PEST Analysis of Starbuck in China Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

PEST Analysis of Starbuck in China - Coursework Example The object of analysis for the purpose of this assignment is Starbucks, an American coffee company which is operating in many countries worldwide. It has the title of being the largest coffeehouse company with around 25,000 stores. It is renowned for providing hot as well as cold beverages, pastries as well as snacks. It was founded in the year 1971 and has since then, opened up stores in around 62 stores. It was opened by three students who were inclined to sell high quality coffee beans as well as coffee equipment. In 1996, Starbucks opened its first location outside North America in Tokyo, Japan. People`s republic of China is the most populous country of the world and is located in the East Asian region. With around 1.35 billion people in the country, China is now being considered as the fastest growing economy of the world. It has become the second largest economy in terms of nominal GDP and purchasing power parity, after the United States of America. The first Starbucks in china opened in Taiwan in March 1998. The increase in consumer interests and appreciation of coffee resulted in the opening up of new stores in Beijing, Hong Kong as well as Macau. In all, Starbucks has around 1000 stores in China. PEST analysis includes political, economic, social as well as technological factors which have a direct impact on the operations of a firm. Political factors involve the intervention of the government in the economy in terms of tax policies, policies of export as well as other environmental and legal laws. Overall, it also includes other influences which the government can have on an organization`s operations. With regards to the political factors in Hongkong, it has been under the rule of mainland China but it has been allowed to implement its own business laws in the economy. This has made it easier for Starbucks to operate in China. However, Starbucks is required to comply with all the laws and regulations of the country. The Chinese government has introduc ed positive policies to encourage FDI by protecting the interests as well as the legal rights of foreign companies. China also has a consistent political environment as well as lower labor costs which attract foreign companies to start operations in the country. The local government policies including free trade zones and loans have encouraged Starbucks and other multinational to start operations as well as expand its business in China (Business Environment In China: Economic, Political, And Cultural Factors 2013). Another important factor is that these favorable governmental polices do not change with changes in the governments. This makes it easier for the foreign companies to operate. However, it has been observed that these policies and laws are not implemented in the country which affects the sustainability of Chinese economy. Furthermore, the company has lower and inefficient transportation, communication as well as energy resources. The city of Hong Kong, for example, is know n as the most tax-friendly economies of the world because of its low tax system as well as direct taxes only on profits, salaries and properties. The tax rates have remained constant showing the political stability in China, especially in Hong Kong (Starbucks in China, 2013; China Business News-Starbucks soars in China 2013). Economic factors: Economic factors include the inflation rate, interest rates, economic growth and exchange rates which have an impact on business operations. The factor of exchange rates, for example, has an impact on the costs and prices of exports and imports. Interest rates affect the cost of capital of firms which is further related to the growth and expansion of companies. Economic factors i

2001 A Space Odyssey :: essays research papers

2001 was released in the tumultuous spring of 1968, at the same time that Americans were reeling from President Lyndon Johnson’s announcement that he would not seek reelection and the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. It might seem odd that so many people would get so excited about a science fiction movie in the midst of urban race riots and campus protests against the Vietnam War, but to many, 2001 had far greater importance than its sci-fi trappings. Baffling early audiences with its non-traditional structure, theme, and presentation, the film was soon embraced by many members of a younger generation entranced by its consciousness-raising message and its psychedelic special effects. Over the next 30 years, the film would not only become a part of American culture, but would eventually be hailed as a masterpiece of modern cinema. An examination of 2001’s appeal over the last three decades provides insight into the changing perceptions of a single cultural document over time. Young Baby Boomers were initially attracted to the film for very different reasons than those of audiences in the 1990s. Because 2001 is unlike many other films in that it invites its viewers to apply their own subjective interpretations, it serves particularly well as a signpost for contemporary social attitudes and trends. By examining the different ways that 2001 has been interpreted by its audience over that time, it reveals a great deal about evolving cultural attitudes toward issues such as technology, spirituality, and the commercialization of American society. 2001: A Space Odyssey was the third biggest box office hit of 1968 (after Mike Nichols’ The Graduate and William Wyler’s Funny Girl) and, upon the completion of its initial theatrical run, was one of the top twenty grossing movies of all time.[1] Over the next 30 years it would go on to gross over $56.7 million in the United States and $190.7 million worldwide.[2] Science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke’s companion novel of the same name has sold over four million copies worldwide,[3] and his three follow-up novels to the story have all spent several weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. One of these sequels was turned into a moderately successful film, 2010: The Year We Make Contact, released nearly 15 years after 2001. Audiences, critics, and filmmakers consistently rank the film among the 100 best ever made. Chicago Sun-Times critic Roger Ebert has stated that if asked which films would still be familiar to audiences 200 years from now, he would select 2001, The Wizard of Oz, Casablanca, and Star Wars as his first choices.

The Structure of Myth and the Structure of Western Film

? The Structure of Myth and the Structure of Western Film Based on Saussure (1974), structuralism is a theoretical method derived from his theoritical work. He divides language into two component parts which together produce a third (signifier, signified and meaning). According to him, meaning is produced through a process of combination and selection. As Saussure insists, â€Å"In language, there are only differences without positive terms†¦ language has neither ideas not sounds that existed before the linguistic system, but only conceptual and phonic differences that have issued for the system. (1974: 120) Saussure divides language into langue and parole. Langue refers to system of language, the rules and conventions which organized it. Parole refers to individual utterance, the individual use of language. Structuralism takes two basic ideas from Saussure’s work. First, a concern with the underlying relations of cultural text and practices – the grammar which ma kes meaning possible. Second, the view that meaning is always the result of the interplay of relationship of selection and combination made possible by the underlying structure. According to Levi – Strauss, the myths are structured in terms of binary opositions. All myths also have similar social culture function within society. Their purpose is to make the world explicable, to magically resolveits problems and contradictions. In sixguns and society, Will Wright (1975) use both methodologies to analyze the Hollywood Western as myth. According to Wright, the western has evolved through three stages: classic, transition theme and professional. He also identifies a basic set of structuring opositions: inside society >< outside society, good >< bad, strong >< wilderness (49). In order to fully understand the social meaning of a myth, it is necessary to analyze not only its binary structure but also its narrative structure – the progression of event and the resolution of conflicts. The classic western is divided into sixteen narrative functions. Those are: 1. The hero enters a social group. 2. The hero is unknown to the society. 3. The hero is revealed to have an exceptional ability. 4. The society recognizes a difference between themselves and the hero; the hero is given a special status. 5. The society does not completely accept the hero. . There is a conflict of interests between the villains and the society. 7. The villains are stronger than the society; the society is weak. 8. There is a strong friendship or respect between the hero and a villain. 9. The villains threaten the society. 10. The hero avoids involvement in the conflict. 11. The villains endanger a friend of the hero. 12. The hero fights the villains. 13. The hero defeats the villai ns. 14. The society is safe. 15. The society accepts the hero. 16. The hero loses or gives up his special status. (48-9) Poststructuralism and popular movie Poststructuralists reject the idea of an underlying structure ultimately determining the meaning of a cultural text or practice. For poststructuralists, meaning is always process, a momentary stop in a continuous flow of possibilities. Jacques Derida (1973) has invented a new word to describe the divided nature of the sign: meaning both to defer and to differ. The sign is made meaningful for Saussure by being different. Derrida adds to this notion that meaning is also always deferred, never fully present, always both absent and present. Jacques Lacans poststructuralist account of the development of the subject has had an enormous influence on both cultural studies and film studies. Lacan takes Freud’s developmental structure and rearticulates it through a critical reading of structuralism to produce a poststructuralist psychoanalysis. According to Lacan, we make a journey through three determinate stages of development. Those three determinate stages are: 1. mirror phase 2. the fort-da game 3. Oedipus complex Laura Mulvey’s (1975) work is in part an attempt to appropriate the poststructuralist psychoanalysis on Lacan for a feminist film criticism. Using Lacan, she constructs an analysis of how popular cinema produces and reproduces what she calls the male gaze. The inscription of the image of women inthis system is twofold: she is the object of a male desire, and she is the signifier of the threat of castration. A particular problem for cultural studies is Mulvey’s account of the audience as purely textual- a homogenous and passive production of the text. There is no room in Mulvey’s theory for social, historical subjects who arrive at the cinema with a range of competing and contradictory discourses, which confront and negotiate with the discourse of the film.

A New Healthcare Strategy For The Delivery Of Care

Healthcare financing is proven to be challenging. A balance between adequate access, acceptable quality and affordable cost are the main objectives of a healthcare system (Paterson, 2014, p. 13). The island of Tekram is finding extremely difficult to achieve a solution to the current crisis of their healthcare system. The objective to this case study is to recommend a new healthcare strategy to island government. Objectives: 1. To improve educational level of Tekram residents. 2. To increase economic development in poverty areas. 3. To decrease prevalence of are preventable health problems. Goal: To decrease the prevalence of the top 3 conditions present on Tekram population (which are cardiovascular disease, stroke and diabetes) by 50% within 5 years. Tekram new health strategy should focus on preventive medicine. Preventive measures have been proven to save money in the delivery of care. Major health problems of Tekram are cardiovascular disease, stroke and diabetes. All three of these conditions are greatly reduced in prevalence with the appropriate education (Prevention for a Healthier America, 2009). In addition, other problems like tuberculosis can be help with education. For instance, if people are educated about finishing the course of antibiotics, then less cases of drug-resistant will emerge. However, health in a society is developed by increase in the educational level, improvement in the environment, and economic development on areas of poverty (Paterson,Show MoreRelatedHealth Care Vs. Healthcare System1052 Words   |  5 Pagesin deteriorating situation. Health insurance has been assisting avenue for many people; however, many are still left with no insurance. This essay compares health care system in United State and healthcare system in Nigeria. Americans have healthcare system that ensures that most people in United State are covered by good healthcare insurance. 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