Dirk Slander: Man with a Mission :: Short Story Stories Essays

Dirk Slander: Man with a Mission "Move your slag Princess!" The henchmen shouted at Princess Bithics, pushing her roughly with the end of his gun. The princess stumbled up the step in front of her and banged her knee on the ground. Dirk Slander struggled in his bonds to move toward her, but his captor tightened the grip on Dirk's neck, and punched Dirk in the back to quite him down. "None of that." A scratchy voice whispered in his ear. The man's hot breath floated over Dirk's shoulder and assaulted his nose; it smelled of old wine and rotten eggs. "You be a good boy Mr. Slander, or I tell Randolph there to give your Princess the once over." The man punched Dirk in the back again to make his point. Dirk gritted his teeth and grunted, but didn't cry out. Relaxing a bit, he allowed himself to be pulled back from the princess. She staggered to her feet, tentatively tested the bruised knee, and continued up the stone steps, now walking with a small limp. Dirk had no doubts she was in pain. Sweat beaded around her temples, causing her fine black bangs to stick to her forehead. Dirt was smeared on her cheeks, and blood from her bottom lip trailed off the corner of her mouth down her small but determined chin. She looked nothing like the Princess of Casmir, in fact Dirk would have thought her a different girl entirely if her eyes still didn't hold that radiating icy glare. Dirk had to admire her spirit; most women would be a bubbling mass of emotion by now. The princess had moxy, no doubt about it. "How much of the treasure did Gorgonzola promise you?" Dirk asked the man behind him, keeping one eye on the princess. "He promised me enough, don't you worry about that." Bree answered, and jabbed Dirk with the end of his pistol. Dirk grunted again, but managed to keep his footing. "Watching you die is all the payment I need." "You really think Gorgonzola is going to split with you? What's to stop him from double crossing you the way he double crossed us?" Dirk asked. While he talked, he tested his bonds. He hoped Bree couldn't see him struggling in the darkening twilight. "Mr. Slander I never trust anyone." Bree said, his voice sounded bored and tired. "Which is why I'm the one with the gun and you're the one marching to your death.

Torstar Case Report

Group-based case report Torstar Corporation BUSN81 Theory of Corporate Finance 2011 Autumn 1. Introduction The case of Torstar Corporation suggests the plan and result of repurchasing its Class B shares in December of 1997. Besides this, the situation of its business structure, capital structure and expenditures, future plan are also described in the case. Therefore, the purpose of our case study is to state, analyze and drew to some important conclusions about Torstar Corporation, and try to estimate its power to compete with a new national newspaper. . Background Torstar Corporation was incorporated on February 6, 1958 and published Canada’s largest newspaper Toronto Star. It had two main rivals which are Sun Media Corp. and the Globe and Mail. One launching second national newspaper by Southam Inc. would also be one competitor of The Star. Since 1975, by acquisition of domestic and international book publishing and supplementary educational products, Torstar found its three major business, newspapers, book publishing and supplementary education. After the acquisition of Troll in fiscal 1997, it also has one 3-year-time plan to acquire more companies which fit with its core business at the reasonable price. As of March 31, 1998, Torstar share structure included 5 million Class A voting shares and 34 million Class B non-voting shares. Since they believed prevailing Class B stocks were undervalued, they began to repurchase it back from December 17, 1997. In 1997 the debt-to-total-asset ratio was 18%, and management believed that 30% was more appropriate. Actually they also suppose that they could carry a 50% debt-to-total-asset ratio if they had a suitable strategic acquisition. Therefore, based on this background, we will analysis the effects of repurchasing stocks of Torstar, the advantages and disadvantages of its leverage ratio and its ways to investment. Then by adding some assumptions, one prediction of Torstar’s power to compete with new launching rival is possible. 3. Analysis 4. 1 Overview of Cash Flow, debt, Operating Situation and Income The company was doing well so far, until 1997. The cash flow, operating situation and the income were all healthy. We can conclude that from the Balance-Sheet the company had adequate cash  flow, exhibit 3 shows that the operating cash flow kept increasing from 1995 to 1997 with the free cash flow, this was enough cash for Torstar facing with some possible risky. The only problem is that how to stop the continued increasing free cash flow since too much cash means increasing costs of keeping cash and decreasing market value of cash. The amount about $50,000 would be a good expectation. The three main business of newspaper, book and supplementary education were operated well, they had sustainable increasing revenue and stable expenditure, so the profit was increasing positively after 1993 acquiring the business of supplementary education, especially in 1997, it got a rapid increasing of net income. See the return of equity below, it shows a well increasing on return of investors. (Base on Net Income over Total Equity) The debt ratio was a little bit low as our analysis, it had space to increase. But how? Increasing dividend payment or repurchase in the open market? We analyzed these two possible ways below. 3. 2 Dividend policy Torstar Corporation has a stable dividend policy recent years which was to pay out 30 to 35 percent of the previous year’s operating cash flows. Cash dividend was paid regular quarterly which was keeping $0. 26 per share in 1997. Dividend empirically decreased in the propensity of firms due to its benefits are not attractive than repurchase, but it is still important for management. Advantage of payout dividends * Dividends may appeal to investors who desire stable cash flow but do not want to incur transactions cost from periodically selling share of stocks * On behalf of stockholders, paying dividends can keep cash from investors * Dividends can be used to reduce agency cost of managerial discretion * Managers may increase dividends to signal optimism concerning future cash flow * Disadvantage of payout dividends * Dividends are double taxed * Dividends can reduce internal sources of financing. Dividends may force the firm to forgo positive NPV projects or to reply on costly external equity financing * Firms often view dividends as a commitment to their stockholders and quite hesitant to reduce an existing dividends. Once established, dividend cuts would adversely affect the firm’s stock price as a negative signal As illustrated by Torstar, a stable cash flow in paying dividends implied a well operating status. The sale of Hebdo provided additional financial flexibility in 1997, free cash flow increased rapidly as can be seen in Appendix. An extra or special cash dividend and share repurchase are two choices to payout adequate cash. Special dividend is expressly not intended to be a recurring event, but as mentioned above, paying dividends with the tax drawback and may produce a negative signal when fluctuating. So keeping the stable payout ratio was a better choice for Torstar. 3. 3 Repurchase Compared with dividend payout, shares repurchase have the listed effects on Torstar Corp, * Send a costly signal to investors that stock of Torstar is a good investment. Recent investments seem to cause side-effect on investor’s confidence about the company. As mentioned in the article, institutional investors treat Torstar as a ‘pure play’ investment into the area of newspaper and book publisher. But from year 1995 to 1997, acquisitions into children’s supplementary education products are viewed as not favorable. They hope Torstar Corporation can continue the historical expansion of the newspaper and book division. In order to mitigate the side-effect caused by recent investment. Repurchase would result in fewer shares outstanding and thus higher equity value per share which leads to a better performance of the stock. It also sends a signal to the market that the management believes the stock is undervalued. The price of the stock would go up. As a result of the repurchase sends a strong signal to the investors. The signal is costly as a repurchase would use up corporate cash and hard to mimic. * Increase the EPS which shows great confidence of future performance Repurchase would decrease the number of shares outstanding which leads to directly change of EPS of the Torstar Corporation. In the interim financial statements, the EPS shows great improvements after the repurchase. (Show in Figure 1) Figure 1 EPS change in 1997 * Availability of excess cash from operations By checking the interim financial statements, cash provided by operating activities of Torstar Corporation face an increase in the year 1997, from 25. 6 million to 130 million dollars. The retained cash from operation activities is too much as the normal on-going capital expenditures was expected to be 25 million to 30 million dollars. Additionally, Capital cycle in the publishing industry is approximately six years and Torstar Corporation has recently modernized its plant. There’s no major capital expenditures were forecast for the near future. Thus, excess cash should be paid out. By checking the retained cash in the Quarter 1, 2008, the operating cash is 27. 97 million dollar. It is sufficient for on-going capital expenditure. (shown in figure 2) Reduction in excess cash would reduce the agency cost of managerial discretion as the manager has fewer resources to pursuing consuming perks. Figure 2 Cash provided by operating activities Compared with the dividends payout, repurchase is tax efficient as dividends is taxable. Compared with dividends payout, repurchase avoid price drop results from dividend issuance. Institutional investors are happy when the performance of the stock is good. High price shows the strong performance of the stock. * Optimize capital structure. Torstar’s long-term debt outstanding was reduced from 321 million in 1996 to 197 million in 1997 result in a debt-to-total assets ratio of percent. While the management believed that a 30 percent target debt-to-assets ratio was more appropriate. Too less debt may cause the loss of tax shield and influence the value of the firm. While at this level of debt-to-assets ratio, the risk is still acceptable. Torstar Corporation still has excess debt capacity for future capital expansion. Thus repurchase can decrease the shares outstanding, and also decrease the value of assets. It would push up the debt-to-assets ratio to the appropriate level. By using the interim financial statements, we get the trend of debt-to-assets ratio. In December 31 1997, the decrease of debt-to-assets ratio is mainly a result of the long-term debt decreasing from 510. 007 million to 197. 322 million dollars. And in March 31 1998, the increase in debt-to-assets ratio is a result of repurchasing shares (decreasing in value of total assets). 4. Conclusion After analyzing, we all agree with the activity the Torstar hold, stock repurchasing transfer a strong and credible signaling to the market that the company is in a good situation and will do better in the future, the debt ratio increases and the market value will also goes up. We estimate that Torstar will keep increasing in the next financial year. 5. Appendix Cash Flow Analysis (CDN$000) | 1995| 1996| 1997| operating cash flow| 78. 3| 102. 9| 130. 0| dividends| 30. 9| 35. 1| 40. 3| Capital expenses| 20. 3| 29. 8| 26. 6| free cash flow| 27. 2| 38. 0| 63. 1| Dividends | 1st Q 1997| 2nd Q 1997| 3rd Q 1997| 4th Q 1997| Dividends($000)| 10120| 9965| 10080| 10095| Average shares| 39151| 39107| 39060| 39044| Dividends per share| $0. 26| $0. 26| $0. 26| $0. 26|

Essay on Christianity vs. Greek Mythology - 1309 Words

Throughout many ages religion has been a very important part of history. It shaped many cultures and allowed us to better understand many civilizations. Two of these cultures are those of the Christians and Greeks. Both have similarities and differences in their religious beliefs that have been compared often and I have chosen to discuss the similarities and differences of Christianity and ancient Greek mythology. Christianity is a monotheistic religion, or belief in only one God, and spiritual practices are based on the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus as written in the New Testament of the Bible, with the role of Jesus as savior and the Son of God. Greek mythology is a polytheistic religion, which is the belief in and†¦show more content†¦In Greek mythology, Zeus orders a man named Deucalion to make a chest in which he and his family can survive the flood Zeus was going to bring upon the earth. In the Bible, the account of Christian beliefs, God orders a man named Noah to build an ark in which he and his family, and two of each animal, can survive the destruction from a flood God was going to send. War was also a common characteristic of both the ancient Greek world and of the Biblical world. For example, the Trojan War is a major event in Greek history, and is written about most famously in Homers Iliad. The gods always seemed to play important roles in this war, especially Zeus, Ares the god of war, and the other and goddesses living on Mount Olympus. Wars between Greek city-states were also common, with gods and goddesses almost always involved in them in some way. In similar comparison, the Bible accounts many stories of wars between different countries and religious groups, with God being involved in some way in the outcome or fate of the peoples. One of the most famous examples is the war between the Philistines and the Israelites. In this war, God interfered and sent a small shepherd boy David to save the Israelites. David does so by killing the giant Goliath, a super-human thing he would not have been able to accomplish without Gods help. These examples show t he cross-cultural belief that war was anShow MoreRelatedGreek Mythology Throughout The Ages916 Words   |  4 PagesGreek Mythology throughout the Ages Greek mythology is the culmination of myths and teaching that began in Ancient Greek. These myths are diverse in the stories that they tell ranging from their gods, their heroes and the nature of the world. They also reveal much about their religious beliefs and practices during Ancient Greece. Today modern scholars study these myths in an attempt to better understand the religious and political practices of Ancient Greece and its civilization of way back whenRead MoreOn What Occasions Does Norse Mythology Play an Important Role in Beowulf?964 Words   |  4 PagesOn what occasions does Norse Mythology play an important role in Beowulf? Throughout the story of Beowulf, Norse Mythology has been an important factor of the story’s continuation. While they both have interactions with Christianity, they are both very important. Norse Mythology has existed as early as the 10th century. Just like how Beowulf, and many other epics have been told, Norse mythology was preserved throu gh the tradition of oral preservation. Norse Mythology It is said that there areRead MoreGreek Gods and Goddess875 Words   |  4 PagesThe Greek Gods: Ancient vs. Modern Views According to ancient Greek mythology the Greek gods and goddesses had at one time lived the savage, brutal and ugly life of humans. Eventually, however, they managed to rise above this ancient fierceness to become the nineteen elder gods and goddesses the Greeks knew as The Titans, who ruled the earth in a primordial era before the Olympian gods overthrew them. The ancient Greeks of the first millennium before the Christian era believedRead MoreThe Afterlife Of Ancient Greece1955 Words   |  8 Pages The Afterlife of the Ancient Greeks A Classical-Styled Argument Katie Vokes ENGL17889GD Jennifer Chambers December 12, 2015 The Afterlife of Ancient Greece Where do we go when we die? This is a question that most people—spiritual or not—ask themselves at least once within their lifetime. In reality, this question is likely to never be answered, but is nevertheless an exciting area for study. Every culture, every religion and every individual person has some type of theoryRead MoreClassical Roman Art Vs Early Christian There are many similarities and differences between800 Words   |  4 PagesClassical Roman Art Vs Early Christian There are many similarities and differences between Classical Roman and Early Christian Art. What particularly stands out to me is how much these two cultures have in common when it comes to their art and architecture. Romans were geniuses when it came to engineering and we can see that in the monuments they left behind. Many early Christian architectural styles and ideas were adopted straight from the Romans. Their communities became organized geographicallyRead MoreThe Civil War Of The United States956 Words   |  4 Pagesinfused in the economic culture and in religious culture, not to mention it was also legal by law. Messing with a man s religion his money and his freedom in the south east shore to get you in a sticky situation. At this time in American life Christianity was the main religion. Unlike today where anybody can worship anything a man can even worship the Fonz. Many hipsters today would consider the America during the Civil War to be a very conservative America as far as religion goes. With that beingRead MoreScience Vs. Religion : Harmony Within Discord1539 Words   |  7 PagesScience vs. Religion: Harmony within Discord Sebian Martinez-Escobar UC Mercedâ€Æ' For as long as mankind has had the curiosity to gaze at the stars, we have been constantly questioning our origin and place in the universe. From simple, yet elegant solutions (like our world being on the back of a large tortoise) to the more complex pantheons of gods and heavens, humanity’s dedication to classifying and comprehending our universe has enabled us to weave rich and complex mythologies and beliefs. HoweverRead MoreFate Vs. Free Will2263 Words   |  10 PagesAncient Greek Mythology has one side on fate vs free will. They feel as though you have no ultimate choice and fate will always be your destiny. However, that does not mean everyone follows their destined path until death. In Homer’s The Iliad, fate and destiny as the final outcomes of a person’s life, however, at some points you wonder if a person’s destiny falls directly in the decisions made by someone. Hektor and Achilles both had choices, but ultimately believed they must follow th eir destinyRead MoreHow I Read Literature Like A Professor Notes3177 Words   |  13 Pageslend irony, or to play with readers knowledge of fairytales †¢ When you see something familiar, ask WHY!!! †¢ Common situational archetypes- o Lost, young couple o Crisis not of own making o Temptation o Youth fending for their selves Chapter 9- Greek Mythology †¢ Myths function as material for literary creators, informs a story/poem, and how its perceived by the reader †¢ Biblical myth covers the greatest range of human situations (covering all ages of life) †¢ Ability of story to explain ourselves toRead MoreEarly Christian Art Vs Byzantine Art1831 Words   |  8 PagesChristian Art vs Byzantine Art While similar in subject matter, art of the early Christian era and Byzantine art differ greatly in many different facets. While art of the Byzantine era had no qualms about visually displaying the Christian tradition faith and beliefs, early Christian art masked Christian imagery. Before 313, Christians were being prosecuted throughout the Roman Empire for their faith and belief in God. The Edict of Milan, which was issued by Constantine, legalized Christianity. From that

Orson Is The Oldest Human Fossil - 928 Words

Just before Halloween 1938, Orson Welles the American filmmaker, who was to produce and act in the film Citizen Kane (1940), broadcast a radio version of War of the Worlds, the science fiction masterpiece written by H. G. Wells in 1898. This radio drama involved Orson Welles’s Mercury Theater players, and it purported to report an actual invasion of Martian spacecraft landing at Grovers Mills, New Jersey, a small town near Princeton. The broadcast proved to be extremely realistic, convincing and alarming for it fooled thousands of listeners into believing that the Earth was actually being attacked by warships from outer space. Indeed, many local residents picked up their rifles and took to Grovers Mills farmlands, ready to defend their homes against the invaders. â€Å"How old is the oldest human fossil?,† If you had said about 700,000 years, you would probably have been right until just recently that is, â€Å"The September 1998 issue of Discover magazine†, reports that Ernesto Abbate, a geology professor from Florence, Italy, has just discovered the fossilized skull and teeth of a humanlike creature who might have lived, as far back as, one million years ago. Calling this creature Buia Man after the city in northeastern Africa where the remains were found. Prof. Abbate thinks he has discovered the earliest fossil that displays physical features associated with Homo sapiens, the species to which modern humans belong. Moreover, Buia Man says, Prof. Abbate also shows physical

International economic institutions serve western...

International economic institutions serve western interests. Do you agree? The international economic institutions refer to the Bretton Woods institutions which are the IMF and World Bank which were created after World War 2 and GATT was also created after the war and later became the WTO. I agree with the statement, due to the disproportionate amount of power held by Western countries compared to the rest of the world and the fact that these institutions attempt to press or force western neo-Liberal values on the rest of the world. In this essay I will go through each individual economic institution explaining how they serve western interests and how recent reforms have attempted to curb western powers within†¦show more content†¦This can be shown by the US having 17% control of the executive board meaning they have the right to veto as board approval requires 85%. Whereas India has only 2.44% of voting rights compared to the Netherlands who are significantly weaker in terms of economic power who have 2.17% . It can be argued that the way the v oting structure works iensures that the IMF would prioritise its creditors and voters, so the EU and USA have a combined total of 49% thus they hold great sway over the institution. This can explain how in terms of loans 79.5% have gone to European countries, with the largest loans going to Greece, Portugal and Ireland to bail out their banks. Another accusation is that the IMF in general tends to create more harm than good when attempting to help countries as shown in the fast track scheme. Where they gave far too much loans to Argentina and they were forced to default . A similar event occurred to create the 1997 East Asia crisis where the IMF encouraged countries affected to borrow their way out of trouble thus making the crisis worse. These events were not prioritised by western country whereas when the Euro crisis hit the west only then did the IMF pour in billions to save essential countries in Europe. The IMF can be considered strongly European for all 11 directors in the IM F’s history have been European. So the IMF can be considered to be working in favour of western interests asShow MoreRelatedInternational Relations During The Cold War1750 Words   |  7 PagesEssay over International Relations This paper will talk about how international relations changed after the cold war in four parts. The first part will be talking about environment. The second part will be talking about religion. The third part is sovereignty. The fourth part will have changes in statehood. The fifth part will talk about gender and then the conclusion. Environment has been growing as an academic subject for the past three decades and now it is on the â€Å"international agenda† (Jackson)Read MorePoli 330 Entire Course (Dqs -Checkpoints Critical Paper)9209 Words   |  37 Pagesdaily routines. Can you think of a time when a political act impacted your daily life? What made this experience political? As we begin our discussions, let’s not forget to comment on each other’s posts. Can you see any similarities in your situations? The Study of Political Science (graded) Our text mentions that Political Science â€Å"seeks to study human behavior through the use of a scientific method that, at times, can prompt objections and debate.† If this is true, why do you think this is theRead MorePoli 330 Entire Course – Devry (Dqs -Checkpoints Critical Paper)4649 Words   |  19 Pagesroutines. Can you think of a time when a political act impacted your daily life? What made this experience political? As we begin our discussions, let’s not forget to comment on each other’s posts. Can you see any similarities in your situations? The Study of Political Science (graded) Our text mentions that Political Science â€Å"seeks to study human behavior through the use of a scientific method that, at times, can prompt objections and debate.† If this is true, why do you think this is theRead MoreThe Basic Human Needs Approach1873 Words   |  8 Pagesthe industrialization and increasing use of human workforce, economic growth started to play a role in social development. This economic growth was not merely accounted in terms of income but was also characterized as the level of the distribution of wealth among the people (Escobar 6). Furthermore, in the 1970, the â€Å"basic human needs approach† began to act out the principles of social development as a not only pertaining to the economic growth, but also on the appropriation of benefits of growthRead MoreThe United States in Decline 2128 Words   |  9 Pagesits prominent position as the hegemonic leader of the world, but will still remain an influential player in global politics in the following decades to come. Its decline is an imminent result of their domestic issues, the violation of international laws and economic deficit, which have posed a grave and seri ous challenge for the United States. On the other hand, I propose that the United States will remain a dominant force due to its innovation, cultural influences around the world, and military prowessRead MoreThe Resolution Of The Crisis3293 Words   |  14 Pagesspiraled into a full-blown international crisis between some of the World’s greatest powers, originally begun as a domestic predicament between two divisive sides in Ukraine. Although tacit ideological warfare has been going on between Russia and the West since the collapse of communism and the USSR in 1991, a recent attack in the shape of NATO expansion and EU enlargement from the West has proved detrimental in harnessing collective peace and stability in the international system. As a result of theseRead MoreDescriptive Essay : Valuing Identity3121 Words   |  13 Pagestexts defines them, in order to distinguish the meaning of relationship between nations. Appiah, Huntington and Fukuyama’s text surround the history and reality of some the major concerns, about the fall of ideologies, resulting in a Western liberalism. But not only do these texts inform us about, i.e., how to live, what will happen, but how we can improve our lives, to compliment another’s, who are not from our specific locale. Bestolarides 2 Each of us belongs to different cultures, yet we holdRead MoreA Society Defined By Positive Rights3286 Words   |  14 Pagessociety defined by positive rights would lead to despotism. Critically engage this argument, taking into account potential deficiencies in conceptualization of negative human rights. If negative liberty is concerned with the freedom to pursue one’s interests according to one’s own free will and without â€Å"interference from external bodies,† then positive liberty takes up the â€Å"degree to which individuals or groups† are able to â€Å"act autonomously† in the first place (Berlin, 1958) Taking this a step backRead More History of NATO and Policy Recommendations Towards NATO Essay4412 Words   |  18 Pagesmade a safe-haven from war for the past five decades. NATO was spawn out of the Western countries of Europe fearing the expansion of the greedy, hungry Stalin of the Soviet Union which would directly lead to the expansion of communist governments. Also, â€Å"in 1949 most of the states of Europe were still enfeebled by wartime devastation, striving for economic recovery, attempting to reestablish shattered political institutions, resettle refugees and recover from the second major upheaval in 30 years.†1Read MoreAn Analysis of the Choice Between Separated and Mixed Operation Model for Icbc( London)9211 Words   |  37 Pageshave developed towards the direction of large-scale, international and omnipotent banks. The mixed operation of the commercial banks had already been the leading trend in the 21st century. With China’s entrance into WTO at the en d of last century, the Chinese financial institutions, especially the Chinese bank industries, are destined to participate in the global economy and to face the keen competition from the financial conglomerate of the western developed countries. The commercial banks still operate

Build a Bear, Build a Memory Free Essays

Universidad Latinoamericana de Ciencia y Tecnologia San Jose, Costa Rica Facultad de Ciencias Empresariales January, 2010 Bilingual Business Administration Principles of Marketing Cesar Eduardo Gonzalez Company Case Build-A-Bear, Build-A-Memory Examples of needs, wants, and demands that Build-A-Bear customers demonstrate, differentiating each of these concepts. What are the implications of each on Build-A-Bear actions. Needs: Understanding needs as states of felt deprivation, not created by marketers but basic parts of the human makeup, we can say that Build-A-Bear customers demonstrate the individual need of self-expression, authenticity, creativity, empowerment, choice, individuality, freedom. We will write a custom essay sample on Build a Bear, Build a Memory or any similar topic only for you Order Now They also demonstrate the underlying need that people have to entertain themselves. Wants: Although Build-A-Bear clients need to find a way to self-express and entertain themselves, they want to â€Å"step into a (†¦ genuine fantasy world organized around a child-friendly assembly line comprised of clearly labeled work stations†, where they can choose unstuffed animals from a bin, stuff them, include voice boxes, stitch them, dress them, name them, and even receive a birth certificate for their creation. This example is aligned with the idea that wants are the form human needs take as shaped by culture and individual personality. Demands: Giving their wants and resources, Build-A-Bear customers demand specific products that add up to the most valuable and satisfaction. Among the most relevant examples we can mention are both new store locations and accessories. â€Å"Mini-scooters, Hello Kitty bears, mascot bears at professional sport venues, and sequined purses† are also specific ideas that were interpreted as customers? demands by the company. Implication of each (needs, wants, and demands) on Build-A- Bear actions Needs, wants and demands have huge implications on Build-A-Bear actions. Not only by walking where customers walk, periodically checking its stores and assessing its customer service, but also by employing a mix of low-tech and high tech communication methods to interact with customers, Build-A-Bear demonstrates it is a truly customer-centric organization. This allows the company to fulfill their customers? needs, wants, and demands through successful market offerings, orchestrating several products and services to create brand experiences for customers. In detail, describe all facets of Build-A-Bear? product. What is being exchanged in a Build-A-Bear transaction? In my opinion, Build-A-Bear? s product has two different facets. There is a main facet formed by the intangible â€Å"experience of participating in the creation of personalized entertainment† and there is also a second facet formed by a tangible bear that â€Å"children clutch as they leave the store†. The main facet begins when children step into a â€Å"cartoon land† and interact with the different stations of the â€Å"child-friendly assembly line†. The second one, in turn, has the distinctive sign of being unlike any they other object Build-A-Bear customers have ever bought or receive, â€Å"they have a product that they have created†. Identifying these two facets helps us determine what is being exchanged in a Build-A-Bear transaction. Base on the idea that an exchange is the act of obtaining a desired object from someone by offering something in return, we can say that Build-A-Bear presents both an experience and a tangible object to fulfill its customers? needs, wants, and demands. In return, the company receives an average of 25$ per built bear. However, it goes beyond simply attracting new customers and creating transactions. It truly builds and maintains desirable exchange relationships with its target audiences, retaining customers while growing their business. Which of the five marketing management concept best describes Build-A-Bear workshops? In my opinion, The Marketing Concept is the one that best describes Build-A-Bear workshops. By looking for innovative ways to interact with customers and using both low-tech and high-tech methods, Build-A-Bear? s demonstrate that knowing its customers? eeds, wants and demands and then delivering the desired satisfaction are key activities within the organization. As stated before, Build-A-Bear is a truly customer-centric organization. Discuss in detail the value that Build-A-Bear creates for its customers. Because customer-perceived value is the customer? s evaluation of the differences between all the benefits and all the costs of a marketing offer relative to those competing off ers, we will use the marketing offer of Vermont Teddy Bear Company to discuss the value that Build-A-Bear creates for its customers. On the one hand, Vermont Teddy Bear Company promotes its product as the only hand-made bear in America that is guaranteed for life. Thus, it is safe to assume that high quality is an important element of their market offer. On the other hand, Build-A-Bear value for customers comes not only from the tangible object, the bear, but also from â€Å"the experience of participating in the creation of personalized entertainment†, which led us to the following conclusion: Although bears are final outcomes for both companies, Build-A-Bear is giving more at a lower price. And that is why an average of 25$ for a customized product and for the experience of participating in the creation of personalized entertainment is perceived as a marketing offer that gives more value to the customer compared with to the 50$ to 100$ that customers of Vermont Teddy Bear Company have to pay for a high quality bear. Is Build-A-Bear likely to be successful in continuing to build customers relationships? Why or why not? In my opinion, Build-A-Bear is indeed likely to be successful in continuing to build customers relationships. Why? Because behind the actions the company? is taking to: (i) further expand the Build-A-Bear experience beyond the retail stores using its new website, and (ii) entering into new markets by opening at least 350 stores in the US, 120 stores in Europe, and 300 stores in other parts of the world, are two underlying efforts: build a personal connection with customers, and at the same time understand is clients needs, wants, and demands. Universidad L atinoamericana de Ciencia y Tecnologia San Jose, Costa Rica Facultad de Ciencias Empresariales January, 2010 Bilingual Business Administration Principles of Marketing Cesar Eduardo Gonzalez My needs, wants and demands. As the title suggests, the purpose of this paper is to set forth my needs, wants, and demands. Because a common conceptual framework is very useful in every analysis, the first thing I? m going to do is refer to a brief definition of those terms. I will then explain what my needs are, dividing them into three categories: Physical needs, individual needs, and social needs just to make it easy for my readers. Right after, I will take a look at my wants. And I will finish with my demands. Common conceptual framework: Throughout this paper, I will understand needs as â€Å"states of felt depravation† and stick to the idea that they are not â€Å"created by marketers† but â€Å"a basic part of the human make up†. Wants, in turn, will be treated as â€Å"the form human needs take as they are shaped by culture and individual personality†. They will also be described in terms of objects that will satisfy them, focusing only on those objects I can`t afford. I will do this to distinguish my wants from my demands. This means that I will understand demands as those wants that are actually backed by my purchasing power. My needs: Let? s start with the physical ones. Definitively, food and water are on the top of the list. As every human being, I need food to provide my body with the energy it will use each day. I need also to provide it with water to hydrate it properly. But there is a key point here. I? m just referring to limited portions of food and water or let`s say those that are essential for the human body to work. Thus, a 5. 000-calories-per-day diet seems either as a want or as a demand for average people but not as a need. Maybe not behind but next to food and water I would put air and sunlight. Definitively, those two are also among the essential physical needs every human has; and because I? m not the exception, I thought it was important to include them in my list of needs. I understand, though, that in the world not everyone is satisfying this need at a 100%-rate. Good examples of that can be found just by thinking of really air-polluted cities, such as Mexico DF, or thinking of those countries that receive little or no sunlight during several month every, such as Russia or Canada. But let`s thank we are not in any of those groups and move forward. After food, water, air, and sunlight, I would put cloth and shelter. As I mentioned before, I am just talking about basic stuff. Some examples could be a couple of pants, shirts, and sweaters to protect me from the weather and to cover the cloth section. A small house or flat, in turn, will be sufficient to cover the need of shelter. Thus, design cloth and luxury properties would be definitively in people? s wants or demand section, depending on his or her purchasing power. To finish with my physical-needs section, I would mention not only rest but movement and exercise. As every human being, I need to safe hours every day to sleep and rest. I understand the number of hours needed vary from one person to another, but in my case, 7 to 8 hours work perfectly well. Movement and exercise are important needs too. And although it seems that there are a lot of people out there that are not really aware of that, for me, 4 to 6 hours of exercise per week also work for me. Looking now at my individual needs, I would say that freedom and independence along with creativity and self expression are among the top of this list. As most human beings, I need to feel I can express my ideas and take my own decisions without having someone else telling me what to do or how. Here, I am not talking about homework or other duties at work; I am talking about more deep things, such as having someone telling you what to buy, sell, study, or work, where to live, with whom, or how. Sadly, if we look at political extremists, such as communist, not only in history but around us, we could find good examples of that. I consider that having the possibility of learning new things is also an important need, and as such, I included in my list. Here I am not talking about schools or universities, because, in my opinion, those would be wants or needs depending on everyone`s purchasing power. I am talking about learning in general terms. Last but not least, I would include having fun in my individual-need list. I think this is important in people`s life, and for me is not the exception either. I understand of course that for some people more than for others, this could be tough. But even under the worst circumstances people should try. Now, I will proceed with my social needs. In this category I would include affection, sense of belonging and friendship. For me and for every person I know all of them are very important needs that must be somehow satisfied. I would add to this point that satisfying them is not a matter of quantity of friends or people sharing your thoughts and ideas but a matter of quality and how strong are the bounds that you can create with others. Right after I would add respect. For me, this element plays a key role; and just as others, I need to be treated with respect. Acceptance, communication and understanding are also social need. My wants As everybody else, I have different wants. What interested me the most about them is that, apparently, they have no limits; or at least, that seems to be the consensus among most of the economist, especially when they give a look at the principles of the economic problem. Starting with food, and thinking about it not only in terms of tangible products but also in terms of services that would satisfy my wants, I would say that (at least for weekdays) a varied, healthy, home-style menu of food delivered right to my office would be great would probably satisfy my wants. For weekends in turn, I would say that Gourmet restaurants would also be on the list. In terms of cloth and shelter, my wants are also relatively big and considered as a group, they are also unaffordable, at least at this point. I can start by mentioning some tailored suits, long-sleeve shirts and a couple of pair of Italian shoes that match them would also be included. I would also add several ties, made of silk could be included to finish with the formal outfit. Then, for a more casual look, I would by tens of Hollyster Co. hirts. The reason why I want them is because they have a special fabric that makes it VERY easy to iron them, which safe me a lot of time. Some expensive, and durable black, beige, blue, and brown cotton pants, and jeans could be also on the list. This way I would leave Zara? s cloth behind, which is nice made to last just for a few months. Moving to the sport section, I would include special tennis for runners and several sport outfits. At this point Addidas o r new balance will be on the top of the list. Why? Again, is a matter of the perceived quality of fabrics, those brands (and of course others) have invested huge amounts of money to create high-tech cloth that regulate your internal temperature while you are performing any physical activity. Taking about shelter-related wants, I would put a 3 bedroom flat with a nice view, pool, and a tennis court. I can be here in Costa Rica or anywhere else, for example, at Vancouver, Toronto, London, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, etc. At the end it will depend on where job opportunities are. But now, a flat with this description will fit perfectly well with my wants because I would have a room for me and my girlfriend, a room to use as a private office/library, and finally a guest room for family living overseas. Talking about the possibility of learning new things, I want to start a master program in a European university, especially if it is located in the UK or in the Netherlands. Why? Because I really like those countries and their universities are ranked among the top of the list. I would also add many books to my wants list, and here I? talking about really expensive ones. And finally looking forward to satisfy my both social needs of communication and individual needs of creativity, I would definitively add a Mac book air to my list of wants. The reason I choose this product is because it will give me not only the built-in camera and microphone that I use to call them through the internet (because today almost every computer include this feature) but because it wi ll give me the mobility and flexibility I need due to its light weight. Carrying my laptop at the airports won’t be a nightmare. And finally I will be more efficient at one of my hobbies, which is creating graphic material using Macromedia `s programs, because I will not have to wait for my slow PC. My demands: Sticking here to the idea that demands are the type of needs backed to my purchasing power, I have to admit that my list of demands has been self-limited almost to the basics. This means I have voluntarily decreased my level of consumption because I am a point where the act savings became a necessary step to achieve some of the goals I have set. For example, I would definitively include access to sport facilities to train between 3 to 4 times per week (or even more in those weird cases that I have the time and the will) to my list of demands. A gym membership, for example, could work perfectly well. Products and services that give me more useful time and increase my efficiency are also on my demand list. Here I`m talking about a Smartphone and the Voice Data packages that are offered by the phone company, which gives me exactly what I? looking for: High-speed internet access, interconnected email accounts, access to overseas radio stations, maps, calendar, address book, alarms, cameras, videos, the etc. Even though it is absolutely not among my favorite demands, gas is also on this list. I understand that public transport represent an alternative. But sadly it is slow and time-consuming, so to my regret public transportation services do not work for me. I also demand ingredients to prepare easy-to-cook, home-style food. Let`s say, fruits, frozen vegetables, chicken breasts, meat, milk, cereal, bread, cheese, juice, etc. Thinking about my individual need of learning new things, I demand related products and services that help me to satisfy it. Among the products, books usually play a central role. When it comes about services, in turn, high-speed internet access and being enrolled in university studies are crucial for me. To finish with my demand list, I would include my apartment, which is rented, and all the related public services. Water, light, land phone, is what I? m talking about here. How to cite Build a Bear, Build a Memory, Essay examples

Juries and their place in society Essay Example For Students

Juries and their place in society Essay The first months of war resounded with the collision of the war plans pored over for decades by the general staffs of Europe. The original German plan for a two-front war, drafted by Helmuth von Moltke the elder, had called for taking the offensive against Russia and standing on the defensive in the rugged Rhineland. The plan showed military prudence and complemented the stabilizing diplomacy of Bismarck. But Alfred, Graf von Schlieffen, presided over the German military in the era of Kaiser Williams Weltpolitik and adopted a more ambitious and risky course. His plan, conceived in 1891 and completed by 1905, envisioned a massive offensive in the west to knock out the compact French forces in six weeks, whereupon the army could shift eastward to confront the plodding Russians. But a quick decision could be achieved in France only by a vast enveloping action. The powerful right wing of the German army must descend from the north and pass through the neutral Low Countries. This would vi rtually ensure British intervention. But Schlieffen expected British aid to be too little and too late. In sum, the Schlieffen Plan represented a pristine militarism: the belief that all factors could be accounted for in advance, that execution could be flawless, that pure force could resolve all political problems including those thrown up by the plan itself. In the event, the Germans realized all of the political costs of the Schlieffen Plan and few of the military benefits.Like the Germans, the French had discarded a more sensible plan in favour of the one implemented. French intelligence had learned of the grand lines of the Schlieffen Plan and its inclusion of reserve troops in the initial assault. General Victor Michel therefore called in 1911 for a blocking action in Belgium in addition to an offensive into Alsace-Lorraine. But this required twice the active troops currently available. France would either have to give up the Belgian screen or the offensive. The new chief of s taff, J.-J.-C. Joffre, refused to believe that Germany would deploy reserve corps in immediate combat and gave up the screen. By October 1914 all the plans had unraveled. After the German defeat in the Battle of the Marne, the Western Front stabilized into an uninterrupted line for 466 miles from Nieuwpoort on the Belgian coast south to Bapaume, then southeast past Soissons, Verdun, Nancy, and so to the Swiss frontier. Both sides dug in, elaborated their trench systems over time, and condemned themselves to four years of hellish stalemate on the Western Front.The situation was little better on the other front. A necessary assumption of the Schlieffen Plan was the inadequacy of the Russian rail network to support a rapid offensive. By 1914, however, railroads through Poland were much improved, and the Russian general staff agreed to take the offensive in case of war to relieve the pressure on France. Similarly, the Germans had asked the Austrian commander, Conrad von Hotzendorf, to attack Russia and ease the threat to Germany. Austria also had a two-front war, however, and an army too small to fight it. Owin g to penury and its nationality problems, the monarchy fielded fewer battalions in 1914 than it had in the war of 1866. As the saying went, Austria was always en retard dune armee, dune annee et dune idee (one army, one year, and one idea behind). Austrias solution was to send one army south against Serbia and one to Galicia against the Russians and to deploy a third as need required. The reserves, a third of Austrias already outnumbered forces, spent the opening battles shuttling back and forth on the rails. Austria failed to penetrate Serbian defenses, while the Germans smashed the Russian attack into East Prussia. In the east, too, stalemate set in.By mid-1915 the Germans had overcome supply problems and were better prepared for trench warfare than the Allies. They also pioneered the concept of defense in depth, making a second trench line the main barrier to assault. Allied generals responded with longer and denser artillery bombardments but thereby relinquished the element of s urprise. Such tactics turned western battlefields into seas of wreckage, with a storm of steel raging above, and condemned hundreds of thousands of men for the sake of a few thousand yards of no-mans-land. Allied attacks in 1915 cost the British more than 300,000 casualties and the French 1,500,000. The only German initiative, the Second Battle of Ypres, introduced poison gas to the Western Front. But no commander could see a means of breaking the deadlock, and all confessed their strategy to be one of attrition.