Dream Research Project Essay

What is a dream? Dreams are a symbol and link to the inner core of the human subconscious. Dreams as scientist say are stories our brains create while we are sleeping at night. Every dream is not the same, and their qualities depend, at least in part, on the stage of sleep in which they occur. There are different stages of sleep, REM sleep is the one dreams most appear in. REM stands for rapid eye movement in which brain activity is high and signaled by rapid horizontal movements of the eyes. Like all movies, dreams have story lines. Dreams in light sleep, stages 1 and 2, are like children’s movies short and simple. Dreams can be for as long as 20 minutes, to a few seconds. They can vary from normal and mundane, to surreal and bizarre. Dreams can often times drive creative thought, or provoke a sense of inspiration. Scientists believe everybody dreams, but sometimes we forget. We tend to forget when we naturally pass out of sleep through the traditional cycle. If a person is awoken directly from REM sleep (by an alarm clock), they are much more likely remember the dream from that REM cycle. Psychologists have also concluded that our daily activities while we are awake can have an affect on our dreams. However, scientists are unsure of what degree of an impact this makes on us. In one study a group of people wore red-tinted goggles before they went to sleep and there was another group that did not wear the goggles before they went to sleep. Even though anyone did not know the purpose of the study, when group that wore the goggles before they slept had woken the next morning, they had reported seeing more red images in their dreams than the people without goggles. According to First magazine, the average person has about 1. 460 dreams a year. That is 4 dreams every single day. In average you spend 10 to 30 percent of your sleeping time dreaming. You may think that vision is the only â€Å"dream sense† but it is not the only one. Vision is the prominent one, at least for sighted people. About half of all dreams an average person has have sound in them, but only 1 percent has taste, touch, or smell. However, a third of men and 40 percent of women have experienced smell or taste in a dream at least once in there life. Why do dreams occur? There is no shortage of theories as to why we dream. Some see dreaming as an important process through which all species with complex brains analyze and consolidate information. This is supported by the fact that most mammals dream. Other theories conclude that dreaming is nothing more than random brain activity that has little to no logical relevance. Another theory is that dreams reveal wishes or desires we are not aware of during waking hours. Unrelated to that completely another theory is that the human brain contains an ample overload store of information, memories, and emotions. During sleep, nerve cells fire at random, throwing bits of all of them together in random, wild ways. One of the first theories regarding dreams and dreaming was that Sigmund Freud. According to Sigmund Freud, dreams were heavy in symbolism and often showed the true intent and emotions of a human being. Freud saw dreams as wish fulfillment: disguised ways to satisfy unconscious desires that are too upsetting to face consciously. Dreams might therefore offer clues to unconscious conflicts. Freud For instance, sexual desires might appear in a dream as the rhythmic motions of a horseback ride, or conflicting feelings about a parent might appear as a dream about a fight. Freud called dreams the â€Å"royal road† to the knowledge of the unconscious mind. Freud’s analysis of dreams brought about much controversy, especially amongst contemporary psychologists. Psychologists of today believe that dreams do have meaning; however, meaning is based upon the individual, not a set logic or theory as proposed by Freud. A very popular theory today is that dreaming specifically through REM sleep is essential for making memories. Several observations support hypothesis. For one when learning a new skill, REM sleep episodes are more frequent and last longer. When the new skill is mastered, those measures drop back to the normal average. Also during REM sleep, areas in the brain’s memory forming regions appear to â€Å"replay† patterns of nerve firing associated with the new learning.

U.S. GAAP vs. IFRS: Fixed Assets

U.S. GAAP VS. IFRS: FIXED ASSETS The Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ( GAAP ) and the International Financial Reporting Standards ( IFRS ) have many differences. One of these major differences is the intervention of fixed assets. The accounting universe is traveling through a convergence. The displacement from rules-based U. S. GAAP to principles-based IFRS is intended to better transparence and comparison in planetary markets ( Kaya, 2013 ) . International companies have already switched to this new accounting rule, but companies in the United States have yet to change over to IFRS. Many comptrollers think that because IFRS is non rules-based there is excessively much room for mistake, and when it comes to fixed assets at that place needs to be consistence. The undermentioned paragraphs will discourse the pros and cons of utilizing IFRS or U.S. GAAP ; discuss the sentiments of others in the concern or who could perchance hold to utilize IFRS alternatively of U.S. GAAP. Current Rules U.S. GAAP U.S. GAAP uses historical costs when entering fixed assets ( Rajan & A ; Reichelstein, 2009 ) . This is the recorded cost of the plus at the clip of purchase and is non altered during the life of the plus. Minutess utilizing historical cost can be verified, normally with a promissory note or a debt ( Diana, 2009 ) . Therefore, the historical cost accounting system is accepted by comptrollers due to its nonsubjective nature since the minutess have already been completed, and it is by and large easier to apprehensible by its users. In an article titled â€Å"Historical Cost Versus Fair Value† the writer, Cozma Diana ( 2009 ) , states the features of historical cost are ( 1 ) that it fails to guarantee the comparison of information, as similar elements are valued ; ( 2 ) it reflects the determinations whether to buy assets or contract debts, but ignores the effects of the determinations whether or non to maintain the contract debt ; ( 3 ) it reports any additions or losingss that result from the alteration in monetary value, even if their merchandising or call offing have non been the cause of such additions or losingss, and accounting studies are completed by utilizing the monetary values from past minutess, with the market monetary values non referenced ; ( 4 ) it provides information about the benefits expected from the assets or about the â€Å"burdens† taken by undertaking debts ; and ( 5 ) accounting studies are drafted based on monetary values ensuing from past minutess, with no mention to market monetary values. U.S. GAAP merely allows a company to utilize historical cost whereas IFRS allows a company to take either method of just value or historical ( p. 863 ) . IFRS If all companies converted to IFRS there would be global consistence in the concern universe. One criterion of accounting would let national and international companies work together in a more consistent mode. The clerking would be unvarying and companies would work under the same guidelines simplifying the scrutinizing procedure. Vitez ( 2014 ) stated that IFRS has three separate processs for fixed plus accounting, which include the choice of the cost or reappraisal method, estimation of the utile life for the plus and residuary value, and the choice of a depreciation damage method. Under U.S. GAAP, fixed assets are valued by utilizing the ‘cost method’ where the IFRS uses a different method which is known as the ‘reevaluation method’ ( Malboeuf, 2014 ) . These methods are different by giving companies the ability to monetary value their assets at what they think they should be and let them to alter the cost of their fixed assets at any clip. Cost or Reevaluation Method.The cost method is based on the historical value of an plus where the reevaluation method is based on the just value. The U.S. GAAP requires companies to unwrap information about the picks that they make about their disbursals in footers. IFRS finds footers unneeded ( Malboeuf, 2014 ) . IFRS permits companies to book the value of belongings above the value of historical cost ( King, 2008 ) . This could take to companies to exaggerate their assets in order to enter higher net incomes. Useful Life Estimate for the Asset and Residual Value.One issue utilizing IFRS is that each constituent of the fixed plus could hold residuary value. Therefore, if each unit has many different constituents the comptroller would hold to journalized each constituent individually alternatively of the plus being journalized as one unit as in U.S. GAAP. The residuary value for an IFRS fixed plus is the value of the point at the terminal of the asset’s utile life ( Vitez, 2014 ) . With IFRS each fixed plus could hold many constituents that need to be valued, where as with GAAP the fixed plus has one utile life value. The Selection of a Depreciation Impairment Method.Merely like with U.S. GAAP, IFRS has many different depreciation methods available for usage, though each company must merely choose one method for each fixed plus in usage ( Vitez, 2014 ) . There are some depreciation methods that work better on some fixed assets than others. Most fixed assets are assigned a depreciation method in order for the plus to be decently distributed. Seifert ( 2012 ) explains that IFRS depreciates fixed assets on a â€Å"component† footing vs. a â€Å"whole asset† footing under U.S. GAAP ; this allows parts of the plus to be on different depreciation agenda than other parts of the same plus as stated by. This allows companies to replace parts of their fixed plus and allows the plus longer life and gives the fixed plus higher marker value. Opinions: U.S.GAAP vs. IFRS Some have described plus writedowns in U.S. GAAP as the roach motel attack: â€Å"you can acquire in, but you can ne'er acquire out! † ( King, 2008 ) . The market value is frequently considered excessively unstable and that it is excessively easy to pull strings, which makes it unsuitable to be used as an estimation for the value of an plus ( Diana, 2009 ) . The features of just value is it improves the comparison by measuring similar elements in a similar manner, where every bit historical cost fails to guarantee the comparison of information, as similar elements are valuated for nonuniform values ( Diana, 2009 ) . Some comptrollers in the U. S. prefer utilizing U.S. GAAP based accounting, because it is a criterion that many of them have merely used and might be wary of the alteration that IFRS has in shop for fixed assets. It could do the accounting books to take longer to equilibrate as it creates more journal entries needed to right enumerate each fixed plus and their constituents. They are besides hesitating to exchange to IFRS because of its rule based criterions, and with the problem there has been in the recent old ages refering the doctoring of accounting studies some people are disquieted that if we give companies excessively much freedom so they will be less than honest with their shareholders when net incomes are low or if they get in problem with a bad concern purchase or investing. A. M. King ( 2008 ) clarifies that a possible drawback for U.S. acceptance of the reappraisal theoretical account is that because rating is inherently imprecise, some companies may take an aggressive att ack, at least in the initial reappraisal. The on-going conflict between GAAP and IFRS consequences in a no fit criterion that is best for the U.S. , neither side can hold with the other on which accounting criterion is best for the U.S. The principle-based IFRS method makes it easier for U.S. Companies to pull strings or command the result of these criterions. Companies have already found loopholes in U.S. GAAP and it is really structured. IFRS criterions would make bigger issues by leting companies to put a value on each constituent of a fixed plus. It would besides do it harder for hearers to happen mistakes in accounting system of a company. IFRS accounting would let companies to alter market value of their fixed assets, which in bend would let them to exaggerate the true cost of the fixed plus. U.S. GAAP companies have to enter fixed assets at the clip of purchase, and they are non allowed to be changed until the plus is used up or disposed of during the life of the plus. Finally one twenty-four hours U.S. GAAP and IFRS will come to a common apprehension and /or understanding but until that clip the U.S. will lodge with U.S. GAAP accounting regulations and criterions for their fixed assets entering. Mentions Daniels, M. B. ( 1933 ) . The Evaluation of Fixed Assets.Accounting Review,8( 4 ) , 302. Diana, C. ( 2009 ) . Historical Cost versus Fair Value.Annalss of The University of Oradea, Economic Science Series,18( 3 ) , 860-865 Hughes, J. S. , & A ; Williams, M. G. ( 2007 ) . Discussion of â€Å" Strategic Consequences of Historical Cost and Fair Value Measurements † .Contemporary Accounting Research,24( 2 ) , 585-593. Kaya, C. ( 2013 ) . Fair Value versus Historical Cost: Which is really more â€Å" Fair † ? .Journal Of Accounting & A ; Finance, ( 60 ) , 127-137. King, A. M. ( 2008 ) . GAAP vs IFRS: Will the Real Fair Value Please Stand Up? .Financial Executive,24( 10 ) , 14-16. King, A. M. ( 2012 ) . Fair Value is Unfair.Financial Executive,28( 5 ) , 73. Malboeuf, E. ( 2014, April 9 ) .The Similarities and Differences Between The GAAP and The IFRS,Retrieved July 23, 2014, retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //ezinearticles.com/ ? The-Similarities-and-Differences-Between-The-GAAP-and-The-IFRS & A ; id=8436911 Malboeuf, E. ( 2014, April 9 ) .The Similarities and Differences Between The GAAP and The IFRS. Retrieved July 23, 2014, Malboeuf, E. ( 2014, April 9 ) .The Similarities and Differences Between The GAAP and The IFRS. Retrieved July 23, 2014, Malboeuf, E. ( 2014, April 9 ) .The Similarities and Differences Between The GAAP and The IFRS. Retrieved July 23, 2014, Rajan, M. V. , & A ; Reichelstein, S. ( 2009 ) . Depreciation Rules and the Relation between Marginal and Historical Cost.Journal of Accounting Research,47( 3 ) , 823-865. doi:10.1111/j.1475-679X.2009.00334.x Seifert, D. L. , & A ; Lindberg, D. L. ( 2012 ) . Geting the Jump on IFRS.Strategic Finance,93( 7 ) , 35-39. Vitez, O. , ( 2014 ) . wiseGeek: What are the Different IFRS Fixed Asset Procedures? . Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.wisegeek.net/what-are-the-different-ifrs-fixed-asset-procedures.htm

The Organisational Context of Management Accounting Essay

The Organisational Context of Management Accounting - Essay Example This paper is aimed at analyzing the case study of the Royal Danish Theatre (RDT).   In an attempt to implement budgetary and management control system into RDT that met with resistance from different actors. The objectives of this paper can be examined from three dimensions.   In the first instance, the paper seeks to outline, analyse and discuss the main issues concerning the case study of the Royal Danish Theatre in relation to management control and accountability. In the second part of the paper, the paper identifies the study’s methodological assumptions of the case study using agency and contingency theory. The paper interprets the similarities and differences of the case study from each of the theoretical perspective. Following a series of budgetary control and a number of reforms which were instituted to push RDT towards the break even point. Thus;   in our analyses we will be evaluating the management control system of   RDT as described in the case study in section ; analyzing the case using agency and contingency theories in section; comparing and contrasting agency and contingency theory perspectives as well as looking at how the interpretation of the case differ from each theoretical perspective in section . This dscussion identifies and discusses the various issues raised in the case from an academic and professional perspective. These issues are presented under different subsections below.

International market research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

International market research - Essay Example It is therefore paramount to understand that marketing research must be conducted by clients so that their audiences are traced much before the product/service is launched within the respective market territories, domains and zones. International marketing mix depends a great deal on how the distinctive marketing research tenets are discussed and what these factors outline is a need to amalgamate the essential present within the international marketing mix. The domestic marketing research is severely different because it aims to explore a national basis whereas the international regimes think and act within the global empire. Hence the marketing research is varied for both kinds of arenas, and there is reason enough to believe that each one of these has a calming influence on the two. This paper studies the basis of the international marketing mix decisions which require many varied kinds of marketing research that are global in nature and how the same are differentiated from the dom estic marketing research realms is something that shall be given significance here, with global examples. It is a fact that the marketing research which is measured within an international context is comparatively different from the one which is taken in within a domestic environment. The reason for the same is that there are many stakeholders when one considers the two cases. These include the businesses, the industrial giants, the stock exchanges, and so on. When data gets collected within an international marketing research regime, the focus is on collecting a sample of people who hail from a number of different nations and not just a singular country. However this is not the case when one thinks of the domestic regimes where the focus is on a particular country. One such example is of the marketing research that was done for Kellogg’s when it diversified into a new product line for the US markets. This was a domestic marketing research example and hence emphasis was put w ithin the local terrains. However when the marketing research was conducted for LG as a brand, the scope was global and hence a number of different countries were taken into consideration. Since LG is a global brand of repute and dignity, proper care was taken into count that many samples were explored and then analyzed upon in detail. The sample size was chosen to make sure that there was no missing link present with it. The marketing research was therefore very comprehensive and the samples were chosen with attention to detail. Hence the marketing research differences between Kellogg’s and LG are quite apparent here as the samples were chosen in light of the markets that were to be covered by the respective brands. If Kellogg’s wanted to move out and touch bases within other nations of the world, its audience would have been different and hence the scope would have broadened up as well. The approach used by Kellogg’s and LG are similar yet the scope for the tw o brands has been different. This is the reason why marketing research has been seen as international in one case and domestic in the other. Moving on, the most basic difference between international marketing research and domestic marketing research is that the former concentrates on the world’s different audiences while the latter is dependent on a single nation or entity so to speak. What this means is the fact that international mar

Tesco Case Study Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Tesco Assignment - Case Study Example In this regard, frameworks of strategic management like, PESTLE, Porter’s competitive forces and value chain analysis, has been employed. The first part of the report discusses macro environmental issues, which affects the U.K. food retail industry. This is followed by analysis of Porter’s competitive forces to evaluate parameters that affect competitiveness of the business. The section of the report containing the internal strategic analysis deals with financial appraisal, resource appraisal and value chain analysis. The penultimate section of the report comprises ethical practices that have been adopted by the Tesco. The last section presents the recommendations that can be adopted by Tesco so as to overcome current issues that are being faced by the company and maintain its position as the market leader. The findings from the report indicate that weak economic conditions in Europe can dampen future growth of the business. The first recommendation for the company is to introduce lower costs and discounts in the future in order to retain market share. The changing pattern of food consumption in U.K. and rising popularity of organic food will be essential determining factors for growth of the food retail industry. So, the second recommendation focuses on increasing availability of cheap organic food. The analysis from the report has shown that sale in U.K. has dropped for Tesco. This paper suggests that increasing promotional measures can raise the sales. Owing to increasing concern of the government regarding environmental issues, this paper recommends that further sustainability can be attained by adopting energy saving practices. Finally, the analysis has also revealed that dialogue with the customers have weakened, which is hindering business growth. The final recommendation of the report is that engagement with the customers must be strengthened in way of modifying existing practices or adopting new ones. In any modern industry,

Demand for personal guns as fear of crime increases Essay

Demand for personal guns as fear of crime increases - Essay Example Tourists or travellers cannot walk alone during night time in Bahamas because of the possibility of robbery and other massacres. Sexual assaults are one of the major criminal activities in the streets of Bahamas in general and in the beaches in particular. â€Å"Crimes ranging from theft of lawn furniture to home invasions occur, even within gated communities† (The Bahamas 2008 Crime & Safety Report, 2008). Governments failed to give enough protection to the life and properties of Bahamian people or the tourists and the need for a personal gun for self defence is important in the Bahamian society. This paper briefly analyses the need for the possession of personal gun and the trends in gun market with special emphasize to Bahamas. The current trends in gun market are not good for the gun manufacturers, especially in US. The 9/11 incident has created immense demand for the personal guns for the self defence purpose. The trend continued till 2008. But the election of anti-gun liberal Obama as the American president has created concerns among the gun users and manufacturers about stiff laws and the gun sales has come down drastically at present in America. The chart given below shows the US handgun market from 1990 onwards. It is evident from the chart given above that the demand for personal gun has picked up from 2001 onwards. It is because of the fact that the US public were aware of the needs of personal guns after the 9/11 incident. People have realized that their protection and safety cannot be guaranteed by the governments and it is wise to keep some self defending measures all the time. The demand for personal gun has shown an upward trend till 2008. But after that the serious financial crisis forced the public to rethink about the expenditure for personal protection and the sales statistics given below shows that the the economic crisis combined with the

Newman Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Newman - Essay Example According to Newman faith is about assenting to a doctrine as veritable, even when faced with lack of sensory evidence to back up its claims. Since God cannot lie, what is revealed will have to be true. At the centre of Divine faith is the total lack of doubt in the heart and mind of the believer. This is so because â€Å"God is true, because God has spoken, not because he sees its truth or can prove its truth.† (p.2) What Newman deems necessary is conviction in belief. It simply would not do to claim to believe and also think rationally at the same time. If one part of the scriptures were believed it, the entirety is to be believed in. In the example of the Apostles, the fact of one being true, made the others true too, as they all derived from the infallible authority of god. The world had â€Å"either to become Christian, or to let it alone; there was no room for private tastes and fancies, no room for private Judgment.† (p.3) Hence, Newman makes his stance clear on the dichotomies of faith and reason. The crucial difference between the time of the Apostles and now is that there is only recorded message presently. People back then would have found it more credible to hear the divine word from the Apostles firsthand. There is a key difference â€Å"between the act of submitting to a living oracle, and to his written words; in the former case there is no appeal from the speaker, in the latter the final decision remains with the reader.† (p.4) Hence in contemporary Christianity, which is centered on written scripture, a degree of application of rationality is warranted. Such being the case, Newman qualifies by stating that they have not in them the principle of faith. It is nothing to the purpose â€Å"to urge that at least they firmly believe Scripture to be the Word of God. In truth, it is much to be feared that their acceptance of Scripture itself is nothing better than a

Information Security Issues Associated with Internet Connectivity Essay

Information Security Issues Associated with Internet Connectivity - Essay Example The report presents some recommendations such as apply some policy, training their employers and employing softwares for security checks. With the advanced technology that we have right now, security issue has become an essential problem for any organization, which uses the Internet, around the world. As stated by Charles and Shari (23, 2002), the security of an organization is important to protect it from any criminal damage. The software vulnerabilities and social engineering in an organization system that cyber-criminals target is the most important issue in security measures. The aim of this research is to investigate how to protect an organization that uses Internet connection from being targeted because of the vulnerability of their system. This report will discuss general issues related to Internet connectivity, software vulnerabilities, social engineering and specific vulnerability which is Cross Site Scripting (XSS). It will also provide a discussion and recommendation that will help organizations against hackers and other criminal activities directed in breaching their security. Hacking a system or a database is the largest threat to network security for most organizations. IP addresses can easily be obtained through search engines like Google and Yahoo. As a result, the Internet gives easy access to an organization’s system or database for millions of unknown users in the world. And because the users are unknown, it creates additional challenges to the security departments. In addition to the countless unknown users, the links of different systems and database between organizations through the use of the World Wide Web makes it easier for one to access the linked systems. Moreover, the linked access introduces a considerably magnified potential for virus spread. The vulnerability of the system is the primary weakness of an

Experiential learning as posited in the work of Kolb and other Assignment

Experiential learning as posited in the work of Kolb and other scholars - Assignment Example Life Learning Using Kolb Cycle about Public Personal Speaking Experience Introduction David Kolb’s learning styles model was first published in 1984 and introduced terms such as experiential learning theory (ELT) and learning styles inventory (LSI). Kolb’s work entitled â€Å"Experiential Learning: Experience As The Source Of Learning And Development† reports experiential learning reported earlier including the work of Jung, Piaget and Rogers. The learning theory posited by Kolb is one that states there are four specific learning styles and these are framed in a four-stage cycle of learning. The four-stage cycle is stated by Kolb to include: (1) Concrete Experience (CE); (2) Reflective Observation (RO); (3) Abstract Conceptualization (AC); and (4) Active Experimentation (AE). (Business Balls, 2011) The four learning styles stated by Kolb include those as follows: (1) Diverging (CE/RO); (2) Assimilating (AC/RO); (3) Converging (AC/AE); and (4) Accommodating (CE/AE) (Business Balls, 2011) The following illustration is a diagram that shows the learning styles and learning types as posited in the work of David Kolb. Figure 1 Source: Business Balls (2011) The preferred learning style of the individual varies from one person to the other and the factors that influence the preference of learning style are many. The developmental stages identified by Kolb in learning include those as follows: (1) Acquisition – from birth to adolescence and include the development of the individuals most basic of abilities and the individual’s cognition; (2) Specialization – early work and individual experiences in adulthood when specialized learning style of the individual is influenced by social, educational, and organizational socialization; and (3) Integration – mid-career into later life of the individual when the individual expresses the non-dominant learning style in their work life and in their personal life. (Business Balls, 2011) Kolb held that the learning style is the result of two pairs of variables. These are conceived as lines of axis in which each has conflict at either en d as follows: Concrete Experience – CE (feeling) -----V-----Abstract Conceptualization – AC (thinking) Active Experimentation – AE (doing)-----V-----Reflective Observation (watching) A typical presentation of the two continuums of Kolb is stated to be that the Processing Continuum or the east-west axis is how the individual approaches a task and the north-south axis or the Perception Continuum is the individual’s emotional response and how they think about or feel about the task. The learning styles are the two lines of axis combined and these are formed between what Kolb states are â€Å"dialectically related modes of grasping experience (doing or watching) and transforming experience (thinking or feeing). The following illustration labeled Figure 2 in this study shows the conception of these two axis. Figure 2 Source: Business Balls (2011) Concrete experience is knowledge that is gained through practical experience while reflective observation has its focus on what the meaning of the experience is to the individual. The work of Wirth and Perkins (nd) report that there have been â€Å"calls for new kinds of learning from many different parts of society.† Student surveys are reported to indicate â€Å"that courses are not interesting, that students fail to recognize the value of what they are learning, and that many faculty rely too heavily on lectures for transmitting information.† (Wirth and Perkins, nd) It is reported that Fink (2003) reported that society and individual learners â€Å"now have different needs, both in terms of what people need to learn and how they can and should learn.† (Wirth and Perkins, nd) The work of Gardiner (1994) listed critical competencies for workers and citizens including the following competencies: (1) Personal responsibility; (2) Ability to act in principles, ethical fashion; (3) Skill in oral and written

Strategic Management Process Paper Essay Example for Free

Strategic Management Process Paper Essay The strategic management process consists of four major components; they are environmental scanning, strategy formulation, strategy implementation, and evaluation and control. They each are broken down into their specific roles within the strategic management process. The Environmental Scanning is the monitoring, evaluating, and disseminating of information from the external and internal environments to key people within the corporation. An easy way to use this component would be SWOT, this acronym stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats and it shows the strategic factors for each individual company. The next component of the process is the Strategy Formula and that is the development of long-range plans for the effective management of the environment opportunities and treats, in light of corporate strengths and weaknesses, this process also relay’s on the SWOT process. This process helps define the corporate mission, helps specifies achievable objectives, helps develop strategies and helps setting policy guidelines. Strategies Implementation is the process of which strategies and polices are put into action through the development of programs, budgets, and procedures. This process can cause changes to happen within a company such as, overall culture, structure, and management system of the entire organization. When a corporate wide change is needed the implementation of strategy will be conducted by the middle and lower level management, and then the higher management team would review those changes. This can be called operational planning as well and that would implement day to day changes. The last process of the strategic management process is evaluation and control; this is the process which corporate activities and performance results are monitored so that the performance that is happening now can be compare to what is expected. This would apply to managers on all levels and  they use this information to take corrective action and resolve any problems. This part of the process can also pinpoint weaknesses in previous implemented strategic plans and can cause the process to start all over again (Wheelen Hunger, 2010). Strategic management is important for many reasons. First of all these processes help leaders to implement the vision and mission of the company, and what goals are needed to get the company where it wants to go. Typically created by the owner or top management in a company, the strategic management plan offers direction and guidance to the employees, sets up measurable goals and time lines and designates duties of all personnel. Marketing and sales projections are included in the strategic plan as well as plans to review the achievements of each department (Ray, 2012, p.1). BMW Strategic Process BMW is a German automobile and motorcycle manufacturer. BMW automobiles are considered luxury vehicles with endless amounts of options and expensive price tags. The company, which was at one time was severely struggling financially is extremely successful. The organization continues to sell more care almost every year, created strong brand recognition, and a loyal customer following. BMW created what they call corporate Strategy Number One; this includes plans for the future, survey results, and performance evaluations. The purpose of the strategy is to pursue the vision of being the leading provider of premium products and premium services for individual mobility (BMW Group†, n.d.). The strategy continues to describe the objective and how BMW plans to reach those objectives. To clarify the organization included the results from surveys distributed to stockholders and employees. The challenges the company faces were also clearly laid out, along with previous achievements. Conclusion After examining all the necessary elements to a strategic management process one can understand why each is necessary to achieve success. The elements work together and when done properly do so with little effort. However, to deflect any challenges from competition the elements need examining frequently to see if changes are necessary. BMW provides an excellent  example of an organization with solid strategic management. The organization has clear-cut processes and evaluates current process and is looking to the future. References: Wheelen, T. L., Hunger, J. D. (2010). Concepts in Strategic Management and Business Policy Achieving Sustainability (12th ed.). Retrieved on September 15, 2014 from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database. Ray, L. (2012). Strategic Management Process, eHow Contributor. Retrieved September 15, 2014 from http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4964358_strategic-management-process.html BMW Group. (n.d.). Retrieved on September 15, 2014 from http://www.bmwgroup.com/e/0_0_www_bmwgroup_com/verantwortung/publikationen/sustainable_value_report_2008/_pdf/SVR_2008_engl_Kapitel_1.pdf

Federalism in Australia Essay

Federalism in Australia Essay Kerry Maloney Federalism in Australia is dying. Do you agree? Understanding what Federalism is, is the key to understanding how the Australian government functions. Federalism in Australia was formedon 1 January 1901. Australia’s unique constitution is a blending of the Westminster system, the USA’s system of government (two spheres of government) and the Swiss system (referendum procedures).[1] ‘They constituted their new nation as a federal union by creating a new spear of national government, also called the ‘Commonwealth’ with bicameral federal parliament, responsible government executive, and a high court.’[2] Throughout the history of federalism in Australia reforms have been made when needed, however the basic structure of government has remained the same. Federal parliament is separated into two areas, Commonwealth government and State government. Legislative power is separated between the two, the Commonwealth government has legislative power over areas such as taxation, defence, foreign affairs, postal and telecommunications services.[3] ‘The state government has legislative power over all other matters that occurred within their borders, including: police, hospitals, education and public transport.’[4] During the course of this essay, issues with the federal system Australia is currently dealing with will be presented and how the Australian government is attempting to address problems within the system. Public expenditure and federal arrangements for taxing is a major area of concern. State governments have varied capacities to deliver services and revenue raising within the federation, ‘the current mining boom and the global financial crisis have contributed to substantial changes in the distribution of the GST amongst the States and heightened scrutiny about the equalisation process and its outcomes.’[5] A good example of the above can be found in The Commonwealth Grant’s Commission’s report on GST Revenue Sharing Relativities, Update 2012. This report shows how due to ‘Western Australia’s above average mining production, property transfers, payrolls, motor vehicle registrations and land values, Western Australia has the highest assessed fiscal capacity’[6]. This translates into Western Australia’s GST revenue falling from 7.5% to 5.8%. Then we have South Australia, due to the fact it has above average number of elderly and people of low socio-economic status, ‘below average population growth and below average investment and net lending requirements.[7] South Australia has below average revenue raising capacity across all state taxes’[8], especially payroll tax (due to lower wages, population and employment rate) and below average mining revenue. The above facts translate into above average revenue for South Australia from commonw ealth payments. ‘South Australia has the third lowest assessed fiscal capacity’[9] and gets a GST revenue share of 9.3%.[10] Taking both states GST revenue share and productivity into consideration, some people feel the current system to be unfair and many concerns were heard in the lead up to the last Western Australian state election on 9 March 2014. When federal government intervene in areas that usually belong to the state, intergovernmental conflict occur. A classic example of intergovernmental conflict is environmental protection, concerning issues such as the Great Barrier Reef protection, forestry, coal-seam gas production and the Murray-Darling Basin. In the case of the Murray-Darling Basin, in 2004 The National Water Initiative (NWI) was introduced, NWI allowed the federal government to attempt to resolve problems with upstream usage and management of down stream flows.[11] This demonstrates our system shifting more towards organic federalism and the federal factors political power.[12] In the past decade a more organic federalism has developed in many policy areas. Organic federalism is when the federal government plays a major role in public policy and the state governments and territories role is more in the administration and implementation of policy made at the federal level.[13] Education is a good example of organi c federalism seen in commitments in national policy frame works and direct Commonwealth initiatives.[14] Other issues federalism face, is too much bureaucracy, duplication and inconsistency. Overlapping responsibilities within multiple governments create problems of state and federal governments blaming each other when policies fail due to confusion of which government is constitutionally responsible.[15] Currently the Coalition has made a commitment to release a white paper on federalism. The federalism white paper could be a catalyst for federalism reform, it aims to address functional overlap, duplication and give opportunity for the public to vote on recommendations at the 2016 election.[16] The council of Australian Governments (COAG) is equally a focus of the Coalition, with intentions of streamlining COAG agenda to make it more effective.[17] In an attempt to carry out a large number of major reforms the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) was formed. COAG reforms are aimed at collaboration between the commonwealth, state and territory governments being strengthened.[18] The council of COAG is made up in a way that all sides are guaranteed to be heard. ‘The  members of COAG  are the Prime Minister, State and Territory Premiers and Chief Ministers and the President of the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA). The Prime Minister chairs COAG. The role of COAG is to promote policy reforms that are of national significance, or which need co-ordinated action by all Australian governments.’[19] Some good examples of COAG’s past achievements are; the  National Health Reform Agreement  in August 2011; reforms of laws that overlapped areas of activity within states consisting of unnecessary differences; a wide range of educational reforms; and working with ‘closing the gap’ concerning the disadvantages Australian indigenous.[20] In conclusion, it would be fair to say there are many pressing issues with the federal system and some discontent does exist within the public and government, which have been highlighted during the last few elections both federal and state. However federalism in Australia is not on its way to the grave but is at point where major review and reform is needed. Considering Australia has had federal reform in the past and actions are in motion for federal reform at present in the forms of COAG, GST reform and the Federalism white paper. It seems more likely Australia may see more organic federalism in the future and federalism in Australia will evolve along with changing times and to meet the ever changing needs of a maturing country. Bibliography. Australian Government, australia.gov.au.Australias federation. (n.d.), accessed viahttp://australia.gov.au/about-australia/our-government/australias-federation> on 18 April, 2014. Australian Government, The Treasury, Submission to the GST Distribution Review, Canberra, October 2011, p.8. Collett, E. Federalism Frequently Asked Questions.Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law. (n.d.), accessed viahttp://www.gtcentre.unsw.edu.au/resources/federalism/frequently-asked-questions> on 20 April 2014. Commonwealth Grants Commission, Report on GST Revenue Sharing Relativities — 2012 Update, Canberra, 2012, pp. 16-17. Council of Australian Governments, About COAG. Council of Australian Governments, (n.d.), accessed viahttp://www.coag.gov.au/about_coag> on 25 April 2014. Dudley, J., Contemporary Politics in Australia, Theories, Practices and Issues, Cambridge University Press, New York, 2012, pp.356-361. ‘Federalism’ definition in The Oxford Companion To Australian Politics, eds, B. Galligan and W.Roberts, Oxford University Press, Sth Melbourne, 2007, p.202. Haward, M., Contemporary Politics in Australia, Theories, Practices and Issues, Cambridge University Press, New York, 2012, pp.275-279. [1] ‘Federalism’ definition in The Oxford Companion To Australian Politics, eds, B. Galligan and W. Roberts, Oxford University Press, Sth Melbourne, 2007, p.202. [2] ‘Federalism’ definition in The Oxford Companion To Australian Politics, eds, B. Galligan and W. Roberts, Oxford University Press, Sth Melbourne, 2007, p.202. [3] Australian Government, australia.gov.au.Australias federation. (n.d.), from accessed viahttp://australia.gov.au/about-australia/our-government/australias-federation> on 18 April, 2014. [4]Australian Government, australia.gov.au.Australias federation. (n.d.), from accessed viahttp://australia.gov.au/about-australia/our-government/australias-federation> on 18 April, 2014. [5] Australian Government, The Treasury, Submission to the GST Distribution Review, Canberra, October 2011, p.8. [6] Commonwealth Grants Commission, Report on GST Revenue Sharing Relativities — 2012 Update, Canberra, 2012, pp. 16-17. [7] Commonwealth Grants Commission, Report on GST Revenue Sharing Relativities — 2012 Update, Canberra, 2012, pp. 16-17. [8] Commonwealth Grants Commission, Report on GST Revenue Sharing Relativities — 2012 Update, Canberra, 2012, pp. 16-17. [9] Commonwealth Grants Commission, Report on GST Revenue Sharing Relativities — 2012 Update, Canberra, 2012, pp. 16-17. [10] Commonwealth Grants Commission, Report on GST Revenue Sharing Relativities — 2012 Update, Canberra, 2012, pp. 16-17. [11] Dudley, J., Contemporary Politics in Australia, Theories, Practices and Issues, Cambridge University Press, New York, 2012, pp.356-361. [12] Dudley, J., Contemporary Politics in Australia, Theories, Practices and Issues, Cambridge University Press, New York, 2012, pp.356-361. [13] Dudley, J., Contemporary Politics in Australia, Theories, Practices and Issues, Cambridge University Press, New York, 2012, pp.356-361. [14] Haward, M., Contemporary Politics in Australia, Theories, Practices and Issues, Cambridge University Press, New York, 2012, pp.275-279. [15] Collett, E. Federalism Frequently Asked Questions.Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law. (n.d.), accessed viahttp://www.gtcentre.unsw.edu.au/resources/federalism/frequently-asked-questions> on 20 April 2014. [16] NOVAK, J. New Senate might reform.THE AUSTRALIAN. 11 September 2013, accessed viahttp://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/opinion/new-senate-might-reform/story-e6frgd0x-1226716373957#> on 20 April 2014. [17] OAKES, L. New way to fix old problem with federalism.HERALD SUN. 15 March 2014, accessed viahttp://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/new-way-to-fix-old-problem-with-federalism/story-fni0fha6-1226855178626> on 20 April 2014. [18] Council of Australian Governments, About COAG. Council of Australian Governments, (n.d.), accessed viahttp://www.coag.gov.au/about_coag> on 25 April 2014. [19]Council of Australian Governments, About COAG. Council of Australian Governments, (n.d.), accessed viahttp://www.coag.gov.au/about_coag> on 25 April 2014. [20] Council of Australian Governments, About COAG. Council of Australian Governments, (n.d.), accessed viahttp://www.coag.gov.au/about_coag> on 25 April 2014.

The Subject of Relationships in Robert Frosts Poem The Mending Wall :: Mending Wall Essays

The Subject of Relationships in Robert Frost's Poem The Mending Wall Robert Frost's poem "The Mending Wall" may not seem to be a poem with a lot of meaning but if readers take time to listen to what the author has to say they will discover that it is talking about the basic relationships between people. The author is focusing on an inanimate object that separated two individuals even though it is nothing more than a little stone wall in the middle of a field. Something there is that doesn't love a wall, That sends the frozen-ground swell under it, And spills the upper boulders in the sun; And makes gaps even two can pass abreast The above selection of the poem shows how impersonal the wall is. There is no humanity associated with this object, nor is there any emotion attached to it. Even thought the object has no emotion itself, there is emotion directed toward it as we see in line 1 of the poem. There is something out in the world that doesn't like this wall. Not only does this relate the author's feelings about how it keeps objects separated, This feeling of animosity has gone so far that something has gone as far as to destroy sections of the wall. I have come after them and made repair Where they have left not one stone on a stone, But they would have the rabbit out of hiding, To please the yelping dogs, The gaps I mean, The author goes even further in his description of the emotions directed at the wall, and explains that other dislike the wall as well. Although they dislike it because it is helping to hide the quarry they are after. The hunters express this dislike of the wall but physically destroying the wall, they tear it down even though it is not their wall. This goes a long way at letting the reader understand that this poem is also about relationships between people. Often times others will attack a person to get something they want with little to no regard for the person that is being attacked. But at spring mending-time we find them there. I let my neighbor know beyond the hill;

Business :: essays research papers

â€Å"Website Comparison for Banking† There is a big difference in nice-looking websites and websites designed to market business effectively. The many similarities and differences when viewing websites help end users determine who to conduct business with. Some of these include the look and feel of each website, the user friendly options, the navigation and accessibility when searching for a particular category or business. In this paper, we have compared and analyzed three different banking websites Washington Mutual, Compass Bank and Bank of America in an effort to summarize their effectiveness and to determine which website in our opinion would draw consumer interests. Washington Mutual   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When evaluating Washington Mutual’s website, there was one feature that stood out more than the websites for Compass Bank and Bank of America; their advertisement for Free Online Banking. This is centrally located on the web page because it is in a bright color and is toward the top of the page which is eye catching to the viewer (WAMU, 2005). Many people today choose to do banking on-line to not only save money on checks and stamps, but it is also less time-consuming. By offering this service for free, Washington Mutual has more chances to gain new customers than other banks, which may currently charge for on-line banking. For those existing customers, the login screen to obtain account information is fairly accessible. It is located on the top right hand corner of the web page and also gives the chance for the user to inquire on the password in case they have forgotten it (WAMU, 2005).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Even though Washington Mutual does have a couple of features that stand out in comparison to the other two banks, we believe that their website could be more user friendly if there was not so much information crowded together which makes it harder to read. They do have access to pertinent information for those trying to locate specific information such as home loans or location information, but it does not stand out and it is not eye catching for the end user. This may deter someone from opening an account with Washington Mutual simply because of the setup of the web page. Pictures and icons are very important for websites because they can catch the viewer’s attention and it also makes their browsing experience a better one. People want to access their bank information or any other banking needs as fast as possible.

American Self Perception Vs. The Truth Essay -- essays research papers

American Self Perception vs. The Truth Lee Greenwood, a song writer, describes the emotion involved in American self-perception in a song by saying, "I'm proud to be an American. For at least I know I'm free." Freedom is the founding pillar of the American self- perception. Self-perception is the culmination of how one views oneself. Other aspects which make up American self-perception are wealth, power, and the pursuance of happiness. Self-perceptions, whether confined to the individual or confined to an entire country, usually leave out negative aspects such as hypocrisy. When dealing with the perception of a country, the true image of a society comes from self, or internal perceptions, combined with the external perceptions from other countries. The foundation of American self-perception is freedom. Freedom of speech and movement are virtual institutions in the United States. Such freedoms of speech and movement are outlined in the United States Constitution. Americans believe the constitution sketches the "American Dream" which is having a family, money, and the freedom to pursue happiness. Every American will stand by the line derived from the Constitution, "All men are created equal." In actuality, the constitution outlined the freedom for rich white landowners to achieve unchecked power and wealth. At the time of the framing of the constitution, blacks were slaves thus all men were NOT created equal. Women were equally excluded from the constitution as suffrage wasn't even a consideration at the time. The only class groups which the American Constitution outlined freedom for were wealthy European immigrants fleeing their own land for such reasons as taxes. After such movements as Suffrage and Civil Rights, all Americans were granted individual rights of freedom thus approaching equality. The American self-perception of living a life of virtual complete freedom parallels the American stand on its' belief of democracy. Americans feel that a democratic government is the only possible administration which can be deemed acceptable in today's world system. Such a deep rooted belief in democracy instills a fear and dislike of any other form of government. Look at American policies towards the Soviet Union after the second world war. The ... ...rom America is a godsend, Many Poles agree that the intermingling of American culture with Polish culture is unacceptable. Never has the US ever extended another country such equal treatment. A large section of the Polish population views Americans as wealthy and powerful on the positive side, and imperialistic and egotistical on the negative side. The American true image is comprised of more than self-perception. How other countries and cultures perceive Americans is a important part of what it truly means to be an American. Americans see themselves as free and righteous while other countries like Poland view Americans as ethnocentric. What many Americans fail to see in their self-perception is, that intermingled within their beliefs and practices, hypocrisy. Hypocrisy dominated the American containment policy of the Soviet Union in the Cold War era. As Americans were condemning the Soviets for pushing a communist government, Americans themselves were pushing democracy in weaker, dependent states. To find the truth of what it is to be American, you must combine other countries perceptions into your own, otherwise you will only achieve half the truth. American Self Perception Vs. The Truth Essay -- essays research papers American Self Perception vs. The Truth Lee Greenwood, a song writer, describes the emotion involved in American self-perception in a song by saying, "I'm proud to be an American. For at least I know I'm free." Freedom is the founding pillar of the American self- perception. Self-perception is the culmination of how one views oneself. Other aspects which make up American self-perception are wealth, power, and the pursuance of happiness. Self-perceptions, whether confined to the individual or confined to an entire country, usually leave out negative aspects such as hypocrisy. When dealing with the perception of a country, the true image of a society comes from self, or internal perceptions, combined with the external perceptions from other countries. The foundation of American self-perception is freedom. Freedom of speech and movement are virtual institutions in the United States. Such freedoms of speech and movement are outlined in the United States Constitution. Americans believe the constitution sketches the "American Dream" which is having a family, money, and the freedom to pursue happiness. Every American will stand by the line derived from the Constitution, "All men are created equal." In actuality, the constitution outlined the freedom for rich white landowners to achieve unchecked power and wealth. At the time of the framing of the constitution, blacks were slaves thus all men were NOT created equal. Women were equally excluded from the constitution as suffrage wasn't even a consideration at the time. The only class groups which the American Constitution outlined freedom for were wealthy European immigrants fleeing their own land for such reasons as taxes. After such movements as Suffrage and Civil Rights, all Americans were granted individual rights of freedom thus approaching equality. The American self-perception of living a life of virtual complete freedom parallels the American stand on its' belief of democracy. Americans feel that a democratic government is the only possible administration which can be deemed acceptable in today's world system. Such a deep rooted belief in democracy instills a fear and dislike of any other form of government. Look at American policies towards the Soviet Union after the second world war. The ... ...rom America is a godsend, Many Poles agree that the intermingling of American culture with Polish culture is unacceptable. Never has the US ever extended another country such equal treatment. A large section of the Polish population views Americans as wealthy and powerful on the positive side, and imperialistic and egotistical on the negative side. The American true image is comprised of more than self-perception. How other countries and cultures perceive Americans is a important part of what it truly means to be an American. Americans see themselves as free and righteous while other countries like Poland view Americans as ethnocentric. What many Americans fail to see in their self-perception is, that intermingled within their beliefs and practices, hypocrisy. Hypocrisy dominated the American containment policy of the Soviet Union in the Cold War era. As Americans were condemning the Soviets for pushing a communist government, Americans themselves were pushing democracy in weaker, dependent states. To find the truth of what it is to be American, you must combine other countries perceptions into your own, otherwise you will only achieve half the truth.

Situation Evasion

Situation evasion in Johnson Pharmaceuticals By:Course:College:professor:Date:There are different types of situation leadership models with each having its own set of clearly defined principals that govern it. For a management to choose which set to use it must be aware of the variables that internally exist in its organization; the work force and policies to follow. Even as this developments crop up the organizations must be careful to infringe the rights of the workers or breach any direction that was stipulated in their work contracts (Lindsay-2014). External factors like new government policies and stiff competition from competitor organize also initiates the situation leadership skills protocol among its management. The status quo of how and when activities of an organization are done usually makes a sharp shift to keep up with the dynamics of the wakeup call. Organizations risk being shut down if they become non compliant to state regulatory laws or risk being kicked out of the business by competitors if they don't keep up with the development pace. When and if a company is forced or willingly decides to initiate the situation leadership protocol, it must analyze the variables to enable it pick the most effective model. Among factors to consider is size of management board compared to size of normal employees, the relevant skills that the workforce posses and the motivation levels among its workforce. Before that the organization must prioritize the tasks it wants to do and write down specific timeframes for each, depending on the urgency the priorities must always be narrowed down to three for easy execution and assessment. This was the exact position the Johnson Pharmaceuticals was in a few years back when the food and drug agency (FDA) was all over their backs for it to comply with the new policies and standards of production. Johnson Pharmaceuticals has an array of companies that produce disease and curative drugs in addition to the other medical cosmetic products. Due to the urgency of the policies to be implemented, compliance of the new laws had to be made the top priority in all its vast industries by default. To be efficient and curb total market dominance by its competitors the company made customer satisfaction its second and last priority at that time. Every manager in the vast organization was tasked in choosing which situation model to deploy as each had company had different markets and a specific competitor to conquer. Failure to comply meant revocation of its ISO certificate and eventual closure and failure to curb competition would mean losing customers, being thrown out of business and eventual shut down. If the two courses were not prioritized at the same the tumbling down of the organization was as sure as death (Lindsay-2014). The variables in complying with the new FDA policies were not as diverse and daunting as the variables around customer satisfaction. Language of communication, delivery time, product uniqueness, consistency in delivery, perfection of services and quality product are among the universal variables around customer satisfaction topic. A complete analysis on them will draw a conclusion that most of them are external and efficiency would only be ascertained if the customer base is retained if not increase and if the management would get feedback from customer on their product and service delivery. Either way, the task had to be done. Question 1 The situational leadership style used by the CEO of company A was the DIRECTIVE style of situation handling. As explained in my introduction; a manager must take note of the job skills and motivation levels of his workforce. The work force in company A low amount of skills and low amount of motivation required for the task ahead. To counter this, the management had to deploy high motivation actions and high structuring actions (Lindsay-2014). The actions were meant to add more skills to the workforce and motivate it into doing the job. Here the CEO had to put his hands in the job to show his lot that the job can be done. The dynamics of this kind of situation model are that the management has to make all the policies and decisions; this is meant to reduce psychological pressure on the workforce. It has a single communication pathway where the workforce only report back to the management.The CEO of Company B used the DELEGATING style of situation management. This style is used when the workforce requires low amount of structuring and low amount of motivation skills. In this scenario the workforce is usually equipped with the basic skills on the job and there are high motivation levels among them. This is the simplest type of situation handling as the workforce is experienced and it knows what is required from them. The management usually makes the policies with the help of workers; assign specific instructions to them then the workers later communicate the progress up the management ladder. Question 2 The delegating style is deduced to have an advantage over the latter as there are fewer variables in it. Only praise for motivation is required to keep the spirits of the workforce (Lindsay-2014). If the two styles were used in a short timeline within the two companies then delegating would still take the day because experience reduces the timeline in which tasks are normally done. Question 3 It would be very surprising if the directing style outdid the delegating style in performance. This would mean that there was serious information breakdown on the information path and imply that there is a big managerial problem in company B. Other critics may argue that the workforce in directing style was eager learn and was responsive to the little motivation or many the management in it was more supporting than the workforce in delegating style (Lindsay-2014). Well, the statement may hold water but then likelihood of that is very low. ReferencesA book by Evans, J.R and Lindsay, W.M written in 2014,Managing for quality and performance (9th edition)Cengage learning.

Trash Summary

Trash Summary Trash is an epic novel about three ordinary dumpsite boys that sort through trash for a living. One day they find a key that leads them to a train station locker. From there they start the journey of their lives. Throughout the book many characteristics are shown both good and bad. I have chosen to talk about the themes trust and resilience. I chose these topics because I think both of these were shown many times in the book and they are to things that you need in every day life. Trust is the reliance that you have on one another, the belief that someone will come through for you in a time of need.This was shown many times in the book my favourite example was when Rat, (or Jun-Jun) was there for Raphael and Gardo at the beginning of the book they needed a place to hide the wallet. At any give time he could have gone straight to the police and turned in Raphael and Gardo.. Sister Oliver’s trust, pity and innocence led her to believing the three boys lie, this ende d up putting her at great risk. Later on in the novel Gardo went back to the prison with the 20,000 pesos to give the guard for the bible.The guard tried to catch Gardo but he escaped just in time. I think this was a case where they were forced to trust the guard whether they wanted to or not, they had no option to get the bible or not. Resilience is the ability to bounce back and put up with severe amount of stress. That’s exactly what these boys put up with for the whole book, between being chased by corrupt police and breaking into a grave these boys had amazing mental strength. The best example of this is when Raphael got taken to the police station; he was tortured, beaten and almost killed.It took lots of resilience is just there will to see there adventure all the way through to the end. At any given time they could have quite gone to the police turned the other two in and made 20,000 peso. â€Å" We will fish for ever and live happy lives. That is our plan and nothin g will stop us. † This quote said by Jun-Jun shows that the three boys trust each other to the end of the world. They would die for each other happily. They have been through so much mentally and physically that they could put up with anything. I honestly do think nothing will stop them.

Projective Techniques Essay

Such tests are based loosely on the psychoanalytic concept of projection, the assumption being that respondents project unconscious aspects of their personalities on to the test items and reveal them in their responses †¦ The website of the Association of Qualitative Practitioners (AQR 2004) defines projective techniques as follows: A wide range of tasks and games in which respondents can be asked to participate during an interview or group, designed to facilitate, extend or enhance the nature of the discussion. Some are known as ‘projective’ techniques, being loosely based on approaches originally taken in a psychotherapeutic setting. These rely on the idea that someone will ‘project’ their own (perhaps unacceptable or shameful) feelings or beliefs onto an imaginary other person or situation †¦ Projective techniques may be used in qualitative as well as quantitative studies (Levy 1994) and they are useful (Boddy 2004b) in both. 240 International Journal of Market Research Vol. 47 Issue 3 Projective techniques are commonly used in qualitative market research (Gordon & Langmaid 1990) where the aim of the techniques is to facilitate the gaining of a deeper understanding of the area being researched. In discussing projective techniques they distance the use of projective techniques in qualitative market research from that of psychoanalytical practice, and suggest a more pedestrian and pragmatic definition: Projection [is] the tendency to imbue objects or events with characteristics or meanings which are derived from our subconscious desires, wishes or feelings. Dichter (1964) defined projection as meaning ‘to project subjective ideas and contents onto an object’, and said that one person could ascribe their own problems or difficulties to someone else. He described these techniques as being widely used in psychological work (Dichter 1960) and said that they are a non-directive interview technique where the respondent can project himself onto another and thus reveal some of the respondent’s own thoughts, feelings and fears. Projective vis-a-vis enabling techniques The market researchers Chandler and Owen (2002) define projective and enabling techniques quite succinctly and in a way with which most qualitative market research practitioners (Gordon & Langmaid 1990; Goodyear 1998) would probably agree. This differentiation is useful to make at the beginning of this paper as the techniques are often used interchangeably and the distinction between them may have become blurred in the minds of some qualitative market researchers. Classically, the idea of a projective technique relates to a device that allows the individual research participant to articulate repressed or otherwise withheld feelings by projecting these onto another character. The idea of enabling techniques relates to a device which allows the individual research participant to find a means of expressing feelings, thoughts and so on which they find hard to articulate. Enabling techniques are held to be the simpler (Will, Eadie & MacAskill 1996) of the two techniques as they just help people to talk about themselves. Will et al. ake the useful distinguishing point that while all projective techniques may be enabling, not all enabling techniques involve projection. Other researchers (Lysaker & Bradley 1957) make the point that even pictorial devices, which do not function as projective techniques 241 Projective techniques in market research (i. e. devices researchers would nowadays refer to as enabling techniques), may still have utility in gener ating responses. Gordon and Langmaid (1990) state that the use of projective as opposed to enabling techniques is a false distinction in market research as the aim of both techniques is to facilitate deeper understanding. However, they do go on to say that in enabling techniques people are asked to do something that itself has no interpretive value (and so doesn’t itself need to be interpreted). In terms of analysis there is a distinction because with enabling techniques the research participants are talking as themselves (that is not to say that this speech should always be taken at face value), whereas with projective techniques the research participants are talking as someone else and the researcher makes the interpretative assumption that they are talking as themselves. This agreement over the definition of projective techniques is about as far as most research textbooks get on the subject. How they are subsequently used is little discussed and how they are then analysed is hardly explicitly touched on at all (Levy 1994; Catterall 1998), which is a situation that has hardly changed from ten or more years ago. This paper aims to look at current reports of how projective techniques are analysed and what support for their reliability and validity exists, and aims to stimulate debate in this area of market research so that a better and more accessible understanding of the subject can be offered to those entering research as potential practitioners, to interested clients, and to researchers who are more used to a quantitative or direct questioning approach. The origins of projective techniques Projective techniques were employed in market research from the 1940s (Catterall & Ibbotson 2000) to encourage research participants to express feelings and attitudes that might otherwise be withheld due to embarrassment or fear if more direct questioning methods were used. Market research originally borrowed (Robson 2000; Boddy 2004a) projective techniques from psychoanalysis and clinical psychology where they are still used (Richman 1996) to gain insights into personality and personality disorders. Projection, as a concept, originated from Freud’s work on paranoia (Lilienfeld, Wood & Garb 2000), where he conceptualised projection as a defence mechanism by which people unconsciously attribute their own negative personality traits to others. Lilienfeld et al. say that Freud’s work 242 International Journal of Market Research Vol. 47 Issue 3 was subsequently developed by psychoanalysts and clinical psychologists. This development was based on the hypothesis that ‘research participants project aspects of their personalities in the process of disambiguating unstructured test stimuli’, and several different techniques were developed such as the well-known Rorschach technique, or ‘ink-blot test’, where subjects are assumed to project aspects of their personality onto the ambiguous features of a set of inkblots. Projective techniques in market research A commonly used completion technique (Gordon & Langmaid 1990; Will et al. 1996) in qualitative market research is ‘bubble drawing’. This is a device based on a technique called the Thematic Apperception Test where, according to Tucker-Ladd (2001), clinical psychologists use a series of standard pictures and ask subjects to make up stories about them. TuckerLadd says that what people see in the pictures says something about themselves and thus reveals their personality. Projective techniques can be used in a variety of market research situations as well as in social and educational research (Catterall & Ibbotson 2000), and these do not have to be aiming at uncovering aspects of personality of any great depth. For example, a bubble drawing was used (Boddy 2004a) by one researcher to uncover students’ underlying attitudes towards the delivery of a lecture on marketing research rather than to uncover any deeper aspects of their own personalities. Projective and enabling techniques are thus useful when research participants have difficulty expressing opinions or feelings and researchers need some way of accessing these from the participants’ minds (Gordon & Langmaid 1990; Kay 2001).

Life is not the Bed of roses Essay

Life is not the bed of roses neither it is the bed of thorns. A person is himself or herself responsible for making his or her life either the bed of roses or the bed of thorns. Success in every field of life never comes to you on its own. You have to strive hard to get to it. As the example of climbing the ladder says to reach to the top you have to climb every single step on the ladder, same is the case with the success of life. Success is not the ladder which can be climbed with your hands in the pocket. Happy and sad moments are the part of life. If sad moments are not faced, one can never realize the worth of the happy moments. Adversity is that great part of life which leads you towards the successful future. Adversity makes you stronger and enough capable to bear the entire crisis you face traveling through the different stages of life in order to make you stronger both mentally and physically. Hard times are like washing machines, they twist, turn and knock us around but in the end we come out cleaner, brighter and better than before. Life never waits for anyone, you have to come up and get it. Never think that if your facing pain or un-success than life becomes useless for you. As we say after every dark night there is a morning that comes up with full of light that brightens up your day. If you face crises than do think that the success is making its way to you. All you have to do is to urge harder to get through all the problems which surely will bring you closer to a better future. Never lose the hope as we say tomorrow never dies and always remember beautiful pictures are always developed from the negatives in the dark room.

Risk, Crisis and Disaster Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Risk, Crisis and Disaster Management - Essay Example In order to understand why this profession is needed, it is important to understand the current business world and how changes are needed. It is also important to understand why such changes are required to survive. Companies which do not realize the need for this profession are the ones which might suffer in the near future. However, there are many industries which are more prone to continuity dangers compared to other industries, and such industries need to make strategies to survive in this competitive world. Industries, which are less prone to continuity dangers, will also face need for change eventually to either excel or to survive in the long run. There is a need for such a profession and people in the business community are realizing this need. In order to understand the need, for distinct business continuity profession, it is required to understand what business continuity is and what skills are needed in this profession. By definition business continuity is the capability of an organization to continue its business operations in case of any incidents or problems. This way they can operate without interrupting their day to day business activities without influence of other harmful factors. (Honour, 2006) Business world is now global now with the 24 hours connectivity with people around the globe. The threats are also present 24 hours a day. There can be threats which may be simply natural catastrophic threats or may be business threats, which may just not only affect the profits of one company but can also damage the company in uncountable ways. Such dangers can affect the business by damaging the reputation, brand image, productivity, efficiency, etc. In worst case scenarios, Company may simply go out of business due to such dangers (Rojas, 2009). In this stage of business continuity, a plan is made in order to face any problems. This plan

Alternative Dispute Resolution Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Alternative Dispute Resolution - Case Study Example This method is most applicable when the parties involved in the conflict agree that a third party seek a solution. The method is almost similar to court adjudication. Arbitrator panel act as judges and offer a solution after listening to both parties. However, the decision may or may not be legally binding. World International Property Organization (WIPO) is one of the best arbitration companies. One case involved a publishing house that had a contractual agreement with a software development company. The publishing house was not fully satisfied with the service after one and a half years and therefore the two parties decided to have the dispute arbitrated. By use of a practicing judge as the sole arbitrator, the two parties presented their interest in case settlement and the arbitrator found a common ground of settlement. The two parties agreed to the arbitrator’s proposal and therefore consented to the settlement terms. The two parties finally went public with their newfound settlement and the case was solved (WIPO web). Mediation is one of the best alternative dispute resolution options. The mediator purposely assists the two parties to come up with their own solution to the dispute. A good example was a business dispute that was mediated by an Auckland lawyer and Maria Dew. The case involved a family business whereby civil issues arose due to personal interests in the family business. The son, wanted to buy the business from his parents but they declined the offer but the two parties continued to run the business together.

Literacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Literacy - Essay Example The debate on literacy acquires attracts mixed reaction within given audiences. As such, clarity on the matter necessitates an analysis on active learning from a personal perspective. Active learning entails interactive session within learning forums that mandate individual participation. The segment supports imparting of knowledge through sensitive interventions that expand the learning environment. As such, a learner becomes aware of the immediate environment through use of critical thinking skills. I argue out that active learning evaluates the level of an individual’s literacy (Wood 171). Planned interactive sessions provide learning opportunities for various groups of people. The discussion on literacy during the class session generates noteworthy conclusions on the same subject. I obtained conclusive documents that literacy is a significant societal pillar that fosters individual development and improvement of general standards. Advanced literacy levels impact directly to a given community with productive results as deduced from a personal opinion. Other significant assumptions point to literacy as dominating factor of evaluating a country’s wealth. I therefore, Justify that these claims revolve around the availability of job opportunities for literate

Arguement paper on Universal health care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Arguement paper on Universal health care - Essay Example If they do, they offer high-deductible insurance that covers a small percentage of health care costs. In addition, employees share the cost of premiums, which are too expensive. Due to these facts, it is time for Universal Health Care. During the Progressive Era, proposals for state health insurance were by the American Association for Labor Legislation (AALL) were not universal. The elderly, permanently disabled, self-employed, agricultural laborers, domestic workers, and irregularly employed workers such as women were not included in the AALL's plan. The value of universalism did not occur until the 1920s. However, the American Medical Association (AMA), proponents of universal care, rejected the idea that such health care could be provided through the government. The AMA opposed all affords to increase the public provision of care through county health centers including health services for mother and infants, and visiting nurses. In the 1930s, the Committee on the Costs of Medical Care expressed support for universalism; however, there was disagreement on a plan of action that would make health care accessible to all Americans. It was during this period that health care as a social right began to develop with organized labor as the leaders of the debate. In the 1940s, universalism had evolved into a proposal that would have given universal health care a right of entry. However, the goa However, the goal of universal entitlement gradually disappeared with the collapse of the health care rights campaign in the postwar era. By the late 40s and in the 1950s, voluntary health plans emerged as if private insurance would provide health care to the entire population. It was not until the early 1970s that universalism was renewed, and then again in the 1990s. President Clinton along with the first lady, Hilary Clinton, proposed a plan for universal access to health care. By this time, the political interest had dissipated (Quadagno, 2006). After Clinton's proposal was defeated, managed care dominated the health care system. With health care cost continuously increasing and coverage decreasing, the United Stated must consider Universal Health Care. According to Robert L. Ferrer, MD, a physician at the county hospital in San Antonio, Texas "America's lack of a national health care system has resulted in an institutionalized system that has excluded those too poor to afford medical insurance". For example, a woman with flank pain, dysuria, and a temperature of 130 was seen in an emergency department. No laboratory tests were conducted. After an injection of some type, she was sent home. However, urinalysis confirmed that she had pyelonephritis. A man sent from his cardiologist for blood pressure medication and a pacemaker, said he fainted on a treadmill examination at his cardiologist's office. Then he lost his health insurance and was not able to visit his cardiologist. A school administration would not readmit a child sent home from school with pink eye without a physician's note. It took the parents t wo weeks to come up with the money before they could arrange a visit to a physician to obtain the required note. A 22 year old with dyspnea, a heart rate of 160 and an enlarged globular heart on his chest film came to the to the clinic instead of his physician since he lost his job and health insurance due to excessive medical absences because of his lupus. A man in his early 20s with a dental infection was not able to pay

The identification and analysis of the economic, political and social Essay

The identification and analysis of the economic, political and social issues facing the United States - Essay Example A combination of reduced market entry barriers for a multitude of different industries has increased competition in a country that is highly saturated with consumer product competition. Renewed reliance on foreign imports to sustain quality of life from emerging or developing countries such as China has, today, begun to impact supply and demand in the United States. In addition, with many foreign nations changing their fiscal policies to ensure economic stability during an ongoing international recessionary environment, currency valuation has become unpredictable, thus impacting profitability for companies that have made considerable profit producing products in countries where labour costs are low. Furthermore, political actors in the U.S. government continue to divest financial resources into the free market environment to assist large banking and lending facilities, as well as a variety of corporate industries, through bailouts and short-term tax extensions. All of these factors, and many more, have raised the consumer price index and increased inflation, thus diminishing real consumer incomes. This report identifies and analyses all of the economic, political and social issues facing the United States and offers recommendations for increasing economic growth in the country. The political and economic factors The United States is considered a federal, constitutional democracy. Weingast (1997) reinforces that stable democracies can only be sustained when values, principles and beliefs are shared by all citizens of the nation, a phenomenon referred to as civic culture. â€Å"If there is no consensus within a society, there is little potentiality for peaceful resolution of political differences† (Weingast 1997, p.248). According to Barrett (2011) there are a series of distinct constructs that must exist in order to be a stable and thriving democracy, including equality, accountability, fairness, transparency and trust. Why is this necessarily relevant to assessing the current condition of the United States? In 2008, President Barack Obama and the authorities of Congress committed billions of dollars to banking and lending facilities and a variety of corporate entities that were failing due to a surplus of economic problems stemming from the mortgage crisis, inflation, market speculators, and diminished consumer incomes that were negatively impacting revenue growth in a variety of industries servicing consumer products. Corporations, consumers and market investors alike have grown inter-dependent on governmental intervention and commitment of taxpayer capital to continue to bailout businesses and financial industries. Where it was once considered unmentionable for government to take such a critical and active role in the free market economy, today consumers and business leaders are placing considerable pressure on governmental actors to develop routine and synchronized financial rescues in order to guarantee short-term economic stab ility in the country. This change in social and political attitudes seems to have now created a somewhat unified set of cultural values related to government involvement in business, industry and investment that has changed the dynamics of the traditional constitutional de

Diabetes Prevention in Undiagnosed Adult Population of Vulnerable Essay

Diabetes Prevention in Undiagnosed Adult Population of Vulnerable Groups - Essay Example The initiative 'Eliminating Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health' developed by the US Department of Health and Human Services, in conformity with Healthy People 2010 goals focuses on areas of health disparity that are known to affect racially and ethnically diverse groups of the population. As the epidemiology of Type-II diabetes is manifested in socially and culturally diverse groups, this initiative tries to understand the scope and nature of the disease that contribute to such disparities. Literature reviews reveal that racial and ethnic minorities in the United States bear a disproportionate burden of diabetes epidemic, because they have higher prevalence rate, worse control, and higher rates of complications associated with diabetes due health disparity. In this context, it is essential to analyze health disparity prevalent among socio-ethnic minorities and vulnerable groups in the United States as well as success of the initiative Healthy People 2010 initiated in the year 20 00. The NIH Work Group on Health Disparities defines Health Disparities as "Differences in the incidence, prevalence, mortality, and burden of disease and other adverse health conditions that exist among specific population groups in the US." (Health Disparities). Recent research evidence suggests that in addition to racial, ethnic, class and gender bias, "direct and indirect discrimination are also important factors" for health care disparities. (Byrd & Clayton, 2003). The factors influencing direct and indirect discrimination are racism, biased clinical decision making, and access barriers caused by shortage of racial and ethnic minority providers. The healthcare needs, way of presenting symptoms and histories, expectations, responding to medical recommendations, and preferences of patients, which are socio-culturally perceived, presented before health care providers differ from individual to individual. Research literature in psychology, sociology, and physiology suggests that patient's experience and reporting of pain and other symptoms vary sharply. Similarly, the expectations and beliefs of health care providers are framed both by their professional training and experience as well as their exposure and social experiences and a patient's medical history, prognosis, and diagnostic test results may challenge physician's judgment. Studies on healthcare disparity reveals that household income has a direct influence on a family's ability to afford food and other necessities including health insurance, and low-income individuals experience worse health outcomes, suggesting that income disparities leads to health disparities. "Low-income individuals have poor nutrition and health practices and many African-American communities are poorer than the population as whole." (Danelly et al, p. 112). Employment status also has direct influence on household income and insurance status as employment ensures insurance coverage, and thereby assured health care option. Above all, educational attainment has significant role in health status, because a well

Employee Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Employee Development - Essay Example One such organization that applies this aspect is Tarmac, which is a leading construction company in the United Kingdom, which began operations in 1930 and involves itself in the supply of building materials and other supplies critical in the building and construction industry (Tarmac Case Study, 2014). The company has at least eleven thousand people working as part of its workforce in which its organizational structure comprises of Tarmac UK and Tarmac International. Over the years, Tarmac has come to appreciate its workforce as being more than just employees in hard hats, but they have become useful resources to the company (Tarmac Case Study, 2014). Ideally, Tarmac relies on having a skilled workforce for improving on work performance, efficiency and this knowledge is applicable in its sales and marketing, IT, finance and procurement departments. In this case, Tarmac only recruits the best from the market in which the company maximizes on their skills and knowledge to create a competitive advantage while also making sure that the employees remain interested, motivated, and developed in order for them to retain their organizational commitment. Another aspect that Tarmac applies as its human resource management practice is the fact that the Company identifies its human resource needs before embarking on the process of recruitment, which is part of its strategic process (Sims, 2006). Further, its strategy referred to as DREAM (developing markets, reducing operational costs, engaging employees, acting responsibly and managing assets) is one that every employee has to familiarize themselves with as part of Tarmac’s initiative to delivering value to its stakeholders (Tarmac Case Study, 2014). Lastly, Tarmac ensures that its workforce remains motivated to accomplish the organizational tasks by enrolling them in trainings as a way of improving on their skills and

Saks Fifth Avenue Merchandising Essay Example for Free

Saks Fifth Avenue Merchandising Essay Merchandising Saks Fifth Avenue is a lead retail organization offering a wide assortment of luxury fashion apparel, accessories, shoes, jewelry, and cosmetics. Their main target market is the upscale customer that is willing to pay for main designer brands and products such as Louis Vuitton, Ralph Lauren, and many others. Currently, Saks has 46 stores through 22 states that are usually free standing in distinct shopping destinations or anchors in expensive regional malls as quoted from their annual report. Saks primarily focuses on providing luxury brands and unique merchandise to their core customers. Because of the recession, Saks Fifth Avenue changed their methods of merchandising to become more profitable as well as tailor more to their customers but still kept their main focus on luxury and unique brands. In 2009, their net profit margin was a negative 9. 7% with their net profit being negative $54,512,000 and starting off net sales as $564,519,000. The CEO of Saks Fifth Avenue, Stephen Sadove, decided that the company needed to pursue an offensive strategy rather than a defensive one. In order to maintain this strategy, Saks implemented a 9-box grid strategy to chart their merchandise for each store. The 9-box grid strategy helped Saks categorize the best mix of apparel and accessories for the main customers at each of their store locations. There are three price tiers to follow along the grid such as good, better, and best. Each item falls into one of these pricing tiers as well as three general lifestyle categories such as classic, uptown, and contemporary. These specific categories provide Saks with a better understanding of how their products are viewed by their customers as well as how much they are willing to spend on different items. Saks’s Senior Vice President of Marketing and Advertising, Kimberly Grabel, stated that they wanted to implement a strategy that had a good coverage for everyone to produce a really blended customer base. From their findings along the 9-box grid, Saks tailors each of its stores to fit that customer base in that area. Fashion apparel located in their New York location will be different from the products presented in their Indianapolis store. As mentioned earlier, they specifically choose their store locations in their respective markets to target their core customers that value their merchandise. The most important products to evaluate within this grid are Saks’s private labels and exclusive products. These products build a loyal customer base because shoppers cannot find them at any other retail store and improve company profit margins. One of Saks’s private labels is called â€Å"Saks Fifth Avenue Private Collections† where they offer more â€Å"timeless† clothing rather than trendy. Within this collection, they have three distinct lines such as signature, classic, and sports with prices ranging from $98 to $1,000 as stated in the New York Times article. Saks Fifth Avenue’s exclusive products are where they differentiate themselves in the luxury market and remain unique. In their annual report, the company states that they have key relationships with designers like Giorgio Armani, Chanel, Gucci, Prada, and Burberry, among many others. Just recently, they expanded one of their exclusive offerings in the men’s collection with Valentino. At the moment, Saks Fifth Avenue’s presence of private labels and exclusive products in their stores are in the lower teens, but their goal is to reach 20%. Since exclusive products and private labels are so important to Saks merchandising, they promote these brands by in-store displays and catalogue layouts. Within their stores, each mannequin is dressed with only one specific designer. This gives an advantage to the exclusive designer of the featured clothing because a customer might see the entire outfit and want the complete package besides just a blouse. An article within The Wall Street Journal states that within Saks’s holiday catalogue, four out of six items shown are exclusive, so their customers know where to get that exact product. Because of these unique products as well as their 9-box grid strategy, Saks Fifth Avenue has returned from the recession on an â€Å"ok† note, and they continue to improve. In 2010, they began with net sales of $593,145,000 which was a 5% increase since August1, 2009. Their net profit was still in the negative at $32,234,000, but they had an increase of 4. % in their net profit margin. Within 2011, their margins increased even more with a 13% increase in net sales to $670,180,000, and a 4. 2% increase in net profit margin resulting in only having a negative net profit of $8,369,000 as stated in their SEC filings in the 10Q reports. In order to remain successful, Saks Fifth Avenue focuses on offering luxury brands and unique merchandise. With their distinct store locations throughout the country, Saks is able to reach their intended upscale customer and satisfy their needs and wants. By creating value with their products, Saks Fifth Avenue continues to be a lead retail organization.