Icedelights Company Business Concept

The business concept A clear description of the business is given, with the partners choosing to acquire a franchise as opposed to starting their own business. Right from the idea stage to the manner in which the business was acquired, an intricate outline of the elements of the business is given.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Icedelights Company Business Concept specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The market for ‘gelati’ is still grim from the description, although since it is a consumable, it is expected that most of the residents of the State are potential customers. The partners expect to establish a niche in the North Eastern location of the State. The Opportunity The three partners were in need of purchasing a business entity. ICEDELIGHTS was a prime opportunity for the partners since the partners were seeking to buy a business, which was already running. After brainstorming on the most opp ortune approach to venturing into business, the decision to buy was most desirable. Based in Boston, ICEDELIGHTS was a venture selling beverages, pastries and frozen desserts. The diversity in products and locations made it possible for the partners to exercise creativity in satisfying the consumer needs. The fact that the company has already ventured into franchising indicates that ICEDELIGHTS had potential for expansion into the global market. The company has already acquired a niche market, owing to the quality of products. In addition, ICEDELIGHTS has operational systems in place, including production, accounting, training and development, controls, store management and design. In essence, the company was poised for expansion at the right moment. The players The company is comprised of franchisor and franchisee. The franchisor is primarily providing real estate and the product, which is produced centrally and distributed to the points of sale. Real estate elements include the lo cation where the franchisee will set up location. The franchisee is to provide capital for the acquisition of the locations for distribution, operating capital as well as the operational requirements. In providing this, the franchisee has sought investors who are expected to provide equity and debt capital.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Perfect fit for the partners Mark, Paul and Eric are a perfect fit for each other. While mark exudes risk aversion, Paul and Eric are willing to take risks head on. All three partners have experience consulting for financial firms making them expert with handling financial matters. Mark is risk-averse, preferring to take on the lowest possible risk in any venture. Paul and Eric were however not afraid to bear certain levels of risks. On one hand, it was a perfect fit for all partners since views of all partners resulted to a balanced v iew of the risk factors associated with each decision to be made. However, there was always the possibility that disagreements were in the offing, owing to the disparity in risk aversion across the board. All partners sought independence and the ability to steer their own creation. The ability to create financially rewarding ventures was their utmost motivation. As entrepreneurs, the three were motivated to build a business based on their ideas. Viability of the Franchise Franchising in Florida is a desirable move aimed at acquiring a market that is underutilized. Although there exists a number of competitors offering related products, the product to be introduced by the three partners is novel. Owing to the success of the product in other locations, the partners are counting on their expertise and product characteristics to achieve their objectives. Discuss the market chosen for development The acquisition of franchise in Florida was a prime reason for the success of the company. F irst, the climatic conditions of the state are well matched for the product. How sunny weather made it possible for demand of the product to be high across the year. In addition, the location has a high population, making it possible for expansion of markets within the State. Additionally, since there was less competition, it was possible for the company to enjoy exposure to consumers without the need to develop organic competitive advantage, especially in the starting stages. The lack of competition eliminated the most prominent barrier to entry for any organization. Florida flourishes on mall-based businesses, which involve a one-stop shop. Although this makes it easier to attract consumers, it is necessary to establish a prime location in the malls for exposure to consumers.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Icedelights Company Business Concept specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The three partners did not ha ve tangible information on the market in Florida, and were not even aware of the competition on site. As a custom-designed product, ‘gelati’ was unique in taste and composition, making it necessary for the partners to establish a market for the product by introducing its uniqueness to potential customers. The financial Plan The partners require a total of $825,000 to take the company into operational status. However, franchising fees of $75,000 are required upfront. In addition to acquiring locations for operations and the working capital, the franchise requires additional capitals for acquiring patents and licenses for operations in the country. Other overheads and material acquisition funds also come into play. Initially, the company sought to raise the capital through equity-based sources, but was also keen on acquiring debt capital due to its advantages. Although venture capital is available, the risks associated with the source have made it an unviable source. As a result, the company has decided to offer debentures redeemable in five years. This will offer the company an opportunity to repay the debts through the projected revenues from operations. The possibility of sourcing sufficient revenues to buy out the debt is clearly painted in the projections for expansion and sales volume in the market. Most of the projections are based on market data, which is yet to be tested, making them weak bases. The financial plans postulated in the balance sheet and sales revenues are slightly limited on prudence. The company expects to achieve compound growth in sales over the first ten years. Unless specific emphasis has been put in assessing the possibility of future competition and changes in market conditions, it is necessary to remain prudent. The company has remained sensitive to inflation, which makes it possible for the company to inculcate the impact of time value of money. Recommendations It is necessary for the partners to establish reliable so urces of back-up capital for operations. In most instances, the starting years of a business are associated with numerous challenges and requirements, most of which make it impossible for profitability to be achieved.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In fact, it is necessary for the first three years to be viewed as loss making period, in order to ensure that the partners handle all the preparatory elements of starting a business before settling to profitability. Secondly, it is imperative for the partners to establish a market for it product through extensive marketing. Depending on whether they will be absorbed into the mall business, it is necessary for advertising and sensitization programs to take root before they decide to expand according to the ten-year plan. The use of diverse sources of capital is a prudent move. However, emphasis should be placed on acquisition of equity-based capital since debt-capital is not as competitive. Equity capital should be the basis of expansion, since the process of acquiring debt capital is less intricate. This case study on Icedelights Company Business Concept was written and submitted by user Scarlett N. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on The Taming Of The Shrew

In the beginning of â€Å"The Taming of the Shrew†, some say Shakespeare portrays Katherina as a very shrewish figure. Others may argue that she is not shrewish but just a very strong willed person. At the end of the play some people say she is transformed into a very kind and gentle person, while again others will argue that she is not â€Å"tamed† but just putting on an act to â€Å"show up† her younger sister Bianca, whom has always been more beautiful and charming. Kate is â€Å"like a wasp, like a foal, like foal that kicks from his halter; pert, quick and determined, but full of good heart.† 1. This statement made by one author, shows clearly that he does not see her as shrew-like, even at the beginning of the play. The same author states that at the end of the play she has not really transformed, rather she has just fallen in love with Petruchio, in essence she is free from torment because she is no longer seen as the shrew. In the beginning of the play Kate is â€Å"consistently in opposition to everything around her†2, meanwhile â€Å"Bianca obeys so gently and with such sweet submission that it is obvious why she is Baptista’s favorite daughter†2. In the end of the play, the roles switch and Katherina is submissive to every word of Petruchio and Bianca resists the commands of her new husband. Kate’s first reaction to Petruchio, her â€Å"mad wooer†, is self-pity, and even her father feels that his treatment of her would â€Å"vex a saint†. He takes her away from the home she is used to, with servants and maids to wait on her hand and foot, to the country. There she is away from the luxurious town life and is cold, hungry and tired. She somewhat learns to watch her temper and obey Petruchio so that he will feed her so she can survive peacefully rather than miserably. I believe that his method of taming her is not cruel yet very effective. He shows her that she can get much farther an d live life a lot happier if she is nice and â€Å"e... Free Essays on The Taming of the Shrew Free Essays on The Taming of the Shrew In the beginning of â€Å"The Taming of the Shrew†, some say Shakespeare portrays Katherina as a very shrewish figure. Others may argue that she is not shrewish but just a very strong willed person. At the end of the play some people say she is transformed into a very kind and gentle person, while again others will argue that she is not â€Å"tamed† but just putting on an act to â€Å"show up† her younger sister Bianca, whom has always been more beautiful and charming. Kate is â€Å"like a wasp, like a foal, like foal that kicks from his halter; pert, quick and determined, but full of good heart.† 1. This statement made by one author, shows clearly that he does not see her as shrew-like, even at the beginning of the play. The same author states that at the end of the play she has not really transformed, rather she has just fallen in love with Petruchio, in essence she is free from torment because she is no longer seen as the shrew. In the beginning of the play Kate is â€Å"consistently in opposition to everything around her†2, meanwhile â€Å"Bianca obeys so gently and with such sweet submission that it is obvious why she is Baptista’s favorite daughter†2. In the end of the play, the roles switch and Katherina is submissive to every word of Petruchio and Bianca resists the commands of her new husband. Kate’s first reaction to Petruchio, her â€Å"mad wooer†, is self-pity, and even her father feels that his treatment of her would â€Å"vex a saint†. He takes her away from the home she is used to, with servants and maids to wait on her hand and foot, to the country. There she is away from the luxurious town life and is cold, hungry and tired. She somewhat learns to watch her temper and obey Petruchio so that he will feed her so she can survive peacefully rather than miserably. I believe that his method of taming her is not cruel yet very effective. He shows her that she can get much farther an d live life a lot happier if she is nice and â€Å"e... Free Essays on The Taming Of The Shrew taming of the shrew analysis Petruchio: â€Å"Even in these honest mean habiliments. Our purses shall be proud, our garments poor: For ‘tis the mind that makes the body rich; and as the sun breaks through the darkest clouds, so honour peereth in the meanest habit. What, is the jay more precious than the lark because his feather are more beautiful? Or is the adder better than the eel because his feathers are more beautiful? Or is the adder better than the eel because his painted skin contents the eye? O, no, good Kate; neither art thou the worse for this poor furniture and mean array. If thou account’st it shame, lay it on me; and therefore frolic; we will hence forthwith, to feast and sport us at thy father’s house.† The above passage, spoken by Petruchio at the end of scene three, does an excellent job of summarizing the theme of the entire play. The youngest sister, Bianca, is the most beautiful and the most sought after daughter in Baptista’s household. Through all the intricate plots that her suitors have, she is almost sure to choose the one whom she loves the most and therefore live happily ever after. Katherina, the so-called shrew and antagonist of the play, is publicly known as a vile woman who is the least likely to find a suitor, and almost certainly not love. However, all things change when Petruchio, the down on his luck noble and protagonist, comes along and finds his equal in whit and intellect. In an analysis of Petruchio’s passage we see a different man than that was originally presented to us in the beginning of the play. We see no mention of gaining riches, his purpose for considering wedding her, and in fact he denounces material things. â€Å"Our purses shall be proud, our garments poor: For ‘tis the mind that makes the body rich.† In other words: in wearing the ragged clothing that they did, he proves that his purpose is not for money and riches. He is able to see past her dowry and...

Fast Food Nation Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Fast Food Nation - Annotated Bibliography Example The problem arises when the ‘consumed’ food is unhealthy for people. This is identified by Anup Shaha, in his article which is entitled "Effects of Consumerism," as he notes that "today’s commercial markets include a very wide variety of foods that are unhealthy, but attractively marketed to kids† (Shah). Thus, the popularity of fast food in a given society entails the prevalence of the habit of consumerism in that society. In this context, many of the reviewed articles about the issue of consumerism assert that advertising plays a big role in the popularity of a certain food diet in the society. Regarding the issue of fast food, children are the main audience to which fast food ads are directed in order to attract as many young people as possible to this kind of food. As noted by Sandra L. Calvert, in her article which is entitled "Children as Consumers: Advertising and Marketing," â€Å"because of age-based limits in children's ability to understand adver tiser intent, the Federal Communications Commission has placed safeguards into the television advertising marketplace to protect young child audiences" (Calvert). Similar arguments are made by Mary Story and Simone French, in their article which is entitled "Food Advertising and Marketing Directed at Children and Adolescents in the US," and Barbara Sweeny in her article which is entitled "Concerned about Marketing to Children?" Therefore, many of the reviewed articles raise the issue that consumerism is enhanced in a given society by the excessive use of ads that publicize about fast food.

The Non-Smoking Policy Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 27

The Non-Smoking Policy - Case Study Example These are the people who will be affected by the cost of healthcare that results from smoking. Smoking in the company will affect or harm the non-smokers in the company (second-hand smoking). Non-smokers will have to put have at the risk of smoking-related illness even when they do not smoke. There is a conflict of interest between the employees and the company as employees feel that random testing and smoking ban is a violation of their rights while the employers believe that the policy is for the benefit of the employees. There exists a tension between the rights of the employees and those of the employer. There are no rights that are being ignored, and no one is failing in his or her obligation. The policy is aimed at ensuring a level playing field for all employees (fairness) - to prevent second-hand smoking and first-hand smoking effects. The issue is an ethical issue arising here is whether those employees who are smokers are being discriminated in the workplace. The issue aris ing, in this case, is the cause of the tension between the rights of the employer and the rights of the employee. Â  The possible alternative to the status quo of the affected employees is quit working at Weyco Inc. and seek for a job at the other USA states where measures against smokers are prohibited. The alternative to the status quo of the company is to fire the employees who violate the non-smoking policy for as long as they do not violate the discrimination laws. To achieve a compromise, both the employer and the employees should arrive at a consensus on the way forward. For example, the employer will have to employ a wellness program that will reward those employees who make lifestyle choices that are deemed to be healthy as part of its occupational health and safety.

Contact Zones in Chicano Culture Essay Example for Free

Contact Zones in Chicano Culture Essay Meeting someone from another culture expands your knowledge of the world. As you receive new information, you are giving some of your own. The experience of two different people meeting is far less than the experience of two different cultures of people meeting. The most common outcome of these meeting is one culture dominates over the other. This domination eventually leads to hatred towards the oppressors, until the dominated are free. Over many years, the dominated population has integrated their culture with the dominant one but there is still conflict. In â€Å"Arts of a Contact Zone† Mary Louise Pratt writes about the effects of a contact zone, when two different cultures meet and interact, and why it is good. Contact zones bring people together to share ideas and cultures but it can also lead to slavery and conquest . We will focus on one effect: literate arts. Some of the literate arts are autoethnography, transculturation, bilingualism, critique, and denunciation. These literate arts are ways people use language to express a clash of two cultures. An â€Å"autoethnographic text†, a text that a writer uses to respond to the way other people sees their ethnic group, uses things familiar with a dominant race to make a point. Pratt gave us an example of â€Å"autoethnographic text† called New Chronicle and Good Government by Guaman Poma. The title New Chronicle comes from the name of the apparatus used by the Spanish to present their American Conquests to themselves. Poma uses this to create a new picture of the world by rewriting the Christian history with the Andeans at the center of the religion. The new â€Å"Christian-Inca† history resembled European manners and custom descriptions but included the meticulous details of information stored in the Inca societies. Poma used this manner to write his letter to make a parody the Europeans could understand. Glorias Anzaldua essays â€Å"Entering into the Serpent† and â€Å"How to Tame a Wild Tongue† are examples of an â€Å"autoethnographic text. † She uses her essays to destroy some of the stereotypes readers have before they read her essays. Some of the stereotypes of Chicano are they are hated by the US and Latinos and have a conflicted identity. The idea that Americans and Latinos hate Chicanos comes from the belief that they cannot identify with Standard English or Standard Spanish cultures. Since the Chicanos are born in the United States but are ethnically Mexican, they do not â€Å"belong† in the United States or Mexico. The hatred of Americans and Latinos caused the unknown identity of Chicanos. Transculturation occurs when two groups of people integrate different aspects of a culture with each other. An example of transculturation is Poma’s illustrations in New Chronicle and Good Government. The pictures had a European genre but they used Andean systems of spatial symbolism to express values and aspirations. In Anzaldua’s essays, we see transculturation in the religion. â€Å"My family, like most Chicanos, did not practice Roman Catholicism but a folk Catholicism with many pagan elements† (Anzaldua 73). The Roman Catholicism that was the religion of the Spaniards intermingled with Anzaldua’s â€Å"snake religion† to form the folk Catholicism version of la Virgen Guadalupe as Coatlalopeuh. Transculturation and autoethnography both manipulate language. Anzaldua wrote the essays in English and Spanish to identify herself with the Chicano and show us her experience with English speaking people. Poma’s wrote his letter in Quechua and Spanish so both cultures could understand the main points of the letter. In childhood we were told that our language is wrong. Repeated attacks at our native tongue diminish our sense of self. The attacks continue throughout our lives. Chicanas feel uncomfortable talking in Spanish to Latinas, afraid of their censure. Their language was not outlawed in their countries. But for a language to remain alive, it must be used. By the end of this century English, and not Spanish, will be the mother tongue of most Chicanos and Latinos (Anzaldua 89) The language of a culture identifies a person. If someone’s language is banned it makes the person feel unwelcome so to fit in they speak the main language but wonder what is wrong with their own language. When Chicanos speak Spanish they â€Å"spoil† the language and when they speak English they are traitors. This idea of having a wrong language causes confusion and shame, which will lead to not a Chicano identity but an American identity. By identifying with her culture, she creates a known identity for her people. Chicano Spanish is unlike English or Spanish but a combination of both, which results in bilingualism. Anzaldua’s first essay shows us what her religion meant to her, and she blames and criticizes the Catholics for taking away her sexual identity. Before the Spaniards conquest, the male dominated Azteca-Mexica culture had replaced all the female deities with male ones. This replacement split the female deities and the female self. If there were no female (spirit) deities then there was no female identity, according to Anzaldua. After the Conquest, Guadalupe became a virgin and all the other female deities (snake goddesses) were whores. The change in identity of these female deities encourages the virgin/whore dichotomy. This separation of mind and body made it hard for her to find her sexual identity. Pratt’s definition of a contact zone makes it a wonderful and horrible place to be but Anzaldua seems to disagree. Anzaldua’s experience with Catholic people seemed to be the worst thing that happened to her. These chapters from her book Borderlands/La frontera only show one type of opinion with no other positive outlooks. Her dislike of the Catholics inspires her to write these chapters to show us how her life was like and to â€Å"blame† everyone who reads her book. She was not able to have a true contact zone through her experience so she is unwilling to understand the Catholic religion. Anzaldua’s essays are another example for Pratt to use in her essay. The concept of literate arts is present throughout. The essays mainly show the bad parts of Anzaldu’s contact zones but that is the main result of contact zones with a dominant culture. Even though Anzaldua may not agree this is a contact zone. Her bias shows the readers the horrors of her cultures past to encourage a response.

Transmission of the Plague to Humans Essay -- Biology Medical Biomedic

Transmission of the Plague to Humans Abstract Yersinia pestis is a bacterium that has been well known to mankind for centuries. Its mechanisms of survival in wide variety of species are extraordinary. The power of this bacterium is dependent on its manipulation of the immune system of its host’s. Its means of survival in the flea and its use of the flea as a vector to other desirable hosts portray this bacterium’s true capability. This flea is the main cause of the bacterium to other animals, especially humans. However, the bacterium does not just stop here; it uses its coded proteins to inhibit the host’s immune system and the host’s cellular functions to aid in its survival in the organism. One of the most deadly diseases to strike mankind is the plague. The plague has survived for centuries and has claimed the lives of millions throughout the years. The plague is caused by a gram-negative bacterium known as Yersinia pestis. There have been three major pandemics due to this bacterium. Although it does not seem as deadly now as it was in the Middle Ages, it is still very much alive and present. There are three types of plague: the bubonic, septicemic and pneumonic plague. The bubonic and septicimic plague are only transmitted by the flea, but the pneumonic plague can spread through the air in droplets or by physical contact. At times, transmission can also occur from infected rodents, cats or other animals through bites and scratches (Phillips, 2004). The bacteria’s key for survival lies in its vast variety of hosts. Its mechanism in manipulating the host’s cellular functions has enabled it to take control and survive through the years. However, the process that the bacteria must go through in order to infect a human relie... ...berlain/Website/lectures/lecture/plague.htm 2. Jarrett, C. et al. Transmission of Yersinia pestis from an infectious biofilm in the flea vector. Journal of Infectious Diseases. (2004) v190 I4 p783 3. Kool, J. (2005). Risk of Person-to-Person Transmission of Pneumonic Plague. Healthcare Epedimiology. July 24, 2005: http://www.nycosh.org/workplace_hazards/Biosafety/PlagueArticle4-05.pdf 4. Kopp, E, Medzhitov, R (14 October 2002). A Plague on Host Defense. The Journal of Experimental Medicine. July 24, 2005: http://www.jem.org/cgi/content/full/jem.20021311v1 5. Phillips, F. (2004). Bioterrorism: Plague. Anne Arundel County Department of Health, Maryland. July 27, 2005: http://www.aahealth.org/physicianslink/bioterrorism_plague_overview.asp 6. Velendzas, D (2005). Plague. Emedicine. July 21, 2005: http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic428.htm#section~author_information

The Black Swan

Before the discovery of Australia, all the world had never seen a black swan before. An impossible accomplishment in someones life before this time was referred to as â€Å" a black swan.† The mere sight of one black swan after the discovery of Australia negated the thousands of years of sightings of white swans and thinking they were the only species of swan. This generalization that was put on the term â€Å"black swan† before the british occupation of Australia is just an example of the illustration of the human mind and how one sighting can alter the mindset of thousands of years of thinking. The author Nassim Taleb has donated his whole life to philosophy, uncertainty, probability and finance. Starting as a chauffeur, Nassim worked his way up to become a businessman trader and later a university professor. By using his theory of Mediocristan and Extremistan, Taleb explains how the impact of the highly improbable affects all of us and personally each person has a handful of â€Å"black swans† which alter our lives for the better , or the worse. Mediocristan are easy to predict events that are easy to mentally compute, while extremistan are events that are unpredictable and affect the world in a major way. The Black Swan by Nassim Taleb is a nonfiction philosophy book that expresses one mans theory on rare human events that happen without warning, yet greatly impact the world as we know it. This book can be seen as a memoir of Taleb’s life and how his research has been his black swan, and has driven him to take risks and go greater distances than he would have without the incentive. The purpose of this book is to inform the reader of the impact of the highly unpredictable. A black swan , in terms of an event has 3 properties, 1. It is hard to predict based on historical information, 2. Low predictability – High consequence , 3. The events are perspectively unpredictable yet retrospectively predictable. The black swan events happen in everyones lives, or at least â€Å"affect† everyone lives. For example one of the most famous black swans in recent history is the invention of the computer and world wide web. Originally seen as a stock bubble by intel, is now a multi trillion dollar industry and a large part of the world are in contact with it. The book embarks on many peoples journeys and encounters with black swans, all encounters were unexpected but altered the peoples lives in a major way. The book takes place in Lebanon but mostly New York, where ironically many of the black swans happen. Having to do with different mathematical formulas, Taleb’s book hits the major focal points of rare events and that everyone encounters them making all people black swans in there own way. This book should be read by anyone interested in philosophy or the stock market. Although people don’t see it this way, but the stock market is directly affected by black swans and such things mentioned in the book as Gaussin’s bell curve or mediocristan and extremistan. These formulas and theory’s affect the market and affect the life of people. This book was very interesting and after reading it, the reader gets a different view on life and how major events in there life time, ex. ( 9/11, invention of the computer†¦) affect there life and impact there day to day progress as a human being.