Organizational Development paper

Organizational development (OD) as a technique helps to effect change in a company to improve its effectiveness. It contributes to a change process, and establishes long-term activities, including operation of self-managed or autonomous teams as well as problem solving opportunities (Anderson, 2011, p.2).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Organizational Development paper specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More OD applies to scientific knowledge on behavioral development that embraces a number of concepts, including work design, leadership skills, team building and international design. The system is a flexible scheme that entails implementation of changes. Furthermore, it should adapt quickly to changes and, when the new data is introduced or experienced, it should be ready to process it (Cummings and Worley, 2008, p. 50). Indeed, it involves a long range of efforts that will improve problem-solving strategies, as well as its ability to face various challenges within an organization (Cummings and Worley, 2008, p. 2). Organizational development considers change a process that involves a set of such activities as planning, diagnosing, assessing, and implementing (Jex and Britt, 2008, p. 477). The organizational development process assures the establishment of favorable relationship within a work environment and outside it and provides groups with the possibility to initiate and manage change. Further, organizational development is considered a set of core values, such as respect and commitment, genuineness and cooperation, self-awareness and improvement, democracy and feeling of justice. The process is made up of the four main activities. These are introducing, analyzing, planning, and implementing (Anderson, 2011, p. 42). The process involves an action research scheme which allows to define the problem and analyze the reasons for introducing changes. Further, it is purposeful to plan an intervention, evaluate and implement it. The next step will involve collecting information to assess the intervention and define whether progress has been reached or whether further interventions are needed. Furthermore, it begins when a leader envisions relevant approaches and strives to enhance organizational performance (Jex and Britt, 2008, p. 473). Organization development relies on open systems methods and schemes so as to get a better idea of organization’s goals. Therefore, a shift occurred to one department of an organization cannot be supported without introducing shifts to other departments (Cummings and Worley, 2008, p. 50).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Organization development stems basically from three psychological theories for an organization to understand and motivate its employees. They include need theory, job analysis model, and expectancy theory that provid e a deep insight into personal differences among the team members, as well as different kinds of organizational aspects that influence behavior (Jex and Britt, 2008, p. 478). Need theory as a strategy considers motivation as a means to meet people’s needs and concerns. Need theory is strongly associated with organizational development because it is based Maslow’s theory introducing a hierarchy of needs (Jex, Britt, 2008, p. 480). It starts from the bottom with physical needs, as the basic concerns, and followed up by needs of self-esteem and actualization (McLean, 2005, p.32). Job characteristic model analyzes the way the personnel work. It also demonstrates how an employed environment influences employees’ motivation with regard to three psychological states (Jex and Britt, 2008, p. 483). Expectancy theory focuses on motivation with regard to decisions that members make concerning the effort they will take to perform organizational tasks. It suggests that choic es about work effort are premised on particular beliefs or values that members uphold. The model is used to introduce effective techniques for an organization to enhance employee incentives, which is also possible through introducing reward systems (Jex and Britt, 2008, p. 486). The factors that introduce organizational change and development include performance challenges, competition, organizational challenges, and technological advances. Many change strategies are more effective in reducing restraining forces and, therefore, will allow the driving conditions to provide change and decrease resistance (Jex and Britt, 2008, p. 497). Participative management entails involving members directly in realizing the need for shifts, developing corresponding changes, and putting those into practice. It is also imperative to analyze the need for change and make significant external stakeholders believe that these changes are urgent (Anderson, 2011, p. 100). A vision will present future perspe ctives allowing an organization to communicate effective ideas to their employees and provide a healthy work environment. Course of action strategy needs to be developed as well to implement change. This will act as the algorithm for an organization offering directions to present an appropriate final state while defining challenges (Jex and Britt, 2008, p. 499).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Organizational Development paper specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Leaders should be able to provide sufficient internal support and create a solid platform for introducing changes. In such a way, they can reduce resistance for employees to take an active part in the process of organizational change. By ensuring full commitment to an organization, leaders will play a crucial role in increasing organizational performance (Anderson, 2011, p. 150). However, lack of effective leadership skills heightens the challenges for publi c institutions. In this respect, organization should be provided with sufficient resources to manage change effectively. At this point, introducing planned organizational change can foster a rational distribution of resources within an organization. In addition, the public provides a stronger force for altering their interest in products (Jex, Britt, 2008, p. 501). In conclusion, in order to effect organization change, there is the need to resort to such stages as change identification, implementation planning, implementation, evaluation of the results, and seeking feedback. It is also important for a leader to understand the potential of the organization with regard to employees’ experience and motivation. References Anderson, L. D. (2011). Organization Development: The Process of Leading Organizational Change. California: SAGE. Cummings, G. T., Worley, G. C. (2008). Organization development change. Vancouver: Cengage Learning. Jex, M. S., Britt, W. T. (2008). Organizati onal psychology: A scientist – practitioner approach. New Jersey: John Wiley Sons. McLean, N. G. (2005). Organization development: Principles, processes, performance. California: Berrett-Koehler Publishers.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This essay on Organizational Development paper was written and submitted by user Meadow R. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. 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Shakespeares Famous play called macbeth

Shakespeares Famous play called macbeth The movie I watched was called Macbeth and it was a tragedy type play that took place in Scotland. It was a good but disturbing play written by Shakespeare and reenacted in movie form by a guy named Roman Polanski.My favorite character in the movie was Macbeth, he was a mean cruel and greedy person he didn't really have good values in my opinion because it seemed that he only stood for just being king. His strengths are that he can follow-through on what he has to do but his weakness are that he is easily led and that he settles things by fighting and murder.I expected Macbeth to be a nice strong and smart person, but as I got more and more into the movie he turned into a barbaric person. When I saw the Macbeth murder the king and then frame the king's guards for the murder I knew he was going to be a jerk through the whole play.Macduff (Macbeth)The play begins with some witches burying a: noose, severed hand, and a knife. The initial in my own opinion was when Macbeth met the witche s because if he had never met the witches he wouldn't have known he would have been king. The major crisis in the play was when people begin to get on to him and think he killed the king. The climax of the story is when Macbeth goes to war with Macduff and they have a one on one fight! After the fight the story ends with Macduff killing Macbeth and placing his head on a staff and waving it throughout the kingdom. His weakness for fighting contributed to the climax and ending because he got his head cut off, the ending of the play is fate because Macbeth lived his life violently, and violence only ends in violence.Shakespeare message in the play was don't let others talk you into doing something you know is wrong, I say this because his wife convinced him to kill the king and he did. The point Shakespeare is conveying about people in general is that people don't think for them selves. The tone and feeling of the play to me was rough, gory, and sickening. The devices used to establish the mood of the play was the use of langue the setting and acting.Macbeth reenacted and brought to film by Roman Polanski was disturbing like I said in the first paragraph because the fighting and blood, and especially in the begging when the witches bury the noose severed hand and a knife. I'd say personally that the English in the play was definitely well put because if I weren't smarter than I already were I wouldn't understand a word said. I think watching the play after reading the book definitely helped me understand what the witches were doing and how Macbeth got convinced to kill the king.

Linear algebra Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Linear algebra - Research Proposal Example ed perception that linear algebra is just about lines and vectors, of X’s and Y’s or variables and constants (Larson, Kanold & Stiff 277) that are so far away from the layman’s life. In addition, the internet is widely used now by most entrepreneurs who are the focus of this study who would greatly benefit in knowing how their businesses will succeed in a number of months or years. These projections will not only catch a large number of entrepreneurs’ attention but will also let them appreciate the faculty of this study, seeing the beauty of algebra in the solution of such disciplines as economics as well as engineering, physics and geometry (Ellis & Gullick 67). Background: I will conduct my study through online and face to face interviews with at least twenty entrepreneurs. I will avail of copies of their monthly online sales, which if the entrepreneur would not be willing to give could be in terms of the nearest approximate figures. This information will then be used as data for projecting sales in the future using graphs as well as tables and sets of ordered pairs as these are important methods of communication in business, science and social studies (Baley & Holstege 101). Scope: I will have ten face to face interviews and ten online interviews to complete the desired number of samples. I will particularly ask questions about their capital, the date of the start of business, their monthly income and their projection of sales in six months, one year and two years. I will also ask about their basis for these projections to be compared to a more scientific process with the use of linear algebra. Theoretical Framework: I will be doing the study in the context of solutions to equalities, involving two variables (Larson et al. 277) which will be time and sales. Mathematical modeling will also be used in an accurate and simple manner for it to yield meaningful answers and to be usable not only by those who specialize in numbers and graphs but also by

How has the recent economic crisis affected our sense of global Essay

How has the recent economic crisis affected our sense of global culture and metropolitan life - Essay Example Economic crisis has resulted due to a number of reasons. It is a result of improper policies implemented in the financial system which gives birth to numerous micro and macro economic problems. These reasons have varying severity and have affected the global economies of the world. The recent recession has webbed the entire global economies into its victimization and caused severe distress among both, developed and under-developed countries of the world. Recent economic crisis has paved way for inequality across many nations and has had a dampening impact upon their financial position. This crisis has led to other severe crises and it is matter of global concern. Recent economic crisis have not only affected economic variables but has affected peoples’ sense of global culture and metropolitan life in numerous ways. There have been significant alterations in the economic structure, relative prices and patterns of consumption which have bolstered adverse impacts upon the peoples’ incomes, living patterns and their jobs, globally. However, it is also evident from the crisis that where there have been adverse impacts upon many people, there have been some people who have capitalized and gained from this situation of adversity. However, this economic crisis has not affected each and every individual. Instead, it has impacted people who belong to the lower class. In many countries, this has uplifted social disparity and adversely affected groups of workers and may it be skilled or unskilled as there have been new entrants into the country through trade liberalization and other developments liked immigration of skilled personnel from third-world or developing countries. Furthermore, organized labor argues that this has not affected those groups or individuals who possess entrepreneurial ability along with educational and skilled background. Due to the economic crisis, the governments in many countries have cut back their expenditure towards the

Overloading Trucks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Overloading Trucks - Essay Example Although overloading might be seen as quite a common and widely practices approach in any nation but it has certain adverse impacts which require to be discussed. The adverse impacts of overloading of trucks might result in occurring severe life risk accidents, negative impacts in the materials overloaded and unfavorable impacts on the vehicles along with roads among others. In order to deal with this critical concern, government of every nation frames certain regulation, adherence of which is mandatory for the vehicles (NTEA, n.d.). In order to acquire a comprehensive understanding about the aforesaid subject matter, the legislation and law of overloading trucks in New Zealand (NZ) and Saudi Arabia (KSA) has been elaborated in the following discussion. Overloading of vehicles is a serious offence in any part of the world. This aspect of transport law can also be seen in the legislation of New Zealand. Overloading is seen as a serious offence in New-Zealand owing to the fact that it has severe negative impacts on the vehicles, people and the goods carried among others. According to the Land Transport Management Act 2003 in New Zealand, trucks and other vehicles should be aware of their liabilities and act accordingly. Furthermore, Land Transport Act 1998 instructs that vehicles drivers should always ensure safety of the road, the vehicle and the people travelling in highways. Contextually, restrictions against overloading of trucks and other heavy vehicles are highly crucial. According to section 43 of the Land Transport Act 1998, a person carrying a heavy motor vehicle (e.g. Truck) will fall under the offence of infringement, if he/she is carrying the vehicle with goods in excess of the prescribed limit of weight for that particul ar vehicle. Furthermore, the law also signifies that the person will also be accused separately for overloading in each of the axle of the vehicles. Non-compliance of this section of the

Purposes Of Different Types Of Organisation Economics Essay

Purposes Of Different Types Of Organisation Economics Essay The sole trader is a business owned by one person who is self-employed and why may, in some cases, employ other people on a full or part time basis. Normally using personal funds to start business, the sole trader decides on the type of goods or services to be produced, where the business is to be located, what capital is required, what staff(if any) to employ, what the target market should be. In Britain about eighty per cent of all business is sole traders. The reason for this predominance is the relative ease with which an individual can establish a business this type. Examples include: builders, small shops, independent agents. Partnership is when two or more individuals establish a business which they own. The partners have unlimited personal liability both jointly and severally.   The liability of limited partners is limited to their investment in the partnership. Under the law, partnerships are limited to 20 or less partners. Partnership companies usually have written contracts between partners, but thats not necessary. This states the type of partnership it is, how much capital each party has contributed, and how profits and losses will be shared. The typical examples of partnerships are doctors, dentists and solicitors.  They can benefit from shared expertise, but like the sole trader, have unlimited liability. Limited companies are companies which are registered at Companies House- www.companieshouse.gov.uk. It is a legal entity or legal person with its own legal rights and obligations, separate and distinct from those of its members. All property, which is registered on company, belongs to company and is not treated as belonging to the companys shareholders and directors. The benefit of limited company is that is offers limited liability to its members. The company as a separate legal entity is liable for its debts and the members and directors are not personally liable unless they have acted wrongly in some way. There are two types of limited companies as public limited companies (PLCs) and private limited companies (Limited, LTD). The vast majority of trading companies are private companies limited by shares. Many private companies are very small. There is no minimum capital required for private company and its commonly less than 100 £. A private company may not offer shares to the public. For example it can be any shop, pub, construction company etc. PLC is company which  is appropriate for larger businesses where shares are intended to be available to the general public. A public company must have a minimum share capital of  £50,000, of which at least one-quarter plus any share premium must be paid up before the company can obtain its trading certificate from Companies House and start trading. This is the only type of company which may raise capital by offering shares to the public. For example its some supermarket chain, delivery company or airlines company. Consumer co-operative societies are organisations owned by consumers which aim is fulfilling needs and aspirations of their members. They operate in market system independently from the state as mutual aid, oriented to service rather than make a profit.  Consumers cooperatives often take the form of retail outlets owned and operated by their consumers, such as  food cooperatives, health care, insurance,  housing,  utilities  and personal finance. Workers co-operatives are organisations in which ownership and control of the assets are in the hands of the people who working in it. They have the objective of creating and maintaining sustainable jobs and generating wealth, to improve the quality of life of the worker-members, dignify human work, allow workers democratic self-management and promote community and local development. The main principles of the organisations are democracy, open membership, social responsibility, mutual co-operation and trust, help to differentiate co-operative from other forms of business organisations. Public corporations are legal entities created by government to undertake commercial activities behalf of an owner government. In the public sector the state owns assets in various forms, which it uses to provide a range of goods and services felt to be of benefit to its citizens. These state corporations an important part of the public sector of the economy and they are very significant to national output, employment and investment. These public corporations are hospitals, municipal water companies, rail services etc. Describe the extent to which an organisation meets the objectives of different. The main organisational objective of for-profit organisation is to make more profit. Aims and objectives establish where the business would like to be in the future, helping to control their plans, motivate staff and give everyone sense of direction. Any decision made within the organisation should be in line with their aims and objectives. The objectives are influence by various stakeholders, as well as the nature of the business. Different stakeholder groups will have different objectives to satisfy their interests. Objectives can be: corporate which affect the whole business, departmental objectives that are for a certain area of business and individual objectives are used in performance appraisal for employees. Employees- wage levels; working conditions; job security; personal development Managers- job security; status; personal power; organisational profitability; growth of the organisation Shareholders- market value of investment; dividends; security of investment; liquidity of investment Creditors- security of loan; interest of loan; liquidity of investment Suppliers- security of contract; regular payment; growth of organisation; market development Society- safe products; environmental sensitivity; equal opportunities; avoidance of discrimination Explain the responsibilities of an organisation and strategies employed to meet them. Every company, business, department has a duty and remit to provide a service. An organisation must operate within the boundaries of the law. Reputation and trust are everything, and a consumer cant have trust or faith in your ability to deliver if you cant prove and guarantee youre legitimacy. An organisation must also have strict financial control. Recruitment is vitally important. Organisations need reliable workers who have enthusiasm, but also intelligence; workers that are able to be creative but also to take advice and critique from management. Also organisations are responsible for health and safety of their employees. They need to provide safe working environment and equipment. Explain how economic systems attempt to allocate resources effectively. There are three kinds of economic system which are basically adopted by the different countries. They are: free market, centrally planned, mixed market. Free market economic system: The intervention of government is kept at a minimum level or neglected in free market system and all the economics resources comes under the private sectors as well market. Price mechanism will determine how much of goods or services will be supplied according to the market demands. Most decisions are based on market mechanism. The supply, demand and ability play the vital role in market decision making. As per looking at the free market system it raises the various unsolved questions like who will produce the goods and services and infrastructures for the country to meet the needs of every public. For example UK. Centrally planned economy system: Centrally planned economic system refers that government allocates the economic resources; government makes all the planning regarding the economical activities. Private sectors are kept far away in involvement of any economical accumulation. These kinds of economics were found in the Asian, central Europe, Eastern Europe and Latin American nations but now these are found in Cuba, Iraq, Iran, North Korea etc. In these systems basically unemployment problems will not be faced since government plan all the economical activities and resources will be allocated based needs of its people and different industries inputs. Mixed economy system: This system is a mixture of all other systems. The system where both capitalism and socialism economic system are included it is known as mixed economic system. Mixed economic system splits the available economic resources available in the country to both private sectors and government. Private sectors are encouraged to get involved and participate in utilizing the resources which helps to gain economic profit for whole nation. Countries like USA, UK, Russia and China to countries like Cambodia, Peru and Vietnam has adopted this economic system. When one fails to meets the public desire other can get it and helps to maintain the economic balance not only in the particular country but also the whole nation. Assess the impact of fiscal and monetary policy on business organisations and their activities. Fiscal policy decisions have a widespread effect on the everyday decisions and behaviour of individual households and businesses. Basically fiscal policy means how government taxes us and how it spends the money. Increased taxation makes the price of goods and services more expensive, reducing demand for them and reducing employment. Lower taxes mean more disposable income for consumers and more cash for businesses to invest in jobs and equipment. Stimulus-spending programs, which are short term in nature and often involve infrastructure projects, can also help drive business demand by creating short term jobs. Increasing income or consumption taxes usually mean less disposable income, which, over time, can decelerate business activity. Monetary policy impact changes in short term interest rates influence long term interest rates, such as mortgage rates. Low interest rates mean lower interest expense for businesses and higher disposable income for consumers. This combination means higher business profits. Lower mortgage rates may spur more home buying activity, which is usually good for the construction industry. Lower rates also mean more refinancing of existing mortgages, which may also enable consumers to consider other purchases. High interest rates can have the opposite impact for businesses: higher interest expenses, lower sales and lower profits. Interest-rate changes can affect stock prices, which can impact consumer spending. Evaluate the impact of competition policy and other regulatory mechanisms on the activities of a selected organisation. Apple Inc. Apple Inc was founded on April 1, 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne in U.S. California. They had produced and selling computers. Company was growing up very quick, because they were kind of pioneers in that industry. Apple Computer was predominantly a manufacturer of personal computers. Apple core product lines are: Macintosh computer line, iPod music player, iPhone and iPad. The company now is also known for its iOS product range that began with iPhone, iPod and iPad. They also have iTunes- online music store. Now Apple is the largest technology company in the world its stock market value is $500 billion. Revenue of 2011 was $127.8 billion in sales. Recently, European Commission accused Apple Inc. of violating European Competition rules in music industry. Apple Inc. uses iTunes to sell particular songs. iTunes services prevent its users in one Member State of the European Union to buy songs from another iTunes webpage, which is located in another Member State. E.g. if consumer lives in the Czech Republic and he wants to buy the particular song from Slovakian iTunes webpage, he is not allowed to do so. That means that the price of the song shall be charged according to the place where the consumer lives (cost of songs varies between the Member States). European Commission sent to the Apple Inc. so called statement of objections which accused the Apple Inc. of unfair agreements with record labels of containing territorial sales restrictions, which violates European Union competition rules. The Apple Inc. tried to defend itself that this policy was as the outcome of the demands of the music record industry. Moreover the music which is bought from iTunes obligate to use only the Apple iPod music player, because other portable music players, does not support songs bought from iTunes. iPod users in the United Kingdom have to pay more cash for the song if they want to buy it from the iTunes online store in the United Kingdom than other users in the Continental Europe. European Commission was investigating this issue and threatened Apple Inc. with the fine of GBP 330.000.000. Explain how market structures determine the pricing and output decisions of businesses. Market structure is number of firms producing identical product homogenous. Monopolistic competition where there is a large number of firms, each having a small proportion of the market share and slightly differentiated products. They take the prices of other competitors as given and ignore the impact of its own prices of other firms. The number of firms and output determines supply and demand. For example: Coke and Pepsi; toothpaste; shaving foams like Gillette and Dove. Oligopoly is when a small number of firms control the market. Then usually prices of products or services are high. Industries which are examples of oligopolies include: Steel industry, aluminium, film, television, cell phone, gas, electricity. Duopoly is a special case of an oligopoly where two companies compete in a market. Monopsony when there is one buyer faces with many sellers. Oligopsony, a market where many sellers can be present but meet only a few buyers. Monopoly, where there is only one provider of a product or service. For example it was Microsoft Company in U.S. Natural monopoly is when firm is a natural monopoly if it is able to serve the entire market demand at a lower cost than any combination of two or more smaller, more specialized firms. Perfect competition a theoretical market structure that features no barriers to entry, an unlimited number of producers and consumers, and a perfectly elastic demand curve. Illustrate the way in which market forces shape organisational responses using a range of examples. Supply and demand are the forces that make market economies work. They determine the quantity of each good produced and the price at which it is sold. A market is a group of buyers and sellers of a particular good or service. The buyers as a group determine the demand for the product, and the sellers as a group determine the supply of the product. For example, if oil prices rises then price of delivery services rise and the price of the goods as well. When summer is end and tourist season is finished then prices of hotel rooms goes down. If grape harvest is bad one year then prices of wine will be higher in next year. Judge how the business and cultural environments shape the behaviour of a selected company. Apple Inc. The approach they working with and the secret of success, is based on simple, creative design and ease of using technology on daily bases. The success of Apple is embedded in Steve Jobs strength-based approach to company strategy. The pillars of Steve Jobs strategy are built upon a core of capabilities, the seizing of opportunities, and an organizational culture that enables the attainment of Apples goals. Steve Jobs was one of the companys master minds who had absolutely genial ideas, and he realized those ideas to change people lives. Before iPhone was released and smart phones come to our lives, the mobile phones became more complicated and difficult to use them. When the Apple released iPhone, it changes mobile phone market for ever. It was sensation, because it was absolutely different and completely new technology with touch screen and without many buttons as usually. Now the iPhone is part of many people lives and also fashion. iPhone becoming more popular in the world and the Apple now is 3rd larger mobile phone company in the world. Discuss the significance of international trade to UK business organisations. Some of the key commodities in which the UK trades are manufactured goods, beverages, fuels and chemicals. According to a World Trade Organization (WTO) report published in 2008, the UK has retained its position as the worlds largest commercial services exporter. Moreover, with the UK recording a profit of $263 billion in the commercial services sector, the country continues to be the worlds second largest provider of these services. UK trade consists of the movement of goods and services within the European Union, of which it is a member, and to non-EU countries. International trade in the UK is assisted by UK Trade Investment (UKTI). This government organization focuses on enhancing the competitiveness of UK companies through overseas trade and investments. It also aims at continuing to attract high-quality foreign direct investment (FDI). In order to attract foreign businesses and foreign investment, the British government has adopted a variety of programs. For instance, the Parliament allows local and regional governments to establish enterprise zones. In these zones, companies receive exemptions from property taxes and reimbursement for costs involved in the construction of new factories or business locations. There are also programs that provide incentives for companies to locate in economically depressed urban areas that are known as Assisted Areas. In 1998, the total value of these programs was US$315 million. There are 7 free trade zones in the United Kingdom (Birmingham, Humberside, Liverpool, Prestwick, Sheerness, Southampton, and Tilbury). These zones allow goods to be stored for shipment without tariffs or import duties. Analyse the impact of global factors on UK business organizations. International trade and the UK economy: UK businesses will see international trade growth accelerate from 2014 as the global economy ends a period of growth contraction, according to HSBC. There are fundamental changes taking place in world trade, UK exports to China and to India grew by 21% and 37% respectively in 2011 and HSBC estimates that it processed around one third of these by value. Market opportunities: Evaluating markets and future trends can be a major challenge for any business. New market opportunities spring from a range of possible sources and vary in their size, importance, and risk. New demographic or vertical industry segments New geographic regions Alternate offerings of service models, supplies, and other annuities World Trade Organisation (WTO) is the only international agency overseeing the rules of international trade. It polices free trade agreements, settles trade disputes between governments and organises trade negotiations. 4.3 Evaluate the impact of policies of the European Union on UK business organisations. The United Kingdom is a member of the European Union but isnt part of the single currency, the Euro. Free trade The EU is a trade bloc which means there are no quotas or tariffs for companies exporting goods and services within the EU. European legislation is meant to make it easier for UK businesses to trade across the EUs 27 states. The internal market the single market means UK citizens are free to move, live, study and trade anywhere within the EU.

Jarok As A Traitor :: Star Trek Defector Essays Papers

Jarok As A Traitor Betrayer. Renegade. Mutineer. Defector. No matter how you say it, it all means the same thing: a traitor. I believe that Admiral Jarok from the episode "The Defector" from the third season of Star Trek the Next Generation is indeed a traitor. He betrayed his country and his family, disclosed secret information, and I intend to prove that he fits the definition of a traitor. The definition of a traitor according to Webster's New World Dictionary from 1994 is: a person who betrays his or her country, cause, or friends (1418). This definition is pretty vague, so to understand the concept of a traitor one must know the definition of betray. To betray is: to help the enemy of one's country or cause; to break faith with; fail to meet the hopes of; to disclose secret information or confidential plans (133). In the following paragraphs, I will analyze this definition and show how Admiral Jarok is a traitor. Jarok is a traitor in the political sense, regardless of his motives (to stop a war). By political I mean having to do with the Romulan government or empire. To betray one's country is to be a traitor, and Jarok betrayed the Romulan government by giving away top secret information. According to the storyline of Star Trek the Next Generation, the Romulans and the Federation are enemies. Picard and his crew are members of the Federation, and Jarok is a Romulan; therefore, Jarok and Picard are enemies. Jarok claims that he has discovered a plot for a new Romulan offensive, and he wants to help the Federation stop a possible war. By coming to the Federation to help them, he betrays the Romulans and is a traitor by "helping the enemy of one's country or cause." Jarok elaborates by telling Picard that the Romulans are building a base on Nelvana III, a planet in the Neutral Zone, and there are 21 Warbirds in orbit around her, just waiting to make a first strike. (Lynch 1995) Jarok announces that the Romulans will shortly launch a major offensive against the Federation. (Kernick 1993) At first he wouldn't give Picard the coordinates of the base, but Picard demanded proof. Jarok, beaten, gives all the information he can, including the location of the Romulan fleet and information about cloaking technology. (Tong 1994) Jarok betrays the Romulans by disclosing secret information or confidential plans. Jarok also breaks the faith with and fails to meet the hopes of the Romulans.

The Meaning of Family Photographs

The Meaning of Family Photographs By Charles Williams |[pic] | |Vanek family members dance. | The family is on vacation. A father takes out his point-and-shootcamera, poses his wife and kids and takes a quick snapshot. Eventually, the photograph is filed away in the family photo album. Ameaningless activity? Maybe not. Everyday, thousands of familyphotographs are taken with little regard for the meaning of therecorded image. Much attention has been paid to scholars' views ofdomestic life.However, relatively little attention has been paid tocultural productions, such as photo albums, that have been generatedby families themselves (Trend, 1992). By neglecting discussion onthis subject, scholars indicate that the home is not a place ofserious academic work (Trend, 1992). But researchers increasingly arestudying the meaning behind the photographs. April Saul won firstplace in the Feature Picture Story category at the 1992 Pictures ofthe Year competition for her portrayal of the American family. Shebelieved that family struggles were an important topic of journalism. I hope what it [winning] means is that the everyday struggles of anAmerican family are as valid in their own way as the struggles goingon in Azerbajian or Sarajevo — and that the private wars next doorcan be as compelling as the bloody, public ones thousands of milesaway. † Family photographs can be considered cultural artifacts becausethey document the events that shape families' lives. Thus, therecording of family history becomes an important endeavor. In manycases, photographs are the only biographical material people leavebehind after they die (Boerdam, Martinius, 1980).But, the impact offamily photo albums extends beyond merely recording history. Interpretation of family structures, relationships and self ispossible through viewing family photographs. The Meaning of family photographs Interpretation of meaning behind photographs assumes that they are ameans of communication (Entin, 19 79). Family photographs can tell astory. One photograph can be a mini-slice of an occurrence, but theaccumulation of pictures begins to reveal threads of consistent themesand patterns. For all practical purposes, they become an informalphoto essay.Much like family storytelling, photographs indicaterelationships within and among the family. Indeed, the family photoalbum is an easy way to initiate outsiders to family history (Boerdam,Martinius, 1980). Photographs provide an easy topic of conversationallowing potential family members, such as boyfriends or girlfriends,to be initiated into family structures and tradition. A key principleto consider when interpreting photographs is that they are produced bychoice. Choices about who, what, when and where to photograph can sayas much about the photographer as the subject.The camera does notsimply record an event but also records what the photographer choosesto see. Photographs are a statement about one's perception of theworld. They are a reflection and definition of self. If that personhas a happy family, then others may perceive him to be a good husbandor wife. Parents' innocent snapshots are important in constructingtheir sense of identity (Merz, 1988). Traditionally, photographs havebeen taken from a male perspective. The father is most often absentfrom family photographs because he is the one who usually commandsauthority, poses the family and takes the picture (Trend, 1992).The family photographer isn't the only one who has authority to shape thefamily image. Other people may edit the photos. Some photographs areselected for presentation in an album while others are rejected. Control of the editorial process can be as important as control overproduction of the photographs. Decisions regarding what to keep,throw away and display can provide valuable information about theperson assembling the album. History of Family Portraiture Portraits of family members originally were produced by earlypainters.Prior to the Tw entieth century, family portraits were astatement of power and profession. Paintings were expensive and timeconsuming to produce, thereby limiting subject matter to heads ofstate, military leaders, royalty or other members of the ruling class. When the daguerreotype was prominent (1840-1860), early inventors andphotographers were well respected and belonged to the social elite. When the process was cheaper, people began going to photographicstudios, usually during special occasions such as weddings where aserious, dignified atmosphere was observed.The well-respected natureof photography, elegant studio furnishings and the knowledge that apermanent image was being created, caused the atmosphere to be tenseand the portraits to appear rigid (Boerdam, Martinius, 1980). Becausefilm speeds were relatively slow, long exposures were necessary whichrequired subjects to remain stationary for long periods of time. However, in the later half of the Nineteenth century, impressionistpainters such as Vincent Van Gogh changed the manner in which manypeople constructed family portraits.His paintings were of commonpeople in common situations causing a shift from formal to informalportraiture (Halle, 1991). Similar changes began to occur in thephotographic medium during the early Twentieth century. Streetphotographers began operating around family tourist attractions. Atthe time, few people owned a camera so it wasn't unusual to have thefamily's picture taken at the beach by such photographers. As aresult, the clothing and poses became more relaxed and informal andthe backgrounds became more significant. These types of photos wereforerunners to the casual present-day family photograph.By the 1920sand 1930s, photo albums included both formal studio portraiture andcarefree vacation shots (Boerdam, Martinius, 1980). Advances intechnology increased the ability of the average person to produceinformal vacation pictures. George Eastman had introduced the firstKodak camera in 1885. â⠂¬Å"You press the button, we do the rest,† was thecompany's motto. Improvements continued, including introduction ofthe 35mm Leica in 1924 as well as technical advances such as smallercameras, faster films and flash. The scope of possible shootinglocations was increased with the invention of the flash.Indoorphotography, where much of personal life is conducted, fell within therealm of the amateur photographer. Technical capabilities beganproviding intimate access to the home. Changes in technologyparalleled changes in behavior. As more people owned cameras andbecame familiar with their workings, the photographic process becameless intimidating, and the proliferation of the equipment beganchanging the content of the photographs (Boerdam, Martinius, 1980). In addition, people simply became accustomed to being photographed. This in turn produced more casual situations, hence more causalsubjects.In early photographs, the subjects were often posed, muchlike they had been for painte rs. The beach photographers offered amore relaxed style, but they too had the subjects stare straight intothe camera. A new kind of snapshot eventually would emerge that nowdominates photo albums. It shows a group of people engaged in someongoing activity, not necessarily looking at the camera. A downsidedoes exist to the proliferation of simple cameras. When they becameinexpensive and easy to use, they flourished in American society. However, trade-offs were inevitable.The lack of need for technicalexpertise was counterbalanced by a lack of creative control. Point-and-shoot cameras are equipped with fixed-focus lenses andpre-set apertures ensuring that medium range shots are the norm(Trend, 1992). Photography has become easier and thus more popular. Everyone has the potential to take good family photographs especiallysince the introduction of color-negative film which allows moreexposure latitude. The subsequent rise in the number of photos takenconfirms this fact. In the Netherlan ds in 1960, the number of colorphotographs taken was 600,000.In 1974, it was 103 million (Boerdam,Martinius, 1980). The easier-to-use cameras likely have acceleratedthe use of cameras by women to photograph their children. So eventhough the number of formal, solemn occasions is decreasing, thenumber of photographs is drastically increasing. Photographicrepresentation was possible as early as 1840. Yet society wasunprepared for such a revelation. An unplanned social processdeveloped that established which aspects of community life it wasappropriate to photograph (Boerdam, Martinius, 1980). As a result,communities established norms that continue to have an effect onsubject matter.Relationships between family members and amongrelatives are less formal and less controlled by religious and otherinstitutions outside of the family than in previous generations. Theinfluence of the church has diminished in some communities; therefore,ceremonies such as baptisms are less essential sources of familyrecord keeping. (Boerdam, Martinius, 1980). Although most occasionscan be photographed from a technical standpoint, social and ethicallimitations on subject matter remain. Arguments, fights, sickness,death and sex are rarely documented photographically. This hasn'talways been the case.Dead children were photographed during thenineteenth century, sometimes lying in a cradle and sometimes beingheld in their mother's arms. In Austria, so many people went to photostudios with dead children that a public health threat was declaredand the government prohibited the practice (Boerdam, Martinius, 1980). Very few of these photographs exist today. It is likely that as theywere passed down in subsequent generations, and viewed as being inpoor taste and destroyed. Some researchers even believe that sexphotographs are becoming less taboo (Boerdam, Martinius, 1980).Inany case, family albums are rarely a true and accurate depiction ofthe family. Objectivity always remains questionable. The id ealized nuclear family – Say â€Å"cheese† â€Å"It's only smiles that count in photographs,† states Laurie Taylor inher humorous view of the family photo album. She wonders if the blankstares in a photograph are a testament to the blissful beginning of anaffair, or evidence of its traumatic final days? Photographs offamily members often are constructed with a skewed concept of reality. They usually depict an idealized nuclear family, meaning a husband,wife and children, enjoying pleasurable moments.In her book â€Å"FamilySnaps: The Meanings of Domestic Photography,† Patricia Holland says†The compulsive smiles in the snapshots of today insist on theexclusive claim of the family group to provide satisfying and enduringrelationships, just as the calm dignity of earlier pictures emphasizedthe formality of family ties. † The obsession with depicting thefamily as a united, happy entity is clear. In a study conducted byHalle, no head of the househo ld's divorced spouse appeared in any ofthe pictures, and very few photographs depicted people as unhappy orlonely. The message is loud and clear.Heterosexual marriage andchildren produce a fun and satisfying life. By far, most of thephotos showed the family at leisure, especially on overseas vacations. Formal pictures including those of people in business suits, militaryuniforms or wedding attire did exist, but only accounted for thirtypercent or less of the displayed photographs (Merz, 1988). Likewise,occasions in which a nuclear family would participate are depicted asfun. During the early 1960s, French sociologist Pierre Bourdieupublished a series of photographic essays that he titled Un art moyen.Bourdieu wondered why so many people wanted cameras and why thepractice of photography was so widespread. He believed it was morethan just a natural occurrence. Bourdieu concluded that similaritiesexist within family photographs. In a French market survey heconducted from 1962 to 1963, he concluded that more than two-thirds ofthe amateur photographers he interviewed take their photographs almostexclusively at predictable moments. They photographed particularlyat ceremonies, meetings and holidays (Boerdam, Martinius, 1980). Seldom are the photos a complete and accurate depiction of reality.Family image, not family history is depicted in the photographs thatare displayed. Major events that strongly influence peoples' livesare completely ignored. One of the most obvious situations that ismissing from the family album is work or anything to do with work(Merz, 1988). This is tragic because labor-related relationships andachievements form a substantial part of peoples' lives. Alsoconspicuously missing are photographs of dead children. Death andwork seem to be taboo subjects in most photo albums. Displaying photographs in the homeCelebration rituals such as weddings or Christenings are recorded;divorces and funerals are not (Merz, 1988). Even within theserituals, the emp hasis remains on the family. A study found thatalmost all the photographs displayed in households were of familymembers (Halle, 1991). Very few photos of friends, colleagues andstrangers were present. Friends were seen in wedding photos, but theevent depicts the joyous creation of a nuclear family. The number offamily photographs that are displayed in households is surprising. Inone study, almost all households were found to display photographs(Halle, 1991).As expected, the number of photos in a household wasgreater if the occupant had children or grandchildren. Although thiswasn't surprising, other factors such as gender were found to have aninfluence on decoration of the home. It was unusual that fewerphotographs were found in homes where the head of the household was amale who held an artistic job such as photographer, architect or filmmaker than for women in similar occupations. The discrepancy may haveresulted because women were more interested in the social aspects ofthe photo graph as opposed to the aesthetic aspects (Halle, 1991).Physical groupings also are important. Most family photographs aredisplayed in clusters. In one study, eighty-nine percent of familyphotographs were displayed in groups of four or more (Halle, 1991). Pictures are huddled together even if the people in them are not. People are very seldom presented alone. It is very rare to find aphoto of one person displayed by itself, especially when that personis an adult resident of the house. This occurred in less than onehalf of one percent of the households that were tested (Halle, 1991).Children are often depicted alone, but they are too young to beexpected to maintain meaningful relationships. Those that aremeaningful are subject to transition. Today's high divorce rate castsa shadow over the nuclear family. Thus, the method of displayingphotographs may signify the instability of modern-day relationships. Most pictures are likely to stand free on tables, dressers, mantles orother flat s urfaces as opposed to walls. Only about a third of familyphotographs hang on walls. Photos that are not hung on walls are moreeasily interchanged and regrouped. Social StructureFundamental changes to American society and the family structure maybe hampering the production of ancestral photography (Halle, 1991). The ties that once bound children to their parents are no longerpresent. Nursing homes, social security and pension plans haverelieved the youth from supporting their parents. Older people havebeen moving south to retirement communities, sometimes away from theirfamilies, so they can enjoy the warm weather. The manner in whichchildren relate to their parents has changed over the past fiftyyears, and the changing relationships may be reflected though thedisplay of photographs.Between 42 and 62 percent of households in onestudy displayed pictures of at least one parent. (Halle, 1991). Thenumbers quickly decreased as further generations were explored. Aboutten percent of househo lds displayed a picture of at least onegrandparent, and about three percent displayed a picture of greatgrandparents. Of course, it is possible that the families may haveowned pictures but simply did not display them. Social class appearsto be a factor in the display of photographs. Differences wereobserved between albums produced by middle-class families and familiesof lower income or working classes.People with middle-classlifestyles had higher proportions of photographs of mutual friends andfriends of their children than working-class families (Gardner, 1991). Presumably due to increased social ties associated with more socialprominence. Working-class family albums included more pictures of thehusband's friends than the wife's. Segregated friendship patterns arecommonly found among working-class couples where the male is in chargeof the household (Gardner, 1991). Working-class families' albums wereless kin oriented, but they see each other more often causinginteraction to become more routine.As an event becomes common, it isless likely to be photographed. In addition to social classdifferences, cultural differences may be a factor in the display ofphotographs. Only one in 105 households that were included in asample displayed a school photograph of a child together withclassmates (Halle, 1991). The home was occupied by a Japanese couple. Japanese society tends to be more collective than American society. Role Behavior An examination of photo albums was made to determine if differencesoccurred in the portrayal of people as they assumed the role ofparents (Titus, 1976).Repetitive patterns in the parenting role canbe observed through photographs including feeding, holding the childand interactions with relatives. Albums were examined to determine ifthe photographs of parents after they had their first child weredifferent than those after they had subsequent children. It wasassumed that parents would become accustomed to many of the rolechanges, and the subsequ ent photographs would reflect these changes. Photographs of mothers caring for their first child were far moreprevalent than with subsequent children (Titus, 1976).The same wastrue of fathers. The number of solo portraits also decreased afterthe first child although this may not constitute a difference inaffection toward the first born, but simply an accustomization to newroles (Titus, 1976). Both the parents and the newborn child mustlearn new behavior. Parents may not have to re-learn their behaviorwith subsequent children. Even though one spouse may be more inclinedto take photographs, both spouses were significantly represented inparenting photographs (Titus, 1976).However, most photographs werepredominately of pleasant tasks such as holding and feeding. While itmay have been necessary to hold children in order to present them tothe camera, this wouldn't have been the case when feeding. Picturesof parents feeding children were far more likely to occur with thefirst child. Very f ew photos of unpleasant tasks such as diaperingand bathing were included in the albums. Therapeutic uses of family photographs Photographs can prove to be an invaluable source of information whenresolving personal problems.Photographs are not subject to memoryrecollection, and a person's portrayal of events can be quitedifferent from what appears in the photographs (Kaslow, 1979). Theinformation is intimate because family photographs are collected fromthe inside compared with journalistic institutions, which usuallyoperate as outsiders (Titus, 1976). Photo albums and home moviesprovide the richest sources of memories about the family (Entin,1979). They offer an intimate look at personal relationships. Psychologists recently have begun using this display of intimacy tohelp resolve family conflicts.Photographs have the power to conjureup memories, sometimes painful, of bygone years. However, the reasonthat many people take photographs is to preserve happy memories. Whena relationship sours, the photographs that intentionally focus onhappy moments merely exacerbate the situation. It becomes painful toview all the â€Å"good times† without reference to the bad. Familyphotographs now are being used as a means of therapy to discuss thesechanges in lifestyles. The technique, often referred to asphototherapy, is effective because people from all socioeconomicgroups possess photos that can be discussed.A review of familyphotographs can often prompt people to talk about family stories,goals, events and history. Not only does phototherapy help peopledeal with issues of the past, but it also helps renew relationships inthe present (Entin, 1979). The mere presentation of photographs canreveal much about the organization, chaos or fragmentation of aperson's life. If people's photo albums are disorganized andpartially complete, so too may be the case with their lives. Bygathering significant photos, patients often realize that pieces oftheir scrapbook are missing, pro mpting long overdue visits home.Sometherapists are using family photo reconnaissance as a means of dealingwith sexual problems (Kaslow, 1979). Desires toward spouses can beinhibited if deaths of parents, children or loved ones are not fullymourned. Kaslow has found that couples with sexual problems oftenhave a resurgence in desire after reviewing their wedding album. Problems such as female frigidity are sometimes traced back to earlyphotographs of women patients. Many times they appear â€Å"sparklingclean, perfectly groomed and standing prim and proper† (Kaslow, 1979).The way people feel about their bodies can be witnessed inphotographs. Baggy clothes could indicate a puritanical attitude orshame of the body leading to frigidity, impotence or infrequent sexualdesire (Kaslow, 1979). Body positioning such as slumping may indicatedepression just as an upright position could indicate confidence. Thesize and prominence of family members' portraits can indicateattitudes, such as favoritism, toward those portrayed (Entin, 1979). Presentation in inappropriate locations such as the bedroom may evencause sexual inhibition.The storytelling nature of albums allowpsychologists to study patterns of photography to determine if changesin attitudes may be occurring. If a second child is photographedsignificantly more than the firstborn, psychologists may question thefamilies' expectations concerning sex or attractiveness of the firstborn and whether problems such as illegitimacy, handicap ordisfigurement may play a role (Entin, 1979). In her book â€Å"WaucomaTwilight: Generations of the Farm,† Dona Schwartz describes the mannerin which her photographs provided a context during her interviews.The photographs showed details of everyday life and the context inwhich events occurred in the community. The insight gained throughher own fieldwork and subjects' responses to pictures was morevaluable than the actual content of the photographs (Schwartz, 1992). She compa red her interview process with Christopher Musello'sdescription of â€Å"family viewing contexts. † Musello believes familydiscussion of photographs establishes a â€Å"verbal context delineatingwhat should be attended to and what significances are located in theimage,† (Musello, 1980).Conclusions By viewing family photographs, much can be discovered about familystructures, relationships, and the self. Family photographs primarilyserve to remind people of good times with loved ones. This isapparent as the image of the nuclear family is constantly repeated inthe photo albums of most families. Much research remains to be done inthe study of family photographs. Even though American society isobsessed with presenting the image of a happy nuclear family, moreresearch should be conducted on the portrayal of alternativelifestyles.Gay and lesbian couples, alternative families and singleparents need to have their family photographs analyzed to determine ifdiffering lifestyles s ignificantly affect photo content. Also, photocontent produced during transitions in relationships such as divorces,separations and sibling rivalries needs to be studied. Additionally,content analysis of both American and foreign albums needs to beconducted to determine the degree to which cultural differences affectcontent. And finally, additional studies on the factors that affectediting decisions need to be conducted.The literature review producedmuch information on the benefits of photographic analysis topsychologists. However, there was little information on the manner inwhich other professionals, such as journalists, could use theinterpretive meaning of photographs. Historical documents, such asfamily photographs, can provide essential background information aswell as indicate important people and relationships within a story. Through my research component, I intend to discover the manner inwhich journalists use historical documents to provide story context. Because online new spapers ave the capability to provide greatercontext due to the potential inclusion of sound and video, I also planto investigate the way emerging technologies might affect presentationof contextual information. [pic] References Boerdam, Jaap and Warna Oosterbaan Martinius. (Oct, 1980). â€Å"Family Photographs – A Sociological Approach,† The Netherlands Journal of Sociology, v16, n2, pp. 95-119. Gardner, Saundra. (May, 1991). â€Å"Exploring the Family Album: Social Class Differences in Images of Family Life,† Sociological Inquiry, v61, n2, pp. 242-251. Halle, David. Summer, 1991). â€Å"Displaying the Dream: The Visual Presentation of Family and Self in the Modern American Household,† Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 22: pp. 217-229. Kaslow, Florence. (Summer, 1979). â€Å"What Personal Photos Reveal About Marital Sex Conflicts,† Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 5: pp. 134-141. Merz, Caroline. (August, 1988). â€Å"Smile, please,† New Statesman & Society, v1, n10, p. 42. Musello, Christopher. (1980). â€Å"Studying the Home Mode: An exploration of Family Photography and Visual Communication,† Studies in Visual Communication, v6, n1, pp. 3-42. Saul, April. (August, 1992). â€Å"Compelling stories of ‘private wars next door',† News Photographer, p. 45. Schwartz, Dona. (1992). â€Å"Waucoma Twilight: Generations of the Farm,† Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press. Taylor, Laurie. (August, 1993). â€Å"Camera Obscura,† New Statesman & Society, v6:p. 21. Titus, Sandra L. (August, 1976). â€Å"Family Photographs and Transition to Parenthood,† Journal of Marriage and the Family, 38: 525-530. Trend, David. (Feb, 1992). â€Å"Look who's talking: Narratives of Family Representations,† Afterimage, v19, n7, p. 8.

Principles of Marketing †Shoes Essay

For most women shoes are probably the most important part of the whole outfit. The shoes you wear can increase your confidence or destroy it, and you can never have enough. Companies capitalize on this idea by mostly targeting women when they are marketing their shoe products. The market for fashion forward men is growing rapidly, thus more stores are providing a lot more variety of men’s shoes as well. The shoe market is divided into three major product categories athletic shoes, casual and dress shoes, and then â€Å"boom-or-bust† novelty designs. The shoe industry is one of the more â€Å"mature† industries, meaning that it has passed the emerging and growth stages and the sales are slower and more constant. The average woman owns 17 pairs of shoes. Women make up 25% out of the 40% casual/dress shoes segment, while the remaining 15% of it belongs to men. In order for a company, to retain its old customers and attract new customers, they must continually offer better and bolder shoes. The taste of shoe buyers changes often, and so the retailers must improve their shoes. The improvements in an athletic shoe would focus on comfort and performance enhancement. The dress and casual shoes would rely on the fashion-forwardness and the superior products and novelty designs focus on improving profitability. The whole shoe industry has to be able to adapt to change and with the electronic era here. The biggest change the industry probably has to make is moving to an e-business adjusting a company’s sales to stay the same and even increase, while keeping up with the technology and trends at the same time. That could mean expanding internet sales and closing down low performing stores or just marketing their online segments harder. The Designer Shoe Warehouse, more formally known as DSW, opened in 1969 and over the years has become a â€Å"leading branded footwear and accessories retailer†. DSW offers a wide range of brand name shoes and sneakers for men women kids as well accessories. Their strengths rely in the distinctive and convenient store layout as well as the prices offered to customers. Some shoes at DSW are offered at lower prices than in other stores. DSW is a warehouse with rows upon rows of shoes. The possibilities seem endless. They carry lots of different brands and styles so everyone can find something that they like. The company has 364 stores in 41 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, as well as 346 leased departments for other retailers in the US. Not only does DSW have a whole bunch of traditional brick and mortar store locations, there are two websites. There is a product site where you can purchase shoes and accessories, and there is an investor relations site where you can find information about the company, press releases, SEC filings, and stock information since it is a publicly traded company. DSW became public in 2005. One effort in retaining customers would be their rewards system. To become a member is free of charge and you receive reward certificates after every 1,500 points earned. There are special deals and offers that are available to members only, such as, double-point shopping days twice a year, birthday certificates, and tracking purchases. And if you want to, you could upgrade your membership to the Premier Rewards status; for a small price. But, the Premier Reward members get all the perks, such as free next day shipping, triple-point days twice a year and access to events and offers that are just exclusively for them. The product website has an easy layout for customers divided into categories and sub categories. When a customer is in the process of looking for a shoe to purchase there are many great features included to help along the way. Such as full product detail that includes a colorful description of the shoe, the materials the shoe is made out of, and the dimensions. The customer can see ratings other people give the shoe such as duration, width, and comfort. There are also indications on the site that are more specific to feet preferences. Options such as choosing whether you want the shoe to come in a wide or narrow, the different colors and sizes available are given to the customer as well as, compare prices to show you how much you can save on a particular shoe. These details help the customers find a shoe that is the best for them. ALDO is a private company that is deeply rooted in culture, tradition, and service to others. Their mission is to deliver Total Customer Service, and make people feel good through the products that they provide. Similar to DSW, ALDO sells shoes and accessories to men and women. ALDO stores are found all over the world in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and 60 other countries. ALDO’s success relies on its ability to be fashion forward and globally conscious. This company is big on giving back and the employees participate in community service events, fundraisers and causes. One big cause ALDO participates in is the fight against AIDS. They have been involved with the fight since 1985 but in 2005 the ALDO Group launched campaign called ALDO fights AIDS that has been spreading awareness and raising money for a cure by using talented and known celebrities and media genres to donate as well as promote it. Something that differentiates ALDO’s website is that they have a ‘Trends’ tab on their website that describes the looks, or styles they represent and has a gallery of pictures to show how they would dress while wearing the shoes. To make it easier for the customer, they have a section on the website that has the top pic ks for both men and women. When thinking about purchasing a pair of shoes from ALDO there are many helpful things such as videos to teach you about the style of the shoes, colors available, a full written description of the material of the outside of the shoe and what the soles made of and a size guide with US and European sizes since their shoes vary in the sizes offered. The website also provides recommendations on what else you may like according to their beliefs. ALDO offers free returns and fast delivery. There is a new age among us where shoe stores don’t have to actually have a building, but only a space online to sell and showcase shoes. Zappos is one of those stores. Zappos was founded in 1999 at the peak of the internet boom because the founder Nick Swinmurn was dissatisfied with the shoe market. No one retailer had everything that he was looking for. The vision for the company is to have the best service and best selection online and they are living the vision, and have been evolving with the market for the past 9 years. Zappos has been called the Amazon of shoes. Even though the company does not have traditional brick and mortar stores they do have a warehouse that houses all of the shoes that they make available for sale. Zappos is a family that is made up of different members that do different things. The first member is Zappos.com, Inc. which has the facilities, finance Treasury and Accounting departments, the Help Desk , Human Resources, etc. The next member of the family is Zappos CLT which takes calls, emails and chat live with customers. Zappos Development is responsible for content, creativity and marketing. Zappos Gift Cards sells gift cards. Zappos Insights provides insight into the company culture and mentors people on Zappos Family culture. Zappos IP is comprised of development and the Project Management Team. Zappos Merchandising develops relationships with the vendors and purchase the products on the site. Zappos Retail consists of clothing and apparel to help with retail therapy. And the last member of the family is 6pm.com, LLC, this site sells shoes, clothing, bags, and accessories at discount prices. The Zappos Family has ten core values that they live and abide by in order to grow strong and fulfill their goal to have the best service and best selection online. When on the Zappos website it is extremely easy to navigate through the pages. There are many categories and sub categories to choose from and the selections under them are endless. Zappos currently houses 1,140 different brands of shoes clothing and accessories with the goal and plan on increasing that number. They sell merchandise from Crooks and Castles which sells hip clothing to Giuseppe Zanotti which sells expensive high fashion shoes, heels, boots, and sandals. A newer, all internet company is Just Fabulous or JustFab.com. This company is led by, fashion icon and owner of Baby Phat, Kimora Lee Simmons. JustFab keeps its members and customers up-to-date with fashion trends and styles. This company is differentiated because when you first sign up for JustFab, you take a style quiz about the different styles and looks you like. And every month your own style experts pick out items that they think you will like, and adds them to your boutique. There is a VIP membership, where members pay $39.95 for everything on the site and receive free shipping and returns. There is no obligation to pay but each month you must browse your boutique by the 5th or else you will be charged the $39.95. It is very important for a company to differentiate itself from others. Differentiation is key to getting and retaining customers, whether the differentiation comes from customer service, brand style, membership perks, etc. The companies selected all have things that differentiate them from each other, most of them relying on their rewards programs and customer service. DSW and Zappos pride themselves on having a wide range and variety of shoes, accessories, and clothing. They both try to be a â€Å"one-stop-shop† getting all of your needs fulfilled in one place. I think the personalized stylist in the JustFab Company is a brilliant idea because it is a form of interactive marketing. They are increasing relationships between the customer and the company. The only critique of JustFab is in the variety and styles. Most of the shoes and clothes they sell look cheap and ugly, but that is the price to pay when you are only spending about $40.00 for a pair of shoes, when they can run from $60-$200 for a good pair, or even more. ALDO has a strong sense of community and the products are extremely stylish. The AIDS campaign is also a good sense of social responsibility that increases the goodwill of the company. Out of all the companies the best and most effective business model and presence would have to be Zappos’s. The Zappos Family established a set of goals in the beginning and have been working toward them ever since. They live, work, and thrive by their ten Zappos Family Core Values. They are constantly working on growing the company and offering more brands to sell. The prices are good because they give sales on different shoes periodically. One thing I would do to better the company would implement a â€Å"boutique† just like in JustFab because all the variety it can be a little overwhelming at times. Websites Used http://www.dsw.com/ http://investors.dswshoe.com/ http://www.aldoshoes.com/us/culture http://www.justfab.com/how-justfab-works.htm http://about.zappos.com/ http://www.statisticbrain.com/footwear-industry-statistics/ http://www.investopedia.com/terms/ http://articles.philly.com/2011-10-18/entertainment/30292867_1_shoes-foot-pain-women http://www.valueline.com/Stocks/Industry_Report.aspx?id=7259

The dinner table Essays

The dinner table Essays The dinner table Essay The dinner table Essay In this section I will analyse the conversation between Eddie, Marco and Rodolfo at the dinner table. To make it easy to understand I will break the section into 2 parts, the first part is  What does the conversation show us about each of the characters?  First of all I will talk about MARCO.  At the beginning of act 1 we are introduced to a person called Marco who appears shy at first but as the scene continues we start to see a different person. The word BLUSHING (stage direction) shows us that Marco is not very confident when talking to people and that he does not like to argue much. The quote YOU COME HOME EARLY, RODOLFO shows us that Marco is like a fatherly figure towards his brother Rodolfo, it also shows that he is very protective of his brother. The one thing that I noticed about Marco is that he is physically strong but not mentally and socially; basically he would fight someone rather than have an argument.  Secondly I will talk about RODOLFO  The way Arthur miller has described Rodolfo shows me that he is never serious he acts more like a child the quote LEMONS ARE GREEN shows this. Most characters in the story (apart from Eddie) like Rodolfo he is seen as a good person the quote NICE GUY proves this. Lastly I will talk about Eddie. Firstly he takes the lead as the main character and believes to himself he is the main man in the family an example is LAUGHING which shows how confident he is, he tries to cover up his anger towards Rodolfo but doesnt do a very good job as everyone can clearly see hes angry.  How is it a dramatically effective opening to the scene?  Firstly it follows on from the first scene which is left off as a cliff hanger making people think what will happen next, the last scene finishes with this quote PRAY FOR HIM AND SO I WAITED HERE This shows that there is a edge to this as there is a two way outcome and that even the characters in the story are unsure as to what will happen next so it keeps the audience on the edge of their seats and wanting more.  Section 6  Again I will break this section down.  How are the audience kept in suspense by Miller, what are they left thinking?  In this scene Eddie challenges Marco CAN YOU LIFT THIS CHAIR he says this, as he wants to see how strong Marco is physically. Marco shocks everyone by showing that he is not scared of Eddie by lifting a chair up by one hand the quote that shows this is HE TRANFORMS WHAT MIGHT APPEAR LIKE A GLARE OF WARNING INTO A SMILE OF TRIUMPH Marco is trying to prove to Eddie that being a man is not about boxing it is about strength. Another point in which Marco is trying to show Eddie is that he is the bigger man and that if he messes with Rodolfo he messes with him. This causes drama at the end of the scene because it starts to show conflict between the two. By now Eddie has realised that he cannot win against Marco as he is too strong for him this makes the audience anticipate when will Eddie strike at Rodolfo as he wont do it in front of Marco. Marco is seen as a shield that has to protect his little brother, he has warned Eddie on a number of occasions, this keeps everyone interested and makes them think, and again the scene ends as a cliff hanger.  Now things have changed, as Marco has become the main man.

McDonald's as the Part of the Modern Culture Assignment

McDonald's as the Part of the Modern Culture - Assignment Example The researcher states that globalization is a broader term, however; the word globalization has been discussed in this article from the perspective of open markets and free entry and exit in international markets. The term in this article, therefore, indicates the expansion of McDonald’s into international markets without facing any significant challenge. The growth and expansion of globalization have ensured that the American products reach to the world markets. This was after the cold war when America became the superpower of the world which allowed American organizations to get access to the international markets. Based on the overall quality of the American products, new products were successfully launched in the international markets with more success as compared to the domestic or other international companies. The products which are going through the same problem as McDonald’s include soft drinks as well as other food products. This may be due to the fact that th ese products lack the product variety and diversification. This decline may be due to a strong emphasis on individuality and change in the Western societies as existing products may fail to provide a new change to the customers. The overall strategic response to such situations may, therefore, include the product development wherein these organizations must focus on new product development and add more varieties to their existing product lines. The most difficult aspect of doing this kind of business is the fact that despite offering low-cost products, the lack of individualism or rather excess of standardization becomes a headache. Organizations often fail to recognize the limits of their existing policies and continue to operate such policies without considering the end result.

Diversity in the work place Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Diversity in the work place - Term Paper Example Definition of Terms The concept of diversity emitted from studying culture in organizations. Martires and Fule (2004) define culture as â€Å"the accumulated system of ideas, values, beliefs, customs, mores and traditions transferred from one generation to another that reflects and influences the pattern of living as well as lifestyle of a people in a given society† (Martires & Fule, 2004, 227). Accordingly, organizational culture is a set of symbols, myths, ceremonies that reflect the underlying values and beliefs of the organization or its work force. Organizations that begin to acknowledge the need to hire people from diverse cultural orientations support global operations included diversity in their corporate policies. In an article written by Greenberg (2006), diversity in the workplace is defined as â€Å"the variety of differences between people in an organization†¦Diversity encompasses race, gender, ethnic group, age, personality, cognitive style, tenure, organiz ational function, education, background and more† (par. 1). ... Advantages of a Diverse Workforce There are eminent benefits for organizations that support and manage a diverse workforce, to wit: (1) privilege of workers to learn from others of different culture orientations; (2) availability of diverse perspectives and approach in problem-solving; and (3) the creation of positive working environments conducive to honing of skills, abilities and competencies; among others. The study made by Kirby and Harter (2003) validated the effect of diversity in improving the financial performance of an organization. Further, Greenberg (2006) clearly stipulated that diversity has the capacity for â€Å"increased adaptability, broader service range, variety of viewpoints, and more effective execution†, among others. Challenges and Barriers of Supporting a Diverse Workforce Some organizations tend to focus more on the challenges and barriers in supporting diversity, precluding them from harnessing its benefits. From among the most pressing challenges ar e: (1) language or issues of communication; (2) resistance of employees to support diversity; (3) dilemmas on policy implementation; and (4) the difficulty and incompetence in managing diversity (Greenberg, 2006). In addition, Green, et.al (2009) recognized that there are additional barriers and challenges for organizations reflecting on implementing a diverse workforce: â€Å"negative attitudes and behaviors can be barriers to organizational diversity because they can harm working relationships and damage morale and work productivity (Esty, et al., 1995). Negative attitudes and behaviors in the workplace include prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination, which should