Manchester United SWOT Analysis

Manchester United SWOT Analysis It has been argued that Manchester United is one of the best football clubs in the world, who has more than a hundred years history and lots of funs all over the world. According to Benson (2008), since Manchester United was founded in 1878, it has won many final of league champions in the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League. Same as other successful organization, the Manchester United has a good manage team, effective operation and a very strong financial support. Manchester United is not a Plc. Since it was bought by the Glazer family, it is now a private limited company and became the Manchester United Ltd. This report is going to analysis Manchester United Ltd by applying SWOT and PEST analysis. SWOT Analysis (S)trengths Manchester United has the strongest and most valuable brand of any football club, and arguably non national sports club, in the world (Brand Finance, 2009, p. 19). This allows the company to generate massive revenues from commercial sponsorship deals and the sale of merchandise around the world. This brand strength is reflected in the clubs estimated 330 million fans worldwide, which represents around 5% of the worlds population. The level of loyalty engendered by most football clubs implies that this level of support is unlikely to fade in the short term, with only a prolonged period of underperformance on the field causing Manchester Uniteds brand strength to decline. The companys other main strengths are its strong squad playing squad and large stadium. The playing squad has won the Premier League trophy three years in a row, won the 2008 Champions League, and as of the 16th March 2010 is at the top of the Premier League and in the Champions League quarter finals in spite of losing arguably its best player in Cristiano Ronaldo. This shows the strength of the squad and its ability to move forward and continue to bring success and attract revenue (Samuel, 2010). The clubs stadium, Old Trafford, is the largest club stadium in the country, with a capacity of almost 76,000, allowing the club to generate significant match day revenues from ticket sales and refreshments (Premier League, 2009, p. 27). (W)eaknesses The clubs main weakness is its high level of debt. The club has two main sources of debt:  £507 million of bonds at interest rates of around 9%, incurring interest costs of around  £45 million per year, and  £202 of payment in kind loans, with interest rates of 14.25%, which compound onto the capital value of the loans each year (Ducker and Power, 2010). The  £45 million interest payments on the bonds represent almost 50% of the clubs  £91 million cash profit (BBC Sport, 2010), giving an interest cover ratio of just over 2, which indicates the clubs debts are taking up a significant amount of its profits. Indeed, much of the clubs strengths are arguably being countered by this weakness. In addition to this, Manchester Uniteds status as a football club creates a large potential for its revenue to fluctuate sharply based on its on-pitch performances. For example, in the 2008-09 season Manchester United earned 37.8 million Euros from its participation in the Champions League, when it reached the final (euFootball.biz, 2009). If the club fails to match this achievement in future seasons, its revenues will fall. Due to the difficulties in progressing this far in such a major competition, it becomes difficult for the company to project revenues in the future, potentially causing liquidity problems. (O)pportunities The main future opportunity for the club is its ability to obtain greater revenue from its global fan base. The club currently has 330 million fans, and revenue of 327 million Euros per annum, most of which is probably generated within the UK and Europe, from match day and broadcasting revenues (Deloitte, 2010). If the company can obtain just one extra Euro per fan per year, then it could double its revenues and massively increase its profits. The high level of unexploited fans also allows the club to develop its commercial revenue streams, such as sponsorships and partnerships. A recent example of this was the partnership deal signed with Telekom Malysia (Hashim, 2010). If this deal could be replicated in other attractive markets, Manchester United could see another major growth in revenue. (T)hreats There are two main threats to Manchester United. The first is that the interest rates on the payment in kind loans are high and can rise further in the future. This could cause the company to incur significantly higher debt levels in future. Indeed, if the company fails to pay off any of these loans, then by their maturity date they will be valued at over half a billion pounds, effectively doubling the companys total level of debt (Ducker and Power, 2010). This threat is also strongly linked to fan protests against the current owners and the level of debt (BBC, 2010). Whilst these protests have not yet had a notable impact on the clubs financial situation, if the level of debt becomes a greater burden they may lead to fan boycotts, causing reducing revenues and increasing the threat from debt. The other main threat is the pending retirement of manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who is now 68 (Ferguson, 2000, p. 12). Ferguson has managed United for almost 25 years, and has led them to over 30 trophies in this time (ManUtd.com, 2010). Given the importance of continued on-field success to Manchester Uniteds financial situation, it is clear that the company must put a strong succession plan in place to ensure performances and financial results do not suffer when Ferguson decides to retire. PEST (P)olitical The main political factors affecting Manchester United are the English Football Association and the European and global equivalents: UEFA and FIFA. These bodies are responsible for determining how all football clubs can operate, in terms of transferring and signing players and carrying out their on-pitch activities. For Manchester United, of particular concern are proposals concerning the level of debt that clubs are allowed to carry, and the need to balance their books and break even on their football activities (UEFA, 2010). This is of concern because Manchester Uniteds high level of debt could well cause the club to encounter short term financial difficulties in the near future, which could lead to sanctions from UEFA, further increasing the scale and duration of any financial difficulties. (E)conomic As with any business, Manchester Uniteds revenues are likely to be affected by the prevailing economic conditions. In particular, as watching football matches and following football teams is expensive and not necessary for peoples continued economic wellbeing, one might expect that football clubs such as Manchester United would suffer in periods of economic decline. However, in spite of the major economic recession that recently affected the UK, Manchester United has continued to grow its revenues, which reached record levels last year (BBC Sport, 2010). Indeed, had the pound sterling not fallen significantly against the Euro, Manchester United would have had the highest revenue of any football club in Europe in the year to 30th June 2009 (Deloitte, 2010). This of course reveals another important economic factor for Manchester United to consider: given the pounds current weakness against the Euro, buying players will be more difficult as clubs in the Eurozone will have more purchasin g power on the global transfer markets. (S)ocial The main social factor affecting Manchester United is the continued desire for people to watch football, both as a form of entertainment and as a social activity. Whilst previous periods such as the 1980s were affected by football hooliganism, in recent years football has experienced a boom in social interest, leading to large numbers of people becoming fans. This is of benefit to Manchester United who, with the largest fan base and most valuable brand in the world (Brand Finance, 2009), can expect to obtain the lions share of new fans. (T)echnological The main technological factor affecting Manchester United is the rise in the internet and other broadcasting channels. This allows the company to reach a wider range of fans across a wider range of channels, and hence obtain more money from the various global fans who do not live within range of traditional distribution networks or cannot access match broadcasts on their local television networks. Conclusion To conclude, even though Manchester United Ltd has financial problem with its high level debt, but the strengths of this operation team may help to overcome and to turn it become a new opportunity. It is because, factors such as the long history, capability for wining champion, the loyalty of the football team funs or its famous players all can bring some lovely profit in. However, Manchester United Ltd still needs to treat its problem seriously and face their weakness and threats in a right way, or they would lose the honour which was built in the past.

Defending Prospero in Shakespeares The Tempest Essay -- Tempest essay

Defending Prospero in The Tempest      Ã‚   In William Shakespeare's The Tempest, the character of Prospero brings about a great deal of debate. Modern literary critics are quick to use him as a poster child for English colonial practice in the sixteenth and seventeenth century. Many see him as person who desires complete control of everything around him from the fish-like monster Caliban to his spirit servant Ariel, even his own daughter Miranda. Others believe that Prospero's sole motive is revenge on his brother Antonio and those associated with the established power in Naples and Milan. Taken out of context, these are reasonable conclusions. However, in the development of the play, it is quite clear that these critics are incorrect. Shakespeare does not use Prospero as the symbol of European expansion westward and although Prospero is quite powerful, he is not a power hungry egomaniac. Instead, Prospero is the very figure of a noble father. He loves his daughter so much that he sacrifices everything to give her th e best opportunities for a good life. He is the slave of duty, working for the good of his people. His desire for revenge is also clearly not a motivation as he finds the strength to forgive his brother at the play's conclusion. Therefore it seems that Shakespeare's character is not being used to show the dark side of humanity, but rather the nobility of humanity and the model of a seventeenth century father.    When it comes to Miranda, Prospero can never do enough for her. Prospero's second lines states, "I have done nothing but in care of thee, of thee, my dear one, thee, my daughter" (Prospero, I, ii, 19-20). Although this line can be interpreted many ways, even as an outright lie, the assumption has to b... ...ritical Study. " 336-82. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1991.    Curry, Walter C. "The Characters of Shakespeare's The Tempest," Early Early Modern Literary Studies. Vers. 5.1. May 1999.    Dzelzainis, Martin. "Shakespeare and Political Thought." A Companion to Shakespeare. Ed.   David Scott Kastan. Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishers Ltd., 1999. 100-116.    Gervinus, G.G. "A review of The Tempest." Shakespeare Commentaries. (1877):787-800. Rpt.   Scott. 304-307.    Sacks, David Harris. "Political Culture." A Companion to Shakespeare. Ed. David Scott   Kastan. Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishers Ltd., 1999. 100-116.    Shakespeare, William. The Tempest. Ed. Rex Gibson. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1995.    Snider, Denton J. "A review of The Tempest." The Shakespearian Drama a Commentary: The Comedies. (1890). Rpt. Scott. 320-324.   

Civilizations Influence on Asia and Europe Essay

Civilizations Influence on Asia and Europe The break of the European civilization in existence in the 17th century was based upon the change on religious views and motivation for advancement within the culture. The people of Europe looked to other countries where the gain of independence was soon to be sought and perused that dream during these times. With laws of government that became unjustly to the lower class and harsh treatment to the poor and women are only some of the few things that had an influence on the culture during this time. Asia had a development of a new government and social strengths. With the expansion of commercial trade Asia had became a hot commodity making it a resource for all countries that looked to them for trade. Even today we rely on Asia when it comes to trade and development within our economy from transportation to entertainment. The cultural difference of the two was that one was more resourceful than the other. Comparing the two, both were able to expand their trade system and still had a cultural ethic of discrimination towards the lower class and mistreatment towards the women in their cultures. In Europe, reformation was one of the influential factors toward the people of the country. It was one of the most important divisions of the religion we now know as Christianity. Within this movement the Catholic Church was divided into two areas. One is being Protestant, which is one of the four principal traditions within the Christian religion. Its originator, Martin Luther, was the first to lead the Reformation in the year 1517 after the disappointment he carried with the Catholic Church. His purpose for this dramatic change against the Catholic Church was to create doubt amongst the followers of the Catholic Church and to intimidate them into changing their ways. One of where they believed that in order for them to get into heaven they must pay their tithe and offerings to the church. The Protestants believed that the bible is the final source of authority for all of God’s followers, not the church. Some of its denominations are still around in today’s society, which we know them as Lutheran, Methodist, and Baptist. ‘ He thought that the people should not be able to buy their way out of punishment for their sins. ‘ Europe was also going through the phase of mistreatment towards its commoners and lower class citizens. The Aristocrats, seen themselves as people with more worth than those of a common status and seek to treat the lower class with the most disrespect . Women were also seen as an unequal acquaintances and not even allowed to be spoken to as a man. Land â€Å"lords† were the worst when it came to habitual security towards the lower working class because they raised the taxes and abused their laborers believing that physically hurting them would motivate them to work harder. The education system in Europe around this time was also limited to where women were not given the same knowledge as the men. With this unfair treatment the commoners, who were a high status than the serfs, felt that they had no power or say in anything than the aristocrats, even though they were not physically treated like peasants were. With emotional distress like this, it was very common for the commoners, peasants and serfs to fall into many cases of depression and overwhelming distress. With the attitudes of such unequal treatment is what gave the Europeans a motivation to want to branch out into the world and discover new opportunities for trade and even democracy. 7th century Asia consisted of similar attitudes as the Europeans did towards their government and lower class. In Asia the treatment of women was very common and maliciously intended. India and China share almost a similar beginning in their civilization and dynasties. It is believed that civilization in China originated around yellow river in 2700 BCE and all began with dynasties beginning with Shang dynasty which was founded in 1800-1500 BCE. Much of the Chinese philosophies revolve around Confucianism which emphasized on conformity by moral excellence and respect for the elderly and superiors in the society. They believed there would be good governance if people adopted confusion teachings. They worked more towards harmonizing with nature. China’s foundation was solidly founded on Confucian foundation despite the inception of Buddhism. In India, the treatment towards the women was the same. If a woman was to not be able to bare a child for her husband that was something to frown upon. The Indians sold more to the Romans than they bought from them making a lot of wealth from them which lead to the mitigation and collapse of the Mauryan Empire. The Kushans who invaded were later assimilated to the Indian and further adopting the Indian language and intermarried with the royal families of India. Various dynasties fell among them the Maghadha who were conquered by the Andhara. China’s Luoyang’s royal palace was burned, Imperial tombs were looted. The Jin emperor was carried off and forced to become a cupbearer, until Liu Chong had him executed. Among the southerner’s they refused to cooperate with the government at Jiakang. But Jin Yuandi was patient. His regime avoided interfering with the privileges of the south’s elite family, and eventually Jin Yuandi’s regime persuaded the elite to cooperate with it. Across the Silk Road, the Buddhist’s of Northern China remained connected to Central Asia and India, and Buddhism was a conduct for Hellenistic culture from Central Asia. From Buddhism, many Chinese gathered that China was not the only civilized country in the world. They learned respect for India and felt compelled to re-examine the theory that the Chinese emperor was the Son of Heaven and enthroned at the center of the world. In translating Buddhism to Chinese, Taoist words were used. And through mistranslation, Chinese Buddhism acquired a belief that was foreign to Buddhism elsewhere. Buddhism became the favored religion among the chieftains, and more popular among the masses in the north. Buddhism spread through all classes of Chinese, influencing art, thought and daily customs. Tea, which was mostly used by Buddhists, became China’s national drink, and Buddhist’s introduced the Chinese to the wearing of cotton. Buddhism’s great temples influenced Chinese architecture–a counter to Confucianism’s condemnation of complex buildings as an extravagance. In the place of the contempt for which Confucians had held the writing of stories and novels, Buddhism gave this kind of writing new prestige. Across the Silk Road, the Buddhist’s of Northern China remained connected to Central Asia and India, and Buddhism was a conduct for Hellenistic culture from Central Asia. From Buddhism, many Chinese gathered that China was not the only civilized country in the world. They learned respect for India and felt compelled to re-examine the theory that the Chinese emperor was the Son of Heaven and enthroned at the center of the world. In translating Buddhism to Chinese, Taoist words were used. And through mistranslation, Chinese Buddhism acquired a belief that was foreign to Buddhism elsewhere belief in a soul that an imperishable part of one’s humanity. Perishable part of one’s humanity. But conflicts existed between Buddhism and Taoism. The Taoists were devoted to nature while Buddhist’s believed in withdrawal from nature. India advanced with time by giving its citizens freedom to apply their skills in mathematics, art and architecture among other things making them rich and dominant. Hindu religion got a boost from the royalties which saw it regaining ground from Buddhism which had taken root. As this was in the beginning of the development of the countries in Asia, the 17th century changes came from the factors of older culture related ethics and influential social standards. Women in Asia had similar characteristic treatment traits that made them inferior to the men. Women were seeked as pleasure principals and pro-creators, with the idea that they were not to enjoy any aspect of their lives. When the rise of Buddhism and Confucianism began the high standard they carried for living had decreased. In china, the women were seen as less than a man but about a little more than a slave. The ability to have a voice or make a self-made decision was not an option for the Chinese women. Even as children, females were sold in the city for services toward the men, most likely ended up in brothels. The men even controlled their way of managing the lifestyle for their children and house hold. In the country of India, the caste system is what made advancements towards its culture. With this in place many of its people believed that you were born into what ever you became or were at that time. Even if you were seen as intelligent or found a lump sum of money, your destiny is what determines your lifestyle and future (which is ridiculous). The women in this culture was also given mal-treatment and seen as nothing more than a pro-creator and had to be obedient. The Indians believed that the women in their country should be humble and never arrogant or rude. If a wife was to disobey her husband’s instruction, she was sought to be punished physically. The Japanese culture, women were not even allowed to sit, bathe, or stand in the same place as men were. Intimacy was ordered and not a choice for most Japanese women, along with friendship, by their parents. The rules the women had to obey in their culture were that of obedience. The irony of these countries in the Continent of Asia is that the dominant religious views speak on how people should respect each other and all men are created equal. With such transformation and discrimination amongst the classes the Europeans and Asians civilizations were the same in many ways. They both discriminated against the women, which we still had problems with over seas and had a great deal of maltreatment towards people of the lower class. In Europe, the taxes were high on the poor and so was the malicious intent the upper class consciously placed on the poor. In Asia, the same methods were taken into action as the Indians had the caste system. As the government had a fear into the countries, villages developed their own systems to follow. Even as these influences took over the changes made in both cultures was detrimental and beneficial. With the expansion of trade to both countries gave more opportunities for power and wealth. When the Asian became a source for the other world countries, they began to gain more than lose. Since the Europeans looked in the third world countries for spices and silks, all of what was needed; there was still not as much power on their behalf as the Asians. Even today, after the fact that the Europeans had came to America to begin a democracy based economy, the need to network with third world countries still exist. Reference:’ Dennis Sherman, A. Tom Grunfeld, Gerald Markowirz, David Rosner, and Linda Heywood. , (2006) World Civilizations: Sources, Images, and Interpretations (4th Ed. Vol. 1). Boston: McGraw-Hill.

The Use Of Glyphosate And Its Effects On The Environment...

The 1990’s ushered in more than Gameboys and a Nebraska – Florida State college football rivalry. It was also a mad-scientists’ delight with the introduction of Dolly, a cloned sheep, and genetic engineering of food. Hoping to create a powerful agricultural tool, chemical companies set out to rearrange the building blocks of life and came back with genetically modified (GM) crop varieties that resist herbicide applications and produce insecticide during the growing process. Whether you are for, against, or indifferent to GM ingredients in your food, consumers should be informed on the questionable practices behind growing GM crops and they have a right to know what they are eating through food labeling. GM crops have been touted by their makers to actually reduce the amount of herbicides that are needed to spray on crop fields to control weeds. This is great news for the environment and humans alike, right? This claim, however, appears to not be the truth. As resistant weeds have emerged on the battle field, the use of glyphosate, a main ingredient in the most widely used herbicide, continues to climb yearly as outlined by the USDA. Currently over 100 million pounds of glyphosate is being used on crop fields throughout the United States and that is just one of the many approved herbicides. Farmers are battling â€Å"super weeds† with more glyphosate and even applying a secondary herbicide to regain control on their fields. As this battle rages on, bee colonies are collapsing,Show MoreRelatedAdvantages and Disadvantages of GMO Products1084 Words   |  4 Pagesthe argument between researcher and scientists. The nutrients the products provide to consumers in third world count ries are undeniable but the side effects are also devastating. A lot cases with consumers getting sick after digesting products that is made from GMOs. Although GMOs have negative side effects on both human health and the environments but with their wide adaptation and increasing potentials plus a correct method of labeling they could be the key to future farming as the world populationRead MorePesticides And Herbicides1100 Words   |  5 PagesHerbicides are also known as weed killers, and they kill plants that they come in touch with. They control undesirable plants, selective herbicides control a specific weed plant, and not only that they have also been used in war and combat. Effects on the environment of pesticides and herbicides, is that pesticides can contaminate soil, water, turf, and other regulations. Pesticides can be toxic to a host of organisms as well as fishes, birds, insects, and non-target plants. Herbicides can also changeRead More The Effects of Coca Eradication in Colombia Essay4174 Words   |  17 PagesThe Effects of Coca Eradication in Colombia A farmer wipes his brow under the hot sun. He started on his crops early in the morning, most likely before sunrise and will most likely work until the sun goes down. He is working for his family, to support them, to provide food and shelter for his wife and two sons, even for other families. Yet the pressures of working to support a family are only a fraction of the strain put upon this farmer. The life of this farmer and others like him in ColombiaRead MoreGenetically Modified Organisms ( Gmos )2430 Words   |  10 Pagesbe a potential hazard to the environment, animals, and humans alike. In addition, many people are concerned about the consumption of crops that are chemically changed in place of crops that are naturally grown with little scientific intervention. The implementation of GMOs brings forth a pivotal environmental issue because GMOs can pose as a future solution to agricultural production and world hunger but also have the potential to cause harm to humans and the environment. To begin with, GMOs are a