How to Start Tutoring From Home

How to Start Tutoring From Home Recently, I started a tutoring business in addition to my classroom teaching. This works really well for me at the moment because I am teaching part-time, so I have plenty of time and sanity left for a few hours of one-on-one tutoring in the afternoons. If you’re teaching full-time, I would not recommend adding any other responsibilities to the mix, much fewer ones that involve more time spent with other people’s children! However, if you are in a situation where tutoring would enrich your life and/or your bank account, then I’d like to help you out by giving you an overview of how I planned and implemented my tutoring business plan. Think of the Big Picture What subjects are you qualified to teach? How can you prove to prospective clients that you have the knowledge and experience for these subjects? Ive found that there is the most demand for high school math tutors. If you are competent and comfortable teaching Algebra and Geometry, you will have way less trouble finding clients. I am a little rusty on these subjects, but I am taking a lot of time right now brushing up on my high school math. I figure that I only have to do it once and then I will be back on track to tutor math for the foreseeable future with no worries. Consider Your Possible Clients What age group would you like to work with? You’ll also want to decide on a reasonable radius from your home that you’d be willing to accept clients from. For example, I made the mistake of accepting a client that lives 20-minutes away from me and I will have to drive on the freeway through traffic to get there and back. Not ideal, by any means. But I was just starting out and I felt desperate for clients and I said â€Å"yes† before I let myself ponder if it would really work for me and be worth the money. If you think about this beforehand, you won’t be caught off-guard on the phone, saying yes when you really mean no. Now, I plan to only accept clients that are in my immediate neighborhood. Marketing Techniques Think about the best way to reach your target audience. Some of the options include: Flyers with tabs on the neighborhood mailboxesFlyer delivery service to your target areaPost on CraigslistSign up for an online tutoring referral servicePut up flyers on the communityAdvertise in community publicationsSend a letter and business cards to the guidance counselors at local schools Ive had the most success with mailbox flyers and Craigslist, believe it or not. One of the best things about tutoring is that theres very little start-up costs. As your client list grows, word-of-mouth will be your best way to gain new clients. Collect reference letters from long-term clients and start to build up your reputation as a trusted neighborhood tutor. Figure Your Hourly Rates Do some precise market research to see how much other tutors in your area charge. Don’t sell yourself short and once you set your rate, be careful about compromising and lowering your rate. I made the mistake of agreeing to a slight discount in order to land my first few clients. Now, I’m stuck tutoring for a lower rate that I am not totally comfortable with. At the same time, I’ve lost a potential client or two because they said my rates were too high. However, if you research it properly, you shouldn’t have to lower your rates very often at all. The Nitty-Gritty of Where and When   Will you travel to clients or ask that your students come to your home? Ideally, of course, we’d all love to have our clients arrive neatly and promptly on our doorstep ready to learn. However, if you’re just starting out, you probably won’t be able to demand such a thing. As you build your resume and references, perhaps you can make this idea more of a reality. I try to emphasize that my house is very client with no distractions, which can be appealing to parents who have chaotic homes that would make your tutoring sessions far less productive. As for the â€Å"when† part of the question, be realistic about how much time you need in between appointments and how many hours you can actually accommodate in one afternoon. Alright, the time, place, and rate are all set. Now, heres what you should do during the tutoring session itself.

5 Ways to Work Your Way Around the Weak With

5 Ways to Work Your Way Around the Weak With 5 Ways to Work Your Way Around the Weak â€Å"With† 5 Ways to Work Your Way Around the Weak â€Å"With† By Mark Nichol The preposition with is one of the workhorses of the English language, performing multiple functions, but it’s not a very powerful beast of burden. Writers often put it to work at the wrong task, employing it to link one phrase or another when a stronger word or phrase, or a form of punctuation, is much more structurally sound. Here are five examples of sentences better expressed without with: 1. â€Å"Requirements concerning the marital status of adopting couples are not uniform, with a stable relationship being required in most cases.† Omit with, split the sentence into two, and add, to signal contrast, the conjunction however: â€Å"Requirements concerning the marital status of adopting couples are not uniform. A stable relationship, however, is required in most cases. 2. â€Å"Governance by committee is the norm, with 67 percent of large companies having committees of senior business leaders that oversee and prioritize information-technology investments.† If what follows with is a definition or expansion, use a colon in its place: â€Å"Governance by committee is the norm: 67 percent of large companies have committees of senior business leaders that oversee and prioritize information-technology investments.† 3. â€Å"The debate largely focused on the wisdom of the Iraq invasion with Kerry attacking Bush’s decisions and Bush accusing Kerry of shifting views.† As is, this sentence is clumsily breathless, but rather than simply inserting a missing comma after invasion, try a semicolon instead and delete with: â€Å"The debate largely focused on the wisdom of the Iraq invasion; Kerry attacked Bush’s decisions, and Bush accused Kerry of shifting views.† 4. â€Å"Each year, more than 1 million children are poisoned in their own homes, with thousands receiving permanent or chronic injuries.† Make the sentence a simple compound by replacing with with and, and alter the following subject and verb as necessary: â€Å"Each year, more than 1 million children are poisoned in their own homes, and thousands of them receive permanent or chronic injuries.† 5. â€Å"Most Fortune 500 companies have hundreds of incidents per year, with only a small percentage of those incidents resulting in significant financial loss.† Select, in place of with, another conjunction that is appropriate for the context, and change the form of the subsequent verb: â€Å"Most Fortune 500 companies have hundreds of incidents per year, although only a small percentage of those incidents result in significant financial loss.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Words for Facial ExpressionsLoan, Lend, Loaned, Lent50 Synonyms for â€Å"Villain†

Religious realism vs. anti-realism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Religious realism vs. anti-realism - Essay Example However, debate on religion realism and antirealism matters in the society today due to the fact that there are rising radicals in the two areas. For instance, religion relies more on supernatural powers, therefore it needs one to believe that there exists a natural being that they pray to. I take a realist position since on the issue I believe that there exists supernatural being providing spiritual carte despite the fact that science cannot prove that. Thus discussion on realist and antirealist is important since it will enlighten one and let them grow in faith. Therefore, with that knowledge it will be unlikely for one to be waivered form his or her believes. Moreover, antirealist believes that one cannot take theories to be true. Additionally, they give instances of scientific theories that have been proven not to be true. Thus, they believe that majority of theories are wrong and they should never be relied on. For they argue that the newton’s theory which had been used for quite some time, was proven not to be true with the recent technology. On the other hand, realist believe that non observable phenomena does really exist. For instance, people believe that there exists the black hole despite the fact that they have not seen it. The same way Christians believe in the existence of God who is supernatural and can hear at the same time answer their prayers. Despite their differences the antirealist and realists agree that once in religion, one has to engage in particular believes and practices that are meaningful and valuable in some way to the believers (Nuyen, 394). Realism is part of the society today, for instance, a number of people have not been to china but they believe that it does exist. It does not need one to travel to each and every part of the world to ascertain that it really does exist. Thus realism comes in handy since one is obliged to believe that the countries or various places do exist. Secondly, most people

American Revolution in 1775-1783 Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

American Revolution in 1775-1783 - Term Paper Example The young government could hardly work effectively too, because the British had bottled up communication channels. The government also had divided institutions; and most of the time, General George Washington was forced to make important decisions by himself. Economic chaos worsened the conditions of the war. Hyperinflation emerged due to overprinting of money and rising debt. American money became almost worthless. America also had troubles in accessing loans and credit. The war, furthermore, stifled trade and commerce. In addition, diplomatic challenges also occurred. America needed European allies against the British. It also needed loans to finance the war. In essence, America needed the diplomatic and financial support of France, Spain, and the Netherlands. From July to December 1776, the initial American strategy was to fight off the British at NYC, to hold Fort Washington, and to fight the British with their own tactics. The motives behind this strategy were that NYC held prop agandistic value for America and losing it could be a large morale blow to American forces; protecting NYC also denied the British the access to Hudson River. The strategy was flawed, however, because America was not prepared to fight the European way. Fighting too close to the ocean worked against the Americans, because the British had superior navy strength. ... They also undercut the British forces using wild goose chases, which was effective in overextending the physical strength and resources of the latter. Eventually, the Americans won because of their guerilla and wild goose chase tactics. Their patience and will, as well as their home court advantage, ensured their victory against the British. In addition, France also sided with the U.S., and the Netherlands loaned money to support the U.S. The British was also exhausted, while the public opinion in the UK increasingly opposed the war against America. The Paris Peace Treaty was signed to end the war. It represented the various agenda of American, Britain, France, and Spain. Americans demanded independence and clearer rights and boundaries as a sovereign nation. Britain wanted to preserve Oregon and Ohio, and decided that America could be an ally that balanced the powers against Spain and France. Spain wanted no treaty with America and desired only to attain British land concessions. Fr ance wanted an independent, but weak, America and to ascertain peace with Britain. The states established The Articles of Confederation, which was the first constitution of the United States. The first draft was made in 1777 by the similar Continental Congress that passed the Declaration of Independence. The Articles provided that the states preserved their â€Å"sovereignty, freedom and independence.† The states did not set up executive and judicial branches of the government, and they chose a committee of delegates that were composed of representatives from each state. These individuals made up the Congress, a national legislature that the Articles established. Summary of Paris Peace Treaty John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay represented

Overview of the Film Free

Overview of the Film Freedom Writers Essay Based on a true story, Freedom Writers is an inspiring film about a young teacher named Erin Gruell (played by Hilary Swank) who chooses to work at Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, California. It is a school that is torn by gang violence and racial tension due to the recent integration program in that district. The story begins in 1994, Erin is a newly hired teacher at the high school and is assigned to teach Freshman and Sophomore English. Teaching at the school is nothing like what she expected, as fights constantly break out both inside and outside of the classroom. Additionally, students come to school strapped with guns (if they come at all). The teachers have very little faith in the students and the students have very little faith in Erin Gruell, but as time goes by she develops their trust and respect. Erin throws out her more traditional lesson plans and instead appeals to the students by having them write daily journals about their personal stories. She teaches them about the Holocaust, Anne Frank, and takes them on field trips and to restaurants. At the same time that Erin tries to reach out and inspire these young people, Erin faces a divorce and protests from her fellow coworkers. However, Erin rises above these adversities to inspire her students to soar to new academic and personal heights, none of which they ever thought were imaginable. Erin displays unwavering faith in her students and in their capacity to learn. Likewise, these students find faith in themselves and each other and previous gang, racial, and territorial divides are broken down as students like Eva, Jamal, Marcus, and Brandi gain the courage to do what’s right and improve their lives. The ending is incredibly motivational as Erin gets 35 computers to be donated to her school so that her students can compile their stories from their journals into a book that would eventually be published in 1999. Most of her students went on to college and broke from their previous lives.

East Timor :: essays research papers

The tiny south pacific nation of East Timor has had a long and tumultuous history. While it has been touted as the first independent country of the 21st century, the government originally declared its independence in November of 1975. East Timor had spent over 300 years under Portugese rule and the colonial influences did much to shape Timorese culture and society. As a result East Timor developed very differently from its neighbours and had little in common with the former Dutch colony that became Indonesia. Portugese rule over East Timor was, like that in other colonies, oppressive and exploitive. The Portugese assumed a paternal role over the inhabitants of East Timor, regarding their own culture as superior. Rebellions were brutally suppressed and Portugese customs, and values along with the Portugese language were imposed on the Timorese. Despite this oppression independence movements in the colony remained strong. Political parties, once they were legalized, quickly formed and groups advocating independence won wide spread support. Following the trend towards decolonization is South East Asia Portugal allowed political parties as a step towards indpendence and democracy in East Timor. However the Portugese failed to ensure the security of East Timor. The was result was that nine days after it had declared its independence from Portugal, East Timor was invaded by neighbouring Indonesia. What followd was a quarter century of brutal oppression in which saw a quarter of the Timorese population lose their lives at the hands of Indonesian troops. The failure of the Portugese decolonization policies cleared the way for the genocide which occurred in East Timor.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Until the 1880s Portugese influnece in East Timor was strong, but not complete and the Timorese had been able to maintain their distinct cultural and religious heritages well into the nineteenth century. At this time Portugal was rapidly falling behind its colonial rivals both economically and militarily and thus sought to more fully exploit the economic potential of East Timor. In 1887, using the assassination of the colonial governor as a pretext, the Portugese government instituted harsh new economic programs designed to undermine the existing Timorese clan system, and bring the entire colony under the control of the colonial government. These plicies led to much resentemtn of the Portugese by the Timorese people and culminated in a massive uprising beginning 1910. The revolt lasted two years and was finally put down by Portugese troops in 1912.

Characteristic of an Effective Teacher Essay

1. A ‘Calling’ for the profession This is supposed to be the most important. And this is what is causing me the most headache at the moment. To accept the fact that someone might be doing this job as a job for the perks and the advantages without a real commitment is a real hindrance in achieving my aim of helping teachers become better professionals. How do you train teachers to develop a calling for the profession? Is this something I can possibly aim at? 2. Professional knowledge I tend to feel that a lot of what is considered professional knowledge is in easy-to-assess tests, like TKT or CELTA. Does he know the different kinds of assessments, and the present perfect? Yes, great, then he’s good. Professional knowledge is a matter of pride among teachers. Local teachers make a lot of effort to speak better English and expect ‘native teachers’ to explain random weird ideas they learnt 30-40 years before. I personally attribute little importance to this aspect. Long gone are the days when a clever teacher taught a stupid child about the big-big world. 3. Personal qualities Yeah, yeah. Here we go again: the teacher as the frustrated (failed) actor, the clown, the village idiot†¦ Well actually no, I think there are much more important personal qualities we tend to ignore these days and we shouldn’t: honesty, emotions, intelligence, reliability, enthusiasm, curiosity. These are all characteristics we use to define effective learners, but the more these qualities are shared by their teachers, the more likely it is that they get what they want. It’s always going to be more entertaining to watch Friends, or whatever it is teenagers watch these days, than to attend an English class. So, why compete? Establishing an efficient and mutually beneficial working environment is much more helpful I believe†¦. 4. With-it-ness (McEwan, E K 2002. How to survive and strive in the first three weeks of school) This is an exciting addition to the list. The essential skill of being able to envisage possible classroom and curriculum events. Planning with an awareness of the objectives and the conditions. This is definitely an acquired skill that you can get better with every new year, school and group. This is why every employer should be wary of teachers who do a year or so and then move on regularly. They will not have this understanding of their actions within the bigger picture. It’s arguable of course how important this is, but if we see education – especially public schools – as a continuum with precise expectations, it is important to have teachers who understand them. This is especially true if we want to liberate teachers from prescribed teaching materials and expect them to develop customised tasks for their students. 5. Instructional Effectiveness To be an effective teacher you have to teach well. Hard to argue. The interesting thing about this is that this demands again a very high level of flexibility and a wide range of expertise from the teacher, since something that may be a piece of cake with one group of students can prove to be an absolute nightmare with another. Even if I planned the same lesson for two different groups, they could and they should never be the same. So, this is again a hunch, not more. This seems to work with this group so let’s go with it, but heaven forbid I would try it with the other group. 6. Good communicator Well, this is pretty obvious, and necessary not only with students, but with teachers, managers and parents. Communication is not always direct, which is difficult. Other teachers and management hear about you from students and parents. It’s all a vicious circle, and to communicate your message well in all directions is a bit of a juggling act. 7. Street smart Know about who you teach. This is sometimes perceived as the great advantage of having local teachers or teachers who come from the same-similar context. While I admit that this has its advantages, I think it has just as many disadvantages. There is a false sense of mutuality between the local teachers and students against the foreign teacher in the school. All those dismissive nods from the colleagues and students are the same, really. Sometimes blowing up a little bit of a bomb with a completely innocent face can be very helpful. I’ll never forget the conversation I had with my students about respecting women and giving them rights and me doing the cooking and the washing up. I loved it. In many situations you are expected to be the foreigner. Embracing your foreignness is one way of being successful. You are not expected to be one of them. Why try? Clearly, you don’t want to be rude or hurt anyone but there are several stages between the extremes. Don’t do any thing that would offend you if it was the other way round but don’t expect them to eat the goulash as you serve it, what’s more, they can even be allowed not to like goulash. 8. Willing to go the extra mile This is closely linked to the first one. If you follow a calling, you will go the extra mile. Otherwise you won’t. There is no way of making someone do more than what they are paid to. 9. Lifelong learner The excitement of Amazon delivering yet another book about ELT, Russell Tarr recommending another mindboggingly good link. A conference near you, a conference on the web, all the tweets from last night. If you are still excited about any of these things, we’re talking about you. If you watch a movie and 2 minutes into the film you start thinking about how you could use this in class, this is about you. Most teachers start forgetting what they learn when they start their education, and will have forgotten why they are standing in front of a class by the time they have finished. They are the life-long forgetters. Heaven save students from them. This is not about the ‘best method’ the ‘best book’ ’the greatest author’, ‘the best publisher’, it’s about you and where you are in the wonderful process of your professional development 10 Life outside the classroom Your life outside the classroom is the bread and butter you bring to your students and re-contextalise to feed their learning appetite.

Commessay

Technology's Impact on Communication With new communication technology being introduced almost daily, the classical definition of how we communicate must constantly be redefined. Conversations now exist in a myriad of formats, most of which have only been around for the past 20 years. Faceable, Twitter, and various other current forms of social media now influence how we communicate. Modern technology offers a sterile virtual environment that lacks physical dimensions such as space and time.Modern immunization has progressed so much since the nineteenth century; we now question what Is real human interaction? Medal constantly evolves, which makes studying It difficult. Mass media greatly effects how we perceive other cultures, communities, and ourselves. The Invention of the telegraph, telephone, and radio transformed society In the 1 9th century. The Invention of the Internet changed how humans communicate forever. Unlike the others the Internet has become interwoven into our lives. The invention of smart phones and other Internet capable mobile devices ensures constant connectivity.We are now connected to Mass Media for the majority of our waking hours. News of earthquakes to wars around the world instantly zaps into our pockets regularly. Media directly influences how we create our own personal identity and how we perceive others. According to Michael Bugged author of Interpersonal Divide, media even shapes how we understand our own social identity. Constant connectivity gives us the freedom to control where we put our attention. People text and go on their emails during meetings. We use Faceable while out with friends.Now we create our own experience editing, deleting, and thus touching our thoughts and Ideas that we share. Faceable and Twitter offer us a perception of reality customized to our individual tastes and views. If we can live our lives only paying attention to what we chose to us will well miss something important? The novel Interpersonal Divide by Michael Bugged takes a critical analysis of how modern forms of technology have eroded our sense of community. Budge]a ask the question, â€Å"If electronic communication keeps us wired to the world.Why, then do so many feel displaced in the global village? Modern communication offers such a did array of conveniences, but distances us from our humanity. E. B White, of The New Yorker 1948: Television hangs on the questionable theory that whatever happens anywhere should be sensed everywhere. If everyone is going to be able to be see everything, In the long run all sights may lose whatever rarity value they once possessed, and It may well turn out that people, being able to see and hear practically everything, will be specially Interested In almost nothing. White 3) Mass media and its 24-hour news coverage perpetuate stories from around the world to its unman condition as portrayed by television. Bugged says overexposure to current forms of media may leave us unsympathetic or uni nterested in everything around us. We choose to spend more time with our electronic devices, and not with each other. Children say, â€Å"l love you† to there parents through text messages. Bugged believes modern forms of communication have not only changed society, but also us as individuals.The Internet offers us a way of customizing our experience in society, giving us the freedom to choose our interactions. He believes that humans seek acceptance and the Internet offers that. Without acceptance, we feel unloved. Without love we feel afraid. Lacking time, space, and form the Internet narrows perception and caters to our desires. Without the sense of community we feel unfulfilled we lose essential interpersonal communication skills. The real and virtually real blend so well that we cannot properly ascertain what is genuine from what is not.With all the technological advancements something as simple as tone cannot be properly communicated through cyberspace. In rigid text co nversation often the meaning of what we are trying to say to each other gets lost. Bugged believes cyberspace lacks authenticity, citing that private enterprise controls what we do and see. All technology in its infancy suffers from public ridicule and change. The biggest difference now is that change has happen in such short period of time. The printing press made millions literate, but put copy scribes out of business.The telegraph helped war become more strategic, but made war more violent. The radio made current events current to everyone, but instilled inherent fear into everyone. All these innovations came with great change to how we communicate. Today we can only speculate what negative changes the Internet will bring to society. We know the convenience the Internet brings, but what about the negative impacts? The Internet has changed the nature of entertainment, business, government, stock trading, and much more. 5000 years ago the invention of written language allowed peopl e to communicate, without needing to be face-to-face.Early Mesopotamia would scribe onto walls of caves messages to their counterparts, thus creating the first virtual reality. The printing press of the fifteenth century made it possible for hosannas of people receive the same information at the same time thus creating Mass Media. Telegraphs made direct communication possible at long distances, while telephones and radio let us communicate verbally. These technologies changed how society operated much like the invention of the Internet would in the twentieth century.Rapidly integrating into every facet of our lives the Internet has changed society faster then any of the other forms of media. Cyberspace offers us convenience and control like we've never experienced before. Being able to see your Ovid ones faces when you tell you are getting married, from 500 miles away now seems ordinary. The Internet allows us to get directions to a restaurant, check table availability, and the mana ger on staff all while brushing our teeth. We drive cars that now require Internet connectivity to function. We say things like â€Å"Google it† to prove our points in conversation.We even sleep with our mobile connected devices. People now sit in Social gatherings like Bars and parties in complete silence; we are now together yet alone. Joshua Moneywort, No Sense of place: The evolution of media has creased the significance of physical presence in the experience of people and physically present; one can communicate â€Å"directly' with others without meeting in the same place. As a result, the physical structures that once divided our society into many distinct spatial settings for interaction have been greatly reduced in social significance. Moneywort 2) With technology making virtual direct communication possible, interpersonal communication skills are needed more than ever. Often limiting non-verbal communications like touch, posture, and smell virtual immunization only offers a small percentage of the complexity of a face-to-face conversation. Large companies like Faceable and Apple continuously morph and change how they conduct business. Interpersonal contact is multidimensional; it exists in a specific time and place. Contact is the basic component of community in human relationships.The Internet alters our perception of the world and our place in it. We over indulge in technology isolating ourselves from humanity. As society grows and become more complex so must technology. We must ask the question of when does technology stop and society begin? Bugged says: The transformation of society from the real to the virtually real has been occurring since the nineteenth century, affecting how we perceive others and their cultures, communities, priorities, activities, and whereabouts. Bugged 1) The media offers a glance into other cultures and community virtual reality is not a new concept. What Bugged is trying to say is that now we are becoming satura ted with medias influence. Just about every facet of our lives now has some sort of device that offers some sort of prescribed convenience. Modern technology helps control our daily lives to an extent never thought possible. As a result, the way companies conduct their business has changed. New technology usually means a restructure in the labor force; the difference now is the speed in which it has happened.In 1994 roughly 3 million people, mostly Americans had Internet access, the fugue that increased to 26 million the next year roughly doubling every year after till the year 2000. Companies have downsized and implemented technology to replace its human workers. From automated call centers to online tech support, business has downplayed the importance of interpersonal costumer service. Not only is business lacking in human- to-human interaction, we are too. Small mobile devices like the phone can do everything, even tell you a Joke.Society has evolved quicker in the last 20 years than ever before. Over the past 10 years, studies of mobile communication has shown, those devices in our pockets, are so psychologically powerful that they don't only change what we do, they change who we are. Things we do now only a few years ago we would consider odd or strange, now seem familiar. We check our devices first thing the morning, before even saying hello to our loved ones. We have minor anxiety attacks when our phone battery dies. We take short breaks during social periods to check our Faceable and Twitter feeds.We feel it necessary to take pictures and update statuses of every waking minute of our lives. I share therefore I am. Technology has created an alternative society- one that is digital, a society where we can create our own persona and manage our identity. A world where we can control how our peers perceive us. Relationships are complex and varied, the Internet is linear and sterile; can it truly replace face-to-face interaction? We should not rely on Edie a nd technology to attain enduring relationships, which interactions and today pales in comparison to face-to-face communication.Technology can be the links through which we engage and befriend each other but to establish true relationships we must learn how to balance between the two societies. The classical definition of how we communicate has been redefined. Conversations now exist in a myriad of formats, most of which have only been around for the past 20 years. Current forms of social media now influence how we communicate. Modern technology offers a sterile virtual environment that lacks physical dimensions such as pace and time.Bugged calls attention to the problem that develops when we spend too much time in cyberspace rather than in real society. Constant connectivity gives us the freedom to control where we put our attention. The media and virtual communication shapes how we understand our own social identity. Overexposure to the media may leave unsympathetic or uninterested in everything around us. These days, those devises in our pockets are changing our minds and hearts offering us gratification. One, that we can put our attention wherever we want it to be; two, that e will always be heard; and three, that we will never have to be alone.

Panera Bread - Marketing Business Analysis

Panera Bread - Marketing Business Analysis Free Online Research Papers Executive Summary â€Å"Over the last half century, eating out has gradually become a way of life for many Americans† (Basham Menza, 2007a, para.1). For this reason, the restaurant industry is a fast-growing, diverse and prosperous industry, with many interesting facets. The restaurant industry includes a wide range of food and beverage establishments within the United States. There are three main industry segments: fast-food, full service and specialty. Since the restaurant industry is extremely broad, this paper will specifically focus on the fast-food segment of the industry. The fasts of these chains are KFC Corp, Chick-Fil-A Inc., Popeye’s Chicken Biscuits and Church’s Chicken (Basham Menza, 2007b). Although it is not the industry leader yet, Panera Bread, Co. is an up and coming company that has much potential for growth and development. Panera was the sixth fastest growing restaurant in America as of December, 2006 with 20.3% increase in revenues from December, 2005 (Basham Menza, 2007b). Due to growing health food concerns worldwide and the increase in busy lifestyles in America, restaurants such as Panera, that offer quick service, relatively healthy menu items, and a clean, warm and homey atmosphere are up and coming. Despite the vast opportunities for Paneras growth due to these economic conditions, many other companies want in on the profit and have begun to saturate the market with very similar products and services. Direct competitors include, Cosi, Einstein Noah Restaurant Group, Starbucks, Corner Bakery Cafà ©, and Au Bon Pain while companys like McDonalds, Subway, Yum Brands and Starbucks also have the potential to pose threats. This analysis will highlight the economic, social, and legal environment as well as provide a Porter’s Five Forces analysis of the fast-food restaurant industry. This paper will then present a SWOT analysis of Panera Bread, Co., and discuss the company’s marketing mix. Paneras business strategies will be compared and contrasted to that of another popular fast-food restaurant; McDonalds. As a concluding note, strategic problems and alternatives will be mentioned, followed by recommendations for Panera in the future. Industry Structure Within the fast-food restaurant industry, small businesses have the opportunity to dominate because of the low entry barriers and possibility of high returns. Unfortunately, it is difficult for these smaller operators to survive because of the large chains and franchises that serve as major competition. Some pros to becoming a franchise are higher returns, strength in brand name and less day-to-day responsibility for the franchisor. Despite these positive aspects, if one individual restaurant in the franchise is poorly managed or operated, it may give a bad reputation to the entire franchise. Many restaurants that do franchise have the option of re-franchising, which means that the franchisor will buy and sell restaurants that are not performing up to standards. In other words, the franchisor is able to free up capital by selling off underperforming restaurants to create funds for research and development of new ventures (Basham Menza, 2007a). Economic Environment Due to poor economic conditions, such as rising gasoline prices and an uncertain real estate market, many Americans have had to cut costs in 2007, including the cost of dining out. The poor economy coupled with the fact that labor and food costs are increasing is putting a damper on profitability within the restaurant industry. Competition is tough for many establishments that have little to no competitive advantage. Unfortunately, the common trend for 2007 seems to be the merging and disposition of many restaurant chains. Despite these trends, Americans are still eating out, but as inexpensively as possible. As a result, fast-food chains have exhibited the most growth during the past years and the restaurant industry has become the largest private sector employer in the United States (Basham Menza, 2007c). Social Environment Two social environmental issues are present within the restaurant industry. First off, people are becoming more concerned with health related issues. As more consumers become educated about the risks of eating fattening foods, restaurant companies are focusing on the trend toward healthier eating by offering low calorie and low fat menu items to appeal to the health food craze in America. The health craze in part resulted from the many lawsuits filed against fast-food chains for child obesity and other health problems related to obesity. McDonald’s and Wendy’s have both tried to introduce fruit, vegetables and milk into their value meals for children rather than fries and soda. Applebees, Chili’s and Ruby Tuesday are three restaurants that offer smarter menu options for dieters. Burger King and Wendy’s are both experimenting with healthier oils used for frying that will reduce amounts of trans fat in their fries (Basham Menza, 2007b). Second, due to the increase in Hispanics within the US, restaurant companies have been focusing on appealing to many different target markets through either diversifying the menu at a restaurant or by acquiring different types of chains that will appeal to different people. For example, Yum! Brands Inc. (which is the parent company of AW Restaurants, Inc., KFC Corporation, Long John Silvers, Inc., Pizza Hut, Inc., WingStreet and Taco Bell Corporation) and Jack in the Box both have tried to appeal to the Hispanic population, by offering Hispanic foods and hiring more Hispanic employees (Basham Menza, 2007b). Lastly, most families in America have two incomes, meaning there is not much time to cook, and there is more spending money available. Because of these factors, restaurants are a perfect option to the busy family (Basham Menza, 2007a). Most restaurant chains have offered to-go and drive-thru service in the past, but the new trend is for the buffet restaurant chains to offer this service (Basham Menza, 2007b). Legal Environment There are several state and local government regulations that may put a damper on the fast-food restaurant industry. First, many states have now banned smoking in public areas, which includes all restaurants and bars. This rule may cause smokers to opt to eat at home or even forego an after dinner coffee, drink or dessert so they can enjoy their cigarettes after a meal. dSecond, there have been many laws concerning employment compensation. For example, San Francisco now requires employers to compensate employees with higher wages than the federal or state minimum mandates. Health insurance is now a mandatory benefit for even part time employees in several states (Massachusetts being one of them), which significantly contributes to compensation expenses. In 2007, the federal minimum wage was increased from $5.15 per hour to $5.85 per hour and will continue to rise by $0.70 each year until 2009 (yielding a federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour). Many states already enforce an additional state minimum wage, which may cushion the blow that the restaurant industry will face in 2009. Most new legislation and regulation has the potential to add to the cost of owning and operating a restaurant in the United States, which may decrease profitability within the industry (Basham Menza, 2007b). â€Å"According to the CDC and USDA, food poisoning sickens 76 million people a year in the United States, sends 325,000 to hospital, and kills 5,000† (Reuters Health E-Line, 2006, para.9). As a result, the government sends official in to inspect individual restaurants all over the country to ensure that each restaurant maintains a sanitary and healthy environment for cooking and serving food. Restaurants that do not meet the governmental standards are slapped with high fines or in some cases closed down (Jones et al., 2004). Interestingly, according to former restaurant inspector and current vice president of health and safety regulatory affairs for the National Restaurant Association, Steven Grover, the restaurant industry as a whole is getting better each year as far as reducing the number of Americans infected with food-borne illness. Although numerous restaurants are still not up to governmental standards, dining out today is safer now than it has ever been (Garber, 2003) . Porter’s 5 Forces Analysis of the Fast-Food Restaurant Industry Panera Bread is not the typical fast-food restaurant in that it offers a more upscale product for a few dollars more than an ordinary fast-food restaurant. Although Panera does have this competitive advantage, there are many industry wide threats that it faces. The following paragraphs will discuss five primary industry threats and whether or not each is applicable to the fast-food restaurant industry. New Entrants The threat of new entrants is high within the fast-food industry. There are low barriers to enter this market and there is great opportunity to become very profitable. The only large up front capital cost to a potential new entrant would be that of building and equipment. Labor and commodity items are typically low cost items in the fast food industry (Basham Menza, 2007a). Panera itself is a relatively new entrant along with two of its direct competitors; Corner Bakery Cafà ©, and Cosi. Corner Bakery Cafà © offers pastries, salads and cafà © sandwiches with table service while Cosi offers flatbread pizza, sandwiches, pastries, salads and entire entrees. Both offer catering and both have a little over 100 locations throughout the US. Panera, Corner Bakery Cafà © and Cosi all originated throughout the 1990s (Feed the Day Corner Bakery Cafà ©, 2008; Panera Bread, 2008; Cosi Simply Good Taste, 2008). It seems that the new up and coming fast food restaurants are all catering to the ever-changing demands of society. Its like society is over the cheeseburger and french-fries, slice of pizza, drive through phase and moved on to a more sophisticated, healthier taste. The restaurant industry is unique in that consumers are always on the look-out for new entrants into this market. Since people get sick of eating the same foods over and over again, many consumers are eager to try new restaurant ideas (Basham Menza, 2007a). Rivalry The threat of rivals in the fast food industry is also high. With hundreds of choices and in most cases very little differentiation, it is difficult to stay afloat in this industry. Below, in Figure 1, is a depiction of the market share of top fast-food companies in 2007, including Panera. It is interesting to see that the most internationally and nationally well known and largest fast-food companies, including McDonalds, Subway, Starbucks and Yum Brands, make up only 37% of the market. Other restaurants make up more than half of the market which is one of the reasons why rivalry is such a large threat within this industry (Panera Bread Company (PNRA), n.d.). Figure 1 There are two ways to look at Panera and its competition within the industry. If a customer is just looking for any quick service restaurant to grab a bite to eat then Panera is competing with McDonalds, Yum Brands and Subway. If a customer is specifically looking for an upscale cafà © and bakery, then Panera is competing with Cosi, Corner Bakery Cafà © and Au Bon Pain. When looking at Panera as a player in the fast-food industry as a whole, as far as revenues and profits go, Panera is at the bottom of the chart compared to most other companies. Part of the reason is because Panera is a newer company and it does offer a premium product, which may not appeal to lower income level people. Some top fast-food chains are McDonalds, Burger King, Wendys, Subway (Doctors Associates), Yum Brands and Starbucks. Figure 2 below is a graphical depiction of Paneras revenues as of the end of 2007 compared to some top fast-food restaurants (Panera Bread Company (PNRA), n.d.). Figure 2: 2007 Revenue in Billions of Dollars of Key Fast-Food Players Although Panera is in the bottom region of this chart, it is definitely producing more revenues than Cosi, who is one of its direct competitors, which will be discussed next. In many cases, people know what they want to eat and compare Panera to other upscale bakery and cafà ©s such as Au Bon Pain, Cosi, Corner Bakery Cafà © and The Einstein Noah Restaurant Group. Because Panera is a company that has differentiated itself from others based upon its product and price, competitors such as McDonalds and Yum Brands and even Subway do pose a threat but are not direct competition to Panera. When looking at Panera in this sense, the threat of rivalry is still high due to the fact that there are many other similar companies out there offering similar products, but not as high as it is within the entire fast-food restaurant industry. Aside from Au Bon Pain, Panera is the most well known between the bakery and cafà © competitors mainly due to its presence in 40 of the 50 states. Many of these direct competitors have yet to expand out of 10-20 states and none, with the exception of Au Bon Pain have ventured outside the US yet (Feed the Day Corner Bakery Cafà ©, 2008; Panera Bread, 2008; Cosi Simply Good Taste, 2008). Substitutes Although there are many substitute products for a fast-food meal, the threat of substitute products within the fast-food industry is moderate. Two substitutes are eating at home or eating at a full service restaurant. Of course it widely depends on the economy as to whether or not people have the money to eat out, but most people eat fast food for convenience sake. In other words, people eat fast-food when they are either unable to cook or do not want to cook. In the event that prices among fast-food restaurants drastically increased or disposable income drastically decreased, the threat of substitutes would become more severe. On the same token, if disposable income drastically increases people most likely would opt to eat at full service restaurants for better quality food. Again, there really is no threatening substitution for the convenience of fast-food (Vanden Boogard, 2006). Suppliers Since most of the supplies within the fast-food restaurant industry are commodity items, the threat of suppliers is low. Despite this low threat, one common trend within the industry is the rising prices of commodities. First off the cost of labor is increasing due to the continual increase in federal and state minimum wage and new laws enforcing employers to offer benefits to all employees. Second, chicken prices rose by 17.7% while dairy product prices increased by 29.8% throughout 2007. Reasons for these price increases trace back to an increase in the price of corn which is used as chicken feed in most farms. Corn is now being used as a bio-fuel ethanol product which is driving it price up. Corn syrup prices have also increased because of this, which will lead to increases in pricing for beverages, as corn syrup is used as a sweetener in most soft drinks. Unfortunately, these supplier price increases are eating away at profits within the industry as many companies cannot afford t o increase their own prices. On the other hand, many companies have increased menu prices, meaning the consumer is absorbing the increase in commodity costs. The National Restaurant Associations reported that menu prices on average increased by 3.1% in 2006 (Basham Menza, 2007c). Buyers The threat of buyers within the fast-food industry is high. As previously discussed, because there is such a large range of competition and always the option to move on to the next restaurant the cost for a buyer to switch restaurants is low. In many cases, there are several fast-food restaurants within a small radius, so if buyers have a negative connotation with a restaurant (such as experienced a food-borne illness, or poor service or quality of food), very little will prevent that buyer from driving or even walking the extra tenth of a mile to reach another fast-food restaurant. For this reason, it is extremely important for companies to focus on customer demands and keeping the customer happy. It is also important for companies to keep the appearance of each restaurant up to standards and provide a clean and welcoming atmosphere. Now that the industry is defined, discussion will ensue to the target company: Panera Bread. It will be interesting to look at where Panera falls within this industry, what it is doing correct and incorrect, and what it should be doing better. Target Company Analysis: Panera Bread Organizational Culture Panera Bread is a bakery and cafà © that offers bagels, pastries, sandwiches, pizzas and specialty drinks. There are 1,230 individual Paneras across the US and most are franchised (698 to be exact). Last year Panera Bread, Co. acquired 51% of Paradise Bakery Cafà © which is a similar entity that operates in the Southwest region of the US. Panera has yet to venture into the international market but does plan to expand into Canada in the near future (Rozhon, 2006). Ironically, Panera Bread, Co. has roots with its one of its direct competitors, Au Bon Pain. In the late 1970s and early 1980s Au Bon Pain, Inc. originated in Boston. As the company began to grow as a bakery and cafà ©, it acquired a similar company and competitor, St. Louis Bread Co. During the mid 1990s Au Bon Pain, Inc. began franchising its St. Louis Bread units out as Panera Bread. Although Panera began to do well with revenues and growth, Au Bon Pains sales were suffering and by the late 1990s corporate decided to sell off the Au Bon Pain units entirely and become Panera Bread, Co. The current CEO and Chairman, Ron Shaich, was actually one of the co-founders of Au Bon Pain, Inc. in the early 1980s. He has been the CEO and Chairman of Panera Bread since 2001 when his fellow co-founder of Au Bon Pain decided to pursue other business ventures (Panera Bread Company, 2008). The culture at Panera is quite different from most restaurants. Whereas most companies have high turnover rates amongst management, Panera Bread has had the same leader since its beginnings back in the mid 1990s. Ron Shaich is not the only Panera lifer. Several other members of Au Bon Pain management came with Shaich in the late 1990s when Au Bon Pain was sold off and have stuck with Panera since then. Shaich is an intelligent leader who is dedicated to hard work, and committed to his customers. Panera is successful due to the fact that Shaich conducted ample research that determined what the people wanted. That explains why each Panera is decorated with original artwork, always has a fire burning in its fireplace and offers sofas and arm chairs along with typical table seating. He is the type of manager who despite his high ranking position will still be seen serving customers behind the counters of one of his Panera restaurants. Loyal employees who truly care about the business are most valuable in Shaichs eyes (Stewart, 2007). It is also interesting to note that Shaich owns 14% of Paneras voting rights, meaning he has enough faith in the company to invest a portion of his own funds. Not only that but he has an additional motivation to continue to grow the company (Vanden Boogard, 2006). SWOT Analysis: Panera Bread Strengths Panera has many strengths as a company but for the purposes of this paper its top four will be discussed. First, one of Paneras greatest strengths is its leadership and management structure. As mentioned previously, Shaich has been with the company for many years and has much experience in running a successful restaurant (Especially since he was lucky enough to have Au Bon Pain as his trial run). Panera also has a bit of a unique franchise policy in place that adds to its strong management feature. In order for an individual to open a franchised Panera, he or she must purchase a market area in which he or she is to open approximately fifteen Panera restaurants within six years. This strategy prevents people without the appropriate amount of capital and without the will to put their heart and soul into the company from becoming part of the Panera team (Panera Bread, 2008). The company has realized that if it wants to franchise to expand, it needs reliable managers who will work hard a t keeping up the good reputation of Panera. If someone is forced to take on fifteen restaurants, he or she must be a good manager and maintain each individual entity so as to continue to grow. Secondly, Panera has great product. For the price, its food is a great value. According to its website, Panera has won numerous awards all over the country, including Best Bakery, Best Bread, Best Dessert, Best Lunch, Best Summer Beverage, Best of the Best, Best Fast-Food and the list goes on from there. Not only does it offer healthy menu items but service is quick and the atmosphere is comfortable and homey (and includes free Wi-fi). The company continues to be creative and add new menu items, such as the Crispani flatbread pizza, mini breakfast quiches and a wide variety of soups and salads (Vanden Boogard, 2006). Third, Paneras finances are just another strength. For the past five year the company has had positive and growing net incomes. This is mainly attributable to the fact that in 2007 revenues had nearly tripled from 2003. In 2003 net income was approximately $30.43 million while in 2007 it reached approximately $57.46 million. Although the company did experience some negative cash flows back in 2004 and 2005, in both 2006 and 2007 cash on hand increased by $27.65 million in 2006 and $16.15 million in 2007 (United States Securities and Exchanges Commission Form 10-K, 2008). Lastly the brand name and image associated with Panera is a strength. The company has 1,230 stores throughout the US, meaning that most likely a great deal of consumers have heard of Panera. Panera is considered an upscale fast-food establishment and is known for its fresh breads and pastries, comfortable and clean atmosphere and healthy menu options (Panera Bread, 2008). Weaknesses There are a few weaknesses associated with Panera Bread that come to mind. First, Panera has yet to expand internationally. Although the company said that they expected to enter Canada in 2007, that is yet to happen (Rozhon, 2006; Panera Bread, 2008). If Panera wants to play with the big boys (for example McDonalds, Starbucks, Yum Brands and even its top competitor Au Bon Pain) it will have to make a plan to go international and follow through with it. Another company weakness is its dependency on franchising. Although Panera has a good strategy to pick up strong franchisors, the majority of its units are franchised. Industry leader, McDonalds Corporation, also franchises the majority of its units and does just fine, but less revenue comes from franchising and there is always the possibility that the franchisors could destroy the company reputation if they do not adhere to company policy (Panera Bread, 2008). Next, Panera uses all fresh ingredients and in some cases rare ingredients (such as anti-biotic free chicken) in preparing its menu items, meaning supplies are delivered three times per week at a minimum to each Panera restaurant. Panera receives 98% of its ingredients from only three suppliers. Unfortunately this high dependence on such a small number of suppliers may disrupt regular business operations. If bad weather occurs, vehicle problems are encountered, or even if one supplier experiences business problems and shortages Panera will not have enough ingredients to operate, which may upset customers and result in a loss of revenue (United States Securities and Exchanges Commission Form 10-K, 2008). Lastly, there are still many people who would prefer to eat at Subway or McDonalds as they are not convinced that it is worth the extra couple of dollars to eat at Panera. Panera needs to bulk up its marketing and advertising to ensure that it convinces as many customers as it can that they are worth the additional price (United States Securities and Exchanges Commission Form 10-K, 2008). Threats Along with the aforementioned weaknesses, there are a few threats that Panera faces. The economy poses a large threat to Panera. Paneras product is not a necessity and it may be considered a luxury product. This means if people do not have the money to spend due to a poor economy including rising gasoline prices and high unemployment rates, they will either opt for a substitute such as eating at home, or head to McDonalds or Subway for a much cheaper meal (Vanden Boogard, 2006). Competition is another large threat to Panera. In the fast-food restaurant industry, there are hundreds, maybe even thousands of companies, both small and large for consumers to choose from. Within most suburban areas throughout the country consumers only have to drive a few miles for at least five or ten different fast-food restaurant options. Although Panera offers a premium product it is still just fast-food and must constantly stay on its toes to meet the consumers ever-changing demands, especially since there is no cost to the consumer to switch from one restaurant to the next (United States Securities and Exchanges Commission Form 10-K, 2008). Currently, 8% of Paneras locations are in Florida and 6% in California (Panera Bread Company, 2008). This geographic concentration in two natural disaster prone states poses a threat to Panera. If a hurricane or earthquake reeks havoc over either state Panera will suffer a large loss (Vanden Boogard, 2006). Yet another threat is that of management. A great deal of Paneras success can be attributed to Ron Shaich. Part of this success stems from the fact that Panera’s roots really started with Shaichs own little bakery in Boston which he eventually built up to a national restaurant chain. Shaich has been in the business for 25 years and is passionate about Panera because it is his own creation. Although he is not really that old, he will retire someday. The threat here is finding another leader with as much passion to succeed and as much personal baggage invested in the company as Shaich (United States Securities and Exchanges Commission Form 10-K, 2008). Lastly, the following is a threat that all restaurants face. That is the threat of food-borne illness. If one individual restaurant has a bout with salmonella or e-coli or even the avian flu (which is unlikely but it is mentioned in Paneras 10K), the entire brand name will be defamed and most likely sales will drastically decrease (United States Securities and Exchanges Commission Form 10-K, 2008). Opportunities As is the case with many young companies, Panera has various opportunities in its upcoming future. Three primary opportunities come to mind. The first is that of growth and development through expansion. Panera is currently located in 40 of the 50 states, but in most states there are only a few individual locations. On the same token, Panera has yet to go international. The company should test the waters by choosing a specific market, performing research and then dive in. International growth will take the company to the next level by continuing to increase its sales and earn world-wide recognition (Panera Bread, 2008). Another opportunity that Panera is facing is to capitalize on the health-food craze in America. Society has become obsessed in some ways with eating healthy, which could pose large threats to the typical cheeseburger and french-fry fast-food chains. Panera is in a great position because they already offer a healthy-themed menu. Although bread is high in carbs, which most dieters try to stay away from, Paneras soups, salads, and new Crispani flatbread pizzas are all healthy options. If Panera continues to introduce healthy menu items such as by offering low fat wraps rather than bread or expanding on their salad selection, they have the opportunity to capture a larger market share. Lastly, Panera has the opportunity to diversify its menu. For example, by adding alcoholic beverages to its menu after 5pm it may attract a larger dinner crowd. Panera could offer alcoholic coffee drinks with pastry for dessert and wine and beer with sandwiches and salads for dinner. Since it already has most of the ingredients, Panera could introduce calzones and thick crust pizzas. It could even introduce grilled chicken entrà ©es with side salads without altering its supply chain too much. Panera Breads Marketing Mix Product Although Panera does have an opportunity to diversify its product line, its current products are not doing all that bad. Panera offers a bakery menu and a cafà © menu. Items on its bakery menu include bagels, pastries, muffins, freshly baked breads, breakfast sandwiches and soufflà ©s. Items on its cafà © menu include salads, soups, sandwiches, Crispani pizza, hot and cold beverages and a kids menu. With each season, Panera features new products that are seasonally themed. For example, this summer its cafà © menu features a strawberry poppy-seed salad, which includes an assortment of fresh fruit on a bed of lettuce with signature poppy-seed salad dressing. Summer features also include a frozen lemonade beverage and an egg and cheese breakfast sandwich on fresh bread. Panera is also known for its unique soups, which also tend to change with the season and in some cases the day. Each day a different variety of soups are offered on the menu, which are listed on its website. There ar e special seasonal soups as well, such as the summer corn chowder (Panera Bread, 2008). Another product that Panera offers is called Via Panera. This is the companys catering service. Via Panera offers boxed lunches or breakfasts that are delivered to parties of five or more. Along with the food, the customer receives a catering coordinator who is in charge of delivery if applicable and helps the customer make menu selections for large groups such as office meetings or even parties and other functions (Panera Bread, 2008). Aside from the physical product that Panera offers, they offer a psychological product as well. As previously mentioned, each individual Panera is decorated to feel comfortable and homey. Panera is a place where people can gather and relax and enjoy the atmosphere. Although the food is slightly more expensive than McDonalds, Panera offers couches, fireplaces and even free Wi-Fi for its customers to enjoy (Panera Bread, 2008). Price Paneras pricing is by far much higher than the typical fast-food restaurant. Although it charges much higher prices, it offers a higher quality product and atmosphere than the typical fast-food restaurant. As of November 2007, Panera was experiencing a drop in margins mainly due to the increase in commodity supplies and had to determine a strategy to deal with this problem. Shaich decided to raise menu prices by about 2.5% in the cafà © and 5% in the bakery section. Shaich also determined a new promotion strategy to deal with this problem, which will be discussed next (Walkup, 2007). Promotion Panera has many cost efficient successful ways of promoting its products, including newspaper and magazine ads, billboards and most importantly, word of mouth (Panera Bread: Some History and Commentary, 2004). The company posts its menu and soup flavors of the day on its website and has different seasonal menu items featured each season. Some well known menu promotions include the You Pick Two menu item, which allows consumers to pick any two items featured on the salad, sandwich and soup menus and receive one half of each item for about $7. Panera is also known for offering a bakers dozen of bagels rather than they usual dozen. Similar to other bakery chains, Panera also offers a box of coffee to accommodate large groups or tubs of cream cheese to go along with the bakers dozen of bagels (Panera Bread, 2008). Panera has relied upon the fact that its customers will enjoy their experience so much that they will come back and bring friends. This is just another reason for Paneras conce rn with its customer demands (Panera Bread: Some History and Commentary, 2004). As mentioned previously, in late 2007 Panera had been experiencing declining margins and came up with a promotional strategy to combat the problem. Rather than dropping products that yielded low margins, Shaich revamped the menu boards at each Panera to list the products that had the highest margin first. The hope here was that people would see the most profitable menu items first and out of partially convenience sake and partially intrigue order these items. Panera had decided to increase costs meaning each menu board had to be updated, so why not move the items around to put the spotlight on the most profitable items (Walkup, 2007). Panera also offers a wide price range of products to accommodate consumers from a wider budget span. Shaich believes that many of Paneras competitors have already implemented this strategy so it was necessary for Panera to follow suit (Walkup, 2007). Placement Panera is located throughout the US mainly in suburban communities where the cost of living is above average. As Shaich discussed in a recent interview, From the beginning, we focused on one group of customers, those who appreciated an inviting environment and were willing to pay for real food based on homemade artisan bread†¦We only open in community-oriented spots and try to create a place where shoppers, residents, and daytime workers can gather (Stewart, 2007, p. 2). Panera is creeping into the larger cities as well as hopefully expanding to international locations soon (Stewart, 2007). Competitor Analysis: McDonalds Panera is a great company that is currently doing very well. The future for Panera is only to expand and hopefully become a worldwide sensation similar to McDonalds. Although McDonalds is not one of Paneras direct competitors or worst threats, it will be interesting to look at the two companies side by side, since Panera is reaching to grow and gain a larger presence, while McDonalds is the perfect example of a company who has achieved vast growth and worldwide presence. Perhaps Panera can learn a thing or two from McDonalds. Organizational Culture McDonald’s restaurant is a fast-food chain well known for its Big Mac, Quarter Pounder, Chicken McNuggets and Egg McMuffin. The restaurant appeals to people of all genders, races and ages due to its speedy service of value-priced food, which may be one of the reasons for its success. Currently, McDonalds Corporation is traded publicly on both the New York and Chicago Stock Exchanges under the ticker symbol MCD. As of the end of the fiscal year in 2007, McDonalds had about 1165.3 million shares of common stock outstanding and was worth about $58 per share (Value Line Industry Report, 2007) The concept for McDonald’s originated in 1955 by Ray Kroc, a milkshake machine salesman. Ray had sold eight of his milkshake machines to the McDonald brothers hamburger restaurant in California. Desperate to sell more machines, Ray suggested to the brothers that they open up more McDonalds hamburger restaurants across the country. The brothers liked the idea but had no one to run their restaurants, so they appointed Ray to take on the challenge. Ray Kroc opened his very first McDonald’s in Des Plaines, Illinois (which is no longer in operation today as it is a museum containing historical articles from the companies past). In 1965 McDonalds went public with only 100 shares of stock, valued at $2,250 (equivalent to $3.3 million today). During the 1970s and 1980, McDonalds grew at a rapid rate. Besides significant domestic growth, where McDonald’s restaurants popped up anywhere from gas stations to shopping malls, the company also founded a charity for sick childre n and their families, and established a global presence. Today, McDonald’s Corporation is arguably the largest restaurant company in the world. It has rights to more than 30,000 McDonald’s restaurants worldwide, most independently owned and operated. (Note: McDonalds also owned Boston Market and Chipotle Mexican Grill but recently sold these chains) (McDonald’s, 2005-2006). Competitive Advantage The following points are just a few reasons why McDonalds owns 19% of the fast food market while Panera has just about 1%. McDonalds has been around for 50 more years than Panera. It has had more time to grow, develop and penetrate the fast-food market. McDonalds offers a good valued product for a cheap price. Although most people do not associate McDonalds with being healthy, most people do recognize the fact that its food tastes good and will not burn a hole in your pocket. McDonalds has better locations. While Panera has been concerned with remaining in well-to-do communities and suburban areas, McDonalds is everywhere. McDonalds targets a larger market. Due to Paneras cost and upscale atmosphere, McDonalds is more conducive to families than Panera. McDonalds also offers play-places and toys with kids meals. Not only is McDonalds kid friendly, but it is much more affordable for the average family. McDonalds has become an industry leader in charitable giving. One of Paneras key focuses is community, but due to the fact that McDonalds has more money, and prides itself on charitable giving, community charities are more likely to receive money from a McDonalds rather than Panera. Although Panera has begun to implement drive thrus at some locations, all McDonalds have drive-thrus. Because of its age, McDonalds has better distribution and supply chains. Unfortunately for Panera, the list could continue on and on. On a better note, Panera should not be discouraged because of this for two reasons. First off, McDonalds has much more experience and has been around for many more years. And secondly, Panera most likely is not losing tons of customers to McDonalds. Panera does have great product differentiation and caters to a slightly different market than McDonalds. The way I see it is McDonalds is the old and Panera is the new. Panera caters to what our society is becoming while McDonalds may eventually lose market share if it does not keep up with societies demands. Problems and Strategic Alternatives One important problem with Panera is its lack of international growth. In order to gain market share and increase revenues, the company must expand outside of the US. There was talk of Panera opening in Canada in 2007 but it is yet to occur. Although it is important for a company to do its homework and only expand when ready into markets that it becomes familiar with through research and experimentation, Panera is ready. Secondly, Panera needs to develop relations with local suppliers. Since it prides itself with always having the freshest ingredients but only does business with three suppliers, severe problems have the potential of occurring as a result of one little snafu with one of the three suppliers. Although this would create cost and possibly menu pricing differences depending upon the region of the country, if Panera builds relationships with many local suppliers the risk of losing large amounts of revenue over one problem with one supplier will dissipate. Lastly, Shaich is Paneras reason for success. He needs to be on the lookout for his replacement soon and begin training his protà ©gà © as soon as possible. By leaving Paneras future in the hands of a leader who does not have the same passion for success and work ethic as Shaich there is no guarantee that the company will continue to grow, or even survive. Recommendations After learning a great deal about one of my favorite fast-food restaurants, I have a few recommendations for the company. First off in order to grow, Panera should research other markets and cautiously make an entrance. The company has had little advertising expense within the US but it may have to resort to commercials or billboards in its new markets. Panera will also have to cater to international tastes through diversifying its menu in its new markets. Perhaps adding pancetta to its sandwiches in Italy or flan and churros y chocolate to its dessert menu in Spain will help to attract customers in these new markets. I also think that Panera will attract a larger customer base by offering alcoholic beverages during its dinner time hours. Since it already has a homey atmosphere perhaps the sale of alcohol will attract an older crowd to gather in the evenings and enjoy a pastry with an adult coffee beverage or one of Paneras gourmet salads with a glass of wine. Overall I think Panera is a good company that has a good foundation laid and is in an opportune position to grow. It has strong management, a good product and is strategically located. As long as the company continues to listen to and meet societys demands, it will continue to grow. References Basham, M. Menza, J. (2007a). How the Industry Operates. Standard Poor’s Industry Survey: Restaurants. Retrieved March 2, 2008, from Standard Poor’s NetAdvantage. Basham, M. Menza, J. (2007b). Industry Profile. Standard Poor’s Industry Survey: Restaurants. Retrieved March 2, 2008, from Standard Poor’s NetAdvantage. Basham, M. Menza, J. (2007c). Current Environment. Standard Poor’s Industry Survey: Restaurants. Retrieved March 2, 2008, from Standard Poor’s NetAdvantage. Cosi Simply Good Taste. (2008). Cosi. 27 July 08 . Feed the Day Corner Bakery Cafe. (2008). Corner Bakery Cafe. 27 July 2008 cornerbakerycafe.com. Garber, A. NBC health inspection expose sparks fast-food furor. Nations Restaurant News. Dec 1, 2003. FindArticles.com. 01 Aug. 2008. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3190/is_48_37/ai_110963606. Jones, Timothy, Boris Pavlin, Bonnie LaFleur, L. Ingram, and William Schaffner. (Apr, 2004). Restaurant Inspection Sources and Foodborne Disease. CDC. 27 July 2008 McDonald’s. (2005-2006). About McDonald’s. 27 July 2008 Panera Bread. (2008). Panera Bread. 27 July 08 . Panera Bread Company. Hoovers Company Records. 1 August 2008. Hoovers Company Records. ProQuest. University of West Florida Online Database, Pensacola, FL. 2 Aug. 2008 Panera Bread Company (PNRA). (n.d.). Wikinvest investing, simplified. 27 July 2008 Panera Bread: Some History and Commentary. (23 Dec. 2004). Truck and Barter. 27 July 2008 Reuters Health E-Line. (2006). Taco Bell says told E. coli outbreak over. Reuters. Retrieved February 29, 2008, from Factiva. Rozhon, Tracie. (23 Sept. 2006). Inspiration: Seeing Meat Put on Bread. 27 July 2008 Stewart, Brandi. (7 Dec. 2007). Pastry parlay: From Au Bon Pain to Panera. 27 July 2008 United States Securities and Exchanges Commission Form 10-K. 22 February 2008. EDGAR Online. 27 July 2008. Value Line Industry Report. 2007. Value Line. 24 July 2008. Vanden Boogard, Rich. (22 Mar. 2006). Why I Still Like Panera Bread (PNRA). Seeking Alpha. 27 July 2008 . Walkup, Carolyn. (12 November 2007). Panera readies price hike, menu revamp to combat soft sales. Nations Restaurant News. Retrieved July 27, 2008 from Factiva. Research Papers on A Marketing Analysis of the Fast-Food Restaurant Industry Targeting Panera BreadDefinition of Export QuotasAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeGene One the Transition from Private to PublicGenetic Engineering19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraThe Hockey GameBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceAmerican Central Banking and OilThe Effects of Illegal Immigration

Boots and Booty

Boots and Booty Boots and Booty Boots and Booty By Maeve Maddox The noun boot, meaning â€Å"a covering for the foot and lower part of the leg,† has been in the language since the early 14th century. The word existed in medieval Latin and entered English via French. The popularity of boots as footwear has never diminished, but our use of the word boot and similar forms doesn’t always pertain to the article of apparel. First let’s look at terms and expressions that do relate to footwear. bootleg: As a noun, bootleg is recorded in the 17th century with the meaning â€Å"the leg of a boot.† Nineteenth century American frontiersmen favored bootlegs as convenient places to carry knives and shooting irons. The term acquired its present associations with the illicit trading of liquor even before Prohibition became the law of the land in 1920; a handful of states outlawed alcoholic beverages earlier. For example, Kansas banned alcohol in 1881. A bootleg could conceal a small bottle of liquor. In current usage, bootleg denotes anything that is traded or trafficked illicitly: bootleg CDs, bootleg diamonds, bootleg babies, etc. As a verb, bootleg means â€Å"to traffic illicitly in liquor or anything else.† The verb bootleg is also an American football term meaning â€Å"to carry the ball deceptively.† bootstrap: as a noun, a bootstrap is a loop attached to the top of a boot to help the wearer pull on the boot. I’ve written about the figurative meanings of bootstrap here. boot camp: This is a term for U.S. Marine and Navy recruit training. The term boot as slang for recruit may date from the Spanish-American War. U.S. sailors wore leggings called boots and the term transferred to the sailors themselves. By extension, boot camp is now also used for any training camp or program that resembles boot camp by requiring rigorous training. The term can also refer specifically to a facility or program for juvenile offenders who are forced to follow a rigidly structured routine of drill and discipline. bootlicker: A cringing, favor-seeking toady is called a bootlicker: a person who would do any demeaning thing to please and flatter a person in power. You can find more terms for subservient people here. jackboot: a type of large, strong cavalry boot popular in the 17th and 18th centuries was called a jackboot; later it was worn by German military and paramilitary units during the Nazi regime. Even before its association with the Nazis, the term had acquired the connotation of military oppression. boot: As a verb, â€Å"to boot† can mean â€Å"to kick,† as in â€Å"They booted out the old superintendent and hired a new one.† As a verb in the context of computer use, boot derives from bootstrap. to boot: We still use the expression â€Å"to boot† with the meaning â€Å"in addition† or â€Å"as a bonus†: The guy’s a chronic complainer and a tightwad to boot. The most patient and behaved dog in the world (and she’s Irish to boot). We offer inexpensive prices for our AC and heating units and we will throw in a free thermostat to boot! The expression â€Å"to boot† comes from an obsolete noun boot, meaning â€Å"good, profit, advantage.† The related verb boot meant â€Å"to make better, to remedy.† You may have encountered the verb boot in Shakespeare: It shall scarce boot me To say â€Å"Not guilty.† Hermione, A Winter’s Tale, III.ii.24. booty: As a noun meaning â€Å"plunder, gain, profit,† booty comes from an Old French word, butin. As a noun meaning â€Å"a woman’s body (or a part thereof) as a sex object,† booty originated as 1920s black slang, possibly an alteration of another slang word, botty, meaning bottom or buttocks. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Whimsical WordsThe Difference Between "will" and "shall"Prepositions to Die With

Usability evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Usability evaluation - Essay Example Human Computer Interaction (HCI) is a recognized branch of computer engineering which defines various standards to ensure a safe, effective, efficient, appealing and enjoyable user experience while interacting with a computer application or surfing over the internet.Closely related to HCI is the field of usability engineering which ensures user friendliness through effective and efficient Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) or Web Interfaces. Carroll has narrated the aims and objectives of HCI in these words, â€Å"HCI is the study and practice of usability. It is about understanding and creating software and other technology that people will want to use, will be able to use, and will find effective when used† (Carroll, 2002). The intelligent web design is an inevitable business necessity in this age of e-commerce. More often than not better and efficient web design is a matter of existence for businesses. Carey has pointed out the importance of user-friendliness in web applicati ons, â€Å"Businesses must pay attention to the functionality and usability of Internet-based tasks, because the young consumers of tomorrow’s markets will insist on doing business on the Internet and will be intolerant of dysfunctional and unusable systems.† (Carey et. al., 2003, p.360). Usability Evaluation Methods The methodical approach is a mandatory requirement for evaluating web pages. Heuristic Evaluation, Think-aloud and Performance testing are few among these evaluation methods. Each of these methods uses predefined rules to evaluate the website for its ease-of-use and other usability characteristics and have its relative accuracy in evaluating web sites usability. We can also employ a blend of these methods for evaluation purpose which may give us better insight into various met and unmet evaluation standards. This report will use a discounted heuristic method blended with think-aloud method where needed. The discounted heuristic blended with think-aloud will result in a protocol which will assess the website resources for a predefined set of heuristics and the same set of heuristics may be questioned from the naive users of think-aloud method. Usability Evaluation 1. Resource-I (http://sentencingcouncil.judiciary.gov.uk/) a) Consistency of presentation and controls i. The home page of Sentencing Council is loosely consistent. The hovering effect of various con trols is not consistent, on top level links of Home, Contact us etc. it is simple underlining with same text displayed as the feedback to the user the effect is background color change in menu controls like â€Å"About the Sentencing Council†, â€Å"About Sentencing†, etc. Similarly, the punctuation is not consistent at the site. ii. Blue and Gray colors are used consistently but there are used interchangeably i.e for headings and subheadings. iii. The overall impact of the color scheme and the text is consistent. Font size and style remained consistent over the home page. iv. Image used on home page is not tightly linked with the theme of the site. A keyboard with papers on it does not present a sentencing council perfectly. v. A quite large image of interrogation sign used at home page is a bit misleading it does not take you anywhere and creates a sort frustration for the user. b) Adequate Feedback i. There is not enough feedback provided to the user on home page. i i. Hovering is used to show the expected next click of the user but it is not clearly told where this click may navigate the user. iii. The hovering screen tip text is same as that of the label so it does not provide any additional information to the user. c) Natural organization of the information i. The information on the page is well managed ii. A clear page heading, subheadings, labels and menu bar, title heading are provided to clearly define various sections of information. iii. Each section of site provides only related information d) Contextual navigation i. There is enough contextual navigation available on the home page but without any feedback. e) Efficient