McDonalds Strategic Audit Essay Example

McDonalds Strategic Audit Paper McDonalds as being ninth most valuable brand in the world which has replaced the US army as the Nation’s largest job training organization Controls the market share of more than 3 food chains taken together in America started in 1940. McDonalds Corporation (MCD) is the worlds largest chain of fast food restaurants, serving nearly 47 million customers daily. McDonalds primarily sells hamburgers, cheeseburgers, chicken products, French fries, breakfast items, soft drinks, milkshakes and desserts. More recently, it has begun to offer salads, wraps and fruit. Many McDonalds restaurants have included a playground for children and advertising geared toward children, and some have been redesigned in a more natural style, with a particular emphasis on comfort: introducing lounge areas and fireplaces, and eliminating hard plastic chairs and tables. Company has also expanded the McDonalds menu in recent decades to include alternative meal options like salads and snack wraps in order to capitalize on growing consumer interest in health and wellness. Each McDonalds restaurant is operated by a franchisee, an affiliate, or the corporation itself. The corporations revenues come from the rent, royalties and fees paid by the franchisees, as well as sales in company operated restaurants. McDonalds revenues grew 27% over the three years ending in 2007 to $22.8 billion, and 9% growth in operating income to $3.9 billion We will write a custom essay sample on McDonalds Strategic Audit specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on McDonalds Strategic Audit specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on McDonalds Strategic Audit specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer McDonalds’s success is the result of superior products, high standards of performance, distinctive competitive strategies and the high integrity of our people. McDonalds is continuing to expand and introduce new alternative beverages in the market. Approximately 85% of McDonald’s restaurant businesses world-wide are owned and operated by franchisees .All franchisees are independent, full-time operators. McDonald’s was named Entrepreneur’s Number-one franchise for 1997 McDonald’s corp. is currently one of the most successful consumer products company in the world with annual revenues exceeding $23 million and has more than 1.6 million employees. McDonald’s products are recognized and are most respected all around the globe. Currently, its divisions operate in all over the world in beverages, snack foods, and restaurants. The corporations increasing success has been based on high standards of performance, marketing strategies, competitiveness, determination, commitment, and the personal and professional integrity of their people, products and business practices. McDonald’s believes their success depends upon the quality and value of their products by providing a safe, whole some, economically efficient and a healthy environment for their customers; and by providing a fair return to their investors while maintaining the highest standards of integrity. McDonalds A Global Phenomenon McDonalds opened its doors in India in October 1996. Ever since then, our family restaurants in Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Ludhiana, Jaipur, Noida Faridabad, Doraha, Manesar and Gurgaon have proceeded to demonstrate, much to the delight of all our customers, what the McDonalds experience is all about. Our first restaurant opened on 15th April 1955 in Des Plaines, Illinois, U.S.A. Almost 50 years down the line, we are the worlds largest food service system with more than 30,000 restaurants in 100 countries, serving more than 46 million customers every day. Locally Owned McDonald’s in India is a 50-50 joint venture partnership between McDonald’s Corporation [USA] and two Indian businessmen. Amit Jatia’s company Hardcastle Restaurants Pvt. Ltd. owns and operates McDonalds restaurants in Western India. While Connaught Plaza Restaurants Pvt. Ltd headed by Vikram Bakshi owns and operates the Northern operations. Amit Jatia and Vikram Bakshi are like-minded visionaries who share McDonalds complete commitment to Quality, Service, Cleanliness and Value (QSCV). Having signed their joint-venture agreements with McDonalds in April 1995, they trained extensively, along with their Indian management team, in McDonalds restaurants in Indonesia and the U.S.A. before opening the first McDonald’s restaurant in India.

Potpourri of Misspellings

Potpourri of Misspellings Potpourri of Misspellings Potpourri of Misspellings By Maeve Maddox Strolling along Internet Boulevard one morning, I encountered more than the usual quota of misspelled-words-per-minute. INCORRECT: My level of stress is nothing compared to your personal battles with illness and other life hurtles. CORRECT : My level of stress is nothing compared to your personal battles with illness and other life hurdles. hurtle verb: to dash, rush, or hurry, especially with force. â€Å"The bull hurtled through the crowd.† hurdle noun: an obstacle. Literally, a hurdle is a frame that runners jump over. Figuratively, a hurdle is something that stands in the way of a desired achievement. â€Å"Even though she is cancer free, she still has  one more hurdle to overcome.† INCORRECT: We want to be sure we don’t loose our earnest money. CORRECT : We want to be sure we don’t lose our earnest money. loose adjective: not tight. â€Å"Since I lost weight, these jeans are too loose to wear.† lose verb: to part with. â€Å"Don’t lose your lunch money again.† One sentence, from a bewildered college student, yielded not one, but three misspellings in a row. INCORRECT: Theres to much of a differents in the trilagy CORRECT : Theres too much of a difference in the trilogy to preposition: function word that indicates spatial relationships. â€Å"The children have gone to the movies.† too adverb: to an excessive degree. â€Å"He reached the station too late to catch the train. different adjective: unlike, not the same. â€Å"You are wearing two different socks.† difference noun: the state of being different. â€Å"Please explain the difference between refugee and migrant.† trilogy noun: a group of three related things, such as plays or novels. â€Å"Have you read The Lord of the Rings trilogy? I expect to find- and enjoy finding- different registers of grammar and diction used in informal contexts. Non-standard usage in a non-standard register doesn’t jar. Misspellings, on the other hand, distract in every register. Spelling, it seems to me, is a â€Å"cross-platform† sort of thing. Unless the intention is to write like Artemus Ward, native speakers who have completed eight or more years of formal education can be expected to spell common words correctly in every context. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Masters Degree or Master's Degree?Capitalization Rules for the Names of GamesApostrophe with Plural Possessive Nouns

Patents Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Patents Act - Essay Example Any questionable aspects to MCJ’s patent could be used by DD to approach the Comptroller to ascertain whether DD is entitled to the patent in view of the fact that it had applied as early as July 2002 and the questionable nature of MCJ’s purported earlier application. If the Comptroller determines that MCJ is not entitled to ownership of the patent, then he will â€Å"reach a solution which will provide a reasonable opportunity for the patent to be exploited should there be a demand for it.†The Comptroller can also amend the application and also has the power to license DD’s A-UK patent. However, since MCJ’s license has already been published, remedies in this area appear limited. Since MCJ’s is the earlier patent based on priority date, this means that DD may be liable for infringing the patent of MCJ. However, since DD was not aware of the development of a similar product but developed its cylinder coating product independently, and is also trying to acquire a license from MCJ to use the product, it is possible that no charges may be brought by MCJ. In respect to the rights in patents, it may be noted that the cylinder coating process may still be protected since DD â€Å"did not know of the earlier transaction, instrument or event† and was unaware of the published application of MJC Ltd. An â€Å"innocent infringer† will be exempt from any liability for damages.

The Controversial Role of Women in Today's Time Research Paper

The Controversial Role of Women in Today's Time - Research Paper Example In the past, it was usual for women candidates to experience discrimination and unfairness by party leaders. These party elites refuse to employ women to compete for office, and they did not advocate women candidates (Thomas & Wilcox, 1998). Consequently, women experienced hardships in raising financial supports and in being respected as trustworthy candidates by the electorate and the mass media. Women in Politics: Past and Present Recent studies report that such inequities and discrimination has ebbed significantly. As stated by Georgia Duerst-Lahti, although women have been normally defeated by the men in elections in the past, it ceases to be the case nowadays (Thomas & Wilcox, 1998). As Barbara Burrell claims, in recent elections women have been more triumphant than men at all phases of the procedure from ‘early money through the general election’ (Thomas & Wilcox, 1998, 4). Negative responses of the electorate to women candidates have been reported as well. In the past, large numbers of voters believed that the place of women was not in politics (Carroll, 2003). Recent studies discover that women elected officials have mainly surmounted these barriers. According to Foerstel and Foerstel (1996), a significant percentage of the masses remain quite less sympathetic or accommodating of women candidates, but the percentage of citizens having this sentiment has decreased drastically, and although such sentiments remain they are frequently overpowered by incumbency status or party allegiance. Scholars studying fund-raising performances, voter preference, and party leaders’ treatment or perception of women candidates have assumed that when women compete for office, they win elections as frequently as their male counterparts do (Foerstel & Foerstel, 1996). Nevertheless, the removal of several barriers does not imply that men and women play on an even field. Barriers to the representational parity of women remain and contribute in the explanatio n of the relatively low proportions of women running for political positions (Rajoppi, 1993). These barriers comprise the rigidity of the incumbency aspect, media exposure of candidates, social qualification, electoral system, and socialization impacts. New Barriers to Women’s Political Participation Social qualifications relate to the expectations of the public about the eligibilities of those who are qualified contenders. Usually this involves specific job-related backgrounds, educational achievements, military involvement, and number and form of earlier political experiences, and so on (Carroll, 2003). Even though there has been a great deal of progress, women nowadays remain less probable than their male counterparts to occupy political positions from legal professions, for instance, and are more probable to have joined politics from women’s organizations or community assistance (Carroll, 2003). Thus, women may be perceived as less competent aspirants. Even though the impact of social qualifications have weakened later on, the gap in this aspect imply the women still confront bigger or new barriers to surmount to attain the same objectives. One implication of the conflicting qualifications and backgrounds is that women are less predisposed to view themselves as competent contenders for political positions (Thomas & Wilcox, 1998). The kind of socialization that encourages women to look for professions in law firms or business organizations also leads to their lower degree of self-esteem (Thomas & Wilcox,

The Road Into the Open Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Road Into the Open - Essay Example She is a young Jewish woman from a Jewish middle class background. In this era of First World War every religion and community is on the threshold of liberalizing themselves. This novel can be analyzed psychologically by highlighting three characters Georg,Brennan and Anna Rosner. Georg being a wealthy baron has association with Jewish elites of the town .He shares his leisure time with Jewish men who are in line with his passion and talent wise inclination. In the same span of time, Georg ends up having an affair with a Jewish girl who is a singer and an attendee in his musical gatherings. Georg loved Anna and impregnates her with a child .At the same time, he is torn apart due to his identity of a wealthy baron and his lover who is a middle class women. Georg is in a dilemma so as to determine which class he would favor, whether it is his rich Jewish intellects, himself who is a rich Christian or Anna, this middle class lover who is a singer. The political background of the novel is war looming Austria, its conflicts and disintegrated feeling that existing between Christians and Jews. These Jews had migrated from Israel and Pale stein to Central European regions. Along the novel, one of the characters Bermann explains to young Georg that if one is willful then he/she can achieve the freedom they want no matter what the situation may be. Here the Jewish are attempting to maintain a distinctive culture of their own in the midst of Central European Country which is Austria. Brennan is pointing out to Georg that every individual can have his own solutions for the problem but the real victory is achieved when one conquers their anger, despair and disgust. Brennen hear speaks for the part of Jewish community who is on to a disintegrative stage due to the supremacy of Christians in the central Europe. He is of the opinion that Jews must unite and live harmoniously among Christians to bring forth peace and serenity. During those times, Christians had a rivalry

Analysis of UK Adoption Law

Analysis of UK Adoption Law â€Å"Critically analyse the law relating to adoption.† Adoption in this jurisdiction is â€Å"entirely the creature of statute†[1]. It was introduced by the Adoption of Children Act 1926 and is currently regulated by the Adoption and Children Act 2002 (replacing the outdated Adoption Act 1976) which after a lengthy period of gestation and passage through Parliament received Royal Assent on 7th November 2002. While the basic principle of adoption endures (â€Å"the legal process whereby a court irrevocably extinguishes the legal ties between a child and the natural parents or guardians and creates analogous ties between the child and the adopters†[2]) the character of adoption has changed from being predominantly a mechanism for the care of orphans and the abandoned. Contraception, abortion and the reduction of the stigma of single parenthood has given rise to the contemporary situation in which there are relatively few â€Å"unwanted† babies and adoption is most frequently a means of relocating children who are at risk or otherwise disadvantaged by their circumstances. Adoption may therefore now be regarded as a species of social engineering. The law has developed to meet the challenges of this new role. In 2000, the Prime Minister declared the Government’s commitment to modernising adoption and commissioned a report from the Performance and Innovation Unit[3]. This led to a White Paper[4] and the current legislation. The 2002 Act toughens emphasis upon the welfare of the child. Whereas s.6 of the Adoption Act 1976 required that â€Å"first consideration† be given to the need to safeguard and promote welfare during childhood, s.1 of the 2002 Act provides: â€Å"[W]henever a court or adoption agency is coming to a decision relating to the adoption of a child the paramount [emphasis supplied] consideration†¦must be the child’s welfare, throughout his life.† The Performance and Innovation Unit (Op. Cit., Executive Summary, para.6) highlighted the concern that â€Å"the lack of adopters is a key constraint in achieving an increase in the number of adoptions and it is clear that more people with the right skills need to be encouraged and supported†. Controversially, this has led to the ability of unmarried couples to adopt. A similar acknowledgement of the changing social landscape is found in the manner in which modern legislation addresses transnational adoptions. The â€Å"shortage of babies† and legitimate compassion for the plight of children in poor or repressive regimes had led to a dramatic increase in adoptions of children from overseas giving rise to concerns that â€Å"baby-trafficking† and even sales of infants were occurring resulting in inappropriate placements. Accordingly, the Adoption of Children from Overseas Regulations 2000 introduced a strict control framework under which local authorities must be notified of the entry of such a child into the country within a prescribed period. The child remains the subject of a private foster placement and thus under the supervision and control of the local authority with the latter under a duty to investigate and report to the court prior to the granting of an adoption order. Another step-change in the development of adoption law is to be found in the contemporary approach to the maintenance of contact with birth families. Historically, adoption had been a secretive process involving the total severance of contact with natural parents. While the right of the child to obtain knowledge of his natural parents and even, in due course, seek contact has long been recognised, there has been a signal lack of a countervailing right on the part of such parents. Recent studies have recognised the legitimate need of parents to know that the adoption to which they consented was successful[5]. Accordingly, it is now established that adoption plans should include arrangements for maintaining links with birth families where appropriate[6]. Nonetheless, a tension remains: although courts are empowered when making an adoption order to make a contact order under s.8 of the Children Act 1989, this never occurs in practice where there is resistance from the adoptive parents. Essentially, therefore, the continuation of contact remains in the gift of the adoptive parents. Similarly, a more relaxed approach is taken to the issue of adoption by relatives. Traditionally, this had been opposed on the grounds that family relationships might become distorted and it was considered that a residence order would always be the better alternative. However, s.1(6) of the 2002 Act now requires adoption to be the better option and controls are introduced equivalent to those to which â€Å"strangers† are subject. The 2002 legislation has also further developed the principle of â€Å"freeing† for adoption. This means of eliminating distressing contests with birth parents was first enacted by s.14 of the Children Act 1975 but not in fact implemented until 1984. The 2002 Act abolishes the previous freeing regime and empowers agencies to place children for adoption with parental consent. It is now possible for effective consent to adoption to be given at an early stage and a court is now longer required to approve such consent before an adoption order is made. The role of agencies in this process is enhanced. The effect of consent to placement for adoption is analogous to the making of a care order: parental responsibility is not extinguished but its exercised can be controlled by the agency. The emphasis of the new regime is upon ensuring that agencies diligently carry out their duty of appropriately matching the child and establishing with care that adoption is the subject of an independ ent and fully informed decision by the birth parent. A corollary of this is that consent to placement and adoption must now be witnessed by a CAFCASS officer (s.104). In parallel with the development of adoption law is the use and consequent regulation of surrogacy as a means of alleviating the consequences of infertility. Profit-making arrangements for both surrogacy and adoption are illegal. Adoption law has a part to play in that the commissioning parents can only acquire the legal status of parent by a court order analogous to those made in adoptions or indeed by adoption itself. It appears inevitable that adoption law will further develop to encompass surrogacy: there is a particular need to regulate agencies in the latter field in the manner that adoption agencies are currently controlled. Thus adoption law, while â€Å"a creature of statute† is a living and constantly evolving being, ever adapting to the changing social circumstances and mores of the times. Bibliography Adoption: a new approach, (2000), Cm. 5017 Cretney, S., Masson, J. Bailey-Harris, R., Principles of Family Law, (7th Ed., 2003) Hale, B., Pearl, D., Cooke, E., Bates, P., The Family, Law and Society, Cases Materials (5th Ed., 2002) Howe, D. Feast, J., Adoption, Search and Reunion (2000) Performance and Innovation Unit, Prime Minister’s review of Adoption, July 2000, www. number-10.gov.uk/su/adoption www.dfes.gov.uk/adoption www.hmso.gov.uk 1 Footnotes [1] Cretney, S., Masson, J. Bailey-Harris, R., Principles of Family Law, (7th Ed., 2003), 23-001 [2] Ibid., p.791 [3] Performance and Innovation Unit, Prime Minister’s review of Adoption, July 2000, www. number-10.gov.uk/su/adoption [4] Adoption: a new approach, (2000), Cm. 5017 [5] Howe, D. Feast, J., Adoption, Search and Reunion (2000) [6] Adoption Standards (2001) Standard A11, C4, D7

Acceleration Within the School System Essay -- essays research papers

Papers on the topic, acceleration within in the school system, have had two very distinct arguments. There are those who believe that accelerating students, enhances their psychological welfare and academic achievements. On the other hand there are those who raise concerns as to whether, accelerating students does negatively affect them in some dimension. The aim of this paper is to give an overview of acceleration in relation to the educational setting, and to discuss the impact (both negative and positive) that acceleration has on the lives of students. I will discuss how and why students are identified as gifted and or talented, and what consequences arise from this label, if any. The essay will then proceed to offer types of programs available for gifted and or talented students in schools. This paper will focus on the various impacts acceleration has on students. Some discussion will be rendered as to the effect on the parents of accelerated students. My conclusions will be deri ved from the various arguments and research that will be presented throughout the essay. From the introduction we are led to the question, of what actually is acceleration? Davis and Rimm (1994) state that â€Å"any strategy that results in advanced placement or credit may be titled as acceleration†(p. 106). Acceleration is the act of advancing students into grades higher than their year of enrolment allows. The Board of Studies guidelines for accelerated progression (1991), define acceleration as involving, â€Å"the promotion of a student to a level of study beyond that which is usual for his/her age† (p.3). Rice (1970) has also defined it as a â€Å"rapid acquisition of knowledge and skills† (p. 178). These definitions of acceleration, especially the one offered by the Board of Studies, closely align Harrison (1995) who describes a gifted child as: One who performs or who has the ability to perform at a level significantly beyond his or her chronologically aged peers and whose unique abilities and characteristics require special provisions and social and emotional support from the family, community and educational context (p. 19). This definition takes into account the socio-emotional support that gifted children require when identified as gifted or talented. Harrison (1995) further recognises that this support does not come solely from the parents or the school but the community as ... ... &   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Davis, G.A. (Ed.), Handbook of Gifted Education (2nd ed.). (pp. 27-42).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Massachusetts: Allyn & Bacon. Thomas, T.A. (1993). The achievement and social adjustment of accelerated students:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The impact of the Academic Talent Search after seven years. California:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  California State University. (ERIC document ED 368146). VanTassel-Baska, J. (1986). Acceleration. In C. June Maker. (Ed.). Critical issues  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  in gifted education: Defensible programs for the gifted. (pp. 179-195). Texas:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  PRO-ED. VanTassel-Baska, J. (1997). What matters in curriculum for gifted learners: Reflections  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  on theory, research and practice. In Colangelo, N. & Davis, G.A. (Ed.),   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Handbook of Gifted Education (2nd ed.). (pp. 126-135). Massachusetts: Allyn   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  & Bacon.