Franchising as a Strategy for Small Business Growth

Franchising as a Strategy for Small Business Growth This paper is an investigation into whether franchising is as effective a method of expansion for a small business as it is for larger more established businesses. To test this theory a case study of two businesses was prepared, Interlink Express and the Cornish Oggy Oggy Pasty Shop. The case studies on the organisations were compiled from the information on their web sites. Both organisations are a member of the British Franchise Association. These case studies were compared to the literature on the topic. Through researching the topic one factor was revealed as being a major issue in franchising, this was the brand. Both the organisations that were studied are successful within their markets in the UK, and therefore proved to be good examples of franchising. The organisations had different motives for using this method for growth. The paper concludes that with the right brand, small business can be just as successful at franchising for expansion as their larger counterparts. Introduction This paper will investigate whether franchising is as effective a method of expansion for a small business as it is for larger more established businesses. There are many different methods that organisations can use to expand; some of these involve raising large amounts of capital, which is not always an viable option for the smaller business. Businesses whether large or small, must plan what their future needs will be, to move forward. Strategy is the direction and scope of an organisation over the long term: which achieves advantage for the organisation. The strategy answers both the questions where do you want to go? and how do you want to get there? Incorrect or too few resources is a major factor of failure for an organisation’s strategy (Mullins L 2005). Once an organisation has developed its strategy, it can then review the methods open to it for growth. Growth can be achieved by direct expansion, mergers with similar firms, franchising or diversification. Some companies choose to grow, not by developing in the conventional way, but by granting a license to others to sell their product or service. There are clear advantages to this, the market is tested, and larger well-established franchise operations will have national advertising campaigns and a solid trading name (Price, S. 1997). Franchising is basically the permission given by one person, the franchisor, to another person, the franchisee, to use the franchisors trade name, trade marks and business system, in return for an initial payment and further regular payments. In relation to any other small business, franchising has proved to be successful, with 96% of units still operating profitable businesses 5 years down the line. To test the theory on expansion and franchising a case study approach was chosen. Both organisations operate within the UK in different market sectors. The small business that was studied is the Cornish Oggy Oggy Pasty Shop, a local organisation from Cornwall; this organisation is expanding by franchising alone. The larger organisation chosen is Interlink Express; this organisation is well established and has its roots in other countries, therefore it is only their UK operation that was studied. Within the UK it has utilised franchising to successfully expand their operation. The backbone of the paper is the literature review. This discusses contemporary theory on organisational strategy, expansion methods and focuses on franchising within the UK. A lot of articles are written for the USA markets, these were not used as they had little relevance towards the UK. Franchises operations are apparent on every high street in the UK. One of the most important factors is the brand name. This what attracts and retains the customer therefore is it viable for a small business to franchise. The importance of the brand became apparent whilst researching this paper. Kotler (2000) described a brand as a â€Å"name, term, symbol, or design (or a combination of them) which is intended to signify the goods or services of the seller or groups of sellers and to differentiate them from those of the competitors† This brand is a valuable asset to all organisations when franchising. Although, the brand name is often not as strong with a small business as it is with their larger counterparts. Franchising originated from the USA, with major players such as McDonald entering the UK market. Franchising for the individual as a small business underwent massive growth in the UK until 2000. This growth has slowed down, but there are still plenty of opportunities for businesses to expand. This paper concludes that given the right small business, expansion is possible though franchising. This franchising must be controlled to uphold the organisation’s ethos, and the brand they trade with. This chapter discusses the research methods used for the project and the justification for the choice of methods. It discusses methods that were not used, with justification of why they were not included. Included is a critique of methods selected, and with hindsight identifies any changes that would have enhanced the research. This paper evaluates the growth in franchising in the UK, and whether this method of expansion is viable for small and large organisations. Selection of the topic was stimulated and formed out of awareness of the many franchised outlets. On nearly every high street there are numerous fast food outlets, which are franchised, more and more businesses are using this model to expand. The nature of the research was discussed with colleagues and fellow students this not only added practical ideas and suggestions, it opened new avenues of thought. This was the discussed with lecturers sounding out ideas, gauging opinions and clarifying the question. The research topic was still wide; therefore other methods were used to form the research question. Focusing in on the question was obtained by employing relevance trees, narrowing the research area. This gave direction to the research, although with reviewing the literature this changed several times (Buzan, J. 1995). Next, a research proposal was compiled, with the benefit of organising ideas and setting a time-scale for research. Theoretically, the proposal would highlight any difficulties with the research question and access to data. Creating a time-scale would focus on targets and meet deadlines in the completion of the paper. The literature review, discussing theories and ideas that exist on the topic formed the foundation of the paper. The findings from the research are then tested on theories for validity (Saunders, M. et al 1997). The literature review was challenging, there is very little research in books that focuses on small businesses and franchising. Journals and newspaper articles were the backbone for the review, together with Internet sites and reports. A lot published articles are written for the American Market, although they can give useful information, they refer to the American market (Saunders, M. et al 1997). Tertiary data sources, such as library catalogues and indexes were used to scan for secondary data. This produced journals and newspaper articles, and Internet addresses. With the amount of literature, it took time to sort out relevant material to the research. Narrowing down the search Bell’s (1993) six point’s parameters was applied. Applying key words that were identified in the first search produced relevant and up-to-date material (Bell, J.1993). A limitation on the literature search was the amount of time to read all articles and books on the subject. Whilst reviewing the literature references to other publications were followed and reviewed. Bells checklist on identifying the relevance of literature found was a practical method to reduce the amount of reading (Bell, J. 1993). To compare two organisations it was decided to do case studies. The organisations chosen both offer franchising in the UK, actively promoting it on their web sites. The case studies of organisations will be reviewed and compared to the literature. The small organisation is expanding though franchising, the larger international organisation uses franchising as part of its overall strategy. These organisations have both applied the franchising business model to their expansion strategy. These organisations were selected from the British Franchise Association web site. Other methods of data collection were considered and rejected. Interviewing owners of franchises would not have revealed the overall organisational strategy, and the success of their expansion methods. The idea of Focus groups would have offered free flowing information; this could have been facilitated with discussion led by the researcher. This method was rejected due to the limited contacts within the chosen organisations; this also it could have been considered unethical to place pressure on their goodwill. The majority of information on their strategies is readily available on the organisations web sites. This information proved valuable when compiling the case studies. This section of the paper will discuss current theory on franchising and fundamental management theory. It discusses choices that are open to organisations when deciding on a strategy, for both small and large organisations. This section will focus on franchising in the UK; this information will be then compared to the case studies. Organisational strategy is the pattern of decisions that determines and reveals to stakeholders the organisations intent; this is achieved through their objectives, purposes, and goals. The organisation identifies where they strategically want to be, and introduces policies and procedures which put in place to achieve these goals. When the strategy is formulated, it will allocate the resources based on its relative internal competencies and shortcomings, and predictable changes in the environment. Strategies are developed at the top level of management, with instructions to the lower levels of management to implement them. Johnson Scholes (1997) concluded â€Å"strategic intent is the desired future state of the organisation†¦which seeks to focus the energies of the members of the organisation (Johnson J Scholes K 1997:15). All organisations require strategic plans to move them forward; some are needed to overcome specific problems within the organisation or the market place. These are long term management decisions that are aimed to place the organisation where the members have decide will be the most strategic place for them. It is the matching of the organisation to the environment; this will lead to â€Å"strategic fit† This is the ideal environment for the organisation to operate within (Reader, A 1998). Managerial decisions are made to identify what is required to implement the new strategy. Are new resources are required? I.e. property, finance or employees, then the risk should be assessed for its long-term value to the organisation. Strategies should not only be considered on how they will affect existing resource capabilities, but also if needed new resources and how they will be controlled. The costs to the organisation should be weighed against the long-term gains, and if needed it can be reviewed, accessed and amended accordingly (G, Johnson K, Scholes, 1997). Therefore strategic decisions will affect the operational level of an organisation, which needs to be in tune with long term goals of the organisation. This factor is important in decision-making; firstly if the operational level is not in line with the strategic level this can cause conflict and jeopardise the strategy, secondly it is at the operational of an organisation that the real strategy is achieved. Procedures and policies should be constantly reviewed, to ensure correct implementation of the strategy (G, Johnson K, Scholes, 1997). Strategy is the direction and scope of an organisation over the long term: which achieves advantage for the organisation through its configuration of resources within a changing environment, to meet needs of the markets and fulfil stakeholder expectations. The strategy answers both the questions where do you want to go? and how do you want to get there? The first question is answered when the goals are set; the second is answered when the strategies are planned. The traditional approach basically focused on the first question although equal importance should be given to both questions. Incorrect or too few resources is a major factor of failure for an organisation’s strategy (Mullins L 2005). A portfolio analysis will review the current position of the organisations products within the chosen markets. Ansoff (1987) developed a product growth matrix, which reviews current products and their markets; this will also highlight new markets that entry to can be considered. Ansoff considered reviewing the portfolio â€Å"as only one part of the equation for a successful strategy† To formulate a successful strategy more than one review of their current position will clearly identify any problematic areas. The greater the information gathered the greater the chance of success of a new strategy (Ansoff (1987) cited in Groucutt, J. et al 2004:212). Organisations need to continually review their strategic position, and then decide how and when to grow. Robbins (1995) defined growth (expansion) as improvement in operation of an organisation, including in general measurements, such as more revenue, increase staffing and market share. Growth can be achieved by direct expansion, mergers with similar firms, franchising or diversification (Robbins, S 1995). The traditional growth moves for organisations are acquisitions, mergers, international expansion, or price increases, these it is argued have largely run out of steam. Therefore for most organisations pursuing new growth opportunities should be the number-one priority. Growth moves fall along a spectrum, ranging from traditional product innovation ie. improving features and brand extensions to longer-term strategies such as taking core capabilities to new markets. Managing new growth requires an active feedback loop of constantly monitoring the progress of each initiative, its changing probability of success, and its shifting risk profile (Burnes, B. 2000) Mergers and acquisitions were an enormous factor of the 1990s growth, as MA activity grew sevenfold from 1994 to 1999. But acquisitions rarely produce new value and sometimes lead to disaster. International markets, are often viewed as a rich field for growth, in reality they hold little opportunity for future sustained gains in many industries. Markets in Western Europe and Japan are as competitive and mature as in the United States. And emerging markets, are characterized by weak consumer and industrial purchasing power, inefficient distribution channels, and protectionist laws that favour local players (Burnes, B. 2000) Mergers combine two or more companies into a single corporation. In business, a merger is achieved when a company purchases the property of other firms, thus absorbing them into one corporate structure that retains its original identity. This differs from a consolidation, in which several concerns are dissolved in order to form a completely new company, or a takeover, which is a purchase of a company against its will. In a merger the purchaser may make an outright payment in cash or in company stock, or may decide on some other arrangement such as the exchange of bonds. The purchaser then acquires the assets and liabilities of the other firms. When two companies directly competing with each other merge, it is horizontal integration; when suppliers and customers merge, the process is vertical integration (Johnson, G Scholes J 2004). Growth through price increases worked over the past decade in industries such as airlines, chemicals, financial services, and consumer products, as underlying demand was bolstered by the 1990s economic expansion. But in all of these industries, companies have run out of room to push through reflexive price increases as demand has slackened and competition has intensified (Johnson, G Scholes J 2004). For a small set of companies new growth is not an immediate concern, as their current growth strategies remain robust. But for most organisations pursuing new growth opportunities is the number-one priority. Today most products, even complex ones such as PCs or airplanes, are largely undifferentiated in terms of performance; so improved product functionality offers little. Fortunately, in most industries a wide range of higher-order customer needs is go unmet. These needs involve the broader economic issues surrounding the product rather than the strictly functional needs met by the product itself (Burnes, B. 2000). Growth moves fall along a spectrum of categories, ranging from traditional product innovation moves such as improving features and brand extensions to longer-term strategies such as taking core capabilities to new markets. Most companies tend to over-invest in areas they are familiar with and have well-established processes and systems (Johnson, G Scholes J 2004). Over the past two decades, the franchising industry has experienced a phase of renewed expansion and continued growth, the advent of new forms of franchising has further added to this growth. Globalisation accounted for much of franchising expansion between the 1960s and the 1980s, new industry segments, such as funeral homes and car repair garages, have been adopting franchising as a means to conduct business based on its standardisation promise. The expansion of older industry segments into non-traditional sites, such as airports, colleges, and hospitals, has allowed for another push in the growth of franchise systems. Through all of these developments, a major portion of the more recent growth can be attributed to the emergence of franchise owners who own more than the traditional single outlet (Grà ¼nhagen, M and Dorsch, M 2003). Brands A valuable asset to all organisations, is the brand name of the product, this is then a vital component when franchising. Kotler (2000) described a brand as a â€Å"name, term, symbol, or design (or a combination of them) which is intended to signify the goods or services of the seller or groups of sellers and to differentiate them from those of the competitors† (Kotler (2000) cited in Groucutt, J et al 2004:275). The brand is part of the products tangible features, it is the verbal and physical clues that help the consumer identify what they want and to influence choice (Groucutt, J et al 2004). The actual word â€Å"brand† is derived from a Norse word which means to â€Å"burn†. It is assumed that this means to imprint ideas or symbols on a product. This then gives the product identification and leaves a lasting mark on the consumer (Groucutt, J et al 2004). Because product features are easily imitated brands have been considered a marketers major tool for creating product differentiation. Even when differentiation based on product characteristics is possible, often consumers do not feel motivated or able to analyse them in adequate depth. Therefore the combination of brand name and brand significance has become a core competitive asset in an ever-growing number of contexts. Brands incite beliefs, evoke emotions and prompt behaviours (Aaker, D. (1991) cited in Kotler, P Gertner, D. 2002:249). Once a brand is established it requires nurturing, to bring out the full potential and add value to the organisation. Kashani (1999) believes that powerful brands are built over time through a conscious management effort. This is achieved through strategic decision-making and appropriate actions. All brands â€Å"need to be based on values and attributes that are permanent and, purposeful and fundamental to its strategy† (Kashani (1999) cited in Groucutt, J et al 2004:285). Therefore by creating such values in an organisation it will provide direction and a future for the brand. A brand with strong â€Å"brand equity† is a valuable asset to an organisation. This asset is difficult to measure; although it has emerged as key strategic asset. A powerful brand enjoys a high level of consumer awareness and loyalty, with the organisation benefiting from lower marketing costs relative to revenues. Consumers expect more outlets to carry strong brands; therefore the organisation has more leverage when bargaining with retailers. This all adds to the â€Å"brands equity†, which needs to be managed by the organisation (Kotler, P. et al 2005). This brand asset management is a concept that is closely related to positioning, since certain brands are central to a companys current and future performance. They need to be managed, enhanced and protected as assets. This allows brand names like Coca-Cola, Sony, Intel and Disney to extend into new product categories, and produce product variants and services (Kotler, P. 2004). What is Franchising? The term franchising has been used to describe many different forms of business relationships, including licensing, distributor and agency arrangements. The more popular use of the term has arisen from the development of what is called business format franchising. Business format franchising is the granting of a license by one person (the franchisor) to another (the franchisee), which entitles the franchisee to trade under the trade mark/trade name of the franchisor and to make use of an entire package, comprising all the elements necessary to establish a previously untrained person in the business and to run it with continual assistance on a pre determined basis (Kotler, P, et al 2005). The principle is simple; some companies choose to grow, not by developing in the conventional way, but by granting a license to others to sell their product or service. There are clear advantages to this, the market is tested, and larger well-established franchise operations will have national advertising campaigns and a solid trading name Some franchisors can also help secure funding and discounted bulk buy supplies for outlets when you are in operation (Price, S. 1997). Each business outlet is owned and operated by the franchisee; however, the franchisor retains control over the way in which products and services that are marketed and sold, and controls the quality and standards of the business. The franchisor will receive an initial fee from the franchisee, payable at the outset, together with on-going management service fees, usually based on a percentage of annual turnover or mark-ups on supplies. In return, the franchisor has an obligation to support the franchise network, notably with training, product development, advertising, promotional activities and with a specialist range of management services (Kotler, P, et al 2005). Franchising is essentially the permission given by one person, the franchisor, to another person, the franchisee, to use the franchisors trade name, trade marks and business system, in return for an initial payment and further regular payments. In a UK franchise industry currently worth  £9.1 billion and comprising 718 franchised units (Nat West UK British Franchise Association Annual Survey of Franchising 2004). In relation to any other small business, franchising has proved to be successful, with 96% of units still operating profitable businesses 5 years down the line. Only 66% of small firms survive the first 3 years (Small Business Service Report 2005). There is (some) evidence to suggest that franchises are less likely to fail than other types of small business organisations (Small Business Service Report 2005). A franchise is defined as a long-term, continuing business relationship in which for a consideration, the franchisor grants to the franchisee a licensed right, subject to agreed requirements and restrictions, to conduct business utilising the trade and/or service marks of the franchisor and also provides to the franchisee advice and assistance in organising, merchandising, and managing the business conducted to the licensee (Price, S. 1997). The franchisor develops a special product, service, or system and gains national recognition. The franchisor then grants a right or license to small, independent businessmen throughout the country to merchandise this service or product under the national trademark and in accordance with a proven, successful format. This increases the franchisors exposure for more national business and gives the franchisee a greater chance for success in a given field with a smaller amount of capital investment (Price, S. 1997) Code of Ethics for Franchising The UK Code of Ethical Conduct in franchising takes as its foundation the Code developed by the European Franchise Federation. In adopting the Code, the Federation recognised that national requirements may necessitate certain other clauses or provisions and delegated responsibility for the presentation and implementation of the Code in their own country to individual member National Franchise Associations. The Extension and Interpretation, which follows the European Code, has been adopted by the British Franchise Association, and agreed by the European Franchise Federation, for the application of the European Code of Ethics for Franchising by the British Franchise Association within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (www.thebfa.org). The European Franchise Federation, EFF, was constituted on 23rd September 1972. Its members are national franchise associations or federations established in Europe. The EFF also accepts affiliates, i.e. non-European franchise associations or federations, and other professional persons, interested in or concerned with franchising. Affiliates have no voting rights and cannot be appointed officers of the EFF (www.thebfa.org). The EFF also comprises a Legal Committee, composed of two lawyers from each national member association or federation and highly qualified in franchise matters. The EFF has, furthermore, installed a Franchise Arbitration Committee, which is at the disposal of parties preferring to submit their disputes to the latters determination. The evolution and the ever-growing importance of franchising in the EC economy as well as the EC Block Exemption Regulation for franchise agreements, entered into force on 1st February 1989, prompted the EFF to revise its existing Code of Ethics (www.thebfa.org). The motives differ between small and large organisations when they are using franchising for growth. Franchising is fast becoming one of the most popular entry mode strategies for international retail companies when moving into international markets. Though initially slow to respond to this practical phenomenon occurring in the international retailing domain, the academic community has also been gradually turning its attention to the nature of international franchising, in the context of retailer internationalisation (Quinn, B Alexander N 2002). Despite this increase in the practical use of franchising, academic attention has only recently been afforded to the nature of international franchising in the context of retailer internationalisation. Control is an issue of serious concern for international franchise companies. It is becoming a particularly important issue for international organisations as they continue to employ franchising as a mode of expansion in internationally diverse economies, and in locations geographically distant from the home market (Quinn, D Doherty A 2000). In terms of market entry mode strategies available to international retail companies, franchising has proved an increasingly popular mode of operation in recent times (Burt, 1993 cited in Quinn, D Doherty A 2000) Franchising has historically been a favoured mode of expansion among service sector companies, particularly the fast food restaurant business. However, a diverse range of retail companies has become aware of the advantages for international expansion, which the franchise strategy may bring. Therefore, the strategy has been adopted not only by niche retailers, for example, Benetton, Body Shop and Yves Rocher, but also other retailers such as Casino (France), GIB (Belgium) and UK variety stores Marks Spencer and BhS, where it has been employed as only one of a range of entry strategies (Quinn, D Doherty A 2000). Studies have identified how complex the expansion practiced in small busines is and how it can strategically gain a competitive advantage over a competitor. Although these studies have also conluded that expansion is often seen as peripheral to some small firms requirements. Research has found some small businesses use sophisticated marketing strategies and others use no form marketing (Klemz, B and Boshoff, C 2001) The small firm has always been viewed as the budding large firm, and Alfred Marshalls analogy of the young plant in the nursery seedbed is applicable today as it was in the nineteenth century, of course most of these tender young shoots are destined not to survive. Marketing of products and service can develop the business, increasing turnover and profit (Alfred Marshall cited in Day J 2000). Smaller firms share a number of characteristics differentiating them from larger organisations, that lead to marketing problems. These include, limited customer base, limited activity, fewere resourcrs, owner/managers marketing competency, no formalised planning and evolutionary marketing, and, innovation, niches and gaps. The relationship and affinity that many SME owners/managers have with their customer base has frequently been cited as an advantage. It is considered that the best strategy a small business can adopt is to fully appreciate and exploit any existing customer base, prior to attempting an expansion of this base (Klemz, B and Boshoff, C 2001) One argument with marketing in SME,s is that it differs from the larger organisation, it requires more intuitiveness, creativeness, networking is of higher importance and more about operating under extreme time pressure. Day J (2000) stated, â€Å"Encouraging small firms to act both intuitively and flexibly is not tantamount to condoning sloppy and careless thinking, nor equally, is it an excuse to impose rigid and conservative business school models on them† Therefore the smaller businesses require their own models to be based on (Day. J. 2000:1036) For these SME’s to reach international achievement, they not only have the appropriate product and strategy, but the decision makers must have the appropriate attitudes as well (Calof, 1994). It is these attitudes that determine how decision makers perceive the benefits, costs and risks of internationalisation (Calof (1994) cited in Chetty, S and Campbell-hunt.C 2003). These attitudes that will shape international decisions are based on the decision-makers past experiences (Chetty, S Campbell-hunt. C. 2003) Resources or the allocation of resources are a key factor to the success of any marketing strategy. There are a number of different theorisations of processes of development in a firms international operations. Cavusgil and Nevin, (1981) considered â€Å"internationalisation to be a gradual, sequential process through different stages, with the firm increasing its commitment to international operations as it proceeded through each stage† The most often used model is the Uppsala process model. It emphasises learning by focusing on market knowledge and commitment. To minimise risk and overcome uncertainty, it says that firms internationalise in a step-by-step process. As firms gain market knowledge they commit more resources to the market (Cavusgil and Nevin, (1981) cited in Chetty, S and Campbell-hunt,

The Value of Roots :: Poem Poetry Poetic Poems Essays

The Value of Roots The era of the American Revolution was a time of great nationalism, hope, and unity. People who were once only colonists were now citizens of a new and exciting nation. As the years wore on, however, the citizens of the United States were faced with the reality of building a country. The nation strove to find a place for itself, to become secure against the power of the rest of the world. Industry grew along with the population, but what the new country gained in strength it lost in spirit. Regional tensions emerged as well as burning political issues. In the aftermath of the civil war the still young nation attempted to regain this nationalism that was once the strength of the country. One area this attempt was prominent in was literature. Two poets specifically sought to find a national mythology by examining what American's value and why it is necessary to pass it on through tradition. The poems by John Greenleaf Whittier and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow are a call for preserving th e roots found in the land of America and in the heart of an American. Longfellow's "Hiawatha" presents the image of an Indian chant about the traditions, history and beauty inherent in nature. The narrator explains how the birds, trees, mountains and rivers all hold stories of the past. Should you ask where Nawadaha Found these songs so wild and wayward, Found these legends and traditions, I should answer, I should tell you, "In the bird's-nests of the forest, In the lodges of the beaver, In the hoof-prints of the bison, In the eyry of the eagle! But most importantly the narrator encourages the reader to seek out one important story, the song of Hiawatha. Why is this song of Hiawatha so crucial, the reader might ask. The narrator replies: Sang the Song of Hiawatha, Sang his wondrous birth and being, How he prayed and how he fasted, How he loved, and toiled, and suffered, That the tribes of men might prosper, That he might advance his people!" The importance of the past is proclaimed here. One should never forget those that came before him to pave the way. Not only should one not forget but one should learn from it and use the knowledge gained to push into the future. Listen to this simple story, To this Song of Hiawatha!... For a while to muse, and ponder On a half effaced inscription... Full of all the tender pathos Of the here and the Hereafter;-

Loves Faults :: Essays Papers

Loves Faults The novel, Mother Tongue, is a great example of the misuse of love today. The author, Demetria Martinez, tells the tale of a woman that falls in love with a Salvadoreà ±o refugee. Josà © Luis is a soldier in the Salvadorian army that flees to the United States where he begins a love affair with a young woman, Mary. From my prospective, the emotions they shared were not of love, but rather emotions that arose from false pretenses. Like so many relation-ships in our society today, the word love is taken for granted. Relationships are embarked upon without consideration of the repercussions. Divorce rates are a great example how relationships are not being started for the right reasons. Love is abused because of humans' innate desire to love, uncontrollable feeling to search for it, and be loved despite their failure to develop the necessary foundations for true love. The yearning for affection is one of life's greatest mysteries. This longing has led to many misconceptions of love. The greatest factor in the delusion of love is lust; often the emotions that arise from eroticism are mistaken for the true euphoric experience that is true love. Another factor that contributes to false love is loneliness, which is a feeling that all people know and avoid tremendously. As in Mary's case, her judgement was clouded by her misinterpretation of what she believed to be love. Mary was unable to realize that what appeared to be love was not truly love, " I courted disaster, set out to love a man I knew full well would go away." (Pg. 27) The combination of lust, loneliness, and Mary's undying need for love that created a rude awakening for her. Mankind's intense yearning for love leads him to what seems to be an unending search for it. Man spends too much time searching for love; but not fully understanding its purpose. Love is a gift from one person to another, and thus it has the ability to posses many different meanings. Often, in search of love people fall into the trap of trying to alter love to suit personal fantasies of what it should be. Frequently spending their time convincing themselves of what they can change about the other, instead of how they can work to accept them. "I was one of those women whose fate is to take a war out of a man, or at least imagine she is doing so.

Popular Girls Essay

â€Å"Popular girls† is a short story from 2001 by Karen Shephard. She is born and raised in New York and her work has been published in several papers. The short-story sets in the early 80’s where we get some insight in the life of five rich and popular girls. They are self-centered and don’t have the slightest interest in other people. Their entire life is about maintaining their image as a group. The setting is New York, which is the riches city in the US. The city is also known as The big Apple and The city that never sleeps. This reflects in the mentality of these girls. They do speed, and not weed, because they want to get through school as fast as possible. They want to live life in the fast-lane and do extravagant things. Every paragraph of the text concerns some aspect of their life described in details. Every little thing about their life is mentioned. Their life and how they live it, is basically written as some kind of guidebook to popularity. A very important part of this popularity is the labels and the famous places of New York. This just underlines the superficiality of these girls’ lives. Throughout the entire text, the narrator addresses the reader. The narrator seems to be a †us† and a †we†. Somehow it is someone within the group of girls narrating or the entire group as one single unit addressing the reader. By saying things like †You know who we are†(p.1 l.1) and †You can’t get enough of us† makes it very clear, that they are aware of their status. It can also be a way of reaching out to the reader and making the reader remember how school was in the 80’s. Many people could have certain girls in their mind when reading this short story. Even from the very first sentence. The attitude of the text is a bit provoking. The first sentence is also a good example of this. By continuously addressing the reader, it keeps on having the effect of them being superior to not just other people, but you. As if you were actually there at the time. It is very clear that the narrator is focused on the †us† an d †you† and †them†. The popular girls against the rest of the world. You can’t be a part of their clique, but you can be a †friend† of the clique. This can be seen physically by their moat of backpack’s (p.1 l.22).Their other friends can sit on the other side of their moat, but cannot be let in. These girls only focus on their appearance  and of how other people perceive them. They don’t exactly worry about these things, but it constitutes their entire life. Where they go, where they sit, how they sit, it has to be the right way. They are not interested in other people and neither are they in each other,†You’re crying† we say, pointing.†(p.7 l.169) as if this is just a mere fact and they how no idea of how to act upon this. They only like the idea of themselves as a group of perfect friends, which is exactly what they are doing by saying †It’s a performance of us, the group of us† (p.6 l.147) and †Look at you, we are sa ying. Look at you. We are happy together, part of something and not alone, and we celebrate that out loud.†(p.149-151) their entire life is a performance of themselves and the performance of the fact that they are not alone. Perhaps they do feel alone in a life of rich parents that bring back dolls and pearls from business trips for their collection. There is a conflation of identities between these girls as they don’t work as individuals, but just as a group. This is made clear on page 2 line 58. †We walk in the formation of migrating geese.† Here the author uses humor/irony to emphasize the slight silliness of the group when comparing them to poultry. They are basically a herd of animals dependent of each other. Even though they define themselves as a group, Stephanie seems to be the leader, as she is described as a slightly more individual person: †We’re Kaethe and Alina, CJ and Sydney. Stephanie.†(p.1, l.1) here she is singled out as their frontline figur e. Stephanie is the tallest and also in the center of their †geese-formation†. She also dictates the idea of wearing these special rings, which they all obey. The girls have this special bond that consists of a strong †friendship†, but probably because they can’t see a way out. Without the rest of the pack, they would feel hopeless. None of them dares to leave anyone behind. The ending is a picture of their †friendship† whilst they perform as a group, they also make a performance for each other. No one knows them, not even their family and not even their own clique. They put on a performance of their popularity, even for their friends. Somehow, without words, they push each other to do things that are considered â€Å"cool†. But none of them knows when to stop. â€Å"Whatever happens will be performed in front of the group. We ask ourselves weather we can actually do this; (†¦)We are uneasy. Nothing about this whole thing will be graceful. No one is leaving†(p.8 l.198-201) none of the girls wants to be the one  chickening-out, no one want’s to be the one leaving the rest behind. Leaving now would be a kind of betrayal or a sign of weakness. Their obsession of being popular and someone important is a postmodern theme, also seen in: †Not yet, Jayette† by William Boyd from 1981. Although he does not reach this purpose, he has the same goals and views of life as these popular girls. None of them will ever feel complete, with or without these materialistic things.

Marketing Draft: Les Mills Essay

Introduction: The Olympian â€Å"Les Mills† first opened the gym in 1968 and has been expanding its branches ever since including its Wellington branch in 1982, the gym I am focusing on (Les Mills, n.d). Les Mills is a one-stop comprehensive and full service gym located in Wellington. It offers facilities assisting in attaining active and healthy lifestyles through its extensive services. Mission Statement: Les Mills is a business providing a service with the goal of helping its consumers lead healthy and active lifestyles in central locations in Wellington. Market Analysis: Market Environment: The market is a considerable size in Wellington. Gyms like Jetts and City Fitness are key contributors to that size. Gyms vary in size and what they offer, they may be gender exclusive gyms, small stand alone gyms, large chain gyms, outdoor based training, and so on. Trends in the market consist of; attentive staff with relevant qualifications and a range of services within the gym (personal training, classes, good equipment). Customers within the market are in the â€Å"age of obesity† and generally concerned with â€Å"weight loss, muscle toning cardiovascular fitness, stress management and injury prevention/rehabilitation,† (The New Zealand Institute of Health and Fitness (March 2009). External Environment: Les Mills has many competitors as all gyms offer many of the same things. However all differ in internal features to set themselves apart from their competitors to target certain markets. Les Mills competitors are gyms like Jetts and City Fitness, and extend beyond gyms alone but also businesses which offer fitness, health and weight loss services, such as paddleboarding companies, Bikram Yoga and Jenny Craig. Internal Environment: Les Mills offers a strong motivational culture, this is important in gyms, to motivate their costumer in achieving their goals. Les  Mills staff are all well trained, personable people who create a motivational culture within the gym. They also offer the facility of personal training, Les Mills also offers a very wide range of equipment and workout machinery, as well as running classes. Competitive analysis: The gym market is an oligopoly-structured market. It consists of many small and large gyms. Gyms generally charge similar amounts for their services but price competition and calling can occur to gain customers over their competitors. Jetts and City Fitness charge less for memberships, however they attrac3t mostly to students or adults with lower incomes as they charge a more affordable fee. MACRO Environment analysis: Economic: Sociocultural Technological Gyms, like majority of businesses were and are affected by the post 2007 recession, which changed consumer-spending patterns. Les Mills had to factor that into its membership cost and how to market itself. Demographics impact Les Mills. Its locations need to be close to their target market. It seats customers who have disposable income to spend on membership costs. Due to the age of obesity there is increasing importance on fitness and health. This is predicted to become more trend in the future. Technological Environment: The Internet has changed the face and conduct of business. Les Mills has adapted to this by creating a website. The technological environment is not highly influential as they are a location-based service, but it is important in terms of communicating with their customers. TOWS: (Heinz Weihrich (n.d).) Threats: Opportunities: Economic struggle/recession: The 2007 economic recession lead to a decrease in its customers. Prior to the crash they had more disposable income. New Entrants: New entrants with innovative ideas extending beyond Les Mills  services is a threat to membership levels, and impact upon profit. Expanding target market: Les Mills could branch out to consumers who otherwise workout in the outdoors. Introducing Nutrition as a core aspect of the services offered. This would give it a competitive edge against competitors, as well as competing against weight loss competitors such as Jenny Craig. Strengths: Weaknesses: Good reputation: Les Mills is a well known, reputable and trusted. It has been operating since 1968. This allows for word of mouth among consumers. Innovative culture: Les Mils innovative marketing ideas such as, popular fitness classes and 24-hour services has set them apart from competitors and allowing them to charge more for memberships. Location: They are locate near customers generally working in corporate fields who can afford to pay higher subscriptions for convenience in city centers. Cost of running services: The classes Les Mills run are costly, as they need to supply the facilities, equipment, and trainers to run them. (Heinz Weihrich (n.d).) Target Market: Les Mills Target Market consists primarily of those in established jobs who have the additional disposable income to spend on a gym membership, typically priced higher than most other gyms. Recommendations: Les Mills could increase its membership levels by attracting a wider base of consumers, perhaps those whose interests lie in fitness but don’t like always being confined to a gym, who enjoy getting outdoors. A marketing idea that introduces a weekly activity such as Standup Paddle Boarding sessions where they take groups of people out on the water each week. The advantage of this is that it attracts customers interested in trying something new, as well as ones who have experience in it. It also strengthens their sense of community and culture in the gym because paddle boarding as a team is a social way to exercise, as opposed to running on a treadmill for example. Reference List: Heinz Weihrich (n.d). The TOWS Matrix— A Tool For Situational Analysis. Retrieved from http://www.usfca.edu/fac_staff/weihrichh/docs/tows.pdf MPlans (n.d) Health Fitness Marketing Plan. Retrieved from http://www.mplans.com/health_fitness_marketing_plan/situation_analysis_fc.php Andrew Weber.(n.d) Fitness Industry Analysis 2014 – Cost & Trends. Retrieved from https://www.franchisehelp.com/industry-reports/fitness-industry-report/ The New Zealand Institute of Health and Fitness. (May 2009). A profile on the New Zealand fitness industry (article). Retrieved From http://www.nzihf.co.nz/media-resources-1/articles/a-profile-of-the-new-zealand-fitness-industry Les Mills (n.d) Welcome to Les Mills. Retrieved from http://www.lesmills.co.nz/join-us/?club=1836&plan=fbabd202-741e-df11-9eaa-0050568522bb,c3280ab8-741e-df11-9eaa-0050568522bb

Mastery in skills of the five senses Essay

This writer believes all children need mastery in skills of the five senses. For this purpose, preschool age children will be taught how to make a peanut butter sandwich. The lesson will be presented in a sequential relationship. Materials to be used are: spoon, bread, peanut butter, and wax paper. This lesson will take place in the â€Å"kitchen† section of the classroom. The lesson will begin with a question as to how many of the children like peanut butter sandwiches. If there are children who do not like it, they will still participate in the lesson and not eat the sandwich. If a child is allergic, they will be individually taught on how to make another sandwich utilizing the same amount of tasks, and basic procedure. The class will then be split into pairs, because there is a ratio of 4:1, children can be easily supervised. The teacher will present a lesson on how to make the sandwich, from getting the spoon out of the drawer, to wrapping the sandwich in wax paper. After the teacher has â€Å"taught† the lesson, the children will then have to attempt to master the skill. They will work in pairs to help each other figure it out, and they will have to learn how to get along as there will be few to spoons. Staff will be required to assist children with spreading of the peanut butter or wrapping it in the paper. However, after the lesson is presented to the class, the children will work independently, each one responsible for the sandwich. The lesson: the teacher will gather the children in the kitchen area of the classroom. The teacher will then list and describe all the materials needed. Speaking out loud, the teacher will say exactly what they are doing, while the children are watching (i. e. taking a spoon out of the drawer, opening the jar of peanut butter, bread, spreading, and wrapping). The teacher will then state that there are only enough spoons for half the class and they will have to share. Once every child has made a sandwich, the teacher will lead the class outside to eat their sandwiches along with bananas. The teacher will instruct the whole class on how to use bananas with the sandwich by instructing how to mash the banana by using the peel. In order to gauge mastery of the lesson, staff will observe two pairs each (four children). The staff will have a check sheet for all tasks involved in the lesson. If a child fails at a task, the staff will point put the missed step and ask the child to repeat it. However, if a child is unable to spread the peanut butter but demonstrates motivation, staff will assist without marking the sheet. Since the whole class will be tested on mastery of skill, the teacher will ask the children to make a peanut butter sandwich for lunch about once a month. In addition, the teacher will introduce new ingredients, such as apples, celery, and fluff to further motivate the children to share, to learn the foundations of non-heat cooking, and to instill self-confidence in the children as they master each skill. By using a task oriented lesson, presented logically and step by step, the teacher is ensuring that each child masters the making of a simple sandwich independently.

Austerity Measures of European Governments Essay - 1

Austerity Measures of European Governments - Essay Example As a result, it caused several problems which it was intended to resolve. With political motivations, governments of the Euro zone have developed austerity measures to demonstrate their discipline to their creditors and credit rating agencies. The governments essentially targeted government spending to reduce their budget deficits because they were directly affected by the sovereign debt crisis which made their budget deficits relative to GDP to soar significantly (Traynor and Katie Allen 2010). Therefore, the austerity measures were focused on the government, although it had significant effects on all sectors of the economy in the affected countries. Increase of taxes as part of the austerity measures is also intended for the citizens, businesses and companies of those countries. In this case, the people and businesses in the country were made to pay for the government deficit. This increased the problems of the Euro zone rather than reducing or solving them. In 2010-2011 when the a usterity measures were used, all European countries except Germany experienced an increased in public debt to GDP ratio. For instance, the public debt of Greece increased from 143% in 2010 to 165% in 2011 (Eurostat 2013). This indicates that as the budget deficits declined, the GDP growth was not sufficient to support the rising ratio of debt-to- GDP. The reason why austerity measures failed in the Euro zone is because the problems of sovereign debt crisis after the 2008 financial crisis were not caused by policy choices. Following the 2008 crisis, private sector retrenchment occurred and capital account surpluses increased. However, the austerity measures did not target these sectors. Instead, it aimed at the government; hence becoming counterproductive (Blyth 2013).