Starbucks Success Business

Starbucks Success Business Starbucks first established in the year of 1971. There have three partners who are English teacher Jerry Baldwin, history teacher Zev Siege, and writer Gordon Bowker had expanded their first store named as Starbucks Coffee, Tea and Pike Place which locate in Seattles Pike Place Market. They were analyzing that each invest $1350 and they had borrowed $5000 from bank to hold the company of Starbucks. (Starbucks Corporation Company Background 1999) According to (Yahoo! Answers History Starbucks 2007), Alfred Peet had encourage them to open the store of Starbucks, so Alfred Peet was the first merchandise of green coffee that selling to them, so Starbucks is started to sell the high-quality coffee beans and equipment. However, they were suggesting changing their transaction object into growers of the coffee bean when they found out who the growers are. After few ten years, Starbucks could be a successful coffeehouse company with essential operation business in products and services, manag ement style, and marketing target. In 1982, Howard Schultz joins Starbucks. He was impressed by the popularity and culture of espresso bars in Milan, and therefore saw the establishment potential in Seattle. It was a success. In 1990s, Starbucks expands beyond Seattle, first to the rest of the United States, then the entire world. In 1996 Starbucks opened its first overseas store in Tokyo, Japan. Starbucks had to be well-known brand in the world with more than 13,000 stores in 39 countries. After becoming one of the first companies to offer stock options to its part-time employees, Starbucks becomes a publicly traded company. With the background of Starbucks Corporation, It was named as a name of character in a novel ‘Moby-Dick. Starbucks had owning 7,521 self-operated store and 5,647 licensed stores in 39 countries around the world. Beside that, when customer having their order at Starbucks, they are able to enjoying their order with an entertainment. Through the Starbucks Entertainment division and Hear Music brand, the company has ventured beyond the refreshments into books, music, and film and other. Refer to (HP, about Starbucks Coffee Company 2007), Starbucks Coffeehouse Company had business as leading retailer, roaster and brand of specialty coffee that they have expand more than 6000 retail locations in countries such as North and South American, Europe and so on. Starbucks has always provided the products which are the best coffee and fitness coffee experience offering to customer. Besides the quality of products, they also provide services as awesome environment, entertainment and social. What specially produce by Starbucks? There have drinks and foods serves out by Starbucks which are hot drinks such as drip brewed coffee, espresso-, hot chocolate and so on where the non-espresso-based drinks include tea, and ice-blended drinks. Starbucks also are offering foods to customer that includes pastries, sandwiches and salads. Besides drinks and foods, Starbucks has sales product to consumer such as coffee mugs and other paraphernalia that related to coffee beans. Comfortable environment offer to customer when they having their order in Starbucks with an entertainment. Types of entertainment are including music, books, films and other. (Wikipedia, Starbucks 2007) Specialty products of Starbucks are one successful key in business. According to . (Starbucks Corporation Product Line 1999)Starbucks stores serve a variety of very expensive and sweet drinks to customer. May be much of people have thinking that Starbucks products are quite expensive to purchase and only for rich family, but Starbucks have determined in their business plan, because they emphasize that the products they are produce are ever in quality and best. They are brewed coffees that will change in weekly to maintain their quality standard. Starbucks has expanding their various products due to season. Talent brewed by Starbucks such as cappuccinos has made with ‘dry, ‘wet, ‘extra hot, ‘soy, and ‘organic. Nowadays, ‘Frappuccino is high demand products offer by customer which that is combination with ‘frappe and ‘cappuccino, that have few types of Frappuccino such as Frappuccino blended beverage, Frappuccino Light blended beverage, F rappuccino Juice Blended with real fruit juice and ‘Power Frappuccino with nutrition as protein, carbohydrates, and vitamins. Other drinks like Tea have included â€Å"Chai Tea Latte†, a combination of black tea, exotic spices, honey, and milk; ‘Double shot as espresso drinks. In other way, foods of Starbucks cannot belittle, they are offering fresh breakfast as sandwiches, pastries, salads and other foods item like ice-cream, juices, and bottled water. As explain in easy ways, Starbucks is almost selling all the drinks are related to coffee beans. Besides products of Starbucks, services are also the element of successful businesses. One service of Starbucks is analyzed as ‘The Third Place. Meaning of ‘The Third Place is other place beside home and work. In the cafà © of Starbucks, they have provided outfitted with stuffed chairs and tables with hard backed chairs. These could upper-class of environment to comfort the customer. In the service, Starbucks has provide free electricity for customer and also wireless internet connection, so any customer who dont have internet service at home, Starbucks could allowed them come through surf net their laptop and have online. Starbucks is a common place for businessman to having their business and transaction with client, because of awesome environment and best quality of coffee. Starbucks has always provided fresh air and aroma in environmental. According to (Wikipedia, Starbucks 2007), Starbucks Company has noted a policy as ‘non-smoking in almost in all of their st ores, but this policy has never establish in countries such as Germany, Vienna and Mexico City. In such countries, Starbucks has smoking room for them normally on upstairs of outlet. The reason of smoking banned is because of the coffee aroma will be affect by smoke and no more adulterated. ‘The third Place is generally state by Starbucks to provide the personal entertainment where can fulfill the customer in their tea-time and they can have enjoyable with the music and magazine provided. There were many entertainments that provided in Starbucks store. Starbucks Entertainment was mostly selects the best in music, books and film to offer Starbucks customers the opportunity to discover quality entertainment in a fun and convenient way as part of their daily coffee routines. According to (Starbucks Company Profile 2007), Partnership of Starbucks has made an entertainment that may impact the entertainment industry with the music, labels and filmmakers. In provide additional entertainment to customer, Starbucks Entertainment has teamed with other corporation to create a iTunes store online, this could offering to customer in buying, download and preview the Starbucks entertainment such as music title and specially created play lists in a convenient online music buying experience. Starbucks has a successful image with their greater management style, but they will also incoming managerial problem. Starbucks has tried their best to increase market share of the non-coffee drinker. As people know, Starbucks is one of the most successful and admired companies in the world. Starbucks has grown from a single coffee shop in Seattle 33 years ago to 5,945 outlets in United States and 2,392 more in 28 countries. SWOT analysis is an analysis of the organizations strength, weakness, opportunity and threat that might lead to a restructure and successful solution to its internal and external problems. (SWOT Analysis Starbucks 2000) In the strength analysis, as people know, Starbucks Corporation is well-known coffeehouse in the world; of course Starbucks is making profitable business every year. According to (SWOT Analysis Starbucks Strength 2000), Starbucks has made a profit in excess of $600 million from sales of $5000 million in year 2004. Beside that, Reputation of Starbucks has built up because of the quality of products and services and also their market is going to everywhere has human lives in the world with almost 9000 cafes in 40 countries. In additional, Starbucks mention that they have a strong ethical value to a role of environmental leadership in their business that could effect to customer enjoyable and comfortable. Last strength for Starbucks is a respected employer that values its workforce, because of in the year 2005 Starbucks was one of the Fortune Top 100 Companies to Work For. Even though Starbucks has a lot of strength, but it still have such of weaknesses need to aware in business. Referr ing to (SWOT Analysis Starbucks Weaknesses 2000), To attract new customer, Starbucks has always produce creativity new specialty product but they emphasize that their innovation of new products may be stumble over time, so they need to develop another new product when previous products is outdated. Next weaknesses will be analyze is Starbucks has much dependant on the main competitive advantage, if other competitor has similar advantage to customer, Starbucks may getting risk in their business operation. Other weakness is the retail of coffee could slow the process of send into other sectors. Starbucks has over concern their business in the home market at United State of American with over three quarter of their stores; they should spread out more of their market to other countries. Furthermore, in opportunities analysis, Starbucks are always appreciating their opportunity coming, because they believe it will advantage to them. According to (SWOT Analysis Starbucks Opportunities 2000), Starbucks Company has created a service that customers can create their own music CD by using CD-Burning. This service has expanding in 2004 in one of their store ‘Santa Monica cafà © with Hewlett Packard. Besides, Starbucks has an opportunity that expands their new markets for coffee to India and the Pacific Rim nations for the beginning step. The company has retail their new products and services in their store which are Fair Trade and so on. Starbucks has taking their good opportunity to co-branding with other manufacturers and brand franchising to manufacturers to transmission drinks and foods; products and services. Furthermore, there has some threat that Starbucks would be taking. According to (SWOT Analysis Starbucks Threat 2000) Starbucks are suggesting to rises the cost of the coffee and other products. Besides that, Starbucks has never know what will be occur in the future, whether demand on coffee will be upward or other substitute beverage would be replace to coffee. Who can know the future? At last, Starbucks are successful on their business with conception in Pike Place Market since 1971, but its could also create much of competitors and copy cat refer to their talent of operation, may be the businesses would compete by other company in future. Besides planning strategy, human resources management is also the reason of Starbucks to be successful company. The value of Starbucks employees have acknowledge by the company. According to (Starbucks Company Profile 2007), Starbucks has more than 145000 employees which work about part-time or full-time in their entire cafà © and store. Average of Starbucks employees are 26 years old. Starbucks Company is providing the benefit package that includes healthcare benefits and stock option grants through Bean Stock to the employees. The chairman of Starbucks Schultz state that ‘They have the most knowledgeable workforce in their industry. Schultz emphasize that number of store they were opened is not main point, but they are concerned to growth and development of the employees. Furthermore, Schultz believed that their people are a core of successful reason. Employees have to know the basic knowledge as communication skill, ideas, commitment and connection that provide to customer. They would send employees to participate the training and development program. Every new employee will have at least 24 hours training time in first two to four weeks. There have six types of training included classes on history guide of Starbucks, drinks and foods preparation, knowledge in coffee, customer services provide to customer, retail skills of products, and a workshop called ‘Brewing the Perfect Cup. Each of training has to consume for 4 hour. (Starbucks Corporation Employee Training 1999) On-the-job training to employees of Starbucks has include employees has to maintain and self-improve from the job; listen and acknowledge; and can ask for help from their peer or coworker.Beside that, staffing of Starbucks, can only be two to four partners includes Assistant Manager or store manager in one stores. Any employee who completed the Coffee Master course can be high standing and known as ‘Coffee Master in other words is manager of Starbucks. Certification could be t aking from several tests. That is depending on how professional of employees in tasting, growing, roasting and purchasing of the products and services. Coffee Master has worn black aprons whereas normal employees are wearing standard green aprons. (Wikipedia, Starbucks 2007) Last element of successful key is the target marketing of Starbucks. To be maximizing their market, Starbucks has establish geographic expansion strategy in 1992 and 1993 that they has focus in a targeted area, this is because that has more convenience connection between stores and build up an infrastructure that is link together with the branches store. Starbucks would like to selected a large city to serve as a hub; teams of professionals were located in hub cities to support the goal of opening more and more again stores in the target region. Once the stores plant in entire hub areas, additional stores were slowly to spreading to other area as opened smaller surrounding the hub region area to widely area. (Starbucks Corporation The Store Expansion Strategy 1999) Starbucks has doing market research such as survey; questionnaire and observation by using ‘Customer Relationship Management to ensure the expectation of customer. As the information they have concern are about dimension of segmentation will be demographics include age and household status of customer to having their products. They are selected married couples age 25 54 with children to be their primary target market. According to the research, they found that these households spend more than other households on non-alcoholic beverages away from home. They are trying to consume the product to child with the coffee-free Frappuccino. Starbucks has also implement a strategy with some event to encourage parents buying a Frappuccino to their child as free game of soccer victory and even a trip to family on holiday. They expect that this could influence to child purchasing decision and always in the childs mind remain until when they are mature. (Starbucks: â€Å"The Non-Coffee Tre at† Segmentation n.d) In other of marketing planning of Starbucks is goes international. Starbucks can be well-known and making profitable business is depend on their market in other 39 countries. Nowadays, Starbucks has located many branch stores to international. According to (Starbucks Company Profile 2007) Time series of the Starbucks opened are following: The first branches that Starbucks opened in overseas were in 1996 which store in Tokyo, Japan and after store in Singapore. Year 1997: Philippines; Year 1998: U.K., Taiwan, Thailand, New Zealand and Malaysia; Year 1999: Beijing, Kuwait, South Korea and Lebanon; Year 2000: United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Australia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain; Year 2001: Switzerland and Austria; Year 2002: Oman, Germany, Spain Mexico, Puerto Rico, Macau and Shenzhen, Greece and Indonesia; Year 2003: Turkey, Peru, Chile and Cyprus; Year 2004: France; Year 2005: Jordan, Bahamas and Ireland; Year 2006: Brazil and Egypt; Year 2007: Romania. Structure of Starbucks is also their market strategy that could attract the customer because of specialty building. According to (Starbucks Corporation Real Estate, Store Design, Store Planning, and Construction 1999), Starbucks had began to create their own structure of building starting from year 1991, they are build up an own in-house team of architects and designers to modified their building. They analyze that every stores has convey right image and characteristics. In different places, they would design different structure of building to coordinate to environment. Stores had to be custom-designed because Starbucks didnt buy real estate and build its own freestanding structures; rather, each space was leased in an existing structure and thus each store differed in size and shape. Most stores were located in office buildings, downtown and suburban retail centers, airport terminals, university campus areas, or busy neighborhood shopping areas convenient to pedestrian foot traffic. According to (Starbucks Company Profile 2007), Starbucks has many competitors, where the two largest competitors are Dunkin Donuts and Krispy Kreme, direct competitors such as fast food stores McDonalds and Burger King etc. and some small coffee shop. From the case, Starbucks is tried to push forward some and upgrade to different element compare to competitors. To ensure further market growth and be competitive, Starbucks is developing new products for non-coffee drinkers; they are producing the latest Frappuccino such as Java Chip Frappuccino, Double Chocolate Chip Frappuccino, Strawberries Crà ¨me Frappuccino, and Cafà © Vanilla Frappuccino. Starbucks is taking a good competitive advantage to customer comparing to their competitors. They have several important points to maximize their customer by using brand experience, brand quality, guarantee health on product, and convenient access. In conclusion, people are recognizing Starbucks Coffeehouse Corporation is one of very successful businesses in the world. As reason of successful, Starbucks has mention that their businesses arent just for drinks and foods, but their main business purpose is to undertaking in an emotional experience of their operation. Beside that, they are guarantee the quality of their products and services and enjoyable environmental that could create a loyal customer. They also perceive the health of coffees to the customer and never affect to their healthy. Somewhere there has people to living; Starbucks would locate a store to those places. In many locations Starbucks offers drive-thru windows, which are more convenient then its competitors. Reference Answer 2007, Why has starbucks gotten so famous and how? where waz the first starbucks made?, Retrieved: 11 http://au.answers.yahoo.com/answers2/frontend.php/question?qid=1006052707796 A5 Consulting group n.d., Starbucks: â€Å"The Non-Coffee Treat†, Retrieved: 25 August 2007 from http://carmean.net/papers/Starbucks%20Marketing.doc Isidro, I 2006, Learning from Starbucks: 10 Lessons for Small Businesses, Retrieved: 22 August 2007 from http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol144/starbucks.htm Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P 2007, About Starbucks coffee Company, Retrieved: 13 November 2007 from http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/press/2003/030415b.html Marketing Teacher Ltd 2000, SWOT Analysis Starbucks, Retrieved: 20 August 2007 from http://marketingteacher.com/SWOT/starbucks_swot.htm Starbucks Coffee 2007, Company Profile, Retrieved: 13 November 2007 from http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/Company_Profile.pdf The McGraw-Hill Companies 1999, Starbucks Corporation, Retrieved: 23 August 2007 from http://www.mhhe.com/business/management/thompson/11e/case/starbucks.html Wikimedia Foundation, Inc 2007, Starbucks, Retrieved: 14 November 2007 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starbucks

Wealth and Happiness in Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen Essay

In the novel Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen, the Dashwood family is left with much less money after their father dies. When their cousin takes them in, they move to a new home and start their new life. In this time period money and social rank were the most important things. For most marriage has nothing to do with love, it is about gaining property, money or rank. This is why Elinor and Marianne’s, two of the Dashwood sisters, answers to the question: â€Å"what have wealth or grandeur to do with happiness?† (122) are so important. Elinor, the eldest Dashwood sister has all the characteristics of sense and responds, â€Å"grandeur has but little . . . but wealth has much to do with it† (122). She is implying that to be happy in life one must have money. Marianne seems to be the opposite of Elinor and embodies sensibility; she disagrees and claims that money â€Å"gives no real satisfaction† (122). This theme is seen throughout the novels wi th many characters specifically with the characters of the two Dashwood sisters, Edward, Mr. Willoughby and Colonel Brandon. These ideas influence the characters’ decisions and have many consequences. Elinor is said to be the character that has the most sense. She sharply contrasts her mother and her other sisters who are much more open with their feelings. Elinor is said to follow all the rules of society. Her beliefs and attitude are what makes it so surprising that she decides to marry a man such as Edward. Edward’s fortune depends entirely on his mother and he must stay in her good grace to inherit any money. At first Elinor’s belief that money has much to do with happiness makes sense. She has feelings for Edward who is the eldest son and therefore should inherit all the money. Ho... ...oose wealth she shows that the consequences are not always expected. Wealth and happiness was the common debate for most people at the time, and usually wealth would conquer happiness. Women, and even men, always wanted to â€Å"marry up† and climb the social ladder. Austen seems to convey the idea that one should marry someone for love but does put importance on money. Although most of her main characters marry for love she makes sure they have an income. Even the characters who claim that happiness is most important, such as Marianne, have a subconscious desire for men of wealth; and sensible characters such as Elinor hesitate at the idea of a marriage that would be made impossible by a lack of fortune. In the end love and happiness triumph over wealth and grandeur as Willoughby and Lucy lose the people they love and Marianne, Edward and Elinor live contently.

Lady Macbeth The Real Power Behind the Throne :: essays papers

Lady Macbeth The Real Power Behind the Throne Power is a theme used by Shakespeare throughout the play Macbeth. The plot involves Macbeth trying to gain more power. Lady Macbeth tries to convince Macbeth to kill Duncan so that he will become king in his place. Macbeth also is persuaded to kill anyone who threatens his chances of being king, including Banquo. Power is used by certain characters in the play to influence others. One such character is Lady Macbeth. In the beginning of the play, she is a strong-willed character. She takes on the role of a dominant male. She has great influence over her husband, who appears to be weaker than she is. It is her influence that convinces Macbeth to murder Duncan. Lady Macbeth is the dominant partner at the beginning of the play, she persuades Macbeth to achieve his goal, and she plans the murder of Duncan. Lady Macbeth takes the role of the dominant partner in the beginning of the play, by acting as the real power behind the throne. For example, it is easily recognized that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are opposite in many ways (Scott 236). He is weak, indecisive, and takes on the traditional female role of the marriage; she is strong, decisive, and takes on the traditional male role. One place in the play where Macbeth’s character is shown is Act I, Scene 5, Lines 15-17. She says, â€Å"Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be / What thou art promis’d : yet do I fear thy nature / Is too full o’ the milk of human kindness.† This is just after Lady Macbeth receives the letter from Macbeth. It is also important to notice that when Macbeth’s first thoughts of killing Duncan appear, he is scared. After he commits the murder, Macbeth says, â€Å"To know my deed, ‘twere best not know myself † ( 2. 2. 72 ). Knowing that he has committed such a vil e act makes him uncomfortable. It will be difficult to act innocent and deal with his guilt. Lady Macbeth thinks that being gentle is a weakness. When she says Macbeth is â€Å"too full o’ the milk of human kindness,† she means that he is too gentle and weak to murder Duncan (Scott 37). For example, in Act II, Scene 2, Lines 57-74, Macbeth has trouble dealing with the guilt of committing such a crime. He immediately wishes Duncan were alive again.

personaliy theories :: essays research papers

1925 - present Theory Behaviorism, with its emphasis on experimental methods, focuses on variables we can observe, measure, and manipulate, and avoids whatever is subjective, internal, and unavailable -- i.e. mental. In the experimental method, the standard procedure is to manipulate one variable, and then measure its effects on another. All this boils down to a theory of personality that says that one’s environment causes one’s behavior. Bandura found this a bit too simplistic for the phenomena he was observing -- aggression in adolescents -- and so decided to add a little something to the formula: He suggested that environment causes behavior, true; but behavior causes environment as well. He labeled this concept reciprocal determinism: The world and a person’s behavior cause each other. Observational learning, or modeling Of the hundreds of studies Bandura was responsible for, one group stands out above the others -- the bobo doll studies. He made of film of one of his students, a young woman, essentially beating up a bobo doll. In case you don’t know, a bobo doll is an inflatable, egg-shape balloon creature with a weight in the bottom that makes it bob back up when you knock him down. Nowadays, it might have Darth Vader painted on it, but back then it was simply â€Å"Bobo† the clown. All these variations allowed Bandura to establish that there were certain steps involved in the modeling process: 1. Attention. If you are going to learn anything, you have to be paying attention. Likewise, anything that puts a damper on attention is going to decrease learning, including observational learning. If, for example, you are sleepy, groggy, drugged, sick, nervous, or â€Å"hyper,† you will learn less well. Likewise, if you are being distracted by competing stimuli. Some of the things that influence attention involve characteristics of the model. If the model is colorful and dramatic, for example, we pay more attention. If the model is attractive, or prestigious, or appears to be particularly competent, you will pay more attention. And if the model seems more like yourself, you pay more attention. These kinds of variables directed Bandura towards an examination of television and its effects on kids! 2. Retention. Second, you must be able to retain -- remember -- what you have paid attention to. This is where imagery and language come in: we store what we have seen the model doing in the form of mental images or verbal descriptions. personaliy theories :: essays research papers 1925 - present Theory Behaviorism, with its emphasis on experimental methods, focuses on variables we can observe, measure, and manipulate, and avoids whatever is subjective, internal, and unavailable -- i.e. mental. In the experimental method, the standard procedure is to manipulate one variable, and then measure its effects on another. All this boils down to a theory of personality that says that one’s environment causes one’s behavior. Bandura found this a bit too simplistic for the phenomena he was observing -- aggression in adolescents -- and so decided to add a little something to the formula: He suggested that environment causes behavior, true; but behavior causes environment as well. He labeled this concept reciprocal determinism: The world and a person’s behavior cause each other. Observational learning, or modeling Of the hundreds of studies Bandura was responsible for, one group stands out above the others -- the bobo doll studies. He made of film of one of his students, a young woman, essentially beating up a bobo doll. In case you don’t know, a bobo doll is an inflatable, egg-shape balloon creature with a weight in the bottom that makes it bob back up when you knock him down. Nowadays, it might have Darth Vader painted on it, but back then it was simply â€Å"Bobo† the clown. All these variations allowed Bandura to establish that there were certain steps involved in the modeling process: 1. Attention. If you are going to learn anything, you have to be paying attention. Likewise, anything that puts a damper on attention is going to decrease learning, including observational learning. If, for example, you are sleepy, groggy, drugged, sick, nervous, or â€Å"hyper,† you will learn less well. Likewise, if you are being distracted by competing stimuli. Some of the things that influence attention involve characteristics of the model. If the model is colorful and dramatic, for example, we pay more attention. If the model is attractive, or prestigious, or appears to be particularly competent, you will pay more attention. And if the model seems more like yourself, you pay more attention. These kinds of variables directed Bandura towards an examination of television and its effects on kids! 2. Retention. Second, you must be able to retain -- remember -- what you have paid attention to. This is where imagery and language come in: we store what we have seen the model doing in the form of mental images or verbal descriptions.

President Barack Obama’s Communication Style Essay

During President Barack Obama’s climb to the White House, he and his campaign have utilized an effective and thought provoking communications strategy to provide a transparent and honest message to the American public. Through his powers of oration, his formidable writing abilities, his comfort on the stage of debate, and through the revamping of the White House website, President Obama has changed the way politicians relate and interact with the populace. This brief essay will outline the major tactics that have proved successful in his rise to power with an aim on his interpretive dominance and popularity throughout a fierce campaign and a mountainous uphill battle to win the public’s support in the midst of two wars and a global economic crisis. As a standout student at the University of Illinois and at Harvard Law School, the young Barack Obama cultivated a direct and honest approach to his communication style. His early days as an Illinois Senator proved that he could build a grassroots support system that did not have to rely on media campaigns for strength, but would grow and strengthen personal relationships through straightforward and honest discourse. In a 2008 US News & World Report article, Kenneth T. Walsh writes of Obama’s communicational outlook, â€Å"Beyond the hype and the spin, Obama has operated as a conventional politician who has demonstrated some very unusual traits—extraordinary communication skills, the ability to grow as a leader, and the good sense and savvy to recognize a zeitgeist, the nation’s powerful desire for change, when he sees one† (Walsh). In this spirit, Mr. Walsh is painting a portrait of the politician as an opportunist and clear-minded individual that is not afraid of speaking his opinion on important matters. This has been a key to his success as a believable and inspirational communicator and has paved the way for him to provide momentous messages that fueled his campaign and his career in politics. On President Obama and Vice President Biden’s homepage on the internet they have a banner quote by Obama that reads, â€Å"I’m asking you to believe. Not just about my ability to bring about real change in Washington†¦I’m asking you to believe in yours† (Organizing). The call for change and hope that were the hallmarks of Obama’s communication zeitgeist echoed throughout the voting polls, the town hall meetings, the local taverns and on the streets. This message proved so successful because it was not a one-way message. Obama’s campaign ideology does not stand outside of participation, in fact, in stands on participation. This quote that headlines the interfacing between the public and the White House demonstrates the necessity for people to believe not just in the power of words, but in the power of believing in politics, politicians, and ourselves. This discourse of interaction and participation has been a proven tactic in successful politics throughout history but President Obama did not rely on the traditional methods. He has demonstrated fluency in technological mediums such as his famed Blackberry cell phone, his YouTube video messages, the revamping of the White House website, his grassroots campaign financing that was largely based on small donations by a multitude of supporters through his website. That being said, his positive and optimistic personality has carried him a long way in successfully communicating his ideals and his platform in face-to-face conversations. As an example, his Presidential Acceptance Speech in Chicago has been viewed over 4,760,000 times on YouTube, his Inauguration Speech in Washington has been viewed over 3,770,000 times in addition to the two million people that turned out to witness it live (Obama). President Obama’s communication strategy has implemented a variety of mediums and platforms that politicians in the past either neglected or did not have access to. For example, President Bush and Presidential Nominee John McCain are notorious for their refusals to use E-mail whereas President Obama had to fight to keep his internet and Instant Messaging Blackberry. Furthermore, all of his books have become New York Times Bestsellers. Mr. Walsh, later in the article speaks of President Obama’s mass appeal and popularity that is thanks to his gifts as a successful and believable communicator, â€Å"Obama’s Chicago background has enabled him to appeal to many divergent groups, from poor African-Americans to white businessmen, working-class folks, middle-class professionals, wheeler-dealers, mainstream reporters, teachers, suburban parents, professors, and college students (Walsh). His reach is both focused and widespread and in this way President Obama has created long-lasting and personal relationships with his constituency that transcends the formulaic and generic mass media approaches. Through his unbridled ambition and his thirst for honest discourse, President Obama has changed the way politicians will communicate with the public. He has changed it in the spirit of optimism and transparency without having to rely on attack ads, even though he has not been above harsh criticism of his opponents and the Bush Administration. He has not been afraid to speak his opinion, even when that has proved to be unpopular, as in the case of defending the controversial Reverend Jeremiah Wright, or when he said he would open forms of dialogue with Pakistan and Iran, or when he made the speech attacking the latent and blatant forms of racism. His popularity has been a direct result of his honesty and his gifts for communicating and as he was elected he continued this approach, even though some people wanted him to deliver a soaring speech at his Inauguration. This keen sense of setting and circumstance allowed President Obama to deliver not the speech of fantasy, but a sobering and directly honest speech about the current state of affairs we now find ourselves in, â€Å"That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age (Transcript). In this spirit, he has not abandoned optimism and the hope for positive change, but he is acknowledging the uphill battle and the fierce struggles that we are going to face. Although he could have delivered a speech that overlooked these struggles in the name of developing a popular national fervor of (false) support, instead he decided to continue his tradition of straightforward honesty, albeit in an eloquent and reassuring tone. This has led some critics to attack President Obama and his administration as our country is trying to climb ourselves out of a record national debt and widespread uncertainty as to the future of our country. The massive bailouts of the automotive industry and the large investment firms and banks have led critics to wildly label Obama as a Socialist and as a reactionary when in fact, as evidenced by the White House website, the Obama mission is to restore good faith and honest business practices to the industries that have helped to build up the United States in the first place. That being said, he has harsh words for executives that are receiving massive amounts of bailout money for their failed institutions while at the same time writing enormous bonus checks to themselves, as in the current example of AIG. In an attempt to restore justice and balance to both business and politics, President Obama has done something that no other President has – he has reached across the political isle and assigned three cabinet posts to Republicans. His spirit of unification cannot be denied and yet some critics still label him as a staunch Democratic Party ideologue and stalwart, when in fact he has made huge efforts to bridge the gap. As Mr. Walsh points out in his article this tendency goes back all the way to his community organizing in Chicago and to his days as a young Illinois Senator, â€Å"Overall, he built a respectable record, working with both Democrats and Republicans to win approval for a series of bills†¦He showed his potential when the Senate overwhelmingly passed a controversial law he sponsored on campaign finance reform in May 1998, prohibiting legislators from raising campaign funds†¦ (Walsh). His bipartisanship has proven to be beyond mere rhetoric in spite of the allegations that are distributed throughout the media. Overall, President Obama has changed the game of politics. He has instituted a communication style built on honesty and transparency while at the same time utilizing all the tools at his disposal in order to fulfill the missions that he promised to the American public. His communication strategy will be the model upon which future successful campaigns will be built. Works Cited Obama Speeches. (2009). YouTube. com. Retrieved 20 March 2009, from http://www. youtube. com/results? search_type=&search_query=obama+speeches Organizing for America. (2009). Retrieved 20 March 2009, from http://www. barackobama. com/index. php Transcript – Barack Obama’s Inaugural Address. (2009). The New York Times. Retrieved 20 March 2009, from http://www. nytimes. com/2009/01/20/us/politics/20text-obama. html Walsh, Kenneth T. (2009). Obama’s Years in Chicago Politics Shaped His Presidential Candidacy. U. S. News & World Report. Retrieved 20 March 2009, from http://www. usnews. com/articles/news/campaign-2008/2008/04/11/

Oprah is a name that needs no introduction Essay

Oprah is so well-known that she doesn’t even need a last name! Her early years in her career were influenced strongly by viewing Barbara Walters on The Today Show. She was a senior in high school when she entered a contest. Upon entering the contest she had to choose a career goal. Her choice was broadcast journalism because the other contestants chose to be a nurse and teacher. This choice turned out to be a very wise choice. She won the contest! This win landed her a job as a newscaster while still attending Tennessee State University. Although the stress of a job and college were taxing, Oprah loved the business and knew this was an actual viable option for her. This led Oprah to a job at Baltimore’s largest television station. She was at first on, then off, the evening news. She was then placed on an early morning interview show where she felt the click -This Is It! This is my future! Her obstacles were many. She was a woman, she was African-American, she was poor but she wasn’t a quitter. She knew to succeed meant to keep on her path and to not lose sight of her goal. She knew this by the time she was three or four years old. She knew that she would accomplish something spectacular. And indeed she has; she began hosting a television show in 1984 in Chicago which soon became syndicated. She knew that to remain successful and in a leadership position that she needed to purchase her show, in which she did. This led to many other ventures in her life such as the cable channel Oxygen and her magazine, O. She is so successful that she was acknowledged as the wealthiest African American woman in entertainment. Life Magazine also listed her in â€Å"The Most 100 Influential People of the 20th Century† in 1998. See more: how to write an introduction Oprah has become so influential because she is living proof that adversity can be overcome. Abuse can be overcome. Poverty and racism can be overcome. She is an icon to all of those that struggle. Her openness about her battle with her weight is just another avenue for people to connect with and be influenced by her. She’s open about her past, people relate to that. Influence is power, especially if you show the shoes that you have traveled in. She is an advocate for African Americans, women, children, poverty, and racism. She touches nearly everyone in some facet of their life. Oprah’s leadership style is ‘Lead By Example. We have watched her air her abuse stories on air as well as her weight problems. This humanizes her as well as openly shows that any weakness can become a strength if one perseveres. She never leads by letting others pave the way. She paves the way! She opens doors for education of minorities in impoverished countries that most of the world has chosen to forget. She also leads through compassion and conviction. What impresses me most about Oprah is she never allowed herself to â€Å"stay down. † She had always managed to overcome all of her personal and professional obstacles to achieve personal and professional success. She values her personal growth and success more, and there again, it shows that she is only human like the rest of us. Even if she were to become poor today, she would still keep trying to learn the life lessons that have made her strong and truly convicted in her belief system. Conversely, what I found unimpressive is her over-playing the race card at times. If she promotes a movie that is predominately African American, she is overly friendly and has even been noted to share some â€Å"private† moment on air that the rest of America may not understand. The favoritism toward these fellow African-Americans can sometimes be nauseating.

Night World : The Chosen Chapter 5

Rashel froze. Her sword remained in the air, poised over the vampire's heart. â€Å"Well, what are you waiting for?† the vampire said. â€Å"Go on and do it.† Rashel didn't know what she was waiting for. The vampire was in a position to block her sword with his wooden handcuffs, but he didn't do any such thing. She could tell by his body language that he wasn't going to, either. Instead he just lay there, looking up at her with eyes that were as dark and empty as the depths of space. His hair was tousled on his forehead and his mouth was a bleak line. He didn't seem afraid. He just went on staring with those fathomless eyes. All right, Rashel thought. Do it. Even the leech is telling you to. Do it fast-now. But instead she found herself pivoting and stepping slowly away from him. â€Å"Sorry,† she said out loud. â€Å"I don't take orders from parasites.† She kept her sword at the ready in case he made any sudden moves. But all he did was glance down at the wooden handcuffs, wiggle his wrists in them, and then lie back. â€Å"I see,† he said with a strange smile. â€Å"So it's torture this time, right? Well, that should be amusing for you.† Stake him, dummy, came the little voice in Rashel's head. Don't talk to him. It's dangerous to get in a conversation with his kind. But she couldn't refocus herself. In a minute, she told the voice. First I have to get my own control back. She knelt in her ready-for-action crouch and picked up the flashlight, turning it full on his face. He blinked and looked away, squinting. There. Now she could see him, but he couldn't see her. Vampire eyes were hypersensitive to light. And even if he did manage to get a glimpse of her, she was wearing her scarf. She had all the advantages, and it made her feel more in command of the situation. â€Å"Why would you think we want to torture you?† she said. He smiled at the ceiling, not trying to look at her. â€Å"Because I'm still alive.† He raised the handcuffs. â€Å"And aren't these traditional? A few vampires from the south shore have turned up mutilated with stocks like these on. It seemed to have been done for fun.† Smile. Vicky's work, Rashel thought. She wished he would stop smiling. It was such a disturbing smile, beautiful and a little mad. â€Å"Unless,† the vampire was going on, â€Å"it's information you want.† Rashel snorted. â€Å"Would I be likely to get information from you if I did want it?† â€Å"Well.† Smile. â€Å"Not likely.† â€Å"I didn't think so,† Rashel said dryly. He laughed out loud. Oh, God, Rashel thought. Stake him. She didn't know what was wrong with her. Okay, he was charming-in a weird way. But she'd known other charming vampires-smooth, practiced flatterers who tried to sweet-talk or cajole their way out of being staked. Some had tried to seduce her. Almost all had tried mind control. It was only because Rashel had the will to resist telepathy that she was alive today. But this vampire wasn't doing any of the ordinary things-and when he laughed, it made Rashers heart thump oddly. His whole face changed when he laughed. A sort of light shone in it. Girl, you are in trouble. Kill him quick. â€Å"Look,† she said, and she was surprised to find her voice a little shaky. â€Å"This isn't personal. And you probably don't care, but I'm not the one who was going to torture you. This is business, and it's what I have to do.† She took a deep breath and reached for the sword by her knee. He turned his face to the light. He wasn't smiling now and there was no amusement in his voice when he said, â€Å"I understand. You've got†¦ honor.† Looking back at the ceiling, he added, â€Å"And you're right, this is the way it always has to end when our two races meet. It's kill or be killed. The law of nature.† He was speaking to her as one warrior to another. Suddenly Rashel felt something she'd never felt for a vampire before. Respect. A strange wish that they weren't on opposite sides in this war. A regret that they could never be anything but deadly enemies. He's somebody I could talk to, she thought. An odd loneliness had taken hold of her. She hadn't realized she cared about having anyone to talk to. She found herself saying awkwardly, â€Å"Is there anybody you want notified-afterward? I mean, do you have any family? I could make sure the news gets around, so they'd know what had happened to you.† She didn't expect him to actually give her any names. That would be crazy. In this game knowledge was power, with each side trying to find out who the players on the other side were. If you could identify someone as a vampire-or a vampire hunter-you knew who to kill. It was Batman and Catwoman all over. The important thing was to preserve your secret identity. But this vampire, who was obviously a lunatic, said thoughtfully, â€Å"Well, you could send a note to my adopted father. He's Hunter Redfern. Sorry I can't give you an address, but he should be somewhere down east.† Another smile. â€Å"I forgot to tell you my name. It's Quinn.† Rashel felt as if she'd been hit with an oak club. Quinn. One of the most dangerous vampires in all the Night World. Maybe the most dangerous of the made vampires, the ones who'd started out human. She knew him by reputation-every vampire hunter did. He was supposed to be a deadly fighter and a brilliant strategist; clever, resourceful†¦ and cold as ice. He despised humans, held them in utter contempt. He wanted the Night World to wipe them out, except for a few to be used for food. I was wrong, Rashel thought dazedly. I should have let Vicky torture him. I'm sure he deserves it, if any of them do. God only knows what he's done in his time. Quinn had turned his head toward her again, looking straight into the flashlight even though it must be hurting his eyes. â€Å"So you see, you'd better kill me fast,† he said in a voice soft as snow falling. â€Å"Because that's certainly what I'm going to do to you if I get loose.† Rashel gave a strained laugh. â€Å"Am I supposed to be scared?† â€Å"Only if you have the brains to know who I am.† Now he sounded tired and scornful. â€Å"Which obviously you don't.† â€Å"Well, let me see. I seem to remember something about the Redferns†¦. Aren't they the family who controls the vampire part of the Night World Council? The most important family of all the lamia, the born vampires. Descended directly from Maya, the legendary first vampire. And Hunter Redfern is their leader, the upholder of Night World law, the one who colonized America with vampires back in the sixteen hundreds. Tell me if I'm getting any of this wrong.† He gave her a cold glance. â€Å"You see, we have our sources. And I seem to remember them mentioning your name, too. You were made a vampire by Hunter†¦ and since his own children were all daughters, you're also his heir.† Quinn laughed sourly. â€Å"Yes, well, that's an on-again, off-again thing. You might say I have a love-hate relationship with the Redferns. We spend most of the time wishing each other at the bottom of the Atlantic.† â€Å"Teh, vampire family infighting,† Rashel said. â€Å"Why is it always so hard to get along with your folks?† Despite her light words, she had to focus to keep control of her breathing. It wasn't fear. She truly wasn't scared of him. It was something like confusion. Clearly, she should be killing him at this moment instead of chatting with him. She couldn't understand why she wasn't doing it. The only excuse she had was that it seemed to make him even more confused and angry than it did her. â€Å"I don't think you've heard enough about me,† he said, showing his teeth. â€Å"I'm your worst nightmare, human. I even shock other vampires. Like old Hunter†¦ he has certain ideas about propriety. How you kill, and who. If he knew some of the things I do, he'd fall down dead himself.† Good old Hunter, Rashel thought. The stiff moral patriarch of the Redfern clan, still caught up in the seventeenth century. He might be a vampire, but he was definitely a New Englander. â€Å"Maybe I should find a way to tell him,† she said whimsically. Quinn gave her another cold look, this time tempered with respect. â€Å"If I thought you could find him, I'd worry.† Rashel was suddenly struck by something. â€Å"You know, I don't think I've ever heard anyone say your first name. I mean, I presume you have one.† He blinked. Then, as if he were surprised himself, he said, â€Å"John.† â€Å"John Quinn. John.† â€Å"I didn't invite you to call me it.† â€Å"All right, whatever.† She said it absently, deep in thought. John Quinn. Such a normal name, a Boston name. The name of a real person. It made her think of him as a person, instead of as Quinn the dreadful. â€Å"Look,† Rashel said, and then she asked him something she'd never asked a Night Person before. She said, â€Å"Did you want Hunter Redfern to make you a vampire?† There was a long pause. Then Quinn said expressionlessly, â€Å"As a matter of fact, I wanted to kill him for it.† â€Å"I see.† I'd want to do the same, Rashel thought. She didn't mean to ask any more questions, but she found herself saying, â€Å"Then why did he do it? I mean, why pick you?† Another pause. Just when she was sure he wouldn't answer, he said, â€Å"I was-I wanted to marry one of his daughters. Her name was Dove.† â€Å"You wanted to marry a vampire?† â€Å"I didn't know she was a vampire!† This time Quinn's voice was quick and impatient. â€Å"Hunter Redfern was accepted in Charlestown. Granted, a few people said his wife had been a witch, but in those days people said that if you smiled in church.† â€Å"So he just lived there and nobody knew,† Rashel said. â€Å"Most people accepted him.† A faint mocking smile curved Quinn's lips. â€Å"My own father accepted him, and he was the minister.† Despite herself, Rashel was fascinated. â€Å"And you had to be a vampire to marry her? Dove, I mean.† â€Å"I didn't get to marry her,† Quinn said tonelessly. He seemed as surprised as she was that he was telling her these things. But he went on, seeming to speak almost to himself. â€Å"Hunter wanted me to marry one of his other daughters. I said I'd rather marry a pig. Garnet-that's the oldest-was about as interesting as a stick of wood. And Lily, the middle one, was evil. I could see that in her eyes. I only wanted Dove.† â€Å"And you told him that?† â€Å"Of course. He agreed to it finally-and then he told me his family's secret. Well.† Quinn laughed bitterly. â€Å"He didn't tell me, actually. It was more of a demonstration. When I woke up, I was dead and a vampire. It was quite an experience.† Rashel opened her mouth and then shut it again, trying to imagine the horror of it. Finally she just said, â€Å"I bet.† They sat for a moment in silence. Rashel had never felt so†¦ close to a vampire. Instead of disgust and hatred, she felt pity. â€Å"But what happened to Dove?† Quinn seemed to tense all over. â€Å"She died,† he said nastily. It was clear that his confidences were over. â€Å"How?† â€Å"None of your business!† Rashel tilted her head and looked at him soberly. â€Å"How, John Quinn? You know, there are some things you really ought to tell other people. It might help.† â€Å"I don't need a damn psychoanalyst,† he spat. He was furious now, and there was a dark light in his eyes that ought to have frightened Rashel. He looked as wild as she felt sometimes, when she didn't care who she hurt. She wasn't frightened. She was strangely calm, the kind of calm she felt when her breathing exercises made her feel one with the earth and absolutely sure of her path. â€Å"Look, Quinn-â€Å" â€Å"I really think you'd better kill me now,† he said tightly. â€Å"Unless you're too stupid or too scared. This wood won't hold forever, you know. And when I get out, I'm going to use that sword on you.† Startled, Rashel looked down at Vicky's handcuffs. They were bent. Not the oak, of course-it was the metal hinges that were coming apart. Soon he'd have enough room to slip them off. He was very strong, even for a vampire. And then, with the same odd calm, she realized what she was going to do. â€Å"Yes, that's a good idea,† she said. â€Å"Keep bending them. I can say that's how you got out.† â€Å"What are you talking about?† Rashel got up and searched for a steel knife to cut the cords on his feet. â€Å"I'm letting you go, John Quinn,† she said. He paused in his wrenching of the handcuffs. â€Å"You're insane,† he said, as if he'd just discovered this. â€Å"You may be right.† Rashel found the knife and slit through the bast cords. He gave the handcuffs a twist. â€Å"If,† he said deliberately, â€Å"you think that because I was a human once, I have any pity on them, you are very, very wrong. I hate humans more than I hate the Redferns.† â€Å"Why?† He bared his teeth. â€Å"No, thank you. I don't have to explain anything to you. Just take my word for it.† She believed him. He looked as angry and as dangerous as an animal in a trap. â€Å"All right,† she said, stepping back and putting her hand on the hilt of her bokken. â€Å"Take your best shot. But remember, I beat you once. I was the one who knocked you out.† He blinked. Then he shook his head in disbelief. â€Å"You little idiot,† he said. â€Å"I wasn't paying attention. I thought you were another of those jerks falling over their own feet. And I wasn't even fighting them seriously.† He sat up in one fluid motion that showed the strength he had, and the control of his own body. â€Å"You don't have a chance,† he said softly, turning those dark eyes on her. Now that he wasn't looking into the flashlight, his pupils were huge. â€Å"You're dead already.† Rashel had a sinking feeling that was telling her the same thing. â€Å"I'm faster than any human,† the soft voice went on. â€Å"I'm stronger than any human. I can see better in the dark. And I'm much, much nastier.† Panic exploded inside Rashel. All at once, she believed him absolutely. She couldn't seem to get her breath, and a void had opened in her stomach. She lost any vestige of her previous calm. He's right-you were an idiot, she told herself wildly. You had every chance to stop him and you blew it. And why? Because you were sorry for him? Sorry for a deranged monster who's going to tear you limb from limb now? Anyone as stupid as that deserves what they get. She felt as if she were falling, unable to get hold of anything†¦. And then suddenly she did seem to catch something. Something that she clung to desperately, trying to resist the fear that wanted to suck her into darkness. You couldn't have done anything else. It was the little voice in her mind, being helpful for once. And, strangely, Rashel knew it was true. She couldn't have killed him when he was tied up and helpless, not without becoming a monster herself. And after hearing his story, she couldn't have ignored the pity she felt. I'm probably going to die now, she thought. And I'm still scared. But I'd do it over again. It was right. She hung on to that as she let the last seconds tick away, the last window of opportunity to stake him while the cuffs still held. She knew they were ticking away, and she knew Quinn knew. â€Å"What a shame to rip your throat out,† he said. Rashel held her ground. Quinn gave the handcuffs a final wrench, and the metal hinges squealed. Then the stocks clattered onto the concrete and he stood up, free. Rashel couldn't see his face anymore; it was above the reach of the flashlight. â€Å"Well,† he said evenly. Rashel whispered, â€Å"Well.† They stood facing each other. Rashel was waiting for the tiny involuntary body movements that would give away which direction he was going to lunge. But he was more still than any enemy she'd ever seen. He kept his tension inside, ready to explode only when he directed it. His control seemed to be complete. He's got zanshin, she thought. â€Å"You're very good,† she said softly. â€Å"Thanks. So are you.† â€Å"Thanks.† â€Å"But it isn't going to matter in the end.† Rashel started to say, â€Å"We'll see†-and he lunged. She had an instant's warning. A barely perceptible movement of his leg told her he was going to spring to his right, her left. Her body reacted without her direction, moving smoothly†¦ and she didn't realize until she was doing it that she wasn't using the sword. She had stepped forward, inside his attack, and deflected it with a mirror palm block, striking the inner side of his arm with her left arm. Hitting the nerves to try and numb the limb. But not cutting him. She realized with a dizzy sense of horror that she didn't want to use the sword on him. â€Å"You are going to die, idiot,† he told her, and for an instant she wasn't sure if it was him saying it or the voice in her head. She tried to push him away. All she could think was that she needed time, time to get her survival reflexes back. She shoved at him–and then her bare hand brushed his, and something happened that was completely beyond her experience.