An Analytical look into Coca

Introduction Marketing is the process by which groups and individuals create and exchange goods and services with an aim of attaining what they need with an aspiring to find satisfaction. Consumer needs and wants are the main reason behind why companies design, manufacture and distribute products into the market.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on An Analytical look into Coca-Cola specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More On one hand consumers demand for satisfaction and companies therefore sell to make a profit and meet their other objectives such as growth, and survival. Product and services created by companies such as Coca-Cola are considered of value and therefore create satisfaction when exchange takes place (Kotler 2003). Therefore the creation value and satisfaction which consumers demand end up pushing companies create strategies that govern their marketing mix and go a step further to create overall corporate strat egies that will govern their whole business processes to ensure success in today’s volatile business environment (Lancaster Withey 2006). The Coca-Cola Company is one company that has been able to create a perfect business model that has pushed its products such as Coca-Cola across the world with much efficiency. History of company and product Coca-cola is a carbonated soft drink that is sold in restaurants, supermarkets, vending machines in approximately over 195 nations. It is a product of the coca-cola company which is located in Atlanta Georgia USA. The coca-cola company is a company with many product lines which include carbonated soft drinks, water, and juices. Coca-cola was originally invented by Doctor John Permberton by a drug company in Georgia and was sold as medicine because people back then believed carbonated water had medicinal values being assumed to be a headache remedy, stimulant and stomach ache remedy. Coca-cola as it is known was a proposal that was put forward by Frank Robinson, who was a book keeper. Initially Coca-Cola was sold in pharmacies by John Permberton. By the 1950’s the drink had a huge consumer market U.S.A. Bottled soda was sold first by coca-cola in 1894 and cans of coca-cola appeared first in stores in 1955.Later in 1985 when coca-cola tried to change its formula hoping to follow up with tastes but a public outcry ensued forcing the company to revert back to classic Coca-Cola. The introduction of diet coke back in 1982 was a huge success back in the in the 1980’s. It is between 1923 and 1991 during Woodruff’s tenure as C.E.O that Coca-Cola grew from a national company to a global company with an explosive growth of the carbonated bottled soft drinks.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Today Coca-cola is the world’s number one soft-drink company with top five soft drink brands (Coca-C ola, Fanta, Diet Coke, and Sprite).Other brands includes Minutemaid, Powerade, Dasani water and Schweppes which generate an income of over $3 billion annually. Product Strategy The Coca-Cola Company has a number of product lines in its product mix these are carbonated soft-drinks, energy drinks, juices, and water. In each product line there is a particular product depth (Bell 2004). The coca-cola company carbonated soft drink product line has a product depth consisting of Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite and Krest. Within the product line of Coca-Cola itself there consists’ a further product variety of different types of Coke that are sold in various geographical regions of the world. It is clear that The Coca-Cola Company has invested a lot in the process of research and design of its products, there is a high level of differentiation upon its Coca-Cola product depth. Coca- Cola’s packaging strategy involves the use of beautifully designed cans, hobble skirt bottles which ran ge from 300ml-2000ml, and disposable plastic cups. The Coca-Cola Company has gone forward to patent the various dimensions of its famous Hobble skirt bottle meaning that no other soft drink manufacturer can use the same type of bottle. The classic Coca-Cola symbol is written and surrounded by the colour red making it a unique brand that is easily identifiable and memorable to the consumers. Currently Coca-Cola has a high rand value and equity and commands a lot of loyalty among consumers, its name, awareness, perceived quality, and strong association with excellence add great advantage to its product mix this serves as powerful assets to the product itself. A distinct and unique product design is necessary for the success of a product (Kotler 1999). Coca- Cola has ensured that its product is unique as far its attributes, and branding are concerned. The secret Coca-Cola formula is well hidden in a volt in a bank located Georgia with very few people whom have who have access and there fore is a trade secret. Pricing strategy According to porters generic competitive strategies a company can either choose to serve a broad market or a narrow target market. If a company chooses either it must then choose to either follow a low cost strategy that is good for a wider market due to the existence of economies of scale and efficiencies or either choose to differentiate its products in order to charge a premium (Porter 1990).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on An Analytical look into Coca-Cola specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Coca-Cola is a profit masking company that aims to remain as the market leader and meet shareholder targets. Pricing can be determined by many things this include target profit, competition, costs associated with production, quality, demand and company objectives (Kotler 2003). Coca-Cola’s main objective is to capture a larger market share by selling a large volume of soft dri nks at an affordable price with an aim of maximizing profits. It therefore targets the mass market and sells its products at very afford prices but at the same time for its highly differentiated products such as diet coke a much higher price is set. Therefore coca-cola practices price discrimination among various regions of the world. The price of a Coca-Cola in Kenya, India, and New -York are not the same. This is because every consumer in these countries has different purchasing power (per capita income) and this is factored in the final pricing. The use of penetration pricing which is low and mass market oriented is advantageous in gaining a large market share for Coca-Cola and that is why Coca-Cola estimated to sell over half a million bottles of carbonated soft drinks in one day. Coca-Cola also gives incentives such as trade incentives to its middlemen and largest distributors for the volume of concentrates they order and sell. (Charles et al, 2009) Distribution/Place strategy Coca-Cola itself does not manufacture and sell already manufactured carbonated soft drinks. They mainly do their distribution by using independent co owned distributers/franchises which have specially trained people. It is these people who are considered investors who approach Coca-Cola for business deals and are given training on the various production techniques. After setting up this franchises and setting up partnerships that The Coca-Cola Company goes ahead to ship consignments of concentrates and syrup that will be used to make the final consumable Coca-Cola to its distribution partners who in turn dilute and carbon dioxide to the product, After which local channels such as depots go ahead to sell Coca-Cola to hotels, supermarkets and retailers in their area of operations. This model of operation reduces amount of risk and uncertainty that the Coca-Cola Company would have faced if it were to manufacture and distribute its own product Coca-Cola it also reduces the time used red uce the lead time that Coca-cola would have otherwise had to face in case it used other distribution models( Lancaster Withey 2006 ). The Coca-Cola in turn helps in its independent distribution partners assemble of factories, organizes staff training, and supplies packaging materials and procedures of operations.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Promotion strategy Promotion is the process of choosing a market and coming up with a comprehensive plan of how to pass across messages that are related to the product to this target market. Therefore a promotion mix is a sum total of all methods that are used to pass message about a product to a given target market with an aim of informing, reminding, educating and persuading (Campbell et al, 2002). Coca-Cola promotional activities revolve around getting enough shelve spaces in departmental stores to display their products, they also conduct sale promotions for both end consumers retailers and distributors, apart from the above seasonal UTC campaigns ( i.e. under the crown schemes) that involve handing out gifts that can be won under the bottle tops of their carbonated drinks such as Coca-Cola , advertising in television commercial, billboards, and print media, Coca-Cola also use point of sale materials such as posters and stickers Coca-Cola also use sports arenas and teams ranging from soccer, cricket and basketball to promote their product. The Coca-Cola Company collects an advertising fee from franchisers/partners/distributers and then goes ahead to formulate an overall promotional mix that all its distributers will use to promote Coca-Cola in each and every country in which Coca-Cola is sold. (Kourdi, 2009) The Environment The environment that Coca-Cola exists in hasn’t been that smooth stiff competition from PepsiCo has led to a massive battle for market share in various parts of the world, the existence of various substitutes, to Coca-Cola has also affected the sales of Coca-Cola leading to an increased product mix by the Coca-Cola company to make more profits. With the recent recession in the economic environment the sales of Coca-cola was also affected. Coca-Cola has not had a simple time with the legal and political environment its exclusion from the Indian market for 18 years due to differences in political stands gave PepsiCo an advantage. T he spirit of Anti-Americanism Coca-Cola has found it hard t penetrate the Asian market but it is now coming up with special arrangements and alliances to have Coca-Cola accepted in this regions (Frey 2008). The Coca-Cola Company has also been accused of channel surfing and making exclusive sale agreements with retailers in Europe leading the European Union to set specific legal action to stop them from doing this again. There are multiple legal suits of racism and mistreatment of black employees by denying them career advancement opportunities. In 2003 Coca-Cola India was accused of containing pesticide compounds which were above normal and dangerous to the health threatening in it but this claim was refuted by the company. Apart from this The Coca-Cola has been accused of unfair competition in Mexico and intimidation of union officials in Bolivia and Columbia. This goes ahead to clearly show that there are many challenges in its environment which is very usual in global companies d ealing with vast diversified markets (Sinkovics Ghauri 2009). Opinion The Coca-Cola’s product, pricing, distributing and promotion strategy are almost perfect, but Coca-Cola should go ahead and formulate more flexible corporate citizenship strategies that will help to promote more ethical business operations and reduce the negative image and publicity that is faced by Coca-Cola in certain parts of the world. Coca-Cola should create a more aggressive competitive strategy to counter PepsiCo. Since PepsiCo’s strategy of creating multiple product lines that includes Salty snacks has enable PepsiCo increase its sales by a large percentage and have profits margins which are almost at par with The Coca-Cola Company. The Coca-Cola Company should therefore go ahead and introduce a new product line like PepsiCo and put them side to side in retailer stores. As far as pricing and promotion is concerned Coca-Cola should exploit its efficiencies and economies of scale and if able t ry to maintain or even reduce its prices to increase volume of purchase. References Campbell et al, (2002). Business Strategy an Introduction, 2 edn. Banburd: Butterworth-Heinemann. Charles et al, (2009). Essentials of Marketing. Natorp Boulevard, South Western: Cengage Learning. Frey, R.S. (2008) Successful strategies for Small Businesses: using product knowledge, 5 edn. Norwood: Artech House Inc. Kotler P, (1999), Principles of marketing, 2nd edn. New York: Prentice Hall. Kotler, P. (2003). Marketing Insights from A to Z: 80 concepts every manager needs to know. New Jersey: John Wiley Sons Inc. Kourdi, J. (2009) Business Strategy: A Guide to Effective Decision Making, 2 edn. New York: Economist books. Lancaster, G. Withey. F. (2006). Marketing Fundamentals’: CIM Course book. London: Oxford publishers. Porter M.E. (1990).The Competitive advantage of nations, illustrated edn, Northampton, MA: Free Press. Sinkovics, R.R., Ghauri N.P. (2009). New Challenges to International Marketing, Wagon Lane Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing. Bell, L. (2004). The story of coca-cola: built for success, Mankato MN, Black Rabbit books. This essay on An Analytical look into Coca-Cola was written and submitted by user Tara Solis to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

History of the Yellow Star Inscribed With Jude

History of the Yellow Star Inscribed With Jude The yellow star, inscribed with the word Jude (Jew in German), has become a symbol of Nazi persecution. Its likeness abounds upon Holocaust literature and materials. But the Jewish badge was not instituted in 1933 when Hitler came to power. It was not instituted in 1935 when the Nuremberg Laws stripped Jews of their citizenship. It was still not implemented by Kristallnacht in 1938. The oppression and labeling of the Jews by use of the Jewish badge did not begin until after the start of the Second World War. And even then, it began as local laws rather than as a unified Nazi policy. Whether Nazis Where First to Implement a Jewish Badge The Nazis rarely had an original idea. Almost always what made the Nazi policies different was that they intensified, magnified, and institutionalized age-old methods of persecution. The oldest reference to using mandatory articles of clothing to identify and distinguish Jews from the rest of society was in 807 CE. In this year, Abbassid caliph Haroun al-Raschid ordered all Jews to wear a yellow belt and a tall, cone-like hat.1 But it was in 1215 that the Fourth Lateran Council, presided over by Pope Innocent III, made its infamous decree. Canon 68 declared: Jews and Saracens [Muslims] of both sexes in every Christian province and at all times shall be marked off in the eyes of the public from other peoples through the character of their dress.2 This Council represented all of Christendom and thus this decree was to be enforced throughout all of the Christian countries. The use of a badge was not instantaneous throughout Europe nor were the dimensions or shape of the badge uniform. As early as 1217, King Henry III of England ordered Jews to wear on the front of their upper garment the two tablets of the Ten Commandments made of white linen or parchment.3 In France, local variations of the badge continued until Louis IX decreed in 1269 that both men and women were to wear badges on the outer garment, both front and back, round pieces of yellow felt or linen, a palm long and four fingers wide.4 In Germany and Austria, Jews were distinguishable in the latter half of the 1200s when the wearing of a horned hat otherwise known as a Jewish hat - an article of clothing that Jews had worn freely before the crusades - became mandatory. It wasnt until the fifteenth century when a badge became the distinguishing article in Germany and Austria. The use of badges became relatively widespread throughout Europe within a couple of centuries and continued to be used as distinctive markings until the age of Enlightenment. In 1781, Joseph II of Austria made major torrents into the use of a badge with his Edict of Tolerance and many other countries discontinued their use of badges very late in the eighteenth century. When the Nazis Decided to Re-Use the Jewish Badge The first reference to a Jewish badge during the Nazi era was made by the German Zionist leader, Robert Weltsch. During the Nazi declared boycott upon Jewish stores on April 1, 1933, yellow Stars of David were painted on windows. In reaction to this, Weltsch wrote an article entitled Tragt ihn mit Stolz, den gelben Fleck (Wear the Yellow Badge with Pride) which was published on April 4, 1933. At this time, Jewish badges had yet even to be discussed among the top Nazis. It is believed that the first time that the implementation of a Jewish badge was discussed among the Nazi leaders was right after Kristallnacht in 1938. At a meeting on November 12, 1938, Reinhard Heydrich made the first suggestion about a badge. But it wasnt until after the Second World War began in September 1939 that individual authorities implemented a Jewish badge in the Nazi German-occupied territories of Poland. For instance, on November 16, 1939, the order for a Jewish badge was announced in Lodz. We are returning to the Middle Ages. The yellow patch once again becomes a part of Jewish dress. Today an order was announced that all Jews, no matter what age or sex, have to wear a band of Jewish-yellow, 10 centimeters wide, on their right arm, just below the armpit.5 Various locales within occupied Poland had their own regulations about size, color, and shape of the badge to be worn until Hans Frank made a decree that affected all of the Government General in Poland. On November 23, 1939, Hans Frank, the chief officer of the Government General, declared that all Jews above ten years of age were to wear a white badge with a Star of David on their right arm. It wasnt until nearly two years later that a decree, issued on September 1, 1941, issued badges to Jews within Germany as well as occupied and incorporated Poland. This badge was the yellow Star of David with the word Jude (Jew) and worn on the left side of ones chest. How Implementing the Jewish Badge Helped the Nazis Of  course, the obvious benefit of the badge to the Nazis was the visual labeling of the Jews. No longer would the rabble only be able to attack and persecute those Jews with stereotypical Jewish features or forms of dress, now all Jews and  part-Jews  were open to the various Nazi actions. The badge made a distinction. One day there were just people on the street, and the next day, there were Jews and non-Jews. A common reaction was as Gertrud Scholtz-Klinks stated in her answer to the question, What did you think when one day in 1941 you saw so many of your fellow Berliners appear with yellow stars on their coats? Her answer, I dont know how to say it. There were so many. I felt that my aesthetic sensibility was wounded. 6   All of a sudden, stars were everywhere, just like Hitler had said there were. How the Badge Affected Jews At first, many Jews felt humiliated about having to wear the badge. As in Warsaw: For many weeks the Jewish intelligentsia retired to voluntary house arrest. Nobody dared to go out into the street with the stigma on his arm, and if compelled to do so, tried to sneak through without being noticed, in shame and in pain, with his eyes fixed to the ground.7 The badge was an obvious, visual, step back to the Middle Ages, a time before Emancipation. But soon after its implementation, the badge represented more than humiliation and shame, it represented fear. If a Jew forgot to wear their badge they could be fined or imprisoned, but often, it meant beatings or death. Jews came up with ways to remind themselves not to go out without their badge. Posters often could be found at the exit doors of apartments that warned Jews by stating: Remember the Badge! Have you already put on the Badge? The Badge! Attention, the Badge! Before leaving the  building,  put on the Badge! But remembering to wear the badge was not their only fear. Wearing the badge meant that they were targets for attacks and that they could be grabbed for forced labor. Many Jews attempted to hide the badge. When the badge was a white armband with a Star of David, men and women would wear white shirts or blouses. When the badge was yellow and worn on the chest, Jews would carry objects and hold them in such a way as to cover their badge. To make sure that Jews could be easily noticed, some local authorities added additional stars to be worn on the back and even on one knee. But those werent the only rules. And, actually, what made the fear of the badge even greater were the other innumerable infractions for which Jews could be punished. Jews could be punished for wearing a creased or  folded  badge. They could be punished for wearing their badge a centimeter out of place. They could be punished for attaching the badge using a safety pin rather than sewing it onto their clothing.9 The use of safety pins was an effort to conserve badges and yet give themselves flexibility in outfits. Jews were required to wear a badge on their outer clothing - thus, at least on their dress or shirt and on their overcoat. But often, the material for badges or the badges themselves were scarce, so the number of dresses or shirts that one owned far exceeded the availability of badges. In order to wear more than one dress or shirt all the time, Jews would safety pin a badge onto their clothing for easy transfer of the badge to the next days clothing. The Nazis did not like the practice of safety pinning for they believed it was so the Jews could easily take off their star if danger seemed near. And it very often was. Under the Nazi regime, Jews were constantly in danger. Up to the time when Jewish badges were implemented, uniform persecution against the Jews could not be accomplished. With the visual labeling of Jews, the years of haphazard persecution quickly changed to organized destruction. References 1. Joseph Telushkin,  Jewish Literacy: The Most Important Things to Know About the Jewish Religion, Its People, and Its History  (New York: William Morrow and Company, 1991) 163.2. The Fourth Lateran Council of 1215: Decree Concerning the Garb Distinguishing Jews from Christians, Canon 68 as quoted in Guido Kisch, The Yellow Badge in History,  Historia Judaica  4.2 (1942): 103.3. Kisch, Yellow Badge 105.4. Kisch, Yellow Badge 106.5. Dawid Sierakowiak,  The Diary of Dawid Sierakowiak: Five Notebooks from the Lodz Ghetto  (New York: Oxford University Press, 1996) 63.6. Claudia Koonz,  Mothers in the Fatherland: Women, the Family, and Nazi Politics  (New York: St. Martins Press, 1987) xxi.7. Lieb Spizman as quoted in Philip Friedman,  Roads to Extinction: Essays on the Holocaust  (New York: Jewish Publication Society of America, 1980) 24.8. Friedman,  Roads to Extinction  18.9. Friedman,  Roads to Extinction  18. Sources Friedman, Philip. Roads to Extinction: Essays on the Holocaust. New York: Jewish Publication Society of America, 1980.Kisch, Guido. The Yellow Badge in History. Historia Judaica 4.2 (1942): 95-127.Koonz, Claudia. Mothers in the Fatherland: Women, the Family, and Nazi Politics. New York: St. Martins Press, 1987.Sierakowiak, Dawid. The Diary of Dawid Sierakowiak: Five Notebooks from the  Lodz Ghetto. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996.Straus, Raphael. The Jewish Hat as an Aspect of Social History. Jewish Social Studies 4.1 (1942): 59-72.Telushkin, Joseph. Jewish Literacy: The Most Important Things to Know About the Jewish Religion, Its People, and Its History. New York: William Morrow and Company, 1991.

Research Paper -Internet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Research Paper -Internet - Essay Example The introduction as well as the implementation of the medium of internet not only have changed the daily lives of the people or the users but also have led towards the advancements of their profession as well as private lives by a significant level. The significance of internet can be better understood by taking into concern its broad usage in different segments that include education, business, and entertainment among others. In this similar context, it has been viewed that the medium of the internet has imposed considerable impact upon the education sector. In relation to the education segment, the internet is extensively utilized by the students for the purpose of collecting valuable information in relation to different subject matters. Moreover, the teachers also use the medium of the internet in order to develop their understandings and most importantly to raise their skills to a greater extent. Apart from the teachers as well as the students relating to education segment, the b usiness professionals along with the other professionals such as the lawyers and the doctors among others also use internet with the intention of acquiring valuable information that would ultimately aid in developing their skills or competencies. With regard to the business segment, most of the organizations intend to introduce and develop their respective online channels or websites in order to raise their productivity, augment customer level and accomplish superior competitive position over their chief business market competitors. In relation to entertainment segment, it has been observed that the medium of internet has served the users or the general public in

Discussion leader Mod 10 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion leader Mod 10 - Essay Example For example, I take sufficient breaks to unwind, never take rejection or attacks on my personal and always ensure that am a step ahead of the organizations current objectives (Ben-Zur, 2009). Deadlines and timelines are an everyday part of the business environment. When employees do not meet deadlines and timelines, the best solution is avoiding the scenario altogether. It is important to hire the right people and indoctrinate them into the business culture. The management should conduct frequent setting, communicating and monitoring of goals and standards at every level of the organization. Hence, minimizing business failure due to inability to meet deadlines. I have held the position of a lower level manager for an extended time. Consequently, I have come to love working with the people on the ground. The experience is both fulfilling and rewarding. I have turned down many higher-level managing promotion offers. I am not afraid of the level of commitment and hard work required, rather, I would not like to lose the opportunity to work directly with the employees. Over the years, I have acquired immense knowledge concerning the management of subordinates. Any successful business manager or entrepreneur will tell you that employee motivation and commitment is the key to success (Markos & Sridevi, 2010). One of the biggest obstacles to completing daily activities at work is a lack of clear directions and time-framed goals. Even at work, an employee needs to break down the organization’s goals into small achievable activities that have a time limit. Hence, an employee will be able to meet his or her expected objectives at the stipulated

A pizzeria business plan

A pizzeria business plan Executive Summary This is a business plan for a Pizzeria based on producing a differentiated product in a premium location. The objective is to differentiate the operation from any other restaurant operation based on the concept of superior quality food based on the exclusive use of premium natural ingredients for every element of the product delivered from a conventional cheese and tomato pizza to the unique menu items. At the same time the operation is such that its environmental footprint is minimized and it operates in a manner that maximizes social responsibility in every facet of its operation. Pricing relative to other Pizzerias will be premium, but compared to most of the restaurants in the same quality bracket very competitive. The longer-term plan will involve additional Sofian Eat restaurants on either an owned or franchised basis or a combination of the two. This initial plan is for the pilot operation, which will serve as a model for future openings of Sofian Eat. Essentials to success The planned operation is a restaurant. The underlying keys to successful restaurant operation are good food served in a clean and pleasant atmosphere. These are a ‘given in any successful restaurant, but in themselves are not sufficient to create any great success. â€Å"Positioning is an underleveraged restaurant marketing component. Positioning is the place you hold in the customers or prospects mind relative to the competition (the cheaper choice, the higher quality choice, et cetera). Effective positioning involves incorporation of your Unique Selling Proposition (U.S.P.).†[1] (Quantified Marketing Group, 2010) In Sofian Eat success will depend on creating a unique â€Å"product† based on the publics concern for the environment and the wholesomeness of food. This will be incorporated into a unique ambiance and menu that will provide a dining experience that hopefully customers will enjoy and wish to repeat. An important element in the overall concept is that because Sofian Eats is dedicated to concepts concerning the environment and natural food, which the client is aware of and approve, they will have an underlying â€Å"good feeling† about what they are doing when they enjoy a meal at Sofian Eats. In Principles of Marketing Dr. Philip Kotler uses the fast food industry as an example of marketing being used to sell. â€Å"Shoddy, harmful or unsafe products†, and bemoans the fact that this American approach to restaurant marketing is catching on in Europe.[2] The marketing approach used in this project is unashamedly copied from another American Company, Ben Jerrys Ice Cream that takes a totally opposite approach.[3] While not as successful as McDonalds, Ben Jerrys built a business from a single tiny location to a major company and the founders finally sold the company to Unilever in 2000. 1.0 Terms of Reference 1.1 To 1.2 From These three items are not ordinarily a part of a business plan, and I am not totally clear on what is wanted here. Clearly, I cannot fill in â€Å"to and from†. I suspect that the three items involves only a few words with the possible exception of â€Å"terms of reference†. I will gladly write something for you about this as a revision if you can tell me what it is supposed to do. Thanks. Your writer 1.3 Business Plan (Sofian Eat) The plan is for a pilot restaurant in what is hoped will become a chain or franchise operation in the long term. This plan is based entirely on the pilot project and does not include any discussion of possible future developments or expansion into additional locations. Decisions concerning this will be made based on the success of the pilot project and what is learned by operating what is planned as a unique style of restaurant operation. 1.4 Date handed in The due date of the project is 18 March 2010. 2.0 findings The research findings are based on the work of Kivela, Inbakaran and Reece[4] and Quantified Marketing Group[5], which seem to support each other closely. The consensus is that restaurant marketing is difficult, and to be successful requires very careful research and analysis. A part of the problem is that restaurateurs are just that and not professional marketers. They know how to operate a restaurant but are not ordinarily knowledgeable in modern marketing techniques. This can be considered a positive element as it potentially provides an entrepreneur that is trained in marketing a competitive advantage. The suggestion is that conventional marketing using mass media is not practical while so called neighbourhood marketing is. Invest marketing funds in persuading customers to spend more per check and return more often. 2.1 Market research The questionnaire and research approach were based on the work of Clark and Wood.[6] (Clark Wood, 1999) Their work implies that the quality, range and type of food are key determinants in consumer loyalty. Their work also suggested the nature of the target clientele of the operation. A summary of the finding of the limited sample of 25 street interviews in the target neighborhood is presented below. The questionnaire is included as an appendix. What we see in the market research is a demographic pattern that is almost ideal and emphasis on the quality of the food and variety of menu offerings as criteria for restaurant selection. The emphasis on the mid price range and above is also the target market sought. There was no pattern in the response to favorite restaurant with only one being mentioned twice and the others all individual choices. The most common response to the why is it your favorite centered on the combination of good food and pleasant atmosphere. The only surprise is that five respondents indicated that a personal relationship with the proprietor was an important factor. 2.2 Location 142 Cowan Street, Kensington, London SW1. (This is obviously a fictitious street location) 2.3 Competition The competition broadly defined is any and every restaurant or eating establishment in London, and eventually anywhere a Sofian Eat is opened. What is planned is the creation of a unique â€Å"niche† where the competition will be limited or non-existent. 2.4 Objectives mission statement The Mission of Sofian Eat is threefold: The social mission is to operate the company in a manner that recognizes the role played by businesses in society. It will facilitate this goal by developing original and innovative approaches to improve the quality of life in the areas in which it operates The product mission is to produce the finest quality all natural pizza and innovative new culinary creations. The commitment of the business is to incorporate only wholesome natural ingredients and promote business and culinary practices that respect the earth and the environment. The Economic Mission is to operate the business on a sustainable financial basis of profitable growth and expansion. This will increase the values for stakeholders while it expands opportunities for the development and career growth of the companys employees.[7] 2.5 Business name The business name will be Sofian Eat 2.6 Legal Structure The initial public structure will be a corporate structure created with the longer-term objective of selling shares in a public offering at some point down the road. 2.7 Marketing Plan The marketing plan will be based entirely on product differentiation. Any attempt to create a marketing plan based on price competition in conventional pizza or Italian food is doomed to be at best a â€Å"me too† operation. There is no shortage of pizzerias or ethnic restaurants in London or almost anywhere else. The underlying marketing plan is based almost entirely on differentiating the product and the restaurants in which it is served from the competition in terms of the restaurants dà ©cor and ambiance and the menu. The long term objective is to create a â€Å"brand† that will be difficult to duplicate and will present an immediate â€Å"picture† in the mind of the consumer when they think Sofian Eat. The fact that this operation will have a formal marketing plan is in itself a competitive advantage. A marketing consulting company, Quantified Marketing Group, has an extensive and professional discussion of restaurant marketing tactics. While there is little relevant academic research on restaurant marketing this source is a good substitute. They discuss exactly the topics underlying this project such as branding, positioning, differentiation and segmentation.[8] 2.7.1 Marketing USPs The marketing Unique Selling Propositions will include the concept that everything provided on the menu is created from wholesome natural products and produced and served in a way that is at least environmentally neutral and hopefully environmentally positive. For example, the take out pizza boxes will be made of recycled paper and biodegradable. The layout and ambiance of the restaurant will contribute further to the concept of a USP. A further USP will be menu items that are unusual and unique. For example, Sushi Pizza will be sushi served on a crisp pizza dough â€Å"platter† with individual items arranged artistically on small segments as finger food. Kebab pizza will be thin sliced roasted lamb with fresh vegetable bits and yogurt sauce. While these may not be huge volume items they will help differentiate Sofian Eat from the competition. They also emphasize the wholesome ingredients aspect of the menu. A further differentiation will be the offer of two dining rooms, one for adult dining and one for family dining with children. The ambiance will be different, and the family dining area will offer a special menu for families featuring offering that will particularly appeal to children in addition to the menu offered in the adult section. In his book Marketing Management Philip Kotler emphasizes that a USP can vary from segment to segment, but the key is that it amounts to formulating a benefit, motivation, identification or reason why the audience should think about or investigate the product.[9] 2.7.2 Marketing segmentation Obviously, any restaurant wants to appeal to the widest possible array of potential clients. Sofian Eat is aimed primarily at a relatively young and affluent audience with some refinement of taste. This would encompass singles, families with children from toddler to teens, and some older and middle-aged clients that enjoy dining out. As a pizzeria, pricing would be at the upper end of the scale of pizza restaurants, but not premium priced. If pricing were compared on comparable items, for example a 30-cm. pizza with onion, garlic, mushroom, cheese and tomato sauce the premium would be a pound or two. Conversely, the sushi pizza would be a relatively expensive item compared to most pizza products, and the kebab pizza would be several pounds more than a pizza bolognaise in the typical pizzeria. In an attempt to widen the potential market Sofian Eat would offer a variety of additional menu choices outside of the typical Italian offerings of spaghetti and Lasagna. The wine list would also have an extensive variety of quality offerings appropriately priced. 2.7.3 Product The product is the key to the potential of Sofian Eat. The insistence on pure wholesome ingredients without any chemical contaminants or preservatives is the first requirement for a differentiated product. Cooking over natural wood fires and in wood burning brick ovens is another element. Using these natural products to create innovative menu offerings such as the sushi pizza is another product innovation. Product is the ultimate key to branding and product positioning. It is the objective to convince the customer that food made of wholesome natural ingredients and prepared in an environmentally friendly or at least neutral manner is both better tasting and healthier than the alternatives offered by the competition. â€Å"Positioning is the place you hold in the customers or prospects mind relative to the competition†[10] It is also the key to branding. â€Å"Brand-building is closing the gap between what you promise and what you deliver. A strong brand is one that has alignm ent between the promise and execution.†[11] The product and product quality is the foundation of a successful restaurant brand. 2.7.4 Pricing In spite of the insistence on ingredient quality, the menu model would try to keep food costs to less than 30% of menu item price. It is envisioned that menu prices will be above pizzeria averages, but still modest compared to up-scale restaurants. They would be in keeping with the income of the target market of middle to upper income clientele. 2.7.5 Promotion Restaurant promotion is a complex subject. Initially, it has to be aimed at getting diners through the door and to a table for the first time. This is however the most expensive and least effective forms of promotion. Research has shown that new customer acquisition is 7-10 times as expensive as building sales through increasing frequency, party size and check average. Because Sofian Eat is initially at least a neighborhood restaurant, flyers, local billboards and similar media are more appropriate and hopefully more effective. A sidewalk food sample give away is a tool that has been carefully considered and is deemed worthy of an experimental effort. 2.7.6 Place The initial restaurant will be located in Kensington, London. While Kensington is a high cost and highly competitive area it also has the affluent clientele that Sofian Eat is targeting. It also has relatively high foot traffic and high rent is offset by high visibility. This is closely associated with promotion as discussed above. 2.8 Finance 2.8.1 Sources Initial investment will come from the resources of the founders and a few selected outside investors. As the operation envisioned will be fairly extensive, involve a high rent location, and will probably be cash flow negative for some months at least, substantial initial funds are required. Based on the expected success of the pilot operation in a high visibility neighborhood expansion of additional restaurants emulating the first one is considered as part of the plan. This would require substantial external financing and a public offering to finance this is anticipated. 2.8.2 Cash Flow The companys cash position is based on an equity contribution of  £1,000,000 and borrowings of  £2,000,000 repayable over 10 years starting in year 3. The company is expected to pass the break even point late in its second year of operation and obviously the cash position will deteriorate continuously to this point. It would drop to somewhere in the vicinity of  £100,000 or a bit more prior to the projected passing of the break-even point in the second half of year 2. It should improve to the point where the first payment of  £200,000 on the debt could be handled without problem in year 3. 2.8.3 Profit and Loss accounts The company is projected to loose money in its first two years with the break-even point reach in the second half of year 2. Food cost is projected to drop progressively as volume increases as a result of volume purchasing and lower waste as volume grows. In the model revenues from food and beverage sales are combined, as are their costs. Rent is based on a restaurant of 700 sq. meters with rent of  £1,200 per meter per year or  £70,000 per month,  £840,000 per year. The projected lease is for 10 years with no provision for rent increases in that period. Depreciation is based on the investment of  £1,200,000 in fixtures, dà ©cor and equipment with the depreciation based on the 10-year initial lease with a zero residual value. Selling, general and administrative and other expenses are estimated with more detailed budgeting at a later point. The tax rate is arbitrarily set at 36% over the entire period of the projection. This should prove to be conservative. In fact, in the th ree years included in the projection no tax will be due in the first two years on operating losses and in year 3 any tax due would be more than offset by loss carry forwards. The Personnel cost is based on the Personnel Model included in the financial statements show as appendices. 2.8.4 Balance Sheet The projected balance sheet presented is simplistic. The only current asset is actually cash and some small quantity of inventory. The Liabilities would be accruals of the SGA and operating expense and payroll costs. In the balance sheet model they are show as exactly offsetting current assets other than cash for the sake of simplicity. Effectively, working capital would be the cash position. In practice, the loan might well be taken down in tranches as required. Equity is shown as negative by the end of year 1 and remains negative throughout the three years projected. It would turn positive at some point in year 4 based on the projected income of over  £250,000 in year three and still growing. 2.9 Organization 2.9.1 Structure The organization of a restaurant is fixed in that there is the â€Å"front of the house†, the tables and bar where patrons are served and the â€Å"back of the house† or the kitchen. The Maitre de Hotel or headwaiter that supervises the wait staff and seats patrons runs the â€Å"front of the house†. The kitchen is obviously run by the Chef who in addition to being responsible for the recipes supervises all the actions of the kitchen staff and is responsible for purchasing the ingredients. There is a manager and assistants who are responsible for the overall operation and supervision of the till. The general manager would also be responsible for keeping records and payment of accruals and salaries.[12] 2.9.2 Motivation Virtually every text on restaurant and hotel management stresses the importance of training for the staff. Motivation is a key element in this training process. In a restaurant operation one of the obvious keys is the quality of the chef. He might be compensated on a profit sharing basis that also reflects the relationship of food cost to food revenues. In practice, the service staff is compensated in large part by tips that reflect the quality of their service and their attitudes. Motivation is not usually a problem in this area. For the other members of the staff training, fair treatment and recognition of good performance should provide the level of motivation necessary.[13] 3.0 Conclusion 3.1 Strengths The key elements that are expected to contribute to success are the differentiation of product based on the exclusive use of natural and wholesome ingredients. This combined with a prime location, attractive dà ©cor and the use of separate facilities for patrons with and without children are the elements that make Sofian Eat a unique and attractive dining experience. The underlying approach is to build a marketing plan based on product differentiation. Restaurants all serve food, and basically food is food. It does vary in quality and presentation. Sofian Eat is certainly not the only restaurant to serve premium quality food, but it is hoped that the presentation and menu combined with good value will build a solid business. 3.2 Weaknesses The most serious weaknesses as this plan is being prepared are the world economic situation, the number of strong competitors in the selected location, and the very high cost of the desirable location. The economic situation, which has produced high unemployment in the UK, has impacted the traffic of the restaurant industry as potential patrons close their pocketbooks. This is at odds with the continued premium rents commanded for prime locations. The timing of the opening is possibly the most serious weakness of the plan. 4.0 Evaluation 4.1 Internal The internal elements that are of greatest importance are the ability of the operation to differentiate itself from the many other restaurants in London based on the menu, the quality and presentation of the product, and the ambiance of the operation. It is essential that dining at Sofian Eat is a very special experience. This will result from the ability of the management to produce an operation that is superior in all respects from the opening day. The standard of every facet of the operation must be â€Å"perfection†. While this is obviously unattainable, the deviations from this standard must be few and far between. This will be the element that makes the operation a success in spite of economic difficult or strong competition. 4.2 External The primary external question is the economic situation and the recovery of the United Kingdom economy. There are no other particular external factors that will influence Sofian Eat any differently than they do any other restaurant operation. The economic situation makes the situation difficult for almost any business and starting a new business will be particularly difficult base on it. References Ben Jerrys. (2010). Ben Jerrys Mission. Retrieved March 15, 2010, from http://www.benjerry.com/activism/mission-statement/ Clark, M., Wood, R. (1999). Consumer loyalty in the restaurant industry: A preliminary exploration of the issues. British Food Journal, 101(4), 317-327. Kivela, J., Inbakaran, R., Reece, J. (2000). Consumer research in the restaurant environment. Part 3: analysis, findings and conclusions. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 12(1), 13-30. Kotler, P. (1991). Marketing Management (7th ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Kotler, P., Armstrong, G., Wong, V., Saunders, J. (2008). Principles of Marketing. Essex, UK: Pearson Education Ltd. Quantified Marketing Group. (2010). Restaurant Marketing Tactics. Retrieved March 16, 2010, from http://www.quantifiedmarketing.com/learning_center/restaurant-marketing.php

State of the Nation: The Seven Years War

A. Why might some scholars call the Seven Years War the â€Å"Great War for Empire†? B. Is it accurate to describe the Seven Years War as the â€Å"Great War for Empire† and as the â€Å"First Worldwide War†? C. What role did Indians play in the causes and consequences of the war? D. Did the war set the stage for the American Revolution? In 1756, Britain declared war on France, which is known as to today to be the beginning of the Seven Years’ War. Some Scholars might call the Seven Years’ War the â€Å"Great War for Empires† because France ceded its major North American holdings to Britain. Because of Frances’s losses, Britain gained control of the continent’s fir trade. Another reason in why some scholars may call the Seven Years’ War the â€Å"Great War for Empire† is because it chained into an expansion of British colonies. In 1763, Local Indians started feel the impact of the British’s win. Some Indians known as the Creeks and Cherokees were some of the most upset, because they were not able to turn to France or Spain in case of Britain not giving them any kind of concessions no more. In desperation, and retaliation for British atrocities, Cherokees attacked the Carolina and Virginia frontiers in 1760(Norton, 112). Even though the Indian were victorious, they were easily defeated the following year. Late in 1761, a treaty allowed the construction of British forts in the Cherokee territories and opened a large tract to European settlement.

An argument in support of using abortion in extreme cases Essay

Across America, the topic of abortion is still something that is regarded as taboo to speak about. Even in today’s society where it is more commonly brought up, the stigma surrounding the medical procedure has not gone away. There’s a rift between those who are pro-life and pro-choice, and each group has their own reasoning why or why not abortion should or should not be criminalized. The controversy about abortion is mainly rooted in the pro-life group believing that a fetus has the same rights as a born child and the mother. This stems into our government as well, where we have staunch republicans and democrats arguing back and forth over abortion. This also includes people who are incredibly religious and believe that it would go against God’s wishes, as humans are made in his image. Those who are pro-choice believe safe, legal abortions are a right and should be a readily available option to any woman who chooses to have one, no matter the circumstance. Abort ion should definitely be an option and that it should be a woman’s right whether or not to get one, and that she should be the only one to make that decision, not the government. There are many reasons why abortions should be an option, and some of those reasons are that they would help end surprise and unwanted pregnancy, end pregnancy that was caused by rape or incest, and help women who are not in a place to be able to support a child financially or otherwise. Abortion should be a viable option for women without having to worry about government involvement, on the state or federal level, or the social stigma surrounding the procedure. Abortion is able to help end surprise pregnancy safely without going to extreme, dangerous lengths. Based on a survey, the percent of women who got an abortion due to unintended pregnancy in 2008 was incredibly low, at under 5% (Finer, et al. 89). Those who argue While having sex, there’s no guarantee that protection will be effective, as condoms can break and birth control does not promise to work 100% at the time. While the average break rate of condoms while being used in a relationship is a mere 7.4% (Althaus 191), there is still that looming risk of it failing. On the other hand, birth control pills are roughly 91% effective, with just a 9% rate of failure (plannedparenthood.org). In the case of either of these contraceptives not working, the risk of pregnancy is high. When people use contraceptives, they are typically trying to avoid becoming pregnant at all costs, and when the methods of prevention fail and one becomes pregnant, it is going against their overall plan. E specially when thinking about teenagers or young adults, this can cause a problem with their future and goals. In 2014, 249,078 babies were born to women between the ages of 15 and 19 (CDC), and while the number is down compared to previous years, it’s important to acknowledge that teenage pregnancy is still an issue around America. While some would argue that an unplanned pregnancy is a miracle, it should be left up to the woman who is pregnant if she wants to keep the baby or not. In the case that she doesn’t, she should be able to turn to Planned Parenthood or another doctor to help assist her with an abortion without any worry about having to do it illegally. Those who argue that they don’t want their tax dollars going towards abortion don’t really have anything to worry about. While Planned Parenthood receives around $500 million in public funding, none of it can legally go towards funding abortions (Kliff). This is why Planned Parenthood and the ide a of safe abortions are such a crucial element of the pro-choice movement. In the state of Florida, health plans cannot cover abortion costs, so if a woman wanted to get one, she would have to purchase a rider at an additional cost (Jerman, et al). While abortions are not covered by health plans, Viagra is and that contributes to the rampant sexism that plagues the United States. In the most extreme cases, women who are raped or forced into an incestuous relationship should have an option to end the pregnancy. Even if a woman does not get raped and just experiences an unplanned pregnancy, she should have control over her body autonomy (Cohen). Pro-lifers tend to forgo giving the mother any sort of value in regards to her interests and reasons why she would give up her fetus. They give the fetus’ rights precedence over the mother’s (Cohen). If a woman gets raped and it results in an unwanted pregnancy, she should not be forced to carry the baby to full term. Some may argue that she should give birth and then just put the child up for adoption, but in a society where so many children are already part of the adoption system, that would not be the most effective idea. In addition, making a woman carry a baby that is her rapists’ is unethical and detrimental to the woman’s mental, and possibly physical, health. Incestuous relationships are not as common as rape, but should still be considered when discussing safe abortions. Chances are, a woman in an incestuous type of relationship would have been raped, which ties into how unethical it would be to have her give birth to the baby. Not only is there the risk of biological defects, but the woman would endure incredible amounts of stress. Forcing a woman to carry a baby after she was raped, either by a stranger or a family member, is torture. The woman would go through her pregnancy reliving the rape repeatedly, remembering the horrible event which would create extreme emotional trauma. Some women just are not capable of supporting a child at the time they become pregnant, whether it’s accidental or purposeful. Different factors can contribute to why a woman cannot support a child, including the environment they are in. Over one in seven women are living in poverty in America (NWLC), and if a woman cannot properly support herself, she cannot provide for a child. If a girl is living in an abusive household, it would be unreasonable to bring a child into such an environment. If it’s an unsafe place for a woman, it would definitely be unsuitable for a child, let alone a baby. While the environment is a contributing factor to why a woman cannot support a child, money is a big reason why as well. A woman is financially unstable and can barely support herself, and she gets pregnant. If she can’t support herself, she will not be able to provide for a child. Despite there being an act that was passed to protect abused women, the Violence Against Women A ct (Kandaswamy), it, unfortunately, doesn’t put a stop to domestic abuse across the country. It does, however, provide more shelters and services to protect women, which gives them another option aside from abortion if they aren’t comfortable with receiving one. While some would suggest putting the child up for adoption in this scenario as well, most women would not want to go through the process of carrying a child and paying for doctors’ appointments if they’re not going to keep the child in the end. The adoption and foster care system in America has over 400,000 children in it (Argys, et al), and while some children get adopted quickly or even reunited with biological parents, many children are stuck in a never-ending cycle of foster families. Adoption, while a good idea to some, could be detrimental to the child in the long-run. If money is already an issue, the cost of being pregnant would take a toll on the girl throughout the nine months. Abortion needs to be a safe option for women, no matter the circumstance of their pregnancy. By the government getting involved in a woman’s decision to get an abortion, or other people protesting to try and get Roe vs. Wade overturned, it presents a question of whether women have the right to do what they want with their bodies. In 2010, anti-abortion activists shifted their rhetoric from the federal government to state governments to force restrictions regarding abortion (Hopkins Tanne), even though 22 out of 50 states had some form of restrictions on the procedure. Most abortions that are performed are done within the first trimester, though there are statistics that say that about 13% of abortions in the United States are done during the second trimester (Boland). Interestingly, Florida abortion laws as of 2017 are more restrictive than many other states (Jerman, et al). Women can only receive abortions 24 weeks after their last period, and even then, they may only choose to get an abortion is their life is in danger (Jerman, et al). A woman’s life should not have to be endangered before the option of abortion is presented to her. Those who believe that is unethical and murder should think about repercussions of forcing a woman to carry a baby they do not want. Pro-life organizations believe it is not morally right to abort a baby, but by making a woman carry out a pregnancy against her will is just cruel, and by definition, unethical. Providing options for safe abortions for women should be included in health care in all states, and unfortunately, that’s not how it is. Using healthcare to back up why abortion should be dealt with better in America is a popular argument, and seems to be the root of arguments on both sides of the topic. While more people are coming around to be accepting of abortion, there are still groups of people vehemently against it for one reason or another. A popular reason for disagreeing with the procedure is based on religious beliefs and support of a traditional family (Johnson, et al. 40). Despite claiming to be religious and in support of all life, their ideas fall short when they oppose abortion, as they could be potentially putting another human life at risk by wanting to deny access to abortion. A good example of claiming to be saving lives, but in the face doing the opposite, rests in a case from Kansas where an anti-abortion activist shot an abortion doctor (Tanne 285). The shooter, Scott Roeder, defended his actions in court by claiming he was really saving lives (Tanne 285). The doctor he shot happened to provide late-term abortions (Tanne 285) for those who needed it, and he was one of the only doctors in the country to provide that service, which creates a new problem of taking away someone who could have saved lives. The idea that killing someone who was an abortion doctor saves lives in the end is nothing sort of ironic An interesting connection to this idea is that those who are at the highest level of moral thinking consider all lives to be special and worth saving, but those who neglect to realize that abortion can save someone’s life fall out from that theory of moral cognitive thinking. That being said, laws restricting abortion are not on a national, federal level but rather on a state by state basis (Tanne 1051), which leaves room for people to protest abortion easier than if it was strictly at a federal level. For many anti-abortion activists, they prohibit abortion because they hold the belief that a baby starts at conception, and that a fetus can feel pain (Tanne 1051). In order to get their views out there, often anti-abortionists will resort to violence. The type of violent acts committed range from arson to bombings and butyric acid attacks (Jacobson, et al. 189). This violent rhetoric they hold has some irony to it considering they yell about how all lives are important, and then they turn and cause loss of life by committing these terrorist acts (Jacobson, et al. 190). In addition to the loss of some life, the attacks caused property damage, the need for more security around the abortion clinics that were attacked, and increased stress on those who worked at the clinics (Jacobson, et al. 190). While those who participate in the violent acts feel like they’re in the right because they’re fighting for a cause they care about, they are really just causing terror and wreck ing havoc around cities. Anti-abortion in the United States has been an ongoing issue for a long time now, and recently the Trump administration have begun working on cutting back support of the UN and the World Health Organization (Vogel 287). The first and possibly biggest problem that arose with this bill is that it brought back a Reagan-era policy that bans nongovernmental organizations that are funded by the United States from providing abortions, informational, referrals, or even advocating for more liberal abortion laws in whichever country the NGOs are in (Vogel 287). It’s been brought back into action throughout every Republican administration since it was initiated when Reagan was in office, and it’s known as a Global Gag Rule. America deciding to revoke funding means that nongovernmental organizations will lose between 8 and 9 billion dollars worth of their funds (Vogel 287). Despite abortion being left on a state to state basis here in the States, the country will now not help other countries that are in need of help of abortion access. The last time this rule was implemented, more than 20 developing countries lost all access to contraceptives, which in turn led to higher abortion rates (Vogel 287). In addition to losing contraceptives, this rule also causes health care services to be completely shut down and cut off in some areas, meaning all citizens lost their health care (Vogel 287). As of this moment it isn’t known how much the rule will affect other countries now, but over time the effects will be seen, whether in lack of access to contraceptives again or having women turn towards unsafe methods to receive an abortion. As far as social paradigms go, the abortion conflict aligns most with the ideas of functionalism and symbolic interactionism (Keirns). Abortion and symbolic interactionism go hand in hand, as that social paradigm is viewed on a micro level, and abortion happens to only affect certain groups of people. One way abortion can be looked at through this lens is by looking at the anti-abortion groups, such as the religious ones and general pro-life crusaders, and examining their views. People’s views are shaped by interactions with other, not counting socialization that they may have experienced growing up. Those who are pro-life are passionate and adamant that the fetus developing is a human and deserves rights of its own, while those who are pro-choice argue that the woman who is carrying the fetus’ should have the decision to terminate her pregnancy if she so chooses.   The conflict between these two groups of people could also align with the conflict theory, however, it doesn’t happen within all of society, which makes abortion better suited for micro theories as opposed to macro. The idea of people who are against abortion and believe that women should carry the baby whether or not she wants it is rooted in sexism, as it reduces a woman down to a baby-carrying stereotype while also neglecting her opinion on the situation. From a structural functionalist point of view (Keirns), those who subscribe to that sociological paradigm could view abortion as something that is negative for family, as the family is viewed as the center of society. This theory is a macro-level theory, which differentiates it from the symbolic interactionist view of abortion, as functionalists would look how abortion works throughout the entire society. To some degree, a functionalist could be pro-choice, if only looking at the potential benefits it could have for society, although, as the family is central to this paradigm, this isn’t as likely as a pro-life functionalist. Functionalism and abortion don’t go as well together as symbolic interactionism do, but functionalists could examine abortion as a way of gauging if a family is no longer the center of society or not. Speaking generally, other sociological ideas that surround the abortion debate include poverty, gender, and culture (Keirns). Poverty is involved when thinking about abortion as it affects so many people, and if someone cannot afford to raise a child, they may turn to abortion as an option or get help from Planned Parenthood. The entire abortion problem is rooted in gender (Keirns), as it is predominantly a woman’s problem, and gender plays a large role in why some are anti-abortion. As stated earlier, many people believe in the notion that a woman should carry a baby no matter the circumstances. In addition to that, women are often shamed for getting abortions and are called derogatory slurs in the process. Whenever that happens, sexism is brought to the forefront of people’s arguments, as calling women by slurs is once again rooted in sexism. When women do get abortions for whatever reason, they could be considered deviant in some eyes, as she is straying away from th e norm some people hold about keeping the child. Finally, culture also plays a role in abortions, as culture influences everything around the world. In the United States, there is a divided culture over abortions, and there’s still a taboo surrounding talking about it sometimes. While it is more openly discussed in modern times, the taboo is still there, which is why some people are uncomfortable to talk about such a thing. While it is still considered controversial to speak about in today’s society, abortion should be a topic that’s freely discussed and improved upon as time goes on. Providing safe abortions for women across the country ensures that they can end surprise pregnancies, not be forced to carry a baby as a result of rape or incest, and give women an option if they are not able to support a child. This debate has gone on for decades now, and there is a very harsh divide between those for and against the medical procedure. Both those who oppose abortion and those who are outspoken advocates of it have strong opinions that frequently clash together. With the current way the country’s politics are, it appears more and more people are being outspoken about their view of it, whether it’s pro-choice or pro-life. In the past few months, there have been marches for and against abortion, and it’s clear that the American people are passionate about this hot topic. Fr om a sociological perspective, the interactions between the pro-life and pro-choice seem to be increasing as new generations emerge and form their own ideas on the topic of abortion. Culture continues to affect abortion, and as time goes on, the abortion fight will continue on with the development of society, whether for worse or for better. However, in the end, it should be a woman to decide on what to do with her body, and not the government, or other Americans.    Works Cited â€Å"About Teen Pregnancy.†Ã‚  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 26 Apr. 2016. Web. 15 Mar. 2017. Althaus, F. â€Å"Study Finds Low Condom Breakage Rate, Ties Most Slippage to Improper Use.†Ã‚  Family Planning Perspectives, vol. 24, no. 4, Jul/Aug92, pp. 191-192. EBSCOhost, db02.linccweb.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=9212211758&site=ehost-live. Web. 13 Mar. 2017. Argys, Laura, and Brian Duncan. â€Å"Economic Incentives and Foster Child Adoption.†Ã‚  Demography, vol. 50, no. 3, 2013, pp. 933–954., www.jstor.org/stable/42919906. Web. 13 Mar. 2017. Boland, Reed. â€Å"Second Trimester Abortion Laws Globally: Actuality, Trends, and Recommendations.†Ã‚  Reproductive Health Matters, vol. 18, no. 36, 2010, pp. 67–89., www.jstor.org/stable/25767363. Web. 11 Mar. 2017. Cohen, I. Glenn. â€Å"Are All Abortions Equal? Should There Be Exceptions to the Criminalization of Abortion for Rape and Incest?.†Ã‚  Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, vol. 43, no. 1, Spring2015, pp. 87-104. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1111/jlme.12198. Web. 14 Mar. 17. Finer, Lawrence B., and Kathryn Kost. â€Å"Unintended Pregnancy Rates at the State Level.†Ã‚  Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, vol. 43, no. 2, 2011, pp. 78–87., www.jstor.org/stable/23048865. Web. 11 Mar. 2017 Jacobson, Mireille, and Heather Royer. â€Å"Aftershocks: The Impact of Clinic Violence on Abortion Services.†Ã‚  American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, vol. 3, no. 1, 2011, pp. 189–223., www.jstor.org/stable/25760251. Web. 16 April 17. Johnson, Stephen D., and Joseph B. Tamney. â€Å"Factors Related to Inconsistent Life-Views.†Ã‚  Review of Religious Research, vol. 30, no. 1, 1988, pp. 40–46., www.jstor.org/stable/3511839. Web. 15 April 17. Jones RK and Jerman J, Abortion incidence and service availability in the United States, 2014,  Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 2017, 49(1), doi:10.1363/psrh.12015. Web. 15 Mar. 2017. Kandaswamy, Priya. â€Å"‘You Trade in a Man For the Man â€Å": Domestic Violence and the U. S. Welfare State.†Ã‚  American Quarterly, vol. 62, no. 2, 2010, pp. 253–277., www.jstor.org/stable/40664735. Web. 15 Mar. 2017. Keirns, Nathan J., et al.  Introduction to Sociology 2e. Houston, TX, OpenStax College, Rice University, 2015. Kliff, S. 2015. â€Å"A Government Shutdown Fight is Brewing. This One is Over Planned Parenthood.† Vox, September 10. â€Å"NWLC Analysis of 2014 Census Poverty Data.†Ã‚  NWLC. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2017. â€Å"Planned Parenthood Controversy Revives Abortion Debate.†Ã‚  Penn Bioethics Journal, vol. 11, no. 2, Fall2015, p. 7. EBSCOhost, db02.linccweb.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=117725282&site=ehost-live. Web. 15 Mar. 2017. Parenthood, Planned. â€Å"What Is the Effectiveness of Birth Control Pills?†Ã‚  What Is the Effectiveness of Birth Control Pills?  N.p., 27 Dec. 2016. Web. 16 Mar. 2017. 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