Chiquita Case Study: Banana Industry Power Dynamics

Chiquita Case
1 a) Buyers have high power in the banana industry because they choose the company that has the
best customer service and the lowest prices to stock in their stores. This means that the supermarkets
can directly impact who has the most market shares in the industry.
b) Suppliers have low power in the banana industry because they are at the mercy of the buyers,
FDA, government import laws, and mother nature. All these factors creates little control for the
supplies, and anyone thing can destroy a company.
c) There is a low threat of new entrants in the banana industry because the banana industry is control
by three major companies that control 60% of the industry. Not only is the industry controlled by
these companies, but ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
b) Chiquita's managers' actions did the rights or legitimate claims of the community(s) in which it
operates because they promoted growth within the community and gave an opportunity to help a
developing nation a chance to decrease the poor as result better the overall country. One could argue
the that this was consistent with their core values and their company 's believes. Chiquita was put in
a situation where they had to choose the lesser of two evils, and this happened to be the right choice
for their situation. Even though, by many it was considered unethical, and a poor business practice.
c) Chiquita's managers' actions did not reflect a best practice for the organization because they
supported a terrorist organization, which is illegal and unethical business practice. Though, they
were helping a community grow, it affected their brand image in the places they imported and sold
their product to. As result they were fined and also, their creditability was lost, which destroyed their
competitive advantage in the banana industry.
4 a) To restore Chiquita's reputation and endure future competitiveness for the company, CEO
Fernando Aquirre should (1) increase their relationships with buyers, in order to increase their
market shares, (2) research how to
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

Commodity Chain Paper : Banana Republic
Commodity Chain Paper: Banana Republic
A Paper Presented to
Dr. Jennifer Anderson
In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for
ANTH 115
Emerging Global Cultures
By Miguel Huerta
October 14, 2015
Word Count: 1706
Banana is a commodity that is widely used worldwide. Bananas are neither too extravagant, nor too
expensive meaning that anyone and any level of socio–economic status can purchase them, from the
very poor to the very wealthy. Bananas can be found at any brand name store, farmers market, or
flea market. Bananas are commodities that are highly valued, traded, and desired. The success of the
banana can be attributed to the fact that it can be grown and harvested all year long in different parts
of the world. The success lies in the mass production, distribution and consumption of these goods.
However, there is an ugly reality people are exploited, countries and people are complete dependent
economically on bananas, and countries and terrain are destroyed by those corporations that benefit
the most from the distribution of bananas.
Bananas are generally produced in tropical locations. They are grown in parts of South and Central
America. The top producers of bananas are Costa Rica, The Caribbean, Colombia, and the
Philippines. A large portion of these plantains are also produced in different parts of Africa. The
biggest exporter of bananas is Ecuador. Bananas are a very pertinent crop to human survival and
consumption. "World production averaged 92 million

Blood Bananas
Abstract:
Chiquita Brands International and its leaders learned a very hard lesson about paying off terrorist
groups to protect their employees. Over the past 25 years, no place has been more perilous for
companies than Colombia, a country that is finally beginning to emerge from the effects its
Colombian banana subsidiaries had made protection payments to terrorist groups from 1997 through
2004. The Justice Department began an investigation, focusing on the role and conduct of Chiquita
and some of its officers in this criminal activity. Subsequently, Chiquita entered into a plea
agreement that gave them the dubious distinction of being the first major U.S. company ever
convicted of dealing with terrorists, and resulted in a fine of US$25 ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
company ever convicted of dealing with terrorists, and resulted in a fine of US$25 million and other
penalties. To make matters worse, the industry was facing pressure from increasing retailer
purchasing power, major changes in consumer tastes and preferences, and Europe 's imposition of an
"onerous tariff" on companies that sourced bananas from Latin America. With this in mind,
Fernando Aguirre, Chiquita 's CEO since 2004, reflected on how the company had arrived at this
point, and what had been done to correct the course so far. He faced major challenges to the
company 's competitive position in this dynamic industry. What would it take to position the
company on a more positive competitive trajectory? Would this even be possible in this industry and
in the business climate Chiquita faced?
Learning Objective
The case provides a vehicle for analyzing strategic, contextual, and ethical challenges underlying
Chiquita 's presence in Colombia, a primary global source for bananas. The case highlights the
trade–offs that Chiquita made while paying protection money to ensure business continuity and
employee protection. Historic information tracks the evolution of the company from its early focus
on owning plantations; growing, importing, and distributing bananas; sourcing, marketing, and
distribution, to "downstream" value–chain activities that were more

The New Product Is Gap Inc.
The new product is Gap Inc. own line of Handbags. This current does not exist within this Brand.
The new extension to this Brand and its new product (Handbags) will be called simple Handbags but
each bag will have its own name. For example there will have a satchel bag style and it will be
called "settle". There will also be a duffel bag style and it will be called "Bohemian"
Situation Analysis
This Marketing Plan will layout the launch of Gap Inc. new handbags for women and men that will
be an add accessory that all fashionista need in the closet. The handbag
Market Summary Handbag brands must differentiate themselves by their high end traits, quality
heritage of craftsmanship, style and design, global reputation, unique design and ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
It as being said that women are having more disposable income and handbags are the preferred
accessory to purchase amongst women and men. Handbags are considered to be the key statement
piece.
Market Needs
The market needs for quality hand bags have grown in recent years. Mom, students and professional
that are on the go and need that trendy handbag to care their necessities but will also add style to
what they are wearing is now a necessity amongst women and men consumers. Men are increasingly
purchasing man bags. Woman and men alike look for handbags that are stylish and trendy, durable
and eye catching. Man and women like to make a statement and need a handbag that will help them
to do so.
Market Trend
Value and price–consciousness, ethics trends, role of the internet 37% population purchase online
and particular features. Market Growth
In the past twenty years the economic has been on an emotional and financial roller–coaster. Just
when consumers feel they are on top of the world the recession hit and major adjustments and cuts
had to be made. Now the economy is bouncing back with more sounding savvy consumer who are
been smarter with their spending chooses and handbags purchases are increasing due to that. The
handbag market has grown increasingly steady by 30% over the past decade.
Swot Analysis
Strength
Craftsmanship
High Quality
History

Sustainability
Well–known

Bananas, Chiquita, and Globalization
Bananas, Chiquita and Globalization
While globalization is a relatively new phenomenon in theory, but not necessarily in history, as of
2009 it has created transnational corporations linked to government, international economic
institutions, and non–government organizations. (Steger 67). With this definition bananas are a
textbook example of the globalization of tropical fruit commodities. The transnational corporations
of the United States, most notably Chiquita, Dole and Del Monte, have been linked to the
governments of Latin and South America, the World Trade Organization, and the "organic" fruit
movement. By tracing the path from banana plantations to supermarket it becomes clear how the
"morals" of capitalism have permeated ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It is at this first stage of production at the plantation where the most exploitation of workers takes
place. As an article about workers' rights in Ecuador says, "people are not seen as being as important
as the final product" (Astorga 2). Because a lot of banana exporting countries have monoculture
economies, most of the countries depend on jobs and income from banana producers. Most of these
jobs are contracts too resulting in only temporary work. Not surprisingly, 10 cents of every dollar
spent on Chiquita bananas stays in the production process (Wiley 71). Banana workers are notorious
for being paid dismal wages; it should be no surprise that profits benefit the powerfully rich fruit
companies not plantation workers. Ecuador , in particular, is known for paying the lowest wages
because there are few unions. The average daily wage in Ecuador is $2 in contrast to $9 in Costa
Rica (STITCH), allowing Ecuador to sell boxes of bananas for cheaper. With no unions, Chiquita
does not pay health insurance, overtime pay or money for education. For most banana workers the
threat of being fired triumphs the promises of unions, simply because Chiquita would not be
profitable without cheap labor. For banana workers they must work under strenuous working
conditions, often working twelve hour days, carrying heavy bunches of bananas cut from the banana
trunk.
Aside from social

Product Of Sales Promotion : Banana Republic Essay
Banana Republic uses some forms of sales promotion to encourage customers to come in and buy
their product. They started their most extensive marketing campaign in 1998, where they had tv
spots, magazine inserts ads, and outdoor kiosks. In 2000 they opened their flagship store, an original
store in California which included personal shoppers, valet parking and even places to charge your
phone. They have many online sales and similar instore sales, especially on Black Friday. Currently
that is the company 's way of getting customer attention and promoting their sales along with their
customer support and high quality products. Banana Republic encourages shoppers to join their
email list and even sign up for a BananaCard. It is a credit card one can use to get points from
anywhere with a visa card and after so many points you get more coupons to use. Because Banana
Republic is owned by Gap another benefit to the card is that the rewards are applicable in any Gap
owned stores (Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic). Some Challenges Banana Republic faces is
staying ahead of potential challenges with competitors with quality products and reasonable prices.
A big issue with Banana Republic is that many consumers feel their products a very expensive and
not reasonably so. They also may want to direct their sales promotions to more trendy, in style items
to encourage shoppers they have the nicest items with a better price. Their biggest challenge I
believe, is their inability to follow

The 10 Stages Of Production For Gap Inc. Jeans
Figure 1 demonstrates the 10 stages of production for Gap Inc. Jeans, from the raw material all the
way through to the consumer as an end product. The first stage is the supply chain for the production
of jeans is to source cotton. Gap has a sustainability and environmental issue when sourcing cotton.
Gap Inc. scored a 0.5 out of a scale of 0 to 19.5 on cotton ranking, conducted by Rank a Brand.
Which assessed "their cotton policy, sourcing and traceability based on publicly available
information". Besides the sustainability concern, gap has an environmental issue. Sourcing
unstainable cotton uses a tremendous amount of water, as "It takes more than 5,000 gallons of water
to make enough cotton for just a T–shirt and a pair of jeans". It is also unclear to the consumer in
which countries the cotton is sourced. As some countries like Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan tend to be
much more risk prone for child labor, during the cotton picking season. The second stage of the
production for GAP is the weaving of the fabric. Gap does not provide any public information on
which weaving mills they use or where these mills are located geographically. From a SEERS point
of view this is a responsibility issue. Because Gap should be able to release this information to the
public. So that the consumers can be assured that there are no social issues within the supply chain.
The third stage of production otherwise known as tier 2 suppliers has four connections for making
the jeans. These consist

Essay The Gap Inc
The Gap Inc
1. Case Summary
The Gap, Inc is a chain of retail stores that sell casual apparel, shoes, and accessories for men,
woman and children. Headquarter in San
Francisco; the stores operate under a variety of names including: Gap,
Banana Republic, Old Navy Clothing Company, Gap Kids, and baby Gap.
All merchandise sold by chain is private label.
The Gap was founded in 1969 when Donald Fisher and his wife, Doris opened a small clothing store
near San Francisco State University. By
1971 they were operating six Gap stores. In 1995, Fisher retired as
CEO and Drexler, now age 50, took over the title.
The Gap contracted with over 500 manufacturers around the world that made the companies private
label apparel according ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The troubles erupted at the Mandarin plan, which was located in one of free trade zones, in early
February 1995, when worker notified the company of their intent to formed a union, a right
authorized by the
Salvadoran labor code. The ministry of labor granted the union legal status, the first union to
recognize in a free trade zone of El
Salvador.
The Mandarin Company was notified of the legal status of the union on
February 7. It responded by closing down the plants on February 8. The workers have demonstration
outside the company and a few days later,
Mandarin fired over 150 union members and supporters.
In late March 1995, managers at the Gap became aware of claim that the management of the
Mandarin factory was resisting union efforts to organize, in violation of the Gap guideline. A Gap
executive, Stan
Raggio, went to El Salvador to investigate the situation. At the conclusion of his visit, he reported
that he had found no human right abused or other violation of the company's corporate sourcing
policies. On May, 15 when the union worker called for protest the continued firing of union people,

the company guard attacked and beat union leader. Mandarin again closed the plant and fired all the
union leadership. Stan Raggio, again went to El Salvador to

Gap Analysis : The Gap Inc.
The Gap began as a single store in San Francisco in 1969 managed by Donald and Doris Fisher. At
first the only items sold were Blue Jeans and records; which at the time was becoming part of
Americans standard wardrobes. Most importantly Mr. Fisher emphasized great prices and a good
fitting jean compared to Levi Strauss & Co. As the years went by Gap Inc. began to sell more than
just blue jean; specializing themselves in products for men, women, and children. The company
prides themselves in casual–style and urban chic clothing which is commonly associated as
American classic wear. The product line features a wide variety of casual apparel such as denim,
khakis, and T–shirts; footwear, personal care products, accessories and fashion apparel. Today the
company constitutes of five main brands in the marketplace: Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy,
Athleta, Intermix, and Piperlime. Gap Inc. is a widely recognized brand with a strong recognition in
North America as well as breaking into the retail scene in major cities all around the world;
currently operating 3,280 stores combined. The mission statement of The Gap stores is: "Gap Inc. is
a brand–builder. We create emotional connections with customers around the world through
inspiring product design, unique store experiences, and compelling marketing." Among the key
personnel associated The Gap's brand identity crisis, is Millard Mickey Drexler. During the 90's he
was the CEO and was credited as the mastermind behind Gap's positive

The Social Responsibility Of The Workplace
Introduction
Archie Carroll defines corporate social responsibility (CSR) as "the social responsibility of business
encompassing the economic, legal, ethical, and discretionary expectations that society has of these
organizations at a given point in time." (Crane, 5) Interesting enough, there has been an abrupt
growth of firm's engagement in CSR within all industries. This is the result of growing requests
from the civil society demanding firms, of all sizes, to legitimize their practices. (Crane, 4)
More importantly, workplace issues have become an integral part of corporate social responsibility.
This includes a firm's lacking efforts in its occupational health and safety, and its fair pay and
conditions, amongst others. (Crane, 253) As employees reside in the midst of companies engaging in
corporate social responsibility, the reputation of the firm relies profoundly on ensuring all those
within the in–house workplaces as well as the outsourced workplaces are treated justly and within
the operating country's legislation. (Crane, 253) Further to this, social injustice that occurs can
negatively affect the firm's reputation and brand favorability. (Crane, 254) Therefore, it was within
the firm's best interests to fulfill their core corporate responsibilities in the workplace. Albeit
corporations may have the intention to act within labour standards, circumstances do arise where the
rights of employees are neglected and the morality of the firm is questioned.
The Past of

Internalisation of Spanish Fashion Brand Zara
INTERNATIONALISATION OF SPANISH FASHION BRAND ZARA
Carmen Lopez Ying Fan Brunel Business School Brunel University Uxbridge UB8 3PH England
+44–1895–267239
Key Words
Internationalisation, fashion retailing, market entry, branding, international marketing, Zara
1
INTERNATIONALISATION OF SPANISH FASHION BRAND ZARAABSTRACT Purpose
Research on the internationalisation of retailing has been mainly focused on market entry issues.
This paper attempts to examine the internationalisation process from a branding perspective using
Spanish fashion retailer Zara as a case. Methodology/Approach An in–depth case approach was
adopted based on extensive secondary research, which include literature published in English and
Spanish as well as ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The major trends that are restructuring and characterising the textile and clothing sector are as
follows: The European textile and clothing industry is characterised by fragmented production with
a large number of small and medium–sized companies mainly located in Italy, Great Britain, France,
Germany and Spain (Nordas, 2004), while distribution channels are highly concentrated (Stengg,
2001). Increasing internationalisation in the textile and apparel sector and the emergence of
international competitors (Cerviño, 1998). Consolidation of the sector through mergers, acquisitions
and strategic alliances (Dunford, 2004). Sub–contracting or delocalisation of textile and clothing
production to countries with lower labour and transportation costs and reduced lead–time (Berkeley
and Steuer, 2000). Re–evaluation of the business models to adapt to the customers´ changing taste
(KPMG, 2005). Fashion companies are becoming more flexible and vertically organised, limited
vertical integration being more frequent than complete integration (Samiee, 1995). Adoption of new
technology to expand productivity and increase competitiveness (Berkeley and Steuer, 2000).
Democratisation of the fashion sector over the last decades (Mazaira, et al., 2003). Zara has
contributed greatly to this shift by offering the latest design at attractive prices.
4
ZARA: THE BACKGROUND

Gap Inc Swot Analysis
Introduction / History
Gap Inc. was inspired by the struggle of a married couple Donald Fisher and his wife Doris Fisher,
who together raised $63,000 to open their own store in San Francisco's Ocean Avenue. They sold
primarily Levi's jeans and LP records, the records were sold to attract young people into the store.
With the stores gained popularity it earned $2 million in its second year of operation. With all the
success of their first store they opened their second store in San Jose in 1970 following the opening
of their headquarters in Burgling in 1971. The company grew, establishing over 25 locations by
1973, selling private–labels and even an East Coast location. Growing over the following two
decades, Gap evolved into a more upscale ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Economic
 At the beginning of 2017 the retail industry was not having the best fiscal year, the apparel sector.
Gap was able to remain above the downward fiscal trend, that most other retailers were facing. The
firm was able to plan, prepare and execute, to finish the year strong.
Socio–Cultural
 Gap has come into controversy amongst their consumers over an ad campaign featuring a little
boy and a little girl. Some felt that the ad did not depict equal right between men and women. The
labels they had for the children to spark the concern was "the little scholar" for the boy and "the
social butterfly" for the girl.
 The LGBT community is strongly supported by Gap Inc., by donating 30% of profits from Gap
brands "Pride" t–shirts to the UN Foundation to benefit Free & Equal.
Technological
 Gap has invested in the use of technology with an online fashion application. The app has the
ability to preview clothing in real time, a function so far not used by competitors. It is however
limited to some features such as the dressing room and the type of items you can preview on
yourself.
 Gap has also been innovative in their technology by putting in place an in store app feature faster
self–checkout.
Environmental
 Gap has been in question about low wages in their Bangladesh factories. Protest have occurred in
early 2017, and

History And Background Of Old Navy
History and Background.
Old Navy is an American clothing and accessories retailer owned by another big clothing comapny,
Gap. It has corporate operations in the Mission Bay neighbourhood of San Francisco. The largest of
the Old Navy stores are its flagship stores, located in the Mall of America(NYC), Seattle, Chicago,
and San Francisco.
Old Navy's history goes right where The Gap, Inc. was founded by Donald.G in 1969. Fisher, who
founded his own clothing store out of frustration, when he couldn't find a pair of jeans that would
perfectly fit him. And since that time, The Gap's retail clothing brand has been one of the most
successful in United States history. Before Donald Fisher launched the first Gap store in San
Francisco, he had been a prosperous real estate developer. It is fair to say, that Fisher's first store was
an immediate sensation. Young adults from the neighbouring San Francisco have flown to the stores
to get low–priced jeans. And in just a few short years, the first Gap store became a huge retail chain
composed of 200 stores, in over 20 states, and valued at an estimated $100 million dollars. By the
late 1970s, GAP was growing at a rate of almost 80 new stores each year and generating about $300
million annually, which worth mentioning is a lot of money that days. In 1983, Millard Drexler was
put in a position of a president of the company and was expected to lead the company into another
decade of phenomenal growth. Dexter was a former president of another

Domestication Of Bananas And Plantain
Katie Twyman
May 28th, 2015
PLB 143: Gepts
Domestication of Bananas and Plantain (Musa spp.)
Abstract
Bananas and plantains (Musa spp.) are one of the major staple foods in the world. In 2006 the
estimated world production of bananas was 80.6 million tons while 16.8 tons were traded (Cohen,
2011). Although bananas are common today, the origins of the banana are complex and occurred
over thousands of years during multiple stages. Archeologists focused on the Kuk Valley of New
Guininea, the area where the domestication of bananas supposedly took place around 8,000 BCE
(Before Common Era) (Bot, 2007). The study of banana history has been difficult because banana
pollen and seeds were rare or absent at archaeological sites. It wasn't until recent technologies and
the use of multi–disciplinary research that we could gain a better understanding. Genetics and
linguistic studies also help in understanding the banana origin (Hirst, 2015). Diploid and triploid
forms of bananas have been identified and their distribution throughout the world is a key piece of
evidence in unlocking the truth about banana domestication.
Introduction
The banana (Musa spp.) is a large perennial herb with leaf sheaths that form their pseudostems,
meaning they are rather giant herbs than trees. Both the plantain and banana are sterile and
parthenocarpic so the fruit is seedless. The plant is made up of 8–12 leaves that are about 9ft tall and
2ft wide (Chia and Huggins, 1992). Bananas are considered the

Essay on The Gap Inc.
1. Analysis of the company's history, development and growth
Founded in 1969 by Donald Fisher and Doris Fisher, Gap Inc is largest clothing and accessories
retailer in America. The clothing store began in San Francisco California, where the Fishers opened
their first shop because they had been frustrated with the poor service and clothing styles offered at
other retailers. The store was named the gap because it supplied clothing to teenagers and college
students, the "generation gap" between children and adults.
Originally, Gap did not sell its own brand of clothing, carrying only the Levi Strauss & Co label on
its shelves until 1978. At this time Gap had opened more than 300 stores and was selling its own,
increasingly popular brand ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Increased sales have resulted primarily from the Gap's ability to expand into specialty markets.
Banana Republic is known for casual luxury, with high–quality apparel for men and women and
sophisticated seasonal collections of accessories, shoes, personal care products, intimate apparel and
gifts for the home. Old Navy, is known for its low cost, and is famous for its denim, graphic tees,
cargos, and tops. In addition, the Old Navy Item of the Week which, offers a special item every
week at a discounted price.
Financial Control
Gap's financial control and expense discipline have been excellent. A decrease in liabilities
generated tremendous free cash flow that provides the company with flexibility regarding its
strategic long–term options.
Celebrities in Gap Ads
Gap is well known for featuring celebrities in its print and television advertisements. They have
featured over 300 celebrities of various statures in their campaigns.
Number of retail locations
There are 1,250 Gap stores within the domestic U.S; as well as nearly 500 Banana Republic stores
and almost 1,000 Old Navy's. The Gap also has an additional 282 stores overseas.
Weaknesses
Out of touch with fashions
At the Gap store shelves have displayed merchandise from classic casual to trendy to professional
too many times in the past years, causing consumers to wonder what the brand even stands for.
Some of Gap's recent merchandise and

Gap Analysis : Gap Inc.
GAP Inc. is the parent company of Old Navy, Banana Republic, Piperlime, Athleta and INTERMIX.
GAP was opened created by Doris and Don Fisher in 1969, established because they couldn't find a
pair of jeans that fit. Now, 46 years later there are 3700 stores and more than 150,000 stores, even
with stores open in China and Italy. GAP was founded on the principles of creativity, delivering
results, doing what's right and always thinking of customers first (Gap Inc., n.d.). 46 years later,
GAP still operates on the same principles. Stocked with jeans and music playing in the background,
GAP completely changed the face of the retail store when they first opened. GAP Inc. is a force in
the transformation of the retail product, and has been a leader in reformatting the retail scene with
successful location strategies and widely distributing all of the GAP Inc. brands (Marston &
Modarres, 2002). GAP had the desire to do things their way, and focus on delivering casual,
American style. Over the years, GAP opened more and more stores, and several new brands that
each offered a different environment, quality of clothing, and price point. Yet, each brand still held
the same values as established by the first store opened by GAP in 1969. Observable Artifacts are
the physical signs of an organization's dominate culture (Baack, 2012). GAP's deep rooted values
makes them committed to contributing to the people, environment and communities around them.
GAP Inc. has adopted many

Ticos In Costa Rica
In the months of November and December 2015 in Paris, the Costa Rica was one of the leading
nations to discuss the importance environmental protection around the world. When one visits Costa
Rica it is easy to understand why the Costa Ricans, "Ticos" were key figures in the 21st Conference
of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, COP2 in Paris in
2015. The Costa Ricans have worked hard to repair and preserve their nation's rainforest, cloud–
forest, coral reefs, and much more. However, these are recent developments and when personally
visiting Costa Rica I was able to talk to many Ticos, two of which were an ecologist working in La
Fortuna, and a marine biologist who instructed at the Universidad Veritas. ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
However archeologists have studied that the early native peoples also had an environmental impact
on the nation. Remote areas of the forest were burned by pre–Colombian peoples. The indigenous
tribes would only grow crops like yuca, avocados, and corn. Although there were burning the land,
the indigenous groups would plant the used land with a variety of plants that would prevent against
soil erosion during the rainy

Old Navy In The International Business Market Essay
The company we chose to do our project on is Old Navy. Old Navy's mission is to be the Provider,
Partner, and Employer of Choice. Their values, which were decided upon by 600 leaders of the
Company, are: Service Excellence: Serving others – our reason for existing. We continually seek to
understand the needs of all those who depend on us (our patient, doctors, and our fellow teammates)
and then to exceed all their expectations. Integrity: We say what we believe, and we do what we say.
We are trusted because we are trustworthy. Our personal, team, and organizational values are
aligned with everything that we say and everything that we do. Team: One for all and all for one.
Working together to be the provider of choice. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
For fiscal, 2007, Gap expects to open 230 store locations weighted toward Old Navy. In 2004, Gap
had a supplier base of 1,000, with 3,000 factories in more the 50 countries
(www.proquest.umi.com). Products are made in the Americas, Europe, Africa/Middle East, East
Asia and Southeast Asia. Gap Inc. has garment factories around the world – from Sri Lanka to
Lesotho; from the United States to El Salvador (www.gapinc.com/public/social responsibility). The
areas with the most factories are Greater China, with 247; India, with 297 and Southeast Asia, with
382 factories. The actual number of factories utilized is 1,340. Fabrics are subjected to fabric mill
selection and regional testing (www.gapinc.com/public/social responsibility). For the Fall of 2007,
Old Navy products were advertized on the four major TV networks plus the CW, during shows such
as Ugly Betty; CSI and The Office. Spots were also run on Cable TV stations such as BET, MTV,
Fox Family. In Canada, where Old Navy has stores in the Greater Toronta area and seven more in
Quebec, advertizing in Canada is on national networks including CTV and local Canadian channels
(ww.gapinc.com/public/documents). A recent press release introduces a new collection for the
winter, Old Navy Women's Plus, available exclusively online. The online store provides an
expanded selection of fashion apparel. The site also provides flat $5 shipping on all orders and free
returns on any

What do you think were the root causes for Chiquita’s...
"Historically, the banana trade symbolized economic imperialism, injustices in the global trade
market, and the exploitation of agriculture–dependent third–world countries"(2). However, they
remain to be one of the most profitable items in grocery stores. Making bananas crucial to economic
and global food stability for countries all over the world. They are the third largest staple crop,
coming only after wheat and coffee. Since bananas are such a sought after fruit, many companies
have gone to extensive lengths in the to fight for a share of the market. Chiquita Brands
International was one of the pioneer companies to try and globalize bananas. They took a risk and
made some very critical mistakes along the way.
Throughout the past ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It seems that in going through Chiquita's company background, that they have been somewhat of a
shady brand since its origin. Eli Black, CEO in 1970, paid a US$1.25 million bribe to Honduran
official in return for them reducing taxes on the company's banana exports. He then proceeded to
kill himself. The next CEO, Carl Linder, was know for 'bottom fishing' and led the company into
bankrupty in 2002. Next in line to assume the title was Agguire.
It seemed that he was faced with an overwhelming load of problems from Chiquita's past, but he
quickly decided on the best way to fix it. He told CEO Magazine in 2007, "[Chiquita's] key
challenge is to control costs while supporting innovation efforts. Cost–saving programs have not
been nearly enough to offset higher industry and other costs." He said also that "the second
challenge is to remain agile in a competitive, fast–paced marketplace that is characterized by
growing consumer expectations [...] and that in order to strengthen the [...] power of the brand,
[they] are developing strategies based on consumer brands for healthy, fresh foods and focusing on
diversification and innovation" (5). He made it clear from the beginning that Chiquita would be
transitioning from the low–margin operations to a company that produced more value–added
products. Also, that they would begin to maintain an excellent record of food safety, quality,
management, customer service, and in–store

Strategic Audit of the Gap, Inc. Essay
Strategic Audit of The Gap, Inc.
Submitted by: Chris Bess, Teddy Ormsbee, Tiffany Sayers, and Jeremey Williams
Submitted to: Professor Ditmore
13 April 2010
Table of Contents I. Current Situation: The Gap in 2002 3 A. Past Corporate Performance 3 B.
Strategic Posture 4 II. Corporate Governance 5 A. Board of Directors 6 B. Top Management 7 III.
External Environment: Opportunities and Threats 8 A.) Societal Environment 8 B.) Task
Environment 10 IV. Internal Environment: Strengths and Weaknesses 11 A. Corporate Structure 11
B. Corporate Culture 12 C. Corporate Resources (Value Chain Analysis) 12 V. Analysis of Strategic
Factors 15 A. Key Internal and External Strategic Factors 15 B. Review ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Gap Inc.'s mission statement captures its dedication to its customers and unparalleled product
quality. Gap's current objectives and policies include ethical sourcing, better employment practices,
and community involvement. These objectives and policies are captured by the following statement:
Our purpose? Simply, to make it easier for you to express your personal style throughout your life.
We have more than 150,000 passionate, talented people around the world who help bring this
purpose to life for our customers. Across our company and embedded in our culture our key values
that guide our success: integrity, respect, open–mindedness, quality and balance. Everyday, we
honor these values and exemplify our belief in doing our business in a socially responsible way
(gapinc.com).
This show that Gap's top priority is to be socially responsible as it meets its customers' needs. Gap's
main strategy is that of broad differentiation, which offers a multitude of products and appeals to
many demographics. The company has grown through the addition of new product lines and
expansion into foreign markets. Overall, the brand is known for quality and products are sold at
initial prices that are slightly above average. The company has also grown through acquisitions.
They create synergy with the acquired company's by using them to target market segments not
satisfied by the Gap brands. For example, Banana Republic

Gap Analysis : Gap Inc.
Introduction
The Gap, Inc. or just Gap inc. was incorporated on the fifteenth of april 1988. Gap may be a
+multinational company that deals principally in attire retail. aside from attire the corporate offers a
good array of each accessories, and private care merchandise for men, girls and kids of all ages
beneath the names Gap, country, Old Navy, Piperlime, Athleta, and mingle brands. The Company's
brands ar distributed through multiple channels and geographies within the international retail
marketplace. the corporate operates within the specialty, outlet, online, and franchise channels. Gap
Inc. has Company–operated stores within the us, Canada, the uk, France, Ireland, Japan, Italy,
China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. the corporate additionally has franchise agreements with
independent franchisees to work Gap, country, and recent Navy stores throughout Asia, Australia,
japanese Europe, geographic area, the center East, and Africa. the corporate has 375 franchise store
base in forty one countries as of year complete Feb 01, 2013. The Company's merchandise are on
the market to customers on–line through Company–owned websites and thru the employment of
third parties that offer supplying and fulfillment services. Most of the merchandise sold beneath its
complete names ar designed by the corporate and made by freelance sources. the corporate
additionally sells merchandise that ar designed and made by branded third parties, particularly at its
Piperlime and mingle brands.
The

Banana Cultures By John Soluri
We eat bananas almost every day; however, most of us do not really know where these fruits come
from. In Banana Cultures, John Soluri focuses on the relationship between banana production in
Honduras, especially in the North Coast between roughly 1870 and 1975, and banana consumption
in the U. S.. He focuses on growing, protecting, transporting, and mass marketing of bananas. John
Soluri integrates Agroecology, anthropology, political economy, and history in order to trace the
symbolic growth of the banana industry. The author admits that his work is highly interdisciplinary,
as a desirable trait in the academic world. The study incorporates a wide range of sources, including
manuscript census data from Honduras, fruit company records, published scientific records,
Honduran and U.S government correspondence, oral testimonies, and ephemera from U.S mass
culture. Throughout his work, he combines elements of geography, biology, social history, foreign
affairs, and environmental history. Soluri also looks at labor practices and worker's lives, changing
gender roles on the banana plantations, and the effects of pesticides in the Honduran environment
and people. His central argument is that United States consumption of bananas causes major social,
political, and environmental change in Honduras. In addition, he looks at the banana pathogens, the
ways the United States treated these fungal diseases, and the terribly detrimental effects these new
treatments had on the farmers on

Gap Five Forces
Five Forces Model is a framework used in the analysis of industry structure and profitability. This
model evaluates the ability of company to assess their standing in the industry. Understanding the
industries is essential for any firm to be successful. This model evaluates the risk of entry by
potential competitors; rivalry among established companies; substitute products; bargaining power
of buyers and bargaining power of suppliers.
Risk of entry by potential competitors
It is not difficult to enter the clothing industry and consumer switching costs are low, therefore,
companies face many competitors who taking the same private label and give a challenge for the
profit. It also is hard to establish a distinct brand name which helps the ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
This gives Gap Inc. power to lower the production cost and it allows Gap to be responsive to quick
changes in fashion trends.
Bargaining Power of Buyers
Since there are various competitors and substitutes in the apparel industry, buyers have variety
products that they can choose. Consumer's switching costs therefore are low as there are large
among of different brand name in the market, such as Target, Wal–Mart, Abercrombie & Fitch
and J.Crew etc. Hence, companies have to work hard to retain the consumers through differentiation
of their products or cost leadership. For instance, majority of buyers were willing to pay for Gap's
moderately priced clothing. On the average, the price of the products which produced by Gap Inc.'s
was lower than Abercrombie & Fitch, such as the price range of man's tee was US$30–$40
while Gap offered US $ 19.5–29.5 for the same type of products. Consumers therefore have some
power but not high in apparel industry, due to the low switching costs.
In clothing industry, risk of rivalry among existing firms and threat of substitute products are high;
bargaining power of buyers are moderate; threat of new entrants and bargaining power of suppliers
are low.
Problems in Value Chain
The term value chain refers to the idea that all of the functions of a company, including production,
marketing, product development, service,

Gap Human Resource Training
Human Resource Training for Gap Inc.
Three Ways to train Employees
Gap, whose headquarters is located in San Francisco, California was found in 1969. It is the biggest
specialty retailer in the United States (2016). There are five primary divisions which are The
Namesake Banner, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Intermix, and Athleta operated by Gap company.
According to Gap's website, the company has about 135,000 employees and owns 3,727 stores
throughout the world in September 2008. Approximately two thirds of the stores are located in the
United States. The main product of the Gap company are clothes, accessories for men, women,
children and babies (2016).
Although the company is becoming so successful, there is still an issue which is about human
resource training that the Gap company should pay attention to. Normally, it is crucial for the human
resources department to train the employees, because only the effective employees can achieve a
successful company. (Shin & Lee, 2015). What new employees feel about the company will directly
affect the attitude, performance and behavior of the new employees in the work and those factors are
closely related. If employees do not meet the requirements, they will do the work or provide the
services which customers are not satisfied with. In this case, it will decrease the sales and further
threaten the survival of the Gap company. Therefore, the company must pay for the investment,
employees training, which can make the company succeed.

The Age Of Exploration By Christopher Columbus
The fifteenth to seventeenth century is known as the "Age of Exploration". Europe began to
colonize the countries they had "discovered". A major part of the world that they colonized was
Latin America. Spain was the first to colonize, and the United States started to take interest in Latin
America towards the 19th century. Europe and The United States both took interest in Latin
America, but for different reasons.
Spain was the first European nation to colonize Latin America, beginning with Christopher
Columbus ' voyage in 1492. Columbus conquered Hispaniola, an island in the Caribbean Sea. A few
decades later, Spain sent Hernando Cortez to conquer the Aztec Empire in 1519. In 1535, the
Spanish moved deeper into South America and conquered the Incan Empire with the help of
Francisco Pizarro.
When Europeans explored the world during the "Age of Exploration", they colonized areas for a
number of reasons. One reason was to spread Christianity. The Spaniards believed it was their God
given duty to convert people to Christianity. A second reason was to acquire wealth through trade
and exploitation of other countries' peoples and natural resources. Colonizing and acquiring the land
in Latin America also led to an increase in geopolitical power over other European countries.
The United States took interest in Latin America for economic and political reasons. The banana
appears to be a distinct reason as to why the United States went over to Latin America according to
Dan Koepple's

History and Significance of Cavendish Banana
Bananas The banana plant, or Musa acuminata, is one of the most important fruiting plants on Earth.
This plant belongs to the Musaceae family, also known as the "banana family". The genus Musa
refers to "large herbaceous flowering plants" with fruit that is usually elongated and curved, with a
yellow, purple, or red rind covering soft starchy fruit (Merriam–Webster). Banana plants are often
mistaken for trees, because their "false stem" or pseudostem resembles a tree trunk. However, trees
are dicots with organized vascular bundles while banana plants are monocots, which have scattered
vascular bundles. The average cultivated banana plant stands at 16 feet tall, although they may range
from 10 to 23 feet (Nelson 26). A mature banana ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This, combined with their exceptional nutritional value–an individual banana has an energy yield of
about 95–125 kcal and the ripe fruit comes equipped with a large variety of essential vitamins and
minerals–makes them essential to food security worldwide (Anania, van Wyk). Price competition
among supermarkets has reduced margins, leading to lower prices for growers. Chiquita, Del Monte,
Dole, and Fyffes have somewhat of a monopoly over the banana plantation business, and their
plantations are centralized in Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Honduras. Many
producers in these countries are wealthy land owners that have tried to raise their prices by
marketing their bananas as "fair trade" or Rainforest Alliance–certified (Wikipedia). The term
"banana republic" has been used to describe countries like Costa Rica, Honduras, and Panama
because the banana trade has become the dominant part of their economy. Banana producers have
also played a large political role, including "working with local elites and their rivalries to influence
politics or play to the international interests of the United States, especially during the Cold War, to
keep the political climate favorable to their interests" (New Zealand Herald). Although banana
production is a huge industry, the entire banana species is facing an increasingly

Corporate Social Responsibility Group Paper
MGMT 2130 (Section 002) Corporate Social Responsibility Group Paper Brenda Lang Marisa
Arnholtz, Kyla Mackie, Cassidy Makus October 19, 2015 Corporate Social Responsibility Group
Paper In 1955, the McDonald's franchise was established by Ray Kroc. Since then, it has been a
growing success in the food and drink industry, directly and indirectly employing over 200,000
people throughout Canada. (McDonald's, 2015, para. 2). McDonald's is generating nearly $4.5
billion in the local annual Canadian economy, while spending $1.5 billion on annual costs for
energy, maintenance, landscaping, operating supplies, wages, and benefits (McDonald's, 2015, para
9–14). McDonald's values are clearly explained in the form of a quote, "Our goal is ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
Throughout Canada, McDonald's Ronald McDonald House Charities provide a welcoming place for
families to stay near hospitals while their sick children undergo treatment, including programs
offering everything from education to meditation (Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada, 2013,
para. 4). Located across from the Alberta Children's Hospital, the Calgary Ronald McDonald House
location welcomed over 140 families last year, accomplishing their efforts of keeping families
together during difficult times. (Ronald McDonald House Charities Southern Alberta, n.d., image).
Although McDonald's succeeds in the community involvement aspect of their business, some
stakeholders may believe there is more room for improvement in the company as a whole. While
McDonald's seems to abide by ethical practices in the public eye, many believe that they are not as
dedicated as they appear. Members of the community may argue that, though McDonald's does great
charity work, the unhealthy products they serve contradict the efforts they put into improving the
community. While most community focused stakeholders should be pleased with McDonald's
efforts, some believe that McDonald's still has plenty of room to grow in this category. Because of
this area for improvement, McDonald's is only taking an accommodative approach, rather than a
proactive "above–and–beyond" approach. Keeping the opinions of stakeholders in mind,
McDonald's constantly attempts to

Chiquitas Global Turnaround
Executive Summary
This report details several international management problems that Chiquita has been faced with
over the past two decades. Many of these problems are to do with the company's previously poor
image when it came to Corporate and Social responsibility. Over the years Chiquita faced many
accusations about the conditions workers were faced with at many of their facilities in Latin
America and have also had their environmental policies questioned many times in the press. The
company has made great strides in recent years in improving their public image with regards to
corporate and social responsibility. In particular Chiquita's commitment to the Better Bananas
Project has helped improve their public image along with the ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
For example, in 1998 Chiquita fell a victim of an undercover investigation into dangerous and
illegal business practices. The Cincinnati Enquirer, a paper based in Kentucky, accused the company
guilty of "labour, human rights, environmental and political violations" in central America, leaving
an "unsavoury impression of our company" according to Jeff Zalla, current corporate responsibility
officer at Chiquita. (Luthans, F., & P. Doh, J. 2012).
The centre of the debate about the CSR is the nature and extent of corporate obligations that extend
beyond the economic and legal responsibilities of the firm. "The idea of social responsibilities
supposes that the corporation has not only economic and legal obligations, but also certain
responsibilities to society which extend beyond these obligations" (McGuire, 1963: 144). The issue
is therefore critical for the firm as it is in the business's long–term self–interest to be socially
responsible. If Chiquita wants to have a healthy climate in which to function in the future, it must
take actions now to ensure its long–term viability. Ultimately it will benefit the company by
"winning the public" because the public believe firms should take on social responsibility.
Issue #2: Tariff

Essay on Case Study Analyses: the Gap, Inc.
The central purpose of writing this Case Study Analyses on The Gap, Inc. is to identify and isolate
key issues and their underlying implications and offer practical solutions and plans for implementing
those solutions.
This will be done by highlighting the social influences that influence the Gap, Inc. marketing
strategy, segmentation strategies with respect to distinct retail markets, and positioning strategies
that can be used or changed in a retail setting, as requested in the course assignment (as cited in the
course module).
History, Development, and Growth
In 1969, Don Fisher opened the first Gap store in direct response to frustrations he was feeling as an
inconvenienced customer. His objective was to provide a classic ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Gap has recently taken advantage of the Internet to help it regain its prominence in the marketplace.
The unique opportunities this presents to the buying public (convenience, wider range of products,
etc.) have created additional streams of revenue for the company (Etzel, et.al., 2004).
Coupled with a new advertising campaign starring a variety of hot actors, the company attempted to
recapture the magic of a previous award–winning campaign called "Individuals of Style" (Etzel,
et.al., 2004).
It's really all about getting back to the basics for this company. Drexler said, "I believe Gap, Old
Navy, and Banana Republic are now in a position to offer the product assortments our customers
expect and that reflect what our brands have always stood for. The time is right for me to move on,
and for the company to bring in new leadership to take the business forward." (Etzel, et.al, 2004).
With Paul Pressler now at the helm, the company seems to be moving in the right direction. Since
Gap already has an established reputation and recognition, Pressler can concentrate on paring down
the product line and concentrating on what made Gap successful in the first place.
According to Harry Bernard, retail consultant, the Gap moved away from the fundamentals of
researching the customers demands, maintaining quality, and keeping Wall Street expectations in
check

Vio Analysis: VRIO Analysis
VRIO analysis is a method of analyzing a company's resources. The resources are human resources,
financial resources, non–material resources (knowledge, information), and material resources.
Through VRIO analysis, each resource is analyzed for the organization and its competitors. VRIO
stands for value, rareness, imitability, and organization. Value entails knowledge of how expensive a
resource is and how easily it may be obtained. Rareness means how limited or rare a resource is.
When the company meets any difficulties trying to copy the resource, it has to deal with the
imitability (Glavas & Mish, 2015). And finally, organization refers to the current arrangements used
in supporting a resource and if the company will use the resources properly. VRIO analysis
complements PESTEL analysis since PESTEL analyzes the macro–environment while VRIO
analyzes an organization's interior situation through checking the resources, competitive
implications, and possible improvement potential. If a company's resource is invaluable, the
company should outsource it. When the resource is not rare, but valuable, the company is in a state
of competitive conformity. In ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Tangible resources are divided into physical, technological, financial, and organizational resources.
Financial resources entail the company's adequate cash equivalents and can adequately raise equity.
The cash flow and dividend growth ensure the company can borrow capital to enhance
advancements. Physical resources entail modern facilities and plants, state–of–the–art equipment
and machinery, and favorable manufacturing locations. The company has outsourced its production
operations to textile companies. Gap Inc. provides design and style to the textile companies who
manufacture the final products. Such resources are valuable for the company but not rare and, in a
case of financial stability, can easily be imitated that makes these resources a competitive
conformity for the Gap

The United Fruit Company Outline
The United Fruit Company Outline
Thesis: Through compensation to workers and connections with the government the United Fruit
Company (UFCO) it became the great force of Latin America.
Introduction: "In 1871 the wholesale value of banana imports into the United States was less than
$250,000; by 1901, the figure had jumped to $6.5 million" Banana Wars (49)
The United Fruit Company was a business in Guatemala that helped to build railroad transportation,
hospitals and introduce the banana to the world.
"The vertically integrated United Fruit Company merged large banana operations in Latin America
and the Caribbean, major railroad, port, and shipping facilities and a substantial U.S. fruit
distribution." Banana Wars (26)
Minor Keith, Lorenzo Baker, and Andrew Preston officially established The United Fruit Company
(UFCO) on March 30, 1899 merging the Boston Fruit Company and Minor's company together.
Minor originally specified in building railroads and transportation but got involved with bananas
when he planted banana plants along his railroads for his workers to consume.
But the U.S. fruit company did have many controversies surrounding its name, involvement with the
CIA in operation PBSUCCESS, exploitation of workers, and "banana republics"
What made up this financial giant?
The rise of this financial giant was due to the increase of production of bananas within the area. "
The fruit company began establishing plantations, transportation infrastructure, and work

Operations Management : Production Management
Operations management is the art of knowledge that ensures that services and goods are produced
and distributed successfully to customers. Operations management key objective is maximize
efficiency while producing and effectively fulfilling customer needs. In this novel the operations
management team is struggling to make this plant a profitable plant so it will not be shut down. Alex
is wondering why is that he cannot produce quality products and respond to customer needs at a
faster pace considerably on time and better than competition cost. Any actions taken place towards
the goal itself is considered productive and anything reverse of that situation is not considered
productive at all. There are multiple operations management concepts that will be introduced here to
lead to a successfully ran plant such as operation strategies itself, product design and process
selection, quality management, just in time and lean systems, capacity planning and facility layout
and inventory.
First we start off with productivity/efficiency which is meaningless unless you know exactly what
your goal is. Efficiency is the amount of input to produce a given output. With less input required
lower cost and waste. Productivity is the act of bringing a company closer to its goal. Speculating if
the goal here is cost effective, if their hiring good people, if their manufacturing quality products
and maintaining customer satisfaction/needs the goal of making money is based on productivity and
if

Comparison Between Gucci And Gap
Modern marketing management works hard to resolve the common problems of consumption of
products. The study of consumer behavior is therefore very significant in marketing in ensuring
survivability of the firm. There is a lot of rivalry in every industry, and the company needs to be
very innovative and recognize the latest tastes and the need for the consumers. The information
gained in studying consumer behavior can be extremely crucial in helping to exploit the available
market opportunities. This report analyzes the consumer behavior using two fashion apparel brands,
Gucci and Gap. Gucci and Gap are international companies with their bases in different countries
and continents. They have both been ranked in Forbes Global 2000 list of largest companies
worldwide. The market segment of the two companies is different with Gucci targeting the wealthy
folks (including children, youth and old people) and Gap targeting twenty–five to thirty–five
middle–class consumer. Due to the difference in the nature of the products sold by the two brands,
their consumers portray different kind of behavior. These different behaviors provide the fantastic
scenario to analyze and understand consumer behavior.
Gucci consumer have been found to have power and affiliation need while Gap consumer are more
directed by achievement need. In terms of personality, Gucci consumers have openness trait that
make them curious and adventurous. Gap's consumers will mainly show conscientiousness trait by

Blood Bananas
TB0245
Andreas Schotter
Mary Teagarden
Blood Bananas: Chiquita in Colombia
No one laughs at the banana in its areas of origin. It is too serious a business, on which jobs and
lives depend.
Peter Chapman, Author of Jungle Capitalists.
For Chiquita Brands International, a pioneer in the globalization of the banana industry, bananas are
not only serious business, they represent an array of economic, social, environmental, political, and
legal hassles. Since its founding more than a hundred years ago as United Fruit Company, Chiquita
has been involved in paying bribes to Latin American government officials in exchange for
preferential treatment, encouraging or supporting U.S. coups against smaller nations, putting in
place dictatorships in ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In 2001, the U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell, added
Colombia's AUC to the list of "specially designated foreign terrorist organizations" in company with
mostly Middle
East–based groups like Al Qaeda and Hamas. Holder argued that in 2003 Chiquita asked the U.S.
Department of Justice if it should stop the payments to the terrorists. Holder said, "All the
government had to do was, 'yes, stop the payments,' just say yes, but they never did."
Bananas are Serious Business
As one of the first tropical fruits to be internationally traded, bananas are a cheap way to bring "the
tropics" to
North America and Europe. Over the years, bananas have become such a common, inexpensive
grocery item that we often forget where they come from and how they get to us. Bananas flourish in
tropical regions, such as the Caribbean and Central America, where the average temperature is 80°F
(27°C), and the yearly rainfall is
78–98 inches (198–249 centimeters). In fact, most bananas are grown within 10 degrees north or
south of the equator. Iceland is an exception, where banana plants grow in soil heated by geysers.4
Bananas do not grow on trees; instead, they are perennial plants, which grow repeatedly from the
same root system. They are related to the orchid, lily, and palm families. Bananas are harvested
green and ripened during the

Gap Analysis : Gap And Gap Essay
Introduction
Currently, I work as a Sales Associate within the Gap organisation. Donald and Doris Fisher
established 'The Gap' in 1969. Between 1969 and 2004 Donald gradually transformed the company
into a trust, with a unique organizational structure, considering the size of the firm. GAP was started
by introducing an employee profit–sharing scheme and after his death; the group of stores owned by
the family became completely owned and run by them and their employees, who were made
Partners. Through GAPs strong line of communication managers are constantly informed about new
concepts and ideas – which will make it easy for me to gain knowledge into the company. GAP Inc.
is made up of six clothing brands: Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime, Athleta and
Intermix. For the purpose of this assessment I will solely focus on Gap Outlet, as this is where most
of my knowledge lies within.
The changing structure and culture of the organisation
Gap was set up as a company with a tall and centralised structure. The Board of Directors made all
the decisions and the employees were not involved in the way the company was being managed.
According to (Slack et al, 2007), the outcomes of this kind of structures are a narrow span of control
and a long scalar chain. When GAP was set up, they started making changes and involving the
employees in its running, the scalar chain was shortened and the span of control became wider. By
empowering them to make their own decisions and to

Target Market Segmentation Research Paper-Gap Inc.
Introduction
The Gap Inc. is a global specialty retailer that operates stores selling casual apparel and accessories
for men, women, and children (Yahoo Market Guide, 2001). Under the Gap, are the Old Navy and
Banana Republic brands (Yahoo Market Guide, 2001).
Demographic/Psychographic/Geographic Segmentation
Gap
The Gap's target age segment is males and females ranging from seventeen to twenty–five years old
(Cosmopolitan, 2000, p. 2). The typical family life cycle for a Gap customer comprises of single
teenagers and young adults to young married couples (Cosmopolitan, 2000, p.2). The races Gap
targets consist of many minorities such as Hispanics, Asians, and African–Americans in addition to
Caucasians (Cosmopolitan, 2001, p. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In addition, their customers are sophisticated, confident people who seek not only trendy clothing,
but also the best product available.
Old Navy
The target age segment for Old Navy ranges from thirteen to thirty–five years of age. The common
family life cycle for Old Navy patrons is young teenagers, then single women and men on a strict
budget, and most notably married couples with children (Russo, 2001, p.2). Old Navy targets the
same races as its parent company. The races include both minorities and Caucasians. Income levels
for Old Navy patrons include all levels due to its family–oriented approach to marketing (Russo,
2001, p.2). Patrons reside near urban or suburban areas in developed countries. Common
Occupations for Old Navy patrons include: students, entry–level college graduates, working men
and women, and housewives. The common Old Navy patron is an active, work/family–oriented
person who has little time to shop. The majority of Old Navy shoppers want stylish clothing, the
best value for their money, and products that are comfortable.
Operating Characteristics
It takes a team of nearly 140,000 workers worldwide to deliver the merchandise that customers
expect (Gap, 2001). The process begins with the product managers and graphic artists that design

each season's merchandise (Gap, 2001). Employees around the globe in Gap's Sourcing and
Logistics Group, along with buying agents place orders with third–party factories in

Volatile Organic Compound Detection Using Graphene
Title: 'Volatile Organic Compound detection using Graphene: Determining the Fruit Ripeness '– by
Dr. Sunipa Roy, Prof. C.K. Sarkar.
Table of Content:
1. Introduction
2. Classification of fruits
3. Technical standards involved– State of the art
4. Introduction to Volatile Organic Compound (VOC)
4.1 VOCs related to fruit ripening
4.2 Chemical reactions involved
5. What is Nano Sensor?
6. Different types of Carbon Nano materials
7. Graphene –
7.1 Easy Synthesis approach
7.2 Properties related to sensing
8. Determination of fruit ripeness
8.1 Effect of relative humidity
9. Measurement techniques
10. Summary
Chapter
Title: Volatile Organic Compound detection using Graphene: Determining the Fruit Ripeness
1 Introduction
Fruits are commercially vital and nutritionally crucial food constituent. Forming an element of a
balanced diet, fruits supply essential growth governing factors required for good health and play a
critical role in human nutrition. Distributed widely in nature, their economic values are influenced
by– comparatively short ripening period and short post–harvest life. The assessment and
maintenance of the quality of fruits and vegetables are very difficult task. The timely detection of
fruit ripeness is very important as it is related to the profitability and also competitiveness of the
producers as well as processors. During harvesting and handling it is common that fruits are subject
to damage because it is not possible always to

Development And Isolation Of Bioactive Component From...
Development & Isolation of Bioactive component from Endophytic Fungi on Musa Paradisiaca as
Anti diabetic agent
_____________________________________________________________________________
Introduction:
Medicinal plants are frequently used in traditional medicine to treat different disease condition all
over world. The knowledge about this traditional medicine system has been significantly helping to
develop more and more effective treatment options to cure disease without or least side effects. The
ongoing process of finding new bioactive molecules for pharmaceutical and medicinal need,
requires continues optimization. As per current novel drug molecule discovery practice one new
molecule is found from the screening of 10000 natural products. The biologically active natural
substances have played an important role in discovery of new beneficial chemical entities. A
traditional plant which is used since decades, having multiple therapeutic use known as "Musa
Paradisiaca L" belonging to family Musaceae. It provides a important source of carbohydrate (food)
all over the world. Commonly it is used to treat some disorders such as diarrhoea, diabetes, uraemia,
hypertension, nephritis, gout, cardiac disease. Around the world there are more than 100 common
name used for Musa Paradisiaca but in most of the regions known as "Banana". More than 70
species have been identified of it. According to the study almost all parts it is having some kind of
therapeutic activity. Here we are

Chiquita Case Study: Banana Industry Power Dynamics

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

More from Monica Carter

More from Monica Carter (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Chiquita Case Study: Banana Industry Power Dynamics