Modern Collegiate A Cappella Essay -- Music Art Cultural Essays Histor

Modern Collegiate A Cappella Introduction A cappella is a relatively young art form that is catching the interest of many people across the nation. The popular movement is believed to have been started in 1909, when part of the Yale Glee Club broke off and formed the Yale Whiffenpoofs, the first collegiate a cappella group; the Whiffenpoofs exist to this day, and the a cappella movement has only grown in popularity. Throughout the middle decades of the 20th century, professional a cappella groups attracted a lot of attention for their renditions of popular songs. As this new progressive style caught on, the a cappella art form evolved from its roots in harmonically complex barbershop quartets into a more modem and freely structured type of music. The trend-setting groups remained attentive to musicality, but left behind the rigidity commonly associated with barbershop performance. Songs like "Mr. Sandman," by the Chordettes, and "It Won't Be Very Long," by the Soul Stirrers, showed people that a cappella could be exciting and also that it could tackle a multitude of musical genres. The next big developments in a cappella came on the collegiate front. While professional groups retained their popularity, their numbers did not increase much toward the end of the 20th century. On the other hand, the number of college groups skyrocketed during this same time period. According to the Mainely A Cappella website's history of a cappella, since 1989, there have been about 20 new groups formed at schools across the nation every year. 1 This paper suggests that the reason for the drastic spike in collegiate interest in a cappella is because students began to realize the wide range of creative expression that can be achieve... ...ed methods of making music. 3 Quotation from Michael Kendall's "Philosophy of Music Education." See reference list. Works Cited: 1.Bethel College Website. Michael Kendall, "Philosophy of Music Education." http://www.bethelcollege.edu/acadb/und s/finearts/music/phil.htm. 2. Hemsley, Thomas. Singing and Imagination. Oxford University Press. 1998. 3. Mainely A Cappella website. "A Century of A Cappella." http://www.a-cappella.corn/misc/history.php. 4. Sawyer, Keith. Group Creativity – Music, Theater, Collaboration. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers. 2003. 5. Singer, Irving. Feeling and Imagination – The Vibrant Flux of Our Existence. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. 2001. 6. Schoenherr, Steve. "Recording Technology History." http://history.acusd.edu/ mml#di ital. 7. Ward, Finke, Smith. Creativity and the Mind. Plenum Press. 1995.

Regional Integration Essay

The Pacific Forum region seeks a region of peace, harmony security, and economic prosperity. The diversity of its peoples seek value, honor in their cultures. The Pacific Region’s objectives include obtaining respect for its governance, sustainable management of its resources and its democratic values. The partnerships with their neighbors, to improve communications and secure a sustainable economy for all are the primary objectives for its members. Established in Bangkok, Thailand on August 8, 1967 the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) was founded by Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. ASEAN is now comprised of 10 members including Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (ASEAN, 2013). An important and landmark agreement that ASEAN entered into was the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement. The region in which the ASEAN- China Free Trade Agreement will reach is about 1. 9 billion people. This agreement will surely test not only the members of ASEAN, but China as well. The region in which the ASEAN- China Free Trade Agreement will reach is about 1. 9 billion people. This agreement will surely test not only the members of ASEAN, but China as well (ASEAN, 2013). Positive Influence of the Asean-China Free Trade Agreement January 10, 2010 marked a ten year negotiation with China, when the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area Agreement became effective. Tariff reductions between China and six ASEAN members Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, will experience more than a 90 percent of products with a drop to near zero in both parties’ tariffs. The agreement was established with the idea that ASEAN countries’ natural resources and China’s large market would both benefit (Shamsi, 2010). Countries like Cambodia and Laos will benefit from the ASEAN-China agreement with zero tariffs on over 7000 goods from China, which will benefit these under developed countries tremendously. Less developed countries especially those with no stock market system will welcome this agreement and benefit greatly (Shamsi, 2010). The ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement is China’s first free trade agreement and the first negotiated agreement ASEAN has been involved in with another country. The importance of this agreement will be seen when ASEAN nations being to use China’s currency Yuan. This can drive China’s Yuan to become a major global trading currency. This agreement is important in the movement for the regional economic environment (Shamsi, 2010). Negative Impact of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement The economic head of ASEAN is Indonesia. The idea of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement is not beneficial to ASEAN countries and should be re-considered. Indonesia has pointed out that the economy of China has recently increased and become powerful in global terms. The exemption from custom duties for Chinese goods ill challenges the local business survival with an influx of less expensive Chinese goods (Shamsi, 2010). Bankruptcy is a real possibility for industrial areas in the small and medium sized zones according to the chairman of the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association. The automotive industry in Malaysia is also wary of this agreement in that the impact on local auto industries could be hit hard. The view from many ASEAN members is that the agreement much more benefits China than the ASEAN countries. China in size alone has a large market for domestic consumption and ability to export on a grander scale than that of ASEAN countries (Shamsi, 2010). The overall feelings in most ASEAN countries are that of mixes feelings, but mostly worry concerning the agreement. The population of China with 1. 3 billion people compared to the 600 million combined of ASEAN region is notable differences in terms of markets. The concept that took ten years to come to light, seems that with the changes seen in the economy of China, that the agreement still has the same fruitful benefits initially anticipated (Shamsi, 2010).

Emily Grierson Living in the Past in William Faulkners A...

Emily Grierson Living in the Past in William Faulkners A Rose for Emily In A Rose for Emily, by William Faulkner, Emily Grierson seems to be living with her father in what people referred to as the old South. However, most of the story takes place after the Civil War, but Miss Emily is clearly living in the past. As critic Frederick Thum pointed out, Many people are able to survive in the present, but give little or no thought to the future, and these people usually live in the past. Such a mind is the mind of Miss Emily Grierson...(1). Miss Emilys comprehension of death, her relationship with the townspeople, and her reaction toward her taxes are clear examples that she is living in the past. At the†¦show more content†¦Since many of the members of the older generation have retired or have died, the younger generation wanted her to pay her taxes because there was nothing written down that said that she was exempt from paying them. When the younger generation asked her to pay her taxes, Emily said that Colonel Sartoris had told her she had not taxes to pay in Jefferson. The problem as that Colonel Sartoris has been dead for ten years. Even though he was dead, the Colonel had given his word, and according to traditional view, his word knew no death. It is the past pitted against the present-the past with its social decorum, the present with everything set down in the books(Rodriguez 1). Miss Emily also shows how she is living in the past when her father dies. She told everyone that came to get his body that her father was still alive, she refused to believe he was dead. However, she eventually was forced to give them his body. After her fathers death, she looked like a girl with a vague resemblance to those angels in colored church windows-sort of tragic and serene. This suggest that she has already begun her entrance into the nether-world(Rodriguez 1). The people did not know what to make of Emily. Many thought she wasShow MoreRelatedEmily Grierson : Story And Town Symbol Of The Old South1535 Words   |  7 PagesEmily Grierson: Story and Town Symbol of the Old South William Faulkner’s â€Å"A Rose for Emily† is a story about an elderly woman, Emily Grierson who represents the old south. â€Å"A Rose for Emily† consists of five parts. The story begins with the death of Emily Grierson. Then, the narrator takes the readers into a flashback to the time Miss Emily Grierson is alive. The narrator explains Grierson as a representation of the old south. The narrator describes Miss Emily Grierson actions rather than explainRead MoreAnalysis Of A Rose For Emily, And A Rose For Emily By William Faulkner1004 Words   |  5 PagesWilliam Faulkner once said, â€Å" We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it.† American history has come a long way, comparing present day to the past many can see a drastic difference. In a historicist perspective, a short story that captures this country’s past is William Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily written and published in 1930 and was William Faulkners fi rst short story to be published in a national magazine. The critics and the public view the reading somewhat wellRead MoreBook Review of A Rose for Emily1813 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿A Rose for Emily William Faulkners 1930 short story A Rose for Emily tells the tale of the sudden death of a small, southern towns most prominent old woman; the last remaining person who had experienced the American South before the American Civil War. She had the memories within her of a period of white domination and black subjection, which is mirrored in the relationship she had with her handyman. This woman held a great deal of power in this small community. She is a remnant of the pastRead MoreThe Search for Time in Yoknapatawpha County1908 Words   |  8 Pagesyear and the time period of the story. Furthermore, in the short story â€Å"A Rose for Emily† by William Faulkner, the setting is a source of conflict. The narrator’s of the story, the town’s people, have an unknown entity, but because the story shifts between time periods and settings, the reader acquires different points of view from the same conflict. The theme of tradition and change in the short story †Å"A Rose for Emily†, is enhanced by time, the southern gothic literature, and the post Civil WarRead MoreWilliam Faulkner s A Rose For Emily1181 Words   |  5 Pages Is William Faulkner s A Rose for Emily iconic American literature? Faulkner uses setting, theme and plot to show the ways â€Å"A Rose for Emily† is an iconic American literature. Faulkner saw the Forum magazine with his short story he wrote, â€Å"A Rose for Emily† and found out that was his first national publication. The Mississippi Writers Page says, â€Å"The man himself never stood taller than five feet, six inches tall, but in the realm of American literature, William Faulkner is a giant† (MWP). Read More A Rose for Emily and The Jilting of Granny Weatherall the Share theTheme of Jilting985 Words   |  4 Pageson with her life, remarrying, having four children, and living to an old age, she never let go of this memory; the loss of George continued to have an effect on her. At the end of the story, Granny asks God for a sign, and when she does not get on, she feels that God has jilted her as well. With that final feeling, she dies. A Rose for Emily, a short story written by William Faulkner in 1930, describes the life and death of Emily Grierson, a significant figure in representing traditional south andRead More The Role of the Watch in William Faulkners A Rose for Emily1199 Words   |  5 PagesThe Role of the Watch in William Faulkners A Rose for Emily Even the casual reader of William Faulkner will recognize the element of time as a crucial one in much of the writers work, and the critical attention given to the subject of time in Faulkner most certainly fills many pages of criticism. A goodly number of those pages of criticism deal with the well-known short story, A Rose for Emily. Several scholars, most notably Paul McGlynn, have worked to untangle the confusing chronologyRead MoreA Rose for Emily by William Faulkner Essay803 Words   |  4 Pages In William Faulkners quot;A Rose for Emily,quot; we see how past events affect the life of the main character Miss Emily, especially her inability to accept change. Throughout the story Miss Emily goes to extreme measures to protect her social status. Miss Emily lives in the past to shield herself from a future that holds no promises and no guarantees. William Faulkner illustrates Miss Emilys inability to accept change through the physical, social and historical settings, all of which areRead MoreSetting Analysis of the Story a Rose for Emily1007 Words   |  5 PagesAn analysis of the setting of â€Å"A Rose for Emily† by William Faulkner’s William Faulkner is one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century. Although he was born in New Albany, Mississippi in 1897 he moved to Oxford, Mississippi before his fifth birthday. Faulkner belonged to a once-wealthy family of former plantation owners (eNotes.com, Inc., 2012). He spent his boyhood hunting and fishing in and around Lafayette County (eNotes.com, Inc., 2012). William Faulkner based most of his storiesRead MoreA Rose For Emily Literary Analysis957 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Faulkner is a well-known author, whose writing belongs in the Realism era in the American Literary Canon. His writing was influence by his Southern upbringing, often setting his stories in the fictional Southern town, Yoknapatawpha County. â€Å"A Rose for Emily† was one of Faulkner’s first published pieces and displays many of the now signature characteristics of Faulkner’s writing. The short story provides commentary through the use of many symbols. In William Faulk ner’s short story, â€Å"A Rose

Unit 6 - P2 - 1251 Words

Unit 6 – P2 In sport there can be certain reasons as to why people are unable to in sport, cultural, social, historical, economic or educational. These barriers are referred to as barriers to participation. Culture barriers are linked to different nationalities, beliefs and religions. There may be rules and views on who should participate in sport. Some religions do not allow women to participate in sport altogether, others allow participation if they wear clothes that cover the whole body. In the UK is limited knowledge of sport from certain cultures. Schools often try to accommodate different cultural for example, allowing students to clothes to cover their body and separating girls from boys. There may still be an issue such as†¦show more content†¦Target groups include women, young people, over 50’s, disabled people and black or ethnic minority groups. These groups of people are the groups that generally have been the most barriers to participation. They are focused on increasing opportunities in sport as they are likely to benefit the most. Women have always had less involvement in sport than men. There may be reasons as to why women have less involvement. They may stop playing sport to focus on other thing like having children or a family. Women with family may also find it difficult due to a lack of money and time. These barriers can occur at any level of sports continuum from someone who may just want to exercise to keep fit (participation stage) but feels they can’t as the only classes available to them are mixed sex classes which they are not comfortable with. Other example, of the barriers to women may be that at the performance or excellence stage lack sponsorship, media coverage and government funding in women’s sport. This in turn means that women are unable to continue sport as a career and are limited to the level they are able to achieve as they can’t live by only playing sports and must get a job. There has been a large improvement in the amount of women involved in sport since scheme a nd government funded activities have been put in place to increase numbers of women’s only classes, competitive clubs and female teams in traditional male sport such as rugby, football andShow MoreRelatedP2 Unit 6 Travel and Tourism1912 Words   |  8 Pagesï » ¿Unit 6: Preparing for Employment in Travel Tourism Task 2: CAREER FACTFILE: JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN THE TRAVEL AND TOURISM SECTOR Job Title 1: Airline Pilot Job Title 2: Cabin Crew Job role Airline pilots are responsible for flying passengers and/or cargo on long or short-haul flights for leisure, business or commercial purposes. Air cabin crew members make sure that airline passengers have a comfortable, safe and pleasant flight. Air cabin crew member must be polite, well-spokenRead MoreReliability And Availability Evaluation Of A System Switched1625 Words   |  7 PagesRELIABILITY AND AVAILABILITY EVALUATION OF A SYSTEM SWITCHED TO ANOTHER SIMILAR, SUBSTITUTE OR DUPLICATE SYSTEM ON TOTAL FAILURE ABSTRACT A two-unit standby system is considered with two types of repair facilities. One facility repairs one unit at a time and other facility repairs both the units simultaneously. When both the units fail, if unit can be repair in short time then repair will be continued, otherwise in order to improve availability another substitute system taken from outside is usedRead MoreEssay on Work: Goal and Social Care949 Words   |  4 PagesUnit 6: Personal and Professional Development in Health and Social CareUnit 44: Vocational Experience for Health and Social CareBTEC NATIONAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL CAREExtended Diploma Student Name: Abigail bowes Group: BStudent Number: 20138903 | Unit 6 (P2, P5) half 1. Provide an up-to-date CV at the start of the course. 2. Provide an updated CV at the end of the first year. You will required to completed the following * Completed Units * Work Experience * New Skills and QualificationsRead MoreVariable costing vs Absorption costing.1134 Words   |  5 Pagescomparative insight of major differences using the examples below:- The following information is available for periods 1-6 for a company that produced a single product ($) Unit selling price10 Unit variable cost 6 Fixed costs for each period 300 Normal activity = 150 units per period, production sales are as follows:- P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 Units sold150120180150 140160 Units produced150150150150170 140 There were no opening stocks for P1, actual manufacturing fixed overhead incurred was $300Read MoreAvailability Improvement For Single Unit System With Two Types Of Repair Facilities1233 Words   |  5 PagesAVAILABILITY IMPROVEMENT IN SINGLE UNIT SYSTEM WITH TWO TYPES OF REPAIR FACILITIES Gurvindar Kaur and pooja vinodiya School of Studies in Statistics Vikram University Ujjain (M.P.) Email:gkbhatti2289@gmail.com ABSTRACT This study deals with the reliability, availability, and busy period characteristics of single unit system. On failure of the system, if system can be repaired in short time then repair will be continued, otherwise in order to improve availability another substitute system taken fromRead MoreUnit 2 Assignment P2 P3 M11036 Words   |  5 PagesName: Date Submitted: Unit: 2.2 Equality, diversity and rights in health and social care I certify that the attached work is original and my own: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Student Signature Assessment Title: Concepts and discriminatory and discriminatory practices Lecturer: Nicky Edwards, Patricia Britto Issue Date: w/c 6th October 2014 Hand in date: 24th October 2014 Criteria 1st Referral Hand in Date 2nd Referral Hand in Date Grade Achieved Signed Dated by Lecturer P2 P3 M1 LearningRead MoreECN 5021168 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿ 1)  Problem 6: Suppose demand and supply are given by Qd = 60 – P and Qs = P – 20. a)  What are the equilibrium quantity and price in this market? b)  Determine the quantity demanded, the quantity supplied and the magnitude of the surplus if a price floor of $50 is imposed in this market. c)  Determine the quantity demanded, the quantity supplied and the magnitude of the shortage if a price ceiling of $32 is imposed in this market. Solution: a. For the equilibrium i) Price: Qd = Qs 60-P=P-20Read MoreOptimized Time Quantum For Dynamic Round Robin Algorithm1497 Words   |  6 Pageskeep the processor as busy as possible. . Processor Utilization = (Processor buy time) / (Processor busy time + Processor idle time) b. Throughput: The number of process computed per unit of time is Throughput. Throughput = (Number of processes completed) / (Time Unit) c. Turnaround Time (tat): The total time spent to get into the ready queue for a process is turn around time. tat = t(process completed) – t(process submitted) d. Waiting Time (wt): Time spent in readyRead MoreEssay on Competition and Unit Cost861 Words   |  4 PagesNovember 14th 2011 Price Competition and Bertrand Model Discussion Questions 1. Suppose firm 1 and firm 2 each produce the same product and face a market demand curve described by: Q = 5000 - 200P Firm 1 has a unit cost of production c1 equal to 6 whereas firm 2 has a higher unit cost of production c2 equal to 10. a. What is the Bertrand-Nash equilibrium outcome? b. What are the profits for each firm? c. Is this outcome efficient? Answer: (a) At equilibrium, assuming that if bothRead MorePressure vs. Volume Ib Chemistry Sl Full Lab Write- Up Essay1666 Words   |  7 Pagesamount of gas held at a constant temperature varies inversely with the applied pressure. In other words, when the pressure increases the volume decreases. When pressure decreases, volume increases. This can be derived from the following equation: P1 V1=P2 V2 The common use of this equation is to predict how a change in pressure or volume will alter the volume/pressure of the gas. Thus, the product of the initial volume and pressure is equal to the product of pressure and volume after a change in

Increasing Globalization And Economic Activities - 2097 Words

1. Introduction In organizations different composition of people are working due to increasing globalization and economic activities in a global world. Globalization, advancement in information and communication technology together with improved transportation system have reduced the distance separating people of different cultures, races, ages, ethno religious and social backgrounds. The organizations at present observe the growing presence of women at the workplace, at a growth of multiethnic workforce, at the globalization of enterprises and markets. These trends induce more and more enterprises to manage diversity. Particularly, increased globalization in workplaces has led to a situation whereby the workplaces are getting more and†¦show more content†¦Globalization in this recent time has prompted more interfaces amid people from different cultures and backgrounds than before. People are now more open-minded in the worldwide with competition imminent as of almost all over in the contin ent. Most organizations in their own viewpoint, take on diversity at their organization to develop into more ingenious and open to change. Growing and improving workforce diversity has developed into an important issue for managers in the recent years due to the recognition of how the workforce is changing. While managing diversity still remains a challenge in organizations, managers tend to learn managerial skills required in a multicultural working environment and prepare themselves to teach others within their organizations to value cultural differences and treat all employees with poise. 2. Concept of workforce diversity Workforce diversity is about the variety of differences between people in an organization. It includes race, gender, ethnic group, age, personality, organizational function, education, background and more. It was observed that diversity as any significant difference that distinguishes one individual from another – a description that encompasses a broad range of overt and hidden qualities. Diversity involves how people recognize others and these perceptions influence their interactions. For a wide assortment of employees to function effectively as an organization, human resource department need to deal

Website Links for American College of Surgeons-myassignmenthelp

Question: Write about theWebsite Links for American College of Surgeons. Answer: The main attribute of a career is the requirement for its member to abide to a code of morals. Code of Professional Conduct for the ACS, is an established code and is a considered as part of the Society's Regulations in shrined in the constitution. The statutes apply to any ACS member who is in the field of ICT (Barry, et al., 2004). This paper examination Case Study 7 Website Links as per ACS Code of Ethics and gives some of the recommendation in the dilemma of this case study. In the Case Study 7 Website Links Sallys dilemma is to determine who should take responsibility of adding the news channel that included the on court cases, which are currently under suppression order here in Australia as they are in process, and what actions should be taken about the event. She needs to prevent recurrence of this type of problem. Utilizing MacDonald's methodology sally should first recognize the moral dimension of this problem as one that has moral importance (Bowern, et al 2006). By so doing sally should identify the parties interested, as to who has stake in the decision and in this case, it is Han the website developer. Consequently, Sally should identify which values are involved in this problem and a member of ACS, she should advocate and advance the effectiveness honor, and dignity of being a professional (Rogerson, Weckert Simpson, 2000). In addition, Sally should weigh the benefits and the burdens, as to who should carry the burden and what for the benefit s are like acting in accordance with numerous relevant values like fairness, and the satisfaction of preferences. Sally should also look at other similar case and what action was taken. Lastly, she should discuss the problem in relating with others. As part of ACS code of Professional Conduct, it is recommendable for Sally to be a respectable civilian and act within the regulation, conformance to ACS ethics. Firstly, she should put in to consideration of the primacy of the public interest.. With regards to this Code, public interest outweighs the personal, sectional and private interest, and any contentions ought to be resolved in the best interest of the public (Burmeister, 2000). Secondly, Sally should conduct herself with honesty. She should not break public trust in the career or the particular trust of her stakeholders. In addition, she should show Competence. Acknowledge that such work, as she believes she is competent to perform and not delay to get extra skill from well-qualified persons where advisable. Bibliography Barry, L., Blair, P.G., Cosgrove, E.M., Cruess, R.L., Cruess, S.R., Eastman, A.B., Fabri, P.J., Kirksey, T.D., Liscum, K.R., Morrison, R. and Sachdeva, A.K., 2004. One year, and counting, after publication of our ACS Code of Professional Conduct.Journal of the American College of Surgeons,199(5), pp.736-740. Bowern, M., Burmeister, O., Gotterbarn, D. and Weckert, J., 2006. ICT Integrity: Bringing the ACS Code of Ethics up to date.Australasian Journal of Information Systems,13(2). Burmeister, O.K., 2000. Applying the ACS code of ethics.Journal of Research and Practice in Information Technology,32(2), pp.107-120. Rogerson, S., Weckert, J. and Simpson, C., 2000. An ethical review of information systems developmentThe Australian Computer Societys code of ethics and SSADM.Information technology people,13(2), pp.121-136.

Introduction to Hospitality Industry Beverage Companies

Question: Discuss about the Introduction to Hospitality Industry for Beverage Companies. Answer: Executive summary Every organization dealing with food and beverages seek to gain a competitive advantage which can assist it to succeed in its operations. In order to stand out in the market, it is always important to come up with ideas that can assist the organization to stand out by acquiring a competitive advantage. The most common strategies which food and beverage outlets are currently using to stand out in the market include; ensuring the companies produce high quality products than its competitors, ensuring their the prices are slightly lower, coming up with products that can be easily differentiated from those of companies which produce similar goods, offering take away and delivery services, installing free WIFI in their premises and so forth. This paper will look at different strategies which food and beverage companies are currently using to gain competitive advantage. It will also give an overview of the comparative nature of various companies which operate this kind of business in Sydney and also cover some examples of bars and upmarket restaurants that have succeeded in the use of competitive advantage and value chain analysis strategies in Australia. Competitive advantage Competition is a major challenge affecting hospitality and other industries today (Silverman, 2011). Competitive advantage provides an edge over the competitors and the possibility of establishing a greater value for an organization and its shareholders. Companies with competitive advantage generate more sales or superior margins than their competitors. Because so many foods and beverage outlets are emerging almost each day, there is an urge for the people who operate this kind of businesses to find out strategies which can assist them in dominating the market. There are three major strategies which an organization can use in order to gain a competitive advantage. The three include seeking to attain cost advantage through selling products at lower prices, attaining differentiation advantage through ensuring your products are of high quality and finally through attaining a competitive advantage by using the right distribution channels, creating brand awarenss and so forth. The diagram below shows the major sources of competitive advantage and how they can be attained. For food and beverage outlets to gain competitive advantage, they have to work on various things like their cost structure, brands, customer support, and intellectual property (Thompson Tracy, 2011). There are two types of competitive advantage which can be used by food and beverage outlets. These are comparative advantage and differential advantage Comparative advantage Comparative advantage is the companys ability to produce foods and drinks at a reduced cost than other enterprises which produce similar goods (Frank, 2011). This strategy can give food and beverage outlets the capacity to generate a larger margin on its annual sales. Comparative advantage can assist this kind of businesses to sell its products at a price that is lower than that of its competitors and still realize good profits because production cost mostly drives the sale prices. The best ways in which food and beverage outlets can achieve comparative advantage is by paying attention to some factors like using more efficient internal systems, using economies of scale, embracing technology and innovation, expanding in areas which can promise low-cost labor and so on (Levander Geterl, 2015). Although these factors can help companies to attain competitive advantage, it does not mean the entity can produce better foods or beverages, but rather, they can sell their products at a price which is lower than their competitors. Differential advantage Food and beverage outlets can attain comparative advantage by producing products that are so different from those of their competitors and are perceived to be more superior by the consumers (Still, 2010). A food and beverage outlet can achieve a differential advantage by coming up with products that have different features than those of its competitors, and also products which can make the company win customer loyalty. In most cases, food and beverage outlets have been using differential advantage as a stepping stone in achieving both their short and long term goals. Fast food and beverage outlet can gain a differential advantage through several aspects like; using advanced technology, using sound and attractive business slogans, use of patents and copyrights, superior personnel, using brand protected products, using robust and unique brand names and so on (Burrows III, 2013). Use of these factors assists the customer in differentiating your products from those of competitors. Use of patent can also prevent the competitors from using your brand names. Differential advantage makes customers build loyalty with a particular company because it makes them believe what they get from that company is so unique, and they cannot get it from other businesses. Food and beverage outlets use the differential advantage to make their customer think the food and drinks they get from a particular store are of high quality than those of their competitors. Value chain analysis Value chain analysis involves evaluating all activities that affect the inputs and outputs of goods or services that customers seem to show high demand for them. The concept of value chain analysis was first described by a person known as Michael Porter in 1985 (Fromm Garton, 2013). According to porter, primary activities like operations and outbound activities must be combined with support activities like technology for a firm to realize a firm to succeed in its operations. The diagram below gives an overview of porters value chain analysis model Fast food and beverage outlets can make use of these strategies to establish high sales, win competition, and attract customer loyalty. Value chain analysis describes different activities that take place in food and beverage outlets and relates them to the analysis of the companys competitive strength. Food and beverage outlets perform value chain analysis based on two approaches depending on the nature of competitive advantage they want to establish (Still, 2010). The two approaches which can be used by these companies are; Cost or differentiation advantage. The cost advantage is mostly used by businesses that compete on costs. On the other hand, differentiation advantage is used by outlets that strive to come up with superior products. Value chain analysis enables food and beverage outlets to experience greater profit margins than their competitors because it assists them to experience increased sales (Levander Geterl, 2015). It also enables these businesses to put much attention on activities that are likely to convert their production inputs into the outputs that are valued by the consumers. The primary activities included in value chain analysis in these types of businesses include focusing on the inputs, changing them into outputs and delivering them to the consumer. When food and beverage outlet is efficient in combining these measures to produce superior products, the consumers are always willing to purchase the products at higher prices than the production cost, hence assisting the firm to realize higher product margins. For food and beverage outlets to succeed in their value chain analysis, they should always identify activities that are likely to add value to their products and analyze them so as to reduce production costs or increase differentiation (Burrows III, 2013). They also should find out the most valuable activities and the ones that need to be improved so as to provide a competitive advantage for the organization. The competitive nature of the Sydney food and beverage industry Foods and drinks are among the major factors that influence Australian economy (Levander Geterl, 2015). In this country, the hospitality industry is highly dynamic and driven by customers who seek for diversity, quality and value. Both large and small manufacturing companies in this sector use every possible mean to ensure it stands out in the market through attracting as many customers as possible. Most of the food and beverage companies in Sydney are emphasizing on innovation and technological advancements as their primary strategy of improving their competitive advantage (Tidd Bessant, 2013). Innovators in this industry are looking for new mechanisms of promoting food and beverages so as to make them suitable for their customers. Focus on technological advancements and innovation has been assisting most of these companies in Sydney to expand their lines of production, hence enabling the consumer to have wider selections. Because most of the consumers are becoming health conscious, most companies are putting much attention on salt and fat content to ensure they produce health friendly products for their customers (Still, 2010). Currently, enterprises that are emphasizing on the production of low-sodium or low-fat alternatives realize competitive advantage than businesses that do not consider these factors. Cost minimization is another strategy which most food and beverage companies are using to gain competitive advantage. Most of them have realized that with reduced production cost, they can sell their products at reduced prices and still achieve good profits (Levander Geterl, 2015). Companies which use strategies which lead to cost minimization and sell their products at reduced prices witness competitive advantage because their prices attract most customers in the market. Understanding consumer behavior is another factor which is enabling some of the food and beverage companies in Sydney to gain competitive advantage (Fromm Garton, 2013). In every business, customers are always the most valued stakeholders. Therefore, understanding their behaviors and knowing how to meet their demands is one way which can help an organization to succeed. Some of the food and beverage companies in Sydney have realized their consumers look to various sales channels to satisfy their needs (Burrows III, 2013). As a result of this, they have leveraged various mobile and online technologies as a mechanism for meeting this demand. This strategy has enabled most of the companies which have realized its advantage to attract many customers hence winning the competition. Some of the companies like Woolworths food group noticed emphasizing on low prices and improving customer shopping experience is one of the key strategies which it can use to win the competition (Burrows III, 2013). The company decided to use three fundamental principles to gain competitive advantage. The first principle was to improve the core offer to ensure the consumers value their enterprise; the second one was to concentrate on continuous innovations so as to meet the customer needs, and the last one was to work on efficiency. Competition being one of the biggest challenges in the food and beverage companies in Sydney, every company in this industry is using every possible measure to expand its market share (Burrows III, 2013). Some of the companies are trying to expand their business to various geographical locations within the country, and other nations so as attract more customers than their competitors. Product differentiation is another strategy which almost every company in this industry is trying to stress on. Using unique brand names and packaging enables customers to differentiate products from different companies (Fromm Garton, 2013). Woolworth is a good example of a company which has been paying attention to this issue. This company uses unique brand names and packaging which can enable its customers to differentiate their products from those of its competitors. Examples of bars and upmarket restaurants that exemplify these concepts in Australia As time goes on, competition is heating up in Bars and Upmarket restaurants in Australia (Levander Geterl, 2015). Most of the businesses in this category have been operating using these concepts. An example of a bar which has been using these strategies in its operations is Baxter Inn. This organization has been valuing its customers and doing everything possible to attract their loyalty. Some of the primary strategies used by this enterprise include; stocking high-quality liquor, reduced prices, employing people who know how to handle customer needs in a professional manner and so forth. Another example of a bar which uses these strategies is Bibo. The management of this restaurant has been using various measures to make sure most customers value their organization. Some of the strategies they have used to stand out in the market include ensuring customer comfort by fitting their bar with good lighting, proper ventilations, best music, and classic furniture. Bibo also values selling high-quality products to its clients. Their prices are also friendly to most people in the country. Most bars and upmarket restaurants that do not use strategies that can give them a competitive advantage fail in their operations because the competition is becoming a significant threat in the Australian market (Levander Geterl, 2015). To cut down production costs and increase profitability, most of these organizations are embracing the use of technology and innovation in their businesses. Others are including different types of beverages in their stores so that consumers may get all they need under one roof. A bar like Titus Jones has been conducting value chain analysis to ensure its competitors do not win its loyal customers. It has also been using strategies which can assist it in acquiring a comparative advantage like selling its products at reduced prices and making sure it stocks high-quality products (Levander Geterl, 2015). This bar also ensures its customers get good entertainment while enjoying their drinks through playing various types of music like hip-hop, rock and so forth. This bar also makes sure that its clients get every kind of liquor they like by stocking different types of beverages like spirits, wines, and beers. Most of the bars and upmarket restaurants are using these strategies to ensure their businesses attract many customers than their competitors (Burrows III, 2013). The most common strategies which almost each one of them is using is selling personalized brands, employing employees who know how to welcome and serve customers in a professional manner and furnishing their businesses with good furniture which ensure customer comfort How food and beverage outlets use menu engineering to maximize profit. Menu engineering which can also be called menu psychology is the analysis of profitability and popularity of various menu items and how they affect the placement of these items on the companys Menu (Inghilleri Solomon, 2013). Menu engineering is aimed at making the customer have the first impression of products which the company wants to be purchased on highest rate. Because most of the clients who visit food and beverage outlets spend at least two minutes with the menu, the management should ensure the Menu is attractive, and items are arranged in a manner that attracts customers at first glance (Levander Geterl, 2015). Organizations use Menu engineering to ensure their clients make the first impression on the most profitable products The primary goal of menu engineering is always to increase product profitability per guest (Fromm Garton, 2013). Menu engineering assists the managers with information concerning products profitability and popularity. This information enables them to come up with proactive planning, customer pricing decisions, and recipe planning. Most enterprises in the hospitality industry use this strategy to allow the organization in meeting its profit targets (Burrows III, 2013). With menu engineering, managers can control food costs by analyzing which products need a lot of money to be produced, and what they can do to minimize such costs. It also helps them to come up with better decisions on how to improve the profitability of items that are not highly profitable for the organization. In most cases, menu engineering assists food and beverage owners to emphasize on the menu items that are likely to generate high profits for their businesses (Fromm Garton, 2013). They achieve this by ensuring such products are produced in large quantities and are available throughout. They also ensure those products are given priorities in their menus by placing them in the most eye-catching areas in their Menu. Menu engineering helps the management to evaluate the volume for every menu item against the cost and selling price of each item to see which one of them has the biggest demand and the level of profitability it generates (Burrows III, 2013).Menu engineering makes customers purchase the goods that the seller wants to be bought and avoid fewer profit items. For a food and beverage outlet, the menu is the most compelling merchandise tool because all products that make this kind of businesses to succeed flows in the menu. Most of the Food and beverage outlets use menu engineering in controlling their pricing and making decisions which can assist in cost reduction (Kisilowski, 2014). Use of menu design helps this kind of enterprises to minimize the chances of making losses because all products are sold at prices which are above their production costs. Some of the food and beverage outlets have been taking their Menu as a valuable tool which can assist them in coming up with decisions which can help them to maximize their profitability (Burrows III, 2013). Menu engineering helps restaurant owners to calculate all costs incurred in production of all menu items and come up with decisions on how to minimize the production cost and maximize profitability For food and beverage outlets to maximize their profitability and periodic sales, they always ensure their products appear on the menu in a manner that aligns with their consumer psychology and buying behavior (Fromm Garton, 2013). Menu engineering enables food and beverage owners to place their high-profit products in the most eye-catching and visible places on their Menus. This technique allows the customers to give these products their first impression hence enabling these companies to maximize their profits. Conclusion Having seen examples of bars and upmarket restaurants which use these strategies in Sydney, we can conclude that competitive advantage and value chain analysis are fundamental tools which every company dealing with food and beverages should use. This is because these strategies can assist an organization to acquire large market share, attract customer loyalty, and also experience increased sales and profitability than its competitors. References Levander, C. F Guterl, M. P. (2015). Hotel Life: The Story of a Place Where Anything Can Happen. Chapel Hill, NC: The University of North Carolina Press Frank, R. H. (2011). The Darwin Economy: Liberty, Competition, and the Common Good. 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