Early Italian Renaissance Essay Example for Free

Early Italian Renaissance Essay The intellectual concepts as well as the trends during a particular period in time are manifested in various ways. One means by which the situations in a specific time frame could be express is through the arts. Arts in the form of paintings, statues, and even in the construction of church or basilicas also symbolize the kind of thinking during the era that they were created. This is evident during the early Italian renaissance wherein the art forms during that time embodies the intellectual concerns of their society. According to the Columbia Encyclopedia (2007), the art forms created in this geographic part of the world that is now known as the country of Italy. The art works produced in this country have motivate the public interest and participation that is why there is a continuous production of monumental and spectacular art forms. In relation to this, Italian works of art has almost always been related with the intellectual as well as the religious events of the time. Furthermore, Italian art has been continuous source of inspiration for many people. The early Italian renaissance art is characterized by its observance of the medieval art, which gives priority to religious traditions and belief. However, it introduced a new idea, which is the importance given to the value and capability of the human person. This kind of mentality is the main idea that the renaissance period emphasized. Great artists like Guido of Siena, Cimabue, and Duccio di Buoninsegna have created many paintings that retain the Byzantine conventions that adhere to religious arts but they also established a new naturalism and a direct importance to human emotions in their art. This is greatly exemplified by the sculpture of Nicola Pisano as well as the fresco painting of Pietro Cavallini in Rome (Columbia Encyclopedia, 2007). The early Italian renaissance is the starting point wherein various art forms flourished. It was also during this time that paintings exhibit a new life and warmth that is similar to the intellectual revolution that is happening in the country in the light of renaissance. Reference ________. (2007). Italian Art. The Columbia Encyclopedia. Retrieved August 1, 2008, from http://www. bartleby. com/65/it/Ital-art. html.

The nuclear power

The nuclear power Introduction I am writing this essay to debate the idea of having nuclear power developed for future use by us. This takes on a major issue and covers many aspects of my nations energy use both in present and for the future. When we think about nuclear power we do not automatically think of it as a non renewable energy source. This is because it is not part of the fossils fuels; coal, oil and gas, which we all know will not last us as reliable energy sources for much longer. However, nuclear power is a non renewable energy source and Nuclear energy is considered an important fuel to produce energy How is nuclear energy made? Nuclear energy is obtained by processes of nuclear fission and fusion. In nuclear fission the energy is released by splitting the atom sending a neutron blasting through the nucleus, this makes other neutrons fly off at high speeds setting up a chain reaction. Nuclear fusion is the opposite by which the nuclei of two or more atoms fuse together, in the process mass is lost and this is then converted into energy. Production of energy takes place inside a nuclear reactor which consists of a core surrounded by a thick concrete shield, steam pipes, turbines and a final (electricity) generator. After the mining of the ore (this is mainly uranium or plutonium ore) has been done the pure uranium is turned into uranium dioxide which is made into pellets. Several of these pellets are placed inside fuel rods. Usually there are about 90,000 fuel rods placed in the core of a reactor. Nuclear fission takes place inside the core by which the isotope splits using the atoms in the uranium dioxide from the pellets. The immense heat produced by this is carried away by fluid circulating through the reactor core. Once the fluid becomes heated it is used to produce steam, this steam drives the turbines which in turn rotate the main electricity generators to produce clean, reliable electricity. During this process there is a massive amount of radiation and so this is why the core is surrounded by a thick concrete shield to absorb this radiation. Arguments FOR using and developing nuclear power To satisfy our general needs of heating our water, heating our homes, cooking our food, powering our appliances and lighting our rooms, we need to retrieve energy from the many many methods available to us. One of these choices is nuclear energy. There are very good reasons why it should be considered and developed further, to be used in the future. Firstly, by comparing it to the other non renewable energy sources (coal, oil and natural gas), nuclear power is a very clean energy as it does not produce any of the greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, which lead to the greenhouse effect or global warming. This problem is significant for the disintegration of the ozone layer when fossil fuels are burnt to release energy. Plus using this form of energy can save the reserves we have left of some of the precious fossils fuels like oil, which is said to run out within the next 50 years. Because nuclear power already supplies lots of energy, it is also much more reliable at present than many of the renewable options we have available such as wind, solar and wave. A very important point and something that must be considered is that there can be huge amount of energy produced from just a small amount of nuclear element. Just one kilogram of uranium can produce as much energy as 3,000,000 kilograms of coal. Finally, with the nuclear energy economy being one of the safest in the world, producing the cheapest energy, development in the future can provide thousands of jobs and other opportunities of stable employment for many people. Arguments AGAINST using and developing nuclear power As well as the very well argued points agreeing with the future use of nuclear energy, there is opposition to this expansion. There are many people and often groups that raise concerns about the safety of nuclear power. Nuclear waste that is produced from the nuclear power stations emits a very high amount of dangerous radiation that can stay radioactive for up to 25,000 years so it must be disposed of very carefully. Any accident is extremely dangerous and can kill any life in the surrounding area immediately. A case study that shows the extreme risk of development of nuclear power and what can happen if an accident occurs is the 1986 incident in Chernobyl, Russia. Here a nuclear reactor exploded killing 31 people, and around 140,000 people were evacuated as quickly as possible. This area around the explosion was contaminated by radiation and this will remain for a long period of time. The clouds of radioactive material that were also released by the explosion spread, reaching even as far as Sweden. The wind that blew from Chernobyl also came across to Britain and caused acid and other toxic rain that ruined farmland, making the soil radioactive. Farmers are still having problems in parts of Wales because of the radiation that has spread as a result of an accident at a nuclear power plant. Rather than looking at nuclear energys dangers, it also has a few faults. One of these are that a big part of the energy that is created must be blown away because it cannot be used. Nuclear power is also unable to adjust to a lower power production for night. These are faults which not only can cause problems but also inconvenience. Back to the issue of the nuclear waste, focusing away from its safety concerns, and more about where it can be disposed of without causing major problems. As it does stay radioactive for a very long time it must be discarded carefully. The pollution of this waste can cause serious effects on both people and the environment. An example of pollution has been in the Irish sea which was dreadfully polluted by the nuclear waste from the power plant at Sellafield in Cumbria. This fuel should ideally be stored in a safe environment either underground or in special concrete surrounded stainless steel liquid tanks. Another concern that is brought up with nuclear power is the potential for nuclear weapons to be developed. In these weapons would be uncontrolled nuclear fission where even if just a small amount of unstable uranium or plutonium is used, a bomb would explode. If more countries turned to the development of nuclear energy we could be at risk of production of these weapons by countries such those in the Middle East and terrorist groups, some believe it may even lead to a possible nuclear war in the future. Conclusion Looking at all of the arguments for and against the issue of whether nuclear power should be developed for future energy supplies, they are all valid reason that should be taken into account. As for my personal response, I feel that nuclear energy should not be developed as the building of more power plants could cause harmful effects, especially if accidents occur. I feel that the chance of accidents taking place are far more likely if this source of energy is developed. This can lead to the deaths of many lives due to the sheer amount of radiation. Plus looking at the locations of nuclear power plants in the UK, they are mainly in remote areas, for obvious reasons, and also near the sea. More of these can lead to their expansion in more populated areas putting many lives in danger. I also feel that instead of turning to another non renewable energy from fossil fuels, it is far better to invest and research into the development of renewable sources which will give us clean, cheap energy in the future. By looking at changing the technology for these alternatives now, we can help plan for the future. However, if the nuclear industry was developed then when reserves of uranium and plutonium ran out we would once again be searching for other ways. So overall I feel that nuclear energy, although cheap and reliable, is not the best option to be developed for future use, not just in this country but around the world.

Normative development way of using stages of development

Normative development way of using stages of development Normative development is viewed as a way of using stages of development, matching ages to ability or skills and using the milestones approach' (Dryden, L et al 2005 p68) Milestones demonstrate what most children are likely to be doing by a specific age for example being able to hold your head up, look and communicate between the ages of 0 to 8 months and started walking and talking by the ages of 24 and 36 months. However, these may be helpful documented series of steps but there are individual factors that may influence the childs individual development. Beaver. M, et al (2002) p100/101 These influences are now recognised as being critical in the growth and development of the brain and in the process of how children learn and develop. The adult is the most important factor in childrens learning and part of the of adults role is to gain important knowledge of the factors and life experiences surrounding the child that are influencing the childs holistic development. (Dryden, L et al 2005 p68) Along with observations, all background information and relevant knowledge surrounding the individual child can be taken into consideration. This assists the practitioner in understanding the stage of development the child is that and helps to provide essential and efficient learning and support for the child. Some of these may include genetic or medical factors where inherited genes impact on a childs physical development. For example, a child with additional support needs may not walk or talk at the documented milestones of 24 and 36 months, so the medical model of disability would, in the past, concentrate on what the child was unable to do. When working with any child, practitioners should provide a suitable curriculum that changes to the needs of the individual child. Adults providing the necessary learning that supports the individual child will be respecting, responsive and be able to concentrate on what the child is able to do and get it right for the individual. (Dryden, L et al (2005) p69) Kellmer Pringle (1980) highlighted four developmental needs that have to be met equally to ensure development and these include the need for love and security, the need for new experiences, the need for praise and recognition and the need for responsibility, cited in Essential Early Years, Dryden, L et al (2005). The availability and influence of love, affection and security can impact on the childs mental and social development and these needs can be met by the parents or main carer by providing a stable, continuous, dependable and loving relationship. In practice, practitioners will have the responsibility to be aware of promoting positive relationships and by ensuring they put this into action they can influence positive outcomes for children. Pre-birth to Three: Positive Outcomes for Scotlands Children and Families, (2010) Other influences on a childs development can include environmental factors of overcrowding in housing, air pollution or poverty. Poverty can have a severe effect on a childs holistic development, for example a child may live in an area that is dangerous to play so the childs play is restricted. Lindon, J (2010) p205 This restriction could influence on the childs social and emotional development. Children living in an environment of poor or no income may see their basic needs not being met and because of this may underachieve at school. Practitioners should work alongside parents and gain background knowledge of the childs home situation to enable them to provide the appropriate care, support and learning the individual child needs. Appendix 1 It is with this in mind that the Scottish Government has decided that practitioners are required to use the Pre-birth to Three documented guidance to help children and young people improve their outcomes. Adam Ingram, Minister for Children and Early Years explains: Through prevention and early intervention, we can provide children with the social and emotional support needed to help fulfil their potential and break the cycles of underachievement which often blight some of our most disadvantaged communities. Pre-birth to Three: Positive Outcomes for Scotlands Children and Families, (2010) My knowledge of the childs holistic development now includes an understanding of how the developing brain influences a childs learning and development. I gained knowledge of how the critical period from pregnancy to around three years can have an influence on the outcomes the child is likely to have in later life. During pre-birth a babys brain cells are developing, connecting and communicating and this is enabling the baby to learn and develop some of their senses and in particular, taste and hearing. It is during this period that the mothers emotional experiences can influence and affect the babys developing brain. (Pre-birth to Three: Positive Outcomes for Scotlands Children and Families, (2010)). Brain development relies on the formation and connection of cells and these connections can grow quickly with the help of the babys early experiences and relationships. However, the mothers use of either drugs or alcohol can be badly damaging for the developing brain. (Dryden, L et al 2005 p68) The developing brain makes many more connections than required and if the baby has had proper care and support in the first year of life, some of the connections can start to be removed. In order for further brain development to progress appropriately there must be sufficient involvement and action through interactions with others for the child. These interactions allow the child to revisit and reinforce the brain connections and keep alive the signals already made. I believe it is crucial for practitioners to have knowledge of the developing brain because they will understand the learning process that children use in their normal development and how this can impact on their future outcomes. It is during our very best earliest years and even pre-birth that a large part of the pattern for our future adult life is set. (Scottish Government, 2008d, p1) The Scottish Government has introduced a document of national guidance for early years establishments to guide practitioners in providing the best start every child deserves. Pre-birth To Three: Positive Outcomes for Scotlands Children and Families lays out the requirements, support and information practitioners need to provide children and their families the best opportunities available. The four key principles are: Rights of the Child, Relationships, Responsive Care and Respect and within these principles are nine equal features of practice that can be used to support staff in their implementation of the key principles. These features include: Role of staff, Attachments, Transitions, Observations, Assessment and planning, Partnership Working, Health and Wellbeing, Literacy and Numeracy, Environments and Play. (Birth to Three document 2010 p11) I used this guidance for my own professional development and self-evaluation of observations of a child under three and I have related my findings of Shannons development to some relevant theorists and their theories around normative development. Observation one seen Shannon interact in role play with another child and an adult. The play is initiated by Shannon by telling Uncle Dale I am a dolly. Uncle Dale knows that this statement from Shannon means she wants to play her game. Bruce, T (2006) suggests that children aged from 2 to 3 years will become absorbed in symbolic play where they pretend to be someone else and in this case the talking doll. Moreover, from the ages of 3 to 4, children will develop Theory of Mind by trying out what it is like to be someone else. Bruce, T (2006) p328 Appendix 2 In observation two, I believe I was able to maintain the positive relationship I have with Shannon and this is shown through her confident interactions with me with the pretend spider. My sensitive actions and interactions of smiles, hugs and giggles enabled her to feel safe, secure and loved within an environment that was not her home. Through these interactions, she can build on her ability to create other relationships, build up trust and satisfy her individual social and emotional needs and development. I n addition, Shannon was able develop her physical development by carrying out simple age related physical movements involving her fine motor skills and hand to eye coordination when holding the spoon to ice the cakes. Beaver. M, et al (2002) p76 This planned experience enabled me to respect Shannon as a unique individual. Through my responsive care I was able to reassure Shannon that, as a significant adult in her life, I was reliable and trustworthy and would respond to her needs. This will enable her to feel secure within herself and able to trust other adults. As she had built up trust and a positive relationship with me, she was able to express herself through her imaginary play and develop her social and emotional development. Observation two also gave me the opportunity to assess Shannons language and communication development. Lindon, J (2010) explains how children can use gestures and sounds to attract and hold the attention of adults. Lindon, J (2010) p122. I believe Shannons gesture of clapping her hands when finished the task showed she wanted to get my attention and also relayed to me her sense of excitement and accomplishment. This form of communication by Shannon was rewarded from me through responsive care of praise and recognition, a feature of the Skinners behaviourism theory of language. (Skinner. B.F), as cited by Lindon, J (2010) P115 Appendix 3 In observation 3 I observed Shannon using patterns of repeated behaviour (schema) in her play by repeatedly connecting and disconnecting the toys she was playing with. Piaget believed that children organise their thinking to past experiences and events and linked them to what will happen next. Lindon, J (2010) p 29 In the context of Shannons observation, I believe the connecting and disconnecting of the doll and parts were her way of trying to organise her thoughts and making sense of her world, i.e. she was getting a new friend (connection) and Mason was not going back to Donnas (disconnection). Shannons level of development can be related to Piagets theory of stages of cognitive development and in particular the Pre-operational stage where language abilities develop quickly.

The Contemporary Relevance of Albert Camus Essay -- Albert Camus Essay

The Contemporary Relevance of Albert Camus ABSTRACT: After 350 years of continual social transformations under the push of industrialization, capitalism, world-wide social revolutions, and the development of modern science, what reasonably remains of the traditional faith in divine transcendence and providential design except a deep-felt, almost 'ontological' yearning for transcendence? Torn between outmoded religious traditions and an ascendant secular world, the contemporary celebration of individuality only makes more poignant the need for precisely that religious consolation that public life increasingly denies. People must now confront the meaning of their lives without the assured aid of transcendent purpose and direction. The resulting sense of absence profoundly marks the contemporary world. Confronted with the theoretical problems posed by the absence of absolute values, and the historical problems posed by contemporary social movements, Camus dramatized the urgency of developing guides to humane conduct in a world w ithout transcendence. He continued to believe that only when the dignity of the worker and the respect for intelligence are accorded their rightful place can human existence hope to realize its highest ideals, and our life find the collective meaning and purpose that alone can truly sustain us in the face of an infinite and indifferent universe. Celebrating individuality, our age invites us to express our feelings and realize our goals. It promotes happiness, while seeking to accommodate traditional moral values. But the focus on personal existence only makes the realization of death's inevitability more threatening. Torn between an outmoded religious tradition and a secular world on the ascendency, o... ...was no longer to be a matter of status and deference, but of function and quality of performance. And decisions were to be made by the involved collective, respecting the dignity and legitimate interests of all participants. While not despising the arts of "high culture" — though always quite uncomfortable with their mores — the renaissance always meant for Camus the qualitative transformation of daily life, the creation of dialogic communities at work and at home that gave voice and sustenance to the struggles for dignity of ordinary people. He continued to believe that only when the dignity of the worker and the respect for intelligence are accorded their rightful place can human existence hope to realize its highest ideals, and our life find the collective meaning and purpose that alone can truly sustain us in the face of an infinite and indifferent universe.

Globalization and Localization Essay -- Globalization vs Localization

The world is a constantly changing place and the relationships, or lack there of, of the people in it are the primary source of the change. Growing partnerships and the creation of a "global community" are being encouraged and defined by the term known as globalization. At the same time, the need for tradition and individual culture has perpetuated localization. Events that happen everyday around the world prove that both of these phenomena do have a prominent role in our society, and by studying these occurrences, we can better explain the benefits and consequences of the circumstances. Globalization can best be seen in the political and economic realms of society. In general, globalization is an "open door" type of policy in which different nations "feed" off of each other. In the political arena, they can learn from one another. What has proven to be inefficient by one, can be assumed so by the other. Following this train of thought, one can see a globalizing effect happening with democracy. This form of government has proven its longevity and usefulness in more than one area of the world, and in more than one culture. Economically, globalization encourages international trade and the exchange of ideas. Countries can share their resources and advancements in technologies. This should not only enhance the trade and thus economies of countries, it should also increase the possibilities of quicker technological change. In a sense, two minds are better than one. When nation’s work together to create a stronger united force, they can also try to convince a nation to act in accordance with a global idea of what is right and what is wrong. In "NATO, Serb Forces Prepare for War" (Syracuse Post Standard, October 6, 1998), it demon... ...overcome one another. Localization is taking a back-burner these days, as countries are needing help financially from one another. At the same time, there is a greater concern for political stability, and therefore there is a need for advice from other nations. Putting up boundaries will only hurt these nations in the long run. They will not progress at the same speed and they will have a tendency to alienate themselves from the rest of the world. There is constantly changing trend as to what is the best stance to take. When the World as a whole is doing well , many people may want to take the chance that they can advance themselves and leave everyone else in the dust. When recovering from some turmoil, such as a war or financial instability, the world may want to work together to make sure that everyone doesn’t fall down in a large scale trickle down effect.

Kraft Food

Strength ? Kraft foods is the world second largest food company since it has the presence in 160 countries with 168 integrated factories, (Geographical presence of Kraft foods ) ? It has a heritage of business since 1903 ? The human resource capacity of this company is 97000 which make them the one of largest in the globe, ? Kraft foods carries 40 brands which is in the market over 100 years ? Country led model of the Kraft foods which lead towards making decisions more faster ?Acquisition of Cadbury & LU biscuits which led the strong presence of Kraft foods in the global market because Cadbury had 45000 employees & the presence of the brand in 60 countries , LU biscuit which has 32 manufacturing facilities with 14000 employees which lead more market share , more value or revenue from the segment categories specially in the European region 1. Weakness ? Kraft Foods 12. 5% ( 2009 ) comes from 5 brands portfolio ? Adding the Pan – European centralized management will lead to cul tural effect in the organizational structure ?The acquisition process of Cadbury bought more negative impact on Kraft food since an UK based company was taken over by a foreign based company ? Selling of frozen pizza & post cereal business which effect the convenience foods segments net revenue contribution of 94. 1% & operating income of 8. 8 % as per 2009 figures of Kraft foods north America 2. Opportunities ? Expand penetration in developing markets by the increase of the population Ex: China , India markets 3. Threats ? Holidays & Seasonal Changes effect the demands of the products ?By presenting in globally Kraft foods Came across competition from retail house brands, generic brands, regional , local, & other multinational brands Ex: Super Markets like Tesco , Carrefour developing their own brands on FMCG category in Srilanka Cargills, Keells Super has their own brands ? Cost increase of the raw materials & other local political , legal un stabilities of the countries ( ingredi ents & packaging material ) Ex: Mad cow disease had stop purchase most of the imported or processed meat from other countries 1. Political Political unrest particularly in the Ivory Coast affecting supply of Cocoa and in other parts of Africa. ? European unions condition for acquisition of Cadbury which led to Kraft foods to sell the Cadbury confectionery operations in Romania & Poland ? Favourable regulations allowing relatively easy acquisition of Cadbury in spite of promises by UK Labour Party to enact a Cadbury Law to maintain the UK ownership. ? Government agricultural policies impacting upon Kraft operations ? Competition and antitrust controls. 1. Legal ? Ban on exports of foodstuffs from CIS a result of poor crops – also environmental factor. Compliance with food regulations in different jurisdictions ? Importance of patent protection with regard to branded organisation like Kraft – problems of enforcement ? Contractual rights in various countries 2. Economic ? Fluctuation in currencies especially the US Dollar impacting particularly on Kraft with its operations in over 160 countries ? Recession has impact on business activity economic activity particularly with regard to the value of the UK pound and the Euro with regard to economic problems in Ireland, Portugal and Greece. Sharp increases in commodity prices – the case highlights the situation with regard to coffee and cocoa, a result of speculation and demand increases as the world population grows. There are also supply issues as a result of weather problems and the changeover from food crops to bio–fuel crops. 3. Social ? Growth in demand for coffee from growth of organisations such as Starbucks (economic) ? Move towards health consciousness which will impact on processed foods manufacturers such as Kraft and Cadbury leading to negative perceptions of packaged foods like Kraft manufacture ?Culturally bound markets significance of foods within certain culture ? There are problems of rural communities with migration to urban areas especially young people which accentuates the key problem of aging. ? Corporate social responsibility becoming a key issue as initiatives such as Fairtrade gain support from major food producers notably Cadbury with its flagship brand Dairy Milk. ? There have been changes in food habits as a result of the economic crisis leading to phenomenon such as â€Å"stay at home† and growth of consumption of retailer brands and other cheaper brands. . Environmental ? Global warming causing extremes of weather eg Floods in Pakistan and droughts in CIS leading to disruptions in supplies of raw materials ? Increasing pressure on organisations particularly high profile multinationals such as Kraft, to become greener. The issue of carbon footprint and food miles is critical to global organisations. ? Waste and recycling issues – Kraft uses significant amount of packaging and is also subject to transportation costs. 5. Techn ology Although technologies are converging globally, there are still wide variations in IT availability across countries and multinational organisations such as Kraft must take account of this. ? There is continuous pressure to develop cheaper production techniques via the application of new technologies to become the low cost producer in order to both maximize profits and to resist pressures from retailers such Walmart for lower prices. ? Kraft is particularly strong in R & D ? The growing impact of ITC leading to more e-business and e-procurement. – Kraft Food Strength ? Kraft foods is the world second largest food company since it has the presence in 160 countries with 168 integrated factories, (Geographical presence of Kraft foods ) ? It has a heritage of business since 1903 ? The human resource capacity of this company is 97000 which make them the one of largest in the globe, ? Kraft foods carries 40 brands which is in the market over 100 years ? Country led model of the Kraft foods which lead towards making decisions more faster ?Acquisition of Cadbury & LU biscuits which led the strong presence of Kraft foods in the global market because Cadbury had 45000 employees & the presence of the brand in 60 countries , LU biscuit which has 32 manufacturing facilities with 14000 employees which lead more market share , more value or revenue from the segment categories specially in the European region 1. Weakness ? Kraft Foods 12. 5% ( 2009 ) comes from 5 brands portfolio ? Adding the Pan – European centralized management will lead to cul tural effect in the organizational structure ?The acquisition process of Cadbury bought more negative impact on Kraft food since an UK based company was taken over by a foreign based company ? Selling of frozen pizza & post cereal business which effect the convenience foods segments net revenue contribution of 94. 1% & operating income of 8. 8 % as per 2009 figures of Kraft foods north America 2. Opportunities ? Expand penetration in developing markets by the increase of the population Ex: China , India markets 3. Threats ? Holidays & Seasonal Changes effect the demands of the products ?By presenting in globally Kraft foods Came across competition from retail house brands, generic brands, regional , local, & other multinational brands Ex: Super Markets like Tesco , Carrefour developing their own brands on FMCG category in Srilanka Cargills, Keells Super has their own brands ? Cost increase of the raw materials & other local political , legal un stabilities of the countries ( ingredi ents & packaging material ) Ex: Mad cow disease had stop purchase most of the imported or processed meat from other countries 1. Political Political unrest particularly in the Ivory Coast affecting supply of Cocoa and in other parts of Africa. ? European unions condition for acquisition of Cadbury which led to Kraft foods to sell the Cadbury confectionery operations in Romania & Poland ? Favourable regulations allowing relatively easy acquisition of Cadbury in spite of promises by UK Labour Party to enact a Cadbury Law to maintain the UK ownership. ? Government agricultural policies impacting upon Kraft operations ? Competition and antitrust controls. 1. Legal ? Ban on exports of foodstuffs from CIS a result of poor crops – also environmental factor. Compliance with food regulations in different jurisdictions ? Importance of patent protection with regard to branded organisation like Kraft – problems of enforcement ? Contractual rights in various countries 2. Economic ? Fluctuation in currencies especially the US Dollar impacting particularly on Kraft with its operations in over 160 countries ? Recession has impact on business activity economic activity particularly with regard to the value of the UK pound and the Euro with regard to economic problems in Ireland, Portugal and Greece. Sharp increases in commodity prices – the case highlights the situation with regard to coffee and cocoa, a result of speculation and demand increases as the world population grows. There are also supply issues as a result of weather problems and the changeover from food crops to bio–fuel crops. 3. Social ? Growth in demand for coffee from growth of organisations such as Starbucks (economic) ? Move towards health consciousness which will impact on processed foods manufacturers such as Kraft and Cadbury leading to negative perceptions of packaged foods like Kraft manufacture ?Culturally bound markets significance of foods within certain culture ? There are problems of rural communities with migration to urban areas especially young people which accentuates the key problem of aging. ? Corporate social responsibility becoming a key issue as initiatives such as Fairtrade gain support from major food producers notably Cadbury with its flagship brand Dairy Milk. ? There have been changes in food habits as a result of the economic crisis leading to phenomenon such as â€Å"stay at home† and growth of consumption of retailer brands and other cheaper brands. . Environmental ? Global warming causing extremes of weather eg Floods in Pakistan and droughts in CIS leading to disruptions in supplies of raw materials ? Increasing pressure on organisations particularly high profile multinationals such as Kraft, to become greener. The issue of carbon footprint and food miles is critical to global organisations. ? Waste and recycling issues – Kraft uses significant amount of packaging and is also subject to transportation costs. 5. Techn ology Although technologies are converging globally, there are still wide variations in IT availability across countries and multinational organisations such as Kraft must take account of this. ? There is continuous pressure to develop cheaper production techniques via the application of new technologies to become the low cost producer in order to both maximize profits and to resist pressures from retailers such Walmart for lower prices. ? Kraft is particularly strong in R & D ? The growing impact of ITC leading to more e-business and e-procurement. –

System Administrator

Internet Mini Case #10 Intel Corporation J. David Hunger In 1968, Robert N. Noyce, the co-inventor of the integrated circuit, and Gordon E. Moore left Fairchild Semiconductor International to form a new company. They took with them a young chemical engineer, Andrew Grove, and called the new firm Intel, short for integrated electronics. The company successfully made money by manufacturing computer memory modules. The company produced the first microprocessor (also called a â€Å"chip†) in 1971. A key turning point for the new company was IBM’s decision in the early 1980s to select Intel’s processors to run IBM’s new line of personal computers.Today, more than 80% of the world’s PCs run on Intel microprocessors. One of the company’s early innovations was centralizing its manufacturing in giant chip fabrication plants. This allowed Intel to make chips at a lower cost than its competitors who made custom chips in small factories. The founders enc ouraged a corporate culture of â€Å"disagree and commit† in which engineers were encouraged to constantly think of new ways of doing things faster, cheaper, and more reliably. Massive investment by Japanese competitors in the late 1970s led to falling prices in computer memory modules.Faced with possible bankruptcy, CEO Moore, with Grove as his second in command (Noyce had retired from active management), made the strategic decision in 1985 to abandon the computer memory business to focus on microprocessors. Projected growth in microprocessors was based on Moore’s prediction that the number of transistors on a chip would double every 24 months. In what was soon called â€Å"Moore’s Law,† Gordon Moore argued that microprocessor technology would improve exponentially, regardless of the state of the economy, the industry, or any one company.Thus, a company had to be at the cusp of innovation or risk falling behind. According to Moore, â€Å"If you lag behi nd your competition by a generation, you don’t just fall behind in chip performance, you get undercut in cost. † ______________________________________________________________________________ This case was prepared by Professor J. David Hunger, Iowa State University and St. John’s University. Copyright  © 2006 by J. David Hunger. The copyright holder is solely responsible for case content.Reprint permission is solely granted to the publisher, Prentice-Hall, for the books Strategic Management and Business Policy–11th Edition (and the International version of this book) and Cases in Strategic Management and Business Policy–11th Edition, by the copyright holder, J. David Hunger. Any other publication of the case (translation, any form of electronics or other media) or sale (any form of partnership) to another publisher will be in violation of copyright law, unless J. David Hunger has granted an additional written permission.Sources available upon req uest. Reprinted by permission. To raise money, Intel’s management agreed to sell 12% of the company’s stock to IBM for $250 million, a stake it later repurchased. Moore’s Law soon became part of the corporate culture as a fundamental expectation of all employees. Andy Grove replaced Gordon Moore as Intel’s CEO in 1987. Moore continued to serve on Intel’s board of directors until 2001. During Grove’s tenure as CEO from 1987 to 1998, Intel’s stock price rose 31. 6% annually and revenues grew from $1. 9 billion to $25. 1 billion.With 55% of its sales coming from outside the United States, Intel was transformed into a global corporation. The company became central to the growth of personal computers, cell phones, genomic research, and computer-aided design. Strategic Decisions Lead to Market Dominance IN ORDER TO SUCCEED IN THIS HIGH-TECH BUSINESS, MANAGEMENT WAS FORCED TO MAKE A NUMBER OF RISKY STRATEGIC DECISIONS. FOR EXAMPLE, INTELâ₠¬â„¢S BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO VOTE FOR A PROPOSAL IN THE EARLY 1990S TO COMMIT $5 BILLION TO MAKING THE PENTIUM MICROPROCESSOR CHIP—FIVE TIMES THE AMOUNT NEEDED FOR ITS PREVIOUS CHIP.IN LOOKING BACK ON THAT BOARD MEETING, THEN-CEO ANDY GROVE REMARKED, â€Å"I REMEMBER PEOPLE’S EYES LOOKING AT THAT CHART AND GETTING BIG. I WASN’T EVEN SURE I BELIEVED THOSE NUMBERS AT THE TIME. † THE PROPOSAL COMMITTED THE COMPANY TO BUILDING NEW FACTORIES—SOMETHING INTEL HAD BEEN RELUCTANT TO DO. A WRONG DECISION WOULD MEAN THAT THE COMPANY WOULD END UP WITH A KILLING AMOUNT OF OVERCAPACITY. BASED ON GROVE’S PRESENTATION, THE BOARD DECIDED TO TAKE THE GAMBLE. INTEL’S RESULTING MANUFACTURING EXPANSION EVENTUALLY COST $10 BILLION, BUT RESULTED IN INTEL’S DOMINATION OF THE MICROPROCESSOR BUSINESS AND HUGE CASH PROFITS.In 1994, soon after the introduction of the Pentium microprocessor, users noticed a small defect in the chip and be gan demanding replacement chips. The company soon fixed the problem and quickly sent their computer-maker customers new Pentium chips to replace the defective ones. Even though Intel had no obligation to deal directly with end users, the people to whom the computer makers sold their PCs, Grove and the board decided to replace all defective Pentium chips wherever they might be. This was an expensive decision, but one for which the firm received high praise throughout the industry.Realizing that future development of microprocessors would involve RISC technology—a technology Intel did not then have—CEO Grove persuaded Hewlett-Packard’s CEO in 1994 to combine HP’s work in RISC technology with Intel’s ability in product development. This joint venture took on the multibillion-dollar expense of creating 64-bit chip architecture—thought to be crucial to Intel’s continued success. Along with Bill Gates at Microsoft and Steve Jobs at Apple, A ndy Grove had become a major figure in the computer industry at the dawn of the 21st century.Although Grove retired as CEO in 1998, he continued to serve until 2005 as Intel’s Chairman of the Board. Like Noyce and Moore before him, Grove took on the mantle of corporate guru. His 1996 book, Only the Paranoid Survive, in which Grove described how companies should deal with new competitors that emerge suddenly and change the fundamental shape of the industry, was widely read. Even with no official title, Grove continued to serve the company as its â€Å"senior adviser. † Intel After Andy Grove: A New Strategic Direction CRAIG BARRETT REPLACED ANDY GROVE AS INTEL’S CEO FROM 1998 TO 2005.HE WAS ABLE TO PERSUADE THE BOARD IN 2002 TO INVEST $28 BILLION IN THE LATEST MANUFACTURING PLANTS AND TECHNOLOGIES DURING THE LONGEST DOWNTURN IN THE CHIP INDUSTRY’S HISTORY. THE BOARD HAD BEEN WORRIED THAT NEW PLANTS COULD BURDEN THE INTEL WITH OVERCAPACITY IF DEMAND FAILED TO MATERIALIZE. BY 2005, FIVE FACTORIES WERE ABLE TO MAKE 21? 2 TIMES MORE CHIPS THAN THE OLDER-GENERATION FABRICATION PLANTS—1. 25 MILLION CHIPS DAILY. BECAUSE OF THE HUGE COST TO BUILD THIS TYPE OF PLANT, RIVALS TI, AMD, AND IBM EACH HAD ONLY ONE PLANT OF THIS ADVANCED TYPE IN 2006.TI CONCEDED THAT ITS CAPACITY TO PRODUCE THE LATEST-TECHNOLOGY CHIPS WAS LIMITED TO ONLY 250,000 PER DAY. During Barrett’s tenure, the company also invested billions of dollars in businesses outside the computer market that largely failed. In 2001, the firm exited from making cameras and other consumer electronics gear after key customers Dell and Hewlett-Packard (HP) complained that Intel was competing against them. In 2002, Intel took a $100 million charge against earnings when it cancelled its entry into Web hosting.In 2004, Intel attempted to go after Texas Instruments with its version of digital signal processors, a key ingredient in cell phones. Unfortunately, cell-phone manufacturer s ignored Intel’s product in favor of those by TI. Industry analysts concluded that Intel had a steep learning curve outside of personal computers. Even with this checkered history outside the PC business, in 2004 CEO Barrett launched an ambitious strategic move. Instead of â€Å"Intel Inside,† the plan was to be â€Å"Intel Everywhere. Under the new strategic plan, Intel would offer chips that would be used in all sorts of applications, including PCs, cell phones, flat-panel TVs, portable video players, wireless home networking, and medical diagnostic equipment. The company targeted 10 new product areas for its chips, primarily in the consumer electronics and communications markets. This plan was based on the movement in multiple industries from an analog to a digital format. According to Barrett, â€Å"Communication is going digital. Entertainment is going digital. We are able to bring our expertise into different areas where we really had no unique capability befo re. Supporting this announcement, Intel introduced a chip based on a new technology called WiMax that could be used to deliver high-speed wireless Internet access throughout a small city for about $100,000, one-tenth the cost of fiber-optic lines. Competition Heats Up MEANWHILE, INTEL’S PC CHIP BUSINESS WAS RUNNING INTO SOME DIFFICULTY. WHEN, IN 2004, INTEL AND HEWLETT-PACKARD RELEASED THE ITANIUM SERVER CHIP THEY HAD JOINTLY DEVELOPED THREE YEARS EARLIER, CRITICS CALLED IT â€Å"THE ITANIC. † DELIVERED TWO YEARS LATE AT A COST OF $2 BILLION, THE 64-BIT CHIP PERFORMED MORE SLOWLY THAN INTEL’S OWN 32-BIT CHIP AND SEEMED TO HAVE NO FUTURE.IN FEBRUARY 2004, CEO BARRETT ANNOUNCED THAT THE COMPANY WOULD RECONFIGURE ITS 32-BIT XEON CHIP FOR SERVERS AND ITS PENTIUM 4 FOR DESKTOPS SO THAT THEY COULD HANDLE 64-BIT APPLICATIONS. UNFORTUNATELY, ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES (AMD) HAD ALREADY BEGUN SELLING ITS OPTERON SERVER CHIP IN APRIL 2003. THE OPTERON HAD THE CAPABILITY OF RU NNING BOTH 32-BIT AND 64-BIT APPLICATIONS. SURPRISINGLY, INTEL’S JOINT VENTURE PARTNER HP DECIDED TO SELL SERVERS WITH AMD’S OPTERON CHIP ALONG WITH INTEL’S PRODUCTS. BY DECEMBER 2003, AMD HAD OBTAINED 3. 9% OF THE MAINSTREAM SERVER MARKET AND WAS TAKING AIM AT THE PC MARKET AS WELL.Since 2003, AMD’s chips had been faster, used less power, generated less heat, and cost less than did Intel’s. As a result, Intel’s share of the market in servers fell from almost 100% in 2001 to less than 85% in 2006. Its market share in laptop PCs declined from 88% in 2001 to 86% in 2006. Its share in desktops also dropped from 80% in 2000 to 74% in 2006. Dell, the biggest PC maker in terms of sales, decided in May 2006 to abandon its policy of only using Intel chips in its PCs by offering AMD chips in its computer servers. This was a serious blow to Intel’s continued dominance of the market.AMD was able to make a significant dent in Intel’s marke t share by focusing its limited resources on microprocessors for PCs and servers and letting others supply the remaining chips. When Intel ran into a parts shortage for its desktop PCs in December 2005, AMD quickly dispatched its sales people to fill the void. AMD-based desktop PCs began to dominate the shelves at Best Buy, Circuit City, and other stores. By mid-2006, AMD held a 26% share of the U. S. server chip market and a 48% share of the multi-core processors, which put at least two chips on a single piece of silicon.As a result, AMD’s gross margin of 58. 6% exceeded Intel’s of 55. 1% during the first quarter of 2006. In response, Intel began offering the first in a family of revamped chips called Core 2. These chips used less energy while offering better performance. Intrigued by AMD’s success, industry analysts wondered if AMD would be able to continue offering innovative products without succumbing to the supply problems that had dogged it in the past. R einventing the Company IN MAY 2005, CRAIG BARRETT TRANSFERRED THE CEO POSITION TO PAUL OTELLINI AND BECAME CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD.PAST-PRESIDENT OF INTEL UNDER BARRETT, OTELLINI CONTINUED BARRETT’S STRATEGIC DECISION TO PUSH THE COMPANY INTO MULTIPLE FIELDS WITH NEW CHIP â€Å"PLATFORMS. † PC GROWTH WAS SLOWING. CELLULAR AND HANDHELD DEVICES WERE NOW COMPETING FOR THE PRIMARY SPOT IN PEOPLE’S LIVES. OTELLINI AGREED THAT HE MUST REINVENT INTEL OR FACE A FUTURE OF EVENTUAL DECLINE. THE PC BUSINESS APPEARED TO HAVE REACHED MATURITY. REVENUE GROWTH HAD AVERAGED 13% FROM 2002 TO 2005, BUT ANALYSTS WERE ESTIMATING THAT THE COMPANY’S SALES WOULD ONLY GROW 7% IN 2006 TO $42. BILLION. PROFITS, WHICH HAD BEEN INCREASING ON AVERAGE 40% ANNUALLY FROM 2002 TO 2005, WERE EXPECTED TO RISE ONLY 5% IN 2006 TO $9. 5 MILLION. Ortellini proposed that Intel should not just make PC microprocessors, but should also create many types of chips, as well as software, and then combin e them into what he called â€Å"platforms. † Since taking over as CEO, Ortellini had reorganized the company, created business units for each product area, and scattered the processor experts among the units. He added 20,000 people in 2005. Note: Intel’s annual and quarterly reports and SEC filings are available via the company’s web site at www. intel. com. ) Paul Ortellini was the first non-engineer to serve as Intel’s CEO. He put particular emphasis on marketing because he thought that the only way Intel could succeed in new markets was by communicating more clearly what technology could do for customers. This went contrary to the corporate culture in which engineers had been the key players who made ever-faster chips and then let marketers try to sell them.Ortellini created development teams with people having a cross-section of skills. Chip engineers, software developers, marketers, and market specialists now worked together to develop breakthrough innovations. Many engineers were frustrated with the changes and their loss in status. Some of the design specialists who had been working on the Pentium 4 before it was cancelled left Intel for jobs at TI or AMD. Ortellini’s ultimate goal was to provide the manufacturers of everything from laptops and entertainment PCs to cell phones and hospital gear with complete packages of chips and software.The old logo of â€Å"Intel Inside† was to disappear, replaced by an updated Intel logo with a swirl to signify movement and a tagline of â€Å"Leap Ahead. † Meanwhile, the Pentium brand was to be slowly phased out and replaced by Viiv, Centrino, and Core. Intel was on a new path. It was leaving the Grove era behind and moving into uncharted territory. This was not the first time that the company had bet everything on a new strategy. Would Intel succeed with its new strategic direction?