Food Inc Essays (Examples)

Andrejczak, M. (February 9, 2011). hole Foods raises outlook; shares po

Marketwatch. Retrieved February 28, 2011 from http://www.marketwatch.com/story/whole-foods-raises-outlook-shares-pop-2011-02-09

Barbaro, M. (May 10, 2006). hole Foods Talks Dollars and Cents. The New York Times.

Retrieved February 24, 2011 from http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/10/business/media/10adco.html

Bloomberg.com. (February 25, 2011). Stocks in U.S. Extend Advance after Consumer

Confidence Exceeds Forecast. Bloomberg. Retrieved February 28, 2011 from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-25/stocks-in-u-s-extend-advance-after-consumer-confidence-exceeds-forecast.html

Bloomberg.com. (February 25, 2011). Stock Futures Rise; Boeing Climbs on Air Force

Refueling Contract. Bloomberg. Retrieved February 28, 2011 from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-25/u-s-stock-futures-rise-boeing-climbs-on-air-force-refueling-contract-win.html

Brand Image- hole Foods Market: "Love, love, love." Social Brand Value. Retrieved February

24, 2011 from http://www.social-brand-value.com/2010/07/12/brand-image-whole-foods-market-love-love-love/

Breakfast Run Secures Sponsorship with hole Foods Market. (November 24, 2010).

HUMANRACE. Retrieved February 25, 2011 from http://www.humanrace.co.uk/news/35-latest-news/791-breakfast-run-secures-sponsorship-with-whole-foods-market

CBNC.com. (February 25, 2011). hole Foods Financials. Retrieved http://data.cnbc.com/quotes/FMI/tab/7.2

Cultural Sweat. (August 19, 2010). hole Foods Market Launches Healthy Mission App for iPhone. Cultural Sweat. Retrieved March 4, 2011 from http://culturalsweat.com/2010/08/whole-foods-market-launches-healthy-mission-app-for-iPad-iPhone/

Dustman, R. (July…

Whole Foods Corporate Site. Retrieved February 25, 2011 from  http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/ 

Whole Foods Magazine. (N.D.). Subscriptions. Whole Foods. Retrieved March 4, 2011 from  http://www.wholefoodsmagazineonline.com/subscribe 

WikiInvest. (N.D.). Whole Foods Market. Retrieved February 25, 2011 from  http://www.wikinvest.com/stock/Whole_Foods_Market_ (WFMI)

Strategic Review -- Whole Foods

Organizational diagnosis of Whole Foods, Inc. involved environmental and institutional analyses. The environmental analysis involved categories of political, economic, social, technological, geographical, community relation and informal sector network, seeking to discern opportunities and threats. The institutional analysis involved categories of organizational role & profile; membership; programs and services; resources and capabilities; management systems; and external links, seeking to discern strengths and weaknesses. The combined environmental and institutional analysis and their charted results the Company's nature and interactions for more fluid integration of Whole Foods, Inc. into ABC Company.

Body

Environmental Analysis

Analyzing the external forces affecting Whole Foods to see the options open to the Company (ffw.org.ph, n.d.), one can see significant opportunities and threats to the Company.

Political

Whole Foods arket, IP.LP is a U.S. based supermarket specializing in natural and organic foods and having 300+ stores in the United States, Canada and the…

Membership and other beneficiaries of Whole Food's activities (ffw.org.ph, n.d.) are extensive. Whole Foods employs more than 80,000 people in its 300+ stores and supporting businesses (Whole Foods Market, IP.LP, 2014). In addition, Whole Foods' involvement in local and global communities, with suppliers and distributors and with its customers in the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom give Whole Foods considerable impact as the largest retailer of fresh organic food (Whole Foods Market, IP.LP, 2014). Simultaneously, interacting with that large a "membership" causes considerable headaches for the Company: some of its members have reacted with criticisms, boycotts and lawsuits due to the Company's heavy-handed treatment of smaller competitors (Shaywitz, 2013), its unabashed pro-business conservative stance (Berman, 2013), it anti-unionism (Shaywitz, 2013), its knowing illegal sale of products high in carcinogens (Baldas, 2008) and for overcharging California customers (Li, 2014).

3) Programs and Services

Whole Foods engages in unique and notable objectives and activities to assist its constituencies (ffw.org.ph, n.d.). The Company practices "conscious capitalism," intent on maximizing profits, while engaging in: "community giving" by donating food and money to local and global communities; "Whole Planet Foundation" which seeks to create economic partnerships in developing countries with micro-credit loans and other tangible support for community partnership projects;

In terms of product line the similarities are only identified in terms of a large business segment namely food production industry. The business line of Dean Foods is milk and dairy and Kellogg is focused on cereals and related processed foods. Seaboard and Tyson has similarities in their business segment in relation to meet processing of pork. However Seaboard is pursuing a diversified portfolio in relation to wheat, sugar, and citrus. Whereas the business diversification of Tyson is in meat chicken, poultry, and other portion-based food segments. The overall industry holds a large number of businesses and all four companies have a different business segment. Hence the similarities for business line are not advisable.

The Industry however faces similar political, economic, social, legal, environmental, and technological environments to certain degree. The micro and macro environmental effects of economy are experienced in the industry thorough out the corporations. The companies are…

References:

Dean Foods. (2012, February 27). Recap: 2011 Annual Report. Retrieved from deanfoods.com:  http://www.deanfoods.com/media/55677/df_2011_annualreport.pdf 

 http://www.seaboardcorp.com/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2013/03/2012-CLEAN-Printer-version.pdf 

Kellogg Co. (2012). About Kellogg Company. Retrieved 04-01, 2013, from Kelloggs.com:  http://www.kelloggcompany.com/en_US/our-heritage.html 

Seaboard Corporation. (2012). Seaboard Corporation 2012 Annual Report.Retrieved March 29, 2013.

Food Intake Analysis

Food Inake Analysis

Who does not want to be healthy? However, to achieve such an admirable goal, it will require diligence, motivation, and consistency. To many, this is quite a daunting task that is met with much resistance because of the level of commitment and consistency that it requires. Insomuch, with all the various types of fast foods available and society's life style, the challenge to reach and to maintain an ideal rate seems impossible. According to the Center for Disease Control (2012), the U.S. obesity rate at 35.7%; this demonstrates a significant increase since the 1990s. Since I am concern about my health and refuse to become a statistic, I will analyze my food intake for three days.

ecorded Intake

Below is my recorded 3-day food intake. Based on the data, several adjustments will should be made to reach the recommended dietary reference intake (USDA, 2012).…

References

Build a Heathy Body (n.d.). Let the pyramid guide your food choices.

Retrieved from  http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2000/document/build.htm 

Center for Disease Control -- CDC. (2012). Adult obesity facts. Retrieved from  http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html 

MyFitnessPal. (2012). Charts and reports. Retrieved from  http://www.myfitnesspal.com/

S. across a diversified offering of three complementary brands (Emerald®, Pop Secret® and Kettle). San Francisco-based Diamond shed 53 cents, or 1.35%, to close at $38.71. The stock has gained 8.9% this year.

United Airlines parent UAL Corp acquires Continental Airlines

Both of these corporations are airlines with well-developed domestic and international components. The airline industry has been hammered in the past two years by volatile fuel prices, low-cost competition and overcapacity. The acquisition will likely help United Airlines it attract more business travelers because the merged company will fly to more international and domestic donations while cutting costs and reducing competition. A JP Morgan Chase & Co analysis estimated the combined company will be able to lop off 8% of their capacity and cut expenses by 5%.

In this stock swap deal, Continental shareholders will receive 1.05 shares of United common stock for each Continental common share they own.…

Wall Street Journal Online. Retrieved from  http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/stocksdaily.htm .

Mouawad, J. (2010). In United-Continental Deal, Birth of a Behemoth. New York Times. Retrieved from  http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/04/business/04air.html .

Mouawad, J. (2010). In United-Continental Deal, Birth of a Behemoth. New York Times. Retrieved from

Take trail mix... It is an energetic, "idealized" snack food. This comes primarily from the target populations the manufacturer focuses it is marketing. Other channels for influence include consumers looking for "quick" fixes, such as families looking for fast and fun food. It would be interesting to explore the link marketing of "fast" snack products such as this have on families with young children, and compare this with the influence the product had on the political and behavioral habits and beliefs of the college students consuming it.

Lastly, symbolic systems help us better understand how products are systematically introduced and marketed to consumers. This helps shapes attitudes and beliefs. Also important to note however, as learned in class, is whether societies tend to accept or reject certain items even if marketed well. For example, oark (2007) noted that in many cultures certain foods or animals are taboo. Consider for a…

References

Chex Mix Peanut Lovers" Taquitos.Net (2007), Reviewed 7, June, 2007:

 http://www.taquitos.net/snacks.php?snack_code=1759 .

Coen Flynn, Karen. Food, Culture, and Survival in an African City, New York,

NY: Palgrave MacMillan, 2005.

Food & Leisure Business Plan

Plan Description

The objective of this project is to develop a business plan focusing on developing a business website for Food & Leisure Inc. Food & Leisure is a new business dedicating in providing seafood, traveling experience and lodging services for potential customers. The plan will provide a blog providing information about recipes, real-time review, and recommendation. The project will also present the projected revenue that will detail the costs of advertisement and promotions and net revenues with the goals of building a reputation that will lead to a prosperous business and marketing vehicles to other viable businesses.

Steps to Achieve the Goals

The project will design the website and provide marketing techniques to achieve the business goals for Food & Leisure. In the contemporary business environment, increasing number of micro and small businesses are taking the advantages of the internet technology to launch their…

Reference

Al Jenaibi, B.N.A. (2013). Use of Social Media in the United Arab Emirates: An Initial Study. Global Media Journal Arabian Edition,1,(2): 3-27.

Anderson, A.R. and Jack, S.L. (2002), "The articulation of social capital in entrepreneurial networks: a glue or a lubricant?," Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, 14 (3): 193-210.

Internalization of Fast Food Business

Internationalisation of Fast-food Business

PEST Analysis for India

Political

Economical

Social

Technological

PEST Analysis for United States

Political

Economical

Social

Technological

Comparison between the two Countries

Changes in the Global Environment due to Financial Crisis

Impact of Financial Crisis on Internationalisation

Fast food has transformed the eating habits of the entire population, whether they are resided in UK, U.S., Asia or any other country. The changing trend of the eating habits evidently exhibits that fast food industry is one of the industries that have developed over the time. Even though fast food consumption has shown an increasing pattern of factors that has affected the health in many ways such as increased overall calorie intake, contribution to weight gain, and elevation in the risk for various diseases, yet, the consumption trend at the same time has represented an escalation in the recent years (Parsa & Kwansa,…

References

Brauch, H.G. 2009. Facing Global Environmental Change: Environmental, Human, Energy, Food, Health and Water Security Concepts. Springer. Wurzburg.

Griffin, D. 2010. Business with a Purpose: Starting, Building, Managing and Protecting Your New Business. Easy Brain Labs Inc. USA.

Haberberg, A. & Rieple, A. 2007. Strategic Management: Theory and Application. Oxford University Press. New York, USA.

IMF. 2008. IMF Survey. International Monetary Fund. USA.

Operations at Apple Inc.

Statistical technique to measure the quality characteristics of Apple Inc.

Six-sigma was created in the 1980s at Motorola as a strategy to measure and enhance high-volume processing procedures. Its overall objective was to measure and dispose of waste by endeavoring to accomplish nearly perfect outcomes. The term six sigma refers to a statistical technique of measuring quality with a maximum of 3.4 imperfections out of a million. Various organizations like General Electric, Ford, and Apple Inc. have used six-sigma in their operations and have been able to save billions of dollars (Hubbard, 2009).

Six-Sigma is a statistically conscious strategy-to-process change that uses many tools to guarantee success. These tools include total quality management, statistical process control, and experimental designs. It may be facilitated with other vital activities and frameworks like a new item improvement, planning of material requirements and controls of just-in-time inventory. Initially, Six-sigma was…

References

Doole, I., & Lowe, R. (2008). International marketing strategy: Analysis, development and implementation. London: Cengage Learning.

Hubbard, M.R. (2009). Statistical quality control for the food industry. Gaithersburg, Md: Chapman & Hall Food Science Book.

Kasilingam, R.G. (2010). Logistics and transportation: Design and planning. Dordrecht [u.a.: Kluwer.

Lussier, R.N. (2012). Management fundamentals: Concepts, applications, skill development. Mason, Ohio: South-Western.

Dollar General Stores Inc. DG) is one of the largest retail chains in the United States. Established in 1939, DG has been serving more than 40 markets in the country with almost 10,000 stores. The Company is headquartered in Goodlettsville, Tennessee but has retail stores in all the major and small cities and towns of the country. In its full owned retail stores, DG sells an extremely wide variety of branded and non-branded products at the cheapest rates for the general consumers of the United States. Although the owners named the company as Dollar Inc., but most of its product offerings are costlier than one Dollar (General, 2012).

The Mission and Vision of Dollar General Stores:

The company's mission is to provide the customers all what they want in their daily life; from daily fresh food and grocery items to the top quality consumer and electronic products. The company not…

References

Dollar General, (2012). About Us. Retrieved on June 6th, 2012, from

Hoffman, K.D. (2005). Marketing Principles and Best Practices. 3rd Edition. Mason, Ohio: Thomson/South-Western

Jenny, M., & Scammon, D.L. (2010). Principle-Based Stakeholder Marketing: Insights from Private Triple-Bottom-Line Firms, Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 29 (1): 12-26

Kotler, P. (2008). Principles of Marketing. 4th [Australian] Edition. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: Pearson Education Australia

Addiction…Final Outline

Food Addiction: Causes and Treatment

First Study

Fortuna, J.L. (2012). The obsesity epidemic and food addiction: Clinical similarities to drug

Dependence. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 44(1), pp. 56-63.

As of 2010, nearly 70% of adult Americans were overweight or obese. Fast food establishments are abundant, portion sizes are larger, and people generally have insufficient intake of Omega 3 fatty acids. Additionally, Americans do not get sufficient physical exercise.

Sugar primes endorphin and dopamine in the nucleus accumbens, similar to the "high" experienced by users of illegal drugs. In some individuals, this brings about addictive behavior very similar to that seen in alcoholics and substance addicts.

Methods

Fortuna reviewed the literature that investigated two clinical similarities between food addiction and drug dependence.

Animal studies show that bingeing on high-sugar foods, compared to fat dense foods, trigger the release of endorphin and dopamine.

3. Similar results were obtained with human…

References

Fortuna, J.L. (2012). The obesity epidemic and food addiction: Clinical similarities to drug

Dependence. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 44(1), pp. 56-63.

Karim, R., and Chaudhri, P. (2012). Behavioral Addictions: An overview. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 44(1), pp. 5-17.

Liebman, B. (2012). Food & addiction: Can some foods hijack the brain? Nutrition Action

What this organization has is a culinary leadership and this is not present in many similar organizers of events. This leadership enables all the partner venues to benefit and the collective talent and creativity of the entire culinary staff is spread all over the organization, in all areas. An organization like this cannot grow in isolation and has to coordinate and facilitate the sharing of ideas, techniques and award winning recipes for the preparation of different items. This has to take place not only within the organization, but also among the total community of chefs, even if they are working in other organizations.

This requires close coordination and for final and regular preparation of the items there has to be standards, increased efficiencies and total improvement of menus and services. Only through a close attention to detail, it is possible to provide the best that is available to the clients.…

References

Announces Intent to Refinance Senior Debt and Names Janet L. Steinmayer President. February 28, 2005. Retrieved at  http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/02-28-2005/0003107582&EDATE=Accessed  21 October, 2005

Baird, Robert. Volume Services America Holdings downgraded to 'neutral'. June 28, 2004.

Retrieved at  http://www.newratings.com/analyst_news/article_438062.html . Accessed 20 October, 2005

Centerplate Announces Cash Payments on Income Deposit Securities. Canada NewsWire.

alcorp Holdings, Inc.'s proposed an acquisition of Sara Lee Corp on its stock price. This paper is done with a buy decision for alcorp Holdings stock in mind. The sell recommendation in relation to the content of the news article titled "alcorp Holdings to Purchase Sara Lee's Private Brand efrigerated Dough Business." This is done with the necessary theories of mergers and acquisition in mind as well as with relevant calculations and support documentation. The goal is to determine what the content of the news article means for the investment merits of the stock by evaluating how the event covered in the article have a positive, negative or neutral effect on the stock price. This paper also explains how this affects my investment recommendation.

Introduction

Some time back, alcorp Holdings, Inc. indicated that it had acquired the Sara Lee Corp., a North American private brand refrigerated dough business at close…

References

Andrade, G. Mitchell, M. And Stafford, E. (2001) 'New evidence and perspectives on acquisitions'.Journal of Economic Perspectives, vol. 15, pp. 103-120

Comtex News Network (2012). Shares of RAH Down 15.1% Since Downtrend Call on Shares.

http://funds.usatoday.com/news/story.idms-ID_NEWS=30346688&ID_SUPPLIER_CATEGORY=18614,18686,45864,18689

Feltham, G, and Ohlson, J.A. (1995) 'Valuation and Clean Surplus Accounting for Operating and Financial Activities', Contemporary Accounting Research, vol. 11, pp. 689-731.

Another internal factor that affects the O'Connell High School are the customer demands, in which in the school's case, the customers are the students. O'Connell High School satisfies everything that students and their parents would want in an education. Aside from the low tuition fee and quality education that the school offers, it also reinforces learning to students and to anyone who wishes to gain more knowledge through community education. This is done through evening and weekend classes and a variety of non-credit courses. Thus, these positive internal factors of good opportunities given to students, O'Connell High Schools organization behavior is influenced.

estructuring is another internal factor that positively impacts the organizational behavior of the school. Despite of the closing of the school in school year 2003-2004, the school is now back in pursuing its missions and objectives. It has restructured its curriculum, expanding through more educational degrees that are…

References

O'Connell High School.

Retrieved on September 01, 2005, from Online. Web site: http://www.ochsgalv.com

Customer Materials.

"

Preliminary Conclusions for Kid-Energy Drink

1. Potential market is smaller than current GangBuster market.

2. Fast acceptance rate.

3. Approximately 80% of focus group responded favorably to concept.

Based on current trends in beverage packaging, it is also reasonable to suggest that further innovations in nanotechnology will provide manufacturers with the ability to produce truly interactive beverage containers that can provide a wide range of product information (including the history of the temperature of which the beverage has been maintained), display different graphics and messages that change (like a slideshow), and perhaps even respond to individual questions from the consumer (Buzby 2010). In fact, according to this industry analyst, "In the beverage packaging sector alone, worldwide sales of products using nanotechnology grew almost six-fold in two years from $150 million in 2002 to $860 million in 2004" (Buzby 2010, p. 529). While much of this investment in nanotechnology has…

References

Buzby, J.C. (2010). 'Nanotechnology for Food Applications: More Questions than Answers.'

Journal of Consumer Affairs, vol. 44, no. 3, pp. 528-530.

Chao, R. & Kavadias, S. (2007, November 15). 'United Beverages: Product Development

Genius or One-Hit-Wonder?' Darden School of Business: UV0900-PDF-ENG.

The other competitors of the company are Corporate Express, Inc.,IKON Office Solutions, Inc., Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. And United Stationers Inc.

3. Analysis of potential new entrants

Threat of new entrants (Source: Datamonitor,2007)

The threats of new entrants into new entrants in this industry are noted to be very string. This is because most of the supplies are in the form of commoditized products that never benefit greatly from the brand loyalty. This when coupled with the low end-user switching costs as well as easy access to the suppliers and distribution channels makes it very conducive for new players to come into the market. The market is however very stagnant at the moment and this reduces its attractiveness to the potential new players.

4. Analysis of substitute products

Substitute products (Datmonitor,2007)

An analysis of threat of substitutes within this sector is moderate. This is because most of the modern companies are…

Figure 7.The organization chart for Office Depot

Financial analysis

Figure 8: Office Depot's (North American retail segment) 5-year growth rate (2005 -2010) is (-5.3%) (Shim,2011,p.3)

Chinese' Food and the Model Minority study in ethnic cuisine and culture, marginalization and commercialization, and the paradox of exoticism.

The anthropological theme studied for this work was that of the ethnic compromises and paradoxes inherent in creating a "Chinese" restaurant in America, for Americans. In every English speaking country from England to Canada, Chinese food is a huge business. For many immigrants it is one of the only businesses ready and willing to take them in. Most Chinese restaurants strive to present themselves as cultural representations where the American connoisseur can have a legitimate cross-cultural experience. The more I researched the actual traditions of Chinese and Asian cuisine and the way in which Western prejudices and expectations shape the presentation of this experience, the more it became apparent that --like so many other cultural phenomena-- the cultural relevance of the Chinese-food experience is far from untainted. Repeated immersion at…

Bibliography

About, Inc. "Eating Patterns: You call this Progress?" What You Need To Know About.

2003. Accessed at http://nutrition.about.com/library/weekly/aa070201a.htm

Hung-Youn, Cho. "Traditional Way of Life in East Asia." Korea Focus Vol.9 No.1. 2000.

Acessed at http://www.kofo.or.kr/koreafocus/content.asp?no=354

As a result of huge growth, the company's management may lose focus of the scope of their business.

Miller Inc. has a highly centralized hierarchy of management and lacks the managerial backup to promote creativity amons the employees.

Single-sourcing which is the characteristic of Miller Inc. could be a recipe of disaster should the supplier fail. Contingency plans for supplies need to be considered.

The constrant production nature of the product leads to huge strains on personnel and machinery.

Product line and client base lack diversification.

While the small number of staff promotes camaraderie, unfortunately, it also impedes growth and development.

Miller Inc. is reactive rather than proactive in its marketing efforts. This is as a result of its heavy reliance on mass-media advertising for obtaining new business.

The current facilities of Miller Inc. are crowded thus there is little room for expansion of workforce or equipment.

External

Opportunities

The…

References

Armstrong, G., et al. Marketing: An Introduction. Essex: Financial Times Prentice Hall, 2009. Print.

Brenkert, George G. "Ethical Challenges of Social Marketing." Journal of Public Policy & Marketing 21.1 (2002): 14-25. Print.

Clow, K.E., and D. Baack. Integrated Advertising, Promotion, and Marketing Communications. Boston, MA: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007. Print.

Cooper, Lee G. "Strategic Marketing Planning for Radically New Products." The Journal of Marketing 64.1 (2000): 1-16. Print.

Collaborators

Blackboard collaborators are primarily divided into three categories: members, partners and channel partners or resellers. "Members are typically Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) who independently develop and market software solutions to extend the Blackboard applications. Partners strategically invest in and collaborate with us to deliver joint solutions to our clients. Channel Partners/Resellers are primarily focused on international sales and distribution of Blackboard software and services."

Blackboard continually collaborates with universities in order to get feedback and improve the products. Among the universities which collaborate with the manufacturer are the University of British Columbia or Princeton

Blackboard collaborates with Microsoft and they have even formed an alliance in order to improve the quality of the e-learning process. "Students and faculty using Blackboard's learning platform, built on Microsoft.NET technologies, will be able to more easily integrate a wider array of academic resources in a learning environment tailored to their individual needs and…

Works Cited

Mark, R., 2001, Microsoft, Blackboard Create e-Learning Alliance, Internet News,  http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/751121,last  accessed on November 12, 2007

Munoz, K.D., Van Duzer, J., 2005, Blackboard v. Moodle: A Comparison of Satisfaction with Online Teaching and Learning Tools, Humboldt State University,  http://www.humboldt.edu/~jdv1/moodle/all.htm , last accessed on November 9, 2007

Zacker, Higher LMS market penetration: Moodle vs. Blackboard + WebCT vs. Sakai, http://zacker.org/higher-ed-lms-market-penetration-moodle-vs.-blackboard-vs.-sakai, last accessed on November 12, 2007

2007, Blackboard Inc. Website,  http://www.blackboard.com , last accessed on November 9, 2007

Hostess Brands, Inc. is one of the largest wholesale bakers in the United States that operates nearly three dozen bakeries and more than 570 bakery outlet stores. This company delivers baked goods to mass marketers, American supermarkets, and convenience stores through 5,500 delivery routes. Since its inception, Hostess Brand, Inc. has developed to an extent that a hostess would demonstrate her home pride through serving breads and sweet products that are manufactured by Hostess Brands. Nature's Pride, Wonder, and Merita are some of the major bread brands manufactured and delivered by the firm. Moreover, Hostess Brands, Inc. also sells snack cakes such as Ding Dongs, Ho Ho's and Twinkies and other sweet-baked products. Despite of its success in the market, Hostess Brands, which is owned by ipplewood Holdings, an investment bank, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2012 and aims to liquidate.

Company Background:

Hostess Brands, Inc. was established…

References:

Curtis, J.M. (2012, November 22). Union Busting Kills Hostess Brands, Inc. Retrieved

December 3, 2012, from  http://www.examiner.com/article/union-busting-kills-hostess-brands-inc 

"Hostess in Current Condition Because of Failed Management." (2012, November 15). The

Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union. Retrieved December 3, 2012, from  http://www.bctgm.org/2012/11/hostess-in-current-condition-because-of-failed-management/

Based on this situation of the Crush brand, the recommendation for the future strategy in the orange segment is that of investing more in the products and in their marketing in order to attract more customers. Still, this course of action would be expected to generate only a slight increase in sales, and this is due to the fact that the soft beverage market is already mature and consolidated, and major shifts are improbable.

Still, the orange sector represents a stable one, which would bring sustainable revenues. In a more specific formulation, Cadbury Beverages should recognize its orange segment as one retailing cash cow products. These products are able to generate suitable revenues, for investments which only maintain, rather then reinvent the product line. The profits generated from this segment are as such secure and the costs are lower, indicating as such, that even if the market for them does…

Reference:

Kerin, R.A., 1995, Cadbury Beverages, Inc., Crush Brand

Kudler's advertising and marketing in its present form is through the Easter and Thanksgiving holidays with the local newspaper flyers every month. Marketing is a key component of a successful business and KFF should consider different methods of involving the community. For example, television advertising, Internet, radio stations and more promotions are viable. Secondly, employees must be sufficient time for KFF to obtain benefits. Many organizations have begun to provide additional part-time employees package was found, but 30 hours per week. (Shim & Siegel 2010)

In addition, Kudler is to buy stock, catering, and any major issues such as responsible business, so if she fell ill, no one can proceed on the basis of business operations. Most organizations have managers that work with the president so that if necessary, they are available. Kudler is important to hire more administrative staff to assist some of the duties. Finally, the payment offered…

REFERENCES

Gomez-Mejia, L.R. & Belkin D. (2002). Management: Management and Its Evolution. The McGraw-Hill Companies.

Kudler Fine Foods, retrieved on February 19, 2011 from http://kudlerfinefoods.info/

Shim, J.K. & Siegel, J.G. (2010). Financial Management (2nd ed.). Barron's Educational Series.

Turban, E., Rainer, R.K., & Potter, R.E. (2003). Introduction to Information Technology: Strategic Systems and Reorganization. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

The original farm was a seasonal operation with periods of no production in the winter months. The ability to dry and produce value-added products will allow the business to smooth its income and realize revenue all year round. The new production facility will change the nature of the business from seasonal to year-round. The business will be able to stockpile product during the busy season and sell it on a continual year round basis.

The owners of the business will be directly responsible for the daily operation of the business. They will make joint decision as a body of shareholders, but each will have their own division to manage and operate. Each of the owners will have a stake and a role in the ability to make this new enterprise a success. They will have knowledge of what is happening on the production floor and will have a view of…

References

5 aday.gov. Introducing the next generation of 5 a day. http://www.5aday.gov/. Accessed April 19, 2008.

BizCommunity.com. Ten trends to watch in packaged goods in 2008. November 28, 2007.  http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/176/22078.html . Accessed April 19, 2008.

IBM. IBM survey reveals eroding consumer confidence in packaged goods brands. June 28, 2007.  http://www-03.ibm.com/industries/consumerproducts/doc/content/news/pressrelease/3166295123.html . Accessed April 19, 2008.

Kellogg's. Kellogg's Lego Fruit Flavored Snacks. http://www2.kelloggs.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?product=8213 Accessed April 19, 2008

Export Plan for Annie's, Inc. Cheddar Bunnies

SITUATION ANALYSIS

Description of the Firm

Description of the Product

Competitive Situation in the Industry

esources to be used

EXPOT MAKETING PLAN

Long-term and Short-term Goals

Characteristics of Ideal Markets

Characteristics of the target market

Economic Overview

Demographic and Socio Cultural Trends

Market Position of USA

Competitive Analysis

EXPOT STATEGIES

Product

Pricing Strategy

Marketing and Promotional Strategies

Action Plan

The company aims at exporting its cheddar bunnies to exploit the market of Mexico. The organization aims at increasing its sales by 5% in the first year of the exports. In addition to that, it would also locate a distributor for the product in the target market every year. It aims at participating in the market place of Mexico and taking advantage of about 75% of the consumer base of Mexico. It also aims at showing a profit within three to five years of…

References

Annie's Homegrown, Inc. (2014). For investors - annie's homegrown. Retrieved from: http://www.investors.annies.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=251112&p=irol-irhome [Accessed: 6 Feb 2014].

Annual Report: Annie's Inc.. (2013). Washington, D.C.: Securities Exchange Commision. pp. 1-50. http://phx.corporate-ir.net/External.File?item=UGFyZW50SUQ9MTkzNDIzfENoaWxkSUQ9LTF8VHlwZT0z&t=1 [Accessed: 6 Feb 2014].

Finance.yahoo.com. (2014). Bnny competitors | annie's, inc. common stock - yahoo! finance. Retrieved from:  http://finance.yahoo.com/q/co?s=BNNY+Competitors  [Accessed: 6 Feb 2014].

Nationmaster.com. (2014). Gdp statistics - countries compared - nationmaster. Retrieved from:  http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/eco_gdp-economy-gdp  [Accessed: 6 Feb 2014].

1. Introduction

Whole Food Market Inc. (WFM) is one of America’s largest food products supermarket chain. The company refers to itself as “America’s healthiest grocery store” and submits that its food products are “the finest natural and organic foods available” (WFM, 2017). The foods the company stocks are largely devoid of hydrogenated fats, artificial preservatives, sweeteners, and flavors.

2. Current Strategic Position

2.1 Mission, Vision, and Values

The company’s culture is founded on eight core values. These include:
a. Sale of high quality natural and organic products
b. Satisfaction, delightment, and nourishment of customers
c. Support for team member excellence and happiness
d. Creation of wealth through profits and growth
e. Service and support for the local and global communities
f. Practice and advancement of environmental stewardship
g. Creation of ongoing win-win partnerships with suppliers
h. Promotion of the health of stakeholders through healthy eating education

2.2 Performance

Over the…

It is worth noting that two economic consequences are likely to occur, particularly in the event of a V-shaped recovery. The first is that the Federal Reserve is going to wait to increase rates until the last possible moment, in the hopes of spurring greater investment and therefore job growth. This means that inflation is expected at some point this year. This inflation means that factor inputs will increase in cost. Larson can gain advantage over competitors if it can hold its wholesale cost stable in the face of an increase in the cost of factor inputs, since competitors may be forced to increase their prices. Careful control over its cost structure will allow Larson to do this while maintaining profitability.

Another potential economic consequence is a decline in the value of the Euro. Normally, Larson exporting products from America to Germany would be fairly easy given Germany's current account…

Works Cited:

CNN. (2010). Battle for downtown Bangkok hits economy. CNN. Retrieved May 15, 2010 from http://edition.cnn.com/2010/Business/05/14/battle.bangkok.economy/index.html?hpt=T1

Kirschbaum, E. (2010). Euro in danger of becoming unstable. Reuters. Retrieved May 15, 2010 from  http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6150N020100206 

Federal Reserve Bank of New York. (2010). Federal funds data. Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Retrieved May 15, 2010 from  http://www.newyorkfed.org/markets/omo/dmm/fedfundsdata.cfm 

BEA (2010). Personal income and outlays, March 2010. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Retrieved May 15, 2010 from  http://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/national/pi/pinewsrelease.htm

Direct Strategy Fun Games Travel, Inc.

REGARDING INFORMATION ABOUT THREE GROUPS OF FORTY TO PARK CITY LODGE

Dear Mr. Jones,

There is a growing interest in Park City Lodge and all of the amazing opportunities and amenities that the facility has to offer for large size groups, such as our planned tours of forty members. This upcoming ski season is bound to be an exciting one, and I was hoping that Park City Lodge could serve as the possible location for our upcoming group travel packages.

Fun Games Travel, Inc. is an emerging travel agency that specializes in planning group trips with plenty of exciting activities along the way. Due to the growing demand for travel to the most pristine and engaging ski locations, Fun Games Travel is planning on setting up travel packages to Magic Mountain, one of the best ski grounds in the region. Due to the proximity…

Products Liability esearch:

Mattel Inc. is a company that was founded in 1944 by Elliot and uth Handler that designs, manufactures, and markets a huge range of toy products. The firm is headquartered in California with its core product lines including Hot Wheels die-cast vehicles, Barbie fashion dolls, Disney toys, Fisher-Price preschool toys, and games like Scrabble. While Mattel also manufactures its toy products based on license agreements with movie makers, most of its toys are produced outside its huge market in the United States i.e. Southeast Asia. Actually, the firm's principal manufacturing facilities are located in several countries in Southeast Asia like Malaysia, China, Thailand, Indonesia, and even Mexico. Since its inception, the company has continued to experience significant growth that enables it to generate huge revenues. By 2007, its revenues had grown to $5.97 billion with its three largest customers accounting for 41% of sales across the globe.…

References:

Andersen, M. (2009, October 16). Mattel Settles Lawsuit Over High Levels of Lead in Chinese

Toys. Retrieved June 10, 2012, from  http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2009-10-14-mattell-lead-in-toys-settlement_N.htm 

"CPSC Overview." (n.d.). U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Retrieved from Consumer Product Safety Commission website:  http://www.cpsc.gov/about/about.html 

Lacorte, V.L. (n.d.). Mattel, Inc.: The Lead paint Recall. Retrieved from Tuck School of Business

Walmart Inc.: Social Media Solutions Implementation Plan

Social Media Solutions Implementation Plan: Walmart Inc.

Walmart, the world's largest retailer, faces a number of productivity issues that if not resolved could affect the company's ability to compete in future. Two of these have to do with worker relations and failure to adjust the company's business model to reflect customers' needs. This text presents a plan detailing how social media technologies could be used to resolve these issues.

Social Media Solutions Implementation Plan

In week 3, I identified two productivity issues facing Walmart Inc., and proposed a number of social media solutions to help address the same. This week, I am focused on developing an implementation plan for the proposed solutions. I will outline the specific strategies that the organization needs to use in implementing the proposed solutions, as well as the cost, timeline, and training needs of such implementation. I will…

References

Blanchard, O. (2011). Social Media ROI: Managing and Measuring Social Media Efforts in your Organization. Boston, MA: Que Publishers.

Brunn, S. D. (2006). Walmart World: The World's Biggest Corporation in the Global Economy. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis.

Ferrell, O. C., Fraedrich, J. & Ferrell, J. (2009). Business Ethics 2009 Update: Ethical Decision-Making and Cases (7th ed.). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.

Gandolfi, F. & Stratch, P. (2009). Retail Internalization: Gaining Insights from the Walmart Experience in South Korea. Review of International Comparative Management, 10(1), 187-199.

globalization and trade liberalization, more and more organizations are finding it easier to operate internationally. Success from such international operations does not, however, come easy -- organizations are forced to restructure their operations and redesign their products and services in such a way that they are able to respond to the needs of their increasingly diverse client base. People in different countries have different cultures, values, beliefs, customs, and habits. In order to thrive in foreign markets, organizations need to be aware of these differences, and to ensure that the same are effectively captured in their organizational structures and product designs. This appreciation for diversity within other cultures is referred to as 'worldliness', and is increasingly being adopted as a source of competitive advantage for businesses operating globally.

Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, is perhaps the best reflection of the concept of worldliness in management. Headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas, Wal-Mart…

References

Changing Winds. (2011). The Five Minds of a Manager: Insights from Mintzberg and Gosling. Changing Winds. Retrieved 3 April 2015 from https://changingwinds.wordpress.com/2011/05/09/the-five-minds-of-a-manager-insights-from-mintzberg-and-gosling/

Gereffi, G. & Ong, R. (2007). Wal-Mart in China: Can the World's Largest Retailer Succeed in the World's Most Populous Country? Harvard Asia Pacific Review, 9(1), 46-49

McKinsey Consumer & Shopping Insights. (2012). Luxury without Borders: China's New Class of Shoppers Take on the World. McKinsey Consumer & Shopping Insights. Retrieved 6 April 2015 from https://solutions.mckinsey.com/insightschina/_SiteNote/WWW/GetFile.aspx?uri=%2Finsightschina%2Fdefault%2Fenus%2Fabout%2Four_publications%2FFiles%2Fwp2055036759%2FLuxury%20Without%20Borders%20China%E2%80%99s%20New%20Class%20of%20Shoppers%20Take%20on%20the%20World_fd6a761f-2b88-4e8f-a7cc-8afac03a88f1.pdf

Agrium Inc.

Case Analysis

Agrium is an international fertilizer producer, marketer and agricultural products and services retailer. Agrium began in early 30s when Cominco Ltd., a mining company decided to go beyond their usual metal manufacturing and venture into the business of producing and marketing fertilizers. For more than 60 years, the company enlarged their business by acquiring properties that develop nitrogen and potash in different parts of Canada. Agrium operates in Africa, South America, North America, Australia and Europe.

Strength and Weakness

The most competitive advantage Agrium has is perhaps their affordable products with little or no variation localization.

Strengths

Agrium has over 500 retail shops in the United States and South America operating with the brand names Crop Production Services, Western Farm Service, and AgroserviciosPampeanos S.A.

The Advanced Technologies Agrium concentrates on are what the consumer stands to gain and the growth of the environment.

They have strong…

Reference

Klempnauer, J. (2012, December 4). Agrium. Retrieved from  https://prezi.com/9bgkvx0rmpi9/4090-agrium/ 

MBA Skool. (2016). Agrium Inc. SWOT Analysis, USP & Competitors. Retrieved from MBA Skool:  http://www.mbaskool.com/brandguide/industrial-products-and-chemicals/2608-agrium-inc.html 

Morgan, J. (2015, July 22). The Complete Guide To The 5 Types Of Organizational Structures For The Future Of Work. Retrieved from Forbes:  http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobmorgan/2015/07/22/the-complete-guide-5-types-of-organizational-structures-for-the-future-of-work/2/#48da4d396ed3 

Nielson, S. (2014, November 7). Why Agrium wants to expand its retail business via acquisitions. Retrieved from Market Realist:  http://marketrealist.com/2014/11/why-agrium-wants-expand-its-retail-business-via-acquisitions/

Due to the fact that Odwalla does not pasteurize its products and, therefore, it preserves the initial texture, but also internal microorganisms (E. Coli), an unfortunate incident occurred in Florida, leading to the sickness of 60 persons. Specialists made a connection between the sickness and the Odwalla fruit juice, so the Corporation was somehow made responsible for the situation created.

Action plan: The consultancy company that handles this case submits you the following action plan:

1. Organize a formal press statement that would be later on made public through all media and communication channels. The aim is to:

a) Apologize and explain to customers the reasons that led to this situation (the desire of the company to offer natural products, in contrast to synthetic ones);

b) Highlight once again the positive implications of using Odwalla products - offering strength, more energy, vitamins, etc., as well as enumerating the negative consequences…

More recent surveys have seen Nike continue to trail the industry average, indicating a long-term trend of only somewhat meeting customer expectations (ASCI, 2009).

holesale and retail channels are a critical external stakeholder because of the role that they play in the company's route to market. ithout support of wholesalers and retailers, Nike could only rely on its own-branded stores to bring its shoes and apparel to consumers. Nike's distribution is strong, and the company's merchandise enjoys relative ubiquity. This implies a general degree of satisfaction on the part of retailers with the support that Nike provides them. By the same token, there is no evidence of superior rates of satisfaction among Nike's wholesalers or retailers relative to other firms in the industry.

Nike has few obligations to competitors. In general, the company has a high degree of rivalry with its competitors. hile the competitors are impacted by the actions…

Works Cited:

ACSI. (2009). November 2009 and historical ACSI scores. American Customer Satisfaction Index. Retrieved October 26, 2010 from  http://www.theacsi.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=208&Itemid=224 

ACSI. (2006). Third quarter 2006. American Customer Satisfaction Index Retrieved October 26, 2010 from  http://www.theacsi.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=145&Itemid=149 

Back, B. (2002). Nike's salary/bonus packages relatively modest. Portland Business Journal. Retrieved October 26, 2010 from  http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2002/05/06/focus7.html 

Fazl-e-Haider, S. (2007). Nike bounces back in Pakistan. Asia Times. Retrieved October 26, 2010 from http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/IE31Df02.html

The main characteristics of the product are (1) its revolutionary concept and (2) the benefits it can bring to the industry and the persons directly involved. The company needs to keep in mind these two characteristics and relate to them as they are presented to the public.

There are several marketing means that can be used for an efficient propagation of the concept and product. The first one would be advertising in the poultry industry publications. Although the case study mentions advertising in magazines as a marketing tool, in my opinion, the company should go a little further than this and attempt to publish articles on the subject, including the research that has shown the hierarchical issues in the chicken pen are less traumatic with the use of the contact lenses. The effectiveness of the research articles would probably surpass simple advertising campaigns in the magazines and are more likely…

, 2006). The evidence reflects only a low level weight loss but is still worthwhile to consider in controlling weight at roughly 0.007 kg per week. It is useful for individual weight loss programs. Losing 0.2 kg per week requires a decrease of 220 kilocalories per day. Achieving a 32% reduction requires a sacrifice of 330 kilocalories a day from sucrose by substituting aspartame. Using aspartame replaces 70 g of sucrose or roughly two cans of soft drinks every day (Hunty et al.). This means less expense.

200 Times Sweeter and Cheaper

On the average, aspartame is 200 times sweeter than sucrose (Hu et al., 2008). Not only does it mean less calories but also less cost. The taste difference between them is that the sweetness of aspartame is detected by the taste buds longer than sucrose. This can, however, be resolved by adding acesulfame potassium. Aspartame also has limited…

BIBLIOGRAPHY

FDA (2007). FDA statement on European aspartame study. Office of Food Additive

Safety: U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved on April 2, 2011 from http://www.fda.gove/Food/FoodingredientsPackaging/FoodAdditives/ucm200858.htm

Hendrickson, K. (2011). Differences in aspartame and fructose. Live Strong:

Demand Media, Inc. Retrieved on April 2, 2011 from  http://www.livestrong.com/article/278757-differences-in-aspartame-fructose

Organizing

Assuming the role of Itza Yu, explain the role of a manager in the organizing phase of the POLC and identify and discuss five major issues that Itza Yu must address in organizing the production floor for both existing production and the new project

The role of a manager in the organizing phase of the POLC encompasses organizing of the team and also distribution of resources and materials in accordance to the initial plan set. Two significant elements in this phase include work assignment and granting authority. Therefore, Itza Yu has to identify the various roles and make certain that the right and fitting number of employees are assigned to undertake the plan. In addition, Itza Yu will need to delegate power, assign work, and give direction to the team (Carpenter et al., 2009). Itza Yu must address five major issues in organizing the production floor for both existing…

Target

etailer name, history of operation

Classification of etailer

The Target Customer

Competition

Analysis of Store Building

Promotional Techniques

Method of Management

Selling Methods

Merchandise/Service Mix

Customer Services Offered

Comparison of Both etailers' Overall Strategies

etailer name, history of operation

Target Corporation

Target is among the leaders in retail trading in the U.S. The company offers perishables, dry grocery, dairy and frozen items and all food items comparable to traditional supermarkets. The company has three primary types of stores -- SuperTarget, CityTarget and TargetExpress. The company recorded a loss of 1.9% in 2014-2015 compared to the previous year with a fall in net earnings of 9.1%. The total sale in the period was $U72.6 billion.

The company has 1,799 stores in the U.S. along with 38 distribution centers. The company has staff strength of 347,000 worldwide. It also does business online through its website 'target.com'.

With the aim of easing…

References

Dogan, K. (2010). Consumer Effort in Promotional Incentives. Decision Sciences, 41(4), 755-785.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-5915.2010.00295.x 

Halzak, S. (2015). Target's new strategy: We need more than just minivan moms. The Washington Post, p. 1. Retrieved from  https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/business/wp/2015/03/04/targets-new-strategy-we-need-more-than-just-minivan-moms/ 

Investors.target.com,. (2015). Investor Contacts, News, Stocks & Events -- Target Corporate. Retrieved 8 December 2015, from  http://investors.target.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=65828&p=irol-govhighlights 

Kotler, P., & Keller, K. (2009). Marketing management. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Also cited as threats are those of:

(1) Product manufacturing and marketing risks;

(2) Cost and expense control or unusual events; and (3) Changes in laws and accounting standards. (Pfizer Inc. Report to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, 2008)

IV. Internal Environment -- Strength and Weaknesses

Stated as strengths of Pfizer Inc. are the following components of its organization:

(1) Written policies and procedures;

(2) a compliance officer and compliance committee;

(3) Effective training and education;

(4) Effective lines of communication;

(5) Internal monitoring and auditing;

(6) Enforcement through discipline pursuant to established guidelines; and (7) Prompt response and corrective action for detected problems.

(Pfizer, Inc., 2009)

Another component that provides strength to Pfizer Inc. is its effective training and education program. As well Pfizer boasts effective lines of communication including an 'open door' policy allowing and encouraging colleagues to "discuss any issues, concerns, problems and suggestions with…

Bibliography

Pfizer Inc. (2009) Center for Responsive Politics. Online available at:  http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D 

Pfizer Streamlines Operational Processes to Achieve Balanced Excellence (2004) Tradeline 29 Sept 2004. Online available at;  http://www.tradelineinc.com/reports/40CF58BA-2B3B-B525-80444AE6588980A1 

Corporate Governance FactSheet (2009) Pfizer Inc. Online available at:  http://www.pfizer.com/about/corporate_governance/corporate_governance_fact_sheet.jsp 

Pfizer's Infectious Disease Commitment and Portfolio (2007) Pfizer, Inc. 18 Sept 2007. Online available at:  http://www.pfizer.com/files/investors/presentations/icaac_2007_presentation_071807.pdf

Apple Inc.

Feras Awwad

Apple is one of the world's principal producers of a product mix consisting of a range of electronics goods and gadgets, as well as their related software applications, in a broad range of different international industry segments. The company operates on an oligopolistic model and sells products that are relatively inelastic. A microeconomic analysis is used to discuss the relevant factors and make recommendations based on these insights.

Analysis of Apple Inc.

History of Apple Inc.

Supply and Demand for iPhone 7

Cost Structure

Apple's Market

Analysis of Apple Inc.

Similar to the path that Moore's law, the number of people and devices connected to the internet is growing at an exponential rate; although this trend could never mirror the advances in processing power that has been achieved, it is significant nonetheless. For example, in 2016, it was estimated that 3.4 billion people are connected to…

Works Cited

Archanco, E. (2017, March 30). The Price Elasticity of the iPhone Demand. Retrieved from The Technalyzer:  http://thetechnalyzer.com/price-elasticity-of-the-iPhone-demand/ 

Balani, M. (20'5, August 5). Apple is in the middle of a 'super cycle' that might hurt sales in China this year. Retrieved from Mukesh Balani:  https://mukeshbalani.wordpress.com/2015/08/05/apple-is-in-the-middle-of-a-super-cycle-that-might-hurt-sales-in-china-this-year-aapl/ 

Blodget, H. (2012, Aug 2). In Case You Had Any Doubts About Where Apple's Profit Comes From... Retrieved from Business Insider:  http://www.businessinsider.com/iPhone-profit-2012-8 

Campbell, M. (2016) Apple R&D spending jumps to $2.5B in Q2, accounted for 5% of total revenue. Apple Insider. Retrieved April 9, 2017, from  http://appleinsider.com/articles/16/04/27/apple-rd-spending-jumps-to-25b-in-q2-accounted-for-5-of-total-revenue

Human esource Functions at XYZ Staffing, Inc.

Following periods of economic downturn, companies of all sizes and types frequently turn staffing agencies to help them refill vacancies that resulted from the previous downsizing initiatives that were needed to survive. In some cases, such staffing agencies provide suitable candidates for companies on a temporary basis, while in others candidates are provided for consideration for permanent employment; some agencies provide both temporary and permanent placements as well. Since staffing agencies are intimately involved in the human resource function, gaining a better understanding of how a successful organization competing in this industry achieves its goals represents a valuable and timely enterprise as well as how those activities relate to Saint Leo University's School of Business Common Body of Knowledge (CBK) -- Management Information Systems, Accounting, Economics, Management, Finance, Marketing, Legal, International Business, and Applied Decision Making. To this end, this paper analyzes XYZ…

References

Burgess, J. & Connell, J. (2004). International perspectives in temporary work and workers.

New York: Routledge.

Eberts, R.W. (2005). After the doors close: Assisting laid-off workers to find jobs. Economic Perspectives, 29(2), 75-77.

Flynn, G. (1999, April). Contingent staffing requires serious strategy. Personnel Journal, 74(4),

Strategic evaluation for Home Depot, Inc.

strategic evaluation

Validating the organizational vision, mission and values statements for Home Depot will require several different approaches. McMillan and Hausler (2011) explain that not all mission goals can be explained quantitatively, and several of HD's values will require qualitative evaluation, such as "Doing the "right" thing" or "espect for all people" (The Home Depot, 2011). I will evaluate these qualitative goals by analyzing the mission statements for the different divisions within the firm, to identify performance measures that can then be ranked within the units over time and between the firm and other major competitors. "espect for all people" could be measured, for example, by comparing the number of discrimination complaints in hiring or from consumers over time, and comparing that (negative) growth rate against the industry. "Building strong relationships" will likewise be demonstrated through percentage of return visits using consumer credit flows…

References for Business. Retrieved from  http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/management/Mar-No/Mission-and-Vision-Statements.html 

M3Planning (2010). Internal & external analysis. My Strategic Plan, articles & guides.

Retrieved from:  http://mystrategicplan.com/resources/internal-and-external-analysis/ 

Purdue University School of Agriculture Agricultural Economics Department (2002).

What tools are useful in assessing strengths and weaknesses? Strategic business planning for commercial producers, last modified 2011. Retrieved from:  http://www.agecon.purdue.edu/extension/sbpcp/strat_strengths.asp

Bargaining power of customers: Our main question here is whether al-Mart customers can walk away from buying a product at al-Mart and find it cheaper elsewhere. For the most part, the answer is no. al-Mart has built its reputation by providing products at a considerably lower price than its competitors (Is al-Mart good, 2005). Certainly, customers can try to find lower prices at other retailers; and the proliferation of the Internet also allows customers to visit several e-commerce retailers. However, al-Mart's ability to keep prices at rock-bottom, coupled with the fact that it has such dominant market share in America, means that the bargaining power of customers has been trending downward.

Bargaining power of suppliers: By most accounts, the bargaining power of suppliers is poor - al-Mart holds all the cards. If a supplier wants to sell to the U.S. retail market, it has to sell through al-Mart, given the…

Works Cited

Bhatnagar, Parija (2004). "The K-Mart-Sears deal." Nov. 17, 2004. Retrieved Oct. 19, 2006 from the CNN Web site at  http://money.cnn.com/2004/11/17/news/fortune500/sears_kmart/ .

Fishman, Charles (2003). "The Wal-Mart you don't know." Retrieved Oct. 19, 2006 from the Web site for Fast Company at  http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html .

Gallagher, Scott (2004). "Business level strategies." Retrieved Oct. 20, 2006 from the Web site for James Madison University at http://216.109.125.130/search/cache?p=business-level+strategies&fr=yfp-t-501&toggle=1&ei=UTF-8&u=falcon.jmu.edu/%7Egallagsr/WDFPD%2520-%2520Business.pdf&w=business+level+strategies&d=LlNaGpIFNgHG&icp=1&.international=us

Global Ethics Office (2006). Retrieved Oct. 19, 2006 from the Web site for Wal-Mart at  http://walmartstores.com/GlobalWMStoresWeb/navigate.do?catg=8 .

Undestanding audience expectations and pefeences. CEO Rebh is looking to gow his business and is likely inteested in engaging a pofitable tansaction with a bike shop, given that he aleady has a elationship with Schwinn. I must be caeful that he does not take advantage of me, and ty to sell me advetising that could negatively impact my business because of its inappopiate natue o ovely obtusive installation.

Foecast pobable audience eaction. Rebh likely has stong incentive in becoming involved in a elationship with my business.

Non-Stop Messenge Sevice

899 Spaks St.

Ottawa, Ontaio K1A 0G9

Canada.

attn: Roscoe de la Penda, HR Specialist, Non-Stop Message Sevice

Dea M. de la Penda:

As the Vice Pesident of Human Resouces at UPS, I am poud to say that I emembe Kathyn Noquist as one of the most outstanding and tieless students I knew when we both met as sophomoes at San…

references. A clear, targeted, and specific letter that is easily read and convinces the department the candidate is emotionally equipped to handles the stresses of the job.

Forecast probable audience reaction. While HR may prefer a letter from someone who knows the candidate better and knew him or her as an employer at a later juncture of the career, the letter will be viewed overall as a positive character reference. However, the letter would seem even more 'positive' if Kathryn had worked for UPS.

America's Diet

The typical American diet is one high in sugars and processed foods. Accordingly, The United States has earned the unfortunate nickname of "Fast-food Nation." The initiation of the rapid growth in fast-food consumption rates in America is likely a result of this country's lack of a widely embraced and highly diverse national cuisine. The United States as a country is truly a melting pot for cultures, religions, ethnicities and beliefs. This vast assortment has certainly carried over into the world of food. That is, most Americans have easy access to a large array of different cuisines on a daily basis and this chronic presence of other cultural food choices has virtually destroyed any possibility of creating a truly American cuisine. Therefore, American citizens along with the rest of the world have transfixed fast-food into this national category. Without question, on the global stage, McDonald's and urger King are…

Bibliography

Allison, C. (2010, May). Barbecue Master. Retrieved October 18, 2011, from  http://barbequemaster.blogspot.com/2010/05/chopped-pork-bbq-sandwich-with-sam-dog.html 

Baker, E.A., Schootman, M., Barnidge, E., & Kelly, C. (2006, July). The Role of Race and Poverty in Access to Foods That Enable Individuals to Adhere to Dietary Guidelines. Preventing Chronic Disease: Public Health Research Practice and Policy, 3 (3).

Bedell, J. (2008). Food, Fitness, Obesity and Diabetes in the Bronx. Retrieved October 17, 2011, from New York City Department of Health: www.phanyc.org/files/food-fitness-obesity-in-bronx-bedell.ppt

Block, J.P., Scribner, R.A., & DeSalvo, K.B. (2004). Fast Food Race/Ethnicity, and Income: A Geographic Analysis. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 27 (3).

Business Strategy

Business and Corporate

business strategy analysis of kraft foods

Analysis of Business Level Strategy

Kraft Foods Inc. is the second largest food company in the world and makes annual revenues in excess of $54 billion (Kraft Foods Annual eport, 2012). It operates in a highly competitive consumer foods industry where high volume sales are essential for competitive success. Tapping into new markets and growing one's brand portfolio are also important for growth and success.

Kraft Foods Inc. pursues a number of business-level strategies to support its corporate level strategies. The business level strategies are determined by answering the question How do we compete? (Ireland, Hoskisson & Hitt, 2008). Kraft Foods Inc. has selected product differentiation and brand development as its primary business level strategy. Product differentiation involves creating and conveying to the consumer a unique feature of the product portfolio that distinguishes the company from the competition and…

References

Furrer, O. (2011). Corporate level strategy: Theory and applications. (p. 2). Routledge

Ireland, R.D., Hoskisson, R.E., & Hitt, M.A. (2009). Understanding business strategy: Concepts and cases. (p. 88). Cengage Learning

McKern, B. (2003). Managing the global network corporation. (p. 125). Routledge

O'Grady, T.P., & Malloch, K. (2010). Innovation Leadership. (p. 371). Jones & Bartlett Learning.

This can contribute directly to human health and development (Agio). orlaug (1999), who won the Nobel Prize in 1970 for his work in developing high-yield wheat and other grains in third-world countries, stresses that genetic engineering is essential due to the worldwide population growth. Other organizations supporting genetically modified foods are the American Medical Association, the International Association of African Scientists, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations.

Of course, there are always two sides to every coin, and individuals such as Ronnie Cummins, national director of the ioDemocracy Campaign, a grassroots organization that promotes organic food and opposes genetic engineering in agriculture, states that genetically modified foods can result in production of items that are toxic, carcinogenic, and allergenic. She warns that widespread planting of GM crops could cause unexpected harm to the environment; as crops are engineered to…

Bibliography

AgBio World, Scientists in support of agricultural biotechnology. February 27, 2008  http://www.agbioworld.org/declaration/index.html 

BioDemocracy. Hazards of genetically engineered food and crops. Ronnie Cummins. http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge-free.cfm

N. Borlaug, (1999) Biotech can feed eight billion in the next century. New perspectives quarterly 25(1): 129-132

D.A. Christopher. (2000). The Gene genie's progeny. In the World & I. Washington, DC: Washington Times Corporation.

The result would be a shift in consumer habits toward better value through store-name brands and higher nutritional value through smaller-label or independently owned firms. This denotes a critical challenge for Kraft to present itself as providing healthy and organic lines of food, absorbing the cost of this strategic investment and pushing for a general change in its long-held image as a factory-firm with little direct interest in nutritional quality control.

Current Challenges:

In response to the challenges imposed by a shifting set of market tastes in the U.S., Kraft's current orientation is toward a growing international marketing scope. This is highlighted by its recent acquisition of the London-based Cadbury company and its heightened focus on penetrating new markets. According to Ferrari, "Kraft's supply chain is about to undergo a rather dramatic transition. According to a presentation delivered by Chairwomen and CEO Irene Rosenfeld at this week's GAGNY conference in…

Works Cited:

Ferrari, B. (2010). Kraft Foods Facing Considerable Global Supply Chain Challenges. Supply Chain Matters.

3

Langenfeld, B.K. & Morris, R.J. (2005). Tradictional Case 2: Kraft Foods in the Era of the Category Killer. Strategic Management: Theory and Practice-Cengage Learning.

S. minimum wage standards.

As the above scenarios illustrate, it is impossible to rely upon a single moral theory when developing a corporate code of ethics. This is because each individual brings his or her own personal perspective about ethics, so that each theory is biased by personal perspective. While Kohlberg's Model of Cognitive Development attempts to incorporate these differences, it fails to answer the question of whether or not individuals can judge the morality of someone's actions when that person comes from a different ethical and cultural background. (AllPsych, 2004). Therefore, it seems like the best thing a corporation can do is to consult the cultural norms of its stakeholders and try to fashion a corporate code that respects all of those norms. Such a code would focus on individual rights, utilitarianism, and justice. Therefore, DWI's corporate code should pledge to create value and enhance quality of life for…

References

AllPsych Online. (2004). Kohlberg's stages of moral development. Retrieved December 22, 2008 from AllPsych Online

Web site:  http://allpsych.com/psychology101/moral_development.html 

Crone v. United Parcel Service, No. 01-3595,  http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com  / data2/circs/8th/013595p.pdf, (8th Cir. Aug. 30, 2002).

Heart of Atlanta Motel v. United States, 379 U.S. 241 (1964).

Consequences of Factory Farms

Annotated Bibliography

Armstrong, S.J. & Botzler, R. (Eds.). (2003). he Animal Ethics Reader. New York, NY: Routledge.

his anthology that has a comprehensive review of the factory farming debate. he book is also especially useful to me given its consideration of both sides of the debate. For instance, some contributors present and effectively counter some of the arguments that have been presented by those in support of factory farming. In this case, the contributors who include but are not limited to Mary Madgley and Peter Singer are leading luminaries in this particular field. I found the introduction offered by the editors before each chapter particularly useful in helping one digest the contents of the chapter.

DeGrazia, D. (2002). Animal Rights: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Like Armstrong, DeGrazia also examines one of the most consistent arguments that has been presented in support of…

This is one of the books that successfully offer a comprehensive look at the most urgent global issues facing us today. In addition to factory farming, Seitz and Hite examine several other global concerns affecting us on the social, political as well as economic arena. On factory farms, the authors in brief offer a candid "look at factory farms and the anticipated consequences that have come with the adoption of factory techniques to produce animals for human consumption." Seitz and Hite are respected academics and professionals in their diverse fields with both offering their services as instructors at Wofford College and at the School of Advanced International Studies respectively.

Weber, K. (Ed.). (2009). Food, Inc.: How Industrial Food is Making Us Sicker, Fatter and Poorer -- And What You Can Do About it. New York, NY: Public Affairs.

This is yet another anthology that basically expands and complements subjects covered in the Food Inc. documentary. The book succeeds in challenging the reader's perception of food. In regard to factory farms, the contributors successfully highlight the harmful effects of industrialized farming to not only the affected animals but also to the environment and consumers. The only problem I have with the book is the occasional loss of focus. Although a majority of the chapters are largely concerned with the issues at hand, i.e. The factory/industrial food system, some other chapters occasionally deviate from the book's central focus. Contributors in this case are individuals and organizations of repute.

Kraft Summary

The author of this response is to find out some details and information about the company Kraft Foods. Indeed, the facets and characteristics that will be summarized and described will include the organization's structure, how centralized it is or is not, the lines of authority and communication as well as the teams, committees and task forces that make up the organization. Next up will be the systems of Kraft including how the budgets are set, how the planning is done and what measures are used to evaluate performance. After that, the people of Kraft will be discussed. The facets of the people will include the skills, experience and knowledge of the employees, their depth and quality and their attitudes about the company itself and their jobs within in. Finally, there will be a description of the culture of Kraft. Topics for the culture will include their values, their…

References

Clarke, B. (2014, October 11). Cross-cultural management: Kraft's - CEO Forum Group.

Cross-cultural management: Kraft's - CEO Forum Group. Retrieved October 11,

2014, from http://www.ceoforum.com.au/article-detail.cfm?cid=6063&t=/Ben-

Clarke-Kraft/Crosscultural-management-Krafts-

Company Is One That Is:

Achieving its stated financial and strategic objectives is an above-average industry performer is evidencing growth in firm's sales and market share is Positively viewed by shareholders and customers

hows Continuing improvement in operating performance (Thompson et al., 2006)

The problem is that immersed in the hurly-burly of routine existence, a company may be unaware of its objective performance; it may under -- or -- over-estimate its results and character of operations. This is where a WOT analysis comes into play.

The WOT strategy helps us analyze factors for improvement within the company. WOT is an acronym for trengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. Filling in these categories requires research into the company in question, but the more intensive and comprehensive this research, the better we can answer the question and work towards designing a prospectus for improvement.

The WOT also tells us how well the company's…

Sources

CNN. January 21, 2010. Smithfield Foods Settles Charges Of Pre-Merger Coordination."  http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/201001211724DOWJONESDJONLINE000718_FORTUNE5.htm .

LaRue T. Hosmer. Smithfield Foods When Growing the Business Damages the Environment

Smithfield. Our Commitments

Thompson, Jr., A.A., Strickland III, A.J. & Gamble, J.E. Crafting & Executing Strategy (17th Ed. & 18th ) New York: McGraw Hill/Irwin.

Financial Analysis of Mcdonald

A financial analysis McDonald's Cor

Company Overview

McDonald Corporation is a global company that conducts business in 117 countries. McDonald operates 32,737 restaurants and 26,338 franchises in the highly competitive fast food industry. Since 1940, McDonald has built a loyal customer base by continuing dedicating to customer service and providing high quality fast food for customers. Presently, McDonald could boast of over 60 millions customers and the company serves average of 64 millions customers daily. In the United States, and other countries where McDonald is operating, fast food business is very competitive. Despite the competition that McDonald is facing, the company has been able to record revenues of more than $16 billions in restaurants and revenues of more than $7 billions in franchise restaurants business. McDonald operates in six geographical locations. The company business operations are in the U.S., Europe, Middle East, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and…

References

Infinancials (2011). McDonald's Corp. Market valuation multiples. Infinancials.

Mizen, P. (2008). The Credit Crunch of 2007-2008: A Discussion of the Background, Market Reactions, and Policy Responses. Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Review. 90(5):531-67.

Putilina, I. (2010). A Financial Analysis of McDonald's Corporation. Economic Research Center.

Stapleton, R.C & Subrahmanyam, M.G.(2009). Interest Rates and Foreign Exchange Risks: An Overview of Hedging Instruments and Strategies. University of Lancarster.UK.