Strategies for Overcoming Procrastination

Strategies for Overcoming Procrastination Keanna Jones Gen 200 March 18, 2010 Instructor: Jenta Young â€Å"You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step† says Martin Luther King Jr. (Finest Quotes, Lift Your Spirit Up, 2010). Sounds simple enough to some, but for many people taking the first step can be quite difficult. In other words, putting off something intentionally that should be done is called procrastinating (Merriam-Webster, 2010). There are lots of reasons that people can’t take that first step for such as having a busy schedule, stress, afraid of failure or wanting complete perfection; because of this, people tend to wait until the last minute to do things, lye to themselves, do other things instead of what needs to be done and avoid making decisions. Actually, waiting until the last minute gives some people just enough pressure to complete their task or time to refresh their minds. Therefore, procrastinating can be a positive thing for some, but for others it can be a barrier that hinders one from accomplishing the simplest-everyday tasks to more long term goals. So for those people that consider procrastination a problem, once you figure out how and why you procrastinate, then you find a solution for your problem. â€Å"There are many ways to avoid success in life, but the most sure-fire just might be procrastination. Procrastinators sabotage themselves. They put obstacles in their own path. They actually choose paths that hurt their performance† (Staff, 2005). Thus, procrastination can be a problem for many people. Waiting until the last minute to do things or not making decisions can cause detrimental side-effects on ones emotional and physical state. Subsequently, it can be stressful and cause you to feel hopeless or depressed which often delays or stops people from achieving their ultimate goals or becoming successful, but it is possible to prevail over it. In order to overcome procrastination, first you need to gather a few things to get started (you may need more or less as youbegin to learn more about yourself): a notepad and pen, a calendar or some sort of date book (both can also be done on your personal computer), some rewards for yourself and a new positive attitude. Next, you need to determine why you are procrastinating. Harold Taylor lists several reasons why we procrastinate and how to defeat them. For example: Sometimes we figure that tasks are more unpleasant than they truly are; so, â€Å"complete these tasks first, schedule them for early in the day, and give yourself a reward for doing them. † Also, break complex projects into smaller ones, and if you are afraid of failure, remind yourself of how good you’ll feel when you finish. Moreover, if perfectionism and making decisions are your struggle, determine a time to make decisions and set deadlines. Remember that even the simplest things can cause someone to procrastinate like a lack of interest or distractions; free your-self from interruption and clutter (Taylor). In addition, use your calendar and date book to make appointments and set your deadlines; write down everything from daily tasksto your long term goals. Finally, measure your achievements and with any objective you conquer in procrastination reward yourself. Furthermore, people can procrastinate in any and everything they do whether it isacademically, in the workforce or just daily living. â€Å"Based on some figures, it is estimated that as much as 95 % of the people are prone to procrastination. Amongst them, 20 % of them are chronic procrastinators. These people have an increasing chance of losing their jobs, have financial problems and have serious problems with their relationship with others† (Hobbs, 2008). What’s more, with academic procrastination, students may not complete work or meet deadlines, and as result, they may fail and not graduate. Also, workforce procrastination can mean not completing assignments at work, not applying for a promotion, or not looking for a better job; so procrastination in the workforce can not only lead to trouble there, but also difficulties financially and in your relationship. At some moment in everyone’s life we may procrastinate in our daily living like waiting until the next day to clean up, but as long as it does not effect of livesnegatively we should be able to overcome it. However, if it does, just follow the instructions above and one should be fine. So if you are a procrastinator, remember that you are not in this alone; as you can see, 95% of us procrastinate in some way. As we mentioned above, consider what type of procrastinator you are, how you procrastinate and what motivates you to reach beyond and you should be able to overcome it. Think about what makes you tick. Besides, it takes a lot of discipline to break this pattern. Consider what inspires you to advance, move ahead and be successful. Thus, use your pen, paper, planner, gather your rewards and develop a positive attitude and you will be on your way to coping with procrastination. In conclusion, procrastination can be positive or negative, but as you can see, it clearly affects people’s lives. For plenty of people it does not help them; it actually hurts them. However, one can rise above it by simply remembering that you are a procrastinator and how to fix it. Do not wait until the last minute to do things or avoid making decisions because these are all signs of procrastination. By following some of the suggestions mentioned above, one might become triumphant in breaking this habit. Works Cited Finest Quotes Lift Your Spirit Up. 2010). In Procrastination Quotes. Retrieved March 18, 2010, from http://www. finestquotes. com/select_quote-category-Procrastination-page-0. htm. Hobbs, Jason. (April 2008). What Do Statistics on Procrastination Have to Say? Retrieved March 18, 2010, from http://ezinearticles. com/? What-Do-Statistics-On-Procrastination-Have-To-Say? &id=1093970. Procrastination. (2010). In Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Retrieved March 18, 2 010, from http://www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/procrastination. Richard Farrar. (2010). Life, Technology and Everything. The Powers of Procrastination. Retrieved March 18, 2010, from http://www. richardfarrar. com/the-powers-of-procrastination/. Staff, PT (2005). Why We Procrastinate. Psychology Today. Retrieved March 18, 2010, from http://www. psychologytoday. com/articles/200507/why-we-procrastinate. Taylor, Harold. How to Stop Procrastinating. Retrieved March 18, 2010, from http://www. getmoredone. com/tips2. html Tucker-Ladd, Clayton. (2007)Psychological Self-Help. http://www. psychologicalselfhelp. org/Chapter4/chap4_77. html, p. 76-80.

Coffee and Starbuck Essay

Summarize the overall strategy of Starbucks Management in its effort to create and develop a new concept and a rapidly expanding company. The overall goal of Starbucks Management was to create an American version of the Italian coffee bars that Howard Schultz had experienced first-hand in Milan. He believed that Starbucks should function as an important part of the community, as a meeting place for its customers. He wanted Starbucks to become an experience that would differentiate itself from its competitors. One of their key strategies in meeting this goal is a focus on customer service in order to create an experience for its consumers. Another one of their strategies is to ignite their emotional attachment with consumers. They also have a commitment to improving their business through better training, tools, and products and to give attention to store-level economics and operating efficiency. All of these are prongs to their strategy that will allow Starbucks management to turn Starbucks into a location where people don’t just go to grab coffee, but to experience the atmosphere of an Italian coffee shop. Another prong to their strategy is to offer many different products and to distribute them among a variety of distribution methods. Which one of the five generic competitive strategies discussed in Chapter 5 most closely approximates the competitive approach that Starbucks is employing? There are five generic competitive strategies that can be employed and they are low-cost provider strategy, broad differentiation strategy, focused low-cost strategy, focused differentiation strategy, and best-cost provider strategy. The strategy that Starbucks uses is broad differentiation where they seek to differentiate their product offerings from rivals’ with attributes that will appeal to a large variety of consumers. The key market characteristic for the strategy of differentiation to work is that buyers’ needs and preferences are very diverse and cannot be satisfied with a standardized product offering. This is an evident characteristic of the market because consumers all have different preferences on the way they like their coffee. Which is the reason why Starbucks offers many different product options like lattes, skinny lattes, coffee, iced drinks, blended drinks, etc. They also offer fruit cups, water, and bakery items to provide even more options for their consumers. If a differentiation strategy is successfully implemented the firm will be able to do one of the following: command a premium price for its products, increase unit sales, and/or gain buyer loyalty to its brand. Starbucks has some of the highest prices for the type of products they offer and people tend to be extremely loyal to whatever coffee they are used to purchasing, because they trust the quality. Methods to enhance differentiation 1. Create superior product features, design, and performance Starbucks has a superior knowledge of coffee and a commitment to providing customers with quality coffees. Providing top-quality, fresh-roasted whole-bean coffee was the company’s differentiating feature and a core value since the beginning of its founding. Couches, fireplaces, newspapers, drive-through windows, kiosks in supermarkets and other public places were added to locations depending on what would add value to their consumers. Due to their focus on providing a different experience depending on the location of the store, their international strategy is a multi-domestic approach. The core characteristics of each new store was based on local materials and craftsmanship, a focus on reused and recycled materials and exposure of structural integrity and authentic roots. Most important of all they believed that coffee should be central and that distractions should be removed. They believed that the combination of all these elements should tell a story that would engage the consumer’s five senses and provide them with flexibility to meet the needs of the many different consumers that would be attracted to Starbucks. 2. Improving customer service or adding additional features When Howard Schultz first became part of the company he realized that one key problem Starbucks was having was that first-time consumers often felt uneasy about their absence of knowledge about high-quality coffee. An additional problem was that the employees came off as arrogant and unapproachable. He then worked with employees to teach them about friendly customer service and created a pamphlet to teach new customers about coffee. He also began to offer part-time employees health insurance and a stock option plan for all employees, because he believed that if a company treated their employees well, then they would in turn treat their consumers well. The additional features that Starbucks offers are fireplaces, couches, music, Wi-Fi access, ability to use paid sites and services like Wall Street Journal’s site, exclusive content and previews, free downloads, local community news, and activities. 3. Pursuing production R&D activities Starbucks is constantly brewing new flavors and blends to offer their consumers a variety of coffee to try. Flavors are rotated daily or weekly to offer constant variety. They also test new product offerings like Frappuccino’s, Lattes, Skinny Lattes, and seasonal drinks. 4. Striving for innovation and technological advances One way that Starbucks was able to constantly strive for innovation was by controlling the cost of opening and renovating stores by centralizing buying, developing standard contracts and fixed fees for certain items, and consolidating work under those contractors who displayed good cost-control practices. Starbucks retail operations group outlined the minimum amount of equipment each store would need. This meant that standard items could be ordered from vendors in volume at 20 to 30 percent discounts. The items would then be delivered to the site from a warehouse or from the vendor. A technological advance was that they used computer software to build store layouts that would calculate costs as the design progressed. This cut costs by a significant amount and shortened the process of opening a store to 18 weeks. 5. Increasing intensity of marketing and sales activities Originally, Starbucks didn’t spend a lot of money on advertising, because they relied mostly on word-of-mouth. In 2008 McDonald’s stepped up their advertising to highlight their McCafe coffee drinks. In order to counter this Starbucks undertook the largest advertising campaign ever. 6. Seeking out high-quality inputs Starbucks promotes environmentally sustainable practices in coffee cultivation methods and have specific guidelines they follow called Coffee and Farmer Equity Practices that help farmers to grow high quality coffees in environmentally beneficial ways. In 2000 they began purchasing their coffee organically and a growing percentage of their coffees were grown organically as well as Fair Trade Certified. 7. Improving employee skill, knowledge, and experience Starbucks has a commitment to training their employees so that they are better able to serve their customers. All partners and baristas receive at least 24 hours of training in their first two to four weeks on topics such as coffee history, drink preparation, coffee knowledge, customer service (for a total of 4 hours), and retail skills. Baristas in particular are required to learn how to grind beans, steam milk, pull perfect shots of espresso, memorize recipes, practicing how to mix drinks, and how to customize drinks. Sessions also include how to operate the cash register, clean the milk wand, explain the Italian drink names, and making eye contact with customers. Management trainees are required to attend classes for 8-12 weeks and learn about store operations, practices, and procedures. When a new store is opened a Star Team of experienced employees are sent to make sure everything runs smoothly. From time to time, Starbucks conducts special training programs, including a coffee masters program, leadership training program, and career programs for partners in all types of jobs. When does a differentiation strategy work best? A differentiation strategy works best when buyer needs and uses of the product are diverse, there are many ways to differentiate the product or service that have value to buyers, few rival firms are following a comparable differentiation approach, and technological change is fast paced and competition revolves around rapidly evolving product features. Starbucks’ actions to differentiate their product line They have expanded their product offerings along many different distribution channels by capitalizing on their growing brand name and awareness. First they were able to market their product to restaurants, airlines, hotels, universities, hospitals, business offices, country clubs, and select retailers. United Airlines, Hyatt, Hilton, Sheraton, Radisson, Westin hotels, and Wells Fargo all began to serve Starbucks coffee. A joint venture with PepsiCo came with the sale of a bottled version of the Frappucino drink and Starbucks Doubleshot espresso drinks. In 2008, they partnered with Suntory to sell ready-to-drink Doubleshot drinks in Japan. In 2010 a partnership with Arla Foods spread Doubleshot products and Starbucks chilled cup coffees into retail stores in the UK. A 1995 partnership with Dryers created a new line of coffee ice cream under Starbucks names that was later disbanded in 2008. At this time the rights to manufacture, market, and distribute Starbucks ice cream was given to Unilever. In 1998 Kraft Foods began marketing and distributing whole bean and ground coffee to supermarkets in the US. Tazo Tea was acquired by Starbucks in 1999 and in 2005 they acquired Ethos Water. A partnership with Jim Beam Brands created Starbucks Coffee Liqueur in 2004 and Starbucks Cream Liqueur in 2005. In order to offer healthier options they began offering skinny lattes, banana walnut bread, fruit cups, yogurt parfaits, a farmer’s salad, and smoothies in 2008. Also in 2008, Starbucks responded to customer’s wishes to have a blend of coffee that was always in stores. They created the Pike Place Roast in order to satisfy these customers. 2009 saw the introduction of VIA instant coffee. In 2009 the retail sales mix of Starbucks was 76% beverages, 18% food items, 3 percent coffee-making equipment and other merchandise, and 3% whole bean coffees. What are the key policies, practices, business principles, and procedures that underlie how Howard Schultz and Starbucks’ management have implemented and executed the company’s strategy? Key Policies, Practices, Business Principles, and Procedures The key policies that have been implemented can be broken down into five groups. First is how the company goes about expanding the number of Starbucks stores. The second is their international expansion practices. The third group is their staff training. The fourth is their principles towards ethical business practices. Fifth, is their coffee roasting practices. Store Expansion Starbucks management’s approach to store expansion is using a hub city approach. After a suitable demographic area is chosen Starbucks begins to open up stores in a large city that serves as its hub. After about 20 stores are opened in this hub city, they will then move on to the surrounding areas that are the spokes. This expansion strategy serves to create buzz and brand recognition for the company in an area that has a high amount of foot traffic before moving into a location that has less customer traffic. When a new area was selected for expansion a group of professionals were sent to facilitate the opening. Starbucks also had zone vice presidents who would oversee the expansion process and instill the culture of Starbucks in the new stores. International Expansion When expanding internationally Starbucks has two options; they either open company-owned and operated stores or license to a company that has a good reputation and the knowledge of retailing in that area. Starbucks prefers to license, rather than franchise because licensing provides more assurance of quality control. When they move into foreign markets one of their practices is to use a partner or license to help recruit individuals for employees, set up relationships with suppliers, find store locations, and learn how to cater to local market conditions. For stores that were licensed Starbucks would receive a license fee and a royalty on sales. Companies that were licensed to supply Starbucks coffee were required to follow their detailed operating procedures. Not only that, but managers and employees were required to attend the same training as employees at company-owned stores. Staff Training As mentioned previously, employees are put through an extensive amount of training to learn daily practices and how to treat customers. They are put through this training because customer service is so integral to their organization. Some of the things that baristas learn in their 24 hours of training are coffee history, drink preparation, coffee knowledge, customer service, retail skills, and beverage preparation. Beverage preparation includes grinding the beans, steaming milk, pulling a perfect shot of espresso, memorizing the recipes, practicing the drinks, and learning how to customize drinks. Finally, partners were trained on cash register operations, how to clean the milk wand, how to explain Italian drink names, how to sell espresso machines, making eye contact, interacting with consumers, and taking responsibility for the cleanliness of the store. Not only that but they had many rules that needed to be learned as well such as: milk needs to be steamed to 150 degrees Fahrenheit but not more than 170 degrees, an espresso shot not pulled within 23 seconds needs to be thrown out, coffee can’t sit in the pot more than 20 minutes, and disgruntled customers were given a coupon for a free drink. Managers were required to go even more in depth with their training. Ethical Business Principles Starbucks purchases products that are Fair Trade Certified, meaning that farmers make a fair amount of money for their products. They are very involved in Corporate Social Responsibility and take a number of measures to reduce, reuse, and recycle. They are also committed to purchasing from companies that use environmentally sustainable growing practices. Coffee Roasting Practices Coffee recipes are put together by the coffee department once all components have been tested. In order to be sure of consistency computerized roasters are used. Trained personnel are required to monitor the process by using hearing and their sense of smell to check when the beans are perfectly done. There are extremely exacting standards that must be met and the color of the beans is tested in a blood-cell analyzer and if it doesn’t meet the requirements the batch is discarded. Directly after roasting and cooling coffee is vacuum-sealed into bags that are guaranteed to preserve freshness for 26 weeks. However, policy says that after three months they need to be used. Once opened the shelf life is seven days. What â€Å"values† does Starbucks have? How well do they connect to the strategy and to the manner in which the company conducts its business? Are they successful in implementing to them? The values that Starbucks consider important are included in their mission statement and those are: 1) Coffee: They are committed to providing their consumers with top-quality coffee that is ethically sourced, and to improve the lives of the people who grow the beans. They do this through a variety of methods. First is their Coffee and Farmer Equity Practices (C. A. F. E Practices). These practices specify product quality, that the price received by farmers/growers is fair, that safe and humane working conditions are being used, and that the methods of growing are environmentally responsible. Second, they do not add artificial flavorings to their coffee beans. Third, they have Farmer Support Centers in Costa Rica and Rwanda. These support centers were staffed with agronomists and experts on environmentally responsible coffee growing methods and worked with coffee farming communities to promote best practices in coffee production They also worked to improve coffee quality and production yields. 2) Partners: In order to better care for their employees Starbucks has a health care plan available for all employees, a stock purchase plan, employee training, and employee recognition. Some of their employee recognition awards include Coffee Master awards, Certified Barista awards, Spirit of Starbucks awards, Manager of the Quarter, Green Apron awards, Green Bean awards, and Bravo! Awards, 3) Customers: They value connecting with customers and uplifting the lives of consumers by providing the perfectly made beverage and going the extra mile for their customers. Employees are trained to take heroic measures to make customers happy. 4) Stores: Starbucks management’s goal was to create the stores to be a haven where customers belong and meet with friends. They do this by creating a store ambience, having interesting music playing, leather couches to sit and read newspapers in, and they make sure that nothing overpowers the smell of coffee. 5) Neighborhood: Their stores are part of its community and to be a force of positive good in the area. One way they do this is by using local materials and craftsmanship. They are also extremely involved in Corporate Social Responsibility. The commitment to do the right thing has been a significant part of how Starbucks operates as a company ever since Schultz became CEO. Starbucks has been named to Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s list of â€Å"The 100 Best Corporate Citizens† for the 10th time in 2010. 6) Shareholders: Starbucks is committed to getting all of the above values right so that they can help everyone that is involved and affected by Starbucks thrive. What is your evaluation of Starbucks social responsibility strategy? How much does it help to create their public image? Starbucks CSR strategy has four main parts which are: 1) Ethical sourcing of products: They do this through their C. A. F. E Practices, purchasing Fair Trade Certified products, and buying from manufacturers that have a commitment to environmental and social responsibility. 2) Community involvement: Starbucks has several organizations to foster community involvement. First, is the Starbucks Youth Action Grants which involves young people in community involvement projects. Second, is their program to give medicine to people suffering from HIV in Africa. Third, is the Ethos Water Fund where they donate 5 cents every time somebody purchases a bottle of Ethos Water. Fourth, they donate money to the Starbucks Foundation which was the fund that was started in 1997 to handle all the Starbucks’ philanthropic actions. 3) Environmental Stewardship: In order to achieve this goal they have several methods. First, they focus on increasing recycling and reducing waste which they do by giving discounts to people who bring in their own mugs, coffee grounds are donated for use as a soil amendment, they take part in Earth Day activities, they purchase paper products with recycled content and unbleached fiber, and they encourage their suppliers to provide energy-efficient products and eliminate unnecessary packaging. They also have commitments to be more energy efficient, use renewable energy sources, conserve water resources, use green facilities, using environmentally friendly building materials and energy-efficient designs. They also have plans to achieve LEED certification globally. In 2009 they became part of the Businesses for Innovative Climate Change and Energy Policy coalition. They have also collaborated with the Earthwatch Institute and work on replanting rain forests, mapping water resources, and biodiversity indicators, and sharing sustainable agriculture practices with coffee growers. 4) Farmer loans: They provide funding to organizations that make loans to coffee growers. Their goal for 2015 is to donate $20 million dollars to these funds. They have also committed money to hurricane Rita and Katrina victims, as well as to help the devastation after the earthquake in Haiti. Having a strong CSR campaign adds to the value of Starbucks’ products if consumers know that they are involved in these activities. It lets consumers know that part of the money they are spending is going to a good cause. By getting on the Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s list of â€Å"The 100 Best Corporate Citizens† for the 10th time in 2010, it increases the knowledge that people have about their CSR strategy. Compare the US and International share of yearly revenue, revenue growth, and operating income/revenue. What do these ratios tell you? What is your overall assessment of Starbucks’ financial performance during fiscal years 2005-2009? Explain the performance of Starbucks stock. Exhibit 1 Comparison of Starbucks’ Financial Performance in the US and Internationally| | | 9/27/2009| 9/27/2008| 9/30/2007| 10/1/2006| 10/2/2005| Yearly Revenue ($ millions)| | | | | | | United States| $ 6,572. 10 | $ 6,997. 70 | $ 6,590. 20 | $ 5,495. 20 | $ 4,359. 50 | | International| $ 1,608. 00 | $ 1,774. 20 | $ 1,437. 40 | $ 1,087. 90 | $ 852. 50 | Revenue Growth ($ millions)| | | | | | | United States| -6. 08%| 6. 18%| 19. 93%| 26. 05%| | | International| -9. 37%| 23. 43%| 32. 13%| 27. 61%| | Operating Income/Revenue ($ millions)| | | | | | | United States| $ 531. 80 | $ 454. 20 | $ 1,005. 20 | $ 955. 20 | $ 818. 50 | | International | $ 92. 90 | $ 110. 00 | $ 137. 70 | $ 108. 50 | $ 82. 30 | These ratios tell us that overall they have been increasing their revenue growth by significant percentages of an average of 20% internationally and 12% domestically. Domestically the amount of revenue growth per year slowed down in 2008 and went negative in 2009. Revenue growth also went negative in 2008 internationally. This makes sense because 2008 was the beginning of the economic downturn which affected the company’s bottom line. Operating income has fluctuated quite a bit since 2005 and since its peak in 2007 ($1,0005. 20 million) has decreased significantly to $531. 80 million. Internationally it has remained steadier at an average of $106. 28 million. Again these numbers make sense because it was in 2008-2009 that the economic downturn occurred and Schultz instituted strategic initiatives and revamped strategy execution efforts to fix these financial problems. One reason that the economic downturn affected Starbucks’ bottom line badly is because it was considered a treat to go to Starbucks and to get coffee that wasn’t brewed at the home. Less people were indulging in coffee by the cup. In 2006 and 2007 Starbucks reached its peak growth in the period displayed in exhibit 1. This is represented in the stock chart because it is also when their stock performance reached its peak at 40. The lowest point on the stock chart was in 2008 which makes sense because this is when the economic downturn occurred so many people were selling stocks. In 2008-2009 Schultz’s measures to institute strategic initiatives and revamp strategy execution efforts began and clearly worked because in the period of time from 2008-2010 stocks returned to almost 30. What are the key elements and your evaluation of Howard Schultz’s transformation agenda for Starbucks during 2008-2010? What do you think of the letters shown on page C-364 and C-365? Has Schultz done a good job since his return as Starbucks’ CEO? Why or why not? Elements of the Transformation Agenda Howard Schultz’s transformation agenda during 2008-2010 had several key elements. First, he planned on slowing new store openings to 73 internationally. Second, 900 underperformed company-owned stores were closed in the United States. The goal of this action was to raise sales and traffic at nearby sales. Around 75% of these stores that were considered underperforming were within three miles of an existing store which shows that their strategy of having a Starbucks everywhere was cannibalizing their sales. The third element of the transformation agenda was raising the projected return on capital requirements for proposed new store locations. This is a way for Schultz to be more particular about new store placement and to have a better chance of making a significant amount of profit and not losing traffic to existing stores. Fourth, he planned on revamping the company’s locations in Australia with a focus on Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney as the hub cities. He planned on closing 61 under-performing locations in order to do this. Fifth, it was important to Schultz that there be an emphasis on developing new store designs in order to promote a refreshed customer experience. In order to do this the character of each store would be a reflection of the area it was in to make the customers feel more at home and to make Starbucks the center of that community. Sixth, customer experience would be heightened through a variety of methods. The first method was by removing warmed sandwiches from the menu, because it inhibited the aroma from the coffee. Second, high-quality baked goods and pastries would be offered at the store along with new menu items for healthy eating on the go. For example, fruit cups, skinny lattes, yogurt parfaits, salads, smoothies, and healthier bakery selections were all a result of this step in Schultz’s transformation agenda. The seventh part of the agenda was to create a program to share best practices in stores globally, this would promote quality control and improve customer service, which was one of the things that Schultz had found lacking when he became CEO again. Eighth, Schultz thought it was important to provide resources and tools for store employees such as laptops and internet-based software for scheduling. Ninth, there were cost-containment initiatives put in place in order to improve the bottom line that included a reduction of 1,000 people in staffing. Finally, the last part of the agenda was to renew the attention placed on employee training in order to reignite the enthusiasm to please customers that is vital to the mission of Starbucks. Evaluation The goal for 40,000 stores worldwide as a long-term objective and the rapid expansion that Jim Donald began led to a decrease in customer traffic in the US stores, new store openings that continued at a rate of 6 per day worldwide, and the emphasis on increased store operations efficiency put financial strain on the company and led to a decrease in customer service. Good customer service is one of the cornerstone values of Starbucks and was a central idea during Schultz’ leadership. Schultz’ return to CEO and his strategic initiatives mentioned above will help to return Starbucks to the values it originally held as very important and to return it to profitability by slowing down on expansion to focus more on the three main themes Schultz saw as important to his strategy. These themes are: strengthening the core, elevating the experience, and investing and growing. Before he can focus on growing the company, they need to have a strong base of employees and a focus on the experience that Starbucks is meant to provide its consumers. Letters from Schultz The letters that are shown on page C-364 and C-365 of the case show that Schultz is dedicated to his shareholders, which is one of the values in their mission statement. He is being extremely open and upfront the concerns of shareholders and about the actions that will be taken to address those issues. The first letter is addressed to customers and he explains that he has come back to Starbucks as CEO in order to ensure that the customers receive the experience that he believes Starbucks is known for. This letter shows that he truly cares about the thoughts and concerns of consumers. The second letter is to the employees of Starbucks. In this letter Schultz addresses them as partners in the path to revitalizing Starbucks’ mission. He even says, â€Å"I am proud to be your partner†¦Ã¢â‚¬  By treating his employees like this he is able to foster accountability for the actions that everybody can take in helping to turn around Starbucks to what Schultz’ vision for it is. Evaluation of Schultz’ work. Schultz has done a good job by creating strategic initiatives in order to return Starbucks to where he thinks the company should be. His vision includes becoming the authority on coffee, engaging and inspiring Starbucks’ partners, igniting the emotional attachment with customers, expanding global presence and making each store the neighborhood’s heart, being a leader in ethical sourcing and environmental impact, creating innovative growth platforms, and delivering a sustainable economic model. Every one of these visions is addressed in some way in his agenda, which shows he has a clear idea of where the company should go and how to get it there. In 2008-2009 the company experiences five quarters of deteriorating sales, but from 2009-2010 had five quarters of improving sales, which shows that Schultz’ transformation agenda has been working. What issues confront the company as of mid-2010? What should Starbucks’ management be worried about? What are the challenges in expanding internationally? Issues as of mid-2010. 1) Oversaturation of the market: With the â€Å"A Starbucks Everywhere† approach and the rapid expansion steps taken by Donald, there was a decrease in customer traffic at the stores, resulting in a loss of profit. 2) Lack of emphasis on customer relationships: The emphasis on increased efficiency in store operations led to a decrease in good customer service. 3) Drifting away from the original values of Starbucks: Starbucks was built with an emphasis on high-quality coffee, good customer service, and a commitment to creating an experience for customers. However, when Schultz became CEO again he noted that this was lacking. 4) Offering high-quality products: As Starbucks moves into new locations in order to draw attention away from local popular spots they will need to offer a product that is of high enough quality to keep consumers coming back. 5) Differentiation: Again, as they move into new markets they will need to do significant research to find out what those consumer’s value. They need to be able to give it to them in order to achieve their goal of being the heart of the neighborhood. 6) Coffee prices: Coffee prices fluctuate significantly due to weather, economic, and political conditions in the countries where they are grown. What should management be worried about? Management should be worried about offering high-quality products. If they cannot prove that their product is better due to quality or differentiating features then locations that sell coffee and consumers are already loyal, they will have issues drawing consumers away. However, Starbucks does have an extremely strong brand image and hype associated with their name, which is an asset for them in entering new markets. International Challenges Some challenges that Starbucks will face internationally are: 1) Adapting their stores to fit the location they are in 2) Creating partnerships and licensing agreements with reputable companies to offer their products abroad 3) Regulations on foreign businesses moving into their country 4) Having enough control over the quality in the international stores that are licensed. 5) Higher production costs Starbucks has chosen to follow a multi-domestic approach to international expansion, meaning that they customize their product offerings to match the tastes and preferences of local buyers. The main challenge that Starbucks will face in entering international markets is knowing what that group of people wants and prefers. Another problem is that they will need to make partnerships and licensing agreements with reputable companies in order to be sure that the culture of Starbucks is continued to their new stores. Finally, they will have the issue with tailoring their stores to fit the environment they are in, because they will be unable to use a set design which could raise production costs. What recommendation would you make to Howard Schultz to sustain the company’s growth and support continued strong financial performance in the years ahead? Consider both the US and International strategies. Recommendations * Coordinate with suppliers to address consumers’ needs better: By coordinati.

Project Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Project Management - Research Paper Example The project management institute defines project management as application of skills and knowledge along with tools and techniques to meet the project requirement (Barkley, 2006). Hamilton, (2004) divided project management into 5 components i.e. initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and control and lastly closure of project. This report discusses some of the most important concepts related to project management. The report starts with defining the project life cycle management and its benefits. Then the report discusses about project organizations and project team building. Moreover, important concepts such as project scope, work breakdown structure and contingency planning have been discussed. Also the report analyzes the importance of reviewing the project and need for an integrated project management software for project management organizations. Then the researcher shares his own experience about a project in which he was involved. Project life-cycle indicates all the project phases that a project has to go through in order to be completed. In other words, it is a collection of project phases that are divided so that the project can be controlled and managed accordingly. According to Kerzner (2009) project life-cycle is divided into four phases that indicates the beginning and ending point of a project. Furthermore, according to Kerzner (2009), the first phase of project life-cycle is the initiation phase followed by project planning, project execution and project closure. Each of the phases mentioned by Kerzner (2009) is further divided into activities which need to be done to accomplish the goal of project management. In order to further elaborate the project life-cycle, each of the phases is separately presented along with the activities involved within the particular phase. The aim of this phase is to identify the problems along with the opportunities that the business could focus upon. This phase also includes solutions to the

To what extent is adult criminality a consequence of problems in the Essay

To what extent is adult criminality a consequence of problems in the family environment during an offender's childhood and ado - Essay Example The terms in these papers were also accurately defined. These papers are also well-written, with no grammar and spelling mistakes. The writing is well organized and supported by either inductive or deductive patterns of reasoning. The terminologies are also used effectively. High quality essays also manifest wide reading and research. The resources are well-selected, based on validity and reliability of research process and results. The information portrayed in this high quality research is based on supported facts and figures from independent researchers and government-released reports. Such data is also well-documented and properly supported by experts and academic scholars. The resources are also peer-reviewed and published in reputable journals or other creditable publications. These experts also portray clear and unbiased analysis based on a various range of perspectives. In contrast, the low quality essays are not well-supported by accurate facts and information. For the most p art, they are only opinions and unsupported conclusions by individuals who are not experts in the subject matter. The findings of the study are often simply presented with hardly any attempts at an analytical and comprehensive review. There are grammar and spelling mistakes which interfere with its reliability, as well as its validity as a scholarly paper. The conclusions attempted are also very much generalized; and no specific details or creditable sources are used to support such conclusions. I used the knowledge gained from critiquing the example essays to prepare and structure the essay by utilizing such knowledge to seek credible references for use in the paper. I also used the same data to weed out which references would not be scholarly and supportive of the paper in general. With the use of knowledge gained from the critique, I was able to conceptualize a logical and valid research with limited generalizations. In effect, the paper was properly written as a scholarly and ac ademic discussion based on logical and ethical standards of research. Moreover, the review process of the authors and references underwent a comprehensive assessment based on peer-review and publication in a reputed journal. The critique of the example essays enabled an impartial process of inquiry which then engendered the validity of the research essays. It allowed also a logical and well-argued research process to unfold, considering all pertinent facts and details in the practice as well as in the research methodology. Finally, the critique highlighted for me the importance of referencing as exhibited by the bibliographic pages. This also lent more credibility and validity to the entire research

Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 4

Philosophy - Essay Example For this argument to proceed Aquinas’s idea is that human beings have to think of something as an effects of God and in the fourth way of argument, this thing is the best effect of God The understanding of the Aquinas’s arguments for the existence of god therefore begins with the analysis of his gradation criteria. He talks about good, better, and best. He finds some things to be â€Å"better†, true, and noble while others are less good, true or noble respectively (Elders, 114). In this way of argument, it is difficult to integrate his arguments especially when it comes to this kind of comparison. Many philosophers and researchers have questioned his arguments asking questions. For example if comparing two or more things, then you say that A is better than B, is Aquinas trying to assert that there is something better compared to the two and many others whose perfection cannot be challenged? This forms the basis for criticisms of the Aquinas fourth argument. The c hallenge here is to prove that there is actually something that is perfect beyond improvement. However as observed by Soccio (228), it would be misleading to argue that given a number of things with different degrees of goodness, there is one among those things that would not be possible to make any changes with regard to improving it. In other words, he asserts that there is no point believing Aquinas’s idea that there is something perfect beyond improvement. It therefore forms the weaker point of the Aquinas arguments since he believes that if we have to group different things together, yes we will have some of the best things, however, it would still be possible to improve that thing with regard to the degree of goodness. It is also possible to improve better to become better than the best. Another critic of Aquinas’s fourth way of argument is that he describes God in a sequence of being best among a group but denies later in the proceeding metaphors that he cannot group him in a group of the same kinds. In the next lines, he states that he does not think of God as the best or a group of things that can be graded together with respect to intelligent (Soccio, 230). The question therefore is; how can you compare things as good, better and best or truer, nobler, etc if in the first place you can’t group them together or they are not similar? In this way, it does not explain or describe the truth about the existence of God in this fourth way of argument because it is not clear. While Aquinas describes the effects, it is also important to note that we can only compare things with similar characteristics but God has no characteristics similar to any as he explains. However other philosophers have argued that this use of parallel texts is not misleading but it is misinterpreted by the individual’s readers of the Aquinas texts. According to Wippel (469), the perfections mentioned by the Aquinas are the transcendental perfections. In this context the interpretation of things like the â€Å"more† or less do not necessarily mean that the arguments are based on the things that are perceived by the senses and known by the intellect. In this point of view, the true of the text does not refer to the logical truth of intellect but to the ontological truth of things. With this regard, it is

Terry fox a canadian individual whose contribution made a difference Research Paper

Terry fox a canadian individual whose contribution made a difference in the lives of canadians or non-canadians - Research Paper Example He continued his run for 143 days during which he covered 5.373 kilometres in the country. The run ended up his life but gave him worldwide lasting legacy. The essay aims to discuss the contribution of Terry Fox who was an ordinary young man that turned to the national hero in Canada due to his remarkable contributions and efforts to insist Canadians to make some donation for cancer research. His efforts resulted in annual fund raising run in Canada as well as other countries of the world and the funds collected from the run are used for providing cancer patients with better treatment and cure through detailed research work. His contributions not only benefited the Canadians but the people outside the Canada also avail the benefits of the cancer research conducted with the help of funds and public awareness raised by his run (Murphy, 2005). Fox was a basketball player and distant runner. He played for the Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, high school and Simon Fraser University teams. He was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer in 1977 due to which his right leg was removed from his body at about six inches about his knee. He however continued to run with the artificial leg and also played wheelchair basketball in Vancouver and also won three national basketball championship events. The time he spent in the hospital was the worst time of his life that he always hated (Chivers, 2009). His experience made him realize that there is very little money spent in Canada for the cancer research that must be raised to bring improvement in the condition of people and help fighting the cancer patient with their disease. He decided to raise money and awareness all over the country to fight against cancer. He decided to insist the Canadians to donate one dollar for the cancer research. He persuades people that when 24 million Canadians will donate just one dollar it will help collecting around 24 million rupee

Present problems will not be solved without successful organizations, Essay

Present problems will not be solved without successful organizations, and organizations cannot be successful without effective leadership. - Bennis & Nanus, 199 - Essay Example Thus leadership behavior can come from an individual, a collective group of leaders, or even from the disincarnate — if not mystical — characteristics of a celebrity figurehead. Followers often endow the leader with status or prestige. Aside from the prestige-role sometimes granted to inspirational leaders, a more mundane usage of the word "leadership" can designate current front-runners that exercise influence over competitors, for example, a corporation or a product can hold a position of "market leadership" without any implication of permanence or of merited respect. Note that the ability to influence others does form an integral part of the "leadership" of some but not all front-runners. A front-runner in a sprint may "lead" the race, but does not have a position of "leadership" if he does not have the potential to influence others in some way. Thus one can make an important distinction between "being in the lead" and the process of leadership. Leadership implies a relationship of power — the power to guide others. In 1994 House and Podsakoff attempted to summarize the behaviors and approaches of "outstanding leaders" that they obtained from some more modern theories and research findings2. Power obviously is a pervasive reality in the life process of all modern-day organizations. Leaders regularly acquire and use power to accomplish specific work goals and to strengthen their own positions vis-Ã  -vis the reading of general or organizational goals. It is possible to see every interaction and every social relationship in an organization as involving an exercise of power3. Hence the term power, influence and Leadership are full of ambiguity for a layperson, or within political contexts. Control under organizational change can be transformed into opportunity that exercise influence over the organization of work, and thus create