California Pizza Kitchen Essay

A company’s strategic choices shape how that firm will operate and react to the use of its own resources as well as the affects of external factors. These choices are typically broken down into one of our distinct strategies (cost leadership, differentiation, niche focus, and first mover’s advantage) and applied as management sees fit. In studying California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) literature, one can easily decipher that their main strategy is differentiation with portions of first mover’s advantage tied in. CPK is very open about the approach as menu innovation is one of their key values. Having identified this strategy this paper looks to review this strategy against recently performed SWAT analysis to see how it is affecting CPK’s strategic choices. It will discuss whether those strategic choices remaining in line with its differentiation strategy. Additionally, this case study will determine whether the differentiation strategy and CPK’s strategic choices create competitive advantages or are they creating weakness that need to be addressed and countered with some of CPK’s strengths. Finally, a brief discussion on CPK’s mission and vision will be incorporated against the findings to determine what CPK is doing right and what they could possibly change to improve is competitive position. Corporate Strategy Porter tells us that firm’s position themselves by leveraging their strength’s. He argued that strengths ultimately fall into one of two headings: cost advantage and differentiation (Quickmba). CPK chooses and specifically points out differentiation as its main strategy. In its 2009 financial report, CPK states, â€Å"We believe that our concept, attractive price-value relationship and quality of food and service enable us to differentiate ourselves from our competitors†. Differentiation is a competitive business strategy whereby firms attempt to gain a competitive advantage by increasing the perceived value of their products and/or services relative to the perceived value of other firm’s products and services. Implementation of differentiation strategy means that the value is provided to customers through unique features and characteristics of the company’s products as opposed to the lowest price. A successful differentiation strategy will create customer value that is perceived as such by its customers. Differentiated goods and services satisfy the needs of customers through a sustainable competitive advantage. CPK differentiates itself through product quality through the use of quality ingredients, menu design and innovation, and expanded services and offerings beyond their main dining experience. This all falls under subcategory of differentiation known as â€Å"Quality Strategy†, which sets CPK apart from its competitors. As a result of this quality, CPK has branded itself through a very loyal customer base that consistently markets for the company through rave reviews and word of mouth advertising. Firms that succeed in differentiation strategy often have the following internal strengths (QuickMBA): †¢ Access to leading scientific research †¢ Highly skilled and creative product development team †¢ Strong sales team with the ability to successfully communicate the perceived strengths of the product †¢ Corporate reputation for quality and innovation Due to high levels of rivalry in the food industry there is always an incentive to be innovative and continuously improve. There is also always the chance that any differentiation could be copied by competitors. Therefore, innovation remains a huge part of CPK’s differentiation strategy as well as one of its core values. As proof of this, CPK literature is littered with the idea of menu innovation, expansion of service options such as the new items, smaller express stores and growth/development in the frozen and fresh foods market in grocery stores. This philosophy is not just talk however. CPK backs this concept with action through the continuous research and evaluation of various food ingredients, products and supplies for consistency and food safety. This research is compared to detailed specifications developed by CPK’s products teams ultimately leading to high food quality standards. As mentioned in this author’s previous studies, this research provides intellectual capital as well as contributes to the innovation capability as CPK remains at the forefront of and often dictates market changes (Haas1). This capability or competitive advantage is what also gives CPK some of its â€Å"First Mover† advantage. CPK operates as one of the pioneers of premium pizza (a niche market). Therefore they were one of the first to develop the products creating benchmark and standards for the market. This provides them with the advantage of potential lower costs (Golder & Teller) from intellectual capital and development experience as well as creates potential barriers for other competitors to switch products. It also gives them early recognition and consumer preference (QuickMBA) reducing the risk of the threat of ubstitution. This further increases the strategy of differentiation as well in that customer’s become attached to CPK’s differentiating attributes. Additionally, because CPK focuses its main products on a niche market (premium pizza), it has been able to continue to sell its products at a more premium price and better absorb the economic upturn of inflation. Strategic Choices The state of the economy, the downsizing of disposable income and the high unemployment have all posed large threats to the full service dining industry. The current economic environment has particularly played into CPK’s strategic choices recently as they have had to compete to maintain revenue, reduce costs and keep customers who are more and more turning to substitutes such as fast food or home cooked meals in an attempt to save money. This has not deterred CPK completely from its differentiation strategy. In fact, Rick Rosenfield (CPK, Co- CEO) stated the company was working to reverse declining sales by offering a new menu (LATimes), again playing on their strength of innovation. However, it has forced CPK to consider other approaches in the way that the attack the market and expand their business. This gives CPK an opportunity to address one of its major weaknesses at the same time. CPK has over 40% of its stores located in California. This has created a lack of geographical diversification. Therefore CPK is looking to expand beyond California and has even looked to go outside the US as it believes its full-service restaurants will continue to represent the majority of revenue growth in the near term. This expansion plays into CPK’s innovative approach to business. For the most part CPK’s management has looked to expand revenues through new markets and menu options. However, the economic downturn has forced CPK to look internally to reduce cost as a means to maintain or increase revenue. Therefore, CPK has decide to not only look at foreign markets as a way to diversify its revenue stream but it will also leverage its brand name and reputation through is expanding in existing markets to consolidate marketing, human resource and supply chain costs. These choices are a good start, however CPK’s sales have been down and the diversity of the market has not helped CPK to recover its losses. Because CPK works with higher quality ingredients and unique menu items which change regularly there is less room for supply chain cost reduction. The innovative approach that makes CPK unique and differentiates it from its competitors could also potentially be preventing it from reducing costs and improving operational efficiencies. It acts almost as a â€Å"Catch 22† if you will. Further, CPK run the potential pitfalls of risk listed below (Openlearningworld. com): †¢ Customers may decide cost of uniqueness is too high †¢ Means of differentiation no longer provides value to customers †¢ Customers learning may reduce customer’s perception of company’s differentiation †¢ Counterfeit goods convey the same differentiation at a discounted price Ultimately this forces CPK to continue to increase value to customers by means of reducing prices, adding product features without raising prices or developing better efficiency in its value chain. Mission and Vision As described in previous research (Haas2), CPK does not formally identify its mission and vision by these names, therefore some interpretation is required for anyone looking for such designation. CPK intends to be the leader in authentic California-style cuisine and to be widely known for its innovative menu items. To achieve this, CPK intends to provide a range of creative dishes, from signature California-style hearth baked pizzas, creative salads, pastas, soups and sandwiches to extensive beer and wine lists with a full bar. In Part 1, Item 1, Business of the 2009 annual report readily identifies the company’s objectives, as: â€Å"To extend our leadership position in the restaurant and premium pizza market by selling innovative, high quality pizzas in addition to creative salads, distinctive pastas and related products and by providing exceptional customer service, thereby building a high degree of customer loyalty, brand awareness and superior returns for our stockholders† To reach these objectives, We (CPK) plan to increase our market share by expanding our restaurant base in new and existing markets, leveraging our partnerships in non-traditional and retail channels and offering innovative menu item. † Reviewing these statements reaffirm that CPK has a solid mission and vision that incorporate its corporate strategy very well. Innovation and quality are the cornerstones of CPK’s mission which are fundamental factors in a strong differentiation strategy. However, CPK must be care not to become so focused on its current strategy that is forgets to measure pressures of external forces as well as the need for cost reduction that are weighing heavily in its business and profits. Without careful consideration of competitors, economic factors and internal stresses CPK may be forced to look elsewhere for funding which it has considered recently in its attempt to shop the company to new external buyers. It is suggested that CPK look carefully at its current strategy as compared to that of its competitors to see if it can better leverage its internal strengths and potential for operational efficiencies because price may be the ultimate downfall as many competitors are finding ways to incentivize customer value through lower prices, additional options or more product for the same price to maintain customer base. This could be a battle that CPK could fail at if it does not keep pace or find a way to show consumers its value.

Genetically Modified Food Essay

According to the U.S Department of Agriculture, also known as USDA, in the United States more than 90% of soybeans, cotton, corn, and certain other crops are genetically engineered. GMOs are organisms that are introduced into plants or meat to alter their DNA. Their main purpose is to create food that can withstand many different environments and climates. The problem with GMO’s is that they have been shown to create health problems. For example, some substances have been shown to increase allergies and the risk of cancer. This is a huge problem for our country right now but what is being done? Do people really know that GMO’s are in their food? The US government should impose stricter regulations on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) because GMOs have not been properly investigated. They pose numerous health risks to the consumers and large GMO corporations care only about the bottom line—profits—and do not have the consumer’s best interest in m ind. Regulations of GMOs have always been an issue from the very beginning. Since the Regan days, federal regulatory efforts have governed by what is known as the Coordinated Framework for regulation of Biotechnology. The Coordinated Framework of Biotech believes in the idea that overseeing GMOs requires no new laws. An example of poor regulation method is the new genetically modified (GM) type of Kentucky bluegrass that will be able to withstand the Roundup herbicide. The Approval was admitted by the US Department of Agriculture. The Plant Pest Act is the only regulation available to control GM crops. Which means that the USDA has no obligation to regulate GM Crops, the courts have no way of intervening an the biotech industry can do whatever it wants with absolutely no oversight at all. â€Å"According to Doug Gurian-Sherman, senior scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists’ Food and Environment Program, the documents released by the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health In spection Service (APHIS) along with the announcement portend a major change in how the feds will deal with genetically modified crops.†Ã‚  (Philpott,Tom) Even though a percentage of consumers believe that there should be stronger regulations on GMOs food the other half believes that genetically modified food should not be banned but closely monitored.(Meade, Conner) Conor Meade an Ecology professor at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth believes that the assessment of the ecological risk posed by GM is a bad idea. With environmental and health concerns over GM Food, there has not been any scientific evidence that has determined that they are not safe. This is the counter argument for why there should be continuing research on GM foods in the United States. We should not ban GM research but continue to investigate the health risk factors that GMO foods pose to the consumers. There is an argument that states that Genetically Engineered Crops will feed the world, Jeffrey Scott. Believes Genetic Engineering Is Natural and Should Be persuade. Coker further states In the United States and elsewhere, more than 90% of soybeans, cotton, corn, and certain other crops are Already genetically engineered, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Another example is â€Å"Bt† technology, which involves plants producing a protein from Bacillus thuringiensis, a bacterium that is toxic to most insects. In Hawaii, for example, genetically engineered papaya trees have rescued the entire papaya industry. Researchers at the University of California-Riverside and the International Rice Research Institute have created varieties of rice that can withstand being submerged underwater for almost two weeks, which can save crops during years of flooding. Genetic engineering will allow crops of the future to be better tasting, more nutritious, more tolerant of environm ental stresses, and less allergenic. Foods will also last longer before spoiling, allowing food to be distributed more easily. Biotech industries claim that genetically engineered (GE) crops will help agriculture become mores sustainable and help stop world hunger. In reality, most GE crops are designed to allow more herbicides, such as Monsabto’s Roundup, which causes local farmers to use more toxic herbicides, not less. â€Å"A 2010 Chemical Research in Toxicology study found that glyphosate-based  herbicides caused highly abnormal deformities and neurological problems in vertebrates. Another study found that glyphosate caused DNA damage to human cells even at lower exposure levels than recommended by the herbicide’s manufacturer.†( Debra A. Miller) By 2009, nearly all (93 percent) U.S. soybeans and four-fifths (80 percent) of corn cultivated were grown from seeds covered by Monsanto patents. Biotech corn seed prices increased 9 percent annually between 2002 and 2008; soybean seed prices rose 7 percent annually. By 2009, Roundup Ready soybean seeds cost twice as much as conventional seeds. Which makes you think how will developing countries afford the seeds or even consider GM seeds because of the health risk. Biotech companies also sued farmers that allegedly violated their patents. By 2007, Monsanto had filed 112 lawsuits against U.S. farmers for patent infringement, recovering between $85.7 and $160.6 million. Biotech companies are not solving the problem but inly making it worse. (Ed. Debra A. Miller)

Good to a Fault by Marina Endicott Essay

Take a moment and imagine a family of six traveling from city to city in order to survive, their only home, a car. Suddenly as their driving along a women speeds into them crashing, and wrecking their home. They are all then taken to a hospital, where the family discovers that the mother has progressive cancer in her lymph nodes. After this discovery, the father decides to skip town leaving his wife, three young children and elderly mother homeless. Good to a Fault by Marina Endicott is an exceptional novel. Endicott won the Commonwealth Writer’s Prize for Best book in Canada and the Caribbean for Good to a Fault. Why might you ask? Each character is so extraordinarily developed and so well described it feels as if you know them yourself. Their emotions, thoughts and actions are so personal that at the end of the novel Endicott has created a wonderful and realistic person. Their conflicts are so profound, that they are crippling to the characters that suffer under them. And a theme that so important that the book is named after it. Like most novels Good To A Fault has a variety characters with an array of personalities, thoughts and behaviors. What sets it aside from others, is the vivid characterization of not only the fundamental characters of the story, but even the characters that are only introduced once. The rotation of perspectives gives the novel a whole new view on each character’s true personality and on the conflicts they face. As Mary Jo Murphy from the New York Times said, â€Å"it’s the quieter introspective dramas, provided by Endicott’s skillful rotation among the characters’ points of view, that hold your attention.† Each character’s thoughts are described by the author in exact correspondence with their personalities. For example; Paul, who is a pastor, often indirectly makes allusions to faith. Like when he and Darwin are fixing up Clara’s basement Paul says, â€Å"Today is a time for rejuvenation â€Å"pg.153 or when he is speaking to Clara about her generosity towards the Gage’s he says â€Å"You sacrificed yourself for others† pg.329 Through this, Endicott solidifies Paul’s personality, tying him to his religion. Making Paul a symbol of Christianity which brings into question the faith of many characters. Allowing the reader to experience the many sides of faith. Apart from that , appearance and reputation help to build complete characters. Take the protagonist Clara , Paul describes her as â€Å"†¦single, childless of course, took care with her appearance, fortyish, Christian, and not in good spirits for some time since her mothers death.† pg.26. This information helps develop a rounded character. It isn’t enough just to say that Clara is a nice person, so that is why she takes care of the Gage family. The author uses her faith, age and relationship status to give reason for her generous actions. It helps the reader gain a better understanding of Clara’s personality, and accordingly builds a relationship between the reader and the protagonist. Above all things what sets this book aside from any other is the conflicts. Unlike most books the conflict of this story introduces itself in the very first paragraph, â€Å"The other car came from nowhere, speeding through on the yellow, going so fast it was almost safely past when Clara’s car caught it.†pg. 7. Because of this you would think that there would be no rising action, no excitement and no great lesson for the protagonist to learn, but you would be wrong. This conflict originally appears as if it will have the most impact, but it does not. In fact it stems off into several other conflicts that characters struggle with individually, and as a group. For instance, Lorraine’s diagnosis with cancer. This leads to her husband, Clayton, struggling to find his family a safe home, which he fails to do on his own. This leaves him bitter because instead of him finding a solution through hard work, he is left to stay with the very women who put them in the situation, Clara. As he says when confronting Clara at the hospital, â€Å"Hard on you? Hard to sit and watch the results of what you did?†pg23. He decides to deal with this by leaving the family. His actions burden Clara with the care of the family he left behind. Leading to Clara’s guilt of driving the children’s father away and leaving the mother all alone. Ultimately she struggles with the idea that she cares for the Gage family either out of guilt or to fill the empty spaces not only in her spare rooms, but in her life. It only took Endicott one simple incident to create a million other problems throughout the novel. Each conflict faced, allows the reader to understand more about each character’s role in the story. Finally molding the novel into the theme. The theme I took from this novel was ; personal satisfaction of goodwill is the only payment for charity,for if it’s not, the deeds bring no true meaning. However when I contacted Marina Endicott on twitter she described the theme as follows; â€Å"How the debt of charity is redeemed; Love your neighbour as yourself.† After Clara divorces her husband, she is left wounded by their short, detached marriage. Her parents then become ill and she must care for them. But soon they both die leaving Clara alone with all their possessions and burdens. When Clara opens up her home to the Gage family and a friend’s daughter, she must decide whether her actions are truly pure and for others benefit, or greedy and only being used to fill the void left by her parents and husband. So she questions herself, â€Å"I see what they need, but I am unwilling to help.†pg 25 When Clara takes in the Gage family she originally believes she is doing it to make up for the car accident she caused. As the visit becomes longer Clara grows more and more attached to the family as she brings them into her life. Caring for them soon becomes less of an obligation, and more of a desire as she grows to truly love the Gage’s like they were her own. She becomes so attached that she does not wish that they leave her home, and when they do she is deeply angered. â€Å"She did not want anything, except Pearce back, and Dolly, and Trevor; except the life she had left this afternoon, to run over and help Lorraine- to help her again!†pg.327 .This theme is a great topic that adds depth the novel. The whole story Clara is faced with deciding whether what she does is out of loneliness or out of good will. It is a topic that we should all consider when we decide to do something charitable. And yet another reason why I believe this is a wonderful piece of litterature. Ultimately this book incorporates everything that makes a good, memorable novel . It’s realistic, likeable and relatable characters keep the reader the attached to the story. These characters face conflicts that challenge them physically and emotional but lead them to fulfilling rewards. Finally these elements are all summed up to create a concrete theme of charity versus selfishness, a topic rarely touched on in our society. These elements of the novel piece the story together as a whole and make it strong enough to last the test of time. This is a great novel.

ENC 1101 Using Gilbert and at least one other author weve read this Essay

ENC 1101 Using Gilbert and at least one other author weve read this semester, write an in which you propose the strategies a college student should employ to successfully choose a career path - Essay Example For students to have a successful career in the future, it is important that they choose the careers with much caution. Students can apply several strategies when choosing the careers to ensure that they are successful in the future. People hold the beliefs that when one has money and wealth, they will be happy. This belief passes from generations to generations. Students get the beliefs that by working hard, they will get a lot of money and be happy. This has an effect in career choice for students, as they choose careers that will earn them a lot of money and be happy. Super- replicators influence the way of thinking of the students, in that they make students believe in what they have achieved in their lives. Students take super-replicators as their role models and choose their careers depending on the latter are advice. Ego-centered networks have the ability to produce super-replicators (Gilbert 171). This is because; they have their own means of transmission from generations to generations. Their proportions increase over time thus creating super-replicator and becoming dominant over other networks. Happiness also plays an extremely significant role in career choice, as students want to choose careers that will make them lots of money and wealth. They believe with money and wealth they will have a happy future. One way for a student can choose a successful career is through other people’s experiences. Students should seek advice from the teachers as to the best careers available in the market. As hard as it is to predict and envision the future, the teacher should be able to give guidance to the students. Even when students have ideas of the careers they want to pursue, they should still ask the guidance of a teacher. This is because; they can be able to get lessons from the experience the teachers went through when growing up rather than trying to figure out everything on their own. Moreover, the teachers will advice the

Diversity and demographic characteristics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Diversity and demographic characteristics - Essay Example This paper discusses different demographic and diversity factors that impact individual behavior. A demographic variable that has a great impact on individual behavior is socioeconomic status. Socioeconomic status is a measure of an individual or family’s relative economic and social ranking (Nces). Two primary factors that determine socioeconomic status are income and educational level. Higher income positively impacts the well being of people and affects their personal behavior. People in higher income brackets have the opportunity to enjoy activities such as going to fine restaurant, playing golf, vacation to other countries, among other expensive habits on a regular basis. A separation exists between the rich and the poor in a society. The educational attainment of a person opens up opportunities for people. The higher educational level a person achiever the greater the chances of obtaining a high paying job. A person with a high school diploma in the United States earns an average annual salary of $23,400, a figure which is $28,800 lower than college graduates. (Earn mydegree, 2008). Geographical differences cause behavioral discrepancies among the people of region. Two types of geographical differences are rural vs. urban and inner city vs. suburban. Rural life tends to be more passive which allows families to raise their children in a controlled environment. The lifestyle includes working farming agricultural and dairy activities. People typically have large homes with vast amount of land. In the city life is totally different. People are in a constant rush and spend a couple of hours a daily commuting to get from one place to the other. The urban area has higher levels of industrial activity and pollution. In China the population from the rural areas migrates to the urban region in search for employment opportunities that come from manufacturing operations. The second comparison is inner city vs.

The big sleep Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The big sleep - Essay Example This theme is carried on further by locations tied to Marlowe. From his eyes, we are offered a glimpse of his old office building with its iron work and wood interiors. Here, there was demonstration of glamour or a spark of life that struggled to exist in the face of an obviously dying city. Then, there were also the observations from other characters, confirmed by Marlowe’s assent and body language. In his interview with the general, for example, the latter’s first impression of Marlowe was that of â€Å"a man with blood on his veins.† (p. 7) A little while later, Mrs. Regan would say to Marlowe’s face that he is a handsome man and Marlowe acknowledged it with a grunt. Chandler effectively built his protagonist’s character very early in the story. The protagonist’s background – an underpaid drudge – made a lot of sense why the style of the narrative was what it was, simple, straightforward but vivid in describing the richness, luxury and corruption of the period. After, all, it was from Marlowe’s eyes that the reader learn of the tale. There are numerous points wherein the narration resembled crisp, staccato rhythms demonstrating Marlowe’s personality. This was pretty surprising, however, especially when one takes into account that Chandler is British and the narratives that immediately preceded his work where firmly in the tradition of elaborate and almost floral prose. In a scene from the book, there was an instance when Harry Jones was recounting a narrative testimony about Mr. Canino, Eddie Mars and the mysterious Mona Mars. Afterwards, when he was alone in his office, Marlowe was quoted as saying: I went upstairs again and sat in my chair thinking about Harry Jones and his story. It seemed a little too pat. It had the austere simplicity of fiction rather than the tangled woof of fact.† (p. 115) Here, Chandler clearly expressed his view of fiction or at least its

RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES - Essay Example Inflamed by environmental, security, economic and social concerns, regulations on energy have been in a flux. Majority of the changes are exhibiting impact on renewable energy. This cuts across from policies designed explicitly to promote energy sources that are renewable and some policies targeted to influence indirectly renewable energy barriers and incentives (Frass-Ehrfeld, 2009). Renewable energy is provided by the environment. Thus, practitioners should relocate from buildings closed environments to the exterior. This is not a big deal as our natural environment provides the fulfillment and the joy of renewable energy. The renewable energy sources are resupplied continuously by the solar or through tapping resources that are inexhaustible including geothermal power, wind and water among others (â€Å"NREL.U.S. Department of Energy†, 1997). The utilization of renewable energy modern technologies has contributed significantly to pollution reduction. Due to increased consumer demand, renewable energy technology has expanded significantly. For example, renewable energy is always scattered in the environment making it damn expensive and difficult to contain. According to Twidell and Weir (2006), renewable energy wide spread application would act in favor of communities that are dispersed in comparison to concentrated ones. In that case, powering of electricity grids will be based on embedded generation that is small-scaled. Therefore, power flows will move intermittently in divergent directions corresponding to local demand and local generation. As renewable energy is spreading at a faster speed, modern technology and science has a great influence on it. For instance, they have ensured that there is an improvement to the existing technologies. However, it is quite difficult to exactly predict the long-term impacts of the changes. As a matter of fact, renewable energy