Sample Conclusion of a Nutritional Assessment Essay

Sample Conclusion of a Nutritional Assessment EssayA sample conclusion of a nutritional assessment essay can be a useful tool in preparing for the MCAT. However, you don't want to write it all by yourself. You need a group of readers who are able to give you the feedback you need to improve your writing skills. Let's see what you need to consider if you need to do a self-assessment.A few things will give you a good indication of whether your work is worth it. First, do you write well? If you don't, then maybe you should reconsider whether this is the right assignment for you. Even if you have excellent handwriting, you'll probably only be able to get one or two or even three thoughtful comments from the readers.Second, does the sample conclusion of a nutritional assessment essay reflect well on you? If it doesn't, do you have a track record of excellence in writing and if so, how well do you write?Third, how well does the conclusion reflect your reasoning abilities? Consider the disc ussion that follows, if you're the type who gets bogged down in details. Write in a paragraph. Do you move logically through the material, or is your description overly complex?Fourth, does the conclusion present a sense of depth? Consider the discussion to follow.Fifth, is your summary statement strong enough to stand on its own? Just a few words can have a tremendous impact on the essay. Just make sure that you make a good choice.Finally, how well does the conclusion gel with the rest of the work? It'important to keep in mind that the primary goal of a nutrition analysis is to help you prepare for the MCAT. If you're at the end of your essay, and realize that you can't make better use of the points you have made, then you can consider this another loss.

Discuss how the poets convey the theme of loss and death Essay Example Essay Example

Discuss how the poets convey the theme of loss and death Essay Example Paper Discuss how the poets convey the theme of loss and death Essay Introduction The theme of death is commonly used in the world of literature; it exists as one of the defying elements in the writing of poetry. Maybe because at some point in our lives, we must all face the dreaded idea of death. The poems Piano by the Victorian poet D.H Lawrence, Refugee Mother And Child by the Nigerian poet Chinua Achebe, Funeral Blues by the English poet W.H Auden, A Case of Murder by the illustrious Vernon Scannell, Remember by the romantic Christina Rossetti and On My first Sonne by the English Renaissance poet Ben Jonson, use a selection of poetic techniques in order to convey a broad variety of emotions surrounding the main theme of death.Through the use of direct words with negative connotation, Auden conveys the theme of death, whilst creating a dark, mournful time in the poem, Funeral Blues. The mood of Funeral Blues can come across as quite angry and frustrating, and I find that this anger and frustration towards the world increases, as Auden skillfully uses stronger w ords with negative connotation towards the end of the poem, ‘the stars are not wanted now: put out every one/ Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun/ Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.’ These words are of rejection, waste and redundancy. I find that this line not only highlights the frustrated emotions of the narrator, but additionally, through the use of direct words with negative connotation incorporated with nature, suggests that the narrator wants the whole world to stop dead, and mourn his loved one’s death.Moreover, the elegy Funeral Blues explores and expresses the frustration and sorrow of a lover, who is trying to cope with the death of his loved one. Through the use of imperatives, the poet’s intentions are made very clear as the poem commences, ‘Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone/prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone’. This beginning line suggests that the narrator is trying to keep his composure and gain co ntrol, as this will give him a sense of security and reassurance to cope with the death of his loved one. Auden cleverly uses onomatopoeia to highlight our everyday lives, for example, the ticking of the ‘clocks’, the ringing of the ‘telephones’, the barking from the dog and the steady rhythm of the ‘drum’. These are all sounds that we hear in everyday life, and I feel that the narrator has a huge urge to stop it all, and be left with nothing but silence. I understand that the narrator is longing for silence, in respect for the dead, and also that he feels there is no meaning in the world moving on.I understand that when Auden uses direct words with negative connotation, ‘stop’, ‘cut off’, ‘silence’, ‘coffin’, ‘mourners’, he is emphasising the theme of death throughout the poem. Similarly, in A Case of Murder, Scannell also uses direct words with strong negative connotation to con vey the theme of death, ‘alone’, ‘hot blood’, ‘mad’, ‘furry dark’, ‘snarl of a grin’ ‘cracked like a nut’, ‘dumped’.Additionally, the poet employs a regular rhyme scheme in Funeral Blues, as Auden intentionally starts the poem with an AABA rhyme scheme in the first stanza, which soon becomes a regular AABB in the second stanza. The use of rhyming couplets also gives the poem a sense of evenness and a steady, somewhat fast, rhythm and tempo to the poem, which works with the steady beat of the ‘muffled drum’ set by Auden. I find that the fast rhythm and tempo of the poem works well with the narrator’s frustrated emotions that seem to pour out one after the other.Moreover, Auden stresses the narrator’s grief and frustration in the last line of the poem, ‘For nothing now can ever come to any good’. Auden contrasts ‘nothing’ and ‘goodâ€⠄¢ to emphasise that nothing is important anymore. This makes me feel sorrow towards the narrator, as he feels that nothing worthwhile can ever be fulfilled. Through the use of direct language with strong negative connotation, incorporated with nature, Auden successfully conveys the frustrating emotions of the narrator, in the theme of loss and death.In contrast to Funeral Blues, On My First Sonne, shows the grief and emotionally difficult situation in which a father loses his favourite son. Even though both poems deal with death and the loss of a loved one, On My First Sonne, pours out a stream of emotions and sorrow in a much more careful and indirect way, which reflects upon the renaissance period, in which On My First Sonne was written in. This poem is about the reflection of a father’s pain in his favourite son’s—‘thou child of my right hand’—death. He feels that god has taken his son away as a punishment, as his ‘sinne was too muc h hope of thee’, meaning he was too proud of his son, and expected high expectations of him.The father, Ben Jonson himself, speaks about how his son was the best thing he ever created, ‘Ben Jonson his best piece of poetrie’, and this reveals just how close and loving their relationship was. I find their relationship very similar to the relationship of the mother and son in the poem Refugee Mother and Child by Chinua Achebe. I find the starting line of the poem; ‘No Madonna and Child could touch/Her tenderness for a son’ expresses the close bond of the Mother and her son, for their love for one another is even greater than that of Madonna and Child.Furthermore, Achebe uses a lack of verbs to portray how tired the mother must be feeling, ‘waddling in labored steps’ and ‘dried-up bottoms waddling’. The use of sensory appeal and powerful imagery emphasise the theme of death all around the camp, ‘the air was heavy with odor s of diarrhea/of unwashed children with washed-out ribs’. Just by reading this line, I can already imagine what death must smell like and how unhealthy and starved these young children must be. Achebe uses many words to symbolise the theme of death, ‘struggling’, ‘skull’ and ‘grave’. This, in result, foreshadows that the mother will lose her son at some point of the poem, and that he cannot escape death. The last line of the poem, ‘like putting flowers on a tiny grave’ has the most impact for me.The word ‘flowers’ shows respect for the loss of a loved one and ‘grave’ stresses the sorrowful and lonesome idea of death. The word ‘tiny’ emphasises just how young the son must be, and this makes me feel sorrow for both the mother and her son, as her son has not yet experienced and fulfilled life entirely, and that he is too young to cope with the frightening idea of death. I can understand hi s mother’s grief, as she will never have the chance to watch him grow up, and make a life of his own. Instead, she is left to cope with, not only the harsh conditions in the refugee camp, but also the loss of her beloved son.On My First Sonne is in pure iambic pentameter, as is Rossetti’s Remember. Both narrators’ are dealing with death and loss, and the iambic pentameter brings a sense of calmness and evenness throughout the poem. Both narrators have similar purposes, as they are both trying to comfort themselves with the idea of never seeing their loved ones again, as well as comforting their loved ones. The narrator in Remember attempts to give her loved one a sense of comfort and security, while she has ‘gone faraway into the silent land’. ‘Silent land’ is less harsh than the idea of death and afterlife, and I think that Rossetti successfully achieves to make the idea of death seem rather calming.The narrator in On My First Sonne sh ows that the love for his son is caring and tender, ‘rest in soft peace’. Jonson uses words with positive connotation in this phrase, and the words, ‘rest’ and ‘soft’ bring a peaceful and calm image to my mind. When Jonson adds, ‘soft’, which emphasises how much he cares for his son, and how much he longs for his son to be happy during his ‘afterlife’. Jonson conveys the theme of death with the idea of resting in ‘soft peace’, as it makes the idea of death seem less frightening and more reassuring.Similarly, the poem Piano by D.H Lawrence also uses indirect words with positive connotation to convey the themes of loss and death. Even though the narrator does not have someone to comfort him, like the loved ones in Remember and On My First Sonne, the narrator reassures himself by remembering happy, and comforting memories of when he was a young boy with his mother, ‘hymns in the cozy parlor, the tinklin g piano in our guide’ and, ‘pressing the small, poised feet of a mother who smiles as she sings’. The line that has the most impact on me in the poem is, ‘Down in the flood of remembrance’.This line has such powerful imagery, and I can almost feel the rush of emotions pouring out of the narrator, and see the flood of tears that have overcome him. The word, ‘remembrance’ is powerful, as it not only conveys the narrator’s struggle of emotions as he copes with the loss of his mother, but also conveys the theme of death, as his mother can no longer be by his side, and he is only left with memories of his mother.In conclusion, all six poems use a broad variety of poetic techniques in order to explore and convey the main themes of both loss and death. Funeral Blues by W. H Auden was the most dramatic and direct poem, as Auden not only used a range of words with negative connotation, but he also explored effective techniques such as, imp eratives and onomatopoeia. Auden stresses the frustrating emotions that almost everyone would feel, if they ever experienced the loss of a loved one. Refugee Mother and Child by Chinua Achebe is a beautiful poem that expresses the unconditional love that a mother has for her son. Achebe successfully used powerful imagery throughout the poem, which made it even more sickening and sad. On My First Sonne by Ben Jonson was very similar to Refugee Mother and Child as both narrators had to cope with the loss of their children.Jonson conveyed the themes of loss and death much more carefully and delicately than the other two poems. Even though there were only a few words with positive connotation, Jonson still managed to create a reassuring, calming and comforting tone through the steady tempo of the iambic pentameter. I feel that the poem, which best represented both themes of death and loss, was Refugee Mother and Child due to Achebe’s use of powerful imagery and sensory appeal. I could feel a real connection with the mother, and I could imagine how tired she must have felt. I was strongly touched by the unconditional love that the mother had for her son, and, despite being tired, her determination to make the last moments of her son’s life the happiest. Discuss how the poets convey the theme of loss and death Essay Thank you for reading this Sample!

Aron Copland essays

Aron Copland essays Aaron Copland wrote a ballet about one of the most famous western gangsters in history: Billy the Kid. The work was written in 1938 and remained popular for over a decade. Unfortunately, his works are no longer heard or performed often enough today. In my opinion, Copland is one of the greatest American performers in music history, but he is not given the recognition he deserves by todays society. By looking at Coplands works and analyzing his Billy the Kid, the necessary proof of his greatness will, without question, show the fact that he is one of the greatest American composers of all time. Aaron Copland, whose family name was changed from Kapland by immigration officials in New York, was born on November 14, 1900 and died December 2, 1990. His parents were of Lithuanian Jewish descent. His parents emigrated from Russia to the United States. His father owned a department store and they did not live lavishly. As he explained, I was born on November 14, 1900 on a street in Brooklyn that can only be described as drab. It had none of the garish color of the ghetto, none of the charm of an old New England thoroughfare, or even a pioneer street....i He began to take piano lessons at the age of fourteen under the tutelage of his sister Laurine. Soon he wanted more professional lessons. Despite the fact that his four elder siblings had taken lessons with no success, he convinced his parents to pay for lessons. I distinctly remember with what fear and trembling I knocked on the door of Mr. Leopold Wolfsohns piano studio on Clinton Avenue in Brooklyn, and-once again all by myself-arranged for piano lessons.i The idea of composing music was not connected...with my family or with my street.iii By the age of 18 he had graduated high school and decided to devote all his time and energy to music. Under the direction of Rubin Goldmark he studied t...

You Choose A topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

You Choose A topic - Essay Example This reflects the strength of a woman, and portrays someone embrace her feminine sexuality to attract a lover. The punishment was not the raid inflicted by the villagers, but the family’s deliberately forgetting the â€Å"No name woman†. ‘White Tigers’ story talks of Fa Mu Lan, a woman worrier who took her father’s place in a battle. After the end of the battle, she goes back to serve her people and families.Kingston, borne at the middle of World War II, learnt from her mother’s stories that all the white people around was ghosts. This created fear of the non - Chinese people in her. Later on â€Å"At the western palace†, when Brave Orchid is at the airport waiting for her sister from Hong Kong, she describes all the non-Chinese people at the airport as â€Å"ghosts†. This story shows the division of people in their races. In the last chapter - â€Å"A Song for a Barbarian Reed Pipe†, the writer talks of the cutting of the tongue so that she could speak any language. This gives her advantage to suite in any community and overcome any challenges. Ghosts, in the â€Å"Warrior Woman†, refer to both Americans and Chinese, people and animals, whether living or dead. The important facet of the ghosts is that they change depending on the point of view. Across the novel, the writer tries to put across the importance of women in the society, how they are neglected and the many challenges they face in the

Letter Requesting university to allow the reenrolment of the student Essay

Letter Requesting university to allow the reenrolment of the student who has failed the subject twice - Essay Example The only excuse for me is that there are great differences between educational standards of two counties and organization of the education process. During the first year of study, things were really different for me: I was deprived friends and family support. I had no one to give a piece of advice and emotionally support me. Within my class, I did not have a true friend to analyze and compare my educational progress and achievements. My life resembled a snow ball: one problem caused another problem, etc. It seemed reasonable to expect that there would be cross-cultural differences in homework preferences similar to learning style preferences. But I learnt the same way as I had taught it in my native country. I am grateful to Professor Antony who directs and supports me in my professional growth and career development. Professor Antony advised me to work with a construction company as an architect in order to improve my academic results and skills. On holidays, I went back to my home country, India, and worked under an architect office for two months. During this period, I worked hard on my weak areas due to which I was facing academic difficulties. I understand that there is growing need for highly trained staff specialists, as well as for architects to coordinate the work and construction projects. I am very serious about my career and this year is crucial and precious time for me. I ask you for a chance to continue education and develop strong personal skills and values important in my profession. Every vocation has its peculiar satisfactions and frustrations, when considered from the viewpoint of routines and rewards. If you give me a chance to re-enrol, I will take into account all my weak areas and previous problems: 1) my attendance is going to be 100%; 2) at least a week before or 4 days before, I will complete my submissions and show them to the tutor for his review; 3) as I already mentioned, I have worked on my weaknesses so I will not have any difficulties during this course; 4) by now, I am very comfortable with Australian cultural environment, and therefore will be making more friends within a class with whom I can compare my work and progress; 5) instead of working at home for my submissions, I will work on studio or cad so I can mix with other students and can compare my progress. In order to meet the challenge, it is important to compare your progress with other students. This plan will come true only if I could get your support at this last year of my studies. If still I find I am not suitable for this course I will withdraw from the course myself. From time to time, all of us have some difficulties and problems in our life and we really need a helping hand to solve these issues. In difficult life situation, every person needs a chance to prove his professional and personal strengths. This year was a real trial for me, but I achieved personal and professional growth. Please re-enrol me to prove I am a worthy student of the University. Please give me a helping hand at this difficult period in my

Planning principles involved in developing a marketing strategy

Planning principles involved in developing a marketing strategy Yum! Brands Introduction Yum! Brands, Inc., based in Louisville, Ky., is the worlds largest restaurant company in terms of system restaurants with more than 37,000 restaurants in over 110 countries and territories and more than 1 million associates. Yum! is ranked #239 on the Fortune 500 List, with nearly $11 billion in revenue in 2009. Four of our restaurant brands KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and Long John Silvers are the global leaders of the chicken, pizza, and Mexican style food and quick-service seafood categories. The Yum! system including 3 operating segments which are: U.S. market, Yum! Restaurants International, and China Division. In 2009, the Yum! expanded more than 4 new restaurants each day of the year outside of US, making it a leader in international retail development. Results for 2009 once again affirmed Yum! consistent record of success with 13% Earnings Per Share (EPS) growth, which marks the eighth straight year we delivered at least 13% growth and exceeded our 10% EPS growth target. Within 2009, the company opened more than 1,400 new restaurants outside the U.S. Moreover, Yum! brand maintained their Return on Investment Capital (ROIC) of 20% and continued to be an industry leader. YUM! Products KFC KFC is the leader in the chicken segment in the Singapore Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) industry. This is possible because rooted to its cores are simple but real values that allow KFC to offer only the best its customers. Captivating aroma that triggers your senses. A satisfying feast of hearty, mouth watering food specially prepared with the Colonels secret recipe. Generous portions of fresh, succulent side dishes. Salads to balance your diet. At KFC, the restaurant offer high quality and great tasting food in a popular array of complete meals such as Daily Savers Meals, WOW! Meal s and Family Feast, that enable the whole family to share a fun and satisfying experience with all affordability and convenience of Quick Service Restaurant. Pizza Hut Pizza hut operates in 84 countries and territories throughout the world under the name Pizza Hut and features a variety of pizza with different topping as well as pasta, salads, sandwiches and other food items and beverages. The distinctive decor features a bright red roof. Pizza Hut has been named the number one national pizza chain in America according to Restaurant Institution 2001 Choice in Chains survey. Pizza Hut is the recognized leader of $ 25 billion pizza category and has been since 1987. Building the leading pizza company has required innovation, a commitment to quality, and a dedication to service and value. But perhaps as much as anything, it has taken the qualities of entrepreneurship, growth and leadership, which have characterized its business through more than four decades of success. Taco Bell Taco Bell is an American restaurant chain based in Irvine, California. It specializes in Mexican-style food and quick service. Taco Bell serves tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, other specialty items and a variety of Value Menu item. Recently, Taco Bell serves more than 2 billion consumers each year in more than 5,800 restaurants in the U.S., of which more than 80% are owned and operated by independent franchisees. Long John Silvers Long John Silvers, Inc. is a United States-base fast-food restaurant that specializes in seafood. The name and concept were by Robert Louis Stevensons book Treasure Island. Its headquarters are in Louisville, Kentucky. A W Restaurant A W Restaurants, Inc. is a chain of fast-food restaurants, distinguished by its draft root beer and root beer floats. AW was arguably the first successful food franchise company, starting franchise in 1921. Today it has franchise locations throughout the world, serving a typical fast food menu of hamburgers and fries, as well as hot dogs. A number of its outlets are drive-in restaurants with carhops. The company name was taken from the last name initials of partners Roy Allen and Frank Wright. The chain is currently owned by Yum! Brands. Yum! Vision Strategy Yum! brands are committed to continuing the success realized during our first ten years. Our success has only just begun as we look forward to the future, one which promises a long runway for growth, especially on an international level. Yum! is building a vibrant global business by focusing on four key growth strategies. Build leading brands across china in every significant category Our experienced and tremendous local team led by our Vice Chairman of Yum! Brands and President of China, Sam Su, grew our profits a whopping 25% in 2009 on top of 28% in 2008. You dont need to be a math major (and Im not!) to easily calculate thats over 50% growth in two years. The good news is that we achieved these results even though our same store sales were slightly negative as the consumer generally lagged Chinas relatively strong economic growth. We added a record 509 new units in Mainland China and now have nearly 3,500 restaurants that generated near record restaurant margins of 20% in 2009. In spite of this robust profit growth, some investors have asked: Is Yum!s recent relatively weak same store sales performance in Mainland China an early indicator that something is wrong with the business or Yum! is growing too fast? We believe the answer is definitively NO! Drive aggressive international expansion and build strong brands everywhere. Yum! Restaurants International, which operates in over 110 countries and territories outside the US and China, continues to deliver on this strategy as it delivered 5% system sales and profit growth both excluding foreign currency translation which negatively impacted our reported profits by 11 percentage points in 2009. We treasure this divisions high return franchising model with over 90% of our new restaurants built by franchisees that generate over $650 million in franchise fees, requiring minimal capital on our part. Driven by this franchisee development machine, we opened nearly 900 new restaurants in over 75 countries. Thats the tenth straight year we have opened more than 700 new units and our pipeline remains strong as we go into 2010. Dramatically Improve U.S. Brand Positions, Consistency and Returns. Theres no question 2009 was a very disappointing year for our US business. Overall our same store sales declined 5% as we grew profits only 1%, led primarily by a restructuring initiative we took the prior year which yielded a $65 million decrease in our general and administrative expenses. Nevertheless, we remain confident were taking the right steps to deliver stronger brand positioning, higher returns and consistent growth performance to tap the inherent sales opportunity and ultimate value in our 18,000 restaurants. And the good news is we have the marketing strength to do so with category leading brands along with outstanding unit economics on a stand-alone basis. We also have a system that generates a steady earnings stream of over $700 million in franchise and licensing fees. As we go forward, our strategy is to better leverage our large US restaurant asset base and all our restaurants around the world with what we have coined incremental sales layers in these 5 areas: 1) More options for consumers across our menu. 2) More contemporary beverage options unique desserts. 3) Expanded day parts, especially breakfast. 4) Broader protein offerings. 5) Contemporary assets. Drive Industry-leading Long-term Shareholder and Franchisee Value Extremely proud and continue to be a leader among consumer companies with return on invested capital at 20%. The companies defined a global cash machine, with each of our divisions generating free cash flow or effectively funding their own capital investments. As this capital is deployed to high growth opportunities. Planning principles Marketing planning is the process that leads to the creation of a marketing plan. The marketing plan is a systematic design for achieving the objectives of creating value for customers and competitive advantage, growth, and profitability for the organization. Steps of the planning principle can be described as following: Strategy Before Tactics Develop the strategic marketing plan first. This entails emphasis on scanning the external environment, identifying early forces emanating from it, and developing appropriate strategic responses. Involve all levels of management in the process. A strategic plan covers a period of three to five years. Only when this plan has been developed and agreed upon is a one-year operational marketing plan developed. Never write the one-plan first and extrapolate it. Situate Marketing Within Operations For the purpose of marketing planning, put marketing a close as possible to the customer. When practical, have both marketing and sales report to the same person, who is not the chief executive officer. Shared Values About Marketing Marketing is a management process whereby the resources of the entire organization are use to satisfy the needs of selected customer groups to achieve the objectives of both parties. Marketing is an attitude of mind rather than a series of functional activities. Structure Around Markets Organize company activities around customer group if possible rather than around functional activities, and conduct marketing planning done in these strategic business units. Without excellent marketing planning in strategic business units, corporate marketing planning is of limited value. Scan The Environment Thoroughly The following are requirements for an effective marketing audit: Checklists of questions customized according to level in the organization are prepared. The checklists form the basis of the organizations Marketing Information System (MIS). The marketing audit is required activity. Managers a not allowed to hide behind vague term, such as poor economic conditions. Managers are encouraged to incorporate the tools of marketing in their audits, such as product life cycles and portfolios. Summarize Information In SWOT Analyses Information is the foundation on which a marketing plan is built. From information (internal and external) comes intelligence. A SWOT analysis does the following: Focuses on each specific segment of crucial importance to the organizations future Is a summary emanating from the marketing audit. Is brief, interesting, and concise. Focuses on key factors only. Lists key external opportunities and threats only. Identifies the real issues, is not a list of unrelated points. Is clear enough for reader to grasp instantly the main thrust of the business, even to the point of being able to write marketing objectives. Answers the implied question which mean that..? to get the real implications. Does not leave out important fact, questions, and issues. Skills and Knowledge Ensure that all those responsible for marketing have necessary marketing knowledge and skills for the job. In particular, ensure that they understand and know how to sue the tools of marketing, such as the following: Information and scanning. Positioning. Market segmentation. Targeting. Product life cycle analysis. Portfolio management. Gap analysis. Boston Consulting Group matrix. Directional policy matrix. Four Ps of management-product, price, place, promotion. Marketing personnel also need communication and interpersonal skills. Systematize The Process It is essential to have a set of written procedures and a well-argues common format for marketing planning. The purposes of such a system are as follows: To ensure that all key issues are systematically considered To pull together the essential elements of the strategic plan in a consistent manner In a multi business enterprise, to help corporate management to compare diverse businesses and to understand the overall condition of and prospects for the organization. Sequence Objectives Ensure that all objectives are prioritized according to their impact on the organization and their urgency and that resource are allocated accordingly Style and Culture Marketing planning is not effective without the active support and participation of top management. But even with this support, the type of marketing planning has to be appropriate for phase of the organizational lifeline. This phase is measured before an attempt is made to introduce marketing planning. Accurately describe and critically evaluate a range of tools and techniques use to produce a strategic marketing plan Marketing Audit Marketing audit can be easily identified as an essential part of an efficient marketing planning process. It is a very important process that is not only carried out at the begging but also at regular intervals during the actual marketing planning process. A marketing audit has a lot of influence upon the marketing planning process through the various external and internal factors. There are a number of tools and techniques that are used during a marketing audit. Some of the tools are: SWOT Analysis: One of the most important tools of marketing audit is the SWOT or Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats analysis. This tool is of a lot of help to the marketers and is used at the beginning of the marketing audit process. The SWOT analysis comes along with a lot of advantages but it has some drawbacks as well. Some of the drawbacks of SWOT analysis are that it is very subjective and cannot be relied upon too much. Thus, it has always been recommended that the SWOT analysis be used as a guide in the marketing planning process and not as a prescription to the various problems. PEST Analysis: This is the analysis of the various factors that have an effect upon the marketing process. The organization undergoing a marketing analysis should be taking into consideration all the environmental factors and give it a thorough analysis. These environmental factors may be internal or external. The internal factors compromise of the staff and queries related to them. The external would be the external customers and the various distributors connected to the concern and the political and economic factors are also taken into consideration. Porter Five Force Analysis: This is an analysis that enables the marketer to have a clear picture of the competition outside in the market. This type of analysis has some similarities with the PEST analysis and is different in the sense that it focuses its attention upon a single business or a single concern. In this analysis the marketer basically goes through five basic areas of concern. These areas can be classified as the areas of treat of entry, the suppliers power the power of the buyers and also the threats revealed by the competitors and the rivals. Some of the advantages associated with this analysis are that it leads to economies of large scale with the help of mass purchase and sales. The various distribution channels can also be easily accessed and also finds out if the cost of switching over to some other supplier is low or not. Yum! Brands, Inc. SWOT Analysis The Yum! Brands, Inc. SWOT Analysis examines the companys key business structure and operations, history and products, and provides summary analysis of its key revenue lines and strategy. Strengths The Companys continuous expansion into Asia and other regions. Well-developed restaurant brands and exceptionally efficient and ever-improving restaurant operations. The idea of multi-branding which causes one establishment to appeal to varying customers. Strong advertising campaigns. Constant updating of menus and specials to appeal to current trends and fads. Weaknesses Some brands (concepts) may weigh down profits of top performing ones. Sensitivity to market fluctuations. Opportunities International expansion and growth. In domestic markets, turning one-brand units into multi-brand units to appeal to more customers, which will cut into competitors revenues. Improvement of operations. Threats The highly competitive nature of the restaurant industry. Entry of competitors into foreign markets first. Menu appeal. Yum! Brands (Yum Brands) operates franchises and licenses a chain of restaurant brands including Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Long John Silvers (LJS) and All America Food (AW). The company operates in over 110 countries around the globe. It is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky and employs about 336,000 people. The company recorded revenues of $11,279 million during fiscal year ending December 2008 (FY2008), an increase of 8.3% over FY2007. The operating profit of the company was $1,506 million during FY2008, an increase of 11% over FY2007. The net profit was $964 million in FY2008, an increase of 6.1% over FY2007. Task 2 Examine A Range of Marketing Strategy Options Explain with clarity a range of marketing strategy options available and evaluate their benefits and limitations, using supporting examples. 4.1. The Porter Generic Strategy Model If the primary determinant of a firms profitability is the attractiveness of the industry in which it operates, an important secondary determinant is its position within that industry. Even though an industry may have below-average profitability, a firm that is optimally positioned can generate superior returns. A firm positions itself by leveraging its strengths. Michael Porter has argued that a firms strengths ultimately fall into one of two headings: cost advantage and differentiation. By applying these strengths in either a broad or narrow scope, three generic strategies result: cost leadership, differentiation, and focus. These strategies are applied at the business unit level. They are called generic strategies because they are not firm or industry dependent. The following table illustrates Porters generic strategies: Target Scope Advantage Low Cost Product Uniqueness Broad (Industry Wide) Cost Leadership Strategy Differentiation Strategy Narrow (Market Segment) Focus Strategy (low cost) Focus Strategy (differentiation) Cost Leadership Strategy This generic strategy calls for being the low cost producer in an industry for a given level of quality. The firm sells its products either at average industry prices to earn a profit higher than that of rivals, or below the average industry prices to gain market share. In the event of a price war, the firm can maintain some profitability while the competition suffers losses. Even without a price war, as the industry matures and prices decline, the firms that can produce more cheaply will remain profitable for a longer period of time. The cost leadership strategy usually targets a broad market. Some of the ways that firms acquire cost advantages are by improving process efficiencies, gaining unique access to a large source of lower cost materials, making optimal outsourcing and vertical integration decisions, or avoiding some costs altogether. If competing firms are unable to lower their costs by a similar amount, the firm may be able to sustain a competitive advantage based on cost leadership. Firms that succeed in cost leadership often have the following internal strengths: Access to the capital required making a significant investment in production assets; this investment represents a barrier to entry that many firms may not overcome. Skill in designing products for efficient manufacturing, for example, having a small component count to shorten the assembly process. High level of expertise in manufacturing process engineering. Efficient distribution channels. Each generic strategy has its risks, including the low-cost strategy. For example, other firms may be able to lower their costs as well. As technology improves, the competition may be able to leapfrog the production capabilities, thus eliminating the competitive advantage. Additionally, several firms following a focus strategy and targeting various narrow markets may be able to achieve an even lower cost within their segments and as a group gain significant market share. Differentiation Strategy A differentiation strategy calls for the development of a product or service that offers unique attributes that are valued by customers and that customers perceive to be better than or different from the products of the competition. The value added by the uniqueness of the product may allow the firm to charge a premium price for it. The firm hopes that the higher price will more than cover the extra costs incurred in offering the unique product. Because of the products unique attributes, if suppliers increase their prices the firm may be able to pass along the costs to its customers who cannot find substitute products easily. Firms that succeed in a differentiation strategy often have the following internal strengths: Access to leading scientific research. Highly skilled and creative product development team. Strong sales team with the ability to successfully communicate the perceived strengths of the product. Corporate reputation for quality and innovation. The risks associated with a differentiation strategy include imitation by competitors and changes in customer tastes. Additionally, various firms pursuing focus strategies may be able to achieve even greater differentiation in their market segments. Focus Strategy The focus strategy concentrates on a narrow segment and within that segment attempts to achieve either a cost advantage or differentiation. The premise is that the needs of the group can be better serviced by focusing entirely on it. A firm using a focus strategy often enjoys a high degree of customer loyalty, and this entrenched loyalty discourages other firms from competing directly. Because of their narrow market focus, firms pursuing a focus strategy have lower volumes and therefore less bargaining power with their suppliers. However, firms pursuing a differentiation-focused strategy may be able to pass higher costs on to customers since close substitute products do not exist. Firms that succeed in a focus strategy are able to tailor a broad range of product development strengths to a relatively narrow market segment that they know very well. Some risks of focus strategies include imitation and changes in the target segments. Furthermore, it may be fairly easy for a broad-market cost leader to adapt its product in order to compete directly. Finally, other focusers may be able to carve out sub-segments that they can serve even better. A Combination of Generic Strategies Stuck in the Middle? These generic strategies are not necessarily compatible with one another. If a firm attempts to achieve an advantage on all fronts, in this attempt it may achieve no advantage at all. For example, if a firm differentiates itself by supplying very high quality products, it risks undermining that quality if it seeks to become a cost leader. Even if the quality did not suffer, the firm would risk projecting a confusing image. For this reason, Michael Porter argued that to be successful over the long-term, a firm must select only one of these three generic strategies. Otherwise, with more than one single generic strategy the firm will be stuck in the middle and will not achieve a competitive advantage. Porter argued that firms that are able to succeed at multiple strategies often do so by creating separate business units for each strategy. By separating the strategies into different units having different policies and even different cultures, a corporation is less likely to become stuck in the middle. However, there exists a viewpoint that a single generic strategy is not always best because within the same product customers often seek multi-dimensional satisfactions such as a combination of quality, style, convenience, and price. There have been cases in which high quality producers faithfully followed a single strategy and then suffered greatly when another firm entered the market with a lower-quality product that better met the overall needs of the customers. Generic Strategies and Industry Forces These generic strategies each have attributes that can serve to defend against competitive forces. The following table compares some characteristics of the generic strategies in the context of the Porters five forces. Generic Strategies and Industry Forces Industry Force Generic Strategies Cost Leadership Differentiation Focus Entry Barriers Ability to cut price in retaliation deters potential entrants. Customer loyalty can discourage potential entrants. Focusing develops core competencies that can act as an entry barrier. Buyer Power Ability to offer lower price to powerful buyers. Large buyers have less power to negotiate because of few close alternatives. Large buyers have less power to negotiate because of few alternatives. Supplier Power Better insulated from powerful suppliers. Better able to pass on supplier price increases to customers. Suppliers have power because of low volumes, but a differentiation-focused firm is better able to pass on supplier price increases. Threat of Substitutes Can use low price to defend against substitutes. Customers become attached to differentiating attributes, reducing threat of substitutes. Specialized products core competency protect against substitutes. Rivalry Better able to compete on price. Brand loyalty to keep customers from rivals. Rivals cannot meet differentiation-focused customer needs. Sources: Task 3 Explore the implications of changes in the marketing environment of organizations Assess the current changes in the marketing environment for an organization Changing Marketing Environment Professional marketing has become more important as advanced countries have shifted from a supply to a demand environment. For most of history the world has been characterised by insufficient supply: not enough food and material goods to meet human requirements. The key priority in the past has been improving production, purchasing and finance of trade. Today this has all changed. Now, the advanced countries are characterised by excessive supply. The central problem is attracting demand, not meeting it. Faced with an array of alternatives, the customer is spoiled for choice. The priority in management is how to identify and develop goods and services that are more attractive to customers than those of competitors. As the market environment changes, managers have to adapt their strategies and organization. Unless these changes are made obsolete by changes in customer wants, new technologies and new competitors that have adapted more effectively. Fashionisation: In the past fashion was identified with womens clothing. But today more and more markets watches, motorcycles, beer, cars, pharmaceuticals, cinema music, electronics goods, even management courses are characterised by annual model changes, rapid obsolescence and an unpredictable and fickle demand. Companies that cannot handle novelty, rapid model replacement, fashion and style see their market shares slipping and their profit margins. Without novelty and continual feature enhancement, the company will see its prices and market share relentlessly chiselled away. The original iPod was launched in 2001 and updated twice within the next year. By mid -2005 the range had grown to four basic models all targeted at different uses and users and positioned as the music fashion accessory. Micro-markets: The old textbooks to postulate that a company could between a differentiated and an undifferentiated strategy. An undifferentiated strategy is where a company makes a single product for the whole market. The usual example was Coca-Cola, which, it was said, offered one product, in one bottle size, at one price and with one advertising message to all customers, everywhere in the world. No longer. Even Coca-Cola is today offered in an increasing and bewildering variety of forms-new Coke, classic and cherry, with or without caffeine, diet Coke, in cans or in numerous bottle sizes, all advertised in various style and formats. Todays customers expect the manufacture to customise the product and service to their specific needs. Technology has made this variety expansion economically viable for companies. New flexible systems, such as computer-aided design and manufacturing and customised software, permit ever-finer market segmentation and product range expansion. Finally, the new communications technology makes it possible to deliver individual messages. Rising expectation: Changing environment Marketing strategy Organization for marketing Fashionisation Speed Breaking Hierarchies Micro-Markets Customisation Small Business Units Rising Expectations Quality Selt-Managing Teams Technology Information Networks Re-Engineering Competition Core Competences Strategic Alliances Globalisation Think Global Transnational Organisation Service Software Augmentation Learning Organisation Commoditisation Partnerships Account Management Erosion Of Brands Innovation Expeditionary Marketing New Constraints Stakeholders Role of the Broad The changing marketing environment and its implication 3.2: Analyse how an organization could respond to the changes Changing Organization for Marketing: The rapidly changing business environment makes existing products and marketing strategic obsolete. Companies have to become faster, more flexible, more innovative and capable of forging new partnerships with customer and suppliers. To put in place such strategies, however, requires sweeping organizational changes. Yesterdays giant organizations such as Marks Spencer, General Motors, ICI, Midland Bank, Sears an

Cinchona and its Product--Quinine Essay -- Botany

Cinchona and its Product--Quinine The bark of cinchona produces several alkaloids. The most important alkaloid, quinine, has certain febrifuge properties. Quinine was used in the battle against malaria since the 1630's. Of 38 species of cinchona, four species have economic value for the production of quinine: C. calisaya, C. legeriana, C. officianalis and C. succirubra. Cinchona, of the family Rubiaceae, is native to the South American Andes. It thrives best on steep mountain slopes in rich volcanic soils and an annual rainfall of 1,500 cm.(9) The cinchonas flower in 3-4 years. The flowers form small fragrant yellow, white or pink clusters at the end of branches, and are similar to lilacs. The fruits are 1-3 cm oblong capsules with numerous small, flat, winged seeds. The bark of wild species may yield a quinine content of as high as 7%, whereas cultivated crops yield contents up to 15%.(l) HISTORY Malaria has been credited to bringing down whole civilizations. Alexander the Great, in 323 B.C., was afflicted with the fevers which rendered him lifeless and crushed his dream of uniting the regions of his world. The fevers, heavy set in Rome, instilled such fear in the Catholic Church that the Vatican fled to Avignon, France for 68 years. Commoners with malaria were left too listless to work. Field hands and farmers neglected the crops. The fevers may well have been a hindrance to the progress of agriculture. Consequently the search for a cure was intense. Countless theories on causes were put forth. Cures ranged from logical to the ridiculous. Physicians mixed herbs for medicine. Some bled patients to achieve a balance of blood and bile. One physician, determining the blood was bad, tied off the arteries of the pat... ...nt Science-An Introduction to World Crops, Ad Ed. San Francisco: W.H. Freeman and Co., pp 650-652. 5. Lambert, A.B. An Illustration of Cinchona. Louisville: Lost Cause Press, 1980. 6. Markham, C.R. 1862. Travels in Peru and India. London: John Murray, Albemarle Street. 7. Missouri Botanical Garden. 1930. Proceedings of the Celebration of the Use of Cinchona. St. Louis: Missouri Botanical Garden. 3. Nichols, H.A. Textbook of Tropical Agriculture. 1911. London: Macmillan and Co., Ltd., pp. 221-229. 9. Payne, W.J., Dr. 1980. Tree and Field Crops of the Wetter Regions of the Tropics. London: Longman, pp. 78-79. 10. VonOettingen, W.F., M.D., Ph.D. 1933. The Therapeutic Agents of the Quinoline Group. New York: The Chemical Catalogue Co., Inc. 11. World Health Organization. 1979. World Health Statistics Annual. Geneveve: