The Era of Online Shopping

Introduction In the last few years, the Internet has played a significant role in disseminating information in the United States and other parts of the world. The use of Internet nowadays is so rife that it has become the number one source of not just information, but also communication and many other purposes like social networking and gaming.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Era of Online Shopping specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More One of the greatest and most popular features that it particularly provides is online shopping, which is defined as the process whereby consumers purchaser goods directly a seller in real-time, without a brokering service. Actually, online shopping is a form of e-commerce. With the advent of the internet and introduction of security, online shopping has today reached unimaginable magnitudes. However, this form of trade has penetrated some areas more than others. Studies hav e also shown that demographics play a huge role in either promoting or stifling online shopping, for instance, areas with high literacy levels, income and occupation of the family head have been found to be more active in online shopping. Online shoppers generally use credit card to pay for their purchases, however, improvements in internet security has led to the creation of online money transfer websites such as Paypal. Other common payment options include debit cards, wire transfer, postal money order, gift cards, and so on. After a payment has been accepted, purchases can be delivered through the following steps: downloading, drop shipping, in-store pick-up, and shipping, among others. We chose this topic because many people have been shopping from the cyber world and online shopping is a controversial issue, which has been widely discussed. In this paper, we will be focusing on how and why online shopping has gained much fame and become a great phenomenon in the United States. Conclusion Online shopping was set up by the invention of Internet, computers ad technologies to accompany these systems. The world’s most popular online shopping sites: eBay and Amazon, were very influential in the growth of this commerce. Today, online shopping has become a great phenomenon thanks to the rapid development of internet security technologies and a similar pace in the penetration of the World Wide Web. The growth of online has been dramatic in the recent years due to several factors which include convenience as a shopper is bale to purchase goods at the comfort of his home, 24-hour availability, and the ability to compare prices of similar or related products all at one place.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Customers also access free product reviews and are able to make informed decisions before making a decision. And if a customer is not sati sfied with a specific product, he/she can easily choose another related product offered by the same online shop, or elsewhere based on these expert reviews, rather than depend on salesmen who are known to trick customers into buying their products. Online shopping also offers a number of benefits to sellers. First, it reduces their operational costs, saves them a lot of time which they can divert to other business demanding tasks, the online stores are available on 24-hour basis and this makes them more accessible than conventional stores. Finally, online stores can have a global market access through the internet. Despite these benefits of online shopping to both buyers and sellers, there are still some risks that need to be addressed so that the system can be adopted by more people. These include identity theft, untrustworthiness of the online sellers, and so on. Most of these risks are currently being addressed by online shops, security experts and authorities. In general, many p eople have turned and changed their mind to use online shopping rather than the typical shopping, therefore, online shopping has become a great phenomenon in the United States. With all the experiences, consumers are more able prevent and become more careful of the dangers that online shopping possesses. While online shopping is still a controversial issue, it is, after all, more of a boon than a bane. This research paper on The Era of Online Shopping was written and submitted by user Kylee Lucas 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. You can donate your paper here.

Negotiation has traditionally been based upon a competitive model, leaving collaborative strategies underutilised, mainly because most people do not understand the finer points of collaboration.” The WritePass Journal

Negotiation has traditionally been based upon a competitive model, leaving collaborative strategies underutilised, mainly because most people do not understand the finer points of collaboration.† Executive Summary Negotiation has traditionally been based upon a competitive model, leaving collaborative strategies underutilised, mainly because most people do not understand the finer points of collaboration.† Executive SummaryIntroduction, Aims and ObjectivesNegotiation has traditionally been based upon the competitive modelMost people do not understand the finer points of collaborationCritically evaluate the key elements of successful collaboration in negotiationPossible obstacles to a Collaborative negotiation strategy in the context of the supply relationshipRecommendations and ConclusionsReferencesRelated Executive Summary Negotiation is a fundamental part of the day-to-day activities in the business to business environment. Yet, there are often profound weaknesses which emerge in the negotiation strategies, which results in one or other party failing to achieve the best possible result for their ongoing business. By identifying the weaknesses in the competitive model and requirements for achieving a successful collaborative strategy, it can be seen that a fundamental shift of personality and attitude is necessary from the parties, something which may act as a barrier, particularly for those who have been traditionally utilising the competitive model, for many years. Introduction, Aims and Objectives Negotiation styles play an important role in the day-to-day operations of all organisations, both from the point of view of internal communication and also when it comes to the relationships with other third parties, such as suppliers and customers. Broadly speaking, negotiation refers to the situation where there is a dialogue between two or more entities aimed at reaching a specific outcome or resolving a particular issue (Baron, 1998). The negotiation process is undertaken by the parties, in order to achieve the appropriate results and fulfil each party’s own needs.   For example, in the commercial environment, negotiations may be entered into between supplier and the core business, in order to look at the volume of items which can be provided, the price and the delivery schedule, so that both the supplier of raw materials and the central company are comfortable with the situation and are prepared to enter into an agreement to supply. The proposition here argues that negotiation has traditionally looked towards a competitive model. This means that, on many occasions, the option of collaboration is seen as to the detriment of the end result of the negotiations. In order to consider the statement made here, the statement will be broken down into four distinct parts, each of which should be looked at, in turn, before drawing conclusions as to whether or not it is an accurate statement that collaborative strategies are, indeed, underutilised as a result of a lack of understanding of how collaboration can work to advantage of all concerned. This will involve looking at the traditional competitive model and the lack of understanding that surrounds the collaborative model, before discussing the key elements of a successful collaboration and any obstacles that may occur when using a collaborative strategy. Negotiation has traditionally been based upon the competitive model The traditional competitive model for negotiation is based on the idea that any given situation can be seen to be similar to a Zero Sum Game and that, in order from one individual to win, another must necessarily lose. In its most basic form, an example is where there are ten apples available to the parties; a competitive model would encourage the parties to negotiate in a competitive manner, accepting that for one party to gain an extra apple, the other party would need to lose one of theirs (Beasor, 2006). When looking at competitive negotiation, it is the substance of the actual items being traded that is the primary concern of the parties, with negotiations typically being undertaken in quite an aggressive manner and with each individual looking at what they can gain during the process. In many cases of competitive negotiations, price is fundamental. Furthermore, when considering this amongst supplier relationships, a competitive model situation would be seen to arise, where suppliers look to maintain a price and the purchaser looks to reduce this price for their own benefit. Whilst accepting that this means that the supplier will be involved on a regular basis, it can be seen that this type of situation is more likely to be utilised successfully where the relationship between the two parties is relatively unimportant, or is a one-off transaction when neither party is looking towards engendering good will for the future. Where one party shows a weakness, the other will immediately ta ke advantage of this; for example, if the purchaser becomes aware that the supplier has cash flow issues, they will be more inclined to use this as a weakness that can then be exploited to their own advantage. This type of competitive negotiation is based on the underlying strategy that focuses on a hard exchange between the individuals and encourages the actual exchange to be relatively clear. However, this is not say that there will not be an element of double dealing which may emerge where one of the parties believes that they can achieve a result that is better for themselves, in order to improve their own negotiation position. Fundamentally, however, the competitive negotiation approach is about getting what the individual wants, with little or no regard for the position of the other party. Competitive negotiation is, therefore, viewed as a means of achieving what the individual parties attempt to achieve and does not consider the ways in which the other parties may benefit from the negotiation. This focuses exclusively on getting the best possible deal for that individual party and, in order to do so, it is necessary that the weaker party or the other party loses (Lewicki, et al., 2003). Most people do not understand the finer points of collaboration By focusing on competitive negotiation, it is argued in this paper that this will result in a lack of understanding of the possibility that both parties could benefit, potentially, from the negotiation position. When looking more at the collaboration approach, the relationship between the two parties is seen as being the central element, rather than the price, as is seen in the competitive negotiation approach. When adopting a competitive approach, it is assumed that there are a fixed number of items involved that can be negotiated over and where one party takes the next item the other party loses that item. Yet, within the collaborative approach, there is a recognition that it is possible to enlarge the items available to include other items that are of value to both parties and to negotiate a position where both parties may potentially be better off when leaving the negotiation table (Perdue et al., 1986). There are several underlying concepts which are relevant when it comes to understanding how collaboration may work and identifying why there may be a general lack of understanding on the finer points of collaboration, which may limit the use of this approach by those operating within a business environment. The collaborative approach places a great focus on the concept of fairness and achieving satisfaction from an emotional point of view. In reality, a relationship between a commercial supplier and a customer in a business to business transaction will not be a one off situation. Even if that precise relationship of selling an item is a one-off situation, the reputation which the parties maintain as a result of this negotiation may have an impact on future transactions; therefore, creating a less competitive environment and encouraging collaboration can achieve great results for both parties, overall. Whilst this is accepted as an important aspect of negotiation here, it is also argu ed that there is a lack of understanding by the individual parties as to how they are going to achieve this type of win-win situation. To a large extent, this can be achieved when looking at the negotiation as a joint problem-solving exercise and recognising that the overall situation can be looked at, in order to identify how each party can benefit, in some way (Lewicki, et al., 2000). A collaborative strategy does not amount to weakness, which can be a difficult concept to understand for those who inherently use the competitive strategy. Essentially, it could be seen as a means of opening up negotiations to include items that may not be immediately apparent. Taking the situation described above, whereby two individuals are negotiating over the ten available apples, greater discussions may indicate that one of the parties would, in fact, prefer to have oranges. Therefore, if the other party has a large stock of oranges, it may be possible to negotiate an exchange of apples for oranges and both parties will ultimately be happier (Cox, 1996). In order to achieve a collaborative approach, it is necessary for complete transparency and trust between the parties and this again reflects the way in which the relationship between the parties is an ongoing relationship which is valued by both parties, to such an extent that they will consider the opinion and desires of the other party. This does, however, clearly involve a much greater element of communication between the parties and a wider recognition of the needs and desires of other parties involved. This makes it a potentially difficult strategy to follow, typically where there are multiple entities with a variety of different complex needs, or where one individual is maintaining a competitive strategy and is taking advantage of those looking to achieve collaboration. Critically evaluate the key elements of successful collaboration in negotiation There are several key elements that are seen to be linked to successful collaboration during the negotiation process. A strong framework is that of the pneumonic ‘POSER’ which refers to the activities that an individual needs follow when looking at achieving a collaborative negotiation strategy (Porter, 1985). Firstly, it is necessary to prepare in order to understand the types of outcome that are desirable from the negotiation and also to undertake the research into the other parties to the negotiation. This means that when turning the situation into a joint problem-solving exercise and encouraging transparency, all individuals need to be fully briefed on the overall vision, not only of their own needs and goals, but also of the needs and goals of all those involved. By having a strong understanding of what the other party is hoping to achieve, it is possible for the other commercial entity to identify how they may potentially improve the situation being experienced by the other party. Using the basic example mentioned earlier, in the paper, it is up to both parties to understood that oranges may potentially offer a solution to the negotiation over how ten apples should be divided; however, without background research in preparation for the negotiations, one party would have no knowledge of the fact that the other party would actually place a greater value on the oranges which they perceive to be simply useless excess. Secondly, being open and transparent is a further key element of achieving a powerful position for collaboration, and this is not only a case of being open in relation to the information that is held by each party, but also about being open-minded as a potential solution which could be put forward by the other party (Ertel, 1999). The willingness and ability to share this information with the other party and to view the situation as a joint problem-solving exercise is the third element of a successful collaboration, and where one party views the other as being the underdog during collaboration and maintains a competitive approach, there can be a failure in the collaborative negotiation approach being taken. Crucially, the negotiation process focuses on a period of exchange where assets are understood and the exchange between the parties discussed. This is another aspect of collaborative negotiation which does not necessarily emerge during competitive negotiation. In competitive negotiation price is the crucial factor yet when looking at collaborative negotiation this may be broadened out. For example, where negotiations are taking place between suppliers and customers in a business to business environment, it may be the case that the customer chooses a more expensive supplier, as there is a guarantee of a bett er delivery schedule or better quality product. Entering into this type of exchange over the various elements of the negotiation which are valued by both of the parties is central to the collaborative approach; yet, without having the information available, collaboration simply cannot happen. Finally, the result of a collaborative approach needs to be recorded and documented, in order to ensure that the collaborative outcome which has been agreed is carried out, in practice, as failure to do so could result in a breakdown of trust between the parties and make it difficult to build up this trust, over several different periods of negotiation (Rubin Joseph 1990). Possible obstacles to a Collaborative negotiation strategy in the context of the supply relationship When looking, specifically at how successful collaboration can be achieved, several key obstacles have been identified that could affect the collaborative strategy and which could result in the parties failing to achieve the overall best results for all involved. One particularly obvious obstacle which may emerge is the fear that the other party is using the competitive approach. This may result in an individual who is attempting to show collaboration being viewed as weak and being taken advantage of, to such an extent that they will refuse to enter into a collaborative strategy, in the future. This is further exacerbated when it comes to a situation whereby the parties believe that there is only one possible solution to the problem being put forward. Furthermore, collaborative strategy negotiation involves obtaining all the relevant information and having an open and transparent discussion. This can be jeopardised by any failure to be open and transparent, whether it be deliberate or not, as well as a lack of understanding from either party, in terms of what may be relevant to the discussion. Deliberate misuse of information and authority could take place more readily when one party is perceived to be stronger than the other. For example, wh en considering a business to business supplier arrangement where the supplier is the only supplier of a particular product which is required by the customer, this is likely to reduce the chances of a successful collaborative negotiation, as the supplier is in a considerably more powerful position than its counterparts. Any failure to view the negotiation process as an ongoing opportunity to build trust between the two parties can also reduce the chances of the collaborative strategy delivering a successful outcome. Moreover, where it is known by one or other party that there is unlikely to be any future interaction between the parties, the chances of achieving collaboration again become much reduced, as neither party places a great value on the ongoing relationship. It is reasonably apparent when looking at the distinctions between the competitive and collaborative approach that using a collaborative negotiation strategy requires a much broader range of considerations and a much softer style from the individuals involved. Where managers or those in charge of negotiation and purchasing have historically taken a more competitive approach, it can be very difficult to adapt and to look at the broader issues, in order to fundamentally change the way in which the negotiation process is viewed (Saner, 200 0). Recommendations and Conclusions In order for entities to look more towards the collaborative negotiation approach which will be seen as a means of achieving more rounded and stronger results for all parties involved, there are several activities which need to take place; however, it can be difficult for the parties to adapt their style fully, particularly where there are fears that the other party is not moving towards a collaboration strategy, at the same rate. Where one party maintains a competitive approach, but the other is seeking collaboration, there is a real danger that the collaborative party will be viewed as weak and will ultimately lose out, thus creating a general reluctance by the parties to move towards collaboration, particularly in highly competitive industries. Communication is entirely different where collaboration is concerned, as it involves a much more open and transparent approach of sharing information and considering the perspective of the other party, something which is at odds with the traditional competitive approach, making it hard for those individuals who are rooted in the competitive approach to adapt. Additional training is, therefore, required for these managers and in particular those responsible for purchasing within a business environment, to improve their communication and analysis skills, as these will be fundamental to the success of the ongoing collaboration strategy. References Baron, P.D. (1998) Procurement, Contracting, Efficiency, Re-negotiation and Performance Evaluation,   Information Economics and Policy, (13:2), pp. 109-142. Beasor, T. (2006). Great Negotiators: How the Most Successful Business Negotiators Think and Behave. GBR: Ashgate Publishing Group. Cox, A. (1996) Relational Competence and Strategic Procurement Management, European Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management, (2:1), pp. 57-70. Ertel, D. (1999) Turning Negotiations into a Corporate Capability, Harvard Business Review, May-June, pp. 55-69 Lewicki, R.J, D.M. Saunders, and J.W. Minton.(2000) Essentials of Negotiation, McGraw-Hill, Boston, MA Lewicki, R.J., Barry, B., Saunders, D.M. and John, M.W., (2003). Negotiation, 4th edition, McGraw-Hill/Irwin Perdue, B., Ralph L. Ronald, E. (1986). Negotiation styles of industrial buyers. Industrial Marketing Management, 15 (3), 171-176. Porter, E. (1985). Competitive Advantage, New York: The Free Press. Rubin, P Joseph R. (1990). Joint optimality in buyer-seller negotiations. Journal of Purchasing and Materials Management, 26 Spring, , 20-26 Saner, R., (2000). The Expert Negotiator. Klumer Law International, The Hague, The Netherlands.

A Wide Array of Conflicts in the Film 300 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A Wide Array of Conflicts in the Film 300 - Essay Example 300 is one of the biggest budget movies in recent memory and yet another comic book movie that uses new technology to make an incredible visual display. 300 is a fundamentally a tragedy, with nearly every major character dying through the course of the movie, and a very serious, dramatic (if overblown) treatment of the topic. The basic plot is that a Persian king, Xerxes I of Persia, who is on the path of world conquest, decides to invade Greece and take over the entire area. Because it is a time of celebration, the King of Sparta must ask sages whether he is allowed to take the army of Sparta, a Greek city-state focused on martial prowess, to go head off Xerxes. The sages, who are under the pay of the Persian Empire, decline his offer, paving the way for invasion by Persia. The King of Sparta decides to side-step this issue, by going for â€Å"a walk† with a â€Å"personal bodyguard† of only three hundred soldiers, to go defend a narrow mountain pass that the Persians must use to enter Greece. They then go on to beat back wave after wave of Persian troops, inflicting huge casualties. Eventually, all three hundred of the Greek soldiers are killed, but the psychological damage they inflicted ended up being decisive, with the Persian army, who had lost so many thousands fighting only three hundred Spartan warriors baulk at facing the full force of Sparta when they invade the city. The style of this is incredibly overblown and artistic. Everything from the gore to the monsters to the regular characters is heavily re-done through computer generated graphics, and the entire style is fantastical, trying to match the comic book style of its predecessor.

Mountain Dew Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mountain Dew - Essay Example Later named 'Gran'Pappy', he soon became a popular icon in bars, and appeared on several Mountain Dew products and merchandise, lasting for several more decades. In the 1950's the Tip Corporation, the owners of the Mountain Dew brand, distributed the drink all over the Eastern Seaboard. Several bottlers manufactured and distributed Dew, in two different sizes costing 5 and 15 cents respectively, complete with the then-famous label featuring Gran'Pappy the Hillbilly shooting at a man running out of an outhouse. Drowning despite Dew's strong sales, Tip approached Pepsi-Cola in the early 1960's to sell the Mountain Dew brand. However, the product was in direct competition with Pepsi's own lemon-flavored drink- Teem. So, the owners went back to the drawing board- they reduced the amount of carbonation and added more sugar and caffeine, as well as mixing in enough orange juice to remove it from the "lemon-lime soda" category. Thus, Mountain Dew as we know it was born, and Pepsi bought Dew's new brew on September 2nd, 1964. The revamping of Mountain dew as a brand was awarded to BBDO, a global advertising agency. The Ad campaigns were targeted on the youth segment that projected Mountain dew as one of the best brands to stick with. Mountain Dew quickly became Pepsi's second best-selling drink (next to Pepsi itself), and a new advertising campaign featured 'Willy "Gran'Pappy" Hillbilly', along with all his yokel kin, encouraging Dew drinkers to "Yahooooo- Drink Mountain Dew! It'll tickle yer innards!" By the early 70's, however, it was clear that Willy the Hillbilly had run out of steam, so Mountain Dew's image was again redesigned, this time appealing to the young outdoors-type. The bottles were changed yet again to reflect this new attitude; and the public got their first glimpse at the now-famous "wavy" logo, which would grace bottles of Mountain Dew to decades to come. Pepsi has come up low sugar and fat content beverage called "Diet Mountain dew". A Diet Dew was released in 1988; but that was nothing compared to the Dew Revolution of 1990s. It started in 1993, when Pepsi first unveiled its new tagline for Mountain Dew: "Do the Dew". Commercials were produced featuring the 'Dew Dudes', including the award-winning "Been There, Done That" Ad campaign. Mountain Dew was poised to take its place in a new generation branding by sponsoring the first-ever X-Games in 1995. The youth culture embraced the addictive yellow-green potion p. By 195 the sales generated by Mountain Dew was 3billion dollars.4 In 2001, the first-ever Mountain Dew spin-off burst onto the scene- Mountain Dew Code: Red. Combining classic Dew with 'a rush of cherry flavor', it quickly became a hot-seller incold casesacrossAmerica, alongside its older brother. Amp, a Dew-based energy drink, soon followed, and a year later Diet Code: Red was released. The summer of 2003 saw thearrival of the legendary Mountain Dew LiveWire- an orange-twisted Dew variant. It was a hit in its first limited summer release, and returned the next year- along with Mountain Dew: Baja

Position paper on Videogame or Media Violence Essay

Position paper on Videogame or Media Violence - Essay Example Human beings are naturally not inclined towards killing and violence. However, the increased rate of violent crimes within different societies suffices to suggest that there exists a motivation towards violent behavior. Children are exposed to violent and crime scenes in various media platforms. Grossman argues, â€Å"It begins at the age of eighteen months when a child can begin to mimic what is on television† (2). Children are exposed to these violent scenes at the time of cognitive development. This implies that their cognitive patterns follow a violent trail. Indeed, â€Å"some of them embrace violence and accept it as a normal and essential skill in a brutal new world† (Grossman 2). When these children grow up, the violent behavior is entrenched within them. Continual involvement of the brain in violent video games can cause a phenomenon similar to classical conditioning whereby the players react subconsciously to situations in a violent manner due to the conditioning. In fact, President Clinton, as quoted by Grossman (3) claimed, â€Å"these games teach young people to kill with all the precision of a military training program.† Since children are at their developmental stage, rigorous and continued active involvement in violent video games conditions their delicate brains to violence. The present development in technology has made it possible for video games to have realistic characters (Barlett and Rodeheffer 1). The scenes are a real reflection of the real world. This has been highlighted as one of the primary cause of violent behavior among children exposed to violent video games for a long time. Barlett and Rodeheffer (11) found out that â€Å"if one plays a realistic violent video game, there will be an initial increase in aggressive thoughts and arousal and in aggressive feelings.† This increases the possibilities of violent actions from the video games being replicated in

Zara: Expanding Overseas | SWOT, Porters Five and PEST

Zara: Expanding Overseas | SWOT, Porters Five and PEST Zara is one of the most well known brands in the world and is also one of the largest international fashion companies. They are the third largest brand in the garment industry and are a unit of Inditex. It their flagship range of chain stores and are headquartered in Spain. Zara opened its first outlet in Spain in 1975. The headquarters of the company is based in Galicia. There are more than 2600 stores across 73 countries in the world. The Zara clothing line accounts for a huge bulk of its parent groups revenues. There are other clothing brands owned by Inditex such as KiddyÂÂ ´s Class (childrens fashion), Pull and Bear (youth casual clothes), Massimo Dutti (quality and conventional fashion), Bershka (avant-garde clothing), Stradivarius (trendy garments for young woman), Oysho (undergarment chain) and Zara Home (household textiles). Inditex owns all Zara outlets except for places where they are not allowed ownership of stores (thats where Franchises step in). Zara is renowned for coming up with products on a short timescale instead of taking forever. They are known for taking around 2 weeks to develop products and have been known to come up with around 10,000 new designs every year (which is an industry record). They have bucked the trend by making productions in Europe instead of shifting their entire production to Third World or Developing countries. However some of their clothes are manufactured in parts of Asia due to the fact that they have a longer shelf life. They make most of their own products inside Spain or other European Countries as they own a large number of factories in both Spain and Portugal. They also dont have to depend on anyone else as they can get everything done by themselves. Zara is unique in the way that it does not spend money on marketing and instead concentrates on opening new stores instead. Their brave experiments have led them to be labeled as one of the most innovative retailers in the world. Zara started out with low priced products which were pale imitations of high end fashion products. This move led to Zara being a smashing success and allowed them to expand by opening more stores in Spain. The company management also managed to reduce the time it took to create new designs and came up with the term instant fashions which allowed them to capitalize on new trends really fast. Zara is known to use teams of designers instead of individuals. Zara has to face a lot of competition from HM, Gap and Bentton internationally. Fortunately Zara is considered to be more fashionable than the rest of the brands despite the fact that its price is less than Benetton and Gap. HM is still cheaper than Zara but is equally fashionable as Zara. Gap and Benetton are less fashionable and more pricy. SWOT Analysis (S)trengths Zaras biggest strength is the fact that it provides cost leadership strategy by aiming at efficiency and cost reduction on products. There is a lot of efficiency merely due to the fact that products are put on fast track and costs are kept really low. They dont take a long time to come up with new collections. Zara is able to come up with collections really fast (around 2 weeks to get a collection ready). Zara focuses on what its customers want and thats why they have managed to do so well. They are able to get the opinions of its customers on a daily basis. The data is sent over to the headquarters where it is analyzed. This is a great way of saving time and helps them understand what sort of trends to follow. Since it does not take them a long time to come up with products they are able to cash in on the trends. They are also able to design, manufacture and send out the new products in less than 2 weeks. They are also very efficient when it comes to delivery of the products. Zara employs a huge team of designers who are able to design the clothes they require. Most of these designers are fresh out of Fashion schools and are able to do more for less. Most of the clothes manufactured are made in Spain and there is no need for outsourcing. Zara manufactures and distributes its clothes so it manages to cut out the middle man. This is one reason why they are able to get clothes out there so fast. They also have a great Information technology solution in place which allows for decentralized decision making. (W)eaknesses Zara does not spend any money on marketing or advertising. This is a huge weakness for them as its competitors spend a lot of money on advertising. Zara relies on goodwill and word of mouth so that people can shop at their stores. This is a weakness which can be exploited in the future by its competitors. Another weakness is the fact that Zara only has one manufacturing and distribution centre in the world. This is a double edged sword as it is both a weakness and strength. The fact that they have a huge distribution centre makes it an asset but then if it is hit by some sort of natural disaster or some logistical problem then it can have an adverse effect on its revenues. (O)pportunities There are a lot of opportunities for Zara lying ahead. They need to expand their presence in the USA where they face competition from the likes of GAP. They only have around 49 stores in the US which is not bad but then based on the size of the US that is equivalent to around one store per state. In comparison there are more than 300 stores in Spain which is a fraction of the size of the US. They may have conquered Europe but they still need to expand into the US market so they can give Gap a run for its money. They can grow properly if they expand their presence in the US. Zara is only going for markets where it is doing well such as Italy. However there is a huge opportunity for them to tap into the Indian market. The Indian Economy is doing really well and people over there love to buy good quality brand names at a reasonable price. Zara already has 2 outlets in India but then it wouldnt hurt to expand a bit more and form alliances with local manufacturers. This will make it easier for them to slowly grow within the Indian market. (T)hreats The biggest threat facing Zara is the fact that it is Europe Based. Zara is based in Spain and has a huge number of stores in Europe. Critics believe that there is an over saturation of stores in Europe and that having such a huge number of stores will dent the revenues over the longer term. The other reason is the fact that the Euro tends to be stronger than the Dollar. This is one reason why merchandise from Zara tends to be more expensive in other countries. This can be a big turn off and can have an adverse effect on their revenues in the longer term. Porters Five Forces Porters Five Forces allows us to look at the five forces which help us determine the competitive intensity and the attractiveness of a market. Some of these forces are related to competition from external sources while the rest are internal threats. These are basically all related to the macro environment. The various Forces are threat of substitute products, the threat of established rivals, the threat of new entrants, the bargaining power of suppliers and the bargaining power of customers. Porters Five Forces Analysis Threat of Competitors Zara faces a lot of competition in the market. There are a large number of competitors in the market such as HM, Benetton, Gap, etc. Fortunately The high level of competition makes it tough for everyone as they are all struggling to get a piece of the pie . The biggest problem is that due to the large number of competitors the growth rate is low due to the number of manufacturers around. The clothing industry has peaked and it is very difficult for people to stay in the industry as the competition is cut throat. Customers are spoiled for choice due to the number of brands within the market. They are also very fickle minded and base their buying habits on the basis of new trends. They will only buy based on price and brand recognition and this is why the manufacturers have to keep changing what they do and come up with new ways of gaining customers. The costs of manufacturing new goods are quite high plus it is not easy to procure raw material so thats why the ones who have the resour ces and the ability to do so are able to survive within the market. Threat of New Entrants There is always the threat of new entrants but then the risk is not so much as Zara already has a huge presence in most parts of the world. The barriers for entry for distribution are quite low in Spain ( where the bulk of their clothes come from.) New entrants will have it easy as the cost of distribution is quite low as they only need to rent a shop and need a bit of capital to start out. However when it comes to manufacturing then the barriers of entry are really high mainly due to the fact that it requires a huge investment to get started within the market. Substitutes There is no threat of substitutes as it is a basic necessity for everyone. Customers Bargaining Power Customers have varying levels of bargaining power as they can decide what they want. Customers are quite fickle when it comes to buying clothes. However the good thing is that each customer has a love purchase volume and that means that even if some tend to change their brand there will still be some who will buy Zara. It is not an item like a burger or a snack which is available easily anywhere for a low price. The good thing about the clothing business is that there is no risk nonpayment because customers pay for clothes during purchase. Supplier Negotiation Power There are too many suppliers in the market which is one reason why the suppliers dont have much negotiating power. The fact that Zara procures or makes most of the stuff itself is also another factor which doesnt work in the suppliers favor. If the supplier decides to cut down the supplies the manufacturer can easily go to another manufacturer. PEST Analysis The PEST analysis is a study of the environment before a company begins its marketing process. It is a study of the external macro environment. It stands for Political, Economic, Social, and Technological analysis and is an environmental scanning component of strategic management (P)olitical The political factors affecting Zara are when the government intervenes into the economy and comes up with laws which change the way things are done in the country. The government can easily change its policy and change the ways a business can operate in the country. They can change the laws and do drastic things like changing the interest rate. Zara needs to know the entire system and to be prepared for any potential problems it can face from the government due to a change in policies. (E)conomical Economic factors come into play as they are related to factors such as interest rates, taxation changes, economic growth, inflation and exchange rates. These have the potential to create many problems in the future. There are different duties and levels of tariffs in different countries and this can cause the prices of products to vary in different countries. The price of goods will also vary based on the country of origin and thats what Zara needs to keep in mind. (S)ocial If there are Changes in social trends it will have a huge impact on the demand for Zaras products and the availability and willingness of individuals to work. However that is not likely to happen as its not as if Zara makes niche products. They focus on a huge market and make different types of products so it is quite unlikely that there will be a social shift in this part. However the company still needs to work on trends and to make sure its updated with the times so that it can satisfy its customers and meet the demands of its demographics. (T)echnology Due to advances in technology companies have to make sure that they keep up. Zara has to make sure that they have the latest technology and that they are innovative in every way. The more advanced the technology the more it can bring about some quality. Zara has invested in technology and it has to keep improvising because if they dont then their competitors will get a head start on them. Part 2: Zara is the biggest contributor towards Inditexs profits. Its the most well known brand in the group and has played a huge role in the growth of the group as well as bringing about huge sales and profits. Zaras success has brought about a large number of case studies and reports. It has consolidated its position in the fashion industry and has made a good name for itself. Zaras business model is basically based on the principle that it can sell medium quality fashion clothing at affordable prices. Basically vertical integration and the ability to come up with a quick-response is a key factor to Zaras successful business model otherwise they would be no where without it. The process for Zara has been designed in such a way that it has the various functions within the business system such as designing, sourcing and manufacturing, distribution and retailing. They do all of these themselves and that is one reason why their growth is at a good rate. However what goes up must come down and Zara is not immune to the problems in the world. The way they operate can also prove to be their undoing due to the model they are currently utilizing. The fact that they have their own distribution centre and manufacturing unit is a very weak point. This can be discussed further in this document. The management at Zara have come up four fundamental success factors: short cycle time for creation of product, small quantity per product (and not too much of the same stock) , extensive variety of product every season (so that users can choose easily) as well as a huge investment in information and communication technology to allow them to stay on track . Zara knows what its customers want by tracking their preferences on a year round basis. They have their own team of designers who have been recruited fresh out of fashion school. It is not a tough job to tell them what they want based on the input they receive. They make around a limited quantity of clothes based on the 11000 various items designed by its in-house staff. Zara does not make any losses as they only order a limited quantity of each item which they believe is stylish and will be more restricted season wise. For example if they have miniskirts in design they will only be available for a short time due to the short summer period in Europe. Other clothes which can work the year around and for which the trend does not change are outsourced to Asia as the cost wont be so high. The outsourcing operation is very handy mainly because these clothes have a longer shelf life. It does not take a long time for the clothes to be prepared as it merely takes around 4 weeks total for the whole process : from design to the finished product in the stores. The fact that Zara knows what sort of trends are there in the market and are quick enough to change their strategy to match the trends in the fashion industry gives them a huge advantage. They are able to modify their timetable easily to adjust for a change in the trends in the market. Normally it takes around 8 to 12 months for any normal retailer to forecast trends and come up with a style and send it for production. They are unable to match what Zara does and they end up losing big time. Even if a style fails to sell much, Zara can easily sell the clothes on a discount. The fact that they quantity of clothes manufactured was so low that they lose much. Their low volume strategy has helped them have a very low number of discount sales every year as compared to a high rate for the rest of the industry. However this leads to higher costs which is a disadvantage but then they dont have to worry about having higher inventories. This method allows for a low inventory and high profit margins. They dont save any money here with costs but then they get the maximum out of their clothing line. A problem they face is the fact that since Zara controls everything it is not easy for them to expand or relocate as they have to stay put in one place or the whole operation will suffer and the goods will cost more to distribute. Zaras business model is wonderful in the sense that it has a very fashion forward line as they know which trends to cash in on. They seem to have the midas touch of turning everything into gold. Their policy is to have a mostly young and fashion conscious staff so that they will also be able to double as trend setters. If for instance a certain item in a store sells well then the management decides to sell the same item in other locations as well. The key is that most of the items are in short supply and people presume that there is a shortage of items which ends up making consumers want to buy more. A key factor in Zaras success is the fact that it has sourced its products from the right places. They have based their procurement offices in a couple of fashionable cities in the world. This allows them to witness the trends first hand and then to quickly come up with a solution of their own. They dont buy all the raw products on their own as they use one of their parent groups procurement units to do all its purchasing. One clever move on their part is that they buy most of their fabric in grey so that there is greater flexibility. It doesnt take long for the fabric to be prepared. The main distribution artery is in Spain where they have their biggest distribution centre. They also have some smaller distribution centers in countries such as Argentina, Brazil and Mexico. The problem with the distribution centre is that it is purely based in Spain and does not have the capacity for a heavy load. It is a huge distribution centre and occupies around 500,000 square feet in total. They only have the capability of processing around 60,000 folded garments in an hour. They need to find a new distribution centre or increase their operations so that they can save more time. However the biggest advantage for them is the fact that they have vertical integration which allows them to manufacture and distribute their own stuff without having to be at the mercy of any supplier. It is not tough to move any of their products as they have their own railway network which allows them to move goods easily to its distribution centre. Once the goods are ready they are shipped out immed iately though the shipping schedule is only twice a week. European stores get their goods early (around 24-36 hours) while other destinations get them within 2 days. This system has allowed them to achieve a very high level of accuracy in its shipments. The other good thing is that the outlets dont take long to display the new outfits once they reach their destination and this allows them to show new stock to their customers. The clothes are also coded according to their color so that the staff knows where to place them. This makes it easier for the customers to go around color matching the items they want to buy. Problems with Zara Zara is facing a large number of issues which can cause them a number of problems in the future. Despite the fact that Zara has a consistent business system which gives them a competitive advantage it is always in the danger of tanking badly. Zaras biggest advantage is the fact that its economies of scale are really good and that they have been able to ramp up their distribution system. The continued growth is good for them in every way. They have been helped a lot by their expansion in the international market. However their growth in the international market will be curtailed due to the reason that Zara has a very centralized logistics model. It is understandable that Zara has to expand its distribution centers and to increase its capacity. Zara has its main distribution centre in Spain and it wont be easy going trying to expand when their base is only in Spain. This will affect their plans to go international and to target more regions. They cant simply survive with a European presence alone. It is true that they do have a presence in other countries but then it is not as much as it should be. They have a huge presence in Spain but quite limited when it comes to other countries. They can easily target the North American region where they dont have much of a presence compared to the huge size of the region. The problem is that there are a lot of outlets there and a lot of competition coupled with the need for plus sized clothing, high cost of operations and a very mature market. Zara needs to come up with a strategy so they can compete very aggressively over there. They can also target South America but the problem is that it is not a very stable region and any geopolitical problems can lead to profits being low. A good market would be the ever reliable Middle East where Zara already has a small presence. However with talks of revolution in the air and other geo political problems it can be a risky bet. There are a few countries in the region which will lead it to be profitable but then the market is small compared to other regions. They can easily opt for countries such as the South East Asian markets and South Asia which have a lot of potential. Recommendations Zara can easily go around and expand its operations in many ways. The best thing would be to take it easy for the short term and to go for further expansion in Europe. Spain and Italy are neighbors and the fact that Zara has its main distribution centre in Spain will make it easy for Zara. For the time being they dont need to open any more distribution centers as they can work with regions which are quite near in proximity to them. Italy is one of the most fashion savy countries in Europe along with France. Zara already has 70 plus stores in the country but then they can do a lot better. They can enhance their presence in the market and try and take some share from some of its know rivals such as Benetton and HM. the biggest way for Zara to expand is to try and open another Distribution Centre in Eastern Europe and to be able to expand its operations in Eastern Europe. A number of countries are coming into the European Union and are ripe for the picking. They already have a presence in some countries but the number of stores per region is not as much as it should be. Zara should expand further in the Asian markets once they have been able to do their bit in Europe. They have already tested the waters in Asia despite the fact that there is a lot of competition from local vendors there. However the fact that people in the developing countries and with surging economies will be sure to try out Foreign brands and that would be one reason why its a good idea to expand further in Asia. The only problem is that Zara is based in Spain and that all their designs come from that region. The fact that they make items in limited quantities ensuring a low inventory will scuttle their plans to expand easily. If Zara decentralizes its manufacturing policy it can easily set up its own operations and distribution centre in Asia. It wont be easy as they will still have to procure items via local vendors. If they are unable to create a distribution centre in Asia they can still create a larger upscale distribution centre in Spain where they are able to take the load of supplying to a larger number of stores. In this way they will be able to keep up with the demand and supply. This will help in the growth of the company and allow them to face challenges. It wouldnt be a bad idea to expand in the US market in the long term even if it is not so friendly towards European labels. Competitors such as Benetton and HM have faced problems with the US market in the past. However Zara has the resources and the ability to be able to expand within the market. They can expand easily in the US market only if they manage to curb their costs which are quite high at the moment. They also need to invest in a proper high end IT system which can help them go with the trends. They will not have the advantage of the system they have in Spain as its a totally different ball game over there. There will be different political and economic circumstances which will dictate the way they do everything. It wont be easy to change their entire business model just for another region. This would mean that they have to decentralize the way they work so that they can work in the US. They would have to establish a distribution centre in Mexico or another cheaper place so that they can cater to the needs. The cost of labor wont be so much but the fact that it is decentralized and not under the control of the Spanish HQ. On the bright side it will be cheaper to ship products and the tariffs will be low. This will allow them to save a lot on costs and they will be able to keep their prices the same way they are in the origin countries. They will also be able to enjoy greater margins in this way. They will also be able to resolve other matters such as retailing overcapacity, less fashion-forwardness, need for larger sizes, and considerable internal variation. Risks The risks associated with expanding overseas are that it will require a lot of capital. They need to establish new facilities and it is not an easy task. They have to do a number of studies and research the market properly before they go ahead. It wont be an easy feat setting up everything from scratch. They will also have to train people the way they operate in Spain. However they can still keep the design and procurement process centralized as technology will allow their units to do what they want. Its just the units which need to be decentralized. There is the huge possibility that they will face a number of obstacles and losses before they can actually do something. The only problem is that they will face problems with their margin while they are at it. They will have to face increased costs and will have to pass on the buck to consumers so that their bottom line is not affected. Hypothetically they can also opt for joint ventures or franchising if they dont want to go and expand in the US. The only problem is that joint ventures and franchises dont always pan out as required. It can create problems for their brand name and can cause many unforeseen problems in the future. It is never a good idea to give out a franchise or work in a joint venture unless there is synergy between the two partners. Conclusion In the end it is highly recommended that Zara keep its house and affairs in order before they can think of expansion. Due to the environmental factors and the fact that the Euro Zone will not always be so stable should shake it out of its comfort zone. Expansion is the key but they have to play their cards right and plan their move properly before they end up making some costly mistakes.

The Impact of Green Living on America Essay -- solar energy, renewable

Even though it’s not easy to get people to change and it is not completely fail proof, green living should be introduced into the American way of life because it can make the environment cleaner and safer and save people money on electric, water, and gas. The concept of green living is based on simply carrying out acts of knowledge to keep our planet healthy. People were put on the earth to take care of it, not hurt it. Ironically, however, we are hurting it every day and in result it takes a toll on our population in negative ways. People will most likely not make a big issue about this because there are no catastrophic affects to them directly yet. The enforcement of green living happens to be very controversial and if people don’t take action soon enough it will be too late. According to the article â€Å"Renewable Energy†, â€Å"Renewable energy accounted for only 10.5 percent of all the energy produced in the United States† (Renewable Energy). Our planet relies on hundreds of thousands of different resources. Generation after generation, the human population has created potential for various studies and developments of more efficient ways to get energy that we need without harming the environment. The consumption of energy sources for simple operations like driving, heat and cooling for our house and much more is extremely high and always in demand. Renewable energy or alternative energy is energy from sources that are infinite and natural such as solar, hydrogen, wind, and hydroelectric power. Its abundance makes it easier to produce for the energy companies; therefore it makes energy bills less expensive. Solar energy is used by absorbing the suns rays and converting it into heat to bring water to a boiling point to produce... ...Social Science Library. Detroit: Gale, 2010.Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. Carrol, Cris. "Global Water Supply Drying Up as Population Grows." About.com Environmental Issues. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. Nasser, Haya El. "Caution IconAttention." Water Conservation Is No Joke in Drought-ridden California. N.p., 7 Feb. 2014. Web. 16 Mar. 2014. Pezeshki, S.R. "Most Downloaded Environmental Pollution Articles." Elsevier. N.p., May 2000. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. Briney, Amanda. "Acid Rain." About.com Geography. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2014. Hardell, Sara. "Levels of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and Three Organochlorine Pesticides in Fish from the Aleutian Islands of Alaska." PLOS ONE:. N.p., 25 Aug. 2010. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. Boehlke, Julie. "The Effects of Improper Garbage Disposal." LIVESTRONG.COM. LIVESTRONG.COM, 16 May 2010. Web. 17 Mar. 2014.

Bombardier Cseries Essay

Coupled with BBD’s aging technology, drastic worldwide events, and rising attractive opportunities in the regional jets market, BBD has been subject to fierce worldwide competition and most aggressively from Brazil (Embraer). How can Bombardier gain back leadership in the globally competitive passenger aerospace industry? 2. Analysis 2. 1 External Environment Analysis Politically and legally, governments had always supported aeronautics by shielding national manufacturers against competition and subsidizing their research and development projects. To some extent, foreign competition called for the intervention of the World Trade Organization to control anti-dumping policies. Governments also got involved in establishing environmental regulations to control the damaging effects of air transportation on the environment. The deregulation of the aerospace industry in the mid-1990s led to a socio-cultural change in consumer’s preference from high comfort level to lower prices. The latter pushed airline companies to seek low-cost-carriers to reduce costs. Economically, airline carriers adopted flexible financial models with manufacturers to meet fluctuating aircrafts demand and develop the business further. Technologically, airline manufacturers focused on innovating their core competencies through R;amp;D and achieved economies of scale by outsourcing airplane segments to suppliers and developing strategic partnerships with subcontractors. As the table shows, rivalry amongst competitors has the highest effect on the passenger aerospace industry. The moderate effect would be the bargaining power of suppliers, Bargaining power of buyer, and threat of new entrants since the aerospace industry is extremely conservative in terms of manufacturer acceptability and moving towards being environment-friendly. As for threat of substitution, it has the least effect because air transport is faster and more efficient than rail, road, or water modes of transport. However, it is important to consider high-speed trains as a threat for regional connecting flights as customers could enjoy lower fares, convenience (versus the hassle of airports), and a different experience. In general, the passenger aerospace industry has high potential expect for the presence of rivalry amongst competitors that keep it extremely difficult to accomplish. 2. 2 Internal organizational analysis A) Tangible Resources -Financial resources: BBD’s financing is based on lease financing that is supported by commitments from potential customers and suppliers. Exhibit 15 shows negative Revenue to Working Capital ratio in 2004 (CSeries announced) and 2006

The Lifestyle of Attention Deficit Dissorder essays

The Lifestyle of Attention Deficit Dissorder essays The Lifestyle of Attention-Deficit Disorder Have you ever been around someone with ADD You may have been and never known it. People with this disorder are mostly like you and I. There are several things involved in having ADD. To have a good understanding of this disorder, you need to know the cause of it, the observational characteristics, and the impact it has on the child. Scientists have researched this disorder for years. They still dont know the cause of attention- deficit disorder. It has been regarded to be a biological disorder caused by some abnormalities in the brain. Studies have shown that areas of the brain that controls the attention span and limit impulsive behavior are less active in people with ADD (Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). Other studies have a theory that this disorder could be hereditary. Most often, ADD is found in more males Than females. One study showed that about one- third of fathers with ADD in childhood have children with the disorder as well (Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).There are several medications that are out there that can help the brain work normally. ADD children and adults show various observational characteristics that are evident to people with the disorder. The characteristics include various levels of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness. Inattention, for people with ADD, causes them to have difficulty with keeping their mind on one thing. They tend to have trouble with certain tasks after a few minutes, make careless mistakes, and have trouble listening. On the opposite side of the spectrum, people with ADD sometimes can focus on and complete several things at one time. Hyperactivity is involved more with ADHD. This is ADD with the factor of hyperactivity more present. It involves almost constant motion. Children may not be ...

Overview of Imagism in Poetry

Overview of Imagism in Poetry In the March 1913 issue of the magazine Poetry, there appeared  a note titled Imagisme, signed by one F.S. Flint, offering this description of the Imagistes†: â€Å"... they were contemporaries of the post-impressionists and the futurists, but they had nothing in common with these schools. They had not published a manifesto. They were not a revolutionary school; their only endeavor was to write in accordance with the best tradition as they found it in the best writers of all time - in Sappho, Catullus, Villon. They seemed to be absolutely intolerant of all poetry that was not written in such endeavor, ignorance of the best tradition forming no excuse ...† At the beginning of the 20th century, a time in which all the arts were politicized and revolution was in the air, the imagist poets were traditionalists, conservatives even, looking back to ancient Greece and Rome and to 15th-century France for their poetic models. But in reacting against the Romantics who preceded them, these modernists were also revolutionaries, writing manifestos that spelled out the principles of their poetic work. F.S. Flint was a real person, a poet, and critic who championed free verse and some of the poetic ideas associated with imagism before the publication of this little essay, but Ezra Pound later claimed that he, Hilda Doolittle (H.D.) and her husband, Richard Aldington, had actually written the â€Å"note† on Imagism. In it were laid out the three standards by which all poetry should be judged: Direct treatment of the thing, whether subjective or objectiveTo use absolutely no word that does not contribute to the presentationAs regarding rhythm: to compose in sequence of the musical phrase, not in sequence of the metronome Pound’s Rules of Language, Rhythm, ​and Rhyme Flint’s note was followed in that same issue of  Poetry by a series of poetic prescriptions titled A Few Donts by an Imagiste,  to which Pound signed his own name, and which he began with this definition: â€Å"An ‘image’ is that which presents an intellectual and emotional complex in an instant of time.† This was the central aim of imagism - to make poems that concentrate everything the poet wishes to communicate into a precise and vivid image, to distill the poetic statement into an image rather than using poetic devices like meter and rhyme to complicate and decorate it. As Pound put it, â€Å"It is better to present one image in a lifetime than to produce voluminous works.† Pound’s commands to poets will sound familiar to anyone who has been in a poetry workshop in the near-century since he wrote them: Cut poems down to the bone and eliminate every unnecessary word - â€Å"Use no superfluous word, no adjective, which does not reveal something. ... Use either no ornament or good ornament.†Make everything concrete and particular - â€Å"Go in fear of abstractions.†Do not try to make a poem by decorating prose or chopping it into poetic lines - â€Å"Don’t retell in mediocre verse what has already been done in good prose. Don’t think any intelligent person is going to be deceived when you try to shirk all the difficulties of the unspeakably difficult art of good prose by chopping your composition into line lengths.†Study the musical tools of poetry to use them with skill and subtlety, without distorting the natural sounds, images and meanings of language - â€Å"Let the neophyte know assonance and alliteration, rhyme immediate and delayed, simple and polyphonic, as a musician would expect to know harmony and counterpoint and all the minutiae of his craft ... your rhythmic structure should not destroy the shape of your words or their natural sound or their meaning.† For all his critical pronouncements, Pound’s best and most memorable crystallization of imagism came in the next month’s issue of Poetry, in which he published the quintessential imagist poem, â€Å"In a Station of the Metro.† Imagist Manifestos and Anthologies The first anthology of Imagist poets, Des Imagistes, was edited by Pound and published in 1914, presenting poems by Pound, Doolittle, and Aldington, as well as Flint, Skipwith Cannell, Amy Lowell, William Carlos Williams, James Joyce, Ford Madox Ford, Allen Upward and John Cournos. By the time this book appeared, Lowell had stepped into the role of promoter of imagism - and Pound, concerned that her enthusiasm would expand the movement beyond his strict pronouncements, had already moved on from what he now dubbed â€Å"Amygism† to something he called â€Å"vorticism.† Lowell then served as editor of a series of anthologies, Some Imagist Poets, in 1915, 1916 and 1917. In the preface to the first of these, she offered her own outline of the principles of imagism: To use the language of common speech but to employ always the exact word, not the nearly exact, nor the merely decorative word.To create new rhythms - as the expression of new moods - and not to copy old rhythms, which merely echo old moods. We do not insist on free-verse as the only method of writing poetry. We fight for it as for a principle of liberty. We believe that the individuality of a poet may often be better expressed in free-verse than in conventional forms. In poetry, a new cadence means a new idea.To allow absolute freedom in the choice of subject. It is not good art to write badly about aeroplanes and automobiles; nor is it necessarily bad art to write well about the past. We believe passionately in the artistic value of modern life, but we wish to point out that there is nothing so uninspiring nor so old-fashioned as an aeroplane of the year 1911.To present an image (hence the name: ‘imagist’). We are not a school of painters, but we believe that poetry should render particulars exactly and not deal in vague generalities, however magnificent and sonorous. It is for this reason that we oppose the cosmic poet, who seems to us to shirk the real difficulties of art. To produce poetry that is hard and clear, never blurred nor indefinite.Finally, most of us believe that concentration is of the very essence of poetry. The third volume was the last publication of the imagists as such - but their influence can be traced in many strains of poetry that followed in the 20th century, from the objectivists to the beats to the language poets.

How HR can contribute to CSR Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

How HR can contribute to CSR - Essay Example Current paper aims to highlight the main aspects of the relationship between the human resources management and the corporate governance – especially regarding the role of HRM in the development of corporate social responsibility. Reference is made to Humphrey Group and specifically to the firm’s compensation ethics as used for evaluating the compensation of the firm’s top managers. The findings of relevant academic studies are presented and analysed aiming to show that HR can support the development of corporate social responsibility in Humphrey Group – as also in firms with different structural and operational characteristics. 2. Human Resources and Corporate Governance 2.1 Influence of HR on Corporate governance – modes, consequences The role of HR in corporate governance cannot be doubted. In fact, this role has many different aspects. In all organizations, HR department cooperates with the CEO in order to identify potential breaches of the firm ’s ethical rules. Beatty et al. ... The survey, which was conducted among focus groups, aimed to highlight the level at which ethical standards can interact or opposed with professional practices and rules within modern organizations. One of the most important findings of the above study has been the fact that, quite often, HR managers are asked to serve contradictory organizational needs, or else, to serve interests, which are opposed. These are the interests of stakeholders who are favoured by different organizational initiatives. On the other hand, it seems that HR professionals may not be always aware of their role. Instead, they are informed on the activities and decisions on which their power is justified, i.e. accepted by the Board of Directors (or the organization’s leader) but they are not aware of their actual capabilities regarding their role. At the next level, the study of Beatty et al. (2003) refers to a quite important issue: ‘the financial measurement and the rewarding systems’ (Beat ty et al. 2003, p.258) are often poor. In this case, executives need to identify a solution in order to ensure the fairness in their compensation. In most cases, the response of the firms to the claims for compensation, pension and so on, are expected to be negative – in case such claim is presented to the Board of Directors. In this context, the intervention of executives in the books of their organizations is often unavoidable, even if it is not legally justified. The most important finding of the survey conducted in the context of the study of Beatty et al. (2003) is the following one: in most organizations, ethical standards are highly promoted. However, in practice the limitation of violation of

Immigration policy in the USA Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Immigration policy in the USA - Term Paper Example Such tactics often result in increased competition for employment by the locals with their immigrant counterparts which will create dissatisfaction among the locals. Earlier, America welcomed all the people from the world irrespective of their ethnic or educational backgrounds. In 1980’s and 1990’s, America experienced enormous growth of small-scale industries, mainly because of the contributions of the immigrants. However, at present America implemented many restrictions upon immigration because of the increased threats of terrorism and violence from both legal and illegal immigrants. 9/11 incident resulted in the strengthening of the immigration policies in America. This paper discusses how immigration policy about whom and how many to let in has changed over time and what this change reveals about a society’s quest for national identity Changes in American immigration policies The immediate reasons for drastic changes in immigration policies are the threats fr om terrorists. 9/11 incident was a lesson for America’s immigration and naturalization department. Terrorists can enter America through legal and illegal channels. The war on terror and the disputes with the Islamic world made America vulnerable to terrorist attacks at any time. It should be noted that many of the Americans watching the Muslims in America with suspicious eyes after the 9/11 incident. It is difficult for the Muslim people to get American visa at present unless they have enough reasons to convince the authorities about their purpose of visit. Moreover, in many of the American airports, body screening is implemented especially for the Muslim people. All these policies reveal that America is not much interested in allowing Muslim immigration after the 9/11 incident. Another important issue which forced America to strengthen their immigration policies is the social problems associated with immigration. Uncontrolled Immigration can result in the identity crisis. Th e Middle East is facing such problems at present. In most of the Middle Eastern countries or the Gulf countries, the number of immigrants is more than the number of locals which created a lot of identity problems. No country would like to see more immigrants in its territory than the number of locals. The excessive number of immigrant people seen in the streets, workplaces and other public gathering places may create the sense of unhappiness among the locals. Moreover, Americans cannot keep a friendly attitude towards immigrants especially when they are struggling to get out of the recession problems. Many of the Americans lost their employment because of the recession problems and the subsequent collapse of big organizations. At the same time, they are witnessing the survival of the immigrant community in America. Immigrant community mostly has their own small-scale businesses and the recession has not affected their businesses very much. All ethnicities are not equal; all are not symbolic, costless and voluntary. When white Americans equate their own symbolic ethnicities with the socially enforced identities of non white Americans, they obscure the fact the experiences of the whites and non whites have been qualitatively different in the United States and that the current identities of individuals partly reflect that unequal history (Waters, n. d., p.201-202) Even though racism is prohibited by law in America, it can be observed in many other forms in American social life.