Changes in Life Positive and Negative Effects

One of the invariable realities in life is that we are every in a state of change. These changes may be positive or negative but regardless of their nature, they are a fundamental part of our lives and it is important that we brace ourselves for them. In my life, I have had many changes; some of which have been inconsequential and other which have literally marked a turning point in my life. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Changes in Life: Positive and Negative Effects specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In this paper, I shall narrate one of the significant changes in my life so as to highlight the fact that our perception of the change does at times determine whether the experience will be enjoyable or shall yield to discomfort and insecurity. The particularly significant change in my life came about as a result of the announcement by my parents that we would be moving from Texas to New Mexico. What made this chan ge so significant to me was that we had been living in the same neighborhood for as long as I could remember and the moving process felt like literally been uprooted. As such, the change represented being taken away from what I was familiar with and loved to being placed in a foreign place which held a lot of uncertainty for me. My initial reaction was that of shock and distress at the prospect of what life in the new place would hold. While I did enjoy visiting new places, I had never pictured myself moving from my home town on a permanent basis. In a bid to resist the change, I tried to reason my parents out of their decision. This was a futile attempt mostly because I had no solid reasons as to my opposition to our moving. When it was finally clear to me that we were going to move regardless of my stance, I resigned myself to my fate and I recall wallowing in self pity as I expressed my predicament to my friends. However, one of my friends who happened to have come from New Mex ico remarked that the place was actually enjoyable and held many a fascinating scenes for people. In addition, he commented on the lovely neighborhoods and the tight knit communities that were there. His statements opened my eyes to the possibilities that the change in my life presented. I had been too indulged in the uncertainty and discomfort that would arise from the move that I had failed to consider the numerous possibilities that the change presented. Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In my blindness, I had set out to avoid the change and failed to recognize the fascinating new possibilities. From this point on, I took up a more positive outlook and actually looked forward to the move. On getting to New Mexico, I discovered that while everything was not as picturesque as my friend had suggested, the place was actually enjoyable and the community was not that different from the one in my previous neighborhood. Due to the fact that I had braced myself for the change, I overlooked the negative aspects of my new home town and as a result of my optimism and high spirits, the change turned out to be one of the most memorable ones in my life. From my experience, I learned that sometimes the changes in our lives are neutral and it is our perception that makes them either a joy to be looked forward to or a pain to be shunned. I also learnt that our fears of change in most cases spring from unfounded assumptions and our own prejudices. As such, it is important for us to adopt an open minded and optimistic outlook as we undergo the numerous changes that life presents to us. By doing this, we will be increasing our chances of leading a satisfying and fulfilling life. This essay on Changes in Life: Positive and Negative Effects was written and submitted by user Jamar Leonard to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

What means does Alan Bennett use to help us to understand the truth about Lesley in Her Big Chance Essays

What means does Alan Bennett use to help us to understand the truth about Lesley in Her Big Chance Essays What means does Alan Bennett use to help us to understand the truth about Lesley in Her Big Chance Essay What means does Alan Bennett use to help us to understand the truth about Lesley in Her Big Chance Essay Talking heads was a BBC drama television series produced in the late 1980s. The first six monologues were screened in 1987 and a further six were broadcasted in 1998. The monologues give us access to peoples most private thoughts. The individual tells their side of the story. Sometimes they reveal a lot more than they mean to, leaving the audience to investigate their lives further and piece together clues from what they say to create a character in their mind. Each monologue shows us a varied life. They are all melancholy and dramatic. These monologues also give us an insight of everyday British lives in the 80s. Her Big Chance is about young imprudent women named Lesley. Her obsessive career as a professional actress takes over her whole life so it becomes not just a job, but her world. She ends up being seduced by many men and manipulated into things she doesnt really want to do, leading to her acting in an abominable manner. The most tragic element being her acceptance of this treatment, believing it is part of her much admired career. These twelve monologues were written by Alan Bennett, born in 1934. He went to Oxford University and by 1960 he was at his prime. Aspects of Bennetts life can be found in his monologues. During the 30s Britain had a strong sense of community. The nation was hard working but was also male dominated. There were strict morals such as girls having to be married before sexual intercourse. We can see some opinions from the 30s reflected in Her Big Chance. For example, Lesley sees it as normal for men to push her around and abuse her. Bennetts early years were spent during World War Two. This harsh upbringing means he would have encountered shortages, caution, great fear and perhaps at times boredom. The audience will notice that young Lesleys life in the beginning is merriment and over exaggerated. This could represent what Bennetts childhood lacked, and the things he desperately wanted in his younger years. Bennett says at the begging of talking heads he has met many Lesleys, evoking the idea that the monologues are semi-auto biographies. The monologues were cheap to produce. During the 80s the BBC was cutting back their drama budget; therefore Talking Heads was the perfect series to put on air. The series was produced using just two cameras and each monologue took only six hours studio time to create. Compared to earlier high quality dramas, Talking Heads was a successful drama on a tight budget. Thatcherism played an immense influential role in peoples lives in the 80s. When Margaret Thatcher became the first women prime minister in 1979, the idea of community was beginning to break down. People became more independent. We see the feeling of independence in Lesleys character at times. The feeling of freedom spread and with it raised the divorce rate. Society became hard working but selfish. It was now believed that you could do anything if you tried hard enough. The idea of fame became exceedingly popular. Lesleys opinions and morals are linked to this reforming society and culture. She believes that if you give a lot you get a lot. She also thinks she is famous. Although the equal rights act being introduced a few years before Thatchers rise to power, Britain still held many aspects of a male dominated nation. We can see this when the men in Her Big Chance manipulate Lesley into doing things she is reluctant to do. However, she still obeys them. This drama is called Her Big Chance, but why did Bennett choose this title? I believe the purpose of this title is to mislead the audience. Bennett has used irony here to get our brains thinking about various meanings within the title. It holds many meanings and represents both Bennetts and Lesleys view of the situation in the monologue. When the audience first read the title, they presume this drama will be about a person, who has come across an opportunity that could change their life forever in a positive way. Once we have read the monologue thoroughly and understood Lesleys character, the titles hidden meanings are revealed. As we see in the monologue, due to her lack of understanding, Lesley always considers her role in the pornographic movie as a useful experience and never regrets coming across the job ( as we see when Lesley tells us shes glad she went to the party because thats how she got the part). So the title, if taken literally, represents Lesleys interpretation of the monologue. She really did see this as Her Big Chance and still does. However, Bennett could have written the title with the intention of a sarcastic meaning. This would be supporting both Bennetts and the audiences personal view of the situation. This wasnt really Her (Lesleys) Big Chance, his just making fun of her. This title gets the audience thinking like Lesley, in the beginning. By the end of the drama, we see the true Lesley, and think like Bennett. This is what happens in reality when we build a relationship with someone. Firstly we go by the persons opinion of them self. We then begin to find out their true personality and our view of them as they reveal more about their past and we watch their behaviour and interaction with others in general. Bennett begins this monologue with a dramatic and highly shocking opening. This rather bizarre comment by Lesley helps the audience understand more about her ludicrously stupid character. The first line she says is, I shot a man last week. In the back. I miss it now, it was really interesting. Its only the first line, and the audience has already been drawn in. I think Bennett wrote this cold and peculiar opening line to get the audience interested in this mysterious character encouraging us to read on and find more about this situation and this persons psychotic and sadistic personality. The word interesting evokes this image. The frequent use of fall stops and comers in this sentence builds up the tension even more so. However, the audience still have more unemotional and evil comments in store. This stone- hearted person then says Still, Im not going to get depressed about. Bennett seems to be turning the audience against Lesley by infuriating us and inflicting hatred towards her character. The idea that someone could be so heartless about a murder they just committed is almost unbelievable. She continues with the story, telling is more unwelcoming comments. Suddenly she talks about crossroads and her acting career, this disappoints the audience a little but without this opening, we would miss out on many aspects of Lesleys character. The audience see this being about a woman whose life is life is action filled and exciting. When we encounter Lesley getting a part in a pornographic, we are just bewildered; this was not what we were expecting after reading this opening about a cold-blooded murder. As we read further on we find out the truth, and the opening reveals some of Lesleys hidden characteristics. Lesley revels the truth about this opening. The audience see that this murder was acted out by Lesleys character, Travis, He spins round. Travis fires the harpoon and you see the spear come out of his back. This over exaggerated opening shows us Lesleys incapability of drawing a line between home life and work. She appears to be trying to intimidate the audience giving her the feeling she has authority over us, and all the characters in the monologue, reassuring herself. She is abused so much in the monologue, that maybe she doesnt want to risk being mistreated in this way again. She believes this threatening opening is the way to stop this. Bennett could also be trying to tell us that Lesley is ashamed; shes covering up and manipulating the immoral truth so it doesnt look as negative. Throughout the monologue, the audience will notice Lesley insulting other characters. Lesley rarely sees when she is being mistreated, but when she does recognise this foul treatment she snipes back with a harsh insult. Not only does she snipe when she feels bullied, but also when she feels her authority has been overruled by someone else. This can be seen when Lesleys water skiing role is given to another women. She tells us she is Pleasant enough, but doesnt look a bit like me (her), clearly bettering herself. She then makes comparisons between the new girl and herself. Im quite petite, only she is on the large side and whereas my hair is auburn, hers is defiantly ginger. Lesley emphasised the fact the new girl is ginger, which is clearly an insult. Its obvious Lesley is jealous of this woman for getting her much wanted role, because she is bettering herself by insulting her. If Lesley was really a professional like she says she is, she wouldnt be sulking about a small part like this. Bennett is showing us here her immaturity. Maybe Lesley has glimpsed the truth that she is not really a great actress and so makes nasty comments about the womens appearance, reassuring herself that although she may be the better actress, she has the better appearance. Lesley never, even at the end of the monologue understands her role in this movie. Bennett is showing us here her stupidity. At the beginning of the monologue when she is talking about the party, she tells us that shes glad I (she) did (went) because thats how I (she) got the audition This just sums- up Lesleys ridiculously stupid personality. She has had a week to think this over and still, she doesnt understand that she was used and manipulated into acting in a pornographic film. The director Simon asked to see her in her bra and panties They forced her to apply sun-tan lotion while topless, and yet has failed to see the film for what it is. But why? I believe that Bennett is not just showing her stupidity here, but her almost identical personality with Travis. Travis goes around topless and draws male attention, Lesley sleeps with three men during the monologue. This is just one similarity. Travis is abused by men in the monologue, Lesley tells us that Travis was hit my her boyfriend at an earlier junction Lesley is always mistreated by men, by saying you knew he was my boyfriend because at an earlier junction youd see him hit me across the face she is really telling us that in her eyes thats how men treat woman, and that its a fact of life. Could Bennett be highlighting the problem of sexist men in the 80s and how Britain was male dominated? Being so like Travis means that all of this seems normal to Lesley. There was nothing suspicious about having to act someone sleeping around and filming sexual intercourse scenes. Lesley does this in real life, sleeps around. As the audience sees, Lesley is constantly manipulated and abused such as the comment from Scot Lets face it, dear. Youre not used to working. Why dont you bring you knitting? and many other insults throughout the monologue. Lesley also tells us that Travis is a good-time girl, although you never see me having a good time. This is just like Lesley, she tells us about this part and how she shot a man in the beginning, but we never see her having any fun. This is why Lesley fails to see anything wrong with this film, she doesnt draw a line between acting and real life as Scot says to Lesley when she says it back to real life he replies some of us never left it. Showing, characters in the monologue also see this. This conversation also shows us that Lesley, although she constantly tells us she is, is not a professional. Professional actresses do not live their part. They dont go around sleeping with their directors like Lesley. However we can see why Lesley fails to see the film for what it is. If we was to get an acting job, and our character we played was like us, we wouldnt see anything wrong in it because we would be insulting our self if we said anything negative about the character. Lesley agrees with Gi nter that the film is very moral She wouldnt want to say it isnt because that would be calling herself immoral. Although that is exactly what she is, she wants to hide away form the truth, she only likes to hear what she wants to hear. Lesley manipulates information to help us understand more about her character. The audience can see Lesley manipulating information when she goes to a distant friends party. She tells us that she surprise(s) her friends by not being much of a party goer. She uses the excuse that she would rather curl up in a book The audience never see these friends and she gives no names, and it is clear that Lesley is extremely lonely and has no one. Lying in this way shows us she is ashamed and embarrassed of who she is and desperate to make new friends. She goes up to Spud as soon as she sees him. Why isnt she talking to her friends? If she had any she wouldnt have been on her own in the first place. She uses the excuse would rather curl up in a book, because she probably never been to a party. Lesley goes into so much detail about it that its obvious she is excited about it proving she has probably never been to one before in her life. Lesley being manipulated by so many men proves she is too trusting, but still thinks shes better than them. We can see this when she sleeps with Spud after the party. Spud and Lesley get talking about a film project Spud is working on. He asks Lesley if she is an actress, Lesley replies Interesting you should ask because as a matter of fact I am. The audience have just herd about her past experience on crossroads. She seemed interested in anything except acting out her part as an extra. Even this small role witch did not involve any speech, was too difficult it seems for Lesley to manage. All she spoke about was the layout and the props. This just proves to the audience she is not a Professional actress like she says she is. She is just an extra and she cant even sit and eat a meal. If Lesley was a professional she would have gone into detail with Spud about her possible role but she doesnt, evoking the idea she is far too trusting and an easy target. When Spud comes back, he tells Lesley that the director is seeing possible replacements at an address in west London. He tells Lesley that he is based in Ealing which is also west London. Although he has just pointed out, Lesleys stupidity has got the better of her and still hasnt worked out why Spud is telling her this. The audience by now are beginning to see what he is after. Lesley tells him that her stamping ground is Bromley for her sins. He replies with thats a fairish cry. Why not bed down at my place The audience automatically knows what he wants and now, so does Lesley. The audience are thankful and relived when she says Thank you kind sir, but I didnt fall of a Christmas tree yesterday, meaning I am not stupid. This quote can also represent Lesleys humorous language. These over exaggerated terms clearly show that Lesley is trying to appear well-educated and sophisticated. Maybe to gain authority over Spud? It seems that its a constant battle with Lesley too be better and higher than everyone, she does this through her language and snipes. But we and Spud see right through this. He covers this accusation up by telling her he has a son in hotel management and a daughter with one kidney and he has his sister-in-law staying. Most women by now would have walked away. Most people wouldnt even sleep at a strangers house. But this is Lesley, and she does. Then we are then told His vest had electrician all over it. She dont see the sister-in-law, and she comes up with the conclusion that she is still tracing around Olympia Why, didnt Lesley walk out when she noticed that these were all lies being told? This shows us both her stupidity and her trustworthy attitude are negative characteristics. Saying his vest had electrician all over it is heightening her status. She is associating him as a person from the lower class. Showing she feels guilty and needs to make herself appear better than him, even though she has just been tricked into having sexual intercourse with a complete stranger. This lack of understanding makes the audience cringe with embarrassment. Gi nter soon learns how to manipulate Lesley. Throughout the monologue he pressures her into doing many things she is reluctant to do. At the end of the monologue, Lesley asks Gi nter if she was Travis? And whether he was pleased with (her) my performance? Its the next line that revels and basically sums up Lesleys exceedingly foolish and immoral personality. Gi nter reassures Lesley that if someone is a bad actress (he) I cant sleep with them. The audience find this quotation exasperating. We have given so many chances to Lesley, forgiving her. However, she continues acting in this disgraceful manner. Here, Gi nter is manipulating Lesley with complements; once Lesley feels part of a group she will do anything. This shows the audience that what Lesley is really lacking, is the feeling she wanted. After this, she tells us Gi nter is a real artist even though she has just been manipulated for the third time into sleeping with a man. She usually insults men after they have tricked her. Gi nter is an exception, now she feels wanted by someone, she is nice to them. Lesley is so unintelligent that she fails to see what Gi nter is doing to her. Bennett has shown us here that Lesley will do anything if complemented. Bennett manages to get a serious message across, and still make this a comedy at the same time. He does this by Lesleys use of film parlance and pretentious use of language. Not only does it add humour into the monologue, it also helps us understand yet more about Lesleys complicated character. An example of unintentional humorous language is when Nigel says were cooking on gas. He says this as a metaphor. Lesley takes this literally and replies oh. I prefer electricity. By doing this Bennett is entertaining the audience and stopping us from feeling tedious. It shows us Lesleys persistent failure to understand everyday terms. Lesleys ability to slip in a few specialist film words in her everyday speech such as we slated for the part and we wrapped about six show audience that acting is part of Lesleys everyday life and is her only real interest. She explains what each term means. When she says (thats film parlance for packed up) she is patronising and insulting the audiences intelligence. Her ability to be able to slip in these technical terms s also tells us she is very dedicated her career. Bennett then makes the audience see this is not the case. When Lesley is talking about her experience on crossroads, we can see that acting is not her main priority. She discusses toilet and food preparations. She then wonders why people dont give her serious parts. The truth is she is not a great actress people just say it to win her over. The audience find Lesleys over exaggerated terms such as Thank you kind sir also quite amusing. This use of language clearly shows that Lesley does not get out much. This monologue has helped me understand more about the abuse everyday British women suffered in 1980s. By using these techniques, Bennett has revealed Lesleys darkest secrets and taught us her true personality. The dramatic opening shows the audience that women wanted to escape this treatment. They acted as if everything was fine and that they werent being mistreated by men. Lesleys character is representing many British women at this time. We feel sorry for Lesley at first, but her stupidity turns us against her. The monologue is quite upsetting; the audience laugh at Lesley because of her pretentious use of language and over exaggerated terms as well as all the characters. Sometimes we cant help but feel sorry for her. Its when she shows little sign of regret we start loosing sympathy. Even a week later she still doesnt regret being part of this film. Bennett defiantly succeeded at showing us this. He does in a clever way; he doesnt quote these ideas in directly but adds a few hints in throughout the monologue.

HTML and e-commerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

HTML and e-commerce - Essay Example HTML has become the language of all webs. All web pages are written in HTML. It is a markup language and surrounded by many other markup languages like SGML, XML and many more. Html by having more precise and efficient functions effectively distinguishes the other markup languages. Another reason of HTML distinction is that it not only included the features that was found in prior markup languages but accumulated by many more like it has more complicated style and content tags integrated into one language. It has a tag that separately defines the content with tag like H1, in order to define style it uses a FONT tag (Schaum's, 2003). It is of necessity that now web documents are defined by the HTML because of its excessively constructive features. However, HTML is an essential markup language used for web pages. It involves many features from which building blocks of all websites are formed. It is used to slot-in varied images and objects on the web and allow interactivity between user and computer. HTML is used to embed video without any authority, and is very handy for web developers who exhibits graphics easily and pleasantly. Many individuals facilitate the relocation of computer files to their mobile by the use of HTML5. Web pages have been expanding its utility by getting large storage of information. We browsers also attribute Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) which labels the emergence and outline of the text and the matter contained (Powell, 1998 ). Question 2 Examine the purpose of client servers and browsers and the function of the search engine for technology software house. To examine the function of clie nt server and browser we can use the mechanism that occurred between these two regions. Client server is basically a server used to form the communication for a wide range. Clients are browsers that always initiate in this mechanism to forward the details to the server which it is asked for. The server application waits inertly to have the instructions from clients and then accordingly provides the specific services into browser by which user can further proceed. The browser allows the users to look through the resources accessible on the server. Users can browse any resource that could be present in the server or for the documents with dynamism depending on the user’s requirements (Kiley Mitchell). We can say that the browser function is to advance the user’s detail to server for demonstration. The main purpose of search engines is associated with finding targeted keyword information, sorting it properly, storing in an organized manner and finally ranking the valuable information found on the web. On the other way, server responses to the instruction put into the browser by the user. All communications between browsers and servers use the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). The pattern in which clients and servers exchange messages is referring to the request-response messaging mold. The reason of the effective communication between clients and server is certainly highlighting the common language between them (Thurow, 2003 ). Web crawlers and indexing are few of the notable functionalities associated with search engines. Crawlers are designed in a manner that it can locate any new information available on the internet within seconds and then ranks it

Should free access to Birth Control be Provided by every By Every Essay

Should free access to Birth Control be Provided by every By Every Government as a Basic Human right - Essay Example Some of the commonly encouraged contraceptives are barrier contraceptives. They include male and female condoms. They prevent unwanted pregnancies including sexually transmitted diseases. In addition, they do not have any side effects and are provided free by the government in hospitals, universities and other public places. The hormonal and intrauterine devices prevent unwanted pregnancies, but also possess side effects (Darney 23). They do not prevent sexually transmitted diseases. Side effects include cardiovascular risks, blood clots and breast cancer. There is economic growth when there is birth control. That is why the government is always campaigning for a couple to get children that they can afford and to reduce population growth. Economy grows because there is no large population that is depending on the few resources that the government has (Darney 23). There are fewer dependent children and both parents can participate in workforce contributing to the growth of the economy. Politically, birth control has been encouraged by licensing birth control devices. The government offers free birth control pills and devices to poverty stricken areas. Health education is also encouraged in school by the government. Primary schools, high schools and universities pupils are taught against the consequences of unsafe sex. Health workers have been trained in providing health care services in hospitals and this is encouraged by the government. Free access to birth control should be provided by governments as a basic human right because people will be in a position to have a child when they are financially and emotionally stable. Teenagers who do not have access to free birth control often end up getting pregnant while they are still in school. This is often embarrassing to the girl and the girl’s parents (Weschler 55). The pregnant girl drops out of a college or high school to take care of

What Is Meant By the Term Postmodernism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

What Is Meant By the Term Postmodernism - Essay Example The essay "What Is Meant By the Term Postmodernism" discovers postmodernism. Debates about postmodernism began in around 1979 with Jean- Franà §ois Lyotard article â€Å"The Postmodern Condition.† In this essence, the work analyzes The Simpsons. The work borrows from the perspectives Lyotard’s views about postmodernism. The Simpsons series is a vivacious television program produced by Matt Groening. The series depicts postmodernism through the sarcastic illustration of the lifestyle Simpson Family, a middle-class household in America. Simpson is a perfect indication of postmodernism. It explains the frolics of a dysfunctional family. The father figure of the family is a drunkard while the wife is a hard working person. Their ten-year-old child, Bart is an underachiever who is proud of his status. Lisa is a genius girl but feels unappreciated while the last-born is an introvert but loving. The contrasting characters in the series present the dilemmas of postmodernism fa milies. The authoritative series illustrates cultural and political concerns of a postmodern family. Notably, it shows the reversed gender roles common with postmodernism structures. Simpsons casting has a cumulative influence on culture.The reversed roles in the families usurp common traditions hence, explaining the concept of grand narratives. The Simpsons has fundamentals of a great narrative postmodernism. Watching the episodes takes the audience through an experience in which philosophy of the principal regime dominates on knowledge.

Analysis of Starbucks and the coffee industry

Analysis of Starbucks and the coffee industry Starbucks is the worlds largest and most popular coffee company. Since the beginning, this premier cafà © aimed to deliver the worlds finest fresh-roasted coffee (Starbucks Heritage, 2010). Today the company dominates the industry and has created a brand that is tantamount with loyalty, integrity and proven longevity. Starbucks is not just a name, but a culture. Extensive research has provided keen insight as to why the entity has become the multibillion dollar empire that it is. The company has received many high accolades also, for their quality products as well as their commitment to the community, their partners, and the environment. BACKGROUND Starbucks was founded in 1971 by teachers Jerry Baldwin and Zev Siegl, along with writer Gordon Bowker. Coffee first originated in the Moslem population before making its way to Europe in the 1600s. It eventually became the beverage of choice at meeting places where intellectuals would converge, and was recognized for both its sociability and taste then, just as it is now. (Starbucks and the lifecycle of specialty coffee: An industry evolving, 2010). The foundation of this commerce is one Starbucks strives to keep although the business has come a long way from the modest storefront it began as. For over 15 years the company was based solely in Seattle, Washington but has since evolved into an international giant with over 16,000 locations in more than 50 countries. The growth of the company has been simply phenomenal, with approximately 1,000 stores being added to its chain each year for the last decade. Howard Schultz, who is now the current chairman, president and CEO of the compan y, was indispensible to this expansion and has been instrumental in establishing the development of the coffeehouse as we know it today (Starbucks Timeline and Heritage, 2010). One of the most critical components a business should have is a vision and mission statement. According to an online article, these pieces of information are defined as the inspiring words chosen by successful leaders to clearly and concisely convey the direction of the organization (Unleashing the Power of Purpose, 2010). Starbucks has adopted a mission statement that aims to inspire and nurture the human spirit one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time (Starbucks Mission Statement, 2010). Further, there are six governing principles the company adheres to in an effort to fulfill their purpose and intentions. They are: To provide quality coffee. To treat partners with respect and dignity and to embrace diversity. To create a relationship that is satisfying and uplifting for customers. To produce a store ambiance that is comfortable and enjoyable. To nurture, protect and invest in the community. To provide accountability and favorable rewards to shareholders. The application of these values has helped Starbucks launch to its current status as being one of the best 100 places to work, according to Forbes magazine, with an astonishing 140,000 employees. Outside of the local neighborhood, Starbucks can be found in airports, malls, supermarkets, and even bookstores all around the globe. Like most other companies, Starbucks relies heavily on its investors to help fund business operations, generally through the stock market, and can be found on NASDAQ under the symbol SBUX. Until 2008, profitability was on the rise but has since decreased due to downfalls in the economy and impeding competitors such as Dunkin Donuts, BIGGBY, and Caribou Coffee. Cost reductions and improved operating efficiencies alone would not be enough to boost sales in this economy. Improved customer service and the ability to aggressively differentiate and innovate have kept Starbucks ahead of their competition. Starbucks saw customer satisfaction scores increase by 10 percent as a result of their efforts to improve customer service. Some changes include more focus toward in-store offerings, simplifying the demands on the partners, raising the already-high standards for beverage and food offerings, and an overall in-store experience (Starbucks Investor Relations, 2010). Despite tough economic times, the company had an impressive finish in 2009 with approximately 21,600 shareholders, $562 billion in operating income, and net revenues totaling $9.8 billion. As of October 8, 2010, the current stock price was $26.07 a share with a 52 week high of $28.50 and a low of $18.69 (Market Watch). Starbucks is expected to continually recover from their losses and is estimated to grow even more over the next few years as illustrated below (Bloomberg Business Week, 2010). Quarterly Earnings Estimates STARBUCKS CORP (SBUX) EPS Earnings Per Share Pre Exceptional Q1 2011 Starbucks Corp. reported 3rd quarter 2010 earnings of $0.29 per share on 07/21/2010. Quarterly Revenues STARBUCKS CORP (SBUX) Q1 2011 Starbucks Corp. had 3rd quarter 2010 revenues of $2.6B. This bettered the $2.5B consensus of the 16 analysts covering the company. This was 3.0% above the prior years 3rd quarter results. Reproduced from Bloomberg Business Week. One of the reasons Starbucks is dominating the coffee industry is due to their willingness to take risks and try out new ideas. An example of just how popular Starbucks has become is evident after a quick Google search produced well over 5 million hits, with products ranging from the handcrafted beverages many have grown to love, to merchandise and gift cards. The company continues to offer new products, such as whole grains and the use of other wholesome ingredients in their brands. They have also changed portions of their food offerings to simplify recipes and remove artificial trans-fat, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors and dyes (Starbucks Nutrition, 2010). In-store products include fresh food, music, and the very popular Tazo Tea which is a label purchased by Starbucks in 1998. Starbucks has also increased its trademark and now promotes ice cream, ready-made mixed drinks, and VIA, an instant coffee that is manufactured through the companys own roasting facility (Starb ucks Profile, 2010). ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND CULTURE After conducting eight interviews, there was a general consensus that the Starbucks hierarchy ranged from immediate supervisors to higher management officials. Some employees interpreted organizational structure to be a form of the way management divides duties and responsibilities amongst employees, while others considered it to be teamwork, meaning, when everyone comes together to meet the same goals; the unique way business is conducted; and the flow/channels of the company and management impact. These definitions go hand-in-hand with organizational culture. In the book Organizational Behavior, authors describe such a climate as the shared knowledge within an organization regarding the rules, norms, and values that shape the attitudes and behaviors of its employees (Colquitt, Lepine, Wesson, p. 557). Some of the components involved in the culture of an organization are observable artifacts, espoused values, and basic underlying assumptions (Colquitt, et al., p. 558). Together these three elements makeup what can be related to as being the body of an organization. For example, what a person sees through images and logos helps to distinguish one brand from another. Further, the physical setup of an establishment often sets the atmosphere or tone which tends to decipher a company from being an office, department store, mechanics shop, or in the case of this study, a coffeehouse. Some Starbucks are more casual such as in medical establishment or movie theater, whereas other places require a little more sophistication such as in a courthouse. Additionally there are usually bulletins, replicas or other signs on the walls of the business that speaks the unique language of the respective location. There might also be organizational charts displayed, which is a drawing that represents eve ry job in the organization and the formal reporting relationships between those jobs (Colquitt, et al., p. 527). When a person walks into a Starbucks it is clear that you have just entered into a cafà © that is designed to be a tranquil meeting place for family, friends, students or even business partners. LEADERSHIP ROLES RESPONSIBILITIES At Starbucks, employees feel the atmosphere is relaxed, upbeat and/or energetic and most thought working together as a group was encouraged. They also appear to have a clear understanding of leadership and what it entails, although not everyone agreed management styles were the best. Several interviewees thought management appeared arrogant and demanding at times, while others thought the complete opposite of their managers defining them as being friendly, caring and considerate. While most interviews had distinct and varying responses, it can be said that every person believed they were valued and appreciated. Many also felt they were a part of the decision-making process at times, where their thoughts and opinions on a particular issue were gathered, although the final decision still lay with management. One type of occurrence that displays this level of commitment to employees was the implementation of Optimal Scheduling which is the result of an employee request. The initiative of the program was to enhance the existing flexible work schedules to allow opportunities for a more regular arrangement, complete with a consistent timetable and increased hours to those who were available. It also allowed customers the opportunity to develop relationships with staff which is a part of the Starbucks vision, to connect with its customers beyond making a perfectly blended drink (Starbucks Newsroom). STRESS FACTORS COPING MECHANISMS An overall satisfaction with ones current position was the general consensus obtained from the dialogue as well. Most considered their rate of pay to be less than desired and unable to meet long term goals. A lot of the discussions were with college students who favored upward mobility whether through Starbucks or elsewhere. Aside from pay, stress seemed to be high on the list of reasons for being dissatisfied also. Stress is defined as a psychological response to demands that possess certain stakes and that tax or exceed a persons capacity or resource. Such demands are referred to as stressors while the negative consequences are considered the strains (Colquitt, et al., p. 144). Most of the stressors at Starbucks was caused by issues with partners, budgets, or performance. Role overload was another factor that seemed to affect many of the managers interviewed due to pressure to get daily tasks done in a timely manner, such as paperwork and conference calls. There were also a lot of unforeseen assignments like equipment malfunctions and call-ins. While some stress is an everyday part of life, excessive stress interferes with ones productivity and reduces a persons physical and emotional health; therefore, it is vitally important to find ways to help keep it under control. Some steps to help reduce stress and avoid pitfalls while at work include taking responsibility for improving your physiological and psychological well-being, identifying negative attitudes that add to the stress at work, and learning better communication skills to ease and improve the relationships with management and coworkers (Stress at Work, n.a.). ORGANIZATIONAL STRENGTHS Customer Loyalty Service Customer service at Starbucks is actually a culture type focused on service and quality (Colquitt, et al., p. 562). In addition to the vast presence in the United States, the company has 9,000 international coffeehouses in almost 40 countries. It seems that no matter where they serve, their reputation for fine products and services remains intact, as well as their brand preference and strong customer base. By extensively training employees for at least twenty hours prior to full employment, Starbucks maximizes employee responsibility and attentiveness in an effort to decrease wait time for its customers. Furthermore, by closely tracking consumer needs and wants, Starbucks is able to introduce more popular products with less time between presenting new items. By decreasing wait time and increasing choices for customers, Starbucks increases loyalty among current regulars while simultaneously attracting more consumers. Another cornerstone for Starbucks success is the opening of additional stores in various communities. By adding more locations, the frequency of visits by supporters is usually also maximized, especially since the Starbucks label is already so popular. In addition, many of these new stores are being developed with a drive-thru for double the convenience. With this, Starbucks is targeting a particular segment of its customer base that is comprised of professionals and on-the-go parents. To measure the effectiveness of these strategies, Starbucks continuously compares data between newly opened stores and existing stores, trying to increase the profitability of both units while maintaining a steady growth rate. This pattern can be outlined by the Service Culture Process which starts out with service-oriented leadership behavior that impacts both customer and employee attitudes. If favorable, sales would likely increase as a result of high performance (Colquitt, et al., pp. 562-564). Employee Retention Job Satisfaction As the old saying goes, you are as strong as your weakest link. This belief seems to be highly recognized by Starbucks as they remain adamant about investing in their staff providing them with training, benefit packages, and other opportunities to advance. Since most of the advertising stems from inter-relation between staff and consumers, Starbucks is able to expend more of their budget on educating their staff which in turn influences both quality and quantity. Such a plan also strengthens the work environment, creating an atmosphere where workers are confident about their knowledge, skills and abilities regarding the products they serve. It is also a reason why their employees continue to feel valued and appreciated which is one of the two top reasons people work for the company. The other reason is that employees feel the teams at Starbucks are very enthusiastic (Hammers, 2003), and a happy employee typically makes a happy customer. Another explanation as to why Starbucks employees remain with the company is their great compensation and competitive benefits packages which are available to both full-time and part-time workers. In fact, the corporate staff is very forward thinking and believes offering healthcare benefits would attract a higher quality of employees which, consequently, would cause the turnover rate to decrease. Time has proven this strategy to be true. For example, at the time of inception, the turnover rate for retail or fast food ranged between 150% and up to as high as 400% a year but for Starbucks it was only 60% at the barista level and 25% at the managerial level which is the lowest in their industry (Schultz, p. 128). Starbucks employees also benefit from the Bean Stock incentive which is the offering of stock ownership to all workers. It is a really good way to get employees involved in the equity of the business, and even more reason for each individual to strive for success and treat cus tomers with exceptional service (Colquitt et al., p. 135). Strong Financial Foundation With its strong financial base, Starbucks is able to undertake new business ventures much more frequently than other companies. This is largely due to its investors who have been able to buy company shares since 1992. At the time, shares were $17 each, today the rate of exchange has increased by more than half which is a great benefit to shareholders. Stock can be purchased through a broker or via a direct buy. Additionally, over 20 analysts cover Starbucks earnings and an estimated 10,000 shareholders attended the companys annual meeting in 2008 (Investor Relations, 2010). Today, the company has well over 20,000 shareholders with little signs of slowing down. The company is also very committed to corporate social responsibility, to include their economic, legal, ethical, and citizenship expectations of society (Colquitt, et al., p.244, p. 524). They were the only restaurant and cafà © named as being one of the most ethical companies in the world (Ethisphere, n.a.), and has been on the list for many years. There are governing principles and charters specifically designed for these efforts which are to be strictly upheld by a team of 11 members that makeup the board of directors (Starbucks Corporate Governance, 2010). ORGANIZATIONAL WEAKNESSES Store Closures The mission to nurture one neighborhood at a time started to dwindle when over 600 Starbucks stores closed, causing the company to lose revenue and layoff thousands of workers. Undoubtedly, employee morale is not as high as it once was due to the fear of losing ones job. It has been said that The economic crisis is eating in to high-end coffee consumption, as Starbucks found out in its fiscal first quarter (Ahrens, 2009). At the time, reports revealed the coffeemaker would lay off up to 6,000 employees at its stores and let go another 700 non-store employees, half of which would come at the companys Seattle headquarters. First-quarter revenue at the coffee giant was also down 6 percent and earnings were down a venting-sized 69 percent. Additionally, the plan to open 140 new stores in the U.S. and 170 new stores internationally went down from its earlier goal of 200 and 270, respectively. Capital expenditures were expected to face at least a $100 million cut (Ahrens, 2009). Fierce Competition Since the economic downfall, customers are moving away from paying gourmet prices and are purchasing from other chains to include gas stations. Many consumers state they experience the same taste they crave without the steep prices. Starbucks competitors in the coffee beverage sales include Dunkin Donuts, BIGGBY Coffee and Caribou Coffee, as mentioned previously, as well as 7-Eleven, McDonalds, Panera Bread, and Einstein Bagels. Competitors such as McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts not only have extensive menus, but also the financial resources and position to leverage their strengths to threaten Starbucks profitability. In terms of perception, 7-Eleven and Dunkin Donuts provide coffee in a no-nonsense fashion, which attracts customers who are extremely price sensitive. Caribou Coffees environment is similar to that of Starbucks because of furniture, free internet, and cozy surroundings, but their lack of market expansion has prohibited them from gaining the notoriety Starbucks has achieve d. Finally, BIGGBY Coffee is in the middle ground where the likes of Dunkin Donuts and Caribou Coffee separate themselves (Bhaskar, 2009). Lack of Advertising In times past, Starbucks did very little advertising but relied on the infamous word-of-mouth approach to getting news out about their company. Most information came through the use of relation theory, mainly the relationship with staff. For example, no matter which market it entered, Starbucks did not advertise. Instead, broadcasts came via the reports of employees, and consumers quickly followed suit. Ads can now be seen on billboards and through social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, allegedly due to the drop in sales the coffeehouse experienced (Advertising Age, 2010). Financial Uncertainty As mentioned in the interviews, a lot of employees felt their salary was less than desired. At this time, there may not be much that can be done in this area, but the issue is still a factor nonetheless. The average barista salary is $8.64 per hour and shift supervisors earn about $10.68 per hour. The average salary for store managers is $42,698 per year (Starbucks Salaries, 2010). IMPLEMENTION PLAN RECOMMENDED CHANGES Starbucks is an organization that is on the move. However, no organization is exempt from implementing critical changes that can impact the growth of the organization. When organizations become as large as Starbucks, sometimes the focus and mission statement can be pushed to the side due to trying to keep up with the demand. Other times, there are situations beyond ones control, such as the financial woes the company experienced at the start of the recession a few years ago. One of the things Starbucks did to help revamp the business was create a website that encouraged public comments about changes they would like to see in the company. The page is located at www.MyStarbucksIdea.com and has been instrumental to developing innovative differences at the company. For the purposes of this assignment, other avenues the company may utilize are suggested below. More Programs In an effort to build upon an already exciting environment, Starbucks can liven the atmosphere even more with offering Band Performances and Poetry reading nights. This would be a bonus for the company since a lot of its competitors do not have such a setting available to them. They could utilize local musicians which would add to the companys desire to invest in the community. In addition, the implementation of Awareness Month is an option where a special drink is developed each month and every time someone orders the beverage, proceeds go to awareness charities such as a breast cancer, diabetes, or sickle cell foundation. In an effort to boost sales and promote the existing Going Green Goals of the company, daily discounts could be provided to customers who bring in their own coffee mug. The initiation of these options would give Starbucks an edge on their competitors without decreasing the product eminence Starbucks is known for. More Advertising Instead of relying on partners to do most of the advertising for the company, perhaps its time for Starbucks to spend more dollars in this arena to inform the public of their good will, as well as the great programs that are available to them. The business is very committed to the environment, and recognizes both the economic and societal need to invest in products that can bring about changes to the ecosystem. Starbucks strives to lead this effort and aims to produce cups that are purely ecological by 2015 in addition to conserving water and energy use, building greener stores, and making recycling a mandatory part of daily transactions. Other specialized efforts include RED which helps to fund medical supplies needed for HIV patients in Africa; Starbucks Foundation, a literacy program in the US and Canada; and Ethos Water created to fund clean water in countries that are less fortunate (Starbucks Shared Planet, 2010). Training Incentives An implementation plan should not be limited to the products that make up the coffee franchise conversely; the coffee franchise must ponder on innovate ways to keep up employee morale too. For example, there was an incident with an employee who felt lack of routine training created a very tense situation when a drink that should have only taken five minutes to make took 20 minutes. It was stated If you dont use it, you will lose it, and that is exactly what happened when the need to make a drink on a machine that hadnt been used in six months arose. Perhaps things would not have taken as long if other teammates were available, but several of them called in sick, leaving the interviewee to fend for himself. This is a classic example of role ambiguity and also the result of time pressure, a work challenge stressor that occurs when there is a sense that the moments available is not enough to perform the task at hand (Colquitt, et al., p. 146). Some of the ways Starbucks can alleviate this type of event from occurring again is by offering more training sessions at each store weekly, bi-weekly, or at least monthly, so that ones thoughts on how to make beverages are kept fresh. Additionally, the development of incentive programs where employees are rewarded for their ability to make drinks faster than their co-workers; their ability to master items found on the menu; and/or their ability to decrease customer wait time may prove to be beneficial. Rewards would include cash and gift-cards outside the Starbucks chain such as for the movie theater or gas station. More Management Accountability When the CEOs of Chrysler, Ford, and GM flew private jets to plead their case for more taxpayer dollars, the public was livid! Since then the executives have agreed to give up this luxury as well as take pay cuts to help balance the needs of their company (Big Three CEOs, 2008). In response to the financial distress of some of its employees, Starbucks can help fund some of the salaries of those at risk of losing their jobs by following such a plan, which may even keep more stores open. The company could even play around with the idea of offering lower stock prices to boost shareholder interests even more. It was also mentioned that managers get bonuses, so one thing Starbucks could is restructure the bonus program for top managers, at least until profits are steady, and to only award them based on how well the store is performing. Such a plan would work in reverse order too, if a store is not functioning properly, the bonus should be lowered or unavailable all together. By basing bon uses on this strategy, it might encourage the manager to devote their attention on increasing sales by being involved on the floor more, and assimilating with customers versus just doing office work. SUMMARY CONCLUSION Starbucks is known across the world as being a well-built global brand of coffee. As with any company, their main and goal is to increase profits. They achieve this by training their partners to provide coffee lovers with a great experience. Over the years, the company has been recognized for valuing their employees and consumers so profoundly, that it helped to shape them into one of the largest coffee entrepreneurs in the world. They are continuously chosen for being a great place to work. Competitors seem to only fuel Starbucks expansion, strengthening their ability to stand out from all the rest. Employees receive innovative training to ensure they are working at their full potential, and to be passionate people who take pleasure in serving great tasting coffee. In order for Starbucks to remain successful, they must focus on a variety of strategies to maintain their competitive edge, and constantly reinvent products to stay on top of the coffee business. One of the secret to Star bucks success is the opening of new stores in neighborhoods, malls, grocery stores, making it convenient to partake of the Starbucks experience. Management also takes pride in work specialization, and strives to create an atmosphere filled with individuals who are masters at brewing the perfect cup of coffee. Extensive training is provided for all managers in an effort to pursue and achieve the ultimate goal of being the premier brand of coffee that is respected all around the globe. Starbucks is adaptable and knowledgeable when it comes to furthering their profits and market share, and they have a number of capabilities which separates them from other specialty coffee retailers. Howard Schultz, the chairman, president and chief executive of Starbucks, says that a great leader knows how to demonstrate vulnerability, because that will bring people closer to you and show people the human side of you. (Bryant, 2010)

Organizational Behavior Terminology and Concepts Essay -- Organization

Organizational Behavior Terminology and Concepts   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The behavior of employees within any organization is paramount to the success or failure of that organization. The study of organizational behavior is a science with its own vocabulary and terminology. This essay will describe some of the more common key concepts and terminology and relate those to the modern United States Navy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"An organization is, simply, a body of people organized for some specific purpose† (communication, 2005). Organizational behavior is taking a look at the way humans behave within a company (Schermerhorn, Hunt & Osborn, 2005, p. 17). The United States Navy, and perhaps all military branches, has, in some respects, a unique organizational behavior. The behavior of its employees is governed by a strict set of rules and regulations. One prime example of this is the Uniform Code of Military Justice. There is no other organization that can legally imprison an employee for not obeying his or her supervisor or for not being where he or she is supposed to be. A civilian organization will just fire that employee there are no legal ramifications.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Organizational culture is created by the individuality and sometimes the commonness of the employees within the organization. â€Å"Organizational culture is a pattern of knowledge, belief, and behavior†¦it is the form, beliefs, norms, social patterns, the way things are done, the symbols and rituals† (Burton, Lauridsen, & Obel, 2004). Basically, Organizational culture is caused by organizational behavior. The culture within the United States Navy is one seeped in long standing traditions. Very few organizations have been in existence since the Revolutionary War. Once you are a member of this organization, you are inundated with constant reminders of traditional roles within the organization. In addition to the traditional aspects of its culture, the Navy has a segregated sub-culture. The enlisted members are not allowed to socialize with the officer members. This is to promote good order and discipline within the organization, and to prevent the appea rance of favoritism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The next term that is common in the study of organizational behavior is diversity. The Oxford English Dictionary defines diversity as, â€Å"The condition or quality of being diverse, different, or varied; difference, unlikeness† (Simpson, 2005). Diversity can be ... ...of organizational behavior including the terms described above to ensure its success in an ever changing global environment. Works Cited: Burton, R. M., Lauridson, J., & Obel, B. (2004, Spring). The impact of organizational climate and strategic fit on firm performance. Human Resource Management, 43(1), p. 67. Communication. Britannica Student Encyclopedia. Retrieved May 6, 2005, from Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Web site: http://www.search.eb.com/ebi/article?tocId=198994 Halley, A., & Guilhon, A. (July/August 1997). Logistic behavior of small enterprises: performance, strategy and definition. International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, 27(7-8) p. 475. Ostroff, C., & Sckmitt, N. (December, 1993). Configurations of organizational effectiveness and efficiency. Academy of Management Journal, 36(6), p. 1345. Schermerhorn, J. R., Hunt, J. G., & Osborn, R. N. (Eds.). (2005). Organizational Behavior. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Simpson, J. (Ed.). (2005). Oxford English Dictionary (3rd ed.). Retrieved May 3, 2005 from: Oxford University Press. Web site:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://80-dictionary.oed.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/entrance.dtl