Andrew Hood
5-12-15
Prin. B/M/F
Research Paper
Businesses close. Businesses relocate. Businesses have to lay off large numbers of employees at one time. Businesses open. New businesses opening is one of the primary needs for a successful and prosperous community and city. Just as new businesses provide additional criteria for a successful and prosperous community, it also has many other effects and responsibilities in a community.(1) Being, practically, the only source of bringing in job opportunities, generating income, and creating purpose and hope in a community, businesses opening a new franchise in a community are extremely essential and beneficial.(2) For example, many people believe that when a new business opens in a city or town, it has the effects only of tangible and physical aspects such as bringing in profit and creating jobs. Corporations opening businesses in a new city have to consider the main aspects and effects such as the supply and demand, job opportunities, and competition of the city.
White Oak, boasting a population of 6,395 as of 2013, claims over one hundred businesses and is proud to announce so.(8,9) White Oak is home to the 3A Roughnecks, a school that has won numerous state titles and is, year-after-year, a highly-recognized educationally-focused district.(11) From my independent research and observations, White Oak has about three trailer parks, four apartment complexes, and scores of neighborhoods filled with happy and energetic children. Despite it’s small population, White Oak has more than ten restaurants, including fast food, Mexican, donuts, dine-in and seafood.(10) Concerning possible competition Chick-fil-A might have in White Oak, a hardly-visited, somehow-still-in-business Kentucky Fried Chicken (being jointed with a Taco Bell), would probably not be much competition for Chick-fil-A’s high quality and relaxing environment.(12)
In addition to taking advantage of its natural resource of oil, White Oak has also capitalized on rain and summer-time through creating professional and small lawn-mowing companies, as well as generating a prosperous small-town Brookshire’s, all from a tightly-knit community. White Oak’s school mascot is the Roughneck, and rightly so.(11) It is hard not to notice, while driving throughout town, the “oil-wells” or “pump-jacks” placed in fields, in town, and seemingly everywhere. Being conveniently placed in the middle of the “rolling hills” of oil-prominent East Texas, White Oak is home to numerous oil companies.(9,13) Despite all this being true, one way that the tiny city of White Oak definitely hasn’t taken advantage of is the demand for a chicken restaurant, with the exception of Kentucky Fried Chicken.(14)
Were a new franchise of Chick-fil-A to open up in White Oak, it would probably be as a result of the job opportunites provided from and for high-school students searching for income and a demand for a high-quality, pleasing, and highly-recommended chicken restaurant such as Chick-fil-A. For example, I have personally witnessed many high school students picking up Whataburger from their parents during the lunch period, regardless of the high prices belonging to Whataburger. In addition, I have also heard the level of excitement when people speak about Chick-fil-A, including the quality and service. While many people rave over the food belonging to Chick-fil-A, many also complain and bicker over the inconvenience of having to travel twenty minutes to eat at the Chick-fil-A nearest to White Oak.(15) All of these facts add up to create the picture that, amongst a community of happy-go-lucky spenders, a Chick-fil-A would prosper and succeed in the White Oak community.
Businesses closing. Businesses relocating. Businesses laying off large numbers of employees at one time. New businesses opening. No matter the size or name of a corporation or business, relocation and/or moving into a new location is one of the biggest factors of the company’s well-being. While many businesses will go through repetitious series of up-downs, known as the business cycle, the one consistent factor holding together a community is its ability to stick to each other through thick and thin. As a result, businesses are one of the most important factors in a successful community; providing income, job opportunities, and hope.(2) This can be compared to the human mind. When left alone or isolated, the human mind will slowly, over time, go insane and reach the point of such inconsistency and depression that death will prevail. This compares to a lone business in a community full of eager city-dwellers. Despite the business prospering, the community will fall and fluster as a result of not having created the hope and purpose. Therefore, just as a Chick-fil-A looking to open a new franchise in White Oak has to look into the supply and demand, job opportunities, and competition of the city and area to determine if opening a new franchise is a good idea, all businesses have to research these topics to make discerning decisions.
Sources