Control In Cuckoos Essays - One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest

Control In Cuckoos Ken Keseys masterpiece novel One Flew over the Cuckoos Nest uses many themes, symbols, and imagery to illustrate the reality of the lives of a group of mental patients. The element of control is a central, arguably the largest, and the most important theme in the novel. The element of control revolves around the two main characters of the novel, Randle P. McMurphy, and Nurse Ratched. These two characters are the exact antithesis of each other, and they both seek to get their own way. They both realize that in order to get their own way, they must gain control over their rival and the ward. McMurphy and Nurse Ratched have different methods of attaining and using what control they have. They have different motives for seeking control over others. They also have different perceptions of the amount of control they possess. Throughout the novel, these two characters engulf themselves in an epic struggle for the most control. This struggle for control proves to be futile for both character s as they watch what control they thought had collapse like a house of cards. The element of control in Cuckoos Nest contains a certain definition. Control as it applies to the characters in Cuckoos Nest means that one character has substantial influence over the actions of another character. This control can influence another characters attitudes, emotions, reactions, or even how they live their day-to-day life. The character of Chief Bromden provides an excellent example of how strong an influence control has over a character in Cuckoos Nest. The Chief has multiple delusions in which he imagines society as a dreadful machine he calls The Combine. The Chief believes The Combine uses several machines (Nurse Ratched being one of the most powerful) to make people conform to its idea of order. One machine that The Chief mentions frequently is the Fog Machine, which creates fog that confuses and controls his perception of reality. The Chief does not mind this fog all the time, because it provides him with an escape from interaction with other people, particularly those who would make life worse for him. Sometimes, the Chief actually welcomes the thick fog. And Im glad when it gets thick enough youre lost in it and can let go, and be safe again. (Kesey, 101) By welcoming the fog, The Chief is allowing The Combine to control his conception of safety and security. Randle Patrick McMurphy Characters with the ability to influence others through control in Cuckoos Nest do not always abuse their control for undignified reasons like Nurse Ratched. There are characters that use their ability to control for noble purposes, which sometimes provide a great deal of benefit to other characters. Randle Patrick McMurphy, the rebellious main character of Cuckoos Nest, provides the best example of a character using his control for noble purposes. R.P. McMurphy is one of the most memorable and heroic characters in modern fiction. The most basic description of him is a rebellious and noble con man. His goals during his stay at the mental ward are to serve out his time while making a little money on the side. His quest for control begins on his first day in the ward. His initial motive for his desire of control is quite selfish. He recognizes Nurse Ratcheds control by observing how she influences all of the Acutes to work against each other during a group meeting. He remarks to the other patients, Is this the usual pro-cedure for these group therpy shindigs? Bunch a chickens at a peckin party? (Kesey, 55) Afterwards, McMurphy places a bet with some of the Acutes that he can get her (Nurse Ratcheds) goat which is an allegory for aggravating her and they by controlling how she handles her temper. He feels that if he can control Nurse Ratched, he can also influence (control) other patients to gamble with him. McMurphy then begins his epic battle with Nurse Ratched. He defies ward polices by taking an early morning shower and brushing his teeth before Nurse Ratched arrives at the ward. When she does arrive, she is angered with him, but does not let it show to anyone. Nurse Ratched even keeps her cool when

Free Essays on A Doll House

The Patriarchal Marriage Of Nora And Helmer! From the beginning of time until about the 1970’s women were expected to be seen and not heard. In A Doll House, Nora and Helmer’s marriage reflected this typed of thinking. Nora and Helmer’s relationship was built on the idea of the man goes to work and makes all the household decisions and the woman takes care of the children and the house. They were part of a patriarchal society, were according to Webster’s New World Dictionary is a form of social organization in which the father or the eldest male is recognized as the head of the family or tribe. Also it means government, rule, or domination by men as far as the family or tribe. Women had to secretly do things without their husband’s permission. I think that this made the women feel important, or that they could do things by themselves. If the truth ever came out it could ruin the relationship between husband and wife, it make s the man feel less of a man when his wife doesn’t come to him for everything. Women were considered to be possessions of their husbands, Helmer sees Nora as his possession or maybe even a child. He always makes sure to say â€Å"my† when calling her â€Å" Is that my little lark twittering out there?†(997). Just to ask her if see was home he says it in a way to make sure that she understands that she belongs to him. He even goes on to say â€Å"Can’t I look at my richest treasure? At all that beauty that’s mine, mine alone- completely and utterly.†(1038). I don’t know if he is just trying to remind Nora that she beings to him and only him or if he is trying to make sure that she is faithful to him. I believe it’s a little bit of both. He’s saying that nobody else can have you because you belong to me. Helmer often chastises Nora when he feels like she is getting beside herself. â€Å"My little songbird must never do that again. A songbird needs a clean beak to warble with. No false notes. T... Free Essays on A Doll House Free Essays on A Doll House The Dedicated Husband Torvald Helmer is the breadwinner and foundation for his household in Henrik Ibsen’s play, A Doll House. His authoritative personality that holds the family together throughout the beginning of the play is what ends up tearing them apart in the end. His initial actions give the impression that he is a caring and devoted husband, but when trouble occurs it is apparent that this facade is to cover up his self-absorption. Helmer’s breadwinning is so important in fact that he has to find time to see his wife between working not only at the office, but at home as well. An example of this would be when he tells her that he â€Å"Can’t be disturbed,† (1569) when she asks him to see what she’s bought. His work frequently occupies the time he could be spending with his family. Another example of his desire to be successful is when he says, â€Å"Ah, it’s so gratifying to know that one’s gotten a safe, secure job, and with a comfortable salary. It’s a great satisfaction, isn’t it?† (1571) At times his authoritative personality can almost be taken as dictation. Within the first ten lines of the play he is already commenting on â€Å"the little spendthrift†¦throwing money around again† (1569). Torvald always seems to want to control his wife’s spending habits. In addition to the money she spends, he goes so far as to want control over her eating habits. This is evident when it seems as though she is trying to hide her food from him when the play says, â€Å"Nora shuts the door. Drawing a bag of macaroons from her pocket, she eats a couple, then steals over and listens at her husband’s door†¦ Putting the macaroon bag in her pocket and wiping her mouth† (1569). A little later in the play Helmer is talking down to his wife interrogating her, â€Å"But wait; it seems to me you have a very suspicious look today-†¦Surely my sweet tooth hasn’t been running riot in town today, has she? Hasn’t nibb... Free Essays on A Doll House The Patriarchal Marriage Of Nora And Helmer! From the beginning of time until about the 1970’s women were expected to be seen and not heard. In A Doll House, Nora and Helmer’s marriage reflected this typed of thinking. Nora and Helmer’s relationship was built on the idea of the man goes to work and makes all the household decisions and the woman takes care of the children and the house. They were part of a patriarchal society, were according to Webster’s New World Dictionary is a form of social organization in which the father or the eldest male is recognized as the head of the family or tribe. Also it means government, rule, or domination by men as far as the family or tribe. Women had to secretly do things without their husband’s permission. I think that this made the women feel important, or that they could do things by themselves. If the truth ever came out it could ruin the relationship between husband and wife, it make s the man feel less of a man when his wife doesn’t come to him for everything. Women were considered to be possessions of their husbands, Helmer sees Nora as his possession or maybe even a child. He always makes sure to say â€Å"my† when calling her â€Å" Is that my little lark twittering out there?†(997). Just to ask her if see was home he says it in a way to make sure that she understands that she belongs to him. He even goes on to say â€Å"Can’t I look at my richest treasure? At all that beauty that’s mine, mine alone- completely and utterly.†(1038). I don’t know if he is just trying to remind Nora that she beings to him and only him or if he is trying to make sure that she is faithful to him. I believe it’s a little bit of both. He’s saying that nobody else can have you because you belong to me. Helmer often chastises Nora when he feels like she is getting beside herself. â€Å"My little songbird must never do that again. A songbird needs a clean beak to warble with. No false notes. T... Free Essays on A Doll House The function of the past in Ibsen’s play The Doll House is to generate conflict within Nora and between Torvald and her, and thus contribute to her decisive departure at the end. Nora and Torvald’s upbringing and experience cultivate their perception of conventional domestic roles. Moreover, other characters stories of their past reshape Nora’s point of view and give her encouragement to leave. Therefore, the past is significant in this play as it dictates the main conflict. Nora and Torvald are nurtured in a society where male is the dominant figure. Torvald believes that the male should be protective of the female and head the family. At first, Nora has no complains and she just takes it as it is. She enjoys her â€Å"beautiful, happy home† (54). Therefore, Torvald claims himself to â€Å"have [has] strength and courage enough as a man to take on the whole weigh [problems] myself [himself]† (79). This believe of his which seems to the norm of the culture defines Nora as the weak. She is constantly nicknamed by Torvald as â€Å"song bird† or â€Å"poor thing† or â€Å"my little darling† throughout the text. Nora has no problem with Torvald’s masculine pride because she fantasizes that Torvald loves her and she understands him. She said to Rank, â€Å"You know how deeply, how inexpressibly dearly Torvald loves me; he’d never hesitate a second to give up his life for me.†(83) However, she is disappoi nted to Torvald outrageous response to past. That’s why Nora becomes another person and takes control of the situation for once and then come to a decision to exit. Both Mrs. Linde’ and the maid, Anne-Marie’s story of their past has influenced her final departure. Anne-Marie, the nurse, has given her daughter to stranger so that she can work with Nora. Nora’s initial reaction is that she cannot understand how Anne-Marie did it. Nora’s thinks that her children might forget her once she leaves. She asks Anne-Marie whether her ...

Firm performance Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Firm performance - Research Paper Example ,000 - $3,000,000 - $4,400,000 = - $2,400,000 profit Now, assuming $3,000,000 fixed costs ($4,400,000 + $3,000,000) / 200,000 = $37 average total cost ($25 - $37) x 200,000 = $200,000 x (-12) = -$2,400,000 profit -2,400,000 / $80 worker wage = 30,000 workers laid off What should be done at the firm In the first scenario, the business breaks even, thus when fixed costs increase over $600,000, the business should shut down production or at least consider its capacity in terms of labor and the pricing of the finished output. At $1,000,000, the business takes a profit loss of $400,000. Certainly at fixed costs increasing to $3,000,000 rather than the $1,000,000, the business is taking a profit loss of $2,400,000 which is substantial and would be difficult to offset without a significant cut in labor. In a practical firm environment with manufacturing, this is likely not feasible. In the third scenario when assuming fixed costs of $3,000,000, it would require laying off 30,000 workers, wh ich is 60 percent of the entire labor force. Below is the calculation for the new worker productivity with laid off workers when fixed costs total three million dollars. 200,000 units of output / 20,000 = 10 total worker productivity (a raise from 4 in scenario 1) There is really not enough data provided about the dynamics of worker responsibility or the tangibles of the production system to determine whether workers can increase their productivity without considering layoffs of 60 percent of the staff. However, as aforementioned, it is likely not feasible to reduce the workforce by such a significant volume without reducing output. The total worker productivity calculation is a quantitative evaluation tool that does not take into consideration the operations environment or capacity. The most logical course of action would be to raise the selling price of the finished product from $25 to a more competitive market price that will allow for profit to be achieved. A small fraction of t he workforce, say 10 percent, would provide for $400,000 cost savings and could likely be achieved with careful production planning, consolidation, or other operational changes. By adding an additional $5 to the selling price, revenues would increase from $5,000,000 to $6,000,000, which would provide profit in the scenario where fixed costs are $600,000, when assuming $1,000,000 and much closer to break-even when the fixed costs are assumed at $3,000,000. Profit of $1,000,000 by reducing 10 percent of the workforce and enhancing pricing structure from $25 to $30 would add $1,400,000 to revenues and worker cost savings. With subsequent pricing increases, the losses can be offset without disrupting productivity or output volumes. The business should consider market conditions and demand factors before establishing an appropriate price increase to ensure that business is not lost and the output product can still be competitive in the marketplace. When prices increase,

Humanities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 4

Humanities - Essay Example St Augustine defines the original sin as the greatest manifestation of Man’s pride and disloyalty to God and expresses the need for reunion with God through Christ. He believes that Grace is the manifestation of God’s work through good works that human beings do. Therefore, he calls for Christians to submit completely to God for salvation. An analysis of the St Augustines confessions depicts God as a supernatural being, to whom all human beings should submit unconditionally. To begin with, St Augustine focused on the concept of the original sin that is crucial in the Christian. The original sin refers to the disobedience of Adam and Eve in the garden of Aden. On this, Augustine state that Adam’s sin is transmitted by the â€Å"hurtful desire† of human beings (Hollingworth 13-25). In literary works, he notes that the original sin is a manifestation of human disobedience of God because of human pride. He explains that the original sin resulted to the transformation of human beings, as the faced the consequences of their sins. Since Adam and Eve created nature through reproduction, it follows that all human beings carry the sin that their parents committed. This implies that all the descendants of Adam and Eve are born with the original sin. He uses a realistic approach to points out since the first parents are the root of humanity, then all those humanity inherited this sin from their parents. The belief that all humanity bears the original sin is widely accepted in the contemporary Christian community. Therefore, St Augustine’s conception of original sin in the medieval period has shaped modern Christianity. Next, St Augustine provides a detailed analysis of divine grace and the way it affects the lives of Christians. He states that human beings lack the ability to do good or even respond to the will of God without his divine intervention. To Augustine, Grace is the ability of human beings to do good acts that are in accordance with the will of

Criminal Law as a product of Social Engineering Essay

Criminal Law as a product of Social Engineering - Essay Example When the number of inmates the various prisons also increases as a result of the high rate of crimes, then the catering of these inmates becomes another head-ache of the government. All these things do not allow governments especially in developing countries to be able to use the scarce resources they have on more useful and profitable things which will bring them more income to be able to develop their economies. This when studied further will in a long term becomes another cause of crime. This is because when a country's economy is very poor there will be no jobs for the citizens hence poverty will be on the increase. These citizens therefore in an attempt to be able to earn some money to feed themselves and their families tend to engage in criminal acts. This makes the whole process become more or less a viscous circle. The governments not only will not be able to generate more revenue to improve their economy ,but also they will not be able to provide the basic amenities all thei r citizens may need. these include good drinking water,electricity,medical services and so on. When it comes to the social effects crime has ,it is quite obvious that communities where crime rates are high ,the younger generations or citizens grow up to become very violent people .This is because they are e always surrounded by violence and this affects them psychologically. It makes them believe in nothing else but violence and illegal ways as the only way to get what they want. They have not even the slightest idea about what peace is really about or even what the laws of their country are and their significance. If a country or community has its younger generation who are supposed to be the future leaders of that community have such a character and wrong perception, you would agree with me that that community really has a lot to do to have a good future. Social engineering as labeled above as a very important issue in the combat against crime ,can be described as the use policies that are base don the findings of social science to deal with social problems of which crime is no exemption. Policies made by governments come in different forms, but the one that comes to light in this context is the regulatory policies. This policies as the name implies, are meant to give limits to individuals and co-operate bodies in their decision making and actions. These policies when made serve as a guideline or step to step actions or procedures the government needs to follow in order to be able to achieve a set goal. Before policies are made, various things are taken into consideration ,these include the purpose for which the policy is been made. These is when the governments need the ideas of the experts in the specific sector within which the policy is been made. that is whether it is an education, health, est. policy. When it comes to policies o f social engineering ,the ideas of experts in the social sciences are needed in order to structure out the policies in such a way to be able to achieve its set goal or purpose .Social science involves of how groups of people behave ,often in effort

The Demographic Factors For A Business Commerce Essay

The Demographic Factors For A Business Commerce Essay According to Michael Mattson John Ivancevich, the key factors influencing the differences in human behavior patterns are demographic factors, perception, ability and skills, personality and attitudes as follows: 1. Demographic factors: Demographic factors depend on someone Education, background, age, nationality, race, gender, etc. Organizations prefer those individuals who promote good socio-economic background, etc. and who are educated young people as they can better perform tasks. The young and dynamic professionals with good knowledge and communication skills are perfect and always in high demand by organizations. The study of demographic factors is important because it helps managers to select the qualified candidate for a job. 2. Ability and skills: Capacity is the physical capacity of an individual to do something. Skills can be defined as the ability to act in such a way that allows a person to do a good job perfectly. Individual behavior and performance is strongly influenced by the level of skills and competencies. A person can perform well in the organization, if his or her abilities and skills are matched with the job requirement. The manager has a very important role in the selection and assignment of individuals with particular job. 3. Perception: Perception is a process by which an individual reaches the sensory awareness or understand the information. The perception comes from the Latin word perceptio, percipio, which means receiving collecting. Â   There are many factors that affect the perception of an individual. The study of the perception plays a vital role for managers, as they know how to create a favorable atmosphere for work so that employees perceive them in a better way. Employees are probably give better results if they are going to perceive it in a positive and justified. 4. Attitude: According to psychologists, the attitude can be defined as the tendency to react positively or negatively to certain people, objects or situations. Factors such as family, culture, society and organizational factors influence attitude formation. Employees can do better for the organization if it is a positive attitude. It contributes to business growth and development 5. Personality: Personality comes from the Greek word personawhich means mask is defined as the study of personality characteristics and distinctive personality traits, the relationship between them, and how a person reacts and adapts to other people and situations. There are a number of factors that influence the personality of the individual i.e family, heredity, society, culture and situation. Its a fact that people differ in their way, responding to the organizational environment. Personality can also be termed as the most difficult aspect of human beings, which affects their behavior in a big way. It is shown that the study of personality traits offers an opportunity to understand peoples. This helps them to properly channel their efforts and motivate them to complete the organizational goals. Each organization requires a certain type of behavior from its employees and such behavior can be detected by monitoring, training, education, exposure, etc. Task for P4 Organization theory refers to the study of the phenomena of organizational functioning and performance of the behavior of individuals and groups working in them.The main theories to study the organization are as follows:- Classical theory: Efficiency productivity can be enhanced by improving the efficiency of the workers. F.W.Taylor is considered as the father of scientific management. According to him men are like machines, as good maintained machines production is more likewise healthy men can work more. He assumed there is one best method for every job. He introduced standardization of tasks, division of labour, analysis of work time measurement. He introduced the concept of fair day wages for fair days. According to him production is improved by teamwork and not by conflict. The goal is maximization of output and not limitation. The best means of doing a job needs for appropriate tools, motivation and fair wages. Bureaucratic theory: Organization designed to carry out large scale administrative tasks by thoroughly coordinating the work of many individuals. A German sociologist Max Weber introduced the idea of Bureaucracy. Salient features A person is said to have power or authority, If within the social framework his will can be imposed on others despite resistance for structuring human groups, becomes a special instance of power called authority or domination. Systems theory: Organization is as a system in which coordinated personal activities of two or more persons, held together by the potential for creating a common purpose, by willingness on the part of its members to participate in its processes and effective communication. Contingency theory It is a class of behavioral theory that claims that there is no best way to organize a corporation, to make decisions or to lead a company. Instead, the optimal course of action is dependent upon the internal and external situations. It is also called a situational theory. Functions of Management: Planning: This is the first tool function in the management process. The difference between successful and unsuccessful manager is within the planning process. Planning is the logical thinking through the goals and decision making on what needs to be done to achieve organizational goals. Â  Organization: The manager must know their subordinates and that they are able to arrange the most valuable company resources, ie its employees. This is achieved through proper management of personnel of the division, the acquisition of resources, establishment of training and organization of work groups in a productive and creative team. Â  Leading: organizational success is determined by the quality of leadership. A leader can be a manager but the manager is not necessarily a leader, says Allen, Gemmy. Leadership is the power of influence of one person over another, to encourage action aimed at achieving the objectives of the company. Â  Controlling: A process that ensures plans are implemented correctly and precisely. As said by Gemmy Allens Controlling is the last link in the chain of functional management activities and brings management cycle full circle. Managerial Roles: According to Henry Mintzberg there are ten managerial roles which are briefly developed here: FIGUREHEAD: The manager performs ceremonial symbolic duties as head of the organisation. LEADER: To develop an appropriate working atmosphere and motivating and developing subordinates. LIASION: Develops maintains a network of external contacts to gather information. MONITOR: Collects internal external information relevant to the company. Distributor: Pass a realistic and important information to their subordinates. SPOKESPERSON: communicates with the outsiders on the performance policies. OWNER: Designs and initiates changes in the company. VIOLATIONS handler: Deals with unexpected events and operational failures. RESOURCES distributor: Management and allows the use of organizational resources. NEGOTIATOR: Participates in negotiation activities with other individuals and organisations. Managerial authority: Managerial authority is the position that empowers a manager to exercise command and control over those individuals placed under him for realization of the assigned role in an organisation. Originally, the overall authority is centrally given in person of the manager. However, it is quite hard for a man to effectively execute and monitor each and every task. Therefore, various functions with a suitable authority are devolved downwards to concerned low levels for better output. The practice also provides a foundation for organisational tree specifying various powers and responsibilities in both vertical and horizontal hierarchy.

Eleanor Marx :: Economist Writers Literature Essays

Eleanor Marx Eleanor Marx has not been remembered as an economist. Her life, though more so her death, has captured the imaginations and curiosities of novelists and biographers and her existence has been cast into the role of the â€Å"tragic socialist.† Yet, as the daughter of Karl Marx, she was a prominent writer and activist for socialist reform. She edited Marx’s unpublished texts after his death and contributed several articles of her own on economic topics. Similarly, in her daily interactions, she worked for social reform that was fundamentally economic in nature and associated with a wide range of feminist and socialist activists. Many of these people themselves have been classified, or perhaps reclassified in recent years, as economists themselves. Yet Eleanor has by and large been overlooked by historians and economists. She has been relegated to the role of tragic heroine at best and a curiosity at worst. This paper will argue that both in her written legacy and in the way she conducted her personal life, Eleanor Marx was first and foremost an economist. An Economist in Writing Eleanor Marx’s essay, â€Å"The Woman Question,† clearly delineates her role as an economist and her dedication to feminism at the same time. The text was written and published with her common law husband, Edward Aveling. As Kapp points out in her extensive biography, this text was the first of Eleanor’s writings â€Å"to bear the imprint of a commercial publisher† (Kapp II, 1972, 83). While Aveling certainly was involved in producing the final document, in Kapp’s analysis at least, the majority of the underlying argument was Eleanor’s (83). Thus, we can reasonably say that this document, framed as a review of Bebel’s Woman-Past, Present, and Future, is indicative of Eleanor’s intellectual processes. The text of â€Å"The Woman Question† is ardent in its defense of economics and women. For Eleanor, the only way to improve the status of women was to tie it to the class movement. â€Å"The question is one of economics. The position of women rests, as everything in our complex modern society rests, on an economic basis† (Marx 1886). With the phrase, â€Å"everything in our complex modern society,† Eleanor not only casts herself as an economist, but establishes that any venture, be it social or academic, is fundamentally economic in nature. Thus, once she establishes that feminism is inherently an economic issue, the connection between her father’s socialist theories and her own feminism becomes clear.

Should Parents Be Responsible If Their Children Behave Badly?

Many crimes and social problems are caused by children. Despite the damage these teenage criminals cause, parents are not held responsible in most countries. This essay will discuss whether parents should be forced to pay for their children's crimes. There are many reasons why parents should not be responsible for crimes committed by teenage children. First of all, teenagers today are independent. They often move out of the parent's house at 18 years of age or younger. They are expected to learn to take care of themselves and make their own decisions, and not stay like small children attached to their parents. Secondly, parents are working. They cannot watch their adolescent children all the time. Parents have done their job A third point is that even children from good families can sometimes commit crimes. Parents should not be responsible if they have worked hard to raise their children properly. However, because of the many problems young troublemakers cause, I feel we should make parents responsible. Firstly, most juvenile crimes are committed by adolescents whose parents do not care or make any effort to control their children. If parents had to pay fines, they might make more effort. Another point is that even though the children may seem mature, they are not really able to make good decisions. Parents should be responsible for raising and teaching their children until they are fully grown. Furthermore, if children know that their parents will have to pay, they will think carefully before doing getting into trouble In summary, there are good reasons both for and against making parents pay for acts committed by their children. However, I feel strongly that if we want to reduce the number of such crimes, we need to make parents take more responsibility.

Marble Slab Case Analysis

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Company: Marble Slab is a company that is famous for making fresh ice cream. It sells its premium prestige ice cream that is made daily with unique toppings. The unique thing about Marble Slab is the customers’ ability to completely customize their ice cream the way that they want to eat it. Instead of having a predetermined flavour, customers are able to mix their flavours of ice cream that they please and put a numerous amount of toppings on them that include Bananas, Strawberries, Bread crumbs etc. They call this Mixins. All of this is done on a giant ice cold marble slab.Marble Slab wishes to give customers a unique experience with a prestigious brand of ice cream. Marble Slab Creamery Inc. was founded in Houston, Texas in 1983. It was independently owned by franchisees across the United States until 2003 when Canadians were granted permission to have franchisees in Canada. In 2007, Marble Slab creamery Inc. was purchased by NexCen Brands Inc. Although Ne xCen owned Marble Slab they played a small role in the daily operations of their locations. Marble Slab has become one of the fastest growing quick serve restaurants with almost 400 locations worldwide.Product: Besides premium ice cream that is made daily, Marble Slab also sells sundaes, milkshakes, ice cream cakes, frozen yogurt and more. Since the ice cream is made fresh at the location it can last up to 30 days. Every location had an offering of 21 different flavours and an endless amount of mixins. And the prices of the products were the same across any of the locations. Price: The prices of Marble Slabs products vary from as low as $4. 95 for an ice cream cone with 1 mixin to a Slab cake for $54. 95 and everything in between.They do have things that are cheaper than the cone with 1 mixin such as brownies, apple pie slices, and even a charge for extra mixins, all of which are under $3. 00. Event catering for an event of at least 200 people will need 2 employees at a cost of $12 per hour, as well as the cost of supplies and the ice cream itself. Place: There are approximately 400 Marble Slab locations worldwide. With many locations in major Urban and Suburban areas throughout Canada and the United States With a potential location in Vaughn, Toronto Annex Area, the Beaches, or Oakville.Promotion: Potential promotional ads in the Toronto Star, Now Magazine Toronto, Pattison Outdoor and on 104. 5 Chum FM. CURRENT MARKET ENVIRONMENT MICRO ENVIRONMENT Industry: Trends: The biggest trend in the ice cream industry as of right now is that most consumers are switching over to a more premium and more expensive ice cream products. An example of this would be the Magnum bar that comes from chocolate imported from Belgium, which has become very popular because of their marketing campaign.Things such as TV Commercials and celebrity endorsements are the reasons for the success of that product. The popularity of impulse ice cream has been decreasing steadily since 2007. Th e reason for this is that people are becoming more health conscience and are not interested in that type of ice cream anymore. Organic ice creams are becoming very popular. People are interested in natural flavors with no artificial colours added. People like the act that these products are not genetically enhanced in any way because, as stated before, people are more health conscious.Chocolate, Vanilla, and Strawberry flavours are still the most popular flavours of ice cream. But this does not mean that consumers are not willing to try new flavours. New flavours are still being created because they are still successful. Competition: Direct: Cold Stone- Cold Stone is pretty much an exact replica of Marble Slab. They offer a premium ice cream with complete customization. They even prepare it on a frozen granite stone. Created over 20 years ago and with over 1,400 stores it is easily one of Marble Slabs direct competitor.Baskin Robins- Baskin Robins is the largest ice cream company in the world. In Canada it has the largest share-of-mind. They serve ice cream, milkshakes, cakes and other products. They are well known for their 31 original flavours and their ice cream is known to be of good quality. A Baskin Robins can be found anywhere from malls to stand alone buildings. It has a large amount of financial resources and is priced similarly to Marble Slab. Dairy Queen- Dairy Queen is mostly known for its famous â€Å"Blizzard† It also serves ice cream and milkshakes and cakes.But it also sells Hamburgers, Hotdogs, and Sandwiches. Dairy queen also has a similar mixins concept that Marble Slap has but at a cheaper price. They also target children with children friendly food options. Indirect: McDonalds- McDonalds is the biggest restaurant chain in the world. McDonalds has a food chain in over 120 countries. They are primarily known for selling Hamburgers and fries but also have ice cream. The most famous of their ice cream meals being the â€Å"McFlurryâ₠¬  Milkshake. McDonalds is a power house and is unstoppable when it comes to promotion of their products.They excel in quick serve food and are definitely the leaders in the food market. A positive for Marble Slab is the fact that McDonalds isn’t really popular for its ice cream products and does not have the share-of-mind for that product. Starbucks- Starbucks is known for selling their premium coffee and tea products. Another thing that they do well is sell a comfortable environment. It’s a good place for people to hang out and socialize with friends and family. However they do not have a very large menu and mainly specialize in customized drinks.They also have a niche market and do not cater to children. Convenience Stores- There is convenience and grocery stores everywhere that have access to ice cream. It’s quick and easy to get ice cream at these places and they also have almost every other food choice. They can also choose to discount prices on items. Th ey are good for bargains. Baskin Robins has the Market share of ice cream restaurants. What they and Marble Slab have in common is that they have the same target market. Marble Slab is more prestigious and expensive. It also has more of a sit down restaurant feel to it.What Marble Slab has done better in terms of its competition is: * Greater share-of-mind than McDonalds * Caters to a bigger demographic than Starbucks, and Dairy Queen * Selling an original product * Having an original mixins concept * Offering a unique experience with the food being prepared on a frozen marble slab What Marble Slab has done that is weaker than their competition is: * Not as popular as Baskin Robins or McDonalds * More Prestigious product means it will be more expensive * Don’t have the marketing power or financial resources as their competitionConsumer: | Families| Young Adults| Women| Demographic| -A Family with children who are under the age of 15| -Young Adults aged 15- 24| -Women aged 15- 50| Geographic| -Primarily in Urban and Suburban areas| -Primarily in Urban and Suburban areas| -Primarily in Urban and Suburban areas| Psychological| -Parents who are often engaged in family activities- Looking for good quality ice cream. | – People who have their own disposable income -PT, FT, or summer employment| -Health conscious-The primary food purchasers in the household. Do a lot of food decisions in and out of the house| Behavioural| -Those who enjoy ice cream as a treat and would go to Marble Slab to fulfill their need for ice cream| -Looking for social interaction-Impulsive-Limited family obligation| -Looking for some place fast and easy to get a snack -Impulsive| Suppliers & Marketing Intermediaries: They get their supply from dairy farmers. Dairy can be quite expensive in the off season. They get most of their fruits and vegetables from farms as well. Also products such as cheese get purchased from factories.All marble Slabs are individually owned so they all h ave their own means as to where they get their supply. It may vary slightly from location to location. Products from the factories and the farms get purchased then they will be supplied to each of the Marble Slabs. MACRO ENVIRONMENT Macro-environment factors are the major external and uncontrollable factors that influence an organization’s decision making, and affect its performance and strategies. These factors include the economic factors; demographics; legal, political and social conditions; technological changes; and natural forces.Technological: Technology is another aspect of the environment a firm should consider in developing strategic plans. Changing technology may affect the demand for a firm's products and services, its production processes, and raw materials. Technological changes may create new opportunities for the firm, or threaten the survival of a product, firm, or industry. Technological innovation continues to move at an increasingly rapid rate. The technol ogical aspects of Marble Slab include the technology utilized to create and produce frozen dessert products such as ice cream, frozen yogurt, and milkshakes.Additionally, a new technological trend can be found in companies Investing in ways to create the same sweet taste of frozen desserts, but with less saturated fats and processed sugars. Demographic: Socioeconomic characteristics of a population expressed statistically, such as age, sex, education level, income level, marital status, occupation, religion, birth rate, death rate, average size of a family, average age at marriage. A census is a collection of the demographic factors associated with every member of a population.Income level of the cities where Thomas is looking to start the business are highly populated and people have pretty high level of income. The age groups of young adults 15-24 are in the range of 2000-35,000. Economic: Economic factors refer to the character and direction of the economic system within which th e firm operates. Economic factors include the balance of payments, the state of the business cycle, the distribution of income within the population, and governmental monetary and fiscal policies. The impact of economic factors may also differ between industries.The economic downturn of 2008 is still a heavy factor in the minds of Canadian consumers. Although conditions have improved in the last few years, Canadians still show some amount of concern financially. This concern materializes into apprehension for luxury and treat items such as ice cream. This raises a slight risk for Marble Slab especially because of their super premium ingredient, and luxury status. Another economical macro environmental factor is the ice cream industry’s exponential influence from the wide fluctuation of dairy market prices.The price of commodities such as cocoa and sugar also vary depending on supply and demand. This plays a direct role in the amount spent on goods. Social/Cultural: The socioc ultural dimensions of the environment consist of customs, lifestyles, and values that characterize the society in which the firm operates. Socio-cultural components of the environment influence the ability of the firm to obtain resources, make its goods and services, and function within the society. Sociocultural factors include anything within the context of society that has the potential to affect an organization.Population demographics, rising educational levels, norms and values, and attitudes toward social responsibility are examples of sociocultural variables. One of the social aspects discussed in the Marble Slab case study is the rise of the â€Å"healthy-eating† trend. The increased rate of obesity in North America is one of the leading factors in the occurrence of this social trend. This poses a threat to Marble Slab because ice cream is a frozen dessert treat high in calories. This however is combated by Marble Slab’s addition of fat-free frozen yogurt.Ice c ream is considered to be a social event in our culture, and the fact that ice cream establishments offer a social environment is a leading factor in why the market holds so much potential for young adults and families with children. Political/legal: The political-legal dimension of the general environment also affects business activity. The philosophy of the political parties in power influences business practices. The legal environment serves to define what organizations can and cannot do at a particular point in time.One of those most important political factors in the assessment of the macro environmental factors of Marble Slab lies within the Harmonized Sales tax policy (HST) that has replaced the Provincial Sales Tax (PST) since July of 2010. The combination of the PST as well as the Goods and Services Tax (GST) indicates a slight raise in the overall cost of goods and services. This is an important political factor for a retail store like Marble Slab Creamery, because consumer s will find a noticeable increase of tax.This raises a slight risk they will be discouraged from visiting luxury or treat stores like an ice cream establishment. Natural environment: An identifiable element in the physical, cultural, demographic, economic, political, regulatory, or technological environment that affects the survival, operations, and growth of an organization. Winter Weather in Canada can affect the business. People try to ignore eating cold products in winter. SWOT ANALYSIS Strengths: * Make Fresh Ice Cream Daily * High Quality Ingredients * Customizable Product 21 Flavour of Ice Cream * Fat Free * Greater share-of-mind than McDonalds * Caters to a bigger demographic than Starbucks, and Dairy Queen * Selling an original product * Having an original mixins concept * Offering a unique experience with the food being prepared on a frozen marble slab Weaknesses: * Not as popular as Baskin Robins or McDonalds * More Prestigious product means it will be more expensive * Do n’t have the marketing power or financial resources as their competition * Not as many locations as competition Not as many flavours as other places like Baskin Robins (32 Flavours) * Not too convenient or those who want fast ice cream * Lots of Substitutes in Market Opportunities: * Can start to sell their ice cream at Convenience and Grocery stores * Have a take home section, sort of like a drive through * Use Social Media to Advertise * Create more flavours * Increase number of locations * Expanding to other countries * Appealing to price sensitive customers Expand menu so that there are more products than just ice cream (Coffee or Hamburgers. Ex. Dairy Cream, McDonalds) * Focus on Catering because it can be a great asset if done well * Trent towards healthy eating gives fat-free yogurt sales a boost * Children see ice cream as a treat, and encourage parents to choose an ice cream establishment as a family activity * The lucrative young adults (15-24) market are inclined t o visit and ice cream establishment due to its social environment and low costThreats: * Recession * Other companies who want to become more involved with ice cream products * Brand Loyalty to other ice cream companies * Dominant Retailers can sell ice cream for a lot less * Intense competition from other frozen dessert chains and grocers * Indirect competition from convenience and grocery stores * The dairy industry has a wide fluctuation rate, which directly affects goods prices * Canadians are concerned about the dip in the American economy. Other competitors such as Baskin Robins and Cold Stones have the financial resources to generate strong promotion, and can keep their prices on par with Marble Slab * Other competitors have products similar to Marble Slab’s â€Å"mixins†, such as Dairy Queen’s â€Å"Blizzard† or McDonalds â€Å"McFlurry† * Other food establishments have the advantage of supplying their products through grocers Problem and Is sue Analysis The major issue is deciding the location, because all the expenses related to promotion and pricing decision depend on the location.Some locations have different financing and leasing whereas others have target market issue. Every single decision to be made depends on the location where Thomas would like to start the business. Marketing Objectives Marble Slabs Marketing objectives are: -To have a successful promotional plan for the grand opening of the store and meeting the revenue goal of $400,000 in the first year. -To have promotional costs of $10,000 for the grand opening. -To have a 20% ROI on our catering events every year. Marketing StrategiesLocation is defined as the major problem as every single thing related for operations depends on location. Looking over the census information for the locations, Oakville is the most suitable option, the reasons are as follows: – 1- Median household income is the highest for Oakville 2- There are considerable amount o f target market in Oakville 3- Located near the lake, could be considered as picnic spot 4- There is little direct competition Purchasing power is the most important, because if the consumer has low disposable income then they won’t have that curiosity to spend.Oakville has the highest median income. 13,245 young adults live in Oakville. Ample of target market are present in Oakville, Thomas should work on 80 20 rule, where 20% of consumer make 80% of the revenue. There is little direct competition; this gives Thomas to act as the market leader in Oakville. There is some indirect competition from the grocery stores but that won’t affect the sale to a major extent. Thomas has to introduce fat free ice cream, because most of the consumers are health conscious.To achieve the objectives Thomas has to try as hard as possible to stay on the budget. There are a lot of expenses that come with the opening of a business. She must concentrate her time and money on the proper adve rtisement. I think one of her best bets in that situation would be to have a commercial on 104. 5 Chum FM during driving time because I believe that that will reach the most people. Also if she is to go into catering I believe that the best option for her to use is the portable slab option. It caters to the most people and the whole Marble Slap experience to the customers

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