McDonalds Marketing Strategy in the World Assignment

McDonalds Marketing Strategy in the World - Assignment Example It was established in 1955 in Illinois, USA. McDonalds has become one of the most successful restaurant chains and largest hamburger food chain in the world. After successful business in United States, it expanded its operation overseas by opening its first overseas outlet in Canada.† Currently, $6 billion McDonalds serves about 64 million international customers each day with more than 33000 franchises operating in 121 countries. After every three hours, a McDonalds franchise is opened somewhere in the world. The average expansion rate of Mc franchises is 2500 store per year (McDonalds 2011). General Globalization Perspective and Marketing Challenges Going global requires a firm to set certain strategies that earn it success around the world. The firm has to accommodate in its product or services the cultural, religious and social values of the region it operates in. Some firms or industries get more benefit from global markets than operating locally. Globalization provides to the firms the factor cost differences, by exploiting which they can become more profitable. It also encourages businesses to shift towards the low tariff charging countries where the cost of doing business is low and/or demand for certain products is high. And due to societal and cultural benefits, the companies have more chances to bring innovation into their products. The global expansion brings efficiency, flexibility and innovation in a firm’s production system (QuickMba 2010) The firms which go global develop certain strategies to efficiently capture the overseas markets and cope with potential problems they might face operating there. They also develop Marketing Strategies to position in minds of customers the positive, tempting and healthy image of their products. Marketing strategy of a firm intends to correct what the customers feel about the organization. It deals with positioning the unique features of the product in customers’ minds. When the product a com pany offers is not liked by or is against the local, cultural, religious or social values, the marketing of the product becomes a difficult task and most of the times the products are altered up to the desire of the local demand to be accepted easily. So a great care is taken while marketing in different countries. McDonalds Marketing Strategies McDonalds is one of the best known brands worldwide. McDonalds’ dynamic business strategies made it leading global foodservice retailer in international market. Due to sound global expansion strategies and effective management, McDonalds leads the fast food restaurant industry through out the world. McDonalds sales are three times ahead of its top competitors. What earned McDonalds such image is how it has created loyalty in its customers through its marketing strategies throughout the world. With the combination of sound fundamental practices and innovative marketing, McDonalds has created a unique value to customers (McDonald 2008) McDonalds operates in about 121 countries of the world. This expansion includes Europe, Japan, China, India, Russia and other substantial markets. The following discussion will contain the specific strategies McDonalds practiced in its substantial markets. McDonalds marketing strategies in UK UK has been a very significant market for McDonalds since its launch in 1974 there. McDonalds operates in UK with more than 1000 restaurants and has gained substantial fast food market share. McDonalds followed various policies to gain an edge in the market by shaping the brand as British as possible. Marketing the McDonalds, not just the products For McDonalds, primary marketing objective was not marketing the food. Rather it emphasized on

Master Harold and the Boys Essay Example for Free

Master Harold and the Boys Essay â€Å"Master Harold† and the boys, by the white South African playwright Athol Fugard, is a naturalistic play set in a Tea Room in Port Elizabeth on a rainy day in 1950. Two black servants, Sam and Willie, and their white master’s son Hally (‘Master Harold’), have deep conversations about the good time they had together when Hally was young. In the beginning of the play, Sam and Willie, practice their dancing techniques and talk about an upcoming dance contest. Fugard has created first impressions of situation and characters in the opening of the play by using set design, stage directions, duologue as well as speech and tone. The opening of the play is interpreted as being up to Hally’s first entry. Firstly, the unprofessional and for the audience surprisingly casual and light-hearted situation is created by Fugard’s choice of set design, stage directions and duologue. Secondly, Sam and Willie’s relationship is proven of unequal status, yet intimate and deep, by the difference in speech and tone, and by the choice of topics in the duologue. Finally, initial perceptions of a childish and rude Willie and an intelligent and experienced Sam are constructed through mostly speech and tone. The unprofessional impression of the Tea Room and the carefree and easy going ambiance is created by set design and stage directions, and duologue. Firstly, the amateurish impression of the business is created by the blackboard on which an untrained hand has chalked up the prices of the items, and by the few sad ferns in pots in the room. Furthermore, the fact that Fugard has chosen to clear all tables to one side, suggests that the business is not doing well, because the Tea Room is not likely to be expecting any customers. Secondly, the audience notices immediately that the mood in the room is casual, by letting Willie start off with singing a song as he mops down the floor. This strong mood is then reinforced when Willie suddenly gets up and starts dancing, Sam eagerly encouraging and correcting Willie’s dance technique. The audience must have been surprised by this casual situation, because one must not forget that at the time of the performance, around 1982, apartheid in South Africa was considerably further developed than the setting of the play. The fact that two black men, obviously workers, are without supervision of a white person and that they are enjoying themselves during work must have raised a sense of unease from the spectators, unsure how to react. The relationship between Sam and Willie is profound, yet Sam seems to have a higher status compared to Willie, as suggested by Fugard’s choice of topic of conversation and by the contrast between the terms of address and physical position. To begin with, the way in which both men communicate is very informal. Willie uses plenty of swear words, like â€Å"fuckin’ whore† or â€Å"bitch†, whereas Sam uses a higher register, but is still joking around with Willie (â€Å"How’s your pillow with the quickstep?†). This use of language suggests that both men feel at ease and that they have known each other for a very long time already. A sense of intimate relationship is also created by the topics of conversation. Willie is very open with Sam about his relationship with Hilda Samuels, as when he talks about the problems buying food for their baby of which he isn’t even sure it is his son (â€Å"Only his hair looks like me.†); he shows no hesitation to discuss the matter with Sam. Sam even knows that Willie often beats up his girlfriend, suggesting that they have been living alongside for a long time. The audience realises that it is watching an intimate conversation, which makes them attentive, curious and involved in the discussion. Secondly, Sam’s higher social position is suggested by the contrast between the way Sam addresses Willie and vice versa, almost like a teacher-student relation. Sam suggests improvements for Willie’s dance technique, as â€Å"Don’t look down!† or â€Å"But you’re too stiff!†, as well as how he could be more successful in his relationships with girlfriends (â€Å"You hit her too much.†) and Willie reacts willingly to take up the advice. Also, Sam demonstrates the dance as it should be, suggesting that Sam is more experienced. Lastly, a subtle but symbolic detail is the physical positioning of Sam and Willie at the very beginning of the play: Willie is mopping down the floor on his knees, working, while Sam is flicking through a comic book, standing, and obviously not working. Fugard has visualised their relationship by the contrast between kneeling and sitting, and working and relaxing, and this can in fact be applied to the entire rest of the play. Sam is portrayed as a confident, intelligent and experienced character through his speech and tone. The way Sam guides Willie through the learning process of the quickstep, and even demonstrates a much more accomplished dance than Willie, indicates he is a skillful dancer himself. Fugard has made the audience feel sympathy towards Sam, as he encourages Willie, â€Å"Look happy, Willie! Relax Willie!†, although Willie is a hopeless dancer. Fugard represents Willie’s character as slightly vulnerable, unexperienced, and as a bad lover through his reactions to Sam’s teasing, the difficulties he has with learning the quickstep and through his description of his relationship with girlfriends. Willie is very quickly frustrated by Sam’s advice, like â€Å"Yesterday I’m not straight today I’m too stiff!† and â€Å"I try hard because it is hard.†. Willie’s incapability to cope with Sam’s teasing once even results in a small brawl between the two of them: â€Å"It’s finish between us.† Furthermore, Willie is clearly a bad love partner, confirmed when he describes his girlfriend as a â€Å"whore† and a â€Å"bitch†, but which is, quite ironically, provoked by himself hitting his girlfriend every once in a while. This, together with his vulgar choice of language, results in an aversion from the audience to Willie. To conclude, Fugard has managed to create strong first impressions in the opening of the play in terms of situation and characters. He has used set design, stage directions and duologue to create an unprofessional and casual ambience. In terms of characters, Fugard has succeeded in associating strong characteristic features to Sam and Willie, both intimate friends, yet separated in a way by an intellectual line.

My Educational Philosophy Essay -- Philosophy of Education Teaching

My Educational Philosophy Philosophy can be broken up into different components. The first being the purpose of education, second, the nature of knowledge the students has, third the nature of the student, fourth the method that is used when teaching, and last, but not least the curriculum that is taught in schools. I feel that the purpose of education is to create a better person as well as a better environment. Today, people need education more than ever, whether its preschool, middle school, high school, or even college. If a person has an education, they will have better job stability, which means that wouldn’t lose their job. Technology gets better day by day. Jobs that required manual work fifteen years ago are now using computers or machines to get the work done. For example: factory’s these days use computers and machines to do mostly all the work, unlike years ago when everything had to be done by hand. I do not know, nor do I want to know how it would feel to have a nonliving â€Å"thing† to take my job. This could cause a person to have some serious mental downfalls which brings me to Rousseau. I agree with him when he says people should be able to make their own decision and have the right to choose to be good, physically fit, and happy. These three important thi ngs can better a persons life. The nature of knowledge is what I want to talk about next. Knowledge to me is comprehension that sticks with a person eternally. I believe knowledge can be on inherited from other family members. Fortunate for some, not too fortunate for others. Most children are born with the ability to learn, but, how fast a pace they learn makes a difference. A perfect example is if a student goes to Harvard, more than likely has previou... ... will give me the opportunity to make these ideas I have into reality. I know that after few years of teaching, I will make a lot of changes and adjustments. Seeing the varieties of teaching styles of my co-workers as well as experimenting. eventually would like to be able to join groups with other teachers and professionals that will allow me to learn more about teaching. Well, there you have it, my philosophy of education. I am aware that there are many ways of teaching and I am going to experience the different kinds. I am going to be very open-minded about other teachers philosophies and not criticize them. The variety of people is what makes the work â€Å"go round† and that is why all the teachers have different ways of teaching. However, I feel that the importance of these five components need to be stressed throughout the classrooms in all types of schools.

Graduation Speech -- Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

I rediscovered something while trying to think of my speech for tonight. History repeats itself. Everything I felt compelled to say I knew has been said before and will be said in times to come. I grew dismayed at the thought that the human race has progressed so little that the same advice has as much merit now as it did when it was first given, millenniums ago. Yet there is a simple beauty in this. It reassures us that humans will always be human; that everyone is experiencing life for the first time, no matter how many ancestors lie before them. Since we are each seeing life anew, the same truths will occur again and again. These truths have brought us to this point in history; they will carry us for the rest of our lives. Inner motivation is the force that drives us upward and onward. We all know how to rely on that force. It does not matter what degree of "success" or "achievement" we reach, so long as what we do reach is comfortable for us. Whether our motivation compels us simply to make it to school each day, or to juggle multiple outside interests with difficult class loa...

A Review of the Article “Obama Presses BP to Recover More Oil”

Containment of oil from the recent spill at the Gulf of Mexico, estimated to be 60,000 barrels a day, has been delayed by the presence of high winds and waves from Hurricane Alex (Broder, para.2). However, according to Broder, there is a period of seven days of predicted calm weather in which President Obama has pressed BP to recover more oil.In response, BP will attach an oil recovery ship known as the Helix Producer to the gushing well capturing up to 25,000 barrels a day (Broder, para. 2). This will be done simultaneously with deployment of a new, tighter-fitting cap for the well. The combination will capture up to 50,000 barrels and another 30,000 barrels a day from additional ships before the well is killed by mid-August (Broder, para.12)The author’s bias is depicted via his efforts in bringing out the attempts of BP in managing the oil spill. For instance the article states that work is going on in two separate relief wells that may permanently kill the gushing well (Bro der, para.7). Moreover, he cites high winds and waves from Hurricane Alex as an explanation for the delays in capturing the spew and capping the well (Broder, para. 2).The purpose of this article is to inform the public on the status of the crisis and the actions being taken to control the oil spill. For example, the author reports that the delayed control of the oil spill from the gulf is as a result of unfavorable weather conditions (Broder, para.3). He also explains that BP will replace the cap with a new, tight-fitting one in a bid to contain the spill. Additionally, BP will use recovery ships to collect 80,000 barrels a day (Broder, para.13).The target audience of this article is the general public. This is evident as the article reports on the communication that takes place between BP and the Obama administration. For instance, the author notes that the administration sent BP a letter seeking clarification on how it planned to minimize the oil flow during the capping of the we ll (Broder, para.5).The author gives an insight into the latest developments in the management of the oil spill disaster. The concerned authorities in Latin American countries for example Mexico and Cuba are made aware of the magnitude of the problem.The author states that there is an oil spill of about 60,000 barrels a day into the Gulf waters (Broder, para.13). It implies that the oil spill may reach Latin American shores causing serious damage. This has prompted the Latin American countries to offer assistance in tackling the oil spill. For instance, Mexico has offered two vessels equipped for oil skimming and 2.6 miles of boom. Further south, Brazil has helped in the crisis through technical expertise (Jordan, para.2).The oil spill of this magnitude requires cooperation between the Government and BP. It is important that the crisis is resolved quickly to avert more losses. BP should exploit every positive opportunity such as the duration of the calm weather to complete capping t he well. In addition, support offered to the Government by the Latin American countries for example Mexico and Cuba is welcome. This is because they have vested interests in seeing this problem tackled or else they too would be adversely affected if the spill reached their shores.Works Cited Broder, John M. Obama Presses BP to Recover More Oil. July 2010. 28 July 2010 . Jordan, Levi J. Oil Spill Diplomacy: The Response from the Americas. 2010. 28 July 2010 .

How to Organize Your Classroom Files

How to Organize Your Classroom Files Its a challenge to think of a profession that involves more paper than teaching. Whether its lesson plans, handouts, flyers from the office, schedules or an infinity of other types of papers, teachers juggle, shuffle, search for, file and pass out enough papers on a daily basis to get any environmentalist up in arms. Invest in a File Cabinet So, how can teachers win the daily battles in this never-ending paper war? Theres only way to win, and thats through down and dirty organization. One of the most important ways to get organized is through a properly categorized and maintained file cabinet. Usually, a file cabinet will come with your classroom. If not, ask the custodian if he or she can find one for you through the district office. The bigger, the better because you will need it. Label the  File Drawers Depending on how many files you have, you can decide the best way to label the file drawers. However, there are two major categories to consider and almost everything fits into them: Curriculum and Management. Curriculum means handouts and information that you use to teach Math, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, Holidays and any other subjects you cover with your students. Management can broadly be defined as things you use to manage your classroom and teaching career. For example, your management files might include discipline, professional development, school-wide programs, classroom jobs, etc. Discard What You Can Now comes the ugly part. Hopefully, youve already been using some type of file folder system, even if they are just stacked in a corner some place. But, if not, youre going to have to sit down with all of the papers you use during teaching and go through them one by one. First of all, look for things that you can throw away. The more you can pare down to the papers you really use, the further you go towards the ultimate goal of true organization. For those papers you need to keep, start organizing them into piles or, better yet, make file folders on the spot, label them, and just put the papers right into their new homes. Be Specific With the Categories You Use For example, if you are organizing your  science materials, dont just make one big Science folder. Take it one step further and make one file for oceans, space, plants, etc. That way, when it comes time to teach your ocean unit, for example, you can just grab that file and have everything you need to photocopy.  Next, use hanging files to place your file folders in a logical sequence.   Maintain Organization Then, take a deep breath - youre essentially organized! The trick, though, is to maintain this level of organization over the long term. Dont forget to file new materials, handouts, and papers as as soon as they come across your desk. Try not to let them linger in a bottomless pile out of sight. This is easy to say and harder to do. But, dig right in and get to work. Being organized feels so good!

The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 Impacted Slavery

The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 Impacted Slavery The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 was a very early federal law passed by Congress in the era of the Articles of Confederation. Its main purpose was to create a legal structure for the settlement of land in five present day states: Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. In addition, a major provision of the law prohibited slavery north of the Ohio River. Key Takeaways: Northwest Ordinance of 1787 Ratified by Congress July 13, 1787.Prohibited slavery in territories north of the Ohio River. It was the first federal law to address the issue.Created a three-step process for new territories to become states, which established important precedents for the incorporation of new states through the 19th and 20th centuries. Significance of the Northwest Ordinance The Northwest Ordinance, ratified by Congress on July 13, 1787, was the first law to create a structure by which new territories could follow a three-step legal path to become a state equal to the original 13 states, and was the first substantial action by Congress to deal with the issue of slavery. In addition, the law contained a version of a Bill of Rights, which set out individual rights in the new territories. The Bill of Rights, which was later added to the U.S. Constitution, contained some of those same rights. The Northwest Ordinance was written, debated, and passed in New York City during the same summer that the U.S. Constitution was being debated at a convention in Philadelphia. Decades later, Abraham Lincoln prominently cited the law in an important anti-slavery speech in February 1860, which made him a credible presidential contender. As Lincoln noted, the law was proof that some of the nations founders accepted that the federal government could play a role in regulating slavery. Necessity of the Northwest Ordinance When the United States emerged as an independent nation, it immediately faced a crisis about how to handle the large tracts of lands to the west of the 13 states. This area, known as the Old Northwest, came into American possession at the end of the Revolutionary War. Some states claimed ownership of western lands. Other states which asserted no such claim argued that the western land rightfully belonged to the federal government, and should be sold to private land developers. States gave up their western claims, and a law passed by Congress, the Land Ordinance of 1785, established an orderly system of surveying and selling western lands. That system created orderly grids of townships designed to avoid the chaotic land grabs which had occurred in the territory of Kentucky. (That system of surveying is still evident today; airplane passengers can clearly see the orderly fields laid out in Midwestern states such as Indiana or Illinois.) The problem with western lands was not entirely solved, however. Squatters who refused to wait for an orderly settlement began to enter western lands, and were chased off at times by federal troops. Wealthy land speculators, who wielded influence with Congress, sought a stronger law. Other factors, especially anti-slavery sentiment in the northern states, also came into play. Key Players As Congress struggled to deal with the problem of land settlement, it was approached by Manasseh Cutler, a scholarly resident of Connecticut who had become a partner in a land company, the Ohio Company of Associates. Cutler suggested some of the provisions which became part of the Northwest Ordinance, in particular the prohibition of slavery north of the Ohio River. The official author of the Northwest Ordinance is generally considered to be Rufus King, a member of Congress from Massachusetts as well as a member of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in the summer of 1787. An influential member of Congress from Virginia, Richard Henry Lee, agreed with the Northwest Ordinance because he felt it protected property rights (meaning it didnt interfere with slavery in the South). Path to Statehood In practice, the Northwest Ordinance created a three-step process for a territory to become a state of the Union. The first step was that the president would appoint a governor, a secretary, and three judges to administer the territory. In the second step, when the territory reached a population of 5,000 free white adult males, it could elect a legislature. In the third step, when the territory reached a population of 60,000 free white residents, it could write a state constitution and, with congressional approval, it could become a state. The provisions in the Northwest Ordinance created important precedents by which other territories would become states in the 19th and 20th centuries. Lincoln's Invocation of the Northwest Ordinance In February 1860, Abraham Lincoln, who was not widely known in the East, traveled to New York City and spoke at Cooper Union. In his speech he argued that the federal government had a role to play in regulating slavery, and had, indeed, always played such a role. Lincoln noted that of the 39 men who gathered to vote on the Constitution in the summer of 1787, four also served in Congress. Of those four, three voted in favor of the Northwest Ordinance, which, of course, contained the section prohibiting slavery north of the Ohio River. He further noted that in 1789, during the first Congress to assemble following the ratification of the Constitution, a law was passed to enforce the provisions of the ordinance, including the prohibition of slavery in the territory. That law passed through Congress without objection, and was signed into law by President George Washington. Lincolns reliance on the Northwest Ordinance was significant. At the time, there were fierce debates over slavery splitting the nation. And pro-slavery politicians often claimed that the federal government should have no role in regulating slavery. Yet Lincoln had deftly demonstrated that some of the same people who had written the Constitution, including even the nations first president, clearly saw a role for the federal government in regulating slavery. Sources: Northwest Ordinance. Gale Encyclopedia of U.S. Economic History, edited by Thomas Carson and Mary Bonk, Gale, 1999. Research in Context.Congress, U.S. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787. The Constitution and Supreme Court, Primary Source Media, 1999. American Journey. Research in Context.LEVY, LEONARD W. Northwest Ordinance (1787). Encyclopedia of the American Constitution, edited by Leonard W. Levy and Kenneth L. Karst, 2nd ed., vol. 4, Macmillan Reference USA, 2000, p. 1829. Gale Virtual Reference Library.