Light And The Glory Essays - Stamp Act, Quartering Acts,

Light And The Glory The Light and the Glory The United States Constitution has been the bedrock for the longest lasting government in all history. Why is it that our constitution still exists after more than two hundred years? Is it the incredible minds of those that framed it, or is it something else? In 1620, the Pilgrims departed from Holland and set out for America. Ten years later, they were followed by the Puritans. The Puritans and the Pilgrims experienced incredible hardships, which forced their reliance on God. There was little to eat, and shelter was no more than an uninsulated log cabin. As new generations grew up, they began to learn how to grow and harvest crops, which supplied them with plenty to eat, and comfortable lives. They did not have to depend on God for their survival. Gradually, as the people strayed further away from God, there began to be witchcraft and many people with no moral standards at all. These once godly people had forgotten how God had miraculously provided for their grandparents. By the mid 1700's, America was in desperate need of a revival. This burden was laid on a man's heart whose name was Jonathan Edwards. Jonathan Edwards, a graduate of Yale at seventeen, began and sustained a revival that changed the course of American history. Along with George Whitefield and countless other circuit riding preachers, Jonathan Edwards brought America down on her knees before God in repentance. America was indeed a new nation. It was about this time that America began to view itself as one nation, not just a handful of independent colonies. The only problem was that the Americans were not the only ones who had settled in the New World. They were bordered on the north and west by the French and on the south by the Spanish. If anyone attempted to settle on the west side of the Appalachian Mountains, chances of survival were slim because of hostile Indians and cruel French trappers. America was far from having enough manpower to take on the French all by themselves. When King George III realized that his prized possession, the American colonies, was in danger of being taken over by the French, he sent troops to push the French- American boundary line deeper into the interior of the continent. This turned into an all out war known as the French and Indian War. Although the beginning of the war favored the French, the British eventually became successful in setting the French-American boundary well past the Appalachian Mountains. Along with the ?Great Awakening,? the French and Indian War would be another turning point in American history because the colonists now realized that they were capable of building an army. The war also unveiled future heroes such as George Washington. Most of all, it brought the colonies together in unity. Relations were now beginning to change between the colonies and England. The colonists ?were beginning to regard themselves as Americans rather than Englishmen.? The colonies were now on a much higher spiritual level than England. King George again realized that his prize possession was in danger of being lost. However, this time it was the colonists themselves that were the threat. To stop the growing rebellion in America, George III appointed a new prime minister George Grenville. Grenville decided to tighten England's control of the colonial settlement past the Appalachian Mountains. This would result in the ?Proclamation of 1763? which canceled all the land grants given to the colonies in the past by other kings and parliaments. He also laid new taxes on the colonists that violated their rights because the colonists had no representatives in the English parliament. The ?Stamp Act? and the ?Quartering Act? were just a few of the burdens that Grenville laid on the colonists. William Pitt and Edmund Burke were two men in the English parliament who encouraged Grenville to lift the tariffs and taxes. When Grenville arrogantly refused to lift any of the tariffs or taxes, it was one of the most costly mistakes he would ever make. Burdensome taxes were enraging the colonists. They did owe England a war debt of 37,000,000 dollars, but the ?Quartering Act? had nothing to do with paying money

Free Essays on Sacraments

There are seven Sacraments according to the Catholic Church, which are designed to strengthen an individual’s relationship with God. The seven sacraments are as follows: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, Marriage and Holy Orders. The definitions of a Sacrament, according to the Catholic Church, are not meant to be mere signs as they do not symbolically signify Divine grace. Sacraments, in addition to the practice of their Divine institution can cause a state of grace in the souls of the individual. Sacrament, in its broadest sense, may be defined as an external sign, or symbol, of something sacred. Almost all creatures of the universe define something as sacred, believing in the wisdom and the goodness of a God. Catholicism in particular is a highly evolved and organized religion so it stands to reason that its symbols and rites are much defined. The Council of Trent defines a sacrament as the sy mbol of something sacred, a visible form of invisible grace, having the power of sanctifying. The â€Å"Catechism of the Council of Trent† gives a more complete definition: â€Å"Something perceptible by the senses which by Divine institution have the power both to signify and to affect sanctity and justice.† The catholic religion uses sacraments as rites of membership, rites of passage, and definitions of the faith. These sacraments have powerful, emotional, and social significance in today’s society. Many people define their commitment to their religion by the fact that they participate in these sacraments. There was a time in the very recent past that participation in the sacraments acted as a quasi-caste system defining who may marry whom, etc. Three things are necessary in every sacrament- the inward grace, the outward sign and the Divine institution. Sacraments signify grace only because they have been chosen so by God. God spoke to Moses, and ... Free Essays on Sacraments Free Essays on Sacraments There are seven Sacraments according to the Catholic Church, which are designed to strengthen an individual’s relationship with God. The seven sacraments are as follows: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, Marriage and Holy Orders. The definitions of a Sacrament, according to the Catholic Church, are not meant to be mere signs as they do not symbolically signify Divine grace. Sacraments, in addition to the practice of their Divine institution can cause a state of grace in the souls of the individual. Sacrament, in its broadest sense, may be defined as an external sign, or symbol, of something sacred. Almost all creatures of the universe define something as sacred, believing in the wisdom and the goodness of a God. Catholicism in particular is a highly evolved and organized religion so it stands to reason that its symbols and rites are much defined. The Council of Trent defines a sacrament as the sy mbol of something sacred, a visible form of invisible grace, having the power of sanctifying. The â€Å"Catechism of the Council of Trent† gives a more complete definition: â€Å"Something perceptible by the senses which by Divine institution have the power both to signify and to affect sanctity and justice.† The catholic religion uses sacraments as rites of membership, rites of passage, and definitions of the faith. These sacraments have powerful, emotional, and social significance in today’s society. Many people define their commitment to their religion by the fact that they participate in these sacraments. There was a time in the very recent past that participation in the sacraments acted as a quasi-caste system defining who may marry whom, etc. Three things are necessary in every sacrament- the inward grace, the outward sign and the Divine institution. Sacraments signify grace only because they have been chosen so by God. God spoke to Moses, and ...

Aspects Of Adolescent Reproductive Health Health And Social Care Essay

Aspects Of Adolescent Reproductive Health Health And Social Care Essay Adolescent means â€Å"to grow to maturity† and is an important period in life span. Reproduction means â€Å"production of offspring â€Å". Health means â€Å"state of complete physical, mental, and social well being. After birth the child grows towards maturity and makes them a contributing member of the society. ADOLESCENT REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH: ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF FEMALE SEXUAL ORGANS: The principal organs are ovaries, uterus, uterine tubes, and vagina. Female reproductive cycle includes both ovarian cycle and menstrual cycle. Female reproductive function begins with the development of â€Å"ova† in the ovaries. The oogonia (primitive germ cell) are dominant from fetal period and are transformed to mature oocyte at puberty. OVARIAN CYCLE OR MENSTRUAL CYCLE: A single ovum is expelled from an ovarian follicle in to the abdominal cavity in the middle (14th day) of each month (28 days) menstrual cycle this process of rupture of grafian follicle with release of the ovum is called ovulation. Thus the 12-18 days in a 28days cycle is called fertile period. This ovum is engulfed by fimbrae and is transported to a uterus by the fallopian tube. When fusion of sperm and ovum which develop in to fetus, thus menstruation stops. This process is called as fertilization. When the ovum is not fertilized then menstruation starts which is cyclical discharge of blood, mucus, unfertilized ovum, and torn endometrial from the uterus per vagina. PUBERTY: Puberty is the period during which the secondary sex characteristics begin to develop and capability of sexual reproduction is attained where boys attained manhood and girls attained womanhood. PUBERTY IN FEMALES: Girls begin there growth spurt between 9-13 yrs of age Increase in body fat Development of sexual character like pubic hair, and auxiliary hair appear. Development of breast tissue Rapid increase in height and weight begin to menstruate ASPECTS OF ADOLESCENT REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH: Menstrual hygiene Te enage pregnancy Sex education and sexual behavior Sexually transmitted disease Contraceptive devices MENSTRUAL HYGIENE Menstrual hygiene refers to the hygiene during menstrual period. It includes use of clean pad changing of soaked pad proper disposal of used pad, perineal and personal hygiene with daily activities like diet, exercise, and rest. During menstruation Daily twice bathing is essential because to reduce body heat and fatigue. Washing the genital region daily with soap and water to prevent genital infection. The diet should consist of vegetables and fruits which gives nourishment and normal diet. During menstruation iron rich foods helps to maintain the hemoglobin level. Sanitary napkins can be used to observe the menstrual flow. Use sanitary napkins or use clean cotton cloth. If cloth is to be reused wash with soap dry in sunlight and preserve in with napthalin balls in plastic bags. Change the napkin three times a day and every 4-6hrs per day. Used napkins should not be reused because its very unhygienic and lead to reproductive tract infection. Used napkin should be burned immediately. When the blood stained napkin rub against the thigh the skin of the thigh gets sore and walking may become uncomfortable. So the thigh region should be kept dry.

Natural Gas Boiler Plant Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Natural Gas Boiler Plant - Essay Example Stack gas analysis sought to find the composition of the stack gas, proportion of excess air, the average capacity of stack gas heat, composition of fuel, inlet and outlet temperatures and air to fuel ratio. A gas combustion analyzer was used to achieve this objective together with computation of various equations as follows. A bomb calorimeter could be defined as a device for measuring energy which combusts a specified amount of fuel in excessive air, comparing it to a baseline fuel which is of known calorific value. This would be achieved by measuring the change in temperature after a settling time in a given quantity of water. From this, the fuel calorific value would be computed from the ratio difference between the maximum and minimum temperatures. Determining the overall efficiency of the natural gas boiler called for arranging the collected information numerically. Efficiency was first determined using the input vs. output method. In this method, the energy input into the boiler (making use of fuel mass flow rate and calorific value) and that output from the boiler (making use of steam and feed water enthalpies and steam mass flow rate) would be compared. This method yields equation (ii). Alternatively, the efficiency of the boiler could be determined through the heat loss method. This has two major components: the first employs stack gas heat capacity together with the input and output temperatures; while the second uses the heat lost through radiation and convection. Equation (iii) represents this method. After weighing the fuel, it would be placed inside a crucible. This would then be dipped into an oxygen-filled bomb under a pressure of about 35 atmospheres. This bomb would then be placed into a container with predetermined amount of water. This container would then be placed inside a jacket. The impellor on the lid of the jacket ensures that heat is evenly distributed throughout the water while the thermometer

E-commerce sales in the United States Assignment

E-commerce sales in the United States - Assignment Example The U.S. hit an all time high in 2011 with e-commerce sales of $161.5 billion. The trend in digital sales is extremely positive. It seems as if U.S. customers have become more accustomed to using the internet for their shopping needs. Shopping online has many benefits including flexibility, zero commuting costs, and lower prices. One of the factors that the author of the article identified as being critical to the rise of e-commerce sales is the uncertainty of the economy. During harsh times consumers are looking for low prices and convenience. The proliferation of websites that offer goods for sale in many categories provides internet shoppers with the ability to compare prices in order to find the best bargains. Another benefit of online shopping is that it saves people valuable time. During 2011 some of the top online product categories were digital content & subscriptions, jewelry & watches, consumer electronics, toys & hobbies, and computer software (DeMarco). Each of these cate gories grew by over 18% in comparison with the previous year. During the calendar year ten days surpassed the $1 billion sales mark. The table below illustrates the top selling days during 2011. Date Sales Total November 28 – Cyber Monday $1.25 billion December 5 $1.17 billion December 12 – Green Monday $1.13 billion A hot trend among online vendors is to offer free shipping with the purchase of products. In 2011 52% of e-commerce transactions included free shipping. This figure breaks the all time record of 49% set in 2010. Other product categories that have benefited from the internet boom are smartphones and tablets. Not only are these products selling well, but their internet capability is contributing to the growing number of e-commerce transactions. â€Å"We can expect to see more channel-shifting to online in 2012 and perhaps even acceleration in the current growth trend† (DeMarco). E-commerce has become one of the hottest trends in the retail industry. M any online vendors are using similar marketing strategies as traditional commerce. The use of branding is very important for online vendors because this marketing strategy can be used to grow the firm’s sales. Brand loyalty can help increase the customer retention rate of a website. The use of online marketing is critical to the success of a website that sells goods or services. One of the most important rules of online selling is to attract traffic to the website. Higher traffic typically leads to more sales. The supply chain management of online merchants is very important because these websites need to make alliances with freight companies such as UPS, DHL, or the USPS. Due to the new tendency of customers expecting free shipping online vendors have to negotiate terms with the shipping companies that provide the lowest price. Websites that have higher brand equity are able to outperform the competition. Examples of websites that have very strong brand equity are EBay, Amaz on, and Facebook. Facebook has over 840 million users. This company makes money from advertising revenues. Integrating marketing channels is a great way to save money in marketing expenses while at the same time optimizing exposure of a website. The tendency towards more people shopping online is a trend that should continue to proliferate itself in the future. Currently there are over 2 billion internet users worldwide (Plunkett Research). Once these internet penetration numbers continue to rise

Kentucky Fried Chicken History Essay Example for Free

Kentucky Fried Chicken History Essay The company operates with five long-term measures identified as essentials of corporate growth and progress .. 1 International Expansion Yum! Brands number-one goal is to drive global expansion with its category- leading brands. In 2002, the company opened a record 1,051 new international estaurants and increased international system sales 9% prior to foreign currency conversion. 2. Multibrand Innovation Expansion Yum! Brands is the worldwide leader in multibranding, offering consumers more choice and convenience at one restaurant location from a combination of two of the companys brands. The company and its franchisees today operate over 1,975 multibrand restaurants, generating over $2 billion in annual system sales. Approximately 350 new systemwide multibrand restaurants were opened in 2002. 3. Portfolio of Category-Leading U. S. Brands U. S. ystemwide same-store sales increased approximately 4% while U. S. same-store sales at company restaurants increased approximately 2% in 2002. 4. Global Franchise Fees Global franchise fees, a significant factor in annual profits and cash flow, grew 6% to $866 million. Global franchise net restaurant growth was 2% in 2002. 5. Strong Cash Generation and Returns Yum! Brands generated over $1. 3 billion in cash from all sources in 2002, more than fully funding capital expenditure needs, allowing free cash flow for share repurchase, and some repayment of debt. Return on invested capital is 18%, in the estaurant industrys top tier. Culture Big on diversity in the workplace Promotes differences in background, ethnic cultures, and values oriented environment Focuses on teaching everybody something new Promotes unity in the workplace Team- Focuses on building relationships and creating diversity and commitment within the company and amongst employees and customers Organizational Structure and Design KFC is part of a divisional structure, which is Yum! Brands, Inc. Long John Silvers, A;W, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut are the other divisions Offers positions to change and growth KFC works to bring recognition and money to Yum! Brands, Human Resource Management We wont make you wing it is KFCs motto when it comes to training employees. Training includes: 1) Workbooks 2) Quizzes 3) On-the-Job competency based training Employees are encouraged to work together as a team their people grow to their highest potential interesting and exciting for workers Social Responsibility KFC is committed to making sure KFC does their best to make the Job KFC has made it their responsibility to consumers that they will provide quality chicken in a fast, efficient way. They also say that their meat comes about ethically and through humane treatment. This has not always proved true in the past, since the PETA has become involved with their warehouses that grow the chickens. KFC has made statements to the patrons of KFC, though, that the chickens will not be treated badly in the progression from birth to the processing plant. KFC sponsors a reward for senior citizens, those who live life to the fullest and are recognized in their community KFC also has the Colonels Kids program, a charity organization that helps kids become educated and grow up in a better world han that which they have known. It addresses the child care crisis and steps up to the plate to help out where possible. Scholarships and diversity programs are a part of KFCs social responsibility as well Recently, the PETA group secretly recorded a worker at the Pilgrims Pride, one of the processing plants, beating a live chicken against the wall in order to kill it. As soon as KFC was notified of this treatment, they immediately submitted a written statement saying that the treatment was appalling and took action immediately, placing an animal welfare expert at the plant to ensure he ethical, humane treatment of the chickens. The statement said that: We do not tolerate animal abuse by any of our suppliers, under any circumstance. KFC also told the company Pilgrims Pride that, unless they can definitively assure us there are absolutely no abuses taking place, we will not purchase from this Moorefield, West Virginia, facility. PETA says that more action should be taken, but KFC has done all it can to ensure that people are happy with the facilities and means by which their food comes about.

Masculine Identity in Hardys Novels :: Biography Biographies Essays

Masculine Identity in Hardy's Novels In Hardy's novels, masculine identity is explored, evolving from the solid, monolithic, patriarchal role of the mid-1800s, to less typical, nearly feminine styles of manhood. With the increasing power of women during the Victorian Era, Hardy creates men who are in a state of ambivalence about their sexuality; they either reach for the well-worn stereotype of the "manly" man, or they attempt to explore their own complicated emotions, sensitive to the needs of the emerging New Woman. Though action in Hardy's novels centers predominately around the female, life is often seen through the eyes of the males in his works. The "typical" male is often associated with money, power, and prestige, while the realists and chaste men are almost "unmasculine" in thoughts and action, and frequently fall victim to the New Woman. By depicting a man like Henchard, who goes from being an obsessive power seeker to one who is, in a sense, "unmanned," Hardy shows readers the male identity which he tends to favor. The state of the economy and the political events of the 1880s and 1890s were unstable, and in their public roles, men began to feel gradually overwhelmed. Their personal lives were even more chaotic, as women began to challenge "old ideas" with their new, feminist ones. The "Woman Question" was ubiquitous, and women were gradually given rights that they never before had; the Married Women's Property Act, two Matrimonial Causes Acts, and the Maintenance of Wives Act, were three laws which allowed for more equality in marriage. The introduction of birth control literature also significantly changed women's attitudes toward their sexuality and matrimonial duties. Federico maintains that as a result of these changes, ferment existed during the era. "Men meditated upon their patriarchal inheritance, and by the end of the century, contradictory middle-class attitudes still existed, contributing to the sketchy construct of Victorian masculinity" (Federico 18-19). Southerington has placed some of Hardy's male characters into one of four categories (although it is important to note that these groupings are permeable, and characters are not confined to any one category): the virile; romantic; realist; and chaste. Though virility in such men as Fitzpiers, Troy, Wildeve, and Alec d'Urberville was believed to be the "keynote to all that is best and most forcible in the masculine character" (according to Grant Allen in the Fortnightly Review, October, 1889), inwardly their egoist self-assurance was steadily eroded by perceived threats to their masculinity.

Airstar Case Study

Abstract: Airstar’s organizational design is outdated. Former president and actual president have been managing the company under the assumptions of a predicable environment. Airstar is having problems with communication and job-description along the company. Tasks have been assigned superficially and job responsibilities are not descriptive enough. The cross-functional communications among managers is not working effectively and employees have been working up their own job description. Because of that, goal accomplishment is fast becoming obsolete and decisions are being made on the basis of practicality. Also, the company is facing external threats from major competitor such as General Electric and Pratt & Whitney. The stagnation from top managers is causing chaos internally, because business environment is constantly changing and most managers have been in the company for more than twenty years. So, for maximum efficiency, Airstar needs to guide their employee with standards and written guidelines in order to succeed and move forward. Introduction: Airstar Inc. manufactures, repairs, and overhauls pistons and jet engines for smaller, often previously owned aircraft† (Daft, 2008, p. 84). It has a solid history and its strength comes from the fact that it is well known in the market and employee loyalty. However, the rapidly changing industry parallel with the change in the presidency is causing problematic factors for Airstar. A company that has been in the market for twenty years producing customer and employee loyalty now has threat with new arriving business competition and the ever-changing business environment. Unfortunately, Roy Morgan, the president, assumes that he could continue to run the company as it had been twenty years ago. In the past, decisions had been made on the basis of practicality. However, the current environment is in need of changes in duties and management practices. The lack of ample communication concerning duties and how to restructure them for better efficiency is causing internal chaos. So, communication appears to be the Aquiles problem of Airstar. Problems The first significant issue for Airstar is the threat of the changing environment. As Walmart founder Sam Walton said once that advantage competition is not just continue to develop but to stay ahead of competition and the learning curve of its environment (Walmart, Inc. , 2010). To continue to exist, the organization needs to not merely adjust to, but also to influence the changing environment, and in consequence, creating a company worth for its stakeholders. According to the case study, there is a major lack of leadership and coordination. The second significant issue for Airstar is that the current system is neither cooperative, nor strategic intent. Strategic intent means that â€Å"all the organization’s energies and resources are directed toward a focused, unifying, and compelling overall goal† (Daft, 2008, p. 60). It shows that the values established by the founder were never reviewed for the purpose of internal and external changes. The company vision and mission statement are worthless if there are not communicated throughout the various hierarchies of the company. Also, Airstar current system has shown overlap responsibilities between employees. Specific tasks should be assigned to employees that are better suited for these tasks. Another significant issue for Airstar is the instability of its external environment. This problem could provoke stressed employees and in consequence, a less effective performance (Rolfe, 2005). Managers should not only communicate effectively, but also listen to employees and be responsive of the way they experience different factors within the company. Such consideration will bring better management strategies not only in assigning the most appropriate duties, but also in managing the stress factor related to required structural adjusts. The last significant issue is the threat created by new competitors. Competitors, who are new to the market, will make every effort to follow solid business principles to attract value customers and gain market share. Airstar is no longer the sole service provider of its industry, and finds itself in an environment that is quickly changing. Here is where the mature organization comes to play. Airstar has been known for its safety, superior quality, and customer service. These are strengths that can be hard to conquest and could possibly allocate Airstar ahead of its competitors. Interventions Jim Robinson, vice president of manufacturing, pointed it out six principles that appear to focus on internal changes and could provide Airstar with a better position to handle external environmental changes and a stronger internal structure. First, formalization is lacking because of the long lifetime of the company without written rules and regulations. It is recommended that Airstar begins its internal renovation process by creating a list of recommended rules, regulations, and policies. Second, these initiatives are communicated in writing, so it can provide managers and employees with the opening to comment. Then, after being implemented in writings takes place, meetings could be held to discuss comments. Third, it is recommended that Airstar creates a mission statement, a number of goals for future that relate to it, and strategies to arrive at these goals. Then, after implementing the goals and tasks to achieve internal productivity, Mr. Morgan should assign appropriate personnel members to avoid the overlapping that has been occurred in the past. Furthermore, the external environment requires to be monitored on a frequent basis so that indispensable responses can be implemented in a timely manner. The monitoring procedure can also be allocated to specific personnel members, who should communicate with top managers via meetings. Fifth, the hierarchy of authority should be established and updated according to the variety of tasks and strategies within the company. As Robinson refers, Airstar’s internal structure should be kept to a minimum. It is a sound standard keeping the internal structure of the company as simple as possible in order to center on goals rather than on endeavoring to manage extensive personnel members and their many duties. Conclusion Airstar has proven to retain a quite considerable, although somewhat lesser, customer base. I believe the company has the potential to recover itself with internal structural changes, as recommended above. Mr. Morgan attitude is very optimistic towards implementing adjustments for the benefit of his company. His willingness to hire a consultant and put into operation suggestions shows that he is serious about fetching his company up to date with the external environment. However, it is important that Mr. Morgan and his entire management team do not make these decisions on an isolated foundation, but that employees should be incorporated in implementing some of the changes. References Daft, R. (2008), Organizational Theory and Design, 10th ed. Mason Ohio, South-Western Cengage Learning. Rolfe, Foreman and Tylee, 2005, Welfare or Farewell? Mental Health and Stress in the Work Place†, Issue 268. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete Walmart, Inc. (2010). Walmart Corporate. Retrieved November 16, 2011, from Walmart Annual Report: http://walmartstores. com/sites/annualreport/2010/

Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn Essay

Review: Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn Breathing UnderwaterBreathing Underwater by Alex Flinn is written as a series of journal entries. The journal is written by Nick as an assignment from the judge who also sends him to anger management after the girlfriend he beat up finally presses charges. The book was published in 2001, before the recent increase in dating violence novels, and it tells a story often overlooked, that of the abuser instead of the abused. It’s a delicate subject. And it tells a hard story. Because while Nick is (obviously) not without his faults, he most certainly has his good points as well. And as I read I found myself feeling†¦ not sympathetic, exactly, but definitely feeling something, more than I thought I would. Initially, Nick is angry at being forced into these group anger management classes and he hates the idea of having to keep a journal. He doesn’t think he has a problem, thinks he just needs to pretend to clean up a little so he can get Caitlin back, get the courts out of his face and everything can be perfect again. Because we are reading Nick’s journal, we are privy to his thoughts, his perceptions and misconceptions. But we are also able to read between the lines and recognize that we are missing things, both because Nick is leaving them out and because Nick simply doesn’t see them. The initial entries into the journal are very sarcastic and emotionless. It’s clear that Nick doesn’t want to be bothered with a journal and that he thinks it’s stupid. But as Nick’s story progresses, more and more emotions leak onto the pages until Nick is really keeping a journal and using it as a way to organize his thoughts and face up to painful memories and truths. This is a book with astounding character growth. We learn enough about Nick throughout the course of the story to know that his life is not as easy or golden as his school friends always believed it to be. And Caitlin knew this, which is perhaps the reason that she stayed with him for so long, forgave him so many times. But, even though Flinn offers up Nick’s back story, allowing us to get to know who he is and what life experiences have shaped him, she never excuses or justifies his behavior, and ultimately Nick is not allowed that either. The group anger management class ends up being the best thing that ever happened to Nick, both because of the sympathetic and understanding instructor, and because Nick can see himself in the actions of some of the other members of the class and he doesn’t like what he sees. For such self-assessment to come from a 16 year old who then takes it and applies it to making himself better is amazing. Nick really grows as a person and while I don’t think Caitlin should ever take him back, I also think that he would not easily allow himself to fall back into the patterns of an abusive relationship. He really gets it. This is a story that needed to be told and needs to be read by more people. I don’t think enough people know about this book and I don’t think it’s one that should be missed. It’s painfully hard to read at times. Nick doesn’t hide the nasty things he said to Caitlin, because in the beginning, he doesn’t think there is anything wrong with what he’s done. And then, as he begins to recognize what was wrong with his actions, he starts to expose more of his internal motivations for being so cruel and the thought to action correlation begins to make more sense. Flinn is brave for taking an oft told story and telling the unspoken side of things. It would be easy, in a novel about an abuser to make him either evil and terrible or to justify his behaviors to the point of absolution. But abuse is not a misunderstanding and it’s rarely so simple as to be the actions of the truly evil. And Flinn has captured that beautifully. Nick is human. He is flawed and over time, he begins to accept that and work toward a change. THIS is what Contemporary is all about. Finding these novels that capture a moment in the human experience and open your eyes to it, make you recognize it for what it is, make you learn and grow as a person and help to open windows of understanding into subjects otherwise closed to us. Every side has two stories and it is a brave writer who can so masterfully tell the unpopular one.

Economic Analysis of Burberry Essays

Economic Analysis of Burberry Essays Economic Analysis of Burberry Paper Economic Analysis of Burberry Paper 1. 0 Introduction There are tools and techniques that can help owners and managers make decisions. However these decisions are based on purely estimations where the costs and profits will come to a breakeven point. The common breakeven analysis is Cost-Volume-Profit Analysis. This analysis shows that how the cost and profit changes when the volume change. It analyses the effects on profits of changes in variable costs, fixed costs, selling prices, volume, and the products sold. However, there was a downside for this analysis which it only focuses on the breakeven point. In this paper, I mainly analyses Burberry’s performance and describing some of the companies’ background. Besides that, I also did some research on the structure and the competitiveness of the luxury fashion industry. Burberry had built their position in the market since 1856. Burberry Group is a British luxury fashion house, manufacturing clothing and fashion accessories. Its distinctive tartan pattern has become one of its most widely copied trademarks. The company has branded stores and franchises around the world, and also sells through concessions in third-party stores. It runs a catalogue business and has a fragrance line. 2. 0 Burberry Background The Burberry brand was well-known for the authentic British heritage, unique democratic positioning within the luxury arena. They are the largest retailer in United Kingdom. Their founding principles are quality, function and modern classic style. The trench coat, trademark check and Prosum horse logo are their globally recognized icon portfolio. By year 2000, Burberry operated 58 company-owned stores. 2. 1 History 154 years ago, a 21 years old draper’s apprentice, Thomas Burberry, opened a small outfitter’s shop in Basingstoke Hampshire, England. By year 1870, Burberry focused on the quality and innovation in fabric and outwear design which expanded the shop into an ‘emporium’. Ten years after that, they invented Gabardine. Gabardine is a breathable, weatherproof and ‘tearproof’ fabric. In 1891, Thomas Burberry Sons expanded their emporium in the West End of London at 30 Haymarket. They developed a predecessor of the trench coat, Tielocken, which was adopted by British officers during the Boer War in 1895. In 1904, the Burberry Equestrian Knight Logo was developed containing the Latin word â€Å"Prosum† meaning forwards and registered as a trademark. Burberry was then commissioned by the War Office to adapt its officer’s coat, to suit the conditions of British contemporary warfare, resulting in the modern day â€Å"trench coat†. In the 1920s, they added a lining to the trench coat, The Burberry Check, which was registered as a trademark of Burberry. In 1955, Burberry was awarded a Royal Warrant by Her majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the second Royal Warrant in 1989. With these reputation built, they became an international well-known luxury brand. 2. 2 Products Burberry has various kinds of products. All products are to do with fashion. The products they provide can be seen at the pyramid shown below. Burberry brand uniqueness is the patented Burberry Check. It is a combined red, black and white check pattern. It was created in 1924 and was used as lining for the trench coats. It was then used for other merchandise including handbags, umbrellas, and scarves. Other than the Burberry trademark check, their signature icons also includes trench coat inspired D-rings, quilting and the Prosum equestrian knight logo. The Ansoff Matrix Market Penetration Classic Garments for existing target market (Trench coats, outwear, etc. )Product Development Burberry Accessories . e. stadium hats, handbags, toys, fragrances, etc. Market Development Diffusion ranges in mid 1990s for wider audience (Younger Consumers) Diversification N/A 3. 0 Industry 3. 1 Luxury Industry Background Fashion is normally built up from the creativity aspects of people’s personality. This is an industry where people can express their full potential of their creativity which reflects ones persona. Fashion industry is too based on each country’s culture which gives the designers instinct and the uniqueness of the fashion. The United Kingdom (UK) fashion industry had given a great impact to the UK economy. The direct value of the UK fashion industry to the UK economy is around ? 21 billion which is equivalent to 1. 7% of the UK GDP. This direct impact includes manufacturing, wholesaling and retailing of a range of fashion goods. Purchasing from the textiles sector, advertising and public relations spending, the economic contribution of the fashion education and fashion media sectors also the direct impact of the UK fashion industry. One of the main influence is the Value Added Tax (VAT) paid by consumer while purchasing fashion items. It consists of ? 13. 2 billion from the ? 21 billion. As for the indirect and induced impact of the UK fashion industry is calculated as more than ? 16 billion. This impact relates to the spending in other industries, ranging from IT to tourism. The total contribution from the UK fashion industry is more than ? 37 billion. Logically, Burberry belongs to the fashion industry. However, theoretically, Burberrry belongs to a typical traditional luxury industry. Luxury goods are one of the few truly â€Å"global† brands that are able to gain from global efficiency in marketing and producing the product exactly the same in any market that they enter. In UK, this market had grown into a mature market. It is a market of the changing factors of demographics, consumer and fashion trends and the demands of new generation. Most of the apparel production of the players in the industry outsource to other countries. 2 of the main outsources are China and Hong Kong. However, UK has a host of other cost centers including Vietnam, Turkey and Bangladesh. 3. 2 Products in the industry There are various products in this industry. Infact, this is sort of like people’s daily needs. The following chart defines the luxury sector and the products produced in this industry. These product segments can be divided in geographical segments 3. 3 Industry Structure The competition in this industry is monopolistic competition. There are thousands of firms in this industry competing with each other. Examples of firms are, Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Gucci, Prada and etc. These are few of those well known luxury fashion brand. The nature their products are differentiated and they have their own uniqueness which makes them have the control over the price. 3. 3. 1 The Porter’s Five Forces Model This model can explain this industry in detail. Threats of New Entrants It is believed that new entrants will not really be a threat to the current established brands. However, new designers that start their own brand with the correct growth infrastructure, they can grow quickly. In this case, they can attract volatile middle market customers. But they normally cannot attract the stable HNWI customers. Competing with those well-developed companies they will need high capital for the latest technologies to keep their goods up to quality. Secondly, it is very difficult to estimate consumers’ tastes which also include their various profiles, and symbolic needs or expectations. Small firms do not only design, manufacture, and sell their products, they also interact with their customers and systematically segment their markets and channels of distribution. This will give the new entrants the advantage during the process of design, manufacture and sales. The reason being is they understand their consumers better and try their best to fulfill their needs. As for large firm, they will have trouble understanding their consumers because of the hierarchy in the firm. Bargaining power of Suppliers The bargaining power of suppliers supposable to be low because this market has not reach their consistency. It is different from the ordinary brand where consumers have their confidence on those brands. Luxury brands need to build their consumers’ confidence with marketing which will cost them a high budget. Bargaining power of Buyers The bargaining power of buyers is very high. The firms need to fulfill their consumers’ needs. If the consumer requires a product but the store, the store will need to call up some their branches in order to fulfill the consumers’ needs. Threat of Substitutes There are no substitute for the luxury fashion industry unless of not buying it. Luxury industry usually use their own branding to attract their consumers and keep their loyalty on the brand with their uniqueness. 3. 4 Industry Performance The luxury industry is growing extremely well throughout the years even during economic slowdown. In year 2009, the luxury goods retailers stand 23% of new store opening. According to a global real estate adviser, CB Richard Ellis (CBRE), luxury retailers operate in over 25 countries and 50 cities worldwide on average. Comparing that with the global top retailers, CB Richard Ellis had mapped 294 world’s top retailers across 69 countries which make the luxury retailers have the largest global presence of all retail sectors. Hong Kong is the most popular destination for luxury retailers. They attract 91% of luxury brands surveyed as part of the CBRE study. Followed by London (87%), Dubai (85%) and lastly in total eight of the top 15 luxury Asian cities including, Taipei, Beijing, Shanghai, and Singapore. In the United States, they spend around $324. 3 billion on apparel, accessories, and footwear in 2002 and increased by 2. 9% ($315. 3 billion) in 2001. The employment under this industry had decreased because most of the production had moved overseas for the reason of lower cost. The number of employment had dropped from 537, 000 in December 2001 to 507,000 in December 2002. 3. 5 Competitive Strategy used in Luxury Fashion Industry Luxury Conglomerates Being in the luxury industry, they can benefit from the integration in a luxury conglomerate. It is easier to have a much easier access to financial means and a solid business structure which can boost their development. The conglomerate can have the advantage of having cheaper cost of capital to finance their development. They also enjoy the bargaining power and lower operation costs. All new creators and designers will be desperate to go into the companies in this industry which help to keep their uniqueness. Designer brands With this strategy, they compete with their uniqueness of their products which makes them different from other brands. The main issue here is their designers’ creativity and research and development. Without research and development, they might not know what their environment want most. Besides that, a good marketing skill can go a long way. It depends on how the company wants to show their image with the public. Selecting the right market will be very important and can seriously affect their sales. Industrial brands By using this strategy, it is the build the brand strength by focusing on the business model that delivers on the brand promises and brand values. It is very important to give a clear message through good advertising. If the message is successfully send to the public, they can build their brand equity by extending their brand values through the entire business so that they can deliver on what they promise. Retailers The retailers base their business models around the strength of their stores. Their stores are all their consumers will lay eye on the goods and services. So, the companies must give the first best impression to their consumers. 4. 0 Burberry’s Performance Analysis The total revenue had been growing throughout the past five years. For the past year, the total revenue growth was ? 1, 202 million which is around 7% of the growth. However, the total revenue growth had a massive decline at 2009 compared to the past years. It can be seen at the KPI table the total revenue growth had dropped 61% from year 2008 and around 53% from 2007. It can be seen from the figure below that the major increase from the 7% total revenue growth, retail is the main income which is around 14%, 2% increase in wholesale, but 9% of licensing. Figure: Total Revenue growth divided by channels Most of the Burberry revenue came from Europe which is around 34% of the total revenue. The runner up is America (27%), Asia Pacific (21%), Spain (13%), and the rest of the world (5%). The emerging market China, Middle East, Russia and India contribute 9% of the sales. Burberry has been operating in these markets with their local partners who can provide esources and knowledge to help Burberry increase their sales in each region. Since these regions had provided quite an amount of sales through wholesales and retails, they had been expanding their stores. The following figure can show the number of stores they opened in different regions. By year 2009, they already open 91 stores in the emerging markets. Overall, Burberry had opened 419 stores in the world which is an increase of over 50 stores in 2009 compared 2008. These stores include a net of 22 more mainline, 22 more concessions where majority of the mainline is in Americas and Middle East. As for the revenue from the product segments, womenswear gain the most revenue compared to other products. They gain around 37% of the total revenue. Coming up is non-apparel (33%), menswear (26%), and childrenswear or others which is around 4% of the total revenue. the revenue from the non-apparel segment is around ? 366 million which is 12% more than year 2008. Non-apparel accounted for 33% of retail and wholesale revenue, compared to 32% last year. The above figure is the financial review of Burberry comparing year 2008 and 2009. It can be seen above that even though the total revenue but profit had dropped massively. This is caused by the costs of restructuring, impairment changes, negative goodwill credit on the formation of the Burberry Middle East joint venture, impact of one-off tax credits, relocation of global headquarters and group’s infrastructure redesign initiative. These costs had increased from ? 4. 5million to ? 190. 7million which made their profit from positive to negative. This cost had rose 102% compared to 2008. The following is the summary of the costs and the amount of each cost. Costs included in the costs above: Restructuring charge – Cost efficiency program including redundancy and other direct costs with the balance being asset write-offs and provisions. Goodwill impairment charge – reflects on the increasingly challenging economic environment in the market. Store impairment and onerous lease provisions – half of the cost is split in Europe and half in the United States Negative goodwill – it is the cost from the formation of the joint venture in Middle East Relocation of headquarters – the deterioration in the London commercial property market during the last year. About 70% of these charges are non-cash items, except for part of the restructuring charge and onerous lease provisions. Besides that, there is a decline on the operating profit which is caused by the massive increase on the cost of sales and a little effect on the increase on operating expenses in 2009. This is probably caused by the 2008 economic crisis. A terrible recession happened during 2008 which causes them whole lot more of costs and expense which will decrease their profit or even making a loss. The cost of sales had increased around ? 200million in a year. 5. 0 Shareholders’ Wealth The adjusted diluted EPS declined 4% (30. 2 pence) in 2009. This is due to the decline in profit caused by a lower tax rate. The reason being is probably caused by the 2008 economic crisis. Burberry put their concentration on the Total Shareholder Return where it measures the growth in value of a shareholding assuming dividends are reinvested to purchase additional units of stock. There are a few elements to measure the remuneration. These elements represent the total potential of the remuneration. Those elements are base salary, the annual bonus, benefits and service agreements. 5. Sustainability of shareholders’ return Despite the decline of profit in year 2009, Burberry’s profit had been growing throughout the years. The reason that 2009’s profit had decline is mainly because of the recession had affected their costs. It is quite sustainable that the profit had been quite constant. The sustainability can be attained by looking at the corporate responsibility. Corporate Responsibility Burberry had been serving the highest quality standards since 1856. They did a very well job on building their brand image and bringing the operational excellence to the luxury products. The following is the results from 2009. Clear Management Burberry has a clear management. Every year they have 3 meetings. The Group employs a Corporate Responsibility team of nine people which will manage the supply chain, environmental and community management and draws on external independent advice. Besides that, the executive management will review on the Environment, Ethical Trading, Employee Volunteering and Exotic Materials Policies. Healthy Business Partnerships Burberry believes in healthy business ethics. They believe that employing local labour and environmental laws with a safe and hygienic environment. They also have a policy based on ethical trading with internationally accepted codes. -There are 487 factory visits to assure compliance with the Burberry ethical trading policy. -Engagement of active member of three BSR working groups -25 key suppliers took part in long term capacity building programs focused on training for productivity, human resource management systems and better communication -Roll out of the Burberry confidential worker hotline in its suppliers’ factories. -New suppliers are approved by the CR team prior to working with Burberry Environment care Burberry has the largest environmental impact areas include carbon emissions (linked to energy use, travel and distribution network) solid waste and the use of bulk materials -Burberry lauched a packaging project to reduce the amount of transit packaging used -Relocated to new Corporate headquarters designed with energy-saving features, reduced cleaning chemicals, and more recycled stationery contents -Installation of energy-saving compressors -Waste reduction -Launched a sea vs air shipping initiative which resulted in significant savings and reduced environmental impacts Organization Development This includes attracting and retaining talented employees and customers which give the best results for the organization. -E-recruitment website and corporate intern program -Talent review, development program, and evolving the organization with strategic themes -New global headquarters, Horseferry House, provides a safe efficient and responsible working environment for employees and visitors -Piloted global education and training program designed for and delivered to all retail staff to ensure that the customer experience is in line with Burberry’s brand standards and Burberry’s luxury positioning Health and safety By retaining talented employees, Burberry will ensure a fully healthy and safe environment for them. Products and supply chain standards Burberry has strived to achieve the highest quality standards in all components and stages of its supply chain process since 1856 -More efficient with the use of raw materials -Usage of SAGA furs in Finland rather than natural hides -Issues licenses to ensure no harmful chemicals are used or contained within Burberry products Contributing to society Burberry had been practicing the give corporate sponsorship worldwide which includes cash and product donations. Supports on London, New York City, and Hong Kong to identifies unique local challenges to successful youth development and supports charities with proven programs to address them -Burberry’s employees serve as mentors to young people and volunteer for a range of programs -2008 Christmas Coat Donation saw more than 500 coats distributed in London, New York City, Hong Kong, and Seoul acro ss 12 different charities, ensuring that the coats went to job training students in time to help them begin their job search with confidence -Redundant office furniture and equipment from Burberry’s old offices were made available to the Foundation supported charities for their offices and programs 5. 2 Risk volatility By looking at the risk, it can give shareholders value. This analysis can be integrated by the evaluation of strategy. Burberry is challenging with five key strategic themes. They are: Leveraging the franchise -Maintaining brand momentum -Reinforcing outerwear heritage and leadership -Further reshaping the product pyramid -Capitalizing on menswear opportunity -Building childrenswear -Enhancing marketing -Optimizing licensing Intensifying non-apparel development -Further growth in division of product: oHandbags oShoes oMen’s non-apparel -Continue receiving marketing and PR focus via prominence on the runway, editorial priority and heightened presence in global advertising -Initiated its partnership buy model for non-apparel with the Autumn/Winter 2009 season -Japanese non-apparel joint venture Accelerating retail-led growth -Reorientating design and merchandising toward more disciplined, style-efficient and balanced collections -Increasing the frequency of new goods flowing to stores -Developing a more extensive and responsive replenishment program in all product divisions, while evolving in-store visual merchandising and processes to support -Enhancing store productivity -Accelerating new store openings -Continuing e-commerce development -Upgrading store image Investing in under-penetrated markets -Increase market share in America -Entered joint venture with Middle East and opened four stores in 2009 Pursuing operational excellence Announced global cost efficiency program in January 2009 -Global IT program implementation based on SAP technology in Hong Kong and United States Looking at the strategy and past years profits, Burberry’s risk volatility is quite low. 6. 0 Cost-volume-profit analysis (CVP Analysis) Assumption: -Only apply to one product -Fixed costs same in total and unit variable costs same at all levels of output -Sales prices constant at all levels of activity -Production equals to sales -All amount taken from 2008 is from the sale from one product -Volume sold in 2008 is 6million units -Net operating expenses and cost of sales are variable costs Sales at 6 million units Total Revenue = ? 1279. 90million Total Fixed Cost = ? 150. 40million Net Operating Expenses = ? 416. 0million Cost of sales = ? 475. 90million Variable cost = ? 591. 9million 7. 0 Conclusion Burberry has its own uniqueness which a lot people will not just simply change their taste to other brands. This is one main reason that the revenues of Burberry kept on rising and also they kept their position in the market. However, if Burberry wants to keep their position in the market, they have to continue designing and express their creativity. Without this, consumers will sooner or later get tired of their old products and hence the sales will drop. Same to the competitor in this luxury fashion industry. Besides that, good marketing can go a long way. With the right marketing, sending the right message to the right market, Burberry can save a lot of money and yet increase a lot of sales. References: ACCA – Strategic Business Planning and Development 2005/06, FTC Foulks Lynch. Burberry 2009 Annual Report Burberry Investors Official Website: burberryplc. com Casciato, P. 2010, Fashion worth more than $30 billion to UK economy, Reuters, cited at 24 October 2010, available at: reuters. com/article/idUSTRE68F3UX20100916 CIMA Managerial Paper P2 – Management Accounting – Decision Magement, 2010, BPP Learning Media, London. Fashion History Industry Analysis, 2009, Eurbanista, cited at 28 October 2010, available at: eurbanista. com/introduction-to-fashion-history-industry-analysis/ Nguyen, V. , Analysis of the Luxury Goods Apparel and Footwear Industries, cited at 28 October 2010, available at: uwlax. edu/urc/JUR-online/PDF/2004/nguyen. pdf Sloman, J. 2006, Economics, 6th edn, Pearson Education Limited, England. Smith, J. 2008, Worldwide luxury goods market growth projected to slow substantially by end of year and head into recession in 2009, according Bain Co study, Business Intelligence Middle East, cited at 27 October 2010, available at: bi-me. com/main. php? d=28646t=1c=3cg=2 Strategic Analysis – Luxury Goods Industry Analysis, 2009, Thinking Made Easy, cited at 26 October 2010, Available at: http://ivythesis. typepad. com/term_paper_topics/2009/05/strategic-analysisluxury-goods-industry-analysis. html Welch, P. J Welch G. F. , 2010, Economics Theory Practice, 9th edn, John Wiley Sons , Inc, United States of America. Worldwide luxury goods market growth projected to slow substantially by end of year and head into recession in 2009, Bain Company, cited at 26 October 2010, available at: bain. com/bainweb/about/press_release_detail. asp? id=26657menu_url=for_the_media. asp

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