Coca-Cola Amatil Limited Management

Coca-Cola Amatil Limited Management Introduction The soft drink manufacturing industry is one of the largest industries around the globe. In Australia, it is one of the greatest revenue generators, estimated at $4bn as of 2016 according to the ibisworld.com 2016 report (IBISWorld.com, 2016 P. 1). The major players in the industry in Australia are Coca-Cola Amatil Limited and Asahi Holdings. The aim of this paper is to analyze and evaluate the performance of Coca-Cola Amatil Limited by first looking at the overview of the company itself. Overview of the Company Management and directors of the company The management of Coca-Cola Amatil Limited comprises of the Board of Directors and the group leadership team. The Chief Executive Officer, officially known as the group managing director, Ms. Alison Watkins (CCA, P.1) is both on the board of directors and the leadership team. The board of directors comprises of the Chairman, Mr. David Gonski, and the CEO (CCA, P. 1). The Chairman is a non-executive director. The other non-executive directors include the following: Ilana Atlas, Non-Executive Director (Independent) John Borghetti, Non-Executive Director (Independent) Anthony (Tony) Froggatt, Non-Executive Director (Independent) Martin Jansen, Non-Executive Director Mark Johnson, Non-Executive Director (Independent) Wal King, AO Non-Executive Director (Independent) David Meiklejohn, AM Non-Executive Director (Independent) Catherine Brenner, Non-Executive Director Paul OSullivan, Non-Executive Director (Independent) Krishnakumar Thirumalai, Non-Executive Director (Nominee of TCCC) (CCM, 2016) The management team consists of the Group managing director, Ms. Alison Watkins, and the following: Mr. Reg Weine, Managing Director SPC Mr. Barry OConnell, Managing Director, Australian Beverages Mr. Kadir Gunduz, Managing Director, Indonesia PNG Mr. Shane Richardson, Managing Director, Alcohol Coffee Mr. Chris Litchfield, Managing Director, New Zealand Fiji Ms. Libbi Wilson, Group Human Resources Director Ms. Betty Iyanoff, Group General Counsel Ms. Katie Newton-John, Joint Company Secretary Mr. James Lane, Sales Director Ms. Liz McNamara, Group Head of Public Affairs and Communications Mr. Simon Edgar, Director Marketing, and Strategy Mr. Chris Sullivan, Chief Procurement Officer Mr. Warwick Hutton, Chief Information Officer Mr. Andrew Wilson, General Manager-Strategy, Planning Innovation Mr. Davis Akers, Head of Investor Relations Ms. Kate Mason, Chief Transformation Officer (ibisworld.com, 2016) Major shareholders (holding at least 5% of shares) Coca-Cola Amatil Limited is a public limited company in Australia (IBISWorld.com, 2016 P. 1).   According to IBISWorld.com, (2016), the major shareholders are the following: Coca-Cola Holdings Ltd of the United States of America, with a percentage shareholding of 29.21 HSBC Custody Nominees Limited (Australia) with a share of 18.65% JP Morgan Nominees Australia Limited with 10.05% shareholding National Nominees Limited (Australia) with 8.54% shareholding Citicorp Nominees Pty Limited with 5.93% shareholding. Compensation of Directors and Top Executives The company has a remuneration committee that is responsible for setting out the remuneration of all employees. The committee has set favourable compensation incentive plans that are performance based; a key management who performs better is likely to earn more on top of the fixed remuneration. According to the CCA Annual Report (2015, P. 62), the compensation of key management personnel was as follows; A.M. Watkins, the Group Managing Director, had a fixed compensation which included Salary and leaves entitlements amounting to $2,263,266, non-monetary benefits of $450, superannuation of base salary of $19,046 and another amount of $7,720. The manager was also able to take at-risk performance related compensation which amounted to $1,564,500 (Coca-Cola Amatil Annual Report, 2015, P. 62). The Group Chief Financial Officer, Mr. M.J. Robert had a fixed salary of $1,810,083 and non-monetary benefits of $258. He also received a superannuation of base salary amounting to $9,654 (CCA Annual Report, 2015, P. 62). He was also entitled to at-risk performance-related compensation of $267,027 (CCA Annual Report, 2015, P. 62). The Group Human Resources Director, E.C Wilson, was entitled to a fixed salary of $620,987 and non-monetary benefits of $36,562 (CCA Annual Report, 2015, P. 62). The Managing Director of Indonesia PNG was entitled to a fixed salary of $719,674 and non-monetary benefits of $432,970, and a risk allowance of $ 371, 626 (CCA Annual Report, 2015, P. 62). The managing director of New Zealand and Fiji was entitled to a fixed salary of $341, 440 and non-monetary benefits of $5,254 with risk allowance of $316,269 (CCA Annual Report, 2015, P. 62). The managing director of Australian Beverages, on the other hand, was entitled to a fixed salary of $939,462 and non-monetary benefits of $118,222 with a risk allowance of $491,447 (CCA Annual Report, 2015, P. 62). Key performance Indicators (accounting and market) Coca-Cola Amatil Limited, being the largest company in the Asia Pacific in the soft drinks industry, has several key performance indicators which serve as the basis for its business decisions. According to ibisworld.com (2016), the Accounting Key Performance Indicators include: The Return on Revenue percentage Percentage Return on Shareholders Funds Percentage Return on Assets Percentage Profit Margin The Revenue per Employee The Net Profit after Tax (NPAT) per Employee The percentage Effective Tax Rate The Percentage Gearing The Interest Cover The Current Ratio The Dividends paid per Share The Marketing Key Performance Indicators are: The percentage change of Total Revenue Growth The percentage change in Sales Revenue Growth The Percentage change in Total Assets The percentage change in the Net Profit After Tax The percentage change in Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA) The percentage change in Shareholders Funds Evaluation of the performance of Coca-Cola Amatil Limited Coca-Cola Amatil Limited is one of the major players in the Soft Drink Manufacturing Industry in Australia. The industrys retail market has been hit by changing customer preferences of soft drink which has led to a significant drop in revenue. However, the growth in popularity of energy and sports drinks has spearheaded the growth of the industry. According to IBISWorld.com (2016), the industry revenue has been projected to increase at an annual rate of 2.4% for the next five years through 2015-2016. In Australia, the company is ranked position 72 in the top 2000 companies. The primary source of income of the company is from the manufacture of beverage and tobacco in the Australia industry. According to ibisworld.com (2016), Coca-Cola Amatil Limited is reported to have generated total revenue of $5.253 billion in the year ending 2016. The company operates in two groups namely: Non-Alcoholic beverages, and Alcoholic, Food, and Services. Under the Non-Alcoholic Beverage segment, the company manufactures and distributes the Coca-Cola licensed products in five Asia Pacific countries which are Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia (IBISWorld.com, 2016). For the purpose of evaluation, the report will cover the various segments in which Coca-Cola Amatil Limited operates. Spirit Manufacturing in Australia In 2007, CCA started to venture into the alcoholic beverage market after signing a 10 year deal with Beam Global Spirits and Wines Inc and executing it as a joint venture with SABMiller (IBISWorld.com, 2016). As of 2016, the number of companies in the industry is 71 with a turnover growth rate of 1.31 and a size of $1.7831 billion (IBISWorld.com, 2016). Coca-Cola Amatil Limited has an estimated market share of 15.3% in this industry (IBISWorld.com, 2016). Over the past five years, from 2012 to 2017, CCAs alcoholic segment has been performing well despite a reduced consumption which has slowed growth rate. According to IBISWorld.com (2016), CCAs revenue in this industry is expected to increase at an annual rate of 3.3% through December 2017. The primary competitors are Diageo Australia Limited and Asahi Holdings (Australia) Pty Limited. Diageo and Asahi Holdings have market shares of 23.6% and 12.3% respectively, implying that Diageo is the market leader followed by CCA. Fruit and Vegetable Processing in Australia The company ventures in the fruit and vegetable processing through its subsidiary company called SPC Ardmona (IBISWorld.com, 2016). The subsidiary processes a broad range of fruits and vegetable products for sale in various retail stores. The companys performance in this segment has been hampered by cheap imports from South Africa and Italy (IBISWorld.com, 2016). There has also been a competition between the major supermarkets such as Woolworths and Coles, which has also led to the reduction in prices of the products. The industry size is estimated to be $5.8864 billion with a turnover growth rate of 0.29. CCA has a market share of 5.7%. Other players in the Industry are Simplot Australia Pty Limited and Heinz Watties Pty Limited with market shares of 8.1% and 6.6% respectively (IBISWorld.com, 2016). Coca-Cola Amatil has been struggling to cope with the competition over the past five years. Generally, it has been underperforming due to oversupply from cheap imports. Extreme weather has also affected the company since it has reduced fresh produce.   In 2013, the total revenue was 319.8, up from 317.2 in 2012. There was also an increase in 2014, but the revenue decreased in 2015 which was recorded to be 319.6 down from 328.1 in 2014. The revenue in 2016 rose to 332.4. Soft Drink Manufacturing Coca-Cola Amatil boasts being the largest soft drink manufacturer in Australia with a market share of 53.8% (ibisworld.com, 2016).   Its rival, Asahi Holdings Pty Limited has a market share of 24.9%. Historically, the performance of CCA has been strong. However, high competition and shift of customers preference of soft drinks due to health concerns have significantly affected the revenue.   Despite being the market leader in the industry, CCA has been underperforming over the last five years. The companys revenue has been falling due to pressures from competitors and marketing costs. According to IBISWorld report (2016), the revenue increased between 2011 and 2012. From 2012 to 2016, the profits have sharply decreased. Overall Company Performance In overall, CCA has been performing relatively well considering the fact that its main business segment has the highest market share in Australia. Sales Revenue According to Saunders Cornett (2014), sales revenue refers to the net income from the sales of goods or services after all the costs have been subtracted. Over the last five years, CCA has been recording an unstable growth in sales revenue. As at December 2012, the sales revenue was $5,097,400. This was followed by a drop in 2013 which recorded sales revenue of $5,036,400, a growth rate of -1.2%. In 2014, the sales revenue grew at a rate of -1.9% to $4,942,800. This was the lowest figure in the span of five years. In 2015, CCA did a lot to achieve high sales revenue of %5,093,600,000 which is equivalent to a growth rate of 3.1%. In 2016, the sales revenue changed positively at a rate of 1.1% to record a figure of $5,150,800,000 (ibisworld.com, 2016). Although the sales growth rate seems to be staggering, the average growth of sales revenue from 2011 to 2016 is 1.4%. Total Revenue Saunders Cornett (2014) define total revenue as the income of a company from all sources, including the sales revenue, in a given period. The figure includes the sales revenue and revenue from other sources. Just like the sales revenue, CCA has had unstable total revenue since 2012. The company recorded $5.175 billion of total revenue in 2012 (ibisworld.com, 2016). In 2013, the total revenue dropped by 1.1% to record $5.1199 billion (ibisworld.com, 2016). In the following year, a further decline in total revenue was also realized, at a staggering figure of $5.0341 billion, which was a drop by 1.7% (ibisworld.com, 2016).   In 2015, CCAs total revenue increased at a rate of 3% to become $5.1869 billion by the end of the year (ibisworld.com, 2016). By the end of 2016, the total revenue was recorded as $5.2532 billion, which was an increase of 1.3% from the previous year. On average, the percentage change in growth rate since 2011 is 1.5%, implying that the company is on the righ t track. However, comparing to the average growth rate in the industry which was 2.36% in 2016, the company has been underperforming. Net Profit after Tax (NPAT) Net Profit after Tax (NPAT) is the amount of money a company earns after all its expenses (Saunders Cornett, 2014). Coca-Cola Amatil Limited has been hit by fluctuations in profits, and its profits have generally been decreasing sharply from 2012 to date. In 2012, the net profit after tax was $457.8 million. This was followed by a sharp decrease in 2013, which was $79.9 million, which is a percentage decrease of 82.5% (ibisworld.com, 2016). In 2014, the profits increased more than twice and reached $272.1 million, which is 240.6% growth. The profits grew further by 44.6% in 2015 but, as of 2016 December, the profit was $246.1 million as opposed to $393.4 million in 2015, which was a decrease of 37.4% (ibisworld.com, 2016). On average, CCA has not been doing well regarding profits. Its average change in NPAT is -16.1%. As of December 2016, the industry average NPAT was 4.99%, implying that CCA has been performing poorly. Return on Revenue (ROR) To understand the profitability of CCA, it is essential to look at the change in ROR. In 2012, the change in ROR was 8.9% (ibisworld.com, 2016). In 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016, the ROR was 1.6%, 5.4%, 7.6% and 4.7% respectively (IBISWorld.com, 2016). This implies that the company was more profitable in 2012 and 2015 compared to the rest of the years. Return on Assets (ROA) The ROA measures the profitability of a company in relation to its assets. CCA has been doing well since it has been recording a positive ROA since 2012. Coca-Cola Amatil Limited management team can be said to be efficient in utilizing assets to generate revenue. From 2012 to 2016, the Return on Assets is 6.8%, 1.2%, 4.5%, 5.9%, and 3.8% respectively. The average ROA in the industry as at 2016 was 1.9% compared to CCAs 3.8% (IBISWorld.com, 2016). The company has, therefore, been performing well in the industry. Question 2 Robert Alba just won the state lottery. He has been given the option of receiving either  $62.9 million today or $5 million a year for the next 35 years, with the first payment paid  today. Discuss the process that Robert should use to determine which payment option he  prefers. Ignore all taxes and assume that Jesse will live for at least 40 more years Solution To determine the best option, we need to determine the present value the Annuity due of for the given cash flows since the payment in the second option is going to be made at the beginning of the period. Present value or the discounted value refers to the current worth of the given amount of money or the stream of cash flow that is going to be received in future at a particular rate of return (Brealey, Myers, Allen, and Mohanty, 2012). The present value is usually less than the future value due to the time value of money characteristic, which states that money will always earn an interest; therefore, a dollar today is more than a dollar tomorrow. The formula is as follow; (Brealey, Myers, Allen, and Mohanty, 2012) Where C=the cash given per period i = rate of interest n= the number of payments In this case, the present value of $62.9 million today is $62.9 million. Robert Alba should determine the present value of the cumulative cash flows of $5 million per year for 35 years.   The best option would be that with the highest present value. Using the formula above, the present value for option B will be as follow; Assuming a uniform interest rate of 10%, $53.04 million is less than $62.9 million; therefore, Robert Alba should choose option A, i.e. to receive the payment of $62.9 million now. List References Brealey, R.A., Myers, S.C., Allen, F. and Mohanty, P., 2012. Principles of corporate finance. Tata McGraw-Hill Education. CCA Annual Report, 2015. Real Possibilities Real Progress-2015 Annual Report. Accessed on https://www.ccamatil.com/-/media/Cca/Corporate/Files/Annual-Reports/2015/CCA166-CCA-Annual-Report-2015-WEB_final.ashx CCA, n.d. Coca-Cola Amatil Limited. Accessed on https://www.ccamatil.com IBISWorld.com, 2016. IBISWorld Company Premium Report: Coca-Cola Amatil Limited. Balance Date: 2016 Saunders, A. and Cornett, M.M., 2014. Financial institutions management. McGraw-Hill Education.

Computers Affecting Our Lives :: essays research papers

Computers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Since the beginning of human life, we as a people have always strived to obtain machines or tools to make our lives easier. Before the computer was invented in 1822, people were performing boring, repetitive tasks that we now take for granted. The computer, a modern complex machine, now accomplishes things we never thought possible. Computers, in general, have many benefits for they provide entertainment, help modern cities function, above all, make the most aggravating and mundane tasks incredibly simple.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the least important aspects of computers is that it provides entertainment and yet this is the sole reason why many people buy computers. The gaming and entertainment industry has become extremely large in the world, the products they sell range from shareware games to adult blood and gore. For instance, the 3D-shooter series, Quake, has sold millions of copies and essentially everyone in the world has seen it or played it. The entertainment industry not only provides gaming amusement but it also contributes learning programs, for children and adults, to help individuals excel in a certain trouble areas. Furthermore, computers also are also capable of training military personal in a virtual reality environment. An example of this is the U.S. and Canadian military, they both train soldiers and pilots in the ways of war using high tech computers and virtual reality equipment. To sum up, entertainment on the computer may not be important but is does satisfy mi llion of people worldwide.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cities as we know them today would not exist if it were not for the help of the computer. In a modern city hundreds of items are under control by computers and most of them we take for granted. For example, the traffic lights at all intersections are controlled by computers and sometimes even with the support of underground sensors. Without computers the entire electrical grid would fail and all of the world’s neoteric population would be without precious electricity. Another instance in which computers aid the modern city is the sewage and water system. Without computers, entire series of pumps and water stations would seize and stop working, which translates to a city without running water. On the whole, computers are a necessary innovation to help modern cities function to their fullest potential.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the most important uses of the computer is that it provides a person with a tool that can make the most difficult tasks incredibly insignificant. Computers Affecting Our Lives :: essays research papers Computers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Since the beginning of human life, we as a people have always strived to obtain machines or tools to make our lives easier. Before the computer was invented in 1822, people were performing boring, repetitive tasks that we now take for granted. The computer, a modern complex machine, now accomplishes things we never thought possible. Computers, in general, have many benefits for they provide entertainment, help modern cities function, above all, make the most aggravating and mundane tasks incredibly simple.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the least important aspects of computers is that it provides entertainment and yet this is the sole reason why many people buy computers. The gaming and entertainment industry has become extremely large in the world, the products they sell range from shareware games to adult blood and gore. For instance, the 3D-shooter series, Quake, has sold millions of copies and essentially everyone in the world has seen it or played it. The entertainment industry not only provides gaming amusement but it also contributes learning programs, for children and adults, to help individuals excel in a certain trouble areas. Furthermore, computers also are also capable of training military personal in a virtual reality environment. An example of this is the U.S. and Canadian military, they both train soldiers and pilots in the ways of war using high tech computers and virtual reality equipment. To sum up, entertainment on the computer may not be important but is does satisfy mi llion of people worldwide.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cities as we know them today would not exist if it were not for the help of the computer. In a modern city hundreds of items are under control by computers and most of them we take for granted. For example, the traffic lights at all intersections are controlled by computers and sometimes even with the support of underground sensors. Without computers the entire electrical grid would fail and all of the world’s neoteric population would be without precious electricity. Another instance in which computers aid the modern city is the sewage and water system. Without computers, entire series of pumps and water stations would seize and stop working, which translates to a city without running water. On the whole, computers are a necessary innovation to help modern cities function to their fullest potential.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the most important uses of the computer is that it provides a person with a tool that can make the most difficult tasks incredibly insignificant.

Mad Men Sociological / Semiotic Analysis

Every so often there is a television program that attracts a large audience because it is brilliantly written and entertaining. One of the most recent television shows to do this has been Mad Men. The show revolves around an advertising agency in the 1960’s and it’s key players in the company, more specifically Don Draper. Being set in the 1960’s, it is important to do both a sociological and semiotic analysis of the show. Society and human interactions have changed dramatically over the past fifty years and while it is a scripted television show and not a documentary, the drama prides itself on paying close attention to details and keeping everything true to the time period. It would be interesting and informative to do an analysis comparing the 1960’s shown in Mad Men to today’s society. Likewise, with the characters and their clothing, subtle symbols give away clues about who they are and what they’re going through as the show goes on. Semiotics are important to take note of in every context in order to truly understand whatever you’re trying to critically understand or analyze. In the 1960’s society was vastly different that it is today. It was a turning point in American history and dealt with a lot of sensitive issues that are still linger around today although they aren’t as prominent as they once were. This is reflected in the society that is built in the show Mad Men, namely the Sterling Cooper society. Sterling Cooper is the advertising agency that the show revolves around; in Sterling Cooper there is anything you would find in a larger society, such as social norms and bureaucracy. Furthermore, critics realize that â€Å"Mad Men deliberately shocks its audience by presenting as reasonable and commonplace behavior we now find appalling,† (â€Å"The Devil's in the Details,† The Atlantic) which gives us a direct juxtaposition of the Mad Men society and today’s society. In multiple aspects of a sociological analysis, there is always a prime example in the show Mad Men which is only highlighted when trying to look at Mad Men through the lens of today’s societal norms. Durkheim’s theory said that there is a social dimension to how people construct themselves based on their surroundings. That can be seen primarily in the character Peggy Olson. At first, Peggy suffers from alienation. Peggy being from Brooklyn feels disconnected with her co workers. She feels estranged since she's so homely and lives a simple, plain lifestyle compared to the lashy, metropolitan girls around her. She isn't skinny, she wears more modest clothing and isn't throwing herself at her bosses. â€Å"The audience sees Peggy alienate herself from the rest of the girls in the office, often eating lunch alone in the office, ignoring the fashions that the other women wear and refusing the participate in the constant office gossip. As a woman, in the 1960s however, she cannot exactly be one of the boys and therefore she cannot relate to the man either† (Analyzing Mad Men: Critical Essays on the Series, pg 159-160). It takes her a while to figure out where she fits in, and over time she too becomes a flashier version of herself, clearly influenced by the women around her and tries to step out of her comfort zone and into a different kind of lifestyle. Lifestyles are also a very important part of society. Lifestyle covers a person's taste in fashion, cars , entertainment, and other leisure activities which often reflect our socioeconomic class. Peggy was a lowly girl from Brooklyn, which was very much looked down upon by the men and women of Manhattan. She was considered poor, especially when she would bring her own lunch to work instead of buying her food off of the lunch cart like the other secretaries. Her clothing also gave her away in the beginning, her skirts were longer than the other girls, she was always covering up, which won't help attract the bosses in the ways the other secretaries were trying so desperately to do. Peggy would go home and read, or stay at work late if she wanted while other girls were running around on dates or going out trying to find something at a bar. Peggy’s chosen lifestyle is opposite the other women in the show outside of Sterling Cooper, mainly Don Draper’s wife Betty. Don Draper is a very successful, so his wife gets to spend her days looking at art, or riding horses. Their socioeconomic stance allows her to spend her entire day doing leisure activities and not be worried about such trivial things as work. Betty even had a nanny, so as not to over exert herself with cooking dinner and taking care of their children after all that horseback riding. Being a housewife to a successful man, Betty lived a very different lifestyle than the young girls who worked as secretaries. The secretaries in Sterling Cooper created their own small hierarchy which can be viewed as a bureaucracy. Joan is the â€Å"head secretary,† giving her a significant value to both the men and the secretaries. For the most part she decide who gets which secretary, and if changes should be made. She orders the other secretaries to do things and they listen knowing the power she holds behind the scenes (whether or not they know its because she's sleeping with one of the partners is another story). Joan was held in such high regard, even the men of Sterling Cooper would listen to her; mainly because she demanded respect and they were always hoping to impress Joan to hopefully catch her attention. This is also why it becomes so hard for Peggy when Joan begins to resent her for catching the attention of the men in the office not with her body, but with her ideas. Joan was no longer the woman in the office to brag about, but Peggy with her fantastic ideas and later on when she eventually becomes more than just a secretary in the company. While Joan is head of secretaries, Peggy now has her own secretary. Peggy becoming a junior copy-writer went against the anomies or social norms of Sterling Cooper, as well as the rest of society in the 1960’s. Women had just entered the workforce and there wasn’t a huge place for women to do more than secretarial work for the men who were doing the â€Å"real work. † Women were faced with trials and tribulations every day they went to work, ranging from sexual harassment from the men to the glass ceiling they were constantly suffering from. A common social norm found in Mad Men is the unspoken yet well known practice of men sleeping with the secretaries in the office. Don Draper, the main character does it many time throughout this show, with Peggy actually being the exception since he saw there was something more to her. Sterling, Campbell, Draper, all known for their trysts with secretaries around the office. This wouldn't be as readily accepted in today's day and age, and is the reason for a lot of the sexual harrassment laws today; however in the 1950s, and at the fictional Sterling Cooper ad agency, it was the norm. Joan and Peggy are both constantly in this sexist environment but react to is in very different ways. â€Å"Their behavior and comments highlight alternative ways that women behave. Joan rises to the occasion, showing off her femininity in poses, smiles, and comments. Peggy, on the other hand, is a woman who enjoys looking pretty, but she is also a thinker who seems to understand the objectification that is taking place† (Mad Men: Gender, Race, Ethnicity, Sexuality, and Class; William M. O’Barr). Joan was a powerful and intelligent woman, but would ever be seen as more than that. Peggy, however, masked her sexuality well enough to have the men see past the fact she was a woman and actually give her a chance to become something more than a secretary. However, the fact that a woman had to virtually deny the fact she was a woman in order to get to a more prominent position in her workplace highlights the sexist attitude of corporate America in the 1960s. Among sexist attit udes in the workplace, there were plenty of other social norms that are highlighted in Mad Men. The constant drinking and smoking are seen as shocking in a society that has banned smoking from virtually everywhere including certain outdoor areas and have constant reminders to drink responsibly. Mad Men, paying close attention to detail, constantly has the men walk into their offices and pour a drink almost religiously on the show. Even if the drink is a minute detail of the scene, they make sure it happens, because that’s how it would’ve been in the 1960s. There is also smoking everywhere, in the elevators, in restaurants, in the offices, everywhere. Ironically, one of the biggest issues of the time period is skirted around in Mad Men. In the 1960's race was a very prominent subject that carried a lot of tension with it. There was no equality in the workplace and African American's were primarily kept to service jobs like waiters, door men, etc. In one episode it was a big deal that a client was Jewish. It was such a big deal they searched the whole company to find another Jewish man to sit in on the meeting and make their client feel more welcome. They found only one young Jewish man working in the depths of the art department. In another episode, Pete Campbell, a junior account manager makes a point that a certain television brand was being bought by mostly African Americans in the south and suggested placing ads in magazines that were directed towards them. This was aggressively dismissed since the agency felt their client wouldn’t want to be so closely associated with being the brand African Americans’ choose. One of the more important characters in later seasons, Lane, who is originally from England, is having an affair with a black woman and refuses to return to England. His father promptly punches him in the gut and informs him that it was not a request and they are leaving back to England immediately. The idea of his son being with a black woman was simply intolerable to the British man, he wouldn’t even object, he simply pretended it didn’t exist. Just like that, in one episode an interracial relationship was created and destroyed. Semiotics is the study of signs and symbols and how they create meaning in society, this plays a large part in Mad Men. The show’s creator, Matthew Weiner has made sure that attention to detail is not only meticulous, but the details help tell the story much like they would in actual society. â€Å"The pattern of a necktie, the club frequented, the restaurant patronized, the shopping bag carried, the prep school attended, together with a thousand other details, signify minute social distinctions, and reveal and even define character† (â€Å"The Devil's in the Details. † The Atlantic). If the viewer is paying close attention, they will notice that as the week goes on the characters wardrobe and hair styles become more worn. The easiest example of semiotics is to compare the three main women in the show: Betty Draper, Don Draper’s wife; Joan Holloway, the head secretary; and Peggy Olson, ambitious secretary turn copy-writer. Betty Draper is the definition of trophy wife and is coded as thus. She is a blonde hair, blue eyed woman who used to be a model and gave it all up to be a housewife once she was swept away by main character Don Draper. She is always looking neat and proper, with her hair in fancy hair-dos and her flowery dresses she is littered in signs that depict her as a stereotypical 50’s housewife. Betty is undoubtedly a loving mother and wife, she is also innocent, timid and submissive when it comes to her husband, whatever he says, goes. However, as her marriage begins to crumble, she begins to change in all aspects. Her hobbies begin to change from redecorating her house to finding things to do outside of the house like horseback riding. When Betty has a moment of aggressiveness, whether it’s towards her neighbor or while lashing out at her husband, she is usually seen wearing pants. It’s almost as if her wardrobe is letting viewers see her changes as its happening, not only in her actions, but in her choice of clothing. Joan Holloway, later known as Joan Harris is almost the complete opposite of Betty Draper in every way imaginable. Joan is the head secretary, and she is purposely coded with fiercely sexual signs such as being a red-head and very curvaceous. She fulfills her signs’ connotations by coquettishly and sometimes aggressively flaunting her confidence and dominance in everything she does. She dresses very provocatively and is always wearing a very long necklace. She is supposed to be viewed as the office vixen and her clothing doesn’t let you forget her role in Sterling Cooper. Once Joan is married and becomes Mrs. Harris, she quits her job as most women did in the 1960’s. She trades in her tight dresses for a more modest wardrobe of jeans and t-shirts and plainer dresses as she tries to enter the role as housewife. Joan becomes much less glamorous and more homely as time goes on; you can begin to see this new lifestyles wearing on the once fierce and flawless woman. The third distinctive woman on Mad Men is Peggy Olson. Peggy is coded as having a lower socioeconomic status than the rest which is signified by her clothing early on in the series; her clothes are plain and homely. She covers herself in sweaters and long dresses and skirts that aren’t form fitting like the other secretaries in the office. She doesn’t wear much make-up, her brunette plain hair is usually in a childish pony tail; signifying both her innocence and lack of time spent on the superficial since she feels her thoughts should be geared towards more important things. However, once she begins finding her place her attire begins to conform to the metropolitan atmosphere. Her confidence is exuding from her character, and the audience can see it in her new found sense of style. Her skirts get shorter (but never too short), her choice in clothing gets more sophisticated and bold. Her childish ponytail is gone; Peggy’s new hair is shorter with bangs off to the side. Peggy has gone through a major transition and is now coded as being a confident, intelligent woman that can hold her own in a man’s world without using her body by simply changing her clothing and hair style. Mad Men is an exceptional show that pays very close attention to historical accuracies and character details with a meticulous manner. While most audiences won’t pick up on the fact that the women’s hair colors are signifiers of who they are, critically analyzing Mad Men makes the audience aware of the volumes the women’s hair colors say about them. The amount of thought that goes into each character and their individual signs and signifiers, coded and recoding them to reflect their current state is obvious to anyone who takes the time to critically watch the show and appreciate all that goes into it. The writer’s also have a captivating way of taking societal issues of the times and conveying them to the audience with the same gravity they had back then, despite the audience watching it through the lens of today’s society. All the sensitive subjects of race, class, sexes are shown with the same directness as any other societal norm that was found in the 1960s that might not be as welcomed today. An artifact that is dedicated to reflecting on the past in the present while using every possibly detail available to convey messages and stories deserves to be recognized for all the hard work that is put into it. Bibliography O'Barr, William M. â€Å"Mad Men: Gender, Race, Ethnicity, Sexuality, and Class. † Advertising ; Society Review 2011th ser. 11. 4 (2011). Project MUSE. Web. 12 Dec. 2011. ;http://muse. jhu. edu/journals/advertising_and_society_review/v011/11. 4. o-barr. html;. Rogers, Sara. â€Å"The Women of Mad Men. † Analyzing Mad Men: Critical Essays on the Series. By Scott Frederick. Stoddart. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2011. Print. Schwartz, Benjamin. â€Å"The Devil's in the Details† The Atlantic November (2009): 91-98. Print. Berger, Arthur Asa. Media Analysis Techniques. London: SAGE, 2011. Print.

Company The Global Economy - 1299 Words

COMPANY’S POSITION IN THE EVOLVED GLOBAL ECONOMY Since the company’s commencement in 1969, the multinational cooperation has always aimed to be a market leader. To achieve this, they have not stuck to one particular field to enhance their business, but into virtually all sectors of business so as to maximise on market opportunities and bring out top class results. With the widespread phenomenon of globalization, the company has been at par with all other leading Australian as well as international Multi National Cooperation’s in a significant and successful manner. They have rapidly invested and purchased assets in various companies from around the globe. â€Å"MACQUARIE Group has won the race to buy a $1.5 billion portfolio of mortgages from†¦show more content†¦Net operating income fell 4 per cent to A$6.7bn.Shares in Macquarie rose 10.9 per cent to A$43.11 yesterday, extending gains this year to 23 per cent.† (The Financial Times, 2013). Not only has the company acquired companies or investment oppo rtunities, they have also hired personnel who would help the company reach its targets in the most efficient manner. The global economics today looks at integration into other markets by acquiring resources from other organizations be it human resources, physical resources, intellectual resources. â€Å"Australia s Macquarie Group has hired veteran media banker Fehmi Zeko to run its U.S. media and telecommunications banking business, part of the financial institution s ongoing push to widen its U.S. footprint. Mr. Zeko, 52 years old, joins the firm from Foros Group, a boutique investment bank he helped start in 2009. He will be based in New York, and help build Macquarie s U.S. advisory and capital-markets business. Mr. Zeko said he was excited about the global opportunity Macquarie presents.† (Wall Street Journal, 2011.) In India the company has made significant volumes of investment in the form of capital or in the form of mergers with Indian banks. They have invested heavily in the banking sector and hold a strong position in the Indian market. â€Å"Macquarie SBI Infrastructure Fund (MSIF) and SBI Macquarie Infrastructure Trust (SMIT) have agreed to invest $150 million