Case Study of the Strategic Issues of Chipotle Mexican Grill

Case Study of the Strategic Issues of Chipotle Mexican Grill Chipotle Mexican Grill is an American chain of fast casual restaurants currently found in more than 1000 locations throughout the United States, United Kingdom and Canada. The chain specializes in tacos and burritos and has been in operation since it was founded in 1993. It is run by a board of four directors and a chairman who is also the founder of the food chain and has its headquarters in Denver, Colorado. The company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and posted a net income of US$178 million in 2010[1]. It has a human resource of 26,500 employees. In 1998 McDonalds made an investment into the company that allowed Chipotle to expand quickly, however in 2006, McDonalds divested from Chipotle. In January 2006, the company made its Initial Public Offering to a very positive response from investors who were eagerly waiting on the listing of the companys shares since it had shown a remarkable sign of continuous growth and profitability. The share price doubled on the first day of listing as a public company. The company employs quality financial and budgetary control systems that have seen it grow and expand without landing in financial crisis since it started operations. Multiple control systems are used to ensure that the different restaurant maintain the company standards in the quality of products produced, employee welfare and [1]A., M,. Hospitality today: an introduction. City: American Hotel Lodging Educational Institute, 2007. upholding of the company policies and mission. The company encourages new innovations in its products and that is why they have some of the restaurants selling beer and margaritas depending on the location and demand from the clients. The company has focused mainly on its initial core business which has proven to be an advantage to the business because all emphasis is given to ensure the company mission is upheld without side destructions from extra deviations from the core business. Recent developments in the company include: Dec, 2010: Plans to open the first Asian casual concept restaurant Dec, 2010: Hired Chef Nate Appleman to develop new cuisine Apr, 2010: Chipotle Q1 Revenues Up 15.6% Feb, 2010: Chipotle to open in Marion, Ohio Nov, 2009: Chipotle Finalizes Location In London Nov, 2009: Chipotle Mexican Grill to debut in London Oct, 2009: Converted Organics Announces Tactical Relationship With IESI to Collect, Process And Convert Food Waste [2] [2]J.R., Zapoli,. How to Succeed in the Restaurant Business: Crunching NumbersnowThats the Bottom Line! City: 2005. Section 2: Key Strategic issues Despite of its success, Chipotle does face key strategic issues that the company has to deal with. Due to its rapid growth and need to keep growing, the company has encountered problems when raising the money to finance new operations since it is all company owned and does not franchise. The large number of outlets also makes it difficult to ensure that company standards are met and maintained thus some outlets have lagged behind leading to embarrassing incidents like the norovirus outbreak in Kent, Ohio. The companys strategy still remains expanding and setting up new restaurants in key markets and offering new menus to cater for different tastes thus becoming available near its clients with a choice of food and drink to cater for a wider clientele thus remaining relevant. The company also faces major competition from other chain restaurants thus the need to come up with new innovations to attract and maintain clients. The company has also been implicated with the crime of employing people using fraudulent papers especially in its outlets in Minneapolis. Section 3: Analysis and Evaluation Chipotles main challenge as a restaurant chain is to fight competition. Its main competitors include Qdoba Mexican Grill, Moes Southwest Grill, Rubios Fresh Mexican Grill, Pancheros Mexican Grill, and Baja Fresh. The company executives have identified ways to make the company stand out amongst the competition in different ways that they hope will enable the company to remain at the top and keep making profits as it has done since inception. One of the best ways is new innovations. This has been done by employing a new chef with vast experience to come up with new menus that will be tested in selected restaurants before the menu is adapted by all the restaurants. This is a gamble for the chain because it has had the same menu of burrito bowls, burritos, tacos, salads, various meats and extra dishes such as salsas, cheese, lettuce and guacamole which have been the restaurants signatures. The company has also been testing a childrens menu that is to be incorporated in all the restaurant s to give the children a fun menu to enjoy thus attracting more families and children to its restaurants. Innovations have also included plans to open Asian fast casual restaurants to give a wider choice to the company clients in the selection of food and drinks while at the same time attract a new clientele of lovers of Asian food and drinks. The company has continued to open new branches all over the country and has even ventured in London and Toronto. This rapid expansion has in the past proven a disadvantage for some companies but it is worth acknowledging that Chipotle has managed to handle the growth to its advantage and is a perfect example of what good strategies coupled with good management can result to. In spite of the rigorous aspects and challenges of rapid expansion, the company managed to be ranked as the eighth fastest growing company in the US based on sales in 2009 and improved this to be ranked at position three in 2010 with a daily customer base of over 750,000 c ustomers. Thus it is evident that this company has managed to expand in a profitable manner without even facing financial difficulties considering that it takes US$850,000 to open a new Chipotle restaurant. [3]A., M,. Hospitality today: an introduction. City: American Hotel Lodging Educational Institute, 2007. Strong and strict financial and budgetary controls have been applied throughout the company and this have enabled smooth running of the expansive business without financial problems. The money that MacDonalds had pumped into the company in 1998 was well used to fund the initial expansion and opening of new restaurants that saw the company restaurants rise in number from 18 in 1998 to 500 in 2005 [3]. This means that the company management did not first focus on paying themselves and issuing themselves huge bonuses rather the money was directed into the interests of the company. It is also worth to note that the founder of the company, Steve Ells was a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York and has remained the chairman and C.E.O of the company he founded. The relevance of his educational and professional background to the company success is that Steve had acquired the relevant knowledge and expertise in food production thus had all the necessary backgrou nd to set up a restaurant since he practically knew what he was doing in a restaurant setup. Secondly, Steves background reveals how he had opened his first restaurant with a loan from his father thus the man has good intuition on how to spend money and his presence on the board of the company has ensured that the same intelligent virtues he had used in the beginning of the business trickle down even when the business has grown to astronomical scales of success. Â   Successful operational controls employed by Chipotle restaurants begin from the top. Once the first restaurant was on its feet the founder focused on growing the business rather than working in the business. This is instrumental because most business people get buried in the day to day running of their businesses and forget the reason why they started it in the first place. Chipotle has invested heavily in operating systems that enable the smooth running of the company restaurants considering the huge number of customers that they serve. The company has introduced new ways to order and pay for food items online from the comfort of ones home or office and even has an iPhone application for the same service targeting the technology servy clients. This company has an abstract way of advertising. Instead of the traditional media oriented advertisements on television, radio and print, it heavily depends on word of mouth for advertising and the use of billboards. The company also sponsors cycling events and runs many events throughout the year where it offers free food to participants. Works Sited A., M,. Hospitality today: an introduction. City: American Hotel Lodging Educational Institute, 2007. J.D., Dittmer,. Principles of Food, Beverage, and Labor Cost Controls. City: John Wiley Sons, 2008. J.D., Schmidgall,. Restaurant financial basics. City: John Wiley Sons, 2002. J.R., Zapoli,. How to Succeed in the Restaurant Business: Crunching Numbersnow Thats the Bottom Line! City: 2005.

A Medley Of Lu Xuns Writings :: Lu Xun Author Writer papers

A Medley Of Lu Xun's Writings Lu Xun‘s writings are my choice for my presentation. He was an author who also studied medicine and was known for his in-depth thinking. Xun came from a poor in wealth family, but was rich in intellectual talents. He did not choose to accept the Chinese traditions without critically addressing some aspects of his culture a review in thought. After studying medicine in Japan, he gave up his profession to write about the apathy of his fellow Chinese countrymen. To explore the thinking of his people, we are introduced to his astonishment of an execution that he watched. He watched this execution with horror while the other onlookers seemed indifferent to the event. This act brought to his attention that he wanted to bring about change to his fellow countrymen’s approach to life. Writing was his medium. He went on to embrace reformist political views and to share those views with the reader. All of his input was his way of trying to make the world that he was inhabiting a better place to live. We can bring about change by waking up our community to new ideas. In the story, â€Å"Diary of a Madman†, we read how the author is basically attempting to elevate the reader into believing that human beings do not have to eat, that is do not have to take advantage of their own kind. He spreads the word that the human race has the capability to make choices in determining their intake of food. We read a good bit about this belief. The story takes place in the time frame following a famine in China. There were many famines in China throughout history. We have read of different circumstances where people are reduced to eating other humans. There was one instance in recent times when an airplane crashed on a mountain in South America. Those survivors ate some of the dead to stay alive. While this is uncommon, we humans are, in the bottom line, definitively survivors that sort of survival is not the issue in Lu Xun. The famine in China reduced the strong to snag the weak so as to stay alive. The author was not sharing with the reader that he thought this was proper behavior for a human being.

Richard the Third

Kameron Lopez Analysis Paper #2 Richard the Third February, 15tth Analyze the use of Christian allusions â€Å"Two drops of virtue for a Christian prince†¦Ã¢â‚¬  A prince of what exactly? That is a line said of Richard as he enters in Act 3 Scene 7. It was of course as Richard was standing in between two bishops pretending to be pious. He is more like a Christian prince of darkness, and he refers to himself as devil to state his mind. It can be said of Christian allusions in this text that Richard plays the part of the devil, the son, who fell from God’s grace and presence.He spends all of his time using others for his own gain and corrupting mankind. Queen Margaret has it right when she called him â€Å"Hell’s black intelligencer. † And he lives up to that title, more so that he ever lived up to the title of king. In his opening speech Richard is â€Å"determined to prove a villain. † Richard seems to be announcing that he has made a decision and i s committed to being bad. That may be true but there is another way to look at it. Richard could also be seen as being predetermined to be a villain.At that time, Christian people believed that God determines everything that's going to happen to a person and whether he or she will be saved from damnation. This idea was important in context of Shakespeare's England. Richard's use of the word â€Å"determined† is interesting because it implies two different possible meanings at once. First, Richard has decided of his own free will to be a villain or, second God has predetermined that Richard is going to be a villain and Richard has no control over the outcome.How we read this will determine on how we think about Richard and if he is a villain and evil by choice or if he has no control over the lengths he will go to get what he wants. We can then see how Richmond can be seen as the savior of this play. He is the only one that can defeat the evil Richard and take his rightful pla ce on the throne and begin to right all of the wrongs that happened by the hands of Richard. He puts an end to a war, he is forgiving to those whose fought against him and fled. That perfect, forgiving love can be seen as a savior, especially when compared to Richard’s villainThere is a sense of revelation going on throughout this play with the women characters, Queen Margaret especially. She hurls many curses at Richard throughout the play. â€Å"Cancel his bond of life, dear God, I plead. / That I may live and to say, ‘The dog is dead' When Margaret prays for Richard to be punished for his treachery, she asks God to intervene and cut Richard down. Later, when Richard is killed in battle, we get the sense that God has answered Margaret's plea and that Richard's death has come to pass because of God’s will.Lady Anne curses Richard over her husband’s grave and also curses the woman that would ever become his wife. She fulfills her own prophecy, her own rev elation. â€Å"And when thou wedd’st, let sorrow haunt thy bed†¦Ã¢â‚¬  As soon as she utters those words and allows herself to be woed in nearly the same breath, she succumbs to her own prophecy. As an audience, we know to take the curses, the prophecies seriously, because they all come to pass. Some of the characters seem to take them seriously, as in Christian traditions, and some do not and see them simply as mutterings from mad people, women specifically.Another allusion that can be seen in the text is how characters have a major part in their own destruction. They seem to be choosing the evil, the wrong despite the outcome, which will inevitably lead to their demise. Lady Anne and others are taken in by Richard’s charm and charisma and wit and choose not to see the evil and overlook the violence. In Christian religion, that is exactly how the devil works. â€Å"O that cunning plan of the evil one. O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of m en! How quick the characters are to recognize evil when they see it but are unable to resist being caught up in that same evil. That same relationship can almost be seen with the audience. We are so taken in my Richard’s presence that we find ourselves almost rooting for him, despite being shocked by him. That is how temptation seems to work. We are repulsed by something at first, can’t even imagine being involved in any way, and over time that same thing can become less repulsive and more intriguing.That fine line between falling into temptation and standing strong is even finer in this play, which rings true in real life. Good and evil, right and wrong, these are universal Christian ideals. And when evil looks so good, sounds so convincing, it is hard to say no even when we know it is wrong. That eternal struggle runs throughout this play and into everyday life, which is why it was so popular when it was first performed and why it is still popular today.

Assisted Suicide Should Not Be A Killer - 1902 Words

No, terminal illness should not be a killer. For starters, a terminal illness is an illness from which the patient is not expected to recover even with treatment, as the illness continues, the result is death. In 6 of the 50 United States of America, they have an option for a terminally-ill patient, it is called assisted suicide. Assisted suicide occurs when one person gives another person the instructions, means, or capability to bring about their own demise (Smith 623). Some say our pets are treated more humanely than our own people because if an animal is hurt and they cannot be fixed, the result is to put it out of its misery. I believe that humans should have this right in all 50 states as well. Everyone should have the right to choose how they want to die. When talking about assisted suicide, a name that comes up often as an advocate for it is Dr. Jack Kevorkian. Dr. Kevorkian was one of the biggest advocates for assisted suicide, he was so much for it that he even went to jail for an 8-year sentence because of his beliefs. In November of 1998, Dr. Kevorkian helped a man with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis commit suicide and he videoed the act and sent it to a popular national television show (Stafford 43). Prior to this suicide, Kevorkian had been tried three others times, but was acquitted by the jury. Because of the lethal injection and the act being videoed, Dr. Kevorkian was charged with second-degree murder and sentenced to jail for ten to twenty-five years.Show MoreRelatedThe Death Of Terminally Ill919 Words   |  4 PagesStates where we simply have our rights, should we not be granted the right to die? A big controversy on the news in the United States is having the right to die. People see this as something wrong due to various cultural and religious beliefs. This means of having the right to die is simply termed assisted suicide or human euthanasia. Only a few states have legalized assisted suicide by means of the Death with Dignity Act. The four states that assisted suicide is legal in is: California, Oregon, VermontRead MoreSuffering and Voluntary Euthanasia Essay827 Words   |  4 PagesThe controversial issue of Euthanasia or assisted suicide has been widely argued over many years and present. Euthanasia literally means dying without suffering. Recently, a law of euthanasia has been legalized and made in the state of Oregon. There are people who agree the law of euthanasia, even though there are also people who strongly oppose it. The following articles examine questions and answers about issues on euthanasia or assisted suicide. The articles are â€Å"In Defense of Volunt ary Euthanasia†Read MoreEssay on The Legalization of Euthanasia1420 Words   |  6 Pagescontroversial topic for years; studies have shown that arguments regarding the euthanasia debate are often depending on the process used to take the life of the patient. There are a lot of thoughts surrounding the issue of euthanasia and whether or not it should be legal. According to the Encyclopedia of American Law, euthanasia is categorized as a class of criminal homicide (Debate.org, par. 3). However, not all homicides are considered illegal. In today’s society, killing is seen as excusable when usedRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legalized?1536 Words   |  7 Pagesperceived by physicians were worries about loss of control, being a burden, being dependent on others for personal care, and loss of dignity† (Back et al. 919). Although some argue that euthanasia is the best way to die for terminally-ill patients, it should be banned because its regulation will yield complex a nd unwelcome ramifications. Euthanasia has a very complex and extensive history, dating all the way back to ancient Greek and Roman societies. In several ancient societies, euthanasia was permissibleRead MoreEuthanasia Essay : Physician Assisted Suicide1566 Words   |  7 Pagesquestion of when? You ve said your farewells. Presently in the event that you had the opportunity to pick how your life finished, how would you choose it? In physician assisted suicide, the option to end a patient’s life is provided to a patient with knowledge of the patient s intention. Unlike euthanasia, in physician assisted suicide, physicians makes death accessible, but does not specifically regulate the death (Broeckaert 1). Euthanasia is putting someone to death who is suffering from a painRead MoreEssay about Legalizing Euthanasia990 Words   |  4 PagesEuthanasia Whose life is it, anyway? A Plea stated by the late Sue Rodrigues. Rogrigues, a high-profile, terminally-ill resident of British Columbia, Canada, suffered from a terminally ill disease (Robinson, 2001). She was helped to commit suicide by a physician in violation of Canadian law. Many people, like Rodrigues, want to be in control of their final days. Terminally ill patients have a terminal disease and do not want to diminish their assets by incurring large medical costs as theirRead MoreEuthanasi Euthanasia And Euthanasia1483 Words   |  6 Pagesexplained through this quote, Euthanasia and medically assisted suicide to present a real danger. Although society refuses to see these dangers, euthanasia creates countless problems that shake society. Euthanasia remains a conditional based issue; therefore, the laws created rely on weak ideas that allow for easy manipulation, as can be seen through the mistakes and laws of the Netherlands and Belgium who legalized Euthanasia. Medical ly assisted suicide and Euthanasia use unethical ideology, and legalizationRead More Rebutting Arguments to Legalize Euthanasia or Assisted Suicide1711 Words   |  7 PagesLegalize Euthanasia or Assisted Suicide      Ã‚   This essay focuses on several of the most common arguments in favor of the legalization of euthanasia or assisted suicide - and rebuts them. The language is simple, or, as they say, in laymans terms so as to be easily understandable. The sources are from professional journals, internet websites, and news outlets.    The first common argument favoring euthanasia or assisted suicide is this: Since euthanasia and assisted suicide take place anywayRead MoreThe Case Of Frank Van Den Bleeken1672 Words   |  7 Pagesrapist asked to undergo physician assisted suicide in order to end his life. Since Van Den Bleeken was continuing his psychologically unbearable sentence in Belgium, physician assisted suicide was an impending option as it had been made legal in the country back in 2002 (Krugel, 2016). Through ethical analysis, Immanuel Kant, Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill would reach an agreement in which Van Den Bleeken should be restricted his right to physician assisted suicide. The three philosophers had variousRead MoreAssisted Suicide Essay1534 Words   |  7 Pagesmajority of the cases involved in ‘assisted-suicide,’ which is the process of ending their life with help from another person. Assisted suicide, despite the chronic or degenerative illness, has caused great controversy . The debate arises when the question about whether or not the practice should be legalized is asked. Some say that every person has a God given right to do what they want with their bodies, when they want to do it. Others say that palliative staffs should be focusing on studying better