Hockey Observation Report

Yesterday was the first time bought a ticket to watch a live game of junior hockey. I sat behind the net of Pets for two periods and watched the game. That's a great place to see if London boys are going to shoot the puck into the net or not, but also, it's hard to look at the left way of the rink to follow the game. It was a great time, and it is much better than watching on TV or internet. I can really fell the atmosphere at the stadium and enjoy the game. That was the game that people expected London Knights will get the ten-game winning streak, but London boys were lost before over 9,000 fans atBudweiser Gardens. Subculture Members Senior was the largest group of audiences in Budweiser Gardens. You probably could see them everywhere, and they also are one of biggest fans of London Knights. It's easy to recognize them by their outlooks, drinks they had (mostly were beer for men), clothes (they dressed London Knight Jerseys with old design, not the new one). They have huge knowledg e not only about Indo Knights hockey, but also about other subcultures of hockey: women hockey, NIL, Olympic hockey†¦ Junior and minor also are big parts of fans.They normally had a group of friends and watched the game together. They wore hoodoos or hockey jerseys with jeans and sneakers. You could hear them talk about the game and players that they adore not only London Knights but also other teams from NIL such as Toronto Maple Leaf, Detroit Red wings, Winnipeg Jets Young adults came to the game alone or with their friends. They drank beers, and their outlooks are different with: Jeans, shirts or T-shirts, caps†¦ Beside the topic about London hockey, they also talked about NIL, works, loves, lives†¦ Its not hard to define them with other groups.Families came to the game with their children. They talked to kids bout hockey, players, the rinks, the puck†¦ I believe that a passion Of a kid was developed by their parents, especially their fathers. Kids and then Wi ll become a big fan of hockey and could be a good player too. Beliefs and Values At the last two minutes, after the coach of London decided not to put the goalie on the rink to protect the net after they got the first shot, but another player, Petrography got the chance to shoot the third score in the net of team London. A lot of audiences felt angry and disappointed; they screamed loud.They stood up and left their seats to go home because they believed hat London would lose because no more chances for London to get 3 shots into the net of Petrography to win the game, and finally, Knights' boys were lost. When one player of Petrography had to get in the penalty box and London Knights had a good chance to score, all of audiences that Loon's fans started standing up and chanting: â€Å"Go, Knights go! Go Knights go! † to cheers for the boys because fans believed that London could get one shot for that big chance. They were absolutely right; London boys slapped grateful shot int o the net with all hard try.The scaffold was blow upped by those screams of London fans. Customs and Behaviors Before the game began, everyone stood up and Sang the song â€Å"O Canada†. Almost everybody just stood up and listened to children's choir sing the song, but the man who stood behind me sang it out loud. I could feel that Hess so proud of Canada and also respect to it and all other people. A fan sat right behind the net of Pets punched on the protected glass when London boys missed their shots so many times. He punched and screamed loud: â€Å"Shoot that puck into the net† to show his anger on the boys and the way they played.At the corners of the rink, players of both Pets and London usually push heir rivals into the bar to make them cannot move and get hurt. Therefore, players could create chances to get the puck or help their team mates get the puck to score or protect their goal. Loon's goalie normally went out a little too far from the goal and he stood more on the left of the net. That created chances for Pets boys to get two scores into Loon's net. Lineup is a normal thing but it shows people's behaviors. Audiences waited on the line to get into the arena and also to get out during the break time. People just usually line up to buy foods, tickets†¦ ND other things else, but inning up to go washroom and waiting for quite long time is really polite and culturally. It shows people's good ethics and behaviors. It's absolutely right to say that Canadians are very polite. A London boy broke his stick while he was trying to get the stick from a Pets boy. Then he decided not to care about the stick but moving follow Pets boy to hinder him pass the puck to his team mates. He also tried to get another stick from the other boys when he got a chance. My seat is not the best place to follow all over the rink because it's hard to see what's happening on the left corners at our seats.Teases why every time suck was passed to that place, peo ple normally tried to leaned and moves their body up a bit, so they could watch the game easily; therefore they would not miss if London boys score. Clapping your hands to make applause for your home team is normal thing, but when it's done for Loon's competitor- Pets is a different story. A man that is London Knights' fan, who sat beside my section made applause for Pets boys after they had hit London boys one shot. In my opinion, that was really great shot from the left side of the net, and it should be appreciated not only by Pets fans, but also other people that are not.Almost everyone stood up, clapped their hands, and screamed loud right after London boys got one shoot into Pets' net. That's the way people cheer up for their boys and show their excitations. They kept doing it for a while until the game started again. The referees normally did not move after they dropped the puck until boys get it or shot it far away from him. They do not want their movements affect to the puck ; therefore, players could easily to follow and throw or pass it to their team mates. Social Relationships Few parents came to watch their sons play on the game.They came to enjoy he game and cheer not only for their boys, but also the others too. Taking pictures could not be forgotten because they want to capture the moments that their sons were skating, playing and enjoyed the game. Couple groups of minor players' sibling socializing cam to watch the game of London Knights. They could enjoy watching their favorite sport, but also that could be an example for them to learn how to play, what can be happened, how they can solve problems†¦ They sat together, talked to each other, and commented about the game. A few couples of husband and wife came to watch the game as the way to relax on the weekend.They sat beside each other, shared foods and drinks†¦ During the second break, kiss cam moved around to catch people's kisses and ask people to make kisses. It was wrong for few times when it mixed up two couples and made people laughing. A group of Pets fans came to Budweiser Gardens to support their boys. They sat together and talked about both London and Pets, how they play, about London†¦ They were very happy when Pets beat London boys with ratio 3-1. Some journalists also were there to watch the game and also record about it for London local newspapers. Hind that they watch it more carefully than there people because that they have to write a report later to provide the information about the game for people who did not came to. Institutions and Organizations When got into the gate, saw few groups of minor hockey organization was selling 50-50 tickets for their upcoming game next week. If you buy a ticket at Budweiser Gardens that was sold by minor hockey organization, you just need to pay half of price (it was around 10 bucks), and a lot of people like junior, parents purchased couple tickets for themselves and their kids to enjoy the game while s upport for minor hockey organization.Aluminum Associates sold stuffs of London Knights team such as: hats, stickers, pucks, jerseys†¦ That are provided to Loon's fans. They get involve with Budweiser Gardens to sell things while supporting for London boys and also bring revenue to run the team. Banshee College sold ticket of the game for Banshee students with price that under regular price to bring students to the game. They work with Budweiser to get tickets for students with cheaper price. You probably could see a lot of Banshee students with their tickets that was purchased at Biz Booth. Material GoodsSince I got into the Budweiser Gardens, could see a lot of people wear Indo Knights' jerseys: kids, men, and women, senior†¦ Not only that, they also dressed Knights' hats and scarf. Everything made a wonderful picture of white, yellow and green. A lot of people ate pizza of Pizza Pizza while they were watching the game. During the brake time, the line of people waiting fo r pizza at Pizza Pizza store was as long as other stores'. Pepsi is favorite drink for kids during the game. They also grabbed few bags Of popcorn to get ready for the show. For adult men, they bought a cups or bottle of beer like BudLight or Budweiser with French fried from Harvey's or other brands. In the second breaking time, London Toyota Company showed audiences their two brand new cars for 2014. Everyone kept talking about it for a while until the game start the third period. After the breaks, two girls sat beside me came back with a bag of Lays' chip and a Harvey's' burger. I saw some women and kids wore yellow and green cheer gloves, the main colors of London Knights. There was a kid sat in front of me with a small hockey stick with London Knights' sticker on his hand since the game starts until the end. LanguageI probably have to say that the man sat beside me during the game is one of the craziest fans Of London Knights. He screamed out loud at the guy of Pets, who put a g uy of London team on the rink: â€Å"Shut the f*** up Devils! † He looked very serious and tried to protect the player of the team he likes. â€Å"Go, Knights go! Go, Knights go! † was chanted to cheer up the spirits of players by audiences (kids and seniors almost) when they have good chance to attack and score. The sound kept going around and around with the applause, the sound of the bell from a woman, and the vaguely trumpet.It made both audiences and players feel exciting and happy. Some other young guys from the section beside me got mad when the game almost finished. When London players shot the puck out of the net of Petrography, they screamed: â€Å"That net must have a big hole! † Fans got really angry because London boys missed too many chance to get the puck into the net. When the game almost finished, referees decided to put both players Of Petrography and London into the penalty box because they got fight. The Petrography player yelled at referee: ‘What the h***? Why do I need to go there? ND continued fighting with the boy of London. Both of them finally were eliminated out of the rink. The two boys sat at the 2 lines in front of me attracted me while the discussed about the game and players: â€Å"He should shoot it immediately when he was close to the net, not waiting for others†¦ † They talked about it with a wonderful passion, and they are in live with the game. Ill. Conclusion Attending the game was the great time to relax for the weekend and finish my reading week, but got a bit disappointed because London boys were defeated 3-1 by Petrography Pets.Anyway, enjoyed the game, mingled tit the crowd, and were a part of the game like other London Knights fans. It was a good chance for parents to bring the hockey passion to their kids while showing their passions also. Junior hockey in London is great subculture for everyone who loves Hockey. It is not only the key to help junior players to become a profess ional hockey player, but also, it is the game for people to show their loves to hockey and Loon's team. In addition, London is a door for kids to see that hockey is an important passion of their lives. You cannot have the felling how London fans get crazy until you are a part Of it.

Critical thinking Essay

1. How does critical thinking affect you as a reader and writer? How can thinking critically improve your writing? Critical thinking affects a person as a reader and writer in that it is essential to be able to absorb and assimilate knowledge from the environment as well as organize one’s own thoughts and express oneself in a clear and comprehensive manner. It is important to consider critical thinking as being a twofold process. As a reader, one is able to utilize critical thinking as a tool to analyze information being taken in from the outside. Not all information is useful or truthful to a person, and critical thinking is a method of filtering out what is incomprehensible or untruthful and absorbing what is meaningful and valid. As a writer, critical thinking is used in relation to one’s own personal creative thoughts, coming to subjective conclusions about what one believes about the world and expressing these beliefs through writing. Critical thinking is able to improve people’s writing in that the ideas one wants to express become central to the writing process, to develop the perfect way of stating what one desires to say. It is essential to utilize critical thinking in both reading and writing, so that one is able to take in and organize the information from the external environment and make personal judgments and assertions about what one believes. All situations and experiences are both objective and subjective, in that people experience events within the context of the external world. It is important to be able to digest and process information from the external world in an organized fashion, so that one is able to accurately describe and share one’s experiences with others. 2. Read the following Discussion Question response written by Owen, a fictional student. Identify areas of vagueness and ambiguity and discuss how you might clarify the e-mail message using the writing principles addressed in the text. In the response written by Owen, the writing style is such that the reader is not able to clearly understand what is being said. There are instances of vagueness and ambiguity in the writing, and Owen is left appearing as if he does not truly understand what he is supposed to be writing about. For instance, Owen states that critical thinking affects him in â€Å"all ways†. Although this may be true, there is not enough information describing in which ways he is affected. It is important to include enough detail in writing, so that the reader is able to fully comprehend what is being claimed. Owen goes on to say that clear writing is the â€Å"hardest thing in the world†. Although Owen may be having difficulty with his own writing, clear writing is not the hardest thing in the world for all people. Instead of generalizing and making blanket statements, Owen should be plain and honest in saying that clear writing is difficult for him personally. Further on, Owen claims that critical writing is like business writing in that they both need a certain amount of structure, yet then claims that â€Å"structure is harder†. These ideas are simply uncorrelated and do not logically proceed from one another. One cannot compare two styles of writing as being similar and then immediately state that they are dissimilar, at least not without a clear explanation and transition. Overall, Owen could improve his own writing style by paying attention to explaining himself in detail, by taking the necessary time to organize his own thoughts before writing them down. It is vital to express oneself in a clear and comprehensive manner, so that other people are able to easily understand what is being conveyed.

Facebook Puts Other Companies Underneath Its Wings

IntroductionFacebook is considered these days as a leader for the social networking websites, Facebook is such a great success story which officially came out in 2004 created by Mark Zuckerberg and his classmates at Harvard University. On October 28, 2003, when they were in the second year, Zuckerberg and his team started the idea by launching a website called â€Å"Facemashâ€Å", after that, for many reasons the website was shut down by the school. On February 4, 2004, Zuckerberg started again with his team a new website called â€Å"Thefacebook†, they worked hard to develop the website and they divided the tasks professionally; Eduardo Saverin is responsible for the business side, Dustin Moskovitz for programming issues, Andrew McCollum for the graphic design, and Chris Hughes. Facebook has been written and developed using C++ and PHP language.They worked together such as a great talent team until the website was expanded to many schools (Who Invented Facebook, ND). In my point of view, Facebook made a difference in the social media world by making the website so attractive to the users, right now Facebook has over than one billion active users, in addition, Facebook has a second global rank and a second US rank according to the Alexa traffic rank, and the visitors of the site are viewed as an average of 18.1 pages per day (Facebook Rank, ND). So we are going in this paper to discuss all aspects and terms of my thesis statement and verify it as well. Moreover, we are going to review one of the strategy that Facebook has and do SWOT analysis as well. My thesis statement summarized as the following â€Å"Facebook puts other companies underneath its wings by imposing Ads network strategies, marketing strategies and as well as social media strategies†.The Five Porters ForcesRisk of entry by potential competitors: The barriers of entry to other  competitors of Facebook is very high, since Facebook has the criteria of the users satisfaction which makes the users more loyal to Facebook, for instance, I would say Google is a potential competitor to Facebook, hence, the risk of entry is low. Intensity of rivalry among established firms: Twitter is one of the most competitors to Facebook, since Twitter has Five Hundred million users on its social network as well as has the tenth rank on Alexa traffic rank; furthermore, Facebook and Twitter are fighting to make the users more attractive by coming up with new ideas in the network social networks to make it more easier to the end users.Bargaining power of buyers: Since Facebook offers social networking services to the end users, Facebook does know the importance of the user’s power to make them successful by offering unique and flexible tools for the social networking, moreover, Facebook team should take into considerations the feedbacks and reviews of the end users. Bargaining power of suppliers: In Facebook case, there’s no specific supplier because they are offeri ng online services, they could be the suppliers themselves, and we would consider the government is a supplier for Facebook; since the government monitor and control the social networks. Threat of substitutes: The threat of substitutes for Facebook is represented by any social networking website like Twitter or Myspace which they are really rivals, so Facebook team should update the website from time to time to make the users satisfied and to face the user’s daily demands on the social network.Facebook SWOT AnalysisStrengths: Facebook has the second rank at Alexa as a global rank and second rank in the US (Facebook Rank,ND). In addition, Facebook now has over than one billion active users; Facebook has announced its revenue by gaining more than $150 million from the mobile advertising (Turcan, 2012). Furthermore, Facebook supports more than 70 languages for the users across the world which makes Facebook attractive for many users their mother language is not English. Now Face book has a popular brand name and it has been used as a reference in many movies or even in the business cards (FACEBOOK SWOT, ND). Weaknesses: There are many faked accounts and duplicated accounts that cannot be identified easily. Also, people say Facebook is secretly gathering information about them which may leave an impression to remove their accounts.Moreover, Facebook posted a loss in last two quarters which will  impact its stocks (Turcan, 2012). Opportunities: Researchers can take advantage of using Facebook by gathering data for surveys purposes. Moreover, Ads prices are still going up as Facebook recently announced which will have the investors buy new stocks. Also, Facebook can be used as a market place; people can sell and buy items through Facebook (FACEBOOK SWOT, ND). Threats: China government doesn't allow Facebook to operate out there in China; since china has a huge population. In addition, it is probably that users may switch to any other services like Google+ (F acebook Investment, 2012). Also, Twitter has a strong competition with Facebook in the market place and they are making unique features Faecbook doesn’t. Furthermore, there are many viruses have attacked Facbook as we have heard recently from news, and it might be a threat of ongoing hacking in the future. Facebook Marketing StrategyMarketing strategy is one of the interesting strategies that Facebook has; Facebook demonstrates its strategy by defining the target audience which means Facebook has grouping packages for all accounts by age, gender, profession and location which help the other companies to post their Ads on Facebook for specific class of people and as well as specific region, furthermore, Facebook helps other corporations to increase the traffic on their websites by creating an official page contains their official website link and contact information which truly helps the corporations to share their information, run certain events, post any kind of advertisemen ts and get more likes.I would say the more likes you get, the more success you are. In another hand, the non-profit organizations can take the advantage by creating a page on Facebook to get donations and find volunteers across all the world, moreover, Facebook provides the page owners with all kind of statistics tools and reports, those kind of reports are weekly and daily updated and included with the post quality, how many likes, page views and photo views.ConclusionIn my point of view, the marketing strategy makes Facebook an attractive destination for all kind of businesses to post Ads, upload photos, create events and communicate with people which leads rapidly to grow revenue of  Facebook. In my opinion, Facebook developers should work on the privacy settings to make sure that the users will stick with them for a long period of time. Moreover, the developer team should do something to prevent the existence of the duplicated accounts and the faked accounts by monitoring the IP addresses of the user’s computer. Finally, Facebook is still in the fore beating up Twitter, My Space and other social networking websites, as I mentioned before, Facebook has been a leader for the other online social networking services, I would say Facebook made a difference in the information revolution these days and created a competitive environment in the market place. Facebook Puts Other Companies Underneath Its Wings IntroductionFacebook is considered these days as a leader for the social networking websites, Facebook is such a great success story which officially came out in 2004 created by Mark Zuckerberg and his classmates at Harvard University. On October 28, 2003, when they were in the second year, Zuckerberg and his team started the idea by launching a website called â€Å"Facemashâ€Å", after that, for many reasons the website was shut down by the school.On February 4, 2004, Zuckerberg started again with his team a new website called â€Å"Thefacebook†, they worked hard to develop the website and they divided the tasks professionally; Eduardo Saverin is responsible for the business side, Dustin Moskovitz for programming issues, Andrew McCollum for the graphic design, and Chris Hughes. Facebook has been written and developed using C++ and PHP language. They worked together such as a great talent team until the website was expanded to many schools (Who Invented Facebook, ND).In my point of view, Facebook made a difference in the social media world by making the website so attractive to the users, right now Facebook has over than one billion active users, in addition, Facebook has a second global rank and a second US rank according to the Alexa traffic rank, and the visitors of the site are viewed as an average of 18. 1 pages per day (Facebook Rank, ND). So we are going in this paper to discuss all aspects and terms of my thesis statement and verify it as well. Moreover, we are going to review one of the strategy that Facebook has and do SWOT analysis as well.My thesis statement summarized as the following â€Å"Facebook puts other companies underneath its wings by imposing Ads network strategies, marketing strategies and as well as social media strategies†. The Five Porters Forces Risk of entry by potential competitors: The barriers of entry to other competitors of Facebook is very high, since Facebook has the criteria of the users satisfaction which m akes the users more loyal to Facebook, for instance, I would say Google is a potential competitor to Facebook, hence, the risk of entry is low.Intensity of rivalry among established firms: Twitter is one of the most competitors to Facebook, since Twitter has Five Hundred million users on its social network as well as has the tenth rank on Alexa traffic rank; furthermore, Facebook and Twitter are fighting to make the users more attractive by coming up with new ideas in the network social networks to make it more easier to the end users.Bargaining power of buyers: Since Facebook offers social networking services to the end users, Facebook does know the importance of the user’s power to make them successful by offering unique and flexible tools for the social networking, moreover, Facebook team should take into considerations the feedbacks and reviews of the end users. Bargaining power of suppliers: In Facebook case, there’s no specific supplier because they are offering online services, they could be the suppliers themselves, and we would consider the government is a supplier for Facebook; since the government monitor and control the social networks.Threat of substitutes: The threat of substitutes for Facebook is represented by any social networking website like Twitter or Myspace which they are really rivals, so Facebook team should update the website from time to time to make the users satisfied and to face the user’s daily demands on the social network. Facebook SWOT Analysis Strengths: Facebook has the second rank at Alexa as a global rank and second rank in the US (Facebook Rank,ND).In addition, Facebook now has over than one billion active users; Facebook has announced its revenue by gaining more than $150 million from the mobile advertising (Turcan, 2012). Furthermore, Facebook supports more than 70 languages for the users across the world which makes Facebook attractive for many users their mother language is not English. Now Faceboo k has a popular brand name and it has been used as a reference in many movies or even in the business cards (FACEBOOK SWOT, ND). Weaknesses: There are many faked accounts and duplicated accounts that cannot be identified easily.Also, people say Facebook is secretly gathering information about them which may leave an impression to remove their accounts. Moreover, Facebook posted a loss in last two quarters which will impact its stocks (Turcan, 2012). Opportunities: Researchers can take advantage of using Facebook by gathering data for surveys purposes. Moreover, Ads prices are still going up as Facebook recently announced which will have the investors buy new stocks. Also, Facebook can be used as a market place; people can sell and buy items through Facebook (FACEBOOK SWOT, ND).Threats: China government doesn't allow Facebook to operate out there in China; since china has a huge population. In addition, it is probably that users may switch to any other services like Google+ (Facebook Investment, 2012). Also, Twitter has a strong competition with Facebook in the market place and they are making unique features Faecbook doesn’t. Furthermore, there are many viruses have attacked Facbook as we have heard recently from news, and it might be a threat of ongoing hacking in the future. Facebook Marketing StrategyMarketing strategy is one of the interesting strategies that Facebook has; Facebook demonstrates its strategy by defining the target audience which means Facebook has grouping packages for all accounts by age, gender, profession and location which help the other companies to post their Ads on Facebook for specific class of people and as well as specific region, furthermore, Facebook helps other corporations to increase the traffic on their websites by creating an official page contains their official website link and contact information which truly helps the corporations to share their information, run certain events, post any kind of advertisements and get more likes.I would say the more likes you get, the more success you are. In another hand, the non-profit organizations can take the advantage by creating a page on Facebook to get donations and find volunteers across all the world, moreover, Facebook provides the page owners with all kind of statistics tools and reports, those kind of reports are weekly and daily updated and included with the post quality, how many likes, page views and photo views. Conclusion In my point of view, the marketing strategy makes Facebook an attractive destination for all kind of businesses to post Ads, upload photos, create events and communicate with people which leads rapidly to grow revenue of Facebook.In my opinion, Facebook developers should work on the privacy settings to make sure that the users will stick with them for a long period of time. Moreover, the developer team should do something to prevent the existence of the duplicated accounts and the faked accounts by monitoring the IP addres ses of the user’s computer. Finally, Facebook is still in the fore beating up Twitter, My Space and other social networking websites, as I mentioned before, Facebook has been a leader for the other online social networking services, I would say Facebook made a difference in the information revolution these days and created a competitive environment in the market place.

Segmentation of industrial markets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Segmentation of industrial markets - Essay Example SIX typical criteria for consideration of choice of Research Company for the firm.SIX typical criteria for consideration of choice of Research Company for the firm.It’s is important to pick the right company for a research company, i.e. before launching a new product, it’s important to know the market and thus a good research company helps in accessing the level of demand. Criteria for consideration of choice of Research Company are 1. The reputation of the company, is good? Check for references and ask for or is recommended by business colleagues.2. Establish the company’s success in conducting business research especially in your area of business. This can be done by asking the company for the successful projects similar to your own.3. Create a harmonious relationship with the company; you can invite the company for a meeting or assessment. See if their representatives can listen to what you say. Identify the person you will deal with throughout depending on th e responses to your needs.4. Check if the price is competitive. Get a number of proposals to compare especially if you have met with several companies. Quality is of course very important. Choose an offer that offers most for your money.5. Evaluate the Research Company’s responsiveness.  6. Consider the Company’s approach to market research. The company should be willing to understand my needs and help me achieve my goals. They should adhere to market research standards i.e. professional data collection. The Company must be focused on giving practical and actionable results.

Mystical Traditions between Christianity and Judaism Essay

Mystical Traditions between Christianity and Judaism - Essay Example Similarly, Judaism too relies heavily on the mystical side along with a hard core of established creed handed down through generations. The presence of an omnipotent and omnipresent superpower, high up somewhere, directing all activities of its followers, is the focal point of Judaist traditions. The general belief of all Jews regarding their holy texts, centers on the historical tradition that the laws of living were handed down to them from god directly to Moses. This idea continues to be applied in the belief that a particular geographical area was allocated to them, which constitutes the 'state of Israel'. The monotheistic belief on which the religion of Judaism is built has ensured the strict adherence of all its followers to the laws laid down in the holy scriptures of the Jews. One of the common examples of Judaist traditions that have been studied in great depth, is the golem, which is explained as the transference of power from God (above) to a human-like creature (below) that is brought into being though a series of ritualistic practices. There is an allusion to the transcendental function of spiritual power that flows from the top, to the believers below. Knapp (1979) speaks in detail about the contradictions of good and evil in the golem belief. Judaist traditions, over the years, have undergone a lot of change, understandably so, with the upheavals in history. The daily observances with regard to eating habits, bodily functions, spiritual rites and interpersonal relations have morphed with the influences of not just other religions but also due to the geo-political and economic pressures that have been felt in the recent past. The laws of living or the indigenous traditions that are internalized in Judaism have no doubt adapted to the changing scenario, in the last century. Traditions in Christianity: The traditional belief in the existence of the Trinity (the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit) indicates a foundation of the triumvirate, which is the cornerstone of Christianity. Talking about the traditional practices of this religion, brings us once again to the code of living enshrined in the Old and New Testaments. While the former spoke about the origin of the race of man and his subsequent exile from paradise (caused by temptations),the latter focuses on one of the most important doctrines of the Christian church - that God became man. The belief that Jesus Christ (the son of God) was born on earth as a man, in order to save the world from annihilation is the premise on which the Bible (the New Testament) is written. The belief is that the world was full of sinners who could be saved only if a savior could give up his life. (1977 edition) Whether it is the religious observances of festivals or other occasions, such as the birth, marriage or death of individuals, the Christian religion lays down a set of universally accepted rules provided the demarcations of the various sects are well drawn and noted. In other words, different sects have different traditions that are also impacted with the geographical and ethnic factors that vary with time and place. A comparison and a conclusion: Similarities in the religious traditional practices of Judaism and Christianity are strongly evident. This may be due to the fact that they have distinctly similar origins. The belief about Yahweh or Jehovah

Skoda Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Skoda - Case Study Example Volkswagen's experience assisted in fixing most of the mechanical problems that Skoda had initially experienced. Skoda UK sells Skoda cars through its network of independent franchised dealers and its most current popular models are the frabia, octavia, superb and the roomster. Its' market share is at 1.7% making it a very small player in the market for cars (The times 100 134). However it has managed to fit in the highly competitive market and fragmented market. It attributes this on it's concentration on owners experience rather than making large sales. It has regarded 'the human touch' from design through to sale. One of its identifiable and quantifiable strength is the willingness and ability of the Skoda's driver to recommend Skoda to a friend. It utilizes this strength to market its brand image as well as laying plans for future strategic development. According to the audit report in the times 100 (134), Skoda faced a crisis due to the oudated perception of the brand. The car had an image of low quality, design, materials and assembly which negatively affected its owners. This is due to the fact that people associated car ownership to the image. In 1999, Skoda managed to change its negative image and Skoda cars were no longer considered of low quality. Despite its effort of improving its image, the vehicle did not have a strong appeal ot the public. Analysis of case To improve its performance in the competitive car market, Skoda UK's management needed to assess its brand positioning. Brand positioning means establishing a distinctive image for the brand compared to competing brands. Its by so doing that it would manage to grow from a small player to a bigger player. From the audit report it obtained after a market research, Skoda UK was put into a good positionto take advantage of new opportunities and respond to threats. According to JD Power survey, Skoda has been in the top five car manufacturers for the past thirteen years. In Top Gear's 2007 customer satisfactionsurvey, 56,000 viewers gave their opinions on 152 models and Skoda was voted as the number 1 car maker (The Times 100 134). Skoda's Octavia model aloso won the 2008 Auto Express Driver Power best car. Skoda attributes the results to its strategic management strategy which foccused on building cars that their owners would enjoy. This was different from simply maximising sales of a product. Strategic management is a process in whih it guides a business so that it can compete and grow in its market. According to the Audit report provided, Skoda has a 1.7% market share making it a small player in the market for cars. The weakness was partly due to outdated perceptions of the brand. This can be attributed to its poor marketing strategies that it used. The company should have therefore focused on improving its image to improve the clientele base. Recommendations Skoda should focuss on the Niche segment by developing a B plus or economical cars which are financially friendly to customers earning below 3000 RMB. This is due to the fact that, most customers are not in a position to afford the car at its current price. It is therefore advisable that, the company considers the low income earners by developing and producing economical cars. Skoda should also

Irish Literature in English Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Irish Literature in English - Essay Example To what extent those pendulum movements characterize Irish literary identity With the rise of nationalism in Europe, the Irish nation sought to re-discover its own distinct culture, which had progressively been erased by the English hegemony over the Irish territory. While successive British governments had ignored Irish culture and language, the creation of the Irish Free State in 1922 allowed new possibilities for the nation to re-discover its forgotten cultural roots. To claim itself a nation-state, Ireland needed to find itself a true national identity (see B. Anderson 2000). As a consequence, national heroes (like Parnell), icons, symbols and traditions embodying national ideals, and the promotion of Irish past history and language, became new standards for self-definition of the nation. Literature obviously had to play an important role in the promotion of this new Irish national identity. The Irish Literary Revival, founded by William Butler Yeats, sought into Irish myths and folklore to discover or re-invent the true roots of Irish identity and get rid of colonialist stereotypes. This created a new Irish literature, developing along nostalgic visions of old rural Ireland (before industrialization) and adapting oral folklore to written narration. However, most poems and plays by Yeats were written in English, revealing a true miscegenation of cultures within the texts. Whereas Yeats' works reworked Irish myths and folklore, the strong influence of Percy Bysshe Shelley unveiled an English "shadow" on his texts. Yeats and the movement that he founded showed a strong will to take distance from the English culture, yet this defiance only proved that the English culture served as a landmark for the creation of an Irish national culture and literary tradition, hence showing that the English influence could never be totally erased. Minority voices versus Irish national literary conventions. Irish nationalists' striving for the recognition of Irish traditions indirectly conveyed a political message (to claim independence), so as to invent an intrinsic antithesis, the concept of "un-Irishness". Ignoring the new Irish national conventions, led by the Celtic Revival, came to be considered as an act of defiance against national standards, and authors who chose to criticize the national narrow conception of "Irishness" indirectly accepted (or sought) an ideological exile from the mainstream. Irish authors who showed a tough scepticism vis--vis new national standards, like James Joyce or Samuel Beckett, were in fact adopting an escape distance from the turbulent issues during the modern era. Writers chose a more peaceful way to deal with the Irish identity, through writing. They considered that re-inventing national traditions had paradoxically erased the liberty that Irish people were so much seeking on their

Company and Partnership Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Company and Partnership Law - Essay Example This principle is termed as the Salomon Principle. The paper first discusses the issue of Salomon litigation. The doctrine of the legal entity came from the Salomon case. The facts and findings from the case disclosed that the owner incorporated firms where the family members were the shareholders. The issue and problem came up when the business of the company turns to be bad. The assets value was not sufficient to pay the creditors of the company and that of the owner. The bibliography of Aron Salomon was a leather merchant and wholesale boot maker who initially ran their business having a single owner. In 1892, his children became interested in managing the business in consequentially making Aron decide to manage and convert the business as an organization called Salomon & Company Limited, with a aim of transforming his leather and boot-manufacturing business to the Company. The members (shareholders) of the Company were to be Aron Salomon and his family2. Aron Salomon engaged himself into an agreement with Adolph Anhalt. Adolph Anhalt is considered the trustee of the company. They settled the terms that assuming the case of transferring the business occur. The agreement included the part payment where the Aron Salomon was to receive  £10,000 in debentures showing proof of money loaned out to the Company in that amount. During that period, the legal framework allowed that seven people subscribe to be the company members and owners of the company. As mentioned above, the members were Aron Salomon, Aron Salomon wife, and Aron Salomon children. His sons took control of the company with Aron Salomon as managing director He went ahead to sell his business to the Company for close to  £39,000, with  £10,000 being a debt to Aron and the debentures would serve as evidence. Salomon therefore became the Company’s main shareholder and creditor. On the following year (1893), the Company became liquidated; the arrangement

Euthanasia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Euthanasia - Essay Example Euthanasia can be the choice of the an individual and may be unassisted or assisted, by physicians, family, or friends. However, it should be clear that all variations of euthanasia have been deemed illegal in most locations. Suicide has always been a controversial issue. The moral beliefs of certain popular ideologies deem suicide a great sin, which can lead to the mindset that if you suffer greatly then you probably deserve to and when you die, that is when you were meant to. However, that thinking is not shared by everyone and to impose that mentality and force people to suffer until natural death occurs can be quite unfair. Euthanasia brings up many questions of ethics, morality, personal beliefs, and rights to individual autonomy. Death and Dignity: A Case of Individualized Decision Making, by Timothy E, Quill, is a fantastic example of situation where euthanasia has becomes a real consideration. The case study, told from the doctor’s point of view, is a very moving story involving a physician’s relationship with a particular patient, Diane, who is suffering from leukemia and has optioned to not undergo treatment; she is planning to die with dignity and has decided to take her own life (Quill 692). Doctor Quill’s justification throughout the whole process was supportive of, though not necessarily in agreement with, her decisions. He had worked in a hospice in the past, and he knew the kind of death that awaited her should the treatment not work. He also knew that the treatments available to her had a long list of unpleasant consequences that would diminish the quality of her life considerably. He had the practical experiences to sympathize with her position. He acknowledged that she passed all of the psychiatric competency tests to verify her mental state. She was informed of all of her options concerning treatments, interventions, statistical realities, and had made an informed decision of her own free will. Dr. Quill’s thinkin g throughout seemed to parallel with a utilitarian position. He considered Diane’s options; he weighed the stress upon her family, the quality of her life, however shortened, against all of the alternatives. He justified his logic by believing that the greatest good and least amount of harm would be achieved by supporting and endorsing her choices. He even went so far as to direct her to a reliable source to learn how to end her life successfully. Although, certain kinds of euthanasia are potentially unethical, and each individual should, probably, be best considered on an individual basis. In cases, like Diane’s, when she is making the informed choice concerning her own being then would it not be unethical to impose an alternative upon her or discredit her right to make her own choices. Dr. Quill described Diane as a string and forthright lady and he has no reason to deem her decision incompetent in any way (Quill 293). Besides it is unethical to question someone†™s competence simply because their choice differ from what you consider the â€Å"correct† choice. However, if the same person chose the course of action that agreed with you own then you would never question their competence; of course, they are competent, they agree with you. I think that Dr. Quill made a wholly ethical decision based on his perceived perspective of attempting to promote the greater good and least harm in a completely un-ideal

Harley Davidson Essay Example for Free

Harley Davidson Essay The video case â€Å"Harley Davidson: More Than Just a Motorcycle† briefly explains how the company Harley Davidson, was able to reshape, recreate and expand their products while also encouraging, enlightening, and mentoring both female and male customers at the same time for the past 100 years. The Harley-Davidson company creates and designs motorcycles fit for any and everybody. Although the company uses special marketing variables in trying to reach a specific target market, they do not limit their products nor reject any other customers outside of that specific target market. Using psychographic variables, advertising in certain locations is an example of how Harley-Davidson reaches out to their target market. Psychographic segmentation variables mainly concentrate on its customers according to their personal attributes, motive, and lifestyle. The company also markets their magazines to both women and men; people overall who happen to be very independent and active individuals. With motorcycling being a hobby more so for a male, Harley-Davidson specifically establishes a way to show females who are also into riding motorcycles that they are too accepted into the bond for the open road. To show this, Harley-Davidson hires women in their establishments since women customers do often feel undermined and intimidated by male employees when in search of a new motorcycle. Events all over the nation are also held for the female motorcyclists where they are educated and mentored on the ways of Harley-Davidson and the road. The term quality has been used to differentiate products today in the Harley-Davidson company for years. It is one of the main factors this company has been using to satisfy the needs of both old and new customers. Quality is not only the distinctive characteristic, property, or attribute of a product, but it also benefits and satisfies the customers’ wishes. Sustaining and keeping up with the various products and the quality of them keeps customers certain that they are content with what they are paying for. Harley-Davidson carries on with the constant quality in their products to maintain the reputation and principles of the company itself. The company is well known for their popular heavyweight, chopper style design. Their motorcycles are fit for all purposes such as traveling long distances or just for the fun of being on the open road. These Harley-Davidson products all show liberation for the customers as well as giving ease and guaranteeing their safety. When it comes to the satisfying the customers, quality is kept constant within its products at the highest level it can be along with applying its products with the best premium quality. Harley-Davidson uses customer service to differentiate their products in a manner that emotionally connects the customers to their products while fulfilling their wants and needs through the impeccable quality of their products. The company’s mission is to instill a sense of freedom and liberation through their products so that they and their customers can build a lifetime relationship. To improve this, hiring female employees within their establishments happen to make women feel confident and positive when interested in purchasing and riding motorcycles. Harley-Davidson even has mentoring courses specifically for women in which old women riders encourage and give new women riders the confidence to ride safely on the open road. The company uses courses like this so all women riders can bond, teach and inform each other on the different wear and products to use when riding and inspire others to become a mentor by being positive and helpful. This course is very helpful to the women riders because it builds their self-confidence while also introducing to the many new women riders the different products Harley-Davidson hold, aside from their competition, and the quality their products hold. The Harley-Davidson Museum holds a great amount of influence on how consumers may perceive the company and their products. The museum exhibits motorcycles from when they were first built by the masterminds behind it all, William Harley and Arthur Davidson. Exhibiting bikes that go as far as the beginning of the 19th century show consumers how far they have come along and evolved to what they are today. The Harley-Davidson museum also gives consumers hands-on experiences and interactive workshops that can help turn consumers into Harley-Davidson customers and riders. It is the place where people would go and would want to learn more about Harley-Davidson, their products, history, and brand. Harley-Davidson and their product mix show a good example of an impressive marketing strategy that can easily attract any and everybody that would be interested in riding a motorcycle. Unlike any other motorcycle company, Harley-Davidson ventured out and made a huge variety of products of excellent quality fit for anyone and everyone, including pets!

Heineken Marketing and Business Analysis

Heineken Marketing and Business Analysis Jump to: SWOT Analysis of Heineken | Porters 5 Analysis of Heineken | Heinekens Main Competitors Heading the Heineken Group, Heineken Holding N.V. is no ordinary holding company. Since its formation in 1952, the objective of Heineken Holding N.V., pursuant to its Articles of Association has been to manage and/ or supervise the Heineken Group and to provide services to the Heineken Group. The role Heineken Holding N.V. has performed for the Heineken Group since 1952 has been to safeguard its continuity, independence and stability and create conditions for controlled, steady growth of the activities of the Heineken Group. This stability has enabled the Heineken Group to rise to its present position as the brewer with the widest international presence and one of the worlds largest brewing groups. Every Heineken N.V. share held by Heineken Holding N.V. is matched by one share issued by Heineken Holding N.V. The net asset value of one Heineken Holding N.V. share is therefore identical to the net asset value of one Heineken N.V. share. The dividend payable on the two shares is also id entical. Historically, however, Heineken Holding N.V. shares have traded at a lower price due to technical factors that are market-specifi c. Heineken Holding N.V. holds 50.005 per cent of the Heineken N.V. issued shares. LArche Green N.V. holds 58.78 per cent of the Heineken Holding N.V. shares. The Heineken family holds 88.42 per cent of LArche Green N.V. The remaining 11.58 per cent of LArche Green N.V. is held by the Hoyer family. Mrs. De Carvalho-Heineken also owns a direct 0.03 per cent stake in Heineken Holding N.V. Bondholder information On 4 November 2003, Heineken N.V. issued two bonds for a total of EUR 1.1 billion. In addition, on 26 February 2009 Heineken placed six year Notes of GBP400 million (EUR 450 million) with a coupon of 7.25 per cent, on 25 March 2009 fi ve year Notes of EUR 1 billion with a coupon of 7.125 percent and on 1 October 2009 seven year Notes of EUR 400 million with a coupon of 4.625 per cent. These Notes were issued under the European Medium Term Note Programme established in 2008 and updated in September 2009. The European Medium Term Note programme allows Heineken N.V. from time to time to issue Notes for a total amount of up to EUR 3 billion. As currently approximately EUR 1.9 billion is outstanding, Heineken still has capacity of EUR 1.1 million under the programme. The programme can be used for issuing up to one year after its establishment. The Luxembourg Stock Exchange has approved the programme. Risk Management and Control Process Main risks Under the explicit understanding that this is not an exhaustive list, Heinekens main risks are described below, including the mitigation measures. Risks concerning the Heineken brand and Company reputation, economic downturn, volatility of input costs, exchange and interest rates, availability and cost of capital and increasing legislation (such as alcohol excise duties and anti-trust) affecting the business are considered the most significant risks. The main Company risks have been discussed with the full Supervisory Board. Attractiveness of beer category under pressure Heineken has many operations in mature beer markets where the attractiveness of the beer category is being challenged by other beverage categories. Consumers may also change behaviour following the rise of discount brands and retailers following the recession. In these markets, especially, the on-trade channel is under pressure, which makes adjustments to the cost base unavoidable. Heineken is relatively highly geared to mature markets since their acquisition of Scottish Newcastle. Management focus is on product innovation, portfolio management and costeffectiveness in order to secure market position and profitability. Pressure on alcohol An increasingly negative perception in society towards alcohol and more specifically alcohol abuse could prompt legislators to take restrictive measures including restrictions, on such things as commercial freedom and increased government tax. This perception is fed by critical coverage in the media. Further restrictions of our commercial freedom to promote and sell our products could lead to a decrease in brand equity and potentially in sales and damage the industry in general. Heineken actively participates in the EU Forum on Alcohol and Health and delivered its commitments in the area of consumer information, alcohol consumption at the workplace and commercial communication. In 2009, Heineken continued to work on establishing effective self-regulation in the EU together with the Brewers of Europe. Volatility of input costs Pricing strategies are top priority in all of our markets. This includes assessments of customer, consumer and competitor responses based on different pricing scenarios, which will have different outcomes market by market. In principle, we will pass on increased input costs impacting volume. During the second half of 2008, commodity markets rapidly declined following the world economic climate and remained depressed for most of 2009. In addition, the run of several years poor harvests in key grain and hop markets has reversed and world grain stocks are recovering. Economic downturn The economic crisis has impacted our regular business activities and performance, in particular in consumer spending and solvency. However, the business impact differed across our regions and operations. Local management has assessed the risk exposure following Group instructions and is taking action to mitigate any higher than usual risks. Intensified and continuous focus is being given in the areas of customers (managing trade receivables and loans) and suppliers (financial position of critical suppliers). Also, management attention is given to our relationships with banks (see capital availability risk) and insurance companies (credit worthiness (re)insurance companies). Regional Management and involved Group functions oversee the effectiveness of management analysis and action, supported by input from Internal Auditors. Financial risks Currency risk Heineken operates internationally and reports in euros, which has proven to be a very strong currency over the past few years. Currency fluctuations, relating to the US dollar, South African rand, Polish zloty and, to a lesser extent, the British pound could materially affect overall Company results, considering the size of exports from the eurozone to mainly the USA and South Africa. Heineken has a clear policy on hedging transactional exchange risks, which postpones the impact on financial results. Translation exchange risks are hedged to a limited extent. In 2009, operating results of Operating Companies in countries with currencies that devaluated versus the euro are translated into euro at lower rates. Since the Group attracts funding and pays interest in these currencies as well, the impact of devaluations of such currencies like the Russian rouble, British pound and Polish zloty on our results is mitigated to a certain extent. In addition, Heineken strengthened its risk manage ment regarding the monitoring and managing of currency and interest positions. Capital availability The Company has a strong focus on cash generation to reduce its debt levels and to improve its financing ratios. The Company has a clear focus on ensuring sufficient access to capital markets to refinance maturing debt obligations and to finance long-term growth. The Company aims to further fine-tune the maturity profile of its long-term debts. Financing strategies are under continuous evaluation. Terms and conditions of additional refinancing may be impacted by the changing credit market conditions. Strong cost and cash management and strong controls over investment proposals are in place to ensure effective and efficient allocation of financial resources. Litigation Due to increasing legislation there is an increased possibility of non-compliance. Additionally, more supervision by regulators and the growing claim culture may potentially increase the impact of non-compliance, both financially and on the reputation of the Company. Each half year, all majority-owned companies formally report outstanding claims and litigations against the Company in excess of EUR 1 million to Group Legal Affairs, including an assessment of the amounts to be provided for. There may be current risks that do not have a significant impact on the business but which could at a later stage develop into a material impact on the Companys business. The Companys risk management systems are focused on timely discovery of such risks.   SWOT Analysis (S)trengths Heineken has very different brands in thirteen markets. It is a global brand and established itself in international strategy The company have purchased a lot of national breweries. There is Recognition of bottle (Green bottle) dispenses and different  instruments such as (Mini keg) (W)eaknesses Heineken has a conservative and safe play culture. The company had  struggled to obtain larger Breweries. Young Beer drinkers dont prefer Heineken Prices are costly when compared to domestic market such as $10 would  be for six packs and in the domestic market it is $7 for six packs. (T)hreats Government restriction to drunken driving laws. High competition in the beer industry to increase the market share. Joint ventures and acquisition of other companies which tend to become  larger than Heineken. (O)pportunities The trends of the society changing to consumption of healthy beer with  low calories. In Asia and Russian there is increase in population which the company is  having high market share. In the U.S industry a particular segment the Hispanic are growing  tremendously Porters Five Forces of Competition Threat of substitutes: Very little technical composition of beers The growing segment of wine industry Threats of new Entry: An investment amount of $250 million dollars to build 4 million barrel brewery There is risky entry since there is no alternative use of breweries Top positions have not been cracked by new entrants Bargaining power of buyers No true brand loyal to any particular brand The Demand for the major competitor brand Budweiser is Inelastic Bargaining power of suppliers There were fewer amounts of Brewers and larger plants. High cost of production due to rise in price of products such as grains glass and  aluminium. There were many number of buying supplier of input (Wheat field). Rivalry Between established competitors During 1947 Heineken established itself in top 5 acquired 19% of the market in  U.S. During 2001 Heineken was included in top 5 and generated 87% of the U.S  market share. The beer industry is very highly competitive industry due to this reason many  brewers leave the industry. Main Competitors for Heineken Anheuser-Busch, Inc. Anheuser-Busch, Inc.is 100 percent owned by the holding company Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. The company mostly focuses on domestic beer sales, 75% of its total revenue, 4% from international beer sales, 15% from packaging, and 6% fromentertainment. Corporate level strategy At the corporate level, Anheuser-Busch pursues the dominant vertical business strategy. All ratios (specialization, related and vertical) are well above 70%. The company focuses mainly, but not exclusively, on beer production and is heavily vertically integrated, which sets it apart from most of its main competitors. Value Drivers Anheuser-Busch ranked first in the category quality of products and services. The company also won the first rank in the overall category Beverage Industry. Strength challenges and weakness Anheuser-Busch derives most of its market strength from its overwhelming scale and scope economies. The king of beers uniquely transforms this strength into several unrivalled competitive advantages, including cost efficiencies, exclusive relationships with many of its wholesalers, a dominant presence at the retail level, advertising efficiency and pricing power. A-B is growth limited because the company is operating above 95% production capacity, which already presents seasonal challenges. The overwhelming success of the past decades could potentially lead to complacency among ABs employees and distributors. SAB MILLER PLC SABMiller has brewing operations in more than 40 countries spanning four continents. The company is the second largest brewer in the world by volume and one of the largest Coca- Cola bottlers and distributors of Cokes carbonated soft drinks outside the U.S.79 The primary brands in the U.S. markets are Miller Genuine Draft, Miller Lite, Fosters and Pilsner Urquell, and Henry Weinhards and Leinenkugels. Other U.S. brands include Icehouse, Old English 800, High Life, Milwaukees Best, Mickeys Malt Liquor and a non-alcoholic beer called Sharps. Corporate Level Strategy The SABMiller corporate level strategy is a dominant linked  corporations strategy. The stated corporate level strategy is to optimize and expand its existing positions through acquisition and to seek value-adding opportunities to enhance its position as a global brewer. SABMiller business level strategy is to serve the mass markets for beer and soft drinks with broad differentiation as perceived by consumers. Value Drivers A primary value driver of SABMiller is its brand recognition. The Miller Genuine Draft  and Miller Light brands, for example, have a long established brand equity that drives their  respective sales. Strength and weakness SABMiller has strong brand leadership and it continues to develop new brands through partnerships. The strategy of diversification across currencies and geography makes the company relatively immune to regional changes in beer consumption, tastes, growth trends, and currency fluctuations. The Miller Brewing acquisition required significant management attention and a large investment on the part of SABMiller that will continue to affect profitability over the next two to three years. Coors Aldoph Coors Company was founded in 1872. Coors was family owned until 1975 when  the company first became public. The Coors family continues to be involved in the company  with nine of its members working for the firm.95 All of Coors brewing and packing facilities are currently U.S. based, having divested a brewery in Zaragoza, Spain in 2000.96 Its largest facility, in Golden Colorado, has the ability to produce 20 million barrels of beer in a year and is considered the largest brewing facility in the world. Corporate Level Strategies Coors current corporate strategies focus on improving  operational efficiencies and expansion through acquisition. Coors seeks to grow its markets  regionally. This is evident through its Carling acquisition and its current regional appeal in the U.S. All of Coors revenues come from the sale and distribution of beer and malt beverages. Value Drivers Coors is improving its brewing operations by investing in supply chain management systems, joint ventures with packaging companies and plant upgrades. Strength and weakness Coors has never wavered in its dedication to maintain their access-based position in the market. Its success has been attributed to latching onto a market trend toward health conscious consumers and developing and executing a focused strategy. The companys weakness is in establishing the correct cost basis for their strategy. Coors has the highest COGS per barrel compared to its peers. Further growth may be limited unless the  company seeks global expansion. As of today, Coors is not participating in the fastest growing global geography, China. CORONA AND LABATT Corona beer, a brand of Grupo Modelo de Mexico, and Labatt, a brand of Labatt USA,  are the major competitors to Heineken. In addition to the individual brands of Corona,  Grupo Modelo also owns Pacifico and Modelo Especial. Labatt USA has strong brands with  additional products such as Rolling Rock, and is the distributor of Tecate and Dos Equis. Both companies participated in the beer industry consolidation. Anheuser Busch has increased ownership of Grupo Modelo to 51% after an initial investment of 13% in 1993. Corporate level Strategies The corporate level strategy of Labatt USA is dominant  linked, serving various niche markets throughout the country. Labatts large portfolio of  specialty beers serves different niche markets with widely divergent geographic strengths. Grupo Modelo pursues a dominant linked strategy, however its limited brands serve only  smaller niche group. Both companies focus on the specialty beer market by controlling  manufacturing and distribution channels through vertical integration. Business level strategies. Labatt USAs and Grupo Modelos business strategies are  product differentiation. Both companies emphasize the quality of their products and their  abilities to satisfy customers. Value Drivers The primary value driver for Grupo Modelo and Labatt is their individual brand equity. Corona has been a staple in Mexico since the early 1900s. Many of the brands in Labatt USAs stable, such as Bass and Lowenbrau have been around for centuries. Since Grupo Modelo focuses on only 5 brands with huge production volume, it is able to  exploit manufacturing and production scale and scope economies as cost drivers. Strength and weakness Labatt and Grupo Modelo enjoy strong brand leadership, while Labatt has additional advantages due to its relationship with Interbrew and FEMSA that allows brand  expansion. Regression Analysis Heineken NV Heineken Holding NV Anheuser-Busch InBev Carlsberg A/S Group Modelo SAB de CV SAB Miller PLC Molson Coors Brewing Co.