A Refreshing Analysis of T.S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”

A Refreshing Analysis of T.S. Eliot’s â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock† To say that The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock is a typical romantic ode to the wonders of love, as the title may suggest, is quite far from the truth. To the contrary, this poem enters the straggling mind of J. Alfred Prufrock, a man plagued with irresolution, and because of this irresolution will probably never realistically be in love with a woman. Love Song is a dive into Prufrocks inconsistent thought processes, and the foggy workings of his less-than-optimistic mind. Through bleak imagery, a wavering tone that feels timeless, and carefully connoted diction, T.S. Eliot portrays J. Alfred Prufrock as an uneasy, indecisive, and ultimately scared man. The first few lines of the poem set the scene as to what kind of content Prufrock has to offer. He uses a simile in comparing the evening, spread out against the sky, to a patient etherized upon a table (2-3). Its a fairly unappealing comparison, and it puts an awkward image in the readers mind from the beginning. He goes on to set the scene of a kind of tour through a city-like atmosphere: Let us go, through certain half-deserted streetsof restless nights in one-night cheap hotels and sawdust restaurants (4-7). Again, a bleak image is cast into the mind of the reader, reminiscent of a twisted Gotham City where no one would want to be unless accompanied by someone very dear a someone who Prufrock is not with. He goes on to make another type of etherized comparison later on, which adds to the bleak, uneasy feeling: And I have known the eyes already, known them all- The eyes that fix you in a formulated phrase, And when I am formulated, sprawling on a pin, When I am pinned and wriggling on the wall, Then how should I begin To spit out all the butt-ends of my days and ways? And how should I presume? This stanza dives into Prufrocks uneasy nature through the use of carefully connoted diction (e.g., pin) that conveys imagery of a bug or animal ready to be dissected. He is describing what happens when he runs into people he may know: they fix [him] in a formulated phrase, and then pin him down, and when he is pinned and wriggling on the wall, he is then forced to interact with them and make a decision about how to go about saying how his day went. To almost everyone else in the world, this type of interaction is a daily occurrence of life, and usually isnt conveyed as a feeling of being pinned down. However, Prufrocks uneasy nature is very similar to that of The Catcher in the Ryes Holden Caulfield, in the fact that he really isnt one for lighthearted social interaction. Instead, every little detail of life, in Prufrocks eyes, is not considered an idle task, but a high-strung, uneasy chain of decisions. Throughout the poem, Prufrock seems to jog around in his mind, and is quite abstract with his thoughts. The result is a wavering, fragmented tone that further suggests Prufrocks indecisiveness and digressive habits. One of the subtle ways that Eliot adds to this wavering tone is the fact that no definite rhyme scheme is used throughout Love Song. For example, one stanza includes mostly rhyming words, ending lines with words such as dare, stair, and hair, and then thin, chin, and pin. But the next couple of lines in the stanza may have no rhyme pattern at all, and the same goes for the next stanza; its totally fragmented. This wavering rhyme scheme cleverly adds to the notion of an indecisive Prufrock. Besides the wavering rhyme scheme, the overall tone suggests that Prufrock is very uneasy and indecisive. Prufrock really does continually ask questions, always questioning things. This may seem normal, but considering the subject matter and the uneasy feeling connoted with them, this mode of thought does not come off as entirely healthy. There are close to 20 stanzas in Love Song, and in almost all of them, Prufrock is questioning something. Whether the subject matter consists of whether he should disturb the universe or not, or how he should deal with people who ask him how his day is, he is constantly questioning everything. He almost mockingly asserts his indecisive manners by saying Do I dare disturb the universe? In a minute there is time for decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse (45-48). Essentially, he is declaring that he can make a decision now, with only a minute left, but since in one minute there will be no time anyway, hes leaving it at that. This feeling of time passing too rapidly is present throughout the poem. More than a couple of times he says, And indeed there will be time, or a variation of this line, which not only adds to his irresolute manner, but also reiterates the fact that he often trails off and picks up another topic on a whim again, recalling Holden Caulfields digressive tendencies. Prufrock even directly refers to this tendency when he analyzes a womans arm in the lamplight; he says, It is perfume from a dress that makes me so digress? (65-66). He mentions, too, his awareness of the passage of time and of the fact that he is growing old by confirming that he is becoming slightly bald. Ultimately, this realization of mortality makes him afraid: And in short, I was afraid (86). Towards the end of the poem, the tone of Love Song seems to waver more and more, and Prufrock becomes even more of a shaky, uneasy, scared figure. Starting from line 120, he begins to trail off: I grow oldI grow old, filling the readers mind with an image of a man who sits silently, the world passing him by while he ponders questions without answers. The final stanza, solidifies the elusive nature of Prufrocks thoughts: We have lingered in the chambers of the sea By sea-girls wreathed with seaweed red and brown Till human voices wake us, and we drown. Through Eliots use of bleak imagery, a wavering tone, and carefully connoted diction, Prufrock is portrayed as a highly uneasy, indecisive, and scared man. The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock is not a true love song, but instead a plunge into the shades-of-grey world of J. Alfred Prufrock, and ultimately the grave flaws of a fragmented mind.

GROW Model of Coaching Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

GROW Model of Coaching - Research Paper Example Coaching in the business world refers to providing necessary support to the subordinates in order to uplift their capabilities, attitudes, skills and behaviors in a manner that will produce high and/or desired outcomes. Coaching is performed in many categories such as life, health, sports, relationships, conflicts, business or performance etc. Various approaches have been proposed in each of these categories. In this topic, business or performance coaching will be studied based on the GROW model, and an analysis will be done to understand how GROW model can help the managers and their subordinates, as well as its impact on the organization. Conclusions will be drawn based on findings from the study conducted. What is GROW? The GROW model school of coaching was first developed by Sir John Whitmore, an athlete by profession (Wilson, 2011). GROW is a short form of goal, reality, opportunity and the will to do. The GROW model provides very specific approach to coaching, unlike other mode ls, which will help the coaches in any field as it provides a step-by-step approach to the process of coaching. The GROW model provides a wide range of options in every step for the coach to study, analyze and arrive at a solution. Goal: The goals stage usually precedes all as it involves discussion of the person’s objectives and aims in the short and long-term. The topic for discussion or the coaching session needs to be clarified before beginning any coaching-related activity. The coachee’s long-term aims need to be broken into short-term objectives that are realistic and achievable. This process will help in gaining the individual’s attention and commitment to the coaching process. Umicker asserts that coaching is the first activity that an employee experiences once he joins the organization, which is conducted in the form of orientation and training (McConnell, 2010). The expectations that are set during this period will help aligning the employees to the or ganizational goals, which is critical to the employees’ performance. Reality: The next step to coaching is to identify the real situation, or the reality. This would involve analyzing the current position or situation, and the obstacles that are hindering the coachee’s progress. The best way to undertake this process is to encourage self-assessment from the candidate and to avoid any sort of assumptions from either side. A very effective method for the supervisors or leaders to check reality is to be connected to their employees. An effective method that would assist this process is ‘management by wandering around,’ as explained by Peters and Austin (McConnell, 2010). Secondly, the coach needs to assess the significance and seriousness of the issue and the goal to the coachee; the coachee’s feelings associated with his/her current situation and the goal to be achieved; any other issues that the coachee might have. Opportunity: Once the reality is id entified, the range of options available at hand need to be explored along with the coachee. This process will be most effective when the coachee is encouraged to provide suggestions and ideas along with the coach offering suggestions after a careful examination. A range of options will help in better choices to be made. However, it is also important to note that the choice of option must not be completely vested with the coachee, considering his/her knowledge and

Papers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Papers - Essay Example The payment gateway used at the time of completion of an online transaction normally involves World Wide Web and some times even wider range of technologies. There are a few transactions for which there is no need of any physical labor like access to premium contents on a web site, being a paid member of some of the web group or library, transferring money from one bank account to another but most of the other transactions include transportation of goods in at least some way. Interesting terms like e-tail or e-tailer are used to define online retailers these days. Almost every bid retailer has a presence on the internet and even the websites comparing prices of same product that available online from different vendors are present for the ease and comfort of the consumer. Referred to as business-to-business or B2B and the other that is conducted between business and a consumer also called Business-to-consumer or B2C. In a B2B, there can be predefined business parties or arbitrary parties involved over the internet whereas B2C is primarily practiced The National Privacy Policy for Australia says that any organization must not collect data until and unless it is important for the smooth functioning of the organization. Ebay appears to be following most of the underlying principles of national privacy policy for the country including Use and Disclosure, Data Quality, Data Security, Access and Correction etc. but I felt that there are a few fields which may not be essential for the smooth functioning of the organization and thus therefore not in accordance with the privacy policy. For example a phone number is one such field that you need to enter while creation of the account on eBay and that you need to verify. If a person chooses not to verify his phone number then he is required to verify his credit card which is even more sensitive

Education and Teacher Portrayed in Film Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Education and Teacher Portrayed in Film - Essay Example This play is very educational. It centers on a blind playwright. Most communities usually disregard people with physical disabilities as useless persons who need to depend on others in order to undertake their daily chores. However, in this case, we see a man with a physical disability, blindness, taking the lead in rescuing a child kidnapped by some criminals. Even the able-bodied individuals tasked and trained to undertake such rescue missions, the police, fail to execute their duties proficiently thereby leaving the whole mantle to the blind man. The police dismiss him for being a playwright and take his report as part of his imagination as a writer. Considering all basic points, it seems that if the man was not blind and still a writer, then the police would have taken his report seriously and acted promptly to rescue the life of the innocent child from the kidnappers.However, the blind playwright goes against all odds to conduct an investigation, which in normal circumstances ev en defeats the able-bodied person. He resorts to search and rescue the child from the kidnappers on his own after the police refuse to take any substantial action. In addition, he uses a rare sense that only the blind are gifted to have, his acute sense of hearing. When a person becomes disabled, he losses total sense of the organ that is not working properly. The man disabled was a blind man, and so he lost very all the ability to see anything, which makes it queer for him to lead a search party to rescue a kidnapped child.

Disinfectants Used Within Microbiology Laboratory

Disinfectants Used Within Microbiology Laboratory The purpose for this literature review was to examine the literature currently available to the general public on the application of a range of disinfectants used within a microbiology laboratory in both the public e.g. hospital laboratories and the private sector e.g. university laboratories. This literature review was carried out on the effectiveness of disinfectants so that previous and current knowledge on the use of these disinfectants can be analysed. This will help give an insight into the subject area and help with the preparation and production of the final report based on the research being carried during the literature review and research project. The main purpose of the research project being conducted was to compare the effectiveness of a variety of disinfectants especially Trigene which has been endorsed for use in the microbiology laboratories of the Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board and that of Virkon which is currently used by the microbiology laboratory at the University of the West of Scotland. The literature examined showed that the disinfectants used in clinical laboratories and any other area where microorganisms can cause a problem with cross-contamination, should be evaluated for their effectiveness against the range of organisms which might be encountered. It is an important requirement that the disinfectants being used are able to inhibit or kill the microorganisms quickly and by using the lowest concentration available. (Isenberg, 1985) A study conducted by Kasthjerg et al (2010) which looked at the effects of a range of disinfectants on the expression of virulence genes present in the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. This study showed that effects on the virulence gene in the bacterium could be linked to the chemicals found in the disinfectant with some causing an inhibition of the gene while others showed an induction of the gene Disinfectants A disinfectant is a chemical which is widely used to eradicate a variety of microorganisms that are currently found in the samples received into a laboratory or are currently used within an educational setting for the teaching of microbiology to students. Disinfectants can have any of the following chemicals as their main active ingredient: halogenated tertiary amines, chlorine containing compounds, phenols, quaternary ammonium compounds and peroxygens. (Tyski et al, 2009) Thus the disinfectants can be divided into groups relating to the chemical present as the active ingredient and these groups will be discussed later in the report. It is important that certain criteria are met when classifying a chemical as a disinfectant, these include:- That the chemical components of the disinfectant will not have an adverse effect on the health of the user and if any health issue is realised then appropriate action can be taken to remove this risk i.e. use PPE such as gloves or respiratory mask. (Severs Lamontagne, 2002) It. is also important that the disinfectant has the ability to render inactive or kill a wide range of microorganisms including viruses, bacteria and fungi. (Severs Lamontagne, 2002) It is also important that a disinfectant does not have an adverse effect when used on equipment. The research conducted by Kim, Ryu Beuchat, (2007) showed that the effectiveness of certain disinfectants can be diminished when they are in contact with biofilm surfaces. It is currently thought that there is very little resistance to the disinfectants used due to the presence of a variety of chemicals considered to have an antimicrobial effect in each disinfectant. (Kasthjerg et al, 2010) Efficiency testing of disinfectants has been around for roughly 50 60 years ago. (Werner, 2007) In more recent years a working group was set up which set Standards which govern the microbial activity testing of chemicals used as antiseptics and disinfectants. (Werner, 2007: Tyski, S., et al, 2009) The introduction of these standards has allowed the efficiency tests to become more quantitative and produce lower margin of error. (Werner, 2007) Peroxygen This group of disinfectants consists of chemical disinfectants which contain the chemical peroxygen and includes Virkon which is one of the disinfectants which will be evaluated during the research project being carried out. Virkon is available as a powder and is diluted for use by dissolving it in distilled water to give the required concentration. Virkons method of action is through the combination of the chemicals chlorine, hydrogen peroxide and paraoxymonosulphate. (Alegente, G., et al, n.d.) These chemicals act by oxidation of the plasma membranes of microbial organelles. The effects of peroxygen disinfectants was investigated by a study conducted by Quilez et al, (2005) to discover what concentration of the disinfectant and time required for the disinfectant to be most effective when dealing with Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts. The literature review conducted by Severs Lamontagne, (2002) indicated that there was only a moderate risk of irritation to the user when the Virkon is in powder form. The Virkon may induce coughing, chocking or wheezing if inhaled while preparing the diluted disinfectant. However, when the powder has been diluted into a liquid form it is thought to cause no harm to the users skin or eyes. (Severs Lamontagne, 2002) As the suggested research to be conducted is related to the efficiency of disinfectants then it was important to review current literature which gives an indication of the effectiveness on a range of microorganisms. From the literature it was shown that Virkon is effective when used as indicated against a wide range of microorganisms including Gram positive and gram negative bacteria, viruses, fungi and spore forming bacteria. The study conducted by (Severs Lamontagne 2002) showed that these organisms were inactivated using a 1% solution of Virkon. A study conducted by Gaparini et al, (1992) showed that Virkon was effective when used against spores which had been cultivated onto nutrient agar. This study also indicated that the effects of Virkon were quick acting; this could be attributed to the high concentration coefficient of the disinfectant. Group 2 Halogenated Tertiary Amine This type of disinfectant is considered broad spectrum and biodegradable and is generally found in combination with detergents. (Health and Safety Executive, 2005). The halogenated Tertiary Amine group of disinfectants includes Trigene on which part of the research project is based. Trigene is available as a concentrated liquid or as a manufacturer diluted liquid. (Trigene Company) Trigene is also available in sachets which have been approved for use on submarines used by the Armed forces in the UK. (Severs Lamontagne, 2002) The findings of the study by Severs Lamontagne, (2002) showed that as with Virkon the use of Trigene was effective at rendering inactive viruses, bacteria and fungi when used in accordance with the manufacturers instructions. Health and safety tests were carried out on Trigene and the results have shown that the disinfectant poses a low risk to the users if accidently inhaled or ingested and there are no known health hazards with the use of Trigene. (MediChem international) Quaternary ammonium compounds This group of disinfectants is considered to be effective against most bacteria strains; however they are ineffective against viruses, bacteria which form spores and Mycobacterium. It is likely that this would not be an efficient disinfectant to be used within a clinical or university microbiology laboratory due to the risk of receiving samples containing spore forming bacteria, Mycobacterium species. The disinfectant can become inactivated by a low PH or the presence of organic material. (Health and Safety Executive, 2005) The mode of action for members of this group of disinfectants is that they damage the cell membrane which will result in cell leakage. (Ioannou et al, 2007) This study also showed that an increase in temperature increased the time taken to eradicate the bacterium. The study done by, Kim, Ryu Beuchat, (2007) showed that the efficiency of the disinfectant could be linked to the chemical structure of the Benzylalkonmium chlorides hydrophobic alkyl chain. It also showed that the presence of organic material (infant formula) can decrease the efficiency of the disinfectant. Hypochlorite and other chlorine-releasing agents This is a disinfectant which contains chlorine as its active ingredient, and an example of this disinfectant is Milton which is currently used to sterilise baby utensils. It is considered a broad spectrum disinfectant as it can inactivate or kill a range of bacteria and viruses. However, it is considered less effective against bacterial spores. As with the quaternary ammonium compounds this group of disinfectants has been shown to be inactivated by organic material and has to be prepared daily, this is due to the instability of the chemicals caused by concentration and temperatures at which the disinfectant is stored. (Health and Safety Executive, 2005) The hypochlorite disinfectant is provided in the form of Sodium Hypochlorite and it is commonly used within a clinical laboratory especially for the cleaning of equipment when recommended by the manufacture. Phenolic This group includes the disinfectant Hibetine which is currently used at the University of Glasgow and the active chemical is phenol. It has been shown to be a broad spectrum disinfectant which is effective against certain bacteria including Mycobacterium tuberculosis and some viruses, although shows no action against bacterial spores. The disinfectant is used with a combination of the phenolic chemical and a detergent. The advantages of using this type of disinfectant is that it is considered stable in undiluted form and organic material does not appear to have the same negative effect on the efficiency of the disinfectant as has been observed in other disinfectants.. Microorganisms an introduction The main purpose of conducting the research project was to observe the efficiency of disinfectants when used against a range of microorganisms. The microorganisms to be investigated include a Gram positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, a Gram negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli, a spore forming bacteria such as Bacillus cereus and a yeast e.g. Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The study conducted by Tyski, S., et al, (2009) used microorganisms which could easily be isolated from hospitals. The study carried out by Ioannou et al, (2007) suggests that a common feature of bacteria especially staphylococcus aureus can acquire a plasmid which contains genes which will allow the bacteria to become resistant to certain antimicrobials. The literature search carried out showed that the organisms which are commonly used in research to show the efficiency of disinfectants are commonly isolated from hospital patient samples. (Gasparini, et al, 1992) Gram negative bacteria Gram positive bacteria Yeast Sporing bacteria The use of disinfectants in combating the spread of infections from bacterial spores from organisms such as C. parvum, Bacillus anthraxis, Clostridium difficile and bacillus cereus is important as these are the most difficult of all microorganisms to eradicate. (Quilez et al, 2005) Discussion The literature reviewed has shown that disinfectants are an important part of the working environment of a laboratory as it is essential that the disinfectant has the ability to inactivate or destroy a wide range of microorganisms. The study by (Severs Lamontagne, 2002) showed that both Virkon and Trigene could be classed as efficient and broad spectrum disinfectants as they both killed a variety of microorganisms ranging from viruses (both enveloped and non-enveloped) to fungi and bacteria including spore forming species. The study by Kasthjerg et al, (2010) deduced that the disinfectants which contained the peroxygen and chloride compounds decreased the virulence gene expression; however, the disinfectants containing the quaternary ammonium compounds encouraged the expression of the virulence gene. Conclusion The study conducted by Severs and Lamontagne, (2002) suggested that Both Virkon and Trigene were effective at eliminating the bacteria which could poses a health risk to divers but they felt that as the Virkon product had managed to eradicate more bacterial and viral strains than Trigene and that these effects were produced quicker with Virkon so the conclusion was that this product (Virkon) should be considered a better disinfectant and be recommended for use by divers.

Juveniles and Drug Abuse in America :: Substance Abuse Essays

Juveniles and Drug Abuse in America A drug is a substance that modifies one or more of the body’s functions when it is consumed. Therefore, many common foods qualify as drugs. According to this definition, some of our most cherished beverages such as tea, coffee, and cola are drugs. However this paper focuses on drugs that are abused by teenagers. Surveys show that cocaine, marijuana, heroin, and inhalants are the most commonly used drugs among teenagers age thirteen through eighteen. One of the most startling findings from recent data is the degree to which to which teenagers are now involved in drug use. This drug abuse problem has gotten worse. Perhaps our society must hit â€Å"rock bottom† before changes can occur. According to the Michigan Institute for Social research, reported the results of their 1992 and 1993 national survey of nearly fifty thousand American high school students across the country ages thirteen through eighteen. Studies show that a gradual decrease in the use of most illicit drugs by younger people. The peak year for illicit drug use by high school seniors was in 1980. The 1992 and 1993 surveys reported an alarming shift, a modest but statistically significant increase in the use of several drugs such as cocaine, marijuana, heroin, and inhalants. This survey attributes the increase in drug use to students’ perceived risk or danger in using a particular drug. In 1992, thirteen year-olds were less likely to see cocaine, crack and marijuana as dangerous. But in 1993, there was a significant increase in marijuana use by seventeen and eighteen year olds and a significant increase in marijuana use by thirteen year-old students. Cocaine use by seventeen and eighteen year o lds declined in 1992. However there was a significant increase in cocaine use by thirteen year-old students between 1991 and 1992. In 1993, cocaine use increased for all ages thirteen through eighteen. Every teenager has used drugs at least once in their life. The literature review confirmed that teenagers engage in drugs on a daily basis. According to the National Survey on Drug Abuse conducted in 1997 and 1998, more than one-fourth (28.2 perecent) of the youth aged thirteen to eighteen report that marijuana experiences, and about four percent used cocaine, 1.1 percent admits to using heroin, and nine percent used inhalants. These statistics are about the same as the statistics in 1992 and 1993. Youngsters take drugs for many different reasons.

Pride And Prejudice Diary Entry

Dear Diary, Little did I know about Mr.Bingley and Mr.Darcy. I heard some good things about them but nothing really relevant. But it was my time to find out everything I needed to know about them at a small dinner party that someone organised. It doesn't matter how the party will be, I want to know who is going to be there, and most importantly, what will happen. I spent the whole day shopping for my dress, and some accessories. I bought a diamond necklace and I was ready to gossip about the new gentleman's in town. I enter the dinner without socialising to much, I didn't want to get distracted, I was keeping my prize. I saw one of the two dancing, how did I know it was them? Every single one of my friend was ‘spying' on those two guys. It must have been them. I get closer and closer and I just can't avoid to notice how one of the two looks so arrogant and bored. His face had no emotion, the little emotion he portrayed was negative. He was bored and wasn't even dancing. However, the other one had an endless smile on his face and he was undeniably having fun like a real gentleman. I go there and find out that the boring, arrogant looking one was Mr.Darcy. So obviously the other one was Mr.Bingley who was flirting with a girl. I couldn't be bothered to even look at the girl because I was so distracted from this amazingly fascinating man. Mr.Bingley stops dancing for a while and speaks to Mr.Darcy but I'm not near enough to listen to what they are saying. I see Mr.Darcy pointing at Lizzy and, Lizzy offended. Her eyes were full of tears. What did he say? Why did she cry? â€Å"She is tolerant; but not handsome enough to tempt me†. These are the words Mr.Darcy said about Lizzy. No wonder she got offended. His character was decided, he is an arrogant and exuberant person. I stop concentrating on Mr Darcy because he is too boring for me, I need some interesting things. Some gossip. I run to my girlfriends and they immediately point at Mr.Bingley. Yes, I knew he was dancing with a girl, but I looked at his eyes and I was shocked. His eyes fell in love. No wonder he had a huge smile on his face, he fell in love with Lydia. Meanwhile I notice that Mr.Bennet announces that he had already met Mr.Bingley. He didn't tell the wife or the daughters. Why? Well I don't really care. He probably did it to contradict his family. He is a nice man but he is always playing jokes and tricks on everyone. Especially the wife. I can't believe these two individuals are married, they are like day and night, two complete different things. I see the two of them discussing about inviting Mr.Bingley to dinner. The night was over. What will Happen Next? Only I know! And who am I? That's a secret I'll never tell, the only one.

Barista vs Caffe Coffe Day Essay

MILAN – The following article is a summary extract from the dissertation projects of the MBA and BBA students of Skyline College. Skyline, situated in Delhi and Gurgaon (NCR) is a premier institute providing management education specialising in MBA and BBA degrees and specialist courses for travel and tourism as well as mass communication. For further information on the article content or on the institute please clickhttp://www.skylinecollege.com/ to visit the official college website. This dissertation was completed by Saroj Shahbaz Naiyar (2007 – 2009) on the topic Barista Vs Cafà © Coffee Day a Comparative Study. Summary The objective of the thesis is â€Å"To compare and study Barista & Cafà © Coffee Day, identify areas of excellence and areas needing improvement; and provide suggestions for such improvement†. The aim of this Thesis is to successfully compare two prominent service sector companies on a common platform, analyze their working and performance, and highlight what they are doing well, while providing suggestions and recommendations for improvement. Barista and Cafà © Coffee Day were chosen because of their identical pattern of functioning and growth. They are the only two major players in the national coffee cafà © industry, and their customers consider both as interchangeable brands. This is why it is important to study how these brands differentiate themselves from each other, and attempt to improve brand loyalty amongst their customers. For the purpose of this study, I prepared a questionnaire, to find out the relevant primary data pertaining to the functioning and working of both Barista and Cafà © Coffee Day. The data was collected based on information provided by: 1. The management of the organization. 2. Customers visiting Barista and Cafà © Coffee Day outlets. Besides the primary data collected with the help of the questionnaire, I have also collected the relevant secondary data from various sources like magazines, books and Internet and newspapers. Based on the relevant primary and secondary data, a comparative analysis has been done so as to find out the areas of excellence and areas of improvement of both organizations. The areas of excellence and improvement have been identified based on factual information, in light of which recommendations and suggestions have been provided for the overall improvement of the organizations in the future. This Thesis is conducted in Gurgaon, India; so the information is relative to this city. The main objectives could be: 1. To understand market performance of Barista & Cafà © Coffee Day. 2. To do a SWOT analysis. 3. To understand consumer perception. 4. To analyze there target consumer& marketing mix(7P’s). Conclusion: Areas of Excellence Both cafà ©s have certain areas where they have been consistently performing well. These are essentially the strengths of the brand, and Barista & Cafà © Coffee Day need to capitalize on these strengths to increase their market share and brand loyalty. The main areas of excellence, based on the Case Studies & Market Survey, have been identified as follows: Barista 1. Strong Brand Image: Barista has a strong and clear brand image. Their customers can easily identify and relate to the Barista brand. This helps increase and maintain brand loyalty. 2. Excellent Human Resource: According to the survey, Barista received an excellent rating for the service and behavior of their staff. This is a huge advantage, especially in a service organization. Barista must strive to keep this advantage. 3. Ambience & Dà ©cor: Another significant area of excellence is the kind of ambience and dà ©cor Barista cafà ©s have. Respondents to the survey, including whose who chose Cafà © Coffee Day as their choice of cafà © gave Barista a near perfect rating for their Ambience & Dà ©cor. 4. Strong base for expansion & growth: Barista have worked hard on heir brand image and human resources, and have a strong base for future expansion and growth- whether nationally or internationally. Cafà © Coffee Day 1. Highly rated Taste & Quality of products: Cafà © Coffee Day got a high rating in the market survey, for the Taste & Quality of their products. If they work on this aspect, there is huge potential for them to attract customers, just based on the taste and quality of products. This is also helped by the fact that they grow their own coffee beans, and this provides an important base for future expansion and growth. Cafà © Coffee Day even won the â€Å"Barista Coffee- Making Championship† for the Best Coffee. 2. Value for money proposition: Cafà © Coffee Day is projected as an â€Å"affordable† brand. This strategy has worked extremely well so far, and Cafà © Coffee Day got a high rating, both for their prices and for their value for money, in the market survey. 3. Strong youth orientation: The Cafà © Coffee Day brand is, and always has been, extremely youth- oriented. In a country where over 40% of the population is under the age of 20, there is huge potential for Cafà © Coffee Day to become one of the country’s largest youth brands. The untapped market share and potential for growth is enormous. Areas Needing Improvement Both Barista and Cafà © Coffee Day have under performed or not lived up to potential in certain areas. The areas are weaknesses, which need to be improved upon, as that both can eliminate any disadvantage that may have, and improve customer satisfaction. The mail areas needing improvement, based on the Case Studies & Market Survey, have been identified as follows: Barista 1. Average taste & quality of products: According to the market survey, other than their Dessert, Barista got only an average rating for the taste & quality of their products. Considering their strong brand image of being the coffee- lover’s traditional cafà ©, they have not performed up to expectations in this area. 2. Perceived as an expensive brand: Customer perceptions of Barista’s prices and value for money are quite negative. Even though the prices of Barista and Cafà © Coffee Day are almost identical, Barista is still perceived as the more expensive brand. 3. Inconvenient delivery process: On a smaller note, Barista’s self- service delivery process received almost unanimous complaints from respondents of the market survey. They found it inconvenient to go back to the counter just to receive their order. Cafà © Coffee Day 1. Weak brand image: The Cafà © Coffee Day brand, although clearly a youth- oriented brand, lacks the power and strength expected to maintain brand loyalty. The brand doesn’t project a clear image to customers about what Cafà © Coffee Day is all about. This could prove as a deterrent during future national and international expansion. 2. Inefficient human resources: According to the market survey, Cafà © Coffee Day’s staff received only an average rating for their behavior and service. Cafà © Coffee Day needs to work hard at this aspect, especially considering they are a service sector organization that is looking at large expansion. 3. Ambience & Dà ©cor: The Ambience & Dà ©cor of Cafà © Coffee Day outlets received a below- average rating from respondents of the market survey. A lot of respondents did not like the fact that Cafà © Coffee Day outlets and literature served as prime space for a lot of advertising and promotions. They felt as if the cafà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s had been hijacked just for advertising. Recommendation & Suggestions Barista †¢ Barista has an extremely strong brand image, but they need to work hard on improving their customer perception of being and expensive brand. Barista and Cafà © Coffee Day have almost identical pricing, but Barista is still perceived as the more expensive brand. †¢ That’s why my first recommendation for Barista is, to carry out a promotion campaign to ensure that their target market is well aware of their current low prices. This would help change customer perception and turn Barista into an affordable brand. †¢ Another backlash of having such a strong traditional cafà © brand image is that customers have very high expectations of the taste & quality of products. Barista needs to work hard at this aspect, especially for coffee and eatables products. †¢ My second recommendation is for Barista to look at its coffee beans suppliers and coffee brewing process to ensure that it is the best it can be. †¢ This is especially important considering the international expansion Barista is undertaking. Barista should also look at the Taj, their national suppliers for eatables and desserts, and either improve the taste & quality of eatable, or look at another supplier- because as of now, they are not living up to expectations, and losing customers to Cafà © Coffee Day. †¢ On a smaller note: the Barista delivery process should change, so that a cafà © attendant delivers the coffee to the table. This may seem insignificant, but it can go a long way in improving customer satisfaction. Cafà © Coffee Day †¢ Cafà © Coffee Day has done extremely well so far to project itself as an affordable youth- oriented brand. But there are still certain areas where their brand needs to be much stronger. †¢ With regard to the physical evidence associated with the brand, Cafà © Coffee Day needs to do a lot of work if they hope to catch up with Barista. My first recommendation for Cafà © Coffee Day is to clean up the dà ©cor at every outlet, wherever unnecessary advertising is taking place. †¢ Although it might be an important source of revenue, long-term customer perception of the brand isn’t very positive. †¢ Cafà © Coffee Day would do better to provide promotional space for its partners with the use of clever collaborations, and not printed advertisements and posters everywhere. †¢ My second recommendation is that Cafà © Coffee Day looks at its current recruitment, selection and most importantly, its current training policies. †¢ Customers are not happy with the behavior and service of the staff, and Cafà © Coffee Day is lagging far behind Barista is this aspect. *The above article was extracted from dissertations in Marketing, Finance, Human Resources, Strategy, Information Systems by the students from Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR). Introduction to ccd The First Cafà © Coffee Day logo a bright red cube with a green stroke above ‘e’ in ‘Cafà © Coffee Day’. The word ‘Cafà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ was made to appear dominant to indicate Cafà © Coffee Day’s introduction of ‘Cafà © culture’ in India. The font used for ‘Cafà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ is called SLURRY – the font looks as though the letters have congealed or coagulated out of liquid. The current logo includes a dialogue box which highlights the connection between ‘coffee’ and ‘conversations.’ This logo also reflects their current tag line, â€Å"A lot can happen over coffee.† The logo of CCD has been changed recently, this has been done in line with the increased competition and also for the proper conveying of the message that Cafà © Coffee Day desires to tell to its customer. The famous Cafà © Coffee Day squared logo has got a fresh new avatar – a ‘Dialogue Box’ – with the words Cafà © Coffee Day written in a distinct, specially created font. The new trendy ‘dialogue’ logo symbolizes the essence of what a Cafà © Coffee Day cafà © is all really all about – a perfect place to ‘relax and dialogue.’ And as we all know, a lot does happen over coffee! Vertical integration The company is known for being vertically integrated to cut costs: from owning the plantations,[2] growing the coffee,[2] making the coffee machines[3] to making the furniture for the outlets.[2] The machines cost them [pic]1.2 lakh each, which they say is half the cost of an imported coffee machine.[3] The maintenance cost of CCD’s machines is also less than foreign machines.[3] Outlets The first CCD outlet was set up on July 11, 1996, at Brigade Road, Bangalore, Karnataka.[4] Following this, CCD crossed over 1000 cafà ©s throughout the nation by 2011. They currently have (as of August 2012) 1319 outlets spread across 28 states of India.[5] The number increases almost every week. A ‘meter’ on their official website (Cafecoffeeday.com) keeps continuous track of the number.