What Were the Chief Characteristics of the Roman World in...

The world of classical Rome is a complex yet interesting area of study. It can teach us a lot about the Roman and wider European past and the society we are today. Therefore study of the later Roman Empire is essential when dissecting the inner workings and fall of this powerful empire. To learn fully about this time looking at the characteristics which made up this world is essential. The following essay will discuss in detail many of the characteristics of the Roman Empire in the time period 100 AD to 450 AD including the centrality of the emperor in Roman life, the Christian church and Rome, the rise of the East Empire, the fear of the northern Barbarians and Pax Romana One of the main characteristics of the world of Late Antiquity is†¦show more content†¦The decline of the empire was becoming a new characteristic which was never seen before. Constantinople was becoming more and more important. This shift of power was indisputably one of the most important features of the late Roman world and led to the people of the empire relying on Rome less and less, which led to the end of the western world as its people knew it. Ultimately as the century went on Constantinople and the east became more and more important, Rome was the city of their ancestors but Constantinople was the modern city of commerce.[14] â€Å"For 150 years, the mighty Roman Empire seemed unbeatable†[15]Before the 400s the Roman Empire appeared an all-powerful, strong, civilized nation. Romans considered themselves high above the barbaric tribes of the north, â€Å"the barbarians were seen only as invaders bent on the destruction of the Roman Empire and classical civilization†[16] This belief however became the Achilles heel of the empire. The Romans believed they were safe in their city, that they would never be breeched especially by the barbarians who were irrational and too passionate for proper warfare. This was proven wrong by Alaric in 410 AD in the first sacking of Rome. Within four more decades the city, which was just recovering from the first sacking was once again invaded in 455 AD by the Vandals. These continuous attacks which were never seen beforeShow MoreRelatedLogical Reasoning189930 Words   |  760 Pages................. 23 What is a Statement?............................................................................................................................ 23 What is an Argument?......................................................................................................................... 25 What is the Issue?................................................................................................................................. 28 What is a Proof?.............Read MoreProject Mgmt296381 Words   |  1186 PagesProcess Analysis and Improvement, First Edition Simchi-Levi, Kaminsky, and Simchi-Levi, Designing and Managing the Supply Chain: Concepts, Strategies, Case Studies, Third Edition Sterman, Business Dynamics: Systems Thinking and Modeling for Complex World, First Edition Stevenson, Operations Management, 10th Edition Swink, Melnyk, Cooper, and Hartley, Managing Operations Across the Supply Chain, First Edition Thomke, Managing Product and Service Development: Text and Cases, First Edition Ulrich andRead MoreAzerbaijans Tourism Industry12172 Words   |  49 Pagesheavily industrialized and petroleum reliant, but the Azerbaijani economy has also experienced some diversification in recent years. 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Bedbugs Research Free Essays

There will be multiple research objectives to gain a clearer understanding of the direction that the entire bed bug pest control industry is moving towards. Since the recent introduction of the low cost no-frills, ‘do-it-yourself’ equipment, there has been no solid data available to support as to how effective those techniques are nor is there qualitative data on customer’s perception as to how effective it is. Both approaches (quantitative and qualitative) are important since if the customers feel they have fewer bed bugs (qualitative) but empirical analysis shows that in fact the number of bed bugs present in their homes remain the same, such data is of great importance. We will write a custom essay sample on Bedbugs Research or any similar topic only for you Order Now Unfortunately the perception of customers is more important and their positive word-of-mouth recommendation of the do-it-yourself devices (despite their failure by quantitative measures) will create a huge market for failed products that will do consumers more harm than good in the long run. The research objectives would be to find out empirically whether the ‘Do It Yourself’ approach is more effective, less effective or the same as by using the services of a qualified exterminator. After the use of the methodology described below, the test groups would be questioned specifically as to how they felt (qualitative approach) three months later: (a) Their overall feelings/beliefs as if there are less or more bedbugs present; (b) About their feelings/beliefs in the effectiveness of the product that they’ve used. The same groups will also have their homes examined at the same time through the use of bed bug detecting dogs and exterminators who were trained in locating bed bugs to see (quantitative) if there were any bed bugs to be found in the homes. The results gathered from the two groups (described below) will be compared so that a future course of action for Bed Bug Pest Control Of New York Inc. could be formulated. It will be of crucial importance for the company, as well as the bed bug removal industry to find out the effectiveness of different methods of bedbug extermination. Research Methodology The first part of the research methodology would be to gather a statistically significant random group of 1000 consumers who have experienced a bed bug infestation in their bedrooms. This group should be halved into two equal groups of 500: Group A and Group B. Individual members of each of the groups must have experienced similar levels of complaints of be bug infestation as will be measured on questionnaires prior to the inclusion of the individual in the study. Each of the groups must be willing to try out the devices given to them and agree to the post-extermination interviews as well as inspections by qualified, unbiased exterminators. Zikmund, 2010) The first group of 500 (Group A) will use what we will define as the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) approach (use of devices such as double edged masking tape, devices to place under the legs of furniture, and other no-frills devices that are marketed on late night television, on websites which make dubious claims, and are found at supermarkets in well designed containers plastered with ‘As Seen on TV’ stickers) to attempt to remove the bedbug infestation from their homes. To make sure that the devices are applied, a representative of the study will be present to make sure that the devices are used. We feel that without this mechanism, there is a high degree of uncertainty as to whether the test subjects will truthfully use the devices, thus significantly skewing the results from data gathered from Group A. (Joselyn, 1977) The second group of 500 consumers (Group B) will exclusively use the services of qualified bed bug exterminators and will receive two visits, one week apart, to disinfect their homes using professional bed bug removal technology. During the first visit, the qualified exterminator will use the steam method of bed bug removal, which uses a vacuum cleaner sized device to shoot 400 degree steam throughout the hard to reach areas of the bedroom, closet and the insides of the bed frame and furniture. This method boils away the bed bug nests as well as destroys the eggs. The second visit will use the scientifically proven cold method of bed bug removal which, through the use of a freezing stream -100 degree compressed carbon dioxide, will reach the deep nests hidden far within the falls, floors and walls that is unreachable by any other means. Gathering Data Data Sources Many attempts by the company have been made to find any external data available on this subject without success. Due to the fact that bed bugs were practically extinct in the western world since the 1950’s, the lack of modern equipment (carbon dioxide removal equipment, many of the current DIY gadgetry), no reliable sources of external data are available. Thus the company will use internal data or more specifically data collected internally from the new website (please see IT section below). Types of Surveys All data collected will be done through an online website where each individual member of either Group A or Group B will answer the questions on their own. This will be done so the data will not be contaminated by the bias of the individuals who collect the data as well as to make sure that each individual is able to answer each question thoroughly in the comfort of their own home, and not with a member of the research team present. (Dillon, 1994) Observation Studies This part of the study will be performed by the individuals who at the end of the study will come inside the test subject homes with bed bug sniffing dogs to determine empirically whether any bedbugs are still present within the premises. There is no known method besides the bed bug sniffing dog that can reliably determine their presence. Experiments / Test Markets The individuals to test out the premises of the experiment will be gathered from a specifically set up website that will gather the random individuals who will participate in the experiment. Use of Information Technology Information Technology will be used in multiple ways throughout the survey to not only save marketing budget dollars for the company but also to make the entire process less intrusive for the test subjects. The 1000 total sample will be gathered through a specially created website which will ask consumers if they wish to receive a free extermination in exchange for their participation. After a few thousand names are gathered, the individuals will be asked (via email) to return to the website (via a link inside the email) to fill out a detailed survey about their current infestation: (a) How often they were bitten (b) How often they see bedbugs (c) to rate the level of their infestation (d) to see if they have used any methods to deal with the infestation in the past, etc.. The website will then randomly assign (to make the study double blind) the individuals into two groups described earlier in this presentation. A simple random generator built into the website can accomplish this, that any second year IT student can write for under $100. The researchers will not be able to see the names, races, gender or any other information about any specific individual to remove any potential bias. Each of the individuals will also be assigned randomly to an exterminator, who will not know that individual is part of any experiment. (Calabrese, 2011) The post-study interviews will all be done via the internet so as to not inundate the individuals with unwanted visits or telephone calls. The individuals who participated in the study will receive emails with a link to fill out the qualitative parts of the study, which will ask them not only to rate how they feel (using their own words) about their current bedbug situation but the overall experience. In case of Group A, the questions will include (a) describe the ease/difficulty in applying the DIY products (b) Did they cause a mess? (c) How they felt about the infestation a week later, 2 weeks later, 1 month later (d) Would they recommend it to their friends and why? McKnight, 2011) The use of web based technology would make the entire process more comfortable and may result in more honest answers since the questions will be answered at the convenience of each individual who participated in the experiment and not at the convenience of the organizers of the experiment. The final data will also be much easier to break up and analyze since every response will be stored in the database and thus the final data could be bro ken down and correlated using a vast array of different scientific approaches. Reference http://www.economywatch.com/world-industries/steel-industry/trends.html How to cite Bedbugs Research, Essays

Case Study Starbucks Coffee - Solution is Just a Click Away

Question: Write the case study about Starbucks coffee and explain Porter strategies. Answer: Introduction Porters generic strategy is one of the most widely accepted strategic models that have been adopted by a vast number of successful firms. The strategy mainly aims at the creation of a distinct product or service that the competitors are unable to provide to the customers. The system is thus one that provides the company with the much needed competitive advantage over the competitors. The generic strategy of Michael Porter which was created in 1980 thus focuses on three prime areas of strategy. The three areas include cost leadership, differentiation, and focus. Although the three aspects is not used together in any strategy formation, it is important to note that most successful firms utilize at least two of these strategies in order to gain a competitive advantage. Starbucks, the coffee company utilizes the generic strategies of product differentiation and focusing on the target groups in order to penetrate into the market to their advantage. Starbucks was founded in 1971 and quickl y became one of the world leaders in coffeehouse chains. It is the inclusion of differentiation intensive strategy that set them apart from their competitors and helped them gain a significant share in the market. Generic Strategies of Starbucks Coffee Right from the beginning, Starbucks aimed at attracting customers from their competitors by providing them with products that the competitors wouldnt. In such a case, Starbucks developed a strategy that focused on the specialty coffee products (Ritson, 2007). Starbucks also focused on creating an atmosphere that is extremely inviting to the customers. Starbucks thus focused on the development of specialty products along with the development of a completely different experience at their coffee shops in order to differentiate themselves from the competition. Starbucks have taken the generic strategies one step further by creating their intensive growth strategies aligned to their generic strategies (Braun Latham, 2014). Starbucks has used their competitive advantages that they have achieved from the application of strategies to help them grow in new markets. The new markets have been gained by penetrating into the newer markets with its range of specialty products and as a result, gai ning hold of the customer base where they have not yet been able to get the products that Starbucks offers. Starbucks also creates its generic strategy of differentiation by providing specialty products according to the local market preferences while keeping the originals intact. In addition to specialty products, Starbucks also maintains a system that is much different from their competitors. Starbucks has created an environmentally friendly system that is much different from the competing brands. The use of eco-friendly materials and reusable cups provides the company with the competitive edge as the customer base that Starbucks caters to is particularly growing more and more environmentally conscious. Also, Starbucks ethical outlook to providing their customers with the best quality coffee is one of the factors that provide them with a competitive advantage (Cole, 2008). The success of their generic strategy is seen when we take note that Starbucks is the largest coffee chain wit h 5500 coffeehouses in over 50 countries. The generic strategy that Starbucks uses is thus a broad differentiation strategy. Starbucks focus is always on differentiating themselves from their competitors as much as possible. In such a case, Starbucks is constantly on the search for new and innovative means to develop their products as well as develop new products (De Kluyver Pearce, 2009). The products are developed with the idea of standing out from their competition. It thus helps in the differentiation of the products. Starbucks have succeeded in extending their differentiation to other areas of operations as well. Starbucks uses a sourcing policy that is sustainable and responsible in order to differentiate it from its competitors that do not follow such measures (Porter, 1980). While most of the competitors of Starbucks including McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts utilized a strategy of cost differentiation, Starbucks strategy of using differentiation of products was a completely new approach that helped it in becoming one of the giants in this field (Eldring, 2009). Starbucks approach of differentiating itself in matters of products and ambiance provided it with the much-needed edge over its competitors but it needs to be kept in mind that such differentiation techniques are on a rise in modern-day competitors. In such a case, Starbucks must develop a system that provides a constant innovation in order to differentiate itself. Starbucks use of generic strategy in market penetration Starbucks has utilized its generic strategies in developing products that provide the highest level of market penetration. In such a case, the market penetration is facilitated because if the innovative and different products that the chain offers to its customers. The strategy aims at gaining the maximum amount of revenue from the existing markets and having a deeper penetration into new markets. Starbucks uses its reputation from its already existing markets to convey the value of their products in the new markets (Haskova, 2015). In such a case, the customers in the new markets are open to the idea of having new products that they have previously not been able to get. The brand thus succeeds in forming a strategy of market penetration using the generic strategy of Porter. The product development is another aspect of the generic strategy that helps the firm to not only gain a competitive advantage but also helps it in gaining penetration into the markets. The strategy here is the c reation of new products with a view to gaining more revenue. The strategy used by the company is thus a part of the differentiation strategy (Mckeown, 2012). The differentiation strategy aims at gaining a maximum level of differentiation and uniqueness as compared to its competitors. Developing new products means that the firm has yet another product that its competitors dont. The firm can thus utilize the product to encourage more sales from its existing outlets. Recommendations and Conclusion Starbucks is not only one of the major players in the coffee shop industry; it is also the largest chain in the world in this department. The presence of the firm in 65 countries proves the efficiency of its differentiation strategy. The specialty products and ingredients are what sets the firm apart from its competitors and provide it with the much needed competitive advantage. Starbucks strategy of differentiation in almost every sphere of its operations is a reason behind its broad differentiation. The differentiation is thus facilitated to a level where each and every action of the firm puts it at an advantage over the competitors. The factors thus help it in gaining a competitive advantage which not only helps it in maintaining a strong presence in the existing markets but also helps it in gaining new markets as well as penetrating even further into the new dimensions of the existing markets (makalova, 2012). However, the factor that Starbucks needs to keep in mind is again rela ted to its differentiation strategy. It must be kept in mind that the use of the differentiation strategy is being used by more and more newcomers in this industry and as a result, it is providing the company with more and more challenges in this regard. In such a case, the firm must keep up its innovative levels to the maximum extent that is possible. The innovative strategies are what helped the company maintain a differentiation from its competitors. However, it must be kept in mind that, the fierce competitions in the market provide the company with the challenge where the competitors are able to copy their products and as a result, the customers are left with options. In such a case, the company is at a constant risk of losing customers to competitors that combine a strategy of competitive pricing as well. As a result, Starbucks needs to constantly innovate its products in order to maintain differentiation. The differentiation is, in fact, the presence of products that the comp etitors dont offer. As a result, the innovation would provide the company with the means to develop the much needed innovative product that would provide it with a differentiation over its competitors. Also, Starbucks needs to include the growth into new areas in order to facilitate growth. The markets of Africa and the Middle East are lucrative ones that still have not been exploited by the firm (Salaman Asch, 2003). In such a case, Starbucks can consider expanding to those regions as well. The expansion is one of the prime reasons for the growth and sustenance of the company and Starbucks needs to include the idea in their strategy. References Braun, M. Latham, S. (2014).Mastering Strategy. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO. Cole, G. (2008). Grande Expectations: a Year in the Life of Starbucks' Stock20081Karen Blumenthal. Grande Expectations: a Year in the Life of Starbucks' Stock . Loughton: Piatkus 2007.Management Decision,46(4), 673-675. De Kluyver, C. Pearce, J. (2009).Strategy. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson/Prentice Hall. Eldring, J. (2009).Porter's (1980) generic strategies, performance and risk. Hamburg: Diplomica Verlag. Haskova, K. (2015). Starbucks Marketing Analysis.CRIS - Bulletin Of The Centre For Research And Interdisciplinary Study,2015(1). Mckeown, M. (2012).The strategy book. Harlow, England: Pearson. Porter, M. (1980).Competitive strategy. New York: Free Press. Ritson, M. (2007). Speedy Starbucks has grown too fast.Strategic Direction,23(8). Salaman, G. Asch, D. (2003).Strategy and capability. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub. makalova, P. (2012). GENERIC STAKEHOLDER STRATEGY.Ecoman,17(2). Snyder, M. (2006). State of the Profession: The Starbucks Effect.Academe,92(1), 70.