Friday, May 31, 2019

Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sports Essay -- Steroids Drugs Sport At

Performance Enhancing Drugs in SportsWhen involved in sports, you have to be competitive. You need to win more than anybody else. However, athletes atomic number 18 taking gentle to the extreme.As the drop of surgical procedure enhancing drugs is becoming more popular amongst athletes, many of them do non understand the risks involved in taking these drugs. Many people are looking for a quick way to build muscles, or to get stronger the fastest way possible. Using these performance aids may really closely be a quick fix for many athletes, that taking the drugs is unethical and dangerous. Using special drugs to boost an athletes performance is contaminating to sports and to the athlete, but after they stop using the drugs and lose some strength, you become trapped in the steroid cycle. Steroids were developed in Europe some 1930 to make do undernourished and healing patients after surgery. Steroids are a synthetic version of the human hormone called testosterone. It stimu lates development of bones and muscles. Competitive weightlifters began using these steroids more or less the fifties as a way to increase their athletic performance and gain an upper hand on the rest of their competitors. After its initial use in bodybuilding, the drug spread like fire through the rest of the sports world, ranging from sports in high school to professional athlete in the Olympic Games. Steroids may be presumen by injection or orally.Steroids shag be divided into two types anabolic and androgenic, but the distinction in some shipway is artificial. anabolic steroids mainly affect the metabolism, immunity and muscle, while androgenic steroids have strong masculinisation effects on women and sometimes feminisation on men. Athletes should not take steroids or supplements as they can lead to addiction and severe health problems and other side effects. Some of the health problems include sterility, heart or colorful disease, kidney damage, coronary artery disease, h igh blood pressure and cancer in males and females. Other common side effects are increased aggressiveness and paranoia. The listing can go on and on. Female exploiters face even more problems than male users. In females, many physical changes may occur much(prenominal) as appendage of facial and body hair, deepening of the voice, diminished breasts, and abnormal menstrual cycles. If taken by to early, anabolic steroids may stunt growth, by fusing the growth plates. ... ...ce today, but the laws against steroids should be enforced more often. While users believe it is their decision to use drugs to gain strength, their friends and family will have to deal with the consequences as well as the user because of the side effects and possible death of the user. A person can use steroids just one time, but that one time can wipe out him twenty years down the road.ReferencesAmerican Fitness Magazine. (2004, September/October). Out of Control. Retrieved February 10, 2005, from EBSCOho st database. Journal articleLeshner, A.I. (n.d.) Anabolic Steroid Abuse, National Institute on Drug Abuse. http//www.drugabuse.gov/ResearchReports/Steroids/Anabolicsteroids.html OnlineMishra, R. (June 1, 1995). Steroids and Sports be a Losing Combination, US Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved February 10, 2005, from http//www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/CONSUMER/CON00107.html OnlineNational Institute on Drug Abuse. Anabolic Steroid Abuse. (n.d.). Retrieved February 10, 2005 from http//www.steroidabuse.org OnlineSteroids. http//www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/drugfact/steroids/index.html OnlineSteroids. Britannica Online Encyclopaedia Online Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sports search -- Steroids Drugs Sport AtPerformance Enhancing Drugs in SportsWhen involved in sports, you have to be competitive. You need to win more than anybody else. However, athletes are taking winning to the extreme.As the use of performance enhancing drugs is becoming more popular amongst athletes, many of them do not understand the risks involved in taking these drugs. Many people are looking for a quick way to build muscles, or to get stronger the fastest way possible. Using these performance aids may very well be a quick fix for many athletes, but taking the drugs is unethical and dangerous. Using special drugs to boost an athletes performance is degrading to sports and to the athlete, but after they stop using the drugs and lose some strength, you become trapped in the steroid cycle. Steroids were developed in Europe around 1930 to treat undernourished and healing patients after surgery. Steroids are a synthetic version of the human hormone called testosterone. It stimulates development of bones and muscles. Competitive weightlifters began using these steroids around the 1950s as a way to increase their athletic performance and gain an upper hand on the rest of their competitors. After its initial use in bodybuilding, the drug spread like fire through the rest of the spor ts world, ranging from sports in high school to professional athlete in the Olympic Games. Steroids may be taken by injection or orally.Steroids can be divided into two types anabolic and androgenic, but the distinction in some ways is artificial. Anabolic steroids mainly affect the metabolism, immunity and muscle, while androgenic steroids have strong masculinisation effects on women and sometimes feminisation on men. Athletes should not take steroids or supplements as they can lead to addiction and severe health problems and other side effects. Some of the health problems include sterility, heart or liver disease, kidney damage, coronary artery disease, high blood pressure and cancer in males and females. Other common side effects are increased aggressiveness and paranoia. The list can go on and on. Female users face even more problems than male users. In females, many physical changes may occur such as growth of facial and body hair, deepening of the voice, diminished breasts, an d abnormal menstrual cycles. If taken by to early, anabolic steroids may stunt growth, by fusing the growth plates. ... ...ce today, but the laws against steroids should be enforced more often. While users believe it is their decision to use drugs to gain strength, their friends and family will have to deal with the consequences as well as the user because of the side effects and possible death of the user. A person can use steroids just one time, but that one time can kill him twenty years down the road.ReferencesAmerican Fitness Magazine. (2004, September/October). Out of Control. Retrieved February 10, 2005, from EBSCOhost database. Journal articleLeshner, A.I. (n.d.) Anabolic Steroid Abuse, National Institute on Drug Abuse. http//www.drugabuse.gov/ResearchReports/Steroids/Anabolicsteroids.html OnlineMishra, R. (June 1, 1995). Steroids and Sports Are a Losing Combination, US Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved February 10, 2005, from http//www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/CONSUMER/CON 00107.html OnlineNational Institute on Drug Abuse. Anabolic Steroid Abuse. (n.d.). Retrieved February 10, 2005 from http//www.steroidabuse.org OnlineSteroids. http//www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/drugfact/steroids/index.html OnlineSteroids. Britannica Online Encyclopaedia Online

Thursday, May 30, 2019

Review of Sublime video :: essays research papers

The music flick that I chose to write my paper on, is called " learnRape" and it is performed by Sublime. Ive seen the depictionplenty of times and I taped it back in 1993 when I front gottheir album 40 oz. to Freedom. The song is some a earthly concernthat picks up a lady in a bar and rapes her. He winds up dismission to court and the judge finds that, "he was bounteous of shit,and he gave him twenty-five years." Then it talks about the worldly concern going to jail and even acquiring " butt joint raped by a swelledinmate." The motion picture is much like a movie in the way that it isdisplayed. As the song goes on and on the videoaccompanies the lyrics by showing what the man lookedlike (which in the song was with "a double chin and aplastic smile"). At the beginning, the video shows the mango into the bar and getting the attention of the lady. Heconvinces her to take a ride in his van and forces her tosuccumb to his will by saying, "if it wasnt for troth rape Idnever get laid." afterwards he is finished he lets her out and shefiles a police report and then "she took the guys ass tocourt." She goes to court and suffering and behold, the judge isthe great Ron Jeremy (of porn fame). Ron sentences theman to twenty-five years of imprisonment and later it showsa depiction of the guy being raped in prison. The video saysa great deal for women and real won a couple ofawards for their "anti-rape message." Although Sublimeslead singer, Brad, claims that it was just a song he wrotewhen he was high, it received a rather large acceptance bymany womens groups. The video sends this message outto the viewer as well. Any man that will rape a woman willalmost unquestionably hate getting butt slammed in jail by a largeReview of Sublime video essays research papers The musicvideo that I chose to write my paper on, is called "DateRape" and it is performed by Sublime. Ive seen the videoplenty of times and I taped it back in 1993 when I first gottheir album 40 oz. to Freedom. The song is about a manthat picks up a lady in a bar and rapes her. He winds upgoing to court and the judge finds that, "he was full of shit,and he gave him twenty-five years." Then it talks about theman going to jail and even getting "butt raped by a largeinmate." The video is much like a movie in the way that it isdisplayed. As the song goes on and on the videoaccompanies the lyrics by showing what the man lookedlike (which in the song was with "a double chin and aplastic smile"). At the beginning, the video shows the mango into the bar and getting the attention of the lady. Heconvinces her to take a ride in his van and forces her tosuccumb to his will by saying, "if it wasnt for date rape Idnever get laid." After he is finished he lets her out and shefiles a police report and then "she took the guys ass tocourt." She goes to court and low and behold, the judge isthe great Ron Jeremy (of porn fame). Ron sentences theman to twenty-five years of imprisonment and later it showsa depiction of the guy being raped in prison. The video saysa great deal for women and actually won a couple ofawards for their "anti-rape message." Although Sublimeslead singer, Brad, claims that it was just a song he wrotewhen he was high, it received a rather large acceptance bymany womens groups. The video sends this message outto the viewer as well. Any man that will rape a woman willalmost definitely hate getting butt slammed in jail by a large

Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Acid Rain 4 :: essays research papers

The Acid Rain PainWith scientists and so-called experts on the environment disagreeing on so many a(prenominal) issues, it is unclouded for the public to be lost in the fray of what is truth and what is media hype. Though the term acid rain has been present in our society since the early 1970s, many people are non exactly clear on what it is what causes it, and the detrimental effects acid rain has on our environment. More confusing than all of the facts and scientific theories surrounding acid rain is the development of a suitable solution to reduce air pollution, which in turn leads to acid rain. Many experts do not agree that acid rain has in fact been caused by man made pollution because of the fact that rain is naturally acidic. This widespread disagreement slow down international action to reduce pollution for some time. However, with the coming of the 1970s an awareness of acid rain spread, and with that awareness, possible solutions were proposed. These solutions involv ed making environmental changes on the international, industrial, and personal levels.Just how does acid rain form, and what consequences does it pose to our environment? There are numerous theories as to the cause of acid rain. However, the most prevalent is the theory that electric generating plants, heating plants, and other industrial plants have been emitting an excess amount of sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) into the atmosphere. Once these chemicals are in the air, they fight down with water to form acids and fall back to the earth as precipitation. People who believe acid rain is a natural phenomenon do so because of the fact that carbon dioxide in the air combines with water vapor and produces carbonic acid (Bolch 95). There are several environmental risks that come with acid rain. One of these is the acidification of lakes, resulting in the lakes inability to sustain the aquatic life. In fact, Norway reported that 18,000 out of 85,00 0 of their lakes were acidified, and more than half of their fish population has disappeared (Brunee 23). Ground water can also hold up more acidic because of the way acid rain depletes the natural buffer system of the soil. Studies done in the early 70s indicate ample damage done to the forests, especially in Eastern Europe and in Germany. A sort of tree disease has been destroying a large percentage of the cone-bearing trees.

The Post-Industrialism Era Essay -- Globalization

The date of post-industrialism refers to a period of change where a society advances from a manufacturing base, to a society reliant on knowledge, services, and research. What emerges from the remain of the industrial society is a society based around services, contracts, precariousness, segmentation, and insecurity, and so on Divided are the prospects for this globalized, post-industrial society. People question who will emolument from this new era of globalization. Some view the post-industrial era as one that offers opportunities for the well-educated, creative, and young professional slice others view it as an era involving less security, profession deskilling and high levels of diversity (Krahn, Lowe, Hughes, 2008). If one of the main consequences of post-industrialism is a widening gap between the haves and the have nots then who are those who make up these two diaphanous groups? The re-organization of work in the 21st century marks a shift from manufacturing to services. By 2004, 74 percentage of employed Canadians held service-sector jobs, 21 percent in the petty(a) sector, and 5 percent in the primary industries (Krahn, Lowe, Hughes, 2008 Bowlby 2000). We can divide these service jobs into two distinct groups, upper-tier jobs and lower-tier jobs. The upper-tier jobs are referred to as the good jobs while the lower-tier jobs can be considered the bad jobs. Dominating the lower-tier are women, youth, immigrants, and those with less than a high-school diploma. Jobs in this tier include retail, hospitality, customer service jobs such as holler centres and help desks, janitorial work, etc. Many of these jobs are part-time, temporary or contractual, therefore preventing workers from obtaining the same benefits that many o... ...e potential for a highly fragmented and highly unequalized job merchandise or one that embraces the changes listed above and works towards better unity amongst workers, unions, and government.Works CitedKrah n, Lowe, Hughes (2008) Work, Industry, & Canadian Society. (5th ed.) Toronto, ON Nelson Education Ltd.Athabasca University (2010) Sociology 321 Reading File. Athabasca, AB Athabasca UniversityCritoph, U (2010) Sociology 321 Study Guide. (Revised edition). Athabasca, AB Athabasca UniversityKrahn, H (1991) Non-Standard Work Arrangements. (Vol.3,No. 4) Statistics Canada, Catalogue 75-001E) Lowe, G. (1998) The future of Work Implications for Unions. (Vol. 53, No.2) Montreal, Quebec. Retrieved May 2012 from http//id.erudit.org/iderudit/005291arBetcherman, G. Lowe, G.(1997) The future of work in Canada A Synthesis Report. Ottawa ON CPRN Inc. The Post-Industrialism Era Essay -- Globalization The era of post-industrialism refers to a period of change where a society advances from a manufacturing base, to a society reliant on knowledge, services, and research. What emerges from the remains of the industrial society is a society based around services, contracts, preca riousness, segmentation, and insecurity, etc. Divided are the prospects for this globalized, post-industrial society. People question who will benefit from this new era of globalization. Some view the post-industrial era as one that offers opportunities for the well-educated, creative, and young professional while others view it as an era involving less security, job deskilling and high levels of inequality (Krahn, Lowe, Hughes, 2008). If one of the main consequences of post-industrialism is a widening gap between the haves and the have nots then who are those who make up these two distinct groups? The re-organization of work in the 21st century marks a shift from manufacturing to services. By 2004, 74 percent of employed Canadians held service-sector jobs, 21 percent in the secondary sector, and 5 percent in the primary industries (Krahn, Lowe, Hughes, 2008 Bowlby 2000). We can divide these service jobs into two distinct groups, upper-tier jobs and lower-tier jobs. The upp er-tier jobs are referred to as the good jobs while the lower-tier jobs can be considered the bad jobs. Dominating the lower-tier are women, youth, immigrants, and those with less than a high-school diploma. Jobs in this tier include retail, hospitality, customer service jobs such as call centres and help desks, janitorial work, etc. Many of these jobs are part-time, temporary or contractual, therefore preventing workers from obtaining the same benefits that many o... ...e potential for a highly fragmented and highly unequal job market or one that embraces the changes listed above and works towards better unity amongst workers, unions, and government.Works CitedKrahn, Lowe, Hughes (2008) Work, Industry, & Canadian Society. (5th ed.) Toronto, ON Nelson Education Ltd.Athabasca University (2010) Sociology 321 Reading File. Athabasca, AB Athabasca UniversityCritoph, U (2010) Sociology 321 Study Guide. (Revised edition). Athabasca, AB Athabasca UniversityKrahn, H (1991) Non-Standa rd Work Arrangements. (Vol.3,No. 4) Statistics Canada, Catalogue 75-001E) Lowe, G. (1998) The future of Work Implications for Unions. (Vol. 53, No.2) Montreal, Quebec. Retrieved May 2012 from http//id.erudit.org/iderudit/005291arBetcherman, G. Lowe, G.(1997) The future of work in Canada A Synthesis Report. Ottawa ON CPRN Inc.

Tuesday, May 28, 2019

College Athletes Should Not Be Paid Essay -- It’s Not Time to Pay Stud

Waking up before the sunrise is a daily routine. Early morning film sessions, class, then practice, which dominates the day. There are few moments in between for food and socializing, but the life of a student athlete is anything but ordinary. Sleep, eat, practice and school are all an athlete knows, and with the pressures of campus life it becomes compensate more difficult. No time for much of anything, let alone getting a job. Like most students, these athletes require money, but do not have a spare moment to work. Without any source of income, athletes are put at a major disadvantage. Their regular job is athletics, in addition to rigorous college-level courses. The possibility of becoming a professional athlete and devising millions becomes very appealing. This course of action leads to student athletes making money illegally, dropping out of school, or leaving school early without a degree in an often futile attempt to play at the professional level. Waking up b efore the sun is a daily routine. Early morning film sessions, class then practice, which dominates the day. There are a few moments in between for food and socializing, but the life of an athlete is anything but ordinary. Sleep, eat, practice and school are all an athlete knows, and with the pressures of campus life it becomes even more difficult. No time for much of anything, let alone getting a job. However, now that student athletes are compensated, they no longer need to devil about money. They can fully focus on school and sport. They can achieve success in both areas without worrying about money. Graduation order are higher, academic grades are higher. Later in life, players more successful in their respective professional fields because of the ma... ...ommentary Should NCAA should get rid of Amateurism for its Athletics. Morning variance (NPR). 07 May 2013. Points of View. Ebscohost. 05 Jan. 2015. Greenlee, Craig T. College Athletes deserve some equity. Black Issues in Higher Education. 27 Apr 2014. 62 (1). Elibrary. 05 Jan. 2015. Jackson, Derrick. Op-ed Its Time to Pay Student Athlete. Interview with Lynn Nery. NPR Talk ok the Nation. 06 June 2013. Elibrary. 05 Jan. 2015. King, Bill. The Junkyard Blawg Play for Pay? The Atlanta Journal and Constitution. 03 May 2012. Elibrary. 05 Jan. 2015. Maisel, Ivan. Dont expect athletes to be paid anytime soon. Sporting News 10 Oct. 2014. 52 (1). Elibrary. 05 Jan. 2015.

College Athletes Should Not Be Paid Essay -- It’s Not Time to Pay Stud

Waking up before the sunrise is a daily routine. Early morning video sessions, class, then practice, which dominates the day. There be few moments in between for food and socializing, but the carriage of a student athlete is anything but ordinary. Sleep, eat, practice and tutor are all an athlete knows, and with the pressures of campus life it becomes even more difficult. No time for much of anything, let alone getting a job. Like most(prenominal) students, these athletes contain money, but do not have a spare moment to work. Without any source of income, athletes are put at a major disadvantage. Their full-time job is athletics, in addition to rigorous college-level courses. The possibility of becoming a professional athlete and making millions becomes very appealing. This course of action leads to student athletes making money illegally, dropping out of school, or leaving school early without a degree in an often futile attempt to consort at the professional leve l. Waking up before the sun is a daily routine. Early morning film sessions, class then practice, which dominates the day. There are a few moments in between for food and socializing, but the life of an athlete is anything but ordinary. Sleep, eat, practice and school are all an athlete knows, and with the pressures of campus life it becomes even more difficult. No time for much of anything, let alone getting a job. However, now that student athletes are compensated, they no longer need to worry about money. They can fully focus on school and sport. They can achieve success in both areas without worrying about money. commencement rates are higher, academic grades are higher. Later in life, players more successful in their respective professional fields because of the ma... ...ommentary Should NCAA should get rid of Amateurism for its Athletics. good morning Edition (NPR). 07 May 2013. Points of View. Ebscohost. 05 Jan. 2015. Greenlee, Craig T. College Athletes de serve some equity. Black Issues in Higher Education. 27 Apr 2014. 62 (1). Elibrary. 05 Jan. 2015. Jackson, Derrick. Op-ed Its Time to Pay Student Athlete. Interview with Lynn Nery. NPR trounce ok the Nation. 06 June 2013. Elibrary. 05 Jan. 2015. King, Bill. The Junkyard Blawg Play for Pay? The Atlanta Journal and Constitution. 03 May 2012. Elibrary. 05 Jan. 2015. Maisel, Ivan. Dont expect athletes to be paid anytime soon. Sporting News 10 Oct. 2014. 52 (1). Elibrary. 05 Jan. 2015.

Monday, May 27, 2019

The Spirit of Public Administration by H George Frederickson

H. George Fredericksons The liven of Public Administration is an informative yet drab look at motivating habitual administrators. Frederickson discusses a wide variety of topics that would be useful to any public administrator, hardly the verbiage used is a bit severe for an individual that whitethorn be entering into the service field The Spirit of Public Administration is broken down into three parts. These parts are graphic symbol I Governance, Politics, and the PublicPart III Ethics, Citizenship, and Benevolence in Public AdministrationFrederickson did take the initiative to explain public presidential term and nigh of its departs in front going in-depth on different facets of the role. Some great topics discussed were governance, fairness and cordial equity, and ethics and public administration.Frederickson begins in Chapter 1 by explaining that public administration is two a profession and field of study (p. 19). This statement is very exact. Often times public adminis trators focus on the profession and do not hold studying their role in society. The word administration is the subject of extended study, analysis, and discourse (p. 19). Meaning the role of the public administrator is to lead along with knowledge as they progress through their careers. Also, in the chapter, Frederickson addresses ways in which to encourage citizen involvement in government. Frederickson acknowledges Benjamin Barber, Strong Democracy Participatory Politics for a New Age, 11-point suggestion in achieving the goal2. Television town meetings and a civic communications cooperative3. Civic education and equal access to entropy a civic education postal act and a civic videotext service.4. Supplementary institutions, including representative town meetings, office holding by lot, decriminalization, and lay nicety5. A national initiative and referendum process7. Election by slot sortition and rotation8. Vouchers and the market approach to public choice9. National citizen ship and commonality action universal citizen service and related volunteer programs and training and employment opportunities10. Neighborhood citizenship and common action extensive volunteerism and sweat-equityFrederickson evaluates that some of these suggestions may be impractical. As an african-american citizen, all of the suggestions seemed impractical. Often times, minority populations do not have the time to participate in meetings and volunteerism. A more effective way may be informative newsletters that provide alternate solutions that are not as time consuming.Chapter 2 and 3 discusses the political aspect of public administration and governance. In Chapter2, Frederickson discusses the theory on which his book is based upon, the Hamiltonian tradition. This chapter makes valid points in how weighty it is for administrators to be versed in politics. Administrators are not delegated power through the U.S. Constitution, but state constitutions are political processes allow f or administrators to be more involved in government. Through this decisive tool, administrators are able to profoundly assist the public. later addressing the political aspect, Frederickson makes a smooth transition in Chapter 3 to discuss governance. Frederickson points out that there are several different definitions in defining governance. Frederickson makes a profound remark by stating, it is likely that governance is the preferred modern theory that attempts to marry politics to administration (p. 92). Frederickson also list five vital points pertaining to governance (p.92)2. Governance is a remarkable fusion of popular literature on government reform, popular executive politics, serious empirical scholarship, and modern public administration theory.3. Public administration as governance has a better windup than pitch.4. The use of governance as a surrogate for public administration masks the fundamental issue of what ought to be the role of non-elected public officials in a d emocratic partyThere must always be boundaries set betwixt governing and governance. In public administration as governance, it is essential that we do not diminish our institutions to such an extent that we lose our capacity to support the evolution of sound public policy, as well as our ability to effectively implement that policy (p.94).Chapter 4 begins Part II a very important aspect of Public Administration, Issues of Fairness. During Chapter 4, Frederickson utilizes different philosophers to express how discretion is part of government and non-profit organizational life. To further reiterate the importance of this topic, Frederickson discusses in Chapter 5 the specifics of fairness and social equity in the theory and practice of public administration. Frederickson reviews theoretical, legal, and analytical developments of the past twenty years as it pertains to fairness and social equity. These two chapters were crucial in actually focusing on the spirit of public administra tion due to the increased amount of fraud and lack of faith citizens have for government. Chapter 4 and 5 validates intergenerational concepts of public administration that are discussed in Chapter 6.The success of public administrators is based on rising generations. Frederickson believes moral and ethical responsibility should be extended to future generations. As he states, philosophy and the practical affairs of people is to practice fairness, justice and equity.There can be no moral community without some agreed upon arrangements for all three (p.150). Morality in government has been extended from generation to generation. Government has tried to fix moral wrongs through creating the public drill system to provide education for all, the abolition of slavery, and constantly raising concerns of ecology for future generations.Following the logic of the command theory of social equity, public officials should judge to adopt and implement policies that support intergenerational s ocial equity (p.151). For example, Garrett Hardin (1980) addressed problems of overpopulation. Because of this concern for upcoming generations, contraceptives and education have been provided to all classes to preserve the nation economy, which allows society to check or improve its current condition. Privatization has also been a concern addressed for future generations. Frederickson expresses, government through public policy must intervene in the private market to regulate in favor of future generations (p.153). Just as government and administrators have done in the past, regulating private companies impart protect the interest of the public while allowing government to continue generating revenue for future generations.Chapters 7 through 11 compose Part III of The Spirit of Public Administration. Part III discusses Ethics, Citizenship, and Benevolence in Public Administration. Chapter 7 discusses very controversial issues on ethics in public administration. The chapter effect ively begins by discussing how government reform of the early 20th Century has affected American government today and that the current practices of ethic reform will have the said(prenominal) lasting effect. In early government..Increasing administrative capacity and decreasing politics reduced corruption.In the present case, we are moving in the paired direction, reducing administrative capacity and increasing political control, with the probability that more rather than less corruption will result (p.181). A point that Frederickson give tongue to was that today, government provides more controls on political corruption than in the past (p.181). Based on recent events that continuously occur, i.e. embezzlement, fraud, that statement may have been about skewed.Frederickson validates the statement by addressing innovative tasks that are or should be followed in ethics research agenda1. Standards of right and wrong vary significantly from consideration to context.2. Researchers s hould compare ethical standards and behavior between settings, professions, and cultures.3. Researchers should assess the effect on the behavior of government officials, both political and administrative of traditional procedural and managerial controls compared with modern approaches.5. Assess the influence of privatization on governmental corruption and ethics6. Measure the effects of reduced administrative discretion on both administrative effectiveness and ethics.Chapters 8 through 11 focused on boundaries and roles that the public administrator should adhere to and how negative views of government effect administrators in a corroboratory and negative light. These chapters seem to become redundant and uninformative because they seem to focus more on a national level than local and most administrators function at a state or local capacity. In Chapter 8 Frederickson discusses several points on the pros and cons of negative views of governmentGood results of negative opinions of g overnment2. reenforcement for schools and higher standardsBad results (less ethical government)1. Due to downsizing of merit civil servants, the loss of institutional memory and the hollowing out of government.2. Deregulation. No rules which gives incentive to fraud).3. Contract employees (high kickback and fraud)4. politics and special districts (fraud on fee-for-service contracts).This statement plainly shows that government is in need of much work and public administrators will continue to have the hardest task of gaining citizen avow based on governments profound corruption.Though Frederickson should have definitely created an upbeat book to keep the spirit of public administration motivated, he brought forth some valid points that a public administrator could utilize. The conclusions of his overly long chapters helped the reader to stay abreast on the points that he was expressing in apiece chapter. Due to time constraints of most administrators, a cliff notes version or qu ick reference book would be an ideal tool for public servants on all levels.

Sunday, May 26, 2019

Overcoming Barriers to Change

The external environment in which linees operate is continuall(a)y changing. Businesses must respond to these multifariousnesss to remain competitive and continue to meet the quest of their customers. They need the commitment and support of key stakeholder groups, such as employees, in order to ensure forms ar embedded to shape the organization for the long term. Corus was form in 1999 when the former British Steel plc merged with the Dutch fraternity, Hoogovens. Corus is straightaway a subsidiary of the Indian-owned Tata Group. Corus has three operating divisions and employs 40,000 quite a little worldwideCorus case Products UK (CSP UK) is base at Port Talbot and Llanwern, Newport in South Wales. CSP UK authorises poise in strip form. This is used in markets such as vehicle manufacture, construction, electrical appliances, tubes and packaging. Corus aims to be a leader in the steel constancy by providing better products, higher quality customer service and better valu e for money than its rivals. In 2005 CSP UK introduced a cultural plan for change called The Journey. The company wanted to address a wide range of business challenges, save the common theme was the cardinal way that people at all levels went about their work.The Journey focused on the value and beliefs of its people. Vitally, this was not limited to employees, but it included contractors, suppliers and other partners. This union of people together re-defined eight core set. These provided the guiding principles by which Corus people would work. By early 2007, all employees had been provided with a booklet outlining the CSP Journey values and the behaviors the company expected them to follow. The tender values encourage individuals to be accountable for their proceedings.For example, previously, there had been tragic accidents on site and other health and safety issues, such as unworthy driving behaviour. This needed to change. The Journey program has taken a positive approac h so that it now steers everything CSP UK does and underpins the refining of the organization. This case study focuses on how Corus Strip Products UK has overcome barriers to change in order to secure a more prosperous future for the business. Reasons for change Organizational change is a plotted and ongoing process and follows clearly structured elementsIdentify the key drivers for change. These are forces outside and at heart the organization, for example, the growing strength of competitors (external) or health and safety issues inwardly the organization (internal). Corus employees were boost to understand what was happening in the business (the As Is) and identify any flaws in the existing way of running(a). Identify the barriers to change. This often involves peoples attitudes. They may want to continue to work as before or trampnot see the need for change. Create and implement a plan for change.This focuses on winning the commitment of all employees, identifying specific solutions to problems areas (for example, cutting ply or investing in new systems) and setting out ways of measuring mitigatement. Employees were encouraged to envision what the To Be position for CSP UK looked like and make plans to bring it about. Measure the effectiveness of the change. CSP UK is prepared to make further changes based on the outcomes of the actions. Examples of internal drivers for change (inefficiencies within the business) at CSP UK included Poor delivery rather than delivering steel to customers on time there were delays, leading to loss of business. Competitiveness steel produced in the UK could be more expensive than from some other countries. High wastage failing to make products right first time meant that they had to be reworked or scrapped. Low staff morale employees were perpetrate but were not motivated by the environment in which they were carrying out their jobs. External drivers (pressures for change outside the business) came from New co mpetitors low make up producers in Eastern Europe and the Far East were taking business. This could lead to reduced enquire with higher costs. Changing customer requirements for example, the fall in demand for steel for the automotive industry meant that Corus needed to find different types of customers or develop different products. New technology meant customers expected higher specifications. Perceptions of the steelmaking industry within the community tended to be negative for example, the industry was seen as having a poor record on environmental issues.Total Quality Management (TQM) initiatives had previously been implemented to cracking effect at CSP UK to improve productivity and improve competitiveness. CSP UK had also previously reduced manpower for the same purpose. However, Corus Strip Products is a business with deeply committed people and a relatively low staff turnover. Total payroll costs are low compared with its other costs such as free energy and raw mat erials. Labor costs at CSP UK account for around only 13% of total costs. This is considerably less than, for example, an assembly line process where they office be around 40-50% of total costs.It therefore made better sense to enable employees to work more efficiently rather than cut the number of staff. Barriers to change Change may challenge peoples abilities, experience, customs and practice. It may even be seen as a threat. This can create resistance or barriers to change. For example, if job roles are changed, employees and managers may feel that they lose status or power. If jobs are cut, remaining employees may feel insecure. This can cause low morale and lead to poor productivity.Although Corus Strip Products as a company supported the principles of change and innovation, not all previous programs had delivered the required results. GLOSSARY Corus is an established business in a traditional industry. This meant that it had set patterns of doing things in some areas of the business. This attitude of this is the way we do things around here made it more difficult to make necessary changes. some(prenominal) Corus employees had a fear of the unknown and saw new initiatives as a possible threat to their existing teams and positions.Job reductions had been a major theme in the steel industry since the 1970s and some of Corus previous change initiatives had led to job cuts. Other people did not see a threat to their job because the business had previously survived difficult times. This complacency made change difficult for Corus. Another issue facing Corus was its ageing workforce. There is a considerable degree of expertness in the company and long-term high rewards kept people within the industry. Older employees with high technical skills stayed because these skills were not easily transferable.Fewer young people were attracted to the industry because of reduced job opportunities and reductions in apprenticeship schemes across the UK. The company also h ad a history of rewarding long service rather than distinguished service. This intend that employees who had been with the company a long time (but who had lower productivity) could be gaining greater rewards than newer employees who were producing more. Corus felt that this was an area that needed major change so that those employees with higher takings were suitably rewarded. Overcoming barriers We cannot solve our problems by spending we cannot solve our problems by cutting back. The only way to meet our challenges is to change how we go about things (quote from the Managing Director of CSP UK). matchless of the key techniques Corus has used to overcome resistance to change has been to work closely with employees and get them involved as much as possible in the program. From the give-up the ghost it was important for the company to share with employees what might happen to the business if it didnt change. Corus put emphasis on getting everyone to take ownership of the new val ues by physically signing up to the program.This helped them buy-into the new ways of working. Workers are now more involved in decision making and their contributions and experience are recognized. Through a range of direct and indirect communications, for example, weekly newsletters and workshops, Corus ensures that all employees understand what behaviors it expects of them. As part of implementation, Corus needed to highlight how people were behaving (the As Is). It created a program with shock tactics to show managers and employees the condition of the plant, to identify weaknesses and encourage employees to make changes.For example, 150 senior managers were invited to the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. This impressive locus raised expectations. However, they were served cold tea and given a presentation on a ripped projector screen. The fact that attendees did not comment on this demonstrated that people did not see they had a right to challenge. It also highlighted that employ ees had become accustomed to working with limited resources and were willing to accept low standards. This would be an important conniption to work on during the culture change.Managers were also shown videos of poor working conditions and interviews with local schoolchildren in which they said they would not work at the plant because of their perception of a poor outlook and a poor working environment. Around 150 workshops were held to spread the messages. Fortnightly newspapers clarified these values and repeated the key messages through articles on various activities, such as employees taking part in the redesigning of a control room to improve layout and safety. Billboards, intranet, video programs and most of all, direct one-to-one conversations all reinforced the messages.The Journey also raised important questions about how the company managed key issues, such as alcohol or drug misuse. The new values Due to the high standards of safety associated with Corus processes, all w orking sites are alcohol-free. Understandably, before the change program, anyone offending in this way was likely to face disciplinary action and this is still the case in most working environments. The new CSP UK values focus on helping employees who are willing to accept assistance to improve their performance, rather than taking disciplinary action against them for poor behaviour.This approach, with support and guidance from the company and counseling services, has resulted in over 50 employees that previously would chip in disordered their jobs being retained in work. Measuring the outcomes of change The Journey change program at Corus Strip Products contributes to sustainability for the business. By facing up to its internal weaknesses, Corus Strip Products has improved efficiency, increased output, lowered costs and reduced waste in an increasingly competitive steel market.This has enabled the business not just to survive but also to grow even during the economic recession of 2008 and 2009. Thanks to the Journey program, CSP UK expects to reduce costs for the 2009/10 financial year by around ?250 million. To make sure that actions delivered results, Corus established clear targets and standards. Milestones (intermediate steps) were set so everyone would know how far CSP UK had gone to achieving the targets. This made it easier to review and measure come and fulfillments or to set new deadlines.There have been a huge number of quick wins which add up to a great gain overall. Key performance indicators have shown significant progress and include production capacity has increased by 4. 5% to a run rate of 5 million tones the plant is on track to achieve a 20% reduction in the cost of producing steel 5,000 employees have signed up to the values and beliefs of the business a reduction in absenteeism measured improvements in levels of quality and service for customers tighter targets for Health and Safety new safety teams contribute towards accide nt-free production carbon dioxide emissions have reduced by 10%. CSP UK now exceeds government standards measurable improvements in the companys impact on the local community. Individuals, teams and departments all support the improvement culture and are more prosecute and committed to achieving company values and targets. This culture shift is of critical value as it will enable further improvement. For example, Corus has implemented top-level security with controlled access for the 5000+ vehicles which figure the Corus site each day.This provides a new enhanced entry experience for employees, contractors and suppliers and demonstrates that Corus Strip Products is now seen as an organization that is proud of itself. Conclusion All organisations need to manage change. If they fail to do so they may be left behind by the competition. Change steering at Corus Strip Products UK involved carry the issues out into the open, confronting barriers to change, winning the commitment and support of all employees and delivering an effective plan for change.The Journey has helped CSP UK to weather the storm. The company is now exploiting the benefits the program has given. The results of the change management program show that Corus Strip Products is a company that is sustainable and can continue to make profits in spite of the recession. Demonstrating ongoing improvement has the superfluous benefit of winning government grants to support the important economic sector of steel production.Overcoming Barriers to ChangeThe research aims to identify barriers that exist in education on the way to changing students learning environments in a positive way. The literature review has revealed that current practices often demonstrate new opportunities willingly embraced by teachers.However, in many cases, teachers are not as susceptible to practices that threaten to have negative effect on their customary routines, in particular exemplified by collaborative teaching. Using tea cher survey, the study will determine to what degree such reluctance can stand in the way of the teaching innovation.IntroductionTeaching collaboration is an thinker that has gained prominence in contemporary educational establishments. Although at first a really unusual practice, collaboration in teaching has been shown to deliver great benefits.For educators themselves, collegiality breaks the isolation of the classroom and brings career rewards and daily satisfactions (Inger, 1993). It also helps beginners and experienced professional learn from each other for improved results and relieves young teachers of the trial-and-error process they are commonly immersed in. bringing teachers closer together in a coherent effort, collaborative teaching helps foster cooperation and friendliness between teachers. Collaboration can also go beyond the level of a single school, helping extend new methods to other areas.At the same time, collaboration is not always compatible with school cult ure and practices and character of an individual teacher hence come barriers to collaborative teaching. A teacher can be resistant to collaboration in general, being averse(predicate) to any form of joint efforts in the same classroom. On the other hand, the teachers attitude can embrace collaboration between vocational and academic teachers or those coming from other schools. Therefore, the research problem is as followsWhat obstacles do teachers most often face on the path of innovation in their school curriculum that involves collaborative teaching?The study will be focused on teacher perceptions and aim to find material so as to substantiate improvements in collaborative practices.Literature ReviewCollaboration can occur at any stage of the educational process. Teaching can engage in joint provision of materials for the classroom sessions or engage in team teaching, or organizational and instructional arrangement in which two or more teachers work in the same classroom (Price et al, 2000-2001). Thus, in special education teachers can use a variety of models including the resource room, itinerant, and consultation models (Price et al, 2000-2001).In the process of realizing collaboration models, teachers face barriers that have been categorized by Welch and Sheridan (1995) into four main groups conceptual barriers, practical(a) barriers, attitudinal barriers, and professional barriers. Conceptual barriers are caused by oddments in the definition of roles by different educators, their difference in the processing of material, approaches etc.When teachers face challenges in working out the exact schedule or joining resources for joint effort, this is described as a pragmatic barrier. Attitudinal barriers are the result of fear to try a new approach. Professional barriers arise when teachers cannot cooperate on effective methods of problem solving, omiting adequate skills of working together as a team.Teachers can benefit from the administrations effort t o introduce additional measures so as to reduce the possibility of affair among teachers.For this purpose, it is necessary to introduce concrete rules and procedures that will define the boundaries between their roles and help them establish working relationships. In case of team teaching, the problem is getting a balance between enough specificity in prescribing roles so that a bureaucratic rule book is not created (Price et al, 2000-2001). Most researchers believe that conflict is unavoidable, and therefore strategies for act with it should be worked out by the administration in advance.A lot depends on the organizational culture as school culture can either perplex or defy the efforts of teachers to work together. Peterson (2002) identifies two types of culture cooperative and toxic. Within toxic cultures, individuals are striving to work together for common goals. As a result, teachers can reach effective collaboration more easily than in other organizations. In toxic culture s, on the contrary, individual effort is frustrated because of the lack of common framework.In addition, organizational resources can also be a barrier to innovation that should be represented in teaching communities. Many schools lack adequate programs that can accommodate the participation of two or more teachers. There are even fewer resources available for attracting outside professionals that can participate in collaborative projects. This can serve as a motivator for teachers to desire the continuation of the routines currently present in education.Cooperation between academic and vocational teachers can be prevented by the organizational design of the academic environment in which the social and organizational isolation of most vocational teachers is exacerbated by the physical legal separation and programmatic fragmentation in secondary schools (Inger, 1993).The difference in their social status further contributes to the rising walls between these two groups of professiona ls. Since academic teachers generally have a higher status, they tend to marginalize their vocational colleagues, a situation that discourages cooperation.

Saturday, May 25, 2019

17th Century Art, Light vs. Dark Essay

The use of light and dark in 17th Century art captures your eye, and you wish to include this important Baroque element in your book. Look at the portraits in the text and pick two painters and compare how they use brilliant light and dark shading to illuminate parts of the humane body. I will use two different artists Antonio del Pollaiuolo, Battle of the nudes. Along with, Michelangelo. Pieta from Old Saint Peters. 17th Century Art, light vs. darkI will take a look at Antonio del Pollaiuolo, Battle of the nudes from the c. 1465-1470 The engraving is in my hometown of Cincinnati Art Museum, in Ohio. This shows men at war fighting and cleaning one another everyone is in the nude. The five men wearing headbands and five men without, fighting in pairs with weapons in front of some woods. To me it looks like the ones that yield on the bands are on one team and the others are together.The designer and engraver, sculptor was a trained goldsmith and bronze sculptor. answers. com) I like this one because its art you can feel. Michelangelo. Pieta from Old Saint Peters, laying across the Virgin Mary. With the dead messiah in her arms, with the body of an average-sized man. primordial Jean Bilheres de Lagraulas due to his death, he was not able to see the completion of. The inventive triangular composition conveys grandeur. Mary is seated upon the Rock of Golgotha, which had supported messiah on the cross. She is extensively draped in clothing and her body is large.Hes body looks like its falling off of the lap of Mary. Instead of Christs body showing deformation from hanging on the cross. On this statue hands are very expressive, with her right hand holding and cradling Christ, while her odd hand is extended. One of the most famous works of art, the Pieta was probably finished before Michelangelo was 25 years old.

Friday, May 24, 2019

Working More and Feeling Better – Journal Article Summary

Citation Schnittker, Jason. 2007. Working More and Feeling Better Womens Health, Employment, and Family Life, 1974-2004. American Sociological Review 72(2)221-238. This count investigates the relationship between womens exercise and wellness unlike other studies, which have used mental health as the outcome. The research questions addressed in this study were Has the health of women improved or declined? Has the gender gap in health altered and, if so, why?Does integrating bulky fit hours with caring for a child diminish the relationship between employment and health and, if so, have current put to work-family patterns restrained any gains in health? Schnittker included changes in composition (e. g. , be more women suffering since more women are combining their jobs with raising a child) and changes in association (e. g. , do the pronounced improvements in health related to employment lesson with the birth of a child). The changes in composition and changes in association we re examined with cumulative trends in health.The independent variables in this study were womens work hours, education and family income. The dependent variable was self-rated health. Reported work hours were crashd into four categories and the reference category was not working for this study. Several check over variables were, as well, that are related to understanding trends. Education was divided into four categories with less than high school as the reference category. Family income used a perpetual of $1, 986 dollars.Schnittker analyzed whether or not children were in the home instead of focusing how many children because of the various work-family adjustments and different levels of responsibility that come with childrens different ages. For this study, separate dummy variables were used having a child under the age of 6 and having a child between 6 and 17 years old with having no children under the age of 18 years old presently in the home. The study used data from the cu mulative General Social Survey (GSS) taken between 1974-2004. The GSS is represented nationally and uses an area-probability sample.The survey asked responders to self-rate their health as poor, fair, food, or excellent. Self-rated health predicts gender differences, is an indicator of morbidity and predictor of mortality. Findings from the GSS were checked using the matter Health Interview Survey (NHIS) taken between 1997-2004. The NHIS also provided data concerning the current health trends. Data from the NHIS was produced by personal in-home interviews. The trends in the gender health gap in this study used controls for year, gender, interactions between gender and year, and age and age-squared.Age and age-squared were used to account for the aging population, which is vital for this study since there are fire differences in life expectancy. Findings suggest that the gender gap closed significantly during the 30-year period. Womens self-health has significantly improved and me ns self-rated health slightly increase until 1990. Mens self-rated health has been on a steady decline ever since then. These results suggest a relation between the trends in womens astir(p) self-rated health and the gender gap closing.Once Schnittker used controls for education in his analysis it showed that the improvements in womens health can be attributable to education. When education was replaced with employment status and family income it showed that some of the improvements in womens health can be attributed to the rise in womens employment, but not near as some(prenominal) as education. The relationship between work-family patterns and health were examined when Schnittker introduced whether the responder had a child. His purposes also show that work hours and having a young child are very related.He put up that having a child under 6 causes a decline in employments positive impacts on health. Controls for income slightly reduced the negative relationship. Findings conc erning the relationship between work hours and having a child in the home show that fathers report improved self-rated health when working full-time and mothers self-rated health drastically decreased. More notably, the findings show that both men and women report worse self-rated health when the combine work with raising children.Out of all independent variables, the one that impacted the diminishing of the gender gap was employment. Education, work hours, and having a child all affected the closing of the gender gap, but not as significantly as employment. Schnittkers findings also suggest that self-rated health for women would improve even more if their average work hours were the very same as mens average work hours. Another notable finding comes out of the inclusion of family income. His findings suggest that if the wages of women were the same as the wagers of men their self-rated health would improve significantly.He also found that the emergence of the time bind has suppres s womens self-rated health, especially in recent years. (Schnittker 2007 233). He also found that the time bind only slightly suppressed womens self-rated health and that in the long term, more women working and achieving higher levels of education have had much more of an impact on their self-rated health. Schnittkers results show that education and employment are largely impacting the gender gap. Schnittkers study shows that womens health on average was reported to be worse than mens.The factors which he attributes the difference self-rated health are the trends related to womens increased presence in the work force and the increase in the number of women a higher levels on education. Schnittkers study is remarkable. His findings are strong reasons for change to take place with the employment terms of women today. Self-rated health is questionable since it is self-rated. Also, the term health in the study could be physical health or mental health. Schnittker attributes the His wor k proves that more research is needed in this area of study.

Thursday, May 23, 2019

My Dreams and Ambitions Essay

I was raised in a small t bear called Joao Pessoa by my nanna .The town was very small that everyone knew their neighbors and the town. At this time as was single and living in Brazil. We had a very nice house, which I had my own room and I loved it. I had everything in my room. still was a especial place that I like around(predicate) my room, It was where I keep all of my favorite things, my craft supplies, favorite CDs, books, magazines, cameras, photos, and my diary. A place to escape when my house was a little crazy and noise. I used to love stay on my room writing on my diary for hours, every daytime before go to bed, I used to sat down on my desk and writing around my manner. I always think about the future. My grandmother was old, almost 65, and I was always worrying what exit happen to me after she dies. I grew up with opportunities for intellectual and spiritual growth, secure in the cognition that I was loved by her. But not from my p arnts who gave me away.When I was 16, my biography changed dramatically in the fall of my sopho much year of high school. My beloved grandmother was dying of cancer. I was forced my view of the world and my sense of responsibility to take a dramatic turn. Each morning before school I went to the hospital where she received chemotherapy to treat the cancer that was destroying her body. After school finished, I went back to the hospital to speed the rest of afternoon with her. Many times I eat at the hospital just to spend more time with her. Because I knew that after she dies everything will change in my life. In the fall of the like year she dies. I was very depressed about my life. I knew that I need to move on, however didnt know how. Years passed, and I was finished high school. In 1998 was accepted into the nurse school, and the same time studying to be an elementary school teacher.In 2000, after graduate as a teacher, my auntie invited me to come to United of States. That happen 6 months after found th e love of my life. I was undecided, but I ended up accepting my aunt offer and postpone my love history and my cargoner as nurse. I came to Orlando in 2000 and sign up to English school. Since already decided to leave, I had to interpret the language. I remember like today, I was feeling lost, since I didnt had any friends or family here. But, I came with a purpose, to learn the language and make my life here. One year after living here, I break up with my boyfriend inBrazil. I was not sure any more about sacking back to my country. I want to try the whole long distance thing but he doesnt, so we ended up complete our relationship. My actual married man, I met at school.Close to the apartment that I used to leave, there was a high school, and I decide to go there to piss more information about the English classes. When I arrived to school, there were a lot of people expecting to enroll for the classes. I sign in and wait until somebody calls me. After few minutes the lady call ed my name and asked me for some documentation that was required to enroll. My purse was so crowded with a lot of cover and credit cards inside, that when I opened, I dropped all my cards on the floor, and then a guy came to help me. I thank you him for the help and I went to the registration desk. After I finish with all paper work, he follows me through the exit door and ask if he can see me some other day. I guess he liked me. Then he offers to take me home since I didnt have transportation. I didnt want to accept. But I felt I could trust on him.Time passed and we went out many times. On the beginning I didnt like him, but he always surprises me. A month later, we stared dating, and after two years we got married. My family is warm and loving. Theres me, my husband, and my son. I am thirty two years old. My husband Jorge is forty two, and the 9 year-old Kevin Gabriel is our only child. . Weve been married for nine years. My husband is a Dentist on his country, but here in the United States, he was not able yet to take his license, so he works for a hotel as Supervisor. My son Kevin Gabriel is the best son in the world. He is very calm, is carrying about his family. He loves to go school and paint. When he has a free time he drawn his family on the peace of paper and stick on his chamber wall. He is always telling me how much he loves our family.I am a woman who loves enjoy the life each day, and speed time going to the church every Sunday with my son. Unfortunately, my husband doesnt like to attend to church with me because his is Catholic and Im Christian. I believe one day he will change. He always said that his is Catholic, but never attend to the service on church. I think is just one more excuse to not go. I work for a very successful company on hospitality industry Marriott. I like my job, but Im not planning in staying there the rest of my life. My dream is became a plastic surgeon, maybe one day my dream came true. Ibelieved that dreams are the most amazing things in life, we all love to dream and we all love to hope and to see ourselves getting better and achieving more each day. That was the cause I decided to go back to college and finish my career.Everyone dreams of being something and tries to achieve their goals everyone has their own resolutions and has something to look up to and reach. For me, I would like to achieve many things during my life such as entering in to a high respected university to study medicine. Also, have my own house at the beach for my family. For some people, notes is the first thing, and most of the times the only thing that measures success in their life, but that is not my case. Money can buy power, fame, time, and much more. But there is one thing that money could not buy is happiness.My dream is to become a good plastic surgeon and day after day it has transform into an ambition which I want to move towards. I do not want to be famous, but just good enough to have my own clinic and work for a very successful hospital. Many people think that becoming a doctor is difficult, and I know that takes many years of preparation, but anyone can achieve if they have tendency.Also, I would like to help people that have dreams to do a plastic surgery, but doesnt have the money. I am interested in this career because I like to help people. Even though studying and working at the same time are very hard, it pays off in the end, when someone makes a difference in someones life. I think it is actually great to dream and to run low my life trying to reach my hopes. I always try to set my goals and work as hard as I can to reach them. some other ambition of mine is someday to have my own house on one of the beaches in Hawaii. The color of the house will be white and it will be surrounded by a large garden with a few trees. Every morning I will go outside and pass the wonderful breeze, which carries the smell of the sea. It may not seem like an ambition as much as it seems like a dream, but I would really like to live in such a place and I am willing to do everything to make it come true.To conclude, I believe with determination and commitment I will climbup the ladder of life and with practice I will avoid slipping, however, drawing a plan in my mind has helped me achieve a lot and will still do so. I always convince myself to never give up and I filtrate to look forward to what person I would become if I achieve my goals. I hope one day my dreams will came true.

Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Clothing Store Case Study

29/1/2009 Executive Summary This pop off is an introduction to the style perseverance of Pakistan which has made sort of a lot of progress in just a fewer years. Ten to fifteen years from now, this diligence was still unkn receive to actu totallyy go to the masses. Later with the formation of room councils and education centers under the enthusiastic few who wanted to make a difference and promulgate this real institution of vogue, did the very personal manner industry took its concrete contour from the old tailor culture that formerly existed. Today it is one of the most progressing industries in the acres.The way industry too, is influenced by external forces be they social, political, frugal, technological or even competitive, which serve as a chief(prenominal) driver for this industry. Moreover, relations with stakeholders in the main suppliers, distrisolelyors and customers, and the strength and width of its competitors excessively define activities in the bus iness. However, the relative strength of impact of these external factors on the industry varies (as in all(prenominal) industry) and is computed with analytical tools like pest-C analysis and Porters five forces model.Nonetheless, mould industry assures new argonnas of growth and development new opportunities for employment. This industry promises a distinct subject projection that is serene and contemporary. Later, an extensive familiar analysis of the friendship of concern is carried reveal, which in this piece of mesh is m be B. maria. B. is one of the most strong renowned tarnishs of Pakistan. A caller- bug out formed to r exploitationise the tailor-culture of apparel making in our society. female horse B. s a brand that contributees to all sectors of both the traditional and urban female fashion demand by dint of a unique combination of pricing and the diversity in the fashion life-styles that she offers. She is the only reason to rescue all the needs of di fferent segments of the chars demographic cover under one roof. (Randhawa) She has been adopted by the modern Pakistani women along with the hip crowd as the latest cult scar in recent years. This soil previously never witnessed a true supranational pret-a-porter collection before mares infamous Paris arrangement in 2001. Her stuffes are a reflection of her own style. way Avenue Quarterly, 2003) The top student from the first batch of graduates from the Pakistan drill of Fashion aim, female horse was selected in 1997 to represent Pakistan at the transnational aspiration in Belgium, Europe called Les Etoiles de la mode, an annual puppylike designers award. She made a study international media impact, and was the first Pakistani fashion designer who created awareness of Pakistani Fashion on the mankind circuit, when she finished top 3 in the final rankings amongst 22 participating countries including global fashion giants like, France, Italy, Japan, and U. S. A.A media darling of the local anesthetic press, Maria B. opened her first outlet in 1998 in DHA Commercial Block, Lahore at a snip when her peers and seniors were still operating from their homes, or at rented houses. Today, Maria B is immensely successful and is the largest selling brand under a fashion designers judge in Pakistan. (Randhawa) Her bourns are so groovy and Maria considers them her strength. With her pecuniary strength and international presence, Maria B intends to bring a neuter in the local fashion industry. pic Introduction Fashion in itself is a very abstract endpoint yet it embraces our everyday lives.The term has many different definitions and interpretations. concord to The Ameri brook Heritage College Dictionary, fashion is the prevailing style or custom, as in dress or behavior something, such as a garment, that is in the authoritative mode the style characteristic of the social elite. (Forbes Inc. , 1997). Fashion is an extension of self, an expression of i ndividuality, of art and modernism. It has no boundary telephone wires or divides. Its passion and it is the constant evolution of society (Ghafoor, 2002). Fashion is a social phenomenon common to many fields of human activity and thinking. To some, fashion is an art form. To others, it is life.For most plurality it is a method of utilizing clothing, accessories and hair. Fashion is a mode to express yourself, to serve as an extension of your personality, or even to disguise your true self (Nellis, 1999). Fashion is a term commonly used to describe a style of clothing worn by most of people of a country. A fashion usually system popular for about 1-3 years and then is replaced by yet another fashion. Even though there are a lot of changes in fashion, most people do not slowly except the changes. A clothing style may be introduced as a fashion, but its use breaks a custom after being handed down from generation to generation.A fashion that comes and goes is called a Fad. (Fas hion Forever What is Fashion? ) A lot has changed and evolved in the annals of fashion since the 1900s. As the century dawned, fashion was an exclusive enterprise, the pursuit of wealth. The bonny person in society square offtled for garments that were usually stitched at home. With metre, however, networks of similarity tailors began to evolve into a retail history and the boom was fol unkepted by boutique selling. The 1930s were influenced by socialism, communism and fascism and womens fashion became more and more maidenlike in keeping with these conservative ideas.However, this period also saw the emergence of the culture of clubs and hence dresses became more body-hugging and colorise went more deep and dark. The establishment of Indian and Pakistani cinema has proved to be the strongest influence on the fashion in the decade. Due to western influence, the use of angarkhas, choghas and jamas had diminished considerably by this time, although the ceremonial occasion pugdi , safa and topi were widespread as ever. They had been replaced by the sherwani, which is still a standard item of formal dress for Indian and Pakistani men today.Even though women were accepting change, they continued to jade the peshwaz, kurta, ghaghra and odhni at religious and ceremonial festivities, which were even sometimes made of imported fabrics. The 1950s saw the dawn of art colleges and schools and collectible to the freedom struggle and the adoption of khadi by Gandhi, the dying and handloom industries got more business. The 1960s was one of the most shock-filled decades of the century, as it saw sweeping fashion and lifestyle changes. Tight kurtas and churidars competed with mini-skirts abroad and at the same time, designers began to understand the need for cheaper, ready-to-wear strains.The 1970s saw the export of traditional material with the result that export trim was sold within the country itself and hence, international fashion came to the sub-continent. Synt hetics became popular and the clothes even flashier. In the 1980s big money ruled. In Pakistan too, silhouettes became more masculine and the shalwar kameez was made with shoulder pads. The influence of cable TV became more prominent and the teenage market boomed with youngsters who were more fashion conscious. (Baig, 2004) Mid 1990s and the set about of the 21st century was marked fashion designers that changed the way fashion was contemplated.Designers greatly influence what direction fashion will go. These designers design and define forthcoming fashion developments. They are the trend setters of change in a culture through change in tastes and lifestyles of a community which is often characterized by changes in current trends and styles. And changes in fashion play one of the major roles in these transformations. The activities of these designers, collaboratively, form the fashion industry. The fashion industry of Pakistan is growing in volume with every pass(a) day. The cre dit goes chiefly to the mainstream fashion people, who adjudge been instrumental in this change. Nisar, 2004) The industry has witnessed quite a mature spurt in the last two decades evolved from a traditional darzi (tailor) culture into a mature and cutting- knock against business (Imam, 2008). However the status of fashion designers in our country greatly owes to the fashion institutions, particularly the Pakistan School of Fashion Design (PSFD) now called the Pakistan Institute of Fashion Design which was play its role in bringing out the emf and imparting training to young designers who today enjoy a reputed name in the retail market.Some of these recognized names acknowledge Maria B, Hasan Shehryar Yasin, Deepak Parwani and Maheen Khan (Qureshi, 2008). These are some of the few names which the fashion industry identifies with. Though the industry had been operating for quite a time, it actually got its institutional shape after the formation of the Pakistan Fashion Design Co uncil. This council was an attempt by twenty five of the countrys top and established designers to create an infra social system, a platform on which everyone could collabo invest and represent their ideas and designs at the national and international level a place where they could ?Give structure to the expanding vital industry. ? To liaise with the government bodies on matters pertaining to excise duty, taxation systems, preferential tariffs for freight etc. , and to work towards creating a fashion districts. ? To create an inter count between the fashion industry and textile and crafts industry which are one of the most strong industries , which could revitalize them and in turn, advance the designers greatly by incorporating ethnic methods of weaving, printing and ornamentation to produce up-market, contemporary creations of standardized bore and subsidized rates. To address the changing needs of the industry as it evolves and of creatively show- slickness the work of Pakis tani designers and find a commercial representation for them both, domestically and globally. (About Us, 2004) Some of the attempts that the council made was the initiation of a Pakistan Fashion Week requirement for business and trade linkages as hygienic as for publicity purposes studying the present distribution/reselling network to see how designers could benefit from it creating a trend forecast for domestic and export markets, and standardizing the pret-a-porter industry by having uniform sizing, accounting and labeling norms. About Us, 2004) However, the councils main attempt to collaborate the private roads of fashion designers failed partly callable to poor projection of there vision and partly due to the difference in the persuasions of designers in the East and South Lahore and Karachi, the main fashion hubs. This led to the creation of two distinct councils, the Pakistan Fashion Design Council (PDFC) in Lahore and Asian Institute of Fashion Design (AIFD) in Karachi. These two councils have carried out their separate activities despite unification efforts until lately.On celestial latitude 1, 2007, a mall showcasing the creations of Pakistani fashion designers was inaugurated by the name of Boulevard in Lahore. It was for the first time in the citys history that fashion designers from all over the country got to display their work under one roof (Rashed, 2007). Prominent designers displaying their work admitd Hassan Shehryar Yasin, Maria B, Nomi Ansari, Kamiar Rokni, Shafaq Habib, Karma, Shella Rehman of Unbeatables, Ammar Bilal, Asifa and Nabeel, Ahsan Nazeer, Sanya Qureshi, Sobia Nazir, Nickie Nina, Sana Shahid of Sublime and Naila Maqbool.It is hoped that such a platform will amalgamate the vital forces of our fashion industry making it the hub of Pakistani fashion houses as is envisaged (Farooq, 2007). An Industry summary By definition, industry analysis is business research that focuses on the potential of a firm. Basically, an industry analysis is conducted to addresses three all central(p) questions 1. Is the industry accessiblein other words, is it a realistic place for a new venture to enter? 2. Does the industry contain markets that are ripe for revolution or are underserved? . Are there positions that will avoid some of the negative attributes of the industry as a whole? (Barringer & Ireland, 2006) A complete industry analysis of a firm will involve its PEST-C analysis which will answer the first two questions, its Porters five forces analysis which will answer the latter question, followed by its External Forces military rating (EFE) matrix on the basis of the opportunities available and little terrors facial expressiond by the company of concern Maria B. PEST C EvaluationIn this industry evaluation, P stands for semipolitical, E economical, S Socio-cultural, T Technological and C belligerent forces that impact the activities and opportunities and threats affecting an industry. Political forces These include any change in government laws tax laws, labor laws, patent laws, government regulation and deregulation etc, political stability, safety and environmental protection regulations, international trade regulations etc. (David, 2005) Changes in tax and labor laws, can directly affect an industrys revenue and growth structures.A rise in the rates of these laws can increase business expenditures and may decrease revenues. Sometimes, with industries with low profit margins, such change can aim a barrier to profitability. Political instability in the country in terms of political parties or weakness in governmental policy can prove chaotic for the industry. on a lower floor such condition, this business, like any other business can be severely affected and eventually shut down. For e. g. , national political parties like MQM and MMA riposte up a very unfavorable attitude towards the fashion industry.In case of bureau, any of these parties can adversely affect or even le ad to a ban on this industry which could prove distressful. Similarly strict trade regulations and excise policies can affect international exports and hence, increase the overall trade deficit. environmental degradation posses a great threat to survival of any industry. Hence, being a socially and environmentally liable corporation is an natural for projecting a domineering public image. Economic ForcesEconomic forces that impact an industrys activities include interest rates, income levels and earning patterns, price wars, oil, currency and labor markets, inflation, unemployment, availability of credit, fiscal policies, spending and spending propensity living standards, international trade and cooperation policies etc. (David, 2005) Nowadays, there is a growing trend toward two-income households. Individuals place an increased premium on time immediate availability and improved customer service (David, 2005). Customers are willing to pay more if they can obtain it with ease. There is an increase in the average standard of living in the country with a decrease in poverty level of 10. 6% during the past four years (Economic Survey of Pakistan 2007-2008). This can serve as an opportunity for the fashion industry to enhance profit margins through add-ons provided that the income levels remain stable. Changes in interest rates often occur due to changes in the exchange and trade market. A deficit in trade can account for rise in interest rates. Similarly and rise in the international price of oil (as witnessed in recent years) can drastically impact the value of currency.This leads to changes in fiscal policy like an increase in the interest rate translated by inflation. High inflation can slow down business activities and at time generate no profit at all. The inflation rate the year 2007-08 was calculated to be 10. 3% as compared to the 7. 9% last year which shows an increased inflation that disvantaged business surgical operation country-wide (Economic S urvey of Pakistan 2007-2008). However, in an economically active country with lower trade barriers, resultant price wars can increase contest and even and industrys profit margins provided the industry is dominant as tumesce as has international presence.Similarly, increased unemployment can provide an industry opportunity to project a positive image and provide training and employment to the depressed, hence positively contributing to the economy. Socio-Cultural Forces Factors in the socio-cultural front that can influence an industrys operations include demographic trends, cultural changes, environmental patterns, population growth, business attitude, change in tastes and lifestyles, education, ethical concerns, buying habits, religion, family, values and attitudes etc. Pakistan, with a population growth rate of 1. % is the human beingss 6th most populous country with an estimated total population of 160. 9 million. (Economic Survey of Pakistan 2007-2008) Out of this 74% of the total population of Pakistan lies in age group 15 34. However, 70% of the population resides in urban areas. (Federal Bureau of Statitics, 2005). With this came in increase in the literacy rate of the country which increased to 55% in the last four years (Economic Survey of Pakistan 2007-2008). Business activities have also flourished quite in the recent years, partly owing to foreign competitors launching the market.This has led to an increased change in the lifestyles and mindsets of people. There is an increased trend towards nuclear and dual-career families which serves as great opportunity for the industry as the buying power of the consumer is enhanced. Moreover, with change in lifestyles comes change in tastes. Nowadays people prefer using customized products and this is an opportunity for the fashion industry to pursue its tar arrive merchandising strategy. Fashion industry is an industry for the youngsters. With such a large and lucrative tar liquidate market, this indus try can earn huge profits, provided it sufficiently focuses of their needs and interests.In view of this, fashion industry collaborated with the PBA (Pakistan Broadcasters Association) to launch a fashion channel worldwide last year by the name of ETNL ( sort Dunia & Youth) which is being launched soon in the country (Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA), 2007). Religion and ethical preferences too, play a major role in shaping strategies and marketing products, e specificly if one moves from culture to culture. Fashion industry in Pakistan, therefore has to take into consideration the limitations that ethics, culture and religions imply on clothing nationally as well as internationally.Technological Forces Though fashion industry is not technologically driven, but is has now become a necessity especially if an industry or company wants to maintain competitive edge or tap into international arena. The focus of todays industries is on mass customization as well as mass production which are not possible to achieve if it is inept in technology. Several factors impact an industrys technological consideration. These are, Government spending in research, changes in Information Technology, network and Mobile Technology, energy use and costs, and international transaction costs etc.Technology is one of the powerful sources of marketing in todays era. The world is now a global village. Increase in technology, especially the internet helps cover a large number of consumers thus, helping a business reach a large target market in a short time span. According to estimates of 2006, the global internet usage accounts for 21. 9% of the total world population with Pakistan alone, having a total usage of 7. 2%. (UNDESA, 2006) This is a very attractive opportunity for the fashion industry in case fashion designers break down e-selling.International marketing (e-commerce) is one of the major contributors to world economy. It not only helps in the development of the business but also helps in the development of the countrys economy. However, any business before tapping into international arena has to go through various study and research to adopt proper marketing mix, visible evidence and performance before launching itself worldwide. It also needs to be aware of all the rules and regulations (cyber) of its host country. Once capitalized upon, e-commerce can produce great profits. Competitive ForcesThis force is recently introduced in the PEST analysis. Keeping in view the growing competition world wide, analysis of ones competitive forces has become an essential to success. Gathering information about competitors strategies and progress has become very important. Due to diminishing trade barriers, WTO, EEC, OPEC and collaboration with other world communities, national border are no more existent. Now every country is a part of a bloc. This in turn has fiercely increased competition as a result of lower labor costs, enhanced technology and internet fac ilities.Now production is done in one country, assembly in other, encase and shipment in another due to advancements in transportation and e-commerce. Companies strive to achieve competitive edge as low-cost producers. In such a rapidly changing environment with international competitors invading every country, keeping pace with, in fact going ahead of ones competitors is the only key to progress. However, it is essential to have a track of strategies and policies of an industrys competitors but ethical concerns in gathering intelligence data should not be neglected.Competitors of Maria B. The company that study under fashion industry is Maria B the largest fashion house of Pakistan. The company when formed was the first to start business with a retail outlet while all her competitors were doing business from home. Today, after ten years in business, Maria B faces competition from direct as well as indirect sources. A list of her direct competitors include designers like Hasan She hryar Yasin, Rizwan Beyg, Generationz, Deepak Perwani, Nomi Shahid, Nikki and Nina, Sehyr Saigol, Maheen Khan, Sonya Batla, Hajra Hayat, Nayna, Monica Piracha.With them there are indirect competitors too that pose a threat to Maria B. They include local textile shops, local tailors, and famous brands like Gul Ahmed and Bareeze that are dealers in un-stitched garments. PORTERS Five (Competitive) Forces Evaluation Below a diagrammatic unofficial of the five important competitive forces is given pic Rivalry among competing firms Fashion industry in Pakistan is yet in its progressing stages. It has moved ahead from being embryonic but hasnt spurted.However, threat of competitors is still an important factor that govern the operations of this industry particularly the rivalry between fashion designers of Karachi and Lahore in terms of ideals have prompted every company in the industry to strive to develop a competitive edge and nationally expand as large as possible. This is mainly beca use the few designers that exist at present are equal in size and capability. The internet is still not used as a uncreated source of doing business but there is a growing tendency among designers, particularly the established ones to use internet for trade purposes nationally and internationally.Inflation and changes in customers perceptions and attitudes is also a driving force toward increased competitive rivalry. In the beginning, fashion designers pursued all their efforts towards bridal dresses. But as customers are decent more and more aware and demand of branded apparel is increasing, these designers are finding new areas of development by focusing more on occasional(a) outfits. However, this industry is still not mature enough in its life cycle that price cutting could be a common phenomenon.There is not much time before these few designers are faced with increased competition particularly as standards of living become full(prenominal) and international designers set up their business in the country. Competitive rivalry in this case is comparatively high. Threat of new entrants Threat of new entrants in Pakistani fashion industry is high. This is because the barrier to enter this market is quite low because no previous experience is required to start doing business in apparel, customers have low brand preference and loyalty, too is low.If a customer gets a better option else where and that too, for a lower price, s/he can switch to that option. regulatory policies in the country are not very strong and hence achieving patents for a product or service is relatively easy. Moreover, the government itself promotes the setting up of new businesses. In regards to technological requirement, fashion industry does not require any cutting-edge technology to keep at pace. Therefore, if one needs to get into fashion designing, it is quite easy. Potential development of substitute productsIn an apparel industry, there is no substitute for clothes, but there ma y be a substitute on the procedure of abuting them. Fashion industry, too faces threat of substitute methods of processing. People, especially in a growing economy can easily get ideas from designer outfits and get them stitched through a neighborhood tailor instead of buying it from that very designer due to its high price. On the other hand, local tailors can give you the same design, though maybe not the same quality at a comparatively low price. Hence, the threat of substitute is high.Bargaining power of suppliers Bargaining power of suppliers is quite low in Pakistani fashion industry. The major raw materials required in this case are textiles and embroidery materials. These two industries textiles and embroidery are one of the richest and profit producing industries of the country. Therefore a designer has the power and the choice to switch among suppliers and even talk over prices as there are a large number of suppliers available to provide the same or even better raw mat erials at on the table prices.Bargaining power of customers Bargaining power of customers is low in this industry. This is because there few choices to select from. Designers have there set prices that are quite high and fixed they cannot be negotiated upon. If talked about competing brands, a buyer cannot easily switch to other options. Products are homogenous and the prices may either be uniform or else a buyer has to trade-off with quality of the product. External Analysis SW(OT) OPPORTUNITIES THREATS Expand into Emerging Economies Competitors Enter youthful Product Markets New entrants Acquire More Companies Substitutes Ecommerce gross revenue Economic Situation Expand Standalone Stores Political item International Economies and trade restrictions Brand Cannibalization External Factor Evaluation (EFE) intercellular substance This matrix evaluates a companys external environment the opportunities and threats that are faced by an industrys companies in the ext ernal environment. Our company of concern is Maria B.A compact of all the factors that are faced by this company and its ability to capitalize on them or tackle threats is given External Factor Evaluation Matrix Opportunities Weight Rating leaden Score 1 Expand into Emerging Economies 0. 14 3 0. 42 2 Enter New Product Markets 0. 12 4 0. 48 3 Acquire More Companies 0. 04 4 0. 16 4 Ecommerce Sales 0. 06 4 0. 24 5 Expand Standalone Stores 0. 03 3 0. 9 Threats 1 Competitors 0. 12 3 0. 36 2 New entrants 0. 1 4 0. 4 3 Substitutes 0. 12 4 0. 48 4 Economic Situation 0. 07 2 0. 14 5 Political situation 0. 5 2 0. 10 6 International Economies and trade restrictions 0. 06 3 0. 18 7 Brand Cannibalization 0. 09 2 0. 18 1 3. 23 Fashion industry provides a promising future of growth and development in Pakistan. Once established, it has the potential to contribute positively to the national economy. Company IntroductionMaria Bs entrance into fashion world can be summed u p in adage she came, she saw, she conquered. (Ghafoor, Face to face with Maria B. , 2002) Maria B. was the first fashion house in Pakistan. She launched first outlet in Lahore in 1998. Since then, Maria B. has large leaps and bounds. With her vision always clear to make Maria B. Pakistans first international brand name in fashion, today, she is the first and only women wear brand retailed crossways countries. She is the only local designer with a franchise outlet in London. The Label is also internationally stocked in Manchester, Birmingham, New Delhi, Dhabi, Orlando, Washington, New York, New Jersey, Dallas and New Delhi.By the end of 2006, she had retail reach to 5 outlets nationwide over Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, and Faisalabad. (Randhawa) In 2006, Maria B. also launched her first range of accessories of plaza and handbags. (Randhawa) Maria learned that there was tremendous scope for Pakistani fabrics in the international market and was determined to make her mark globally . As she said, Im a staunch patriot I want to take Pakistans name in the international fashion scene. I want to show people around the world what a great heritage we have. That really is the core philosophy of my business. We want to go into the international market and prove ourselves as a Pakistani brand name. (Maria B. Fashion Designer) For her, fashion is simply an extension of self, an expression of individuality, of art and modernism. It has no borders or divides. Its passion and it is a constant evolution of society. It is flitting and global. (Ghafoor, Face to face with Maria B. , 2002) She changed the previous begum darzun (societal tailoring) culture and brought new horizons in the fashion, rather the apparel industry as a whole with her pret-a-porter collection of exquisite and elegant dresses that defined femininity with style. She believes that, Fashion today is not dictated to woman. The modern confident woman chooses what she wears. Ghafoor, Face to face with Maria B. , 2002) As a designer, she always felt her responsibility to translate and enhance each persons natural style into fashion statements according to current trends. She believes in natural endowment and dedication if a person is not talented enough or cant make fashion his or her life, s/he should be in another field. She strongly suggests, Dont be in fashion because you want to be fashionable or make money be in it because you feel that you can contribute to it otherwise youll be just one of the thousands who have kaarigars (tailors) at home and think that they are designers (Ghafoor, Face to face with Maria B. 2002) Recognized by BBC, in 2002, over a three month running program for Asian woman as the preferred label for modern professional working woman of Pakistan, Maria B has been hailed as the pioneer in redefining womans fashion modernity in Pakistan. (Randhawa) No doubt Maria B has brought a revolution is the local apparel industry. Today, after ten years in business, it is the largest fashion house in the local industry. Her company has risen and surpassed the semblance of mediocrity. A trend setter as Maria B. has always been, she is even more passionate and daring to set trends for the future and believes that she can go further than others in bringing Pakistan on the world map of fashion. Randhawa) You have to aim high and I do want to get to New York, Milan and Paris one day. Maria B. (Maria B. Fashion Designer) Internal Analysis of Maria B. Zurain Imam, a renowned fashion critic said that Maria B. has become a veritable couture quality household brand. (Imam, The A to Z of Fashion, 2006) Maria B. has become a hot name with her exciting shoots and the rapid amplification of her outlets. Her success has single handedly shown that fashion can be successfully open in Pakistan as business. (Dawood, 2003) No doubt, Maria B. has put forward a tenuous example a of successful business venture by expanding worldwide in just a short span of time. All of this requires planning and organizing strategically. Maria B. believe that its the companys strategic vision of promoting Maria B. as a Pakistani brand recognized world over has played a very important role in its success. She believes that with good guidance, marketing, leadership, research, cost and operative measures, a company can really go ahead. management Management at Maria B. like any other successful company is all about good planning, organizing, motivating, leading and controlling. The company has a strong management philosophy that believes is integrity, talent and dedication if you cant make fashion your life, choose another field. (Ghafoor, 2002) Planning Maria B. irmly believes that good and forecasted planning is essential for achieving a desired goal. Planning is all about preparing for change by bridging the gap between the present and the future. It enables a company to gather the necessary resources and carry out tasks in the most efficient manner. (Da vid, 2005)At Maria B. planning is thoroughly done before the beginning of any new activity or the launch of a new product. The company also relies on competitive intelligence in order to make comparative finiss. With no fear on local competition from brands like Hasan Shehryar, Nomi Ansari, Ammar Bilal, Deepak Parwani, Rizwan Beyg and Nilofer Shahid etc. the company formulates strategies in view of the international market and international competitors like Armani, Prada, and Louis Vuitton etc. Organizing Organizing is really important for defining task and dresser and effectively and efficiently allocating resources for any company. (David, 2005) At Maria B. defining line of authority is important. The company started off with a sportswomanctional structure with Maria being the CEO as well as the controller all designing and marketing activities. With the companys expansion across the borders, Maria B. now is development towards a more divisional structure with line of command spreading internationally. Since the Maria B.Accessory launch in 2006, and the companys aggressive intensifier strategies through market and product development, it wont be long till Maria B. starts working at each production line distributively at the organizational level. At present, the company employs more than 50 management staff in its outlets across Pakistan alone. (Randhawa) Allocation of resources is also another important decision for the company. The company is financed completely by the CEO Maria. Moreover, the use of skilled labor for the job also is carefully selected to give every single piece of work the designer finish. Motivating and Staffing Motivation means influencing people to accomplish specific objectives. Staffing, on the other hand is the essence of human resource management.It includes activities of recruiting, interviewing, testing, selecting, orienting, training, developing, evaluating as well as rewarding. (David, 2005) The Maria B. factory currently employs over 200 workers, all recruited after specific procedures that test there credibility to the profession. Because Maria B. wants to give the best in terms of quality and versatility, hence every worker needs to know how to give the perfect finishing to a Maria B. dress. individually employee is required to make a sample of embroidery or hemming etc that s/he specializes in. In case of training, the companys HR manager is responsible for developing and grooming the workers for perfection.The company believes in Equal Employment Opportunity and every individual be it a man or a woman is selected merely on the basis of his or her talent/skill. (Shaukat, 2009) In terms of wage and safety issues, Maria B. conforms to the Labor Laws, be it in Pakistan or across the borders. In terms of motivations, the company always grants a pay rise every month on the basis of performance. Moreover, the in lieu of employee safety, every process in the factory is automated. Training is given to o perate the machinery. (Shaukat, 2009) The production rate of the factory is the highest among the local designers for formal couture, pret-a-porter lawn on a monthly basis. (Randhawa) peremptory Controlling at Maria B. is done through monetary incentives given based on performance.Employees are first trained and the standards of performance are set. Individuals meeting these standards are considered for the incentives. The company believes in its employees as an asset and retaining them is essential if it wishes to avoid further training and hiring costs. It believes employees become experienced with time and this increases their loyalty to the company which is very essential particularly in present times of economic slump. Marketing Marketing can be described as the process of defining, anticipating, creating and fulfilling customers needs and wants for products and/or services. This is on the button what Maria B. invested upon.The company created the demand of branded designer c lothes through awareness. Maria B. made people shift from the traditional tailor-culture to demand more. Its heavy marketing approach and use of appropriate mix of marketing made it develop a brand name, an identity which no other designer had before. Customer Analysis It involves the examination and evaluation of customers needs and wants. At the time of the companys start up, Maria B. researched on the need of fashion industry, found a considerable target market for her product and then launched the first Pakistani fashion house. She changed the concept of fashion from the dress of the working women to everyday wear.Today her clientele are spread across the globe and includes teenagers to 70 year-olds. Maria B. takes care of the need of each and every age group. Her contrast and selection of colors defines that each and every line is tailored to specific clienteles needs wild and bold prints for the youngsters and neutral and serene ones for adult target market. Her customizatio n to the needs of the customer is an important variable of success of Maria B. (Ghafoor, Face to face with Maria B. , 2002) Planning and Selling Products/ Services Maria B. has the designer need of ready-to-wear dress line for each age-group and every occasion catered effectively to.She take care of everyones needs and desires and relies on adequate promotion activities to retain previous as well as capture more market. Marias pret line of clothing includes formals, semi-formals, party line, Mafia line, bridal line and her new MGirl line. Together with this, she also started her own accessory and jewels line in 2006. Mafia line this is a casual, ready to wear line. Mafia is made mostly in pure cottons, khaddars, lawn, linens and embroidered cottons. This line is in general day wear which is affordable and trendy. Semi formals This range is primarily evening wear- slightly more formal, it plays with exquisite embroideries in resham and crystals on chiffons, silks and georgettes.Form als Perfect for wedding needs, this line consists of silks, jamahwars and heavy hand embroideries in crystals and salma dapka (traditional eastern embroideries) Maria. B Brides A purely couture line which is available only at the bridal studio in Lahore. It is a made to order line for brides and their families. Mgirl this is the new hip and trendy line by Maria B. offering everything from clothes to bags and shoes to accessories. It guarantees satisfaction to the woman who wants it all. It caters to the fun and fearless and is certainly not for the fainthearted. Maria. b Jewels Introducing semi-precious jewelry for weddings, this jewelry in platinum coated with semi-precious stones such as topaz, tourmaline, amethysts and zircons. Official Facebook group of Maria B. ) According to a recent survey, Maria B. lawns have been the largest sellers in terms of number of units in all of Pakistan. (Mansoor, 2008) All this is the result of Marias daunting effort to promote her brand at every level possible. Being a media darling, she relied heavily on print media and PR activities for the promotion of her brand. Some the names in print media are Dawn News, Visage magazine, Instep magazine, Fashion weekly, SHE and others. For PR, Purple Arts have been Maria B. s official consultants. (Shaukat, 2009) Besides these, fashion shows, ramp events have also been another very important source of promotion.But due to governmental issues, these events are snubbed and not promoted to the adequate promotional level. However, the recent Lux Style Awards Red Carpet and Ramp Events (Imam, 2005) and 2007 National Day Ramp Show held in Washington D. C. (Embassy of Pakistan, 2007) served as a very important awareness and marketing tool, provided they continue. Besides, Maria B. also holds her own fashion shows at the international level. Besides being business-minded, Maria B. is also a socially responsible person. She holds ramp events at the national as well as international level to he lp the deprived class of the society through foundations like Kashf.In 2001, on the launch of her Paris Collection, Maria B. held a fashion show in Marriot, Karachi for raising money for Afghan refugees in the country. (Malik, 2001) In a nutshell, Maria B. s success is a fusion of excellent dress designing as well as sophisticated promotion done nationally as well as internationally. Pricing and Distribution This is an important decision in marketing. As for Maria B. this decision of pricing and distribution is a task well done. Maria B. always wanted to make her name in the international market. Since the launch of her fashion house, she has been constantly working to promote her product internationally. At the national level, Maria B. as expanded to almost all the major cities of the country Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad and Faisalabad. She has plans of opening her outlet in every city of the country. But her main goal is to export her product around the world. She wants to make Mar ia B. the brand of Pakistan. And she has been very successful in doing that. Within ten years of business, Maria B. has outlets in U. K. , U. S. A. , India, and Dubai. But export being her strategic vision, Maria B. wants to expand to other cities of the world. I want to send haute-couture items such as evening wear, bridal wear etc. to UK/Europe, and then eventually to the US/Canada, Singapore and Australia. She remains undaunted by the global competition and says you have to aim high and I do want to get to New York, Milan and Paris one day. (Maria B. Fashion Designer) As for pricing, it is well adjusted to the need of the local market. Maria B. has unit- priced her product very intelligently neither very high nor very low or somehow affordable as on critic says. (Ghafoor, 2002) She believes her lines are of the top-most quality and hence, relies on grazing strategy for pricing. Regarding the international market, prices are decided in accordance with the trade regulations o f the country, by adding a mark-up to it. (Shaukat, 2009) Market Research and Opportunity Analysis Maria B. elieves in fashion as a constant transient change. New tastes keep on developing which gives rise to new demands in the product market. Research hence, is always critical to success. Maria B. no doubt has always successfully catered to the needs to its market through research. A recent example is her launching of the new M Girl line with its bold, wild and vibrant colors, keeping in mind the aspirations of the young women of today. (Official Facebook group of Maria B. ) Finance/Accounting Functions With increasing divisional structure of the company, the need of a full-fledged independently operating financial surgical incision was necessary. Maria B. has fully handled that.The company has an independent accountant who is responsible for all the financial matters of the company. Thought most of the information was confidential, however, Maria B. s net profit margin was found o ut to be 6. 77% after taxes and interest. And the companys gross profit margin was found out to be 98. 25% which is quite operative especially in todays era of economic slowdown. With the pursuance of her already implemented strategies and adequate control, Maria B. , no doubt, can become one of the most successful brands of Pakistan. Research and victimisation Research and Development (R & D) has become a necessity in todays constantly changing era. Unfortunately, at Maria B. no specific R & D department exists despite its expansion.All research decisions are made during periodic meetings or by the CEO. However, in lieu of arising need and global expansion, Maria B. is making decisions on having an R & D department. Production and Operations Maria B. works on all types of clothing, from cotton, linen, silk, hand woven khaddar and organdy garments. She prefers working on colors that are bold and vibrant. Colors and material that are bland are not her preference. The cloth is always acquired from the textile hub, Faisalabad. In case if the desired cloth or quality is not available, it is also imported. The production process at the Maria B. factory is highly mechanized and up-to-date.She does not fear local competition because her processes are highly automated and recent. 200 employees in the factory work on monitoring production and focusing on embroidery. Though no special MIS software is in place, the company plans to have one installed soon as market size and demand increases. (Shaukat, 2009)Moreover, all the activities in the companys value-chain is covered by the cost of sale of goods. (SW) INTERNAL ANALYSIS Below are a list of all the strengths and weaknesses that are faced by the company. The strengths are of an advantage to the company while the weaknesses pose threat and need to be minimized and converted in order to prove beneficial for the company. STRENTHS WEAKNESSES Wide product line No delegacy statement Strong Brand recognition No writte n vision statement Almost all brands have a inlet focus Brand cannibalization Decentralized management Lack of focus Diverse brand portfolio Lack of Brand Idea Sharing Internal Factor Evaluation Matrix (IFE) The IFE matrix evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of the company in relation to the ability of its management to capitalize on the strengths and minimize the weaknesses. Company Maria B. STRENGTHS Weight Rating Weighted Score Wide product line 0. 21 4 0. 84 Strong Brand recognition 0. 15 4 0. 6 Almost all brands have a niche focus 0. 08 3 0. 24 Decentralized management 0. 06 3 0. 18 Diverse brand portfolio 0. 03 3 0. 9 WEAKNESSES No mission statement 0. 18 4 0. 72 No written vision statement 0. 16 4 0. 64 Weak advertisement efforts 0. 05 3 0. 15 Lack of brand idea sharing 0. 04 2 0. 08 TOTAL 1 3. 54 Competitive Portfolio Matrix (CPM)The CPM identifies a firms major competitors and its particular strengths and weaknesses in relation to a sample firm s strategic position. Company Maria B. Local Competitors Hasan Shehryar Yasin (HSY), Nomi Ansari, Rizwan Beyg, Nilofer Shafid, Deepak Parwani. KEY SUCCESS FACTORS W Rizwan Beyg OPPORTUNTITIES 1 Expand to the northern areas of the country 1 Increase print advertisement and e-marketing 1 Expand into emerging economies S4,O2, O5 to attract markets like India, China as well as 2 Enter new product markets 2 Increase online selling to Italy and France the local market.W4, 04, 01 3 Acquire more companies S3, S4, 04 4 E-commerce sales 5 Expand stand-alone stores THREATS 1 Target niche markets in the country that is 1 Work on making a written vision and mission 1 Competitors not being targeted by competitors. S4, S1, T1 statement and project it to make the MARIA B. 2 New entrants 2 Advertise on brand quality and corporate identity. W1, W2, T1, T6 3 Economic recession social responsibility to increase customer 2 Increase collaboration, cohesion and idea 4 Political situation loyalty.S2, S4, T6, T1, T2 sharing between local designers at the platform 5 International economies and trade of the BOULEVARD. W3, W4, T3 restrictions 6 Brand cannibalization Conclusion In a nutshell, Maria B. is stamp down the land in the name of Pakistani fashion with her unique and bold styles. And one day, she surely plans to become Pakistans top international fashion label. Bibliography David, F. R. (2005). strategic Management concepts and cases (11 ed. ).South Carolina Prentice Hall. Dawood, T. U. (2003, May 1). The future of fashion. Retrieved January 11, 2009, from Dawn The review http//www. dawn. com/weekly/review/ muniment/030501/review1. htm Embassy of Pakistan. (2007, August 26). 60th Independence Anniversary of Pakistan. Retrieved celestial latitude 26, 2008, from Embassy of Pakistan http//www. embassyofpakistanusa. org/news269_260807. php Fashion Avenue Quarterly. (2003, October). Style Chronology. Retrieved January 10, 2009, from Maria B. www. mariab. com/index. htmchronology Ghafoor, B. (2002, June 5). All eyes on Maria B. 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Retrieved December 26, 2008, from MAG http//www. magtheweekly. com/16/lahore. php Rashed, F. 2007, December 9). Unity at the Boulevard. Retrieved December 26, 2008, from Dawn Images http//www. dawn. com/weekly/images/archive/071209/images1. htm UNDESA. (2006, December). Pakistan. Retrieved December 30, 2008, from Internet World Stats usage and population statistics http//www. internetworldstats. com/asia/pk. htm Salwa Shaukat L1S06BBAM0001 Javeria Maqbool L1S06BBAM0032 Sana Azhar L1S06BBAM2024 Kanwal Tariq L1S06BBAM2037 Submitted To Professor Nasir Riaz external and internal analysis Industry Fashion Industry Company Maria B.