The importance of statistics and consumer research in marketing Essay

The importance of statistics and consumer research in marketing - Essay Example In this way, both consumer research and statistics are found involved in marketing operation. This study is going to explore of how consumer research and statistics are important to marketing. The importance in terms of application and the outcome will be explored and described in this study. The objective here is to understand the relationships between marketing and consumer research and between marketing and statistics altogether. Importance of Consumer Research and Statistics in Marketing During marketing operation, strategists and marketers are keen to understand their consumers. They are deliberately in search of knowing their consumers’ perception, behaviors and their buying attitudes which help the marketers to bring effective marketing campaigns and strategies (Roosi and Allenby). For this comprehensive knowing and understanding, marketers plan the operation of consumer research which digs out all the information pertinent to consumers and their behaviors. Decisively, consumer needs and wants are uncovered through market consumer research (Mazzocchi). Consumer research basically gives the manifestation about how customers behave and what are their levels of motivations towards specific products or services. This research sets the direction for marketers that they bring a comprehensive marketing strategy, which is closer to consumers’ behaviors and their buying choices (Mazzocchi 10). ... Marketers conduct consumer research in order to understand the dynamics of a particular market. Definitely, each market has a distinctive background and which modifies or changes with the aspect of time and with the changes in attributes and characteristics of consumers present in that market (Mazzocchi). For understanding the varying dimensions of a market, the varying dimensions of consumers are important to be known, which is only possible by conducting effective consumer research and consumer diagnosis. Without studying the market and consumers trends, a marketer cannot devise a sound workable marketing strategy (Roosi and Allenby). The strategy, which can impact the dynamics of a market and can attract diverse market consumer, may certainly require a comprehensive consumer research. For all these reasons, marketers consider consumer research as a significant part of marketing planning. They realize that without consumer research, marketing plans cannot be effectuated or even ini tialized. A well-organized consumer research is actually a source to ideate a well-incorporated marketing plan. This indicates that strategically and distinctively there is a significant relationship between consumer research and marketing. Without consumer research marketing is incomplete and similarly without marketing consumer research is reasonless or futile. This shows a certain sort of connection between marketing and consumer research. Both are part of each other and so are dependent on each other (Mazzocchi 30). In marketing, the core objective of consumer research is to gather consumer related information. This process of information collection in consumer research is made possible by means of statistical models and techniques. There are different

Education Timeline Essay Example for Free

Education Timeline Essay Education Timeline Antiria Jenkins HIS324: History of American Education Instructor: Timothy Kilgore November 12, 2012 http://prezi. com/vcesi_y4xome/history-of-american-education-timeline/ Education in the United States has faced great changes toward development in the past hundreds of years. At the beginning, during the Colonial Era, the principles of education were mainly based on those already used by European nations at the time. However, the country began to adopt its own approaches toward teachings given different social, political and religious practices (Rippa 9). 1635The first Latin Grammar School (Boston Latin School): Founded on April 23, 1635, in Boston, Massachusetts, it is known as the first public school and oldest existing school in the United States. The Latin grammar curriculum was designed for boys 8 to 15, based on European Schools in a Puritan area. Schools were to prepare boys for college and the service of God. Protestantism believed that education was needed so that individuals could interpret the bible. 1751American Academy founded by Ben Franklin: The demand of skilled workers in the middle of the eighteenth century led Benjamin Franklin to start a new kind of secondary school, thus, the American Academy was established in Philadelphia. American high schools eventually replaced Latin grammar schools. Curriculum was geared to prepare students for employment. Academies eventually replaced the Latin Grammar Schools and some admitted Women. 783Introduction of Noah Webster’s Speller: Noah Webster published the A grammatical Institute of the English language, also known as, â€Å"the blue-back speller. † This was the most widely circulated of the early American textbooks and like Webster’s American Dictionary it strived to establish a national identity as well as the United States’ linguistic and cultural independence of England. As the first popular American textbo ok, the introduction of Noah Webster’s speller stands as a significant event in the history of American education. 817(April 15, 1817) Connecticut Asylum for the Education and Instruction of Deaf and Dumb Persons: The Connecticut Asylum at Hartford for the Instruction of Deaf and Dumb Persons opens. It is the first permanent school for the deaf in the U. S. Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet and Laurent Clerc are the schools co-founders. In 1864, Thomas Gallaudets son, Edward Miner Gallaudet, helps to start Gallaudet University, the first college specifically for deaf students. 824First State-Supported School Established: Originally named the Boston English Classical School and established in 1821, the school was renamed the English High School in 1824 and also, during that year, became the first-state supported common school. The adoption of the English High as a state-supported common school is a significant event in the history of American education as it was, essentially, the first public school. 1855Abolition of Segregation of Schools in Massachusetts: Following the case of Roberts v. Boston, the state of Massachusetts abolished segregation in their schools. The victory would be the first in a long battle lasting nearly an entire century. This was the first law to oppose segregated schools in the United States and is, therefore, a significant event in the history of American education. 1856The First Kindergarten: In the United States Margarethe Schurz founded the first kindergarten in Watertown, Wisconsin, in 1856. Her German-language kindergarten impressed Elizabeth Peabody, who opened the first American English-language kindergarten in Boston in 1860. The kindergarten was much more influential in the United States and in the northern part of Europe which encouraged the National Education Association to begin a kindergarten department in 1874, and later, teachers founded the International Kindergarten Union in 1892. 1896The Laboratory School of the University of Chicago (First Progressive Laboratory):John Dewey, the father of the progressive education, established the first laboratory school for testing the progressive educational method. This would lead to a popular trend in education adopted by schools during the first half of the twentieth century. Progressive education emphasizes cultivation of problem solving and critical thinking skills through hands-on learning activities. 1905 Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching: Founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1905 and chartered in 1906 by an act of Congress, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching is an independent policy and research center. The Foundation encouraged the adoption of a standard system for equating seat time (the amount of time spent in a class) to high school credits which is still in use today. This system is known as the Carnegie Unit. 1939 The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (first called the Wechsler- Bellevue Intelligence Scale): This scale was developed by David Wechsler and is intended to measure human intelligence reflected in both verbal and performance abilities. It introduces the concept of the deviation IQ, which calculates IQ scores based on how far subjects scores differ (or deviate) from the average (mean) score of others wh o are the same age, rather than calculating them with the ratio (MA/CA multiplied by 100) system. Wechsler intelligence tests, particularly the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, are still widely used in U. S. schools to help identify students needing special education. 1944 The Servicemens Readjustment Act of 1944 (GI Bill of Rights): Bill signed into law on June 22, 1944 by President Franklin Roosevelt during World War II. The GI Bill affords military veterans government funding to pursue or continue educational goals following their service. The GI Bill not only compensates veterans for their service, but has also been responsible for the growth of American colleges and universities. 1954 Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka: On May 17, 1954, The U. S. Supreme court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that separate schools did not provide equal education to students and therefore banned the segregation of schools nationwide with a ruling of (9–0) decision stated that separate educational facilities are inherently unequal and declared unconstitutional. 1958 Defense Education Act of 1958: The Defense Education Act of 1958 was signed into law on September 2, 1958 by the United States government during the cold war in reaction to the successful launch of the Soviet satellite Sputnik. The Soviets’ scientific success motivated the U. S. government to fund the U. S. Office of Education’s establishment of scientifically and mathematically centered curriculum. The act contained ten titles designed to improve the nations schools. 1964 Civil Rights Act of 1964: The Civil Rights Act of 1964 signed on July 2, 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson banned discrimination in all federally funded programs and outlawed major forms of discrimination against racial, ethnic, national and religious minorities, and women. This law helped to further the ruling of Brown v. Board of Education as many schools had continued segregation. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 financially, â€Å"cut-off,† institutions, such as public schools, which promoted discrimination of any and all types and gave leverage to the movement. 1965 The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA): The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) was passed on April 9, 1965 s a part of the War on Poverty. It emphasizes equal access to education and establishes high standards and accountability as well as provides federal funds to help low-income students, which results in the initiation of educational programs such as Title I and bilingual education. 965 The Higher Education Act: The Higher Education Act was signed on November 8, 1965 to strengthen the educational resources of colleges and universities and to provide financial assistance for students in postsecondary and higher education. It increased federal money given to universities, created scholarships, gave low-interest loans for students, and established a National Teachers Cor ps. 1965 Project Head Start: The Head Start program started in the summer of 1965 as an eight week summer program for children from low-income communities going into public school in the fall (Styfco and Zigler, 2003). The program provided preschool classes, medical care, dental care, and mental health services (Kagan, 2002). 1975Education for All Handicapped Children Act now known as The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): requires public schools to make available to all eligible children with disabilities a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment appropriate to their individual needs and requires public school systems to develop appropriate Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for each child which will reflect the individualized needs of each student. 002 The No Child Left Behind Act: On January 8, 2002, NCLB was signed into law. NCLB supports standards-based education reform based on the premise that setting high standards and establishing measurable goals can improve individual outcomes in education. The Act requires states to develop assessments in basic skills. States must give these assessments to all students at select grade levels in order to receive federal school funding. All students are required to meet the standards establish by NCLB at the accountability of educators. 2004 H. R. 350, The Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Act (IDEA 2004): reauthorizes and modifies IDEA. Changes, which take effect on July 1, 2005, include modifications in the IEP process and procedural safeguards, increased authority for school personnel in special education placement decisions, and alignment of IDEA with the No Child Left Behind Act. The 2004 reauthorization also requires school districts to use the Response to Intervention (RTI) approach as a means for the early identification of students at risk for specific learning disabilities. RTI provides a three-tiered model for screening, monitoring, and providing increasing degrees of intervention using â€Å"research-based instruction with the overall goal of reducing the need for special education services (Re-authorization, 2004). The history of education has been influenced multiple times over the past years. In some shape, form, or fashion, the many changes have affected many lives, especially those with disabilities. Going from segregation to desegregation, women involvement in education and fighting for equal education of those individuals with disabilities has not only marked historical events but has brought togetherness among all races and genders. Without these historical events in shaping education, the world would be at a standstill. References Dewey, John. 1938 (1963). Experience and Education. New York: Collier Books Kagan, J. (2002). Empowerment and education: Civil rights, expert-advocates, and parent politics in Head Start, 1964-1980. Teachers College Record, 104(3), 516-562. Re-authorization of the IDEA 2004. Retrieved November 5, 2012 from http://www. nj. gov/education/specialed/idea/reauth/ Rippa, Alexander. Education in a Free Society. Eighth Edition. New York: Longman, 1997. 3-107. Print. Styfco, S. , amp; Zigler, E. (2003). Early Childhood Programs for a New Century. Reynolds, A. , amp; Wang, M. (Eds. ) The federal commitment to preschool education: Lessons from and for Head Start (pp. 3-33). Washington, D. C. : Child Welfare League of America, Inc.

A Cubist Perspective of Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream Essay

A Cubist Perspective of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "The great cycle of the ages is renewed. Now Justice returns, returns the Golden Age; a new generation now descends from on high." - Virgil, Eclogues 1.5    As Virgil stated so many years ago, history is a cyclical phenomenon. The experiences of one age tend to be repeated in future generations. Knowing that, we should not be surprised to find the seeds of modern styles and philosophies sprouting in earlier ages.    Elizabethan England was a society undergoing major social changes. In religion the country had recently left the fold of Catholicism to establish the Church of England. While England during this time was a major world power, she also enjoyed a level of security thanks to her easily defended boundaries as an island nation with a powerful navy. The sense of power and security allowed for the growth of a prosperous middle class. Within this milieu of power combined with internal security and economic growth the seeds of change were nurtured#. Intellectual and artistic freedom and growth were fostered in this environment, Elizabethan England provided an envisronment that allowed men like William Shakespeare to find a voice that reached not only his own generation but continues to speak to the modern world.    If we look at the world at the beginning of the 20th century we can find many parallels with Elizabethan England. In both ages Europe was experiencing a great social and political realignment. The growing nationalism that was the precursor to World War I and the Russian Revolution was accompanied by a new sense of self and a new set of allegiances. For artists like Pablo Picasso and Juan Gris these ... ...."   William Shakespeare Comedies & Romances. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986.    Schanzer, Ernest.   "_A Midsummer-Night's Dream."   26-31 in Kenneth Muir, ed. Shakespeare: The Comedies: A Collection of Critical Essays.   Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1965.    Shakespeare, William. A Midsummer Night's Dream, ed. Brian Gibbons. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1991.    Vaughn, Jack A. Shakespeare's Comedies.   New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Company, 1980    Watts, Cedric. A Midsummer Night's Dream. London: Penguin, 1986.    Wells, Stanley & Gary Taylor, General Eds.   _William Shakespeare: The _Complete Works.   New York: Oxford University Press, 1986. Young, David P.   Something of Great Constancy: The Art of A Midsummer Night's Dream.   New Haven: Yale University Press, 1966.      

Inside out by Larry Crabb: a book review Essay

Introduction For a lot of people, life seems to be simply a string of frustrations, broken promises, and disappointments. Somehow, people are looking for something better outside of themselves. This results to dangerous behaviors such as alcoholism, substance abuse and depression. The root behind this is the fear of looking inside oneself. This fear may be born out of frustrations strengthened by negative experiences in childhood and even in adulthood. In spite of these fears and these frustrations, most people desire change for themselves. They want to feel that they are truly alive and that they are empowered to do the things that they are passionate about. They want to get over the helplessness and the feeling that they are trapped in something they do not want to be in. The problem is most people do not know where to start. They start to plan to change and implement. However, after a few days, they go back to where they started from. For people who truly desire to change, what is needed is a change of perspective and a good understanding of their struggles, their personalities and their character. After all, self-analysis will only work if a set of criteria has been determined at the outset. The first step to change is to know exactly where one is located. Looking Inside Dr. Larry Crabb’s Inside Out is an attempt to guide people to look at themselves and help them evaluate their situation, their background, and how they can change for the better. Dr. Crabb’s outlook is hopeful and he seeks to help individuals find the courage to change and improve their lives and their overall person. Although the book is addressed to anyone who wants to change. Dr.Crabb specifically directed his book to those who want to follow the commands of God written in the Bible, but for one reason or another, they fail to do so. As such, Dr. Crabb’s main goal is to promote obedience to the Word of God. Inside Out is divided into four parts. The first part deals with the importance of looking beneath the surface. In the busyness and crazy schedule of today’s world, Dr. Crabb invites individuals to take a moment and take a look inside oneself. His initial salvo is the call to look beyond the surface and the importance of looking inside in order to effect change. However, looking inside oneself, especially if one is honest about it, is frustrating. We discover that what we think about ourselves is not the complete picture and that we are still miles away from what we want to become. Looking inside, however, will not be successful without knowledge of what to look for. In this regard, Dr. Crabb provides a criteria and a set of factors that one should look for The second part deals with the needs of people since deep down inside we are thirsty people. We do not always realize the nature of this thirst and that is why it is being slaked by things that do not really satisfy. Dr. Crabb also wrote about the source of living waters, which is Christ. Christ’s invitation to himself as the living water so that humans â€Å"would not thirst again† is clear. Yet, there is still a lot of pain in the world and lack of maturity because individuals are not able to partake of this living water. More than that, however, the urges and desires are mistaken for what they truly are—they are the manifestations of thirst and of the needs of individuals. If people would realize their thirst, they would have a better understanding of themselves and of their needs. The next part of the book deals with the process of looking into the different solutions and alternatives that people seek to fill their thirst with. There are a lot of wrong directions and wrong decisions that people make in order to quench their thirst. Yet, before long, they will realize that these alternatives are but broken wells that could not really satisfy their thirst. These broken wells are uncovered in Part III and in the last part of the book, Dr. Crabb describes the principles and the steps needed in changing from the inside out. Dr. Crabb said that defining the true problem is the first step in solving the problem. In this regard, he used psychological steps and techniques in order to help individuals in assessing their condition and helping them in solving their problems. He does not stop at psychology, however. He highlighted the power of the gospel in bringing about change to individuals. The good thing about his strategy is that he integrates psychology into biblical principles and practices to achieve maximum effect. Changing for the better is not only for pre-Christian individuals. Rather, Christians also need to change for the better in order for them to be in step with the will of God for their lives. As such, psychological tools and strategies in counseling and analyzing personal situations can also be used by Christians in addressing their personal issues. Although this integration may not sit well with other Christians across the spectrum, psychological strategies recognize that as humans, we do have a role in improving ourselves and seeking the will of God. The Holy Spirit ultimately helps us with our struggles and with our issues. However, without our willing participation, the work of the Holy Spirit will be limited. Conclusion A lot of people have their struggles, past hurts, past sins and other issues that undermine their quest for wholeness and sense of being. People want to change and enjoy the best that life has to offer. Too often, however, they are looking in the wrong places and they quench their thirst with what does not truly satisfy. Even Christians are not spared from this. There are a lot of issues in obeying Christ and in viewing Christian life as a duty and not as journey to enjoy. Dr. Crabb’s book integrates psychology, theology, and biblical principles in helping people deal with their issues and struggles. This he did in a comprehensive and helpful way throughout Inside Out. Perhaps the most contentious part of his book is his integration of psychological concepts and ideas, which for some Christians is not acceptable. The counter-argument to this line of thinking is that God ordained humans as His partners in working out his will on earth. Through the sacrifice of Christ, humans have been ushered into a relationship of friendship with Him. As such, this relationship, which is at the heart of Christianity, makes it possible for humans to also endeavor for best practices and strategies in enabling the Holy Spirit to work. After all, human wisdom and activities should be evaluated in light of God’s Word and as long as they do not contradict Scriptures, then using such techniques and strategies, as long as they are helpful and not inimical to the process of change, would be beneficial. Jesus, himself, said that â€Å"whoever is not against us is with us. † Perhaps, this does not only apply to people but also to ideas, concepts, and practices that could enhance our spirituality and well-being.

Marks & Spencer Retailing Strategy Essay

1. Introduction In this essay, in scope of the subject Organizational Management I, we will study the case of one of UK’s leading retailers that is Marks & Spencer. We are proposed to answer 3 given questions regarding the firm, specifically its strategy. Not only will we answer these given questions, we intend to further develop the concept of corporate strategy taught in class and relate it to M&S case in order to better understand it. During this case study we will also explore the history of this company, explaining the firm’s organization problem, the crisis that happened within the firm and also it’s strategies to overcome this crisis. We are also going to focus on the brand and in the ranges that M&S has available in the clothing market. There will be presented in this report aspects such as the market segments that M&S products ranges serve, the order winners and qualifiers for them and, finally, the different logistics performance objectives for the different ranges. Operations Management I 2. Development 2.1. History Marks & Spencer (M&S) is one of UK’s leading retailers with over 21 million people visiting their stores per week. M&S offer stylish, high-quality, great value clothing and home products, as well as outstanding quality food and financial services. The company was started in 1884, when Michael Marks (a Russian-born Police refugee) opened a stall at Leeds Kirkgate Market. M&S have over 700 UK stores and currently the firm finds itself in the process of expanding its business internationally: the company is already present in over 43 countries. Marks & Spencer employees over 78,000 people in the UK and abroad (as M&S site has published). 2.2. Marks & Spencer pre reorganization Focusing in clothing segment, M&S presented severe problems in their strategy department and, consequently, in their development and survival, due to massive mistakes. Seeing that M&S is a retailer type of firm, meaning that they only sell products, they don’t produce them: one of their main problems was the supply chain from the source to the consumer. This route was very expensive because they had a lot of suppliers, mostly at the UK. Overall, the company had several problems about the supply chain, like: All these problems made their supply chain really slow and time-consuming, not evaluating the suppliers nicely, not having a good balance between quantity and mix. Meanwhile, the marketing section had some issues too. They weren’t able to predict sales, they only made two sales seasons (while the others made four) and their product development was very slow and expensive. This enterprise only had one brand – St. Michaels – leaving few options of choice to the customer, being the only target women between 35 to 55 years old. This brand was focused on classic style clothes and some times out of fashion. Operations Management I In short, the notorious problems in the company were: 2.2.1. Crisis All these problems triggered the 1998 crisis, where Luc Vandevelde came as 4th CEO and responsible to change the company with some strategic measures. 2.3. Marks & Spencer after reorganization 2.3.1. Strategy changes To create, choose and implement their strategy, all the companies should have in consideration external and internal factors, social responsibility and the values of the company. On one hand, the internal factors explain the strengths and weaknesses of the company. On the other Operations Management I hand, the external factor relates the opportunities and the threats of the company, showing how that it influences the activity. These two are important in strategy creation, only if they are aligned with social responsible and company values. Marks & Spencer relied on its strong points (e.g. quality), trying to improve their weaknesses (e.g. slow response system). As stated above, the company also had high regard for social responsibility, as well as the company’s values. To implement strategy changes, we need to considerate these five philosophies: M&S ï‚ · The Total Quality Management is, as the name implies, oriented to increase the quality in the processes of the organization, by creating quality consistency; ï‚ · Just in time is a production management system that determines that nothing should be produced, transported or purchased before the exact time; ï‚ · Simultaneous Engineering acts on the development of products and is based on the use of engineering processes, manufactures, among other ones; ï‚ · The Compression Management is about to reduce processes time cycles; ï‚ · Reengineering helps manage through the increased efficiency and effectiveness. M&S based their strategy mainly on the first four points above. 2.3.2. Brand Nowadays, market segmentation is an absolute requirement for the market realities. Market Segmentation is related with a marketing concept and its objective is to enhance a company’s ability to understand and know its core customers as well as whom its core customers will be in the future. Most segments are formed by looking at certain characteristics such as demographic, geographic, and physiological, amongst others. These segments help the marketer identify very important consumption patterns. Therefore, the customers are treated accordingly to the firms view regarding what the customers wants or needs and its (the firms) ability to reach those needs in a profitable way. In Mark & Spencer specific case, it uses mostly a demographic segmentation to select its targets market for its products, targeting the customers by age, income, social class and lifestyle. There are 3 different ranges of M&S for Autumn 2001, including The Perfect and Classic Collection, The Autograph and pe r una. 2.3.2.1 The Perfect and Classic Collection Marketers are progressively more concerned in the outcome of the consumers lifestyle on demand. The market segments serve at this range, targets of those consumers who have busy lifestyles, therefore intend to save time and feel opportune when buying. This segment is for those customers that find themselves on a more price-orientated basis where they look for value at the lowest price. This is why, this range is targeted more on the middle social class and it’s a timeless collection (and not just the latest fashion) on any body size of both female and male customers. 2.3.2.2. The Autograph This range is a more specific, fashion-orientated designed for more mature upper class consumers who seek the â€Å"good life†. The collection in this range is designed by some of the best designers in the business, names such as Julien Macdonald, Philip Treacy and Sonja Nuttall. They have the capability to acquire it with a high street prices which are sold only in luxurious department stores. This range will normally target on those customers who prefer quality and the best design rather than the actual cost of the product. This range is targeted on female customers who have a keen sense of fashion, therefore it isn’t design for all ages nor all types of women. Per Una has concentrated its costumers to an age group between 25 and 35 with sizes from 8 to 18 (UK sizes) since the women that find themselves within these criteria nowadays do not want to be behind the latest fashion trends. They seek out fresh/new fashion and dress smartly and more importantly differently from another, therefore existing the Limited Edition, with that exact purpose. per una offers a better design and price to target young and middle-class women. 2.4. Order winners and qualifiers The different ranges that Marks & Spencer have available in the market presents competitive characteristics that make a costumer feel interested to buy a specific product. There are order qualifiers and order winners for these different ranges: The Perfect and Classic Collection (that we assumed that serve essentially the same range segment), The Autograph and the per una. The first order that we mentioned makes reference to the competitive aspects of a product that allows it to be considered by the costumers. On the other hand, order winners relates to the competitive characteristics that makes a product be chose by the interested in a specific product. Therefore, for the three ranges that M&S has available in the market and by the document we were presented to, we found some order qualifiers and winners for them. To The Perfect and Classic Collection we realized that size availability is a very important aspect to the costumers, which means that this factor is an order qualifier. In fact, there is a costumer that answered (to the questions that were made to her) that when â€Å"larger sizes have sold out† she gets â€Å"annoyed†. Thereby, some customers will have to go look in other stores to find what they need. About the order winners, in this range, costumers identify quality, price and variety of colors are three important aspects as they get interested in a product. Briefly, the item must be value for money and cannot require specialist washing as it has to wash well. In reference to The Autograph range, as it is defined to bring â€Å"cutting-edge design†, it is easy to understand that the most important order qualifier is the exclusive design of a certain item: the costumers want to buy a cloth that is â€Å"one of a kind†. Quality is the order winners in this range. When clients are looking for this products, they do not give so much importance to the price. Finally, the per una, a high-quality range, the attractive competitive aspect is the same as in The Autograph range: exclusity of design. The order qualifier is the rarity of a product and is difference . However, the segment of the market that looks for per una has a more concern about the price and, consequently, gives more importance to the value of a certain product. Even they care about the quality (as it must be well made and expected to last), the order winner in this range is the price that they are up to pay for the item. 2.5. Logistics performance objectives The planning and control of the organization will allow it to coordinate all the different operations that the organization has. It will grantee that all the materials are in the right place at the right time (just-in-time). Managers must control the operations to make sure that all runs like planned and finds the consumer needs. M&S changed the way to work with their suppliers and it provided a new approach to the market, principally the segment of clothes where they have done massive adjustments to get better performances. They created new divisions, and we will talk about those changes. Logistical department intends the enterprise to adapt itself to the market, so they created a new distribution of products by store and category. In other words, The Perfect and Classic ranges are located in almost all M&S stores because it is a product for the middle class, â€Å"for core customers†, with a low and viable price. The Autograph range, is into selected stores for the reason that its high prices can’t beat the most competitive brands in the common market and, finally, the per una collection is also in selected stores – despite its competitive price it’s a series that is very uncommon to find because the production has no repeats and so there is no piece like the other. This decision , to enter in the fashion business with a bigger offer then before, led the company to improve and presented a more efficient distribution of their products to the customers. In an organized way, each one of these brands according to their objective went to a shop strategically placed near to the right target. Like this they would have a faster response to the market resulting in the increase of the competitiveness of M&S. 3. Conclusion Marks & Spencer had several problems with the development of their company, having a huge crisis in 1998. To overcome this crisis, the company made some changes in their strategy in order to return to success. Changes in the supply chain, the marketing department and the increase of sub-brands, for example, led to: the increasing of quality, transparency, flexibility and the response of production cycle, elimination of duplication and gaining of more costumers. Nowadays, the company has a faster supply line, a more efficient marketing department and a huge variety of products, covering a larger number of customers which led to, generally, a better performance of the company. 4. Bibliography 1. CHASE, Richard B.; JACOBS, F. Robert; AQUILANO, Nicholas J.; Operations Management for Competitive Advantage; McGraw-Hill Irwin, 11th edition. 2. http://corporate.marksandspencer.com/aboutus/company_overview

Should Parents Be Held Responsible for the Crimes of Their Children

Should Parents Be Held Responsible for the Crimes of Their Children Who is guilty when teens break the law? Should parents be blamed? Read to know who should be responsible for the crimes of teens. It’s no secret that teens break the law, thinking they’re basically invincible. They engage in underage drinking, vandalism, also possession, and under the influence, of drugs. But then some young people commit much bigger crimes – felonies such as breaking and entering into a house, grand theft auto, even murder, and rape. Children of all ages are capable of breaking the law, but it can be speculated that adolescents tend to break the law more. Unfortunately, teens in American engage in some pretty risky behavior in their middle and high school years. And unfortunately, these crimes have severe consequences that last a lifetime. While these minors are often thought of as children simply making mistakes, they are still rational, mostly reasonable human beings who knowing exactly what they are doing. So, therefore, their crimes should not make their parents responsible. Should Parents Be Held Responsible for the Crimes of Their Children? Could not, for one, be responsible for the crimes of their children, because any person of sound mind is a rational being. They know when they are committing a crime and doing something wrong. It has nothing to do with their parents – unless the parents are condoning, encouraging or taking part in the crime; then, and only then, should parents be held responsible for their children’s crimes. It is rarely the parent’s fault, even if they do teach their children right from wrong. Many people attempt to commit a crime because they think they can get away with it. The same goes for teens committing a crime: They do it, most of the time because they anticipate getting away with it. This is no reflection of one’s upbringing – only the way that person views right from wrong. Even if the children are diagnosed as mentally unsound, insane, crazy, manic-depressive, it’s still not the parent’s fault. SINGLE-PARENT CHILDREN BEHAVIOUR If someone’s child commits a crime and gets caught for it, a parent should not be held responsible for the child because it is the child committing the crime, not the adult. Some may argue how a child’s sense of right and wrong derives from the way their parents raised them – which is true; however, in the case of committing crimes, a child can still steal a pretty piece of jewelry from a friend even if they were taught as a child not to steal. This has nothing to do with the parent, only the child, or teen, committing the crime. If the child commits the crime, they should be at fault and charged appropriately. If one’s child commits the crime, unless the parent directly took part in the illegal activity associated with their child, the parent should without a doubt never be held responsible – not morally, emotionally or legally – for this crime. Parents Are Not Guilty! Unless the parent assisted in helping the child commit the crime –underage drinking drug usage, for example – the adult should never be held responsible for the child’s actions. If a kid gets in trouble, it’s easy to blame the parents, attribute the mishap to how they were raised, the kind of family they were born to. But that is what is wrong with this country: no one takes responsibility for their own actions, especially if they’re minors. It’s a major problem. This way, people become adults never being accountable for anything – they just blame it on someone else. This isn’t the way to go; all it does is condition someone that they are not going to face consequences when the do wrong. Why is that detrimental? Because a person gets a pretty rough reality check as an adult when they are faced with legal charges for committing a crime. At that point, their parents surely aren’t even in the picture. Only the child/teen sho uld get penalized for committing and crime. IS GUN CONTROL AN EFFECTIVE METHOD OF REDUCING CRIME In conclusion, we all make mistakes, and many of us, even on accident, commit crimes (just look at how often people send friends or family members prescription pain-relieve medication. One word: felony). And when people committing crimes are caught, they get charged. The same goes for children, mostly adolescents. They generally know when they are doing something wrong, so they should always be held responsible for their actions – and not their parents. The same, of course, applies to teenagers: when they get caught committing a crime, their parents should never be held responsible unless the parents assisted in the crime. It’s time to hold young people responsible for their actions.

Should Medical Marijuana be Le essays

Should Medical Marijuana be Le essays Marijuana is an illegal drug with many medical uses and should be made legal for those patients who need it. There are many valuable medical uses for marijuana not recognized by the Federal Government. Though some states have legalized its use for patients with the permission of their physician, it remains at large an illegal Schedule I drug. There are many medical uses of marijuana but while it is still an illegal drug the patients trying to reap its benefits must break federal laws. Marijuana is effective in lowering the internal eye pressure associated with glaucoma and slowing the onset of blindness in these patients. It can reduce the pain of AIDS patients and stimulate the appetites of those suffering from malnutrition because of AIDS wasting syndrome. Marijuana has many other uses such as alleviating muscle spasticity, anorexia, asthma, nausea, peptic ulcers, alcoholism, depression, migraine, anxiety, inflammation, hypertension, insomnia, and many other uses for cancer patients. "Marijuana has been found useful as an anticonvulsant, a muscle relaxant in spastic disorders, as an appetite stimulant in the wasting syndrome of human immunodeficiency virus infection and is also useful for relieving phantom limb pain and menstrual cramps. It has also been helpful in treating glaucoma, nausea from chemotherapy in c ancer patients, epilepsy, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and spinal fluid injuries."(5) Marijuana has many uses and should be legalized for use by patients who need it. California has legalized the use of marijuana for medical purposes under the consent of a physician which is called Proposition 215. Tom Morganthau is against this legalization under Proposition 215 and he says: "What we have here, thanks to the voters of California and Arizona, is a nightmare for drug warriors everywhere - and a small but potentially significant breach in the national resolve against drugs. Earnest appeals by McCaffre...