A Historical View of The Three Musketeers Essay -- essays research pap

In the novel The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas, King Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu are in authority in France, each struggling to gain absolute power. As a result conflicts emerge that will lead to the progress of France. France was constantly in external conflicts with England and in internal conflicts with the Huguenots that provoked war against the Catholics and even the King, but never against the Cardinal (Dumas, 1). Queen Anne’s romance to the Duke of Buckingham, who at the time was an enemy of France, was not unknown to the Cardinal, like nothing else that escaped him from knowing it. The story’s protagonist, D’Artagnan faces the most dangerous spy of the Cardinal, Lady de Winter. This lady is the one entrusted with the task of assassinating the Duke of Buckingham. This novel is regarded as fictional and the events may not be as accurate as the actual ones. On the contrary there is much historicity behind it. There really lived a King Louis XIII, a Cardinal Richelieu, an Anne of Austria, and George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham. Most events that occur throughout the story happened in reality. The siege of La Rochelle being the one of the major political and religious conflict in the book was a great event of the reign of Louis XIII. The Cardinal may have had the greatest influence in cause and resolution of this war against the Protestants. The results were in favor of the Cardinal as might have been expected. He is presented as an antagonist to the Queen, mainly in her romantic affair with the Duke of Buckingham. However the result does not turn in the favor of the Cardinal this time, not as it had been expected. In the absolute monarchy of France two parties ruled the same nation under two men (Dumas, 73). ... ...ings musketeers by his antagonist throughout the novel, the Cardinal. Every conflict described here has lead to the progress of one thing, mainly to the advancement of the Cardinals power in France and to the victory of the Catholics in the siege of la Rochelle. This is just a glimpse of how conflicts can lead to historical progress. This novel is also famous for its saying â€Å"All for one and one for all† (Dumas, The Three Musketeers). The musketeer’s friendship is part of the reason that progress occurred in the conflicts mention above. It is not just in novels where the conflicts lead to historical advancement, but this was a great source to portray the progress. Throughout history conflicts have been emerged to lead to the progress of one thing and the other that has lost makes its necessary improvements but at the final stage both have reached a necessary object.

Defining One Country, Two System :: China Chinese Government Papers

Defining One Country, Two System Hong Kong is a very special city. It has a very interesting history. In 1842, Hong Kong Island of Hong Kong was ceded by China to Great Britain. In 1860, Kowloon Peninsula of Hong Kong was ceded to England. In 1898, the rest of Hong Kong, the New Territories and 235 outlying islands were leased to England for 99 years. In the early 1980’s, the British and Chinese government began to have negotiations about Hong Kong’s future since the lease would expire on July 1st, 1997. The leader of China, Deng XiaoPing, introduced the â€Å"One Country, Two System†. The â€Å"One Country, Two System† was intended by China to give Hong Kong’s citizen a promise that communism wouldn’t prevail over capitalism in Hong Kong. This way, China would gain trusts from Hong Kong’s citizens that the conditions would be the same when the Great Britain returned the sovereignty of Hong Kong back to China. British and Chinese representatives signed the British-Sino Joint Declaration in 1984, authorizing the transition of Hong Kong’s sovereignty in the midnight of July 1st, 1997. Hong Kong citizens were excited that Hong Kong would finally return to its motherland. China wanted to show the world that the â€Å"One Country, Two System† would be unique and successful so that China could attract Macau and Taiwan to return to China. In the early 1990’s, the Basic Law was published in order to make the practice of â€Å"One Country, Two System† a legal procedure. In the Basic Law, it stated that Hong Kong would become an inalienable part of the People’s Republic of China (1). China would authorize Hong Kong to practice a high degree of autonomy, and enjoy executive, legislative, and independent judicial power (2). The executive authorities and legislative of Hong Kong shall be composed of permanent residents of Hong Kong (3). Hong Kong residents would have their rights and freedoms (4). The socialist system and policies wouldn’t be practiced in Hong Kong, and the previous capitalist system and way of life would remain unchanged for 50 years (5). Hong Kong would protect the right of private ownership of property in accordance with law (6). The laws previously enforced in Hong Kong, the common law, rules of equity, ordinances, subordinate legislation and customary laws, would be maintained (8).

Case Study: Nature of CPA Firm Essay

For this case study I looked at a broad range of CPA firms’ websites from the large national firms such as Deloitte, PWC and Ernst & Young to the smaller local firms including KDV, Copeland Buhl & Co and Schechter, Dokken & Kanter. While examining these websites, the first thing that became apparent to me is that the content and functionality from website to website is very similar. All of the websites I looked at include an ‘About Us’ page explaining who they are and what they do, which typically includes their mission statement. They all include a ‘Services’ page detailing the service provided which includes but is not limited to advisory, assurance, tax, consulting, financial and technology. All of the websites I looked at also featured a ‘Careers’ section which includes current job opening and detailed information about the organization’s culture and benefits. The large national firms include a listing of the industries they support. Some of the firms include a resources page which may contain links to a variety of calculators to assist with financial decisions as well as links to various publications and forms. There are many reasons a firm may invest in a website. In fact, I would argue that it is essential for CPA firms to have a strong web presence if they want to be competitive in today’s marketplace. If you are a smaller firm, having a website can allow you to compete with the large national firms, as anyone with internet access can find your website. Having a website is also a much cheaper way to advertise when compared to the more traditional methods such as newspaper, television, radio, direct mail, etc†¦ Having a website can allow you to reach millions of people something newspaper and radio cannot do. Having a website also improves your ability to enhance customer service because you have the ability to provide customers with information instantly. It also provides an avenue for recruiting a talented workforce. In my opinion the website of a CPA firm need not be highly sophisticated. For CPA firms, a website’s primary role is to advertise and market to existing and potential customers by providing information regarding the services they offer. The internet has changed how CPA firms do business from communicating with client to hiring and retaining employees. The internet has allowed CPA firms to go paperless. Paper no longer needs to be printed and photocopied. Financial statements and reports can be delivered electronically in an instant. Now, information is delivered via the web and the recipient has it within seconds at no additional cost. One example of how the internet has changed how CPA firms do business is through the increase in electronic tax returns and payments. The internet can also be used to transfer information back and forth with customers through the use of an online portal. In my line of work, nearly all of the audit firms we do business with use the internet to receive and transmit information. The Internet has also increased efficiency by giving accountants the ability to manage a client’s computers and software, and retrieve information from them, remotely. With the appropriate permissions and software such as LogMeIn. com or PCanywhere. com, an accountant can take control of a client’s computer from afar and do everything that someone located in the office could, except physically load discs. The CPA can virtually â€Å"visit† the client at any time without the need for the client to be physically present. For any organization that has a website there are certain liabilities that must be considered. Often CPA firms are providing financial information and advice to their customers. Providing inaccurate information that causes financial harm to a customer is a concern that CPA firms must consider. Additionally, many CPA firms use an online portal as a way of transferring information back and forth with customers. As a result security should be a primary consideration. If an online hacker were to hack into the computer systems of a CPA firm and obtain confidential information such as social security numbers or personal tax information the results could be devastating.

Great Depression Essay Introduction Essay

By the beginning of the First World War, the United States was the largest industrial country, accounting for more than 35% of production. Thanks to the developed agriculture, infrastructure, extremely favorable natural and economic conditions, proximity to the inexhaustible markets of the South American continent and a quite advantageous distance from the conflicting Europe, the USA already not only provided itself with all necessary things, but also seriously pressed their competitors by making an application for world leadership. However, in October 1929, a crisis broke out on the New York Stock Exchange went down in history as the Great Depression. It began in the USA and then embraced other areas. The world experienced three waves of inflation. The first embraced households of a number of agrarian nations. The second led England in September 1931 to abolish the gold standard of the pound sterling, and its dominions, India, Brazil, Argentina and Scandinavian territories. In spring of 1933, in connection with the departure from a gold standard of the United States, a third wave rose. As a result, the currencies of 56 states depreciated. Officially crisis ends in 1940, but the US power was able to recover from the Second World War. The Great Depression was synchronous and comprehensive. Its name was due to an emotional condition in which community being. Humans really plunged into a state of depressive numbness. The causes of it remain a subject of ongoing discussions about the role of government policy and activity of a private business. From the view of economic theory, it came about because of an overproduction of commodities and a deficiency of currency for their purchase. Since cash was tied to gold, and the amount of this substance is restricted, there was a deficit of funds as a demand for items. Further along a chain, the â€Å"domino principle† worked: deflation, bankruptcies of enterprises, unemployment, barring duties on imported wares, a decreasing in consumer demand and living standard. By its nature and origin, a world economic crisis of the early 30’s was cyclical. However, its exceptional destructive power was thanks to the fact that new long-term factors joined an action of a traditional mechanism. The main one was a common breakdown of capitalistic ideology. Accelerated by the First World War, the establishment of state-monopoly capitalism entailed a rapid enhance in a concentration of production and capital. On this basis, tremendous strengthening of the monopolies and their role in the economic life occurred, which made it impossible to restore pre-war relations even after a liquidation of the military mechanism for state regulation of household. In the midst of a crisis of the early 1930s, negative consequences of anarchy were fully manifested. Essential changes introduced in other areas of life. In the social sphere, it is necessary to note the increased activity of workers who began to fight for better living conditions and social benefits. In the field of international relations, a collapse of the Versailles-Washington system of postwar settlement started. The theoretical and practical search for new means and methods of combating the crisis became more active. A dominant vector of such looking for was strengthening of state intervention in the economy. Thus, the uniqueness of the Great Depression due to the action of all the above factors was expressed in a rare combination of a number of features like its extraordinary depth, duration, and a general nature. This was an original phenomenon impacted all spheres and determined for the next years a lot of world trends.

Berlucchi Market Analysis

————————————————- Berlucchi ————————————————- Marketing Plan 2012 Table of contents Executive Summary Introduction Guido Berlucchi & Co. SpA is one of Italy’s leading sparkling wine producers. After years of outstanding success, the company finds itself facing a stable market, with competition becoming even more intense, distribution more complex and consumers more sophisticated.The executive Committee is convinced that the strategy that drove the company’s development in its first 40 years needs to open up a new growth path, thus this marketing plan for the strategy for the upcoming three years. External Analysis Customer analysis Approximately 35% of the 313,000 million inhabitants of the U. S. drink wine at a per capita rate of 11. 5 liters. In te rms of demographics 69% are white, 14% Hispanic, and 11% African American, with the remainder 9% from other races.The average age of the American wine consumer is 49, with Millennials making up 26% of wine consumers,  generation X-ers aged 35-44 at 19%, ages 45 to 54 at 21%, and those over 55 at 34%. 24% of wine consumers in the U. S. have a college degree Segmentation by frequency Wine consumers are divided into two categories, core wine drinkers and marginal wine drinkers. The core group drinks wine once a week at least and represents 57% of wine consumers whereas the marginal group has a glass of wine in a time span ranging from once every 2 or 3 months to 2 or 3 times a month. 8% of all wine consumers have a glass of wine more than once a week and are considered to be the high frequency wine drinkers. Segmentation by age Thirty two percent of baby boomers (47 to 65) have a glass of wine compared to 17 percent in 2005. 62 percent of Generation X-ers (aged 35 to 46) are core win e drinkers, compared to only 43 percent in 2007. 6 percent of Millennials (aged 17 to 34) drink wine on a daily basis, 26 percent of them drink wine several times a week and 19 percent drinks once a week on average. This comprises the core wine drinking segment of Millennials, accounting for 63 percent of them compared to 37 percent in 2007.There is a significant difference between younger Millennials (17 – 25) and older Millennials (26 – 34). Older Millennials consume wine with greater frequency, consumed more glasses of wine per drinking occasion (2. 92 glasses on average) and were found to be highly experimental as 89% of older Millennials frequently purchase wine of an unfamiliar brand. Also interesting is that 60 percent of older Millennials found â€Å"fun and contemporary† looking labels of great importance when choosing wine to drink at home compared to just 31% of Baby Boomers.All Millennials and high end wine drinkers throughout the Generation X and ba by boomers often visit wine related web sites and Facebook pages or follow wine twitter accounts. The generational differences are also noticeable in the preference of domestically produced wines and imported wines. * 63% of Millennials, (70 million consumers), are reported to either â€Å"primarily drink imports† or â€Å"equally drink imports and domestics† * 43% of Generation X members (44 million consumers) report the same preferences * 32% of Baby Boomers (77 million consumers) report these preferences Segmentation by geographyWine consumption per person is lowest in the Midwest where 13% buys 4 or more bottles per month compared to 24% in the South, 25% of those in the North East and 29% in the West where 10% of the adult population even purchases 11 or more bottles per month. The top three states for Wine consumption are California, New York and Florida. The top three emerging markets, where the capita per wine consumption has grown the most over the past three years are Texas, Illinois and New Jersey Western states, especially those that produce wine locally such as California, Washington and Oregon, have proven more ikely to favor domestic wines while eastern states are more receptive to imports. Amongst others, New York, Florida, New Jersey and Washington DC all import more than 30% of the total wine consumption from outside the U. S. Competitive analysis Direct Competitors Listed below are the top 3 sparkling wines in the US at the current moment. They all fall in the range of our target customers in terms of their taste and their prices making them a direct threat and therefore a direct competitor. JCB by Jean-Charles Boisset No. 69 Burgundy, France ———————————————— Jean-Charles Boisset's JCB wines are made entirely from Pinot Noir grapes grown in the Burgundy region of France, this refreshing rose is light and crisp, offeri ng raspberry and red currant aromas. Many wine lovers associate this brand with romantic outings. It is currently listed as number one on the top sparkling wines in the US available at only 7 stores, and at a very affordably price it is sure to be serious competitor. Price: $20 ————————————————- Toso BrutMendoza, Argentina Toso has been producing sparkling wines in the Mendoza wine region of Argentina for 85 years. Their non-vintage brut is made entirely from Chardonnay grapes. Light and refreshing, it offers aromas of lemon and apple with buttery and toasty notes. It is very popular in the US with people looking for something inexpensive, well made, clean and bubbly especially for large events like weddings, receptions and birthday parties. ————————————————- Pri ce: $11 ————————————————-Taltarni Brut Tache Australia ————————————————- Made from Chardonnay, it is an established household name, known for producing extraordinarily high quality sparkling wines in Australia. They are known to be very environmental friendly because they recycle the vines and they refrain from using Diuron and Simazine on their property, thereby reducing the impact on ground water. One disadvantage however is that its prices compared to other wines has been progressively rising lately. Price: $25 Indirect competitorListed below is one of the top wines in the US at the current moment, although it does not fall under the category sparkling wines it is nonetheless a competitor in the total wine market especially now that it is making is mark on the US market making it worth the mention. Moscato’s Asti, Italy ————————————————- Moscato is currently one of the fastest-growing wine varietals in the U. S. Moscato wines tend to be sweeter and less alcoholic. Gallo, which holds 44 per cent of Moscato’s market share, saw sales of its own Gallo Family Vineyard Moscato increase by 124%in 2010, according to marketing research firm IRI.More than half of all Moscato consumers are under the age of 45, while nearly one-third are between the ages of 25 and 34. ————————————————- ————————————————- Moscato’s popularity with the younger generation could, perhaps, be due to hip hop influences. Ka nye West claimed  on MTV that he liked Moscato, while Lil’ Kim sang â€Å"Still over in Brazil/Sipping Moscato. † A more likely reason, however, is the low price tag that many Moscatos enjoy. ————————————————- ————————————————-Price: $5,99 – $16,79 Market analysis Overall size The U. S. wine industry has steadily increased in size and revenue over the past ten years and has grown into the fourth largest wine producing country in the world. In 2010 the U. S. became the leading wine consuming country, consuming as much as 330 million cases a year. This means Americans drink 3. 96 billion bottles of wine, surpassing France’s 3. 85 billion bottles and have spent more than $40 billion on wine in 2010. California is the largest wine produc ing and consuming state in the nation, currently it accounts for 61% volume share of the U.S. market. Projected growth Wine market is currently witnessing steady growth in both developed and emerging economies. Increasing disposable incomes, rising awareness about the medical benefits of wine, and the resultant consumer shift towards consumption of premium alcoholic beverages are driving the growth in the wine industry. US wine market is one of the fastest growing markets of the world, both in terms of production and consumption As per our findings, the US wine market is expected to hit a value of around US$ 33. Billion with 871 Million Gallons of wine sales by 2013. The market (in volume terms) will grow at an annual growth rate of over 3% during 2010-2013. The economic recession had impacted the US wine industry by consumers starting to enjoy low-priced bottles and wines by glasses. The millennial segment is the future of the US wine industry, and their numbers are increasing as y ounger members are attaining the drinking age. Moreover, rise in the number of female wine drinkers in marginal segment is also fueling the growth of the US wine industry.This trend, coupled with government’s initiatives, is playing a greater role in promoting reforms and competitiveness in the wine industry of the US. The market for sparkling wine in the USA has been growing rapidly in recent years according to some top findings from the Wine Market Council Report: Profitability Sparkling wine sales in the U. S. are estimated to have outperformed table wine brands for the third straight year in 2011, when American drinkers will have consumed the equivalent of 900 million glasses.More than 40 percent of those 15 million cases are sold during the holiday season. The overall wine market is projected to increase 1. 7 percent by year-end, to 313 million cases, its 18th consecutive annual gain. Sparkling wines account for a modest 5 percent, but growing, share of that volume. Entr y Barriers The wine industry in the U. S. has high barriers of entry because of high investments needed to buy land and machinery together with high costs of advertising and distribution. Because of the strict laws and high taxation of alcohol in the U. S. large economies of scale have the best chance of becoming and remaining profitable. Distribution System Throughout the U. S. the three tier system is enforced for the distribution of all alcoholic beverages. The system works as follows: * Non-U. S. Producer * 1st Tier – U. S. Producer / Importer * 2nd Tier – Distributor * 3rd Tier – On/Off Premise Trade (restaurants/ bars/ retailer) Non-U. S. producers are only allowed to sell directly to an importer, Importers and U. S. Producers are only allowed to sell to retailers, and only retailers are allowed to sell to consumers.Some states have partially or completely prohibited the distribution and/or the retailing tier and have these operated by the state government itself or contractors operating under its authority rather than by independent privateers. In any case taxes must be collected at all three tiers, even though in some states the importer and the distributor can be the same company, it must still pay taxes for both tiers. Trends A broadening of the consumer base, a greater range on offer, and an increasing desire among some consumers to make sparkling wine a regular rather than occasional treat are the main factors driving the trend.Americans still do not drink as much sparkling wine as consumers in other countries like Germany and the UK, but there is a strong long-term growth trend establishing for domestic and particularly mid-priced imported sparkling wines in the years ahead. At the moment Moscato has experienced a sharp increase in sales, up 73%, driven largely by younger drinkers. Cheaper and in wide range of flavored wines have become more popular as well due to restaurants adding less popular varietals to their glass pour l ist because the higher profit margin.This has resulted in wine consumers becoming more open-minded to seeking out unique varietals. Italy’s Macro Environment analysis: Demographic The Italian Population is currently approximately 61,261,254 but the growth rate of the population is gradually slowing, with most of the increase coming from immigration. Birth rates and death rates are virtually identical. However, the national figures conceal contrasting regional trends. In general, the birth rate and average family size are higher in the south of Italy than in the north, although populations in Molise, Basilicata, and Calabria are declining through continued emigration.For the country as a whole, life expectancy rose during the second half of the 20th century, reflecting higher nutritional, sanitary, and medical standards. At the beginning of the 21st century, the majority of the population was between 20 and 49 years old, with the largest group between ages 30 and 44. The age s tructure is built up as follows: 0-14 years:13. 8% male 4,315,292female 4,124,624. 15-64 years:65. 9% male 19,888,901female 20,330,495 65 years and over:  20. 3% male 5,248,418female 7,109,074 GDP Contribution by Economic Sector  and Top Industries: Agriculture:  3. 9%Industry:  28. 3% Services:  67. 8% (2011) Economic Italy  is currently the world's largest  wine  producer. However it has not been immune to the global economic downturn but it has been able to weather the financial storm. Wine is a key player in Italian trade with exports in 2011 valued at 3. 6 billion euros, compared to imports of 326 million euros. Sparkling wines account for 11% of exports. A sector report presented at the Vinitaly wine trade fair showed that the economic downturn was responsible for a 5. 1% decline in Italian wine exports in 2008 over the previous year.In this moment of economic crisis and uncertainty, people try to satisfy their desires. Italian cuisine is the most popular all o ver the world. In Italy the Docg sparkling wines do better than others, indicating that high quality standards and strong local identity, as much as the price, are central factors for the customers’ choices. Italian exports   rose 17 per cent in the first nine months of 2010, according to Coldiretti, the   Italian farmers   association. The growth had been even higher at 22% for the first six months of the year, primarily due to explosive demand from the US. Ecological (Natural)The future of wine grape supply depends on the availability of groundwater and high temperatures will decrease the availability of wine grapes. High water use by the industry, and in particular the treatment of wastewater, is likely to come under increasing public scrutiny. Over the five years through 2015-16, the level of capital intensity is likely to increase marginally due to investment in water treatment. Political The wine and grape industry in Italy is regulated by laws and decrees issued by the Ministry of Agriculture (Ministro Delle Risorse Agricole, Alimentari e Forestali).Italy is also a member of the European Union and shares the Common External Tariff regime. EU duties are charged by the Italian Customs Agency on the CIF (cost, insurance and freight) value of the product imported into Italy. Below are the 4 wine designations: * DOCG:  the highest classification for Italian wines, introduced in 1963. It denotes controlled production methods and guaranteed wine quality. There are strict rules governing the production of DOCG wines, most obviously the permitted grape varieties,  yield  limits, grape ripeness, winemaking procedures and ageing specifications.Every DOCG wine is subject to official tasting procedures. To prevent counterfeiting, the bottles have a numbered government seal across the neck. * DOC: a step below DOCG, the DOC classification accounts for the majority of wines produced in Italy. The quality control regulations are less stringent than t hose applied to DOCG wines. * IGT: The IGT classification was introduced in 1992, to allow a certain level of freedom to Italy's winemakers. Prior to 1992, many wines did not qualify for DOC or DOCG status not because they were of low quality, but because they were made from grape varieties (or blends) not sanctioned under DOC/G laws.The IGT classification focuses on the region of origin, rather than grape varieties or wine styles. * VDT:  VDT wines are typically of lesser quality than those labeled with IGT, DOC or DOCG, but not always; the ‘Super Tuscans' (see below) are often labeled as Vino da Tavola. U. S. Macro Environment analysis The following macro environmental factors have an indirect effect on Berlucchi’s success in the US market. The major forces of the macro environment should be highly regarded as the company is looking to enter unfamiliar territory while at the same time striving to acquire a competitive advantage.Demographics According to the Wine Int elligence USA Sparkling Report 2012, over 30 million Americans say they drink sparkling wine at least once a year. For the majority of this population their sparkling wine experience is confined to perhaps one or two glasses a year, on special occasions. However, what appears to be driving the growth in sparkling wine is the segment of consumer; estimated at around 9 million, and female-dominated, who say they like to drink the bubbly stuff at least once a week. Many of these people say that sparkling wine is their favorite drink, ahead of still wine.California| California accommodates 37,691,912 people, houses more people than any of the other states of America and has eight of the 50 most populous cities in the U. S.. Remarkable is that only 39. 7% of the people living in California are white non Hispanics and 38. 1% are Hispanic whites, only 6. 6% is black and 13. 6% of Asian ethnicity. The ethnic makeup is very different from the countries average. Of the persons aged 25 years o r older 80. 7% has graduated high school and 30. % has a bachelor’s degree or higher. The Median house hold income is $60. 883. Texas| Texas is the second most populous U. S. state, housing 25,674,681 people who are mostly located in the major cities of Houston, San Antonia and Dallas. Similar to California, Texas also houses a relatively large number of Hispanics. 38. 1% of the population is white of Hispanic decent and 44. 8% is non-Hispanic white. The division of other ethnic groups is quite similar to the nations average. 80% of adults 25 years or older have a high school degree and 25. 8% of them have a bachelor’s degree or higher. The median household income is $49,646 a year. |New York| New York is the third largest state after California and Texas with a population of 19,465,197 of which roughly 64% lives in the New York City metropolitan area. The percentage of the population that is of African American decent is slightly higher than the nations average, 17. 5 % as well as those with an asian heritage, 7. 8%. The median household income is $55,603, 84. 4% of the persons age 25+ are high school graduates and 32. 1% has a bachelor’s degree or higher. | Florida| Florida is the fourth most inhabited state in America, accommodating 19,057,542 people.Notable are that it contains the highest percentage of people over 65, 17. 6% and the 8th fewest people under 18, 21%, also its population is expected to double between 2000 and 2030. Florida’s ethnic makeup shows few differences from the countries average with the exception of persons of Hispanic or Latino origin which is 23% and growing faster than in any other state. 85. 3% of the adults 25 years of age or| Social-Cultural In the U. S. wineries have become more than just wine producers and sellers. They're often venues for gatherings as diverse as  weddings  and business meetings.Some wineries have onboard restaurants and gift shops and are also lively tourist attractions. That says something for the ingenuity of savvy wine producers, but it says even more about the changing American attitude toward wine. Recent consumption gains for sparkling wine have been driven by many factors over the last few years including the adoption of wine in early adulthood by the large Millennial generation, the availability of quality wine at all price levels, and the acceptance of moderate wine consumption as compatible with a healthy lifestyle. EconomicThe turbulent economy has had a moderately negative affect on the nation’s collective wine consumptions growth. Within the 2008–2011 period, stock market volatility had little effect on how much wine consumers were drinking. In 2008, 61% of respondents stated they hadn’t changed the amount of wine they consumed despite the poor economic conditions. The economy has had a direct effect on prices over the last 10 years, prices went down significantly during the recession, but as the economy has improved, t hey have bounced back very quickly and even surpassed previous highs.Fine wine prices dropped 19 percent from August 2008 to August 2009 and they increased 33 percent from August 2009 to August 2010, surpassing their previous pre-recession prices. Political Wine is regulated by the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives division of the internal revenue service which makes it subjected to high levels of control and tax. Us wines are shaped by politics including which grapes grow where, what can be written on the label, which wines are exported or imported, which wines are available in local stores, and how much a wine costs.In the  United States, the wine laws are more flexible than European standards in regards to regulations on what viticultural and winemaking practices are allowed in each wine region. A sizable portion of American wine laws relate to  wine labelling  practices. The United States imported 932 million liters of wine in 2010. The majority of imports came fro m Italy ($1. 3 billion). Depending on the type of wine, U. S. tariffs on imported wine from nations with which the United States maintains normal trade relations range from 5. 3 cents per liter to 22. 4 cents per liter.Tax rate for natural wine imported to New York for example is $0. 30 per gallon Internal Analysis Current products Berlucchi’s current products: * Cuvee Imperiale Brut * Cuvee Imperiale Max Rose * Cuvee imperial Demi Sec * Cuvee imperial vintage * Cuvee Storica Franciacorta DOCG * Bianco imperiale * Cellarius Brut * Cellarius Rose * Cellarius Pas Dose * Berlucchi ’61 brut * Berlucchi ’61 Rose * Berlucchi ’61 Saten * Palazzo Lana Franciacorta Brut Millesimato * Palazzo Lana Franciacorta Saten millesimato * Palazzo Lana Franciacorta Extreme millesimato PricesThe sparkling wines of Berlucchi are between â‚ ¬15 and â‚ ¬28. The average price per line: * Berlucchi bianco imperiale: â‚ ¬10 * Berlucchi ’61: â‚ ¬15 * Cuvee imperia le: â‚ ¬20 * Cellarius: between â‚ ¬15 and â‚ ¬20 * Palazzo Lana: â‚ ¬28 Target Market Geographically speaking, Berlucchi is targeting Italy. Berlucchi won market leadership in its first few years because of its mission to ‘democratize the bubbles’. With their below average price for sparkling wine, and their distribution through grocery stores, Berlucchi sparkling wine was accessible for everyone. Distribution channels Grocery retailersIn 2006 70% of all Berlucchi sales went through the grocery retail distribution channel. Because of the company’s solid penetration of this channel, they established an undisputed leadership position. HoReCa and specialty stores Berlucchi produced a product especially made for this channel, which won considerable success and allowed the company to re-establish its reputation among connoisseurs and win over specialized dealers. Positioning By distributing through grocery retailers, Berlucchi positions itself in a totall y different range than most other Italian sparkling wine, which are available in specialty stores.The company’s solid penetration in this modern distribution channel anchored the positioning of the Berlucchi brand. But having a lower price does not mean they work with a bad quality, although some may look at Berlucchi as a cheap supermarket wine. The Berlucchi brand guarantees a high-quality, prestigious, accessible product. Competitive Advantage Berlucchi stands out because of their innovative spirit and desire to experiment with new products and market segments, but off course, still in an accessible and qualitatively good manner. The solid penetration in the modern distribution channel of grocery retailers is something no other ompany has accomplished. Marketing Mix The marketing strategy that has secured Berlucchi’s success over the last thirty years can be summed up in three key words: Italy, mass market, and corporate brand. In the 1960s, the company’s fou nders saw an opportunity to create a sparkling wine market in Italy using the champenoise method. This method meant educating both trade and final consumers through constant communication, the aim of which was to eliminate the image of Italian spumante as a sub-category of wine, or a lower-quality version of the more familiar French champagne.In just a few years’ time the company won a leadership position in the Italian market. They had a clear mission: â€Å"To make bubbly accessible to everyone†. The firm achieved this mission with an extensive distribution strategy. Berlucchi spumante wanted to create a festive atmosphere on any occasion. The best way to achieve this was to reach the consumer through the simplest distribution channel, for instance grocery retailers. Berlucchi has always implemented a push rather than a pull strategy, focusing communication and commercial investments on trade.Another marketing strategy of Berlucchi was based on avoiding product proli feration in the portfolio, in keeping with the need to educate Italian consumers on the traditional method. Berlucchi came up with a series of simple, distinctive brand visuals, which over time have come to be identified with the company. Financial Performance SWOT analysis Confrontation matrix * S1 x O4, because despite the challenging economic environment we are currently in, sparkling wines are set to gain share in the US alcohol market.Berlucchi has a below average price and that could be an opportunity for them to gain share in the US alcohol market. * S3 x O3, because Berlucchi has an innovative spirit and desire to experiment with new products and market segments. They could have an opportunity in the US alcohol market, because most Americans show an interest in broadening their horizons in terms of what kinds of wine they buy. * S3 x T3, because consumers in the wine market are constantly evolving. That could be an opportunity for Berlucchi, because they have an innovative s pirit and desire to experiment with new products and market segments.Corporate strategy Berlucchi grew in a few years after founding to be leader in its market thanks to a clear mission: ‘democratize the bubbles’. The founders were convinced they could produce an Italian sparkling wine of comparable quality to the current products on the market. The aim was to produce a high-quality, prestigious, accessible product for a below average price. The basic reason for their attitude was that they could not justify the substantial price difference between Berlucchi products marketed through large retailers and the same wines sold in specialized stores and wine bars.Eventually Berlucchi grew to be a market leader in the large grocery retailers and an important player in the HoReCa and wine shops, without ever letting go of the initial corporate mission. Segmentation The wine consumers in the U. S. can be segmented in to the following groups based on consumption and spending pat terns: Daily Musts | Variety Seekers| Personal Image| Savvy Buyers | Occasional Consumers | Represent 16. 4% of wine drinkers| Represents 14. 4% of wine drinkers|   Represents 14. 1% of wine drinkers| Represents 2. 6% of wine drinkers| Represents 34. % of wine drinkers| Spending share of 49. 3 % | Spending share of 34%| Spending share of 3. 1%| Spending share of 9. 7%| Spending share of 4%| Median age is 61| Median age is 50| Median age is 34| Median age is 48| Median age is 55| Annual income averages $62,000| Annual income averages $100,000| Annual income averages $62,000| Annual income averages $80,000| Annual income averages $63,000| | Target Market The segments most viable for targeting are the Daily Musts, the Variety Seekers and Personal Image consumers and through using a differentiated strategy all three can be targeted.Daily musts Although this segment is brand loyal, by applying low cost strategy and attractive packaging this segment can be entered, after which the focus should be customer retention and maintaining everyday low price offers in combination with a loyalty program to create loyalty to the berlucchi brand and maximize customer equity. Variety seekers Premium brand images and first-class packaging will strongly appeal to the Variety Seekers and expert ratings, premium pricing and event or celebrity sponsorships will truly entice this segment to try berlucchi brand wine.However because of their low brand loyalty a truly aggressive loyalty program is necessary to retain their business. Advertisement be should focused on wine magazines and internet media. Personal Image This segment shows the most potential profitability on the long term and should be engaged to ensure a significant market share in the next decade as this is the fastest growing segment. The focus has to be on moving them towards Variety Seeker of Daily Must habits. Innovation through products and packaging and leveraging social media would speak most to the Personal Image wine drinkers. PositioningDaily Musts and the Personal Image consumers can be catered to with one product in the area , the product’s should have a below average to average price level and focus on offering an accessible product of decent or higher quality. The product targeting the variety seekers should be higher priced to project a somewhat prestigious image and high quality. Below you can see the product value proposition for Berlucchi’s target customers. Objectives Market share Brand familiarity Revenue Timeframe: 3 years Marketing Mix Product As described in positioning, there are three target groups for which there are different product needs.To accustom all potential customers it is neccessary to introduce two different lines of products. Lines Cuvee Imperiale – Brut – Max Rose – Demi Sec – Vintage ‘For over half a century, Cuvee Imperiale has been synonymous with festiveness, joy, and raising a toast, and its consistently fine taste has made it the Italians’ favourite classic-method sparkler. Its four styles make it the perfect choice for both casual moments and the most special of occasions. ’ This line will serve the needs of the Daily Musts and Personal Image consumers, it has a below average price, it is accessible and has a high quality.Palazzo Lana – Brut – Saten – Extreme ‘The timeless elegance of the Palazzo Lana Berlucchi, the handsome mansion that inspired the first Franciacorta,   is present once again in these vintage-dated Franciacortas. Produced from free-run must, and rare both in quantity and quality, the three are bound together by a common thread of gracefulness, complexity, and avoidance of excess, each wine dedicated to those who enjoy them thoughtfully. ’ This line will serve the needs of the Variety Seekers consumers, it is above average prices, has a prestigious image and has a high quality. Packaging Daily mustsThe Daily Musts cons umers are flexible in their response to different packaging designs. Personal Image They consider wine consumption an extension of their personal images, however are more focused on store brands. Variety seekers This consumer group appreciates premium packaging. When lining together these consumer characteristics and the packaging of the chosen products, we can come to a conclusion of no necessity to change the packaging of the products, due to the already existing compatibility of consumer needs and the product packaging. Price Cuvee Imperiale The price for the Cuvee Imperiale line will be $15.Berlucchi will have to lower their price a little bit than they have in Italy, but this way they can compete with the competitors in the US, for instance the Toso Brut from Argentina. The Cuvee Imperiale will be a good competitor due to their below average price and good quality sparkling wine. Palazzo Lana The price for the Palazzo Lana line will be around the $30 in the US. One big competit or is the Taltarni Brut Tache, their price is around the $25. Berlucchi Palazzo Lana is more expensive, but Berlucchi will still be a good competitor since the prices of Taltarni have been progressively rising lately.It will also be a good competitor, because of its prestigious image and high quality. Place Locations Below is a table with 6 states located in the U. S. whom are known to have an extremely large wine drinking population, and therefor will be the best states in the US to introduce the Berlucchi’s wines. Type| California| Texas| Florida| New York| Illinois| New Jersey| Population| 38,053,956| 25,901,361| 19,057,542| 19,465,197| 12,869,257| 8,821,155| Binge drinkers| 14. 7%| 15. 6%| 12,40%| 15. 2%| 17. 5%| 14. 4%| Casual drinkers| 56. 2%| 51. %| 56,3| 59. 1%| 58%| 59. 7%| Heavy drinkers| 5. 9%| 5. 2%| 5,3| 4. 3%| 4. 7%| 4. 5%| Retailers: Within each one of these 6 states the wines will be available in two types of store retailers: * Specialty stores: A small retail outlet that focuses on selling a particular product range and associated items. Most specialty store business operators will maintain considerable debt in the type of product that they specialize in selling, usually at premium prices, in addition to providing higher service quality and expert guidance to shoppers. Superstores: A very large retail store that stocks highly diversified merchandise, such as groceries, toys, and camera equipment, or a wide variety of merchandise in a specific product line, such as computers or sporting goods. Specialty stores: Berlucchi’s wines will be available in the best of the best wine shops in each state. They will be placed in these shops according to the stores location and popularity. State| Specialty Wine Stores[1| California| 867| New York| 533| New jersey| 265| Florida| 252| Illinois| 211| Texas| 181| Superstores:More than a third of all wines sold in America are purchased at Superstores. Wall-Mart 2011 USA Retail Sales ($000): $307,7 36,000 Extending its lead, it is making solid progress on improving its merchanides through different new projects. The company’s grocery business accounted for more than half of its 2011 sales. Wall-Mart constantly hires wine scouts to research new wines in order to further broaden their inventory. Wines located in a Wall-Mart store Kroger 2011 USA Retail Sales ($000): $78,326,000 America’s largest traditional grocer is food focused and price led.It includes a wide variety of all sorts of wines. In 2012 Kroger hired wine stewards for a few of its Texas stores. The political push to sell wine in grocery stores is now in different Kroger stores. Wines located in a Kroger store Target 2011 USA Retail Sales ($000): $65,815,000 Target will try to become more beverage focused and currently has strong store innovations and loyalty programs. They combine grocery store bargains with wine shop-level service and expertise. Wines located in a Target store Restaurants:In addition to these retail stores, the wines will also be available in a variety of restaurants in each state. These restaurants will include non-fast food restaurants that have an ideal location for different types of customers to reach. Below is an example of one of the restaurants that look real promising in terms of boosting Berlucchi’s brand image. Since 1979 Antonello Ristorante located in California has captured the essence of Old World authenticity with a new Italian. Antonello's award-winning wine list boasts more than 700 foreign and domestic labels.For special occasions or business meetings, there are eight Promotion The goal is to become the first thing that comes to mind for a person from one of our targeted segments when in the market for wine. According to professor Jacob’s Creek of the University of South Australia’s Wine Marketing Research Group, it is not the brand but the wine regions that influences consumers choice the most. The promotional strategy us ed to differentiate the Berlucchi wines from others is to sell the idea of living the southern European care free, want for nothing life style using the campaign slogan: ‘A taste of the Italian life’.This should invoke an emotional response to advertisement as consumers in the Daily must segment, who are older and often retired or near retirement age can relate to the care free living. The variety seekers can relate to the ‘want for nothing’ aspect and high end allure of Milan or Rome and the younger personal image consumers can indulge in the American romanticized cultural image of Europe. Promoting the Brand As Americans are not yet aware of how many wines are actually Italian and no wine markets itself distinctively as such, the Berlucchi products can be analyzed as a new product.To start the introduction phase a launch event will be held in Los Angeles, California to which columnists/writers for different lifestyle and food magazines, influential taster s and VIPs’ will attend to experience the different wines by Berlucchi that will be launched in the U. S. which will result in features in magazines such as ‘food and wine’, Decanter, WineEnthusiast and Fine. During the introduction phase a print ad and a broadcast media advertisement featuring Robert Deniro will run.Because of his Italian heritage and wine expertise as he owns his own vineyard, on the other hand because of his long and outstanding acting career he is recognizable and idolized by people across generations. The broadcast ad, which will run for thirteen weeks, will be shown during lifestyle television shows and cooking shows such as ‘Master chef’ and ‘come dine with me’ and can even be featured on the shows. The print ad will run for a total of 30 weeks, appearing once to 10 times throughout that period in different magazines and as banners on different online magazines.To promote the brand directly to the target group, Be rlucchi nights will be organized during which selected restaurants will serve free glasses of Berlucchi wine that go well with the dish ordered. The before mentioned strategies will be very effective for the Daily must and Variety seeker segments, but to ensure the involvement of the personal image segment a social media campaign needs to be launched. Each bottle of Berlucchi wine will have a code and instructions printed on the back side of the label.After purchasing a bottle a consumer can befriend Berlucchi on Facebook or follow them on twitter, after which the phrase â€Å"Having a taste of the Italian life #Berlucchi #;code;† should be posted online. In response a code will be send back to the consumer which entitles him or her to a 61% discount on their next purchase of a bottle of Berlucchi Cuvee Imperiale and they enter a lottery for a set of 3 Berlucchi Franciacorta ’61 bottles. The low price and exciting price will attract the segment and by posting they imme diately communicate the existence of Berlucchi to their friends. Loyalty program – – – Budget ; Control – – Recommendation – – – Appendix Figure 1a Figure 1b Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Top 3 states in wine consumption Figure 6 Top 3 states in emerging wine markets Figure 7 Figure 8a Figure 8b Figure 9 Daily Musts| Variety Seekers | Personal Image | Savvy Buyers | Occasional Consumers| * Represent 16. 4% of wine drinkers * Accountable for 49. 3 % of all wine sales. * Median age is 61 * Annual income averages $62,000. Daily Musts are the heaviest wine consumers and consumers and drink on a daily basis. They are brand loyal and flexible in their response to different packaging designs and tend to buy based on low prices. * Represents 14. 4% of wine drinkers * Spending share of 34% * Median age is 50. * Annual income averages $100,000. They tend to spend more per capita than the Daily Musts, appreciate premium packaging, q uality wine and variety. They often view higher price as a sign of higher quality. The Variety seeker is most likely to use the internet to secure information before purchases and look at wine as an extension of their personal image and tend not to be brand loyal. | * Represents 14. 1% of wine drinkers * Spending share of 3. 1% * Median age is 34 * Annual income averages $62,000.This group will grow in consumption as their ages and incomes increase. The Personal image drinker’s habits are in development, and they tend to turn to social media and the Internet for information. They consider wine consumption an extension of their personal images, however are more focused on store brands. | * Represents 2. 6% of wine drinkers * Spending share of 9. 7% * Median age is 48 * Annual income averages $80,000This group enjoys trying a variety of wines and tends to buy on value, however not necessarily focused on low price since they only consume moderate to small amounts. * Represents 3 4. 5% of wine drinkers * Spending share of 4% * Median age is 55 * Annual income averages $63,000| Figure 10 Segmentation by lifestyle Figure 11 ——————————————– [ 1 ]. SVB, 2012 [ 2 ]. See Appendix figure 2 [ 3 ]. See Appendix figure 3 [ 4 ]. See Appendix figure 4 [ 5 ]. See Appendix figure 5 [ 6 ]. See Appendix figure 6 [ 7 ]. http://www. gayot. com/wine/top10american-sparkling-wines/main. html [ 8 ]. Wine Institute, 2011 [ 9 ]. Press Democrat, 2011 [ 10 ]. See Appendix figure 7 [ 11 ]. With the exception of the state of Washington [ 12 ]. https://www. cia. ov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/it. html [ 13 ]. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/List_of_wine-producing_countries [ 14 ]. http://quickfacts. census. gov/qfd/states/06000. html . S. Census Bureau: State and County QuickFacts [ 15 ]. http://www. tax. ny. gov/bus/bev/abt_tax_information_individuals. htm [ 16 ]. Be rlucchi Case page 15 table 2 [ 17 ]. http://www. berlucchi. it/we-do/ [ 18 ]. See Appendix Figure 1a [ 19 ]. See Appendix Figure 1b [ 20 ]. http://www. wine-searcher. com/wine-197764-0001-berlucchi-palazzo-lana-brut-franciacorta-docg-italy [ 21 ]. Berlucchi Case page 5 [ 22 ]. Berlucchi Case page 5 [ 23 ].Berlucchi Case page 5 [ 24 ]. Berlucchi Case page 5 [ 25 ]. Berlucchi Case page 11 [ 26 ]. Berlucchi Case page 21 table 23, 24 [ 27 ]. See Appendix figure 10 for more info. [ 28 ]. See Appendix figure 11 [ 29 ]. http://www. berlucchi. it/we-do/#cuvee [ 30 ]. http://www. berlucchi. it/we-do/#palazzo-lana [ 31 ]. See Appendix Figure 10 [ 32 ]. See Appendix Figure 1a [ 33 ]. http://www. statemaster. com/graph/hea_alc_con_cas_dri-health-alcohol-consumption-casual-drinkers [ 35 ]. http://www. wkrn. com/story/19808909/kroger-begins-focused-push-for-wine-in-grocery-stores [ 36 ]. Based on research findings of SymphonyIRI group, INC

Cadbury Report Essay

Introduction Initial corporate governance developments in the UK began in the late 1980s and early 1990s in the wake of corporate scandals. Cadbury Report (1992) defines ‘Corporate Governance as An Act of governing by the board of Directors†. Financial reporting irregularities led to the establishment of the ‘Financial Aspects of Corporate Governance Committee’ led by Sir Adrian Cadbury. The resulting Cadbury Report published in 1992 outlined a number of recommendations around the separation of the role of an organisation’s chief executive and chairman, balanced composition of the board, selection processes for non-executive directors, transparency of financial reporting and the need for good internal controls. The Cadbury Report included what is termed as â€Å"The Code of Best Practice† and its recommendations were incorporated into the Listing Rules of the London Stock Exchange. The Code was initially directed to the board of directors of all listed companies registered in the UK, but it is was not limited to only the listed companies as it also encouraged many other companies as possible to aim at meeting their requirements. Bringing greater clarity to the respective responsibilities of directors, shareholders and auditors will also strengthen trust in the corporate system. Companies whose standards of corporate governance are high are the more likely to gain the confidence of investors and support for the development of their businesses. According to Cadbury Report (1992) By Law, all directors are responsible for the stewardship of the company’s assets. Conclusion and Recommendations The Cadbury Report was followed by three more major reports: Greenbury (1995), Hampel (1998) and Turnbull (1999). The Greenbury Report responded to the concerns about the level of executive pay rises, especially in the privatised utilities. The Hampel Report reviewed the progress of companies in responding to the Cadbury and Greenbury Reports and made some suggestions for improvement. The Turnbull Report addressed the important issue of how to implement best practice systems of internal control. The Report had set a deadline of 30 June 1993 for the beginning of reporting compliance with the Code. By this time 54 out of 66 reporting FTSE100 companies had complied  with the reporting requirement. The percentage of companies with combined CEO and Chairman of the board had declined from 25% to 15%. Within a year the percentage of FTSE350 companies with remuneration and audit committees had doubled and the percentage with nomination committees was rising. The result of all this activiti es is that UK corporate governance ranks as the most open and transparent system of any in the leading industrialised countries. The UK is now ranked ahead of the US in terms of the quality of the environment facing investors on the basis of the governance practices of the firms they are most likely to invest in. Compliance with the Code of best Practise was not enforced and it was not mandatory many firms subjected. Many firms conformed because they did not want to fall victim to the destructive consequences resulting from the disregard of corporate governance. References Cadbury, A. (2002). Corporate Governance and Chairmanship: A Personal View. New York, Oxford University Press Cadbury, A. (1990) .The Company Director, London: Director Books. Cadbury, A. (2000).‘The Corporate Governance Agenda’, Corporate Governance, Vol.8 (1), pp.7-15.

PhD Program Essay

It is with distinct privilege that I seek to provide the committee of this University my application for a post-graduate PhD degree in Exercise Kinesiology. Equipped with the necessary skills and competence, I wish to impart the necessary information relevant in my application. In the end, it is my desire to showcase my relevant education and experience which had given me the opportunity to meet the necessary criteria for acceptance. The constant motivation and aim to improve has always been my constant objectives in seeking higher education. Acquiring the relevant concepts and theories can be an essential as I seek to balance the interplay between the real environment and the views presented in textbooks. Moreover, the experience can also serve as an avenue for teaching in my relevant profession. Having the sufficient training and schooling can permit a solid leverage over the things being given to students. Looking back at my educational background, I achieved my Associates of Arts degree in Santa Fe Community College, Gainesville on May 2005. By 2007, I finished my Bachelor of Science in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology at University of Georgia, Athens. Currently, I am due to graduate on December 2008 with an Education Master of Science in Exercise Physiology at the University of Miami. All these things have been significant in what I am right now. With regards to my work experience, I had been employed by Don Shulas Hotel in Miami as an exercise specialist/wellness coordinator. In here, I was given the responsibility of handling clients in various fitness levels. Moreover, I began creating strength plans for golf players in the hotel. It is with these encounters that I was able to apply the things I had learned in my education while at the same time obtain the necessary experience to be competitive in my realm. Also, recognizing the importance of reaching out to other people, I had also been a participant of a volunteer program last 2006. I became engrossed at Terwilliger Elementary School wherein I taught students with mental disabilities of basic motor skills. The fulfillment and satisfaction of seeing these kids learn has always been beneficial in my personal drive to teach. Similarly, it developed my interpersonal skill in handling different kinds of people. This I see is another crucial factor to be successful in my field. I also understand that the PhD program requires a research topic that will guide me throughout the program. Due to this, my interest shall focus on the effect of resistance training on diseased population such as diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. I seek to provide to the expansion of literature by showcasing my study towards my colleagues. It has always been my overall goal to investigate relationships and provide added insight to my profession. But I still feel the dire need to be guided by professors who will impart their time and effort to lead me towards increased competency and growth. That is why, if given the opportunity, I would like to be under the tutelage of Dr. Borsa, Dr. Haas, and Dr. Hausenblass. With their help, I can maximize my potentials and at the same time pave the way for learning for students. In the end, I hope the committee shall consider my application. Your approval can be very beneficial not only to my personal goals but at the same time to individuals who share the same interests that I have. It is only through our hard work and determination can we achieve the changes that we desire.