Starbucks Recruitment and Selection Process

Starbucks Recruitment and Selection Process Starbucks is a speciality coffee house which originated in Seattle. Today the organisation has over 15,000 outlets worldwide. It sells a range of hot and cold drinks, food items and accessories. Its philosophy is to create an experience for the customer and a human connection. With the introduction of the Starbucks Card purchasing drinks, food etc. from the outlets has now been made a lot easier. Customers can top up their cards and use them as a method of payment. Starbucks products are also available from supermarkets. Some of the range includes packets of coffee, coffee makers, gift sets etc. Starbucks is constantly innovating its offer to keep up to date with competition from McDonalds, Cafe Nero, Costa Coffee etc. You are required to answer the following questions making reference to Starbucks. Task 1 – Recruitment, Selection and Retention A Barista at Starbucks must have a number of personal characteristics and skills which will enable them to carry out their role. These skills and characteristics are likely to include friendliness, attention to detail, a commitment to providing customer service and an ability to work in a fast-paced environment. Pilbeam and Coridge indicate that successful resourcing is as much to do with good organisational fit as it is to do with HRM best practice, and therefore the first stage of recruitment should be to undertake a role or person specification in order to establish the skills and attributes necessary for the role. Phillips and Gully suggest that successful recruitment, selection and retention should also be aligned to the strategic objectives of the firm and therefore care and consideration should be given to the most suitable recruitment and selection methods in order to ensure they will attract the best potential candidates and also that the entire process will result in long t erm employee retention. Bratton and Gold state that recruitment is the process of generating a pool of capable people to apply for employment to an organisation. Selection is the process by which managers and others use specific instruments to choose from a pool of applicants a person or persons more likely to succeed in the job(s), given management goals and legal requirements. Accordingly, Torrington et al observe that there are a number of alternative recruitment and selection strategies including interview, assessment centre, and psychological testing. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages and therefore it is not uncommon for multiple approaches to be used in combination depending on the seniority of the role in question. However, before recruitment and selection can commence it is necessary to determine a suitable specification for the role. Thus the suggested specification for a Barista at Starbucks is given below:- Figure 1: Personal Specification Template for a Barista at Starbucks (Source, Author) Requirement Essential or Desirable? Qualifications / Education / Training: No essential qualifications required, food safety or food hygiene would be desirable Desirable Experience: Customer service, food handling, retail Essential Knowledge: Some retail knowledge would be desirable, along with a knowledge of various coffees Desirable Skills Competencies: attention to detail; ability to work in a high pressure environment, customer-centric Essential Personal Attributes: open friendly, keen to provide an exceptional customer experience Essential Other: Prepared to go the extra mile to offer exceptional service and use own initiative when necessary in order to promote the brand and concept Desirable The specification is not exhaustive and further attributes may be considered such as an ability to communicate in more than one language, especially if the location of the outlet is such that overseas tourists regularly visit (eg parts of London).   The most cost-effective form of recruitment and selection process for Baristas would be CV and subsequent interview as managers in Starbucks at a local level have a clear idea of their local customer demographic and demand and thus potential applications who submit a CV can be easily screened for desirable and essential skills and attributes. The manager can then interview potential applications before making a decision on selection. An interview has further benefits as it allows the manager to identify the personal attributes and characteristics of the application in order to assess how the application would fit within the existing team, as much of the Starbucks ethos and working model requires a high level of teamwork. Potential questions which might be asked at interview for the Barista would include asking the application to describe their retail experiences to date and getting them to explain how these experiences have relevance at Starbucks. This would test for depth of experience and also organisational fit in terms of focus on the customer experience. Other technical questions might relate to Food safety and handling in order to ensure that the application understands the critical importance of this when delivering an exceptional customer experience. From a regulatory perspective the manager conducting the interview must be sure not to inadvertently discriminate against any potential applications during any stage of the recruitment and selection process. Therefore all applications must be asked identical questions and none should relate to issues of gender, age, race, ethnicity or sexual orientation. In short, Starbucks is proud of its heritage as an equal opportunities employer. During the recruitment process potential applications must be offered full opportunity to ask their own questions in order to ensure that they fully appreciate the nature of the role which they may be committing to. Task 2 – Building Winning Teams One of the foremost scholars of team building, Meredith Belbin, identified that in order to function effectively an organisational team requires members with different skills and attributes. In her research she identified that there are nine alternative team roles as she described them (see Appendix for full details). Belbin observed that the most effective teams possessed at least 5 and ideally 7 of the roles, and that an individual member within a team was capable of fulfilling more than one role, but rarely more than two. Tuckman established that when people are first brought together in a team they experience various stages of team development, popularly referred to as forming, norming, storming and performing. This concept is reflected in Figure 2 overleaf. In short, the theory holds that as employee are brought together in a group they experience an evolutionary process whereby they come to understand and appreciate one anothers skills and strengths and then utilise these compl ementary skills for the best advantage of the team as a whole. History has shown that Tuckmans theory has almost universal application, however, when used in combination with Belbins theory it becomes even more powerful as it becomes possible to identify in advance whether or not a group I likely to succeed based on the unique skills and attributes of each team member. For example, if there are too many plants within a group then it is likely that the group will be highly creative but the ideas will rarely be translated into action. Similarly, too many co-ordinations is likely to result in arguments as the co-ordinator role is known to be quite stubborn and even manipulative. When applying these theories and concepts to teams at Starbucks it can be observed that different skills are required for different parts of the operation. Holistic observation of a team working at Starbucks demonstrates the power of team working. Each person has a defined role which they focus upon in order to ensure maximum efficiency and quality of output. For example in any Starbucks outlet one person focuses on taking orders and payments, another one or two (depending on the size of the outlet) focus on making the orders and a further team members is constantly ensuring that the outlet is clean and tidy and well stocked. It can be suggested that this requires a high level of group communication and co-ordination and also a high level of trust as those baristas making the coffee must take on trust the orders given to them by their colleagues. Similarly because two Baristas can work on the same order simultaneously there must be complete understanding and uniformity to the order p roduction process such that they can interchange their roles at any point. Under Tuckmans model it is clear that a team in Starbucks is at the very least in the norming stage of the model and most probably at the performing stage. The concept of team work within organisations has gained increasing prominence in recent years and with good reason as highly effective teams are more efficient and productive. Furthermore, Armstrong identifies the benefits of empowering team members within a role so that they feel more engaged with the organisation and therefore more committed to delivering the best possible experience for the customer or client. At Starbucks one means of achieving this would be to ensure that every team member is fully cross-functional and that they are given stretch performance targets which require them to work as a team. Full cross-functionality means that each team member has an appreciation for other roles and therefore they tend to be more considerate of outcomes. Moreover, a cross -functional team which has accountability for its own results will typically find more effective means of delivering a service in order to reach targets.  Armstrong also discusses how increased responsibility and accountability increase engagement which in turn increases motivation. Some HRM scholars regard the relationship between engagement and motivation as symbiotic, but there is little doubt that engagement and motivation are strong indicators of a high performance team that is committed to exceed expectation and delivering exceptional service. Furthermore, research by Saunders demonstrates that highly engaged teams have lower levels of staff churn. This point is useful as it is closely correlated to the previously discussed matter of recruitment and retention, and thus if the right people are brought into the organisation and they are motivated to stay because they feel the business (for whatever reason) is a good fit for them, then there is reduced churn, increased engagement and greater productivity. In summation, engaged team members are more profitable for the business and thus it becomes a mutually beneficial relationship. Task 3 – Leadership Motivation There is a vast amount of literature and research which embraces the topic of leadership; furthermore, leadership theories have experienced a considerable amount of transition over time as societal perceptions of leadership have changed. Leadership has been defined by Mcquire and Molbherg as the process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task. Theories of leadership range for discussions as to the traits of leaders their styles of leadership and transactional and transformational theories of leadership. One of the most popular theories used to explain leadership style is the Managerial Grid as developed by Blake and Mouton and shown in figure 3 below:- As can be seen in the figure, the Managerial Grid examines the prevailing managerial technique of leaders within an organisation in order to identify their preferred style. In ideal circumstances Blake and Mouton believe that a manager and leader should adopt a team style which is participative and empowering and allows the employees of the organisation to make their own decisions within the remit of the organisations objectives. It can be suggested that the concepts of the Managerial Grid share some parallels with the discussions as to transformational and transactional leadership whereby Burns argues that in the longer term transformation leadership is far more effective because it empowers employees to deliver the best possible performance as they have accountability for their own daily working lives. It is evident that there are close linkages between leadership and motivation insofar as good leaders motivate their employees and team members to succeed through a combination of techniques such as engagement, empowerment and delegation of power. Armstrong and Cheese et al believe that the use of these techniques in conjunction with other factors such as employee voice ensure that individual employees align their personal aims and objectives with those of the organisation and therefore voluntarily strive to ensure that the service provided by the organisation is a success. It should also be acknowledge that several scholars perceive there is a difference between a manager and a leader within an organisation. The distinction is subtle and relates to the fact that managers generally focus on day to day operational tasks and leaders tend to occupy a more strategic role. However the distinction is certainly not clear cut and considerable debate still centres on this division of roles. Furthermore a leader can also be a manager by dint of their role within the organisation, and thus leadership tends to be regarded as a personality trait as opposed to an organisational position. In short, a leader tends to be more effective at motivating and inspiring employees because of their ability to engage them and encourage them to strive for enhanced performance. In times of change and development, and also in times of difficult circumstances such as recession, leadership and talent management skills are highly valued. In application to Starbucks it should be observed that in times of recession when consumers tend to cut back on luxuries such as coffee from coffee shops, Starbucks must strive to offer improved service to customers in order to retain them. The managers (and ideally leaders) of Starbucks must also continually strive to motivate Baristas to deliver exceptional service even when customers become more demanding. This concept is closely correlated with that change management and goal setting whereby engaging Baristas with the process can ensure that they feel empowered to respond to the challenge and that they have responsibility for it. At a local level this may mean running small promotions which would suit the customer demographic in order to attract and retain more customers. Furthermore, if Starbucks wish to retain their emplo yees it is prudent to continue to invest in training and development in order to ensure that they are highly skilled and capable of responding rapidly to changes in customer demand. This might include job exchanges with Baristas from other retail outlets in order to share best practice, or creating a forum where Baristas can put forward their suggestions for improvement. Although these are relatively small steps they can help individual Baristas to progress within Starbucks and this ensures that Starbucks generates a reputation as an employer of choice which fosters home grown talent and treats employees with fairness and respect.  Research into the prevailing management style at Starbucks reveals that they have a relatively flat hierarchy which ensures that it is easy to disseminate information widely and effectively within the organisation. Starbucks has a clear mission to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighbourhood at a time and this is fully evidenced in their training policies and ethos. The structure and leadership style of Starbucks also ensures that the business can be responsive to customer needs because the baristas are in direct contact with customers every single day and also have the necessary mechanisms to ensure that they can provide valid and timely feedback to their managers in order to improve the customer experience. Task 4 – Work and Development Needs and Performance Management Armstrong defines performance management as a process which contributes to the effective management of individuals and teams in order to achieve high levels of organisational performance. As such, it establishes shared understanding about what is to be achieved and an approach to leading and developing people which will ensure that it is achieved. It is important to observe that from a HRM perspective performance management is not solely concerned with disciplinary procedures, but rather it is concerned with ensuring that each and every employee has the necessary support to achieve their objectives and potential. Thus, performance management is often closely correlated with learning and development as in order to achieve to their maximum potential employees must continue to expand their skills and to develop their capabilities. Furthermore, scholars such as Benson et al have observed a link between training and development and employee retention, which as previously identified, helps to ensure increased engagement and reduced employee churn. However in order to monitor and improve employee performance it is first necessary to set suitable objectives and targets and to apply metrics and benchmarks to these objectives and targets in order to objectively assess employee performance and development. At Starbucks there are two core elements which form the basis of employee performance; these are technical capability that is to say the ability to consistently produce a high quality cup of coffee, and secondly the ability to interact with other stakeholders including team colleagues and customers. The former can be objectively assessed by observation against agreed performance metrics such as speed of production and consistency of taste. This has benefit to individual employees and Starbucks as a whole because it ensures consistency of service and product quality across the network of franchises meaning that the reputation of Starbucks is maintained and also that Baristas are employable across a range of franchises that they ma y be prepared to travel to, thus increasing their value to the company. The second performance metric to assess is more intangible and pertains to perceived service level and customer and colleague interaction. In terms of colleague interaction this can be assessed through a variety of measures such as 360 degree feedback, line manager observation and self-reflection during a performance review. Research has shown that generally speaking individual employees are reasonably self-aware of their skills and capabilities and it is rare that a performance review highlights anything that the employee was not at least already aware of at some level. However the benefit of performance review is that it can demonstrate to individual employees specific areas where they could improve or would benefit from training to enhance their skills set. For example a food safety certificate to help ensure that an individual franchise was fully compliant with legislation, or perhaps rudimentary book-keeping skills to help ensure that the cash is managed accurately in each store . In terms of assessing Barista performance when interacting with customers this can be achieved through feedback forms and customer incentives. For example it is becoming increasingly common that receipts from retailers encourage customers to provide feedback about their service online. This has the dual benefit of helping the organisation to become more engaged with customers and response more rapidly to customer feedback. It can also be used to gather individual barista feedback if specific questions in the feedback questionnaire relate to performance and service such as speed and friendliness and helpfulness of the Barista. The information gathered from feedback surveys can be fed back to each barista in regular performance reviews in order to help them identify areas of development and subsequently improve performance. As noted at the outset of this section, performance management techniques should not be designed with the sole intention of discipline employees, although it is alm ost inevitable that at some stage a form of discipline may be required for certain employee. However, best practice makes it clear that regular performance reviews can help to forestall any such issues as if they are held regularly and reasonably frequently it should be possible to forestall any problems before they become issues of concern. Finally it is necessary to consider how Starbucks applies principles of delegation in order to motivate Baristas. As discussed previously in this review, Starbucks encourages team working and the creation of stretch targets to help Baristas develop and to take responsibility for their own areas of production. This approach is closely linked to effective performance management because empowering Baristas to set and achieve their own targets helps to motivate them to achieve as they feel in control of their targets and daily responsibilities. Targets can be used to monitor and evaluate Barista performance and at each performance review they can be revised as necessary in order to help the Barista improve. For example in the early days of a baristas employment this could be to improve the speed of production and to obtain a certain customer service rating. In due course this could progress to internal training courses in advanced customer service management and customer experience. This holistic process also helps Baristas to appreciate that they are valued and therefore this leads to them becoming more engaged and motivated and delivering improved performance. References Armstrong, M. (2009) A Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice (11th Edition) – Kogan Page, London  Beardwell, J. Claydon, T. (2007) Human Resource Management: A Contemporary Approach (5th Edition) – Pearson Education, London  Belbin, R.M. (2010) Management teams: why they succeed or fail. 3rd ed. London: Butterworth-Heinemann.  Benson, G. S., Finegold, D., Mohrman, S. A. (2004) You paid for the skills, now keep them: Tuition-reimbursement and voluntary turnover. Academy of Management Journal, 47(3): 315–331.  Blake, R.; Mouton, J. (1985). The Managerial Grid III: The Key to Leadership Excellence. Houston: Gulf Publishing Co.  Bloisi, W. 2007. Management and organisational behaviour. 2nd ed. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill.  Boddy, D (2008) Management: An Introduction (4th Edition) – Prentice Hall, London  Bratton, J. Gold (2007). Work and organizational behaviour. 2nd ed. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.  Burns, J. M. (1978). Leadership. New York: Harper and Row Publishers Inc..  Cheese, P., Thomas, R.J. and Craig, E. (2008) The talent powered organization: strategies for globalization, talent management and high performance. London: Kogan Page.  Foti, R.J., Hauenstein, N.M.A. (2007). Pattern and variable approaches in leadership emergence and effectiveness. Journal of Applied Psychology, 92, 347-355.  Govaerts, Natalie, et al. (2010) Influence of learning and working climate on the retention of talented employees, Journal of Workplace Learning 23:1.  Harrison R (2009) Learning and Development, London, CIPD  Hoque, K Noon, M (2004) Equal Opportunities Policy and Practice in Britain in Work, Employment Society vol.18 no.3 pp.481-506  Huczynski A, Buchanan D (2003) Organisational Behaviour: An Introductory Text – Pearson Higher Education, London  Mcquire, D., Molbherg J. K., (2011) Human Resource Development Theory Practice London: Sage.  Murphy, N. (2009) Talent managements role in a time of recession. IRS Employment Review. No 927, 13 August. 5pp.  Phillips and Gully (2009) Strategic Staffing Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, pp12-35  Pilbeam, S. Corbridge, M. (2010) People Resourcing: Contemporary HRM in practice. 4th ed. London: Prentice Hall International. Ch 2  Saunders, M.N.K., (2011) Trust and strategic change: an organisational justice perspective in R Searle and D Skinner (eds) Trust and Human Resource Management. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.  Starbucks (2012) Search and Apply [online] available at http://careers.starbucks.co.uk/job-search-and-apply retrieved 3rd Feb 2012  Starbucks (2012) Mission Statement [online] available at http://starbucks.co.uk/about-us/company-information/mission-statement retrieved 3rd Feb 2012  Torrington, D. Hall, L. Taylor S (2007) Human Resource Management (7th Edition) – Prentice Hall, London  Zaccaro, S. J., Gulick, L.M.V. Khare, V.P. (2008). Personality and leadership. In C. J. Hoyt, G. R. Goethals D. R. Forsyth (Eds.), Leadership at the crossroads (Vol 1) (pp. 13-29). Westport, CT: Praege

Comparing Three Philosophies of Education Essay -- Education Historica

Comparing Three Philosophies of Education What is education? Education can be defined in one of four ways: 1. The activity of education carried on by teachers, schools and parents (or by oneself). 2. The process of being educated (or learning) which goes on in the student. 3. The result of numbers one and two. 4. The discipline or field of inquiry that studies or reflects on one, two and three and is taught in schools of education. Education is concerned with the cultivation of the inner resources of individual persons. At its best, it is always an informal, largely unstructured and even an unsystematic process, but the reality of education today is more concerned with examination success, which in turn leads to a spiritless routine. Education derives its reality and true purpose from connection with life. Aristotle, an Ionian Greek born in 384 B.C. had a distinct philosophy on education. Immanual Kant was a philosopher in the 18th century and had another unique view on education. John Dewey, the most modern of the three, gave us his philosophy on education in the 19th century. Three very different men, from three very different time periods, offering three different views on this topic of education The Greeks were the first to think philosophically about education. The problem of education, as the Greeks saw it, was that of the acquisition of something for which they used the word arete, or excellence. Aristotle was most interested in happiness as excellence. He believed that without a solid base of eudaimonia, or happiness, nothing can be learned. But what is happiness? Some say it is pleasure, some honor, some money making, and for some contemplation. Aristotle believes that happiness is an activi... ...eaching. To quote from Kant’s lectures for 1765-66, â€Å"he is to learn, not thoughts, but thinking; he must be guided, not carried, if he is to be able to walk by himself later.† Educators must be aware of the need not to learn philosophy of education, but instead learn how to philosophize. Kant and Dewey agree that the best way to do this is to do it. To generalize Aristotle, as we become just by doing just acts, so we acquire any disposition by doing the corresponding acts, and we become philosophers by doing philosophical acts. Education is so important in our culture, and most think that the USA is behind on educational methods. I challenge you to take this paper a step further, read about these and other philosophers, and see what you learn. It simply amazed me and I just touched on what I saw as the highlights of these philosophers, now it’s your turn!

Types of Cancer and the Impact Upon the Patient and Family Members Essa

Abstract This paper is about cancer and the devastating impact it has on, not only the patient but the family members as well. How it forms, takes shape, what the symptoms are, how to diagnose the illness, and how to treat it as well as live and everyday life with this form of disease. Also how you can prevent it. What steps you can take to make sure you don’t get it. I will also explain on how to look for signs of what types of cancers you might get. Tell you, how often you should get screenings. I will also tell you who is at risk for getting cancer. Just how many people have cancer right now, how many are expected to get it? I will also tell you how many people are expected to die from this disease. I will discuss how there are many different types of cancer. I will also tell you about the stages, symptoms and if it can be cured or be fatal. Finally I have to tell you about the costs of fighting cancer, plus how much of a toll it takes not only on the patient but the family members as well. With cancer it can take not only a physical but emotional toll on everyone involved. Not to mention, all the money and time that is involved in fighting to win the battle. (Ahmedin, 2009). Most people do not discover they have cancer till it is too late. One can hope and pray that they will never contract this disease. Some of it is hereditary and runs in the family. Cancer sometimes is passed down through the generations. Cancer can also skip a generation. Cancer can lay dormant in your body for years and never show signs it is there. The best way to avoid cancer is to eat healthy, exercise, don’t smoke. (Ahmedin, 2009). Cancer and the Devastating Affects On Family Members & Types Cancer is a group of growths and abnormal c... ...on and Cancer; The Currant Epidemiological Evidence. Electronic Journal Center. (Vol.96, Issue S1, 42-45). Khatcheressian, J.L. (2006). American Society Of Clinical Oncology. Breast Cancer Follow Up. (Nov. 2006, (31), 5091-5097). Kristal, Alan R. (2004). Vitamin A, Retinoid and Caroteniods as Chemopreventive Agents For Prostate Cancer. The Journal Of Urology. (Vol.171, Issue 2, Supplement 554-558). Mysliwiec, P.A. (2006). Malignancies Following Cancer of the Colon. Malignancies Among Cancer Survivors. (NIH Publ. No. 05-5302). Schairer, Catherine. (2006). Family History of Breast Cancer as a Risk Factor for Ovarian Cancer in prospective Study. Breast Cancer. Electronic Journal. (Vol. 107, Issue 5, 1075- 1083). Siegfried, Jill M. (2001). Woman and Lung Cancer. Does Estrogen Play a Role. Lancet Oncology, Electronic Journal Center. (Vol. 2, Issue 8, 506-513).

Down Syndrome Essay -- Biology Biological Medical Essays

Down Syndrome They used to be called "Mongoloids," an ethnic insult coined by John Langdon Down, an English physician during the nineteenth century. But now they are known as people, individuals with a condition known as Down syndrome. (3). It wasn't until the 1960s that Jerome Lejeune and Patricia Jacobs discovered the cause of Down syndrome (also called trisomy 21). But with technological advancements within the scientific community, more and more information has been gathered about the condition that affects about one in every one thousand children born around the world. (4). Research shows that Down syndrome is a genetic condition caused by certain chromosomal abnormalities. Chromosomes within cells are composed of proteins and genetic information in the form of DNA. Human cells normally contain 23 pairs of chromosomes to make a total of 46 chromosomes in each cell. When sex cells (eggs and sperm) divide through the process of meiosis, one cell splits into two parts so that each of the resulting cells only has 23 chromosomes, rather than 46. But many errors can occur during cell division. During meiosis, the chromosomes are supposed to split and go to different areas of the cell. This step in the process of meiosis is called disjunction. But sometimes during cell division, a chromosome will not detach and it will stay with its pair chromosome. This results in one of the new cells having 24 chromosomes and the other having only 22 chromosomes. An error such as this is called nondisjunction. If a cell with this error mates with a normal cell, the fert ilized egg will end up with an uneven number of chromosomes. (3). In the instance of Down syndrome, 95 percent of all cases are caused by nondisjunction, and 90 p... ... some cells, researchers get closer and closer each year to discovering the mystery of trisomy 21. With every new development, and with increased education and research, the quality of life improves for the people who, not long ago, were exiled from society for being "different" from other people. Internet Sources: 1)"Prenatal Screening for Down Syndrome", http://www.ds-health.com/prenatal.htm 2)"Comprehensive Speech and Language Treatment for Infants, Toddlers, and Children with Down Syndrome", http://www.ds-health.com/speech.htm 3)"Trisomy 21: The Story of Down Syndrome", http://www.ds-health.com/trisomy.htm 4)Down Syndrome: Background Information", http://www.nas.com/downsyn/faq1.html 5)About Down Syndrome", http://www.ndss.org/aboutds/aboutds.html#PPgenetic 6)About Down Syndrome http://www.ndss.org/aboutds/aboutds.html#PPmedical

Epiphone

The history of Epiphone started in 1873, in Smyrna, Ottoman Empire (now Izmir, Turkey), where Greek founder Anastasios Stathopoulos made his own fiddles and lutes (oud, laouto). Stathopoulos moved to the United States of America in 1903, and continued to make his original instruments, as well as mandolins, from Long Island City in Queens, New York. Anastasios died in 1915, and his son, Epaminondas, took over. After two years, the company was known as The House Of Stathopoulos. Just after the end of World War I, the company started to make banjos. The company produced its Recording Line of Banjos in 1924, and, four years later, took on the name of the â€Å"Epiphone Banjo Company†. They produced their first guitars in 1928. Epi Stathopoulos died in 1943. Control of the company went to his brothers, Orphie and Frixo. Unfortunately, they were not as capable owners as Epi. In 1951, a four month long strike forced a relocation of Epiphone from New York to Philadelphia. The company was bought out by their main rival, Gibson in 1957. It is extremely important to understand that all Epiphone instruments made between 1957 and 1969 were made in the Gibson factory at 225 Parsons Street, Kalamazoo, Michigan. These 1959–1969 Epiphone instruments were, effectively, identical to the relevant Gibson versions, and made with same timber, materials and components. These guitars were made by the same people, in the same place, and with the same materials and components as the contemporary equivallent Gibson guitars were. They even shared the same Gibson serial-number sequence! To note some of the specific examples of Gibson-made Epiphone instruments from this period: the Epiphone Casino was identical to the Gibson ES-330; the Epiphone Cortez was identical to the Gibson B-25; the Epiphone Olympic Special was technically identical to the Gibson Melody Maker; the Epiphone Sorrento was identical to the Gibson ES-125TC (except for a few cosmetic improvements! ), and the Epiphone Texan was (apart from a change in scale-length) an identical guitar to the Gibson J-45. All of the other Gibson/Kalamazoo-made Epiphones had some clear technical or cosmetic relationship with the relevant Gibson version. This wealth of information can, admittedly, be quite confusing so I direct any interested readers to â€Å"Gruhn's Guide To Vintage Guitars† (Gruhn-Carter, Miller-Freeman Press). Most of the specific information that you will need can be found here. Gibson eventually realized the folly in having two identical brands and, therefore, by 1970, Gibson commenced using the Epiphone brand as a budget-line and started having them made, initially, in Japan. Some confusion arises here because the first year or so of Japanese acoustic guitar production utilizes a label that denotes the address â€Å"Kalamzoo, MI†. At no point does this label say â€Å"Made In USA† but some confusion, especially on internet auction websites, still arises. It is equally important to understand that the overwhelming majority of Epiphone-branded instruments made since 1969 are, in essence, exploitation instruments are and are basically facsimilies of either Gibson (most commonly) or Epiphone guitars of the past. The vast majority of these facsimilies are very decent, budget-versions of the iconic instruments that they replicate and are, in may cases, exactly what a student guitarists needs, but they must not, in any way whatsoever, in terms of materials, components and intrinsic quality, be mistaken for the real item. In the hands of a good player the guitars may sound indistinguishable, but that doesn't grant them inherent equality. [edit]Casino Main article: Epiphone Casino The most famous Epiphone model introduced by Gibson after taking over was the Casino. The Casino was made in the same shape and configuration as a Gibson ES-330 guitar. It has a very heavy sound and is a very good rhythm guitar due to its fairly thick sound when strummed. It is a genuine hollow body electric guitar with single coil P90 pickups. Epiphone Casino VT The Casino is famous for being used by The Beatles. Paul McCartney was the first to acquire one and John Lennon and George Harrison followed suit soon after. Paul McCartney used his for the solo in Taxman and the Casino sound is very prevalent throughout Revolver and their later albums. John Lennon made his Casino one of his main guitars and used it for the rest of his time with the Beatles and into the '70s. Paul still uses his Casino, which has a Bigsby vibrato tailpiece, in concert and studio today. [edit]1970–present In the early 1970s, Epiphone began to manufacture instruments in Japan. From the 1980s, Epiphones were manufactured mainly in Korea but also in Japan by contractors licensed by Gibson. One of these contractors was Samick, which also built instruments under license for other brands and in its own name. Thus, a Korean-era solidbody Epiphone would have been built under license. The brand was primarily used to issue less expensive versions of classic Gibson models, in a manner similar to that of the Squier brand by Fender. Like all Asian-made copies, these guitars were constructed using different timbers (usually Nyatoh, for example, instead of Mahogany), were stuck together with epoxies rather than wood-glues, and were finished in hard, quick-to-apply polyester resin rather than the traditional nitro-cellulose lacquer used by Gibson. Nitro-cellulose lacquers are applied very thinly, and as a result, do not impede the resonance of the instrument as resin finishes do. Nitro-cellulose, being a solvent-based lacquer (as opposed to a catalyzed resin), requires many more very thin coats (but still results in a lighter, thinner finish because of much more hand-applied cutting and polishing) and is therefore much more time-consuming (and consequently expensive) to apply. Resin finishes are much quicker and cheaper to apply. These particular budget considerations, along with others such as plastic nuts and cheaper hardware and pickups, allow for a more affordable instrument. Although the decent Epiphone copies look (other than upon very close inspection) to be very much like the iconic, original instruments that they replicate, and often, in the hands of a good player, DO sound very, very close to the originals, they are not, as is the case with all of these budget brands, conceived and constructed to the same intrinsic quality. But it is a matter of budget – if you can look and sound close to how your favorite player sounds for a fraction of the cost then it is a good thing. Gibson, via their Epiphone brand, just like Fender via their Squier brand, bring a close approximation of the real thing to countless players who cannot afford, or justify, the expense of a professional-quality instrument. The result is that Epiphone and Squier have become the world's highest selling brands of electric guitar. Samick has stopped manufacturing guitars in Korea. In 2002, Gibson opened a factory in Qingdao, China, which manufactures Epiphone guitars exclusively. With few exceptions, Epiphones are now built only in the Qingdao factory. Unique Epiphone models, including the Emperor, Zephyr, Riviera and Sheraton, are built to higher quality standards than the company's â€Å"Gibson copy† line. Epiphone also produces a range of higher quality instruments under the â€Å"Elitist Series† moniker, which are built in Japan. The â€Å"Masterbilt† acoustics are manufactured in Qingdao.

Coso and Basel

Financial Collapses and Regulations sensitive England College of Business In an era of inquisitive investments and failed fiscal institutions, do-gooderal importance is macrocosm orientd on stemmaes implementing Enterprise insecurity counsel (ERM) plans. ERM is delineate by the base of Internal Auditors (2012) as an approach intentional to identify, quantify, answer to, and proctor the consequences of authority events employ by pick outment. Without an ERM plan, transpargonncy to shargon curtailers and ingrained duty be nearly impossible to grasp.COSO and Basel atomic number 18 some(prenominal) antiphonal cloths to developmentd regulatory changes that forced institutions to show more hydrofoil to their financial cogitationing, in order to manage operational happeninesss, mitigate the likelihood of a collapse, and ensure stability in vaporific groceryplace conditions (Farnan 2004 Balin 2008) these measures increase confidence in investors. This comparat ive analysis of COSO and Basel seeks to indentify common measures that be necessary to dust a serviceable ERM plan, the close to substantial being the directability of care and its communication with the bill (The sore Basel award 2003).A Comparative Analysis of ERM Guidelines COSO I/II and Basel I/II trigger Due to the epidemic of failed financial systems seen everywhere the past decade, agencies and mystical organizations (e. g. , Securities and Exchange Com throw offion, NICE, and so forth ) pay back cause in place feedlines for the standardization of reporting and evaluating lay on the line in an effort to eliminate surprise collapses in the future (NICE Systems Ltd. 2012).Alexander Campbell, Editor, Operational Risk & Regulation, states that regulatory approaches are changing and requiring companies to streamline processes for supervise internal try of infections at a fraternity, much(prenominal) as fraud (NICE Systems Ltd. 2012). Common goals of organizi ng committees trying to tackle regulatory ch eachenges are to rectify communication between the hop on and management, increase shareholders confidence, and most importantly, for entities to thoroughly prize their fluidity so that in the event of a crisis, investors as restrains are secured (Bressac 2005 Decamps,Rochet, & Roger 2003). This comparative analysis of COSO and Basel identifies the standards these documents act for institutions to entertain an Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) plan, as well as the affects these documents shortcomings and constraints present on entities which apply either COSO or Basel. Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) is defined by the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) (2012) as an approach designed to identify, quantify, respond to, and monitor the consequences of potential events implemented by management. It is important for all parties affiliated with an institutions ERM plan to intelligibly identify and understand the events that impact a societys value in order for the entity to achieve its documentarys (IIA 2012). The mannequins COSO and Basel both attempt to be reactive solutions to ordinary events in which lack of an up to(predicate) ERM plan has contributed to a collapse of a major institution or securities industry which had a detrimental affect on the public (Farnan 2004 Lall 2009).Both documents have been explored by numerous key opinion leaders in the financial industry, and eon for each matchless provides a set of guidelines for maturation victoryful ERM protocols, each also fails to be foolproof. Shaw (2006) provides the argument that objet dart the COSO standard was groundbreaking at the time, it was non meant to be a marking guide for controls. Moreover, in regards to lynchpin 3 of the Basel allot out which depicts methods of Value-At-Risk (VAR) calculations, Standard and Poors noted that although these VAR methods take care to offer mathematical precisionthey are not a magic hummer ( Lall 2009).COSO and Basel can be seen as a significant step forward for the measure (Saurina and Persaud 2008). Basel In 1974, the Basel Committee of Banking Supervision (BCBS) was created (consisting of the G10 plus Luxembourg and Spain) in light of the challenges from an more and more planetaryized banking system (Lall 2009). In the 1980s, it became clear (post-Latin the States Debt Crisis, 1982) that a process was engageed rate the international banking system to mitigate attempt and manage losses (Lall 2009).The stolon Basel Accord and Basel II, referred to as Basel, is a method of risk management, specifically for financial institutions operating on a multi-national level, that sets minimum neat requirements (8% of adjusted assets (Decamps, Rochet, & Roger 2003)) that these institutions must uphold to smear the risk of a collapse in the international banking system (Lamy 2006).Basel I, the first international accord on bank peachy was established in 1988, by the BCBS (Finance & sphere 2008), with the goal to arrive at importantly more risk-sensitive chapiter requirements with the primary objective in line with ensuring stability in the international banking system (Lamy 2006). In 2004, Basel II was introduced, with amendments in answer to the Quantitative force Study, QIS 3, ( produce in May 2003), an increase in the join of with child(p) banks must set aside for high-risk exposures, and changes from feedback from banks on Basel I (Finance & Development 2008 Lamy 2006).The Basel framework is focused on three tugboats a minimum dandy sufficiency requirement, supervisory review, and market discipline (Decamps, Rochet, & Roger 2003). Basel I was highly criticized for having a one and only(a) size fits all approach to formulating institutions risk-weighted assets (with insensitiveness to emerging countries), in addition to surreal smashing requirements that discouraged even rational risk taking (Kaufman 2003). In response to these cr itiques, BCSB began to draft Basel II, in which the amendments to towboat I (310 out of 350 pages of the document (Balin 2008)) were most notable.Balin (2008) describes the carte du jour of various options that Basel II encompasses for Pillar I, which resign institutions to choose the most suitable options hooklike on a series of grammatical constituents (i. e. , size, rating, etc. ). The minimum jacket crown requirement pillar focuses on the least sum of money of capital a bank must adduce to be protected from credit, operational, and market risks (Ahmed and Khalidi 2007). In Basel II, the highly critiqued credit risk requirements were modify to decrease the one size fits all stigma of Basel I (Kaufman 2003).Additionally, Basel II takes into account loopholes found in Basel I that enabled banks to maintain their desired level of risk slice cosmetically assuaging to minimum capital adequacy requirements, which was done mainly through a transfer of assets to holding compani es and subsidiaries (Balin 2008). Similar to COSO framework, the first pillar of Basel seeks to unite various types of risks into an boilersuit evaluation of capital requirements to safeguard shareholders and investors. Pillar 2, theSupervisory Review, is meant to insure that banks have adequate capital to support all the risks in their business including, but not limited to, the calculations in Pillar 1 (Kaufman 2003). This Pillar clearly defines of obligations of supervisory lapsing against extreme risk taking of note in this Pillar is line 680, which states Supervisors are expected to evaluate how well banks are assessing their capital call for relative to their risks and to intervene, where appropriate.This inter perform is intended to boost an active dialogue between banks and supervisors such(prenominal) that when deficiencies are identified, prompt and decisive action can be taken to centralise risk or restore capital (The bracing Basel ceiling Accord 2003). The quadr uple principles of Pillar 2 seek to hold the supervisors responsible for implicating processes, reviewing, setting expectations, and intervening when warranted in regard to management of capital risks (The refreshed Basel Capital Accord 2003). Pillar 3 seeks to protect against changes in asset prices (market risk) (Balin 2008), which is an addition to the credit risk factors of Basel I.Using the Value-At-Risk (VAR) model, banks were able to examine the prospect of a portfolios value change magnitude by more than a set add together over a presumption time period (Lall 2009). Critics of the VAR model, such as the International Monetary gillyflower (IMF), claim that it fails to account for extreme market events and assumes that the processes generating market events were stable (Lall 2009). COSO In July 2002, the Sarbanes-Oxley toy (SOX) was passed with the goals of increasing investor and public confidence in the post-Enron era and increasing management accountability, among o thers (Farnan 2004).Section 404 of SOX states that legal for some large companies, beginning declination 31, 2004, a separate management report on internal control potentiality and audit by the organizations external financial statement auditor is required (Farnan 2004). COSOs framework lays out a path for developing efficient operations and regulatory conformation methods, and has been established as the framework recommended by agencies such as the SEC for public companies to base their financial reporting on (Farnan 2004).The Committee of Sponsoring Organization of the Treadway Commissions (COSO) is comprised of five private organizations in the financial industry (COSO mesh site 2012). The COSO organization was established in 1995 with the mission to provide thought leadership through the development of comprehensive frameworks and direction on enterprise risk management, internal control and fraud deterrence, and attempts to enhance success and leadership, and calumniate fraud in company reporting (COSO nett site 2012).Since its establishment, COSO has published frameworks aimed at supporting publicly traded companies consider with tough new monitoring requirements mandated by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (Shaw 2006), and to help businesses manage risk, by looking at business units as an entire entity, designed to improve organizational performance and governance and to reduce the limit of fraud in organization (COSO Web site 2012).The COSO framework is a stoppage comprised of four (three in COSO I) company objectives perpendicular to eight (five in COSO I) factors that together form a risk assessment architectural plan for which companies can reduce risks by realizing the amount of capital needed for consequences (Bressac 2005). Similar to Basel, COSO dictates that the board is responsible for overseeing managements design and operation of ERM (Bressac 2005).One factor that COSO framework includes is the measurement of a companys risk appetite, the amount of risk, on a all-embracing level, an entity is willing to accept in pursual of value (Rittenberg and Martens 2012). Many objectives that management sets for their company (i. e. , increase market share, win private-enterprise(a) tenders) include a substantial amount of risk, and COSOs strategic decision- devising framework allows managers to present the objectives in relation to appetite to the Board for applause (Rittenberg and Martens 2012).Conclusions Both COSO and Basel were drawn to effectively respond to new implications (Sarbanes-Oxley Act (Shaw 2006) and new laws capital requirements for banks (Lamy 2006), respectively), and each have principles that can help institutions manage ERM more effectively. For example, The New Basel Capital Accord (2003) clearly articulates that setting a minimum amount of available capital resources is a vital element of the strategic planning process, and the three pillars devise a plan to do this.Bressec (2005) claims that COSO II framework articulates a way for managers to effectively deal with the events that create uncertainty for entities and create responses to minimize potential losses. COSO and Basel were both released in the infancy stage and flawed. Samad-Khan (2005) observed that COSOs creditability is diminished because consequences are predicted to occur much more frequently than had been diachronicly recorded in the past.Supporters tell apart that Basel II has arcane ideas, but affirm that its still a step in the right direction because it increases financial oversight and makes sure banks wont be doomed by crises of confidence (Coy 2008). It is important to note that while COSO and Basel offer much protection against denary risk assessments, they must be bring together with the knowledge and insight of senior risk managements to be most efficient (Lall 2009 Samad-Khan 2005).Moreover, both COSO and Basel also provide constraints that limit the amount of risks institutions can endure, so metimes excessively. Pall (2009) discusses one failure in Basel II as the ability for developed-nation banks to skew their reports to their desired results, at the expense of their smaller and emerging market competitors and, above all, systemic financial stability. Samad-Khan (2005) emphasizes that diachronic data is still the most reliable way for companies to determine the probability for risk to occur.Start-ups will not have this historical data, therefore may overestimate their probability of risk using the likelihood x impact = risk calculation (Samad-Khan 2005) and miss out on potentially confirming opportunities. Others against the provisions claim that both documents (e. g. , Basel in the Emerging markets) implement concessions that constrain potential growth by overcompensating for potential consequences and depleting contribute capital for banks, which in the 1930s contributed to the groovy Depression (Coy 2008). Historical events depict the need for more stringent regulatory guidelines in this era of financial market uncertainty.The most important common factor of Basel and COSO are that each clearly states that it is managements responsibility to have a functional ERM plan in place, and be in communication with the Board about potential risks that the company faces (Bressec 2005 The New Basel Capital Accord 2003). Holding management accountable for the risks the business takes, while making sure that the Board is in engagement with managements plan creates a necessary conformity of a checks and balances system, in turn creating a safer landscape for shareholders and the public to place opinion in. When properly executed,

Cici’s Pizza Research Paper Essay

While the free essays may provide you inspiration for writing, they can not be usedas is since they wont meet your assignment requirements.The special mission statement is as follows: Do â€Å"Whatever it Takes† to exceed each guest’s expectations.Background CiCi’s Enterprise is an American style buffet restaurant chain based in Coppell, Texas. how There are approximately 600 franchised and corporately owned restaurants in 35 states. The company was founded in 1985 in Plano, Texas by Joe Croce and Mike Cole.An argumentative first essay is among the many academic essay types.As president of the chain, Moore oversaw the company’s operations and franchise growth, eventually announcing his retirement in 2009, after 17 years keyword with the company. Michael Shumsky took over after Moore retired in late 2009. He had previously served as CEO of La Madeleine Restaurant, Inc. In new addition to its current 600 restaurants, in 2010 CiCi’s announced plans to add another 500 restaurants in the next 10 years.

Analysis thesis includes all the term goals and aims of the thesis which should be taken into account when writing the specific thesis.Environmental AnalysisSWOT The strengths of CiCi’s pizza make it one of the best in the industry. It offers a unique buffet experience with so many pizza varieties. Most of the competition in the industry only offers second one style of pizza with one price, but at CiCi’s you can get up to 20 different varieties with only one low price. If you don’t want to sit in the family oriented restaurant with the best customer service and eat then you have the option to order take out.Research is a kind of research conducted.Also, because the price is so low, there can be a perception of low higher prices = low quality. The one other thing that is holding CiCi’s back from being in the top five is that there is 15 states in the US that so not have a CiCi’s in them.Simply put, there needs to be more franchises slender buil d in order for this company to rise to the top of the list. (JMC Restaurant Distribution INC.

As an example, let us look at a few of the pizzas Pizza Hut has promoted.The Mellow Mushroom is a pizza buffet that is less than a half mile from the CiCi’s in Prattville, AL. Mellow Mushroom offers similar services but at a higher price. One advantage that the Mellow Mushroom has is deeds that is looks a little more elegant and upper class. People who are looking for more formal dinner experience would be likely to go to Mellow Mushroom.Last, it has always valued satisfaction and customer support.All these companies are within a 20 mile radius.In a lucrative market like the pizza one, the more competitors the better the customer service because it is so competitive. Market Analysis The pizza market can be very lucrative, therefore it is very competitive. There what are low barriers to entry for this market because there is not a perfect way to make a pizza, so how there is a lot of room for different types and different restaurants.

The way to guard yourself would be to do your homework.According to â€Å"Pizza Power†, PMQ magazine’s (Pizza Marketing Quarterly) Annual Industry Analysis, of the 67,554 pizza stores in the US, 59% are independently owned and control 51% of total pizza sales. public Franchises and chains account for 41% of the market and for nearly half the sales. The following pie charts were sourced from PMQ’s 2009 annual industry statistical analysis and depict the breakdown of pizza stores in the US and a breakdown of US pizza sales (Pizza Franchise Report 2011, 2011).CiCi’s pizza is included into the other very top chains 15%.Moreover, its crucial for a student to understand sides of an argument.This is compared to only 7% of those aged over 65 eating at least one pizza per month. Pizza also proved popular with parents. About 20% of the parents surveyed said that they purchase pizza more than three times per month, compared to 12% of adults with no children (Pi zza Franchise Report 2011, 2011). This customer group covers much of the target market for CiCi’s pizza.

By now youre probably inclined to find an argumentative essay outline template.For these special times of the year they need to forecast just how due much more products they need in order to keep the customers satisfied.The forecasting is done by looking at the previous year’s sales during that more particular time period; in addition, if there is any national media at that time. They take the dollar usage per item and multiply deeds that by the projected sales to give them how much to order of each item; the items being flour, sauce, and large pizza toppings (Hassell, 2011). Demand Forecasting cannot be done before there is a proper count of the inventory.Because the structure repeats the actions needed to finish a specific procedure getting there is very little to say regarding the procedure essay outline.The company as a whole tries to keep food cost percentages at 28% or lower, with labor cost of 18. 5% or lower (Hassell, 2011). Once the forecasting is done, then it is time to place the order. CiCi’s uses an online order management system called ESOS (Exhibition & Sponsorship Ordering System).

Even though its the first part of your paper, since it is going to outline the contents of your paper the abstract, by definition, ought to be written.CiCi’s has become such a powerful force in the pizza industry partly because of attention to detail in the transportation channel. They own their own transportation service.JMC restaurant distribution Inc. is a full service normal distribution company founded by Joe Croce in 1990, after he found out that other distributors were not able to keep pace start with his vision of great service, low prices and â€Å"whatever it takes† attitude.Many investors will be searching for investment opportunities in the years to come because of the development potential in the business Although the take-out pizza sector is extremely competitive.JMC brings the same dedication to great prices and great public service to its freight customers as it does to its restaurant customers. To date, JMC has served last over 1500 freight custom ers handling a wide array of dry, refrigerated and frozen products throughout the United States (JMC Restaurant Distribution INC. , 2011).Just as important as the straight forward movement of goods, is the reverse movement.

Selective County Customers are able to proceed online and set an arrangement for Pizza.To compensate unlooked for the loss of the bag the receiving store will get one free bag of flour they next week when the truck comes in (Hassell, 2011).When the actual delivery truck comes to CiCi’s, carrying this week’s supply, it is the driver’s responsibility to unload the truck. The employees at the restaurant do not help start with unloading. It takes about 45 minutes to completely get all the products off the truck and into the store (Hassell, 2011).Qualified for.Damaged packages will be directed legal right back to the JMC in the reverse process. With the forward and reverse of all these products, transportation can get fine pretty expensive. The facility locations are very important because of this. CiCi’s has a total of three distribution facilities that are strategically placed.

A job cited entry has to be contained at the close of the essay.(JMC Restaurant Distribution INC. , 2011) That is where the CiCi’s in Prattville Alabama gets all of its products. Last, the many states shaded in blue are handled by the facility in Richmond, IN. All the facility locations were made with the main roads, possible traffic, and distance in mind.Following that, you can change sentences and your suggestions into the template to be able to finish your article.â€Å"Hi, welcome to CiCi’s! † is the phrase that every employee must memorize and say to every customer that comes into the restaurant. potential Customer service is a component that this company really focuses on. On the website they have a list of guest promises that they stand by. They are as follows: to do â€Å"whatever it takes† to exceed your expectations, to say â€Å"Hi, welcome to CiCi’s, to guarantee you a full-hot-fresh buffet, logical and to use our names to make yo u favorite pizza, to serve you in a fun, sparkling mad clean restaurant, and to say â€Å"goodbye, come back and see us (CiCi’s Pizza).

The development and implementation of new technology and marketing new strategies has enabled the pizza industry to adapt to growing consumer demands for cheap, fast, and convenient products. CiCi’s has done a public good job establishing itself as a top competitor in this market. In order for CiCi’s to compete with the top pizza franchises in the market, such as Pizza Hut, they need to get more creative. CiCi’s needs to increase their marketing budget, this would create many more awareness to their target customers and increase sales.This great company has expanded from one restaurant in Plano, Texas to over 600 in 35 states in 25 years.That is a great accomplishment, and they are not done yet. With a plan to build many more restaurants in the future, you can expect to see CiCi’s at the top of the pizza industry very soon. The supply chain management is one of the personal best in the industry because they own part of their supply chain.Retrieved No vember 30, 2011, from wikipedia. com: http://en. wikipedia.org/wiki/CiCi’s_Pizza JMC Restaurant Distribution INC.html Pizza Franchise Report 2011. (2011).Retrieved late November 24, 2011, from Franchisedirect. com: http://www.