Wednesday, February 19, 2020

BCA Compliance for atypical location requirements Assignment

BCA Compliance for atypical location requirements - Assignment Example The sustainability, quality and durability of the structure need to be considered. The structure should be in a position to meet the required standards in relation to the location that it is situated. The ability of the building to withstand harsh conditions, withstand frequent harsh conditions without failure are vital to its performance characteristics. The minimal reports on damages during fire, explosions, vibration among other factors make the structure meet the compliance standards. Some of the actions that need consideration for satisfaction are; the loads both live and dead that the structure is exposed to, force of wind, tremors and earthquakes, marshy grounds and snow. In areas prone to bush fires, the class I buildings should be in a position to offer resistance to the bushfires and minimize the risks involved in the loss of lives and building. Exit doors during emergencies should be installed to ease evacuation by the occupants during fire outbreaks. The design and the construction of the structure should allow minimal risks from the bushfire. It should be easily accessible to vehicles to help the fire fighters and the occupants ease of movement during the crisis. The location of the structure need to be in a place with abundant water supply. The fire fighters can also easily access the building and the water source. The bushfire shelters are designed for emergency cases. These structures must be designed in a way that they can be temporarily used for shelter by the victims affected directly or indirectly from the bushfire. Several factors need to be considered during the location of the private bushfire shelters. Analysis of vegetation, buildings within its vicinity and any other materials that are inflammable need consideration during the designing and construction process. The structure should be readily accessible and provide a maximum tenability

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Competitive Forces and SWOT Analysis Case Study

Competitive Forces and SWOT Analysis - Case Study Example This paper will also discuss the most significant threat to the Whole Foods market, and explain how this company can employ its opportunities and strengths to attain a sustained competitive lead in the market. In addition, this article will include a complete SWOT analysis, and also identify opportunities and threats facing the organization. Question 1: Trends in retailing of organic foods and its impact on the Whole Foods Market There is a variety of trends in the retailing of organic foods. These trends impact the Whole Foods industry and the market at large tremendously (Steve, 2002: 1). Sales of natural products across all retail and directly to consumer channels have grown to about $68 billion in the year 2008; a 10% increment over the prior year. The congress passed an act on organic foods production in 1990. USDA established standards that were official for organically grown products in the United States by regulating agencies responsible for labeling of organic products (Stev e, 2002: 3). 31% of organic food sales were sold by mainstream supermarkets, 22% through sovereign small store chains, and 24% through leading food stores. Some of the top processors of organic foods in the market are General Mills, Kraft, Heinz, Kellogg’s, Dean Foods, Campbell soup, Hunt, Tyson foods, Coca cola and Del Monte (Porter, 1980: 295). Research carried out by the USDA depicts that, in 2000, surplus organic products were sold in conservative supermarkets than in the ordinary food stores (Thompson, Strickland & Gamble, 2010: 23). Most of the common organic foods sold included wine, pasta, beef, yogurt, vinegar, canned fruits and vegetables, apples, tomatoes, cucumbers, broccoli and lettuces among others. Despite the fierce competition in the price of organic products, consumer demands still remain high. The factors that have increased demand for organic products include health consciousness, healthy eating patterns, consumer concerns, soil, and water. Question 2: Ass ess the competitive situation of the firm by applying Porter’s model and hence, analyze each aspect relative to the business Porter’s five forces analysis comprises of a framework for industry analysis and business strategy development (Porter, 1980: 215). Porter refers to these forces as the micro environment. He developed these five forces in reaction to the then-prominent SWOT analysis, which he identified as ad hoc and un-rigorous (Fine, 2009: 3). These forces have been applied in enterprises so as to stabilize them hence, making them more profitable. These forces include intensity of competitive rivalry, risk of new competition, bargaining command of customers, bargaining supremacy of suppliers, and risk from substitute services and products. Most profitable markets yield substantial returns that attract other new firms. The fresh foods market earned over $350 million in 2008. Moreover, the Whole Foods achieved sales worth $6.5 billion in the same year (Thompson, Strickland & Gamble, 2010: 14). The competitive strength and strategy of the Whole Foods Company immensely attributed to success in their sales. Over 90,000 items were sold to consumers from the Whole Foods Company which had 284 stores in that period (Thompson, Strickland & Gamble, 2010: 20). This company was facing slight competition from the Fresh Markets Company where some products were being substituted for others by the customers. The