Rational Choice Theory Human Essay Example for Free

Rational Choice Theory Human Essay Kidnapping John was an ordinary struggling employee of a newspaper firm. One cannot tell by appearances what the mind is capable of, or is it situations that can arouse criminal intelligence in any one of us. However, it is when thoughts transform into actions that crime is committed and what is it that causes this transformation: opportunity. Crime Script John sat thinking of possible options. It has been a mistake to switch two jobs in three years. Not only did he not have a decent designation, he barely made enough to sustain himself, let alone repay the 00 loan installments. Mr. Woolmar, the Boss, did not even know his full name properly in the six months that he had worked, let alone give him any financial help. He would have to do something drastic, something quick and maybe even something illegal. And it would have to be alone. Nothing in office, there were too many cameras. The next-door neighbours just had a baby kidnapping? Yes, but not a baby. Rob someone, take their cash, ATM, and car. Parking lots are good for that, no police, and hardly any public to get alerted and call 911. Yes, parking lots, that is where most crimes are committed, at least in the movies. Resources and setting up John required first of all, a gun. The only person whom he knew had a gun was his colleague, Sarah, who after attempted burglary at her residence had obtained an official permit to keep a gun for self-defense. He mentioned having to write an article on gun engineering and asked if he could borrow it for a few hours†¦office time only. He would take it at twelve ‘o clock, study the components, and return it at five before she leaves for home. Sarah, as her permit allowed her to carry the gun on her person, bought it to office the next day. All he cared about was that it was small in size, not too visible in his coat. Could have been a toy gun, some do look scarier than the real thing. The mask was cut out of a ladies polo neck shirt that he had bought at Labels yesterday, two holes for the eyes, a little slit for breathing and one for talking. Black, and cotton, he did not want the stifling nervous feeling to make him faint. A sports bag, to carry everything and sports gear, to look like: ‘I have just left gym and an going home. ’ This disguise also allowed him to wear joggers, which made less noise as he approached. Another factor that made him soundless was the linoleum floor of the parking lot. Linoleum is especially designed to absorb noise and shock from car tyres so that parking lots are serene. Little did floor manufacturers know how this ‘benefit’ would transform into a security hazard. He had also chosen a parking area that is mostly vacant during office lunch hours. A block away from his office was Hallman’s Securities: home to few of the richest brokers in the city. These were people who had it all and more. For them, a few thousand dollars amiss would not matter. All this was information gained from his very own newspaper articles. Actors and doing it As soon as it was One, John changed into his sports gear in the restroom, signed out ‘Gone for lunch’ walked two blocks down and started jogging as he approached the parking lot. A few stretches and he even smiled at a few lady lawyers walking out with their coffee flasks who waved back distracted. Most cars he had noticed parked in the morning, as he had stopped on his way to office, were not there. The red BMW was missing, it had particularly caught his attention because of its shine. The guard on duty was nowhere to be seen, lunch hours for everyone, hopefully. He continued with his stretches and hoped for the gentleman who had parked his Vitz at exactly 8:45, at the other end, to come out after a few more minutes when the movement died down. And there he was, navy blue shirt, maroon tie, grey trousers and the salt and pepper hair. Not really elderly enough to make John feel guilty, more of a younger wealthy CEO variety. John could now understand ‘rob the rich, give to the poor. ’ Ducking under the fichus undergrowth, John quickly put on his mask and sprinted to the other end. The gentleman nonchalantly put the keys in the lock, the rustling of leaves in the wind providing further cover to Johns hurried arrival. It was only â€Å"I have a gun, do as I say! ’ that made him stop, stiffen and put his hands up. â€Å"Get into the car, fast, don’t look back! † and John crouched low in the back seat. Once in the car, he could talk more, explain his situation, now that the gun was out of the view. â€Å"Give me your wallet, watch, and anything else that you are carrying! And you had better not hold anything back or else † said John as he poked the nozzle into his ribs. But the white-faced man was too shocked to comply. â€Å"Can’t you hear me?!! † and the second jolt startled his poor victim into action. John felt like an actor in a play. He had to force the ruthlessness into his voice; it was not coming naturally. Maybe that is how all criminals feel the first time. He wished he had not started this, but it was too late now, he had started committing the offence, might as well go all the way and reap the reward. At least he could thank his oratory skills for not fumbling with the words or faltering in volume to give away his own apprehensions. â€Å"Now you have to drive to the nearest ATM, NORMALLY, smile at people as they pass, NO ONE MUST SUSPECT, YOU UNDERSTAND! † said John, and the car started. Both the villain and the victim were on auto-pilot, like a robot drove the grey-haired man, knowing exactly where to turn, to stop at red lights, stare straight ahead, not looking here or there. John kept his gaze and nozzle fixated at his victim, ignoring the need to look around lest he give away the game. It was a slow mechanical drive. The car stopped at the ATM. It was one of those booth varieties. â€Å"I will wait outside† said John. â€Å"Take out your maximum and be out in two minutes, or I will come and shoot you inside. † Those two minutes seemed like eternity. John kept looking at his watch. What if the man had two cell phones, and had given John only one. What if he will look up the window and see a blue uniform holding a gun at him? A girl passed by the pavement, oblivious of everything except the tune in her I-pod. Then he heard the thud of the booth and saw a flash of Navy blue. Alerted to his teeth, he only breathed as he realized it was his fellow, not the cops. The man turned around and handed the cash. â€Å"That was all the limit allowed. † Silence as John counted the nine hundred and fifty dollars. Add that to the six hundred in the wallet, the five hundred the Tissot would go for, John realized that he would have to execute Part B of the plan, steal the car. Anyway it would be better to have the car to drive off in than to have to disappear from the crime on foot. â€Å"Drive and stop where I tell you! † China town was what John had in mind, there were less phone booths and more Chinese than American in that area. It would take longer for an American to get help there than anywhere else in New York. Jumping onto the passenger seat, John shouted’ â€Å"Get Out! † at the back alley. Yanking the mask off and driving at full speed John neither looked left or right as he speeded to the little repair shop run by the Mexican who had repaired the almost falling-apart foxy belonging to his Indian friend, Ranjeet. That was the only place he had ever seen a shady deal done, when suddenly a brand new Volvo was deposited by two high schoolers who walked away with cash in their pockets and smiles on their faces. The economic and emotional decadence that had disgusted him then, seemed so all right and understandable now. A crime does not feel like a crime if your needs are greater than the needs of your victim. Here too, the actions seemed rehearsed. Stop the car near the garage, walk inside, but a cigarette and open the packet to find the 4 smokes and the amount the Mexican feels is appropriate for the new arrival. Which was appropriate for John as well: A full two thousand and five hundred dollars. He may even give four hundred to charity to wash away his sin. He was just waiting for a taxi as he saw the Vitz being slowly pushed into the repair shop and the gate being closed. A few directions to the Indian cab driver, a speedy drive to office, a rush to the restroom where John changed back into his office attire, leaving the clothes and joggers in the huge trash bin, John was back at his desk at 2:15. â€Å"Rather early lunch? Was it a date? † asked Bob, his colleague â€Å"Yeah, sort of† said John as he finished formatting the article on why it is dangerous to polish guns on your own inside the house. â€Å"Here Sarah, thanks a lot, how do u use this thing? † Rational Choice Theory Human beings are rational creatures. That is why God created heaven and hell. We make the right choices there, because God is always watching. But cops are not always watching, so it is possible for would-be criminals to get away with a lot of things since â€Å"where there is a will, there is a way. † Crime arises when motivation meets opportunity. One may have the mind but not the means. If crimes such as Johns are to be prevented, either one or both of these factors would have to be reduced/removed from society. Motivation for crimes of financial nature, such as Johns, arises from need. It is not a case of a rich man trying to get richer by swindling the shareholders of his company. It is performing the big crime of kidnapping for a few thousand dollars. As said ‘Rationality involves an end/means calculation† (Sutton). Kidnappers may face lengthy terms in prison. The harsh sentences imposed and the poor risk-to-benefit ratio compared with other crimes have caused kidnapping for ransom virtually to die out in the United States. It may be that John was not aware of the consequences of getting caught. Here the question arises as to what were the violent actions the loan shark had threatened to take, that provoked John to risk something greater. A loan shark, is someone who illegally charges interest over the states legal limit, which could range up to, or even over 100% and threatens violence or damage to a persons reputation. John could have come clean to the local police and requested for security. However, if the motivating factor was damage to reputation, it would have been disastrous for John as his career as a writer in a newspaper. A more comprehensive approach is needed to reduce the incidence of such crimes. The government may need to create public awareness about the seriousness and penalties of committing various crimes so that the law is not taken lightly in times of stress. The underlying problem, however, is economical. â€Å"With the new decade of 2010 upon us, little has changed and further victimizing seems inevitable as financial desperation increases globally in more households† (Sifakis, 1999). The government must crack down on the loan shark system and introduce schemes of credit borrowing from the State itself depending on merit and below market interest rates. In fact, why not without interest at all? Interest has been looked down upon in a few religions of the world because it makes the poor, poorer and the rich, richer. Had John had access to such a borrowing system, he may not have fallen prey to a local loan shark. John’s situation mentions that he has no family or friends. A very often and sad situation in the new American society is the loneliness of the individual. In other cultures, expenses and liabilities are shared by family members especially those living in a joint family system. Such a system also automatically keeps an emotional check and an eye on every member where deviance in behaviour or mood is immediately noticed. Problems are discussed and sorted out. When society becomes individualistic and there is less and less of a support structure, financial and psychological factors combine to breed crime Motivation is all in the mind. But the body acts only if there is an opportunity. If there is a situation in which the crime can be performed. John chose not to rob a bank because he did not have access to professional assistants. John chose not to defraud his employer because he lacked the IT expertise and there were surveillance cameras in office. He had the motivation for both of these, but did not have the opportunity so the crimes were not committed. Therefore the government needs to focus on situational crime prevention. This includes making public areas safer for people. Parking lots and parks often get deserted. More surveillance cameras must be installed. Security guards must be employed in shifts. Criminals commit crime mostly because they think they will not get caught. A general awareness of crime prevention must be installed in society. Situational crime prevention does not mean obtaining permits for guns. The more guns there are out there, the more the chances of anyone getting hurt. Obviously a gun is made to kill. One in ten will. The danger of it falling into the wrong hands is too great. Guns get jammed and fire at the wrong times. There have been numerous deaths around the world because of guns kept at home. Another factor in urban crime prevention is to assimilate the various ethnicities of a metropolitan into the community whole-heartedly. â€Å"Immediate steps can be taken to reclaim the urban environment and recreate a sense of community. Migrants in multicultural cities, who have internalized the culture conflict between two worlds, can be assisted in gaining new identities and allegiances† (United Nations Team, 1995). Poverty-stricken, derelict areas on the outskirts of metropolitans are like breeding areas or crime ports, where goods can be deposited, sold, purchased out of need but always with a racial revenge in the subconscious. In John’s case the Mexican was a character, which symbolized this mafia. If at the end of his crime, John did not have a place to sell the Vitz, the crime may not have arisen at all, since no one would be carrying four thousand dollars cash anyway. The crime had not been completed until John sold the car. The victim had time to contact the authorities. However, in such situations a victim’s reactions are often late especially if the aggressor is strong or loud. While the victim was inside the ATM booth he could have looked into the CCTV camera and made signs to indicate his situation. A compulsory self-defense course must be introduced at all private and public schools so that victims are at least able to respond for help at the right time and place. This would ensure a lot of criminals being taken off guard. After a crime is committed, it is the States responsibility to punish. â€Å"The Swiftness, Severity, and Certainty of punishment are the key elements in understanding a laws ability to control human behavior† (Keel, 1997). The rational choice theory states that the benefit of the crime is greater than the pain: ‘Choice can be controlled through the perception and understanding of the potential pain or punishment that will follow an act judged to be in violation of the social good, the social contract,† (Lilly, Cullen and Ball, 1995). Whenever a crime attempt is aborted, a criminal punished, the story must flash on the media and be registered into the minds of the public, for human beings learn readily by example. Some societies go to the extent of public floggings and executions, so that all ye may learn. Utilizing the media for the good of the community is a governmental responsibility. The State may do much but it is the power of the people that can also be quite a deterrent to crime. † Self-help schemes have proven highly effective in well-organized communities. Specific crime prevention measures, such as neighbourhood block watches and neighbourhood courts, work best in partnership with local authorities, scrupulously avoiding vigilantism. † (United Nations Team, 1995. ) In many metropolitans, for example in Karachi, citizens have joined hands with the local area police to make their localities / cities safer places to live in; an organization named CPLC (Citizens Police Liaison Committee) with the slogan ‘Lets beat crime together’ has distributed car stickers with phone numbers easily displayed so that anyone who notices anything suspicious may inform it. Conclusion All efforts of the State and citizens alike must be more focused on eradicating ‘the way’ (that is, opportunity) because it is easier to eradicate than ‘the will’ (that is, motivation), which requires a long-term strategy. ‘To err is human† and the devil may open his workshop anywhere but as long as there is no opportunity, crime commission does not occur. The rational choice theory states that motivation and opportunity combine for crime commission. However sometimes motivation is not a factor at all. Even if the State and community are ideal, there are serial killers and psychopaths who commit crimes only because there are opportunities. John had the opportunity to kidnap and commit theft and he would have done it even if he were a serial killer who had a fetish for killing grey-haired men, instead of having been driven to it because of financial problems. Sometimes it is just temptation or the thrill of doing something daring and forbidden, that replaces motivational factors such as poverty or racism. So we may conclude that opportunity of crime can be equal to possibility of crime and though economic and sociological environments must be such that they deter crime, it is more relevant for the authorities to focus on situational crime prevention. References Kopel, D. B. (1995). Guns: who should have them?.. New York: Prometheus books. Keel, R. O. (1997). Rational Choice and Deterrence Theory. Lilly, J. Robert, Cullen, Francis T. and Ball, Richard A. (1995). Criminological Theory: Context and Consequences (2nd ed. ). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, Inc. Sifakis, C. (1999). The Mafia Encyclopedia Checkmark Books Sutton, D, Ronald V. Clarke. Retrieved May 17th, 2010 from http://www. criminology. fsu. edu/crimtheory/clarke. htm United Nations. (1995, April). Stop Crime. Retrieved May 17th, 2010, from http://www. un. org/ecosocdev/geninfo/crime/dpi1646e. htm

Female Circumcision Essay Example for Free

Female Circumcision Essay Societies all over the world view an individual’s transcend from childhood to adulthood as a very important chapter in their life. Many rituals are done as part of the individual’s passage through adulthood. Some are ceremonious, while others involve much pain and suffering. One such painful ritual is female circumcision experienced by females in Africa. For many years, health experts have stressed the various complications that are experienced by females who had undergone the procedure ranging from excessive bleeding to death. Governments have attempted to ban the procedure by passing laws making circumcision illegal. In spite of this, female circumcision is continuous to be rampant among African communities both in Africa and even in African communities outside the country. This paper aims to establish the prevalence of female circumcision in African communities is strongly linked to their cultural beliefs regarding the essence and protection of the femininity of their women and the religious tradition of circumcision as prescribed in Islamic teachings. Look more:Â  foot binding process essay Process of Female Circumcision In order to establish female circumcision as a cultural tradition celebrated by African communities as opposed to the viewpoint of many health experts and human rights activists as an act of mutilation against women, the ritual and process surrounding female circumcision must first be discussed as well as its background in its role of preserving the virginity of the women of African communities. Contrary to the belief that female circumcisions is a tradition rooted among the indigenous African tribes, female circumcisions have been done in Arabia, Egypt and Syria as early as the fifth century BC with evidence provided in Greek documents by ancient historians. Female circumcision was also utilized by the ancient Romans among their female slaves where they would pierce the genitalia of the slaves with pins or fibula. Hence, the name infibulation. This was done by the Romans in order to prevent the female slaves from becoming pregnant by their masters. Female circumcision was also evident in Europe and the United States as a solution for the urge of masturbation and nymphomania (Kouba Muasher, 1985; Walley, 1997; Williams Sobieszczyk, 1997). Currently, female circumcision is being practiced by Muslims, Christians, Falasha Jews and indigenous African religions in Algeria, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Malawi, Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Togo, Senegal and Mali as well as in the Southern part of the Arabian peninsula, Malaysia and Indonesia totaling approximately between 80 and 100 million women who have undergone some form of female circumcision with another four to five million children and adolescents undergoing this procedure every year in compliance to both their African cultural tradition of female circumcision as an initiation to womanhood as well as the requirements of their religious belief that circumcision must be done in order to be purified (Kouba Muasher, 1985; Obermeyer, 1999; Walley, 1997). The ritual of female circumcision among the rural African tribes begins with a ceremony where people of all ages would gather within the tribe’s compound and celebrate by drinking and dancing. This is in order for the women who would be circumcised to become tired and eventually numb for the pain that will be a part of the circumcision process. The circumcision rites would be carried out the following day at dawn and held in public without anesthesia with the girl either seated or lying down with her thighs held apart by helpers (Kouba Muasher, 1985; Walley, 1997). Depending on the tribe and preference of the family and woman to be initiated, the severity of female circumcision varies. The least severe form of female circumcision involves pricking the clitoris to cause bleeding. The second form of female circumcision is called the sunna. This procedure removes both the tip and the layer of skin covering the clitoris. The most severe is called the infibulation or Pharaonic type of circumcision. This procedure involves the removal of the entire clitoris, labia minora and most of the labia majora. Whatever is left of the labia majora is then stitched together using thread or thorns leaving only a small opening approximately the size of the head of a match stick to allow both urine and menstrual flow to pass. A powdery substance composed of sugar, gum, herbs, ashes and animal manure will be applied on the area afterwards. While the wound heals, the girls legs are tied together to immobilize her anywhere between fifteen to forty days (Kouba Muasher, 1985; Obermeyer, 1999; Walley, 1997; Williams Sobieszczyk, 1997). In more progressive African communities as well as communities in other countries, the circumcision ritual is less extravagant. There is usually no celebration before the ritual and the procedure is usually performed by medical professionals with the use of anesthesia to perform the infibulation (Kouba Muasher, 1985; Obermeyer, 1999; Walley, 1997; Williams Sobieszczyk, 1997). Health Effects of Female Circumcision Female genital operations is viewed as a major health concern not just because of its geographic distribution but also the number of females involved and the adverse complications resulting from the procedure. A woman who has undergone female circumcision does not only suffer from shock, hemorrhage and injury to the adjacent organs right after the procedure, but becomes susceptible to a number of other infections such as septicemia, tetanus, formation of scars and keloids, urinary infection, cysts and abscesses in the vulva region, pelvic inflammatory disease, infection of the uterus and fallopian tube, painful sexual intercourse, and even death (Kouba Muasher, 1985; Williams Sobieszczyk, 1997). Women who had undergone this procedure, specifically from those who came from rural communities, experience psychological trauma as well as irritability, anxiety, and depression, reduced feelings of femininity, alterations of the personality and the absence of arousal in sexual intercourse (Kouba Muasher, 1985) Childbearing becomes hazardous not just on the part of the mother who has undergone a female circumcision procedure but the baby’s health is placed in danger as well. The formation of scars and keloids after the procedure may contribute to extremely painful labor. The tearing of the scar tissue surrounding the area where the procedure was done may also result to hemorrhage on the part of the mother. There is also a high possibility that the newborn will suffer from brain damage and other malformations since the sutures done on the labia majora of the mother will have to be removed only during the period of the delivery when the baby’s head will be crowning in order for the baby to pass through (Walley, 1997; Williams Sobieszczyk, 1997). Addressing the Issue of Female Circumcision Female circumcision has become an international controversy in reference to human rights and health issues within international conferences. In line with this, various efforts have been done in order to minimize, if not eradicate the proliferation of female circumcision which is now commonly practiced throughout much of Africa and is now being practiced within African expatriate communities in U. S. , Canada and Europe (Walley, 1997; Williams Sobieszczyk, 1997). In 1958, the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women called upon the World Health Organization (WHO) to study the persistence of customs that subject girls to female genital operations rituals as well as to create measures to eradicate it. The strategy being used is similar to that which led to the discontinuation of foot binding in China. This strategy would include education and public health interventions as well as the formation of groups of parents who will pledge that they will not only cease committing their daughters to the female circumcision ritual but to discourage their sons to marry women who have been circumcised (Kouba Muasher, 1985; Obermeyer, 1999; Thomas, 1998; Williams Sobieszczyk, 1997). Slowly, this strategy has been yielding positive results. In Somalia, authorities have begun to make considerable effort through their education system to inform the public about the adverse effects of female circumcision. Due to the increase in education in Africa particularly regarding the adverse effects of the ritual of female circumcisions, more and more young women are beginning to favor less severe types of female circumcision if not oppose the ritual completely (Williams Sobieszczyk, 1997). But in other parts of Africa, the opposite has been happening. Instead of using education to inform the communities of the complications of female circumcision, it has driven communities to continue the procedure with the process carried out no longer by crude and unhygienic measures as they have normally practiced, but utilized the advancement of medicine in carrying out the rituals. Nowadays, more and more hospitals and health clinics in order to prevent the woman initiated from suffering from shock, hemorrhage and injury to the adjacent organs right after the procedure as well as psychological trauma due to the pain since the procedure now utilizes anesthesia and medicine to prevent possible infections (Kouba Muasher, 1985; Williams Sobieszczyk, 1997). Moreover, in spite the government passing legislatures banning the procedures completely, African communities still perform the rituals. For example, the Sudan government passed a law banning female circumcision in 1946. However, about 80% of women within the reproductive age group interviewed between the years 1989 and 1990 in Sudan have still undergone the ritual (Kouba Muasher, 1985; Williams Sobieszczyk, 1997). Another is in Kenya where female circumcision has been considered illegal by the government since 1982. Yet, communities still continue to practice this since they argued that it is part of their custom (Kouba Muasher, 1985; Walley, 1997). In fact, in a study conducted by Williams Sobieszczyk (1997), 90% of all African women both residing in Africa and in African communities in other parts of the world had planned to have their daughters still undergo some form of female circumcision with 50% of them preferring the most severe forms of circumcision. Reasons for the Prevalence of Female Circumcision The African tribes and African communities in other countries who have practiced female circumcision for generations have remained undaunted with the continuance of the ritual of female circumcision in spite of the availability of education and resource materials for them with reference to the adverse effect female circumcision have on the part of the women. What is even more disturbing is that there are some women who request to be circumcised (Walley, 1997). One reason for this is due to the strong ties that female circumcision has in reference to Islam. Islam is the dominant religion in the countries in Senegal, Mali, Somalia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania which have been noted to practice female circumcision. It is the belief of those who practice Islam is that all forms of circumcision is prescribed by the prophet Mohammed and that circumcision would make the woman more radiant and it is sanctioned by the Islam authorities called the ulama. However, scholars on the Islamic faith have determined that although circumcision is prescribed, the most of the severe forms of the practice of female circumcision is not a requirement according to the Quran or the hadith which are the collection of sayings of the prophet Mohammed. In fact, such forms of circumcision are prohibited (Jhazbhay, 2003; Kouba Muasher, 1985; Obermeyer, 1999; Walley, 1997; Williams Sobieszczyk, 1997). Another reason for the continuance of female circumcision is that African communities have viewed female circumcision as an important initiation to adulthood while serving to construct, enhance and reinforce female purity and virginity in connection with the norms that govern family honor, female sexuality and marriage which must be strictly followed. For a woman to turn back from the circumcision rites would amount to disgracing their families and relatives since they will be branded as cowards thus would be isolated by the community. By undergoing female circumcision, they believe that they develop a personal sense of self-confidence and pride as well as public respect. Such is the case among the Sabaot women who are envied by the women of Bukusu since, unlike them; they do not undergo female circumcision since their belief is that circumcision is only for male (Kouba Muasher, 1985; Thomas, 1998; Walley, 1997; Williams Sobieszczyk, 1997). African men also require their brides to be circumcised. Women who are not circumcised are prohibited from bearing children, particularly among the women in Meru (Thomas, 1998). Some tribes view the clitoris as a dangerous organ which could kill the baby during delivery. Others view it as poisonous that it will kill a man during sexual intercourse (Kouba Muasher, 1985). Moreover, women believe that fertility is enhanced after a woman is circumcised. Thus, female circumcision would increase the dowry that the men would pay in order to marry a circumcised woman further increasing the pride and self-confidence of the woman since she is now entitled to be married and bear children (Kouba Muasher, 1985; Thomas, 1998; Walley, 1997; Williams Sobieszczyk, 1997). The importance of patrilineal kin in African families also influences the decision for the younger females to undergo female circumcision since female circumcision was believed to enhance the masculinity of the males and the femininity of the females through the removal of the external genitalia. It is the common belief, especially among the Hofriyati women female circumcision is seen as a symbolism of emphasizing femininity focusing more on fertility rather than sexuality since many tribes believe that if left alone, the clitoris would grow into a penis (Obermeyer, 1999; Walley, 1997). African communities have also perceived the views of many scholars in reference to the importance of their cultural traditions as harmful, coercive, superfluous and regarded as a myth that must be laid to rest and stated that development is the goal of every country today, with development pertaining to the assimilation of Western technology and living patterns. Although there have been a growing number of African women objecting to the practice of female circumcision, they also objected to the manner how feminists from First World countries are handling the matter. African women believed that women from First World countries do not comprehensively understand their experiences involving the matter. This is because most Euro-American studies about female genital operations view African women as thoroughly oppressed victims of a patriarchal society, ignorant, and not seen as social actors in their own right (Walley, 1997). As such, the practice of female circumcision still persists in many parts of the world because it remains as the center of the roles and how they value their women in society. Its continuance is seen as a social standing and a return to African tradition (Walley, 1997; Williams Sobieszczyk, 1997). Conclusion This paper has shown that there is a strong relationship between female circumcision and how African communities measure the worth of an African woman. Female circumcision is equated to courage, honor, family status, eligibility to marry and have children. Those who choose not to be circumcised are ostracized by society and are considered as a disgrace to their families, compelling them to endure this ritual. African communities have also viewed female circumcision as a fulfillment of the requirements of their Islamic faith even if scholars have stressed otherwise. In order to minimize, if not eradicate female circumcision, efforts in educating African communities both in Africa and in other parts of the country should center on ensuring that they properly understand the requirements of Islam regarding circumcision. By re-educating them of the requirements of Islam along with the adverse effects, the tradition would eventually be eliminated. References Jhazbhay, I. (2003, August 30). Islam in Africa. Retrieved on February 19, 2008, from http://www. nuradeen. com/currentissues/IslamInAfrica. htm. Kouba, L. J. Muasher, J. (March 1985). Female circumcision in Africa: an overview. African studies review, 28(1), 95-110. Obermeyer, C. M. (March 1999). Female genital surgeries: the known, the unknown, and the unknowable. Medical anthropology quarterly new series, 13(1), 79-106. Thomas, L. M. (1998). Imperial concerns and womens affairs: state efforts to regulate clitoridectomy and eradicate abortion in Meru, Kenya, c. 1910-1950. The journal of African history, 39(1), 121-45. Walley, C. J. (August 1997). Searching for voices: feminism, anthropology, and the global debate over female genital operations. Cultural anthropology, 12(3), 405-38. Williams, L. Sobieszczyk, T. (November 1997). Attitudes surrounding the continuation of female circumcision in the Sudan: passing the tradition to the next generation. Journal of marriage and the family, 59(4), 966-81.

Performance comparison of two fast food businesses

Performance comparison of two fast food businesses The purpose of this article is to measure the performance of two companies in the same area of business, which is fast food industry. This study benchmarks two established global fast food sellers who have expanded operations further afield over their illustrious histories, displaying innovation, vision and success in the operation. The companies will be assessed using a range of financial methods such as horizontal, trend, vertical and ratio analyses. This will be done based on the companys financial statements for the last three years. Non-financial performance measures, which are based on evidence of business performance, will also be used. A SWOT analysis will then be done for each company in order to give the reader a concise picture about where both companies are now, and what they can do to improve their position in the market. Each company will then be assessed to see how attractive it is to both investors and employees. The companies chosen for this report are McDonalds and Burger King. They are two of the biggest fast food sellers that dominate the not only the UK but also the world fast food sector. When deciding how to position a product, marketing managers need to understand how product differentiation affects competition. Thus, this paper examines the relationship between product differentiation and prices and profits in the fast food industry. These companies were chosen as they are of interest to the author. The two fast food sellers are similar in nature as although they both have a substantial share of the UK market, either they are all famous the world. Therefore their financial data is relatively comparable. Historical BackgroundNames, addresses and logos of companies: Address McDonalds Plaza Oak Brook IL 60523 USA Address 5505 Blue Lagoon Drive Miami Florida 33126 USA Company History McDonalds Corporation McDonalds Corporation is the worlds largest hamburger fast food restaurants, serving more than 58 million customers every day. McDonalds concentrate on sells hamburgers, chicken products, French fries, breakfast, soft drinks, shakes and deserts. It represents the trends of Western nations. While at the same time, it faces the criticism over the healthiness of its products. McDonalds has modified its menu to include alternatives considered healthier such as salads, wraps and fruit. The business began in 1940, with a restaurant opened by brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald in San Bernardino, California. The site of the McDonald brothers original restaurant is now a museum. With the expansion of McDonalds into many international markets, the company has become a symbol of globalization and the spread of the American way of life. The company operates through five subsidiaries (structured on a geographic basis): McDonalds USA, McDonalds Europe, McDonalds AMEA (Asia, Middle East and Africa), McDonalds Latin America and McDonalds International. An additional subsidiary was created in McDonalds Ventures, which consists of the companys non-McDonalds brand. Burger King Corporation Burger King often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants like McDonalds headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. Burger King Corporation banner operates the international business. The company began as a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain in 1953. After the company ran into financial difficulties in 1955, its two Miami-based franchisees, David Edgerton and James McLamore, purchased the company and rechristened it Burger King. Over the next half century the company would trade hands four times, with its third set of owners, a partnership of TPG Capital, Bain Capital, and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners, taking the company public in 2002. The current ownership group, 3G Capital of Brazil, acquired a majority stake in the company in a deal valued at $3.26 billion in late 2010. The companys business is divided into three geographic segments; the US and Canada; Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific (EMEA/APAC); and Latin America. About 7,512 Burger King Stores are located in the US and Canada. Over 2,379 of the companys restaurants are located in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), 672 restaurants in Asia Pacific (APAC) and 1,002 restaurants in Latin America. Business activities and Product treeMcDonalds Corporation McDonalds operates, franchises, and services a worldwide chain of about 31,000 fast food restaurants in the world. Franchisee, Affiliate and Corporation are three ways, which McDonalds operate the worldwide stores. About 25% of the companys revenues come from franchisee outlets. The company and its franchisees use special method to guarantee uniformity in both services and standards. McDonalds restaurants offer a substantially uniform menu. It also tests a range of new products on an ongoing basis and sells a variety of other products during limited-time promotions. Source: McDonalds website Burger King Corporation Burger King (BKC) is the worlds second largest chain of fast food hamburger restaurants. Burger King operates more than 11,565 restaurants in 71 countries and the US territories, of which 1,360 restaurants are company restaurants and 10,205 are owned by independent franchisees. Among of these, 7,207 restaurants are located in the US and 4,358 are located in international markets. Burger King offers a range of reasonably priced food items, which content burgers, sandwiches, salads and breakfast items. The Whopper sandwich is its largest-selling product. Burger King was the first fast-food chain to introduce drive-through service, which now accounts for a majority of the companys business. But the development of drive-through stores is less than McDonalds. The company generates revenues from three sources: sales at company restaurants, royalties and franchise fees and property income from certain franchise restaurants that lease or sub lease property from the company. Source: Burger King Website Financial AnalysisThe following financial analysis of both companies uses the data provided in the Annual reports of each company from Fame or official website. Horizontal, trend, vertical and ratio analyses will be used as rationale to benchmark performance between the firms. Horizontal Analysis Conducting a horizontal analysis allows us to compare different items in each companys financial statements. This can be done over a period of time so that any changes that have taken place can be noted. Therefore it is a useful tool for comparing the performance of two companies. The data below shows the consolidated income statement of both firms between the years of 2007-2009. However, McDonalds financial report is calculated about in Europe, while Burger King is calculated in UK. Each companys performance will be analyzed and compared and any notable differences will be discussed below. McDonalds: there was an increase from 2008 to 2009 (3.2%) due to the world financial crisis. But there was also a significant decline from 2009 to 2010(11.9%), one reason is that the company is too large to operate. Burger King: with 6.0% growth from 2008 to 2009, Burger Kings performance is better than its competitors. Following with financial crisis end, there was 8.4% growth between 2009 and 2010. Gross Profits: This is worked out by taking the cost of sales figure away from turnover. Both companies even with high increases in operating cost for 2008, they ended up with a small increase in net income. This can be contributed to the exceptional gross profit earnings for the year. McDonalds gross profit for 2008 increased 3.2%, while Burger King only increased 1.3%. This can be attributed to the McDonalds grabbed the opportunity of financial crisis. However, McDonalds and Burger King also suffered a decline in 2009. The main reason is that companies with global operations translate sales and franchise revenue from foreign currencies into dollars. That can boost revenue and profit when the dollar is weaker but hurt results when the U.S. currency is stronger because foreign sales then translate into fewer dollars. Operating income The pattern visible for the operating income over the three-year period is different to the other indicators and causal factors are difficult to establish. It shows a huge increase in 2008, this could be attributed to the considerable increase in gross profit compounded by the operating expenses being trimmed providing a much-improved operating income for the year. In 2008 however, operating income falls, likely due to a combination of a gross profit decrease and an operating expense increase. Net Profit: this is the actual earnings of the company after all expenses and taxes have been paid and are usually referred to as the bottom line. Both companies are experiencing a small rate of organic growth in the year of 2008. This is despite the economies financial difficulty during 2008; people prefer to choose fast food as their daily food. It is likely that during 2008-09, the rise in turnover is partly down to the high price of fuel, caused by high oil. In Europe, two companies performance reflected Europes strategic priorities to upgrade the customer and employee experience, enhance local relevance, and build brand transparency. In addition, McDonalds enhanced customer trust in our brand through communications that emphasized the quality and origin of McDonalds food and our sustainable business practices, while Burger King did much better. Trend Analysis By conducting a trend analysis we can see the ways in which the companies have changed over the last three years. The year 2007 is taken as the base year and set at 100%. Each following year is then expressed as a percentage of the base year using this equation: Gross Profits: Whilst both companies experience similar growth in their turnover, McDonalds experience a decrease in gross profits in 2009-10. Burger King does not have this problem and so they experience almost same level in gross profits over the three-year period. Percentage Change in Gross Profit Operating Profit: Both companies experienced increases in their operating profit. This McDonalds plan is leading to the company becoming more efficient, which is reflected by this increase. Through this, the company has significantly reduced its administration expenses over the three-year period. They have also experienced a rise in other operating income pre operating profit, which has led to the rise in operating profit, despite the fall in gross profit. Percentage Change in Operating Profit Net Profit: Burger King net profit remains consistent for the first two years and then drops during the year 2009-10. This pattern is to be expected due to companies with global operations translate sales and franchise revenue from foreign currencies into dollars, which led to people trying to spend less money. McDonalds Net Profit rocketed in 2008-09, due to the fact that people would like to choose fast food during financial crisis. Percentage Change in Net Profit Vertical Analysis A vertical analysis shows us the relationship between each income statement item to the turnover. In other words, it shows all other figures as a percentage of the turnover or net sales, which is set at 100%. The following equation can be used in order to work this out: Balance Sheet A vertical analysis can also be conducted on the companys balance sheet, representing all items as a percentage of the total assets. In simple terms, this allows us to see where a business spend and receives its money. Fixed Assets: Fixed assets are those with a remaining useful life of over one year. Tangible fixed assets refer to physical assets such as buildings; land etc. and intangible assets refer to items such as goodwill and trademarks. McDonalds is much bigger than Burger King, which means it has more stores in Europe and UK. Current Assets: Current assets are those that are held for less than a year and can be realized quickly. They act as a source of funds for day-to-day activities (Investor Words, 2009). During the world financial crisis, two companies were under its influence in 2008. While in 2009, two companies had made a quick change. So their current assets suffer from a huge increasing. Total Liabilities: This figure is made up of both current liabilities and long-term liabilities. Current liabilities are the debts to creditors and suppliers, which the companies are expected to pay within a year, often in cash. Long-term liabilities are debts that do not need to be repaid within a year. Burger King has a lower share of long-term liabilities than McDonalds does. This suggests that Burger King is in a better financial position when it comes to repaying debt, as the majority of their capital comes from Shareholders funds instead of loans. Ratio Analysis Conducting a ratio analysis allows us to compare the specific items in each companys financial statements over the three years period. There are four classifications of ratio analysis: Profitability, Liquidity, Efficiency and Investment. Conducting a ratio analysis from each of the four classifications should give a good overall picture of each companys performance. Profitability: Gross Profit Margin Gross Profit Margin = Gross Profit x 100 Turnover Gross profit margin allows us to see the proportion of sales that is left over once the costs of sales have been accounted for. This gives us an idea about how much money the company is making on their sales alone, before accounting for other income, administration expenses, interest and tax. This is a particularly relevant measure for this industry as the vertical analysis showed that the cost of sales takes up a huge percentage of the total turnover. Generally, the higher the gross profit margin is the better a company is performing. Liquidity: Current Ratio Curent Ratio = Curent Asset Curent Liabilities The current ratio is used to test the liquidity of company. A high current ratio of over 2 to 1 suggests that a company would easily be able to pay off its debts using its current assets, putting them in a good financial position. Efficiency: Asset Turnover Asset Turnover = Sales (Turnover) Total Assets This ratio measures how efficient a company is at utilizing their assets in order to generate sales. A high ratio indicates that a company is making good use of its assets. McDonalds is using its assets more efficiently than Burger King. Both companies experience improvement in their asset efficiency throughout the two year period which could again be attributed to the improvement programs that they are both currently running. While in 2009, two companies suffered from a small declining. However, McDonalds is much better than Burger King. Investment: Price/Earnings Ratio P/E Ratio = Market Earnings per Share Price per Share This final measure is a clear indication to potential investors, of the earnings they will be receiving. The ratio essentially indicates the price they are paying for a unit of income. If one company has a higher ratio than the other then the relative earnings received is for the price of the share is less than the other company. When comparing two companies they can use as relative prices to determine which one delivers the greatest benefit for their price. In addition, the lower the value, the quicker the investment will be recovered through earnings. Both companies started in a similar position in 2009-10. This ratio does not necessarily mean the investor will receive less because the fluctuations in share prices paid by each investor may differ greatly, especially in this three year period where the decline was drastic in 2008. However, upon analysis by a potential investor, it may indicate that at the end of 2008s financial year, Burger King looks to provide slightly better earnings per share relative to the price paid. However this is not rigid, prices fluctuate by the hour and do not always resemble financial performance. Non-Financial Analysis It is also important to factor in a variety of non-financial measures of performance in order to help us to assess the position of these companies. This may help to explain why one company is experiencing success over another. The fast food industry in the world is extremely competitive and so a number of different performance measures ¼Ã…’ which are thought to be relative to the industry have been used. Global operations McDonalds concentrate on globalization, sometimes referred to as the McDonaldization of society. The Economist newspaper uses the Big Mac index to describe the McDonalds globalization. McDonalds was the first restaurant to consistently offer clean restrooms, driving customers to demand the same of other restaurants and institutions. McDonalds wants to open a large number of drive-through stores in the world. McDonalds make a deal with the French fine arts museum, the Louvre, to open a McDonalds restaurant and McCafà © on its premises, in November 2009. Burger King was successful in the US and then it brought Chicken burger to Europe. Consumers are urged to cheat on beef, with the message that Burger King announces can offer more than just beef burgers. The creative marketing is likely to engage consumers, while chicken may appeal to more health to customers. To assist in its global expansion, Burger King has established several subsidiaries to develop partnerships and alliances to expand into new areas. In Europe, Burger Kings subsidiary Burger King Europe GmbH is responsible for the licensing and development of BK franchises in the that market. At the end of 2010 year, Burger King is the second largest hamburger fast food company, which the first one is McDonalds (32,400 locations) and the fourth largest fast food restaurant chain overall after Yum!(37,000 locations), McDonalds and Subway (32,000 locations). Success of Branding and Advertising im lovin it is an McDonalds Corporations slogan. It was created by Heye Partner. The English part of the campaign was launched in the UK in 2003. With the music of Tom Batoy and Franco Tortora (Mona Davis Music) and vocals by Justin Timberlake is famous all over the world. In Spring 2008, McDonalds published their new image and slogan: What were made of. This was to promote how McDonalds products are made. Packaging was tweaked a little to feature this new slogan. In Fall 2008, McDonalds started new packaging, eliminating the previous design stated above with inspirational messages, the im lovin it slogan. McDonalds also updated their menu boards with darker, yet warmer colors, more realistic photos of the products featured on plates and the drinks in glasses. In 2009, McDonalds expects to have all of this nationwide. As to Burger King, Golden Age of Burger King advertising was during the 1970s when it introduced its Magical Burger King. And then several well-known and parodied slogans appear. In 2003, Burger King published new advertising with the hiring of the Miami-based advertising agency of Crispin Porter + Bogusky (CP+B). They have reorganized Burger Kings advertising with a series of new factors. It centered on a redesigned Magical Burger King character accompanied with a new online presence. A Burger King advertising running in recent weeks declares the Kings gone crazy. It shows the burger chains royal mascot running through a building and crashing through a plate glass window before being tackled to the ground by men in white coats. The advertising is supposed to trumpet Burger Kings new Burger King Steakhouse XT burger: The kings insane for offerings so much beef for $3.99, said the advertising. Success of Menus McDonalds decision to display nutritional information, including calorie and fat content and also on its product packaging well help restore faith in the brand by empowering customers menu choices. However, the move does not represent a fundamental change to the companys overriding mission. It just provides cheap, flavorsome food, served quickly. McDonalds clearly wants this increased disclosure will restore trust in its products. Indeed, data monitor research shows that transparency is clearly needed: 40% of UK consumers are skeptical about health claims made by food manufacturers, compared to 32% who are trusting. McDonalds healthier menu items that have this year helped promote sales in Europe. Consumers will soon be able to read that the Cheese, Ham and Pepperoni Deli Brown Roll contains 616 calories, compared to 493 in a Big Mac, along with almost 10% more fat and more than double the amount of salt. Nonetheless, as the worlds leading fast food company, McDonalds will always per form better. In contrast to other industry players, Burger King has not focused on making its food healthier in the past, believing that the Superfan values taste over health when making food choices. In 2005, for example, the company invested a lot on fast foods to make them less unhealthy, with less salt, sugar and fat, stating it wanted to focus on providing tasty foods. By focusing on taste, Burger King aimed to gain a competitive advantage and achieve a reputation for producing tastier burgers. While this focus on taste is appealing to the Superfan, health is an issue of growing importance to a large sector of society. Therefore, in order to remain competitive, the company has had to respond to this growing demand for healthier foods. Its rivals have already made health changes to their menus and, with this in mind, Burger King has reformulated some of its menu items. Consumers are urged to cheat on beef, Burger King announces that it can offer more than just beef burgers. The creative marke ting is to tall consumers, while chicken is more health. Burger King has announced that it will be provided new hamburger named the Tender crisp Premium Chicken burger in the UK, Ireland, Sweden and Denmark. At the same time, Burger King wants to create new imagine that consumers go to fast food stores looking for health beneficial products, which will makes them feel better about their choice in turn. Market share Burger King has around 7,800 restaurants locally, while McDonalds has whopping 13,000 locations locally. Burger King has approximate 21.9% of the market share, while McDonalds has more than double that, a whopping 44% market share of the fast food industry. Comparatively, McDonalds has been expanding rapidly into the international market; in fact McDonalds has expanded in many third world countries, which include India, China, etc. Although Burger King also has international reach, its nowhere near McDonalds reach. Burger King has managed to expand in only a handful of international markets. Company PotentialMcDonalds SWOT Analysis McDonalds SWOT Analysis Strengths Market-leading position Robust all-round growth Strong brand equity Opportunities Alliance with Warner Home Video Innovations in the Menu Rising Hispanic population in US Strengths McDonalds is the worlds largest foodservice retailing chain. McDonalds serves one of the worlds favorite and most well known menus. The company has shown a strong growth in revenues. Its consolidated revenues have increased at a compounded annual growth rate. All segments of the company have witnessed strong growth. Europe, McDonaldss largest geographical market, saw revenues increase by 14.7%. McDonalds has a well-established brand that appeals to varied age groups and customer profiles. The Business Week magazine has ranked McDonalds as one of the ten most recognized brands in the world, a position that creates significant opportunities for the company. The company makes some of the largest selling fast foods in the world. Weaknesses The company witnessed an operating loss from its non-McDonalds brand restaurant operations. Operating losses from both these segments have lowered McDonalds overall profitability. McDonalds revenue per employee compared quite poorly with the average figures in the foodservice and restaurants industry. This indicates that the companys per employee productivity and profitability is lower than that of its competitors, a disadvantage in a fiercely competitive marketplace. During 2007-2009, McDonalds selling, general and administrative (SGA) expenses for Europe region increased substantially. Increasing SGA expenses in these segments have adversely affected the overall profitability of McDonalds. Opportunities A popular live-action series featuring Ronald McDonald will help further McDonalds popularity, especially amongst children. The company can cash in on this and boost its revenues. McDonalds continues to evolve its menu in order to maintain its leading market position. New products and branded everyday value remain a focus for McDonalds, as the company continues to refresh its offerings with its Euro Saver Menu in several European markets. Threats The company is facing pressures due to an increase in raw material prices. Owing to various import restrictions and higher demand, prices of beef. Further, the prices are expected to remain high during 2010 also. Beef is the major raw material for the companys products. A further hike in beef prices can have a negative impact on companys profitability. Over the past few years there has been a newfound emphasis on healthier eating. With a change in lifestyle, people are becoming more aware of the negative effects of unhealthy eating habits. This has a direct effect on the sales of the fast food chains that are associated with unhealthy food. Consumers are showing increased preference for fat-free and healthy food products. Food items containing trans-fat are losing market share as they are linked to cardiovascular diseases. Some negative publicity could adversely impact the revenues of the company, especially as consumers and government bodies all over the world get more conscious abo ut health effects of fast food. Burger King SWOT Analysis Burger King SWOT Analysis Strengths Strong market position and brand equity signifying customer acceptance Greater franchise mix-an attractive business model Innovative marketing campaigns and advertising to provide greater visibility Opportunities Expansion in existing and new markets-the rate of expansion in 2009 was 28% higher than the prior year Initiatives such as remodeling and usage if Bluetooth to enhance operational efficiency Positive outlook for quick service restaurant segment Strengths Burger King enjoys a strong market position with 11,925 restaurants operating in 73 countries and US territories. It is the worlds second-largest FFHR chain as measured by the total number of restaurants and system-wide sales. Additionally, BKCs Burger King and Whopper brands are two of the most widely recognized consumer brands in the world. Overall, the companys established brand image has enabled it to penetrate various global markets. The company leverages its strong market position to gain economies of scale and increase its bargaining power. BKC utilizes innovative marketing, advertising and sponsorships to drive sales and generate restaurant traffic. Strong and innovative marketing efforts will provide better visibility to the company, which will in turn have an impact on the revenue generating capacity of the company. Weaknesses Declining comparable sales growth-2009 recorded the lowest rate in three years BKC recorded a decline in its comparable sales growth in the recent past. Despite positive comparable sales growth across all reportable segments during 2009, comparable sales for the period were negatively impacted by significant traffic declines during the third and fourth quarters across many of the markets in which BKC operates. This was primarily driven by the continued adverse macroeconomic conditions, including higher unemployment, more customers eating at home, heavy discounting by other restaurant chains and the H1N1 flu pandemic. Declining comparable sales growth indicates the necessity of the management to focus on various product offerings that caters to the value conscious customers during times of poor economic conditions. Concentrated operations in terms of geographic presence and dependence on selected distributors-increases business risks. Opportunities Expansion in existing and new markets-the rate of expansion in 2009 was 28% higher than the prior year. Burger King is focusing on expanding its presence in existing and new markets. Expanding presence in existing and new markets will allow the company to establish a global footprint and favorably impact its revenue generating capacity. Initiatives such as remodeling and usage of Bluetooth enhance operational efficiency. Threats The fast food industry is intensely competitive and Burger King competes with many well-established food service companies on the basis of product choice, quality, affordability, service and location. As the restaurant industry has few barriers to entry, the company competes with large competitor base including restaurant chains and individual restaurants that range from independent local operators to well-capitalized national and international restaurant companies. McDonalds and Wendys are BKCs principal competitors. The company also competes against regional hamburger restaurant chains. The company also competes against national food service businesses offering alternative menus, such as Subway, PaPa Jones and Pizza Hut. Some of the Burger King competitors have greater financial, non-financial and other resources, which may help them to react to changes in pricing, marketing and other segment in general better than Burger King. Investor Potential This section will examine the attractiveness of investment into McDonalds and Burger King. The following two graphs show the variations in each companys share price over the three financial periods looked at throughout this reports. Both companies graphs are taken from Yahoo! Finance as this website showed the fluctuations during the three years that the financial analysis was conducted, allowing the share price to be compared to the businesses financial success. Share prices vary depending on how a company is performing; with more investors buying shares when they think the company is about to experience success. Success leads share prices to rise, due to the laws of supply and demand. McDonalds share price This graph shows that McDonalds experienced an overall increase in share price during 2006 to 2010. This could be due to the success of the McDonalds strategies, suggesting that the company has adopted a successful growth strategy and encouraging people to invest. Burger King share price Burger King have seen a steady drop in their share price relative to their drop in net profit in 2007-08, which could lead investors to become less attracted to the company. However, Burger King does have quite a strong growth strategy

Web Accessibility: How Improving Online Communication for the Blind Aid

Many businesses struggle in today’s sluggish economy. According to ShopperTrak’s National Retail Sales Estimate, total retail sales for Christmas week 2010 dropped 4.1 percent and foot traffic in brick-and-mortar stores fell 6.1 percent (Christmas Week Retail Sales). To increase sales, companies must look for new marketing ideas and revenue streams. Two ideas are using Web advertising and creating online storefronts— ‘click-and-mortar’ stores versus ‘brick-and-mortar’ stores (Journal of Interactive Advertising 2002). Companies also target the massive â€Å"Baby Boomer Generation† to appeal to larger audiences. Businesses increase their Web presence effectively and efficiently by creating sites that appeal to the aging Baby Boomers and to all visually impaired people. They create these sites by using Web accessibility. The term visually impaired describes people reporting difficulty seeing even while wearing corrective lenses as well as those who are blind, according to the American Foundation of the Blind (Facts and Figures). The World Health Organization (WHO) divides vision into four categories: normal vision, moderate visual impairment, severe visual impairment, and blindness. Low vision includes individuals having â€Å"moderate visual impairment† and â€Å"severe visually impairment.† The low vision category includes legally blind individuals; the Braille Institute defines a legally blind person as someone who â€Å"central vision acuity† is 20/200 or less even with corrective lenses, such as glass or contact lenses. Low vision and blindness comprise the spectrum of visual impairment. The WHO states that glaucoma, cataracts, and â€Å"uncorrected refractive errors, such as myopia and astigmatism, are the major causes of visual impairment worldwide. ... ...C/q/id/53349/t/2>. Steinfeld, Charles. â€Å"Understanding Click and Mortar E-Commerce Approaches: A Conceptual Framework and Research Agenda.† Journal of Interactive Advertising. 2.2. Spring 2002. Print. Tim Berners-Lee: Bio. World Wide Web Consortium, 30 April 2010. Web. 10 April 2011. . United States. Census Bureau. Americans With Disabilities: 2005. Washington: GPO, 2008. Print. 29 USC. Sec. 794d. 1998. Print. US Web Retail Sales to Reach $249 Bln by '14-Study. Reuters, 8 March 2010. Web. 7 April 2011. . Vision Loss Rate Expected to Double as Boomers Age. SeniorLiving, n.d. Web. 8 April 2011. . World Health Organization, April 2011. Web. 6 April 2011. .

Essay --

Question 1: Answer each of the following questions in MSWord a) Why is email an important toll in modern communications? Emails are important because it’s very fast, no need wait for answers, it’s in no time. It is good choice because it’s online. You can send text messages, attached file, even you can communicate face to face that’s using microphone and web camera. You can use emails in every place that have WiFi. b) What components make up an email message? Email components are recipient address, CC (carbon Copy), subject, editing tools, text editor, and attachment. CC means if you put another people email address in this line they will get email copy as well. Attachment – you can add and send files like pictures, sound files, signatures etc. c) What email account should people consider using? There are a lot of email providers. I will show 10 most popular. †¢ Google GMAIL †¢ Microsoft Hotmail †¢ Yahoo †¢ Outlook †¢ GMX †¢ Mail.com †¢ AOL †¢ Inbox.com †¢ Zoho †¢ Lycos mail These emails providers are free and provide much more than just send and receive messages. d) What is good email etiquet...

Ethical Leadership versus a Written Ethics Code Essay -- Ethics, Busin

Ethics, which is less commonly known to us as moral philosophy, is an affiliation of philosophy that talks about issues of morality, concepts such as crime and justice, good and evil go hand in hand with morality. Ethics plays a major part in society and it is the way people behave in certain situations, over the years it has come under the spotlight through numerous situations. In this essay I will discuss whether a written code of ethics combined with ethics training is more effective than strong ethical leadership and vice versa. In an organisation ethics are supposed to set standards as to what is the right thing to do in conduct and decision making however this is not always the case. Over the years different scandals have occurred which have shown that companies and in particular the people that run them are not at all ethical and only seek to maximize profits. Economical analysts throughout the years have suggested that the way to avoid such incidents is by either having a code of ethics along with ethics training or through strong ethical leadership. A code of ethics is written in order to help members of an organisation behave in an acceptable way within their given organisation. At the same time a code of ethics can help improve the popularity of the company due to the fact that it will be seen more favourable in the eyes of the public and of course the people that work in it. In addition, it will increase confidence within an organisation by showing to their rivals and the public that they are committed to following ethical guidelines. Firstly, a code of ethics is similar to the ACAS code of practice that is used in the government, however a code of ethics is strictly applied to the parameters of an organisation or ... ...ng to enhance the reputation of their company by being ethically faultless. Works Cited †¢ Anonymous, (nd) â€Å"Value based leadership.† Holt Cat, [Online] available from: http://www.holtcat.com/about_us/values_based_leadership.aspx [Accessed 29th November 2011] †¢ Daft, R., Kendrick, M. and Vershinina, N., 2008. Management, 8th ed. South-Western Higher Education. †¢ Daft, R. and Marcic, D., 2004. Understanding Management, 4th ed. South-Western Higher Education. †¢ Isidore, C., October 7, 2005 â€Å"Boeing CEO out in sex scandal.† CNN Money, [Online] available from: http://money.cnn.com/2005/03/07/news/fortune500/boeing_ceo/ [Accessed 30th November 2011] †¢ Wee, H., April 11, 2002 â€Å"Corporate Ethics: Right Makes Might.† Bloomberg Businessweek, [Online] available from: http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/apr2002/nf20020411_6350.htm [Accessed 30th November 2011]

Beowulf and Spider Man Compare and Contrast

Beowulf is an ancient hero who became a king in pursuit of doing his majestic role in protecting the people against monsters that might harm them. On the other hand, Spider Man is a modern day hero, who not more than a newspaper photographer in a person of Peter Parker, who, in performing his goal of saving lives and protecting the people wear a costume in order to hide his real identity. That is not in the case of Beowulf. He does have to wear costume nor hide his real identity.With all his valor, he faces the enemy with courage using his bare hands or classical lethal weapons like sword and shield. The same courage can be found in Spider Man whenever he fights an opponent. But he does not use a sword nor shield to do so.What he is using is his special ability to crawl on walls and buildings like a spider. Within long distances, he is also aided with his highly sophisticated web-shooter that he uses to swing from one building to another. He also uses it to capture or disarm the enem y.Beowulf kills his enemy but Spider Man does not have the intention to do so. As a modern day hero, he tends to be a protector of life, with the desire of only capturing the enemy without killing. What he wants is to stop the enemy from doing troubles and harm to the citizen and to finally deliver the nuisance to the authority.In the case of Beuwolf, since his enemy are not humans, with the real intention of just putting people to death and destruction, that neither human laws nor authority can stop, what he does is to fight them to death.You can imagine the scenario when Spider Man would just capture or disarm an enemy while Beowulf is swinging his sword during his bloody heroic encounters, breaking the monsters limbs, or beheading them.You can find almost the same courage in them, but their fighting principle would just differ in terms of how they treat their opponents. During modern day, it would be more rational to put the social nuisance and the enemy of the citizen in the han d of the police or government.Beowulf would not look for soldiers nor authorities to turnover the capture. He would kill it. The people would be more happy if as a hero they may find him putting an end to the life of those monsters and dragons.That might be the difference why Spider does not decide to kill his opponent’s life. He took the idea of a hero that maintains peace and order, an extended arm of the authority and a helper to the society, without the goal of putting one’s life to death. However, their intention only remains the same, maintenance of peace and order.Regarding personal characteristics and attributes, Beouwulf mingled with people normally first as their hero and later their king whom the people extend awe and respect. Comparatively, Spider Man do not. His normal life lies on the fact that he has to live as an ordinary photographer, a lover Mary Jane, a nephew to his aunt and will soon become a super hero only during times of troubles. People know th at they live with Peter Parker everyday and everynight, but they did not have the slight idea that that clumsy Peter Parker is the ever clever Spider Man.Both of them uses the most advance technology of their time. Sword and shield for Beowulf, scientifically accumulated spider skills and sophisticated webshooter for Spider Man. In comparison, they perform their deeds using the best of their time.In contrast, Beowulf intend the sword and shield to kill the enemy, but Spider Man use his spider senses and webshooter merely to defend himself from the attack and to induce a non-fatal attack against any person that might bring the citizen to unsecured danger.