A Museum Trip

uMuseum trip 1) How have my field trip improved my comprehension of being a Singaporean? - The excursion to the historical center achieved a permanent encounter. I comprehended the incredible history of Singapore and how our progenitors endure and battled through the World War 2. Being a Singaporean implied significantly more than simply living an excellent lion city, rather it is unified with incredible history and praiseworthy soul of our progenitors that make us, Singaporeans glad for our nation. ) What have I gained from this visit? - I discovered that the achievement of Singapore was realized by numerous individuals of our predecessors/progenitors/incredible pioneers, and the harmony and strength in our nation can't be underestimated. Despite race, language or religion, everybody must cooperate to fabricate a favorable society for ourselves and the group of people yet to come. 3) What are the features and key perceptions of my visit? The features of the visit was the world war 2 show where we saw the phases of the war, which incorporates the defeat and the ascent of Singapore. Another feature was the manner by which life resembled, previously, and it was an enlightening encounter as it was what I never envisioned. Little India trip 1) How have my field trip enhanced my comprehension of being a Singaporean? - Being a Singaporean Chinese, I scarcely went to other social spots aside from Chinatown.However, an excursion to little India helped me to comprehend the social estimations of another race in Singapore. It helped me to comprehend what their notorious spots for regular visiting were. 2) What have I gained from this visit? I took in the Indian Culture, when we had our suppers at a popular Indian restaurant, where the uncovered right hand is utilized to devour food without an utilization of cutlery. I likewise discovered that blossom wreaths were a typical thing utilized while venerating their gods.Lastly, I additionally comprehended the Indian convention by addressing the proprietors of the bloom festoon shops. 3) What are the features and key perceptions of my visit? - The features incorporate a visit to the Tekka Market, where all the regular Indian food were. It additionally incorporates visits to the Indian sanctuaries, little shops which sells frill, for example, Indian bangles and others which has practical experience in selling blossoms and festoons.

Coffee and Starbucks Essay Example for Free

Espresso and Starbucks Essay Starbucks has been the best espresso chain utilizing their forceful development systems to outperform its rivals. Through its extension, Starbucks has concentrated on making a thick system of stores surrounding US, while likewise opening up new areas all around the globe. Be that as it may, Starbucks’ forceful development techniques have presented significant dangers to its monetary wellbeing, for example, close sources of income, increment obligations, poor liquidity proportions and so forth. Moreover, this methodology can compound rivalry among close Starbucks stores. Because of the forceful extension, Starbucks has lost its inside concentration in its center business espresso and its extraordinary â€Å"Starbucks Experience †third place†. The issues are the manner by which Starbucks can remain gainful later on and simultaneously continue its prevailing situation in the gourmet espresso industry. We have analyzed the business examination that centers around the business inclines, the firm serious condition and followed by a SWOT investigation on Starbucks. At long last, we take a gander at the organization technique investigation that centers around the Starbucks’ key aim and its vital position. From these examinations, we suggest a couple of choices where Starbucks should seek after pushing ahead so as to maintain a strategic distance from further decrease and continue its prevailing position. .:Organization Background History:. Starbucks Coffee, Tea and Spice was set up in 1971 by Jerry Baldwin, Zey Siegel and Gordon Bowker in Seattle to sell broiled espresso beans and espresso machines. (See Exhibit 1 for timetable) around then, the founders’ reasoning was to give great espresso and teach the open the specialty of acknowledging fine espresso. It was the founders’ enthusiasm and solid duty on instructing the open that pulled in Howard Schultz to join Starbucks in 1982 as the leader of the advertising office, supervising the company’s retail locations. On one of his work excursions to Milan, Italy, Schultz unearthed a chance to patch up Starbucks and move its concentration from its unique business exercises. Schultz’s new business recommendation for Starbucks was to serve newly prepared espresso at their outlets which he offered to the authors without progress. After numerous ineffective endeavors, he left the Company. In 1987, Schultz gained Starbucks from the authors and changed its name to the more abridged ‘Starbucks’ and altered her logo to what we see today. After the securing, he presented the possibility of ‘The Starbucks experience’ to all Starbucks’ outlets; that is to make an agreeable air for supporters to unwind. From that point on, each Starbucks outlet was the ideal copy of this idea. In 1992, Starbucks had propelled an IPO and its normal stock was being exchanged on the Nasdaq. In 1995, Starbucks adventure abroad and shaped a joint endeavor with SAZABY Inc to open Starbucks stores in Japan. In 1996, Starbucks first oversea outlet was opened in Tokyo. Today, Starbucks has a sum of 7,087 Company worked stores and 4,081 License stores in US. Also, it has 1,796 Company worked stores and 2,792 Joint Venture and License store working in other 43 nations. .:Meaning of the Industry, Competitors and Scope of Analysis: Generally, Starbucks is in the Food and Beverages industry. Anyway with the end goal of this paper, we would characterize Starbucks to be in the gourmet espresso industry with the accompanying contenders : †¢Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf; †¢Costa Coffee; †¢Caribou Coffee (See Exhibit 2 for a brief review on explanations behind the decision of these contenders and some foundation data of them) For the motivation behind this paper, our investigation will concentrate on Starbucks in US and Australia. The following area gives a review of the gourmet espresso industry and the serious condition in US and Australia. .:Review of the Industry:. .:Political Forces:. By and large both the US and the Australia political circumstance gave off an impression of being settled and stable. This will give a decent stage to both current organizations and new organizations to work in. In US, in spite of the present skirt of downturn, the political state of mind is still liable to support expanded guideline of organizations. What's more, despite the fact that universal strains are probably going to remain yet their effect on political security and economy will stay insignificant. Likewise in Australia, the political atmosphere is probably going to remain generally steady. Despite the fact that the connection between the national government and the states had been rough before; it has improved after the presentation of a progressively steady recipe for income circulation. .:Conservative Forces:. US: Real financial development is required to slow from an expected 4% in 2008 to 3. 8% in 2009. The unobtrusive log jam mirrors the effect of lower request from its exchanging accomplice. As these exists lopsided characteristics in the economy and the poor momentary viewpoint for development, it is expected that conditions in the US are currently recessionary and that development will stay extremely frail in 2009. This will thusly influence the GDP and the discretionary cashflow of its occupants. Australia: Traditionally, quick development in Australia has been log jam as of late because of downturn. Improved financial and monetary administration have diminished macroeconomic unpredictability, however dangers and awkward nature are available. The low household investment funds rate renders the financial framework dependant on outside financing. The present record shortage is huge, and universal budgetary markets may begin to stress over the hidden causes. Air pocket conditions likewise appear to exist in the lodging market. .:Socio-social Forces: Consumers’ Perceptions and Disposable Income:. US: There had been an expansion in espresso utilization in the US showcase however the rate had eased back down in 2005 presenting dangers to espresso retailers. As of late, US purchasers had progressively select more advantageous hot beverages, for example, tea and RTD drinks which influence espresso utilization rate. The pattern is probably going to keep, prompting decrease in espresso utilization. Australia: Coffee deals had encountered very tepid development from 2000 to 2005. The way of life of bistro had made more individuals decide on-exchange deals espresso at the bistro rather than home-fermented espresso. As indicated by BIS Shrapnel, individuals progressively will in general go to bistros for their espresso and there is an expansion of half inside 2 years in espresso utilization. .:Innovative Forces: Technological Developments:. Mechanical changes have made numerous new items and procedures. It assists with lessening costs, improve quality and lead to developments which thusly benefits customers just as associations. Numerous associations in the gourmet espresso industry had perceived the significance of giving remote web access and Wi-Fi hotspots to its benefactors. These innovation progresses had made a relaxation place for benefactors to ride net or hang out after home and work. The vast majority of the associations had additionally acquainted computerized espresso machines with accelerate the fermenting procedure in order to abbreviate holding up time. To additionally improve business tasks and proficiency, a few associations have likewise utilize data innovation frameworks to assist them with maintaining their organizations all the more easily. .:Ecological Forces:. With significant atmosphere changes happening because of a worldwide temperature alteration, numerous associations in the gourmet espresso industry had expanded their condition mindfulness by decreased the use of dispensable cups to serve espresso and expanded the utilization of earthenware cups. Moreover, the associations had additionally decreased the size of their paper napkins, paper sacks and in store trash packs. The associations were additionally urged to buy Fairtrade affirmed espressos as to advance mindful ecological and financial endeavors. The accompanying area presents our investigation of gourmet espresso industry with the guide of Michael Porters 5 Forces model. .: Analysis of Gourmet Coffee Industry-Porter 5 Forces:. If you don't mind allude to display 3 for the standards utilized for the scoring of every power and an investigation of every power. Power #1: Threat of New Entry:. †¢Threat of new section is high. †¢High fire up cost associated with buying types of gear, sourcing for espresso beans and preparing barista. †¢Strong brand personality prompting high exchanging cost for shoppers Score: 10 Force #2: Threat of Substitutes:. †¢Substitutes are gourmet espresso of an alternate brand †¢Current gourmet espresso enterprises is immersed †¢High exchanging cost. †¢Threat of substitutes viewed as generally high Score: 6 Force #3: Bargaining Power of Suppliers:. †¢Majority of economically accessible espresso beans originate from a couple industrializes nations. †¢Increase the expense of cafés in sourcing and accessing these top notch espresso beans. †¢Bargaining intensity of providers is moderately high Score: 5 Force #4: Bargaining Power of Consumers†¢Bargaining intensity of clients is generally nonpartisan. †¢Current player picked up brand dependability †¢Product separation assists with holding current client and pull in new clients. †¢However value touchy clients may look for less expensive other option. Score: 0 Force #5: Rivalry between Competitors:. †¢Intensity of contention is moderate. †¢Brand character and high exchanging cost is generally troublesome to new player that has quite recently entered the market. Score: 3 Conclusion:From the above investigation, we noticed that the danger of new passage, the haggling intensity of the provider and danger of substitutes are moderately high. Then again the dealing intensity of the purchasers is nonpartisan and the force of contention is moderate. Subsequently from the abovementioned.

How Not to Get Ripped off by Your Mechanic

How Not to Get Ripped off by Your Mechanic How Not to Get Ripped off by Your Mechanic How Not to Get Ripped off by Your MechanicIf you’re a mechanic, we have some bad news for you. Only 29% of Americans have a high level of trust in your profession.And while we’re sure that you’re totally trustworthy, we hope you won’t mind if we give all the non-mechanics out there some tips to make sure  theyre really getting their moneys worth!Don’t get tricked into paying for services your car doesn’t need!Mechanics may try to get you to purchase services more frequently than you need them. It’s tough to blame themâ€"we all have to eat, after allâ€"but you’d probably rather spend the money on say, food for yourself, than unnecessary tune-ups.Richard Reina, product training director at CARiD.com (@CARiD_com), has spoken to us before about car maintenance. He let us know that many services mechanics offer aren’t needed quite as often as they might suggest:  â€œCar ownership is an expensive task (more than $8,500 a year) so it is important that drivers are vigilant about maintenance to avoid any unnecessary spending. Here are some maintenance tips to avoid a rip-off at the mechanic:“Changing the oil every 3,000 miles.  This is very common advice in the auto industry today, but it doesn’t necessarily hold true for new model vehicles. If your mechanic suggests this, remember that new cars can run smoothly with an oil change every 5,000-7,500 miles, which can significantly cut expenses as you wait longer for servicing. You can also save on this process by performing the oil change yourselfâ€"this ensures that you are putting high-quality oil into your vehicle and saves both time and money that would have been spent at a shop.“Recommended tune-ups for engines/air conditioners.  This is often an unnecessary, though typical, add-on suggestion from a mechanic or auto shop. If you own a new vehicle, it is monitored by technology that will alert you when an issue arises with your engine that needs to be fixed, so there is no need to perform work prematurely. When it comes to your air conditioner, use your best judgment before spending extra money on a tune-up. If your air is coming out cold and you have no other complaints, it’s better left alone.“Changing your brake pads. Many drivers believe that this taskâ€"which shops will often charge hundreds of dollars forâ€"is too complex to do themselves. However, changing your own brake pads is fairly straight forward as all drivers need is a wheel lug wrench, basic wrenches, pliers and a jack to prop the car up. A DIY job costs about $40, while the average dealer price per axle can land around $250.“Basic auto tune-up.   Similar to the point above about an engine tune-up, an overall vehicle tune-up is often not essential to the basic functioning of your vehicle because of the advanced technology available in new cars. In addition to an oil and filter change, a “tune-up” consists of changing the air filter, fuel filter, spark plugs (today, spark plugs are designed to las t 100,000 miles on average) and a check of all fluids. In the past, it was often recommended to have a basic tune-up done every year, but the safer (and more economical) bet today is to have a tune-up based on mileage manufacturer’s recommendations.”It probably goes without saying, but paying for maintenance you don’t need is not a great experience for your bank account and should, therefore, be avoided.Don’t be afraid to ask them to show you what they’re doing.Most mechanics aren’t trying to rip you off, and if they have nothing to hide, they shouldn’t be afraid to walk you through exactly what they’re doing.Jill Trotta (@RepairPal_Jill), director of the automotive group at RepairPal (@RepairPal), emphasized the importance of transparency in the mechanic-customer relationship: “Transparency is key. A mechanic should always be willing to fully explain your repairs and show you (if possible) what is needed and why. Asking questions, playing show and tell, and paying a fair price to have the work completed right the first time by a trusted shop is your best defense.”Mike Scanlin, CEO of BorntoSell.com (@borntosell), offered one important reason to be vigilant: “Sometimes they charge you for parts they didnt replace always ask for your old parts before you pay.”Like we said, most mechanics aren’t trying to rip you off, but you owe it to your wallet to remain vigilant.Shop around (shop, shop, and shop some more)!Finally, unless you have a major emergency on your hands, it’s always worth taking the time to find out what your options are. And the absolute cheapest isn’t always the best. Here’s what Trotta told us:“Shopping price and going with the lowest quote isnt going to prevent you from being ripped-off, this is putting you in a vulnerable position. Shops who dropped their prices to get you in the door will often cut corners or recommend additional repairs to make up the margins they are losing on the low quote. The lowest price in the door is most often not the lowest price in the end. A shop with qualified mechanics, the right tools, and fair prices (not cheap) is your best option. Building a relationship with your mechanic or using a shop that is part of an organization, like RepairPal, is the best way to find a great shop that uses transparent practices. RepairPal thoroughly vets the shops they list, so consumers dont have too.”Use all this advice to make sure your money is going the extra mile (heh). Then you’ll have dollars left over for fixing bad credit (if you’re dealing with that), or purchasing a super cool air freshener to put inside your newly repaired car.Visit OppLoans on YouTube | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedINContributorsRichard Reina  is the Product Training Director at CARiD.com (@CARiD_com) and a life-long car enthusiast.Mike Scanlin  is the CEO of BornToSell.com  (@borntosell), a website for covered call investors. During his 30-year career, he has worked as a software engineer, i nvestment banker, and venture capitalist.Jill Trotta (@RepairPal_Jill) is an automotive professional with over 25 years of professional experience. ASE Certified technician and consultant. She is currently working on the Automotive Professional Team at  RepairPal. They do the hard work of identifying technically qualified, customer friendly auto shops and presenting them to consumers. They are working to develop transparency in the Automotive Industry. They also have a very accurate automotive repair price estimator that is available to shops and consumers. How Not to Get Ripped off by Your Mechanic How Not to Get Ripped off by Your Mechanic How Not to Get Ripped off by Your MechanicIf you’re a mechanic, we have some bad news for you. Only 29% of Americans have a high level of trust in your profession.And while we’re sure that you’re totally trustworthy, we hope you won’t mind if we give all the non-mechanics out there some tips to make sure  theyre really getting their moneys worth!Don’t get tricked into paying for services your car doesn’t need!Mechanics may try to get you to purchase services more frequently than you need them. It’s tough to blame themâ€"we all have to eat, after allâ€"but you’d probably rather spend the money on say, food for yourself, than unnecessary tune-ups.Richard Reina, product training director at CARiD.com (@CARiD_com), has spoken to us before about car maintenance. He let us know that many services mechanics offer aren’t needed quite as often as they might suggest:  â€œCar ownership is an expensive task (more than $8,500 a year) so it is important that drivers are vigilant about maintenance to avoid any unnecessary spending. Here are some maintenance tips to avoid a rip-off at the mechanic:“Changing the oil every 3,000 miles.  This is very common advice in the auto industry today, but it doesn’t necessarily hold true for new model vehicles. If your mechanic suggests this, remember that new cars can run smoothly with an oil change every 5,000-7,500 miles, which can significantly cut expenses as you wait longer for servicing. You can also save on this process by performing the oil change yourselfâ€"this ensures that you are putting high-quality oil into your vehicle and saves both time and money that would have been spent at a shop.“Recommended tune-ups for engines/air conditioners.  This is often an unnecessary, though typical, add-on suggestion from a mechanic or auto shop. If you own a new vehicle, it is monitored by technology that will alert you when an issue arises with your engine that needs to be fixed, so there is no need to perform work prematurely. When it comes to your air conditioner, use your best judgment before spending extra money on a tune-up. If your air is coming out cold and you have no other complaints, it’s better left alone.“Changing your brake pads. Many drivers believe that this taskâ€"which shops will often charge hundreds of dollars forâ€"is too complex to do themselves. However, changing your own brake pads is fairly straight forward as all drivers need is a wheel lug wrench, basic wrenches, pliers and a jack to prop the car up. A DIY job costs about $40, while the average dealer price per axle can land around $250.“Basic auto tune-up.   Similar to the point above about an engine tune-up, an overall vehicle tune-up is often not essential to the basic functioning of your vehicle because of the advanced technology available in new cars. In addition to an oil and filter change, a “tune-up” consists of changing the air filter, fuel filter, spark plugs (today, spark plugs are designed to las t 100,000 miles on average) and a check of all fluids. In the past, it was often recommended to have a basic tune-up done every year, but the safer (and more economical) bet today is to have a tune-up based on mileage manufacturer’s recommendations.”It probably goes without saying, but paying for maintenance you don’t need is not a great experience for your bank account and should, therefore, be avoided.Don’t be afraid to ask them to show you what they’re doing.Most mechanics aren’t trying to rip you off, and if they have nothing to hide, they shouldn’t be afraid to walk you through exactly what they’re doing.Jill Trotta (@RepairPal_Jill), director of the automotive group at RepairPal (@RepairPal), emphasized the importance of transparency in the mechanic-customer relationship: “Transparency is key. A mechanic should always be willing to fully explain your repairs and show you (if possible) what is needed and why. Asking questions, playing show and tell, and paying a fair price to have the work completed right the first time by a trusted shop is your best defense.”Mike Scanlin, CEO of BorntoSell.com (@borntosell), offered one important reason to be vigilant: “Sometimes they charge you for parts they didnt replace always ask for your old parts before you pay.”Like we said, most mechanics aren’t trying to rip you off, but you owe it to your wallet to remain vigilant.Shop around (shop, shop, and shop some more)!Finally, unless you have a major emergency on your hands, it’s always worth taking the time to find out what your options are. And the absolute cheapest isn’t always the best. Here’s what Trotta told us:“Shopping price and going with the lowest quote isnt going to prevent you from being ripped-off, this is putting you in a vulnerable position. Shops who dropped their prices to get you in the door will often cut corners or recommend additional repairs to make up the margins they are losing on the low quote. The lowest price in the door is most often not the lowest price in the end. A shop with qualified mechanics, the right tools, and fair prices (not cheap) is your best option. Building a relationship with your mechanic or using a shop that is part of an organization, like RepairPal, is the best way to find a great shop that uses transparent practices. RepairPal thoroughly vets the shops they list, so consumers dont have too.”Use all this advice to make sure your money is going the extra mile (heh). Then you’ll have dollars left over for fixing bad credit (if you’re dealing with that), or purchasing a super cool air freshener to put inside your newly repaired car.Visit OppLoans on YouTube | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedINContributorsRichard Reina  is the Product Training Director at CARiD.com (@CARiD_com) and a life-long car enthusiast.Mike Scanlin  is the CEO of BornToSell.com  (@borntosell), a website for covered call investors. During his 30-year career, he has worked as a software engineer, i nvestment banker, and venture capitalist.Jill Trotta (@RepairPal_Jill) is an automotive professional with over 25 years of professional experience. ASE Certified technician and consultant. She is currently working on the Automotive Professional Team at  RepairPal. They do the hard work of identifying technically qualified, customer friendly auto shops and presenting them to consumers. They are working to develop transparency in the Automotive Industry. They also have a very accurate automotive repair price estimator that is available to shops and consumers.