Democratic transitions in Armenia and Azerbaijan Essay Example for Free

Democratic transitions in Armenia and Azerbaijan Essay Introduction Armenia and Azerbaijan, two former Soviet Republics have since 1991 been undergoing a political transition from an authoritarian system towards a democratic system. Ten years after these transitions began, it is still questionable whether these states have made much progress. Aside from examining political, economic and social reforms undertaken, it is also important to consider the historical tradition of the region, which can be a factor in determining what kind of regime will emerge. Iran, Russia, and Turkey have always had immense influence over the area, thus in order to understand the process of democratization occurring it is necessary to examine their foreign policies. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union more than a decade ago, the newly formed successor states have undergone many changes and transformations. Though the initial enthusiasm of change has long dissipated it is only now possible to truly evaluate the actual developments that have occurred in the newly independent states (NIS) for the past ten years. Perhaps one of the most telling regions that can be assessed, in the former Soviet empire, is the southern Caucasus, more specifically the states of Armenia and Azerbaijan. This historically rich region, ripe with cultural tradition as well as ethnic rifts in many ways exemplifies the transitions taking place throughout the former Soviet Union. However, it must be emphasized that the experience of these two republics is unique especially when looking at the war they maintained with each other from 1992 to 1994. The intensity of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan was one that has yet to be repeated by any of the other republics, thus making the South Caucasus a particularly interesting region to examine. Whereas an overview of the changes that were made within Armenia and Azerbaijan would give us a partial, if somewhat superficial understanding of the transition process, it is necessary to go beyond that scope. With the establishment of the former Soviet republics as legitimate and independent states in the late 1990s a new wave of democratization began. Like most of the former republics, with the exception of Belarus and Turkmenistan, Armenia and Azerbaijan looked forward to democratization. However as time passed the smooth transition from one regime to another began to falter. Though many reasons can be attributed to explain why democratization was not an immediate success within Armenia and Azerbaijan, such as political, economic and social conditions, not much attention has been given to external factors which have hindered the democratization process. More specifically it is necessary to look at the policies of foreign states and their impact on the establishment of a democratic tradition. In other words, aside from domestic policies, are the policies of foreign countries influential in the democratization process? Therefore, I propose, in order to understand the exact impact of foreign policies on Armenia and Azerbaijan, it is necessary to concentrate on the three major powers in the region, Iran, Russia, and Turkey. Historically all three states have had immense influence in the South Caucasus; consequently, their interests have come to dominate the events unfolding in the region. Accordingly, examining the foreign policies of Iran, Russia, and Turkey is a necessity in the understanding of the democratization process, determining whether or not their foreign policies have helped or hindered this process. I suggest that, in general states, act in accordance to their interests, and therefore seek to implement policies within their states that will uphold these interests. Hence, when looking at Armenia and Azerbaijan, in comparison to their neighbours, it is only natural that these neighbours would try to impose their influences on these two relatively weak states to advance their political, strategic and economic interests. Thus demonstrating that while it is important to look at the domestic politics to understand the process of democratization, it is not sufficient to explain everything. Moreover, we can say that this is not a situation unique to Armenia and Azerbaijan but can be applied in most cases to newly independent states, or states undergoing democratization. Defining democracy and democratization At this time it is necessary to define some of the terminology in order to clarify what is being implied by democracy and democratization. Democracy as a concept has in the past been defined according to its origins and its goals, in other words, as a system that derives from the will of the people and seeks to achieve the common good or social justice. However, such a definition is not easily proved and can easily lead to ambiguity where, after all, dictators can claim that they have received their power from the will of the people and they are in fact promoting the common good and social justice. Perhaps democracy can be defined within the framework of a procedural conception where decision making over rules and policies are collectively binding but over which the people still maintain control. Furthermore, within this system it is necessary that all members of the collectivity be assured of their equal rights in participating directly in this decision making process. In other words, democracy is the polar opposite oif a system of rule where the population is excluded from the decision making process and therefore has no control over it. Transitions happen when there is a split within the regime between the hardliners and softliners. This split causes the beginning of a bargaining process between the state and its opposition elite, thus prompting the transition within a modal pattern. Another important issue within democratization literature deals with the definition of democratic consolidation. It is necessary to distinguish clearly the differences between transitional democracies and consolidated democracies. In fact it woiuld be erroneous to assume that states emerging from authoritarian regimes could be automatically called democratic just because its officials are popularly elected. In most cases these states are still missing some of the essential elements of democracy,. Furthermore, they require the setting up and instutionalization of the new regime and its rules. Therefore it is important to acknowledge that a transition from an authoritarian regime does not necessarily mean a transition to a democracy or democratic consolidation. In fact, it can be said that both processes are distinct involving separate actors, strategies and conditions. Consequently, rather than simply undermining and authoritarian regime, democratic consolidation is more elaborate. The main role of democratic consolidation is to rid the state of the remnants of the old regime which are incommensurable with the construction of democratic institutions and reinforcing rules. Therefore, a concise definition of democratic consolidation is when a states actors have agreed to abide by the democratic rules of the game and will not resort to using any other extra-democratic means to achieve their goals. The events leading to the collapse of the Soviet Union The collapse of the Soviet union did not occur overnight in December 1991. In fact, the fabric of Soviet society had been gradually unraveling for years. By the time Mikhail Gorbachev assumed leadership of the Soviet Union he was aware of that things coulds not continue in the same manner. In 1985, Gorbachev tried to introduce the reforms of acceleration and intensification in relation to upgrading productivity. Thus by the end of 1985, perestroika (restructuring) and glasnot (openness) became the slogans of his administration. Perestroika emphasized a new type of bureaucratization, one which was much more in tune with the masses. In short, it was a way to change the boss mentality prevalent in command regimes and to reorganize the system to make it more efficient. Though Gorbachev actively spoke of change in public, behind the scenes very little was truly being done to change the system. The explosion of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor was a perfect example of this lack of change. Though the government spoke of opennes, it took Gorbachev nearly three weeks to acknowledge the extent of the catastrophe, at which point he did not give any details on the effects of the explosion on agriculture, industry and the consequences on human lives. In essence, glasnost had failed because the government itself was not completely commited to it. Perestroika also suffered a similar fate seeing as not much was being actually done to restructure the system. From 1987 to 1988, Gorbachev introduced five new economic reform which were designed to help the fledging Soviet economy. In January 1987, he introduced quality control inspectors in order to make sure that the quality of Soviet goods would be improved from their well known substandard level. In other words, emphasis was going to be put more on quality than quantity. The following month, he launched a new wage policy where an individual worker would be rewarded for an above average performance. Gorbachev then set about decentralizing the management of enterprises requiring that they administer their own finances, in order to make them profitable. Those who did not meet the standard were to be shut down. On May 1st 1988, Gorbachev allowed for the limited opening of private enterprises. Lastly in August 1988, he initiated a new agricultural policy where farmers would be allowed to rent land from the state, and to purchase the necessary equipment. However with the deregulation of enterprises, the prices of goods inexorably went up, causing discontentment within the population. Gradually the government saw all of its reforms either criticized for being too radical or not being reformist enough. Concurrently, in the republics nationalists movements had begun to emerge revealing, in some areas, widespread anti- Russian sentiments. One such outburst ocurred in December 1986 in Alma Ata in Kazakhastan, however, Gorbachev choose to ignore the riot thinking that it was an abnormality. By 1998 and 1989 other outbreaks occurred, as a direct result of the added freedom of glasnost. All of a sudden Armenians were demonstrting on the streets of Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia, demanding for the transfer of the Armenian enclave of Nagorno Karabagh which was under control of Azerbaijan. The Baltic republics began to claim their independence from the Soviet Union, stating that their annexation in 1939 with the Molotov- Ribbentrop pact was unlawful. Ethnic unrest aslo erupted throughout the Central Asian republics, in Moldavia, and in Georgia. Nevertheless, in the face of such unrest, the Gorbachev government remained largely ineffectual, demostrating that it was unable to cope with the changes ocurring throughout the Soviet Union. The final blow to the Soviet Union came in August 1991 when conservative forces within the Communist party, unhappy with the reforms and the new union treaty, put Gorbachev, who was vacationing in the Crimea, under house arrest in an attempt to seize power from him. Through the coup attempt was unsuccessful, it was clear Gorbachevs central administration was quite impotent, leaving room for the assertion of power by the republics, in particular the Russian republic and its leader Boris Yeltsin. For the remaining months, Grobachev tried in vain to regain control. Nonehtless, one after the other starting with the Ukraine, each republic voted for independence. By the end of the month the Soviet Union no longer existed. Reforms and Changes in Armenia and Azerbaijan With the end of the Soviet Union, fifteen new republics emerged, each trying to find a way to cope with this newfound freedom. Slowly, the international community recognized the republics as independent and sovereign states. Consequently, most of them publicly announced that they would choose democracy as their form of government, in order to become full members of the international community and play by the rules of the game. Armenia and Azerbaijan from the beginning declared that they would democratize. They would adopt rules and regulations that would promote institutions of democracy. They would have free elections, and institute liberal market economies. In other words, they would eradicate the old soviet system and accept liberal demcocracy. Needless to say, it did not quite occur that way, nor has it been so easy. Considering the fact that even before the disintegration of the Soviet Union Armenia and Azerbaijan were in the midst of an ethnic war with each other, it is not surprise that the actual process of democratization in these countries is tentative and at times very slow. The years of conflict have left the local economies of each state weak, with widespread infrastructural damage and large refugee problems. Moreover, due to the conflict and general instability of the region, foreign investment has been scarce. In other words, democratization has taken a back seat to survival. However this is not to say that there have been no developments. When looking at electoral patterns as an indication of democratization it is possible to observe that Armenia and Azerbaijan, since 1991 have had elections, with a somewhat stable change in the government of Armenia in 1998. There had been somewhat controversial elections two years earlier, in 1996, when the incumbent oresident Levon Ter Petrossian banned the major opposition party, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation. In 1998, after much discontent over the settlement of Nagorno Karabagh issue, Ter PEtrossian resigned. The elections of 1998 were not perfect, in fact observers sent by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) noted many abnormalities. However, since these elections, there have been noted improvements in the conducting of the May 1999 Parliamentary election and the October 1999 municipal elections. Nevertheless, the process of democratization did suffer a significant blow when five armed men entered the National Assembly in October 1999, killing the Prime minister, the speaker of the National Assembly and six other deputies. Furthermore, most recently Armenia has been criticized for media censorship when it recently closed down a non-government funded television channel. This is not the first time the Armenia rsorts to intervening the media. Before the 1996 elections, then President Ter Petrossian shut down many of his oppositions media outlets. In comparison, elections in azerbaijan have been less successful, with constant widespread irregularities. This is further emphasized by the fact that the current president o Azerbaijan, Heidar Aliev, came to power in less than democratic circumstances, and has used the constitution several times to extend his tenure. For example, in preparation for the 1998 presidential elections, electoral laws were modified, the media was under strict censorship, in other words, everything was done to make sure Aliev was reconfirmed as President. Needless to say corruption and nepotism are not unusual in Azerbaijan. This trend has been reinforced by the Aliev government which has taken to he practice of assigning extended family members to important government or business positions. For example, Alievs brother is in charge of the State Oil Corporation of the Republic of Azerbaijan (Socar), which is the enterprise in charge of most of the oil extraction in the Caspian sea. Democratization as a foreign policy In recent years, a debate among academics has been at the forefront of the study of post communist transitions, evaluating whether they can be compared with other transitions to democracy. Though it is necessary to state that there are some differences in the process, however that does not mean that they cannot be compared. Even though post communist states face different challenges, there is a similarity when evaluating the influence of a foreign state. At this point it is necessary to discuss some of the challenges faced by former Communist states. Though the debate on the comparability of the democratization process of former communist states and other authoritarian states is still ongoing, it would be unwise to believe that there are no differences in the transition process. Nevertheless, differences do not mean that each of the processes cannot be compared, on the contrary, differences along with similarities make the research much more dynamic. Indeed what makes transitions from communism unique from from all other forms of authoritarianism is the fact that it is a transition from Communism. Thus raising the question of how are they different? It is often stated that one of the distinguishing factors of post communist transitions is the rise of ethnic conflict. From 1989 to 1991 three countries broke up causing ethno-territorial conflicts. The main internal impediments faced by post communist societies in their transition can be traced to the social and economic legacy of communism. Aside from the foreign policy of other countries, those states in transition had to deal with eighty years of perverted modernization. Even though under communism Russia became a modernized, highly industrialized, urbanized and literate society, the fact remains that the regime tried to undermine the human ability for autonomous action. This is most obviously reflected in the transition to a liberalized market economy, where the concepts of preoperty and originality are essential. Clearly, there is a strong correlation between the establishment of democracy and the growth of a market economy. However, with the destruction of the notion of private property, the notion of personality was also ruined. The loss of personality and property systematically erased the conception of freedom as natural and alienable. It is imperative to acknowledge that it was not only the capacity for acting autonomously that was affected but also the ability to think freely and with innovation. Furthermore, Communism also annihilated the idea of social responsibility, which is a necessity in a democratic regime. Consequently, during transitioin and democratization in communist states, it is not only necessary to change the actual regime, but it is also crucial to change the social consciousness, in order to change the conception of property and responsibility which are inherent to a healthy market economy. Returning to the issue of foreign influence, it would be wrong to assume that only states in the process of transition can be affected by the foreign policy of other actors, indeed, to a certain degree, all states are susceptible to foreign policies, but this is most obvious in states undergoing regime changes. In fact, when comparing to other factors, the study of foreign policy as an influence on transitions to democracy reamins largely controversial and understudied. Most scholars of regime change, in particular, of democratization, have focused on other means of explanation. This does not mean that the importance of the foreign policy should be disregaderd. Perhaps, this is an indication that more time should be accorded to its study. One author on the topic has determined three evident ways that foreign actors impact the transition of another state. The first level described is the influence on the socio-economic structures, in other words, activism, social and cultural cleavage s, and economic concentration, dispersion, and inequality. The second level consists of outright domination of state over another through the means of foreign policy. As a result, it is the politics of another state that determines the type of regime which emerges, democratic or authoritarian. Needless to say, this type of influence is quite rare, though there are some outstanding examples. Following the end of the Second World War, Germany, Austria, and Italy were quickly imposed democratic forms of government by the victorious Allies, specifically the United States, Great Britain and France. In contrast, Czechoslovakia and Poland were imposed authoritarian regimes by the Soviet Union. Another type of complete domination can also be colonialism or even the occupation of territories of one state over another state. The third level deals directly with how foreing policy can alter choices available to a state in transition, therefore the type of regime adopted will to some extent depend on what kind of influence the foreign actor excercises. In 1989, with the crumbling of the Berlin Wall, eastern European states, one after the other declared their rejection of the communist regime and adopted a pro- democratic stance. The reason for that can be attributed to this change, following the line of thinking presented above, is with the end of the old regime, the influence of western European foregin policy on eastern Europe, democracy and democratization seemed to be the only viable choice. The influence of Iranian, Russian and Turkish foreign policy on Armenia and Azerbaijan At this point, it is necessary to examine the specific foreign policies of the three mos influential countries in the Caucasus and their effects on Armenia and Azerbaijan. As stated earlier the different policies pursued by Iran, Russia and Turkey have a tremendous impact on the transition to democracy of Armenia and Azerbaijan due to the nature of the relationship with each other. Consequently, the policies practiced by one state will undoubtedly affect another; this is especially true when examining the susceptibility of Armenia and Azerbaijan in comparision to their powerful neighbours. Moreover, this influnce extends beyond the political realm, affecting economic relations as well as social structures. a) The foreign policy of Iran Even though the interest of Iranian foreign policy in the Caucasus is a product of the end of the Cold War, there are historical and ethnic reasons behind this current concern. The Russo-Persian wars of the 19th century had effectively removed Persian influence from the region however it did leave behind a significant consequence. By signing the Treaty of Turkmenchai in 1828, Persia gave up all claims to territories north of the Araxes River, permanently severing the lands inhabited by the Azerbaijani. With the fall of the Iron Curtain that division was not quite as important anymore, therefore possibly influencing the social balance of Iran. Indeed the majority of ethnic Azerbaijanis do not live in Azerbaijan, rather they live in Northern Iran, making up a population of roughly 15 to 20 million. In comparison, in the republic of Azerbaijan, there is approximately a population of 8 million Azerbaijanis. Therefore, it is not surprising that in 1991, after Azerbaijan became an independent state, there were demands on both sides of the border for unification, thus making the government of Tehran, the Iranian capital, very nervous. However, talk about unification, soon faded when the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the region of Nagorno Karabagh intensified. Azerbaijan was in no position, financially and politically to absorb the influx of migrants or to begin a process of unification. The iranian government began to give importance to the conflict. This was largely due to the fact that many Azerbaijanis fleeing the conflict began to take refuge in northern Iran. Moreover, with the intensification of the conflict between the Armenians and the Azerbaijanis, the whole region was beginning to destabilize. Iran was worried that perhaps there would be a spill over effect, maybe even mobilizing its own Azerbaijani population. Another reason for concern was the growing influence of Turkey. It was no secret that with the end of Communism, Iran and Turkey were actively vying for positions of influence in the Caucasus, mainly because of the issue of Caspian oil. Initially, Iran tried to mediate between the two faction; in 1993 it even sponsored the first ceasefire agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, however it soon became obvious that this effort would fail. At that point, Iran no longer actively participated in the negotiation process, however it did continue to pursue its national interests. In order to avoid any long term separatist movement, Iran sought to support the Armenian faction. Though it strongly adherer to the principle of territorial integrity, Iran at every opportunity sustained the Armenian war effort, in hopes of keeping some measure of control over Azerbaijan and any nationalist claims. By 1994, the focus of Iranian foreign policy shifted to the matter of the division of the Caspian Sea and Caspian oil. In an unprecedented move, Iran and Russia, seeing themselves being gradually left out of the Caspian oil deals, began to collaborate on the issue of dividing the Caspian Sea. Also, through the intermediary of Armenia, Iran initiated bilateral and trilateral meetings with Russia signing cooperation accords. Azerbaijan and Turkey did not view these as gestures of friendship, rather they saw them as potential threats. It must be said that relations between Iran and Azerbaijan remain quite tense. Irans continued economic and political support of Armenia remains a bone of contention for Azerbaijan. b) the policy of Russia With the end of the Soviet Union in December 1991 and the subsequent emergence of fifteen independent republics a new era of foreign policy began on the Eurasian continent. In regards to the three states of the Caucasus, that is to say Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, Russias foreign policy was quite clear. The Caucasus, for Russia, is an integral part of its policy realm. By the final years of the Soviet Union, during the Gorbachev administration, Soviet foreign policy changed dramatically, culminating in the abandonment of Eastern Europe, the dissolution of the Warsaw pact and then the end of the Cold War. Nonetheless, when comparing turn of the century Russian foreign policy with its current counterpart, it becomes evident that little has changed. The Caucasus, in other words, Armenia and Azerbaijan, play a significant role in Russian national security. When looking at Russian foreign policy in Armenia and Azerbaijan, there are specific issues that need to be examined in order to comprehend Russias poisition and its foreign policy, such as, ethnic conflicts, terriorial integrity, and military bases. Like Iran and Turkey, Russias foreign policy towards Armenia and Azerbaijan has been dictated by the Nagorno Karabagh conflict. As part of its foreign policy concept, Russia is quite serious about keeping territorial integrity intact. Of course this is in their best interest considering the problems it has in the Northern Caucasus with the Chechens. The fact is that if they do give any chance to the possibility of altering borders this would give added incentive to separatist groups within Russia to declare their own independence. Therefore, it is clearly stated in their foreign policy that territorial integrity is a non negotiable element. In fact, Russia supports a diplomatic resolution to the conflict through the auspices of the OSCE. Though some critics would say that Russias intentions in this conflict were in general biased towards the Armenian faction, due to the fact that the Armenian government repeatedly enlisted Russian military support in its conflict with Azerbaijan. Another aspect of the Russian foreign policy is the presence of its military bases in Armenia. Though this does not directly affect Azerbaijan, seeing as the bases are not near its shared bordder with Armenia, it does however affect relations between Armenia and Turkey. In essence the presence of the Russian military is there to reinforce its position in the Caucasus, making sure that neither turkey nor Iran for that matter, become too influiential. However the fact that there are Russian military installations on Armenia territory says much about the relationship between the two states. Armenia has become politically and economically dependent on Russia, and with military presence it also indicates a strategic presence it also indicates a strategic dependence. In contrast, Russias relation with Azerbaijan has long been strained, and has further disintigrated as Azerbaijan has aligned itself more closely to turkey. c) The Foreign Policy of Turkey Until the collapse of the Soviet regime, Turkish foreign policy had little concern for its eastern neighbours. Instead its attention focused its relation within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Cold War environment, as well as its accession to the European Union (EU) In other words, Turkey was largely preocupied with the West and securing a definite position within that context. The dissolution of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War dramatically changed that role. Turkey found itself along with Nato at a crossroad, trying to re-evaluate its relevance in the new global framework. Simultaneously, with the establishment of the fifteen newly formed republics of the former Soviet Union, Turkey was able to begin a new era in its foreign policy making, which was widely supported form within Turkey as well. Thus, Turkey sought to establish closer relationships with its ethnic brethren in the Caucasus and Central Asia. With the 1990 rejection of the Turkish accession by The European Community and the end of the the cold war, Turkey had to adapt its foreign policy to reflect the current context. The first step in the process was the recognition of independence of the Azerbaijani republic on November 9th 1991, nearly a full month before it recognized the other republics. By supporting Azerbaijan, Turkey was asserting its newly found interest in the region, making sure that not one country would become the dominant influential power. Aside from the political aspects of Turkeys policy towards Azerbaijan, it is necessary to examine the economic aspects. Since the signing of the cease- fire between Armenia and Azerbaijan in 1994, The Nagorno Karabagh conflict has taken a backseat in the relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey to give way to the Caspian Oil isse. Turke has actively participated and invested in the construction of pipelines and oil extraction consortiums. In fact, it is now one of the major investors in the Azerbaijan International Oil Company (AIOC). Moreover, Turkey has greatly invested in a new oil pipeline stretching from Baku to the Mediterranean port of Ceyhan, which will become the main mode of transportation of Caspian oil to the rest of the world. Thus it can be said, that relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey, in the future will have a much more economic slant. In contrast with Azerbaijan, relations between Armenia and Turkey are much more difficult. In fact, one could even say that relations between Armenia and Turkey are at best hostile, barely tolerant of one another. Nevertheless, despite the political hostility, in the las five years, Turkey has begun to penetrate the Armenian economic market through the export of goods, such as foodstuffs, machinery and construction materials. Though the exports, for the most part are not sent directly to Armenia, they usually arrive by way of Georgia, there is a growing recognition within the Turkish government and the Armenian government that economically it is in their best interests to cooperate. Turkish willingness stems from the fact that its easternmost province of Kars, which shares border with Armenia, is suffering from large population decrease and general underdevelopment. Conclusion With the end of the Cold War the dynamics of the republics of the former Soviet Union were completely changed. Immediately they were faced with a choice, either to adapt to the new world or desperately try to maintain the status quo. Initially, despite their difference Armenia and Azerbaijan seemed to be willing to democratize. However with the regional instability this process of democratization has been slow to progress. Though there are many theories that try to explain the process of democratization and preconditions necessary for that process of democratization has been slow to progress. Though there are many theories that try to explain the process of democratization and the preconditions necessary for that process, recent efforts have tried to explain why transition occurs in one area as opposed to another area. Though there are some similarities, the categorization of types of transition, such as transitions through transaction, transitions through extrication, or transition through regime defeat, the main point of contention deals with the historical legacy of the regime. According to some academics, the historical legacy of a former authoritarian regime is what determines the type of democratization that will take place. There is no direct link between prior regime type and the mode of transition in relation to the prospects of democracy. Therefore when looking at the transitions of Armenia and Azerbaijan, though the old Soviet regime may determine to some degree what will happen in the process of democratization, there is not pre-established mold. In fact one of the elements that can have an influence in the process is the impact of the foreign policies of other states. In other words, for Armenia and Azerbaijan, democratization will be influenced by the foreign policies of Iran, Russia, and Turkey, due to the extent of authority the exercise in the region

Memories of Childhood Essay Example for Free

Memories of Childhood Essay Childhood is a golden period of mans life. It is the time when man is dependent but he enjoys all the comforts of the life. He has nothing to worry about. He has to do nothing to get his demand fulfill except weeping. It is a carefree time. In my childhood I was free from worries and sorrows. When every day and night brought joys for me. Parents tried to amuse me. They loved me so much that I began to think they were living only for me and it was not wrong as well. Near our house there was a pond. Father took me daily to the pond to enjoy the beautiful sight of the setting sun. Once my father fell ill and could not go to the pond. I was very fond of taking bath in the bright water of the pond but father did not allow me to fulfill my desire. Now it was a golden chance. I went alone to the pond and jumped into the water. Deep water took me into its lap. After this what happened I do no know. When I opened my eyes a doctor was bending over me. Mother and sisters were weeping. I had to remain for one month in the hospital. Now when I recall that horrible accident my heart begins to sink with fear. Then I decided not to do anything without the permission of parents. There is one more thing which I cannot help mentioning More over I can never forget the day when I was beaten by the gardener for stealing mangoes. My friend Maria and I went to the garden to eat mangoes. Maria was very active and clever. She remained out of the garden and asked me to climb up the mango tree. Consequently I was caught by the gardener and he bead me with his sharp stick. Maria ran away The gardener took me before my father and told the whole story. Father prohibited me from going to the garden. I was much ashamed but soon all it was over. If you have female companion you are fond of dolls as well. The same case was with me. I was very fond of dolls in my childhood. Maria and I played with the dolls for hours, marrying and decorating them. Mother did not like her daughter wasting time in playing. As a result she took me to the school. I was much frightened and puzzled among the strange girls. I began to weep bitterly. While I was weeping I felt a soft hand on my back it was my teacher. She consoled me and gave me a beautiful book of colorful pictures. I was taught by her to smile in the storm of tears and sufferings. Now she is far away from me but her memory is fresh in my mind and I will never forget her as well. Children usually keep on gamboling and playing . Sometimes they keep on running in childhood I was like a playful deer wandering through the meadows. Maria and wandered the whole day long in the green fields of our villages picking wild flowers and making garlands. How beautiful moonlit nights were in childhood! When the shining moon appeared we all played in the open fields catching one another. Now childhood is no more but it appears a beautiful dream.

Performance Of An Organisation Over A Three Year Period

Performance Of An Organisation Over A Three Year Period Topic Area The topic selected for research programme is The business and financial performance of an organisation over a three year period and the organisation chosen to base on research is Sainsbury Plc. It is not appropriate to measure the performance of a business entity in isolation thats why the research will base on comparison of performance of Sainsbury plc with its market competitors, e.g. Tesco Plc over last three years by using different accounting performance measure techniques e.g. Ratio analysis, SWAT analysis. Reason for Choosing Topic Today in volatile market condition due to economic recession famously branded as Credit Crunch businesses are facing tremendous challenges and many big names from every sector e.g. Northern Rock, HBOS Woolworth completely wipe out from market which make it crucial to have external independent business analysis to save the interest of shareholders who are ultimate owner of the business. Having studied ACCA fundamental paper Performance Measurement (F5), professional paper Business Analysis (P3) and option paper Advance Performance Measurement (P5) has equipped me with competence of examines the financial and business performance of business entity most effectively. This is the reason for choosing the above mention topic out of other given topics because skills and knowledge require for this project under this topic I have already studied in detail. Supermarkets are very dominant member of our society who influences a lot in our daily household needs. In the UK food and grocery retailing accounts for nearly 50p in every pound spent in shops. 12.4% of household spending in the UK is now on food, drink and tobacco, compared to 14.3% twelve years ago (1998) and 17.3% twenty two years ago (1988). (IGD, n.d).People prefers supermarkets because of one stop all shop. Sainsbury Plc is among of biggest supermarkets famously known as Big Four Asda, Tesco, and Morrison. The reason for selecting Sainsbury plc for research project because of employed in company for almost five years and have detail knowledge about the company operational activities as well as its strategic performance. About Sainsbury Sainsbury Plc supermarket founded in 1869 by John James and Mary Ann Sainsbury, company started to sell own brand product in 1882 under the category of brand ranges Taste the Difference, Be Good to Yourself, Sainsbury Free form Sainsbury Basic etc which became 50 per cent of Sainsbury turnover in 1950. (Sainsbury Plc, nd). The group operate in three business segments, Supermarket chain, Property development and Sainsbury bank. Sainsbury jointly own Sainsbury Bank with Lloyds Tsb Banking Group and it has two property joint ventures with Land Securities Group Plc and The British Land Company Plc. Sainsbury has a heritage of selling quality food at fair prices. The large stores sell 30,000 products and non-food complementary products. The human capital employed by company almost equal to 150,000 and the online channel of Sainsbury plc available to 90 per cent of UK households. (J Sainsbury Plc, 2010) Company sells other companies products as well its own brand products. The other value added services used by company is Nectar Point loyalty card system. Performance measurement system The performance measurement is a process to obtain information to analyse the efficiency and effectiveness of business operation. Different quantitative and qualitative measures use to assess the performance of the organisation. The good performance measurement system should support organization corporate strategy, measure the both financial and business performance, identify the quality and strength of business process and spot the areas where the resources should be allocated to get the competitive advantage. Project Objectives The project objectives for the financial and business performance of the Sainsbury plc are as follow: Analytical review of Financial Performance of Sainsbury plc by comparison with competitor company Tesco Plc over last three years. Identify the key value drivers for any good performance and business issues obstacles the optimal performance. Determine the effect of Economic Recession on the Financial Performance of Sainsbury Plc. Critically evaluate the Strategic Position through analysis of Business Performance of Sainsbury plc and give recommendation based on conclusion How to Make Sainsbury Great Again. Research Questions To meet above mention objectives the following questions will be answered in research analysis. Q1-How competitive Sainsbury Plc performance in last three years in term of Market share and Sale growth compare to its competitor? Q2- What is the effect of economic recession on supermarkets profit and how Sainsbury Plc perform in contrast to its competitors under these circumstances? Q3-Liquidity Does Sainsbury have sufficient resources to meet its current business commitments and what is the change in liquidity in last three years with comparison to competitor? Q4- Gearing-How risky Sainsbury capital structure to justify the assumption of Going Concern Basis and what is change in gearing level in last three years link to its competitor? Q5 -What is strategic position of Sainsbury Plc and what are the critical success factors on which Sainsbury need to focus to get the competitive market advantage? Research Framework PART 2 Information gathering and accounting / business techniques: Primary Data The primary source of data mainly gathers through direct contact with information provider through interviews, meetings and quest nary session. These are very important source of information but there are limitations associate with it e.g. confidentiality issues, timing of available information, and cost to gather these information make them little of use for purpose of research. Secondary Data This is the research already carried out other than user of information which is available publically through different government and private agencies. Secondary data of information is more feasible as compare to primary data because it is not possible to carry out all qualitative and quantitative analysis due to time constraint and the cost associated with collecting that information. Information gathering sources Annual reports The audited annual report of Sainsbury plc and Tesco plc of last three years have been critically analysed and quantitative data collected for various ratio analyses to measure the financial performance of both companies. The director reports and independent auditor reports reviewed to identify the business performance. This is one of the main sources of information regards to both companies performances. Newspapers The newspapers read on daily basis to keep informed myself about any external changes in retail industry and plan of action taken by companies to meet these daily challenges. The newspapers which used in research were Guardian The Financial Times and The Independent. Different articles wrote by financial analysts helped to view the insight of companies and the economic change in the industry. Retail Magazine Various retail magazine also used in research work, the main ones are Sainsbury plc Companys monthly magazine Lets Talk help to gain the monthly up-to-date information about future plans and performance appraisal of different stores. The other magazine which also helped in research were The Student Accountant PQ magazine Sunday Times. Internet The Internet contributed an immense role in research work .Number of websites visited on daily basis for information collecting purpose. This source of information mainly emphasised because of benefits associated with it like, i.e. easy to access to the different kind of information, timely available and cost saving. Kaplan Study Notes Kaplan study notes of different papers e.g. F5 Performance Measurement, F7 Financial Reporting, F9 Financial Management, P3 Business Analysis, and P5 Advance Performance Measurement play vital part for research outcome evaluation and conclusion based on these results. Methods Used to Collect Information Interviews Personally visited the Islington Sainsbury Plc store and spoke to different department managers. Having worked in past in this Sainsbury branch helped a lot in whole process. The permission granted to use the information like company memo and other information which have been given in past in capacity of employee of the company. The personally pre set questions have been asked about the performance of Sainsbury plc, and the feedback of operation managers and HR manager noted. Visited whole premises to get the feel of atmosphere and also directly interviews the customers to know how they perceive the Sainsbury plc and its competitor Tesco Plc. Tesco Plc branch in Leytonstone visited on many occasion to interview the various department managers and the work force at the shop floor to get the information about the company operational structure and their supply chain management. Questions have been asked in changing result in company revenue in each quarter sales and the customer changing attitude affected by economic downturn. Library Regularly visited libraries in Leytonstone and Borough high street to read the books written by different research analysts and the news papers, magazines and many project related research notes on UK retail Grocery. This method of research was very helpful to understand the affects of external factors in the grocery industry. Limitations of information gathering and ethical Issues Many problems faced during information gathering process. The staff members of companies were not willing to share the information because of confidentiality issue; the managers were busy in their daily operational activities which made it difficult to access to the desire people for interview. In addition the interviews with company staffs and customers could be also seen as biased as it was not representing the whole population as people from different geographical ethical background have different perception about subject matter. Furthermore the online research was also a difficult task because of overload and irreverent information came out with different searches. The efforts made to sort out and get the relevant information was time consuming and costly. The authenticity of these information sources also had reservations. How to overcome the above ethical issues? Efforts made to build the confidence of the operational staff of the companies to ensure them that the information provided will only use for research purpose and any information given will only use after the permission of information provider. The previous five years work alliance also played a part to gain the trust of engaged interviewee in Sainsbury plc. The problems faced in relate to authenticity of information sources overcame by only used the information from reliable sources. Accounting and Business techniques and their limitations Ratio Analysis Ratio analysis is a most common tool for quantitative analysis of company financial statement by comparing the current year number to budget, previous years results and comparison with industry. Mostly business analysts and potential investors use the ratio analysis to measure the performance of the business. Its a key to determine the relationship between different variable in financial statement. It is easy to calculate and understood by people from non financial background. Limitation of Ratio Analysis The performance measure based on financial ratio analysis tempted manager to short term decision in expense of long term company objectives if the reward based on short term financial performance e.g., cut-off marketing cost which may improve profit in short term but will affect in long term. The ratios are easy to manipulate by Window Dressing and Massaging the Figures (Weaver, 2009) through different accounting policies used. Every company have different economic condition so it is not appropriate to compare them and the accounting policies used by different companies also influence the accounting results. The ratios calculated at particular time may not represent the whole year performance, e.g. effects of seasonal trades and one off transactions. The ratios calculated in isolation are meaningless so it is important to compare the result with preceding years, budget and industry. SWOT Analysis SWOT Analysis is a tool to analyse the strategic position of the company in term of internal (strengths, weaknesses) and external (opportunities, threats) factors. It assists business in strategy development, how to use internal resources, unique capabilities and core competencies to get the competitive advantage. Threats and opportunities arises everyday because of changes in business internal and external environment but with the help of SWOT analysis if the resources allocate on time at right place the threats can be turn into opportunities and weaknesses can be transfer into strengths. (Kaplan Financial- P3, 2009, pp. 78-79) Limitation of SWOT Analysis SWOT Analysis oversimplify the situation by categorise the different situational factors into different class. The categorization of different factors as opportunities or threats, strengths or weaknesses also an arbitrary. People have different views, for example a technology change, or an organisation structure can be an opportunity for one group of people and threat for other group. What is more important is that companies should aware of these changes and use them in their strategic planning to meet the long term objectives of the organisation to increase the wealth of shareholders. (NetMBA, n.d) PART 3 Results, analysis, conclusions and recommendations Note: All of the information used in the graphs presentation has been taken from calculation provided in Appendix. Financial Performance Ratio Analysis Sales Growth Sales growth is the most important factor to measure the market competiveness of any business. Figure 1 Source; (Tesco Plc J Sainsbury Plc Financial Statments, 2008,2009,2010) Sainsburys sales grown-up from 3.99 to 6.02 per cent from 2008 to 2009 but it only increased by 5.57 per cent from 2009 to 2010. Tesco sales grown from 10.92 to 13.95 per cent from 2008 to 2009 but there is huge decline in sales growth of 8.37 per cent from (13.95%) 2009 to (5.58%) 2010 where Sainsbury managed very well and only lose 0.45 per cent as presented in graph. The average sale growth rate of Tesco in last three years is 10.15 per cent which is half way above Sainsbury (5.19%) but it should be keep in mind that Tesco market share is two times of Sainsbury and it is multinational group of companies which can offset the loss of the economic down turn of one country against other country whereas Sainsbury operate in only one country. Figure 2 Source: ( J Sainsbury Plc Financial Statment, 2010,2009 2008) The spin from hybrid strategy towards cost leadership through running campaigns Switch Save Cook Save played a vital part to increase the sales and market share of Sainsbury.Mr Justin King chief executive of Sainsbury said that Sainsbury performance in 2009 was impressive and its surprised many analysts by results because it was expected to find the trading condition tough due to changing attitude of shoppers because of economic recession. The Like-for-like sale to the last quarter 21 March 2009 increased by 6.2 per cent and it served more customers (Samuel, 2009).In 2010 Sainsbury total sales (including VAT fuel) increased by 5.1 per cent, Total sales (including VAT, excluding fuel) increased by 4.3 per cent. The Like-for-like sales increase from 4.3 per cent to 24.4 per cent in 5 years time whereas the total sale increases from 6.7 per cent to 33.9 per cent in 5 year time. (J Sainsbury Plc A.R, 2010, p. 5) Profitability: Gross Profit Margin An increase in percentage of gross profit is desirable which can be achieved through well managed production cost and increase in sale price or volume. (Kaplan Financial- F5, 2010, p. 320) Figure 3 Source: (Tesco Plc J Sainsbury Plc Financial Statments, 2008,2009,2010) Sainsbury Gross Profit (G.P) margin reduced from 5.60 per cent to 5.41 per cent from 2008 to 2010 whereas Tesco gross profit margin increased from 7.67 per cent to 8.10 per cent from 2008 to 2010 as shown in graph. The continuous decline in G.P margin also due to phantom of adverse differential inflation in supermarkets overheads which direct affecting consumer, retailer and economy as whole. (Lex, 2010). Sainsburys cost of sale increased by 6.18 per cent from 2008 to 2009 and 5.63 per cent from 2009 to 2010 whereas sale growth rate is only 6.02 and 5.57 per cent respectively in each year as mention earlier which is not in line with cost of sale and result in G.P margin declined. In addition Sainsburys market penetration strategy in competition of other low prices stores through multi saving offers although increased the company market share but the G.P margin suffered. Net Profit Margin It is the percentage of net profit to sale. A higher net profit margin desirable which can be achieved through efficient cost saving or increasing sale prices. (Kaplan Financial- F5, 2010, p. 320) Figure 4 Source: (Tesco Plc J Sainsbury Plc Financial Statments, 2008,2009,2010) Sainsbury Net Profit Margin increased from 2.69 per cent to 3.67 per cent from 2008 to 2010 the period in which Tesco Net Profit margin reduced from 5.92 per cent to 5.58 per cent as projected above. Sainsbury N.P margin reduced in 2009 but they recovered very well and showed improvement on each areas i.e. underlying operating profit increased by 8.9 per cent, underlying profit before tax increased by 17.5 per cent and profit before tax and after tax increased by 57.3 per cent and 102.4 per respectively from 2009 to 2010. Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) Return on capital employed (ROCE) is a key measure of profitability. It measure the net profit generated through each of $1 invested in the assets. It is the net profit percentage of capital employed. A higher ROCE percentage is desirable which can be achieved through increase net profit margin or decrease capital employed. (Kaplan Financial- F5, 2010, p. 320) Figure 5 Source: (Tesco Plc J Sainsbury Plc Financial Statments, 2008,2009,2010) Sainsbury ROCE was not even near to Tesco in 2008 and 2009 but the encouraging factor is that its ROCE continuously improving in this period. It increased from 9.70 per cent to 14.76 per cent from 2008 to 2010 which is excellent performance whereas Tesco suffering a decline in ROCE in this period. Liquidity The liquidity measure the ability of the company to utilize its resources to meet its financial commitments. It is more important to have effective working capital management than profitable business, a profitable business can encounter problem if its run out cash flow. Current Ratio This is the current assets divided by current liabilities which measure the company ability to meet its short term liabilities. A ratio more than $1 is desirable but it varies according to industry type .Continue decline in current ratio or less than industry average indicate the financial difficulties. (Kaplan Financial- F5, 2010, p. 323) Figure 6 Source: (Tesco Plc J Sainsbury Plc Financial Statments, 2008,2009,2010) Sainsbury Current Ratio (0.65:1) was better than Tesco (0.61:1) in 2008 but it reduced by 15 per cent (0.55:1) in 2009 whereas Tesco current ratio improved by 18 per cent (0.77:1) in 2009 as stated above. The cause for this downturn in current ratio of Sainsbury because its total current assets reduced by 7.6 per cent due to the disposal of Non current assets held for sale in 2009 relating to properties in retail operations division, reduced by 91 per cent and reduction in cash and cash equivalents. Sainsbury current ratio come back to 2008 position (0.66:1) in 2010 due to the shortfall in cash and cash equivalent resources fulfilled and more non current assets placed for sale. Inventory Holding Period (In Days) It indicate the average number of days the inventory held in stock. The increase in inventory days shows that the company having problem to sell its stock and risk of obsolete stock increase. A decrease in inventory period is desirable but it should be manage effectively to minimise the risk of stock run out. (Kaplan Financial- F5, 2010, p. 323) Figure 7 Source: (Tesco Plc J Sainsbury Plc Financial Statments, 2008,2009,2010) Sainsbury inventory holding period reduced from 14.76 days to 13.6 days a reduction of 7.9 per cent from 2008 to 2010 whereas Tesco reduced from 20.31 to 19.04 days a reduction of 6.2 per cent in the same period which is a good performance by Sainsbury but what is the optimal inventory holding period for the industry is arguable which is very much dependent on the external factor like customer demand, company warehouse capacity and supply chain efficiency. Receivable Period (In Days) It represents the number of days companies allow to its customers to pay back for goods and services. The shorter receivable period desirable to maximises the cash inflows and reduce the risk of debt irrecoverable. (Kaplan Financial- F5, 2010, p. 324) Figure 8 Source: (Tesco Plc J Sainsbury Plc Financial Statments, 2008,2009,2010) The results presented above in relation to receivable days shows that Sainsbury have very effective credit management policy and allow only four days on average to their customers where as Tesco average period of twelve days which is two times above Sainsbury. Supermarket businesses normally base on cash transaction and during economic recession where people struggling to meet their utility bills allowing them of 12 days credit period increases the risk of debt irrecoverable Sainsbury aware of this fact and the credit period of four days more tolerable. Payable Period (In Days) This is number of days business take to pay back its trade creditors .The increase in payable days suggest that company struggling to pay its creditors on time however it also suggest that business take advantage to the credit offer to them. The decrease is payable days indicate that company ability to pay its creditor improving however it should not pay too early as it a valuable source of finance. it should be manage carefully so that the relation with suppliers are not hurt and where the discount offered for early payments the opportunities avail. (Kaplan Financial- F5, 2010, p. 324) Figure 9 Source: (Tesco Plc J Sainsbury Plc Financial Statments, 2008,2009,2010) Sainsbury on average takes 49 days to payback its trade creditors and Tesco takes 63 days credit which is 22 per cent higher than Sainsbury. It indicate that Tesco struggling to pay its trade creditors on time which also reflected from its gearing position as mention below. Sainsbury payable period increased from 49 days to 51 days from 2008 to 2009 an increase of 2.8 per cent the period in which Tesco increased from 62 days to 64 days an increase of 3.4 per cent. Sainsbury payable period reduced to 48 days in 2010 a decrease of 6.2 per cent from 2009 to 2010 whereas Tesco further increased to 66 days an increase of 3.6 per cent. The reason of this reduction in Sainsbury credit period of 2010 seem to be because of improving cash and cash equivalent resources of Sainsbury as shown in current ratio above but it require further investigation. It could be due to early payment discount opportunity taken or could be suppliers pressure because of economic recession. Risk Assessment Risk can be defined as Opportunity of business to adverse consequences due to uncertain future event. (Kaplan Financial- P3, 2009) Today in volatile market condition it is now even more important that business should have effective risk assessment policy and procedure. Financial Gearing It is percentage of long term debt to equity .If the percentage increases it indicate that business heavily relaying on debt finance to meet its long term needs which increase the level of risk as the interest on debt and capital repayment must be made. The ratio can be improved by using the equity finance for long term investment. (Kaplan Financial- F5, 2010, p. 325) Figure 10 Source: (Tesco Plc J Sainsbury Plc Financial Statments, 2008,2009,2010) Sainsburys Financial gearing portfolio much better than competitor Tesco. It only increased from 51 per cent to 62 per cent an increase of 21.7 per cent whereas Tesco increased by 56 per cent from (66.92%) 2008 to (104.4%) 2010which is very risk.It indicate that Sainsbury not much depending on debt finance unlike to Tesco and using retain earning for growth plan which is appropriate risk averse strategy under current financial market conditions where big names like Woolworth already gone from market. Interest Cover It is the operating profit before interest and tax divided by finance cost which indicates the business ability to pay off its finance commitment. If the percentage increase it indicate that the business condition improving but if the percentage decline it indicate it is getting difficult for business to pay off the interest charges. (Kaplan Financial- F5, 2010, p. 326) Figure 11 Source: (Tesco Plc J Sainsbury Plc Financial Statments, 2008,2009,2010) Sainsbury is showing signs of progress in interest cover with the percentage of 4.02 per cent to 4.8 per cent from 2008 to 2010 represent growth of 19.4 per cent from 2008 to 2010.The cause of this improvement is because of improvement in operating profit which increase by 34 per cent profit due to effective management of all operating expenses whereas their competitor Tesco facing expected decline of 46.5 per cent (11.6 to 5.97 percent) in interest cover which is in line with its increasing financial gearing of 56 per cent as seen earlier. Dividend Cover It is the net profit divided by dividend amount. A decrease in the dividend cover indicates that company facing difficulty to pay the dividend to shareholders. (Kaplan Financial- F5, 2010, p. 326) Figure 12 Source: (Tesco Plc J Sainsbury Plc Financial Statments, 2008,2009,2010) Sainsburys figure in term of dividend cover improving even though it declined from 1.85 to 1.33 from 2008 to 2009 a reduction of 28 percent due to the fact that net profit in 2009 decreased by 12.2 percent as we seen earlier but Sainsbury maintained shareholders expectation and paid off dividend with growth rate of 22 percent result in decline in dividend cover. The results of 2010 are really impressive the net profit increased by 102 percent as we notice above N.P graph, the dividend grown-up by only 10.6 percent which result in dividend cover increased by 82.8 percent from 2009 (1.33) to 2010 (2.43) while Its competitor Tesco facing decline in dividend cover of 10.4 per cent from 2008 (2.68) to 2010 (2.4). Earnings Per Share (EPS) EPS is the fundamental investor ratio which can be calculated by total earning less preference share divided by total number of share. It determine the profitability of company and widely used by investors. (Kaplan Financial- F5, 2010, p. 327) Figure 13 Source: (Tesco Plc J Sainsbury Plc Financial Statments, 2008,2009,2010) Sainsbury EPS results are showing outstanding performance although it reduced from 19.1 to 16.6 a reduction of 13 percent but Sainsbury recover very well at 32.1p in 2010 which is 93.3 percent improvement from 2009 (16.6p) and left behind its competitor Tesco (29.33p) by 2.8p who was above Sainsbury in 2008 (26.95p) and 2009 (27.14p) by 7.5p and 10.8p respectively as shown in graph. Dividend per Share (DPS) Dividend per share is very important tool for investor which measures what is the dividend company have given of each share it hold. (Kaplan Financial- F5, 2010, p. 327) Figure 14 Source: (Tesco Plc J Sainsbury Plc Financial Statments, 2008,2009,2010) Sainsbury DPS ahead of its competitor Tesco each year from 2008 to 2010.It increased from 12p to 14.2p from 2008 to 2010 an increase of 18.3 percent whereas Tesco dividend per share grown up from 10.9p to 13.05p an increase of 23.9 per cent but still behind Sainsbury. Business Performance SWOT Analysis Strengths Strong Brand Value Sainsbury Plc has long history of brand since 1869 and customer loyalty toward Sainsbury brand very strong. It has very dominant geographical presence throughout United Kingdom with 872 stores in which 537 are Supermarkets and 335 Convenience stores. Sainsbury serves 19m customers on average each week and enjoyed market share of 16 percent. Sainsbury is the world largest retailer of fair-trade goods by value. According to annual report of 2010 In UK one in every four pounds spent on fair-trade is spent at a Sainsburys store. (J Sainsbury Plc A.R, 2010, p. 5) Retail Awards Sainsbury won Supermarket of the Year Award in 2009 and 2007 in retail industry awards. It awarded A rating in Green to the Core survey carried by consumer group due to their customer engagement, fish policies, and sustainable product availability. It is the biggest retailer of Freedom Food (RSPCAs farm assurance and food labelling scheme) by amount and product range. It won CBI Peoples Organisation award because of their HR and people management excellence. Sainsbury won many retail quality awards in 2010 than any other supermarket which include seven out of fifteen categories for value product quality. (J Sainsbury Plc A.R, 2010, p. 12).In 2010 Sainsbury failed to take the supermarket of the year award run by Talkingretail.com but it secure other three awards of Community Retailer of the Year, Seafood Retailer of the Year and Convenience Chain of the Year for Sainsburys Local. (Dennis, Mike, 2010) Financial Strength Sainsbury Financial position improving as reflected in above analyses which create significant opportunities for future growth. Business created operation cash flow of  £1.2bn in 2010, Net debt reduced by  £122m in 2010 to  £1,549m (2009:  £1,679).Sainsbury Group remain  £3bn funding availability through debt finance which enough to fulfil future ambitions. Sainsburys bank also showed better growth with operating profit increase by  £19m. (J Sainsbury Plc A.R, 2010, p. 6) Opportunities: Nectar Card Sainsbury Nectar card scheme which launched in 2002 with joint venture of Sainsbury Plc, American Express and B.P (Wikipedia, n.d) have been very successful due to its unique character of customer choice to use the loyalty card on multiple brands unlike competitor Tesco club card which dont allow this freedom of choice. Nectar card scheme is a great opportunity for Sainsbury to evaluate the c

Jungle Night :: essays research papers

Critical Analysis of Jungle Night The speaker of the poem is a civilian observer, probably a local. There is a sense of tension and fear in the speaker’s tone. The speaker uses an observatory tone in the poem, a combination between 1st and 3rd person. The author shows us that the speaker is an observer when he says "They are not there†¦/You finger the trigger of your Bren." (ll. 8&10) You can clearly see that the author creates tension when he says "Half-fearing, half-desiring the sudden hell/ Pressure will loose." (ll. 11-12) The poet has a way of building us up to a climax then letting us down, and again he gets us on the edge of our seat, only to sit back down quickly. This poem is written very literally and does not have any deep hidden meanings. The author gives us a sense of predator prey between the "Man with the green cigarette" and the "Man with the dark blue cloak." We are given a feeling that the cigarette man is hunting and stalking waiting to kill the man with the cloak. The author also uses the image of a "Man with the tiny anvil" who we see as really un-important however we fail to realize that he actual adds a great deal of suspense with the way he taps the metal. In the first stanza he "†¦Strikes it softly like a bell-Tink-tink; tink-tink." (ll. 3-4) and in the second to last stanza "Strikes-twice; Strikes-twice" (l. 21) which gives a sense that something more is yet to come. In the first stanza when the two men are first introduced, the author uses very soft words, which gives us a sense of peace and serenity. However in the second to last stanza he uses onomatopoeia again saying "Drip-drip; drip-drip"(l. 19) and "Strikes-twice; strikes-twice"(l. 21) which shows us that there is a greater sense of urgency arising and perhaps something is going to happen between these men. Through the use of the language the author is able to give us a sense of what the lone soldier with the Bren is feeling when he sees the two men walk by. The speaker gives us a very human feel when he says, "They are not there/then one of the whistles softly/you finger the trigger of your Bren (ll. 8-10), which allows us to connect with this soldier on a very real and human level.

The Life and Sensibility of Jane Austen :: Biography Biographies Essays

The Life and Sensibility of Jane Austen        Ã‚   Jane Austen has often been considered a woman who led a narrow, inhibited life and who rarely traveled. These assertions are far from the truth. Jane Austen traveled more than most women of her time and was quite involved in the lives of her brothers, so much that it often interfered with her writing. Like most writers, Jane drew on her experiences and her dreams for the future and incorporated them into her writing. Her characters reflect the people around her; the main characters reflect parts of herself. In Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, and Mansfield Park, Elinor Dashwood, Elizabeth Bennet, and Fanny Price all reflect aspects of Jane Austen and dreams she had that were never fulfilled.    Jane Austen was born on December 16, 1775, the sixth of seven children, to a rector and his wife. Jane was raised among books and began reading and writing at an early age. Her brother Henry said "her reading started very early," and it was difficult to say "at what age she was not intimately acquainted with the merits and defects of the best essays and novels in the English language" (Tomalin 67). Her earliest works date to age twelve, although she most likely wrote pieces before then. Her family often read Shakespeare together in the evenings. Her mother enjoyed writing verse and often wrote poetry to celebrate happy occasions. Jane grew up with an appreciation for writing and literature.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The biographies about Jane Austen describe the facts of her life in a step-by-step manner. They tend to be repetitive since she did not leave behind a rich fabric of day-to-day life. Yet Jane Austen is known not because of the factual details of her life; she is not remembered two hundred years after her death because she had six siblings and was a wonderful aunt to her nieces and nephews. Rather, Jane Austen is remembered because of what she wrote, her "ouvre." Only through reading her literature does one get a taste of the real Jane Austen, the Jane Austen who dreamed and made plans for the future that failed to materialize. Therefore, I have attempted to describe the life of Jane Austen by interpreting her novels and picking three main characters who I feel most closely serve as her alter ego. A writer writes from his or her own experiences; only by analyzing Jane Austen's characters do we get an understanding of the true author.

Biography of a Homeless Man Essay -- essays research papers

I hear them get closer and closer as the porch creaks every step to the door. My heart feels like its pounding through my chest, and sweat is pouring off my face as I sprint in a panic. I hear the key turning and the door opening just as I jump out the window.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I’ve been staying in that house for over a week now. It’s for sale and real estate agents come by every few days to show it. I’m a light sleeper and I’ve been able to slip out before anyone can see I’ve been staying there. I have no where to go except the street, mission centers, and buildings I break into.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I make my way to the mission center about 6 miles away. My feet ache and my stomach hurts from what little food I’ve had to start the day. I panhandled for about an hour making enough money to last a few days. I arrive at the mission just in time before they quite serving breakfast. The smell of sausage makes my stomach squirm with desire. I inhale the biscuits and gravy they have served me and wish for more. I don’t bother asking for more because I know there answer is no.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I make my way down the road to McDonalds because my stomach still aches from the lack of food lately. Luckily I made over ten dollars panhandling by a freeway entrance for about an hour. I also use their bathroom to wash my face and clean my self up somewhat.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I’m a rare homeless man in the fact that most of my peers are addicts. I choose not to involve my self in that scene. I can’t afford a place to sleep, so...

Barcelona Olympics

When Barcelona was selected to host the 1 992 Summer Olympics, the city (as well as Catalonia and Especial as a whole) welcomed the incredible opportunity. In addition to the obvious nationalist pride and international recognition hosting the games entails, their excitement was also fueled by the potential that the opportunity represented. As the International Olympic Committee explains in their â€Å"Factories – Legacies of the Games,† recent Olympic games have resulted in â€Å"long lasting legacies for their citizens,† with many cities utilizing the games as a â€Å"catalyst for urban renewal† (International 013).This was indeed the case for Barcelona, which became almost a new city entirely between 1 986 (upon first being selected) and the Opening Ceremonies. Overall, the effects of the 1 992 Barcelona Summer Olympics can be seen in three main areas: the city's economy, the culture and international perception Of Barcelona abroad, and the city's urban development. Overall, ?6. 7 billion were spent on the games, most of which was spent on improving infrastructure. Overall, the city reaped a profit of ?7. 2 million from the games themselves (Flyleaves 2012).The long-lasting economic effects and cagey, however, have been much more significant. For example, the Barcelona Organizing Committee invested ?2 billion in constructing and improving four main sporting venues. Today, these venues welcome nearly 1 people each year for various conferences, concerts, and sporting events and they support nearly 450 permanent jobs (International 2013). In terms of specific areas of economic development, immediately upon their nomination, unemployment underwent a dramatic fall, the housing market boomed, and the construction industry expanded at an exponential rate.The Barcelona Olympics were also unique economically, in that Barcelona was able to sustain this economic growth for decades to come. In fact, until the recent recession that affected mos t of Western Europe, the city recorded growth in every economic indicator: employment, investment, and new construction. Thus, not only did Barcelona benefit at the time from the games, â€Å"it succeeded in maintaining the growth generated, on a scale never seen before† (Acid 2002).In terms of employment, Barcelona unemployment rate was cut in half from 18. 4% to 9. 6%. Not only was employment provided during the preparation and the games themselves, but nearly 20,000 permanent jobs ere created due to Olympic-related investment in infrastructure and facilities (Acid 2002). In terms of investment, one-third of the event was funded by the private sector and a third of this was with foreign capital. Private investment focused predominately on the construction of housing hotels, and business centers.The rationale for this private investment was the expectation of improvement in the city's level of attractiveness for conducting foreign business and attracting future foreign inves tment. Finally, in terms Of new construction, the sector multiplied by nearly 3. 5 times, despite the fact hat Barcelona building potential was already quite exploited (Acid 2002). One final area of economic development was in tourism. Between 1986 and 2014, Barcelona hotel capacity increased threefold and the number of visitors from abroad increased by sevenfold, reaching 7. Million visitors a year. In this regard, Barcelona legacy has been more â€Å"intense and sustained than that of any other modern host city' (Acid 2002). Therefore, the Barcelona Olympics have become an economic model for present-day Olympics – an exceptional performance by a city with an extraordinary and sustained opacity to ride the â€Å"Olympic wave† (Taylor 2012). The reasons for this dramatic increase in tourism are a direct result of the second broad area of change experienced by Barcelona as a result of the games.Throughout the games and opening and closing ceremonies, Barcelona put on a large promotional show, highlighting the culture of Barcelona almost more so than the rest of Spain as a whole. As a result, the games â€Å"changed the way people thought of Barcelona† (Taylor 2012). Between 1 990 and 2001, the city went from being the 1 lath â€Å"Best City in Europe† to the 6th and is now rated the 12th most popular destination for rigorists in the world, twenty years after the games. More than simply presenting the culture that already existed (Steelers, flamenco, etc. , Barcelona did a bit of lying and presented a somewhat contrived culture. For example, the games were heavily sponsored by Estella Adam and Don Simon, producers of beer and sangria respectively. So, despite the fact that Barcelona is not known for its beer and that sangria is not actually popular for the locals here, the international community was presented a clear relationship between these two brands and the city. Nowadays, bars in the United States boast selections of â€Å"Sp anish beer and Anglia,† leading international tourists to equate these with the culture of Spain and Barcelona.Because so many tourists began to request these when they traveled to Barcelona, things have come full circle and many local bars now advertise their sangria and â€Å"typical Barcelona beers. † As Adam Taylor of Business Insider explains, â€Å"Nowadays we think of the Spanish city as a land of palm trees, sand, and sangria but its easy to forget that before the games in 1 992, it was a much different place† (Taylor 2012). In fact, none of the palm trees in Barcelona are native to the city – most of them were planted in the six ears between the announcement of Barcelona as the host city and the actual games.One final cultural development of note, the Olympics helped transform Spain into a â€Å"sporting juggernaut,† with world-class athletes in soccer, basketball, cycling, and tennis. Many assert this is a direct result of investment in sp orting facilities and training before and after the Olympics (Barr 2012). As Spanish sportswriter Juan Jose Paradise explains, â€Å"the Barcelona Olympics put the Spanish flair for sport and drama on international display† (Barr 2012).Nowadays, the names Real Madrid and FCC Barcelona re synonymous with prestige and glory in a way that could not have been imagined before the games. This interest in sport has translated at an interpersonal level as well. According to the International Olympic Committee, the increase in the proportion of the population doing some kind of physical activity at least once a week increased from 36% in 1 983 to 51% in 1 995 and women's participation in organized sports increased 10% nationwide during the same period (International 2013).One final area of development for Barcelona before, during, and after the Olympics is in the urban renewal that took place. Most significantly, Barcelona today is characterized strongly by its beachfront. However, th e city did not really have a beach before. Rather, the Barcelona Olympic Committee created two miles of beachfront and a modern marina by demolishing industrial buildings on the waterfront before the games (Taylor 2012). For the city, the Olympics represented a significant effort to restructure.