Short Answers on Merchants of Cool Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Short Answers on Merchants of Cool - Coursework Example 3) â€Å"Marketers have to find a way to Seem Real† means that the marketers have to give an impression that they are ‘real’ by living lives that the teen generation can identify with. They have to adopt attitudes that to teenagers perceive as ‘cool’. 5) To counter the plummeting ratings in 1990s, MTV adopted ethnography study. In this study, MTV focused on learning the teens by visiting their homes and collecting personal information. They did this by asking them personal questions and go through their belongings such as their music albums. The researchers also got involved in the teens’ lives by accompanying them to social places such as to nightclubs. These activities were recorded as they happened then later, they were translated to video clips that were presented to MTV’s management. "Midriff" is the character inclined to teenage girls. It is highly sexualized, sophisticated and populates television shows such as Cruel Intentions. A juvenile and boorish behaved character on the other hand brands the â€Å"mook†. The "Mook" is a misogynistic, crude, and extremely angry adolescent. 7) The system designed to appeal to the â€Å"MOOK† keeps the teens’ under incessant surveillance. This helps the researchers determine the things that trigger the teens’ emotions and actions thus understand them better and 9) To overcome the resistance, marketers have to embrace the challenge and market the products in spite of their inadequacies. For instance, in the case of Insane Clown Posse, MTV marketed their music relentlessly even though the genre of music they created represented violence, profanity and misogyny. Today, the band has become a big name in the music industry. 10) Marketers have gone too far in their efforts to sell to the youth. Every marketer has his or her version of what should be perceived as cool. This readymade version of ‘cool’ has taken away the teens’ power to focus on their

College Essay Essay Example for Free

College Essay Essay Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. Choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it. Black. That is the most dominate trait about me. It is the first thing people notice when they see me. I can change my hair or my clothes, but I will always be black. There are plenty of people who also fit into this category with me: the notorious â€Å"Black Community. † In a word, the black community is diverse. There are the stereotypical black people. The people you hear about on the news. Those who steal, shoot, sell drugs, have â€Å"baby mama drama†, and use the â€Å"N-word† in every other sentence. However, there is another side to this coin. This is where I come in. My role in this community along with the other portion of the black community who are in the same subset as me is penetrating this negative light that is beaming down on all of us. I have never held a gun. I have never stolen anything. I have never laid a hand on any drug that wasn’t prescribed to me or didn’t have â€Å"cold and flu† in the title. I don’t have any kids and I don’t plan on having any anytime soon, and I don’t feel comfortable saying the â€Å"N-word† when I’m by myself, let alone when I’m around other people. All in all, my role in the black community is to prove to everyone else that that one perception does not apply to everyone. The black community is one of many communities that I belong to. This community as a whole is looked down upon, for understandable reasons. However, there are exceptions like me, who demonstrate without a doubt that one general observation does not describe us all. Therefore, I describe the black community as diverse.

Qualitative Research on How We Know the City

Qualitative Research on How We Know the City How do we come to know the city? A city can be defined in a number of ways (Parr, 2007): firstly, in a physical sense of the territory it occupies (Smart, 1974); secondly, by its population size (Newling, 1996; Eeckhout, 2004); or alternatively, by the area dedicated to urban activities (Hall Hay, 1980). All of these interpretations of the meaning of a city have come about from different perceptions of certain cities, which can be researched using various qualitative methods. The qualitative methods that will be discussed in this essay include ethnography, participant observation, interviewing, and focus groups, arguing that a combination of approaches should be taken to reflect the dynamism of cities. Thus, this essay will examine how we come to know a city, taking a particular focus on Newcastle, located in North East England (Miles, 2005). The city is a taken-for-granted concept, frequently used unthinkingly in everyday life (Cloke et al., 2005). We live in an increasingly urbanised world (Hamnett, 2005), with 60% of the global population expected to be housed in cities by 2030 (United Nations (UN), 2016). However, trends of rapid suburbanisation and counter urbanisation have been witnessed since the 1980s, particularly in developed countries such as the UK, in which the city of Newcastle is located (Champion, 1989; Cheshire, 1995). In some cities, this suburbanisation is coupled with inner-city decline, subsequently followed by gentrification and city centre regeneration (Ley, 1996; Peach, 1996; Smith, 1996). Thus, contemporary cities are often characterised by growing inequalities, social segregation and socio-spatial unevenness (Hamnett, 2003; Knox Pinch, 2010). As Geographers, it is important to know how these cities are changing, both in terms of their economic foundation and social structure (Hamnett, 2005). Thi s can be done using qualitative research methods, which examine the ways in which different social groups visualise, feel and know the city, through a multitude of senses, rather than merely sight (Cloke et al., 2005). Therefore, a multiple-method approach is most desirable in order to know that there is more to a city than its physical existence and material construction (Elwood, 2010). Unlike quantitative research methods, qualitative methodologies do not begin with the presumption that there is a pre-existing world that can be known; instead, we see the world socially, as a construct that is constantly changing (Limb Dwyer, 2001). The emphasis, therefore, is to understand the meanings of everyday experiences of the cities (Limb Dwyer, 2001). Ethnographies are one of these such methods, which are characterised by in-depth approaches (Watson Till, 2010), rather than aiming to necessarily produce statistical data. This method involves living and working within a community to understand how people experience their everyday lives, and thus the city (Cook, 2010). Participant observation is a research method heavily emphasised by ethnography. It enables investigation into behaviours and socio-spatial interactions (Cloke et al., 2004) in a more natural setting, therefore producing more reliable responses as participants feel at ease (Western, 1992). Although this method does provide the researcher with a greater depth of understanding as they come to know the participants on a personal level, the research is based upon a very small sample size, which raises questions over to what extent reliable conclusions can be drawn (Limb Dwyer, 2001). Thus, it is important to use other methods, such as interviewing different groups of people, in order to overcome the temptation of generalising. Furthermore, it can be difficult for the researcher to detach themselves and remain an outside observer, as one becomes an intimate member of the group, often over a prolonged period (Chrisman, 1976). Overall, participant observation as a part of ethnographic resea rch produces tacit knowledge of peoples interactions with the city (Stake, 2005), thus aiding in explanation of how we come to know the city. Defined as a conversation with a purpose (Bingham Moore, 1966), semi-structured interviews are one of the most commonly used qualitative methods in social science research, and Human Geography in particular (Crang, 2002; Longhurst, 2003; Kvale, 2007). Despite often mistakenly being criticised for not being representative or scientific, as Valentine (2005) outlines, an interview enables the researcher to understand the mental world of individual people (McCracken, 1988), and how they experience and make sense of their own everyday lives, and thus, how they come to know the city. Interviewers tend to loosely base their questions on an interview schedule, which consists of memory prompts and key topics of discussion (Keats, 2000; Bryman 2004), however, this is often deviated from due to the fluid nature of this methodology (Limb Dwyer, 2001). Time consuming. Cultural and historical knowledge. Another qualitative research method that can be used to investigate how we come to know the city is focus groups. These usually consist of a one-off meeting among five to eight individuals (Limb Dwyer, 2001) where they are often presented with a set of small tasks, such as watching a short video (Goss, 1996). For the researcher, this is an efficient way of gaining an insight into the ways in which people come to know the city (Krueger Casey, 2015), by getting participants to share their personal experiences and argue for different points of view (Barbour Kitzinger, 1999). Rather than interviewing on an individual basis, which can create disproportional power relations (Smith, 2006), the focus group context shows the researcher how certain individuals interact with each other, allowing conversations to develop in arguably a more common social situation (Lunt Livingstone, 1996). However, if the group are not interested in the topic, it can be very difficult for the researcher to ge t the conversation to flow (Agar MacDonald, 1995). Furthermore, it is important to be aware of high dropout rates, and factor this in when planning research using this method (Limb Dwyer, 2001). For this reason, focus groups tend to be used in conjunction with other methodologies, such as interviewing, rather than as a stand-alone approach (Frey Fontana, 1993). Produces practical, context-dependent knowledge (Starman, 2013). Knowledge. Several misconceptions, such as that knowledge is only gained through observation of the world (Sayer, 1992). (Law, 2005). According to Sayer (1992), knowledge is in fact gained through a common language, interaction with other people, and the use of shared resources. Different types of knowledge are appropriate to different functions and contexts (Sayer, 1992). The city looks and feels different, depending on the perspectives of those inhabiting the space (Law, 2005). Dominant way of looking in Geography normalised as white, heterosexual male. (Rose, 1993; Rose, 1997). Excludes viewpoints of people from different races, sexualities, genders, and abilities (Law, 2005). Marginalisation of deaf and blind people, etc. in the city until the turn of the century (see Kitchen et al., 1997). These people are likely to have different experiences of the place. In terms of gender, women can find streets lined with trees intimidating at night as they reduce the visibility of being see n (Valentine, 1989). To others, it feels natural and seems aesthetically pleasing, particularly during the day. The city looks and feels, and is therefore known as, being different, depending on the perspectives of those inhabiting the urban space (Law, 2005). Mixed methods. Historically, Geography has been understood as a visual discipline. However, as Rodaway (1994) highlights, we come to know a city through a variety of senses: smell (Porteous, 1985), sound (Ingham, 1999; Smith, 2000), touch (Podock, 1993), taste. Cosgrove (1998) further recognises this in our association between the visual world and the production of reliable knowledge, with little consideration of other sense. If we rely only on vision as the best way of knowing a city, we, as Human Geographers, consequently only research the remarkable and elite landscapes (rather than the everyday) that are often theoretically only seen from above, rather than below (Law, 2005). If we mimic the position of urban planners in only seeing the city from above, we risk fixing its meaning, and thus denying its complexity (Law, 2005). Thus, it is important to take a multiple-methods approach in order to come to know the city through all of our senses In conclusion, this essay has argued that the city can become best known through a multiple-method qualitative research approach, incorporating a combination of ethnographies, participant observation, interviews and focus groups. It is important not to over-emphasis on visual sight, but also consider other, less-appreciated senses that contribute to our overall knowing of the city.

Company Profile of Sainsbury

Company Profile of Sainsbury SAINSBURY is one of the leading food retailers in UK. It is a public limited company and is registered with LSE and FTSE 100. The company is the oldest food chain retailers in UK being established in 1869 by J.J Sainsbury. At present the company owns around 800 stores including supermarkets and convenience stores. The company is the third largest food-retailer in UK and has a share of around 16.3 percent of the total market. The company after leading the UK food retail market for decades faced a downfall during the 1990s. At present, the company is trying to retrieve its position in the UK market and expand its global market share. In this report, an attempt has been made to analyse the different business strategies used by the company at different times and to compare its strategies to that of its competitors in order to assess the effectiveness. The first section of this report deals with the company profile of Sainsburys and a recap of its early establishment. This will help in understanding the activities of the business and the business strategies adapted by it. The second section analyses the different strategies adapted by the company. The third section deals with the competitors of Sainsburys i.e. Tesco and Asda and a short analysis of the strategies adapted by them. And finally, the report has been concluded in line with the different activities carried on by Sainsburys and the strategies that should be followed by it in order to be more competitive. REPORT ON BUSINESS ANALYISIS In this report, an analysis of the business strategy of an organisation is required to be carried out. Business strategy refers to the various activities carried out by an organisation at different stages of its growth and expansion plan. (Tayeb, M. 2000) All the stages of a business growth commencing from the start up involves some type of business strategies. A business strategy can be defined as a long term plan designed to attain a specific organisational goal. The strategy acts as a guide for the business to reach its target. A successful business strategy will design and plan all the activities to be or required to be carried out in order to reach the organisational goal successfully. (Source: Rapid Business Intelligence Success; http://www.rapid-business-intelligence-success.com/definition-of-business-strategy.html, Accessed on 23.05.2010; 16:15hrs). Therefore, from the above discussion on business strategy it can be concluded that a business strategy plans the growth of a business and describes the pathway for attaining it. Business strategy involves analysis of various factors involved with the organisation (i.e. external and internal organisational environment, market size, organisational structure, economy of the market, local and regional economy, target customer, income of the local people, customer preference, socio-cultural issues etc.). All these factors help in forming a business strategy suitable for an organisational. A business organisation aiming at growth, expansion and value creation is an outcome of the vision of an entrepreneur. Once the entrepreneur locates the opportunity in a society, he/she tries to implement some innovative ideas in order to exploit that opportunity and gain profit. The process relating to the implementation of the innovative idea and bringing the opportunity into reality is termed as business. (Kuratko, 2009) A business plan is required in order to bring the business into reality. Similarly, a business strategy is required for attaining the business goal. The strategy gets involved from the beginning of a business i.e. early start-up. But the strategy involved in the different stages of organisational growth will be distinct from the other. The following diagram will help us in further understanding the different business strategies involved in different stages of organisational growth. (Adapted from: HIT; Business, organisation and information architecture; http://www.hit.nl/Product_BusinessStrategy.asp) In this report, I am going to analyse the various business strategies of Sainsburys and have made an attempt to compare those strategies with that of Tesco and Asda, the two famous competitors of Sainsburys. I have chosen Sainsburys, Tesco and Asda for this report. An attempt has been made to analyse and compare the different strategies adapted by these companies. All the organisations dealt with in this report are multinationals based in UK and are continuously growing. Moreover, Sainsbury has been selected because of its diversified ownership structure, different strategies adapted by it in the recent days which have helped it to gain its market share and increase its profitability besides being a sluggish growth in the economy and the main reason being its history. COMPANY PROFILE: SAINSBURYS is a public limited company registered in the London Stock Exchange and FTSE 100. It is one of the leading UK food retailers and had been part of the financial and property sector. The retail food chain is the main business accounting for the major turnover of the company. Sainsburys group employs more than 145,000 people and therefore, is one of the major players of the economy. Sainsburys its known for its quality and service besides its price. Sainsburys success can be traced back in 1869 when the company was founded by J. J Sainsbury. It started with the aim of providing its customers the ‘best butter in the world at an affordable price. Sainsburys started with the fresh foods and later enter the market for packaged food products. It mainly focused on the dairy products, however, it was the first retail food chain to improvise, petrol stations, fresh food and poultry counter in their retail stores. Since inception, Sainsburys tried to aim at providing best quality at low prices. At present Sainsburys retail food chain consists of more than 800 stores including supermarkets and convenience stores. It started its journey from London and is now spread all over UK with stores in Scotland, Ireland, Belfast and North east United States. Sainsburys used to be the largest grocery chain in UK till 1995 whereby, Tesco overtook the first position and Asda became the second largest chain in 2003. The company started its activities in 1869 as a business owned and operated by the Sainsbury family. It carried on its culture till 12 July, 1973, when the organisation became public. However, the major shareholding of 85% was with the family and therefore, after becoming public also, the organisation carried on its legacy and the traits of a family business. But, the company started facing some managerial issues with the new management in 1993 and since then, the family has divested their ownership. At present, Qatar Holding LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Qatar Investment Authority is the major stakeholder owning around 26 percent of the companys share. (Sainsburys Corporate Website; http://www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/index.asp?pageid=229, Accessed on: 25.05.10, 10:15hrs) Sainsburys was among the first few organisations, which hired women employees during the World War, since most of their male employees had to b there in the war front. They develop a separate and exclusive training programme for their women employees who will help them work effectively in this new environment. Though, Sainsburys has lost their position of being the market leaders but still it is one of the biggest names in UK food retail chain and moreover, in the recent years it has achieved a remarkable growth. ANALYSIS OF THE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES The business strategies as discussed before, is an inseparable part of a business and is linked with all the activities of a business organisation. The companies adapt several strategies for the start-ups, entering a new market, growth strategy, marketing strategy. COMPETITIVE STRATEGIES Sainsburys started its journey as a grocery chain aiming at producing quality goods at affordable price. The organisations aim of producing â€Å"quality goods at affordable prices† can be treated as its market entry strategy. On further analysis of this strategy, it has been noted that its market entry strategy possess the qualities of a low-pricing strategy. Low-pricing strategy is an integral part of the business-level strategy. It helps the organisation enjoy a competitive advantage over its competitors. Low-pricing strategy aims at producing quality goods but at lower prices than offered by its competitors. It is mainly followed in a competitive commodity market where the products are more or less similar. The low-pricing strategy leads to lower profit margin and therefore, it is not adapted by all the organisations. The business has to be confident about the product and service offered by it. Moreover, has to develop a cost structure which will help the business sustain in this low price strategy. Low prices and lower product quality is something normal, and thus can easily be followed by the competitors. However, producing similar quality goods at a lower price is a challenge as it requires a developed cost structure. Moreover, the cost structure has to be developed in such a way that the competitors cannot easily follow it. Therefore, the key challenge lies in structuring the cost in a manner that will help the organisation to enjoy a sustainable advantage following the low pricing strategy. In regard to this scenario, Sainsburys has developed a unique cost structure by developing close relationships with its suppliers and by irradiating the agents in between. Both these policies helped the organisation enjoy a cost advantage over their competitors. Moreover, the companys manufacturing and packaging cost are developed in a way to keep the product cost lower than its competitors. The company being the market leader also enjoyed the volume of the quantity produced and thus, enjoy the economies of scale. (Johnson, G., 2002) Low-pricing strategy adapted by Sainsburys helped the organisation to become the market leader whereas, its in-house product variants helped it to develop a wide market and attract customers from all the strata of society. The product variants are the result of the product differentiation policy adapted by the company. Sainsburys has a varied chain of in-house products. Moreover, it has also differentiated its in-house products and brands in such a way that it can reach all the segments of the market, this strategy helps Sainsburys to capture a large share of the household market. Sainsburys differentiation strategy helped it to come up with different lines of similar products. The differentiation was done on the basis of the cost and the product quality. The product differentiation was done in several stages. The company came up with a basic product line followed by superior quality products. The basic line of product is cost effective but maintains the quality. With the higher line of product the company brought in higher variants of similar by adding value to it. The higher variants not only has added value in respect of the quality of the product, but also the product packaging and marketing. For the basics, Sainsburys has adapted minimalistic packaging cost and marketing structure. The differentiation strategy is really important for an organisation aiming at growing its market share. The differentiation strategy helps the organisation to provide products and services different from those offered by its competitors in terms of quality, uniqueness and value addition. The differentiation strategy helps the organisation to increases its market share and thus enabling it to enjoy a cost advantage. Therefore, cost function can be termed as a function of product differentiation. (Johnson, G. et. al, 2002) Sainsburys product differentiation has enabled it to gain a major market share of the lower and the middle income group. It has introduced product differentiation in all the product lines offered by it, may it be, dairy products, meat and poultry products, fresh and packaged vegetables and fruits, spices, household products etc. For e.g. The oatmeals and cornflakes comes in several variants. The range of basic oatmeals and cornflakes range between 48 pence and 64 pence whereas the higher end product variants of the similar line range between 150 190 pence. The above example, helps us to understand not only the product variants and product differentiation but also that the company follows a focused differentiation strategy. In order, to aim the higher strata of the society, the company came up with products with better packaging, added quality and thus adding on to the value of the products. Moreover, the higher variants not only come up with added quality but also innovative products which them to differentiate from the similar kind of products offered by its competitors. For e.g. Sainsburys raisin-filled oatmeals, raspberry-filled oatmeals differentiate its products from the other competitors The company with its own differentiated line of products comes up with several other products offered by leading retailers and therefore, gives its customers a varied choice of products. The varied products attract customer base and thus enabling it to increase the market share. In addition, the company has incorporated several innovative ideas in its supermarket model like petrol stations, fresh bakery items, fresh meat, cooked meat and fish selling counters which makes them different from its competitors. This idea has not only differentiated them from their competitors but as helped them to act according to their value of providing healthy and quality foods. The different competitive and strategies in order to be competitive and gain the market share has enabled it form a hybrid strategy comprising of the main elements of low pricing, differentiation and focussed differentiation strategy. All these strategies merged together helped the business grow at a faster pace. LOCATIONAL STRUCTURAL STRATEGIES Since early period, Sainsburys built in the concept of departmentalisation in its stores. Its early food stores were divided into 6 departments, dairy products, ham and bacon, poultry and game, fresh meats, cooked meat and groceries. It was an unique concept at the 1900s which shows its innovative thinking from its inception. The use of mosaic floors, marbled topped counters, uniformed staffs, white tiles background not only enabled to have a comprehensive and similar looks through the stores but also shows their innovativeness and capability of thinking ahead than others.(The Sainsbury Archive; Accessed on 25.05.2010; The Design Journal 1966. Further, a companys store location plays an important role in its business. In the case of Sainsburys, it has always chosen a central position in the parade for a larger display and better connectivity to overcome the constraints relating to limited vehicles for home delivery. It was the first retail store chain to bring in home delivery service in UK. All these strategies helped the business to grow and become a pioneer in its field. The organisation also pioneered in the self service supermarket in UK between 1950s and 1960s. All these add up to the locational and structural strategies adapted by the company since its inception to be a market leader. ORGNISATIONAL STRUCTURAL STRATEGY The organisational upbringing of Sainsburys has been pretty different from that of its competitor e.g. Tesco. Unlike, Tesco, Sainsburys relied on the family mode of business. The company went public in 1973; however, the major shareholding has always been within the family till 1990s when the major shareholdings by the family were divested following a strategic downfall. Unlike Tesco, which was mostly depended on the market wealth and capital generated from the equity market for its expansion and growth, Sainsbury mainly focussed at the inner source of capital and reserves for its expansion. Following the diversification of the shareholdings in 1995, the major share holding is with QIA, a foreign investment company. The companys early strategy of not involving market equity capital has helped the organisation to maintain cohesiveness in the organisational activities and has enabled the initial growth and expansion. Employee employer relationshiphas always been an advantage for the company. The company has always given preference to the organisational and personal requirements of its employees. The employee policy designed by the organisation has helped it in its success. It is rated as one of the leading recruiters of UK at present. It has a very large yet strong organisational base which has evolved with time. The organisational structure of the company has always been subjected to a change. The hierarchal set-up during the early stages evolved into a much flatter organisational set up with time and changing society. This proves the adaptive strategy followed by the company. Supplier retailer policyadapted by Sainsburys since its inception, has helped the organisation to enjoy a lower cost and better quality. The supplier management strategy is very essential for a growing transnational organisation like Sainsbury. The company has always aimed at maintaining a good relationship with supplier, thus enabling them to be a market leader. However, the companys downfall during the early 1990s has been an effect of a major relationship difference between the reailer and supplier. Building up a supplier-retailer relationship and maintaining it is the role of a successful organisation. STORE FORMATS The company adapted the hyper-market policy during the early 1970s following its competitors. The company operated this format of stores through bigger outlets (over 45000 sq.ft ) and varied range of products under the brand Sainsbury Savacentre. But, later it got incorporated into the main channel being a part of the integrated sales and back office operations unlike, Tesco. The product distribution followed the policy of equal distribution between groceries and non-food items as followed by Tesco. The supermarket (average of 34000 sq.ft) the hypermarket store format only differ in the size and the quantity of product variants offered by the two types of stores. The company also followed the concept of convenience stores followed by the other food retailers like Tesco, The Cooperative store, etc. This store format is also be termed as local store and is meant for a local market, much smaller in size (between 2000-6000 sq.ft) with limited variants offering top-ups and go and grab deals. Asda, did not follow the concept of convenience stores. The store formats helped us analysing the customer serving strategy and the customer base of the organisation. FRANCHISING Unlike its competitors, Sainsburys does not involve franchising. Tesco recently has planned to go for a franchising in order to enter further into this multi-billion dollar market of retail groceries. Its considering the franchising scope followed the step taken by its French competitor Carrefour. Franchising will help Sainsbury to reach a broader customer base and reach further corners which is no possible through direct acquisitions and mergers. Further, acquisitions involve managerial constraints which can be easily avoided in case of franchising. MERGER ACQUISITION In line to the discussion Mergers and acquisitions it can be rightly pointed out that the company is rightly catching up the growing model of business UK and worldwide. Its acquisitions of Bell supermarkets which operate in north east England and a merger with Shell stations will help it to grow the number of convenience stores and petrol stations in UK. (Food Drink Europe.com http://www.foodanddrinkeurope.com/Retail/Sainsbury-s-image-takes-another-knock). The company went for a merger with Shaws Supermarket Inc. a leading super-market chain in U.S and later acquires the company accompanied by its acquisition of Star Markets. These acquisitions have helped Sainsburys to control competition in the foreign market. However, a detailed analysis has pointed out that the business acquisition decisions and deals have not been of much success and therefore, affecting its worldwide turnover. OTHER MODES OF OPERATION Sainsbury has started providing financial services through Sainsbury Bank which is joint venture between Sainsbury and Lloyds Banks. Its property management team is helping its property management business to reach new heights. The company has started diversifying its portfolio and its activities bt it will take time in attaining the aimed success. COMPETITORS Sainsbury is the UKs third largest food retail chain trailing behind Tesco and Asda. TESCO, the leading retail food chain has started its operation since 1919 as a surplus grocery store in East End of England under Jack Cohen. The first TESCO store came into existence in 929 after being a limited company in 1924. Tescos growth was mainly through acquisitions along with organic growth. During early 1970s TESCO group owns around 700 stores nationwide. Tesco was the pioneer in offering the customers several facilities like customer rewards and club points which were previously unheard of. It introduced in internet shopping for the customers that help in growing the business and building up its brand image among its customers. During 1980s and 1990s it went through couple of successful takeovers including that of William low, a Dundee based firm competing with Sainsbury. In 1997, Tesco also went into a business alliance with esso in order to get a lease of its several petrol filling stations. In July 2001 Tesco became involved in Internet grocery retailing in the USA when it obtained a 35% stake in GroceryWorks.In 2002 Tesco purchased 13 HIT hypermarkets in Poland. It also made a major move into the UK convenience store market with its purchase of T S Stores, the owner of 870 convenience stores in theOne Stop, Dillons and Day Nite chains. At present, Tesco is leading the UK retail food chain though its 27 hypermarkets all over UK. Tesco and Sainsbury growth structure mainly differs. Tesco has mainly focused on the growth through takeovers, acquisitions and mergers on the other hand; Sainsburys growth was mainly based on organic growth. Growth through takeovers, acquisitions and mergers has helped Tesco to gain better and more market knowledge, technological knowledge and management knowledge. Whereas, organic growth for Sainsburys has taken through a longer period of time and through the evolution of the own management and acquired knowledge. On analysing, the growth factors, it can be pointed out that the growth strategy adapted by Sainsbury has been a major reason for its slower growth rate. ASDA STORES LIMITED was founded asAssociated Dairies Farm Stores Limitedin 1949 in Leeds. However, the present name of Asda came into existence following a merger with Asquith chain of three supermarkets and Associated Dairies in 1965. The company however, parted with its dairy department on a management buyout. The company followed the growth policy similar to that of Tesco in order to grow and provide different kinds of products. The newly focused food retail group in order to expand its activities beyond the north England, went for buyout in the south where it took over the large format stores ofGateway Superstoresin 1989. On 26 July, 1999 Asda was purchased by the US retail-giant Wal-Mart. Since then the company, has operated as a subsidiary of the Wal-Mart group. However, Asdas management has gone though a restructuring when it was sold to a Leeds based investment subsidiary of Wal-Mart, Corinth Services Limited in 2009. Asdas marketing campaigns has always been in limelight. The major strategic similarity between Asda and Sainsbury is that, both the organisations aim at low pricing. Therefore, the low pricing strategy that helped Sainsbury, to attract more customers and a major share in the market needs to be revised. Moreover, being an US subsidiary, it also followed several managerial set-ups those were previously unknown. A global growth of the Wal-Mart group, helped Asda gain its position as the second largest food-retailer in UK. Both Tesco and Asda have structural, organisational and managerial differences with Sainsburys but on comparing the whole set-up, it can be concluded that Tesco and Sainsburys have some structural similarity. On the lines of structural strategy, it can be concluded that Tesco follows a more diversified activities by using several variants like, Express, Metro, superstore, Extra and Homeplus which helps them to reach larger number of customers with different kinds of variants.   CONCLUSION While concluding this report, it can be said Sainburys has several strategical differences with its leading market leaders Tesco and Asda, however, it has started working on its set back and is currently responding to the organisational and social needs in a better way. Instead of a sluggish growth of the economy post 2008 it has recorded an increase in the total turnover thus, showing its organisational and managerial strength. On analysing the retail food market and the activities of the major market leaders, it can be predicted that Sainsburys will enjoy a fast and steady growth following the path of organisational mergers, takeovers and most recently franchising. All these will help Sainsbury to grow at a faster pace. All the discussions, that have been done in this report are not absolute and are subject to limitations regarding the information, word limit and time.

Woodrow Wilson and Vladimir Lenin Essay -- History

Through the years, peace has been achieved in different ways, yet the manner in which it is accomplished has been endlessly debated about. Woodrow Wilson and Vladimir Lenin were two very different individuals who were raised in two different countries. Lenin was born and raised in Russia, and Wilson was born and raised in the United States. They each had their own ideas on how peace should be achieved, but they were alike in one way though; they were both important revolutionaries of the twentieth century. Wilson’s vision for the postwar world was direct and accommodating of the entire world and was more appropriate unlike Lenin’s vision; Lenin believed peace is obtained by waging war first, a belief I believe is more realistic. Wilson believed that peace could be obtained through diplomacy, and this is exhibited through his address to a joint session of Congress on the Conditions of Peace. Wilson states, â€Å"What we demand in this war†¦.is that the world be made fit and safe to live in; particularly that it be made safe for every peace-loving nation.† Wilson believed that the fourteen points that he addressed to that joint session of Congress would lead the world to a happier, safer world, a peaceful world. He first points out that all â€Å"covenants of peace† (Wilson) should proceed in the eyes of everyone. Secondly, he points out that there should be â€Å"absolute freedom of navigation upon the seas† (Wilson) during a time of war or peace. For his third point, he states that should be a decrease in trade barriers and an â€Å"establishment of an equality of trade conditions among all the nations consenting to the peace† (Wilson). For his fourth point, he believes that there should be a reduction in the amount of â€Å"national armaments†¦to the l... ...I eventually led Wilson to involve America in the war, yet he still did not encourage it as a way to obtain peace. He addressed a joint session of Congress on January 8, 1918 about his fourteen points that would lead the world to peace, and on November 11, 1918, World War I ended. Works Cited â€Å"War and Revolution in the Twentieth Century.† In Lives and Legacies: Biographies in Western Civilization, Volume Two, ed. Jonathan S. Perry, 97-109. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc., 2009. Wilson, Woodrow. â€Å"Address to a Joint Session of Congress on the Conditions of Peace,† January 8, 1918. John T. Woolley and Gerhard Peters, The American Presidency Project [online]. Santa Barbara, California: University of California. (hosted), Gerhard Peters (database). Available from World Wide Web: http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=65405.

Free Admissions Essay - Care for an Ethnically Diverse Population :: Medicine College Admissions Essays

Admissions Essay - Care for an Ethnically Diverse Population Crayfish tails in tarragon butter, galantine of rabbit with foie gras, oxtail in red wine, and apple tartelletes. The patient had this rich meal and complained of "liver upset" (crise de foie). Why a liver ache? I always associate indigestion with a stomach ache. In studying French culture in my Evolutionary Psychology class, I learned that when experiencing discomfort after a rich meal, the French assume their liver is the culprit. Understanding and dealing with the minor - sometimes major - cultural differences is a necessity in our shrinking world and diverse American society. Anthropology has prepared me to effectively communicate with an ethnically diverse population. My science classes, research, and clinical experience have prepared me to meet the demands of medical school. I first became aware of the valuable service that physicians provide when I observed my father, a surgeon, working in his office. I gained practical experience assisting him and his staff perform various procedures in his out-patient center. This exposure increased my admiration for the restorative, technological, and artistic aspects of surgery. I also saw that the application of medical knowledge was most effective when combined with compassion and empathy from the health care provider. While admiring my father's role as a head and neck surgeon helping people after severe accidents, I also found a way to help those suffering from debilitating ailments. Working as a certified physical trainer, I became aware of the powerful recuperative effects of exercise. I was able to apply this knowledge in the case of Sharon, a forty-three-year-old client suffering from lupus. she reported a 200% increase in her strength tests after I trained her. This meant she could once again perform simple tasks like carrying groceries into her house. Unfortunately, this glimpse of improvement was followed by a further deterioration in her condition. On one occasion, she broke down and cried about her declining health and growing fears. It was then that I learned no physical prowess or application of kinesiology would alleviate her pain. I helped reduce her anxiety with a comforting embrace. Compassion and understanding were the only remedies available, temporary though they were. To confirm that medicine is the best way for me to help others, I assisted a research team in the Emergency Room at University Medical Center (UMC).

The Unrealistic Portrayal of Women in the Media

Media is one of the most influential aspects of modern society. It plays an enormous role in setting societal standards and depicting how people, especially women, should act and appear. In everything from advertising, television programming, newspapers and magazines, to comic books, popular music, film and video games the media sets unrealistic standards for women. These unrealistic depictions of the role that women must play, and the image that women must have in order to be accepted are drastically affecting societies views and the self-worth of women worldwide.In all forms of media, women are grossly misrepresented. Women are most often shown in the home, performing domestic chores; as sex objects who exist primarily to service men; as the romantic interest; as characters who rely greatly on men; as victims who can not protect themselves and are the natural recipients of beatings, harassment, sexual assault and murder. Women rarely play leading roles or roles of significance in m ovies and television shows, and when they do, they are rarely cast as independent or as a hero.Only 16 percent of films feature women protagonists (Richardson, 2011). In 2012, women represented less than one-third of the speaking characters (Eveleth, 2013). For every one female on screen, there were two and a half men. Women are not given enough positive role models. Even in Disney movies, female characters ride off into the sunset at age 16 with a prince they barely know; sending the message that we are reliant on men. Furthermore, almost every single cleaning product advertisement created features a woman cleaning up after her children and husband.Despite the fact that in real life, this concept of patriarchy and women being fragile and weak is largely is outdated, the media continues to portray women in this way. This is sending a entirely inaccurate image of how things should be to society, especially to young girls and women. Women are not only being told to play a certain role in society, but being pressured to look a certain way as well. From young age, women are exposed to the idea that they are supposed to be sexy; tall, have a small waist, be buxom, have perfect skin, etc.All Disney princess movies, however harmless they may seem, show girls sexually. In G-rated children's films, female characters often look just as sexual/revealing as they do in R-rated movies. Many online games for young girls, such as Selena's Date Rush, do a similar thing. The instructions for Selena's Date Rush are simple: â€Å"When Justin comes to pick her up in the morning, she just woke up with no makeup! Please help her complete her makeup before Justin finds out! â€Å"; implying that you are not beautiful enough to be seen until you are in makeup.Additionally, while Barbie is supposed to be a positive role model for children, the proportions of the Barbie doll are humanly unattainable and the outfits that she wears are impractical and revealing. Not only Barbie dolls, b ut other popular dolls such as Monster High dolls and Bratz dolls, promote that same image. These unrealistic role models, that skew the meaning of beauty are present through women's whole lives. There is a constant bombardment of hyper-sexualised, airbrushed images of women as well as messages of needing self-improvement, in all forms of media.Almost all advertisements for cosmetic products and clothing feature digitally modified, underweight models. In fact, the first and only ad campaign featuring average and overweight women is a Dove ad campaign. The Canadian Health Network found that the average female model is not only much taller than the average woman, but weighs nearly 25% less (ojejwow, 1996). Even commercials about obtaining a healthy and physically active, lifestyle feature the presence of very thin actresses with a wide range of body and facial cosmetics. This leads to the assumption, that only thin women can be beautiful and healthy.Also, three-quarters of women's mag azine covers feature articles about overhauling one's physical appearance and studies indicate that nearly three-quarters of all female characters in sitcoms are underweight, and those that are overweight are often the subject of comments or jokes about their bodies made by male characters (â€Å"Portrayal of women,† 2009). Everywhere that young girls and women turn they are faced with the idea that their looks are everything, that pleasing the male gaze is paramount and that hiding their â€Å"imperfections† and making themselves sexy is the sum total of their value.It is only when one looks at all of these things together that one starts to realise the immense impact it might be having on them. The way in which women are portrayed in the media has an overwhelming negative effect on society. Media reinforcing the idea that women are weak and nothing without men continues to create problems with the way that women are treated and viewed by society in the workplace and in many social situations.It also creates problems in the way that women treat and view themselves, especially in relationships. 1 in 3 girls between the ages of 16 and 18 say sex is expected for people their age if they are in a relationship (â€Å"Statistics,† n. d. ). Unfortunately, women are often pressured to conform to societies standards regarding sex and relationships, especially as adolescents. Media constantly creating unrealistic standards for beauty is effecting the physical and mental health of women and girls.In one survey nearly half of nine- to twelve-year-old girls said they wanted to be thinner and had either been on a diet or were aware of the concept of dieting and in another study in one study half of girls ages 16-21 said they would undergo surgery to improve their bodies (â€Å"Body image- girls,† 2012) Anorexia Nervosa & Related Eating Disorders, Inc. (2011) says that one out of every four college-aged women uses un-healthy methods of weight con trol- including fasting, skipping meals, excessive exercise, laxative abuse, and self induced vomiting. Eating disorders have become more and more prominent in young women.Psychological factors that cause these disorders include low self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy or lack of control, which are often caused by the unrealistic standards set by media. Even if eating disorders are not an issue, self-esteem problems frequently are. Dove's Real Truth About Beauty research (2011) revealed that by the age of 14, 55% of Canadian girls feel pressure to be â€Å"beautiful†. By the time they are 29, this number increases to 96%. This industry has gone too far in pushing a dangerously thin, unrealistically â€Å"beautiful†, misguided image that women, and young girls, try to emulate.The harsh reality that low self-esteem, low self- worth, and feelings of inadequacy are evident in almost all women's life in some form is not one to be taken lightly. Media, while providing peop le with information and entertainment, also affects people’s lives by shaping their opinions of and attitudes toward society and themselves. This is particularly relevant pertaining to the image of women in the media. Mass media still uses gender stereotypes and unrealistic definitions of beauty to reach the consumer, and the effects that these tactics have on women are severe.With most women facing oppression regarding gender roles of some form and with only 4% of women being able to call themselves beautiful (â€Å"Surprising Self-Esteem Statistics,† 2011), it is clear that change needs to occur. The media needs to stop using underweight women to sell products to every day women, instilling feelings of inadequacy in women in order to sell products, presenting women in sexual, dependent, or domestic roles and need to begin instilling self-worth in young girls and women of all makes and give them positive role models.Changing the media's projection of woman has been a consistent agenda of the women's movement since the early l960s. However, little has happened and it will take an enormous shift in the mentality of media producers and society itself before a great deal can happen. For now, if people become aware of the stereotypes and teach critical viewing skills and the real meaning of beauty/equality to young girls and one another, perhaps they will be less likely to succumb to the effects of the unrealistic standards that the media has put in place for all women.