that wound around the plane of the helix hiding the base -paired inside the helix that prevents from contacting with water(hydrophobic) this base pairing interaction provides more stability to the nucleic acids storing more genetic information.In both DNA and RNA base pairing between G ºC provides more stronger and stable bond than the A=T since it requires more force to break up the three H-bonding of G ºC than the A=T. In DNA , thymine is present and instead of thymine uracil is replaced in RNA .Since thymine contain methyl group , this base act as a protection and moreover methyl is strongly neutral. It is methylated group and methylation newly suppresses the migration of DNA segments. These all reasons provides that DNA is strongly stable than RNA nucleic acid. Again methylation can help in identifying the parental (template) strands from newly synthesized strands in DNA strands. Each of the 3end of the sugar are used to initiate the genetic exchange and this point act as primer for DNA replication. The attachment of more ribosome on mRNA provides high sedimentation rate than the unattached ribosomes which means the polyribosome or polysome complexes are actively synthesizing protein than single ribosomes. (Strickberger,M.W.,1976)

The Devastating Effects of Overpopulation Essay -- Environment Environ

The Devastating Effects of Overpopulation    Imagine living in a world where darkness reigns continually due to a dense cover of toxic air pollution which blocks most sunlight.   Starvation and death from the lack of energy resources is widespread and the people who have not perished yet live packed together, in overcrowded communities surrounded by waste and filth.   This grotesque picture of future life on earth may seem far-fetched but with the continued rise in population and the abuse of our planet by billions, this scenario may be closer to reality then previously thought. The Earth will soon not be able to sustain life if the population continues to escalate.   With the constantly rising numbers of humans, vital resources needed to survive are becoming extinct and the environment is being polluted as to almost make life unbearable.   Every individual will need to open his or her eyes to this growing and potentially devastating problem and take the necessary measures to stop it.   Is the planet really overpopulated?   The estimated population of Earth is 5.5 billion people with an annual growth rate of 1.7%.   This rate accounts for approximately 93 million births yearly (Daily 1).   This means that the world’s population has more than doubled since 1950 and it is projected to continue to 8.2 billion by 2025 and eventually reach 14 billion in 2100 (Miller 1).   Earth has a finite amount of resources and a fixed size but the number of people and the resources we consume per capita is continually   escalating.   With this increase the carrying capacity of earth, which is to   say the number of living things a given area can support, is being threatened   and our planet may not be able to support its' inhabitants indefini... ..., and How We Could   Achieve It.†Ã‚   Population and Environment:   A Journal of Interdisciplinary   Studies 18:1 (1996) 65-71. Lambert, Thomas.   â€Å"Defusing the ‘Population Bomb’ With Free Markets.†Ã‚   (1996):   1-31. Miller, G. Tyler.   Sustaining the Earth.   California:   Wadworth Publishing Company,   1998. â€Å"Mortality.†Ã‚   1995.   http://www.frt.com/mortalit.htm.   â€Å"Population Growth, Our Quality of Life and Environment Sustainability.† 1995. http://www.overpopulation.org/paul.html#in1second Preston, Samuel H.   â€Å"The effect of Population Growth on Environmental Quality.†   Population Research and Policy Review 15 (1996) 95-108. Smith, Herbert L., Tu Ping, M. Giovanna Merli.   â€Å"Implementation of a Demographic   And Contraceptive Surveillance System in Four Countries in North China.†   Population Research and Policy Review 16 (1997) 289-314.      

Community Service in High School Essay

Community service, work done without pay, is becoming increasingly familiar to high school students nation-wide. Schools are encouraging student to participate in communities that contribute so much to their public education. However, requiring 100 hours of community service is asking too much of students and should be reduced to 50 hours. Students already have their hands full among homework, clubs, sports, and their actual lives. Because the work may not be volunteering if it is required, then students can receive grades and credits that will show up on their transcripts for the community service they volunteer for. It is true of course, that requiring 50 hours of community service would take up students’ time for homework, clubs, and sports, but the service could be completed during the summer and student would have 4 years of their high school career to complete. Wouldn’t requiring the volunteer work make it not voluntary? Well, yes, of course! But it would give stu dents the chance to say, â€Å"I am never doing that again†, or â€Å"I am glad I did that.† Academic gain. Students will tend to do better in school because they would be able to apply what they are learning in school. Increase in self-efficiency for students because they learn that they can all make a difference in what they do, â€Å"Can-do-attitude.† Additionally students will increase their problem-solving skills, while volunteering students will run into problems that requires the use of their brain to solve. Again, applying what they lean in school to use in â€Å"real-life.† Right out of high school, students who volunteer are more likely to vote based on the attitude –â€Å"I can make a difference† – they get from the community service they partake in. Potential employers would see the community service hours attractive. That attraction could lead to a career, not just a job. The hours volunteered in the community could also help students receive future scholarships. The connections students create when meeting new faces or organizations would help with scholarships – the more people/organizations a students know = more possibilities of a recommendation. Community service would be beneficial for all that are involved. Students learning skill that prove beneficial for life. The community being able to receive back what they contribute to public education. So yes, requiring community service hours to graduate high school should be passed.