McDonalds - dissertationt
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION This chapter will give the reader a clear statement of the research question and the problem statement that will be addressed in this research. Moreover, the background information on definitions of key terms and the chosen organisation will be presented. Finally, the 'route map' will be illustrated in order to guide the reader to the rest of the report. .1 Consumer behaviour Referring to Solomon (2006, p.27) consumer behaviour is the study of the processes involved when individuals or groups select, purchase, use or dispose of products, services, idea or experiences. Consumer behaviour focuses on how individuals make decisions to spend their available resources on consumption related items. That includes what they buy, why they buy, when they buy, where they buy it, how often they buy it how often they use it, how they evaluate it after they purchase and the impact of such evaluations on future purchases, and how they dispose it. Schiffman and Kanuk (2004, p.8) 1.1.2 Consumer attitudes According to Ajzen (1998) the attitudes are the first determinant of behaviour intention. In consumer behaviour context attitude is a learned predisposition to behave in a consistently favourable or unfavourable way with respect of a given object. There is a general agreement that attitudes are learned. This means that attitudes relevant to purchase behaviour are
Slovak economic development, measured by GDP, inflation, and Unemployment
Slovak economic development, measured by GDP, inflation, and Unemployment Peter Matay Tomas Koribana Macroeconomics Research paper 20/4/03 Prior to the research, there is need to define, what GDP, Inflation, and Unemployment is. Gross Domestic Product is the value of all goods and services produced in a country during one year.(Macro economy, 11,) The second macroeconomic indicator as well as macroeconomic problem is Inflation. It's occurs when quantity of money within economy increases faster than production showing itself in growth of prices. Unemployment is a problem and macroeconomic indicator as well. When a certain percentage of people that are considered to be a part of labor force, are willing to work but there are not jobs available in the market and therefore they cannot find a job. These 3 macroeconomic indicators and problems (inflation and unemployment), do indicate the state of economy. Also, they influence may the economy in positive and negative way. An example of negative inflatory influence occurred in post war Germany, where the inflation rate was more than 50% and the money had practically no value. The prices of goods and services increased so rapidly, people lost their confidence within the economy. It was calmed just when thigh monetary and disinflatory policy was introduced. Fortunately, with government involvement and concrete disinflatory laws,
The Economic Benifits of a Professional Military
The Economic Benefits of a Professional Military In late 2006, Congressman Charles Rangel, D-NY, made headlines when he proposed a bill to reinstate military conscription. Citing a disproportionate number of poor and minority groups in the enlisted service, as well as the current administration's unpopular war in Iraq, Congressman Rangel portrayed mandatory service as an equitable way to spread the obligation of national security. Rangel also argued that under conscription, politicians would be less likely to vote for pre-emptive military action knowing that such a move would be unpopular with constituents. In addition to Congressman Rangel's arguments, others have questioned the U.S.'s ability to cope with the global war on terror given its current military size. The debate over whether a professional army is better than one derived by conscription, and vice versa, is one that has been waged for hundreds of years. Our analysis is a look into the economic arguments for why a professional army, i.e. an all volunteer force, is better than one created via conscription, or as it is more popularly known in the US a "draft". It is important to note however that our arguments are based on the underlying assumption that the United States is not in a "Full War" situation. Under Full War circumstances, a country mobilizes all of its available resources in an effort to prevent
A critique of Gallaher & Robinson's 'The Imperialism of Free Trade'
A critique of Gallaher & Robinson's 'The Imperialism of Free Trade' "The Imperialism of Free Trade" was written by John Gallagher and Ronald Robinson in 1953, and marked a sharp break with the orthodox theory of Victorian imperialism. In the article, Gallagher and Robinson rejected the idea of a supposed mid-Victorian period of anti-imperialism ("mid-Victorian indifference"), arguing that in order to properly understand the phenomenon of nineteenth century imperialism it was necessary to redefine the historiographical approach, to include the concept of "informal empire", which to them "ought to be a commonplace." Gallagher and Robinson proposed a new definition of imperialism, as being a process of integrating new regions into an expanding economy by political means (through an active government policy). The final component of the hypothesis was the theme of continuity in this process of imperialism. As briefly mentioned earlier, Gallagher and Robinson rejected the idea that imperialism could be neatly categorized into distinct and separate phases of "indifference" and "enthusiasm", dependent upon the rise and fall of free trade. For them, imperialism was a continuous event that operated through various methods, informal and formal - a view expressed in the phrase, "trade with informal control if possible: trade with rule when necessary." The major critic of "The
Gartland Steel.
Case Facts Gartland Steel was a fully integrated steel producer, the fourth largest in the US. It was the largely accepted industry leader in sensitivity to environmental issues and in its actions to alleviate pollution. The Clean Air Act of 1970 created the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) to establish and enforce air quality goals. The standards postulated threshold levels beyond which ambient pollutants were damaging to health and welfare. Emission rates standards were set 'stack-by-stack' for most industrial processes. Though the aim was to bring most of the geographical areas within the purview of the Act, 160 of the 247 regions were non-compliant by the 1975 deadline. The main reason was found to be the high costs of implementing 'stack-by-stack' standards. Offset Policy To counter this problem, the EPA created the 'offset' policy which allowed firms to trade pollution rights within non-attainment regions. In this policy, the companies were allowed intra-pollution category trading but not inter-pollution category trading. This led to a market in pollution rights. Bubble Policy This was a derivative of the offset policy. As per this policy, a firm would be free to decide how to bring the net level of pollution within standards, as against installation of mandated stack-by-stack equipment. The policies were however complex and approval by authorities was
Advise on the changes in citizens' welfare caused by the increase in university fees, considering the resultant partial switch from public to private funding of university education.
Microeconomic Essay 2003/04 Advise on the changes in citizens' welfare caused by the increase in university fees, considering the resultant partial switch from public to private funding of university education. Citizen Welfare can be measured using several economic forms of analysis. The current controversy over the introduction of top up fees have led people to evaluate the effective increase in consumer prices. Any change in policy can have both good and bad effects on different groups of society. For many problems in society, we wish to observe the effects of a policy change and its repercussions on the welfare of society. In this paper I will attempt to discuss the result of an increase in university fees by examining the Marshallian and the Hicksian measures of consumer surplus. I will consider the differences in analysis and the outcome of applying them to the situation. In the situation of an increase in fees, we are essentially looking at an increase in price. The diagram below shows a monetary loss due to the increase in price from p1 to p2. Students are now paying more for their tuition they are consuming. After the price increase the student moves from x1 to x2 at a new higher price of p2. Each unit of education is now more expensive by an amount of (p2 - p1). The result of this means that the student now has to pay (p2 - p1)x2 more money than before.1 Due to
There are many benefits in free trade yet so many countries erect trade barriers - Explain why this is so using examples from the global economy
Introduction to Global Economics: Coursework Assessment 1: There are many benefits in free trade yet so many countries erect trade barriers. Explain why this is so using examples from the global economy. Develop the following points - The advantages and disadvantages of free trade - Barriers to trade - Reasons for Protectionism The aim of my essay is to explain free trade within an economy and its features. I will also assess the advantages and disadvantages associated with free trade. I will then proceed to explain the barriers that can be erected by countries towards trade and the reasons for Protectionism. I will illustrate this by using examples from the global economy. Free Trade is "where countries remove tariffs and quotas between themselves and the countries they trade with" (Sloman, Essentials of Economics, p 415). Countries participate in trade for a variety of reasons: to develop, to specialise, reduce costs and to achieve comparative advantages. Because of these reasons it makes sense to remove barriers between the countries they trade with to reap all the advantages. Many countries make a move towards free trade by joining preferential trading arrangements. Preferential trading systems generally are based on the regional grouping of countries and allow countries to remove restrictions between themselves and member countries, but maintain them with the
Quality control and Quality assurance within Sainsbury's
SAINSBURY'S Quality control and Quality assurance within Sainsbury's Quality control and quality assurance are very different; even though their ultimate objective is the same-to provide a guarantee of product quality to the end user. Sensory appraisal of product quality is essential in ensuring that product of acceptable quality is available for consumer purchase. Description of product quality must be standardised to ensure that quality assessments are carried out objectively. A course has been set up in conjunction with Sainsbury's to enable their suppliers to understand the principles and practice of sensory evaluation, and how to apply these within the Sainsbury's Quality Attribute System (QAS). Quality control Business in the past accepted that you could not guarantee quality; they were bound to make some mistakes. In recent years customers have grown to except a higher degree of quality. This effected many retail outlets, as they now needed to increase the standards of their products, which meant changing the ways products are checked and inspected before being put to the public eye. Quality assurance Quality assurance is based on the idea that quality is everybody's responsibility. Sainsbury's emphasis is on trying to ensure goods and services are produced free of faults. Quality assurance in Sainsbury's is based on the belief that if everybody involved in the
A New Slave Trade
A New Slave Trade How would you like to work all day, all year, all the time and not get any money? (pause) This is what trade is doing. (pause) Put yourself in Mundo's situation. You would work all day, all year, all the time and not get any money(pause). You have been a farmer all your life. You have always worked in the fields. You grow cocoa beans that make the chocolate that those in rich countries, like the UK, so often eat, while you are starving. You haven't been to school, you haven't the money. You can't read or write and you would love to go to school, even though those in the UK may not like it much. (pause) This is what trade is doing. (pause) Trade is now worth four trillion pounds- that is four with twelve zeros- and it's growing. If only people like Mundo could benefit. Imagine the huge impact on their lives. They could have some food and water. But with the trade rules, surely money is fairly shared out. This is what trade isn't doing. (pause) Why do they need to be changed? Why are we so harsh towards those who really need it? Aren't all men equal? Aren't we all the same? The answer is we are. But the trade rules don't show this. According to the rules, the trade decisions are fairly made. But this doesn't happen. Countries need to pay for expert negotiators, but some can't. while Japan has twenty five of them, others have none. (pause) Why do many
On the Wealth of Nations
Alex P Keaton Econ 202 Spring 09 On The Wealth Of Nations On the Wealth of Nations by P.J. O'Rourke is a focus and commentary on the economic and political works of Adam Smith. Adam Smith wrote Wealth in 1776 in an effort to thwart Mercantilism. I read Common Sense by Thomas Pain last semester and was interested to learn the beginnings of American Democracy and wanted to read The Wealth of Nations, which was written during the same time period as the two were developing ideas of free democracy and free markets. To understand the fundamental ideas of economics one must learn the foundation Adam Smith laid out in Wealth, like one must read Keynes to understand modern economics. I have also been a huge fan of P.J. O'Rourke's from having watched him for years on "Politically Incorrect" and presently on "Real Time with Bill Maher." O'Rourke is a republican and usually by himself in that regard on these programs. As a democrat, I feel his courage and rationalism is essential to the moderate and liberal forum in which I have seen him. O'Rourke tackles every issue without giving political tag lines or belligerent arguing. He is funny, consistent, and well informed leaving the audience to at least question their own ideas without political bias. And up to this point, he is one of only a few media personalities to critique both Bush and Obama clearly and without
