A Business Strategy Case Study on Verizon Mobile Service Provider

Reasons of Budweiser Buyout

Reasons of Budweiser Buyout Circumstances that led to Budweiser buyout Budweiser opted for a buyout because it was facing a long-term sales decline in the United States market. Consumers begun to develop thirst for wines and spirits and imported beers and this resultantly dented the desire for products that were manufactured by Budweiser.Advertising We will write a custom article sample on Reasons of Budweiser Buyout specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Another reason that fueled the buyout of Budweiser was the 2008 global financial recession that triggered sharper recoil within the American beer market. Other than the problems attributed to recession, Budweiser was lured by InBev’s way of doing business where they dramatically cut costs and consequently accrued 52 billion dollars that enabled it to buy Anheuser-Busch (BBC, 2008). How it improved their position The Budweiser buyout stood to improve their position because the combined businesses stood to accru e annual sales of 36.4 billion dollars. InBev also offered to pay 70 dollars for each share. The buyout put positioned Budweiser to have a variety of brands like Beck’s and other beverages under one roof. The buyout put the merged companies to achieve more than they were able to achieve when they were operating individually because a stronger and more competitive global company would spring up with a brand portfolio that is accepted worldwide and which could withstand competition. They would have a stable distribution network. Nevertheless, they stood to have great growth potential all over the world. The merger and buyout was advantageous to Budweiser as it enhanced its global market access as evidenced in their resolve to expand into Russia after the merger. Major changes and if they are better off The buy-out of Budweiser is laudable because the $70 synergy was a reasonable price. The deal also did away with protracted court battles that would have ensued on the part of In Bev. Because of the rapid consolidation that has of late characterized the beer market occasioned by cost pressures and declining sales, it was only practical that Budweiser embraces the buyout option to cope up with changes in the mature market it was operating in.Advertising Looking for article on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For purposes of breaking even, it was important that Budweiser consider a buyout in the same way the Scottish Newcastle company was bought out by Heineken and Carlsberg. Despite the fact that many people have raised eyebrows on the Budweiser buyout, the company stood to benefit from growth in Europe where its market presence has been waning despite being a household brand in the UK. Concerns that the buyout stood to fuel job losses in the United States, whose economy had already been affected by recession, were not supported by facts because the two firms assured their employees that job losses were to be kept at a minimum. Finally, the buyout was worth considering bearing the fact that annual savings of 1.5 billion dollars would be generated by these two firms. As a result of the buyout, Budweiser stands to regain the United States market share because of the efforts that are being made towards improving execution and reconnecting with wholesalers’ as evidenced by the 48 per cent share of American market it is currently holding. The merged companies’ resolve to step up efforts to increase their brands’ international presence is a positive step towards increasing their sales turn over. Their stability in the United States market is sign of god things to come. Reference BBC. (2008). Stella firm buys Budweiser brewer. BBC News, 14 July. Retrieved from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7504643.stm

Movie review 1 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

1 - Movie Review Example It is a movie about a French criminal Michel who is enamored by the cinematic persona of Humphrey Bogart. He ends up killing a policeman while committing a crime and is shown to be on the run from the police. Per chance he comes across an American girl with whom he falls in love. This youthful American girl Patricia is ambivalent about her feelings of love for Michel though she does her best to help him and make good his escape to Italy. Eventually Patricia gives in to the ambivalence bothering her and betrays Michel to the police, who is shot dead while making an escape. This is a war film that is based on the feeling of camaraderie between groups of French prisoners of war. This film presents the essential humanity in the soldiers affiliated to the warring sides and the cinematic drama in the film ensues from the prisoners of war Marechal and Rosenthal making good their escape from the Germans towards the Swiss border. The romantic drama in the film owes to an affair between a German woman Elsa and Marechal, who is eventually renounced by Marechal to be true to his call of duty. Au Hasard Balthazar is a film showcasing the life of a young farm girl and her donkey. Though the girl and the donkey eventually get separated, the film traces the life of both as they come in contact with different people and suffer abuse and violence at their hands. The donkey is shown to take abuse and violence from his varied owners with a sense of poise and grace, which elevates him to the rank of a saint. In contrast, though the girl also suffers abundant violence and abuse in her life, yet her destiny remains unresolved and chaotic, thereby bringing in a sense of irony into the plot. This is a film that has for its setting a village in the Indian province of Bengal. This film captures the Indian country life in Bengal during the World War II. It showcases the immense human suffering and pain marking the Great Famine of 1943 in the province of Bengal

Newsclipping Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Newsclipping - Research Paper Example This article is thorough in its research and is very timely. The population of the United States is skewed towards individuals entering retirement. They will begin to experience more and more memory loss. Understanding these things from a biological perspective is important because it shows that things we do a young people can affect the quality of life we have later. The article and graphics are clearly presented and the scientific language is accurate but not too hard for the non-scientific reader to understand. Complex World of Soil Studied by Colorado State University Scientists Soil is incredibly important to all of the inhabitants of earth. Recent biological studies have begun to focus on the importance of the organisms that inhabit the soil. Nematodes, water bears, mites and springtails all have been ranging through the earth’s soils devouring carbon and nitrogen as zebras and lions devour grass and prey on the surface. But little has been studied about how these organi sms benefit larger ecosystems. Scientists at Colorado State University are remedying this. They are finding that disrupting soils by paving them or developing them in other ways is deadly for the soil ecosystem. Scientists are trying to quantify how much benefit these soil dwelling organisms do for us so that we can look at our development activities in a new light. Reading this article was pleasurable because the writing was clear. What was not so clear is how the studies from the scientists are really going to be applied. Mention of United Nations support of soil studies was made, but no specifics were given. There were no details about what is being done as a result of the research. It does affect our daily life because these organisms support life on earth, but action for their support was not clearly stated. Proposed EPA ballast water regulations criticized Ballast water has introduced many organisms into the waters of the Great Lakes that are not a part of the natural ecosyste m. These organisms, such as zebra mussels have crowded out native species. The EPA has developed new regulations over the discharge of ballast water by international ships. Environmental groups are not happy with the regulations because they say that up to ten live organisms’ can be discharged by each ship. Environmentalists and some scientists agree that this is not tough enough. They point to the fact that this amount of live discharge can lead to the introduction of new, destructive organisms. This affects daily life because we all depend on shipping that comes through the Great Lakes. Stricter regulations will make goods coming through these ports more expensive because the water will need to be treated before it is discharged. But his might be the price we have to pay to same native species in the Great Lakes ecosystem. This article was very informative, but was light on actual science. The article focused more on the governmental policies that are formed as a result of biological science than on the science itself. Worms' survival in space bodes well for humans, study says Twelve generations of worms have been successfully raised on board the space station. This is important for humans if we one day want to travel to Mars and beyond. Some of the biological challenges that the worms needed to overcome in order to reproduce and adjust to weightlessness may be good instruction

The History and Future of Social Networking Research Paper

The History and Future of Social Networking - Research Paper Example Apart from this, they may make use of the additional services offered online, such as joining of groups or communities. Social networks are mostly established over the World Wide Web and give the users an opportunity to interact with each other, via messaging, email and sharing of pictures or videos. Often in scenarios, online community service may also fall under the aforementioned banner, as they tend to be group-centered. Social networking sites may give birth to new innovations and ideas amongst people. Body There are numerous types of social networking sites or services; however the most common types are those which allow the users to connect with friends maintain categories and introduce recommendations. Most of the social networking sites are based in America and include the likes of Facebook, Google Plus. Linked In and Twitter are used globally by billions of people, across the globe (Meyerson, 2010, p.141). It must be noted that the authorities have carried out several effor ts at homogenizing the social networking service. These steps were taken in order to reduce duplication on the social networking sites. In the year 2011, the results of a survey showed that more than forty seven percent of the Americans were avid users of social networking sites and services. ... The conception of social networking services was done through the Bulletin Board System. The Bulletin Board System was a software that permitted the users to connect to the system, making use of the respective program, making communication effective. However, the Bulletin Board System proved rather ineffective in the longer run, as connections could not be established through longer distances and it was expensive in cost. Before the Internet could come into limelight as the sole medium for social networking services, there were other avenues that opened along the way too. CompuServe was one of such initiatives, introduced in the 1970s and later made public during the 1980s decade. This service permitted its members to have access to news and events across the world. They also enjoyed the liberty of sharing files and pictures with each other, sending instant messages via email and joining the discussion forums of CompuServe. â€Å"But if there is a true precursor to today’s so cial networking sites, it was likely spawned under the AOL umbrella. In many ways, and for many people, AOL was the Internet before the Internet, and its member-created communities, complete with searchable â€Å"Member Profiles,† in which users would list pertinent details about themselves, were arguably the service’s most fascinating, forward-thinking feature† (Goble, 2012). The year 1995, gave birth to the revolution in the Internet industry with the evolution of websites, such as Yahoo, Amazon and MSN, which were to set the foundations of the current social networking strata in the world. The social networking services have observed an emerging trend in the recent past. These social bookmarking websites are increasing in numbers day after day, every day a new website is launched

Surveillance Cameras And The Right To Privacy

Surveillance Cameras And The Right To Privacy With the rapid advancements in technology, video surveillance platforms have become a widely used method to enhance security in both the public and private settings. These systems act as a force multiplier and provide constant surveillance in areas that are difficult or impractical to do so by other means. Surveillance of public areas has become an area of concern for privacy advocates. While these systems have so far successfully navigated legal challenges, abuse or misuse of the systems can jeopardize the ability to continue their use. In the years following 9/11, a considerable investment has been made by federal, state, and local governments to increase security and protect the homeland. Areas that once were not given a second thought by law enforcement agencies are now considered high value targets. A key to maximizing law enforcements effectiveness to cope with the growing demand for service has been to increase their use of technology. Video surveillance systems are one way they have made investments that act as force multipliers and allow one operator to monitor multiple locations simultaneously, regardless of how remote or difficult to access the locations are. This increased need for surveillance has coincided with advancements in technology that have made the necessary equipment to operate a video surveillance system more available, functional, and at a lower cost. Government entities are not the only organizations tapping into this emerging technology, many private businesses are also installing surveilla nce cameras to protect their assets. It is difficult to argue with the benefits of employing these systems when you consider for a moment that it was a bank ATM camera that filmed Timothy McVeigh parking a Ryder truck outside Oklahoma Citys federal office building just before the April 1994 blast that killed 167 people. Had it not been for this critical evidence, the outcome of the investigation may have been very different. While there are certainly benefits to this enhanced level of safekeeping, some watchdog groups have cautioned that this security comes at a cost, but does the end result in fact justify the means. At one time in the not so distant past it was uncommon to see video surveillance being used at all with the exception of large shopping malls, banks, and other private businesses where large amounts of money or high valued property was found. It simply was not cost effective for smaller businesses to make the investment. However, with increased availability and decreased cost it is not uncommon to see these systems in place almost anywhere, to include small businesses, private homes, and even religious centers. The sophistication of modern surveillance platforms provides a higher quality, easier to use system. Video surveillance has always been a useful tool to document an event for use at a later time as evidence against the perpetrator of some act, but modern systems are intuitive and will not only record an event they can be programmed to activate certain real time triggers to sound alarms, alert the owner, and/or the police. Probably more than any other benefits, employing video surveillance security systems have filled an immense security void created by lacking human assets (Crean, 2002). Law enforcement agencies have never been able to be in all places at once so they employed staffing and patrol protocols that covered as much terrain as possible. The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, along with several other high profile incidents occurring here and abroad, have highlighted the fact that current public safety initiatives were unsatisfactory. Law enforcement agencies had to find ways to do more with their current levels of staffing. One solution was to employ an elaborate array of video surveillance systems as force multipliers. Examples of U.S. cities where this strategy has been employed are Chicago, New York, and Washington D.C. Chicagos public safety managers have access to a collection of approximately 15,000 publicly and privately owned cameras. It is estimated that from their operations center officials can monitor 232 square miles of Chicagos urban landscape. In New Yorks Times Square, an area no larger than about half a square mile, as many as 200 surveillance cameras are active at all times. Washington D.C. Metro Police may have them all beat. During a tour of their command center with CBS News reporter Erin Moriarty, D.C. Police Chief Charles Ramsey was asked about what officers were monitoring on several of the screens in the center. Ramsey explained they were observing a group of protestors at one of the local public buildings. When asked how many cameras they currently had observing the activities of the group, Chief Ramsey commented that they had twelve of their own, but had access to a practically unlimited number as a result of being able to tap into images being fed by an array of privately an d publically owned surveillance systems in the immediate vicinity (2010). These devices are accessible on demand via wireless routers and Internet connections. This on demand capability is not restricted to their command center. Field units, if equipped properly, also have the ability to remote access video surveillance images via a wireless connection. Technology has provided the ability to create this link to nearly any device capable of a Wi-Fi connection. Whether it be the laptop computer in an officers patrol car or the handheld PDA a precinct commander carries. The San Diego Police Department has taken this technology one step further and automated it (2010). Instead of merely providing on demand access to the assortment of public and private video surveillance systems in the city, they automatically make that real time information available to officers who are operating their laptop equipped police cruiser in the vicinity of the system. This video information is also available on demand at the police dispatch center. The benefits to this set up with respects to enhancing officer safety are incredible. Imagine the lone police officer responding to a commercial building alarm in the middle of the night. As soon as the dispatch center receives the call they would be alerted that a video surveillance system is available. Before the responding officer puts their vehicle in drive to go to the call, the dispatch center is already studying the location for signs of trouble. When the officer is within a few blocks of the business he receives a noti fication on his computer that the building has video uplink capabilities. Prior to arriving he pulls to the curb and in just a few seconds is able to view the real time surveillance video to familiarize himself with the buildings layout, potential hazards, signs of an actual crime in progress, or perhaps live video of the suspects fleeing the scene in their vehicle and heading directly at him (Crean, 2002). There is also a deterrent factor at play when overt video surveillance is in place. Cameras that are highly visible to the perpetrator can instill an enhanced fear of committing the crime because of the perceived likelihood of getting caught. If they do opt to commit the act, then having a properly monitored video system vastly increases the probability of being caught. Experts in this field of study have noted that even though the economy underwent a major recession in past years, the crime rates have not increased dramatically. In fact, some categories have made substantial decreases. This is notable as history tells us that when the economy is bad people become desperate and crime typically increases. More than one advocate of increased use of video surveillance has pointed out that as these systems became more prevalent the crime rates decreased (Osborn, 2006). Whether there is an actual link between the two remains to be seen, but the speculative evidence is very interesting. Just as there are those who preach the benefits of employing video surveillance systems, there are certainly those who argue just as vehemently against its use. Probably the single greatest concern voiced is the invasion of privacy that goes along with this type of surveillance. Generally speaking, if the video monitoring is taking place anywhere that is open to the public then it does not constitute an invasion of privacy. As with most general rules, it is not always that simple. Watchdog organizations have argued that the use of covert cameras is an invasion of privacy since the cameras cannot be detected (The Constitution Project, 2007). In other words, if the public is not made aware they are being filmed than their privacy rights have been violated. Because of the proliferation of these systems, adequate notifications would be a nearly impossible goal to attain. Cities like Washington D.C. would probably need to put signs at the city limits on all major thoroughfares that securi ty cameras are in use in the city and you are subject to being captured by one of these systems at all times. Certainly not very practical. This begs the question, are these privacy concerns without basis? Consider for a moment the hypothetical situation presented by Angelo Pompano of the Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute: On a typical day you wake up and walk out to your mailbox. A neighbors private security camera is trained on his driveway across the street and picks you up. Later, you drive to work and when you get to the light on the corner, a video camera is watching to see if you went through a red signal. You stop off at an ATM and you are taped. You go into the 7-Eleven-taped; pump gas- taped; get on the interstate and the traffic control cameras are focused on you. You get to work and the camera in the parking lot follows you into the building. Then you finally get you your desk and once more you are monitored (2010). As Mr. Pompano points out, on the average day by 8:15 AM you have already been captured on video surveillance a dozen times. This is only the video we know about. This report will not touch on the clandestine surveillance being undertaken by the government at all times. Im not saying I agree with Pompanos opinion that this is a bad thing, but it is a reality. A second concern that is frequently raised is the potential that video surveillance recording will be misused by the organization that captures them. Critics point out that it is difficult to control how the data from video surveillance because cameras are so easily attainable and the technology is so advanced that nearly anyone could manipulate it for unethical purposes. As with any technological advancement, there will be those that find ways to abuse it. Take for example a number of incidents highlighted by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in their article Whats Wrong With Public Video Surveillance? (2002). The general manager of a prominent Florida newspaper installed a hidden video camera in the employees bathroom under the guise of eliminating employee theft. The problem lies in the fact that when confronted with the cameras placement the manager could not document any thefts that had occurred. Or the management at Bostons Sheraton Hotel covertly recording its employee s changing clothes in a locker room on the pretext that it was investigating suspected drug use by its workers. Or the JC Penney security guard in Concord, California, that was caught showing off recordings during which he zoomed in on female customers breasts as they walked around the store. Needless to say, there is certainly room for abuse. However, the claim by those opposed to video surveillance that there is no way to control this type of abuse is unfounded. Each of the situations described here exposed the responsible person and/or their employing organization to both criminal and civil penalties. Laws to curb this type of infraction are already on the books and are capable of dealing with these infractions when discovered. Opponents might say that this type of illegal activity is difficult to detect so we should ban this type of surveillance. I would submit that this logic is akin to banning automobile use because driving under the influence is a difficult crime to detect an d prevent. The argument simply does not make practical sense. When holes are found in the current laws that new technologies take advantage of, our legislatures have been quick to respond with new laws and practices. Legislation has been presented at both state and federal levels that would restrict the use of public video surveillance, but many of these proposed changes have been stricken down. The courts and legislatures have made it clear that this type of surveillance in areas commonly open to the public and conducted for public safety purposes are neither illegal nor unconstitutional (USLegal, Inc., 2010). Where these systems do find trouble with the Constitution is when they find themselves pointed into a private dwelling or other place protected by the search and seizure doctrines of the Fourth Amendment. The United States Supreme Court has decided a number of privacy rights cases, but most critical to the concept of video surveillance is seen in Katz v. United States (1967). The court ruled there is no expectation of privacy in a public place. They confirmed the limits of Fourth Amendment protections against an illegal search did not apply in areas that a person lacked this expectation of privacy. In Katz the court ruled, What a person knowingly exposes to the public, is not a subject of Fourth Amendment protection, but what he seeks to preserve as private, even in an area accessible to the public, may be constitutionally protected. As such, a person in a public place does not have a reasonable expectation of privacy from video surveillance cameras. As for the general publics perception of the legitimacy of utilizing video surveillance technology to monitor their daily lives, most have recognized it as a necessary reduction in their privacy to combat todays threat of violent crime and terrorism. Most accept the loss of some personal freedom for a feeling of security. Video surveillance by law enforcement agencies in public places is accepted by most as a minimally invasive measure implemented for the well being of the public. As highlighted in the Pompano article, Although (citizens) may not be happy with the use of the video surveillance equipment to catch them as they go through a red light, few people will argue with the reasoning that video cameras promote safety (2010). Most law enforcement agencies will tell you there is no replacement for having cops on the beat when it comes to fighting crime, but the police cannot be everywhere at all times. With the technology advancements made in video surveillance systems and capabil ities now they dont have to be.

2005 State of the Union Address Essay -- essays research papers

After watching the 2005 State of the Union address. I think that the President, Mr. George W. Bush, has made it clear to the Speaker of the House, Vice President, Membe4rs of Congress, and the citizens of the United States that he has a clear plan to improve the welfare of the United States in present days and days to come. The President put forth that he has now a plan for a budget that holds discretionary spending below inflation, makes tax relief permanent, and to cut the deficit in half by the year 2009. The principle to his budget is, â€Å" Taxpayer money must be spent wisely, or not at all.† It was also stated that education is a very important part of this nation and that the standards of the schools need to be raised, â€Å"†¦so every high school diploma is a ticket to success.† Later on he speaks of keeping young children and adolescents out of gangs and dangerous violence and encourages that more people be involved in a child’s life by increasing the number of programs to improve literacy and sports. He told of the nation wide effort to do this that would be lead by the First Lady, Laura Bush. Also so the healthcare and costs of health care for lower income families was brought to attention. The President stated that the costs of healthcare should be made affordable to all families that need it. Stating that it should be available to people of every financial status and that there be a community health care center for every needy community. And that information technology should be improved so that fewer errors are made as well as needless costs. He believes that there should be association health care plans for small business owners and their employees and many measures to decrease healthcare costs. The President talked to the Social Security system and how if it is unreformed that it will only lead to its own bankruptcy. He assured those that are now receiving or will be receiving Social Security in the near future that their Social Security would not be affected in any way. The President would like to prevent the deterioration of the Social Security system. According to the facts provided by the President, as of now there are a diminishing number of workers paying an increasing amount of benefits to an increasing number of retirees. If it continues to be like this in the year 2018 the system would be paying out more than it takes in and in the year 2027... ...S. needs to be kept safe and they recognized the men and women who serve in the unformed services of the United States. The Democrats are shocked though that the President did not and has not thus far put forth a clear plan to end our presence in Iraq. They believe that one the responsibility of Iraqi security should be put in the hands of the Iraqis, two that Iraq’s economy needs to be increasingly developed and lastly that regional diplomacy needs to be intensified. They also announced that although the President acknowledges that there is a threat to national security that he has taken no action to correct it. Also they tell of how the President has failed to present a plan to protect America from terrorism. In summary the Democrats believe that the President has backed up his words with action and that they promise to correct this problem as best they can. In conclusion I agree with the President on many views because it seems to me that he has plans to improve the U.S. for the best. But I believe that even though there are conflicts in the views of the President and the Democrats that there will be a compromise that will result in the improved wellbeing of the United States.