Winters Bone By Daniel Woodrell

Winters Bone By Daniel Woodrell Winters Bone, written by Daniel Woodrell, tells the story of seventeen year old Ree Dolly and her struggles to save her family from the unfortunate circumstance that they have found themselves in. Deep in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri, where family ties are very important and all you have to do be beat up is ask the wrong questions, Ree is confronted with a clinically crazy mother, missing father and two young brothers too look after, as well as having only a matter of weeks before they are to be kicked off their own property. After her father Jessup Dolly, a well-known drug dealer and crank chef, fails to show for court, the law gives her only a few days to prove that there is a good reason that he didnt show before they claim the house that Jessup put up for his bond, where she, her mother and two younger brothers live. The reason, being that he is dead. There is no specific time period identified. However, it is safe to assume that is set in fairly recent times due to the techno logy mentioned such as Walkmans and television, as well as descriptions of modern types of cars. The novel has personal interest to me as Ree is the same age, yet in entirely different circumstances. The conditions that she has found herself placed under teach her to be very strong and have maturity beyond her years. These struggles are similar to those faced by the characters in the other texts that I have reviewed, such as Matty Ross in the film True Grit. Matty is also in a way in search of her father, except in her case it is more metaphorically than literally, as she goes on her quest to avenge her fathers death. She also is a young girl under unfortunate circumstances, who has to grow up very quickly in order to fend for herself. The novel is written in third person from an omniscient narrative point of view, focusing on Ree. This allows the reader to get a close perspective of Ree and her thoughts, letting them know what she does, yet still not being from her point of view. I personally enjoyed this perspective as at allowed me to feel closer to Ree and appreciate her outlook toward other characters as well as get a clearer idea her surroundings. This novel is similar in theme to The Hunger Games by Susanne Collins, in that the main character is a strong female of about the same age. Both Katniss and Ree are very protective of their younger siblings, Ree of Sonny and Harold, and Katniss of Prim, as well as having absent fathers and unsupportive mothers, leaving them to look after themselves as well as their siblings. They both are placed under unfortunate circumstances that force them to grow up prematurely and deal with things that people many years their senior would struggle to cope with. This plays on the sympathies of the reader, making them feel that the situation the character is in is unfair, making them want to read on to find vengeance. I believe that this text would be aimed at an older audience, as the writing style and themes involved would not be suitable for a younger audience. It is very poetic and well balanced, and would most likely be lost on the common fast paced style that is used in novels aimed at younger audiences to hold their attention. Themes like drugs and substance abuse, as well as physical abuse run throughout the text making it unsuitable for a less mature audience. It is my opinion that the book is beautifully written. It is a short book that avoids periphrasis and clichà ©, expressing only what is necessary to the imagery for the reader, making it dense and giving it the ability to hold the readers interest. It is almost poetic in the way that it is written, in that it uses a lot of imagery and gets a great deal of information out of a small amount of text, for example Fading light buttered the ridges until shadows licked them clean and they were lost to nightfall. There are also parts where what is going on is implied rather than explicit, allowing the reader to think about what is going on and read between the lines. I believe that the way that the author portrays Ree is appealing, a veiled heroine in a brutal environment, who refuses to yield to the ugliness of the society in which she lives. The general atmosphere of the text is quite sombre, however it does offer triumphant moments. The quality of writing is very different from that of The Hunger Games, which although has a good story line, is lacking in much writing technique and the language is rather colloquial. Winters Bone on the other hand is such a rich tale with a very broad dictation that helps to keep the audience captivated from beginning to completion. One of the scenes that I believe to be important to the readers perspective of Ree is the scene where she teaches her brothers how to hunt and skin squirrels. By doing this she is ensuring that they can look after themselves in future if she is not there to care for them. It is admirable how at the age of only sixteen she has practically raised them, and has the initiative to think of their futures and to protect them against any eventuality where she may not be able to look after them. She isnt stupid and knows the gravity of the situation she is putting herself in by going in search of her father, and still puts her familys well-being ahead of her own. Later on in the book after Sonny asks her if she will be leaving them for the army, Ree replies Naw. Id get lost without the weight of you two on my back. I believe that this quote accurately sums up her attitude toward her brothers, how she has been burdened with looking after them for so long that that she doesnt know what she woul d do otherwise. This novel turns out to be much more than a simple tale of a girl in search of her father. It unravels to be an admirable tale of a young heroine who refuses to let the brutalities of the world in which she lives get to her even when put under the most unpleasant circumstances. It carries strong messages of family ties and the worth of having the capability to refuse to take no for an answer. It is possibly the best written book that I have read of late, and I would not hesitate to endorse it if asked for recommendation. By Emily Moss

Poetry Essay: Dulce Et Decorum Est :: English Literature

Poetry Essay: Dulce Et Decorum Est Draft Copy The title of Wilfred Owen's famous World War I poem, 'Dulce Et Decorum Est', are the first words of a Latin saying which means, 'It is sweet and Right'. The full saying, which ends the poem, 'Dulce et decorum est // Pro patria mori', means it is sweet and right to die for one's country. This was the saying that was commonly understood and used widely in the propaganda at the beginning of the War. It made war out to be honourable and heroic. Owen shows in this poem, by depicting the horror and cruelty of the War, how far the common belief that war was proud and honourable, was from the truth. In the first stanza we are introduced to the setting of the poem as well as to a few of the horrors of the war. The men are leaving the battlefield and are moving to a place of rest when they are hit by gas filled artillery shells. It gives a description of how fatigued and weary the men were and how badly injured many of them were after spending time in the trenches of the front lines. The image of tiredness and sleep is introduced in the first stanza phrases such as 'Bent-double' (line 1), 'distant rest' (line 4) and 'Men marched asleep' (line 5). The men are so tired they turn their backs on the flares that are sent up to show the bombardiers where to shoot their shells. Another image that Owen uses that appears in the first stanza and is seen through out the poem is how there is a lack of co-ordination and sense. This can be seen by 'Knock-kneed' (line 3), 'limped', 'lame' and 'blind' (line 6) and 'drunk' and 'deaf' (line7). Owen shows how these men's senses had been numbed by the ghastly occurrences in the trenches and how these numbed senses cause the men to not realise they are under attack until it is almost too late. The second stanza describes the dramatic reaction the men have when they realise they have been attacked by gas. The ecstasy of fumbling - shows how desperate the men where to find the odd fitting gas masks, how a mask was the difference between a cruel death and life. Owen compares the unlucky man to someone who has fallen in a fire or pile of lime and is being engulfed by the pain. He is compared to a drowning man; he is drowning in the gas, in the pain of death. The gas is so thick that it takes on a liquid appearance. Poetry Essay: Dulce Et Decorum Est :: English Literature Poetry Essay: Dulce Et Decorum Est Draft Copy The title of Wilfred Owen's famous World War I poem, 'Dulce Et Decorum Est', are the first words of a Latin saying which means, 'It is sweet and Right'. The full saying, which ends the poem, 'Dulce et decorum est // Pro patria mori', means it is sweet and right to die for one's country. This was the saying that was commonly understood and used widely in the propaganda at the beginning of the War. It made war out to be honourable and heroic. Owen shows in this poem, by depicting the horror and cruelty of the War, how far the common belief that war was proud and honourable, was from the truth. In the first stanza we are introduced to the setting of the poem as well as to a few of the horrors of the war. The men are leaving the battlefield and are moving to a place of rest when they are hit by gas filled artillery shells. It gives a description of how fatigued and weary the men were and how badly injured many of them were after spending time in the trenches of the front lines. The image of tiredness and sleep is introduced in the first stanza phrases such as 'Bent-double' (line 1), 'distant rest' (line 4) and 'Men marched asleep' (line 5). The men are so tired they turn their backs on the flares that are sent up to show the bombardiers where to shoot their shells. Another image that Owen uses that appears in the first stanza and is seen through out the poem is how there is a lack of co-ordination and sense. This can be seen by 'Knock-kneed' (line 3), 'limped', 'lame' and 'blind' (line 6) and 'drunk' and 'deaf' (line7). Owen shows how these men's senses had been numbed by the ghastly occurrences in the trenches and how these numbed senses cause the men to not realise they are under attack until it is almost too late. The second stanza describes the dramatic reaction the men have when they realise they have been attacked by gas. The ecstasy of fumbling - shows how desperate the men where to find the odd fitting gas masks, how a mask was the difference between a cruel death and life. Owen compares the unlucky man to someone who has fallen in a fire or pile of lime and is being engulfed by the pain. He is compared to a drowning man; he is drowning in the gas, in the pain of death. The gas is so thick that it takes on a liquid appearance.

parkinsons disease Essay -- essays research papers

Parkinson’s Disease and the protective mechanism of the antioxidant Vitamin E Description and Risks   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive movement disorder marked by tremors, rigidity, slow movements (bradykinesia), and postural instability. It is a chronic, progressive neurodegenerative disease caused by decreased production of dopamine, a neurotransmitter. Dopamine is responsible for most of the body’s smooth muscle movements. As a result, motor control in Parkinson’s patients is disrupted, causing anything from uncontrollable tremors to muscular stiffness to slow-as-molasses movements. (2) PD affects about 500,000 people in the United States, both men and women, with as many as 50,000 new cases each year. The disease usually begins in a person’s late 50’s and 60’s; it causes a progressive decline in movement control, affecting the ability to control initiation, speed, and the smoothness of motion. The symptoms of PD are seen in up to 15% of those between the ages of 65-74, and almost 30% of those were between the ages of 75-84. (3) Genetic Risks   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Scientist identified two gene abnormalities present in PD patients whose families have a rate of the disease, indicating at least some evidence that the disease is inherited. Both abnormalities cause the body to produce an altered version of alpha synuclein, the protein that shows up in dense masses in the brains of Parkinson’s patients. (3). But in another study in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggested heredity is a significant influence on how fast the disease will onset. Researchers identified 172 twin pairs in which at least one twin had PD. If the condition was hereditary, the rate of both twins having the disease would be lower among fraternal twins, who share some, but not all of the same genes unlike identical twins who share them all. In individuals who were diagnosed after age 50, the rate of twins who both had the disease was similar among fraternal and identical twins. In those diagnosed at 50 or younger, however, the rate wa s significantly lower in fraternal twins than in identical twins (2). Researchers also think that PD has environmental risks such as increase exposure to toxic chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, or heavy metals. For example, some studies of people liv... ...one, L., Bagala, A., Napoli, I.D., Caracciolo, M. & Quattnone, A. (2001) Plasma levels of Vitamin E in Parkinson’s disease. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics 33:7-12. 6. Miklya, I., Knoll, B. & Knoll, J. (2003) A pharmacological analysis elucidating why, in contrast to (-)- deprenyl (selegiline), alpha-tocopherol was ineffective in the DATATOP Study. Life Sciences 72:2641-2648   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   10.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Parashevas, G.P., Kapaki, E., Petropoulou, O., Anagnostouli, M., Vagenas, V. & Papageorgiou, L. (2003) Plasma levels of Antioxidant Vitamins C and E are decreased in vascular Parkinsonism. Journal or Neurological Sciences. 215:51-55. 11.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Roghani, M. & Behzadi, G., (2001) Neuroprotective effect of vitamin E on the early model of Parkinson’s disease in rat: behavioral and histochemical evidence. Brain Research 892:211-217. 12.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Vatassery, G.T., Demaster, E.G., Lai, James C.K., Smith, W.E. & Quach, H.T. (2003) Iron uncouples oxidative phosphorylation in brain mitochondria isolated from vitamin E-deficient rats. Biochemical et Biophysical Acta 1688:265-273. .

My Time in the Rainforest

Today was very productive day. I saw many things that I have never seen before in the Amazon rainforest. It is located in South America and is hugely populated with many different species. It is vast, covering an area of 2,5 million square miles, and we haven't even got one eight yet. Amazon river is one of the reasons the forest is so tremendously populated. It flows for more than 4,000 miles to discharge its waters in the Atlantic Ocean near Belem, Brazil. Along the way, about 1,100 tributaries latch on. One of the most seen birds was the Toucan. It was bigger then I thought it would be. Our guide told us that ten million species of plants, animals and insects live in the tropical forest. As it became dark, we stayed in the undergrowth of the forest where the tree could shade use from the hot sun we were expecting in the morning. The floor of the rain forest was sticky and wet from the rain that had fallen earlier this morning. It was hard to relax because of the weird weather. I could see a rainbow in the sky through the gaps between the canvas of leaves. As I got up, a spider monkey jumped down from the canopy and tried to grab the fruit we picked. We made a quick dash towards a giant tree trunk that had fallen. Thousands of small insects scattered as we approached it. We made a fireplace here to cook the raw meat we had brought. We fetched water from the Amazon river which was flowing near to camp and put in tablets to clean it. As we filled our bottles, piranhas swam towards our hands in the water. The Amazon river was a very dangerous place. –Day 2 24.09.10 We woke up at dawn when most of the animals would be sleeping. We saw an anaconda slither by. It was 21 feet long and I saw it choke a Giant Anteater. We were far away and the snake didn't spot us. A pack of squirrel monkeys passed us and we carried on through. It was getting cooler and there were less animals wandering about. More deadly animals started to appear, such as the poison dart frog. Our guide told us it is very small in size, but poisonous enough as to kill up to 100 people. It has the most powerful poison known by man, but harmless if left alone. Amazon Indians hunt using its poison in the tip of their arrows. –Day 3 25.09.10 We were heading towards Manaus, the weather in tropical areas have equatorial climate, found approximately 5 degrees to the North and South of the equator. Like any other tropical rainforest, it's hot and humid throughout the year, with an average annual temperature of 27à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C

Odi Case Study

Optical Distortion, Inc. HBS Case Study 9-575-072 Marketing Management MKT 6301. 002 – Fall 2012 Team Members Young soo Han Kevin Yang Jay Chi Lenny Liao Brad Standridge As of 1974 the chicken population in the US is already in excess of 400 million birds, with slow but steady growth expected through 1980. Given that fact that a great many of these birds live in tight quarters on very large chicken farms, a means of combating the chicken’s natural instinct to peck other chickens is needed. Pecking can actually lead to high mortality rates in flocks (cannibalization), which in turn raises the costs of farming.Debeaking has been used for some time with good results, but it has its own set of drawbacks. The lens developed by Optical Distortions, Inc. (ODI) holds the promise of reducing the threat caused by pecking, without some of the issues associated with debeaking. The specific advantages of these lenses will be discussed in the following report, as will a plan for mark eting this new product. By permanently inserting a pair of sight distorting lenses into the eyes of an egg-laying hen, studies have shown that cannibalization can be reduced from 9% to 4. %. Moreover, feed loss due to â€Å"billing† is substantially reduced relative to debeaked birds, allowing for much greater efficiency in feed consumption (less waste). Finally, given that lens insertion does not inflict the same trauma that debeaking does, egg production is not adversely affected. Given the above advantages, it is expected that farmers could increase their profit from egg sales by more than one-third (37%) simply by employing the use of the ODI lenses (Exhibit 1).Although the potential impact of the ODI lenses is substantial, there are some important assumptions underlying the anticipated value to farmers. For example, one of the biggest financial gains could be in the reduction in feed waste, so the assumption that hens with lenses will â€Å"bill† much less is crit ical. Test results have shown that flock mortality can be cut in half relative to debeaking, so another important assumption is that these positive results can be duplicated consistently in the field.Despite its disadvantages, debeaking is a practice which is familiar to chicken farmers, and the labor and cost associated with debeaking a flock is reasonably well known. It is assumed that a team of individuals trained to perform the lens insertion could process approximately as many chickens in an hour as they would if debeaking were done instead. This would keep the cost of insertion on par with debeaking and would thus lessen the concerns of the farmer. Tied to this is the assumption that a farmer’s own personnel could be readily trained in the art of lens insertion.Should this turn out not to be the case, it could prove nearly impossible for a large number of lenses to be deployed – a small team simply could not address the millions of chickens which would need to be targeted. If millions of lenses cannot be sold in the first year of business, ODI would find it difficult to survive against bigger competitors who are waiting to enter the market. This is thus an area of potentially high risk which needs to be addressed as early in the product introduction phase as possible.Bound up in the assumptions listed above is the underlying assumption that all chickens will respond in more or less the same way to the lenses. There are a number of factors which could allow ODI’s lens technology to quickly penetrate the market. One of the most important is the potential for farmers to experience a large profit increase (> 30% increase) through lower operating costs. Chicken farming is very price sensitive due to its low profit margin (roughly 6% profit on a dozen eggs from a debeaked bird).Use of lenses could allow this margin to increase to 8% or more (Exhibit 1); promoting this possibility should entice many farmers to give the lenses a try. Another key to quick market penetration is the achievement of one or two clear success stories. Given its very small size, ODI needs to focus its limited resources on product introduction at one or two large farms, continuing the focus there until the farmer/owner is pleased with the results. The farmer’s future endorsement of the lens approach would then be invaluable in generating interest from potential customers.As a means of attracting the participation of the first one or two trial farms, ODI could offer free lenses for up to 1000 birds, including insertion labor. It should be noted that penetration of the market can only occur if ODI can supply product in sufficient quantities. Given that there are millions of chickens to be serviced, it is imperative that ODI’s supplier be prepared to likewise supply millions of lenses on a consistent basis. The fact that ODI is bound by contract to a single lens supplier is itself a risk which must be analyzed.From a business continu ity perspective, it would be preferable if ODI could obtain its lenses from two different New World Plastics plants. This would then mitigate the risk somewhat should there be, for instance, a serious product quality issue at one of the facilities. As regards target segment, it would seem that the focus should be initially on farms with a flock size of 50,000 and over, since this would limit the overhead (fixed costs) needed to service these accounts (fewer sales and technical experts required).Also, by focusing on large farms, the sales team could interface with the farms directly, and there would be no need for a â€Å"middle man† to be involved in product distribution. Avoiding this intermediary would help keep costs down. Given the density of large farms in California (flock size of 50,000 or greater), it seems prudent not only to perform the initial product introduction there but to focus the entire first year of business in this single West Coast state. The first yearâ €™s planned production volume is approximately 20 million, essentially the same as California’s chicken population.Success in this region could later force farms in other states to implement the lens simply as a means of staying competitive. Rather than relying on word of mouth alone, ODI could promote its lens technology by participating in both industry trade shows and advertising in the leading poultry industry publications. Moreover, it is also possible that California’s Department of Agriculture could become an ally in promotion of lenses as a viable alternative to debeaking. It is proposed that lenses be sold at a price of $0. 09 per pair, which would in turn provide a profit per pair of $0. 026 (see Exhibit 2).Though the lenses appear to have a value to the farmer much greater than 9 cents, keeping the price in the â€Å"single digits† has a beneficial psychological effect and could help foster the perception that they are a good value. Moreover, if t he price grows much beyond this, the product will obviously be less attractive to farmers who might already be uneasy about adopting a new technology. Given a volume of 20 million units, a price of $0. 09/pair would produce an annual profit of $520,000. This sum would easily allow $250,000 to be directed toward future R&D (so the company can become more than a one-product company).Moreover, there would be more than a quarter of a million dollars remaining to fund rapid expansion the following year (to build a new regional office, for example). Exhibit 1 – Monetary Value of ODI Lenses to Farmers As regards putting a monetary value on the lenses, this can be estimated as follows: a. ($2. 50/hr*3 workers)/225 birds = $0. 033 (cost of inserting a pair of lenses in one chicken) This is essentially the same cost involved in debeaking a bird; for this reason it need not be taken into account when considering the benefits of lenses relative to debeaking. . Proposed cost of lenses to farmer: $0. 09 per pair c. ($2. 40*0. 045) = $0. 108 per chicken (savings in allocation for replacing dead chicken, relative to debeaked flock reduction in flock mortality from 9% to 4. 5%) d. ($158 / ton)(ton / 2000 lb)(156 lb per day / 20,000 chickens) (365 days) = $0. 225 per chicken (annual savings in feed assumes elimination of feed loss due to billing) e. Let’s see how b. and c. above translate into cost of production for a dozen eggs (assuming a chicken produces 22 dozen eggs per year): ($0. 108 + $0. 225 – $0. 09)/22 = $0. 11 per dozen eggs Thus, the cost to produce a dozen eggs would drop from $0. 50 (for a debeaked bird) to $0. 489, and a farmer’s profit per dozen eggs increases from $0. 03 for a debeaked flock to an estimated $0. 041 (assuming a selling price of $0. 53). This means a farmer’s profit could increase by approximately 37% if the lenses were used throughout the flock. Exhibit 2 – Pricing Considerations for a Pair of Lenses Fi xed Costs 1) Headquarters: $184,000 annually (for volume of 20 million pair) 2) Regional Office and Warehouse: $196,000 annually 3) Advertising in Trade Publications: $100,000 annually ) Participation in Industry Trade Shows: $100,000 annually 5) Costs of Molds: $12,000 x 3 = $36,000 (3 molds are needed to produce 21,600,000 pair annually) 6) Licensing Agreement with New World Plastics: $25,000 (per year, must be paid for 1st and 2nd year of production) Variable Costs $0. 032 per pair of lenses (cost to purchase from manufacturer, New World Plastics) So, in the first year of production, if 20,000,000 pairs of lenses are sold, the TOTAL COST would be: [($184,000 + $196,000 + $100,000 + $100,000 + $36,000 + $25,000)/20,000,000] + $0. 032 = $0. 064 per pair

Popularity of Fast Food Production Essay

Introduction The popularity of fast food production today is a direct result of busy families. In today’s society both husband and wife usually obtain full-time careers. These careers take up much of the family’s time and energy. Children of these families are usually very active in many extracurricular activities such as, Boy Scouts, football, baseball, and basketball. With all of the practice, games, and outings, these activities consume a great amount of the family’s time. In this fast paced life people find it more and more convenient to grab some food on the way home than to prepare a full meal for their family. Families find it more convenient to have someone else do the cooking and cleaning than to take more time away from each other and do it themselves. Single people find it easier to pick-up some fast food than cook a big meal for one person. It is also a result of the most obvious, people these days are just lazier than people in our past were. A person who forgot their lunch at home is more likely to choose fast food over a restaurant because of the cost difference. They could go to a fast foodrestaurant for fewer tk. than they could go to a restaurant where they would spend for one meal. Actually, it is the result of time and convenience and sometimes it is a result of the low cost. Popularity of Fast Food The growing popularity of fast food has brought about ruthless competition in the fast food industry. Fast food chains are constantly trying to please growing consumer demand by selling more food at lower prices. In order to do so, these fast food giants continuously incorporate new â€Å"efficient† business practices which provide better services to customers resulting in bigger sales and larger profit margins. In most cases, these practices are obvious. For instance, precooked hamburger patties, computer systems, and drive-throughs were each introduced to minimize production time in turn allowing for increased sales. Nevertheless, less obvious business practices have also been implemented which most consumers fail to recognize. All together, increased fast food popularity has led to the adoption ofbusiness practices involving the careless treatment of modern day farm animals. * First of all, fast food is prepared from unhealthy meat. Most animals raised as food for fast foodrestaurants come from â€Å"factory farms. † At each of these factory farms millions of animals live torturous lives. Fast food companies choose to purchase from these farms because they minimize all production costs and provide cheaply. * Fast Food Growth- Comparison * History Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a packaged form for take-out/take-away. The term â€Å"fast food† was recognized in a dictionary by Merriam–Webster in 1951. Outlets may be stands or kiosks, which may provide no shelter or seating,[1] or fast food restaurants (also known as quick service restaurants). Franchise operations which are part of restaurant chains have standardized foodstuffs shipped to each restaurant from central locations. he concept of ready-cooked food for sale is closely connected with urban development. In Ancient Rome cities had street stands that sold bread, sausages and wine. Pre-modern Europe. In the cities of Roman antiquity, much of the urban population living in insulae, multi-storey apartment blocks, depended on food vendors for much of their meals. In the mornings, bread soaked in wine was eaten as a quick snack and cooked vegetables and stews later in the day at a popina, a simple type of eating establishment. In the Middle Ages, large towns and major urban areas such as London and Paris supported numerous vendors that sold dishes such as pies, pasties, flans, waffles, wafers, pancakes and cooked meats. As in Roman cities during antiquity, many of these establishments catered to those who did not have means to cook their own food, particularly single households. Unlike richer town dwellers, many often could not afford housing with kitchen facilities and thus relied on fast food. Travellers, as well, such as pilgrims en route to a holy site, were among the customers. United Kingdom In areas which had access to coastal or tidal waters, ‘fast food’ would frequently include local shellfish or seafood, such as oysters or, as in London, eels. Often this seafood would be cooked directly on the quay or close by. The development of trawler fishing in the mid nineteenth century would lead to the development of a British favourite fish and chips, and the first shop in 1860. A blue plaque at Oldham’s Tommyfield Market marks the origin of the fish and chip shop and fast food industries in Britain. After World War II, turkey has been used more frequently in fast food. As well as its native cuisine, the UK has adopted fast food from other cultures, such as pizza, Chinese noodles, kebab, and curry. More recently healthier alternatives to conventional fast food have also emerged. United States. As automobiles became popular and more affordable following the First World War, drive-in restaurants were introduced. The American company White Castle, founded by Billy Ingram and Walter Anderson in Wichita, Kansas in 1921, is generally credited with opening the second fast food outlet and first hamburger chain, selling hamburgers for five cents each. Walter Anderson had built the first White Castle restaurant in Wichita in 1916, introducing the limited menu, high volume, low cost, high speed hamburger restaurant. Among its innovations, the company allowed customers to see the food being prepared. White Castle was successful from its inception and spawned numerous competitors. Franchising was introduced in 1921 by A&W Root Beer, which franchised its distinctive syrup. Howard Johnson’s first franchised the restaurant concept in the mid-1930s, formally standardizing menus, signage and advertising. The United States has the largest fast food industry in the world, and American fast food restaurants are located in over 100 countries. Approximately 2 million U. S. workers are employed in the areas of food preparation and food servicing including fast food in the USA. FAST FOOD INDUSTRY IN BANGLADESH Fast food culture was started in the early nineties. In Bangladesh it has mainly geared towards the younger end of the market and the employees of the corporate sector. The fast food culture in Bangladesh has taken the country by storm. The first fast food shop started its business in the Bailey road of Dhaka. After that, a number of fast food shops started to grow exponentially in different places of the Dhaka city. Local entrepreneurs are leaders in pioneering the fast food industry of Bangladesh. New brands i. e. Swiss, Helvetia etc. are to name of some Bangladeshi fast food shops formed in franchising system. In early 2000, Bangladesh experienced the entry of the first international brand of fast food franchise in the country. Pizza Hut and KFC entered into Bangladeshi market having franchise with Transom Foods Limited (TFL). Both Pizza Hut and KFC are subsidiaries of the world’s largest restaurant company Yum! Restaurants International. TFL has opened three Pizza Huts and three KFC outlets in Bangladesh in a span of five years. Pizza Hut opened its flagship restaurant in 2003 at Dhaka. Following its grand success in Dhaka, the Chittagong outlet was opened in 2005. The third Pizza Hut restaurant was launched in Dhaka in 2008. Meanwhile, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) perceived as high-quality fast food in a popular array of complete meals to enrich the consumer’s everyday life. TFL successfully launched the flagship KFC in 2006 and gained attention of the people with its taste, high standard of hygiene, cleanliness, interior attractiveness, affordable pricing etc. Following its enormous success in Dhaka, the second and third outlets were opened in 2008. ————————————————- Globalization In 2006, the global fast food market grew by 4. 8% and reached a value of 102. 4 billion and a volume of 80. 3 billion transactions. In India alone the fast food industry is growing by 41% a year. McDonald’s is located in 126 countries and on 6 continents and operates over 31,000 restaurants worldwide. [20] On January 31, 1990 McDonald’s opened a restaurant in Moscow, and broke opening day records for customers served. The Moscow restaurant is the busiest in the world. The largest McDonald’s in the world is located in Orlando, Florida,USA[21] There are numerous other fast food restaurants located all over the world. Burger King has more than 11,100 restaurants in more than 65 countries. [22] KFC is located in 25 countries. [23] Subway is one of the fastest growing franchises in the world with approximately 39,129 restaurants in 90 countries as of May 2009,[24] the first non-US location opening in December 1984 in Bahrain. [25] Pizza Hut is located in 97 countries, with 100 locations in China. [26] Taco Bell has 278 restaurants located in 14 countries besides the United States. [27] Current Market Size Economists at the National Restaurant Association estimated total foodservice sales for 2011 at ? 313 billion, representing a 5 percent increase over 2010. That means consumers spent an average of ? 855 million per day on food away from home. According to the National Restaurant Association’s Foodservice Industry Forecast, fast food comprised the largest segment of this market, capturing 47. 8 percent of the Takas spent. The report attributes this success to â€Å"fast food’s ability to meet consumers’ desire for value and convenience. † It was further estimated that at least 64 percent of all fast food purchases were consumed off-premises. According to Technomic, Inc. , a food industry consulting firm, almost half of consumer food Takas are spent on meals prepared away from home. In addition, food expenditures rise significantly as income increases according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Expenditure Survey Data. Industry Trends This significant trend of consumers purchasing prepared meals is so pervasive that the foodservice industry has coined a new term to describe it: â€Å"home-meal replacement. † Many businesses are shifting their focus to meet the growing demands of consumers: * Most supermarkets now include a deli, bakery, and a prepared-foods section. Also, many offer fast-food service. * Boston Market has continued to expand its product lines and market share. * Famous chefs, such as Wolfgang Puck, are offering high-end prepared meals in upscale supermarkets. * Fast-food chains such as KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell have formed alliances to offer multiple product lines under one roof. There are also several economic and cultural trends that have contributed to this growing demand: * Increasing number of women in the workforce * Increasing number of woman-owned businesses * Growing number of higher-income households * Americans working longer hours * Decreasing amount of leisure time * Premium placed on convenience * Trend toward purchasing personal services (i.e. , personal-trainers, house-cleaning services, home shopping services). According to Foodservice Solutions, a hospitality consulting firm: â€Å"Home-meal replacement is not a luxury today – it’s a necessity. People don’t want to take the time to cook; they have too many other things to do. People want high-quality prepackaged foods†¦ to make life easier. â€Å"| Entrepreneur Magazine selected â€Å"Personal Chef Services† as one of the top service businesses to start today: â€Å"Convenience-craving consumers are always looking for a way to do things better, faster and cheaper. Often, that means turning to a specialty-services entrepreneur who knows how to get the job done right. Those with culinary competence can likely find a hungry clientele among the ranks of America’s busy working families. â€Å"| Growth Potential of the Market Based on the National Restaurant Association’s Foodservice Industry Forecast, the percentage of food Takas spent away from home has grown from 25 percent in 1955 to 50 percent today. More importantly, the proportion of the food budget spent on meals away from home increases significantly as income increases. Households with incomes of ? 70,000 spent 81 percent more per capita (? 1,278 per person) on food away from home than the average income-reporting household (? 705 per person) according to the Consumer Expenditure Survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Also contributing to the potential growth in the market is the rise in affluent households documented by the Current Population Survey from the Bureau of the Census. From 1990 to 1994 the number of households earning ? 50,000 to ? 74,999 increased by 16. 4 percent; households earning ? 75,000 to ? 99,999 increased 36. 1 percent; and households earning ? 100,000 or more increased by 61. 1 percent in the same period. Affluent Households Gaining Ground Change in Number of Households| | Household Income| Increase (Decrease) in Number of Households| Percent Change| Less than ? 35,000| (1,638,000)| -3. 0%| ?35,000 to ? 49,999| (331,000)| -2. 0%| ?50,000 to ? 74,999| 2,310,000| +16. 4%| ?75,000 to ? 99,000| 1,841,000| +36. 1%| ?100,000 or more| 2,496,000| +61. 1%| Total| 4,479,000| +5. 0%| Source: Bureau of the Census A personal chef service is uniquely positioned to take advantage of the increasing demand for fast food, growing health concerns, and the rise in high-income households. Affluent working couples want â€Å"fast food,† but they want it upscale, healthy, and convenient. The founders of Truly Unique Personal Chef Service report that their business has grown 10 to 15 percent every year since opening in 1992. Many of their clients said they were getting bored with going out to restaurants and wanted something different. Customer Profile Creative Cuisine’s’ target customer will be families with two working, professional parents who are too busy to cook every night but are fed up with takeout and restaurant food. Their specific demographics are as follows: Household Income: Over ? 100,000 Age: 35 to 55 Education: College degree and/or advanced degree Marital Status: Married couples or high income single Job: Professional status (one or both partners) Children: Preferably ages 7 to 18 Homeowners: Preferably Location: Live in neighborhoods with high concentration of affluent families Customer Benefits Here are just a few of the benefits to customers if they hire Creative Cuisine: * 6 hours per week more free time (1 hour per day cooking/acquiring meal plus 1 hour per week grocery shopping) * Very convenient. * Meals customized to personal tastes * More variety * Health and nutrition benefits * Less stress * Client feels pampered * It makes life easier * Don’t have to cook * Less grocery shopping * Minimal kitchen clean-up * Peace of mind The Competition There are a handful of other personal chef services in the metropolitan area; however, since this is still a new business concept, there remains a large untapped market. Most competition for home-meal replacement exists from neighborhood restaurants, upscale fast-food outlets and supermarket prepared meals. Following is a competitive analysis of the various meal replacement alternatives: Fast Food Industry in 2012 at a Glance It is no secret: Americans love fast food. And its not just us! The Golden Arches have spread across the globe, and emerging markets are one of the fastest growing areas in the industry. But the fast food industry is not without its challenges, especially in the United States. From rising food costs, economic recession and changing perceptions about health, many fast food franchises have been feeling some heat. But rather than flee from this challenge, the fast food industry has been adopting new practices and offering new products. Modern society is on the go, and there is plenty of demand for a quick bite at all times of the day. Fast food franchising opportunities exist in the â€Å"traditional† spaces like burgers and pizza, but are also sprouting up in healthy and unique ways as well. The Industry The fast food industry, also known as Quick Service Restaurants (QSR), has been serving up tasty morsels for as long as people have lived in cities. The modern system of fast food franchising is believed to have started in the mid 1930’s when Howard Johnson franchised his second location to a friend as a means to expand operations during the Great Depression. And oh how it has grown! As cars became commonplace, the drive-thru concept brought explosive growth to the idea of food-on-the go. â€Å"Fast Food† was added to the Merrion-Webster dictionary in 1951 and U. S. fast food companies are now franchised in over 100 countries. In the U. S. alone there are over 200,000 restaurant locations! Revenue has grown from $6 billion in 1970 to $160 billion last year, an 8. 6% annualized rate. Fast food franchises focus on high volume, low cost and high speed product. Frequently food is preheated or precooked and served to-go, though many locations also offer seating for on-site consumption. For stands, kiosks or sit-down locations, food is standardized and shipped from central locations. Consumers enjoy being able to get a familiar meal in each location, and menus and marketing are the same in every location. What’s Been Going Wrong? There have been challenges for the fast food industry in recent years that have been pressuring profit margins. The industry as a whole has proven robust enough to withstand these challenges, though some players have done better than others. Over the last decade there has been increased focus on the quality of food served in fast food restaurants. Typically highly processed and industrial in preparation, much of the food is high in fat and has been shown to increase body mass index (BMI) and cause weight gain. Popular books such as Fast Food Nation and documentaries like Super Size Me have increased public awareness of the negative health consequences of fast food. Fast food companies have responded by adopting healthier choices and have had some measure of success, but the shadow of bad press still hangs over the industry. Rising commodity prices have also significantly crunched many fast food franchises. With food and beverage inputs making up approximately 33% of costs, higher prices for livestock, corn, wheat and more have seriously shrunk margins over the past decade. In such a fiercely competitive space it is impossible to force a price increase on customers, so profit margins are often south of 10%. The recent economic recession did lower commodity prices, but the recession brought on its own complications, and now prices for commodity inputs are on the rise again. Fast food had been thought to be largely recession proof, and indeed the industry did not suffer nearly as much as other discretionary spending sectors. In fact, there was some increase in consumer visits as people choose cheaper fast food options over fast casual or traditional restaurant choices. But overall, the recession hurt spending, and consumers overall purchased less with each trip. Fast food franchises fared reasonably well but still felt some pain. Market saturation is also a relevant issue in the fast food industry today, at least in the U. S. There is a McDonald franchise is in almost every town, and it usually sits in a row with several competitors. With so many competitors which offer similar products there are fewer customers per location. Increasingly fast food restaurants are also losing market share to fast casual, a relative newcomer in the restaurant space. Where do we Go from Here? Busy citizens still need quick meal options, and fast food restaurants are fighting these challenges with gusto. Now offering healthy choices to battle the stigma of unhealthy food, some quick service restaurants now focus on fresh or organic products. From franchises focused solely on salads or healthy wraps to the lower calorie options offered at traditional burger franchises such as Wendy’s or McDonald’s, consumers are able to make better choices†¦if they want! Fast food franchises are also focusing on expanding into new product lines, such as the coffee initiative in the McCafe. Intended to offer competition to Startbucks, McDonalds is luring customers back into their stores, hoping they will purchase food as well. Many franchises have been exploring other meal times such as breakfast and the mid-afternoon snack for growth opportunities and to increase real estate utilization. The industry is most effectively battling saturation within the United States by creating a much more diverse range of offerings. Sure, there is a McDonalds in every town, but there are very few crepe franchises†¦yet! From new cultural cuisines to fresh takes on a traditional story, there are many moretypes of quick service restaurants than ever before. The fast food industry is still a large and diverse industry with plenty of opportunity. As one would hope, challenge is being answered with innovation, and fast food franchises are responding with new offerings, pricing and strategies to lure consumers back in. Non-traditional fast food franchises are springing up and gaining traction, and more creativity will always be welcome! Consumers are now on the look-out for new ways to eat fast and healthy. And as the industry continues to evolve and the economy strengthens, fast food franchise profitability will continue to grow. Porter’s five forces industry analysis for Krispy Kreme Saturday, January 29th, 2011 at 9:00 am. What is Porter’s Five Forces? Well I doubt there is any need to explain one of the most famous strategic tools around but just in case, it is a tool to analyse the external industry to find the root causes of profitability. Again seeing an example is useful and below is a five forces analysis of Krispy Kreme. Rivalry among existing competitors (High +++) * High concentration of rivals e. g. Starbucks and local chains * Static market growth * High fixed costs * Perishable products (food and drink) A large number of competitors in the industry are all competing for the same customers. Coffee chains (e. g. Costa, Starbucks) are all competing to be number one in the market and have similar corporate goals. While product differentiation is limited, there is fierce differentiation by product range, brand and store ambience (e. g. seating). There are zero switching costs for customers, which promotes price wars. Market growth is static, which promotes fierce fighting for market share, and there is saturation of competition due to the limited number of prime locations available for outlets. Smaller chains have to pay a premium for prime sites or settle for less desirable locations. Threat of new entrants (Medium +) * Large capital requirements required to build chain of stores * Favourable locations are already occupied * Economies of scale in distribution and raw ingredients (lower per unit costs due to the experience curve) * Product and brand differentiation Capital requirements for individual stores are low, however new entrants wishing to compete on a like basis with national store networks, distribution channels, brand equity development and advertising, face large capital requirements to gain market share. This is reflected in the large number of individual outlets compared with the small number of large, proven top specialty eateries. The UK commercial property market is landlord-driven and controlled; premium locations in the UK are scarce and command high prices with most of the favourable locations within town centres, airports and train stations already being occupied by existing competitors. Threat of substitutes (Medium +) * Large choice of alternatives with similar products e. g. energy drinks, cakes, biscuits, ice-cream, chocolate * No switching costs. Although a consumer can choose from multiple substitutes (e. g. desserts, pastries or drinks), speciality eateries compete based on convenience and opportunity. Most people buy from speciality eateries when travelling, shopping or meeting people. This is evidenced by the location of the eateries, which is concentrated around high footfall locations such as train stations, business districts and shopping centres. For a consumer this becomes a competitive choice rather than a substitute choice (e. g. do I buy a coffee from Starbucks or Costa). Other substitutes come from full menu eateries such as restaurants and fast-food outlets with a smaller threat from supermarkets. Bargaining power of suppliers (Low) * Vertically integrated businesses with only commoditised raw ingredients * Large number of suppliers to choose from and low switching costs Bargaining power of buyers (Low) * Buyers are fragmented and numerous * Although there are no switching costs for the buyer the food and drink market is part of the fabric of society Conclusions and Recommendations. Fast food consumers of Bangladesh, especially the university students, considered brand reputation as the most important factor when choosing fast foods followed by nearness and accessibility, similarity in taste, cost and quality relationship, discount and taste, clean and hygiene, salesmanship and decoration, fat and cholesterol, and self-service. The recent upset in the fast food industry of Bangladesh was created by the discovery of unethical practices conducted by several fast food businesses resulted in consumers putting their trusts on renowned fast food brands only. Thereby it is seen that the fast food houses with reputed brand name and recognition i. e. KFC, BFC, Pizza Hut, Coopers etc. are carrying out their businesses in a usual manner even in the toughest time of the industry. The majority of the fast food brands that passed with flying colors during the mobile courts inspection for quality maintenance were able to either establish or revitalize their brand reputation. Eventually as suggested by the research findings, the university students will select such fast food brands that have brand reputation. Besides the brand reputation, the other important factors were nearness and accessibility, similar taste of fast food, cost and quality relationship, discount and taste. In case of nearness or proximity and accessibility factor, consumers prefer to go to the fast food outlets that are close from their own home or study institutions. It is seen that the fast food shops in Bangladesh has already considering the factors by establishing their outlets near big corporate houses and private universities. Especially, in Dhaka city this practice is seen in Bailey road where majority of fast food shops are located. Near Bailey road, there are 3 girls’ school and collages, and 3 boys’ school and 2 collages in walking distance. Almost similar situation prevails in Gulshan, Banani area of the city where KFC and Pizza Hut outlets are situated near 3 private universities. It is understandable from the situation that the students studying at these institutions consider these nearby fast food outlets whenever they decide to consume fast foods. There is an opportunity here however, for new fast food shops to compete with the existing fast food outlets. Since establishing a new outlet in an already competitive business space is expensive and difficult, the new fast food businesses can introduce mobile fast food outlets. Through mobile fast food outlets, new fast food businesses can deliver their fast foods that are already cooked fresh in their shops, but kept hot and delivered to the students instantly with their own choice of accompanying taste enhancers i. e. tomato sauce, cheese etc. These mobile fast food outlets could be on top of a mini-truck, van etc. The similar taste of the fast food factor refers to the fact that no matter which fast food outlet a particular fast food item is bought from, the taste should be similar. For example, if a chicken burger is bought from an outlet of KFC, the taste would be similar to any other chicken burger bought from any other KFC outlet. The taste could differ from other fast food shops as the different business use taste as differentiating factor in case of food items. But the businesses have to keep in mind that too much difference in taste of similar fast food items makes the consumers confused. The cost and quality relationship is also an important factor considered by the consumers of fast food. If the cost of a fast food item is high, it is usually considered to be carrying high quality and vice versa. So, the businesses of fast food products have to be careful in setting the prices of the fast food items. The pricing should be such as it offers the right amount to value to the consumers in a competitive price that at the same time ensures adequate profit margins for the fast food businesses. Finally in terms of discount and taste factor, the consumers consider the availability of discounts in fast food outlets. Usually these discounts are offered as group discounts i. e. arranging a party or social gathering at a reduced price package etc. Consumers consider this option when choosing fast food products. They might not immediately use this factor but it puts the fast food shop in their consideration set for later use. This study recommends that the fast food producers or distributors at Dhaka city should focus more on the brand reputation, nearness or proximity and accessibility, cost, quality, discount, and similarity in taste factors. If they are able to fulfill these needs, university students of Bangladesh will be induced to buy and consume fast food whenever they are out of their houses. However, there is an ample scope to conduct further study on the preference factors used by the office-goers, housewives, and visitors in buying fast food to determine if there are any more common or unique factors prevailing among these different groups that might be important in making decisions regarding the choice of fast food items in Bangladesh. Abstract. Fast food industry is a high growing sector of Bangladesh. It is concerned with the tastes and habits of the people. The food-taking habit especially in fast food segment has been changing very fast over last decade among the people of Dhaka – the capital city of Bangladesh. The reasons could be attributed by the increase of awareness, growth of education, development of information technology, and expansion of television channels and print media in Bangladesh. Hence, this paper aims at identifying the preference factors of fast food consumers living in Dhaka city. This study was conducted among the university students who usually eat fast food at their leisure time. To conduct the study, a total of 250 respondents were interviewed with a structured questionnaire. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used in analyzing the data. Multivariate analysis technique like factor analysis was performed to identify the preference factors of the fast food student-consumers of Bangladesh. Multiple regressions were run to identify the relationship between the factors identified and the overall preference of the consumers. Results show that the consumers give most importance on brand reputation of the food item followed by nearness to receive and accessibility, similarity of taste with previous experience, cost and quality of the food, discount and taste, cleanliness and hygiene, salesmanship and decoration, fat and cholesterol level, and self-service factors. This study suggests that the brand reputation, nearness and accessibility, similarity in taste, and cost and quality relationship should be emphasized to improve the attraction of the university students towards the fast food items in Bangladesh.

Assignment 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Assignment 1 - Essay Example Based on the agreement between the Aroma of Baltimore’s CEO and Parisian that encompassed the former to supply him with perfume products to sell in France, the two are in contract. This is because Aroma of Baltimore’s CEO when he met the latter tried to explain to him concerning perfume products sold by his company together with having samples to show the Parisian. The perfume samples intrigued the Parisian whereby afterwards he ended up contacting Aroma of Baltimore’s CEO to supply him for sales in France. Hence, the contract involved in this case is that of Distribution agreement though many details the two parties have not come to a conclusion. This is because Aroma of Baltimore’s CEO is yet to work on the Parisian’s but insists their mode of dealings will be in line with law of Maryland (Tepper 283). Besides Maryland’s law, UCC is also applicable in this case whose elaboration is in terms of sales. Sales in agreement distribution encompas ses profits and how perfumes products will reach France and condition for the Parisian to collect them and sell in his stores of distribute. Suppose the involved parties in this case who embrace Parisian and Aroma of Baltimore’s CEO come to a conclusion they need to adhere to other set laws other than what I have described in this memo, they can do so. This is especially if the former insists on international law principles governing state to state contracts and somehow assuming a slightly different mode of business. This is especially if the Parisian cites what he intends to do is not only to sell in retail but also act as a distributor in the entire country whereby they may come to an agreement concerning what other laws that may apply. These include certain aspects, which they may agree to comply with while in business as a supplier or buyer. These aspects include policies supporting promises, which