The Media And Its Portrayal Of Athletes - 1573 Words

According to Knight and Giuliano’s 2001 article, gender equality has been and will remain a current topic of hot discussion in the media and its portrayal of athletes. Athletes have a unique ability to deliver their thoughts and information to the masses through the media outlets given to them in regard to their social status. Once the media has heard what the athletes have to say it can be at the media’s hand for interpretation. In this specific study 92 undergraduates were given a fake newspaper that covered an Olympian with the main focus being on attractiveness. The study covered male and female athletes in the newspaper article while focusing predominantly on attractiveness. Results show that the readers not only disliked the attraction focus, but also preferred the reading be more focused on the athleticism of the Olympians. The largest take away from the study is the media and its coverage or portrayal of athletes being geared towards athletic achievement over qu ality of appearance In Riebock and Bae s 2013 literature review they discuss the differences in men and women athletes body perception in the media. To get their results they used multiple questionnaires that revolved around questions dealing with body shame, self-objectification and their appearance goal. Their conclusion said grade level and ethnicity do not play a significant role in the effects of the media on body perceptions† (Riebock Bae, 2013). However, what does play a role is gender. Women are inShow MoreRelatedThe General Public s View Of African American Athletes Essay1184 Words   |  5 Pageswould like to research how these articles effects the general public’s view of African American athletes. I would do this by surveying groups of classrooms, students around campus, and showing them athletes. I would show them both African American athletes and White Athletes. I would ask them how they feel about these athletes, why they feel this way about them, and what have they heard about them in the media. After collecting this data, and gathering my conclusion from it, I would like to go back andRead MoreThe Issue Of Inequality Within The Sporting World1285 Words   |  6 Pagesthat effect women’s sport that stop its rise to prominence in Australian society. These barriers include, sexploitation, women s portrayal and coverage in the media, sponsorship cycle, participation rates in young girls and misogyny. These issues directly affect the major stakeholders in women’s sport. These stakeholders are for these issues are female athletes, media companies, female children and the Australian society in general. Women’s sport in Australia has such low acceptance, airtime andRead MoreGender Stereotyping : A Televised Media Sports Coverage1332 Words   |  6 PagesTelevised Media Sports Coverage Anonymous University of Arizonaâ€Æ' Abstract Sports fans usually acknowledge various sports through different mass media outlets. To develop our comprehension of social qualities inserted in sports and to investigate current values and power structures in regards to men and women, it is important to explore the potential impact that media may have in manipulating conventions about gender-appropriate sport conduct. One question that will be answered is, does mass media influenceRead MoreAfrican American And Black Athletes895 Words   |  4 Pagesand black athletes being portrayed as beast like, unintelligent, emotional, dominating, violent, and brutal. The specific sport of focus is the NBA. Black athletes are portrayed as beast and animal like in media images like poster, magazine covers, tee shirts, and game freeze frames. Black players have made many strides in the NBA, nearly 75% of NBA players are black, while only 23% of players are white (The 2015 Racial and Gender Report Card). Although there are many black players the media is stillRead MoreGender Inequality For Women s Sports982 Words   |  4 Pagesand it was more relatable to me. Women in Sports have been a controversial topic. The topic includes the inequalities as media portrayals, gender stereotyping and the different levels of standards women are held to. These may vary in different areas, however. The differences in the way that the media portrays female athletes, opposed to the way the media portrays male athletes have always been noticeable. Our culture as a whole has undergone dramatic changes with regard to the recognition of inappropriateRead MoreDoes Racial Bias Affect The Lives Of Americans? Essay1593 Words   |  7 Pagesdisappeared. In an age of media at every turn, the can influence so much and be so powerful. Unfortunately, one of the most apparent outlets of systemic racial bias is this proclaimed media, which tends to reflect and produce social perceptions of Americans and results in impacts on all Americans. A well studied and common example of racial bias in media would be sports and their coverage. Many of the mainstream sports have disproportionate amounts of minorities as athletes, making it significantRead MoreGender Stereotyping Of Sports Media1743 Words   |  7 PagesGender stereotyping in sports media is something we see everyday in magazines and on TV. Since sports were invented, males have dominated one of Canada’s largest pastimes. Reasons for this being physicality and strength, but as time progressed women began to become more involved in the culture of sport. Today there is almost an equal amount of women participating in sports as man, yet women are still not being represented with the same approach as men. About a month ago I found a video onlineRead MoreSouled Out? How Blacks Are Winning and Losing in Sports by Shun Powell1349 Words   |  5 Pagesequality through sports across the world, Powell offers his work as a portrayal of the evolution of African-am erican athletes over time and compares past struggles with modern day issues. Powell discusses how African American’s are both winning and losing in sports, but ultimately emphasizes the negative aspects of the on-going crisis. Powell, a well-known journalist, reviews and discusses how education, professional activism, media, and community relate and affect African-Americans in sports, thereforeRead MoreGender Inequality : Sports And Women s Professional Level Of Sport1469 Words   |  6 Pagesagainst the female athlete. When you turn on Sportscenter or TSN and watch the highlights of last night’s games you will most likely see men’s basketball, football, and baseball more than you will see any women’s sports. In 2009, 72% of ESPN’s coverage was related to basketball, football, or baseball (Lisec McDonald 2012). It is clear that in today’s Western society, males are the dominant figure in sports and receive a tremendous amount of more media attention than female athletes. Young boys growRead MoreMedia Influence On Sports1347 Words   |  6 Pagesthe past years the media has had a big effect on society. Many people rely on the media for news or sports coverage but they don’t realize that the media may influence people’s beliefs or way of behaving. The media covers sports in order to provide information to the fans but they also can create fake news to spark controversy in sports. The world of sports is largely affected by the media as they are a big t opic to talk about throughout all kinds of media. Although the media can provide information

Essay on Myth of the Teen Brain An Article Review

Introduction In 2007, Scientific American Mind published an article by Robert Epstein. In his article, Epstein raised the question of whether the teenage brain caused turmoil, or if turmoil shaped the brain. The author began by explaining a discredited theory that haunts teenagers today. It began in 1904 with G. Stanley Hall’s observation of adolescents who were left on the streets due to mass migration and immigration during the industrial revolution. Hall attributed the turmoil he observed to recapitulation, a biological theory in which adolescence mirrors the savage, pigmoid stage of evolutionary development (Epstein 2007). Further, brain imaging studies noted differences in scans of adolescents and adults while performing†¦show more content†¦Theoretical Value From a developmental perspective, the brain tends to have a reciprocal relationship with the energy/resources going in and out of it. Brain function affects mood, cognition and behavior via neurotransmission. Neurotransmission has also been linked to normal developmental processing and disorders (Robbins, Chatterjee Canda 2006). At the same token, ingesting substances such as drugs (legal and illegal) can permanently change the brain’s chemistry, and ultimately, its functioning (National Institute on Drug Abuse 2011). In such case, it is important to note that the action of using a substance (environment) alters the brain, instead of the brain causing the substance use, as would be deducted from the brain scans. While most Western cultures do not celebrate adolescence, perhaps the change from childhood to adolescence is marked by some change in functioning that would account for the behaviors attributed to teens: â€Å"hazing, tattooing, dieting, dress, and beautification rituals† (McCarter 2011). As discussed previously, however, the â€Å"teenage behavior,† is not universal, although it is widespread in the West. As Bynum and Thompson (2007) explained, regulating the social status, role and legal treatment of adolescents caused marginality and had negative consequences (494), which correlated with Epstein’s theory that the restrictions on teens contribute to turmoil. The research and theories proposed in the article areShow MoreRelatedUnderstanding Schizophreni How Do You Know?870 Words   |  4 Pagesmain factors of schizophrenia is genetics. Despite the fact that there has been no specific gene linked to the cause of schizophrenia, there is a gene related to the risk of one developing schizophrenia known as the brain derived neurotropic factor (Egan, Weinberger, Lu, 2003). This brain deriving factor is known to effect the hippocampus, this aids in the creation of impairments of individuals with schizophrenia. Perhaps one of the most interesting elements in the development of schizophrenia is thatRead MoreMarijuana Damages the Mind and Body Essay1189 Words   |  5 Pagesis used as marijuana. In addition, the flowers of the female plant and the buds are the most vigorous part. Furthermore, the plant produces the main psychoactive substance, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (Wishnia 44). In Putting a Match to the Marijuana Myth, Peggy Mann states â⠂¬Å"Most kids are fully convinced that the use of Marijuana is not harmful. But new medical research proves them dead wrong.† Thus, marijuana does cause mental and physical corruption to the user. The mental damage is to memory andRead MoreThe Positive and Negative Aspects of Video Games in Society968 Words   |  4 Pageswith others online. Video games is almost available everywhere, from video consoles to cell phones, most Americans have played a video game before. The American myth is that Americans mostly view video games as a way to pass time, but they never see pass it to notice the influence and impacts it have in society. Americans believe this myth because our culture focuses more on what the public media broadcasts. There are cases where positive and negative aspects of video games were shown, but in realityRead MoreUnderstanding Schizophreni How Do You Know?1916 Words   |  8 Pagesmain factors of schizophrenia is genetics. Despite the fact that there has been n o specific gene linked to the cause of schizophrenia, there is a gene related to the risk of one developing schizophrenia known as the brain derived neurotropic factor (Egan, Weinberger, Lu, 2003). This brain deriving factor is known to effect the hippocampus, this aids in the creation of impairments of individuals with schizophrenia. Perhaps one of the most interesting elements in the development of schizophrenia is thatRead MoreThe Negative Effect Of Youth Health Essay1734 Words   |  7 Pagesmag. All these advertising elements may seem positive, may it be the pretty colours, gorgeous people, catchy phrases. These potential positive things are having a negative effect on youth health, as the unhealthy, unrealistic images portrayed are brain washing our younger society into unhealthy habits and ways of living. Goodman (1999), research found that the average young person views more than 3000 ads per day on television, on the Internet, on billboards, and in magazines, that was in 1999,Read MoreFact, Fiction, And Perception : Understanding Schizophrenia2469 Words   |  10 Pagesmain factors of schizophrenia is genetics. Despite the fact that there has been no specific gene linked to the cause of schizophrenia, there is a gene related to the risk of one developing schizophrenia known as the brain derived neurotropic factor (Egan, Weinberger, Lu, 2003). This brain deriving factor is known to effect the hippocampus, this aids in the creation of impairments of individuals with schizophrenia. Perhaps one of the most interesting elements in the development of schizophrenia is thatRead MoreLiterature Review on African American Substance Abuse3426 Words   |  14 PagesLiterature Review Literature Review Literature presented in this review reflects research conducted during the past five years, 2007 - 2011, and addresses the phenomena of adolescent substance abuse in the African American demographic. Additionally, this literature review will address documented causes of adolescent substance abuse as presented by psychologists, psychiatrists, educators, government officials, urban-policy researchers, addiction counselors and human service professionals. OpposingRead More ADHD and Its Treatments Essay examples1852 Words   |  8 Pagestendencies. Fortunately, research and experiments have led to new and effective treatments to help those who suffer from this disorder (Dupaul 8). This research examined journal articles and internet sources on the topic to help unlock the complexities of the disorder through scientific research. It also was a way to separate the myths of the disorder from the truths, while discovering the causes, diagnosis methods, and best treatment alternatives to ba ttle this prevalent disorder.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1902, a physicianRead MoreThe And Intention Of The Juvenile Court System Essay2438 Words   |  10 Pagesthe crime committed a minor will receive one of three types of detentions; a lecture by officers, a notice of appearance detailing when and where they are to report for their case, or kept detained in juvenile hall until a judge has had a chance to review the case. There are four types of hearings a juvenile may have to attend, the first is a detention hearing and it is used as a way to see if the child needs to remain in juvenile hall until the conclusion of the case. The next is an adjudication hearingRead MoreContemporary Commercial Advertising Aimed At Youth Essay1758 Words   |  8 PagesLiterature review â€Å"Contemporary commercial advertising aimed at youth has often been counteractive to youth health and has contributed greatly to poor health outcomes.† Discuss Introduction The world as we know it in the 21st century is consumed by advertising. Everywhere we look, everywhere we go our eyes are continually be exposed to some form of advertising; televisions, media, magazines, bill boards and shops are some examples of places where we gather information from certain types of commercial

John Donne Free Essays

Ideas and themes change according to the different times and the historical, social, cultural and personal context of the time they are written In, with the texts either reflecting or contrasting the Ideas of that time. Death and mortality and the spiritual and emotional connections are themes that have evolved over time due to the different contexts. These themes are thematically central to John Donna’s poetry written In the 17th century and Margaret Dose’s 20th century play W;t. We will write a custom essay sample on John Donne or any similar topic only for you Order Now During the 1 7th Century, religion, especially Christianity, permeated all aspects of society. Donna’s Death be not proud and Hymen to God my God, in my Sickness reflect his Christian belief that the material body was a temporary vessel for the soul’s Journey and hence death was not something to be feared. In his Holy Sonnet, Death be not proud, Done patronizes death, and attempts to dispel the fears associated with death, reflecting the influence of his personal and historical contexts on his poetry. Donna’s immediate use of the imperative, ‘Death be not proud, though some have called thee mighty and dreadfully, for, thou art not see’, belittles the existence of death by creating a condescending tone. Moreover by personifying death and then directly addressing It, Done demeans death’s power saying that Its nothing but an end result to fate and chance. To further correctly death, Done uses a metaphor to equate death to rest and sleep’, robbing It of Its power. In contrast, Dose’s W;t portrays a society in which the concept of a universal religion no longer exists, instead science was the savior. As a result death is seen as the final and absolute end in a context influenced by the existential fear of mortality and death which was prominent in late 20th century society. Dose’s main character Viand’s constant attachment to the IV pole symbolizes the modern medical science world. Vivian describes herself as, ‘Just the specimen, Just the dust Jacket, Just the white piece of paper’. The repetition of ‘Just the’ and the objectification of Vivian through those descriptions reflect that life and body are viewed scientifically, as an observable phenomenon, capable of study. Academia and science are hence represented as having Increasing Importance, thus creating an environment where mortality is increasingly feared. In Hymen to God my God, in my Sickness the Hessians who attend to the speaker, much like the Code Team who attend to Vivian, are concerned with merely the material body. Done uses an extended conceit to compare the dying speaker to a map, suggesting that â€Å"west and east in all flat maps are one† highlighting that West’ where the sun sets, is in reality connected to the â€Å"Resurrection† in the east, where the sun rises. He questions the reality of death using a rhetorical questions; â€Å"what shall my west hurt me? † showing his clear confidence in life after death. In a similar manner, the concluding scenes off;t epic a resemblance to the notion put forward by Done, where theatrically ‘a frenzy takes over’ as the Code Team attempt to resuscitate Vivian, perceiving the survival of her physical body as the most important task. This flurried obsession with her material body Is Juxtaposed with Viand’s ‘slow and graceful’ walk towards ‘a little light’ showing her acceptance that death is â€Å"nothing but a breath – a comma – separates the shedding of her material fears, Vivian embodies Donna’s interpretation of death in this is my plays last scene when he walks away from his soul, leaving his sins Enid. The 17th Century Renaissance era placed greater importance on the human need for spiritual and emotional connections than the late 20th Century did. This notion is supported in Donna’s A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning in which emotional connections are all encompassing and contain a spiritual element. Here the speaker puts forward the idea that their love is beyond the scientifically rational and can withstand physical separation through the use of scientific imagery such as, trepidation of the spheres†¦ Is innocent’. Furthermore Done uses a metaphysical enceinte by portraying the idealized love between the two as a compass, with the lovers representing the two end points. The speaker’s faith in the spiritual connection between the lovers is revealed as he believes that their emotional connection cannot be weakened by the metaphoric separation of the endpoint of the compass, When the other far doth Rome, It leans, and hearkens after it’. Alternatively, W;t portrays a society, whose individuals through scholarship and intellect, can become increasingly isolated and as a result lack emotional and spiritual connections. The medical professionals, Jason and Kelvin, repeatedly voice empty platitudes such as ‘how are you feeling today? In a procedure known as a clinical. The clinical, which is supposed to establish a connection between doctor and patient, has essentially become a meaningless ritual, representing the lack of concern for emotional and spiritual connection in the late 20th century. Thus, through John Donna’s poetry, written in the 17th Century and Margaret Dose’s 20th Century play W;t, we are able to see how texts written in different time and context can either reflect or contrast the ideas of that time. How to cite John Donne, Papers

One Best Friend Essay Example For Students

One Best Friend Essay One Best FriendThere are so many types of friendship that can be developed intentionally or unintentionally by all humans. It’s hard to accept that sometimes because we might need the help of someone who if it wasn’t for the current need we would be happy not to even speak a word to him or her. All of us at some time or another we make conscious decisions on who our friends are. Frankenstein didn’t have such luxury. He didn’t have a circle of friends to choose from. He only had those who wanted to use him for their own convenience and it is in this way that he learned that friendship could be that. An exchange of favors by people he really didn’t trust. All through the storylines that follow the book and the first movie, Frankenstein didn’t have any real friends. Even the old blind man from Bride of Frankenstein accepted him because he himself was in desperate need of any kind of human interaction. The monster’s first impression was that of an honest friendly gesture. This was the first step for him in learning that friendship could be used to acquire the things he wanted. Aristotle commented on the existence of three types of friendship: â€Å"friendship based on utility†, â€Å"friendship based on pleasure† and â€Å"perfect friendship†. The first one being based on a dependency of one another. We all get to experience all three types of friendship. The Monster never had the privilege of knowing the last one. The third one is based on real feelings of admiration, respect, and understanding. Nobody ever had those feelings toward the monster. Almost all the characters and ever viewers of the story have nothing but feelings of fear, misunderstanding, pity and disrespect for the monster. The closest anybody came to be a real friend to the monster was Ygor. Even Ygor didn’t really see the monster as a potential friend he was only a tool that he used to get even with those who sentenced him to be hanged and those who didn’t hide their disgust for Ygor. It could be argued that nobody got as close to the monster as Ygor did . Ygor didn’t want the monster to be his friend he didn’t hesitate to replace the Monster’s brain with his own in order to have the monster strength to be used for his own plans. He realized that controlling the monster was becoming more and more difficult. Friendship is not about controlling somebody else. In the surface it could be argued that Ygor was the Monster’s best friend. After all we all have someone that it’s considered a best friend. Everybody in the early years try to stay and befriend those who look like us or who share some kind of bond. In Bride Of Frankenstein the monster seems to be applying this concept to himself when he demands a partner. He had realized that people would never be able to see him in a friendly manner, they would never be able to understand him, because they were not like him. His solution was to search for someone who understood him and was in the same situation. Another monster. At the end of the movie he real ized that not even someone who had been built just like himself would not accept him. The terrified expression of the bride told him everything he needed to know. There are so many aspects to the story of Frankenstein in relation to friendship, but the most notable is that of a lonely being who could not culture a â€Å"perfect friendship† which was the cause of his destruction. .u142fdeeda0618148fedf50f1f00a1f32 , .u142fdeeda0618148fedf50f1f00a1f32 .postImageUrl , .u142fdeeda0618148fedf50f1f00a1f32 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u142fdeeda0618148fedf50f1f00a1f32 , .u142fdeeda0618148fedf50f1f00a1f32:hover , .u142fdeeda0618148fedf50f1f00a1f32:visited , .u142fdeeda0618148fedf50f1f00a1f32:active { border:0!important; } .u142fdeeda0618148fedf50f1f00a1f32 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u142fdeeda0618148fedf50f1f00a1f32 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u142fdeeda0618148fedf50f1f00a1f32:active , .u142fdeeda0618148fedf50f1f00a1f32:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u142fdeeda0618148fedf50f1f00a1f32 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u142fdeeda0618148fedf50f1f00a1f32 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u142fdeeda0618148fedf50f1f00a1f32 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u142fdeeda0618148fedf50f1f00a1f32 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u142fdeeda0618148fedf50f1f00a1f32:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u142fdeeda0618148fedf50f1f00a1f32 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u142fdeeda0618148fedf50f1f00a1f32 .u142fdeeda0618148fedf50f1f00a1f32-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u142fdeeda0618148fedf50f1f00a1f32:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Secret Sharer written by Joseph Conrad, center EssayEnglish Essays

Global Warming a Real Threat Essay Example

Global Warming a Real Threat Paper Today we question if global warming is even a real threat to us. Many would say no, while others would say yes, and the rest either dont care or are indecisive. Personally I do believe global warming is a real threat not only because of our generation, but also generations before us. Humans interfere with the Earths energy flow with our everyday activities. We have increased the amount of carbon dioxide since pre-industrial times, and the influence of human induced climate changes are constantly changing as the years go on. The main way we interfere with the natural flows of energy is by atmospheric composition. Which is the chemical abundance in the earths atmosphere of its constituents. The emissions of human-caused greenhouse gases cause the build-up of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. It is more than 90% certain that humans are causing most of it through activities that increase concentrations Of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, such as deforestation and burning fossil fuels (en. Wisped. Org/wick/ Scientific_opinion_on_climate_change). All together if greenhouse emissions continue then global warming will continue and the atmospheric pressure will continue to increase. America has continued to increase the amounts of arbor dioxide in the atmosphere since pre-industrial times. The burning of fossil fuels that came with industrialization released massive amounts of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere, which has helped cause global warming (Environmental News Network). This further proves the fact that the global warming we are experiencing is not natural. We will write a custom essay sample on Global Warming a Real Threat specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Global Warming a Real Threat specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Global Warming a Real Threat specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer People are causing it. Over the past 50 years, human influences have been the dominant detectable influence on climate change ( Karl; Thirteenth). Climate change refers to the changes in the average temperature, the amount of rainy days, ND the frequency of droughts over months, years, decades, and even centuries. The earliest understanding of this and greenhouse gases was in 1824 by French physicist Joseph Fourier, he suggested that the earth acted as an insulator of some kind. Although greenhouse gases occur naturally in the Earths atmosphere, humans contribute by digging up long-buried forms of carbon such as coal and oil. When we began to burn them as additional energy sources the carbon emissions released faster than the natural carbon cycle. With that being said that tells us we need to do something different. There are many ways that people can help prevent global warming. Carpooling auditing the energy in homes, buying fuel-efficient cars, and reducing the electricity used in home are ways to help prevent global warming.

Analysis of McDonalds

Analysis of McDonalds McDonald’s leads the food service sector globally, with its more than 70 million customers in more than 100 countries. It relies on 35,000 locations and uses a franchise model to sustain growth globally. The parent company owns 20 percent of the restaurants, while the remaining share belongs to independent businesses (McDonalds, 2014).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Analysis of McDonald’s specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More What kind of market does the company belong to? The market of McDonalds’s products is perfectly competitive because there are many rivals, who have equal access to the customers. At the same time, customers have adequate information about the products offered by all companies in the industry, and they are free to pick any of the products they see fit. Prices of the products depend on a business’s strategic positioning in the market. At the same time, prices are sensitive to any deviations from the market equilibrium position. For example, if the price of a McDonald’s burger increases substantially to be different from the ordinary price of burgers in a particular country, then consumers will prefer to buy burgers from the competing brands and shun the McDonald’s brand. McDonald’s belongs to the quick service restaurant industry, specializing in the delivery of easy to grab food menu items. What is the Price Elasticity of Demand for the goods that the McDonald’s sells? The price elasticity of foods and nonalcoholic beverages offered by the company is generally under one. Additionally, the inclusion of food away from home in the analysis brings the elasticity towards one. Typical scores for the price elasticity of fast food restaurant food are 0.7 to 0.8. An interpretation of this elasticity is that the demand for the food or beverage is very sensitive to price changes. If prices increase by one percent, then the expected reduction in demand will be 0.8 percent to 0.7 percent.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Is the demand elastic or inelastic? The demand for McDonald’s products is elastic. Changes in price, caused by the company’s decision or regulatory influences such as tax and subsidy policies, can lead to fluctuations in demand in the short term. Customers do not have to invest in the brand for long for them to be able to derive value. Moreover, they do not build significant attachment to foods and beverages offered, such that they cannot cut their purchases or shift to the substitute products. In fact, the presence of many alternatives contributes to the elasticity of the demand for the company. The elastic nature of demand for the company’s product places it in a risky market position. At the same time, the quality of food served by the company is a sourc e of concern for many stakeholder groups that seek to influence healthy food choices in society. Therefore, McDonald’s business remains vulnerable to factors that affect prices of its goods and the demand, as a result. Increased focus on healthy eating habits in society caused by a high prevalence of lifestyle diseases, such as diabetes and obesity, is causing consumers and health bodies in different countries to demand restrictions on the marketing of fast food restaurants and imposing taxes on the business to compensate for their negative influence on society. However, the application of recommendations is different in various countries (Andreyeva, Long, Brownell, 2010). McDonald’s is yet to face a radical shift in policy that severely handicaps its business strategy, but the company is aware of the potential danger that such as regulatory move would cause to its profitability. Overall, McDonad’s products face different effects of technological changes, socia l factors, the retail environment, government policies, and changing economic factors in the various countries where the company operates.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Analysis of McDonald’s specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More What kind of income elasticity the product(s) of the company face? The foods and drinks offered at any McDonald’s restaurant are normal goods whose demand and supply curves follow market conventions. A rise in the price influences an increase in the supply, when demand remains the same or increases. On the other hand, as the price elasticity of demand showed, a rise in price corresponds to a decrease in demand when other things in the market remain constant. Consumers increase their consumption of products from McDonald’s when their income increases. At the same time, during harsh economic conditions, when people lose jobs, or experience a slowdown in their businesses and have less disposable income, they only purchase essential quantities or skip some purchases. Therefore, the income elasticity of the products sold by McDonald’s is elastic. However, for particular foods like burgers that fill the dollar menu, considerable increases in consumer incomes only increase the consumption to a certain level before consumers choose other pricier menu items perceived for their healthiness. In this case, the burger becomes an inferior good and its income elasticity becomes inelastic. Who are their closest competitors? The closest competitors include Burger King Worldwide Inc., which offer various fast food menu items at an affordable price for most consumers, Subway restaurants, KFC, and Wendy’s Co. Both Burger King and Wendy ventured into the breakfast segment of the market as a way of differentiating themselves, and to increase their rivalry with McDonald’s. They also introduced menu items that are locally customizable to give consumers better matches for their tastes (Patton, 2014). Other than the main global competitors, there are country-specific competitors in every nation where the company has a presence.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Are there any close substitutes or complements? There are several products whose cross elasticity of demand with respect to the products offered by McDonalds is positive. Consumers can take on the substitutes when they do not have or do not want to purchase McDonald’s products. At the same time, the company’s products have compliments. The beverages sold at McDonald’s restaurants have substitutes in the form of other beverage brands sold by other restaurants. The price of a coke at McDonald’s is about the same as the price of a Pepsi at Burger King. McDonald’s sells numerous brands within particular beverage ranges, such as coffee or tea and soda. This includes its branded foods and drinks, which consumers can quickly find replacements in its rival stores. As for burgers and other foods, there is a slight difference in the ingredients used to make them. However, the taste of a burger and the size at a McDonald’s restaurant are similar to tho se available in other restaurants, such as KFC and Subway (Landsburg, 2014). Thus, customers can form preferences based on the location of the restaurant and brand association. However, they are free to pick a McDonald’s or any of its close competitors if they depend on a pure product basis. The company does not encourage customers to bring foods from external sources into its restaurants. Therefore, it does not have compliments. The exception is when clients take food from McDonald’s and go to eat together with food or drinks from other outlets. In many cases, the complimentary product will be a drink or food item that McDonald’s does not offer. However, a significant percentage of consumers do not rely on complementary products. They will either pick a McDonald’s product, such as its hamburger or one of its close rivals. Is the demand for the product of the company growing? The demand for McDonald’s foods and beverages has been plateauing for the last few years as rivals catch up with the company, and negative performances of economies affect it. However, the company still registers marginal growth as the overall demand for fast foods around the world increases. The main reason for the increase is the rise in population and the growth of the middle-income class in many emerging economies. A big influence for change in the demand is consumer preference. Many people are becoming aware of the health effects of eating junk food. Therefore, they are watching their fat and calorie intake. The negative publicity of McDonald’s foods does not make the matter better. The brand associates with bad food choices and consumers opt to look for rival restaurants to find healthy food, despite the interventions made by the company to increase healthy food menu items in its restaurants. As a result, the company has to invest more money in its promotion strategy to ensure that it continues to attract new customers and retain the existin g ones (Hirschey, 2008). Nevertheless, a focus on the dollar menu has been a key driver of growth for McDonald’s. The company seeks to provide consumers with the most affordable food in the market. It offers a dollar menu item that includes the essential daily nutrition elements for individuals. Thus, consumers who are busy and need a quick meal prefer to pick items from the dollar menu (The Associated Press, 2013). At the same time, those looking for the most affordable meal associate McDonald’s with inexpensiveness and frequent its restaurants. Therefore, the primary promoter of the increase in demand for the company’s products is the changing lifestyles of consumers, which make them busy. Moreover, the increase in the costs of living compels consumers to look for value for money deals when visiting restaurants. Growth in demand for McDonald’s faces two challenges. The first one is the reputation of the brand as a poor health choice for consumers. That reputation was further tarnished by reports showing that the company relied on wrong ingredient choices and used expired ingredients in its foods. Although the company has done several internal tests to correct the problem, the public perception of the brand has already suffered. Regulators also investigated the restaurant for sanitary standard violation across the European and Russian market. The restaurant business is sensitive to sanitary issues. Consumers expect to dine in premises that meet the minimum threshold of cleanliness. Therefore, any news of sanitary standards’ violation is going to affect the demand for the company’s products adversely. Despite the grave nature of the adverse effects highlighted above, McDonalds can overcome them in the long-term, as it continues to implement strategies that enhance its value to consumers. A more persistent problem in the company is its maturation. In many markets, the industry has matured, and there is no more room for growth. There are enough restaurants competing in the industry, and the only way for companies to expand is by merging or acquiring their rivals. Otherwise, companies are only able to introduce few restaurants per year, and the marginal return on the new restaurants is less that optimal. In the United States, in particular, the growth of McDonald’s and the rival businesses has stagnated in terms of the number of new restaurants opened annually. At the same time, sales for each restaurant are either the same or slowing down in their growth. Can the labor force of the company be trained further to increase productivity and lower cost of production? It is difficult to train the labor force to raise productivity because the practice is standardized. Employees are already trained in customer service delivery and specialized in various aspects of restaurant operations. They can serve in different departments in the same restaurant or various restaurants. They are aware of customer demands, as well as operational needs of the business. Additional training is less likely to increase productivity in the low-end level of employees, unless the training involves the use of technologically advanced equipment to ease service delivery. On the other hand, the management employees in the restaurants and the overall business can benefit from improvements in the management and leadership skills. The business performance relies on strategic implementation of its growth and sustainability plans. Its main actors in this area are its management employees. Therefore, any additional training on the use of appropriate business leadership and management tools, as well as awareness of industry variables will help managers improve the operation of their restaurants and their divisions in the company (Hirschey, 2008). However, training will not guarantee substantial improvements in performance because it relies on the matching of difference people skills and job demands. Standardize d training will work for some employees and fail to work for others. Therefore, in case the company goes ahead with any additional training plans, it must consider various factors that affect training effectiveness. These include the company tradition, prevailing economic and social influencing factors on employee productivity, the cost of training, and the expected margin of improvement in performance (Hill, Jones, Schilling, 2014). As a business, is the company profitable? Will it be able to sustain profitability? McDonald’s prides itself as more than just a restaurant; the company gives jobs to many people and acts as a community partner. It seeks to sustain its position as a model for other restaurants around the world. One way of sustaining its market position is by focusing on the quality of its product, delivering services that meet customers’ expectations and maintaining overall cleanliness. The company also nourishes its values across all its operations acros s the world. It seeks to define the lifestyle of its customers, in addition to its desire to become a place where customers will prefer to eat and drink. Therefore, it focuses on a marketing mix strategy that continuously improves aspects of its operations dealing with products, place, price, and promotions (McDonalds, 2014). McDonald’s has not been profitable in the last few years. Its primary market, which is the United States, has been experiencing slow growth, thereby affecting its overall profitability negatively. In 2014, the third-quarter profits dropped by 30 percent in the United States, which was due to the poor performance of the introduced deals and new items. An increase in the price of the burger, which many consumers preferred as an inexpensive meal also, led to a slump in demand and decreased profitability. The loss in profitability was attributed to increased competition, but it could also be a pointer to the decreasing popularity of the purely fast food chai n in developed markets (Patton, 2014). How can it make its profit grow? Consumers are increasingly scrutinizing the market for foods and drinks across the world. They are looking at ethical business conduct and corporate social responsibility programs of different companies to evaluate their brand values. Given that ‘eating out’ has become an acceptable lifestyle choice for Western cultures, customers prefer to explain their life choices by different issues, such as the restaurants they frequent daily. McDonald’s has to place itself in an excellent market position to capture the various market segments characterized by consumer preferences, economic conditions, and social factors (Goodman, 2009). As a public traded company, the company also faces demands from stakeholders and shareholders, which affect its ability to formulate and pursue different strategies. For example, it has to comply with market regulations against business monopolies and submit annual retur ns to the market regulator. It must provide its investors with a yearly report that details its performance and elaborates its strategies for the upcoming years. This information informs investors and other stakeholders about the company. At the same time, it provides the competitors with a basis for understanding the McDonald’s structure and the way of doing business. Thus, many rivals can quickly formulate business strategies to compete with McDonald’s and take its share of different markets. In view of these points, McDonald’s must rely on differentiation and the pursuit of capabilities that are difficult for its rivals to copy in various markets. This table demonstrates the income sources of fast food restaurants from different regions to highlight their growth and profitability prospects. It shows McDonald’s as the company with the most diversified sources of income, closely followed by Burger King (Jurevicius, 2015) 2013 McDonald’s[1] Yu m! Brands[2] Burger King[3] Wendy’s[4] Income from U.S. 31.5% 18.9% 58% 98% Income from Europe 40% 19.3% 29.3% 0% Rest of the world 28.5% 61.8% 12.7% 2% McDonald’s has an internal company value of constant improvement, where it seeks to respond to changes in customer, employee, and system needs effectively (QRSWeb.com, 2010). The company has to focus on its iconic brands that are responsible for most customer traffic into its restaurants across the world to maintain profitability. It also has to find incremental changes to its menu items that make the main foods and drinks relevant to changes in customer preferences. Relying on consumer research will be a good strategy for maintaining profitability. The company should build on its various customer intelligence platforms to know more about its customers and use its barbell strategy to manage its multiple revenue streams. These strategies will allow it to sustain a favorable market, even in times of economic rec ession when customers watch their spending. The company must invest in technology platforms that enable it to offer differentiated services. The restaurant experience can extend beyond the actual restaurant premises into people’s social lifestyles. The company should make use of the new media to stay in touch with the customers. It should also update its customer order display boards and its point-of-sale systems regularly so that it improves the speed of capturing details and the number of details obtained (Macke, 2015). Eventually, the new information should assist its employees in delivering personalized service to an industry that relies on standardization. A critical competitive advantage of the company will be its ability to personalize the McDonald’s experience, which makes it unique compared to customer experiences at rival restaurants. The franchise business model allows McDonald’s to retain control of its global image and promotion strategy, which is a n essential part of sustaining its profitability momentum (Ferrell Hartline, 2011). Recently, the company introduced new features in its branding strategy. It hopes that the new features will continue to make its brand relevant in the 21st century. At the same time, the new features such, as newly build and remodeled restaurants around the world, will be avenues for increasing customer focus. For example, the company is allowing new restaurants to have new designs in in-store graphics, furniture, and iconic features of the Ronald McDonald’s comical image. Other relevant factors The company’s profitability relies on a perfect execution of its long-term plan, referred to as the Plan to Win. Thus, it has to maintain a capable leadership and senior management team to ensure that all the parameters of the plan succeed. The main factor affecting growth and sustainability of the business is its ability to remain relevant and continue to enjoy high levels of customer trust. F or the company to achieve long-term growth, it has to differentiate the client experience. Differentiation requires investing in customer intelligence and research on preferences and market trends. It should also include the development of new products. However, the company must also ensure that additional costs introduced into the business do not erode its profit margins. The strategic plan of the company continues to affect the options for pricing, marketing, and promoting the business in different countries. An important point for McDonald’s to consider is to ensure that the company adapts to the cultural and social factors affecting its operations in foreign countries. In the past year, the company initiated various remodeling initiatives for its newer restaurants to improve the brand. Moreover, it has to look into making optimal capacity improvements so that growth in revenue comes from increased business of the existing restaurants, rather than relying on the developmen t of new restaurants. The biggest improvement in McDonald’s business will come from consistent reviews of its market performance. The company needs to scrutinize every management decision to determine its effect on the overall performance. For example, it can create performance benchmarks that follow non-monetary aspects of employee engagement, and then use them, together with management decision evaluation systems to evaluate the effectiveness of its strategic plan. The following is a SWOT analysis table of the internal business situation at McDonald’s and external factors that can influence its strategic choices. SWOT Analysis of McDonald’s Strengths Weaknesses Income diversification – the company relies on diversified income sources to sustain its business. It runs a fast food restaurant in many countries. In the particular markets where it operates, the company offers different menu items and targets differentiated consumers. Therefore, it ob tains revenues from different source as compared to its rivals that rely on the same products and consumer segments in every market that they operate in. While competitors rely on the incomes of a few geographical regions, McDonald’s gets revenue from the United States, Europe, and the rest of the world in well-balanced proportions. McDonald’s revenues will increase because income will come from different sources. Turbulence in one market can be offset by good returns form another market. Successful advertisement brand name – the company has invested enough funds to grow its brand reputation. It is known globally, even in markets where it does not have a franchise yet. As a result, customers who want fast foods or drinks prefer to dine in a McDonald’s than in other lesser-known brands. In many countries outside the United States, successful branding has allowed the company to enjoy favorable treatment as customers seek to embrace the Western culture. Col laborations – the company has also succeeded because it is collaborating with other firms to offer comprehensive menu items. For example, the partnership with Coke allows it to offer consumers value for money when they are picking its dollar menu items. It pairs each selection with drinks so that customers do not have to buy drinks separately. The company has also been providing clean environments and aims to follow high hygienic standards. Parents are assured that play areas for their children will remain clean always. Standardized service – customers can expect the same quality of service at all restaurants belonging to the company. McDonald’s invests in its employees by training and providing them with career development options. This allows them to remain committed to their work and deliver high-quality services to customers in every part of the world. Competitive pricings – in addition to the dollar menu items that target the bargain hunters, the oth er foods and drinks offered at the restaurant are priced competitively. The company understands the elastic nature of the demand for its goods; therefore, it matches the prices of products with market expectations. Weak product development – the time taken to come up with new products at the company is quite long. Rivals can introduce products faster and take up a significant share of the market in response to changing tastes and preferences of consumers. At the same time, McDonald’s relies so much on its successful products that it fails to pay enough attention to other products. This contributes to their huckster performance. Joint venture or franchise management – unlike its stores, the company does not have absolute control of its franchise businesses. It can only rely on the platform that it has created to ensure that global programs of the business and opportunities for growth are harnessed. However, in the case of country-specific challenges, the busi ness may take time to react appropriately due to the bureaucratic layers that are introduced to management by the franchise business model. Opportunities Threats Internationalization – currently, the business serves only one percent of the global population; thus, there are numerous opportunities for growth. It can increase its revenue by investing in emerging economies like India and Brazil, which are having a high growth of their middle-class incomes. At the same time, it may concentrate on its operations in developed countries and introduce variations to its key products to capture new market segments. Healthy foods – as the world becomes conscious of healthy eating, McDonald’s can partner with health companies to help it deliver better food and beverage choices to consumers (Hirschey, 2008). Changing consumer trends – much of the world is embracing the eating out culture, which presents excellent growth opportunities for companies that run res taurants in different market segments. Association with unhealthy habits – the company faces a reputation challenge as consumers become health-conscious and demand healthier menu items. If the company fails to address concerns from consumers, then it risks losing its business to rivals that offer healthier alternatives. Cultural backlash – in foreign markets, McDonald’s does not make substantial efforts to assimilate into the local cultures. While it prides itself as spreading the American culture, it also risks facing resistance for its failure to consider local cultural expectations of particular countries. There are many local competitors in different countries that have set their target as McDonald’s. The success of the company attracts scrutiny of its business strategies and acts as a hindrance to its differentiation strategy. Competitors are keen to copy its strategies and deny it a competitive advantage. This table shows the performance of McDonald’s and some of its close competitors in terms of income for the year 2013 and total the number of restaurants by the year 2014 (Bloch, 2015) 2013 McDonald’s Burger King Wendy’s % of income from the total number of franchises operated by the respective companies 32.85% 80.5% 12.9% Total number of restaurants (year 2014) 36,258 52 (company owned), 14,320 (franchised worldwide) 957 References Andreyeva, T., Long, M. W., Brownell, K. D. (2010). The impact of food prices on consumption: A systematic review of research on the price elasticity of demand for food. American Journal of Public Health, 100(2), 216-222. Bloch, H. (2015). Statistics and facts on McDonalds. Retrieved from statista.com/topics/1444/mcdonalds/ Ferrell, O. C., Hartline, M. (2011). Marketing strategy (6th ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western, Cengage Learning. Goodman, J. A. (2009). Strategic customer service. New York, NY: AMACOM. Hill, C., Jones, G., Schilling, M. (2014). Strate gic management theory: An integrated approach (11th ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning. Hirschey, M. (2008). Managerial economics. (12th ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. Jurevicius, O. (2015, January 6). McDonalds SWOT analysis 2015. Strategic Management Insight. Retrieved from strategicmanagementinsight.com/products/swot-analyses/mcdonalds-swot-analysis.html Landsburg, S. (2014). Price theory and applications (9th ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning. Macke, J. (2015, January 29). 3 ways McDonalds New CEO can turn things around. Yahoo Finance. Retrieved from http://finance.yahoo.com/news/3-ways-mcdonald-s-new-ceo-can-turn-things-around-123627625.html McDonalds. (2014, April 23). McDonalds unveils new mission and image for brand ambassador Ronald McDonald. McDonalds Newsroom. Retrieved from http://news.mcdonalds.com/press-releases/mcdonald-s-unveils-new-mission-and-image-for-brand-ambassador-ronald-mcdonald-1109221 Patton, L. (2014, October 21). McDonalds profit dr ops 30% as U.S. sales slump. Bloomerg. Retrieved from bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-10-21/mcdonald-s-profit-drops-30-as-u-s-sales-slump QRSWeb.com. (2010, June 10). Skinner: McDonalds to launch oatmeal, more differentiation. QRSWeb. Retrieved from qsrweb.com/news/skinner-mcdonalds-to-launch-oatmeal-more-differentiation/ The Associated Press. (2013, December 9). McDonalds sales gain kept in check by slack U.S. demand. Daily Finance. Retrieved from dailyfinance.com/2013/12/09/mcdonalds-global-sales-rise-flat-traffic-us/

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 7

Case Study Example The only lacking portion is the enforcement of strict sanctions and rewards mechanisms which would ultimately deter the employees to even consider bribery or manifesting corrupt behavior. 2. The steps instituted by Siemens Global to root out corruption is already extensive and comprehensive. As noted, there must be a system of rewards for compliance and sanctions for non-compliance. Likewise, since there is an aspect of cultural element that have considered bribery as part of their organizational culture, there should be vigilance and regular monitoring of the performance of all employees regarding conformity to the zero-tolerance policy through performance appraisals, random checking, and imposition of stricter penalties for violations, as deemed necessary. 3. Yes, one strongly believes that given the massive scale of previous corrupt transactions that involved billions of dollars through the years, the financial penalties were merely about 3.75% of their 72 billion annual sales, which was not even commensurate to the usual percentages (a minimum of 5 to 6% of the contract’s value to a maximum of 40%) accorded to bribery in their previous dealings. Therefore, they should have been imposed additional financial penalties to hurt so much that they would not ever consider bribery and corruption in current and future undertakings. 4. Siemens can therefore move beyond compliance to develop a healthy ethical climate by being more vigilant and ensuring through frequent monitoring, training, and performance evaluation that all employees and officers comply with the zero-tolerance policy. A code of ethical behavior should be integrated as part of their organizational policies. Only through a system of regular check and balance, as well as conformity to transparency and accountability, would Siemens Global be able to regain an ethical culture that