Parian marble sculpture at The Louvre an Example of the Topic Arts Essays by

Parian marble sculpture at The Louvre The Winged Victory of Samothrace is one of the most celebrated visual art sculptures in the world from the Hellenistic era. The sculpture depicts the goddess Nike as she descends from the sky with outstretched wings over her shoulders. It originally formed part of the Samothrace temple that was an homage to the gods. Victory was situated at the prow of the ship in her triumphant pose. Before this statue of Nike lost her arms, they were cupped around her mouth in an effort to announce the Greek victory at Lartos. Need essay sample on "Parian marble sculpture at The Louvre" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed This statue is notable of the Hellenistic era due to its naturalistic pose and the way her garment appears to be flowing so effortlessly. The wind blown garment gives the impression of motion and movement, as if being blown by the breeze of the sea. Given that she was placed at the prow of the ship, the sculpture was a stunning and emphatic symbol for reestablishing the grandeur of Greek civilization after the struggles and battles of the Peloponnesian War that involved all of the Greek city-states, including Athens. In the wake of the poverty following the war, Greek art had very little resources to finance many sculptures. In this way, the sculptures that were created tended to reflect the changing state of affairs in Greek society. The most notable trend during the Hellenistic era was the portrayal of individual gods and goddesses in natural poses that displayed a great range of emotions. It is unknown who actually created the Winged Victory of Samothrace, but whoever it was continued this trend and expanded upon it with the insertion of the flowing garments and the wings. Nike's body is in a state of returning from motion and her left leg is strong and shown bare out the side of the garment. Her chest is pressed out in a posture of confidence and femininity and you can almost see through the garments enough to make out the shape of her skin and the contours of her stomach. Her head is absent on her shoulders and has never been found, although other portions of her body that have fallen off have been recovered. This statue demonstrates the mastery of movement and form being perfected during this era, despite its current incompleteness. This piece of infamous art embodies the return to reality following a devastating period of violence and war. Greek artists sought to capture the human form in all of its naturalness, expressing the emotions and postures that came to define this era. Winged Victory of Samothrace continues and expands this style of the Hellenistic age with its emphasis of grace and beauty in the flowing attire of the goddess Nike returning from the sky with the message of Victory. Works Cited Antiquites grecques, etrusques et romaines. The Louvre Museum. Retrieved 7 April 2009, from cnt_" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.louvre.fr/llv/oeuvres/detail_notice.jsp?CONTENTcnt_

A Trip Down Memory Lane Research Paper Example

A Trip Down Memory Lane Research Paper Example A Trip Down Memory Lane Paper A Trip Down Memory Lane Paper The stars have been shining brightly under the dark blanket of the sky. Thin little gray clouds hover around casting light shadows on the face of the moon. A few chirping notes from the sound of crickets outside completes the serenity of the night. I have long been fond of watching these diamond-like trinkets sparkling from high above that simply watching them every night gives me this feeling like that of a child given sweet treats. But It seems Like after tonight, It would take long for me to be able to do this again. The ticking of the clock brought me back to packing my stuffs for I am to leave early tomorrow morning bound to a foggy place uphill for my studies. I was busy rummaging at my now half empty room when I stumbled into something ?a purple box I had used to compile different things I have gathered and collected for the past years for sentimental reasons. I picked it up and opened it as I sat on my bed. And Like the usual, memories flooded my system as If everything Just happened yesterday. From that little girl wearing high socks with big laces a decade ago up to that omen who I am now, I can say that I had my fair share of lifes bitter-sweet experiences. And ironically, as I think about it, whether we admit it or not, we could never regret anything life had to offer. Because each of them, whether big or small, memorable or not, success or failures, all of them honed the person we are today. While learning from them as personal examples of our what Ifs, we are able to measure our strengths and weaknesses. And In some Instances we discover hidden parts of ourselves waiting to be revealed for the world to see. L cant do this. How would you know if you wont even try? l am afraid. What are you afraid of? How long would you let that fear hinder you from growing and learning new stuffs? Come on! Come out of your shell. My thoughts have been storming -the typical scenario happening Inside the mind of an Introvert. I always have this tendency to fast forward things, thinking of all the possible outcomes before even making the first step towards them. Maybe this is because I am afraid to come out of my comfort zone. I want things to go my way and afraid to eave things the other way around. Yes, I have this perfectionist and control-freak nature until things happened which triggered the start of a change. I remember quoting Robert Measles on one of his books that In life, some rain must fall though sometimes It may feel more Like a deluge. It was not raining that day. But for me, it was as if a big dark cloud suddenly came and everything around me started to melt as that dragging aura poured down on me soaking me wet. That after taste of regret adding woods to the fire giving me the instantaneously need to e invisible, to runaway even Just for a while from the haunting of my spontaneous act, to get lost and save myself from a breakdown of emotions. But In ten end, no matter now much I try to Take It, my tears would Detract me revealing the weakling behind that poker face. As they say, I may be able to fool others but I definitely cannot fool myself. I lost in a battle and I cant blame anyone but myself. But the hardest part of losing is the knowledge that so much has been expected from you. This guilt trip has struck me the most. So yes, on that day, I Just et my eyes swell as I was being drenched with the rain. Then after finally growing tired of blaming and crying, it is when everything started to sink in. It was after all a good reminder to keep my feet on the ground and a light to see my burning desire to strive for more. Given that there are still so many who believe and continue to support me amidst a number of times I had fallen on my knees and had broken their expectations. Sometimes, it is okay to fall and commit mistakes because those two are also part of growing.

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Summary - Essay Example As it were it introduces an altered relationship as opposed to the one generally perceived in the writing on financial sector advancement. The vitality of that to the current center of the Qatari government on broadening of its economy identifies with the inquiry of how decently represented this sector is to help this arrangement as a wellspring of development, vocation and pay and how appropriate government activities are in backing of accomplishing such an objective. Qatar is an extremely youthful and little express that has accomplished enormous strides in its financial advancement since its freedom in 1971. It has moved from an economy underpinned by essential economic exercises to a rich oil-trading state. The development and advancement that went hand in hand with the solidification of its oil economy has been generous thinking of it as little populace. As indicated by the 2004 enumeration the populace was put at 744.000, an increment of 42.5 percent on the past statistics of 1997. A 2006 review demonstrated that the populace had developed to 834,754, an increment of 12.6 percent on the 2004 evaluation. In any case, late gauges demonstrate that the aggregate populace arrived at 1,650,139 in 2009. This fast increment is because of the vast onrushing of outside work to address the needs of the extending economy. Qatari nationals speak to short of what 34 percent of the aggregate populace. The nations every capita Gross domestic product surpass ed USD 54,000 in 2006 and is estimate to reach more than USD 103,500 in 2009; one of the worlds most astounding. Regularly, the little size of the populace in connection to the enormous size of its Gross domestic product is an element in this. These riches has propelled the political authority of Qatar to be amazingly yearning about putting Qatar on the world guide on account of its oil and

What was Harper Lees affect on American Literature Term Paper

What was Harper Lees affect on American Literature - Term Paper Example Nelle Harper Lee is one of the greatest American authors of the contemporary literature world. She rose to fame when her novel â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird† selected for the 1960 Pulitzer Prize. The major theme of this novel is her childhood memories about racism. Apart from Pulitzer Prize, â€Å"She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Tuesday November 6, 2007 for her services to literature by President George W. Bush at the White House in Washington D.C. She was also awarded the 2010 National Medal of the Arts for her services to literature† (Biography for Harper Lee). This paper analyses the biography and contributions of Harper Lee to American literature. Nelle Harper Lee was born on April 28, 1926, to Amasa Coleman Lee and Frances Cunningham Finch Lee. Harper Lee grew up in the small southwestern Alabama town of Monroeville. Her father, a former newspaper editor and proprietor, was a lawyer who also served on the state legislature (1926-38) (Biography of Harper Lee (1926-)) Harper Lee showed immense interest in reading literature even from her childhood. She was very much interested in establishing friendship with others and was eager to learn more and more things from her friends. She was very much sensitive and was eager to analyze or learn more about the incidents happening around her during her childhood. â€Å"Lee was only five years old in when, in April 1931 in the small Alabama town of Scottsboro, the first trials began with regard to the purported rapes of two white women by nine young black men† (Biography of Harper Lee (1926-)). ... After graduating in 1944, she went to the all-female Huntingdon College in Montgomery. Lee stood apart from the other students—she could have cared less about fashion, makeup, or dating. Instead, she focused on her studies and on her writing. Lee was a member of the literary honor society and the glee club (Harper Lee Biography) â€Å"Harper Lee graduated from Monroeville High School in her hometown in Alabama in 1943. She then attended Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama, where she completed most of her core classes from 1944 to 1945† (Benson). â€Å"She studied law at the University of Alabama, and spent a year studying as an exchange student at Oxford. She never completed law school, and moved to New York to pursue a career as a writer† (Southern Writers Tour - Harper Lee). Lee’s law studies happened during the period of 1945-49. â€Å"During the 1950s, she worked as an airline reservation clerk with Eastern Air Lines and British Overseas Airways †((Nelle) Harper Lee (1926-)). In fact Lee studied law with an intention to help the black community as much as possible. However, she realized that as an advocate she has limitations in providing enough social justice to the black community. The above realization forced her to stop her Law studies and to concentrate more on writing articles. In 1957 Miss Lee submitted the manuscript of her novel to the J. B. Lippincott Company. She was told that her novel consisted of a series of short stories strung together, and she was urged to rewrite it. For the next two and a half years she reworked the manuscript with the help of her editor, Tay Hohoff, and in 1960 TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD was published (Harper Lee Bio) To Kill a Mockingbird was Lee's first and last novel. â€Å"Lee

Self-Reflective Journal on Corporate Social Responsibility Essay - 1

Self-Reflective Journal on Corporate Social Responsibility - Essay Example This paper illustrates that a valuable relationship between CSR and social media was understood through the case of Goldman Sachs where the company gained both in terms of revenue and brand value through philanthropic contributions. Other companies such as Facebook and Google, which are predominantly online, are using the social media channel in order to achieve competitive advantage. The literature review from various other news reports and news articles also revealed that corporate social responsibility has become one of the crucial elements in the strategic decision-making process of organizations. Media is quickly becoming one of the emergent channels for information. As a result, companies are frequently utilizing social media platforms in order to engage with its customers as well as disseminate critical information about their national and international CSR activities. Rising consciousness among individuals as well as growing number of environmental communities have also impac ted the rise of CSR among big firms. However, the reports and articles also revealed that high disparity exists in terms of CSR activities between large and established firms and small and medium-sized companies. The seminar started with the discussion of the burgeoning issues which are hampering the authenticity of social media. Then the topic of CSR and its current practices were discussed. The key topics of discussion were internal and external CSR aspects, issues and challenges while implementing CSR strategies through social media channel, the importance of CSR activities in the global marketplace. Another important issue which was discussed in detail was changing climate conditions and its impact on the global environment.

7 Elevens Information Systems

7 Elevens Information Systems 7 Eleven commenced operation on 11th July 1927 in Dallas Texas and has gone on to be an industry leader for more than 40 years (http://www.rimag.com). Originally the stores operated from 7am to 11pm, a trading span that was unheard of at the time. However most 7 Eleven stores now operate 24 hrs a day (www.answers.com). 7 Eleven has approx 7100 stores in North America and over 30,000 stores world wide. It has the largest ATM network of any other convenience store in the United States. 7 Eleven have had many convenience store firsts including being the first retailer to sell coffee in take away cups and offering all major soft drinks brands at their fountains. To put the size of 7 Eleven into perspective they sell 41 million gallons of milk each year, which is enough milk to pour more than two glasses of milk for every person in the United States (www.7-Eleven.com). The diagram below demonstrates the expanse of 7 Eleven world wide. Q.1 7 Eleven competes with both other chains of convenience stores and independent stores. What competitive advantages can you identify in this case? According to the J.D Power and Associates (www.jdpower.com) customer satisfaction survey the following are the most important contributors to customer satisfaction in Japan. There are 3 key areas encompassing the many aspects that provide 7 Eleven with their competitive advantage. As you can see from the overview below 7 Eleven are able to compete and more often than not dominate in each of the key areas identified in the aforementioned study. Extensive Knowledge of the market The management information systems utilised by 7 Eleven allow them to be able to capture crucial data on their customer base, which ensures that are providing customers with the products and services they need and want. Additionally it enables 7 Eleven to be able to track products and utilise a sophisticated inventory system to provide exactly what the customer wants at the time that they need it. Furthermore it refines 7 Elevens inventory system as they are more accurately ordering and restocking products that they are confident will sell. They have developed a streamlined value chain through electronically transmitting orders and keeping product turnover high. They are using computer based information systems to connect all the partners in their value added chains directly into flexible manufacturing systems (Best, 1993, pg. 49). The management information systems also offers added value as it provides 7 Eleven with an avenue to monitor staff performance, thus providing them with the ability to continuously provide a high level of customer service. Technological advances The time distribution system provides competitive advantage on two fronts, the ability to be able to be utilise the small spaces in Japanese retail outlets and to be able to provide customers with a greater range of products more accurately catering for there needs. The information available through their management information systems not only assists in building relationships with their customers, it also allows 7 Elevens vendors to anticipate their needs and prepare and deliver items in a faster than expected timeframe (Buchanan, Thunderbird, Simmons, Washington and Lee University, 2004, pg. 6) providing advantage to 7 Eleven, their customers and their vendors. Expanding core business The expansion of the core business into services such as Internet provision and hot fresh meals sees 7 Eleven providing an alternative service to it customers. This gives customers additional reason to come to 7 Eleven thus expanding the clientele base. 7 Eleven uses its management information systems to obtain competitive advantage that not only helps them decide which products to make available to their customer base, it also allows them to determine how they are going to deliver the product, a crucial component to gaining and sustaining competitive advantage (Buchanan, et. al. 2004, pg.1). In Japan, 7 Eleven have thoroughly engrossed themselves in the concept of expanding their core business to provide their customers with a one stop shop. They provide alternatives to some of the more difficult aspects of the hectic Japanese life style such as meals, ATM access and a pick up point for Internet shopping. In a cash based society they even provide a cash pick up point for e commerce goods and services. 7 Eleven in Japan has truly embraced customer service, which has helped them achieve a distinct competitive advantage in this market. 7-Eleven has exploited the economies of scope of a customer relationship business by working with a broad range of product and service vendors to define new products and services tailored to the needs of their customers (www. edgeperspectives.typepad.com). Q.2 Use the internet to find the major competitors of 7 Eleven in Japan, the United States and other countries where 7 Eleven is active. Describe the competition faced by the company. 7 Eleven has convenience stores in Japan, Australia, Mexico, Taiwan, Singapore, Canada, the Philippines, Sweden, Denmark, South Korea, Thailand, Norway, Turkey, Malaysia, China and the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico (www.7-eleven.com). The following chart depicts the breath of 7 Eleven across its territories. In Japan the major competitors of 7 Eleven are Ministop and Circle K with 1700 (www.ministop.com.ph) and 3000 (www.circlek.com).stores respectively. Compared with the number of stores occupied by 7 Eleven (www.sej.co.jp) it could be concluded that the neither poses any real threat. Both provide very similar services to 7 Eleven including the provision of ready to eat food products, internet services and bill payment facilities (www.circlek.com and www.ministop.com). It is worth noting that Circle K is also a major competitor in Hong Kong. In North America two of the major competitors are B. P North American with 5166 stores including trading names such as AM/PM Mini Market, Amoco, Arco, BP, B Connect, BP Express and Shell Oil Company with 4907 stores (www.csnews.com/csn/images/pdf/CSN_2006_Top100_CStores_Chart.pdf). In Australia the two major competitors to 7 Eleven are Caltex with 566 stores and Coles Express with 595 stores (http://www.cstore.com.au/industry/acn/acn2006.pdf). In Australia both Caltex and Coles Express enjoy a higher market share than 7 Eleven. All of 7 Elevens competitors use management information systems to assist them with data collection and smooth management of their value chain. The evidence suggests that in Australia and North America, the biggest competitors are those that also provide petrol. In Australia this could be partially attributed to the incentive schemes offered by Coles Express and Caltex, providing a distinct competitive advantage that gets the customer through the door and whilst they are there they pick up their bread and milk and other last minute items. The difference could also be distinguishable due to a cultural difference between Japan and western nations such as Australia and North America. Unlike Australia and North America, Asia does not operate on a car dominated transport system. Due to high levels of congestion and inadequate roads, on the whole Asia does not compare with Australia or America in the car ownership stakes. (Moriaty, P, 2000, para.3) Australia has 522 passenger vehicles for every 1000 people in (www.abs.gov.au) the United States has 776 per 1000 population (http://www.unece.org/stats/trends2005/transport.htm) compared with 374 per 1000 population in Japan (Moriaty, P, 2000, para.6). Perhaps the difference in market domination can be attributed to the difference in a cultural need. 7 Eleven have managed to find the niche market in Japan but perhaps they have failed to recognise the key aspect of the consumer oriented decision making in Australia and America. Q3. Which of porters five forces are countered by the 7 Eleven system described here? With a large and varied operation base, 7-Eleven requires advanced business processes and information systems to keep ahead of rising customer expectations and an increasingly challenging business environment. To accomplish these goals, 7- Eleven maintains a business and technology alignment that produces strategy and tactics that are not only efficient and cost effective but are also capable of delivering competitive advantage. The system adopted by 7-Eleven has a consistent and predictable IT infrastructure, one that can adjust to capitalise on changes in the business environment. The Five Forces model of Porter is an outside-in business unit strategy tool that is used to make an analysis of the attractiveness (value) of an industry structure. The Competitive Forces analysis is made by the identification of 5 fundamental competitive forces; the following are countered by the strategic framework for 7-Eleven. Threat Of New Entrants The system adopted by 7-eleven maximizes the threat for new entrants the reason being that 7-Eleven has already reached economies of scale through maintaining a strong customer base and brand loyalty. The access to latest technology and capital investments in the same ensures that the barrier for entries for new entrants is huge .The chain also maintains a wide distribution channel thus the likelihood of retaliation from existing players is diminished. Bargaining Power of Suppliers With the implementation of inventory control systems such as JIT and production of customised products by specialized companies the supplier base is strong for 7-Eleven. However since these suppliers are not dominant they do not threaten to integrate forward into the industry, the reason being the product line is huge and few specific products do not dominate customer requirements. The broad range of products supplied has seen them forge sound relationships with a plethora of suppliers. Additionally they have achieved a level of horizontal integration with the creation of their own supply companies who make customised products under their own branding. Intensity of Rivalry 7-Eleven has emerged as a clear market leader in terms of competition with similar convenience stores because of its highly customer focused orientation and implementation of various information systems adding to its differentiation strategy. Rivalry is further reduced because of the switching costs buyers face with the presence of customised goods. The organisation does not possess high fixed costs and this discourages competitors from manufacturing with price cuts. Q.4 Which strategies of those suggested in the various frameworks are noticeable in this case? 7-Eleven Japan is thriving, owing largely to their digitized foundations, IT infrastructures and business processes that automate core capabilities. Building such foundations requires a sound operating model, a solid enterprise architecture, and IT engagement throughout the company. The company bases its business strategy on a retailer initiative. Each 7-Eleven store tailors its products and services to its neighborhood; the retailing environment is highly dynamic and complex. 7-Eleven Business Model The 7-Eleven business model consists of five key strategies: 1. A differentiated merchandising strategy; 2. utilisation of 7-Elevens retail information system; 3. managed distribution; 4. providing a convenient shopping environment; and 5. a unique franchise model (Stout J, 2005). Differentiated merchandising strategy. 7-Eleven offers a broad array of products, including many not traditionally available in convenience stores, to meet the needs of its customers. These products include high-quality fresh foods that are delivered daily to stores. In addition, the company sells a number of products that are developed specifically for its stores. Utilization of 7-Elevens retail information system. 7-Eleven was the first major convenience store chain in the United States to use an integrated set of retail information tools. Effective utilisation of the system is the foundation of the companys business model. Managed distribution. 7-Eleven works with its vendors and distributors to provide daily delivery of fresh food and other items to its stores, to lower the cost of delivery, and to shift deliveries to off-peak hours. Providing a convenient shopping environment. 7-Eleven seeks to provide its customers with a convenient, safe and clean store environment. The majority of 7-Eleven stores in the United States and Canada provide more than 6 million daily customers with 24-hour convenience, seven days a week. Unique franchise model. More than half of the 7-Eleven stores in the United States are operated by independent franchisees. The companys franchise model is different from most others because 7-Eleven owns or leases the stores and equipment used by its franchisees. In addition, the ongoing royalties that the company receives from its franchisees are based upon a percentage of store gross profit (Stout J, 2005). Apart from this The Just In Time approach for inventory management makes sure that the goods are delivered on time to the point of sales keeping the customer orientation strategy in mind. Q.5. Which business pressures are evident in this case? Retailing is a competitive market in Japan. As stated by Lohtia Subramaniam (2000), in 1994 Japan had 1.5 million retail stores. To put this into context, there were 12 retail stores per 1000 persons in Japan compared to six in USA. In the countries of western Europe, the number of establishments per 1,000 people was close to seven, (Tsuchiya Riethmuller, 1997). While this trend is slowly changing in Japan with the number of retailers declining, the number of convenience stores has been growing. In 1994 there was 48,405 convenience stores compared to 29,236 in 1985. In this same period 7-Eleven has grown from 2,651 stores in 1985 to 5,905 stores in 1994, up to 11,310 (as of February 28, 2006) (www.sej.co.jp, 2007). Low availability and high cost Japanese real estate has seen a trend of small food retail outlets across the country. In 1993, 28.3 per cent of stores had a selling area of under 20m2 and 89.2 per cent had a selling area of under 100m2, (Tsuchiya Riethmuller, 1997). In addition to the high competition the floor space to display and store stock is very limited in Japan. In contrast to the typical US distribution channel which is open, independent and margin-driven, Japanese distribution channels have typically been long, complicated networks where it was not uncommon to have as many as four layers of wholesalers. Such intricacy of the Japanese distribution channel is deeply rooted in the Japanese culture and socio-economic setting that underlies Japanese business customs (Min,1996). Wholesalers have long controlled the Japanese distribution channel through vertical integration, financial linkage, and reciprocity dealings. By the late 1980s 7-Eleven US was losing a lot of money, which continued through to the early 1990s. It was seen as a franchise system with retailers sharing little more than a common brand name with tired generic products. A lot of stores were not only performing badly, they looked run down and unappealing to the customer. Due to poor management of its supply the fresh foods where limited in range and often far from fresh. Pricing was inconsistent with high discounting on some lines and prohibitively high prices on others. It was viewed as a last resort rather than a convenience-shopping experience. 7-Eleven US had got itself into considerable debt and was bankrupt when it had to be rescued by its Japanese franchisee in 1991. Q.6. Which corporate response activities are evident in this case? The success of 7-Eleven Japan has set itself as a benchmark. Meyer-Ohl (2004) states that the perception of the convenience store in Japan is of being the most advanced form of Japanese retailing in having considerable success in merchandising backed up with comprehensive systems. The achievements of 7-Eleven have largely influenced this as it is the largest company and most other companies did not achieve the same level of profitability. 7-Eleven Japan has displayed strong growth and today it remains Japans most profitable retailer and has a market capitalisation that ranks it in the top three retailers in the world. It has achieved this despite the fact that the Japanese economy in the 1990s had been in deep recession and many retailers have seen major losses and faced incredible operating difficulties (Sparks, 2000). Japans success came from a customer driven merchandising system. Its implementation of a $200 million information system for its stores in the early 1990s. The purpose of this system was to (1) discover who their customers were and what they want and (2) create a sophisticated product tracking system, (Case Study). It based its operations around the information provided. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Relays its orders electronically to its distribution centres and suppliers directly from its point of sale system. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ 7-Eleven Japan has formed relationships with its suppliers that break the traditional Keiretsu networks of distribution, where wholesalers have had control of the relationship. It has formed strategic relationships with suppliers where it orders directly from them using a Just-in-Time approach. It has even created its own companies to manufacture customised products in response to its market trends. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Monitoring customer preferences from both the point of sale system and staff entering data about the customer as well as any requests customers make for products 7-Eleven doesnt have. This enables individual stores to change stock from slow moving lines. 70% of products are replaced each year. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Determining product mix and how much shelf space allocated to each product. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Rotating stock at least twice each day to suit purchasing trends of customers throughout the day. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Monitoring staff performance and rewarding high performers. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Quality control data is collected by a team of 200 inspectors regularly visiting the stores. This is entered into and analysed by a computerized decision support system at headquarters. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Expanding on its traditional convenience food, beverages and fuel type product offerings with, such as ATM, phones and phone cards, internet kiosks and even beer. As outlined by Sparks (2000), the Japanese model of convenience stores has been introduced to the United States. 7-Elevens core functions are managing the data on what its customers buy and honing its unique merchandising skills. 7-Elevens core business is merchandising the pricing, positioning and promotion of ready-to-eat food, snacks, fuel and sundries (Gottfredson Phillips, 2005). It improved its systems to enable it to control and make the most of critical capabilities such as stock price to key metrics like inventory turns. While sticking to its core competencies and some core products the Japanese model used market information for a localised approach at the store level in product offering. The slow but strategic changes for 7-Eleven US have been concentrated on the following elements: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Poorly located and performing stores have been closed. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The stores have been remodeled, with new designs and layouts. The remodeling has included the introduction of point of sale systems (POS). This enables a customer driven approach where using their feedback for product selection and development. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Offering a core range which is supplemented by products selected to meet local needs, stocking proprietary or exclusive products where possible. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Non-food products have been introduced including phone cards and phones as well as additional services through ATMs and trailing of a financial services centre. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Standardised pricing that is more competitive. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Re-positioning of the business to have fresh foods and convenience elements to meet modern consumer demands. Daily supply of many of these products through a reconstructed distribution and production chain. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The combination of new products of a high quality and found only in a 7-Eleven, and backed by trademark development and protection and a more focused advertising strategy is summarized in the companys first, best and only slogan. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The distribution system itself has been re-engineered and Combined Distribution Centres have been introduced to better manage the flow of products into the stores. A high level of control of the supply chain has been achieved. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ A high quality and advanced retail information system has been introduced, which closely resembles the model in Japan. Many of the business processes were operated manually for a long time to understand the critical elements driving the business. Now with the introduction of technology this process can move further ahead and can aid the store employment and management situation by freeing up staff time. This extra time will enable gathering market information. Q.7 Does the procedure of collecting customers information infringe on their privacy? Why or why not? Is it unethical? Should customers have the right to anonymity, or check that information collected on them is accurate? The procedure of collecting information about customers does not infringe on their privacy at all. The procedure is very simple and is done by observing customer behaviour and preferences in order to serve them better. It does not involve any sort of interviewing or interference with the customers. It is only an efficient way of running an organisation. As 7-Eleven is well aware of customer preferences and choices it makes it easy for them to make only those products available in ample quantities so as to serve the customers better. It is not at all unethical. Different customers have different choices. As per demography i.e. age, location. Thus 7-eleven keeps a perfect record of demand of products as per their age and location. At different times during a day different products are required by the customers. The information collected is purely from 7-Elevens point of view a way of serving them better. There would be no point of having products that do not match the customers need. So every store must be well aware of the demand of customers. If some customer questions the management as to why a particular product is always available and why some other product is not then in such a situation he can be given the reason of the information collected. Besides there is no reason for the customers to interfere with the 7-Eleven way of managing as it does not in any way infringe on their privacy. Q.8 Surf the Internet to find information about recent IT related initiatives of 7 Eleven, both in Japan and the United States. Relate them to gaining the strategic advantage. In its latest effort, 7-Elevens procurement staff have developed a tool that makes procurement productive and efficient. Its an automated system where procurement professionals can manage hundreds more requests for proposals (RFPs) and contracts per person. An important part of 7-Elevens procurement initiative is to encourage franchisees to use the new streamlined system and, ultimately, buy from recommended suppliers. Although franchisees can purchase from any convenience-product supplier, the new centralised system enables 7-Eleven to aggregate suppliers and items for consolidated negotiations (7Eleven news room, 2007). With a solid enterprise IT foundation in place, 7-Eleven has begun adding layers of advanced systems and functionalities to its industry-leading business process and technology strategy. Recent initiatives include a contact less payment option at POS to provide more convenience to 7-Elevens customers. Using radio-frequency (RF) technology, these systems enable customers to make quick and secure transactions by holding close to or tapping a reader with an RF-enabled credit card or alternative device, such as a key fob. All other aspects of the contact less payment process are handled in the same way as a traditional credit-card or debit-payment transaction (Anonymous, 2006). The contact less payment initiative has gone chain wide to 5,300 stores in the U.S. in 2006 in partnership with Chase with Blink, the MasterCard PayPass, American Express Express Pay and Visa Contactless systems. Authorisation is accomplished in seconds, and no signature is required for many purchases under $25, making this a speedy, easy, convenient and secure customer transaction. Contactless payment systems are often a first step by retailers into the emerging world of radio frequency identification (RFID), and this may be the case at 7- Eleven. We anticipate adding RFID technology to other products and services offered at 7-Eleven stores, adds Rick Updyke, 7-Elevens vice president of business development, to provide even convenience for consumers( Updyke R., 2006). Other Initiatives à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Increasing use of an integrated set of retail IT tools to analyze sales on individual items, sales trends and customer preferences to improve product assortment, eliminate slow-moving product from inventory, and increase same-store sales by developing new products, such as the new fresh-food offerings that attract new customers and increase transaction size. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Expanded use of Vcom, a proprietary multi-function, self-service kiosk that offers check-cashing, bill payment, money order, money transfer, pre-paid credit cards, ATM services and access to residential telephone services (Updyke R., 2006). Conclusion Through its long term involvement and study of the market along with its extensive information systems Seven-Eleven Japan has been characterised as a major innovator in convenience store operations. By its continual improvement and sustaining this over a long period of time it has resulted in significant growth. 7-Eleven has used continual improvement in its model of a customer focused information systems approach. 7-Eleven has succeeded in the essential steps for marketing management as outlined by Wen Peng (2002), market segmentation, market segment targeting, and design and implementation of marketing mix. It has used its information systems combining its POS and staff driven customer profiling to capture market trends to base its selection and stocking of products through to aiding its inventory management and Just-in-Time approach. 7- Elevens distinct competitive advantage can be attributed to the way the information management system links with the corporate strategy and the o perational strategies of logistics, merchandising and day to day store operations (http://www.worldscibooks.com/eastasianstudies/4981.html). From this it has gleaned efficiencies that enabled it to become the number one retailer in Japan at a time of fierce competition and poor economic conditions.

Manufacturing the Wonder Cab

We have been Informed that they are the ones who manufactured the wonder cab that Is much known to us as the three wheels cab. All materials needed for manufacturing vehicles are Imported from other countries Like Japan . Based on the accepted practice of other Aslant countries, after 4-5 years of usage of vehicles. Owners are obliged to replace their old with new ones.Given this scenario, he company imports them and makes some overhauling to come up with their product. Not all are second hand because they are also importing surplus but majority came from secondhand vehicles. All engines are subject to check up to assess the overhauling that must be done. Also, spare parts came from the country where the engine was made. There are three types of vehicles. These are the if. : commercial mini vans, serial types and the special units. Price ranges from PH 250,000 to PH 270,000. For special orders, a minimum of 50 units must be ordered.The parts assembly is the first stage in the prepara tion section. Here, wheels are attached to the engine body and subsequently aligned before engine overhauling. After that, these are checked by machinists for the body fabrication which includes painting, completion of necessary parts and its accessories. Final testing is done by the quality control department per finished product to maintain the quality of manufactured vehicles. Actually, the manufacturing of their product does not require so much labor because the people working there would not exceed.

Advanced Regents Diploma

At the outset, I would like to state that it is highly unusual for me to get such a grade. I have been a diligent and hardworking student my whole life. At the same time, I understand that there are certain learning curves and that as one moves up the academic ladder there are more challenges. One such challenge is that of High School, especially for one who sets high standards. I have always dreamed of obtaining the Advanced Regents Diploma. In order to accomplish such, I have had to take and pass several courses that are more difficult than the ones that are required for the Local Regent’s Diploma.I have had to pass the Math B2/B3 regents course, the math regent examination and the anxiety of having to meet and perhaps surpass my academic goals. I realize that the pursuit of such lofty goals is not an easy one and I have gladly taken this challenge on to myself. I have always believed in the value of a good education and have never been afraid to work hard for it. While it s ets me apart from everyone else in my class, it also presents novel obstacles. I do not regret this decision to take a more difficult path in life because I have chosen not to be average but to face the odds and achieve my goals.

How to Conjugate Rêver (to Dream) in French

How to Conjugate Rà ªver (to Dream) in French When you want to say she is dreaming or we dreamed in French, youll use the verb  rà ªver. Its a simple word to commit to memory, though youll also need to know its conjugations in order to place it into the present or past tense. A quick lesson will introduce you to the essential forms of  rà ªver  youll need. The Basic Conjugations of  Rà ªver Rà ªver is a regular -er verb, which means that its among the easiest French verb conjugations youll find. This group contains the majority of the languages verbs and applies the same endings to each verb stem. That makes each new word you study just a little easier than the previous one. The stem (or radical) of  rà ªver  is  rà ªv-. Knowing that, you can then use the chart to learn which ending needs to be applied to fit both the subject pronoun and the tense of your sentence. As an example,  je rà ªve  means I am dreaming and  nous rà ªverons  means we will dream. Present Future Imperfect je rve rverai rvais tu rves rveras rvais il rve rvera rvait nous rvons rverons rvions vous rvez rverez rviez ils rvent rveront rvaient The Present Participle of  Rà ªver Like all regular verbs, rà ªvers  present participle  is formed with an -ant  ending. This produces the word  rà ªvant, which may also become a noun or adjective in some situations. Rà ªver  in the Compound Past Tense The  passà © composà ©Ã‚  is a common compound past tense that uses the  past participle  rà ªvà ©Ã‚  to indicate that the act of dreaming has already happened. To form it, you will also need the  auxiliary verb avoir, which needs to be conjugated into the subjects present tense. This will result in short phrases such as  jai rà ªvà ©Ã‚  for I dreamt and  nous avons rà ªvà ©Ã‚  for we dreamt. More Simple Conjugations of  Rà ªver Among the other simple conjugations youll want to memorize for rà ªver are the subjunctive and the conditional. The former says the dreaming may or may not happen while the latter says its dependent on something else. If you do much reading or writing in French,  the passà © simple  and  the imperfect subjunctive  are definitely good to know. These are formal literary tenses that youll want to at least be able to recognize. Subjunctive Conditional Pass Simple Imperfect Subjunctive je rve rverais rvai rvasse tu rves rverais rvas rvasses il rve rverait rva rvt nous rvions rverions rvmes rvassions vous rviez rveriez rvtes rvassiez ils rvent rveraient rvrent rvassent The French imperative  is where all formality is dropped because its for quick and direct expressions. You also get to drop the subject pronoun when using it. Instead of  tu rà ªve, you can simplify it to  rà ªve. Imperative (tu) rve (nous) rvons (vous) rvez

The relationship between Petruchio and Katherina Essay Example

The relationship between Petruchio and Katherina Essay Example The relationship between Petruchio and Katherina Paper The relationship between Petruchio and Katherina Paper Essay Topic: The Taming Of the Shrew Act V Scene ii is the scene where we see the largest change between Katherinas and Petruchios relationship, where the both the scene and the entire play is ended by a long speech from Katherina which contradicts what she believed at the beginning of the play. Katherina seems to finally have been tamed by Petruchio and is willing to serve him as she now realises that thy husband is thy lord, they life, thy keeper, thy head, thy sovereign. The fact that when summoned by Petruchio she came, but to make it even more surprising is that she managed to bring along Bianca and the widow, both of whom had before refused to come. It is somewhat ironic that the last speech of the play, and Katherinas longest speech is about how women should appreciate men and she is lecturing the other women about men working hard so they can give their wives what they want, when throughout the play she had had the complete opposite opinion. She says that a husband should be thy lord, thy king, thy governor, all of these things being important people in the social hierarchy, and so making her point of the importance of a husband. Katherina even offers to place her hands beneath Petruchios feet in token of his duty; something that it is doubtful she would have done at the beginning of the play. Throughout the play there is also a use of imagery of hunting and animals and in Shakespearian times hunting was thought of as being aristocratic, particularly hawking (hunting using birds of prey). In the play Petruchio symbolises the hunter, and Katherina symbolises the hawk, so through this Katherina is seen as being inferior to Petruchio, as the hawk would be inferior to the hunter. Hunters would have to tame their hawk in similar ways which Petruchio tamed Katherina. We can see this imagery in many parts of the play where particularly Petruchio makes references to hunting, for example V ii Petruchio says, Ill venture so much of my hawk or hound, but twenty times so much upon my wife. This shows Petruchios confidence in the fact that he has managed to tame Katherina, as he is willing to twenty times more on her than he would on a hawk or hound, and in the end his trust in Katherina does of course pay off. The relationship between Katherina and Petruchio completely changes by the end of the play. It is subtly developed over time, through which we can see Katherina ever so slowly warms to Petruchio, until in Act V Scene ii Katherina shows her gratitude to Petruchio, and finally is tamed. Petruchio tried taming Katherina since the very beginning, doing many things such as starving her, depriving her of sleep, and making her go against her own judgment, in order to turn the feisty and aggressive shrew into a good, respectful wife. Petruchios quick wit and sometimes aggressive behaviour is kept throughout the play, which allows Petruchio to control Katherina and declare a form of authority over her. In Act 5 Scene 2, the last scene, it seems as though he may by less overpowering by saying, Come on and kiss me, Kate, which suggests perhaps love for her, or at least more respect now that she has changed from being a shrew, to a more agreeable woman.

Causes of building collapes Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Causes of building collapes - Term Paper Example Three of the main causes of buildings’ collapse are; faulty design of structures by incompetent engineers, overloading of structures, and natural disasters. Considering faulty design as a cause for building collapse, the most common areas of defects include architectural design defects, civil design defects, construction-drawing defects, defects caused by consultant firm consultants as well as staff, and defects resulting from construction materials among others (Assaf et al., 1996). Among the main causes of defects, design defect is the second most severe from failure to select the most appropriate materials implying that design is at the top of the reasons behind building collapses. The defects that may result due to civil design may be caused by factors that include failure to provide adequate structure movement provision and ignoring other critical considerations that incorporate effects resulting from environmental aggression, weather situations, biological effects, soil condition variations, effects of the wind on structure, and load impact on the structure. Architectural defects that may be blamed for leading to building collapse s include failure to relate exterior materials with anticipated climatic conditions, narrow stairs, and failure to consider the local climate when designing the exterior shape. Maintenance practicality as well as adequacy may result in design defects through failure to consider exit equipment for the maintenance workers, deciding to design permanent fixtures instead of having removable ones, which are convenient when maintaining, and failure to consider maintenance in its entirety (Assaf et al., 1996). Construction drawing may lead to the development of dangerous faults due to lack of details, the existence of conflicting details, and lack of references that are critical in determining the success of the anticipated construction design. Considering the consultant firm administration, the main faults that may

Internet Tools as Dirt Bikes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Internet Tools as Dirt Bikes - Essay Example This information is very instrumental in strategizing the business operations and products. Internet tools are one powerful way of achieving a good level of communication in an organization. How Dirt Bikes could benefit from intranets for sales and marketing, human resources, and manufacturing and production Callaghan (2002) defines intranets as private networks created by organisations using the web technology and the internet networking standards. They create networked applications that are able to run on several types of computers in the organisation including wireless devices that can have remote access and handheld computers. In this way, intranets can be said to provide access to data across an organisation. An intranet can be utilised by the employees of an organisation like Dirt Bikes for human resources, sales and marketing, and production and marketing. Sales and marketing Intranets can help to improve the level of communication between an organisation and its authorised distributors or clients or customers. This can be achieved by linking the computers of customers who have a web browser to the company’s network. This encourages authorised customers of a company to make orders or inquiries about the products of the company. This is because intranets enable the employees of a company to access information from any part of the organisation and hence respond immediately and accurately to the inquiries or needs of their customers (Laudon and Laudon. 2009). This is unlike following long procedures of written requests or face-to-face inquiries. With improved links and access to the company website, these buyers will be able to get timely information regarding the company’s new products, their features and costs. It also eases the process in which the company communicates about its new products to the authorised buyers or distributors. Improved sales can be attained if a company is able to provide customised services to its customers. By utilising the improved communication afforded by the intranet, the employees of Dirt Bikes will be able to respond immediately to product preferences of its various customers. For example, a customer may want an exchange of the brand of motor cycle delivered to them or those found in the distributor stalls. This makes business with the company a memorable one. Superior customer experience encourages repeated business with the company (Laudon and Laudon. 2009). Human resources Intranet increases the level of human resource management and utilisation in a company. Increased human resource management can be achieved by posting benefits information and employee manual on the intranet. This reduces the time spend by the human resource managers of the Dirt Bikes in answering employee questions. It also increases response to employee concerns. Callaghan (2002) explains that intranet facilitates teleconferencing and enables the workers of a company to work together. For example, the human resource manager is able to discuss employee or corporate issues with company employees through the intranet. Employees are also able to communicate with one another with an aim of seeking help or clarifications from each other concerning production. Due to uniformity in information received by all employees, a company is able to cultivate and foster a corporate culture among all its employees. The intranet will also increase the level to which Dirt Bikes utilises its human