Essay on Policies in Vietnam - 2266 Words

Policies in Vietnam Lyndon B. Johnson had a vision of A Great Society for the American people and fellow men everywhere. In his first years of office, he obtained one of the most extensive legislative programs in the history of the Nation. Maintaining collective security, he carried on the increasing struggle to fight Communist encroachment in Vietnam. During President Johnsons term, two crises had been gaining momentum since 1965. The first was the unrest and rioting in black ghettos that troubled the nation. The second crisis was trying to prevent North Vietnam from taking over South Vietnam, preventing the spread of communism. The United States and Vietnam have had relationships (not always direct, but through the†¦show more content†¦The United States even aided the nationalist group, led by communist Ho Chi Minh. After World War II, the French returned to take over its colony, but in December 1946, found itself battling the Vietminh. France requested aid from the United States, so that it could win the battle against the Vietminh. The United States was not too sure at first, until Intelligence proved that the Communist Ho Chi Minh was becoming very popular. The United States immediately increased its aid to France to try to prevent the communist from spreading. The French were to set up a regime with Bao Dei, from the Vietnamese royal family. The United States sided with Bao Deis claim as the regime, especially after the fall of China. Around 1954, the United States was paying 80% of the French military cost in Vietnam. The French decided to use a fortress to try and get the communist to use a large number of its troops to attack the fortress, but it was easily over come by the communist and the French surrendered. May 1954 was the end of the French role in Indochina. May-June 1954 was the Geneva Accords where the major powers were to come to an agreement on Indochina. The agreement was a temporary one that divided Vietnam at the seventeenth paralle l with a demilitarized zone between the two areas. The North would be the Vietminh or the communist and the South would be the Bao Dei regime. No side could come to agreements involving foreign policy nor accept foreignShow MoreRelatedThe Policies Of Eisenhower s Vietnam And John F. Policy1688 Words   |  7 Pagesclear policy but the counter argument is that Kennedy was decisive and assertive. In order to judge whether John F. Kennedy lacked a clear policy in Vietnam we have to compare the policies of Dwight Eisenhower’s in Vietnam and John F. Kennedys policies and how it contradicted with their ideologies. DWIGHT EISENHOWERS FOREIGN POLICY VS. JOHN F. KENNEDYS FOREIGN POLICY The view by some historians is that The Dwight Eisenhower foreign policy was popularly known as the â€Å"New Look†. This policy aimedRead MoreVietnam Before And After Doi Moi Policy1619 Words   |  7 PagesPaper Vietnam before and after Doi Moi policy. Imagine, there decades ago, what was Vietnam? One of the most aggressive economy in the world? No. It was one of the poorest and the most under-developed country. What miracle happened to change the face of the country? In such a situation, the Government did what needed to be done: making a revolution. An innovation named Doi Moi (renovation) was introduced in 1986. Since Doi Moi, we have witnessed a wide variety of changes in Vietnam. During theRead MoreThe Vietnam War : Nixon s Policy And Legacy Essay1540 Words   |  7 PagesThe Vietnam War: Nixon’s Policy and Legacy The true history of the Vietnam War does not appear to be widely know, and did not begin with the Eisenhower Administration, but in fact actually dates back to 1945 and the end of WWII. The issues first began when the Japanese recognized their lost efforts during WWII and surrendered. This is now as the First Indochina War, which took place between 1946 and continued until 1954. Their surrender left Vietnam vulnerable as they were now any formal nationalRead MoreThe Vietnam War, Foreign Policy, And Economic Crisis1259 Words   |  6 Pagesgovernment. Some causes for this attitude include: the Vietnam War, unreliable foreign policy, and economic crisis. Therefore, many Americans lost all faith in their government on November 4, 1979 when the report came that the American Iranian embassy had been overrun. This lack of trust is referred to as the â€Å"credibility gap†, but after ten years, this gap had grown into a gorge that many believed was not fillable. Both the Energy Crisis and the Vietnam War played a vital role in conditioning America’sRead MoreThe American Foreign Policy During The Vietnam War1016 Words   |  5 PagesAndrew J. Bacevich was born 1947 in Normal, Illinois. In 1969, he graduated from the U.S. Military Academy and served in the Vietnam War for a year from 1970 to 1971. He retired in the early 1990’s with the rank of Colonel after also holding posts in Germany, Persian Gulf, and the United States. He later earned his Ph.D. in American Diplomatic History from Princeton University. He is a professor at Boston University, currently teaching international relations. He is also a retired career officerRead MoreAmerican Foreign Policy After The Vietnam War2605 Words   |  11 PagesThe Vietnam War was a conflict that pitted the communist government of North Vietnam and its allies in South Vietnam, the Viet Congs, against the western allied government of South Vietnam. The Vietnam War was also part of a larger regional co nflict and a manifestation of the Cold War between democracy and communism. The conflicts of the 21st century will be one of the defining moments of the youth of the United States today when it is looked back on it several decades later; in much the same wayRead MoreEnvironmental Policy Of Vietnam s National Parks2966 Words   |  12 PagesVietnam is home to 10% of the world s mammal, bird, and fish species, and over 40% of local plant species are endemic (IUCN, 1999). However, accelerated deforestation, habitat loss and illegal poaching (TRAFFIC, 2005) has led to the rapid depletion of endangered animals, such that Vietnam has become one of 10 countries suffering from a remarkable biodiversity reduction (VNN, 1999). As such, biodiversity conservation has become an important policy device in Vietnam’s environmental sector (ZingerliRead MoreU.s. Vietnam War On American Culture, Politics, And Foreign Policy1060 Words   |  5 Pageshistory, the Vietnam War has left a deep and lasting impact on American culture, politics, and foreign policy. From 1964 to the present day, the Vietnam War redefined the scope of U.S. influence both at home and abroad, and caused a fundamental shift in American society that dramatically changed the way in which Americans viewed their government and the role of the United States as a world power. For an entire generation of Americans, who watched as the horrors of the war in Vietnam unfold beforeRead MoreThe Impact Of Public Opinion On U.S. Foreign Policy Since Vietnam1692 Words   |  7 PagesSince the Vietnam War, the publics opinion has played major roles in how policymakers operate. Their opinions may not always support to choices which are best for the country, however they are still factored into the decision making. Richard Sobel discusses several cases on how the publics attitudes have affected policymakers decisions in his book, The Impact of Public Opinion on U.S. Foreign Policy Since Vietnam. During the Persian Gulf War, public opinion ultimately shaped policy. How theRead MoreUs Foreign Policy During The Vietnam War : Containment And Detente Essay1951 Words   |  8 PagesUS Foreign Policy During the Vietnam War: Containment and Dà ©tente In 1960s, the US was faced with another crisis of communist expansion in the war between North and South Vietnam. The Kennedy Administration decided to further pursue their containment strategy out of fear being seen by the international community as weak towards communism. During the Johnson Administration, an attack against American vessels that happened in the Gulf of Tonkin led to President Johnson being granted the ability to

Management Theories Essay Motivation - 627 Words

Management Theories Essay Motivation Motivations essence consists of human’s needs and desires. If there is a need then eventually it will convert into a desire. Motivation theories were formed in the 19th and 20th centuries and their founder was F. Taylor . This essay will define motivation at work and show if leadership is linked to understanding of motivation by looking through examples of today’s industry. One of the first scientists that researched human needs was Abraham Maslow. His Hierarchy of needs theory is one of the most common motivation theories. While creating his motivational theory Maslow admitted that humans have plenty of different demands, but he also thought that those demands can be connected into groups. Maslow from†¦show more content†¦That also affects the quality of the work that has been done or will be done in the future. An employee whose basic needs are not satisfied is going to be passive during the work. Active worker will be that one, who will have dissatisfied needs, because he has the opportunity to satisfy them during his work. If he can’t satisfy them during the work that means that he does not have motivation to work. A leader should be greatly familiar with the reasons which simulate his staff’s work. Therefore, salary and its rising opportunities are really important in personnel management. Company suffers if the salaries are not raised. Material motivation starts to make influence from a particular level, which is affected by living standard. For motivation to be useful, first of all salary has to depend on job results, goals achievements. When material needs are more or less satisfied, then it is time to pay greater attention into spiritual, social incentive ways, people needs like respect. For a goal to be reached, a leader has to convince his employee that he is capable of doing it. When the tasks implementations are getting harder, the motivation to reach it becomes stronger. This essay identified motivation theories and showed that there are more than financial ways to motivate employees and that effective leadership is also a great motivation for the workers. Unfortunately, theShow MoreRelatedTheories Of Motivation And Motivation Theories1493 Words   |  6 Pagesextent, needs of theories of motivation are still relevant to contemporary management practice. Theories of motivation are important as it helps managers to understand their employees’ needs of motivations, and to motivate their employees to perform and excel better. There are several motivation theories; this essay will briefly explain six major theories of motivation and discuss three of the theories in more detail. This essay will also explain the needs theories of motivation, and will focus onRead MoreThe Needs Of Employees And Various Types Of Management927 Words   |  4 Pages Employee Motivation Stephanie Nix American Public University â€Æ' Executive Summary This is an essay on two different theories and how they outline the needs of employees and various types of management. The relationship between motivation and success in groups and organizations will be analyzed. Employee Motivation Motivation is a state of mind, desire, energy or interest that translates into action. (Nahavandi, Denhardt, Aristigueta 2015). An employee’s willingness toRead MoreLeadership Styles1063 Words   |  5 PagesLeadership and management are two different subjects but both are essential for an organizations growth. Leadership is â€Å"A relationship through which one person influences the behaviour or actions of other people† (Smith P et al 2012), whilst â€Å"Management is more about getting things done on a day-to-day basis and ensuring consistency† (Smith P et al 2012).In simple context Managers helps in doing the right thing where as Leaders do the right things. Having a strong Leader and Management an organizationRead MoreHow can leaders motivate staff in order to improve productivity and job satisfaction?1669 Words   |  7 Pagesof this essay is to highlight the use of management theories in relation to productivity and job satisfaction. This essay shall di scuss how leaders can motivate employees in order to improve the overall productivity and job satisfaction. I will be looking at theories in relation to how they are categorised, also how different management theories can be implemented by a leader. The essay will analyse both the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that are relative to applicable management theories and fromRead MoreCritically evaluate McGregors Theroy X and Theory Y1341 Words   |  6 PagesCritically evaluate McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y. How far is it applicable to management and employee motivation in contemporary Chinese organizations? In the modern corporation environment, employees’ motivation plays a pivotal role, thus they should be recognised as a significant part of corporations’ financial assets. There are several distinct viewpoints of approaches to managerial strategies about motivating employees, one of which is McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y. It proposes that providingRead MoreTheory X And Y : Theories1385 Words   |  6 PagesIndividual Assignment Theory X and Y are theories founded by Douglas McGregor, a professor from MIT Sloan School of Management, which are inscribed in his book, â€Å"The Human Side of Enterprise† in 1960. This essay will explain about the theories used in human resources, which according to McGregor are vital in the success of one’s company. Theory X is the theory who assume people to dislike work or just want to work if they received orders from superiors. While the theory Y assumes people love toRead MoreCritical Evaluate Maslows Theory of Hierarchy of Needs1272 Words   |  6 PagesCritically evaluate Maslow’s hierarchy of needs as way of understanding employee motivation in contemporary Chinese business Nowadays, people resources have been considered as an important task. To focus on that employees’ emotional motivator have always been considered as a standard to predict company’s future tendency of development. (Hurst, 1995) People’s motivation factors and uses have become to play a more significant role in modern firms, which is every boss cared. In today’s ChinaRead MoreCritical Evaluate Maslows Theory of Hierarchy of Needs1263 Words   |  6 PagesCritically evaluate Maslow’s hierarchy of needs as way of understanding employee motivation in contemporary Chinese business Nowadays, people resources have been considered as an important task. To focus on that employees’ emotional motivator have always been considered as a standard to predict company’s future tendency of development. (Hurst, 1995) People’s motivation factors and uses have become to play a more significant role in modern firms, which is every boss cared. In today’s China, manyRead MoreThe Importance Of Motivation And Motivation Theory1401 Words   |  6 Pagesperformance. Therefore motivation is one of the most complex and important topics in industrial and organizational psychology (Smither ,1997). The main purpose of this essay is to explain different kinds of motivation and why it is necessary, and create a proper motivation mechanism for the company. On the one hand, I studied current research and research different motivation theories. On the other hand, I will compare the common and different things among these motivation theories, and try to findRead MoreLeadership Styles Adapting1160 Words   |  5 PagesIn a modern society competition exists in every scope and businesses are not exceptional. As companies struggle to get more efficiency and profitability good management is certainly needed. It is argued that a qualified leader should know how to motivate people and deal with problems in the most effective way. Moreover, managers have to set objectives for companies in order to check whether the labours are working in a right direction and tasks are doing properly. However, not the same as before

Introduction to Business Marketing/Finance/Accounting

Question: Describe about the Introduction to Business for Marketing/Finance/Accounting. Answer: Introduction The business sector in New Zealand is largely dominated by 460,000 small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) that currently employs a massive 30% of the entire workforce, i.e., over 900,000 people (New Zealand Government, 2014). Out of the entire population of enterprises in New Zealand, 97% are presently small businesses consisting of around 20 or fewer employees (See Appendix 1). The aim of this essay is to analyse the business overview, and the marketing/finance/accounting aspect of OOB Organic that operates out of Auckland, New Zealand. Business Overview OOB is a producer of fresh and frozen varieties of organic Strawberries and Blueberries (Omaha Organic Berries, 2016). Industry Overview The organic foods sector in New Zealand has been growing at 25% for three consecutive years irrespective of the global recession(Cooper, et al., 2012) and was valued at $480 million in 2009 (See Appendix 2). OOB Organic is a market leader in its domain of organic fresh fruit and vegetable producers in New Zealand, which consists of over 1,700 certified and licensed organic operations. Marketing Marketing Mix Analysis Product. The products offered by OOB are Asurequality Organic Certified, premium organic fruits which are grown without any form of chemical treatment and related desserts, which are manufactured in a way so as to retain the goodness of the fruits (Omaha Organic Berries, 2016). These include fresh and frozen varieties of organic Strawberries and Blueberries, as well as authentic and delicious, sorbets, ice creams (Se Appendix 3). The organisation has been in existence for a decade and is currently on the lookout for opportunities to expand since it is in the growth stage of its product lifecycle(Twose, 2013). The products are positioned as a premium brand for genuine and certified organic berries and guilt-free desserts that are made with real fruits, without the use of harmful chemicals(Auton Auton, 2013). The products of OOB Organic are branded as by focusing on its key attribute of trustworthiness, that is differentiated based on its sustainability and simplicity, i.e., its ingredients are just fruit, cream and sugar. Thus, its unique packaging is similarly done using only three colours, which signifies its limited ingredients (Martin, 2013). Pricing. The pricing strategy alternatives available to OOB Organic are: Penetration pricing strategy where low prices are used to increase sales, Skimming pricing strategy where high prices are used to increase margins and Competitive pricing strategy where prices are set comparative to industry rivals. The correct pricing strategy for the organisation is competitive pricing strategy of setting prices in the range of $9.99/500 gm for frozen berries, $6.99/470 ml and $3.99/120 ml for ice creams, $11.99/6 unit pack for sorbet ice blocks and $11.99/450 gm for organic smoothies; which will help to reduce price sensitivity, ensure that the prices are market competitive and encourage more consumers to make purchases. Promotion. The promotional methods available to OOB Organic in this context are (Auton Auton, 2013): Trade promotion through trade shows, such as the Food Show in New Zealand, Consumer promotion through product tastings in supermarkets, Public relation through participation in the Restaurant Month Event in Auckland, and Advertising outsourced to Special Group for rebranding OOB Organic from berry growers to a premium brand of organic food producers and distributors (See Appendix 4). The most suitable promotional strategy for OOB Organic is a combination of online promotions through a social media campaign which will attract millennial consumers and increase the interest of tech-savvy consumers, as well as consumer promotions in supermarkets which will increase desire and elicit action through purchase. 2.1.4 Place. The successful distribution of OOB Organic products is aimed at supermarket and hypermarket retailers such as Countdown and New Worlds in New Zealand. The domestic distribution channel can also include popular organic and speciality food stores such as Nosh and Farro in order to reach out to health-conscious consumers (Auton Auton, 2013). In addition to this, exporting half of the overall turnover of frozen berries, i.e. around 500 tonnes, the brand can be targeted at Australian consumers. By making it available in at least 1600 of the top retail outlets of Woolworths stores and Coles stores (NZ Farmer, 2014), the company will be able to reach out to a much larger consumer base spread across the entire country. Consumer/Market Analysis The competitive market for premium quality organic foods can be segmented Geographically, based on the location of the consumer, which will enable the frozen organic mixed berries and ice creams can also be exported to emerging markets (Atherton, 2015) to benefit from the growing aggregate demand for organic foodstuff in these countries and capture a larger market share (See Appendix 5). Demographically, based on the age of the consumer, which will enable the company to serve younger consumers at its ice-cream and smoothie bars such as the one near Matakana Cinemas (Matakana Village, 2016). Behaviourally, based on heavy users of organic foods, who are increasingly aware of the harmful effects of chemical contamination of food (See Appendix 6). Psychographically, based on preference for healthy foods, in an effort to lead a healthy lifestyle (See Appendix 7). Benefit segmentation, based on the need for healthier snacks by consumers, who are particular about taste and health benefits (See Appendix 8). The target consumers are thus urban millennials, who have a sweet-tooth, like consuming organic fruits and are looking for healthier snacks and guilt-free indulgences in dessert items. Finance and Accounting Capital Structure of the Business Small and medium-sized companies often face capital gaps while de-leveraging their capital structures and making important financial transitions. There is a constant need to strengthen the capital structures and to reduce the dependency on borrowing by focusing on alternative mechanisms that enable such enterprises to increase their debt (OECD, 2015). Equity Financing. The options available to OOB Organic for equity financing are: There are 9 programs for business loans and 63 programs for a business grant available for small and medium business entrepreneurs located in Auckland, which can be availed for financial aid, expert advice, and mentorship (NZ Funding Grants, 2016). Funding can be sourced from angel investors who are always on the lookout for investment opportunities that will fetch them high returns on investment(OECD, 2015). The Entrepreneurs' Challenge programme arranged by the University of Auckland Business School, provides $1 million from venture capitalists in equity growth funding to the winner(Twose, 2013). The best alternative for OOB Organic for equity financing is to seek out government equity funding since it is an award-winning Auckland based businesses. This enables it to receive government funding in the range of $500 - $25,000,000 to help finance their small and medium business needs since there is no guarantee that venture capitalists will choose OOB Organic as a suitable business venture Long-Term Financing. The options available to OOB Organic for long-term financing are: Bank lending from Kiwi bank, Westpac NZ, GE Capital, Biz Finance, ANZ Bank and ASB Bank are a credible source for fulfilling the long-term investment and cash flow needs of start-ups in New Zealand(OECD, 2015). Crowdfunding through Snowball Effect, Pledge Me, Equities, and Lift-off can be used to finance particular projects of the enterprise, through peer-to-peer lending (OECD, 2015). Equity crowdfunding is the suitable option for long-term financing since OOB Organic is a new and growing entrepreneurial venture that might not get capital from traditional sources due to the absence of high collaterals and a strong credit history. Short Term Finance The options available to OOB Organic for short-term financing are: Invoice Finance through Pacific Invoice Finance, Invoice Funders and Fifo Capital can be utilised to oversee transient income by releasing money from the receipt receivables record, and reinvesting money back the business to create a more prominent return out of capital that would have generally been tied up on the accounting report(OECD, 2015). Merchant Finance through SFO Capital and New Zealand Merchant Finance Group Limited is for enterprises with multiple low-value point-of-sale transactions, where the funding is done based on card sales value, where repayment is made through revenue collection from the provider of the card(OECD, 2015). The most appropriate option for short-term financing at OOB Organics is invoice financing since it consolidates the gap between the point of sales and receipt of payment, is a flexible short-term financing solution for a small/medium enterprise and can be received irrespective of the existing financial status of a profit/loss making organisation. References Atherton, J. (2015, June 21). Oob wins in organic food sales surge. Retrieved from Stuff.co.nz: https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/69550482/oob-wins-in-organic-food-sales-surge Auton, S., Auton, R. (2013, May 24). Small Business: Shannon Auton - OOB Organic. (G. South, Interviewer) Cooper, M., Manhire, J., Dan, C., Reider, R., Morris, M., Rosin, C. (2012). New Zealand Organic Market Report. New Zealand: Organics Aotearoa. Martin, J. (2013, January 29). Special Group takes OOB to the masses. Retrieved from Idelog.co.nz: https://idealog.co.nz/design/2013/01/cream-crop-oob-takes-it-masses Matakana Village. (2016). OOB Ice Cream Cafe. Retrieved from Visit Matakana: https://www.visitmatakana.co.nz/food-wine/oob New Zealand Government. (2014). The Small Business Sector Report. New Zealand: New Zealand Government. NZ Farmer. (2014, August 28). Organic berry firm snares new market. Retrieved from Stuff.co.nz: https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/cropping/10423230/Organic-berry-firm-snares-new-market NZ Funding Grants. (2016). Auckland Government Funding Programmes. Retrieved from NZFundinggrants.org: https://www.nzfundinggrants.org/region/auckland-government-funding-programs OECD. (2015). New Approaches to SME and Entrepreneurship Financing: Broadening the Range of Instruments. Istanbul: OECD. Omaha Organic Berries. (2016). About Us. Retrieved from Omaha Organic Berries: https://www.oob.co.nz/about-us Twose, H. (2013, September 13). Berry growers branch out. Retrieved from NZ Herald News: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3objectid=11123913

Wall-E, as a film about the relationship between t Essays - Film

Wall-E, as a film about the relationship between two largely non-verbal robots, cannot tell its story through dialogue the way that many other films do. The story focuses largely on Wall-E and Eve, who, outside of a few recognizable phrases, such as each of their respective names and a few audio cues that Eve is seemingly programmed with, the two main characters of the film do not have any dialogue. What little dialogue the movie does have is usually diegetic sound that is happening in the background of the scene, the source of which is not generally the main visual focus of the scene. These scenes, including advertising videos by the CEO of the Buy-N-Large corporation, explains important elements to the plot and why the planet is empty and so polluted, but this kind of dialogue is rare within Wall-E. Nevertheless, the film relies heavily on sound , both diegetic and non-diegetic, to tell its story just as much as any other film, albeit in a slightly different way. Th e relationship between the film's diegetic and non-diegetic contributes to the story of the film in that it sets the tone of each scene, and in fact the entire mood of the film is largely conveyed through how it utilizes sound. Much of the sound in Wall-E is diegetic, and the source is either readily visible throughout each scene or implied to the point that the audience would recognize that the sound has a source somewhere in the setting. We hear the constant sound of Wall-E's treads going over the pavement and we hear his little non-verbal, mechanical reactions to the world around him. Early on in the movie, we hear music that is being played from Wall-E's tape player, and we hear advertising music playing through the street by a speaker. To let the viewer know where these sounds are coming from, often the camera shot centers in on the source for a moment, or else we hear another distinct audio cue, such as Wall-E pressing a play button, directly before to inform the audience that the sound is emanating from something in the scene. When Eve arrives on Earth, we hear a hydraulic "swish" sound as her shuttle opens, and we hear sounds of her hovering mechanism, as well as her respective, often n on-verbal reactions to the world around her. At the start of the film for example, we first meet Wall-E as he is carrying out his assigned directive of compacting garbage and cleaning up. He is listening to some old big band music on a tape-player, and is dutifully working. As the scene unfolds and Wall-E switches his music off, we see the scene expand, and the cheerful diegetic music Wall-E was listening to is replaced by the non-diegetic music score . The music is somewhat ominous and mysterious, and it coincides with what we see onscreen: the world is entirely deserted and overrun with garbage and pollution, and seemingly has been so for quite some time. The juxtaposition of Wall-E's perspective of relative happiness and optimism is thus juxtaposed with the mood of the musical score and what it implies about the current state of the world. Ultimately the relationship between the diegetic and non-diegetic sound in this scene shows the contrast between Wall-E's individual appraisal of the situation on Earth with th e reality of it. Continuing on, juxtaposition of this type occurs several more times throughout the film. One of the most notable cases is when he takes Eve on a "date". Of course, immediately before this scene, Eve has discovered Wall-E's seedling and entered a sort of stasis mode to protect the plant. Never the less, Wall-E takes her out for a "romantic" evening, shielding her from rain with an umbrella, rowing a "gondola" for the two of them, watching the sunset while attempting to hold her "hand", et cetera. The non-diegetic sound of this film is the musical score, which is decidedly romantic sounding and happy. The juxtaposition of the non-diegetic and diegetic sound of this sequence makes for a comedic effect; obviously, Eve is in stasis, and thus has no awareness of what is even really happening. Furthermore, as this is happening, Wall-E

Summary Entrepreneuring as Emancipation Essays

Summary Entrepreneuring as Emancipation Essays Summary Entrepreneuring as Emancipation Essay Summary Entrepreneuring as Emancipation Essay There exist four main approaches about what entrepreneurs distinguishes from managers: (1) creation of new organizations, (2) high-growth, high- wealth-creating businesses, (3) innovations and creation Of new products and arrests, and (4) recognition and pursuit of profitable opportunities. The underlying assumption is that wealth creation is a fundamental goal of entrepreneurial efforts. Jim Corona: he provides anecdotal evidence that individuals often engage in entrepreneurial for motives other than wealth. Corona was a senior vice president at a large long-distance telephone provider and he stated that decisions came too slow, he had too little control of the work environment, and all corporate decisions were dominated by their impact on next quarters earnings. His CEO asked him to lay off employees in Corpsmans hometown in order to boost the quarterly earnings, however he refused and left the company. He then created his own company to provide jobs for sixty of his laid-off neighbors. This start-up motivation is the intent of the Special Topic Forum (SST) and this article. The given definition of entrepreneurial is consistent with prior research in terms of the creation of newness. The objective of this article is to extend and complement this research. Two goals in this article: (1 ) broaden the focus of entrepreneurship research by drawing attention to the emancipators aspects of entrepreneurial and (2) introducing the papers contained in the SST and elate them to the emancipators perspective. Entrepreneurial Business et al suggested an overarching framework that characterizes entrepreneurship in three nouns: (1) entrepreneurs, (2) new ventures, and (3) opportunities. This focus has been valuable, however it also limits the research attention given to the actions and processes that constitute the domain Of entrepreneurship. TO promote attention to research that investigates the doing the call for SST papers is framed in terms of entrepreneurial, following Wick his idea that verbs draw attention to actions and processes geared toward change creation. Additionally, using entrepreneurial encourage researches to study a broader set of actions intended not only to create new wealth but also to bring about new states in relevant economic, social, institutional, and cultural environments. To direct more research to the study of entrepreneurial activities as generators of change, a perspective is developed on why and how entrepreneurial can be viewed as an emancipators process. Emancipators refers to the act of setting free from the power of another. Viewing entrepreneurial projects as emancipators efforts focuses on understanding he factors that cause individuals to seek to disrupt the status quo and change their position in the social order in which they are embedded. The need to develop this perspective arises as the motivation for entrepreneurial is a desire for freedom and independence from conventional structures of authority and income generation. Entrepreneurship research needs to give closer consideration to entrepreneurs dreams for autonomy and change and the processes through which these dreams may be accomplished. Emancipators entrepreneurial When entrepreneurial is viewed through an emancipators lens, there exist here core elements: (1) seeking autonomy, (2) authoring, and (3) making declarations (TABLE 1). Entrepreneurial efforts may involve breaking free from authority and breaking up perceived constraints. These constraints can be of an intellectual, psychological, economic, social, institutional or cultural nature. With regard to taking actions, authoring and making declarations locate an entrepreneurial project in the domains of organization resource exchanges and managing stakeholder interpretations. Seeking autonomy Autonomy is a goal of emancipation which is defined as breaking free from he authority of another. The hope for autonomy is one of the main drivers of efforts to become self-employed. Breaking free suggests the desire to make ones own way in the world, breaking up draws attention to the striving to imagine and create a better world. Analyzing the seeking autonomy aspects of entrepreneurial opens up the following directions in entrepreneurship research: The breaking up aspect of emancipation resonates with the Centenarians view of entrepreneurship as creative destruction. However, the emancipators view goes beyond the Centenarians view by attending to tooth the breaking free and the breaking up. Example: how do entrepreneurial efforts may be affected by different conceptualizations of autonomy? Escaping the default individualist assumptions derived from the disciplines of psychology and economics that have informed it, and theorizing and researching both deeply individualist and social aspects. It involves the breaking up of constraints. The emancipators perspective sees creative destruction as one of its goals (instead of the mean). Entrepreneurial individuals and groups often solve technological and other problems because hey are internally motivated to change their worlds. The emancipators perspective suggests that understanding the constraints that entrepreneurial individuals seek to overcome may give us better insights into the process through which entrepreneurs create (first change, then opportunities). The emancipators perspective suggests that entrepreneurship research should more closely consider the social change agendas inherent in many entrepreneurial projects in order to understand their emancipators potential. It would suggest that a distinction is not only unnecessary but potentially not laid, since many entrepreneurs seek to improve their economic positions through the impact of broader social change. Authoring As emancipators means breaking free and autonomy, taking ownership of oneself, of one acts, and of becoming a trader. The entrepreneur must necessarily attend to the variety of relationships, structures, norms, and rules within which an entrepreneurial project is undertaken. Existing research tends to emphasize how gaining support from structures of power and authority ensures the success of acts of breaking free. Individuals who seek redeem and independence, often find that they become controlled by the arrangements they make to gain legitimacy and access to resources. Viewed from an emancipators perspective, entrepreneurial involves authoring defining relationships, arrangements, and rules of engagement that preserve and potentially enhance the change potential of a given entrepreneurial project. Authoring does not refer to an outright rejection of all established norms and forms of authority but designing arrangements. The emancipators perspective emphasizes the need to consider the possibilities for resource obligation through authoring as a process for protecting the emancipators potential of new ventures. A key direction for entrepreneurship research suggested by the concept of authoring is to examine the conditions and processes through which entrepreneurs can effect such trading of places. Authoring generally about attending to the variety of relationships, structures, norms, and rules within which the entrepreneurial project is undertaken. Entrepreneurship research can make important contributions by directing greater research attention to the creative authoring of relationships and rules wrought which entrepreneurs can Pleasure their dreams and create change. Making declarations Making of declarations: unambiguous discursive and rhetorical acts regarding the actors intentions to create change. The idea of making declarations points to the need to position the project in the webs of meaning within which stakeholders interpret the value of products and activities. Existing research recognizes the importance of activities that influence established patterns of meaning for the success of new ventures. It has analyzed how symbolic and cultural resources, and symbolic actions are deployed to influence the interpretations of stakeholders. An emancipators perspective suggests that rather than disguising the difference associated with entrepreneurial activities and masking the potential contradictions through legitimating activities, entrepreneurial may involve explicitly exposing contradictions in an effort to generate stakeholder support for the intended change in the status quo. The idea of making declarations suggests several new directions: Making declarations raises consequential questions of intuit should be said and how? (signaling and disclosure), who gets to Say and who am I to say? voice), and who out there cares? (audiences). Enables researchers to consider more systematically the inevitability of concentrations arising once declarations are made. The need to systematically examine the use of cultural and symbolic resources for effecting change, rather than acquiring legitimacy. An emancipators perspective suggests the need to attend to the institutional work that accompanies entrepreneurial activities and the constitution of new institutions around new products, projects and activities. The SST articles (4) A limitation of the existing research is that it almost exclusively examines entrepreneurship within formal economies, however, a huge amount of commerce takes place within the informal economy (that segment of economic activity that is illegal within a society but is viewed as legitimate by sizable groups within the society).

Juan Corona, the Machete Murderer

Juan Corona, the Machete Murderer Juan Corona was a labor contractor who hired migrant workers to produce fields in California. In a murder spree lasting six weeks, he raped and murdered 25 men and buried their machete-hacked bodies in the orchards owned by local farmers. Diagnosed With Schizophrenia Juan Corona (born 1934) moved from Mexico to Yuba City, California in the 1950s to work as a produce field-worker. Corona, diagnosed with schizophrenia, managed to work up through the ranks despite his illness. In the early 1970s, he moved from the field into a contractor’s job and hired workers for the local Yuba City Growers. The Hired Help Married with four children, Corona succeeded in providing a comfortable life for his family. He had the reputation of being a tough person in his interactions with the workers he hired. Many of the workers were down-and-out men, homeless alcoholics, old and unemployable. Few had family ties and most lived nomadic lives. Corona in Full Control Corona offered the workers housing on Sullivan Ranch. Here the migrant workers and itinerants worked daily for little pay and lived in a dismal prison-like environment. Corona had control over their basic needs of food and shelter and in 1971, he began to use that power to satisfy his sexually sadistic impulses. Easy Victims For men to vanish without anyone taking notice was common on the Sullivan Ranch. Corona took advantage of this and began to select men to rape and murder. Their sudden absence did not cause concern and went unreported. Knowing this- Corona made little effort to destroy evidence linking him to the murdered men. A Pattern of Murder His pattern was the same. He dug holes- sometimes a few days in advance, picked his victim, sexually assaulted and stabbed them to death. He then hacked at their heads with a machete and buried them. Discovery of a Grave Corona’s carelessness eventually caught up with him. In early May 1971, a ranch owner discovered a seven-foot freshly dug hole on his property. When he returned the following day he found the hole filled. He became suspicious and called authorities. When the hole was uncovered, the mutilated corpse of Kenneth Whitacre was found three feet in the ground. Whitacre had been sexually assaulted, stabbed and his head split opened with a machete. More Graves Uncovered Another farmer reported that he also had a freshly covered hole on his property. The hole contained the body of an elderly drifter, Charles Fleming. He had been sodomized, stabbed and his head was mutilated with a machete. The Machete Murderer The investigation turned up more graves. By June 4, 1971, authorities uncovered 25 graves. All the victims were men found laying on their backs, arms above their heads and shirts pulled over their faces. Each man had been sodomized and murdered in a similar fashion- stabbed and two slashes in the shape of a cross on the back of their heads. A Trail Leads to Corona Receipts with Juan Coronas name on them were found in the victims pockets. The police determined that many of the men had last been seen alive with Corona. A search of his home turned up two bloodstained knives, a ledger with seven of the victim’s names and the date of their murders logged, a machete, pistol, and bloodstained clothing. The Trial Corona was arrested and tried for the 25 murders. He was found guilty and sentenced to 25 consecutive life sentences, leaving him no hope of parole. He immediately appealed the verdict. Many believed an accomplice had been involved in the crimes but no evidence supporting the theory was ever found. In 1978, Coronas appeal was upheld and he set out to try to prove the lawyers during his first trial were inept because they never used his schizophrenia to plead insanity. He also pointed the finger to his brother as being the real killer. Coronas half brother, Natividad, was a cafe owner who lived in a nearby town in 1970. Natividad sexually attacked a patron and left his beaten body in the bathroom of the cafe. He took off to Mexico when he found out the victim was going to sue him. There was no evidence found linking Coronas brother to the crimes. In 1982, the court upheld the original guilty verdicts. Meanwhile, Corona was involved in a prison fight and received 32 razor cuts and lost an eye. Six Weeks of Murder Coronas killing spree lasted six weeks. Why he decided to begin killing is a mystery and one that many psychologists pondered. Most believe he probably had a past of sexual assault and victimizing the helpless individuals who he hired. Some attribute Coronas violence to his need for supreme control of his victims.

Humanities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 9

Humanities - Essay Example Roman glass makers used The Hellenic technique of sagging glass for open form cups and bowls over a convex mould in casting in the 1st century BC The glass blowing technique allowed the development of myriad shapes and designs which revolutionalized glass industry all over Europe. It also increased the uses of glass in many aspects of life all over the Roman Empire because it was easier to make it. The war victories by Romans led to more conquests which were possible because the Appian Way was there. This led to contact with other cultures hence the Roman culture had a lot of influence from many parts of Europe. Slaves of war brought their cultural influence. The Roman Empire was able to spread its culture throughout Europe including Latin and this was only possible because the army was well supplied and could move in speed to any â€Å"theatre of war† as Claudius had intended. Mostly, such works were made when the aristocrat was alive and as such, it paints a connection of the present to the past. The Roman art was predisposed to realism unlike that of the Greeks. An aristocrat would like such a depictive sculpture made to indicate to his lineage that life is a continuous journey and in addition, to make a connection to great personalities who existed before them. The care with which the aristocrat holds the busts shows reverence and not disdain as scalp hunter would hold their trophies in contempt. 2. The aqueducts; these shows the brilliance in utilizing natural resources to serve the needs of the people. To date, not many cities can boast such magnificent displays of genius in serving their populace. 3. The use of concrete; the Roman Empire is still remembered because there is proof of how great they were through existing buildings like the Parthenon. To date, concrete is still the material of choice centuries after the brilliant Roman engineers invented it. The colloseum

Hydrographic Surveying Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Hydrographic Surveying - Essay Example Since then the science has evolved from a crude form of conjecture to a fairly accurate predictive one. This paper prepares a report form of investigation in which the implications of converting hydrographic surveying based on single-beam echo sounders to multiple-beam ones shall be studied and considered in detail to assess feasibility and functional efficacy with particular reference to Medway Ports, UK. To initiate this noble venture it is first necessary to study a little of Medway Port, Kent, UK, especially in detail to its known navigation features. The Medway Ports authorities define the Medway River as one of the principal trade arteries of the United Kingdom with particular utility to the South East of England through which this river flows before ending into the sea strategically near to the English Channel and the North Sea (Overview, Medway Ports, 2007). This proximal position to two main European trade routes, the port's efficient functionality and its easy accessibility to its hinterland by road, rail and water has eventually evolved it into a port of choice for many export and import operators. Cargoes such a fresh produce, forest products, new vehicles and steel and containers pass through it to and fro British soil (Overview, Medway Ports, 2007). Actually, the... Actually, the Medway Ports authority is a statutory one and is responsible for a 27 mile stretch of water that is a combination of the Medway and Swale rivers. The authority is responsible for maintaining the rivers and for providing and coordinating pilotage and vessel traffic services to ensure safety of all river users including pleasure boat ones (Overview, Medway Ports, 2007). The Ports are mainly a combination of the Sheerness and Chatham docks (Peel Ports Group, Medway Ports, 2007). Britain's first LNG handling terminal was constructed at the Isle of Grain within the Ports complex (Peel Ports Group, Medway Ports, 2007). Pilotage services provided by the Ports authorities are compulsory for vessels of 50 metres and above in length. The Medway Conservancy Board has taken over hydrographic surveying of the Medway Ports system from the Royal Navy Hydrographic Inshore Squadron since the 1960s. Presently, it has tow crafts at its service - the 18.9 metre Medway Surveyor that surveys the main reaches of the Medway and the deeper offshore waters and the 6 metre Medway Recorder which surveys the berths and shallower waters. Both vessels have permanently installed echo sounders that can also work as side scan sonar recorders (Hydrographic Service, Medway Navigation Service, 2007). It is assumed that the echo-sounders are all single beam ones.Hydrographic Surveying Hydrographic surveying is undertaken in two types of operational locations - oceanic or relatively deeper offshore waters and relatively shallower inshore waters. As has already been evidenced with Medway Ports, the former locations are usually surveyed by larger survey ships like the Medway Surveyor and the latter locations by smaller

Gucci, Louis Vuitton And Vertu Essay Example for Free

Gucci, Louis Vuitton And Vertu Essay Creating luxury brands is a difficult marketing exercise. It requires heavy investment in marketing communications, excellent product/service quality, but above all these brands have to try to remain fashionable, which is notoriously difficult. Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Vertu are three successful so-called luxury brands, that retail to the high-end market. Both Gucci and Louis Vuitton are well-established brands that have been around for decades, even centuries. However Vertu, is a relatively new kid on the block, having only entered the luxury communications marketplace in 2000. Vertu sells expensive mobile phones that retail for thousands of pounds. Only a handful of brands can create a high status appeal among the world’s super rich (e.g. Ferrari, Rolex, etc.). These brands have to adopt innovative marketing strategies in order to succeed in this dynamic environment. What do they do differently to create this luxury appeal? Marketers are moving from the traditional marketing mix approach towards greater use of experiential marketing. This is where customers are treated as both rational and emotional individuals that seek ‘experiences’ from products. The key is to engage customers in a memorable experience around the product/service, developing a relationship with customers and creating an affinity with them. The central aim of experiential marketing is to create an emotional attachment between the brand and the customer. Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Vertu provide this experience through their unique product image and features, their outstanding service, their exclusive retail environment, their pricing, their selective channels of distribution, their distincive packaging and the overall benefits associated with their unique brand images. To promote a product to the high-market it is important that the customers have the right experience so that the desired feelings, images and perspectives beco me linked with the product/service and their marketing programme. It is necessary for the brand to convey a personality that the customer can relate to, or wish to aspire to and then communicate this to others.  Consumers of these brands feel that they too are fashion and design conscious, that they too are wealthy, and that they are part of the â€Å"in-crowd†. In many cases, luxury brands are tapping into the â€Å"aspirational† buyer market; luxury brands are offering products at different price points in the hope that sometime during the customers’ lifetime they will trade up to their more exclusive ranges. However, the risk of ‘democratising’ the brand is that they may lose their aura of exclusivity – as it can be obtained by anyone. Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Vertu rely on the imagery of their products to appeal to the high-end market. The prestigious pricing of their products creates a high quality image and positions the goods in the mind of the consumer as a status symbol. The success of Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Vertu can be attributed to quality of service, brand image, retail environment, management structure and above all their ability to combine these factors to create an exclusive experience. We will now take a closer look at how these companies became what they are today, while focusing on unique product features and image, their brand imagery, retail environments and channels of distribution. Gucci Gucci has experienced many changes since it opened its first luggage company in Florence in 1921. At first, it mainly sold only luxury leather goods. Within a few years the store became popular among international and affluent clientele. By the 1950’s Gucci’s global presence was established with its first store in the US in New York. By the 1970’s stores were opened in London, Paris, Palm Beach, Hong Kong and Tokyo. It has become a truly global luxury brand. Today, Gucci has over 415 stores worldwide and in 2008 alone, reported sales of  £3.4 billion (an increase of 5.5% on the previous year). Gucci was also ranked number 41 in the Interbrand ‘Best Global Brand’Survey 2009. The high fashion industry is notoriously competitive with rivals such as Hermes, Dior, Chanel, and Prada, all vying for a slice of the action. This increased competition has resulted in the Gucci group becoming a multi-brand company, which consists of several well known brands, such as Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney and Yves Saint Laurent. While the Gucci brand represents the core business of the Gucci Group (accounting for 65% of total revenue), the Gucci Empire now consists of eleven leading brands and the channel of distribution differs for each. For example, Yves Saint Laurent uses not only directly operated stores but also points of sale in leading  department stores mainly based in Europe to reach a wider range of customers. A major influence on the success of Gucci in the 90’s can be attributed to the appointment of leading designer Tom Ford. He joined Gucci in 1990 as the company’s Womenswear Designer and became Creative Director of Gucci. With Tom Ford’s vision, Gucci’s image was reinvented. He was responsible for product lines, store image and store design. In March 1995, Tom Ford’s first collection caught the attention of the press by utilising sex and glamour. Within a year of Tom Ford’s launch of his new collection, Gucci’s profits rose by 90% and the company is now worth nearly $500 million. However, Ford vacated his position in the Gucci Group in 2004 due to issues of control in the renewal of contracts, issues which could not be resolved between the two parties. 32-year-old Frida Giannini, who originally joined Gucci in 2002 as Handbag Design Director now serves as Creative Director for the entire Gucci brand and to date she served the company well, transforming Gucci classics into modern, successful designs. In addition to the role she plays in the creation of new Gucci products, Giannini immerses herself in other aspects of the business; she has taken an active role in developing new design concepts for Gucci stores, as well as taking responsibility for the creative direction of all advertising campaigns. She has also been responsible for the brand’s increased use of celebrities to promote the brand, including Drew Barrymore and Clare Danes for their jewellery campaigns and singers Rihanna and Madonna for their Unicef initiatives. So what is the key to Gucci’s success? The essence of Gucci is its exclusivity. The brand portrays a sexy and vibrant image, which is communicated through their designs, fashion shows and advertising. The importance of the Gucci brand’s positioning is that it is distinctive and has an aura of exclusivity amongst its target audience. The image and aura of prestige surrounding Gucci gives added value to their products. This is created through advertising, innovative designers and the whole experience of buying Gucci. Gucci uses controversial advertising such  as the promotion of their perfume ‘Opium’ with a naked image of Sophie Dahl. This caused uproar in Britain and was banned by the advertising standards, as it accounted for a third of all complaints about poster adverts. However this campaign managed to win advertising awards throughout Europe. Gucci’s advertisement in Vogue also created controversy with an image of a woman with the letter ‘G’ imprinted in her pubic hair. These illustrations helped gain media coverage for the campaigns and boosted brand awareness. Typically, the Gucci brand tries to appeal to women in their 20’s or 30’s with high quality, fashionable products, and those who aspire to be part of the jet set lifestyle. This image attracts people who feel they can relate to this profile or who wish to aspire to this image. Gucci achieves this in many ways; stores are located on expensive high street locations, thus attracting affluent consumers. The window displays are provocative and the interior has a free flow layout as its visually appealing and allows consumers to browse comfortably. The dà ©cor is rich and classic to add to the atmosphere of the store. The salespeople are model-like, smartly dressed all in black and ready to assist consumers in any way. Even the security guard is suitably dressed to add to the image. The distinctive Gucci packaging concludes the experience. Gucci has directly operated stores to ensure that they retain control over their products and can build their image around these stores. About 70% of sales are done in Gucci stores alone. It is also possible to view and purchase Gucci products online, thus reaching a far greater target audience. Louis Vuitton The famous brand started out back in the 1850’s. The founder was made famous for crafting luggage for Napoleon. From theses roots the brand has become synonymous with luggage and in particular handbags. Louis Vuitton is very much the envy of the industry, recording an operating margin of 45%, whilst the industry average is only 25% for luxury accessories. The company is famous for its handbags, but also sells a range of wallets, briefcases, eyeglass cases etc. The brand is estimate to be worth approximately $19 billion. Louis Vuitton stand out from their peers through their relentless focus on product quality. All products are extensively tested to make sure that they can withstand wear and tear, and that there are no imperfections. The company has blended mechanisation and handmade craftsmanship into their products, boosting their productivity, maintaining that high level of product quality, whilst still holding onto the allure of handmade quality. All Louis Vuitton products contain the eponymous LV initials and many of the products use the brown Damier and Monogram Canvas materials, which were first used by the company in the 80’s. The company markets its products through its own stores, which allows it to control quality and pricing. In maintaining the prestige image of the Louis Vuitton brand, the company operates a pricing integrity strategy amongst its entire distribution network; a Louis Vuitton bag is never reduced in price and there are no sale periods. The company offers customised products such as personal engraving on hand luggage pieces, boosting its appeal further. Furthermore, the company sponsors elite sporting events such as yachting and motorsport events. This is in effort to match the audience of sponsorship property with the target audience of the brand itself. Like other premium brands, such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton has also turned to the use of celebrity’s to market the brand, with the likes of Madonna, Jennifer Lopez and Gisele Bundchen featuring in advertising campaigns. Over recent years, the brand has tried to modernise its image by utilising the talents of young designers and artists to rejuvenate the image of some of their products, whilst maintaining the classic designs. An example of this was the use of designer Marc Jacobs who created a limited edition handbag range with featured graffiti over the monogram pattern in 2001. Other limited editions patterns created by designers for the brand include the Monogram Multicolore range and the Cherry Blossom Range, which were only made available to VIP customers, further enhancing the exclusivity of the brand. Hermes, a key rival of Louis Vuitton, create even greater exclusivity by having a three-year waiting list before one of their bags can be obtained. These bags are handcrafted, adding to their appeal even further. The reinvention and rejuvenation of Louis Vuitton in more recent years has assisted the brand in attracting a younger target audience, thereby increasing customer base. However no one designer has eclipsed the powerful brand image of Louis Vuitton itself, unlike other design brands. Vertu Vertu is a unique luxury brand specialising in top of the range, deluxe mobile phones. Established in 2000, the Vertu brand was a big gamble for Nokia, its parent company, to take. Nokia, previously the world’s most successful mobile phone manufacturer, developed this new brand as a way of creating an exclusive luxury brand in mobile telephony. However, Nokia does not publicise the linkage between Nokia and Vertu and therefore does not gain from any brand linkages or associations. In essence, their products are jewellery-like mobile telephones. Vertu headquarters are located in the United Kingdom with several offices situated worldwide including: Paris, New York, Hong Kong and Singapore. As a new entrant to  the market, Vertu’s main focus was on creating product awareness among the elite and to create a brand that is exclusive and luxurious. Vertu utilises craftsmanship, precision engineering, high-end technology and a unique personal service dimension to create a dis tinctive luxury brand. Vertu’s concept is to make mobile phones in the same vein as prestigious watch brands such as Rolex and Patek Philippe. Mobile phones typically retail for around  £100  £400 pounds, however Vertu is aimed at the top end of the market, those who can afford to spend thousands on a mobile phone. For example, the most expensive model ever made by the brand is the Signature Cobra, which retailed at a massive â‚ ¬217,000! The most expensive ‘regular’ model made by Vertu is the Signature Diamond, at a more affordable â‚ ¬62,000. These phones are typically made using precious metals like gold, silver or platinum along with fine Italian leather for better grip and have jewelled bearings. When people buy a Vertu they are buying a badge of exclusivity, luxury and uniqueness. It was believed that if watches, pens or even wallets can be transformed into luxury brands, then why not a mobile phone. With mobile phone penetration constantly on the increase and having surpassed 100% in Europe alone, phone manufacturers need new strategies to get people to buy newer phones. Newer technology was a prime motivator in consumers buying a new phone. Vertu have taken a different approach; they want their phones to be status symbols. For a technology product, this is a first, as products lose their value very quickly, with constant technological advances offering new and improved product features. Rather than launch their new product range at technology shows, which is the industry norm, Vertu instead prefers to become associated with fashion shows, launching for example their new range during Paris fashion week. Thus this brand is aiming to create a fashion brand rather than a technology brand, in an attempt to woo people through its fashion status. A big selling point associated with these phones is the Vertu Concierge Service. Vertu Concierge provides specialised travel assistance, allowing users to access and reserve restaurants, hotels, concert tickets and much  more. Having a Vertu mobile phone allows users to access this exclusive concierge service, 24 hours a day from anywhere in the world, where they will try to assist the every whim of the user. This service is free for the first year, but you have to pay a subsequent subscription of  £500 per annum to use the service. Vertu also offers a customisation service thus truly differentiating itself and allowing the firm to earn even higher margins. Also the company offers free upgradability when new technology emerges. The company has established flagship stores in exclusive shopping districts, so that it was close to other exclusive brands, thus benefiting from a halo effect. Vertu has developed a unique buying experience by creating a â€Å"gallery-like† feel to its retail environments. In order to create this new level of luxury to mobile communication retailing, Vertu focused an enormous amount of attention onto store layout. Each display case is made from architectural glass, limestone textures and floors combined with warm lighting, ultimately enhancing the ambience of the store. Minimalist design was used in order to create the illusion of space. In keeping with the element of exclusivity, original artworks were commissioned and exhibited throughout the stores. Selections of short films are also projected in-store. By offering a first class personal service combined with extensive product knowledge, Vertu has enhanced their image of reliability and expertise. Vertu announced the opening of its flagship stores in Paris and Singapore in October 2002. It has since opened new channels of distribution, with over 600 retail outlets worldwide and 400 employees and it intends to continue to build on this. Along with their stores in Paris and Singapore, Vertu has Client Suites in London, New York, Hong Kong and Singapore and also has points of sale located in some of the world’s leading department stores and fine jewellers. The company were extremely selective when choosing suitable retail channels. They sought department stores that catered for an international client base, and who target very affluent shoppers. Stores must have a global reputation of offering quality and luxury across all product ranges and whose philosophy of high product knowledge and excellent personal service are consistent with that of Vertu’s. For example, Vertu entered into a partnership with a renowned Hong Kong jeweller, King Fook  Jewellery. The introduction of these new speciality stores has made the Vertu range of phones more accessible to its exclusive client base in Hong Kong. As a direct result of this new partnership, Vertu’s Signature Collection is now available in a range of precious metals, such as gold and platinum. To date the company has entered into a number of joint ventures such as Vertu and Goldsmiths located at Harrods in London, Trafford Centre in Manchester, and Bluewater, Kent. This partnership was established to gain greater market share in the UK marketplace. Vertu phones are also available to purchase through their website. With the aid of this distribution channel, customers can now personalise their mobile phone to their own individual tastes Conclusion In order to retain product exclusivity it is clear that you need to provide an excellent product and exceptional service experience, as this creates an emotional attachment between the customer and the brand. Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Vertu have made this experience possible through their distinct products and services, their prestigious pricing (thus indicating their superb quality), their exclusive retail environment and their selective channels of distribution. Maintaining that fashion status and aura of exclusivity is of primary concern to these exclusive luxury brands. For example, the fashion brand Burberry has now become synonymous with the infamous â€Å"chav† subculture in Britain. This once fashion icon brand of the country elite has now be adopted as the brand of choice for thousands of working class Britons, devaluing the brand amongst the fashion elite. The emergence of the so-called â€Å"chav† subculture has garnered the Burberry brand unwanted press coverage. The Ben Sherman brand also fought hard to overcome its association with ‘yob’ culture; similarly Doc Martins were associated with skinheads. By extending their brands to items such as baseball caps, perfumes etc. it can diminish the exclusiveness of a label, sacrificing the brand equity for increased revenue. It is evident that Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Vertu use different promotional  strategies. For instance, Gucci incorporates controversial issues into their marketing strategy to promote brand imagery, Louis Vuitton utilises celebrity endorsements, whereas Vertu concentrates on the benefits and quality of product features. However, all brands are consistent when it comes to retail environment and channels of distribution. The store design and layout plays a crucial role in creating an image of exclusivity to appeal to the high-end market. It is essential to have alignment of the prospective target market expectations of a store offering and the identity that the brand wants to communicate. Companies targeting the high-end market must create the illusion of exclusivity, while generating a seductive atmosphere, appealing to the senses. Once blended together, these elements will help form a pleasurable and distinctive experience that will differentiate your product line from that of your competitors. Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Vertu use exclusive channels of distribution to ensure greater control. This control enables them to exercise greater flexibility on their product ranges and the ability to adjust to the changing market efficiently. This adds to the image of exclusivity and quality of the products. Therefore it can be concluded that in order for a product to develop and retain its exclusivity, marketers must create an overall experience that appeals to and attracts the high-end market.

Character Analysis of Sheila in An Inspector Calls Essay -- English Li

Character Analysis of Sheila in An Inspector Calls Sheila is unlike any other character in the play - she is far more conscientious and more sensitive than any of the others, and she does not express her opinion as frequently or forcefully as her parents. When Sheila hears of the death of Eva Smith she is genuinely shocked by the news, and despite the fact that she does not know her, she is still upset. We can see this from what she says when she hears the news: "Oh - how horrible!". When the Inspector shows her a photograph of the girl she reacts much more dramatically than any of the others, which tells us that perhaps she had already realised that her behaviour towards the girl had been inappropriate and unnecessary, and that she was feeling guilty about it. Sheila is more moral than the other characters and this can be seen throughout her questioning, and she is immediately sorry for having had a part to play in the demise of Eva Smith. When it is revealed that Sheila was the one who had Eva Smith made redundant she is immediately sorry and obviously upset t...

Trader Joe’s Case Brief Essay

There are several key sources of Trader Joe’s competitive advantage, including offering great bargains on products that are not typically found at other supermarkets. Trader Joe’s also chose to sell natural and organic foods aimed at well-educated, sophisticated consumers. Trader Joe’s also believed strongly in paying its employees a good wage, leading to higher employee satisfaction and a better quality of service within each store. In addition, the company embraced an everyday low pricing philosophy. More than 80% of Trader Joe’s products are private label (including their well-known private label wines). Also, they are able to reduce costs by purchasing directly from the manufacturers (as opposed to the distributors). Their marketing campaigns rely heavily on word of mouth and fan pages created by loyal customers. Given my answer to question #2, TJ’s business model would be difficult for competitors to imitate given a variety of reasons. First, employee commitment is extremely high due to high wages and increased employee benefits, which generates a very engaging experience for the customers. In addition, the company has thousands of vendor relationships all over the world and this takes time and skills to develop. The company’s model also relies on small stores with an intimate feel, a limited but unique selection of products that are free of preservatives, have no artificial color, and contain no genetically modified content, a highly motivated and well-paid work force, and excellent customer service. The great customer service offered by TJ leads to higher customer retention and loyalty, making it difficult for other firms to steal these customers away.

HR Governance

HR governance is the practice of making effective decisions regarding the human resources of the organization and the efficient controlling of them. It is interrelated with establishing HR policies, continuous monitoring of their proper implementation and governing the body of an organization. This study explores the HR governance practice of the private sector in Bangladesh and its impact on organization's sustainable human resource development. To investigate this scenario, sample size of 200 from five manufacturing industries and three service industries both sectors were selected to conduct a survey through floating a structured questionnaire on target employees. Here, six independent variables talent management, consolidated HR policy, HR risk management, employee development, compensation benefits, employee welfare and one dependent variable sustainable human resource development have been identified to conduct the regression analysis. The result shows that the f-test value = 34.400 which implies that the model is statistically significant and valid. The significance level of the employee development and compensation benefits at (0.000) which have positive impact on sustainable human resource development. On the contrary, the talent management is insignificant at (0.006) and consecutively consolidated HR policy (0.019), HR risk management (0.063) and employee welfare (0.106). The regression model illustrates that the private sector of Bangladesh is going to be comparatively more concern about the employee development and compensation management but others variables have insignificant but positive relationship for the increasing of sustainable human resource development. Moreover, this study attempts to provide the conceptual and pragmatic insight of the HR governance practices in the private sector of Bangladesh; this might help to emerge new corridors for future research. Keywords – HR governance, talent management, consolidated HR policy, HR risk management and sustainable human resource development.INTRODUCTIONWith the passage of time, HR governance has become an emerging concern where it is esteemed as the backbone of the sustainable human resource development which transforms the human resource into the human capital and all these ensure the incremental growth of an organization. Furthermore, the traditional HR policies and regulations act as the precautionary guard for the organization, but now it is reactive in nature through reducing, transferring and deducting actual and probable HR risks and liabilities. However, it is essential for an organization to become transparent administrative structure to achieve core competitive advantages of human resource enforcing the non-compliance proactive measures. Effective HR governance facilitates compliance with legal and ethical obligations relating to people management practices and having a proper HR governance structure in place which can even impact the way an organization does business and makes decisions at the highest levels-right up including its board of directors. Hence, this structure will ensure that decisions related to personnel management practices are governed at the highest level thereby strengthening HR and management credibility (Kreissl, 2012)[1]. For instance, like other developing countries, Bangladesh has been marked by the inefficiency of the public sector to meet the demand of its citizens, ineffective public services, and unfavorable environment for the proper growth in the private sector, leadership crisis, lack of transparency and accountability in administration, ineffective political institutions and so on. In this regard, it is the best to follow equity at workplace, well-being and employee development and some other five preconditions for sustainable human resource development such as; compliance, governance, ethics, culture and leadership (Cohen, 2012) [2]. Another thing is that the well concern about labor law and consistent HR governance are yet not flourished at macro pace especially in private sector. Because most of the listed companies in Bangladesh are dominated by family members, occupying important posts like CEO or the managing director, leading to inefficient HR governance practices (Brennam, Solomon, Uddin and Choudhury, 2008) [3]. Due to the absence of govt. close monitoring; sometimes they are violating the principles of Bangladesh Labor Law.Moreover, public sector is running under the shelter of legal government compliance and several pivotal research works have been done over this but now private sector is emerging not only in the corporate governance rather good HR governance. In spite of, there is very few research works exist on this context where mostly done on about the good governance practices and its prospects in Bangladesh. Almost there is no instance of such work that can show the emerging essentials of good HR governance and its impact on the sustainable human resource development.Nevertheless, there are some laying challenges so that the private sector can't go ahead as expected in terms of human competencies. For such poor feedback in HR governance, it is essential to examine how far Bangladesh lags behind the HR governance practices. Against all these backdrops, this paper attempts to critically analyze the current scenario of HR governance and also to sketch out the impediments in the way of HR governance to improve the HR competencies in the private sector of Bangladesh. To end, this study shows a set of measures which need to be undertaken as an effort to establish good HR governance and indemnifying sustainable human resource development in Bangladesh.OJECTIVES OF THE STUDYThe fundamental objective of this study is to address the research question; â€Å"Does HR governance affect the sustainable human resource development from the perspective of private sector in Bangladesh?† Some other objectives are:To investigate the response of HR governance in the private sector of Bangladesh.To measure the impact of HR governance on sustainable human resource development.To identify diff erent factors affecting sustainable human resource development.

What are the characteristics of a Successful Latino in the United States †Sociology Essay

What are the characteristics of a Successful Latino in the United States – Sociology Essay Free Online Research Papers What are the characteristics of a Successful Latino in the United States Sociology Essay There are a few characteristics to become a successful Latino in the U.S: 1.You have to be determined and persistent at what your academic and professional goal is. 2.You must work hard to reach these goals, like doing good at your studies receiving good grades and be recommended by the school you attended at. 3.With about 20 years or more of school it takes to get degree at whatever subject you are working hard for will pay off. 4.Always thinking toward starting your business for that is the biggest goal for many Latinos. 5.Once you find a job work as hard as you did in school, get more experience in the job world and try to look for a job that pays better than now, but if you like the pay and job you work for, then stay. 6.With dedication and hard work, who knows maybe you can get promoted to a higher position and get even better pay. 7.Once you finally own your business make sure you be reasonable at the pay you give to your employees reasonable pay and benefits and that whatever your is sells and your business will last a long time. These characteristics in becoming a successful Latino in the United States. Just to become dedicated and smart on what path you choose in life. 2. How do and/or will you fit this profile? I myself am dedicated at whatever I do. Sure I didn’t get the best marks in High School, because of all the fun I had. But now that I am in a Technical College, I am very dedicated and focused more than ever. Doing whatever assignments they give as soon possible and well done. I do well on test since I study on the notes I take in class. I am very dedicated this time because it something I wanted to do for a long time, its something I like. Become a Designer of Structures, Objects, and soon characters for Video Games, for that is my major goal in my life. When I do find a job I will also very dedicated if it’s the job I wanted all my life. But I will always keep in mind to start my own business, but mostly my main goal is to work for major video game company and design the characters, backgrounds, etc. With a little hard work and dedication I am almost there at finally making my childhood dream come true. Research Papers on What are the characteristics of a Successful Latino in the United States - Sociology EssayThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationHip-Hop is ArtNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NicePersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyStandardized TestingEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaResearch Process Part OneMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductThe Hockey Game

The Commonwealth of Nations - African History

The Commonwealth of Nations - African History What is the Commonwealth of Nations? The Commonwealth of Nations, or more commonly just the Commonwealth, is an association of sovereign states consisting of the United Kingdom, some of its former colonies, and a few special cases. The Commonwealth nations maintain close economic ties, sporting associations and complementary institutions. When was the Commonwealth of Nations Formed? In the early twentieth century, the government of Britain was taking a hard look at its relationship with the rest of the British Empire, and particularly with those colonies populated by Europeans – the dominions. The dominions had reached a high level of self-government, and the people there were calling for the creation of sovereign states. Even amongst the Crown Colonies, Protectorates, and Mandates, nationalism (and the call for independence) was on the rise. The British Commonwealth of Nations was first noted in the Statute of Westminster on 3 December 1931, which recognized that several of the United Kingdoms self-governing dominions (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa) were autonomous communities within the British Empire, equal in status, in no way subordinate one to another in any aspect of their domestic or external affairs, though united by a common allegiance to the Crown, and freely associated as members of the British Commonwealth of Nations. What was new under the 1931 Statute of Westminster was that these dominions would now be free to control their own foreign affairs – they were already in control of domestic affairs – and to have their own diplomatic identity. Which African Countries are Members of the Commonwealth of Nations? There are 19 African states who are currently members of the Commonwealth of Nations. See this Chronological List of African Members of the Commonwealth of Nations, or Alphabetical List of African Members of the Commonwealth of Nations for details. Is it Only ex-British Empire Countries in Africa Who Have Joined the Commonwealth of Nations? No, Cameroon (which had only partially been in the British Empire following World War I) and Mozambique joined in 1995. Mozambique was admitted as a special case (ie could not set a precedent) following democratic elections in the country in 1994. All its neighbors were members and it was felt that Mozambiques support against white-minority rule in South Africa and Rhodesia should be compensated. On the 28th November 2009 Rwanda also joined the Commonwealth, continuing the special case conditions under which Mozambique had joined. What Kind of Membership Exists in the Commonwealth of Nations? The majority of African countries who had been part of the British Empire gained independence within the Commonwealth as Commonwealth Realms. As such, Queen Elizabeth II was automatically the head of state, represented within the country by a Governor-General. Most converted to Commonwealth Republics within a couple of years. (Mauritius took the longest to convert – 24 years from 1968 to 1992). Lesotho and Swaziland gained independence as Commonwealth Kingdoms, with their own constitutional monarchy as head of state – Queen Elizabeth II was recognized only as the symbolic head of the Commonwealth. Zambia (1964), Botswana (1966), Seychelles (1976), Zimbabwe (1980), and Namibia (1990) became independent as Commonwealth Republics. Cameroon and Mozambique were already republics when they joined the Commonwealth in 1995. Did African Countries Always Join the Commonwealth of Nations? All those African countries still part of the British Empire when the Statute of Westminster was proclaimed in 1931 joined the Commonwealth except for British Somaliland (which joined with Italian Somaliland five days after gaining independence in 1960 to form Somalia), and Anglo-British Sudan (which became a republic in 1956). Egypt, which had been part of the Empire until 1922, has never shown an interest in becoming a member. Do Countries Maintain Membership of the Commonwealth of Nations? No. In 1961 South Africa left the Commonwealth when it declared itself a republic. South Africa rejoined in 1994. Zimbabwe was suspended on 19 March 2002 and decided to leave the Commonwealth on 8 December 2003. What Does the Commonwealth of Nations do for its Members? The Commonwealth is best known for the Commonwealth games which are held once every four years (two years after Olympic games). The Commonwealth also promotes human rights, expects members to meet a set of fundamental democratic principles (curiously enough spelt out in the Harare Commonwealth declaration of 1991, given Zimbabwes subsequent departure form the association), to provide education opportunities, and maintain trade links. Despite its age, the Commonwealth of Nations has survived without needing a written constitution. It depends upon a series of declarations, made at Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings.

Human Resource Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 15

Human Resource Management - Essay Example Once a top executive realises that no matter how hard he struggles for his organisation, all he will receive is his fixed salary, the performance levels of the executive will begin to recede. The removal of incentive is effectively the removal of motivation on the job for such positions. It must also be realised that when such executives join office their primary motivation is the challenge posed by the new position. Once an executive figures out how to manage the new position, the real motivation begins to disappear from the job. In order to keep motivation on the job to a high level, it would be desirable to use a fixed and variable pay structure to serve as the executive’s motivation. On another note, this pay structure aids in ensuring that the executive treats his job more seriously than before because his financial stakes are involved with the performance of the organisation. While it may be considered as cumbersome by some top executives but this model ensures that the organisation pays the executive back in proportion to their

Shawshank redemption Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Shawshank redemption - Essay Example He simply maintains his innocence, albeit rather monotone. It certainly does seem that Andy Dufrain is guilty, as he shows no emotion, no remorse and there is little inflection in his words when he speaks. Once he is sentenced, he is sent to Shawshank State Prison to serve the terms of his sentence. The prisoners of Shawshank ‘greet’ newcomers by betting on which of them will be the first to break down and cry out of the feeling of desperation that their situation has wrought. This is also the introduction of Red. The opening of a door and Red enters into a parole hearing. After a small, memorized speech, he is denied his parole. Red leaves, and there are two men waiting for him. One man says to him, â€Å"yeah, I’m up for rejection next week, â€Å"leaving the impression of nothing new, nothing changes. The men gather round Red, as he is the ‘man’ to whom people go when they are in need of something, which they cannot get inside the prison walls. à ¢â‚¬Å"I’m the guy that can get it for ya†¦ yeah, I’m a regular Sears & Roebuck. â€Å" Upon the new arrival, they gather, and Red speaks up, â€Å"smokes or coin, bettors choice.† the men resoundingly approve of cigarettes, as betting on which man will break down first â€Å"is as good a thing to bet on as any.† The new arrivals meet Warden Norton and Officer Byron Hadley for the first time. Hadley is a vicious man, with no regard or respect for anyone other than the warden. The warden informs the men that they should â€Å"put your trust in the Lord. Your ass belongs to me.† after delousing, the men are marched to their cells naked, embarrassed and burning from the delousing powder. The bets that were previously placed by the men now come into play. The men chant, â€Å"Fresh fish. Fresh fish,† until someone breaks down crying. It is an overweight man that finally breaks down, the man that Haywood â€Å"bet† on. As soon as this is heard, the men start cheering. Hadley comes in, and threatens the man to be quiet, or else. The man chooses not to, likely because he is so distraught that thoughts aside from despair do not enter his mind. Hadley pulls him out of his cell and promptly beats him unmercifully. The next morning, Haywood tells the men to give him the cigarettes that he won from the â€Å"bet†, and after they do, haywood asks a man that worked in the infirmary how his â€Å"horse is doing†. The other man said simply, â€Å"dead†¦ Ol’ Hadley busted his head up pretty good, poor bastard laid there til this morning’’. Hell, by then there wasn’t nothin’ we could do.† Andy asked what his name was. â€Å"What the hell do you care, new fish?† said Haywood. â€Å"I was just wondering if someone knew his name.† the men move forward, with the approach of Andy to Red. Andy approached Red on the purchase of a rock hammer. Red supposed he wanted to â€Å"sink your toy into somebody’s skull. Escape, tunnel under the wall, maybe.† they eventually make a deal, after Andy explains to Red’s satisfaction what the rock hammer is, and how it is used. Andy asked his name, and Red simply said, â€Å"Red. My name is Red.† andy asked, â€Å"why do they call you that?† â€Å"Maybe it’s because I’m Irish.† nod of the head, and Andy walks away. Red begins to see for the first time who he is dealing with in Andy. He thinks to himself, â€Å"I could see why the boys took him as snobby. He had a quiet way about him; a walk and a talk that just wasn’

Analysis of internal and external efficiencies of the education system Research Paper

Analysis of internal and external efficiencies of the education system in DRC - Research Paper Example Research problem Being an African, born and schooled there in most of my elementary level, I therefore have an adequate understanding of the educational model used in the region and can therefore explain the discord between the increasing literacy level and the rising rates of unemployment. The African model of education is more theoretical and historical. This enlightens the students on previous facts most of which are of no relevance to the life in the modern day society. Anyone trying to make sense of policy research in education is likely to be struck by the numerous contractions and paradoxes that perplex the field. Even a brief consideration of these problems raises a number of important questions: What contributes to the frequency of contradictions and paradoxes in educational policy? To what extent researches might resolve these matters? Where research cannot provide clear answers, what should be our response to these problems? With ten years teaching experience, I have the audacity to criticize the educational model in Congo, a low income country in Africa. A lot of theories make students fantasize and do not therefore relate the information they obtain in school to solving the daily life challenges. The theoretical aspect of the African model of education begins in the types of examples that teachers give their students during lessons most of which are not drawn from the society. When teachers are not certain of the knowledge they pass to their students, the students handle the knowledge as a school affair which is completely irrelevant once out of school. Literature review Africa is a highly ethicized continent, through historical studies, schools become the first institutions to enlighten the population on the historical injustices thereby breeding or perpetuating the possible ethical tensions in the countries (McCloskey 12). Besides the historical aspect of the education system in the low income countr ies of Africa, the theoretical model of education results in fantasies. Furthermore, Congo is an unstable country with constant civil wars. Coupled with the weak economy, the education sector receives insufficient funds to sustain a constant curriculum upgrade and improvement of the educational model. The Japanese model of education fits the country. In addition, it will help the country produce relevant human resource to fast track the development process of the country. However, the lack of infrastructure and funds and the different level of development compel the implementation of the model to be in bits in the order of relevance (McCloskey 44). Methodology The research will be a qualitative comparison of the education system in the two countries; Japan is a developed country and it is not surprising to note the different educational model between the two countries. The country has an effective government, which invests heavily in the education sector. This implies that the Japan ese academic curriculum is reviewed constantly to keep it abreast with the changing technologies of the time. Constant curriculum review ensures that the knowledge is of relevance to the changes in the society. This is important feature lacks in the Congolese model of

European Union And Its Application In Zara Commerce Essay

European Union And Its Application In Zara Commerce Essay In todays competitive world, the organisations have to focus on the development of effective logistics and supply chain that will ensure that it is able to meet the demands of its customers at a consistent pace. With the advent of time and increased trend of globalisation across the world, the trade barriers are fading out and favourable trade policies are promoting fast and quick exchange of goods and services (European Commission, 2010). The latest trend in the market is creation of an integrated logistics and supply chain infrastructure that is supported by the technologically advanced systems such as SAP, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), E-Retailing, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and many more (European Logistics Report, 2012). All leading corporations that are operating on international level have ensured that they have a well-coordinated Supply Chain Management and Logistics system that will employ the best systems for procurement, warehousing, inventory management, storage and inbound and outbound logistics (Johnson Turner, 2006). In order to gain competitive edge in the market especially European market, the logistics and supply chain system has to be developed after exploiting all available options so that the inventory is effectively managed and there is proper balance between the demand and supply of raw materials, inventory and goods (DeMeyer, Van Dierdanck Vercecke, 1996). There has been drastic shift in the European Logistics and Supply Chain Business operating systems as its market has been transformed into single market that allows the operating firms to take advantage of various economies of scale. European Logistics and Supply Chain System In the European economy, both logistics and transport are considered to be its primary means of support that have mean the contributing factor in the robust growth of economy. According to European Union (2012), there is strong relationship between the economic growth and level of transportation escalation. It is believed to be the fundamental part of every society that is the main factor for intensive growth of every countrys economy and creates ample opportunities of job for the citizens. In European Union, more than ten million people are employed in the transport and logistics industry which makes a significant contribution in GDP i.e. almost 5% (Evans, 2000). The European Commission (2011) highlighted in its annual report that a well-developed system of transportation is the primary driving force for dynamic performance of the member states. For all European companies, their logistics are the vital areas of concern as the storage and transport cost accounts for about 10-15% of the total cost of a product that is completed and finished. Almost every corporation is spending certain percentage of the budget on effective transportation system for its goods and services which is usually about 13.2% (European Commission, 2011). The market of European Union can work smoothly only when there is a well-integrated transport system which provides assistance in free movement of the goods within its territory; it is mandatory for the cohesion of territories and long-term economic growth. The pre-requisite for an effective logistics and supply chain system is the transport system that has interoperability of networks and harmonisation among rules. European Transport Policy In order to develop an excellent and well-defined European Transport Policy for the entire European Union region, the European Commission has undertaken various steps to address the obstacles that are hampering the creation of an effective transport system. It is reported by European Commission (2012) and Harps (2002) that the region is the central hub for manufacturing of products for various leading companies and they are looking for accurate logistics and supply chain system that can boost their performance in the market. The key mediums of transportation used are air, sea, road and rail but the latest trend is of intermodality. Intermodality is defined as the mechanism in which different modes of transportation are used along the entire chain of transportation to ensure that the overall supply chain system is effective and promotes the attainment of desired efficient logistics system objectives (Tseng, Yue Taylor, 2005). The European Transport Policy has been developed to provide guidance to the companies about developing an appropriate and highly efficient logistics and supply chain system so that they can supply goods and services with precision worldwide (Cooper, Browne Peters, 1994). Since there are many companies that are operating in European Union region, both markets and European Transport Policy have been modified to a greater extent to incorporate all the requirements of the players of the diversified industries (). Changes in European Market for enhanced growth of Logistics and Supply Chain system Up till now, the market of European Union has evolved from national emphasis to regional and finally to pan-European but now it is moving more towards customer-oriented. With the advent of Single Market which is also known as Common Market, the logistics networks of all companies have evolved and they have been developed to ensure compliance with the latest market trends (EIU, 1999). The organisations are restructuring their strategies of distribution in Europe and even revisiting their networks so that they can move closer to internationalisation by sourcing the products from other fields and ensure supply of products from one central location (). The developmental phases of the single market can be broken down into three parts i.e. pre-1993 period, 1993-present period and future period. In pre-1993 period, there was no specific European logistics strategy has European Union was not established at that time. All companies had a single national setup along with a distribution centre that was located in every major country of their operation. Every organisation used to do sourcing directly from the plants of manufacturing present in Europe and the logistics strategy differed among every country as it was developed in accordance to the respective country. Most of the offerings for supply chain services were similar as the suppliers followed the one-size-fits-all concept. The domestic carriers were the main source of transportation and majority of the third-party logistics providers were either regional or local companies (Harps, 2002). Larsen (2000) has stated that after the formation of European Union, all member states have been able to achieve robust growth in their economic performance and they have exploited all benefits for doing expansion globally at an accelerating rate. After the era of 1993, European Union opened its borders internally because global outsourcing was heavily demanded by the companies and factories of the manufacturers were starting to become focussed on global level. As a result of shift in the logistics strategy, the organisations revamped their supply chain management structures so that they were consistent with the European Logistics and Supply Chain Business Operations System. In major countries across Europe, the Pan-European Distribution Centres marked their developments in the region and they extended their importance by incorporating all processes required in the effectiveness of logistics and supply chain system. These centres postponed the role of manufacturing and combined some value-added activities to various traditional activities such as receiving of raw materials, transportation of inventory and shipment of the finished goods. In fact, Pan-European Distribution Centres allowed the companies to transfer their transport needs to the integrators who had the facilities of doing direct shipment from one central location (McDonald Deardsen, 1994). With the help of the centralised and Pan-European networks of distribution the products were easily shipped to the customers living in far off distant places and they helped the companies in saving huge amount of time and money. However, the companies are changing their logistics and supply chain systems to develop a perfect blend of both decentralised and centralised facilities for distribution so that they can strategically fulfil all their business objectives. With the developments taking place at an accelerating pace in the market, the entire logistics and supply chain system will get extraordinary efficient and competent for the organisations (Cousins, Lawson Squire, 2006). Key Drivers of change in European Transport Policy Since transport is the crucial element of logistics and supply chain system, the European Transport Policy has been developed by the European Commission so that the companies can abide by the laws related to the transportation policy. According to Walker and Jones (2012), the main driving forces that are impacting the European Transport Policy are as follows: Political Developments The liberalisation in the transport sector like US-EU Open Skies Initiative has a significant impact on Europe as it is expected to increase the traffic and create competition within the region. The international liberalisation of the trade has even boosted the transport as there is an increase in need of transportation of goods and services because of growing trend of outsourcing. There has been a rise in the environmental concerns which is leading immense pressure on sustainability within the environment. Economic Developments There are many economic drivers that are impacting the development of Europes economy on the targeted level. The key economic factor impacting the economy is the rising oil prices along with an increase in the transportation level that is closely linked to the economic growth level. As the income of people is increasing, there is an increase in the number of car ownerships and there is an increase in the GDP of the country as a whole. Environmental Issues The environment is one of the main areas of concern for any country and the transport sector has responsibility of about 28% of the Carbon dioxide emissions in European Union. The policymakers are identifying the alternatives that control the emission of Carbon dioxide by investigation various options for the road transport. As a result of growth in transport, the routes have become congested that have been hampering the transportation at both commercial and passenger level. Technological Drivers Since both increase in prices of fuel and environmental issues are primary areas of apprehension, there is an increase in the work of researchers to indentify excellent alternatives for the transport technologies. However, an enhanced level of efficiency is expected in the transportation of all goods by adoption of latest technologies such as RFID. Socio-demographic Changes The European workforce is getting older now and there is a huge reduction in the labour force. The companies are forced to recruit women in the manufacturing and logistics sector. The organisations are even compelled to provide additional training to the workforce so that their skills are enhanced and they have to incur more cost for recruiting new workers who are more competent and skilled. ZARA Leading Fashion Retailer in Europe ZARA is a top-ranked Spanish retailer of clothing and accessories that is headquartered in Artexio, Galicio. It was founded by Rosalia Mera and Amancio Ortega in 1975 and it is the leading flagship chain store of the Inditex group. ZARA has been successfully meeting the demands of its customers by employing an entirely different strategy from its competitors. According to Zhelyazkov (2011), ZARA follows a differentiation strategy of Porters generic strategies and focuses on enhancing the value chain by developing highly efficient and effective logistics, distribution and supply chain system. According to Cook, Heiser and Sengupta (2011), ZARA used to follow time-to-market strategy i.e. competing on the basis of time before the formation of European Union. After 1993, it shifted its policy to agile supply chain which meant that every step in logistics and supply chain was visible and well-coordinated. It is believed that the company needs only two weeks of time to develop the unique products and deliver them to the stores and it has made a reputation of launching more than ten thousand new designs on yearly basis (About US, 2012). The three key success factors of ZARA are short lead times, limited number of products and extensive range of styles. Agile supply chain of ZARA In order to get competitive edge in the market, ZARA is employing an agile supply chain which allows it to make the best use of Quick-Response System. Agile supply chain is described as the supply chain in which all elements work together in the form of a cross-functional team with the aim of eliminating unnecessary steps and predicting the demands of customers beforehand so that the products are available in advance in the market (Zhelyazkov, 2011). ZARA has been successful in the market because of its focus on designing of an excellent and efficient logistics and supply chain system. The entire process of supplying the goods to ZARA stores is started at the cross-functional teams who are working in the design department located at the headquarters of company in La Coruna. Almost all the designs are contemporary and inspiration for them is drawn from conducting various researches in the market by visiting university campuses, pubs, fashion shows, competitors offerings and cafes in addition to other places where the target customers can be found. Further data about the customers is gathered from EPOS data and online sources from across the websites. When the design that has been proposed is accepted, the specialists of commercial department move ahead with their tasks and do negotiation with the suppliers, decide about the purchasing price, carefully analyse the cost and margins and then fix price position of cross-currency for garments. It has a global sourcing policy which is organised by the buying offices present in the Netherlands, China and UK; the wide supplier base ensures that the best fabric is selected and there is less risk of dependence on one supplier. More than 40% of the garments which have the least transitory appeal are mainly imported in the form of finished goods from various low-cost centres of manufacturing located in the Far East, while, the rest are produced on quick responses in Spain by using the automated factories of ZARA that has a small network of contractors (Godsell et al., 2011). Value Chain Analysis of ZARA ZARA ensures that there is a proper balance between in-house and outsourcing operations. The operations that enhance the cost-efficiency of the company via economies of scale are done in-house such as packaging, labelling, cutting and dyeing. The labour-intensive tasks required at the finishing stages are usually done by the subcontractors network that comprises of more than 300 firms and each one of them has specialisation in specific garment type or process of production. In order to respond quickly to the demands of the customers, the process is flexible and the production level is always kept slightly less that the expected level of sales so that the stock is always moving. It believes in having under-supply of stock as opposed to stocking huge amount of inventory. When the finished goods have been labelled, packaged and price-tagged, they are then transported by the third-party contractor either by road or air to their destinations. There is only one distribution centre that is located in the companys headquarters i.e. La Coruna. Every store of ZARA gets fresh stock twice a week that has been pre-determined by the design department of the company (Zhelyazkov, 2011). Figure : Designing, production and marketing cycle of ZARA (Source: Godsell et al., 2011) The entire cycle of designing, production and marketing has declined to 22-30 days that is too less when compared to the industry average of nine months as the lead time. The main factor that has supported such an efficient logistics and supply chain system is the investment in Information technology. The 500,000 sq m. and five storey centre of logistics comprises of about 200 kilometres of moving rails along with an automated routing system that delivers all electronically tagged garments at the proper bays of loading for dispersal through the third party distributors. Almost all the products can be dispatched within eight hours of their arrival and it has been found that almost 98.9% perfect and the shrinkage level is even less than 0.5%. Implications of changes in EU Policy With the changes in EU Policy especially transport policy, ZARA has been able to develop a highly competent logistics and supply chain system. It has been able to utilise all available options within European countries to a maximum level. With the help of development of a good logistics system within the region, the transportation of goods, materials and inventory has become quick and responding to the customer changes on fast pace has become convenient for the companies. The biggest advantage for ZARA has been that it has been able to expand into European countries strategically and has even exploited all available opportunities so that it can maintain its core competencies in the production and operations area. Future of Logistics and Supply Chain System in European Union Since European Union is continuously striving to develop a good transportation system for development of an effective logistics and supply chain, there are huge chances that the countries are able to take advantage of developments in the transport and logistics sector. In years ahead, there kind of revolutions are expected in this sector i.e. increased trade globalisation, development of the information era and continuously changing preferences and demands of customers. In order to provide excellent logistics and transport sector to the companies, the concerned authorities will have to take certain steps to develop the best logistics and supply chain system for the business operations. Some of the suggestions made by the European Commission (2012) are: Improve interoperability by standardising the processes of loading units. Set up an entire network of transfer of nodes across Europe. Eradicating all differences found in the national regulations that are the barriers for achievement of flexible and smooth interoperability around Europe. Using Information Technology to boost the performance of key players and define a single most authentic and worthwhile ICT system that can meet all requirements of the participants. Ensuring harmonisation of paperwork and reducing and simplifying the number of the documents required for transportation. Review the current regulations at both international and European levels for development of an approach that is integrated for implementation of the measures required for security related to the transportation along with the assessment of risk along the entire chain. Enhance the co-operation among the players among the supply chain that can result in improved competitiveness via the reduced costs, high service quality and smaller lead times. Conclusion All organisations that are competing in todays dynamic and ever changing environment have to ensure that they have a well-coordinated and highly integrated transport and logistics system that will allow them to meet the requirements of their customers. E-commerce and RFID are gaining immense popularity in the market and it is expected that the every supply chain will have to employ these technologies in their systems to have an efficient inventory management system along with warehousing facilities, cordial relations with suppliers and enhanced production locations that assist in appropriate deployment of finished goods. Third party logistics service providers have become an integral part of the entire logistics and supply chain systems and it is vital for the companies to implement an appropriate policy of logistics management. All the companies in Europe have huge potential of growth as the trade barriers have faded and there are ample opportunities available for them to enhance their production and operations within the region. Hence, European Union offers immense range of options to the organisations for development of a cost-effective and flexible logistics and supply chain system for efficient management of their business operations.