Chart the development of virtual reality from 1950 to 2050 Essay

Chart the development of virtual reality from 1950 to 2050 - Essay Example This implies that virtual reality translates to near reality. Nevertheless, technical phrases have a straightforward description since it describes virtual reality as a three-dimensional atmosphere created by the computer, which an individual can investigate and interrelate with. The individual who interrelates with this virtual sphere or gets enormous inside its setting is able to influence things or perform a sequence of deeds. This individual generally applies goggles, earphones, gloves among various devices, and in this manner, the computer manages in any case three of the five common senses. Prior to supplying sensory input to the client, these gadgets in addition supervise the client’s deeds. For example, the goggles supervise eye progress and react accordingly through forwarding new video input (Vince, 2004: 4). History background of virtual reality There existed abundant debates unto the connotation and appropriate name of what remains presently known as the virtual ar ts, even prior to the growth of these idea commenced. Therefore, describing and knowing virtual arts is a significant feature in providing a concise account of its growth. Its naming fluctuated due to the brandling of its occurrence since virtual reality bore three models namely synthetic reality, virtual atmospheres, and supplemented reality. Nevertheless, the ideal naming of virtual arts has gone through alterations as the virtual art idea advanced. However, the description coagulated to â€Å"virtual† during the 1960s when computers surfaced, giving it a tangible meaning owing to computer visuality. On the other hand, the idea of reality cropped up when theorists questioned if something else existed excluding the discernible and quantifiable reality of virtual manifestation, and the idea concludes as reality owing to the sensible positivity it showed. This implies that virtual reality turned to the common phrase that befitted the idea, and during 1989, Jaron Lanier changed it through definition that comes out by the application of the newest invention of goggles, gloves and associated technologies (Yu, 2010: 310). The account of virtual arts has been current and abrupt. This is because, whereas its constituents have grown for almost forty years, operational virtual systems simply emerged lately on the screen (Mclellan, 1992: 24). Development of Virtual Reality Nevertheless, the past of virtual arts dates back during the middle of 1950s when a futurist cinematographer known as Morton Heilig constructed a multi sensory simulator known as the Sensorama. The gadget contained a stereoscopic exhibit, dischargers moving chair and speakers. These traits enabled the client to watch television in three-dimensional modes since it pre-recorded movie in colour and stereo. More so, the simulator contained binaural sound, moving air, odour and vibration practices. Although the simulator had the total of these modified features, it was not as associative as expected (Steed, 2002: 3). Later on during 1961, another group of engineers known asPhilco Corporation developed the first HMD bearing the name headsight. The helmet contained a video screen band a tracking system that had linkage to a closed circuit camera system (Will, 2009: 4). During 1965, Ivan Sutherland, a famous computer scientist imagined a further advanced method known as the eventual system, which linked the

FILM APPRECIATION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

FILM APPRECIATION - Essay Example The very facets that are used to rule society are a reflection of that dominant society’s social views and behaviors. What are ruling ideas and how do they coincide with ideology? Ruling ideas like individualism, honor, competitiveness, and duality mirror the idealized perceptions of the current dominant class in any given time period. This is important because it reveals the power that that class holds over society, thus enabling a governing body to manipulate them. Marx’s definition of ideology is the idea that can be used to manipulate society. Why does Marx and Engel focus on the bourgeois class? The bourgeois class holds power, which is a subsidiary of wealth, education and exposure to a variety of elements in the real world. Their ideas are key over the lower class because they are the ones who directly or indirectly shape society the most. What is â€Å"Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses†? An essay written by Louis Althusser that depicts ideology a s a fortifying notion that encourages people to succumb to a state of oppression through their invented identify of themselves vs. who they are in reality based on â€Å"experience, consciousness, and subjectivity† (2). ... A school established in Frankfurt, Germany in 1923 whose theorists construed that cultural artifacts maintained the connection between mass culture and its realistic view on life in an industrial society. How does Walter Benjamin’s believes differ from Marx and Althusser? How has film supported his viewpoint? Benjamin says that mass culture has the ability to judge itself and they will if given the proper tools. Film creates flash images, or a rush of pictures that equate to self-analysis like reflections in sports by fans (Frankfurt 4). More members of society have access to film over high art and film makes it easier to analyze societal behavior. How is ideology applied to films like Rambo? Labels and stereotypes that ideology envelops in specific cultures can be mimicked or imitated in films. For example, Rambo (although fictional) portrays society’s real issues of sexism, racism and militarism. It acts like a mirror, like a checklist. The film represents the listed problems of society by portraying women as whores and a black man as â€Å"evil† because he combats Rambo (Reading 2-3). This is what ideology is, a reflection of the mass culture in reality. Psychoanalysis http://www.filmreference.com/encyclopedia/Independent-Film-Road- Movies/Psychoanalysis.html 10 Questions What is psychoanalysis and who founded it? Psychoanalysis is a term coined by Sigmund Freud and Josef Breuer that refers to the study of the unconscious part of the human mind. If the unconscious exists then that correlates with the fact that humans are restricted in their self-awareness. People are not in complete control of their thoughts and emotions. Dreaming is a product of the unconscious mind, but how does it relate to psychoanalysis? In what text did it first

The Development of Civilization Essay Example for Free

The Development of Civilization Essay The focal point of this paper is to provide an introduction to The Great Gatsby by the noted American author of the post first world war era F. Scott Fitzgerald. The Great Gatsby can be enumerated as a novel that is a landmark of American literature. This 240 page novel published in April 10, 1925 by the noted publisher of the time Charles Scribners Sons is an epic story set in the background of Long Island and New York City depicts the incidents of 1922 summer. According to Francis Scott Fitzgerald this novel is basically a chronicle of an era that could be enumerated as Jazz Age. (Lamb, 385, 3) The major concern of this paper would be directed towards itemizing the backdrop of the era that the novel is set in. Alongside it would be analyzed how the background and bringing up of the author Francis Scott Fitzgerald influenced the setting and texture of the novel The Great Gatsby. It would also place a well documented approach towards the application of philosophy of the era and the insights of the characters pursuing the ‘American Dream’ with their social and emotional perspectives. The paper would also may attention towards the economic boom of the 1920’s and possible outcome of this fiscal development of the entire nation on the psyche of the novel. Additional attention would also be placed on the Eighteenth Amendment that enforced the provision of alcohol consumption thereby enhancing black market trade and organized crime. It can be enumerated that this paper would result in a comprehensive analysis of the novel The Great Gatsby by the author Francis Scott Fitzgerald and it would yield results of measures taken in a different shades of colors. Reference: Lamb, Davis. Cult to Culture: The Development of Civilization on the Strategic Strata. National Book Trust. 2004.

The Global Fast Food Industry Marketing Essay

The Global Fast Food Industry Marketing Essay McDonalds Incorporated recognized as a premier franchising business around the world, leading global food service retailer having over estimately about 32,000 local restaurants which serve its favourite foods The World Famous -: Fries, Big Mac, Quarter Pounder, Chicken McNuggets and Egg McMuffin to more than Sixty four (64) million people in 117 countries each day. Primarily , McDonalds , french fries, breakfast items, sells hamburgers, nuggets cheeseburgers, chicken ,ice -cream soft drinks, milkshakes and desserts. In response to changing consumer tastes, the company has expanded its menu to include salads, sundae , fish, wraps, and smoothies . McDonalds has made convenience a key factor in its success as below :- Convenience Restaurant locations are so prevalent in suburban towns and cities that you are never more then a few minutes away by car or by foot. McDonalds restaurants located inside for customer availability Shopping centers and strip malls generally have a McDonalds included or within walking distance ,willingness to innovate, even while striving to achieve consistency in the operation of its many outlets and also McDonalds to operate 24-hour drive-thru https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSaDWH9X4IAsCkYCWZgWNc_q4LxAEkVxQlEBJMHhRmORRuzjvBRZA https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcScMysGdHJbfJD_0k8b95FTtL_PYzGxvfNnh950cxLGQc4xZwby7g Affordability McDonalds considered as Fast food, fast-moving life Fast food has its own place in todays fast-paced life as time is limited. A recent report reveals that up to 70% of the respondents surveyed eat out every day, and among them, 77% head for fast food restaurants between one and three times a week mostly for lunch. The worlds largest restaurant chain posted 10 percent growth in its third-quarter profit that topped market estimates, McDonalds has economic downturns because of the affordability of its menu give customers the option to eat a full meal at a small cost Because of the fast-food restaurants ability to appeal to low-income and middle class families, the company continues to see profit gain. https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSq5soyD0JnZJWlswY1-RPEVWxZlIsip8aezyhd-2JoriH0oX7hhttps://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT6x5kVSJXctzLYo3ymxeo2hTCGcKkhkbsbst3J2PLvV86C2_HgeA https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSU9kbCjmlumQPiVI7YFqaps5W-Stg9zsLGJVyo17tcZOK1dAFetA Nutrition McDonalds also pledged to provide customer-friendly nutrition information on menu items. Customers have access to the caloric and fat content to make better choices. This acknowledgement of customer health has helped keep McDonalds successful. On the organizations website, McDonalds states that part of its success is due to its commitment to the well-being of customers. McDonalds established a global advisory council to provide expert guidance on nutrition and well-being. To satisfy health-conscious customers, the fast-food company began to include high-quality choices on the menu. Customers are able to choose from hamburgers or salads as their main entrà ©e. Apples may also take the place of French fries in childrens Happy Meals. French fries are considered to be one of the most sellable items. The very main reason for this is that no matter what other product the consumer is still willing to buy, but in every set French fries are included automatically https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcREJNJ9dZIHZuem2xdZmHZnlEy28McSgaiYZROEwfXui7YunpWUjwhttps://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQmfq5H6VzUZLw9DPxQ_StveJlWCVxU1QprfH_5zfIp77uFNmBk The global fast-food industry is dynamic with variety of competitors. This report identify the current factors influencing the industry specifically focusing on McDonalds Corporation, which considered as the current global leader. Based on the analysis, the report identify several areas for improvement and makes strategic recommendations for McDonalds to enhance its position. . McDonald s corporations revenues come from the rent, royalties and fees paid by the franchisees, as well as sales in company-operated restaurants Proactive strategies, interesting promotions and a constant update of menus while retaining the best-selling signature items will boost the frequency of customers visits. McDonalds, for example, has chalked up impressive sales by offering seasonally-based toys with its Happy Meals. It also scored points as a frontrunner in offering free internet connectivity at its outlets when WiFi was not freely available at many public places. A McDonalds restaurant is operated by either a franchisee, an affiliate, or the corporation itself As a result, taglines such as Subways Eat fresh, McDonalds Im lOving it! and the oft-repeated story of Colonel Sanders secret recipe in Kentucky Fried Chicken can influence dining decisions https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSxCB6gIIu_lggbJZTL9_HKwadqOb6DzIEmi0uw8pjdus9Q3tLUqA The earlier stages of McDonalds attracted more families than it did other categories, nowadays, McDonalds has made it clear that it positions itself to target and cater people of all backgrounds. Suitable for people of various needs and wants; from families to young children, to people who love to enjoy life to people who are on the go, and meat lovers to vegetarians, virtually anybody and everybody can find something on the menu for themselves. https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQRZib45RcWFIr_BAO1s3J7mkUlJLfDrpYyCokKM_9BfT14jNJQNg https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQD0Du3jvRQNteJNUTBOXDufWNtPkgI10_GndFYvVPqgtXgtEkYlQ . Other products such as salads are relatively new in this restaurant. The first salads were added to its menu in 1985. Nowadays more and more people are concerned about their health so, McDonalds puts its all efforts to achieve more and not lose any of the potential customers. The biggest soft drink supplier is the Coca-Cola Company. Hot and iced tea is delivered by SD Coffee in the US), hot chocolate, various juice and other regional beverages such as milkshakes are available in various markets all around the globe. Desserts are considered to be the last big group of products in McDonalds restaurants. It includes such items as ice-cream (McFlurry), McDonaldland cookies, Freshly Baked cookies, Pies, Cinnamon melts, the fruit and yougurt parfait, smoothies and other items which depending on the region and country. McDonalds Business Strategy McDonalds has pursued 2 strategies since 2003. To be in the run with the fast changing customer preferences, demographics and spending patterns, McDonalds has introduced novel items in their menu including angus beef burger and premium chicken sandwiches and does campaigns to create more healthy foods including salads on the side. This strategy basically reflects the beliefs that innovation as opposed to reliability to traditional products is the key determinant towards success in the fast food industry. They have also focused more on increasing their sales at their current restaurants instead of opening new ones. To do so, McDonalds has redesigned many of their restaurants, kept their stores open till late and increased menu options. Nonetheless, new restaurants are still getting opened around the world at a rapid pace the company plans to open nearly 1,000 units in 2010, and continues to produce its new restaurants at a 1%-2% rate each year. Size Matters Size of McDonalds has three main advantages: * McDonalds has a strategy of uniform menu offerings that can be accumulation produced, lowering production costs. * Bargaining power with their suppliers reduces input costs with improved margins. * Large advertising costs mean lots of exposure towards domestic and international market. Mission. Vision. Values McDonalds brand mission statement is to Be our customers favorite place and way to eat .McDonalds are committed to improving operations and enhancing customers experience. .. world-wide operations have been aligned around a global strategy called the Plan to win cantering on the five basics of an exceptional customer experience such as :- Place, Promotion, People Products and Price Providing the excellent service to all customers and achieve the growth with a profit through strengths as McDonalds system innovation and technology This mission includes becoming of the best employer for people in each local community independently in location. The Mission: Be the best employer for our people in each community around the world Deliver operational excellence to our customers in each of our restaurants; Achieve enduring profitable growth by expanding the brand and also leveraging The vision of McDonalds is to be the best quick service restaurant in the whole world . McDonalds company states that their values in practice are the corporate responsibility of the company. . It refers to outstanding Quality, Cleanliness, High Quality Service and High Value Food in order to make every customer satisfied and made sure customer smile. McDonalds values is customer satisfaction which is very important . McDonalds show the appreciation by serving a high quality food and superior service. It is said. Their strong values helped them to become who they are and that the reason for McDonalds existence are customers. The work together with suppliers and independent franchisees to achieve a sustainable future not only for the company but for the communities in which they operate as well . They also strive to achieve a welcoming environment by greeting all customers nicely and perfectly . They are individually accountable and collectively responsible. They are achieving some goals and most importantly open lines of communication is the main value between customer and also to the other stakeholders. Another value is to be committed to people who are working to them. They do believe that working in a well-trained team with intercultural experiences and backgrounds are the core of success. The other value is that they believe in the McDonalds System. . McDonalds obliged to grow business profitably as long as it is publicly traded company. This requires not only focus on gaining more money but also on customers and the health of the whole system. Ethic in business is also one of the important values . The changing environment, customer, employee and systems need lead to the McDonalds evolution and innovation as well. PESTLE Analysis is an analytical tool for strategic business planning. PESTLE is a strategic framework for understanding external influences on a business. There are many macro-environment factors that effect strategic planning such as: New laws, tax changes, trade barriers, demographic change. Macro-environment factors includes all the factors that influence an organization, but are out of its direct control. Macro-environment factors tend to have a very long term impact. By understanding these external environments, organizations can maximize the opportunities and minimize the threats to the organization PESTLE stands for Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental and is used for business and strategic planning, marketing planning, organizational change, business and product development and research reports. . PESTLE analysis answers 6 key questions: Political What are the political factors that are likely to affect the business? Economic What are the economic factors that will affect the business? Sociological What cultural aspects likely to affect the business? Technological What technological changes that may affect the business? Legal What current and impending legislation that will affect the business? Environmental- What are the environmental considerations that may affect the business? Political Factors Political factors relates to the pressures and opportunities brought by political institutions and to what degree the government policies impact the business. Government policies Government term and change Trading policies Funding, grants and initiatives Lobbying and pressure groups Wars, terrorism and conflicts Elections and political trends Internal political issues Inter-country relationships Local commissioning processes Corruption Bureaucracy Political Global fast-food firms must comply with country-specific political requirements, such as national minimum wage regulations, affecting costs. Hygiene and quality regulations vary significantly between nations and may influence the quality of products provided by fast-food outlets . Different countries set varying regulations regarding labelling and packaging. Economic Factors Economic factors relates to economic policies, economic structures and to what degree the economy impacts the business. Local economy Taxation Inflation Interest Economy trends Seasonality issues Industry growth Import/export ratios International trade International exchange rates Economic Despite the 2008 recession and the resulting decrease in consumer confidence across the globe, average consumer fast-food spending has increased its due to convenience and low-cost. Consumers are still looking for the convenience of eating out, but are drawn to the low prices of fast-food over table-service restaurants (Financial Times, 2009). Many fast-food chains have capitalised upon the recession by introducing new deals in addition to their already low-priced menus. Social Factors Social factors relates to the cultural aspects, attitudes, beliefs, that will affect the demand for a companys products and how the business operates. Demographics Media views of the industry Work ethic Brand, company, technology image Lifestyle trends Cultural Taboos Consumer attitudes and opinions Consumer buying patterns Ethical issues Consumer role models Major events and influences Buying access and trends Advertising and publicity Increasing consumer awareness about healthy lifestyles has pressured many fast-food players to offer healthier selections within their menus (BBC, 2011). This includes offering low-calorie options and salads alongside burgers, and prominently displaying nutritional content. The fast-food industry has also been heavily criticised for targeting young children by including toys within childrens meals Technological Factors Technological factors relates to the technological aspects, innovations, barriers and incentives, and to what degree these impact the business. Emerging technologies Maturity of technology Technology legislation Research and Innovation Information and communications Competitor technology development Intellectual property issues As consumer familiarity with new technology increases, fast-food firms are using channels such as social media websites to engage with their customers. For example, McDonalds is the 9th most liked brand on Facebook . Additionally, digital displays allow outlets to change their menus efficiently, to suit the time of day and self-service ordering points have increased service speed and reduced labour costs. Legal Factors Legal factors relates to the laws, regulation and legislation that will affect the way the business operates. Current legislation Future legislation International legislation Regulatory bodies and processes Employment law Consumer protection Health and safety regulations Money laundering regulations Tax regulations Competitive regulations Industry-specific regulations Global operators must comply with country-specific regulations and legislation. This includes opening hours, taxation and employment regulations such as the National Minimum Wage Regulations in year of 1999 in the UK. Firms are often required to meet national food standards such as the requirements set out by the US Food and Drug Administration (as known as FDA). Furthermore, authorities are becoming increasingly worried about childhood obesity associated with the industry and have tightened regulations regarding targeting children Environmental Factors Environmental factors relates to the ecological and environmental aspects that will affect the demand for a companys products and how that business operates. Environmental regulations Ecological regulations Reduction of carbon footprint Sustainability Impact of adverse weather Environmental lobbyists and governments are pressuring the fast-food firms to become more green. Rainforests are being destroyed to increase the area of land for beef production to meet the demand for beef-burgers . Recycling is a prominent global issue and in response, McDonalds adopted recyclable packaging. Increased environmental awareness among consumers provides firms with a significant opportunity to position themselves as green to garner customer loyalty Strengths of McDonalds Identification of strengths weaknesses McDonalds provides the best employees-business relationship such as providing an equal opportunity employer. As an equal opportunity employer McDonalds ensures that employees and job applicants are selected, trained, its promoted without discrimination to race, gender, sexual orientation, age or disability. McDonalds brand strengths keep customer come back again For quick-service restaurant patrons the most important factors that drive loyalty to a brand are good value and convenience, with low prices and quick-service being very important as well McDonalds has a clear image lead on all of these factors, with Subway consistently being the 2nd-best performing brand and Burger King and Wendys also performing well The resource strength, behavior, weakness, synergy and distinctive competences are major components of the internal environment of an organization. . McDonalds high repeat-purchase intention scores despite their lower satisfaction scores illustrates the strength of their brand on the attributes that matter most to quick-service customers. Taking into consideration that McDonalds is a global company, working its capital in many countries worldwide and known for almost all people in the world, we can point out such strengths of this franchise:It is all about how the company manages to use its resources and put into what outcome it brings. McDonalds is the market leader in both the domestic and international markets The size of McDonalds, as it was mentioned before, its enormous and it has an advantage of economies of scale, which is very crucial for every business. McDonalds is a strong competitor for all sit-down restaurants because of its size, worldwide extent and famousness. Smaller brands need to find ways to differentiate among themselves to gain share of wallet in this ultra-competitive segment. Diversifying business worldwide in various countries let to reduce or at least to verify the risk of business and find best advantages of different countries economies. McDonalds also takes an advantage of a long-term economic growth as an international company. It is also known that McDonalds has a strong real estate portfolio, which is also considered as strength of a company. The companys outlets are located in areas that are highly known for visibility, traffic volume and ease of access. It can adapt to the needs of the societies and undergo an innovative product line. McDonalds promotes and sustains a working environment, which is free from unlawful discrimination, harassment and bullying The brand of McDonalds is easy recognised among competitors and is very strong. Through aggressive market planning, MacDonalds has been able to recapture its youth market once again. Viewing the strengths of McDonalds form consumer eyes, the strengths can be more focused on brand, famousness, quick supply of a food, good taste of food, which often lead even to an addiction of McDonalds foods, also mostly well perceived personnel polite and performing their job well. Weaknesses of McDonalds Weaknesses: Saturated Nature of Business: The company has a presence in nearly every nook and cranny the world has to offer, so there is not much more room to run McDonalds has a very huge extent in the world, has a strong strategy, feels comfortable in a market and well known brand , however, as all business it faces some difficulties or some threats and as all business has some internal weaknesses but can be identified only by professional economists, which actually cannot be always visual by individual eyes, The summary of McDonalds weaknesses might be: Looming market saturation which it can lead to difficulties in advertising new products. Recent Disappointment: Recently the company has reported declining revenues and a great strain on their same-store growth rate; however in the long-term view of things these short- term issues should not prove significant McDonalds also a low innovative company Fast growing and competitive market. That makes company to face income problems Income problems and huge competition do not let the range of production rise into value ones but makes to diversify a range of cheap and quickly made ones. Nevertheless, fast food industry is not a respected industry in most of nowadays point of view because of rising number of various diseases caused by fast, unhealthy food. Moreover, McDonalds food might seem more unhealthy and fatty food, rather then delicious. And there the price seemed as low doesnt help in case of quality of food Low Barrier to Entry: All a person has to possess to compete with McDonalds is food, and it is an under-exaggeration to say that there is fierce completion in the industry McDonalds operates in In more simple view the McDonalds might have weaknesses because of huge competition in fast food industry. Vulnerability to Rising Input Costs: The historic drought this year has already caused food prices to soar, and this will cause McDonalds to face a situation in which they raise prices for their customers or allow their margins to be squeezed, a lose-lose situation Charity McDonald House charity offers thousands of sick children in estimate about 48 countries hope and it inspires courage. They say laughter is the best medicine and nothing makes people smile more than a Happy Meal. world-policy-hero At McDonalds we recognize our responsibilities to protect and preserve the environment for future generations to come Internal and External environment analysis for Mcdonalds This McDonald business is ranked as number 1 in the Fortune Magazines 2008 list of most admired food service companies. McDonalds has been a thriving business since year 1955 and 20 of the top 50 corporate staff employees started as a restaurant level employee. Fortune Magazine 2005 listed McDonalds as the Best Place to Work for Minorities. They have an efficient, assembly line style of food preparation. In addition they have a systemization and duplication of all their food prep processes in every restaurant. McDonalds is a community oriented, socially responsible company. They run McDonald House facilities, which provide room and food ,board and sibling support at a cost of only $10 a day for families with children needing extensive hospital care. McDonald Houses are located in more than 259 local communities worldwide, and McDonald Care Mobile programs offers cost effective medical, dental and education services to children. They also sponsor Olympic athletes. They successfully and easily adapt their global restaurants to appeal to the cultural differences. Example, they serve lamb burgers in India they provide separate entrances for families and single women. McDonalds uses only 100% pure USDA inspected beef, no fillers or additives. Additionally the produce is farm fresh. McDonalds serves 100% farm raised chicken no fillers or additives and only grade-A eggs. McDonalds foods are purchased from only certified and inspected suppliers. McDonalds works closely with ranchers, growers and suppliers to ensure food quality and freshness. McDonalds only serves name brand processed items such as Dannon Yogurt, Kraft Cheese, Nestle Chocolate, Dasani Water, Newmans Own Salad Dressings, Heinz Ketchup, Minute Maid Juice. McDonalds takes food safety very seriously. More than 2000 inspections checks are performed at every stage of the food process. McDonalds are required to run through 72 safety protocols every day to ensure the food is maintained in a clean contaminate free environment. McDonalds was the first restaurant of its type to provide consumers with nutrition information. Nutrition information is printed on all packaging and more recently added to the McDonalds Internet site. McDonalds offers salads, fruit, roasted chicken, bottled water and other low fat and calorie conscious alternatives. It has branded menu items e.g. Big Mac, Chicken McNuggets, which further promote McDonalds. McDonalds Egypt: Has the second largest market share in Egypt with branches exceeding 60. Fastest delivery service provided in Egypt. Nutrition information is printed on all packaging Safety protocols and quality assurance to serve best quality food. More than 92% of suppliers are Egyptian (Halal) Efficient assembly line to serve food as fast as possible with maintaining high quality. McDonalds is the first restaurant in Egypt to provide drive through in 7 branches. Has a joint venture with shell petroleum. Sponsors many events and football teams. Cares about the environment by recycling the oil used in cooking for delivery motorcycles.

Development of a Character :: Personal Narrative Essay Example

Development of a Character This past summer, I attended Interlochen Arts Camp as a Shakespeare Theatre Production Major. Wishing to further hone the knowledge I had gained during my previous summer at IAC, I auditioned for Advanced Acting Studio, and was accepted. During the eight week session, one primary focus of the class was on the different "energies" used in acting for the creation and development of a character. Our introduction to these energies seemed simple - we went outside, and were told to walk in any direction at our normal speed and rhythm, using the shade of a large tree as a boundary. Then, as we were walking, Cindy, one of our three directors explained, "There are six different major types of energy used in acting - percussive, vibratory, suspended, swing, collapsed, and sustained. These energies not only apply to acting, but to life in general." As we walked, she described them, saying that some would feel very natural to us, while others might feel alien, even frightening. In turn, the twelve of us transformed our entire beings to mimic these descriptions: Percussive. . . . Kate was naturally percussive. Her movements came like bursts of energy, lots of short little fuses that were being burnt at intervals with no apparent rhythm. Even the way she spoke was joyfully random and unexpected. Instead of just standing up when she was called on, she would leap from her chair. The next energy we explored was vibratory. Vibratory is similar to percussive, but where as percussive is made up of seemingly random spurts of energy, vibratory is a constant flow of repetitive, rhythmic beats. Jeff was vibratory. His feet would tap the ground while his fingers drummed on the arms of his chair and his upper body swayed back and forth to this constant drum-roll. Before I met Michael, I would have associated suspended with an upper class snob. Suspended people can have an air of being taller than the rest of us, chins tilted up wards, eyes gazing down at the people below, their entire being having the sense of being pulled upward. Yet Michael was suspended without being imperious or haughty. He simply had very good posture, and an air of confidence that is so crucial in a performer. He was a dancer, and gave the impression of floating across the ground as he walked.

Bram Stokers Dracula :: Dracula Essays

Bram Stoker's Dracula         Ã‚  Ã‚   The setting of the story begins in 19th century Europe, in the eerie country of Transylvania.   A solicitor from England named Jonathan Harker is sent by a business man to meet with an old Count named Dracula at his castle located far from civilization.   Residents of Transylvania who become aware of his destination begin crossing themselves and giving him garlic and blessings.   As a result of these gestures, Mr. Harker soon develops an uneasy feeling about visiting the mysterious Count.   He arrives at Castle Dracula regardless, and makes his acquaintances with Dracula.   He soon realizes that the count is no normal human, but an evil, blood-sucking vampire, who can command animals and elements with the wave of his hand. Harker escapes but the Count has devised an intricate plan to move to London and exercise his evil forces on innocent people there.   However, a group of friends, including an open-minded but ingenious professor, a psychologist, an American, a rich man, as well as Jon an Harker and his wife Mina, learn of the Count's sinister plan and pledge to destroy him before he can create an army of un-dead vampires.   They systematically destroy his coffins with holy wafers and chase him out of England back to Castle Dracula.   There they carry out an ultimate plan to destroy Dracula.      Ã‚  Ã‚   The Author uses suspense as a storytelling device rather effectively throughout the story.   There are a fair number of parts in which the reader is left suspended on the edge of   seat, eager to find out what is to happen next.   However, there were parts where suspense could be used in a manner that would enhance the gravity of the plot.   Nonetheless, The book is written in a unique way that allows suspense to be used easily and effectively built up.   Dracula is written in first person like many other novels but then it differs slightly.   The book starts off as a first person Journal of the first character describing his experiences.   But then it switches to someone else's journal, and then to letters between two characters, and later to a newspaper article.   It follows this pattern

CA Technologies: Bringing the Cloud to Earth Essay

CA Technologies wanted to be viewed as the leader of their business sector, offering quality service while keeping their organization aligned and thriving in a strong corporate culture. However, the leaders of the organization did not agree on how the organization should achieve these goals nor were they confident that their business structure could sustain them. Overall, CA Technologies financial performance is viewed as stable and growing. The organization had shown growth in revenue, income from continued operations and stock holders equity between March 2007 and March 2011. Furthermore, the company had grown their assets and reduced their long term debt during the same time frame (Annual Report). CA Technologies focus was/is creating solutions to contribute to their customers businesses and support them in a challenging IT environment (p2). Their main customer focus was 1000 of the Fortune 2000 organizations that were $2 billion businesses and above. None-the-less as their product line changed so did their customer base, to $300 million to $2 billion sized companies (p1,13). Their customer base is international consisting of companies from the United States, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Their consumers come from various industries including banks, insurance companies, financial services, governments, manufactures, technology companies, retailers, educational institutes and health care providers. Their product line consists of service management and assurance, mainframe, project and portfolio management, security, virtualization and automation, and cloud computing (Annual Report). CA Technologies chooses to go to market through their own sales and marketing team and by leveraging partners. They have selected strategic partners to help them enter into new markets, grow their product awareness and integrate different technologies. At the same time they have their own direct sales team to create rapport with customers and to use initial consumer’s feedback to cannibalize on new opportunities (Annual Report). It is imperative that they use multiple ways to go to market because this is a highly competitive industry. At one point the organization’s â€Å"merger and acquisitions team had about 250 to 300 companies on their radar at one time† and in nine months they had acquired nine organizations and within twelve months they had invested close to $1 billion in acquisitions (p11). Some of these organizations are going to be commentators and others are direct competition, none-the-less there is a lot of competition. Furthermore, this market is not saturated as it is changing every day and has potential for new entrants. When the focus is on cloud technology and not their full portfolio, calling cloud technology highly competitive is an understatement. To display how competitive the industry is there is an online newspaper called â€Å"CloudTimes† that has a list of the top 100 Cloud Computing Companies (Martin Tantow). The CRN (online technology cite) goes as far as listing the coolest cloud computing vendors by their business category (CRN). There are several other articles such as â€Å"The Top 150 Players in Cloud Computing†, â€Å"85 Cloud Computing Vendors Shaping the Emerging Cloud† and more (Ray DePena). The buyers have a great deal of bargaining power. With so many organizations offering cloud services and offering to customize their services for customers business needs, there is a lot of competition. The CRN breaks down Coolest Cloud† companies by the top 20 in each cloud specialization. These specializations are: Platform and Development, Infrastructure Vendors, Security, Storage and Data Center, Applications and Software (Mark Tantow). CA Technologies was listed under â€Å"Coolest Cloud† top 20 for security. This specialization may give them a leg up especially in the Security market. On the other hand, if an organization is looking for a generalized cloud function, this may discourage that organization from choosing CA technologies. The suppliers in this situation are the employees and they have an immense amount of bargaining power. With there being hundreds of Cloud companies currently, more starting and existing companies expanding their cloud products, the job market is large. Microsoft alone has reported they will create 14 million jobs from 2011- 2015 due to public and private cloud computing (John Callaham). CA Technologies has 13,400 employees, 4,000 are in sales and marketing and 4,400 employees are in product development (Annual Report). Selling, marketing and product development are the rolls that will be created and that other companies are looking to fill. If not all employees, nearly two thirds of the organization’s employees have a great deal of bargaining power due to the expansion and demand for experienced workers in this field. There are several substitutes to cloud computing and most of them are what organizations were using prior to cloud computing. Some of these substitutes are main frames, networks, and email. The plus is CA Technologies already offers the substitute services. There are many commentators to cloud computing right now that we use every day, for example Microsoft is a complementor to Google.Docs. A company that offers the cloud also has the power to decide what complementors are going to work with their cloud, some of these complementors can be calendars, emails, word processors and many other every day applications. On the Treacy and Wiersema 3-D Chart the organization would fall under the product differentiation and customer responsiveness category. Even though the organization would like to see themselves in the middle of these two categories, realistically, they were not, when this article was written. The case states the organization was functioning vertically in all divisions, which made it difficult to focus on the customer and created inefficiencies in development (p10). With this being said, they would fall closer to the axis between the two categories on this chart. Before the reorganization, the business strategy, organization strategy and information’s strategy were not aligned. The organization was running like a manufacturing company, internally focused (p11). The mission of the organization that can be gathered from the case is that the organization wants to offer superior customer service, to create the most innovative and leading technology in an effective manner and sustain a thriving corporate culture. However, this mission was not achievable because they went to market vertically and that is not what their customers needed. The different structures of the organization worked independently which meant many inefficiencies and repetition in development (p11). The organization was not set up to reach the business needs of superior customer service and creating innovative leading technology effectively. Furthermore, the information strategy was unattainable due to the organization strategy. In the moment of truth the organization decided to reorganize. They created five focus areas to focus the information strategy and product development. Furthermore, they split the organization into 3 main categories which focused on customers, go to market and innovation. The new strategy helped align the business, organization, and information strategy. On the strategic grid, CA Technologies was acting like a factory. They were not prepared to make changes that would be necessary for future success such as creating a prosperous cloud system. They were working on their already existing product line and even showing signs of complacency with that product line. However, once they began reorganizing to a new strategy their organization went into the turnaround phase, splitting the business into a customer innovation focused. This is where they began working on getting the proper structure to create a sustainable business in the cloud revolution. On the grid, the organization would fall in the top turnaround stage close to strategic. Their management is learning new ways to go to market and handle customers and at the same time the business is going to be shaped by their future innovation. Overall, I do not believe that the organization had a choice whether or not to embrace the cloud. By 2011, they had already entered into the market and were seen as leaders in their already existing technology systems. If they backed out at this point, they may be viewed as not willing to move forward with the direction of future technologies. Furthermore, the market is fast and highly competitive, but CA Technologies has an advantage due to their rapport with already existing customers and their seniority in the industry. The cloud made the organization re-evaluate their strategy and now they will be a stronger organization in all categories due to their reorganization. The cloud is not going anywhere; however their legacy way of thinking would not be relevant if they did not move forward with cloud innovation. Bibliography Callaham, John. â€Å"Microsoft: 14 Million Jobs to Be Made via Cloud Computing.† Neowin.net. 5 Mar. 2012. Web. 21 Sept. 2012. . CA Technologies. Annual Report. One Goal Our Customer Success. Islandia, NY: CA Technologies, 3/2011. Annual Reports-CA Technologies. http://investor.ca.com/annuals.cfm CRN Staff. â€Å"The 100 Coolest Cloud Computing Vendors Of 2012.† CRN. 12 Mar. 2012. Web. 21 Sept. 2012. . DePena, Ray. â€Å"90 Cloud Computing Companies to Watch In 2011.† Business Innovations. 1 Jan. 2011. Web. 21 Sept. 2012. . Tantow, Martin. â€Å"CloudTimes Top 100 Cloud Computing Companies.† Top 100 Cloud Computing Companies. 24 Apr. 2012. Web. 21 Sept. 2012. .