Management Robert Owen and Richard Branson

Intoduction It is said that management principles can be traced back as far as 5000 years, which has provided considerable amount of time to refine and develop these principles into efficient and successful ideologies. Throughout history, management practise has evolved thanks to a number of pioneers who have veered away from the norm to revolutionise views on what it means to be a good and efficacious manager. Both Robert Owen and Richard Branson can be seen as frontrunners of their time, performing feats in the realm of management that nobody before them would have dared to have even considered.Robert_Owen? Robert Owen was born in Newtown in Wales, United Kingdom. During his life he managed to improve well-being, education and rights of the working class. His driving ambition to create a better society made him a successful manufacturer and an important pioneer of Modern Management. ?†The most important experiment for the happiness of the human race that has yet been institut ed in any part of the world†1 [Owen, 1801] started when Robert Owen bought the New Lanark Mills in 1801.Under his management the New Lanark became a model community which was driving towards prosperity and making progress through the new technology. He was considered a kind man, who treated his employees very well. Owen highlighted the importance of education; he believed that knowledge is a useful skill that could release working class children from hunger and poverty. Thus New Lanark was the first place in the world that had an Infant School. This allowed parents to keep on working and created the opportunity for wider education provision, including evening classes for workers.He also introduced better working conditions for children; children under ten were not allowed to work in the village and no children were allowed to work for longer than 10 hours a day. Moreover he raised the minimum wage for child labour, raised wages for adults, reduced working hours and provided al l the employees with free medical care. Robert Owen always kept proper business records; these included daily and weekly measurement of productivity, output and stocks. A novel technique was used to control the employees; multicolored pieces of wood hung beside every worker.Each color indicated the previous day's quality of work. Everyone around was able to see this measure of employees performance, this piece of wood works as a good motivator towards quality performance, as people did not want to be embarrassed by everyone being able to see that they had worked to a poor standard. ?Even though Robert Owen had no formal university education his progressive moral views and entrepreneurial skills made his contribution to the modern management theory inestimable. What ideas individuals may attach to the term â€Å"Millennium† I know not; but I know that society may be formed so as to exist without crime, without poverty, with health greatly improved, with little, if any misery, and with intelligence and happiness increased a hundredfold; and no obstacle whatsoever intervenes at this moment except ignorance to prevent such a state of society from becoming universal. †2[Owen, 1816] Sir Richard Branson Sir Richard Branson was born in Blackheath, London in 1950.He studied at Stowe school and throughout his childhood struggled with dyslexia, and failed to do well at school, but by the age of 16, after dropping out of school, and a few failed attempts at selling Christmas trees and budgerigars, he had already taken his first steps to becoming a successful pioneer when he launched a magazine called ‘Student’ 3[Ahmed, 2011], which ran articles about prominent politicians, famous rock stars and different celebrities of the time.This turned out to just be the start of a successful entrepreneurial career, and he has now founded ‘Virgin Group Ltd. ’ which consists of more than 400 companies, ranging from airlines to mobile phone networ ks, employing over 50,000 people. Having started as a teenager, struggling to find his way into the business world, he is now worth about three billion pounds sterling, and is one of the most outstanding innovators in the world. Despite being renowned for promoting an extremely tranquil working environment, Richard Branson is a follower of F.W. Taylor, who proposed the ‘Scientific Management Theory’, which attempts to increase economic efficiency and productivity in the workplace by applying a scientific element to management, and Sir Richard Branson is known to apply some of Taylors ‘Scientific Management’ theories to his own style. Taylor was also known to reward staff with higher payment based on results, as an attempt to boost motivation, which Branson has also exercised by paying and rewarding employees based on performance and their ability to show signs of creative thinking. [Anon] Sir Richard Branson implements a style of a Theory Y manger in Dougla s McGregor’s theory5 [McGregor, 1960] which states that there are two types of manager: Theory X styled manager- Believes that the average employee dislikes works and only works because they have to earn money, therefore they need to be threatened with punishments in order to be motivated, and directed strictly, without any room for delegated responsibility.A Theory X styled manager believes that money is most important to the employee. Theory Y styled manager (Sir Richard Branson)- Believes that employees are more motivated when they have more self-control and can apply their own skills and creativity in the workplace. States that most employees want to do well and self-actualisation what motivates them, as oppose to financial gain. [Taylor, 2013] Richard Branson believes that by creating a relaxed working environment, and by trusting his managers and employees with responsibility, that his staff will consequently be enjoy their work, work better as a team, and therefore be more motivated as they will be achieving the Self-Actualisation level and Social level on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, and therefore enhance the performance of the workforce, and resultantly the performance of Virgin.In the advancement of his management thinking, Virgin Group Ltd created a centralised website which endeavoured to link up all of the Virgin Group companies, and created a central hub, as previously they worked separately, so he therefore attempting to promote teamwork and build human relationships within the firm, allowing employees to communicate and information to be pooled and collected. Comparison and Contrast between Owen and Branson Despite being from entirely different eras, Owen and Branson exude many similar qualities; most notably in that they both believe that the key to success lies in the treatment of their employees. Having a personality of caring about people is important. You can’t be a good leader unless you generally like people. That is how you bring out the best in them. †7[Branson, 2011] It is clear that both men care greatly for their employees; Branson gives all employees his personal phone number, so that should they have any problems they can contract him directly, rather than having to go through Human Resources. Many managers would not identify with this and would rather their employees suffer in silence. Branson also claims to attempt to respond to as any emails as he can every day, â€Å"Recalling a time when [he] was just starting out and needed advice, [he tries] to respond to as many reader emails as [he] can. †8 . [Branson, 2011] Branson claims: â€Å"People don’t leave their jobs through lack of pay – they leave because they aren’t valued. Many companies leave people in boxes; encourage them to be adaptable and innovative. †9 [Branson, 2011] Owen exhibited his consideration for his employees in a very different way, but with the same aim of achieving employee happiness.Having to work in a grocery shop himself from the age of 8, Owen realised the harm of child labour and seeked to stop it in his later life. In 1815 he persuaded supporters in parliament to put forward a bill on child labour. While this bill did not have as much success as Owen hoped, as many mill owners fought against the proposition, Owen was an instigator in improving the lives of child workers. He also improved welfare standards for older workers, shortening working hours and increasing wages. Eight hours' daily labour is enough for any human being, and under proper arrangements sufficient to afford an ample supply of food, raiment and shelter, or the necessaries and comforts of life, and for the remainder of his time, every person is entitled to education, recreation and sleep†. 10[Owen, 1833] Branson and Owen’s methods of achieving employee happiness were highly influenced by the times they were working in. In Owen’s time, most working conditions were poor and wages were low, so simply by improving these factors employees would instantly become happier.In the current day there is a huge range of jobs with all ranges of wages, and many regulations in place to ensure employee welfare. Therefore, to appeal to his employees, Branson realised that a more personal approach was necessary, hence allowing his employees to contact him directly. Companies are a lot larger these days than in the early 19th Century when Owen was working, so being able to have a personal relationship with the head of a company is much rarer in this day and age.Both pioneers identified the most effective way of attaining contentment from their employees in the environment they were living in. Both Branson and Owen were pioneers of their time, achieving what many believed impossible. Despite leaving school at the age of 16 and being diagnosed with Dyslexia, Branson has risen above the odds and is responsible for starting over 400 companies, most famous for establishing Virgin, which ranges from record shops to airlines.No other manager in history has been at the helm of such a large business empire, and before Branson, it is doubtable that anyone would have thought it possible. Owen, on the other hand, was more of a pioneer in the domain of welfare than the extensiveness of his company, providing above and beyond what would be expected of a manager of his time, from nurseries to children to evening classes for adults. While, at the time, most managers would see these initiatives as an unnecessary expense, Owen’s cotton mills became very successful businesses with healthy, content employees.Quite possibly, were it not for Owen identifying how much success can come to a manager who treats his employees well, Branson may not have realised the importance of having such good relationships with his employees which could be seen as the key to his success. One of the main contrasts between Richard Branson and Robert Owen are their view s on education. Owen believed that education was one of the most important factors in a company; the better the education of the employees, the better employees they are. To train and educate the rising generation will at all times be the first object of society, to which every other will be subordinate†. 11[Owen, 1826] Owen provided schooling for employees and their children, putting children’s education ahead of their contribution to his company. Branson, on the other hand left school himself at 16 and hasn’t looked back. ‘Richard Branson, founder and chairman of London-based Virgin Group, didn’t breeze through school. In fact, school was something of a nightmare for him. His scores on standardized tests were dismal, initially pointing to a similar future.Despite the difficulties and challenges posed by his acknowledged dyslexia, his gifted interpersonal and business talents drove him to succeed. ’12[Anon] In contrast to Owen’s belief s, Branson is proof that education is not necessarily an important factor in success. Furthermore, Richard Branson believes that â€Å"work should not be a chore and should be fun. You want to have fun at home; why shouldn't you have fun at work†13[Branson, 2011]. Owen also considered leisure and recreation important. He arranged concerts and dancing evenings for the benefit of community.However, even though both pioneers think of fun as an important part of working life, Robert Owen used a stricter approach to management and was a strong believer in discipline, for example by keeping track of employees behaviour by the aforementioned multicolored pieces of wood and disciplining those who repeatedly showed low performance. To conclude, Branson and Owen are and were strong pioneers of their time, who shared many values. Managers could learn ample from both men, especially when it comes to employee relationships.In general, it is indispensable that modern day managers consider how successful pioneers such as Owen and Branson apply and practise management theory, as it shows the outcome of different particular methods and techniques, in this pairs case; high levels of success. For example, Douglas McGregor stated that he believed that a Theory Y manager would be more successful at motivating their employees than a Theory X, and Sir Richard Branson was almost certainly a Theory Y manager, so a modern manager can consider whether the method that pioneer practised was positively effective or not.President Gordon B. Hinckley taught: â€Å"It is good to look to the past to gain appreciation for the present and perspective for the future. It is good to look upon the virtues of those who have gone before, to gain strength for whatever lies ahead. It is good to reflect upon the work of those who laboured so hard and gained so little in this world, but out of whose dreams and early plans, so well nurtured, has come a great harvest of which we are the beneficiaries † [Ensign, 1984]. 14

How Important Is Breakfast In A Child’s School Life?

The behavior and performance of children inside the classroom are undoubtedly affected by different set of factors. In a set of children, it cannot be denied that differences in conduct and grades are to be expected from the children. Some of the children yield better grades and are more sociable as compared to the others. The difference in the demeanor of children while they are attending school can be traced to the different kinds of environment to which they are exposed and to the dissimilarity in raising methods of parents.However, one such factor that is often overlooked is the consumption of breakfast of a child before he or she is sent to school by his or her parents. There is much study to show that having breakfast largely affects the performance of children inside the classroom. Studies show that breakfast, the first meal taken, is the most important meal of all. â€Å"Breakfast intakes of food energy, calcium, riboflavin, phosphorus and magnesiun with a higher percentage of breakfast food energy from fat and saturated fat and lower percentage of food energy from carbohydrates† (Gordon, et.al. , 1995). As aptly stated in one article, the British Dietetic Association mentioned that this statement could be backed up by evidence. â€Å"Breakfast can be a very good source of vitamins. Many processed cereals are fortified with vitamins and minerals which people can find it difficult to get elsewhere if they are just having two meals a day† (â€Å"Breakfast Is The Most Important Meal†). For growing children, it is most imperative that they get used to having breakfast every morning. As correctly stated,Children are continuously growing and changing every day, and a nutritious breakfast provides the sugar, starch, protein, and fat – elements necessary for children to ensure a sustained release of energy and a delayed onset of hunger. Eating breakfast also improves the intake of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, especially iron and vi tamin C. Studies have shown that eating breakfast gives children the nutritional boost they need to get the learning process going – to stimulate learning – and there are other benefits as well (Booth).Most people do not realize this reality and so there are people who skip this meal usually and don’t take the repercussions seriously. Some children even go to school without taking breakfast due to a lot of reasons. Some fail to have breakfast in the morning because they woke up late and the most common reason is that the kids just refuse to eat in the morning before going to school. What parents do not realize is that skipping breakfast could greatly affect the way children behave and perform inside the classroom.Thinking of ways to make children have breakfast before heading for school is worth the while if only for the advantages it could afford in the betterment of a child’s performance in school. Naturally, after waking up in the morning, the child wo uld need nourishment. As pointed out by Booth, â€Å"when the physical need of hunger is taken care of, these children can focus on learning and perform better in school, not only educationally but socially and emotionally as well. † LITERATURE REVIEW Truly, the concept and importance of breakfast have already been embarked upon by a number of studies worldwide.However, it was deemed it necessary to further said topics by determining how children in school are affected by their failure to have this first meal before attending class. Based on observation and comparison of different children I have dealt with, it appears that a big difference clearly appears between those who regularly take breakfast before going to school and those who do not. This topic is relevant as it would provide the parents a clearer picture of the importance of making their children eat breakfast.So also, this study will help other educators consider the possibility of imparting to children the importa nce of breakfast, and make them understand why behavior and performance of children in their class differ. Due to the relevance of the topic presented by the paper, different sources must be visited and analyzed. The study on the importance of having breakfast to school children is not a simple investigation or survey, but ultimately, it can be used as a guide for parents in order to help their children to become better in school.So also, it can be a tool for teachers in order to monitor the behavior of their students. The observations performed inside the classroom have inspired the formulation of this paper because clearly, those who fail to take breakfast before going to class are having a hard time focusing on the lessons and dealing with other children in the classroom. Such failure does not only affect their grades but also the way they socialize with their fellow classmates.In investigating on the effect of breakfast on the performance and demeanor of children inside the clas sroom, different forms of resources have been visited and thoroughly analyzed. This study, while based on observation of school children and on interviews of said children, cannot be complete without going through different researches conducted by experts on the matter. As proper nutrition is important to growing children, experts have conducted research as to how lack of proper nutrition hampers the growth and development of children.In addition to this, books which have been written as regards the importance of breakfast would also have to be perused in order to come up with a clearer presentation of the issue at hand. For some time now, doctors and researches have been writing on the importance of having breakfast before one starts his or her day. As stated above, breakfast is more commonly referred to as the most important meal of the day. If indeed breakfast is considered as that important, then all the more should it be accorded magnitude when it comes to growing children.Duri ng their growing years, they are the ones who are more in need of vitamins and nourishment. In school, as have been observed, children are just starting to learn the basics and so proper nutrition should be provided to them so that they are equipped with much energy that they would need for learning inside the classroom. For instance, Booth has uncovered that: Children who ate breakfast (when compared to those who rarely ate breakfast): †¢ Learn better (and have improved memory) †¢ Achieve more (better math and reading scores – almost a whole letter grade higher; and better standardized test scores)†¢ Participate in the class more often (and have increased attentiveness in the classroom and less anxiety) †¢ Behave better (less disciplinary actions or incidences and are more socially developed) †¢ Attend school more often (less absences and tardiness) †¢ Visit the school nurse less often †¢ Hence, scholarly books and articles as regards prope r nutrition of children were used for this paper. So also, materials tracing a child’s ability to concentrate and absorb learning in school to having breakfast would be used in order to strengthen the position of this study.This paper shall also be based on personal finding and observation that have been conducted. Being around children makes it easier to determine how having breakfast could affect the children’s behavior inside the classroom. Every change in attitude or performance in academic activities could be used as a tool in furthering the objectives of this paper. Through day to day observation, it can be seen how each child responds to the lack of consumption of breakfast before going to school. Going through voluminous studies and scholarly articles would be helpful in preparation for this paper.However, it was also considered that inputting own observations as regards the matter at hand would develop the paper. The observations that were conducted would then be related to the articles of other writers and experts and thus, a presentation of a clearer picture of school children and the need for having breakfast before heading to school could be made. Lastly, an interview of school children was conducted in order to ascertain how many of them actually take breakfast before going to school, why some children failed to have breakfast, and the presence of breakfast in the morning or lack thereof affects the child’s mood during the day.By conducting said interview, it was easier to interpret the materials that were gathered and read as regards the matter. Taken as a whole, all the books, materials, scholarly journals, and internet articles that have been gathered helped in completing the study of how the presence of breakfast largely affects the behavior and performance of children is school. All of these, coupled with observations and interviews made possible the creation of this study. The observations on the behavior of the childre n inside the classroom were clearly noted down.The students who were active in class and those who were silent and aloof were taken note of. Later on, during the interview, it was asked whether or not they had breakfast before they went to school. It was then related to the collected information from the articles and books that were used for the study. SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS The objective of the paper is to establish and confirm the effect of having breakfast in the performance and behavior of children inside the classroom. The foundation of the discussion would be the importance of providing growing children with proper diet and nutrition.Although providing children with adequate and proper nutrition would be mentioned throughout the paper, it must be borne in mind that the focus of this paper is breakfast as the source of said nutrition. Hence, other sources of nutrition would not be thoroughly discussed in this study. In addition, it must be pointed out that the subjects of this p aper are growing children and thus, the effect of breakfast on adults, although it would be mentioned during the discussion, would not be the main focus of the study.The study shall be restricted to effect of breakfast on growing children. The discussion of this paper shall be limited to the effect of breakfast on children who are already attending school. Although proper nutrition is essential to every child in general, the point of discussion of this study would be limited to children who are enrolled in school. The essence of this study is to impart the message that taking the first meal of the day could actually help children improve their grades in school and to help them make better their attitude and behavior inside the classroom.Hence, only the performance of children in school would be the main area of discussion. As the observation was done inside the classroom, how the children behaved in school were noted in this study. How the children would deal with family members out side of the school or how these children would respond to other variables will not be thoroughly discussed in the paper. Although clearly, the lack of proper nutrition would affect a child’s behavior, only such behavior as exemplified inside the classroom would be discussed in this study.Lastly, it is necessary to point out that the statements made in this study is restricted to the children that have been interviewed and were actually observed. Although a statements in general terms affecting children shall be made in the paper, it must be understood that the basis of this research is limited to the children that have participated with this study. So also, the possibility that other factors may have affected the demeanor of the children should be entertained.As mentioned in the earlier part of the paper, there are also other factors which affect the behavior of children, some of which are the different environment to which they are exposed to and the difference in raising te chniques and methods of their parents. Thus, in understanding the findings of this study, it must be borne in mind that the lack or presence of breakfast in a child’s morning is only one of the many factors affecting a child in school. This study is restricted to that factor, and all other factors affecting a child’s performance inside the classroom will not be touched upon.

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For entrepreneurship and small business course - Case Study Example The source of Lugar’s startup idea is his participation in his mother’s garage sale. Even though he took part in the garage sale to assist his mother, he eventually realized that many more people would be interested in the same service he offered his mother. In this respect, being part of a garage sale actually gives Lugar his startup idea. At a personal level, this startup concept is worth giving a try. There are a number of supporting observations in Lugar’s idea. First, garage sales lack key business principles and underpricing or overpricing is highly likely. Secondly, marketing is critical as far as sales are concerned. The need to reach out to the target market validates Lugar’s idea. Most importantly, sales are just as successful as marketing. Lugar’s idea addresses these concerns and further provides a mechanism for effective pricing. Finally, the concept is potentially

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The Hospital Rules and Regulations for Medical Staff - Research Paper Example One of the main points of significance of a dictated report is, this is the kind of communication used by doctors to medical transcriptionist in order for these transcriptionists to encode the patients last known medical assessment, treatment and health status into the hospital's database. This is vital to acute care inpatients because these records are their status reports, and can be used by other physicians if needed, in order to provide accurate and appropriate healthcare. According to medword.com in their â€Å"Physician Dictation Guide† article, dictation is not the easiest of things too. It is a skill that must be practiced in order to get it right. It also mentioned that because medical schools expect new doctors to learn dictation skills on their own, the results are not as good as they should be. Because of this, the article lists down some dos and don’t sin dictation, such as, being ready with any papers before recording and learning about the equipment used for recording. Summary of state of Florida standard, with respect to physician's dictated reports According to http://www.myflsunshine.com, in the Government-in-the-Sunshine Manual chapter called â€Å"What are the statutory exemptions relating to hospital and medical records? â€Å" the paragraph called â€Å"Patient records† stated the following: Patient medical records made by health care practitioners may not be furnished to any person other than the patient, his or her legal representative or other health care practitioners and providers involved in the patient's care and treatment without written authorization except as provided by ss. 440.13(4)(c) and 456.057, F.S. Section 456.057(7)(a), F.S. This guideline states that all patient medical records are confidential. Medical records include physician reports both written and recorded. This means that in order for our facility to follow State guidelines and avoid due sanctions, none of our patient records may be accessed by other individuals unless there is written consent by the patient. This makes the protection, transcription, and documentation of patient medical records as one of our top priorities, especially the physician dictated reports, as in their state, they can easily be accessed.

Eating Behaviour and Dietary Quality in College Students Thesis

Eating Behaviour and Dietary Quality in College Students - Thesis Example Eating competence explains how normal people eat. It is descriptive in that sense and rigid only for that group who are not comfortable with their current eating or who are concerned about their diet and health, and seek to make a dietary transformation from distorted eating to competent eating (Satter, 2007). Distorted eating mainly arises from disordered eating that involves disturbed eating as well as unhealthy eating patterns. Such kinds of eating include eating habits such as restrictive eating, skipping meals, or even compulsive eating (Heartherton, Nichols & Mahamedi, Keel, 1995). Weight Watchers, which a lot of people hype as the finest of the diet centers because of its dependence on real, unmarked food as well as flexible menu options, does not help people in understanding and knowing about the inner competence on eating. This comes down to the issue of trust against control, according to the nutritionist Ellyn Satter, who takes care of â€Å"dieting casualties† in her practice. She reckons that people require learning to believe that they will get filled, even on food they think as highly desirable, and recognize that they can reliably control their own food intake, instead of depending on exterior rules to control those choices. â€Å"Weight Watchers is good at easing up food choices, teaching people how to eat carefully, and encouraging them to add to the diversity of food in their diet,† states Satter. â€Å"But it is still essentially a control stance they apply† (Satter, 2007, p. 56). When people rely on exterior ruleranges, and diet cops to control their eating, their association to food remains delicate. There are four factors that make up eating competence. One such factor is having a good attitude towards food and eating. This involves enjoying the food and not feeling guilty about the food or the enjoyment.  The increase of disordered eating has persisted in relation to behaviours and attitudes expressed at an early age. Studies of youthful girls disclose that a range of emotional and physical risk factors forecast later disordered eating. They include high levels of adverse emotionality, body discontent, and early age of menarche. In addition to emotional and physical factors, it has been advocated that certain situations or cultural climates intensify the risk of eating disorders, mainly in individuals who display the aforesaid risk factors. Some investigators have recognized college as an environmental risk aspect for eating disorder.  

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Research Strategy Paper - Essay Example A simple definition of time management would be managing time to make the best out of it (Time Management, n.d.). Although, generally people realize the importance of time in their life but still it is one of the most common problem in peoples daily life. Time management process would include planning, organizing, staffing, directing and evaluating (The Management Process, n.d.). Research strategy simply refers to the set of strategies adopted in order to conduct the research. A research strategy regarding time management would involve all the information which need to be gathered to solve the problem of time management. If the research is conducted on basis of the work of a day, then the most important thing which would be required is the list of all the jobs that need to be done on that day. The second required information would be the time available for these jobs. The importance each job and possible time that could be allocated to each job need to be identified. According to the relative importance of each job a daily routine of work need to be prepared. Once this is prepared, information on each of the job would be required. Relative size of the job could be decide based on this information and based on assignment size sufficient time would be allocated to each of the jobs or assignment. Important information would be regarding number of individual that would be required to complete the job. Information could be gathered regarding the activity required to do the jobs. Information might also be required to find out the otherwise idle time, because this time could be utilized in doing unschedule d works. All these information could be obtained in the course of day to day activities. Once the required information are gathered, they need to be properly evaluated. These information need to be evaluated on the basis of their relative importance, validity, perspective etc. Information

The Role of Women in the Church Essay Example for Free

The Role of Women in the Church Essay The role that women play in Church has always been a misunderstood and heavily scrutinized issue within the church. These negative thoughts may be attributed to the bible’s own scriptures in regards to women. It is widely believed that men are natural born leaders, as that is the way God made them, but modern society has shown us that women can be just as successful in leading, if not more so. Today women serve as positive leaders in politics, business, law and even in some churches as of lately. So why then, do many churches refuse women the right to serve as leaders? Why did God include passages of the Bible that restrict women’s leadership? According to The Rise Of Women As Church Leaders (2006), Many Christian religions keep women out of top leadership posts – especially the pulpit. Their reasons rely mainly on selective readings of certain biblical passages regarding women.† (para. 2) Women should listen and learn quietly and submissively (Timothy 2:11). I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. (Timothy 2:12-14). If they have any questions to ask, let them ask their husbands at home, for it is improper for women to speak in church meetings (Corinthians 13:35). The women should keep quiet in the churches, for they are not authorized to speak, but should take a secondary and subordinate place, just as the Law also says (Corinthians 14:34). These are each very clear examples of the restrictions of leading women in Christianity. While many churches continue to deny women certain human rights, it is very clear that without women, the Christian religion would be a vastly different community. In recent years, women have seen a large amount of changes within Christianity. This religion has actually put fourth opportunities for women in the community. While the rights of women might not be the equivalent to men as of yet, Christianity has helped give women a stronger place in society while hugely contributing to successful leaps in rights. Jewish and Islamic societies have also had their own issues regarding women’s roles. The primary role of a woman in all three religions is to be a wife and mother. Judaism teaches that men and women are equal in the eyes of God even though Judaism sets different roles for each sex. In Islam, it is a little bit different. The Qur’an regards men and women as equals and states that they should each be treated the same. However, many Muslim societies practice the oppression of women in day to day life. Similar to Orthodox Judaism, men and women worship separately in Islamic cultures. Christianity, Judaism and Islam have each seen many leaps and bounds in the rights of women in recent years. The next century could see even larger changes for women and possibly the complete abolishment of the oppression of women. Reference The Rise of Women as Church Leaders. (2006). Retrieved from http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0719/p08s01-comv.html

Engineering Essays Implications For Engineers

Engineering Essays Implications For Engineers The balance of employment in civil engineering has moved from the public sector to the private sector. Discuss the implications for engineers in particular and society in general. Introduction Civil Engineering is that field of engineering that is involved in the design and construction of roads, bridges, dams, buildings and other public works (civil_engineering.bluerider.com). At some point in time, public facilities were the responsibility of the authority. The authority could have been the kingdom or a government. That is why civil engineers have traditionally been employed principally by the public sector. Everything was run by the government. So everything must be provided and constructed by the same government. Civil Engineering However, the field of engineering grew wider and wider over the years. The requirements of the public grew with the population and standard of living. This put increasing pressure on the government. At some point, it was difficult for the government to keep pace with the growing needs and aspirations of the nation. To meet those needs, more buildings and facilities had to be constructed and faster. That was only possible if an increasing number of civil engineers are employed. Managing that growing number of engineers would become taxing on a central government if it did not have a means of sharing that responsibility with the industrial world. At the same time, as the standard of living increased and industrialisation took place, a growing number of facilities were required by individual group of people such as factory owners. These factory owners were willing to pay an individual or a private company to build its factory provided it could build it to his requirements and in time. T hat is how civil engineers and other related workers started being employed by the private-run companies for private needs. Today, with an economy of this size, the government can only trace the general strategy of development. It cannot go into the details of what should be built for each individual. Construction sector therefore has become a primarily private trade where the buyers and the sellers are private. The government needs to employ just enough to regulate and control the standards. Status The repercussions of this drift from the public to the private sector are numerous for the engineer. The first and most important of all is the status and image of the engineer. Despite the fact that the job of the engineer has become increasingly difficult, the image and recognition of the engineer for the rest of the society has declined over the years. Teachers, doctors and lawyers are looked upon as noble professions because they are seen to serve the public interest directly. Engineers are no longer seen that way because they serve a client base that is private. So the modern engineer does not benefit the same respect of the public as his ancient counterpart. Societys View From the societys point of view, the engineer is a less trust-worthy person today because he is not directly controlled by the government. He is perceived as somebody who is working for money, and not somebody who is working in public service. Consequently, the pubic works are likely to be less reliable. The public eventually has to accept what is offered to him because he does not have a choice. There is no alternative on offer. Salary The engineer today has the possibility of getting a higher salary than before. Because he is paid according to the service he dispenses, the more he works or the better quality of work he delivers, the more he is likely to be paid. That is compared to the fact that as a government worker, the engineer would have received the same pay whether he builds one building or ten. However, this also means that the salary will be set by the market. One of the complaints of engineers today is that their salary does not reflect the level of work they perform. At a company level, it is easier to assign a share of the profit to a salesman because he has contributed to a certain amount of turnover. A manager can be associated with the amount of money his department or branch has made. But it is much more difficult to quantify the economic worth of an engineer because his output cannot be measured directly in monetary terms. That is why that despite the fact that the change from public to private se ctor gives the possibility for a better pay, that possibility is not materialised in reality for the majority of engineers today. Politics Governments are run by politicians and politicians have to take account of the perception of the public before taking harsh decisions. That is why traditionally, employment in the public sector is more secure than that in private sector. The government itself cannot be seen to create unemployment. So, one of the incidence of the shift form public to private sector for the engineer is that today, his job is less secure than before. Specialisation With the development of technology and the pursuit of knowledge, the field of civil engineering has become so vast now that a civil engineer cannot possibly know everything about the field. This has led to specialisation of trade. Today, a civil engineer can be either a structural engineer or a highway engineer or a geotechnical engineer or any one of the various facets of civil engineering. Efficiency Civil engineers and civil engineering companies can be said to be more efficient today than the days when civil works were done by public sector. Privatisation of construction work has led to faster construction work because now companies have to operate in a competitive market. Competition in construction has benefited mostly to the society because now, more facilities is constructed faster, at cheaper costs, and the end product is more attractive. So, one of the repercussions on the society at large is that it has benefited from a more efficient civil engineering industry. Conclusion The implications of the shift in the balance of employment in civil engineering from the public sector to the private sector to the engineer can be summarised in terms of change in salary structure, change in image, in type of job, job security among others. For the society, it is mainly a more efficient industry but with more doubtful reliability. References 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://civil_engineering.bluerider.com/wordsearch/civil_engineering Bibliography .  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice, American Society of Civil Engineer, 1991 .  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tarsh, Jason, Graduate Shortages in Science and Engineering, Department of Employment, 1985

Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide and the Law :: Euthanasia Physician Assisted Suicide

Euthanasia and the Law A severely handicapped or terminally ill person should have the right to choose to live or die. The right to live; the right to choose to live or die should not only be a right allocated for bodied individuals of sound mind but for all human beings. Euthanasia is a controversial issue which encompasses the morals, values and beliefs of our society. Euthanasia, literally defined means "good death". There are two types of euthanasia, active and passive. Active euthanasia is the intentional killing of a person by medical personnel either by a lethal injection or by denying ordinary means of survival. The act of euthanasia called "passive euthanasia", is committed by denying or withholding ordinary medical care to a patient. Currently, under Canadian law euthanasia is prohibited. In Holland euthanasia has been accepted, in principle for terminally- ill patients, on request. It comes to be seen as practice for those whose "quality of life" is judged by themselves as worthless. Even though euthanasia is not yet legal in Holland, it is legally tolerated. Doctors are rarely prosecuted and even more rarely convicted. If euthanasia were to be decriminalized in Canada certain restrictions would have to be put into place, to ensure that a patient's rights are not infringed upon. A living will should be made when the patient is of lucid mind. Also, a council should be selected and outlined in the living will. The council should be chosen by the patient, when the patient is of sound mind and is able to make decisions. The council might consist of the patient's family, doctor or any other he or she feels have the same view or perception of life. Presently in Canada a living will is not a legally binding document. A living will is a document prepared and sighed in advance of illness, in which a person may specify which treatment or care is to be withheld or withdrawn from him or her in certain situations. It is extremely general, trying to cover a wide range of accidents or illnesses and possible treatments. Living wills are created to protect the individual who is unable to participate in decisions

The Blue-collar Appeal of Hard Times Essay -- Dickens Hard Times Essay

The Blue-collar Appeal of Hard Times   Ã‚   In Hard Times, Charles Dickens gives us a close-up look into what appears to be the ivory tower of the bourgeoisie of his day, yet these middle-class characters are viewed from a singular perspective, the perspective of those at the bottom of the social and economic system. Though Dickens’ characters tend to be well developed and presented with a thoroughly human quality, the stereotypical figure of arrogant and demanding Bounderby fails to accurately capture the motivations and attitudes of the typical successful businessman of the day and is an indication of the author’s political motives. Hard Times, rather than presenting a historically accurate picture of the extraordinary changes brought about by the industrial revolution, is a one-sided attack on the utilitarian value system of the middle 19th century based upon emotional blue-collar appeals for labor sympathy that are not uncommon in today’s corporate environment.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Josiah Bounderby of Coketown represents the utilitarian attitude and, as such, is the villain of the story and clearly the target of Dickens’ political argument. Dickens characterizes Bounderby as a powerful individual, driven by greed and guided by a distorted view of human nature. He is the only wealthy industrialist introduced in Hard Times, although Mr. Sleary might arguably be considered the more virtuous businessman. Dickens clearly portrays Bounderby as a greedy and individualistic, self-serving capitalist; rather than an insightful, forward-looking crafter of a new industrial age. Dickens artfully weaves his political enemy into a pompous, arrogant image reinforced with traditional working-class themes that lead the reader to conclude that Bounderby, ... ...nate and truly human society should strive to benefit all classes of its citizens.    Works Cited Coolidge, Archibald C., Jr. Charles Dickens as Serial Novelist. Ames, IA: Iowa State University Press, 1967. Hayek, F. A., ed. Capitalism and the Historians. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1954. Laughlin, J. Lawrence. The Elements of Political Economy. New York, NY: 1896. Malthus, Thomas. First Essay on Population, 1798. London, England: Macmillan & Company. 1926. Marx, Karl. "Capital." Great Books of the Western World. Vol. 50. Ed. Robert Hutchins. Chicago, IL: Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica. 1982. Veblen, Thorstein. Selected Writings of Thorstein Veblen. Ed. Wesley C. Mitchell. New York, NY: Viking Press. 1947. Wilson, John F. British Business History: 1720-1994. Manchester, England: Manchester University Press. 1995.      

James Boag Marketing Report

James Boag Premium â€Å"What would you like to drink today? † Strategic Marketing Planning MBA 9006 Marketing Semester 1, 2008 Table Of Contents Page Executive Summary:3 The beer market:4 Market share:5 Financial overview:5 Strategic Gap:7 Strategic Positioning:8 Product Life cycle:8 Boston Consulting Group and GE/McKinsey Matrix:9 Competitive Advantage:10 Ansoff Product – Market Mix:11 Marketing Strategy:12 Target Market:12 Brand Positioning:13 Product Strategy:15 Pricing Strategy:15 Distribution Strategy:16 Integrated Marketing Communication Strategy:17 Advertising17 Sponsorship17 Point of Purchase and Packaging17 Promotion17 Public Relations18 Marketing Budget:18 Implementation:18 Evaluation and control:19 Conclusion:20 Appendices:21-36 Executive Summary: Beer sales in Australia have been showing a downward trend, with the exception of the premium beer segment which has shown a strong growth of 9% annually. The James Boag premium beer has established itself as the #2 brand of premium beer in Australia. Building on our strategic acquisition of James Boag we hope to continue increasing our market share of this growing premium beer segment by exploiting and building further on James Boag brand equity. In 2007, 78% of our sales revenue was generated from beer, thus protecting this segment becomes crucially important for us to maintain our financial profits. Beer sales revenue has been growing at 5% pa for the previous years. With the increased drive on marketing for the James Boag brand we hope to capture a healthy share of the growing premium beer segment and also nhance this growth to 6% pa for the forecasted periods of 2008-2010. As the premium beer segment is in a growth phase, James Boag premium beer is strategically placed as a â€Å"Star†. Increased investments towards building the brand and increasing market penetration would help generate greater financial profits. However this strategy would require an increase in marketing expenditures to the tuneA$54 million in 2008, a rise of 10% pa compared to the previous average of 2%pa. This increase in expenditure would allow us increase our total market share of James Boag premium beer to 18% from its present 9%. This Strategic marketing plan proposes a strategy to not only meet financial objectives, but also to reinforce, and increase brand awareness. Capturing market share by highlighting differentiated value, as against devaluing our price, would be the main focus of our growth strategy. The new product development of the James Boag premium light would help capture the growing female beer patron segment. Introduction of Casks and Draught beers at pubs and restaurants would further strengthen the availability, market share and brand image of our range. For our James Boag range we would introduce specially embossed serving glasses, distinctive packaging, associating the range with other premium luxury bands, targeting corporate events and membership boxes at premium sport events, would be some of the key strategies. In terms of pricing, we would like to maintain our present price of A$50 per case, in order to communicate the premium status, and also indicate the price –value relationship of our brand. This plan also exhibits a staggered implementation, evaluation and control plan for our organization over the periods 2008-2010. Success of the implementation would be closed monitored by clearly defined performance indicators. The beer market: The beer market has lost some its share to wines and other healthier alternatives. However, though the beer market in general is declining in share, the premium beer market has shown an increase in its share value since 2002 till present. Data monitor 2006 (Appendix A: Exhibit 1) Beer in Australia gives the total value of the beer market segment in Australia at $3,939 million AUD. The growth of the total beer market has been around 2% for the past 5 years, and the premium beer segment makes about 21% of this market share. The premium beer segment is poised to grow at around 10% per annum and in the past year itself the growth of the premium beer has been at 9. 1% by volume. (Appendix A: Exhibit 2) The table below shows the forecasted growth in value for the beer market in total and the relative growth of the premium beer segment for years 2008-10. Beer market forecast | |   |2008 |2009 |2010 | |Total value in AUD/millions |4,151 |4,234 |4,319 | |Premium beer value in AUD/millions |1,411 |1,736 |2,073 | Lion Nathan has generated 78% of their total sales revenue from beers. This revenue could be threatened by the downward sales trend of the beer market in general. Thus cashing in on the upward trend of premiumisation would be key to the maintenance and growth of the company for the near future. In 2007 majority revenue for the year was generated due to the â€Å"Power brands†, which are Tooheys extra dry, XXX gold, Hahn super dry, and international premium brands like Heineken and Becks. Hahn super dry and International premium brands grew by 18% last year, with Heineken being in the forefront. 1] These power brands can be further divided into the High premium brands like Heineken and Becks and lower premium brands like XXX Gold and Tooheys . The strategic acquisition of James Boag breweries in Nov 2007 has further enhanced the high premium beer range with the addition of the James Boag premium collection. Market share: Lion-Nathan Ltd has 35-39% beer market share by volume. While it’s main competitor Fosters Ltd has been enjoying a market share of 50%. In this duopoly market structure other small breweries comprise of the remaining 10-15% of the market. Appendix A: Exhibit 3). With the shrinking beer market in general, we estimate that the growing premium beer segment shall be the most competitive arena for beer marketing in the near future. With the goal of greater return to the shareholders, and with the vision to become #1 beverage company in Australia, Lion-Nathan Ltd shall have to focus all its strengths in the fight for this growing beer segment. Financial overview: Du-Pont analysis of Lion-Nathan Ltd reveals an asset efficiently ratio of 0. 07 for 2002 to 2005 and there was a sudden surge to 0. 0 in 2006 due to the sale of non performing assets by the company (Appendix B: Exhibit 1). Closer the ratio towards 1 signifies better returns to shareholders. For the period of 2008-10 we forecast that this ratio of 0. 3 would be maintained and further improved by increasing sales revenue and greater market share capt ure. Marketing and advertisement expenditures are forecasted at 10% increment per annum, an increase of 8% from the previous average, this increase is in line with the proposed marketing strategies. The sales revenue of Lion-Nathan Ltd for 2002-2007 has been growing between 4-5% per year. Focusing our efforts on the growing premium beer market segment we estimate that sales revenue growth for 2008-2010 would be at 6% per annum. [pic] |   |2003 | |Existing | | | | | |Market |Market |James Boag Premium Beer New Product Development |James Boag premium light | | |Penetration | | |beer | |New | | | | | |markets |Market |Female drinkers | |Casks and Draught Beers | | |Development |Health conscious consumers |Diversification | | Using the Ansoff matrix above, the following marketing strategy requirement can be identified for James Boag brand: Market Penetration: To increase and maintain sales of existing products – Increase brand profile and strategically link James Boag premium beer with other James Boag products to ensure and increase market penetration. – Explore and build on existing routes to market and strengthen existing relationship with both on-trade and off-trade distribution networks Due to increasing consumer preference for dining out and travelling, there is potential to increase sales through targeted marketing at specific areas. Market Development: – Capitalise on female preferences to opt for premium beer when having one. – Develop strategies to tap into the overseas market New Product Development: The Australian beer market is seeing an increasing trend towards consumption of premium beers. Also as the consumers is becoming more health conscious, through developme nt of James Boag premium light, it would enable us to fulfil both the criteria of an otherwise discerning consumer. Diversification: James Boag till now has been limited by its geographical location and thus has concentrated on branded bottled beers as means of distribution, but now building on distributive strengths of Lion Nathan it should broaden its distribution to include casks and draught beers thus allowing the brand to reinforce its image of quality, taste and freshness. Marketing Strategy: The above analysis would suggest the following strategic implication for James Boag premium Beer. (Appendix C: Exhibit 3) ? Protect Market share and retain loyal costumers Stress brand differentiation to attract and also wean away customers of competitor product. ? Reposition brand if necessary to achieve dominant position ? Emphasize product quality ? Identify and exploit growth segments ? Increase distribution ? Maintain profit margin Target Market: Situational analysis shows that significant amount of premium beer buyers fall under 25-45 years age predominantly male, educated with high disposable inc ome and status conscious. The buying preference is dependent on occasions and situation. However, there is not much brand loyalty. Males prefer to have premium beer on occasion like after work drinks, when entertaining guests or business associates in restaurants and corporate events. Choice of the premium beer usually depends upon the image the brand personifies and availability and they are more likely to pay more for discernible quality attributes they associate with particular brands . Females though in minority are slowly gravitating towards beer drinking and usually prefer to have one in similar occasions like parties, after work rinks and sports events. However, when they do indulge themselves they prefer a premium brand and are more likely to be influenced in their choice by philosophy of the brand, taste of the beer and design and label of the bottle. They are also more likely to ask for a premium light beer in such social occasions for their need to stay in control. Brand Positioning: Consumers choice tends to be driven by image of the brand , awards won, recom mendation from peers and variety available rather than brand loyalty. Thus focusing on brand development will strategically enhance brand power. Branding would also enable us to position our brand to create a better fit between our product and needs and values of the target audience which in turn would help us attract and retain ownership of the customers. This strategy will also benefit by having a spill over effect to other James Boag products. However, the challenge would be to achieve this in a highly competitive market, while appealing to a sophisticated consumer who has a massive range of beverage choices. The key to achieving this would be through, building the brand’s prestige and distinctive values through the advertising campaign in order to differentiate the brand from the aggressive competition in the category and create a proposition that is attractive to premium beer drinkers. The values the brand should position itself to personify are of high quality refreshing beer aimed at successful, in-control, high achieving individuals deserving the best. (Appendix C: Exhibit 4) For this purpose James Boag premium will be marketed as the flagship beer for the brand. In line with the overall strategy, both Premium and Premium light beer bottles would have similar coloured distinctive, easily identifiable bottles with an embossed logo and following brand stickers displayed on them. James Boag Premium James Boag Premium Light The specially designed sticker helps reinforce our brand message of a unique, refreshing, original, premium quality brewed beer and also indicates towards our origins from Tasmania. The back of the bottle will bear a sticker with a short description about the tasting notes and brewing details about the beer. This strategy will work in three ways – reinforce the premium tag, easy differentiation from our competitor’s products and establish ownership over the brand. Other strategies to support in building the brand equity include †¢ Continuing submission of James Boag premium beers into key international beer award †¢ Participate in key federal and state tourism initiative †¢ Actively pursue promotion at key events like corporate functions and sports events( such as tennis, golf, sailing , formula racing etc ) to create association with the brand To this end the allocation for marketing spend on Premium and Premium light beer will be in 70% vs 30% ratio. We will use James Boag’s Premium’s communication campaign to develop the brand values for the James Boag brand whilst the aim of the James Boag’s Premium Light campaign is to predominantly raise awareness of the brand. Product Strategy: The James Boag premium beer will be the flagship beer and our strategy would be to continue to draw consumers to this quality awarded beer. We would leverage the quality and interest generated with this product and seek to drive sales seeing that consumers clearly like this product. James Boag Premium Light will be aimed more towards female market and for times when customers are in light beer occasion. Through this line extension we will seek to extend and expand on our market share and also prevent consumers to turning towards our competitor brand. For on-trade sales through pubs and restaurant, our range would be served in specially crafted James Boag logo embossed glasses. For sales through supermarkets and liquor stores the beer would be sold in distinctive James Boag logo packaging. Corporate functions and sales at other events will be targeted with newly designed and distinctive casks with draining taps. It is hoped these steps would build on our communication campaign to sell our brand as an experience and also at the same time in some manner fulfil the desires and values our consumers are aiming for. Pricing Strategy: The key objective of pricing strategy is association of brand with quality. Product life cycle map of James Boag premium is in the growth phase, which would suggests pricing strategy should be, to maintain price and retain consumer base. Consistent with our brand strategy of focused differentiation, it would be recommended that the most appropriate method of creating pricing strategy would be to use price-value relationship. Price-value relationship would allow us to indicate our product is premium , and our brand satisfies key values the consumers are looking for. However, it would be important to price our product strategically as pricing above the market leader may discourage purchase, whilst pricing too far below signals an inferior product offering. Currently we are priced at least $50/case, and we recommend maintaining this while keeping a close eye out for competitors pricing and then reacting appropriately (Appendix D : Exhibit 1). Distribution Strategy: Key opportunity for James Boag premium is to exploit the availability of Lion Nathan’s already existing large distribution network. Based on this our distribution strategies for the next 3 years will be to focus on following multiple channels On-trade: Consistent with our overall strategy to increase market penetration through generating brand awareness and attracting more drinker to try our tipple which we hope will transfer to increase buying for domestic consumption; on-trade channels would be of prime importance. We are expecting to increase penetration by at least 40% by subscribing to restaurants and pubs which currently are available through the Lion-Nathan channel network . These locations will also be provided incentives like free embossed glasses to promote and sell our draught beers. Off-trade: With an intent to retain the customers who try our products through on-trade establishments off-trade channels like supermarket and liquor store would also be consistently targeted with regular promotions and negotiating for more shelf space. We expect to increase our penetration by 30% in off- trade establishments in the next 3 years through this strategy. Events: Specific events both corporate, sporting and social events would also be important for our marketing strategy , We hope to increase our distribution to such events by 30%. Also keeping in mind the technological changes and the savvy nature of our typical customer we propose to launch direct ordering online for bulk buys for social and corporate events. Integrated Marketing Communication Strategy: The prime target for marketing activity is the 25-45 years old individuals. The following marketing activities will form the overall communication strategy with main focus being the end users: Advertising †¢ Print advertising in weekend edition of newspaper like The Age, The Australian, Weekend Financial Review and in upmarket business and lifestyle magazines highlighting both premium ranges. Commercials on TV and Cinema before specifically identified shows and movies which conform with the image of the brand. †¢ Dedicated web site with information and brand message of James Boag. The content will be directed at our target consumer with information about promotional events, product details , games , discussion forum and James Boag online club. Sponso rship †¢ Sponsorship of key upmarket events like Tennis, Golf, Racing , Grand Prix and Sailing. †¢ Also concentrating on Federal and State business award functions. Cultural Events like Moonlight cinemas, Operas and Theatre Point of Purchase and Packaging †¢ Distinctive signs and displays positioned at point of sales in supermarkets , liquor stores and bars. †¢ Review of all packaging and bottle labels to align the brand message. Promotion †¢ In house promotion at upmarket bars, restaurants and lounges †¢ Business conventions and corporate events †¢ Motor shows, Horse racing cups , Gourmet food road shows. †¢ â€Å"Stealth Marketing† to celebrate the purchase of another luxury brand item like a car with a James Boag premium. Public Relations †¢ Networking dinners held and attended by General Managers with specific attention towards corporate functions. †¢ Opening of James Boag Centre for Beer in Launceston, Tasmania which will house company’s memorabilia, with a tasting bar and organised tours through the brewery and also sell branded merchandise. This would allow a visitor to become educated about the brand and turn them into ongoing loyal customers by giving them ownership over the brand. The centre will be advertised through tourist publications. Marketing Budget: The full budget for 2008-10 periods is shown in Appendix in line with corporate objectives requirements. The product market expenditure strategies are based on anticipated expenditure. (Appendix E: Exhibit 1) Broadly the divisions will be made as follows – 50% for market penetration of James Boag premium beer – 10% for market development – 30% towards James Boag premium light beer – 10% for diversification Implementation: The budget for the 2008– 2010 Strategic Marketing Plan is based on targeted revenue objectives with provisions for proposed activities recommended in the plan. The proposed fund allocations range for the marketing costs are consistent with the requirements prescribed in the strategic marketing plan for product, pricing, distribution, IMC strategies and predicted sales revenue growth (Appendix B: Exhibit 9-13). In the marketing budget, the IMC component has the highest allocation to meet the increased advertising due to product and brand positioning strategies, promotions and new product launch activities. Implementation of the strategic marketing plan will begin in the Q3 of 2008. Details of the implementation in terms of activities, ownership and timelines are provided in (Appendix F: Exhibit 1) Evaluation and control: Performance evaluation and control of the strategic marketing plan for James Boag premium will include tracking indicators such as Customer satisfaction, Brand loyalty, Sales, Market Share, Distributor satisfaction. Monitoring of these key indicators enables management to measure performance and to take corrective action when variances are revealed. The following table shows how and when these indicators are captured and made available for making decisions on changes to Strategic Marketing planning. Indicators |Metric used |Frequency of review |Data source | |Market share |  % market share by value &|  Monthly |  Data monitor | | |volume | | | |Sales performance |  Sales revenue |  Weekly |  Financial systems | | | | |reports | |Customer satisfaction/Loyalty |  Survey |  Annually |  CRM systems | |Profitability |  Gross marg in |  Monthly |  Financial system | | | | |reports | |Competitive Position |  %share by value & volume |  Annually |  Data monitor | |Distribution satisfaction |  Survey |  Quarterly |  External agency | Conclusion: In summary, we recommend that to achieve our desired increase in market share we would have to adopt a focus differentiation strategy. This would in turn require an increase budgetary allowance to the tune of 54 AUD million in 2008. Overall strategic marketing plan is to concentrate on 1) Increase brand awareness: This would help us increase our market share by attracting new customers and help maintain loyalty. 2) Increase market penetration: By strategically aligning pricing and distribution to the brand. 3) Line extension: Introducing James Boag premium light would allow us to attract the growing female segment of the market and extend our consumer base. 4) Maintain the cost price ratio Appendices [pic] Appendix A: Beer Market Exhibit 1: Data monitor 2006 – Beer in Australia [pic] Exhibit 2: Total Value growth by Beer subsector [pic] Exhibit 3: Market Share of Competition [pic] Appendix B : Financial Overview Exhibit 1: The Du Pont Identity (also known as Du Pont analysis or Du-pont analysis) is an expression which breaks Return On Equity (ROE) into three parts. a) Operating efficiency – measure by profit margin b) Asset use efficiency – measured by asset turnover c) Financial leverage – measured by equity multiplier In the analysis the ROE is calculated by the formula: ROE= Net Profit After Tax/Sales * Sales/Assets * Assets/Equity Du-pont Analysis | |   |NP/Sales |Sales/Assets |Assets/Equity |Analysis | |2002 |0. 10 |0. 40 |1. 88 |0. 07 | |2003 |0. 10 |0. 41 |1. 79 |0. 07 | |2004 |0. 09 |0. 43 |1. 71 |0. 06 | |2005 |0. 13 |0. 43 |1. 63 |0. 09 | |2006 |0. 12 |0. 71 |3. 46 |0. 30 | |2007 |0. 14 |0. 75 |3. 16 |0. 34 | Exhibit 2: Return on Equity Lion Nathan Ltd. 2003-10 [pic] |   | |   |2008 |2009 |2010 | |Market share increase in total |40% |42% |43% | |Value increase total in AUD/millions |1,661 |1,757 |1,857 | |James Boag Premium beer share increase |12% |15% |18% | Total Sales Revenue Forecast Lion Nathan Ltd Year 2008-10 Lion Nathan Ltd forecast | |   |2008 |2009 |2010 | |Total revenue growth at 6% per annum AUD/millions |2,129 |2,253 |2,381 | Exhibit 8: Strategic Gap Lion Nathan Ltd. 2008-10 |Strategic Gap | |   |2008 |2009 |2010 | |Current growth estimates @5% annually. |2,065 |2,169 |2,277 | |Projected growth estimates @6% annually. |2,129 |2,253 |2,381 | |Gap AUD /million |64 |84 |104 | Exhibit 9: Estimated revenue from existing products in existing markets (market penetration) |Millions/ AUD |Year 2008 |Year 2009 |Year 2010 | |Est. revenue via current | | | | |strategies * |2065 |2169 |2277 | |Additional revenue via modified | | | | |strategies** |32 |42 |52 | |Total revenue | | | | | |2129 |2253 |2381 | Restated the current revenue projections **estimate 50% of gap Exhibit 10: Estimated potential revenue from existing products in new markets (market development)* |Millions/AUD |Year 2008 |Year 2009 |Year 2010 | |Est. revenue via market | | | | |development strategies * |15 |20 |25 | * James Boag premium brand positioning via advertising and promotions. Exhibit 11: Estimated potential revenue from new products in existing markets (new product development)* |Millions/AUD |Year 2008 |Year 2009 |Year 2010 | |Est. evenue via NPD strategies *| | | | | |5 |7 |10 | * James Boag Premium light** targeted at female consumers and for occasions when staying is control is impor tant. Exhibit 12: Estimated potential revenue from new products in new market segments (related diversification)* |Millions in AUD |Year 2008 |Year 2009 |Year 2010 | |Est. revenue via related | | | | |diversification strategies * |12 |15 |17 | Exhibit 13:Fulfilling Strategic Gap Year 2008-10 | | | | |Millions/AUD |2008 |2009 |2010 | |Market penetration | | | | | |32 |42 |52 | |Market development | | | | | |15 |20 |25 | |New product development | | | | | |5 |7 |10 | |Related diversification | | | | | |12 |15 |17 | |Total | | | | | |64 |84 |104 | Appendix C: Strategic Positioning Exhibit 1: Boston Consulting Group Matrix: |James Boag premium market share|Largest competitors market |Ratio |Relative market share | | |share | | | |9. 1% |24% |2. 6 |High | Source James Boag market report Key : Ratio < 1. 0 – Not a market leader Ratio = 1. 0 – Tied for lead Ratio > 1. 0 – Market Leader Exhibit 2: GE/McKinsey Matrix: Key: Score > 0. 5 –High attractive Score = 0. 5 – medium attractive Product line: James Boag Premium Score < 0. 5 – non attractive |Market attractive elements |Weight Score Rating | |Market factors |25% |0. 9 |23% | |Competition |25% |0. 4 |10% | |Financial and economic factors |20% |0. 7 |14% | |Technological factors |15% |0. |11% | |Socio-political factors |15% |0. 8 |12% | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |70% | |Total | | |High | Business position elements |Weight Score Rating | |Brand Image |20% |0. 9 |18% | |Economies of scale |15% |0. 8 |12% | |Product focus/differentiation |15% |0. 7 |11% | |Reliable supply of raw materials |10% |0. 7 |7% | |Distribution networks |15% |0. |12% | |Quality assurance |15% |0. 8 |12% | |Manufacturing technology |10% |0. 8 |12% | | | | | | | | | |84% | |Total | | |High | Exhibit 3: Marketing Strategy Analytical tool used to map James Boag |Strategic position for James Boag Premium (market attractiveness combined with | |Premium |competitive position) | |Product life cycle |Growth – Increase market shar e thru penetration, build intensive coverage , emphasise | | |brand loyalty, maintain prices, | |BCG Product Portfolio model |Stars – Invest for growth thru geographical expansion, line expansion and via product | | |differentiation | |GE/McKinsey model |Invest to grow and concentrate on maintaining market share | |Porter’s 5 forces model |Moderate overall market attractiveness – market conducive for investment with high | | |competition. | |Porter’s CA strategy model |Focused differentiation | Exhibit 4: Brand Positioning and Development : The brand will be positioned keeping in mind the typical customer profile of a premium beer drinker, and the values they aspire and relate with. In line with this strategy the communication campaign through print and media advertisement will aim to depict James Boag brand providing a consumer with a image of a successful, in-control, high achieving individual who are looking for the best. This message will be reinforced through product cues like a easily distinguishable and specially designed bottle and brand logo and also an efficient customer relation management. The message of brew quality will be strengthened through a robust quality control mechanism with a clearly stated shelf life period. Appendix D: Pricing Strategy Exhibit 1: Comparative price of Premium Beers Sector |Brand |Case Price* | |Mainstream |Victoria Bitter |$33 | |Light (2-3% alc. vol) |Hahn Premium Light |$22-$24 | |Light (2-3% alc. vol) |James Boag’s Premium Light |$29 | |Premium |James Boag’s Pr emium |$50 | * Case Prices vary widely, dependent on individual retailer price promotions, but these prices represent an average Appendix E: Marketing Budget Exhibit 1: Marketing Expenses Marketing budget allocation | |   |2008 |2009 |2010 | |Amt in AUD/Millions |   |   |   | |Total Marketing budget |362. 0 |398. 2 |438. 0 | |Marketing budget for James Boag range-15% |54. 3 |59. 7 |65. 7 | |Allocation | |Market penetration (IMC)-50% |27. 2 |29. 9 |32. | |Branding costs |10. 9 |11. 9 |13. 1 | |On trade expenses |8. 1 |9. 0 |9. 9 | |Off trade expenses |5. 4 |6. 0 |6. 6 | |Event sponsorship expenses |1. 4 |1. 5 |1. 6 | |Misc Advertisement and Promotion costs |1. 4 |1. 5 |1. 6 | |Market develoment-10% |5. 4 |6. |6. 6 | |New product development-30% |   |   |   | |James Boag Premium light |16. 3 |17. 9 |19. 7 | |Diversification-10% |   |   |   | |Casks and Draughts |5. 4 |6. 0 |6. 6 | Appendix F: Implementation Plan: [pic] Appendix G: Lion Nathan Financial Statem ent 2002-07 Exhibit 1: Lion Nathan Ltd Financial statement 2002-07 Lion-Nathan LTD- Financial statements (consolidated group figures) | | | |figures in AUD-Millions |2002 |2003 |2004 |2005 |2006 |2007 | |Income statement | |Sales Revenue |1,662. 4 |1,772. 2 |1,841. 1 |1,757. 5 |1,845. 0 |1,967. 0 | |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |Total Revenue |1,712. 4 |1,826. 4 |2,013. 2 |1,797. 2 |1,883. 1 |2,000. | |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |Cost of Goods Sold |1,353. 5 |1,446. 4 |1,668. 9 |1,380. 8 |1,484. 6 |1,595. 0 | |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |Sales and Marketing costs |280. 2 |301. 2 |303. 2 |305. 2 |309. 0 |329. 1 | |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |EBIT |266. 3 |285. 0 |251. 4 |337. 6 |329. 8 |351. | |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |NPAT |161. 9 |180. 0 |160. 1 |224. 8 |226. 8 |282. 2 | |Balance Sheet | |Cash on Hand |10. 8 |16. 8 |5. 7 |8. 2 |19. 0 |6. 9 | |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |Current Assets |504. 0 |528. 7 |610. 2 |490. 0 |541. 4 |544. | |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |Non Current Assets |3,700. 8 |3,802. 1 |3,656. 8 |3,574. 0 |2,048. 7 |2,075. 7 | |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |Total Assets |4,204. 8 |4,330. 8 |4,267. 0 |4,064. 0 |2,590. 1 |2,620. 3 | |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |Current Liabilities |493. 8 |430. 6 |520. 7 |512. 6 |525. 5 |544. | |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |Non Current Liabilities |1,477. 6 |1,481. 0 |1,254. 1 |1,057. 9 |1,316. 4 |1,247. 5 | |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |Total Liabilities |1,971. 4 |1,911. 6 |1,774. 8 |1,570. 5 |1,841. 0 |1,792. 0 | |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |Equity |2,233. 4 |2,419. 2 |2,492. 2 |2,493. 5 |748. 2 |828. | |Cash Flow Statement | |Net Cash from Operating Activities |231. 1 |232. 9 |274. 0 |334. 0 |308. 0 |298. 5 | |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |Net Cash from Investing Activities |-399. 6 |-108. 0 |-99. 2 |20. 8 |-11 2. 6 |-73. 3 | |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |Net Cash from Financing Activities |168. 4 |-117. 3 |-218. 6 |-319. 4 |-184. 6 |-237. | |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |Earnings per Share |34. 0 |33. 7 |37. 9 |42. 1 |48. 6 |50. 2 | Appendix H: Competitors Financial Analysis Exhibit 1: Foster Group Ltd Financial Statement 2002-07 |Fosters Group Ltd ( consolidated figures) | |  Amount in AUD/ million |2002 |2003 |2004 |2005 |2006 |2007 | |Sales revenue |4,572. 0 |4,731. 5 |3,908. 0 |3,972. 3 |4,533. 7 |4,760. | |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |Gross profit |2,273. 0 |2,344. 6 |1,887. 2 |1,981. 5 |2,067. 1 |2,094. 7 | |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |EBIT |1,038. 6 |1,023. 4 |949. 0 |1,257. 0 |1,065. 7 |1,116. 8 | |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |NPAT |560. 9 |470. 4 |806. 0 |941. 0 |1,169. 8 |969. | |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |Marketing Expenses |300. 8 |313. 5 |343. 8 |379. 6 |350. 8 |360. 1 | |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |Total Assets |9,511. 0 |9,588. 9 |8,443. 1 |11,745. 3 |10,439. 1 |9,563. 0 | |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |Total Liabilities |5,299. 1 |5,095. 8 |3,842. 9 |6,801. 2 |5,957. 4 |4,929. | |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |Total Equity |4,211. 9 |4,493. 1 |4,600. 2 |4,944. 1 |4,481. 7 |4,633. 2 | |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |Ratio analysis | |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |NPM ratio |12. 3 |9. 9 |20. 6 |23. 7 |25. 8 |20. | |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |GPM ratio |49. 7 |49. 6 |48. 3 |49. 9 |45. 6 |44. 0 | |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |ROE |13. 3 |10. 5 |17. 5 |19. 0 |26. 1 |20. 9 | |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |ROA |10. 9 |10. 7 |11. 2 |10. 7 |10. 2 |11. | |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |Debt to Equity Ratio |125. 8 |113. 4 |83. 5 |137. 6 |132. 9 |106. 4 | Exhibit 2: FGL Sales Revenue 2002-07 Exhibit 3: FGL Marketing Expense 2002-07 Exhibit 4 : Net Profit Margin Foster Group Ltd. Exhibit 5: Gross Profit Margin Foster Group Ltd. 2002-07 Exhibit 6: Return on Equity Foster Group Ltd. 2002-07 Exhibit 7:Debt to Equity Ratio Fosters Group Ltd. [pic][pic][pic] ———————– [1] 2007 Annual Report Lion Nathan Ltd – Australia segmental [2] Porter, â€Å"What is strategy? ’, pp 61-78. ———————– The concept of Product Life Cycle postulates that products, like human beings, pass through a number of different phases or stages of their life. The stages are described as introduction, growth, competitive turbulence, maturity and decline. GE/McKinsey Model BCG is a two dimentional model based on market growth and relative market share. The chart on the left sumarises the results obtained for the BCG analysis conducted for the James Boag premium beer line. (For further details refer to Appendix C:Exhibit 1 ). BCG Model Another tool used to identify effective product strategies is the GE / McKinsey model. This is used to identify the attractiveness of the market and the relative position of the brand. (For further details refer to Appendix C: Exhibit 2 ).

The Yankee Stadium’s History

Any discussion of the history of New York City without a history of the New York Yankees would be like describing Pavarotti without mentioning his voice. And any discussion of the Yankees without including Yankee Stadium would be farcical. And when you get right down to the nitty-gritty of historical realities encompassing the Yankees and Yankee Stadium you have to include Babe Ruth. The Babe, the â€Å"Bambino,† the â€Å"Sultan of Swat,† was the reason the Yankees built Yankee Stadium, and that is why they call it â€Å"The House That Ruth Built.† The Yankees are beyond any reasonable doubt the premier team in Major League Baseball. They have been in the World Series 39 times since the American League was fashioned in 1900 – and they have won 26 of them. The teams tied for second most World Series Championships are the Cardinals and Athletics with 9. The Yankees have been in New York since 1903; previously they were in Baltimore known as the Baltimore Orioles. They started out in New York as the Highlanders, playing at Hilltop Park (today, the Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center sits where Hilltop Park was located). They played in the Polo Grounds (sharing it with its home team, the National League New York Giants) from 1913 to 1920. The Yankees became popularly known as the â€Å"Yankees† around 1904; and when the New York Herald reported on April 15, 1906, â€Å"Yankees win opening game from Boston, 2-1,† it was more or less official they were no longer the Highlanders. Meanwhile, tracing the origins of Yankee Stadium properly includes a brief recounting of how Babe Ruth got to the Yankees; he was the spark that lit the fire that put Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. By 1919, a strong rivalry had existed between the Boston Red Sox and the Yankees for several years. A young Boston pitcher who was also an unbelievable slugger, Babe Ruth, hammered the Yankees on many occasions, including Opening Day at the Polo Grounds on April 23, 1919. According to The New York Times (4/24/1919), â€Å"Babe Ruth won the game for the Red Sox in the first inning when, with Jack Berry on first base, he slammed out a lucky home run†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Final score, Red Sox 10, Yanks 0. There had been some doubt as to whether the phenomenal Ruth would even play for Boston in 1919; Ruth had been a hold-out in the spring, following a sensational season as a pitcher and slugger, and a magnificent World Series for Boston in 1918, in which he won two games (hurling 13 scoreless innings in one game) and gave Boston power at the plate. It was to be Boston's last World Series victory until 2004. In the spring of 1919, Ruth was holding out for $15,000 a year, according to a New York Times story (3/19/1919): â€Å"Ruth†¦wants $15,000 for one year or will sign a contract calling for $10,000 a year for three years.† The headline in The New York Times on December 27, 1919 read, â€Å"Ruth Talks Of Retiring†; the story said Ruth is â€Å"‘through with major league baseball' unless the management of the Boston American league Club is prepared to meet his demand for $20,000 a year.† The New York Times reported on March 22, 1919, that â€Å"Babe Ruth Finally Signs with Boston,† for a reported $27,000 for three years. Boston owner Harry H. Frazee's previous best offer had been $8,500, the Times reported. Contrasted with today's dollar value $27,000 would be worth around $540,000; and even though $27,000 doesn't sound like much compared to the $2.5 million original cost of building Yankee Stadium – or to the salaries today's players draw. (To wit, Derek Jeter's 2003 salary was around $15,000,000; he came to the plate 482 times; do the math and see Jeter earned around $30,000 per at-bat). But to the average New Yorker in 1920, Ruth's salary was a huge quantity of money. Hundreds of thousands of American boys were fighting in Europe in WWI (thousands of them dying), and 650,000 Americans had died recently due the influenza epidemic. Times were rough, to say the least. Meantime, after Ruth clubbed 29 homers in 1919, an October 12th Times article hailed him as the â€Å"mastodonic mauler†; New York obviously was in awe of this superstar. And then, to the great surprise of Gotham, the one of the biggest sports events of the century hit the headlines of The New York Times with the clout of a Ruthian grand slam (1/6/1920): â€Å"Ruth Bought by New York Americans For $125,000, Highest Price in Baseball Annals.† The story reported that Ruth's acquisition gave the Yankees â€Å"the hard-hitting outfielder long desired.† After coming to terms with the Yankees, for $40,000 on a two-year deal, the Yankee owner Colonel Jacob Ruppert soon took out a $150,000 insurance policy on the Babe, unprecedented at that time. And interestingly exactly one year to the day after the Times story hailing Ruth's arrival in New York, the Times headline (2/6/1921) rang: â€Å"Yankees To Build Stadium In Bronx.† In the article, Yankee owners Colonels Jacob Ruppert and Tillinghast L. Huston announced they had purchased 10 acres â€Å"on the east bank of the Harlem River,† between 157th and 101st Streets, from the estate of the late William Waldorf Astor. â€Å"On this terrain there will be erected a huge stadium, which will surpass in seating capacity any structure hitherto built for the accommodation of lovers of baseball,† the Times' article continued, in typical dramatic style, albeit there was no byline so the author was unknown. Excavation was to begin â€Å"in a few weeks and building will be expedited by every means known to human effort,† the article explained. The Yankees did not announce what they paid for the ten acres, but the Times had it â€Å"on good authority† the tab was $500,000, and the estimated cost of the projected stadium was $2 million. The â€Å"running time from Forth-second Street by subway is only about 16 minutes,† the story continued, and by â€Å"elevated train it will take about 2 minutes more to reach the Yankee's stadium than is necessary to get to the Polo Grounds.† The process of street-closings â€Å"will offer no obstacles,† the Times explained; and the stadium was projected to be â€Å"triple-decked,† which was made necessary â€Å"by the expectation of even greater patronage than that of the last season.† The obvious reference was to the fact that Babe Ruth is not only the greatest home run hitter in the game, but he was the biggest box office draw in all entertainment venues at that time. Prior to the decision to build the stadium on its present site, the Times (2/6/1921) reported that â€Å"until a few days† prior to February 5, 1921, Yankee owners â€Å"were inclined to favor the site of the Hebrew Orphan Asylum, between 136th and 138th streets, near Broadway.† The stadium was to hold 75,000 fans eventually, though at first it would only hold 50,000 (5,000 of them bleacher benches); yet â€Å"when the cost of building materials becomes more nearly normal,† the Times explained, the capacity will be increased to the higher figure. This â€Å"massive and most attractive structure has been designed to adorn the new playing field of Babe Ruth and his pals,† the story went on. â€Å"Concrete and steel of the finest quality available will be used†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Before any building could begin, and before contractors were to be hired to do the building, the approval from City Hall had to be obtained. And while New York City Mayor John F. Hylan first hedged on the decision for the city to â€Å"release its interest in the bed of Cromwell Avenue† in the Bronx, which ran directly through the site, he eventually signed off on the deal. However, the sub-headline on March 18, 1923, in the Times badgered the mayor a bit by shouting that â€Å"Mayor Hylan Holds Up Decision on closing of Street Running Through Site.† â€Å"I am not going to put my signature on the official document,† the mayor said in the Times, â€Å"until I find out whether everything is regular.† The â€Å"Sinking Fund Commission† had already signed off on the street's demolishment, and worried that the mayor's delay â€Å"might prevent the Yankees from playing in their new stadium in 1923,† the article indicated. Meantime, within a couple weeks, the mayor did sign off on the closing of two streets, which â€Å"came as a personal triumph for colonel Jacob Ruppert, President of the Yankees, who had labored for more than a year to obtain the necessary permission for the closing of the streets,† the Times reported in late March, 1922. [Note: the dates on the New York Times' archival documents do not always reflect the precise date of publication.] Not only did New York political bureaucracies have to be hurdled by Ruppert, the Astor family lived in England, and since it was their property that was the site used for the stadium, their consent was imperative. After official approval, the Times' headline â€Å"Yankees Call For Bids on Stadium† had a little editorial slant in the sub-headline, â€Å"If Contractor Are Rational In Prices Work Will Begin at Earliest Possible Date.† The date on this article can't be correct (it is 1/4/1922), so it must have been in late February. â€Å"Excavation, grading, masonry, sewers and downspouts, reinforced concrete, lathing and plastering, ornamental metal work, tile work, terrazzo floors, carpentry, toilets, roofing, sheet metal, steel sash, painting and wood bleachers† all went out to bid, the Times reported. And it did seem like there was a limited amount of capital available for the huge project, because the newspaper article mentioned that bids â€Å"for the steel work have already been obtained,† and â€Å"they were fairly satisfactory†¦ranging from much below the prices of a year or two ago, but rather higher than had been hoped by the men who have to put up the money for this project.† The colonel did not plan to â€Å"get what they considered the worst of it financially† in case the bids â€Å"proved to be beyond the bounds of reason,† the story explained. Ground was to be broken around the first of March. The White Construction Company of 95 Madison Avenue was selected as contractor of the stadium, the Times reported shortly after receiving city permission to go ahead. Work was to begin â€Å"on what will be the greatest baseball plant in the world† within a week, and the Osborn Engineering Company of Cleveland was chosen as overseer of general construction; the stadium was projected to be completed by September first, at that time. The number of seats available for fans, which had changed several times, in this article (â€Å"Yanks Pick Firm To Build Stadium†) it was listed at 60,000. A â€Å"double shift of workmen† will be employed, and the Osborn company predicted in the Times that â€Å"it will smash all records in the matter of speed.† The actual construction of the stadium of course received a great deal of coverage in The New York Times. One story (4/1/1923) – headlined, â€Å"Yanks' Stadium Big Engineering Task,† pointed to the massive construction effort being put forth, in order to meet an incredibly tight deadline, and listed the materials that would go into the stadium. To wit: Thirty-thousand yards of concrete (from 45,000 barrels of cement, 30,000 yards of gravel and 15,000 yards of sand); 2,500 tons of structural steel and 1,000 tons of reinforced steel; 2 million board feet of lumber for bleachers and forms; 600,000 â€Å"linear feet† of lumber for the grandstand seats; 4 miles of pipe for railings in box seats, reserved seats and bleachers; 500 tons of iron for stadium seats; and about 500 workmen were brought in to put it all together. In a story in the archival Times dated May 4, the cost of the stadium changed again, this time to $3 million, and the attendance capacity became 85,000. But all the inconsistencies notwithstanding, the Times' story with the most pizzazz of all the archival coverage of Yankee Stadium was published April 19, 1923: â€Å"74,200 See Yankees Open New Stadium; Ruth Hits Home Run.† While 25,000 were turned away from the sold-out house, those in attendance were treated to this: â€Å"In the third inning, with two teammates on the base lines, Babe Ruth smashed a savage home run into the right field bleachers.† This shot by Ruth was made all the more dramatic because he had been quoted as saying he would give â€Å"a year of my life† to smack a round-tripper on opening day in the new stadium. The 74,200 attendance figure that was reported by the stadium was, Times' readers learned on the 20th, â€Å"merely an estimate† by Yankees business manager Edward Barrow. In fact, only around 52,000 paid to see the game, plus several thousand were admitted with passes. But the Times – obviously feeling somewhat duped – reported that the 74,200 figures â€Å"were accepted without question and were published in hundreds of newspapers in this country and in various places around the world.† In addition to baseball, many sporting events have taken place in Yankee Stadium over the years, including: boxing matches with stars like Jack Dempsey (Muhammad Ali defeated Ken Norton on July 24, 1923); indeed over 30 championship fights have taken place at the stadium, according to the Yankees' Web site; NFL games with the New York football Giants between 1956 and 1973; Army-Navy football games, religious conventions (including two visits by Popes). Lights were installed at the stadium in 1946, and in the winter of 1966-67, the stadium got a $1.5 million update, consisting mostly of fresh paint. Starting in 1973, the stadium was torn down almost totally, and rebuilt; during that period, the Yankees moved to Shea Stadium for two seasons. The stadium has been the playground for American sporting icons like Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Reggie Jackson, and many more.