Marketing case study of Ferrero Company Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Marketing of Ferrero Company - Case Study Example To successfully penetrate the market Ferrero maintains a limited unique number of products manufactured and marketed at the highest quality possible. The company also seeks to understand the market properly by carrying out extensive test marketing of its products to avoid embarrassing marketing failures (Australian Trade Commission, 2012). Question One Ferrero Australian opened an online boutique that sells premium chocolate gifts packed in unique keep sake gift boxes. The online boutique was actualized due to consistent demands for Ferrero chocolate gift packs by customers for their chocolate loving friends and family. The gifts are customized, elegantly packed and contain a card for personalized messages (Ferrero Boutique, 2012). Ferrero decision to open an online boutique was a well thought marketing strategy in line with the changing consumer habits in Australia. The internet has become an integral and essential feature of the day-to-day social and business lives of billions of p eople around the globe and the internet economy is growing strong each day (Bughin et al., 2011). Ferrero Australia decision enabled many of its customers to have their desired products with convenience and efficiency as the internet enables customers to save time spent on shopping for gifts. Online stores makes it possible for consumers to make quicker decisions and shop as consumers can find time to perform ten searches online but only two searches offline for each purchase, with internet searches saving more time than physical directories (Chen, Jeon & Kim 2010). This boosts productivity for consumers, suppliers and manufacturers and translates into more profits. Through its online boutique store Ferrero customers in Australia are able to choose their preferred gifts with ease and the website offers price transparency, which is essential in developing customer trust and loyalty. This is because the online boutique service offers customers a reliable and stable source of gifts all year round with more consistency, which is a crucial marketing strategy to maintain customers. Using the internet to sell its products also offers the company the opportunity to advertise its high quality products all over the world. Their website helps to raise product awareness to a much more diverse customer base that spurs its sales volume. Bearing in mind that 90% of online users utilize search engines and internet searches represents 10% of the time spent by individuals on the web (McKinsey & Company for IAB Europe, 2010), it is possible for the Ferrero Company to expressly market its products to customers who are interested in chocolates in the web. This means that the company investment on advertising will pay off and lead to sales growth purely by using internet tools as it is possible to match the needs of customers, individuals, and organizations on the web requiring specific products. With the use of internet based transactions growing, one can confidently say the Ferre ro Australia online boutique store will continue to pull in more revenue for the company as people social lives and businesses continue to be more centered on internet use at home and during work. In addition to supplying its products all over Australia, the

Response to the book “The Body’s Memory” Essay Example for Free

Response to the book â€Å"The Body’s Memory† Essay The recollection made by a person with disability or PWD of the most painful things which her body felt and experienced was explicitly depicted in the 1993 book of Jean Stewart entitled â€Å"The Body’s Memory. † The most notable aside from the clear presentation of the true condition and emotions of PWD, however, is the remarkable realization exemplified by the character. The character’s clear yet flexible and uncomplaining reminiscence of the pains and sacrifices of her body which was afflicted and removed with tumor was the ultimate significance of the book. This is because a PWD’s acceptance of the undeniable or irreversible state of her body strongly manifests that indeed the physical condition serves as the lasting reminder of disability. However, it is the will and the desire to overcome such disability which will ultimately allow a PWD to continue living. Stewart’s first appearance in the literary world showcased the character of a 30-year-old woman named Kate Meredith who recounted her body’s management and survival three years after a tumor was removed from her hip. Through the course of the recollection, Meredith’s body was faced with and most importantly reminded of its inevitable limitations resulting from the surgery which eventually made her a disabled person for the rest of her life (Stewart, 1989). The preface alone already hinted both the disposition and worth of this journal of one’s battle against her disability and ultimate triumph over the physical condition. As the journal went on, the author’s invitation led the readers into the painful yet struggling efforts of a lively and strong-willed English professor Meredith (Stewart, 1989). Through the words of the author, the readers came in contact and had a peek of the kind of life that Meredith has lived following her tumor removal. Stewart allowed the public to be acquainted with the people around Meredith, to feel and sympathize with her physical and emotional sufferings and above all, witness her understanding or acceptance and eventual rise above her permanent physical condition (Stewart, 1989). It is worthy to consider that the author has effectively presented the strong character of Meredith whose memory or precise account of her body’s pain caused by disability surprisingly paved the way for the meeting of two worlds, that of the normal people and persons with disability. In order to thoroughly feel the personal battle fought by Meredith, the author’s use of the journal type as the writing structure has succeeded for the character to vividly recall the pains suffered by her body. Additionally, the said literary form has efficiently conveyed the essence of the story, which is the acceptance of the body’s memory of disability suffering as well as the eventual realization of the existing disability and improvement towards the reality of living independently. The Meredith journal, as written by Stewart, is a concrete proof of a triumphant tale of a PWD whose body will definitely always remember the pain. However, she used such memory as a tool to overcome her limitation and started living on her own. The book is an ideal chronicle from the point of view of a previously normal person who was faced with the reality of never to walk once more. It is one of the best works that depicted a different perspective about the everyday happenings in the life of a person with disability. Utilizing the vehicle of journal writing, the author invited the readers to the world of a PWD and succeeded in making both her main character and the public experience all the emotional confusions, physical battle, disappointments, bravery, apprehension, self-pity and rejection. In doing so, Meredith’s eventual realization of herself and her new-found liberty has turned the book into a remarkable literary work. An ultimate response to the book is that it is a well recommended story for both normal people and persons with disability because of its generalized reminder that life has to continue beyond the event of a disability. Reference Stewart, J. (1989). The Body’s Memory. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press.

Benefits of Water Aerobics

Benefits of Water Aerobics Water Aerobics Introduction: Water aerobics is the execution of aerobic exercise in genuinely shallow water, for example, in a swimming pool. Done basically vertically and without swimming normally in waist profound or more profound water, it is a sort of resistance training. It is a type of aerobic exercise that obliges water immersed members. It is frequently viewed as a low power workout system suitable just for pregnant women or the elderly. On the other hand, it really offers numerous advantages for any wellness level. Water aerobics classes arrive in a variety of arrangements, including step, kickboxing, jujitsu, zumba and yoga. Low Impact: Practicing in water makes you feel around 90 percent lighter, reports the American Council on Exercise. When you hop or keep running in the water, your body does not encounter the same effect that these moves bring about on land. This makes water aerobics a perfect action for those with joint pain, back issues, foot or leg wounds, and knee conditions. Pregnant ladies and the hefty likewise profit by the diminished effect. More Discrete: On the off chance that you discover other gathering exercise classes scaring due to complex choreography or windowed studios, the pool offers some watchfulness. Most moves are performed submerged so just you know whether you missed a stage. Calorie Burn: Expect to burn somewhere around 400 and 500 calories every hour in a water aerobics exercise class, as per the Aquatic Exercise Association. The real sum you smolder will rely on upon your size, the force of your developments, and also water temperature and profundity. All in all, speedier developments fusing the upper and lower body in profound water inspire the best calorie smolder. Strength: At the point when exercising in water, you conflict with 12 times the resistance of air, as indicated by an article distributed in American Fitness in 1996. Just kicking and measuring the water helps add to muscle improvement, which deciphers into a higher digestion system and healthier body. Numerous water high impact exercise classes fuse equipment like water oars, noodles, single or twofold floats, and kickboards to further incite quality increases. Push-ups or triceps plunges performed on the pool deck additionally help construct quality. Swimming: This type of water exercise can increment joint health, cardiovascular health and lower and upper body quality. A cardio workout in swimming is an incredible approach into working out, particularly on the off chance that you are searching for the low affect high impact movement. Swimming assists with general emotional and pulse wellbeing and unwinding. Vertical Exercise: Not at all like swimming, has vertical exercise tried to boost resistance, which brings about a center test. Therefore, it is simpler to keep those frightful midlife inches from amassing in the region where they add to breakdown metabolic and all the related infections. Water can even enhance and keep up equalization as it empties spine. This exercise type can assuage the tear and wear of joints and support you stay fit. Water Aerobics Is not Just For Elderly and the Sick: Water aerobics stimulating exercise is for everybody, particularly athletes who are preparing for a apprehension or marathon getting harmed while preparing. Lubrano prescribes for marathon runners to incorporate some running water sessions in your workout. Water based exercises can build an adaptability in mans and support anticipate wounds. Water Aerobics Help to Live Longer and Stay Fit: The reports of United States Census Bureau is amid in 2009, there were 301 million visits of swimming every year by the Americans who were beyond the six years old. Swimming positioned as the fourth most prominent games based movement in the country can lessen the occurrence of interminable ailments with more than about two hours a week, says the Unites States. Division of Health and Human Services. Water aerobics exercise is simple on joints and even can build muscle quality and continuance because of the waters inherent resistance. This type of exercise is favored by numerous rather than the more conventional form of wellness, such as exercise center, on the grounds that weight does not pull the people down same way a general workout would. Subsequently, a man can exercise longer on water than ashore without exertion additional or joint and muscle torment that regularly goes with a consistent exercise routine due to its low effect. Anti-Aging: It may not assist with wrinkles or snicker lines, but rather swimming has been indicated to cut the danger of death by about 50 percent. As per a study done by Dr. Steven Blair, Swimmers have the most minimal passing rate. The study was throughout the span of 32 years. The examination group took after 40,000 men, running from 20 to 90 years of age and found that the individuals who swam had a 50 percent lower passing rate than walkers, runners or men who got no exercise. Flexibility: Water is the best mediums in which to expand adaptability. A few rheumatologists prescribe swimming to build a mans scope of movement as well as help to increment physical action without bringing about weight on the bodys joints. Asthma Symptoms: Swimming, in the same way as other high aerobic exercises, builds your lung limit; it compels your body to work extra minutes. Since water is denser than the air, lungs need to work that much harder to the supply enough oxygen to the blood, giving lungs a decent workout and subsequently diminishing asthma indications. As per a study done at The Nutrition Center and Childrens Exercise at McMaster University, Swimming as a preparation methodology has clear advantages for the patient with asthma. These incorporate an increment in oxygen consuming wellness and a decline in asthma dreariness. Lowers Diabetes Risk: By practicing routinely, youre diminishing your blood glucose levels. Aerobic exercise and resistance preparing, alone or in blend, enhances glucose control in patients with sort 2 diabetes. It Improves Mental Health: As indicated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, water based exercise enhances psychological wellbeing. Swimming can enhance the disposition in the both men and ladies. For people with fibromyalgia, it can be diminish uneasiness, and exercise treatment in warm water can diminish melancholy and enhance temperament. Water based exercise can enhance strength of the moms and their unborn youngsters. Individuals with sort 2 diabetes likewise have an expanded danger for coronary illness. In this way, keeping up their heart wellbeing and weight is a vital component for diabetes upkeep. In a study done by Leiden University Medical Center, a six month exercise arrangement with patients who have sort 2 diabetes was indicated to reduction cardiovascular danger components. Lose Weight: Swimming for 60 minutes can blaze upwards of 500 calories. It lives up to expectations each body part and muscle without creating strain on the body. Water additionally has more prominent resistance than air, which means strolling in water requires more exertion and at last smolders a greater number of calories than strolling ashore. Members lost a higher muscle to fat ratio utilizing submerged treadmill contrasted with area based treadmill. Security of the water: on the off chance that you despise the thought of bouncing around a room loaded with individuals in tight workout clothes, practicing submerged is an awesome option. 90% of members favored oceanic exercise contrasted with conventional area based exercise. Good for Pregnant Women: Practicing while pregnant is useful for the hopeful mother, as well as useful for the unborn child. Water exercises include no effect, overheating is impossible, and swimming face down elevates ideal blood stream to the uterus. BUOYANCY: The upward push applied by water on a body, which acts the other way of the power of gravity. Waters buoyancy essentially wipes out the impacts of gravity supporting 90 percent of the bodys weight for lessened effect and more noteworthy adaptability. For instance, a 140 lbs (63kg) man weighs just 14 lbs (6 kg) in the water. Water goes about as a pad for the bodys weight bearing joints, lessening weight on muscles, tendons and ligaments. Thus, aquatic workouts are low effect and can significantly diminish the damage and strain normal to most land based exercises. RESISTANCE: Because of viscosity, drag powers and frontal resistance, water gives a resistance which is relative to the exertion applied against it. Resistance in water ranges somewhere around 4 and 42 times more noteworthy than in air relying upon the rate of development. This makes water a characteristic and immediately flexible weight preparing machine. Not at all like most land based exercise, water gives imperviousness to the development in all bearings, which permits these headings be utilized as a part of the reinforcing procedure. Waters resistance can be expanded with pace and/or surface region, and the resistance is relative to the exertion needed to move against it. With the expansion of water wellness hardware, for example, lightness belt, webbed gloves, buoys and foot-product, resistance is expanded to reinforce and tone muscles H2O HEART RATE: The interesting properties of water empower your heart to work all the more proficiently. The hydrostatic weight of water pushes just as on all body surfaces and helps the heart course blood by helping venous return. This help to the heart represents lower pulse and heart rates, amid profound water exercise versus comparable efforts ashore. Hence, your heart rate is an expected 10 to 15 pulsates lower every moment amid suspended water exercise than for the same exertion connected on land. TREADMILL: Having the capacity to speedily come back to exercise taking after harm or an operation is significant and valuable to a speedier recuperation. Water empowers the arrival to exercise snappier than ashore. A mix of treadmill buoyancy movement permits people to walk or keep running at an adjusted and agreeable level taking strain stretch off burden bearing joints whilst profiting from the aerobic action. Hydrostatic weight, resistance and water temperature all add to building up muscle and quality in a sheltered domain. The treadmill rate extent is up to 15kph and can be controlled from inside or out of the pool. The treadmill might likewise be worked dry. Rehabilitation Water Exercises: Water rehabilitation exercise permits you to exercise and restore yourself without the shocking and infrequently agonizing background of practicing on dry area. The buoyancy of water permits you to perform exercise without a huge effect on your body, as indicated by The Stretching Institute. Water restoration exercises permit you to keep up you wellness levels and recuperate from your damage. In any case, dependably counsel your specialist before starting water restoration exercise. WALKING: Walking in water that is midsection high will help you to keep up your wellness levels and also mend harm. Water walking can be utilized for spine and lower limit wounds and joint inflammation. Walking forward and in reverse can help enhance your condition without focusing on your joints. For an included test, swing your arms or utilization water weights while you walk. Walk in the water for 20 to 30 minutes on end. SHOULDER FLEXION AND ABDUCTION: Performing arm achieves while in water can help with the scope of movement in your shoulders. Sit on the base stride to a pool or stand so water is simply over your level of shoulder. For flexion, raise straight up arms out of pool as high as you conceivably can. Gradually bring down your arms over into the water and rehash. Complete one arrangement of 10 redundancies. For kidnapping moving your arms far from midpoint of the body position arms at the sides. Gradually raise your arms with your palms down far from your body. Raise your arms to your shoulder level. Gradually bring down your arms and rehash. Complete one arrangement of 10 reiterations. LEG RAISES: This exercise can help to fortify the muscles in your legs, lower back and hips. Perform this exercise while clutching the side of a pool. For your right leg, stand with the left side confronting the pool divider. Utilize your left hand to clutch the side of the pool. Your knees ought to be somewhat twisted. Gradually swing right leg out to side. Hold it for a few moments. Bring down your leg and rehash. Complete one arrangement of 10 reiterations. Unwind and rehash with your left leg. SUPERMAN: The exercise extends your shoulder and back muscles. Advance toward water that is give or take midsection profound. Clutch the side of pool with the both hands. Your feet ought to be planted immovably on the base of the pool. Gradually push your feet far from the base of the pool. Your whole body will now be skimming on the highest point of the water. Develop your arms so that the elbows are straight. Legs ought to be stretched out also. Right now, you ought to look like superman. Hold this stance for 10 to 20 seconds. Gradually lower yourself back to the beginning position. Rehash one arrangement of five reiterations of this exercise.

Xerox and IT Management :: essays research papers

Xerox is one of the largest companies in the document processing products and services industry. Xerox held a virtual monopoly in the plain-paper copier market until the Federal Trade Commission intervened. In 1975 Xerox was forced to forfeit patent protection and had to license to competitors. Xerox’s markets share dipped from 80% in 1976 to 13% in 1982. In order to become more competitive, Xerox began to use benchmarking, Leadership through Quality and employee involvement initiatives. These initiatives helped grow Xerox’s market share back to 18% in the low end copier business and 35% in the mid-to-high end. Despite the improvements in market share the financial performance of the company declined. Therefore in 1992 a major reorganization was planned, Xerox would change from a geographic organization to a market segment organization. Xerox corporate information management (CIM) unit was established in the early 1970s. In 1987, CIM was moved to the General Services Division and was given the task to â€Å"Provide the overall information technology leadership to the company.† The leader of the CIM group quickly realized the task was not possible without significant organizational change. After bringing in consultants to review the Information Management at Xerox, the director of CIM realized the Xerox IM infrastructure could not support the company’s strategic direction. To address the IM problems, CIM started a new initiative, â€Å"IM 2000†. The goal of IM 2000 was to move Xerox to a new information systems infrastructure. The problems found with Information Management at Xerox †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Aging application portfolio built on proprietary technologies †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Large cost associated with keeping legacy system running †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Duplicate work caused by corporate culture – autonomy The IM 2000 design team recommended the following four strategies 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Reduce/Redirect   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Reduce overall costs by reining in the expense of legacy system. Use savings to fund new applications and infrastructure. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Infrastructure Management   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Move to a industry standard infrastructure that would be managed centrally – a client server environment. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Leverage worldwide IM resources   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Create library of shareable core modules. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Business process-driven solutions   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The current legacy system was to be replaced by solutions supporting new Xerox business process. Xerox’s earlier quality initiatives had created a corporate culture used to having a partner relationship with suppliers. Because of this, management suggested IM should look at outsourcing as an alternative. Typical Reasons for Outsourcing †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Concerns about Cost and Quality o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Vendors save money by   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Running much leaner overhead structures than their customers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  More aggressive use of low cost labor pools (India)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Staff must keep up to date on newest IT practices   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Purchasing Power   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  More efficient use of capacity

The Return: Nightfall Chapter 38

Bonnie knew that she was going to die. She had had a clear premonition of it just before thosethings – the trees that moved like humans, with their hideous faces and their thick, knotted arms – had surrounded the little band of humans in the Old Wood. She had heard the howl of the black weir dog, turned, and just caught a glimpse of one vanishing in the glare of her flashlight. The dogs had a long history in Bonnie's family: when one of them howled, a death was soon to come. She'd guessed then that it would be hers. But she hadn't said anything, even when Dr. Alpert had said, â€Å"What in the name ofheaven wasthat ?† Bonnie was practicing being brave. Meredith and Matt were brave. It was something built into them, an ability to keep going when any sane person would run away and hide. They both putthe group's good ahead of their own. And of course Dr. Alpert was brave, not to mention strong, and Mrs. Flowers seemed to have decided that the teenagers were her own special charges to take care of. Bonnie had wanted to show that she could be brave, too. She was practicing holding her head up and listening for things in the bushes, while simultaneously listening with her psychic senses for any sign of Elena. It was hard to juggle the two kinds of hearing. There was a lot to hear with her real ears; all kinds of quiet chucklings and whisperings from the bushes that didn't belong there. But from Elena there wasn't a sound, not even when Bonnie called her name over and over:Elena, Elena, Elena! She's human again, Bonnie had realized sadly, at last. She can't hear me or make contact. Out of all of us, she's the only one who didn't miraculously escape. And it was then that the first of the Tree-Men loomed up in front of the group of searchers. Like something out of a nursery-tale nightmare, it was a tree and then – suddenly – it was athing , a treelike giant that suddenly moved swiftly toward them, its upper branches bunching together to become long arms, and then everyone was screaming and trying to get away from it. Bonnie would never forget how Matt and Meredith had tried to help her run then. The Tree-Man wasn't fast. But when they turned and ran from it they found that there was another one behind them. And more to the right and the left. They were surrounded. And then, like cattle, like slaves, they were herded. Any of them that tried to resist the trees were slapped and cuffed by hard and sharp-thorned branches, and then, with a lithe branch wound around the neck, weredragged . They'd been caught – but they hadn't been killed. Instead they were being taken somewhere. It wasn't hard to imagine why: in fact Bonnie could imagine a whole lot of different whys. It was just a matter of picking which was the scariest. In the end, after what seemed like hours of forced walking, Bonnie began to recognize things. They were going back to the boardinghouse again. Or rather, they were going back to thereal boardinghouse for the first time. Caroline's car was outside. The house was again lit from top to bottom, but there were dark windows here and there. And their captors were waiting for them. And now, after her outburst of weeping and pleading, she was trying to be brave once more. When that boy with the strange hair had said that she would be the first, she'd understood exactly what he meant, and how she was going to die – and suddenly she wasn't brave at all – inside. But she wouldn't scream again. She could just see the widow's walk, and the sinister figures on it, but Damon hadlaughed when the Tree-Men had begun to pluck her clothes off. Now he waslaughing as Meredith held the garden shears. She wouldn't beg him again, not when it wouldn't make any difference anyway. And now she was on her back, with her arms and legs tied so she was helpless, clothed in strips and rags. She wanted them to kill her first, so she wouldn't have to watch Meredith cut her own tongue to pieces. Just as she felt a last scream of fury welling up inside her like a snake climbing a pole, she had seen Elena high above her in a white pine tree. â€Å"Wings of the Wind,†Elena whispered as the ground rushed up toward her, very fast. The wings unfolded instantly from somewhere inside Elena. They weren't real, they spanned some forty feet and were made of golden gossamer, the color ranging from deepest Baltic amber at her back to ethereal pale citrine at the tips. They were almost still, barely rising and falling, but they held her up, the wind rushing under them, and they got her to exactly where she needed to go. Not to Bonnie. That was what they would all be expecting. From her height, she just might be able to snatch Bonnie free, but she had no idea how to cut Bonnie's bonds or whether she could lift off again. Instead Elena swerved toward the widow's walk at the last moment, snatched the pruning shears out of Meredith's upraised hand, and then caught a handful of long, silky black-and-scarlet hair. Misao shrieked.And then†¦ Thatwas when Elena really needed some belief. So far she had really just been gliding, not flying. But now she needed uplift; she needed the wings towork†¦and once again, although there was no time, she was with Stefan, and feeling†¦ †¦the first time she had kissed him. Other girls might have waited until it was the other way around, letting the boy take the lead, but not Elena. Besides, at first Stefan had thought that all kissing meant was seducing prey†¦. †¦the first timehe had kissed her, understanding that it wasn't a predatory relationship†¦ And now she needed toreally fly†¦. I know I can†¦. But Misao was just so heavy – and Elena's memory was faltering. The great golden wings trembled and became still. Shinichi was trying to climb a creeper to get to her, and Damon was holding Meredith motionless. And, too late, Elena realized that it wasn't going to work. She was alone, and she couldn't fight this way. Not against so many. She was alone, and pain that made her want to shriek was lancing through her back. Misao was somehow making herself heavier, and in another minute she would be too heavy for Elena's trembling wings to hold up. She was alone, and like the rest of the humans, she was going to die – And then, through the agony that was causing fine sweat to break out all over her body, she heard Stefan's voice. â€Å"Elena! Let go! Fall and I'll catch you!† How strange, Elena thought, as if in a dream. His love and panic had distorted his voice somehow – making him sound different. Making him sound almost like – â€Å"Elena! I'mwith you!† – like Damon. Shaken out of her dream, Elena looked below her. And there was Damon, standing protectively in front of Meredith, looking up at her, with his arms held out. He was with her. â€Å"Meredith,† he went on, â€Å"girl, this is no time to be sleepwalking! Your friend needs you!Elena needs you!† Slowly, dully, Meredith turned her face up. And Elena saw life and animation restored to it as her eyes focused on the trembling of the great golden wings. â€Å"Elena!† she shouted, â€Å"I'm with you! Elena!† How did she know to say that? The answer was – that she was Meredith – and Meredith always knew what to say. And now the cry was being taken up by another voice: Matt's. â€Å"Elena!† he shouted, in a sort of acclamation. â€Å"I'm with you, Elena!† And Dr. Alpert's deep voice: â€Å"Elena! I'm with you, Elena!† And Mrs. Flowers, surprisingly strong: â€Å"Elena! I'm with you, Elena!† And even poor Bonnie: â€Å"Elena!We're with you, Elena!† While deep in her heart, the real Stefan whispered, â€Å"I'm with you, my angel.† â€Å"We're all with you, Elena!† She didn't drop Misao. It was as if the great golden wings had caught an updraft; in fact, they almost lifted her straight up, out of control – but somehow she managed to keep herself steady. She was still looking down and she saw the tears spill from her eyes and fall toward Damon's outstretched arms. Elena didn't know why she was crying, but part of it was sorrow for ever having doubted him. Because Damon wasn't just on her side. Unless she was wrong, he was willing to die for her – was courting death for her. He threw himself into the entangling creepers and vines, all reaching for Meredith or for Elena. It had only taken an instant to get hold of Misao, but Shinichi was already leaping toward Elena, in fox form, lips drawn back, aiming to tear her throat out. These were no ordinary foxes. Shinichi was almost as big as a wolf – certainly the size of a large dog – and as vicious as a wolverine. Meanwhile the entire widow's walk burst into a maze of vines, creepers, and fibrous tendrils, and Shinichi was beinglifted by them. Elena didn't know which way to dodge. She needed time, and she needed a clear shot out of here. All Caroline was doing was screaming. And then Elena saw her opening. A gap in the creepers that she threw herself at, knowing in her subconscious that she was throwing herself over the railing as well, and somehow keeping her hold on Misao's hair. In fact, it must have been an extremely painful experience for the female kitsune as she swung back and forth like a pendulum below Elena. The one glance Elena was able to give over her shoulder showed Damon, still moving faster than anything Elena had ever seen. He had Meredith in his arms now and was hurrying her through a gap that led to the cupula door. As soon as she stepped in, she appeared down on the ground and ran toward the altar where Bonnie was lying, only to slam into one of the Tree-Men. For a moment, as Damon glanced toward Elena, their gazes met and something electric passed between them. It made Elena tingle all over, that look did. Then she refocused: Caroline was screaming again; Misao was using her whip to get a grip on Elena's leg and was calling on Tree-Men to give her a lift. Elena needed to fly higher. She had no idea how she was controlling her golden gossamer wings, but nothing seemed to snarl them; and they obeyed her slightest whim as though she had always had them. The great trick was to not think ofhow to get somewhere, but just to imagine being there. On the other hand, the Tree-Men were growing. It was like some childhood nightmare of giants, and at first it made Elena feel that it was she who was shrinking. But the hideous creatures were actually overtopping the house now, and their upper, snake-like branches slashed into her legs while Misao lashed out with her whip. Elena's jeans were in shreds now. She swallowed a cry of pain. I have to fly higher. I can do it. I'm going to save you all. Ibelieve. Faster than the swoop of a hummingbird, she was darting up in the clear air again, still holding Misao by her long black-and-red hair. And Misao was screaming, screams that Shinichi echoed even as he fought with Damon. And then, just as she and Damon had planned, just as she and Damon hadhoped , Misao turned into her true form and Elena was holding a large and heavy, writhing vixen by the scruff of its neck. There was a difficult moment while Elena got the balance right. She had to remember that there was more weight in back because Misao had six tails and was heaviest where a real fox would be lightest. By then she had swooped back to her perch in the tree, and she stood there, able to look down on the scene below, the Tree-Men too slow to keep up. The plan had gone perfectly, except that Damon, of all people, had forgotten what he was supposed to be doing. Far from retreating into possession, he had fooled Shinichi and Misao beautifully – and Elena, too. Now, according to their plan he was supposed to be taking care of any innocent bystanders, letting Elena lure Shinichi on. Instead something inside him seemed to have snapped; and he was methodically beating the human-shaped Shinichi's head against the house, shouting: â€Å"Damn†¦you! Where†¦is†¦my†¦brother?† â€Å"I – could kill you – right now – † Shinichi shouted back, but he was short of breath. He wasn't finding Damon an easy opponent. â€Å"Do it!† Damon returned immediately. â€Å"And then she† – pointing to the perching Elena – â€Å"will cut your sister's throat!† Shinichi's contempt was scathing. â€Å"You expect me to believe that a girl with an aura likethat willkill – â€Å" There comes a time when you have to make a stand. And for Elena, blazing with defiance and glory, this was that time. She took a deep breath, begged the Universe's forgiveness, and leaned down, positioning the pruning shears. Then she squeezed as hard as she could. And a red-tipped black vixen's tail fell twisting to the ground, while Misao shrieked in pain and rage. As the tail fell it writhed, and it lay in the middle of the clearing, squirming like a snake that wasn't quite defeated yet. Then it became transparent and faded away. That was when Shinichi really screamed, â€Å"Do you know what you've done, you ignorant bitch? I'll bring this place down on top of you! I'll tear you apart!† â€Å"Oh, yes, of course you will. But first,† Damon spoke each word deliberately, â€Å"you have to get past me.† Elena barely registered their words. It hadn't been easy for her to squeeze those shears. It had meant thinking about Meredith with the shears in her own hands, and Bonnie lying on the altar, and Matt, earlier, writhing on the ground. And Mrs. Flowers, and the three lost little girls, and Isobel and – a great deal – about Stefan. But as for the first time in her life she drew another's blood with her own hands, she had a sudden strange sense of responsibility – of newaccountability . As if an icy wind had blown her hair back sharply and said into her frozen, gasping face:Never without reason. Never without necessity. Never unless there's no other solution available. Elena felt something inside her grow up, all at once. Too fast to say good-bye to childhood, she had become a warrior. â€Å"You all thought I couldn't fight,† she called to the assembled group. â€Å"You were wrong. You thought I was powerless. You were wrong there, too. And I'll use the last drop of my Power in this fight, because you twins are real monsters. No, you're – abominations. And if I die I'll rest with Honoria Fell, and I'll watch over Fell's Church again.† Fell's Church will rot and die writhing with maggots, a voice near her ear said, and it was a deep bass voice, nothing like Misao's shrill screaming. Elena knew even as she turned that it was the white pine tree. A hard scaly bough, laden with those serrated, resin-sticky needles, slammed into her midriff, throwing her off balance – and making her involuntarily open her hands. Misao promptly escaped, and burrowed into the Christmas-tree-like branches. â€Å"Bad†¦trees†¦go†¦to†¦Hell,† Elena cried, throwing her entire body weight into digging the shears she held into the base of the branch that had tried to crush her. It tried to pull away, and she twisted the shears in the wounded dark bark, relieved when a large piece fell off, with only a long string of resin left to show where it had been. Then she looked for Misao. The fox wasn't finding it as easy as she might have thought, navigating a tree. Elena looked at the cluster of tails. Strangely, there was no stump, no blood, no sign that the fox had been injured. Was that why she wasn't turning human? The loss of a tail? Even if she were naked when she changed back to her human self – as some stories of werewolves had it – she'd be in better condition to climb down. Because Misao seemed finally to have chosen the slow but sure method of descent – to have branch after branch take hold of her fox body and pass it down to the next. Which meant she was only about ten feet below Elena. And all Elena had to do was to coast over the needles down to her and then – by wings or other means – stop. If she believed in her wings. If the tree didn't throw her off. â€Å"You're too slow,† Elena shouted. Then she began the coast to overcome the distance – not far in human body-lengths – to her goal. Until she saw Bonnie. Bonnie's slight body was still lying on the altar, pale and cold-looking. But nowfour of the hideous Tree-Men had hold of her, one at each hand and one at each foot. They were already pulling so hard that she was lifted up into the air. And Bonnie was awake. But not screaming. Not making a noise to attract attention to herself; and Elena realized with a rush of love and horror and desperation thatthat was why she hadn't been making a fuss before. She wanted the major players here to fight their fight without the bother of rescuing her. The Tree-Men leaned back. Bonnie's face contorted in agony. Elenahad to get to Misao. Sheneeded the double fox key to free Stefan, and the only people who could tell her where it was were Misao and Shinichi. She looked up at the darkness above and noticed that it seemed a little less dark than when she had last seen it, the sky a dark swirling gray instead of dead black – but there was no help there. She looked down. Misao, making a little better time with her escape. If Elena let her get away†¦Stefan was her love. But Bonnie – Bonnie was her friend – ever since childhood†¦. And then she saw Plan B. Damon was fighting Shinichi – or trying. But Shinichi was always an easy centimeter away from where Damon's fist was. Shinichi's fists, on the other hand, always connected solidly with their targets, and right now Damon's face was a bloody mask. â€Å"Use wood!†Misao was coaching in a shriek, her childlike manner having suddenly vanished. â€Å"You men, youidiots, all you think of is yourfists !† Shinichi broke a pillar support from the widow's walk one-handed, showing his true strength. Damon smiled beatifically. He was, Elena knew, going to enjoy this, even though it meant all the many little wounds those wooden splinters would entail. It was in the middle of this that Elena shouted, â€Å"Damon, look down!† Her voice seemed weak over the cacophony of shrieks and sobs and screams of fury all around. â€Å"Damon! Look down – atBonnie !† Nothing so far had been able to break Damon's concentration – he seemed determined to find out where Stefan was being kept – or to kill Shinichi trying. Now, to Elena's slight surprise, Damon's head jerked around immediately. He looked down. â€Å"A cage,† shouted Shinichi. â€Å"Build me a cage.† And tree branches leaned in from all sides to pin him and Damon into their own little world, a lattice to keep them contained. The Tree-Men leaned back farther. And despite herself, Bonnie screamed. â€Å"You see?† laughed Shinichi. â€Å"Each of your friends will die in that agony or worse. One by one, we will take you!† That was when Damon really seemed to go crazy. He began moving like quicksilver, like a leaping flame, like some animal with reflexes far faster than Shinichi's. Now there was a sword in his hand, undoubtedly conjured up by the magical housekey, and the sword slashed through the branches even as the branches reached out to trap him. And then he was airborne, leaping over the railing for the second time that night. This time Damon's balance was perfect, and far from breaking bones, he made a graceful, catlike landing just beside Bonnie. And then his sword was flashing in an arc, sweeping all around Bonnie, and the tough, fingerlike tips of the branches that held her were cut cleanly away. A moment later, Bonnie was being lifted, being held by Damon as he leaped easily off the rough-hewn altar and was lost in the shadows near the house. Elena let out the breath she'd been holding and turned back to her own affairs. But her heart was beating more strongly and faster, with joy and with pride and with gratitude, as she slid down the painful, cutting-edged needles, and almost flashed past Misao, who was being whisked out of her way – not quite in time. She got a good grip on the nape of the fox's neck. Misao keened a strange animal lament and sank her teeth into Elena's hand so hard that it felt as if they were going to meet. Elena bit her lip until she felt blood come, trying not to scream. Be crushed, and die, and turn to loam,the tree said in Elena's ear.Your kind can feed my kin for once. The voice was ancient, malevolent and very, very frightening. Elena's legs reacted without pausing to consult her mind. They pushed off hard and then the golden butterfly wings unfurled again, not beating but undulating, holding Elena steady above the altar. She pulled the snarling vixen's muzzle up – not too close – to her own face. â€Å"Where are the two pieces of the fox key?† she demanded. â€Å"Tell me or I'll take off another tail. Iswear I will. Don't fool yourself – it's not just your pride that you're losing, is it? Your tails are your Power. What would it feel like to have none at all?† â€Å"Like being a human – exceptyou , you freak.† Now Misao was laughing again in her panting-dog way, her fox ears flat to her head. â€Å"Just answer the question!† â€Å"As if you would understand the answers I could give. If I told you that one was inside the silver nightingale's instrument, would that give you any kind of idea?† â€Å"It might if you explained it a little more clearly!† â€Å"If I told you that one was buried in Blodwedd's ballroom, would you be able to find it?† Again the panting grin as the fox gave clues that led nowhere – or everywhere. â€Å"Are those your answers?† â€Å"No!†Misao shrieked suddenly and kicked with her feet, as if they were dog's legs scrabbling in the dirt. Except that the dirt was Elena's midriff, and the scrabbling legs felt as if they might well puncture her entrails. She felt her camisole tear. â€Å"I told you; I'm not playing around here!† Elena cried. She lifted the vixen with her left arm, even though it ached with tiredness. With her right hand, she positioned the shears. â€Å"Where is the first part of the key?† Elena demanded. â€Å"Search for yourself! You only have the whole world to look through, and every thicket besides.† The fox went for her throat again, white teeth actually scoring Elena's flesh. Elena forced that arm to hold Misao higher. â€Å"I warned you, so don't say that I didn't or that you have any reason to complain!† She squeezed the shears. Misao gave a squeal that was almost lost in the general commotion. Elena, feeling more and more tired, said, â€Å"You're a complete liar, aren't you? Look down if you want. I didn't cut anywhere close to you. You just heard the shears click and screamed.† Misao very nearly got a claw into Elena's eye. Oh, well. Now, for Elena, there were no more moral or ethical issues. She wasn't causing pain, she was simply draining Power. The shears wentsnap, snap, snap , and Misao screamed and cursed her, but below them the Tree-Men were shrinking. â€Å"Where is the first part of the key?† â€Å"Let me go and I'll tell.† Suddenly Misao's voice was less shrill. â€Å"On your honor – if you can say that without laughing?† â€Å"On my honor and my word as a kitsune. Please! You can't leave a fox without a real tail! That's why the ones you cut didn't hurt. They're badges of honor. But my real tail is in the middle, it's tipped with white, and if you cut me there; you'll see blood and it will leave a stump.† Misao seemed thoroughly cowed, thoroughly ready to cooperate. Elena knew about judging people and intuition, and both her mind and her heart were telling her not to trust this creature. But she wanted so much to believe, to hope†¦. Making a slow curving descent so that the vixen was close to the ground – she would not give in to the temptation to drop her from sixty feet up – Elena said, â€Å"Well? On you honor, what are the answers?† Six Tree-Men came to life around her and plunged at her, with greedy, grasping finger branches. But Elena wasn't taken completely off guard. She hadn't let go of her grip on Misao; only slackened it. Now she tightened the grip again. A wave of strength buoyed her so that she lifted fast and swept by the widow's walk and a furious Shinichi and weeping Caroline. Then Elena met Damon's eyes. They were filled with hot, fierce pride in her. She was filled with hot, fierce passion. â€Å"I am not an angel,† she announced to any of the group who hadn't quite managed to grasp this yet. â€Å"I am not an angel and I am not a spirit. I'm Elena Gilbert and I've been to the Other Side. And right now I'm ready to do whatever needs to be done, which seems to include kicking some ass!† There was a clamor below that at first she couldn't identify. Then she realized it was the others – it was her friends. Mrs. Flowers and Dr. Alpert, Matt and even wild Isobel. They were cheering – and they were visible because suddenly the backyard was in daylight. Am I doing that? Elena wondered, and realized that somehow she was. She was lighting up the clearing in which Mrs. Flowers' house stood, while leaving the woods around dark. Maybe I can extend it, she thought. Make the Old Wood into something younger and less evil. If she had been more experienced, she would never have attempted it. But right here and right now she felt that she could take anything on. She looked at the four directions of the Old Wood around her quickly, and she cried, â€Å"Wings of Purification!† and watched the huge, frosty, iridescent butterfly wings spread high and wide, and then wider, and then spread some more. She was aware of a silence, of being so enrapt in something she was doing that even Misao's struggles didn't matter. It was a silence that reminded her of something: of all the most beautiful strains of music coming together into one, single, powerful chord. And then the Power blasted out from her – not destructive Power like that Damon had sent many times, but a Power of renewal, of springtime, of love, youth, and purification. And she watched as the light spread farther and farther, and the trees grew smaller and more familiar, with more clearings in between thickets. Thorns and hanging creepers disappeared. On the ground, spreading out like a circle expanding, flowers of all colors bloomed, sweet violets in clumps here and banks of Queen Anne's lace there, and wild roses climbing everywhere. It was so beautiful that it made her chest ache. Misao hissed. Elena's trance was finally broken, and she looked around to see that the shambling, hideous Tree-Men had disappeared in the full sunlight and in their place was a wide patch of sorrel dotted with fossilized trees in odd shapes. Some looked almost human. For a moment Elena regarded the scene, puzzled, and then she realized what else was different. All the real humans were gone. â€Å"I never should have brought you here!† And that, to Elena's surprise, was Misao's voice. She was speaking to her brother. â€Å"You spoiled everything because of that girl.Shinichi no baka!† â€Å"Idiot, yourself!† Shinichi shouted at Misao. â€Å"Onore!You're reacting just the way they want – â€Å" â€Å"What else am I supposed to do?† â€Å"I heard you giving the girl clues,† Shinichi snarled. â€Å"You'd do anything for the sake of your looks, you selfish – â€Å" â€Å"You can say that to me? While you haven't lost even one tail yourself?† â€Å"Just because I'm faster – â€Å" Misao cut him off. â€Å"That's a lie and you know it! Take it back!† â€Å"You're too weak to fight! You should have run long ago! Don't come crying to me about it.† â€Å"Don't youdare speak to me like that!† And Misao leaped from Elena's grasp and attacked Shinichi. He had been wrong. She was a good fighter. In a second they were a destruction zone, rolling over and over as they fought changing forms all the while. Black and scarlet fur flew. Out of the ball of turning bodies came scraps of speech – † – still won't find the keys – â€Å" † – not both of them, anyway – â€Å" † – even if they did – â€Å" † – what would it matter?† † – still have to find the boy – â€Å" † – I say it's only sporting to let them try – â€Å" Misao's horrible shrill giggle. â€Å"And see what they find – â€Å" † – in theShi no Shi !† Abruptly the fight ended and they both became human. They were battered, but Elena felt that there was nothing more that she could do if they chose to fight again. Instead Shinichi said, â€Å"I'm breaking the globe.Here ,† he turned to Damon and shut his eyes, â€Å"is where your precious brother is. I'm putting it into your mind – if you can decode the map. And once you get there, you'll die. Don't say I didn't warn you.† To Elena he bowed and said, â€Å"I regret that you'll be dying, too. But I've memorialized you in an ode. Wild rose and lilac, Bee's balm and daisy, Elena's smile chases The winter away. Bluebell and violet, Foxglove and iris, Watch where she treads And then watch the grass sway. Wherever her feet pass, White flowers part the grass – â€Å" â€Å"I'd rather hear a straight explanation of where the keys are,† Elena said to Shinichi, knowing that after that song she wouldn't get any more from Misao. â€Å"Frankly, I'm sick and tired of all yourbullshit .† She noticed that once again everyone was staring at her and she could feel why. She could feel a difference in her voice, in her stance, in her patterns of speech. But mostly,inside , what she felt was freedom. â€Å"We'll give you this much,† Shinichi said. â€Å"We won't move them. Find them from the clues – or by other means, if you can.† He winked at Elena and turned away – to meet a pale and trembling Nemesis. Caroline. Whatever else she'd been doing for the last few minutes, she had been crying, and rubbing her eyes, and wringing her hands – or so Elena guessed from the distribution of her makeup. â€Å"You, too?† she said to Shinichi.†You, too?† Shinichi smiled his lazy smile. â€Å"And what two am I?† He held up two fingers in the V symbol to differentiate his two from Caroline's. â€Å"You've fallen for her, too? Making up songs – giving her clues to find Stefan – â€Å" â€Å"They're not very good clues,† Shinichi said comfortingly and smiled again. Caroline tried to hit him, but he caught her fist. â€Å"And you think you're leaving now?† Her voice was pitched at a scream – not as high as Misao's glass-splintering shriek, but with its own fearsome vibrato. â€Å"Iknow we're leaving.† He glanced at the sullen Misao. â€Å"After one more item of business. But not with you.† Elena tensed up, but Caroline was trying to attack Shinichi again. â€Å"After what you said to me? After all that yousaid ?† Shinichi looked her up and down, seeming to actually see her for the first time. He also looked genuinely bewildered. â€Å"Saidto you?† he asked. â€Å"Have we spoken before tonight?† There was a high-pitched giggle. Everyone turned. Misao was standing, giggling, her hands over her mouth. â€Å"I used your image,† she said to her brother, her eyes on the floor as if confessing to a minor fault. â€Å"And your voice. In the mirror, when I would give her orders. She was on the rebound from some guy who'd dumped her. I told her I'd fallen in love with her and that I wanted to get revenge on her enemies – if she'd just do a few little things for me.† â€Å"Like spreading malach through little girls,† Damon said grimly. Misao giggled again. â€Å"And a boy or two. I know what it feels like to have those malach inside you. It doesn't hurt at all. They're just – there.† â€Å"Have you ever had one force you to do something you didn't want to?† Elena demanded. She could feel her blue eyes blazing. â€Å"Do you thinkthat would hurt, Misao?† â€Å"It wasn't you?† Caroline was still looking at Shinichi; she obviously couldn't keep up with the script. â€Å"It wasn'tyou ?† He sighed, smiling slightly. â€Å"Not me. Golden hair is my undoing, I'm afraid. Golden†¦or fiery red against black,† he added hastily, glancing at his sister. â€Å"So it was all a lie,† Caroline said, and for a moment, desperation was written on her face larger than anger, with sadness larger than both. â€Å"You're just another Elena fan.† â€Å"Look,† Elena said bluntly, â€Å"I don't want him. I hate him. The only guy I care about is Stefan!† â€Å"Oh, he's the only guy, is he?† Damon asked, with a glance toward Matt, who had carried Bonnie up close to them while the fox-fight was going on. Mrs. Flowers and Dr. Alpert had followed. â€Å"You know what I mean,† Elena told Damon. Damon shrugged. â€Å"Many a golden-haired lassie ends as the rough yeoman's bride.† Then he shook his head. â€Å"Why am I spouting drek like this?† His compact body seemed to tower over Shinichi. â€Å"It's just a residual effect†¦from being possessed†¦you know.† Shinichi fluttered his hands, his eyes still on Elena. â€Å"My thought patterns†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It looked as if another fight was brewing, but then Damon just smiled and said, narrow-eyed, â€Å"So you let Misao have her way with the town while you went after Elena and me.† â€Å"And – â€Å" â€Å"Mutt,† Damon said hastily and automatically. â€Å"I was going to say Stefan,† Elena said. â€Å"No, I would guess that Matt was the victim of one of Misao and Caroline's little schemes before he and I ran into you when you were completely possessed.† â€Å"And now you think you can just walk away,† Caroline said, in a shaking, menacing voice. â€Å"Weare walking away,† Shinichi said stiffly. â€Å"Caroline, wait,† Elena said. â€Å"I can help you – withWings of Purification. You're being controlled by a malach.† â€Å"I don't need your help! I need ahusband !† There was utter silence on the roof. Not even Matt stepped up to the plate on this one. â€Å"Or at least a fianc ¦,† Caroline muttered, one hand on her abdomen. â€Å"My family would acceptthat.† â€Å"We'll work it out,† Elena said softly – then, firmly, â€Å"Caroline, believe it.† â€Å"I wouldn't believe in you if†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Caroline's answer was obscene. Then she spat in Elena's direction. And then she was silent, by her own choice or because the malach inside her wanted it. â€Å"Back to business,† Shinichi said. â€Å"Let's see, our price for the service of the clues and the location is a little block of memory. Let's say†¦from the time I first met Damon until now. Taken from Damon's mind.† He smiled nastily. â€Å"You can't do that!† Elena felt panic shoot through her, starting in her heart and flying out to the farthest reaches of every limb. â€Å"He's different now: he's remembered things – he's changed. If you take that memory away – â€Å" â€Å"So will all the sweet changes go,† Shinichi told her. â€Å"Would you rather I took your memory?† â€Å"Yes!† â€Å"But you were the only one who heard the clues about the key. And in any case I don't want to see things from your eyes. I want to see you†¦throughhis eyes.† By now, Elena was ready to start another fight on her own. But Damon said, distancing himself already, â€Å"Go ahead and take what you like. But if you don't get out of this town right after, I take off yourhead with these shears.† â€Å"Agreed.† â€Å"No, Damon – â€Å" â€Å"Do you want Stefan back?† â€Å"Not at that price!† â€Å"Too bad,† Shinichi put in. â€Å"Thereis no other bargain.† â€Å"Damon! Please – think about it!† â€Å"I have thought. It's my fault that the malach spread so far in the first place. It's my fault for not investigating what was going on with Caroline. I didn't care what happened to humans as long as the new arrivals kept away fromme . But I can fix some of the things I did to you by finding Stefan.† He half turned to her, the old devil-may-care smile on his lips. â€Å"After all, taking care of my brother is my job.† â€Å"Damon – listento me.† But Damon was looking at Shinichi. â€Å"Agreed,† he said. â€Å"You have yourself a deal.†

Fetal Pig Lab Report Essays

Fetal Pig Lab Report Essays Fetal Pig Lab Report Paper Fetal Pig Lab Report Paper The Physiological and Anatomical Similarities of the Human and Petal Pig Body Abstract Through the dissection Of the fetal pig, we were able to compare and contrast the structure and functions of the organs to those of a human. We dissected the pig and observed all the exterior and interior Structures. We found that because both are mammals, the fetal pigs structure was almost identical to the human body. Intro Since humans and pigs are both mammals, it can be very useful to study the fetal pig. We dissected the pig so that we should see the skeletal and organ structures hat we learned about in class. Because pigs are also mammals, their structure is very similar to our own. By doing the dissection, we were able to physically see and touch the anatomy of the mammalian body rather seeing it solely in text form. This gives us a better idea of how the structures are intertwined to form the body as a whole. Methods Before even starting the dissection, we had to examine the outer portion of the pig, We started our observations around the head, looking at the mouth, ears, eyes, and snout. : Then we started the actual dissection by cutting a vertical line along the long axis of the body, a horizontal line immediately posterior to the front legs and anterior to the hind legs. You had to be careful when using the scalpel so as not to piece any underlying organs. We flapped the skin back and pinned it to the dissection pan and cut through the ribs to reveal the organs underneath. We looked thoroughly at the oral cavity, respiratory system, and digestive system. Results Oral Cavity: The pig has a hard palate, located at the roof of the mouth, used to id the process of breaking down food. It has teeth that are pointed and sharp so that it can tear its food to be digested. The tongue obviously allows for taste and also helps to direct the chewed food to the esophagi, which connects to the digestive system, The epiglottis is a small flap that covers the glottis, which leads to the larynx, and it makes sure that food does not enter the respiratory system. Respiratory System: The larynx leads down into the trachea which divides into tuft bronchi. Each bronchi connects to a lung, Posterior to the lungs is the paragraph, a muscular wall that divides the thorax from the abdomen. Digestive System: The digestive system continues from the esophagi into the stomach. The liver is found posterior to the diaphragm and it secretes bile to help emulsify fats from the food. The bile goes to the fall bladder through a series of ducts into the duodenum. The pancreas, which is hidden by the stomach, secretes enzymes such as amylase. The small intestine continues the digestion and nutrients diffuse through its membrane and into the body. The large intestine deals more With water and Other fluids. Discussion The objective of this lab was to observe the fetal pig both anatomically and physiologically. We wanted to compare and contrast what we know about the human body with the observations seen in the dissection. We also wanted to reinforce the teachings we learned in class. After dissecting the pig, we noticed that most everything in the pig is also in the human body, Dissecting the fetal pig gave us a hands-on experience of how the mammalian body works and also a view of its structure. The only significant difference that we could find was that the pig did not have an appendix like a human does. Instead, they only have the scum. In the pig, the scum provides the same benefits as the human appendix, found this interesting because many people used to say that the appendix was essentially a useless part of the body. After dissecting the pig, it is easy to see why people would have thought that. Since the pig is fully functional without an appendix, it would be interesting to research further how humans developed one and why it is necessary to our body.

Company Analysis

Company Analysis Executive summary Founded as a small company in 2008, Google has grown to be a major technology company operating in almost all countries around the globe. Like many global companies, Google management and major operations are based in Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View California.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Company Analysis Google specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Google is the leading world technology firm that aims at improving people’s information and attachment. The company’s aspiration is to improve the lives of multitude number of world inhabitants. To categorize information and make it helpful and easily reached in the globe is the mission of the company. The company’s website is the most acknowledged in the whole world. This is because of innovations in the advertisement and web search. Furthermore, the company conveys relevant cost-effective online advertisement to genera te income. It also provides other businesses with its Ad Words program to promote their products and services. Additionally, Google network uses Ad Sense program to provide relevant ads to improve user experience and to breed profits. It engages in public offering initially completed in August the year two thousand and four. The company overview The foundation of this company was long back in the year nineteen ninety-eight. The company is a major internet services provider both in United States and all over the world. It is based in Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View California. In the fiscal nineteen ninety-eight the company was fully incorporation in accordance to the California state company laws and regulations (Google, 2010). Another subsidiary of the company established later established in August the year two thousand was incorporated in the in the state of Delaware. Currently the company is found in many countries around the world.Advertising Looking for research pa per on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Google is a hi-tech company that upholds online website index contents for providers, advertisers, and users. It provides program advertisement based on auction known as Ad Words and Ad Sense. This enables liberation of ads through Google network websites. Programs like Google Display and Ad Word advertisers include interactive ads, images, texts, and videos. The company has Exchange Double Click Ad that is concurrent to public sale for trade of display ad space (Google, 2010). Furthermore, You Tube provides use to advertisers for ad formats, interactive, and videos. The company’s Google Mobile has optimized Google mobile phone application. These devices allow the advertiser to sprint campaign on ad search, download, and browse. Additionally, it has Google local to deliver information locally on the web. The company offers an open mobile source software platf orm and operating system that is Android and Google Chrome OS. It enables different individuals share a variety of ideas online using Google+, Web browsers, and Google Chrome. The company has also provided a podium for customers to exploit internet and TV on a solitary screen. Google Books employed by the company exhibits a place for consumption, searching, and discovering books printed online (Google, 2010). Moreover, the company supplies Google Applications such as Google site, Google translate, Google Calendars, Google Doc, and Gmail for device collaboration and computerizing obscured messages set. The company governance The company s committed to maintaining the highest standards of corporate governance and business conduct according to the corporate governance guidelines (Google, 2011).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Company Analysis Google specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The company also believes t hat these guidelines are essential in running the business in an efficient manner and in serving its stakeholders as well as maintaining the integrity in the market place. Board of Directors currently manages this company (Google, 2011). Eric Schmidt is the Principal Executive Officer. He is the chairperson of the board of directors and chief executive officer. Patrick Pichette is the senior vice-president and chief finance officer (Principal Accounts and Finance Officer). Mr. Sergey Brin holds the position of director and president of technology. Subsequently, Larry Page is the director and president of products. Finally, Shirley Tilghman, Ram Shriram, Paul Otellini, John Hennessy, and John Doerr all serve as Directors. The directors’ responsibility is to oversee the day-to-day operations of the company. The directors run the company with the help of various committees including executive compensation committee (Google, 2011). In addition, shareholders make the company major decisions. The company shareholders are composed of the individual shareholders, institutional shareholders and the mutual fund owners. The company governance efficiency is evident in growth rewards. For instance, the company has experienced a substantial growth of major users, advertisers, and consumers reallocating to online from offline (Dwivedi, 2008). In addition, the company is experiencing rapid improvements in search technology. As a result, speedy deliverance of relevant search outcome and comprehensive index has expanded. Furthermore, speedy innovations have enabled the company to develop products including Place Search, Instant Previews, and Google Instant. Besides, aggressive venture into new businesses such as enterprise, cell phone, and display has led to faster growth of the company. A strategic investment in decisive products like Chrome OS, Chrome, and Android is evident in the past years.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This has followed the company’s philosophy of open platforms and infrastructure for the achievement of web users. Investment in technologies, services, products reflects the management focus on efficiency and customer satisfaction (Dwivedi, 2008). Ethics and Social responsibility Google has broad defined values that are shared by all the stakeholders particularly the employees and management. The central values are geared towards providing users with dispassionate access to information (Chaffey, 2007). In addition, the central values are designed in such a way that it helps the company to focus on the needs of customers and provide the best services or products. In essence, the company values are meant to abide by the legal requirements, industrial regulations and respect to the competitors (Chaffey, 2007). These common values form the basis in which the company formulated its code of conduct. The approach of the company is to have a code of conduct that fosters highest stand ards of ethical business (Mahaney, 2005). The belief is that high ethical business standards help the company employ great individuals, build great products and services that attract loyal users. The company beliefs are coined in its mission statement that emphasizes mutual respect and trust among employees and users. The company believes that trust and mutual respect are the basis for its success. The company code of conduct is geared towards serving their users. For instance, the company upholds integrity, privacy in addition to freedom of expression while serving users. Moreover, the code of conduct encourages respect among the stakeholders as well as avoiding conflict of interest. Most important is the preservation of confidentiality and protection of the company assets. These include the intellectual property, the confidential information, and the company equipments (Reuters, 2009). Further, the code of conduct promotes financial integrity and responsibility as well as abiding by the legal requirements. Besides setting up the ethical standards, the company engages in corporate social responsibility (CRS) activities. These include creating awareness in various fronts such as the climate change, education, public health, and sanitation (Chaffey, 2007). However, these activities are connected in some way to the company long-term revenue generation. Google Foundation is an institution created by the company to implement its corporate social responsibility programs. It has undertaken various initiatives including developing renewable or green energy, predict, identify, prevent, and enable rapid response to various risks associated with climate change and infectious diseases. It is equally intended to improve public services through public awareness and empowerment. Google foundation also promotes the development of small and medium sized enterprises through capitalization and risk management. In its commitment to provide appropriate services to its users and t o act responsibly with communities where it operates the company has been fraught with problems. For almost all its operating period, there have been concerns whether the company products infringes the privacy of users as well as others (Chaffey, 2007). Concerns about the company practices regarding the collection, use disclosure as well as the security of personal information or any other privacy related matters have resulted in the damage of the company reputation. However, most of these concerns have been unfounded. While the company thrives to comply with its code of ethical regulations, any perceived failure has resulted in court actions by other entities and that have potential adverse effect on the company reputations and the brand image. Compliance with both local and international regulations has also posed a great challenge to the company. For instance, the difficulties experienced by the company operations in China and compliance with the Chinese regulations resulted in i ts censorship by not only the Chinese government but also various governments (Reuters, 2009). These censorships portrayed the company as antisocial and undemocratic. This hugely negated the company reputation. As a result, the company loses much of its market share especially in highly government controlled economies. As regards to social responsibility, the company commitment to green energy program has become under scrutiny. The environmental protection agency (EPA) tends to follow the alleged release of a refrigerant in one of the company’s data facilities. The EPA also follows and scrutinizes other issues relating to environment protection. The investigations could have resulted in administrative actions, criminal or civil penalties or fines (Google, 2010). However, these allegations have been proved unfounded as the EPA as most of the documents investigated were justified by the energy regulations. Organization Board of directors is the highest decision making organ by the company. Though the company tends to minimize the bureaucratic structures, the board of directors makes all decisions. The bureaucratic structures are minimized through various committees as well as encouraging teamwork in almost all operations of the company. The company culture of enhancing equality of employees, teamwork as well as encouraging individual talent growth is critical in structural organization. In addition, the freedom in individual and team decisions enhances effectiveness and efficiency in the operations of the company (Google, 2011). The short vertical structure and the encouragement of horizontal integration have been essential in enhancing creativity among the employees, which in effect create better products for customers. The company adopts the modern management practices and organization structure that enhances free decision-making, encourages teamwork and creativity. The company takes great pride in its culture that is based on creativity and collaborati on (Mahaney, 2005). The company culture of collaboration promotes the iteration of ideas used as solutions to complex challenges. The company also encourages transparency and open dialogue among its employees. In essence, the company embraces a culture of transparency, dialogue, collaboration, and creativity. In addition, the company encourages the culture of diversity. Employees of the company have the freedom to act on individual ideas despite the company responsibilities (Mahaney, 2005). The employees are also employed based on their diverse ideas, backgrounds, and perspective. The company provides a favorable environment where such work diversities are effectively nurtured, and thrives. In addition, the company embraces a culture that promotes and defends important talent. These policies include, effective communication, data drive decisions, stopping being evil, striving to reach consensus, encouraged creativity, making coordination easy, packing projects in, catering for emplo yees needs, and hiring through commission (Mahaney, 2005). Moreover, the company encourages employment practices that attract and retaining the best talents and skills. Further, the company practice employment procedure that is fair and based on standards to facilitate greater personality appointment by the company. The company is offering an extreme package of typical remuneration as well as good working environment to retain the best talent (Mahaney, 2005). Additionally it provides hard working engineers with commuter buses, parched cleaners, car washing, haircuts, kneading and laundry room, gymnasium, and dining facilities. Planning According to Olsen (2006), all businesses small or big require strategic plans to attain their goals particularly in situations where the business is fast growing. In strategic planning, the business must able to analyze trends that determine the future of the business. The company must also set measurable and realistic goals that can be attained (Ols en, 2006). Moreover, for the organization to succeed in its growth and development, it must make strategic planning continuous practice of the organization. In addition, the company must prioritize various strategies that must be implemented simultaneously. The company should also set defining vision for the company that guides all planning and strategies (Olsen, 2006). In the case of Google, all strategic planning is under the head of strategy and planning and operations. The company’s operations consist of a global team that ensures the business complex activities are efficiently managed (Mahaney, 2005). The department comprises of experts that are consistent, systematic, and pragmatic in their implementation of the company plans. This department come up with revenue plans, develops high-level goals, and instigates activity programs that speed up organizational development and improve output. In essence, the department is responsible for developing main activity areas in li ne with the organizational strategy, forecasting, and analytics. The department manager personally oversees the implementation of key strategies as well as operations projects (Chaffey, 2007). Therefore, the department is responsible for the delivery of yearly programming and reporting. The company general business planning efficiency is observed in its ability in perpendicular and aggressive analysis, business analytics, as well as the production of business intelligence to the management (Chaffey, 2007). Leadership Google leadership policy has always been laissez-faire. The company has been engaging in employing highly skilled engineers and supporting the most brilliant rich the higher leadership positions. Once in leadership, they make their own decisions and plans on how to achieve the required goals and objectives (Dwivedi, 2008). However, this has not been the case as time changes. New leadership qualities have to be incorporated apart from the technical skills that the compan y has been emphasizing. Some managers could no attain the outcome given the changing environment. Therefore, leadership qualities such as good coaching, team and micro-management, interpersonal skills, sensitive towards results and productivity, good communication, strategist and career development were highly encouraged (Dwivedi, 2008). Technical skills have not been highly emphasized since all employees have almost similar qualification in this area. These competencies are important for the company since they are the focus towards increasing returns. The reason why the company has been emphasizing these qualities is that they require little changes in personality. In addition, there is the likelihood for augmented advancement (Dwivedi, 2008). Most importantly, these leadership qualities are important in the Google culture. The company top management has adopted various leadership styles to develop a cordial relationship with the employees. For instance, the management has been emp hasizing on the clear vision and strategy for its team of technical employees (Google, 2011). Moreover, the company has been putting a lot of interest on the employee’s personal development. The employees career development. Lastly, Google leadership helps their clients and employees to think through issues that may arise. According to Armstrong and Kotler (2009), there are leadership assessment tools that organizations utilize to provide feedback on leadership styles. In the case of Google, leaders have incorporated six important strategies in their leadership styles. These include visionary strategy, affiliative strategy, participative strategy, and coaching strategy. In the visionary strategy the company leadership creates, sell, and are held accountable for the delivery of the company vision (Mahaney, 2005). The affiliative strategy recognizes the individual contribution to the company and his needs. The leadership adopts participative strategy to create teamwork that is essential in generating ideas as well as offering solutions to any unanticipated problems (Mahaney, 2005). Controlling The operational conduct and regulation of systems, apparatus, or machines means control. Institutions regulating its business processes apply this. Such processes include financing, distribution, and production. In fact, control help businesses avoid and trim down the increase of bottlenecks and mistakes (Armstrong Kotler, 2009). In the traditional context, control is an aspect of management ground rules. These aspects are, coordinating, planning, and organizing. Hence, it is the most important apparatus used by managers to persuade the staff members to work and attain the set goals. Another meaning is, to seek out observance with set conformance objectives and significance that is, quality criterion, standards, and arrangements (Armstrong Kotler, 2009). All these facilitate and confine the organization to assess performance and supervise development. For Google C ompany to organize its business management well, it must have a control system. Research has recognized four domestic control gadgets put into practice by the company. Culture, social structures, expertise, and in-house controls are the mechanisms used for implementation (Chaffey, 2007). Thus, a broad definition of the internal control entails the formula and standards employed by the company to safeguard its materials and goods. The company tends to recruit more workforces to assist in conducting its businesses as it grows. Conversely, absence of procedure and policy in implementation makes protection of assets impossible. Moreover, it will encourage disagreement between the organization staff. Google Company has discovered four forms of control tools namely, dialectic of control, civilization, social culture, and individual control (Reuters, 2009). Whereas social culture is the fixed controls amid incentive proposals, career ranking, distinct work explanation, regulations, course of action and guidelines. Similarly, culture is the employees shared customs and significance that sway attitude, regulate perception, and nature behavior (Chaffey, 2007). Shared beliefs prevent the need for open and wide-ranging decree and processes. It further stops provision of viewpoint curiosity and rules where members can assume unlimited particular statute to outfit unstable condition. These objective reinforcements are by employees’ internalized socialization and rules. On the other hand, dialectic of control explains the poised category for assistants’ trial power to their superiors. The knowledge of personnel is the key positive feature in Google Company. This is important in controlling the conduct of workers, bureaucrats, and executives. Corporate governance guidelines are set by a panel of directors to enable the management to function efficiently. The corporate configuration has also instituted both internal management and suitable financial control. Thou gh this company rapidly expands, it upholds modest company management practices (Mahaney, 2005). Therefore, hiring the right person ensures control implementation in the company. The hiring policy favors aptitude rather than knowledge and is discrimination free. Hence, a reflection of world audience served by the search engine. Furthermore, the expansion in Google developments has demanded recruits who distribute a compulsive commitment (Chan, 2007). The recruiting process is one of the control measures put by the company. For first-class control to be established, employees fill up the forms of application in their own inscriptions. The company conducts two to three interview follow-ups to potential employees over other associates. In the Google Company, the committee does hiring to prospective candidates by soliciting hard-hitting questions to direct incompetent interviewee (Mahaney, 2005). Specialized and responsible panels make the company projects. This makes determination of s uccessful and well-organized job easy through separating responsibilities. Thus, administration schedule realization is much easier. Specialization helps one become conscious in the intellect of making work execution more resourceful and successful. The company has also put control measures in financial management. The major controls are in the financial disclosures that must comply with the set of procedures. The company management normally institutes these procedures, and they include the statutory regulations such as the exchange act. The management must evaluate the financial control and disclosure procedures in pursuant to the regulations provided in the exchange act. The financial disclosure control and procedures must be effective and provide a reasonable assurance that the information provided is reliable (Chan, 2007). According to the act, the financial information must be processed, recorded, summarized, and reported within the required period. The management require that such information should be communicated more so to the executive officer and chief financial officer before its release to the public. Moreover, the management must approve such information and must make decisions regarding disclosure (Chan, 2007). Internal controls include evaluating the effectiveness of the company financial reporting based on the framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Tread way Commission. The framework is known as the Internal Control – Integrated Framework. However, the assessment results should be reviewed with the audit committee or an independent auditor (Google, 2010). In designing and assessing the disclosure controls and procedures, the management should recognize that any control measures only provides reasonable guarantee of attaining the preferred control aims. Despite this limitation, the company internal financial controls and procedures reflected the resource constraints. Therefore, the management is required to apply its judgment in evaluating the benefits of possible controls and procedures relative to their costs. References Armstrong, G Kotler, P. (2009). Principles of marketing. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Chaffey, D. (2007). Google case study-covering Google business strategy and technology case. Retrieved from davechaffey.com/E-commerce-Internet- marketing-case-studies/Google-case-study/ Chan, J. (2007). Google’s acquisition strategy. Retrieved from http://fishtrain.com/2007/09/13/googles-acquisition-strategy/ Dwivedi, J. (2008). Google’s robust strategy and business model. Retrieved from iproceed.com/blog/2005/02/googles-robust-strategy-business-model.html Google (2010). 2010 annual report. Retrieved from investor.google.com/pdf/2010_google_annual_report.pdf Google (2011). 2011 annual stockholders meeting. Retrieved from http://investor.google.com/proxy/2011/index.html Mahaney, M. (2005). GOOG: increased conviction in Google. San Francisco: Citigroup Global Marke ts, Inc. Olsen, E. (2006). Strategic planning for dummies. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons. Reuters (2009). Google drives into navigation market. Retrieved from independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/google-drives-into- navigation-market-1811289.html Company Analysis The purpose of this company analysis is to discuss the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of Procter Gamble. However, this report concentrates more on Porter’s five forces, resources, and capabilities of PG, present strategies, and Resource Base View (RBV) model to recommend the company.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Company Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Current Strategic Situation: Growth Strategy: Chairman and CEO of PG Bob McDonald stated that Purpose-inspired growth strategy is beginning to work because this strategy is touching and improving more consumers lives in all over the world, for instance, expansion tasks of Ambi Pur with Febreze contract; Operational strategy: Procter Gamble reported that it would carry out an environmental sustainability program throughout its operations to reduce carbon emission by 20% and it would also focus on water and energy utilization and w aste removal from corporate plants; Product development strategy: PG always interested in introducing new products considering consumer demand and they concentrate more on product innovation, and it has already developed few new brands, such as introduce of the second wave in toothpaste or oral care brand, coverage of Western Europe by Pampers Dry Max and ingredient variation in Pantene and so on. However, Home Care, Fabric Care, Hair Care, and Oral Care are the most successful segments; Figure 1: 1950-2009 PG Product Strategy Source: Smith (1) Customer Relationship Management: Now, PG is concentrating more on serving more customers by implementing new CRM policies along with continuous innovation and expansion of brand portfolio upper, vertical or downward value integration; Organizational Chart: It reshaped organizational chart to implement its strategies properly where global business units focus more on global buyers, competitors, and brands, which function as the media of in tended innovation, profitability, and ROI by using its efficient and expert employees to deliver the best performances to gain competitive advantage; however, the following figure shows the organizational chart of PG Figure 2: Organizational chart of PG Source: Procter Gamble (1)Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Pricing Strategy: Smith (1) pointed out the view of the CEO and argued that PG offers low price to introduce new products in the existing market, and the aim of CEO is to increase competition and at the bottom and the decade long stagnation to decline in middle-class income; however, PG offers only 10% price reduction on average. Figure 3: 2010 PG Product Strategy Adjustments Source: Smith (1) Resources and capabilities of PG: Figure 9: Resources of PG Source: Self-generated Financial Resources: According to the annual report, the financial position 2010-11 was outstanding as PG’s organic sales grew 4%, Organic volume grew 5%, Core earnings per share grew 8%, PG’s dividend has increased at an annual compound average rate of approximately 9.5%; however, it returned about $7 billion to shareholders through the repurchase of PG stock. According to the income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement of PG, its present key financial variables are Key variables 2011 ($ million) 2010 ($ million) 2009 ($ million) Total Sales Revenue 82,559.0 78,938.0 76,694.0 Gross Profit 41,791.0 41,019.0 38,004.0 Operating costs 25,973.0 24,998.0 22,630.0 Operating Income 15,818.0 16,021.0 15,374.0 Net income (loss) 11,797.0 12,736.0 13,436.0 Total Assets 138,354.0 128,172.0 134,833.0 Total Liabilities 70,714.0 67,057.0 71,734.0 Total Stockholder Equity 68,001.0 61,439.0 63,382.0 Total Cash Flows From Financing Activities (10,023) (17,255) (10,814) Table 1: Financial information of PGAdvertising We will write a custom essay sample on Company Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Source: self-generated from Yahoo Finance (1) Organizational resources: Staff of the PG is one of the significant assets, and it has 127,000 employees according to the annual report 2011 of PG who worked in inside and outside the US market and the help the company expanding business; Physical resources: This resource includes constructions, property, equipment, furniture, and so on; however, the following table shows the total amount of property of PG Key variables 2011 ($ million) 2010 ($ million) 2009 ($ million) Property Plant and Equipment 21,293.0 19,244.0 19,462.0 Technological resources: Graul et al. (54) reported that this company invests more than $2 billion for the development of technology in 2005, it has more than 29,000 patented technologies along with twenty technical centers in four continents; Intellectual and human reso urces: According to the annual report of the PG, RD teams enrich with more than 200 scientists, chemists, and so on; besides, they are responsible for identifying, developing, and using leading health care technologies to develop health care products; Reputation resources: Procter Gamble affords a high brand value, which tends to expand in the future and this reputation is the outcome of consumer perceptions about the quality, trust, and ethical factors in every market segment; however, the subsequent table demonstrates goodwill of PG for three years Key variables 2011 ($ million) 2010 ($ million) 2009 ($ million) Goodwill 57,562.0 54,012.0 56,512.0 SWOT Analysis of PG: Figure 4: SWOT Analysis of PG Source: Graul, et al. (71) Strengths: The internal strengths of PG are significant scales of scope and economies, share price, sales growth, human resources, financial capabilities, supply chain, product innovation and overall performance in the global market. Leadership Brands: According to the annual report of PG, its fifty leadership brands are some of the world’s most famous household names and twenty-four of these fifty brands each make above $1 billion every year, which indicates 90% profits generate from these brands; Market Share: it has a worldwide business operation and has a significant share in the global market; Innovation: It is one of the most critical factors for this company to compete with high customer satisfaction. Also, the demand of the customers change on time, and the management of PG maintains a specific strategy to meet the demand of the buyers; Sales Volume: Sales revenue from the consumer product line has increased all over the world; Human Resources: PG has more than 127,000 dynamic and high educated employees to carry on the business in the adverse economic situation, and it also has research team to introduce new products; Experience: PG established in 1837 and served the US Army, so, it has long-experience alon g with the glorious historical background to operate global market with strong brand awareness; Other: Corporate social responsibility, investment plan, human resource management are key strategies of the company. Weaknesses: Besides strong points, PG has to concentrate on many other factors, such as Market expansion: It has many familiar brands in global market, but the perforce of the company in developing countries is not outstanding as it earned only 35% of total profits from the operation in developing countries; however, it has opportunity to increase loyal customer base in developing countries by decreasing price of the products; Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Figure 5: Net sales by market maturity and geographic region Source: Procter Gamble (62) Operating expenses: The total operating expenses of PG are increasing each year, for instance, these expenses were $25,973 million in 2011, which was more than $985 million from last year expenses; Political factors: Unrest situation in many countries may effect on the supply chain management system of the company, and it could adversely affect sales revenue; Strategic decision: Unilever, Johnson Johnson and other competitors have taken measures to diversify product line and implemented new marketing strategies; for instance, these companies arranged integrated marketing communication campaign to increase customer base. Opportunities: External opportunities of PG includes New product development: PG has a strong capability of developing new products using existing resources and capabilities along with long experience perform; thus, it has the opportunity to capture marketing leading pos ition; Joint venture: It has the financial strength to joint venture with large competitors like Unilever to reduce market competition; Stock Performance: the performance of PG in Stock market is satisfactory from the very beginning though the share price of the company decreased in 2009; however, the following figure demonstrates the position of PG in Nasdaq Figure 6: Basic chart of PG Source: Yahoo Finance (1) Performance in Recessionary Economy: PG has experienced huge success in spite of global financial crisis while most of the companies have endeavored to survive, which gives confidence to the management of the company to go ahead with existing resources and capabilities; Threats: External threats of PG includes Legal: Nowadays, multinational companies need to concentrate more on the legal issue to reduce unexpected costs, for instance, BBC News (1) reported that PG was fined â‚ ¬211.20 million to fixing the price of washing powder in eight European countries; Compet ition: Strong competition among the market players is one of the main challenges for PG because competitors captured a significant market share of consumer products, for instance, Sunsilk of Unilever captured shampoo market; Compensation: Controversial issues could adversely affect on the company such as toxic shock syndrome and tampons, price fixing controversy and logo controversy created hindrance for the business operation and increased costs. Porter’s five forces model analysis of PG: Figure 7: Porter’s five forces model of competition for PG Source: Self-generated form analysis Barriers of new entrants: The consumer product industry has to face intense competition both in the national and international market due to the existence of local competitors of different products and many brand items have produced by these companies to attract segmented customers. As a result, threats of new entrants are moderate to high for this company while it should not require hi gh investment to produce few items in the local market, but the aggregate risk is low; thus, it not difficult for the new companies to occupy the market share of PG; Bargaining power of suppliers: The bargaining power of suppliers is moderate because of the availability of suppliers; however, this power accelerates when PG like to switching off suppliers; Bargaining power of buyers: the bargaining power of buyers is now high because of the current pressure of the global economic crisis, low switching off costs, availability of similar products, frequent change of customers’ demand, and unrest political position in Asian and European countries and so on; Threats of substitute products: PG faced intense competition from direct and indirect competitors, and these companies produced many consumer products those can reduce the demand of any brand of PG, for instance, PG’s feminine products replaced by the substitute due to toxic shock syndrome and tampons controversy; Rival ry among existing firms: PG has to compete with many direct and indirect companies at both home and abroad, for example, major competitors of this company are Unilever, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Johnson Johnson, Clorox, Colgate-Palmolive, etc. However, the rivalry among existing companies is extremely high, and these companies frequently change their functional plans to increase sales volume and take measures to get undue advantages from the market, for example, PG and Unilever fixed the price of washing powder in eight EU nations to increase sales. To compare the position of PG in industry, the subsequent figure shows direct comparison Figure 8: Direct Competitor Comparison of consumer product industry Source: Yahoo Finance (1) Resource Base View (RBV) model: Resources Sources of Competitive Advantage Rare Valuable Inimitable Non-substitutable Core Competencies Innovation: it has 50 established brands along with 300 consumer products in four segments like PG Beauty, Family Health, Household Care, and Gillette and it has now seven core segments like beauty, Health, Baby Care, Fabric, Home Care and so on Yes Yes Possible as it has already established as successful inventors in consumer product markets; however, it is hard to measure the volume of innovation It is feasible if PG can use research and development team properly Patents: it has more than 29000 patented technologies Yes Yes It is feasible, not probable It is feasible, not probable as it should involve huge investment Go to Market Expertise: Capabilities Yes Yes Hard to attain It is tough to attain as competitors, for example, Unilever is functioning on this now. Brand Management: Development of brand image along with the trust of consumers Yes Yes Achievable through market leadership hard to overtake Difficult in market leading Brand Leadership: 50 brands each produce $1 billion sales annually (90% of total earnings) Yes Yes Feasible except hard in non-commoditized markets Feas ible though it is hard in non-commoditized markets Resources Capabilities Existing RD: twenty technical centers in four continents Yes Yes Yes, however, it involves high entry expenses hard to substitute or compete with IP Global Scope Advantage: business operation in more than 180 countries Yes Yes Feasible in spite of high reproduction costs Feasible in spite of high reproduction costs Large scale manufacturing operations; locations in 42 countries Yes Yes Yes Yes Economies of Scale with leveraged Buying Power and supply chain management Yes Yes Yes, it is necessary to have collaboration from keen partners and top-management Yes, it is necessary to have the cooperation from keen partners and top-management Economies of Scale with Global operations Yes Yes Yes Yes Expansion in Emerging Markets like China, India Bangladesh Yes Yes Feasible though it needs high reproduction costs Feasible though it needs high reproduction costs Value Added Networks for B2B Customers Yes Yes Yes, it is essential to have cooperation from enthusiastic associates and management Yes, it is essential to have cooperation from enthusiastic associates and management Electronic Data Interchange only available in the US and it should require development Yes Yes Yes Yes Enterprise IT Strategy for cost reductions, positive customer impact, functioning competence, and return on investment Yes Yes Yes but it hard to apply due to requiring high investment Yes but it hard to apply due to requiring high investment Recommendation Strategy 1: Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) Campaign Decision Criteria for Strategic Alternatives Evaluation Criteria Evaluation Criteria or why choosing this strategy Image creation This company has fifty leadership brands in the global consumer product markets; however, it has to face intense competition, so, the decision-maker should focus on IMC campaign to develop brand awareness; Aligns with mission Since this company wo uld like to provide the best quality products, IMC campaign would help the company to aware target customer regarding the quality of the products Exploits core competency It has already developed the product quality to avoid any controversy like toxic shock syndrome and tampons, and IMC campaign could give this message to the customer Competition To compete with large competitors, it will play a vital role Creating a loyal customer base As competitors offer similar products at a low price, then it is difficult to say that IMC help creating loyal customer base though it would increase sales Financial risk Considering previous experience, it can say that the IMC campaign has no financial risks for PG The short and long term Growth rate It would only meet the short-term growth rate Think customer first As IMC Campaign would emphasis on the positive factors of PG, the customer must be benefited from it. Strategy 2: Reformation of the Pricing Strategy Decision Criter ia for Strategic Alternatives Evaluation Criteria Evaluation Criteria or why choosing this strategy Create a brand image It would help PG creating the brand image in developing countries Aligns with mission Sales may decrease anytime due to adverse economic condition; therefore, restructuring pricing strategy match with the mission of the company. Exploits core competency Operating at economies of scale is one of the PG’s core competencies, so, capacity utilization development by reducing production cost assist the company offer low price; Competition PG would be able to hit this competitive market Creating a loyal customer base The purchasing power of the customers reduced due to recession; so, reforming pricing strategy is the only solution to sustain as a market leader; Financial risk Adopting this strategy has minimal financial risk; however, the European Commission could impose fines for breaking competition law in the EU zone The short and long term Grow th rate It can meet long-term growth in the global consumer product market Think customer first It upholds the concept of think customer first. Strategy 3: Reduction of operating costs Decision Criteria for Strategic Alternatives Evaluation Criteria Evaluation Criteria or why choosing this strategy Create a brand image It is an internal factor to hold an existing market Aligns with mission This strategy would increase profit and match with the mission of PG Competition Help the company compete with existing resources Creating a loyal customer base This strategy would not help PG building a large customer base but increase profits from existing sales volume Financial risk Reduce financial risk in the global financial crisis through this company experienced success in the economic challenges The short and long term Growth rate Meet both short and long-term growth Think customer first It mainly focuses on reducing the switching off costs for the customers of competitors. BBC News. Unilever and Procter Gamble in price-fixing fine. 2011. Web. bbc.co.uk/news/business-13064928. Graul, Lee Ann, et al. Procter Gamble, Unilever, and the Personal Products Industry. 2006. Web. http://info.umuc.edu/mba/ep/Presentation/EP_Olp/data/GSA.pdf. Procter Gamble. Annual report 2010-11 of PG. 2011. Web. http://annualreport.pg.com/annualreport2011/financials/. Smith, Tim. â€Å"PG Shifts Pricing Strategy to Meet Post-Recession Market.† The Wiglaf Journal. 2010. Web. wiglafjournal.com/pricing/2010/09/pg-shifts-pricing-strategy-to-meet-post-recession-market/. Yahoo Finance. Balance Sheet of Procter Gamble Co. 2011. Web. http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bs?s=PG+Balance+Sheetannual. Yahoo Finance. Direct Competitor Comparison of Procter Gamble Co. 2011. Web. http://finance.yahoo.com/q/co?s Yahoo Finance. Income Statement of Procter Gamble Co. 2011. Web. http://finance.yahoo.com/q/is?s=PG+Income+Statementannual.