Sample College Application Essay - Why You Want to Attend a Specifi

Sample College Application Essay - Why You Want to Attend a SpecifiThe most difficult part of a college application essay is finding the best sample short college application essay for why you want to attend a school. You must understand that this information is one of the most important parts of your application. It is your opportunity to let admissions officers know why you want to go to their school.In an essay, you will give them some good information about your reasons and motivations for wanting to go to a particular college. It is your chance to use the writer's pen to put your feelings on paper. Since it is a personal essay, you should keep it as simple as possible. Don't try to talk too much about yourself.Remember, this essay is very important when filling out your college application. You will not be asked to write something like a final statement because you know that's going to show up on your transcript. There are many different things that can happen with that kind of piece. So, you really need to be focused on doing well in your essay.You should be familiar with all the different parts of a college application essay. You have to know exactly what it is that you are writing. You need to have knowledge about the subject matter and what it means to go to the school. Just because you read an essay and you think it is good does not mean that it will mean something to admissions officers.In order to fill out a college application essay correctly, you need to know exactly what you are going to say. It is better if you take your time and get ready for this as much as possible. The college admission is one of the most stressful parts of a student's life. There are a lot of questions that you will have to answer. If you do not know what to write, you may end up losing points in your college application.When looking for a sample short college application essay for why you want to attend a specifi, make sure that you don't get tempted by the first one that you find. Many times, you find that a sample essay has already been written. If you don't want to waste your time, try to search online for high quality essays. This is your chance to show admissions officers why you want to go to that college. They have seen this before so it doesn't have to bother them.In conclusion, taking time to read a sample college application essay for why you want to attend a specifi will save you time. It will help you avoid making a mistake when you write the essay. That can only make your college experience more memorable and fun.

Personal Narrative Essay Samples

Personal Narrative Essay SamplesPersonal narrative essay samples have always been a great resource for students to use in their studies and writing. The stories that are told in these samples will speak volumes about the writer and their understanding of their subject matter. If you are still finding yourself wanting to write a personal narrative essay, try these sample stories.The first personal narrative sample that I will offer you is about a man who is struggling with alcoholism. The story is about his daughter as well, although she was not a little girl at the time. The narrator's tale is written in first person and he is the only character in the story. He describes the events of his daughter's life, which has also been written in first person. The rest of the story is told from the perspective of a third person who is supposed to be an observer of the whole event.The narrator says that after he left his wife and child to go and see a friend of his, he went drinking at a bar an d eventually met his friend again. At the end of the night, he was drunk and the other man caught him and brought him back to the house so that he could continue his drunkenness. The narrator then proceeds to tell his story, describing how the other man treated him as if he were a child and how his alcoholism was an accepted part of his society.In this story, the narrator is told to choose between his love for his wife and daughter or the family he had built in the past. Although he does want to continue on with his story, he can't do it, because the stories he wrote in the previous essay have saved his life. The narrator even describes how his friends and relatives supported him, despite his addiction. He also explains how his life would be without the two of them.The second tale has the same narrator as the first tale, but this time, the story isabout the subject being the Vietnam War. The first couplet describes how the narrator became involved in the war and how he changed the d irection of his life. He says that he will never forget the loss he suffered during the war, but he also states that he hopes that he will live to see another day.The third personal narrative sample has the same narrator as the first tale, but it describes the course of his life after the war ended. He discusses how he worked hard and saved enough money to pay for college. He even refers to how he now has a wife and two children, both of whom are in high school.The fourth tale is very similar to the first, but it involves the experiences of a character who is in first person. The story talks about how the narrator learned about his world through the different items that he had seen over the years.

Gutenberg Block Editor vs Elementor vs Divi Builder A Comparison

With the release of the new block editor in WordPress 5.0 (aka Gutenberg), you may be questioning whether it will replace plugins that provide similar visual content building functionality. That is, when it comes to the Gutenberg block editor vs Elementor vs Divi Builder, how do the tools compare and which one is right for you?While the new Gutenberg block editor does bring more visual design and drag-and-drop editing, it’s not exactly a replacement for page builder plugins quite yet. This means many users can still benefit from using an additional tool.In this post, we’ll compare the new Gutenberg block editor vs Elementor vs Divi Builder to help you decide which to use.In general, the Gutenberg block editor is a good substitute for basic content and layouts, but youll be happier with a page builder like Elementor or Divi Builder if you want pinpoint style and spacing control over your designs. What is Gutenberg and Gutenberg for Newbies.While the new block editor open s up a lot of new design possibilities, its not yet a 1:1 replacement for page builders, which well illustrate by comparing the Gutenberg block editor vs Elementor vs Divi Builder.Gutenberg block editor vs Elementor vs Divi Builder: A full comparisonWe’ve already introduced the new block editor – let’s do the same for the other two tools we’ll be looking at. First up, Elementor is a hugely popular page builder for WordPress: Elementor Page Builder Author(s): Here, you also get access to a large library of elements, along with plenty of customization options, and the ability to create nearly any layout you’d like. Theres no free version, though. Its only available as part of the $89 Elegant Themes membership.Gutenberg block editor vs Elementor vs Divi Builder: Specific featuresTo start things off, lets take a look a each tools features.Gutenberg block editorHere’s what you can do in the Gutenberg block editor:Create pages, posts, and custo m content types using a drag-and-drop editor.Use 25+ blocks to create content, including essentials such as text and images, as well as some more advanced options like tables and buttons.Customize a few options for each block, as well as some document-wide settings.Rearrange blocks at will, and add or delete as many as you’d like.Create a very basic multi-column layout.Overall, the block editor provides a functional drag-and-drop system. However, these features are also standard in most page builder plugins. Given this, let’s look only at what’s unique in Gutenberg vs Elementor vs Divi Builder.ElementorWith Elementor, for example, you get:Access to about 30 different ‘elements’ (this plugin’s name for blocks).A library of page and section templates you can use.The option to create more complex layouts, with multiple columns.Much more control over spacing, like margins and padding.More style options for each widget and section.More advanced fe atures such as maps, image carousels, and accordion tabs (the premium version also offers forums, slides, pricing lists, and more).The ability to design your headers, footers, and other parts of your site  with the premium version.DiviWhat about Divi? With this page builder, you can:Use 45+ customizable ‘modules’ (another name for elements or blocks) to build your content.Choose from advanced features such as portfolios, testimonials, maps, forms, counters, and much more.Create complex layouts, with multiple columns and even a mix of full-width and multi-column rows.Add custom margins and padding to control spacing.Save your designs to be easily reused later.Use lots of style controls to change how modules look.As you can see, some of the areas where both Elementor and Divi excel in comparison to the Gutenberg block editor is when it comes to things like columns, spacing, and style controls.The block editor is totally fine for basic layouts and styling. But if you wan t pinpoint control over your designs, youll be happier with Elementor or Divis features.Gutenberg block editor vs Elementor vs Divi Builder: Ease of useNext, let’s take a look at what it’s like to use each of these page builder systems.Gutenberg block editorWhen you create a post or page in the Gutenberg block editor, you’ll usually see the following interface:It’s simple and clean, and there are some handy tooltip prompts to show you the ropes. Adding blocks is as straightforward as clicking on the Plus sign, and choosing an element:When youve placed multiple blocks, you can click each one to access its unique settings, and also reorder them. The interface could be a little more intuitive, but the tooltips will get you up and running quickly.ElementorOn the other hand, Elementor provides an entirely new interface. You get a live preview of your site on the right and a sidebar on the left:To add new content, you can just drag a widget from the sidebar ont o your live design:The customization options for the specific element will appear in the left-hand sidebar. You can also select the elements themselves to duplicate, delete, and move them (among other things).DiviDivi is unique in that it gives you two different ways to build your designs. First, you can use this abstract builder where your content is represented by generic blocks:Or, you can open the Visual Builder, which lets you build your design on a live preview of your page, much like Elementor. Rather than a fixed sidebar, though, youll add elements using a series of popups:No matter which interface you choose, youll be able to edit your modules and sections using more popup interfaces, rather than a sidebar like the block editor or Elementor:Overall, the Gutenberg block editor certainly offers the simplest interface. Even so, we think Elementor’s is the most intuitive, while Divi’s is more flexible (but does come with a learning curve).Gutenberg block editor vs Elementor vs Divi Builder: Which one should you use?Now for the million dollar question which editor should you use?If you’re already using Divi or Elementor to work on your site, we wouldn’t recommend switching over to using Gutenberg instead. Not only is this likely to play havoc with your existing layouts, but in its current version, the new block editor is just too simple to be a solid replacement for most users.On the other hand, if you’ve never used a page builder before, Gutenberg is a great way to get started. It’s simple and easy to use, and will help you determine whether you like using a drag-and-drop system to create content.If you like the way Gutenberg works but find yourself wanting more flexibility, you can try out Elementor or Divi. Elementor is ideal if you want an intuitive and user-friendly interface, while Divi is your best bet if you want the utmost in options and design possibilities.Also, remember that you dont necessarily need t o pick one or the other. You can use the Gutenberg block editor for day-to-day designs and then switch to Elementor or Divi Builder when you need a little more power. Or, you can even insert Elementor templates into your Gutenberg designs thanks to Elementors free official block plugin (here).Do you have any other questions about the Gutenberg block editor vs Elementor vs Divi Builder? Ask away in the comments section below! What's the best #WordPress content builder? The #Gutenberg block editor vs @elemntor vs Divi

Context of Of Mice and Men

Context of Of Mice and Men Context of the novel "Of Mice and Men"John Steinbeck celebrated friendship; it mapped the contours of his life and art. "In every bit of honest writing in the world," he noted in a 1938 journal entry, "...there is a base theme. Try to understand men; if you understand each other you will be kind to each other. Knowing a man well never leads to hate and nearly always leads to love. There are shorter means, many of them. There is writing promoting social change, writing punishing injustice, writing in celebration of heroism, but always a base theme. Try to understand each other." These words shaped Steinbeck's career and can be witnessed in his fiction. Steinbeck's greatness as a writer lies in his empathy for common people, their loneliness, joy, anger, and strength, their connection to places and their craving for land. "Of Mice and Men" owes much of its appeal to Steinbeck's ability to orchestrate this complexity within the context of the abiding commitment between two friends.Of Mi ce and Men"Of Mice and Men" tells us that this is the way things are and that men makes all these plans when in the end, it doesn't work out like that. When reading "Of Mice and Men", we are asked to acknowledge the inevitability of a situation in which two men, each with a particular weakness and need, cling to the margins of an unforgiving world. The novel is about commitment, loneliness, the dispossessed, hope, and loss, drawing its power from the fact that these universal truths are grounded in the realistic context of friendship and a shared dream. It is the energy of that friendship, real but hardly sentimental that changes this richly suggestive and emotional text."Of Mice and Men" is the middle book in Steinbeck's trilogy about agricultural labor in...

Organizational Behavior Concepts in any Organization Essay

Organizational Behavior Concepts in any Organization - Essay Example Through decision making, ideas and procedures are developed, which culminate in to events and eventually give results. From the results, more ideas are developed for more procedures, making the process an endless circle. This is the process that generates change within an organization, to give rise to the organizational culture. However, in some instances, this process may not generate the desired change. There are times when the results culminate in events which are disastrous. This necessitates careful observation and supervision of the processes which are routine in the organization in order to avoid unwarranted circumstances. In order to achieve this, prudent human resource practices need to be employed in decision making. This essay is a critical evaluation of organizational behavior concepts. Starbucks is the organization that has been used to illustrate these concepts. Aspects such as decision making, culture and human resources practices have been discussed. Decision making is a psychological process that culminates in the choice of a particular course of action amid many other alternatives. Innovativeness in organizations is usually realized after un1dergoing the decision making process, which involves need identification, search for possible sources o1f relevant information, evaluation of the information acquired and eventually undertaking a particular action. The outcome is psychological in the sense that decisions are not tangible, but from the ensuing behavior, one can easily tell that a certain decision has been made (Belk, and Askegaard, 2003 p.80). Organizational decision making takes place at different levels. Most of the crucial organizational decisions entail distribution of limited resources in the various departments or segments. They are significant in the identification of the most appropriate way to share resources. In Starbucks, it has

Positive Behavior Intervention Plan Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Positive Behavior Intervention Plan - Case Study Example His mother referred the boy to me after he started portraying a lot of aggressiveness especially towards his friends as well as older brother. Collins is of Asian origin and is extremely attached to his iPad. He is always on his iPad, which he refuses to give or share with anyone. He turns extremely aggressive when anyone gets near him particularly when he is using his iPad. This boy has both parents and one brother who is older than he is. His belligerence is characterized by recurrent verbal outbursts in addition to offensive actions towards his friends, brother, or at times to his parents. Additionally, when the iPad is taken from him, he breaks everything he gets hold of. Collins demonstrates aggressiveness mainly when prevented from doing what other considered wrong or when he wanted to get something forcefully from others, particularly his iPad. To assess Collins, I together with his mother used indirect assessment. A number of strategies were used to assess the boy. One of the strategy entailed cross-examining the mother. Additionally, the mother filled the Functional Behavioral Assessment Screening Form (FBASF). Moreover, the assessment entailed use of Functional Assessment Interview Form (FAIF). The forms helped get information regarding the settings, circumstances, and the extent of aggressiveness displayed by Collins. Additionally, direct behavior observation was done on Collins. Functional Assessment Interview Form (FAIF) results revealed that Collins have a tendency to be more aggressive when bothered specifically when using his iPad. On several occasions, he would go to the extent of breaking anything within his reach especially when anyone tried to take his iPad from him. Direct behavior observation showed that he was more likely to get aggressive when his brother who attempted to take the iPad. On some occasions, he would yell loudly and kick at anyone close to him.

The Carbonated Soft Drink Industry Essay Example for Free

The Carbonated Soft Drink Industry Essay The first drinkable â€Å"man-made† carbonated water was created by â€Å"British chemist, Dr. Joseph Priestley, in 1767. † â€Å"German-Swiss jeweler, Jacob Schweppe, was the first large-scale commercial producer of carbonated waters, and is often referred to as the father of the soft drink industry. The first known US manufacturer of soda water, as it was then known, was Yale University chemist Benjamin Silliman in 1807, though Joseph Hawkins of Baltimore secured the first US patent for the equipment to produce the drink two years later. † Pharmacies nationwide around the 1820s provided the beverage as â€Å"a remedy for the various ailments, especially digestive. †1 As sugar and flavorings were added customers increasingly consumed them for refreshments, although they were still being sold for their therapeutic value. In the late 1800s, several brands emerged that are still popular to this day. â€Å"Pharmacists experimenting at local soda fountains invented Hires Root Beer in Philadelphia in 1876, Dr. Pepper in Waco, Texas, in 1885, Coca-Cola in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1886, and Pepsi-Cola in New Bern, North Carolina, in 1893, among others. † Analysis of the Soft Drink Industry. â€Å"The carbonated soft drinks market includes standard and diet colas, fruit-flavored carbonates, mixers, energy drinks, and other carbonated soft drinks. † The global carbonated soft drinks â€Å"market grew by 0. 4% and generated total revenues of $146. 4 billion in 2006. Market consumption volumes increased with compound annual growth of 1. 3% to reach a total of 155. 4 billion liters in 2006. The performance of the market is forecast to accelerate slightly, with an anticipated compound annual growth of 0. 7% for the five-year period 2006-2011 expected to drive the market to a value of $151. 4 billion by the end of 2011. †4 â€Å"The global carbonated soft drinks market was close to stagnation during the 2002-2006 period, as poor revenue performance in lucrative but mature markets, such as the US and Japan, were only partially outweighed by dynamic growth in markets such as China. Similar behavior is expected going forward to 2011. †4 Of all the various carbonated drinks offered in the market today, â€Å"the standard cola segment was the largest in 2006, with total sales of 67. 6 billion liters, equivalent to 43. 5% of the market’s overall volume. The fruit flavored carbonates segment contributed to a further 34 billion liters in 2006, equating to 21.9% of the market’s aggregate volume. Brazil Canada, Mexico and the US form the most lucrative market for carbonated soft drinks, generating 58. 5% of the global revenues; Europe accounts for 31% of the global market value. †4 â€Å"Players in this market may opt for an integrated business, in which they sell ready-to-consume drinks to retailers, or they may adopt a business model in which they sell raw materials, syrups, to a network of bottling companies, which may be independent or owned to some extent by the players. †4 A Five-Forces Analysis of the Soft Drinks Industry Revenues are extremely concentrated in this industry. The main players in this industry are the Coca-Cola Co. , PepsiCo Inc. and Cadbury-Schweppes. â€Å"The Coca-Cola Company is the global market leader, with sales equating 47. 1% of the market volume. PepsiCo. Inc. is a significant competitor, with a 22% market share by volume [and Cadbury-Schweppes accounts for 8. 8% of the total market share by volume. ]†4 There is a tough competition between the existing companies in the industry and a moderate degree of rivalry. The inputs for the soft drink industry are primarily sugar and packaging. These can be purchased from many sources on the open market. Aspartame, an important ingredient, â€Å"[is] available from only one or two viable companies upstream. † However, there are substitutes, like saccharine, available in case the price for aspartame goes high. In case sugar becomes too expensive, the firms could easily switch to corn syrup, as they did in the early 1980s. Hence, supplier power is moderate. For more than a decade the soft drink industry has sold their products to their consumers through five principal channels: supermarkets/hypermarkets, mass merchandiser, fountain, vending machines and convenient stores/gas stations. Supermarkets/Hypermarkets are principal customers for the soft drink industry. They do not have much bargaining power due to their tremendous degree of fragmentation. Their only power is control over shelf space that can be allocated to the various products; this power does give them some control over profitability. However, consumers expect to pay less through this channel, as a result of which prices are usually lower, resulting in a somewhat lower profitability. National mass merchandising chains such as Wal Mart have a higher bargaining power. Due to their scale and the magnitude of their contracts they can negotiate more effectively. As a result of which they are not very profitable for the players of the soft drink industry. The least profitable channel for soft drinks is fountain sales. Profitability at these locations are so abysmal that they are considered to be â€Å"paid sampling† by the soft drinks industry. However, these channels are considered to be important as an avenue to build brand recognition and loyalty. â€Å"While fast food chains make 75% gross margin on fountain drinks, the soft drink industry only makes 5% margin. † Vending machines are considered to be the most profitable channel for the soft drink industry. There are no buyers to bargain with at these locations, players of the soft drink industry directly sell their products to consumers through machines owned by bottlers. Prices at vending machines are usually high. The final channel to consider is convenience stores/gas stations. The players of the soft drink industry directly negotiate with the owners of these channels. Profitability for players is relatively high and the â€Å"retailers at these channels vary proportionately. Consumers are likely to be strongly influenced by brand, and this weakens buyer power: retailers need to stock brands popular with consumers, even if these are more expensive. †6 The only buyers with dominant power are fast food outlets. Despite this, they only account for about 20% of the total soft drink sales. Overall, the buyer power is moderate. Through the early 1960s, soft drinks were synonymous with â€Å"colas† in the mind of consumers. Over time, however, other beverages, from bottled water to teas, have become more popular. There are also other substitutes for soft drinks, like alcoholic beverages, fruit juices, energy drinks, vitamin waters and coffee. Leading players like Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have responded by expanding their product offerings through alliances (e. g. Coca-Cola and Nestea), acquisitions (e. g. Coca-Cola and Minute Maid), and internal product innovation (e. g. PepsiCo created Orange Slice), thus capturing the value of increasingly popular substitutes internally. Despite all this, â€Å"in several countries consumer health concerns over the high-sugar content of many soft drinks is causing a decline in sale. † In order to tackle this problem, â€Å"leading manufacturers are developing their product ranges accordingly. † For example, Coca-Cola responded by introducing Coke Zero, which is â€Å"sugar-free. † The demand for the product has grown steadily since it was introduced in 2005. Overall, the threat from substitutes is moderate. It is possible for a new player to enter the soft drink industry as â€Å"an entirely new start-up, or as an existing company diversifying into carbonated soft drinks manufacturing. However, the new player would have to overcome the tremendous marketing muscle and market presence†4 of leading players like Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and few others who have established brand names that are as much as a century old. These players have maintained strong relationships with their retail channels and would be able to defend their positions effectively through discounting or other tactics. Overall, there is a weak likelihood of new entrants. The Coca-Cola Company There are few companies, if any, across the world with more recognizable brand names than Coca Cola. The name in itself is likely worth far more than the total assets held by Coca Cola, Inc. Coca-Cola Company is involved in marketing, manufacturing, and distributing nonalcoholic beverages as well as their syrups and concentrates across the world. They offer a vast array of bottled and canned beverages. The company is mainly involved in carbonated beverages, known as soda as well as a myriad of other names, but also produces noncarbonated beverages such as juice, energy drinks, ready-to-drink coffee and tea, water, and flavored water. Completed beverage products are sold mainly to distributors, while their concentrates and syrups may be sold to bottling and canning operations, and fountain wholesalers and retailers as well as distributors. Coca-Cola Company, which is headquartered in Atlanta, GA, was founded in 1886. They have 90,500 employees world-wide. Coca-Cola’s Business Strategies Ever since its advent, Coca-Cola’s strategies have been winning ones. The history of Coca-Cola reveals how national markets in soft-drink brands developed. â€Å"Asa Candler, [founder of Coca-Cola,] underestimated the importance of the bottling side of the business and in 1899 sold the national rights to bottle Coke for a fairly small sum to Benjamin F. Thomas and Joseph B. Whitehead, who then started a national network of bottlers, creating the basic franchising format by which the industry is still run. †3 One of the main reasons Coca-Cola licensed bottlers to mix the product, package, and distribute it within a specific territory, was to limit the cost of transportation. Today, this model of selling syrups to bottlers who then mix the product, package, and distribute it, is widely used by almost every soft drink industry in the world. In the long run, this complete alignment of Coca Cola and its bottlers has proved to be a winning strategy. Coca-Cola is a brand name that’s known widely throughout the globe. The company has a competitive advantage based on differentiation over other soft drink industries. They are able to set prices at the industry average and gain market share since their customers are willing to choose their products over their competitors. Coca-Cola has been successful at retaining their differentiation position by satisfying their customers’ needs, although this resulted in some higher costs in some of their value chain activities. For example, when Coca-Cola realized that their customers were looking for drinks other than just â€Å"cola† they responded by expanding their product offerings by introducing several different types of carbonated drinks, fruit juices, energy drinks and bottled water, tea and coffee. Some of these were organically started while others were started via acquisitions and alliances. Today, Coca-Cola sells more than 400 brands in 200 countries. The strategy has greatly improved Coke’s competitive position. The other factors that help them retain their differentiation position are: their premium brand image, their products are considered to be of high quality and they are easily accessible. In the 1980s and early 1990s, then CEO Roberto Goizueta built an international expansion strategy around the central brand—Coca-Cola. Today the company is well positioned in key emerging markets such as China, Brazil, Russia, Turkey and Argentina. In 2007, these emerging markets recorded strong double digit growth in volumes. It looks like Coca-Cola will continue to benefit from the underlying growth in the consumption of soft drinks in these markets. Coca-Cola’s strategies have definitely helped them achieve their goals in being the leading beverage company in the world. They were ranked number 1 in the â€Å"Ranking for the Food Beverage Industry categories of Best EthicalQuote Progress and Best Reported Performance in Geneva-based Covalence’s Ethical Ranking 2007. † They also ranked number one in sparkling beverages, juices and juice drinks, and ready-to-drink coffees and teas. Coca-Colas strategies, besides helping them achieve the number 1 rank in the beverage industry has also helped them achieve their financial goals, despite cut-throat rivalry with other beverage companies, as we can see from the table below. Their most competitive competitor is Pepsico, Inc. Pepsico, Inc. ’s beverage division is involved in more or less the same activities as Coca-Cola Company—manufacturing, marketing, and selling beverage concentrates, syrups, and finished products including carbonated beverages, energy drinks, water, and juices. The major difference between Coca-Cola and Pepsico is that Pepsico also has a huge snack division. Despite Pepsi’s strong portfolio, Business-Week and Interbrand, a bran ding consultancy, recognizes Coca-Cola as the leading brands in their top 100 global brands ranking in 2006. They valued Coca-Cola at $67,000 which was well ahead of Pepsi which has a ranking of 22 having a brand value of $12,690 million. Coca-Cola’s strategies have helped the company hold the title as the leading beverage company in the world and also maintain a very strong financial portfolio. According to the 2007 annual report for Coca-Cola, obtained from their website, the company’s earnings per share growth for the year alone was 19%. Other impressive growth rates include their net operating income and revenue growth of 20% and 15%. Source: www. coca-cola. com From the above table we can see that Coca-Cola’s revenues, net income and assets have grown over the years. Their profit margin for 2007 however is lower than that of 2006. A profit margin of 20. 7% means that, Coca-Cola has a net income of $0. 207 for each dollar of sales. This also means that Coca-Cola has increased its net income in 2007 by diminishing profit margins. Although the difference in profit margins for 2006 and 2007 may appear to be small, it affects the company’s financial portfolio significantly. So, why is the leading company in the beverage industry, despite having a stellar performance facing a decrease in their profit margin? To help us answer this we will look closely at the company’s various resources and capabilities with the help of a SWOT Analysis. SWOT Analysis Although Coca-Cola’s â€Å"strong band value facilitates customer recall and allows Coca-Cola to penetrate markets, the company is threatened by intense competition which could have an adverse impact on the company’s market share. †8 SWOT analysis is a strategic planning tool that helps in evaluating the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats of a company. The SWOT analysis deals with the firm’s internal characteristics: strengths and weaknesses, and the opportunities and threats presented by the external environment. StrengthsWeaknesses Leading brand in the beverage industry Increase in revenueNegative performance in North America Decline in profit margin OpportunitiesThreats Room to grow Aging of baby boomersFierce competition Slow growth of carbonated beverages Strengths. Leading brand in the beverage industry Coca-cola is the world’s leading brand in the beverage industry. There are not many products that have a recognizable brand name as Coca-Cola. â€Å"The company has a leading brand value and a strong brand portfolio. †8 They have been recognized as the leading industry by many national magazines and have been honored with awards in different categories. â€Å"Furthermore, Coca-Cola owns a large portfolio of product brand. The company owns four of the top five soft drink brands in the world: Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Sprite and Fanta. †8 Coca-Cola’s brand name is their key differentiator from that of the company’s competitors; this has helped the company beat their competitors in the market place. Their strong brand image has helped them introduce new products in the market like, Vanilla Coke, Cherry Coke, etc. The company has also been able to â€Å"make large investments in brand promotions. The company’s strong brand value facilitates customer recall and allows Coca-Cola to penetrate new markets and consolidate existing ones. † 8 Increase in revenue In 2007, Coca-Cola recorded total revenues of $28. 86 billion, an increase of 20% from 2006. Three segments (Latin America, Eurasia and Bottling Investments) of the company experienced double digit growths in their revenues from 2006. Both Latin American and Eurasia grew by 24% each during fiscal 2007, over 2006. During the same period, revenues for bottling investments grew by 53%. Together, the three segments of Latin America, Eurasia and bottling investments, accounted for more than 35% of the total revenues during fiscal 2007. â€Å"Revenues growth in [these three sections] contributed to top-line growth for Coca-Cola during 2007. † 8 Weaknesses Negative performance in North America While Coca-Cola had robust revenue growth in some of their business sections they had a negative 1% unit case volume growth in one of their business section—North America. The performance overall in this section was not as expected, they had a 1% increase in their operating income and a moderate 11% increase in their revenues. North America is one of Coca-Cola’s core markets generating 25% of total revenues during fiscal 2007. Hence, â€Å"a strong performance in North America is important for the company. † 8 This slow and negative performance in North America can â€Å"impact the company’s future growth prospects and prevent Coca-Cola from recording a more robust top-line growth. † 8 Decline in profit margin Despite having an overall increase in revenue of 20% for fiscal 2007, from 2006, Coca-Cola’s profit margin for the period was 20. 7%, a decrease of 3. 4% from 2006. We can tell from this that looking at the earnings of a company often doesnt tell the entire story. Increased earnings are good, but an increase does not necessarily mean that the profit margin of a company is improving. We can see in this case, that Coca-Cola had a lower profit margin from 2006 despite having higher revenues and income for 2007. This only means that Coca-Cola had costs that have increased at a greater rate than their sales; thus leading to a lower profit margin. This is an indication that costs need to be under better control. Opportunities Room to grow According to Muhtar Kent, President and Chief Operating Officer of the Coca-Cola Company, â€Å"Consumer spending for nonalcoholic ready-to-drink beverages is growing at 6-plus percent per year—the highest among consumer packaged goods. †7 Coca-Cola’s international market is thriving, led by double digit growth in developed markets like Brazil, Russia, India and China. Latin America was the second most profitable operating group for Coca-Cola in 2007. The company is looking forward â€Å"to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games; [they] are strategically investing in [their] infrastructure and route to market to connect [their] brands with consumers in the Pacific operating group. [The company’s] balanced portfolio, geographic diversity and changing global demographics position [them] well to continue growing [their] business. †7 Aging of baby boomers The aging of the baby boomers, which includes US citizens born between 1946 and 1964, began crossing the 60-years mark in 2007. â€Å"Most of the 78. 2 million strong baby boomer generations will turn 60 in the next two decades. †9 This is likely to increase the sales of â€Å"health-related goods and services on a US-wide basis. †7 This generation of baby boomers will provide Coca-Cola the opportunity to market its Minute Maid rage of fruit juices and juice drinks, particularly those rich in vitamins.