The Economic Factors Affecting Poverty

Poverty is a major problem in the United States today. This mind map includes the categories of individual behavior, social factors, economic factors, political factors, and cultural factors are all contributing forces that causes poverty. For economic factors, low wages would be the variable that would lead to poverty. Families that receive low wages would barely support their living expenses. Thus they would not have enough money for programs that would aid their children†s education. Some families think that crime has better incentives than working a low paying job and thus crime could be put in as an economic factor that leads to poverty. Not having enough money for programs like education leads to the individual behavior of illiteracy and lower education, since the parents cannot afford to send their children to upper level education. And if these children know that they have no future in higher education, they will not have the motivation to do well in school and thus dropping out of school. In turn this will lead to having low self-esteem because they know that they will basically be stuck in poverty for the rest of their lives. This will eventually lead to substance abuse because they need something to overcome their high levels of stress that is produced by low self-esteem. In turn substance abuse could lead to sickness and disease, and then could possibly lead to mental illness. Once this happens, individual behavior will cause families to be in poverty. For social factors, discrimination would be the variable that causes poverty. Racial discrimination from an employer could lead for that person to not receive a higher paying job, in which could lead to violence from the potential employee towards the employer. In turn a crime could be committed in revolt of the employer. Thus the social factor of violence interconnects with the economic factor of crime. Also racial discrimination could lead to institutional discrimination. Thus this will lead to substandard schools in which teachers are told to split up a class and place each student in a designated group depending on their race and the teacher†s assumptions of the student†s learning ability from their social classifications. For cultural factors, biased IQ test would be interconnected to substandard schools. These tests measure a student†s school achievement. And if there are substandard schools, the students who are placed into the higher groups, the will do better than those who are placed in a lower group. And thus these IQ tests would lead to the deficiency theory, which suggests that ‘the poor are poor because they do not measure up to the more well to do in intellectual endowment.† Also the social factor of racial discrimination is interconnected to the cultural factor of minority race. Those who are the minority, the main culture will produce basic assumptions about minority†s abilities to be successful or well to do. For political factors, meritocracy would be interconnected to minority race. Meritocracy basically is the social classification by ability. Thus the assumptions produced will the levels of ability. The power elite produces meritocracy. These are the people who believe that ‘the fundamental assumption of capitalism is individual gain without regard for what the resulting behaviors may mean for other people†, especially those in poverty. Also the poor are not significantly counted in the US Census, so the government is misinformed on the levels of poverty.

Ben & Jerry Case Analysis

Strategic Analysis of Ben & Jerry’s Homemade, Inc. Can B&J Serve a Double Scoop of Being Green and Making Green? ESM 210 Professor Delmas Final Paper November 21, 2000 Alex Tuttle Vicky Krikelas 1 BEN & JERRY’S ICE CREAM Table of Contents INTRODUCTION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. MARKET DESCRIPTION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. FIRM DESCRIPTION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. THE MISSION STATEMENT†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 1 1 1 2 GENERAL CORPORATE STRATEGY†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 2 CORPORATE ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGY†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 4 STRATEGY ANALYSIS†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 8 Five Forces Model of Competition†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 8 SWOT Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 11 Key Succ ess Factors†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 11 STRATEGIC CONSISTENCIES†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 12 STRATEGIC DISCONNECTS†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 13 UNILEVER ACQUISITION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 14 RECOMMENDATIONS & CONCLUSION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 15 BIBLIOGRAPHY†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢ € ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 17 Figures FIGURE 1. FIGURE 2. FIGURE 3. FIGURE 4. FIGURE 5. ANNUAL REVENUES†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 4 ANNUAL RECYCLING†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 7 PORTER’S 5 FORCES MODEL †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦9 SWOT ANALYSIS†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦11 KEY FACTORS OF SUCCESS†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã ¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 2 2 3 INTRODUCTION Ben & Jerry’s is an innovative leader in the super premium ice cream industry. The company blends a commitment to provide all natural, high quality ice cream with a commitment towards social activism and environmental responsibility. This report will analyze both the company’s environmental strategy and general corporate strategy in order to identify the consistencies and disparities (if any) between these strategies and to determine whether a â€Å"green† company such as Ben & Jerry’s can sustain a competitive advantage.We will also discuss the potential impacts on the company’s strategic vision in light of the recent acquisition by Unilever. Our analysis will focus on examining the strengths and weaknesses of the environmental and general corporate strategies in light of its internal resources and external competitive and non-market forces. MARKET DE SCRIPTION Ben & Jerry’s operates in the highly competitive super premium ice cream, frozen yogurt and sorbet business.Super premium ice cream is generally characterized by a greater richness and density than other kinds of ice cream and commands a relatively higher price. The company’s two primary competitors include Haagen-Dazs (a member of the Ice Cream Partners organization) and Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream Company, which introduced its Godiva and Dreamery super premium ice cream line in the fall of 1999. Other significant competitors include Healthy Choice, Nestle and Starbucks (SEC Report, 1999). FIRM DESCRIPTION Ben & Jerry's Homemade, Inc. the Vermont-based manufacturer of super-premium ice cream, frozen yogurt and sorbet, was founded in 1978 in a renovated gas station in Burlington, Vermont, by childhood friends Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield with a modest $12,000 investment. The company is now a leading ice cream manufacturing company known worldwide for it s innovative flavors and all-natural ingredients made from fresh Vermont milk and cream (www. benjerry. com). Manufacturing of all Ben & Jerry’s frozen dessert products occurs in the company’s three plants located in Vermont.The company distributes ice cream, low fat ice cream, frozen yogurt, sorbet and novelty products nationwide as well as in selected foreign countries in supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, franchised Ben & Jerry's scoop shops, restaurants and other venues. Outside of Vermont, the products are distributed primarily through Dreyer’s and other independent regional ice cream distributors. Unilever, a multinational food and personal products company recently acquired Ben & Jerry’s in spring 2000. The Ben & Jerry's Board of Directors approved Unilever's offer of $43. 60 per share for all of the 8. million outstanding shares, valuing the transaction at $326 million (www. lib. benjerry. com, October, 2000). Under the terms of the agreement, Ben & Jerry's will operate separately from Unilever's current U. S. ice cream business. There will be an independent 4 Board of Directors, which will focus on providing leadership for Ben & Jerry's social mission and brand integrity. Both co-founders will continue to be involved with Ben & Jerry's, and the company will continue to be Vermont-based. THE MISSION STATEMENT Ben & Jerry’s adopted a three-part mission statement formalizing the company’s business philosophy.According to the company’s home page (www. benjerry. com), the mission statement is as follows: Product Mission: to make, distribute and sell the finest quality all-natural ice cream and related products in a wide variety of innovative flavors made from Vermont dairy products. Social Mission: to operate the company in a way that actively recognizes the central role that business plays in the structure of society by initiating innovative ways to improve the quality of life of a broad comm unity: local, national, and international.Economic Mission: to operate the company on a sound financial basis of profitable growth, increasing value to our shareholders and creating career opportunities and financial rewards for our employees. Underlying this mission is the determination to seek innovative ways of addressing all three components, while holding a deep respect for employees and the community at large. GENERAL CORPORATE STRATEGY Ben & Jerry's corporate strategy strives to implement the three integrated missions described above: developing a high-quality product, achieving economic growth and profitability, and incorporating social activism.The general corporate strategy can be characterized as a focused or market niche strategy based primarily on product differentiation and quality production. Although focused differentiation strategies target a narrow buyer segment, this strategy helps Ben & Jerry’s gain a strong competitive advantage as it can offer consumers something they perceive is appealingly different from rival competitors—innovative super-premium ice cream flavors that taste better and consist of all natural, high quality ingredients.In addition to differentiating its product from other ice cream competitors, Ben & Jerry’s general strategy combines several other key components, including fostering a company image of social activism, creating brand loyalty, franchising the company to aid economic growth, and developing creative advertising campaigns. Product Differentiation One means of gaining a competitive advantage is through the use of a differentiation strategy to provide a better product that buyers believe is worth the premium price (Thompson and Strickland, 1998).Since higher quality ice cream generally costs more than the economy and regular types of ice cream, Ben and Jerry’s has incorporated product differentiation in its general corporate strategy in order to command a higher price. The use of all- natural, high quality 5 ingredients and the innovative flavors of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream illustrates the strategic use of product differentiation to gain a competitive advantage in the ice cream market.Quirky flavor names such as Chubby Hubby, Wavy Gravy, Phish Food, and Chunky Monkey also set Ben & Jerry’s apart from the traditionally-named ice cream products of rival companies. Furthermore, the use of recycled materials and dioxin-free (unbleached) paper in product packaging contributes to the uniqueness of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and helps keep its costs down. Socially-Conscious Company Image Ben & Jerry’s strives to be an independent, socially-conscious Vermont company that supports local dairy farmers.Several examples illustrate how Ben & Jerry’s implements this corporate strategy. For instance, the company donates 7. 5% of pretax profits to philanthropic causes through the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation, community action teams, and through corporate grants (http://www. hoovers. com). The company also donates free ice cream during public events and community celebrations in the Vermont area, and contributes a percentage of the profits earned from ice cream sold in Vermont retail stores to fund local charities (SEC Report, 1999).Furthermore, the company has ensured the long-term viability of its own key suppliers, the Vermont dairy farmers, by executing a strategic decision to pay more than a specified minimum price for its dairy ingredients (SEC Report, 1999). Brand loyalty Developing brand loyalty is another strategic move to strengthen competitive advantage. Ben & Jerry’s has made substantial efforts to gain a favorable reputation and image with buyers through its frequent promotional campaigns (i. e. , Free Cone Day), donations to social causes (i. , Ben & Jerry Foundation), and the use of eco-friendly products, as discussed below under Environmental Strategy. This strategy has proven successful; the 1999 Har ris Interactive Poll regarding buyer perception of corporate reputability ranked Ben & Jerry’s first in the â€Å"social responsibility† category and fifth overall (SEC Report, 1999). Small-Scale Growth and Franchising The economic mission of the company (to achieve profitability, increase value to shareholders and create career opportunities) is implemented through Ben & Jerry’s strategy for small-scale business growth.Ben & Jerry’s has maximized profitability by initially starting small and slowly building an ice-cream business over time (Spolsky, 2000). Ultimately, the success at the small-scale required the company to shift its corporate strategy toward the establishment of several franchised â€Å"scoop shops† throughout the nation and Europe. As of 1999, there were approximately 164 scoop shops in North America (SEC, 1999). These scoop shops serve as a major employment resource and a source of revenue for non-profit groups.In addition, Ben & Jerry’s gains a competitive advantage through franchising by expanding market share, increasing revenue and publicizing the company’s brand name using minimal amounts of startup capital. As shown in Figure 1, Ben & Jerry’s has achieved substantial, yet gradual, growth in revenues since 1993. Marketing Strategy According to the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) annual report, Ben & Jerry’s use of natural ingredients, high product quality, periodic introduction of new flavors, focus on grass- 6 roots community involvement and the â€Å"down home† local image are essential elements of the company’s marketing strategy.The company’s Waterbury ice cream factory is the single most popular tourist attraction in Vermont. In addition, the company is well known for it’s creative television advertising and public relations campaigns. The use of innovative online marketing and web-based promotions with Yahoo have further emphasized this image and strengthened brand name recognition (SEC Report, 1999). Ben & Jerry's Annual Revenue: 1993-1998 225 $ (in millions) 200 175 150 125 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 Year Figure 1. Annual Revenue for Ben & Jerry’s: 1993 to 1998. Source: Ben & Jerry’s 1998 CERES Report.CORPORATE ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGY In 1992, Ben & Jerry’s became the first publicly held company to adopt the CERES (Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies) principles as part of its environmental strategy (Ben & Jerry’s 1998 CERES Report). CERES is a non-profit coalition of interest groups working in partnership with companies towards the goal of corporate environmental responsibility worldwide. This involvement with CERES is evidence of the company’s dedication to protecting the environment and insurance that consideration is made to the environment when managing and operating its business.The CERES principles are as follows: †¢ Protection of the Biosphere 7 â € ¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Sustainable Use of Natural Resources Reduction and Disposal of Wastes Energy Conservation Risk Reduction Safe Products and Services Environmental Restoration Public Outreach and Education Management Commitment Audits and Reports Ben & Jerry’s believes that â€Å"businesses should be among the leaders in the social change necessary to repair and prevent the damage that the human race is capable of inflicting upon natural cycles through everyday corporate, national, international, local and personal practices† (ibid).By integrating the CERES principles into the company’s overall goals, Ben & Jerry’s strives to develop a comprehensive environmental strategy that conforms to its mission of making an exemplary product, earning a fair return, and serving its community. Ben & Jerry’s environmental goals as a company are to minimize its negative impacts on the environment, promote sustai nable farming and safe methods of food production that reduce environmental degradation, and use its business as a medium for environmental and social change.In order to accomplish this strategy there are numerous policies and activities that the company is executing, or has plans to execute in the near future. By analyzing Ben & Jerry’s environmental strategy within the framework of the Principle Strategy-Implementing Tasks, as outlined in Chapter 9 of Crafting and Implementing Strategy (Thompson and Strickland, 1998), we can effectively examine the steps the company is taking to best achieve its goals. These actions are visible in all aspects of the company and are proof of the company’s commitment to its environmental strategy.There is an ever-present culture within Ben & Jerry’s of environmental awareness and interest in company greening. In implementing its strategy, Ben & Jerry’s has worked to ensure that every employee is involved and that values a re shared throughout the company. Within the management structure of the company, efforts are made to make sure that the Board of Directors and CEO are fully informed about pertinent environmental issues and are fully responsible for environmental policy. In addition, the company considers demonstrated environmental commitments when selecting Board members.As the founders, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield continue to provide strong environmental leadership that is crucial to effective implementation of the company’s environmental strategy. There is significant dialogue within the chain of command of the company. At each manufacturing site in Vermont there is an Environmental Coordinator who is in charge of operating and monitoring environmental activities. These coordinators meet with the Manager of Natural Resource Use on a monthly basis. Through this dialogue, nvironmental strategies for company-wide and site-specific compliance and operations are made. The Manager of Natural Resource Use reports to the Senior Director of Operations who in turn reports to the CEO (ibid). This flow of information ensures that every decision-maker is aware of environmental issues and considers these factors when running the business. 8 There is also a significant employee environmental awareness and education campaign within the company. Programs such as the company-wide Environmental Awareness Week promotes employee knowledge of environmental issues.During orientation, new employees are introduced to the environmental policies of the company by the Manager of Natural Resource Use (ibid). In addition, there are employee-led groups called Green Teams that work on company-related projects like recycling, composting, and writing â€Å"eco-facts† for the company newspaper (ibid). This activism and knowledge-share that is built into the company network contributes to the success of its environmental strategy by enabling company personnel to better carry out their strate gic roles.In addition to this internal communication, the company also uses various strategies to build public interest and awareness in environmental issues. This succeeds in not only promoting the goals of the company, but also in adding to the competitive advantage of the company by gaining public support and loyalty. Ben & Jerry’s website has a plethora of information on its environmental policies, activities, and accomplishments. The importance that the company places on these issues is shown by the fact that some of this information is highlighted on the home page (www. benjerry. om, 2000). Other tools the company uses for disseminating information to the public are the publications of the Annual Report and CERES Report, as well as position papers on dioxin and rBGH at their scoop shops. In addition, the company puts on an annual festival encouraging public awareness of environmental and social issues (CERES Report, 1998). In order to be successful in implementing its e nvironmental strategy, Ben & Jerry’s has established many strategy-supportive policies company-wide. These are detailed in the company’s 1998 CERES Report. These policies apply to all U. S. ocations and international locations under the company’s direct ownership. The Manager of Natural Resource Use continually updates them whenever new technologies, concerns, or standards emerge. Examples of these include: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Beginning in 1997, all uncontaminated waste oils from its plants are re-refined by a certified handler to be reused. In 1994 the company created a list of approved environmentally friendly cleaning and office supplies that is continually updated when appropriate. Scoop shops are built with environmentally sound material, such as tiles and countertops made of recycled materials.The â€Å"Contractor’s Handbook† contains environmental requirements for all outside parties working at Ben & Jerry’s sites. Another area that is crucial to ensure that environmental strategies are achieved is in the allocation of resources to strategy-critical activities and the institution of best practices for continuous improvement. The company puts a lot of energy into exploring opportunities for waste reduction, recycling, and energy use. In addition, the company tracks the cost and impacts of all waste and energy use associated with the production process.Using a system of integrated environmental tracking tables the company reports on solid, hazardous, wastewater, and dairy waste production, energy use, and recycling. This information is used to identify trends and set 9 goals. As a result of this work the company has demonstrated continual improvement in its solid-waste recycling, rising from 35% in 1995 to 53% in 1998. Figure 2 shows the amount of waste the company has recycled between 1995 and 1998. In 1998, a Packaging Innovation Group was created with a goal reducing waste from ingredient packaging (ibid. ).In 1997, the company conducted a project to develop a pint container that would be more environmentally sustainable and compostable. The company invested hundreds of man-hours to analyze sources of chlorine-free paper for their â€Å"Eco-Pint† (ibid. ). The release of this product is in direct line with the company’s environmental strategy and presents a major step forward in its goal to develop a compostable, non-toxic container. Annual Recycling at Ben & Jerry's Tons of Solid Waste 1000 800 600 400 200 0 1995 1996 Year 1997 1998 Figure 2. Annual Solid Waste Recycling at Ben & Jerry’s between 1995 and 1998.Source: Ben & Jerry’s 1998 CERES Report. Ben & Jerry’s realizes the importance of community participation and accountability. Consistent with its environmental strategy, Ben & Jerry’s uses its business as a means of promoting environmentalism, small-scale agriculture, human rights, and economic justice. This is achieved through C orporate Giving to organizations like Natural Resources Defense Council and the Vermont Land Trust, the establishment of the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation which funds non-profit social and environmental organizations across the United States, and Community Actions Teams.These teams are made up of Ben & Jerry’s employees who organize annual major community projects in their area and provide grants to various community-based organizations. All told, Ben & Jerry’s donates approximately 7. 5% of its pre-tax profits annually (ibid. ). 10 Another means by which the company seeks to achieve its environmental strategy is through management of its supply chain. Ben & Jerry’s is consistently working to purchase ingredients and other inputs from environmentally and socially responsible sources. The company has a Vendor Certification Program in which 80% of its suppliers were enrolled by the end of 1998 (ibid. . As part of the assessment process, Ben & Jerry’s eval uates the environmental competencies of potential suppliers and considers this information when determining whether or not to do business. In addition, Ben & Jerry’s only purchases dairy supplies from family farmers who pledge not to treat their cows with rBGH, because of the adverse effects it has on sustainable agriculture (ibid. ). By working with its suppliers, Ben & Jerry’s attempts to ensure that its environmental goals are shared throughout its supply chain. This leads to a more effective implementation of its overall strategy.STRATEGY ANALYSIS An analysis of the external and internal forces shaping the ice cream industry is necessary in order to determine the effectiveness of Ben & Jerry’s current (and prospective) corporate and environmental strategies. We will utilize several analytical tools to characterize the strengths and liabilities of the industry and the effectiveness of the company’s strategy, particularly through the use of the Five For ces Model of Competition, the Sixth (Non-Market) Force analysis, SWOT analysis, and the key factors of success.Five Forces Model of Competition In order to identify and assess the strength of external competitive forces on the ice cream industry we utilized a common analytical tool, Porter’s Five Forces Model of Competition, which is based on the following five factors: rivalry among competing sellers, bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers of key inputs, substitute products and potential new entrants to the market (Thomas and Strickland, 1995). Figure 3 summarizes the competitive strength of these forces on the ice cream industry.Rivalry Among Competing Sellers The principal competitors in the super-premium ice cream industry are large, diversified companies with significantly greater resources than Ben & Jerry’s; the primary competitors include Dreyers and Haagen-Dazs. Rivalry can be characterized as intense, given that numerous competitors exist, the cost of switching to rival brands is low, and the sales-increasing tactics employed by Dreyers and other rivals threatens to boosts rivals’ unit volume of production (SEC Report, 1999).Buyers The power of buyers is relatively high because buyers are large, consisting of individual customers, grocery stores, convenience stores, and restaurants nationwide and globally. Since retailers purchase ice cream products in large quantities, this gives buyers substantial leverage over price. In addition, there are many ice cream products to choose from, so the buyers’ cost of switching to competing brands is relatively low. In order to defend against this competitive force, a company’s strategy must include strong product differentiation so that buyers are less able to switch over without incurring large costs. 1 Suppliers The suppliers to the ice cream industry include dairy farmers, paper container manufacturers, and suppliers of various flavorings. Such suppliers ar e a moderate competitive force, given that the ice cream industry they are supplying is a major customer, there are multiple suppliers throughout the nation to choose from, and many of the suppliers’ viability is tied to the wellbeing of large, established companies such as Dreyers and Haagen-Dazs. Therefore, the ice cream suppliers have moderate leverage to bargain over price.Substitute Products Many substitutes products are available within the dessert and frozen food industry (cookies, pies, Popsicles, cake). The ease with which buyers can switch to substitute products is an indicator of the strength of this competitive force. Since substitute products are readily available and attractively priced compared to the relatively higher priced super-premium ice cream products, the competitive pressures posed by substitute products are intense. Companies that enter the super-premium market, therefore, must adopt defensive strategies that convince buyers their higher priced produc t has better features (i. . , quality, taste, innovative flavors) that more than make up for the difference in price. Potential New Entrants The barriers to entry within the ice cream industry are moderate due to the brand preferences and customer loyalty toward the larger and more established rival companies. Other obstacles to new entrants include strong brand loyalty to established firms and economic factors, such as the requirement for large sources of capital, specialized mixing facilities and manufacturing plants.In addition, the accessibility of distribution channels can be difficult for an unknown firm with little or no brand recognition. Although Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield successfully launched their ice cream business from a gas station with modest funding and staff, they had to initially rely on a rival company’s distribution channels (and later on independent distributors) in order to gain a stronger foothold in the market. Figure 3. Porter’s Model of t he Five Competitive Forces S ubstituteProducts Many S ubstitute sBuye rs S trong le rage ve Largenum rs be Rivalry Among Competing Sellers Many large established rivals S upplie rs Mode le rage rate ve Ne Entrants w Mode Barrie to rate rs Entry 12 As discussed above, several competitive forces on the ice cream industry are relatively strong, suggesting that it is a difficult industry to be competitive in. However, Ben & Jerry’s implementation of a differentiation strategy has helped the company effectively defend against these forces and gain a competitive advantage.The use of higher quality ingredients and ecofriendly packaging has created a unique brand image that helps develop brand loyalty and beat rival competitors to the market. The company’s social activism toward the community and use of innovative flavors also help insulate the firm from the strong bargaining power of buyers since rival firms and/or products are relatively less attractive. Similarly, Ben & Jer ry’s product differentiation strategy also allows the company to fend off threats of substitute products that don’t have comparable features.The company’s differentiation strategy also mitigates the threat of potential entrants due to high buyer loyalty for a superior product. The moderate threat posed by suppliers is tackled by two other facets of the company’s strategy: ensuring the viability of suppliers by paying premium prices for raw materials, and redesigning the distribution network to gain more control and reduce reliance on rival distribution channels. The â€Å"Sixth† Force (Non-Market Forces) Industry Regulations Ben & Jerry’s is subject to regulation by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Vermont Department of Agriculture.In response to stringent labeling criteria for healthoriented foods, the company made changes in its labeling regarding its low fat/low cholesterol products (SEC Report, 1999). FDA regu lations may potentially affect the ability of the company, as well as rival firms in the ice cream industry, to develop and market new frozen dessert products. However, given that Ben & Jerry’s is already in compliance with the FDA, it is unlikely that such regulations will have a significant impact on the company’s operations.Other regulatory forces include potential RCRA liability due to the company’s generation of hazardous materials during the manufacturing process. However, Ben & Jerry’s is currently exempt from these hazardous materials regulations since the level of hazardous materials generated is below the threshold for requiring a permit; indeed, by staying small and maintaining regulatory compliance, the company gains a competitive advantage over larger companies that may have to meet stricter regulations or be more susceptible to non-compliance.Public and Stakeholders Public and stakeholder concerns over health and nutrition and environmental pollution exert a strong force on the ice cream industry. The heightened consumer awareness and demand for low-cholesterol or low-fat foods can force companies to respond with ingredient substitutions and differentiated product lines to stay in business. Similarly, the increasing consumer trend toward supporting eco-friendly product packaging and all-natural, organic ingredients can cause ice cream companies to revise their strategies.Ben & Jerry’s, with it’s commitment to providing all natural ingredients, a low-fat ice cream line, and chlorine-free paper for example, is in a better position to attract those consumers who are willing to pay more to get more. Given Ben & Jerry’s proactive strategic approach, the company can effectively insulate itself from these public pressures and enjoys a significant competitive advantage over those companies that resist incorporating socially progressive or eco-friendly values into their strategies. 13SWOT Analysis Another m eans of analyzing the strategies of the company is by examining the strengths and weaknesses of its internal resources, and then exploring the external threats and opportunities facing the company. By developing a clear understanding of these factors, we can evaluate where the company should go from here. Figure 4 identifies these forces for both the general corporate and environmental strategies of Ben & Jerry’s. Based on our analysis, we feel that much of the company’s internal strengths and external opportunities lie within its environmental strategy.This gives further evidence to suggest that the environmental and corporate strategies are well integrated, and that this integration is crucial to the future success of the company. Figure 4. SWOT Analysis of Ben & Jerry’s Strengths Product Differentiation Brand Name & Image Creative Advertising & Promotion Innovation Environmental Leader Threats Image Deterioration Increased Competition Shift in Buyer Preferenc es Loss of Sales to Substitutes Bush Presidency Conflicts with Unilever Weaknesses Dependence on Outside Distribution High Cost Financial Instability Geographic LimitationsOpportunities Growing Consumer Environmental Interest Geographic Expansion Market Diversification Alliances Key Success Factors A successful strategy incorporates the company’s efforts to be competent on all of the industry’s key success factors and to excel on at least one factor (Thompson and Strickland, 1998). In the highly competitive super-premium ice cream industry, the key factors of success include product 14 differentiation, a strong distribution network, brand loyalty and clever advertising.As shown in Figure 5, Ben & Jerry’s excels in these (and other) key factors, and has a particular expertise on product differentiation to gain a competitive advantage. Product Differentiation All-natural ingredients Innovative flavors High quality Brand Loyalty Favorable reputation with environmen tally-aware consumers Access to Distribution Network use of independent suppliers and existing channels Social Activism Corporate philanthropy Ben & Jerry’s Fund Eco-friendly Product Dioxin-free pint containers Recycled materials Hormone-free dairy supplyClever advertising Free ice cream samples Grassroots and local image Figure 5. Ben & Jerry’s Key Factors of Success. STRATEGIC CONSISTENCIES According to the Ben & Jerry’s Mission Statement, the goal of the company is to integrate product quality with economic success and social responsibility. One of the key strategic factors that successfully links these three missions together is the differentiation strategy. In this respect, the environmental and general corporate strategies are very much in tune with each other.Differentiation not only increases the competitive advantage of Ben & Jerry’s, but it also leads to environmental excellence in the operation of the company. By focusing its attention and ener gy on recycling, energy efficiency, and product innovation, Ben & Jerry’s can reduce its impact on the environment while at the same time reducing product cost. This is being achieved through the work of the Packaging Information Group that focuses on reducing the incoming packaging which adds to the waste stream, and the production of the compostable â€Å"Eco-Pint. † These and other actions help build a competitive advantage within the market.By using allnatural, rBGH-free ingredients and dioxin-free containers, Ben & Jerry’s can also attract environmentally minded consumers to its products, thus increasing market share. At the same time, this practice helps protect the environment and support family-farming and sustainable agriculture. Therefore, this differentiation strategy has the versatility of providing a better product that can attract customers, command a higher price, and protect the environment, thus satisfying the three integral parts of the company ’s mission and both the corporate and environmental strategies.In order for this environmental differentiation strategy to be sustainable there needs to be a willingness among customers to pay for environmental quality, credible information about the company’s environmental attributes, and insulation against imitation. The company’s steady 15 growth in revenue over the last few years shows that the customer base is there and that they are more than willing to pay a premium price for a superior quality product. Ben & Jerry’s addresses the latter two issues through its informative website, external audits, and constant innovation creating unique, hard to imitate flavors and products.Another way in which the environmental strategy and corporate strategy are consistent with each other is in the area of regulatory compliance. As a result of the attention Ben & Jerry’s pays to the environmental risks associated with its production process, and the effort s made by the company to ensure that negative impacts to the environment from its business operations are minimized, Ben & Jerry’s has had very few compliance issues and has never been issued any penalties by Federal regulators (1998 CERES Report). In addition to the environmental benefit from such compliance, there is a beneficial impact on the business as well.By minimizing operational costs, the company gains a potential competitive advantage over competitors with less stringent environmental controls that may face compliance issues. Overall, the company’s environmental strategy and general business strategy are well integrated. By focusing on differentiation, which is in large part due to environmental policies and programs, the company gains a competitive advantage over its rivals. As the company grows and increases its annual profits, more money can therefore be donated to social and environmental causes through its various giving channels.Ben & Jerry’s ha s positioned itself so that its success is highly dependent on its environmental image, therefore the two strategies are intimately linked. There are, however, some disconnects between strategies. There are a few instances where environmental goals take a back seat to company profits. Examples of these disconnects are described in the next section below. DISCONNECTS BETWEEN STRATEGIES Although the mission of the company is to temper economic growth with environmental responsibility, during our research we discovered several ccasions in which company profits clearly outweighed the desire to be as environmentally proactive as possible. For example, Ben and Jerry’s currently packages its Peace Pops inside a plastic wrapper and paper board box. This change was in response to a belief that sales had been declining due to customer disapproval of its original packaging, which consisted solely of a plastic wrapper. This change has led to an increase of packaging materials by 152,000 pounds annually (ibid. ).This is in direct conflict with the company’s policy on waste reduction and illustrates the priority given to company profits over environmental concerns. Similarly, an effort to introduce an organic line of desserts, which would have been more in line with its environmental strategy, was abandoned due to economic costs. Another example of a â€Å"disconnect† is in the company’s energy use. Ben & Jerry’s recognizes that its operation, like any industrial process, is energy intensive. However, as of 1998, the company had no formal policy on energy use and conservation (ibid. ).While the plants and scoop shops make attempts to be energy efficient, the company relies on non-renewable sources of energy for its production processes, instead of using green energy that would be less damaging 16 and more consistent with its environmental policies. Although not expressly stated, it seems that economic cost is once again superseding sustain ability. While Ben & Jerry’s works to reuse and recycle as much of its waste as possible, it is the policy of the company to send any hazardous waste that cannot be recycled to a hazardous waste incinerator to be handled.Although this may be the most economical method of treating hazardous waste, it is not necessarily the most environmentally sound disposal technology, and directly contradicts the company’s environmental goals. In keeping with the corporate strategy of maintaining a local, down home image, many sacrifices to the environmental strategy are made. The most glaring disconnect is in the national distribution of the product from a single state. Manufacturing in Vermont requires extensive shipping of its products; this is a highly energy-intensive process.In 1998, emissions from the distribution of its products totaled over 113,000 pounds for carbon monoxide, 15,000 pounds of nitrogen oxides, 7,000 pounds of hydrocarbons, 1,600 tons of carbon dioxide, and 400 pounds of particulate matter (ibid. ). This tradeoff illustrates an inherent inconsistency between the corporate and environmental strategies of the company. While these disconnects do occur, we feel that Ben & Jerry’s has done an excellent job in integrating its business and environmental strategies and balancing profitability with environmental protection.UNILEVER ACQUISITION AND IMPACTS ON STRATEGY Ben & Jerry's strategy will likely shift towards larger-scale economic growth in response to the recent Unilever acquisition of the company in April 2000. Ben & Jerry’s emphasized that this acquisition will allow the company to create an even more dynamic, socially positive ice cream business with global reach (www. lib. benjerry. com). In addition, the financial backing of a larger and established company will strengthen Ben & Jerry’s competitive advantage with respect to the five forces, particularly the threat of competition from rival firms.According to the co founders, â€Å"neither of us could have anticipated, twenty years ago, that a major multinational would some day sign on, enthusiastically, to pursue and expand the social mission that continues to be an essential part of Ben & Jerry's and a driving force behind our many successes. But today, Unilever has done just that. While we and others certainly would have preferred to pursue our mission as an independent enterprise, we hope that, as part of Unilever, Ben & Jerry's will continue to expand its role in society† (ibid).The agreement between Unilever and Ben & Jerry’s ensures that the current social mission of Ben & Jerry's will be encouraged and well-funded, which will lead to improved performance in this area; and an opportunity has been offered for Ben & Jerry's to contribute to Unilever's social practices worldwide. According to Richard Goldstein, President of Unilever Foods of North America, Unilever feels that â€Å"Ben & Jerry's has a significant opportunity outside of the United States. Unilever is in an ideal position to bring the Ben & Jerry's brand, values and socially responsible message to consumers worldwide.Much of the success of the Ben & Jerry's brand is based on its connections to basic human values, and it is our hope and expectation that Ben & Jerry's continues to engage in these critical, global economic and social missions† (ibid). Based on the nature of this agreement, Unilever is pledging to uphold Ben & Jerry’s mission of 17 integrating product quality with economic performance and social responsibility. Therefore, we do not expect that Ben & Jerry’s environmental strategy will change, except that more innovations can possibly be made with the augmented financial and human resources.In addition, the social and environmental mission of the company will have the opportunity to be applied on a more global scale. As far as the preservation of the company’s corporate strategy, Unilever’s gl obal presence and greater access to distribution channels will allow for Ben & Jerry’s to continue to expand internationally, thus increasing market share, profitability, and competitive advantage. Potential threat to Ben & Jerry’s success as a result of the Unilever acquisition are the negative public perception of the company (i. e. elling out), loss of consumer support and brand loyalty. This can be mitigated through marketing strategies geared towards alleviating public fears and ensuring that the underlying goals and policies of the company will remain intact. RECOMMENDATIONS & CONCLUSION Based on our analysis, we believe that the corporate and environmental strategies are appropriate and well integrated. While there are some disconnects between the two strategies, overall it is clear that the company strives to achieve economic success and environmental responsibility.Up to now, Ben & Jerry’s has been successful at maintaining this balance. The primary con cern is how well the company can insulate itself from future competition that could threaten its position as a leader in the super premium frozen dessert industry. In light of the threats identified in the SWOT analysis, we recommend that Ben & Jerry’s implement the following suggestions: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Protect its public image in light of the recent acquisition by Unilever by maintaining its current position as a market-leader in environmentally and socially responsible business practices.Continue cost-cutting efforts through implementation of further waste reduction, energy conservation, and recycling programs. Draft a formal written policy on energy use. Frequent product innovation and diversification to address threats of substitute and imitation products and meet changing consumer preferences (i. e. lactose-free ice cream, all organic line of frozen desserts, cookies) Continue franchising scoop shops to increase its market reach a nd withstand growing competition, both nationally and internationally.As the company grows, there will be greater waste generation and distribution-related emissions – increase the development of cleaner manufacturing, disposal, and distribution technologies to ensure that the company continues to stay in compliance. Develop additional manufacturing plants and distribution centers outside of Vermont to reduce distribution costs, cut down on distribution-related emissions, and increase production volume of the company. If George W.Bush becomes President, there could be a relaxation of environmental regulations and attitudes, thus leveling the playing field and eroding Ben & Jerry’s competitive advantage over firms that may be less environmentally responsible. The 18 †¢ company needs to continue to focus on its differentiation strategy to retain its edge and bolster customer loyalty and support. Continue to work with Unilever to ensure that Ben & Jerry’s rema ins an independent subsidiary with its social and environmental values firmly in place. Protect itself from assimilation into the multinational corporate identity.In conclusion, our analysis has illustrated that a company can be competitive without sacrificing its environmental goals and strategies. Through differentiation, Ben & Jerry’s has established itself as both a leader in product quality and environmental responsibility. The challenge will be for Ben & Jerry’s, after being acquired by a multinational conglomerate, to demonstrate that it is still possible to maintain its uniqueness and proactive environmental strategy. So can Ben & Jerry’s continue to serve up a double scoop of being green and making green?Stay tuned for the next flavor of the month. 19 BIBLIOGRAPHY Ben & Jerry’s 1998 CERES Environmental Report, 1998. Securities and Exchange Commission Annual Report for Ben & Jerry’s Homemade, Inc. Form 10-K, 1999. Spolsky, Joel, â€Å"How to Grow a Business,† http://www. fool. com, August 4, 2000. Thompson, Arthur A. Jr. , Strickland, III, A. J. Crafting and Implementing Strategy, Text and Readings, 10th edition. Irwin McGraw-Hill, 1998. www. hoovers. com www. benjerry. com www. lib. benjerry. com Substitute Products Many S ubstitute s 20

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Assignment 4 - Essay Example The paper at the end also evaluates the most likely negative outcomes and risks associated with the proposed idea, the product and the consumer behavior. The paper ends with a concluding statement on the topic and recommendations for e-commerce business entrepreneurs. The Innovative E-Commerce Business Idea The Novel Idea: The innovative business idea is concerned with online selling of public safety oriented electronic device that could sense the presence of a wild species in a residential locality, and develops an image of these on trespassing the wildlife vicinity and entering the human neighborhood. VigiCam: The product uses sensors, camera device, and GPS systems for identification and positioning of wild species in suburban localities. The product uses telecom network services for its operation and quick indication of species in nearby neighborhood. The product is connected with a user’s cell phone and the landline of the nearest rescue or wildlife organization. The prod uct owned by the customer has an in built two way alert system, the customer feeds his number and the locality’s corresponding rescue team’s number. ... m: The public safety issues associated with wildlife trespassing human neighborhood can be addressed in a quick, efficient and adept manner; ensuring both public and wildlife safety. The Nature and Purpose of VigiCam Business Purpose of the Business: The purpose of VigiCam product business is that there is an acute demand for products across the world that could ensure human safety against wildlife attack or encroachment into public property or neighborhood. Wildlife and human encounters often result in adverse safety situations where children, public property, or even wildlife itself exposed to life and health risks. This product ensures safety of wildlife as well as humans by limiting the interactions between the unprofessional friendly human beings and the wild beings. Need Behind VigiCam E-Business: Issues associated with wildlife exposure to human beings have aroused in many countries across the world like Australia, USA, Canada, India, Russia etc. in these countries people are confronted with a diverse wild set of beings that are often violent and ferocious, which can potentially harm humans’ property and put questions before human safety. In many parts of the world the public itself give wildlife the room to explore human vicinity in search of food; by placing food garbage which offers most appeal for animals. Consequently, these animals hunt after food and often react in case of suppressing of their access to food items. In other cases, the wild animals’ free access to human neighborhood is even unhealthy for both animals and human beings, as this often account for dispersion of diseases amongst both species. As a result, initiatives should be taken by the public, the business community and the security agencies run under private or government control to

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Disneyland Hong Kong - Essay Example It helps the company to enrich its corporate values. Greater socialization allows the company to evaluate the cultural and traditional aspects and social preferences of a country, which helps the organization to innovate new services that would best suit the taste of the target consumers (Flamholtz and Randle, 2011). Disney on international forum The paper takes a look into the process in which the company has handled the cultural differences experienced by Disney in its course of expansion into the oriental world. Disney is an iconic symbol of entertainment amalgamating the western and the eastern culture through a highly innovative and customer oriented business strategy. The American cultural experience has been recreated in the Asian countries, and has become a controversial as well as hugely profitable model in Japan and Hong Kong. Although the company had not faced great success on opening the first theme park in Europe, in 1992, in the capital city of France, by 2003, Disneyla nd Paris had gained enough attention and has become a thriving business joint for the company (Aaker and Mcloughlin, 2010; Porter and Prince, 2007). More recently, The Walt Disney Company is taking an initiative to open a new theme park in India. The features of the Indian market are diverse which calls for a detailed study on the successes and hardships faced by the company in its previous ventures. Company background The Disneyland Park is a theme park originally based in America and embodying and representing the American culture. The company had made a humble beginning in 1923 with the Disney brothers, Walter Elias Disney and Roy Disney, starting the... It is present in different countries and is rated as one of the best elements in the global entertainment industry. Since 1955, The Walt Disney Company has set up different theme parks in the USA, France and in the Asian countries. All through these years the company has faced various hurdles and has achieved success by way of adjusting with the existing cultural background of the host countries and has made numerous adaptations in its own corporate culture. Disney has the potential to deliver such experiences that can go far ahead of the pleasure of watching cartoons. It aims at providing its visitors with an experience that is free from the hassle of the world outside the Disneyland. The company can make it possible due to its immense brand power and unmatched flexibility in the model of corporate culture that it follows. The parks have created a consumption culture that celebrates the middle-class virtues. This would help the park to find a booming market in the Indian sub-continent. Since India is a developing country, this process of business development would be beneficial for its expansion in India. Besides, India is a country with diverse geographical backgrounds, traditions and religions. Disney utilizes various strategies to make promotions of its services aiming the target groups and to design the theme of the localized theme parks in this country. A significant dissimilarity can be found between the cultures in the East and t he West. This is the root cause behind the diversity is the mentality of the tourists visiting the theme parks. Besides, the cultural elements present in these parks are different which might affect the response of the customers.

Nile river Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Nile river - Essay Example The river is not only thought to have meant different things to the different countries of its basin, but also to have deeply intrigued the wider world. On the one hand it’s widely perceived as â€Å"Egypt’s lifeline† ever since the days of the earliest Pharaohs, which is best described by the well-known statement of the Greek historian Herodotus – â€Å"Egypt is the gift of the Nile† – uttered in 460 BC (Martinon 53). On the other hand, the Nile plays a crucial economic, political and cultural role nowadays, and its importance is considered greater than ever, with over 300 million people depending on the river for drinking water, irrigation, etc. (Tvedt 1). The Importance of Nile for the Nile Basin States and Societies As Tvedt points out, water has been the principal concern of humanity ever since the dawn of civilization, with most of the population living on the banks of large rivers, like Euphrates and Tigris, Ganges, Indus, Nile, etc.; not surprisingly therefore, the consecutive societies have been fundamentally shaped by that fact since the times of Sumer (2). No international river basin, however, has more complex and eventful history, either in terms of water politics and their impact on the respective societies or in terms of actors involved, than the Nile’s valley (Tvedt 3). On the other hand, it was the twentieth century, or the period of European imperialism, with its rapid technological and scientific advance that actually brought about a revolution in the conceptualization planning and use of Nile’s waters, and had far-reaching implications for the development of the Nile basin region. Being home to many polities, including â€Å"a number of kingdoms of various degrees of stability and forms of administrative machinery†, the Nile valley was both culturally and religiously diverse when the British took control over it (Tvedt 5). In northern and central Sudan – under the Mahdiâ⠂¬â„¢s rule – the irrigated agriculture had played rather modest role of economic importance, as against trade; while to the southeast, the islands of Lake Tana housed one of the world centers of the Coptic Church (Tvedt 6). Thus, according to Tvedt, there had not been processes of economic and cultural homogenization, but rather, the various Nile environments framed, although partly, many different â€Å"special patterns of man-river relationships and forms of regional identification† (6). The Importance of Nile for the Transformation of Egypt into a Modern State Although being a relatively short period in the overall history of the Nile, the years of the British colonial expansion into the Nile valley could be considered the first time when the river became conceptualized as a political and hydrological planning unit (Tvedt 7). During that period various actors, besides the British imperial system, got involved in what Tvedt calls â€Å"a great drama of Nile politic s and river-valley development† – Egyptian kings and nationalists, Ethiopian emperors and priests, Nilotic cattle herders, Mussolini, Eisenhower, Gamal Abdel Nasser, etc. (7). Insofar as the British played the major role, it’

Eco dq Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Eco dq - Essay Example Money is a medium that enables people to forgo the use of goods and service that are less required to them and purchases which are most required. ii. People sell their service (work) to earn money now and to buy goods and services at a later time. Money is essential because it has a value in future and therefore people work to acquire money. The economic system of money functions on the basis of mutual aspects of belief (Moffatt p.2). iii. There are chances when the belief in money is lost or the future value of money is assumed to be low. This happens when the currency is impacted by inflation and people have a tendency to spend their money quickly. But profitable deals are not usually signed during inflation due to the fear of future value of money when it will be actually paid. Inflation can cause various inefficiencies in the economy where shop owners have to change the price of goods frequently and customers have carry loads of money to purchase just a loaf of bread. When people lose faith in money, economic activities are likely to halt. Like any other good, money is also a good which is ruled by the maxim of supply and demand. Money is a good, the value of which is determined by the demand and supply. Money tends to possess less value when there is inflation (when there is an increase in the price of goods) that occurs due to increase in supply of money, demand for money reduces, supply of goods decreases or when the demand for goods increases (Moffatt p.3). When an economy is under recession and there is high rate of unemployment the Fed issues policies to maintain interest rates at low level by purchasing securities. As a result, the price of securities rises and reduces their yields. This action of the Fed increases the amount of reserves with banks and increases the amount of bank credit that ultimately increases the total amount of money in the economy. This is the reason why central banks believe that the

Biblical Worldview Essay Essay Example for Free

Biblical Worldview Essay Essay The Apostle Paul wrote to the Roman church to prepare them for his visit to Rome prior to leaving for Spain. He explained to the church how Christians, Jews and Gentiles alike, should view the natural world, our identity, our relationships, and our culture due to our relationship with Christ. He explains the necessity for righteousness because without Christ we are dead in our sin. But God, through his goodness and grace has provided a way to righteousness through Jesus Christ. The Natural World According to Genesis, God created the heavens and earth (our natural world) and everything in them. In Romans 1:20 Paul states, â€Å"For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.† God created the world, his power and authority is evident in this creation and in this way man was supposed to know Him. However they turned their backs on him and according to verse 22 â€Å"exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.† Because of Adam and Eve’s disobedience in the Garden of Eden, sin came into our natural world which started the demise of spiritual man as well as God’s intended order. Human Identity â€Å"God created man in his own image,† (Gen 1:27). Our identity is firmly established by knowing God, more specifically, knowing God through Jesus Christ. We are created with a â€Å"God shaped void† in our spirit man. If we do not fill that void with a relationship with God, we will seek to fill it with anything else that gives us temporary pleasure. Paul says in Romans chapter 1, that men turned away from God and turned to idol worship. Three times in this chapter Paul states that God â€Å"gave them over† to their sinful desires (v.24), their shameful lusts (v. 26), and their depraved minds. (v28). In and of ourselves, we are destined to die, not only physically but spiritually. God however, has made a way. Paul eloquently shares the path to salvation, righteousness, and sanctification through Jesus Christ.

Evergreen Investment Essay Example for Free

Evergreen Investment Essay Case Summary This case talks about an American mutual fund company that was facing problems  ·with its CRM system. Sales agents felt that they derived little value from it and also it was time consuming. The company is investigating if it could solve this problem by introducing mobile CRM to be accessed wirelessly on blackberry devices. But what are the key factors that have contributed to the success of mobile CRM initiative at Evergreen? Evergreen investments’ background Evergreen investments are the America’s 25th largest asset management company and 32nd largest investment management in the world. It is headquartered in Boston and Charlotte. The company entrusted with $250 billion in assets, over 350 investment professionals and over 3 million investors. CRM in the past In the past, the company use company-supplied laptops to gain access to CRM system, send Emails to customs and expend reporting and commission tracking. At the same time, the company use mobile phones to give their customs a voice call. Scheduling client calls is another way to build a link with customs. It include informal face-to-face meet. And also, client calls can make company knows the actual sales pitch, discuss market topics with customs, meet new faces and call back-up for data. At last, company update any information in CRM, and participate in evergreen conference call at fixed period. Issues in the past Although the company uses CRM to gain some success, their issues still exist. On the one hand, this method required too much time. The company needs to dial up the Internet, using multiple passwords and entering lengthy data, all of which are time consuming. On the other hand, some information is unavailable when they needed. More specifically, when the company meets the customer, laptops were unavailable. Moreover, the company required the use of internal sales consultant to help them handle the business with customers. At last, entry CRM is not easy, the company usually required 1 day per week and sometimes data is unreliable. Mobile CRM In order to improve the CRM system, the company introduces mobile CRM to be accessed wirelessly on blackberry devices. Blackberry main menu allows for easy access to CRM. Its clicking track wheel allows drill down into any sales number. Initial screens display YTD, MTD, previous day’s sales, or large orders. It enables more detailed data, reports, customer information, and other tasks. Detailed customer screens show single customer information including contact details and sales summary. On the basis of this mobile CRM, the Evergreen Investments’ design greatly improved and the productivity increased as well. The key factors to success The success of the company using mobile CRM due to three factors, easy to use, reliability and updated. More specifically, using the simple method can build an easy way to contact between customers and company. It also makes the company more effective in terms of CRM. In addition, the CRM system should be reliability for both customers and company, which resulting a trusted relationship between customers and company. At last, the company should update their data about their customers. The updated progress should be easy and fast. Potential threats Even if the company uses mobile CRM with an exact way, they may face some potential threats as well. People do not need to come to office, they just need a mobile phone and work wherever they want, which could lead to the low efficiency. They need to handle the relation between family and work. And also this kind of work pattern is not easy for managers to manage their company.

Compromised Resin Bond Strength After Enamel Bleaching

Compromised Resin Bond Strength After Enamel Bleaching EFFECT OF DIFFERENT ANTIOXIDANTS ON REVERSING COMPROMISED RESIN BOND STRENGTH AFTER ENAMEL BLEACHING: AN IN VITRO STUDY ABSTRACT Over years, one of the most frequent complaints that patients present with is that of stained teeth. With the advent of straightforward and fast procedures the craze for smile makeovers has risen. Bleaching is the most conservative treatment for discolored teeth compared with other treatments, such as veneers or crowns. Among the various undesirable effects of bleaching is the post treatment compromised enamel bond strength. The waiting period for bonding procedure after bleaching has been reported to vary from 24hrs to 4weeks. To overcome this delay in bonding, several antioxidant agents like 10% sodium ascorbatewith different application times after the bleaching procedure have been used. Hence, the purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate and compare the effects and efficacy of 10% sodium ascorbate solution, 10%ÃŽ ±-Tocopherol solution, 10% grape seed extract solution and 10% guava seed extract solution on the bond strength between composite resin and bleached enamel after 1 0 minutes and 120 minutes of application. INTRODUCTION Discoloredteeth is a common problem affecting people of various ages. Etiology is multifactorial and different surfaces of tooth can take different stains. With the advent in esthetic dentistry, simple fast in-office and at home bleaching procedures have become effective and popular.1To state in layman’s words the term ‘in office bleaching’means bleaching techniques that are carried out in office. The demand of this technique has increased because of various advantages like: reduction in total treatment timeandgreater potential for immediate results that may enhance patient satisfaction and motivation. It utilizes a gel or liquid of hydrogen peroxide (35-38%) or carbamide peroxide(35%).2 The disadvantages associated with hydrogen peroxide as a bleaching agent include hypersensitivity and gingival irritation, reduced enamel microhardness andmicromorphological defects due to demineralization.4,5In addition, hydrogen and carbamide peroxide effect the bonding of enamel and dentin tissues when restorations are applied immediately after bleaching treatment.8 Various techniques have been proposed to resolve the clinical problems related to post bleaching compromised bond strength.Barghi and Godwin10 treated bleached enamel with alcohol before restoration,Cvitko and others11 proposed removal of the superficial layer of enamel, Sung etal12 suggested the use of the adhesives containing organic solvents. However, the general approach is to postpone any bonding procedure for a period from 4 daysto 4 weeks.13 To overcome this delay in bonding, application of various antioxidant agents like 10% sodium ascorbate, Vitamin E and Proanthocyanidins after the bleaching procedure have been proposed.14Vitamin E(ÃŽ ±-Tocopherol), acts as peroxyl radical scavenger and prevents the propagation of free radicals in tissues by reacting with them to form a tocopherol radical. This radical is then oxidized by a hydrogen donor and thus returned to its reduced state.15OligomericProanthocyanidins Complexes (OPC) are high molecular weight molecules consisting of monomeric flavan-3-ol cathechin and epicathechin. They are found in high concentrations in natural sources such as grapes, guavas, lemon tree bark and cranberries. It is a naturally occurringmetabolite and has been proven to be safe as an antioxidant in various clinical and dietary supplements. Although studies have shown the efficacy of sodium ascorbate9 and grape seed extract16 in reversal of reduced bond strength to bleached enamel, there is still a paucity of research onvitaminE(ÃŽ ±-Tocopherol) and proanthocyanidines derived from other fruits like guava as viable alternatives to sodium ascorbate. Moreover, studies have reported incongruous findings with concerns to absolute reversal of bond strength to base line levels after 10 minutes of application.17,18Therefore, increase in time of application and varying the concentration of antioxidants to neutralize the residual oxygen is warranted. Hence, the purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate and compare the effects and efficacy of 10% sodium ascorbate solution, 10%ÃŽ ±-Tocopherol solution, 10% grape seed extract solution and 10% guava seed extract solution on the bond strength between composite resin and bleached enamel after 10 minutes and 120 minutes. The null hypothesis tested was that there is no difference in bond strength reduction reversal after application of different antioxidants for different application times after bleaching. MATERIALS AND METHOD Eighty freshly extracted human permanent maxillary central incisors extracted for periodontal reasons were collected and rinsed in 0.9% unbuffered saline. Labial surfaces of these teeth were flattened with 600 grit silicon carbide paper roots were embedded in acrylic resin block so that only the coronal portion was exposed. Individual moulds of tooth colouredself cure resin were prepared over the specimens. Modelling wax was used as a separator, so as to block the undercuts and also to provide space for antioxidant solution on the labial surface of the specimens. A customised cylindrical silver mould of 3mm diameter and 5mm height was also fabricated. For preparation of 10% antioxidant solutions, 10 gmsodium ascorbate powder(sd fine cHEM Limited, Mumbai)and 10 gmgrape seed extract powder(Biovea, USA) were dissolved in100ml of distilled water.For preparation of 10% alpha tocopherol, 10 ml alpha tocopherol(sd finecHEM Limited, Mumbai) was dissolved in 100 ml of ethyl alcohol. Soxhlet extraction method was used for the preparation of10% guava seed extract.40 gm of guava seedswere placed inside a thimble made from thick filter paper, which was loaded intothe main chamber of the Soxhlet extractor. The Soxhlet extractor was placed onto a flask containing 40 ml of ethyl alcohol as extraction solvent. The Soxhlet was then equippedwith a condenser. The solvent was heated to reflux. The chamber containing the solid material was slowly filled with warm solvent. When the Soxhlet chamber was almost full, the chamber was automaticallyemptied by a siphon side arm, with the solvent running back down to thedistillation flask. This cycle was repeated many times, over 5 hours.During each cycle, a portion of the non-volatile compound dissolved in thesolvent. After many cycles the desired compound was concentrated in thedistillation flask. After extraction, the solvent was removed, by means of a rotaryevaporator, 10 ml of this extract was then dissolved in 100 ml of distill ed water to make 10 % guava seed extract solution. Labial surfaces of seventy two specimens were bleached with Pola office one patient kit (SDI, Victoria, Autralia) according to manufacturer instructions. The gel was then completely rinsed off with water. These specimens were divided into five experimental groups and control group: Group I(n=16)treated with 10% sodium ascorbate solution Group II(n=16)treated with10% alpha tocopherol solution Group III(n=16)treated with10% grape seed extract solution Group IV(n=16)treatedwith 10% guava seed extract solution Group V(n=8)treated with no antioxidant solution Group VI(n=8)Control (unbleached specimens) Based on application period of antioxidants, groups I-IV were further subdivided as: Subgroup A(n=8)Antioxidant treatmentfor 10 minutesimmediately afterbleaching Subgroup B(n=8)Antioxidant treatment for 120 minutesimmediately afterbleaching The antioxidant solutions were refreshed after every 10 minutes in subgroup B. Specimens were then rinsed with water. Groups V VI did not receive any antioxidant treatment. Labial surfaces of all specimens of Subgroup A and B (Group I-IV), Group V and Group VI were etched with 37% phosphoric acid for 15 seconds, followed by rinsing with water for 20 seconds. Bonding agent (Adper single bond) was then applied and light cured for 20 seconds.Customised cylindrical silver mould was placed on the labial surface of each specimen and composite resin (Filtek Z 350 XT) was then placed in three increments so as to have a final build up of 3mm diameter and 5mm height. All specimens after composite build up were stored in distilled water for 24 hours and shear bond strength (SBS) testing was done using Universal Testing Machine (Banbros Engineering Pvt Ltd) at across head speed of 1mm per minute. Data was tabulated and subjected to statistical analysis. RESULTS Table 1: Mean Shear bond strength (MPa) in samples of Group I- IV The mean value for samples after bleaching and without application of any antioxidant agent (Group V) was 43.63 MPa. The mean value for samples in Group VI was 77.75 MPa. Bond strength of Subgroup IB (74.13+2.95) was found to be significantly higher (p+2.75). Bond strength of Subgroup IIB (75.88+3.04 units) was found to be higher than that of Subgroup IIA (55.13+1.81 units) and this difference was found to be statistically significant (p Bond strength of Subgroup IIB (76.75+1.75 units) was found to be higher than Subgroup IIA (64.75+2.12 units) and this difference was found to be statistically significant (p Though bond strength of Subgroup IVB (77.00+2.67 units) was found to be higher than that of Subgroup IVA (74.63+2.45 units) but this difference was not found to be statistically significant. Table 2: Analysis of variance in subgroup A Analysis of variance and box plot thereafter revealed statistically significant intergroup differences (p Table 3: Analysis of variance in subgroup B Analysis of variance and box plot thereafter revealed statistically significant intergroup differences (p Graph 1: Intra group Bond strength of different groups DISCUSSION Bleaching treatment focuses on the use of certain types of oxidizing agents, such as hydrogen peroxide, carbamide peroxide and sodium perborate, which, when decompose into free radicals initiate the bleaching reaction on dental tissues. The free radicals released, oxidize the pigments and coloring matters impregnated in the dental tissue; breaking the large aromatic chains of the darker coloring pigments and transforming into slightly lighter unsaturated linear chains. As the oxidizing process continues, these chains are converted into even lighter saturated linear chains, thus making the teeth whiter.52 However bleaching affects the tooth at structural and functional level.53 Previous studies have shown that the use of hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide containing bleaching agents adversely affects the bond strength of resin composites to acid etched enamel when bonding is performed immediately after bleaching procedure.54,55,56 This problem is more significant when the desired results or esthetics after bleaching might not be achieved and the patient may wish for additional esthetic options like direct and indirect veneers or full coverage restorations.However studies also point out that this reduction in bond strength is temporary and the original bond strength values are achieved within 1-2 weeks in oral environment.19,22,56,57 Various methods have been proposed for reversal of reduced bond strength54,55,56,12immediately after the bleaching procedure.Kaya et al56, Han et al50 andThapa et al58 found that compromised bonding to acid etched bleached enamel and dentin can be reversed with sodium ascorbate.50,54,56 Ascorbic acid and its sodium salts are potent antioxidants that are capable of quenching reactive free radicals in biological systems.10 Alpha tocopherolallow free-radical polymerization of the adhesive resin to proceed without premature termination by restoring the altered redox potential of the oxidized bonding substrate and improves resin bonding.17 Proanthocyanidins are high-molecular-weight polymers comprising of monomeric flavan-3-ol (+)catechin and (−)epicathechins. In vitro studies have confirmed that OPCs are 50 times more effective than vitamin E and 20 times more powerful than vitamin C.48 To our knowledge, guava seed extract has not been studied as antioxidant to reverse the reduced bond strength after bleaching. Moreover,there is no specific recommendation with regards to application time of antioxidants. As the role of application time in complete reversal of reduced bond strength has not been extensively studied, the current study was carried out with the aim of evaluating and comparing the effects of guava seed extract,grape seed extract, sodium ascorbate and alpha tocopoherolin reversal of bond strength between bleached enamel and composite resin after 10 minutes and 120 minutes of application. Since, the protocol tested in the current study compared the antioxidant preparations in solution form, individual resin moulds were prepared for adequate contact of antioxidants with labial surface of the specimens. In clinical scenario, mould can be substituted by customized trays which can be worn by the patient in the desired area for appropriate time. To standardize the concentration of the antioxidants, 10% concentration was used in the present study, and also the previous studies have suggested that the application of 10% sodium ascorbate waseffective in reversing the compromised bonding to theoxidized enamel and dentin.61,64,33 Sodium ascorbate and alpha tocopherol solutions were prepared from the powder supplied but guava seed extract was prepared from seeds of white guava using soxhlet extraction method. The advantage of soxhlet extraction is that instead of manyportions of warm solvent being passed through the sample,just one batch of solvent is recycled and after extraction, the solvent is removed by means of a rotaryevaporator, yielding the extracted compound. The non-soluble portion of the extracted solid remains in the thimble, and is discarded.36 Kaya AD14 and Dabaset al62 determined the most effective time duration for the application ofsodium ascorbate to be 10 minutes. The authors also concluded that as the application period of the antioxidant increased, the bond strength of the composite on enamel tissue also increasedtill 120 minutes.14 In order to determine the fruition time for reversing the reduced bond strength, two application time periods for antioxidants that is 10 minutes and 120 minutes were choosen for the current study. Subgroup A samples received antioxidant treatment for 10 minutes and subgroup B samples for 120 minutes. The antioxidants were refreshed after every 10 minutes when applied for 120 minutes. The most frequently ignored guideline in the test protocol is following the ISO/TS 11405 specification (2003) i.e.‘a limitation of the bonding area is important’66,so to standardize the dimensions of composite cylinders which were fabricated over the labial surface of the specimens after the antioxidant treatment, preformed mold of silver with 3mm internal diameter and 5mm height was made. This silver mold was then placed over the individual specimens to build up the composite cylinders. The shear bond strength was evaluated using universal testing machine at a cross head speed of 1 mm/min as described in previous studies.15,17,19 The mean shear bond strength of Group VI (control) was 77.75 MPa and of Group Vwas 43.63MPa. This observation is in accordance with the results of other studies in the literature.68,69Many reasons have been proposed for reduction in bond strength after bleaching.71Lai et al54 stated that reduction in resin enamel bond strength to bleached etched enamel is likely to be caused by a delayed release of oxygen that affects the polymerization of resin components. Also Rueggeberg and Margeson70 proposed that release of oxygen, could either interfere with resin infiltration into etched enamel or inhibit polymerization of resins that cure via a free radical mechanism.Titleyet al56 stated that hydrogen peroxide causes denaturation of proteins in the organic components of the dentin and enamel and thus causing the alteration in organic and inorganic ratio with an increase in inorganic component.Titley et al,56Kalili et al,20Dishman et al8 stated that most acceptable version might be presence of the residual oxygen from the bleaching agent which inhibits resin polymerization. In the present study, after the application of respective antioxidants for 10 minutes, mean shear bond strengths of different groups were evaluated as 54.88MPa, 55.13 MPa, 64.75 and 74.63 MPa for group IA, II A, III A and IV A respectively. Except for Group IV A (guava extract solution), none of the antioxidants (Group IA, IIA, IIIA) showed complete reversal in bond strength when applied for 10 minutes. This corroborates with the findings of Thapaet al18, Sasaki et al17, Torres et al29. In the present study, after the application of respective antioxidants for 120 minutes, mean shear bond strengths of different groups were evaluated as 74.13 MPa, 75.86 MPa, 76.75 MPa and 77 MPa for group IB, II B, III B and IV B respectively. Thus complete reversal of reduced bond strength was achieved in all the experimental groups when applied for 120 minutes and is in accordance with the previous studies,17,18,29 which stated that bond strength increases with increase in antioxidant application time till 120 minutes.17,18 The results of the study demonstrate that guava seed extract have highest antioxidant activity both for 10 minutes and 120 minutes of application among all the antioxidants used in the present study. Further studies are required using higher concentrations of antioxidants and reducing their time of application so as to achieve complete reversal of reduced bond strength after enamel bleaching. CONCLUSION Within the limitation of the present study it could be concluded that: Immediate bonding of resin composite to bleached enamel results in reduced shear bond strength. Treatment of bleached enamel surface with 10 minutes application of 10% sodium ascorbate, 10% alpha tocopherol, 10% grape seed extract and 10% guava seed extract improves the reduced bond strength significantly immediately after bleaching, but only the application of 10%guava seed extract for 10 minutes reverses it to baseline levels. All the antioxidants after 120 minutes of application completely restored the reduced bond strength.

Brecht and Dudow Essay -- Film Analysis

Kuhle Wampe (Brecht and Dudow, 1931) is often noted as the first communist film produced in Weimar Germany and was produced by a collective of men, heavily involved in the formation and success of Weimar cinema. The collaborative team consisted of Hanns Eisler, who composed the musical score for Berlin: Symphony of a Great City (Walter Ruttmann, 1927), Ernst Ottwald, a distinguished novelist and screen writer, primary director Slatan Dudow who participated heavily in the production of Metropolis (Fritz Lang, 1927) and finally Bertolt Brecht. The aforementioned trio heavily influenced the industrialised surrounding that encompass’ the location and narrative of Kuhle Wampe, however, fellow script writer and co-director Bertolt Brecht had very little experience in film production –aside from aiding the preparation for Karl Valentin’s The Mysteries of a Hairdresser’s Shop (1923). Brecht’s influence upon Kuhle Wampe came much more in the form of philosop hical grounding, with himself, at the time developing his ‘materialist aesthetics’ in trying to conceptualise the answer to the question: ‘what is political art?’ Bringing together politics and art formulae, in this case montage, we can assess the messages that were conveyed through the use of montage and how it was used as a tool of political suggestion. From the opening sequence, Kuhle Wampe’s stylisation appropriates itself with that of Soviet Montage, of which is Sergei Eisenstein’s theories are based on the idea that montage originates in the "collision" between different shots in an illustration of the idea of thesis and antithesis. This basis allowed him to argue that montage is inherently dialectical, thus it should be considered a demonstration of Marxism and Hegelian philos... ...h the montage sequences in Kuhle Wampe. Works Cited Brooker, Peter (2004) â€Å"Key words in Brecht’s theory and practice of theatre† in Brecht. Eds. Peter Thomson and Glendyr Sacks. Cambridge University Press, Pp. 185-200. Eisenstein, Sergei; Jay Leyda (translator) (1947). The Film Sense. Hardcourt Brace and Company Eisenstein, Sergei; Jay Leyda (translator) (1977) The Film Form: essays in film theory. Hardcourt Brace and Company Kracauer, Siegfried (2004) â€Å"Montage† [from From Caligari to Hitler: A Psychological History of the German Film (1947)] in German Essays on Film. Eds. Richard W. McCormack and Alison Guenther-Pal. New York & London: Continuum, Pp. 181-189. Silbermann, Marc (1995) â€Å"The Rhetoric of Image: Slatan Dudow and Bertolt Brecht’s Kuhle Wampe or Who Owns the World† in German Cinema: Texts in Context. Detroit: Wayne State University Pp. 34-48.