Whitbread Plc SWOT Analysis Free Essays

Abstract: An analysis of the FTSE 100 company Whitbread Plc, utilising the SWOT tool as a framework to investigate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that the company faces in relation to its position within the Leisure industry. Drawing from an internal perspective, the SWOT analysis evaluates the company’s operation in both its national and international domains. Introduction: The following essay comprises an analysis of Whitbread Plc, a company operating within the Leisure and Hospitality sector, presently ranked 85th on the FTSE 100 index (Source: etf. We will write a custom essay sample on Whitbread Plc SWOT Analysis or any similar topic only for you Order Now db.com). With engagements in the hotels, restaurants and coffee shop businesses, its portfolio of subsidiary companies includes the market leading brands Premier Inn and Costa Coffee, alongside a range of restaurant chains comprising Beefeater Grill, Brewers Fayre, Table Table and Taybarns. Analysis will centre around an investigation of Whitbread Plc’s internal strengths and weaknesses, examining the presence of opportunities and threats that stand to prepare or hinder its progress within the leisure industry. This theme will be examined both within the context of both its national and international operations. The current operating environment that all brands falling under the Whitbread corporate umbrella face is undoubtedly a challenging one, owing to increased cautiousness on the part of consumers in light of an unstable economic climate. This is particularly the case with discretionary expenditure on leisure and non essential services, for which the company firmly caters. However, recent financial figures suggest robust performances across the board; the company share price in the 12 months to April 2012 has risen by 6.56 per cent (source ft.com), reaching a 52 week peak of 1889 pence per share on 28th March 2012 (Appendix 1). In line with this, the company are expected to announce a 15 per cent increase in underlying pre-tax profits of ?314.2 million when their annual report is published on 26th April 2012 (Source business.scotsmann.com). Further, the trend in recent years has been to peruse expansion both on the UK and international scenes. Costa Coffee has seen notable growth, with over 1600 stores worldwide; up from just 346 in 2003/04 (Appendix 2). It is now the leading UK coffee chain (Whitbread annual reports and accounts 2010/11). Similarly, Premier Inn has grown to 590 hotels throughout the UK and is targeting aggressive expansion into Dubai and India. It appears that cautious optimism has been the basis for a continued strategy of growth in a market charged with both opportunities and threats for what is an established and experienced operator. Focussing on the company’s internal environment, what follows is a brief SWOT analysis, detailing the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats within its national and international markets: Whitbread Plc SWOT Analysis Strengths: Whitbread are in the position of owning a strong brand portfolio. Premier Inn and Costa are market leading performers (Appendix 3), where as their restaurant arm is expected to announce a 1.9 percent increase in total sales for the year ending April 2011. (Source scotsman.com) Further, the parent company is well established with many years experience in the brewery industry, before recently changing tack to focus on hospitality and restaurants. Recent managerial board moves in April 2012 have seen the well regarded company finance director, Chris Rogers, take control of the Costa business. (The Telegraph 03 Apr 12) This can perhaps be interpreted as a means of ensuring the future stability of a high performing brand. Weaknesses: Although the Costa brand has been very much the ‘Rising Star’ of Whitbread’s brand portfolio over the past 10 years, there is perhaps a perception that the underlying reason for the company’s rapid expansion has been based on a fad, subject to changing customer tastes and therefore lacking in longevity. Being situated at the luxury end of the coffee chain spectrum, Costa is also at risk of overpricing its products; perhaps a door through which competitor coffee chains can leverage some market share during a period of recession. Seeing as Whitbread has traditionally managed a domestic portfolio, many of its brands remain untested outside of the UK market, with only a small number of Premier Inn and Costa outlets competing in the international marketplace. There remains a lack of necessary brand awareness in what is already a very saturated international leisure marketplace. Opportunities: On the domestic scene, with many traditional high street retailers facing store cutbacks or even complete closure, there exist strong opportunities to capitalise on the availability of prime high street retail space. There are further opportunities to become more flexible with the pricing structures employed in the Premier Inn chain, whereby the current CEO Andy Harrison has mooted plans to employ a ‘Dynamic Pricing Model’ which aims to maximise occupancy rates in each of its hotels. (Whitbread Interim Results Presentation 2011/12). This could prove particularly valuable at a time when UK residents are increasingly choosing domestic holidays over foreign travel. Viewing from an international perspective, there remains scope for considerable expansion, as is currently being undertaken with moves into Dubai and India, alongside Costa’s recent acquisition of Poland’s biggest chain, ‘ Coffeeheavan’ for ?32m in 2009 (telegraph.co.uk/finance). The sp ectre of London 2012 is perhaps the most tangible short-term prospect, with many chances to capitalise on tourist expenditure over the Gamestime period. Threats: In the Annual Report and Accounts for 2010/11, Whitbread chairman Anthony Habgood wrote, â€Å"Over the next twelve months the focus will be on strengthening our value propositions, controlling costs and accelerating our expansion.† This intention to control capital expenditure will indeed need to be followed through rigidly, in order for expansion plans to progress without any financial backlash. With the global economic environment remaining turbulent, there remains a sizable degree of uncertainty in the process of expanding into new markets. The increasing frequency of news articles based in the instability of world markets, with current headlines reading ‘FTSE Tumbles Amid Political Doubt’ (The Press Association – 23.04.12) adds testament to this. Further recent speculationsuggests the Costa arm may be demerged from Whitbread, owing to its viability as an independent entity (The Independent, 22.04.12). This effects of move are an unknown in terms of it s outcome on Whitbread’s stability. Conclusion: Approaching the theme of strengths and weaknesses from a national and international perspective, this essay has outlined the balance of opportunities and threats as they affect Whitbread Plc, using the SWOT tool to provide a structured investigation into the environment in which the company operates. It can be seen that whilst Whitbread possess the attributes of a strong brand portfolio containing highly recognisable national companies, there is considerable reason for future optimism of plans for expansion and growth to be tempered by the reality of an unstable global economic climate and current lack of presence on the international scene. Appendix 1) Whitbread Plc – 52 Week share price to April 2012 Financial Times – http://markets.ft.com/Research/Markets/Tearsheets/Summary?s=WTB:LSE 2) Whitbread growth transformation over six years 3) YouGov brand index for Coffee Shops and Hotels References – Morning Star: Whitbread Plc Overview. http://tools.morningstar.co.uk/uk/stockreport/default.aspx?Site=ukid=0P000080E9LanguageId=en-GBSecurityToken=0P000080E9]3]0]E0WWE$$ALL – Scotsman.com: The Week Ahead: Winning brew from Whitbread (23 April 2012) http://www.scotsman.com/business/the-week-ahead-winning-brew-from-whitbread-1-2250386 – Press Association: Political uncertainty hits markets (23 April 2012) http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5jr0Ihkps5kKMnUFUTgLsKYszTe7g?docId=N0477601335169148049A – The Telegraph: Whitbread to buy Polish coffee chain Coffeheaven for ?32m (11 Dec 2009) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/6790624/Whitbread-to-buy-Polish-coffee-chain-Coffeheaven-for-32m.html – The Independent: Whitbread’s Premier Inn could Costa lot (22 April 2012) http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/whitbreads-premier-inn-loss-could-costa-lot-7668818.html – The Telegraph: Whitbread finance chief Chris Rogers to head up Costa Coffee after John Derkach quits to join Tragus(03 April 12) http://tinyurl.com/bpe6s42 Books – Farndon, M., et al (2004). ‘Advanced Business’. Osborne Books Ltd Journals – MINT UK – ‘Hotels Motels in the UK’ (2011). Reports – Annual Report Accounts 2009/10 http://annualreport.whitbread.co.uk/pdfs/0910/Whitbread_AR-and-Accounts_0910.pdf – Interim Results 2010/11 http://online.hemscottir.com/ir/wtb/pdf/WhitbreadInterims2010_showbook.pdf How to cite Whitbread Plc SWOT Analysis, Essay examples

Langston Hughes Analysis Essay Example For Students

Langston Hughes Analysis Essay â€Å"Doorknobs†Langston Hughes is considered by many readers to be the most significant black poet of the twentieth century. Except for a few examples, all his poems are about social injustice in America. The somber tone of his writing often reflected his mood. Race relations were present in almost his whole career, following him from his first poem to his last. The poem â€Å"Doorknobs† was written in 1961 after his subpoena to appear before Senator McCarthy for subversive activities. Although many other poems by Hughes deal with prejudice, race, or politics, â€Å"Doorknobs† deals with life itself. Hughes’ anger over the political attacks are seen on many of his poems. Hughes’ â€Å"Doorknob† describes a child who seems to be afraid of life and afraid of the adults in his life†¦ By the end of the poem this child is now an adult himself who appears to be insecure, and perhaps, afraid of life itself. This man portrays a sad, non-confident, scared life as we can see on the lines 1 to 3. We experience first hand the lack of control, the terrorizing feelings this door holds for this child:The simple silly terror of a doorknob on a door that turns to let in lifeFrom lines 4 to 10, we can assume that we are reading of a child who is terrorized of the grownups that live with him; perhaps he is an abused chil d:on two feet standing,walking, talking,wearing dress or trousers,maybe drunk or maybe sober,maybe smiling, laughing, happy,maybe tangled in the terrorof a yesterday past grandpaLines 11 to 15 reinforce the terror this child is feeling and carrying with him. It is apparent that the child is experiencing some kind of abuse, either mental or physical:when the door from out there openedinto here where I, antenna,recipient of your coming,received the talking imageof the simple silly terrorFrom lines 16-25 Hughes repeats the first stanza of the poem with minor changes to the order of t the words; this perhaps is now when the child is now remembering his past. Another interpretation is that when the child became a grownup instead of being afraid of the adults in his life, he is afraid now of life itself, and death. of a door that opensat the turning of a knobto let in lifewalking, talking, standingwearing dress or trousers,drunk or maybe sober,smiling, laughing, happy,or tangled in the terrorof a yesterday past grandpanot of our own doing. â€Å"Doorknobs† is a sad poem; the poem deals with the struggle and search for identity, and a struggle of the individual vs. the Universe. The mood is fear, and perhaps terror of his surroundings. At the end, we are left with the feeling that the child went on living his life in terror and afraid of everything that surrounded him even after becoming an adult. English Essays

WORK MOTIVATION (WM) free essay sample

WORK MOTIVATION (WM)Work motivation is a perplexing topic in work and organisational science (Kanfer, Chen, Pritchard, 2008). Pinder (1998) defined work motivation as a set of energetic forces that originates both within as well as beyond an individuals being, to initiate work-related behaviour, and to determine its form, direction, intensity and duration. It helps an employee to pay attention to their task, put effort and work with perseverance Various theories that play an important role in work motivation include:Needs hierarchy by Abraham Maslow gave the framework of the elements of an overall theory of motivation. In essence, he believed that after a need has been satisfied once, we move up the ladder to gratify the next need and the previously satisfied need ceases to motivate. The next need is activated which further motivates the individual. Maslow identified five levels in his need hierarchy including physiological needs, safety need, love needs, esteem needs and needs for self-actualisation. We will write a custom essay sample on WORK MOTIVATION (WM) or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The needs hierarchy has tremendous perceptive appeal and is broadly associated with work motivation. (Luthans,1998)According to Two-Factor Theory of motivation by Herzberg (1987, 1959), the factors that lead to job satisfaction are distinctive from those that influence job dissatisfaction. Thus the factors that the managers aim to eliminate to reduce job dissatisfaction, might only help to lessen the frustration or complaints among the employees but not necessarily lead to contentment or motivation. Consequently, Herzberg rendered conditions such as quality of supervision, pay, company policies, physical working conditions, relationships with others, and job security as hygiene factors. When these conditions are adequate they will prevent the people from being dissatisfied but not necessarily make them satisfied. According to Herzberg, accentuating factors which are associated with the work itself or with outcomes that are directly derived from it to motivate people in their job, su ch as promotional opportunities, personal growth opportunities, recognition, responsibility, and achievement. These characteristics are considered as intrinsically rewarding by the employees. He thus believed that job satisfiers were related to job context and job satisfiers to job content.?Equity Theory of Work Motivation by J. Stacy Adams maintains that the degree of equity (or inequity) that people perceive in their work situation contributes in job performance and satisfaction. Inequity occurs when a person perceives that there is inequality between the ratio of his or her outcomes to inputs and the ratio of a relevant others outcomes. According to this theory, motivation is based on the persons perception of what that they give (inputs) and receive (outputs) versus what the relevant other gives and receives. This cognition may differ from person to person, it can be same as reality or may be even far from it. (Luthans,1998). However, its strongest legacy is that it provided the spark for research on organizational justice, which has more support in the literature. Goal-Setting Theory by Edwin Locke (1968) proposed that intentions to work towards a goal are major source of work motivation. The theory states that some people perform better than other because they have different performance goals. The essence of the theory is four-fold (Locke and Latham, 1990). First, difficult specific goals lead to significantly higher performance than easy goals, no goals, or even the setting of an abstract goal such as urging people to do their best. Second, the higher the goal of the person, the higher the performance Third, the setting and commitment of a particular difficult goal is to an extent influenced by the personality traits and incentives influence an individuals behaviour. Fourth, by goal setting ca also influence the individual to discover different ways to attain the goal other than affecting choice, effo rt, and persistence which are considered important mechanisms in motivation. (Seijts and Latham, 2005).A systematic way to utilize goal-setting is with management by objectives (MBO), which emphasizes on participatively setting goals that are attainable, verifiable, and measurable. The organizations over-all objectives are translated into specific objectives for each level (divisional, departmental, individual). Four ingredients that are common in MBO programs include goal specificity, participation in decision, an explicit time period, and performance feedback.

A Masters in Education for a Young Teacher Essay Example

A Masters in Education for a Young Teacher Essay Example A Masters in Education for a Young Teacher Essay A Masters in Education for a Young Teacher Essay Teachers who have, in essence, just begun their careers often jump on the first job they can find after college. After all, it’s difficult to get into particular school districts and sometimes there are no options when it comes to choosing exactly what grade you want to teach. It’s best to simply get your foot in the door and make changes from the inside as more opportunity becomes available. The need or desire to get a job right out of the gate is one of the reasons that many who have received their undergraduate degree in education bypass the choice to go straight on to earning their Master’s Degree. It may be that their expenses are such that they can no longer afford going to school full time and must get a job in order to support further schooling, or they may find themselves with a career opportunity that they simply cannot pass up, especially in this economy. But now immersed in that job and getting comfortable with the school and the classroom, that new teacher may still not want to lose the momentum she had gained through her undergraduate work; momentum, she has been told, that is difficult to recapture when you let too much time go by between earning an undergraduate degree and continuing on in a Master’s program. The option, of course, is to look at online learning where the ability to pursue degree programs in everything from Nonprofit Management to a Masters in Education is possible. This type of learning is fast becoming the most popular choice for those who are interested in continuing school in a non-traditional manner; something that supports their schedule and allows them the flexibility and control that they need to manage a multitude of responsibilities including family and a full time job.

How Depth of Knowledge Drives Learning and Assessment

How Depth of Knowledge Drives Learning and Assessment Depth of Knowledge- also referred to as DOK- refers to the depth of understanding required to answer or explain an assessment-related item or a classroom activity. The concept of depth of knowledge was developed in the 1990s through research by Norman L. Webb,  a scientist at the Wisconsin Center for Education Research. DOK Background Webb originally developed depth of knowledge for mathematics and science standards. However, the model has been expanded and used in language arts, mathematics, science, and history/social studies. His model has increasingly become more popular in state assessment circles. The complexity of an assessment task is increasingly more difficult because the level often increases requiring multiple steps to complete. Does this mean that learning and assessment should not include level 1 tasks? On the contrary, learning and assessment should include a diversified set of tasks requiring students to exhibit a range of problem-solving skills within each level of complexity.  Webb identified four distinct depth of knowledge levels. Level 1 Level 1 includes basic recall of facts, concepts, information, or procedures- the rote learning or memorization of facts- an essential component of learning. Without a strong foundation of basic knowledge, students find it difficult to perform more complex tasks. Mastering level 1 tasks builds a foundation allowing students to attempt to complete higher-level tasks successfully. An example of level 1 knowledge would be: Grover Cleveland was the 22nd president of the United States, serving from 1885 to 1889. Cleveland was also the 24th president from 1893 to 1897. Level 2 Level 2 depth of knowledge  includes skills and concepts such as the use of information (graphs) or solving problems that require two or more steps with decision points along the way. The foundation of level 2 is that it often requires multiple steps to solve. You must be able to take what is there and fill in certain gaps. Students cannot simply recall the answer though some prior knowledge, as is the case with level 1. Students must be able to explain how or why in level 2 items. An example of a level 2 DOK would be: Compare and contrast a composite, cinder cone, and shield volcano. Level 3 Level 3 DOK includes strategic thinking that requires reasoning and is abstract and complex. Students must analyze and evaluate complex real-world problems with predictable outcomes. They must be able to reason their way through the problem logically.  Level 3 questions often require students to pull from multiple subject areas using a range of skills to come up with a solution that works. An example would be: Write a persuasive essay, citing evidence from other sources such as text, to convince your school principal to allow students to have and use their cell phones in class. Level 4 Level 4 includes extended thinking such as an investigation or application to solve complex real-world problems with unpredictable outcomes. Students must strategically analyze, evaluate, and reflect over time often having to change their approach on their way to coming up with an amicable solution. An  example of this level of knowledge would be: Invent a new product or create a solution that solves a problem or helps make things easier for someone within the confines of your school. DOK in the Classroom Most classroom assessments consist of level 1 or level 2 type questions. Level 3 and 4 assessments are more complex to develop, and they are also more difficult for teachers to score.  Yet, students need to be exposed to a variety of tasks at differing levels of complexity to learn and grow. Level 3 and 4 activities are challenging in different ways for both students and teachers, but they also offer many benefits that level 1 and level 2 activities cannot provide. Teachers would be best served by using a balanced approach when deciding how to implement depth of knowledge into their classrooms.

History of Bankruptcy and Law Practices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

History of Bankruptcy and Law Practices - Essay Example This concept originated from Italy where in the past bankers placed a bench in public areas which was referred to as bancus, when the banker could not continue with his business he or she would break his bench and therefore the Italians this to as bancus raptus which means broken bank. This practice was also evident in other regions example where by 1596 Spain had declared some of its four states bankrupt, in Asia individuals faced the death penalty if they became bankrupt more than three times. This paper discusses the origin of bankruptcy, the bankruptcy process, the consequences of bankruptcy, bankruptcy relief and the bankruptcy chapters as per the united state constitution and the 1978 and 2005 amendments on these acts. The paper also discusses bankruptcy crimes which involve debtors concealing information. Early in Italy bakers used to place benches in public areas where they would draw bills, count money and write letters, these bankers were wealthy individuals in the society and this made the public to have confidence in depositing their property with them. The banker wrote a note which was evidence of property held and assured the same amount on demand. The paper was transferable and this note would at any time exchange the note for money. However when there was a doubt about the note or when the banker could not continue with his busine... Bankruptcy laws were put in place to protect creditors. The laws encourage payment of debts to creditors, however recently the amendments have also helped protect individual debtors through the various acts present. It ensures that creditors recover their owed amount through the sale of the debtors' assets or through installments over a given period of time. Bankruptcy process: There is a procedure that is followed by whether the debtor or creditors when filing a petition, the first step is that the court receives the petition either from the debtor of the creditor, this is presented in federal courts because state courts do not handle bankruptcy cases, the court assigns a trustee whose duty will be to chair meetings, sell assets and distribute the amount recovered among creditors. The trustee shares the debtor and creditor meetings and the debtor is required to provide information regarding all his assets, if the debtor provides all the information without concealing information then he will be eligible to the relief of a portion of the debt. Depending on the arrangement the trustees duty is to distribute the funds to the creditors, when the assets are sold according to chapter seven then the trustee distributes the amount among creditors, however according to chapter 13 where the debtor is required to give a portion of his income over a specified period then the debtor must pay the trustee this amount who will then distribute the amount. Therefore the debtor does not directly deal with the creditor which is now the duty of the trustees. Advantages and disadvantages of bankruptcy: There are various negative and positive consequences when an individual or organization is

Letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Letter - Essay Example Moreover, this is to inform you that my application for US citizenship is in progress, and I will be living in the United States as a permanent resident, until I receive my citizenship after the immigration procedure. I am expecting an appointment date in the near future for your kind information. Lastly, I have endeavored extensively to attend this course in your reputable educational institution, in order to pursue my career as a dentist and serve my community, as well as, the globe as a whole. I once again express my gratitude for considering my application, and appreciate your cooperation in this regard. My passion for learning and enthusiasm for enrichment of emotional maturity has resulted in application at your reputable educational institution. In specific, I am interested to attend XXX School of Dentistry, as I have carried out extensive research related to your organization, and have been able to attain tremendous respect for your organization. One of the significant characteristics of your institution is that it offers a combination of pedagogical and professional perspective of learning by the provision of teacher-focused education with amalgamation of a broader perception of learning through practices of the learnt knowledge. In this regard, XXX School of Dentistry will provide me an effective platform to attend my long dreamed course, in order to serve my community, the country, and deserved people around the globe. Every individual is different and unique in terms of social and cultural perspective. I will be bringing cultural values, different from the United States, which will enhance cultural diversity in your institution and will contribute in the enrichment of learning experience of my classmates, as well as, the