Why Does Population Density Varies So Much Within The UK?

Population Density is affected by many factors such as the relief, the climate, the vegetation, the soil, the natural resources and water supply.In the UK, population density varies so much as for example, London has a high population density because it has a great relief which includes flat land which will be easy to build infrastructures but Scotland has a poor relief as it has mountains and hills which means it will be difficult to build infrastructures so therefore, less people will want to vive there since there is a sparse amount of infrastructures like hospitals, roads, shops and schools so traveling to these destinations will be long.Factors like economic and social factors also affect the I-J as the economic factor can provide people transport, industrial areas, offices and ports. London has more Jobs than Scotland as it has more tertiary Jobs than primary Jobs which are paid more so this will populate London more as more people will come to London for Jobs.The social actor will attract more people to populate but Scotland has less health care, houses, entertainment, education and tourist attractions than London so therefore, people will want to go to places that contain these as they don't want to be bored. The vegetation factor populates Scotland as there are large grass areas, trees and fallow land which attracts people who like to live In grassy areas with clean air but London doesn't have a lot of vegetation as It Is more urban than Scotland.

Absolute and Comparative Advantage Essay

An individual, a firm, a region, or a county may develop an area of specialization naturally, but frequently choices must be made to determine what to produce for exchange or trade. Producers should concentrate on the activity in which the)- have an absolute advantage. An absolute advantage is the ability to product a good or service using fewer resources than other producers use. In the United States, this situation occurs when one region of a country is more suited than another for producing certain pro ¬ducts. Florida can grow oranges using fewer resources than Iowa, where heated green ¬houses would be necessary. Iowa has vast, flat acreage and can produce corn much more efficiently than could Florida. Thus, Florida specializes in oranges while Iowa concentrates on com. and the products are exchanged through the marketplace. When each of two parties has an absolute advantage over the other in producing a particular good or service, it is easy for both to decide their areas of specialization. But what happens when one party’ can produce both goods and services more effi ¬ciently than a second party? Should the party with the absolute advantage produce both products for itself? Although this party has the advantage in producing cither good, it should specialize in producing the good in which it has a comparative advantage. Comparative advantage is the ability to produce a good or service at a lower opportunity cost than other producers facc. 1’his means lerting the other party produce the good in which it has the lower opportunity cost. Total output will be greater, and exchange will allow both parties to have both goods. Suppose a woman can make $100 per hour as a marketing consultant. Part of her work includes preparing reports for her clients. Suppose that in addition to being a first-class consultant, she is more efficient at word processing than anyone she might hire to key the reports. Thus, she might be able to key in one hour what it takes an assistant two hours to do. As a result, she reasons that, instead of hiring an assistant to do the work, she should do it herself. Is she right to do her own keying as well as consulting? If she docs her own keying, she still must take an hour each day from her consulting to do so. The opportunity cost of keying is the S100 she could have earned consulting. The opportunity cost of consulting is the S20 she must pay an assistant to key the reports. Therefore, if she hires an assistant, she can devote her hill time or consulting. I led gross earnings will be $ 100 greater per day. After paying the assistant $20 for two hours work, she will still have additional net income of $80 per day. Thus, the marketing consultant is bcucr-off specializing full time in the service for which she has the greater comparative advantage.

Character Analysis of Roderigo in Othello Essay -- Othello Essays

The play begins with a conversation between Roderigo and Iago. The opening lines are significant in that they set the tone and initiate the plot. Roderigo’s thematic purpose is portrayed through Iago’s manipulation in the lines, â€Å"Tush, never tell me! I take it much unkindly/ That thou, Iago, who hast had my purse/ As if the strings were thine shouldst know of this.† (1.1.1-3). Roderigo learns about the elopement of the Moor and Desdemona. He questions Iago in pursuit of the money he has given him in order to woo Desdemona. These lines show that even before the play begins Iago greatly influences Roderigo. The relationship and trust the two characters have is made apparent through the first lines. Iago takes enjoyment in influencing people, as seen through his first soliloquy: Thus do I ever make my fool my purse; For I mine own gain’d knowledge should profane If I would time expend with such a snipe But for my sport and profit. (1.3.374-377). Iago states that the only reason he spends time with Roderigo is for his own wealth and pleasure. His plan is to continue giving Roderigo unfulfilled promises. Iago continues to manipulate Roderigo. He convinces him that Desdemona will soon grow tired of Othello and begin to search for a younger, handsome man to fulfill her desires. Continuing to build on Rod sake of his reputation, Iago persuades Roderigo to kill Cassio. In doing so, Roderigo only injures the lieutenant. Iago sees his plan collapsing and rushes in to kill Roderigo. Betrayed by his friend, Roderigo died in pursuit of Desdemona’s love. As a minor character, Roderigo has a significant impact on several themes such as manipulation, jealousy and betrayal. Throughout Shakespeare’s drama, Roderigo is manipulated into performing tasks in which Iago does not want to take part in. Roderigo’s jealousy towards Othello increases as the play progresses. His endless love for Desdemona leads him to his tragic death where he has be betrayed by a person in which he once called his friend. At a first glance, a minor character may appear to have an insignificant role, but upon observing them in detail, their role can be much more significant that first perceived.

Gender sociology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Gender sociology - Essay Example Majority of the researches that investigated the behavioral aspect of gender stereotypes had used extent of perceptual prejudice as an indicator of support for media censorship. Even though using the extent of perceptual prejudice as indicator of advocacy for media censorship has a number of empirical support, its fundamental theory appears doubtful since it falls short in distinguishing between those who view pornography to have great impact on themselves and on other people, and those who view pornography to have lesser impact on themselves and on other people (ibid). Feminist have even before been critical of liberalism. Even though the emphasis of such disapproval are diverse, ranging from allegations of male prejudice in the grounding framework of the person to perceptual blindness over the qualities of people’s lives, such as enslavement relations, in which issues of equality emerge, they share in the argument that open-minded political standards conceptually abandon issues of gender equality. Wide-ranging liberalism, nevertheless, discovered a number of feminist partners, who argue that liberal ideas of independence echo the heart of feminist values. A substantial deal of research has investigated the substance and influence of conventional types of pornography in the previous decades. Findings of researches conducted beforehand on pornography implies that pornographic materials portray women consistently as sexual objects or sexual products who take pleasure on suffering or disgrace (Dworkin, 1989). Women are also shown in circumstances that are shameful, corrupting, and unbecoming (Dobson, 1997). In a qualitative research, Jensen and Dines (1998, pp. 90-98) discovered the following aspects essential to the embodiment of sexuality in pornography: hierarchy or the imbalance in power was devastating, regularly situating women at the bottom of the hierarchy;

International Trade Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

International Trade - Research Paper Example To properly project the significance of international trade, this essay therefore has three goals: 1) to examine the aims and rationale of international trade through the examples of China and India, and lastly, 2) to compare the effects of international trade on developed and developing countries. Developed and developing countries, however, have different goals for engaging in international trade. The former, in the negative sense, aims to further their own advantage or, positively, to help the economic struggles of the latter. For their part, developing countries aim to achieve the same level of development and prosperity as the developed ones. A change from status—developing to newly developed—may also change such trade goals. Generally though, trading is for survival or for the maintenance of countries’ economies. Countries exchange goods based on resources that are abundant in one and resources that are scarce in the other. This has also been called by David Ricardo as â€Å"comparative advantage† and is one of the rationales for the existence of trade. Nation-states export goods that are produced in large quantities within the national economy, while they import goods that are either scarce or produced in small quantities in domestic markets (Husted & Melvin, 2000, pp.60-61). Regardless of the nation’s capacity, â€Å"profitability of production† is still achievable so long as there is a "comparative advantage." Although absolute advantages in the goods they produce may be absent, all economies that are operated by competitive markets have comparative advantages. Ricardo further proposes that â€Å"no country can long import, unless it also exports, or can long export unless it also imports" (as cited in Blatt, 2004). He confirms that there are benefits to be had in the import-export of goods between and among trading nations. Hence, engaging in both is â€Å"equally essential† so as to

Why 16 year olds should not get their driver license Essay

Why 16 year olds should not get their driver license - Essay Example Given the current statistics on accidents related to teen driving, there are reasonable grounds to believe that the issuance of driving licenses to teenagers needs to be reviewed. A sixteen year old is still not an adult and is not able to make critical decisions when required to do so. There are several reasons to support the fact that a sixteen year old should not be issued with a driving license as discussed below. For a good driver, anticipation is very vital in making correct judgments on the road while driving. A driver needs to look beyond his/her bonnet in order to drive according to the surrounding and be able to make quick decisions in accordance with the prevailing factors around him/her. A teenager of 16 years cannot quickly comprehend the happenings around him/her and will not look beyond the bonnet while driving. The fact that they cannot react quickly to any changes around them that can potentially be risky makes them very vulnerable to accidents and, therefore, not fit to hold driving licenses. Teenagers like taking unnecessary risks in almost everything that they do. A good example is in video games, where after playing street race games, they will normally want to do the same practically on the road. For a sixteen year old kid with a driving license, imitating video games will lead to overspending. One fact about driving at very high speeds is that getting to control the vehicle becomes a big challenge. According to recent reports, most deaths of teenagers between the age of 15 and 18 are caused by crashes that are, as a result, of overspending. Most teenagers at sixteen years cannot make out the difference in the working principles of a vehicle and what they play on video games. Mastering the rules of the highway may also be a problem for most teens at sixteen years. Consequently, this may lead to accidents that may cost lives. Most teenagers are fans to loud music and other channels of entertainment. They are characterized

Drug Store Drugstore and Pharmacy History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Drug Store Drugstore and Pharmacy History - Essay Example One such elixir was labeled â€Å"Soothing Baby Syrup† designed to be a deterrent for the crying baby (Drugstore Museum, 2004). This formula actually met up with its promises, however the baby would become addicted to opium which was the main ingredient. The most significant problem with patent medicine is that the individuals developing and marketing these products usually maintained no solid educational or research credentials. Instead, independent entrepreneurs would establish unsupervised â€Å"compounding† facilities, where development of these elixirs and formulas would occur. These medicines were then advertised in many magazines, retail stores and sales catalogs. Even Wards and Sears devoted a great deal of catalog space for the sale of these products which brought both firms considerable profit from interested buyers. In fact, the 1900 census indicated that consumers all over the country spent a combined $59 million on patent medicines (eNotes, 2012). Comparatively, in today’s economy, this would represent expenditures of approximately 1.5 billion dollars (Friedman, 2010). Clearly, patent medicine was very big business both for the seller and the various retailers distributing these products. Right around 1905, many journalists began to publicize the potential health risks of patent medicines in order to inform the public. This was a very courageous activity since there were many people in society that not only trusted in these products, but also had much profit potential at risk because of this negative publicity. At the same time, major respected retailers were making significant sales revenues on patent medicine and had much power in society. However, these journalists worked as the catalyst for establishing the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906 which established regulations in labeling of patent medicines to prevent fraud or inaccurate promises that could not be justified through the

Need for communication in the international sports events Essay

Need for communication in the international sports events - Essay Example The project seeks to present the ways in which communication can be used effectively in the 2012 Olympic Games. As it is one of most awaited and popular events the world would wait eagerly for, it is crucial that a solid communication foundation is created and implemented for connecting the global audience and employees associated with it together. The game is likely to employ numerous temporary staff from all over the world to give effect to the big international event. Thus it is crucial that these staffs are united together through an effective communication system. It is also important that technology is applied for the purpose for enhancing and improving the efficiency of the system. The project presents certain communication strategies which might be employed in the 2012 Olympic Games and their contribution to the overall success of the game. Need for communication in the international sports events The international sports events, such as the Olympics require extensive coordination of activities of its employees. Olympics games employ numerous temporary staff, volunteers from different nations. This requires the implementation of a concrete communication infrastructure to collaborate workings and activities. Moreover it must also be ensured that there are not hurdles or hindrances in the communication process in the system. Also the greatest challenge in such international events is that they employ a huge number of employees.... Thus it is crucial that these staffs are united together through an effective communication system. It is also important that technology is applied for the purpose for enhancing and improving the efficiency of the system. The project presents certain communication strategies which might be employed in the 2012 Olympic Games and their contribution to the overall success of the game. Need for communication in the international sports events The international sports events, such as the Olympics require extensive coordination of activities of its employees. Olympics games employ numerous temporary staff, volunteers from different nations. This requires the implementation of a concrete communication infrastructure to collaborate workings and activities. Moreover it must also be ensured that there are not hurdles or hindrances in the communication process in the system. Also the greatest challenge in such international events is that they employ a huge number of employees. Managing the num erous numbers of people is likely to be problematic and create commotion. In such a condition it is crucial for the organization to employ a systematic and hurdle free communication strategy for smooth communication between the numerous employees employed in the system. The aim of an integrated and specialized communication system is to provide opportunities for the employees for exchanging information with one another in as minimum time as possible. This would consequently eliminate chances of miscommunication in the system which would consequently reduce chances of errors and complications too. Moreover errors leading to extra costs and investments could also be eliminated completely. In this regard, the

Us History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Us History - Essay Example ritish forces had won the war but the repercussions of war were never good for the Americans as Sugar Act and various other steps were taken to crush the American natives. Thomas Paine had published pamphlets to stimulate revolt against the British rule due to ongoing situation and in response to the pamphlet Charles Inglis wrote arguments in favor of reconciliation with the Britain. â€Å"Declaring independence by the American was not favorable due to insufficiency of resources and it came up with many challenges. So in short term, reconciliation was the remaining workable option.† According to Charles Inglis (1776), after attainment of independence by the America would create huge economic challenges that it would not be able to meet without British support. Britain would support the American trade because of its widely developed naval force and seamen otherwise American trading ships would be at risk. Reconciliation would also bring peace that could result in demolishing war tax and promotion of trade. Many human lives had been lost and further turmoil would endanger several lives as well, hence peace could serve as the only possible solution (Oakes). During 1760s Jefferson, Hamilton, Paine and many other revolutionists were of view that independence from British rule could give due rights to common people and would cultivate egalitarianism. However Inglis was of view that turmoil and use of force would only be accelerated because of declaration of independence and unrest would never end the claims to vanish slavery. Further it would disunite the people of America and progress would be hindered while distribution of wealth would remain the same as it were in the British rule. Post revolution time revealed the fact that wealth distribution had not been changed as it was claimed by the revolutionists (Lecture Note: Post Revolution). Inglis was also of view that proved right with the passage of time that none of the European nation would like to trade with

Judicial Review- public law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Judicial Review- public law - Essay Example In the Prolife case the appellate court considered the extent to which a broadcaster could curtail a PEB or Party Election Broadcast. In that particular case the BBC had conceded that it was a public authority, in a narrow sense for the specific purpose of the appeal in the House of Lords. However, it did not accept this classification in a wider context (R (ProLife Alliance) v BBC , 2004 ). The House of Lords, in their judicial review of this contention, held that the BBC had been justified in refusing to broadcast the election manifesto of an anti – abortion party, deeming its manner of presentation to be in bad taste. This decision accorded greater deference to the BBC than to a court, which was subordinate to it (Tugendhat & Christie, 2006). This issue of deference invited a significant amount of disagreement after the enactment of the Human Rights Act. Some authorities have contended that the judiciary should take cognizance of the following, while deferring to the other branches of the government. The degree to which political, economic or social issues are involved; the degree to which courts have the necessary proficiency in the matter under consideration; the nature of the rights and the extent to which these rights are afforded protection by the constitution. The manner, in which the judiciary has set about deference under the Human Rights Act, indicates the extant legal traditions. In addition, it elaborates upon the well established administrative law tenets, which state that the judiciary should abstain from supplanting the decision maker’s judgment with its own ruling. The courts are required to apply, the principle of Wednesbury irrationality, which does not require a repetition of the detailed judicial hearing into the facts of the case. Moreover, this situation is exacerbated by the inadequate constitutional law principles (Reported Decisions of

Ace Hardware Store Entering Bahrain Market Essay Example for Free

Ace Hardware Store Entering Bahrain Market Essay We have endeavoured to emphasize on the suggested strategies which will allow Ace Hardware to consider venturing into the Bahraini market. Therefore with the information provided and composed, we have the opportunity to examine comments of Ace Hardware which allows us to highlight key issues faced. Organisations need to recognize and meet demands of the exterior factors which include threats and opportunities to uphold their competitiveness in the market. Henceforth, the intention of this report is to essentially investigate and assess the outlook of Ace Hardware Corporation in relation to expansion and growth in the Bahraini market. . 0 Introduction Bahrain is one of the unique countries in the Middle East. It alone has a stable economic climate and welcomes foreign investment with a highly business friendly culture thus making it an efficient country to start business. Introducing Ace Hardware to the Bahraini market because of a numerous aspects such as retaining 100% foreign ownership and low taxation, provides a free, open and transparent environment that fosters growth, legal system protects companies’ righ ts, while their free market environment allows businesses to thrive. . 0 Industry Business Description The ACE Hardware Corporation is a well-known wholesaler of hardware and home-related products; the organisation offerings include safety equipment, plumbing products, outdoor living products, pet supplies, door handles, electrical tools, lawn and garden accessories, furniture, home appliances and many more. ACE has been affianced in the wholesale hardware business and has offered dealerships to retailers of hardware and associated items since the company in Illinois commenced incorporating in 1927. Today, ACE is the largest retailer-owned obliging and vibrant leader in the convenience division of the hardware business in terms of wholesale and retail sales and strength of the brand. 3. 0 Company description According to (Irwin, 2012), Ace Hardware ranks highest in satisfying home improvement retail store customers for a sixth consecutive year according to the J. D. Power of Associates Home improvement Retail satisfaction Study of 2012. This measured customer satisfaction with home improvement retail stores, based on the performance of five factors: merchandise, price, sales staff, sales amp; promotions and store facility. The organisation emphasizes on service and modern retailing techniques and has helped locally owned operated ACE retail stores confront intense competition from Home Depot and Lowe’s. In addition, it provides numerous value-added services such as marketing, advertising, merchandising and design services to its retail members. ACE’s 4,600 stores in all 50 states and more than 60 countries generate annual retail sales of approximately $12 billion (ACE Hardware Corporation, 2012). 3. 1 Type of business Retail Sales ACE’s 4,600 stores in all 50 states and more than 60 countries generate annual retail sales of approximately $12 billion (Ace Hardware Corporation, 2012). Dubai, Shanghai, Canada etc. Applying a Teradata warehouse permitted 2,500 Ace Hardware retail stores to transmit daily a point of sale (POS) transaction detail. According to (Murphy, 2007), â€Å"Teradata is the world leader in data warehousing solutions with a proven track record in retail, as we discovered when we sought vendor references. That experience, including customer relationship management, category management and business intelligence, made Teradata the right choice for Ace Hardware. † Basically, Ace relies on active warehouse data from Teradata, which has delivered a single repository for retail and wholesale sales, purchasing, customer information, financial data and inventory to essentially support large varied workloads. Wholesale In addition to its 14 retail support centres in the United States and freight forwarding operations on the West Coast and East Coast, ACE features three international distribution centres in Dubai, Shanghai and Panama. The international distribution centres provide: 1. Easier access to core stock of leading brand products and certified ACE products through their global supply warehouse 2. Online ordering systems 3. In-market fully operational support offices. â€Å"It is very useful to have Ace as a partner for this type of market. It is nice to be able to replenish your inventory on a weekly basis, which makes it easier to control. Our goal is to be a one stop shop for everything in your home, and we can do that with Ace. The people in the community can buy the Ace brand with confidence because it’s proven to be a good quality product. Jorge Ossa  Commercial Manager, Cemaco – Guatemala (ACE Hardware Corporation, 2012). ACE has established an accurate and demonstrated operating model for effective and efficient distribution allowing ACE Hardware retailers the wholesale benefit they require to be successful and profitable. Below are the some of the wholesale advantages available for ACE Hardware store owners:- * Lowest cost of goods * Named #1 Distributor according to Home Channel News in 2009, 2010 and 2011. (Home Channel News, August 2011) * #1 in wholesale sales at $3. 5 billion (Hardware Retailing, December 2010 ) * The combined buying power of over 4,100 locations To support the growing number of international ACE retailers and leverage international wholesale opportunities, ACE opened the Ace Global Distribution (ASG) warehouse in Shanghai, China 2006 (ACE Hardware, 2012). 3. 2 Legal Structure Each Ace Hardware store is individually owned and operated by local entrepreneurs – hard-working, passionate business owners who are involved with and, many times, exist in the communities where their stores are based (Ace Hardware Corporation, 2012). . 3 History ACE Hardware organisation was founded when Richard Hesse, Frank Burke, Oscar Fisher, E. Gunnard Linquist, William Stauber unified to form a purchasing and advertising enterprise among their Chicago- area hardware stores. Moreover, their combined buying power allowed the store owners to negotiate lower prices on merchandise acquired from wholesalers. Therefore, embracing the ACE name in 1927 and incorporated the succeeding year. Frank Burke served as president of the group and was succeeded by Richard Hesse in 1930. Over the next two years the firm progressed into a hardware organisation, obtaining directly from producers and storing merchandise in its own warehouse in Chicago. This strategy allowed ACE to further reduce costs by removing ‘middlemen’ wholesalers (Anonymous, 2012). Moreover, during its first half-century of operation, ACE was basically a conformist wholesale group, and its profits were distributed equally among shareholders. The company’s low-cost purchasing and distribution procedures quickly enticed new employees and franchisees. By the mid – 1930’s, the organisation had 41 members and sales of more than $650,000. Throughout history, ACE has accomplished to solidify their position as one of the strongest and leading competitors in the hardware industry. 3. 3. 1 Mission The mission of the ACE team is to ensure that their customers are satisfied. According to (Anonymous, 2012), â€Å"When something goes other than the way it was planned, we do everything in our power to make it right. You have the ACE promise on that†. In relation to corporate social responsibility (CSR), ACE Hardware has partnered with the CMN hospitals to give back to communities. The ACE Foundation has raised over $50 million since 1991 to help sick and needy children through partnerships with Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) hospitals. ACE also supports the American Red Cross Natural Disaster Relief Fund through donations of work gloves, shovels, mops, bottled water and more (ACE Hardware Corporation, 2012). Once again, ACE is proud to serve as a sponsor of the Champions program. The retail stores and ACE foundation organise a myriad of fundraising initiatives, many of which our generous customers are welcome to get involved. Furthermore, these fun and unique experiences raise much-needed funds that essentially result in the power to change lives and treat sick children at the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals around the United States. Miracle Jeans Weeks is a program where employees throughout the company wear jeans during the company’s five designated Miracle Jeans Weeks each year. Furthermore, with a cost of $1 per day and almost 900 people on campus, it’s never in doubt that thousands of dollars are raised yearly from this enterprise. 3. 3. 2 Goals amp; Objectives One of ACE’s goals is customer satisfaction as they value their customers. â€Å"We know our customers want to be spoken to in a more personal manner, rather than in a blast† says Rich Neal who is ACE’s one-to-one manager. â€Å"So we have robust analytics team, and follow-up purchases with thank-you emails and direct mail, broken down into eight categories, including grilling and lawn and garden† (Mahoney, 2011). Therefore, for ACE Hardware customer satisfaction isn’t just an idea, it’s basically the entire purpose. According to (Marketing charts staff, 2011), J. D Power and Associates (2011) U. S Home Improvement Retailer Satisfaction Study, Ace Hardware ranks highest in satisfying home improvement retail store consumers, accomplishing a score of 786 on a 1,000-point scale, for the fifth consecutive year.. The study, now in its fifth year, measures customer satisfaction with home improvement retail stores which is built on the overall performance on five aspects: staff and service; store facility (including merchandise and cleanliness); merchandise (product information details); price; sales and promotions. 3. 4 Company Structure Aces Board of Directors establishes guidelines for Ace management. There are between nine to 12 director positions. Ray Griffith assumes the role of president and CEO and David Ziegler as the chairman of the board. 4. 0 Ace Product analysis: Ace hardware store offers an extensive range of more than 30,000 quality household products from kitchen mops to garden furniture and camping equipment. Ace’s product range consists of the everyday items such as sponges and shower curtains as well as occasional purchases such as wall paints and lawnmowers. Ace’s Products are categorized into: Outdoor Lifestyle: Ace has a wide range of outdoor lifestyle products to suit distinct tastes and needs -Outdoor furniture -Camping -Barbeque -Pools and spas -Outdoor constructions Gardening: a stimulating selection to meet outdoor gardening needs. -Gardening tools -Seeds -Indoor/outdoor plants -Pots and vases -Watering -Fertilizers and chemicals -Landscaping -Fencing and edging -Water features -Garden decor -Garden lighting -Shades and turf DIY: With the widest product range, competitive prices and informed staff, ACE is the choice for D. I. Y. enthusiasts. All ACE stores offer a wide selection of Tools, components and essentials for DIY as well as the biggest range of world renowned brands in power tools. ACE also provides free advice and solutions on any hardware or D. I. Y problem as well as free repairs on power tools under warranty. -Power tools -Hand tools -Hardware -Fastenings and fixings -Tool Storage -Timber -Electrical -Security Equipment -Safety Automotive: Ace has a wide range of quality automotive products. From accessories, cleaning and car care products, sunshades, 4X4 accessories and emergency kits to enhance the looks and performance of your vehicle. 44 adventure -Car Cleaning and Maintenance -Car Interior -Emergency and Safety Painting and Decorating: Ace offers more than 16,000 colors of paints; customers also can mix their own colors to come up with their ideal paint pallet. Ace provides all the necessities needed to complete the process of decorating homes. -Paints -Paint Equipment -Adhesive and fillers -Wall coveri ng -Arts, crafts and hobbies Home ware: ACE home ware has a complete range of lifestyle accessories all under one roof. -Cleaning, Laundry -Storage, Packaging -Living -Bed and Bath -Kitchen -Electrical -Wellness Pet Care: ACE offers a range of pet supplies and related pet products and accessories catering to dogs, cats, birds and fish. Ranges vary from pet food, toys and other essential pet care accessories. Services: Rental service: The Ace Rental Place offers a wide variety of equipment for rent on a daily, weekly or even monthly basis, great for items required for few usages or simply to try them out before deciding on the purchase. All rental items are well maintained with expert customer service. Customers can rent the following items:- †¢4 Burner Gas Barbeque †¢Upholstery/Carpet Cleaner †¢Generator †¢High Pressure Cleaner †¢Port-a-cool Ladder 16ft Multi-master In store services: -Assembly Installation/key cutting -Automotive chip key cutting- Pipe Cutting and Threading -Blade sharpening Screen Repair -Computerized paint – color matching- Small Engine Repair -Delivery- Special Order Services -Glass and acrylic sheet cutting -Glass repair -In store lock servicing 4. 1 Customer profile/demand analysis: Aces vast range of products and services encourages a diverse range of customers with different needs and wants. Hardware stores in general often prioritize their target market as home owners as the products they offer are mostly for household use. Ace is more than just a hardware store that just sells tools for men, it’s a superstore that attracts both men and women who are making decisions in the appearance and upholding of their homes. Loyal customers As part of a customer retention strategy the Ace marketers have focused their attention on customer insights, by creating a card-based loyalty club – the Helpful Hardware Club (HHC) customers at the store can sign up to the program making them eligible purchase discounts and special offers. Ace targeted the Lifestyle segment to boost their retention program causing evenues to rise 5. 4 percent as lapsed customers were enticed by discounts to return to their local Ace stores. (Nielsen 2009) Aces product portfolio also consists of outdoor leisure activities targeting consumers that are not necessarily home owners or prime decision maker with the household. Products for occasions such as camping or barbequing target a segment of active leisure consumers. This segment broadens ACEs target market outside home owners. The demand is not only in home improvement products but also in the items needed to care for them. This demand has forced manufacturers to introduce a large range of new cleaning products which targets upscale shoppers who desire convenience and a more natural, non-toxic product. Current market Bahrain is regionally known for its cosmopolitan lifestyle suggesting sophisticated consumers, with their relatively high purchasing power these consumers have a high willingness to spend especially on premium products and brands. 4. 2 Competitive situation: (Ellen 2010) Ace Hardware Corp the largest retailer-owned cooperative in the hardware industry by sales and the second largest dealer-owned cooperative in the United States. Ace’s innovation is what led them to establish the strong position they hold today. With over 4,000 stores in 60 different countries ACE hardware were ranked 8th in franchise directs top 100 global franchise’s (Francise Direct 2012). Ace hardware store faces intense competition within the United States. The US home center, hardware store and home improvement retail industry includes about 23,000 hardware stores and home centers with combined annual revenue of about $150 billion. The home center segment of the industry is highly concentrated: the top four companies account for more than 90 percent of segment revenue (Hoovers 2012) The success of individual companies depends highly on competing low-cost purchasing, effective merchandising, and competitive pricing. The top three competitors of ACE are:- †¢Lowe’s Companies Inc. †¢The Home Depot Inc. †¢Do it Best Corp Despite the intense competition in their domestic market, ACE has an opportunity in Bahrain as the Hardware store industry is not as well developed leaving space for entry in to the market. However, there will of course still be some Potential Competitors in Bahrain that Ace will have to face:- Ace’s direct competitor in Bahrain will be Manazel Hardware store; Manazel first opened its doors in October 1995 at Salmabad, Bahrain. It is a family owned business based in Bahrain. Carrying more than 50,000 products ranging in over 20 categories, some of which include: Furniture, Home ware, Hardware, Bathroom ;amp; Plumbing accessories, paint and Sundries, Outdoor Living, Garden Furniture and Accessories. Their Materials are sourced from all around the world to provide everything for your home and garden. Manazel 2012) Ace could initially face challenges competing with Manazel due to it being a locally based company, depending on the loyalty of their consumers it could be difficult in convincing them to switch to ACE. Ace has the advantage of being a well-established global brand and with the high rate of expatriates in Bahrain they may naturally prefer to switch to a m ore recognized brand. Ace will also face competition amongst the small local hardware and tool stores. These stores are popular amongst price sensitive customers. 5. 0 Environmental factors 5. 1 Host Country Business Climate: Bahrain offers very distinctive traits in the Middle East. It enjoys a stable economy climate and competitive costs. It has an amazingly business friendly climate which is an attraction for ACE and other companies to do business in this country, it has an excellent regulatory framework, and supportive government policy (Najjar 2011) The Host country for ACE Hardware is Bahrain, Bahrain is an Arab country with a total land Area of 712 square kilometres, a population of about 1,234,571 (end of 2012), out of which 666,172 are locals, according to the central bank of Bahrain. The main towns in Bahrain are Manama and Musharraq, the climate is mainly very hot and humid, language is mainly Arabic, but English is widely spoken. The metric systems used include 1dhara=48. 26 cm, 1 rafa=254 kg, the currency is the Bahraini Dinar (BD) = 2. 65 USD, the Time is 3 hours ahead GMT (Bahrain: Basic Data 2012). Bahrain is an Arab country and has the monarchy system, the ruler, king Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa is expected to be secure for some ime to come; the Al-Khalifa family has control over most of the executive branches of government and legislature remaining weak. There will however always be primary tension over economic and financial inequalities, with the halting pace of political liberalisation of sectarian discrimination. Real GDP growth for Bahrain was expected to slow down to 3. 1% in 2009, as mainly international demand for Bahrain exports is weakening, but was expected to recover to 3. % in 2010 (Bahrain economy, 2009), and is expected to rise up to 4-5% in 2 012 due to increases in crude oil production, manufacturing and government spending according to the Economic Development Board (EDB) (Andy 2012). Bahrain’s business climate in 2007 attracted almost $1 billion worth of investments in new projects in 2007 as reported by Dr Hassan Fakhro minister of Industry and Commerce, He also went ahead to mention that new investments in the new projects were worth 373. 3m Bahraini currency, which is about $987. 6 million and these new projects also created about 13, 536 jobs in the country (Middle East Financial News 2008). Oil production output from Bahrain’s single aground field is in decline however, and the monarchy government is aware of the country’s vulnerability to changes in oil prices globally, with oil being the major source of government revenue for the country accounting to more than 70% of the economy. The economy of the country also relies heavily on goodwill received from Saudi Arabia, which runs a large offshore oil field whose production it shares with Bahrain. All these limited resources has made Bahraini government to have the strategy of diversification in order to prosper, increase the role of the private sector and provide a welcoming environment for foreign investment. FIGURE 1. 0: BAHRAINI GDP 2001-2012 BAHRAINGDP GROWTH 2001-2012 200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012 4. 6%5. 2%7. 2%5. 6%7. 9%6. 7%8. 4%6. 3%3. 1%4. 5%1. 8%2% SOURCE: global finance: Bahrain Country Report 5. 2 SWOT ANALYSIS: Strengths; ACE hardware is a strong brand both across the USA and the world stage, with more and more expansion into the global markets into several countries across all the continents of the world. ACE has the resources and ability to pursue growth in multiple directions, with the ACE leadership team making a smart decision of focusing on their paint production, which has made them gain a huge customer base and customer loyalty (Bueno 2012). In 2010 ACE hardware has generated in excess of $3. 45 billion in wholesale and retailers enjoyed the added bonus of collective buying power at this volume by getting a decreased cost in goods, which has built the basic foundation for a more profitable option (ACE 2011). ACE produces many DIY products and many changes have taken place in this market over the last 85 years, ACE ownership however still remains the on top in customer satisfaction according to Business week and was ranked â€Å"highest in customer satisfaction Among home improvement stores four years in a row† (JD power and Associates) ACE hardware also enjoys major success in the market share with the help of top of the range advertisement and reduced goods cost, it has slowly established itself to be a major player in the global market for hardware products. ACE also expanding its wings to get a piece of the business boom, and with the advantage of an established brand name, it will be relatively easy to penetrate under developed markets as more businesses would want a merger with them as opposed to its rival companies. ACE is a sophisticate and established brand worldwide, and has adopted the new technologies as they come which has giving the company a competitive advantage as they are more organised and technologically more advanced, which has led to reduction in production costs for the company. The expansion of ACE into the global market has seen it gain market share, more so than their competitors such as Home Depot, Lowe’s etc. Weaknesses; ACE hardware has relatively small stores, compared to their rival companies like Lowe’s, Home Depot and Menards on selection ACE Hardware in 2008 reported a net income of $10. 8 million for the first quarter of 2008, which was a decrease as compared to 2007 when they reported $14. 1 million which was a $3. 3 million decrease. The company also reported earning s before interests and taxes of $13. million in the first quarter of 2008 as compared to $29. 2 million in the first quarter of 2007 (9) ACE hardware has encountered losses resulting from physical damage to breakdown of its computers in the European market, which has led to replace damaged computer hardware, the reinstatement of lost programs or Data and also had to increase working costs as a result of the problems (10). Opportunities Bahrain’s financial freed om ranking is 77. 7, making its economic system the Tenth freest in this years Catalog (2012). Its overall ranking is 1. 4 points higher than last year, with upgrades in trade freedom; investment freedom, work freedom, and freedom from data file crime error. Bahrain is rated 1st out of 17 nations in the Centre East/North African-American area, and its financial freedom ranking is well above the world average (Bahraini economic development Board, 2012) from the perspective of Ace this reduces business constraints giving them the freedom to commercialize their brand and reduces limitations on investment. Situated near commercial establishments in the Gulf with a causeway relationship with Saudi Arabia and the rest of the GCC, Bahrain is seen as a gateway to the Gulf, an industry of over 100 thousand individuals. Bahrains variety and openness keeps presenting opportunities for exporters. It has the most varied economic system in the Gulf Bahrain does not currently have a competitive hardware industry with only a few entrants and one major Hardware store giving ACE the flexibility to enter and the means to operate however they choose. The hardware market ACE is involved in is a highly competitive market, it takes a lot of marketing research by ACE and expensive research and new technological adaptations for the company to stay ahead of competition, couple with the reduced purchasing power of consumers due to economic downturns globally have been detrimental to business for ACE. Threats The law requires that you have a local partner who maintains most majority interest and can therefore manage the company and can close it anytime he wishes. The local partner, be it an organization or an individual, does not need to give rise to the start-up financial commitment or take part financially at all. (Bahrain, 2010). This could mean lack of security for ACE as there is the chance of being closed down with no warning or notice. The changes in labor Laws and regulations constantly by the US and other countries have been detrimental to their expansion, other domestic and international factors also have to be considered by ACE before entering into any market in any country, such as culture, corporate social responsibility obligations are all external factors that ACE has to consider. The process of opening a business in Bahrain is complicated and economically dangerous, significance that local information is essential. You must also seek advice from a good attorney from the beginning. A knowledgeable attorney will provide information to you through the signing up complications and his help will be important in defending your interests. This is applicable whether you are starting a moderate shop or a big enterprise (Bahrain 2010) The current Political unrest in Bahrain creates an unpredictable business environment. If the unrest becomes worse this could have major effects on Ace’s business activities in the region, currency fluctuations and could see reductions in the amount of expatriates present in Bahrain causing Ace to lose a large part of their target market. 5. 3 Government constraints in Bahrain Economic growth The economic growth is for Bahrain is likely to slow down in Bahrain; it went down to 3. 3% in 2010 as regional growth in the country as government finances are getting squeezed. Local consumption of private homes and offices is expected to slow sharply, with no a real positive growth in the employment sector. However government consumption growth in Bahrain is forecasted to also slow down. For ACE however the major demeaning factor of business entry into Bahrain would be the limited fiscal constraints in the country, as well as the subdued outlook for global direct investments flows. And the demand for exports and of goods and services is also forecasted to decline, ACE might have a hard time penetrating into the Bahraini market (Ace Hardware 2008). Economic policy An advantage for ACE going into the Bahraini market is the countries determination to move away from the oil sector. The government is determined to stimulate the private sector growth and foreign investments, and address high unemployment problems (Bahrain News Agency 2012) this would be an advantage to ACE as the government will give them an advantage of being accepted into the country without many business constraints. They can be assured of government support which is a large determinant of business success or failure for any business going into another country. Inflation and the exchange rate Consumer price inflation is expected to moderate in the coming years because of slower domestic demand growth. But with a relatively strong currency against the Euro and the Dollar inflation is expected to slow down an average of 1. 8% in 2009-2010. The Bahraini government is intending to enter into a currency agreement with Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar, and with the UAE, which has pulled out though, and the government and the central bank of Bahrain is expected to maintain the dinar’s value and peg it at the rate of BD0. 67=$1 that has been in place for 3 decades (Bahrain News Agency, 2012). Setting up a business in Bahrain For ACE hardware it would be good news for them to know that Bahrain is ranked first in the Economic freedom index in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, and is seventh overall globally according to the Fraser institute Report 2012. The report by Fraser classifies these countries by using themes such as governm ent volumes, legal system, and intellectual property rights security, accessibility to sound funds, freedom of international trade and organization credit, manpower and companies. All these factors are important criteria to be considered by ACE before going into business in Bahrain. 5. 4 PEST ANALYSIS Political Legal Environmental Laws Bahrain has set up a strict law on polluters as fines of up to $133,000 are issues under Bahrain’s new environmental protection law, this is the first law of it ‘s kind related to anti-pollution in the Persian Gulf state. This law covers everything from car emissions, noise and workplace pollution, as well as handling and disposing of hazardous waste materials and chemicals. This is in accordance with what ACE has to achieve to be successful in Bahrain by practicing Corporate Social responsibility (CRS) to maintain the environment in Bahrain or risk serious government and legal issues (Pittsburgh Post, 1996) Stability of the Government Bahrain has entered into an era of instability due to a combination of the Arab spring recently, longstanding local grievances, the competition of regional powers and other external forces. The solution to this problems can be dialogue between the ruling Al-Khalifa Family and all opposition parties. The crisis has however slowed down in recent times with more and more dialogue and compromises being reached between both parties (Bahrain’s Quest for Stability 2012). Economic GEP growth in Bahrain In 2004 the Bahraini GDP has been reported by the ministry of commerce to have grown by 5. 2% from the previous year, this has been largely due to increase in foreign direct investment flow (Middle East 2004) and has been growing ever since with a reported GDP of 2. 1% increase in 2012. Currency The Bahraini currency is the Dinar and at 0. 67 Dinar to a US Dollar it is one of the strongest currencies when it comes to exchange in the World. Consumer price inflation is expected to moderate in the coming years because of slower domestic demand growth. This for ACE can only mean good news as it will be a positive currency to work with and no inflation worries that have to be considered by ACE. Social Population distribution in Bahrain The Bahraini age distribution has been as of the ye ar 2010 the kingdom was 1,234,571, part of which 568,399 were locals and the other 666, 172 were non Bahrainis. This from 2001 the population was 650, 604, this is an increase of 89. %. However, the population of the locals has decreased from 2001 to 2010 reaching 46% from the previous 62% in 2001. The proportion of the population of Bahrainis in the total population during the period from 2001 to 2010 decreased, reaching 46% in 2010; while the corresponding figure in 2001 was 62%. The percentage of non-Bahrainis increased 54% in 2010 while it was 38% in 2001 (Census, 2010). This shows an increased number of expats coming into the country which will mean for ACE that products should not only be made to suit the local citizens but the majority foreigners, which means overall business strategy has to change. Religion and Language: The official language in Bahrain is Arabic; however English is widely spoken mainly in business meetings and other social interactions. The non-Bahraini in the country mainly speak Farsi an Iranian language, or Urdu which is a Pakistani language. The main religion in Bahrain is Islam, which is the 2nd largest religion in the world, Muslims in fast for a month every year in the month of Ramadan. The Bahrainis though make use of both the Islamic and western calendar but mainly use the western calendar for business operations. Business meeting etiquette Appointments are necessary, morning meetings are preferred. However meetings are not advised during the months of August and July because most Bahrainis travel out the country when the heat is at its worst. , they are quite time conscious, so arrive at meetings on time. Personal topics should generally be avoided unless the relationship has developed or there is need to discuss matters confidentially. Bahrainis usually have an open door policy, so meetings do get interruptions. Business meetings also start after a long talk about health, family etc. Business Negotiation Etiquette The building of trust is important since trust is required in order to conduct business. Bahrainis are very time conscious and time driven, the actual meeting is more important than the timeliness or outcome. Bahraini organizations are hierarchal, the highest ranking employee or worker reaches decision. Decisions are top down and lower level employees usually have no say. Decisions take a lot of time; if you try to rush it will be perceived as rude and disrespectful. Technological The economic system in Bahrain relies upon intensely on innovative petrochemical technology, and many Bahrainis have had or are getting specialized training at several universities all over the country. Technology is just coming up in Bahrain with many projects being undertaken in recent times, but perhaps the most important is the Bahrain Green Tech EXPO which is dedicated to the green consumer products. Due to the high demand for environmental protection globally, Bahrain has taken this as the only business to business trade show focused specifically on ECO friendly consumer products. 6. 0 Business Strategies 6. 1 Product /service positioning Positioning is what the customer believes about your product’s value, feature, and benefits, it is a comparison to the other available alternatives offered by the competition (Jackson, 2012). Some basic strategies include:- By attribute or benefit This is the most frequently used strategy in positioning. In this case, Ace hardware’s products are mostly house used products, and the benefits they can give to the customers are the after service, and the quality. The after service they give is mostly repairing, assembling and delivery. Level of service and quality of a product offering are the main influences of developing a strong brand image. By user Customers often choose brands that identify with their own self-image. Ace should position itself to suit the image of the end user. Therefore ace should focus on the wants and needs of their target audience and how they perceive themselves and the brand. By competitor Competition wouldnt be much of an issue for Ace since they would be entering a market that is not fully developed in Bahrain with few competitors. But they should remain aware of new entrants which are always a possibility and they need to be aware of the changes that may occur. By price or quality Price and quality are directly related in minds of consumers, People are willing to pay premium prices for premium brands that are have high quality. It is very important for Ace to identify where they want to be placed on the pricing matrix shown in figure 1. Ace product offerings vary in brands therefore prices will also vary depending on brand and quality. 6. 2 Pricing strategy Because of Ace’s diverse product range of brands they would need to use more than one pricing strategy. Using the pricing matrix above ace could use this as a guidance to set appropriate pricing strategies. Premium Pricing: One pricing strategy suitable for Aces different brands is premium pricing. Certain brands offered by Ace are luxurious brands with high quality and high price. It is clear on the matrix for these products Ace should use premium pricing which allocates high prices to those brands Economy Pricing: Ace also offers products at more affordable prices however they may have lower quality then premium brands. These types of products attracts customers that are not willing to spend excess amounts of money and would rather spend less for less quality Competitive Pricing: ACE could also use competitive pricing strategy to set benchmarks on their own prices. This strategy is most effective when there are limited competitors in the market which is the case for ACE and Manazel. Ace has a clear advantage over Manazel as it is a globally established company enabling them to set their prices slightly higher than Manazels. Estimated Selling Price: The estimated selling price for ACE hardware products in Bahrain would have to be set under consideration of several factors, such as the GDP of the country, the purchasing power of the country, the competitor prices and the strength of the Bahraini currency The GDP is the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation over a period of a given year. The Gross domestic products (GDP) of Bahrain is the lowest in the Middle East with a reported $32 billion in 2011, however when it comes to consumer purchasing power of Bahrain, it is ranked fifth in the Middle East with a reported $27,900 in 2011. ACE can base it’s pricing on this and compare to its most similar market which is the UAE which is ranked second on the purchasing power list in the Middle East with $48,800 in 2011 (Index mundi, 2012) The Bahraini currency is a major factor for setting prices, comparing to the UAE market which is the closest to Bahrain both geographically and economically 1 Bahraini Dinar = AED 9. 7 so prices can be higher for the Bahraini market considering the difference in currency strength. Bahrainis live a very cosmopolitan lifestyle and would be prepared to buy from expensive and established brands (Numbeo, 2012), which will mean ACE, shouldn’t face many issues setting medium to high prices in Bahrain. But for the large number of expat s in Bahrain ACE has to adapt itself due to the target market it has set for itself when setting prices. Expats are genuinely not price sensitive when it comes to purchasing from known global brands as they find it easier to trust brands they are familiar with. The most important factor however is comparison of process with its main competitor in Bahrain which is Manazel; this company has built its reputation in Bahrain as one of the best Hardware stores and offers discounts and promotional vouchers to loyal customers (Manazel, 2012) which will mean stiff competition for prices for ACE. However, due to lack of information on actual goods prices for Manazel, ACE can do further research and sets it prices on information found. 6. Distribution and logistics Ace products will be available to customers through two sources: Retail sales: as many of its branches worldwide also provide retail shops, similar shops should also be provided in Bahrain in different major cities, to make the products more accessible to customers in more varieties, and as shopping is part of the Bahrainis past time this will be a major attributor to its overall sales. It will also increase overall brand popularity of ACE in Bahrain. Online store catalogue: ACE provides this service for many of its branches in different countries worldwide, but as internet commerce is not popular in Bahraini ACE should not expect major traffic on these online websites. Ace currently has distribution centers located in various parts of the world to enable more efficiency for their global stores at different pin-points. This way transport costs can be cut as well as time on delivering inventory. The closest distribution center to Bahrain is currently in UAE being operated by the Al Futtaim group. Ace can extend their current agreement with Al Futtaim for them to deliver across to Bahrain and take care of their inventory as well as the UAE. 6. 4 Promotion and Advertising Promotion ACE’s competitor in Bahrain Manazel offers various promotional vouchers and discounts to its customers, should be a model ACE will focus on that will help it gain more popularity with customers. Coupons, discount vouchers, loyalty cards should all be included as promotional tools by ACE and all promotional activity should reflect the goal ACE wants to be perceived as which is ‘the helpful store†. Advertising The most important part of marketing for any product is advertising, there are several tools ACE could you to get its name out in Bahrain which include, word of mouth, billboards on (major signs, buses etc. ) radio adverts, Television and much more. Due to culture and market similarities with the UAE ACE could use existing ads in Bahrain to cut costs in advertising research. 6. 5 Estimated sales/sales mix A sales mix is the specific sales of each product offered by a company in comparison to total product sales. Businesses commonly track this information to figure out exactly how much profit they make or can make when marketing a range of items or services. The sales mix of products will often impact an organization’s bottom line. 6. 6 Production/service strategies Production or operations strategy refers to the pattern of decisions or course of action that the organization takes to produce goods and services. The production strategy shows the direction the production or operations function of an enterprise should take. It has important consequences for the way production resources are selected, deployed and managed (Sarkissian. 2012). 7. Financial Planning â€Å"Financial planning is the process of meeting your life dreams/goals through the proper management of your finance† (Beniwal, 2010). This allows the usage of several financial tools such as Profit and Loss Statements, Cash Flow Projection and Financial Analysis to basically achieve financial objectives. 7. 1 Profit and Loss Statement Below is the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited) for the three and nine months ended September 29, 2012 and October 1, 2011. ACE HARDWARE CORPORATION| | | | | | | | CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME| | | | | | | (Unaudited, in millions)| | | | | | | | | | Three Months Ended| | | Nine Months Ended| | | September 29,| | October 1,| | September 29,| | October 1,| | | | 2012| | | 2011| | | 2012| | | 2011| | | (13 Weeks)| | (13 Weeks)| | (39 Weeks)| | (39 Weeks)| | Revenues| $| 949. 9| $| 912. 0| $| 2,929. 0| $| 2,787. 5| | | | | | | | | | | | Cost of revenues| | 826. 1| | | 797. 6| | | 2,564. 3| | | 2,449. 3| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Gross profit| | 123. 8| | | 114. 4| | | 364. 7| | | 338. 2| | Distribution operations expenses| | 25. 1| | | 26. 2| | | 74. 4| | | 70. 7| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Selling, general and administrative expenses| | 35. | | | 36. 2| | | 104. 5| | | 104. 3| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Retail success and developme nt expenses| | 26. 2| | | 27. 6| | | 91. 5| | | 84. 1| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Total operating expenses| | 86. 8| | | 90. 0| | | 270. 4| | | 259. 1| | Operating income| | 37. 0| | | 24. 4| | | 94. 3| | | 79. 1| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Interest expense| | (4. 2)| | | (8. 9)| | | (20. 2)| | | (27. 8)| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Loss on early extinguishment of debt| | -| | | -| | | (19. 9)| | | -| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Interest income| | 1. 0| | | 1. 5| | | 2. | | | 3. 8| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Other income, net| | 1. 7| | | 1. 5| | | 5. 0| | | 6. 1| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Income tax expense| | (0. 9)| | | (1. 4)| | | (2. 4)| | | (2. 4)| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Net income| | 34. 6| | | 17. 1| | | 59. 7| | | 58. 8| | Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interests| | 0. 3| | | 0. 1| | | 0. 3| | | 0. 3| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Net income attributable to Ace Hardware Corporation| $| 34. 3| | $| 17. 0| | $| 59. 4| | $| 58. 5| | Accrued patronage distributions| $| 33. 3| | $| 15. 2| | $| 57. 0| $| 53. | | See accompanying notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements. | | | | | Ray AGriffith, GuziK, William M amp; Gast, Erik D. , 2012). | | | | | | | | | | | | | ACE HARDWARE CORPORATION| | | | | | CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS| | | | (Unaudited, in millions)| | | | | | | | Nine Months Ended| | September 29,| | | October 1,| | | 2012| | | 2011| | | (39 Weeks)| | | (39 Weeks)| Operating Activities| | | | | | Net income| $| 59. 7| $| 58. 8| Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:| | | | | | Depreciation and amortization| | 30. | | | 29. 0| Amortization of deferred gain on sale leaseback| | (0. 9)| | | (0. 9)| Amortization of deferred financing costs| | 1. 6| | | 2. 2| Gain on disposal of assets, net| | -| | | (2. 0)| Provision for doubtful accounts| | 2. 8| | | 3. 2| Loss on early extinguishment of debt| | 19. 9| | | -| Other, net| | 0. 2| | | -| Changes in operating assets and liabilities:| | | | | | Receivables| | (43. 2)| | | (39. 0)| Inventories| | (28. 9)| | | (68. 9)| Other current assets| | (2. 6)| | | 2. 7| Other long-term assets| | (7. 0)| | | (8. 0)| Accounts payable and accrued expenses| | 32. 6| | | 72. | Other long-term liabilities| | 6. 0| | | 2. 2| Deferred taxes| | 1. 1| | | 5. 0| Net cash provided by operating activities| | 71. 3| | | 56. 6| Investing Activities| | | | | | Purchases of marketable securities| | (9. 0)| | | (46. 1)| Proceeds from sale of marketable securities| | 8. 6| | | 46. 3| Purchases of property and equipment| | (31. 2)| | | (19. 5)| Decrease in notes receivable, net| | 1. 6| | | 1. 4| Other| | 0. 1| | | 0. 1| Net cash used in investing activities| | (29. 9)| | | (17. 8)| Financing Activities| | | | | | Net borrowings under revolving line of credit| | 113. 0| | | 9. | Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt| | 200. 0| | | -| Redemption of senior notes| | (301. 3)| | | -| Principal payments on long- term debt| | (7. 5)| | | (4. 0)| Payments of deferred financing costs| | (5. 2)| | | -| Payments of cash portion of patronage distribution| | (27. 7)| | | (26. 4)| Cash Flow Projection Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) for the nine months ended September 29, 2012 and October 1, 2011 Payments of patronage refund certificates| | (17. 3)| | | (17. 3)| Proceeds from sale of noncontrolling interests| | 0. 3| | | 8. 8| Other| | 0. 6| | | 0. | Net cash used in financing activities| | (45. 1)| | | (29. 2)| (Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents| | (3. 7)| | | 9. 6| Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period| | 15. 8| | | 9. 3| Cash and cash equivalents at end of period| $| 12. 1| $| 18. 9| Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:| | | | | | Interest paid| $| 21. 3| | $| 20. 1| Income taxes paid| $| 0. 9| $| 0. 5| See accompanying notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements. | | | | 6| | | | | | (Ray A Griffith, GuziK, William M amp; Gast, Erik D. , 2012 8. 0 Management considerations ACE will undertake a big change in bringing ACE hardware to Bahrain, Bahrain overall will be a good prospect as the company has penetrated a similar market in the Middle East (i. e. United Arab Emirates) and with a very stable economy and freedom of business with no government interruptions it will be a relatively easy venture for an established brand such as ACE. However the management at ACE has to consider several factors that will make the venture a more smooth transition, such as trying a joint venture with a local business, culture considerations so as not to put out unethical products. 8. Personnel/sales force factors A sharp forecast of more and employees getting into the professional field in Bahrain, and the stiff rise in population over recent years and also the preferences giving to the locals in hiring, ACE hardware has to take into considerations means and processes of hiring its employees, personnel training and qualification has to be of the highest standard and profe ssional communication skills has to be a criteria in hiring employees 8. 2 Business Advisors: With the help of a business advisor Ace could more effectively implement their strategy to break into the market in Bahrain. An effective business advisor would ensure a smoother transition by assisting ace in dealing with the laws and regulations entering the market and guiding them through government policies. Due to Aces existing established stores already present in the UAE the corporation already has knowledge on the different structures of setting up business in the Middle East. Business advisors in Bahrain would help them in ways more specific to the Bahrain market and can also help them with most effective Methods of Marketing in the country and the most effective locations to set up stores. 9. Recommendations/Conclusion Ace should undertake an aggressive marketing campaign upon entering the market in order to create brand awareness using ‘Coming soon† promotions to build up the hype of the store. Ace should engage with local business advisors in Bahrain to help guide them with cultural differences and deal with government legislations and regulations. Ace should undertake further Exten sive research to gain a better understanding on aspects of the Bahrain hardware market and to know their potential competitors and their offerings more in order to price, promote and operate more effectively.

Income and Wealth Equality Essay Example for Free

Income and Wealth Equality Essay Discuss whether the most effective way to have income and wealth equality is to tax income more progressively. Income is a stable flow of money, often a salary, which someone works for but this can also be made through interest on savings. This flow of money is often very unequal from person to person due to wage differentials, this then creates inequality. Wealth on the other hand is a stock of assets which have a market value, which may change over time e. g. houses or cars. These are often inherited but can be bought by someone through their income. Wealth and income often found together however someone who is wealthy doesn’t always have a large income. Their relationship with inequality is also very different with a lot more inequality found in wealth as a fifth of wealth is concentrated among the richest one per cent of households however there is still some in income. One way the government can stop this inequality is through a progressive taxation system that aims to tax the poorest people very little but make the money up by taxing the richer. This would work at several boundaries with someone income being taxed higher when it exceeds a certain limit. This then creates equality as the richer people have less money and the poorer have more from not paying tax and then the unemployed get benefits. This then reduces the budget deficit as the tax payers pay for people benefits, helping to reduce the class system. However one problem with this is that it may cause the highest earners to leave the country to avoid paying tax and companies moving their headquarters abroad where they will pay less tax. This happened in the 70s with the rolling stones but is also happening with corporations such Amazon and Costa and this something that may happen more if the richer are taxed too much. This is also taking money out of the economy as they spend their money abroad, out of the flow of income in the UK. Another problem with this system is that it creates ‘the poverty trap’. A type of government failure, this is when there is no incentive for people to get off benefits as they won’t make any more money. To stop this there may need to be a re-evaluation of the system as the replacement ratio is too high. This can also create poor attitudes, with generations of people not working. This is also found in the work place with some people refusing pay rises as they will have to pay more money in tax as they go through a tax boundary. However more recently this has happened with child benefits as these are being reduced depending on how much someone earns another reason why someone would refuse a pay rise. Wealth is often harder to tax however it is often caused by income so the tax system previously described may be used to reduce wealth and thus stopping inequality. This system can also be found in wealth though, with inheritance tax being used progressively. For example any money above 325,000 is taxed at 40%. This then creates a source of revenue for the government but also stops people inheriting huge sums of money, stopping inequality. However this system has its flaws as the tax has to be paid first, it could also be argued as unfair as someone who works for their money is entitled to leave it to who they want, especially as it was already taxed when it was earned. This system has also caused many pensioners to move abroad where what they leave is taxed less. The money inherited is also often used by entrepreneurs to fund businesses so the system may also reduce the possibility for future in income tax. This systems also sonly raises  £2.9bn a year, a mere 0.18% of GDP, which sometimes ends up being spent on court cases as people argue against the system. One alternative system for reducing inequality is by providing incentives for people to get into work. This could be done by changing the minimum wage as it would reduce the replacement ratio. This can also be achieved by reducing the unemployment benefits or making them harder to get. Reducing benefits would also lower the budget deficit as the government can save money. However this could be hard on people who genuinely can’t work due to long term illness or disability. Another way of increasing the work force is by increasing spending on training of workers but also in the education system. This will create better skilled and qualified workers, allowing them to make more money and giving them more job opportunities. This type of supply side policy can be expensive but there should be future benefits as their will be more money made from income tax. They would also create job opportunities for teachers or other people to teach skills. Other examples of this include apprenticeships and part time work schemes that together should create a job for everyone, reducing the tax bill. However they won’t work for everyone as there is always someone who will be left behind and It may also be hard to change the mind set of people who are used to not working. These types of policies would also all stop inequality as the poorer people would have employment opportunities giving them a higher source of income. However there are very little alternatives to redistribute wealth as it is impossible to give people items of value as those who are in poverty often don’t even have a house. The government may be able to provide schemes for people to work for their homes and other areas of wealth. It is also hard for them to find things of wealth at an affordable rate especially as it is normally found through work done by relatives. This is why it is unlikely to be done as it wouldn’t be very sustainable and effective however in theory the re distribution of wealth could be done. In conclusion the progressive tax system has its benefits as it provides a simple way of reducing inequality by taxing the rich and giving the poor money, bringing them closer financially. However in my opinion the system is the easy solution with short term benefits rather than long term gains that might happen through providing incentives rather than disincentives for people. However the problem with wealth is greater as it can’t be easily moved but through redistributing income wealth will consequently be redistributed as ultimately income is the main cause of wealth.

Analysing Learning Theories That Have Informed Knowledge Development Nursing Essay

Analysing Learning Theories That Have Informed Knowledge Development Nursing Essay The purpose of this write up is to explore and analyse how learning theories informed knowledge development and competence in promoting health and psycho education in clinical settings. I will examine the principles underpinning the facilitation of learning and assessment. I will demonstrate my knowledge and understanding of the theoretical concepts in an episode in which I facilitated learning to clients while on placement at a Mental Health Rehabilitation Centre. Finally, I will use the reflective model by (Gibbs, 1988) to reflect on the strategies used within the episode and discuss the implications in relation to my future role as a nurse. The NMC (2008) stipulates that as nurses we must maintain our professional knowledge and competence regularly. You must keep knowledge and skills up to date throughout your working life and that you must take part in an appropriate learning and practice activities that will maintain and develop your competence and performance. In view of the aforementioned this essay is aimed at enhancing my knowledge and competence in facilitating learning through understanding of the underpinning concepts. I observed most residents having fast foods such as burgers, kebab, and chocolate as well as fuzzy drinks which are rich in saturated fatty and sugar for lunch regularly and they were also smoking a lot. I was really concerned because of my duty of care as a nurse (NMC, 2004) and due to findings from several researches for example (Bottomley and Mckeown, 2008 and Hallpike, 2008) which shows the risk of malnutrition was commonly associated with people with psychosis which predisposes them to host of physical health problems. I had a chat with my mentor of my intention to use the weekly communal meeting to carry out a teaching session to raise awareness and sensitise the residents on the effects of fatty foods and fuzzy drinks on their body chemistry and the need to improve and develop a healthier eating habits and life styles, considering the fact that most of them were on various antipsychotic medication which predisposes them to becoming obese. Timms (2008) said that a huge majority of people with mental health problems are most likely to have weight issue due to side effects of their antipsychotic medication. My mentor agreed to table it before the resident in the next meeting to gain their consent in compliance with NMC (2008). The residents consented to it and were quite interested because some them were really concerned about their weight and really wanted to do something about it. We agreed on a date for the teaching. The onus was now on me to facilitate the learning process that will empower the residents to take responsibility for their health and make a positive change. A vast majority of physical health problems are caused by people life styles and their failure to see the risk associated with their daily habits. Kiger (1995) defined health as state of balance between different facets of life suggesting that it is a dynamic concept which he termed movable. What this means is that our life styles can alter the balance resulting in an adverse effect on our health. As facilitators it is essential that we have a clear understanding of the different learning styles in order to tailor our teaching to meeting the varied approach of our learners. This is because learners are intrinsically different and preferred different ways of learning. Teaching is an act of imparting knowledge, a purposeful intervention aimed at promoting learning and causing learning to happen. Kemm and Close (1995) defined teaching is an act of assisting others to learn and putting it to use in their life. While Kiger (2004) defined teaching as a process of enabling people to learn through the dissemination of information and advice; it creates room for people to express their feeling, clarify their thought and acquired new skills. Learning is the acquisition of knowledge through education and experience. It is essentially important because it enable people to make informed choice about their own health. Roger (1996) defined learning as a kind of change often in knowledge but also in behaviour. Reece and Walker (2002) stated that learning brings about change and that teaching and learning proceeds pari passu and cannot be considered in isolation. I spent time engaging with the residents so as to build a therapeutic relationship based on trust whilst observing their behaviours as I gather information to facilitate the learning process. This was to enable me identify their preferred style of learning so as to increase ease of transmission of knowledge. There are a host of approaches available in health promotion. Ewles and Simlet (2003) identified five approaches which include medical, client-centred, behaviour, education and societal change. In his word all these approaches must be taken into cognition when undertaking health promotion to clients. Kolb (1984) developed the experimental learning theory (learning by doing) by this he suggested that learning is not fixed but formed from previous experiences. Kolb learning theory which is cyclical affirmed that people have different learning style and he identified four distinct learning styles as shown in figure 1 below includes concrete experience (having an experience ), reflective observation( taking time to reflective on their experience from different perspective), abstract conceptualization ( drawing their conclusions) and active experimentation ( putting theory into practice). For effective learning to happen Kolb said all this four must be taking into context when planning a teaching session. Honey and Mumfords learning cycle is slightly different from Kolb system. http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/styles/honey_mumford.html Figure 1 Honey and Mumfords variation on the Kolb system Honey and Mumford (2000) said that there four different types of learners which must be taken into consideration when planning a teaching session as shown in figure 1 above. These include the activists, like learning situation that presents them with new challenges, problem solving, and role play and uses the first opportunity to experiment; reflector like brainstorming and learning activity that gives room for observation, thinking and reflecting on they have learned; theorist like to research into fact before taking it onboard, they prefer a step by step approach and pragmatist like practical based learning and been given the opportunity to try out techniques and getting feedback in return. In view of fact that people have varied approach to learning considering the fact that its a group teaching. I intend to present my teaching to my mentor first to get feedback on whether I have considered all the four learners identified by both Kolb and Honey and Mumford. As nurses the education of our clients about their health is a vital aspect of our nursing process. It is important that we use an approach that encompasses congruence, empathy and respect in assisting our client (Roger, 1996) instead of coercing them to change their life style. Therefore it is imperative that we aware that teaching the client requires consent and that the client has the right and autonomy to refuse any intervention even when it can result to death provided they have the mental capacity to make informed decision (Mental Capacity Act, 2005 and NMC, 2008). DH (1996) states that the client must be provided with vital information about their health, so that they can make informed choice about the treatment options, life styles changes and behaviour. The subject was brought before the residents for them to make informed decision with regards to the teaching and they consented to because they wanted to do something about their weight. Kemm and Close (1995) wrote that there is high tendency for client to learn if teaching is directed to meeting their needs, interest and within their ability. Effective communication plays a vital role in facilitating learning. As nurses the way we communicate and the kind of rapport we build with our client plays an essential role in empowering or disempowering them (Brown, 1997). Good communication skills act as therapeutic tool in delivery a holistic and person-centred care (Burnard, 1992). Our role as facilitator should be to explore and support our client to build that intrinsic motivation to make a change in their life, strengthen their commitment to change and then develop a plan to fulfill that change (Miller and Rollnick 2002). The responsibility for change lies purely on the client however as facilitator we should use an approach that confront the client with the idea of need for change without been persuasive and argumentative rather we should create an environment that show a sense of genuinity, respect and empathic understanding through collaboration and working in partnership with the client. Based on my assessment of the residents needs and considering the fact that they were adult learners capable of self-directing their learning, I decided to use andragogical instead of the pedagogical teaching style so as to enhance collaboration and for it to have a positive impact in residents lives. Pedagogy is the art and science of teaching children, it is a teacher- centred education and the teacher decided what, how and when it will be learned while andragogy is the art and science of assisting adults to learn and it is learner-centred education. Andragogical approach help learning to take place because of the clients own effort or willingness and it helps learners to learn what they want to learn (Knowles, 1990). Over the years educational psychologist and educationalist have developed models and learning theories (Hincliff, 2004). These include the behaviourist, cognitive or humanistic. Three domain of learning exist; Cognitive, psychomotor and affective (Bloom, 1972). The way we learn is however dependent on some other factors even though these three domains are the dominant. Individuals personal values, beliefs and altitude are motivating factors for self-directed learners. I decided to use the humanistic approach in facilitating the awareness and sensitization of the need for them to improve their diet and life style In order to meet the residents learning needs. The humanist theory as explained by (Maslow, 1943) is concerned with individual fulfillment and self-actualisation. The influence of the environment on the residents and their relationship with others is explained by the socio-cognitive theory. Bandura (1977) stated that learning take place as a result of social interaction throu gh observation and mimicking others whom the learner look up to for example family , peers and health professionals. To facilitate learning; a conducive learning environment, learning material suited to the learners need and their literacy level must be considered (Quinn, 1995).In view of this, I gathered all the necessary resource taking into account the residents individual learning styles and planned the teaching in such a way that it is tailored to meeting their varied learning styles. Based on my engagement with the residents I identified that majority of them belong to the theorist, pragmatist and reflector learning styles from (Honey and Mumford, 1982). Prior to the start of the teaching session I made sure the environment was conducive for leaning, spacious, quite and with the right temperature. I introduced myself to the residents and my mentor and other member of staff present. I explained the rationale for the teaching session. I gave them handout I prepared for the session which contain literature and pictures, which were simple to understand and which they could keep with them and refer to later at their convenience and I also use video from YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pp0nc4kY-tc to explain the potential side effects of fatty food and fuzzy drink on their heath and I highlighted the main topic, which is the makeup of the food they eat and its functions in the body and the calories recommended daily. I brought in several fatty foods like ground oil, butters in different make to explain to them the difference between the good product and the bad product. I explain to them that the one that contain high saturated fat and low unsaturated is not good because the body find it difficult to break down the saturated fatty into small unit which is used by body instead they are gradually deposited thereby raising their cholesterol level. The deposition of fat gradually blocks the artery wall which could lead to anterosclerosis, stroke and heart diseases while product rich in unsaturated fats and low saturated fats are better. I encouraged them to always check for this information on the food product whilst shopping. I asked them if they know what cholesterol means and if anyone has check out their cholesterol level. I then brought out some more products for them to point out which one was better to check if the understood the lectures and they did perfectly well in identifying the good and the bad product and I offered them praise f or a job well done. I then showed them they kind of food that is good for the body from you Tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAFTcfaA-pcfeature=channel and what constitute a balance diet. The teaching session was an interactive one and as facilitator I suggested and encouraged them to adopt a healthier lifestyle by eating more fruit and vegetable instead of chocolate, drink more water instead of fuzzy drink and to cook their meal which was more nutritious and economical and to exercise by going to gym or taking a light work every day. I suggested that we could contribute one pound to cook for the weekly communal meeting and then see how it goes from there and the feedback was positive. I gave room for question and answer session. I thanked them for their collaboration and for making the teaching successful. Their willingness to learn was quite beneficial. I provided information on what make a balance diet and some activities aim at dealing with weight issues in the communal loung e. As nurses its imperative that we take time to reflect daily on our professional and clinical practice. Gibb et al (2005) stated that constant reflection allows learning to occur at every given opportunity and it improves practice. I felt competent though initially nervous teaching the residents on the need for healthy eating and life style change. Ewles and Simnett (2003) stated that health promotion is the process of empowering people to take proactive action over and improve their health. I was able to facilitated residents learning by building a rapport and through process I observed their learning styles and knowledge base which made it possible for me to tailor the teaching to their varied approach of learning. I believe the teaching session had a positive impact in enlightening the residents on the need for them to improve their diet and lifestyles change from the feedback I got at the end of the teaching. I use the humanistic approach clearly stating the rationale for the sess ion because I wanted them to have the knowledge so that they can take responsibility for their own health. The session was collaborative and interactive with the residents fully involved in the discussion and asking appropriate when seeking clarification. During the evaluation Amos felt that the learning outcome had been achieved and also said that the handouts and leaflets given during the teaching session were very useful and helpful. My mentor suggested that I could have done more and it would have been good, if I had used an overhead projector. But his feedback was encouraging. I had to rush towards the end of the session due to time factors. But I realised that as a student nurse, my professional development is still in progress and as my course develops I will become confident in dealing with this type of situation. My experience of teaching on this occasion will improve my professional practice. During the session I adopted a personal counselling approach based on the Beattie (1991) model, (cited in Ewles and Simnett 2003), which is a combination of the educational and client centred approach. According to Rogers (1983) people experience the world differently and know their own experiences better than anyone else. Amos ability to take responsibility for his actions helped to be more independent. In conclusion, I have been able to facilitate a teaching session by building a therapeutic relationship with Amos and through achieving effective communication. I found out from this experience that empowering clients does not mean that nurses should enforce decisions on clients but rather that; they should encourage and motivate them to achieve a desired result. I feel the experience was an interesting one. Looking back on the teaching skills demonstrated and the assessment of the clients need, I think the aim of the teaching was achieved. The feedback received from the learner and my mentor has given me an insight on how to improve in my teaching in future. I hope to use video clips and overhead projector in future teaching and to continue using the lecture learnt in taught module to enhance my skills and knowledge in my future role as registered mental health nurse.

Al-Ahsa Dialect :: Hasawi Dialect

1. INTRODUCTION. Hasawi is a variety of Arabic whose roots refer to the family of Central Semitic Languages such as Hebrew and Aramaic. The Hasawi dialect is spoken in the eastern part of Saudi Arabia, exactly in Al-Ahsa (Al-Hasaa) province. Therefore, the dialect of Al-Ahsa, or Hasawi (HD), is also known as the Eastern Arabian dialect. In fact, it is considered the dominant dialect in the area although there are other local dialects found in the same area, such as Badawi which is spoken by some Bedouins tribes. In 2009, the number of Hasawi speakers was estimated as 200,000 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ('Arabic, Gulf Spoken, Ethnologu', 2009). There are three reasons for selecting Hasawi for this study. First, there is little previous work related to Hasawi even though it is considered an enormous dialect because it is expanded to other Gulf countries, such as Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates. Thus, HD is also spoken as a minor dialect in the previous mentioned countries so that Hasawi is sometimes called Gulf Arabic 'Khaliji'. Secondly, the emergence of a new dialect a few years ago which is Modern Hasawi, a blend of old Hasawi and Najdi, threatens the existence of the original Hasawi in Saudi Arabia in spite of the massive expansion of the dialect to the neighboring countries. Finally, the dialect of Al-Ahsa is seen as a humorous matter among other Saudi dialects because it is hard to understand (Bassiouney, 2010). Probably the cause of such difficulty refers to the sociolinguistic impact of non-Arabian languages, such as Farsi 'Persian' and Turkish. However, it would be proven at the end of t his paper that this unattractive dialect has unique acoustic features. Hence, the overall goal of this study is to investigate the Hasawi plosive phonemes and how they shape different allophones. This paper is divided into five main sections: the first section is an introduction of the topic including an overview of the dialect; the second section is a review of the literature which includes brief previous related studies; the methodology used for this study is described in the third section; the fourth section demonstrates the findings of this study; and finally the conclusion. 1.1. RESEARCH QUESTIONS. †¢ Does Hasawi dialect have various allophones of its plosive sounds? If so, what phonemes are pronounced differently? †¢ What are the phonetic facts of Hasawi allophones? 1.2. PHONOLOGICAL BACKGROUND. This part of the first section presents the inventory of Hasawi phonemes as a good reference for Results section. Al-Ahsa Dialect :: Hasawi Dialect 1. INTRODUCTION. Hasawi is a variety of Arabic whose roots refer to the family of Central Semitic Languages such as Hebrew and Aramaic. The Hasawi dialect is spoken in the eastern part of Saudi Arabia, exactly in Al-Ahsa (Al-Hasaa) province. Therefore, the dialect of Al-Ahsa, or Hasawi (HD), is also known as the Eastern Arabian dialect. In fact, it is considered the dominant dialect in the area although there are other local dialects found in the same area, such as Badawi which is spoken by some Bedouins tribes. In 2009, the number of Hasawi speakers was estimated as 200,000 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ('Arabic, Gulf Spoken, Ethnologu', 2009). There are three reasons for selecting Hasawi for this study. First, there is little previous work related to Hasawi even though it is considered an enormous dialect because it is expanded to other Gulf countries, such as Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates. Thus, HD is also spoken as a minor dialect in the previous mentioned countries so that Hasawi is sometimes called Gulf Arabic 'Khaliji'. Secondly, the emergence of a new dialect a few years ago which is Modern Hasawi, a blend of old Hasawi and Najdi, threatens the existence of the original Hasawi in Saudi Arabia in spite of the massive expansion of the dialect to the neighboring countries. Finally, the dialect of Al-Ahsa is seen as a humorous matter among other Saudi dialects because it is hard to understand (Bassiouney, 2010). Probably the cause of such difficulty refers to the sociolinguistic impact of non-Arabian languages, such as Farsi 'Persian' and Turkish. However, it would be proven at the end of t his paper that this unattractive dialect has unique acoustic features. Hence, the overall goal of this study is to investigate the Hasawi plosive phonemes and how they shape different allophones. This paper is divided into five main sections: the first section is an introduction of the topic including an overview of the dialect; the second section is a review of the literature which includes brief previous related studies; the methodology used for this study is described in the third section; the fourth section demonstrates the findings of this study; and finally the conclusion. 1.1. RESEARCH QUESTIONS. †¢ Does Hasawi dialect have various allophones of its plosive sounds? If so, what phonemes are pronounced differently? †¢ What are the phonetic facts of Hasawi allophones? 1.2. PHONOLOGICAL BACKGROUND. This part of the first section presents the inventory of Hasawi phonemes as a good reference for Results section.