Berlucchi Market Analysis

————————————————- Berlucchi ————————————————- Marketing Plan 2012 Table of contents Executive Summary Introduction Guido Berlucchi & Co. SpA is one of Italy’s leading sparkling wine producers. After years of outstanding success, the company finds itself facing a stable market, with competition becoming even more intense, distribution more complex and consumers more sophisticated.The executive Committee is convinced that the strategy that drove the company’s development in its first 40 years needs to open up a new growth path, thus this marketing plan for the strategy for the upcoming three years. External Analysis Customer analysis Approximately 35% of the 313,000 million inhabitants of the U. S. drink wine at a per capita rate of 11. 5 liters. In te rms of demographics 69% are white, 14% Hispanic, and 11% African American, with the remainder 9% from other races.The average age of the American wine consumer is 49, with Millennials making up 26% of wine consumers,  generation X-ers aged 35-44 at 19%, ages 45 to 54 at 21%, and those over 55 at 34%. 24% of wine consumers in the U. S. have a college degree Segmentation by frequency Wine consumers are divided into two categories, core wine drinkers and marginal wine drinkers. The core group drinks wine once a week at least and represents 57% of wine consumers whereas the marginal group has a glass of wine in a time span ranging from once every 2 or 3 months to 2 or 3 times a month. 8% of all wine consumers have a glass of wine more than once a week and are considered to be the high frequency wine drinkers. Segmentation by age Thirty two percent of baby boomers (47 to 65) have a glass of wine compared to 17 percent in 2005. 62 percent of Generation X-ers (aged 35 to 46) are core win e drinkers, compared to only 43 percent in 2007. 6 percent of Millennials (aged 17 to 34) drink wine on a daily basis, 26 percent of them drink wine several times a week and 19 percent drinks once a week on average. This comprises the core wine drinking segment of Millennials, accounting for 63 percent of them compared to 37 percent in 2007.There is a significant difference between younger Millennials (17 – 25) and older Millennials (26 – 34). Older Millennials consume wine with greater frequency, consumed more glasses of wine per drinking occasion (2. 92 glasses on average) and were found to be highly experimental as 89% of older Millennials frequently purchase wine of an unfamiliar brand. Also interesting is that 60 percent of older Millennials found â€Å"fun and contemporary† looking labels of great importance when choosing wine to drink at home compared to just 31% of Baby Boomers.All Millennials and high end wine drinkers throughout the Generation X and ba by boomers often visit wine related web sites and Facebook pages or follow wine twitter accounts. The generational differences are also noticeable in the preference of domestically produced wines and imported wines. * 63% of Millennials, (70 million consumers), are reported to either â€Å"primarily drink imports† or â€Å"equally drink imports and domestics† * 43% of Generation X members (44 million consumers) report the same preferences * 32% of Baby Boomers (77 million consumers) report these preferences Segmentation by geographyWine consumption per person is lowest in the Midwest where 13% buys 4 or more bottles per month compared to 24% in the South, 25% of those in the North East and 29% in the West where 10% of the adult population even purchases 11 or more bottles per month. The top three states for Wine consumption are California, New York and Florida. The top three emerging markets, where the capita per wine consumption has grown the most over the past three years are Texas, Illinois and New Jersey Western states, especially those that produce wine locally such as California, Washington and Oregon, have proven more ikely to favor domestic wines while eastern states are more receptive to imports. Amongst others, New York, Florida, New Jersey and Washington DC all import more than 30% of the total wine consumption from outside the U. S. Competitive analysis Direct Competitors Listed below are the top 3 sparkling wines in the US at the current moment. They all fall in the range of our target customers in terms of their taste and their prices making them a direct threat and therefore a direct competitor. JCB by Jean-Charles Boisset No. 69 Burgundy, France ———————————————— Jean-Charles Boisset's JCB wines are made entirely from Pinot Noir grapes grown in the Burgundy region of France, this refreshing rose is light and crisp, offeri ng raspberry and red currant aromas. Many wine lovers associate this brand with romantic outings. It is currently listed as number one on the top sparkling wines in the US available at only 7 stores, and at a very affordably price it is sure to be serious competitor. Price: $20 ————————————————- Toso BrutMendoza, Argentina Toso has been producing sparkling wines in the Mendoza wine region of Argentina for 85 years. Their non-vintage brut is made entirely from Chardonnay grapes. Light and refreshing, it offers aromas of lemon and apple with buttery and toasty notes. It is very popular in the US with people looking for something inexpensive, well made, clean and bubbly especially for large events like weddings, receptions and birthday parties. ————————————————- Pri ce: $11 ————————————————-Taltarni Brut Tache Australia ————————————————- Made from Chardonnay, it is an established household name, known for producing extraordinarily high quality sparkling wines in Australia. They are known to be very environmental friendly because they recycle the vines and they refrain from using Diuron and Simazine on their property, thereby reducing the impact on ground water. One disadvantage however is that its prices compared to other wines has been progressively rising lately. Price: $25 Indirect competitorListed below is one of the top wines in the US at the current moment, although it does not fall under the category sparkling wines it is nonetheless a competitor in the total wine market especially now that it is making is mark on the US market making it worth the mention. Moscato’s Asti, Italy ————————————————- Moscato is currently one of the fastest-growing wine varietals in the U. S. Moscato wines tend to be sweeter and less alcoholic. Gallo, which holds 44 per cent of Moscato’s market share, saw sales of its own Gallo Family Vineyard Moscato increase by 124%in 2010, according to marketing research firm IRI.More than half of all Moscato consumers are under the age of 45, while nearly one-third are between the ages of 25 and 34. ————————————————- ————————————————- Moscato’s popularity with the younger generation could, perhaps, be due to hip hop influences. Ka nye West claimed  on MTV that he liked Moscato, while Lil’ Kim sang â€Å"Still over in Brazil/Sipping Moscato. † A more likely reason, however, is the low price tag that many Moscatos enjoy. ————————————————- ————————————————-Price: $5,99 – $16,79 Market analysis Overall size The U. S. wine industry has steadily increased in size and revenue over the past ten years and has grown into the fourth largest wine producing country in the world. In 2010 the U. S. became the leading wine consuming country, consuming as much as 330 million cases a year. This means Americans drink 3. 96 billion bottles of wine, surpassing France’s 3. 85 billion bottles and have spent more than $40 billion on wine in 2010. California is the largest wine produc ing and consuming state in the nation, currently it accounts for 61% volume share of the U.S. market. Projected growth Wine market is currently witnessing steady growth in both developed and emerging economies. Increasing disposable incomes, rising awareness about the medical benefits of wine, and the resultant consumer shift towards consumption of premium alcoholic beverages are driving the growth in the wine industry. US wine market is one of the fastest growing markets of the world, both in terms of production and consumption As per our findings, the US wine market is expected to hit a value of around US$ 33. Billion with 871 Million Gallons of wine sales by 2013. The market (in volume terms) will grow at an annual growth rate of over 3% during 2010-2013. The economic recession had impacted the US wine industry by consumers starting to enjoy low-priced bottles and wines by glasses. The millennial segment is the future of the US wine industry, and their numbers are increasing as y ounger members are attaining the drinking age. Moreover, rise in the number of female wine drinkers in marginal segment is also fueling the growth of the US wine industry.This trend, coupled with government’s initiatives, is playing a greater role in promoting reforms and competitiveness in the wine industry of the US. The market for sparkling wine in the USA has been growing rapidly in recent years according to some top findings from the Wine Market Council Report: Profitability Sparkling wine sales in the U. S. are estimated to have outperformed table wine brands for the third straight year in 2011, when American drinkers will have consumed the equivalent of 900 million glasses.More than 40 percent of those 15 million cases are sold during the holiday season. The overall wine market is projected to increase 1. 7 percent by year-end, to 313 million cases, its 18th consecutive annual gain. Sparkling wines account for a modest 5 percent, but growing, share of that volume. Entr y Barriers The wine industry in the U. S. has high barriers of entry because of high investments needed to buy land and machinery together with high costs of advertising and distribution. Because of the strict laws and high taxation of alcohol in the U. S. large economies of scale have the best chance of becoming and remaining profitable. Distribution System Throughout the U. S. the three tier system is enforced for the distribution of all alcoholic beverages. The system works as follows: * Non-U. S. Producer * 1st Tier – U. S. Producer / Importer * 2nd Tier – Distributor * 3rd Tier – On/Off Premise Trade (restaurants/ bars/ retailer) Non-U. S. producers are only allowed to sell directly to an importer, Importers and U. S. Producers are only allowed to sell to retailers, and only retailers are allowed to sell to consumers.Some states have partially or completely prohibited the distribution and/or the retailing tier and have these operated by the state government itself or contractors operating under its authority rather than by independent privateers. In any case taxes must be collected at all three tiers, even though in some states the importer and the distributor can be the same company, it must still pay taxes for both tiers. Trends A broadening of the consumer base, a greater range on offer, and an increasing desire among some consumers to make sparkling wine a regular rather than occasional treat are the main factors driving the trend.Americans still do not drink as much sparkling wine as consumers in other countries like Germany and the UK, but there is a strong long-term growth trend establishing for domestic and particularly mid-priced imported sparkling wines in the years ahead. At the moment Moscato has experienced a sharp increase in sales, up 73%, driven largely by younger drinkers. Cheaper and in wide range of flavored wines have become more popular as well due to restaurants adding less popular varietals to their glass pour l ist because the higher profit margin.This has resulted in wine consumers becoming more open-minded to seeking out unique varietals. Italy’s Macro Environment analysis: Demographic The Italian Population is currently approximately 61,261,254 but the growth rate of the population is gradually slowing, with most of the increase coming from immigration. Birth rates and death rates are virtually identical. However, the national figures conceal contrasting regional trends. In general, the birth rate and average family size are higher in the south of Italy than in the north, although populations in Molise, Basilicata, and Calabria are declining through continued emigration.For the country as a whole, life expectancy rose during the second half of the 20th century, reflecting higher nutritional, sanitary, and medical standards. At the beginning of the 21st century, the majority of the population was between 20 and 49 years old, with the largest group between ages 30 and 44. The age s tructure is built up as follows: 0-14 years:13. 8% male 4,315,292female 4,124,624. 15-64 years:65. 9% male 19,888,901female 20,330,495 65 years and over:  20. 3% male 5,248,418female 7,109,074 GDP Contribution by Economic Sector  and Top Industries: Agriculture:  3. 9%Industry:  28. 3% Services:  67. 8% (2011) Economic Italy  is currently the world's largest  wine  producer. However it has not been immune to the global economic downturn but it has been able to weather the financial storm. Wine is a key player in Italian trade with exports in 2011 valued at 3. 6 billion euros, compared to imports of 326 million euros. Sparkling wines account for 11% of exports. A sector report presented at the Vinitaly wine trade fair showed that the economic downturn was responsible for a 5. 1% decline in Italian wine exports in 2008 over the previous year.In this moment of economic crisis and uncertainty, people try to satisfy their desires. Italian cuisine is the most popular all o ver the world. In Italy the Docg sparkling wines do better than others, indicating that high quality standards and strong local identity, as much as the price, are central factors for the customers’ choices. Italian exports   rose 17 per cent in the first nine months of 2010, according to Coldiretti, the   Italian farmers   association. The growth had been even higher at 22% for the first six months of the year, primarily due to explosive demand from the US. Ecological (Natural)The future of wine grape supply depends on the availability of groundwater and high temperatures will decrease the availability of wine grapes. High water use by the industry, and in particular the treatment of wastewater, is likely to come under increasing public scrutiny. Over the five years through 2015-16, the level of capital intensity is likely to increase marginally due to investment in water treatment. Political The wine and grape industry in Italy is regulated by laws and decrees issued by the Ministry of Agriculture (Ministro Delle Risorse Agricole, Alimentari e Forestali).Italy is also a member of the European Union and shares the Common External Tariff regime. EU duties are charged by the Italian Customs Agency on the CIF (cost, insurance and freight) value of the product imported into Italy. Below are the 4 wine designations: * DOCG:  the highest classification for Italian wines, introduced in 1963. It denotes controlled production methods and guaranteed wine quality. There are strict rules governing the production of DOCG wines, most obviously the permitted grape varieties,  yield  limits, grape ripeness, winemaking procedures and ageing specifications.Every DOCG wine is subject to official tasting procedures. To prevent counterfeiting, the bottles have a numbered government seal across the neck. * DOC: a step below DOCG, the DOC classification accounts for the majority of wines produced in Italy. The quality control regulations are less stringent than t hose applied to DOCG wines. * IGT: The IGT classification was introduced in 1992, to allow a certain level of freedom to Italy's winemakers. Prior to 1992, many wines did not qualify for DOC or DOCG status not because they were of low quality, but because they were made from grape varieties (or blends) not sanctioned under DOC/G laws.The IGT classification focuses on the region of origin, rather than grape varieties or wine styles. * VDT:  VDT wines are typically of lesser quality than those labeled with IGT, DOC or DOCG, but not always; the ‘Super Tuscans' (see below) are often labeled as Vino da Tavola. U. S. Macro Environment analysis The following macro environmental factors have an indirect effect on Berlucchi’s success in the US market. The major forces of the macro environment should be highly regarded as the company is looking to enter unfamiliar territory while at the same time striving to acquire a competitive advantage.Demographics According to the Wine Int elligence USA Sparkling Report 2012, over 30 million Americans say they drink sparkling wine at least once a year. For the majority of this population their sparkling wine experience is confined to perhaps one or two glasses a year, on special occasions. However, what appears to be driving the growth in sparkling wine is the segment of consumer; estimated at around 9 million, and female-dominated, who say they like to drink the bubbly stuff at least once a week. Many of these people say that sparkling wine is their favorite drink, ahead of still wine.California| California accommodates 37,691,912 people, houses more people than any of the other states of America and has eight of the 50 most populous cities in the U. S.. Remarkable is that only 39. 7% of the people living in California are white non Hispanics and 38. 1% are Hispanic whites, only 6. 6% is black and 13. 6% of Asian ethnicity. The ethnic makeup is very different from the countries average. Of the persons aged 25 years o r older 80. 7% has graduated high school and 30. % has a bachelor’s degree or higher. The Median house hold income is $60. 883. Texas| Texas is the second most populous U. S. state, housing 25,674,681 people who are mostly located in the major cities of Houston, San Antonia and Dallas. Similar to California, Texas also houses a relatively large number of Hispanics. 38. 1% of the population is white of Hispanic decent and 44. 8% is non-Hispanic white. The division of other ethnic groups is quite similar to the nations average. 80% of adults 25 years or older have a high school degree and 25. 8% of them have a bachelor’s degree or higher. The median household income is $49,646 a year. |New York| New York is the third largest state after California and Texas with a population of 19,465,197 of which roughly 64% lives in the New York City metropolitan area. The percentage of the population that is of African American decent is slightly higher than the nations average, 17. 5 % as well as those with an asian heritage, 7. 8%. The median household income is $55,603, 84. 4% of the persons age 25+ are high school graduates and 32. 1% has a bachelor’s degree or higher. | Florida| Florida is the fourth most inhabited state in America, accommodating 19,057,542 people.Notable are that it contains the highest percentage of people over 65, 17. 6% and the 8th fewest people under 18, 21%, also its population is expected to double between 2000 and 2030. Florida’s ethnic makeup shows few differences from the countries average with the exception of persons of Hispanic or Latino origin which is 23% and growing faster than in any other state. 85. 3% of the adults 25 years of age or| Social-Cultural In the U. S. wineries have become more than just wine producers and sellers. They're often venues for gatherings as diverse as  weddings  and business meetings.Some wineries have onboard restaurants and gift shops and are also lively tourist attractions. That says something for the ingenuity of savvy wine producers, but it says even more about the changing American attitude toward wine. Recent consumption gains for sparkling wine have been driven by many factors over the last few years including the adoption of wine in early adulthood by the large Millennial generation, the availability of quality wine at all price levels, and the acceptance of moderate wine consumption as compatible with a healthy lifestyle. EconomicThe turbulent economy has had a moderately negative affect on the nation’s collective wine consumptions growth. Within the 2008–2011 period, stock market volatility had little effect on how much wine consumers were drinking. In 2008, 61% of respondents stated they hadn’t changed the amount of wine they consumed despite the poor economic conditions. The economy has had a direct effect on prices over the last 10 years, prices went down significantly during the recession, but as the economy has improved, t hey have bounced back very quickly and even surpassed previous highs.Fine wine prices dropped 19 percent from August 2008 to August 2009 and they increased 33 percent from August 2009 to August 2010, surpassing their previous pre-recession prices. Political Wine is regulated by the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives division of the internal revenue service which makes it subjected to high levels of control and tax. Us wines are shaped by politics including which grapes grow where, what can be written on the label, which wines are exported or imported, which wines are available in local stores, and how much a wine costs.In the  United States, the wine laws are more flexible than European standards in regards to regulations on what viticultural and winemaking practices are allowed in each wine region. A sizable portion of American wine laws relate to  wine labelling  practices. The United States imported 932 million liters of wine in 2010. The majority of imports came fro m Italy ($1. 3 billion). Depending on the type of wine, U. S. tariffs on imported wine from nations with which the United States maintains normal trade relations range from 5. 3 cents per liter to 22. 4 cents per liter.Tax rate for natural wine imported to New York for example is $0. 30 per gallon Internal Analysis Current products Berlucchi’s current products: * Cuvee Imperiale Brut * Cuvee Imperiale Max Rose * Cuvee imperial Demi Sec * Cuvee imperial vintage * Cuvee Storica Franciacorta DOCG * Bianco imperiale * Cellarius Brut * Cellarius Rose * Cellarius Pas Dose * Berlucchi ’61 brut * Berlucchi ’61 Rose * Berlucchi ’61 Saten * Palazzo Lana Franciacorta Brut Millesimato * Palazzo Lana Franciacorta Saten millesimato * Palazzo Lana Franciacorta Extreme millesimato PricesThe sparkling wines of Berlucchi are between â‚ ¬15 and â‚ ¬28. The average price per line: * Berlucchi bianco imperiale: â‚ ¬10 * Berlucchi ’61: â‚ ¬15 * Cuvee imperia le: â‚ ¬20 * Cellarius: between â‚ ¬15 and â‚ ¬20 * Palazzo Lana: â‚ ¬28 Target Market Geographically speaking, Berlucchi is targeting Italy. Berlucchi won market leadership in its first few years because of its mission to ‘democratize the bubbles’. With their below average price for sparkling wine, and their distribution through grocery stores, Berlucchi sparkling wine was accessible for everyone. Distribution channels Grocery retailersIn 2006 70% of all Berlucchi sales went through the grocery retail distribution channel. Because of the company’s solid penetration of this channel, they established an undisputed leadership position. HoReCa and specialty stores Berlucchi produced a product especially made for this channel, which won considerable success and allowed the company to re-establish its reputation among connoisseurs and win over specialized dealers. Positioning By distributing through grocery retailers, Berlucchi positions itself in a totall y different range than most other Italian sparkling wine, which are available in specialty stores.The company’s solid penetration in this modern distribution channel anchored the positioning of the Berlucchi brand. But having a lower price does not mean they work with a bad quality, although some may look at Berlucchi as a cheap supermarket wine. The Berlucchi brand guarantees a high-quality, prestigious, accessible product. Competitive Advantage Berlucchi stands out because of their innovative spirit and desire to experiment with new products and market segments, but off course, still in an accessible and qualitatively good manner. The solid penetration in the modern distribution channel of grocery retailers is something no other ompany has accomplished. Marketing Mix The marketing strategy that has secured Berlucchi’s success over the last thirty years can be summed up in three key words: Italy, mass market, and corporate brand. In the 1960s, the company’s fou nders saw an opportunity to create a sparkling wine market in Italy using the champenoise method. This method meant educating both trade and final consumers through constant communication, the aim of which was to eliminate the image of Italian spumante as a sub-category of wine, or a lower-quality version of the more familiar French champagne.In just a few years’ time the company won a leadership position in the Italian market. They had a clear mission: â€Å"To make bubbly accessible to everyone†. The firm achieved this mission with an extensive distribution strategy. Berlucchi spumante wanted to create a festive atmosphere on any occasion. The best way to achieve this was to reach the consumer through the simplest distribution channel, for instance grocery retailers. Berlucchi has always implemented a push rather than a pull strategy, focusing communication and commercial investments on trade.Another marketing strategy of Berlucchi was based on avoiding product proli feration in the portfolio, in keeping with the need to educate Italian consumers on the traditional method. Berlucchi came up with a series of simple, distinctive brand visuals, which over time have come to be identified with the company. Financial Performance SWOT analysis Confrontation matrix * S1 x O4, because despite the challenging economic environment we are currently in, sparkling wines are set to gain share in the US alcohol market.Berlucchi has a below average price and that could be an opportunity for them to gain share in the US alcohol market. * S3 x O3, because Berlucchi has an innovative spirit and desire to experiment with new products and market segments. They could have an opportunity in the US alcohol market, because most Americans show an interest in broadening their horizons in terms of what kinds of wine they buy. * S3 x T3, because consumers in the wine market are constantly evolving. That could be an opportunity for Berlucchi, because they have an innovative s pirit and desire to experiment with new products and market segments.Corporate strategy Berlucchi grew in a few years after founding to be leader in its market thanks to a clear mission: ‘democratize the bubbles’. The founders were convinced they could produce an Italian sparkling wine of comparable quality to the current products on the market. The aim was to produce a high-quality, prestigious, accessible product for a below average price. The basic reason for their attitude was that they could not justify the substantial price difference between Berlucchi products marketed through large retailers and the same wines sold in specialized stores and wine bars.Eventually Berlucchi grew to be a market leader in the large grocery retailers and an important player in the HoReCa and wine shops, without ever letting go of the initial corporate mission. Segmentation The wine consumers in the U. S. can be segmented in to the following groups based on consumption and spending pat terns: Daily Musts | Variety Seekers| Personal Image| Savvy Buyers | Occasional Consumers | Represent 16. 4% of wine drinkers| Represents 14. 4% of wine drinkers|   Represents 14. 1% of wine drinkers| Represents 2. 6% of wine drinkers| Represents 34. % of wine drinkers| Spending share of 49. 3 % | Spending share of 34%| Spending share of 3. 1%| Spending share of 9. 7%| Spending share of 4%| Median age is 61| Median age is 50| Median age is 34| Median age is 48| Median age is 55| Annual income averages $62,000| Annual income averages $100,000| Annual income averages $62,000| Annual income averages $80,000| Annual income averages $63,000| | Target Market The segments most viable for targeting are the Daily Musts, the Variety Seekers and Personal Image consumers and through using a differentiated strategy all three can be targeted.Daily musts Although this segment is brand loyal, by applying low cost strategy and attractive packaging this segment can be entered, after which the focus should be customer retention and maintaining everyday low price offers in combination with a loyalty program to create loyalty to the berlucchi brand and maximize customer equity. Variety seekers Premium brand images and first-class packaging will strongly appeal to the Variety Seekers and expert ratings, premium pricing and event or celebrity sponsorships will truly entice this segment to try berlucchi brand wine.However because of their low brand loyalty a truly aggressive loyalty program is necessary to retain their business. Advertisement be should focused on wine magazines and internet media. Personal Image This segment shows the most potential profitability on the long term and should be engaged to ensure a significant market share in the next decade as this is the fastest growing segment. The focus has to be on moving them towards Variety Seeker of Daily Must habits. Innovation through products and packaging and leveraging social media would speak most to the Personal Image wine drinkers. PositioningDaily Musts and the Personal Image consumers can be catered to with one product in the area , the product’s should have a below average to average price level and focus on offering an accessible product of decent or higher quality. The product targeting the variety seekers should be higher priced to project a somewhat prestigious image and high quality. Below you can see the product value proposition for Berlucchi’s target customers. Objectives Market share Brand familiarity Revenue Timeframe: 3 years Marketing Mix Product As described in positioning, there are three target groups for which there are different product needs.To accustom all potential customers it is neccessary to introduce two different lines of products. Lines Cuvee Imperiale – Brut – Max Rose – Demi Sec – Vintage ‘For over half a century, Cuvee Imperiale has been synonymous with festiveness, joy, and raising a toast, and its consistently fine taste has made it the Italians’ favourite classic-method sparkler. Its four styles make it the perfect choice for both casual moments and the most special of occasions. ’ This line will serve the needs of the Daily Musts and Personal Image consumers, it has a below average price, it is accessible and has a high quality.Palazzo Lana – Brut – Saten – Extreme ‘The timeless elegance of the Palazzo Lana Berlucchi, the handsome mansion that inspired the first Franciacorta,   is present once again in these vintage-dated Franciacortas. Produced from free-run must, and rare both in quantity and quality, the three are bound together by a common thread of gracefulness, complexity, and avoidance of excess, each wine dedicated to those who enjoy them thoughtfully. ’ This line will serve the needs of the Variety Seekers consumers, it is above average prices, has a prestigious image and has a high quality. Packaging Daily mustsThe Daily Musts cons umers are flexible in their response to different packaging designs. Personal Image They consider wine consumption an extension of their personal images, however are more focused on store brands. Variety seekers This consumer group appreciates premium packaging. When lining together these consumer characteristics and the packaging of the chosen products, we can come to a conclusion of no necessity to change the packaging of the products, due to the already existing compatibility of consumer needs and the product packaging. Price Cuvee Imperiale The price for the Cuvee Imperiale line will be $15.Berlucchi will have to lower their price a little bit than they have in Italy, but this way they can compete with the competitors in the US, for instance the Toso Brut from Argentina. The Cuvee Imperiale will be a good competitor due to their below average price and good quality sparkling wine. Palazzo Lana The price for the Palazzo Lana line will be around the $30 in the US. One big competit or is the Taltarni Brut Tache, their price is around the $25. Berlucchi Palazzo Lana is more expensive, but Berlucchi will still be a good competitor since the prices of Taltarni have been progressively rising lately.It will also be a good competitor, because of its prestigious image and high quality. Place Locations Below is a table with 6 states located in the U. S. whom are known to have an extremely large wine drinking population, and therefor will be the best states in the US to introduce the Berlucchi’s wines. Type| California| Texas| Florida| New York| Illinois| New Jersey| Population| 38,053,956| 25,901,361| 19,057,542| 19,465,197| 12,869,257| 8,821,155| Binge drinkers| 14. 7%| 15. 6%| 12,40%| 15. 2%| 17. 5%| 14. 4%| Casual drinkers| 56. 2%| 51. %| 56,3| 59. 1%| 58%| 59. 7%| Heavy drinkers| 5. 9%| 5. 2%| 5,3| 4. 3%| 4. 7%| 4. 5%| Retailers: Within each one of these 6 states the wines will be available in two types of store retailers: * Specialty stores: A small retail outlet that focuses on selling a particular product range and associated items. Most specialty store business operators will maintain considerable debt in the type of product that they specialize in selling, usually at premium prices, in addition to providing higher service quality and expert guidance to shoppers. Superstores: A very large retail store that stocks highly diversified merchandise, such as groceries, toys, and camera equipment, or a wide variety of merchandise in a specific product line, such as computers or sporting goods. Specialty stores: Berlucchi’s wines will be available in the best of the best wine shops in each state. They will be placed in these shops according to the stores location and popularity. State| Specialty Wine Stores[1| California| 867| New York| 533| New jersey| 265| Florida| 252| Illinois| 211| Texas| 181| Superstores:More than a third of all wines sold in America are purchased at Superstores. Wall-Mart 2011 USA Retail Sales ($000): $307,7 36,000 Extending its lead, it is making solid progress on improving its merchanides through different new projects. The company’s grocery business accounted for more than half of its 2011 sales. Wall-Mart constantly hires wine scouts to research new wines in order to further broaden their inventory. Wines located in a Wall-Mart store Kroger 2011 USA Retail Sales ($000): $78,326,000 America’s largest traditional grocer is food focused and price led.It includes a wide variety of all sorts of wines. In 2012 Kroger hired wine stewards for a few of its Texas stores. The political push to sell wine in grocery stores is now in different Kroger stores. Wines located in a Kroger store Target 2011 USA Retail Sales ($000): $65,815,000 Target will try to become more beverage focused and currently has strong store innovations and loyalty programs. They combine grocery store bargains with wine shop-level service and expertise. Wines located in a Target store Restaurants:In addition to these retail stores, the wines will also be available in a variety of restaurants in each state. These restaurants will include non-fast food restaurants that have an ideal location for different types of customers to reach. Below is an example of one of the restaurants that look real promising in terms of boosting Berlucchi’s brand image. Since 1979 Antonello Ristorante located in California has captured the essence of Old World authenticity with a new Italian. Antonello's award-winning wine list boasts more than 700 foreign and domestic labels.For special occasions or business meetings, there are eight Promotion The goal is to become the first thing that comes to mind for a person from one of our targeted segments when in the market for wine. According to professor Jacob’s Creek of the University of South Australia’s Wine Marketing Research Group, it is not the brand but the wine regions that influences consumers choice the most. The promotional strategy us ed to differentiate the Berlucchi wines from others is to sell the idea of living the southern European care free, want for nothing life style using the campaign slogan: ‘A taste of the Italian life’.This should invoke an emotional response to advertisement as consumers in the Daily must segment, who are older and often retired or near retirement age can relate to the care free living. The variety seekers can relate to the ‘want for nothing’ aspect and high end allure of Milan or Rome and the younger personal image consumers can indulge in the American romanticized cultural image of Europe. Promoting the Brand As Americans are not yet aware of how many wines are actually Italian and no wine markets itself distinctively as such, the Berlucchi products can be analyzed as a new product.To start the introduction phase a launch event will be held in Los Angeles, California to which columnists/writers for different lifestyle and food magazines, influential taster s and VIPs’ will attend to experience the different wines by Berlucchi that will be launched in the U. S. which will result in features in magazines such as ‘food and wine’, Decanter, WineEnthusiast and Fine. During the introduction phase a print ad and a broadcast media advertisement featuring Robert Deniro will run.Because of his Italian heritage and wine expertise as he owns his own vineyard, on the other hand because of his long and outstanding acting career he is recognizable and idolized by people across generations. The broadcast ad, which will run for thirteen weeks, will be shown during lifestyle television shows and cooking shows such as ‘Master chef’ and ‘come dine with me’ and can even be featured on the shows. The print ad will run for a total of 30 weeks, appearing once to 10 times throughout that period in different magazines and as banners on different online magazines.To promote the brand directly to the target group, Be rlucchi nights will be organized during which selected restaurants will serve free glasses of Berlucchi wine that go well with the dish ordered. The before mentioned strategies will be very effective for the Daily must and Variety seeker segments, but to ensure the involvement of the personal image segment a social media campaign needs to be launched. Each bottle of Berlucchi wine will have a code and instructions printed on the back side of the label.After purchasing a bottle a consumer can befriend Berlucchi on Facebook or follow them on twitter, after which the phrase â€Å"Having a taste of the Italian life #Berlucchi #;code;† should be posted online. In response a code will be send back to the consumer which entitles him or her to a 61% discount on their next purchase of a bottle of Berlucchi Cuvee Imperiale and they enter a lottery for a set of 3 Berlucchi Franciacorta ’61 bottles. The low price and exciting price will attract the segment and by posting they imme diately communicate the existence of Berlucchi to their friends. Loyalty program – – – Budget ; Control – – Recommendation – – – Appendix Figure 1a Figure 1b Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Top 3 states in wine consumption Figure 6 Top 3 states in emerging wine markets Figure 7 Figure 8a Figure 8b Figure 9 Daily Musts| Variety Seekers | Personal Image | Savvy Buyers | Occasional Consumers| * Represent 16. 4% of wine drinkers * Accountable for 49. 3 % of all wine sales. * Median age is 61 * Annual income averages $62,000. Daily Musts are the heaviest wine consumers and consumers and drink on a daily basis. They are brand loyal and flexible in their response to different packaging designs and tend to buy based on low prices. * Represents 14. 4% of wine drinkers * Spending share of 34% * Median age is 50. * Annual income averages $100,000. They tend to spend more per capita than the Daily Musts, appreciate premium packaging, q uality wine and variety. They often view higher price as a sign of higher quality. The Variety seeker is most likely to use the internet to secure information before purchases and look at wine as an extension of their personal image and tend not to be brand loyal. | * Represents 14. 1% of wine drinkers * Spending share of 3. 1% * Median age is 34 * Annual income averages $62,000.This group will grow in consumption as their ages and incomes increase. The Personal image drinker’s habits are in development, and they tend to turn to social media and the Internet for information. They consider wine consumption an extension of their personal images, however are more focused on store brands. | * Represents 2. 6% of wine drinkers * Spending share of 9. 7% * Median age is 48 * Annual income averages $80,000This group enjoys trying a variety of wines and tends to buy on value, however not necessarily focused on low price since they only consume moderate to small amounts. * Represents 3 4. 5% of wine drinkers * Spending share of 4% * Median age is 55 * Annual income averages $63,000| Figure 10 Segmentation by lifestyle Figure 11 ——————————————– [ 1 ]. SVB, 2012 [ 2 ]. See Appendix figure 2 [ 3 ]. See Appendix figure 3 [ 4 ]. See Appendix figure 4 [ 5 ]. See Appendix figure 5 [ 6 ]. See Appendix figure 6 [ 7 ]. http://www. gayot. com/wine/top10american-sparkling-wines/main. html [ 8 ]. Wine Institute, 2011 [ 9 ]. Press Democrat, 2011 [ 10 ]. See Appendix figure 7 [ 11 ]. With the exception of the state of Washington [ 12 ]. https://www. cia. ov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/it. html [ 13 ]. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/List_of_wine-producing_countries [ 14 ]. http://quickfacts. census. gov/qfd/states/06000. html . S. Census Bureau: State and County QuickFacts [ 15 ]. http://www. tax. ny. gov/bus/bev/abt_tax_information_individuals. htm [ 16 ]. Be rlucchi Case page 15 table 2 [ 17 ]. http://www. berlucchi. it/we-do/ [ 18 ]. See Appendix Figure 1a [ 19 ]. See Appendix Figure 1b [ 20 ]. http://www. wine-searcher. com/wine-197764-0001-berlucchi-palazzo-lana-brut-franciacorta-docg-italy [ 21 ]. Berlucchi Case page 5 [ 22 ]. Berlucchi Case page 5 [ 23 ].Berlucchi Case page 5 [ 24 ]. Berlucchi Case page 5 [ 25 ]. Berlucchi Case page 11 [ 26 ]. Berlucchi Case page 21 table 23, 24 [ 27 ]. See Appendix figure 10 for more info. [ 28 ]. See Appendix figure 11 [ 29 ]. http://www. berlucchi. it/we-do/#cuvee [ 30 ]. http://www. berlucchi. it/we-do/#palazzo-lana [ 31 ]. See Appendix Figure 10 [ 32 ]. See Appendix Figure 1a [ 33 ]. http://www. statemaster. com/graph/hea_alc_con_cas_dri-health-alcohol-consumption-casual-drinkers [ 35 ]. http://www. wkrn. com/story/19808909/kroger-begins-focused-push-for-wine-in-grocery-stores [ 36 ]. Based on research findings of SymphonyIRI group, INC

Paper Ratio and Financial Statement Analysis Essay

Executive Summary In corporate finance, both ratio and financial statement analysis are important tools that can be used in order to assess a company’s strength financially. They can be used in order to forecast a business’ prospective cash flow and ability to grow in the future, as well as a company’s strengths and weaknesses. Income statements, balance sheets, the statement of retained earnings, and the statement of cash flows are the four primary types of financial statements used in corporate finance. All of these financial statements serve to analyze a firm’s cash flows from different perspectives and are all interrelated. Ratio analysis, another important tool in financial analysis, analyzes the probability that a firm will be profitable or not. The different kinds of ratios used are liquidity ratios, efficiency ratios, leverage ratios, profitability ratios, and market-value indicators, with each type including various different specific ratios that one can calculate when examining a firm’s operability. Both the financial statements and ratio analysis offer an analysis of a firm’s finances at a particular point in time, while also forecasting its financial stability in the future. Another advantage is that they allow a firm’s finance team to compare its finances to that of other similar companies, known as benchmarks, in order to value the strength of their firm in the marketplace. However, financial statements and ratio analysis can also lack in their accuracy since financial analysis is often based on historical figures from the past several years and thus only offer the prospective financial future rather than concrete data since often a firm’s finances are based on the ever-changing marketplace or other factors not in control of the firm’s managers, such as economic conditions. Despite such disadvantages, financial statements and ratio analysis is a very important aspect in the corporate environment and essential to examining a firm’s viability. Overview In business, financial statements are important tools, which allow a firm to clearly state its financials in terms of figures, such as revenues, expenses, net incomes, etc. and analyze strengths and shortcomings of the firm. This allows the firm’s managers to clearly see what is and is not working for the firm. Ratio analysis is used when identifying and analyzing multiple variables in the firm’s operations, such as inventory, accounts receivable, net sales, etc. When completing financial statement and ratio analysis, it is beneficial for the firm to examine its financial figures over several previous consecutive years, so that any and all patterns in its operability can be observed and analyzed. Such patterns can reveal aspects of the company where efficiency is not at its finest and thus there is a financial loss. As a result, the company can implement changes in order to improve upon these shortcomings and increase its profits. Ratio analysis is both a qualitative and quantitative way of looking at the data in order to analyze how a company functions and ways to improve it by looking at present and previous functioning and forecasting the future of the company. Both financial statement and ratio analysis can provide insight into the success or failures of specific product lines, allowing managers to make intelligent decisions regarding what their firm should offer in the future to consumers. Financial statement analysis is also a way to assess and validate a company’s viability in the marketplace to outside investors/creditors. Financial statements assist managers in understanding how profitable their firm is. It is often used to make comparisons of one firm to another or of a specific time period to another time period for the same firm. The main aspects of a financial statement are revenues, expenses, and net income. Revenues are sales numbers that come from products or services a firm creates through its business operations (Parrino, 2011). For a firm, such as Microsoft, its revenue would come from products such as the computers, phones, tablets, and software it sells to consumers. On the other hand, for a consulting firm, such as Accenture, revenues would stem from the fees it charges for its consulting services contracts with various government agencies around the world. Both companies are providing a product to a consumer, one simply happens to be a tangible product that people buy, while the other is a service product that agencies need for their functionality. Expenses are the costs a firm incurs while generating its revenues (Parrino, 2011). For Microsoft, expenses would stem from the costs of building its products, marketing them, developing new products, shipping them around the world, etc. For Accenture, expenses would stem from the cost of all of its consultants, which includes their wages, insurance, company laptops it provides to each of them, travel costs for sending consultants around the world on projects, etc. Again both types of firms exhibit expenses; some of them are just different. Net income shows the company’s revenue relative to its expenses. If revenues exceeds expenses then the company has a net profit and is â€Å"in the black† for that time period (Parrino, 2011). On the other hand, if expenses exceed revenues then the company has a net loss and is â€Å"in the red† for that time period (Parrino, 2011). By looking at financial statements from one fiscal period to the next or annually, managers can observe how their firm is progressing. If the numbers show that the firm is not operating at an optimal level or there is a sudden decline in profit, managers can delve further into the firm’s operations using ratio analysis to look for problem areas and address them accordingly. For instance, ratio analysis can allow analysts to view the rate turnover of a specific product line and examine whether something is lacking in that product line that is hindering the firm’s ability to get rid of that inventory to consumers. Such ratio analysis will be elaborated upon later in this paper. There are four types of financial statements; income statements, balance sheets, the statement of retained earnings, and the statement of cash flows, which are all vital and interrelated. The income statement calculates the firm’s net income or its earnings after expenses have been deducted and is used to calculate retained earnings at the end of the year (Parrino, 2011). Net income is calculated as followed: Net Income = Revenues – Expenses The balance sheet summarizes what assets the firm has at a specific point in time, as well as how the firm has financed such assets (Parrino, 2011). Total assets is calculated as followed: Total Assets = Total Liabilities + Total Stockholders’ Equity The value of assets will change annually since firms often buy and sell assets, thus altering the firm’s value and financing. Such changes are indicated in the  statement of cash flows, which gives a summary of changes in the firm’s balance sheet from the beginning of a period to the end (Parrino, 2011). The statement of retained earnings summarizes changes in the retained earnings in a simpler manner for managers than the statement of cash flows and basically shows the firm’s expenses and loss from one period to the next (Parrino, 2011). These financial statements can provide a lot of information to managers regarding the operations of the company. If Microsoft sees a decrease in its net income or total assets from one year to the next, this can indicate many things. A decrease in net income can indicate maybe some products are not selling as well as they have in the past, meaning Microsoft may need to change its marketing strategy or release a new product. A decrease in total assets can mean several things. Perhaps the company’s products are of less value than before or perhaps they have fewer liabilities. Deciding what specifically financial statements mean for the future of a firm often requires more in depth analysis through ratio analysis. Ratio analysis is the use of financial figures to analyze a firm’s overall operability and evaluate its strengths and weaknesses (Parrino, 2011). It can be used from various perspectives including stockholders, managers, and creditors, in order to evaluate the profitability of a firm. Specifically, a financial ratio is a â€Å"number from a financial statement that has been scaled by dividing by another financial number† in order to show something about the company’s operations (Parrino, 2011). There are several types of financial ratios; liquidity ratios, efficiency ratios, leverage ratios, profitability ratios, and market-value indicators. Liquidity ratios focus on whether â€Å"a firm has the ability to convert current assets into cash quickly without loss of value† (Parrino, 2011). Two liquidity ratios are as followed: Current Ratio = Current Assets / Current Liabilities Quick Ratio = (Current Assets – Inventory) / Current Liabilities Liquidity ratios indicate a firm’s ability to pay short-term obligations, such as interest payments for debt. This is very important because every firm has creditors, whether its investors, banks, or even tax collectors and even the most profitable company can go under if it is unable to pay all of its obligations for any reason. Efficiency ratios measure â€Å"how efficiently a firm uses its assets† and include the following: Inventory Turnover = Cost of Goods Sold / Inventory Days Sales in Inventory = 365 Days / Inventory Turnover Accounts Receivable Turnover = Net Sales / Accounts Receivable Days Sales Outstanding = 365 Days / Accounts Receivable Turnover Total Asset Turnover = Net Sales / Total Assets Fixed Asset Turnover = Net Sales / Net Fixed Assets Efficiency ratios are a useful tool in financial analysis because they can examine and identify inefficient use of any kind of asset. For instance, in our case of a decrease net income for Microsoft, financial analysts can look at the inventory turnover for each of its products and analyze whether one is too low indicating that the rate at which they are selling that specific product line is not efficient compared to the cost of producing that product line. Based on this managers can decide whether they should decrease the amount of inventory they produce or cut the product line all together. Leverage ratios are used to examine a firm’s financing or ability to meet long-term financial obligations. Leverage ratios are as followed: Total Debt Ratio = Total Debt / Total Assets Debt-to-Equity Ratio = Total Debt / Total Equity Equity Multiplier = Total Assets / Total Equity Leverage ratios are important because every firm uses debt or equity and often both for its financing, but the more debt a firm uses, the greater the risk it will default on those debt payments. So, for instance, the total debt ratio can tell you how much debt a firm uses in its capital structure and thus how volatile its earnings are (Parrino, 2011). Profitability ratios â€Å"measure management’s ability to efficiently use the firm’s assets to generate sales and manage the firm’s operations† (Parrino, 2011) and include the following: Gross Profit Margin = (Net Sales – Cost of Goods Sold) / Net Sales Operating Profit Margin = EBIT / Net Sales Net Profit Margin = Net Income / Net Sales Return on Assets(ROA) = Net Income / Total Assets EBIT ROA = EBIT / Total Assets Return on Equity(ROE) = Net Income / Total Equity Profitability ratios are important because they indicate a company’s ability to be profitable relative to its expenses. Market-value indicators predict the future of a firm’s finances using market value trends and financial statements. They include: Earnings Per Share(EPS) = Net Income / Shares Outstanding Price-Earnings Ratio(P/E) = Price Per Share / Earnings Per Share Market-to-Book Ratio = Market Value of Equity Per Share / Book Value of Equity per share Market-value indicators are important because they can assist in predicting the future for a firm. Whether the firm will be profitable using its current strategy or should it maybe switch to a different strategy to keep up with competing companies. All of these financial ratios are crucial to financial analysis in corporations and used very often by analysts, managers, creditors, stockholders, etc. Advantages and Disadvantages of Ratio Analysis Ratio analysis has several benefits. First, it offers various methods of analyzing a company’s financial wellbeing, going beyond just the financial statements by looking at specific aspects of operations. This can indicate strengths and shortcomings that managers should be aware of. Improvements can be made in order to increase profitability as a result. For instance, if a Microsoft notices that one product line has a higher days sales in inventory than another, this indicates that the specific product stays on the shelf longer and perhaps the firm should focus more on the product line with the lower days sales in inventory as it sells better. Secondly, ratio analysis can assist in predicting earnings or showing a pattern, which managers can use to find the best way to maintain financial profitability. While financial statements provide numbers such as revenues or expenses, ratio analysis can offer a concrete number describing revenues relative to the cost of the goods sold, such as with the gross profit margin. Such a ratio can indicate how profitable a firm’s operations were in a specific  period of time and if very profitable a concrete method of recreating such success. Essentially, ratio analysis simplifies the information provided in financial statements by compartmentalizing them to show patters and trends, which are very useful. Thirdly, ratio analysis can also be used in order to compare the firm’s operations to that of its competitors. Often, how well a company is doing depends on the market and how well other companies are doing, so ratio analysis provides a very useful tool to companies in making such comparisons. There are some disadvantages to ratio analysis. Predictions based on ratio analysis can be inaccurate from time to time. This is because ratio analysis is mostly based on historical data from previous time periods, which only offers so much information about the future. Yes, analysts can predict that the market will behave a certain way through market value indicators, but such predictions are only so accurate. The market can be affected by a variety of aspects, such as volatile economic conditions or even a natural disaster. For example following Hurricane Katrina, at â€Å"the end of the first week following†¦U.S. commercial crude oil inventories fell by 6.4 million barrels from the previous week,† indicating a strong market effect on petroleum due to the disaster (â€Å"Hurricane Katrina’s impact,† 2011). Businesses cannot control environmental disasters or economic conditions, which is why while ratio analysis is a very useful tool, it cannot always be relied on 100%. The use of market-value indicators is increasingly used in order to better forecast the future of a firm as it takes into account the economic climate at a specific point in time in order to predict the trend of future financial entities (Niazi, 2011) but again sometimes something like a natural disaster can negatively affect business. This is why having a high operating income and total assets is important to be prepared for such events. While not a perfect model as random economic turbulence can skew results, market-value indicators do still provide some insight into the future. Furthermore, when using ratio analysis to compare to another similar benchmark firm, there can also be pitfalls. Often it is impossible to find a company similar enough in size, corporate structure, and operations to properly compare to and gauge a market comparison. Thus, often ratio analysis when benchmarking can provide a skewed impression of where the firm stands against its competitors in the market. Financial statement and ratio analysis are very useful in corporate finance that provide much information to analysts, managers, stockholders, and creditors about the financial state of a firm. While there are some shortcomings to ratio analysis, its advantages in practice surely outweigh its disadvantages and offer valuable tools to cultivate a thriving company. References Hurricane Katrina’s impact on the U.S. oil and natural gas markets. (2011, September 12). Retrieved from http://www.eia.gov/oog/special/eia1_katrina_091205.html Niazi, G. S. K., Hunjra, A. I., Rashid , M., Akbar, S. W., & Akhtar, M. N. (2011). Practices of working capital policy and performance assessment financial ratios and their relationship with organization performance. World Applied Sciences Journal, 12(11), 1967-1973. Parino, R., Kidwell, D. S. & Bates, T. W. (2012). Fundamentals of Corporate Finance: Second edition. John Wiley & Sons; Hoboken, NJ.

African American Outline Essay

It happens to be common knowledge that throughout history African Americans have been oppressed, segregated, and disregarded as civil human beings. In the dawn of history Africans were regarded as animals and as such they would do the job of animals, however this paper will look at their sacrifices and fights to be treated as equals. United States Congress. (1866, April 9). Civil Rights Act. Retrieved from http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/exhibits/reconstruction/section4/section4_civrightsact1.html Amendments to the Constitution of the United States (2007)| Infoplease.com http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0749825.html#A0749838#ixzz2VD3iU0JEhttp://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0749825.html#A0749838 Abolishment of slavery.    See more: what is essay format    The abolishment of slavery brought on a war, not between two countries but a war that divided a country, one that is still spoken of today. The southern or â€Å"rebel† states rose against the President of the United States in retaliation of his and many others view that no man woman or child should be a slave. All people were created equal. Amendments to the Constitution of the United States (2007)| Infoplease.com http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0749825.html#A0749838#ixzz2VD3iU0JEhttp://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0749825.html#A0749838 (13th, 14th, and 15th amendments). Africans in politics. Although four million African American slaves were now free they had codes placed against them, the Black Codes restricted the lives and movement of these people. In order to override the codes the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments were drafted and passed. Not only was slavery abolished but all slaves were now citizens and in such race could no longer be used to prevent the vote of a person. Africans now had a voice on who was elected and soon they had African Americans running for government offices. Corbould, C. (2009) Becoming African Americans: Black Public Life in Harlem, 1919-1939 Harvard University Press. Cambridge, MA, USA. Harlem Renaissance African Americans soon were cast aside again, during the age of imperialism and leading into World War One Africans were struggling to make a life. Some fought in another war, this time not for their freedom but for the freedom from communism alongside their white counterparts. After the war ended blacks started to come together, the Harlem Renaissance was born. King, M. L. Jr. (2010) Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story. Beacon Press. Boston, MA, USA. Black power movement 1954 to 1963 America saw a strong struggle for the advancement of civil rights, equality and desegregation. From every day citizens expressing their belief in being equal to their white counterparts to lawyers fighting for the equality all had deserved. These times were pivitol in an unstable America. Not only were there these movements of civil equality and black power but also a war in a far land that many Americans were against at the time. Inventions and impact. From writers, inventors and powerful leaders throughout black history there are some that are household names and some that may be forgotten. I plan on taking a look back on those who through oppression continued to strive for better for themselves and for all. African Americans today. Not long ago segregation was prominent, civil rights were abused, racism and hate were common. Today we have CEO’s, congressmen and senators, military leaders and the President of the United States who are all African Americans. No longer considered a minority in many’s eyes, African Americans have literally built themselves from slaves to leaders and teachers.

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Recruitment, selection and deployment of human resources - Case Study Example Care should be taken to make these appraisal systems time bound, reliable, factual and consistent across all outlets. 2. Certainly, it is appropriate to modify the current rating systems in some of the stores. As these stores have a geographic element ingrained in their structure to cater to geographic customer needs, customer satisfaction needs to find a pivotal place and scope in these rating systems. Besides, while taking into consideration some practical concerns like practicality and economic viability, the rating systems in these stores need to be made more frequent rather than being annual or semi-annual. The rating system also needs to be made consistent across most of the stores to assure their accuracy and reliability. 3. One primary performance measurement and determination criteria I would suggest to the management would be Job Result, focusing on the measurable results of the jobs performed by varied employees like sales volume, quality and quantity of work done, etc. I would also suggest rating employees in consonance with their job behavior, like the amount of consideration and patience shown with customers. These particular stores strongly need to have a strong customer satisfaction

Industrially Significant Elements and Compounds of Steel Term Paper

Industrially Significant Elements and Compounds of Steel - Term Paper Example Carbon is found in large quantities from wood and coal (Hall, 1997). According to Hall (1997), Iron is mixed with carbon to form either steel or cast iron. Iron ore immediately extracted from the ground is rich in iron content or is concentrated. The concentration is then reduced in a blast furnace by the use of coke and limestone flux. The resulting product from the furnace is called pig iron. Pig iron is strong enough to be molded into various c shapes. Cast iron and its different types are produced at the foundry industries. The different types of cast iron produced at foundry industries include ductile iron, gray iron, and malleable iron. However, a larger percentage of cast iron is further refined to produce steel. Steel is the major metal consumed in large quantities around the world. Industrially Significant Elements and Compounds Steel is classified into three categories known as carbon steel, stainless steel, and alloy steel. However, all steels are seen as being alloys. Ste els are categorized as alloys because they contain other metals apart from manganese, silicon and phosphorous. These compounds are introduced as deliberate additions to the iron and carbon mixture (Hall, 1997). According to Hall (1997), Carbon steel varies on the ability of strength, how easily they can be welded and how easily they can be formed as well as their ability to be used in the formation of machines. Carbon steels are produced according to the range of quality. This is due to the level of certain element concentration. However, all carbon steel can rust if exposed to air, salts, and acids. Further, when carbon steel is bound to be exposed to some corrosive materials, they can be coated with paint or epoxy. Other metals can also be used to coat carbon to prevent any effects caused by corrosive materials. Currently, the readily available metal coatings of steal include zinc and another compound of zinc or aluminum. These steel metal coatings are used in the food and beverag e industries for safety measures. Another important element of steel to be considered is stainless steel.  

Financial Prospectus Content Paper Essay Example for Free

Financial Prospectus Content Paper Essay Prepare the first seven components of your venture’s Financial Prospectus. The Financial Prospectus must include the information you provided in the individual assignments from Week One and Two, revised as necessary based on material covered in subsequent workshops and organized with new material added as necessary. Post your assignment as a Microsoft ® Word attachment in APA format. Every freshman should understand and realize that the freshman 15 does in fact exist. It is important that everyone take the necessary steps to ensure that they are getting proper nutrition during their first year in college. While it might be tempting to pile on some fries for dinner every night, youll pay for it in the long run. This work comprises FIN 375 Week 4 Financial Prospectus Content Paper Business General Business Individual Financial Prospectus Content Paper Resources: Final Prospectus Expectations Prepare the first seven components of your venture’s Financial Prospectus. The Financial Prospectus must include the information you provided in the individual assignments from Week One and Two, revised as necessary based on material covered in subsequent workshops and organized with new material  added as necessary. Post your assignment as a Microsoft ® Word attachment in APA format. Every freshman should understand and realize that the freshman 15 does in fact exist. It is important that everyone take the necessary steps to ensure that they are getting proper nutrition during their first year in college. While it might be tempting to pile on some fries for dinner every night, youll pay for it in th A+ tutorial you will find here https://bitly.com/1wySU49 Every freshman should understand and realize that the freshman 15 does in fact exist. It is important that everyone take the necessary steps to ensure that they are getting proper nutrition during their first year in college. While it might be tempting to pile on some fries for dinner every night, youll pay for it in the long run. Business General Business Individual Financial Prospectus Content Paper Resources: Final Prospectus Expectations Prepare the first seven components of your venture’s Financial Prospectus. The Financial Prospectus must include the information you provided in the individual assignments from Week One and Two, revised as necessary based on material covered in subsequent workshops and organized with new material added as necessary. Post your assignment as a Microsoft ® Word attachment in APA format.

No end to this disgrace in sight! Essay Example for Free

No end to this disgrace in sight! Essay †¢ U. S. Prison Population Soars in 2003, 04 The population of the nations prisons and jails has grown by about 900 inmates each week between mid-2003 and mid-2004, according to figures released Sunday by the Bureau of Justice Statistics. By last June 30 the system held 2. 1 million people, or one in every 138 U. S. residents. [The] increase can be attributed largely to get-tough policies enacted in the 1980s and 1990s. Among them are mandatory drug sentences, three-strikes-and-youre-out laws for repeat offenders and truth-in-sentencing laws that restrict early releases. [M]any of those incarcerated are not serious or violent offenders, but are low-level drug offenders — ABC News, 2005-04-25 Its a rosy future for the prisons-for-profit industry. †¢ Gregory Palast: Gilded Cage: Wackenhuts Free Market in Human Misery †¢ A Letter to Barbara Bush †¢ Noam Chomsky: The War on (Certain) Drugs †¢ Lee Rodgers: The Duplicity of the War on Drugs Looking at the accumulated evidence that the Contras and the CIA engaged in cocaine smuggling to fund the covert war in Nicaragua, suspicion arises concerning the apparent coincidence that CIA-Contra drug smuggling was contemporaneous with the war on drugs. From a CIA covert action in Latin America the cocaine has made its way NORTH (ala Oliver North) to the American consumer, who is consistently portrayed as African-American by the mass media, even though the majority of cocaine consumption is by whites. The disturbing prospect arises that this war on drugs was nothing more than CIA-style psychological warfare which sought to acquire as much as possible of the sum total of our civil liberties while particularly targeting minorities. †¢ Daniel Hopsicker: The Secret Heartbeat of America: A New Look at the Mena Story. I will never, as long as I live, forget our Midnight ride to Mena, seated beside tour guide and American hero Russell Welch. Im convinced that what I saw there that night was a fully functional and operational secret government installation. By that, I do not mean a secret installation of the government of the United States of America. Unh-uh. What I believe I saw, and what I believe exists in Mena, Arkansas today is an installation of the secret government that runs the government of the United States of America. And heres what I suspect: that today, long after Oliver North has become nothing but a minor league radio DJ and long after the contra war is just a fading memory of yet another minor league war, our government — yours and mine — is going about the lucrative worldwide business of drug production and distribution. †¢ Peter Webster: Anatomy of a Fiasco: a review of The Swedish Drug Control System As with the understanding of crowd madnesses and ritual persecutions of old, a satisfactory and general theory of our great modern Prohibitionist folly will probably have to await not only the final demise of the madness, but an intervening period of normalization and healing recuperation lasting perhaps several generations. From the perspective of the distant future, historians may well conclude that the centuries-long phenomenon of Substance Prohibition reached its dizzying peak in the late 20th Century as a climactic exaggeration ad absurdum of a long-enduring collective delusion and paranoia. But even if we could, by virtue of a time machine, read such a theory today, the continued existence of the crowd madness in our midst would certainly preclude any general recognition or acceptance of its validity. Thus, although there now exist a few obscure essays which may someday be seen as harbingers of that still-distant revelation, they will probably have minimal influence on the immediate course of events and we can today do little more than study local details of the Prohibitionist phenomenon and force society to look at the ugly and counterproductive results of its obsession in the ongoing attempt at curing the malady by stages. There seems absolutely no possibility that a great and general truth about Prohibition, no matter how brilliantly expressed, could today awaken Western Civilization from its present nightmare. But in the meanwhile, to assist the growing number of individuals who can see the inevitable if distant dawn of a new rationality, a wealth of excellent literature exists and continues to grow at a gratifying pace. Such literature deals with the local details of the Prohibitionist phenomenon in ways which both illustrate its illogic and destructiveness to society, and suggests practical if only provisional tactics and strategy for limiting the ravages of Prohibition and tackling the difficult task of awakening the general public to its complicity and participation in a crowd madness of major proportions. †¢ Kristianna ThoMas: Opium War: Britain Stole Hong Kong From China Governments have been behind the drug trade for a long time. †¢ Illicit Lemon Drops Get Boy a School Suspension — from the Los Angeles Times, 1997-11-20: COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — A 6-year-old boy has been suspended for half a day for bringing drugs to school: lemon drops bought in a health food store. The fire department and an ambulance were called after a teacher found first-grader Seamus Morris giving the candies to a fellow pupil on the playground Oct. 29, said his mother, Shana Morris. She said both boys parents were urged to take their children to the hospital for tests, despite her assurances that the lemon drops were harmless. John Bushey, an administrator at Taylor Elementary School, said the half-day suspension was consistent with the districts drug policy, which treats unfamiliar products as controlled substances. Heres the original Denver Post story. †¢ How the U. S. Drug War Plays in the European Media According to Juan, the US government is chiefly concerned with getting political and economic advantages from the drug trade Washington uses the DEA to pressure other countries politically. At times, the US permits drug trafficking so that it can get information to use to blackmail foreign governments. As the Hopsicker article shows, the U. S. State of Arkansas is one of the murky epicenters of the CIAs smuggling of addictive drugs into America. Finally some light is falling upon the creepie-crawlie characters in this cesspool. The case of Dan Harmon is interesting: †¢ Dan Harmon Indicted. He is charged with running a drug-related criminal enterprise while serving as prosecuting attorney for the states 7th Judicial District and heading its federally funded drug task force. †¢ Dan Harmon Convicted Despite the apparent wish of the federal prosecutors to take a dive, the jury convicts. †¢ Arkansas Justice An editorial from the Wall Street Journal. †¢ A Question Regarding Harmon Harmon ran what a lawyer in Pulaski County recently described as a reign of terror in the counties he was sworn to serve. All of that raises the question of why the man was not stopped earlier. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Those interested in the drug scandals of Arkansas can read more on the CIA page and in the selected messages from the CIADRUGS mailing list. †¢ Crime and the War on Drugs — from Harry Brownes 1996 U. S. presidential election campaign platform †¢ Vin Suprynowicz: The Big Lie †¢ U. S. to Criminalize Trade in Vitamins Are you a vitamin C abuser? †¢ DEA raid on Shulgin Laboratory †¢ Further information and ongoing reports from the trustee of the Alexander T. Shulgin Trust (including the final report). †¢ Drug lawyer speculates on the future. †¢ The Marijuana Policy Project The MPP is working to chip away at the excesses of the current prohibitionist policies, gradually replacing them with reasonable regulations. †¢ Interview with Michael Levine, former DEA agent, in which he relates his involvement as an undercover agent in heroin and cocaine smuggling in S. E. Asia and South America. †¢ Cocaine Politics — Drugs, Armies and the CIA in Central America A book by an academic and a journalist which exposes the lies and hypocrisy behind the war on drugs. †¢ A review of Smoke and Mirrors: The War on Drugs and the Politics of Failure †¢ A review of The Politics of Consciousness: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom †¢ The Arguments against Cannabis are Flimsy! from the Usenet newsgroup uk. politics. drugs. †¢ The Introduction from the 1996 Positronics Sinsemilla Fanclub Catalogue. There are some countries (considerably more enlightened than the U. S. ) where the war on drugs is perceived even by the government itself to be a lie and a fraud. †¢ Paul Staines: Acid House Parties Against the Lifestyle Police and the Safety Nazis †¢ Costs of cannabis laws outweigh their alleged benefit, an excerpt from Marijuana: The New Prohibition by Professor John Kaplan. †¢ Civil Asset Forfeiture — the end of the rule of law Legal theft in America. †¢ The Introduction to Brenda Grantlands Your House is Under Arrest You may say this could never happen in America because the U. S. Constitution protects you. There you are wrong, because it is happening in the U. S. — at an alarmingly increasing pace. †¢ Judy Aita: U. N. Drug Report †¢ Licensed to Deal, Marijuana Sellers Put Arizona on the Spot †¢ U. S. prosecutions of pro-marijuana doctors barred At the end of April 1997 a U. S. district judge issued an order temporarily barring the federal government from prosecuting California doctors who recommend marijuana to their patients. †¢ Court gives pot back to epileptic Judge Sheppard stressed that his decision had nothing to do with the recreational use of marijuana but was based on solid proof that the substance is an irreplaceable aid to Mr.Parkers health problems. He said that to deny Mr. Parker the substance would be to interfere with his right to life, liberty and security of person. Liberty includes the right of an individual to make decisions of personal importance, the judge said, and health is surely one of them. †¢ Steven Silverman: A Harsh Civics Lesson †¢ Dr. Bernhard Haisch: A Viagra-model Solution to the War on Drugs †¢ Medical Use of Cannabis Could Soon be Legal †¢ Illicit drug use in the EU: legislative approaches (372 Kb PDF file) †¢ Edgar J. Steele: Pogo Was Right.

Removing Bubbles From Wallpaper

Removing Bubbles From Wallpaper The most important and the useful thing in decorating your house is the wallpaper. There are several wallpapers available in the market that you can apply on your own. However there are several problems that the person normally faces while applying wallpaper. The biggest problem is of the wallpaper bubble and so most of the people want to know the tips for getting a bubble out of the wallpaper. To begin with what are wallpaper bubbles? They are the bumps visible in the wallpapers surface that are caused because of the air pockets that are trapped between the wall as well as the paper. It is quite common to find such wallpaper bubbles in every wall even if the wallpapers are applied by the professionals. But that doesnt means that it is not at all possible to have the beautiful wallpaper on the wall without the wallpaper bubbles. There are several easy as well as simple DIY fixes that are best in providing you the wallpaper look smooth as well as totally free from the wallpaper bubbles. In addition there are several useful tips that are helpful in enabling one to apply wallpapers on the wall without any bubbles. Some of the tips that are considered very helpful for you to get out from the trouble of wallpaper bubble, if they have already arisen. They are as under: The first thing you can do with the air bubble is that you can cut the air bubble with the craft knife in the cross. Open the leaves from the cut put some adhesive and then again smoothen it back into the place. You can also use a pin in order to put the hole in the air bubble. After doing so you can put some of the adhesive over the hole and then leave it to dry for some days. It is also beneficial if you try pricking the hole with the help of syringe with a long needle. You can force the paste into the hole with the help of syringe and flatten it again. You can also try hard rollers on the surface. It is so because it helps in getting the bubble out of the wallpaper. All the above stated points will help you in getting a bubble out of wallpaper.

Tv vs Reading: Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451 :: Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451

If you admit that it’s easier to watch television/ movies then what is the difference between you and Mildred?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I definitely think that it is much easier to watch television and movies then it is to read books. When you watch TV and movies, the characters actually act out their roles instead of you having to make it up yourself, which is harder than just watching it. I am a lot different from Mildred though. She doesn’t even know if it would be easier to read books or watch TV because she doesn’t read them because they are forbidden of course. If anyone is caught with books in their house, their house is burnt down to a crisp. She is afraid of even picking up a book. I guess that you can say that Mildred is â€Å"obsessed† with watching television and movies. I feel that she feels like she absolutely has to watch it to survive. At least that is what she makes me think when I read this book. I think that it is not only odd that she thinks of the people on television as family, but I also think that it is crazy. When I first read that she thought that that about those people and did call them family, I literally thought that there was something wrong with her†¦mentally. Don’t get me wrong†¦I love to watch TV and movies, but I would never in a million years consider anyone on there my aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. That is just one big difference between Mildred and I. I really don’t know of any normal person who acts like her. Like I said, television and movies are very easy to watch and there is not much thinking that you have to do because you can almost say that the thinking, in a sense, is done for you. It is easier to see something visually than have to visualize it for yourself. When you read a book, you have to concentrate on who is speaking, but on television and movies you don’t have to because the people in the TV/movie act out their own parts. Another big difference between Mildred and I is that first of all I read a lot of books and even though I think that watching television and movies is much more easier, I would much rather read a book. I am the type of person who doesn’t like things given to me, but I like to figure them out on my own.

Essay --

Joey Kuhlmann Mrs. Aeschilman Creative Writing 12 December 2013 A Faithful Draft The arrival of winter was well on its way. The colorful leaves had turned to brown and fallen from the branches of the trees. The sky seamed bigger with the disappearance of the leaves. As Robert drove down the long country road he was much more aware of all his surroundings. He grew up in this small town and always thought he would never leave. He knew every inch of the area. This place is where he grew up and had some of the best times of his life. The new chapter of his life was exciting, but then he also had a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach of something not right. Three weeks ago Robert, twenty four years old, finished his second year of college. He enjoyed college life, fraternity friends, parties, and everything that goes along with college. Because of some family problems a couple years ago, he did not start college on time like most of his friends, but he was working his way through. Earlier in the year Robert had a little trouble in a couple classes. Then the cursed letter arrived in the mail. Robert was being drafted; he was going to war. Colleges notify the draft board when students fail classes. Which is exactly what happened to Robert. Robert would have to travel to an army base for his basic training, and then he would later find out that he was to be assigned directly to Pakistan to fight in the war. Robert was in shock. Although he felt like he must serve his country, the little boy in him kicked in and he didn’t want to leave. If he had only tried a little harder, or gone to a professor for extra help, he would probably still be only worried about school. But these were the choices he made and the consequences he would ha... ...though it was war, he had still taken lives; and this thought bothered Robert greatly. Today Robert realized he was doing his country a great deal of duty as he drifted off for a short sleep. The next day, Robert awoke to yet another sequence of loud noises. Only this time they were a lot worse and all he could see was fire. The next thing Robert knew he was rolling on the ground with an unbearable pain. The next week Robert’s closes friend and family broke down as he walked off the plane with permanent scars all across his face. Robert immediately hugged his parent’s and pulled out a little book. This book was his pocket Bible that he carried with him always in Pakistan. He went over to Father Miller and handed him the burnt book and broke down and thank Father Miller. Father Miller was in awe and he explained that he had done nothing and God was what saved him.

Tripmaster Monkey Essay -- essays research papers

Tripmaster Monkey   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Wittman uses theatre throughout the book 'Tripmaster Monkey'; to get back to his cultural roots and Asian culture. He is trying to find himself through theatre and to open up a new avenue for his people. There are numerous examples of this throughout the book as he is writing his play and incorporating the old (legends and myths) with the new (contemporary times).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first significant reference to legend occurs when Wittman is putting his entire night's worth of writing into the incinerator (42). As he does so, he reflects on the arrival of Monkey, Tripitaka and friends at the Western Paradise. They secure the sacred scriptures, and are on their way home to china when curious Monkey takes a peek at the books, only to find that the pages are blank. They return to Paradise to complain, and because their spiritual incapacity makes hem unable to absorb the truths of a blank text, are given pages with writing on them. But it turns out that the Heart Sutra's wisdom concerns the emptiness of inherent existence, and the blank text was the right way to express that truth after all. Kingston is illustrating the frustration Wittman feels at having to put into words the truths that are obvious to him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At another point in the book, Wittman recalls when the Monkey learns his position in Heaven (61). Monkey is ecstatic to have a place in Heaven, an important role to play, but once...