International Expansion Opportunities of importing an energy drink Essay

International Expansion Opportunities of importing an energy drink product from Brazil to Germany called Guarana Antarctica - Essay Example In addition, the firm’s business strategic plan requires drafting, formulation, and implementation in line with venturing business operations in new countries. A strategic management plan is an overview of different forms of activities that a firm is likely to be engaged in with an aim of competing effectively and efficient with local firms while venturing in new countries. Moreover, there is need to evaluate business opportunities for the company in question so as to be sure that once established within the new country, expanded business will still make profits. Giving the firm a name of Guantarctic Ltd Company, the following is a description of various strategies that it will employ in order to venture in the new market, Germany. This strategic planning includes amongst other things company profile, country evaluation, useful and long lasting strategies, as well as the implementation process. Company profile includes both internal and external strengths, competitors, and the industry analysis. Competitor analysis in this paper is portrayed through SWOT analysis and PESTLE whilst the industry analysis is through Porter’s five forces of management. Within the country evaluation, a profile of Germany with respect to the product to be introduced by Guantarctic Ltd Company forms part of the strategic plan. Country evaluation is also done using the PESTLE analysis. The background information gives company profile and strengths to penetrate into Germany’s food and beverage market coupled with necessary strategies and their implementation. Section 1: Background Company profile Guantarctic Ltd Company is a Brazil-based company that produces, markets, and distributes beverages especially energy and soft drinks within Brazil and the whole of South America. Since its inception in 1927, Guantarctic Ltd Company has been the main fore runner within South America’s energy market. Consequently, this has helped in expansion and growth in North Ameri ca about 20 years ago. Guantarctic Ltd Company’s entrance into North America resulted into additional markets hence costs and profitability. Nonetheless, its focused human resource worked tirelessly to ensure fulfilling the increased demand resulting from expansion into South America through production of higher capacities of energy drinks compared to earlier on before expansion. Guantarctic Ltd Company has a total of approximately Internal Strengths Guantarctic Ltd Company boosts of various internal strengths that includes the following: Mission Statement: Guantarctic Ltd Company has a strong mission statement that has given direction in performing the business. The firm’s mission statement states, â€Å"From our understanding of vital role of selling quality beverage products, Guantarctic Ltd Company is a community that focuses on building customers’ needs, employees’ future, and shareholders’ wealth†. This mission statement ensures that G uantarctic Ltd Company becomes an all-round firm meeting the needs of three main stakeholders; customers, employees, and shareholders. Vision Statement: Other than mission statement steering Guantarctic Ltd Company to higher heights, the company has also relied so much on its vision as a strategic tool to meeting objectives and goals. The vision of Guantarctic Ltd Company states that: â€Å"To achieve sustainable expansion and growth, we as a family has a vision with clear goals that include the 5Ps; Profit: While minimizing costs, Guantarctic Lt

Developing ethnicity Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Developing ethnicity - Assignment Example Ethnicity is an important mean through which people can identify themselves. For example, it is easy for a Chinese citizen to identify another one even in countries other than China. The appearance, language, behavior, culture etc can help a person in identifying another one. â€Å"No two individuals are alike†. Same way no two ethnic groups are alike. All the ethnic groups have their own peculiarities and characteristics which segregate them from other ethnic communities. Ethnic identity can be changed even from the early childhood. Changes in ethnic identity can take place through life experiences and social interactions. Knowledge of other cultures and traits can influence a person a lot. The attitude towards other cultures is important in shaping the personality of a person. Adamant in attitudes and beliefs, would never a help a person to accept the goods from other ethnic communities. Autocratic attitudes or dictatorship is not a good character for shaping one’s personality. We must seek lessons from every experience we face in our life During my early childhood, I lived in China and was in constant touch with the Chinese community. As everybody knows, China is a country which is ruled by a socialist regime which allows only restricted freedom for religious activities. I belong to the Buddhist community and my parents were keen in brought me up by teaching me the lessons of Buddhist’s doctrines. Our religion says that â€Å"Desire is the cause of mystery† and my parents were keen in teaching this great principle to us. My father was a liberal person and he kept an open mind towards all the goods from other ethnic groups. He has kept a positive attitude towards other languages and often used some words from English language at my home. Thus I have developed a strong curiosity even from my early childhood to learn English. During my childhood I got the opportunity to play with an American boy who was staying near to my home

Corporal of Marines Essay Example for Free

Corporal of Marines Essay Corporal of Marines BY Jkid43 What It Means To Be a Corporal of Marines A Corporal of United States Marine Corps had duty and responsibility that they carry out and sever on a day to day base. A Corporal is the lowest as a Noncommissioned Officer in the Marines Corps. A Corporal helps establish good order and discipline for their Marines. Corporals are held accounted for their and their Marines action. As Corporal of Marines they lead their Marines with firmness, fairness, and dignity. Corporals should have confidence, communicate, and good decision making. Corporal makes timely decision not only in combat, but in garrison oo. A Corporal is responsible for their self, along for their Marines. As Corporals their actions and decisions reflects the mission and welfare of their Marines. As NCO, Corporals must accept the responsible of their leadership roles. Corporals as leaders must understand his roles and Marines. For Corporal they must know their Marines comparability, weakness, and effeteness. Corporal is also responsible for their Marines actions. As NCO, Corporals hold accountable for the action their Marines do good or bad. Corporals serve as mentors for theirs Marines and should know their Marines. Which allow Corporal to make decisions base on their Marines abilities. Corporals also are responsible for the well-being and welfare of their Marines. Corporals should insure that their Marine is taken care on and off duty. To ensure if a Marine have an issue that they take the necessary action to ensure marine problem is resolve. Corporals needs to ensure that their Marines have necessary things need for accomplish the mission that their tasks with. Corporals are also responsible for the development and mentors for their Marines. Corporals should ensure that their Marines are challenged and motivated to the best of ability. A Corporal duty as a NCO is to enforce the rules and regulations on a daily base in the Uniform Code of Military Justice UCMJ. Corporals must understand, follows, and enforce the IJCMJ for their Marines. Corporal have a wide range of Jobs among the very wide range of thing Marines do, but their essential duty is to supervise their work and maintain discipline for their Marines. Corporal must ensure that they understand any tasks giving to them. Corporal should also ensure that they have the necessary plan and executing to accomplish the mission. Corporal should get feedback from their senior leader for guides and development to ensure they can leads the Marines better. Corporals duty is to ensure that their Marine is properly trained for any type of mission given to them. When training the Marines, Corporals should ensure that the Marines have their proper equipment, food, water and mind- set when training. Corporals must understand the safety and well-being of their Marine. Ensure that their Marine is healthy mentality, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Corporal duty is also establish good communicates with their Marines. Corporals need to ensure that their marine understand and can accomplish any tasks give to them and supervise to the standard set by the Corporals. The Corporal superiors. This includes the health of each Marine, supply requirements and any other need to ensure the Marines are prepared for any situation. Overall Corporals have a lot of responsible and duties that they must carry out. That core values honor, courage and commitment is emplaced in their Marine, and along themselves. Corporals are to set the example for their Marines emulate. Corporals are to hold themselves to a high stand also.

The two approaches of accounting research

The two approaches of accounting research The positivist approach and the critical approach are the two approaches of accounting research. This article explains the concepts of positivist approach and critical approach, and then explains some of the problems of these two approaches. This article discusses the inter-relationship between accounting research, accounting standards and accounting practice. Through the research findings, this article use the case of intangible assets to illustrates how accounting research impact on accounting standards. Secondly, this article shows how accounting standards effects accounting practice. Thirdly, this article explains the inter-relationship between accounting research and accounting practice. Introduction The positivist approach and the critical approach are the two methodologies of accounting research. Hooper, Davey, Liyanarachchi and Prescott (2008, p20) described that the positivist approach is generally considered to be a combination of induction and deduction. The traditional view for the positive approach to research is to understanding and solving problems. The traditional characteristics of the positive approach are empiricism, logic and causality. These characteristics are often referred to as ontological, epistemological and methodological characteristics of a research paradigm. Positive accounting research experiments to describe what is without making any value judgments as to how things should be. The positive approach has been important in recent years. The critical approach to accounting research does not provide a particular method or methodology for research but rather a dialectic and Socratic approach to the evaluation of knowledge claims (Hooper et al, 2008, p33). T he critical research focus on the accounting theory that is concerned with resolving conflicts between the corporation and general public. The only ideology is the belief in humanness and the concomitant and emancipation of humankind. Critical theory offers processes for the consideration and evaluation of knowledge claims without providing a single way forward for the researcher. These two accounting research approaches are not mutually exclusive but are complementary. Hooper et al (2008) states that the positive approach has a number of problems, such as lack of agreement on what the positive approach actually is; appeals to the authority of science but focuses on behavior and so on. The critical approach also has some problems, such as the critical research cannot generalize findings; critical research cannot predict or replicate studies. Both of these two theories have its own advantages and disadvantages, it is necessary to combine the two methodologies in actual accounting practice environment. Accounting research helps accounting standards setters and others understand the economic world, but accounting research does not seek prescriptions of techniques to make the world better. However, knowing what works and what does not work can help corporations or standard setters choose techniques that have the best chance of working in as yet untested situations. Accounting standards have been categorized on the basis of their nature into two categories: principal-based standards and rule-based standards. Hooper et al (2008) states that accounting standards are based on a set of principals and concepts. Intangible assets defined as non-physical and non-monetary sources of probable future economic profits accruing to the firm as a result of past events or transaction (Canibano et al, 2000). Intangible assets should be accounted and reported in the financial statement. Maines,  Bartov, Fairfield, and Hirst (2003) states that for pragmatic reasons, most research on intangible assets focuses on those intangibles, intangible assets generated by RD expenditures. RD expenditures data are widely available because RD expenditures must be disclosed separately under FASB No. 2, Accounting for Research and Development Costs. Because there is no such requirement for other types of intangibles assets. Canibano et al (2000) describes that control of the probable future benefits arising from the intangible investment is considered by most accounting standards setting bodies as a basic requisite for recognition. Lev and Zarowin (1999) suggest that intangible assets should be accounted for following the same methods applied for tangible assets, but at the same time some argument arise that there are significant differences between tangible and intangible assets which make it necessary to apply different criteria for the recognition and valuation of the latter (Hendriksen, 1982). According to the SFAC6, paragraph 25, the FASB (1985a) considers the ownership or control of the future benefits as the main requisite for the recognition of intangibles. If it is focus on the ownership of the benefits, then intangible assets such as human resource could be recognized. There is a new trend in accounting research, which seems to be providing strong support to reporting intangibles (Canibano et al, 2000). Accounting research suggests to use disclosures on intangibles assets and those intangibles expenditures have future much benefits, but that these future benefits are more like uncertain than those associated with conventionally recognized assets. Thus, there is some empirical support for the capitalization of estimated RD intangibles. Given research results, Maines et al (2003) makes the following recommendations: first, support the FASBs decision to add another project which considers the disclosure and recognition of information related to intangibles assets. Second, believe that the FASB needs to consider recognition of internally generated intangibles asset s, because current accounting standards require capitalization economic similar as intangibles assets acquired externally. Third, Despite our support for intangible assetss disclosures related to and possible recognition , we encourage the FASB to proceed carefully on disclosures and recognition information on intangibles, given significant uncertainties related to accounting research in this paticular area. Concerns related to this research include the following. Finally, while research documents associations between intangibles information and designs make causal inference difficult. All of the accounting research in this area is based on RD expenditures for data availability reasons. It is not clear how easily these accounting research results generalize to other types of intangibles assets. Accounting Standards play an important role in accounting practice. McCombie and Deo (2005) state that accounting standards provide the accountant with a guideline to reports economic transactions and events for an organization. The accounting standards are also described as a piece of delegated legislationparliament has given the power of making accounting standards to a body that has experts on it rather than developing the documents itself as a body of legislators (Ravlic, 2003). The number of companies that have to apply standards in preparing financial reports is therefore quite important. Macve (2010) states that audited accounts are part of an organization that defines the economic environment in a country, or across countries, and enables investors to have confidence in the system as a whole as one to which to entrust their money. This was justified by Edwards (1938) in his call for a revolutionary reform of UK accounting practice. It still seems as true today. In the view of the US SEC it is the overall regime of standards of corporate governance, accounting, auditing and enforcement in a country that lowers the cost of capital to firms in that economy and thereby stimulates investment and economic growth. This effect is probably greater than what any individual firm can achieve by improving its own accounting and disclosures (cf. Botosan, 2006). The accelerating growth of accounting practices over the years has changed the format of corporate annual reports. International Accounting Standards (IASs) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), along with other statutory requirements, have changed the way in which financial statements are reported (Gouws and Cronjà ©, 2008). All the information is generated by a diversity of accounting practices, all of which are therefore worth researching. Accounting research leads to an enhanced understanding of the fact that these practices are driven by two systems that provide the information included in corporate annual reports. This shows that practices peripheral to traditional accounting practices also have an important role to play, both for educational institutions and accounting. Accounting practices should not be seen in isolation (that is, only from an accounting perspective), as they are multidisciplinary in nature. Environmental practices and information, social practices and information, ethical practices and information, as well as management accounting practices and information, together with financial accounting practices and information, form the context within which reporting in corporate annual reports takes place ( Gouws and Cronjà ©, 2008). Accounting Research have made Accounting Practice more efficient and effective, but Accounting research and accounting practice are not always seemed to be synchrony. One of the great attractions of conducting applied accounting research in accounting practice is that the research topics extend beyond the normal boundaries. It brings worldviews into conflict, improves accounting practice, and raises doubts about professional social and values (Schiehll, Borba, Murcia, 2007). HENDRIKSEN (1982) corroborates this argument, adding that accounting theory may be defined as logical reasoning in the form of two principles that: (1) accounting research provide a general frame of reference by which accounting practice can be evaluated, and (2) accounting research guide the development of new accounting practices and procedures. However, some of the research shows results of accounting research have not led to changes in accounting practice; this may be caused by practitioners not accepting the research findings or a lag in putting new accounting theory into accounting practi ce. This has been an over-emphasis on a theory and the research results in some cases, and it is correct that standard-setters and practitioners have not accepted or have been cautious in using the accounting research results as a basis for new accounting rules and practices, such as market efficiency research. However, in other cases research appears to be quite useful to standard setters as they establish new rules and practices, such as earnings management research. Llewellyn and Sue (1996) states that theories for practice would place more emphasis on theory as a map or recipe or instructions manual which provide means by which we can do things in the world or cope with events. Auditing Practice, Research, and Education, A Productive Collaboration, published in 1995 through a joint effort of the American Accounting Association and the AICPA, set the goal of preparing a monograph documenting the successes of prior, less-harried times when collaborative efforts produced significan t insights and often solutions to challenging auditing problems (Bell and Wright, pg 178). They explain the rich heritage of practitioner or academician collaboration in addressing auditing challenges. The authors indicate the importance of a periodic review of academic research for use of those in practice. The monograph also calls for increased interaction with practitioners, the use of academic research fellows in practice, and integration of the research process into audit education (Anderson et al, 2003). Accounting practice depends on accounting research, and accounting research guide the development for accounting practice. Conclusion Both of the positivist approach and the critical approach has its own advantages and disadvantages, the best way to use accounting research is to combine the two methodologies in actual accounting practice environment. The inter-relationships between accounting research, accounting standards and accounting practice are Accounting research helps accounting standards setters and others understand the economic world, accounting research have made accounting Practice more efficient and effective, but accounting research and accounting practice are not always seem to be synchrony. Accounting standards provide the accountant with a guideline to reports economic transactions and events for an organization.

Hypnosis :: Biology Essays Research Papers

Hypnosis: It Isn't Just For Circus Sideshows Anymore The highlight of my second day at Bryn Mawr College was going to see an exciting hypnosis show. I was one of the lucky few chosen to go up on stage and be made a fool of in front of three hundred other freshman. I stood up on the well-lit stage and listened intently to the oddly-dressed hypnotist. He told me to attempt to hold out my arms straight and look at the ceiling, without moving my head. I followed his instructions, but five minutes later, I was asked to sit down because the performer did not feel that I was as susceptible to hypnosis as the other ten women on stage. Embarrassed, I returned to my seat to watch the merriment. I giggled as I watched people I had been on stage with laugh uncontrollably, dance the hula, and quack like ducks. After the show, I could not help but ask myself why these seemingly normal people would behave so ludicrously at the suggestion of a stranger. After talking with the some of the subjects after the show, I was convinced that they were in a com pletely different brain state than the audience; some of my friends felt the opposite. Such is the nature of hypnosis. Some believe that while under hypnosis the brain differs from other states; others believe that this is not the case. Like the brain, hypnosis is mysterious. Therefore, it is no wonder that there is so much contention about hypnosis, it's uses and effects. But, how does hypnosis work? What does it do to the brain? Is it a legitimate way to get in touch with the unconscious? Evidence of the existence of hypnosis is seen as early as the ancient Egyptians and Greeks. In fact, "hypnosis" comes form the Greek word, hypnos, meaning sleep. It has been used extensively throughout history and it recently recieved an increase in it's legitimacy when in 1996, the National Institutes of Health publicly recommended that hypnosis be covered by health insurance, when used in conjunction with other forms of therapy (1). Hypnosis is a versatile tool. It is used for entertainment, medical recovery, and therapy, such as behavior modification and memory recollection. Hypnosis has been documented to allieve pains, phobias, addictions, irritable bowel syndrome, and asthma. Hypnosis has also been linked to memory recall. A person can hypnotize herself or agree to be hypnotized by another (2).

American Agriculture Needs a Free-Market System Essay -- Argumentative

American Agriculture Needs a Free-Market System The words to the famous old children’s song â€Å"Old MacDonald Had a Farm† are due for a revision. The new lines should read â€Å"Old MacDonald had a farm . . . with a lawyer here, and an accountant there, and everywhere a new federal program and regulation.† Not quite as poetic, but definitely more appropriate. The current state of agribusiness consists of an incredibly complex mix of subsidies, price supports, and bureaucratic regulations that could confound the most knowledgeable business minds. Underlying this tangled web of rules and regulations are political battles that pit normally allied groups against each other, and bring normally adversarial groups into allegiance. One bizarre outcome of federal farm policy is that consumers and tax-payers (usually one and the same) are set at cross-purposes. In this paper, I will highlight some of the unusual policies that exist today and will try to present some rational alternatives to alleviate the nightmare tha t is U.S. agribusiness. E...I...E...I...Ohhhhhhh..... The United States Government and agriculture have had a working relationship for most of the twentieth century. In 1916, Congress established the Federal Land Bank to provide farmers with easier access to credit. Then, during the Great Depression, many New Deal programs came to the aid of the farmer (Rapp, 1988). A system of price supports and production quotas was established to ensure price stability. For the first time, farmers were being told not to grow as much as they could. After World War II, the government found that prices were a very difficult thing to stabilize, so it focused its attention on income supports. That is, it attempted to guarantee a farmer ... ... prosper, while those who are marginal will not continue to be a drain on the economy. We cannot continually advocate free trade around the world (the GATT talks) while protecting our farm industry at home. I believe that when the government gets out of the food-growing business, farming efficiency will increase, consumers will benefit, and the economy will be better for it. And after the shakeout, Old MacDonald’s son or daughter will have a chance for greater prosperity. References Rapp, David. How the U.S. Got Into Agriculture and Why it Can’t Get Out. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly, 1988. Rawlins, N. Omri. Introduction to Agribusiness. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1980 Robbins, William. The American Food Scandal. New York: William Morrow, 1974. Tweeten, Luther. â€Å"The Economics of Small Farms,† Science 219 (4 March 1983): 1037-41.

Reggie Bush Scandal

Reggie Bush: Is He to Blame for USC’s Sanctions? â€Å"What happened to the days young children could look up to their sports heroes with pride and think that they someday would want to be just like them? †, (Finnegan 4). This question is now being asked more often than ever. The sports stars we look up to and admire are surrounded by talks of cheating. One prime example of this happening is the case of Reggie Bush. Reggie Bush was a running back at the University of Southern California. At USC, he acquired many awards and he broke many records.Bush, along with Coach Pete Carroll, led USC to the top of the college football world (Gray 3). On January 4, 2005, USC defeated Oklahoma in the BCS National Championship 55-19. Bush accounted 149 total yards (Timeline 4). On December 11, 2005, Bush won the Heisman Trophy. He received the second most first-place votes in the award’s history, second behind OJ Simpson (Timeline 18). On January 4, 2006, Bush and USC lost to V ince Young and the Texas Longhorns 41-38 in the BCS National Championship game.Bush, however, accounted for 279 total yards and one touchdown (Timeline 21). Bush is alleged to have taken money and illegal benefits from multiple sources during his USC career. These allegations were viewed by the NCAA and were determined to be true. Therefore, USC encountered many penalties, which were considered by many too harsh. The NCAA says that they wanted to make an example of Bush and USC. Reggie Bush is not to blame for the allegations against him and, as a result, the sanctions against USC.Instead, his step-father, LaMar Griffin, is at fault in this situation. Griffin abused Reggie Bush’s future potential in order to gain illegal benefits. Bush was used as a scape-goat by Griffin and is now being falsely punished. Griffin should incur all of these punishments, not Bush. However, the real damage to Bush is his loss of proper standing in society’s view, which cannot be fully reco vered even if he is found innocent. A popular topic of conversation in college sports is whether college athletes should be paid to play or not.College athletes are considered student-athletes. This means that their first duty in college is to be a student, then to be an athlete. Student-athletes graduate at a higher rate than any other general student body group. They get to enjoy levels of engagement in academics and the community, as well as their athletics. After they are done with college, many athletes claimed to have positive feelings about their overall athletic and academic experiences in college (Why 3). There is a group of people that believe student-athletes should be paid to play.They say that the student-athletes generate income for the university and should be compensated for their efforts. The other group thinks that student-athletes should not be paid. They say that intercollegiate sports include many different sports. And of those sports, the expenses will outweigh the revenue (with the exception of some larger Division-1 schools) (Why 4). The pro-payment to collegiate athletes group says that they should eliminate the non-revenue sports from the equation. Then the college should pay the athletes that play the sports that make the college money.Of these programs, 30% of Division-1 football programs and 26% of Division-1 basketball programs actually make the college money (Why 5). This makes the argument for the payment of collegiate student-athletes very hard to agree with. There is not enough revenue to give the players proper payment. And besides, they are called student-athletes for a reason. College sports include a group of people that help to support the programs of the college. Each program has its own group, which is called a booster club.The members of the clubs, called boosters, help raise or donate money for the programs. A booster has made financial contributions to the booster club or the athletics program in general. They are in volved in providing benefits to prospects or enrolled student-athletes. They are also involved in promoting the university. For example, the can purchase season tickets. The rule about being a booster is that once you are a booster, you will always be considered a booster (Razorback 1). There are things that a booster can and cannot do.A booster can speak to a prospect via phone only if the prospect initiates the call and the call is not for recruiting purposes. A booster can attend high school and junior college athletic events. Boosters are allowed to discuss summer employment arrangements with a prospect after he has signed a national letter of intent. Also, it is proper to attend a public event where the prospect is in attendance (as long as no attempts to recruit the prospect are made). They can send newspaper articles or other information to about prospects (that would be of interest) to the university’s athletic department.They are also able to engage in normal activit ies with prospects and their parents if they are family friends (once again, as long as no attempts to recruit the prospect are made (Razorback 3). There are also many things a booster cannot do. They cannot provide a student-athlete any benefits or special arrangements, provide room or board or transportation during the summer if that student-athlete (or their family and friends) still has eligibility, or expend funds to entertain student-athletes (or their family or friends).A booster is unable to use an enrolled student-athlete to advertise a commercial good or service, use an enrolled student-athlete to promote a good cause (unless okayed by the Compliance Office), provide any payment or loan of an automobile, or provide awards or gifts to the student-athlete (or his family or friends) for his athletic performance, unless it has been approved by the athletic department and it meets NCAA award requirements (Razorback 2). The Reggie Bush scandal led to many sanctions against his c ollege, the University of Southern California.The sanctions that went directly against Bush were that he must be disassociated from USC athletics and all of the statistics acquired by Bush in games where the NCAA deemed Bush ineligible due to rules violations were vacated. USC also inherited sanctions due to this scandal. They are banned from postseason play after the 2010 and 2011 seasons, lose 30 total scholarships over the 2011-2013 seasons, and they are on four years of probation with the NCAA.Also, all of USC’s victories from December of 2004 until the end of the 2005 season (including USC’s National Championship win over Oklahoma) and must vacate all titles, trophies, and banners won during the games where Bush was deemed ineligible by the NCAA (Robinson and Cole 2). The one thing that the NCAA has no control over through their sanctions is the BCS bowl games or in the Heisman voting. The NCAA has no jurisdiction over the 2004 BCS trophy or Bush’s 2005 Hei sman Trophy. The decisions to remove these trophies are up to the BCS and the Heisman Trust, respectively (Robinson and Cole 4).The NCAA has forced a school to vacate a national championship seven times, although none of those times were in major sports (Wetzel, â€Å"BCS† 2). â€Å"The fear has always been that by vacating a national championship, the NCAA would be telling the American public that the season it just witnessed was a fraud. But the same thing applies when clear standards aren’t held, when the kids who didn’t take are played a fool†, Dan Wetzel writes (Wetzel, â€Å"Take† 2). This quote speaks truth, in that the NCAA not only has a responsibility to pleasing its fans, but also to keeping the game fair for all. New Era, a sports agency ounded with the goal of building clientele around Reggie Bush, was created on November 23, 2005 (Timeline 15). The idea of New Era Sports was allegedly thought up by LaMar Griffin, Bush’s stepfat her. In September of 2004, Griffin allegedly approached Lloyd Lake about creating the agency (Timeline 1). A month later, Griffin and Lake approach Michael Michaels, a member of the Sycuan Indian tribe, about creating New Era Sports and Entertainment (Timeline 2). Now that Lake and Michaels had agreed to make this agency with Griffin, the three decided to bring the idea to the Sycuan Indian tribe, to form a partnership with them in New Era.The Sycuan Indian tribe denies the offer, however, and the group is left to form this agency on their own (Timeline 13). The scandal between Bush and New Era would soon begin. There are many occurrences that make Bush look guilty. On March 4, 2005, Bush went to Marshall Faulk’s (St. Louis Rams’ running back) birthday party in San Diego. Bush stayed in a suite at the Manchester Grand Hyatt for two days. The expenses of $1574. 86 were covered using Michaels’ credit card (Timeline 5). Six days later, Bush stayed at the Venetian R esort and Casino in Las Vegas for two days. The cost was $623. 3, which was all paid for on Michaels’ credit card (Timeline 6). In the spring of 2005, New Era gave Bush almost $13000 to purchase a black-on-black 1996 Chevy Impala SS in Los Angeles (Timeline 9). During September of 2005, Lake and Michaels visited Bush in the USC locker room after a football game. This would be the first of at least two locker room visits by New Era (Timeline 11). All of this information points to Reggie Bush as being guilty. However, there are also things that make Bush seem innocent. Bush’s stepfather, LaMar Griffin, went out and made New Era to be centralized around Bush.New Era, which is alleged to have given up to one hundred thousand dollars in cash and girts to bush and his family illegally (Key 2). When the relationship between Bush and New Era ended in December of 2005, New Era fizzled out (Timeline 19). Both Lloyd Lake and Michael Michaels are suing the Bush family for the bene fits and for the firm’s failure (Key 3). In November of 2004, the Griffins used Bush’s future signing with the firm as leverage to gain illegal benefits. They were able to have Michaels pay off twenty-eight thousand dollars in debt for the Griffins (Timeline 3).These facts are leading to LaMar Griffin abusing his stepson’s talent and value to gain these illegal benefits. It makes Bush look like the victim, not the culprit. On March 29, 2005, Michael Michaels purchased a beautiful three thousand and two square foot home in Spring Valley, California, about thirteen miles east of San Diego. It cost Michaels seven hundred and fifty-seven thousand dollars (Timeline 7). The home was located at the corner of Apple Street and Luther Avenue. It was built in the late 2004’s and early 2005’s (Robinson 2).In April of 2005, Bush’s family was having financial troubles with their residence. Michaels allowed them to move into the Spring Valley home he had p urchased just a month earlier (Timeline 8). After a few months, Bush’s family is unable to keep up on their payments for the home. They tell Michaels that they will pay using their share of the profits New Era will make once Bush declares for the NFL Draft and is able to sign with the firm (Timeline 10). Finally, almost a whole year after they moved in, Bush’s family received an eviction notice from New Era, requiring them to leave the home (Timeline 27).Information that linked the Spring Valley home to Michael Michaels began to arise. On April 20, 2006, Denise Griffin, Bush’s mother, was approached about this connection, but she refused to comment. Not even twenty-four hours later, the Griffins abruptly move out and take with them twelve thousand dollars in home furnishings provided by Michaels. The University of Southern California then asked the Pac-10 to investigate the Spring Valley home and its ties to Bush and New Era (Timeline 29). After this scandal, it seemed Bush was definitely guilty, but Bush did not receive any benefits from the Spring Valley home.The Griffins received all of the illegal benefits which make it seem like Bush is not at fault in this particular situation. Soon after, Bush would begin his career in the NFL. On January 12, 2006, Reggie Bush declared for the NFL Draft (Timeline 22). Later that month, Bush hired Mike Ornstein to be his marketing representative and Joel Segal to negotiate his NFL contract (Timeline 23). On April 24, 2006, the NCAA joined the investigation of Reggie Bush and New Era. Later that day, Houston Texans general manager Charles Casserly called Bush and left him a voicemail.Casserly asked for Bush to explain the Spring Valley home and its ties to him, his family, and New Era (Timeline 30). The next day, Casserly calls Bush again. Bush answered the phone, but was about to get onto a plane so he could not continue the conversation further. Bush says he will call Casserly when he arrives in Nor th Carolina (Timeline 31). A day later, Bush called Casserly back, but did not get into specifics about the Spring Valley home. Bush only tells Casserly, â€Å"It will be taken care of in a couple of days†, (Timeline 32). David Cornwell, Bush’s attorney, turns over evidence of an extortion plot by New Era against Reggie Bush.Bush continued to deny knowledge of any ties between the Spring Valley home, his family, and New Era. Also on April 28, 2006, The Houston Texans pass on Bush with the number one overall draft pick. Instead, they choose defensive end Marion Williams from North Carolina State. Casserly says that Bush’s refusal to discuss the Spring Valley home controversy did play a role in their decision to not select him in the NFL Draft (Timeline 33). Mike Ornstein, who was hired in January of 2006 by Bush to be his marketing representative, was involved in yet another scandal surrounding Reggie Bush (Timeline 23).The relationship between Bush and Ornstein began in the summer of 2005 when Bush was an intern for Ornstein as a Reebok consultant (Timeline 10). Ornstein is alleged to have also given Bush illegal benefits (Key 6). The scandal began when Ornstein started working for clients and not giving CWC Sports, where he was employed, a cut. The head of CWC Sports, Lee Pfiefer, is in the midst of suing Ornstein for breach of contract of the partnership in CWC Sports. He is attempting to get half of the profits Ornstein gained form the stolen clientele, including Reggie Bush (Key 9).James Fritz, another employee of CWC Sports, used his credit card to pay for the travel of Bush’s family to Oakland. He still works for Ornstein and refuses to comment on the allegations against him and Ornstein (Key 10). Once Ornstein became an adviser to the Bush family in interviewing prospective agents, the scandal started to be seen by the media (Timeline 14). On December 29, 2005, Ornstein requested a $500000 advance on a memorabilia contract th at New Jersey sports memorabilia dealer Bob DeMartino had proposed for Bush (Timeline 20).Most of this information leads one to believe Bush is guilty. However, it is not recognized that Bush still has not received any direct benefits form Ornstein. All of the benefits went to the Griffins. The main argument that defends Reggie Bush has to deal with his stepfather, LaMar Griffin. LaMar is alleged to have started the idea to make the firm New Era Sports and Entertainment, and to have it centralized around Bush. He is also alleged to have used Bush’s future potential to gain illegal benefits. The courts, however, have left the issue of whether the llegations against him are true and they are targeting all of the lawsuits against the entire Bush family, including LaMar Griffin and Reggie Bush (Key 5).On December 10, 2005, Mike Ornstein bought suits for LaMar Griffin and Reggie Bush’s brother. Ornstein also buys Denise Griffin, Bush’s mother, a makeover and purchase s a limo for the three of them (Timeline 16). The most incriminating piece of evidence against LaMar Griffin was discovered on December 12, 2005. LaMar Griffin showed a New Era brochure to a reporter form the San Diego Union-Tribune. â€Å"New Era is a new company opening- they sent me a brochure, they’re here in San Diego! claimed Griffin (Timeline 17). LaMar Griffin promoted New Era and did not say that he had any connections with the firm. In fact, he acts surprised by the firm’s opening and encourages all to invest in it. He is attempting to fool the American public into funding a firm that he uses to gain benefits by abusing his stepson’s future potential. This makes LaMar Griffin the primary suspect in the Reggie Bush scandals, instead of Reggie Bush himself. Reggie Bush has endured many allegations and lawsuits against him. Through all of these, however, he has remained positive and strong.He continues, to this day, to deny all of the allegations against him (Key 1). Bush’s attorney, David Cornwell, still represents Bush and also claims that Bush was never involved in any of these allegations (Key 8). In early February of 2006, Bush attempted to settle with Michael Michaels. Cornwell, on behalf of Bush, offered Michaels a $100000 settlement. Michaels, though, decides to deny the settlement and pursue the case against Bush further (Timeline 25). On February 13, 2006, as a rebuttal to Bush’s settlement offer, Michael Michaels offers Bush a settlement.Brian Watkins, on behalf of Michaels, offers Bush a $3200000 settlement (Timeline 26). Reggie Bush is not to blame for the allegations against him and, as a result, the sanctions against USC. Instead, his step-father, LaMar Griffin, is at fault in this situation. Griffin abused Reggie Bush’s future potential in order to gain illegal benefits. Bush was used as a scape-goat by Griffin and is now being falsely punished. Griffin should incur all of these punishments, not Bush. However, the real damage to Bush is his loss of proper standing in society’s view, which cannot be fully recovered even if he is found innocent.In conclusion, Reggie Bush is not at fault in the scandal surrounding him. LaMar Griffin used Bush for his own selfish purposes and is letting Bush take the fall for it. Bush may be able to prove that he is innocent of these crimes. He may be able to not incur these large punishments for such heinous crimes. One thing he cannot change, though, is how the American public now vies him. At one time, Reggie Bush was a household name. He was known for his blazing speed and electrifying kick returns. Now, Reggie Bush is still a household name, but not for the same reasons.Now his name is covered in scandal and controversy. He may never be able to return to being on the public’s good side. That, out of anything, is the biggest shame: that a college student-athlete’s own family would use them for selfish gain that could j eopardize his career. Bush, however, is on his way to recovering his image. He was quoted to say about the Heisman Trophy, â€Å"Each individual carries the legacy of the award and each one is entrusted with its good name. It is for these reasons that I have made the difficult decision to forfeit my title as Heisman winner of 2005† (Lamport-Stokes 3).Some say that this statement proves Bush is guilty and that he would rather turn himself in than get caught. But another way to look at this is that Reggie Bush has the utmost respect for the Heisman Trophy and all it represents. He would rather forfeit his title than let allegations against him blemish the good name of the award. In that sense, he is the complete opposite of LaMar Griffin, who used Bush.Works Cited Finnegan, Lauren. â€Å"Reggie Bush Scandal: By Far Not the First or Last in Sports- Yahoo! News. † The Top News Headlines on Current Events from Yahoo! News- Yahoo! News. 8 Sept. 2010. Web. 9 Sept. 2010. <h ttp://news. yahoo. com/s/ac/20100908/cm_ac/6748812_reggie_bush_scandal_by_far_not_the_first_or_last_in_ sports>. Gray, Madison. â€Å"USC Trojans Get Black Eye Over Reggie Bush Scandal- TIME NewsFeed. † TIME NewsFeed- Breaking News and Updates. Web. 19 Sept. 2010. <http://newsfeed. time. com/2010/06/10/usc-trojans-get-black-eye-over-reggie-bush-scandal/>. â€Å"The Key Figures- Reggie Bush Investigation- Yahoo! Sports. † College Sports- Rivals. com. 14 Sept. 2010. Web. 19 Sept. 2010. <http://rivals. yahoo. com/ncaa/football/news? slug=ys-bush_cast>. Lamport-Stokes, Mark. Reggie Bush to Forfeit Heisman Trophy- Yahoo! News. † The Top News Headlines on Current Events from Yahoo! News- Yahoo! News. Ed. Justin Palmer. 14 Sept. 2010. Web. 19 Sept. 2010. <http://news. yahoo. com/s/nm/us_nfl_bush_heisman>. â€Å"Razorback Foundation/ Booster Guide to NCAA Rules. † Razorback Foundation/ Main Page. Web. 19 Sept. 2010. <http://www. razorbackfo undation. com/ncaa. htm>. Robinson, Charles and Jason Cole. â€Å"USC Hit Hard by NCAA Sanctions- College Football- Rivals. com. † College Sports- Rivals. com. 10 June 2010. Web. 19 Sept. 2010. <http://rivals. yahoo. om/ncaa/football/news? slug=ys-uscpenalties061010>. Works Cited Robinson, Charles. â€Å"Yahoo! Sports Report: Reggie Bush’s Family Home- Yahoo! Sports. † Yahoo! Sports- Sports News, Scores, Rumors, Fantasy Games, and More. 23 Apr. 2010. Web. 19 Sept. 2010. <http://sports. yahoo. com/nfl/news? slug=cr-bush042306>. â€Å"The Timeline- Reggie Bush Investigation- Yahoo! Sports. † College Sports: Rivals. com. 14 Sept. 2010. Web. 19 Sept. 2010. <http://rivals. yahoo. com/ncaa/football/news? slug=ys-bush_timeline>. Wetzel, Dan. â€Å"BCS Officials: Ineligible Bush Could Dethrone USC- College Football- Rivals. om† College Sports: Rivals. com. 28 Apr. 2006. Web. 19 Sept. 2010. <http://rivals. yahoo. com/ncaa/football/ne ws? slug=dw-bush042806>. Wetzel, Dan. â€Å"Take Back the Title- Reggie Bush Investigation- Yahoo! Sports. † College Sports: Rivals. com. 14 Sept. 2010. Web. 19 Sept. 2010. <http://rivals. yahoo. com/ncaa/football/news? slug=dw-bush_usc>. â€Å"Why Student-Athletes Are Not Paid to Play- NCAA. org. † Public Home Page- NCAA. org. Web. 19 Sept. 2010. <http://www. ncaa. org/wps/wcm/connect/public/ncaa/issues/why student-athletes are not paid to play>.