Adult Development and Substance Abuse

This research paper has been compiled through comprehensive collection of information from five different sources.   The area of substance abuse and its impact on the development progress of an individual has been explored.   This covers the range of personal capacity from social to economic spheres.Serious effects have especially been observed at the work place where by unlike the great need of talent competency required by the advance in technology and globalization, substance abuse is pushy behind the role of individuals in the economy.IntroductionThe substances in question are used for recreation purposes in some instances and for medical purposes in some other instances.   The moderate uses of some of the substances are therefore beneficial to the user while some should never be used at all.Continued and the over usage of these substances consequently becomes dangerous to the health of the user and consequent performance capacity of the user.   Examples of the substance in question with respect to this paper include â€Å"marijuana, hashish cocain or crack, sedatives, tranquillizers, stimulators, analgesics, tobacco†, among others (Finn & Hall, 2004, 34).The abuse in question refers to the use of those substances in the following ways:-Not for medical use, meaning when the user of the substance uses a substance with medical use, but against the purposes; on a personal prescription and without the doctor’s prescription.   The substance may also be used in prescription that are higher than what the doctor has prescribed in terms of quantities or frequencies (Frone, 2006).Effects of substance AbuseWhen a substance is wrongfully used in a way such as the one described above here, the substance becomes illicit whose effects includes impairment which has been found to occur frequently.   In the process of substance use and impairment, gender has been proven to play a vital role.   As regards gender men have been proven to be victims o f abuse and impairment more than women.   Women are only victims in most of the circumstances when there is a secondary factor leading to substance abuse.   Race does not play any factor in drugs abuse.   Education and age are very significant factors of abuse having been proven to posses an inverse variation.The â€Å"executive cognitive functioning of the individual and executive cognitive impairment is related to substance abuse† (Frone, 2006, 89).  Ã‚     The most prominent effects of substance abuse is exhibited in individual in the form of â€Å"anti-social characteristics and social deviance which are expressed in the form of anger, depression temperament, antisocial personality, conduct problems† among others (Frone, 2006, 89).Substance abuse has been observed to be promoted by the individual’s high levels of tendencies to respond to rewards and extremely low levels of tendencies to respond to punishments while disregarding social norms.   Th e abuser of the substance tends to be attracted to the salient more current and instant rewards and ignore the less salient future concurrent effects (Gallop, Crits- Christoph, Ten Have, Frank, Griffin & Thase, 2007).With regards to alcohol abuse excessive drinking is out of excitement associated with the habit.   The drinker imagines that pleasure is derived when poisoned by alcohol.   Alcohol problems tend to be principle causes of social deviance rather than alcohol use.   To become excited alcohol use is more prevalent than alcohol abuse (Gallop, Crits- Christoph, Ten Have, Frank, Griffin & Thase, 2007).Time is also important when it comes to alcohol abuse.   The responsibilities expected of an individual are interfered with when alcohol is taken at the wrong time.   Heavy alcohol intakes are bound to create alcohol problems.   The use of alcohol to excessive extremes affects the individuals self control.   Peer groups are also very influential towards the bad beha viors of alcohol abuse (Jackson, O’Neill & Sher, 2006).History of the family with respect to alcoholism also plays a significant part in areas of measures of seeking for excitement, Social deviance, alcohol related problems and reduced   fluency in speech expression.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The intelligence quotient of the alcohol abuser is also drastically lowered.   The health of the affected person deteriorates, the levels of productivity decreases and the safety of the respective person is greatly undermined (Finn & Hall, 2004).The current global economic position requires people to be effectively competent in their respective talents.   This goal is defeated by the abuse of these substances.   The substance when abused poisons the user and this is intoxication.  Ã‚   The abuse has some adverse negative effects on the functioning of the brain of the affected individual which is impaired.   The impairment brings about some absurd behaviors and some changes in the indiv idual.As the individual develop the habit of use of a substance, the body system devises some tolerance to the effects of the substance in which case the individual adapts to the use of the substance.   The body is in a position to cope with some specific doses of a substance.   The use of the substance beyond this adapted dose is tantamount to the abuse of the substance.The abuse is specifically detrimental to the workers who extend the impairment to their workplace. In the work place, the quality of work is negatively affected by substance abuse.The environment at work develops adverse physical and psychological attributes as a result of illicit drugs by employees (Wiesner, Windle, & Freeman, 2005). The abuse of drugs is bound to generate stress at work.   The extended use of illicit drugs in turn is responsible for very poor productivity levels at the work place.The personality of the individual is also adversely affected, with the individual acquiring some personality trai ts which are guided by the specific type of substance dependence.The personality traits exhibit some similar characteristics across substances that are usually abused High degrees of negative emotionality are directly related to alcohol use disorders, â€Å"high extraversion and low levels of conscientiousness† (Grekin, Sher & Wood, 2006, 79).On the other hand the extended use of cannabis sativa creates some â€Å"low extra versions on one hand and a high degree of openness to experience on the other hand† (Grekin, Sher & Wood, 2006, 77).     Ã‚  The personality of any individual has some positive correlation with the antisocial behavior and the abuse disorder associated with the use of a specific drug.There exists a significant association of personality and substance dependence and the ability to control behavior of negative consequence to the society.   The most affected group in the society by substance abuse ranges from adolescence to the early adulthood, an d a single behavior factor is very influential towards alcohol dependence, dependence on drug and the ‘antisocial personality disorder which is externalizing in nature’ (Frone, 2006,198).The abuse of these substances have been observed to yield such bad behaviors as skipping school, running away from homes, cases of shoplifting, thefts, at work, all these being considered to as deviant and aberrant behaviors.   These behaviors have been mostly observed in men more than in women, and therefore  Ã‚   gender is very significant in novelty seeking and substance abuse.The abuse all result to depression which in turn results to job stress and poor productivity.   This creates some high degrees of boredom at the job, the variety of skills deteriorates, and autonomy becomes significantly low.   There has been reported a linear corelatiship between binge drinking and the job stress, also the abuse of drugs and heavy drug use are positively correlated with stresses at the job (Jackson, O’Neill & Sher, 2006).This in turn results to psychological problems at the work place which is a contributor to risky health environment which is a result of† aversive work conditions† (Frone, 2006, 123).  Ã‚  Ã‚     Some of these conditions include noxious environments, insecurity in the job, being treated in an unfair manner, poor pay lack of benefits and promotions in the work among others.   All these become dangerous work conditions.In conclusion, the substance use Disorders have therefore been seen to have negative affectivity.   Some personality traits have also been found to be differentially correlated to the dependence symptoms associated with the use of alcohol, drugs and tobacco.With respect to abstinence from the abuse of these substances, gender has also been found to be very significant with men being found to have higher oscillations between use and abstinence as compared to women.  Ã‚     Time required for the transitio n between substance abuse and abstinence is very important as the transition cannot be achieved overnight.   This is quite important since the process goes through relapse to recovery.ReferencesEmily R. Grekin, Kenneth J. Sher, and Phillip K. Wood (2006), Psychology of Addictive Behaviors: Personality and Substance Dependence Symptoms, Vol. 20, No. 4, 415–424Kristina M. Jackson, Susan E. O’Neill, and Kenneth J. Sher (2006), Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology: Characterizing Alcohol Dependence, Vol. 14, No. 2, 228–244Margit Wiesner, Michael Windle, and Amy Freeman (2005) ,Journal of Occupation Health Psychology: Work Stress, Substance Use and Depression Among Youth Adult Workers, Vol. 10 No.2, 83-96)Michael R. Frone (2006), Journal of Applied Psychology: Prevalence and Distribution of Illicit Drug Use in the Workforce and in the Workplace, Vol. 91, No. 4, 856–869.Peter R. Finn and Julie Hall (2004), Journal of Abnormal Psychology: Cognitive Abi lity and Risk for Alcoholism, Vol. 113, No. 4, 569–581.Robert J. Gallop,Paul Crits-Christoph, Thomas R. Ten Have, Jacques P. Barber Arlene Frank, Margaret L. Griffin, Michael E. Thase (2007), Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology: Differential Transitions Between Cocaine Use and Abstinence for Men and Women, Vol. 75 No 1,95 -103.

Legal Notes

What is Contract? Contract is an agreement with specific terms between two or more persons or entities in which there is a promise to do something in return for a valuable benefit known as contract. Since the law of contracts is at the heart of most business dealings. There are two important elements in Agreeement of Contracts, i. e. 1) A proposal or an offer 2) An acceptance of that proposal or offer Essential Elements of a Valid Contract:- a) Agreement: – A negotiated and usually legally enforceable understanding between two or more parties.Although a binding contract can result from an agreement, an agreement typically documents the give-and-take of a negotiated settlement and a contract specifies the minimum acceptable standard of performance. b) Intention to create legal relationship: – One of the essential elements in the creation of a binding contract, this intention is implied by the fact that it is not expressly denied. Intention to bind the other party with th e involved legal obligations. ) Free and genuine contract:-Two parties must give their Free and genuine contract to the term of agreement. Such consent should not obtain one or more of following manners i. e. I. By coercion II. By undue influence III. By fraud IV. By misrepresentation V. By mistake If the consent would be proved to have been obtained in one or more of the aforementioned manner, such contract automatically declared as voidable contract. d) Lawful consideration:- Consideration is an essential element for the formation of a contract.It may consist of a promise to perform a desired act or a promise to refrain from doing an act that one is legally entitled to do. In a bilateral contract—an agreement by which both parties exchange mutual promises—each promise is regarded as sufficient consideration for the other. In a unilateral contract, an agreement by which one party makes a promise in exchange for the other's performance, the performance is consideration for the promise, while the promise is consideration for the performance. Consideration must have a value that can be objectively determined.Example:- To make a gift or a promise of love or affection is not enforceable because of the subjective nature of the promise. e) Lawful object: – Courts will not enforce contracts that are illegal or violate public policy. Such contracts are considered void. For example, a gambling contract would be illegal in many states. f) Agreements not declared void or illegal:- The sagreement should be such Which have not been expressly declared as illegal or void by any law of the land. Such agreement would naturally be not enforceable by law just for this single reason. ) Necessary legal formalities: – legal formalities are the legal obligations which are to be performed or fulfill by each and every organization by performing legal formality a unique image of organization is created in the mind of employees and other stake holders. Who ar e competent to contract? Every person is competent to contract who is of the age of majority according to the law to which he is subject, and who is of sound mind, and is not disqualified from contracting by any law to which he is subject, following person disqualified into valid agreement or contract: a) Minors ) Mentally incompetent person and c) Person who are declared incompetent through their status. MINORS Section 3 of Indian Majority 1875,a minor is a person who has not completed 18years of age. But then in the following specific cases, a minor is said to attain the majority on the completion of his 21 years of age ,instead : 1. Where a guardian of minor’s person or property is appointed under the guardians and wards act ,1890. 2. Where a court of wards assumes the superintendence of the minor’s property. For example : * If A is born in India on the 1st January 1850, and has an Indian domicile .B guardian of A is appointed by court of justice. A attains majority at the the first day of January 1871. (21 years) * If A is born in India on the 29th February 1852,and has an Indian domicile. B guardian A’s property is appointed by a court of justice. A majority at the first moment of the 28th day of February 1873. (21years) * A is born on the first day of January 1850. He acquires a domicile in India . No guardian is appointed of his person or property by any court of justice, nor is he under the jurisdication of any court of wards.A attains majority at the first moment of the day of januray ,1868. (18 years) Under the English law, a contract by a minor is not void, but only voidable , at the option of the minor only, though only under certain exceptional circumstances. Under the Indian law a contact with or by minor is void, and not just voidable. As noted above a minor is not competent to contract. One question which arises in case of an agreement by a minor is, whether the agreement is void or voidable? The Indian contract Act does no t have any provision to answer this question.In the absence of any statutory provision there had been controversy on this point. The controversy was set at rest by the decision of the Privy Council, in the case of Mohori Bibee Vs. Dharmodas Ghose in 1903. It was held that the agreement made by a minor is void.. Point 1 CASE LAW 1: Mohiri Bibi vs Dharmodas Ghose * The plaintiff, Dharmodas Ghose, while he was a minor, mortgaged his property in favour of the defendant, Brahmo Dutt, who was a moneylender to secure a loan of Rs. 20,000. The actual amount of loan given was less than Rs. 0,000. At the time of the transaction the lawyer, who acted on behalf of the money lender, had the knowledge that the plaintiff is a minor. * The plaintiff(Dharmodas) brought an action against the defendant stating that he was a minor when the mortgage was executed by him and, therefore, mortgage was void and inoperative and the same should be cancelled. By the time of Appeal to the Privy Council the defen dant, Brahmo Dutt died and the Appeal was prosecuted by his executors(Mohiri bibi) . The Defendant, amongst other points, contended that the plaintiff had fraudulently misrepresented his age and therefore no relief should be given to him, and that, if mortgage is cancelled as requested by the plaintiff, the plaintiff should be asked to repay the sum of Rs. 10,500 advanced to him. The decision of the Privy Council on the various points raised by the defendant was as follows : * The defendant’s argument that the minor had falsely mis-stated his age, the law of estoppels should apply against him and he should not be allowed to contend that he was a minor, was considered.The Privy Council found that the fact that the plaintiff was a minor at the time making of the agreement was known to the defendant’s agent. It was held that the law of estoppel as stated in Section 115, Indian Evidence Act, was not applicable to the present case, where the statement (about age) is made to a person who knows the real facts and is not misled by the untrue statement. * Another contention of the defendant was that, if the plaintiff’s claim to order the cancellation of the mortgage is allowed, the plaintiff should be asked to refund the loan taken by him, according to Section 64 and 65, Indian contract Act.Judgement according session Section 64 of the Indian Contract Act reads as under : â€Å"When a person at whose option a contract is voidable rescinds it, the other party there to need not perform any promise there in contained of which he is promisor. The party rescinding a voidable contract shall, if he received any benefit there under from another party to such contract, restore such benefit, so far as may be, to the person from whom it was received. Their Lordships observed that Section 64 was applicable to the case of a voidable contract. Minor’s agreement being void, Section 64 was not applicable to the case and therefore the minor could not ask to pay the amount under this section. If a minor has happened to receive some benefits under a void contract , he cannot be asked to return or refund such benefits. A minor can be a promise or a beneficiary:- According to Indian law , a minor can’t behind himself by a contract.A minor may not create a valid mortgage (credit) ,to execute an enforceable promissory note, and also he not incapable of being mortgagee of a property that means minor is entitled to all the benefits available to him, under the contract Ratification of an agreement a minor after attaining majority is void and invaid. The reasons for the rule that a minor cannot ratify an agreement after attaining majority are * An agreement entered into by a minor is void ab initio. A minor cannot ratify an agreement on attaining the age of majority to validate the same as there is no valid agreement/contract to ratify.Ratification is always treated as validation of previous authority/concerned party and dates back to th e date of actual agreement and so a contract/agreement which was then void cannot be made valid by subsequent ratification. The minor on attaining majority can enter into a fresh agreement but the earlier amount/asset cannot be treated as consideration for the new agreement. * Also when the agreement was entered into during the minority there was no ‘proper consideration’ as the contract was void and this amount becomes ‘bad consideration’ for new agreement and is not enough for validating that agreement by its ratification. â€Å"Under section 11 a minor is not competent to contract he is disqualified from contracting. He can therefore neither make a valid proposal nor make a valid acceptance as defined in section-2, clause (a) and (b). He cannot, therefore, for the purposes of this Act be strictly called a promisor within the meaning of clause(c) nor can therefore anything done by the promise be strictly called a consideration at the desire of a promisor as contemplated by clause (d). It may, therefore, be urged that an argument by a minor cannot be strictly as being for â€Å"consideration’.If the part of the benefit was received by a person during his minority and the other part after attaining the age of majority, a promise by him after attaining majority to pay an amount in respect of both the benefits is enforceable, as that constitutes a valid consideration for the promise. A minor cannot even enter into a contract through guardian or any other agent because it is void contract and the same is not capable of ratification by a minor, on his attaining majority. Ratification in law is treated as equivalent to a previous authority, and it follows that as a general rule, a person or body of persons, not competent to authorize an act can’t give validity after ratifying it. CASE LAW 2: Madras High Court Indran Ramaswami Pandia Thalavar vs Anthappa Chettiar And Others. on 14 March, 1906. In this case, a minor gave a pr omissory note for borrowing an amount of Rs. 2500 in 1895 and in 1898 after attaining majority he gave another promissory note ratifying the previous loan.But the court clearly declined the argument that though the first agreement was done by a minor, it was done on the â€Å"desire off the promisor† citing above two reasons. A Minor can take the plea of being a minor Case Law -Leslie Vs Sheill The Events in the Case Sheill, a minor , fraudently misrepresented himself as a major and borrowed 400 pound sterling from Leslie. Actually Sheill was a minor at the material time ie at the time of borrowing the money.Sheill then spent the borrowed money and did not repay the loan. Leslie filed a suit against him claiming the following: Leslie’s claims 1. Recovery of the loan amount 2. Damages for the fraudulent misrepresentation( ie for the tort of deceit) The Verdict The court held that Leslie cannot recover the amount given to Sheill and also cannot claim damages under the La w of Tort. The justification for the verdict 1. A contract with a minor is void ab initio meaning it is void from the beginning.Hence even though the minor had misrepresented his age, the court cannot ask the minor to give the money back to Leslie as doing so would mean that the court is enforcing a void contract, which is not enforceable by law. Hence Leslie could not recover his money back. 2. Sheill has committed a tort( an action that harms another person, in this case it is Leslie). Law of Tort allows the aggrieved party to claim damages. But here the minor, Sheill is not bound by contract to borrow money or even for other purposes. Hence even damages cannot be claimed as the contract is void ab initio.Another Remark If Sheill had not spent the money, he cannot be asked to refund the money back. This is as per Section 30 and 33 of the Specific Relief Act, 1963. Section 30 of Specific Relief Act Court may require parties rescinding to do equity. – On adjudging the resciss ion of a contract, the court may require the party to whom such relief is granted to restore, so far as may be, any benefit which he may have received from the other party and to make any compensation to him which justice may require. Section 33 of Specific Relief ActWhere a defendant successfully resists any suit on the ground- (a)  that the instrument sought to be enforced against him in the suit is voidable, the court may if the defendant has received any benefit under the instrument from the other party, require him to restore, so far as may be, such benefit to that party or to make compensation for it; (b)  that the agreement sought to be enforced against him in the suit is void by reason of his not having been competent to contract under section 11 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872 (9 of 1872 ), the court may, if the defendant has received any benefit under the agreement from the other party, require him to restore, so far as may be, such benefit to that party, to the exten t to which he or his estate has benefited thereby. Source: http://www. indiankanoon. org/doc/172614/ Example Say there is a Minor M and two other persons N and O. M fraudulently misrepresents himself as a major at the time of contract and borrows money from N by mortgaging his property. He later sold the property by fraud to O.N then cancels both the agreements. Both the contracts are void ab initio. It was judged that M has to compensate both O and N as they both were not aware of the fact that M had fraudulently misrepresented them at the time of contract. Other points A minor can’t become a partner in any partnership firm:- under Section 30 of the partnership Act , 1932. The estate of a minor is liable to a person who supplies necessaries of his life to him. The guardians and parents of a minor are not liable to a creditors of a minor , for any breach of contract by a minor , even for the supply of the necessaries , or otherwise. A minor can , however , act as an agent.Con tracts by the Persons of Mental Incompetence Definition and Understanding The term Incompetence habitually means â€Å"The lack of ability, knowledge, legal qualification, or fitness to discharge a required duty or professional obligation† and consequently Mental Incompetence refers to that populace who are diagnosed as being mentally ill, senile, drunken state, delirium under the influence of high fever or suffering from some other debility that prevents them from managing his own affairs Such people may be accredited mentally incompetent by a court of law for which as a rule a guardian is appointed to handle the person's property and personal affairs.In order to be competent to a contract, a person should be of sound mind where the soundness of mind of a person depends on the following two factors: * His ability to understand the terms of a contract, and * His capability to form a rational judgment as to its effect upon his interest Henceforth, Section 11 and 12 specificall y articulates that â€Å"A person is said to be of sound mind for the purpose of making a contract, if at the time when he makes it, he is capable of understanding it and of forming a rational judgment to its effect upon his interests† * An individual who experiences from insanity at intervals can enter into a contract, when he is of sound mind * An individual who endures from insanity occasionally cannot enter into a contract, when he is of unsound mind Case Law 3:Civil Appeal Nos – 1619-1620 of 2001 Legal Terms Used * Appellant – An individual who, discontented with the judgment delivered and decided in a lower court or the findings from a proceeding asks a superior court to review the decision * Respondent – The revelry against whom an appeal or motion, an application for a court order, is instituted and who is obligatory to answer in order to protect his or her interests Details Citation : Supreme Court of India Appellants : Chacko and Anr. Responden t : Mahadevan Hon'ble Judges : A. K. Mathur and Markandey Katju, JJ. | Case DescriptionThe case essentially is of the civil nature dealing with the Sale of Property and the execution of aforementioned sale endeavor. Fundamentally the sale was challenged as being null and void, the circumstances being the appellant – Chacko and Anr. alleging that he was made to carry out the deed by acting under the influence of liquor by the respondent – Mahadevan and was not in a fit state of mind and hence confronting the sale of assets as illogical and annulled At the outset an injunction was sought against the respondent and anon a series of cross suits by both parties to the case were filed. As the trial court detained that the appellants failed to prove the accusations allowing the ensemble of the respondent.Shortly the appellant stimulated appeal before the first appellate court where the order primarily in favor of the respondent was now overturned in favor of the appellant as the fact that one cent land was sold for Rs. 18000 vide Ext. A2 (sale deed dated 4. 9. 1982) and three cent land was sold vide Ext. A3 (sale deed dated 11. 7. 1983) for a sum of Rs. 1000, showing an unconscionable and irrational transaction This lead to an infuriated respondent, bestowing a second appeal before the high court of Kerala on account of the indicted verdict against the judgment of the First Appellate Court and its findings of fact. The Findings of Fact include the â€Å"Unsound state of mind† of appellant established by medical certificate for Alcoholic Psychosis summiting to the well known Latin maxim â€Å"res ipsa loquitur† i. e. the matter speaks for itselfThe Rationale for the Final Decision â€Å"Transaction on the basis of documents executed when not in a robust state of mind† â€Å"The Court cannot interfere with the unyielding findings of fact as the medical certificate for Alcoholic Psychosis submitted for of the first Appellate Court and is restricted only to questions of law. † Judgment The second appeal signified that Chacko sold the land by sale deed dated 11. 7. 1983 when he was not of sound mind and some swindle was played on him at that time by Mahadevan with the court testifying that the Court cannot interfere with the findings of fact of the first Appellate Court, and is confined only to the questions of law.The deal was quashed by the court and in favor of the appellant Chacko dismissing Mahadevan’s plea Incompetence Through Status: Incompetence to contract may arise under various situations, like 1. From Political status 2. From corporate status 3. From Legal Status 4. From Marital status Examples 1. Pertaining to Political Status * An Alien Enemy cannot enter into a contract with an Indian during the period of war. If Pakistan is in war with India then no Pakistani can enter a contract with Indians during the period of war. But if they have entered into a contract already then the contract m ay be dissolved or suspended till the war is over. The contracts that are against public policy and that will benefit the enemy will stand dissolved.Other contracts will be suspended provided that they have not been rendered time barred under Indian Limitation Act. * Alien Friend: An Indian can enter into a contract with citizen of other foreign country which is not at war with India. 2. Pertaining to Corporate Status According to 1856 companies act, a company cannot enter into a contract against Memorandum of Association. 3. Pertaining to Legal Status Person declared insolvent are not considered to enter into a contract till such time they are able to get a certificate of discharge from insolvency. 4. Pertaining to Marital Status A married woman has full ability and competence to enter into a valid contract . She can sue and even be sued against, in her own name.

Culture and Gender

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia adheres to strict Koran laws. Among them is the veiling of women, structuring of their work and lives away from men, and driving (Wikipedia, 2007). Though education in the West is slowly changing this, it is not in any way translated to policy changes or reforms (Bradley, 2006). We aim to ink a deal with the Saudi government for the setting-up of a supermarket chain. To be successful, the negotiators must show respect to the country’s laws and norms. The Saudi government- through the religious police- is the primary proponent and advocate of strict laws and norms pertaining to women hence they should be dealt with sensitively. I choose the budding male executive over the veteran female to head the team. In the country, women are not expected to work in positions which allow them to interact with men. Sending a woman as head of the negotiating team would be an insult to the Saudis with their deeply-entrenched conservative values. Should the CEO insist on sending her, I will ensure that she will not be the front liner. She will still head the negotiations but the spokesman will be the male executive. She will still make the decision but through the latter. My decision will send a message to within and outside the company that we are serious in our business transactions.   It is by complying with the norms and laws of wherever you do business which wins deals. As a leader, it will show my flexibility in matters not wholly congruent to traditional norms of conducting business. Part II- Power Corruption Cycle Power Corruption Cycle is an organizational phenomena characterized by the use of rank to intimidate or bribe the lower-echelons to allow an illegitimate or corrupt practice to happen and/or continue. When the latter become managers or executives themselves, they apply the same corrupt practices which also influence those with lower positions. This cycle- if uninterrupted by new management- would go on and on. It poisons an organization in that the quality of service/s and/or products will be compromised which will eventually lead to its downfall. An example is on the awarding of contracts to bidders in government projects. The members of the bids and awards committee are all corrupt and have a mutual understanding of granting the contract not to the one which offers the premium bid but to the one who can offer the largest kickback. A young, newly-hired assistant to the committee intends to follow stated rules in bidding but soon finds out about the â€Å"unwritten rules†. He is co-opted and fits permanently into the organization. The people- recipients of developmental projects- suffer through sub-standard infrastructure and incoherent development projects and services. This leads to mistrust and enmity towards the government which will create a longing in society to reform, if not replace the government in power and/or the system. ReferenceBradley, J. (2006). Saudi Arabia exposed: Inside a kingdom in crisis. NY: Palgrave Macmillan. Wikipedia Online Encyclopedia. 2007. Islam in Saudi Arabia. Retrieved Feb. 13, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_Saudi_Arabia#Islamism_in_Saudi_Arabia.      

Small business plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Small business plan - Research Paper Example Personal celphone users can be a profitable segment in the market given their sheer size. II. The marketing orientation that the business will follow and why you have chosen that particular path.   Marketing orientation is â€Å"an approach to business that centres its activities on satisfying the needs and wants of its customers† (Pearson 2008). By following this approach, all the activities of Mobile Plus Group Ltd will be directed toward customer satisfaction with a customer service that is second to none. The key element for a successful implementation of a marketing orientation is to know the customers of a business. Our customers are primarily composed of business people and are responsive to functionality, value and service. With this in mind, our company should strive to satisfy customer needs by always thinking of ways to source out products that could offer more functionality at a price that is lower than competition. To ensure customer retention, we should also co uple it with a customer service (a service center is also offered by the business) that is second none. Implementing this market orientation which is focused on exceeding customer expectation will ensure the company’s viability in the industry. III. At least three external environmental factors that will impact on your market. Given the nature of our business which is technology based that constantly change at a dizzying pace, we should always be on the lookout for external environmental factors that could threaten the business’ viability. The following are the three factors that are considered as a potent threat to the business. a) Obsolescence – technology innovates and changes so fast that what is â€Å"in† right now could become obsolete in just few months or weeks. Such, we should always be updated about the emerging trends and technology so that the business will be able to appropriately respond to new trends to remain viable and competitive in the market. b) Tariff – Mobile Plus Ltd market orientation is to give value to its customers. That entails offering functional celphones to customers at a lower cost. If tariff taxes will shoot up, will have an effect on our pricing which will have an impact on our competitiveness. c) Competition – If there is any external factor that could directly affect the competitiveness of a business, it would be its competitors. As such, competition should be should always be monitored to ensure that the position of the business in the industry is competitive. IV. Explain the characteristics of the chosen market. The business users segment in the celphone market can be demanding considering that they are aware of the various options and alternatives they have for our products. They know that if they are dissatisfied with our products and/or service, they can always go to the competition. The business segment market also has a greater purchasing power but appreciate getting value for their money knowing that money saved could be used for other important purchases. They require after sales support for product purchased anticipating the convenience of a customer service should they will have any issue with the product. They are also sensitive to the reliability of the products purchased from us. Time is important to

Waste Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Waste Management - Case Study Example Commercial areas include shops, offices, markets and open areas within the vicinity of the district that the municipality serves. The construction and demolition debris, as well as hazardous wastes, are usually not categorized under municipal solid waste (MSW), but under special circumstances they may be added to the MSW category. Municipal solid waste can be divided into four major categories that are Residential, Commercial and Institutional, Open areas and Treatment plant sites. Residential waste includes wastes generated from households that primarily comprise food wastes. The commercial and industrial wastes which are generated by offices, markets, hotels, restaurants, schools and medical facilities mainly consist of rubbish and food wastes. Open areas include parks, streets and beaches etc. Lastly, treatment plant sites includes sewage, drainage and water treatment processes. MSW is usually referred to as solid waste that the authorities of the city take responsibility of manag ing and disposing in one way or the other. In our case, the 30 gallon garbage on the sidewalk contains office trash and human waste deposits to be qualified as municipal solid waste, so, the contents of the receptacle are definitely solid waste. 3. ... 2) Waste containers should not be filled with water or any other liquid. 3) The authorities need to make sure that only solid waste is put in these containers. 4) Another important handling consideration is to make sure that wastes from different sources are not mixed as it can cause chemical reactions which, therefore, makes recycling and disposal difficult. 5) The vehicles used for the transportation and collection of waste should be covered to avoid exposure to public and scattering of waste. 6) Later on the waste should be categorized into two categories: recyclable and non-recyclable material. Since the waste primarily consists of office trash, it must have considerable amount of paper, bottles and newspaper etc. Waste is recyclable, if it is sent to be processed, while non-recyclable waste should be disposed of either through an incineration or a landfill. 4. How do you respond to the customer and what do you do next?   I will calm him down by silently listening to him for a while and showing him that his problems matter to me. After a while, I will politely accept our fault and personally apologize to him. Moreover, I will assure him that his compliant has been filed and registered by the respective authorities and that we will take care of the receptacle immediately. After finishing the call, I will check for any waste collection team nearby that area; if any team is available, I will order them to take care of the specific receptacle; otherwise I will dispatch an available waste collection team immediately to take care of the receptacle before its condition gets worse. CASE 2 1. Is it permissible to disturb the clay cap without a permit?   The appropriate District office must be consulted before any construction activity is conducted over an

Rights and freedom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Rights and freedom - Essay Example This paper will feature analysis of the clauses of the First Amendment of the United States Constitutions, examine the significance of the Bill of Rights and discuss the process of amendment of the Constitution. There are several freedoms which are guaranteed by the Constitutions which are extremely relevant to me personally. First of all, it is the freedom of speech. I strongly agree with the scholars who point out that the existence of a clause that allows people to express themselves freely might be regarded as a reflection of a healthy as well as fully developed political environment (Anastaplo, 2007, 150). I do acknowledge that there are some reasonable limits when it comes to freedoms of speech; nevertheless, I am thankful that no citizen is able to prevent me from speaking my mind out within the permitted framework. If even I write this paper, I know that I can put all my thoughts as they exist in my mind and insist on the validity of my claims even though they might contradict with the point of view of my classmates or my professor. The next freedom which directly applies to me is freedom of peaceful assembly. Thus, I have adopted a proactive civil position and consider it important to express my mind about the social issues which, in my opinion, should be resolved so that the society where I live might prosper. I think that a fair share of the assemblies which I attended could not have happened if it had not been for this particular clause of the First Amendment. When it comes to analyzing the significance of the first ten amendments which are usually referred to as the United States Bill of Rights, one can not exaggerate its significance. Indeed, the above mentioned amendments establish legal framework which guides behavior of the individuals in virtually every field of social life and does it in the most positive as well as effective manner. For example, other than the already

Project Staff Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Project Staff - Essay Example unctioning is explained in this paper with special emphasize to functioning of effective work groups, elements of group effectiveness, process gains and process losses. Many of the current organizations are encouraging group work or team work because of the immense advantage team work have on individual work. In fact most of the project works need team performances rather than the individual performances in order to execute it successfully. Individual brilliance may not reflect in a team work. For example, if one out of the 10 members of a team performs badly, the entire mission could be failed even if the all the rest nine members perform excellently. For the effective functioning of the team, the entire team members need to identify the various processes involved in the project for the team’s progress. Process gains and process losses are the part of a project team functioning. Identification of these characteristics will help the team to perform well. A winning team is like orchestrating a piece of music and it doesnt happen by chance. It requires a great deal of information, careful thought, and sound resource management (Vokoun, 2009). It is not necessary that all the workgroups function well. The characteristics of the work group members are important in making the group work effective. Each member of a group is just like the links in chain. Even a single weak link can spoil or break the chain. Same way even single member of the group can spoil the entire objectives of the group work. In other words, a group work will be effective when all the group members combine well and complement each other. The first step in constructing a productive and goal-oriented work group is to gather information (Vokoun, 2009). Information about the project, its objectives and the skills required to complete the project are important for forming the work group. It is not necessary that an effective and efficient member in a group would be effective in another group.

Are minority perspectives in psychology a option for the reduction of Essay

Are minority perspectives in psychology a option for the reduction of prejudice - Essay Example To be sure, prejudice against ethnic and gender minorities impedes upon the progression of the social sciences. Solutions to this substantial problem have been proffered. One such recommendation has been that an increase in minority perspectives in psychology may reduce the amount and level of ethnic-based prejudice in the field. On many levels, this seems like a viable option; minority doctors are more socially equipped to handle the cases of minority patients. There is, however dissent from this theory. Here we will discuss both the problem and this possible solution to minority and gender prejudice in the field of psychology. The traditional framework for psychological assessment uses Eurocentric masculine behavior as the standard of normality. The western male model is not only seen as universal, but as ‘good’. Eurocentric standards of mental health are often inappropriate for ethnic minorities, because they are based on the philosophies, values and other aspects of the European culture, and these combinations are used as a basis for normative standards of mental health. These standards are routinely used for assessment and diagnosis. Likewise, masculine standards have proven to be somewhat ineffective in the diagnosis and treatment of women What is considered as sane or insane behavior, mental health or mental illness, normal or abnormal behavior is therefore always in relation to a white male normative standard. These standards are applied to minorities, and result in increased rates of misdiagnosis. The Eurocentric approach does not take into account cultural and language differences and how minorities express their inner feelings. The masculine approach does not take into account feminine sensitivities and varied modes of thinking and feeling. In the earlier days of Eurocentric practice, diagnosis like drapetomania (the escape behavior exhibited by enslaved Africans) was

Multiple choice Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Multiple choice - Coursework Example Jesse Jackson, on the other hand, is a politician known for his active participation in the civil rights movement. Both claimed to be disciples of the Martin Luther King’s brand of Civil Rights activism yet, a closer look on their respective views on Affirmative Action revealed their conflicting outlook. Pendleton vehemently criticized affirmative action because he felt that it took away the honor and the glory from deserving and talented African-Americans and referred to its supporters as new racists who wanted assured outcomes sans the competition. The underpinning of Pendleton’s argument was that he wanted the African-Americans to rise above the rest on the strength of their own talent, hard work and perseverance competing with the rest of the country. He wanted them to stand toe to toe with everybody and not be isolated – a part of mainstream America. Jesse Jackson, on the other hand, who defended and supported the extension of affirmative action during the height of the US Supreme Court Affirmative Action case saw it as an assurance of African-Americans in achieving the American Dream. He saw it as a means of equal opportunity. To Jackson, Affirmative Action was still relevant because the issue at stake was not only racial but also economic justice and social equa lity. He believed that society must enter into a compromise to ensure that peace and harmony prevail. The conflicting views of these two civil rights activists were a mere reflection of their personalities: Pendleton was a conservative, a pacifist and a proud man while Jackson is a go-getter and a realist who will leave no stone unturned to get what he wants. Their respective views may have different relevance then but today, with an African-American at the helm of the most powerful country in the world there is no doubt that the African-Americans have no need to be treated as a race with inferior surviving wits. It is time that they be

The Influence of Family Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

The Influence of Family - Essay Example This influence is often reflected in the childhood and adult life of the child. According to various researches, it has been proved that, children always associate themselves with the problems of the parent and worry about these issues even if they are not part of the problem. This is a regular experience faced by families which have divorced. This is the main reason why individuals ask themselves if the family can influence the way they think, act and feel in the society. It is true that the family plays a significant role in the way individuals behave in the family and society. Every concept an individual adopts are learned from the family. For instance, everything a child learns is always influenced from his or her parenthood and how they reacted to their parents. Parents are good people to emulate as they are familiar with what life entails. This is due to their life experiences. They are essential in teaching their children what they have learned, how they should act, think and feel about the modern society. However, some parents are not good role models to their children. As in the case of Cary, whose life will be discussed in the papers’ body, her mother was never a role model. Her mother was full of hatred and brought her up in a manner that she never liked. As such, she vowed to bring her children up in a manner that was completely different from her mothers. However, Cary’s mother case contradicts the claim that mothers are the primary caregivers. Mothers are considered as the primary care givers and consequently being viewed as the most influential to the child’s life. However, recent psychoanalytical studies have shown that fathers have a major role to play in influencing the behaviors and thinking of their children. The parent’s behavior can be explained from their past experiences or prominent figures in the society which they look up to and desire their children to emulate. Young maternal age is usually associated to with harsh and abusive parenting (Smithbattle 521) which can be explained by the fact that most young mothers are mostly poor and at risk of social isolation. They also go through depression and stress making them harsh and abusive parenting. However, these are not usually the only factors affecting the influence that a parent has to his children. Some parents may have prominent figures in the society who they want their children to grow up to emulate and they therefore train them to be like to people. Griffin also brings out the fact that a parent’s control over the family can have an influence on the child’s life (Griffin 302). A child whose parents exercise full control of every aspect at home grows to learn what ask and what not to ask. In exercising so much control in the family, children may not feel good while within the family and when faced by a problem they withdraw to cry alone as seen in Laura’s family (Griffin 307). Apart from the influence one gets from the family, the society plays a great role in influencing a person’s behavior. Moreover, after getting to a certain age, one starts becoming self aware and it is at this time that they start erasing whatever they do not need and developing their desired qualities. The essay on the loss of a creature by Percy tries to expound on the influence of the past knowledge and experiences to the sightseer in their visit to the tourist sites. According to Percy (2), precedent experiences and awareness determines the nature of leisure and enjoyment in any vacation. The prospects of the visit have a role to play in assessing and evaluating the intensity of satisfaction in any tour. Sightsee that satisfies the goal and objective of the vacationer

What do you think the most serious problem in the world Why Essay

What do you think the most serious problem in the world Why - Essay Example Knowing the broader implications of ideas allows one to move beyond the superficial nature (and seemingly discreteness) of our modern problems. With this foundation, it seems the most serious problem afflicting the world today is nihilism, which is the idea that values do not and cannot exist. Nihilism can take form in philosophy, but it is more recognizable in actions. Incidentally, there are a number of examples of nihilism applied to action that correlate to what the BBC found were the most serious problems. A recent example was the 2011 London riots, in which youth rioters destroyed and looted urban streets. As one commentator notes, â€Å"Nihilism, or the conviction that life on Earth is totally pointless, saps the young of their energy, their ambition, and their will to strive, struggle and triumph† (Dean). In this case, people commit violence not to achieve something, but for violence for violence’s sake. On a larger scale, in his book Ominous Parallels, philosopher Leonard Peikoff indicates that Nazi Germany arose out a culture of nihilism, which fanned the flames of extreme poverty, military aggression, and genocide. Anders Behring Breivik, perpetrator of the Oslo terrorist attack, committed his crime in the attempt to destroy as much value as possible (Nowicki). In fact, this is a consistent theme across time and space, among humankind’s most grievous catastrophes and crimes: the desire to destroy and the results of that attitude. BBC World Service. "Poverty most serious world problem, says global poll." 17 January 2010. BBC World Service. 16 September 2011

CAGB Report Essay Example for Free

CAGB Report Essay Introduction   Good morning. Today we will be discussing the topic of membership into the Chicory Association of Great Britain (CAGB). It has come to the attention of Sunshine PR that everyone serving on the CAGB committee has a farming background. Thus, each of you should realize that anyone desiring to join the CAGB must be given simple, yet detailed information. With that being said, Sunshine PR perceives membership into the CAGB as an opportunity for farmers to expand into large retail chains in the local area. Right now, these retail chains are dependent upon imported exotic vegetables. Yet, Sunshine PR has realized that local independent farmers can provide fresh vegetables that are home-grown to these businesses. Therefore, the company would like to brief you on the benefits of independent farmers acquiring membership you’re your establishment. While there is a budget of only â„“50,000 for a national PR campaign, Sunshine PR feels the money can be stretched. One way of doing so is to get local celebrities, rock stars, supermodels, and other professionals that are highly esteemed in the public’s eye to donate their time and efforts for this cause. Thus, the purpose of this presentation is to detail a PR campaign for the CAGB to acquire members who can provide fresh, home-grown vegetables to local UK retailers.   Outline   First, we begin with a brief outline of what will be addressed throughout this presentation. Sunshine PR will look at the Situation, Step-by-Step approach, Objectives, Message Strategies, Target Strategies, Implementation, and Evaluation. These items will be defined as this presentation continues. Sunshine PR will also discuss the various Stakeholders available. Therefore, this presentation will answer the following questions: Project management Where are we now? Where do we want to be? What are we doing to get there? Who do we need to talk to? How will we know we’ve arrived? Practicalities. This means the physical constraints, the facts, and the feasibility of this project. Approvals.   Therefore, we can now begin. Project management   Sunshine PR has been given this opportunity to run a PR campaign for CAGB. Our company is very thankful for this opportunity. Sunshine PR has been in business for many years. As a result, we have helped a variety of clients from a diverse background. However, Sunshine PR would like to benefit CAGB by helping the association raise awareness in regards to the importance of chicory in this area. Sunshine PR understands that the budget is only â„“50,000. Yet, we believe this amount is durable to get the point across. Therefore, the Situation being looked at is one in which local farmers need the opportunity to sell home-grown vegetables to local markets. By doing so, money remains at home versus the current situation of local retailers importing vegetables and thus, spending money elsewhere. Where are we now?   By money being spent elsewhere, our economy is losing opportunities to expand. Therefore, the CAGB needs to raise awareness about the benefits of local independent farmers becoming a CAGB member. Yet, membership should come with the understanding that ‘chicory is a bushy perennial herb with blue or lavender flowers’. It can be used in salads, as a coffee substitute, as a sweetener. Chicory can also be put in yogurt. [Picture of chicory taken from Microsoft clipart]   Thus, the opportunities for making profits in providing chicory to local retailers are endless. Consequently, Sunshine PR has come up with membership packages suitable for experienced, upcoming, and future independent British farmers that the CAGB can offer its members. These packages come in six levels of membership, similar to those packages found at the Chartered Institute of Public Relations website. These memberships include the following: Member MCAGB. This package offers several possibilities into full membership with the CAGB. Associate ACAGB. This package is open to those farmers with at least 3 years of farming experience or a CAGB approved qualification. Affiliate. This package is open to those farmers with lesser than 3 years of farming experience or those who are working in a related industry. Student. This package is open to those studying a CAGB approved qualification. Affiliate Studying. This package is open to those studying a farming qualification that is not CAGB approved. Fellow FCAGB. This package is awarded to those farmers who have made an outstanding contribution to the United Kingdom.   This brings us to the Step-by-Step approach. It answers the next question. Where do we want to be? With this PR campaign, the CAGB wants to be in the driver’s seat. This means that all farmers joining the CAGB will come on-board with the idea in mind of returning profits back to the local community. In order for this step to be successful we need to: Inform Address Evaluate Implement In order for the CAGB to get anywhere, it must first (a) Inform the general public of what the association is all about. Thus, the CAGB will be making the general public aware that the association plans to help local farmers deliver fresh, home-grown vegetables (in particular, chicory) to local retailers. In this approach, some of the local celebrities can be seen in a commercial drinking a cup of coffee that is made from home-grown chicory.   Next, CAGB needs to (b) Address. In this step, the general public should be made aware of all the jobs being lost by local retailers importing vegetables. By putting even one farmer out of business, that means plenty of local residents (who work on these farms) being put out of work. Not only that, it extracts from the distribution channels in which the vegetables can be delivered. For example, local distributors do not have to go overseas to pick the vegetables up. Also, the chances of the money being made from the sell and/or purchase of local products actually being spent locally increases.   Third, the CAGB should (c) Evaluate. In this step, an Evaluation of all the costs to the CAGB, its members, and the retailers should be examined. Costs to the CAGB have already been predetermined as â„“50,000 to run the PR campaign. However, the CAGB should note that hidden costs may exist as well. Hidden costs are those costs associated with something going wrong or an unpredictable event occurring. This means it is possible for costs to exceed â„“50,000. As a result, Sunshine PR will leave between â„“5,000 to â„“10,000 to account for potential costs beyond our control in the Miscellaneous Section of the budget. Thus, Market Research will play a key role in the implementation of this PR campaign. In order to find out who is interested in buying fresh vegetables, we need to probably pay consumers to take surveys. Not only that, we can find out what types of vegetables local retail chains want to sell by interviewing them. Information about Market Research possibilities can be found at the Communication Research website.   Fourth, after the full details of the budget have been decided (and Market Research has been analyzed), our company must get with the CAGB to discuss how to (d) Implement. In this stage, we must decide who will be a part of this campaign, all the types of media to use, who the target audience will be, when the project will begin, and how much to charge the farmers who decide to join one of the various levels of memberships. Of course, all of these things can be decided upon the acceptance of this proposal from Sunshine PR by the CAGB committee. Consequently, we can go to the next question. What are we doing to get there?   In order to get to the point where our local farmers are servicing the local retailers with fresh vegetables, the CAGB must first make the local farmers aware of its organization. Some of the ways to accomplish this goal include: Establishing public relations as a critical component of [CAGB] organizational success; Empowering current and future public relations professionals who represent a broad spectrum of diversity†¦ Building a community of leaders to serve the profession [CAGB members] and the Society [United Kingdom]; and Enhancing universal understanding [in particular, the United Kingdom areas] of, and appreciation for, the power and value of public relations, while adhering to the highest standards of ethics and excellence. As a result, some Objectives are needed. These objectives help us to understand the next question. Who do we need to talk to? The CAGB needs to talk to farmers. In addition to farmers, the CAGB needs to talk with local retailers, the general public, the media, banks, and so forth. Therefore, one of the main objectives is to determine who all the Stakeholders (as those just mentioned) are. As a result, the Stakeholders need to be broken down into manageable components. [Picture of farmer extracted from Microsoft Clipart] Thus, Sunshine PR has listed the Stakeholders into five parts: Public. The public includes the media and local community. Overseas. In the overseas part, we need to find out who the local retailers are importing to and then determine how we can undercut the prices the local retailers are paying for imported vegetables. Financial. In this section, we need to decide how the farmers who join the CAGB will be helped from a financial standpoint. Maybe set up partnerships with local banks for those farmers who become CAGB members is a good start. Government. Here, we want to inform our government of what is going on. Perhaps the government wants to get involved because by business staying at home, more money becomes available for taxation purposes as well. Commercial. In this section, we want to decide who the suppliers of the products will be, the wholesalers that exist, and the retailers available for this opportunity. No medium should be left unturned. Internal. In this section, we need to get CAGB members on board, management needs to be kept current on what is going on, and if any unions exist for the farmers, then we need to make sure the independent contracts are signed between the farmer and the local retailer so all details of what is to occur are known. In this manner, no surprises that will incur extra costs can result from a retailer telling a farmer they did not deliver all that was expected or from a farmer telling a retailer that they cheated them out of some money. This brings us to the next question. How will we know we’ve arrived? Well, we will know this from our Message Strategies and Targeting Strategies. First, we need to have two Message Strategies: (a) One is to understand that by local farmers selling chicory to local retailers, the partnerships will lead to more jobs and a better economy in the UK and (b) The other is to know that the PR campaign will raise total awareness of the fact that the CAGB will help independent farmers acquire business with local retail chains providing that the farmers choose to become a CAGB member.   Moreover, the PR campaign will help the general public to understand what the CAGB is and who the CAGB can help. In this aspect, the Targeting Strategy includes (a) Consumers—in this case the Consumers are the general public, the Suppliers are the farmers, and the Distributors are the local retail chains. In addition, (b) the Targeting Strategy includes the Media. Who is the media? Well, the media includes local television stations, newspapers, radio stations, billboards, and other methods of advertisements. Therefore, the Consumers should know that the products sold at local food retail chains will be fresh and home grown. Furthermore, the Media should know that the CAGB is trying to help farmers stay in business, local retail chains sell fresh products, and consumers eat fresh and healthy goods that come from home-grown vegetables. In a matter of speaking, this means CAGB will be helping those at home help themselves.   Significantly, CAGB can align its Strategies with Target Public Relations’ Objectives as presented by PRCA.   Target’s PR programme for SMEs had a number of defined objectives:   To sustain media coverage and Powergen’s reputation for ‘energy expertise’ amongst SMEs throughout the year—including during the summer period, when warm, sunny days mean the issue of energy consumption at work is of much less interest to both journalism and SMEs.   To build a relationship between Powergen and SMEs, capitalizing on the fact that no other energy supplier is talking directly to them.   To broaden the perception of energy to include ‘personal energy’ and positivity in line with Powergen’s overall brand objectives, led by the irreverent ‘Bob’ advertisements starring comedian Simon Day.   This brings us to possible practicalities or constraints. As a result, we need to discuss them. Practicalities.   One of the main constraints is how to regain the business that has already been lost to companies exporting vegetables to the United Kingdom. Within this constraint is the fact that comments often influence decisions. Therefore, what we say throughout this PR campaign will be under a microscope. In simple terms, this means we will be quoted. This issue was discussed in an article presented at the Institute for Public Relations  (IPR) website. In the article, Paine discussed,   In the media and in most news groups, the vast majority of what is said about a particular organization is neutral. But the unfettered and unfiltered nature of the blogosphere [media] brings more opinions and frequently more negative opinions. Remember to step back as far as you can and remain objective. Think like your target audience. Just because someone leaked a piece of information or got a name wrong is not reason to respond or get involved in a discussion. Yet, as mentioned earlier in this presentation, â„“50,000 is not much. Therefore, limited funding is another practicality. Still, a third practicality is getting independent farmers to realize that CAGB membership is important to them achieving a sustainable competitive future. However, it is important to know that this PR campaign may not be enough. Overbury wrote, ‘For many PR agencies and departments, the place they will look for that expertise and new media familiarity will be those just joining the profession’. Thus, we come to understand that it is possible to acquire new CAGB members and therefore, help them sell chicory to local retail chains. Approvals.   We need to implement the objectives and strategies discussed in this presentation for two reasons: (1) Job vacancies and (2) To connect. First, we can open up more jobs by helping farmers sell locally. This, in turn, betters the community. Second, we can connect people-to-people by helping them to develop relationships with one another. In this manner, culture does not get lost as it sometimes does when international companies come in with their goods and services. Also, it should be noted that email can be one of the main methods (social media) of both corresponding and obtaining approval as determined by PR Studies.   Also, it should be mentioned that the UK economy will face global turmoil and high oil prices in the upcoming year. Therefore, our economy is in for a bumpy ride, as pointed out by Giles. Remarkably, we can use this to our advantage to get local retail chains to contract with local farmers who are members of the CAGB. Not only that, the fact that oil prices have increased means that it is getting difficult to keep up with the currency exchange. As a result, inflation is possible, as The Economist discussed.   Therefore, getting Approvals for implementation of the items mentioned in this CAGB Report are very achievable.   Consequently, let me suggest that the campaign begin by us purchasing a list of consumers’ email addresses and sending out a bulk, but relevant email  detailing what we are trying to accomplish. We can then ask the consumers to answer the survey and send the email back to us for a free cup of coffee or something along those lines.   Conclusion   So, now this presentation comes to concludes. Please keep in mind that the main issues to be addressed in the PR campaign concerns us making the general public aware that they can purchase fresh vegetables if the local farmers are given the opportunity to sell to the local retail chains. Thus, the main goal is to get the independent local farmers to become members of the CAGB so that they can have the opportunity to sell their chicory and other vegetables to local retail chains. Remarkably, this will help the UK reduce the heavy reliance on imported exotic vegetables. As a result, by local farmers selling to local retail chains, the local economy will be able to create a sustainable competitive economy. Thus, in order for us to achieve a better future, let us narrow the bridge the gap between our consumers, our local farmers (suppliers), and our local retail chains (distributors). Thank you. Microsoft PowerPoint ¹. Public Relations: Theory Practice: Week 3 PR Campaign Planning, slds. 1-19. 2007. retrieved 27 November 2007, PRTAPWK03_-Planning_Models Microsoft PowerPoint ². Public Relations: Theory Practice: Week 4 Stakeholding Media Relations Consultancy practice, slds. 1-18. 2007. retrieved 27 November 2007, PRTAPWK03_-Planning_Models   Wikipedia, Chicory, Wikimedia Foundation, Inc, 2007, retrieved 27 November 2007, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicory Wikipedia, Chicory. Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), Membership grades, CIPR, 2007, retrieved 27 November 2007, http://www.cipr.co.uk/membership/index.htm   CIPR, Membership grades. CommunicationResearch.org. Market Research, 2007, retrieved 27, November 2007, http://www.communicationresearch.org/search/ Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), Mission, PRSA, 2007, retrieved 27 November 2007, http://www.prsa.org/aboutUs/strategicPlanning.html?WT.ac=ABOUT_StratPlanningTopNav Microsoft PowerPoint ². Slide 17. Target Public Relations, Campaign: ‘Britain’s Most Energetic Boss’ B2B campaign, PRCA, September 2004-February 2005, retrieved 27 November 2007, http://www.prca.org.uk/assets/pdf/boss.pdf Target Public Relations, Objectives, p. 2. K.S. Paine, How to measure Social Media Relations, Institute for Public Relations, April 2007, retrieved 27 November 2007, http://www.instituteforpr.org/files/uploads/How_to_Measure_Blogs.pdf Paine, p. 7.   K Overbury, Behind the Spin: What happens when the â€Å"new media† isn’t new enough?, PublicSphere, 27 June 2006, pp. 1-2, retrieved 27 November 2007, http://publicsphere.typepad.com/behindthespin/2006/06/what_happens_wh.thml PR Studies, Only connect, 21 November 2007, retrieved 27 November 2007, http://prstudies.typepad.com/weblog/ C Giles, UK—Economy Trade: Warning given of ‘bumpy ride’ for economy, The Financial Times, 28 November 2007, retrieved 28 November 2007, http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/48855d02-9d3e-11dc-af03-0000779fd2ac.html The Economist, Finance Economics: Countdown to lift-off, The Economist Newspaper Limited 2007, 2007, retrieved 28 November 2007, http://www.economist.com/finance/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10191717   M Varley, Relevance is â€Å"king† of DM, Centaur Communications Ltd, 27 November 2007, retrieved 28 November 2007, http://www.mad.co.uk/Logon/

Significant Market Position Toshiba Marketing Essay

Significant Market Position Toshiba Marketing Essay Toshiba is a strong and respected name in the market with a well-deserved reputation for innovation, high performance and reliability. We have represented the brand in Ireland since 1982 and, by combining our strengths with those of Toshiba, we have carved out a significant market share. Broad diversified product portfolio Toshiba is a diversified manufacturer and marketer of advanced electronic and electrical products. Its product portfolio includes information and communications equipment and systems, internet based solutions and services, electronic components and materials, power system, industrial and social infrastructure systems, and household appliances. Strong research and development Toshiba has strong commitment to research and development programs. In an average year Toshiba is awarded more than 5,000 patents, many of which find their way either directly or indirectly into our multi-functional office solutions products. Enhancement of customer satisfaction Adhering to the Toshiba Group Customer Satisfaction Policy established in 2003, we aim to enhance customer satisfaction (CS) through the provision of safe and innovative products, systems and services as well as through communication with customers. Toshiba Group Customer Satisfaction Policy We make the voice of customers the starting point for all ideas and provide products, systems and services that deliver customer satisfaction. We provide products, systems and services that are safe and reliable. We respond to requests and inquiries from customers sincerely, rapidly and appropriately. We value the voice of customers and endeavor to develop and improve products, systems and services to deliver customer satisfaction. We provide appropriate information to customers. We protect personal data provided by customers. Weaknesses High debt In fiscal 2008, Toshiba placed a high priority on recovering its drastically eroded shareholders equity. The company is now making efforts to reduce debt in order to establish a solid financial profile by March 2012. Towards this goal, the company announced a policy to constrain capital investment, particularly in the semiconductor business. Standard Poors considers Toshibas conservative financial policy to be further evidenced by the implementation of a number of planned financial activities. These include capital enhancement through an increase in common stocks and the refinancing of short-term debt by the issuance of subordinated bonds. Standard Poors will closely monitor whether the company can improve its financial indicators as planned, through the consistent reduction of fixed costs and capital investments. Lack of manpower After four months of struggle and weeks of intense negotiations, workers and management at Toshiba Consumer Products Indonesia reached a settlement: 682 workers will be reinstated, but 15 local union leaders will not get their jobs back. Over leveraged financial position Year over year, Toshiba Corporation has seen revenues fall from $80.4B to $76.6B. This along with an increase in the cost of goods sold expense has led to a reduction in the bottom line from $1.7B to $925.7M. Ubiquitiouegory, products, services Cloud services will become truly ubiquitous, omnipresent. It is the broader access to most recent content and information plus the benefit of a vast social community contributing to its discovery and consumption adding, recommending, rating and prioritizing content and information that will make cloud services an increasingly indispensable element in consumers evolving digital lifestyle. Sun Zi said: When victory is long overdue, weapons will be blunt and the morale (and motivation) of the troops will be adversely affected. In war, it is better to go for swift victories rather than engage in prolonged military campaigns. Sun Zi also said: Therefore, generals who do not thoroughly comprehend the inherent dangers of deploying troops are unlikely to understand the advantages of using troops. Opportunities Market Recently Toshiba just launch the 12 new products in the Bangladesh. Bangladesh have a large population approximately 160 million. Toshiba has working with Smart Technologies BD Limited (STBL) Bangladesh Company since last 3 years. In this 3 year, Toshiba Company found that Bangladesh market impressive increase in term of sales volume and growth. Bangladesh is developing and has high potential in market. Global expansion It can let the profit or income of the Toshiba Company to increase or growing the market value of the Toshiba Company among the world. The popularities can also increase by this way. Without affecting quality and customer service, global expansion can maximizing profitability in all areas of the Toshiba Company. For instance, by developing the new marketing strategies in those regions, it can make let Toshiba Companys loyalty customers to buy their products. Global expansion can also help to leads to leveraging of expertise. With global expansion, leveraging any know-how or expertise in overseas production is prudent. Future plans Toshiba aim to double its annual profit in three year. The worlds No.2 maker of NAND flashes chips, behind the Samsung electronics. The firm is going to shift its focus to emerge economies and growing market after the demand for television fall dramatically than expected in the previous year. Besides that, Toshiba Company also interested in making money through nuclear power, they plan to buy 20 percent of share from the U.S nuclear power company in the next January. Toshiba is going to invest about $4.3 billion dollar to build new flash memory facility, in order to catch up the leader Samsung electronics, aiming to triple its manufacture capacity. Moreover, Toshiba plan to roll out a home storage battery system that can keep the appliances running for a good part all the day long. Toshiba developed a storage battery system that makes use of the Toshiba technology for rechargeable batteries. This storage battery can work up to 12 hour. Threats Competition Being an electronic company, in this environment of course there will be a lot of competitor. For example, the competitor for the Toshiba Company likes Samsung, Apple, HP, Dell, and other company that focus electronic production. These companies have created threats for the Toshiba Company. The tablets that made by Toshiba is not really attracted by consumer, because Apple and Samsung are leading on this market products. Besides that, Toshiba main production is notebook, although this is their priority product, but a lot of competitor also produces various type of notebook. Although they made a quality, productivity and user friendly notebook, but Toshiba still behind the other competitor that leading them by brand name position on customer heart. External changes This changes is depends on the government taxes and politics in the certain country that the Toshiba company invest in. First and foremost, government taxes and politics have created a burden to all company. As taxes increase its have the same effect that the company need to cover the cost of the good that rise such as electricity and input, all company are established because their purpose is profit.

Animals and Man Essay -- Analysis, G.W. Leibniz

G.W. Leibniz asserts that humans are superior to all other creatures. Admittedly, Leibniz’s ideas on this matter are somewhat ambiguous, making it difficult to ascertain his exact position. In some instances within the Discourse on Metaphysics, he appears to hold that animals do not have souls. On other occasions, however, he seems to express beliefs to the contrary. For example, Leibniz first expresses doubt about souls of animals when he questions â€Å"if they [animals] have any [souls]† (Leibniz, 11). In another example, on the contrary, he hints that â€Å"the souls †¦ of other bodies are entirely different from intelligent souls† (12). This gives the impression that both other bodies and humans (â€Å"intelligent souls†) have souls albeit different to some degree. Later, however, Leibniz definitively remarks â€Å"that animals have souls† (37). In The Monadology, any remaining uncertainty vanishes. Here, he first mentions that â €Å"nature has given heightened perceptions to animals, from the care she has taken to furnish them organs †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (71). Then, a few words later Leibniz vows to explain â€Å"how what occurs in the soul represents what occurs in the organs† (71). What he implies with this passage is that animals, just like humans, have souls which are influenced and impacted by sensory perceptions. Then, in XXVI of The Monadology, he explains that â€Å"[m]emory provides a kind of sequence in souls, which imitates reason, but which must be distinguished from it† (71). Leibniz continues, providing an example of a dog remembering abuse with a stick to suggest that animals have some form of memory or perception. As a result of the memories of abuse and a recollection of the pain, the dog flees when presented with a stick. In arguing as much, Lei... ...ecies. Since humans cannot catch prey, without the use of tools or weaponry, as efficiently as a lion, the lion could then be deemed superior. Reframing what supposedly makes man superior out of an anthropocentric view hopefully elucidate the idea that no trait makes any being superior over any other. I agree with Leibniz that a mind created in the image of God should, indeed, â€Å"act with knowledge in imitation of the divine nature† (39). This includes acting as moral agents to consider the good and inherent worth of all beings. After all, in many respects, animals and man are very similar. But, assuming human superiority is an abuse of our unique position as moral agents of God. Moreover, if we believe God has infinite and perfect virtues who acts in a divine nature, then it seems that such an omnibenevolent being would not value any creature over any other.

The ‘Glutamate Theory’ of the Pathogenesis of Schizophrenia Essay

Introduction: There is immense study on the role of glutamate in Schizophrenia. Even so to date the current antipsychotics do not control major glutamatergic action albeit a study at the NMDA receptor location such as the glycine transport inhibitors may give new novel evidence for the discovery of future antipsychotics (Olney et al., 1999) The Dopamine hypothesis of Schizophrenia The dopamine (DA) theory of schizophrenia has subjugated the effort to justify the behaviours Schizophrenia is a psychiatric bedlam relating to the messing up of routine thinking, sentiment and every day activities. Egan & Weinberger (1979) described schizophrenia as when a subject or an individual is unable to differentiate what is genuine and unreal. The clinical characteristics of the various disarray of schizophrenia commonly come into view in the late adolescence or the early adulthood. Schizophrenia can exhibit either positive or negative or both signs. Whereas the positive sign is characterised by paranoia, false principles or hallucination, the negative aspect is marked by depression, withdrawal from communal connections. But pleasing of social responses shortfall in attention and memory are ascribed to cognitive effect. Generally, schizophrenia is considered to be neurodevelopment unrest rather than neurogenerative disorder (Harrison et al., 2003). There are several divi sions in the brain that can be affected by schizophrenia. The atypical function of the basal ganglia is considered to play a role in paranoia and hallucination. The frontal lobe of the brain plays a role in problem solving and reasoning. Conversely a schizophrenic will have a deficiency in the lobe and as result, having difficulty in forecast and coordinating. Adjustment... ...ts. Neuroscience, 90(3), 823-32. Kim,J.S.,Kornhuber,H.H.,Schmid-Burgk,W.,Hlozmuller,B.(1980) Low cerebrospinal fluid glutamate in schizophrenic patients and a new hypothesis on schizophrenia. Neuorocience Letters 20:379-382 Kotter, H. (1994) Postsynaptic integration of gluamatergic and dopamine signals in the striatum. Progression in Neurobiology. 44:163-196 Olney, J. W., Newcomer, J. W., & Farber, B. B. (1999). NMDA receptor hypofunction model of schizophrenia. Journal of Psychiatric Research. 33: 523-533. Stanley, J. A., Williamson, P. C., Drost, D. J., Carr, T. J., Rylett, R. J., Malla, A., Thompson R. T. (1996). An in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study of schizophrenia patiens. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 22(4), 597-609. Weinberger, D.A (1993) Connection approach to the prefrontal cortex. Journal of Neuropsychiatry. 5:241-253

The Rosenberg Trial :: essays research papers

The Rosenberg trial, which ended in a double execution in 1953, was one of the century's most controversial trials. It was sometimes referred to as, "the best publicized spy hunt of all times" as it came to the public eye in the time of atom-spy hysteria. Husband and wife, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were charged with conspiracy to commit espionage. Most of the controversy surrounding this case came from mass speculation that there were influences being reinforced by behind-the-scenes pressure, mainly from the government, which was detected through much inconsistencies in testimonies and other misconduct in the court. Many shared the belief that Ethel Rosenberg expressed best as she wrote in one of her last letters before being executed, "-knowing my husband and I must be vindicated by history...We are the first victims of American Fascism." Some people believed that the Rosenbergs had a vulnerable background which made these innocent people fall victim to the government. In September 1940 Julius Rosenberg was hired by US army Signal Corps as a junior engineer, but fired March 1945 because he was found to be a member of the communist party. He was employed in 1945 with Emerson Radio. Finally, in 1946 Bernard Greenglass, his brother-in-law, asked him to a join war surplus business called Pitt Machine Products Company. Ethel Rosenberg supported herself as a teenager through pageant prize money she won as a singer and dancer. Later on she was employed as a clerk for National Shipping but lost her job for union activities. They lived a happily married life with two sons until June 15, 1950 when brother-in-law, David Greenglass named Julius and Ethel as people who recruited him to spy for the Soviet Union. The case judged by Irving R. Kaufman began on March 6,1957. The Rosenbergs, as well as Morton Sobell, were accused of delivering information, documents, sketches and other material vital to the national defense of our country, to a foreign power, namely, to Soviet Russia. Greenglass testified that it was he who turned over most of these materials to the Rosenbergs because of pressure. On March 29, after a much publicized court case, the couple were found guilty and sentenced to be executed in the week of May 21, and their accused co-conspirator, Sobell, got 30 years in jail because he was not explicitly connected to the atom bomb. Many people were against this decision and the president tried to justify such rash actions: "The execution of two human beings is a grave matter. But even graver is the thought of the millions of dead whose death may be directly attributable to what these spies have done." After many failed appeals, Julius and Ethel were electrocuted minutes apart on June 19,

The Current Economic Climate

3. 0The Current Economic Climate * Our research clearly shows that retailers believe consumer spending will continue to be constricted throughout 2012. The fear of unemployment, particularly for those working in the public sector, will continue to depress consumer sentiment. Combined with inflation rates that will outstrip wage increases, and consumers continuing to pay down debt, it makes top-line growth difficult. RW 2012) * While the figure continues to tick up, and unemployment among the young particularly impacts on the retailers who serve them, the threat of unemploy- ment depresses the spending of many more. (RW 2012) * Several forces at play are making life difficult for those who want to promote high streets; not least the continued growth of online sales, plus the total costs of high street property compared with footfall and sales densities. (RW 2012) (RW 2012) * Inflation has squeezed disposable incomes, particularly among the C2DE socioeconomic groups. RW 2012) * 32% The percentage of British shoppers who feel they have no cash to spare, according to the BRC and Nielsen in August 2011 (RW 2012) * Coming at a time of squeezed income by heightened inflation in essentials such as food and petrol, one might have expected consumers to cut their cloth. Yet, a number of sources including the Office for National Statistics confirm consumer spending on clothing increased by more than the rate of inflation in 2011: Mintel estimates total clothing spend grew by 4. 7%, well outpacing CPI for the clothing category.Despite the economic context, consumers therefore grew their clothing spend significantly in real terms in 2011, suggesting an underlying resilience in the market: clothes shoppers may be deterred by rain, but they are very unwilling to cut their purchases in response to a deterioration in their spending power. (Mintel 2012, clothing retailing). * Economy slowly recovering – falling headline inflation and recent falls in the number of people un employed suggests the economy is showing signs of recovery since the start of 2012. Mintel 2012, clothing retailing). * Double-dip recession * export * The UK economy is officially back in recession. The erratic economic growth seen in 2011 – up 0. 5% in the first quarter, down 0. 1% in the second quarter, up 0. 6% in the third quarter – ended down 0. 4% in the final quarter of 2011. This year the downward trend has been more sustained. Firstly, contracting 0. 3% in the first quarter and then by 0. 5% between April and June. It is the same story for year-on-year GDP growth, which has fallen from 1. % in the first quarter of 2011 to -0. 5% in the second quarter of 2012. Attempts to stimulate economic growth have been largely thwarted, despite a sustained period of historically low interest rates and quantitative easing measures. The unresolved euro-zone debt crisis continues to impact on the UK economy, hitting both jobs and growth. * (Mintel 2012, clothing retailing). * 3. 1 The UK retail environment. * after many years of erosion, neglect and mismanagement, something I felt was destined to disappear forever. (MP, 2011). out-of-town retail has drained the traffic and retail offer from our town centres, (MP, 2011) * With town centre vacancy rates doubling over the last two years and total consumer spend away from our high streets now over 50%,(MP, 2011). * †¢ The number of town centre stores fell by almost 15,000 between 2000 and 2009 with an estimated further 10,000 losses over the past couple of years;2 (MP, 2011). * †¢ Nearly one in six shops stands vacant;3 (MP, 2011). * †¢ Excluding Central London, high street footfall has fallen by around 10% in the last three years;4(MP, 2011). the overarching strategy for most retailers in 2012 is going to be presenting a great customer experience and its successful execution will depend on delivering a pitch perfect performance in all areas of the business. (RW 2012) * One operations direct or suggests that the Portas report is too late to reverse the decline: â€Å"I think the secondary high streets are finished, because you can’t sustain a store in a market where nobody wants to shop. What could happen in a low-rent high street is that new forms of retail entertainment will spring up. † (RW 2012) The operations director of a major retailer explains: â€Å"I think the secondary high streets are finished, because you can’t sustain a store in a market where nobody wants to shop. What could happen in a low rent high street is that new forms of retail entertainment will spring up. † (RW 2012) * â€Å"Research I have seen shows that even by 2020, 87% of all customers’ journeys will involve a store at some stage†¦ So I think talk of the high street’s demise is nonsense,† says the chief executive of a department store. (RW 2012) * â€Å"Change isn’t coming; it’s come and moved on† (Sibun, 2012).RMR * In the UK, several forces at play are making life difficult for those who want to promote high streets, not least the continued growth of online sales, plus the total costs of high street property compared with footfall and sales densities. (RW 2012, P. 58) * One operations director suggests the Portas report is too late to reverse the decline: â€Å"I think the secondary high streets are finished, because you can't sustain a store in a market where nobody wants to shop. What could happen in a low-rent high street is that new forms of retail entertainment will spring up. † (RW 2012, P. 58) â€Å"High-profile retail failures cannot be taken as indicative of the sector’s health. Consumers may be under pressure financially, but there is little sign of them cutting their spending on clothing. Retailing is a remarkably robust sector – and any retailer’s failure to secure growth is by consequence down to their own failings. † * – John Mercer, Seni or Retail Analyst (Mintel 2012, clothing retailing). * Figure 1: Clothing specialists’ sales (? m, incl. VAT), 2007-17 * * * In-store technology designed to enhance the multichannel shopping experience is a key theme among major retailers’ innovations: (Mintel 2012, lothing retailing). * Marks & Spencer is reportedly investing ? 100 million on improving its digital offering to encourage customers to browse and learn more about products. The retailer’s new 151,000 sq ft outlet at Cheshire Oaks in Ellesmere Port includes a host of in-store innovation including HD display screen showcasing product, browse-and-order screens, and staff equipped with iPads. (Mintel 2012, clothing retailing). * Oasis has introduced an in-store iPad shopping facility enabling customers to order clothes from the store’s fitting room and have them delivered to their home.Shop staff equipped with iPads can check garment availability from anywhere on the shop floor. (Mintel 2012, clo thing retailing). * Debenhams is launching free wifi in its 167 shops. Customers will be able to use their smartphones and mobile devices to access Debenhams information and special deals as they walk around the shop. Customers can check for sizes and availability and if it isn’t in store, scan the barcode to order it for home delivery. (Mintel 2012, clothing retailing). * 3. 2Threat of the internet. * But new technological developments now mean that the internet is one of the key threats to retail on our high streets.Although internet sales currently account for less than 10% of all retail sales some estimates suggest that e-commerce accounted for nearly half of all retail sales growth in the UK between 2003 and 2010, as internet access has become more widespread And we have seen dramatic growth in ‘m-commerce’ – sales over mobile devices – of more than 500% in the last two years. (MP, 2011). * De Kare Silver argues that this is, â€Å"gradually c easing to be a bricks and mortar world†9 and shows that a 15% drop in store sales of most high street retailers pushes them below break even and into loss.It’s not just the small retailers; many businesses on the high street are feeling the pinch. De Kare Silver M (2011) e-shock 2020: How the Digital Technology Revolution is Changing Business and All Our Lives(MP, 2011). mp 2011 * One retailer comments that if you want customers to come into store then you have to treat them really well, otherwise why wouldn’t they just go and buy from Amazon. (RW 2012) * * RW 2012 – Shows that the focus is moving away from purely focusing on new channel, looking to utilise existing channels too aka stores. It’s perhaps easy to blame the high street’s problems on the continued growth in online sales. But actually as retailers have begun to deliver more integrated multichannel services they have found that online and mobile channels benefit stores. Industry bo dy IMRG estimates that 10. 4% of all UK online retail sales in August to October 2011 were fulfilled through click-and-collect services. At the top end of the scale, retailers such as Halfords say click and collect is driving 85% of web customers to store. (RW 2012) * Mintel 2012, forecast that the total UK expenditure on clothing and footwear via the internet will rise 86% to ? . 4bn by 2016. (Past Disso, SJG) * VM will become even more important as retailers will have to excite and entertain customers who are being distracted through a forest of other media (Glen Folley, Head of VM T. M. Lewin. VM 2020). * Growth of online sales will prove a challenge to VM in capturing the customer in store. (Sarah Bailey LCF, VM 2020). * Stores currency will be rooted in providing spectacle, wonder and kinship as well as authority and expertise beyond what can be found online (Lorna Hall, Retail Editior WGSN) 2D will never be as fulfilling as 3D (Andi Grant, Creative Director SFD Inspired Retail Design. ) * The latest challenge is the internet, shopping from home is easier, price competitive, price of parking (Tony Morgan VM) * With the rise of online shopping and consumer’s spending less time in store (Bell and Ternus, 2006), (RMR) * â€Å"The latest challenge to in store retailers is the internet with online shopping. Shopping from home is easier and price competitive. Retailers are under more pressure than ever to insure customers return and spend. † (Morgan, 2008, p. 15). RMR) * Despite what we are being told about significant growth online, conversion rates online still tend to be substantially lower than in traditional bricks and mortar stores. Retailers believe this is due to the customer’s inability to physically interact with an item online. (Retail Week, 2012a). RMR â€Å"20 percent of people never buy fashion online, while 40 percent do so once a month or more. † (Retail Week, 2012a)RMR * Primark is a good example of a brand that is i ncorporating technology within their stores rather than â€Å"jumping onto the multichannel band wagon† (Pert, 2012).Primark is yet to have a transactional website because it wouldn’t fit within their brand ethos. Primark has a highly successful model and its choosing technology that helps support, enhance and replicate this model (Pert, 2012), rather than going fully online. RMR * * Peter Cross, business partner of Mary Portas – and manager of one half of her retail consultancy – Yellow Door, said: â€Å"Retail theatre is not a new thing, but the sheer power of the internet and its efficiency means that so much transactional retailing can happen online, so shops have to up their game. ttp://www. independent. co. uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/retailtainment-the-future-of-shopping-2303942. html * * â€Å"Offline shops have realised they have to do something else other than simply sell you stuff. † http://www. independent. co. uk/news/busin ess/analysis-and-features/retailtainment-the-future-of-shopping-2303942. html * Karl Lagerfeld Prefers Bricks over Clicks * Published: Feb 13, 09 References: nymag * Karl Lagerfeld prefers the physical part of shopping in person vs. the visual part of shopping online.Lagerfeld was meeting with the EU competition commissioner to discuss the loosening of restrictions of selling luxury goods—read: anything designed by Karl Lagerfeld—online. * Lagerfeld extolls the pleasure of buying where one can feel the fabric and see colors in natural light. Lagerfeld is not a Luddite; with the help of his assistant, bodyguard and sometimes model Sebastien Jondeau he will sometimes buy CDs and books from Amazon. com. But â€Å"And I still like bookshops, and not because I have one,† he said. (Lagerfeld’s store 7L sells photobooks. * http://www. trendhunter. com/trends/karl-lagerfeld-embraces-bricks-over-clicks * Figure 3: Main shops used for clothing in the last 12 months , instore or online, July 2012 * Base: 1,968 internet users aged 16+ who have bought clothing in last 12 months * * (Mintel 2012, clothing retailing). * How are online and in-store working together? We have argued that consumers make less and less distinction between the two. Even so, the message of the next figure is that they treat shopping trips separately.Overall, however, the results tie in with the fact that only around 10% of clothing is sold online and that buying in-store is much the most popular route. * Figure 4: How consumers made their most recent clothing purchase, July 2012 * Base: 2,000 internet users aged 16+ * * (Mintel 2012, clothing retailing). * Our consumer research found nearly half of Next and M;S shoppers had bought online – yet, clearly, their online sales make up a far lower proportion of their total revenues, suggesting their customers are selectively mixing in-store and online shopping.Meanwhile, overall, 18% of womenswear shoppers and 19% of mens wear shoppers had used the internet as part of the browsing or purchase process, but a large proportion of this was in conjunction with store-based browsing and shopping. * Indeed, it tends only to be struggling retailers that are using the justification of a migration to online shopping for planned or mooted store closures: French Connection, New Look, and some of Arcadia’s fashion fascia, for example. * (Mintel 2012, clothing retailing). * * * (Mintel 2012, clothing retailing). Key analysis: It is already obvious that consumers use in-store and online interchangeably as buying media. But there is still a bias to the young when it comes to researching online first. (Mintel 2012, clothing retailing). * Retailers who ignore a channel of distribution do so at their peril. A store based retailer must have a complementary online offer. But purchasers of branded goods from an online only retailer have probably seen the product first in a store. The online retailer only makes a sal e because the customer has decided not to buy it in-store immediately. Mintel 2012, clothing retailing). * * Mintel estimates online clothing sales increased 18% to ? 4. 6 billion in 2011, and we expect growth of 14% for 2012 taking the online market size to ? 5. 2 billion, equivalent to 13% of consumer spending on clothing. * Mintel’s consumer research for our Fashion Online report found that consumers are buying online more frequently and the popularity of internet shopping is gaining ground on in-store shopping. Over a fifth (22%) of consumers now buy more clothes online than they do in-store, compared to just over one in ten (12%) in 2010.For full consumer research findings, and market size data for online fashion including footwear, see Mintel’s report, Fashion Online – UK, March 2012. * think with the nature of the high street and the amount of companies going into administration Online is the way forward. Independents are being hit with high rents for bri cks and mortar and are having to close after just a short period. (Surfdome Interview) * 3. Are surfdome purposely an online brand or is it because it is cheaper to trade online. would they branch out to having a highstreet presence). We wouldn’t branch out to open on the high street. We are already seeing amazing growth online, 2012 finished +76% vs 2011 (Surfdome Interview) * * 3. 3 Store Closures * Where retailers used to need 400 or 500 shops to touch the length and breadth of Britain, with the sheer power of the internet they now need far less. For example, as I write Sir Philip Green, CEO of Arcadia Group, has announced the reduction of his own retail estate as leases expire(MP, 2011). At the time of writing, Barratts Priceless had just fallen into administration, and HMV had issued results alongside a warning that the future of the business was open to question. (RW 2012) mp 2011 * Retailers at the value end of fashion have particularly found themselves exposed to the problem of too many stores in places where footfall can’t achieve the sales they need to cover their costs. Several we spoke to warned that their store portfolios will likely shrink during the year, and other retailers said they would reposition stores and look for better rent deals even if they don’t intend to shrink store numbers overall. RW 2012) * The businesses named as those in trouble are the ones likely to have too many stores. But property costs aren’t the only reasons mainstream fashion retailers are struggling to adapt to the realities of the market. Some are still running their buying operations as though it is the boom years. (RW 2012) * But retailers outside of these four struggling sectors are not immune from problems And indeed any business with too many stores, poor cash flow and large debts to service will face challenges to survive the year. RW 2012) * UK stores have become more important, and as later chapters of this report show, despite the fact retailers are reviewing the number of stores they need in a multichannel world, they are prepared to invest in those they keep open. (RW 2012) * The rate of highstreet shop closures is increasing due to rises in VAT, income tax and rent, high levels of inflation, and lower wage growth, meaning that consumers particulary in the middle class sector have less disposable income and are changing their spending habits. Past Disso, SJG) * The ‘Economist Intelligence Unit’, predict e-sales will make up a third of all retail sales in Britain in ten years time (Sibun, 2012). With online retailing proving such a success, many individuals have voiced concerns that the â€Å"Highstreet is dying† when faced with the â€Å"virtual onslaught† (Pert, 2012). It has been reported that a slew of shops have been closing stores to focus on their online offering (Blackden, 2012). RMR * RW 2012 * However, it’s clear that there is a space shift on the cards.The chairm an of a fashion retailer says his business may close 100 stores in 2012, as it wants fewer, larger stores; which he says are difficult to find. â€Å"We will only open stores in exceptional locations such as Westfield†¦ We have far too many expensive leases and we are having negotiations with landlords at the moment. † (RW 2012) * Another fashion chief executive, who is happy with most of his stores which are in prime locations, adds: â€Å"There are a few sites in difficulty. But when a shop is in trouble we run it on a cash-for-cash basis. If the property is taking more cash than it is costing, then the store stays open.If not, it closes. We may look at the lease renewal and then take a view as to whether to close, to renegotiate or to resite. † (RW 2012) * Retailers are falling into administration with the total number of retailers in England and wales increasing by 11% from 165 to 183 in 2011. (Past Disso, SJG) * Web retailing will have taken it’s toll by the year 2020, leaving highstreets and malls vacant of many of todays recognised brands. (Tanya Reynolds, Creative Director. Proportion London. VM 2020). * recorded 32 stores closing per day in the UK. (Sibun, 2012). RMR) * On Monday, clothes chain Jane Norman became the latest high street casualty of the recession, as it moved into administration. And as the internet threatens to guzzle up the profits of remaining high street retailers, perhaps it may take an outstanding shopping experience to stir droves of people from their chairs and into the shops. Various phrases have been used over the years to describe the enhancing of shopping stores: â€Å"retailtainment† and â€Å"entertailment† are obvious word plays. http://www. independent. co. uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/retailtainment-the-future-of-shopping-2303942. tml * Failures expected to decline, but will rise in retail sector * The number of business failures will fall over the coming three years but remain above pre-recession levels, according to a forecast by the accounting firm BDO. * It estimates that the number of failures will fall to 20,536 a year by 2015, from a peak of 26,196 in 2009. BDO identifies a squeeze on the disposable income of UK households as one of the primary reasons for the slow recovery and concludes that retail and personal services companies are likely to be the most severely affected. BDO predicts that the number of retail sector failures will rise by 12. 5 per cent to 3,104 in 2011 from 2,759 in 2010. It expects the personal services sector, such as hair, beauty and consumer goods repairs, to see an increase in failures of 2. 8 per cent to 1,288 in 2011, up from 1,252 in 2010. * http://www. independent. co. uk/news/business/news/failures-expected-to-decline-but-will-rise-in-retail-sector-2364863. html * The store will remain your key asset, use it to showcase your brand and generate maximum profitability by addressing issues at   individual store l evel (RW 2012, P. 58) * 3. 3UK brands vs US brands financials (The need for UK stores) MP 2011 * adapt to reap the major benefits from localising their product offers. (RW 2012) * Again, this is a trend where UK retailers can be proud of what they’ve achieved, as their private-label developments are among the finest in the world, and in some cases give manufacturers a run for their money (RW 2012) (RW 2012) * Retailers with international appeal are asking themselves how much of a return they’ll get from opening one more store in the UK compared with one abroad, especially one in the fast-growing emerging markets. RW 2012) * I would say not, we are a global brand on a global stage, we see ourselves as retail leaders, but would be influenced by any great retail idea not just from the USA. (Selfridges interview) * 1. Yes, Ted Baker is portrayed as a very British brand. Ted Baker is still considered â€Å"out of the ordinary† with strong UK roots. (Ted Baker Intervi ew) * 3. 4upper middle market retailers. (lack of british brands in this sector) * The fact is that the major supermarkets and malls have delivered highly convenient, needs-based retailing, which serves today’s consumers well. MP, 2011). * Woolworths is a prime example. They simply hadn’t realised how to talk to the new value-conscious consumer and allowed the pound shops, many of which are seeing astronomic levels of growth, to pile in and steal their market share. A fact made all the more painful when one knows that Woolworths was in fact the original pound shop offering all its merchandise at a fixed single price. (MP, 2011). * Primarily this is 16-25 year olds. They are faced with much greater higher education costs than previous generations and rising unemployment.And also C2DE socioeconomic groups; those on benefits, the elderly and low-paid have been at the sharp end of rising inflation during 2011. Even if, as many predict, inflation slows during 2012 the damag e to their spending power has already been done. (RW 2012) * And the director of a premium fashion retailer is mindful that her competition is likely to grow, so it’s not a time for the business to scrimp on what makes it attractive to customers, as the new competition sure won’t be. â€Å"The international brands that are coming in from the US, France and Australia have got quite a bit of money to invest,† she says. RW 2012) * Unemployment stands at 8. 3%. Both the rate and level of youth unemployment stands at the highest it has ever been, with 22% – or around one million – economically active 16 to 25 year olds not in employment. (RW 2012) * Clothes buying still a priority for under-25s – 61% of under-25s – a key market for clothing retailers – still include clothing and footwear within their top five biggest areas of expenditure, with fashion the ultimate spending priority for 15-19-year-olds, according to Mintel’s Y outh Fashion – UK – December 2011 report. Mintel 2012, clothing retailing). * Under-25s demographic group shrinking – The number of under-25s – a key market for clothing retailers – is contracting as a percentage of the population. The UK’s ageing population means the number of 15-19-year-olds is predicted to shrink by 7. 1% between 2012 and 2017, while the number of 20-24-year-olds is expected to fall to 5. 3% during the same period. (Mintel 2012, clothing