Britain And Us A Comparative

Britain And Us A Comparative For my comparative essay of political systems in the contemporary context I have chosen the US republican system and the British constitutional Westminster system. Throughout the essay I will compare and contrast the different political systems, how they interact with one another and how the systems are significant in the modern day context of world politics. America, a former colony of Great Britain, won its war of independence in the year of 1776 and therefore was independent from Britain in terms of internal politics and overseas polices initiated into America republic, with the famous quote no tax without representation. From then on America became a republican state and now is arguably the most powerful state in the world in terms of military power, economic power and political power. It is necessary now to give a brief description of the American political system before we relate it to that of Britain and contemporary world politics. America is a federal democratic system made up of three bodies known as the pillars of American politics. The three branches present in the American political sphere are the executive branch, the legislative branch and the judicial branch. The executive branch is responsible for issues such as proposing legislation, formatting a cabinet and developing internal and foreign policies. The legislative is re sponsible mainly for finalizing many of the propositions coming out of the executive branch, and therefore wields much of the power within American politics. The judicial branch is responsible for legislative issues with the power to review legislation passed and acts as a guardian over the civil rights of citizens. As similar within the Westminster system, there is a lower and upper house but this is notably where there is a large contrast between the two systems, as the American upper house holds much more significance in terms of power within the political system. As previously mentioned the political system consists of a lower and upper house, the lower house being the House of Representatives and the upper being the senate. The house of representatives is largely responsible for internal issues of legislation, budgetary issues such as allocation and foreign policy, where as the upper house, known as the senate initiates and regulates much of the what is proposed by the lower ho use, therefore acts as a balance of power within the American political sphere. The American electoral system should be mentioned in order to compare and contrast to that of Britain, although not into too much detail. Ultimately, party delegates are elected by citizens by popular vote using the voting system of proportional representation, where delegates need a majority vote to become a party delegate. The party delegates are then responsible for the procedure of presidential elections where the delegates vote for who will be the party leader to be legitimate for a presidential candidate. Through this system, it is regarded that an indirect electoral process is used in terms of the presidential elections as the average citizen is not directly responsible in terms of the determining the outcome. Once the presidential candidate is initiated it is ultimately down to the Electoral College system, a system where the people contained within it are representatives of individual states and have the final vote of determining the winner, a system not used within Britain. As for the parties themselves, there are two main predominant ones, that of the Democrats and that of the Republicans, one being left centrist (Democrats) and one being right centrist (Republicans), both arguably contrast slightly and lean in a similar direction in terms of policy implementation leading to a stable system of consistent politics within America. A final note on America contains that the fact there is a post independence written constitution as to determine how the country should be run internally, as with most established republics, also an element of American politics not present within the British system. A brief description of the British system will now be confronted in order to begin the process of comparing and contrasting the two systems as a whole. Within Britain there are three branches upon which consist of the executive branch, the legislative branch and the judiciary branch which is very similar to that of America. Within the Westminster system the executive branch is made up of ministers who run the country and are responsible for proposing legislation, developing foreign and internal policies and is headed by the Prime Minister, who chooses which ministers compose the cabinet. The legislative branch is the elected body upon which passes laws that are proposed from the executive branch, it should be mentioned that all government ministers are members of the legislative branch. Finally there is the judiciary branch upon which ensures that laws that are passed, are obeyed and has the power to review laws and works independently of the government and headed by a senior ministe r. The Supreme Court is the highest court within the political system of Great Britain. The British parliamentary system is bicameral meaning, there two chambers present, that being the lower house or the House of Commons and the upper house which is the House of Lords. The house of commons consists of 650 seats which are occupied MPs who meet daily for about half the weeks of the year, where opposition parties have a opportunity to challenge the current governments policies and general governing of the nation and the political nature is based around transparency and the public sphere. Those who make up the executive branch are those who attend the House of Commons meetings where, the majority of the time the PM and his cabinet and members of parliament will attend the proceedings, which is chaired by a speaker who monitors the meeting s and keeps order. The House of Commons is the house with the most authority within British politics. The House of Lords is the more exclusive house but does not possess the ultimate political authority and largely is based on noble tradi tion and status. It acts as a check on the governments activities and has the ability to revise legislation that has been passed through the House of Commons but essentially cannot block the will of the House of Commons. Like mentioned before, membership is exclusively reserved by the elite class or the nobles who are appointed by the queen, with advice from the government, which contrast from that of house of commons where MPs are elected into the house. Like America there two parties which have dominated politics within Britain, one being the labor party, which is traditional working class party leaning to the left and the other being the conservative party which leans towards the right, both mainly centrist with slightly differing views mostly, that of public spending reforms. The Liberal Democrats have always been influential with their presence but failed to be an overall competing power within parliament until the recent coalition with the conservatives, who are now in power. Within the electoral process itself, first past the post is the system used through most of England and Wales at the regional and local levels, where a candidate representing a certain constituent is voted on the basis that one person equals one vote, with the majority winning. The political party with the most constituents will form the government, who will take the majority of the seats within the House of Commons. The runners up form her majestys royal opposition, who will take the remaining seats within parliament. Within Scotland and Northern Ireland however, the voting system used differs from England and Wales. Scotland uses a mixed system called the additional member system, where voters usually get two votes, one for an individual candidate and one for the overall party. With Britain being a constitutional Monarchy, the queen is officially the head of state but does not wield much political power and rarely interferes within the political activity. The House of Lords would be the main involvement within her political activities through tradition, as historically the monarch would appoint House of Lord members, but as previously mentioned the House of Lords holds less authority over the House of Commons. To finish a description of the British political system it should be mentioned that, unlike America, Britain does not have a written constitution but rather a build up of traditional folk laws with modern additions to previous concepts of how the country should function in terms of the monarchy, politics and civil society in the modern contemporary era. Now to compare the two political systems which have been described, being that of the American federal republic system and Britains parliamentary system within a constitutional monarchy. Similarities are easily distinguishable whilst looking into the formation and functioning of the political systems with respect to those who function inside and out of the overall system. At first it should be noticed that the political structures contain all the same elements of an executive body, a legislative body and judiciary body, where the framework embodies that the executive branch is responsible for the proposal and development of legislation and the initiation of policy formation. The executive branches are within the lower house where in both systems, wield much political power. However it is quite clear that within the contrasting systems, the power of the lower house differs with respect to the balance of power between the upper house and lower houses. With Britain, the House of Commons is ultimately the most influential body and is not, in theory, open to checks and balances of a higher authority, as the legislative branch consists of government ministers, whom of whic h initiate legislation and policies. Within the American system although the lower house is responsible and has the power to propose such issues, the Upper house or the Senate, has the ability to initiate the proposed legislation, which is largely through the legislator finding sponsors within the Senate, which is not the case within Britain. With these checks and balances present within the US, it ensures power is spread across the political arena and power is not subjected to one body. This leaves many implications as the reasons for why these differences occur between the powers of the upper house. It could be argued in the case of Britain that the House of lords is not elected by the people or in fact, by anyone with political significance and the members themselves may lack the political experience to wield such power with interfering within politics and would act as a hindrance due their own conservative biases. With Britains political culture, represented as a stable democrac y under a hereditary power, emphasizes the irrelevance of the nobles to enter into modern day politics, with a feudal upper house system. America political culture of strong democracy and liberty is found within the context of the Senate and the House of Representatives, as both are elected in for a predetermined term in office, if all members of the upper and lower house are elected, the need for a balance of power is necessary for full representation, which is brought through the culture of democracy. This leads me to now consider the voting systems and electoral processes with respect to the nations under consideration. Very clearly both the US and the UK have constituted democracy as their political system, but there are some clear cut differences that need to be examined. First would be that of the process of electing the prime minister or in Americas case the president. Within both systems the party leadership is not determined by the civilian population but party delegates; however it could be argued that within Britain, through the first past the post system, a PM is directly elected by the people once the gene ral elections come underway, as apposed to the American Electoral College system, which determines the presidency. This has implications as to why the PM has unwieldy power of choosing their own cabinet members and has the ability to determine when elections shall be held as long as it is within five years. As they have been democratically elected by the people without hindrance within the first past the post system to represent the nation as a unitary state, it leaves no question to the conditions determined within the political process. Within the US, the Electoral College system creates the idea of an indirect process of a presidential election within civil society, where there have been cases where the winner has not even won the majority of the vote, but key state votes. With this voting system in place, it is key that the balance of power is established within the system so state representatives still have the ability t o protect the rights and interests of the civilian popula tion, who ultimately will not be completely subjected to the rule of a president, who does not represent their interests. This is prevalent in the idea of state arguably, being able to hold a form of autonomy from the central government and are able to initiate independent state laws and policies, which helps uphold the democratic political structure within the US. England does not face this problem as a unitary state due to size and devolution of the nations which constitute Great Britain, as they share similar political freedoms to that of states within America. Although there are similarities and contrasts within each system discussed, one thing is concrete, that both countries hold democratic values as political culture which goes hand in hand with the liberalist approach to world politics, which is evident how the two countries discussed throughout the essay have interacted in the contemporary age as strong allies. With the idea of international peace, the installation of democracy and strong trade orientations America and Britain have supported each other in several conquests, such as that of the Middle East where the two allies have fought with the idea of crushing terrorism and installing democracy. The two nations have never vetoed one another within issues brought forth within the UN security council and have managed to uphold good relations arguably, through the favoring political cultures upheld by political stability installed though democratic principles within both nations. Although there have been criticisms by many that Britai n is the 51st state of America, it reflects how the two countries function with respect to one another.

Fats in the American Diet Essay -- Essays Papers

Fats in the American Diet There has been a myth in our society for the last few decades about fats. Ever since the USDA created the food pyramid in the early 80’s, the feeling towards fats has been that all types are bad for one’s health and should be consumed at a minimum. However, more recent studies have shown that not all fats are detrimental, and some are necessary in maintaining healthy bodies. Certain types are helpful for reducing the risk of cancer, high cholesterol, and heart disease. Without fats the body could not absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K because they help move the supplements into the bloodstream where the vitamins get absorbed (Graham par. 2). Simple actions like a regular consumption of nuts, helps aid in lowering the risk of heart disease and diabetes 2 (Medical Update par. 6). There are many different types of fats in our diet. Monounsaturated and Omega-3 and 6 fats are the healthiest forms, while saturated and trans-fats are the worst kinds. While a gram of any type of fa t contains the same amount of calories (nine per gram) the health benefits are definitely not equal (Good, Bad Fats par. 1). This paper will look into the different types of fats and their impact both positively and negatively on the individual. It will provide information on popular diets, and a look into the current USDA’s food pyramid which is under pressure to be reevaluated. Nutritional ingredients in foods that people consume on a regular basis will also be examined. Within the past few years a new commercial fat product developed by Proctor & Gamble has been developed. This commodity is called olestra and it has been surrounded by controversy. This raises the issue of whether government should be involved in any of the health de... ... Aug2003, Vol. 237 Issue 2 - â€Å"Heart Smart Advice Updated for 2000: More Fat. But Make it ‘Mono’ Please† by Golub, Catherine, Environmental Nutrition, Jul99, Vol. 22, Issue 7 - Hellmich, Nancy. â€Å"Atkins, South Beach, or Dr. Phil? An expert rates the books.† USA Today 15 Jan. 2004. - â€Å"Monounsaturated fat Appears Protective against Breast Cancer†, Women’s Health Weekly, 01/19/98 - â€Å"New Food Labels Help Consumers avoid the Worst Fats.† Consumer Reports, Dec. 2003 - â€Å"A New Healthy Food Pyramid† Medical Update (source included in back, no other info) - â€Å"The New Rules of Fat†, By: Schuler, Lou, Men’s Health, Nov2002, Vol. 17, Issue 9. - Sienko, Michell J. and Robert A. Plane. 1966 chemistry: Principles and Properties. McGraw-Hill Co., NY. - Stanton, Michele. â€Å"The Atkins Diet Reconsidered.† Prevention, Jan. 2003, Vol. 55, Issue 1 Fats in the American Diet Essay -- Essays Papers Fats in the American Diet There has been a myth in our society for the last few decades about fats. Ever since the USDA created the food pyramid in the early 80’s, the feeling towards fats has been that all types are bad for one’s health and should be consumed at a minimum. However, more recent studies have shown that not all fats are detrimental, and some are necessary in maintaining healthy bodies. Certain types are helpful for reducing the risk of cancer, high cholesterol, and heart disease. Without fats the body could not absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K because they help move the supplements into the bloodstream where the vitamins get absorbed (Graham par. 2). Simple actions like a regular consumption of nuts, helps aid in lowering the risk of heart disease and diabetes 2 (Medical Update par. 6). There are many different types of fats in our diet. Monounsaturated and Omega-3 and 6 fats are the healthiest forms, while saturated and trans-fats are the worst kinds. While a gram of any type of fa t contains the same amount of calories (nine per gram) the health benefits are definitely not equal (Good, Bad Fats par. 1). This paper will look into the different types of fats and their impact both positively and negatively on the individual. It will provide information on popular diets, and a look into the current USDA’s food pyramid which is under pressure to be reevaluated. Nutritional ingredients in foods that people consume on a regular basis will also be examined. Within the past few years a new commercial fat product developed by Proctor & Gamble has been developed. This commodity is called olestra and it has been surrounded by controversy. This raises the issue of whether government should be involved in any of the health de... ... Aug2003, Vol. 237 Issue 2 - â€Å"Heart Smart Advice Updated for 2000: More Fat. But Make it ‘Mono’ Please† by Golub, Catherine, Environmental Nutrition, Jul99, Vol. 22, Issue 7 - Hellmich, Nancy. â€Å"Atkins, South Beach, or Dr. Phil? An expert rates the books.† USA Today 15 Jan. 2004. - â€Å"Monounsaturated fat Appears Protective against Breast Cancer†, Women’s Health Weekly, 01/19/98 - â€Å"New Food Labels Help Consumers avoid the Worst Fats.† Consumer Reports, Dec. 2003 - â€Å"A New Healthy Food Pyramid† Medical Update (source included in back, no other info) - â€Å"The New Rules of Fat†, By: Schuler, Lou, Men’s Health, Nov2002, Vol. 17, Issue 9. - Sienko, Michell J. and Robert A. Plane. 1966 chemistry: Principles and Properties. McGraw-Hill Co., NY. - Stanton, Michele. â€Å"The Atkins Diet Reconsidered.† Prevention, Jan. 2003, Vol. 55, Issue 1

The Usefulness of Structuralism as an Analytical Tool for Uncovering Ho

In the words of Michael O’Shaughnessy, ‘narratives, or stories, are a basic way of making sense of our experience’ (1999: 266). As a society and a culture, we use stories to comprehend and share our experiences, typically by constructing them with a beginning, middle and an end. In fact, the order that a narrative is structured will directly impact the way it is understood, particularly across cultures. This idea originated through Claude LÃ ©vi-Strauss’s concept of structuralism in anthropology which ‘is concerned with uncovering the common structural principles underlying specific and historically variable cultures and myth’ in pre-industrial societies (Strinati 2003: 85). In terms of media studies, structuralism’s inherent objective is to dig beneath the surface of a media text to identify how the structure of a narrative contributes to it’s meaning. Structuralism encompasses a large range of analytical tools, however, this es say will examine Joseph Campbell’s monomyth and Claude LÃ ©vi-Strauss’s theory of binary oppositions. Through analysis of Victor Fleming’s film, The Wizard of Oz (1939), it will be shown that although the monomyth and binary oppositions are useful tools with which to unveil how meaning is generated in this text, structuralism can undermine the audience’s ability to engage with their own interpretations of the film. In the simplest form, there is a basic structural pattern to narratives, as expressed through Tzvetan Todorov’s explanation of narrative movement between two equilibriums. A narrative begins in a stable position until something causes disequilibrium, however, by the end of the story, the equilibrium is re-established, though it is different than the beginning (O’Shaughnessy 1999: 268). Joseph Cam... ...an adequate mechanism for unveiling the techniques used to create messages in a text. Works Cited Campbell, Joseph (1968), The Hero with a Thousand Faces, Princeton, N.J., Princeton University Press, pp. viii-97. Eco, Umberto (1979), ‘Narrative structures in Fleming’, in his, The Role of the Reader: Explorations in the Semiotics of Texts, Bloomington, Indiana University Press, pp. 144-172. Hartley, John (2002), Communication, Cultural and Media Studies: The Key Concepts, London, Routledge, pp. 19-21. O’Shaughnessy, Michael (1999), Media and Society: An Introduction, Melbourne, Oxford University Press, pp. 266-290. Strinati, Dominic (2003), ‘Structuralism, semiology and popular culture’ (extract), in his An Introduction to Theories of Popular Culture: 2nd Ed., London, Routledge, pp. 82-85. The Wizard of Oz (film), 1939, Director: Victor Fleming.

The Physiological Effects of Exposure to Nature

It has been suggested that humans have a genetic predisposition for forming a close affinity with nature (Wilson, 1984). It has long been established that people have a broad range of emotional and physiological responses to nature, and that there are positive physical (Moore, 1981; Ulrich, 1984), cognitive (Cimprich, 1990; Hartig et al. , 1991) and psychological (Kaplan & Talbot, 1988; Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989) benefits to forming close attachments to nature. According to Ulrich (1983), experiencing nature is physiologically healthy and has biological value for people.Mayer & Frantz (2004) also established empirical evidence that connection to nature was associated with subjective wellbeing. In light of these noted effects, this review focuses on the impact which exposure to nature may have on mental health, and possible explanations for the noted effects. Exposure to Nature and Mental Health Although it has been acknowledged that contact with nature has multiple physiological benefits , it has also been noted that there are specific benefits to an individual’s mental health from exposure (Taylor et al., 2001). For example having close contact with nature has been found to foster recovery from general mental fatigue (Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989). In addition, seeing nature is effective in relieving stress and improving wellbeing (Kaplan, 1992; Leather, Pyrgas, Beale, & Lawrence, 1998, Lewis, 1996). When people view natural scenes, particularly natural scenes that depict water, human health can be improved and have a positive psychological benefit (Ulrich, 1982; cited in Rohde & Kendle, 1994).In their research, The Wave Nature of Being: Ultradian Rhythms and Mind-Body Communication, Rossi and Lippincott (1992) commented: An extensive matching of the clinical-experimental data of chronobiology and psychology suggests that what the biologist calls the â€Å"entrainment of ultradian and circadian rhythms by psychosocial stimuli† is the psychobiological basis o f what psychotherapists call â€Å"hypnotic suggestion to facilitate mind-body healing. (para. 1) There are also noted effects on specific mental health conditions which have been found in the available research.Ulrich commented that viewing nature effectively lowers stress. When stress is lessened, levels of stress hormones, such as norepinephrine, often are lowered as well, and this may alleviate the experienced intensity of pain† (1983, p. 103). The stress-reduction theory perspective taken by several authors (Ulrich, Dimberg, & Driver, 1991) also supports this, suggesting that â€Å"nature reduces stress for evolutionary reasons† (Cackowski & Nasar, 2003, p. 747). Types of Exposure to Nature Research indicates that forming a bond with nature does not have to be a physical activity to hold benefit.For example Kaplan and Kaplan (1989) found that office workers who had a view of trees and bushes from their office suffered significantly less frustration than those with out such views. Research by Ulrich (1999) also suggests that looking at natural environments as opposed to urban scenes is more effective in restoration from stress. Ulrich (1983) also noted that: â€Å"When patients cannot be provided with an actual view of nature or direct contact with nature, representing nature in photographic images and other artwork has also been shown to be beneficial—though the results are not quite as dramatic.Nature photographs and artwork of natural scenes are common in the more progressive hospitals today. Expanding on this concept is the SkyCeiling, an illuminated ceiling system that provides an illusion of an attractive sky scene that helps people relax† (p. 201). In addition, the sounds of nature have also been investigated as a means of improving mental health. Tsuchiya et al. (2003) found that playing sounds from nature to patients undergoing general anesthesia had a positive impact on blood pressure and heart rate. This then also corr esponded to reduced stress in the patient.Reasons Behind the Positive Effects of Nature on Mental Health There are numerous different explanations as to why exactly exposure to nature has such a notable impact on human mental health. Alexander et al. (1977) noted that â€Å"In some way, which is hard to express, people are able to be more whole in the presence of nature, are able to go deeper into themselves, and are somehow able to draw sustaining energy from the life of plants and trees and water† (p. 806). Ulrich (1983) suggests that these positive benefits are largely due to evolutionary causes:â€Å"Because humans evolved over a long period in natural environments, we are to some extent biologically adapted to natural as opposed to build content. A theme common to this perspective is that individuals are innately predisposed to respond positively to many natural settings. Such evolutionary notions are not new† (p. 116). It is also possible that it is something whi ch is fostered in adults from an early age, for example Kellert (2005) commented that â€Å"children’s emotional, intellectual, and evaluative development depends on varied ongoing experiences of natural process and diversity† (p. 88). Equalizing Brain HemispheresOne of the most cited explanations behind the impact of nature on mental health is that of the effects which it creates to balance the left and right hemispheres of the brain. Pettigrew (see Blakeslee, 1999), an inventor of the sticky-switch idea of depression, believes that there is a sticky-switch that connects the right and left brain hemispheres, and Chowdhary (2007) claimed that the key to brain equalization was the corpus callosum. In addition, a psychology professor, Cindy McPherson Frantz (2006) supported the idea that the balanced brain may possibly relate to well-being as per Swara yoga claims.â€Å"In our research, we demonstrate that connectedness to nature is a better predictor of environmentally friendly behavior than are attitudes. It also correlates with several health and well-being indices† (Frantz, 2006, para. 2). Furthermore, in his book, Of Two Minds: The Revolutionary Science of Dual-Brain Psychology, a neuroscientist and a medical professor from Harvard University, Schiffer (1998) commented that, â€Å"a healthy left and right mind with a respectful, cooperative relationship between them can lead to a life of greater meaning, creativity, productivity, and fulfillment.Only when the relationships within yourself are in harmony are you best able to sustain a healthy relationship with another person† (p. 15). Rossi (2007) suggests that when one experiences an equal nasal dominance, our brain is in a balanced state, which could mean that our body and mind are then in a balance state which allows them to behave in more healthful ways. Furnass (1979) commented that an experience with nature can help to restore the functions of the right and left side of the brain in harmony as a whole. Yogendra (1958) also stated that the act of contemplating nature can reduce the brain’s nervous system activity.In their research, Rossi and Lippincott (1992) demonstrated the physiological link toward bi-lateral brain hemisphere activity and stated that, The most significant of the[se] studies for understanding mind-body communication are those of Debra Werntz (1981) who reported a contralateral relationship between cerebral hemispheric activity (EEG) and the ultradian rhythm of the nasal cycle. They found that relatively greater integrated EEG values in the right hemisphere are positively correlated with a predominant airflow in the left nostril and visa versa . . .an irregular nasal cycle, particularly one in which the person remains dominant in one nostril or the other for an excessively long period of time are associated with illness and mental disorder (Rama, Ballentine, & Ajaya, 1976). (para. 20-22) Research in support of the Swara yoga tra dition believes that â€Å"nostrils are the windows to the state of our body and mind† (Chowdhard, 2007, p. 39), and â€Å"when both nostrils are open, this could mean that the body and mind are in balance and more prepared to act in mindful ways from the balanced dialogue between left and right hemispheres and a reduction in stress† (Nirgunananda, 1999, p.58). This is supported by a review by Wernts et al. (1981) which found that during the deepest states of consciousness, nostril breathing was equal, indicating a balance between both sides of the brain. Medically-based research by Ri (2008) also found that fMRI brain scans revealed that when subjects watched a nature film they experienced equal nasal dominance and also entered a state in which their brain was completely calm.This research indicated that there was an active communication through the corpus callosum between the right and left hemispheres, which shows that the film put the participants’ brain int o a balanced state. This supports Schiffer’s (1998) theory that: â€Å"a healthy left and right mind with a respectful, cooperative relationship between them can lead to a life of greater meaning, creativity, productivity, and fulfillment. Only when the relationship within yourself is in harmony are you best able to sustain a healthy relationship with another person† (p. 15). Physiologic/Emotional/Psychological ResponseThe effects which are noted on psychological well-being are actually most likely to be a result of a combination of psychological/emotional and physiological changes relating to psychological (Kaplan, 1973; Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989; Kaplan & Talbot, 1988), physical (Moore, 1981; Ulrich, 1984), and cognitive aspects (Cimprich, 1990; Hatig et al. , 1991). Within only 3-5 minutes of exposure, views of vegetation or garden-like features elevate levels of positive feelings (e. g. , pleasantness, calm) and reduce negatively toned emotions such as fear, anger, and sadness.Certain nature scenes effectively sustain interest and attention and accordingly can serve as pleasant distractions that may diminish stressful thoughts. Regarding physiological manifestations of stress recovery, laboratory, and clinical investigations have found that viewing nature settings can produce significant restoration within less than 5-minutes as indicated by positive changes, for instance, in blood pressure, heart activity, muscle tension, and brain electrical activity (Cackowski & Nasar, 2003; Ulrich, 1981; Ulrich et al. , 1991).Conclusions It is apparent from the literature available that exposure to nature may have a positive impact on an individual’s physical and mental health. This may result from activities which create an interaction with nature, or merely from sights and sounds of nature. The health benefits which have thus far been shown focus predominantly on stress reduction, but it is possible that the combination of physical, emotional, psycho logical and cognitive effects may also have benefits for recovery across a wide range of mental health disorders.A particularly important element in the physical and psychological interaction which underlies these benefits is the manner in which experiences with nature may be able to facilitate a balancing of the brain’s two hemispheres. It would appear that experience with nature creates a state in which equal nasal dominance is initiated, which then appears to reduce brain activity, putting both brain hemispheres in a state of equal relaxation. It is this effect which then appears to create a sense of balance, which is conducive to a more positive state of mental health. References Cabeza, R. , & Kingstone, A. (2001).Handbook of functional neuroimaging of cognition, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Cackowski, J. M. & Nasar, J. L. 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Food and Beverage Management Course

|TABLE OF CONTENTS | | | |TABLE OF CONTENTS |I | | | | |Chapter One: An Introduction to Food and Beverage Management | | |1. |The Concept of Management |1-2 | |1. 2 |What Is Hospitality Management? |1-3 | |1. 3 |The Manager’s Role in the Hospitality Industry |1-6 | |1. 4 |Categories of Managers in the Hospitality Industry |1-9 | |1. |Management Levels |1-10 | |1. 6 |Food and Beverage Management Functions |1-11 | |1. 7 |Job Description of Food and Beverage Manager |1-14 | |1. |Responsibilities of Food and Beverage Management |1-17 | | | | | |Chapter Two: An Overview of the Foodservice Industry | | |2. 1 |Foodservice Definition |2-2 | |2. |Distinguishing Characteristics of Foodservice Operations |2-4 | |2. 3 |Basic Elements of Success in Foodservice Organisations |2-9 | | | | | |Chapter Three: Types of Foodservice Organisations | | |3. 1 |Types of Foodservice Organizations 3-2 | |3. 2 |Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) |3-9 | | |3. 2. 1 |QSR Definition |3-10 | | |3. 2. 2 |C haracteristics of QSRs |3-12 | | |3. 2. 3 |Main Sub-Systems in QSRs |3-24 | |3. |Transport Foodservice |3-28 | | | | | |Chapter Four: IT Systems in Food and Beverage Organisations | | |4. 1 |Computer-Based System Definition |4-2 | |4. |Computer-Based System Components for Restaurants |4-4 | |4. 3 |IT System Software Applications |4-14 | | |4. 3. 1 |Front-of-House Applications |4-15 | | |4. 3. 2 |Back-of-House Applications |4-29 | |4. |Benefits of IT Systems in Restaurants |4-46 | | | | | |Chapter Five: Managing Quality in Food and Beverage Operations |5-1 | | | | |Chapter Six: Food and Beverage Marketing |6-1 | |Chapter Seven: Food Cycle |7-1 | |References |Iv |

Strategic Analysis of the Uk Fast Food Industry

Business and Management Strategy BAM6012 A Strategic and Competitive Analysis of the UK’s Fast Food Industry Executive Summary The food industry in the UK is a multi-billion pound industry that is mainly dominated by a few competitors such as McDonalds, Burger King, KFC and Subway. Most of the food sold in these fast food restaurants is unhealthy, which is becoming a huge concern as there are many people dying of obesity and other health related problems. This is one of the key social factors facing the fast food market at the moment.The fast food industry is a ‘red ocean’ as it is already well defined where rivalry is intense. It is also a perfectly competitive industry as the barriers to entry are low and there are many rivals each with similar products. Information about any of the competitors is freely available. The industry does have a few characteristics of an oligopolistic industry too as there is a couple of companies that have the main market share and h ave power over the buyers and suppliers.The main features that influence a firm’s ability to compete and gain profitability depend on who their main competition is. For example there are different strategic groups in the industry such as McDonalds and Burger King who compete at the top of the industry and single privately owned fast food retailer that compete on a much lower level with much smaller budgets. The customer requirements are very low in this industry as a lot of the products sold by different firms are very similar; however the requirement of a cheap and fast meal is always at the top of their needs.Any potential strategy to increase profitability within the industry will need to be assessed properly and to realise the risks involved and other potential threats to it. Table of contents Pg. Executive Summary†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 2 Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 4 History of the fast food market†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 4 Current market conditions†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 4 PESTEL analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 5 Porter’s Five Forces†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã ¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Industry attractiveness†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 9 Opportunities†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 9 Threats†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 9 Possible strategies†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 10 Bibliography†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 11 Introduction This report aims to give a strategic and competitive analysis of the UK’s fast food industry. It will cover the main structural features of the industry that influence competition and profitability. The report will give an overview of the whole industry rather than just one company within it.I shall also aim to analyse the industry attractiveness showing why possible companies would like to enter the marketplace. Another aim of the report is to analyse the competition and customer requirements in order to identify opportunities to gain a competitive advantage within the industry. The final aim of the report is to develop possible strategies to influence and improve on profitability. Whilst developing a strategy, the difficulties and risks involved in using these strategies will be covered. History of the fast food industry in the UKThe UK has embraced a lot of different types of fast food over the years, ranging from pizza to burgers, kebabs to Chinese, curry to fish & chips and healthy offerings. There is a lot of competition in the market at present with high profile companies such as McDonalds, Subway, Burger King, and KFC, not to mention the amount of privately owned single store fast food outlets. Current market conditions The value of the fast food market in the UK grew by 3. 3% in 2011 to reach a total value of $7,860. 3 million. The forecast for the market value is set to increase to $9,147 million by 2016.This is an increase of 16. 4% by 2011. Transactions in the fast food market also grew in 2011 by 1% to reach a total volume of 2,785. 2 million transactions. The market volume is set to increase by 6. 8% by 2016 to a total of 2,975. 4 million transactions. Fast Food Industry Profi le: The United Kingdom’ 2012, Fast Food Industry Profile: United Kingdom, pg 1-35, Business Source Premier, EBSCO host, viewed [25/11/2012] PESTLE analysis â€Å"PESTLE analysis will help to capture understanding about aspects of the context by using the prompts political, economic, sociological, technological, legal and environmental.It is a technique that facilitates a wide scan of the context and actual or potential factors that would affect objectives if left unmanaged. † (Webster-Murray, R. 2010. pg. 88) Political factors * There is an increasing amount of pressure from the government to encourage people to eat healthier as the number of deaths relating to obesity and an unhealthy lifestyle is on the increase year after year. * The government can allocate grants to business start-ups to try and promote fair competition within the marketplace. There is speculation over the government introducing a new ‘fat tax’ on fast food served over a counter. This will add on another 20% to the current price in taxes. http://www. guardian. co. uk/society/2012/may/16/fat-tax-unhealthy-food-effect Economic factors * Consumers will have less disposable income with the current economic climate and therefore may be less likely to spend money on fast food as it may be seen as a luxury. * Exchange rates may affect profitability on the business if they are sourcing materials (all the ingredients used to create their food) from outside the UK. Unemployment levels are high at the moment in the UK which means there will be even more consumers without the money to purchase fast food. The current unemployment rate currently sits at 7. 8%. http://www. ons. gov. uk/ons/key-figures/index. html * The inflation rate is at 2. 2% currently in the UK. This does not pose a problem as businesses will not be phased by this to invest more and grow. http://www. bbc. co. uk/news/business-19959827 Sociocultural factors * The current social trend of eating healthy and ha ving a healthy lifestyle is pushing customers away from eating at fast food restaurants. With London just hosting the Olympic Games in the summer of 2012 then a lot of people are trying to start a much healthier diet and lifestyle for themselves, therefore cutting back on the amount of fast food they currently eat. * The high standard of education in the UK means that children are more aware and knowledgeable about the health implications that arise from eating fast food. * With the current fast paced lifestyle that a lot of consumers have, it is easy for them to just pick up food at a fast food outlet rather than cook for themselves.This shows that fast food can be seen as convenient. * Companies must try and add value to their brand by being reasonably priced and of an equal quality in relation to the price. * Consumers already have a large variety of choice within the fast food market therefore a menu should also offer a lot of choice so that the customer can be satisfied and the ir ever changing taste can be satisfied too. * The fast paced lifestyle of consumers means that the service of fast food must also match that and be quick too. * Healthy options must be made available as to encourage a balanced diet.Technological factors * Fast food companies now have a wide range of tools available to them in order to promote their brand and products. Different ways they can do this is through the use of TV, radio, internet, direct mail, interactive billboards and many other options. * Companies can now use the internet not just to promote their brand but also to take orders and let the customer make transactions. This can be helpful to lower the cost of using employees. * Technological advances mean it is easier for a company to keep track of stock levels and also take orders in store.This minimises the risk of human error. Environmental factors * Companies in the fast food industry now need to monitor the amount of waste they dispose of as there is a lot of empha sis now on cutting down the amount of waste and turning it into recyclable and reusable products. Businesses are now turning to recyclable packing. * The amount of energy that is consumed in the process of making the fast food and where all the energy comes from to power a fast food outlet. Can be seen as a good ethical policy to use or create off shore wind farms that power outlets. Legal factors Have to stick to a law that means they cannot mislead consumers on the nutritional value of their products. * Companies have to abide by certain health and safety laws for both the employees and the customers. * Other laws that a business will have follow are laws on employment, fair competition and food hygiene. Through the use of a PESTLE analysis we can see that there are many factors that affect the UK’s fast food industry. Most of these factors arise in the sociocultural section as it is here that the fast food industry gains most of its unwanted attention.This is mainly down t o the fact that the foods served by the companies are mainly unhealthy, carrying lots of calories, salt and sugars. Porters Five Forces Model In 1980, Michael Porter came up with a model that identified five forces that have an influence on an industry. This model â€Å"focuses on five forces that shape competition within an industry: (1) the risk of entry by potential competitors: (2) the intensity of rivalry among established companies within an industry: (3) the bargaining power of buyers: (4) the bargaining power of suppliers: and (5) the closeness of substitutes to an industry’s products. (Hill, C. W. L, Jones, G. L. 2010, pg. 42) Threat of New Entrants * Low barriers to entry mean that it is easy for a company to start up a business in the fast food industry. However would be unable to compete directly with the large organisations already in the market. * Easy for a new entrant to differentiate their product and atmosphere of the outlet (shop). * Once a good location i s found then it could ensure the success of a new entrant. Could be possible to dominate the market in a certain location. Capital investment is not too high or out of reach for most individuals. Bargaining Power of Suppliers * Companies in the fast food industry could change their suppliers quite easily as there are a lot of suppliers that would be happy to receive the amount of revenue they could gain from using such a large company as Burger King or McDonalds. * The larger companies in the fast food industry have a lot of bargaining power over their suppliers as they could make up a very large proportion of the suppliers revenue, if not all of it. Bargaining Power of Buyers Due to the sheer volume of customers that purchase fast food, the bargaining power of the buyer is low. For example, a customer could barter with a butcher’s market stall about the price of meat whereas they could not walk into a Subway store and negotiate the price of a sandwich down to their preferred amount. The price shown is the price that will be paid. * Only bargaining power the customer has is the lack of switching costs. A customer could purchase from a McDonalds instead of Subway without costing them anything. Threat of substitutes The threat of substitute products is very high as firstly the lack of switching costs means that a customer could change preferences and purchase from another company immediately as long as it fitted their standard of quality and price. * The market is currently flooded with products that are all very similar (McDonalds burgers are in theory the same as Burger King) therefore a new product could arise and sell particularly well as long as it had a good taste and quality. Rivalry among Existing Firms * Rivalry is high in the current market as top firms such as McDonalds and Burger King compete for the highest market share.Due to the sheer size of these companies they can spend heavily on advertising and use aggressive tactics to ensure success. * Constant funds are being ploughed into advertising to try and promote not just the products companies offer but also to try and promote their brand. For example, McDonalds now tries to show more on the ethical side of the company saying that all of their ingredients are sourced locally. Through the use of Porter’s Five Forces model, we can see that the threat of substitutes, rivalry among existing firms and threat of new entrants to the market are moderate to high.Whereas the bargaining power of both suppliers and buyers are relatively low. This shows that the companies in the market currently have a lot of power. Industry attractiveness * Massive industry worth $7,860. 3 billion. * Huge volume of transactions at 2,785. 2 billion. * Small market share can still mean high revenue. * Possibility to create a large and global company similar to that of McDonalds. * Possibility to run a franchise business model. * Has a very broad market segment. * Could be a good industry in a recession as consumers cut down spending on eating at more expensive restaurants. Industry is predicted to continue growing. Opportunities There are many opportunities and threats that arise from the use of the PESTLE analysis and Porter Five Forces model such as: 1. Due to the current unemployment rate of 7. 8% this means that large companies such as McDonalds could use this to their advantage and open a number of new stores to create new jobs and in turn create more revenue for the industry. This could enhance the image of the industry as it is helping the nation out by creating jobs in this time of economic downturn. . As consumers have less disposable income then they will be less likely to eat out at more expensive restaurants and may turn to fast food outlets as they are cheaper. This is a great opportunity to advertise heavily on a menu that is less expensive than the normal menu. For example creating a meal that only costs the consumer ? 2. This should attract a lot of pote ntial customers to spend more in the fast food industry. 3. Differentiate the industry by offering healthier foods on a whole to gain the interest of the health conscious consumers.This would increase the volume of the industry. Threats 1. If an outbreak of foot and mouth disease or BSE (mad cow disease) were to arise then consumers would not be purchasing any type of beef which would mean a downturn in the amount of revenue gained by the fast food industry. 2. Any type of negative feedback from the media would shine an unwanted spotlight on the fast food industry. For example, if someone were to find a hair in their burger at a fast food outlet then it might influence customers to eat elsewhere.Strategies to influence industry structure and improve industry profitability * Create new menus that will offer healthy food to the consumer. This will engage with a new target audience and therefore enhance the volume of transactions the industry already has. The amount of revenue earned b y the industry will also increase. This will lead to new competitors in the market place offering a different product type and increase the amount of competition amongst the already competing firms. * Companies could vertically integrate in order to gain control over the production of the ingredients that it needs to create the foods.This would be risky for some businesses as the vast majority of their expertise is in the retailing of fast food. Conclusion Overall, the fast food industry is a highly competitive industry that is dominated by a few main players. The main features that influence competition are the changing tastes of the customer and their willingness to try other fast food outlets. Profitability is not only based now on the products that a company sells but also the way in which the customer perceives the ethical values of a company.Although the requirements of a customer needing a cheap meal at a fast pace is still high on their agenda of needs. For a company to surv ive and improve upon its current position in the marketplace it should think about different strategies such as growth (new products or different areas) differentiation and vertical integration. Bibliography * Fast Food Industry Profile: The United Kingdom’ 2012, Fast Food Industry Profile: United Kingdom, pg 1-35, Business Source Premier, EBSCO host, viewed [25/11/2012] * Murray-Webster, R. (2010) Management of risk: guidance for practitioners.The stationery office: Norwich * Dennis Campbell (2012) ‘Fat Tax’ on unhealthy food must raise prices by 20% to have effect says study. (01/12/2012) http://www. guardian. co. uk/society/2012/may/16/fat-tax-unhealthy-food-effect * Office for national statistics (2012) Key figures. (02/12/2012) http://www. ons. gov. uk/ons/key-figures/index. html * BBC (2012) UK inflation rate slows to 2. 2% in September, ONS says. (01/12/2012) http://www. bbc. co. uk/news/business-19959827 * Hill, C. W. L & Jones, G. L. (2010) Strategic Man agement an integrated approach. Cengage learning: USA

Cash Related Join in India

Cash Related Join in India For sure, notwithstanding following 60 years of versatility, a gigantic territory of Indian individuals still remains unbanked. In the late years, the regulating body and Reserve Bank of India has been pushing the thought and thought of cash related join. The cash related hardening setup goes for giving direct access to budgetary relationship to those areas of the general public who are kept from promising it so far at organize cost along these lines passing on them into the standard of budgetary zone. RBI set up the Khan Commission in 2004 to research cash related cementing and the recommendations of the commission were joined into mid term study of the game-plan (2005-2006) and requested that banks chart their present practices to alter them to the objective of money related thought. Respectable Prime Minister Narendra Modi revealed Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana prepare for finish cash related thought on his first Independence Day visit on fifteenth August, 2014. The blueprint was formally pushed on 28th August, 2014 with a target to give general access to keeping cash workplaces starting with Basic sparing cash accounts with overdraft office of Rs. 5,000 after a half year and RuPay Debit Card with inbuilt failure security front of Rs. 1 Lakh and RuPay Kisan card. Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, is a tense strategy for wide cash related thought pushed by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi on 28th August, 2014. He had verbalized this game-plan on his first Independence Day visit on fifteenth August, 2014. In a keep running up to the formal dispatch of this course of action, the Official definitely sent to CEOs of all banks to prepare for the gigantic errand of enrolling more than 6 crore (75 Million) families and to open their records. In this email he totally clarified that a record for each family was a national need. The course of action has been started with a target to give unending access to sparing cash workplaces starting with major keeping cash accounts with overdraft office of Rs. 5,000 after a half year and RuPay Debit Card with inbuilt setback insistence front of Rs. 1Lakh and RuPay Kisan card. In the running with arrange, humbler scale insistence and annuity et cetera will in like way be solidified. Reports said that, on 28th August, more than 1.5 crore budgetary modifies were opened in a solitary day. The central objective of this game-plan is that unmistakable cash related relationship for the blocked zone i.e. weaker.