Norma Jean Mortensen Baker Was Born To Her Mother Gladys Mortensen On

Norma Jean Mortensen Baker was born to her mother Gladys Mortensen on June 1st, 1926 at 9:30 am in Los Angeles, California. Gladys was divorced from her husband, C. Stanley Gifford and separated from her husband Ed Mortensen. Ed Mortensen was who Gladys put on Norma Jean's birth certificate as her father but it is still in question if he was her father of if it was her first husband Jack Baker who was her father. Gladys had two other kids from another marriage. She had them in her first marriage to Jack Baker. They were married when she was sixteen in 1917. The kids names were Hermitt Jack and Berneice. They went to live with their father's family in Kentucky after their divorce in 1921. Hermitt reportedly died of Tuberculosis in the early 20's, but Gladys reported both of them dead when Norma Jean was born. Gladys later reunited in the 60's when Berneice in the 60's when Berneice became Gladys legal guardian. After Norma Jean was born Gladys decided she couldn't afford her and so she sent her to live with a mail carrier and his wife, Albert and Ida Bolender. Norma Jean spent her first years with the Bolenders. They were very religious. They boarded children at their property. It was two acres. They tried to adopt her but Gladys always rejected. Her Grandmother live across the street from the Bolenders. Her name was Della Hogan Monroe Grainger. She would take Norma Jean to her house for visits often. Later in life Marilyn said that she awoke in the night fighting for her lifer because her grandmother was holding a pillow over her face. Many people say she couldn't remember this happening because she was only a year old then. Another time Della tried to ?rescue? Norma Jean. She tired breaking the Bolenders door down. She had to be taken away by the police and she was put in an asylum on August 4, 1927, where she died 3 weeks later from a heart attack during a manic seizure. Norma Jean's situation was very confusing for her. She got weekend visits from Gladys. Norma Jean never called her her mama though. She didn't know Gladys was really her mother until Ida Bolender pointed it out to her. She had always called the Bolenders mom and dad until Ida corrected her. There was another kid there named Lester. He got away with away with calling them mom and dad because he had been adopted by them. Yet, they called Norma Jean and Lester ?twins? which only confused Norma Jean even more. Gladys started spending more time with her daughter and she took her to work with her occasionally. She was five when she saw pictures of the father for the first time. ?I felt so excited I almost fell off my chair...That was my first happy time.? (Marilyn by: Kathy Rooks-Denes, copyright 1993, pg. 19). In 1934 Norma Jean was brought to lice with her mom and an English couple. They urged her out of the religious shell she was in and got her into singing and dancing and the movies. Gladys worked two jobs. She tried to provide a good family life for her daughter but in 1935 Gladys was taken away on away on a stretcher. She was put in the same mental hospital her mom had died in and was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. She would stay in the hospital almost the rest of her life. Her mother would never allow her to be adopted out so she lived in 12 different families, 10 of them foster parents, when she wasn't in a Los Angeles orphaninge. At age 16 Norma Jean was forced into a marriage to 20 year old Jim Dougherty. She didn't want to marry him. She thought she was way too young but she was forced to do so anyways. ?I had six mothers weeping when I marched down the aisle? (Marilyn pg. 25) Gladys wasn't there though even though she wasn't in a hospital at the time. They didn't take a honeymoon and Jim went to work the next day like their marriage wasn't any big deal. ?It was like being retired to a zoo. The effect marriage had on me was to increase my lack of interest in sex...Actually our marriage was a sort of friendship with sexual privileges, (which) brought me neither pain nor happiness.? (Marilyn pg. 26) She wanted a baby but he talked her out

LITTLE Surname Meaning and Origin

LITTLE Surname Meaning and Origin Little is a common  descriptive  surname often bestowed on someone who was of short or petite stature,  from the Middle English littel  and  Old English lytel, meaning little. In some cases the surname may have been used to denote the younger of two men of the same name.  KLEIN is the German variant and PETIT the French variant. Alternate Surname Spellings:  LITTLE, LITEL, LITTELL, LITTLE, LYTEL, LYTELL, LYTTELLE, LITTELLE, LYTLE, LYTTLE Surname Origin: English   Where in the World Do People with the LITTLE Surname Live? According to surname distribution data from Forebears, Little is a fairly common surname in most English-speaking countries, including the United States (where it ranks 276th), New Zealand (243rd), Australia (262nd), Scotland (256th), England (331st) and Canada (357th). Within England, Little is most common in the northern counties, especially Cumberland where it is the 11th most common last name. WorldNames PublicProfiler  indicates that in the United Kingdom,  Little is  most common in Cumbria County, England; Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland; and  Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. Within North America, Little is especially common in Nova Scotia, as well as the U.S. states of North Carolina and Mississippi.   Famous People with the LITTLE Last Name Lewis Henry Little - American  Civil War Confederate brigadier generalMalcolm Little - birth name of Malcolm X, African-American human rights activist  Arthur Dehon Little - American chemical engineerJean Little - Canadian writer Genealogy Resources for the Surname LITTLE Little Surname DNA ProjectThis DNA project was started in 2001 and has grown to include over 300 members with the surnames Little, Klein, Kline, or Cline interested in working collaboratively to combine genealogy research with DNA testing to sort out Little family lines. English Surname Meanings and OriginsUncover the meaning of your English last name with this guide to English surname meanings and origins. How to Research English  AncestryLearn how to research your English family tree with this guide to genealogical records in England and Wales, including birth, marriage, death, census, military and church records. Little Family Crest - Its Not What You ThinkContrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Little  family crest or coat of arms for the Little surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted.   LITTLE  Family Genealogy ForumSearch this popular genealogy forum for the Little surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Little genealogy query. FamilySearch - LITTLE GenealogyExplore over 2.7 million  historical records which mention individuals with the Little surname, as well as online Little family trees on this free website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. GeneaNet - Little  RecordsGeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Little surname, with a concentration on records and families from France and other European countries. DistantCousin.com - LITTLE  Genealogy Family HistoryExplore free databases and genealogy links for the last name Little. The Little  Genealogy and Family Tree PageBrowse family trees and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the last name Little  from the website of Genealogy Today. - References: Surname Meanings Origins Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998. Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997. Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997. Back toGlossary of Surname Meanings Origins

Threats and Opportunities of Social Media Marketing in the Framework Essay

Threats and Opportunities of Social Media Marketing in the Framework of Contemporary Advertising Strategy - Essay Example This essay stresses that social media marketing is something that must always remain supreme within any advertising strategy which is geared to meet the eye of the young audiences. This has been proven with the passage of time that the young ones appreciate the presence of marketing on social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Google, YouTube, Instant Messengers and so on. As the paper declares the contemporary advertising strategy is such that it derives its basis from a number of different sectors, most significant of which remain the aspects of reaching out to the relevant target audiences and thus finding ways and means through which newer markets could be tapped in a corrective fashion. It would also manifest for growth and development under the already established clientele, which is indeed the target audience which is proving to be a major success for the brands and campaigns working under the aegis of these organizations. The modern day advertising strategy is such that it will bring instant results if devised in line with the needs, wishes and desires of the target audience. Within the framework of the social media avenues, it is always pertinent to discern the basis of success within the making up of such advertising strategies and plans which would eventually give the intended mileage to the brands and campaigns that are run on these platfor ms. The social media trends and changes are happening so quickly that it is very difficult to follow up what exactly is taking place within the relevant ranks. This calls for an understanding of how properly the advertising strategies are devised, planned and later on implemented within the related settings (Sigala, 2011). What is most significant here is an understanding that much sanity can prevail within these discussions if everyone knows his role well and then goes about aligning and delegating people for their respective chores and tasks. After all, it must be remembered here that the social media marketing elements are always given the go ahead when the brands and campaigns within the aegis of organizations understand their use and believe in its effectiveness and efficiency without any issues that will ultimately come to the reckoning. An opportunity that can be discussed here is of these social media platforms working to best affects for the sake of the consumers and users alike. These people want to be updated about the latest products, services and trends that belong to their own age where they spend most of their time, i.e. the social media avenues. It excites the young audiences as they want to connect with it and thus know about the different worldly affairs (Nolan, 2011). It just is a very significant part of who they are and what they want to seek from life. Psychological entities have proven that the social media enterprises and platforms excite the teenagers more than the

Bioterorrism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Bioterorrism - Research Paper Example It is important to point out that the use of biological warfare comes with disastrous results, just like other weapons of mass of destruction. Despite nations devising tactical approaches, meant to stop the threat posed by biological weapons, the simple nature in manufacturing the weapons puts nations such as the United States at a risk of an imminent attack from terrorists. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), â€Å"A bioterrorism attack is the deliberate release of viruses, bacteria, or other germs (agents) used to cause illness or death in people, animals, or plants.† Based on the foregoing, it is evident that these are natural agents of causing diseases. Nevertheless, terrorists change these agents by increasing their ability to cause diseases, increasing their capability to resist drugs, or even escalating their capacity to spread widely in the environment, which is often with catastrophic effects. The CDC further noted the possibility of terrorists to use biological agents since their detection is not simple, and the biological agents have the ability of concealing illness for several hours or even days, which enhances their spread to other people and to the environment. However, it is important to point out that there is a tendency to collocate biological agents with nuclear weapons and lethal chemical weapons as potential weapons of mass destruction. However, there are discernible differences between these other weapons and bioweapons. In this regard, pathogens are living things, which is not the case with the other weapons. In effect, biological weapons are able to reproduce and independently engage in adaptive behavior, which is not the case with the other weapons (Steinbruner 87). Therefore, these contrasting characteristics of biological weapons enhance the potency of bioweapons in comparison to the other weapons. Vogel noted, â€Å"A commonly held belief is that the technology behind biological weapons is re latively simple and therefore, one could argue, less dependent on tacit knowledge than nuclear weapons† (660). In this case, this emphasizes the ease with which terrorists can acquire these weapons and even manufacture them easily by acquiring the essential ingredients that are readily available. It is common knowledge that experts and the media have made the widespread belief that the requirements for biological weapons are chicken soup, a bathtub, and seed culture (Vogel 660). This effectively puts emphasis on the ease of making biological weapons. To support this argument, Steinbruner noted, â€Å"A small home-brewery is all that it would be required to a potent threat of major proportions† (86). On the other hand, there is an argument that the inherent dual-usage of biotechnology renders previous tacit knowledge in bioweapons explicit (Vogel 660). In effect, this poses challenges to policymakers regarding protecting civilians against attacks that result from the use of the biological weapons. In support of this line of thought on the ease of manufacturing biological weapons, Steinbruner noted, â€Å"As potential instruments of destruction, biological agents are inexpensive, readily available, and usually dangerous† (85). In this case, various pathogens affect human beings with some of these pathogens having the potential of causing massive destruction. Indeed, Streinbruner pointed that some biological agents

Politics Essays Fundamental Principles Of Legitimate Power

Politics Essays Fundamental Principles Of Legitimate Power There are various theories about what can make power legitimate. Doyou think that one theory is more convincing than others? To understand thefundamental principles of legitimate power and governance one must look at theperiod surrounding the Enlightenment because this is the time when theindividual became an important entity, no longer was the individual part of aclass on a hierarchical structure, with power relating to that class. Thenatural rights theorists aim was to show that man was born in a state ofnature, and given the right to do as he/she wished, but this was sacrificed tothe governance of the land, i.e. that the rational man would give up thestate of freedom, for the security and safety of law, governance andsovereignty. Locke, said instead of giving up the right to do absolutely anythingto the sovereign entity, the rational man would put these rights in the handsof a government that holds the good of the people as supreme. Locke did notbelieve that man gives up all these natural rights, but each person retainedrights that were regulated by a political government, to ensure a person wouldnot use their rights in a way that would harm the rights of others. Lockesversion of rights was one of the first models of inherent rightsto life, liberty, freedom and property, where the king was there at the will ofthe people and benevolent in nature. Theinfluence of John-Jacques Rousseau is also important, although not strictlyspeaking a natural law theorist, in the sense of earlier theorists. The mostimportant difference that Rousseau discussed in his works was that governmentand reason has not protected man but enslaved man, whereas in thestate of nature these rights were upheld in a paradisiacal state. One ofRousseaus most interesting critiques of government and law was in the SocialContract where man was originally free but in society everywhere inchains. Therefore he believed instead of giving up ones freedom to agoverning body, it needs to be reclaimed by man but this did not meanreclaiming the paradise of Rousseaus state of nature. Instead these rightsshould be inherent to each man and that the government created is not only forthe good of the people but should be determined by the will of the people.Rousseau believed people should bepart of the regulation of the government and law; otherwise the government thatis essentia lly corrupt will take away these rights. Popular involvement makesit impossible for these rights to be taken away by the government. There wasan assumption of equality between men and basis rights to life, liberty,freedom, and protection from the corruption of absolute government (i.e. rightsto freedom of speech and assembly) and the right to a fair trial and independentCourt of law. This argument stems from the authors of the AmericanConstitution where the rights embodied in the text were self-evident becauseall men were created equal and given certain inalienable rights, which areafforded to all persons of the globe, state borders have no impact on theserights. The writers claimed these rights came from God. Other theorists haveargued we have these rights merely because we are human. This argument is stillone used in the 20th/21st Century as it is the easiest topass off, however there is no real moral justification for upholding theserights, therefore how can one say we must keeps these rights in the face of abreach or dissolution of them. Hobbes state of nature sets up that; Men by nature [are]equal: Nature hath made men so equal, in faculties of the body, and mind Foras to the strength of body, the weakest has strength enough to kill thestrongest, either by secret, machination, or by confederacy with others, thatare in the same danger with himself; henceall are equal in fear of death. Therefore if this fear was set forth by themonarch then this first law of nature legitimizes the citizens to revolt andset up a form of governance that ensures this equality and that their basicrights are upheld. Therefore if the citizens of Hobbes state are able to gettogether to give the power of law and governance to a single individual theybelieve will uphold the common good; then in the same coalition they can deposethis individual if in fact their powers of governance and over the law aremisused. This state of nature is hypothetical in order to provide a theoryjustify the fair governance of a small section of society, or as Hobbes prefersa monarch. It is the equality of fear, the individuals right to everything inaddition to subsequent laws of nature which provides the conditions for asocial contract to ensure security and equality of mankind. There are some problemswith Hobbes social contract which is giving the power of rule and governanceto a single individual; this is arguably giving this individual uncheckedpower. Therefore if every man has the right to everything and then ifthe state of natures equality is no longer the case because the power of lawlays in an individuals hands where this individual has the wants and desiresto obtain everything. Hence there will be a tyrannical government, rather thana government for the common good. Utilitarianismis not a theory of individual rights, instead it views that the good of thecommunity was a more important aim for the law and government ruled by thepeople. Theorists such as Edmund Burke believed that rights werenatural, including life, liberty and freedom but this theory was in theabstract, therefore they should be given by society for the good of its people,because these rights cannot be universal otherwise there is no place forcultural diversity. Burke is one of the first theorists with the culturalrelativism argument; the critics of universaljustice have further advanced this in the 20th and 21stcenturies. Burkes move to reject universalism was the first chip in theseinherent rights that ensured legitimate power; how canrights be inherent if they not available for everyone, because a culture deniesthem. Jeremy Bentham advanced this. His theory held that were no naturalrights the government for the good of society a form of utilitarianism,afforded rights. Therefor e Benthamsrights were legal rights where one can do whatever one wants as long as the lawdoes not prohibit it i.e., rights are not stemming from the individual but thestates and the powers of governance (Positivism). The problem with positivismor this early form of rights from utility is that the law/governance are thebasis of rights and because there is no greater principle of just andlegitimate governance. Themodel of Marxism states that it does not regard the individual as having anyhuman rights, instead it is for the state to set theneeds of the individuals, i.e., it is not the good of the individual that thestate upholds but the good and the needs of the state. Marx considered law,justice, freedom and democracy as ideas and concepts that are determined byhistorical and sociological circumstances and irrelevant. Instead a personsessence was the potential to use ones ability to the fullest and satisfy onesneeds, thereforepromoting fundamental rights as rights of well-being and satisfaction of theindividual. These rights would involve social and economic rights, which isthe only way to ensure legitimate power and justice. Marxs vision turned outto be idealistic and failed in reality. Themost legitimate version of power and governance seems to be a mixture oftraditional utilitarianism that affords a method of human rights. Modern utilitarian theorists have extended the theory of Bentham,but have put it in more modern terms. Instead of maximising the pleasuresand desires of the individual the government would be maximising thegeneral welfare of individuals therefore minimising frustration of wantsand preferences. Therefore what one cansee is that the governing bodies must put the general welfare first, yetminimise the individuals needs therefore causing a conflict of rightsbetween what is in the name of the society and what the individual wants. Theproblems with this theory is it is socially constructed, there is no autonomyof being and no argument for universal rights that transcend all cultures andreligions, therefore falling short of what is needed for an all-encompassinghuman rights theory, as the general welfare can be different fordiffering cultures. Rawls i n his thesis for engendering human rights statesthat justice is the prime basis ofall government and to ensure justice human rights are the obvious means and endto ensure justice is fulfilled. Rawls theory is based on a few key ideas,which are the rights and duties of government/institution of society andthe burdens and benefits of citizens co-operating. Rawls bases histheory that each individual has an inherent and inviolable being set in justice- this being cannot be overridden for the welfare of the society. This theorydoes not fall foul to the arguments against modern utilitarianism. Rawls doesuse the social contract fiction of Hobbes and Locke, however the basis ofmoving from ignorance (state of nature) is reason and this reason set up onprinciples of justice that his social contract is based upon. These principlesare; 1) that each person has basic rights and liberties in accordance withfreedom; and 2) there is distributive justice, where inequalities arerestrained by the great est benefit of least advantaged and each personhas the condition of fair equality of opportunity. These principlescannot be derogated for the public good and liberty is the supreme principle.Rawls theory is very important when looking at human rights theories becauseit begins to tackle the universality of human rights based on justice, as wellas the inequalities apparent in society. The theory does have flaws but it oneof the more comprehensive theories setting up basis rights and freedoms andensuring legitimate power because it protects the individuals democraticrights, because it is a more complex analysis of the nation-state and asAndrews and Sayward argue: The modern Western approach to political legitimacy links it withthe opportunities for democratic participation, so that democracy is now seenas a necessary condition of political legitimacy In theories of politicallegitimacy a stereotype of a domestic state with its own domestic populationcan easily emerge. Yet the actual histories of state are much more complicatedthan that. Bibliography: Andrews Saward, 2005, LivingPolitical Ideas, Edinburgh University Press Edmund Burke, Reflections onthe Revolution in France, (Hackett,Indianapolis, 1987) ed. J.G.A. Pocock Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, Ofthe First and Second Natural Laws, and of Contracts excerpts from Ed.Joseph Losco Leonard Williams, Political Theory: Classical Writings,Contemporary Views, (St. Martins Press, New York, 1992) Peter Jones, Rights: Issues inPolitical Theory, (Palgrave, Basingstoke, 1994) John Locke, The Second Treatise ofGovernment , excerpts from Ed. Joseph Losco Leonard Williams, PoliticalTheory: Classical Writings, Contemporary Views, (St. Martins Press, NewYork, 1992) Ed. Joseph Losco Leonard Williams,Political Theory: Classical Writings, Contemporary Views, (St. MartinsPress, New York, 1992) Marx Engels, 1952 edition, TheCommunist Manifesto, Moscow, Progress Publishers John-Jacques Rousseau, SocialContract, Discourse on the Origins and Foundations of Inequality AmongMen excerpts from Ed. Joseph Losco Leonard Williams, PoliticalTheory: Classical Writings, Contemporary Views, (St. Martins Press, NewYork, 1992) Shestack, The PhilosophicalFoundations of Human Rights from Ed. Janusz Symonides, Human Rights:Concepts and Standards, (UNESCO Publishing, Aldershot, 2000) John Rawls, The Theory of Justice (OxfordUniversity Press, Oxford, 1971)

Critical Thinking and Ethics Essay

The relationship between critical thinking and ethics is important because it determines the right and wrong of a decision based on personal recognition of basic human rights. To become a good critical thinker we must analyze and observe, evaluate, and take a moment to separate or own bias beliefs from the issue at hand. Critical Thinking is defined as â€Å"The objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgment.† The effects of our decisions have major consequences on a surrounding body of people, and the work place environment. Issues arise when our thinking fails to keep pace with reality. Personal ethics helps assist with my decision making. It guides me to participate in actions that meet my moral standards. Ethics helps me consider the impact of my actions on an individual. The foundation of ethical thinking involves having choice and balance in your decisions. Ethics can also apply to our social and professional environment. It gives us an understanding of others opinions and gives us the ability to have an open mind to new ideas and experiences. Ethics gives recognition of the long term or short term impact are choices can have. Applying ethics allows us to accept the responsibility for the choices we make. As humans we all are faced with imperfections, it’s what we do to fix our mistakes that set us apart. In the Ethical Lens Inventory my blind spot pointed out that â€Å"I believed my motives justified methods or my own good was good enough.† Meaning I sometimes fail to be held accountable to the people that depend most on me. I become narrow minded and don’t see my method of thinking to be incorrect. By learning the steps in critical thinking I can learn to be more balanced in my reasoning skills. I can still stay determined in fulfilling my duties while achieving the greater good for other individuals. In the critical thinking process there are six steps that can be taken to insure success in everyday decision making. Step one and two describes remembering and understanding. Taking the time to listen to what is being  presented to you and fully understanding where the person is coming from or the information that is being given to you, is the first step to critical thinking. Third and Fourth step describes applying and analyzing. Practice problem solving, and identify the cause and effect of the information being given. Learn to recognize the emotional payoff by applying what was being directed to you. The Final step are evaluating and creating. Process the context of your thinking. Review what was said and reflect on it. Lastly be creative in your response. After processing all the information that was being given to you mesh all the necessary steps together and come up with a knowledgeable response. Remembering that ethics and critical thinking determines what is right and wron g in our everyday decision making and can prevent long term effects and can helps us arrive to reasonable conclusions. Bibliography 1) http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/our-concept-of-critical-thinking/411 2) Becoming a Master Student,ch.7 ISBN:9781285193892 Authors: Dave Ellis, Doug Toft Copyright Cengage learning(2015)

Papa John’s

Papa John’s Analysis Alex Quiquia 3/19/13 MGMT 4800 Strategic Analysis of Papa John’s Introduction–We already know that Papa John's is a major player in the Pizza industry but what does the future hold for them. One of the business-level strategies that Papa John’s implemented was product differentiation through the use of fresh dough and superior-quality ingredients. John Schnatter believed that other pizza restaurants used inferior ingredients and that he could do it better. This strategy was implemented from the very beginning in the United States.Another successful business-level strategy that focused on product diversification employed by Papa John’s was the use of technology to order pizza. In 2001 they became the first pizza company to offer online ordering. The most significant corporate-level strategy used early on by Papa John’s was mergers and acquisitions. In the late 90s, the company acquired 205 â€Å"Perfect Pizza† resta urants in the UK. They continued aggressively acquiring international restaurants until the early 2000s when they began to focus their acquisition efforts domestically.In just under 30 years since opening its first store, Papa John’s has added over 4,000 stores (papajohns. com). That’s an average of over 140 new stores every year since inception, an incredible pace. They also decided to use the franchisee model. Although this model has its critics, it can be a very useful way to generate revenue without adding to store overhead, etc. The franchisee model has been successful for Papa John’s. Papa John’s was enjoying a 5+ percent average revenue growth rate for the previous five years. The company also boasted one of the highest returns on invested capital in the restaurant category of the markets.Total assets grew steadily from 2003 to 2007 as well. This growth was financed mostly by debt, but debt/equity ratios remained healthy. Apparently Papa Johnâ€⠄¢s holds a competitive advantage in its fresher, higher-quality ingredients. When a customer is looking for a restaurant-quality pizza with ease of delivery, they turn to Papa John’s. External Analysis– During this study, the pizza industry was extremely competitive. Barriers to entry were few and competitors could drive prices for pizza ingredients extremely low, enabling them to easily undercut other competitors’ prices.Food commodity prices also took a 20 percent jump in 2007, which didn’t make the industry any more attractive. One of the attractive features of the industry is that because pizza ingredients are commodities, supplier power is very low. Suppliers cannot dictate prices to buyers, because they can go somewhere else. Buyer power, however, is very high. If someone doesn’t wish to buy a $12. 00 pizza at Papa John’s, they can go across the street to Little Caesar’s for a $5. 00 pizza that tastes almost the same. The two m ajor competitors of Papa John’s are Dominos and Pizza Hut. Both of these companies enjoy a larger market share than Papa John’s.These companies are focused more on price savings than Papa John’s, who is focused on quality pizza. Just like any other sub-section of the food industry, thousands of pizza restaurants are opened each year, which continues to make profits more difficult to obtain. Internal Analysis–The commissary system is an important part of what gives Papa John’s an edge over its competitors. Every Papa John’s restaurant belongs to a subdivided region, and each region has what is known as a commissary. These commissaries send fresh ingredients and cleaning supplies twice per week to all the Papa John’s restaurants within their region.This ensures fresh ingredients and all the supplies needed to clean the restaurants. This also maintains consistency from restaurant to restaurant as all of the commissaries are controlled at the corporate level. By servicing several units from one commissary, labor costs are also driven down. Papa John’s international growth is also an advantage it has over many of its competitors. By taking advantage of all different markets around the world, Papa John’s ensures that business is most likely thriving somewhere at all times. All of these factors create a competitive advantage for Papa John’s.Recommendations Based on this analysis of Papa John’s, the following recommendations are made to help the company continue its profitability. 1. Expand internationally as much as possible. With several stores in diverse locations throughout the world, Papa John’s will be well diversified and able to absorb losses in one area better. 2. Continue to move more toward the franchisee model even more so than they are currently doing. By furthering this model, overhead and administrative costs at the corporate level are drastically reduced. Papa John’s Papa John’s Analysis Alex Quiquia 3/19/13 MGMT 4800 Strategic Analysis of Papa John’s Introduction–We already know that Papa John's is a major player in the Pizza industry but what does the future hold for them. One of the business-level strategies that Papa John’s implemented was product differentiation through the use of fresh dough and superior-quality ingredients. John Schnatter believed that other pizza restaurants used inferior ingredients and that he could do it better. This strategy was implemented from the very beginning in the United States.Another successful business-level strategy that focused on product diversification employed by Papa John’s was the use of technology to order pizza. In 2001 they became the first pizza company to offer online ordering. The most significant corporate-level strategy used early on by Papa John’s was mergers and acquisitions. In the late 90s, the company acquired 205 â€Å"Perfect Pizza† resta urants in the UK. They continued aggressively acquiring international restaurants until the early 2000s when they began to focus their acquisition efforts domestically.In just under 30 years since opening its first store, Papa John’s has added over 4,000 stores (papajohns. com). That’s an average of over 140 new stores every year since inception, an incredible pace. They also decided to use the franchisee model. Although this model has its critics, it can be a very useful way to generate revenue without adding to store overhead, etc. The franchisee model has been successful for Papa John’s. Papa John’s was enjoying a 5+ percent average revenue growth rate for the previous five years. The company also boasted one of the highest returns on invested capital in the restaurant category of the markets.Total assets grew steadily from 2003 to 2007 as well. This growth was financed mostly by debt, but debt/equity ratios remained healthy. Apparently Papa Johnâ€⠄¢s holds a competitive advantage in its fresher, higher-quality ingredients. When a customer is looking for a restaurant-quality pizza with ease of delivery, they turn to Papa John’s. External Analysis– During this study, the pizza industry was extremely competitive. Barriers to entry were few and competitors could drive prices for pizza ingredients extremely low, enabling them to easily undercut other competitors’ prices.Food commodity prices also took a 20 percent jump in 2007, which didn’t make the industry any more attractive. One of the attractive features of the industry is that because pizza ingredients are commodities, supplier power is very low. Suppliers cannot dictate prices to buyers, because they can go somewhere else. Buyer power, however, is very high. If someone doesn’t wish to buy a $12. 00 pizza at Papa John’s, they can go across the street to Little Caesar’s for a $5. 00 pizza that tastes almost the same. The two m ajor competitors of Papa John’s are Dominos and Pizza Hut. Both of these companies enjoy a larger market share than Papa John’s.These companies are focused more on price savings than Papa John’s, who is focused on quality pizza. Just like any other sub-section of the food industry, thousands of pizza restaurants are opened each year, which continues to make profits more difficult to obtain. Internal Analysis–The commissary system is an important part of what gives Papa John’s an edge over its competitors. Every Papa John’s restaurant belongs to a subdivided region, and each region has what is known as a commissary. These commissaries send fresh ingredients and cleaning supplies twice per week to all the Papa John’s restaurants within their region.This ensures fresh ingredients and all the supplies needed to clean the restaurants. This also maintains consistency from restaurant to restaurant as all of the commissaries are controlled at the corporate level. By servicing several units from one commissary, labor costs are also driven down. Papa John’s international growth is also an advantage it has over many of its competitors. By taking advantage of all different markets around the world, Papa John’s ensures that business is most likely thriving somewhere at all times. All of these factors create a competitive advantage for Papa John’s.Recommendations Based on this analysis of Papa John’s, the following recommendations are made to help the company continue its profitability. 1. Expand internationally as much as possible. With several stores in diverse locations throughout the world, Papa John’s will be well diversified and able to absorb losses in one area better. 2. Continue to move more toward the franchisee model even more so than they are currently doing. By furthering this model, overhead and administrative costs at the corporate level are drastically reduced.