Nature and Regulation of Companies and Their Operations Essays

Nature and Regulation of Companies and Their Operations Essays Nature and Regulation of Companies and Their Operations Essay Nature and Regulation of Companies and Their Operations Essay Nature Regulation of Companies Company Operations Legal nature of company ? Separate legal identity, distinct from owners ? Companies act through agents’. eg. shareholders elect board of directors to act on their behalf Public Company (Ltd. ) ? Limited liability of owners Raises funds from public Types of companies Private Company (Pty. Ltd. ) Regulation of companies Corporations Law: Companies must keep proper accounting records; prepare yearly half-yearly FS; ensure FS comply with accting standards.Accounting Standards: Australian Accounting Standards Board (AASB) is responsible for issuing accounting standards which have backing of the Corporations Law. Australian Stock Exchange – listing rules require companies disclose certain info. s which are necessary to fully inform stock market. Australian Securities Investment Commission (ASIC): administers Corporations Law including compliance with Accounting Standards International Accting Standards Board (IASB): attempts to converge/harmonise acting standards throughout the world.Reasons for regulating financial reporting Reasons for preparing FS: Provides info. that is useful for making economic decisions to resource providers (eg. shareholders, lenders, employees), recipients of GS (eg. customers, taxpayers), oversight groups (eg. regulatory agencies, media, unions). Characteristics of useful accting info. : relevance (predictive, feedback, timely), faithful representation (verifiable, Gloria Ltd reliable, free from bias), comparability consistency, materiality.Relationship between FSs Revaluation of video library by $1500: DR Video Library Cr Revaluation surplus Revaluation of library is shown in other comprehensive income Gloria Ltd Statement of income and other comprehensive income For period ended 31 January 2012 Income Rental revenue 10600 Expenses (classified by function) Selling expenses -advertising 200 Administrative expenses -telephone 195 -electricity 185 -postage 165 -wages 5000 Financial expenses -interest Total expenses 5745 Profit before income tax 4855 Income tax expense (30%) (1457) Profit for the year 3398 Other comprehensive income Gain on revaluation of video library 1500 Total comprehensive income 4898 Gloria Ltd Statement of changes in equity For period ended 31 January 2012 Total comprehensive income for the year 4898 Share capital Balance at 1 January 2012 60000Balance at 31 January 2012 60000 Reserves General reserve Balance at 1 January 2012 0 Balance at 31 January 2012 0 Revaluation surplus Balance at 1 January 2012 0 Gain on revaluation video library 1500 Balance at 31 January 2012 1500 Retained earnings Balance at 1 January 20 12 0 Profit for period 3398 Dividend paid (800) Balance at 31 January 2012 2598 Balance changes in equity 68996 Separation of owner from manager Does not raise funds from public Managers acting as agents of owners /shareholders No separation of owner from manager existence of interested users Normally, smaller, closely held May be listed or unlisted no interested users E. g.Facebook’s IPO Not a reporting entity Is a reporting entity Keep records for business Req’ed to prepare financial reports Compliance with AASBs not normally necessary Financial reports prepared in accordance with External audit not necessary (usually) accounting stds Generally, less regulation Financial reports subject to audit Generally, more regulation Statement of financial position As at 31 January 2012 Current assets Cash 76655 Accounts receivable 0 Prepaid rent 14400 91055 Non-current assets Store fittings 8000 Video library 31500 Computer 4000 Total assets 134555 Current liabilities Unearned revenue Accounts payable Tax payable Non-current liabilities Loan Total liabilities Net assets Equity Share capital Reserves Retained earnings Revaluation surplus Total equity 9000 20000 1457 30457 40000 70457 64098 60000 2598 1500 64098An entity is affected by external (sales purchases, borrowings) and internal (use of supplies equipment) events which are only recorded if it affects the entity’s A, L or OE. Transactions involving capital contributions, revenues, exp. s, dividends affect OE as it dec. s their claim on entity. IASB’s The Framework: Asset: A resource controlled by the entity as a result of past transactions or events from which future economic benefits are expected to flow to the entity. Definition criterion: FEB, control of FEB, result of past event. Liability: Future sacrifices of economic benefits that the entity is presently obliged to make to other entities as a result of past transactions or other past events. Definition criterion: prese nt obligation, sacrifice/settlement of EB in future, result of past event.Equity: The residual interest in the assets of the entity after deduction of its liabilities. No definition criterion. Main components: issued capital, RE, reserves Income: Inflows or other enhancements, or savings in outflows, of future economic benefits in the form of increases in assets or reductions in liabilities other than those relating to contributions from owners, that result in an increase in equity during the reporting period. Includes both revenue and gains. Arises as a result of changes in A L (BS approach). AASB101 Presentation of FS requires disclosure of Total comprehensive income’ ? represents change in equity’ during period resulting from non-owner related transactions other events.Expense: Consumptions or losses of future economic benefits in the form of reductions in assets or increases in liabilities of the entity, other than those relating to distributions to owners, that result in a decrease in equity during the reporting period. Recognition criterion for A, L, OE, R, E: Probable that FEB associated with item will flow to/from entity + Iten has cost/other value that can be measured reliably. Contingent A L – additional recognition criteria: amount recognised should be best estimate of expenditure required to settle present obligation at reporting date. Such amounts are not recognised in FSs but are disclosed by way of notes. Measurement on A, L, OE, R, E Historical cost, current cost, replacement value, PV, fair value.Most liabilities are stated at face/nominal value except if settled 12months+, then can use PV. Classification of expenses is by function (eg. selling exp. , financial exp. ) or nature. Accounting Policies: principles, bases or rules adopted by company in preparing presenting financial reports. AASB 108 Accounting Policies, changes in Accounting estimates and error covers: setting, changing and disclosure of accounting policie s in FSs. When selecting accounting policies consider: ? Relevance – enables predictions/expectations about future performance, enables confirmation/refutation of past evaluations, enables assessment of accountability rendered by preparers of FSs ?Faithful representation – free from material error and can be depended upon by users to represent faithfully that which it purports to represent. Portrays economic substance over legal form. ? Accountability Accounting entries: ? Inc. in RE with profit: DR PL summary CR RE ? Loss on trading: DR RE CR PL summary ? Distribute dividend to shareholders: DR Dividend declared CR Cash DR Dividend declared CR dividend payable DR dividend payable CR Cash // Paid dividend: Dr Dividends Cr Cash ? Paying monthly wage: DR cash and CR wage exp. (NOT wage payable) ? Received $300 each from thirty customers to join the VIP Programme. The Programme allows them unlimited rentals for the next 12 months: DR Cash CR Unearned Revenue

The Randolph Caldecott Medal Current and Past Winners

The Randolph Caldecott Medal Current and Past Winners About the Randolph Caldecott Medal In the United States, receiving the Randolph Caldecott Medal is the highest honor an artist can achieve for childrens book illustration. The Caldecott awards are administered by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA).  The award is named after Randolph Caldecott, a nineteenth century English illustrator who was known for his picture book illustrations. According to ALSC, the Caldecott Medal is an annual award. and childrens picture books published in the previous year in English in the U.S. are eligible as long as the artwork is original and the artist is a U.S. citizen or a resident of the United States. The Medal honors the years most distinguished American picture book for children. The 2016 Caldecott Medal Winner and Honor Books The 2016 Caldecott Medal winner is Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear. Sophie Blackall is the illustrator and Lindsay Mattick the author of the story of the bear who became the inspiration for A.A. Milnes Winnie-the-Pooh. To learn more about the storys background, history, author and illustrations, watch the excellent  Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear video from the publisher. (Little, Brown and Company, an division of Hachette Book Group, Inc., 2015. ISBN:  978-0316324908) 2016 Caldecott Honor Books Four childrens picture books were selected as 2016 Caldecott Honor Books. Two of them are on my Best Illustrated Picture Books of 2015 list. Trombone Shorty - The painting and collage mixed media illustrations by Bryan Collier and the words by New Orleans musician Troy Trombone Shorty Andrews make this picture book autobiography sing. (Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of ABRAMS, 2015. ISBN: 9781419714658)Waiting, illustrated and written by Kevin Henkes (Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2015. ISBN: 9780062368430). For more information, read my summary of Waiting.Voice of Freedom:  Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement - Illustrated with dramatic collage by Ekua Holmes, Voice of Freedom is a biography in verse written by Carole Boston Weatherford for ages 10 and up. (Candlewick Press, 2015. ISBN: 9780763665319)Last Stop on Market Street, illustrated by Christian Robinson and written by Matt de la Peà ±a Last Stop on Market Street is also the 2016 John Newbery Medal winner for young peoples literature. (G. P. Putnam’s Sons, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), 2015. Past Randolph Caldecott Medal Winners and Honor Books In most years, in addition to the Caldecott Medal winner, several books are designated Caldecott Honor Books for the quality of their illustrations. For Caldecott Medal winners from 1938 to 2013. To learn more about recent Caldecott Medal winners and Caldecott Honor Books, see: 1938 - 2015: All the Randolph Caldecott Medal Winners2014 Randolph Caldecott Medal Winner and Honor Books2013 Randolph Caldecott Medal Winner and Honor Books2012 Caldecott Medal Winner and Caldecott Honor Books2011 Caldecott Medal Winner and Caldecott Honor Books2010 Caldecott Medal Winner and Caldecott Honor Books2009 Caldecott Medal Winner and Caldecott Honor Books2008 Caldecott Medal Winner and Caldecott Honor Books2007 Caldecott Medal Winner and Caldecott Honor Books There are many wonderful childrens books on these lists, and I hope you will have the time to look over the lists and select some of these picture books to share with your children.

Usage Of Cloud Computing In IT-Sphere Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Usage Of Cloud Computing In IT-Sphere - Essay Example To understand the concerns, insights and popularity of cloud computing by both private and public sectors, not only currently but also on the future perspective, IT Professionals conduct statistics and conclude suggestions and likely future predictions to comprehend their observations and understandings for current and future implementation of cloud computing and what IT assessment makers need to consider. With the growth in applications and infrastructure that support and collaborates with cloud computing, the growth trend in its acceptance, use and promotion are likely to give rise to a whole new dimension in Information Technology’s system delivery (Sosinsky, 2011). E-mail, web conferencing etc. are the most common collaboration services which use cloud services. Currently, 92% of large enterprises use a minimum of one cloud service while on average each enterprise has 6 applications usage to the cloud. IaaS and PaaS in the cloud are increasing as 42% of future implementations of clouds indicate 6 more applications. This owes to the immense current and future usage with development in infrastructure and virtualization as a source of cloud acceptance and popular use. The economic perspective of efficiency in work, support, better productivity and low-cost initiative of cloud tends IT decision makers to make a close observation of cloud services. Since the promising new environment of technology has to offer more, the IT professionals are attracted to cloud services implementation. However, reputable service provider and  Service Level Agreements (SLAs)-which are always not clear, raise security and protection issues. I.T Professionals fear the risk of being cheated, the information getting lost or the privacy of the consumer at risk. These risks keep development of platform low.

Harriet Tubman - Sentence Outline Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Harriet Tubman - Sentence Outline - Term Paper Example During winter, they were forced to bury their feet under scorching ashes to avoid frostbite. A. At the age of 5 years, the fragile girl child was already working in the fields. Life with her parents was not a walk in the park either. Their parents toiled day and night in the plantations. However, they made sure that they stuck together as a couple by negotiating with their owners and putting in extra hours. B. Their mother served them cornmeal in a large container in the evening and only the kids who could gobble food fast got a fair share of the meal. Sometimes they had fish or meat on their tables but only if their father was able to hunt. Their masters gave them food that was meant to last for a month and clothes were supplied yearly. C. Two years later, Harriet was whisked away by her master to care for their child. It was a gruesome experience in which she was loaded onto a wagon after a through and critical selection by their master. Life in the big house was scary and full of heart ache. She was subjected to heavy workloads for very long periods of time with the lady of the house screaming nasty comments to her that demoralized her and made her yearn for her former life with her family. She even developed sickness that enabled her to seek refuge with her mother but only for a short time before she was back again to her tormentor. A. Thoughts of freedom started to invade her young mind especially after recalling all the stories of freedom that she heard from Old Rit, her mother, making her envision of a world free of slavery. Her favorite was that of Moses before the Pharaoh demanding the release of the Israelites. ‘Let my people go’ was a statement that lingered in her mind for so long that it become an obsession. B. At the age of 12, she was to witness a runway slave who was thoroughly punished. However, that did not deter her spirit. She even made a futile attempt to escape when life became a thorn in the flesh, but she did

Corruption of Love Within the Inncocent Essay Example for Free

Corruption of Love Within the Inncocent Essay Within the works of William Shakespeare’s Othello, Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein the concept of love is found within characters that are innocent and filled with good intentions. In all three works, love fills specified characters with joy and gratefulness towards the other characters who they claim to love. Unfortunately, the characters that experience love are only satisfied with its graces until it somehow gets corrupted. The minds of the victimized characters are filled with anger, hatred, and some with the idea of vengeance. Corruption of love within Othello, Dracula, and Frankenstein come with causes and effects. In the two works Frankenstein and Othello, both Frankenstein’s creation and Othello were in love. The creature was in love with the cottagers and Othello was in love with Desdemona. When being presented with evidence to no longer feel love towards the people they claim to admire- it causes them to hate. The corruption in the relationships of Jonathan Harker from Dracula and Victor Frankenstein from the novel Frankenstein is primarily caused by the supernatural beings working against them. Frankenstein’s love (Elizabeth) is murdered by the beast he creates, and Jonathan’s love (Mina) was corrupted when she is bitten by Dracula. The effect of love being corrupted in the works Frankenstein and Dracula results with the characters to seek revenge and to stop Frankenstein’s creature and Dracula from causing more pain to humanity. As a result of the characters Othello and the monster created by Frankenstein having their love corrupted, they murder the people who they see as the motivation for all of their actions. Once these characters come to a realization of their mistakes, it is too late and they commit suicide. Thus the works of William Shakespeare’s Othello, Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein all focus on the causes and effects of love being corrupted within the innocent and how it changes its victims for the worst. The creation of Frankenstein from the novel Frankenstein and Othello from the play Othello are b oth affectionate towards the ones they love. The creature loves the cottagers and Othello is in love with Desdemona. They put their loved ones on a pedestal and admire them for the many things they do. The cottagers taught the creation of Frankenstein how to socialize; how to speak, how to show affection towards others, to work with others, how to be humble, etc. By fascinating him and impressing him with the ways they lived their lives, he grew to love them without having to make a personal appearance. Othello is in love with a woman who he believes is forever loyal to him. Desdemona proves her love for Othello when she agrees to elope with him. As a token of Othello’s love, he presents Desdemona with a handkerchief that belonged to his mother. However, when the creation of Victor Frankenstein and Othello are given evidence that the ones they love are no longer worthy of their affection- their attitudes change completely and they let go of all previous feelings. Frankenstein’s creature had bad encounters with humans in the past, but from his observations of the De Lacey’s, he assumes they are different and won’t reject him. After discovering that he would undergo the same harsh treatment from his beloved cottagers as those from the other village, it is stated by the beast himself, â€Å"I could with pleasure have destroyed the cottage and its inhabitants and have glutted myself with their shrieks and misery† (125). He then changes his feelings of love towards humanity into hate, and swears to get revenge on the man who created and abandoned him to be tortured and neglected. Othello is told that his wife has been having affairs with one of his most trusted companions (Cassio). He dismisses the thought immediately and sees no threat until he is provided with visual proof from Iago. After seeing Cassio with his mother’s handkerchief, Othello perceives the innocent Desdemona as guilty. â€Å"Ay, let her rot and perish and be damned tonight, for she Shall not live† (4.1.172) exclaims Othello. The situation makes him so enraged that he no longer cares for her existence and he is now willing to get prepared to execute her. Therefore, the characters Othello and Frankenstein’s creation are filled with hatred and the need for vengeance once they feel that they are victims whose love has been corrupted and abused. The supernatural beings Count Dracula from the novel Dracula and the monster produced by Victor Frankenstein from the novel Frankenstein work as the main forces that contribute to the corruption of the relationships of Jonathan Harker and Victor Frankenstein. Jonathan constantly shows his affection towards Mina by portraying her to be his motivation to stay alive in Dracula’s castle. Both he and his betrothed are anxious to be reunited. Growing up together, Frankenstein has always been very fond of Elizabeth. Both characters come to the conclusion that they share mutual feelings of love towards one another and decide to get married. Both couples remain happy until they have encounters with beings that have selfish intentions of destroying their relationships for their satisfaction. It is stated by Count Dracula, â€Å"Your girls that you all love are mine already; and through them you and others shall yet be mine my creatures, to do all my bidding and to be my jackals when I want to feed† (332). The quote implies that the female characters in the novel Dracula- like Mina Harker are no longer bonded with their lovers but are enslaved by The Count. When being held under the power of Dracula, Mina is not in her right state of mind and she no longer prioritizes her love for Jonathan. Victor Frankenstein is given an ultimatum by his creature to create a companion. However, Victor is unwilling because he does not want to be responsible for more chaos that could potentially be caused. After being denied of his request, the monster threatens, â€Å"I will be with you on your wedding night† (Frankenstein, 158), and the thought alone tormented Frankenstein. On Victor’s wedding night, the words of the monster were no longer a threat, but reality. Elizabeth was found murdered in their room. Therefore, when Count Dracula bites Mina and the monster created by Frankenstein murders Elizabeth; they corrupt the love of both couples by preventing the women to love their partners back. When love is corrupted in the two works Frankenstein and Dracula, outcomes are characters who want to seek revenge and to defeat both fiends before they cause more chaos and pain. The creature created by Frankenstein has proved itself to be dangerous to humanity. At first, the people who hadpersonal encounters with him just assumed he was a threat because of his appearance. After being so tired of being rejected, the beast shows himself as someone who would kill innocent people for satisfaction. Specifically, he targets Victor’s loved ones as a punishment for creating him and abandoning him in an atmosphere that does not accept him. In the novel Dracula, The Count is seen as a hazard as well. In one of his many forms, he approaches the innocent and attacks them with a bite so he can use them for his selfish needs. After the loss of practically everyone he holds dear to him, Victor decides that he has been through enough. â€Å"I devote myself, either in my life or death to hi s destruction† (191), concluded Victor confidently. By saying so, Victor made the commitment to devote the rest of his life to finding the beast that destroyed the lives of so many innocent people. The warning, â€Å"We must either capture or kill this monster in his lair; or we must, so to speak, sterilise the earth† (261), is said to inform that it is requirement to put an end to Dracula in order to save the rest of the human race from becoming his slaves. With that being said, Van Helsing and the other male characters eagerly set out on the hunt for Dracula. Therefore, results of love being corrupted within the works Dracula and Frankenstein are the affected characters feeling obligated to avenge the death of their loved ones and destroy those who inflicted pain so they can not hurt anyone else. Committing murder is a result of corrupted love in regards to the characters Othello from the work Othello and the monster created by Frankenstein from the novel Frankenstein. The two types of murders that occur are ones directed towards people seen as the cause for feelings of being Victimized, and suicide from guilt and regret. Being persuaded that he has been betrayed by the innocent Desdemona, Othello is enraged by the idea and declares, â€Å"Yet she must die, else shell betray more men† (5.2.6). Determined to put an end to his wife, Othello does not realize that he is falsely accusing Desdemona, and is making a huge mistake by bringing her to her death bed. At first, the beast feels remorse for being responsible for personally taking two innocent lives. However, after being denied a companion, the monster of Frankenstein is filled with hatred and believes that it is essential for his creator to feel just as lonely as he does. He is not satisfied until all the loved ones in the life of Victor Cabildo Frankenstein are dead. After finally being revealed the truth about Desdemona’s innocence by Bianca, Othello is filled with shame, misery and regret. To punish himself for being responsible of destroying the love of his life, he kills himself to join her in the afterlife. Once the beast discovers the recent death of his creator he says, â€Å"What does it avail that I now ask thee to pardon me? I, who irretrievably destroyed thee by destroying all thou lovedst† (Frankenstein, 209). Feeling guilty and responsible of the situation, like Othello, the beast also decides to join the deceased by murdering himself. Therefore, the characters in the works Othello and Frankenstein who act as villains commit suicide because of the shame and regret that overwhelms their consciences when they realize they have murdered innocent people. Corruption of love in the relationships of the innocent characters in the works of William Shakespeare’s Othello, Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein are based on the causes and effects and how it alters its innocent targets to becoming their worst. Characters like Othello and the creation of Frankenstein freely showed their affection until they were provided with reason to express hatred. Thanks to the supernatural villains in the works Dracula and Frankenstein, love was corrupted in the relationships of Jonathan Harker and Victor Frankenstein when they could no longer approach their loved ones in the same way. When love was corrupted in the works Dracula and Frankenstein, the affected characters felt obligated to seek revenge and prevent any harm towards the rest of humanity by putting an end to the villains that posed a threat. By being affected by corrupted love, the characters Othello and the monster of Frankenstein even resorted to murdering innocent lives. Unfortunately they did not identify the mistakes that were made until it was too late. Out of guilt and shame of their actions and the villains commit suicide to join the ones they killed. With so many lives being lost throughout the three works, it can be seen as a tragedy. The love of those lost can never be expressed or brought back; and that defines the situation as turning out for the worst. Therefore, negative interferences in any shape or form contribute to the corruption of love within the innocent characters from the three works- which leads to the motivation for revenge and killing. Work Cited: Shakespeare, William. Othello New York: Washington Square Press: 1993. Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein New York: Bantam: 2004. Stade, George. â€Å"Introduction†. Dracula New York: Bantam, 2006 v-xiv. Stoker, Bram. Dracula New York: Bantam: 2004.

Gulf by Robert Westall Essay -- English Literature

Gulf by Robert Westall Gulf by Robert Westall is a breathtaking novel seen through the eyes of a boy named Tom. In this story Tom gives a recount of the past events of his life during the Gulf war. In this essay I will be looking closely at Tom’s little brother Andy A.K.A Figgis and how he and his family change during this book. This story revolves around a boy named Figgis who has the strange supernatural ability to look into other people’s lives; in their eyes. The problem starts when Figgis starts to see the life of a small boy soldier in Iraq. The boy named Latif slowly takes over Figgis’ body. Figgis is strange but smart character which makes him very interesting. The thing that makes Figgis slightly different from other people is his special ability to see what other people are seeing many miles away. Figgis is brought up in a mainstream family who care very much for him. Figgis’ brother Tom cares about him the most as they share a special bond. The bond was created from the minute Figgis was born. The relationship happened because; before Figgis was born ...

Medea Essay

In Euripides’ play â€Å"Medea† the main character is a powerful, but controversial woman – Medea herself. Reading the story some people might be confused with the actions that the protagonist decides to take. She is violent, vindictive, bloody and seemingly crazy. By looking at actions alone, Medea would certainly be considered evil. However, the author creates a character decidedly more complex. We can see it through the background story of the character and development of the play’s plot.That is why I think the full presentation of the character in the work makes people react more sympathetically towards the character. As the Nurse at the beginning of the story tells, Medea gave up everything she had to be with Jason. She left her family, and even killed her own brother to be able to run away with him. Medea, who has been dishonestly betrayed by her husband, uses revenge to punish him for his deeds and to seek the rewards which it offers to  ones prid e.The reader begins to feel pity for the main character and even excuse her actions. That is a result of identification with Medea, as a cheated spouse. In any kind of relationship during life, people expect fidelity, so they clearly understand why she wanted revenge. Medea’s other main reason why she took such a bloody revenge on Jason, was the fact that, she was under a spell, that Athena cast on her. Thus her actions are not completely under her control. The love spell is so strong, that the protagonist decided to kill even her own kids.She wanted him to feel the mutual pain, she went through after the betrayal. At the end the story Jason stays without descendants or wife, and on a foreign land, what makes him unable to improve his social status. At this point of the story the reader understand, that Medea is not completely mentally healthy, so they don’t judge her as harshly, as an absolutely conscious person. At the end I would like to mention about the other reas on, why Medea decided to kill her children. Her main purpose was to look out for what was â€Å"best for her kids†.She thought it would be better to kill her children then to leave them for her enemies that they would soon have to face, after her exile. Medea suspected that they might get killed out of revenge for what she did to the princess and the king. The reader starts to sympathize her, because of the tough decision she had to confront as a loving and carrying mother. For some people Medea might be seen as a cruel and evil character. However, I certainly can state that the reader tend to sympathize her more, by looking at the whole character, instead of only judging her by the actions.The character was under a very powerful love spell and moreover, she had been betrayed by her beloved what might led her to put those drastic plans into actions. Furthermore, Medea was trying to do the best she could for the children, despite of the tragic ending that was either way about to happen. All those circumstances definitely led her to an emotional instability and also to choose the bloody path of revenge. Probably she would have never done all this without provocation.

Common Characteristics of an Organization Essay

Zappos.com has moved through the trenches as they have built their business. Their company is an online shoe retailer that focuses on building a strong brand. By doing so Zappos.com profits were shown to be successful since they have been founded. With their success thee secret was very simple. The founder Nick Swinmurn started this business along with Tony Hsieh in 1999. The story that was told Swinmurn left a voicemail to Hsieh where he almost deleted the message. Swinmurn told him about those selling shoes was a $40 billion market. From there they have launched officially in June 1999. This business will be presented with the common characteristics with systems, rules and norms. Also they will show the hierarchy, communication networks, organizational orientation, and leadership approaches. Zappos.com management communication and decision making will be demonstrated and will show what two common characteristics are the most influenced by communication within the organization. (System) Zappos along with other businesses have been able to maintain a distinctive offering that attracts an extremely loyal customer base. A characteristic with systems for Zappos is all online shopping. Customer service is solely built around their business. In order to succeed they do have ten core values in place to as a code of honor. Following these values is for the employees and any consultants within the company. The one type of system Zappos focuses on is their customers to spread the news through word-of-mouth and a Search Engine Marketing (SEM) tool. The brand loyalty is a major factor that has made this company rise to the lacks of other strong brands. Brand loyalty is enhanced by the service and product that the company delivers to the clients. If the service is memorable then it won’t take long for people to relate easy purchase with this brand. Rules can be defined as the restrictions that a group or society have seen fit to define our behavior and ways by which we interact with each other. This will mainly define the ways and behavior that this organization uses to ensure that all its brands display a presentable image in the public. These formal rules have been made into a routine that ensures that the best qualities of the company are to at first hand. These rules will be accompanied in the policies and procedures that are taught to all the employees and employers. The rules will lay out a specific way of doing their business hence becoming the procedure of conducting business. Polices can be found through the core values that have been used to make it the business that it is today. These values have been incorporated in the various activities that the human resource conducts. We can recognize that the Human resource is a key factor in this organization. This is due to the fact that it is crucial to setting the environment required to have a successful business. This can be seen through how they hire and fire, how they train their employees, the customer service they encourage, on how they enhance empowerment of the clients and employees and finally the leadership programmers they have. This can be identified as the acceptable way to do things; the norms will lead to creating a belief system in the company. By understanding the company’s core values one will realize the norm and rules that the company abides to. Zappos tries to maintain a unique company culture that identifies itself from all its competitors out there. Its culture is evident in all the activities it does and also through their interactions with their clients and suppliers. This can also be identified by finding employers that envision the company’s culture. This core values can be identified as the following (Zappos.com, 2010) 1. Delivering wow through service2. Embrace and Drive change 3. Create fun and a little weirdness 4. Be Adventurous, creative and open minded 5. Pursue growth and leaning 6. Build open and honest relationships with communication 7. Build a positive team and family spirit 8. Do more with less 9. Be passionate and determined 10. Be humble All these values should be displayed by the employees that work for this organization. When you look at these values they clearly lay out what is expected of their workers in their daily interactions with their clients. Just like any other business all organizations have a chain of command—an established hierarchy of authority levels (Richmond and McCroskey, 2009). Zappos have a chain of command and also have over 1500 employees within the company. You may not realize it due to a company being online shopping, but Zappos depends on other companies and members to collect data, do the shipping process and other items to run their business smoothly. The founder and Co-founder of Zappos is the Chief Executive of the business. There are different levels of managers and supervisors down to a front desk receptionist. Zappos empowerment has improved through the years. A good communication network was established when Amazon acquired Zappos. The acquisition brings together two companies who share a passion for serving customers and whose customers benefit from cultures of innovation and long term thinking (Business Wire, 2009). They believed that becoming associated with Amazon they will be able to use one another’s strengths and believed in their vision to the customers. Orientation is a key process in instilling the company values; it can be seen as the first instance when the employee is introduced to the rules and norms valued by the company. This is mainly the job of the Human Resources, which chooses employees that hold the companies values. This will ensure that its employees quickly take into heart the companies rules and norms during orientation. Also Orientation is crucial when the client has the first encounter with the company’s product and services. This has been enhanced by the company’s core value of having a WOW experience with the client. The company claims that if they get their culture right in an employee then the rest falls into place. Speaking to an intern recently about Zappos she mentioned about dogmatism. Dogmatic see things as right or wrong, black or white, there are no gray areas or compromises (Richmond and McCroskey, 2009). They mentioned that customer service can be great from a customer care agent but going the extra mile is what separates an individual. There have been several individuals fired on the spot for not complying with Zappos Ten Commandments. Leadership in this company is gotten from the lower ranks, the company identifies an individual with leadership’s qualities and it enhances. This has been built through the process of empowering their employees; the employees can attend various seminars that develop their leadership qualities. The company has found the ideal of growing from the ranks make the employees more motivated, this is due to the fact that there is growth in this company. A leader in Zappos must instill these strategies in the process of doing their business. One must make sure that the culture found in his department has a main goal that is focused to offering unforgettable services. We know that a business is created to achieving the goal of gaining profits but we should not forget to for great service in the achievement of profits. The leader should value all his employees and make sure that gain a lot during their time in the company. This can be achieved by educating them we can see the company does not restrict their workers to the skill that one was hired for. For example a marketing individual can be encouraged to learn graphic design they encourage they employees to expand their options. Working with Zappos has two common characteristics that were more influenced with their organization. Systems being the first, customers are first and have the ability to shop for any item besides shoes and delivered in a timely matter. The customer loyalty and product delivered is a major part of their marketing. Overall Zappos strategy is doing good for business making them a good revenue and customer base. However there are just a few areas needed to improve. References Business Wire. (July 2, 2009). Amazon.com to Acquire Zappos.com. Retrieved from http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20090722006145/en/Amazon.com-Acquire-Zappos.com Insights. (2012). Delivering Wow Through Service. Retrieved from http://www.zapposinsights.com/ Richmond, V. P., & McCroskey, J. C. (2009). Organizational Communication for Survival, Making work, Work (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Zappos.com. (May 1, 2010). ZAPPOS.COM, INC. CODE OF BUSINESS CONDUCT AND ETHICS. Retrieved from http://www.zappos.com/c/code-of-conduct

Foot Locker Marketing Plan

Foot Locker Marketing Plan Executive Strategy Within the past year China has eclipsed Japan to become the second largest economy in the world making it a potential high yield market for Foot Lockers expansion into new international markets.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Foot Locker Marketing Plan specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Various studies examining the market in China have shown that the Chinese have developed a certain hunger for international brands with fashions and food being among the most highly sought after items in the Chinese market today.  Other U.S. based companies such as Wal-Mart Inc. have actually successfully opened up various branches in China with great success. In fact recent industry data shows that the branches of Wal-Mart located in China are among the highest earners of the companys international ventures with various high priced retail items quickly being bought as a result of a greatly enriched Chinese economy . It is based on this that it can be seen that in roads into the Chinese market is a viable step for the company, one which would help to raise company revenues in light of the deteriorating sales in U.S. based markets as a result of the 2008 financial crisis and the resulting deterioration of the U.S. economy as of late. The primary market objective of this plan is to properly establish the Foot Locker brand in the Chinese market as a retailer of top of line, high quality and original footwear. The primary financial objective of this plan is to reach sales of at least $2.2 million to $3 million during the first year of operations of a single Foot Locker branch in the local Beijing market. Current Marketing Situation Foot Locker is one of the worlds largest retailers of foot wear in the world with branches located in 20 countries and with a yearly revenue of roughly $4.85 billion dollars. Right now Foot Locker is about to enter into the lucrative Chinese market where the appetite fo r foreign brands makes it an ideal location for subsequent company expansion as seen by the successes of other foreign brands that have attempted forays into the Chinese market.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Unfortunately, one of the inherent problems with selling brand name items in China is the fact that most retailers face stiff competition from counterfeit brand name goods that are ubiquitous throughout Chinas various shopping centers and markets. In fact China is the source of the majority of fake brand name sneakers that are being sold in various global markets that actually undermines the business models of our stores in those areas. Selling within China presents itself with its own risks due to the fact that not only would Foot Locker have to compete with other brand retailers in the area the company would need to convince its customer base that buying or iginal brand name sneakers is comparatively better compared to buying cheap knock offs. Market Description Foot Lockers market in China consists of consumers in the middle and upper tier of Chinese society, namely the new class of Chinese elite that have emerged as a result of the boom in Chinas economy. This specific segment of the population has been known to spend thousands of dollars on various brand named goods such as fashion accessories, clothiers, cars shoes etc. It must also be noted that this particular segment of the population is not as discerning as compared to Foot Lockers customer segments in the U.S. and Europe. Various studies examining the buying habits of the Chinese elite show that they tend to buy products based on the brand and the value and rarely take into account product longevity, actual performance in competitions etc. As such, this particular consumer base presents itself as a potentially lucrative market for the higher priced items that the company curre ntly has in stock.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Foot Locker Marketing Plan specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In Foot Lockers Chinese market customers will have the option of choosing from several brand name sneakers such as Nike and Reebok however in order to distinguish ourselves from the competition and to cater to the buying preference of the chosen market segment Foot Locker branches located in China will retail only the most expensive types of athletic sneakers available from various brands. The reason behind this is rather simple with the current proliferation of cheap knock offs in the Chinese market and the fact that the elite market segment the company has chosen to cater to only favors the most exclusive and expensive products, Foot Locker will be able to distinguish itself from the competition by stocking products that will not only look better than competing retailers in the area but it will be highly unlikely that there would be imitations of that particular type of product since it has been shown by various studies that Chinese manufacturers that produce knock offs usually do so on only specific types of shoe types and largely avoid the more expensive to produce varieties that Foot Locker will stock in its stores. Product Review The products that the company will primarily focus in selling to the Chinese market are name brand athletic shoes by the following companies: Nike, Puma, Reebok. Other high quality shoes of the distinct non-athletic type will come from the following companies: Converse, Everest, Dr. Martin. Competitive Review An examination of the local Chinese market in Beijing shows that stores that utilize the proposed business model for Foot Locker shoe sales in Beijing are actually a rarity. In fact most shoe sales that occur over there usually sell moderately priced products and never delve into the higher range of sneaker types that are available in some of the c ompanys U.S. based retail locations. It is due to this that entry into the Beijing market should prove to be rather seamless and profitable due to the proposed marketing strategy that targets the more affluent members of Chinese society. It must be noted though that an examination of the local Beijing market reveals that one of the greatest impediments to business success of brand name goods is the fact that they are often quickly copied by local manufacturers and cheap knocks offs are churned out by the dozen and sold in various local markets.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In fact it can even be said that the main competitor of Foot Locker in this particular case isnt other brand retailers but rather the counterfeit product industry that could possibly copy products available at Foot Locker and sell them at a far lower cost. Their business strategy revolves around copying items sold at certain stores that have created sufficient public interest and demand. While it is unlikely that they would be able to copy the design and materials to every minute detail experience in this particular aspect of the counterfeit industry has taught the company that most counterfeiters can and usually do produce a product that at least looks somewhat like what is being sold in our stores. Since they dont need to pay the same fees as our branded stores have to this enables them to undersell their prices at significantly lower prices which affects the bottom line of the company. It is estimated that that counterfeit shoe industry alone has cost the company millions of doll ars in potential sales and as such our entry into their home turf so to speak creates numerous potential problems that should be addressed in the future. Distribution Review For Foot Lockers China based operations distribution will first be tested through a single Foot Locker area within Beijing in order to test the market compatibility of the Foot Locker brand and the proposed method of targeting the selected consumer market. No other distribution partners will be included in this particular venture due to the fact that Foot Locker usually focuses on selling foot wear via its own retail outlets. One potential method of distribution could involve a partnership with Wal-Mart wherein the Foot Locker brand could be incorporated into several of its stores within the China market however such a plan have to wait to till proper market establishment has been accomplished and it has been judged that China is a viable location for future expansion. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Th reat Analysis While Foot Locker has various strengths at it disposal which have proven themselves time and again as the company has entered in new retail markets in the U.S. and other foreign countries one of the companys major weaknesses is the lack of brand awareness within the Chinese market. While most people in China have a passing familiarity with brands such as Nike, Reebok and Puma they have little knowledge of Foot Locker as the ideal location to buy brand name sneakers. On the other hand it must be noted that China does possess potential as an ideal market for the Foot Locker brand and as such despite threats from sources of competition such as the counterfeit product industry entry into the Chinese market should not be backed out on. Strengths 1. Quality of Products Sold. One of the inherent problems with the current Chinese market is the fact that the proliferation of fake footwear within the country has made people rather skeptical as to the durability and overall quali ty of particular types of athletic shoes. By presenting the target market with original, high quality and durable products Foot Locker will be able to make itself stand out from the competition due to the fact that not only will our products outlast the fakes sold in the market but their quality is far better as well. 2. Pricing. While it may be true that in comparison to the counterfeit product industry Foot Locker is at price disadvantage however due to our long term relationship and contracts with several of the major brands, Foot Lockers prices are still far better and more ideal compared to similar types of original branded shoe wear sold in other establishments in the area. It is due to this that it can be assumed that given enough time consumers within the Chinese market will be able to properly discern the price advantage of shopping at Foot Locker as compared to other retail locations. 3. Brand Awareness of Products. Several of brands of the items we have for sale such as N ike, Puma and Reebok are actually quite well known in various international markets due to the marketing tactics of our suppliers. It is due to this that entry into the China market should prove to be a rather smooth transition due to presence of brand awareness already in the area. Weaknesses While Foot Locker has various strengths attributed to its name in various retail markets it does have several weaknesses that need to be taken into account before venturing into the market in China. 1. Lack of Awareness of the Foot Locker Brand. While the Foot Locker brand has been well established in the U.S. and in 20 countries abroad the fact remains that there is a distinct lack of awareness of the brand name itself in the China market. The reason for this is due to the fact that Foot Locker has not ventured into this particular market in the past and the company has always been a U.S. based corporation that has made in-roads into foreign markets only within the past decade. It is due to t his that various marketing campaigns will need to be established in order to raise brand awareness in the Beijing area. 2. Higher Priced Items Compared to Local Chinese Brands. Due to the presence of various manufacturing facilities and the fact that the Chinese population has had a hunger for western goods various local Chinese brands of foot wear have appeared within the market in China. Such items, though of relatively low quality, do have lower prices as compared to the items that Foot Locker has for sale in its U.S. and international retail locations. One method, as mentioned earlier, of resolving such an issue is to focus more catering to the Chinese elite namely the newly rich population demographic in China that have a distinct hunger for named brand goods. By appropriately modeling the Foot Locker business structure in order to take into account the need to cater to this specific market it is expected that Opportunities In the current Chinese market Foot Locker can take adv antage of 3 major market opportunities that are available: 1. Increased demand for foreign brand named goods. One of the current trends in global retailing has been an increase in the amount of brand named goods sent to China. As Chinese incomes increase as a direct result of the outsourcing industry the end result has been a marked upgrade in the types of products normally purchased by the Chinese population. This in effect has encouraged various manufacturers to export their products into China in order to take advantage of this apparent market boom and in effect making substantial profits over the increased demand. 2. Higher Income Threshold of the Chinese Market. With the recent expansion of the Chinese economy to that of the second largest in the world this has in effect created a whole new generation in the Chinese population that is flush with monetary assets. This in effect has actually resulted in comparatively higher volume purchases of brand name goods and services as com pared to other countries in the world. An examination of the car manufacturing industry shows that aside from the U.S., China is its largest market for top of the line cars due to the relatively higher income threshold of the new Chinese elite. This presents itself as a gold opportunity for Foot Locker since entry into this new market could result in significantly higher profits for the company as a result of a relatively rich Chinese populace. 3. Lower Operating Costs in China. Comparing to operating costs in the U.S., Europe and other Asian markets China has a significantly lower operational cost. This is due to the fact that costs in relation to the various salaries of workers are actually far lower than the going rate in various markets resulting in significant savings over time in terms of comparative employee salaries between branch locations in China and the U.S. Threats In the Chinese market the company faces 3 main threats to its proper establishment: 1. The prevalence of t he counterfeit product industry. As mentioned earlier one the main threats to the entry of the company into the Chinese market is the current prevalence of the counterfeit product industry in China. With various manufacturers within the country easily counterfeiting goods that legitimate retailers sell this presents itself as a problem for Foot Locker since the likelihood of the companys own product selection the proposed Beijing area may be copied as well resulting in a significant reduction to company profits. One possible method would be to locate the proposed retail outlet in of Beijings exclusive shopping enclaves in order to ensure that the potential for product counterfeiting remains low. 2. Current retailers already in the market. While retail outlets such as Foot Locker are not as prevalent in China as they are in other countries the fact remains that various international retailers such as Wal-Mart do actually exist in the area. While they may not have as wide a product se lection as compared to Foot Locker they do have better brand awareness and prevalence in the Chinese market which presents itself as a problem that the company will need to overcome in order to entice people to buy their branded shoes from Foot Locker instead of other locations 3. Prevalence of E-commerce Shopping in China. One of the current trends in China today has been the prevalence of E-commerce shopping through various China based sites for E-commerce. While Foot Locker does have its own online retail site a lot of Chinese seem to prefer shopping from locally based sites as compared to international ones. As a result this current trend does present itself as worrying factor since online retailing does have significant advantages over the traditional retail model that the company is going to utilize for its expansion into China. Objectives and Issues While daunting the following objectives have been created for the first year of entry into the Chinese market where Foot Locker will attempt to test the waters so to speak and determine the viability of China a new area for continued expansion. First Year Objective To attain revenues of $2.2 million to $3 million within the first year of operations in Foot Lockers primary flagship store in China that will be established in Beijing. Should the project prove to be successful subsequent expansions will be undertaken in Shang Hai and other cities within China Issues One of the major issues that needs to be addressed is the fact that the Foot Locker brand name is still relatively unknown in China. As such extensive advertising campaigns and product promotions need to be created in order to drum up interest for stores opening. Another issue that must be taken into consideration is the fact that foreign markets have their own cultural sensitivities that need to be taken into account before a venture is launched. For example when Pepsi first expanded into the Chinese market its advertising slogan of we bring life wa s translated rather humorously into we bring your dead relatives back from the grave. It is due to rather unfortunate cases such as this that when operations are established in China the company needs to make sure that proper translation and cultural sensitivities are followed in order to properly incorporate Foot Locker into the local Chinese business community. Marketing Strategy Foot Lockers marketing strategy in its entry into Chinese market is to position itself on the basis of high quality and exclusivity with the various shoe models and types available at the store being of the highest quality and rarely found in other stores within China. The companys primary target consumers will be the relatively young Chinese elite who emerged from the recent economic boom in China to become one of the highest spenders in the country to date. The ages demographic for this particular segment of the population are men and women aged 14 to 30 who are part of the relatively affluent upper cla ss of Chinese society or the relatively well-off Chinese middle class. In order to reduce revenue costs and to make the company more distinct from its competitors in the local market such as other retailers and counterfeiters the company will not stock any of its low priced shoe selections such as those found in several of its U.S. locations rather the company will instead stock only the latest and most sought after shoe models for that particular year. The reason behind this is to help establish the Foot Locker as the place to go for the young and affluent to purchase exclusive shoes that people would be hard pressed to find anywhere else thus catering to their sense for style and exclusivity. Positioning Utilizing quality and brand name distinction Foot Locker will position itself as the best place to buy foot wear within the initial Beijing market. This will be done by stocking the highest quality athletic foot wear that are available from our various suppliers and advertising ou r exclusivity as the best and only place to buy shoes of this particular type and quality within China. Product Strategy Should the flagship store in Beijing prove to be successful the company will expand into locations such as Shang Hai and Guang-Jo city as well as various urban centers that have opened up within the past few years as a direct result of the continued expansion of Chinas economy. Similar to the business model utilized in Beijing these stores will stock similar high quality athletic shoes targeting the same consumer demographics however these stores will be smaller than the flagship store present in Beijing and in fact will not stock as complete an assortment of shoes as the main store. The reason behind this is the fact that establishing various retail outlets in different cities within China still brings with it a certain level of uncertainty. It is due to this that the amount of stock that the company should bring in upon initial expansion should be limited in ord er to ensure that should the worse come to pass the cost of lost revenue to the company will not be as high as it could have been. Pricing Strategy As mentioned earlier the pricing strategy the company will employ in its initial expansion into the Chinese market is to stock only high value shoes. This means that shoe prices will average $50 to $200 or more depending on the make and model of the shoe and if it is in limited supply. The reason behind stocking such high value merchandise is to better distinguish the company from the various retailers and counterfeit goods sellers that emphasize low prices. By stocking high quality and high priced goods not only does this send out the message that only a certain amount of people can afford shoes here but it also creates a certain form of exclusivity that various commercial studies have shown is an integral aspect of the buying behavior of the new Chinese elite. Distribution Strategy In this particular case product distribution and sale will all be done through the initial Foot Locker retail outlet located in Beijing. Should this prove to be successful subsequent retail outlets will also be opened in other cities all of which will be under the Foot Locker brand. Foot Locker itself utilizes the re-seller business model wherein the company buys shoes en masse from the shoe manufacturers such as Nike. The company doesnt actually make the shoes itself and as such other distribution partners beyond that of the companys retail outlets will not be a necessity. Marketing Communication Strategy As mentioned earlier one of the inherent problems with doing business in China is the fact that Foot Locker is a relatively unknown brand within the Chinese market. In order to remedy this particular situation carefully created and culturally sensitive TV and online campaigns will be created that specifically target the upper and middle class demographic for shoe sales within the Beijing area. Viral marketing will be utilized as well in the form of various interesting online videos promoting the opening of the store. Not only that a certain contest will be set up on the stores opening day similar to that of the Amazing Race but it will be held within the city of Beijing. The winners will be given $25,000 thousand dollars and their pick of any shoe within the store. It is assumed that by combining all these elements enough consumer interest will be generated resulting in high amount of sales during the 1st year of operation of the store. Marketing Research Utilizing market research Foot Locker will try to discern which particular shoe styles, designs and prices are the most desired by our selected niche market. This will be done through various online surveys, market tests and focus groups in order to help develop the initial conceptualization of the store. Further more the company will test the brand awareness of certain types of shoes in order to see which brands are more prevalent in the minds of the Chinese populace in order to stock those particular brands and minimize lost revenue through the purchase of shoes that consumers within China wont buy. Further more various consumer satisfaction surveys will be utilized in order to determine the reaction of various consumers towards the establishment of the store. In order to actually get people to fill out the surveys a small competition will be held wherein each individual survey submitted per person will act as raffle coupon for a select pair of shoes within the store. This should at least encourage people to fill out the surveys and submit them. Marketing Organization In this particular case the responsibility of determining proper marketing strategy and direction will be headed by a locally hired advertising firm that specializes in promoting foreign brands to Chinese consumers. The reason behind this is the fact that Foot Locker is still rather inexperienced when it comes to properly marketing its products within the Chinese consumer market as such professionals who actually have experience in the matter need to be hired in order to ensure the establishment of proper precedent regarding proper procedures and strategies in marketing to the local populace. Actions Programs The opening of Foot Lockers new retail branch will be March 2012 and as such the following program of events has been created in order to give a better impression as to the needed timeline of events and actions. January During the start of the year Foot Locker will begin construction on its new flagship store for its Chinese market in Beijing and as such this will be the period when the hiring process will begin in order to find capable individuals for both managing the store and being customer service representatives within the store itself. February On February Foot Locker will start its aggressive ad campaign in Beijing by buying several advertising segments on local Chinese channels in order to advertise the up and coming opening of the sto re. A local advertising firm will also be used in order to help coordinate efforts in spreading the word of the stores opening through print ad campaigns and viral network advertising. It is estimated that this initial ad campaign will cost between 130,000 to 150,000 thousand dollars in order to achieve full market saturation. During this period training should also commence for the various customer service representatives as well as the managers of the store. March The opening of the store will be done in the middle of the month as such this gives ample time to help complete the advertising campaign to help inform the selected consumer demographic that the store is opening on the 15th and that they should expect it due to the Beijing Amazing Race that will be promoted by the company. By the 15th the preparations should all be in place and the start of the Beijing Amazing Race should commence indicating the successful opening of the store. April During this particular month various operating standards should be finalized such as proper handling of merchandise, customer assistance and the various nuances that come with the new opening of a retail establishment in a foreign country. May By May a new $25,000 advertising campaign should be instigated in order to drum up further interest in the store and increase its profile in the public eye. In order to do so more viral marketing campaigns will be established along with several print ad campaigns in various popular Chinese magazines. June By this month the entire process should be completed and a smooth flow of both customers and operating efficiency should be underway in order to make the campaign a success. Budgets The total first year sales revenue from the Foot Locker pioneer store in Beijing should reached $2.2 to $3 million dollars by the end of the 4th quarter sales period. With a variable cost of $50 to $200 and above per shoe the company will need to stock at the very least 30,000 pairs of different kind s of shoes in order to meet potential demand. In total this could cost $1.5 million for the price of the stock alone thus the break even point in this particular case is $1.8 million due to the costs of the advertising campaign and subsequent operating costs incurred by the end of the 4th quarter. Controls In order to ensure that proper guidelines regarding sales etiquette and the quality of the products are assure the store will implement strict guidelines regarding proper customer service and product handling in order to ensure customers feel welcomed within the store and get the best products possible. Atkinson, William. Doing Business In and With China: The risks are great, but so are the rewards. Risk Management (00355593) 51.3 (2004): 24-28. Business  Source Premier. EBSCO. Web. Caron, Joseph. The business of doing business with China: An ambassador reflects.  Ivey Business Journal 69.5 (2005): 1. MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO. Web. Chapman, James C., and Xu Wanli. The Road t o China: Ten Key Lessons for Doing  Business in China. Licensing Journal 28.7 (2008): 8-12. Business Source  Premier. EBSCO. Web. Cohen, George. One Billion Customers: Lessons from the Front Lines of Doing  Business in China. Booklist 102.2 (2005): 15. Literary Reference Center.  EBSCO. Web. Cunningham, Margaret G., Daniel B. Cunningham, and Daewoo Park. Reflections on  Doing Business in China: A Case Study. International Journal of Management  25.1 (2008): 119-123. Business Source Premier. EBSCO. Web. Kivela, Jaksa, and Leung Lin Fung-Lin. Doing Business in the Peoples Republic of  China. Cornell Hotel Restaurant Administration Quarterly 46.2 (2005): 125-152. Business Source Premier. EBSCO. Web. Kriz, Anton, and Byron Keating. Doing Business in China: Tips for an Outsider. China Review International 16.1 (2009): 1-17. Literary Reference  Center. EBSCO. Web. Lam, M. (2009). Beyond Credibility of Doing Business in China: Strategies for Improving  Corporate Citizens hip of Foreign Multinational Enterprises in China. Journal of  Business Ethics, 87137-146. Nelson, Christina. Cost of Doing Business in China Rises. China Business Review  38.1 (2011): 14. Business Source Premier. EBSCO. Web. Paine, Lynn S. The China Rules. Harvard Business Review 88.6 (2010): 103-108.  Business Source Premier. EBSCO. Web. Pan Fan, K., and K. Zhang Zigang. Cross-cultural Challenges when Doing Business in  China. Singapore Management Review 26.1 (2004): 81-90. Business Source  Premier. EBSCO. Web. Sarah Timson, et al. China: Looming large. Chemical Week 173.8 (2011): 29.  MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO. Web. Sun, Catherine, Sharon R. Barner, and Harold C. Wegner. China 10-Point Patent  Checklist: Integrating patents into an overall business strategy for a Western  manufacturing entity in China. Journal of Commercial Biotechnology 15.3  (2009): 245-250. Business Source Premier. EBSCO. Web. Weidenbaum, Murray. Doing Business with CHINA. USA Today Magazine 135.2738  (2006): 18. MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO. Web. Whaley, Mary. Doing Business in China: How to Profit in the Worlds Fastest Growing  Market. Booklist 103.21 (2007): 15. Literary Reference Center. EBSCO. Web. Woetzel, Jonathan R. A guide to doing business in China. McKinsey Quarterly (2004):  36-45. Business Source Premier. EBSCO. Web.

10 Ways to Appear Smarter Than You Are

10 Ways to Appear Smarter Than You Are We can’t all be blessed with superhuman intelligence in order to get ahead in life. But it is helpful to be at least perceived as being smart- even if that involves a little finessing around the edges. Here are 10  things you can do to seem a lot smarter. Work at these and you’ll be fooling people with your fake genius in no time.1. Debunk one thing.Pick a faddish topic or a current news story- maybe one that’s spreading like wildfire through your feed. Then pick it apart. Are the sources reliable? The quotes correct? Is it doubly corroborated by a reputable news source? Are there counter positions? Other statistics that might conflict with the conclusion of the most posted article? Remember names and numbers for this one and bring it up every time the topic comes around.2. Wear glasses.It seems very silly, but it really works. If you wear glasses, chances are people will just assume you’re smart before you even open your mouth. If you need to make a big first impression and your IQ falls a bit behind your ambition, leave the contacts at home.3. Boost your vocab.The easiest and best thing you can do to improve your intelligence aura is to actually work to expand your vocabulary. Record yourself having a conversation. Notice any filler words, like â€Å"like† or â€Å"um† or â€Å"so†? Try going on a diet, getting rid of those words and putting really nutritious new (multisyllabic!) words in their place. Try signing up for a â€Å"word of the day† mailing list and try to use that word in conversation at least once that day.4. Teach yourself stuff.General knowledge is a great indicator of smarts. Pick a few topics that interest you, and go all in- even Wikipedia will do. In addition, consider learning all about a handful of really obscure things. People are very impressed by specialists.5. Write simply.Try to be as clear and concise as possible in all your written communications. The more efficient and eff ective you are, the smarter you will seem.6. Speak well.If two people say the same thing, but one says it better- i.e. more expressively, in a firmer tone with fewer pauses and more effect- then that person is going to seem naturally smarter and more trustworthy. Practice selling what you say.7. Skip the drink.You have much less control over what you say when you are drinking. Next time you’re at a work function? Go for the sparkling water. Then dazzle everyone as they get tipsier and more tongue-tied.8. Use your middle initial.Another silly one, but hey, it seems to work. Don’t people just seem more important if they have a middle initial? Think of John F. Kennedy or Robert B. Parker or Ulysses S. Grant. If you’ve got a good one, use it to your advantage.9. Believe in yourself.This is important. People can smell insecurity. Project poise and confidence and understanding, and really know that you’re capable of doing anything that comes your way. And if yo u can’t get there, fake it ’til you make it!10. Be still.Sometimes the person on the sidelines observing when everyone else is diving in is considered the wise (and sometimes judgmental) one. Practice waiting. Listening. Thinking before you speak or act. This sort of control will boost your emotional IQ and also make your brain IQ seem a little higher to an outside eye.

Visual Anaylsis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Visual Anaylsis - Essay Example During these processes, they ensure that their work has the necessary visual appeal and is effective rhetorically. This paper will lucidly analyze the provided two photos, in A and B, and come up with the author’s intended message. Part A In the photo, is a woman dressed elegantly in a white robe, a necklace, and golden bangles. She has a white cloth with golden spots all over it. On the right hand-side of the beautiful woman is a pot of fish. There is a black cat trying to het some fish out of the pot. The cat has white spots at the mouth regions. It uses its right forward limb in the attempt to extract fish from the pot. The pot has translucent feature exposing the fish inside to the viewers. The woman is gazing directly at the viewers, an implication that the camera angle was a large one allowing for the direct and non-oblique photography (Plett, 2004 p 88). According to her dressing code, jewelries, and posture, it is arguably true that the woman has sexy or romantic look. On the other hand, she portrays some innocence in her face. Moreover, the color of her dressing suggests another aspect of love. She has a golden shiny and attractive dress. Romance, in works of arts, is always considered or depicted through the wearing or putting on of attractive and colorful dressings such as orange, yellow, and golden, like in this case. Attraction in the clothing is boosted by the attractive look on the woman’s face. The direct gaze of the woman also suggests the act or the attribute of courageousness. The framing of the photograph allowed for the full exposure of the woman’s face, while hiding other parts, especially the legs. Most people consider facial expression and outlook before being driven by sexual desires towards the opposite genders (Redding, 1987 p29). It is, therefore, conclusive that the woman has a sexually attractive face that is suggestive to the opposite sex. The author of this photo has also portrayed his excellence in the appli cation of colors to communicate his messages to the people. To begin with, the background color in the photo is a mixture of red and black. Red is the most distributed in the photo. However, its visibility is hindered by the black color that submerged it. Red color, as stated earlier, has a symbolic meaning of love and romance (Needman, 1999 p 98). The idea of black or dark color covering it implies that the virtues of love in a given society are seriously interfered with. The fish in the pot have light red colors depicting another meaning in the photo. Red color, in artistry has two major symbolic meanings. First, it represents love as thematic concern of the photo author. Secondly, it is a color of blood, normally portraying danger, as a theme in literature. In this case, the fish in the pot are faced with the danger of death approaching them as the cat struggles to get its meal out of their bodies. The cat has a black color. Black, in works of art, depicts the theme of uncertaint y and unacceptable immoral behaviors in the society. Finally, the author has also used white color; the cat’s mouth has white coloration. Coloration, in works of arts, not only gives photos attractive and visible looks, they also enhance or facilitate the author’s thematic messages to the people. In this case, bright golden color serves the purpose of enhancing the theme of love or romance in the author’s society. The submerged red color does the same. Black color