Case Study of California Pizza Kitchen

Case Study of California Pizza Kitchen Rick Rosenfield and Larry Flax started California Pizza Kitchen in 1985 it was in Beverly Hills, California. Today, California Pizza kitchen has over 250 outlets which are around the world; the group is still operated by the initial founders. Most of the CPK’s restaurants are located in California, and the rest are located some in America and the others in Asia, Middle East and North America. California Pizza kitchen has franchised about 50 outlets which bear CPK name. California Pizza kitchen generates revenues from the restaurant which in most cases has very low profit margins that is caused by the cost of goods being very high. CPK is also known to generate higher revenue through a recent franchise agreement with the Kraft foods company, for Kraft food to produce and distribute some of the premium frozen pizzas associated with CPK. The Kraft franchise revenue generates 1% of CPK total annual revenues, revenue from the other franchise revenue is about 0.72% of the total rev enue and the restaurant sales revenue is about 98.31%. California Pizza Kitchen is in the foodservice industry, Foodservice is the sale of food and drinks for them to be immediately consumed, this can be in the premises where they were bought, or in place which is designated for eating and can be shared with other foodservice suppliers. California Pizza Kitchen runs restaurants and thus the NAICS code for the industry is 722110. Background and Assumptions Pizza is a very popular food in America, it is also a very favorite food and it transcends all demographics and it appeals almost all ethnic tastes. California Pizza Kitchen is known to sell fresh and the high quality pizza products. California Pizza Kitchen also offers various varieties of pastas, entree-size salads and soups which are freshly made and they all satisfy all tastes (Flax and Rosenfield 1999). California Pizza kitchen is a popular restaurant that is based in California, there is much more room for expansion of Califo rnia Pizza Kitchen both in America and internationally. The America alone can without any strain be able to support over 3,000 units. This is because Pizza is a favorite dish for all Americans and California Pizza Kitchen has built a big name by selling them. 5 Forces in Porter’s Model for CPK The Threat of New Entrants – (MODERATE FACTOR) This is one area which puts California Pizza Kitchen under pressure. There are some barriers to entry in the restaurant industry, but there are also many things that make it easy for one to enter the restaurant industry. This puts California Pizza Kitchen under constant pressure for them to differentiate themselves over all the other competitors or other restaurants that surround them. Before people spend money on food, they have to consider other restaurants for them to make a decision. There is a higher number of substitutes in the restaurant industry, these is mostly caused by the low barriers to entry. There are many small barrie rs that would deter an organization from entering the restaurant industry. Three major barriers that are faced by new entrants into the restaurant industry are; the ever rising prices of food, the economies of scale, and the heavy competition due to there being very many restaurants in the market. These barriers are not difficult to deal with like the government-enforced barriers which are very difficult to the new entrants into the market, but the barriers can still deter one from entering the market. Though the industry has some barriers, there are also some aspects of this industry that make it very attractive to investors. Some of these attractive elements of the industry include; there are low asset requirement, there is a lot of suppliers, the levels of capital required by the business is low of capital and the inability of organizations to establish true competitive advantage over the competitors.

Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 19

Reflection - Essay Example ion, oil and other consumer products such as Band-Aid, Neutrogena, Listerine and Tylenol have proven, time and again, that they are safe to use and that they were manufactured to serve the needs and demands of consumers who are health-conscious and sensitive. As such, Johnson & Johnson’s management effectively thought of the â€Å"why† factor first which is to cater first to serving and addressing the health needs and well-being of their customers, more than others. Thinking about the â€Å"why† factor in my own life, people can understand my â€Å"why† without actually telling them through manifesting my personal beliefs, values and philosophies in the actions and behavior that is seen by others. For example, if I firmly believe in exhibiting just and fair treatment to others, despite diversity in cultural, ethnic, or racial backgrounds, I should be able to show equal and just treatment to all through communicating and interacting with other people in a respectful and congenial manner at all times. Likewise, the message that my â€Å"why† of leadership would focus on exhibiting traits and leadership style that would be an inspiration to others and would make them equally inspiring to those they meet. This would necessitate adhering to ethical, moral and legal codes of conduct and behavior that show genuine commitment and respect to valuing the development and growth of people I lead. In doing so, these followers would be enjoined to emulate my leadership style and assist in sharing and applying that inspiring style to others. The same message would be relayed to people who are supervising me. When they see that I could be an inspiration to my followers through the ethical, moral and legal standards of leading others; then, hopefully, they would also be inspired to follow the same style in leading. A simple example of a time in my life when I believe my actions were inspiring to others is by showing dedication and commitment in attaining exemplary academic

Childbearing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Childbearing - Essay Example This happens when the mother is drinking alcohol, smoking or using illegal drugs during pregnancy. As vulnerable as he is, the child has no choice whether or not to take these materials since the membrane wherein exchange happens is only a cell thick (Pillitteri, 2007) and minute breaks could surely allow the entrance of materials inside the growing organism's body. With this occurrence, the use of illegal drugs, alcohol and even tobacco smoking is highly discouraged to pregnant women. In the early 1990s, there is a very limited attention in law regarding this case. Though many have been challenged and litigated for using these discouraged drugs while carrying a child inside their wombs, many mothers have been saved. However, the case of Jennifer Clarice Johnson was unique among them. Among an estimated 375,000 children every year being delivered by mothers who use illegal drugs, very few have been tried and convicted. To prevent the dreadful future of these children, authorities have been arresting mothers whose newly-delivered children tested positive for illegal drugs and most cases are from South Carolina and Florida (Lewin, 1992). Jennifer Clarice Johnson is a twenty-three year old African-American woman residing in Florida, who was charged, tried and convicted with two-counts of delivery of illegal substance to a minor through the umbilical cord (Paltrow, 1992). In fact, Johnson was the first woman to be convicted of such case. The charges brought about to the penalty of one-year treatment sentence and fourteen years of probation. The case was filed on account of her two children, a son who was born 1987 and a daughter born 1989. Both children made a positive result for cocaine after being tested and made Ms. Johnson guilty on July the same year she gave birth to her youngest child- the daughter. Johnson admitted to the use of cocaine the day before her delivery of both children though both were delivered healthy and in full-term (Lewin, 1992). However, authorities pursued of trying her into courts which made her guilty of the case. The verdict however, gained media attention and several authorities of law gave their disappointed remarks regarding the ruling because of its unconstitutionality. THE LAW: PROCEDURES AND RULES OF LAW The Florida Supreme Court gave a guilty verdict on the Johnson, vs. State of Florida case due to several rules and laws which the court interpreted as applicable to the case at bar. First is that according to Section 893.13(1) (c) 1. Florida Statutes (1989), any person 18 years of age or older who uses a person under the age of 18 in the delivery of any controlled substance is unlawful (Johnson, vs. State of Florida, 1992). With this statute applied to Florida, the case of Johnson was formulated. After being convicted of the case filed against her, Johnson filed an appeal for the court to reverse the conviction casted upon her. And in the year 1992, the Florida Supreme Court has indeed reversed the ruling due to some more substantiated evidences and interpretations of law. In the Florida statute stated above, there is really a discrepancy in the use of the term delivery. Delivery in the statute unclearly refers to the delivery of drug through a mother's umbilical cord and that the legislative history does not manifest

The economy in California Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The economy in California - Essay Example In the course of this assessment and analysis, various factors are considered in light of their effects and implications on the economy. These factors are divided according to their level of influence and their scope in regards to how each individual entity can deal with them (Melvin & Boyes, 122). As such, economics as a social science incorporates aspects of creation, circulation and utilization of commodities and services within an economy and the various factors that affect this cycle. For a proper and more insightful analysis of these factors, the concepts of micro and macroeconomics are introduced to deal with varying perspectives of the way in which various dynamics impact on the economy. Microeconomics often deals with aspects that are within a given economic entity’s scope, and refers to factors that the entity has control over. On the other hand, macroeconomics lays emphasis on factors that an economic entity has little or no control over, especially factors that hav e a national, transnational or global scope. An example of a factor that affects the economy on a national perspective is the inflation rate, or the level of inflation within the economy. As such, the analysis of this factor forms an insightful upshot from which the impact of macroeconomic factors can be viewed in relation to the economy. BODY: On a general platform, inflation can be described as the gradual increase in the prices of commodities and service provision within an economy over a given period. This is occasioned by the value of the currency dropping, whereby the financial might of a unit of currency drops and it is able to purchase lesser and lesser items as the level of inflation increases.... On other platforms, inflation refers to an average increase in the money circulating within an economy, as occasioned by the value of the currency dropping warranting the need for more legal tender to complete a transaction (Melvin & Boyes, 134). Inflation is caused by a number of factors, ranging from government expenditure exceeding the revenues, or the private sector causing shortfalls in output resulting in demand exceeding the supply of goods and services. Moreover, increased production costs also result in increased prices of goods thereby resulting in inflation. The measure for inflation is carried out through the price index that monitors the overall pricing of consumer goods and services over a given period. The general percentage change in price roughly implicates the inflation level within the economy. The impacts of inflation can be both positive and negative in some instances. However, its negative force is more impacting than the positive effects (McEachern, 187). There are levels of inflation, with low levels of inflation generally considered not as harmful. However, zero and high inflation are considered harmful to any economy. The major impact of inflation is that it creates a financial shortage for individuals who are surviving on a fixed income. This is occasioned by the lack of income dynamism in relation to the rate of inflation (McEachern, 222). The amount of disposable income for such individuals decreases, thereby leading to less expenditure, further enhancing the inflation rate. This results in minimized savings, as more money is used in purchases that were previously less straining on the financial muscle. However, inflation can also result in hidden tax raises especially in

Partnership approach in providing safer communities Essay

Partnership approach in providing safer communities - Essay Example Since in so providing safer communities, partnerships must be evaluated on the basis of minimized violence or potential sources of violence, this paper will also attempt to provide statistical analysis which will profile the role violence plays in the relation with the night time economy. The paper will therefore formulate a conclusion and recommendations that would either support the continuation or abolition of these partnerships. 2.1 Are these statutory and voluntary agencies including probation, health, local authorities, and police really working in partnership to provide safer communities? What is the proof, if any, to show that communities are now safer after the partnership or partnerships? The answer here of course is in the affirmative. In fact partnerships in crime prevention at UK are created by law. Maldon District Community Safety Strategy (2005 – 2008) reported Essex Police Crime Reduction Targets 2005-08 to prove its accomplishments as follows: During 2002-2005 overall crime fell in the Maldon District. Thefts from motor vehicles reduced by 63% and reports of domestic violence fell by 24%. However, criminal damage increased 56% and theft of motor vehicles by 77%. Historically, the District has not suffered from large numbers of vehicle thefts and the large percentage increase must be considered against that background with thefts rising from 95 to 170 in the past 12 months. High value cars have been targeted by displaced thieves believed to be operating in the District following successful campaigns to reduce car thefts in neighbouring areas. Maldon District Council (n.d.) represents itself as a partner Responsible Authorities Group (RAG) which actually includes the following: Essex Police – Division, Essex Police Authority, Maldon District Council, Essex Fire Service, Essex County Council and Maldon PCT. Steering Group includes member of the RAG and representatives, drawn from many statutory and voluntary organisations operating in

Final project Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Final project - Assignment Example Likewise, the change is reflected to processes, practices or methods affected by innovative management practices. This complex concept refers to a challenging concept, as balanced scorecard is widely used in corporate organizations, change is a regular feature. It is fundamental that information systems in an organization assumes that the required information is known to the user, ensures that it is acknowledged and received on a consistent basis and is also embedded in the decision making process of the organization. As per the scenario, the development of performance management system for Procter and Gamble must meet these requirements (Sachs 53-64): Procter and Gamble is seeking to construct an effective and proficient performance management system that will adhere to organization objectives into visible and measurable targets demonstrating success that is also shared among the organization’s customers and stake holders. ... 981-993) i.e. Financial, Customer, Internal Business Processes and Learning and Growth. 1.1 Financial Perspective The financial perspective of the balanced score card varies for Government organizations and private organizations. As the business objectives for the private sector are generic and exemplify transparent extensive targets associated with profit based organizations operational in the commercial marketplace. In contrast, considerations for financial aspects of public limited organizations play a limited role, as financial goals are rare for being a primary objective for businesses. The Information Technology department of Procter and Gamble will incorporate financial perspective of the balanced scorecard for measuring the effectiveness and efficiency of critical information technology processes to meet business requirements within an allocated budget. By effectively monitoring key process indicators, Return on Investment (ROI) can be calculated and augmented as well. The in crease in ROI will definitely show a positive intent of the stakeholders. 1.2 Customer Perspective The customer’s perspective of the balance scorecard will evaluate the ability of the IT department for contribution in providing quality goods and services, supply chain effectiveness and satisfaction for overall customer service. KPI for monitoring Supply Chain Management (SCM) will focus on activities and processes involved in product delivery and storage. If an effective IT based SCM is operational, customers will be satisfied, as goods will be delivered on time and will have 100% availability in stores and supermarkets, even in online stores. 1.3 Internal

Cuban Missle Crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cuban Missle Crisis - Essay Example The role of Khrushchev in the Cuban Missile Crisis provides insights to the success or failures of him as a leader of the Soviet Union. However a lot of research on his role in the event has focused primarily on explaining the reasons of his decisions to place the missiles in Cuba. Taubman, points out that placing of the missiles in Cuba are viewed by Khrushchev as a cure for the entire world thus alleviating the domestic troubles and showing to his colleagues that he was a worthy leader. Khrushchev in his memoirs explains his decision of placing the missile and crisis as; â€Å"We shipped our weapons to Cuba precisely for the prevention of aggression against her! That is why the Soviet government reaffirmed its agreement to the removal of the ballistic rockets from Cuba† (Khrushchev). The reasoning behind placing of the missiles as given by Khrushchev was logical and can be considered as a justifiable personal reaction. According to White, it was noted that Khrushchev as a pe rson was ‘innovative and conciliatory,’ but also ‘erratic and dangerous’ (White, Missiles in Cuba, Kennedy, Khrushchev, Castro and the 1962 Crisis), thus such decision coming from him can be attributed to his incongruous personality mix. However the decision of Khrushchev was in view of the Soviet Union’s â€Å"Caribbean Crisis† and in an attempt to counter the increasing global power of US and the hostile stance it had taken in Latin America. In the last month of year 1962, Khrushchev stated that he could see â€Å"a possibility of defending the freedom-loving people of Cuba by stationing missiles there.† (White, Missiles in Cuba, Kennedy, Khrushchev, Castro and the 1962 Crisis). For Khrushchev, Cuba was a ray of hope in the iron curtain, through which he could see the opportunity to bolster the image and power of Soviet Communism and to reject the Beijing accusation. Through this he had the opportunity to address the most critical iss ues concerning the Soviet Union, like: settlement over Berlin, military strategic parity with US and to attain communist prestige in the eyes of Beijing. Although the decision of Khrushchev for placing the missile can be seen as a serious tactical blunder, but his actions during the crisis along with response from Kennedy helped in preventing an atomic war. Although another medium could have been adopted by Khrushchev to strike a better deal for Soviet Union, however he deserves respect for risking his careers, setting aside his pride and withdrawing the missiles. Since the 1962, the unbroken state of Cuba is attributed to the Cuban-Soviet relations serve as a victory for the Soviet Union (Roeschley) Also, as a result of the Soviet-American pact on not invading Cuba was a success for the Soviet in securing victory for Latin American states thus protecting Cuba from another attack like that of the Bay of pigs. In his memoirs, Khrushchev recalls it as, â€Å"if Cuba fell, other Latin American countries would reject us, claiming that for all our might the Soviet Union hadn’t been able to do anything for Cuba except to make empty protests to the United Nations, we had to think of some way of confronting America with