Jazz Music between World Wars Essay Example for Free

Jazz Music between World Wars Essay The jazz craze in music during the 1920s reflected a general spirit of the times for many commentators like Seldes that this decade became known as the Jazz Age. Following World War I, jazz music certainly captured the popular imagination. The rapid popularity of jazz music led to its equally rapid spread among musicians. No other style up to this time in American popular music so quickly came to dominate popular performance. The American vernacular, which had already made significant inroads into the commercial popular music market, had captured popular tastes at an unprecedented level, seemingly sweeping aside the old â€Å"standards. † And just as ragtime and syncopated dance music became part of earlier commercial popular music, the dominance of jazz in the 1920s also represented a major triumph of the black vernacular in American popular music. The jazz craze began through the influence of non-professional musicians. While still marginal to most legitimate venues, non-professional musicians performing the jazz vernacular were attracting audiences to clubs, theaters, restaurants, and were popular in the speakeasies of the 1920s. They also had opportunities for their music to reach a broader audience in a booming record market following World War I. Professional musicians, however, quickly adopted jazz music in their orchestras and smaller bands. They co-opted the jazz fever while simultaneously distancing themselves from non-professionals. (Charters, 39-43) By occupying the most lucrative jobs in theaters, dance halls, hotels, and other venues, professional musicians positioned themselves as the premier interpreters of this new vernacular idiom in commercial popular music. The common defense of jazz as good music during the Jazz Age embraced the professional musicians and professional composers who performed and created jazz music, not the non-professional musicians who first introduced it. In adopting jazz idioms, professional musicians were simply continuing the process of cultivating the American vernacular. Black professional musicians were already adopting black vernacular idioms in their music making in earlier syncopated society orchestras and simply adopted jazz idioms as well as the name in their â€Å"jazz† orchestras. (Bushell, 72-75) White professional musicians had performed rags as part of their repertoire in the past, but with the jazz craze, many were quick to adopt syncopated dance and jazz practices in some form as the defining style of their profession. White professional musicians also quickly followed black professional musicians in transforming their bands into jazz orchestras, and just as quickly claimed to be the modern proponents of this new American popular music. Black and white professional jazz orchestras in the 1920s established the basic instrumentation, arrangement, and techniques of the big band dance orchestras that dominated American popular music until the 1950s. In the 1920s, an emerging new ideal of good music involved a balancing of the previous cultivated practices and cultivated music of professional musicians with popular vernacular idioms. The proper balance, however, was hotly debated. Professional musicians would constantly distance themselves from the pure vernacular of non-professional musicians. In defending their balance of the cultivated and the vernacular in popular performance, popular tastes, however, were demanding jazz music and a professional musician would be remiss to ignore his patrons in the popular music market as much as stodgy critics and some professional musicians would rail against the pernicious influence of jazz. Professional musicians in mediating the popular music market had to continue to navigate the moral, aesthetic, class, and racial construction of good music in America. While popular tastes in musical entertainment promoted the black vernacular in commercial popular music, the plight of the African American community in the United States continued to be dire. Some leaders in the black community had hoped that African Americans participation during World War I in both the military and in industry, and the Great Migration out of the Jim Crow South, would change their fortunes as segregated and oppressed second class citizens. The post-war years, however, dashed most hopes of any immediate positive change. (DeVeaux, 6-29) Race relations went in the opposite direction. Race riots sprung up across the nation while lynching continued to be a regular occurrence. Efforts continued to secure the legal segregation of black communities, and the labor movement continued to exclude blacks. The Ku Klux Klan reached its peak membership and popularity during the 1920s. The segregation and denigration of the black community was also reflected in the social organization of American music. (Hansen, 493-97) Besides the segregation of audiences and most venues, black professional musicians also remained outside the artistic community of white professional musicians in terms of unions, band organizations, and this communitys vision of a professional class of artist in America. The balance of the cultivated and the vernacular among professional musicians also continued to run against elitist conceptions of popular music and popular musicians as less legitimate than the music, musicians, and composers of the European cultivated tradition of classical and opera music. Black professional musicians also continued to strive to break through the barriers erected against them in the world of European cultivated music. This continuing tension in the implied lower status of professional musicians who performed American popular music erupted during the Jazz Age into an open rebellion against the European cultivated tradition. Professional musicians in jazz orchestras attempted to counter the singular role claimed by the European cultivated tradition. These musicians asserted that jazz was a true American or African American school of fine art music in contrast to cultivated European music – a populist appeal for high art legitimacy. This high art turn in American popular music, however, ultimately failed when the depression wreaked havoc on the popular music market. With the introduction of a new popular music market of live performances, records, broadcasts, and films, the quest for legitimacy among professional popular musicians would have to take another route. It was a period where professional popular musicians in adopting the jazz vernacular went against the reigning cultural hierarchy in America. (Peretti, 234-40) The period following World War I was a crucial turning point in American popular music. The American vernacular in general was storming the ramparts of the old edifice of good music as Tin Pan Alley song and dance dominated popular performance. Both professional and nonprofessional musicians also were benefiting from more affluent times and the growing importance of entertainment in the lives of most urban Americans. To the chagrin of elite and moral defenders of nineteenth century cultural idealism, most urban Americans were readily joining a Cultural Revolution in commercial popular entertainment. And at the center of this revolution was the national craze for jazz music and jazz dance. The jazz craze made syncopated rhythms and other black vernacular idioms central elements of American popular music making. While many small jazz bands performed a black vernacular style of music from the Delta Region of New Orleans, jazz music in the 1920s encompassed not only this style but syncopated dance music, blues music, piano rags, and virtually any tune jazzed up by musicians. The jazz craze in essence was the craze for the black vernacular among popular audiences and the performance of this vernacular in some form by popular musicians and popular singers both professional and non-professional. The extent to which musicians and singers actually adopted the black vernacular rather than a superficial imitation – critique later jazz critics would make of certain sweet jazz during the 1920s – is less important than the fact that jazz entered the consciousness of the nation and musicians as the reigning popular music. The word Jazz seems to have found a permanent place in the vocabulary of popular music. It was used originally as an adjective describing a band that in playing for dancing were so infected with their own rhythm that they themselves executed as much, if not more, contortions than the dancers. The popularity of the raggy music has created a demand for music with exaggerated syncopation, an attempt as it were to produce the wonderful broken rhythms of the primitive African jungle orchestra. The jazz craze also coincided with the growth of black entertainment. During the 1920s, black entertainment districts like the South Side in Chicago and Harlem in New York City witnessed a major boom. Besides entertaining the large black populations of The Great Migration, black musicians and singers were entertaining white audiences who went uptown for their entertainment. The boom in the 1920s in black entertainment, as Kenny (1993, 89-92) and Shaw (1987, 122-30) show, was driven by the demand for the black vernacular. In musical theater, musical revues, vaudeville, dance, and speakeasies, the black vernacular and black artists were in demand. This demand was met not only in black entertainment districts, but also outside these districts as black artists performed for white audiences in musical revues, dance halls, and clubs in white entertainment districts. The popularity of the black vernacular also increased when record producers discovered a race market in black music. Most members of the New England School of cultivated music like Mason, and other defenders of the old ideal of good music, were stridently against the influence of jazz in both popular music and classical music. Repeating the moral, aesthetic, class, and racial epithets used to condemn the popularization of vernacular jazz, the guardians of the old ideal ridiculed any idea of jazz meriting the status of high art or even having an influence on serious music composition and performance. As David Stanley Smith, Professor of Music at Yale University, argued in The Musician of August 1926, jazz musics â€Å"monotonous rhythm, as unvaried as the chug-chug of a steam engine, enslaves its practitioners within a formula, and induces in composer, performer, and listener a stupor of mind and emotion. † On the other hand, many of those individuals who embraced â€Å"modernism† in cultivated music were sympathetic to jazz music. These modernists emphasized jazz as the legitimate expression of the times and a nation. (Stewart, 102-109) The debate within the cultivated tradition between old idealists and modernists on the influence of jazz revolved mainly around the influence of popular jazz on serious music composition and performance. That the question would be posed in such a manner spoke to how, by the 1920s, the European cultivated tradition had organizationally and ideologically broken from the world of commercial popular music. Crossover between popular music and cultivated music occurred during the 1920s, but organizational and ideological barriers left little chance that jazz musicians would transform the cultivated tradition. The very formation of a separate world of cultivated music in the United States was predicated on its distinction from commercial popular music, popular musicians, and popular tastes – a distinction further exacerbated by jazz music being an expression of the black vernacular. The influence of jazz within the cultivated tradition, however, was debated during the 1920s as professional musicians laid claim to a truly American art form and modernists promoted the incorporation of jazz in serious music composition and performance. (Badger, 48-67) Traditionalists, of course, had reason to be optimistic as the economic depression following the 1929 stock market crash wreaked havoc on the commercial market of popular jazz music. Defenders of the European cultivated tradition also had reason to celebrate as the confident proclamations of professional musicians on jazz as Americas first authentic art receded to the background as these musicians adjusted to changed economic circumstances and a new popular music market. Professional musicians struggle for legitimacy during the Jazz Age, however, laid the ideological and musical foundation upon which the next generation of professional musicians would construct a modern jazz paradigm. In their quest for legitimacy as professional artists, they were the first popular artists to attempt to transform the moral, aesthetic, class, and racial constructions of the old ideal of good music in America. While their efforts contained their own complicity in manners of distinction, the contradictions of an elite populism embedded in a racist culture, they did struggle to create an alternative understanding of art and society in America. As the self-appointed mediators of the American vernacular, professional musicians and composers ardently worked to construct an alternative form of good music to that of the European cultivated music tradition – a music reflecting in some fashion the world of popular audiences and popular tastes. ( DeVeaux, 525-40) In this process of syncretism, the reinvention and reinterpretation of musical idioms and practices, these artists created the American big band dance orchestra and the Tin Pan Alley song that dominated American popular music until the middle of the twentieth century. While jazz did not become a universally recognized American high art form during the Jazz Age, professional musicians and composers transformed it into legitimate popular art music, although at the expense of those non-professional vernacular musicians who did not assimilate into their profession. The need for professional musicians to legitimate popular dance orchestras disappeared after the 1920s, and the old ideal of good music no longer occupied this professional class of musician. (Gioia, 213-20) The emergence of an alternative ideal of good music among professional musicians signaled a final separation between popular music making and the cultivated tradition in American music. This break was both ideological and practical; a reflection of both a new professional ethos among professional musicians and the culmination of the division in the social organization of American music between the world of popular music and the world of European cultivated music. (Lopes, 25-36) The previous crisscrossing professionally between the cultivated tradition and popular music making was no longer part of this profession. The future big band leaders and musicians of the Swing Era began their professional careers not in symphonies, but in the small jazz ensembles and jazz orchestras of the Jazz Age. The fate of jazz was seemed threatened by the power over popular music of a new mass media industry of broadcasts, recordings, and film. Just when the fortunes of jazz seemed dead and buried, however, the swing craze reignited popular interest in the cultivated jazz vernacular. (Hennessey, 156-60) The promotion of sweet music and the subsequent swing craze, however, set in motion a new distinction within the profession of musician. No longer than singularly obsessed with the world of European cultivated music, professional musicians who assimilated the black jazz vernacular now viewed sweet music as their more direct nemesis. The race and class boundaries articulated in the old ideal of good music were now articulated more directly for professional musicians in the distinction between the popular music cultures of sweet and swing.

The Final Strategic Direction For The Company Mcdonalds Marketing Essay

The Final Strategic Direction For The Company Mcdonalds Marketing Essay The concept of strategic positioning was considered to be a part of marketing terminology which is capable to explain the other marketing tools configuration such as price, product, place and promotion. It is generally exploited to explain the position of the organization in the market in a particular segment. This will help to improve the shares in the market, dominance, improve the profits by efficient use of factors such as cost, location, service in order to increase the ROI. Many organizations may gain particular position in any one of the 4 Ps and gaining in all is very complex and difficult as is generally aimed to attract the consumers. The strategic position is a complicated concept which require more complex commerce functioning which may generally increase the overheads to a company. For the effective planning of a strategic positioning in an organization more efficient and sophisticated tools and techniques and information are required. This concept is practiced when the organization tend to spread in to various other segments of the souk from the existing segment.(Middleton, J. (2003). The strategic positioning can be based on the insight of consumers which will determine the nature and requirement of the clients. This will assist the management for a better decision making in the form of marketing planning, strategic marketing and development of novel products. An in-depth analysis is required for a better interaction of the brand with the consumers. This will help to estimate the perceptions, attitudes, values, beliefs and trends of the current market. Jim Downey October 2007, the strategic positioning of an organization is carried to plan for the future of the organization that may include various steps such as: Concept of future obligation of the organization Collection of the information which is a multifold task such as internal and external data of the company along with the estimation and assessment of the rivals company and its indifferent services and products. Critical analysis of various factors of the organization Strategy determination either by continuing the originally practiced strategy or by altering as per the study and requirement. Finally implementation of the strategy in order to accomplish the objectives and mission of the organization. Concept and definition of Strategic Positioning: Thomas A. McLaughlin has explained the concept of strategic positioning as the position aspired by the organization. The concept is achieved by entertaining certain step by step procedure such as crafting the mission of the organization or reiterate the previous mission the organizational and souk examination screening of the internal optimistic conditions making over the position of the company in next few years the premeditated arrangements of the organization has to be amalgamated achievement plan has to be exercised accordingly The author describes that the concept of strategic planning has eventually transformed into the concept of strategic positioning. The following is considered to be various factors which are involved to achieve a Strategic Positioning of any organization. Figure no. 1: Factors of Strategic Positioning in the organization Ref: Thomas A. McLaughlin, Strategic Positioning Mind Your Strengths, Focus on the Future From the above figure, it is evident that the implementation of the concept of strategic positioning in any organization is possible through proper amalgamation of the factors such as: Vision Mission Resources Strategic planning Structure of the organization The vision, mission, objectives and values are characterized by every organization to improve its efficiency. This is shown in order in the following figure: Figure no. 2: Vision, Mission, statement of organizations Ref: Ref: http://www.foursightconsulting.com/ideas/tools/Quick%20Refernce%20-%20Creating%20Vision,%20Mission%20and%20Value%20Statements.pdf Vision: the basic aspect of Vision is to grant an outlook image of the organization in advance. This is carried on a visualization otherwise a delusion. These may include the following factors like: Enlarge the probable fore look It is ashored in actual circumstances necessitates audacity derived from resonant principles and morals Mission: every business live with a reason. The term Mission sums up to a declaration by recognizing the basis on which an organization exists along with its purpose or upcoming goals. These declarations recognize the companys community and deal with its situation about philosophy, morals, and values of application. Strategic Planning: Strategic planning helps to determine the fact that where the company at present and what are its targets and is considered as a bit higher than marketing. All the aspects like H.R, economics, I.T, procedures, appointing, back-up tactics, framework, user interface, work place outline and the variables which influence the venture along with its efficiency, can be persuaded through this. It helps the authorities get a clear vision of where the development is, what can be its long-term goals and be responsible for its future resolutions. Worrell, L. (1998) Tools and techniques of strategic analysis: 4.1) Strategic Analysis: (Juce- Vicius, 1998) The concept of strategic analysis is defined as a method for carrying analysis on the ecology of the business under which various functions of the organization are conducted and plan for the strategies. The strategic analysis of an organization is accomplished to concentrate on various functions of the organization such as: Studying the requirement of the clients To thoroughly study the market To study the threats and competitors products and strategies Various tools and techniques are involved to determine the environment of the company through the following tools and techniques such as: 4.2) SWOT analysis: according to Craig Fleisher and Babette Bensoussan (Prentice Hall, 2002) the term SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. This is considered as the basic tool in the strategy planning which help to scan the environment, to identify the external factors of the organization which can be overcome by proper planning. It helps to recognize the weak points and strengths i.e., internal factors of the organization. All these are planned strategically to achieve its future goals. This can be carried out as an element of strategic planning or as an independent aspect in the organization. This can be explained through the following figure: Figure No. : SWOT Analysis Ref: http://munazza1905.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/figure-4-question-which-i-can-ask-my-self-for-doing-swot-analysis-for-doing-my-own-personal-development-plan.jpg 4.3) PEST analysis: according to Jim Downey October 2007, the PEST analysis is similar to the SWOT analysis. This generally comprises issue of Political; Economical, Social and Technological aspects which are comprise all the external factors. Clear study is carried out to identify these factors and strategic plans are made. The following figure will explain the PEST analysis for an organization: Figure no. : PEST Analysis Ref: http://www.learnmarketing.net/pestmarketing.jpg Goal grids: this type of tool helps to recognize its future goals and act upon it accordingly in a strategic approach. 4.5) Supply chain analysis: according to P. Mohan Chandra, the general supply chain management includes various aspects like stock managing, logistics management and acquisition and supplying or circulation. The following are considered to be other form of tools that also may help in studying the environment of the company: Porters five forces analysis: Michel E. Porter has developed this technique in the year 1979 which is a very aggressive method for estimating and appraising the viable strengths and the current position of the company in the market. This evaluation and estimation is possible for any company by assessing the 5 forces that explains the present situation and amount of antagonism of the commerce in the market. This concept will help to determine the power situating points in the organization. Hence this is a two fold estimation of current position of the company and helps in the strategical planning for the position to reach in the future. As it helps to assess the strength points of the company and souk, this may facilitate to overcome the weak points and drawbacks. Power of the dealer: this force will help to assess the features of various dealers and their strengths and weaknesses such as the quantity of dealers for every input, estimation of the service or product of dealers exceptionality, strong points and size of the dealer, the relative change in the price for changing from the current dealer to the other. Power of the Buyer: this force is employed to estimate the cost reduction for the buyers by employing the following factors such as the current market situation with figure of consumers, estimating the significance of the individual consumers of the company, the change in price for changing from one buyer to the other. Aggressive competition: this force is generally employed to estimate the aptitude and number of the opponents of the current souk along with analyzing the services and products of these competitors. Threat due to replacement products: the products which are a near replacement of an existing product may involve excessive risk and clients may prefer the product with lesser cost which may reduce the competitiveness of the company and power of the company in the souk. Threat due to fresh contestant: this force will be able to study the new entrants in to the souk who may in turn reduce the profitability of the preexisting company. This can be represented through the following figure: Figure no. : Porters Five Force Model Ref: http://itstrategyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/porters-five-forces.JPG 4.6) Value Chain Analysis: (Sigitas VaitkeviÄ ius, Gediminas Merkys, Asta SavaneviÄ ienÄ-, 2006) the concept of value chain analysis has been devised in the organizations to estimate the value produced by the organization to the consumers. For estimation and analysis of value chain, the internal aptitude of the company is assessed by parting various activities of the firm in to different clusters or groups. Examining and improving each cluster may raise the value which may assist to enhance the antagonism of the company through each raised value in the market. This analysis is carried out in 3 steps as follows: The first step may result in dividing the functions of the company in to two different sections such as principal activities that are directly involved in producing the product along with promotion, distributing the same to the clients and provide after sale sustainability. The remaining is considered to be secondary activities which may assist to perform the principle activities. The second step is to allocate price for each of these activities. This information will help to understand the interior potential for the management of the company that is treated to be an expensive insight. The last step is to determine the activities that are able to generate and improve the value by enhancing the fortification of the consumer and success in the souk. For this three main factors are considered to assess the function of each action of the value chain such as mission of the company and its functional undertakings of the operations, type of the organization and the system for the enhancement of value adopted by the company by studying the value inclusion by he downstream and upstream affiliates of the firm in dispersing the products to consumers. 4.7) Four Corners Analysis: Jim Downey October 2007 the concept of Four Corner Analysis has been fabricated by Michael Porter, which assists to study the rivals which may in turn acts as an aid for developing strategies for future of the company. The concept will useful for developing and altering the necessary changes in the strategic plans that may be devised by the rivals and triumphant steps followed by them, estimation of variable replies by each rival to react to that strategy. The changes in the environment and shifts of companies may also be studied through this technique. Generally in the organization this concept is overviewed and SWOT analysis is employed to determine and estimate the rivals strengths and weaknesses. But this may give a thorough analysis of the reaction that may follow by the rivals by studying the major functions such as motivations, actions, assumption of the management and the capabilities of the organization. This can be analyzed by the factors in the following figure which represents the Porters Four corner analysis: Figure no. : Porters Four Corner Analysis Ref: Jim Downey October 2007 Strategic Analysis Tools Topic Gateway Series No. 34 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Early Warning System: (Sigitas VaitkeviÄ ius, Gediminas Merkys, Asta SavaneviÄ ienÄ-, 2006) as the name implies this concept is employed to detect the warnings to the organization in advance and may also predict a suitable event which is very crucial for the company. These are considered to be the sources for the preliminary scenes to react for the opponents strategies. This comprises of the following 7 important factors such as: Defining the market: this will explain the scope of the organization such as geographical position, souk and brand etc. Open system: this will help to analyze the content about the rival in a broader way. Sorting out: based on the significance of the available data about the rivals may be screened and sorted based on the crucial necessities and act accordingly. Analytical aptitude: this will help to determine the way to be followed by the rival by building probable scenario and observe the signs for the preferred selection of any one of them out of the list. Interactive capability: this require well apposite group for attaining the signals to drive forward. Strategic planning: this will in turn explain the alterations in the current strategies followed by the organization according to the moves of the rival. Recurring methodology: this may considered as a cyclic method that may be repeated to stay up to date. Strategic Positioning of Mc Donalds: Company profile: Mc Donalds is considered to be the leading food chain company world wide and is prevailing brand globally at a rank of No. 8 in the world. It has a period of destruction which is considered to be due to unstrategical analysis followed in the company. But at present the analysis is satisfactory as the company again raise its share value and earnings. The following are few strategic approaches followed by the company which can be shown in the following figure: Figure no. : Strategic approach of Mc Donalds Ref: http://www.eszes.net/EloadasokPDF/ESSCA/MarkStrategy.pdf Phase No. 1: Vision/ Mission: the vision and mission of the Mc Donalds as part of the strategic positioning was established once the older one is accomplished for an effective positioning in the market. The vision at present is to be worlds best quick service of restaurant services by mixing various factors such as cost, quality, and products etc. development of new strategic planning for efficient expansion and attract the clients. The mission of the Mc Donalds company is to create a roadmap for the future of the company by increasing the share value of the company. Objective: the strategic objective is monitored in the Mc Donalds to pave enduring commerce positioning in its field of market and aggressiveness. Principles of strategic positioning: The following are considered to be various principles involved in the strategic positioning: Tactical formulation or conceptuation: strategical planning and strategical implementation as per strategy are assessed in this. Planning with future insight: the vision and mission for the next few years is planned in this segment. Variety in the style of thinking: aggressive thinking, risk taking capability, change management, thinking aptitude etc are commenced in to this. Power based techniques: this will include the requirement, geographical positioning, funds, asset values and strategic leadership etc. Ideas implemented in Mc Donald have to achieve strategic Positioning: Ries and Trout: it is considered to be resourceful work out performed by exploiting preexisting product of the company. Focusing on various factors such as brand expansion and interaction strategies are also considered to be a part of this. This will help to : existing place of the company is reinforced in the clients view untenanted place can be grabbed by commencing this technique This will decide the re-position and de-position of the company. This technique is very well executed in Mc Donalds which helped for strategic positioning of the company world wide. Treacy and Wiersema: it is a notion of discipline that shall be followed by the company. This is based on the different approach for providing unique services to the clients and also can introduce innovative product through strategic analysis and discipline that will improve the: Leadership in terms of product Excellence in terms of functioning Intimation with the consumers of the company. The strategic positioning of the Mc Donalds is as follows: Figure no. : positioning of various companies Ref: http://www.eszes.net/EloadasokPDF/ESSCA/MarkStrategy.pdf The positioning is achieved by the Mc Donalds due to its excellent insight for the consumers which has improved the superior decision taking ability by analyzing the trends, values, beliefs, attitudes and perception which helped to devise superior market panning, strategic marketing and introduction of novel food products in the market. Various concepts are being reviewed at every time such as: Segmentation of the customers Improving the satisfaction level of the customers Changing the menu as per the current demand Appraisal and evaluation. Continuous development of novel products and study various aspects such as acceptance from them, optimal features of the product, decision for embracing and falling from the product line etc. Mc Donalds strategically plans and implements timely introduction of novel products and services and takes various steps to improve the interaction with the clients. Hence the following can be considered as the main treasons for the effective strategic positioning of Mc Donalds: Cost leadership Innovation Thinking and acting differently by creating 24/7 availability of food items Effective expansion Providing eminent products with better service, value and cleanliness. Enhanced interaction Swift delivery with taste Availability of mobile restaurants 24/7. Consistent activity throughout value chain Periodical implementation of various tools and techniques such as SWOT, screening environment and souk, analysis of forecasting and scenario description Strategic group analysis, and value chain analysis is also considered to be a part of mc Donalds strategic positioning based on screening. The following figure may be helpful to explain the strategic positioning: Figure no. 3: Strategic position tools and techniques Ref: http://www.consumerpsychologist.com/images/cb/STP2.png Phase No. 2: Strategic Analysis Tools and Techniques in Mc Donalds: Mc Donald makes a rigorous exploitation of the strategic analysis tools and techniques periodically to estimate the environment, its changes, to estimate the companys strategic position as well as opponents strengths and weaknesses. The following are some of the tools and techniques exploited by the Mc Donalds. SWOT analysis: this is carried to determine the internal environment of the company that include aspects such as strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats which can be as follows: Strengths: the strengths of Mc Donalds is a global brand, global and domestic leader in the market, cost reduction and control of prices, economic growth on long term basis, superior real estate collections world wide, high accessibility, high recognition of brand, higher opportunities, able to attract all the ages of consumers, healthy environment, better generosity, strong promotion tactics, superior client service, high quality of product, interacting capability etc are considered to be it major strengths. Weaknesses: As every company has weaknesses, Mc Donald also holds weak points such as lack of clarity in the strategic direction, higher debts and feeble balance sheets, considered to have high overall costs, lack of core competencies, problems in internal functioning, poor R D, constricted line of products, deficiency of skills in promoting are few weaknesses. Opportunities: availing first 24/7 mobile restaurants and introduction of healthy hamburger is a great opportunity for the food chain expansion, ability to expand globally, increase the line of products, skill conversion in to the novel goods, taking over opponents, impeding affiliations, exploitation of innovative technologies and brand expansion. Threats: the potential threats of Mc Donalds are from fresh rival entry in the market, high priced regulations, vulnerability of the commerce operations, changes in the demography, reduced sales figure, higher no. of competitors, lower rate of growth etc are few threats faced by the company. PEST analysis: this will be able to explain the external environment of the company which also includes the factors such as political, economical, social and technological concerns of the company. Political: Mc Donalds have a considerable knowledge about the political situations of various nations where they function. The company is well organized to face any political concern Economical: it is considered to be economically stable both internally as well as the nation where they expand. Greater target of market, less cost with high earnings, concerns due to inflation is also economical factors faced by the company. Social: Mc Donald has a very aggressive reputation for its product and quality which is accepted in many social groups. As it is very tasty and natural ingredients are employed it has not many social concerns in the countries where it operate. Increased employability and working with various social groups can be observed in Mc Donalds. Technological: as Mc Donalds is known for the exploitation of innovative technology in the company. As the technical advancements takes place the Mc Donald will be able to procure and adapt to the changes of technologies to produce the products (Royle, T Towers. B, 2002). Porters five forces Plan: this is a crucial tool in strategic analysis which will explain the current position of the company in the market. Competition: Mc Donald is facing much competition from its rivals and thriving to with stand this competition to become no. 1. The new entrants now face hectic competence from Mc Donalds. It is able to surpass many food chains. Ease of entry: as the Mc Donalds is a global brand and well settled and recognized in various countries, the new entrants will face difficulty to enter and succeed. Substitutes: The companies face issues with the various substitutes offered by many companies. And with in the company varied range of products are being provided for a huge pick up for the consumers. Strength of the dealer: it is observed to have lesser strength of dealers in food and beverage industry. Strength of buyer: the buyers are also considerably having lesser strength in food industry. The other tool which tends to reposition Mc Donalds in a strategical approach is through effective value chain and inventory analysis. In Mc Donalds the analysis is made through effective inbound logistics where resources and inventory are assessed at every level of production and allocation, functioning activities which involve conversion of resources to final product, outbound logistics where the goods are distributed, sales and promoting to generate sales and client related services etc. Effectiveness of Tools and Techniques; the following are various tools and techniques exploited by Mc Donalds. The effectiveness of these tools and techniques can be observed in its financial record till date. It has been ranked worlds no. 8 position for global brand. Along with the following records: The net sales figure of Mc Donald is raised to 6.9% and the count of guests raised by 3.1% which was observed to be 6.8% and 3.8% in the previous year. The sales in the system has up surged by 11% Margins and other earnings received by the company are around 17.6% and margins due to franchisees are raised by 82.3% The share value is $3.76 which is considered to be raised by about 16% Cost allotted for operations is about $5.9 billion and expenditure of the capital is about $2.1 billion. Repurchasing of shares is implemented as part of commerce extension by $5.8 billion and enhanced dividend by $0.50 per share by 4th quarter. The current annual dividend rate is $2.00 per share. ROIIC of one year is 38.9% which was considered to be 37.5% the previous year. Strategic directions: the term strategic direction is defined as the course of action that is implemented by the company in order to achieve it goals and objectives. Any company will formulate vision and mission along with objectives as part of Strategic direction for the next few years. This can be a form of strategic planning for the development of the business. As discussed earlier Mc Donalds is keen to formulate vision and mission as per the strategic plan and attain it in a strategic approach. The inventory and resources are maintained and converted in to production along with distribution with controlled inventory process and value addition analysis. By effective exploitation of various technical advancements along with periodical exploitation of the strategic tools for estimation, the company is bale to achieve its vision and objectives. The following may few strategic directions for the company: Exploitation of technological advancement Innovative products introduction Better interactions with clients High quality and tasty products Good environmental experience Logistic analysis. Hence the future directions shall be in the form of healthy aspect of the food items produced by the company as it has observed drastical deduction in the year 2002 due to improper strategic plans and directions. The future plans shall be effective to stop repeating such thing again. Better decision making tactics and administration shall be implemented. Safety of the food Better analysis of risks such as assessment of issues Improved interactions and communicate about the chemical content and naturality to lighten the protest Improve significance Improve ethical values The issue concerned with the implementation of the above mentioned strategic direction may be arised due to the growing complexity of the company and hence collaboration shall be planned with in the individual franchisee or outlet level. Better risk management is difficult may be due to collaboration constraints, analysis shall be done to reduce the wastage which is considered to be criticism on the Mc D company for waste production inspite of recycling and overhead prices to the company. The sales can be improved by increasing the promotional value along with food safety logo along with better planning and better implementation part. http://www.echeat.com/essay.php?t=28470 Hence from the above it can be understood that with the growing complexity the strategic issues may be arised in the complex organization such as Mc Donalds hence, it should plan and execute the strategic planning separately for each outlet which will increase the scope for estimation of weak points and enhance them in to positives at each level to increase the value of the company. Presentation of the findings Hence from the above study it can be understood that strategic positioning is a concept earlier included as a part of marketing but from the past few decades it is treated separately and as a crucial concept in the organization. This concept involves a broad study about the target market, study about the clients and concept of service and enhances the strategies based on the findings to reposition or deposition the organization in the current market in a particular function. This will improve the service vision of the company. This concept involves a brief study about the capacity, inventory and demand, pricing, promotioning, control of utilization of resources etc can be estimated through this. This will help to estimate the position of the organization in the near future and system of realization can thus be assessed in divisional level of the firm. The study is made by connecting the concept in Mc Donalds to study the strategic position through various strategic analysis tools and techniques such as SWOT, PEST, Porters Five Force Analysis and Value Chain Analysis etc. As the strategies implemented by the Mc Donalds is very effective and under control, it has gained a global leader position on the factor of customer satisfaction. Conclusion: it can be concluded that, strategic position is a beneficial concept which when applied from various divisional level of the organization will increase productivity and profits to the organization which is observed in case of Mac Donalds.

The Magic of Books Essay -- How Education Has Changed My Life

The books that lined the shelves were of many different colors, of many varying ages, and of many various authors. The bindings were leather and paper and even a cotton fabric material, and the lettering embossed upon them was in gold and silver and sometimes in plain ink. Authors that had been passed on reverently from age to age sat mightily in their rightful places, next to their respective equals: such writers as Defoe and Hawthorne sat side by side, while others, like Whitman and Thoreau surrounded them. Each book had been lovingly placed in its specific niche, and as the little girl gazed about the room, it was obvious to her that many hours had been spent placing and caring for this massive collection. Â   There was a distinct smell about the room--not the moldy mothball scent that a lot of people can smell when they walk into a well-aged library, but a smell that reminded the young girl of school and very faintly of knowledge. Strength seemed to give off a permanent kind of glow in this room, as though the books knew that neither time nor age would ever be able to reach them. The smell of age and wisdom and education overwhelmed the little girl and she stood staring up at the many rows of books in awe. Â   When the old woman came into the room, she found the small girl standing in the center of the room and spinning slowly around as she tried to take in every one of the books with her ... ...ry, it seemed as though the myriad of books that lined the shelves were waiting and expectant, listening, almost, for her first words to the little girl. So much education, so much life remained ahead of the little girl, and she could garner so much experience through reading. The library was replete with more knowledge than anyone could ever gain in one lifetime, and the old woman smiled secretly to herself as she read the title aloud to the little girl. Â   The future of the book, she thought to herself as she began reading the first chapter to the little girl, is our children. Â   The little girl smiled and leaned against her grandmother as the landscape of India unfolded in her mind.

Elvis: Americas King :: essays research papers

America’s King Elvis Presley may be the single most important figure in American 20th century popular music. Not necessarily the best and certainly not the most consistent. But no one could argue with the fact that he was the musician most responsible for popularizing rock & roll on an international level. Viewed in cold sales figures, his impact was phenomenal. Dozens upon dozens of international smashes from the mid-'50s to the mid-'70s, as well as the steady sales of his catalog and reissues since his death in 1977, may make him the single highest-selling performer in history. More important from a music lover's perspective, however, are his remarkable artistic achievements. Presley was not the very first white man to sing rhythm & blues; Bill Haley predated him in that regard, and there may have been others as well. Elvis was certainly the first, however, to assertively fuse country and blues music into the style known as rockabilly. While rockabilly arrangements were the foundations of his first (and possibly best) recordings, Presley could not have become a mainstream superstar without a much more varied palette that also incorporated pop, gospel, and even some bits of bluegrass and operatic schmaltz here and there. His 1950s recordings established the basic language of rock & roll; his explosive and sexual stage presence set standards for the music's visual image; his vocals were incredibly powerful and versatile. Unfortunately, to much of the public, Elvis is more icon than artist. Innumerable bad Hollywood movies, increasingly caricatured records and mannerisms, and a personal life that became steadily more sheltered from real-world concerns (and steadily more bizarre) gave his story a somewhat mythic status. By the time of his death, he'd become more a symbol of gross Americana than of cultural innovation. The continued speculation about his incredible career has sustained interest in his life, and supported a large tourist/entertainment industry, that may last indefinitely, even if the fascination is fueled more by his celebrity than his music. Born to a poor Mississippi family in the heart of Depression, Elvis had moved to Memphis by his teens, where he absorbed the vibrant melting pot of Southern popular music in the form of blues, country, bluegrass, and gospel. After graduating from high school, he became a truck driver, rarely if ever singing in public. Some 1953 and 1954 demos, recorded at the emerging Sun label in Memphis primarily for Elvis' own pleasure, helped stir interest on the part of Sun owner Sam Phillips.

Physical Punishment :: essays research papers

Physical punishment has been a problem in hitting their children so they can have discipline or not hitting them because it is not right, so what can parents do and what can they not do? Should the parents hit them to learn discipline, or should they not hit them and figure out another way to make them learn what discipline is? Because many parents do not know or are confused in showing their children how to gain discipline they do not know whether to hit them or not to hit them. Many people think that by hitting their children that they are showing them violence but other people say that if you do the children would understand that they did something wrong and would not repeat it and gain discipline. What can parents do? First of all parents feel that the children are theirs, and they can spank them when they misbehave. There are many factors that lead to physical punishment: parents were to young and not ready for children, parents are going trough a divorce and need to take out their anger on something or someone, or parents do not know another way to punish their children. These children grow up to be aggressive and often abusive towards others. Although parents think this is the only way of educating their children there are many other alternatives. There are other alternatives to punishing the children for their bad behavior. Less severe punishments besides spanking. First, they can take away their television privileges, computer use, and playing outside with their friends. Next, they could ground them for the weekend and cancel plans. Last of all parents could take the time to sit and talk to their children about their bad behavior. Physical punishment may cause a child psychological problems. First, if the physical punishment starts at an early age the child will be used to being physically punished, therefore, his or hers self-esteem may severely negative as he or she grows up. Second, it is a life-affecting act to physically punish a child because they will be traumatized. Eventually parents should think twice before they can physically punish their children. What they should think of is what problems they are causing the child in its life. In conclusion every parent must take consideration that the negative affects that spanking may cause a child.

Training the Female Athlete

In this Podcast, Peter Melanson interviews Diane Vives – director of Vives Training Systems in Austin, Texas, on training female athletes. Peter asks Diane a series of questions in regards to female athletes versus male athletes on how to train better, the differences between training, and the types of injuries caused from the training between men and women athletes. Diane answers with questions with research and studies that supports her theories and reasoning’s to her ways of training the female athlete.Diane explains that as trainers and coaches that we need to recognize with men and female athletes that we are seeing specific trends with female athletes that we need to do a better job at recognizing. The evidence is that the females are lacking certain performance activities and more importantly that there are a tremendous amount of injuries in female athletes. The research is back this up and it also shows that as coaches and trainers – there are no improvem ents to these cases.The amount of females are dropping out of sports and fitness all together because of the drastic injuries being caused to these female athletes such as ACL and knee injuries. Peter asked Diane, what are some of the specific things that affect the females the most? Diane reported that incidents of 4 to 6 times greater ACL and knee injuries with females versus male and some times the number increases up to 8-10 times greater when looking at non contact ACL injuries. She included, that we need ways to reduce this number because injuries such as ACL and knee injuries are drastic.She also included that another difference between male and female athletes are the lack of upper body strength in females. As coaches and trainers, they are afraid to train upper body for females because they are afraid that the females will bulky, which research and studies show that this is a myth. Diane emphasizes that this is extremely important. When we train female athletes, the intensi ty lacks because we do not have a higher expectations than we do have for male athletes.We have to approach the female and really create a higher expectation for training intensity, Diane explains. Research study show that when you put a female and male athlete together and make everything relatively the same with body, mass size – the size of the athlete, and you ask the female athlete what they perceived their level of intensity is. The females consistently felt like they were training at a much higher intensity than the males did. Peter asks Diane what are some examples for coaches and trainers to change to make a positive impact on their female athletes right away.Diane explained that in order to make a dramatic change right away, one of the best way is to incorporate a dynamic warm up that includes flexibility, basic strength training and teaching plyometric. Diane includes the work â€Å"teaching’ because it is important that the athletes understand how to land and decelerate in order to reduce any injuries and to have progression.Including basic coordinative bimotor skills that include speed agility and quickness drills  is also important into incorporating into the female athletes training to dramatically make a change and even reducing the ACL and knee injuries by 73%. In summary, Diane explains that coaches and trainers need to look at the female athlete differently versus being afraid of getting bulky and to have higher expectations. Incorporating dynamic warm ups can significantly decrease the amount of injuries drastically in the female athlete. It’s important to focus both on the male and female athletes and to increase the expectations of the female athletes now versus in the past.

Symbols in Digging by Seamus Heaneypoem

In the poem â€Å"Digging†, Seamus Heaney explores the differences between generations of men in his family through retracing the past. It is a poem of love and respect for the achievements of his father and grandfather as a digger, but at the same time comparing the traditional occupation to his own way of â€Å"digging† as a writer. Heaney expresses a sense of isolation and resemblance he feels toward his family by using significant symbols throughout the poem. In the first stanza, Heaney introduces the readers to his pen, which he is content to hold as he finds a sense of belonging and comfort. The pen is described as a weapon, â€Å"snug as a gun† (2), this gives the impression that the pen fits naturally in his hands and symbolizes a form of protection from the criticisms about his choice of being a writer. His decision creates a form barrier or isolation between Heaney and his father, as implied when Heaney observes his father digging through a window. The plane of glass stands in as a physical separation between father and son, yet it also corresponds to the psychological barrier that built up in their relationship when Heaney decides to follow his dream as a writer. In order to do so, he must break away from the family’s traditional means of earning a living, just like how a spade makes a â€Å"curt cuts/through living roots†(26-27). Even though Heaney chooses not to become a digger, he still finds a sense of resemblance between the two polar occupations. Heaney recognizes that his skill with a pen is compatible to his forefathers’ skill with a spade, as he suggests his pen symbolizes a spade to which he can â€Å"dig with it†(31). Heaney is, in his form of digging, always searching for topics or good materials that can make his pieces unique and meaningful, just like how his grandfather continued â€Å"going down and down for the good turf† as he digs (23-24).