W.M Morrisons Plc and Oracle Essay Example for Free

W.M Morrisons Plc and Oracle Essay In March 2004, WM Morrisons PLC completed the takeover of Safeways with a ? 3bn offer of cash and shares, this deal instantly made Morrisons a nationwide company and the 4th largest retail supermarket in the UK with its total store count jumping up from 199 to 403 currently, after the purchase of stores from the Somerfield/Cooperative group. With â€Å"every week 9 million customers pass through our doors and 124,000 colleagues across the business work hard each day† Morrisons (N/A), this is a far cry from its humble beginnings in 1899. In 1899 William Morrison, an egg and butter merchant, started he’s selling from he’s stall in Bradford Market. Jump forward to 1958 and William Morrison’s son Ken, company chairman from 1958-2008, took control of Morrisons, from he’s ailing father, and moved the company from market stalls and opened a small town centre shop in Bradford the first of its kind in Bradford to offer self service and have products are priced. In 1961 Morrisons opens its first ‘supermarket’ converting a cinema in 5,000sq ft of retail space. By 1967 Morrisons becomes a public company after significant growth and expansion, with the share offer being oversubscribed with more than 80,000 investors trying to purchase shares. Now building infrastructure with the completion of a distribution centre in Wakefield completed in 1988 and expanded in 1990. But further expansion outside of Bradford and Northern England does not happen until 1998 when it opens its first store in Southern England, located in Erith, Greater London. Followed by its inclusion in the FTSE 100 in 2001 it’s acquisition of Safeways in 2004. To its meteoric growth in that period of 2004-2009 where Morrisons became one of the ‘Big Four’ supermarket chains and winning various food retail awards such as Food Retailer of the Year and picking up multiple awards at The Grocer awards and its total stores jumped from 119 to 403. It was clear to many analysts and its competitors that Morrisons would suffer from growing pains in all aspects of its business with many questions being asked of Morrisons, such as; Did Morrisons have the infrastructure in place to support such rapid expansion? †¢Was its current business model suitable for such large scale revamp? Could its current operations support the strain of this expansion? Would Morrisons have to change its business image for being the ‘food specialist for everyone’ to compete effectively with the ‘big four’? This case study will focus on Morrisons infrastructure, specifically it’s IT systems and will look at the decision making process that went into and led to Morrisons deal with Oracle in 2008 to â€Å"implement a complete Oracle retail suite of merchandising, planning and stores applications, plus the Oracle E-Business Suite for financials, HR/payroll and manufacturing. IDG (2008). It will also look at the key challenges companies face when implementing such wide sweeping changes to its IT systems and review the outcomes of this system against Morrison’s original strategy. Firstly, with the increasing developments in IT systems it is becoming more common for companies of all sizes to utilize some form of IT in their business, from a sole trader compiling monthly sales figures to a big plc like Dell who gener ate and complete sales completely from an online setting. When it came to Morrisons making significant changes to its IT systems it had a wealth of information and real examples to follow or in the case of J Sainsburys with its rushed and failed ? 290million implementation of IT systems aimed at lowering costs, successful business model change in regards to Dell Inc and it’s change to operate completely online which help massively in stock control technology while dealing with custom orders.

Environment Industry Marketing

Environment Industry Marketing The report is about the analysis of the environment of automobile industry and the marketing strategy for Ford Motor Company. It initiates with examining of external environment of automobile industry by using PEST analysis and Porters five forces analysis. After the internal analyses that focus on the resource audit on brand, products, markets, technology, people and son on, the value chain analysis of the company will be conduct. Then the generic competitive strategies would be discussed through SWOT analysis, Ansoff Matrix and BCG Matrix in order to identify the general business strategy taken by the Ford Company. After specifying the company strategy by those analysis tools, the strategic evaluations would be drawn together with the strategy control methods. Finally, a suggested recommendation for the company future development will be mentioned at the end of the report. I. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Aim of The Report This report aim to identify the external environmental of the global automobile industry, measure and evaluate viable and sustainable marketing strategies using by the Ford Motor Company. Through appropriate theoretical concepts and models, together with appropriate methodologies, the organization within its contextual setting will be carefully examined, and justify recommendation will be mentioned. Though the report, how a successful corporation is operated and how its business strategy is implemented and controlled will be understood. 1.2 Company Background Ford Motor Company is an American multinational corporation and one of the worlds largest automaker based on worldwide vehicle sales. It has manufactures and distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents and has about 300,000 employees and 108 plants worldwide[1]. Ford now encompasses many global brands, including Lincoln and Mercury of the US, Jaguar and Land Rover of the UK, and Volvo of Sweden and one-third controlling interest in Mazda as well[1]. Ford introduced methods for large-scale manufacturing of cars under different brands and large-scale management of an industrial workforce and its combination of highly efficient factories and low prices revolutionized manufacturing had made the company successfully become a world leading auto manufacture. 1.3 Rational of Company Selection Automobile industry is a consistant developing industry in the global in the 21st century. Ford Company is a world leading automobile manufacture, which has its business all over the world. To analysis the global automobile industry environment and the development strategy for such a world famous company would be a greate help to understand how business strategies are generated, implementated and controlled and meanwhile to see how would the company do to keep its business perform well when facing a complicated environment and a decline market. 1.4 Company Vision, Mission and Value The companys vision is to become the worlds leading company for automotive products and services. And the companys mission is to become a global, diverse family with a proud heritage, passionately committed to providing outstanding products and services. And together with a company value that do the right thing for our people, our environment and our society, but above all for our customers[2]. Based on its vision, mission and company value, the Ford Company is endeavor to keep its leading position in the global, and make effort to provide excellent products and services that satisfied its customers. Approaches that be taken to fulfill it goals and objectives with considering the harmony of business environment and modern society. II.EXTERNAL ANALYSIS 2.1Environmental Analysis 2.1.1 Industry Background The world automobile industry has well developed for many decades and stable progress was made during recent years. Now the automotive manufacturing sector produce over 60 million vehicles every year[3] and contribute about 2.45 trillion Euro annual revenues[4]. There are numerous world famous carmakers all round the global, and although the competition in automobile industry becomes more and more fierce, it is still one of the biggest markets in global industry. 2.1.2 PEST Analysis Finlay[5] point out that remote environment affect businesses by an indirect way and would cause changes in a companys operation. The automobile industry touches on a wide range of aspects, such as manufacture, supply chain, retailing and so on. As a result, many factors such as government policies, local regulations, and social culture differences would influence this industry. By modeling the remote environment with PEST analysis (see appendix I), factors that would affect the global automobile industry would be examined. 2.1.2.1 Political and Legal .Competition Policy Anti-monopoly policies such as the EU competition policy tack several barriers to competition to make sure firms operate under a certain legal framework[6]. This policy has force a perfect competition in automobile industry and will absolutely affect auto manufactures marketing strategy to some extend through preventing firms from colluding by price-fixing and as well controlling the size of firms. . Environment Legislations Nowadays, much attention has been devoted to the environmental issues. Organization such as European Environmental Liability Directive has formulated many laws and regulations for environment protection[7]. Those legislations force manufactures to think over the environmental damage their operations may bring along, so that manufactures have to take action to protect the environment. . Automobile Industry Legislations and Policies First, regulations in many regions have introduced different emission limits for diesel and gasoline vehicles. Since 2005, all automobiles have to reach the Euro 4 emission standard in European countries[8]. And in America, stricter emission standard is set since 2005[9]. Besides, some governments are encouraging automakers to produce environmental friendly vehicles. For example, UK government had asked automobile manufactures to design new ultra low carbon family car in 2003[10], which says can be the step stone of the new generation fuel efficiency cars. .Taxation With the imposition of a fuel tax, consumers will have to think more carefully about their purchasing decisions. In the global, many countries has very high fuel tax, such as in the UK, it has took tax higher up to 81.5% of the total price of fuel[11]. And in Europe, EU has imposed a minimum taxation of 0.287 Euro per liter on gasoline[12]. As a result of such a high fuel tax, the usage of cars would be reduced to a great extent for many people. 2.1.2.2 Economic .Economic Growth and Inflation For these years, the global economy is growing steady. Predictors say that the average world growth rate of 4.9 percent in the period 2003-2006 will continue at least for the next two years[13]. In terms of inflation, there is a survey shows that an increasing global inflation with the annual rate of consumer price inflation in the U.S. went up to 4.2 percent in May,2007; 2.2 percent in Great Britain and 2.5 percent in the Euro zone[14]. As a result of the increasing inflation, people may prefer to spend their money right now instead of saving money in the bank and it would encourage people to consume products such as automobiles. .Trade Globalisation has removed many barriers to cross-border activities and international trade can create great opportunities for local businesses to expanding their business into new areas overseas to meet a whole new set of potential customers[15]. The ever-closer international business relationship would provide the manufacture more cost-effective resources and meanwhile provide customers the opportunities of wider choices. .Labour Force The unemployment number in the global is increasing every year. It is said that no matter in the developed countries like United States and the United Kingdom or in the developing countries in China, and India, they are generating less employment than it has in the past even though economic growth is strong[16]. So, in many places all around the world, the speed of job creation cannot catch up with the pace of population growth. This large number of unemployment indicates that many people may have not have steady income to afford a car. .Personal Income and Distribution of Wealth Despite a high and growing global average income[17], global distribution of wealth, consumption, and opportunity still remain severely unbalanced. The wealthiest 20 percent of the population consumes 80 percent of the resources[18]. As a result, people who could afford an upper class product only account for a small proportion of the total population and most people only has the average income. 2.1.2.3 Social-cultural .Demographics population Although recent long-term demographic projections suggest a fast deceleration of global population growth, evidence shows that the number of elderly people is growing fast[19]. As a result, manufactures should consider product that oriented to the elderly. household Some experts claim that there was a decline in the average size of household in the 21st century[20]. Due to the increasing number of elder people and the smaller size of household, I think the small car may become the main stream for its practicality. .Private and Public Transportation Though the public transportation may not be the first choice of some people, it is still the best substitute of private transportation such as private cars. This is especially true when increasing automobile usage generates some negative impacts such as congestion, traffic accidents and additional vehicle emissions. So some government is tending to shift people away from private transportation to public transportation with the effort that improving the performance[21]. .Environment Issues Environmental problems that touch us all has now has drawn the attention of public. People become more awareness about environment issues such as air pollution and greenhouse gas emission. For example, Public are informed by many channels about the impacts of transport can bring, such as the climate change, human health affections and loss of biodiversity [22]. As a result, consumers may become more cautious when purchasing cars. Meanwhile it is obviously the usage of environmental friendly products would turn up an increasing trend. .Other Social Concerns car parking Parking can be a big problem for many drivers. It is always hard to find a place for parking and the price charged for parking is sometimes goes very high [23]. As a result, some people would rather to use public transportation instead of using their private cars. road safety Road accident is always a big issue for drivers. Take UK for example, according to the 2005 annual report of UK department of transportation[24], there is a total number of casualties in 2005 were 271,017 with a number of 3,201 people killed and 28,954 injured. The high risk of driving would influence consumers decision on purchasing. public health Recent years some diseases such as SARS had challenged social stability[25]. This had effect peoples customs and their behavior to some extend. For example, there is a sharp decrease of public transportation usage rate during the period of SARS in 2003. These public health issues more or less have influenced the global automobile market. 2.1.2.4 Technology .New Energy Since increasing attention has paid to environmental issues, researchers are searching actively for new exploitable resources that can instead of petrol and diesel. Bio-fuels are one of the most favorite substitutes at current, which says made from renewable resources such as agricultural crops or waste. They are more environmental friendly and can be refined as conventional petrol that used in todays engines[26]. Another substitute is natural gas that is relatively cleaner compare with other alternatives. Besides, it is claimed that natural gas is not only a cheap energy, but also can well suited to motoring uses[27]. In addition, Lewin[28] believe hydrogen fuel cell cars that will hit the market in near future and many automakers are planning to launch this kind of product. Besides, solar power is also a feasible substitute for carmakers. It is claimed that the very first solar power deal for reviving car batteries had made by a Canadian manufacturer of solar panels with the VW[29]. .Computer Aided Design Program Wernle and Bolduc[30] point out that vehicles design in the new century must be distinctive and alluring so that it would win a ideal market share. It is always a hard and time consuming process for car designer to design a car that not only combine with great comfort and safety performance, but also has unique style. Now, with the help of some computer programs such as Alias it would save much time for automakers to get cars to market quicker by reducing the number of clay models and prototypes[30]. . GPS and Car Navigation System It is report that Garmin Ltd., the largest GPS device maker in the world had sold around 5 million units in 2006 for personal navigation equipment[31]. Nowadays, GPS becomes more and more important to car drivers in every day life. With the help of GPS system information associated by odometers, gyroscopes[32], a car navigation systems can get drivers wherever they want to go. Information is transmitted by autonomous navigation systems without the participation of an external server by the use of a two-way communication between navigation center and the onboard vehicle sensors. The system can calculate the optimal route automatically and then give necessary guides and some programmes even can provide users with additional information such as hotels and shopping malls showing on its digital maps. As GPS and car navigation system has widely accepted by many people, it will become an important factor when people making their consideration. 2.2 The Structural Analysis of Industries Competition between firms is crucial to modern economies[33]. In competitive environment, there is a set of external influences which is able to affect organisations action[34]. Organisations have to fully understand that environment in order to make effort to create competitive advantage so that to achieve success. In the following part, Porters five-forces (see appendix II) approach will be used to examining the competitive environment. 2.2.1 The Threat of Entry Johnson[34] suggest that the barriers to entry determine the threat of entry. If the barriers are high then the threat of entry would be relatively low[35]. The entrance barriers in global car industry can be proposed as following: . Economies of Scale Since the ever falling car price[36], in order to reduce cost, many carmakers keep increasing their output volume. For example, Toyota Motor Manufacturing had increased from 220,000 to 285,000 on Toyota Corolla and Avensis models in UK 2004 annual production capacity and Mazdas domestic production capacity has increased by 14 percent in the same year[37]. Thus, new entrants who want to come in this industry have to come in with either at a large scale and risk strong reaction from existing companies or they have to come in at a small scale and accept a cost disadvantage[35]. . Production Differentiation For carmakers, it is always hard to create distinctive products, as the basic techniques of car manufacturing are no longer a secret for few manufactures. Now the focus is gradually turning to safety[38], style, comfort and new technology for example a computer control panel such as providing the driver with telematics, GPS[39] because of the quality gap among the different manufacture become narrower. As a result, it would obviously more time consuming and would spend more money for those carmakers to design a new model that is different from the competitors. .Capital requirement of Entry To entry the automotive industry requires not only advanced technological but also enormous capital[40]. It costs a lot on designing a new model, production, distribution and so on. And the larger the scale the company has the more capital would be spent. So entrants who want to come into this industry should first make sure if they have enough money. . Cost Disadvantages Independent of Scale Porter[35] state that established companies may have cost advantages such as proprietary product technology, favorable locations, favorable access to raw materials. Many famous carmakers have already established their cost advantages. Take the example of Ford, it spend around 450 million on automotive research and development in Britain to keep advanced technology every year. As a result, it is difficult for a competitor who does not have cost advantages to break into the industry. To sum up, the entry barriers in world automobile industry is relative high, so it is not an easy work for new entrants to come in to this field. 2.2.2 Bargaining Power of Suppliers Suppliers may have strong power over the industry if the industry is dominated by few suppliers or the switching costs is high to change one from another [34]. When considering the components segment of automobile industry, it is now facing a globalization trend. Rivals not only exist in the domestic market, but also rise from abroad, which means that the components segment is full of competition and the bargaining power of suppliers would be reduced. Beside, car companies are now seeking component makers and original equipment manufacturers in some developing countries such as India, China and Far East in order to save money[41]. Honda, which used to source major part of its components from UK suppliers, for example, is now reducing its UK vendor base. As a result, this worldwide sourcing trend has become a threat that limited the power of suppliers. In addition, in auto industry there is a trend of allying with other manufacturers to share design and development costs recently. It is said that vehicle manufactures are working together much closer with their partners and try to develop vehicle platforms jointly. Most of large car manufacturers like Ford, GM, and Volkswagen have cut down their number of platforms[42] and some models will use the same platform in order to reduce cost. Manufacturers can not only reduce their manufacturing cost to some extend by this way, but also would become more powerful when bargaining with components suppliers because increasing volumes of components may need. And meanwhile it may help manufacturers reduce raw material costs. In a word, the bargaining power of suppliers in global automobile industry is low. It is an opportunity for many car manufacturers that provide a chance of planning their purchasing strategy better and more profitable. 2.2.3 Bargaining Power of Buyers According to Porters[35] theory, buyers have the power of forcing down prices, bargaining for higher quality and more service, and playing competitors against each other. In the following part, the bargaining power of buyer in global industry will be discussed from several different aspects. .Products Differentiation As in global car market the product differentiation is not very obvious due to the auto manufacture acknowledge is no longer a secret. There are lots of carmakers in this market, and the basic functions of their products are almost the same and the only differences would be the design and some other additional functions. So customers can always find alternative supplier who offers a cheaper price, gives the most satisfied product, and provides the best customer service. . Importance of Purchasing If the product is very important for the buyers, the bargaining power of buyers may relative high[35]. In automobile market, the importance of purchasing seems rather low. Statistic shows that in developed countries, the average ownership of cars is quite high, take Britain as an example, statistic shows that 3 in 4 households have access to a car and over half (52%) of all rural households had two or more cars in 2005[43]. So in those countries to purchasing a new car may not be so necessary for most of the families. . Information Searching If buyers have full information about product, demand, market price, their bargaining power would be greater than those with less information[35]. We are now entering a great new era of information. People can seek product information through various methods, such as friends, sales assistant and different medias. And it is said that individuals especially those who are highly involved with the purchase of a product are thought to be more active on information searching[44]. Todays mass media, no matter the newspapers, magazines, radio, or television, all contain a large amount of information. Besides, the entering of Internet era has simplified the process of information searching process to a great extend. All these factors mentioned above have provided consumers with more information. What it comes down to me is that in automobile industry, the car manufacturers marketing strategy would be effected by the relative high customer bargaining power. 2.2.4 Pressure From Substitute Products Substitutes play a limitation role in industry[35], it provide the same function as the product of the industry to restrains industry making profit. There are several means would be the substitute products of automobile. . Public Transportation Public transportation would come first to most of people when thinking about the substitute of private cars. More and more people are willing to give up cars and use public transportation especially when the service of public transportation is better. Besides, since there are increasing number of SOHO workers, many people choose to work at home by Internet. So they do not need a car to drive to work, thus the significance of owning a car is decreased. . Car renting and Car Sharing Today, the ever-rising petrol price becomes another factor that forces many people reduce the usage rate of their cars. Many people choose to rent a car for travel or share one car between friends instead of driving alone. As a result, demand of purchasing a car would be decreased and there is increasing demand for car rental especially now some rental firms have provided more complete and customerizedservices[45]. To summarize, public transportation, car renting and car sharing could be some of the substitute methods of owning private cars. All of these means have pressed threaten on the world auto industry. 2.2.5 Intensity of Rivalry Among Existing Competitions Porter[35] point out that rivalry occurs for the reason that one or more competitors feels pressure or sees the opportunity to improve position. In global automobile industry, rivalry among the competitors is very strong and the major competitors are closely balanced so that the rivalry is increasing intense. Besides old rivals such as General Motors, Ford, Volkswagen, those Japanese carmaker like Toyota and Honda now are gaining stronger power in this industry. Because there is little differentiation among the products, when deciding purchasing, one rival is always compared to another constantly in price, quality, durability, and many other aspects. As a result, in order to gain market share in the automobile industry, company should provide better product as well as better service so that it could take the market share from their competitors. 2.3 Strategic Group Analysis To identify strategic groups which has similar strategic characteristics, following similar strategies or competing on similar bases can help to understand the most direct competitors and of any given organization and also can help identify potential opportunities and threats[34]. Strategic groups in automobile industry can be identified according to the products class and status such as those upper class manufactures such as BMW, Mercedes Benz, and up medium, medium and lower medium manufactures such as Honda, Ford and other market segment such as racing car and so on. In different regions, each groups power are vary. It is essential to Ford Company to identify different situation in different places all over the world, so that the business strategy can be chosen properly. III. INTERNAL ANALYSIS 3.1 Resource Audit Resource audit is useful in understanding strategic capability according to Johnson[34]. To identify the availability of resource that can be used is important for a business. In the following, the resource of Ford Company would be examined. 3.1.1 Brand The Ford Motor Company controls the many car marques wouldwide, such as Jaguar, , Land Rover, Lincoln, Mazda, and Volvo[1]. Through acquisition, Ford Company got control of some famous brands such as Land Rover, Jaguar and Volvo. Based on the customer knowledge and trust of those upper class brands, the sales of other segments and brands of Ford car had been promoted[46]. By building the image of Combining solid refined design and the best new technologies available[2], the company becomes a powerful rival in the market, and the brand has widely accepted by many people. 3.1.2 Products and Market Ford has numerous locations where Ford vehicles are developed, manufactured, sold or distributed[47]. These plant and office locations work to provide a basis of the companys leading position in car market for many years, which take responsibility in manufacturing vehicles and power products, technological developing, purchasing and distribution its products all around the world. Although with high cost-effective Ford models such as Transit, Fiesta and Focus that have become the best seller for many years[82], there would be a problem of shrinking of market and declining in profitability recent years. 3.1.3 Finance According to Ford Company 2006 annual report[48], although the company is at loss during the year for the unsatisfied performance in North American market, the situation in Europe market is still profitable with the sales of vehicles that generated the major income and cash of the companys automotive sectors revenue. In addition, the interest on finance receivables generated the primary income of the companys financial services sectors revenue. Based on its vehicles and financial service sales, the company has the ability to support some technology development or have some further investment such as diesel engineering[49]. 3.1.4 Technology Ford invests heavily in new technology. In Britain only, it spends around 450 million on automotive research and development annually. In Dunton Technical Centre, it has the largest automotive design and engineering facility in the UK and one of the most advanced facilities of its kind in Europe[47]. The emphasis on technology enables the company have a solid basis of product development. As a result, competitive advantage through new technique, programmes such as digital in-vehicle system called Sync created with Microsoft[50] that is turning out this summer is a good example. 3.1.5 People In order to equip its employees with stronger capability, Ford offers well equipped learning resource centers and training programmes for all employees. These human resource management actions has not only trained sufficient qualified employees for the company, but also provided a base for producing conversations of companys strategic change[51]. On the other hand, recent bad performance forced Ford Company to shear its employees. It is said that a downsized Ford would shed up to 30,000 jobs and 14 factories by 2012 in order to be more innovative[86]. 3.2 Value Chain Analysis Value chain (see appendix III) analysis has been widely adopted as a way of understanding the relationship between strategic capability and organisations resources. As to Ford Company, in its very early years, the company has controlled the entire value chain[52], now it endeavors to integrate its multi-tiered value chain which include chief elements such as real-time quality feedback from the market to tier, inventory reduction, transaction reduction, collaborative visual design studios, rapid customer feedback, accelerated time to market[53]. Through those actions, the resource utilization is enhanced so there would be less resource is wasted during the production and transaction. Besides, the cost efficiency has increased by building the economies of scale, reducing supply cost and effective communications between suppliers and buyers. In addition, a carefully planned marketing mix and a better service would promote effectiveness, such as the efforts that the Ford Company put on CarsDirect and online selling[54]. IV. GENERIC COMPETITIVE STRATEGIES 4.1 SWOT Analysis 4.1.1 Strengthens Companys Large Scale Ford Company is one of the largest automotive manufacturers in the world. It manufactures and distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents[1]. The large size has brought the company economies of scale as well as name recognition and customer trust. Product Diversity Through acquisition, Ford Company now has owned many world famous brands include Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercury and Volvo[1]. The companys products has penetrated into every segments of auto industry and each brands has its own strengthens in different segment, such as Land Rover is famous of its 4X4 vehicle and Lincoln is a well know luxury car. Profitable Financial Services Division The financial services division, Ford Motor Credit, plays a key role in keeping the company afloat. Even the automotive division are reported at loss[48], there is evidence that the financial services still remain profit. As a result, the revenue made by financial services division would be a great help when its automotive sector is not performing well. Strategic Alliance By cooperating with some strategic alliance, the company can benefit a lot from the advantages of their partners. Ford has announced to start offering Sony-branded audio systems in Ford and Mercury automobiles[55] and Microsoft software will be used for the Ford Sync radios[56]. Besides, Ford Company also support racing teams such as NASCAR[57]

Demographic Profile of Perth and Kinross

Demographic Profile of Perth and Kinross PERTH KINROSS: DIVERSITY DEMOGRAPICS Q. Assess the demographic profile of Perth and Kinross as evidenced in the 2001 council  census. How might this demographic profile impact on community care? The most important revelation of the Scottish Census of April 29th 2001 was that the ethnic minority population of Scotland had risen by 63% between 1991 and 2001; whilst the White Scottish population has remained almost static at 1.3%. Moreover, whilst the ethnic minority profile is getting younger, the White Scottish profile shows a greater percentage of members of retirement age. The story then of the 2001 Census was essentially one of growing diversity in Scottish demographics. This brief essay considers the demographic results of the 2001 census for the Perth Kinross area, and the implications of these population shifts for the councils of Perth Kinross who will have to, in the near future, take the ethnic minority profile of their area into greater account in their educational, religious and social planning. Firstly, let us consider some of the general features of the demographic profile of Perth Kinross as detailed in the 2001 Scottish Census[1]. The total population of Perth and Kinross in 2001 was 134,949; of this number around sixty percent were of employable age. Of this sixty percent 134,949 5,241 economic and social migrants left the area and 5,442 entered (an increase in entry of 201). Of the migrants who left Perth and Kinross 4,193 were of working age whilst only 3,993 of those who entered were of working age (a fall of 202). Thus these figures tell that on the whole Perth and Kinross received an increase number of migrants into the area, though the percentage of economic migrants eligible to work fell. The origins of the migrants entering Perth and Kinross were as follows: 58% were from elsewhere in Scotland, 19% from England and Wales, 13% were of unknown origin, 10% came from elsewhere in the world and less than 1% came from Northern Ireland. 23.21 % of households in Perth % Kinross have members who hold and practise different religions from other members of that household; whilst the number of households where various members are of different ethnic origins is 0.74% (compared with Scottish average of 0.97%). Turning to ethnic diversity in particular, the Scottish Census found that Scotland now has just over 100,000 citizens of ethnic minorities; this amounts to two percent of the national population of Scotland. In Perth Kinross the population that belongs to ethnic minorities represents 1% and this is 1.3% of the total ethnic minority population living in Scotland. Nationally, and in Perth Kinross also, Pakistanis represent the largest ethnic minority population, followed by Chinese, Indians and then citizens of a mixed ethnic background. Of the total ethnic minority population over 70% are Asian: Pakistani, Chinese, Bangladeshi, Indian or other South Asian. The next largest group are those people who describe themselves as of a mixed ethnic minority and these represent 12% of the ethnic minority population. These figures represent a significant overall increase in the total ethnic minority population of Perth Kinross in comparison with the 1991 census. Whereas the whole population r ose by only 1.3% from 1991 to 2001, the ethnic minority population jumped by 63% (and likely much more due to the fact that figures of asylum seekers and illegal immigrants are not included in the census). An interesting feature of the demographic profile of the ethnic minority population is that (excepting Caribbeans) all other ethnic groups have 20% or more of their population aged sixteen or less (the Mixed Group percentage is 44%); whilst the figure for White Scots is 16.96%. Correspondingly, the ethnic minority population in Perth Kinross has a smaller elderly population than the White Scottish population. What then do these figures tell about the ethnic diversity of Perth Kinross, and how do such findings impact upon policies of community care? The first important observation about the ethnic minority profile is clearly the leap of 63% between 1991 and 2001 – a figure almost fifty times higher than the growth of the White Scottish population. Perth Kinross however has only 1 of the total ethnic minority population of Scotland; the highest percentages being in major cities such as Glasgow (31%) and Edinburgh (18%). Moreover, the relative youth of the ethnic minority populations suggests that in the next decades they will produce a (relatively) higher percentage of citizens of working age; whilst the ageing White Scottish population will require a growing level of support in their retirement. In light of these changes, Perth Kinross councils now have to begin community projects that reflect the growing diversity of its population. Schools, for instance, ought to have citizensh ip classes in which the virtues of ethnic diversity, ethnic tolerance, and religious tolerance are taught. Special classes should be arranged for Non-White Scottish children where necessary; likewise, teachers should be aware of the religious practices of schoolchildren. Where there are large ethnic minority communities local councils might consider providing suitable facilities: mosques (and other religious buildings), community centres and so on. In the final analysis, it seems evident from the demographic profiles of the 1991 and 2001 censuses that the population of Scotland generally, and Perth Kinross also, is experiencing a rapid percentage increase of members who belong to an ethnic minority. What is more, this increase seems likely only to accelerate and to penetrate the more rural parts of Scotland as well as its cities. Accordingly, the Perth Kinross council must make preparations to meet the religious, educational, and social needs of their rising ethnic minority populations. At the same time, the local White Scottish population and ethnic minority communities must learn an increasing tolerance for the cultural and religious outlooks of one another. Only if this tolerance is achieved can the product of these demographic changes be edifying for all concerned. 1004 words BIBLIOGRAPHY Academic Works Internet Sources Perth Kinross Council. (2002), www.pkc.gov.uk The 2001 Scottish Census. (2001) www.gro-scotland.gov-uk/statistics/census/hm.index.html. The Oxford English Dictionary. (1989). Oxford University Press, Oxford. Encyclopaedia Wikipedia. (2000). www.wikipedia.com [1] All figures in this essay are derived from the Scottish Census of April 29th 2001. www.gro-scotland.gov-uk/statistics/census/hm.index.html.

Alcohol: A Growing Problem In The World? Essay examples -- essays rese

Alcoholism, as defined by the Random House Dictionary of the English Language, is â€Å"a chronic disorder characterized by dependence on alcohol, repeated excessive use of alcoholic beverages. The development of withdrawal symptoms on reducing or ceasing intake, morbidity that may include cirrhosis of the liver, and decreased ability to function socially and vocationally.† As you can see my report is on alcohol and alcoholism. The report will show statistics, the different types of alcohol and alcoholics, both the positive and negative health consequences and effects of alcohol, and other interesting facts and details. Here are some questions to ask yourself before you begin to read the rest of my term paper; â€Å" Am I an alcoholic?† â€Å"Do I know an alcoholic?† â€Å"Does my family of a history of alcohol problems?† If you answered yes to any of these you definitely may want to read this research paper. Alcohol dates as far back as the early Stone Age. Alcoholic beverages were first fermented in the year 4200 BC. In 1640 the first distillery in the United States was established in what is now known as New York City. In 1769 the first Canadian distillery was established for the production of rum. In the early 1800’s Rum became the most popular alcoholic beverage. In 1789 the first bourbon was produced in Georgetown, Kentucky. During the mid 1800’s a movement of prohibition began. The prohibition went into a Constitutional Amendment in 1920, but by 1933 repealed it. Today the most popular spirit is whiskey. It has accounted for 38 percent of all spirits consumed. Even so, the sales of beer and wine have greatly increased since the late 1940’s.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The drinking habits of the European differ from the drinking habits of Americans. Since Europe has many different climates and geographical features it is ideally suited for the wide variety in the production and drinking of alcohol. In Southern Europe the people mainly drink wine. Such countries are Spain, France, Italy, Switzerland, and Greece. The people of Ireland, England, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, Austria, and Czechoslovakia are known as beer drinkers. The Northern countries, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, and Poland are basically spirit drinkers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are many different types of alcoholic bevera... ...th among teens is car crashes; drunk drivers cause more than half of these accidents. There are many groups who help people overcome their alcoholism. I will talk about one of the most famous, Alcoholics Anonymous. AA has organizations through out the world consisting of men and women who want to help each other overcome their problem. Some of these people share their success stories with those who need incentive to become sober. Alcoholics Anonymous was founded in 1935. It has 63,000 groups in the Unites States, Canada, and over 110 other countries. Anyone who joins must realize that it isn’t a medical or religious organization. The mailing address is P.O. box 459 Grandcentral Station, New York, New York 10017. To terminate my term paper, I feel alcohol has its ups and downs. While it has certain positives, it also has many negatives. I’d also like to say I enjoyed doing my research paper because I learned many things about alcohol and alcoholism that I didn’t know before I did my research. In the next couple of pages I have a table showing the alcohol involvement for drivers in fatal crashes and a chart of different drugs and the interactions they have when taken with alcohol.

Free Song of Solomon Essays: Erotica :: Song Solomon essays

Erotica in Song of Solomon The use of erotica can be seen very clearly in the "Song of Solomon". First of all, one must keep in mind that it comes from the bible so one will not here vulgar things or even words that you know are directly talking about sex. However, if you read closely, you can here the implicit remarks that these young lovers seems to be making, not only about each others body, but also about what each would like to do with the other. The first time that the male of the genre talks about his lover he describes her physical attributes. The most obvious is the description of her breast in which he says, "Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins"(7:3). When you here this statement one can only think that he is referring to her large perky (since she says young) perfectly round breast. When he talks about his lovers thighs, he not only praises them, he describes what the very most upper part of his lovers thighs look like: "the joints of thy thighs are like jewels"(7:1). One can only ask the question of how would this person know about someone's most upper part of their thigh, the part that is right next to the genitalia? This leaves much to the imagination. He also talks about her navel saying, "thy navel is like a round goblet, which wanteth not liquor"(7:2). When trying to interpret this quote, one must first keep in mind the fact that this is taking place during biblical times. During these times it was not proper for people to see, what was then looked at as X-rated parts of one another. Of course the exception to this rule would be if two people were married (or having an affair). So one can ask the question of how would this person know about the size and shape of another person's navel, which is hidden underneath everyday clothes? It seems not only does he know about its size and shape but also how it tastes. Again, the imagination of the reader is allowed to search the options. Not only is there sexual talk about physical appearances, but there is also talk about what will happen when the two of them are together alone. She is at one point looking for him and when she finds him she says that she held him and had him follow her and would not let go, ".

The Twilight Saga 4: Breaking Dawn 36. Bloodlust

They came with pageantry, with a kind of beauty. They came in a rigid, formal formation. They moved together, but it was not a march; they flowed in perfect synchronicity from the trees – a dark, unbroken shape that seemed to hover a few inches above the white snow, so smooth was the advance. The outer perimeter was gray; the color darkened with each line of bodies until the heart of the formation was deepest black. Every face was cowled, shadowed. The faint brushing sound of their feet was so regular it was like music, a complicated beat that never faltered. At some sign I did not see – or perhaps there was no sign, only millennia of practice – the configuration folded outward. The motion was too stiff, too square to resemble the opening of a flower, though the color suggested that; it was the opening of a fan, graceful but very angular. The gray-cloaked figures spread to the flanks while the darker forms surged precisely forward in the center, each movement closely controlled. Their progress was slow but deliberate, with no hurry, no tension, no anxiety. It was the pace of the invincible. This was almost my old nightmare. The only thing lacking was the gloating desire I'd seen on the faces in my dream – the smiles of vindictive joy. Thus far, the Volturi were too disciplined to show any emotion at all. They also showed no surprise or dismay at the collection of vampires that waited for them here – a collection that looked suddenly disorganized and unprepared in comparison. They showed no surprise at the giant wolf that stood in our midst. I couldn't help counting. There were thirty-two of them. Even if you did not count the two drifting, waifish black-cloaked figures in the very back, who I took to be the wives – their protected position suggesting that they would not be involved in the attack – we were still outnumbered. There were just nineteen of us who would fight, and then seven more to watch as we were destroyed. Even counting the ten wolves, they had us. â€Å"The redcoats are coming, the redcoats are coming,† Garrett muttered mysteriously to himself and then chuckled once. He slid one step closer to Kate. â€Å"They did come,† Vladimir whispered to Stefan. ‘The wives,† Stefan hissed back. ‘The entire guard. All of them together. It's well we didn't try Volterra.† And then, as if their numbers were not enough, while the Volturi slowly and majestically advanced, more vampires began entering the clearing behind them. The faces in this seemingly endless influx of vampires were the antithesis to the Volturi's expressionless discipline – they wore a kaleidoscope of emotions. At first there was the shock and even some anxiety as they saw the unexpected force awaiting them. But that concern passed quickly; they were secure in their overwhelming numbers, secure in their position behind the unstoppable Volturi force. Their features returned to the expression they'd worn before we'd surprised them. It was easy enough to understand their mindset – the faces were that explicit. This was an angry mob, whipped to a frenzy and slavering for justice. I did not fully realize the vampire world's feeling toward the immortal children before I read these faces. It was clear that this motley, disorganized horde – more than forty vampires altogether – was the Volturi's own kind of witness. When we were dead, they would spread the word that the criminals had been eradicated, that the Volturi had acted with nothing but impartiality. Most looked like they hoped for more than just an opportunity to witness – they wanted to help tear and burn. We didn't have a prayer. Even if we could somehow neutralize the Volturi's advantages, they could still bury us in bodies. Even if we killed Demetri, Jacob would not be able to outrun this. I could feel it as the same comprehension sunk in around me. Despair weighted the air, pushing me down with more pressure than before. One vampire in the opposing force did not seem to belong to either party; I recognized Irina as she hesitated in between the two companies, her expression unique among the others. Irina's horrified gaze was locked on Tanya's position in the front line. Edward snarled, a very low but fervent sound. â€Å"Alistairwas right,† he murmured to Carlisle. I watched Carlisle glance at Edward questioningly. â€Å"Alistair was right?† Tanya whispered. ‘They – Caius and Aro – come to destroy and acquire,† Edward breathed almost silently back; only our side could hear. â€Å"They have many layers of strategy already in place. If Irina's accusation had somehow proven to be false, they were committed to find another reason to take offense. But they can see Renesmee now, so they are perfectly sanguine about their course. We could still attempt to defend against their other contrived charges, but first they have to stop, to hear the truth about Renesmee.† Then, even lower. â€Å"Which they have no intention of doing.† Jacob gave a strange little huff. And then, unexpectedly, two seconds later, the procession did halt. The low music of perfectly synchronized movements turned to silence. The flawless discipline remained unbroken; the Volturi froze into absolute stillness as one. They stood about a hundred yards away from us. Behind me, to the sides, I heard the beating of large hearts, closer than before. I risked glances to the left and the right from the corners of my eyes to see what had stopped the Volturi advance. The wolves had joined us. On either side of our uneven line, the wolves branched out in long, bordering arms. I only spared a fraction of a second to note that there were more than ten wolves, to recognize the wolves I knew and the ones I'd never seen before. There were sixteen of them spaced evenly around us – seventeen total, counting Jacob. It was clear from their heights and oversized paws that the newcomers all were very, very young. I supposed I should have foreseen this. With so many vampires encamped in the neighborhood, a werewolf population explosion was inevitable. More children dying. I wondered why Sam had allowed this, and then I realized he had no other choice. If any of the wolves stood with us, the Volturi would be sure to search out the rest. They had gambled their entire species on this stand. And we were going to lose. Abruptly, I was furious. Beyond furious, I was murderously enraged. My hopeless despair vanished entirely. A faint reddish glow highlighted the dark figures in front of me, and all I wanted in that moment was the chance to sink my teeth into them, to rip their limbs from their bodies and pile them for burning. I was so maddened I could have danced around the pyre where they roasted alive; I would have laughed while their ashes smoldered. My lips curved back automatically, and a low, fierce snarl tore up my throat from the pit of my stomach. I realized the corners of my mouth were turned up in a smile. Beside me, Zafrina and Senna echoed my hushed growl. Edward squeezed the hand he still held, cautioning me. The shadowed Volturi faces were still expressionless for the most part. Only two sets of eyes betrayed any emotion at all. In the very center, touching hands, Aro and Caius had paused to evaluate, and the entire guard had paused with them, waiting for the order to kill. The two did not look at each other, but it was obvious that they were communicating. Marcus, though touching Aro's other hand, did not seem part of the conversation. His expression was not as mindless as the guards', but it was nearly as blank. Like the one other time I'd seen him, he appeared to be utterly bored. The bodies of the VolturFs witnesses leaned toward us, their eyes fixed furiously on Renesmee and me, but they stayed near the fringe of the forest, leaving a wide berth between themselves and the Volturi soldiers. Only Irina hovered close behind the Volturi, just a few paces away from the ancient females – both fair-haired with powdery skin and filmed eyes – and their two massive bodyguards. There was a woman in one of the darker gray cloaks just behind Aro. I couldn't be sure, but it looked like she might actually be touching his back. Was this the other shield, Renata? I wondered, as Eleazar had, if she would be able to repel me. But I would not waste my life trying to get to Caius or Aro. I had more vital targets. I searched the line for them now and had no difficulty picking out the two petite, deep gray cloaks near the heart of the arrangement. Alec and Jane, easily the smallest members of the guard, stood just to Marcus's side, flanked by Demetri on the other. Their lovely faces were smooth, giving nothing away; they wore the darkest cloaks beside the pure black of the ancients. The witch twins, Vladimir had called them. Their powers were the cornerstone of the Volturi offensive. The jewels in Aro's collection. My muscles flexed, and venom welled in my mouth. Aro's and Caius's clouded red eyes flickered across our line. I read disappointment in Aro's face as his gaze roved over our faces again and again, looking for one that was missing. Chagrin tightened his lips. In that moment, I was nothing but grateful that Alice had run. As the pause lengthened, I heard Edward's breath speed. â€Å"Edward?† Carlisle asked, low and anxious. ‘They're not sure how to proceed. They're weighing options, choosing key targets – me, of course, you, Eleazar, Tanya. Marcus is reading the strength of our ties to each other, looking for weak points. The Romanians' presence irritates them. They're worried about the faces they don't recognize – Zafrina and Senna in particular – and the wolves, naturally. They've never been outnumbered before. That's what stopped them.† â€Å"Outnumbered?† Tanya whispered incredulously. â€Å"They don't count their witnesses,† Edward breathed. â€Å"They are nonentities, meaningless to the guard. Aro just enjoys an audience.† â€Å"Should I speak?† Carlisle asked. Edward hesitated, then nodded. â€Å"This is the only chance you'll get.† Carlisle squared his shoulders and paced several steps ahead of our defensive line. I hated to see him alone, unprotected. He spread his arms, holding his palms up as if in greeting. â€Å"Aro, my old friend. It's been centuries.† The white clearing was dead silent for a long moment. I could feel the tension rolling off Edward as he listened to Aro's assessment of Carlisle's words. The strain mounted as the seconds ticked by. And then Aro stepped forward out of the center of the Volturi formation. The shield, Renata, moved with him as if the tips of her fingers were sewn to his robe. For the first time, the Volturi ranks reacted. A muttered grumble rolled through the line, eyebrows lowered into scowls, lips curled back from teeth. A few of the guard leaned forward into a crouch. Aro held one hand up toward them. â€Å"Peace.† He walked just a few paces more, then cocked his head to one side. His milky eyes glinted with curiosity. â€Å"Fair words, Carlisle,† he breathed in his thin, wispy voice. â€Å"They seem out of place, considering the army you've assembled to kill me, and to kill my dear ones.† Carlisle shook his head and stretched his right hand forward as if there were not still almost a hundred yards between them. â€Å"You have but to touch my hand to know that was never my intent.† Aro's shrewd eyes narrowed. â€Å"But how can your intent possibly matter, dear Carlisle, in the face of what you have done?† He frowned, and a shadow of sadness crossed his features – whether it was genuine or not, I could not tell. â€Å"I have not committed the crime you are here to punish me for.† â€Å"Then step aside and let us punish those responsible. Truly, Carlisle, nothing would please me more than to preserve your life today.† â€Å"No one has broken the law, Aro. Let me explain.† Again, Carlisle offered his hand. Before Aro could answer, Caius drifted swiftly forward to Aro's side. â€Å"So many pointless rules, so many unnecessary laws you create for yourself, Carlisle,† the white-haired ancient hissed. â€Å"How is it possible that you defend the breaking of one that truly matters?† â€Å"The law is not broken. If you would listen – â€Å" â€Å"We see the child, Carlisle,† Caius snarled. â€Å"Do not treat us as fools.† â€Å"She is not an immortal. She is not a vampire. I can easily prove this with just a few moments – â€Å" Caius cut him off. â€Å"If she is not one of the forbidden, then why have you massed a battalion to protect her?† â€Å"Witnesses, Caius, just as you have brought.† Carlisle gestured to the angry horde at the edge of the woods; some of them growled in response. â€Å"Any one of these friends can tell you the truth about the child. Or you could just look at her, Caius. See the flush of human blood in her cheeks.† â€Å"Artifice!† Caius snapped. â€Å"Where is the informer? Let her come forward!† He craned his neck around until he spotted Irina lingering behind the wives. â€Å"You! Come!† Irina stared at him uncomprehendingly, her face like that of someone who has not entirely awakened from a hideous nightmare. Impatiently, Caius snapped his fingers. One of the wives' huge bodyguards moved to Irina's side and prodded her roughly in the back. Irina blinked twice and then walked slowly toward Caius in a daze. She stopped several yards short, her eyes still on her sisters. Caius closed the distance between them and slapped her across the face. It couldn't have hurt, but there was something terribly degrading about the action. It was like watching someone kick a dog. Tanya and Kate hissed in synchronization. Irina's body went rigid and her eyes finally focused on Caius. He pointed one clawed finger at Renesmee, where she clung to my back, her fingers still tangled in Jacob's fur. Caius turned entirely red in my furious view. A growl rumbled through Jacob's chest. â€Å"This is the child you saw?† Caius demanded. â€Å"The one that was obviously more than human?† Irina peered at us, examining Renesmee for the first time since entering the clearing. Her head tilted to the side, confusion crossed her features. â€Å"Well?† Caius snarled. â€Å"I†¦ I'm not sure,† she said, her tone perplexed. Caius's hand twitched as if he wanted to slap her again. â€Å"What do you mean?† he said in a steely whisper. â€Å"She's not the same, but I think it's the same child. What I mean is, she's changed. This child is bigger than the one I saw, but – â€Å" Caius's furious gasp crackled through his suddenly bared teeth, and Irina broke off without finishing. Aro flitted to Caius's side and put a restraining hand on his shoulder. â€Å"Be composed, brother. We have time to sort this out. No need to be hasty.† With a sullen expression, Caius turned his back on Irina. â€Å"Now, sweetling,† Aro said in a warm, sugary murmur. â€Å"Show me what you're trying to say.† He held his hand out to the bewildered vampire. Uncertainly, Irina took his hand. He held hers for only five seconds. â€Å"You see, Caius?† he said. â€Å"It's a simple matter to get what we need.† Caius didn't answer him. From the corner of his eye, Aro glanced once at his audience, his mob, and then turned back to Carlisle. â€Å"And so we have a mystery on our hands, it seems. It would appear the child has grown. Yet Irina's first memory was clearly that of an immortal child. Curious.† â€Å"That's exactly what I'm trying to explain,† Carlisle said, and from the change in his voice, I could guess at his relief. This was the pause we had pinned all our nebulous hopeson. I feltno relief. I waited, almost numb with rage, for the layers of strategy Edward had promised. Carlisle held out his hand again. Aro hesitated for a moment. â€Å"I would rather have the explanation from someone more central to the story, my friend. Am I wrong to assume that this breach was not of your making?† â€Å"Therewas no breach.† â€Å"Be that as it may, I will have every facet of the truth.† Aro's feathery voice hardened. â€Å"And the best way to get that is to have the evidence directly from your talented son.† He inclined his head in Edward's direction. â€Å"As the child clings to his newborn mate, I'm assuming Edward is involved.† Of course he wanted Edward. Once he could see into Edward's mind, he would know all our thoughts. Except mine. Edward turned to quickly kiss my forehead and Renesmee's, not meeting my eyes. Then he strode across the snowy field, clapping Carlisle on the shoulder as he passed. I heard a low whimper from behind me – Esme's terror breaking through. The red haze I saw around the Volturi army flamed brighter than before, i could not bear to watch Edward cross the empty white spacealone – but I alsocould not endure to have Renesmee one step closer to our adversaries. The opposing needs tore at me; I was frozen so tightly it felt like my bones might shatter from the pressure of it. I saw Jane smile as Edward crossed the midpoint in the distance between us, when he was closer to them than he was to us. That smug little smile did it. My fury peaked, higher even than the raging bloodlust I'd felt the moment the wolves had committed to this doomed fight. I could taste madness on my tongue – I felt it flow through me like a tidal wave of pure power. My muscles tightened, and I acted automatically. I threw my shield with all the force in my mind, flung it across the impossible expanse of the field – ten times my best distance – like a javelin. My breath rushed out in a huff with the exertion. The shield blew out from me in a bubble of sheer energy, a mushroom cloud of liquid steel. It pulsed like alivingthing – I could feel it, from the apex to the edges. There was no recoil to the elastic fabric now; in that instant of raw force, I saw that the backlash I'd felt before was of my own making – I had been clinging to that invisible part of me in self-defense, subconsciously unwilling to let it go. Now I set it free, and my shield exploded a good fifty yards out from me effortlessly, taking only a fraction of my concentration. I could feel it flex like just another muscle, obedient to my will. I pushed it, shaped it to a long, pointed oval. Everything underneath the flexible iron shield was suddenly a part of me – I could feel the life force of everything it covered like points of bright heat, dazzling sparks of light surrounding me. I thrust the shield forward the length of the clearing, and exhaled in relief when I felt Edward's brilliant light within my protection. I held there, contracting this new muscle so that it closely surrounded Edward, a thin but unbreakable sheet between his body and our enemies. Barely a second had passed. Edward was still walking to Aro. Everything had changed absolutely, but no one had noticed the explosion except for me. A startled laugh burst through my lips. I felt the others glancing at me and saw Jacob's big black eye roll down to stare at me like I'd lost my mind. Edward stopped a few steps away from Aro, and I realized with some chagrin that though I certainly could, I should not prevent this exchange from happening. This was the point of all our preparations: getting Aro to hear our side of the story. It was almost physically painful to do it, but reluctantly I pulled my shield back and left Edward exposed again. The laughing mood had vanished. I focused totally on Edward, ready to shield him instantly if something went wrong. Edward's chin came up arrogantly, and he held his hand out to Aro as if he were conferring a great honor. Aro seemed only delighted with his attitude, but his delight was not universal. Renata fluttered nervously in Aro:s shadow. Caius's scowl was so deep it looked like his papery, translucent skin would crease permanently. Little Jane showed her teeth, and beside her Alec's eyes narrowed in concentration. I guessed that he was ready, like me, to act at a second's notice. Aro closed the distance without pause – and really, what did he have to fear? The hulking shadows of the lighter gray cloaks – the brawny fighters like Felix – were but a few yards away. Jane and her burning gift could throw Edward on the ground, writhing in agony. Alec could blind and deafen him before he could take a step in Aro's direction. No one knew that I had the power to stop them, not even Edward. With an untroubled smile, Aro took Edward's hand. His eyes snapped shut at once, and then his shoulders hunched under the onslaught of information. Every secret thought, every strategy, every insight – everything Edward had heard in the minds around him during the last month – was now Aro's. And further back – every vision of Alice's, every quiet moment with our family, every picture in Renesmee's head, every kiss, every touch between Edward and me†¦ All of that was Aro's now, too. I hissed with frustration, and the shield roiled with my irritation, shifting its shape and contracting around our side. â€Å"Easy, Bella,† Zafrina whispered to me. I clenched my teeth together. Aro continued to concentrate on Edward's memories. Edward's head bowed, too, the muscles in his neck locking tight as he read back again everything that Aro took from him, and Aro's response to it all. This two-way but unequal conversation continued long enough that even the guard grew uneasy. Low murmurs ran through the line until Caius barked a sharp order for silence. Jane was edging forward like she couldn't help herself, and Renata's face was rigid with distress. For a moment, I examined this powerful shield that seemed so panicky and weak; though she was useful to Aro, I could tell she was no warrior. It was not her job to fight but to protect. There was no bloodlust in her. Raw as I was, I knew that if this were between her and me, I would obliterate her. I refocused as Aro straightened, his eyes flashing open, their expression awed and wary. He did not release Edward's hand. Edward's muscles loosened ever so slightly. â€Å"You see?† Edward asked, his velvet voice calm. â€Å"Yes, I see, indeed,† Aro agreed, and amazingly, he sounded almost amused. â€Å"I doubt whether any two among gods or mortals have ever seen quite so clearly.† The disciplined faces of the guard showed the same disbelief I felt. â€Å"You have given me much to ponder, young friend,† Aro continued. â€Å"Much more than I expected.† Still he did not release Edward's hand, and Edward's tense stance was that of one who listens. Edward didn't answer. â€Å"May I meet her?† Aro asked – almost pleaded – with sudden eager interest. â€Å"I never dreamed of the existence of such a thing in all my centuries. What an addition to our histories!† â€Å"What is this about, Aro?† Caius snapped before Edward could answer. Just the question had me pulling Renesmee around into my arms, cradling her protectively against my chest. â€Å"Something you've never dreamed of, my practical friend. Take a moment to ponder, for the justice we intended to deliver no longer applies.† Caius hissed in surprise at his words. â€Å"Peace, brother,† Aro cautioned soothingly. This should have been good news – these were the words we'd been hoping for, the reprieve we'd never really thought possible. Aro had listened to the truth. Aro had admitted that the law had not been broken. But my eyes were riveted on Edward, and I saw the muscles in his back tighten. I replayed in my head Aro's instruction for Caius to ponder, and heard the double meaning. â€Å"Will you introduce me to your daughter?† Aro asked Edward again. Caius was not the only one who hissed at this new revelation. Edward nodded reluctantly. And yet, Renesmee had won over so many others. Aro always seemed the leader of the ancients. If he were on her side, could the others act against us? Aro still gripped Edward's hand, and he now answered a question that the rest of us had not heard. â€Å"I think a compromise on this one point is certainly acceptable, under the circumstance. We will meet in the middle.† Aro released his hand. Edward turned back toward us, and Aro joined him, throwing one arm casually over Edward's shoulder like they were the best of friends – all the while maintaining contact with Edward's skin. They began to cross the field back to our side. The entire guard fell into step behind them. Aro raised a hand negligently without looking at them. â€Å"Hold, my dear ones. Truly, they mean us no harm if we are peaceable.† The guard reacted to this more openly than before, with snarls and hisses of protest, but held their position. Renata, clinging closer to Aro than ever, whimpered in anxiety. â€Å"Master,† she whispered. â€Å"Don't fret, my love,† he responded. â€Å"All is well.† â€Å"Perhaps you should bring a few members of your guard with us,† Edward suggested. â€Å"It will make them more comfortable.† Aro nodded as if this was a wise observation he should have thought of himself. He snapped his fingers twice. â€Å"Felix, Demetri.† The two vampires were at his side instantaneously, looking precisely the same as the last time I'd met them. Both were tall and dark-haired, Demetri hard and lean as the blade of a sword, Felix hulking and menacing as an iron-spiked cudgel. The five of them stopped in the middle of the snowy field. â€Å"Bella,† Edward called. â€Å"Bring Renesmee†¦ and a few friends.† I took a deep breath. My body was tight with opposition. The idea of taking Renesmee into the center of the conflict†¦ But I trusted Edward. He would know if Aro was planning any treachery at this point. Aro had three protectors on his side of the summit, so I would bring two with me. It took me only a second to decide. â€Å"Jacob? Emmett?† I asked quietly. Emmett, because he would be dying to go. Jacob, because he wouldn't be able to bear being left behind. Both nodded. Emmett grinned. I crossed the field with them flanking me. I heard another rumble from the guard as they saw my choices – clearly, they did not trust the werewolf. Aro lifted his hand, waving away their protest again. â€Å"Interesting company you keep,† Demetri murmured to Edward. Edward didn't respond, but a low growl slipped through Jacob's teeth. We stopped a few yards from Aro. Edward ducked under Aro's arm and quickly joined us, taking my hand. For a moment we faced each other in silence. Then Felix greeted me in a low aside. â€Å"Hello again, Bella.† He grinned cockily while still tracking Jacob's every twitch with his peripheral vision. I smiled wryly at the mountainous vampire. â€Å"Hey, Felix.† Felix chuckled. â€Å"You look good. Immortality suits you.† â€Å"Thanks so much.† â€Å"You're welcome. It's too bad †¦Ã¢â‚¬  He let his comment trail off into silence, but I didn't need Edward's gift to imagine the end. It's too bad were going to kill you in a sec. â€Å"Yes, too bad, isn't it?† I murmured. Felix winked. Aro paid no attention to our exchange. He leaned his head to one side, fascinated. â€Å"I hear her strange heart,† he murmured with an almost musical lilt to his words. â€Å"I smell her strange scent.† Then his hazy eyes shifted to me. â€Å"In truth, young Bella, immortality does become you most extraordinarily,† he said. â€Å"It is as if you were designed for this life.† I nodded once in acknowledgment of his flattery. â€Å"You liked my gift?† he asked, eyeing the pendant I wore. â€Å"It's beautiful, and very, very generous of you. Thank you. I probably should have sent a note.† Aro laughed delightedly. â€Å"It's just a little something I had lying around. I thought it might complement your new face, and so it does.† I heard a little hiss from the center of the Volturi line. I glanced over Aro's shoulder. Hmm. It seemed Jane wasn't happy about the fact that Aro had given me a present. Aro cleared his throat to reclaim my attention. â€Å"May I greet your daughter, lovely Bella?† he asked sweetly. This was what we'd hoped for, I reminded myself. Fighting the urge to take Renesmee and run for it, I walked two slow steps forward. My shield rippled out behind me like a cape, protecting the rest of my family while Renesmee was left exposed. It felt wrong, horrible. Aro met us, his face beaming. â€Å"But she's exquisite,† he murmured. â€Å"So like you and Edward.† And then louder, â€Å"Hello, Renesmee.† Renesmee looked at me quickly. I nodded. â€Å"Hello, Aro,† she answered formally in her high, ringing voice. Aro's eyes were bemused. â€Å"What is it?† Caius hissed from behind. He seemed infuriated by the need to ask. â€Å"Half mortal, half immortal,† Aro announced to him and the rest of the guard without turning his enthralled gaze from Renesmee. â€Å"Conceived so, and carried by this newborn while she was still human.† â€Å"Impossible,† Caius scoffed. â€Å"Do you think they've fooled me, then, brother?† Aro's expression was greatly amused, but Caius flinched. â€Å"Is the heartbeat you hear a trickery as well?† Caius scowled, looking as chagrined as if Aro's gentle questions had been blows. â€Å"Calmly and carefully, brother,† Aro cautioned, still smiling at Renesmee. â€Å"I know well how you love your justice, but there is no justice in acting against this unique little one for her parentage. And so much to learn, so much to learn! I know you don't have my enthusiasm for collecting histories, but be tolerant with me, brother, as I add a chapter that stuns me with its improbability. We came expecting only justice and the sadness of false friends, but look what we have gained instead! A new, bright knowledge of ourselves, our possibilities.† He held out his hand to Renesmee in invitation. But this was not what she wanted. She leaned away from me, stretching upward, to touch her fingertips to Aro's face. Aro did not react with shock as almost everyone else had reacted to this performance from Renesmee; he was as used to the flow of thought and memory from other minds as Edward was. His smile widened, and he sighed in satisfaction. â€Å"Brilliant,† he whispered. Renesmee relaxed back into my arms, her little face very serious. â€Å"Please?† she asked him. His smile turned gentle. â€Å"Of course I have no desire to harm your loved ones, precious Renesmee.† Aro's voice was so comforting and affectionate, it took me in for a second. And then I heard Edward's teeth grind together and, far behind us, Maggie's outraged hiss at the lie. â€Å"I wonder,† Aro said thoughtfully, seeming unaware of the reaction to his previous words. His eyes moved unexpectedly to Jacob, and instead of the disgust the other Volturi viewed the giant wolf with, Aro's eyes were filled with a longing that I did not comprehend. â€Å"It doesn't work that way,† Edward said, the careful neutrality gone from his suddenly harsh tone. â€Å"Just an errant thought,† Aro said, appraising Jacob openly, and then his eyes moved slowly across the two lines of werewolves behind us. Whatever Renesmee had shown him, it made the wolves suddenly interesting to him. â€Å"They don't belong to us, Aro. They don't follow our commands that way. They're here because they want to be.† Jacob growled menacingly. â€Å"They seem quite attached to you, though,† Aro said. â€Å"And your young mate and your†¦ family. Loyal† His voice caressed the word softly. â€Å"They're committed to protecting human life, Aro. That makes them able to coexist with us, but hardly with you. Unless you're rethinking your lifestyle.† Aro laughed merrily. â€Å"Just an errant thought,† he repeated. â€Å"You well know how that is. We none of us can entirely control our subconscious desires.† Edward grimaced. â€Å"I do know how that is. And I also know the difference between that kind of thought and the kind with a purpose behind it. It could never work, Aro.† Jacob's vast head turned in Edward's direction, and a faint whine slipped from between his teeth. â€Å"He's intrigued with the idea of†¦ guard dogs,† Edward murmured back. There was one second of dead silence, and then the sound of the furious snarls ripping from the entire pack filled the giant clearing. There was a sharp bark of command – from Sam, I guessed, though I didn't turn to look – and the complaint broke off into ominous quiet. â€Å"I suppose that answers that question,† Aro said, laughing again. â€Å"This lot has picked its side.† Edward hissed and leaned forward. I clutched at his arm, wondering what could be in Aro's thoughts that would make him react so violently, while Felix and Demetri slipped into crouches in synchronization. Aro waved them off again. They all returned to their former posture, Edward included. â€Å"So much to discuss,† Aro said, his tone suddenly that of an inundated businessman. â€Å"So much to decide. If you and your furry protector will excuse me, my dear Cullens, I must confer with my brothers.†

IKEA Looks to Further Penetrate the U.S. Market

Given the SWOT analysis presented in the case, what are IKEA’s key competitive advantages? What strategic focus should the company take as it looks to further expand into the U. S. market? * IKEA’s low cost structure has been the very core of its success. It’s low-cost and high-quality strategy fits with the current state of the economy. Offering convenience factors within IKEA’s stores would fit well with IKEA’s low cost structure. It maintains its low-cost business model by creating a different furniture shopping experience. IKEA supplies customers with all possible materials needed to complete their shopping when they enter the store (that are, measuring tape, paper, pencils, catalogs, strollers, and shopping bags). Although IKEA is not set up as a traditional furniture store, the company does provide several added amenities. There is no denying that brand image is a key strength for IKEA. IKEA considers the environmental impact of every step in its business processes by making products that are environmentally conscientious and cost-effective. * To further expand into U. S. arket, IKEA must address two key issues. The first is the overwhelming individuality of U. S. consumers. Further expansion into the U. S. market will require IKEA to adapt its offerings and stores to local tastes. The second key issue is quality. Although American consumers are increasingly value-driven, they also demand quality products. Many Americans view self-assembled furniture as being lower in quality, and similar to the type s of furniture one might buy at Walmart or Target. 2. What factor is the biggest reason for IKEA’s growth and popularity: value or image? What can IKEA do to sustain growth after it loses some cache? * There is no denying that brand image is a key strength for IKEA. Even if they have not been in a store, most people around the globe recognize the blue and yellow logo as a symbolic representation of trendy, modern, and fashionable furniture which have been based on Swedish home-based clean and efficient service. * Diversification can be a good way that IKEA does to sustain growth after it loses some cache. Product innovation and market development such as IKEA’s expanding goal in U. S. market. It is a risky strategy but with careful selection of the right kind of businesses, considerable improvements in profitability can be experienced. To try and maintain growth, IKEA is considering diversification outside of the furniture market. 3. What strategic alternatives would you suggest IKEA employ to further penetrate the U. S. market? * Add more services to enhance customers’ experience, and implement a customer relationship management system to track current customers and communicate with them. Keep IKEA’s brand image and focus on correct placement of stores. Expand product lines to flank the budget line with a higher-priced line. Clever advertising and promotion. 4. Speculate on what will happen at IKEA stores as they are adapted to fit local tastes. Is the company’s trade-off of service for low cost sustainable in the long term? * IKEA’s management philosophy; â€Å"Our vision is to create a better everyday life for the many people. Our business idea is to offer a wide range of well-designed, functional, home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible can afford them. and all its activities is founded on its mission of offering wide variety of functional furniture for the house, of a quality and at a price affordable by a majority of people. This mission shows IKEA’s competitive advantage, positioning strategy and marketing mix. Tailoring IKEA’s stores and product to local tastes will cause IKEA to change its mission, to lose its competitive advantage and to redesign its positioning strategy and marketing mix.