Gay Adoption Should be Legalized Essay - 2422 Words

Gay adoption by legal couples has become a rising controversy in the past decade, affecting the lives of many children and families. Most states allow gays and lesbians to individually adopt but do not allow them adoption as a legally recognized couple. In 1976, the American Psychological Association declared that â€Å"the sex, gender identity, or sexual†¦ orientation of natural, or prospective adoptive or foster parents should not be the sole or primary variable considered in custody or placement cases.† Historically, the benefits of gay adoption have been recognized, but have not yet been legalized. However, adoption by homosexual couples should be legalized to provide children with a new option for a family environment, provide the†¦show more content†¦Utah has also successfully approached the idea of banning by allowing only married couples to adopt (Hopkins). As a result, countless children are left among foster and adoption agencies. With thousands of children anticipating adoption, allowing same-sex couples to adopt would decrease these waiting numbers by providing stable homes and families. Excluding gays and lesbians from the â€Å"prospective resource parent pool† will in turn eliminate thousands of children from being provided a permanent home (Sioco). The Children Bureaus Trends in Foster Care and Adoption report completed in 2008 showed that there were 130,000 children waiting to be adopted. These results were â€Å"defined as those children with a goal of adoption and those whose parental rights were terminated† (Sioco). In addition to children feeling the repercussions of banned gay adoption, the couples who desire children are also negatively affected. There are countless homosexual couples that would like to complete their family by adopting one or more children of their own (see Fig. 2 below). Unfortunately, this is being completed through loopholes rather than the legal process in order to develop their family, such as one parent adopting the child rather than the couple. Federal law does not yet recognize gay marriage, leaving rights to be determined at the state level, often resulting in them varying greatly. The Williams Institute and the Urban Institute concluded in 2007 thatShow MoreRelatedShould Gay Adoption Be Legalized?935 Words   |  4 Pagesattempting to adopt children. Adoption isn’t just about finding children for families, but it’s about finding families for children. The traditional definition of raising a family is one man and one woman raising their children together, which is why gay adoption has been a struggle for many gay couples. It is prejudice to deny homosexuals the right to adopt and have a family. As society evolves and cultural perspectives expand, gay adoption deserves to be legalized nationwide. The lawsRead MoreShould Gay Marriage Be Legal?778 Words   |  3 PagesShould Gay Marriage Be Legal? â€Å"†¦I now pronounce you husband and wife†¦Ã¢â‚¬  One would normally hear this when attending a wedding. In tradition marriage has been between one male and one female who love each other. But how would one feel if they heard â€Å"I now pronounce you groom and groom† or how about â€Å"†¦bride and bride...†? In the last 50 years the number of same-sex couples has increased. The on-going argument between the government and the people is â€Å"Should gay marriage be legal?† Although some sayRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Should Be Legal Essay1072 Words   |  5 PagesSame sex marriage Same sex marriage also known as gay marriage is the union between two of the same gender having all legal rights allotted to this agreement in a given jurisdiction. According to opponents of same sex marriages such unions are more of abandonment of gender since one cannot be in the said union and still believe gender is important. Supporters of same sex marriage however refer to same sex unions as marriage equality. Same sex marriages challenge the traditional meaning of marriageRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Should Be Legal in All States1390 Words   |  5 PagesSame Sex Marriage Should Be Legal in All States When you see the word marriage, what do you see or think of? Majorities of Americans will see a man and a woman together. That’s because it is a tradition that marriage is between a man and a woman. Wouldn’t it be nice if everyone could marry the love of their life? Unfortunately, same sex marriage is banned in thirty-two states and only legalized in eighteen states. So why can’t gay and lesbian couples marry each other? Same sex marriage is protectedRead MoreEssay about Same-Sex Marriage and Adoption Should Be Legal703 Words   |  3 PagesSame-sex marriage and adoption should be legal, it should be allowed in every state, everywhere. As of 2014, only 17 states have legalized marriage rights to same-sex couples. The other 34 states have banned gay marriage through law, constitutional amendments, or both. For example, the Pennsylvania Governor won’t challenge overturning of same-sex marriage ban. State Attorney General Kathleen Kane has also announced that she will not defend Pennsylvanias same-sex marriage ban because of what sheRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Should Be Legal892 Words   |  4 Pagesto legalize gay marriage. The supreme court realized how many states were now legalizing it, so they just had all of the states left legalize it as well. ProCon.org supplies information that â€Å"Twenty-six states were forced to legalize gay marriage because it was the court s decision, eight by state legislators, three by popular vote, twelve by state law, and one by constitutional amendment (Par 1). Some positive outcomes now that it is legal to marry the same sex is that the adoption process willRead MoreLegalization Of Same Sex Marriage1594 Words   |  7 PagesLegalization Of Same Sex Marriage Will Greatly Benefit The Economy Same-sex marriage has been a long debated issue in the United States. Since the nationwide legalization of same-sex marriage in countries such as Holland, Belgium, and Canada American gay couples have been pushing harder for equal marriage rights under the law. Opponents claim that allowing same-sex unions would not only lead to less stable marriages and higher divorce rates for heterosexual couples, but also precipitate an economicRead MoreGay Marriage Should Be Legal1205 Words   |  5 PagesRahime-Malik Howard Sociology 1301-93431 Gay Marriage Getting married is something that most people do when they find love, which it is an important event in their life. The GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender) community now get the legal right of same-sex marriage, which they have fought for throughout the years; on the other hand, some opponents of same-sex marriage have called for a constitutional change towards it. Although there were some countries that allowed gay marriage befor e the United StatesRead MoreGay Marriage Should Be Legalized1379 Words   |  6 PagesName: Tutor: Course: Date: Gay Marriages Marriage is considered as hypothetically speaking, a rite of passage whilst from the religious point of view, it is considered as holy matrimony before a supreme being. Attraction between individuals of the same sex has been a topic of debate since time immemorial. However, over the past few years gay individuals have opted to air grievances of oppression despite receiving tremendous critics from the public. Initially, gay marriages were unfathomable eventsRead MoreGay Marriage Should Be Legal1434 Words   |  6 PagesGay marriage has slowly become a significant factor amongst individuals of today’s society. On June 26, 2015, it was ruled out by the U.S. Supreme Court that gay marriage was now legal. The first thing that I thought was that â€Å"Wasn’t it already legal in the United States?† Well, apparently no it has not been legalized in the United States! (Dumb me.) The U.S. is known to be a nation of equality and gives everyone the freedom of the speech, bu t it is actually a nation full of racism, sexism, and homophobias

Definition of Oder Winners - 1369 Words

Order Winners Order Qualifiers Order winners are those competitive characteristics that cause a firm s customers to choose that firm s goods and services over those of its competitors. Order winners can be considered to be competitive advantages for the firm. Order winners usually focus on one rarely more than two) of the following strategic initiatives: price/cost, quality, delivery speed, delivery reliability, product design, flexibility, after-market service, and image. (APICS Dictionary 2008). Order qualifiers are those competitive characteristics that a firm must exhibit to be a viable competitor in the marketplace. (APICS Dictionary 2008) Performance dimensions on which customers expect a minimum level of performance.†¦show more content†¦The emphasis given to these priorities and the state of the organization determine the nature and level of investments deemed necessary to implement the operations strategy. These investments in operational practices are expected to lead to better operational performance, as measured and evaluated internally using indicators like reject rates in the manufacturing process, production schedule fulfillment, and others. Through investments firms create and acquire resources that can isolate them from negative market influences and can serve as a source of competitive advantage for them. These investments can be made in tangible assets (e.g., machinery and capital equipment) and intangible assets (e.g., brand names and the skills of individual employees). A distinction has to be made between investments aimed at creating resources and those aimed at creating capabilities. Few resources on their own are productive. Productive activity requires the cooperation and coordination of teams of resources. An operational capability is the capacity for a team of resources to perform some task or activity. While resources are the source of a firm s capabilities, capabilities are the main source of its competitive advantage. Capabilities are not evaluated in themselves, and they cannot be thought of as absolute values. They have to be evaluated relative toShow MoreRelated An Evolutionary Ethical Theory of Social Risks and Opportunities5257 Words   |  22 Pagesfollowing all the ethical norms associated with the social state parameters simultaneously. Statistical macroethics comprises the descriptive components of the research programme of the empirical ethic of risks. The main purpose of macroethics is the definition and the measurement of metrically scaled ethical targets together with their corresponding figures actually achieved for societies. I. Some Key Ethical Quantities for Societies In Statistical Macroethics existing societies may be characterisedRead MoreGlobalization and It Effects on Cultural Integration: the Case of the Czech Republic.27217 Words   |  109 Pagestwenty-first century gave birth to the idea of making the world a single village, thus, globalization. Globalization is the most talk-about issues in the 21st century. However, there is the difficulty of the world to come up with a single and uniform definition. This is because, so many people doubt if the happenings in the world today are as a result of globalization. Thus, due to these global differences of what this concept actually is about, globalization has grown to involve aspects not only of economyRead MoreSeminar Paper on Strategies to Achieve Market Leadership: the Example of Amazon13422 Words   |  54 PagesInfluenced by rapid technological progress, the terms Electronic Business (EB) and Electronic Commerce (EC) have evolved over time to include all aspects of â€Å"internetworked technologies†.5 A canonical definition is still missing. Today, EC is a part of EB.6 For this paper we will adopt Wirtz’s definition: EB describes the â€Å"preparation as well as the partial, respective total support, processing and maintenance of performance exchange processes via electronic networks†.7 EC focuses on the transaction

My Fs 101 Portfolio - 7901 Words

INTRODUCTION Providing quality education is the primary concern of Philippine educational system. Quality education is dependent on the quality of teachers. Field study is one way of preparing pre-service teachers to be properly prepared to undertake the vital role in uplifting the quality of education in the country. What is learned from Field Study or in the actual learning environment is far different from what is being learned in the classroom. What is only heard can be forgotten, as Confucius said that: What I hear, I forget. What I see, I remember. What I do, I understand. Three short statements but they mean a lot. These statements really imply the importance of conducting a Field Study by the†¦show more content†¦| |Gymnasium | | | | |Auditorium | | | | |Home Economics Room | | | | |Industrial Workshop Area | | | | |PTA Office | | | | |Comfort Room for Boys for Girls | | |It is in good condition. Well-maintained and | | | | |clean | |Comfort Room for school personal| | | | | | | |It is in good condition. Well-maintained and | | | | |clean | |Administrative Officer officeShow MoreRelatedStrategic Management and Matrix13286 Words   |  54 PagesFigure 6-5. Its four-quadrant framework indicates whether aggressive, conservative, defensive, or competitive strategies are most appropriate for a given organization. The axes of the SPACE Matrix represent two internal dimensions (financial strength [FS] and competitive advantage [CA]) and two external dimensions (environmental stability [ES] and industry strength [IS]). These four factors are the most important determinants of an organization s overall strategic position.4 Figure 6-5 TheRead MoreAnalysis of Marketing Strategy of Coca Cola and Pepsico12414 Words   |  50 Pageswe shall try to understand and analyze the product line and product classification of Pepsi and coca cola. 4.1 PRODUCT PORTFOLIO Both the cola majors have a variety of products available in their kitty. They have a wide range of product line. They keep coming on with new products to attract the customers and to have a major share of the market. 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My Vietnamese kids were always the stiff huggers until October. Through my understanding of their cultures, I now give all students the choice of a hug, handshake, or high five. This simple act may make children feel more comfortable interacting with me. (McAllister Irvine, 2002, p. 440)Read MoreMonte Carlo Simulation218872 Words   |  876 Pagesways to develop an understanding of a model of, say, the term structure of interest rates is to implement a simulation of the model; and ï ¬ nding ways to improve the eï ¬Æ'ciency of a simulation motivates a deeper investigation into properties of a model. My intended audience is a mix of graduate students in ï ¬ nancial engineering, researchers interested in the application of Monte Carlo methods in ï ¬ nance, and practitioners implementing models in industry. 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The projects in this portfolio may not necessarily be interdependent or directly related. B A Program, which is a group of related projects managed in a coordinated way to obtain benefits andRead More_x000C_Introduction to Statistics and Data Analysis355457 Words   |  1422 Pagestrademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. Used herein under license. Library of Congress Control Number: 2006933904 Student Edition: ISBN-13: 978-0-495-11873-2 ISBN-10: 0-495-11873-7 ââ€"   To my nephews, Jesse and Luke Smidt, who bet I wouldn’t put their names in this book. R. P. ââ€"   To my wife, Sally, and my daughter, Anna C. O. ââ€"   To Carol, Allie, and Teri. J. D. ââ€"   About the Authors puter Teacher of the Year award in 1988 and received the Siemens Award for Advanced Placement in mathematics

The Search For Lo Mexicano - 1930 Words

The Search for Lo Mexicano What does it mean to be truly Mexican? Perhaps it is to know the origins of history, race, biological conditions, and culture, or perhaps it means to be free from artificial facades and subconscious complexes so that it becomes possible to find true authenticity, as philosopher Samuel Ramos has explained. The identity of Mexico and the discovery of what lo mexicano means is something that has been pondered about by many. It is difficult to answer this question with a definite explanation because everyday, we evolve as humans and have different experiences that shape our character. We live in the present, but are always thinking and worrying about the future. By studying the past and learning about history, but particularly the story about about Mexico, we gain further insight about individuals, society, identity, the importance of history in present life, and even learn about the psychological effect the past has had on individuals. In Profile of a Man and Culture in Mexico, Samuel Ramos analyzes Mexican psychology and uses Sigmund Freud’s theory of psychoanalysis to explore the identity of the Mexican and define his character. Psychoanalysis can be described as a method of study in which unconscious mental processes are studied to identity the motivation for types of behavior, in this case for the Mexican. Ramos provides theories in his Profile that assist in this study for the search of discovering the real character of Mexico and its culture.Show MoreRelated Mexicans in the United States Essay3496 Words   |  14 Pagesto the present with emphasis on such events as the Grape Strike of Cesar Chavez in 1968 which brought national recognition to the Chicano situation largely through economic means. In light of the satirical revisionist comedies of Teatro Campesino, Los Vendidos a short play by Luis Valdez will bring a conclusive view of the experience the Mexican-Americans endured according to one of th eir own. The Latin@ population in the U.S. is growing exponentially, Nearly two-thirds of Latin@s in theRead MoreEssay on A Migrant’s Search for a Better Life2900 Words   |  12 Pages In this essay, I shall portray an episode in the life of a migrant who came to a land, much different from his own, in search of a better life. Parallels will be drawn between this man’s experience and those of several migrant figures within the texts and readings assigned throughout this course. The reader will â€Å"meet† the subject of my study and find that the search for attaining a better life does not always require following the expected or typical path. Dreams for a future may revolve aroundRead MoreCompetitor Analysis of Whirlpool Corporation with Special Reference to the Stabilizer Market in Surat12090 Words   |  49 Pagesbusiness conduct. | |2006: Honored with the 2006 National Award for Ethics Values from the Confederacià ³n de Cà ¡maras Industriales de los Estados Unidos | |Mexicanos. | |2006: Whirlpool Corporation acquires Maytag and become the Worlds largest white goods company. Read MoreNanotech 1AC Essay13565 Words   |  55 Pagesnetworks for scientific exchange in the area (CONACYT, 2002). Moreover, the National Development Plan 2001-2006 identifies nanotechnology research as an important subfield inside the energy sector, above all others within the framework of the Instituto Mexicano del Petrà ³leo (â€Å"IMP†) (Mexican Institute of Petroleum). The conditions and provisions to create and implement a National Initiative for Nanotechnology Development were present, but the lack of funding and the absence of an executive plan created barriersRead MoreEssay on Porters Diamond Model29755 Words   |  120 Pagesstrategic core decision making and the creation of know-how, within the new country. In other words, both positions rely on different sources of advantages. In the first one, the importance is the production efficiency, while in the second one there is a search for more sophisticated sources of advantage such as market segmentation expertise and research and development. The efficiency-seeking stage of Dunning (1988), share some of the characteristics mentioned by Rugman and Verbeke (1993), Dunning (1993)

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner Chapters 7 Free Essays

string(115) " likely Raoul would get distracted by some other irritant before dawn and take out his anger on somebody close by\." The house was a big, log cabin?Cstyle affair, tucked into a hol ow in the pines with no sign of any neighbors for miles around. Al the windows were black, as if the place were empty, but the whole frame was trembling from the heavy bass in the basement. Diego went in first, and I tried to move behind him like he was Kevin or Raoul. We will write a custom essay sample on The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner Chapters 7 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Hesitant, protecting my space. He found the stairs and charged down with a confident tread. â€Å"Trying to lose me, losers?† he asked. â€Å"Oh, hey, Diego’s alive,† I heard Kevin answer with a distinct lack of enthusiasm. â€Å"No thanks to you,† Diego said as I slipped into the dark basement. The only light came from the various TV screens, but it was way more than any of us needed. I hurried back to where Fred had a whole couch to himself, glad that it was right for me to look anxious because there was no way to hide it. I swal owed hard as the revulsion hit, and curled up in my usual spot on the floor behind the couch. Once I was down, Fred’s repel ent power seemed to ease up. Or maybe I was just getting used to it. The basement was more than half empty since it was the middle of the night. Al the kids in here had eyes the same as mine – bright, recently fed red. â€Å"Took me a while to clean up your stupid mess,† Diego told Kevin. â€Å"It was almost dawn by the time I got to what was left of the house. Had to sit in a cave fil ed with water al day.† â€Å"Go tattle to Riley. Whatever.† â€Å"I see the little girl made it, too,† said a new voice, and I shuddered because it was Raoul. I felt a little bit of relief that he didn’t know my name, but mostly I just felt horrified that he’d noticed me at al . â€Å"Yeah, she fol owed me.† I couldn’t see Diego, but I knew he was shrugging. â€Å"Aren’t you the savior of the hour?† Raoul said snidely. â€Å"We don’t get extra points for being morons.† I wished Diego wouldn’t taunt Raoul. I hoped Riley would come back soon. Only Riley could curb Raoul even the littlest bit. But Riley was probably out hunting dregs kids to bring to her. Or doing whatever else he did while he was away. â€Å"Interesting attitude you got, Diego. You think that Riley likes you so much he’s gonna care if I kil you. I think you’re wrong. But either way, for tonight, he already thinks you’re dead.† I could hear the others moving. Some probably to back Raoul up, others just getting out of the way. I hesitated in my hiding spot, knowing I wasn’t going to let Diego fight them alone, but worried about blowing our cover if it didn’t come to that. I hoped Diego had survived this long because he had some crazy combat skil s. I wasn’t going to have much to offer in that department. There were three members of Raoul’s gang here, and some others that might help out just to get on his good side. Would Riley get home before they had time to burn us? Diego’s voice was calm when he answered. â€Å"You’re real y that afraid to take me on alone? Typical.† Raoul snorted. â€Å"Does that ever work? I mean, besides in movies. Why should I take you on alone? I don’t care about beating you. I just want to end you.† I rol ed into a crouch, tensed to spring. Raoul kept talking. He liked the sound of his own voice a lot. â€Å"But it’s not gonna take al of us to deal with you. These two wil take care of the other evidence of your unfortunate survival. Little what’s-her-name.† My body felt icy, frozen solid. I tried to shake it off so I could fight my best. Not that it would have made a difference. And then I felt something else, something total y unexpected – a wave of revulsion so overpowering that I couldn’t hold my crouch. I crumpled to the floor, gasping with horror. I was not the only one to react. I heard disgusted snarls and retching sounds from every corner of the basement. A few people retreated to the edges of the room, where I could see them. They strained against the wal, stretching their necks away as if they could escape the horrible feeling. At least one of these was a member of Raoul’s gang. I heard Raoul’s distinctive growl, and then heard it fade as he took off up the stairs. He wasn’t the only one to make a break for it. About half of the vampires in the basement cleared out. I didn’t have that choice. I could barely move. And then I realized this had to be because I was so close to Freaky Fred. He was responsible for what was happening. And as horrible as I felt, I was stil able to realize that he’d probably just saved my life. Why? The sensation of disgust faded slowly. As soon as I could, I crept to the edge of the couch and took in the aftermath. Al of Raoul’s gang was gone, but Diego was stil there, on the far end of the big room by the TVs. The vampires who remained were slowly relaxing, though everybody looked a little shaken. Most of them were shooting cautious glances in Fred’s direction. I peeked at the back of his head, too, though I couldn’t see anything. I looked away quickly. Looking at Fred brought back some of the nausea. â€Å"Keep it down.† The deep voice came from Fred. I’d never heard him speak before. Everyone stared and then looked away immediately as the revulsion returned. So Fred just wanted his peace and quiet. Wel, whatever. I was alive because of it. Most likely Raoul would get distracted by some other irritant before dawn and take out his anger on somebody close by. You read "The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner Chapters 7" in category "Essay examples" And Riley always came back at the end of the night. He would hear that Diego had been in his cave rather than outside and destroyed by the sun, and Raoul wouldn’t have an excuse to attack him or me. At least, that was the best-case scenario. In the meantime, maybe Diego and I could come up with some plan to steer clear of Raoul. Again, I had a fleeting sense that I was missing an obvious solution. Before I could figure it out, my thoughts were interrupted. â€Å"Sorry.† The deep, almost silent mutter could only have come from Fred. It looked like I was the only one close enough to real y hear. Was he talking to me? I looked at him again and felt nothing. I couldn’t see his face – he had his back to me stil . He had thick, wavy blond hair. I’d never noticed that before, not with al the days I’d sat hiding in his shadow. Riley wasn’t kidding when he’d said that Fred was special. Gross, but real y special. Did Riley have any idea that Fred was so†¦ so powerful? He was able to overwhelm a whole room of us in a second. Though I couldn’t see his expression, I had the sense that Fred was waiting for an answer. â€Å"Um, don’t apologize,† I breathed almost silently. â€Å"Thank you. â€Å" Fred shrugged. And then I found I couldn’t look at him anymore. The hours passed slower than usual as I waited for Raoul to come back. From time to time I tried to look at Fred again – to see past the protection he’d created for himself – but I always found myself repel ed. If I tried too hard, I ended up gagging. Thinking about Fred was a good distraction from thinking about Diego. I tried to pretend I didn’t care where he was in the room. I didn’t look at him but focused on the sound of his breathing – his distinct rhythm – to keep tabs. He sat on the other side of the room from me, listening to his CDs on a laptop. Or maybe pretending to listen, the way I was pretending to read the books from the damp backpack on my shoulders. I flipped pages at my usual rate, but I didn’t take anything in. I was waiting for Raoul. Luckily, Riley came first. Raoul and his cohorts were right behind him, but not as loud and obnoxious as usual. Maybe Fred had taught them a little respect. Probably not, though. More likely Fred had just angered them. I real y hoped Fred never let his guard slip. Riley went to Diego right away; I listened with my back to them, eyes on my book. In my peripheral vision, I saw some of Raoul’s idiots wandering, looking for their favorite games or whatever they’d been doing before Fred had driven them out. Kevin was one of them, but he seemed to be looking for something more specific than entertainment. Several times his eyes tried to focus on where I was sitting, but Fred’s aura kept him at bay. He gave up after a few minutes, looking a little sick. â€Å"I heard you made it back,† Riley said, sounding genuinely pleased. â€Å"I can always count on you, Diego.† â€Å"No problem,† Diego said in a relaxed voice. â€Å"Unless you count holding my breath al day as a negative.† Riley laughed. â€Å"Don’t cut it so close next time. Set a better example for the babies.† Diego just laughed with him. From the corner of my eye, it seemed like Kevin relaxed some. Was he real y that worried about Diego getting him in trouble? Maybe Riley listened to Diego more than I realized. I wondered whether that was why Raoul had gotten crazy before. Was it a good thing if Diego was that in with Riley after al ? Maybe Riley was okay. That relationship didn’t compromise what we had, did it? Time didn’t pass any faster after the sun was up. It was crowded and unstable in the basement, like every day. If vampires could get hoarse, Riley would have lost his voice entirely from the yel ing. A couple of kids temporarily lost limbs, but nobody got torched. The music warred with the game tracks, and I was glad I didn’t get headaches. I tried reading my books, but I ended up just flipping through one after the other, not caring enough to make my eyes focus on the words. I left them in a neat stack by the end of the couch for Fred. I always left my books for him, though I never could tel whether he read them. Couldn’t look at him closely enough to see what, exactly, he did with his time. At least Raoul never looked my way. Neither did Kevin or any of the others. My hiding place was as effective as ever. I couldn’t see if Diego was smart enough to ignore me, because I was ignoring him so thoroughly. No one could suspect that we were a team, except maybe Fred. Had Fred been paying attention as I prepared to fight alongside Diego? Even if he had, I didn’t worry too much about it. If Fred felt any particular il wil toward me, he could have let me die last night. Would have been easy. It got louder as the sun started to go down. We couldn’t see the light fading here underground, with al of the windows upstairs covered just in case. But waiting through so many long days gave you a good sense for when one was almost over. Kids started getting antsy, bugging Riley about whether they could go out. â€Å"Kristie, you were out last night,† Riley said, and you could hear the patience wearing thin in his voice. â€Å"Heather, Jim, Logan – go ahead. Warren, your eyes are dark, go along with them. Hey, Sara, I’m not blind – get back here.† The kids he shut down sulked in the corners, some of them waiting for Riley to leave so they could sneak out in spite of his rules. â€Å"Um, Fred, must be about your turn,† Riley said, not looking in our direction. I heard Fred sigh as he got to his feet. Everyone cringed as he moved through the center of the room, even Riley. But unlike the others, Riley smiled a little to himself. He liked his vampire with skil s. I felt naked with Fred gone. Anyone could focus on me now. I held perfectly stil, head down, doing everything in my power not to cal attention to myself. Lucky for me, Riley was in a hurry tonight. He barely paused to glare at the people who were clearly edging for the door, let alone threaten them, as he headed out himself. Normal y he’d give us some variant on the usual speech about keeping a low profile, but not tonight. He seemed preoccupied, anxious. I’d have bet he was going to see her. That made me less excited about catching up with him at dawn. I waited for Kristie and three of her usual companions to head out, and I slipped out in their wake, trying to look like part of the entourage without irritating them. I didn’t look at Raoul, I didn’t look at Diego. I concentrated on seeming inconsequential – no one to notice. Just some random vampire chick. Once we were out of the house, I split off from Kristie immediately and beat it into the woods. I hoped only Diego would care enough to fol ow my scent. Halfway up the side of the nearest mountain, I made my perch in the top branches of a big spruce that cleared its neighbors by several meters. I had a pretty good view of anyone who might try to track me. Turns out I was being overcautious. Maybe I’d been too cautious al day. Diego was the only one to come looking. I saw him from a distance and backtracked to meet him. â€Å"Long day,† he said, giving me a hug. â€Å"Your plan is hard.† I hugged him back, marveling at how comfortable this was. â€Å"Maybe I’m just being paranoid.† â€Å"Sorry about Raoul. That was close.† I nodded. â€Å"Good thing Fred is so disgusting.† â€Å"I wonder if Riley knows how potent that kid is.† â€Å"Doubt it. I’ve never seen him do that before, and I spend a lot of time around him.† â€Å"Wel, that’s Freaky Fred’s business. We have our own secret to tel Riley.† I shuddered. â€Å"Stil not sure that’s a good idea.† â€Å"We won’t know until we see how Riley reacts.† â€Å"I don’t real y like not knowing, as a general rule.† Diego’s eyes narrowed speculatively. â€Å"How do you feel about adventure?† â€Å"Depends.† â€Å"Wel, I was thinking about club priorities. You know, about finding out as much as we can.† â€Å"And†¦?† How to cite The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner Chapters 7, Essay examples

Wendys Marketing Strategy free essay sample

The industry is going from strength to strength as the nation’s appetite for personal services and retail goods continues to grow and the business model attracts new industries. Facts The number of franchise chain has jumped by 21. 4%, from 700 in 2002 to 850 in 2004, according to Franchising Australia and it is growing. 2010 Reported double-digit increases in revenue and profits and expect the same this financial year Industry Segmentation 0. 20% 8. 70% QSR 31. 80% Takeaways Leisure Locations Mobile Street Vendors 59. 20% Wendy’s History †¢ †¢ †¢ Start up: In 1979 opened the first shop in a shopping centre in South Australia; Business Model: Adopted a franchising model; Growth: 250 stores in Australia and New Zealand over 30 years. Position: Fast food industry within the treats segment. Wendy’s with use of franchising model (lower risk capital and fast expansion into new locations) now has 250 stores. †¢ Positioning in franchising industry: †¢ Low cost entry †¢ Low royalty and marketing fees †¢ Easy and fun to run †¢ No special skills required †¢ Initial support guidance for recently established franchisee . Strategic Challenges facing the business Strategic Challenges Industry Maturity: †¢ The fast food industry is competitive and mature. With little room for growth and still more players coming into the industry and soaking up the available profits. The public awareness of negative health consequences of fast food †¢ Increased focus on the quality of food served in fast food restaurants. Fast food companies have responded by adopting healthier choices and have had some measure of success, but the shadow of bad press still hangs over the industry. The rise of commodity prices †¢ Increase in produce prices significantly crunched many fast food franchises. The affect of the GFC †¢ During GFC there was some increase in consumer visits as people choose cheaper fast food options over fast casual or traditional restaurant choices. But overall, the recession hurt spending, and consumers overall purchased less with each trip. Regulation: †¢ With issues concerning public health (obesity) as well as the quality of produce (Horse Meat Scandal, Free Range Chicken) being the source of controversy both here and overseas. The industry could face tighter sourcing, manufacturing and labelling standards in the future. 1. Environmental Analysis Environmental Analysis Political / Legal: Health campaigns – healthy eating, obesity Deregulation of shopping centre / store hours likely New food nutritional guidelines just released Increasing minimum wages + superannuation costs (labour intensive nature of the industry means 16. 8% of costs are wages) Discussions about ‘sugar tax’ Economic: GFC has meant decreases in overall consumer spending, and increase in propensity to save. Fast food is sensitive to consumer confidence levels (which have been low in recent years). High levels of competition in the fast food industry, a small number of global players doing well and significant local startup activity and competition. Availability and price of produce can have an impact – for example bananas when there was flooding, fruit when we have droughts, milk production when there was very high rainfall in Victoria. Fast food / ice cream may be seen as an affordable luxury, and even in challenging economic times certain segments can tend to reward themselves. IMPLICATIONS: Increased focus on healthy / low fat options means most participants in the industry will spend increasing time on new product development in this area, so to stay competitive will require investment in this area. Social / Demographic Trends: Aging population – initial indication that aging population may be a negative for the industry (assumption that they consume fewer treats). Areas with higher concentration of teenagers has seen increased demand for fast food compared areas with more mature aged customers. Single dwellers (rather than families) – go for convenience aspect Trend for healthier options as awareness builds with consumers, and fast food and high fat/sugar foods continue to get poor media exposure. Time poor consumers – convenience is increasingly important. Technological Trends Smartphone technology now widespread – allows customers to find local stores and provides ability to order online. Allows company to more effectively segment and market at a local level (though messaging, offers etc). Particularly for tech savvy younger customers. Packing technology – Improvements and innovations packaging for fast food, snacks and treats. eg Individual packaging which has allowed sliced fresh fruit to stay crisp and fresh for longer. POS technology – self serve, and other POS technology now widespread – can have an efficiency as well as a novelty value. Social media / marketing – increased use of social media and online marketing, in addition to traditional marketing approaches. 1. Market Analysis and Segmentation Market Analysis Wendy’s is positioned in the fast food industry, within the treats (ice-cream / deserts) sub-industry. They refer to their positioning within this larger market as â€Å"masters of taste and masters of providing the most indulgent, fun, I HAVE to come back here again treat experience. † Australia is one of the largest consumers of Ice-Cream. However, the increased emphasis on health and nutrition has caused demand for traditional ice cream and other similarly high-sugar and fatty foods to fall overall. Emerging Submarkets – low fat, health focused submarket of the ‘treat / icecream’ market. Market Profitability Fast Food Ice cream markers are profitable, though margins are lower than in some other industries due to heavy competition. Key Success Factors – product innovation (for example new lower fat options), attractive product presentation (to make offering more appealing, to maximise impulse purchases) , having a clear market position (brand and positioning is clear on what segments and products its offering – whether a health positioning, indulgent treat etc), Convenient access (good locations with high walk/drive by traffic, access to parking, proximity to other complimentary retailers or businesses), stock control (ability to manage stock and stock costs – to minimise logistics cost, wastage etc), human resources (reliable, customer focused staff). Segmentation A number of segmentation approaches were considered including customer demographics (eg gender, age), customer lifestyle (families, young singles, retirees), product benefits (taste, quality, prestige, diary content, low-calorie), channel preference (shopping centre, stand alone/high street, home delivery, take away), price sensitivity (low cost, high cost) and customer needs based. A needs based segmentation was chosen as it allows the most useful combination of Segment 1 Family Needs Convenient Fast speed of service Type and size of package Indulgent Treat (Reward / Satisfaction) Economical Convenience Segment 2 Gourmet / Specialty Indulgent Treat (Reward / Satisfaction) Quality ingredients Quality positioning Brand prestige Convenient location Special Features / differentiators Quality Segment 3 Health / Lifestyle Indulgent Treat (Reward / Satisfaction) Convenient location Quality ingredients Lower fat / healthier choice Range of serving sizes Healthier Choice Primary Driver Competitors Mr Whippy Gellatisimo Baskin Robbins Krispy Kreme Cold Rock New Zealand Natural Andersens of Denmark Ben Jerries Haagen-Dazs Michels Patisserie Most competitors now have a ‘low fat’ range, but competitors such as Wow Cow and other frozen yogurt companies tend to position their product to this segment. New Zealand Natural Wow Cow Boost Juice Higher proportion of women exist in this segment, with higher levels of importance places on lower calorie treats (lower fat and sugar). Segment Characteristics Consumers prefer products that offer strong value for money. Purchasers are generally not the consumer. A high level of price sensitivity exists in this segment. Higher proportion of consumers in this segment tend to be single or couples without kids. Prepared to pay higher price point, and to pay for quality add ons such as. Brand appeal and prestige can be more important (thus many international / imported brands operate in this segment). 50% % of Market 25% 25% 1. Competitor identification and analysis Competitors Core needs provided by Wendys: Fast food consisting of sweet snacks, cold beverages, light meals and coffee. Strengths and Weaknesses Position in the Marketplace Strengths Branding Coverage – 320 stores Specialisation Donuts Weaknesses Lack of healthy alternatives Strengths Strong brand Coverage – 300+ stores Usually has eat-in options Weaknesses Mass produced food Limited healthy alternatives Strengths Branding/Marketing Fundraising efforts Distribution through 7-Eleven Weaknesses Mass produced Extremely un-healthy Strengths Unique concept Visually enticing store Good coverage (100 stores) Good product selection Weaknesses Only stock seasonal products Targeted to a limited market (kids) Strengths Coverage (700 stores, 22 countries) Wide range of products including healthy alternatives Take home packs available Weaknesses Products made overseas (NZ) Seasonal products Usually positioned within the fresh food/supermarket area of major shopping centres, Donut King targets casual shoppers and those requiring family deserts. Located within major centres Michel’s targets shoppers for a casual light meal /coffee or a take-home desert. Situated in a variety of locations including air-ports, shopping centres and standalone stores, Krispy Kreme targets adults who desire a sweet snack or milkshake for an affordable price. Positioned at children mainly in beachside locations. Unique concept of creating your own unique ice cream. Mainly situated in shopping centres and beach side locations, New Zealand Natural targets adults wanting premium ice-cream for immediate consumption or take home packs for family desert. 1. Strategic Challenges facing the business SWOT Wendys Competitors STRENGTHS: Australian icon with strong branding. Long standing history with the first store open in 1979. Geographic coverage with 250+ stores across Australia. Positioned in high foot traffic areas generally in shopping centres. Wide product range (cold beverages, light meals, frozen yoghurt ice cream). Affordable franchise fees (lt; $100,000). Easy to operate stores. WEAKNESSES: Limited speciality in a particular product. Minimal healthy options available. Mainly seasonal products. Wide spread of product purchases by the market (as seen in segmentation). Generally has young staff with limited customer experience STRENGTHS: Mostly consist of Australian Icons. Wide geographic coverage. Visually enticing stores (attribute to most franchises). Strong branding and marketing. Most make products fresh. Majority are seen as a gourmet offering. Wide consumer target market WEAKNESSES: Majority sell seasonal based products. Higher end products tend to be priced high. Most are seasonal offerings (summer products). Majority do not offer a wide range of healthy alternatives OPPORTUNITIES: Capitalise on a larger market share by offering healthier alternatives. Potential to offer organic products. Potential to offer customised ordering. Offer seating options to customers. Offer take home ice-cream packs. Partnership with complementary businesses. Expand products into alternative locations such as cinemas. THREATS: Any future fast food tax. Rising popularity of healthy fast food alternatives. Rising cost of retail rents. Rising popularity of take home ice cream packs. OPPORTUNITIES: Expand into alternative locations such as cinemas or schools. Frozen yogurt is not common amongst competitors. Expand healthy alternative range. Expand into offerings for winter THREATS: Any future fast food tax. Rising popularity of healthy fast food alternatives. Rising cost of retail rents. Rising popularity of take home ice cream packs from supermarkets 1. Outlook Outlook Growth Existing Business Model: The growth prospects for the Fast Food industry and Wendys is good as long as they can follow consumer trends which are largely optimised by the push toward eating healthier. This is demonstrated both in consumer habits as well as a diversification of many of the larger fast food businesses also trying to over a broader variety of options for consumers (McDonald’s Healthy Menu). Wendys strong brand and low cost of entry for investors (franchisees), the business is perfectly positioned to look at other products or even new business altogether that tap into healthier eating and dispositions of the Australian Consumer. There is also opportunity in the market to better segment their geographic footprint and premiumise their existing franchise business. Looking at areas with higher socioeconomic traits and not only serve different products but create a more upmarket environment for their products to be consumed in with an emphasis on quality. Growth Existing Products New Models: With the Wendys brand commanding a popular place in Australian consumers hearts. There is a very real possibility that Wendys could viably follow in the foot steps of some of its American counter parts such as Ben Jerries, to start selling branded CPGs supermarkets. With a variety of SKU’s that they could initially focus on to help people take their Wendys experience home with them. This could include, tub ice-cream, shakes and ice-cream cakes. Growth, New Markets and Products: With their understanding of the Franchise business and strong supplier relationships. Wendys could also look at either starting an alternative, healthier product range, that could also be distributed through a new brand and store. Leveraging their existing competencies and supplier relationships to capture different, perhaps more affluent and currently Wendys averse consumers. 1. Appendix References Anonymous2010, Sep 21. Franchises in Australia Expect Double-Digit Revenue,profit Rises. Asia Pulse. https://www. mja. com. au/journal/2011/195/1/advertising-fast-food-children-australian-television-impact-industry-self Schaper, M, Gehrke, J 2013, FRANCHISING REGULATION IN AUSTRALIA: RECENT TRENDS AND CURRENT ISSUES, International Journal Of Franchising Law, 11, 1, pp. 3-13, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 20 April 2013. Fast Food Industry Profile: Australia 2010, Fast Food Industry Profile: Australia, p. 1, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 20 April 2013 http://www. news. com. au/national-news/obesity-levels-show-australia-is-the-chubby-country/stor y-e6frfkvr1226064083008 http://www. ibisworld. com. au/industry/default. aspx? indid=2005 http://www. franchisehelp. com/industry-reports/fast-food-industry-report WILLIAMS, M. 2013. Fuel Retailing in Australia. In: WORLD, I. (ed. ) IBIS World Industry Report. EDWARDS, J. 2013. Ice Cream Manufacturing in Australia. In: WORLD, I. (ed. ) IBIS World Industry Report. CONNELL, S. 2013. Fast Food Services in Australia. In: WORLD, I. (ed. ) IBIS World Industry Report.