Sunday, November 3, 2019
Business Accounting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Business Accounting - Assignment Example The pizza oven that I invented replaces the utility of a ?10,000 oven for a fraction of the price. The oven is able to cook personal pizzas of nine inches in three minutes or less. The reason that the pizza is cooked so quickly is because the oven cooks the pizza at 825 degree Fahrenheit. There are currently no existing ovens for street vendors that can reach the temperature needed to cook pizzas quickly. The idea is to sell the ovens with licensing contracts to generate both instant sales and residual income. The cost of building and integrating three ovens into a hotdog vending cart or similar equipment is ?1,500. The product would be sold to these types of clients that are looking to expand their business for ?5,000. The gross margin of the sale is 233%. Vendors interested in the proprietary rights of the oven have to pay a 10% on net sales royalty fee. The royalty fees must be paid on a monthly basis. People interested in the product have a second option if they not have an exist ing business. The product can be sold in as a pizza cart vending equipment that can be used to start your own business. The price of the pizza cart with three ovens is ?25,000. The cost to produce the pizza cart is ?13,000. The gross profit on the sale of the pizza cart equipment is 92.30%. ... The pizza style that these ovens cook is called Neapolitan pizza. Neapolitan pizza is a premium pizza meal cooked in Italy in brick ovens at high temperatures. The clients that purchase the oven attachments or the pizza cart can advertise the business as Neapolitan pizza mobile restaurants. This niche market allows the vendors to offer a specialty product at fair prices. The suggested retail price of a personal pizza with one topping and a soda is ?3.15. Business partners will have the flexibility to charge up to ?4.38 for a pizza combo because the premium nature of the product can support a higher price point than ?3.15. The sales projections of the company are based on the estimate that a pizza restaurant can generate yearly sales of ?276,500. The table below shows projected income for the next year. units Pounds Oven upgrades income 50 250000 Pizza carts income 25 625000 875000 Royalty income 2073750 Total income 2948750 Expenses Oven upgrade 50 75000 Pizza carts 25 325000 Labor c osts 480000 Administrative expenses 500000 Other costs 100000 Business loan 55824 Total Expenses 1535824 Net income 1412926 The projected net income includes sales of 50 oven upgrade packages and 25 pizza cart equipments. These two sources of income will generate revenues of ?875,000. There is money to be made by selling equipment, but the real money maker in this business model is the royalty income. The projected royalty income for the first year of operations is ?2,073,750. The projected net income of the company is ?1,412,926 with a net margin of 49.80%. Net margin is a financial metric that measures profitability (Investopedia, 2012). The reason that the net margin is so
Thursday, October 31, 2019
What Is the Real Objective of Case Management Quality of Care vs Essay
What Is the Real Objective of Case Management Quality of Care vs. Reduced Costs - Essay Example However, it is questionable whether these systems can offer both quality and low costs. By coordinating the healthcare needs of a patient requiring multiple services from multiple providers, studies of disease management programs have shown that these programs do improve quality by offering interventions such as pre-recorded telephone reminders or home visits by medical professionals (Rand Corporation Study). According to the Rand study, conditions such as diabetes and congestive heart failure (CHF) benefited from case management and reduced costs by decreasing hospital admissions, while patients suffering from depression were more apt to use outpatient services and prescription drugs, increasing costs. Six chronic conditions were analyzed in the study: CHF, coronary artery disease (CAD), diabetes, asthma, depression, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Improved quality was found in four of the six illnesses, with inconclusive results for asthma and COPD. Long-term health outcomes have not been determined, however, because the study covered only one year. In a one-year study by Michael Long, professor at Wichita State University, geriatric patients who were at least 75 and functionally impaired were randomly assigned to a regular-care group or a case-managed group. The goal was to eliminate the fragmented care that often exists for these patients. Both benefits and costs must be taken into consideration before determining success or failure in such a patient advocacy program (Long). The goal should be set by a team and success determined by whether the goal is met. In Long's study, the case-managed group benefited more than the regular-care group, and improved quality was the result. Cost and quality are sometimes considered opposing factors, but Long considers this too simple an explanation. He recommends a formula: Quality=Benefits - (Risk and Cost), which takes into consideration all the factors involved in case management programs. Limitations of Case Management Programs In a more expanded study, consisting of 46 states examining HMOs and primary care case management (PCCM) programs, the reporting states tended to emphasize utilization results over quality-measure results. In states where many commercial health plans have recently abandoned Medicaid contracts and some rural areas of the United States have been unable to attract health plans, PCCM programs are distinct from capitated managed care plans in that the Medicaid agency purchases health care services as if it were a health plan (Schneider et al). A comparison of quality oversight PCCM programs and health plans serving Medicaid beneficiaries indicates that states with both have fewer expectations for PCCM programs and do not seem to have a distinct goal. At present, the study found that PCCM programs have not as a rule collected performance data, thereby lacking the means to improve quality care. Strengths of Case Management Programs One area in which healthcare costs are accelerated is with the high number of diabetics needing treatment, and case management is highly recommended for glycemic control in these patients. As noted by The Guide to Community Preventive Services online, "Diabetes management is complex and difficult for both patient and healthcare provider, and traditional healthcare delivery methods have not adequately met their needs" (Case Management Interventions). The Guide goes on to say that a systematic review shows case management delivered as part of disease management to be effective in adults with Type 2 diabetes. Managed care strategies for Medicaid populations in Florida, North Carolina, and
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Two restaurant you've attended Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Two restaurant you've attended - Essay Example However, a select few rise to the top of everyoneââ¬â¢s lists, and in my opinion, two of the greatest are called Blackbird and Tru. These two restaurants give their patrons an exceptional dining experience both in terms of the environment that one eats in and the actual food that one eats. These two aspects of the total dining experience become one as the patron sits down to enjoy his or her meal with family, friends, or associates. As just as Blackbird differs from Tru in terms of the environment, so too do they differ in terms of the food they offer. I argue that both aspects are equally important in the total experience of the meal. Both beautifully match the environment they offer with the food, creating a kind of synesthetic experience where a sense of taste seems to become a sense of what the place looks and feels like. With this in mind, I argue that Tru gives its visitor a sense of lavishness in style, in contrast to the more minimalist approach taken by the creators of Bl ackbird, who adorn their restaurant and food with nothing in excess. The Blackbird restaurant is spare in style. It is chic and very urban which seems to separate it from the distinct culture of the city of Chicago. The dining room is narrow and packed with tables close together, which tends to make it hard to hear someone sitting across the table. It is definitely a place for modish people looking for a fun time out on the town and a very tasty meal. The restaurant sits on a quiet end of a series of restaurants. It serves mainly American dishes, but without frills. The restaurant characteristically serves guests meals that carry nothing in excess. Mirroring the minimalist appearance of the food, the exterior of the building is stark and yet magical in its glow. Inside, the dà ©cor is sleek and modern in appearance. The room itself is rather plain and cold, with abstract paintings and white walls, wooden floors and metal chairs. The Tru
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Child Malnutrition In Somalia Health And Social Care Essay
Child Malnutrition In Somalia Health And Social Care Essay Fifty three percent of children in Somalia have the risk of malnutrition (UN). With the increasing drought and violence rate, thousands of Somalis have fled in search for work in countries that border Somalia. The information assembled for this project includes behavioral, environmental dynamics of Malnutrition in children, and an explicit point of convergence of the general history of nutritional diseases in the country suffered by children. A large proportion of malnutrition mortality is contributed by infections that are largely preventable cause. A large scale of these deaths happen at home and because the child is given no medical attention. There are majority of alternatives and programs that can be implemented in order to help reduce and solve the problem of malnutrition, this policy brief has therefore provided some recommendations to address to this growing health issue. As of 2009 (2005 statistics), the World Bank has estimated that, the population of Somali children under 5 ranged from 1637 17000. Among that population 42% of children under 5 suffered firm shunting (WHO) while 36 % of the total population of children suffered from underweight (NCHS/WHO) accompanied by severe malnutrition. Recurring famines has been of a huge problem in the horn of Africa, particularly Somalia. Although famines do not necessarily result from lack of food production alone, it could be triggered by natural disasters that manifests in drought of crops but the major factor that is responsible behind recurring famines is due to a Nations economic collapse and the loss of authority of the government on the the mass of population. Somalia Severe crisis in food availability increased the mortality rate of different age groups but, children were mostly affected by it. Many people either leave to another town in search for work or leave the country altogether in search for a better quality of life. Somalia has suffered from consecutive droughts years that has caused a loss of livestock, population displacement and malnutrition being the major issue leaving 10 million people at risk for starvation. Children, particularly those who ranged less than 5 years of age usually have a higher death rate in such conditions. Based on data from - , the search for malnutrition in chidren of Somalia, reported that approximately 53% of the total child population age ranged 5 years and below were malnutrition prevalent, while 180 per 1000 children lives under the age of 5 resulted in death, triggering an increase in child mortality rates. Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia experiences constant wars, poverty and diseases. Children who live admits this war crisis have no option but to depend on elders for basic necessities for survival. In Somalia children experience difficulties like, poverty, violence which is caused by civil unrest contribute less or no nutritional facilities to children. Children have no choice but to do menial jobs only as a source for survival. (Jamal Osmaan). According to the Food Analysis Unit for Somalia (FAO/FSAU), more than 600,000 people, out of which 43% of children, in Shabelle and Somalias capital Mogadishu, are in a keen need for humatirarian emergency, due to the high inflation of starvation rates. Infectious diseases like diarrhea, pneumonia, kwashiorkor, edema and marusmus are the most acquired diseases that are manifested as a result of malnutrition in Somalia. Insufficient amont of nutritients like, proteint, iodine, calcium along with several other causes play a part in such occurrences of infections which result in mortality. In addition, malnutrition also causes an increased case-fatality ratio (CFR) in the most common childhood communicable diseases (i.e., measles, diarrheal disease, malaria, and acute respiratory infections (ARIs). Even when the coutry is not at a risk of drought or famines, majority of the age groups that still at are mortality risk comprise of young children. Environmental factors that encourage malnutrition rates can be because of; growth in population, overcrowding, people living in unsanitary conditions, forced migration and last but not the least, dependency on the government to provide nutritional campaignes for both mothers and children affecte d with severe malnutrition. Somalia does not have the railway transportation facilities although buses and trucks are made available in certain regions, the roads are seriously deteriorated enough to help patients in need for medical attention. Even if families decide to take these children to hospitals, transportation, funds and the bad image of public health establishments delay the underprivileged child from obtaining the care they need. With reference to this specific population, the UNICEF and the WHO implemented three nutritional statuses that determine quantitative analysis of children suffering from malnutrition: Weight for age: measures both acute and chronic malnutrition. Height for age: measure the height of the child with respect to age. This method determines the characteristics of a child who is severely shunted. Stunting is a reflection of chronic malnutrition which occurs if a child does not receive adequate nutrition over a long period and is exposed to recurring chronic illnesses. Based on, Somalia MICS 2006 Report, 53% of Somali children under the age of 5 are Malnutrition prevalent and 36% of the total child population are moderately underweight(Appendix.1). In addition, thirty eight percent of children are stunted or too short for their age and 11 percent are wasted or too thin for their height. With regard to these data, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the World Fit for Children (WFFC) have set goals to reduce infant and child mortality caused as a result of malnutrition. Childrens nutritional status is the key determinant for a childs overall health. If a child receives a good supply of food and not exposed to repeated illnesses and are well taken care of they satisfy the term of nourishment. http://www.childinfo.org/files/MICS3_Somalia_FinalReport_2006_eng.pdf Poor food security is a basic cause of malnutrition, that causes major compulsion to adequate household food security and also feeding practice. At this time, in addition to poor food security,there was an increase in child and mother health deterioration. This proves that emergency consideration should given to health issues that are formed as a result of food crisis. Community based tactics are being evaluated to provide precautionary and aid services through national as well as international organizations like UNICEF, the World Health Organization, United Nations and World Fit for Children (WFFC). To broaden this flourishing program to a bigger population, UNICEF admits the worsening drought conditions, soaring food prices and mass displacement of people have formulated programs by supplying supplementary feeding for 44,000 children under five years of age across the Mogadishu-Afgoye province in Central and Southern Somalia. UNICEF with partnership with National Somali NGO Jumdo Peace and development has aimed to reach out and help 90% of the total malnutrited children. () There is an ongoing requirement for progress and support of basic diagnostic methods, in addition to the progress of fact-based healing guidelines, to permit minimally qualified health care workers to effectively and efficiently take care of children inflected with diseases that arise as a result of malnutrition. There is an utmost necessity to investigate the health system challenges and limitations for implementation of national awareness programs, examination of antibiotic treatment to specific illnesses like pneumonia that is associated with child malnutrition. Poverty is usually considered to be the main causes of malnutrition. The quality of life initiatives should be taken into consideration and any laws developed on women should not reduce time for the care of children. Other drawback that influence the growth rate of malnutrition in parts of Somalia are : Vaccination coverage provided by the government doesnt satisfy the demand of the children in need. Long distances have to be covered to reach medical facilities and children are not able to to make it through the long journey to receive medical attention. Hygiene and sanitation conditions are poor and clean water is rarely available. Malnourished chidren already prone to be being susceptible to secondary illnesse, factors like exposure to poor hygienic conditions and most women are being uneducated and illiterate limits their knowledge to good caring practices and prevention of diseases. Since, child and maternal morbidity were important determinants of malnutrition in Somalia, the population that are inflicted with high rates of child mortality should receive access to health services, particularly maternal and child health, immunizations to emerging diseases and availability of Vitamin A supplements. Diseases like Edema, Kwashiorkor and Marasmus are often linked as a result of child malnutrition. Hence in order to achieve an improved statistical number of mortality rate in children it is necessary to take proper initiatives to improve dietary diversity. This could be encouraged by lowering the cost of food supply and provided informal education to improve knowledge in nutrition and health. The subject on nutrition should involve breast feeding information, how to prepare weaning foods and increase diversity using local foods. Simple instructions like teaching mothers to be involved in the treatment and recovery of their children, feeding assistance based on calorie consumption, helps prevent the downfall of children population. Another significant aspect in decreasing malnutrition mortality is by providing sufficient nutrients which supplies children with adequate antibodies and the sustenance to fight infectious diseases. Infants and children who are well nourished get sick less and for short period of time, love longer and work more years than adults who are not well nourished(Skolnik, 2008) This helps make contribution to the nations economy.
Friday, October 25, 2019
Islam Essay -- Religion Religious Islam Essays
Islam à à à à à Islam is comprised of three essential beliefs: The belief in God, obeying his moral laws, and believing in the after-life. Submission to God is directly followed by obeying the moral standards of everyday life. The Qur'an makes morality reign supreme and ensures that the affairs of life, instead of dominated by selfish desires, be regulated by norms of morality. These laws are the standard by which God determines the life of the believers, and the disbelievers on the Day of Judgement. à à à à à The belief in life after death not only guarantees success in the Hereafter but also makes this world full of peace and happiness by making individuals responsible and dutiful in their activities. The Qur'an lays down a moral system which is the standard by which conduct a particular mode of conduct is judged and classified as good or bad. "It is not righteous that you turn your faces East or West; but it is righteous to believe in God and the Last Day and the Angels, and the Book, and the messengers; to spend the rest of your substance, out of love for Him, for you kin, for orphans for the needy, for the steadfast in prayers, and practice regular charity; to fulfill the contracts which you made; to be firm and patient in pain or suffering and adversity and throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth, the God-conscious." (2:177) To elaborate further, our faith should be true and sincere, we must be prepared to show it in deeds of charity to our fellow-men, we must be good citizens, supporting social organizations, and our own individual soul must be firm and unshaken in al circumstances. Along with these standards, there is also the five pillars of Islam that is essential to ensure a rewarding after life. These pillars include: The belief that Allah is the one and only God, and Mohammad is his prophet; Salat five times a day; Zakat; Pilgrimage to Meccah; Observe fasting ritual during the month of Ramadan. These standards provides a sanction to morality in the love and fear of God, which will impel man to obey the moral law even without external pressures. Through belief in God and the Day of Judgement it furnishes a force which enables a person to adapt the moral conduct with sincerity and devotion straight form the heart and the soul. à à à à à The Qur'an explains the Day of Judgement as the day when the whole universe will be destr... ... glum therein." (23:99-104) The scales that this passage refers to is the scales of moral conduct on earth. If one does good deeds on earth, the weight of those deeds are heavier on the Day of Judgement. Evil deeds constitutes less wieght on the scale of judgement. In essence, life on earth is a test for all humans. The more good deeds one accumulates, the better the chances are of eternal bliss in the afterlife. à à à à à The explanation that the Qur'an gives about the necessity of life after death is what the moral consciousness of man demands. If there is no life after death, the very belief in God becomes irrelevant, or even if one believes in God, that would be an unjust and indifferent God: having once created man and not concerned with his fate. This is not so in Islam. We know through the Qur'an that God is Just and Merciful. The day of resurrection will be the day when God's attributes of Justice and Mercy will be in full manifestation. God will show his Mercy on those who suffered for his sake, and punish those who cared nothing about God and the after-life. Believing in God, obeying His laws, and believing in the after-life is what determines ones fate in the Hereafter.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Kentucky Fried Chicken – Management Mission and Values of the Cupola Group
_ {draw:rect} __ {draw:frame} {draw:rect} {draw:g} _ _ {draw:frame} {draw:rect} {draw:g} _ Table of Contents {text:toc-mark-end} Acknowledgementâ⬠¦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¬ ¦.. 3 {text:bookmark} {text:toc-mark-start} Executive Summaryâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦ â⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦.. â⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦. â⬠¦. 3 {text:toc-mark-end} Mission Statement {text:toc-mark-end} 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¬ ¦ â⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ¦.. 6 Visionâ⬠¦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¬ ¦. â⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ¦6 {text:bookmark} {text:toc-mark-start} Company Overview {text:toc-mark-end } 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¬ ¦. â⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ¦6 {text:bookmark} {text:toc-mark-start} KFC In Pakistan {text:toc-mark-end} 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 {text:bookmark} {text:toc-mark-start} Cupola Pakistan {text:toc-mark-end} â⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦. 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 {text:bookmark} {text:toc-mark-start} KFC Facts {text:toc-mark-end} 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 {text:bookmark} {text:toc-mark-start} Performance Overview {text:toc-mark-end} â⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦ â⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦9 {text:bookmark} {text:toc-mark-start} Organization {text:toc-mark-end} Structureâ⬠¦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¬ ¦. â⬠¦11 {text:bookmark} {text:toc-mark-start} Advertisementâ⬠¦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¬ ¦. â⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦. â⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ¦.. 11 Organizational Cultureâ⬠¦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 Food, Fun & Festivity, this is what KFC is all about. Leading the market since its inception, KFC provides the ultimate chicken meals for the Chicken Loving Nation. Be it Colonel Sanders secret Original Recipe Chicken or the Hot & Spicy version, every bite brings a YUM on the face. At KFC we proudly say: _ KFC has more than 11,000 restau rants in more than 80 countries and territories around the World__. In 1971, Heublein, Inc. acquired KFC, soon after, conflicts erupted between the Colonel (which was working as a public relations and goodwill ambassador) and Heublein management over quality control issues and restaurant_ _ {draw:frame} _ _ {draw:frame} _ _ {draw:frame} _ _ {draw:frame} _ _ {draw:frame} _ _ {draw:frame} _ _ {draw:frame} _ _ {draw:frame} _ Mission statement: KFC is an internationally renowned fast food industry in the world. They have the main ambition to increase & maintain the quality in fast food industry. Their aim is to capture the fast food market. Basically they want to provide their products to anyone that is why they expending their branches in all over the world. They want to increase their profit through giving maximum satisfaction VISION ââ¬Å"Our passion, as a restaurant company, is to put a YUM on people's faces around the world, satisfying customers every time they eat our food and doing it better than any other restaurant companyâ⬠. still used today. ââ¬Å"We Do Chicken Rightâ⬠Perfecting its secret recipe of 11 herbs and spices in 1939, KFC has come a long way, with over 10,000 outlets in the world; KFC has maintained its title, for the last 60 years, of being ââ¬Å"The Chicken Expertsâ⬠. Kentucky Fried Chicken has become KFC. Does anybody know why? We thought the real reason was because of the ââ¬Å"FRIEDâ⬠food issue. It's not. The reason why they call it KFC is because they can not use the word chicken anymore. Why? KFC does not use real chickens. They actually use genetically manipulated organisms. These so called ââ¬Å"chickensâ⬠are kept alive by tubes inserted into their bodies to pump blood and nutrients throughout their structure. They have no beaks, no feathers, and no feet. _ Their bone structure is dramatically shrunk to get more meat out of them. This is great for KFC because they do not have to pay so much for their production costs. There is no more plucking of the feathers or the removal of the beaks and feet. _ KFC In Pakistan Presently KFC is branched out in nine major cities of Pakistan (Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Multan, Peshawar, Sialkot, Hyderabad, and Islamabad) with 45 outlets nation-wide. Opening the first KFC outlet in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi in 1997, and KFC wore the title of being the market leader in its industry. Serving delicious and hygienic food in a relaxing environment made KFC everyoneââ¬â¢s favorite. Since then, KFC has been constantly introducing new products and opening new restaurants for its customers. About Cupola Cupola is a Dubai based multinational company involved in several business including, oil gas exploration, plastic cards, retail markets and food franchising. Cupola Pakistan Cupola holds the master franchise rights to operate KFC in Pa_kistan since 1999. That was a major difference that when Cupola takes complete Operate in Pakistan that was only 05 Outlets in all over Pakistan, and then now the major difference that Cupola takes 45 Outlets in Pakistan. _ Apart from fulfilling the commitment of serving delicious, fresh and hygienic food and at the same time providing the customers with the ultimate entertainment; KFC also plays part in the economic development of our country. KFC Facts Presently KFC has provided employment to over 1200 Pakistanis, which adds up to 6000 individuals directly dependent on KFC Pakistan. The Government of Pakistan receives over Rs. 10 to 11 million per month from KFC Pakistan as direct taxes. 95% of all food and packaging material used in KFC Pakistan is procured locally, which sums up to a purchase of over Rs. 35 million per month. Each new outlet developed by KFC Pakistan costs approximately Rs. 40 million, which is a huge amount for our construction industry. Annual turn over in Pakistan_ 2. 5 billion. _ KFC doesnââ¬â¢t buy its supplies from Pakistan ââ¬Å"KFC and Pakistanâ⬠¦Growing Togetherâ⬠Performance Overview: Organizational Structure: Competition: KFC does not consider Mc Donaldââ¬â¢s are its direct competitors. As Mc Donaldââ¬â¢s has a limited menu and cater to different segments of society e. g. Mc Donald is catering to lower middle society of Pakistan. Though KFC has faced a little competition from local restaurants but their breakeven in terms of revenue has been done and they are planning to expand further to other cities like Islamabad and Peshawar. Yum! Brands, Inc. International Presence & Competition: The International Portfolio of 5 leading U. S. Brands give Yum! a distinctive advantage over the single-brand competitors. {draw:frame} Customers KFCââ¬â¢s customer market consists solely of the consumer market (Kotler et al 2003). KFCââ¬â¢s products are bought by individuals (males, females, singles, and families). Therefore, the product range KFC offer should appeal to as many people within this consumer market as possible, to ensure that the maximum amount of products can be sold. The characteristics of these individuals and a segmentation of them are discussed later in this report. Company KFC is a multinational fast food chain company that has successfully established itself in the Pakistan market. It has a long history, going back to where Colonel Harland Sanders created its distinct recipes. The KFC brand is well known in Pakistan, which makes it a powerful marketing tool to use against competitors. _ {text:bookmark} {text:toc-mark-start} {text:bookmark} {text:toc-mark-start} Advertising {text:toc-mark-end} {text: toc-mark-end} One of KFC's_ advertisements is a commercial advertising its ââ¬Å"wicked crunch box mealâ⬠. The commercial features a fictional black metal band called ââ¬Å"Hellveticaâ⬠performing live, the lead singer then swallows fire. The commercial then shows the lead singer at a KFC eating the ââ¬Å"wicked crunch box mealâ⬠and saying ââ¬Å"Oh man that is hotâ⬠. _ _In 2007, the original, non-acronymic Kentucky Fried Chicken name was resurrected and began to reappear on company marketing literature and food packaging, as well as some restaurant signage. _ Organizational Structure: The KFC adopted traditional structure for their outlets that other food chains are following. There is one General Manager for Pakistan. The outlet is leaded by the Manager, assisted by two assistant managers, and one shift in-charge for each shift, that supervises the performance of counter workers and kitchen workers. Organizational Chart {draw:frame} ORGANISATION CULTURE _ {draw:frame} _ Big on diversity in the workplace _- Promotes differences in background, ethnic cultures, and values_ ââ¬â Team-oriented environment ââ¬â Focuses on teaching everybody something new ââ¬â Promotes unity in the workplace ââ¬â Focuses on building relationships and creating diversity and commitment within the company and amongst employees and customers FOUNDING TRUTHS Satisfied customers and profitability follow. _ Respond To The Voice Of The Customerâ⬠¦Not just listen. _ _ The Restaurant General Manager Is Our #1 Leaderâ⬠¦Not senior management. _ _ Run Each Restaurant As If Itââ¬â¢s Our Only Oneâ⬠¦Avoid the trap of the averages. _ _ Recognition Shows You Careâ⬠¦People leave when you donââ¬â¢t. _ _ Quality In Everything We Doâ⬠¦Especially the food. _ Refocused international strategies _ Competitive marketing strategy_ _ Distribution strategy_ WEAKNESS: Management Shift text:list-item} {text:list-item} THREATS: Consumer health food trend {text:list-item} BRINGING ABOUT EFFICIENCY Lesser production costs Building healthy customer relationships Efficient hierarchical structure within the company starting from area_ manager till the food service team members_ _Every single chicken goes through Quality Assurance Lab. _ Porters Five Force Analysis {draw:frame} Entry _For the current Pakistanmarket for fast food, it is not diffi cult for a fast food restaurant to enter the market. However, it would be extremely difficult to take over already running major fast food chains' dominancy in Pakistanor even make a significant amount of profit. While there are enough people in urban Pakistanfor any restaurant to survive, KFC holds the first-mover advantage into the ââ¬Ënon-veg food specialty food segment' that gives them free reputation. Customers, especially children who are used to going to KFC as a treat or reward from their parents or grandparents, are not going to want to go to other restaurants theyââ¬â¢ve never heard of. The brand name is already established. Also, there is already a large variety in the numerous western-style dining places in Pakistan, such as _ McDonaldââ¬â¢s, Pizza Hut, Domino's and Subway, and any new fast-food entrants would just be presenting something very similar to whatââ¬â¢s already there. While small _Neighborhood restaurants generally have low barriers to entry, these are the _barriers to entry for similar restaurant businesses to enter the fast-food chain market. The customers of KFC, especially as individual buyers, have almost no bargaining power because if only one customer threatens to no longer eat at KFC, the store is not going to lower its price because the cost of losing one customer is not very great. The suppliers, like the buyers, have very little bargaining power. _In terms of food, KFC, upon its move into Pakistan, urged many of its U. S. suppliers to also extend branches into Pakistan. KFC also began helping local suppliers by giving them technological support to improve their products. This is a brilliant strategy because the supplies that KFC would otherwise need to import from the _ U. S. can now be obtained domestically, and if the U. S. suppliers decide to raise their prices, KFC can easily switch to the local suppliers. This gives us a brilliant strategy. With this strategy, KFC created competition among its suppliers, lowering the supplier bargaining power. In terms of human resources, labor cost is extremely low because the supply of non-skilled workers great exceeds the demand for them. With so little buyer and supplier bargaining powers, KFC is able to have a very tight control over its prices and expenditures. As mentioned above, there are a few major competitors in the fast-food industry _in Pakistanfor KFC, namely McDonaldââ¬â¢s, Pizza Hut, Domino's and Subway. The substitute products, in this case, would be burgers, pizza, and sandwiches. Though they are competitors, their primary products differ greatly from each other, in that they sell, chicken, burgers and fries, pizzas, and sandwiches, respectively. Traditional _ Pakistandining, home-cooked meals, and grocery stores with ready-to-eat foods are also substitutes, as families could choose any one of these over fast food for a meal. These substitutes are definitely considered healthy as compared to the fast food chains. Even foods from street vendors count as substitute goods. Unlike what one would expect, KFC has little rivalry with similar fast-food chains in _Pakistan. The primary reason is that their core products are different, as in they sell different kinds of fast foods with very different tastes and styles. For example, if KFC raised its price for chicken by a small amount, Pakistan chicken lovers who may not be as accepting to pizzas (many Pakistanpeople strongly dislike the taste of cheese) are not going to switch to Pizza Hut just because the price for KFC increased. In addition to that, these restaurants have such different target customers that the fluctuation of price for one restaurant is not going to affect the others. For example, a full meal at KFC ranges about Rs. 100, whereas a full meal at Pizza Hut can cost over Rs. 300. The drastic difference in price assures no price competition between these restaurants. _ {draw:frame} _ {draw:frame} _ {draw:frame} _ {text:bookmark} {text:toc-mark-start} {text:bookmark} {text:toc-mark-start} {text:bookmark} {text:toc-mark-start} {text:bookmark} {text:toc-mark-start} {text:toc-mark-end} {text:toc-mark-end} Boston Consultancy Group (BCG) Matrix {text:toc-mark-end} {text:toc-mark-end} {text:bookmark} {text:toc-mark-start} {text:bookmark} { text:toc-mark-start} Question Mark: {text:toc-mark-end} {text:toc-mark-end} _Currently KFC have launched a new product in the market. They have also tried to come into the beverages market by launching its new brand of shakes called KRUSHERS. As it is a fairly new product it comes in the category of the Question Mark in the BCG Matrix. It has a low market share thus brings low revenue. KFC is advertising a lot to popularize this product so there is a lot of expenditure on it. This product is individually not bringing any profits and is a cash drain for the company. Company may decide to completely remove this product from the market if it does not do well soon and start bringing in revenue. _ {text:bookmark} {text:toc-mark-start} {text:bookmark} {text:toc-mark-start} DOG: {text:toc-mark-end} {text:toc-mark-end} KFCââ¬â¢s Veg Thali comes under this category. Although company had launched this product much earlier, it has still failed to become a success. As KFC is known more for its non-veg food, this also results in low demand for this item. It has a low market share and although low on expenditure (as company does not spend on its promotion), it does not bring in much revenue as demand is low. The product is mostly CASH NEUTRAL. {text:bookmark} {text:toc-mark-start} {text:bookmark} {text:toc-mark-start} CASH COW: {text:toc-mark-end} {text:toc-mark-end} KFCââ¬â¢s Chicken Bucket is the most successful product of the company. It has the highest market share amongst all the other products. It has good demand in the market and brings in huge sales revenue. The development and other expenses are also low and thus this product is a CASH SIRPLUS for the company. {text:bookmark} {text:toc-mark-start} {text:bookmark} {text:toc-mark-start} STAR: {text:toc-mark-end} {text:toc-mark-end} KFC Business Strategy KFC fast-food chains are currently under the restaurant division of PepsiCo Incorporated. Some major threats include the changing attitudes of society toward healthier eating habits, KFC has more than 9,800 outlets located in 77 countries. In marketing, KFC restaurants are not restricted from locating within close proximity of other KFC restaurants. There are two alternative strategies for KFC. The first strategy involves keeping PepsiCo beverage division and snack foods division together, and a divestiture of PepsiCo restaurant division; selling Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and KFC. Market Strategies: KFC Target Market: KFC targets the young generation, as here in this country the young generation is more towards eating out and is more energetic. It targets the early single segment that is the upper class. Aggregation Strategy: KFC does not need aggressive marketing or advertising because Brand is strong enough. Market Segmentation: Previously they were focusing on single segment that was through Niche Marketing by offering ââ¬Å"Combo Dealsâ⬠. Now they are focusing more on other classes as well. They are dealing in masses by introducing value deals; most recently introduced ââ¬Å"Zinger Juniorâ⬠. Benefits: Colonelââ¬â¢s value combo meals introduced previously were expensive and so there were less sales but through their recent offers, they have increased the sales by offering low prices. Purpose: Inflation highly affects the purchasing power of the customers. And here the purchasing power of many customers is low. To cover this major segment, they have introduced affordable meals, so that it is in reach of the masses. Want Specification: The people here need a friendly and family restaurant, which must be affordable for them. Consumer Market Segmentation: Region: Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Multan, Peshawar, Sialkot, Hyderabad and Islamabad Geographic: Gulberg: The main Gulberg branch is situated on M. M Alam Road, which covers a wide area and serves a large number of customers. This restaurant faces competition with many top Fast Food restaurants located on the same road. Defence: Their Defence Branch in H-Block focuses the potential customers of Defence. Barket Market: This branch covers the area of Model Town, Johar Town, Muslim Town, Garden Town and Faisal Town. It is situated among many offices and banks. Cavalry Ground: Shadman: The Shadman branch is located on Jail Road and serves potential customers. Thokar Niaz Baig: This restaurant branch serves latent customers. Mall Road: Fortress Stadium: Marketing Mix: Marketing mix consists of 4Pââ¬â¢s. It contains everything a firm can do to influence the demand for its product. The 4Pââ¬â¢s are: PRODUCT PRICE PLACE PROMOTION Their product is classified as consumer product as it has no intermediates. KFC offers specialty goods. The stock turn over of KFC is high. Price and quality of the product is always compared. Their product includes {text:list-item} _ written with it. _ comes in mind. KFC Brand: {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} Brands Equity Branding Strategies KFC is marketing the entire output under products own brand. Complementary Branding Packaging Strategies They use paper material for packaging to avoid health hazards and environmental pollution. Labeling Pricing In introduction stage KFC entered the market using market-skimming strategy. Their products were high price and targeted only upper class. Gradually they trickle down focusing on the middle class to penetrate the market. Also KFC follows one price strategy. Price is determined according to the rates of the raw materials and policies of the Govt. The political and legal forces often affect the policies of KFC and eventually results in change of prices that is due to imposing of taxes. KFC has only one channel of distribution i. e. direct where the goods are transferred to the consumer directly. KFC has no middlemen. KFC does distribution of consumer goods directly to the consumer. KFC also does distribution of services to the consumer like parking, sitting, home delivery, etc. KFC gets Wheels! KFC launched its first mobile unit, which took the streets of Karachi by storm. The mobile unit has been designed to cater to the needs of those who are on the go, and have little time to stop by at a restaurant. It also provides a unique convenience of enjoying the delicious KFC offering anytime, anywhere, thus making fast food truly fast and convenient. KFC intends to further develop its mobile network nationwide through more such units KFC does intensive distribution on its outlets. (All and everything on every outlet). The logo features Colonel Harland Sanders that is one of the best logo in the world has created its name as a standard in the market. Today the Colonelââ¬â¢s Spirit and heritage are reflected in KFCââ¬â¢s brand identity. KFC by its advertisements derives the d esire in the customer to come and enjoy healthy food in their favorite restaurant. They spend 2% of its profits on advertisement. They use print media and most recently doing televised marketing to promote it products. Their advertising media involve: Newspapers, Pamphlets, Billboards and Television. KFC does both the primary demand advertising (ââ¬Å"Become a Chicken Fanaticâ⬠) and the selective demand advertising (e. g. ââ¬Å"Zinger Mealâ⬠). In its advertising it give informative messages like ââ¬Å"Faryad: Keep the city Cleanâ⬠. KFC does institutional advertising to stimulate demand. When KFC offers new products then it does product advertising. KFCââ¬â¢s adââ¬â¢s act as counteracts which means to drive the customer to KFC i. e. it uses pull advertising strategy. _ {draw:frame} _ Unlike McDonaldââ¬â¢s, KFCââ¬â¢s promotion is highly decentralized. It adopts cultural values for their advertisements PSO had made a scheme in which PSO had given the coupons of KFC having 10% off. (1 coupon was given after each purchase of 10 liters of petrol) KFC in its advertisements says; ââ¬Å"Nobody does chicken like KFCâ⬠ââ¬Å"We do chicken rightâ⬠The message conveyed in the ads is recognition for the brand. KFC does competitive advertisement with its head on competition with McDonalds. Regarding this KFC uses Pricing below competition strategy. KFC sponsorââ¬â¢s many NGOââ¬â¢s and other social welfare organizations like Regular sponsorship to SOS village. Sponsorships to FARYAD_ a plant and life association. FARYAD: Keep The City Cleanâ⬠. They also offer different deals according to the season and occasions. _ Quality Assurance: Food Safety: Chicken & its Products: Locally produced and processed chicken. Supplied in frozen form Marketing Research and methods to collect information: Marketing research was done before launching the product through different mediums. It was conducted after the survey that mostly students prefer to go to KFC than other people. The second in majority were people who are in services. That covers the majority of this country. {draw:frame} _ {draw:frame} {draw:frame} {draw:frame} {draw:frame} Strategic management: Market Development Product Development Concentric Diversification Implementations: {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} Recent Achievement of KFC The Stevie International Business Awards KFC Pakistan was honored to receive the awa rd among 100 countries and 800 participants. The award was presented to Mr. Rangoonwala by Mr. Graham Allan, President, YUM Restaurants International at a recent conference in Prague, Czech Republic. KFC is a very strong chain of fast food restaurants with more than 10,000 restaurants all over the world. Being in ââ¬Å"Maturity Stageâ⬠it has high opportunities of introducing its new products and deals. In Future it will be expanding its chain by introducing more outlets in Pakistan as well as in other countries. Believe in value creation. Provide ultimate choice of quick service restaurants for consumers. Won the hearts of millions of Pakistanis _ {draw:frame} _ References: Yum! Brands, Inc. http://www. yum. com KFC http://www. kfc. com KFC Barkat Market Mr. Shabir (Marketing Manager)
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
ââ¬ÅKindredââ¬Â by Octavia Butler -Analysis Essay
There are various connections that can be made between the characters within the novel ââ¬Å"Kindredâ⬠written by Octavia Butler. The majority of these connections relate to four of the course themes weââ¬â¢ve visited in past few weeks: double consciousness, collective trauma, diaspora, and power relationships. The protagonist, Dana Franklin, traveled between the past and present and in her travels she met a variety of different people, including the enslaved African Americans and their White owners of the 19th century, as well as her ancestors, one in particular is the cause of her time travel. Alice Greenwood and Rufus Weylin both had a peculiar relationship with Dana, as well as with each other. The ties that Dana shared with Alice exemplified the themes of double consciousness and collective trauma, and the ties shared between Dana and Rufus demonstrated the themes of diaspora and power relationships. Alice and Dana had a sisterly relationship, as some of the other characters had commented, Sarah once told Dana after Aliceââ¬â¢s passing, ââ¬Å"You and her was like sistersâ⬠¦ You sure fought like sisters, always fussinââ¬â¢ at each other, stompinââ¬â¢ away from each other, cominââ¬â¢ back.â⬠Although a brief description, this is a very accurate summary of their relationship. Their double consciousness was first realized when Rufus had pointed out that they were both ââ¬Å"one and the sameâ⬠, this meaning that they were two halves of the same person. Not only did they look alike, but the line between their roles in the Weylin household were heavily blurred. Alice was the ââ¬Å"loveâ⬠interest of Rufus while she was alive, although her only use to him was to either sexually abuse her or use her as his personal punching bag. She had once told Dana that whenever sheââ¬â¢s around, the mental and physical abuse isnââ¬â¢t as bad as it regularly is. On the other hand, Dana has an immense amount of freedom in comparison to Alice, even to the other slaves. Due to the unspoken set of rules that Dana and Rufus share, he doesnââ¬â¢t try to pursue any sexual relationship with her until the end of the book. As Dana had once said, ââ¬Å"I could accept him as my ancestor, younger brother, friend, but not as my master, and not as my lover.â⬠Alice is openlyà spiteful towards Dana because of this, but it is also obvious that the reason why she always comes back to Dana is because, like a sibling, she is used as an outlet for her pain, fear, and hate, and knowing that she could have done more to lesson Aliceââ¬â¢s suffering, Dana allows puts her feelings aside and accepts the onslaught of abuse. Both of their relationships with Rufus also lead to their collective trauma as they are both abused by him, and, in different ways, he takes something from them that leave them unwhole. For Alice, he not only rips her freedom from out under her, but he also ââ¬Å"sellsâ⬠their children, which were the only reasons that she had stayed on the plantation for so long. For Dana, he too took her freedom and the power that she once held over him had vanished completely, but itââ¬â¢s possible that he is also the reason that she there was a short stump in the place of her arm. The relationship that was shared between Dana and Rufus was the most complex relationship of them all. A list of unspoken rules shared between the two had been the foundation of their relationship, as they had both known that one could not live without the other, that if either one of them died, the other is just as good as dead as well. Ever since Dana had first saved Rufus from drowning in the river, she had attempted to instill some morals into the young boy in hopes that he wouldnââ¬â¢t be as corrupt as his father or the other slave owners, as she knew that that was what he would soon become. Although, with each time that she returns to save the boyââ¬â¢s life, he grows older, and he becomes more mature as well as stubborn, not as easily goaded into doing nice things for the slaves, like setting most of them free, or not selling any of them as his father does. Eventually, the reigns of power are no longer held by Dana, and the influence of the 19th century has finally rubbe d off on Rufus for the worse. No longer small and feeble, Rufus has Dana sent to work in the fields, has her whipped, hits her multiple times, and eventually held the barrel of a rifle to her head, though the line is completely crossed when Rufus tries to have sex with Dana, which she responds to with the thrust of a sharp blade in his side. Twice. The scale of power begins tipped towards Dana, then towards Rufus, then for another brief moment back to Dana. Their relationship is also, in a way, diasporic, as Dana is constantly out ofà place in the 19th century throughout the entire book. She brings back with her the knowledge of the future, though sparse, as well as new medicines, devices, and ideas, though because of her skin color she is seen as no more than either a ââ¬Å"smart niggerâ⬠to the white folks and a ââ¬Å"white niggerâ⬠to the blacks; nothing more than a nigger. Even though she wasnââ¬â¢t accepted by most of the other slaves and the whites who held power over her, Rufus, still needed her in many different ways and was very clingy at times, even as he gave his last long and shuddering sigh, he simply could not let go of Dana, both literally and physically, as his hand still grasped her arm in the afterlife. When Dana arrives from the past for the last time, she discovers -excruciatingly painfully- that her arm had somehow meshed and conjoined with the wall of her living room. The exact spot where Rufus had held her in his final moments marked the loss of her arm, ââ¬Å"from the elbow to the ends of the fingers,â⬠It is unknown whether or not Danaââ¬â¢s arm is left in the past, still held between the cold fingers of the dead, as Rufusââ¬â¢ body was believed to be burned to ashes and never found, along with the Weylin estate. Danaââ¬â¢s graphic physical loss shows what slavery truly is outside of popular novels, history books, and dramatized television where the actors practice the pain and suffering that their ancestors dealt with. The loss of her arm shows many different things, like how even though African Americans today have been removed from slavery over time, who they are today was planted and rooted in the past. Also, slaves had constantly suffered from both emotion al and physical abuse at the hands of their owners, yet they were extremely dependent of their owners. Dana is subjected to horrific pain at the hand of Rufus, yet she still feels pity for him when he comes crawling back to her, as he is both her master and her kin-dred, so she alternates between despising him and feeling empathetic towards him. Lastly, Danaââ¬â¢s severed arm is a horrible loss, and it is meant to capture the horror of slavery. It is also significant that she suffers her injury because Rufus hangs on to her. Like Rufus holding onto Dana, the past has a ââ¬Å"holdâ⬠on the present, the sacrifices of the past shape the present today. Dana loses an arm which is an important body part, especially for a writer, although she escapes with her life. The slaves of the past had sacrificed skin, bone, and sanity, yetà a lot of them escaped, albeit scarred. Danaââ¬â¢s horrific injury makes all of the sacrifices slaves made painfully real in order to make lives better for generations to come. Part of her lies in the past, and so does part of todaysââ¬â¢ generation. In conclusion, the strange relationships that Dana had formed with her ancestors, Alice and Rufus, had in some ways, led to the loss of her arm. Her entire existence was dependent on the two of them having her great grandmother Hagar, and although Alice may have survived without Danaââ¬â¢s influence, Rufus was definitely dependent on Dana as well. Octavia Butler had wanted readers to take with them the reality of how we ar e still deeply rooted within slavery and it still has an affect on us today, even though it had ended over 140 years ago. As Dana had witnessed first hand, slavery has never been a free occurrence, anyone who was apart of it in any way never came out of it as they once were before; they never escaped slavery whole again, but as less of the person than they were before.
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