Coca-Cola M&A Activity: Introduction

Introduction

With the beverage industry changing shape rapidly, major beverage companies are finding new ways to stay profitable. Companies like Coca-Cola and PepsiCo continue to grow their business by expanding the portfolio of drink brands they sell, and by acquiring their franchise bottling partners in order to realize operational synergies. The overarching objective of this paper is to analyze M&A activity in the beverage industry in order to provide a framework for which to understand Coca-Cola’s acquisition of CCE’s North American operations. Further, details of the deal, its major players, and the likelihood of the deal’s future success will all be addressed.

To begin, an analysis of product and consumer trends in the beverage industry is appropriate. Coca-Cola sells 1.7 billion[ "The Coca-Cola System." Coca-Cola: The Coca-Cola Company. Web. 04 May 2011. http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/citizenship/the_coca-cola_system.html .] beverage servings per day to consumers, making it the largest beverage company in the world. Deals like the one with CCE illustrate the scale with which Coca-Cola operates. Next, a view of the shifting business model of beverage companies will lay the groundwork for understanding the significance of the Coca-Cola/CCE deal. Looking at other industry M&A activity will give context to the deal. Finally, looking at the deal itself will reveal how this $12.3 billion acquisition is a landmark in the industry and a model for corporate growth. Exhibit 1 begins with a SWOT analysis of Coca-Cola.

More posts from a paper on Coca-Cola M&A Activity (including merger with CCE):

Coca-Cola M&A Activity, CCE Acquisition: Executive Summary
Coca-Cola M&A Activity: Introduction
Coca-Cola M&A Activity: Product Trends
Coca-Cola M&A Activity: Demand and Economic Trends
Coca-Cola M&A Activity: Business Model Trends in the Beverage Industry
Coca-Cola M&A Activity: Beverage Industry Business Model Trends (2)
Coca-Cola M&A Activity: Company Strategic Objectives
Coca-Cola M&A Activity: Company Strategic Objectives (2)
Coca-Cola M&A Activity: Company Portfolio Analysis
Coca-Cola M&A Activity: Company Portfolio Analysis (2)
Coca-Cola M&A Activity: Company Portfolio Analysis (3)
Coca-Cola M&A Activity: PepsiCo M&A Portfolio Analysis (Largest Competitor)
Coca-Cola M&A Activity: PepsiCo M&A Portfolio Analysis (Largest Competitor) (2)
Coca-Cola M&A Activity: Other Beverage Industry M&A Activity
Coca-Cola Acquisition of CCE North America: Deal Structure
Coca-Cola Acquisition of CCE North America: Deal Structure (2)
Coca-Cola Acquisition of CCE North America: Major Legal and Financial Players
Coca-Cola Acquisition of CCE North America: Regulatory and Shareholder Approval of the Transaction
Coca-Cola Acquisition of CCE North America: Implementation Analysis: Likelihood of Acquisition Success
Coca-Cola Acquisition of CCE North America: Implementation Analysis: Likelihood of Acquisition Success (2)
Coca-Cola Acquisition of CCE North America: Conclusion to M&A Deal Analysis
Coca-Cola CCE Merger: Table of Contents and Works Cited List

Sociological Implications of Maxed Out, Introduction

The film Maxed Out is a documentary by filmmaker James Scurlock that attempts to depict the present state of lending services and debt in the United States. Scurlock’s focus is not limited to any particular debt instrument, but encompasses lines of credit, mortgages, credit cards, and predatory lending practices. The purpose of the film seems to be to shed some light on the inequalities facing the American Proletariat with regard to financial instruments, debt instruments in particular. An undereducated American lower-class is being taken advantage of by major corporations, and simply because these individuals do not know any better, they are being turned into slaves, metaphorically speaking.

In essence, the United States has become a country where credit card use is a traditional practice, and going into debt is considered entirely normal. Most Americans experience at least the debt associated with a home mortgage. However, what’s being encouraged more and more in recent years is the use of credit cards. Americans are encouraged by their credit card companies, their friends, television commercials, and even the mass media which displays particular attitudes, to use their credit cards freely, and to charge even the most diminutive of expenses. Credit card use has become especially commonplace this day-and-age and Americans take that luxury for granted. In this country, it is expected that every type of expense will be charged to a credit card; in doing so, Americans expect to pay interest on the money that they borrow. What most people fail to realize, however, is the truly grandiose scale that interest payments take on in proportion to the amount of principal that they borrow. And so, some people become enslaved to the credit card companies, and must struggle each month to make the monthly minimum payments. “Where is the justice?” one might ask. What this implies, however, is that there is justice to be found, when in truth a more appropriate question is, “Is there justice?” The theories of four critical sociologists (three and one group of sociologists – Africana) will be applied to the film Maxed Out to examine the reaction each might have to the implications presented.

Other posts on sociology and Maxed Out:
Sociological Implications of Maxed Out, Introduction
Sociological Implications of Maxed Out, Charlotte Perkins Gilman's Response
Sociological Implications of Maxed Out, Jane Addams Response
Sociological Implications of Maxed Out, Karl Marx Response
Sociological Implications of Maxed Out, Africana Theorists Response
Sociological Implications of Maxed Out, Conclusion

Works Cited
Lengermann, Patricia and Jill Niebrugge-Brantley. 2005. “Class Notes The Africana Theorists, Spring 2008 American University, Washington D.C.” (https://blackboard.american.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_43370_1%26url%3D).
---. 2005. “Class Notes Karl Marx, Spring 2008 American University, Washington D.C.” (https://blackboard.american.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_43370_1%26url%3D).
---. 2005. “Class Notes Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Spring 2008 American University, Washington D.C.” (https://blackboard.american.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_43370_1%26url%3D).
---. 2005. “Class Notes Jane Addams, Spring 2008 American University, Washington D.C.” (https://blackboard.american.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_ 2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_43370_1%26url%3D).
Maxed Out. Dir. James Scurlock. Perf. Mark Mumma, Ronald Reagan. DVD. Magnolia, 2005.

Psychophysics: Dual-point Touch Distinction, Introduction

Psychophysics: Dual-point Touch Distinction

Introduction:
The discipline of psychophysics incorporates psychological thought in dealing with the relationship between physical stimuli and their perception. The most common use of psychophysics is in measuring the range of physical stimuli that humans experience. Some examples of physical stimuli include sensory thresholds, signal detection theory, and measurement sensitivity.

In this discrimination experiment, we sought to determine the point at which the difference between two physical stimuli is detectable by a human subject. To expound upon this interest, we have tested humans on different parts of their body, including the forehead, cheek, forearm, palm, thumb tip, index finger tip, and back of lower leg. Our hypothesis in testing this array of human physical body parts is that certain areas of the body will be less sensitive than others to dual-point touch.

Observations: People Holding the Door for Each Other, Introduction

Pilot Observation: People Holding the Door for Each Other

Introduction:
I chose for our group to observe people at the library entrance. The library is a fairly busy place that many students visit because the needs that are serviced by the library are numerous. From books to electronic media, students of all demographics enter and exit the library on a regular basis. And, traffic in these areas is consistent, with excess persons entering and exiting the facility only between routine class times. Because our observation time was during a class period, I knew that we could rely on a steady stream of persons to observe, but at the same time not find ourselves at any one time too overwhelmed to accurately make all recordings necessary.

Depth Perception Obstruction, Introduction

Depth Perception: Ability in Unobstructed vs. Obstructed Situations

Introduction:
The ability to gauge the distance of an object accurately is a characteristic most common of higher-order animals. Combining several types of depth cues, this ability of sight is known as depth perception. Stereopsis is a feature of binocular vision that works by allowing a person or animal to see the same object from two slightly different angles and subsequently be able to determine (triangulate) its distance away. The monocular concept of relative size allows humans to determine the closeness of objects based on their size relative to a predetermined expectation of the object’s size rooted in past experiences of the individual. It is my understanding from these explanations that this form of monocular depth perception is less accurate than the above mentioned binocular [stereopsis] method of determining depth perception. Therefore, if test subjects are subjected to depth perception tests using one eye versus two, I expect that they will not be as able to accurately determine the correct point at which both vertical beams are equidistant from their person.

Mirror Hand Tracing Experiment, Introduction

Introduction:
The phenomenon of practice effects has been addressed in this study which sought to determine if practicing a mirror-tracing test before and after some practice using the opposite hand would yield a significantly different performance. In general, as a person becomes more exposed to a task, their performance at that task will improve. Theory holds that later attempts at this task will require less time for completion, and yield fewer mistakes than previous tries. To be analyzed in the outcome of this experiment is the learning curve produced in assessing the transferability of practice effects from one hand to the other, namely the number of errors a subject makes in his/her tracing tests, and the time it takes s/he to complete the test. I expected the second go-round of non-dominant hand testing would reveal no practice effects and, therefore, no statistically significant difference in performance.