Critically examine the sources of law which have shaped the English Essay

Critically examine the sources of law which have shaped the English Legal System. Assess which source is the most influential to - Essay Example This essay will assess the sources of law shaping the English legal system and in doing so will demonstrate why acts of parliament are the most influential source of law today. This essay is therefore divided into two main parts. The first part of the essay examines the four main sources of law and the second part of this essay examines the doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty and its role in shaping the hierarchal order of sources of law today. The Main Sources of Law The four main sources of law shaping the English legal system can be classified as case law and codes of law. ... Only when statutory laws have been exhausted can a judge then look to case law. When both sources of law have been exhausted, a judge may rule on the matter and establish a precedent.10 As creative and as important as judicial precedents are, it is a long established principle that Parliament can overrule or alter any judicial precedent.11 Separate and apart from the binding nature of acts of Parliament, case law is also subject to a hierarchal order. This is established by the doctrine of stare decisis which compels a lower court to be bound by the previous decisions of higher courts or a court of equal rank.12 The difficulty with the doctrine of stare decisis is that although it establishes an hierarchal structure, a lower court may be bound by a faulty decision of a higher court and is powerless to overrule the decision.13 Master of the Rolls Lord Greene, established rules designed to resolve some of the difficulties that might arise when applying the previous decisions. Lord Gree ne ruled that when there was a conflict â€Å"between two decisions† of a courts of â€Å"co-ordinate jurisdiction†, the court must choose between them.14 However, where a decision of a higher court conflicted with a decision of a court of higher jurisdiction, the court must follow the decision of the highest court. A court when looking at decisions of higher courts could not â€Å"follow decisions of its own given per incuriam†.15 A decision is given per incuriam when it misapplies a previous decision or a statute.16 Noticeably absent is the authority to ignore a previous erroneous decision of a higher court. Obviously, case law serves an important function in shaping the English legal system. When Parliament enacts a law, it passes through a formal debate process

19th and 20th Century Gender Expectations in Literature Essay Example for Free

19th and 20th Century Gender Expectations in Literature Essay The late 19th century produced a myriad of successful authors, poets and play-writes that often incorporated the local customs, traditions and expectations of the time (and perhaps their own experiences) into their work. A fact of the times, even into early 20th century, is that women were not equal to men and the expectations of women were not equal as well. This point will be illustrated by comparative analysis of two separate forms of literature: Tristan Bernard’s humorous play I’m Going! A Comedy in One Act, and Kate Chopin’s short story â€Å"The Story of an Hour. † Authors can use plays, stories or poems to bring us into their world, and through imagination we can connect with them, if only briefly, and enjoy their point of view and what they are trying to convey. Through their writing, they are actually giving us a look at history and through that snapshot of time we can see the differences between society’s expectations then and now. Tristan Bernard’s (1866-1947) I’m Going! A Comedy in One Act (1915), (Clugston, 2010a), is a play set in Paris about a married couple (Henri and Jeanne) who on a Sunday morning are trying to decide how they are going to spend their day. Henri wants to go to the races but he wants Jeanne to stay home, though she wants to go with him, or to see her friend (Clugston, 2010a). The theme of the play is one of distrust and manipulation, as each truly wants to spend the day on their own, and at the end of the play that is exactly what they do (Clugston, 2010a). See more: Analysis of Starbucks coffee company employees essay In this play, Bernard uses the setting of the stage and symbolism to convey to the audience a sense of separate desires of the couple starting with the opening scene when Henri and Jeanne enter and sit on opposite sides of the room (Clugston, 2010a). Bernard, in fact, used symbolism in many of his works, and exploited the psychoanalytical technique to draw his dramas together (Degasse, 2008). What one really has to look through the mist to see, however, is how Bernard incorporates society’s expectations (or double standard) of women in  Paris (and throughout the world, really), though in a humorous and dramatic style, into the play. One has to keep in mind that the male audience of that time probably had the same attitude and beliefs as the character Henri, and though it may have been viewed as right or wrong, women were expected to be subservient and obedient while the male was allowed further freedoms. Henri wants to goes to the races alone, and ultimately, that is what he does while Jeanne stays home, but let us look deeper at the play and uncover the nuances that show the inequality of the times and how Bernard conveys that conviction. After Henri and Jeanne’s initial entrance and they set down, the first thing that happens is Henri makes a comment about how every Sunday the weather is nice until noon, then its cloudy and rainy or there is an advancing thunderstorm (Clugston, 2010a). This verbal observation of the weather may be a metaphor and actually provide two meanings; one is that it is in fact rainy and Henri is setting a negative atmosphere for Jeanne who expects him to take her out for the day, and the other could be the weekly Sunday dilemma of Henri trying to go to the races without Jeanne. The rainy, or soon to be, day also sets a tone of despair, but provides Henri with an excuse to go to the races alone and save him and his wife the additional cost of a carriage in order to avoid the rain, and additional cost of a ladies ticket (Clugston, 2010a). In truth, it is just a manipulation of the circumstances for Henri to try to dissuade Jeanne in joining him at the races (Clugston, 2010a). Then in Bernard’s I’m Going, A Comedy in One Act (1915), Henri recommends a promenade (a walk) with his wife instead of accompanying him to the races and Jeanne responds â€Å"Yes, up the Champs-Elysees together! And have you looking daggers at me all the time! Whenever I do go with you, you’re always making disagreeable remarks. † Henri responds with â€Å"Because you are in a bad humor – you’ll never give me your arm. † (Jeanne called him on his bluff, because he really doesn’t want to take a walk either), (cited in Clugston, 2010a, 1. 1. 26-29). She has no real intention of going for a walk with him as she did not intend to go to the races, but does not want to see him go alone to the races and enjoy himself alone, either. This is another example of manipulation; her manipulating him and vice versa, and starts the back and forth farce of both supposedly wanting to spend the day together when they really do not (Clugston, 2010a). When Jeanne decides Henri can go to the races alone because she intends to go see a friend, Henri decides he will stay at home and not go to the races (Clugston, 2010a). This is an obvious representation of the husband not trusting the wife, and even though she has given sanction to him to proceed, he abandons all intentions to leave because of his suspicion of her meeting with her friend and also perhaps meeting another man. The deception between both characters is obvious at this point in the play but not obviously clear as to why. Though we know by this point that Henri’s intention has always been to go to the races alone, it is not yet clear why Jeanne reacts the way she does. Is it that she is abused, or expected to stay home alone while Henri goes to the races, or does she have her own nefarious agenda, or both? Finally, and after much back and forth ruse of both characters, Jeanne decides to stay at home alone and lets Henri leave for the races alone, only to delight in the fact that she can spend her afternoon working on hats and enjoying chocolate at home as detailed immediately after Henri departs for the races in Bernard’s I’m Going! A Comedy in One Act (1915), (cited by Clugston, 2010a, 1. 1. 81-185): (Waits for a moment, listens, and hears the outer door close, then rises, and goes to the door at the back. She speaks to someone off-stage) Marie, don’t go before you get me a large cup of chocolate. Bring two rolls, too. Oh, and go at once to my room and bring me my box of ribbons and those old hats. (She comes down- stage, and says beaming) What fun I’ll have trimming hats! Throughout this play Jeanne is expected by Henri to stay at home while he enjoys the afternoon alone, and despite the opposition Jeanne gives him, she eventually desists and Henri has his way while she is left at home. This is an excellent example of how women were treated by their husbands then as compared to how most men and women interact today. There was probably no other recourse for the character Jeanne but to resolve herself to some enjoyment at home with her hats, and chocolate, and rolls. It could be argued that that is what she wanted all along, that she only wanted a reassurance that her husband loved her, but probably not, more than likely she simply had no other choice than to occupy her Sunday alone as best as she could and succumb to her husband’s wishes. There stands some ambiguity as to whether they really love each other, or if Jeanne is simply stuck and cannot get out of the situation she is in. Sixteen years earlier than the play by Tristan Bernard discussed above, but in the same era of male dominance, Kate Chopin (1850-1904) wrote several short stories and novels which also depict the sexist plight of women in her time and the choices they had to endure in order to survive, including quite possibly domestic violence in a time when no recourse was available (Tate, 2000). Unlike Bernard, who was a renowned writer at the age of 25, Chopin was considered a feminist, and as a young widow who had to raise six children alone when she lost her husband to swamp fever, she eventually succeeded by turning to writing and was widely accepted in the southern United States literary circle (Tucker, 1996). Much of her writing incorporates her own life experiences and tribulations, such as â€Å"The Awakening,† (1899) which depicts a 19th century woman who is adulterous, but maintains her strength and individuality despite of what society thinks about her (Tucker, 1996). It is of little doubt that Kate Chopin was of the same opinion and character of many of those characters in her stories. According to Leary (1968), much of her writing â€Å"Speaks of marital unhappiness and of dangers which lie in wait for people who do as they want to do without concern for other people† (p. 60). Kate Chopin’s â€Å"The Story of an Hour† (1894), (Clugston, 2010b), is written clearly and succinctly leaving little room for ambiguity or misinterpretation. Chopin’s direct style of writing draws the reader in quickly and gives immediate insight to what is happening and what the feelings of the characters are, thus increasing the understanding of what the author is trying to convey. Like Bernard, Chopin uses symbolism and tone to enhance the (in this case) imaginary setting to further the reader’s experience. Unlike Bernard, Chopin’s form was short stories and novels instead of plays to be performed in front of live audiences. It is also important to look at Kate Chopin from a biographical/historical perspective to realize Chopin has also used life experiences as a basis for some of her characters: in this story Mr. Mallard has reportedly been killed in a train accident, while in reality Kate Chopin’s father really was killed in a train accident (Tucker, 1996). According to Seyersted, (cited in Kelly, 1994, p. 332), after critiquing â€Å"Athenaise,† he states that â€Å"In spite of its ‘happy ending,’ this tale is, on a deeper level, a protest against woman’s condition. Seyersted is undoubtedly referring to women’s struggle at that time for equality with men. Closer comparison of this story with Bernard’s play will bring to the surface many similarities of the uphill struggle women of this era endured and how it is depicted and evident in our literature. In Chopin’s â€Å"The Story of an Hour,† the main character, Mrs. Mallard receives word at home that her Husband had been killed in a train accident, she was distraught and crying, and when this subsided, she retires alone to a large armchair facing an open window in her room (Clugston, 2010b). This initial reaction to her loss seems fairly normal up to this point in the story, but then the Narrator describes what Mrs. Mallard sees, smells and hears from the open window, using symbolism and tone to describe a renewal in life, as described in Chopin’s â€Å"Story of an Hour,† (cited by Clugston, 2010b, para. 5): She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life. The delicious breath of rain was in the air. In the street below a peddler was crying his wares. The notes of a distant song which some one was singing reached her faintly, and countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves. As the story unfolds, Mrs. Mallard feels an emotion coming to her which she initially cannot identify, but ultimately does identify it; it is relief and a sense of a newfound freedom (Clugston, 2010). But why would she feel this way now unless she felt oppressed or abused when her husband was alive? A better description of what Mrs. Mallard had endured under her Husband’s rule and what she imagined the future to hold is stated in the story: â€Å"There would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature† (cited in Clugston, 2010b, para. 14). The Author is speaking to the reader about this issue in 1894, a very bold and controversial statement for a time in which women were not expected to behave this way. Nearing the end of the story Mrs. Mallard finally accepts her newfound freedom and rejoices to herself â€Å"Free! Body and soul free! † (cited in Clugston, 2010b, para. 19), only to be persuaded out of her room by her sister and lead downstairs just as her husband comes through the front door, he was in fact not dead after all (Clugston, 2010). Mrs. Mallard died upon seeing her husband though the doctors said it was heart disease (earlier in the story it does mention she had a weak heart), (Clugston, 2010). One has to wonder though, did Mrs. Mallard die from heart disease or is this another symbol the Author uses to express Mrs. Mallard (or any oppressed woman) would rather die than give up her freedom and individuality? Tristan Bernard’s I’m Going! A Comedy in One Act is a play written by a man in France sixteen years after Kate Chopin’s â€Å"The Story of an Hour,† which is a short story written by a woman in the United States. Though there are differences in the Authors, origin, form, audience or reader, some compelling similarities exist; the time they were written (1915 1894, respectively), that both Authors incorporate issues of the time into their work, and perhaps most importantly, they both display the subservient, oppressive place which women are expected to take in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Saint Augustine Essay -- Biography Biographies Augustine Essays

Saint Augustine Saint Augustine (354-430 AD), also known as Augustine of Hippo created an image of himself through his writings and teachings. He was born in Tagaste, a town in North Africa, on November 13, 354 AD. He was born into a middle class family. Patricius, his father, was a pagan, but later converted to Christianity because of his wife, Monica, was a devout Christian. Augustine’s mother, who was devoted to the Roman Catholic church, constantly tried for her son's conversion. Augustine was educated as a lecturer in the former North African cities of Tagaste, Madaura, and Carthage. The philosophical works of Marcus Tullius Cicero, a Roman speaker and politician, inspired Augustine to become a seeker after truth. Augustine engaged restlessly in philosophical studies, and passed from one phase of thought to another, unable to find satisfaction. From 373 until 382, in Carthage, he conformed to Manichaeism, a dualistic philosophy dealing with the conflict between good and evil. This seemed to be the answer to the confusion in his own heart. It solved the mysteries that confused him in his own experience. After realizing that this philosophy wouldn’t make a great ethical system, he abandoned this philosophy. After being educated throughout North Africa, he left Carthage and in 384 found himself in Milan where he would pursue his career of a professor in rhetoric. Also, in Milan he met and was influenced by the bishop, Ambrose. With this, Augustine was at tracted again to Christianity and was baptized by Ambrose in 387. Augustine was also influenced by Platonism. He than returned to North Africa where he became the bishop of Hippo in 391, a title he held until he died. This great â€Å"Father of the Church,† wrote a handbook on the three theological virtues: faith, hope, and love. The Enchiridion on Faith, Hope, and Love was written in the year 420. It is a brief handbook on the proper mode of serving God, through faith, hope, and love. It is easy to say what one ought to believe, what to hope for, and what to love. But to defend our doctrines against the slander of those who think differently is a more difficult and detailed task. If one is to have this wisdom, it is not enough just to put an enchiridion in the hand. It is also necessary that a great eagerness be in the heart. Saint Augustine says that God created all things good. In Chapter XI, ... ...t evil is but the absence of good. I feel that God did make everything good, and it is the absence of good that causes evil. People choose the road they feel like taking throughout life. I think of it this way; God started us off on this world all consisting of good and it is we who choose to become evil. This follows through with Augustine’s next idea, which I also agree with, in that there can be no evil where there is no good. This holds true because everybody consists of good, and evil is the absence of good, so that just concludes that in order for evil there must be good. Augustine also says that good and evil can exist at the same time, but evil cannot exist without good, however, good can exist without evil. I feel that one can embody good and evil, there are many humans like that now. It’s true that evil cannot exist without good because we are only evil when we aren’t good, but one can be good without being evil. I hope I have made it clear that there are some points that I agree with and there are some ideas of Augustine that I don’t agree with. As for the way to serve God, I believe that as long as you live your life to the best of your ability, you will succeed.

Development Of Computers :: essays research papers

THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMPUTERS IN UKRAINE AND THE FORMER USSR The government and the authorities had paid serious attention to the development of the computer industry right after the Second World War. The leading bodies considered this task to be one of the principal for the national economy. Up to the beginning of the 1950s there were only small productive capacities which specialized in the producing accounting and account-perforating (punching) machines. The electronic numerical computer engineering was only arising and the productive capacities for it were close to the naught. The first serious steps in the development of production base were made initially in the late 1950s when the work on creating the first industry samples of the electronic counting machines was finished and there were created M-20, â€Å"Ural-1†, â€Å"Minsk-1†, which together with their semi-conductor successors (M-220, â€Å"Ural-11-14†, â€Å"Minsk-22† and â€Å"Minsk-32†) created in the 1960s were the main ones in the USSR until the computers of the third generation were put into the serial production, that is until the early 1970s. In the 1960s the science-research and assembling base was enlarged. As the result of this measures, all researches connected with creating and putting into the serial production of semi-conductor electronic computing machines were almost finished. That allowed to stop the production of the first generation machines beginning from the 1964. Next decades the whole branch of the computer engineering had been created. The important steps were undertaken to widen the productive capacities for the 3d generation machines. ? EIEV THE HOMECITY OF MESM ESM was conceived by S.A.Lebedev to be a model of a Big Electronic Computing Machine (BESM). At first it was called the Model of the Big Electronic Computing Machine, but ,later, in the process of its creation there appeared the evident expediency of transforming it in a small computer. For that reason there were added: the impute-output devices, magnetic drum storage, the register capacity was enhanced; and the word â€Å"Model† was changed for â€Å"Malaya† (Small). S.A.Lebedev was proposed to head the Institute of Energetics in Kiev. After a year; when the Institute of was divided into two departments: the electronical one and the department of heat-and-power engineering, Lebedev became the director of the first one. He also added his laboratory of analogue computation to the already existing ones of the electronical type. At once he began to work on computer science instead of the usual, routine researches in the field of engineering means of stabilization and structures of automated devices.

A Reflection on the Violence of the Current Times Essay

Wars and revolutions have been considered over the years as the most destructive choice that many nations have pushed through for the sake of fighting for their ideologies and interests. Just like the most aggressive natural disasters such as tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions, wars can end the lives of millions of innocent people in just a snap. All those ruthless bombing, deafening shootouts, and inhumane treatments among fighting nations are killing the world in such worse ways than natural disasters. This makes war as one of the most hated, resented, and feared concepts. However, it has also become one of the most tackled topics and themes in literature, allowing those who never experienced it to see a glimpse of its nature and reality. In James William Gibson’s article, Warrior Dreams, he talks about the feeling of being â€Å"unnamed† by a war that never became victorious. In the face of challenges and obstacles, this man who has been weakened by the fight seems to have formed illusions of invincible warrior heroes like Rambo, Dirty Harry and Jack Ryan (Gibson 625). An average and normal man would understand completely that the reality of being unmanned can be compared to a distressing situation in a man’s life where his greatest natural ability and strength are taken away: â€Å"Feeling unmanned by a war lost and by the rewriting of gender codes in the wake of the sexual revolution, millions of American men [†¦] began to dream, to fantasize about the powers and features of another kind of man who could retake and reorder the world† (Gibson 625). This would most certainly leave that person weak in his own awareness and belief; therefore, he will need something or someone—even an imaginary hero—from whom he can gain strength and an inspiration of invincibility. This, Gibson notes, can be one of the most potent roots of ruthless violence and inhumanity. Like many literary artists and sociologists who explored wars and revolutions in their works, Gibson admits that wars are practically naturally occurring events. He even claims that wars have divine histories as well — that during the ancient societies, even gods used wars as a way to set up the deified order of things: â€Å"These cosmogonic, or creation, myths posit a violent conflict between the good forces of order and the evil forces dedicated to the perpetuation of the primordial chaos. After the war in which the gods defeat the evil ones, they establish the ‘sacred order’† (Gibson 633). This claim, together with most of the academic claims about wars, implies that generally, wars are something which is innate in the tendencies of human beings and that war and violence appears to be never-ending exhibition of power by the humans—a power that they think they own. There are a lot of current issues and happenings that can be related to Gibson’s perspective on war and violence. Aside from the seemingly unending wars and violent acts rooted in religious conflicts and ideological clashes, Gibson’s discussion on the nature and reality of war and violence can also be exemplified in the case of a ruthless shooting in school done by mere adolescent boys rattled the entire nation — a nightmare that they never imagined to ever occur. It was a perfect spring morning in the fields of the Columbine High School in Jefferson County, Colorado. As the investigation revealed, the deaths of 13 innocent people were indeed done by two boys by the name of Eric Harris, 18 years of age and Dylan Klebold, 17 (Bradley). The two started packing their rigging weapons and bombs in their duffel bags on the morn of April 20, 1999. After preparing their weapons and god-knows-what, they headed to Columbine High School. It was past 11 in the morning when the first set of gunshots were heard by the students from the cafeteria and they immediately scooted under the table to protect themselves from what they cannot deny as danger. What followed next was a series of pointless, cold-blooded shooting and bombing by the two young gunmen. The police were immediately present in the area; however, they were not able to protect the lives of 13 innocent people who fell dead. After the shootings and bombing, when the police and the SWAT were finally ready to enter the campus, the gunmen, Harris and Klebold, ended their own lives. This was just one of the most gruesome and distressing violent acts the whole of America has witnessed over the years. However, what disturbed most Americans about this incident was the involvement of two young people as the gunmen themselves. After the incident, a lot of harsh critics passed the blame onto the media industry for their irresponsible broadcasting and insufficient monitoring and control with the messages and content they convey. A lot of parents not just grieved but also blamed every possible medium which they think has contributed to the growth of violent materials in the mass media industry and consequently affected the behavior of children. However, even to this date, no one can be really certain about what went on in Harris and Klebold’s minds to do such a thing. But considering Gibson’s discussion on the nature and reality of wars and violence, one could infer that these two boys just had an urge of power exhibition in false knowing and understanding that they can control and change the order of the world. Works Cited Bradley, Ed. â€Å"What Really Happened At Columbine? † CBS News. 17 April 2001. 9 July 2009. . Gibson, James Wilson. â€Å"Warrior Dreams. † Title of the Book. Ed. First Name Last Name. Location: Publisher, Year. 625–633.

Free Essays on The Greek War of Independence

The Greek War of Independence began in 1821. The Greek fighters overtook the Ottomans, who had been in power for hundreds of years, in many parts of the country. In many repeated attempts, the Ottomans, who allied with the Egyptians, tried to gain back control of the cities that were freed, but they could not defeat the Greeks or end the revolution. On October 20, 1827, France, Russia, and Britain destroyed the Ottoman and Egyptian fleet. Russia declared war on the Ottoman Empire, and the Ottoman left Greece. The Egyptians then withdrew, and in 1829 Greece became independent. King Otto, who was only 17, then took the throne. In 1843, a peaceful revolution forced Otto to accept a constitution that established Greece as a constitutional monarchy. A revolt in 1862 forced Otto to give up the throne. Replacing him was George I. George I gave Greece a much more democratic government. In 1864, a new constitution limited royal power and gave much power to a Parliament. During the 1880's and 1890's, Greece made great progress. Roads and railroads were built and education and other social services were improved. In 1909, a group of young Greek army officers called the Military League organized a peaceful revolt. The league was protesting against political confusion and economic difficulties. The league called on Eleutherios Venizelo to be their advisor. The Parliament agreed to the league's demands for changes in the constitution, and Venizelos became Prime Minister in 1910. Venizelos helped organize the Balkan alliance of Greece with Bulgaria, Montenegro, and Serbia. This alliance led to the two Balkan Wars in 1912 and in 1913. In the first war, the four Balkan countries defeated the Ottoman Empire and took most of its European territory. In the second war, Bulgaria attacked its allies but was defeated. As a result of the Balkan Wars, Greece gained the island of Crete, southern Epirus, part of Macedonia, and many Aegean Islands. In 1913, an ... Free Essays on The Greek War of Independence Free Essays on The Greek War of Independence The Greek War of Independence began in 1821. The Greek fighters overtook the Ottomans, who had been in power for hundreds of years, in many parts of the country. In many repeated attempts, the Ottomans, who allied with the Egyptians, tried to gain back control of the cities that were freed, but they could not defeat the Greeks or end the revolution. On October 20, 1827, France, Russia, and Britain destroyed the Ottoman and Egyptian fleet. Russia declared war on the Ottoman Empire, and the Ottoman left Greece. The Egyptians then withdrew, and in 1829 Greece became independent. King Otto, who was only 17, then took the throne. In 1843, a peaceful revolution forced Otto to accept a constitution that established Greece as a constitutional monarchy. A revolt in 1862 forced Otto to give up the throne. Replacing him was George I. George I gave Greece a much more democratic government. In 1864, a new constitution limited royal power and gave much power to a Parliament. During the 1880's and 1890's, Greece made great progress. Roads and railroads were built and education and other social services were improved. In 1909, a group of young Greek army officers called the Military League organized a peaceful revolt. The league was protesting against political confusion and economic difficulties. The league called on Eleutherios Venizelo to be their advisor. The Parliament agreed to the league's demands for changes in the constitution, and Venizelos became Prime Minister in 1910. Venizelos helped organize the Balkan alliance of Greece with Bulgaria, Montenegro, and Serbia. This alliance led to the two Balkan Wars in 1912 and in 1913. In the first war, the four Balkan countries defeated the Ottoman Empire and took most of its European territory. In the second war, Bulgaria attacked its allies but was defeated. As a result of the Balkan Wars, Greece gained the island of Crete, southern Epirus, part of Macedonia, and many Aegean Islands. In 1913, an ...

Fall in Oil Prices in the mid 2014

Fall in Oil Prices in the mid 2014 Introduction There has been a dramatic fall in oil prices across the world in the recent past beginning in mid-2014. The decline in oil prices will have impacts on the economies of the world. One of the economies that have already begun experiencing economic effects of the declining oil prices is the United Kingdom (UK).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Fall in Oil Prices in the mid 2014 specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The fall in oil prices has been described as either a big tax cut or a contributor to potential deflation in the UK. However, these two arguments are subjective since they will vary in terms of consistency and industry. It is expected that the drop in oil prices will boost employment and investment and hence raise revenues in the UK. It is also projected that the drop in oil charges will negatively affect the oil and gas extraction industry. However, the cost of the input will fall to counter the nega tive effects. Oil-consuming industries such as the transport sector will also benefit since people will relocate their capital, especially from less oil-dependent sectors. Household income will also increase with a decline in oil prices. The overall outcome will be a rise in consumer spending. Household income will go up due to two major factors that are pegged to oil prices. First, prices of consumer goods will fall with the falling oil prices in the UK. However, the reduced prices of goods and services will result in devaluation of the UK economy. Inflation rates will also decrease to the extent of forcing the UK banks to reconsider their lending rates (Bloomberg 2015). Secondly, the real wages will also rise with the falling oil prices. In fact, Lincoln (2015) addresses the issue of inflation in the UK. In fact, the Bank of England tabled a written document to a British government official demanding answers concerning the witnessed deviations (Lincoln (2015). This outcome will be attributable to the fact that a fall in oil prices will result in a fast growth of various sectors of the economy. As a result, these sectors will highly require labour. Competition for the available labour will result in an increase in wages. This paper seeks to explore the assumption that a fall in oil prices is either a big tax cut or a contributor to potential deflation in the UK.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Oil Decline and its Impacts Inflation The argument that a decline in oil prices has resulted in tax cut in the UK is a misplaced projection. On the contrary, a fall in world oil prices has resulted in increased revenue and tax collection by the government of the UK. Since a fall in oil prices increases economic activities in the UK, the amount of government tax revenue has also been on the rise. The amount of tax to be collected from personal income b y the government has also increased with the increased employment and spendable income. Moreover, tax collection from the corporate sector also increases with a fall in oil prices since many companies intensify their manufacturing activities with reduced cost of production. The trade deficit has been narrowly affected by the fall in oil prices. A low cost of oil prices translates to a decline in the cost of production, especially for oil-intensive industries. If the prices of oil continue to fall or fall permanently, the cost of production in industries that depend on energy is expected to be low. The low cost of manufacturing will then be transferred to the clientele of the manufactured products, thereby reducing the rates of inflation directly. However, a rise in the real GDP and collective demand is likely to make the charges of merchandise go up. In his view, Barwell (2007) says that this effect will be offset by the saved purchasing cost, thereby resulting in low consumer price s. Therefore, the low oil prices are good news for the UK consumers and the government. Consumers are expected to continue benefiting from the cheaper prices of goods and services. They have increased their spendable income following the cost-saving mechanisms that have come with the decline in oil charges. On the other hand, the government has collected more tax from the increased number of employed people and from the increased amount of goods that citizens have been able to purchase. As Rafiq (2014) asserts, the balance between GDP and the reduced cost of goods and services will result in reduced inflation.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Fall in Oil Prices in the mid 2014 specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Household Spending Consumers in the UK market will benefit from the reduced oil prices. Household spending increases with the available cost-saving strategies that result from the reduced oil prices (Misati, Ny amongo Mwangi 2013). Since most of the industries depend on energy for production, a reduction in energy prices in the UK has translated to the witnessed low cost of production. As a result, the industries have reduced the cost of their goods and services to the advantage of the UK consumers. Real house spending has also increased with the reduced oil prices. Since low oil prices increase the activities of most of the industries, labour demand has also increased to the extent of raising the wage levels in the UK economy. Increased wages have augmented the spending power since money is available in the hands of the UK people. However, according to Misati, Nyamongo and Mwangi (2013), if the demand for goods and services continues to increase, there is a possibility that goods will run out of stock and consequently result in high prices. This claim implies that the projected devaluation in the UK economy is unlikely to happen due to this balancing effect. It is important to consider t he likely direct effect of reduced oil prices on spendable income that has to be witnessed, regardless of whether the changes in price are temporary or permanent. Government Revenue Barwell (2007) confirms how the UK government collects revenue from the process of oil exploration, production, and distribution. Such taxes are classified as petroleum revenue tax, supplementary tax, and corporation tax. Trends in revenue collection by the UK government have followed the situation in the oil industry over the years. However, this condition may not hold in the near future. For example, there has been a decoupling relationship between the prices of oil and the amount of collected revenue since other factors in the economy may offset the expected decline in revenue because of the reduced oil prices. In the UK oil industry, revenue collection declined by 45% in the 2012-2013 fiscal year and 25% in the 2013-2014 fiscal year. This state of affairs was attributed to the low levels of oil produ ction and the increased expenditure. However, as Rafiq (2014) reveals, low revenue collection from the oil industry may not necessarily mean low proceeds to the economy.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the contrary, a reduction in oil prices across the world has a positive impact on government tax revenue in the UK. It is true that the total amount of tax revenue that the government of UK collects from the oil industry will decline with reduced oil prices in the world market. However, it is clear that the avenues that low prices of oil are likely to open will increase tax revenue with a higher mark compared to the amount that is currently gathered from the oil industry. The implication is that the balance of revenue tax that could have been collected from the oil industry will be easily offset by the contribution from other sectors (Misati, Nyamongo Mwangi 2013). Such contribution will include employee taxable income, tax levies from the expanded industrial avenues, and the increased tax collection from consumer goods whose demand will have gone up following the available high spendable income. The UK Trade Deficit A balance of import and exports is crucial to the UK economy. MacCoille (2008) confirms how both domestic spending and exports are great contributors to the economic growth of a particular country. Although the UK is a big importer of oil and oil products, a decline in the world oil prices may have a small effect on its economy. However, a decline in oil prices results in the expansion of the UK’s domestic industries that in turn lift people’s spending power (Guidi 2010). This outcome is expected to narrow the UK’s trade deficit. It is also likely that the decrease in oil prices will result in an increase in exports as the UK economy continues to expand. The low cost of production in the UK’s oil-intensive industries implies a higher rate of production and hence more goods and services for the export market. However, this economic situation is likely to be balanced by the increased spendable wages. Since low prices of oil will result in discounted goods in the UK, the long-term effect will be an increase in spendabl e income and hence wealth creation. Empowerment of the local citizenry means that most of the goods that are produced locally have to be consumed locally since people have the money to spend in purchasing the products. When the UK domestic spending rises, there is a likelihood of wealth creation within the country. Industries will expand their production since the cost will continue to be low while people will continue to save and purchase more with the available spendable income. In the end, exports will significantly go down. MacCoille (2008) confirms how a decline in exports implies reduced export taxes. Since the available income is anticipated to be high, part of the spending will be focused on buying more imports. The implication is that tax collection from imports will also increase. Guidi (2010) asserts that the quickly expanding economy that will result from the low cost of production will also lead to the growth of the overall UK economy. The intensification of the economy will translate into increased demand for imports such as machinery, labour, and raw materials. As a result, the economy of the UK will experience a narrowing of trade deficit with the decline in world oil prices. Conclusion A decline in the world oil prices will result in increased tax collection and devaluation of the UK economy. The overall impact of the falling oil prices will be positive economic growth in the UK. Industries and economic activities will expand. The cost of industrial production will decrease, thus allowing quick expansion and increased production of goods by industries that are currently highly reliant on oil. However, low prices of oil in the world market will affect the UK’s oil industry negatively, thereby contributing to low tax revenue to the economy. This discussion finds that low tax revenue from the oil industry will not affect the overall revenue collection by the UK government. On the contrary, various industries will expand with the decline in oil prices. Low cost of production, for example, in the agriculture industry, transport, and manufacturing industries will be witnessed. These industries will increase their tax remittance to the government. Moreover, the industries will raise employment in the countries. Consequently, many employees will also pay taxes to the government. Consumers will also have a spendable income, meaning that they will purchase more products and save money through the reduced prices of goods. Hence, the low cost of production in industries because of the reduced oil charges will end up at the consumer doors since the prices of goods and services will go down. Therefore, this discussion confirms that devaluation of goods and services will not necessarily imply a tax cut since a tax decline in the UK’s oil extraction, production, and transport industry will be offset by other sectors that will grow rapidly, thanks to the reduced oil prices. References Barwell, R 2007, ‘The macroeconom ic impact of higher energy prices on the UK economy’, Bank of England Quarterly Bulletin, vol. 47 no. 4, pp. 522-532. Bloomberg 2015, UK Annual Inflation Rate Falls Below Zero. Web. Guidi, F 2010, ‘The Economic Effects of Oil Prices Shocks on the UK Manufacturing and Services Sectors’, IUP Journal of Applied Economics, vol. 9 no. 4, pp. 5-34. Lincoln, H 2015, British Monetary Policy: Wrong Target. Web. MacCoille, C 2008, ‘The impact of low-cost economies on UK import prices’, Bank of England Quarterly Bulletin, vol. 48 no. 1, pp. 58-65. Misati, N, Nyamongo, M Mwangi, I 2013, ‘Commodity price shocks and inflation in a net oil-importing economy’, OPEC Energy Review, vol. 37 no. 2, pp. 125-148. Rafiq, S 2014, ‘What Do Energy Prices Tell Us About UK Inflation?’, Economica, vol. 81 no. 322, pp. 293-310.

The True Story of Stand and Deliver essays

The True Story of Stand and Deliver essays The movie I watched in Mr. Franklins class was "Stand and Deliver". The story is about a high school mathematics teacher who takes a class of undisciplined, unmotivated and rebellious students and helps them through a year of school Garfield High in Los Angeles, California. He helps them graduate and succeed. The kids learn so much in that year that eighteen of them are able to pass a very hard college credit calculus exam. The exam is so hard that only 2% of American students pass it. The movie is based on a true story. As I was watching the movie, the teacher named Jaime Escalante gets challenged on the first day. Many students yell out to him in Spanish and in English to see if they can test him in any way. He doesnt confront them; but he reaches out to them. He befriends many students including a troubled teen named Angel. At one point, Angel asks Mr. Escalante if he needs more than one book and says that he wants to learn but his "homies" must not find out. In return Mr. Escalante is promised that he will get protection, but tells Angel instead to just come to class. The students are astonished to see, that a teacher can hang in there. So as days go on, he starts adopting ways to get the students to pay attention to him. The next day he is dressed as a chef with a meat cleaver. He slams the meat cleaver, slicing the apples in half and gets people to stop talking. He asks various students what they have. Eventually they are asked individually to answer. This is one of his tactics into having a group discussion. As he eases his way, he starts teaching by using examples out of the everyday lives of his student making them think things out for themselves. The students then learn to realize he is serious. Jaime Escalante tells his students if they want to learn they must all follow his rules. He starts by announcing that the punishments for not working hard in class are to be banished from the class....

Consolidated and Nonprofit Entities Research Paper

Consolidated and Nonprofit Entities - Research Paper Example This is entirely contrary to statutory consolidation. To understand the concept further, an article on the same subject has been analyzed and contemplated. The article chosen for analysis is the â€Å"Financing Cayman Statutory Mergers – Issues for Lenders† written by Ashley Davies. This article talks about the â€Å"take private transaction† financing which makes use of the Cayman Island Statutory merger working under Cayman Island Companies Law. This article is potential because it raises many Cayman law issues related to lenders. This article attempts to explore some of the crucial points which parties involved in transaction need to be aware of. According to ( Davis 1) â€Å"The Cayman Islands legislature introduced the statutory merger regime in May 2009, and it has quickly become recognized as a simple and effective way to take private listed companies, with many advantages over previously available option†. In this article, the description is about the merger involving Cayman Islands newly incorporated company with an existing company. Problem Statement; According to Ashley Davis, the statutory merger is supposed to be a complex phenomenon. However the Cayman Island Companies is confident about their merger with its private owned companies. But the author here is skeptical about merger process as he finds many dangerous loop holes in it. This article raises many critical issue related to statutory merger and â€Å"take private transaction† issue is one among them .First critical factor in the article can be seen as the take private transaction in context to statutory merger. This factor has a major role to play when it comes to statutory merger because it relates to the merging of private companies. A "take-private transaction† means that a large private-equity group, or a consortium of private-equity firms, purchases or acquires the stock of a publicly traded corporation Another critical factor raised in the article

Examining a Business Failure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Examining a Business Failure - Essay Example In simple terms, business failure can be defined as a situation whereby a company or an organization ceases operations due to inability to make profit or because it can no longer be able to bring in sufficient revenue that can cover the expenses it incurs. Studies have shown that business failure can be caused by the following factors: increased competition; poor implementation of strategies; outdated technology; poor management; poor leadership; financial problems; and economic challenges (Hatch, 2006). In order to have a better understanding of business failure, this paper will discuss the failure of Enron Corporation. Enron Corporation was one of the leading players in the energy market; actually, in the year 2001, it was the United States ’ seventh Largest Corporation in terms of revenues (Mclean and Elkind, 2003). However, it suffered a catastrophic collapse as a result of financial scandal (famously known as Enron Scandal) which involved its accounting firm (Arthur Ander sen), Enron’s management and leadership. The scandal involved fraudulent accounting procedures and practices which occurred during the 1990s and the beginning of 21st century. These fraudulent activities included manipulation of the Enron’s stock price. This scandal eventually led the Corporation to file for bankruptcy in December 2001 (Fox, 2003). Robbins (2004) argues that whereas events leading to business failure of an organization often take different dimensions, the contribution of the organization’s management, leadership, and organizational structures towards the failure cannot be ruled out. As a matter of facts, he notes that this contribution is usually central to business failure in any given organization. So, how did Enron’s leadership, management, and organizational structures contribute to the failure of the organization? Fox (2003) observes that the trials relating to Enron scandal showed that, indeed, the Corporation’s leadership co ntributed to its failure. Enron executives were charged with criminal acts that include insider trading, money laundering, and fraud. What became clear was that the Corporation’s leadership only focused on influence, greed, power, and profits and paid little attention to the Corporation’s Code of Ethics (Mclean and Elkind, 2003). Their focus made them to make wrong and deceiving decisions, as well as conspiring with Arthur Andersen auditors to engage in illegal accounting activities and methods. Jeff Skilling, Ken Lay and Andrew Fastow are the most notable top-level leaders of Enron whose behaviours greatly contributed to the collapse of the Corporation (Fox, 2003). For example, Andrew Fastow who was the Corporation’s chief financial officer engaged in improper partnerships, fraud, and money laundering activities. Jeff Skilling engaged in conspiracy, insider trading, made false financial reports, and in fraud. Ken Lay made misleading statement and got involved i n fraudulent activities (Mclean and Elkind, 2003). As leaders of the Corporation, Fastow, Skilling, and Lay were expected to adhere to and uphold Enron Code of Ethics that called for integrity, excellence, communication, and respect. However, they engaged in activities that challenged the Corporations ethics code’s foundational values. The top leadership as well as the Corporation’s senior management contributed to the failure by attempting to create a conglomerate in the energy industry that was aimed at increasing the

Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 69

Reflection - Essay Example Poor polythene waste management may form breeding spaces for harmful organisms such as mosquitoes that then cause malaria (European Commission, 2011). It also causes pollution to the environment since the material is not easily degradable. Animals may feed on polythene materials thereby causing an obstruction to their respiratory system, hence death. The toxic fumes from factories producing polythene also affect the people from the surrounding environment. Billions of polythene bags are disposed of globally on a daily basis. From a recent study, at least four polythene bags are used by each household in the world on a daily basis (Ankiro, Ikumawoyi, Olotu, & Olugunagba, 2012). It is, therefore, a critical matter for the world to realize the increasing trends of polythene usage and poor disposal that may lead to greater environmental problems in the future. There should, therefore, be a candid and rapid management programs to prevent such increasing trends. Reducing the use of polythene through selecting products that do not require packaging or using other packaging materials such as paper or glass can help reduce the harm caused by polythene bags. This will diminish the adverse health effects caused by poor polythene waste management. Refillable polythene containers can also be reused to reduce the number of polythene containers disposed. Most importantly, polythene containers can be recycled to and used to produce plastic mobile toilet, bins, waste baskets and other containers. Through this, the unnecessary disposing of such materials would be minimized since the containers will be considered valuable by the recyclers (Partha, 2008). Ankiro, A., Ikumawoyi, O., Olotu, Y., & Olugunagba, M. (2012). Environmental impact of polythene generation and disposal in Akure city, Nigeria. Global Journal of Science Frontier Research Agriculture and Biology, 12(3),

Exploring for Oil and Natural Gas Research Paper

Exploring for Oil and Natural Gas - Research Paper Example The company's seismic services can be an asset to the firms that receive the services of the firm. As drilling oil is a high risk and pay off proposition. This requires expertise in finding the oil and thus can reduce the problems regarding unnecessary extra spending on drilling and exploration. The company is expert in analyzing the oil, gas and water. This gives good idea about drilling. The information and analysis of the data of a particular place will decide the company to drill or not for fuel. The services of the company will be good for the oil firms that use the seismic services and the analysis of the oil and gas. The company's analysis include the combining of geologic information and flow simulation techniques with advanced computing. This will increase oil recovery in mature oil fields. The three resources; mature or partially depleted reservoirs, geologically complex formations and ultra deep water reservioirs are the sources of the oil at present. The engineers of C2C can identify the location and distribution of the un swept or bypassed oil and untapped compartments. High resolution fluid flow modeling and seismic imaging techniques will be used by the company for data assimilation and can determine the place of drill and finding out unswept oil. (Gene Charleton et al, 2007)1 WBS: work of Alexir can mainly divide into three parts; Explaining... May 21st: Arrival of the Chevron team May 22nd: Meeting external affairs director Alexir and his staff to discuss the visit and the agenda of the vist. May 22nd after lunch: Preparation of the list of the customers to visit and the reasons to visit them. The schedule to meet the experts in the company to know about the service they offer. May23rd before lunch: Meeting the customer service staff and asking about the customer care methods they are following and extra care they offer if the chevron outsource work for C2C. May 23rd after lunch: Meeting the administrative staff working under Lee. The administration of the company is crucial for any customer who offers work on a large scale. The administration will stream line the whole processes and is responsible for the timely delivery of the assignments. May24th before lunch: meeting the accounting staff to know about the accounting standards of the company. As from 2005 many global companies are adopting international standards of accounting for more transparency, the meeting with the accounting department is also needed. May 24th after lunch: Meeting the staff in the department of integrated PVT Field studies. May 25th to end of the visit: meeting any three customers of the company and deciding about the work that can be entitled to the company. 3. Current Situation of Chevron and C2C can Offer Chevron is a global enterprise that offers competitive products across all energy sectors. The company brings together the values, talent and commitment in developing energy sources world wide. The C2C can help the company in exploring new sources of oil and gas with relatively less expenditure than in the past due to the exact analysis and detection of the fuel sources underground. As the Chevron

The U.S Constitution and the Bill of Rights Research Paper

The U.S Constitution and the Bill of Rights - Research Paper Example Initiatives for the Constitution In 1787, on May 14, the Federal Convention assembled in the Independence Hall in Philadelphia in order to revise the articles of confederation. Since the delegates were in a minority meeting was adjourned for a day awaiting the arrival of the rest of the states. This adjourning continued for eleven days when on May 25 seven states joined in with the delegation for the purpose of taking a mutual decision (World Digital Library, 2012). However, the debates continued between the states until mid of June that the jury reached a conclusion that the terms could not be amended rather it called for a fresh effort and a total change in the articles of confederation. Thus, the first mutual decision between the gathered delegates was to draft a new structure in order to give a direction to the government (World Digital Library, 2012). After continuous secret debates among the delegates, a constitution was proposed and submitted to the state for an approval. Alth ough the vote was sealed in some states, the constitution was finally sanctioned. A new Federal government came into existence in 1789. In accord with the constitution the government was established that exists till to date in the U.S. The Bill of Rights During the debates for the constitution the delegates constantly mentioned that there should be a law that would protect the citizens against violation of rights. The opposition party argued that if the constitution was established without considering the citizens it will become a tyrannical rule by the central government. During the revolution, the British had violated the civil rights. This was a fresh memory for the opposition party and a mitigating factor that brought the Bill of Rights into existence. In accord with the arguments of the opposition party, there should be rules that were required to be spelled out in order to protect the citizens against any violation of rights (The Charters of Freedom, 2012). Nevertheless, on Se ptember 25, 1789, the Congress of United States proposed to the State legislatures 12 amendments to the constitution. These amendments were deduced after the argument by the opposition party. Bearing in mind the argument of the opposition the Congress deduced amendments; these considered the representation of the constituents and the compensation of the congressmen. Thus, in order to guard the rights of the citizens, George Mason had composed the Declaration of Rights, which was approved by the Virginia assembly on June 12, 1776. However, on June 8, 1789, James Madison of Virginia presented amendments to the Constitution. The Federalists honored their word and on September 25, 1789, the First Federal Congress of the United States approved twelve amendments to the Constitution to be submitted to the states for ratification. Today the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution are known as the Bill of Rights (The Charters of Freedom, 2012; The U.S. Bill of Rights, 2012).

Exploring for Oil and Natural Gas Research Paper

Exploring for Oil and Natural Gas - Research Paper Example The company's seismic services can be an asset to the firms that receive the services of the firm. As drilling oil is a high risk and pay off proposition. This requires expertise in finding the oil and thus can reduce the problems regarding unnecessary extra spending on drilling and exploration. The company is expert in analyzing the oil, gas and water. This gives good idea about drilling. The information and analysis of the data of a particular place will decide the company to drill or not for fuel. The services of the company will be good for the oil firms that use the seismic services and the analysis of the oil and gas. The company's analysis include the combining of geologic information and flow simulation techniques with advanced computing. This will increase oil recovery in mature oil fields. The three resources; mature or partially depleted reservoirs, geologically complex formations and ultra deep water reservioirs are the sources of the oil at present. The engineers of C2C can identify the location and distribution of the un swept or bypassed oil and untapped compartments. High resolution fluid flow modeling and seismic imaging techniques will be used by the company for data assimilation and can determine the place of drill and finding out unswept oil. (Gene Charleton et al, 2007)1 WBS: work of Alexir can mainly divide into three parts; Explaining... May 21st: Arrival of the Chevron team May 22nd: Meeting external affairs director Alexir and his staff to discuss the visit and the agenda of the vist. May 22nd after lunch: Preparation of the list of the customers to visit and the reasons to visit them. The schedule to meet the experts in the company to know about the service they offer. May23rd before lunch: Meeting the customer service staff and asking about the customer care methods they are following and extra care they offer if the chevron outsource work for C2C. May 23rd after lunch: Meeting the administrative staff working under Lee. The administration of the company is crucial for any customer who offers work on a large scale. The administration will stream line the whole processes and is responsible for the timely delivery of the assignments. May24th before lunch: meeting the accounting staff to know about the accounting standards of the company. As from 2005 many global companies are adopting international standards of accounting for more transparency, the meeting with the accounting department is also needed. May 24th after lunch: Meeting the staff in the department of integrated PVT Field studies. May 25th to end of the visit: meeting any three customers of the company and deciding about the work that can be entitled to the company. 3. Current Situation of Chevron and C2C can Offer Chevron is a global enterprise that offers competitive products across all energy sectors. The company brings together the values, talent and commitment in developing energy sources world wide. The C2C can help the company in exploring new sources of oil and gas with relatively less expenditure than in the past due to the exact analysis and detection of the fuel sources underground. As the Chevron

Change and Development in the English Language22 Essay

Change and Development in the English Language22 - Essay Example However, later this practice was reversed. At the end of Late West Saxon era there were again changes made to the vowels structure. Vowels were usually lengthened in open syllables (13th century), except when trisyllabic laxing would apply. Remaining unstressed vowels merged into //. (IPA transcription text of text 174-Late Saxon english , Last line last word). Similary in the S. Midland era, further changes to the vowels were made. The changes in vowels in this era is known as "Great Vowel Shift. The changes in Great Vowel Shift were that all long vowels raised or diphthongized. /a/, //, /e/ become //, /e/, /i/, respectively. (IPA Transcription text 174-S.Midland English, 1st line second word) ,//, /o/ become /o/, /u/, respectively. (IPA Transcription text 174-S.Midland English,5th line 1st word), and also /i/, /u/ become /i/ and /u/, later /ai/. Apart from changes in vowel, the other main change was Changes in Diphthong. Inherited height-harmonic diphthongs were monophthongized by the loss of the second component, with the length remaining the same. // and // became // and //. (as appeared throughtout in IPA transcription text of text 174-Late Saxon english for e-g in the first line second word second alphabet). In S. Midlands Loss of most remaining diphthongs. Like /ou/ (and former /u/, merged into /ou/ in Early Middle English) became /o/ and /ei/ became /e/ after the shift causing the long mid mergers. (as appeared in IPA transcription Text 174 S Midlands, 4th line 8 word) There were also changes made in Syllables which was first step of transition towards the development of modern English. In Late-West Saxon era, there was Middle English open syllable lengthening: Vowels were usually lengthened in open syllables (13th century), except when trisyllabic laxing would apply (as discussed in the vowels part. In S.Midlands there was a Loss of // in final syllables. How many different dialects of english and prnounciation do we hear nowadays. All these were part of development of English from Late West Saxon Era and S.Midland's era. The major pronounciation that took place in Late West Saxon era was Voiced fricatives became independent phonemes through borrowing and other sound changes and /sw/ before back vowel becomes /s/; /mb/ becomes /m/. (as in Sword and lamb became sord and lam in pronounciation). In the S.Midland era, there were some pronounciation changes as well. This era is marked by the development of some the common accents including some in Northern England, East Anglia, South Wales. Thus, the development of English has a history to tell. It has seen thousand of years of development before it has come in its modern form. It has become a common language because it is a mixture of many languages particulary German and who knows how many other languages had played their part in its development. English, at first was difficult but it was more towards the German. But as the times passed various changes like Changes in Vowels , Diaphtongs, and Syllables made it easy to read, write and speak. Thus, due to this progress, changes and development of English, we see it today as a language of common-culture and people from different parts of the World use it as their means of communication. References : Wikipedia.com

Problem of Obesity Essay Example for Free

Problem of Obesity Essay Think about your classmates or schoolmates and try to describe them! Do it! Now count how many of them you described as FAT. You can always name one, cant you? At least I can. Obesity can cause a lot of disease like diabetes and high blood pressure, which may cause the overloading of Hong Kongs healthcare system. Thats what makes obesity not just a problem of patients but also a problem of the public. So, what causes obesity? Sure youve heard ‘being fat is cute and healthy and brings good luck from different TV programmers or even your parents or grannies. Thats one of the reasons why 13. 4% of boys and 10. 5% of girls between the ages of 6 and 18 are overweight. Adults, especially the old ones, love rewarding kids with snacks, usually the unhealthy one like chocolates, chips, etc. Not just obesity it caused, but also diabetes. These snacks contain a large amount of energy, sodium, and fat, which they get 35 – 45% calories from. Remember Augustus Gloop in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? Yes, hes the fat boy who loves chocolate and ends up being sucked out of the chocolate river. Do you want yourself or your children look like Augustus? Sure nobody wants to look like Giant be? r, so stop rewarding them with snacks, but whole grains, vegetables, and fruit instead. Now, count the total time of your exercise in a week. I got about 120 minutes, what ? bout you? Less than 30 minutes? Youre just like most young people in Hong Kong. This is also the main cause of obesity. According to a survey make by HKU, 69% of local secondary school students dont do enough exercise to achieve health benefits from it and almost 20% got NO exercise at all and somehow they think they can maintain good health with little or no physical activity. Ridiculous isnt it? Or you have the same thought? Dr. Jack Hodgins from the Chinese university said that a large percentage of children have no exercise. He said that children were spending too much time on activities such as playing computer games and watching TV. Dr. Hodgins said young people ought to include more physical activity in their daily routines. Exercise was particularly important for young people because it helped to build and maintain strong bones and muscles. With too little exercise their bones and muscles would not develop properly. How many sit-ups can you do in 5 minutes? 10 years ago, children in Hong Kong can do 100, now they can only do 50. Children are becoming less and less fit. When youre not fit, your heart gets weaker and needs to work harder to keep your body going and if it has to work too hard for a long period of time, you can develop serious problems such as heart disease and high blood pressure. Dont let this happen to you! Keep fit! Stay healthy! We got lots of homework and exams; we got no time at all, students said. Well, no time is never a reason since WALKING IS ALSO A KIND OF EXERCISE. Walking home is quite a good way to do exercise if youre not living too far away from school Do you eat your breakfast every morning? Do you know that skipping breakfast is also a cause of getting fat? People who skipped breakfast usually become so hungry by mid-morning that they need to fill up on high-fat or high-sugar snacks and beverages. As a result, they consume too many calorie and gain weight. So dont forget to have a healthy breakfast every day. In conclusion, we should always have a healthy breakfast every morning, have a b? lanced diet, and, most importantly, do enough exercise so we can stay? way from obesity and diabetes.

Relationship between Health and Education

Relationship between Health and Education Lachlan Donnet-Jones Health Care Where People Live and Work The World Health Organisation (WHO) originally proposed a definition for health literacy that was later adapted by Nutbeam (1998) as ‘the cognitive and social skills which determine the motivation and ability of individuals to gain access to, understand and use information in ways which promote and maintain good health’. Health literacy is essential in health care, as it allows individuals to access available health services and actively participate in the decisions and management of their health and wellbeing (Institute of Medicine, 2004). In recent years there has been an increase in chronic illness largely associated with an ageing population. This is placing immense pressure on health systems throughout Australia (Department of Health and Ageing, 2012). Addressing the barriers to improved health literacy in older adults would lead to better health and wellbeing outcomes, while simultaneously reducing the level of dependence on the health care system. The health professional plays an important role in assisting elderly patients to develop a greater understanding of their specific health conditions, and therefore, allowing elderly people to take an active role in the management of their health conditions. Health literacy is more than possessing the ability to read and write, it encompasses an active role in accessing available health care services, self-care of chronic conditions and maintaining an adequate level of general health and wellbeing (Institute of Medicine, 2004). According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) report on social trends (2009), 59% of Australian adults have inadequate health literacy levels, and this figure is even higher in the Tasmanian population (63%). This essentially means that the majority of people, even those with university degrees or higher education, fail to understand basic health information, such as, safe drug and alcohol use, disease prevention, first aid and sustainable wellbeing (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2009). Poor health literacy affects patients in various ways including; inability to accurately remember information provided by health professionals, less knowledge of the causes of ill-health, less likely to use health services designed to prevent and detect conditions (e.g. cancer screening, childhood health assessments and immunisations), and are more dependent on healthcare providers (e.g. hospitals and emergency services) (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2009). Numerous tests have been developed to determine an individual’s level of health literacy, such as, the Newest Vital Sign (NVS), a nutrition label based test that takes approximately three minutes to complete. Other general indications of poor health literacy are; avoiding paperwork, using appearance to identify medications rather than labels, and a reluctance to complete forms. Health literacy is an essential component of Primary Health Care (PHC). PHC aims to promote health, develop communities, act as an advocate for health services, provide rehabilitation, prevent illness, and care for the sick. (Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute, 2006). Health literacy can be improved by implementing various PHC strategies that are concentrated on addressing the social determinants of health, such as, social support, unemployment, early life and the social gradient (Wilkinson and Marmot, 2003). These strategies are focused on the promotion of health literacy skills and educating those in need, for example, free access to general practitioners (GP) and better health education in early schooling, are crucial programs in achieving improved education and health literacy outcomes. The relationship between education and good health is well established in the literature and is documented in a wide variety of research articles (Black, 1980). Education leads to improved general and health literacy, which creates a greater chance of better health and wellbeing in an individual. However, it is important to note that, as Nutbeam (2000) explains, while an individual may have access to education and possess high general and health literacy levels, this does not guarantee better health outcomes. Older adults in the Australian population are among those with the highest rates of chronic illness and lowest rates of health literacy, therefore, improving health literacy is essential to better manage chronic illnesses (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2007-08). Older adults are among the most dependant on the health care system with some of the lowest levels of health literacy. This is due to a number of barriers including, education and literacy training, the technicality and complexity of health information, and the natural ageing process (Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011). The National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) found that 80% of older adults had difficulty using documents, such as, forms or charts (NAAL, 2006). Poor health literacy in the older adult population can seriously interfere with the day-to-day care of chronic illnesses, such as, ischemic heart disease, which is the leading chronic illness and cause of death in the Australian older adult population (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2008). Ischemic heart disease (IHD), or coronary heart disease, is the most common form of heart disease and cause of heart attacks (Mount Sinai Hospital, 2014). IHD is caused by plaque build-up on the walls of coronary arteries, narrowing them and restricting blood flow to the heart (Dorling, 2009). In Australia, approximately 10,000 people die from heart disease each year (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2007-08). IHD is a generally preventable disease. There is no single cause of IHD, there is however, numerous contributing factors that increase the risk of developing the disease (Heart Foundation, 2011). The first step, and perhaps the most fundamental, in preventing IHD in older adults, is educating individuals on the risk factors relevant to them. The Australian Heart Foundation (2011) provides a list of two varieties of risk factors, modifiable and non-modifiable. Non-modifiable risk factors include; age, ethnic background, family history of heart disease. The modifiable (preventable) risk factors include; smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, sedentary lifestyle, obesity and lack of social support/social isolation (Heart Foundation, 2011). Health literacy is crucial in the management of IHD, as aforementioned, the majority of contributing risk factors are dependent on the lifestyle choices of the individual, meaning that with the right motivation and knowledge, the disease can, for the most part, be prevented. Improving health literacy is the responsibility of the individual, the community, the government, and the health professional. The health professional has a direct and significant role in improving health literacy as they are the primary source for information, education and have the greatest level of patient contact. During interviews with older adults conducted in a study by the Department of Health and Ageing (2012), it was found that post hospitalisation patients were largely left confused with only their own resources to cope with the challenges of their condition. The patient needs to be provided with the resources, education and support necessary to provide a foundation for building health literacy, leading to better self-management and improved patient outcomes (Department of Health and Ageing, 2012). Supporting development of behaviour change, implementing a patient-centred approach, providing patients with positive reinforcement and creating an environment that allows for progression and constructive change, are among the responsibilities of the health professional (Institute of Medicine, 2004). The patients’ responsibilities are to engage in treatment plans, follow self-management instructions and cooperate with health professionals in the best interest of their health and wellbeing (Nutbeam, 2000). Improving communication is fundamental to increasing health literacy. Health professionals can improve communication by using methods, such as, the talk back technique, which is when the health professional asks the patient to repeat the information provided, back to the health professional, demonstrating their understanding (Stein-Parbury, 2013). Using various physical materials to visualise information, such as, charts, graphs, and instructions, is another useful method to improving communication of information and increasing the patients’ level of understanding (Stein-Parbury, 2013). Using effective communication methods and techniques, the health professional can empower the patient to access the necessary resources and become active in managing their own health needs (Nutbeam, 2000). This is exceedingly important in the management of IHD, as patient decisions are crucial in reducing the risk factors contributing to the disease. In conclusion, health literacy is fundamental to providing effective health care. Patients, health professionals, communities and governments all play an important role in health literacy, whether it be empowering patients or funding educational programs. A rising quantity of evidence supports the importance of communication in professional health care. Some groups are predisposed by social determinants to have poor health literacy levels, such as the elderly. Elderly patients suffer greatly from preventable illnesses, such as, ischemic heart disease. It is therefore, understandable that it is necessary to provide comprehensive education and focus resources on improving health literacy in all communities. References Australian Bureau of Statistics, Social Trends 4102.0 (2009). Available at:Â  http://www.dhhs.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/101117/poh_fact_sheet_DHHS_health_literacy_20120630.pdf [Accessed 20 May. 2014]. Australian Bureau of Statistics (2001).4364.0 National Health Survey: summary of Results, 2007-08; 3464.0 National Health Survey: summary of results, 2001. Available atAustralian Bureau of Statistics (www.abs.gov.au)[Accessed 23 May. 2014]. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) (2008). Australia’s health 2008. Cat. no. AUS 99. Canberra: AIHW. Available at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=6442453674 [Accessed 26 May, 2014] Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute (APHCRI) (2006). ADGP Primary Health 42. Care Position Statement 2005, also included in the Australian Medical Association Primary Health Care position paper, 2006. Black, D.(1980)Inequalities in Health: Report of a Research Working Group. Available at: http://www.sochealth.co.uk/history/black.htm. [Accessed 20 May. 2014]. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2011). CDC Importance Health Literacy for Older Adults Audiences Develop Materials Health Literacy. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/healthliteracy/developmaterials/audiences/olderadults/importance.html [Accessed 19 May. 2014]. Department of Health and Ageing (2012).Improving Health Literacy in Seniors with Chronic Illness. National Seniors Productive Ageing Centre (NSPAC). Available at: http://www.productiveageing.com.au/userfiles/file/ImprovingHealthLiteracy%20Low%20Res.pdf [Accessed 22 May. 2014]. Dorling K. (2009) Coronary heart disease inThe human body book: An illustrated guide to its structure, function and disorders, Dorling Kindersley Publishing, Inc., London, United Kingdom. Heart Foundation (2011). Data and Statistics. Available at: http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/information-for-professionals/data-and-statistics/Pages/default.aspx [Accessed 23 May. 2014]. Institute of Medicine (2004). Health Literacy: A prescription to end confusion. Nielsen-Bohlman L, Panzer A, Kindig DA, editors. Washington, D.C., National Academy Press 2004. Mount Sinai Hospital (2014).Heart Attack Coronary Artery Disease Treatment. Available at: http://www.mountsinai.org/patient-care/service-areas/heart/areas-of-care/heart-attack-coronary-artery-disease[Accessed 22 May. 2014]. National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) (2006).2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy. National Centre for Education Statistics. Available at: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2006/2006483.pdf [Accessed 18 May. 2014]. Nutbeam, D.(1998)Health promotion glossary, Health Promotion International,13:349-64. Nutbeam, D.(2000)Health literacy as a public health goal: a challenge for contemporary health education and communication strategies into the 21st century, Health Promotion International,15(3):259-67. Stein-Parbury, J. (2013).Patient and person. 5th ed. Sydney: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone. World Health Organisation (WHO) (1998)Health Promotion Glossary. Geneva:WHO. Wilkinson, R., and Marmot, M. (2003). World Health Organization. The solid facts retrieved from:Â  http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/98438/e81384.pdf [Accessed 22 May. 2014].

Employees at Sonora Foods are organised into teams. These include: :: Business and Management Studies

Employees at Sonora Foods are organised into teams. These include: production, hygiene, and maintenance. Sonora Foods Ltd. 2 Describe how Sonora Foods Ltd is organised. 2 Identify and explain the roles and working arrangements of three different employees in the same functional area from the following list: Manager, Supervisor, Operative and Support Staff 2 Explain how the organisational structure affects communication between employees. 3 Compare the different working arrangements for the three identified employees. 4 Evaluate whether the organisational structure is appropriate for enabling employees to work together effectively 5 Judge the effectiveness of the different working arrangements of the three identified employees 6 Suggest and justify flexible working arrangements for them that the business might consider in the future 6 In Unit 2-Theme A my coursework was based on Cummins UK. For the rest of Unit 2 I will base my coursework on Sonora Foods Ltd. Sonora Foods Ltd. Describe how Sonora Foods Ltd is organised Sonora Foods produce the following products: Tortillas, Nacho Bites, Taco’s, Burritos, Wraps and Seasoning Blends. Sonora Foods is divided into four teams. These are: Senior Management Team, Operations Team, Finance Team, Hygiene Team and the Technical Team. All these teams have a managers and team leaders to keep each department running smoothly. The operations staff at Sonora Food are organised to work with different shifts. These are: day shift, 40 hours a week (7am-4pm). Afternoon shift, 35 hours a week (4pm-midnight) and night shift, 32.5 hours a week (midnight-7am). These are the shifts and working hours for the operatives. The wage is  £5.35 during the day and rises to  £10 for staff working on the night shift. This is how the operatives are organised, this has been successful for Sonora as all the operatives are happy with the arrangements allocated to their jobs. Operatives are the employees who are based on the production floor to produce the goods and keep the production line up and running smoothly throughout the day. All the four teams have an organisational chart. There are two types of organisational charts which businesses use. They’re flat structure and tall structure. Tall structures have lots of layers, which represent the difference in jobs and how much work is needed to do each one. The jobs at the top end of the chart will be managers and directors, these jobs will pay more than the jobs lower down the chart. Flat structures have fewer layers and are more used in smaller businesses. These have the higher staff at the top then a larger number of staff who are working with different jobs, but these jobs are at the same level of priority and rate of pay.

The Day Ethan Frome Lost Control of His Life :: Ethan Frome Essays

The Day Ethan Frome Lost Control of His Life      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I believe Ethan Frome lost control of his life when his mother died. After his mother's funeral, Ethan did not want to be left alone on the farm, so he asked Zeena to stay with him. At first, Ethan enjoys her company. However, Zeena soon becomes a nuisance to Ethan, and prevents him from becoming an engineer in a large city. After being married a year, Zeena becomes sick herself, and the only time she talks to Ethan is to complain or show her discontent.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   After Mattie comes to the farm, Ethan does not love Zeena at all. He thinks the only pleasure she has left is to inflict pain on him. Since Zeena is a burden on Ethan, he naturally wants to improve his life. The reason he does not have control of his life is because he is married to Zeena, and he is not brave enough to go away with Mattie. The reason he is married to Zeena is because his mother died. Since Zeena is why Ethan does not have control of his life, and Ethan married her because his mother died, the point in time when Ethan lost control of his life is when his mother died.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I believe Ethan could have changed the direction of his life if he had gone away from the farm to marry Mattie. The reason he did not have control of his life was because he was married to Zeena. If he would have married Mattie and left Zeena, he would not have been in the sled accident, and consequently, he would have lived a much happier life with Mattie.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The second way Ethan could have changed the direction of his life is if he

Securing Sensitive Items

In the military most people think when they hear the term â€Å"sensitive items† they will think of thing such as weapons, security codes, classified information, ect. However most things in the military are considered to some degree a â€Å"sensitive item†. . Which if they ended up falling into the hands of the enemy could cause minor or major damage to our nations national security and possibly endanger the lives of those both at home and deployed across the world. A very basic sensitive item used on a daily bases could include your common access card.For example because there is always the possibility of the â€Å"insider threat† if you accidentally left your CAC logged on to a computer another individual could now easily gain access to any classified information that you have access to. Things such as convoys carrying food and equipment to soldiers in the field that could become an easy target. Especially if the enemy were to know the exact route and what kin d of personnel and vehicles would be transporting the cargo.Another basic sensitive item that all soldiers are assigned is their gear. Most soldiers probably still remember their drill sergeants telling then to never leave their gear behind. If during a firefight you shouldn't just leave an empty magazine on the ground or leave you battle buddies weapon on the ground because he was wounded. You should always take it with you if possible, the reason being is because if no matter how small or insignificant it may seem every piece of gear we're issued can be turned against us.Something like a pistol might not seem like much but if your team member is wounded and you leave something like an AT-4 behind it could be fired at a convoy and then turned into an IED. Items such as keys to a cell in a prison could easily cause a major breach in security. As everybody knows of the last disturbance in the United States Disciplinary Barracks was only possible because a few inmates attacked a guard and got his keys.This allowed them to let all of the other inmates out in that housing unit causing a disturbance that in order to stop needed a riot control team using less than lethal rounds. Another sensitive item familiar to all soldiers in some form is your radio. Whether you're in the field, driving a squad car, or working I'm a prison. Your radio is a key piece of equipment, if you leave it laying around it could be used in many ways against you and your unit. If it's taken by the enemy try will now be able to listen in on the communication between different unit and know where  they are.If you're a road MP and you forget your radio, you have just now no lost communication with others that you may need to radio for backup or be able to respond to a distress call from somebody else. If you're a prison guard you have just lost the ability to quickly communicate with anybody in the facility. You will no longer be able to respond to a distress alarm or be able to call for assi stant if your body alarm is not functioning properly.

Figaro Coffee Essay

* We will be the preferred brand of specialty coffee of the international business traveler. Our products and unique style of service will leave a lasting impression among our customers. * We will be the investment of choice in the countries where our brand is represented thereby providing attractive returns to all our shareholders. * We will be a model employer that inspires its stakeholders to be better than its leaders because the opportunities for career and personal growth will drive them to excel. * We will be the most admired training facilities for coffee education making us the best training ground for those who want to establish a career or business on coffee and†¦ * We will be remembered as a committed advocate of corporate social responsibility by championing the cause of coffee to help farmers live a better life. * To cater to the different taste preferences, Figaro offers a wide selection of hot or cold coffee and tea concoctions, accompanying pastries and savory meals. * We recommend you try them all to encounter the unique delight each has to offer. Corporate Mission * We provide excellent coffee and gracious service creating a memorable experience for people who appreciate high quality coffee and demand for exceptional service. * Figaro’s distinctive store design, unique ambiance and style of service satisfy the global customer. * Figaro creates long-term value for its owners and business partners through profitable operations and business sustainability and dignity of life for its employees. * We will always practice good governance and actively pursue the cause of socio-cultural and environmental concerns. * We will always give you quality service, quality products & value for your money. SECTION 3 PRODUCT/SERVICE 3. 1 ABOUT THE COMPANY AND THE PRODUCT The Figaro Coffee Company is a popular specialty coffee store in the Philippines that is 100 percent Filipino-owned. Established in 1993, it is based on the concept of a complete store where â€Å"Filipinos can get the perfect coffee and all the necessary accoutrements for coffee making† that can compete internationally. From only two employees, a managing partner and a kiosk in the Makati Mall of the Ayala Centre, the company now has 64 outlets encompassing kiosks and cafes (including international branches). The company’s product line includes specialty roasted coffees and various coffee-related paraphernalia sold at retail. Aside from the superior-tasting coffee that a customer can enjoy in the Figaro Cafes, the company also offers a host of freshly roasted beans on retail. Among the selection is Barako and from the time it was introduced in 1999, Figaro Barako has become a bestseller. The ‘Save the Barako’ cause has somehow given the coffee added value as a portion of the bean sales is channelled back to into a project to promote the revival of the Barako. The project encompasses awareness programs, new plantings, research, and targeted marketing, and is coordinated with the Figaro Coffee Foundation. Meanwhile, as the consumption of Barako increases, a greater need arises to keep the production going which gives all the more reason why Barako needs to be saved from extinction. The continued increased demand for Barako on the other hand allows the advantage of bringing the price of Barako to a viable level that benefits both the farmer and the retailer. Through Figaro’s customer-loyalty scheme called Coffee Club, the company organizes farm tours twice a year wherein coffee enthusiasts show the process of coffee harvesting and planting. Since the company is primarily a coffee distributor and coffee shop operator, it did not have prior experience in actually growing coffee for commercial production. 3. 2 PRODUCT’S UNIQUE FEAUTURES Our Passion for Coffee. Our Beans are Always Freshly Roasted. Coffee beans need to be roasted to bring out their irresistible flavor and aromatics. The sooner a roasted bean gets into a cup, the better the flavor. Freshness is very important to us. We roast our beans in world class quality roasters, carefully watched over by roasting experts who make sure each bean is done perfectly. Once roasted, the beans are packed and sent to the stores immediately to ensure freshness. We make sure that every cup of coffee our customers enjoy is made of the best quality, perfectly roasted beans. After all, you deserve only the best from Figaro. Share our Passion Today, Figaro boasts 64 cafes in the Philippines. It is one of the fastest-growing coffee chains, in just over 17 years of experience in the art and business of coffee. We believe in catering to upscale coffee lovers, offering coffees expertly roasted and brewed according to the standards of French and Italian cafes. Figaro offers an ideal business opportunity that assures superior returns compared to an independent business of similar scope. After penetrating the international market, we are now keeping a critical eye on expanding in our home-market, which will zero in mostly on business districts around the country as we want more and more people to experience the sophisticated European coffee culture through our local barako coffee. 3. 3 STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT As the company started to get recognition as a major coffee chain, especially with the arrival in the country of international coffee brands such as Starbucks, Figaro was in search of the popular Barako coffee. Quite serendipitously, Figaro’s CEO Pacita Juan met Father Roger Bagao, a coffee farmer/priest in Tagaytay City who headed a farmer’s coffee cooperative. Father Roger hailed from the southern province of Bohol and has made coffee his life. A member of the Divine Word Seminary (SVD) in Tagaytay, Father Roger chose to live among the coffee-farming people. He knew that to assist them to attain spiritual awakening or enrichment, he first had to learn what crops they grew, how they made their livelihood. This meant first helping them to fill their stomachs, and later reaching their souls. So COFFEE was it. He organized a farmers’ cooperative that ran a coffee mill known as SMSK. Pacita Juan met Father Roger and asked him to show Figaro the other side of coffee – farmers, different varieties and where they grew, coffee in the south, coffee in the mountains. When Pacita was looking for the native Barako, Father Roger could only tell her that this variety or species was no longer profitable as their yields were low and Nescafe (the biggest processor) would have no need for the Barako. This saddened Figaro, as Barako is an important part of Philippine coffee history. â€Å"How do we change the tide? † she asked Father Roger. â€Å"Can we start planting Barako? How do we tell people about this sad fate of this species that is so popular among our people? † These questions made Figaro, with the help of Father Roger, establish a foundation to address the needs of the Philippines Coffee Industry – now known as the Figaro Foundation Corporation. The first project of the foundation was general coffee awareness-driven: The Coffee Farm Tour is now held every January in Cavite or Batangas, two provinces appropriate for a day trip. The second project is Barako awareness-driven. The Barako is slowly being cut down due to its ‘low’ demand among big processors. However, there is growing demand for Barako from specialty roast and ground processors in the Philippines, and for export to the Middle East. A related foundation project is called ‘Barako Tree Planting’. Launched in 2000, this project is run every July or August. The key challenges facing the tree-planting project are where to get seedlings and where to get land. Luckily, Father Roger found land during 2000 and 2001. After 2001, however, the foundation met with some problems regarding land ownership and could no longer access the first plantings to check on progress. In the same year, Father Roger introduced Cavite State University (CaVSU) and its research head, Dr. Andy Mojica to the Figaro Foundation. Dr. Mojica would be one of the keys to Barako seedling propagation, and he would also be a major part of the Presidential Task Force on Coffee Rehabilitation prompted by Figaro’s persistent invitation. In January 2002, Figaro (now working with Dr. Mojica’s group) began to visit CaVSU for its Annual Farm Tour and also to work with them on Barako seedling supply, a task that used to be performed by Father Roger. Meanwhile, Father Roger went on a sabbatical in 2002 and Figaro was subsequently invited to be a member of the Presidential Task Force on Coffee Rehabilitation (see below). In this same period, the coffee town of Amadeo was visited by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for the first-ever Pahimis festival to signal the start of today’s Filipino coffee revolution – a peaceful revolution of going back to coffee farms to increase production to turn the country from being a net coffee importer to a net exporter as it was until 1990. In Amadeo, Figaro met Mayor O. J. Ambagan who gladly offered his land for the next Figaro Tree Planting activity. In the same year, Leisure Farms, a first class farm community invited the Figaro Foundation to undertake another tree planting activity in Lemery, Batangas which would be provided with irrigation and all the care needed for a first class farm. These efforts have now grown into a series of projects with the local government of Amadeo such as the ‘Adopt-a-farm’ program, coffee farm tours, and the organization of a coffee cooperative to promote ‘Cafe Amadeo’ – a ‘monobranding’ exercise to promote Amadeo’s coffee roasters who used to sell under different brand names. More than just to sustain its core product or core business, Figaro has become the trailblazer on how ‘out of the box’ ideas can be used to encourage farmers to plant the Barako again, motivate local governments to do their part and get cooperatives working toward one goal. Through its partnership with the municipality of Amadeo, Figaro will be able to plant around 30,000 Barako trees in and around the Amadeo town providing farmers with a niche product that can be their ticket to higher selling prices and export potential of a value-added product branded with the Figaro name. 3. 4TRADEMARKS. 3. 5PRODUCT There are five commercially known coffee bean varieties worldwide: Arabica, Robusta, Excelsa, Stenophylla and Liberica. The most popular beans in use all over the world are Arabica and Robusta. The former has a more subtle and distinct flavour and is usually used for gourmet coffees. However, due to weather conditions, it cannot be natively grown in the Philippines except in some mountain areas, and therefore is mostly imported. Robusta on the other hand is grown in many parts of the country. Due to its more full-bodied flavour, Robusta is used mostly for instant coffee. The Excelsa and Stenophylla varieties are not cultivated commercially in the Philippines. Liberica is known to be an indigenous product in only three Asian countries, including the Philippines, making the bean a very unique and potentially lucrative product. The term ‘Barako’ in the Philippines has become a generic name for the coffee grown and roasted in the Batangas region (just north of Manila). In truth, Barako is the Philippine Liberica bean known for â€Å"its particularly strong taste, powerful body and a distinctly pungent odour. † Because of its homespun image, domestic demand for Barako had slacked off in favour of imported international Arabica and large-scale production of Robusta by and for large corporations. Saudi Arabia has been the only known export market for Barako. As a result, the Barako is now in danger of extinction. In addition to the decline in Barako production, prevailing low world prices for coffee have meant that many Filipino coffee farmers have begun to shift to other crops and some have chosen to sell their land. 3. 6 FACILITIES (PLANT LOCATION) 3. 7SUPPLIERS A. RAW MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES Figaro buys Filipino coffee from communities and farmers nationwide at an average of 39 tons or 39,000 kgs of coffee every year: THUS BENEFITTING†¦ * 57 farmers and their families or approximately 688 persons benefit YEARLY * Coffee harvested from nearly 115 hectares of coffee farms are sold YEARLY * An estimated amount of P 4 million pesos is generated from the purchase of coffee from farmers YEARLY * More children are sent to school, more families are enabled to buy food, medicines, and earn more savings. Farmers from Kalinga, Ifugao, Benguet, Batangas, Cavite, Negros, Davao, Sulu and Basilan are integrated into the supply chain of Figaro. WITH MORE FARMERS HARVESTING COFFEE, MORE FIGARO PATRONS CONTINUE TO ENJOY CUPS OF FIGARO COFFEE. B. TOOLS, MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT The company does not own roasting facilities, but employs the facilities of a sister company, Boyd’s Coffee Company. Today, Boyd Coffee Co. (Phils. ) Inc. has established its significant presence in the Philippine coffee industry. Capitalizing on its unique qualities as a trendsetter and an expert, Boyd Coffee continues its tradition of providing Fresh Roasted Coffee and Total Coffee Solutions designed specifically for each client’s needs. C. ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS The waning supply of Barako beans prompted the company to be more aggressive in securing supplies. The ‘Save the Barako’ campaign is its showpiece effort, and has earned the company a reputation as a company that cares for the coffee farmer. Figaro took up the cause of the Barako when everybody else thought it an Impossible task. But because of its belief in the cause, Figaro enjoined small groups who equally believed in the integrity of the cause and subsequently slowly built awareness towards a greater mass. Today, Barako has gained many supporters and made a dream a possibility, further proof that an inspired vision that is led by a credible company to sustain its own industry is the heart of corporate social responsibility. Ultimately, ‘Save the Barako’ has moved even the simplest coffee customer to help sustain this once-threatened variety – that is reward in itself. SECTION 4 MARKETING PLAN 4. 1 INDUSTRY PROFILE. Worth of the entire coffee industry in the Philippines : P21 Billion* Worth of gourmet coffee industry in the Philippines : 2. 1 Billion* Number of stores in the Philippines : STARBUCKS – 150 Figaro – 64 Bo’s Coffee – 40 Gloria Jeans- 38 Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf- 33 Seattle’s Best – 14 Number of coffee chain outlets – 400+ Growth rate of entire coffee industry : 7% annually Growth rate of gourmet coffee industry : 20% annually The amount needed by the government to sustain coffee industry : P200 million Total Coffee Demands: 65,000 tons, 2009;70,350 tons 2012,75,000 tons by 2015. Total Coffee Production : 30,000 tons Coffee Producing Provinces : 22 Coffee Varieties in the Philippines: Liberica, Robusta, Arabica and Excelsa Coffee has been around for more than 1,000 years. During that time, coffee has been considered a food, a medicine, an aphrodisiac, and even a wine. Today, however, coffee is known as a beverage to be savored and enjoyed. Such has coffee’s popularity grown through the centuries. Today, it can be safely assumed someone, somewhere is savoring a cup, a mug or any of coffee’s delightful and delicious preparations at almost every hour of the day. From sun up to sun down, its coffee time! All commercial varieties of coffee are available in the Philippines – Robusta accounting for 70% of the country’s total production, and Arabica with about 5-10%. Other varieties such as Excelsa and Liberica also thrives in the country and accounts for 15-20% of the total. Robusta is the chief source of the base for blending coffee and is important in the manufacture of soluble or instant coffee. Arabica remains the sole source of fine coffee. The Philippines produces approximately 1.3 percent of the total global coffee production. In our country, no morning is complete without coffee. We have our own Batangas barako to be proud of. Instant coffee then came into the scene, and lately, gourmet and specialty coffee with the introduction of foreign cafes such as Starbucks, Seattle’s Best, and the like. Coffee drinking has now become more than just a way to wake up one’s nerves, it has become a trend. * First, the world’s coffee shops make up the fastest growing part of the restaurant business, checking in with a 7% annual growth rate. * Second, that the world coffee production is estimated at 110 – 120 million bags per year. * Third, that 14 billion espresso coffees are consumed each year in Italy, reaching over 200,000 coffee bars, and still growing. * Fourth, that Americans consume 400 million cups of coffee per day, or equivalent 146,000,000,000 (146 Billion) cups per year; making the United States the leading consumer of coffee in the world. * Fifth, that Japan ranks number 3 in the world for coffee consumption. * Sixth, that coffee represents 75% of all the caffeine consumed in the United States. * And seventh, that cafe bars have total average sales that reach 230 cups a day. * It is now an accepted fact that majority of Filipinos take to coffee like they take to rice, and beer. * Take â€Å"BARAKO† for example, this native-grown coffee bean for example, this native-grown coffee bean is not only famous for its strong aroma, as pinoy coffee lovers would atleast. * Although not a common coffee variety, â€Å"BARAKO† is abundant in Southeast Asia, especially in the Philippines. * Believe it or not, it has the largest beans of all the coffee varieties in the world. Its taste is said to be superior to that of Robusta, and some Filipino coffee lovers prefer Barako to Arabica 4. 2 COMPETITION PROFILE Major Players in the Industry of coffee: Starbucks strength rested on four factors: retail expansion, product and service innovation, having an observed clean store, and being a brand associated with the specialty/gourmet coffee niche. The strongest attribute that consumers associate with the Starbucks brand is its being known for specialty/gourmet coffee. Starbucks is a widely-recognized brand. Its top-of-mind recall is high. It is both a household name and a buzzword. Seattle’s Best Coffee LLC has been roasting premium coffee since 1970 and today roasts more than 20 million pounds of coffee every year and millions of cups of our coffee are served every day. Seattle’s Best Coffee is a featured brand within Starbucks Corporation. The smooth taste of Seattle’s Best Coffee has appealed to Filipino taste buds. Their smooth and flavor-filled coffees are often partnered with equally sumptuous meals that engage the taste buds. Their pastries and pasta are equally delicious and keeps customers coming back for more. The UCC started as a store under the name of â€Å"Ueshima Tadao Shoten† in 1933. It became limited partnership in 1940 and on 1951, became â€Å"Ueshima Coffee Co. , Ltd. â€Å". The company introduced the world’s first canned coffee, â€Å"UCC Coffee with Milk†on April 1969 starting the trend for Japanese Canned Coffee. The Euro-Japanese fused food, free wi-fi internet, and various cafe concepts makes the UCC Cafe a very trusty hangout place for Filipinos. They have several branches in the country and eight other Asian countries. They have a very simple layout but favorable quality. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is an American coffee chain, owned and operated by International Coffee & Tea, LLC, which has its corporate headquarters in Los Angeles, California. Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf has a very clean ambience, innovative coffee mixes and really good customer service. This makes them one of the frequented places for coffee and chilling out. Flavorful, reasonably priced and scenic, the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf stores continue to draw in the coffee-loving crowds. Gloria Jean’s Coffees an Australian owned global specialty coffee company, and is a brand synonymous with coffee quality and leading franchise systems. Personalized service, fun coffee flavors and strategic locations (as one of the awarded foreign franchises in the country) make Gloria Jean’s stay at the top of its game as one of the country’s best coffee shops. The store atmosphere is also excellent and they maintain a loyal following. The Chocolate Macadamia Coffee is a local favorite. â€Å"Bo’s Coffee† is a registered trademark of the business name of a chain of specialty coffee shops that serves espresso beverages, specialty coffee beverages and others, in an ambiance that has been created to cater to a lifestyle market with discriminating taste. Bo’s Coffee Club is very high end coffee shop that has services and product tailored to suit the needs of high society coffee drinkers. They maintain excellent service and product done in good taste, literally and figuratively 4. 3 CUSTOMER PROFILE The typical and most committed coffee drinkers are 25 to 45 year old, affluent, educated adults. While baby boomers have driven the success of coffee shops, specialty coffee appeals to a diverse adult demographic, including college students and young adults. Larger companies may also sell coffee beans wholesale to commercial customers, such as grocery stores and restaurants. SIZE AND GROWTH 1. Do you drink coffee? All of our respondents said that they drink coffee. Reason why they drink coffee 40% of our respondents said that they drink coffee because of coffee’s stimulating properties and benefits that help them in everyday work, 28% Said that its taste, 18% to fit in with others while 14% said that it’s out of habit. 2. When do you prefer to drink coffee? Most of our respondents said that they drink coffee anytime. 3. Do you go to coffee shops? 78% of our respondents said they go to coffee shops to drink coffee and have pastime activities. Reason why yes? 30% of our respondents said that they like the coffee that the coffee shop serves, 25% said that to relax and have pass time their, 15% said that to fit in with others, 10% said that they like the products they sell. Reason why no? 20% of the respondents said that it’s out of their budget and 80% said that it’s just a waste of money. 4. What coffee shops you usually go? 76% of our respondents said they go to Starbucks, 12% go to Kopiroti, and 6% each for Seattle’s Best and Figaro. 5. Do you know Figaro? Majority of our respondents said they know Figaro. How they know Figaro? Most of our respondents said that they saw Figaro branches around the cities and some are word of mouth from friends. 3. How much you are willing to spend in a coffee shop? 52% of our respondents are willing to spend if the price of the coffee will range from P100-P150 4. What do you expect from a coffee shop? Everyone expects a great tasting coffee, clean environment, good service and because of the technology everyone wants a free WI-FI 5. What food you want a coffee shop to serve? Most respondents want bread as a partner to coffee because they only want to ear light foods in coffee shops. 4. 4. TARGET MARKET PROFILE Primary Target Market Our target market is the business executives and young professionals because they hold a big part of the market share in the coffee industry. They are the people that have the habit in drinking coffee and they are the ones who frequently go to coffee shops and for them that is their third home. Usually this people do meetings in coffee shops and conference because of the good ambiance and good surrounding. They choose coffee shops as their third home because they can concentrate in their meeting or business affair especially because of the minimal noise in the coffee shops. They want to hang up in coffee shops because of the comfortable environment and it is affordable. Secondary Target Market Our secondary target market is the class B and C. In the generation today students and foreigners usually go to coffee shops because for them they can study in coffee shops and they can relax and do pass time works. They prefer to study in coffee shops instead in their homes because they can study here for hours without being disturbed and they also choose it as their secondary relaxations place. 4. 5 PRICING PROFILE FIGARO| STARBUCKS| SEATTLE’S BEST| GLORIA JEANS| HOT DRINKSMacchiato85. 00Espresso85. 00 – 109. 00Cappuccino95. 00 – 119. 00Cafe Mocha105. 00 -135. 00White Chocolate Mocha115. 00Cafe Latte95. 00 – 119. 00Cafe Au Lait95. 00 – 119. 00Americano85. 00 – 119. 00Brewed Coffee85. 00 – 119. 00Chocolate Cookie Latte120. 00Caramel Cappuccino Light115. 00Butterscotch Vanilla Latte115. 00 8oz. Peach Latte120. 00 8oz. Strawberry Latte20. 00 8oz. Creme Brulee Latte120. 00Raspberry Mint Latte110. 00Other Hot DrinksHot Tea 85. 00 – 115. 00Hot Chocolate85. 00 – 105. 00Cafe Mocha Light115. 00Steamed Milk85. 00 – 105. 00Blueberry Muffin65. 00Cheese Muffin65. 00Chocolate Muffin65. 00Asado Pie59. 00Tuna Pie59. 00Carrot Loaf69. 00Pudding with Vanilla Sauce69. 00Food for the God’s59. 00Heavenly Cheese Roll59. 00OatmeaL Chocolate Chevvy55. 00Chocolate Cake119. 00My Little Oscar119. 00Dark Chocolate Raspberry Symphony130. 00Strawberry Cheesecake135. 00Chocolate Chip Cookie59. 00Oatmeal Raisin Cookie59. 00English Matrimonial Bar59. 00Banana Hazelnut Turnover79. 00Marble Cream Cheese Brownie70. 00Chocolate Eclair75. 00Tiramisu Eclair75. 00Pepperoni Calzone95. 00Supreme Calzone95. 00Blueberry Cheesecake Lite130. 00Blueberry Almond Puff79. 00| COFEE, TEA AND CLASSICSHot Brewed Coffee80. 00 – 120. 00Hot Brewed Tea90. 00 – 105. 00Iced Tea90. 00 – 120. 00Signature Hot Chocolate105. 00 – 140. 00Caffe Latte90. 00 – 130. 00Cappuccino90. 00 – 130. 00Caffe Mocha100. 00 – 145. 00White Chocolate Mocha115. 00 – 160. 00Caramel Macchiato115. 00 – 160. 00Blended CoffeeMocha125. 00 – 150. 00Caramel125. 00 – 150. 00Dark Mocha155. 00 – 180. 00Coffee Jelly145. 00 – 170. 00Java Chip145. 00 – 170. 00Mint Java ChipvariesHazelnut MochaVariesCreme Brulee FrappuccinovariesChai Frappuccino with Coffee JellyvariesBlack SesameGreen TeavariesBlended CreamCaramel Cream125. 00- 150. 00Chocolate Cream 120. 00 – 145. 00Strawberries and Cream145. 00 – 170. 00Chocolate Cream Chip120. 00 – 145. 00Blended Juice DrinkMango Passion Fruit 125. 00 – 150. 00Raspberry Black Currant 125. 00 – 150. 00Honey Glazed Doughnut40. 00Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookie50. 00Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cookie50. 00Double Chocolate Walnut Brownie50. 00Butterscotch Fudge Bar 50. 00Cinnamon Roll/ Swirl55. 00Ensaymada65. 00Danish65. 00Tuna, Corned Beef and ChickenPandesal55. 00Pork Adobo Roll70. 00Cheese Croissant70. 00Sausage Roll75. 00Italian Pocket95. 00Banoffee Pie105. 00Banana Loaf50. 00| THE PERFresh Brewed Coffee80. 00 – 105. 00Americano Perfect85. 00 – 110. 00Cappuccino95. 00 – 120. 00Breve105. 00 – 130. 00Chai Tea Latte 115. 00 -145. 00Hot Tea95. 00Ice Blended and DeliciousMocha125. 00 – 150. 00JavaChip145. 00 Double Chocolate Mint 135. 00 – 160. 00Chai Tea145. 00 – 170. 00Java Jelly145. 00 – 170. 00Classic Iced Tea90. 00 – 120. 00Naughty Toddy90. 00 – 110. 00Classic American Latte 100. 00 – 130. 00Americano95. 00 – 125. 00World’s Best Coffee MilkshakeClassic Javanilla Shake155. 00Milkshakes155. 00HOT, HSeattle’s Best Coffee LattesHot Classic American Latte90. 00 – 115. 00Caramel Latte110. 00 – 130. 00Vanilla Latte110. 00 – 130. 00Hazelnut Latte 110. 00 – 130. 00Almond Latte 110. 00 – 130. 00Raspberry Latte 110. 00 – 130. 00Seattle’s Best Coffee MochasClassic Mocha100. 00White Chocolate Mocha 120. 00 – 150. 00Raspberry Mocha Kiss120. 00 – 150. 00Almond Mocha Joy120. 00 – 150. 00| Espresso ClassicsCappuccino85. 00 – 110. 00Caffe Latte85. 00 – 110. 00Caffe Mocha95. 00 – 125. 00Espresso80. 00 – 125. 00Machiatto80. 00 – 125. 00Americano80. 00 – 105. 00Filtered Coffee of the Day75. 00 – 100. 00Espresso ExpressionsCaramelae110. 00 – 145. 00Mocha Caramelatte110. 00 – 145. 00White Chocolate Mocha110. 00 – 145. 00Chocolate Macadamia Latte110. 00 – 145. 00Irish Nut Creme110. 00 – 145. 00Very Vanilla Latte110. 00 – 145. 00Tea & ChocolateChai Tea Latte95. 00 – 125. 00Hot Tea85. 00 – 110. 00HotChocolate& Marshmallows115. 00 – 140. 00COLD DRINKSVery Vanilla Chiller135. 00 – 165. 00Creme Brulee135. 00 – 165. 00Cookies ‘n Cream125. 00 -150. 00Mint Chocolate Bomb125. 00 – 150. 00Cappuccino ChillersVanilla Caramel135. 00 – 165. 00Chocolate Macadami140. 00 – 170. 00Gourmet Iced ChocolatesStrawberries n’ Cream130. 00 – 155. 00Iced Chocolate130. 00 – 155. 00Over IceCappuccino Chiller115. 00 – 155. 00Iced Mocha115. 00 – 155. 00Iced Latte100. 00 – 125. 00Strawberry Smoothie135. 00 – 165. 00Mixed Berry Smoothie135. 00 – 165. 00Mango Smoothie135. 00 – 165. 00Tropical Coconut135. 00 – 165. 00Fruit ChillersStrawberry130. 00 – 150. 00Mango Chillers130. 00 – 150. 00| 6 4. 6 ADVERTISEMENT AND PROMOTIONS Marketing Tools| Program Activities| Expansion of Coffee Shop Branches| Figaro will expand its selected coffee shop branches by adding a â€Å"conference section†. Additional space needed will be rented and additional chairs, tables and conference room equipments such as projectors will be provided. Conference Section will be used by business executives and the like, on a rental per hour basis. These spaces will form part of the general area if not rented. Figaro will implement this plan on business cities like Makati, Ortigas and some parts of Quezon City. | Television for Entertainment| There will be Televisions on every branches of Figaro nationwide. This is to entertain customers through movies, basketball games etc. | Customer Advantage CardMagazine Advertisements| For every purchase a customer will earn points that can be converted to freebies like free tickets to movie houses upon reaching a certain point. Figaro will have a picture advertisement in Entrepreneur Magazine and other business magazines, advertising the â€Å"Conference Section† of Figaro. We will advertise on Lifestyle Magazines as well. | Newspaper Advertisements| Newspaper Advertisements in the form of pictures will also be provided in the leading newspapers in the Philippines during Sundays on Manila Bulletin and Philippine Star. We will also make press releases on these newspapers. | TV Show Segment Promotion| Figaro, after the successful implementation of the proposed expansion, will be featured in a TV Show where it can showcase it’s being â€Å"Second Comfort Zone†. | Social Networking Sites| Improvements to the official Facebook page will be made. Designs will be added based on the season- for example: Valentines, Summer, Christmas etc. Links to the official company website, official twitter account and to Figaro’s press releases will be provided. This page will also serve as a place where customers can post their comments and reviews. A twitter account will also be established. These networking sites will keep the online community informed regarding the improvements. | Leaflets| Leaflets will be made available on Figaro branches nationwide. | SECTION 5 OPERATING AND CONTROL SYSTEMS Figaro Support System From helping you secure your site to the thorough training of your employees, Figaro Coffee Company has a strong support system to aid you in the opening and ongoing operation of your business. a. Initial site assessment. b. Training in the Figaro System for the franchisee and the Initial branch staff. c. Site design and construction assistance. d. Comprehensive Store Operations Manual. e. An opening team assigned for the branch’s first month of operations. f. Continuous research and improvement of the Figaro product line. g. Regular field visits by the Figaro Operations Team to give in-site assistance.h. Continuous training programs. i. A network of regular communications with franchises. Pre-qualification The qualities we look for in a franchise include: 1. A passion for coffee and enthusiasm for the business. 2. A strict adherence to Franchise Standards, and a commitment of time and resources to the Figaro System. 3. A desire for a mutually beneficial business relationship. 4. The resources to invest a minimum of ? 5 to 7 million, depending on the business model most suitable to the site chosen by the franchise applicant. Application Process To get your own Figaro franchise system started: 1. E-mail a Letter of Intent containing name of interested party, expressing interest in a franchise and proposed site and location (if any) to Franchise Relations Manager: franchise@figarocoffee. com 2. Upon receipt of the Letter of Intent, we will schedule a Franchise Orientation Meeting with you to discuss the detailed procedures on how to secure a franchise. 3. Fill out the Franchise Qualification Form. 4. If qualified, you will be required to conduct a feasibility study of the selected site using our Market Study form.