Frederick Douglass And Maya Angelou Essay - 1624 Words

It is no secret that America’s history has been filled with constant oppression and ill treatments of African Americans and large amounts of discrimination toward their culture. Often times people cannot fathom what it is like to experience these inequities and only can get what it is like first hand through accounts of African Americans. Frederick Douglass and Maya Angelou both tell experiences where they were oppressed and demeaned just because of the color of their skin. Frederick Douglass’ â€Å"Learning to Read and Write† tells the account of how Douglass, a young slave, not only overcomes the depriving laws and norms of the time but also the smarts he used to be able to learn to read and write. Douglass had somehow convinced his†¦show more content†¦During her eighth grade graduation, Angelou describes every detail, showing her eagerness and elation for the day and as well as her pride that she feels for being second best of her class. These s wirling emotions come crashing down as the guest speaker, Edward Donleavy, not only finds away to degrade African Americans and these children s futures, but also seemed make the whole crowd feel less than worthy of anything. Just as soon as the speech had started it was over and it had left Angelou feeling worthless, and she had lost any pride she had. This mans discrimination of African Americans had left her feeling less than equal and conflicted on who she was and what she could become. Angelou contemplated herself and other African Americans stating â€Å"It was awful to be a Negro and have no control over my life...We should all be dead...As a species, we were an abomination. All of us.† (Angelou 29-30). Angelou wants us to understand that the daily prejudice and constant racism iso so great that they cannot even live their own lives. She explains that she feels that the weight of this hurt has just made her believe that African Americans should not exist at all. An gelou does not say that they should all be dead because she is believing the bigotry and prejudice against African Americans, but instead to escape the continuous inequities. Donleavy’s speechShow MoreRelatedEssay on The Theme of Freedom in Poetry2575 Words   |  11 PagesTheme of Freedom in Poetry Write about three poems on freedom: On Liberty and Slavery (George Moses Horton), Sympathy (Paul Laurence Dunbar) and Caged Bird (Maya Angelou). I have chosen to write about three poems on freedom: On Liberty and Slavery (George Moses Horton), Sympathy (Paul Laurence Dunbar) and Caged Bird (Maya Angelou). The full text of the poems is attached. I chose these three poems because the subject matter appealed to me and I believe that the poems convey their meaningRead MoreAfrican American Literature2022 Words   |  9 Pagesshe had to prove in court that she was the author. Literature also offered some African Americans power and influence, Frederick Douglas was one of these; he had been born in slavery, but eventually escaped and became and a lecturer, orator and author. His speeches addressed issues on abolitionism. Frederick Douglas autobiography Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, which was published in 1845 made him the most influential African American of his time. At the time

The Life Of Edward Irving Wortis A Reflection Of His Life

Can you imagine failing classes like reading and writing but still growing up to be a world class author. Well that’s Avi! Avi’s school struggles helped him in the long run. He grew up in a time period that greatly influenced him and clearly shows in some of his books. Avi focused on all different types of children’s books and originally made the stories for his son. All in All Avi’s life made him the great author he is recognized as today. Avi’s writing is a reflection of his life. Edward Irving Wortis was born on December 23, 1937 in Manhattan, New York. His father, Joseph, was a psychiatrist and his mother Helen was a social worker. He also had an older brother named Henry and a twin sister named Emily. His sister couldn t say his name so she called him Avi which caught on with the rest of the family. According to a family story Avi taught himself how to read at the age of five! His family also had a writing background. His great grandfather was a storyteller and another one of his great grandfathers was a writer. Also his aunt was a journalist. Despite all this Avi still struggled in school. Avi struggled in his classes, especially reading and writing. Sometimes he would write the same word three times and spell it differently each time. His teachers thought he was sloppy and didn t pay attention. His papers would often be returned covered in red markings. Unfortunately he had dysgraphia which is the impairment of the ability to write caused by brain dysfunction.

Research Paper On Gun Control Free Essays

There is a old saying that guns dont kill people, people kill people. This Is a known saying that comes out all the time when this conversation pops up. The media portrays gun control in a positive light, they believe that this is something that would work: believe that gun control will never work and giving people guns to protect themselves and taking guns from people the public judges or deems unfit is a terrible Idea. We will write a custom essay sample on Research Paper On Gun Control or any similar topic only for you Order Now It Is unsafe, and also endangering people’s lives and Is unfair, plus It Is oing against the second amendment which many have died to protect. The Article (â€Å"We Need More Gun control, whether You Know It or Not†) Is an pro-gun article that explains how most americans think you need a background check and go through all these test to be able to buy a gun, â€Å"but such laws don’t exist†. First thing that concerns me with this article Is the how he acquired the stats and comments he obtained. Most of them are only from a small group consensus and was not open up to the public to thus meaning that it is only one sided and not taking an opinion from thers sides ot this topic. The second bit ot information that was about this article was that he has no ethos and have no real credited sources of his information. An picture I found on the web from (â€Å"accessories. com†) was an perfect example for gun rights. This pictures describes that George Bush is saying â€Å"Free People Ought To Be Armed†. This picture basically saying that George Bush a person that fought for the rights of people Is saying that they should be dble to keep their guns. I Agree with statement the government now is trying to take away guns from people and give uns to untrained people who would hurt themselves and kill someone on accident â€Å"Ilke a kid with a gun†. On the website (â€Å"Twitter. com†) there is an anti-gun control picture. This picture is saying that a man named Joe Salazar Is being claimed an Idlot because he states that college women should not have guns because women fearing rape may â€Å"pop a round at someone†. I agree with this statement. Having untrained women and some men carrying weapons will endanger people around them, the said so person, and his/her self. This is a terrible compromise to having people protected and putting in pro gun ontrol laws which end up benefiting no one In the end of It all. â€Å"l guess Dy nature, I’m a oestructlve one Ana trutn De told, tne saTety was never on. So warning bells should have rung when I was trained wrong. For you knew I was the trigger happy and sought. I’m thinking ‘goodbye’ would have been for the best Instead. But now I found you dead, with my bullets in your chest. † A tragedy like this could be avoided if people where to realize that gun control is a terrible idea for the peoples safety and needs to be thinked over. Yes, there will be death cause by insane eople Just unloading rounds into people but thats not a guns fault is it the persons who is pulling the trigger that needs to be blamed. How to cite Research Paper On Gun Control, Essays

American Identity Essay Example For Students

American Identity Essay The American Identity Essay It can strongly be argued, as it has for many years, whether or not an American identity ever occurred between 1776 and 1861. The answer to this question really depends on your definition of what an identity consists of. An identity is the sameness in all that constitutes the objective reality of a thing; oneness. The thirteen colonies tried hard to find a sense of themselves as a nation even before they had a nation. Nationality became an American invention (notes). To find an identity the thirteen colonies created a flag, symbols of nationality (bald eagle, pluribus Unum), and they established national heroes (George Washington). Next they began to shape a national character. They asked themselves what it is to be an American (notes). An American should have no ethnic roots, and they gave this country a moral definition in order to build an identity. They had three objectives as well. The people wanted freedom and justice for all, they made the understanding that we are one nation under God and they wanted to help distinguish America from Europe. Like nature America was young, vigorous and strong compared to civilization in Europe. These colonists were desperately trying to create their own identity, which would separate them from England and any other country. They were dedicated to live their lives of Christian brotherhood while being guided by the divine providence. They were dedicated to the expansion of human rights. From these thoughts and their common quest for freedom the thirteen colonies formed their identity. As years went on and the nation united politically, their views and ideas changed. The north and south separated and one national identity did not exist. Using slavery, sectionalism and it is quite clear that the nations first common goals of unity and peace were lost. There were strong signs that the nation could very well divide. They did not have a strong central government because many people believed in states rights. Sectionalism started to form and it divided the country into regions with diverse and conflicting beliefs. Sectionalism is the exaggerated devotion to the interests of a region. The sections that existed were the northeast, the south and the west. The main reason they began to separate was quarrels over tariffs, the idea of a central banking system and the issue of slavery. The north felt slavery contradicted the idea of liberty. The north also had mixed feelings about expansionism. Each section consisted of very different people. Westerners in the 1800s had a romantic image. However, most were thought to be like barbarians because they had no type of civilization. An example of a westerner is Huckleberry Finn. He ran around having little formal schooling, and he was considered a heathen. Westerners moved to the west for their desire for land. They could be characterized as greedy, dirty and not educated. Some of their occupations were commercial farmers, traders and fisherman. Northerners were traditionally manufacturers. The textile industry began to flourish here. The stereotypical Yankees were known for their greed. They were very religious and well educated. The north produced some of the best literary figures. Northeast people had a Puritan temper. They had strict morals; they were devoted to their principles and were set on organizing and improving. The southerners were more similar to the westerners then the north. They were the farmers. They had southern values and were not open to change, unlike the north. They were very big on slavery and had different ideas about government, religion and economy than the north. As slavery grew in the south and in the west, the north grew cold to the idea of slavery and sectionalism became a big problem. Iagos evil Essay In the 1850s Lincoln won the election (he was against slavery) and South Carolina succeeded from the union. Ten other states followed and the Civil War was not far behind. Identity of this one nation was lost with sectionalism. The south wanted to become their own union. The dreams that the original thirteen colonies hoped for were lost and so was any identity established. Slavery was a huge problem for the states. Southern plantations were swamped with black slaves. The south believed in slavery, contrary to .

UPS and Starbucks global strategies

Strategy can be defined as an outline of doing things in an organization. This is meant to bring out the desired results or solution to a certain problem. Organizations derive strategies that help them achieve a certain goal or objective in their operations.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on UPS and Starbucks global strategies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More UPS Global strategy The United Parcel Services, which is abbreviated as UPS, is a package delivery company incorporated in the United States. The company offers transportation, financial services, and logistics to its clients who are mainly business companies and individuals on a global scale. The company, which started over a hundred years ago, has been able to conquer the global markets. Thus, it now operates in more than 200 countries worldwide. It also delivers more than 15 million packages daily to different global locations. The company started as a loca l messaging enterprise operated by the 19 year old Jim Casey. However, it has risen to employ more than 400,000 employees worldwide. The company’s success story may be attributed to its strategic global expansion plan. The company offers the best services on the market, and thus the many companies associate with its services (Mintzberg Ghoshal, 2002; Mintzberg, Ghoshal, Lampel Quinn, 2003). In a move to implement its global strategy in regard to its service delivery across the world, UPS was faced with a number of issues in implementing and executing the strategies. In the early 1980s when the company was in the process of expanding to other countries, it faced some challenges in implementing the strategies. Its expansion plan was hindered by its reliance on the local marketing skills. The marketing environment in Asia and Europe was different from the local marketing environment. Thus, the company’s management had to formulate a new strategy in the new markets. The choice of location of the company stores had to be strategically placed so as to attract and identify with new customers in Asia and Europe. The labor ethics in Asia and Europe had a different degree as compared with the American one. Therefore, the management had to come up with a new job schedule that suit the country’s specification. For example, in Singapore, the country instituted a stiff work ethics that had no room for overtime. In this regard, the drivers who used to deliver the goods could not operate on a 12 to 13 hour shift as they did in America. Thus, the corporation management had to establish a means that can help the new stores in different countries. The corporation had to train new managers who were conversant with the local markets. This was meant to render the company a competitive advantage over the local companies (Lussier, 2012).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The company’s strategy implementation was a success. In this case, it helped the corporation to expand by opening depots in over 200 countries across the world. The customer response to quick services has rendered the company as one of the largest organizations in the world. It has links all over the world through improved services to various destinations. The company marketing strategy has been instrumental in the global expansion campaign initiated by the corporation’s management within other countries. The company has been able to conquer global market forces. Starbuck Global Strategy Starbuck Corporation is an American coffeehouse that was founded in the early seventies. The founders were Jerry Baldwin and Gordon Bowker. The company is the largest coffeehouse in the world as it has more than 20,000 stores and operates in more than 61 countries worldwide. The company deals in hot and cold beverages, which range from whole-bean coffee, instant coffee , pastries and snacks. The coffee house has experienced an extensive global expansion. It has established stores in many countries after its initial store in Seattle, Washington. The Starbuck expansion strategy was faced with some issues which made it difficult for the implementation of the strategy. As the company continues to expand in its operations across America and Europe, it is faced with a number of challenges that tend to delay the implementation of the expansion strategy across international markets. The marketing strategies, which are formulated by the company management, are geared towards improving the quality of products in the market. Starbuck’s coffee house business is recognized through its main retail stores in the US, as well as within other countries. The company marketing strategy was tasked with finding new stores where people access the services at a convenient location and competitive prices. The company has been able to partner with various market sta keholders and introduced new services like selling music. For example, a partnership with apple to sell music in the company stores to various customers (Wit Meyer, 2010). The outcome of the implementation of the optimal strategy for the company has led to the success of the company in the world market. After its incorporation in the United States in the 1970s, the founders saw it necessary to invest in more global markets and better service delivery. The corporation has been able to open up other stores in various countries. In turn, this improved the financial capability of the firm. The corporation has been able to offer employment opportunity with the expansion movement globally (Miltenburg, 2005).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on UPS and Starbucks global strategies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More References Lussier, R.N. (2012). Management fundamentals: Concepts, applications, skill development. Mason, Ohi o: South-Western. Miltenburg, J. (2005). Manufacturing strategy: How to formulate and implement a winning plan. New York: Productivity Press. Mintzberg, H., Ghoshal, S. (2002). The strategy process. Harlow: Financial Times Prentice Hall. Mintzberg, H., Ghoshal, S., Lampel, J., Quinn, J. B. (2003). The strategy process: Concepts, contexts, cases (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Wit, B., Meyer, R. (2010). Strategy: Process, content, context; an international perspective. Andover, Hampshire: Cengage Learning. This essay on UPS and Starbucks global strategies was written and submitted by user Sarai Hubbard to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Tips for Moving Back in With Your Parents After College

Tips for Moving Back in With Your Parents After College Sure, moving back in with your parents may not have been your first choice for what to do after you graduated from college. Many people, however, move back in with their folks for a wide range of reasons. No matter why youre doing it, there are some steps you can take to make the situation easier for everyone. Set Reasonable Expectations True, you may have been able to come and go as you please, leave your room a disaster, and have a new guest over every night while you were in the residence halls, but this arrangement may not work for your folks. Set some reasonable expectations - for everyone involved - before you even step through the door. Set Some Ground Rules Alright, you may have to have a curfew so your poor mother doesnt think something terrible has happened to you if youre not home by 4:00 in the morning - but your mom also needs to understand that she cant just barge into your room without any notice. Set some ground rules as soon as possible to make sure everyone is clear on how things will work. Expect a combination of a roommate relationship and a parent/kid relationship. Yes, youve had roommates for the past several years, and you may view your parents as similar to them. Your parents, however, will always view you as their child. Do your best to keep this in mind as you figure out how things will work once you move back in. Sure, it seems ridiculous for a roommate to want to know where youre going every night. But your parents probably have a legitimate right to ask. Set a Time Frame Do you just need someplace to crash between when you graduate from college and when you start graduate school in the fall? Or do you need somewhere to live until you can save enough money on your own to get your own place? Talk about how long you plan on staying - 3 months, 6 months, 1 year - and then check back in with your parents once that time frame is up. Discuss Money, No Matter How Awkward No one really likes to talk about money. But addressing the topic with your parents - how much youll pay in rent, for food, to get back on their health insurance plan, or if the car youve been borrowing needs more gas - will help prevent a ton of problems later. Have Your Own Support Networks Ready to Go After living on your own or in the residence halls during college, living with your parents can become very isolating. Do your best to have systems in place that provide you with an outlet and support network that is separate from your parents. The Relationship Is Give and Take - Both Ways Yes, your parents are letting you stay at their place, and yes, you may pay rent to do so. But are there other ways you can help, especially if money is tight for everyone? Can you help around the house - with yard work, fix-it projects, or technical support for the computers they can never get to work right - in ways that will make your living relationship much more symbiotic? The Person Who Moves Back Is Not the Same Person Who Left Your parents may have a very specific - and outdated - idea of who is moving back in with them. Take a deep breath and do your best to remind them that, while you left the house as an 18-year-old college freshman, you are now returning as a 22-year-old, college-educated adult. Now Is the Time to Build Your Own Life - Not Pause It Just because you are at your parents place, waiting until you can move out on your own, doesnt mean your life is on pause. Volunteer, date, explore new things  and do your best to continue learning and growing instead of just waiting for your first opportunity to move on to somewhere else. Enjoy Yourself This may seem completely unthinkable if moving back in with your folks was the last thing you wanted to do. However, living at home can be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to finally learn your moms secret fried chicken recipe and your dads amazing way with woodworking tools. Live it up and take in as much as you can.

Finance Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Finance Analysis - Essay Example As of today, more than 2.5 million people of the entire UK population trust the day-to-day operations of McDonalds and also the high standard quality of service and the value for the money spent by them3. D. Main products and services - McDonald's menu concentrates on five main ingredients: beef, chicken, bread, potatoes and milk, which account for 255 million of food expenditure. The company's main menu lists its basic food offering: the Big Mac, which still exists as a major seller; other standard product names come from the McDonald's convention of adding a 'Mc' to a particular item. So, a chicken sandwich becomes a 'McChicken' sandwich and chicken nuggets become chicken 'McNuggets'. This idea has been extended to their dessert range, with the creation of the 'McFlurry' ice cream5. E. Geographic area of operations - McDonald's is one of only a handful of brands that command instant recognition in virtually every country of the world. McDonald's began with one restaurant in the US in 1955 and today there are more than 26,500 restaurants in over 119 countries, serving around 39 million people every day - making McDonald's by far the largest food service company in the world6. ... The business is managed as distinct geographic segments: United States; Europe; Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa (APMEA); Latin America; and Canada. In addition, throughout this report we present a segment entitled "Corporate& Other" that includes corporate activities and non-McDonald's brands (e.g., Boston Market). The U.S. and Europe segments each account for approximately 35% of total revenues. France, Germany and the United Kingdom (U.K.), collectively, account for approximately 60% of Europe's revenues; and Australia, China and Japan (a 50%-owned affiliate accounted for under the equity method), collectively, account for nearly 50% of APMEA's revenues. These six markets along with the U.S. and Canada are referred to as "major markets" throughout this report and comprise approximately 70% of total revenues.7 F. Recent developments - Extra Value Meals and Happy Meals are two of the most successful innovations of McDonalds. Extra Value Meals offer customers a hamburger, drink and fries sold together at a fixed money-saving price. Similarly, McDonald's Happy Meal boxes offer parents a simple and appealing package, with a smaller portioned meal served in a fun box with a toy. The reason behind the continued success of the family business of McDonalds is these innovations being instrumental. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS a. Sales and Income Record: Fiscal Years 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Sales ($) 14,738 15,201 16,825 18,594 19,832 21,586 % change in sales (each yr) 4 3.14 10.6 10.5 6.65 8.84 Net Income ($) 1,637 894 1,471 2,279 2,602 3,544 % change in net income (each yr) 69 -45 65 54 14 36 8 GRAPH OF SALES & NET INCOME, FY 2001 -

Belbins Theory Of Team Dynamics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Belbins Theory Of Team Dynamics - Essay Example In the context of the university, the student often felt sad when a classmate can no longer continue his or her studies. Or, the student often feel desolate when they have to end their group and go their own separate ways after working on a very long project. This separation can often affect their performance in the new group or the task that they are working as they are still attached to their former groups. Thus, the new group that they are with suffers performance deficit and or the process of group formation as inscribed by Belbin undergoes a tougher transition than it should. This brings to mind the valid concern on how to avoid the separation distress or separation dysfunction of group members after the adjournment process of their former group. How can this be effectively dealt with? An equally important consideration is the notion of how can we form groups that would perform but does not necessarily end in a stressful manner. On the first concern on how to avoid separation distress in the adjournment process of a group, it would be realistic to admit that group attachment cannot be avoided because it is an integral component of the group that made it effective in the first place. Teamwork and cooperation are founded on a good relationship and this good relationship is bonded by attachment whose degree may differ and thus, cannot be totally eliminated in a group. It does not mean however that team must end in a stressful manner. The stress associated with Belbin’s adjournment process can be mitigated by setting the expectations of the group members in the forming stage. This way, group members are aware that separation could be difficult and thereupon can take measures to mitigate its impacts such as saying goodbyes early, noting each other’s contact information and other measures intended to make the adjournment less stressful.

UDL Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

UDL - Assignment Example Lesson ideas are well established by offering full plans, along with tips on introducing the topic, which would help someone to better understand how a topic should be brought up to students. Internet resources about poetry slams, including books and visual aid, supplement the lesson plans and offer extra material to be added, or to allow the teacher to tweak already existing ideas. By providing internet resources and online plans, the lesson is appealing to the modern learning style of using technology to assist comprehension. The chart of alternative methods is extremely useful in understanding how to better deal with children who have special learning requirements. Specific issues are addressed, and then are answered with possible suggestions, backed up by internet resources. Clever solutions are mentioned to deal with comprehension issues, such as using a text-to-speech tool on the computer to help students understand how to read or say certain words. This specific area of the ar ts is perfect for helping students with comprehension and reading techniques.

Psychology of Human and Criminal Behaviour

Psychology of Human and Criminal Behaviour Sandy Hook Elementary School had 456 children enrolled into Kindergarten through to fourth grade. Newtown is located in Fairfield County, Connecticut, about 60 miles outside New York City. In the town crime was rare with just 28,000 residents. Just one homicide had happened in the town in the ten years prior to the school shootings. 20 year old Adam Lanza was carrying a stash of hundreds of rounds of ammo. When he heard police approaching the classroom where he gunned down helpless children he shot himself in the head. 20 children aged 6 or 7 and 6 adults were shot on the day with a high power rifle. The Gunman, Adam was said to be bright but awkward student with no close friends. In high school he was involved with a technology group, where the club leader said he had some disabilities and seemed not to feel pain like the other members. He required special supervision when using tools for things like soldering and occasionally had episodes in which he seemed to withdraw completely f rom his surroundings. Lanza had never been involved with or had a criminal history before. Psychological Theories focus on how characteristics of the individual lead to criminal behaviour. Sigmund Freud who fathered psychoanalytic theory is discussed in some detailed because many key concepts in this theory are utilized by current sociological and psychological theories of criminal offending. Freud believed that one can understand human behaviour best by examining early childhood experiences. These experiences, traumatic or not can intensely affect behaviour without the individual being consciously aware of their impact. Additionally, all humans have criminal trends. Theses tendencies are restrained, however, through the process of socialisation. A child that is unsuitably socialised could then develop a personality disturbance that causes him or her to direct antisocial desires either inwards or outward. Those who direct them inward become neurotic while those that direct them outwards become criminal. An application could be where is a mother is forced to work during her childs younger years the emotional bond could be broken, leading to stunted social development, which could then lead to crime. It is the psychoanalytic belief that we are all narcissists at an early stage of our lives. As infants and toddlers we all feel that we are the centre of the universe, the most important, omnipotent and wise beings. At that phase of our development, our parents are perceived by us to be mythical figures, immortal and awesomely powerful, there solely to cater to our needs, to protect and nourish us. A second major theory of criminal behaviour is Social Learning Theory is based on the principles of which hypothesizes that a persons behaviour is learned and maintained by its concerns or rewards. Individuals then learn deviant and criminal behaviour but observing other people and witnessing the rewards or consequences that their behaviour receives. According to this theory, if this is how different behaviour is established, then taking away the reward value of the behaviour can eliminate deviant behaviour. Social learning theory stemmed out of work by N.E. Miller and J. Dollard in 1941. Their plan suggests that if humans were inspired to study a particular behaviour that particular behaviour would be learned through clear observations. By copying these observed actions the individual observer would set that learned action and would be rewarded with positive reinforcement. The plan of social learning was expanded upon and theorized by Albert Bandura from 1962 to the present. The adv antages of this theory are it deals with the learning of complex forms of behaviour holistically rather than as a process of slow condition and furthermore stresses the processes in the acquisition of behaviour. On the other hand it has a weak ability to explain under circumstances criminal behaviour will or will not be learnt mean that it has limited explanatory power. For example, an individual who observes a friend shoplifting an item and not getting caught sees that the friend is not being punished for their actions and they are rewarded by getting to keep the item he or she stole. That individual might be more likely to shoplift, then, if they believe he or she will be rewarded with the same outcome. Although it may be suggested by some within the social order that social learning theory can be used as a tool to blame television, movies or video games on the violent acts that are committed by youth, those applying the theory fail to see the complete cycle of events that lead to school shootings. Furthermore, it must be understood that this cycle of events that are discussed in social learning theory occur over an extended period of time, building to the moment of action. Therefore, social learning theory has the ability of not only identifying children that have been negatively impacted by their environment, but also using the information known regarding what affects children negatively to change their lives before violence occurs. Some say a casual aspect of crime could be Genes, and genetic factor that can influence people to commit crime. In the case of murder if the existence of a violent gene can be proved, and there are members of society who if provoked will be unable to control their successive actions, even if those actions amount to murder, then genetics absolutely must be considered in the law courts. The existence of such a gene appears to suggest that there exist people who inherently bad. However if we are allow people justifying circumstances due to their genetic makeup, then we are creating yet another excuse. There may be genes that make us more vulnerable to such traits, but we are ultimately responsible for our own actions. Also the association between unemployment and crime is still unsettled combined crime rates and collective unemployment rate seen weakly related. In other words, crime rates sometimes rise during periods of economic wealth and fall during periods of economic decline. Unemp loyment threatens households, and unstable families are the ones most likely to produce children who put a premium on violence and aggression as a means of dealing with limited opportunity. This lack of opportunity perpetuates higher crime rates, especially when large groups or partners of people of the same age compete for relatively limited resources. The shooter Adam even though unemployment didnt have a major influence still had no independent job or schooling. History has shown that there is a link between poverty and crime; however that nature of the relationship can be difficult to define. In addition to higher crime rates, higher unemployment and lower wages, higher poverty neighbourhoods have weaker access to health care and education, increased stress levels and rates of mental illness. Many of these factors also appear to contribute to a higher crime rate. One of the reasons people find themselves in poverty is how little education they have which then leads them to an inability to secure a decent paying job. It has also been said that people with higher incomes are less likely to commit a crime due to the economic cost of going to prison. For example someone earning  £50,000 a year will suffer more loss by going to prison than an individual who has little to no income. The study done on Inequality and Violent Crime published by journal of law and economics in 2002 found a great correlation between inequality and crime. This shows that to be especially strong at times of poor economic growth. If jobs are available and the economic situation of individual is improving, even if they are still poor, there does not appear to be as much crime as there would be in a situation where the economy is in decline, jobs are being lost and the economic situation of the poor worsening. Criminal behaviour in youths is often the result of on-going physical and emotional changes that occur in the course of gaining independence from parents and developing an identity within the peer group. People are just as likely to commit violent behaviour because of verbal coercion from friends as they are due to their own private desire to gain acceptance from within a peer group. In higher crime neighbourhoods the chances of a child escaping the peer pressure that leads to crime and violence is a rarity. The main reason people will commit crime despite knowing that it is wrong is due in part to distortions often overvalue the reward aspec t of peer acceptance. Many people have long debates whether poverty itself is a cause of crime or whether poverty and crime are both caused by other factors such as low education, bad work habits, substance abuse, family breakdowns and fatherlessness and other social pathologies. Even though the struggle to answer why these things happen fairly. Early reports do indicate that Lanzas mental health deteriorated rapidly following the departure of his father which may have then put this mother into a hard position. In conclusion the impact of this crime had a major impact to the victims and to society. The major debate that has been set off because of the Newtown shootings is gun laws in America. The percentage of Americans favouring though gun regulations rose significantly. A poll found that 50% of those surveyed after the shootings agreed that gun ownership should have stronger regulation. The massacre has led to President Barack Obama and come congressional leaders to reconsider what has been a largely hands off approach to gun control in recent years and sometime much change to prevent such tragedies happening again. The victims and their families would want to enforce stricter rules and safety procedure; each classroom teachers should have emergency plans. Appendix On Dec. 14, 2012, a gunman killed 26 people, including 20 children between the ages of 6 and 7, at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., about 65 miles northeast of New York City. The gunman, Adam Lanza, 20, killed himself inside the Sandy Hook Elementary School. The day after the shootings, officials said that Mr. Lanza forced his way into the school, apparently defeating an intercom system that was meant to keep people out. The killing spree had begun earlier at the house where Mr. Lanza had lived with his mother, Nancy Lanza, who was a gun enthusiast. There, he shot her in the face, making her his first victim. One of her guns was apparently used to take her life, authorities said. Then, leaving her dead after taking three guns that belonged to her, he climbed into her car for the short drive to the school. Two of the guns were semiautomatic pistols; the other was a semiautomatic rifle. Once Mr. Lanza had forced his way in, wearing combat gear, the massacre unfolded with chillin g speed, as he opened fire in one classroom and then another. This Massacre is the second deadliest school shooting in US history and one of the deadliest mass shootings around the world. A gunman a Virginia Tech University killed 33, including himself in 2007. Only Virginia tech and the mass killings of 77 in Norway last year had greater death tolls across the world over the past 20 years.

Essay --

How to change the oil and filter on a 1993 VW Corrao VR6 The following instructions are recommended for changing the motor oil on a 1993 Corrado with a 6-cylinder VR6 motor type. Oil changes are necessary to ensure proper lubrication for the engine during use, usually ranging from every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. Over time, the oil breaks down and may cause excess wear on internal parts. The oil filter should also be changed at this time, due to any particles the filter may have caught from the old oil. Depending on your level of mechanical ability and weather conditions, this process should take about an hour or less. Please read all instructions thoroughly before attempting any maintenance. New parts: 6 quarts of oil 1 filter Tools: Floor jack Container for old oil A 6mm Allen wrench for oil filter plug 36mm socket for oil filter housing 19mm socket for drain plug on pan Socket wrench (3/8† or 1/2† is fine) Torque wrench Steps: 1. Warm up the engine by driving around for a few minutes. This will warm up the oil and will decrease the amount of time the oil needs to drain. 2. Park the ...

Yeah

Remember, these are brief outlines of my lectures and you are responsible for taking class notes, as questions will come from my discussion comments that give meaning to those points. During lectures I will discuss some background information you do not need for the exam, which means the other issues I discuss are fair game for the exam. This Is a major Incentive to come to class, pay attention, and take good class notes. If you do not take notes, how can you remember my comments 3-4 weeks later for an exam?See â€Å"General announcement # 2† general announcements (click it) for instructions About 20 or more questions will come from text reading review assignments – for this exam these Logic Kernel chapter Word reviews: 1 (Logic), 2 (constitution), and 11 (voting, elections & campaigns – answer only questions 1-19. ) – these review questions re your only text reading responsibility for exam 1. When I provide chapter reading review questions like this, know these are actual questions from which I will randomly select some for the reading portion of the exam.I will not ask anything else from the chapter other than the reading review questions provided. This eliminates mystery & surprise regarding exam contents. Especially for you freshmen, this is harder than it looks, and will take a number of hours to look up the answers in the text. Study them carefully and you will have no problem with the reading questions oration of the exam. Since I have given you the actual reading questions, I will not give you the answers before the exam, so do the best you can; this is a learning exercise. When you buddy up to study with others, do not trust the answers of others.Validate it with your own eyes or suffer the consequences if your buddy is wrong. If you find a bad question, email me your class time with the chapter & question problem with your page reference, and I'll check it out, but will not give the answer. I will be careful not to choose a ny that are inaccurate or confusing. There is o excuse for you to miss one of these questions if you study. If it was me, I would look up the correct answer and when confident, I would delete all the wrong answers so I am Just reinforcing the question and the correct answer when I study.My last tip is to manage-study both class lectures and reading reviews daily so not overwhelmed by cramming right before an exam – which does not work, as some will discover. (c) Website essay portions. 7-10 questions will come from my website essay reading assignment. To find this information, go to General Announcement # general announcements (click it) and follow those instructions carefully about the hyperlink there titled â€Å"why studying the U. S.Constitution, as well as national and state and local politics, is so important to each citizen. † You are only responsible on exam #1 for the specific items mentioned in its instructions. Another key word bullet outline assignment â₠¬â€œ then study your outline. (d) General Announcement # 5 general announcements (click it) provides specific study ideas for my exams. Yeah Spring 2013 SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITYCourse Syllabus Course:ACCT 508- Federal Tax Accounting I Prerequisite:ACCT 301 with grade of C or better, or ACCT 303 with grade of C- or better. Professor:Tim Hurley, M. B. A. , J. D. , LL. M. Office:SCI 355 Office Hours:M 3:00-4:00, W 5:00-7:00, TH 6:00-7:00; by appointment Office Phone: E-mail:[email  protected] edu Required Text:Hoffman & Smith, Individual Income Taxes, South-Western Federal Taxation 2013 Spring 2013 SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITYCourse SyllabusCourse:ACCT 508- Federal Tax Accounting I Prerequisite:ACCT 301 with grade of C or better, or ACCT 303 with grade of C- or better. Professor:Tim Hurley, M. B. A. , J. D. , LL. M. Office:SCI 355 Office Hours:M 3:00-4:00, W 5:00-7:00, TH 6:00-7:00; by appointment Office Phone: E-mail:[email  protected] edu Required Text:Hoffman & Smith, Individual Income Taxes, South-Western Federal Taxation 2013 Spring 2013 SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITYCourse Syllabus Course Description Federa l Taxes I is a study of the Internal Revenue Code as it affects individuals and sole proprietorships.Basic competence in tax returns, terminology, and tax calculation are emphasized. Extensive coverage is given to tax accounting methods, rates, exemptions, credits, dependents, gross income inclusions and exclusions, capital gains and losses, deductions associated with a trade or business (including depreciation), and personal deductions such as charitable contributions, interest, taxes, and medical expenses. Married filing jointly, married filing separately, head of a household, surviving spouse, and single filing status are defined and explained. Course Goals: To provide the student with an in-depth look at U. S. federal income tax law with primary emphasis on income taxation for individuals * To expose the student to the authoritative sources of U. S. federal income tax law interpretation * To begin the development of necessary research skills * To make the student aware of the im portance of tax planning in business and investment decisions Grading Components Component Possible Points Exam I 100 (approximately 21%) Exam II 100 (approximately 21%) Comprehensive Final Exam 140 (approximately 29%) Tax Return Assignments 65 (approximately14%) Aplia Homework 40 (approximately 9%) Participation 30 (approximately 6%) Total Possible Points = 475 Aplia You must sign up for Aplia. 1. Connect to http://login. cengagebrain. com/ 2. If you already have an account, sign in. From your Dashboard, enter your course key (DB3V-FC2F-GAY3) in the box provided, and click the Register button. If you don't have an account, click the Create a New Account button, and enter your course key when prompted: DB3V-FC2F-GAY3. Continue to follow the on-screen instructions. Aplia is a course page designed by the publisher of the book but controlled by me where I will place the syllabus, homework assignments, practice questions, practice exams, etc. It gives instant feedback on the questions a nd is a great way to study for an exam. * Homework assignments are due on Aplia by Sunday at 11:00 PM. * Homework assignments will begin with Chapter 3 (in week 3). * Aplia homework is worth 40 points. You will receive 40 points only if you complete all assignments when due and answer 50% of the questions correctly on each assignment. * Partial credit is awarded at the professor’s discretion.Email Requirement The University has assigned you an email address. You are on a class email list that I will use to send important information to you. Thus, you must know your university email address and check your email regularly. Academic Integrity Plagiarism is a form of cheating or fraud. It occurs when a student misrepresents the work of another as his or her own. Plagiarism may consist of using the ideas, sentences, paragraphs, or the whole text of another without appropriate acknowledgement, but it also includes allowing another person to write or substantially alter work that a student then submits as his or her own.Any assignment found to be plagiarized will be given a failing grade. All instances of plagiarism in the Department of Accounting will be reported to the Department Chair, and may be reported to the University Judicial Affairs Officer for further action. Special Learning or Physical Accommodations Policy If you have a disability and need assistance in any way, please let me know as soon as possible. This course adheres to San Francisco State University’s policy on the accommodation of disabled students. Classroom Policies To maintain an appropriate learning environment in the classroom, students must conduct themselves in a professional manner so as not to disturb other students or the instructor. Please be respectful to other students and to me by arriving to class on time, not sleeping, and not talking during class unless it is to contribute to a class discussion. If it is absolutely necessary to leave during class, then sit near the d oor. * No laptops. * Please turn off all phones before coming to class. * Texting during class is strictly prohibited. Please take the same seat for each class; it helps me to learn your names. * If class is canceled for any reason, the assignments for that day will be due in the next class. Make-up exams Exams will only be given during scheduled class periods. Make-up exams will not be given. If you have a scheduling conflict, then you need to drop the course. Withdrawal from Class If you should decide to drop or withdraw from this course or withdraw from the University, you must comply with the official procedures (confer with the Office of the Registrar) or receive a grade of â€Å"F† for this course.Students who stop attending class without officially withdrawing from the course receive a grade based upon the total points they have accumulated. Ordinarily, the result will be an â€Å"F† grade. Attendance / Participation / Homework Attendance will be taken at the be ginning of each class meeting. If you do not attend class, it is likely that you will not pass this course. Taxation is not something that you can learn on your own and then take the exam. Like most Accounting courses, this is a problem-based course. At the end of each chapter, you will find problems.In addition, I will post additional problems that we will work in class. It is essential that you work and rework these problems and that you are able to do them on your own before the exam without looking at the answers. It is expected that readings and problems will be completed prior to class. Students should be expected to be called on in class, and students should therefore be prepared to discuss the assigned materials and problems from each class. Participation – Generally, I will ask for volunteers to help in class discussions and to assist me in working out homework problems.You earn the participation points for volunteering. If I do not get a volunteer, I will call on st udents at random. If I call on you and you are unprepared or ill prepared, you will lose participation points. Texting During Class – If you text during class, you will lose all participation points for that class. If this continues, on the third such occurrence, I will drop your grade one letter grade. Just because I do not call you out during class for texting does not mean that I did not see you. A few comments on grades and grading: * Failure to complete all course requirements will result in receiving a course grade of F. Extra credit is not part of the course grading plan. * Where there are close calls on grades, I will look to see if there is an improving trend and consider other positive factors in your overall performance such as class participation and conduct. * Students are encouraged to discuss concerns about their performance or course grades with the instructor at any time. * No grades will be provided or discussed over the telephone. Class Schedule This repres ents planned topics and problems; however, it will be modified as necessary to ensure that course material is covered adequately or to respond to special circumstances.The listing of assignments presented here is incomplete. Additions or deletions will be made as the semester progresses. Note that you must track the progress we have made and make sure you are prepared for class. Chapter Number| Topic| 1| An Introduction to Taxation and Understanding the Federal Tax LawAssignment: skim the chapter | 2| Working with the Tax Law (Read pages 2-1 to 2-19) Assignment: 11, 17| 3| Computing the TaxAssignment: 3,4,18,19,20,28,29,32,33,34,39(a);(b),42,44,47| | MIDTERM I (tentative) – 100 POINTS| | Gross Income: Concepts and InclusionsAssignment: 23 (answer only how much of the $9,000 annuity payment will be included in Betty’s income in 2000), 35, 52, 53, 56(a)| 14| Property Transactions: Determination of Gain or Loss, Basis Considerations, and Nontaxable Exchanges (Read 14-1 to 14-20)Assignment: 30, 36, 44, 51, 53(a)+(b),; Chapter 3 – 51| 5| Gross Income: ExclusionsAssignment: 8, 28, 29, 34, 48, 56(b)| 6| Deductions and Losses: In GeneralAssignment: 27, 34, 41, 48, 61| | MIDTERM II (tentative)– 100 POINTS| | Deductions and Losses: Certain Business Expenses and LossesAssignment: 33, 37, 56| 8| Depreciation, Cost Recovery, Amortization, and DepletionAssignment: 31, 33, 34, 36, 37, 40, 49| 9| Deductions: Employee and Self-Employed-Related ExpensesAssignment: 33, 36, 42, 46, 48| 12| Tax Credits and PaymentsAssignment: | COMPREHENSIVE FINAL EXAM – 140 POINTSMay 23 10:45 – 1:15|

Li & Fung Introduction

Introduction: â€Å"Globalization†, the word everybody has heard of and which Is literally spread everywhere. Either In school, university or In the news. People are constantly discussing about this term and its consequences. But what does globalization actually mean? There are thousands of deflations and It Is hard to find one which covers all areas of globalization. In short words Globalization considers the process of the world becoming more and more interdependent and linked concerning politics, economy, environment and technology. It is not possible anymore to see our economy as a single unit.Instead the whole world is connected and linked through cash or trading flows or commodities that are being shipped for instance from Hong Kong to the US. This process has significantly influenced multinational companies and their strategic development in order to gain more wealth and growth from an international point of view. In the following assignment I am going to analyses the i nternationalization strategy of Lie & Fun, a Hong Kong based multinational company which targets on a unique supply- chain management system and also covers logistics.We span a range of such as toys, home furnishings, sporting goods, footwear, and health and beauty products. Our services cover all aspects of the supply chain from product design, raw material sourcing and production management to quality control, logistics, and shipping. We operate one of the world's most extensive global networks across our trading and logistics businesses. More than 28,000 colleagues work across some 300 offices and distribution centers in more than 40 different markets. We have access to a sourcing network encompassing over 1 5,000 suppliers around the world.The Trading business provides sourcing services to retailers, brand owners and wholesalers to support their brands on both an agency (commission margin) and a principal (product margin) basis. It also offers design and products to retailers on a wholesale basis. The Logistics business is a leading player for logistics in distinct verticals across Greater China and Southeast Asia, and interacts with our trading business to provide comprehensive in-country logistics solutions and international freight forwarding services. )

Zara vs. Uniqlo Essay Example

Zara vs. Uniqlo Essay Example Zara vs. Uniqlo Paper Zara vs. Uniqlo Paper Clothing Industry ZARA vs. UNIQLO Team J: Bingbing Ge Lei Du Sophia Maduka Salman Syed Azim Thanadol Boonyaviwat Tanya Goel 1 Index Content Page Number Executive Summary†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 4 Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 5 Industry Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦5 Competitive Environment†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 5 Strategic Groups†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 6 ZARA†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 7 Critical Success Factors†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦7 Strategic Issue: What should ZARA do next?.. Strategic Options for ZARA and Inditex†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 10 UNIQLO†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 11 Critical Success Factors†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦11 St rategic Issue: Should UNIQLO compete with ZARA†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 12 Strategic Options for UNIQLO and Fast Retailing†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 13 Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 14 2 Appendices Index Content Page Number Appendix 1 : Porter’s Five Forces 15 Appendix 2 : PESTEL Analysis 7 Appendix 3 : Risk Factors 18 Appendix 4 : Strategic Groups.. 19 Appendix 5 : ZARA Business Model 20 Appendix 6 : CAGE Framework. 21 Appendix 7 : ZARA’s TOWS Matrix†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦22 Appendix 8 : Clothing retailers’ sales and profits.. 3 Appendix 9 : Case of UNIQLO failing to compete with ZARA. 24 Appendix 10 : Customer Analysis.. 26 Appendix 11 : UNIQLO Business Model 27 Appendix 12 : Detailed Strategies for UNIQLO. 28 Appendix 13 : Comparison Between ZARA and UNIQLO.. 30 Appendix 14 : UNIQLO’s TOWS Matrix.. 1 Appendix 15 : Inditex and Fast Retailing Ansoff Matrices 32 3 Executive Summary This report aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of two major players in the clothing industry: ZARA and UNIQLO. The clothing industry is highly segmented with several sub markets, ZARA targets at customers who need high fashion, whereas UNIQLO positions itself in the low fashion low price segment. Different from most retailers who adopt a mass production for strategic positioning, ZARA implemented a mass differentiation strategy to compete in the market by vertically integrating its value chain. With full control of all its all activities, ZARA has successfully gained large market share and established good brand awareness by providing customers with fashionable, highly exclusive, fast changing products. For further expansion, ZARA chose to keep penetrating existing markets rather than entering into a new segment. The long distance between Spain and America has brought ZARA with a strategic issue as it cannot take full advantage of its effective business model, which means ZARA has to change its business model or establish a new centralized production and distribution centre for further performance improvement. Moreover, UNIQLO follows the traditional strategy adopted by most retailers that is to reduce cost by outsourcing production regions with low labour cost. UNIQLO also succeeded in gaining market share by offering customers with products with rich functionalities at low price. With inspiring sales performance, UNIQLO entered into the new segment to compete with ZARA. However, this expansion strategy has resulted as a failure, which implies UNIQLO should focus on its current market, expand into a new segment either by launching a new brand and business model or taking full advantage of its current unique RD capability. Introduction The fashion industry is one of the most complicated industries in the world. It is the largest employer of all the creative industries and directly employs 816,000 people across a wide range of jobs and professions from fashion designers to fashion retailers. In the UK economy, it is estimated that the fashion industry contributes a direct value worth 21 bil lion pounds (Casciato, 2010). The world of fashion is filled with competitors, who are struggling for public awareness. ZARA and UNIQLO are two companies operating in this market and spare no effort to survive and prosper in this industry. This report will start by providing an industry analysis, and then it will discuss ZARA’s strategy, strategic issues and its strategic options. Finally, it will analyze the critical success factors of UNIQLO, the reason why it failed to compete with ZARA and its strategic options. Industry analysis Competitive Environment The Clothing industry is a very competitive in nature and due to this several sub segments have been created in the market and coupled with the number of players involved, in addition to the seasonal nature of the products; has led to excess capacity within the industry. The modern markets trends of the industry is globalization which has led to intensified competition between local brands and international brands alike. From our Porter 5 Forces analysis, which can be found in Appendix 1, we can see that the highly competitive and labour intensive nature of the industry have led firms to pursue cost leadership strategies. A general trend has been to outsource production to developing countries such as Bangladesh, Vietnam and China (The reasons for doing are highlighted by our PESTEL Analysis, as Appendix 2 indicates). Another important way in which firms try and create a barrier to entry is by product differentiation. The perception of products overall can be deemed to be equal and therefore, apart from price, the key differentiating factors are brand image, reputation and design. As a result firms tend to utilize a lot of capital in order establish a reputation and create brand awareness. 5 Due to the globalized nature of the industry majority of the risks involved are applicable throughout the industry as a whole. These risks are often beyond any of the firms’ controls and therefore it is very difficult to foresee them and adopt strategies to deal with them. A list of some of these risk factors is listed in the Appendix 3. Strategic groups In the clothing industry, there are generally three strategic groups: low fashion low price, high fashion low price and high fashion and high price (See Appendix 4). Retailers like GAP and UNIQLO belong to the first category as those companies mainly focus on providing customers with relatively low fashion and cheap products. Both GAP and UNIQLO adopt the same business model, which aims to reduce price through mass production. Compared with GAP and UNIQLO, companies such as HM and ZARA, classified in the second strategic group, position themselves in the market with more differentiation by proving high fashion products with low price. The last group includes those luxury brands such as LV and GUCCI, who provide high income customers with most fashionable design along with a very high price. There is possibility for companies in the first strategic group to strategically stretch to the second group through differentiating their products towards more fashionable. For those companies in the second group, they could also strategically stretch towards to the first group by mass production via intensive outsourcing to reduce its cost. 6 ZARA The Success of ZARA ZARA is one of the most successful clothing retailers in the world today. ZARA (operating under the flagship of Inditex, a holding company located in Northwest Spain) has around 2500 stores in 62 different countries across the world (Tiplady, 2006) and is still growing. The success of ZARA is astounding as they succeeded using a strategy which went outside the generic strategies used in the industry. Where others went for mass production, ZARA went for Mass Customization. When others spent fortunes on marketing, ZARA held a no advertising policy. When others outsourced their supply chain ZARA stuck with their own manufacturing facilities. ZARA’s secret is their Business Model, as illustrated by Appendix5. ZARA’s value chain ZARA’s business model is characterized by the search for flexibility in adapting production to market demand by controlling the supply chain throughout the different stages of design, manufacture and distribution (Inditex, 2009). This vertical integration of the value chain enhances internal information flow with the help of IT service and an autonomous and flexible corporate culture, giving ZARA capability to fully control their entire manufacturing and distribution process from their factories to the shop floor. ZARA’s success is based on a business model that achieves a ‘speed of response’ to market demand that is without precedent in the fast-moving clothing sector. ZARA’s cycles of design, production, and distribution are substantially faster than any of its main competitors. All their products are designed at the Inditex headquarters in La Coruna, approximately 50% of which are produced in its own network of 22 Spanish factories and the rest 50 % is outsourced to factories in Asia and Africa. Their finished products are dispatched by their centralized distribution facility twice a week, to each of its retail outlets, located in different time zones with accurate shipping times. Other fashion retailers usually have a six-month time lag between completing a new design and delivery. ZARA on the other hand can take a new design from the drawing board to the shop floor in as little as three weeks. 7 Merchandizing Strategy With full control of its production and coupled with their brand image, ZARA manages to create rapid product turnover, which in turn creates a climate of scarcity and opportunity in their retail stores. The exclusivity of its products are intended to increase consumer frequency, which corresponds to higher sales. As a result, ZARA’s high turnover rate allows the company to sell more items at full price, which helps ZARA achieve a 15 to 20 percent of markdown merchandise cost reduction compared to traditional retailers (Craig et al, 2004). Quick Response Strategy With a unique quick response system, comprising of human resource, information technology infrastructure and customer feedback, ZARA is able to respond to the demand of its customers better than its competition. On one hand, ZARA delegates its product development teams to attend high-fashion fairs and exhibitions to interpret latest trends of the season. On the other hand, ZARA’s store managers are responsible for reporting daily sales activity, products life cycles, and store trends to their designers. These measures along with accurate customer feedback, have provided ZARA with the tools to cater for their customers’ diverse requirements (Craig et al, 2004). Distribution Strategy ZARA’s centralized inventory management system gives them competitive advantage by minimizing the lead-times. ZARA’s internally or externally produced goods go to their distribution center, where they are inspected and immediately shipped. In order to increase speed of delivery, the shipments are scheduled by time zones and shipped by way of air, land or sea. Typically, products will be dispatched to stores in Europe within 24 hours, in the United States within 48 hours and in Japan within 48 to 72 hours (Ferdows et al, 2002). Zero Advertising Strategy As mentioned earlier, ZARA does not have a marketing policy, instead investing in an aggressive store expansion policy. Compared to their competitors, who have an adevertising budget in between 3 to 4% , ZARA’s advertising budget of 0. 3% ( primarly for its online and 8 catalogue venture) provides them with a degree of economies of scale on regards to their international expansion (Craig et al, 2004). They have a department in charge of acquiring global real estate in prime locations around the world, frequent refurbishing of store layouts and the creating the window displays for their global retail operations. ZARA strategically locates themselves in exclusive territory, to provide the allure of high fashion as it is not uncommon to find ZARA next to high end designer boutiques. This also provides them with a unique vantage point to mimic their competitor’s styles, with the hope that customers will go into these boutiques, see what they like and come to ZARA and buy it for a third of the price. Its centralized control over their stores has given ZARA an image of prestige and elegance, irrespective of their price point. Strategic Issue: What should ZARA do next? During 2009, ZARA went ahead and opened 103 stores globally and 15 stores in America. They had substantial sales growth in their European and Asian markets, however sales in there American markets decreased substantially by 0. 5%, after the expansion. From our CAGE analysis, which is listed in Appendix 6, we can see that the geographical distance coupled with the inability of their business model to adapt to the American market can be cited as the main reasons for their failure. Due to the sheer size of America the styles in different side of the country would be different. For example:- Coats and sweaters would most likely be available in ZARA stores in New York during winter months, however, those items would not be stocked in ZARA stores in LA, since the temperatures in that part of the country remain fairly constant throughout the year. The differences in weather patterns pose another challenge to their business model especially since they do not have a factory on the continent. In order to enter new markets, ZARA launched their online sales catalogue in September 2010. Currently their online services are only available in Europe; however, if successful it will be launched globally. However, the question remains whether or not their business model can cope with this added facility or will ZARA run it online store via a different channel. Their current business model transfers stock in batches to their own stores who then sell it to customers and therefore adapting to a model where ZARA will have to sell one of items to individuals will be a challenge. Another important concern regarding ZARA online 9 sales venture is informing people about it. Since they do not have an advertising policy, how the general is public supposed to know about their new service. Strategic options for ZARA and Inditex By looking at their CAGE Framework and their TOWS matrix (Appendix 7), our advice to ZARA is simple: To be competitive in America: In order to compete in America, a manufacturing operation is a must. If the plant in the States is unfeasible then they could try and set up in Mexico or sub-contract their manufacturing operations to an existing plant in Mexico, like they have done in Asia. Otherwise in order to compete in America, ZARA has to change from its current business model, to a model which caters for mass production. This seems unlikely as they will compromise their biggest critical success factor which is to delivery styles quickly. They also have to make efforts to educate people regarding their styles and designs. Marketing and Advertising will be key if they are to be successful in the States and therefore, they must revoke their â€Å"no advertising strategy†. Online Sales operations: We believe that entry into the online sales market is a positive step but, they have to be cautious. Due to the nature online sales, it will be impractical to use their current value chain. The value should be separate from the current ZARA model as it is going to have to deal with postal returns, online refunds and sales of one of items. They also have to answer important logistical questions such as, which distribution centre will the orders be dispatched from? Once again marketing will be a key issue to address as they have to inform of their new service, therefore they will HAVE to revoke their current policy. Advice to Inditex: Inditex should keep on doing what they are in terms of expansion. However, they could begin to penetrate existing markets where ZARA has been successful using their other brands. This allows them to capture other market segments within those markets. They can also thinking about investing more towards RD to improve functionality of clothes. R D requires significant investment; however, they might reap rewards in the 10 long run and help them to research further market segments in the future. For example: provide trendy scruffs with heat absorbent technologies, the item will appeal to their current segment but can also crave its way into other segments. UNIQLO Do they challenge ZARA? UNIQLO see themselves as a direct challenger to ZARA, and their sales figures for 2009 do not disagree, as shown in Appendix 8. In the 2009 annual shareholders report and after a record year in profits, Tadashi Yanai the CEO of Fast Retailing, confidently claimed, â€Å"We can now stand as equals on the battlefield with other global retailers, such as HM, ZARA and GAP. And, just maybe, we can even emerge victorious. † (UNIQLO, 2009). However, they tried to do so this year and it did not go very well (refer to Appendix 9 for a Case study regarding their failure). In short company lost 26% of their global market share and sales fell by 6. 4% in Japan, a market which is responsible for 80% of their revenue (Business Week 2010). The first question for UNIQLO is to ask themselves, is whether or not they compete in the same market. By using the generic strategy graph below we can clearly see that UNIQLO and ZARA are using two completely different strategies in the market place. This coupled with the information derived from the Customer Matrix (see Appendix 10); we do not think they are immediate competitors. UNIQLO’s Critical Success Factors Although UNIQLO consider themselves to be direct competitors to ZARA, their critical success factors which have allowed them to achieve such monolith growth in such a short space of time, is also the reason they have so far failed to enter ZARA’s Market ( as emphasized by the UNIQLO failure case study in the appendix 9). The SPA business model Unlike ZARA, UNIQLO followed the generic strategies of the industry of high volume and low price. They have also invested millions trying to develop their brand identity. UNIQLO 11 credits its continual growth and its ability to provide high quality, functional casual wear at competitive rates to its SPA (Specialty-store/retailer of Private-label Apparel) business model, a model which they adapted from GAP in 1997 (UNIQLO, 2009). UNIQLO business model allows them to be fully involved in all activities of the supply chain from product design, to the sourcing of material, to manufacturing operations(even though they are contracted out to external suppliers) all the way to their sales and retailing operations. This enables UNIQLO to ensure costs are kept to a minimal and quality is maintained. Profitability can also be maximized as rents and personnel costs can be restrained. The Success of UNIQLO’s implementation of the SPA business model has prompted Fast Retailing to slowly integrate all their SBU’s acquired with this model. Appendix 11 provides an illustration of their model. Tadashi Yanai, the founder of UNIQLO, contributes the success of his company to Peter Drucker’s idea of â€Å"customer creation†, which is the idea of delivering products which creates demand (Business Week, 2010). In order to do so the SPA model was designed to be highly customer centric, i. e. customer feedback regarding products played an integral part in new product development. ZARA’s business model on the other hand caters takes customer feedback into account only to manage inventory. Customer feedback has been instrumental in the development of their highly successful Heat Tech and Airtech clothing range, and is taken into account in all levels of company development (UNIQLO website). From the Analysis of the value chain, the most important factor in the business model is UNIQLO’s RD department. Unlike ZARA limited RD budget, UNIQLO have spent a vast amount of time and resources to improve partnerships with suppliers like Toray industries, in order to create clothing which are functional. Why they cannot compete with ZARA It is understandable why UNIQLO wants to target ZARA as it seems that they want to make head ways into the women’s market, a market which is twice the size of the men’s market and they are taking various measures to do so. ( refer to UNIQLOs growth strategies in Appendix 12), such as acquiring other firms , setting up fashion lines only catered towards women and building large format stores. 2 However, the main reason they cannot compete with ZARA is because their business model cannot cater for quick style changes. Production for items starts a full year ahead of ZARA; in addition UNIQLO caters for logo less minimalist designs targeted at mostly a unisex segment. This is illustrated in a comparison table which can be found in Appendix 13. It seems that there aggressive marketing tactics have dug a huge hole into their existing market segment and whatever they try they simply just cannot get out and move into the high fashion women’s market. UNIQLO’s Strategic options By analysing their Value chain and their TOWS matrix (see Appendix 14) we can make the following recommendations to UNIQLO: Market Segment: UNIQLO should stick to their current market segment and try and build upon it further. By looking at their Strategic group diagram in the Appendix 4, it is clear that they simply do not have the strategic stretch to compete with ZARA and maintain their dominance in their segment. If they are to challenge ZARA then we would recommend that they do it with another brand, which has a similar value chain to ZARA’s. Their current strategy of incorporating acquired brands with their SPA business model will not work. If they insist on doing that then they should just maintain focus on their immediate competitor who is GAP. Niche market development: The R D aspect of UNIQLO’s value chain is so unique that, the products derived from that department such as their Heattech and Airtech range of clothing can be classed as niche products. This is because the clothes incorporating technology are still rare in the market and these two lines are UNIQLO’s best selling lines. Acknowledging them as niche market products can further open doors into different market segments. Advice to Fast Retailing: Although Fast Retailing are targeting the women’s market, with high quality women’s clothing, their decision to move production to Bangladesh suggests that they are more concerned with cutting costs rather than further helping their existing Chinese manufacturers to develop new competencies to deliver high quality. Judging by their Ansoff matrix (illustrated in the Appendix 15), this might provide them with the strategic advantage 13 f moving into India. However, if Fast Retailing wants to target ZARA, they should start from scratch and move into the high fashion women’s market with a new brand following a different business model. Conclusion Base on the analysis, both ZARA and UNIQLO should further utilize their current business model. On one hand, ZARA, with the support of the centralized distribution facility, imprints its fame of flexib ility on customers’ awareness and maintain in the top position of fast fashion industry. By expanding into new market, ZARA should carry on its business model and develop manufacturing operation within the approached market in order to preserve the valuable flexibility. UNIQLO, on the other hand, has a cost leadership advantage. UNIQLO provides a wide range of products with reasonable price. Also, with the very keen RD department, UNIQLO is leading the market in term of functionality. It is impossible for UNIQLO to compete with ZARA by its existing business. In order to effectively expand into new market segment, it is not necessary for Fast Retailing and Inditex to develop new brands and new business models. 14 Appendices Appendix 1: Five Forces: Threat of entry in clothing industry is low. Due to many existing retailers have realized economies of scales, established good brand images, and have access to efficient distribution channels, the entry barriers are very high. Threat of substitutes in clothing industry is very low because there are hardly any substitutes for clothing. However there are substitutes in terms of sub segments. For example, casual war or active wear can be seen as the substitutes of formal wear. The threat of substitutes among sub segments is high. Switching costs between sub segments are almost non-existent as styles are individualistic. Bargaining power of buyer is very high. Due to the competitive nature of this industry, consumers have lots of choice in terms of brands and styles. Buyers also have abundant access to the products information, leading to an easy comparison between brands. Bargaining power of supplier is high in clothing industry. Since wool and cotton is vital part ingredient in cloth, it is difficult to find a viable substitute; therefore switching costs of raw material are high. Moreover, the prices of commodities such as cotton blends, wool etc can fluctuate depending on factors such as weather, yield of production and transportation etc. Suppliers have a high bargaining power over those retailers. Furthermore, the bargaining power also depends on the degree of control companies have over a specific resource. For example, UNIQLO has a close partnership with Toray, which provide UNIQLO with the specialized fleece and fabric for its highly successful â€Å"AIRTECH† and â€Å"HEAT TECH† range of clothing. Since not many companies have the capability to produce such special fleece and fabric, the supplier has high degree of control during negotiations. Internal rivalry clothing industry is very high. There are several sub segments in clothing industry such as: high fashion, formal wear, and sportswear, and the competition in very intense duo to there are a number of retailers in each segment. The large number of retailers and the seasonal nature of products have led to excess capacity in the industry. Moreover, globalization leads to market saturation as it has intensified competition between local brands and international brands. 15 Bargaining power of supplier - ­? Difficult to find viable substitute for wool or cotton, high switching cost of raw material - ­? Specific know- ­? how of suppliers ncreases their bargaining power Threat of entry Existing retailers have - ­? achieved economies of scale - ­? good brand image - ­? access to effective distribution channels Threat of substitutes - ­? No substitute for clothing Internal rivalry - ­? substitutes exist in different segment of this industry Bargaining power of buyer - ­? consumers have lots of choice in te rms of brands and styles - ­? Buyers also have abundant access to the products information, an easy comparison between brands - ­? Large number of players in segments and seasonal nature of product lead to excess capacity - ­? Globalization ntensify competition, resulting in market saturation 16 Appendix 2: PESTEL: (Grant, 2010) Political: - ­? Export Processing Zone (EPZ) set up by governments especially in the developing countries to boost Foreign investment into the country - ­? Tax Benefits offered by governments in charge - ­? Import Quotas on tariff on Raw materials - ­? Relaxed Employment Laws Economic: - ­? Wages: Tend of be very low in developing nations - ­? General Shipping and handling cost: Countries which have access to ports, or road links between major markets - ­? Inflation Exchange rate - ­? Interest rates: Firms ffering FDR investments into country usually get favourable rates of interest on borrowings (this tends to be true for Bangladesh a nd Vietnam. Socio- ­? Cultural: - ­? Population profile: Developing nations tend to have high degree of youth (18- ­? 35); therefore the available workforce is high - ­? Earning Profile: Due to rampant poverty in those nations, the earnings profile is very low. Technological: - ­? Most developing nations tend to not have access to the latest manufacturing technologies, however, that is slowly beginning to change. - ­? However, Infrastructure technology such as, high speed nternet, advanced high powered generators and state of the art washing plants are already available in countries such as Vietnam and Bangladesh. 17 Appendix 3: Risks factors: (UNIQLO, 2009) O? Fluctuations in the cost of shipping ( Retail week, 2010) O? MA risks: If future business acquisitions take place then it will have an adverse effect on the business O? Risk of Production: Majority of products in the industry are manufactured by contracted firms, therefore the industry as a whole is affected by an y political, economic, legal changes and Environmental factors such as natural disasters. O? Foreign exchange risks: Transactions for the majority of the products imported for the UNIQLO business are conducted in U. S. dollars. Therefore in order to stabilize procurement costs they conclude foreign exchange contracts to lock in exchange rates for its imports three years in advance. However, if there are major movements in exchange rates that persist for prolonged periods, this could have an adverse impact on the business O? Rise in commodity prices:- Cotton 18 Appendix 4: 19 Appendix 5: 20 Appendix 6: CAGE Framework for ZARA regarding their American expansion Economic Administrative and Political Geographic Cultural America is a huge market with a lot of opportunities if approached correctly. Due to the protective government regulations in place in America, it is difficult for foreign companies to establish themselves in the American market Logistics and co-ordination issues created by distance between U. S. and European. Which really stretched their Value chain model European countries and U. S. share different Fashion values, which ZARA failed to identify in their initial American launch 21 Appendix 7: ZARA’s TOWS Matrix Internal Factors External Factors Opportunities Strengths Further develop their manufacturing capabilities in Spain in order to try and get better cost benefits. ZARA could venture in to new markets through franchising, a tactic they have used to enter the Arab market. Another opportunity for ZARA lies in opening a manufacturing plant or finding a suitable manufacturing plant in America where they then might be able to implement their existing business model Weaknesses ZARA’s existing IT capabilities are untested especially in the world of online sales. This is an opportunity to develop those capabilities. Threats Although this is an opportunity for ZARA to establish a presence in this area but whether their business model is up to it is another question. How will people know about their new feature? They will have to Advertise which mean their current â€Å"no advertising policy† might be have to be changed Continuing to grow in America without understanding why they are failing in that market to begin with. 22 Appendix 8: Source: The economist, 2010 23 Appendix 9: CASES of UNIQLO failing to compete with ZARA. UNIQLO failure: A case of UK Expansion UNIQLO expanded into the U. K. in 2001, aiming for 50 stores by 2004. They opened 21 outlets all over the country before shutting 16 in 2003 to stem losses and restructure (business week 2010). Their entry strategy was so aggressive as it seemed that they wanted to corner the market, by taking up prime location so competitors could not set up and hoping that there lower prices would steal away customers from ZARA and HM. The reason for failure: (The Sunday times 2003) Failed multi- million pound advertising campaign failed to arouse interest Failed to offer clothes that were sufficiently distinct from rivals such as ZARA and HM and lacked design content and quality Expensive real estate. However now UNIQLO have now consolidated their position in the UK and have restructured there operations, where they currently have 15 locations, 10 in prime real estate in London and 5 in greater London (UNIQLO website) and have been very successful. Repeat of 2001: In the 2009 annual shareholders report and after a record year in profits, Tadashi Yanai, confidently claimed â€Å"We can now stand as equals on the battlefield with other global retailers, such as HM, ZARA and GAP. And, just maybe, we can even emerge victorious. † (2009 annual Report) 24 However, since then Fast Retailing’s shares have plunged 26 percent in 2010. Sales through August fell by 6. 4 percent in Japan where Fast Retailing and UNIQLO earn more than 80% of its revenue(business week 2010). Sales at stores which have been open more than a year fell by 25 percent in September and were continuing to slide through November. The company forecasted its first profit decline in four years for the fiscal year ending in August (business week 2010). The reason for this decline:These losses took place due to a paradigm shift in the company’s policy of low cost and functional clothing. The company wanted to tackle competitors such as ZARA and HM head on and started to produce high fashion items, (a strategy which they employed when they initially launched in the UK) which unfortunately did not sell very well. However, now they are reverting back to their core values which is mass producing functional clothing and use its product line to compete with ZARA via product differentiation (business week 2010). A recent survey indicated that most consumers use UNIQLO products primarily as inner wear (62 percent women and 61 percent men). They are mainly used as a mere econdary player to highlight more fashionable clothes from competitors such as ZARA. (UNIQLO Japan Review) This is an indication that UNIQLO has a long way to go before they can compete with ZARA in the high fashion stakes. 25 Appendix 10: Customer Analysis ZARA and UNIQLO have positioned themselves in different market segments. ZARA’s target market is young educated women who like and sensitive to fas hion. To answer its customers’ need, ZARA has developed a business model that reacts to the recent fashion as fast as it could and become very successful. UNIQLO, at the same time, initially dedicates on casual menswear. Recently, after a revealing from sales report, UNIQLO now try to emphasize more on women market since most of its revenue came from women garment. Nonetheless, UNIQLO does not abandon its middle market, middle aged customers who shop at the brand for its low prices. UNIQLO’s basic clothing is good examples that reflect its target market and through the quality of garments and reasonable price, it has attracted many customers and become successful as well as ZARA. In term of perceived value and price from customers, ZARA has placed themselves in a higher position in both perceived value and price, compared to UNIQLO. ZARA brand and product is more prestige in the sense of product value and ZARA’s customers are willing to pay more in order to acquire the valuable fashion. 26 Customer Matrix 5 4 3 2 1 0 0 100 200 300 400 500 Perceived Price ZARA UNIQL O HM MS LV Perceived Use Value Primark Appendix 11: 27 Appendix 12: Detailed strategies for UNIQLO Partnership with Toray Industries Inc (Product Development Strategy) 28 UNIQLO considers its partnership with Toray Industries Inc who is Japans biggest synthetic fiber manufacturer as a definite competitive advantage. Toray supplied fabric for UNIQLO’s fleece jackets in 1998, its first major successful product, which retailed for 1900 yen each in 1998, while similar products from other manufacturers were priced 4 times higher. UNIQLO’s sales of fleece items topped 26 million units in 2000 and remain at about the same level over the last decade, according to UNIQLO. UNIQLO also developed their highly successful HEATTECH clothing range in conjunction with Toray Industries and they plan to boost sales of their HEATTECH apparel by 40% to 70 million units by 2011 (business week 2010) Growth Strategy By adhering to their SPA model UNIQLO have been allowed achieved phenomenal growth. They have done this by Tam, Expanding operations to major cities around the globe. Mergers and Acquisitions: Over the year’s fast retailing have acquired Princess Tam. Theory and COMPTOIR DES COTONNIERS, Cabin and Gov retailing. The acquisition of Gov retailing provided UNIQLO with the know how to launch UNIQLO shoes. All the companies acquired had women as their primary market segment. (Annual report 2009) Diversifying into new products: In September 2009 UNIQLO launched their Brand, this was enabled by the acquisition of Gov retailing as it provided UNIQLO Shoe them with the expertise to enter the shoe market. Product development through RD: UNIQLO are very keen to develop products which are not only competitively priced and deliver high quality, but also incorporate new fabrics and manufacturing techniques in order to improve efficiency and functionality of their products. Examples include: Airtech and heat tech product ranges. Cost Reduction Strategy Trimming footwear product line by a 100 shoes in order to reduce costs and increase Focusing on minimalistic clothes, which take less material to produce and reduces product focus on their best selling shoes ( annual report 2009) production time. 29 Keeping 1000 styles less than other competitors and on the shelves longer than their Focusing on a wide range of colours rather than a wide range of styles ( business Moving production to Bangladesh in order to benefit from the countries low wage ompetition( the economist 2010) week 2010) infrastructure. Marketing Strategy (UNIQLO Japan Review) UNIQLO deserves credit for its constant stream of proactive campaigns designed to win over a large number of diverse consumer groups, both in Japan and abroad. Examples include: Proactive and powerful marketing campaign such as â€Å"UNIQLOck†, which is a very popular screensaver downloadable from there sit e. The UNIQLOck was very popular with Japanese teenagers. The bilingual free magazine â€Å"UNIQLO PAPER† helped associate the brand image Retail space played a key part in brand expansion. They have stores in only the with hip New Yorker culture expensive real estate in cities and his is a signal of intent for UNIQLO to be associated with High Fashion Innovative packaging such as selling t-shirts in canisters and unique store layout Affiliate programs to encourage websites to market the UNIQLO Brand. ( UNIQLO website) Appendix 13: 30 Comparison between ZARA and UNIQLO Appendix 14: UNIQLO’s TOWS Matrix 31 Internal Factors External Factors Opportunities Further expansion in Asia. UNIQLO’s production and customer base are mainly in Asia. They are currently further looking to reduce costs by moving Production to Bangladesh. This move opens up the Indian market for the company at the while making further expansion into China. Looking to further Develop the functionality of their clothes via their strategic partnerships with existing suppliers. Penetration in the existing market by providing more product choices. UNIQLO’s product great weakness is the limit number of style. With the current low-price apparel market being underdeveloped, UNIQLO has high opportunity to gain more market share by providing more product choices. Secondly, it seems that Fast Retailing is looking market their acquired brands using UNIQLO as a vessel. This would over stretch their market and make it impossible to further penetrate their existing markets. Not recognizing their own strengths. One of the best qualities of UNIQLO’s product range is there functionality. With the supported RD team, UNIQLO could be very competitive and be further differentiated in another market segment then high fashion, for example under wear They should not compete with ZARA or HM as their value chain does not support it. Concentrate on more immediate competitors such as GAP, If they continue to compete with high fashion women’s wear they are over stretching their capabilities and will lose focus with their current market segment. Over Expansion:-Fast Retailing should also learn from the past and test the market first without jumping head first into new markets. The initial UK launch and failure in America can be cited as examples Strengths Weaknesses Threats Appendix 15: Inditex Ansoff Matrix SBU’s 32 MARKET Existing Existing Concentrating on penetrating existing Markets where ZARA has achieved success:- this can be done by deploying Inditex’s other brands such as PULL BEAR, BEREKSHA and MASSUMI DUTTI in order to capture other segments Going into the online market place, a step that they have already done with ZARA but if successful include their other brands with the same online model New Invest in an RD to improve clothes functionality. They can apply new techniques they acquire to boost the quality of their existing lines. New Go into new markets using other distribution channels such as franchising FAST RETAILING’S Ansoff Matrix SBU’s MARKET Existing Existing Continue development on their HEATTECH and AIRTECH range of clothing Fast retailing can use UNIQLO to expand into new markets. Moving production to Bangladesh, gives UNIQLO the scope to move into India, which can potentially be a very big market New Further develop their existing market by getting into new product line. UNIQLO recently launched UNIQLO shoes. Acquiring or developing a new brand to target the women’s market. In order to be successful, the brand must follow a different value chain. New References: Craig, A. Jones, C. Nieto, M (2004) ZARA: Fashion Follower, Industry Leader [Online], available at: philau. edu/sba/news/ZARAreport. pdf [18 Dec 2010] 33 Cosciato, P. (2010) Fashion worth more than $30 billion to UK economy[Online], available at: reuters. com/article/idUSTRE68F3UX20100916 [18 Dec 2010] Fashion Auction, (2010) ZARA Clothing [Online] available at: [18 Dec 2010] Fujimura, N. Ozasa, S. (2010) UNIQLO Billionaire Yanai Revisits Drucker to End Slump [Online], available at : businessweek. com/news/2010-12-06/UNIQLObillionaire-yanai-revisits-drucker-to-end-slump. html [18 Dec 2010] Ferdows, K. Machuca, J. AD. Lewis, M. (2003). ZARA. The European Case Clearing House. Case 603-002-1. Ghemawat, P. Nueno, J. L. (2003) ZARA: Fast Fashion [Online] available at : http://mbanerds. com/index. php? title=ZARA%3A_Fast_Fashion [18 Dec 2010]