Tuesday, November 26, 2019

How to Get a Good Job essays

How to Get a Good Job essays First of all, if you want to get a good job you must have good education. Then, look through the advertisements and pick up the ones that suit you best. Make sure that the company you are going to apply to is reliable. Next, it is very important to have an effective CV. Keep it brief but dont forget to include all your skills, qualifications and achievements. However, great knowledge and a good CV is not enough. It is extremely important how you look and act during the interview. You should dress formally and look calm. Be aware of your body language, try to control yourself and dont show that you are nervous. Smile and keep an eye contact with the interviewers but dont act too informal. You must be very self-confidant. You should not only answer the questions but ask ones as well. You are expected to show great enthusiasm and interest in your potential future job. Anyway, you should feel the limits because employers dont like over-confidant candidates. In general, you must be aware of your abilities and have in mind that not only the interviewer is choosing a candidate but you are also choosing a place to work in. First of all, if you want to get a good job you must have good education. Then, look through the advertisements and pick up the ones that suit you best. Make sure that the company you are going to apply to is reliable. Next, it is very important to have an effective CV. Keep it brief but dont forget to include all your skills, qualifications and achievements. However, great knowledge and a good CV is not enough. It is extremely important how you look and act during the interview. You should dress formally and look calm. Be aware of your body language, try to control yourself and dont show that you are nervous. Smile and keep an eye contact with the interviewers but dont act too informal. You must be very self-confidant. You should not only answer the questi...

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Ernest Hemingway Bibliography of Major Works

Ernest Hemingway Bibliography of Major Works Ernest Hemingway is a classic author whose books helped define a generation. His to the point writing style and life of adventure made him a literary and cultural icon. His list of works includes novels, short stories, and non-fiction. During World  War I signed up to drive ambulances on the front line in Italy. He was wounded by mortar fire but received the Italian Silver Medal of Bravery for helping Italian soldiers to safety despite his injuries. His experiences during the war heavily influenced  much of his fiction and non-fiction writing. Heres a list of the major works of Ernest Hemingway. List of Ernest Hemingway Works Novels/Novella The Torrents of Spring (1925)The Sun Also Rises (1926)A Farewell to Arms (1929)To Have and Have Not(1937)For Whom the Bell Tolls (1940)Across the River and Into the Trees (1950)The Old Man and the Sea (1952)Adventures of a Young Man (1962)Islands in the Stream (1970)The Garden of Eden (1986) Nonfiction Death in the Afternoon (1932)Green Hills of Africa (1935)The Dangerous Summer (1960)A Moveable Feast (1964) Short Story Collections Three Stories and Ten Poems (1923)In Our Time (1925)Men Without Women (1927)The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1932)Winner Take Nothing (1933)The Fifth Column and the First Forty-Nine Stories (1938)The Essential Hemingway (1947)The Hemingway Reader (1953)The Nick Adams Stories (1972) The Lost Generation While Gertrude Stein coined the term Hemingway is credited with popularizing the term by including it in his novel  The Sun Also Rises. Stein was his mentor and close friend and he did credit her for the term. It was applied to the generation that came of age during the Great War. The term lost does not refer to a physical state of being but a metaphorical one. Those who survived the war seemed to lack a feeling of purpose or meaning after the battle had ended. Novelists like Hemmingway and F. Scott Fitsgerald, a close friend, wrote about the ennui their generation seemed to collectively suffer from. Sadly, at the age of 61, Hemmingway used a shotgun to take his own life. He was one of the most influential writers in American literature.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Ijarah Contracts Used By Islamic Financial Institutions Essay

Ijarah Contracts Used By Islamic Financial Institutions - Essay Example It assists in strengthening the financial system of the country. The stronger the economy the stronger the country is. There are two kinds of banking systems and they are Islamic banking and the Conventional banking. Islamic banking is significantly different from conventional banking, and some of the differences are discussed in this essay. This report talks about an important feature in banking system i.e. lease. In conventional banks, it is referred to as conventional lease; and in Islamic bank, the lease is known as Ijarah. â€Å"Ijarah derives from the root word ajar a – to recompense, compensate or give a consideration and return. Ajr refers to a worker’s wage, and ujra h to rental payment.† (Kamali n.d.). Ijarah is a Shariah compliant alternative to Conventional lease. Through these two kinds of lease, bank performs as a Lessor and the individual to whom the asset is leased acts as a Lessee. The bank insists the lessee to pay an amount monthly for the use of the asset. The rights of the asset remains with the bank, and only the privileges of use are transferred to the lessee. 2. Types of Ijarah Contracts Used By Islamic Financial Institutions: 2.1 Simple Ijarah (similar to an Operating Lease) In a business world marred by financial uncertainties and increasing costs of operations, Ijarah loans are broadly considered as the safest, easiest, and the most efficient means to finance production procedures. Like all the other forms of Islamic financing, Ijarah too is rooted in the sound economic main attitude laid down by the Sharia. There are different types of Ijarah, each matched to the specific needs of the parties involved in the agreement. â€Å"The two most popular forms of Ijarah loans are the Simple Ijarah or Ijarah as an operating lease and Ijarah thumma al-bai or Ijarah as a financial lease. The distinguishing feature of Ijarah as an operating lease is that the lease contract is not associated with a purchase agreement.† (All About Ijara as an Operating Lease 2005). The following are some of the features of Ijarah as an operating lease: The whole price of the asset, or the part of property specified in the contract is not amortized through the main leasing tenure. The lessee can get out of the contract, that is, stop the Ijarah as an operating lease agreement anytime the lessee wishes to. On the other hand, the lessee should provide a notice prior to doing so. The real ownership of the piece of property or assets mentioned in the agreement is retained by the lessor. This agreement is executed irrespective of the quantity of payment the lessee has tendered, and that identifies the lessor’s insistence to bear every responsibility and risk connected with the ownership. In Ijarah as an operating lease, permits a part of the property to be returned to the lessor at the end of the leasing tenure. The lessor, which can be a bank or any other financial organization, can again lease the property, if i t is a functioning unit, to a different person or business unit. 2.2 Ijarah Muntahia Bittamleek (similar to a Financing Lease) Ijarah Muntahia Bittamleek is an Ijarah dealing, in which the possession of the subject asset can be relocated to the lessee after the lease term. Ijarah and Ijarah Muntahia Bittamleek are by nature mere leasing contracts, in which the subject issue is the usufruct of the property; and not the quantity of cash, as in the case of a finance lease. In other words, it is not a financing deal, and instead, it is an alternative to financing

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Human Resources Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Human Resources Report - Essay Example Moreover, concentrating on evaluation of a training process it can be stated that it is referred as collection of data in a systematic manner, which helps the trainers to conclude the effectiveness of training program. The main objective of the trainers is to evaluate whether the training contributes towards reaching the overall organizational goal, implementing policies and enhancing the organizational learning (Mavin, Lee, and Robson, 2010). The various methods of evaluating the effectiveness of learning, training and development and the limitations of the methods are also depicted in the report. In an organization, managers have different perspective of the management of people. The two approaches towards management are the unitarist and the pluralist approach. Therefore, the two methods are employed for understanding the different perspectives of management. The effect of the approaches on the physiological contract is also studied in the report. Physiological contract is defined as the unwritten expectation of the employer from the employees. Recruitment is the process of attracting quality candidates to apply for the vacant positions, whereas, selection is the way of determining who is best suited for the job among those who have applied for the available positions. Thus recruitment and selection is the process of searching and hiring the most suitable person for the job (Doornenbal, Stitselaar and Jansen, 2012). The process of recruitment includes giving advertisement for the vacant positions, attending career fairs, connecting directly with people and many other ways. Selection process involves conducting written test to evaluate the aptitude of the candidates; taking their interviews and seeking information about them by contacting the references (Doornenbal, Stitselaar, and Jansen, 2012) At first, a job analysis is conducted in order to determine the

Sunday, November 17, 2019

African Americans Essay Example for Free

African Americans Essay African Americans have a unique history as well as culture. Their history in the United States is greatly influenced and shaped by the events in the last three centuries. A period that would shape their destiny, their interactions as well as their orientation to most important events in life. The United States census figures put the number of African Americans at over thirty-eight millions in 2005. Of this population, over 55% of them reside in the metropolitan areas with cities like Chicago and New York being the homes to a huge majority of African Americans A close look at the African Americans in relation to the rest of their white counterparts reveals that they are disadvantaged in various aspects. This can only be understood by focusing at the underlying causes of this, key being the century’s discrimination and oppression meted out against the blacks by the successive regimes up to the period that the civil rights movement stepped up its calls for equality and political rights. African Americans had been for long subjected to slavery especially in the southern states. The end of slavery brought forth systemic discrimination where they were treated as second class citizens especially after the introduction of the Jim Crow laws that institutionalized racism. This is what is seen to be the cause behind the impoverished lot amongst the African Americans with 24. 7% of this population living in abject poverty. The group also remains disadvantaged in the education sector, health, housing as well as having the highest crime rates in the United States. Since the enactment of civil rights legislation, the African Americans population has made considerable steps towards improving their economic status largely narrowing the huge discrepancies that exist. This has been marked by the expansion of the African American middle class. Unlike in other ethnic groups like the white; there is parity across the gender amongst the blacks. Income levels in America are tilted to the disfavor of African Americans. This is largely seen as being linked to the inability to access other vital resources such as education and jobs. Speculative figures have it that over three quarter of African Americans aged above the age of 25 have not gone to college and hence do not possess college diplomas. By the turn of the century, over a third of the African American population living in the big cities was without employment compared to their white counterparts; this figure has not changed much (Brandon S, 1984). Life expectancy of the African American group compares unfavorably with that of the whites a fact exacerbated by the lack of medical and proper provision of health facilities. With a significant proportion of African Americans lacking medical care and proper provision of health facilities; with a significant proportion of African American having a low level of income and being unemployed, and with the united states lacking a universal health care system , African Americans are badly placed in terms of health facilities access. They are also at a higher risk of succumbing to chronic diseases as well as pandemics such as HIV aids. Statistics have it that of all people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS between 2001 and 2005, over half of them were African Americans. Cities that contain large populations of African Americans such as Washington DC contain the highest rates of HIV infections. African Americans have maintained a deep sense of religiosity this has been passed on from the days of slavery. Known as black churches, they have played a pivotal role in the struggle for blacks to acquire and consolidate civil and political rights. Majority of the evangelists have ended up as political figures playing a crucial role in the American civil rights movement.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Syrian Woman :: Art Painting Syrian Woman Essays

Syrian Woman Profile This portrait from the Riley collection is believed to have been taken off a funerary monument from Palmyra, Syria, in the early third century CE. Based on research of the lives of the Palmyrens and their funerary reliefs, a vague but somewhat accurate picture of the woman can be assembled. This woman was most likely a freeborn, although lower class, woman. Based on the known trends of Syrian art at the given period, it is likely that the woman had vey little monetary wealth upon her death, explaining the lack of any jewlery besides the headress being depicted in this statue. The woman was probably born in Syria of Arabic descent, and her age at the time of death was somewhere between thirty-five and forty. There are deep lines in her cheeks depicting this aging process, but the lack of other facial wrinkles gives the assumption that she died rather young. Based om the sunken cheekbones and large eyes, as well as the fact that she was most likely poor, it can be assumed that had been in relatively poor health at the time of her death, probably heightened by meager food and strenous activity. The decpition of the woman's right hand caressing her cheek, although not completely uncommon in Syrian portrature, draws attention to her hand and makes the assumption that she may have worked much with them. From this, it can be speculated that perhaps she was a midwife, an idea that shall assumed for the rest of the profile. She probably was betrothed early to her husband, possibly as young as six. By fourteen she was married to him, and taken into his home as not just the mother of his future heirs but to help out at the store, as most men of Palmyra are merchants. By fifteen she produced her first child, a son, and at sixteen her second birth ended both in the loss of the child andher own inability to produce further offspring.At the time of her death she was most likely widowed, her husband possibly dying as few as five years ago,but continues to live in the same house with her still unmarried son who by then would be running his father's store. Because of their low income, she would have had no household slaves, leaving the woman not only with all household responsibilities, but with responsibilities in the store as well.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Everything you wanted to know about quoting

When writing an essay, you need to give evidence from the story, poem, novel, etc. that helps to support your argument. By quoting from the text, you show that evidence is definitely there. Keep quotes short†¦ they should support your thoughts, not replace them. TIP: If you only need to quote part of a sentence, use an ellipsis. ORIGINAL: â€Å"Mr. Cunningham, said Atticus, came from a set breed of men† (Lee 21). â€Å"Mr. Cunningham†¦ came from a set breed of men† (Lee 21).Only quote the part of the ext that relates to your point. Connect the quote to your words†¦ dont Just leave it hanging. Use phrases like, â€Å"Scout shows this when she says,† â€Å"as revealed by the line,† â€Å"as the author states,† etc. Place a colon after your thoughts to link them to your evidence (the quote). Boldwood loses control of himself. His love for Bathsheba strips him of reason. Boldwood gives in to his emotions totally, as shown when he says, â €Å"l had some faint belief in the mercy of God till I lost that woman†¦ ‘ feel it is better to die than to live† (Hardy 244). He nearly loses his mind.Harper Lee concludes To Kill a Mockingbird happily. The novel ends by showing Atticus reunited with his children: â€Å"He turned out the light and went into Jem's room. He would be there all night, and he would be there when Jem waked up in the morning† (Lee 281). Atticus's fatherly presence shows the reader that all is right with the world. DANGERS TO AVOID Never use a quote in a way that changes the meaning it had originally (â€Å"take it out of context†). Never let your quotes drown out your own voice. Never stick in a quote without connecting it to your words. Never forget to use quotation marks and cite the place where you found the quote.Never use quotes that are longer than they have to be. Never use a quote unless you are sure of what it means. Jem and Scout meet Mrs. Dubose. â€Å"Mrs. Dubo se lived alone except for a Negro girl in constant attendance, two doors up the street from us in a house with steep front steps and a dog-trot hall. She was very old†¦ † Mrs. Dubose is mean. â€Å"If she was on the porch when we passed, we would be raked by her wrathful gaze, subjected to ruthless interrogation regarding our behavior†¦ â€Å"

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Cross Border Mergers and Acquisitions in India Essay

The corporate sector all over the world is restructuring its operations through different types of consolidation strategies like mergers and acquisitions in order to face challenges posed by the new pattern of globalisation. The intensity of such operations is increasing with the de-regulation of various government policies as a facilitator of the neo-liberal economic regime. The intensity of cross-border operations recorded an unprecedented surge since the mid-1990s and the same trend continues. Earlier, foreign firms were satisfying their market expansion strategy through the setting up of wholly owned subsidiaries in overseas markets which has now become a ‘second best option since it involves much time and effort that may not suit to the changed global scenario, cross-border mergers and acquisitions became the ‘first-best option’ to the leaders and others depended on the follow-the-leader’ strategy. The Indian corporate sector too experienced such a boom in mergers and acquisitions that led restructuring strategies especially after liberalization, Four types of growth strategies adopted by the firms. Firms started with domestic production and began to export to the foreign markets, establishment of subsidiaries in overseas market was the next stage and as a fourth phase, firms started to acquire firms in foreign markets instead of establishing subsidiaries. The increasing magnitude of investment through cross-border mergers and acquisitions and its emergence as a major component of FDI even in the case of developing countries such as India, why firms are engaging in cross-border consolidations instead of establishing subsidiaries or to engage in export-oriented growth.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Levis in Walmart Essays

Levis in Walmart Essays Levis in Walmart Paper Levis in Walmart Paper Problem Faced with 5 years of declining sales, should Levi’s sell a brand to mass discount retailer, Wal-Mart? Executive Summary Quick! Name the first company that comes to mind for the following products: facial tissue, photocopiers, and jeans. Did you answer Kleenex, Xerox, and Levi’s? I bet you did. The #1 apparel brand for brand awareness and recognition, â€Å"Levi’s† is virtually synonymous with â€Å"jeans. † In the past several years however this strong brand recognition has failed to translate into sales growth and in fact the company has seen a progressive decline over the last 5 years. Faced with the declining sales, Levi Strauss Co. ’s CEO, Phil Marineau, has been considering selling a Levi’s brand to mass discount retailer, Wal-Mart. Bad idea. Clearly this would be brand suicide or, brandicide if you will, sacrificing long-term survival for short-term growth. Levi’s should instead put an end to its brand’s dilution and concentrate its target on trend-setting members of Generation Y by positioning itself as an ultra cool brand with a social conscience. In addition to working closely with its current retail outlets to re-invigorate the brand image, Levi’s should work on growing the number of Original Levi’s Stores worldwide in order to retain as much control as possible over the positioning of the brand. The forecasted financial results show that choosing to revitalize and refocus the brand rather than diluting and devaluing it further by selling a value brand to Wal-Mart will cost the company 50 million dollars in the first year. However, within 3 years the efforts are expected to payoff with a 330 million dollar revenue increase over 2002 vs. 270 million dollar projected revenue loss for the Wal-Mart choice. Plus, Levi’s will be able to hit the triple bottom line by remaining socially and environmentally responsible while increasing shareholder earnings. Situation Analysis Strengths Worldwide recognition of its brand name #1 for apparel brand for brand recognition and brand awareness. Global presence Owns 12 proprietary specialty stores. Long-standing relationships with many retailers, enabling it to work across several channels of distribution. Continued success of Dockers. Commitment to ethical conduct and social responsibility. Reputation as the brand that started the blue jean revolution Weaknesses Presence across several retail channels with a number of products aimed at different segments with price points â€Å"from the $250 level to the $25 level† diluting the brand. Being used as a loss leader in several chain and department stores is devaluing the brand. The average price paid for Levi’s at retail dropping. History of Levi’s 1994 Canadian dispute with Wal-Mart may be a barrier to rekindling a relationship with the mass retailer. Recent product releases have met with poor results, particularly in the US. Major stockholder’s deficit Ineffective marketing efforts (30% of sales spent on marketing, yet sales continue to drop) Opportunities The jeans mark et is growing Teens continue to be biggest jeans buyers Mass merchant channel largest and fastest-growing retail channel for jeans and apparel Threats Competitors at all levels of spectrum including high-end segment, vertically integrated retailers in middle segment, and private-label brands offering comparable designs at reduced prices. Apparel sales down in 2001 Average price of jeans has dropped over the past 10 years due to the proliferation of off-pricing and private-label brands 40% of jeans sold below $20. Issues facing the organization As the jeans market has polarized towards the low and high ends, the Levi’s brand has found itself caught in the middle. Priced between $30 and $50 a pair, the jeans do not offer the same image or design as the high-end brands, or the complete wardrobe selection of the vertically integrated retailers. Also, they do not offer the inexpensive alternatives found through private labels. Further, while the jeans market continues to grow, to stand out in the cluttered market, a company must have a real competitive advantage. In the case of Levi’s it seems that mere brand name recognition isn’t enough. And with 5 years of declining sales, Levi’s has to reinvent itself or die. After reviewing the situational analysis of the company, several alternatives can be considered. Alternatives 1. â€Å"Do nothing† and hope to sell more. Faced with a 5 year decline in sales, doing nothing isn’t a very sound strategy. However, perhaps current initiatives such as new product offerings and specialty retail channels need more time to catch on. 2. Enter a new market with a new product. Sell a Levi’s value brand to mass retailers such as Wal-Mart, a retail channel that accounts for 31% of all jean sales. The potential increase in sales from this new channel is probably very good in the short term, however the risk is that entry into the discount market even with a Levi’s value brand that’s differentiated from the main product line, will further devalue and dilute the brand, making it unattractive to its current retailers. If Levi’s gets dropped from chain, department stores, and independents because its brand is no longer relevant to its customers, then the potential loss could offset a good deal of any potential gain. Further, once the brand loses its â€Å"shine,† through dilution, discounting and devaluation, the benefits to Wal-Mart of carrying a higher profile â€Å"national brand† are lost. A likely scenario is that in the long-run, Levi’s would only be carried in discount stores, its brand image too tarnished for chains and department stores, and even in mass retailers used as a loss-leader for the store’s own private labels. 3. Another alternative, which is similar to the last, also involves Develop and sell a non-Levi’s branded line of jeans to Wal-Mart. The advantage of this is that Levi’s could open up a major new retail channel without devaluing the mother brand. However, this scenario is probably far less interesting for Wal-Mart that would be looking to leverage the nationally recognized brand to improve its own brand image. Interestingly, this scenario is probably far less interesting to Levi’s too, since if Wal-Mart did pick up the generic brand, chances are that it would fall under the â€Å"better† or more likely the â€Å"good† end of the spectrum rather than the â€Å"best,† and the price point would either be unprofitably low or set unreasonably high in order to drive purchases of Wal-Mart’s private labels. 4. Stop extending the brand to the point of complete dilution. Update brand personality and marketing mix to make Levi’s a fresh and relevant brand that resonates with trendsetting youth and speaks to Levi’s management’s perceived competitive advantages, such as commitment to ethical conduct and social responsibility, and the focus on product innovation, quality, and value, rather than simply trying a new channel for a distressed brand. In speaking to a specific target, rather than trying to be everything to everyone, marketing dollars can go a lot further. And by focusing on the demo with the most influence on trends, youth, who have the most dollars going towards jeans per person per year, the chance for growth is good. Plus, by focusing less on the product and the retail outlets and more on the Levi’s experience, there is major potential for organic brand extensions and growth. On the other hand, the risk is that the brand has already been too neglected and diluted and is so â€Å"old school† that it’s too late and will never be perceived as cool by the youth market. In this case getting the last bit of life out of a dying brand by distributing it through mass market channels may be the only answer. Recommendations The financial analysis (appendix A) compares projected results of taking a value brand into Wal-Mart with not taking the brand to mass market and instead concentrating the target, dialing up the cool factor and re-positioning the brand to resonate with the 20% of consumers who have the potential to bring in 80% of revenue (the 20/80 rule of business) – the tween, teen young adult market. As we see, introducing a value-brand at Wal-Mart is expected to sacrifice long-term revenue growth for short-term gain since the devaluation of the brand through its association with a discount mass retailer would likely cause department stores and chains to drop the brand one by one. Once the brand has no life beyond the discounter, its value goes down and is likely to command lower price points and less sales even at the mass level. Within three years, we predict that going the Wal-Mart route over the re-positioning route will cost Levi’s 660 million dollars and ensure that the brand is headed towards extinction. On the other hand, while sales are not likely to grow while the brand is in the process of the transition to focus on becoming relevant to the younger, influential market, we see that after the first year, increased price points and distribution, particularly in its specialty outlets should translate into steady long-term growth for the company. Therefore, in order to turn sales around while protecting the integrity of the brand, the best alternative is the last one, which relies on a market penetration strategy, increasing share among existing customers by focusing promotional efforts, combined with a product development strategy, to identify the best products to appeal to the target demographic. The first step in reviving the brand is to choose to fight brand dilution through concentrated targeting. Levi’s must identify the marketing segment that is most important to Levi’s present and future growth and identify the characteristics, needs and motives of that segment in order to develop and maintain a highly specialized marketing mix. By choosing Generation Y (young people born between approximately 1979 and 1994), also called the Net Generation, or the Millenials, as the main target to lead the brand revitalization efforts, Levi’s would leverage several attributes of this group. First, it represents a demographic of about 76 million in the US. Second, they are in the â€Å"young single† stage of the life cycle, which means they have few financial burdens and therefore more disposable income. Young people are also an aspirational reference group for fashion. If young, hip, trend-setters choose to adopt the brand, this would significantly improve the brand image. Levi’s apparently understands this in theory, selling a few higher-end brands aimed at fashion-forward youngsters in the 15- to 24-year-old range, however the problem is that these brands aren’t resonating well enough with this influential demo to have the intended halo effect on the rest of the jeans line. In order to gain success with this group Levi’s must first change neutral or negative beliefs about product attributes into positive ones. For example, Levi’s needs to go from being â€Å"your parents’ jeans,† to a brand that has relevance in the lives of these young people. Brand is very important to this demographic and they are willing to pay a premium for it. In addition, Gen Y likes and expects personalization and customization. Further, this is a segment that has a much bigger environmental and social conscience than does the generation preceding it. Other important considerations when marketing to the tween and teen demographic, according to Paul Kurnit during his presentation on Understanding Youth, in order to build a relationship with the brand are to: make it lifestyle relevant, give it badge value, generate buzz, make it authentic, let them own it (â€Å"I’ve created this†), and keep it fresh in the long term. By re-positioning the Levi’s brand as a stylish brand with a social and environmental conscience, Levi’s can become extremely relevant to this demographic. And this positioning is actually very close to what management already claims are its competitive advantages, including commitment to ethical conduct and social responsibility, ad the focus on product innovation and quality. The re-positioning will simply take these perceived competitive advantages, shout about them, and give them relevance for a very targeted segment. Some recommendations for the marketing plan to achieve this re-positioning and turn around Levi’s fortunes are: Product Higher-end fashions that appeal to Generation Y Environmentally friendly fabrics used in products (e. g. organic hemp weave) Use manufacturers worldwide that practice fair employment practices use environmentally friendly production processes. Bags for merchandise should be paper, made of recycled materials and be cool and of high quality so that consumers will want to reuse them for other things. At flagship stores, offer customized tags with percentage of proceeds going to charity. Place Ori ginal Levi’s One stores to be leaders in shaping brand re-positioning. Increase presence by opening more specialty stores in urban areas. Image department stores high end chain stores. Independent jeaneries Promotion Associate differently coloured tags with key charities so that people can express their social conscience. Support traditional media buys (television print) with the untraditional advertising and promotion methods that Gen Y seeks out. Leverage the popularity of consumer-generated content by giving consumers online tools, including popular music, and video clips, to make their own ads featuring Levi’s styles that they can share with their friends. Create an international online community to leverage the positive image of the brand among trend-setters in other countries and to integrate into young people’s lifestyles. Using guerilla marketing tactics that create buzz such as sending small armies of models dressed only in jeans through city streets in fashion-forward urban areas. Sponsoring mobile phone services like concert alerts. Everything in the store should speak to the young person’s lifestyle, including music. Price The high-end styles should but be priced a little bit lower than other designer and fashion-forward jeans to give a slight cost advantage while the brand is re-building. The recommended target price range is between $50 and $80, but skewing towards the $50 price point as an average price in the first year as the brand regains its â€Å"cool factor. † Conclusion It is easy to understand why Phil Marineau, faced with 5 years of declining sales, would consider getting Levis into the discounters that are grabbing a rising share of apparel sales. Certainly there is a good deal of sales potential of such a move in the short term. But the marketing risks are considerable for a company that has historically strived for a constant injection of cool. Even if Levi’s creates a new brand for Wal-Mart, it would likely still use the Levis name somewhere on the tag, which would quickly destroy any relevance the brand has for fashion-conscious shoppers and signify the beginning of the end for this iconic brand. Instead, Levi’s should turn its perceived competitive advantages like product and promotion innovation and social responsibility into pillars of the brand and sharply focus its target on the segment that spends the most on fashion-forward apparel, the Generation Y. Next steps for implementation In order to fulfill its triple bottom line promise, in its first year of re-positioning, Levi’s should audit current manufacturers for social and environmental best practices and develop plans to improve production processes where necessary. Next, build relationships with key charities that would want to partner with Levi’s on the charitable coloured tab idea. Then, it should begin work on redesigning flagship stores to fit youth lifestyle and work with top retailers to revitalize presence at department stores to fit with fresh branding. Finally, it should introduce the new customizable, altruistic tag jean launch it with a global online community that gives young consumers a chance to express themselves and make the brand their own. Appendix A We will focus on sales, based on the information provided in this case, and assume that the additional costs that might be associated with re-positioning the brand (in particular adjusting manufacturing processes or changing manufacturers and opening new stores, since promotion and product development costs would be similar to previous years, just directed at a new target) would equal approximately to the costs associated with moving into mass market (distribution system changes, especially re-configuring supply chain system to be compatible with Wal-Mart, could be costly) Projections based on Levi’s introducing value brand to Wal-Mart Projected profit on each unit of Levi’s value branded jean (based on highest price of top national brand at Wal-Mart, Dickies $26 – 6$ to retailer): $20 50 million pairs of jeans are sold at discounters out of the 569 million pairs of jeans sold in the US, representing 10% of all jeans sales each year. Assuming that Wal-Mart was se lling half of these 50 million pairs each year, then a Levi’s value brand is likely to take a 20% of these 50 million pairs, or 10 million units . We will base our projection on this: 10 million units in year one, with a 10% drop in number of units sold after the first year (due to brand devaluing as it is taken out of other retail outlets) (9 million in second and third years). Currently, the top 10 customers for Levi’s account for approximately 60% of its total 4. 2 billion in sales (approximately 2. 5 billion dollars). If we assume that 1. billion of this comes from Levi’s jeans sales and if each of the 10 customer’s business is worth approximately 1/10th of that amount, than losing even one customer would cost Levi’s 150 million in jeans sales. Assuming that 1 customer stops carrying the Levi’s brand each year, which is a conservative assumption since, as industry insiders agree once â€Å"you have mass distribution now, we can’t make money on you, you’re gone. † Projections based on Levi’s re-positioning brand targeting Gen Y specifically By keeping its current retail channels and re-positioning its brand, we project that in the first year, Levi’s will have flat sales while the brand is being revitalized, however we project a conservative 10% growth in sales from the current retail channels (from above calculation, this will be 10% of 1. billion in estimated jeans sales) in the 2nd year due to more units being sold and a higher price point and 20% growth in the 3rd year due to expanded Levi’s Original Store sales (with higher margins) and continued growth in traditional Levi’s retail outlets. Year 1Year 2Year 3 Revenue increase from sales Levi’s Wal-Mart value brand$200,000,000$180,000,000$180,000,000 Revenue decrease from removal from other retail outlets 150,000,000300,000,000450,000,000 Total projected sales increase/decrease from entering Wal-Mart50,000, 000(120,000,000)(270,000,000) Revenue increase from re-branding efforts0150,000,000330,000,000 Net gain/loss from choosing to re-position brand rather than selling a value brand to Wal-Mart(50,000,000)270,000,000600,000,000

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Timeline of Major Events in the History of Persia

Timeline of Major Events in the History of Persia This Persia timeline of major events is based on a Library of Congress Persia timeline. For an introduction to this area now generally known as Iran see Extent of the Persian Empire: An Introduction to Ancient Persia and the Persian Empire. Iran (Persia) Timeline of Important Events Early Historyc. 3400 B.C.Elamite kingdom emerges in southwestern Iran and Mesopotamia.c. 2000 B.C.Nomadic peoples Scythians, Medes, and Persians move from Central Asia to Iranian plateau. [See Tribes of the Ancient Steppes.]6th Century B.C.c. 553-550 B.C. Cyrus II (Cyrus the Great) overthrows Median king; becomes ruler of Persia and Media; founds Achaemenid Empire.539 B.C.Cyrus captures Babylon, releases Jews from captivity.525 B.C.Cyruss son Cambyses II conquers Egypt.522 B.C.Darius I becomes king; re-establishes and extends empire, carries out administrative reorganization.5th Century B.C.490 B.C. Darius invades Greek mainland; defeated at the Battle of Marathon.4th Century B.C.334 B.C. Alexander the Great begins Persian campaign; completes conquest of Persia and Mesoptamia, 330 B.C.323 B.C.Death of Alexander; division of empire among generals; Seleucids emerge as principal heirs in Iran.3rd Century B.C.247 B.C. Parthians overthrow Seleucids; establish own dynasty.3rd Century A.D .A.D. 224 Ardeshir overthrows last Parthian ruler; establishes Sassanian dynasty with capital at Ctesiphon.A.D. 260Shahpur I wages campaign against Romans, takes emperor Valerian captive. 7th Century637 Muslim armies capture Ctesiphon, Sassanian Empire begins to crumble.641-42 Sassanian army defeated at Nahavand; Iran comes under Muslim rule. Related AchaemenidsSeleucidsThe Parthian EmpireThe SassanidsProblems of Historical Evidence About Ancient PersiaTimeline of the Greco-Persian Wars

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Their Eyes Were Watching God Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Their Eyes Were Watching God - Essay Example ingless and theme less, and further added, â€Å"Miss Hurston voluntarily continues in her role the tradition which was forced upon the negro in the theater, that is, the minstrel technique that makes the ‘white folks’ laugh† (cited in Lester, 3). It was regarded by many that Hurston had exploited the cause of her own people by not correctly portraying the picture of the injustice and sufferings meted out to the blacks by their white owners. It was only in the 1970’s after another African-American writer Alice Walker of ‘The Color Purple’ fame, took an interest in Hurston and championed her cause, did the literary world of that age sit up and take notice. After Walker published an essay in Ms. Magazine â€Å"In Search of Zora Neale Hurston,† it pushed Hurston’s works back into the limelight, and soon there were many prints and reprints of her writings. This article will review the book ‘Their Eyes Were Watching God’ b y Hurston and will present a critical analysis on it by discussing her writing style and her manner of representing the novel’s chief protagonist. It will also review other authors’ reviews and analysis on Hurston and her novel ‘Their Eyes Were Watching God’. Analysis of Zora Neale Hurston and her writing style: Zora Neale Hurston was born on 7th January 1891 in Notasulga, Alabama. Her father, John Hurston was a preacher and a carpenter, while her mother Lucy Hurston, was a schoolteacher. Soon, the family moved to Eatonville in Florida, a town famous for having the first black incorporated Municipality. Hurston completed her graduation from Harvard University and it is from here that she embarked on her writing career in 1921. Soon she moved to New York and became a prominent figure in the then famous ‘Harlem Renaissance’ writing group. Hurston was also an anthropologist, and in fact, her experiences in Eatonville and her researches into old folktales of the black population which influenced much of her writings.