Carolin essays

Carolin essays A long, long time ago when the earth was very young, all that existed on the earth was plants and animals. The animals ruled the earth. Among the animals were many different kinds. However, the animals never interacted outside of their species. The gotemaliks socialized with other gotemaliks and the chalize socialized with each other. The gotemaliks and the chalize were very special species. They didn't just only socialize with each other because they desired to, but because of the uncontrollable waterfall that separated them. Each of the species knew that something existed on the other side of the waterfall as they could see shadows but they didn't know what. For many years the gotemaliks and the chalize never knew fully of each other's existence. There had been many attempts to cross the waterfall but every attempt ended in a death. Until one day, when the leader of the chalize was looking into the falls and tried to touch the shadow, which caused him to unexpectedly, fal l in. When he fell in he hit his head on a rock and floated away from the falls. A gotemalik on the other side saw something fall through the falls and decided to go in after it, as it could be one of his own. The same thing happened to it. He fell in and hit his head on a rock and slowly followed the chalize trail down the river. The next morning the chalize woke up and was frightened at the sight of another being that was sitting beside him on a beach in an unfamiliar area. They ran away from each other out of fear. But each of them returned to each other after realizing they were the only ones on this new land, and also that they couldn't go back to their waterfall. This relationship developed over time and they learned different ways to communicate with each other which brought them close together. Through time, chemistry between them resulted in the birth of an infant. They were both astonished, as the infant did not resembl ...

Greenwich Mean Time vs. Coordinated Universal Time

Greenwich Mean Time vs. Coordinated Universal Time By the mid-nineteenth century, Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) had been established as the primary reference time zone for the British Empire and for much of the world. GMT is based on the line of longitude running through the Greenwich Observatory located in the suburbs of London. GMT, as the mean within its name, would indicate, represented the time zone of a hypothetically average day at Greenwich. GMT disregarded the fluctuations in the normal earth-sun interaction. Thus, noon GMT represented the average noon at Greenwich throughout the year. Over time, time zones became established based on GMT as being x number of hours ahead or behind GMT. Interestingly, the clock began at noon under GMT so noon was represented by zero hours. UTC As more sophisticated time pieces became available to scientists, the need for a new international time standard became apparent. Atomic clocks did not need to keep time based on the average solar time at a particular location because they were very, very accurate. In addition, it became understood that due to the irregularity of the earth and the suns movements, the exact time needed to be modified occasionally through the use of leap seconds. With this precise accuracy of time, UTC was born. UTC, which stands for Coordinated Universal Time in English and Temps universel coordonnà © in French, was abbreviated UTC as a compromise between CUT and TUC in English and French, respectively. UTC, while based on zero degrees longitude, which passes through the Greenwich Observatory, is based on atomic time and includes leap seconds as they are added to our clock every so often. UTC was used beginning in the mid-twentieth century but became the official standard of world time on January 1, 1972. UTC is 24-hour time, which begins at 0:00 at midnight. 12:00 is noon, 13:00 is 1 p.m., 14:00 is 2 p.m. and so on until 23:59, which is 11:59 p.m. Time zones today are a certain number of hours or hours and minutes behind or ahead of UTC. UTC is also known as Zulu time in the world of aviation. When European Summer Time is not in effect, UTC matches the time zone of the United Kingdom. Today, it is most appropriate to use and refer to time based on UTC and not on GMT.

Journal 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Journal 3 - Essay Example n almost unanimously agree,† Adding that, â€Å"Debates over immigration can continue for decades, resulting in significant policy changes without -- or even in opposition to -- presidential leadership. Scholars point to the lengthy debates of the 1840s and 1850s, when nativists particularly feared the growing political power of Irish Roman Catholics. From roughly 1880 through 1930, the "new immigrants" from Asia and Southern and Eastern Europe provoked many Americans into predictions of what they called racial "mongrelization.",† (Gabaccia, p.1). In consideration of the high level of immigrants which traveled to the Americas long ago and to a certain extent to this day, it is quite intriguing to see the lack of discussion that occurs on a political level as it comes to the debate over such an issue that possesses great historical relevance to the history of any nation, including the United States. In the case of current debate, often times the subject of immigration is placed heavily on the issue of border control between neighboring countries. When it comes to choosing political candidates, it becomes quite commonplace to view them first in foremost through such means as categorizing based on ethnic background, nationality, or even gender. Despite the continued desire among many to see those who live within the borders of the United States through such means that are not legal, it continues to be an issue for discussion that appears to have no clear cut way for attempting to solve the matter at all. In the end, â€Å"Race, ethnicity, religion, and nativity can fig-ure prominently in presidential campaigns precisely because they symbolize the depth of contradictions in the shifting political coalitions that uneasily unite national parties. That was certainly the case in 1928. It is equally true today,† (Gabaccia, p.2). One of the basic things which many take for granted is that of the chance to wear what we want and to do so when we please. Such

Principles of Macroecomomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Principles of Macroecomomics - Essay Example Unemployment can be measured by the claimant count or the standardized ILO unemployment measure. (Abel, 2010) Unemployment can be classified into two broad categories: Equilibrium unemployment and Disequilibrium unemployment. When Aggregate Demand for Labor (ADL) equals Aggregate Supply of Labor (ASL) at market wage rate, the labor market is said to be in equilibrium. The difference between the ASL and the labor force is known as equilibrium unemployment or the natural rate of unemployment. This represents the excess of people looking for work over those actually willing to accept jobs. This can be seen in the graph shown below. (Dornbusch, 2006) As shown in the diagram above, distance AB is the equilibrium unemployment. This type of unemployment may occur due to frictional (irreducible minimum level of unemployment in a dynamic and growing economy), structural (resulting from the mismatch of skills and job opportunities), regional (associated with specific regions often due to the c oncentration of industries in a region) or seasonal (associated with industries or regions where demand for labor is lower at certain times) causes. (Dornbusch, 2006) Disequilibrium unemployment occurs when real wages in the economy are above equilibrium level. This means either the ASL exceeds the ADL or that stickiness in wages prevents wages falling to equilibrium level. The labor market is in a state of disequilibrium, it may be due to real wage (unemployment created when labor wages are deliberately maintained above market clearing level) or demand deficient unemployment (associated with cyclical downturn or recession). (Dornbusch, 2006) Now let us take the consider interest rate. Interest is a rate at which the interest has to be paid by the borrower to the lender apart from the principle amount. Interest rate is a tool of the monetary policy which the government uses in order affect the money supply of the economy in order to achieve macroeconomic objectives. Interest rates a re of two types: real and nominal. Real interest rates are interest rates that are formed in accordance with the rate of inflation. On the other hand nominal interest rate refers to the amount, in money term of interest payable. (Dornbusch, 2006) There are many reasons that may lead to a change in the interest rates. Firstly, it may lead to short-term political gains. Politicians do this in order attain public support; however, it may later lead to problems later on. Deferred consumption may also lead to changes in interest rates. Speculation may lead to changes in the interest rates as well, for instance if consumers think that interest rates are going to rise, the consumers would demand more bonds and thus increase demand for bonds, this would lead to an even higher increase in interest rates. (McEachern, 2008) High levels of unemployment means that the economy is not functioning at its production possibility function, that is, it is underachieving and that it can produce more goo ds but that would require the economy to function more efficiently than it is doing right now. Unemployment imposes private, economic as well as social costs. In that not only does it represent a was of valuable resources but also causes suffering in terms of increased poverty, falling living standards and psychological disorders. Naturally, the costs of unemployment depend on its severity and duration. The costs

The Nature and Characteristics of Schizoid Essay Example for Free

The Nature and Characteristics of Schizoid Essay Abstract Eugen Bleuler first used the term â€Å"Schizoid† in 1908 and described it as â€Å"a human tendency to direct attention toward ones inner life and away from the external world†. Schizoid Personality Disorder (SPD) is characterized by a lack of interest in any form of social relationship, a solitary lifestyle, and secretness. People with SPD are often indifferent, which can cause interpersonal difficulty. Individuals with the disorder may have trouble voicing their opinions when faced with unfavorable situations, and most often remain passive about many issues. Communication with others can be awkward and lack sincere meaning. As a result, they are not able to accurately understand how others think of them, and know how well they are getting along with others. This can lead to a feeling of severe self-consciousness and paranoia. Schizoid Personality Disorder: The Nature of Schizoid Personality Disorder The American Psychiatric Association (2008) reports that the prevalence in the general population of schizoid personality disorder (SPD) in the general population is less than 2%. Other studies have found a community prevalence of 5.1% in the United States. There is an increased prevalence of schizoid personality disorder in relatives of people with schizophrenia, as well as those who have been sexually abused as a child. The DSM classifies Schizoid Personality Disorder as: â€Å"A. A pervasive pattern of detachment from social relationships and a restricted range of expression of emotions in interpersonal settings, beginning by early adulthood (age eighteen or older) and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by four (or more) of the following: Neither desires nor enjoys relationships or human interaction, including being part of a family Almost always chooses solitary activities Has little, if any, interest in having sexual experiences with another person Takes pleasure in few, if any, activities with other people Lacks close friends or confidants other than first-degree relatives Appears indifferent to the praise or criticism of others Shows emotional coldness, detachment, or flattened affect B. Does not occur exclusively during the course of schizophrenia, a mood disorder with psychotic features, another psychotic disorder, or a pervasive developmental disorder and is not due to the direct physiological effects of a general medical condition.† Though there are several methods of treatment, most doctors suggest a short-term therapy/medication treatment, as long term can be difficult for the patient to remain motivated to continue returning and having unwanted social interaction. Seeing a psychologist allows the patient to open up and possibly become more comfortable with interpersonal communication, enabling a more personable identity. Those with SPD may demonstrate a vivid and wild fantasy life, and attain hobbies according to such. Things like video games, drawing, photography, and other solo activities are what interest SPD victims the most. Someone with SPD doesnt go out to social events, have intimate relationships, or even have many friends. Social interaction like that just isnt appealing to patients with SPD. They may never live a completely normal life with friends, a spouse, and other people to communicate with. However, this does not mean they arent happy. People with Schizoid rarely ever describe their life as â€Å"dull† or â€Å"boring†. Some patients tell of the immense pleasure they receive when making a job well done and finishing their work. Many are workaholics, and pour their heart and soul into every step of their careers. People with SPD are much more of a benefit to our society than some people may realize. Without the constant distraction of friends, relationships, and social events, they are able to concentrate on the task at hand. Whether it be a career or a simple arts and crafts project, concentration and focus go uninterrupted and can lead to a job very well done. I chose this topic because I had no idea what it was, and I wanted to learn more about it. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Over the last few weeks I have been constantly studying this disorder and trying to get into the mind of someone with SPD. At first, it seemed hopeless. I couldnt seem to understand the idea of not having friends, or having never had a girlfriend. Social interaction like that had always been given in my life, and I couldnt imagine doing without. After further thought, however, I came to the conclusion that not only did they not want a physical relationship with others, they felt no need. If one can become completely content without the attention of others, then why bother yourself with the distraction? Though I havent personally spoken with someone with SPD, this is how I understand it. I feel as though they not only have no desire, they feel no need. Simple as that. A case study I found involved a middle-aged man named Mark and a peek into his life. He tells of his career, hobbies, and relationship with his family. â€Å"â€Å"Mark sits where instructed, erect but listless. When I ask him how he feels about attending therapy, he shrugs and mumbles OK, I guess. He rarely twitches or flexes his muscles or in any way deviates from the posture he has assumed early on. He reacts with invariable, almost robotic equanimity to the most intrusive queries on my part. He shows no feelings when we discuss his uneventful childhood, his parents (of course I love them), and sad and happy moments he recollects at my request. Mark veers between being bored with our encounter and being annoyed by it. How would he describe his relationships with other people? He has none that he can think of. In whom does he confide? He eyes me quizzically: confide? Who are his friends? Does he have a girlfriend? No. He shares pressing problems with his mother and sister, he finally remembers. When was the last time he spoke to them? More than two years ago, he thinks.He doesnt seem to feel uneasy when I probe into his sex life. He smiles: no, he is not a virgin. He has had sex once with a much older woman who lived across the hall in his apartment block. That was the only time, he found it boring. He prefers to compile computer programs and he makes nice money doing it. Is he a member of a team? He involuntarily recoils: no way! He is his own boss and likes to work alone. He needs his solitude to think and be creative.Thats precisely why he is here: his only client now insists that he collaborates with the IT department and he feels threatened by the new situation. Why? He ponders my question at length and then: I have my working habits and my long-established routines. My productivity depends on strict adherence to these rules. Has he ever tried to work outside his self-made box? No, he hasnt and has no intention of even trying it: If it works dont fix it and never argue with success.If he is such a roaring success what is he doing on my proverbial couch? He acts indifferent to my barb but subtly counterattacks: Thought Id give it a try. Some people go to one type of witch doctor, I go to another.Does he have any hobbies? Yes, he collects old sci-fi magazines and comics. What gives him pleasure? Work does, he is a workaholic. What about his collections? They are distractions. But do they make him happy, does he look forward to the time he spends with them? He glowers at me, baffled: I collect old magazines. he explains patiently How are old magazines supposed to make me happy?. †Ã¢â‚¬  As clearly demonstrated above, this patient displays no interest toward others socially. Though he has had an intimate relationship in the past, his concentration now pertains to his work and his sole hobby of collecting magazines. A workaholic, he prefers to work in solitude, as that is the only way he can think and be creative. His disbanded relationship with his family shows that even those supposed to be most important in ones life hold little to no importance. A seemingly uneventful life of routine is made enjoyable by his passion and innovation for his career. Without the distraction of social relationships, he is able to connect with his work and focus at a higher level. SPD not only allows for a better concentration level, it enables the patient to think more clearly, and with a better focus. As stated above, his life is almost completely centered around his career, something he seems to be rather proud of. Taking pleasure in his job lets him feel comfortable with his lifestyle and content with the choices he has made. In two separate studies, prisoners were examined on the validity of SPD. 556 male jail inmates in the United States participated in Study 1; 175 mentally disordered offenders in maximum security hospitals in the United Kingdom participated in Study 2. On both studies, scores on the Interpersonal Measure of Schizoid Personality Disorder (IM-SZ) showed reliability and patterns of correlations with other measures consistent with expectations. The scale displayed patterns of relatively specific correlations with interview and self-report measures of SZPD. In addition, the IM-SZ correlated in an expected manner with features of antisocial personality and with interpersonal behavior. In another study, 10 male individuals diagnosed with SPD were placed in a room together. Their behavior was recorded and later compared to an experiment under the same circumstances only with 10 seemingly normal men. The test subjects with SPD did not interact with one another for an entire half hour, until one of the men fell out of his chair and one of his colleagues helped him to his feet. This was a blind experiment, where the men involved did not know the others suffered from the same ailment. The men in the control group were quiet at first, but after the first 5 minutes they were all communicating with one another, talking about sports, family, and relationships. Works Cited Thylstrup, Birgitte. (2009). American Journal of Psychotherapy. Retrieved May 3, 2012 http://0-web.ebscohost.com.iii.sonoma.edu/ehost/detail?vid=3hid=122sid=d673d133-4e90-4a0f-bcd4-93fdeb342a77%40sessionmgr110bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=aphAN=43741388 Mayo Clinic Staff. (2010). Schizoid Personality Disorder. Retrieved May 2, 2012 http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/schizoid-personality-disorder/DS00865 Amal Chakraburtty, MD. (2009). Schizoid Personality Disorder. Retrieved May 2, 2012 http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/mental-health-schizoid-personality-disorder Psych Central Staff. (2009). Schizoid Personality Disorder. Retrieved May 4, 2012 http://psychcentral.com/disorders/sx30.htm American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Schizoid Personality Disorder. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fourth edition. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association. Mike Martinez. (2012) Schizoid. Retrieved May 4, 2012 http://www.schizoids.info/ Burntt, George. (2008). Schizoid Personality Disorder. Retrieved May 1, 2012 http://www.mentalhealth.com/dis/p20-pe02.html lais MA, Smallwood P, Groves JE, Rivas-Vazquez RA. (2011). Schizoid Personality Disorder. Retrieved May 4, 2012 http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000920.htm Grohl, J.M. (2010). Schizoid Personality Disorder. Retrieved May 2, 2012. http://www.psychologytoday.com/conditions/schizoid-personality-disorder

Essay --

Many people require eyeglasses because they may have farsighted or nearsighted vision. While eyeglasses where made in the early twelve hundreds and the inventors were anonymous, they did a lot of justice for many people all over the world. These inventors were able to help others live a better quality of life, because their vision had been made better. When you have strong vision you are more independent and able to function without assistance, but when your vision is week you may need assistance. You may need assistance with driving, with getting a job, and you may need assistance moving safely when in unknown surroundings. The eye is a key function to the body; therefore it is important to visit the eye doctor or Optometrists on a yearly basis to determine if new lenses are required. In order to create new lenses a doctor must have an optical instrument or Surface Machine to produce high-precision measurements and he must use a high quality glass. The convex lens is used to correct hyperopia or farsighted vision. It is a lens that is thicker in the middle than at the edges. In or...

Politics Administration Dichotomy Essay

By discussing some of the advantages and disadvantages of administration and politics dichotomy, an opinion of whether it is useful or impossible will be made. Wilson’s politics administration dichotomy refers to the idea that administrative decisions need to be made without political influence. One argument to this is that politics has transformed, let’s say, the role of a city manager from a neutral expert to a problem solver and dichotomy should be replaced with an expanded base of professional values for them. Advantages and Disadvantages of Politics and Administration Dichotomy  An advantage of having politics and administration dichotomy is that administration would not be driven by politics. Although politics give work to administration, it should not be able to make it do what it wants. Politics is a process by which disagreements and conflicts are worked out, ending with laws and policies through legislation. The purpose of politics is to provide political guidance to public administration. Political guidance is formulating and clarifying the public’s preferences and then communicating them to the public administrators. The job of a public administrator is to provide neutral competence to the policy process. The politicians would not get involved in administration and the public administrators would have no involvement in shaping policies. Public administrators would have the role of being neutral experts who carry out the policies of the council. In order to be neutral the administrator should minimize their identification with political positions, avoid undermining the political power of elected officials, and not get involved in the battle of politics to ensure rational administrative decisions rather than bargaining based decisions. If each public administrators and elected officials perform their tasks as assigned, the democratic accountability and planning ability of public administrators will likely increase. The disadvantage of politics administration dichotomy is that there would be no interaction and incorporation of administrative contributions in the design and the implementation of public policy. It also shields administrators from scrutiny and serves the interests of elected officials who can pass responsibility for unpopular decisions to administrators. This strict separation of policy makers and service deliverers can lower the quality of governance and service. Then there is the topic of ethics. Neither professional standards nor individual conscience can be alone the framework for public administrative ethics but both are present. So, the downside of dichotomy is there would not be a flow of ideas and concerns between the politicians and the administrators. I think dichotomy is almost impossible to have when it comes to politics and administration, but that word should be replaced by a set of rules and values that both can follow. The politicians should set the goal and the public administrators pave the path. I believe there needs to be communication between the two on certain topics as well. I like to use analogies, so the one that comes to mind is the relationship between officers and NCOs in the army. Officers (being the politician) and NCOs (being the public administrators) need to have a professional relationship. The officer comes to an NCO with a task (goal, mission, policy, etc. ). It is the NCO’s job to make sure his or her soldiers’ (which would be the public in this case) accomplish the task. Regardless if the NCO agrees with the task or likes it (unless it is unsafe/illegal), it is their job to make it happen. Some officers will welcome feedback from the NCO if he or she disagrees with the task. Some officers just demand and expect. How well the NCO organizes and handles the task with his or her soldiers will have an impact on how well it will get done. The way the NCO disseminates the task can also have an effect on how the soldiers view the officer. If the NCO agrees with the task or policy that is given, it is easier for him or her to accomplish it. I know I find it difficult to do something I don’t want to. Usually, a well-respected NCO will be able to have their soldiers accomplish any task given to them. The part where this analogy fails is that soldiers do not vote in their officers. As a public administrator, the hardest part would be to hide my beliefs and views on things, especially if I’m the one who has to implement them.

Alex Rider: Stormbreaker

Alex Rider: Stormbreaker 1)I liked this book. It was filled with action and suspense. But I didn’t like how it was far-fetched. A 14 year old that knew all different types of karate, languages, moves, and almost taught like a spy from birth. But other than that, I really liked the book. I like how everything was detailed. 2)A. The main characters are Alex Rider, Ian Rider (dead, but an important name), Yassen Gregorovich, and Herold Sayle. B. The setting of this book is Present day in London. C. The Central Plot is that the Stormbreaker Computers have a Vial of smallpox gas. It comes out of the computers when the computer is turned on. 3) Plot Pyramid ?Ian Rider Dies ?Alex meets men from the bank ?Ian’s office is raided ?Alex see’s the car that Ian was driving when he died. ?He finds out that the bank is really the â€Å"M16† ?Alex becomes a spy ?He goes through intense training for mission ?Goes to Stormbreaker headquarters ?Uses computer and snoops around the plant ?Found and escorted back into his personal room, where Ian Rider slept ? Found a piece of paper with a drawing( will come in handy later) ? Alex hides in vans that go to pick up something at docks. Found out that Yassen is working with Sayle ? Man dies for dropping a steel box ?Goes back to House ?Alex almost gets killed by Yassen and Herold’s men ?Goes to library and gets book ?Finds out what the picture really meant ?Goes into a mine shaft ?Stayed in water for 2 minutes to get to the other side ?Found the lab where the vials were being put into the computer ? Gets aught and tied up ?Escapes and goes to where the ceremony is ?Reaches Science Museum ?Prime Minister shot ?Sayle shot and disappeared ?Alex stays in school and Jack is allowed to stay in London ? Sayle finds Alex and brings him to a top of a building ?Helicopter flies away without Alex ?Story Ends 4)My favorite character in this book is Alex Rider. He is strong, agile, smart, and speaks like he is older. He climbs out a window for his own curiosity. He saved Millions of people. Alex als o very sneaky. He went around the plant and not being detected for a while. That’s why Alex Rider is my favorite character in the book. 5)The theme that I thought was in this book was that â€Å"An ordinary person could save lives. † I say that because Alex saved millions of people and he was a regular person. Or at least until his uncle died. He was a regular guy when he went out for training to save the school kids. 6)This story is told in 3rd person. Two page examples are pages 1 and 56. Both of the pages say names and not â€Å"I†, it’s all proper names.

Tesco Essays

Tesco Essays Tesco Essay Tesco Essay Executive Summary Starting from a small stall in the east end of London, Tesco today is the largest retailer in the UK with over ? 59 billion sales in 2008. In this dynamic environment, Tesco has managed to stay ahead of its competition through focus on people, both customers and employees. However, in today’s rapidly changing globalised environment, anything could happen. Companies today need to always innovate and reinvent themselves in order to maintain their competitive advantage. The macro environment that Tesco operates in provides both opportunities and threats. Therefore, for sustainable growth and development, Tesco needs to have proper strategic direction that addresses these macro environmental challenges. Though the company has extensive operations worldwide, Tesco’s largest market is still the UK. This report analyses the macro environment that Tesco UK operates in using the PESTEL framework and its interconnectedness to external opportunities and threats. Competitiveness of Tesco UK is analyzed by applying Michael Porter’s five forces model. The paper is further expanded by linking both the PESTEL framework and the 5 forces to understand Tesco’s dynamic macro environment. A stakeholder analysis is carried out in order to understand the expectation of Tesco’s stakeholders. Strategic capabilities of Tesco are explained through the identification of core competencies of the firm. Justification of these competencies explains how Tesco manages to stay ahead of its competitors. Table of Contents 1. Introduction to Tesco Plc6 1. 1. Tesco UK7 2. The Macro Environment Analysis8 2. Political Factors8 2. 2Economical Factors8 2. 3Social/Cultural Factors8 2. 4Technological Factors8 2. 5Environmental Factors8 2. 6Legislative Factor8 2. 7Overall impact of the PESTEL factors8 2. 8Potential opportunities from the external environment8 2. 9Threats from the external environment8 3. Competitive Analysis on Tesco Using Porter’s Five Forces Model8 3. 1. Threat of New Entries8 3. 2. Competitive Rivalry8 3. 3. Substitutes8 3. 4. The Power of Supplier8 3. 5. The Power of Buyer8 3. 6. Summary of the 5 Forces Model8 4. Stakeholder analysis8 . Core Competences8 5. 1Value8 5. 2. Rarity8 5. 3. Inimitability8 1. 4. Non-substitutability8 6. Conclusion8 7. References8 Introduction to Tesco Plc Founded in 1919 by Jack Cohen, Tesco Plc is the largest British based international grocery and general merchandising retail chain, and is the world’s third largest retailer, after Wal-Mart of the US and France’s Carrefour. The Tesco brand first appeared in 1924. The first store was opened in 1929 in London. Tesco floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1947 with a share price of 25p. During the 1950s and the 1960s Tesco grew organically, and through acquisitions. Most of this early growth was in and around London. The â€Å"pile it high, sell it cheap† strategy of Cohen had left the company â€Å"stagnate† which resulted in his resignation in 1973. In 1977, Tesco launched â€Å"operation checkout† which included price reductions and centralized buying for all stores. The result was a rise in market share of 4% in two months. Today, the company operates over 3000 stores in several countries including the U. S ad Japan with over 440,000 employees. Tesco has diversified their business into other areas such as clothing, consumer electronics, financial services, telecommunication, insurance schemes etc. With their core purpose of â€Å"create value for customers to earn their lifetime loyalty†, the company has been able to build a multibillion-dollar empire. Operating income for 2008 was ? 3. 12billion. (The Guardian 2009). The ability to appeal to all market segments through their own brand products with up market and low price value range has been a key element of their success. The two key values of Tesco are 1. No-one tries harder for customer, and 2. Treat people as we like to be treated With their â€Å"Every little helps† strategy, they regularly ask their customers and staff â€Å"what we can do to make shopping with us and working with us that little bit better† (Tesco. com) 4 Tesco UK Tesco UK is the first and largest operations under Tesco PLC. Tesco UK contributes approximately 70% to the group’s sales and profit. Its business is significant in the UK, with over 285,000 employees and over 2,200 stores. UK business’s growth comes from new space, extensions to existing stores and a multi-format approach. The overall growth in UK was contributed by the sales of non-food, which forms another key part of Tesco strategy. Tesco customized their store formats to satisfy customers needs. It has more than 1960 Express stores offering a range of approximately 7000 quality, great value, and fresh food close to where customers live and work. Tesco opened its first Metro in 1992 catering to the needs of busy customers, bringing Tesco nearer to customer in town and city centre locations. The superstores which began in the 1970s is an ongoing program of extending and refreshing their superstores to improve the overall experience for customers, including introduction of new non-food ranges such as DVDs and books. Since 1977 the one-stop Extra destination store has proved extremely popular and Tesco now have more than 175 Extra stores offering the widest range of food and non-food lines. The 10 Homeplus stores (approx 35000 to 50000 sq ft) are dedicated to non-food, including clothing, with more available through Tesco Direct order and collection points. In addition to array of formats, Tesco continually innovate and invest in new lines to increase choice for their customers, such as, lifestyle ranges like organic, healthy living. Various own brand also enable customers to purchase product to compliment their lifestyle. Value-adding service, such as Tesco nutritional signpost labeling targets to provide customers with the key information they need to help them choose a balanced diet. Tesco innovatively counteract the recession challenge by launching around 500 new ‘discount brands’ products because customers were shopping around for best prices without compromising on quality. The Macro Environment Analysis The Macro environment gives organizations their means of survival as well a source of threat. Understanding the strategic position is concerned with identifying the impact on strategy of the external environment, an organizations strategic capability and the expectations and influences of stakeholders. Organizations exist in the context of a complex political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal world. The PESTEL framework will be used on Tesco UK to identify how future trends in these environments might impinge on the organization. This analysis aims to provide the broad data from which to identify key drivers of change and understand the interconnectedness of the macro environment. (Johnson, Scholes, Whittingon, 2008). 1. 2. 6 Political Factors Even though, this paper is concerned with the Strategic perspective of Tesco UK, it is important to consider the global political scenario considering Tesco’s scope of operations. The company has over 3000 stores in 13 different markets outside the UK including Europe, North America and Asia. Tesco therefore, is greatly influenced by political and legislative circumstances among these countries as well as European Union (EU). ‘As Tesco grows ever bigger in more countries, it has inevitably faced criticism from consumer activists and environmental groups and also regulators. Brussels recently referred Tescos acquisition of three stores in Slovakia to domestic regulators, claiming the deal could potentially reduce competition in certain areas. ’ (BBC 2006) Another important aspect to consider is the policies and regulations governing monopolies and dominant market shares within the EU. Even though, Tesco is yet to be recognized this way, it is an important factor to note considering it’s scope of operations. In the UK, planning permission is an important political factor. There have been several cases where Tesco’s request to build new stores in the UK have been denied by the Town councils due to oppositions by the public. Therefore, careful analysis of the political factors when opening stores in UK is critical. 7 Economical Factors Considering that Tesco is UK’s largest private sector employer, economic factors such as unemployment rates and purchasing power are important factors to take note of. The recessional period that the world has been experiencing has had quite an impact on western countries such as the US and UK with high job lay off’s etc. Unemployment rate in the UK has increased by 2% when compared with 2008. (National Statistics UK 2009). Unemployment rates affect Tesco in two ways. One is that it reduces demand for products and can affect Tesco’s sales. However, average earnings including bonuses rose by 1. 2 per cent in the year to September 2009 which is an indicator that the UK economy is picking up. The other issue is that with Tesco being the leading private sector employer, it will be under severe pressure on job lay off’s. Tesco’s strategy of catering to many segments of the market has been able to keep them afloat in the rise of the economic recession. According to the research firm TNS WorldPanel, The UK number one, who has reaped the benefit of its double Clubcard points promotion, took 30. 7% of the grocery market in the 12 weeks to 1 November 2009. (Press Association 2009) The recessional period is slowly picking up with UK’s retail sales showing an increase of 2. % as of September 2009 when compared with the previous year which indicates a positive outlook for Tesco. (National Statistics UK 2009). 8 Social/Cultural Factors UK has a population of 61. 4 million and considered an ageing population with a relatively equal split between male and females with 62% representing the workforce. The proportion of people aged 65 and over is projected to increas e from 16 per cent in 2008 to 23 per cent by 2033. (Statistics online). Therefore, Tesco will have to consider this an important aspect of future strategic direction. The increase in employment among older people and females have created a demand for value added products and convenience goods and meals The need for bulk purchasing and one stop shopping has prompted Tesco to have more non food items available for sale. However in recent times, there seems to be a decrease in this trend as more and more people are pinching their pennies in times of recession and reducing the use of such convenience products. While money is tight, women will feel obliged to forgo the price premiums they have been paying for this kind of help and take on the labour themselves. Euromonitor 2009). Therefore moving into house brands with different market segmentation and the focus on own label share of the business mix and supply chain which reduces cost as Tesco has done is an important element of their corporate strategy. According to Eurominitor international, Value rather than cheapness will now count when consumers have to choose between brands when making purchasin g decisions in the year ahead. Hence consumers will reward brands focusing on quality with loyalty. (Euromonitor 2009) Tesco’s focus on retaining customers is evidence to this trend. Another important socio cultural aspect to consider is the migration of eastern Europeans and Asians to the UK. There is a large community of Indians living in the UK. Tesco needs to ensure that they are able to cater to this segment with product differentiation. Consumers in UK are also being more health conscious and therefore increased their use of organic products. Also offering products which has been manufactured in an ethical and socially responsible way is also becoming increasingly important in the UK consumers mind. 9 Technological Factors Technology is an important macro environmental factor that affect any organization. Tesco has been successful at exploiting the widespread phenomena of internet purchasing. Their comprehensive website and online catalogue with easy checking out options have boosted their sales. To retain their competitive advantage it is important for Tesco to always reinvent and re-innovate and to be abreast of the rapid technological changes. Adoption of technologies such as intelligent scales, electronic shelf labeling, self checkout and RFID as helped the company to maintain its competitive advantage. In order to make maximum use of strategic capabilities, Tesco UK has transferred their IT support structure to Bangalore India. 10 Environmental Factors Today, environmental issues play a key role in business. Matters such as global warming and pollution have pressured companies into being more socially responsible towards the environment they operate in. Tesco has been instrumental in supporting carbon reduction and has created a a ? 100 million Sustainable Technology Fund for this purpose. In order to be carbon free, Tesco is revamping their own stores and building new low carbon stores. Their target is to halve carbon emission totally by 50% by the year 2020. Tesco is also encouraging their customers to go green by introducing a new ‘Greener Living’ brand. The range comprises 200 products as diverse as energy-saving light bulbs, paper goods and kitchenware TESCO’s corporate social responsibility exceeds the minimum expectation levels set by the industry. 11 Legislative Factor In 2000, the government introduced legislation that allowed schemes, set up in line with the regulations, to offer employees savings on tax and national insurance contributions when buying and selling shares in the employing company. Tesco has used this legal framework to provide comprehensive share schemes and has had considerable success in retaining their employees as shareholders and potentially reaping the benefits from their increased commitment to the company. (Eurofound 2008) The UKs Competition Commission is to introduce a code of practice for supermarkets in a bid to ensure the fair treatment of suppliers and address issues hindering competition in the market. The commission believed that this food control the buying power of certain supermarkets. (Justfood. com 2009). This affects both Tesco and the industry in general; in terms of higher cost. 12 Overall impact of the PESTEL factors Identifying the PESTEL factors for Tesco, has given insight to the environment they operate in and the interconnectedness of these factors. Identifying these factors are important in creating future strategic direction and growth. The political impact of the EU and the UK is an important factor for this British Retail giant in terms of market growth and monopoly. The present economic crisis has increased unemployment levels which is a negative indication. However recent reports on increased sales and changes in socio cultural patterns are an indication for new prospects for Tesco. 13 Potential opportunities from the external environment The recovery of the economic situation means that there will be increased market potential and increased spending power. This is already in evidence by the increase in sales of Tesco UK in September 2009. The demand for non-food retail items is increasing and is in favour of Tesco. Their health and beauty products are top of the range and there is further potential to grow. The increasing population of Asians and Eastern Europeans is also an opportunity for Tesco to explore this particular market segment. Increased focus on ‘going green’ is beneficial to the company considering their many steps towards this process both in terms of influencing the consumer and improving the processes within the company. The increased use of online purchasing means the reduction of related costs and processes could be more efficient. This would also enable Tesco to provide other services such as banking, delivery etc. 14 Threats from the external environment Consumer behavior patterns are slowly changing towards organic and ethically produced goods. This creates both opportunity as mentioned above as well as threat. More and more research and capital will need to be allocated to sourcing these products. The company has made substantial investments in energy saving projects around the business. The price war between the supermarkets is another cause for concern which will be later discussed under competition. The possibility of increased regulation in terms of pricing is a threat to Tesco and other supermarkets in the industry. Competitive Analysis on Tesco Using Porter’s Five Forces Model Porter’s five forces framework were developed to determine the competitive intensity and market attractiveness of an industry. (Porter, 2001) Market attractiveness refers to whether a company will have the profit potential in an industry. Porter’s five forces structure (as shown below) constitutes of the threat of new entrants, the threat of substitute, the power of suppliers, the power of buyer and competitive rivalry. [pic] 16 Threat of New Entries According to Johnson, Scholes and Whittington (2008), threat of entry depends on the extent and height of barriers to entry such as economic of scales and experience, access to supply or distribution channels, legislation or government action and differentiation. The combination on two factors: Tesco, having 85 years of retail experience since the â€Å"TESCO† brand name started and with the existance of the incumbent retail giants (i. e. Asda, Sainsbury, Mark Spencer) make it difficult for new entrant to penetrate into the UK retailing market. Potential entrants will find that barriers are imposed on them, either explicitly or implicitly, by the conglomerate incumbents. (Tesco Porters Five Force Model , 2008) Tesco, as the largest retailer in UK has control over supply and distribution through customer or supplier loyalty. They have the established loyalty program such as offering loyalty card, point card, advantage card or club card to attract and retain the customers. Besides that, Tesco has direct ownership (vertical integration) for some of the products that they are selling with the brand â€Å"Tesco†. The new entrants will find it challenging to find the new supply and distribution channel as the more common ones had been cornered by Tesco and other giant retailers in UK, who have the advantage of economies of scale. While the new entrants find it easy to enter into UK market, they may face many challenges in the operating environment. Therefore, it can be said that Tesco has a considerately low threat of new entrants in UK. 17 Competitive Rivalry Competitive rivalry refers to the direct competition between organizations that sell the similar products aimed at the same customer group. Johnson, Scholes, Whittington, 2008) Tesco has many direct competitors who do the same business as them, namely the Asda Group Limited, Carrefour S. A, J Sainsbury PLC, Marks and Spencer Group PLC, The Big Food Group PLC and etc. As the number of competitors increases and become roughly equal size, the rivalry become intensified and competitors attempt to gain dominance over others. Though Tesco is presently the largest retailer in UK, many other upcoming retailers mentioned above are trying to gain more market share by dominating the market. Rivalry is also stronger when demand for the product is growing slowly. (Tesco Porters Five Force Model , 2008) With the rivalry intensity, each competitor is tempted to use price cuts to boost unit volume and hence create price war between rivals. Besides that, Tesco’s business and products are also weakly differentiated that customers do not require any cost switching from one retailer to another. The intensity of rivalry in the retailing industry where Tesco belongs to is great. Therefore the threat of competitive rivalry is high for Tesco. 18 Substitutes The accessibility and availability of acceptable substitutes for products that Tesco offers are easy and abundant. For example, Sainsbury can match the low prices that Tesco offers in the market and even equal the quality of products they offer, making the substitute force high in the retailing industry. (Tesco Porters Five Force Model , 2008) This drives Tesco to upgrade the product quality, reduce prices and differentiate their products from its substitute in order not to be affected by the threat. The upcoming trend of online shopping and free delivery also pose a substitute threat for the conventional shopping. Busy working adults can order their groceries or anything they need with just clicks on the PC. E-bay for instance, can offer a wide range of products from all over the world to its customers. However, Tesco had anticipated this new trend and has an online shopping website to cater the needs of this group of people. Hence, Tesco faces low threat on substitutes looking at the fact that Tesco affords to go on the price war since they are the biggest retailer in UK and most of the people still would want to go on the conventional way of shopping. 9 The Power of Supplier The factors increasing supplier power are the converse to those for buyer power and the supplier power is likely to be high where there are concentrated suppliers, high switching cost and supplier competition threat. (Johnson, Scholes, Whittington, 2008) However, this is not the case for Tesco who has the power over the suppliers. Suppliers are clamoring attention from giants like Tesco to buy their products. Suppliers understand that the purchasing volume from Tesco will be enormous if they clinch on any deal with them. With this, giant retailers have the overwhelming advantage to dictate the price and if the suppliers do not give in to the price that they are willing to pay, the suppliers are left only with the small supermarket chains that do not give them huge orders. Besides that, suppliers will have to maintain good services and prices with Tesco to sustain the order. This is due to the fact that switching cost from one supplier to another is low and therefore creating stiff competition among suppliers. With the above explanation, it is clear that Tesco faces low threat from the suppliers as they has much more negotiating power than any others would have. 20 The Power of Buyer Customers are essential for the survival of any business and buyers will normally have strong position when there are only a few concentrated buyers who buy in bulk and low switching cost from one supplier to another is low. (Johnson, Scholes, Whittington, 2008) In the retailing business, the number of customers is very large and they do not purchase in bulk. Therefore, the buyer’s power is not that strong. However, the switching cost for a buyer is virtually none. Buyers have the freedom to choose supermarket that can offer good prices since the things that all supermarket sells are almost the same. Fortunately for Tesco that all competitors have a disciplined approach in price setting, partly due to the government regulations. (Tesco Porters Five Force Model , 2008)The prices may differ, but it would not be a huge difference. Therefore, it will be more economical for customers to buy all the things they need in one place, rather than hopping around for the retailer that sells the cheapest in certain items. With the mentioned reason, it can be said that the threat of buyer is relatively low. 1 Summary of the 5 Forces Model |Porter’s Five Forces |Level | | |High |Low | |Threat of New Entries | |v | |Competitive Rivalry |^ | | |Substitute | |v | |The Power of Buyer | |v | |The Power of Supplier | |v | From the above analysis, Tesco clearly has a strong position in the retail industry in UK. The business is attractive to Tesco in UK and Tesco is enjoying the profit from the business. The only high threat that Tesco faces is the threat of competitive rivalry from the rivals. The following statistic shows the market share of the closest rivals that Tesco has. Supermarket in UK |Market Share | |Tesco |30. 6% | |ASDA |16. 6% | |Sainsburys |16. 3% | |Morrisons |11. % | |Somerfield |5. 4% | |Waitrose |3. 7% | |Iceland |1. 8% | (Source TNS cited by BBC 2006) Though Tesco has the largest market share, other retailers are coming up quickly. Tesco must keep an eye on these rivals so that the threat of substitute will not become high over time. Besides that, the easy entrants to UK also increase the rivalry for Tesco. It is good that Tesco is already well established in UK and the new entrants will require time to build up their experience and network to compete with Tesco. The rivalry forces can also affect the power of buyer. For example, if ASDA does some promotion that can attract the customer, Tesco will lose some of the market share to their rivals. Therefore, it is clear that Porter’s five forces are inter-related to each other and Tesco must always be alert to any of the forces. The macro environment give an impression of the political, economic, sociological, technological, legal and environmental factors that influence Porter’s five forces. The government regulation on the price setting actually had help Tesco to manage the threat of rivalry and substitute. UK is also getting more open in their economy, hence, Tesco is able to source from the cheaper suppliers from other countries and lower the threat from local suppliers. The buyers are now consisting of diversified people and Tesco must take into consideration of the new goods that can be sold to this group of people. This is one of the tactics to reduce threat from buyer and rivalry from other retailers who had catered into this new need. In addition to that, Tesco can make use of the latest information technology to sell their products online to avoid the substitute threat from retailers who do online business. Stakeholder analysis ‘Stakeholders are people or groups with a legitimate interest in a company. Since stakeholders are interested in and affected by the organization’s action, they have a ‘stake’ in what those actions are’ (Williams, C. 2000). Therefore it is important to understand the role stakeholders play in terms of Tesco as a business. Applying the concept of stakeholder mapping provides better understanding to the influence of stakeholders on corporate strategy. This can help to identify potential risk, establish the political background to the area, seek to influence the decision-makers, and provide intelligence about competitors, key themes and area of potential risk. The availability of the source of power determines the extent of power that can be exerted by both internal and external stakeholder group, this includes key position in the hierarchy or the decision-making process e. g. key managers, key role in strategy implementation or important shareholders; control of strategic resources and possession of know-how, or information. At Tesco, a big part of that is listening to the people around them, and making sure they act on their concern. Engagement helps Tesco identify new risks and opportunities to ensure that long-term strategy is sustainable. In some instances working with stakeholders in partnership can help deliver shared goals. Tesco acknowledge that customers need to be able to trust their business and customers will only trust them if they do the right thing by all their stakeholders Key players: Tesco core value defines â€Å"people† as a critical success factor. People includes customer, employees. Customer question time meeting are invaluable to Tesco. Staff hears customers’ views on everything from how they are being served in their stores to Tesco’s role in the community. Employee gives feedback through viewpoint staff survey, staff question time sessions and staff forum process. Tesco core value is â€Å"treat people how we like to be treated†. And its something Tesco applies firmly to their supplier relationships. Tesco loyalty card scheme – â€Å"Clubcard† enables Tesco to better understand their customers and show appreciation to customer for shopping with them. Tesco creative marketing created more than eight million unique coupon variations of Clubcard mailing, to ensure that each Clubcard member receives the kind of offer that is appropriate for them. (Tesco, 2009) Tesco employs more than 285,000 employees in the UK, besides market-leading package of pay and its employees are entitled to fringe benefits such as childcare vouchers and share schemes. (Tesco. com) Tesco shareholders are also key player, the investor relations team regularly meets analysts from the financial institutions which invest in them or represent Tesco shareholders. Keep Satisfied Non-Government Organization (NGO) have less power but bear high interest on the organization, regular meetings with NGO to understand and respond to issues of concern will keep this group satisfied as getting their ‘endorsement’ is critical to the success of a strategy. Keep Informed Rival retail chain and trade magazine also have influencing power to their corporate strategy, therefore need to take them into account. Minimal Effort This group exerts low power and low interest. Core Competences Core competences are defined as the â€Å"skills and abilities by which resources are deployed through an organization’s activities and processes such as to achieve competitive advantage in ways that others cannot imitate or obtain†. (Johnson, Scholes, Whittington, 2008, p. 97) Tesco’s core competence is to create value for customers to earn their lifetime loyalty. Its success depends on people, the people who shop and work with Tesco. If the customers like what Tesco offer, they are more likely to come back and shop again. And if the Tesco team finds what Tesco do rewarding; they are more likely to go that extra mile to help the customers. To achieve and sustain the competitive advantage, Tesco own its strategic capabilities which are valuable to customers, rare, inimitable and non-substitutable. Value No-one tries harder for customers like Tesco does. Tesco regularly ask the customers how to make shopping in Tesco better. Tesco creates value by listening to what the customers have told them, understand and be the first to meet their needs. Therefore, Tesco has created the â€Å"Every Little Helps† strategy which to ensure the aisles are clear, the customers can get what they want with a good price, customers need not to queue and the staff are helpful and great. With the aim of become the â€Å"best value retailer† and customer deserve best value for money, Tesco had worked hard to find ways of keeping the prices down which has resulted in 17% of price reduction between 2000 and 2006. (Tesco 2009) The company has also been successful in creating a great place to work which is â€Å"treat people how we like to be treated†. Staffs are treated with respect, managers who always help, opportunities are provided to get on. The better the staffs are treated, the better services they would provide to the customers. 25 Rarity To win over other competitors means one company must possess a unique and rare capability. Tesco has been so successful in capturing leadership of the market for online grocery shopping by designing and implementing supply systems that effectively link existing shops with Tesco. com web site. (tutor2u, n. d. ) Although online shopping is a feature of competitors such as Wal-Mart and other competitors, Tesco’s ability to design and deliver a â€Å"customer interface† that personalizes online shopping and makes it more efficient has resulted the customers valuing the Tesco. com experience highly. Customer’s confidence has been built up with Tesco’s reliable and efficient delivery infrastructure from product picking, distribution to customer satisfaction handling. 26 Inimitability To create sustainable competitive advantage over time is not so straightforward and it must be competitively unique and difficult for competitors to imitate. (Kotelnikov, n. d. ) Tesco PLC of the United Kingdom has greater market share than its rival ASDA Group PLC in Britain. The market share for groceries is 31 percent for Tesco PLC compared to 16 percent for Wal-Marts Asda chain. The supermarket chain has introduced a loyalty program called Tesco Clubcard that collects detailed market information. (Advameg Inc. , 2008) Tesco pioneered the Clubcard rewards program to gather customer detail information, which it then used to accommodate to specific customer needs and potential desires. When shoppers signed up for the card, their age, gender, and income are automatically provided. Tesco was then able to segment their shoppers based on these factors. As long as the shopper used the card when shopping online or in-store, purchased product information was automatically captured into Tesco database. This enables Tesco to collect data about the spending habits and product choices of the customers allowing Tesco to target goods and services effectively such as grocery delivery services. (Knowmore. org, 2008) Apparently Tesco has done significantly better than competitors in winning customer’s loyalty. 27 Non-substitutability In order to maintain a big market share in this competitive environment, Tesco has to provide value to customer and possess competence which is non-substitutable over time. Hence, Tesco has evolved from merely food supply store (Tesco Express and Tesco Metro) to a wide range of food and non-food provider (Tesco Superstore, Tesco Extra and Tesco Homeplus). In addition to a variety of store formats, Tesco also provides a broad appeal by continually innovating and investing in new lines to increase options for customers. â€Å"From Value to Finest and lifestyle ranges like Organic, Free From, Healthy Living and Wholefoods, our various own brands enable customers to buy products to compliment their lifestyle. Our nutritional signpost labeling aims to provide customers with the key information they need to help them choose a balanced diet. † (Tesco 2009, The recent recession has shown a new challenge to Tesco because although customers tend to shop around more for the best prices when times are hard but it doesnt mean they want to compromise on quality of the shopping trip or on choice. â€Å"That is why last year we made the biggest change to our range in a decade, launching around 500 new products as part of our Discount Brands at Tesco initiative. (Tesco 2009) This new range of products enables customer to match their budget without compromising on quality or choice. This act managed to retain the customer to continue to stay on Tesco. Core Competencies need to be flexible and evolve overtime with adaptation to the environment. As a business evolves and adapts to new circumstances and opportunities, so its core competencies which underpin the success will have to adapt and change . With the capabilities of which are valuable to customers, rare, inimitable and non-substitutable, Tesco manages to sustain as British largest retailer over its competitors. Conclusion Today, companies operate in a dynamic global environment whether they are domestic or international players. In order to stay competitive, companies need to innovate. ‘Innovation requires pressure, necessity and even adversity. The fear of loss often proves more powerful than the hope of gain’. (Porter, 1999,p. 164). In these changing times, Tesco has been able to maintain their position as Britain’s number one retailer through innovative approaches in all aspects of their business, from customers to employees to supply chain management. The dynamic macro environment that Tesco UK operates in provides both opportunities and threats. The present economic situation in UK is an important indicator that would and is affecting Tesco’s operations. Though the country has been experiencing high unemployment rates presently, recent statistics show an improvement in sales figures which is an indication for future growth. Changes in consumer behavior patterns and socio cultural changes such as increased migration will no doubt play an important role in creating strategies to have a sustainable competitive advantage for the company. Through Porters 5 Forces Model, we have gained a better understanding of Tesco’s competition. The biggest threat is the existing rivalry in the UK between the supermarket giants such as Asda, Sainsbury, Safeway, Marks and Spencer ad Tesco. Price competition is still the main form of competition existing within these giants. However, Tesco has understood the importance of their stakeholders, mainly consumers and employees and focused their strategic direction towards creating a loyal consumer and employee base with long term commitment. Constant changes to meet customer demands and high response to consumer feedback are important core competencies of the company. Value for money and being able to cater to all market segments have also been vital in maintain their competitive advantage. With the identification of these competencies and the environment analysis, Tesco now could align their future strategic direction to achieve long term sustainable growth as a responsible leader in the UK retail industry. References Johnson, G. , Scholes, K. , Whittington, R. (2008). Exploring Corporate Strategy. Harlow: Prentice Hall. Kotelnikov, V. Core Competencies: Things You Can Do Better Than Your Competition. Retrieved November 15, 2009, from 1000 Ventures: 1000ventures. com/business_guide/crosscuttings/core_competencies. html Knowmore. org. (2008, May 21). Tesco PLC. Retrieved November 17, 2009, from Knowmore. org: knowmore. org/wiki/index. php? title=Tesco_PLC Tesco 2009. Core UK. Retrieved November 17, 2009, from Tesco PLC: tescoplc. com/plc/about_us/strategy/coreuk/ tutor2u. Strategy Core Competencies. Retrieved November 15, 2009, from Tutor2u: http://tutor2u. net/business/strategy/core_competencies. htm The Press Association, Tesco sees market share growth, 10 November 2009. Retreived on 17 November from google. com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5hBp-Szv5JTubP4tXxSQSQdL3bsMw Office for National Statistics, UK Statistics Authority 2009 retrieved on 19 November 2009 from statistics. gov. uk/instantfigures. asp Just-Food. com, Sound Bites – The UK Grocery ‘code of practice’ . Russel Michelle, 3 March 2009 retreived from ttp://www. just-food. com/article. aspx? id=105666 The Guardian, UK 21 April 2009. Wearden G. Tesco unveils record profits of ? 3bn. Retrieved on 19 November 2009 from guardian. co. uk/business/2009/apr/21/tesco-record-profits-supermarket Eurofound 2009, Tesco, UK: Make work pay – make work attractive retrieved on 19 November 2009 from eurofound. europa. eu/areas/qualityofwork/betterjobs/cases/uk04tesco. htm BBC News Online, Stamp Gavi n 25 April 2006 Foreign growth jey to Tesco goals retrieved on 19 November 2009 from http://news. bc. co. uk/2/mobile/business/4781458. stm Tesco corporate responsibility report 2009 retreived on 17 November 2009 from investis. com/plc/cr09/crr09. pdf Porter, Michael. E. (1999) On Competition. Harvard Business Press Williams, C. (2000). Management, Cincinnati Ohio, South-Western College Publishing Advameg Inc. . (2008, n. d. n. d. ). Abstract. Retrieved November 17, 2009, from Internet FAQ Archives: Online Education: faqs. org/abstracts/Business-international/No-1-retailer-in-Britain-uses-Clubcard-to-thwart-Wal-Mart. html

Inventors of the Modern Computer

Inventors of the Modern Computer In November of 1971, a company called Intel publicly introduced the worlds first single-chip microprocessor, the Intel 4004 (U.S. Patent #3,821,715), invented by Intel engineers Federico Faggin, Ted Hoff, and Stanley Mazor. After the invention of integrated circuits  revolutionized computer design, the only place to go was down in size that is. The Intel 4004 chip took the integrated circuit down one step further by placing all the parts that made a computer think (i.e. central processing unit, memory, input and output controls) on one small chip. Programming intelligence into inanimate objects had now become possible. The History of Intel In 1968, Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore were two unhappy engineers working for the Fairchild Semiconductor Company who decided to quit and create their own company at a time when many Fairchild employees were leaving to create start-ups. People like Noyce and Moore were nicknamed the Fairchildren. Robert Noyce typed himself a one-page idea of what he wanted to do with his new company, and that was enough to convince San Francisco venture capitalist Art Rock to back Noyces and Moores new venture. Rock raised $2.5 million dollars in less than 2 days. Intel Trademark The name Moore Noyce was already trademarked by a hotel chain, so the two founders decided upon the name Intel for their new company, a shortened version of Integrated Electronics. Intels first money-making product was the 3101 Schottky bipolar 64-bit static random access memory (SRAM) chip. One Chip Does the Work of Twelve In late 1969, a potential client from Japan called Busicom, asked to have twelve custom chips designed. Separate chips for keyboard scanning, display control, printer control and other functions for a Busicom-manufactured calculator. Intel did not have the manpower for the job but they did have the brainpower to come up with a solution. Intel engineer, Ted Hoff decided that Intel could build one chip to do the work of twelve. Intel and Busicom agreed and funded the new programmable, general-purpose logic chip. Federico Faggin headed the design team along with Ted Hoff and Stanley Mazor, who wrote the software for the new chip. Nine months later, a revolution was born. At 1/8th inch wide by 1/6th inch long and consisting of 2,300 MOS (metal oxide semiconductor) transistors, the baby chip had as much power as the ENIAC, which had filled 3,000 cubic feet with 18,000 vacuum tubes. Cleverly, Intel decided to buy back the design and marketing rights to the 4004 from Busicom for $60,000. The next year Busicom went bankrupt, they never produced a product using the 4004. Intel followed a clever marketing plan to encourage the development of applications for the 4004 chip, leading to its widespread use within months. The Intel 4004 Microprocessor The 4004 was the worlds first universal microprocessor. In the late 1960s, many scientists had discussed the possibility of a computer on a chip, but nearly everyone felt that integrated circuit technology was not yet ready to support such a chip. Intels Ted Hoff felt differently; he was the first person to recognize that the new silicon-gated MOS technology might make a single-chip CPU (central processing unit) possible. Hoff and the Intel team developed such an architecture with just over 2,300 transistors in an area of only 3 by 4 millimeters. With its 4-bit CPU, command register, decoder, decoding control, control monitoring of machine commands and interim register, the 4004 was one heck of a little invention. Todays 64-bit microprocessors are still based on similar designs, and the microprocessor is still the most complex mass-produced product ever with more than 5.5 million transistors performing hundreds of millions of calculations each second - numbers that are sure to be outdated fast.

Not set, depends on a research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Not set, depends on a research - Essay Example It was this pacified demeanor reinforced in King’s speech that I want to give focus to. The speech is an intense argument that delivers its point to persuade others in the pursuit of the objective that the movement aspires to accomplish. The eloquent call of Dr. King to his people was an inspiration that gave face to the diplomatic crusade of the African-American people. â€Å"Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred† (King). This was meant to be a reminder against the tendency of those who employ the use of violence to call attention to their goal. â€Å"Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality† (King). This is also recognition on the tendency of others to be consumed by animosity against those who prejudice their race because of the reality that demonstrations could easily turn vicious. Thi s is not the answer, as he reiterates, to be able to achieve true freedom from the existing racial oppression. Much like the crusade of Mahatma Gandhi and his adherence to uphold a passive resistance, ensuring that there is no bloodshed, Dr. King called for the same. A wrong can never be corrected by another wrong and where a victory is sought and achieved through inequitable means then it is a shallow triumph nonetheless. â€Å"He could not see that the fact that a majority was oppressing a minority, even violently, somehow justified the minority's oppressing the majority by violence in turn. Nor could he see that an oppressive minority should be suppressed by a violent majority† (Steinkraus 104). When we look at it, the success of the Civil Rights Movement is even more admirable in a historical point of view because they were able to change the course of future because of the virtue of the people who led them. This is why Martin Luther King is the first person we associate with racial equality. The event itself was a confirmation of the peaceful face of the movement. There was something on that day extremely different from all the riots that are happening in other parts of the country. The people were very calm and though the number of those present was numerous, there was no tension between the police officers and the demonstrators. There were sharing of food and the people were dressed as though they were going to church. The organizers of the protest kept a working relationship with the officers and there was a system created to ensure that everything was orderly. Some participants even went so far as to prepare 80,000 cheese sandwiches in New York (Lei and Miller 84). Warren Steinkraus in his article, â€Å"Martin Luther King's Personalism and Non-Violence,† explores the development of King’s philosophy from the influence of religion from early on up to his acquaintance with various political and social philosophers that shaped his o wn views. This formation of his own philosophy is significant in understanding how he came to impart his own indelible mark on the Civil Rights Movement. â€Å"King's support of non-violence as a method of social change seems to be derived from his view of the nature of the ultimate ground of existence and the place and importance of finite individuals in the universe†