The Case for a Plant-Based Diet - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1425 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2019/02/12 Category Health Essay Level High school Tags: Diet Essay Did you like this example? There are countless reasons to stop the raising and slaughter of farmed animals for food, including health, environmental, and humanitarian concerns. My main reasons for not eating meat or dairy products are humanitarian, but in this paper, I will try to make the case for ceasing the raising of farmed animals for the sake of the environment and vulnerable people groups, in our own and in other countries, who raise animals or animal feed to satisfy Americans’ taste for animal flesh. Good! People shrug and say that eating meat is â€Å"natural†, that humans have always done it, and that’s the way it is—and, evidently, that’s the way it should continue to be. Really? Isaac Bashevis Singer said, â€Å"People often say that humans have always eaten animals, as if this is a justification for continuing the practice. According to this logic, we should not try to prevent people from murdering other people, since this has also been done since the earliest of times.† In fact, eating meat the way we now do it is not â€Å"natural† at all. According to Dr. Neil Barnard â€Å"[M]eat-eating probably began by scavenging—eating the leftovers that carnivores had left behind. However, our bodies have never adapted to it.† In talking about humans’ early diet, Barnard explains that we â€Å"had diets very much like other great apes, which is to say a largely plant-based diet †¦. To this day, meat-eaters have a higher incidence of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and other problems.† (The Power of Your Plate) Very good! Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Case for a Plant-Based Diet" essay for you Create order Nature is cruel; industrializing that cruelty is wrong. ( 2018 U.S. Animal Kill Clock) â€Å"No other country raises and slaughters its food animals quite as intensively or brutally as we do. Were the walls of our meat industry to become transparent, literally or even figuratively, we would not long continue to raise, kill, and eat animals the way we do. Tail docking and sow crates and beak clipping would disappear overnight, and the days of slaughtering four hundred head of cattle an hour would promptly come to an end — for who could stand the sight?† (Pollan 333) In 2014, in the U.S. alone, nine billion land animals were killed to produce meat, dairy, and eggs for human consumption. One million animals per hour were slaughtered. Globally, 70 billion were killed. The number of aquatic animals slaughtered annually is in the trillions. (https://awfw.org/factory-farms/; https://awfw.org/factory-farms/) No one wants to think about this stuff, let alone see it: â€Å"Perhaps in the back of our minds we already understand that something terribly wrong is happening. Our sustenance now comes from misery. We know that if someone offers to show us a film on how our meat is produced, it will be a horror film. We perhaps know more than we care to admit, keeping it down in the dark places of our memory disavowed. When we eat factory-farmed meat we live, literally, on tortured flesh. Increasingly, that tortured flesh is becoming our own.† (Foer, 2013) Farmed animals are not the only victims of the industrialized animal slaughter in the U.S. There are not enough agents to inspect the conditions inside slaughterhouses, leaving industry to set rules and standards that most benefit them and their â€Å"bottom line†. Those who do the dangerous, stressful, demeaning work of killing tens of thousands of animals for others to consume are left unprotected. â€Å"Perhaps in the back of our minds we already understand, without all the science Ive discussed, that something terribly wrong is happening. Our sustenance now comes from misery. We know that if someone offers to show us a film on how our meat is produced, it will be a horror film. We perhaps know more than we care to admit, keeping it down in the dark places of our memory disavowed. When we eat factory-farmed meat we live, literally, on tortured flesh. Increasingly, that tortured flesh is becoming our own.† Slaughterhouses are operated in remote or rural areas, far from the eyes of urban populations and those who don’t want to know how they get their meat, and slaughterhouse workers come from the most marginalized and vulnerable populations among us. Most are people of color from low-income communities. (https://www.kbia.org/post/largest-slaughterhouses-mostly-rural-communities#stream/0) Once mostly African-American, many are now Latin-American. Thirty-eight percent are foreign-born, often recruited by the corporations for whom they work. Many are undocumented, knowingly hired by employers to meet high turnover rates. (https://southernspaces.org/2013/low-wage-legacies-race-and-golden-chicken-mississippi-where-contemporary-immigration-meets) Many others are convicted felons, often in â€Å"pre-release† programs, unable to find employment elsewhere. And finally, most are â€Å"at-will† employeesunprotected from being fired. Undocumented workers live in fear of ICE raids or deportation by employers. Under these circumstances, few are willing to report abuse or mistreatment on the job. (Slaughterhouse Workers:The Forgotten Victims of the Meat Industry) Animal production for consumption by the developed world hurts the environment in the undeveloped world. Seventy percent of agricultural land and thirty percent of the global land surface devoted to animal production results in adverse effects on all aspects of environmental well-being. Biodiversity loss is extensive, with one-sixth of global species loss. The social cost to local, indigenous populations is extremely high, with widespread loss of local incomes due to the expansion of soybean production in former rain-forested areas in South America. Relentless deforestation to support the meat production industry has resulted in the irretrievable loss of billions of acres of carbon-rich rainforests, and displacement of indigenous ways of living and disruption of long settled property rights has given rise to widespread poverty and social breakdown. Loss of life-sustaining resources includes the deterioration of water due to run-off from the vast amounts of artificial fertilizers and pesticides used to produce animal feed, the sharp rise in greenhouse gases from methane production of animals, and the waste and pollution generated from cattle housed in highly concentrated numbers, and discharges of ammonia and nitrous oxides connected with intensive cattle feeding. (Francis) Meat-eating hurts the most vulnerable, disproportionately people of color. The U.S. alone grows enough feed for livestock to nourish 800 million human beings in the world who currently do not have enough to eat. The world produces enough food to feed everyone. Of 7.3 billion people in the world, 795 million suffer chronic undernourishment in 2016and almost all of them live in developing countries. It does not have to be this way. Meat-eating is a leading cause of climate change, producer of green gases, the reason for excessive water use, waste production, chemical pollution, enormous land use, rainforest deforestation, pollution of oceans, overfishing, and, as previously mentioned, species extinction. Beef-eaters use 160 times more land resources than plant-eaters. Beef requires 88% of all U.S. land allocated to producing animal-based calories. In contrast, sustainable plant-based diets help people, animals, and the planet. The one acre of land needed to produce 250 pounds of beef could grow 50,000 pounds of tomatoes, 53,000 pounds of potatoes, or 30,000 pounds of carrots. The average person who eats a plant-based diet can save 162,486 gallons a year and cut their carbon footprint in half. if every American stopped eating meat, we could redirect enough grain from the livestock system to feed 1.4 billion people. For growing numbers of people, not eating meat is an ethical choice on behalf of fellow creatures who have no choice and no voice—human and nonhuman alike. It is about not supporting an industry that profits from the suffering of billions of animals and harms the earth and millions of humans in the process. In closing, here is a quote my favorite humanitarian, Dr. Albert Schweitzer: â€Å"We must fight against the spirit of unconscious cruelty with which we treat the animals. Animals suffer as much as we do. True humanity does not allow us to impose such sufferings on them. It is our duty to make the whole world recognize it. Until we extend our circle of compassion to all living things, humanity will not find peace.† Great facts and strong quotes—wonderful job!! Works Cited: 2018 U.S. Animal Kill Clock. 2018. Foer, Jonathan Safran. Eating Animals. New York, Boston, London: Little, Brown Company, 2013 Little, Brown Company. Francis, Taylor . The Challenge of Common Pool Resources. Environment Magazine 29 April 2015. https://www.kbia.org/post/largest-slaughterhouses-mostly-rural-communities#stream/0. n.d. https://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/beef-eaters-plant-eaters-land-resources/. n.d. https://awfw.org/factory-farms/. n.d. https://listverse.com/2015/11/25/10-negative-effects-the-meat-industry-has-on-the-world/. n.d. https://southernspaces.org/2013/low-wage-legacies-race-and-golden-chicken-mississippi-where-contemporary-immigration-meets. n.d. Pollan, Michael. The Omnivores Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals . New York: The Penguin Press, 2006. Slaughterhouse Workers:The Forgotten Victims of the Meat Industry. 6 December 2017. www.livekindly.co/slaughterhouse-workers-victims-meat-industry/.

At the T.Rowe Price Trading Desk Assignment Example

Essays on At the T.Rowe Price Trading Desk Assignment The paper "At the T.Rowe Price Trading Desk" is a good example of an assignment on finance and accounting. Greg realized that it was very much difficult to sale the Avantek shares in bulk amount. Avantek used to trade in the OTC market where it had a share price of around $25 from July 26 to august 20 in 1984. But the share price was reduced to $18 in the month of May. Analysts had stated that the company is having some problems in their earnings for a short time period but they liked the shares for a long term basis. Greg first offered Steve to buy 183000 Avantek shares at $245/8(100 shares). But Steve tried to hook the position with Greg and then He offered Michael who is from Goldman. He tried to make a one-shot deal by offering a swap of 183000 shares of Avantek for 320000 shares of Tandem. But Michael lowered the price 23  ½. The shares of Avantek were difficult to execute because the company was unable to increase the earnings in the fourth quarter due to a slowdown in the TV RO market. Although that might be a seasonal slowdown analyst had stated that the valuation of the company might go more down. Thus the shares were risky to buy (Perold, 2003).Tandem shares are also traded in the OTC market and Greg decides that this might be the best approach if he offers a swap contract to Michael. It can help T. Rowe because T. Rowe has already taken a substantial amount of long term position in the shares of Tandem and they want more 320000 shares of Tandem. Thus it is a good deal to offer Avantek shares to Michael and buy Tandem as a package deal.This deal will be helpful for Goldman because Goldman has mentioned that they are aware of a seller of Tandem. Thus if T. Rowe buys the shares then they can get some percent as they are recommending the seller.I would not have accepted the terms offered by Goldman. It is because Michael has offered $23.5/ share for Avantek and $15.25/share for Tandem. In this case, by selling 183000 shares of Avantek we will earn 18300 0*23.5 = $4300500 and by selling 320000 shares we need to pay 320000*16.25 = $5200000.   Thus in this deal, we will not be able to earn a profit. Thus I will not accept this offer.Greg didn’t make any clear mistakes in the sell order. But as he made the offer to Steve before thus it is now a risky situation for Goldman. Michael will not give as good price as he would give if the offer went first to him.The trading cost for this potential package deal would be $5200000 for buying the 320000 shares of Tandem and they will earn $4300500 by selling the 183000 shares of Avantek. Thus the cost of the trading for T. Rowe is $899500.From the case study, it can be said that Goldman Sachs had bid for 100 shares of Avantek for $24 3/8 per share and Goldman was asking $15 3/8 per share for Tandem.   But it cannot be clearly said whether it was involved in any other specific trades during that day.From the given tables it can be seen that Goldman purchased the shares of Avantek at 12: 23 pm when the share price was $24/share. But just before one minute the price was at $24.75/share and after 12:23 pm the share price was also higher than $24/share. Thus it can be said that Goldman Sachs had purchased the shares at the lowest possible price prevailing in the market. Goldman sold the shares of Tandem at 12:22 pm at $15.25/share. Although the price hiked at 12:27 pm at 15.50/share the volume was quite low. Thus it can be said that Goldman also got profit by selling the bulk shares of Tandem at $15.25/share.In this current market structure when the competition is very high then Greg might have done this deal by increasing the price per share of Avantek as the valuation of Dollar has increased from 1984 to 2014. We need to consider the environmental factors; in this current market situation, Greg should consider the future profitability of Tandem before purchasing the shares.

Grand Wines Wireless Devices For Data Entry

Question: Discuss About The Grand Wines Wireless Devices For Data Entry. Answer: Introduction Grand Wines is an organization that holds a remarkable name in the market and has a lot many sales representatives performing sales operations and services over an extremely large area. The current system that is associated in the management of the company sales involves a number of different issues and problems. The project includes the solution to the problems of the existing system by providing all the sales representatives of the company with the wireless data entry devices which would allow them to provide information from any location and the same will be reflected and updated in the company database. SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) Strengths The company holds a reputable position in the market and has the sponsors to sponsor the entire project and provide funds for the same The skill set that would be required for the project are available with the organization to ensure that the project activities are completed as per the allocated budget and as per the expectations Weaknesses Due to the presence of a large number of employees and associated parties, there shall be resistance to the changes emerging with the project and the same may adversely impact the productivity and efficiency of the internal workforce The project activities are required to be completed in a maximum duration of six months which may cause project risks in terms of the project schedule Opportunities Sales representatives will be able to provide order information in a timely manner which would allow faster processing of the same leading to the increased number of order received and completed The quality of services will also improve which would lead to the improvement of the customer trust The project will add the components of technology and latest innovation in the management of sales which would provide a competitive edge to the organization Threats There may be emergence of a number of security threats associated with the properties of information such as information confidentiality and availability. There will be increased access points for the attackers which would lead to increase in the number of network attacks The reputation of the organization in the market may also get affected in a negative manner with the increase in the occurrences of security attacks and violation of the privacy and security of the customer information (Ommani, 2011) Project Charter Title Grand Wines Wireless Devices for Data Entry. Project Manager Details Name: XYZ Email: xyz@grandwines.com Project Duration The project shall be completed in a maximum duration of six months. High Level Project Budget The allocated budget for the project shall be AUD 60000 and the costs that will be associated with the project are as listed below. Category of Cost Cost (AUD) Tools and Equipment Cost One-time 17500 Development, Integration and Design Cost 10400 Cost of Implementation 12000 Cost of Resources 13000 Marketing and Advertising Cost 7100 Project Objectives To equip all the sales representatives associated with the company with wireless devices for data entry and integrate the devices with the database of the organization as well To integrate the newer system with the existing operations and services in the other fields and departments To accomplish all of the project activities in the estimated schedule of six months To accomplish all of the project activities in the estimated budget of AUD 60000. To achieve enhanced level of customer trust and satisfaction along with the improvement of the organization in the market as well. Project Benefits The current system that is being used at Grand Wines for handling of the sales services and operations include a number of issues such as occurrence of human errors and mistakes while entry of the order in the system, enhanced duration in the processing of the orders, incorrect updates regarding the stocks and inventories, deterioration of the customer trust and many others. The project will not only overcome all the issues that have been stated but will also allow the organization to stay upfront in the technological advancements and innovation. List of Deliverables Project Plan: The deliverable would include the details of the planning phase of the project such as project strategy, project roles and responsibilities, schedule and budget along with the steps to assess and manage the project risks. Design and Development Plan: The deliverable would include the details on the design and development activities for the wireless data entry devices and their implementation and integration with the rest of the systems. Implementation Plan: The deliverable would include the steps to implement the entire system and the details on testing the system and devices as well in terms of their functionality, usability, reliability and security. Marketing Strategy: The deliverable would include the marketing approach and plan along with the marketing platforms that will be covered. Project Closure Report: The deliverable will include the set of activities covered in the project and the documentation of the lessons learned as well (Palmerini, 2014). Project Limits The activities that will not be covered during the project would include the negotiation with the suppliers, distribution tasks and support services. Success of the project will be decided on the basis of the factors such as delivery dates of the deliverables, adherence to the project schedule and budget, list of outstanding issues and conflicts, increase in the number of orders handled by the sales team after the implementation of the project and the time involved in the lifecycle of a single order. The milestones and deliverables associated with the project include the project plan, marketing strategy, implementation plan, design and development plan along with the closure report of the project. The delivery dates of the deliverables are specified in the table below. Name of the Deliverable Date of Delivery Project Plan 17th December 2016 Design and Development Plan 31st January 2017 Marketing Strategy 15th March 2017 Implementation Plan 1st May 2017 Project Closure Report 17th June 2017 List of Assumptions and Constraints The allocated schedule for the project is six months with start and end dates as 17th December 2016 and 17th June 2017 respectively. The allocated budget for the project is AUD 60000. The funds and environment required by the team members will be arranges and made available well in advance. Stakeholder Information Stakeholder Role and Responsibilities Project Sponsor Arrangement of the funds for the project, providing requirements and specifications to the project team Project Manager Project planning, scheduling, selection of team, reviews and inspections, risk management and communication tasks Chief Finance Officer Budgeting of the project System Analyst System design along with the technical and operational feasibility analysis for the project System Developer Development of the system for the implementation of the new sales management system Database Engineer Setting up of the database and its integration with the wireless data entry devices along with the setting up of database credentials Implementation Engineer Management of the changes and implementation planning and execution Test Analyst Test planning and execution Marketing Expert Decision and design of marketing strategy and platforms (Missonier, 2014) Lessons Acquired The project team acquired lessons on the effective project management methodology and its significance in the project success. Also, the team got an opportunity to develop skills in the fields such as project scheduling and budgeting, assessment of the risks in various areas along with the importance of effective communication as well. Communication Plan Purpose of the Plan The purpose of the communication plan is to develop clarity on the communication guidelines and activities during the project timelines. Information of Stakeholders Project Sponsor Project Manager Chief Finance Officer System Analyst System Developer Database Engineer Implementation Engineer Test Analyst Marketing Expert Information Exchange Business Specifications: The specifications will be provided in the form of requirements covering the functional and non-functional set to be handed over by the Project Sponsor. Project Status Report: Daily and weekly status will be provided by the team members and the manager respectively. Project conflicts and disputes: The information will be shared by all the team members during the team meetings. Sales Information: This information would include the order information, order history, inventory details and likewise (Alatalo, 2012). Information Exchange - Frequency Business Specifications: In the initial phase of the project Project Status Report by team members: Daily Project Status Report by Manager: Weekly Project Conflicts and Disputes: On a weekly basis Sales Information: On a daily basis Information Exchange - Location All the project reports will be places at a SharePoint location and the internal communication will take place over emails and phones. Interactions with the sponsor will be accomplished through emails and teleconferencing mediums. Communication Purpose The communication activities will allow the development of clarity among the team members regarding the requirements to be fulfilled and would also allow easier resolution of conflicts and disputes (Zulch, 2014). Communication Mechanism All the internal communication will be done through the use of emails and phones and the interactions between the team members will be done in the meeting rooms. There shall also be informal and one on one discussions between the manager and the team members (Muszynska, 2015). Communication between the sponsor and the rest of the team members would include the use of audio/video conferencing mediums and use of emails as well. Change Management There will be a lot of changes that will be introduced with the execution of the project for the employees as well as for the customers (Tripon, 2011). These changes shall be handled and managed in three broad phases as preparation, management and reinforcement. The preparation phase would include the creation of the change requests that shall be approved and authorized. The next two phases shall include the execution and implementation of the changes. The wireless data entry devices and their operation would be new for the sales representatives and there will also be corresponding changes in the front end for the customers as well. These changes shall be managed by design of a training schedule along with making assistance options available for the end users (Suresh, 2016). Agenda of Project Meetings Project Manager shall send the meeting invitation to all the required members including the agenda in terms of points to cover in the meeting along with dedicated time slot for each point. The meeting invite shall be acknowledged by all the team members by sending an acceptance and rejection as applicable. The rejection must include the reason as well (Rebori, 2016). Minutes of meeting shall be recorded by one of the meeting attendees which shall be decided in a round robin manner. The members shall raise their concerns in a polite manner. There shall be active participation from all the meeting attendees. References Alatalo, U. (2012). Communication Strategy in Projects. Retrieved 15 December 2016, from https://www.dphu.org/uploads/attachements/books/books_5840_0.pdf Missonier, S. (2014). Stakeholder analysis and engagement in projects: From stakeholder relational perspective to stakeholder relational ontology. Retrieved 15 December 2016, from https://fenix.tecnico.ulisboa.pt/downloadFile/845043405428939/12%20Stakeholder%20analysis%20and%20engagement%20in%20projects.pdf Muszynska, K. (2015). Communication Management in Project Teams - Practices and Patterns. Retrieved 15 December 2016, from https://www.toknowpress.net/ISBN/978-961-6914-13-0/papers/ML15-266.pdf Ommani, A. (2011). Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis for farming system businesses management: Case of wheat farmers of Shadervan District, Shoushtar Township, Iran. Retrieved 15 December 2016, from https://www.academicjournals.org/article/article1380639652_Ommani.pdf Palmerini, E. (2014). Regulating Emerging Robotic Technologies in Europe: Robotics facing Law and Ethics. Retrieved 15 December 2016, from https://www.robolaw.eu/RoboLaw_files/documents/robolaw_d6.2_guidelinesregulatingrobotics_20140922.pdf Rajablu, M. (2015). Managing for Stakeholders: The Role of Stakeholder-Based Management in Project Success. Retrieved 15 December 2016, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/271138669_Managing_for_Stakeholders_The_Role_of_Stakeholder-Based_Management_in_Project_Success Rebori, M. (2016). How to organize and run effective meeting. Retrieved 15 December 2016, from https://www.unce.unr.edu/publications/files/cd/other/fs9729.pdf Suresh, H. (2016). Change Management Must for todays Organization. Retrieved 15 December 2016, from https://www.providersedge.com/ehdocs/transformation_articles/Change_Management_-_A_Must_for_Today-s_Organization.pdf Tripon, C. (2011). Change Management and Organization Development. Retrieved 15 December 2016, from https://www.apubb.ro/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/OD_Suport_de_curs_masterat.pdf Zulch, B. (2014). Communication: The Foundation of Project Management. Retrieved 15 December 2016, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212017314002813

Marketing and Dove Essay Example

Marketing and Dove Essay The brand refused to call its product a soap for 40 years and insisted that it was something entirely new. This hints that it could have tried to be a pioneer in a new category of the health and beauty sector thus aiming for central positioning. Nevertheless, the brand was considered by the target market as soap with a unique value proposition, I. E. Allowing oneself to clean the skin without drying out. Thus, it was positioned differentiated offering a unique benefit in an existing product category that allowed it to be distinguished from other brands. Dove chose a product-as-hero positioning with regard to other brands. The marketing campaign pronounced the functional benefits f the product, illustrating how the attribute that differentiated Dove from other competitors (cleansing cream) was added to the soap. The brand provided two main benefits to the consumer: cleaning and moisturizing. While cleaning is the primary benefit that triggers action by a consumer (realizing dirtiness / need to clean), moisturizing is a secondary benefit that sets Dove apart from competitors and addresses an existing problem in the sub-category of soap bars. We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing and Dove specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing and Dove specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing and Dove specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The need to clean oneself while not drying out is deliverable by Dove as indicated in the marketing campaign due to the product attribute of 25% cleansing cream. Finally, the uniqueness of the brand is purely defined by the moisturizing effect. The Dove campaign for its beauty bar put a strong focus on the benefit of its products. With respect to the a-b-e model, a combination of baby and e- b was chosen to stress the key benefit of not drying the skin when using the soap to clean oneself. Illustrating the attribute of added cream to the product is used to support this benefit (bob). This is communicated in the second part of the main message of the campaign (Dove soap doses t dry your skin because it s one quarter cleansing cream). Furthermore, he negative emotion attached to having dry skin when using traditional soap bars is addressed in the first part of the campaign message. The negative emotion attached to dry skin is dispelled with the benefit of the Dove soap (e- b). Mastermind era When Milliner decided that Dove would become a Mastermind, one thing that product. As a Mastermind, many different brands with differing product attributes were combined under the umbrella of Dove. Thus, focusing on a single functional product benefit was no longer possible as there were many different ones and Dove changed to representing a general point of view. This point of view would be developed with the campaign for real beauty. The brand was positioned as differentiated once again in the health and beauty sector. This time however, it did not do so based on a unique product feature but rather based on their point of view on beauty which was vastly different from the rest of beauty brands in the industry. While the beauty industry traditionally presented an unattainable stereotypical image of beauty in marketing campaigns (young, white, blonde, thin) Dove chose to start a campaign addressing all the women that had problems with their self-esteem as they did not feel beautiful. Dove started to develop marketing campaigns using more realistic women with different shapes, sizes, ethnicities and age groups. This change from aspiration to reality was the aspect of the brand that differentiated it within the product category. As a Mastermind, Dove no longer pursued a product- as-hero positioning due to the already mentioned fact that it combined a large variety of products with different benefits. It rather decided to choose a user-as-hero positioning placing their target market at the center of the campaign. The feelings of women having problems with low self-esteem were central to the marketing strategy ND many different customers were portrayed in different parts of the campaign (Tick-Box, Six real women, Daughter-film, Evolution etc. ). The benefit that the brand was offering was real beauty as it tried to make women feel beautiful that currently din t do so. To the target market this was a highly important benefit as the studies conducted by Dove showed the large percentage of the population that actually faced self-esteem challenges related to beauty. As it portrayed realistic images of women in their campaigns and how Dove could change how they felt about themselves the rand managed to show that it could actually deliver the benefit of making women feel better about themselves. Finally, as it was the only brand that chose to market this benefit was also unique distinguishing Dove from the traditional approach of beauty brands. Question 2: How was the meaning of the Dove brand controlled in the age of mass media? How is it controlled in the era of Youth and other interactive media? The use of mass media such as billboards, magazines, radio, television or newspapers allows for a higher level of control over the transported marketing message than the SE of interactive media such as blobs, networks or other internet platforms. During the functional era, Dove communicated the benefit of its products through mass media and was able to exert a high level of control over the meaning of the Dove brand that reached the target market. It was a one-way communication with Dove transporting the meaning of its brand to the customers and controlling what exactly it wanted the target market to see, hear and associate with the brand. Dove also controlled who would receive the message to a great extent as it knew its target audience as well as its target market and the channels through which it could reach of male-dominated sport such as the Super Bowl since the audience would have had very little in common with the mainly female target market. When Dove switched to including interactive media into its communication strategy the level of control it had on the meaning that was associated with the brand decreased. With interactive media, the audience exposed to Dove advertising and anything associated with the Dove brand has the possibility of giving immediate feedback to the message. As an example, an advertising film on Youth, such as the Dove Evolution ad, can receive instant feedback from anyone who has seen it through commenting and like-button tools. Thus, anyone viewing the video after feedback has been given will not be exposed to the original and pure marketing message that Dove had communicated with its film. Rather the message received by subsequent viewers will be altered by the feedback of previous ones. This means that one difference from mass media to interactive media is that Dove cannot be sure to transport its originally desired and clean message that it wants to communicate to the target audience about the meaning of the brand. Thus, advertising had changed from a one-way communication to a two-way communication in which the audience added to the brand meaning that was transported. Furthermore, the use of interactive media can result in a much faster and more extensive spreading of the message than mass media. The people that ultimately get exposed to a marketing campaign could be highly different from the audience that the campaign had been planned for. However, in the case of Dove this loss of control over the receivers of a marketing campaign is not a great problem but rather an advantage. This is due to the fact that the target audience of the real beauty campaign was a lot larger than the target market. While the market that Dove wanted to tap into and ultimately buy its products did increase to include females of all age groups, shapes and sizes as compared to the more narrow approach from the functional era, the target audience increased to a far greater extent. Dove intended to start a public debate about beauty within all areas of society and thus wanted to reach all people in America with their campaign. They wanted people to become aware of the self-esteem challenges hat women faced in connection with the unattainable image that the beauty industry tended to portray in advertising. After becoming aware of this problem, Dove wanted the target audience of its campaign to think about and start discussing this issue. Therefore, the fact that the campaign could be spread rapidly with the interactive media used turned out to be a favorable factor as more people would be talking about the self-esteem issue on blobs and social networks. With respect to this issue it is important to notice that Dove continuously tried to fuel the debate and keep it alive. This was the brand s way to exert a certain level of control over the meaning of Dove. As long as people were talking about the beauty issue they would also be connecting it with the meaning that Dove intended to stand for. Concluding it can be said that overall the level of control that Dove could exert on the meaning that was transported about the brand was significantly lower after the switch to interactive media. In the functional era Dove fully controlled the meaning of the brand that was transported to the target audience simply through changes in advertising (slogan, images, channels used etc. As the communication was purely adapt to the audiences feedback to control the original message of the brand while also fueling the beauty debate to raise brand awareness. Question 3: Is the Dove brand out of control? Is Dove making a risky bet? The strategy of employing interactive media instead of traditional mass media to market the real beauty campaign was undoubtedly risky. But even though the level of control that Dove can exert over the meaning of its brand that is transported to the audience it is not completely out of control. Dove was able to raise brand awareness to a far rater extent than it could have done through the use of mass media mostly by allowing itself to let go of completely controlling the communicated message and shifting part of it towards the consumer. Of course this was largely helped by the fact that Dove did not simply transport the meaning of its brand but rather start a public debate in society that went beyond the use of Dove products. It tried to make people think and debate about the meaning of real beauty and shift perception from the unattainable and aspiration beauty image portrayed by the majority of the industry towards real beauty. The key lay in making the audience connect this debate about beauty with the Dove brand. As long as this was the case and as long as the debate would continue to go on the brand had achieved its goal. Thus, it can be said that while the risk was definitely given it was also controllable. Dove knew the large number of females that had problems with their self-esteem so it knew that it only had to spread the message of real beauty far enough for enough of these women to react to it. The choice to include interactive media was therefore a very reasonable and rational decision as it helped to spread the message farther and more rapidly Han mass media could have done. As Dove knew that there were enough women out there to care about the message that it was sending, the only real risk was that the audience would not believe that the brand was really caring about these women. Authenticity was the key issue and it was crucial that people believed that Dove was serious in trying to change the way women felt about themselves and their self- esteem problems. In my opinion, Dove did an exceptional Job in communicating the brand s authenticity about the issue and this was the key to the success of the campaign. Whenever there were doubts about the campaign Dove did not retreat from the issue but instead went one step further and communicated the self-esteem challenges of women and the switch from aspiration to reality even in a more pronounced way. Dove was not afraid of losing the aspiration element and thus the incentive of customers to buy the brand. Instead it answered to the concerns with the highly emotional daughter-film. Dove was also unafraid to communicate its message to the male-dominated Super Bowl audience. It did not assume a defensive position upon meeting criticism and to its campaign from news reporters and nonusers but rather embraced the critique to fuel the beauty debate even further. Finally, it also did not retreat from walking-the-talk and investing funds in the establishment of the Dove Self Esteem Fund to actively help young women with their problems. All of these steps were necessary to convince the target audience about the authenticity of the brand and ultimately allowed Dove to keep control over the had no choice but to acknowledge that Dove was serious about the important issue of women s self-esteem and therefore whatever alteration was done it could not change the meaning of the brand to spin out of control.

5 Tips For Landing an Administrative Assistant Job

5 Tips For Landing an Administrative Assistant Job There were just under four million jobs for administrative assistants in the United States in 2012, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While this may sound like a lot, its important to consider another equally important factor: the many people seeking out these sought after positions. What can you do to gain the inside edge on the competition? Lets take a closer look at five ways to land the administrative assistant job of your dreams.1. Study UpWhile some employers require no further education than a high school degree, most prefer additional education and/or certifications that indicate additional motivation and competency. Check into coursework in basic office, computer, and grammar skills at your local community college or technical school.If you aspire toward an administrative assistant job in an industry-specific field, such as law or medicine, specialized coursework in this area may be required.2. Intern or VolunteerMany key administrative assistant skills are learne d during on-the-job training. By gaining these skills during an internship or as a volunteer, you offer employers a fast-track to productivity. You will still require some office-specific training, but more general work such as computer programs and preparing office documents will be covered.Not sure where to begin when it comes to finding an internship or volunteer opportunity? Check in with your schools career center.3. Refine Your ResumeThe best resumes are targeted to specific jobs. If you are applying for an administrative assistant position, be sure your resume covers all of the skills required to do the job. These include everything from technical skills to soft skills, such as the ability to interact well with others, organization, and integrity.4. Work Your ConnectionsAdministrative assistants are at work in nearly every single industry. In short, where theres an office, theres an administrative assistant.One of the best ways to find vacancies and gain a jump on the comp etition is by leveraging pre-existing relationships. Let friends, family members, and other people in your network both online and in person know that youre looking for an administrative assistant job. This way if they hear of a new opening, they can pass the information along to you. Your connections are also valuable referrals and references.5. Present ProfessionallyAs an administrative assistant, you will be a representative of your company, so a neat, polished appearance is essential. And dont forget about the importance of eye contact when meeting with hiring managers. The more competent and personable impression you make, the more likely you are to land the job.While the competition for administrative jobs is steep, its far from insurmountable. These five tips can position you for success in your search for a fulfilling career as an administrative assistant.

Recall the President - Why You Cant Recall a President

Recall the President - Why You Can't Recall a President Having regrets  about your vote for president? Sorry. Theres no mulligan. The U.S. Constitution does not allow for the recall of a president outside of the impeachment process or removal of a commander-in-chief who is deemed to be unfit for office under the 25th Amendment. In fact, there are no political recall mechanisms available to voters at the federal level at all; voters cant recall members of Congress, either.  In at least 19 states they can, however, recall elected officials serving in state and local positions. Those states include Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, and Wisconsin. That is not to say there has never been support for a recall process at the federal level. In fact, a U.S. senator from New Jersey proposed a constitutional amendment in 1951 that would have allowed voters to recall a president by holding a second election to undo the first. Congress never approved the measure, but the idea lives on. After the 2016 presidential election, some voters who may have had second thoughts or who were disappointed that Donald Trump lost the popular vote but still defeated Hillary Clinton tried to launch a petition to recall the billionaire real-estate developer. There is no way for voters to orchestrate a political recall of the president, not even Trump, who generated lots of controversy and had numerous conflicts of interest. There is no mechanism set forth in the U.S. Constitution that allows for the removal of a failing president save for impeachment, which is limited for instances of high crimes and misdemeanors and not simply the whims of voters or members of Congress.   Support For Recall of a President To give you some idea of how prevalent buyers remorse is in American politics, consider the case of President Barack Obama. Though he easily won a second term in the White House, many of those who helped elect him again in 2012 told pollsters a short time later they would support an effort to recall him if such a move were permitted. The survey, conducted by the  Harvard University Institute of Politics in late 2013, found a majority of young Americans (52 percent) would have voted to recall Obama at the time the poll was taken. Roughly the same portion of respondents also would have voted to recall every single member of Congress, including all 435 members of the House of Representatives. There are, of course, numerous online petitions that pop up from time to time calling on the removal of the president by means other than impeachment.  On the website Petition2Congress, for example, voters were asked to sign a petition to recall Obama before the end of his second term. One such petition to Congress states: If you do not act on impeachment proceedings on our current president and his administration, then we the people, respectfully demand a recall on President Barack Hussein Obama. We are dissatisfied with the anti-freedom, anti-constitutional, and the acts of treason implemented by this administration and also demand a full criminal investigation into Operation Fast Furious, Benghazi, the 900 excutive orders, the presidents own sequestration, and the sixteen trillion dollar national debt. On the site Change.org, there were efforts to recall Trump even before he was sworn into office.   The petition stated: Trump was right about one thing; this election  was  rigged, but  hes  the one who rigged it, much as fellow Republican Scott Walker did to win  his  five terms in office.  Ã‚  Hillary Clinton won the popular vote.  Trumps backing by Russia, Saudi Arabia, criminal hackers, and American terrorist groups compromise the very safety of the United States of America, and that of the citizens. We have the precedent, and whatever the outcome, we will  NEVER  recognize Donald J. Trump as our Commander-In-Chief. How theRecall of a President Would Work There have been several ideas floated for recalling a president; one would originate with the electorate and another would start with Congress and flow back to voters for approval.   In a document he calls the 21st Century Constitution, recall advocate Barry Krusch lays out plans for a National Recall, which would allow for the question  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Should the President be recalled?† to be placed on the general election ballot if enough Americans get fed up with their president. If a majority of voters decide to recall the president under his plan, the vice president would take over. In the essay  When Presidents Become Weak, published in the 2010 book  Profiles in Leadership: Historians on the Elusive Quality of Greatness edited by  Walter Isaacson, historian  Robert Dallek suggests a recall process that begins in the House and Senate. Writes  Dallek: â€Å"The country needs to consider a constitutional amendment that would give voters the power to recall a failing president. Because political opponents would always be tempted to invoke the provisions of a recall procedure, it would need to be both difficult to exercise and a clear expression of the popular will.  The process should begin in Congress, where a recall procedure would need a 60 percent vote in both houses. This could be followed by a national referendum on whether all voters in the previous presidential election wished to remove the president and vice president and replace them with the Speaker of the House of Representatives and a vice president of that person’s choosing.† Such an amendment, in fact, was proposed in 1951 by Republican U.S. Sen. Robert C. Hendrickson of New Jersey. The lawmaker sought approval for such an amendment after President Harry Truman fired  General Douglas MacArthur in the Korean War. Wrote  Hendrickson: â€Å"This nation is faced in these times with such rapidly changing conditions and such critical decisions that we cannot afford to depend upon an Administration which had lost the confidence of the American people†¦Ã‚  We have had ample evidence over the years that elected representatives, especially those with great power, can easily fall into the pitfall of believing that their will is more important than the will of the people.†Ã‚   Hendrickson concluded that â€Å"impeachment has proved neither suitable nor desirable.†Ã‚  His solution would have allowed for a recall vote when two-thirds of the states felt the president had lost the support of citizens.

What Clausewitz would say about the strategies we are currently using Research Paper

What Clausewitz would say about the strategies we are currently using in the Global War on Terrorism - Research Paper Example The State Department defines terrorism as â€Å"the use or threatened use of violence for political purposes to create a state of fear that will aid in extorting, coercing, intimidating, or otherwise causing individuals or groups to alter their behavior† He wrote the book On War which was published only after his death. Translated into almost all the major languages, the book has been controversially interpreted in various ways by different authors. Clausewitz emphasized the traditional approach to war. He advocated combining the will of a nation with its resources and the efforts of the citizens in an immense campaign to defeat an enemy through warfare towards resolute conclusions. It is important to examine whether Clausewitz’s concepts on the essentials of war can be applied to the global war against terrorism. â€Å"Terrorists are not guerillas or irregulars who conduct unconventional warfare against recognized military targets for political purposes†2. Being no match for conventional armies, terrorists avoid a massive confrontion. They employ asymmetrical warfare through uncustomary means such as suicide attacks, to conduct illegal attacks against primarily civilian targets for political reasons. Terrorists operate in secrecy, Their objective is to compel legitimate political systems to change their policies, in order to gain unlawful advantages. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether Clausewitz’s ideas on war are concurrent with the strategies employed in the global war on terrorism. Clausewitz’s Ideas: Whether Applicable to Global War on Terrorism Carl von Clausewitz’s key ideas include the following concepts: the purpose of diplomacy is for imposing a nation’s will on the enemy, war is essentially the pursuit of diplomacy through a different method, armies of citizens fighting for their country show greater determination than professional soldiers figting to gain new territory, to be victorio us in war, a nation must take risks and act boldly, and aggressors would prefer to take over another country unopposed rather than engage in conflict3. The State Department defines terrorism as â€Å"the use or threatened use of violence for political purposes to create a state of fear that will aid in extorting, coercing, intimidating, or otherwise causing individuals or groups to alter their behavior†4. Terrorists do not comply with the laws of war nor do they wear uniforms like regular soldiers. Terrorism is predominantly a form of political violence, and the purpoes of all terrorists is the same, in that they try to impose their will by force. Hence, terrorism is not confined to thugs and outlaws; international terrorism is a generic type of aggression towards realizing political goals through the threat of harm and destruction. Although terrorism frequently appears mindless, this is most often not the case. It is a means to an end, to change unacceptable circumstances th rough violence, and is not an end in itself. The source of terrorism which is a form of political violence lies in the basic structure of contemporary international politics. Structural terrorism contributes to the prevalence of terrorism by promoting the use of fear and violence for achieving political goals. The growth and spread or terrorism in its present day manifestations may be perceived as a new form of coercion. Thus global terrorism is not an accepted part of the rules and customs of international behavior. This violent creation of prevailing global cirumstances is â€Å"a product of the attributes of the global environment that came into being with the creation and spread of nuclear weapons – and the fear they elicit†5. Thus, terrorism has grown into a predominant means for international and intranational conflict resolution. Prior to 2006, the Pentagon leadership failed

European Union Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

European Union Law - Essay Example Anti Discriminatory Act of UK As far as the work place discrimination is concerned, the 1976 Race Relations Act made it illegal for the employers to discriminate employees on racial grounds during the course of employment. The accountability against discrimination starts from submission of employment resume by the intending employee to the employer until severance of his or her job. It is immaterial whether the discrimination of an employer was intentional or unintentional. What matters is the attitude of the employer. Is it discriminatory or not. Has he or she treated you in an impartial and fair manner or not. If it treats fairly without any discrimination, he or she will not be taken to task by the government monitoring agencies otherwise he or she should be held responsible for his or her misdeeds to according to law1. If an organization provides equal opportunity to their employees as per Human Resource Policy to put in their best efforts for dual benefits of one self and the or ganization to grow up to the desired level, attributes to the best Human Resource Policy. The Human Resource Policy should be accessible to all employees. The employees should be well versed with the approved HR policy in order to know their rights and obligations. According to anti discriminatory law of UK, subsequent victimization complaint against the employer is termed as discrimination2. Maternity Leave for Pregnant Women As per UK law in vogue, all female employees have the right to avail 26 weeks ordinary maternity leave regardless of her tenure of service with the employer. She is also entitled additional maternity leave, which will start at the lapse of ordinarily maternity leave which will last for another 26 weeks. This period if includes goes to 52 weeks in a year. It is up to the employee to avail how much leave she will be having in future but it should not be less than 2 weeks3. The minimum qualifications for having statutory maternity leave pay by a pregnant woman ar e as under: a. Be an employee. b. Stopped work on account of pregnancy. c. Weekly income of the employees should not be less than the existing rate of National Insurance Contribution. Pregnant woman will be entitled for Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) for a period of 39 weeks, which will start from the lapse of ordinary maternity leave. The either side may give notice for maternity leave to avail provided the pregnant employee provide medical certificate which indicates date of expected newly born baby. Under the mentioned scenario, the employee will be entitled two different rates to be paid during Ordinary Maternity Leave4. During the period of maternity leave, pregnant women will be offered two different slabs of payment under Statutory Maternity Pay. In addition to maternity leave, pregnant woman is also entitled normal perks that she receives along with other fringe benefits as usual for the employees. Apart from cited facilities if she got health care insurance, she will be bene fited from that policy5. In case pregnant woman would like to resume her duties earlier than her sanctioned leave, she may do so provided she serves 8 weeks notice to the employer. Further, employees may seek parental leave for dependent or to use this right to have soft hours of working to meet the family commitment. In case pregnant woman decides not to go back to work at the end of maternity leave even then she will receive the full benefits of paid maternity leave provided she give notice to the emp

Project Management Recommendation Essay Example for Free

Project Management Recommendation Essay Dear Mr. Gritsch: In continuation of your email dated February 10, 2014, I have completed analysis of three projects: Juniper, Palomino and Stargazer. The risk levels in Juniper, Palomino, and Stargazer are low, medium, and high respectively. It is in the best interest of Piper Industries Corporation to move forward with the Stargazer project. Stargazer is selected due to its feasibility and risk level. From market feasibility study, some strategic customers have already indicated interest in the product. Therefore, I would recommend that the board invest in the project, Stargazer; particularly because the company has already invested $450,000 and the ROI is very high. My feasibility study focused on Return on Investment (ROI), length of project, risk level and overall benefit to Piper Industries. See below for the results. Juniper: Return on Investment (ROI): 77% or $250,000 for a period of 2 to 3 years Length of project: Uncertain Risk of completion on time: Low Overall benefit: Enhancement of current product, increased product demand Palomino: Return on Investment (ROI): 69% or $450,000 for a period of 5 years Length of project: 7 Years Risk of completion on time: Medium Overall benefit: New product, use of existing technology, custom part, constant demand Stargazer: Return on Investment (ROI): 278% or $1,600,000 for a period of 3 years Length of project: 7 Years Risk of completion on time: High Overall benefit: Research Development of a new product, market leader, project in-progress Five Phases of a Project: A project can have any number of phases depending on how you break it down. A project for land reclamation in dump site would probably have three phases such as: 1. Facility Decommissioning Phase 2. Waste removal phase 3. Landscaping Phase. While a project involving the building of a new factory may contain four phases such as: 1. Environmental Impact Assessment Phase 2. Design Phase 3. Construction Phase 4. Commissioning Phase. It is therefore assumed that what is been referred to here as five phases of a project is what is known in project management as process groups. The following phases / process groups will be used to complete the project: 1. Project conception and initiation The conception of the project is that the project is a new line widget product including enhancements through the use of existing technology. The initiation of this project will be upon the approval of the project by the CEO. 2. Project definition and planning Stage two of the project is making a project plan. The project plan will be completed by the project team with the consultation of the technicians and experts. The project plan will be in writing and will be well defined. 3. Project launch or execution The project plans and task will be discussed amongst all team members and the task will be divided among the project team. 4. Project performance and control The project manager will be the leader of the project. His or her task will be to monitor performance and control. All project team members are responsible in evaluating each other and helping the team to perform better together. 5. Project close The project will be closed only upon completion of the project, evaluation of the project, and client approval of the project. Key deliverables associated with the selected project: If after the Estimated Budget at Completion of $575,000 is spent and the  product is developed as specified in the project plan, then the project would have met the substantial product deliverable. Secondly, if the Piper Industries Corporation is able to deliver the product within 12 months, the company would have met the project schedule deliverable.

Pure Competition Essay -- essays research papers

There are many industries. Economist group them into four market models: 1) pure competition which involves a very large number of firms producing a standardized producer. New firms may enter very easily. 2) Pure monopoly is a market structure in which one firm is the sole seller a product or service like a local electric company. Entry of additional firms is blocked so that one firm is the industry. 3)Monopolistic competition is characterized by a relatively large number of sellers producing differentiated product. 4)Oligopoly involves only a few sellers; this â€Å"fewness† means that each firm is affected by the decisions of rival and must take these decisions into account in determining its own price and output. Pure competition assumes that firms and resources are mobile among different kinds of industries.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   No single firm can influence market price in a competitive industry; therefore a firm’s demand curve is perfectly elastic and price equals marginal revenue. Short-run profit maximization by a competitive firm can be analyzed by comparing total revenue and total cost or applying marginal analysis. A firm maximizes its short-run profit by producing that output at which total revenue exceeds total cost by the greatest amount. A complete firm maximizes profit or minimizes loss in the short run by producing that output at which price or marginal revenue equals marginal cost, provided price exceeds minimum average v...

Tactical Transparency In The Public Relations Commerce Essay

In the post-Enron, blog-ridden universe we live in, transparence is a construct push on public dealingss practicians. Our stakeholders accept genuineness as the edifice block of organization-public relationships. As the first line of defence for any organisation, it is the occupation of these professionals to construct an appropriate transparence scheme. If communications professionals are portion of council chamber discourse, the tools of transparence will match to the company ‘s doctrine. Some choose to encompass transparence as the most ethical scheme while others remain opaque to retain competitory advantage. The purpose of this survey is to specify what transparence means in the new media millenary, address the execution of transparence at all degrees and types of organisations, and contribute to the on-going scholarly argument. The information provided will show the power and efficaciousness of tactical transparence when embedded into a company ‘s civilization. Transparency can non better corporate repute when practiced by merely a few representatives. It will non bolster public sentiment if adopted merely during crises.Specifying â€Å" Tactical Transparency †Tactical transparence is non every bit ethic-centric as it is based in practicality. The changing grade to which a company portions its leaders, employees, values, civilization, concern patterns, and concern schemes determines its degree of transparence.[ 1 ]Specifying transparence is frequently a contested point for practicians during the strategic planning procedure and among public dealingss bookmans, because none of the elements listed supra is sensible in every concern state of affairs. Accessibility is of import to consumers but some sensitive topics are non appropriate to portion with stakeholders. Sharing merchandise safety information is indispensable to making ethical concern, but let go ofing merchandise development information could turn out dearly-won. Scholars tend to place two types of transparence: fiscal and administration. Fiscal transparence is frequently associated with public companies and includes net incomes and net incomes describing. Governance transparence involves sharing regulations, procedures, and executive construction with populaces. Although these categorizations are so applicable to the concern environment, public dealingss professional are more concerned with openness as it applies to corporate repute. Scholars tend to hold on what transparence is non ; it is non full revelation. Holtz and Havens defined the four features of transparence as objectiveness, intent, esteem, and pilotage.[ 2 ]To stay unfastened, employers should ideally utilize changing grades of each in times of crisis or an attempt to avoid such crises by showing a willingness to portion and unwrap information. Honesty and unity are cardinal to objectiveness. Using multiple channels, informal and formal tactics, and advanced schemes will gain good will from populaces, but genuineness and objectiveness will ever win out. Transparency must ever hold a intent ; it should be accompanied by an action or follow-through. Recovering consumer trust is of class vital to the bottom line, but reconstructing a trade name requires consistence and length of service. Former JetBlue Airways laminitis and CEO, David Neeleman offered a YouTube apology for his air hose ‘s cancellation of multiple flights on Valentine ‘s Day 2007.[ 3 ]But in add-on to the apology, Neeleman helped his direction squad development and implement a Customer Bill of Rights, authorising stakeholders to go more involved. Proposing that intent is the key to transparency attempts, Neeleman subsequently wrote, â€Å" Talk is cheap-action is the lone thing that truly builds your repute, non merely as a individual, but as a com pany. †[ 4 ]Regardless of the communications attempts a company employs before and after crises, its past path record will most likely find the regard in which the company is held. Esteem is based on corporate duty ( charitable activites, employee intervention ) and corporate values. Finally, the manner a company navigates crises will assist find future state of affairss necessitating transparence. Methods that have worked in the yesteryear can be applied rapidly and honestly and better duologue with populaces.Transparency in the Internet AgeThe challenges confronting public dealingss professionals in today ‘s market place involve what Holtz and Havens ( 2009 ) define as a â€Å" convergence of two separate and distinguishable tendencies: worsening trust in concern and increased public examination † both are a consequence in portion of societal media tendencies and the handiness of real-time duologue.[ 5 ]Worsening consumer trust is both a Post-industrialist world and a current legitimate public fright ensuing from closed-door concern patterns that were exposed in recent headlines. New statute law now forces unfastened trades and consumer outlooks have risen to run into new ethical criterions. What is good and ethical nevertheless will ever be a contested point ; the fuel behind much of this argument. Organizations can do usage of public coaction to research stakeholder outlooks and ethical demands while reacting to unfavorable judgment with hastiness. If we view transparence from purely the consumer position, it is evident that corporate duty, which encompasses transparence, has become far more of import in a tough economic system. Harmonizing to a study completed by Landor Associates, Penn Schoen Berland and Burson-Marsteller, 75 % of consumers felt societal duty was of import and 55 % reported taking cause-related merchandises over those that do n't.[ 6 ]A 2008 Harris survey of authorities repute and transparence found â€Å" deep dissatisfaction among the American populace with both the handiness of authorities fiscal information and the manner it is delivered to the people. †[ 7 ]CBS ‘s hit telecasting show, Undercover Boss thrives on transparence, giving viewing audiences the unadulterated interior scoop through CEO lens as he/she discovers the existent inner-workings.[ 8 ]Consumers have reacted to the slightly hazardous exposure ; some companies featured have reported stock additions and record gross revenues.[ 9 ]This suggests that transparence is an effectual public dealingss scheme. The easiness and handiness of online webcasts has created an ambiance of â€Å" de facto real-time openness, † in which companies ‘ crises attempts are expected to be acknowledged outright.[ 10 ]BP ‘s 2010 oil spill proved that with greater visibleness, comes greater answerability. Following the calamity, it is likely that market forces will enforce transparence ordinance for other energy companies working in sensitive ecological environments. Assorted stakeholders will demand supervising abilities similar to that BP posted on its web site. The mile-deep unrecorded video-feed satisfied stakeholder wonders but it besides set a new criterion for â€Å" strategic transparence. † If we can watch oil spiting from a busted wellspring ( the crisis itself ) and the submerged vehicles trying to seal the leak ( the crisis response ) , so what else is possible? Could we watch the car mechanic naming a broken vehicle, the preschool instructor administrating medical specialty to a kid, or the kitchen staff fixing nutrient? Michael Schrage of the Harvard Business Review identifies revelation as the â€Å" twentieth Century mistiming of a paper-based age. †[ 11 ]From this incident, Schrage speculates that tactical transparence will go on to â€Å" have an tremendous proficient and conceptual encouragement. †[ 12 ] Supporters of transparence in the workplace place many elements that could profit from greater public transparence. Analyzing organisational procedures, meeting schemes, office locations, and concern maps may uncover net streaming handinesss or more accessible avenues. In some instances, making so may even back up the organisation ‘s selling schemes. In this sense greater visibleness and transparence is another chance to earn media attending and develop a trade name. If positive public dealingss are a consequence of tactical transparence, so its perceived absence could bring forth negative promotion. A referee mistake in a recent World Cup game between the US and Slovenia caused a firestorm of public reaction. FIFA ordinances prevented the referee from explicating the questionable call, but FIFA ‘s president offered a tweet following the game directing witnesss to a old statement he ‘d made sing video rematch. A Time.com observer wrote, â€Å" [ C ] ould n't he hold offered more transparence about this specific incident than a tweet? Particularly a tweet that links a boiler home base web page from March? †[ 13 ]Literature ReviewCrisiss such as the FIFA opinion and the BP oil spill, by definition threaten to damage the repute of an organisation.[ 14 ]Benoit explored organisational efforts to reconstruct reputes after crisis-damaging events and developed the image Restoration theory. Benoit ‘s image Restoration schemes incl uded denial, equivocation of duty, cut downing offensive of the act, disciplinary action, and chagrin ( an artless apology ) .[ 15 ]Denial is the most defensive of the Acts of the Apostless and involves a complete refusal to accept duty while equivocation of duty badly limits engagement but does acknowledge some sum. Reducing odiousness is a specific signifier of strategic equivocation that focuses on minimising the consequence of the act on public sentiment. Corrective action has deductions in the immediate and future responses of the organisation ; chagrin is an immediate and sincere apology for incorrect making, the most crystalline attack. Image Restoration schemes and the appropriate discourse are chosen, altered, and arranged for the specific crisis or stakeholders.[ 16 ]Benoit ‘s research finds that a corporation best serves itself when it takes full duty, apologizes, and Acts of the Apostless with hastiness consequently.[ 17 ] Transparency can happen in many state of affairss and contexts. Hood refers to four separate applications of openness including event transparence ( unfastened information in response to crises ) , process transparence ( unfastened information about concern maps and operations that affect crises ) , and real-time transparence ( information released instantly ) , and retrospective transparence ( information released a considerable sum of clip after an issue arises ) .[ 18 ]Drew and Nyerges found that the most effectual transparence determinations were integrated, accessible to stakeholders, clear and concise, logical and rational, true, and accountable.[ 19 ] Arguments for Transparency in Public Relations. Transparency serves to protect single rights and organisational engagement.[ 20 ]Transparency ensures better behaviour on the portion of concerns while assisting to measure public presentation, both critical to organisational answerability.[ 21 ]The public values transparence and as mentioned earlier, expects it in the digital age. In relation to political transparence, Koppell writes that the â€Å" openness of authorities to regular review is so steadfastly ingrained in our corporate consciousness that transparence has unconditioned value. †[ 22 ]One survey found that organisations committed to transparence, besides experiences heightened occupation satisfaction and continuances, innovativeness and accomplishment.[ 23 ]Transparent determinations lead to more informed determinations, because transparence â€Å" promotes improved entree to information as a manner to construct public assurance in the determination procedure and s trengthen credibleness. †[ 24 ] Internal transparence has been studied every bit extensively as transparence for corporate repute intents. Harmonizing to a survey sponsored by the public dealingss house Fleishman Hillard, 27 per centum of the study pool assessed corporate duty based on the organisation ‘s intervention and wellbeing of its employees. In fact, merely three per centum of respondents associated corporate duty with public service and outreach.[ 25 ] Transparency is linked to other corporate issues including efficiency and long-run cost nest eggs. For case, transparence can cut down the demand for doubling attempts, the likeliness that determinations will hold to be revised ( at potentially immense cost ) , and the hazard of possible fiscal punishments. Constructing a sense of battle and engagement among employees goes requires more than compensation. Companies will effectual communications sections strategically inform employees of just wage constructions to keep enthusiasm and committedness internally and make positive perceptual experiences with external stakeholders.[ 26 ]In a universe of examination and instantaneous communicating it is in the best involvement of an organisation to handle its workers good. Arguments Against Transparency in Public Relations. The chief challenge confronting public dealingss professionals in the new media millenary is the legitimacy of information provided through transparence schemes. For case, corporate web site must non be the lone medium for unwraping of import information. Handiness to the Internet is still a job confronting developing states and destitute populaces. Those that have entree may be overwhelmed with excessively much information if the web site is non well-designed. Increased promotion and transparence may besides hold an unsought effect-increased negative imperativeness. All of these possible effects could sabotage legitimacy and make public misgiving.[ 27 ] Another job arises when tactical transparence schemes are combined with bureaucratic or political petitions. In these fortunes, sensitive information may go more creatively controlled, ensuing in an equivocation of duty to the organisation ‘s populaces.[ 28 ]On the other manus, transparence may take to full revelation when â€Å" herd inherent aptitudes take over market determinations. †[ 29 ]Meetings and corporate assemblages, including those webcast may take participants to dissent based on group treatment. This may do group members to take the most popular determinations or concerns, ignoring via media or dialogue. The concluding apprehensiveness noted in transparence literature related to answerability. While transparence does open up the organisations to public reappraisal and unfavorable judgment, it does n't ever do these organisations more accountable.[ 30 ]Critics argue that the ascertained organisations will reorient the information to fit the demands of transp arence without really unwraping organisational worlds.[ 31 ] Traditionally opaque organisations and their leading pose the most concerns about following tactical transparence schemes. For these companies, get the better ofing expostulations is hard because they have benefitted from keep backing information from the populace. Typically these expostulations fall into one of four classs: legal and regulative ( transparence might do it easy to go against internal and external ordinance ) , competitory ( the organisation may lose its competitory advantage by sharing valuable information ) , proficient ( deficiency of resources and to pull off transparence enterprises ) , and investing ( deficiency of clip, money, or substructure ) .[ 32 ] Legal concerns are paramount in our litigious society. It is the function of corporate council to minimise possible legal hazards. Public dealingss practicians working for pharmaceutical companies may be most untalkative in implementing tactical transparence due to the figure of modulating establishments including the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) .[ 33 ]A web log, for case could open drug companies to publicity of off-label indexs ; a ordinance against doing drug recommendations for anything other than FDA-approved conditions would punish the companies and sully corporate reputes.[ 34 ]Competitive concerns, frequently voiced by members of the leading squad, are frequently related to the possible utilizations of information by rivals. In other words, if practicians expose the inner-workings of the organisation, how might the competition usage this information against them?[ 35 ]Technical concerns are frequently voiced by information engineering ( IT ) representatives, because their duties include seting the substructure in topographic point and supervising the web and web sites after building. In order to present societal networking sites, web logs, and video-casts to the intranet, clip and disbursals are spent to prove the applications against the bing substructure.[ 36 ]There is besides a hazard of virus infection whenever employees have entree to networking sites on the Internet.[ 37 ]Cost is a dwindling concern because most societal networking sites require really small capital, but some major corporations still have prohibitions on open-source package applications.[ 38 ]These organisations argue that the benefits do non outweigh the costs of enterprise-level societal media tools.[ 39 ]Case StudiesTransparency as the Right Choice. Every iPod proprietor recognizes Steve Jobs as the face of Apple, Inc. After his rejoinder to Apple, Jobs donned a black polo-neck and bluish denims and reestablished Apple as the industry leader in design and invention. Ap ple ‘s thaumaturgy is portion design and portion strategic secretiveness. Tonss of online fans discuss what new engineerings Apple will let go of and when they will hit the market, so much that sites such as iLounge.net, MacRumors.com, everythingiCafe.com are forums dedicated to these treatments.[ 40 ]However, in September of 2007 when Apple lowered its monetary value of the iPhone from $ 599 to $ 399 to spur holiday gross revenues, on-line recoil from early iPhone purchasers caused a manic tumult.[ 41 ]The â€Å" stupid revenue enhancement, † as the online community nicknamed it, became the act of purchasing early at a higher monetary value, something loyal Apple clients had been making to be the first with the newest engineerings.[ 42 ] Steve Jobs ‘ response was non overtly excusatory, but did turn to the discontent on the portion of loyal clients and even offered a $ 100 recognition at Apple retail and on-line mercantile establishments to iPhone proprietors.[ 43 ]The apology offered in an unfastened missive to Apple clients read: Even though we are doing the right determination to take down the monetary value of iPhone, and even though the engineering route is rough, we need to make a better occupation taking attention of our early iPhone clients as we sharply go after new 1s with a lower monetary value. Our early clients trusted us, and we must populate up to that trust with our actions in minutes like these.[ 44 ] Jobs evidently realized that in this instance, tactical transparence would keep Apple accountable but non unwrap every minutia of concern grounds for dropping the monetary value. For a company who employs transparence as a selling maneuver and for competitory grounds, this really crystalline action was successful because it was good though out. He apologized for the badness of the monetary value bead, provided minimal inside informations about the decision-making procedure, and offered shop credits, showing that follow-through was an of import portion of the apology. The company ‘s repute beforehand ( held in high regard ) provides for an appropriate application of transparence tactics. Finally, Jobs as the CEO was able to implement the recognition procedure before the vacation season and hence retained his extremely valued consumer base.[ 45 ] In the blogosphere, crystalline organisations are being heralded on a day-to-day footing for implementing unfastened tactics. GiveWell.org follows charitable organisations and NGOs with ethical models, including those strategic coverage methods.[ 46 ]One web log entry called Against Malaria Foundation the â€Å" most crystalline developing-world assistance organisation † they ‘d of all time seen.[ 47 ]The organisation, which distributes mosquito cyberspaces in the quest to contend malaria in developing states, is alone in its publication of undertaking inside informations. Many organisations supposedly distribute donated cyberspaces without followup in the parts they service, taking citizens to utilize the mosquito cyberspaces for intents such as catching fish in local Waterss.[ 48 ]There is besides concern about the cost-effectiveness of bringing methods, purchase monetary value, and fund allotment. But the AMF lists all of its plans, by part, day of the month, givers, and position. Website visitants can see to the full elaborate proposals, post-project studies, and transportation records. Donors ‘ gifts correspond to funded, large-scale undertakings.[ 49 ] Many organisations are utilizing micro-blogging services such as Twitter to allow people cognize what they are making. The ability to supervise public conversations and respond about instantly has given organisations an ability to infix themselves into duologue as it occurs, before populaces have the opportunity to go angered or alarm the media. Although these tactics have been perceived as Large Brother actions on juncture, largely populaces are excited that organisations are unfastened to dialoging, listening and responding to concerns in an reliable mode.[ 50 ] When popular film manager Kevin Smith was kicked off of a Southwest Flight because the captain made the call that he was excessively heavy to busy a individual place, Smith told his side of the narrative to his 1.5 million Twitter followings in real-time.[ 51 ]Southwest had already implemented both a company web log and Twitter history and was able to utilize both beginnings to react to the â€Å" Twitter-induced media storm, † what some considered a public dealingss incubus for Southwest.[ 52 ]Southwest acknowledged the event and issued an apology to Smith himself followed by an apology on its web log, Nuts About Southwest. In a web log station titled â€Å" Not So Silent Bob, † a public dealingss representative noted that it was non a customary Southwest method of Customer Relations to work publicly through the ailment procedure, but that the Tweeting call had called for a more crystalline attack.[ 53 ]The station defended the company ‘s initial response, adverting the personal apology it had issued to Smith via Twitter and a phone call instantly after the issue occurred. It besides noted that the flight Smith boarded from Oakland to Burbank was technically standby and that typically Smith purchased two seats on Southwest flights. The most crystalline characteristic of the station was the specificity of the information provided about Southwest ‘s Customer Size policy: Southwest instituted our Customer of Size policy more than 25 old ages ago. The policy requires riders that can non suit safely and comfortably in one place to buy an extra place while going. This policy is non alone to Southwest Airlines and it is non a gross generator. Most, if non all, bearers have similar policies, but alone to Southwest is the refunding of the 2nd place purchased ( if the flight does non oversell ) which is greater than any gross made ( full policy can be found here ) .[ 54 ] JetBlue Airways corporate communications director Morgan Johnston uses Twitter and societal media tools to interact with clients every bit good. When asked why JetBlue follows flyers on Twitter, Johnston responded: With any of the microblogging tools available, people are able to air what they ‘re traveling through at the minute. If you can tap into and observe those types of activities while they ‘re go oning, you can assist them much more instantly. Before they have a opportunity to travel place and fret about it, you can assist them while they ‘re in the thick of the state of affairs. Is n't that better than seeking to retrieve a state of affairs afterwards?[ 55 ] Transparency as the Wrong Choice. In some instances, the truth wo n't put organisations free. Alternatively, it may do greater public misgiving and unfavorable judgment. Amy Jussel, laminitis of ShapingYouth.org, a web log devoted to the impact of marketing on kids, late voiced concerns to Target about an advertisement run picturing a adult female splayed across the celebrated mark form, the dark lantern at her fork. In response, a Target public dealingss representative wrote, â€Å" Unfortunately we are unable to react to your enquiry because Target does non take part with untraditional media mercantile establishments. This pattern is in topographic point to let us to concentrate on publications that reach our nucleus invitee. †[ 56 ] The message that societal media does n't number as a Target policy surely was n't received good by its devoted client base. Target, whose image as a hip and modern-day, low-cost retail mercantile establishment was admiting indifference of web logs, the hip and modern-day, free media channel.[ 57 ]When interviewed for a New York Times article titled â€Å" Target Tells a Blogger to Travel Away, † Amy von Walter, a Target spokeswoman maintained, â€Å" We do non work with bloggers presently. But we have made exclusions and we are reexamining the policy and may set it. †[ 58 ]Target ‘s current policy is to concentrate limited resources and the little public dealingss squad attempts on the large media mercantile establishments, corroborating its prioritization of selling over relationship and repute direction. Target did non draw the ad in response to Jussel ‘s concerns or the blogosphere tumult that followed.[ 59 ]It may hold been smarter to hold to a short int erview with Jussel, a representative of it largest consumer, female parents, alternatively of estranging loyal clients and ignoring societal media mercantile establishments. Lack of Transparency as a Pitfall. Social media crisis response tactics have non been studied to full, but will probably go a major sub-specialization in public dealingss scholarship. Spuring this country of survey are force per unit areas from on-line militant communities and populaces. In the spring of 2010, Nestle was under fire from Greenpeace for purchasing palm oil and utilizing it in merchandises. Greenpeace ‘s Facebook page and YouTube videos depicted Nestle as a protagonist of deforestation and the cause of Orangutan extinction.[ 60 ]Nestle tried to hold one picture associating the Kit Kat saloon to Orangutan extinction removed, claiming the picture violated their hallmark.[ 61 ]This prompted Greenpeace members to post angry comments on Nestle ‘s Facebook page. To protect its page and the company ‘s legal security, Nestle removed the remarks. Although the issue was likely a major corporate concern, Nestle kept its internal deliberation lull which translated into a deficiency of transparence and unconcern.[ 62 ]In this instance its silence spoke volumes about its contempt for the Greenpeace motion. If Nestle had kept its stakeholder populace ( which included militants ) informed of its attempts toward replacing the non-environmentally-conscious merchandises, there might hold been a positive societal media response. Publishing imperativeness released one time a hebdomad may hold worked in the past, but with today ‘s instantaneous information flow, there is no alibi for silence. Although Nestle ‘s stock monetary value did non look to be effected in anyhow, the corporation must still go on to run into Greenpeace criterions and if it falls back on these promises, will probably confront a public dealingss firestorm hard to get the better of.[ 63 ]This is one of the first documented instances of successful environmental activism which took topographic point about wholly in the societal media kingdom.[ 64 ]A Astroturfing is a term used in the public dealingss industry to mention to strategic runs designed to look as self-generated grassroots attempts.[ 65 ]Edelman, the universe ‘s largest independent public dealingss house late practiced astroturfing in a popular web log for Wal-Mart titled, â€Å" walmartingacrossamerica.com † The stations chronicled the cross-country escapade of a couple sing Wal-Mart shops and talking to clients about their shopping experiences. Jim and Laura ‘s first web log station meekly stated: â€Å" We are non bloggers, but since our lives have ever been more journey than finish we are adventurers at heartaˆÂ ¦ . We figured we ‘d give it a spell. †[ 66 ]Laura and Jim ‘s brushs included run intoing Wal-Mart employees, from shop clerks to photogenic executives, who all reported loving their employer and work environment. Critics questioned the genuineness of the run early on. â€Å" Anyone familiar with Wal-Mart and its repute for being quite stingy with rewards and benefits will turn over their eyes at such a rose-colored image, † wrote one Business Week editorialist about the astroturfing world.[ 67 ] The fact that the venture was funded by Working Families for Wal-Mart ( WFWM ) was non publicly disclosed. In this instance, merely saying the fact that the twosome was paid would hold likely saved the traditionally crystalline Edelman from contention.[ 68 ]

Ben & Jerry Case Analysis

Strategic Analysis of Ben & Jerry’s Homemade, Inc. Can B&J Serve a Double Scoop of Being Green and Making Green? ESM 210 Professor Delmas Final Paper November 21, 2000 Alex Tuttle Vicky Krikelas 1 BEN & JERRY’S ICE CREAM Table of Contents INTRODUCTION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. MARKET DESCRIPTION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. FIRM DESCRIPTION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. THE MISSION STATEMENT†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 1 1 1 2 GENERAL CORPORATE STRATEGY†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 2 CORPORATE ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGY†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 4 STRATEGY ANALYSIS†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 8 Five Forces Model of Competition†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 8 SWOT Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 11 Key Succ ess Factors†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 11 STRATEGIC CONSISTENCIES†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 12 STRATEGIC DISCONNECTS†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 13 UNILEVER ACQUISITION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 14 RECOMMENDATIONS & CONCLUSION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 15 BIBLIOGRAPHY†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢ € ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 17 Figures FIGURE 1. FIGURE 2. FIGURE 3. FIGURE 4. FIGURE 5. ANNUAL REVENUES†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 4 ANNUAL RECYCLING†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 7 PORTER’S 5 FORCES MODEL †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦9 SWOT ANALYSIS†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦11 KEY FACTORS OF SUCCESS†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã ¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 2 2 3 INTRODUCTION Ben & Jerry’s is an innovative leader in the super premium ice cream industry. The company blends a commitment to provide all natural, high quality ice cream with a commitment towards social activism and environmental responsibility. This report will analyze both the company’s environmental strategy and general corporate strategy in order to identify the consistencies and disparities (if any) between these strategies and to determine whether a â€Å"green† company such as Ben & Jerry’s can sustain a competitive advantage.We will also discuss the potential impacts on the company’s strategic vision in light of the recent acquisition by Unilever. Our analysis will focus on examining the strengths and weaknesses of the environmental and general corporate strategies in light of its internal resources and external competitive and non-market forces. MARKET DE SCRIPTION Ben & Jerry’s operates in the highly competitive super premium ice cream, frozen yogurt and sorbet business.Super premium ice cream is generally characterized by a greater richness and density than other kinds of ice cream and commands a relatively higher price. The company’s two primary competitors include Haagen-Dazs (a member of the Ice Cream Partners organization) and Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream Company, which introduced its Godiva and Dreamery super premium ice cream line in the fall of 1999. Other significant competitors include Healthy Choice, Nestle and Starbucks (SEC Report, 1999). FIRM DESCRIPTION Ben & Jerry's Homemade, Inc. the Vermont-based manufacturer of super-premium ice cream, frozen yogurt and sorbet, was founded in 1978 in a renovated gas station in Burlington, Vermont, by childhood friends Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield with a modest $12,000 investment. The company is now a leading ice cream manufacturing company known worldwide for it s innovative flavors and all-natural ingredients made from fresh Vermont milk and cream (www. benjerry. com). Manufacturing of all Ben & Jerry’s frozen dessert products occurs in the company’s three plants located in Vermont.The company distributes ice cream, low fat ice cream, frozen yogurt, sorbet and novelty products nationwide as well as in selected foreign countries in supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, franchised Ben & Jerry's scoop shops, restaurants and other venues. Outside of Vermont, the products are distributed primarily through Dreyer’s and other independent regional ice cream distributors. Unilever, a multinational food and personal products company recently acquired Ben & Jerry’s in spring 2000. The Ben & Jerry's Board of Directors approved Unilever's offer of $43. 60 per share for all of the 8. million outstanding shares, valuing the transaction at $326 million (www. lib. benjerry. com, October, 2000). Under the terms of the agreement, Ben & Jerry's will operate separately from Unilever's current U. S. ice cream business. There will be an independent 4 Board of Directors, which will focus on providing leadership for Ben & Jerry's social mission and brand integrity. Both co-founders will continue to be involved with Ben & Jerry's, and the company will continue to be Vermont-based. THE MISSION STATEMENT Ben & Jerry’s adopted a three-part mission statement formalizing the company’s business philosophy.According to the company’s home page (www. benjerry. com), the mission statement is as follows: Product Mission: to make, distribute and sell the finest quality all-natural ice cream and related products in a wide variety of innovative flavors made from Vermont dairy products. Social Mission: to operate the company in a way that actively recognizes the central role that business plays in the structure of society by initiating innovative ways to improve the quality of life of a broad comm unity: local, national, and international.Economic Mission: to operate the company on a sound financial basis of profitable growth, increasing value to our shareholders and creating career opportunities and financial rewards for our employees. Underlying this mission is the determination to seek innovative ways of addressing all three components, while holding a deep respect for employees and the community at large. GENERAL CORPORATE STRATEGY Ben & Jerry's corporate strategy strives to implement the three integrated missions described above: developing a high-quality product, achieving economic growth and profitability, and incorporating social activism.The general corporate strategy can be characterized as a focused or market niche strategy based primarily on product differentiation and quality production. Although focused differentiation strategies target a narrow buyer segment, this strategy helps Ben & Jerry’s gain a strong competitive advantage as it can offer consumers something they perceive is appealingly different from rival competitors—innovative super-premium ice cream flavors that taste better and consist of all natural, high quality ingredients.In addition to differentiating its product from other ice cream competitors, Ben & Jerry’s general strategy combines several other key components, including fostering a company image of social activism, creating brand loyalty, franchising the company to aid economic growth, and developing creative advertising campaigns. Product Differentiation One means of gaining a competitive advantage is through the use of a differentiation strategy to provide a better product that buyers believe is worth the premium price (Thompson and Strickland, 1998).Since higher quality ice cream generally costs more than the economy and regular types of ice cream, Ben and Jerry’s has incorporated product differentiation in its general corporate strategy in order to command a higher price. The use of all- natural, high quality 5 ingredients and the innovative flavors of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream illustrates the strategic use of product differentiation to gain a competitive advantage in the ice cream market.Quirky flavor names such as Chubby Hubby, Wavy Gravy, Phish Food, and Chunky Monkey also set Ben & Jerry’s apart from the traditionally-named ice cream products of rival companies. Furthermore, the use of recycled materials and dioxin-free (unbleached) paper in product packaging contributes to the uniqueness of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and helps keep its costs down. Socially-Conscious Company Image Ben & Jerry’s strives to be an independent, socially-conscious Vermont company that supports local dairy farmers.Several examples illustrate how Ben & Jerry’s implements this corporate strategy. For instance, the company donates 7. 5% of pretax profits to philanthropic causes through the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation, community action teams, and through corporate grants (http://www. hoovers. com). The company also donates free ice cream during public events and community celebrations in the Vermont area, and contributes a percentage of the profits earned from ice cream sold in Vermont retail stores to fund local charities (SEC Report, 1999).Furthermore, the company has ensured the long-term viability of its own key suppliers, the Vermont dairy farmers, by executing a strategic decision to pay more than a specified minimum price for its dairy ingredients (SEC Report, 1999). Brand loyalty Developing brand loyalty is another strategic move to strengthen competitive advantage. Ben & Jerry’s has made substantial efforts to gain a favorable reputation and image with buyers through its frequent promotional campaigns (i. e. , Free Cone Day), donations to social causes (i. , Ben & Jerry Foundation), and the use of eco-friendly products, as discussed below under Environmental Strategy. This strategy has proven successful; the 1999 Har ris Interactive Poll regarding buyer perception of corporate reputability ranked Ben & Jerry’s first in the â€Å"social responsibility† category and fifth overall (SEC Report, 1999). Small-Scale Growth and Franchising The economic mission of the company (to achieve profitability, increase value to shareholders and create career opportunities) is implemented through Ben & Jerry’s strategy for small-scale business growth.Ben & Jerry’s has maximized profitability by initially starting small and slowly building an ice-cream business over time (Spolsky, 2000). Ultimately, the success at the small-scale required the company to shift its corporate strategy toward the establishment of several franchised â€Å"scoop shops† throughout the nation and Europe. As of 1999, there were approximately 164 scoop shops in North America (SEC, 1999). These scoop shops serve as a major employment resource and a source of revenue for non-profit groups.In addition, Ben & Jerry’s gains a competitive advantage through franchising by expanding market share, increasing revenue and publicizing the company’s brand name using minimal amounts of startup capital. As shown in Figure 1, Ben & Jerry’s has achieved substantial, yet gradual, growth in revenues since 1993. Marketing Strategy According to the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) annual report, Ben & Jerry’s use of natural ingredients, high product quality, periodic introduction of new flavors, focus on grass- 6 roots community involvement and the â€Å"down home† local image are essential elements of the company’s marketing strategy.The company’s Waterbury ice cream factory is the single most popular tourist attraction in Vermont. In addition, the company is well known for it’s creative television advertising and public relations campaigns. The use of innovative online marketing and web-based promotions with Yahoo have further emphasized this image and strengthened brand name recognition (SEC Report, 1999). Ben & Jerry's Annual Revenue: 1993-1998 225 $ (in millions) 200 175 150 125 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 Year Figure 1. Annual Revenue for Ben & Jerry’s: 1993 to 1998. Source: Ben & Jerry’s 1998 CERES Report.CORPORATE ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGY In 1992, Ben & Jerry’s became the first publicly held company to adopt the CERES (Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies) principles as part of its environmental strategy (Ben & Jerry’s 1998 CERES Report). CERES is a non-profit coalition of interest groups working in partnership with companies towards the goal of corporate environmental responsibility worldwide. This involvement with CERES is evidence of the company’s dedication to protecting the environment and insurance that consideration is made to the environment when managing and operating its business.The CERES principles are as follows: †¢ Protection of the Biosphere 7 â € ¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Sustainable Use of Natural Resources Reduction and Disposal of Wastes Energy Conservation Risk Reduction Safe Products and Services Environmental Restoration Public Outreach and Education Management Commitment Audits and Reports Ben & Jerry’s believes that â€Å"businesses should be among the leaders in the social change necessary to repair and prevent the damage that the human race is capable of inflicting upon natural cycles through everyday corporate, national, international, local and personal practices† (ibid).By integrating the CERES principles into the company’s overall goals, Ben & Jerry’s strives to develop a comprehensive environmental strategy that conforms to its mission of making an exemplary product, earning a fair return, and serving its community. Ben & Jerry’s environmental goals as a company are to minimize its negative impacts on the environment, promote sustai nable farming and safe methods of food production that reduce environmental degradation, and use its business as a medium for environmental and social change.In order to accomplish this strategy there are numerous policies and activities that the company is executing, or has plans to execute in the near future. By analyzing Ben & Jerry’s environmental strategy within the framework of the Principle Strategy-Implementing Tasks, as outlined in Chapter 9 of Crafting and Implementing Strategy (Thompson and Strickland, 1998), we can effectively examine the steps the company is taking to best achieve its goals. These actions are visible in all aspects of the company and are proof of the company’s commitment to its environmental strategy.There is an ever-present culture within Ben & Jerry’s of environmental awareness and interest in company greening. In implementing its strategy, Ben & Jerry’s has worked to ensure that every employee is involved and that values a re shared throughout the company. Within the management structure of the company, efforts are made to make sure that the Board of Directors and CEO are fully informed about pertinent environmental issues and are fully responsible for environmental policy. In addition, the company considers demonstrated environmental commitments when selecting Board members.As the founders, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield continue to provide strong environmental leadership that is crucial to effective implementation of the company’s environmental strategy. There is significant dialogue within the chain of command of the company. At each manufacturing site in Vermont there is an Environmental Coordinator who is in charge of operating and monitoring environmental activities. These coordinators meet with the Manager of Natural Resource Use on a monthly basis. Through this dialogue, nvironmental strategies for company-wide and site-specific compliance and operations are made. The Manager of Natural Resource Use reports to the Senior Director of Operations who in turn reports to the CEO (ibid). This flow of information ensures that every decision-maker is aware of environmental issues and considers these factors when running the business. 8 There is also a significant employee environmental awareness and education campaign within the company. Programs such as the company-wide Environmental Awareness Week promotes employee knowledge of environmental issues.During orientation, new employees are introduced to the environmental policies of the company by the Manager of Natural Resource Use (ibid). In addition, there are employee-led groups called Green Teams that work on company-related projects like recycling, composting, and writing â€Å"eco-facts† for the company newspaper (ibid). This activism and knowledge-share that is built into the company network contributes to the success of its environmental strategy by enabling company personnel to better carry out their strate gic roles.In addition to this internal communication, the company also uses various strategies to build public interest and awareness in environmental issues. This succeeds in not only promoting the goals of the company, but also in adding to the competitive advantage of the company by gaining public support and loyalty. Ben & Jerry’s website has a plethora of information on its environmental policies, activities, and accomplishments. The importance that the company places on these issues is shown by the fact that some of this information is highlighted on the home page (www. benjerry. om, 2000). Other tools the company uses for disseminating information to the public are the publications of the Annual Report and CERES Report, as well as position papers on dioxin and rBGH at their scoop shops. In addition, the company puts on an annual festival encouraging public awareness of environmental and social issues (CERES Report, 1998). In order to be successful in implementing its e nvironmental strategy, Ben & Jerry’s has established many strategy-supportive policies company-wide. These are detailed in the company’s 1998 CERES Report. These policies apply to all U. S. ocations and international locations under the company’s direct ownership. The Manager of Natural Resource Use continually updates them whenever new technologies, concerns, or standards emerge. Examples of these include: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Beginning in 1997, all uncontaminated waste oils from its plants are re-refined by a certified handler to be reused. In 1994 the company created a list of approved environmentally friendly cleaning and office supplies that is continually updated when appropriate. Scoop shops are built with environmentally sound material, such as tiles and countertops made of recycled materials.The â€Å"Contractor’s Handbook† contains environmental requirements for all outside parties working at Ben & Jerry’s sites. Another area that is crucial to ensure that environmental strategies are achieved is in the allocation of resources to strategy-critical activities and the institution of best practices for continuous improvement. The company puts a lot of energy into exploring opportunities for waste reduction, recycling, and energy use. In addition, the company tracks the cost and impacts of all waste and energy use associated with the production process.Using a system of integrated environmental tracking tables the company reports on solid, hazardous, wastewater, and dairy waste production, energy use, and recycling. This information is used to identify trends and set 9 goals. As a result of this work the company has demonstrated continual improvement in its solid-waste recycling, rising from 35% in 1995 to 53% in 1998. Figure 2 shows the amount of waste the company has recycled between 1995 and 1998. In 1998, a Packaging Innovation Group was created with a goal reducing waste from ingredient packaging (ibid. ).In 1997, the company conducted a project to develop a pint container that would be more environmentally sustainable and compostable. The company invested hundreds of man-hours to analyze sources of chlorine-free paper for their â€Å"Eco-Pint† (ibid. ). The release of this product is in direct line with the company’s environmental strategy and presents a major step forward in its goal to develop a compostable, non-toxic container. Annual Recycling at Ben & Jerry's Tons of Solid Waste 1000 800 600 400 200 0 1995 1996 Year 1997 1998 Figure 2. Annual Solid Waste Recycling at Ben & Jerry’s between 1995 and 1998.Source: Ben & Jerry’s 1998 CERES Report. Ben & Jerry’s realizes the importance of community participation and accountability. Consistent with its environmental strategy, Ben & Jerry’s uses its business as a means of promoting environmentalism, small-scale agriculture, human rights, and economic justice. This is achieved through C orporate Giving to organizations like Natural Resources Defense Council and the Vermont Land Trust, the establishment of the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation which funds non-profit social and environmental organizations across the United States, and Community Actions Teams.These teams are made up of Ben & Jerry’s employees who organize annual major community projects in their area and provide grants to various community-based organizations. All told, Ben & Jerry’s donates approximately 7. 5% of its pre-tax profits annually (ibid. ). 10 Another means by which the company seeks to achieve its environmental strategy is through management of its supply chain. Ben & Jerry’s is consistently working to purchase ingredients and other inputs from environmentally and socially responsible sources. The company has a Vendor Certification Program in which 80% of its suppliers were enrolled by the end of 1998 (ibid. . As part of the assessment process, Ben & Jerry’s eval uates the environmental competencies of potential suppliers and considers this information when determining whether or not to do business. In addition, Ben & Jerry’s only purchases dairy supplies from family farmers who pledge not to treat their cows with rBGH, because of the adverse effects it has on sustainable agriculture (ibid. ). By working with its suppliers, Ben & Jerry’s attempts to ensure that its environmental goals are shared throughout its supply chain. This leads to a more effective implementation of its overall strategy.STRATEGY ANALYSIS An analysis of the external and internal forces shaping the ice cream industry is necessary in order to determine the effectiveness of Ben & Jerry’s current (and prospective) corporate and environmental strategies. We will utilize several analytical tools to characterize the strengths and liabilities of the industry and the effectiveness of the company’s strategy, particularly through the use of the Five For ces Model of Competition, the Sixth (Non-Market) Force analysis, SWOT analysis, and the key factors of success.Five Forces Model of Competition In order to identify and assess the strength of external competitive forces on the ice cream industry we utilized a common analytical tool, Porter’s Five Forces Model of Competition, which is based on the following five factors: rivalry among competing sellers, bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers of key inputs, substitute products and potential new entrants to the market (Thomas and Strickland, 1995). Figure 3 summarizes the competitive strength of these forces on the ice cream industry.Rivalry Among Competing Sellers The principal competitors in the super-premium ice cream industry are large, diversified companies with significantly greater resources than Ben & Jerry’s; the primary competitors include Dreyers and Haagen-Dazs. Rivalry can be characterized as intense, given that numerous competitors exist, the cost of switching to rival brands is low, and the sales-increasing tactics employed by Dreyers and other rivals threatens to boosts rivals’ unit volume of production (SEC Report, 1999).Buyers The power of buyers is relatively high because buyers are large, consisting of individual customers, grocery stores, convenience stores, and restaurants nationwide and globally. Since retailers purchase ice cream products in large quantities, this gives buyers substantial leverage over price. In addition, there are many ice cream products to choose from, so the buyers’ cost of switching to competing brands is relatively low. In order to defend against this competitive force, a company’s strategy must include strong product differentiation so that buyers are less able to switch over without incurring large costs. 1 Suppliers The suppliers to the ice cream industry include dairy farmers, paper container manufacturers, and suppliers of various flavorings. Such suppliers ar e a moderate competitive force, given that the ice cream industry they are supplying is a major customer, there are multiple suppliers throughout the nation to choose from, and many of the suppliers’ viability is tied to the wellbeing of large, established companies such as Dreyers and Haagen-Dazs. Therefore, the ice cream suppliers have moderate leverage to bargain over price.Substitute Products Many substitutes products are available within the dessert and frozen food industry (cookies, pies, Popsicles, cake). The ease with which buyers can switch to substitute products is an indicator of the strength of this competitive force. Since substitute products are readily available and attractively priced compared to the relatively higher priced super-premium ice cream products, the competitive pressures posed by substitute products are intense. Companies that enter the super-premium market, therefore, must adopt defensive strategies that convince buyers their higher priced produc t has better features (i. . , quality, taste, innovative flavors) that more than make up for the difference in price. Potential New Entrants The barriers to entry within the ice cream industry are moderate due to the brand preferences and customer loyalty toward the larger and more established rival companies. Other obstacles to new entrants include strong brand loyalty to established firms and economic factors, such as the requirement for large sources of capital, specialized mixing facilities and manufacturing plants.In addition, the accessibility of distribution channels can be difficult for an unknown firm with little or no brand recognition. Although Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield successfully launched their ice cream business from a gas station with modest funding and staff, they had to initially rely on a rival company’s distribution channels (and later on independent distributors) in order to gain a stronger foothold in the market. Figure 3. Porter’s Model of t he Five Competitive Forces S ubstituteProducts Many S ubstitute sBuye rs S trong le rage ve Largenum rs be Rivalry Among Competing Sellers Many large established rivals S upplie rs Mode le rage rate ve Ne Entrants w Mode Barrie to rate rs Entry 12 As discussed above, several competitive forces on the ice cream industry are relatively strong, suggesting that it is a difficult industry to be competitive in. However, Ben & Jerry’s implementation of a differentiation strategy has helped the company effectively defend against these forces and gain a competitive advantage.The use of higher quality ingredients and ecofriendly packaging has created a unique brand image that helps develop brand loyalty and beat rival competitors to the market. The company’s social activism toward the community and use of innovative flavors also help insulate the firm from the strong bargaining power of buyers since rival firms and/or products are relatively less attractive. Similarly, Ben & Jer ry’s product differentiation strategy also allows the company to fend off threats of substitute products that don’t have comparable features.The company’s differentiation strategy also mitigates the threat of potential entrants due to high buyer loyalty for a superior product. The moderate threat posed by suppliers is tackled by two other facets of the company’s strategy: ensuring the viability of suppliers by paying premium prices for raw materials, and redesigning the distribution network to gain more control and reduce reliance on rival distribution channels. The â€Å"Sixth† Force (Non-Market Forces) Industry Regulations Ben & Jerry’s is subject to regulation by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Vermont Department of Agriculture.In response to stringent labeling criteria for healthoriented foods, the company made changes in its labeling regarding its low fat/low cholesterol products (SEC Report, 1999). FDA regu lations may potentially affect the ability of the company, as well as rival firms in the ice cream industry, to develop and market new frozen dessert products. However, given that Ben & Jerry’s is already in compliance with the FDA, it is unlikely that such regulations will have a significant impact on the company’s operations.Other regulatory forces include potential RCRA liability due to the company’s generation of hazardous materials during the manufacturing process. However, Ben & Jerry’s is currently exempt from these hazardous materials regulations since the level of hazardous materials generated is below the threshold for requiring a permit; indeed, by staying small and maintaining regulatory compliance, the company gains a competitive advantage over larger companies that may have to meet stricter regulations or be more susceptible to non-compliance.Public and Stakeholders Public and stakeholder concerns over health and nutrition and environmental pollution exert a strong force on the ice cream industry. The heightened consumer awareness and demand for low-cholesterol or low-fat foods can force companies to respond with ingredient substitutions and differentiated product lines to stay in business. Similarly, the increasing consumer trend toward supporting eco-friendly product packaging and all-natural, organic ingredients can cause ice cream companies to revise their strategies.Ben & Jerry’s, with it’s commitment to providing all natural ingredients, a low-fat ice cream line, and chlorine-free paper for example, is in a better position to attract those consumers who are willing to pay more to get more. Given Ben & Jerry’s proactive strategic approach, the company can effectively insulate itself from these public pressures and enjoys a significant competitive advantage over those companies that resist incorporating socially progressive or eco-friendly values into their strategies. 13SWOT Analysis Another m eans of analyzing the strategies of the company is by examining the strengths and weaknesses of its internal resources, and then exploring the external threats and opportunities facing the company. By developing a clear understanding of these factors, we can evaluate where the company should go from here. Figure 4 identifies these forces for both the general corporate and environmental strategies of Ben & Jerry’s. Based on our analysis, we feel that much of the company’s internal strengths and external opportunities lie within its environmental strategy.This gives further evidence to suggest that the environmental and corporate strategies are well integrated, and that this integration is crucial to the future success of the company. Figure 4. SWOT Analysis of Ben & Jerry’s Strengths Product Differentiation Brand Name & Image Creative Advertising & Promotion Innovation Environmental Leader Threats Image Deterioration Increased Competition Shift in Buyer Preferenc es Loss of Sales to Substitutes Bush Presidency Conflicts with Unilever Weaknesses Dependence on Outside Distribution High Cost Financial Instability Geographic LimitationsOpportunities Growing Consumer Environmental Interest Geographic Expansion Market Diversification Alliances Key Success Factors A successful strategy incorporates the company’s efforts to be competent on all of the industry’s key success factors and to excel on at least one factor (Thompson and Strickland, 1998). In the highly competitive super-premium ice cream industry, the key factors of success include product 14 differentiation, a strong distribution network, brand loyalty and clever advertising.As shown in Figure 5, Ben & Jerry’s excels in these (and other) key factors, and has a particular expertise on product differentiation to gain a competitive advantage. Product Differentiation All-natural ingredients Innovative flavors High quality Brand Loyalty Favorable reputation with environmen tally-aware consumers Access to Distribution Network use of independent suppliers and existing channels Social Activism Corporate philanthropy Ben & Jerry’s Fund Eco-friendly Product Dioxin-free pint containers Recycled materials Hormone-free dairy supplyClever advertising Free ice cream samples Grassroots and local image Figure 5. Ben & Jerry’s Key Factors of Success. STRATEGIC CONSISTENCIES According to the Ben & Jerry’s Mission Statement, the goal of the company is to integrate product quality with economic success and social responsibility. One of the key strategic factors that successfully links these three missions together is the differentiation strategy. In this respect, the environmental and general corporate strategies are very much in tune with each other.Differentiation not only increases the competitive advantage of Ben & Jerry’s, but it also leads to environmental excellence in the operation of the company. By focusing its attention and ener gy on recycling, energy efficiency, and product innovation, Ben & Jerry’s can reduce its impact on the environment while at the same time reducing product cost. This is being achieved through the work of the Packaging Information Group that focuses on reducing the incoming packaging which adds to the waste stream, and the production of the compostable â€Å"Eco-Pint. † These and other actions help build a competitive advantage within the market.By using allnatural, rBGH-free ingredients and dioxin-free containers, Ben & Jerry’s can also attract environmentally minded consumers to its products, thus increasing market share. At the same time, this practice helps protect the environment and support family-farming and sustainable agriculture. Therefore, this differentiation strategy has the versatility of providing a better product that can attract customers, command a higher price, and protect the environment, thus satisfying the three integral parts of the company ’s mission and both the corporate and environmental strategies.In order for this environmental differentiation strategy to be sustainable there needs to be a willingness among customers to pay for environmental quality, credible information about the company’s environmental attributes, and insulation against imitation. The company’s steady 15 growth in revenue over the last few years shows that the customer base is there and that they are more than willing to pay a premium price for a superior quality product. Ben & Jerry’s addresses the latter two issues through its informative website, external audits, and constant innovation creating unique, hard to imitate flavors and products.Another way in which the environmental strategy and corporate strategy are consistent with each other is in the area of regulatory compliance. As a result of the attention Ben & Jerry’s pays to the environmental risks associated with its production process, and the effort s made by the company to ensure that negative impacts to the environment from its business operations are minimized, Ben & Jerry’s has had very few compliance issues and has never been issued any penalties by Federal regulators (1998 CERES Report). In addition to the environmental benefit from such compliance, there is a beneficial impact on the business as well.By minimizing operational costs, the company gains a potential competitive advantage over competitors with less stringent environmental controls that may face compliance issues. Overall, the company’s environmental strategy and general business strategy are well integrated. By focusing on differentiation, which is in large part due to environmental policies and programs, the company gains a competitive advantage over its rivals. As the company grows and increases its annual profits, more money can therefore be donated to social and environmental causes through its various giving channels.Ben & Jerry’s ha s positioned itself so that its success is highly dependent on its environmental image, therefore the two strategies are intimately linked. There are, however, some disconnects between strategies. There are a few instances where environmental goals take a back seat to company profits. Examples of these disconnects are described in the next section below. DISCONNECTS BETWEEN STRATEGIES Although the mission of the company is to temper economic growth with environmental responsibility, during our research we discovered several ccasions in which company profits clearly outweighed the desire to be as environmentally proactive as possible. For example, Ben and Jerry’s currently packages its Peace Pops inside a plastic wrapper and paper board box. This change was in response to a belief that sales had been declining due to customer disapproval of its original packaging, which consisted solely of a plastic wrapper. This change has led to an increase of packaging materials by 152,000 pounds annually (ibid. ).This is in direct conflict with the company’s policy on waste reduction and illustrates the priority given to company profits over environmental concerns. Similarly, an effort to introduce an organic line of desserts, which would have been more in line with its environmental strategy, was abandoned due to economic costs. Another example of a â€Å"disconnect† is in the company’s energy use. Ben & Jerry’s recognizes that its operation, like any industrial process, is energy intensive. However, as of 1998, the company had no formal policy on energy use and conservation (ibid. ).While the plants and scoop shops make attempts to be energy efficient, the company relies on non-renewable sources of energy for its production processes, instead of using green energy that would be less damaging 16 and more consistent with its environmental policies. Although not expressly stated, it seems that economic cost is once again superseding sustain ability. While Ben & Jerry’s works to reuse and recycle as much of its waste as possible, it is the policy of the company to send any hazardous waste that cannot be recycled to a hazardous waste incinerator to be handled.Although this may be the most economical method of treating hazardous waste, it is not necessarily the most environmentally sound disposal technology, and directly contradicts the company’s environmental goals. In keeping with the corporate strategy of maintaining a local, down home image, many sacrifices to the environmental strategy are made. The most glaring disconnect is in the national distribution of the product from a single state. Manufacturing in Vermont requires extensive shipping of its products; this is a highly energy-intensive process.In 1998, emissions from the distribution of its products totaled over 113,000 pounds for carbon monoxide, 15,000 pounds of nitrogen oxides, 7,000 pounds of hydrocarbons, 1,600 tons of carbon dioxide, and 400 pounds of particulate matter (ibid. ). This tradeoff illustrates an inherent inconsistency between the corporate and environmental strategies of the company. While these disconnects do occur, we feel that Ben & Jerry’s has done an excellent job in integrating its business and environmental strategies and balancing profitability with environmental protection.UNILEVER ACQUISITION AND IMPACTS ON STRATEGY Ben & Jerry's strategy will likely shift towards larger-scale economic growth in response to the recent Unilever acquisition of the company in April 2000. Ben & Jerry’s emphasized that this acquisition will allow the company to create an even more dynamic, socially positive ice cream business with global reach (www. lib. benjerry. com). In addition, the financial backing of a larger and established company will strengthen Ben & Jerry’s competitive advantage with respect to the five forces, particularly the threat of competition from rival firms.According to the co founders, â€Å"neither of us could have anticipated, twenty years ago, that a major multinational would some day sign on, enthusiastically, to pursue and expand the social mission that continues to be an essential part of Ben & Jerry's and a driving force behind our many successes. But today, Unilever has done just that. While we and others certainly would have preferred to pursue our mission as an independent enterprise, we hope that, as part of Unilever, Ben & Jerry's will continue to expand its role in society† (ibid).The agreement between Unilever and Ben & Jerry’s ensures that the current social mission of Ben & Jerry's will be encouraged and well-funded, which will lead to improved performance in this area; and an opportunity has been offered for Ben & Jerry's to contribute to Unilever's social practices worldwide. According to Richard Goldstein, President of Unilever Foods of North America, Unilever feels that â€Å"Ben & Jerry's has a significant opportunity outside of the United States. Unilever is in an ideal position to bring the Ben & Jerry's brand, values and socially responsible message to consumers worldwide.Much of the success of the Ben & Jerry's brand is based on its connections to basic human values, and it is our hope and expectation that Ben & Jerry's continues to engage in these critical, global economic and social missions† (ibid). Based on the nature of this agreement, Unilever is pledging to uphold Ben & Jerry’s mission of 17 integrating product quality with economic performance and social responsibility. Therefore, we do not expect that Ben & Jerry’s environmental strategy will change, except that more innovations can possibly be made with the augmented financial and human resources.In addition, the social and environmental mission of the company will have the opportunity to be applied on a more global scale. As far as the preservation of the company’s corporate strategy, Unilever’s gl obal presence and greater access to distribution channels will allow for Ben & Jerry’s to continue to expand internationally, thus increasing market share, profitability, and competitive advantage. Potential threat to Ben & Jerry’s success as a result of the Unilever acquisition are the negative public perception of the company (i. e. elling out), loss of consumer support and brand loyalty. This can be mitigated through marketing strategies geared towards alleviating public fears and ensuring that the underlying goals and policies of the company will remain intact. RECOMMENDATIONS & CONCLUSION Based on our analysis, we believe that the corporate and environmental strategies are appropriate and well integrated. While there are some disconnects between the two strategies, overall it is clear that the company strives to achieve economic success and environmental responsibility.Up to now, Ben & Jerry’s has been successful at maintaining this balance. The primary con cern is how well the company can insulate itself from future competition that could threaten its position as a leader in the super premium frozen dessert industry. In light of the threats identified in the SWOT analysis, we recommend that Ben & Jerry’s implement the following suggestions: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Protect its public image in light of the recent acquisition by Unilever by maintaining its current position as a market-leader in environmentally and socially responsible business practices.Continue cost-cutting efforts through implementation of further waste reduction, energy conservation, and recycling programs. Draft a formal written policy on energy use. Frequent product innovation and diversification to address threats of substitute and imitation products and meet changing consumer preferences (i. e. lactose-free ice cream, all organic line of frozen desserts, cookies) Continue franchising scoop shops to increase its market reach a nd withstand growing competition, both nationally and internationally.As the company grows, there will be greater waste generation and distribution-related emissions – increase the development of cleaner manufacturing, disposal, and distribution technologies to ensure that the company continues to stay in compliance. Develop additional manufacturing plants and distribution centers outside of Vermont to reduce distribution costs, cut down on distribution-related emissions, and increase production volume of the company. If George W.Bush becomes President, there could be a relaxation of environmental regulations and attitudes, thus leveling the playing field and eroding Ben & Jerry’s competitive advantage over firms that may be less environmentally responsible. The 18 †¢ company needs to continue to focus on its differentiation strategy to retain its edge and bolster customer loyalty and support. Continue to work with Unilever to ensure that Ben & Jerry’s rema ins an independent subsidiary with its social and environmental values firmly in place. Protect itself from assimilation into the multinational corporate identity.In conclusion, our analysis has illustrated that a company can be competitive without sacrificing its environmental goals and strategies. Through differentiation, Ben & Jerry’s has established itself as both a leader in product quality and environmental responsibility. The challenge will be for Ben & Jerry’s, after being acquired by a multinational conglomerate, to demonstrate that it is still possible to maintain its uniqueness and proactive environmental strategy. So can Ben & Jerry’s continue to serve up a double scoop of being green and making green?Stay tuned for the next flavor of the month. 19 BIBLIOGRAPHY Ben & Jerry’s 1998 CERES Environmental Report, 1998. Securities and Exchange Commission Annual Report for Ben & Jerry’s Homemade, Inc. Form 10-K, 1999. Spolsky, Joel, â€Å"How to Grow a Business,† http://www. fool. com, August 4, 2000. Thompson, Arthur A. Jr. , Strickland, III, A. J. Crafting and Implementing Strategy, Text and Readings, 10th edition. Irwin McGraw-Hill, 1998. www. hoovers. com www. benjerry. com www. lib. benjerry. com Substitute Products Many S ubstitute s 20