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Kenya
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Kenya
The freedom and ability to travel to any country in the worlds is a very enticing prospect to me. Different people have different countries and parts of the world that they wish to visit. Some dream of pristine beaches and warm tropical waters, some dream of dense forests and lush hills while others yet dream of steep mountains, deep valleys, and wild animals. Others still envision bustling cities, humongous towers and a vibrant nightlife. The motivation for traveling to these destinations also varies. They include the desire to sample different cuisines, cultures, histories, religions, among many others. Some people travel as a hobby or as a way to relax and unwind. Whichever the incentive, taking a trip to a part of the world that you have never been to before should be an experience of a lifetime.
My dream is almost a combination of all these. If I were to travel to any country in the world, I would not want to choose a cliché destination. I would visit Africa, the cradle of humankind. An African safari, in my opinion, is the epitome of adventure, discovery, and fun. To be specific, I would choose a country known as Kenya that is located to the eastern part of the African continent. I first learned of this country from my friend whose family spent some time there over the holidays last year. I could not get over the lovely photos that they took and the more unusual stories that I heard. Since then, Kenya has become my new dream holiday destination. I set about finding out all the information I could find over the internet so that I would be as ready as possible to travel there.
Kenya is an average sized country located to the east of the African continent. It is located right at the equator so the weather there is mostly pleasant and warm all year round. The climate there is tropical which means that there is a danger of contracting some tropical diseases such as malaria. There are some medications that one can take before traveling so that they cannot contract such diseases. The country has a population of roughly forty million people, and these people come from different ethnic groups. Because of this, there is great diversity among the Kenyan people (Schaeffer 31). It must be quite interesting to live in one country that is made up of so many different people who each have a unique culture.
The ethnic groups have different names and mostly live in one geographical area. However, the people are free to live in any part of the country hence the cities and towns are cosmopolitan regions in which the different ethnic groups converge. These groups have cultures dating back to the times of their ancestors, and this is expressed regarding the food they eat, the clothes they wear, the way their hair is braided and in their religious beliefs.
My friend told me that they visited the Masai Mara Game Reserve in which there are many wild animals (Grünewald et al 61). The reserve is situated in the land of the Masai people, whose culture is by far the most interesting I have heard of. What most captivated me was a painting that he had brought back that featured an extraordinarily tall man that had jumped some feet into the air. I was mesmerized. This was a Masai warrior or a ‘Moran’ as they are referred to.
They are usually very tall and dress in traditional regalia including colorful wraparounds. These are generally red. They wear sandglass on their feet that are made of rubber. Their hair is also dyed red which is from some special clay that is found in their land. In the past, these warriors were tasked with protecting their people, their cattle and the womenfolk. They would go out on cattle raids and conquer their enemies in far lands. In recent times, however, these wars do not exist anymore, but the Masai people have not abandoned their traditional ways of dressing. Their women are also a sight to behold. Around their necks, they wear intricately woven beads and necklaces that are quite marvelous.
The country has many wild animals, chief of who are the big five namely the lion, buffalo, leopard, elephant, and rhino. To start off the topic of wildlife, there are many endangered animals throughout and the white rhino is under threatened in Kenya. There are many conservation efforts to curb poaching especially of the elephants and rhinos that are killed for their horns that fetch millions of dollars on the black market. The conservation is, therefore, a significant concern, these animals should be preserved so that future generations can be able to go on safaris and see the many animals in their natural homes.
Wildlife is a major tourist attraction in Kenya. Aside from the big five, there are many other animal species such as gazelles, antelopes, hyenas, zebras, monkeys, snakes, crocodiles, hippos; the list is endless. I have never seen most of these animals at close range hence to see them would be quite a dream come true. These animals are found in game parks, conservancies, game reserves and sometimes even roaming about the wild primarily in the forests and savannah (Van Wijk et al 209). The capital city of Kenya is Nairobi which is also famed for the fact that there is a national park right outside the city. Visitors, therefore, do not have to travel too far out to get to see the animals.
Kenya has several geographical regions including the mountains and hills, valleys, the coastal area, and the plains. The beaches are among the significant attraction to visit the country. The coastline is quite expansive, and the lovely beaches are like something out of a fairy tale. Many of the sandy beaches remain conserved and unpolluted hence they are quite a sight to behold. The hotels at the coast are world-class and would make the visits to the coast a very comfortable and enjoyable one. The water there is warm and clear, and I would love to swim there among the many fish species (Mwaipopo & Mwanahija 249). There is also a marine park, and one can go scuba diving and explore the sea life. I would be delighted at this opportunity.
Another attraction at the coast is the culture of the people who live there. Their cuisine is quite delectable, and I would like to sample some foods that I have never tasted before. There are also many prehistoric sites such as the Gedi ruins and Fort Jesus. These sites would give a taste of the rich history that the coast has to offer. I would not miss the chance to visit some of the places in which there remains of the ancestors of man were found. World-renowned scientists of the Leakey family set up camp there to search for and study the remains of the earliest human species.
The rift valley region also offers some of the most spectacular views. During the formation of the rift valley, there were formed very steep sides which today are escarpments. From pictures, they look breathtaking and many adventurers have gone there to paraglide and bungee jump. There are also waterfalls that fall off some steep hillsides. Climbing the tallest mountain that is named after the country is one of the adventures that I would like to add to my bucket list. I have never climbed any mountain before but from reviews, it is quite scenic and reaching the mountaintop is a gratifying achievement.
I would also spend time in the cities to see how different or similar they are to ours. The pictures that I have seen from the internet of the capital city’s skyline especially by night show a vibrant city that does not want for entertainment. To cap it all off, the Kenyan people are amiable and welcoming. Should you have any questions or need directions, you have only to turn to the nearest person who will be more than willing to help you out. The warmth and friendliness of the people are undoubtedly one of the best feelings about visiting a new place that will leave you wanting never to leave.
Works Cited
Grünewald, Claudia, Matthias Schleuning, and Katrin Böhning-Gaese. “Biodiversity, scenery and infrastructure: Factors driving wildlife tourism in an African savannah national park.” Biological conservation 201 (2016): 60-68.
Mwaipopo, Rosemarie, and Mwanahija Shalli. “Aesthetic, cultural and spiritual services from coastal and marine environments.” Regional State of the Coast Report (2016): 242-250.
Schaeffer, Merlin. Ethnic diversity and social cohesion: Immigration, ethnic fractionalization and potentials for civic action. Routledge, 2016.
Van Wijk, Jakomijn, Machiel Lamers, and René van der Duim. “Promoting conservation tourism: The case of the African Wildlife Foundation’s tourism conservation enterprises in Kenya.” Institutional Arrangements for Conservation, Development and Tourism in Eastern and Southern Africa. Springer, Dordrecht, 2015. 203-218.
Three Identical Strangers
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Three Identical Strangers
The 2018 film ‘Three Identical Strangers’ is a critically acclaimed film that follows the lives of triplet boys born in the United States in 1961. The boys were born to a single mother as quadruplets, but one of them died at birth. At six months, the boys were placed for adoption to different families. They then led their separate lives unaware of each other’s existence until they became aware by chance when they were nineteen years old. They were separated as part of a scientific study mostly on the nature vs. nurture argument.
The main question in the film is the question of nature vs. nature as regards child psychology. This is a particularly exciting theory as there are many differing opinions on whether human behavior is determined by the environment of upbringing or is a result of genetic disposition. The nurture side of the debate asserts that human behavior is exclusively determined by the surroundings in which one grows up. A human being is a clean slate which is then filled by what they experience in their environment. Nature, on the other hand, explains that genetics play the most significant role in the development of human beings. Some parts of the debate combine the two arguments and asset that human behavior is a result of both genetics and the surroundings.
The film sought to explore these two sides by placing the boys who had identical genetic makeup in different environments to study whether they would behave similarly or differently. They were deliberately put in families of different economic backgrounds to ensure that their upbringing would be entirely different. Later in life, the boys were found to have common interests and similar mannerisms even though they had grown up differently. This is intriguing since the research on nature vs. nurture has been going on for a long time and putting it to rest would put many minds at ease.
Another question that comes to mind about psychology when watching the film is the ethical standards when it comes to researching human subjects, especially children in this case. The children had no choice in taking part in the research as they were too young. Their parent had the right to consent, but perhaps she did not consider the full ramifications that separation would have on the boys. This is evident in the fact that they suffered from mental illness that led to one of them committing suicide in the end. The question of ethics in research is one that has been in question. On the one hand, research, especially in humans, leads to great strides in different areas of life. On the other hand, the welfare of the human subjects has to be taken into consideration. Hence this is a debate that elicits strong reactions both ways and makes the film all the more eye-opening.
The change vs. stability question in psychology also arises in the film ‘Three Identical Strangers’. Stability entails those traits a person possesses at infancy stays with them until they reach adulthood. Change, on the other hand, explains that these traits tend to change as a person interacts with others as they grow up. The film, in this case, can be said to lean more towards the stability theory, the boys were found to possess many similar characteristics when they reconnected in adulthood.
The film is no doubt quite educative and eye-opening with regards to child developmental psychology. Watching the movie calls to mind many questions such as ethics in research and proves to be quite enlightening.
Starbucks Coffee Company is the largest retailer and roaster of specialty coffee in the world
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Introduction/BackgroundStarbucks Coffee Company is the largest retailer and roaster of specialty coffee in the world. It was established in 1971 by three partners in the US and has since then spread its operations in over 50 countries globally (Seaford & Brooks, 2012). It expanded tremendously and tripled its stores between 2002 and 2007 from 5,886 to 15,011 respectively. However, its rapid expansion was altered by the recent economic crisis that peaked in 2008. Despite this, the company continued to focus on its expansion goal into the international market. Strong and persistent focus on international sales led to significant growth and expansion of this company during the subsequent years. During the second quarter of 2010, for instance, Starbucks’ profits increased eightfold to $217.3 million. Currently, this company has more than 1700 stores in various locations in the world. It distributes its products in terms of stores and does not sell franchises (Gossage, 2011). Apart from specialty coffee, this company owns other two brands, namely, Tazo Tea and Seattle’s Best Coffee. The company has also invested in the music industry and has been offering various music products and services to customers. This paper presents an analysis of Starbucks through the following topics:
Starbucks environment
Furniture/Decoration inside the company,
Music of Starbucks (background music and how they market the music)
Marketing strategies
Advertisement strategies
Use of Gift Cards/E-Cards
The company’s Technology)
Social responsibility
Global Responsibility,
Community
Environment
Starbucks EnvironmentFurniture/Decoration inside StarbucksStarbucks’ stores have small, circular chairs and tables that are designed to occupy minimum space. This makes it appear as if there are no empty seats and customers dining alone do not feel or appear lonely. As Simmons (2012) explains, round tables are more informal and comfortable for customers. According to Simmons (2012), Starbucks decorates store interiors to reflect appearance of surrounding neighborhoods. Depending on the character of the surrounding neighborhood, Starbucks selects themes for decoration from: heritage (factory-inspired lighting, metal stools, tile floors or stained concrete and worn wood); artisan (hand-polished woodwork, factory casement glass, masonry walls and exposed steel beams); and regional modern (culturally relevant fabrics and bright, light-filled spaces) (Simmons, 2012).
Music of Starbucks
Starbucks uses music to create an environment that entertains customers. As Simmons, (2012) explains, the company believes that listening to great background music while sipping coffee heightens customer’s enjoyments. The company has invested heavily in entertainment and has even established a music division called Starbucks Entertainment. Starbucks has also been selling compact discs since 1995 (Hajdu, 2006). The company expanded its investments in the music industry in 1999 after acquiring a music company called Hear Music. Today, Hear Music is the sound of the company. Hear Music has bee partnering with famous and emerging artists to provide variety of music to Starbuck’s customers. Hear Music’s compilations and hand-selected CDs are featured in the company’s cafes around the world, at the four Starbucks Hear Music Coffeehouses and online. In 2006, Starbucks teamed up with Apple Inc. and established Starbuck’s section of Apple’s iTunes, offering video downloads and music. The company has also established wireless communication between some of its stores and Apple through AT & T Wi-Fi technology. This implies that customers with computers can download music while listening in the Starbucks stores (Simmons, 2012). Generally, music is one of the key entertainments that coffee lovers enjoy at Starbucks.
MarketingAdvertisement
Starbucks uses various strategies to advertise its products and services. One of the main marketing strategies used by the company is in-house advertising within the company’s stores. The company has established a unique network that provides unique entertainment and news through its free in-store Wi-Fi service. As well, Starbuck advertises its products and services through the media, mainly through newspapers and televisions. The company has also been advertising its products and services through the internet (Bussing-Burks, 2009). For instance, Starbucks has established a website where they give descriptions of their products and services. The web page is designed in a way that allows visitors to share their experience of Starbucks products and services and to post their own product and service preferences. Starbucks has also been utilizing social media sites such as FaceBook, FunSpace and Twitter to advertise its products and services. For instance, the company has opened a FaceBook account through which they interact with millions of customers who share their experiences of the company’s products and services. The company has also been sending informative messages to consumers through mobile phones and emails (Bussing-Burks, 2009). The main goal of Starbucks in utilizing the above strategies is to gather enough information regarding consumer preferences and to use that information in improving their products and services. Apart from enhancing customer experience, Starbucks focuses on promoting its brand across the globe, to establish binding relationships with customers and to enhance customer loyalty (Bussing-Burks, 2009).
Starbucks’ Gift Cards/E-CardsStarbuck has established a program which allows customers to load money in terms of dollars into Starbuck cards to be used for future purchases (Gordon, 2011). The amount of money loaded into the card is a prepayment for products and services offered Starbucks stores and in other participating stores, such as Tezo, Teavana and Evolution fresh stores. As part of the program, the company has established Starbucks Card eGift which allows customers to buy and send virtual Starbucks Card through email and social sites. Customers can make purchases using Paypal, debit card or credit card account. The cards make it easier and more convenient for customers to purchase Starbucks’ products and services (Gordon, 2011). Starbucks uses this program mainly to enhance customer experience and loyalty.
Technology of StarbucksTechnological advancement has been changing at an average pace in the food and beverage industry. However, for business organizations to achieve success, they need to follow technological trends consistently and exploit any opportunity that may result from any change or advancement in technology. According to Technorati (2011), Starbucks adopted the recently introduced phone payments system which helps to reduce long queues during peak times.
The use of Starbucks Card is another example of how Starbucks has been taking advantage of advancement in technology. Technological advancement has led to a new platform in form of social media where business enterprises relate with consumers and share ideas and experiences with them. Business organizations are now able to acquire useful data such as consumer interests, tastes and preferences and responses to organizational products and services (Gossage, 2011). Starbucks has exploited this opportunity by creating accounts in the social media sites such as FunsPace and FaceBook where it runs forums to discuss important issues with consumers and communities (Technorati, 2011).
Social responsibility:Global Responsibility
Starbucks is one of companies operating in the global market that have been responsible when dealing with all stakeholders. Starbucks’ key stakeholders include customers, employees, suppliers, shareholders and governments. According to Lawrence and Weber (2011), Starbucks has always been committed to provide its customers with quality specialty coffee. They practice fair trade and provide impressive services to customers that give them as a sense of belonging. Employees of this company fully engage with customers to learn and respond to their requests and interests. The company is committed to providing customers with healthy food with low level of calories such as reduced fats breads. They also entice customers by offering them gift cards and other gift items such as mugs and cups with the company’s logo. In response, consumers in many pars of the world have developed loyalty to the product of this company.
Starbucks’ employees are treated well, as partners of the organization. The company has established the Recognition Awards Employee Benefits Package that provides of various gifts for workers in recognition for good performance. They are offered attractive salary and benefits. The company also provides free training to its employees to equip them with valuable skills needed in the cafe industry (Lawrence & Weber, 2011). The coffee master program and the servant leadership workshops are examples of career development programs sponsored by the company to support employee training.
Additionally, Starbuck has always been committed to ensure that they attain a level of success that rewards the shareholders. They allow the shareholders and new investors to purchase and sell shares of Starbucks common stock Dividends (Lawrence & Weber, 2011). They pay shareholders’ dividends on its common stock at specific set rates on quarterly basis. Starbucks also ensures that there is fare trade between them and suppliers. They encourage coffee farmers to adopt measures that help to protect the environment. They also train them to develop business skills by compelling them to be accountable for their business activities. However, suppliers are required to put in place safety measures for workers that will lead to fair and human working conditions. They are also required to protect the rights of workers through addressing child labour and discrimination and complying with minimum wage requirements.
However, Starbucks has in the past been accused of evading paying corporate taxes in various countries in Europe, an issue that could have an adverse effect on its reputation in the European market (Kole, 2011). Recently, this company has bowed to pressure from the UK government authorities to pay taxes from 2013 henceforth. It is vital for Starbucks should be compliant to such government requirements in all countries where it operates to avoid damaging its image.
CommunityStarbucks has enhanced its reputation to the community as a team player. In all places where it does its business, Starbucks has always been striving to make positive contributions to the communities. The company has been contributing by offering employment opportunities to neighboring communities (Ruzich, 2008). Starbuck’s offers a sizeable work force to volunteer in various community services. In 2007, for instance, the company’s workforce, partners and customers in Canada and United States logged 320,000 volunteer hours. The company has plans to increase its contribution to community services. By 2015, Starbucks expects to have capacity contribute more than 1 millions hours of community service annually across the globe. Starbucks has also been providing support to neighboring communities and has been addressing areas such as poverty elimination, literacy and environment (Ruzich, 2008).
EnvironmentEnvironmental sustainability is one of the key objectives of Starbucks. Since 1992, the company has been establishing innovative ways of minimizing waste from their operations. The company has also been recycling waste products, as a way of reducing environmental pollution. They company has also established “green teams” that develop and implement environmental sustainability initiatives (Lawrence & Weber, 2011). However, concerns have been raised since Starbucks customers often leave shops with their cups and dispose them off in the streets, hence creating a lot of waste. As National Coffee Drinking Trends (2011) explains, cups should be made up of material that is as degradable as possible
ConclusionIn conclusion, Starbucks is one of the successful retailers of coffee at global scale. The success of the company stems from its innovative business and marketing strategies that enhance customer experience. Furniture in the company’s store is designed in a way that makes customers feel more comfortable and less lonely. Decorations are mainly designed based on the characters of the neighboring communities. The company uses a combination of strategies to advertise its products to customers. The use of Starbucks Card is one of the innovative marketing strategies used by the company to enhance customer experience and loyalty. The company has been taking advantage of improvement in technology by adopting the latest technology available in the food and beverage industry to enhance customer experience. As noted in the analysis, Starbucks is one of the companies operating at global scale that have been showing responsibility to stakeholders. The company has also been showing responsibility when dealing with neighboring communities and through active involvement in environmental sustainability. However, the company needs to avoid engaging in issues that could damage its reputation, such as tax evasion. Also, the company needs to consider making cups using material that is as degradable as possible.
Works CitedBussing-Burks, Marie. Corporations that changed the world. Carlifornia: ABC
CLIO, 2009
Gordon, Rose. “Bracing pae for Starbuck’s CMO.” Spotlight, 16 March, 2011: 22-23.
Gossage, Bobbie. “Howard Schultz, on Getting a Second Shot.” Inc, 33.3, (2011): 52-54
Hajdu, David. “The Music of Starbucks.” The New Republic, 7 August, 2006: 21-23
Kole, William. J. Go east as European Union. 9 April. 2011. Web. 19 Nov. 2013
<http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=20040409&slug=neweurope11>
Lawrence, Anne & Weber, James. Business and Society Stakeholders, Ethics, Public Policy.13th ed. NY: McGraw-Hill, 2011
National Coffee Drinking Trends. National Association of Coffee. Starbucks Coffee
Company. 2013. Web. 19 Nov. 2013. <www.starbucks.com>
Ruzich, Constance M. “For the Love of Joe: The Language of Starbucks.” The Journal of
Popular Culture, 41.3, (2008): 428-442
Seaford, Bryan C. & Brooks, Robert W. “Starbucks: Maintaining a clear position.” Journal of
the International Academy for Case Studies, 18.3, (2012): 39-57
Simmons, John. The Starbucks Story: How the brand changed the world. New York:
Marshall Cavendish International Asia Pte Ltd, 2012
Technorati. Starbucks Pay-by-Phone. 19 Jan. 2011. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.
<http://technorati.com/technology/article/new-starbucks-pay-by-phone-will>