Executive Privilege essays

Executive Privilege essays The term executive privilege is defined by the Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition (2001) as the "exemption of the executive branch of government, or its officers, from having to give evidence, specifically, in U.S. law, the exemption of the president from disclosing information to congressional inquiries or the judiciary." That's a fairly broad definition because there is no explanation of what information need not be disclosed, and, in fact, determining that has often been a matter for the courts. The same source notes that claims of executive privilege are usually invoked to protect confidential or diplomatic operations and may also be involved to protect the private discussions between the president and his close aides. Although the courts have been inclined to support claims of executive privilege, those claims are often not honored when it is a case that is or might become criminal, such as that of President Richard M. Nixon invoking executive privilege after the Watergate break-in. Another area that often causes the courts to refuse claims of executive privilege is when an investigation is leading toward an impeachment, as with Bill Clinton. (Columbia Encyclopedia, 2001) The way the claim of executive privilege is being used during the Bush administration makes it seem that the concept is little more than the Fifth Amendment for those in high political office regarding what they've done that the American public might have a legitimate need to know. In short, the way it has been invoked lately has made it appear that the administration wants some protection from self-incrimination. While many observers note that the Bush administration operates in secrecy, a report a year and a half ago in Presidential Studies Quarterly noted that "even before September 11, 2001, the administration had sought to limit press and public access to some information, includin...

A Brief History of the Pledge of Allegiance

A Brief History of the Pledge of Allegiance The U.S. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag was written in 1892 by then 37-year-old minister Francis Bellamy. The original version of Bellamy’s pledge read, â€Å"I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic, for which it stands,- one nation, indivisible- with liberty and justice for all.† By not specifying to which flag or which republic allegiance was being pledged, Bellamy suggested that his pledge could be used by any country, as well as the United States. Bellamy wrote his pledge for inclusion in the Boston-published Youths Companion magazine – â€Å"The Best of American Life in Fiction Fact and Comment.† The pledge was also printed on leaflets and sent to schools throughout the United States at the time. The first recorded organized recital of the original Pledge of Allegiance took place on Oct. 12, 1892, when some 12 million American school children recited it to commemorate the 400-year anniversary of the voyage of Christopher Columbus. Despite its widespread public acceptance at the time, important changes to the Pledge of Allegiance as written by Bellamy were on the way. Change In Consideration of Immigrants By the early 1920s, the first National Flag Conference (source of the U.S. Flag Code), the American Legion, and the Daughters of the American Revolution all recommended changes to the Pledge of Allegiance intended to clarify its meaning when recited by immigrants. These changes addressed concerns that since the pledge as then written failed to mention the flag of any specific country, immigrants to the United States might feel that they were pledging allegiance to their native country, rather than the U.S., when reciting the Pledge. So in 1923, the pronoun â€Å"my† was dropped from the pledge and the phrase â€Å"the Flag† was added, resulting in, â€Å"I pledge allegiance to the Flag and Republic, for which it stands,- one nation, indivisible- with liberty and justice for all.† A year later, the National Flag Conference, in order to completely clarify issue, added the words â€Å"of America,† resulting in, â€Å"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands,- one nation, indivisible- with liberty and justice for all.† Change in Consideration of God In 1954, the Pledge of Allegiance underwent its most controversial change to date. With the threat of Communism looming, President Dwight Eisenhower pressed Congress to add the words â€Å"under God† to the pledge.   In advocating for the change, Eisenhower declared it would â€Å"reaffirm the transcendence of religious faith in America’s heritage and future† and â€Å"strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country’s most powerful resource in peace and war.† On June 14, 1954, in a Joint Resolution amending a section of the Flag Code, Congress created the Pledge of Allegiance recited by most Americans today: â€Å"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.† What About Church and State? Over the decades since 1954, there have been legal challenges to the constitutionality of the inclusion of â€Å"under God† in the pledge. Most notably, in 2004, when an avowed atheist sued the Elk Grove (California) Unified School District claiming that its pledge recital requirement violated his daughter’s rights under the First Amendment’s Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses. In deciding the case of Elk Grove Unified School District v. Newdow, the U.S.  Supreme Court failed to rule on the question of the words â€Å"under God† violating the First Amendment. Instead, the Court ruled that the plaintiff, Mr. Newdow, did not have legal standing to file the suit because he lacked sufficient custody of his daughter. However, Chief Justice William Rehnquist and Justices Sandra Day O’Connor and Clarence Thomas wrote separate opinions on the case, stating that requiring teachers to lead the Pledge was constitutional. In 2010, two federal appeals courts ruled in a similar challenge that â€Å"the Pledge of Allegiance does not violate the Establishment Clause because Congress’ ostensible and predominant purpose was to inspire patriotism† and â€Å"both the choice to engage in the recitation of the Pledge and the choice not to do so are entirely voluntary.†Ã‚   Pledge of Allegiance Timeline September 18, 1892: Francis Bellamy’s pledge is published in â€Å"The Youths Companion† magazine to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America. October 12, 1892: The pledge is first recited in American schools.  Ã‚   1923: The original wording â€Å"my Flag† is replaced by â€Å"the flag of the United States of America.† 1942: The pledge is officially recognized by the U.S. government. 1943: The U.S. Supreme Court rules that requiring a person to say the pledge is a violation of the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution.   June 14, 1954: At the request of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Congress adds â€Å"under God† to the pledge. 1998: Atheist Michael Newdow files suit against the school board of Broward County, Florida to get the phrase under God removed from the pledge. The suit is dismissed. 2000: Newdow files a lawsuit against Elk Grove Unified School District in California arguing that forcing students to listen to the words under God† is a violation of the First Amendment. The case reaches the Supreme Court in 2004, where it is dismissed. 2005: Joined by parents in the Sacramento, California, area, Newdow files a new lawsuit seeking to have the phrase under God from the Pledge of Allegiance. In 2010, the 9th Circuit US Court of Appeals denies Newdow’s appeal finding that the pledge does not represent a government endorsement of religion, as prohibited by the Constitution. May 9, 2014: The Massachusetts Supreme Court rules that because reciting the Pledge of Allegiance is a patriotic, rather than a religious, exercise, saying the words â€Å"under God† does not discriminate against atheists.

Wheatley Park Hotel Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Wheatley Park Hotel - Essay Example Consultations with all the stake holders was emphasised to garner why the hotel continues to suffer unremitting losses. The status of the facilities and equipment used in the hotel was also considered as there were complaints that the facilities were not well maintained. The loyalty of the employees was also ascertained to determine whether there was a tendency of negligence and lack of endeavour among the long serving staff. Other stakeholders consulted included the suppliers, contractors and most significantly the customers whereby the latter were encouraged to openly comment on their visit with a special emphasis on long time clients. From my consultations with the stakeholders and professionals in various fields of hotel and construction business, we have come up with a report that we hope will reverse the negative trend currently prevailing at Wheatley Park. The synopsis is that a substantial reinvestment or injection of funds is required to renovate the rundown facilities while converting others into money making ventures. In terms of employee relations, a revamping of the operations and motivation is required through staff training. The hotel policies also need to be changed to reflect the expected new position. As a the new CEO, my brief is to ensure the hotel’s reverses its slow sales and development and resume its rightful place as a reputable, profitable enterprise that will regain and enhance its former glory in the hospitality business. Am therefore obliged to use my considerable experience acquired from working at all levels of the hospitality industry initially at Grand Cosmopolitan, London Regency, and lately at the Midlands Court hotel to initiate a series of reforms as outlined below that will lead to a change of fortunes at Wheatley Park Hotel. The Wheatley Park is prime a 100 bed roomed country hotel situated on the outskirts of Oxford.

Design and Operation of Logistics Systems Assignment

Design and Operation of Logistics Systems - Assignment Example Savings in logistics cost accrue from reduced inventory levels, making it possible to close facilities, thus, promoting centralisation of distribution. It further reduces the need to keep stock at many warehouses, thus, bringing a shift in the role of such facilities from stock keeping to distribution (Higginson & Bookbinder 2005). Management of Gerrard Laboratories was also thinking on the same lines by planning to close Cologne facility not just because it could serve the Cologne warehouse customers from the Brussels plant at Belgium but because the competitor company was serving the European market with fewer warehouses than Gerrard Laboratories. Serving the Cologne customer base from the Brussels plant, the largest and the oldest one, from the management and manufacturing perspective seemed more pertinent as the Brussels manufacturing plant had been producing 25 items out of the total 35 products. The given situation indicates that it is more practical to serve the Cologne area f rom the Brussels plant. From sales operations perspective also, Gerrard’s 90% customers had been retailers; only 10% formed the industrial customers. Further, there was no seasonal change in the demand of the company products. Hence, it is expected that Gerrard should manage distribution to hospital customers satisfactorily from the Brussels plant. Another aim of distribution centres has been to attend to customer needs, which a great number of researchers have analysed. Increased communication and transportation have further minimised the requirement of warehouses and distribution centres (Higginson & Bookbinder 2005). Examining Gerrard on the communication and transportation parameters for client servicing, Gerrard has been handling its logistics functions on traditional practices. Other than its own 4 plants and 14 warehouses, it had been sharing warehousing space of 23 other grocery products and services companies, not wholly occupying the total offered space. So far the practice of one-shot billing system with variable cost of manufacturing coming to 80% of the total cost could be a reasonable ratio but annual or maximum period of 2 years for contract renewal with the warehousing service providers could be the deterrent; it carried the impending risk of increased inventory cost annually. That’s why Gerrard senior management had been focussing more on closing the Cologne facility (Case Study). Financially, it would be a good decision to close the Cologne warehouse as shipments from Netherland to Brussels would not be charged with any additional freight rate. The new weighted-average rates for taking the goods from Brussels plant to the Cologne customers through another trucking company are quite competitive as the trucking company has expressed its desire for reducing the rates for less-than truck loads (LTL). It has offered 100 square meters of its Cologne terminal space for transit storage without charging extra, which is a big plus-point. The local delivery rates for TL per case would come to â‚ ¬0.58 and for LTL only marginally higher. Rate for at least 40% shipped goods would be highly competitive. Gerrard would be in a position to save revenue on this count and also by getting goods delivered via the Netherland without incurring extra cost in comparison to goods delivered v

Extra Credit for Reflective Essay Essay Example for Free

Extra Credit for Reflective Essay Essay My writing is nowhere near what I would consider good. I am the only one to blame. As I previously stated in other class assignments, I dropped out of high school in the middle of ninth grade. Ever since then, I never did any sort of writing, unless it was for work. Instead of working on my writing and education in general these past 6 years, I have been ignoring the fact that being educated will get me further in life and help me live more comfortably. What pushed me get back into school was the birth of my daughter as well as my interest in becoming a police officer. Aside from my horrible credit history, I knew from the start that my writing needs improvement if I even want to get through the screening process for new hires. In class, I realized how much there is to writing certain texts. Specially with essays, there was terms mentioned that I was not thought with or I just simply forgot about them. Learning grammar was of great help to me as I see grammar as my biggest weakness when it comes to writing. I specifically remember the presentation about proper usage on the apostrophe, because I was guilty on using it incorrectly with plural nouns. What I would have liked, however, is that grammar should have been taught not by the students, but by the professor. Some of the presentations seemed very important and essential to writing but they were not all clear to understand. Others had good information but it was hard for me to keep interest as the speaker read line after line of text of what seemed to be copy and paste definitions. Aside from that minor flaw, I thought the class was good overall. I just wish I had more free time so I can take  another class that supersedes this one. If I get thru the hiring process, I will have to be a good writer as police officers have to generate many accurate reports throughout their work day. Since incorrect grammar can completely change the meaning of something, I do not want it to be my weakest link when it comes to my law enforcement career. Especially since being a bad writer is correctable. Whether I take another class or buy a  book on grammar, I will attempt to improve it. Even if its a little at a time. As long as I am moving forward and not backwards, my future looks brighter than before I got back into school.

Spanning Two Decade?s:The 50?s to the 60?s Essay -- essays research pa

Spanning Two Decade’s: The 50’s to the 60’s Similar? Or Distinctly different? â€Å"The postwar years are remembered as a time of affluence, consumerism, conformity, and stability, a time when American enjoyed an optimistic faith in progress and technology.†(Heretta, pg.779) These words best describe the decade that Americas experienced in the 1950’s. It was age of dad’s always-right attitude and a culture that was family centered. The standard of living for American’s was the best in the world. The times just looked to perfect lives were lived to privately. This private enjoyment was centered on the family, leisure, and consumerism. Soon everyone tried to become to â€Å"Leave it to Beaver† type of family and culture exploded. The explosion is what everyone considers to be the 1960’s. Kids that grew up in the fifties were becoming teenagers. The pressures from their parents turned the sixties generation onto conceptual thoughts and radical behavior. This affected the ideals of politics, racial/gender discrimination, a nd family values. The differences between the fifties and the sixties are extremely evident but you must closely sort through the decade to find the definite similarities. The similarities and differences come in many political values, and behaviors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What does the word â€Å"consensus† refers to? â€Å"It is the conformity to social norms, authority, and the status quo.† (Henretta, pg. 790) It best refers to the decade of the 1950’s, where families were attempting to escape into â€Å"old home grown† households, away from the Red Scare, and out of the corporate jungle. To do this, these families flocked to the suburban area. Early in the fifties a massive â€Å"Baby Boom† occurred. With the high birth rate the need for churches caused the ideas affluence, consumption and conformity to swell in importance. With the war in the past, the fifties generation looked towards the church. Families started to make Sundays a priority in their lives. â€Å"Church membership rose from 49 percent of the population in 1940 to 69 percent in 1960†(Henretta,792). All denominations from Catholics to Jews rose in membership. Even separation between church and state became less define when in 1956 they added â€Å"In God We Trust† to coins and â€Å"Under God† in the pledge of allegiance. One of the major use of religion was not only to reach savior but also to help deal with th... ...onfidence. From Washington's perspective, the principal threat to U.S. security and world peace was monolithic, dictatorial communism emanating from the Soviet Union. Any communist, at home or abroad, was, by definition, and enemy of the United States. Drawing an analogy with the unsuccessful appeasement of fascist dictators before World War II, the Truman administration believed that the United States and its allies must meet any sign of communist aggression quickly and forcefully. This reactive policy was known as containment. The idea of containment was very similar to the McCarthyism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The fifties and sixties signified two decades of affluence, consumerism, and conformity while wading through the changing of society . Teenage counter-culture, religion, politics, communism, and social views became pivotal views of expression during this time. You must observe all these assets to draw a valid conclusion of your own, but to collected facts that have been presented have graciously swayed one way. The difference between is the fifties and the sixties are extremely evident, but you must closely sort through the decade to find the definite similarities.

Internet mini case Essay

Williams-Sonoma (WSM) was a specialty retailer of products for the home. The company’s products were sold through two channels: the retail channel and the direct-to-customer channel. The retail segment comprised four retail concepts: Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, and Hold Everything. The direct-to-customer segment sold though eight retail catalogs: Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, Pottery Barn Bed + Bath, PB Teen, Hold Everything, West Elm, and Williams-Sonoma Home (which incorporated elements from the previously separate Chambers) as well as through four e-commerce sites. The catalogs reached customers throughout the United States, and the four retail businesses operated 522 stores in 42 states and Washington, DC. The retail segment accounted for 58.9% of total sales; the direct-to-customer segment accounted for 41.1% in fiscal 2003. Charles E. Williams, Director Emeritus of the company in 2003, founded Williams-Sonoma in 1956 to offer high-end culinary and serving equipment in an upscale retail environment. The company entered the direct-to-customer channel in 1972, with the introduction of its flagship catalog, â€Å"A Catalog for Cooks,† which marketed the Williams-Sonoma brand. In 1983, the company internally developed the Hold Everything catalog to offer innovative and stylish storage solutions for home and home office. The success of the catalog led to the opening of the first Hold Everything retail store in 1985. In 1986, the company acquired Pottery Barn, at that time a marginally successful retailer and direct-to-customer merchant featuring a large assortment of casual home furnishings and accessories including furniture, lamps and lighting fixtures, rugs, window treatments, linens, dinnerware, and glassware. In 1989, Williams-Sonoma created Chambers, a direct-to-customer merchandiser of high-quality, premium-priced linens, towels, robes, soaps, and accessories for bed and bath. This case was prepared by Professor Maryanne M. Rouse, MBA, CPA, University of South Florida. Copyright  © 2005 by Professor Maryanne M. Rouse. This case cannot be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the copyright holder, Maryanne M. Rouse. Reprint permission is solely granted to the publisher, Prentice Hall, for the books, Strategic Management and Business Policy – 10th and 11th Editions (and the International version of this book) and Cases in Strategic Management and Business Policy – 10th Edition by the copyright holder, Maryanne M. Rouse. This case was edited for SMBP and Cases in SMBP – 10th Edition. The copyright holder is solely responsible for case content. Any other publication of the case (translation, any form of electronics or other media) or sold (any form of partnership) to another publisher will be in violation of copyright law, unless Maryanne M. Rouse has granted an additional written reprint permission. In early 1999, the company launched both its Williams-Sonoma Internet wedding and gift registry web site and its Williams-Sonoma e-commerce site. Later that year, the company launched a separate Pottery Barn Kids catalog to offer well-made, stylish children’s furniture and decorative accessories. (Pottery Barn Kids was one of the first concepts to market in what is expected to be a major growth segment during the next decade, as birthrates in the United States. are expected to surpass rates achieved at any time in the past 30 years. Birthrates among older women are soaring, and older moms tend to be wealthier and more willing to splurge on their children.) Pottery Barn Kids stores were opened adjacent to Pottery Barn stores across the United States, and by September 2004, there were 78 stores. Edward Mueller, Williams-Sonoma CEO, expected Pottery Barn Kids to be the primary growth vehicle for the company over the next several years. Williams-Sonoma launched its Pottery Barn web site and created a separate Pottery Barn Bed + Bath catalog in 2000. In 2001, the company added a Pottery Barn Kids web site, and a Pottery Barn online gift and bridal registry, and it opened five new retail stores in Toronto, Ontario. In line with its related diversification growth strategy, Williams-Sonoma tested a new catalog in summer 2002, under the West Elm brand. This new brand targeted young, design-conscious customers seeking to furnish first homes/apartments/lofts with quality furniture and accessories at affordable price points. West Elm product categories included furniture, decorative accessories, and an extensive textiles collection. In 2003, Williams-Sonoma expanded its catalog mailings for West Elm, added a web site, and opened its first retail store. Williams-Sonoma launched PB Teen with a catalog and web site in late April 2003. PB Teen was intended to fill the market space between Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids with hip, exclusively designed furniture, rugs, lighting, bedding, and accessories promoted with its catalog, interactive web site, special sales campaigns, and contests. The company’s newest concept, Williams-Sonoma Home, was introduced in third quarter 2004 to tap into what company Chairman William H. Lester noted had been an empty space between the Pottery Barn demographic and designer home furnishings. Lester hoped to position this brand extension as an upscale furniture concept that would be more classic and less fashion-forward than Pottery Barn. Dave DeMattei, Williams-Sonoma’s President of Emerging Brands, noted that the look of casual elegance was â€Å"aspirational,† using an industry term for a product that helps a consumer trade up without necessarily spending top dollar. This new home collection, put together by Steven Brady, former President for Home Design at Ralph Lauren Home, featured down-plumped sofas ranging from $2,200 to $5,800 and $3,000 leather headboards as well as crystal lamps, cashmere throws, and the upscale linens formerly featured in the company’s Chambers catalog. (The company planned to fold the Chambers catalog into the Williams-Sonoma Home catalog.) Although some industry watchers questioned whether consumers would be willing to buy somewhat pricey furnishing sight-unseen, the company’s alliances with decorators, who would get trade discounts, were expected to help overcome initial resistance. The first Williams-Sonoma Home retail stores were expected to open early in 2 005. Retail Stores As of September 2004, Williams-Sonoma operated a total of 522 retail stores located in 42 states, the District of Columbia, and Toronto, Ontario: 242 Williams-Sonoma, 176 Pottery Barn, 82 Pottery Barn Kids, 7 Hold Everything, 1 West Elm, and 14 outlet stores. The company leased rather than owned its retail space. As of September 2004, the company’s gross leased square feet totaled 4,292,000, with 2,705,000 â€Å"selling† square feet. Lease terms ranged from 3 to 23 years. The average square feet per retail location increased from 7,660 in 2002 to 8,200 by August 2004, as the company replaced older, smaller Pottery Barn stores with larger stores carrying a wider variety of merchandise, including furniture. Direct-to-Customer Operations The direct-to-customer segment sold a variety of products through eight catalogs and e-commerce web sites. The company sent its catalogs to addresses from its proprietary customer lists as well as to names it received in exchange (or purchases) from other mail-order merchandisers, magazines, and other companies. The direct-to-customer business complemented the retail business by building customer awareness of the brand and acting as an effective promotional vehicle. Williams-Sonoma also used its catalogs and e-commerce sites as a cost-efficient means of testing market acceptance of new products. As of 2004, of the eight merchandising concepts, the Pottery Barn brand and its extensions had been the major source of sales growth in this segment for the previous several years. A good deal of Pottery Barn’s success was attributed to its ability to create a â€Å"lifestyle brand.† A brand gained â€Å"lifestyle† status via style, innovation, and appeal to customers who wanted to lead a particular style of life; in short, it allowed the company to reach a higher level in terms of the connection it made with the customer. Facilities/Locations Williams-Sonoma leased centralized distribution facilities in Olive Branch, Mississippi (2,152,000 square feet), and Memphis, Tennessee (1,515,000 square feet), and call centers in Las Vegas, Oklahoma City, and Camp Hill, Pennsylvania (approximately 36,000 square feet in each location). Distribution centers served both the company’s retail locations and fulfillment operations. The company also leased office, warehouse, design/photo studio, and data center space in California, New York, and Florida. In February, Williams-Sonoma purchased headquarters offices in San Francisco. Suppliers The company’s sourcing strategy included relationships with manufacturers in over 40 countries. Approximately 58% of merchandise purchases were from non-U.S. vendors, most of which were located in Europe and Asia. Substantially all of the company’s foreign purchases of merchandise were negotiated and paid for in U.S. dollars. Any event causing a sudden disruption or delay of imports from foreign vendors, including the imposition of additional import restrictions, restrictions on the transfer of funds and/or increased tariffs or quotas, or both, against home-centered items could increase the cost or reduce merchandise availability. No supplier accounted for more than 4% of Williams-Sonoma’s total purchases. Finance In fiscal 2003 (fiscal year ended February 1, 2004), Williams-Sonoma reported a 16.7% increase in net revenues over the prior year, the highest pretax operating margin and earnings per share in the company’s history and an increasing return on assets. Williams-Sonoma’s profit for the quarter ended August 1, 2004, jumped 55% as sales surged at the company’s Pottery Barn and outlet stores. Revenue for second quarter 2004 increased 19%, to $689.6 million, with direct-to-customer sales up an impressive 27%. Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids drove second quarter retail growth with same-store sales increases of 10.2%; however, same-store sales at the company’s Williams-Sonoma stores slid 1.6%. The closing price for Williams-Sonoma stock on October 14, 2004, was $36.33. (Note: Williams-Sonoma’s annual and quarterly reports and SEC filings are available via the company’s web site, www.williams-sonomainc.com, and www.wsj.com ) The Industry The specialty retail business was highly competitive and characterized by a number of challenges, including: Anticipating and quickly responding to changing consumer demands Maintaining favorable brand recognition and effectively marketing products to consumers in diverse market segments Developing innovative, high-quality products in colors and styles that appealed to consumers of varying age groups and tastes Competitively pricing products and achieving customer perception of value Providing strong and effective marketing support Specialty retail exhibited the low entry barriers characteristic of fragmented industries, barriers that may be all but eliminated with the increased popularity of the Internet. Favored products for online shopping included computers, books, CDs, electronics, toys, and housewares. Over time, industry analysts expected catalog retailing to merge with e-tailing as web sites become electronic catalogs. For successful companies with strong brand names, the combination of stores and web sites would be a powerful one; however, expenditures for e-commerce sites would hurt profitability in the short run. Competitors Williams-Sonoma’s specialty retail stores, mail-order catalogs, and Internet web sites competed with other retail stores, other mail-order catalogs, and other e-commerce web sites that marketed similar lines of merchandise. The company competed with national, regional, and local businesses as well as traditional furniture stores, department stores and specialty stores. The substantial sales growth in the direct-to-customer industry within the past decade had encouraged both the entry of new competitors and an increase in competition from established companies. Direct competitors included such national companies as Crate & Barrel, Restoration Hardware, Pier 1 Imports, and Bombay Company, as well as regional companies such as the Door Store, Rolling Pin Kitchen Emporium, Home Elements, and Expressions. Crate & Barrel A counterculture story of the 1960s, Crate & Barrel opened its first store in Chicago’s Old Town in 1962 and mailed its first catalog in 1967. Privately held Crate & Barrel prided itself on designing beautiful store displays that were difficult to copy and worked diligently to find products from smaller, out-of-the way factories that made beautiful products that consumers could afford. Although the company had significantly fewer brick-and-mortar locations (84 retail and outlet stores) than the Williams-Sonoma retail concepts with which it competed, Crate & Barrel marketed nationwide via its catalogs and web site. Restoration Hardware Restoration Hardware grew from just 20 stores in 1997 to 104 at the end of 2001, barely 37 behind Pottery Barn in brick-and-mortar locations; however, the company had had a difficult time managing growth. Its aggressive expansion between 1998 and 2000 cost it two years of profits and sank the value of its stock to as low as $.50 a share in December 2000, from $37 a share in 1998, the year it went public. The closing price for its stock on May 19, 2002, was $10.19. Both Restoration Hardware and Pottery Barn sold high-dollar, vintage-style furniture and home furnishings and had many other characteristics in common, including significant growth in direct-to-customer sales. Industry observers estimated that while Pottery Barn targeted the wealthiest 20% of Americans, Restoration Hardware targeted the wealthiest 10%. Whimsical nostalgia had been a big seller for Restoration Hardware for several years, with such items as retro tools, steamer chairs that could have come straight from the set of Titanic, shot glasses decorated with optometrists’ eye charts, and down-filled â€Å"foot duvets† proving hugely popular with shoppers. Restoration Hardware’s not-so-secret weapon in the battle for upscale customers could well have been Gary Friedman. In spring 2001, Friedman, who managed Pottery Barn’s explosive growth in the 1990s, was named CEO of Restoration Hardware after having been passed over for the top job at Williams-Sonoma. Pier 1 Imports Pier 1 Imports comprised three chains of retail stores operating under the names Pier 1 Imports, The Pier, and Cargo. Products offered included a wide variety of furniture, decorative home furnishings, dining and kitchen goods, bath and bedding, and other specialty items for the home. During the fiscal year ended February 28, 2004 (fiscal 2003), it operated 1,015 Pier 1 stores in the United States and 68 Pier 1 stores in Canada, and it also supported 8 franchised stores in the United States. In addition, it operated 29 stores located in the United Kingdom under the name The Pier and 40 Cargokids stores located in the United States. Pier 1 also supplied merchandise, and it licensed the Pier 1 Imports name to Sears Mexico and Sears Puerto Rico, which sold Pier 1 merchandise in a store-within-a-store format in 20 Sears Mexico stores and in 7 Sears Puerto Rico stores. The Bombay Company The Bombay Company’s retail stores and catalog emphasized classic traditional furniture, wall decor, and accessories. Furniture included both wood and metal ready-to-assemble furniture designed for the bedroom, living room, dining room, and home office. Functional and decorative accessories included lamps, jewelry, baskets, candles, scents, ceramics, frames, and desktop items. Wall decor included prints and mirrors. On January 31, 2004, the company operated 415 stores in 42 states and 56 stores in 9 Canadian provinces, as well as 46 outlet stores. The company viewed the outlets as an opportunity to increase sales to a different customer base, to assist in the orderly clearance of merchandise, and to further capitalize on its strength in designing and sourcing proprietary products. Accessories, the broadest category offered by the company, accounted for 43% of sales in 2003, while large furniture accounted for 31%, and ready-to-assemble products 14%, with wall decor accounting for the remaining 12%. Door Store The privately held Door Store operated nine retail locations in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Its products included contemporary and traditional case goods and upholstered furniture; it competed with both Pottery Barn and Hold Everything. The company’s product strategy was to anticipate trends in furniture and to make quality furniture available to style-conscious customers at â€Å"prices almost too good to be true.† The Door Store also marketed via its web site and shipped nationwide. Rolling Pin Kitchen Emporium This privately held franchise kitchen and housewares concept, with headquarters in Little Rock, Arkansas, had store locations in regional and upscale malls in Arkansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida. In addition to retail sales, the company marketed nationwide via catalogs and its web site. The Rolling Pin competed with Williams-Sonoma. Other Competitors Other competitors across retail concepts included local and regional furniture and specialty stores, department stores, and direct-ship manufacturers. Williams-Sonoma’s expansion from the kitchen into the rest of the home with its flagship brand via the new Williams-Sonoma Home concept was expected to reorder a landscape dominated by traditional retailers such as Ethan Allen and Room & Board and by â€Å"tastemakers† such as Martha Stewart for Bernhardt and Ralph Lauren Home.

Organizations Aims and Objectives Essay

Introduction In this assignment I have been asked to explain how functional areas contribute to fulfil the organizations aims and objectives. I will have to relate this task to two organizations. My two chosen companies are ASDA and Tesco. First I will describe what aims, objectives and functional areas are. I will then describe four functional areas. Finally I will set two targets for each company and describe how functional areas contribute to achieve these two objectives. Definition of: Aims are long term goals. Aims can be achievable through objectives. An aim is where a business wants to be in the future. Objectives provide a business a certain and clearly defined target. Objectives will also have an impact on the staff they might get more motivated. Functional areas are there to run the business each department has their own part to play in the business. The functional areas are also known as departments for e.g. HR (Human resources), Administration, IT support etc. Four functional areas 1. ICT It solves any technical faults in the computers and also takes care of all software’s running in the company. This department also provides security in the business, so it has to take care that no one else can see their files, projects etc. So this department does everything with computers and technology. 2. Human Resources This is also a major area in a business, this departments takes care of employing new staff, not only does it to do this but it also takes care about the welfare of the employees in their environment. This whole department takes care of every employee and holds record about them. This department works with all other departments as they have employees. 3. Customer Service Another important department, this is a crucial department as it ensures that customers are happy, it helps to fill up customer needs and provide answers to their questions, and this department satisfies customer needs.  This is an important department as they are handling customers if the customers aren’t happy that would lead to a bad impression on the business as no one would come to it. 4. Finance This department acts like the bank of the business, it keeps an eye on the financial status of the business, and it also makes monthly/annual reports of the financial status of the company. It keeps track of accounts and what is happening. It also keeps an eye of where the money is going and from where the money is coming. It keeps track on all transactions. ASDA ASDA Stores Ltd is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, toys and general merchandise. ASDA Stores Limited was founded as Associated Dairies & Farm Stores Limited in 1949 in Leeds. ASDA is the second largest chain in the UK after Tesco. 1. Increasing the sales of last year by 10% by September. Finance will have to contribute to this objective. The reason why it would be finance is because they keep track of all the transactions and they also set the prices of each product. They might have to increase or decrease the prices or expand their availability on products. They need to make sure that ASDA will keep on making profit. The Research and Development department could also help to achieve this objective because would most probably find unique products to be made and they also research of what is getting sold well and they always look to improve their products by researching and developing their products. 2. To have high motivation amongst staff. Human Resource department would have a huge impact on this target because they have to deal with the staff daily. The human resource department could look after the staff and provide them with everything what’s needed. They are also there to solve their problems and discuss any matter with them if necessary personally. They will also talk about their progressing towards the company and they get the opportunity to move up in the business. Human  resource will provide a happy working environment. Tesco Tesco is a global grocery and general merchandising retailer which has its headquarters in the United Kingdom. Tesco which is Britain’s biggest supermarket started in year 1919 when Jack Cohen started to sell surplus groceries from a stall in east London. Tesco offers a wide range of products such as grocery, household products, and insurance. 1. Tesco aims to achieve a market share of 75% by December. Customer service department could help to fulfil this certain aim, because they do represent the image of the company.

SWOT analysis In Elken Essay Example

SWOT analysis In Elken Essay Example SWOT analysis In Elken Paper SWOT analysis In Elken Paper One factor that leads Elken Company to be success in the firm is because of its strengths. Strengths are those competitive advantages that create the benefits to achieve the needs of its target markets. One of the strengths of Elken is that Elken Company has a strong network of distributor and it has a wide network of business in Asia-Pacific. These involved Asia-Pacific countries are Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Brunei, Hong Kong and India. Elken is expanding the business globally. In order to compete with the competitors, Elken can expand the business to the whole Asia countries and Europe-countries such as United Stated of America. The stronger network of distributor Elken has, it will be more benefits to Elken because it will be harder for the competitors and new entrants to compete with Elken. Another strength of Elken is that Elkens employees are cooperative and well disciplined. They are all ready to help the customers by providing them exemplary. In order to satisfy the customers needs and demands, the Customer Services Department staffs are trained to provide fast and quality services. Elken Company had trained professional technicians to provide the RO Water Purification services to its customers. These professional technicians are able to provide speedy installations and services to the customers. Other than that, the Elkens distributors and members are positive thinking and they are moving towards the same direction to achieve the Elkens goals. To accrue the wealth and rewards that Elken offers, the distributors and members put in efforts in the jobs and contribute themselves to the company. They are willing to face difficulty and challenges, and accept changes. They are willing to make improvement and skills development, so that they can increase their job performance. Elken Company had a lot of research and development activities on the Elken products. It always upgrades and expands the range of products with the aim of continually improving the lives of consumers. In order to improve the quality of the products, Elken can has the RD center with many different types of sophisticated tools and technologies, and recruit more creative experts for the products development. In addition, Elken Company had established Narisia Sdn.Bhd and its own manufacturing plant, Elepac Sdn.Bhd. Narisia Sdn.Bhd established to manufacture the Reverse Osmosis technology since 1998 to assure the desired quality of products. The Bio Pure R.O Water Purification System used the component parts produced by the worlds leading manufacturers. With these factories, Elken saved lots of operating cost in its business. Elken Company sells variety of products and services. It allows different range customers with the unlimited products and services. Many of the Elken products have been conferred prestigious awards by quasi-government bodies and associations; certified by international accreditation organization; and clinically proven by reputable institutions. Elken had an online website. This online website allows customers to browse and get information about Elken. It shared the company vision, milestones of success with the consure through the Internet. It also promotes its products through the website. By the way, it also included information about benefits of joining Elken, and the career opportunities offer by Elken. To improve the effectiveness of customer services, Elken had included the business addresses and the contact numbers into the website, so that it allows the consumers to have easier referencing, and it lets the consumers to find out the Elkens Head Office in their countries. Weaknesses Weaknesses are the restrictions of Elken might face in the development or implementation of the marketing strategy. Elken needs to acknowledge the weaknesses and handle it without procrastination. One of the weaknesses of Elken is that some of the products of Elken are expensive. The high price of Elken product may cause the consumer to purchase other products from the competitors. To overcome this problem, Elken should have better marketing planning, and reduce the costs for product development but in the same way maintaining the products quality. To allow the customers to purchase the products in a lower price, Elken can encourage the customer to join and become Elkens members, thus, inform them that there is special offer for Elkens members, and Elkens members are allow to purchase Elkens with a discount. Besides, Elken does not fully utilize its own website homepage. It does not include some important customer services into its online system. The online website only allows the consumers to get the company background information, products details, and some of the company news. It should included some online purchasing service into the online website. Competitors are encouraging people to join their direct sales business too. They offer many different types of rewards and benefits to their members. Competitors can offer similar benefits as Elken offers to its employees and members. To compete with the competitors, Elken should always improve its compensation and incentive strategies. Elken can always inform all the people around the world about the benefits of joining into Elken. Elken can motivate and incentive the employees by offering different types of compensation and benefits. Other than that, Elken should have some seminars to let the employees to share their experiences and how they succeed in their jobs in Elken with the new employees and customers. Opportunities Opportunities are the favorable and beneficial conditions that could generate rewards for Elken. Elken needs to find the potential opportunities in order to continue to grow within the marketplace. One of the opportunities of Elken is that they can improve its online customers services by included some features such as online catalogs, online purchasing service, online consultations, online applying Elkens membership, online appointments booking on the installation and maintenance services for RO Water Purification System, and online points checking. With all these features, it can increase the effectiveness of current customer services. By recruiting more quality, professional and potential employees, Elken can allows online recruiting system. With this online recruiting system it allows Elken to recruit experts and quality people from different places and countries. Since the people and consumers are concerning the healthcare problems nowadays, Elken can have chance to develop and sell more healthcare products. They can have RD to analyze and find out the needs and demands of the consumers todays. For instance, Elken can introduce and sells some massage and spa products since the consumers nowadays are concern about stress and pain reduction issues. With this chance, Elken can also produce and sell products to different category of consumers. They can produce products for children, teens, adults and the old individuals. Since Elken is a well-known direct selling company in Malaysia, it allows Elken to takes this chance to open more outlets and stores in Malaysia. Besides the head office in Kuala Lumpur, outlets in Johor, Sarawak and Sabah, it also can open stores and outlets at different locations, such as Pahang, Kedah, Penang, Terengganu, Kelantan, Perak, Melacca, and Negeri Sembilan. It can expand its business all over in Malaysia. Technologies trends are keep on changing. This had lead Elken to take the chance to improve its IS and IT in the company frequently. It leads Elken to use the computerized database and inventory system to keep track of products, stocks, employees and its members details. By using computerized database and inventory system, it allows Elken to have easier referencing on the products information, products stocks, and employees and members details. It also saves costs for storing the details. Besides, the changing of technology trends also had caused Elken to be aware of using new technology to produce the products. The using of new technologies helps Elken in producing and developing of products. With this opportunity, it allows Elken to increase the production and productivity and producing better quality products. Threats Threats are the conditions or barriers that may prevent Elken from reaching its objectives or harm to it. The Threats are such as the population shifts, changes in purchasing preferences, new technologies, changes in governmental or environmental regulations, or an increase in competition. One of the threats of Elken is that there are many competitors in the industry. The number of competitors are keep on increasing. The competitors of Elken are such as Amway and Cosway. To gain competitive advantage in this industry, Elken needs to improve the quality and variety of products by using advanced technology tools in product development and have more RD for the development of more creative and higher quality products. With the more variety of high quality products, it will allow consumers to purchase the products based on their personal preferences. Competitors sell the products with lower prices. These may influence the consumer buying behaviors. Elken should make their products price more reasonable, and have promotions to the consumers. Other than that, Elken can educate the consumers that when purchasing the products, besides consider of products prices, they should also consider of the product quality as well. Elken can educate the consumers on choosing the suitable products based on their needs and demands. Elken can also introduce and promote their products by using some critical slogan to attract the consumers. By adding more unique features on the products, the Elken customers will feel that is more valuable and benefits on purchasing Elkens products. Nowadays, there are a lot of companies and organizations provide online purchasing services and online consultation service to the consumers. To increase the effectiveness of customer services, Elken should allow its customers to enjoy the online purchasing services. Online purchasing allows the customers to make orders and purchase Elkens products via the Internet at anytime. It easy and it also saves times and costs. Customers no need to spend times and cost to travel to the Elkens stores in order to purchase Elkens products. To allow the customer to purchase the suitable products based on their needs, Elken can provide the online consultation services to consult the customers. Elken can recommend the suitable Elkens products to the customers based on their problems and needs. For instance, Elken can recommend the customer who is facing overweight problems to use Dr Diet slimming products.

5 Reasons to Support Your Local Community Theater

5 Reasons to Support Your Local Community Theater When I was still in my teens, a friend was directing a community theater production of Once Upon a Mattress, a musical retelling of They desperately needed a spotlight operator, so I obliged. On opening night, as I sat up above the audience, I watched as the people chatted anxiously. I witnessed their hushed awe as the stage manager lowered the houselights. Then, after the curtains were drawn, and the opening number began, I spotted one energetic performer after another. After that night, I was hooked on plays. I didn’t simply fall in love with theater because of its entertainment value. That evening I learned that community theaters benefit not just the audience but the entire community. So, why should you support your local playhouse? Here are a few ideas to consider: Nurture New Artists: Many successful actors, directors, writers, and choreographers have launched their careers in humble, small town playhouses. Just by attending and applauding, audiences give up-and-coming stars the positive feedback they need to continue their artistic pursuits. Also, many community theaters offer classes for children’s productions. The stage develops confidence and responsibility within young performers. In my experience, I have seen the shyest of children improve her communication skills. When I directed children’s shows for a local civic light opera, I met a seven year old girl named Megan who only spoke in whispers; she didn’t have any friends at the beginning of rehearsals. However, the choreographer noticed that she moved very gracefully. We gave her a special dance solo. It boosted her self-esteem. Soon, she was an outgoing, talkative, and friendly part of the cast. Share Valuable Skills: Community theaters need more than just cast members. Anyone that can sew a costume, paint a backdrop, build a staircase, or edit a sound effect is a desirable addition to the company. Novices of a particular skill, such as construction or lighting, can increase their ability by working alongside veteran craftsmen. Likewise, experts can enjoy sharing their knowledge and passing their craftsmanship to the next generation.    Advertise Locally:    Small business owners should financially support playhouses, and not just for altruistic reasons. A good thirty minutes before a show, most audience members spend their time thumbing through the program, inspecting the actor bios. It’s the perfect opportunity to advertise. Theater goers are essentially a captive audience while they scan through the program. Small business can use this time to reach hundreds of potential customers. Ad space is relatively inexpensive and will help the performing arts thrive.    Socialize with New People:    Whether you work as an assistant director, a chorus member, the star of the show or a stagehand, one thing is certain: you will meet new friends. There is something exhilarating about putting on a show. It brings people close together; it tests their skills, and it enlightens audiences. Many lifelong friendships and relationships have been formed while practicing sword fighting, stage-kissing, or falling through a trap door. There is a strong bond with all who band together to put on a play. We become friends because we work as one to tell as story.    Be Part of the Storytelling Process:    Plays are an ancient form of storytelling. It’s a creative ritual still very much alive despite the age of  Youtube. Most community theaters produce time-tested classics such as Man of La Mancha, Death of a Salesman, A Streetcar Named Desire, and Some are light hearted; some are deep and profound. All offer a message to the audience. Classic and contemporary plays speak to us because they explore what it means to be human. Those who participate in the storytelling process can feel proud knowing they are spreading a positive message to their community. So go audition. Offer up your skills. Advertise in the program. Contribute your time and energy. And by all means, go see a show! You’ll become a part of the vibrant, long-cherished tradition of the theatrical storytelling. â€Å"The powerful Play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.† Walt Whitman

A Petition to The President Of The United States Research Paper

A Petition to The President Of The United States - Research Paper Example This is not limited to the adversaries, but the future of Americans owing to their lack of adequate information (Gabor 52). Hence, the scientists besides their recognition of the president’s power, regarding its usage, they are using their expertise stand to dissuade him from applying it in attacking the Japanese. Since, they are acquainted with the impacts to their adversary where in retaliation, Japanese will hit back to the detriment of the common people who are unaware. Consequently, yield to utter destruction of both the property and human life (Gabor 51). This is ethos approach where its argument emanates from expertise the experts possess besides then foreseeing adverse effects that would befall Americans (Brown, Mullen & Mullen, 2009). Szilard, Leo and Cosigners efforts meant to dissuade atomic power application entailed emotional approach (pathos). This is evident when by their stating, â€Å"We feel, however, that such an attack on Japan could not be justified in the present circumstances† (Szilard & Cosigners, 1945). This aroused the president’s concern regarding to what the state had done by attacking, and destroying Japanese’s cities and planning to continue if it fails to comply with instituted conditions. Hence, somehow incline withdraw the state’s stand concerning the Japanese verdict of utter destruction. This is because of the experts’ displeasure regarding the whole idea of annihilation, which according it will result to their detriment once the adversary decides to adopt the similar method. Additionally, the emotional approach (pathos) coupled with tone evident in the work, unveiled the adverse effects if America maintained its verdict, which moved it to termination a ction of the atomic use. This is via prompting the president to reflect on the previous decisions that the state had taken by enacting a law that forbid it from utilizing atomic bombs. The arguers in this essay are trying to have the president’s attention regarding the devastation that would yield from the inception of the state’s verdict of utter annihilation of Japanese (Szilard, 1960). Since, the America would then bear the responsibility of marshalling in the era of devastation globally where it is inclusive. Besides, it has the power to either make the world be at peace or disrupt it by using atomic power against its already enacted law. Besides minor aspects meant to dissuade the president from using the atomic power, the arguers of this literature comprehensively utilize the skill of appealing. Primarily, this is via acknowledging that the decision regarding either to use or not lies with the president. The arguers contented that, the president possessed utter p ower as the Commander-In-Chief meant to sanction the application of atomic power on Japanese (Szilard & Cosigners, 1945). Additionally, the tone is that of a junior addressing a senior person from an advisory perspective, where the authority lies with high-ranking individual (Bernstein 40). This perspective owing to its non-authoritative nature and urging have made the literature attain its intention