Tuesday, January 28, 2020

The bad advice

The bad advice The thirty-fourth president of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower, famously stated, You do not lead by hitting people over the head thats assault not leadership. Although, in modern times this statement may seem quite logical, it is interesting to note that in todays world there are still nations that are lead by power hungry politicians who have no interest in the well being of the people that dwell in their impoverished nations. These dictators main leadership tactic is simple: they rule by injecting fear into the masses. The Prince, written by Machiavelli, explores the complicated world of leaders and in the end comes to its main argument that says, it is much more safe to be feared than to be loved, when you have to choose between the two. (Machiavelli, The Prince) While in many cases this may be true, it shouldnt be overlooked that Machiavelli wrote this work hundreds of years ago and as Bob Dylan had so perfectly put it, The times they are a-changin. With modern advanceme nts and the whole world trying to push itself in a new direction, Machiavellis ideas may now become out-dated and flawed. Machiavelli believes that if a leader is loved too much, this allows for the people to have too much power which eventually will result in revolt. Nevertheless, in todays world where democracy in many nations is the norm, being loved by the people has more benefits than being feared; by analyzing recent history one will be able to prove that leading with a more open mind is significantly better then leading people through fear. When referring to the word peace, a few instant political figures come to mind and one of these people is none other than Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Not only was Gandhi the political leader of his native nation India during the Independence Movement, but he was also regarded as the spiritual leader. His famous nonviolence practices had inspired independence movements not only in India but in countries all over the world. Gandhi is hailed to be Father of India and his leading practices did not involve any form of force or violence. Instead of using his fist, Gandhi would use his calm personality and persuasive public speaking techniques in order to win over the hearts of the people and lead a nation that was on the course of total destruction to salvation. Machiavelli urged that a leader should have some sort of physical control over the people, but little did he know that hundreds of years later a man by the name of Gandhi would completely shatter the foundations of former leading p rinciples. Gandhi, had famously stated, When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall- think of it, always. This inspirational quote proves that societies created by tyrants will eventually crumble and democracy and peace will forever prosper. In addition, Gandhi was not the first person to introduce the theory of non-violence but he was the first to practice it on such a large scale. By advocating non-violence Gandhi directly contradicts Machiavellis beliefs through the following quote: The science of war leads one to dictatorship, pure and simple. The science of non-violence alone can lead one to pure democracyPower based on love is thousand times more effective and permanent than power derived from fear of punishment.It is a blasphemy to say non-violence can be practiced only by individuals and never by nations which are composed of individuals. Gandhi message to the world is clear and simple: love and peace are far stronger and more effective then fear. Although, Machiavelli wrote in a completely different time period it is clear how Gandhi disproves his theories. (Http://www.mkgandhi-sarvodaya.org/bio_5000/bio5.htm.) If there was a man that was the complete anti- Christ of Gandhi that man would have been named Kim Jong-Il. Kim Jong-Il is the dictator of North Korea which was a country that was founded by his father in 1994. Although, his image inside the North Korean borders may be depicted as saintly, in reality it is the fear of the people he leads that actually give him his prestigious status. Many North Koreans officially refer to him as Great Leader, but if they werent pressured by his tyrannical rule they would most likely come up with different names for him; some of which would not be as pleasant as the name he holds now. Due to his strong grasp and negative influence he holds over his people, his country will never be able to prosper like many powerful democracies around the world. If one were to take a look at some of the most powerful modern nations they would realize that all of them are held together by a strong democratic backbone. The only nation in the modern era that seemed to pr osper even though it was ruled by a dictator was the Soviet Union, but like Gandhi had predicted it eventually collapsed just like all the other tyrannies that came before it. Once again, Machiavellis advice seems to have many flaws if it were to be used in the modern world. Kim Jong-Il is tirelessly trying to create a more powerful nation but is failing to do so because of his corrupt leading techniques. (http://asianhistory.about.com/od/profilesofasianleaders/p/BioKimJongil.htm) Machiavelli had mentioned that a leader can either implement harsh rule or be loved by the people but most likely he cannot be both, however the former ruler of China, Mao Zedong, may have disproved this theory. Mao Zedong was a Chinese revolutionary and at the same time communist leader. With any communist nation, harsh rule and strict policy is a given which makes it difficult for a communist leader to be popular with the people, but Mao Zedong somehow was able to be adored by his followers. To this day Mao is regarded in China as an incredible revolutionary, political mastermind, military genius and overall the savior of China. Many people give Mao credit for taking Chinas mainly agricultural society and transforming it into the economic powerhouse that is today. Although, many people praise him for his revolutionary genius, Mao didnt achieve all his accomplishments through the love of the people. He was in fact still a dictator more interested in the prosperity of his nation rath er than the prosperity of his people. Mao had implemented several political policies and purges which were now estimated to have caused the deaths of roughly sixty million people. Nevertheless, most Chinese people still hailed them as their hero because without him China would have ended up much worse without him. Mao again illustrates how Machiavellis advice does not apply to the modern world. (http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/mao/) Many different leaders have their own leading styles, but what most modern and successful leaders have in common is that they lead democratic countries where the voice of the people is heard. Of course, there will always be exceptions to the norm such as Mao Zedong, but even he doesnt follow Machiavellis advice. All three figures presented in the earlier paragraphs disprove the idea that Machiavelli created years ago. Works Cited Machiavelli, Niccolo. The Prince. Hertfordshire: Wordsworth Editions, 1997. Http://www.mkgandhi-sarvodaya.org/bio_5000/bio5.htm. MAHATMA GANDHI ONE SPOT COMPLETE INFORMATION WEBSITE. Web. 24 Feb. 2010. . Kim Jong il Biography North Korea. Asian History History of Asia. Web. 23 Feb. 2010. . Reference Archive: Mao Zedong. Marxists Internet Archive. Web. 24 Feb. 2010. .

Monday, January 20, 2020

John Quincy Adams :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lenora Spahn   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  10/7/00 Presidential Outline I. John Quincy Adams   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A. Born- July 11, 1767   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  B. Died- February 23, 1828 II. Background   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A. Educational- Attended Harvard (1785-1787); Studied law under Theophilus Parsons   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   at Newburyport, Mass. (1787-1790); Admitted to the bar, 1790.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  B. Occupational-   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1. Minister to the Netherlands, 1784-1797   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2. Minister to Prussia, 1797-1801   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3. Massachusetts State Senator, 1802   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  4. US Senator (Federalist-Massachusetts), 1803-1808   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  5. Minister to Russia, 1809-1814   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  6. Chief Negotiator of Treaty of Ghent, 1814   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  7. Minister to Great Britain, 1815-1825   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  8. Secretary of State, 1817-1825 (under James Monroe)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   III. Terms Of Office   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A. First Term (1825-1829) IV. Prominent Issues of the Election   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A. Varied degrees of support for a protective tariff   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  B. A federal program of internal improvements V. Opponents   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A. First Term-   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1. Andrew Jackson, Tennessee   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2. William H. Crawford, Georgia   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3. Henry Clay, Kentucky  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   VI. Vice Presidents   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A. First Term- John C. Calhoun, South Carolina VII. Political Party- no party labels used VIII. Domestic Events   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A. John Quincy Adams becomes the 6th President, 1825.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  B. Erie Canal Opens, 1825: links Lake Erie with New York City through the Hudson   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   River.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  C. South Carolina Exposition and Protest, 1828: after an anti-tariff protest was held in   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Columbia, South Carolina, delegates from 13 states convened to urge a tariff rise,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  following the denial of a bill concerning tariff increases, after a tie-breaking vote from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Vice-President Calhoun. IX. Major Foreign Policy   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A. Panama Congress, 1826: Adams supported US participation in the Panama   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Congress; However, southern congressmen who feared the meeting might be used to   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   condemn slavery, as well as Adams’s political opponents delayed the confirmation of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   the US delegates long enough to make it impossible to reach Ranama in time to   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   attend.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  B. Tariff of Abominations, 1828: A high tariff on imported manufactured goods to   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   protect domestic industry. Later prompted Vice President Calhoun to draft the SC   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Exposition condemning the tariff as â€Å"unconstitutional, oppressive, and unjust† and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   claiming the right of a state to nullify such laws.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   X. Major Conflict   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A. The Tariff of Abominations proved Adams's reluctancy to submit to political

Sunday, January 12, 2020

Dairy: Milk and Clover Essay

Clover S. A. (Proprietary) Limited (â€Å"Clover†) is the biggest dairy processor in South Africa with a turnover of R 4. 3 billion and staff in excess of 6 000. Clover collects approximately 30% of South Africa’s milk supply and processes it into well known branded dairy and related products which is then distributed nationally and even exported into certain African countries. In this document, Clover’s external opportunities and threats, and its internal strengths and weaknesses will be evaluated in order to complete the relevant matrices, whereafter the Grand Strategy Matrix will be used to devise appropriate strategies to deal with the key opportunities, threats, strengths and weaknesses Mission and Vision Statements: Clover’s mission (which answers the question â€Å"What is Clover’s business?†) is as follows: â€Å"Clover is a branded foods and beverages group with a strong emphasis on value-added products. Clover’s South African dairy business is the perfect enabler to reach the Group’s widely dispersed customers and consumers. Extraordinary care is taken to develop brands which will occupy the number one or two positions in its chosen segments. It believes in the superior procurement, production, marketing, sales and distribution of these branded consumer goods (BCG) to its loyal consumers. † A review of the mission statement shows that most of the â€Å"9 C’s† (i. e. Customers, Products, Markets, Technology, Concern for survival, Growth and Profitability, Philosophy, Self Concept, Concern for Public Image and Concern for Employees) have been utilised in a short statement. It is suggested that the following of the â€Å"absent† â€Å"9 C’s† be included or elaborated upon in the mission statement Concern for employees; Philosophy. Its vision (which answers the question â€Å"What do we want to become?†) is as follows: â€Å"To be a leading and competitive company in South Africa and selected African countries, reaching every consumer on a daily basis with its most admired branded and trusted products, delivering improved and sustainable shareholder value by being a responsible corporate citizen and preferred employer. † A review of the vision statement shows stronger and more reliance by Clover on its brand than on its products. However, Clover’s vision is most certainly achievable, and in certain aspects one may argue that the vision statement might be outdated. THE EXTERNAL ASSESSMENT Introduction: Broadly, the purpose of an external assessment is to a company’s (in this case Clover’s) opportunities which could benefit it on the one hand, and on the other, threats that should be avoided. Generally, these external â€Å"forces† can be divided into the following categories: Economic forces; Social, cultural, demographic and environmental forces; Political, governmental and legal forces; Technological forces; and Competitive forces. Each of these categories will be discussed briefly, as well as the opportunities and threats will be listed under each heading. Economic Forces: The current and ongoing recession had a negative impact on the company’s interim financial results for the 6 months ending December 2008. More particularly and in the words of Clover’s Chief Executive, Mr JH Vorster, â€Å"a recent international publication on dairy matters stated that the industry faces a perfect storm of destructive economic forces and South Africa and Clover could not escape these forces†. The high unemployment numbers (which increases by the day) have an impact on disposable income, which in turn has an impact on buying behaviour, especially towards branded products (which Clover prides itself on), which as a very general rule carries a price margin. This, however, will continue to pose a problem, and as such, Clover must continue to ride the wave of brand recognition to endeavour to brace itself against the prevailing negative economic forces, which is seen as a huge threat. A further threat is the high number of farmers leaving the trade due to what they generally term â€Å"unaffordability†. Social, Cultural, Demographic and Environmental Forces: Clover believes in personal social uplift, thereby not only donating money in general, but being directly involved in the upliftment. Its flagship upliftment programme, Mama Afrika, currently supports in excess of 10 000 people. Appropriately, Clover views this project along the following lines: â€Å"Clover’s flagship CSI philosophy is underpinned by the principle of sustainability; instead of giving people handouts, it is investing in projects that empower communities and enhance their ability to become self-sufficient in the long term. â€Å"We teach the Mamas how to fish rather than give them the fish. †Ã¢â‚¬  According to Clover, it believes that: â€Å"The company is inextricably part of the community and will therefore, in terms of support and development, accept its social responsibility; Profitability and growth are pre-requisites to fulfill its social responsibility within financial means; The community, primarily has to accept responsibility for its own well-being and will only within means, be supported in this; It creates wealth through company taxes, employee taxes and levies which enable government to establish and maintain essential infrastructure like roads, education and health services; Opportunities for work and prosperity are not only created within the business, but that it, indirectly, contributes to job creation and combating poverty. † It furthermore enforces strict environmental disposal techniques in order to protect the environment. It is therefore that Clover views the Social, Cultural and Demographic Forces as an exciting opportunity. The general deterioration of the environment is naturally a concern for Clover, as some of its biggest assets (i. e. cows) rely on a safe environment. This may therefore be seen as a (general) threat. Political, Governmental and Legal Forces: General: First and foremost, Clover must ensure that the relevant agreements are in place with its retailers, service providers and suppliers. These agreements must also be regularly updated. Legislation: The following legislation will be applicable to Clover (or at least cognisance should be taken of these Acts at all times): The Companies’ Act, 69 of 1973; The Companies’ Act, 71 of 2008 (which will come into operation during 2010); The Consumer Protection Act, 68 of 2008, which provides for, inter alia, promoting a fair, accessible and sustainable marketplace for consumer products; Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2 of 2000, which provides for access to information by individuals and/or entities. Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment Act, 53 of 2003, which provides for, inter alia, increased broad-based and effective participation of black people in the economy; The Competition Act, 89 of 1998, which provides for, inter alia, the investigation, control and evaluation of certain restrictive practices (the amendments passed during 2010 holds grave consequences in for those who do not adhere to the provisions of the Act). It might well be that a company’s knowledge of particular Acts as mentioned above will be an opportunity. Similarly, a company’s ignorance will be a threat to the company. Clover is an established company, has a legal department and therefore its knowledge of the current law and legislation are adequate. Technological Forces: Clover’s relationship with its customers and clients are entirely computer based (â€Å"IT based†). It is therefore of paramount importance that all its IT be updated regularly (and adequately). Although it has an IT department, Clover does not have a manager close enough to the Executive Committee (such as legal and/or Human Resources). This is seen as a weakness. Competitive Forces: As mentioned in the general introduction in 1. 1 above, Clover collects approximately 30% of South Africa’s milk, leaving 70% which is collected by between 200 to 350 other dairies in South Africa. Of these, Parmalat (Pty) Ltd, Woodlands Dairy (Pty) Ltd, Nestle Dairy (Pty) Ltd, Milkwood (Pty) Ltd and Dairybelle (Pty) Ltd are the biggest competitors. It does however depend on the type of products (for instance, Parmalat is the biggest processor of UHT (Ultra High temperature) milk in South Africa) and geographically (for instance, Parmalat is the biggest distributor of milk in the Western Cape). However, the mentioned companies are competitors and competitors are generally a threat. Clover relies on its brand and extensive distribution network to gain the competitive advantage. Some of the smaller competitors are more than likely to fail due to the current economic recession, thereby giving Clover the opportunities in respect of possible acquisitions of growing market share. A further threat is the (sometimes) ease with which competitors may be successful in convincing farmers to change one processor to another. THE EXTERNAL FACTOR EVALUATION (â€Å"EFE†) MATRIX FOR CLOVER: Key External FactorsWeightRatingWeighted Score Opportunities 1. Recession may cause increase in market share0. 0820. 16 2. Social upliftment programme is extremely successful0. 0540. 20 3. Knowledge of applicable legislation and law0. 1030. 3 4. Possible acquisitions of competitors0. 0810. 08 5. Clover has branded products0. 1130. 33 Threats 6. Economic Recession is a great concern0. 2020. 40 7. Farmers leaving the trade0. 0820. 16 8. Agreements not updated regularly enough0. 0540. 20 9. New and amended legislation places enormous pressure on companies0. 0530. 15 10. Continual Environment Deterioration is of concern0. 0340. 12 11. IT department not close enough to management0. 0320. 06 12. Competitors are generally a threat0. 0730. 21 13. Farmers are convinced to leave Clover for its competitors0. 0720. 14 Total1. 002. 51 CONCLUSION: Clover scores an average of 2. 51 out of a possible 4. There is therefore ample room for improvement. THE INTERNAL ASSESSMENT: Introduction: Broadly, the purpose of an internal assessment is to identify and list a company’s internal strengths and weaknesses. Generally, these internal forces by Clover can be divided into the following categories: Management Forces; Marketing Forces; Finance / Accounting Forces; Production / Operations Forces; Research and Development Forces; and Management Information Systems Forces. As with the External Assessment, each of these categories will be cryptically analysed and the strengths and weaknesses will be listed under each heading. Management: Management of Clover has 5 basic activities, namely: Planning; Organising; Motivating; Staffing; and Controlling. Management may be seen as actively planning in order to take the company forward in line with its vision. However, the motivational activity may have taken a turn for the worst, as Clover closed down one of its factories, and is in the process of restructuring and retrenchment. It is therefore submitted that management motivation is, at the moment, a weakness. Apart from the above, the activities of management are attended to adequately and the employees are always encouraged to participate and voice concerns, even directly with management. Marketing: There are 7 basic functions of marketing, namely: Customer analysis; Selling products/services; Product and service planning; Pricing; Distribution; Marketing research; and Opportunity analysis. Clover is well positioned in the market and is a very strong branded company. That being said, its market share has remained stagnant for the past year or two. Clover’s marketing team is very strong, and focuses on the â€Å"new† products, rather than milk. The main product of Clover is thus difficult to market. The view at this stage, is that Clover’s prices of its products are sometimes too high, but the fact remains that Clover is marketing an extremely strong and well known brand. Finance / Accounting : Strengths: Can identify early on future shortfalls in the company and react. Had a positive net profit over last 6 year period. Operating profit was 22. 6% higher than 2007. Property, plant and equipment increased from 2007. Goodwill increased as a result of acquisition of 70% of Mayo Dairy by Clover’s joint venture Danone Clover. Weaknesses: There was a 22. 8% increase internally on operating expenses in 2008 and no mention of plans to combat same. Company suffered tax loss. Interest bearing debt increased. Cash utilisation increased by 26% from 2007. Production / Operations: Clover’s main product (milk) is extremely perishable and as such, Clover succeeds in putting milk, in whatever form, in its packaging within 48 hours after collection thereof from the farmers. This is quite impressive bearing in mind that whilst most of its milk is collected at the coast (KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Caper) most are processed in the Highveld. It is a concern that most of its factories are not close to its source, but Clover is addressing this at the moment. Its quality control is well maintained, and according to Clover, each litre of milk undergoes 55 quality checks before leaving the factory. Research and Development (â€Å"R & D†): Clover survives on â€Å"older† products, but its R & D department is always busy exploring newer and innovative products. It is however difficult to do with a product such as milk. One of its most innovative products in recent years were no fat milk and vanilla milk. Management Information Systems (â€Å"MIS†): It might be argued that Clover’s MIS is not up to scratch. It relies on data from the trade and field. There is no information officer in the company. Information is collected as and when requested and/or needed. INTERNAL FACTOR EVALUATION (â€Å"IFE†) MATRIX FOR CLOVER: Key Internal FactorsWeightRatingWeighted Score Strengths 1. Management’s Planning, organising staff and controlling is good0. 1040. 40 2. Brand is very strong and thus marketing is fairly easy and successful0. 2040. 80 3. Strong marketing team0. 0530. 15 4. Turnover increases year on year for the past 6 years0. 0930. 27 5. Production and operation very strong0. 1140. 44 Weaknesses 6. Management motivation low due to impending restructuring0. 7010. 2 7. Operating expenses rose by 22. 8%0. 0620. 12 8. High turnover but low profit margin (between 7% and 8%)0. 0510. 05 9. Factories too far away from source, thereby increasing production costs0. 0810. 08 10. Product may be seen as old and stagnant, thereby inhibiting R & D0. 0220. 04 11. MIS not adequate0. 0410. 04 Total1. 000. 002. 59 IFE CONCLUSION: Clover score of 2. 59 is above average, therefore indicating average to slightly strong internal position. There is therefore ample room for improvement, but it is not weak internally, which is positive. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT). SWOT analysis is a tool for auditing an organization and its environment. It is the first stage of planning and helps marketers to focus on key issues. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Strengths and weaknesses are internal factors. Opportunities and threats are external factors. Strategies to adopt in improving Clovers mission statement Human resources Applies to all actors along the chain from producers to consumers. Producers: continuing education on breeding, feeding, animal health, the role of institutions and groups. Milk collectors and handlers: training in clean milk processes; payment systems. Milk procurement: organization logistics; environmental issues and concerns; aim is to keep cost as low as possible. Knowledge management Marketing: consumer education and awareness (e. g. school trips to dairies); educate the media so they can help promote milk campaigns; educate health professionals so they know about the benefits. Competitiveness Producing high quality milk at lowest cost; quality is linked to other elements; government can provide loans, artificial insemination, knowledge (training programs); Productivity. Private sector can provide knowledge, consultants, equipment; research and development on new products and technology; nutrition; management (keeping costs low, quality high) Value addition There is a phenomenal scope for innovations in product development, packaging and presentation. Steps should be taken to introduce value-added products like ice creams, flavored milk, dairy sweets, etc. This will lead to a greater presence and flexibility in the market place along with opportunities in the field of brand building. Addition of cultured products like yoghurt and cheese lend further strength – both in terms of utilization of resources and presence in the market place. Export potential Efforts to exploit export potential are already on. Clover should export to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Middle East. Following the new GATT treaty, opportunities will increase tremendously for the export of agri-products in general and dairy products in particular. Cooperatives Greater awareness of farmers’ needs Clover should not think that they are the only custodians or ‘voice’ of Farmers or the only ones protecting the interests of Farmers. Clover should be open enough to understand and think ‘out of the box’ and to understand and see what ways and means can help farmers stay loyal and be more productive. Competition With so many newcomers entering this industry, competition is becoming tougher day by day. But then competition has to be faced as a ground reality. It is large enough for many to carve out their niche. Problematic distribution All is not well with distribution. But then if ice creams can be sold virtually at every nook and corner, why can’t Clover sell other dairy products too? Moreover, it is only a matter of time before we see the emergence of a cold chain linking the producer to the refrigerator at the consumer’s home Perishability Pasteurization has overcome this weakness partially. UHT gives milk long life. Surely, many new processes will follow to improve milk quality and extend its shelf life. Clover needs to overhaul its R & D department.

Friday, January 3, 2020

In the Castle of My Skin Essay example - 1758 Words

The novel In The Castle Of My Skin by Barbadian novelist George Lamming and Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys, a native of Dominica both deal in-depth with the lives of their characters during colonialism. Similarly each author tackles the idea of alienation and loss of identity placed upon their characters, through such literary techniques as point of view, setting and characterization. One can successfully compare and contrast the novels and seek to attain a greater appreciation and understanding of the authors and their works. In The Castle Of My Skin Lamming shows alienation through point of view. In chapter 11 he reverts back to first person in the voice of G. G is the main character of the novel, he is depicted as an†¦show more content†¦Antoinette had no motherly guidance, however she did as we later find out inherits her mothers beauty, spurs of madness and anxiety these traits develop throughout the years as she grows. During her years of childhood, adolescence and ad ulthood Antoinette was branded with such derogatory names as white cockroach and white nigger this is first acknowledged early in the novel where Tia a childhood friend and her have a dispute over pennies, Tia then calls her a white nigger due to the fact that Antoinette and her family were poor whites she also claims black niggers were superior. Thats not what she hear, she said. She hear all we poor like beggar. We ate salt fish Ââ€" no money for fresh fish. That old house so leaky, you run with calabash to catch water when it rain. Plenty white people in Jamaica. Real white people, they got gold money. They didnt look at us, nobody see them come near us. Old time white people nothing but white nigger now, and black nigger better than white nigger. (21) This brought much confusion for her; unsure of what she was Antoinette isolated herself from people for now she begrudged their company and if the razor grass cut my legs and arms I would think its better than people. Antoinette began to change she had no explanations why but her identity had been compromised I was somewhere else, something else. Not myself any longer.Show MoreRelatedThe Castle Of My Skin994 Words   |  4 PagesTitle In the Castle of My Skin is by its very nature a novel which is difficult to label as its episodic nature underlines the diverse nature of the Caribbean experience. The Antilles were, and are to this day, a region defined by its ethnic and cultural diversity. Due to the multiplicity of experiences which define the region, any singular narrative attempting to portray even one village would be overly simplistic as a result of the singular narrative which define most traditional novel. As suchRead MoreThe Castle Of My Skin By George Lamming1758 Words   |  8 PagesThe story, In the Castle of My Skin by George Lamming, is about a young boy’s life events that take place in a village that has gone through the dramatic changes of colonialism. The changes that the characters’ experience influences both the village and the society. The setting and time of the novel allow the reader to understand the circumstances and struggles that were present in the Caribbean. There are so m any themes that are present in In the Castle of My Skin such as race, coming of age, andRead MoreGeorge Lammings in the Castle of My Skin1950 Words   |  8 PagesLamming, author of In the Castle of my Skin. Lamming presents exile as a complex idea. He uses the main character, G., to portray a layered definition of exile. Through G.’s interactions with his family, friends, and community, there is a constant sense that G. is an outsider. Exile is complex, and cultural and personal exile is likely to lead to inevitable physical exile, as illustrated by the character G. and his consciousness in Lamming’s novel, In the Castle of My Skin. G. lives in a small villageRead MoreUniversal Studios : Hogwarts : A Dream Is A Wish Your Hearts Makes864 Words   |  4 Pagescomes to mind when I think about the day that I visited Hogwarts in Orlando, Florida. Since the Harry Potter movies first came out, I have been a big fan. I have always wished that the school of Hogwarts actually existed, and I wished I could pack up my bags, run through the portal at the train station, and be a full time student. When I realized that a Hogwarts was being built, I could not have been more excited. 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