Zara Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Zara - Essay Example By using these chips, Zara can easily and quickly determine their consumer trends. The company can identify which of its products are quickly bought by their customers. RFID technology have allowed Zara to conduct inventories regularly and this helps the company to paint an accurate picture of what fashions are selling well and which ones are languishing. This assists the company to plan and meet the demand posed by their consumers through the most in-demand fashion. Other industries could also adopt the radio frequency identification- RFID chips to help track their business. This technology can assist businesses within diverse industries to track their sells or business assets. This strategy can become adopted by organizations that are in the transport industry. By placing RFID chips on their trucks, transport companies can determine where there trucks are at any particular time. This helps the companies to keep track of the transportation and movement of goods which they may be charged with. Proper tracking in business helps to boost sells and provide a good ground for inventory

Exploring Inferential Statistics and Their Discontents Assignment

Exploring Inferential Statistics and Their Discontents - Assignment Example Answer: Critical t:  ±2.0687 at DF= 23 Critical t:  ±2.1604 at DF= 13 He is more likely to make Type II error. 6. a) The test is two tailed. b) Ho: u = 58 Ha: u is NOT equal to 58 c) Calculate standard deviation and mean for the sample in the beginning then calculate t-value by using the following formula. t = (Xbar - u)* sqrt n/s n stand for the sample size s stand for the sample standard deviation Xbar stand for the sample mean u = 58 d) t-critical value â€Å"Degrees of freedom† = n - 1 = 14 - 1 = 13 level of significance = alpha = 5% = 0.05 t-critical value = 2.145 e) Ho will be rejected if the computed t value is greater than the critical value f) 95% confidence interval for u can be achieved by applying the subsequent formula. Sample mean +/- t critical value*s/sqrt n 8. a. X^2 obtained = 4.74 b. df of the test = 1 c. x^2 critical value = 3.84 d. This question can be done assuming it is on assessment of a hypothesis and using z test. Jackson (2012) Chapter 8, Pgs. 27 3-275 (even numbered exercises) 2. a. Statistical test: a two-proportion t-interval b. Ho: students listening to music while studying have the similar scores as students not listening to music Ha: students listening to music while studying have the worse scores than students not listening to music c. with Music Without Music Mean 6 7.75 Variance 1.142857143 2.214285714 Observations 8 8 Pearson Correlation equals -0.449013255 Hypothesized Mean Difference is Zero Degree of Freedom = 7 t Stat = -2.262609773 P(T

Diversity in the workplace Essay Example for Free

Diversity in the workplace Essay a.) Diversity in the workplace is recognized positively in many different ways, and can make up a strong workforce of all aspects inside different organizations. These include a variety of age, gender, their background, race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and personality or even the style of how somebody works. All these factors create a diverse work force. By embracing these factors into the daily running of an organization it can be beneficial for both employer and employee, working pleasantly where everybody feels valued and respected. New talents are discovered and people are treated as individuals and are not stereotyped due to popular beliefs. see more:explain the principle of informed choice Employers must abide by, practice and integrate all aspects of the Equality Act 2010 as a legal requirement. Employees of the organization can help to create and carry out these policies and have the responsibility of ensuring a positive outcome in workforce tasks. Having a wider area of skills and talents to choose from will help generate new ideas helping the organization to run smoothly and exceed success on new levels. The workplace becomes host to diversity’s benefits recognizing the different terms of knowledge and differences in all work related areas. In feeling valued and respected as an individual this reflects on that persons work persona in a positive way, sympathizing with customers and working better in general to achieve the organizations crucial targets and goals. The Equality Act 2010 was introduced on 1st October 2010 and is a key piece of legislation. This Act provides the overall legal guidelines that protect the individual’s rights in the workplace and provides the correct legislation that promotes opportunity amongst all diverse platforms. The key acts that comprise the act as a whole are: * Equal Pay Act 1970 * Sex Discrimination Act 1975 * Race Relations Act 1976 * Disability Discrimination Act 1995 * Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003 * Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003 * Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 * Equality Act 2006, Part 2 * Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007 Within the workplace there are policies/procedures and legislation materials that employers and employees can have easy access to on a day to day basis by using the organizations in house systems such as intranet or company website which will have sections specifically targeted to that area of the business. These sources of information can be readily available at the click of a button. By having access to the human resources department this also can offer a wealth of information in regards to company policies, company legislations, handbooks and information with regards to the courses and training that can further background knowledge on this information and can then allow both parties to put what they have learnt into practice. b.) It is of the highest importance to make sure we are all working in a healthy and safe environment and it is the responsibility of all staff to take reasonable care of your own health and safety and of others. It is important to follow instructions and cooperate with the health and safety department on regulatory matters that will arise and to attend relevant health and safety training where necessary. We must also familiarize with the health safety at work manuals these can be found on the DRI intranet or the Human Resources department. We must report any injuries, strains or illnesses as a result of your job role or potential hazards and defects observed in the workplace to the health safety department, so they can be resolved before it can lead to potential escalation. In recognition of these problems it is important that you utilize the company facilities for example this could be in the form of using of VDU’s (visual display unit) which could potentially cause eye strain as a result of prolonged use. The company can reimburse the cost of spectacles and lenses. If in specific departments you require personal protective equipment (PPE) or adequate welfare facilities, these are used free of charge and it is important you notify health safety department, should you need to order more. This is a fundamental rule when working with abrasive products. It is also vitally important to us you that you have the correct amount of rest breaks during the working day. Security of all employees is crucial, so we must make sure to fob in and out of the building when arriving or leaving the building so as to safely access the building and have a record of when and what times you leave during the day. If you happen to leave the fob at home or lose it you must contact reception to be provided with a temporary or a replacement from payroll. If you are expecting a visitor you must request they sign in and out of the building at all costs this ensures we have a record of who has been in and out of the building should an incident occur. By working in a healthy and safe environment we can remain motivated and enthused in order to prevent incidents occurring. We can be confident in our workplace surroundings striving for a much better working atmosphere. The two types of decision making made at DRI (Diamond Resorts International) are those of operational decisions which are carried out on the everyday running of the business, and decisions derived from other departments (strategically) which factors in senior management staff to make long term decisions for the business and to pin point the direction the business is going to take with more beneficial effects. Operational decisions are made up of key stages that we strategically follow; firstly we identify the decision and analyze all factors. Grid Analysis is one stage in the process that helps you to decide between several options, where you need to take many different factors into account. An alternative way is also writing out the pros and cons of that area presenting it to you in balance. An example of using grid analysis; in the key stages of making decisions. By consulting a team leader and organizing a group meeting you will be able to obtain ideas and advice from all knowledgeable bodies and consult with senior staff before a decision is made. This can give you wider pool of avenues to consider whilst going through the key stages. If the decision to be made is predominantly made by two people from separate parties they must have the knowledge to negotiate with each other to implement the decision and be satisfied in all areas. The use of feedback is important in these key stages as it allows us to gain feedback from people who hold down different job roles and responsibilities; therefore are given a variation of information that may assist in the final decision. Most operational decisions are being made day to day by team leaders and departmental managers which factor in team member’s assistance and views. Departments that deal with more executive decisions will have a larger span of control; when a manager oversees the day to da y smooth running of his/her department of staff. When training on the job role we are trained to identify what decision would need to be referred through for approval. An example of this would be the procedure that Human resources department at Diamond Resorts follow which is known as a Recruitment Authorisation form (SRAF), this is used for the recruitment of any new member of staff. If the Resort Manager at Pine Lake wanted to recruit a new housekeeper she would fill this form in and send it to the HR department. Human Resources review this by checking we are paying the correct wage or the number of hours worked is reasonable. It is then sent to the Regional Director (Carmina Saiz) for approval. Once returned to us with approval we ask Vice President of European Resort Operations (Suzana Gomercic) for approval. Once approved HR then send the form, to Executive Vice-President Steve Bell, for final approval only when these processes happen can the recruitment process begin. At each of these levels the approver has the potential to decline the request or to make a change, for example, to suggest the hours worked should be 40 hours instead of 37 hours. This would implicate the span of control going through the different processes identifying who would approve each decision before a permanent decision is made. Task 2 a.) The Importance of planning prioritizing work at DRI – Notes for guidance To help support you and achieve to the highest standard here at Diamond Resorts International it is important you are able to plan and be organized in order to meet the set deadlines for the daily running of all the departments. It is important that you are able to use your time correctly to ensure that all deadlines are met and so that you can achieve the required goals and objectives’ in daily set tasks to help other people in their responsibilities to others. We have a number of facilities at DRI and it is important we use them in order to be timely and efficient, and allow all outcomes of the day be less stressful for you and your team members. * The online mailing system is a key part of the organization and is vitally important for the outside communications and communicating inside all departments around the building. Diary systems are very useful for booking/referring back to appointments and can be used to schedule any tasks or work you may need to prioritize before the end of the day. * You may have access to different calendars’ for meeting rooms around the building. By gaining this access it allows you to see who and what time a room is booked out for, enabling you to book in and around it for yourself or upon a request via another team member. This could include any visitors meeting with you or senior management. The calendar sends you reminder so you can make the necessary arrangements for their arrival. * To do lists can be simple and easy to do on paper or electronically. If for any reason IT department is having issues via the computer software and you become unable to access your computer and cannot use the software to input your data. You can do a simple to do list on paper this will be a temporary measure to remind you and help your day run more smoothly whilst the repairs are underway. Under some circumstances we take under consideration the reasons deadlines could be late, interrupted and may not potentially be met due to certain contributing fa ctors inside the office. * Communication is important throughout working hours, between team members, and is important to have the right level at all times to ensure work is communicated effectively around the office. Too much communication can cause distractions if certain topics are not work related and can be discussed out of office times. This can be avoided by talking about unrelated work topics out of office hours, on lunch breaks or short breaks throughout the day. * It is possible you may be interrupted frequently throughout the day. This could simply be to help another team member, due to technical difficulties or answering the telephone to a customer which could unfortunately take you off task. Make sure you log where you are in order to resume where you left off. The technical difficulties can have a knock on effect for everyone in your department and it is important to try and do as much paper based work as possible to get you up to speed and prepared for the deadline so you are ready to carry on once the issues have been resolved. * There may be times when there is lack of resources around the office if you feel this will have a significant effect on areas of your work then you need to notify a member of the senior management team so they can replenish stock or locate resources from an alternative means. If the department you are working in is short staffed, senior management may want to hire temporary staff to complete clerical/admin tasks. If there are unforeseen circumstances for example you are unable to get to work on time due to problems with public transport, family emergencies or problems etc. In this case some issues cannot always be helped; you must notify your department of issues and if possible explain what work may need to be completed in order to help contribute with the work that is being delayed. b.) After three months of working for Diamond Resorts International it is company procedure to have an appraisal after three months service. I first received a letter from my head of department a week before my appraisal was due. Stating where the meeting was to be held, what time and who it would be with. It was held on the 23rd of October at 3.00 pm with the Human Resources manager. Before I was to attend the meeting I did a small self assessment on paper to remind me what needed to be outlined during the discussion. Once we sat down to commence the meeting I was asked if I was enjoying the new job role also if there was any ongoing problems that needed to be resolved. I explained that I had been enjoying the job role very much and found the prospects for working for DRI very exciting. I was told during my appraisal that all my hard work had been satisfactory and what I had been achieving was more than up to standard. As the job role was new to the company I felt proud to say that I had built the reception area up by myself and enjoyed co-coordinating the maintenance of the building. Making the area more organized and flow with the filed systems I had created. Whilst in the meeting I thought that it would be a good idea to discuss what I had planned for the future, as although I like the job role I require something more challenging and something that can test and push my abilities to what I am more capable of. This meeting was vital for the communication between manager and employee as is important to see where can be improved and problems can be raised and dealt with properly to the discretion of the employee. c.) My career goals illustrated via the SMART technique Complete Level 3 Diploma in Business Administration course with all distinctions aiming for the highest mark possible and pass the functional skills math’s exam, after attending all after hours classes and get back up to speed with mathematic skills. Consider moving job roles/departments after completion of the six month probationary period. All technical certificates will be prepared, passed and achieved in order to start the NVQ level units. Keep practicing for the functional skills math’s test, continuing the drop in math’s sessions allowing learning and improvement on the subject. I will be looking at different job role summaries and familiarizing with them. All the technical certificates have been prepared for and have the correct resources and information to achieve each unit. Each certificate will have a specific time to achieve handouts and activities to complete in order to gather all the information required to achieve set target scores. By completing and concentrating on each unit at once I can put 100% into each unit, also enabling me the flexibility of fulfilling my own job role. There will be points in the day where I will have to break of and do my duties that are required of me as an employee of DRI. I will also be completing functional skills out of office hours. Each unit I have set myself minimum of 2 weeks to complete. This is ample time to have completed each individual unit and have the feedback comments sent over to me via email from my assessor. Each 2 weeks my assessor will come and visit and discuss my progress. Section B 1. a) The key points that are included in a contract of employment could be any of the following; the contract will have the name of your employer and the employee also the date the employment commenced. The number of working hours you will be required to work during the week. The contract will inform you of how much holiday entitlement you are allocated annually, also how they will calculate them yearly. The details of sick pay and statutory pay will be enclosed in a contract of employment also the pension details. The contract will describe the job title and the brief job description of the work, and the location of where work has to be carried out. b.) A contract of employment is an agreement between employer and employee which determines the relationship between both parties. A written contract can include one short handwritten page or a lengthy document containing detailed components. Each business should take the time to carefully prepare a contract of employment for each employee. All businesses have different needs and outlooks, the style and content of each contract of employment will be different. 2. There are a number of representative resources that can assist employees with information and support them where necessary; The Equal Opportunities commission (EOC) is a regulatory body that promotes statutory rights within the employment sector and monitors human rights; offers on hand legislation and legal frameworks to the members of the public informing them of their rights. ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) is a regulatory body available online and is available for employees/employers that aim to improve organisations through better employment relationships. They also help by updating their website with the most current forms of legislation, and offering free independent advice. 3. a.) There are many factors that can lead to being under pressure in a workplace environment, where a professional manner can become difficult to maintain. If you are running by a tight deadline it could become increasingly difficult to reach, due to lack of resources or due to your organizations department being understaffed. The nature of your work could become strained as a result of more elements being added to a task than originally identified. There could be fundamental changes in your job role with new standards that need to be met in order to meet company deadlines pressuring the work environment further. b.) It is important in any departments of organizations that we declare our work progress; this is so we can keep up to date with targets and deadlines also so that team members can utilize the use of support they may need in the work processes, where necessary in order to complete tasks. It is also important to log our progress of work so we can anticipate any problems that we could encounter, and identify them before them before they happen. To identify our progress we are not impacting on others workloads in a negative way, we are working alongside them resulting in a positive outcome. 4. By continuously seeking to improve our performances at work we are able to assess and consider the possible options going forward in the work place, you are exceeding your own limitations/performance, learning new skills and producing quality work that meets the high standards of your organization. By achieving targets and goals are of a higher standard because you are putting more effort into your work. This not only gives the employer a good impression but can give you more chance of increasing your income or getting a promotion, it also gives you the motivation needed to proceed with your work. The efficiency and effectiveness in producing work can give you a sense of satisfaction, as well as receiving positive feedback from the people around you. By using certain analytical procedures we can assess our progress and see where would be the need for improvement. By using SWOT analysis or SMART techniques we can identify our skills, threats, our strengths which can be used to our advantages helping us to focus on our career pathways. Feedback (whether formal or informal) is a key way of enabling us to improve our own performances in the workplace whether it be positive or negative feedback we can take pointers away and work on them to improve work place performances inside of office hours. 5. There could potentially be problems in the workplace which cannot be solved without the interjection of another member of staff. This could be caused by lack of resources for example being short staffed, which is the responsibility of senior management who overlook the Rota’s to make sure there is significant cover ensuring the team can operate as a whole. If the department you are working in has frequent interaction with customers; there may be customer complaints that are not being dealt with correctly. Customers may wish to speak to senior members of staff who can investigate further taking the customer down a different route to solve their query, which only they will have the authorization to do. You may need to refer a problem if the solution involves reimbursement of company funds, or the problem may have a serious impact on an overall company targets. If there is a serious risk to a person’s life or the problem is in breach of a Health and Safety procedure, you must ensure that the information is passed on and dealt with by a member of the correct department as they will be familiar with all the policies and be able to devise a solution.

Starbucks against Vietnamese coffee culture

Starbucks against Vietnamese coffee culture Starbucks brand name is one of most admired famous global business in the world (Moore, 2006, p.7). Moreover, in terms of marketing, Starbucks always is the case study for discussing about it successful marketing and branding strategies. Because of the fall of the economy, it was forced to close 700 stores that were unable to make enough profit and cut thousands of jobs in America, UK, and Australia after a drop in sales in 2008. The brand was also facing the issue of their customers choosing a cheaper option over their higher coffee prices. Starbucks then was applauded for their handling of crisis situations. This report will apply relevant theory and practice of strategic marketing management to explore the situation, contributing factors and management of marketing strategies in the financial crisis sector, reflecting the happenings and identifying recommendations relevant to Starbucks International Coffee. OVERVIEW OF STARBUCKS COFFEE The Seattle-based Starbucks Corporation, which founded in 1971, is nowadays a multinational coffee and coffee house chain with over 15,000 stores in in all 50 states and 43 countries outside of the United States (Pham, 2008, p.8). Serving consumers everywhere (Moore, 2006, p.12.), the aim of Starbucks is to establish and leverage its powerhouse premium specialty coffee through rapid expansion of retail operations, new distribution channels and successful make it coffee a global product for millions customers. Appendix 1 At Starbucks Coffee, the mission is [] to inspire and nurture the human spirit one person, one cup, and one neighbourhood at a time. (Clampitt, 2009). Starbucks has been and always be proud of their commitment to maintaining quality, integrity, and great taste of coffee through the course of its growth and the high value placed on the employees/partners worldwide (LeFort, 2008) . Appendix 2,3 Store Expansion Strategy of Starbucks Throughout the 1990s, Starbucks had started developed a three-year geographic expansion strategy (Clampitt, 2009) then Starbucks store launches grew more successful in revenue (Creamer, 2007). Not just selling the coffee, Starbucks model with opening new stores next to doors and inside shopping malls caused them to increase in value than all other competitors (Cebrzynski, 2007) In 2004, Starbucks announced to analysts that it had a very aggressive target to double its rate of expansion. Their stated goal was to grow to 15,000 stores in the US. According to the report in an article, Starbucks has more than 13,000 locations around the world, and has overstretched itself with the long-term goal of 40,000 stores worldwide (Woodward, 2007, Clark, 2008). Appendix 4, 5, 6 There is a raised question that whether it is a bad business decision for coffee chain Starbucks to expand its brand too quick. (Cebrzynski, 2007) is also suspicious that has Starbucks lost its Starbucks experience by growing that big? (Business: Trouble brewing, 2007) FINANCIAL CRISIS AND COMMODITIZATION OF THE BRAND A crisis, according to (Brown, 2003) is a decisive moment, a turning point, a time of great difficulty, then marketing cannot possibly be in crisis. Mr Schultz, Starbuckss CEO, saw the crisis coming. He had discovered the problem of their own development strategies: Stores no longer have the experienced soul with the warm feeling of a neighbourhood store. At the beginning of 2007, he did warned about the commoditisation of the brand that the expansion from 1,000 to more than 13,000 shops over the past ten years, in order to achieve the growth, development, has led to a series of decisions that make a watering down of the Starbucks experience. (Businessweek. 2007). The decline of Starbucks is the result of over expanding previous years, has been criticized by those who oppose globalization such as ( Klein, 2009): Instead of opening giant stores on the outskirts of town, Starbucks chooses locations right in the range of the inner area already full with all kinds of coffee house. This s trategy relies heavily on the cost reduction by purchasing multiple quantities at wholesale prices like Wal-Mar, however, affected more by the competitors The rapid growth has obviously caused Starbucks some problems. For the first time in its 37-year- history Starbucks lost customers and profits collapsed 97% (Jagger, 2008) during the fourth quarter of 2007 after the ubiquitous coffee chain was forced to absorb the effect of weakening demand. The footfall had declined in the UK, where it has two other big coffee retailer: Whitbreads Costa and Caffà ¨ Nero as well, -$6.7 million after tax, compared with a $158 million profit for the same quarter last year. (Lee, 2008). Although company officials still do not believe growth is an issue (Cebrzynski, 2007), first time in five years, Starbucks was knocked out of first place in the coffee-and-doughnuts category by Dunkin Donuts (Creamer, 2007). And it was the biggest faller in the index by 7 points to 42 out of a possible 100. (Leroux, 2008) Issue Reasons As (Schindehutte et al., 2008) argues that [] something is clearly affecting the ability of firms and business units to sustain performance ), suffering from a rough economy and its own strategic missteps, Starbucks had to admit their own mistakes, much of which is self-inflicted (Ignatius, 2010) In current economy, as a classic dilemma of any big business, while trying to expand, Starbucks not only have to deal with other factors like competitors and the mortgage crisis, they also competing with themselves. Size may have brought success to Starbucks, but it has also led to issues of brand depersonalisation. In the rush to open more stores, Starbucks is experiencing what all successful brands do when they move from being a small, niche firm to a global entity (Golding,2009). Moreover, there are some extra affections from the environment, such as: The brands bottom line has been hit by the rising costs of raw materials. [] now Starbucks isnt for some people said Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks (Not enough froth Starbucks, 2008). Fancy Starbucks coffee has also struggled to compete with cut-price rivals such as McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts, as these traditionally food-focused outlets have begun to sell their own premium and reasonable coffee offer (Clark, 2008). As the financial crisis has spread to the real economy, a perfect storm of negative factors affecting the consumer (Cebrzynski, 2007). The flagging economy and soaring gas prices are responsible too (Leroux, 2008). Consumers are worried of rising gas prices, energy bills, declining home values, the weak dollar, tighter credit, therefore giving hard consideration to how they spend their money. They even already scale back on restaurant dining that made restaurants are slowly creeping out of their thoughts. STRATEGIC MARKETING MANAGEMENT TO SOLVE PROBLEMS Crisis management is much more than coping with a crisis, it is identifying, studying, forecasting, stopping and avoiding crisis as well. (Clampitt, 2009) Continuous improvement and monitoring in business operation can detect and prevent an upcoming crisis (Rhee Valdez, 2009). Effective marketing can contribute to a firms growth through better anticipation of market opportunities, calibration of risks, a tighter linkage of technological possibilities with market concepts, and faster adjustment to shifting market needs and competitive moves. (Day, 2003) For their part, market-driving firms such as Starbucks is demonstrating how business model innovation results in sustainable advantage and superior long-term performance in a wide range of industries. (Schindehutte et al., 2008). When a crisis or disaster strikes, companies must analyze and choose from many strategic plans. One way they do this is by using a SWOT analysis a strategic planning tool used to evaluate Strengths, Weakness es, Opportunities, and Threats. The goal of a SWOT analysis is to identify key internal and external factors that affect the desired outcome. Strengths and weaknesses are internal to the company and include things like wage/benefits, corporate culture, leadership, marketing, and operations. Opportunities and threats are external to the company and include things like government regulations, competition, and economic and social forces. (Clampitt, 2009) The focus for the strategic management to understand the market and industry processes of Starbucks and must be able to integrate valid and reliable SWOT analysis so as to determine future strategies for business development and growth in the global market. SWOT Analysis The SWOT analysis will provide enough awareness for the Starbucks and its business management and operations with regards to their strategic management implying relevant points for their resources as well as market approaches and processes in order to stay in shape and in control of their business environment. Applying a SWOT analysis to Starbucks global expansion strategy shows why they have been successful overcome the crisis. Appendix 7 The business strategy of Starbucks is identical to the corporate level strategy, focusing on coffee-related products as the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world and maintenance of great environment for every staff member in its retail stores. Continual quality improvement is crucial to competitive success and the perfect symbol for the dilemma that faces world trade (Schindehutte et al., 2008). Therefore, it is typical to give the promises to improve service, reduce growth and expand marketing efforts for responding to a decline in customer traffic (Business: Trouble Brewing, 2007). Equally as important, company should not lose sight of their brand heritage (Cebrzynski, 2007). A long term business strategy built upon the hundreds of little things on a daily basis which is the key to customer relationships in the future (Cannon, 2002). Re-energizing Starbucks Process When a decline in customer traffic happens to any chains like Starbucks, its a signal that the company should re-examine their positions (Cebrzynski, 2007). It is the market that provides signals both to the entrepreneur and marketer regarding what value is needed, when it is needed, and how it should be delivered (Schindehutte et al., 2008). Starbucks needs to go back to its roots (Cebrzynski, 2007) and make its brand special again. Company brought back the original CEO, Howard Schultz to restore the companys shine. Starbucks knows it needs to do something new (Skenazy, 2008). Re-structure: Back to basics Chairman Howard Schultz take back the reins from ousted CEO James Donald, not only closed 100 unspecified, underperforming locations with weak sales but also closed most stores across the US simultaneously in order to retrain to improve customer experience at American stores and to get back to the core (Creamer, 2007). Besides, Geoff Vuleta, CEO of New York innovation consultancy Fahrenheit 212, had a radical solution that open a chain of microstores devoted solely to making coffee. No travel cups, no music, no machines, just amazing beans and a narrow range of the best-in-the-world coffee drinks,, just moving brand back to the basics. Resource-led Strategy: Focus on service quality experience Everyone should know that nothing is better for a business than a satisfied customer who can talk to others about their experience with our service (Cannon, 2002). First of all, Starbucks really needs to refocus on the luxury coffee experience; the smells, the sounds. They also gained customers positive experience in stores by well-trained staffs who were knowledgeable about the companys products, who eagerly communicated the companys passion for coffee, and who had the skills and personality to deliver consistently pleasing customer service (Whats Brewing at Starbucks, 2011). Starbucks wanted to turn all Starbucks employees into partners, give them a chance to share in the success of the company and make clear the connection between their contributions and the companys market value (Thompson Strickland, 2009). From its founding, Starbucks set out to be a third place to spend time, in addition to home and work.(Business: Trouble Brewing, 2007) To remedy that, the company plans to improve its service. Field managers will spend more time in the stores to make sure service really does get better, and new baristas will receive additional training. (Cebrzynski, 2007). New breakfast line, featuring a proprietary baked and chilled food program was unveiled in September. Howard Schultz said the smell of the sandwiches overpowered the aroma of coffee, one of the chains signature features (Jennings, 2008). Following the lead of other coffee chains, Starbucks will also be offering a customer loyalty card for the first time. (Ahmed Walsh, 2008) In an attempt to rvetain loyalty in the UK, Starbucks has introduced free coffee refills for anyone buying a hot drink and has ramped up its hitherto negligible marketing activity (Lee, 2008).  · Market-led Strategy: Reputation management can take a while for a bad reputation to hit your bottom line, or a good one to increase profit (Cannon, 2002). As word-of-mouth is a primary marketing tool, Brian Collins, chief creative officer of New Yorks Collins design research firm, suggested company should better use its digital resources to learn the tastes of regular customers and reach target audience by creating social networking tools like Facebook or Twitter and blog page. They also used it both as a way to stay interacted, involved with their current customers and look for new ones. According to TNS Media Intelligence, Starbucks spent $40 million in the first nine months of 2007 (York, 2008), launched its first national TV campaign to defend its ownership of the coffee segment from encroachment by McDonalds, Dunkin Donuts and other chains (Cebrzynski, 2007). They also created the site My Starbucks Idea (http://mystarbucksidea.force.com/), which gives consumers the opportunity to post ideas, suggestions, to vote and discuss about what they want to see from Starbucks. If they gain support, these ideas may be chosen to carry out to change the company in its business process, product development, experience development, and store design.(Jarvis 2008) Change will not happen overnight, Mr. Schultz said. It will evolve over time, but I ensure you a positive change will occur. I, along with our dedicated partners, will strive to exceed the expectations of our customers every day. (York 2008) RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE STRATEGY As the company expands, the culture and corporate strategy must be maintained for success (Jennings, 2008). For the recommendation, Starbucks should be able to sustain the companys growth and make the business become strong global brand. What could Starbucks do to make its stores an even more elegant milieu that welcomes rewards and give surprises to customers? What new products and new experiences could the company provide that would belong to and be associated with Starbucks? And how could Starbucks reach people who were not coffee drinkers? Starbucks must continue the fixed-price purchase commitments in order to secure an adequate supply of quality green coffee beans and to limit its exposure to fluctuating coffee prices in upcoming periods. (ThompsonStickland, 2009) Some experts therefore believe its unbranded stores initiative is not only logical, but necessary. It needs to focus on the inherent values of being local; it needs to employ local staff; it needs to be suitably different from Starbucks corporate image.It is a phenomenally successful company that started off as a local brand but grew incredibly quickly, he says. The brand was originally loved and respected by everyone, but the corporate world decided it had become too big. However, David Anderson, director of Cada Design Group, argues that most consumers dont have issues with the brand. Consumers are looking for a home away from home, and want it in an environment that isnt so heavily corporate branded. They think customers are brand loyal or product loyal, but they are not. It comes down to convenience and providing a space people want to be in. It wants to regain a community personality and the image of the neighbourhood coffee shop.(Golding, 2009) CONCLUSION Starbucks Coffees heyday was back when the corporation announced the business results in the first quarter this year reached U.S. $ 2.7 billion, with net profit of 242 million dollars (nearly 300% increase compared to same period in 2009). This is also the result of efforts to revive the brand had been likened to a giant. From the case of Starbucks, what is the lesson for business? Because development needs, the business diversified products and services is perhaps natural. A long time, Starbucks has gone with their own race shop system extension. This group has become the pride of American business people. The market strategy of Starbucks is a classic lesson in the textbook business. More services they desire to acquire a lot of customers. In fact, they have plummeted, but in time to edit. So go in-depth development (product quality, service key) to get a solid foundation for expanding business. But do not be too ambitious expansion width, expansion, missing the core. Marketing once again demonstrated its magic to bring Starbucks back to the track. The results of consumer research shows that of Starbucks, the main indicators in the business achieved a high level of satisfaction over a year ago. Although Starbucks enjoyed success in the past few years, there are a few obstacles looming. Since the popularity of the coffee house idea has grown, some cities wish to issue regulations on the coffeehouses due to complaints of late night patrons becoming uncontrollable. In conclusion therefore, Starbucks was the only company with anything close to national market coverage. The companys efforts to greatly increase its sphere of strategic interest via its joint ventures and the move to sell coffee in supermarkets that represents such ongoing drive in order to continually reinvent the way Starbucks operate its business. (Thompson Stickland, 2009) Amidst the environmental, social, and economic challenges and changes for Starbucks, its chairman, president, and chief executive officer, Howard Schultz, pledges Even during this time of change for our company, one thing that will never change is our long-standing commitment to conducting business in a responsible and ethical manner. Going forward, we will only deepen our approach by continuing to integrate social and environmental responsibility in every aspect of our business. With its various and numerous awards in Best Business, Most Admired Company, 100 Best Corporate Citizens, to name a few, Starbucks is becoming one of the most respected brands in the world. (Clampitt, 2009)

The Style File: Strunk and White vs. Williams :: Learning Writing Essays

The Style File: Strunk and White vs. Williams What is the definition of style? Is there an exact way of interpreting style individuals create in their writing? What is the importance and function of style in the writing process? Does style really matter? Before encountering books such as William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White’s â€Å"The Elements of Style† and Joesph M. Williams â€Å"Style Toward Clarity and Grace† I had not put much thought into these questions. My main focus was to get my writing assignments completed, turned in, and out of my mind. However, these two books create a whole new outlook on the world of writing for any individual who can open the cover and their mind. â€Å"Style† strives to explain how writers can improve clarity, cohesion, usage, and elegance to become a more effective writer. This book is not meant to be read once, for the full potential can not be achieved unless it is absorbed several times. Packed from cover to cover with real life examples ranging from the worst imaginable to greatly improved, Williams provides a detailed explanation of how to transform any writers work. Charts, graphs, and diagrams may add some confusion but can be helpful for individuals who depend upon visual aids. On the same note, â€Å"The Elements of Style† also entails rules, guidelines, and examples for the purpose of the writer’s improvement. However, the approach is entirely different. This little book entails several important topics including rules of usage, missed used words and expressions, principles of composition, and approaches to style. The advice in â€Å"Elements of Style† is simple, clear, and straight to the point. Rules are short, and boldface so they are easy to quickly look up if the writer is in need of a quick on the spot tutorial. Following the boldface rule are a few statements or paragraphs with an explanation. Examples are only found for some of the rules but the ones given are not as elaborate as in â€Å"Style.† This book allows for a quick read and refreshing of rules and guidelines that have been encountered throughout an individuals writing career. There are several aspects of Strunk and White and Williams books that I had already learned years ago and forgotten or had just discovered for the first time.

Story of a Different Hour :: Essays Papers

The Story of a Different Hour Mrs. Millard just found out that Mr. Millard was killed in a tragic train wreck. Because of a heart condition, Josephine (Mrs. Millard's sister) was hesitant to tell her what happened. Richard (Mr. Millard's good friend) was also there to comfort the newly widowed Mrs. Millard. Josephine was concerned for her sister. To everyone?s surprise Mrs. Millard was rather joyful rather than devastated of the tragic news about her husband. ?Free! Free! Free!?, ?Free! Body and free soul?. Everyone was a bit confused, why Louise was jumping for joy when she just received that her husband passed away few minutes ago. Something smells fishy in this story and who really is Richard? Is he a good friend of Mr. Millard or he is a lover of Louise?.. Well, we will modify some sentences in this story. We all knew what happened in the end. Mrs. Millard was having the time of her life because she just found out that her husband just died. Was Louise happy because of the hefty insurance money that her husband left her? We can?t tell. So as the door was being opened by a latchkey everyone ran through the long stair case and found ?Brently Millard who entered, a little travel-stained, composedly carrying his grip-sack and umbrella?, then Louise was so flabbergasted that she had a heart attack and eventually died. In my opinion the story could use a better ending than Louise dying at the end of the story. If only Chopin talked to me about this story before she published it in 1894 it would probably be a little different. We left of where before Brently opened the door. After Brently died, Louise was alone in her huge plantation. She asked Josephine to move in with her because she can?t bear to be alone any longer. One day Richard dropped by to check on Louise and to drop the title of the house, Richard is a prominent lawyer nowadays. Richard stayed for supper, and Louise told him ?

Climate Change in Vietnam

HCM CITY UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY (HUTECH) FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENT & BIOTECHNOLOGY HUMAN AND ENVIRONMENT CLIMATE CHANGE CONTENTS I. CLIMATE CHANGE I. 1. Greenhouse gas emission I. 2. Manifestation of climate change in Vietnam II. IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIO-ECONOMY II. 1. Impacts on ecosystems II. 2. Impacts on the economy II. 2. 1. Impacts on agriculture and aquaculture II. 2. 2. Impacts on the energy sector II. 3. Impacts on other economic sectors II. 4. Impacts on society I. CLIMATE CHANGE: I. 1.Greenhouse gas emission: Greenhouse gas emission (CO2, CH4, N2O) has continuously increased globally since the industrial revolution, especially due to human’s activities including the exploitation of fossils for industrial and agricultural production and transportation. Greenhouse gas accumulated over an extended period causes a greenhouse effect, which raises the global temperature. The level of greenhouse gas per person in Vietnam is lower than the worldà ¢â‚¬â„¢s average level (Table 1. ), but Vietnam is one of the countries that is most affected by climate change. Table 1. 1. Estimated greenhouse gas emmission level per person Unit:  Tons  of  CO2  equivalent/person | Year 2004| Year 2010| America *| 20| 21,6| Europe *| 11| 11| The world’s average *| 5| | China *| 4| | Vietnam **| 1,5| 1,6| Source:  (*)  Climate  Change  101:  Understanding  and  Responding to  Global  Climate  Change,  2007 (**)  Estimation  in  Vietnam  Initial  National  Communication  Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚  Under  the United  Nations  Framework  Convention  on  Climate  change,  MoNRE,  2003Vietnam conducted a greenhouse gas emission inventory in 1993 (The first national inventory notice, 2004), in 1998 (Greenhouse gas emmision inventory report, 2008) and in 2000 (The second national notice, 2010). The inventory result showed that the total greenhouse gas emission in 2000 was 150. 9 million tons of eq. C O2. The emission structure has changed however compared to the previous years. The proportion of emission compared to the total figure has increased in the sectors of waste, energy and industrial processes (Diagram 1. ). Diagram 1. 1. The evolution of GHG emission of each sector in 1993,1998,2000 The inventory result in 2000 showed that agriculture was the biggest source of emission with 65 million tons of eq. CO2 (accounting for 43. 1%), which was followed by the energy sector (35%). But the agricultural emission proportion compared to the total emission reduced against the previous 2 inventories. GHG emission inventory research in sectors showed that only forestry and land use restructuring were able to absorb and reduce CO2.CO2 absorption by the forests and other kinds of land coverage was 75. 74 million tons of eq. CO2, and by soil 90. 85 million tons of eq. CO2. Totally, GHG emission from agriculture and land use restructuring was 15. 1 million tons, accounting for 10% of the t otal emission. There is much scientific evidence showing that the earth is heating up due to increasing GHG emission and global climate change is taking place rapidly and with significent impact. Thus, if GHG emission continues to increase, the impacts of climate change will be more serious.Countries, that have long coastlines and are located near the equator like Vietnam will have to face great impacts from climate change. I. 2. Manifestation of climate change in Vietnam: Climate change is taking place and causing great changes, which are shown in extreme and unusual weather phenomena experienced recently such as increasing temperature, strong storm, heavy rains, floods, drought, and rising sea level etc. Temperature: Over the last 50 years (1958-2007), the annual average temperature in Vietnam increased from between 0. – 0. 7 °C. The temperature in winter rose faster than that in summer and the temperature in the north rose faster than that in the south. In 2007, the annu al average temperature in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang were higher than the average figures in 1931 to 1940 by 0. 8 -1. 3 °C and higher than that in 1991 – 2000 by 0. 4- 0. 5 °C (Source: The National Target Program to Respond to Climate Change, MONRE, 2008). Rainfall: In each region, there was no big change in the annual average rainfall in each period and in different locations.However the annual rainfall reduced in the Northern climatic zones and increased in the Southern climatic zones. The national average rainfall over the last 50 years (1958 – 2007) reduced by 2%. However, rainfall pattern within the year changed with a negative trend: increasing in the rainy season and reducing in the dry season. Cold air: The number of cold spells that affected Vietnam reduced remarkably over the past 2 decades. However, unusual manifestation appeared more regularly.The latest one was a chilly cold spells that lasted for 30 days in January and February in 2008 in the Northern region. (Source: The National Target Program to Respond to Climate Change, MONRE, 2008). Storm: In the recent past 5 to 6 decades, the frequency of tropical cyclones on the East sea increased by 0. 4 storm per decade; the frequency of tropical cyclones affected Vietnam increased by 0. 2 storm per decade; in recent years, high intensity storms appeared more regularly. The storm’s orbit trended southward and the stormy season ended later. Many storms travelled unusually and irregularly. Source: Vietnam’s second notice to the UN Convention Frame work on Climate Change, MONRE, 2010). Sea level: Monitoring data at Marine Observatories along Vietnam’s coastline showed that the average rise in sea level was 3mm/year (from 1993 – 2008) equivalent to the world’s average rate of increase. Over the last 50 years, sea level at Hon Dau marine observatory rose by 20cm (Source: The National Target Program to Respond to Climate Change, MONRE, 2008). II. IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIO-ECONOMY Climate change is one of the biggest challenges for human beings in the 21st century.Climate change will cause serious impacts on production, life and environment globally. Increasing temperature and rising sea level causing flooding together with saline water sources that negatively affects agriculture will increase industrial risks and negatively impact future socio-economic systems. II. 1. Impacts on ecosystems: Sea water rise, more high-intensity natural disasters, sediment levels and saline level increases all have impacts on natural ecosystems. Rising sea level accelerates the landslide rate in the coastal areas and river mouths.It leads to the disappearance of mangrove forest such as the mangrove forest east of the Ca Mau cape, which is the natural habitat of many species. Rising sea level also floods the coastal areas, which has an impact on the growth of mangrove trees, especially those that are able to retain si lt banks and thus raise the level of the coastal areas, such as Avicennia, Sonneratia alba. Due to the impacts of climate change, natural forest ecosystems such as the dry dipterocarp forests, verdurous forests and deciduous forests have all reduced in acreage.The boundary of primeval forests and secondary forests can also change as a result. The dry dipterocarp forests will expand to the north; deciduous forests of drought tolerant plants will grow more strongly. High temperature can also lead to the extinction of some kinds of fauna and flora. Some kinds of plants such as aloe wood, textured wood and siadora Vietnamese, etc, can become extinct. Hundreds of animal species and plants have to change their habitats and life spans to adapt to climate change. II. 2. Impacts on the economy:Climate change has sizably impacts on some economic sectors, which indirectly put pressure on the environment II. 2. 1. Impacts on agriculture and aquaculture: Rising sea water and salt water intrusion in the Mekong River Delta and some areas in the Red River Delta, which are major agricultural hubs, threatens agricultural production and national food security. Salinity of 1†° has intruded landward by 50-60 km and salinity 4†° (harmful to plants) has intruded by 30-40 km from the river mouth. Source: The Southern Institute of Water Resources Research, 2008). The Mekong River Delta, which has 1,77 million ha of saline land, accounting for 45% of the total area, would be the most affected in the country. If sea level rises 30 cm, salinity of major branches of the Mekong River Delta would intrude by a further 10km. ESTIMATED IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE TO VIETNAM According  to  the  climate  change  scenerio,  if  sea  water rises  by  1m,  the  Mekong  river  Delta  will  be  40%  flooded land,  Ã‚  Red  Ã‚  river  Ã‚  Delta,  Ã‚  11%,  Ã‚  and  Ã‚  Ho  Ã‚  Chi  Ã‚  Minh  Ã‚  City,  Ã‚  over 20%.Nearly  10-12%  ofà ‚  national  population  will  be  directly affected  and  the  loss  of  Vietnam’s  GDP  is  estimated  at  10%. Source:  Vietnam  Insitute  of  Meterology  Hydrometeorology and  Environment,  MONRE,  2010 ESTIMATED IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE TO VIETNAM According  to  the  climate  change  scenerio,  if  sea  water rises  by  1m,  the  Mekong  river  Delta  will  be  40%  flooded land,  Ã‚  Red  Ã‚  river  Ã‚  Delta,  Ã‚  11%,  Ã‚  and  Ã‚  Ho  Ã‚  Chi  Ã‚  Minh  Ã‚  City,  Ã‚  over 20%. Nearly  10-12%  of  national  population  will  be  directly affected  and  the  loss  of  Vietnam’s  GDP  is  estimated  at  10%. Source:  Vietnam  Insitute  of  Meterology  Hydrometeorology and  Environment,  MONRE,  2010Increasing temperature would have impacts on productivity, increase the risk of diseases and change the plant structu re, which would cause food insecurity. Scientists have said that if the temperature increases 1 °C, it will affect 25% of productivity, such as rice at 10%, corn 5-20%, (would be 60% if the temperature rises 4 °C). The boundary of tropical plants will change toward higher mountain areas and northward. Increasing temperature affects the metabolism, growth rate, reproduction and seasonal crops of aquatic creatures, which are also prone to get diseases and be more exposed to toxic chemicals.Tropical fish (of low commercial value excluding tuna) would increase, while sub-tropical fish (high commercial value) would reduce. The oxygen content in water reduces sharply at night, which makes many kinds of shrimp and fish die or be stunted. II. 2. 2. Impacts on the energy sector: When the temperature increases, energy consumption of some production sectors and domestic consumption also increases as they use more electrical devices: fans, air-conditioners, industrial cooling systems, etc, as well as pumping water for plants.A study by the Energy Institute, the Ministry of Industry and Trade shows that when the temperature in summer rises 1 °C, additional electricity charged from 9 am to 4pm increases higher than in other hours by 2. 2%/year, meaning electricity consumption would increase by 1%, especially in domestic, commercial and service sectors. When the temperature increases, the thermal cycle output of steam turbines reduces, which wastes fuel. When the temperature increases 1 °C, coal consumption of a 300 MW coal-fired thermal power plant would increase 0. 5%, equivalent to 4,500 tons/year.For a gas-turbine power plant, when the temperature increase 1 °C, generating capacity will reduce the productivity of a 250 MW gas-turbine by 0. 5%, which loses 7. 5 million kWh annually. Unusual storms and floods and rising sea level would also negatively affect the electricity operation, transmission and distribution systems, oil rigs, oil and gas pipelines to the m ainland, and oil up-loading to storage tanks. Besides, due to unusual heavy storms, reservoirs of hydro-power stations could not effectively regulate water which increase risks to the lowland area.Rains and storms would cause landslides and destroy dykes and hydropower system, which would impact the environment on a large scale. II. 3. Impacts on other economic sectors: Storms, heavy rains and floods which increase in intensity and frequency, would damage and destroy infrastructure and facilities and damage the natural and social environment seriously, sometimes even to the extent where it is unable to recover. Rising sea level would make some beaches disappear, while others would adjust by shifting landward.It would affect cultural and historical sites, natural reserves and eco-tourism sites. Increasing temperature and shorter time of low temperature would reduce the attraction of mountain resorts, while the tourist season at the coast would last longer. (Source: Climate change imp acts on Vietnam). Construction and industrial clusters/zones built in the plains would face higher risks of flooding and difficulties in rainfall drainage as well as flooding caused by rising river and sea levels.Extreme weather conditions and natural disaster increase would reduce the durability of materials, devices, facilities and infrastructure. II. 4. Impacts on society: Climate change has direct and indirect influences on society and the community’s health. Unusual climate manifestation, prolonged cold and hot spells, increasing or reducing temperature have negative influences on people’s health.Climate change also cause epidemics and other sources of diseases to occur and spread more widely such as type A influenza H1N1 virus, type A influenza H5N1 virus, diarrhoea, cholera, and other kinds of tropical diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, dermatological diseases, sore eyes and poisoning. CLIMATE CHANGE INCREASES THE NUMBER OF DISEASE IN FECTED PEOPLE If  Ã‚  the  Ã‚  global  Ã‚  temperature  Ã‚  increases  Ã‚  from  Ã‚  between 3  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚  Ã‚  5 °C,  Ã‚  around  Ã‚  50  Ã‚  to  Ã‚  80  Ã‚  million  Ã‚  people  Ã‚  worldwide will  face  the  risk  of  getting  malaria  every  year. Source: Report  of  Action  Aid). Official  statistics  of  a  WHO  survey  in  2000  showed that  Ã‚  global  Ã‚  warming  Ã‚  was  Ã‚  the  Ã‚  cause  Ã‚  of  Ã‚  an  Ã‚  additional 155,000  Ã‚  deaths  Ã‚  in  Ã‚  low-income  Ã‚  countries,  Ã‚  due  Ã‚  to  Ã‚  its impact  on  food  productivity  and  malnutrition,  diseases such  as  diarrhoea,  malaria  and  flood  related  incidents. 85%  of  the  deaths  were  under-5  children  in  low  income countries. Source:  Asia  Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚  Europe  conference  on  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Sharing  experience  on responding  to  global  clima te  change  and  emerging  diseases, Hanoi,  2009CLIMATE CHANGE INCREASES THE NUMBER OF DISEASE INFECTED PEOPLE If  Ã‚  the  Ã‚  global  Ã‚  temperature  Ã‚  increases  Ã‚  from  Ã‚  between 3  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚  Ã‚  5 °C,  Ã‚  around  Ã‚  50  Ã‚  to  Ã‚  80  Ã‚  million  Ã‚  people  Ã‚  worldwide will  face  the  risk  of  getting  malaria  every  year. (Source: Report  of  Action  Aid). Official  statistics  of  a  WHO  survey  in  2000  showed that  Ã‚  global  Ã‚  warming  Ã‚  was  Ã‚  the  Ã‚  cause  Ã‚  of  Ã‚  an  Ã‚  additional 155,000  Ã‚  deaths  Ã‚  in  Ã‚  low-income  Ã‚  countries,  Ã‚  due  Ã‚  to  Ã‚  its impact  on  food  productivity  and  malnutrition,  diseases such  as  diarrhoea,  malaria  and  flood  related  incidents. 85%  of  the  deaths  were  under-5  children  in  low  income countries.Source:  Asia  Ã¢â‚ ¬â€œÃ‚  Europe  conference  on  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Sharing  experience  on responding  to  global  climate  change  and  emerging  diseases, Hanoi,  2009 Being aware of the climate change impacts, Vietnam’s Government has joined and ratified the UN Convention on Climate Change and Kyoto Protocol. After 2 years of implementation of the National Target Program on Climate Change Response, Vietnam has achieved initial noteworthy results. Ministries, sectors and localities have been preparing their Action Plans to respond to Climate change based on the premise of the National Action Plan.