Outback Steakhouse Case Study Essays

Outback Steakhouse Case Study Essays Outback Steakhouse Case Study Essay Outback Steakhouse Case Study Essay Overview of the Outback Case Study Analysis The authors of the Outback Goes International study, (hereinafter the â€Å"Study† or â€Å"Case†) depict a restaurant company, Outback Steakhouse, (â€Å"Outback†, the â€Å"Business†, or the â€Å"Company†) that by 1995 had experienced significant growth over the prior seven years. The Case addresses how management identified international expansion and product diversification as the principle elements of a strategic plan formulated to continue rapid expansion. This report will evaluate Outback’s strategies of international expansion and restaurant diversification in light of alternative means of achieving enhanced shareholder value via growth. Several uncertainties and challenges, which management acknowledged and the Case documents, faced Outback. The methodology used by the Company to consider its strategic options will be addressed by this report as well. The analysis contained herein will evaluate issues pertaining to those challenges, relying on the comparative performance of the Company’s publicly traded stock as the ultimate measure of management’s success or failure. This report will first evaluate the fundamental elements of the companies’ strategic plans, incorporating published academic research regarding strategic decisions, risks and the basis for management’s decisions. Additionally, further evaluation of the opportunities and competitive achievements in the international arena will be conducted. Finally, this report will attend to and appraise the ultimate financial performance achieved by the Company since the establishment in 1995 of its strategic plans and subsequent preparation of the Case being analyzed herein. Comments from Outback’s legendary C. F. O. Bob Merritt, will serve to punctuate the conclusion of this analysis; Outback’s strategies of product diversification and international expansion did not pay off for shareholders. Strategic Planning Methodology In evaluating Outback’s strategic plan this report adopts the fundamental assumption that management has as its primary objective the creation of shareholder value. Presumably, strategic decisions of management are designed to support this value proposition. A number of alternatives exist for companies to create value and Outback’s challenge was to weigh potential returns of alternatives against their inherent risks. Adrian J. Slywotzky and John Drzik of Mercer who document seven classes of strategic risk in their April 2005 article Strategic Risk Management published in the Harvard Business Review, set forth that in managing strategic risks there are an, â€Å"array of external events and trends that can devastate a companys growth trajectory and shareholder value. † It is evident that Sullivan, Outback’s chief executive, was aware of risk when he stated, â€Å"†¦the world is becoming one big market, and we want to be in place so we don’t miss that opportunity. † Management can react to risk through five generic responses as addressed in A framework for integrated risk management in international business, published in 1992 by Dr. Kent Miller in the Journal of International Business Studies . Miller’s five responses are identified as avoidance, control, cooperation, imitation, and flexibility. Sullivan and his management team’s plans reflected their primary concerns over two of the strategic risks identified by Slywotzky and Drzikclear; stagnation and competition. Stagnation is characterized as flat or declining sales volumes; in the case of Outback slower growth. The risk of competition is characterized by emerging competitive threats; in the case of Outback this strategic risk was represented by restaurant competitors in their markets. These were appropriate concerns and priorities given the facts of the Case. In responding to these threats, management’s reaction reflected four of Miller’s five categories of risk responses including control, imitation, cooperative responses and organizational flexibility . Sullivan and his team sought to control uncertain variables rather than passively treat the uncertainties as constraints by continuing to gain market power via growth in units. In addition they resorted to imitation of rival organizations strategies to cope with uncertainty by pursuing a â€Å"multipronged† strategy that both encompassed new restaurant concept development and international expansion; a strategy that had been adopted by other competitors including their former employer and competitor Brinker International. Outback also intended to utilize joint venture and franchise agreements as a cooperative response by creating partnerships that produce interdependence. Finally, as Miller points out, the Company adopted organizational flexibility by embracing, â€Å"the most widely cited example of flexibility in the strategy literature†¦product or geographic market diversification. † International expansion and new restaurant concept development certainly fulfilled this documented organizational flexibility response to risk. Absent from the Case and potentially excluded from Outback’s strategic considerations was the alternative response of expansion and diversification through a merger or acquisition. While the Company did acquire an Italian concept, Carrabbas Italian Grill, for development purposes, the business was very small at the time and as a result did not generate synergies or make significant near term contributions to revenue and profits. While Outback may have evaluated acquisition or merger alternatives, the Company did not integrate this strategic alterative into its plans. In fact, in June of 1999, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse was available for sale . This company represented several hundred million in annual revenues with obvious synergies. However, despite in-depth discussions, Outback avoided making an offer to acquire the business and Ruth Chris was sold to the private equity firm of Madison Dearbourn Partners. Ironically, Ruth Chris went public in August of 2005, raising $235 Million that represented, â€Å"the richest IPO from a restaurant firm since Dominos Pizza (DPZ) kicked off in July, 2004 with proceeds of $337 million†, according to Thomson Financial. This was an opportunity the Company missed, and reflects an error in not considering acquisitions as a prong in its â€Å"multipronged† plan. In reviewing the Case, and researching the basis for Outback’s evaluation of strategic alternatives in 1995, management’s decisions appeared prudent at the time and reflected established theories in strategic thinking, planning and risk evaluation. Expanding internationally and diversifying through new restaurant concept development represented sound direction at the time. To further support the basis for the aforementioned strategic direction of the Company, one can look at the growth trajectory of the business. At the end of 1994, Outback had 214 locations in operation. Its annual sales growth from inception in 1988 until its fiscal 2004 year end averaged 53. 91%. Since 1992 the company had more than doubled revenues, growing from $189. 2 Million in 1992 to $415. 9 Million in 1994. As the Study notes, Chairman Sullivan described this growth, expressing that, â€Å"we can do 500 to 600 restaurants (domestically)†¦ over the next five years. † In the year 1995 had Outback maintained its averaged unit growth rate of 53. 91% over the prior three years the Company would have reached U. S. market penetration of 600 locations in a matter of a few years. In fact the Case notes, although somewhat more conservatively, â€Å"At the rate the Company was growing (70 units annually), Outback would near the market’s saturation within 4 to 5 years. † Therefore Sullivan had to explore alternative methods of growth to continue to create value. The business had, according to the Study, a â€Å"multipronged strategy† that included the expansion of its Italian chain â€Å"Carrabbas Italian Grill† and the development of new dining themes. Interestingly, by 1994 Brinker International, a key competitor of Outback, had already achieved a degree of international expansion and planned to continue its pursuit of this strategy. According to Brinker International’s 10K filing with the SEC dated September 27, 1994, â€Å"During the past two years, the Company entered into several international franchise agreements, which will bring Chilis to Australia, France, Puerto Rico, and the United Kingdom in the next 12 months. In fiscal 1994, the first Chilis restaurants outside North America opened in Singapore and Malaysia on February 4, 1994 and June 15, 1994, respectively. The third, fourth and fifth overseas Chilis locations opened in Egypt, Australia and Puerto Rico on July 19, 1994, August 28, 1994 and September 6, 1994, respectively. The Company intends to continue pursuing international expansion and is currently contemplating development in other countries. † In addition to Brinker’s international expansion, it also had amassed 458 locations that included six different restaurant concept brands. It is apparent that Brinker International had already pursued the plan that Outback ultimately adopted, further confirming Outback’s adoption of Miller’s imitation response to risk referenced previously. Restaurant competitors of Outback that served the casual, full-service dining segment generally had not expanded internationally like fast food restaurants. This is confirmed by the Case, which lists T. G. I. Friday’s and Applebee’s, the only direct competitors of Outback on the list, as having only 39 international locations as of 1994. The Case failed to include Brinker International in its data, but given the documented expansion, the number of casual dining chains engaged in international expansion was relatively limited in 1994 at the time Outback was considering its plans. Obviously an opportunity existed for international growth; but would this growth add value to shareholders? Recall that this report addresses the strategic decisions of the Company in the context of appreciation in shareholder value, which represents the ultimate measuring stick of performance. A June 2005 report in the Outlook Journal titled Getting a Truer Picture of Shareholder Value, concluded that, â€Å"there is a limited and diminishing correlation between those measures (net income and earnings per share) and share prices. A company’s income statement usually accounts for only about 4 percent of market value for a stock with a typical price/earnings ratio of 25, while the balance sheet covers about 25 percent. The remaining 70 percent of market value consists of intangible assets and expectations of future growth. † Pushing continued expansion to support or further promote publicly traded share prices is common. However, as Motley Fool’s Brian Green attests in a February 2000 article commenting on then popular P. F. Chang’s, a recent star in the domestic casual dining segment, stock, â€Å"Its at this point in the script when the customer lines are stretching out the door and the national expansion plan is gearing up that so many hot restaurant operators of yesteryear have screwed up everything. † In fact, the notion that international expansion is an intelligent strategic option for a business in the service sector, such as Outback, is questionable. While it is generally understood that a firm’s financial performance improves with a greater multinational presence, empirical studies have rejected this notion. Instead, becoming an international business has been shown to have, â€Å"Both a U-shaped relationship (which suggests an initially negative effect of international expansion on performance, before the positive returns of international expansion are realized) and an inverted-U-shaped relationship (which suggests that international expansion beyond an optimal level is again detrimental to performance, and results in a negative slope). Meaningful analysis of expansion in the international marketplace by restaurant companies and the related financial performance of such companies is not readily identifiable. However, the Case does address many issues that created great challenges for international expansion, including location, distribution, local appeal, and other factors. Undoubtedly, if a proven financial model exists for a restaurant brand domestically, this does not mean that the same formula is applicable in foreign markets. Regardless, over the past decade Outback has expanded to 123 units internationally and developed six new restaurant concepts including Carrabbas Italian Grill, Lee Roy Selmons, Cheeseburger in Paradise, Bonefish Grill, Paul Lee’s Chinese Kitchen, and Flemings Prime Steakhouse Wine Bar. The Company also has a joint venture development relationship with Roy Yamaguchi, the chef and creator of Roys Restaurants located in Hawaii, the U. S. , and Japan. These accomplishments are in line with the strategies management outlined over ten years ago. However, despite achieving their goals, the ultimate judge of the strategic plan should be defined by the financial performance of the Company and finally the enhancement of shareholder value. Outback Financial Performance – The Results As mentioned in the introduction, increasing shareholder value is a primary objective of management. The results of a businesses’ profitability, growth prospects and returns contribute to investors’ valuation and ultimately judge management performance over the long haul. Share prices of public companies are objective reflections of market value and serve to compare Outback’s performance during the past ten years to a number of its main competitors. It should be noted that each of the competitor companies included in the comparison are large chains, with significant revenues, market capitalization of several billion dollars, managing multiple concepts and having significant international operations. These restaurant chains are identified as the â€Å"four big players† , in the restaurant industry. For additional evaluative purposes, the broad S 500 index is also included. (THIS SPACE LEFT BLANK FOR FORMATING PURPOSES ONLY) Graphic of Competitive Stock Price Appreciation From 8/26/95 through 8/26/05 Graph 1 Outback Steakhouse = OSI, EAT = Brinker International, APPB= Applebee’s, DRI = Darden Foods sp500=S 500 Of the four companies depicted in Graph 1, Outback has generated the poorest appreciation in stock price during the past decade. Darden Foods experienced the greatest appreciation, rising nearly 400%, Brinker International appreciated nearly 250%, Applebee’s nearly 150%, and Outback, below the performance of the S 500, appreciated 100% over the past decade. These are disappointing results and would not reflect the optimism demonstrated in the Case performed on Outback regarding its plans in 1995. What is the cause of this poor performance in shareholder value appreciation? Regrettably, financial disclosure documents submitted by Outback and its competitors described in this report do not provide adequate evaluation and disclosure of international operations to ascertain the relative financial performance of its international business. While Outback has successfully opened 123 units internationally since its strategic decision a decade ago, the specific financial contributions from these ventures are indeterminable. However, the appreciation of the Company’s stock is irrefutable. An interesting development pertaining to the financial performance of Outback is the recent surprise retirement of its CFO, Bob Merritt. Highly regarded and referenced extensively in the Case, it would be interesting to learn of Merritt’s perspective. Perhaps these observations would provide clues as to Outback’s performance issues. Thankfully, in a June 2005 interview with Chain Leader Magazine written by David Farkas entitled, Parting Shots, Merritt is rather candid. The article first substantiates Merritt’s stature as described in the Case. â€Å"Bob’s legacy will be as the pre-eminent CFO in our industry over the past two decades,† says investor and former Brinker International CFO Jim Parish. SG Cowen’s Paul Westra, who has followed Outback since 1994, considers Merritt to be â€Å"the granddaddy† of CFOs. While Merritt cites frustrating changes in financial accounting standards as a motivation for his abrupt departure from the Company, his thoughts are not limited to this point and he provides some keen insights to what has gone on in the halls of his former employer. When asked about his perspective on the casual dining segment, Merritt opined, â€Å"It’s going through a fundamental change. You now have four big players†, these are the companies included in this report’s stock price comparison, â€Å"and they are all net generators of cash. He added, â€Å"It’s also the most competitive environment and the worst cost environment. † Merritt makes an interesting point that goes to the heart of the issue of growth in the industry when he says, â€Å"There is an inflection point in the development of any restaurant concept. The cost to build the incremental restaurant escalates faster than the ability to raise prices. The consumer doesn’t care that the cost to open a restaurant in 2005 is 50 percent higher than the cost of the one five miles away that was built in 1995. They are not going to pay proportionately more to eat in the new unit. As a result, returns go down. At some point the incremental return doesn’t justify the incremental investment. † Finally Merritt points out, â€Å"Will they (management) do what they have historically done and continue to mindlessly expand these concepts well past this inflection point and destroy capital, or will they change and become more concerned about generating real shareholder value and how to grow it? A number of companies in this industry are destroying capital by continuing to grow even though incremental returns don’t exceed their risk-adjusted capital cost. † Was Merritt referring to Outback’s expansion strategy, given its relatively dismal performance during the past decade? It certainly sounds like it based on the review of share price appreciation of his former employer, Outback Steakhouse. Conclusions Outback’s plans as described in the Case and reviewed in this analysis seemed quite prudent at the time. However, if the objective of management is to maximize shareholder value, given Mr. Merritt’s commentary, is this best accomplished by expansion that might not fundamentally provide adequate financial returns? Judging by the results and Mr. Merritt’s thoughts, Outback’s expansion plans have not been successful. Outback’s results as compared to its competition fail to reflect a business that achieved what it had hoped to. While adding many units, it is clear that the incremental benefit from its expansion did not enhance value in a manner that compares to its competitors. Perhaps the results of the strategy had more to do with poor execution.

Learn the Use of Have in English

Learn the Use of Have in English Students of English will eventually both have and have got to express possession. Both forms can express what we own, but also the relationships we have. For example, I have / have got a car and a father. Beginning level students should also know that have is preferred in US English, and have got is much more common in British English. Finally, the fact that US English often uses gotten as the participle for various verbs including phrasal verbs with get, but will also use have got when expressing possession can further confuse students. This guide provides examples of the various uses of both forms. The differences between have and have got can be confusing for beginners. Here is a guide the two forms. When you finish reviewing, try the quiz  to check your understanding. Remember these important points: Have and Have got are used for possession.Example: Jack has got a beautiful house. OR Jack has a beautiful house.Only have is used when talking about actions.Example: I usually have breakfast at 8 oclock. NOT I usually have got breakfast at 8 oclock.The question form for have follows regular present simple:Example: Do you have a fast car? NOT Have you a fast car?Have and Have got are only used in the present simple. Use have for the past simple or future forms.Example: She had a copy of that book.There is no contracted form for Have in the positive form. The contracted form is used for have gotExample: I have a red bicycle. OR Ive got a red bicycle. NOT Ive a red bicycle. Here is a grammar chart showing the construction of the two forms: Forms With Have Got Have got is used both British and American English but is more common in British English. Note that have got is used for possession in American English, but that gotten is used for as the past participle for other uses of get. Subject Positive Form Negative Form Question Form I, You, We, They Subject + have + got + objects - contracted form: ve got They have got a new car. Ive got a number of friends in Los Angeles. Subject + have + not + got + objects - contracted form: havent got We have not got a dog. They havent got time to meet today. (? word) + have + subject + got? How many children have you got? Have we got enough time today? He, She, It Subject + has + got + objects - contracted form: s got He has got a new car. Its got red stripes and yellow stars. Subject + has + not + got + objects - contracted form: hasnt got She has not got a dog. It hasnt got any spots on it (? word) + has + subject + got? How many children has he got? Has it got any gas in the tank? Forms With Have Have is more common in American English when speaking about possession. However, have got, as mentioned before, is also used in American English for possession.   Subject Positive Form Negative Form Question Form I, You, We, They Subject + have + objects - no contracted formThey have a new car. We have classes on Friday. Subject + do + not + have + objects - contracted form: dont have They do not have a dog.We dont have time for lunch now. (? word) + do + subject + have?How many children do you have? Do we have any pasta left? He, She, It Subject + have + objects - no contracted formShe has a new car.He has three children. Subject + does + not + have + objects - contracted form: doesnt haveShe does not have a dog. He doesnt have any friends in town. (? word) + does + subject + have?How many children does he have? Does she have a vacation this month? Note: Sometimes the irregular form Have you a car/house/etc. is used in antiquated (older) forms of British English

A STUDY OF AN UNKNOWN WEAK ACID Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A STUDY OF AN UNKNOWN WEAK ACID - Lab Report Example A combination (pH-reference electrode) was obtained. A screw-like BNC connection of the electrode was inserted into the slot at the rear of the meter and turned (unsteady or sporadic readings could indicate a loose connection). The electrode was suspended from the meter arm and after which it was kept from drying out by placing it in a beaker of water. When it was ready to make measurements, the air hole under the knurl at the top was insured to be in the open position. The meter was then calibrated. The ATC probe was inserted in order to automatically monitor the temperature. After this the electrode was rinsed with the wash bottle and blotted dry (the electrode was not rubbed as this would cause static buildup and erroneous results). For the case of the sample, a trial run was carried out first to determine the required mass of unknown weak acid. For the trial run the sample need not be oven dry. About 0.1 g of the unknown sample was put into a 250mL beaker. The mass of sample taken for titration was adjusted, so that 30 to 40 mL of NaOH titrant was used to reach a pH of 10 or higher if no endpoint had been found. The remaining unknown acid was heated in the 600C oven for approximately 1 hour before weighing out the next sample portions. When ready to titrate, about 100 mL of water was added to the previously weighed sample. The beaker was then placed on the magnetic stirrer and stirred vigorously in order to dissolve. The electrode was immersed in the solution taking care not to hit the fragile glass bulb with the stir bar. Then the burette was placed over the beaker. This was then titrated by adding 0.5 mL increments, recording to 2 decimal places, and reading the pH meter after each addition. A quick preliminary titration was performed in order to determine the location of the end point(s), carrying the titration past pH = 10 until no significant change in pH occurred with

Hospital visit-socioeconomic issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hospital visit-socioeconomic issues - Essay Example contingent on where youre from, as in certain countries the healthcare and welfare systems are functioning properly and fulfilling their purposes to the best degree possible, while at the same time there are entire countries that lack appropriate systems, causing extreme socio-economic problems. When we mention socio-economic problems relating to hospital visiting, we generally talk about not having a health insurance. The sad reality of today is that there are so many people without a decent health insurance, and when they are in need of proper medical care, they cannot get the proper medical services and treatments due to their lack of money. This may seem absurd of false but in reality this is very common and millions today still dont have health insurance. This leads them to fend for themselves when it comes to medical treatments they need. The first and best example I have to provide regarding this matter is that of my seventeen year old cousin with her ear infection. The socio-economic problems in her case were quite apparent. She, who came in due to a very painful middle ear infection, also suffered greatly because she couldnt open her mouth fully. Her infection was so severe that the doctor stated that she had to go to an ENT specialist. Clearly, specialists cost money, and the amount one has to pay for them is obviously greater than that one has to pay for regular hospital services. My cousin subsequently didnt want to go to the ENT specialist. The reason for her hesitance is that she doesnt have a health insurance. This means that shell have to pay very large sums of money in order to go see that specialist. This is probably a sum she simply cannot afford. I wanted to help her so much, but there was nothing I can do for her! Usually, when talking about socio-economic problems in this regard, we are talking about people from a lower social class (immigrants or people with a different ethnicity than most people in the country in the case of modern

Orthodox Jewish Wedding Essay Example for Free

Orthodox Jewish Wedding Essay Marriage is normally a ceremony done in churches, in government premises, or in modern ones like beaches and gardens. It is usually done as a sign of love between two people. Marriage used to be a very sacred ceremony as two people say their vows to each other. Different cultures do this in different manners. In this paper, we will discover how the Orthodox Jewish wedding is done. This would prove the diversity of cultures in the world and how the Jewish community carries out their traditions and belief. This is divided into three parts that include the preparations done before the wedding, the set up days before the wedding and the wedding proper. When two people fall in love, what they want to end up mostly is a bride and a groom or a husband and a wife. Although it is altered by some other reasons in the modern times, the idea of marriage is still considered sacred by most of us. Although socio-economic status, health, dynasty and other things affect the people’s view on marriage, we still cannot take away the fact that the people who get married always ask for a happy life. Whatever reason they may have, the bottom line is still that they are searching for contentment in any way. A Jewish wedding day, the same with all other religions, is something that they really celebrate. Different kinds of rituals happen weeks before and during this day, in consideration of their history and heritage. As soon as the couple gets engaged, rituals already take place. It includes breaking a plate to represent the temples in Jerusalem that were destructed. It is to signify that even if they are enjoying in the celebration of the wedding, they are still saddened with the fact that these temples were destroyed before. It is also usual for the parents to do the arrangement of the wedding, with the help of someone like a match-maker called Yenta. Although this is so, the groom is still required to ask the bride’s father for her hand in marriage and to pay a dowry in exchange of the bride (Retrieved on December 11, 2008 from http://www. bbc. co. uk/religion/religions/judaism/rites/weddings_1. shtml). Judaism sees this practice as sacred. They think that without a man and a woman, each of the sexes will never be complete. They complement each other and each compensates what the other loses. They also teach in their doctrines that any person without getting married doesn’t experience the absolute joy and contentment in this life. It means that being married gives satisfaction to people, especially when they are blessed by God. When referring to marriage, they usually use the term â€Å"sanctification† which usually refers to the spirituality of the bond that binds two people and of the commandment made by God. They also see it as something that has a purpose. They view marriage as a perquisite to reproduction and friendship. It is both procreation and companionship. In the bible, as they believe, â€Å"It is not good for a man to be alone†. It is also a practice of each person’s legal rights through a contractual agreement where they sign on. Although there were times when the Jews were dispersed all over the world, they are still successful in preserving this practice as they live. This is probably because they really believe in the practice, because through it, history proves that families stayed stable and happy when they underwent the same kind of marriage . Jewish weddings are almost the same. They are made easier by the Rabbis by asking for a very minimal requirement. The Rabbis is the one who makes the laws in this kind of ritual (Retrieved on December 11, 2008 from http://www. confetti. co. uk/article/view/5054-7598-0-). Marriage in the Orthodox Jewish is very much full of traditions that show practice and devotion. In planning their weddings, every detail is very important. They take the preparation as a challenge of their capacity and a challenge to celebrate the wedding successfully. They pay too much attention to all the needs of the ceremony that makes every wedding a perfect one. The Orthodox Jews are believed to be the strictest among the strands of the Jewish faith. Their wedding ceremony is done by combining the legal and religious aspects of marriage. In case one of the couple is non-Jewish, he or she is asked to convert to the same religion. They believe that happiness cannot be achieved if they don’t undergo marriage, which is a license to fulfillment in the world. Also, it is said that when they get married, they don’t just focus on material and temporal elements of the preparation, but they also assure that their doctrines are properly carried out and that their spiritual and moral preparedness is enveloped on the marriage itself. It just proves that although their marriage is after a good life on earth, they still put in more consideration the supernatural and their religion per se (Retrieved on December 11, 2008 from http://www. confetti. co. uk/article/view/5054-7598-0-). Planning an Orthodox Jewish wedding is very tedious. They must consider a lot of things for them to be able to come up with a successful one. Most of the Jewish couple provides a planner that would make it easier for them to see chronologically their plans and the specifics of the ceremony. Through that, they will be able to get organized and efficient in the planning of the main event. The date of the wedding is usually known after they already register with a synagogue and Rabbi at the Chief Rabbi’s office. The time of the day and the day itself are also given much attention to in planning a wedding. It is usual to marry in the afternoon or in the evening, but you can also marry anytime of the day according to what the couple desires. Most of them, however, choose to marry on days like Sunday and Tuesday. It is also not allowed to do the wedding three weeks between July and August and on the Sabbath of festival days (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Passover Shavuot, and Sukkoth). In case, they want to get married on a Saturday, they prohibit doing the ceremony earlier than two hours before the sun is down (Retrieved on December 11, 2008 from http://www. onfetti. co. uk/article/view/5054-7598-0-). In general, the first thing to do in planning it is to choose a date that they both want. They usually choose special days like the birth or the death of their rabbis to make a more meaningful celebration. Like other people getting married, they choose a date that means something to them or a date that is significant in their relationship. They also must specify a place or a venue which has enough space for dancing and a wide area where you can put a divider to separate men and women for modesty’s sake. They are very much particular with modesty which they can prove by separating people of different sexes during the wedding ceremony. They must also choose a rabbi to preside the wedding ceremony and a sofer or a Jewish scribe to take charge of the Ketuba or the marriage contract. After that, they must tell their relatives and friends about the wedding and invite them to attend on it. Attendees on this kind of practice matters a lot to the couple because the wedding would not mean anything at all without the presence of a specific number of people. Once they confirm their attendance, they can already inform the caterer about the approximate number of visitors. This is usually done to avoid hassles to both families of the groom and the bride and to assure that everyone eats enough as they celebrate that most important part of their couple life. After that, they must inform those people who are taking part in the wedding to dress accordingly. This is also a sign of respect to the practice. The female ones must use clothes covering the knees and the arms to the elbows, while the married ones must cover their air. Men must wear yarmulkes. The couple must make the wedding canopy from a cloth that is velvet or from a prayer shawl. This is to signify the clouds that helped Jews with everything when they were in the desert. They must make sure that they have the dress, rings without anything engraved in them, and the other things. The bride must make sure she has a veil thicker than the others’ to wear it on the wedding day. From that, they must find a schedule to do the veiling ritual prior the wedding ceremony. It is said that such a practice symbolizes the biblical story that happened between Jacob and Rachel, when they planned to get married. They must assign seven men to utter the words of blessings with a wine. Lastly, they must secure a room for the couple where they can spend on after the wedding proper. They are expected to stay there before they eat and spend time together alone for a certain period (Retrieved on December 11, 2008 from http://www. ehow. com/how_2077192_plan-orthodox-jewish-wedding. html). The wedding invitation is usually two sided and has an English translation at the right side. It does not ask for the person’s presence, instead it is asking people to â€Å"dance at† or â€Å"share in the joy of†. In this kind of ritual, visitors are very important, because they play a very vital role in the process. The copies of the invitation may be distributed and may be given by the couple or both of their parents. Sometimes, the invitation also includes biblical quotes to explain people why such thing is done or to further elaborate the importance of each part of the program (Retrieved on December 11, 2008 from http://www. weddingdetails. com/lore/jewish. cfm). All of the guests are provided with copy of the program for them to know exactly what part they are in during the wedding proper. It may also include some Ketuba texts, the vendors’ names, a note coming from the bridal couple and some explanations of the different elements of the ceremony. This is also done to avoid unnecessary noises when they ask others why a particular thing is done (Retrieved on December 11, 2008 from http://www. weddingdetails. com/lore/jewish. cfm). The Orthodox bride must prepare something white, while the groom must have a short white linen robe called a kittel. The bride is also expected to visit mikyah in the morning of her wedding. This is done to make sure that the bride undergoes a ritual bath that is believed to purify her and to make her a better woman as she gets married (Retrieved on December 11, 2008 from http://www. weddingdetails. com/lore/jewish. cfm). It is also a must, that in able for a couple to get married in the Orthodox Jewish tradition, it is a perquisite that their parents also married in the same manner. Usually, both of their parents underwent the same practice. If in case their parents did not undergo the practice, they must talk to the rabbi for clarification. The ceremony includes singing and reading from the psalms. The wedding usually takes an hour before it finally ends. The wedding can actually occur anywhere, depending on what the groom and the bride choose. Given a desired venue, the bride or the Kallah and the groom or the Chatan, must stand under a canopy. The venue as chosen by them is usually paid by the bride’s parents. The validity of the wedding depends on the number of males present. There must e ten of them, which in their tradition, is called minyan (Retrieved on December 11, 2008 from http://www. confetti. co. uk/article/view/5054-7598-0-). Prior to the ceremony, the groom may spend time with his friends as eat and drink together on a table, called chassans tisch. Brides, on the other hand, take three or seven times circling her groom which is also a practice based on their bible (Retrieved on December 11, 2008 from http://www. weddingdetails. com/lore/jewish. cfm). When the guests arrive on the wedding day, males go with the groom in a certain room, while the female ones go with the bride in another room where she sits on a throne-type chair. This is called â€Å"public beckoning† and may be spent with just family and other guests (Retrieved on December 11, 2008 from http://www. eddingdetails. com/lore/jewish. cfm). A service usually starts with the opening from the rabbi, followed by a bride being escorted to the canopy. It is then followed by a ritual of circling the groom by the bride. This also has a hidden meaning. The benedictions are read after and then the sharing of the cup of wine. The exchange of the rings is then done, followed by the reading of ketuba. Another cup of wine is offered which is shared by the groom and the bride. It was first blessed and told with a prayer for the companionship and joy of the newly wed. Later on, they are proclaimed as husband and wife and they are showered with rice and are greeted with a toast (Retrieved on December 11, 2008 from http://www. weddingdetails. com/lore/jewish. cfm). During the marriage proper, the groom is asked to read from the Torah. That ritual is called Aufruf. Further, it is like a way of congratulating the couple, and letting the public know that they are getting married soon. In the same practice, some brides throw candies and nuts as he finishes the recitation of the benedictions. Through that, they are able to ask for a sweet and fertile life. The groom gives his bride a ring that is a sign of love. It is put on the bride’s right index finger, up to the second knuckle. It is so, because they believe that such a finger points to the soul and that it is used in pointing when they are reading the Torah. On the contrary, she puts the ring on his left ring finger. As they are doing this, they are reciting a Hebrew statement called haray aht (Retrieved on December 11, 2008 from http://www. weddingdetails. com/lore/jewish. cfm). In summary, preparing for the Orthodox Jewish Wedding is no easy thing. It requires a lot of effort to come up with an acceptable wedding that takes in consideration both the earthly and the religious aspect of life. Through this paper, we can also picture that even if there are still more days before the wedding, the people are already busy planning the event and are already doing some practices for the benefit of the big day. The wedding proper shows that values of these people as they do the rituals associated with getting married. It is also very obvious that they are really trying hard to avoid getting away from the proper way of doing it. Before and after the wedding, they are very optimistic about their, because of their trust to the Almighty. Everyone is looking forward to a happy and a blessed life ahead as they undergo the blessing of God through marriage. Celebration of their wedding is really something that the Jewish community must really be proud of. It is full of traditions that only their group inhibits and practices as well. Their culture is very rich and admirable. This is only a proof that cultures vary from place to place and that each culture has its beauty that everyone can admire. It is the Jewish community’s pride to have this and definitely, there are not just proud, but happy about acquiring this kind of culture.

Writing Style is Important Essay -- Writing Style Styles Essays

Writing Style is Important Contrary to popular conceptions of the term ‘style’, I have found that in the context of this class, as well as in the context of the books â€Å"Style Toward Clarity and Grace† by Joseph M. Williams and â€Å"The Elements of Style† by Strunk and White, that ‘style’ is not style in the sense that it is the way I write (in such as way as ‘everyone has their own unique style’). Style encompasses many elements to writing a cohesive, clear paper. However, I feel that in order to write a clear cohesive essay or paper, I must write in my own way, a way that I am familiar with. This may seem like it goes against something that would be in â€Å"The Elements of Style,† but it is not. Strunk and White clearly say in their book, â€Å"Write in a way that comes naturally.† (Strunk and White, 70). Even though Strunk and White say to write naturally, they contradict themselves later in the book. â€Å"Prefer the standard to the offbeat.† (Strunk and White, 81) is rather contradictory because I feel that if someone is going to write in a way that comes naturally, it can be offbeat, it can be different, and it can still be understood. Also, imaginative writing or experimental writing can help and create a better writer. Ravi’s Blog also addresses this issue, â€Å"It is much easier for me to be given a topic and write a formal essay on it than to push my writing outside conventional forms and really try something new. In order to succeed in the professional world, a writer needs to have a proficient command of standard English, but in order to explore ourselves and our relationships to one another, writers must find ways to break the mold.† (ravieng328.blogspot.com, October 7th entry). I think Ravi, as ment... ...at a lot of those rules are relative. That is to say my idea of wordy and breezy would be completely different then that of someone who will be reading this. I used to refer to my ‘style’ as the way I would write and the way my writing would be read personally. Now, after reading these books, I can see that there is more to style than just my own personality coming out in the writing. I can still have style, but I also need a different kind of style. I need the kind of style that is standard and recognized so that I will be more cohesive, more clear and write a better academically constructed paper. Works Cited http://ravieng328.blogspot.com Williams, Joseph M. Style Toward Clarity and Grace Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press, 1990. Strunk, William and White, E.B. The Elements of Style: Fourth Edition Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 2000, 1979.

Ender’s Game Good vs Evil

Ender’s Game – Good vs. Evil Writing In an epic saga capturing the struggle between two brothers, Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card, Ender and Peter are constantly at each other’s throats. Ender is the better of the two brothers as throughout the book he displays noble deeds and a strong mindset. Thus being said, Peter is the lesser of the two who throughout the book is doing something of malcontent, whether it is threatening to kill, killing, or fighting.Peter the older, power hungry brother is the evil to Ender’s good. From the beginning of the book, Anderson and Graff are, â€Å"Afraid of what (Peter) will do to (Ender). † (Card, 9). Later in the book, around the same time as when Ender is in Flight Commander school, Valentine is disgusted with Peter when she finds a squirrel’s dead carcass, â€Å"half – skinned, spiked by its little hands and feet with twigs†¦ She pictured Peter trapping it, staking it†¦how long ha d it taken the squirrel to die?And all the while Peter sat nearby, leaning against the tree where perhaps the squirrel had nested, playing with his desk while the squirrel’s life seeped away† (Card, 123) Peter is a ruthless killer who even tosses the idea of, â€Å" â€Å"whether to kill (Valentine) or what. † † (Card, 124) What other 12 year old child would commit such cruel acts? An evil one, one who skins animals to watch them die, one who threatens to kill it’s own sister, and one who torments all nearest to him, while acting under a blanket of innocence to hide his misgivings.Peter is a demon of a child with a lust for evil and wrong things to commit and threaten with. Ender the good to Peter’s evil, is the â€Å"better† of the two brothers. Ender does not want to, â€Å" (hurt) people again, just to save (himself). † (Card, 115) Ender does not have the same lust to kill or eradicate as Peter. For instance, Graff had to tri ck, â€Å" â€Å"(Ender) into (Commanding human forces to exterminate the buggers)†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"It had to be a trick or (Ender) couldn’t have done it†¦(They) had to have a commander with so much empathy that he would think like the buggers, understand them and anticipate them. † (Scott Card, 298) Ender had to be tricked into doing something that was against his morals for the greater good of his society, for the greater good of human existence. Even if that meant going against his personality, morality, and even his own human nature. With that the reader can promptly assume that Ender is the face on a TV ad trying to sell good. He is understanding, kind, but also will defend himself if provoked with an attack. Not to attack for the sake of attacking or attack for bloodlust, but simply as a reaction instilled in humans through the ages by the name of fight or flight.After the comprehension and understanding of Ender’s Game the reader finds that there are tw o polar opposite characters, Peter and Ender, who differ from each other more and more throughout the book, Peter the evil, and Ender the good. Peter the cold, heartless, killer and Ender his brother, who is, nothing like him at all. Kind, compassionate and understanding are all choice words when describing Ender. There is an old saying that reads, â€Å" Where there is good, there is also bad, and where there is bad, good will always triumph for it is fate. † (Anonymous)