Marketing Audit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Marketing Audit - Essay Example McDonald’s Australia is a constituent of the APMEA group. This group accounts for almost 18% of the total revenue generated by the firm and within this group China, Japan and Australia accounts for the maximum amount of revenue. According to the McDonald’s Australia Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability Report 2012, there were around 808 McDonald’s restaurants spread all over Australia as at 31 December 2009 (McDonalds Australia, 2010). McDonald’s Australia Limited operates its franchisee business in Australia and more than 70% of its restaurants are locally owned (McDonalds Australia, 2012). The head office of McDonalds Australia is located at Thornleigh, New South Wales and its four regional offices are located at Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane. Marketing Audit Objectives The primary objective of the marketing audit of McDonald’s Australia that has been discussed in this report is to increase the sales of the company in Australia so a s to generate increased profit for the company. The marketing audit has been undertaken to identify the various avenues through which the company can have a 7% annual growth in sales revenue generated in Australia by the end of the year 2013. Based on this primary objective other related marketing objectives of McDonald’s Australia to achieve its target would be to open up new restaurants in different parts of the country, increase brand awareness amongst Australian people to help increasing the customer base of the company, promotion of its products, and creating competitive advantage in the fast food retail industry by strengthening its core competencies and catering to the specific needs and requirements of people based on their specific tastes and preferences. Thus the marketing audit report presented in this study would help the company to identify key performance indicators that can be helpful in formulating the marketing strategies of the company in an effective and ef ficient manner. Marketing Audit Scope The marketing audit of McDonald's Australia would be performed using secondary data from various authenticated sources. The marketing audit would mainly cover five broad aspects as discussed below: Situational Analysis: The situational analysis of McDonalds includes its SWOT analysis. The marketing audit report would try to analyse all the strengths and opportunities of the company which could be utilised to achieve its marketing objectives. Moreover the identified weaknesses and threats of the company would also be helpful to suggest ways of converting them into company’s strengths and opportunities. Internal audit: This would include the analysis of the internal environment of the company covering some key areas like human resources, research and development, financial budget and marketing strategies followed by the company. Environmental audit: The environmental audit of McDonald’s would be based on mainly the PESTEL analysis th at would help to have a better understanding of the Australian market

Global Data Synchronisation for supply chain Case Study

Global Data Synchronisation for supply chain - Case Study Example This technology is significant in hastening a speedy transfer of information from the manufacturer to the retailer. In addition, this technology is important in terms of improving accuracy and security of data (Gopal & McMillan 2005, p.58). This technology is enhanced by the existence of a global network termed as the Global Data Synchronisation Network which is under the management of GS1. This organisation (GS1) is responsible globally in matters dealing with the design and implementing the global standards and solutions necessary to enhance the efficiency and also visibility with regard to supply and demand chains existing across verticals. On another note, this technology is necessary in the sense that, it enables trading partners to have access to product information in real time. In addition, this technology is necessary in a globalized market where obtaining latest information is critical for businesses. For instance, any change made in a firm’s database automatically reflects on other business partner’s database. This is made possible through the GS1 system that relies on the Global Trade Identification Number (Gopal & McMillan 2005, p.62). 2.1 The industries engaging in retail and consumer products recognizes the urgency to change and adopt a technology that would ensure system-system synchronisation with regard to products, price, the location, services and sharing of other information between business partners. In order to achieve this milestone of data synchronisation that involves many systems, standards, businesses data management and electronic synchronisation have emerged as solutions to problems related to data sharing among business partners. Further, this technology is seen as a means to enhance efficiency and hastening responsiveness within the supply chain. With regard to this technology, trading partners can share two forms of data. The first is neutral data that can be shared among many parties and is considered to

Huck Finn Not Racist Essay Example for Free

Huck Finn Not Racist Essay Mark Twain’s, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is not a racist book because it was written back when the N-word was present in every-day language. Twain constantly used the N-word because it was used in dialect around when it was written. Twain also refers to his not at the beginning of the book to show that his writing is not discriminatory. The portrayal of Jim is based on what twain thought a slave was like. Mark Twain’s use of dialect throughout the story is only used because that was how the average people spoke in that certain time period in which the book was written. In his dialect he is showing that the use of the N-word during that time period was used in reference to the slaves, people didn’t really care for the black people. He uses the dialect ironically to undermine the ways of the old south, showing that they didn’t even notice if a black was killed, they only cared what happened in their own race. At one point there is a boat that explodes, and in town a woman asks one of the men, â€Å"Good gracious! anybody hurt? † and the man replies â€Å"No’m†, â€Å"Killed a n â€Å" this shows the south’s negligibility towards the southern blacks, they didn’t see them as humans. Twain shows this in instances when the King and Duke refer to him, they are just con artists By today’s standards the book is racist because N-word is a derogatory term in modern society, but he uses the term only because that is the term that they used back then. Context Doesn’t say anything about the slaves being inferior, but rather that they are equal to us Doesn’t condone slavery, they are humans they wanyt the same things as we do, freedom, and a real life. Twain does infact show how the slaves would be treated but he does not agree with what they do, he says nothing to show that he agrees with racism.

Do Animals Have Language Essay Example for Free

Do Animals Have Language Essay Language is the method of human communication, either spoken or written, consisting of the use of words in a structured and conventional way(1) Language is humanitys way of communicating with each other, there are over 6,500 different languages spoken around the world. Every language is communicated by two or more people. Every person can have a combination of languages. It all depends on what that person chooses to do. Some individuals believe that there is no communication without language. But many like myself, beg to differ. As I believe there are numerous ways to communicate, whether it is by speech, symbols or sound. A few might argue that speech and sound are the same thing, to me they are completely different. Yes we need to make sounds that represent the letter that make up the word, but in some languages the sounds are the words. For example the Xhosa language; spoken by approximately 7.9 million people of the South African population, it is a tonal language. I believe that animals communicate using the same technique. I see that certain animals have a specific sound for their specie. For example a dogs bark, a cats meow, and the whales songs. They are all a series of sounds, to each other they are understood. Upon being put in the right sequence they convey the message to the other members of that specie. It is a language they use, that we cannot comprehend. The languages present here in Earth are very detailed and elaborate, because humans have a very complex life, they need a lot of words to make sense of it. Animals live very simple lives, needing to communicate when in danger, or directing others. That is why their languages are probably much more simpler than ours. Other animals communicate through dance, and movements. I consider this a language of its own, as these dances create symbols, and symbols are a language. This is still considered using language as a method of communication. So yes, I do believe animals have a language, through sounds. Although those language are most likely very simple, they are their way of communicating with each other. (1):http://www.google.com.sa/search?hl=ensafe=activesa=Xbiw=1280bih=596q=languagetbs=dfn:1tbo=uei=TbpMUMmDL4fvsgbWsYC4BAved=0CB0QkQ4

Sexual Abuse in Institutions of Learning Disabled

Sexual Abuse in Institutions of Learning Disabled Literature review that critically analyses the sexual abuse of people with learning disabilities in institutions There are a great many facets to the problem of sexual abuse of people with learning disabilities in institutions. The wide variety of learning disabilities, the wide scope for different types of sexual abuse and indeed the huge variety in the institutions themselves, means that there is not any unified standpoint or all-encompassing view that can be taken on the subject. (Ryan J et al 1987). This review will therefore consider each of these aspects in turn together with the literature associated with them and then attempt to draw conclusions from a critical evaluation of each The term learning disability is applied to cover a wide range of different clinical entities. Differing impairments due to differing aetiologies are typically â€Å"lumped together â€Å" under this one term. In the context of this review, differentiation of the various types of learning disability is largely irrelevant and the only discriminating factor that may be relevant is the degree of disability or impairment. For that reason alone we shall consider all causes of learning disability and the conclusions reached will therefore largely be generalisations in the area. Approximately 2% of the UK population are currently classified as having a learning disability and this proportion has been slowly rising over time. In their comprehensive review of the subject, Xenitidis suggests that the reasons for this growth are manifold and complex. (Xenitidis K et al 2000). Part of the reasons given are that the definitions and criteria for the diagnosis of a learning disability are progressively changing as our knowledge of the area expands together with the fact that other relevant factors are changing such as the socio-economic conditions together with the fact that pre-term neonates who would previously been expected to die are now helped to survive but with an increased risk of cognitive impairment and learning disability (Aspray TJ et al. 1999). The McGrother study suggests that over a 35yr period from 1960 the prevalence of learning disability has increased at an average rate of 1.2% per year (McGrother C et al. 2001). One of the difficulties encountered in the context of sexual abuse is the problems that there are in discovering it. The typical person with a learning disability may have differing perceptions of â€Å"right and wrong† and therefore may not be in a position to make a judgement about what is happening. Other factors are that they have a greater difficulty in accessing professional help. (Wilson D et al 1999).Clearly this is less of a problem if we consider the group who are in institutions rather then those who live in the community, but against this is the argument that those in institutions generally tend to be those with the greatest disability and therefore would intuitively be less able to draw attention to a potential problem. (Patja K. 2000) The literature in this area is not particularly extensive but there are a few high quality papers that stand out. The first is by Sequeira (Sequeira H et al 2003) which was a case controlled study (a rare construction in this particular area) which set out to consider any correlation between sexual abuse, mental health and behavioural problems in people with learning disabilities. The authors suggest that this is the first study to seek such a connection. They matched a surprisingly large entry cohort of 54 adults with learning disability in a residential setting who had suffered from sexual abuse with a similar cohort who had not been abused. The actual study was both carefully constructed and meticulously carried out. In broad terms the findings of the study were that there was a statistically significant correlation between sexual abuse and mental illness and behavioural problems together with symptoms of post-traumatic stress. Reassuringly, the authors found that the reactions to abuse were essentially the same as in the general population which suggests that when recognised, the symptoms were evident to observers, but equally this implies that a significant amount of abuse is undetected. (Thompson D et al 1997). With the group with learning disabilities, the authors concluded that in addition, the study group tended to exhibit stereotypical behaviour patterns and that there was a positive correlation between the degree of abuse and the severity of the symptoms reported. We can confidently conclude therefore that there is a positive association between sexual abuse and both psychiatric and behavioural abnormalities in people who have learning disabilities. How does the design and architecture of institutions foster abuse? It has to be observed that an extensive literature search reveals no specific studies on the issues of institution structure and opportunities for abuse. There are a number of papers that refer tangentially to the issue however, and we shall assimilate the points raised in them. Brown, (1999) and Manthorpe (et al, 1999), both observe that institutions, both large and small, are not specifically immune from sexual abuse of their residents. They point to working practices that allow professionals a degree of privacy when dealing with residents in vulnerable situations. (Burke K 1999). It would be unlikely that anyone would disturb a nurse giving a patient a bath or a doctor conducting an interview or examination of a patient. In this respect, it is not the actual architecture of the institution, it is the structuring of the working practice that fosters the possibility of abuse in this area. (Churchill J 1998). Some institutions have mixed sex dormitories and areas which can be difficult for nursing staff to monitor. Inter-resident abuse can therefore take place in areas which may be less easy to detect than the open plan structure of many wards in general hospitals (Brown H et al 1997) Who are the perpetrators of abuse against people with learning disabilities? This is clearly a difficult area in which to be dogmatic, as one can cite evidence from various enquiries which have examined the issue and have implicated virtually every category of professional from medical staff, (COI 1969), through nurses (COI 1971), to care assistants and sub-contracted employees (DOH 2000). Equally, to be balanced, one has to also examine the recent spate of prosecutions form residential care home workers that have been overturned in the appeal court where allegations of abuse have been found to be vindictive or fraudulent. (also COI 1978) What impact does power imbalance between carer and service user have over occurrence of abuse? Abuse, almost by definition, implies an abuse of power.(Northway R 1998).There is automatically an imbalance between those with learning disabilities and those in the general population as, by the very nature of their disability, the majority of those with a learning disability are dependent on other carers for their own protection and safety. (Pillemer K et al. 1993).This power imbalance is taken to a greater extreme when those (healthcare professionals) who are employed to care for their patients, and thereby are generally invested with a degree of trust give instructions to those who are more vulnerable. As Rogers points out, (Rogers AC 1997) the moment a nurse puts on a uniform or the doctor a white coat, they are invested with an automatic degree of authority and respect by the general population and possibly all the more so by those with learning disability, who may well have learned to be more deferential or respectful because these healthcare professionals are effectively the gatekeepers to their own security and well-being. (Sines D 1995) What can be done to reduce abuse in institutions? It is clearly important to be able to restore confidence in the residential settings for the care of those with learning disabilities. One of the prime mechanisms of reduction is to place professional emphasis on detection of abuse together with implementation of management procedures that will minimise the potential for abuse. The recent Government White Paper â€Å"No Secrets† (DOH 2000) has gone a long way into implementing such measures, and this, together with provincial measures in other parts of the UK (NAW 2000), presents guidelines which will help to prevent sexual abuse and also facilitate the investigation of such abuse when it is alleged. Professional bodies have publicly proclaimed a policy of Zero tolerance in this area and have encouraged the philosophy of â€Å"whistle blowing† (NMC 2002 a) it should be noted however, that a study commissioned by the same group, The Nursing and Midwifery council (NMC 2000 b) suggested that despite the guidance and directives given there is clear evidence that nurses, in particular, do not have sufficient knowledge or have received sufficient training in the area of prevention of sexual abuse to effect the recommendations in the Government White Papers. References Aspray TJ, Francis RM, Tyrer SP, and Quilliam SJ 1999 Patients with learning disability in the community BMJ, Feb 1999; 318: 476 – 477 Brown H Stein J 1997.  Sexual abuse perpetrated by men with intellectual disabilities: a comparative study.  Journal of Intellectual Disability Research 41 (3) 215-224. Brown H 1999,  Abuse of people with learning disabilities. In: N Stanley J Manthorpe r B Penhale (Eds) Institutional Abuse: Perspectives Across the Life Coarse. London: Routledge. 1999 Burke K 1999,  Nurses told to avoid close relationships with their patients.  Nursing Standard 13 (49) 4. Churchill J 1998,  It doesnt happen here! In:  T Thompson P Mathias (Eds)  London: Sage/Open University Press. 1998 COI 1969,  Committee of Inquiry (1969) Report of the Committee of Inquiry into Allegations of Ill-treatment of Patients and Other Irregularities at the Ely Hospital, Cardiff. Cmd 3975. London: HMSO. COI 1971,  Committee of Inquiry into Farleigh Hospital (1971) Report of the Committee of Inquiry into Farleigh Hospital.  London: HMSO. 1971,   COI 1978,  Committee of Inquiry into Normansfield Hospital (1978) Report of the Committee of Inquiry into Normansfield Hospital. Cmd 7357.  London: HMSO.1978 DOH 2000,  Department of Health (2000),  No Secrets: Guidance on Developing and Implementing Mula-agency Policies and Procedures to Protect Vulnerable Adults from Abuse.  London: The Stationery Office. 2000 Manthorpe J Stanley N 1999,  Shifting the focus: from bad apples to users rights. In: N Stanley J Manthorpe r B Penhale (Eds) Institutional Abuse: Perspectives Across the Life Course.  London: Routledge 1999 McGrother C, Thorp C, Taub N, Machado O. 2001,  Prevalence, disability and need in adults with severe learning disability.  Tiz Learn Dis Rev 2001;6: 4-13 NAW 2000,  National Assembly for Wales (2000) In Safe Hands: Protection of Vulnerable Adults in Wales.  Cardiff: Social Services Inspectorate for Wales. NMC (2002 a),  Code of Professional Conduct.  London: Nursing and Midwifery Council. NMC (2002 b),  Practitioner-Client Relationships and the Prevention of Abuse.  London: Nursing and Midwifery Council. Northway R 1998,  Oppression in the Lives of People with Learning Difficulties: A Participatory Study. PhD Thesis.  Bristol: University of Bristol. Patja K. 2000,  Life expectancy of people with intellectual disability: a 35-year follow-up study. J Intellect Disabil Res 2000;44: 590-9. Pillemer K Hudson B 1993,  A model abuse prevention programme for nursing assistants.  Gerentologist 33 (1) 128-131. Rogers AC 1997,  Vulnerability health and healthcare.  Journal of Advanced Nursing 26 65-72. Ryan J Thomas F 1987,  The Politics of Mental Handicap.  London: Free Association Books. Sequeira H, Howlin P, Hollins S 2003,  Psychological disturbance associated with sexual abuse in people with learning disabilities,  The British Journal of Psychiatry (2003) 183: 451-456 Sines D 1995,  Impaired autonomy: the challenge of caring.  Journal of Clinical Nursing 4 (2) 109-115. Thompson D, Clare I Brown H 1997,  Not such an ordinary relationship: the role of women support staff in relation to men with learning disabilities who have difficult sexual behaviour.  Disability and Society 12 (4) 573-592. Wilson D, Haire A. 1999,  Health care screening for people with mental handicap living in the community.,  BMJ 1999;301: 1379-81 Xenitidis K. Thornicroft G. Leese M. Slade M. Fotiadou M. Philp H. Sayer J. Harris E. McGee D. Murphy DG. 2000,  Reliability and validity of the CANDID-a needs assessment instrument for adults with learning disabilities and mental health problems.  British Journal of Psychiatry. 176:473-8, 2000 May ############################################################# 29.3.06 PDG Word count 2,071

history of the Atomic Bomb :: essays research papers fc

History of the Atomic Bomb The atomic bomb1 is the most destructive weapon known to mankind. A bomb of this nature is capable of obliterating anything up to four square miles and anything reaching outside that area receives very extreme damage. Albert Einstein was the man who had convinced the United States to research the Atomic Bomb.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Manhattan Project2 was the name given to the research and development of the atomic bomb. It was called the Manhattan Project after Manhattan Engineer District of the US Army Corps of Engineers, because most of the early research was done in New York. The person that was chosen to lead this project was General Leslie Grove and Robert Oppenheimer was appointed to lead the day-to-day running of the project. In order for an atom bomb to be produced the scientists had to separate the Uranium-235 from the much more common Uranium-238. The facility that was used to separate the Uranium-135 from the Uranium-238 was not held __________________________ 1 Atomic Bomb – Bomb using Uranium-235 for mass destruction. 2 Manhattan Project – Name given to the development and research of the atomic bomb in the U.S. in New York but in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The cost of this project was two billion dollars, which is equivalent to 26 billion dollars in today’s world and the factories employed 200,000 people, that was more then the amount of people employed in the United States auto mobile industry.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When the first bomb was made a site in Alamogordo, New Mexico was chosen as the testing ground. In order for the bomb to explode, all the nuclei of the several grams of Uranium would have to be split. A sphere of Uranium the size of a baseball would cause an explosion that equaled the strength of 15,000 to 20,000 tons of TNT. When the bomb had exploded there was a tower and the explosion had turned the asphalt around the tower into green sand, the sky was extremely bright and seconds after the explosion came a huge blast that sent unbelievable heat across the desert. Also, there was a huge mushroom cloud that reached the sub-stratosphere that was at an elevation of 41,000 feet. 10,000 feet away a soldier was of right off his feet by the force of the shock wave and another soldier stationed five miles away was temporarily blinded. The explosion was able to be herd 50 miles away.

The Effects of Child Abuse on a Child´s Education Essay -- abuse, cons

Child abuse has become a chronic and common issue in the country today. In the United States of America, an estimated three million children are victims of abuse every year. Whether the abuse is physical, emotional, sexual, or neglect, the scars can be deep and can have a negative effect on a child’s education. According to academic research preformed at Brown University in April 1996, it was noted that abused children have a harder time maintaining good grades in school due to their stressful home lives, which leads to a lack of focus in the classroom. These issues are severely hurting the education of many children which damages their conscious development. Unstable households are the number one cause of children not performing at the level of proficiency in the classroom. (Family Mobility Helps) There are four different types of abuse, but the effects are similar, which is physical, or emotional harm placed upon the child. There are certain types of abuse that are often har der to identify. Neglect is the most common form of child abuse. Family members and caregivers are the abusers in most cases. Research has shown there are three major reasons why abuses children suffer academically. The reasons are withdrawal, poor communication/social skills, and behavioral problems. Child abuse does not only hurt a child’s education, but can lead to deaths. Therefore prevention is the key to the success of a child’s future. (Rynders) Failure to provide a child with basic necessary needs is known as neglect. Neglect has become the most common form of child abuse, and its effects have been recognized as the most detrimental to a child’s development. According to Zorika Petic Henderson’s article â€Å"Maltreated Children Fail in School†, Childr... ...hol. With the chronic issue of child abuse still affecting children’s education today. It is a key importance that people must not give up on children who are victims of child abuse, but make it their personal goal to help them prosper. School is not just a place where children go in the morning, but a social learning environment that provides students with a lifelong tool of knowledge. As children grow older and into different developmental stages the demand for love, support, leadership, and positive role models are crucial. Abused children are missing these essential needs; this is why the famous saying â€Å"It takes a community to raise a child† still holds true today. The education of abuse children is not a lost cause and with proper treatment and teaching they will grow up to be just as successful if not more successful than any other non- maltreated child. The Effects of Child Abuse on a Child ´s Education Essay -- abuse, cons Child abuse has become a chronic and common issue in the country today. In the United States of America, an estimated three million children are victims of abuse every year. Whether the abuse is physical, emotional, sexual, or neglect, the scars can be deep and can have a negative effect on a child’s education. According to academic research preformed at Brown University in April 1996, it was noted that abused children have a harder time maintaining good grades in school due to their stressful home lives, which leads to a lack of focus in the classroom. These issues are severely hurting the education of many children which damages their conscious development. Unstable households are the number one cause of children not performing at the level of proficiency in the classroom. (Family Mobility Helps) There are four different types of abuse, but the effects are similar, which is physical, or emotional harm placed upon the child. There are certain types of abuse that are often har der to identify. Neglect is the most common form of child abuse. Family members and caregivers are the abusers in most cases. Research has shown there are three major reasons why abuses children suffer academically. The reasons are withdrawal, poor communication/social skills, and behavioral problems. Child abuse does not only hurt a child’s education, but can lead to deaths. Therefore prevention is the key to the success of a child’s future. (Rynders) Failure to provide a child with basic necessary needs is known as neglect. Neglect has become the most common form of child abuse, and its effects have been recognized as the most detrimental to a child’s development. According to Zorika Petic Henderson’s article â€Å"Maltreated Children Fail in School†, Childr... ...hol. With the chronic issue of child abuse still affecting children’s education today. It is a key importance that people must not give up on children who are victims of child abuse, but make it their personal goal to help them prosper. School is not just a place where children go in the morning, but a social learning environment that provides students with a lifelong tool of knowledge. As children grow older and into different developmental stages the demand for love, support, leadership, and positive role models are crucial. Abused children are missing these essential needs; this is why the famous saying â€Å"It takes a community to raise a child† still holds true today. The education of abuse children is not a lost cause and with proper treatment and teaching they will grow up to be just as successful if not more successful than any other non- maltreated child.