Its May 2nd. Have you replied to your colleges yet

It’s May 2nd. Have you replied to your colleges yet The college admissions process is often compared to dating. Its a dance that happens between students and colleges where the power dynamic shifts back and forth several times; one courts the other, then the other courts the first, and so on. We spend time and money trying to identify the right students who could be great candidates for our institutions, and do all kinds of outreachtraveling the country, visiting high schools, giving presentations, campus tours, sending brochures and emailsall in hopes that theyll apply to our school. We wait in anticipation to see the applications roll in. Students enter into the application process, picking and choosing which colleges they want to apply to. For those whom we are lucky enough to receive their applications, we read them, learn about their lives, fall in love with many, but can only choose a few. Applicants wait with bated breath to hear back, nervous and anxious, constantly hitting refresh to find out their decision. The tables turn againonce weve admitted a class of students, we begin to court them once more. Shiny tubes, greeting cards, and a four-day extravaganza called Campus Preview Weekend. Now its our turn to wait, excited and eager, hoping the applicants we love so much will say yes in return. And that brings us to today. Many have said yes; welcome to the family! Some have said no; well eat a couple pints of ice cream, and all will be okay. But then there are others who havent said anything yet If you were admitted to a college, Im sure you can remember what it was like, constantly hitting refresh, and waiting in anticipation to hear responses from the college(s) you applied to. For the last several weeks, weve now been doing the same. Every day, hitting refresh, waiting to hear back from the 1,419 students we extended admission offers to. (If you think waiting for a handful of college decisions is stressful, try waiting for 1,419 replies.) The deadline has come and gone, and for those of you who havent responded yet (who havent been granted extensions for financial aid reasons), Im guessing most of you have decided to go to another place. Thats perfectly finewe completely understand. There are tons of amazing schools out there, and we know youve made a choice that is right for you. The only thing we ask in return, is that you please let us know. Log in to your MyMIT account, and click on How to accept or decline our offer of admission, and complete the form. I know breaking up is hard to do, but not knowing is even worse. Plus, it doesnt have to be goodbye foreverwe can still be friendsand theres always grad school. :) Thanks for dancing with us, and we look forward to hearing from you soon. P.S. This applies to pretty much every college out there, so if you have other schools you havent responded to yet, do that too! P.P.S. For those on the waitlist, we havent forgotten about you either! As you can see above, we empathize with the pain of waiting and not knowing, and want to get back to you as quickly as possible. More news to come soon, I promise.

Evidence for Changes in the Body and Brain from...

From personal experience, mindfulness meditation gives me a feeling of obtaining a healthy mind and body from the attention and peace I obtained. Such feelings resulting from proper practice of mindfulness meditation is not limited to my own testimony though. According to the Satipatthana Sutra, those who practice such in-and-out breathing become â€Å"ardent, aware, and mindful† (â€Å"Satipatthana Sutra,† Accessed on 2010). However, it is unclear whether such reported experience is genuine or has effect, or if such mindfulness meditation is similar to a placebo effect. As psychological field of study advances with its technologies to investigate changes in the mind, using such technology to look at effects of mindfulness meditation would†¦show more content†¦Generally, it has been found by researchers that mediators have decreased sympathetic nervous system activity and increased parasympathetic activity (Cahn Polich, 2006; Harrison, Manocha, Rubia, 2004). Decreased sympathetic nervous activity implies decreased fight and flight mechanisms, and increased parasympathetic activity implies relaxation and rest mechanisms. One study had mixed results about the effects of mindfulness meditation and the nervous system, because they found increase in both cardiac parasympathetic and sympathetic activity with their participants who went through a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program (Ditto, Eclache, Goldman, 2006). Yet, this study was limited because its comparison level was a waitlisted group, and the study also used a within study des ign in which novel reading and mindfulness training was randomly sequenced. Therefore, the lack of effect found in the study may have been affect by individual differences and a comparison with an improperly matched group of control participants. One study looked at cardiovascular changes from practicing mindfulness meditation, with health participants and participants with asthma conditions practicing Sahaja Yoga Meditation (Rai, Seti, Singh, 1988, as cited in Rubia, 2009). Sahaja Yoga Meditation is a type of meditation that promotes to evoke thoughtless awareness on a daily basis. In the two groups of participants, it was found that those practicing SahajaShow MoreRelatedMeditation Replacement For Patients With Depression Essay1401 Words   |  6 Pages I: Main topic = Meditation replace medication in terms of treating depression. A.Introduce main topic, thesis, terms, etc (Introductory Paragraph) i. Hook: The recognition of depression as a common mental illness should lead to studies regarding what form of treatment is best for a patient, but antidepressants seem to be the unimpressive go-to. ii. Terms discussed in paper: CBT: Cognitive-behavioural therapy; HEP: Health enhancement program; TAU: Treatment as usual; TRD: Treatment-resistantRead MoreExploring the Practices and Types of Meditation1479 Words   |  6 PagesStated most simply, Meditation is the practice of deep concentration of the mind. The practice involves either altered state of mind or relaxed state of body. Meditation has been around for thousands of years. Evidence of the practice can be found throughout history in many different religions and many different places in the world. In the past decades, the practice has gained new popularity in the world for its physical, psychological and spiritual benefits. Many people have tried and felt the benefitRead MoreMindfulness Meditation ( Mm )1528 Words   |  7 Pagesin meditation and mindfulness has bloomed like a lotus flower. There are numerous studies demonstrating various positive outcomes of mindfulness meditation (MM). But, what is mindfulness? What are the mechanisms behind MM that help facilitate these positive outcomes including improved physical health, psychological well-being, and cognition? The concept of mindfulness has its roots in Buddhist philosophy and is a key element of Buddhist meditation practices. The word mindfulness derives from theRead MoreHow Does Meditation Change The Brain And Body1443 Words   |  6 Pages How Does Meditation Change the Brain and Body The implications of meditation have long been controversial and abundant research studies have been done in support of meditations potential to change the brain and body. The results within this research paper center on main changes in the brain such as reducing depression, effecting levels of cognitive flexibility, and creativity due to meditation. The research also focuses on variations within the body as well as changes that may be included in bothRead MoreA Public Health Concern Around The World985 Words   |  4 Pagespharmacologic interventions and modification of lifestyle such as diet changes and exercise (de Moraes et al., 2015). In recent years, alternative methods, like the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) therapy or mindfulness meditation, are gaining interest and are utilized by more people worldwide. However, published reports have revealed inconsistent results regarding management of high blood pressure utilizing mindfulness-based interventions. Additionally , there is limited literature regardingRead MoreMindfulness And Pleasant And Unpleasant Experiences Through Research And More Research1681 Words   |  7 Pages Mindfulness is a conscious mental state where one practices by focusing awareness on the present moment to an object, thought, or feeling. In recent years, mindfulness practices have been heavily emphasized in the western culture as the way to happiness and a better sense of well-being in a dramatically increasing trend. Neuroscientist Dr. Willoughby Britton, Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, among many others, have researched and concluded many of their findings on mindfulness. The rise in popularity of mindfulnessRead MoreThe Effects Of Mindfulness On The Mind On Present Experience2253 Words   |  10 Pagesclinicians, educators, and the general public (Epstein, 1999; Kabat-Zinn, 2003; Bishop et al., 2004; Germer et al., 2005). Mindfulness has been found in most cultures throughout history and now resurfacing in modern times, in both the East and in the West. The practice of living in the present moment has been offered as a way to cultivate well-being in our minds, in our bodies, and even in o ur relationships with each other (Kornfield, 2008). Researchers has taken note of these suggestions and a numberRead MoreA Journal Article Review On The Effect Of Mindfulness Meditation1443 Words   |  6 PagesA Journal Article Review on the Effects of Mindfulness Meditation Mindfulness meditation is meditation lets feelings, thoughts, and sensations exists without judgement. It is meditation that does not focus on a single word, or mantra, one’s breathing, or any one single thing (Tarrasch 2015). It is freedom to exist in the present place in time. Mindfulness meditation is important to study because it may have many positive effects in everyday life. These effects can go beyond just stress relief orRead MoreThe Primary Literature On Sleep And Memory Essay3333 Words   |  14 Pagesthe primary literature on sleep and memory as it relates to learning; evaluate conceptions of mindfulness, it’s relationship to learning, and its functional influence on sleep; and conclude with a discussion about further research into the intersection of mindfulness, memory formation and learning, and sleep. Sleep and Memory Formation Sleep serves several different functions throughout the brain and body such as repair or growth, learning, memory consolidation, and restorative processes affectingRead MoreMeditation Techniques Have Been Practiced For Over 5000 Years1858 Words   |  8 PagesMeditation techniques have been practiced for over 5000 years in various cultures and religions all over the world, often tied to a religious or spiritual belief. They are seen as a way to increase physical health and metal wellbeing, helping an individual to establish calm and serenity, increase self-awareness and decrease stress (4). Meditation is hard to operationalize or define due to the many different varieties of mediation practices. There tends to be a general distinction between two main

Customer Service Essay examples - 1384 Words

Companies are misguided nowadays by the notion that customers depend on them, when the truth of the matter is that companies are dependent on those customers. Customer satisfaction and customer loyalty is now essential for a business or company to survive. So what is the difference between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty and how to companies and or business achieve this? Also when you have difficult customers how do you achieve customer satisfaction? It’s essential that companies or businesses today listen to their customers. No company or business today can afford to disregard the importance of customer satisfaction and loyalty. Aren’t they the same thing? No, they are absolutely not and they are enormously†¦show more content†¦Customer loyalty is much harder to obtain that customer service satisfaction. The most important first step is to satisfy the customer by meeting their expectations. Customers only give a company one chance and if they aren’t satisfied they will not do business with that company again, as well as tell others of their experience. The next step would be to exceed the customer’s expectations. If a business goes above and beyond to assist the customer they begin to build loyalty. The next step is to truly surprise the customer. In order to dominate the marketplace the company must find a way to make them selves stand out with their product or service, accompanied with phenomenal customer service. Once this has been done customer satisfaction and loyalty will be gained. â€Å"Acquiring a new customer can cost four or five times more than keeping a current customer† (Bestmark, 2013). So it’s essential to keep the current customer’s happy and coming back for more. Some of the ways that businesses can build loyalty would be by offering loyalty programs, Interacting with customers, surveys, creating institutional ties, and personalized marketing. Another way to build loyalty is to treat your employees so well that they treat your customers well. If you have happy employees they will treat your customers happy. â€Å"The link between satisfaction and loyalty however is not proportional† (Kotler, Keller, 2009, p71), so businesses mustShow MoreRelatedCustomer Service2488 Words   |  10 PagesCustomer Service Research Paper Before I get into further analysis of my own personal experience, I am going to explain about different characteristics that are involved in customer service. Most businesses will tell you that quality customer service is the keystone to success. An essential component of outstanding customer service is the possession of a great staff. Larger companies may be weighed down by employee handbooks that specify the customer service guidelines. Independent, smaller businessesRead MoreCustomer Service2541 Words   |  11 Pagesï » ¿Customer Service at Datatronics Datatronics is an organization that serves their customers with Enterprise Resource Planning integrated solutions. Their growth is mainly attributed to acquisitions of smaller competitors. E-Z RP was such a company that despite its inferior size compared to Datatronics was able to succeed and outperform Datatronics on grounds of customer service and customer satisfaction. Datatronics recognized the fact and acquired E-Z RP with the aim to improve in that respectiveRead MoreCustomer Service Services And The Service Sector2162 Words   |  9 PagesSince+ the global economy embraced customer service, issues regarding levels of customer service have become more prominent in service organisations. Even now there are organisational managers with no training or knowledge of how organisations in the service sector require a high level of customer service. This is ignorance of the fact good customer service can create a competitive advantage; increase profit; efficiency; and increase staff a nd customer retention and satisfaction. Based on comprehensiveRead MoreCustomer Service And An Organization1445 Words   |  6 Pagescontinuously fail in customer service satisfaction for many reasons. As service failures are inevitable, it is important for companies, especially small businesses, to capitalize on learning the importance of reducing service failure. Just as the seed is the core of the fruit, customer service is the core of an organization; its meaning is the primary function for organizations to retain business and discover new ventures. Customer service is the primary source of business-to-customer communication andRead MoreCustomer Service Essay641 Words   |  3 Pagesto communicate with customers to identify and agree on product/ service specifications. It is crucial to be aware that customer expectations and needs will change from time to time and will be affected by market trends, fashions and changes in external environments. This means the business plans need to be adapted to changing needs of customers and is important that organisations communicate with its customers. Profiling is a method to understand the needs of the customers. Profiling enables organisationsRead MoreThe Etiquette Of Customer Service1601 Words   |  7 PagesThe Etiquette of Customer Service – Instructional Guide Overview Objective Key points How to say â€Å"I’m sorry† without apologizing in customer service? There are justifiable situations that require customer service representatives to say â€Å"I’m sorry† without apologizing. Situations include: a plan benefit that is not covered, denial of a pre-authorization, or an appeal denial. Session#1 I’m Sorry When this occurs, there are phrasesRead MoreCustomer Service Representatives1622 Words   |  7 PagesZappos. This is followed by a hierarchal ranking of the four major presenting problems for the company, which are: maintaining the â€Å"wow† image without overspending, inventory management/distribution problems, transportation efficiency problems and customer behavior problems. Each of these problems is addressed in more detail in the discussion section and the recommendations section at the end of the analysis. Prior to the conclusion and recommendations section, a list of possible strategic alternativesRead MoreCustomer Service At The Restaurant2103 Words   |  9 Pages†¢ Execute exceptional outstanding customer service by recruiting, leading and developing people and planning, organising, directing, controlling and evaluating all the operations of the restaurant to build sales and control costs to deliver optimum business results for the restaurant †¢ Understand, enforce and train Crew and Managers on all appropriate policies, award minimums, security and safety procedures. †¢ Modifying the operational procedures as per the requirement of the profitability of theRead MoreCustomer Service1186 Words   |  5 Pagessome companies aim to look after their customers well, ensuring that the customer is at the heart of their business and everything they do. In marketing terms this is called being customer focused. It is important to realise that customers can take their business anywhere they want to and if they are not satisfied they will take their business elsewhere. Therefore, it is very important to understand who our customers are, their expectations of the service they experience and how that effects futureRead MoreEssay on Customer Service1144 Words   |  5 PagesSection 1 – Understand the factors that affect an organisation and the customer service role 1. Complete the table below with a description of the products and services for at least two commercial organisations, public organisations and third sector organisations. Please ensure you provide a description for each organisation, rather than a list. Organisation type Name of organisation Description of products and services Commercial organisation Commercial organisation

Prevention Of A Disease Health And Social Care Essay Free Essays

The current definition of wellness is â€Å" being sound in organic structure, head or spirit † ( Gordon, 1988 ) . It differs from the traditional definition which defined wellness as â€Å" being free of disease † . Hence both of these definitions include the construct of an person ‘s well being by taking all those steps which can maintain him free of the disease. We will write a custom essay sample on Prevention Of A Disease Health And Social Care Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now The thought of function of diet and other preventative steps in disease is non a new one as Hippocrates ( 460 BC – 377 BC ) said â€Å" our nutrient should be our medical specialty. † The same impression was supported by Thomas Edison ( 1847-1931 ) the celebrated discoverer, when he said the â€Å" physician of the hereafter will give no medical specialty, but will involvement her or his patients in the attention of the human frame, in a proper diet, and in the cause and bar of disease † . The bar of a disease includes a figure of factors both at the degree of an single and at the degree of community. It has evolved as an independent subdivision of medical specialty including many subjects such as anthropology, epidemiology, the designation and survey of diseases hypertext transfer protocols: //www.wisegeek.com/what-is-disease-prevention.htm. Harmonizing to figures â€Å" preventable diseases/illness † history for 80 % of the entire load of unwellness and 90 % of the entire wellness attention costs ( hypertext transfer protocol: //preventdisease.com/prevention/prevention.html ) . Furthermore, they account for eight of the nine taking classs of death.A Assorted factors lending towards disease bar are restricting smoke and consumption of intoxicant, a healthy diet, effectual exercising, physical activity and weight control, decrease of emphasis and regular showing and trials ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/cd-mc/healthy_living-vie_saine-eng.php ) . In instance of bar of sexual diseases, the steps will include safe sex etc. ( Well, 2010 ) . As justly mentioned by Thomas Edison, an person ‘s nutrient and diet have been recognized to hold a function in wellness and disease ( Branca et al, 2001 ) . Assorted dietetic factors play influential function in most common and of import wellness issues. Harmonizing to WHO, the coronary bosom disease, shot, malignant neoplastic diseases and diabetes mellitus are among the top 10 causes of decease in high-income states ( WHO, 2008 ) . The etiology of these diseases is multifactorial nevertheless, there is some possible for dietetic use ( Branca et al, 2001 ) . This is most applicable in instance of coronary bosom diseases and shot where the dietetic factors play their portion by transition of blood lipoids and their leaning for oxidization. The inclusion of fish oils in diet lessening the opportunities of thrombosis ( Kromhout et al, 2001 ) . In instance of malignant neoplastic diseases, fats, fiber and anti-oxidant vitamins and minerals have been related to development of mali gnant neoplastic disease. Dietary factors account for 30 % of all malignant neoplastic diseases in Western states while 20 % of all malignant neoplastic diseases in developing states ( WHO, 2010a ) . Another important factor that plays a outstanding function in disease bar is the life-style form. Physical activity and exercising are the most of import determiners of life manner form while other factors include smoke and intoxicant etc. ( WHO, 2010a ) . These effects of diet and life manner forms have been widely recognized and this can be shown by the fact that the recommendations on diet and life manner are advised to diminish the hazard of bosom disease by CDC ( 2009 ) and WHO ( 2010b ) . Furthermore, early sensing of some diseases such as cervical showing for cervical malignant neoplastic disease, mammograms for early sensing of chest malignant neoplastic disease, regular monitoring of cholesterin and blood force per unit area for bosom disease besides contribute to disease bar. A survey ( Wannamethee et al, 1998 ) to place the consequence of assorted hazard factors associated with bosom diseases was carried out. It examined the combined consequence of assorted life manner patterns non merely on the survival rates but besides 15 twelvemonth endurance rates with a cardiovascular disease and diabetes free life. It was revealed that a 50 twelvemonth old adult male has an 89 % opportunity of lasting to 65 without developing coronary bosom disease, stroke or diabetes if he has ne’er smoked, is physically active and non fleshy. On the other manus, if he smokes, is inactive and really overweight he merely has a 42 % opportunity. It can be therefore inferred that the control of many of the preventable factors can hold a positive influence on dearly-won and crippling conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, malignant neoplastic disease, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases ( WHO, 2002 ) . With the addition in the people populating with the chronic conditions for old ages and old ages, these diseases are thought to hold a potency of going the most expensive jobs faced by our wellness attention systems. Hence an effectual and successful bar and direction of these diseases has been identified as indispensable or otherwise chronic conditions pose a menace to all states from a wellness and economic point of view ( WHO, 2002 ) . However, it was recognized that the health care systems do non do the best usage of their available resources to pull off the procedure of disease bar ( WHO, 2002 ) . This has besides been highlighted by others and it was advocated that â€Å" wellness † industry would be better named as â€Å" illness † industry due to its tendency on handling the symptoms of disease once it has been contacted instead than bar of the disease runing from common cold to cancerous conditions ( Pilzer, 2005 cited in hypertext transfer protocol: //elib.kkf.hu/okt_publ/szf_26_09.pdf ) . As a consequence of this, new industry has been developed which is the â€Å" health † industry which focuses on doing people stronger and healthier. All over the universe it is already a $ 200 billion concern with most of the gross coming from dietetic addendums while harmonizing to Pilzer ( 2005 cited in hypertext transfer protocol: //elib.kkf.hu/okt_publ/szf_26_09.pdf ) another extra $ 1 trillion of the economic system will be devoted to wellness merchandises and services. Owing to the load of preventable disease and old deficiency of focal point on disease bar, in 2002 WHO recommended that every wellness attention should include bar support programmes ( WHO, 2002 ) . This recommendation to the full supports Edison ‘s statement and it can be said that his anticipation was right about the hereafter of medical specialty. If patients are consistently provided with all the information about the hazard factors such as baccy, intoxicant, safe sex, healthy nutrients and physical activity. Such information can cut down the long-run load and wellness attention demands dramatically. WHO advocated that in order to advance bar in wellness attention, there is a demand for raising consciousness and advance a alteration in thought of patients, households and wellness attention squads, communities and policy shapers. At primary wellness attention degree, a collaborative direction attack with patients, their households and wellness attention professionals is indi spensable to efficaciously diminish the preventable diseases which contribute much to the load of disease ( WHO, 2002 ) . These programmes promote the entree to preventive wellness attention by the agencies of primary attention doctors. In US, this was achieved by integrating bar into primary wellness attention by managed attention organisations ( MCOs ) ( WHO, 2002 ) . These MCOs can work efficaciously as they have big, chiseled populations and have informations about wellness and wellness attention which let them to turn to the bar steps. Such a programme would hold been about impossible in a disconnected wellness attention bringing system ( Hall, 2005 ) . NHS has besides developed assorted wellness attention preventative programmes for different diseases such as coronary bosom disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and assorted malignant neoplastic diseases. For illustration NHS program includes join forcesing with other bureaus and develop, implement and proctor policies to cut down the hazard factors in the population. This is done by affecting the general practicians and primary attention squads in placing patients with established cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) and advice them to cut down hazard factors. They besides identify the people at hazard of CVD and offer them comprehensive advice ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/Browsable/DH_4902634 ) . Furthermore, testing programmes for chest malignant neoplastic disease and cervical showing are besides runing. Inoculations available for assorted diseases to susceptible persons besides contribute to these preventative programmes. In conformity with Thomas ‘s statement, it is the physician or doctor which plays a cardinal function in emphasizing the preventative steps. However, due to continued disease theoretical account patterns, doctors might be really sabotaging the preventative services ( Hall, 2005 ) . Assorted surveies suggest that there is a deficiency of physician engagement in preventative services and doctors perform 20 % to 60 % of the preventative activities that have been recommended. However, most of the doctors believe that patient instruction about preventative steps and hazard factors is the duty of doctors ( Hall, 2005 ) . In add-on to doctors ‘ function, there is a demand for stairss to be taken at community degree for disease bar. At the degree of community, different disease bar schemes have been developed. These include stairss such as sanitising imbibing H2O, clean life conditions, widespread inoculation programmes. These programmes have proved effectual in communities on a wider graduated table while the physicians or doctors can still concentrate on single patient instruction ( http: //www.wisegeek.com/what-is-disease-prevention.htm ) . In drumhead although preventable diseases contribute significantly to disease load nevertheless they can be prevented. Assorted schemes that can cut down these diseases include healthy diet, cut downing smoke and intoxicant, early sensing and increasing physical activity. Health attention systems can integrate effectual preventative programmes affecting patients, their households, doctors and other wellness attention suppliers. How to cite Prevention Of A Disease Health And Social Care Essay, Essay examples

Kraft Foods Group Case Study

Introduction The Porter’s Five Forces analysis is a model that seeks to determine particular aspects within a given industry. The five forces that this model evaluates include the bargaining power of buyers and seller, the industry entry limitations that exist, which acts as barriers to new entrants willing to join the industry, as well as the available substitute products.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Kraft Foods Group Case Study specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They also seek to evaluate the general competition within the industry. These are important dimensions for any business enterprise as they offer the basis upon which the business’ strategy can be drawn out. This paper uses this model to analyze the foods industry in general, while analyzing the Kraft Foods Group in particular. Porter’s Five Forces Analysis Buyers’ bargaining power Buyers’ bargaining power, especially on Kraft Foods Group, is comparatively high. Owing to the fact that quite a significant number of food commodities manufactured by the company are mostly undifferentiated, consumers generally are more price-sensitive (Enz, 2010). For instance, a decision by Kraft Foods Group to raise the price on its cereals brand would push customers into searching for a complimentary priced substitute. The diverse product portfolio of the company equally contributes to the bargaining power of its buyers. The company cannot easily switch their suppliers for the mere fact that such a move would have adverse effects on the taste. Another high bargaining power aspect of the buyers originates from the large retail stores that purchase the food products from Kraft Foods Group. The huge volume of food commodity that these stores purchase from the company makes them enjoy a higher bargaining power because of the advantage of economies of scale that such a huge purchase warrants. Suppliers’ bargain ing power The main raw materials required by Kraft Foods Group to sustain their production are mainly commodities. These have quite a huge supplier base, basing on their simplicity, as well as their general availability. The commodities include sugar, dairy products, cereal grains, vegetable oils, fruits, meats, vegetables, as well as packaging materials and different other agricultural products. Thus, the bargaining power of the suppliers is low (Pershing, 2006). In some other instances, the food companies have managed to recycle their packaging tools, a factor that further lowers the bargaining power of the suppliers.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Another aspect that lowers the bargaining power for the suppliers is the actions by Kraft Foods Group to hedge such risk as increasing commodity prices. The company achieves this by using futures, options, as well as adopting f orward cash contracts. Such actions enable the company to limit risks, especially during extreme price movements concerning the commodities that they commonly require to sustain their production. Entry barriers The entry barrier into the food market by new players is high. The market structure is oligopolistic, which makes it highly challenging for new entrants to compete with the established firms. For instant, the breakfast cereal segment is dominated by Kraft Foods, General Mills, Kellog, and Quaker Oats (O’Connor, 2004). The net effect for this kind of a market structure is the need for high capital, extensive research, as well as national wide advertising, all of which are costly to achieve especially for a new company that obviously faces the challenge of limited capital. Another entry barrier emanates from the brand loyalties that the successful and already existing players have managed to build. This would make it difficult for the new entrants to convince the buyers and win them over from their competitors (O’Connor, 2004). Kraft Foods Group is highly diversified, which is a factor that affords economies of scale advantages. This is a barrier to entry for rival firms because the company has the capacity to operate at very low costs and offer its commodities at very low prices. Being the largest manufacturer of foods in the USA, the company offers foods in various categories, including meat, dairy, bakery, beverages, and confectionary. With such a wide scope of operation, the company enjoys high efficiencies in its activities that new entrants would definitely lack the power to compete against. Threat of substitute products There is a high threat of substitution in this industry. There are many other manufacturers whose products fall within the same market segment as those manufactured by Kraft Foods. Thus, buyers have a wide selection to choose from. There are also no switching costs as buyers will not incur any substantial costs for buy ing food from a different manufacturer.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Kraft Foods Group Case Study specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Some of the companies that offer competition to Kraft Foods Group include Kellog, Quaker Oats, and General Mills (O’Connor, 2004). Kraft Foods Group continuously attempts to address the threat of the substitute products by undertaking differentiation of their products. This mainly focuses on adding value to the products such that the consumers may find them unique as compared to the products by other competitors (Ungson Wong, 2008). Industry rivalry Rivalry within the food industry is relatively high. This is because the major players in the industry are the ones competing at close range. These companies have almost an equal share of the market and spend almost the same amount of capital in their production. Because customers of these companies have developed long term bra nd loyalty to their respective brands, the players are engaged in intense rivalry to win customers and obtain their loyalty (Greene et al., 2009). Conclusion The food industry in the USA has both high and low degrees of the various dimensions used by Porter in evaluating the competitive force within an industry. The bargaining power of the buyers is high because of a number of factors. Firstly, commodities manufactured by Kraft Foods Group are largely undifferentiated, which makes price to be a critical factor. Food stores also purchase large volumes of stock, which affords them a higher bargaining power. Suppliers have lower bargaining power because mostly the raw materials are commodities that are readily available, and there are many suppliers in the market. However, the entry barriers to the industry are high as the major players have invested a lot in terms of diversification. This affords them economies of scale, which virtually makes their operating costs to remain low. Brand loyalty also poses as a challenge to new entrants. Industry rivalry is high because the market is oligopolistic in nature, meaning the leading players have an almost equal magnitude in terms of market share and capital. These players, thus, try their best to outwit their competitors and expand their market share.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Finally, the threat of substitution is also high. There are many companies that manufacture almost the same range of products into the market. Because there exists no switching costs, customers can easily shift allegiance to the rival product provided it satisfies their needs and expectations. References Enz, C. A. (2010). The Cornell School of Hotel Administration handbook of applied hospitality strategy. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publication Inc. Greene, C. et al. (2009). Emerging issues in the United States organic industry. New York, NY: Department of Ariculture O’Connor, D. E. (2004). The basics of economics. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. Pershing, J. (2006). Handbook of human performance technology: principles, practices, and potential. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer Ungson, G. R., Wong, Y. (2008). Global strategic management. New York, NY: M.E. Sharpe, Inc. This essay on Kraft Foods Group Case Study was written and submitted by user Jimena H. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

MPD essays

MPD essays Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD) was first recognized and described by the French physician Pierre Janet in the late 19th century. The disorder is a very rare psychological disorder in which a person has two or more distinct personalities, each one with its own thoughts, feelings, and patterns of behaviour. The personalities are often direct opposites and dominate at different times, with abrupt changes triggered by events or memories. The cause of MPD is not clearly understood, but the condition seems to be associated with severe physical abuse and neglect in childhood. MPD often occurs in childhood, but may not be recognized until much later. It has two main causes. The first is a capacity for profound dissociated; in fact, MPD patients tend to be hypnotizable. The second is a history of childhood trauma, mostly a combination of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. An MPD patient is very much in touch with reality. However, if the patient does not want to face reality, they can escape that through dissociation, 1 in which the host (the original personality- see glossary for more details) is able to avoid experiencing or dealing with an intolerable episode by turning it over to an alter (an alternate personality- #see glossary for more details) who lives through those experiences instead of the host. Dissociation might initially have been used as a defense against what the patient found to be trauma or abuse. A large majority of MPD patients report a history of abuse, and a majority of those report instances of incest. Also, another frequently reported trauma is witnessing a violent death. At least three-quarters of known cases of MPD report personalities that are under the age of twelve. Alters tend to come out when the host cannot deal with memories or thoughts associated with the abuse earlier on in his or her life. The number of alters that an MPD patient has ranges anywhe ...

Thanksgiving Quotes for Kids

Thanksgiving Quotes for Kids Thanksgiving Day  is perhaps the best time to talk to your kids about family values and tradition. Kids love to participate in Thanksgiving celebrations, from decorating and helping mash the potatoes, to creating cards and sitting with the family for the feast. These Thanksgiving quotes for kids can help reinforce your value system in a fun, interactive way. You can use them to adorn your Thanksgiving dinner table, plan a treasure hunt, or write each quote on a piece of paper for them to read aloud before dinner. Linda G. Paulsen, Ballad of the MayflowerHey, Ho, Dee-o, Dee-o! The Pilgrims came to Plymouth Rock; Hey, HoSimple people, strudy stock; Hey, HoTo be free they crossed the sea,Thanked the Lord on bended knee; Hey, Ho, Dee-o, Dee-o! CiceroA thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all the other virtues. William WordsworthAll that we behold is full of blessings. John Fitzgerald KennedyAs we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. Ralph Waldo EmersonFor flowers that bloom about our feet;For tender grass, so fresh, so sweet;For song of bird, and hum of bee;For all things fair we hear or see,Father in heaven, we thank Thee! Melody BeattieGratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow. Frank A. ClarkIf a fellow isnt thankful for what hes got, he isnt likely to be thankful for what hes going to get. Meister EckhartIf the only prayer you said in your whole life was, thank you, that would suffice. Cindy MargolisMy favorite meal is turkey and mashed potatoes. I love Thanksgiving, its just my favorite. I can have Thanksgiving all year round. Courtland MilloyNothing purchased can come close to the renewed sense of gratitude for having family and friends. Bobby JindalOn Thanksgiving I will stop to give thanks that my family is safe and healthy, especially because I realize that, following the tragedies of this year, it is all too real a possibility that they might not have been. Thornton WilderWe can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures. Harry A. IronsideWe would worry less if we praised more. Thanksgiving is the enemy of discontent and dissatisfaction. George CanningWhen our perils are past, shall our gratitude sleep? John Greenleaf WhittierAh! On Thanksgiving day...When the care-wearied man seeks his mother once more,And the worn matron smiles where the girl smiled before.What moistens the lips and what brightens the eye?What calls back the past, like the rich pumpkin pie?