A Christmas Carol as an Allegory

A Christmas Carol as an allegory is a simple concept to grasp knowing the definition of allegory. An allegory is a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one. The way Dickens was able to slip subtle messages into various character's persona is amazing. Using the mankinds children Ignorance and Want, the cheerful Fred, the infamous Scrooge, and many other characters, Dickens is able to create an allegorical masterpiece that delivers his message in a holiday-based setting— the perfect time to influence the masses.Ignorance and Want are, as referenced above, the metaphorical children of mankind. Dickens brings two traits that man will inherit to life; the affluent's incognizance and the poor's want. They are what has filtered down through generations, unchanged due to the negligence of the wealthy. The children's condition shocks Scrooge, he actually asks the Ghost of Christmas Present if the children happen to b e his to which the spirit replies, â€Å"‘They are Man's,' †¦ ‘And they cling to me, appealing from their fathers. This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want.Beware them both, and all of their degree, but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that written which is Doom, unless the writing be erased. Deny it!' †¦ ‘Slander those who tell it ye! Admit it for your factious purposes, and make it worse! And bide the end!'† This quote is an obvious depiction of a simplistic yet meanful message, the wealthy must change their ways for societies betterment.Not an upperclassmen, Fred is a representation of the middle class man who is not ignorant to the troubles of the poor and embraces the Christmas spirit. He is very similar to another – barely mentioned – character, Scrooge's old boss Fezziwig. The bring joy to their employees with a simple gesture, an invitation to a Christmas party. This shows that despite Fred is not a rich man he is still able to bring joy to his workers, dashing the concept that money brings happiness.Dickens uses Fred as a foil to Scrooge to display differences through both attitude and action. Fred's presence lightens the atmospere during the arguement between them and the fact that the ‘Man of Christmas Cheer' tops Scrooge in the squabble furthers his point. Through a well written novella Dickens delivers his message, that the wealthy must change, time and time again.Moving on to Mr. Ba-humbug himself, Scrooge is pictured as a parsimonious man even after he's changed. Scrooge symbolizes the wealthy, aristocratic society members who are ignorant to the poors suffering. Dickens goes far as humanly possibly to show how unforgiving Scrooge is towards the lower class, one quote says that Scrooge is so cold that, â€Å"No warmth could warm his soul.†Through a wordy tongue-lashing he gave to the men who asked for a donation for the poor Scrooge further shows his uncaring attitud e. Through his tirade he shows how truly ignorant and neglectful he, and the class he represents, is towards the poverty-stricken. Using such a detestable character gives Dickens the ability to call for a change of moral in the wealthy, thus putting a cherry on top of the allegorical sundae.Allegories have been written, read, forgotten, and remembered throughout the course of history but none such like A Christmas Carol. A strong moral message, simplistic with a deep impact, this novella embodies the meaning of allegory. By using well constructed characters and inlaid messages Dickens has thoroughly, and effectively, delivered a message to the masses.

Built in International style Essay

Administration Building Built in 1949, architect in Pablo Antonio Sr. (National Artist for Architecture) Architecture is in art deco style (art deco came from the French word â€Å"art decoratifs†) emphasizing the 3’s (shape, symmetry and subtlety) ï‚ · The four monti bas reliefs by Francesco R. Monti (renowned Italian sculptor). Made up of plaster of Paris and Kamagong o 1. Historical landing of the Chinese on the Philippine soil o 2. First Baptism of the Filipinos by Magellan o 3. A barrio scene from the Spanish era o 4. Filipino builders against the background of ships, buildings and vehicles which shows the modern industrialization of the country – art deco celebrated industry ï‚ · Carara marbles – very expensive marble from Italy (Carrara marble no longer exists)   Gintong Pawis/ Bayanihan by Robert T. Ko – Robert Ko is a professor of Fine Arts in FEU   The mural by Antonio Dumlao ( 60yrs) – Conveys the university mission of training the youth for progress Glass Panels (Stained Glass) by Antonio Dumlao – sarimanok o Bought around 2009 – pays tribute to FEU 80th year anniversary The university purchased the Sarimank stained glass panels in 2009 to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the Administration Building, the FEU Auditorium and the Dumlao mural on the 2nd floor. Central skylight Auditorium Formerly the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) during 1950’s-1960’s. All the foremost Filipino and foreign artists performed on its stage. It was the only air-conditioned venue. It had a revolving stage and an orchestra pit making it ideal for many productions.   Various artist performed both local and international artist (eg. Lisa Macuja, Alexandra Danilora, Alexandra Danilova (prima ballerina), Isaac Stern (violinist), Martha Graham (Dance Drama), Leonor Orosa Goquinco (National Artist for Dance) Nick Joaquin (National Artist for Theater) Lamberto & Daisy Avellana (National Artists for Theater) Lucio San Pedro (National Artist for Music) It houses 1040 seats, it has a revolving stage which is not being use anymore due to too much electricity consumption   Art deco was embellished in the auditorium thru the star diamond shapes on the ceiling. Serve as lighting while the triangle shape serve as air-condition for the ventilation   It complements the color of the university (green and gold) ï‚ · Plaque of UNESCO and the CCP PLAQUE Others: Institute seals by Galo Ocampo ( Father of Philippine Heraldry) ï‚ · Fluvial Festival of San Clemente painted by National Artist for Visual arts, Carlos â€Å"Botong† Francisco Nicanor Reyes Sr. Facts 1st president of FEU – Founder 1st Filipino accountant He envisioned a school that would promote the teaching of accounting to Filipinos, a profession formerly available only to foreigners. He wanted to prove that Filipinos were capable and trustworthy in handling the hundred of enterprises that would result with the coming of the independence of the country. For that matter, he finished his studies in the USA for him to be capable enough to establish a school that will cater to his visions He earned an A.B. in 1915 from the University of the Philippines, a bachelor’s degree in Commercial Science from New York University in 1917, and a Master of Arts degree in Business Administration from Columbia University the following year. He received his Ph.D. in Accountancy from Columbia (that’s why he is considered the 1st Filipino accountant) which was also the first degree of its kind to be awarded by Columbia. ï‚ · The Japanese killed him during the pacific war (world war II) and some members of the family. ï‚ · Later on his son Nicanor M. Reyes Jr. became the president of FEU

Voting by Consensus in The World Trade Organization Essay

Voting by Consensus in The World Trade Organization - Essay Example The WTO was created in order to create enforceable and binding international trade rules which are critical in promoting international trade and cooperation. Just like many of the international organizations, WTO was created to improve the socio-economic wellbeing of the individual countries and that of the world in general. In particular, WTO was to achieve this goal through trade. The Ministerial Conference is the highest authority in WTO structure; the General Council is the second level within the WTO structure; the third level in WTO structure is the councils for each board of trade; below the third level are the subsidiary bodies of the higher level councils.3 As has been noted, WTO’s main objective is to create an enforceable and binding international trade rules. As such, it needs a decision-making system which is effective and with ability to resolve the often diverging interests. It is against the background of this necessity that the WTO adopted a decision-making pr ocess that is based on consensus voting system.4 Consensus voting system refers to the voting process that aims at identifying the best consensus opinion that is arrived at through a balanced system of voting. In this type of voting, each party (in this case each member country) is allowed to suggest a proposal for debate.5 During the debate session, representatives of these countries ask questions, suggest new ideas, and seek clarifications. In this system of voting, wide ranges of voting options that have been developed in consultation with stakeholders are presented. Thereafter, decision makers are invited to rank these options- an option with higher preference gets more points.6 The practice of consensus dominates the decision-making process of the WTO even though the WTO Agreement foresees circumstances where consensus cannot be achieved. Its predecessor (GATT) did not use consensus but instead used voting as a way of making decisions. The evolution of GATT to WTO resulted to t he shift from voting to consensus in the process of decision-making. The consensus voting system has worked comparatively well in the decision-making process of WTO.7 Nonetheless, this system of voting imputes that the deadlock risk and specifically the inability of a member state to legislatively respond where it is not agreeing with the panel’s interpretation or the legal interpretation of the Appellate Body.8 It has been argued that this system has intrinsically favors the status quo thereby making it difficult to effect changes. Besides, the consensus voting system has been said not to provide for influence and decision equality because not every participant has similar ability to maintain vetoes. While it is agreeable that consensus has numerous advantages, it is questionable whether this system is more democratic than the voting system that takes into account the majority rule.9 There are several instances when consensus voting system has been used in WTO’s decis ion-making processes. A case in point is the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC) that was decided upon based on consensus. The member states negotiated the pre-WTO clothing quotas of between 1974 and 1994 which had been negotiated upon bilaterally and was governed by the Multi-Fiber- Agreement

Comparison of Judy Bradys Article I Want a Wife and Joanne Leonards Research Paper

Comparison of Judy Bradys Article I Want a Wife and Joanne Leonards 1966 Photograph Sonia - Research Paper Example Judy Brady’s essay â€Å"I Want a Wife† was written in the year 1971 when women were still expected to follow their traditional roles, to conduct themselves in a particular way for the men of their households. It is penned in a rather sarcastic and even humorous manner in which Brady talks of the reasons why she would want a wife for a change instead of being one herself. And when one reads through her essay, one really does not wonder as to why she thinks in such a manner. The wives of those times were seen as automatons, creatures who would give birth to babies and then take care of them, cook for them and feed them, watch over them all their lives. Similarly, they would also look after their husbands, wash and iron their clothes, cook their meals, listen to them talk about their work, give them space when they needed it, be pretty for them, act the perfect hostess, look after their need or lack thereof sexual activities. She would also be aware that she could be repl aced by another woman anytime, while she was not allowed to leave her husband for another man. The wife had to fulfill all the roles that the society required her to without thinking of her feelings, her wants or her needs. In short, she could live and breathe, but she was not the master of her own life, she had no right to dream, she would forever live her life serving, doing errands for her husband or children. That they would work for twenty-four hours and still manage to look pretty and be responsive during the sexual activities, and so on.

Conscientious Objection Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Conscientious Objection Response - Essay Example Every health care provider has a unique personal philosophy. For some, this personal philosophy is more important than what their religion dictates while others given their religious dictations extreme importance and number one preference. A health care provider’s experience also plays a decisive role in his/her willingness or refusal to provide the patients with a certain kind of treatment. For example, let’s suppose a health care provider gave an individual euthanasia in a state where it was legal. Later, the health care provider might feel guilty because of any reason including religion’s condemnation of euthanasia, his/her moral values, culture, or just the health care provider’s outlook on life. Thus, he/she might refuse to give euthanasia to any other individual for the rest of his/her practicing career. Money has always served as a main motivational driver for people in different professions. Many health care providers accept the patients’ pr oposals to provide them with a medical treatment in private for money even if the treatment is illegal

Planning on research on Inclusive Education Essay

Planning on research on Inclusive Education - Essay Example Inclusive education can include a number of strategies. Most of the research on this topic focuses on; global movements, laws on inclusive education within and without a given country, resources, deconstruction of special schools, sources of funding for inclusive schools and other ideas that may boost the development of Inclusive education. There are various global movements that have worked towards the inclusion of the pupils with special educational needs. Schooling of these pupils with special educational needs has changed from neglect previously to integration presently. Global movement is taking part in the African countries, the Asian countries the European countries and also in the South American countries. In the United Kingdom there is a very strong policy framework which is based on the inclusive principles and values together with additional funding. Similarly the movements have allowed the pupils with the special educational disabilities to understand their needs well and this has enabled them learn to live in a world that is full of differences. This movement has a global dimension whereby there is a connection between the various countries globally and this has spurred a commitment by various countries to set their national targets for the pupils with special educational needs. (Norwich, 1994) Special schools have been in place since the days of old. ... In the year 2001, there were close to sixty one percent of children with special needs that were placed in mainstream schools this was an increase of five percent from the mid nineties. Besides, there was a seven percent decrease of special schools in the UK. Staff working in these special schools also reduced by close to eleven percent in that same year. However, more still needs to be done as there is still a large portion of the education system that has not included children with special needs in their program. Laws have also been regulated towards the realization of this agenda. In the UK, there have been a number of laws that have been passed that worked towards implementation of inclusive education. There were acts that were passed in the year 1986, 1993 and 1996. All these acts placed emphasis on the fact that children with special needs should be given the right to attend mainstream schools if their parents allow it and if there is a provision for them in that institution. In the year 1998 and 1997, the Government made publications specifically relating to children with special needs. Here, they addressed plans that would assist in this inclusion program. There were a number of newsletters written by the government concerning inclusive education at that same time. Later on, a special education needs and disability act was passed that reinforced special children's entitlement to mainstream schooling. An exception was provided if the child would cause very serious impairment to education in the classroom or if their parents did not allow it. (The Children Act 2004, 2004) It has been found that there is a lack of funding towards this form of

Healthy Lifestyles Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Healthy Lifestyles - Assignment Example ecifically, the detrimental consequences of these unhealthy behaviors manifest when two or more habits of the behaviors merge to produce synergistic effects. Technically, frequent health habits coalesce to form health lifestyles. Based on the interview, relevant data and information were obtained regarding particular unhealthy lifestyles. Admittedly, trends on unhealthy lifestyles suggested by the interview’s results were a bit surprising. Prior to the interview, I perceived the behaviors of tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and lack of physical exercises as experienced by members within the age bracket of 45-60 years. Surprisingly, these unhealthy behaviors are prevalent among members of the young generation; particularly those between 20-35 years. Actually, this optimally productive portion of the population seems to frequently engage in risky health habits more than those within the age bracket of 45-60 years. For example, alcohol abuse and reckless driving topped the list of most common unhealthy behaviors examined during the exercise. Observably, certain unhealthy behaviors are primarily associated with members of a particular age group. For example, teenagers and young adults between the ages of 15-24 are fond of smoking, drinking alcohol and using phones while driving compared to members of any other age group. Contrarily, adults between the ages of 55-64 years emerged as having unhealthy physical activity habits coupled with improper nutrition. With respect to teenagers and young adults, the pronounced frequency and intensity of drug abuse are relatively high compared to any other age group. In addition, reckless driving habits are more common among teenagers and young adults compared to any other age group. Reasons for this trend in young persons may include but not limited to emotional immaturity, juvenile delinquency, and social anxiety among others (Burnham, 2010). Contrarily, drinking, smoking and reckless driving habits subside towards adulthood.

Sustainability-Led Marketing in Whole Foods Market Essay

Sustainability-Led Marketing in Whole Foods Market - Essay Example It is therefore directed to the market but also focuses on the environment. Sustainability-led marketing is characterised as due to influence of different influencing factors. In a questionnaire carried out, Whole Foods Market was asked to state the extent to which each stakeholder in terms of socio-ecological aspects has influenced their marketing(Mohr, 2011). Internal and external influences in Whole Foods Market lead to sustainable marketing. Internal influence in Whole Foods Market towards sustainable marketing include the public exposure of the company’s sales, market share, brand awareness, number of employees and the mandatory disclosure of company data. Sales per volume in Whole Foods Market and the number of employees working in company influences sustainable-led marketing. It is observed that Whole Foods Market is correlated with sustainable-led marketing strategies (Martin, Diane, and John Schouten, 2012). It is assumed that when sustainable products escape the market slot, the market extent of the company was less important thus serves as a driver towards the marketing. Therefore, it can be said that the structure of Whole Foods Market companies is borne in mind Market shares and brand awareness has beneficial performance towards sustainable-led marketing. Large market share and brand awareness as Public exposure is interpreted as an influencing factor towards sustainable-led marketing. Whole Foods Market Company need to disclose their data to consumers to the highest extent. This is a drive towards sustainable-led marketing where Whole Foods Market discloses their data to the consumers on a regular basis (Emery, 2012). Internal stakeholders i.e. the owner of the Whole Foods Market Company, its top managers, and shareholders in Whole Foods Market provide a drive towards sustainable-led marketing strategies. The top management of companies are the

The Effects of the Internet on Children Research Paper

The Effects of the Internet on Children - Research Paper Example The internet is one of the most influential developments of the modern world mainly because it affects the lives of almost everybody in the world. It is fast becoming a major source of information with many people relying on it to get news from all over the world, for research, to do market research and make purchases and to keep in touch with one another over great distances. The internet provides a powerful tool for online resources and is an information dissemination tool for many people in the world. Recent researches have shown an increase in the number of children who access the internet everyday in the United States. These children are exposed to many databases, which may sometimes hold explicit, violent, prohibited and at times illegal content. Statistics show that in China, many children come to be exposed to the internet and gadgets related to it from an extremely early age. Parents in this country have been known, in recent times, to buy iPads for their toddlers, something which was not common only a few years ago (Hairong, 2012, Para 7). Surveys in China have also shown that the number of families, which have acquired iPads for their children, is about forty percent, which is a unique fact indeed. While many children have come to access the internet from an early age, they have also come to be exposed to things within it, which are harmful to their mental development. (Hairong 2012 Para 12). In order to help parents curb the children’s access to the internet, internet service providers and major search engines have created tools to enable parents to input parental control measures on the child’s computer at home. Recent research shows that majorities of parents use parental control, and this helps to filter and control the sites that children can access and set safe zones for them. The major setback for this has been that children have been seen to adapt very fast to these software and tools. In addition, they have been known to find w ays of penetrating passwords or firewalls set by parents and access restricted sites (Siegel, 2012 Para 16). The amount of time that children spend on the internet has been found to be detrimental to their mental development because it has made them become too lazy to be creative. Studies conducted at Duke University show that children who spend too much time online tend to have low scores in the test they are given in school (Scholastic News, 201

The woods Essay Example for Free

The woods Essay Dont think about that kind of stuff, he warned himself. Youll freak out and run back to the house screaming, and everybody will call you a little wussbag. Sure they will. Itll be just like the time jerry Samson was dared to stay in his garage (which he suspiciously thought was haunted), and hed come out screaming and crying and saying hed seen a ghost in there. And the whole group had teased him for the next whole week. Just like jerry had thought his garage was haunted, Shaun thought these woods were haunted. Had thought so for quite some time. Something rustled in the trees above him. Oh no, he thought, please let it be the wind making the leaves do that. Shaun stopped, looked up. Nothing there. Just the tree branches. And a dangling arm. He had lowered his eyes and now he shot them back up to the branches. No, there was nothing there. Stupid imagination, Shaun thought, leave me alone. Something rustled in the trees above him once more. He looked straight back up. Still, nothing there. Damn it, why did I ever have to play stupid dares? Suddenly, Shaun wanted to be back in his house, under his warm blankets, with his mum and dad in the next room. Mum and dad. He wished that they were both out here with him, camping with him in their tent. But instead, they were inside the house back there, most likely asleep in their own warm bed, his dad snoring away. They thought he was over a friends house, because hed lied and told them that so he could do the dare. The other kids in the group did this often. They were never caught. Shaun wished he would get caught. That maybe his mum would get up and look out the back window and see him walking into the woods. No such luck. He looked up and was grabbed by a branch. The branches end had curved twigs fingers- and he was being thrown into a giant gaping mouth in the trees trunk, and being swallowed whole. Never go into the woods alone. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Miscellaneous section.

Small and Medium Enterprises in Indias Economic Growth

Small and Medium Enterprises in Indias Economic Growth Small and Medium Enterprises in Economic Growth of India: Directions towards Sustainable Development Manvendra Pratap Singh, Arpita Chakraborty,  Dr. Mousumi Roy Abstract The inclusive growth is prerequisite in any of fast growing developing economies. Micro small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) play vital role in the socio-economic development of the country. In 2011-12, 36.18 mn enterprises were operational and employed around 80.5 mn people of country, second largest after agriculture sector (MSME Annual Report 2011-12). They accounts for 40 percent of India’s total exports, contributing 45 percent to Indian manufacturing output. With all the good things the darker side of MSME, it attracts only 2.33 employees per unit (on an average), they contributes mere 17 percent to the Indian GDP. This paper will highlight the reasons behind the shining India and Bharat. This paper will also focus on the facilities, scheme provided by the central or state government of country, its implementation and possible solutions for empowerment and spreading its boundaries beyond the country through international cooperation scheme. Keywords: MSME, International Cooperation, regional Economics Introduction Indias economic growth is expected to pick up a faster pace in 2013-14 and record six per cent plus levels of gross domestic product (GDP), according to Mr C Rangarajan, Chairman, Prime Ministers Economic Advisory Council (PMEAC). Country reported to expand at a better growth rate as compared to its three BRIC peers China, Russia and Brazil in May 2013, as per HSBC survey. India witnessed an improvement in its business climate on the back of increased foreign direct investment (FDI) and greater revenue receipts by the Government. The ‘BluFin Business Cycle Indicator (BCI)’, reflects macroeconomic developments on a monthly basis, stood at 165.3 points in July 2013, 5.3 percent higher compared to July 2012 which implies that business performance is comparatively better than previous year. In economic development scenario, India is leading from all fronts i.e. 2013 FDI confidence Index stands 5th, 2013 Deliotte Manufacturing Competitive Index stands 4th, 2013 KPMG Change Readiness Index stands 65th. 2013 Global Innovation Index stands 66th. While on societal development front, India’s condition is not upright. As per the United Nations Development Programs (UNDP) Human development Index 2013 India stands 136th. In inequality Index, India stands 91st, in gender inequality 132nd, value of multidimensional poverty index is 0.283 on basis of year 2005/2006. A major cause of poverty among India’s rural, urban poor both individuals and communities, is lack of access to regular job opportunity, productive assets and financial resources. High level of inadequate health care, illiteracy and extremely limited access to social services are common among poor people. Seven states – Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Odisha, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Prad esh – account for 61 per cent of Indias total poor. Chhattisgarh is the poorest state in the country with approximately 40 per cent of its population being below the poverty line (www.downtoearth.org ). According to NSSO 66th Survey 2010, around 52.9 percent of population engaged in primary sector (agriculture and allied sector) contributing 19 percent to gross value added (GVA) of country, 22.7 percent of working population engaged in secondary sector which contributes 28 percent in GVA and 24.4 percent of population engaged in tertiary sector (Services) contributes 53 percent in our GDP. Considering NSSO 66th Survey, around 75 percent working population engaged in primary and secondary sector of the economy, and resides countryside or in outskirts of cities. While considering the basic amenities in such areas are vulnerable i.e. health care centres, schools, sanitation facilities etc. These differences demarcate a thin line between Shining India (Cities) and Bharat (Village s, towns and outskirts of cities) in terms of societal development and economic parity. Literature review In dynamic economic world, business innovation and competitiveness helps Small and medium enterprises to grow leap and bound. According to the Global Manufacturing Competitiveness Index, 2013, Developing nations are emerging as potential manufacturing destinations like china ranked 1st as best manufacturing destinations while other developing nations are India, Brazil, Vietnam Indonesia etc. GMCI, 2013 report envisaged that in next five years the above mentioned nations will be key manufacturing hubs along with three leading manufacturing powers i.e. USA, Germany and Japan- remained ranked in top 10 most competitive nations today. Across the world, more than 95 percent of the enterprises are SMEs and employs 60 percent of total private employment (Ayyagari et al. 2011). SMEs by number dominate the world stage, Japan has highest number of SMEs registered among the industrialized nation accounts for 99 percent of total enterprises (Edinburgh Group Report, 2011). India had 26.1 million SMEs (MSME, 4th census) and employed around 59.7 million people of the country, second largest employer after agriculture sector. In European Union, jointly 27 countries accounts for 99.8 percent of total enterprises, employs 67 percent of all workers and contributes 58 percent of gross value added. (Edinburgh Group Report, 2011). The SMEs are lacking in knowledge and information base which reflected in poor work practices mainly the managerial and technical abilities among owners and managers. They mainly fall sort of environmental awareness and its impact and focused toward short term gains over long term objectives because of limited resources and lower capital-output ratio compared to a competitive large unit. Mainly SMEs are reluctant to the programs and policies i.e. waste management circle initiated by National Productivity council because of lack of their nature (Dasgupta, 1999). For example, Henriques and Sadorsky (1996) explored the effect of self-reported community pressure on Canadian firms’ decisions to adopt an environmental plan. The effect of self-reported community pressure (presence versus absence) on Mexican firms’ decisions to adopt certain environmental management practices. Analysis: Urban and Rural working Population across the sectors: In India, services sector mainly includes hotels restaurants, Banking Finance Securities Insurance (BFSI), Information Technology (IT) Information Technology Enabled services (ITES), Education, Health etc. According to NSSO 66th Survey, contribution of services sector is 53 percent as gross value added to the economy and employed only 24.4 percent of working population. Figure 1 shows the distribution of population employment per 1000 distribution in all three sectors of economy. Primarily comparing Round 66 and Round 68, finds out that rural primary sector population is shifting toward secondary and tertiary sector mainly men are relocating toward secondary and women are relocating toward tertiary sector. Considering the fact, urban population i.e. men and women are relocating toward secondary sector with marginal increment. With such development in secondary sector, more than 60 percent of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) approvals have been extended to IT/ITES sector, the manufacturing sector left with one third of total approvals (Deepak Shah, 2009). It may affect growth and competitiveness of manufacturing sector which shows huge potential in terms of engaging new skilled pool of population into itself. According to NSSO 66 Round Survey (Figure 2), while comparing secondary sector of economy, particularly, manufacturing (D) Construction (F) for rural and urban India, employment opportunities are relatively more in urban areas compare to rural areas because of basic facility location factors. With respect to social security, from entire workforce mere 8 percent workers entitled for statutory social protection (i.e. risks as sickness, maternity, disability and old age) through central and state level rules on conventional social security (NCEUS, 2006). Around 86 percent of total workers who employed in unorganized sector lag behind for basic social security benefits. As per (Figure 3) MSME Annual Report 2012-2013, rural registered MSME units are lesser than urban units while unregistered Micro and Small (MS) rural units are far more than urban units. Another important aspect of Indian MSME sector is that micro and small enterprises are more than medium enterprises and employed more number of population compared to medium enterprises where labor efficiency, economics of scale and environmental friendliness would not be considered as a parameter of growth. The overall labor efficiency is gloomily low which signifies poor quality of employment mainly because of informal employment called casualization. In manufacturing sector, 88 percent of employment lies under such category (Kannan (2011). According to planning commission estimates,  casual workforce earnings were only one-fourth of the wages of regular (full time) workers (Rs. 51 as against Rs. 200) in 2004-05. Prevalence of poverty among casual workforce, self-employed and regular was as high as 32 per cent, 17.5 per cent and 11 per cent respectively with an average of 20.51 per cent for all employed workers. (Planning Commission, 2008, Chapter 4, Annexure 4.7). MSMEs financing and credit trends: While considering the outstanding bank credits to micro and small enterprises (Figure 4) are on higher side with year on year increase of average 33.3 percent, which reflects the position of respective enterprises and condition of workers working for such enterprises, because it’s obvious that if an enterprise is falling sort of funds to manage its outstanding credit taken from various banks, how it will take care of its enterprise and workers. It reflects that mainly MS enterprises are dragged behind due to falling short of funds and other finance facilities which requires to compete with established local and global players in respective market. Conclusion: According to NAS data the service-sector has achieved an average annual compound growth rate of 8.7 per cent annum between 1999-2000 and 2009-10 as against 7.7 per cent achieved by manufacturing during the same period. Manufacturing sector in urban India has grown at a faster rate (2.8 per cent) relative to all India (1.7 per cent) over the period 1999-2000 and 2009-10. Unlike service sector has practiced skill scarcity and growth in service sector is reasonably more skill demanding than manufacturing sector at higher skill levels. Indian policy makers needs to focus on manufacturing sector like china counterpart which leads in exports and generated huge and stable employment environment by focusing on MSME model (Ramaswamy, 2012). Microenterprise development could generate income and enable poor people to improve their living conditions, has only recently become a focus of the government. The government initiatives and scheme like cluster development program, integrated industrial development scheme and credit guarantee fund scheme etc which stimulates inter-firm linkages and network have assisted MSMEs to move up in the value chain and gain competitive advantage, given access to technology upgraded production technology in sector should be spread across the industrial zones of the country by conducting workshops and training camps to reap the bene fits (IBEF, 2013). The report of Task Force on MSME (2010) provides roadmap for the enhancement and up gradation of MSME sector and mainly emphasized on following key issues: Public Procurement Policy: Government Departments and PSUs to reach atleast 20 percent of their annual volume purchase from MSEs Government should focus on rehabilitation of sick SME units and enhance schemes in context of National Action Plan for Climate Change (NAPCC). Enable conducive environment for legal and fiscal instruments to incentivize SMEs for their corporation as entities. Assurance for strict adherence to stipulated targets by commercial banks for SMEs. References: ATKearney Foreign Direct Investment Confidence Index, Back to Business: Optimism and Uncertainty (2013) Ayyagari, M., Demirgà ¼Ãƒ §-Kunt, A. and Maksimovic, V. (2011), Small vs. Young Firms Across The World – Contribution to Employment, Job Creation, and Growth, Policy Research Working Paper 5631 (The World Bank Development Research Group). Deepak Shah (2009), Special Economic Zones in India: A Review of Investment, Trade, Employment generation and Impact Assessment, Indian Journal of Agriculture Economics, Vol 64, No. 3, July-Sept 2009. Das Gupta N, 1999. Energy efficiency and environmental improvements in small-scale industries: present initiatives in India are not working. Energy Policy (27) 789-800. Edinburgh (2011), Growing the global economy through SMEs. Goyal M, (2013, June 09). SMEs employ close to 40 percent of Indias workforce, but contribute only 17 percent to GDP. The Economic Times retrieved from http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-06-09/news/39834857_1_smes-workforce-small-and-medium-enterprises. Henriques, I., Sadorsky, P., 1996. The determinants of an environmentally responsive firm: an empirical approach. J. Environ. Econ. Manage. 30, 381–395. HSBC EXPAT Explorer Survey 2013 Report: http://www.expatexplorer.hsbc.com/files/pdfs/overall-reports/2013/report.pdf Human Development Report 2013. The rise of south: Human Progress in Diverse World. Kannan, K.P. (2011) ‘How Inclusive is Inclusive Growth in India’ paper presented at the International Expert Workshop on ‘Inclusive Growth: From Policy to Reality’, jointly organized by International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada and Indian Institute for Dalit Studies (IIDs), New Delhi; 11-13 December, 2011, New Delhi. KPMG Change Readiness Index (2013), KPMG International  MSME Annual Report 2012-13 NCEUS (2006) Social Security for Unorganized Workers, New Delhi, National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganized Sector, New Delhi, Government of India. NCEUS (2007) Report on Conditions of Work and Promotion of Livelihoods in the Unorganized Sector, New Delhi, Government of India and Academic Foundation. NSSO (2005) Income, Expenditure and Productive Assets of Farmer Households (Situation Assessment Survey of Farmers), 59th Round, Report No. 497, New Delhi, National Sample Survey Organization. Planning Commission (2008), Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007-2012) –– Volume I, Inclusive Growth, –– Volume III, Agriculture, Industry, Services and Physical Infrastructure, New Delhi, Planning Commission, Government of India. Ramaswamy K V, Agarwal Tushar (2012), Services-led Growth, Employment and Job Quality: A Study of Manufacturing and Service-sector in Urban India, WP-2012-007. Rs 27 per day: Indias new rural poverty line, 23 July, 2013, Down To Earth, http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/indias-new-rural-poverty-line-rs-27-day Samuel R A, Global competitiveness Index Report 2013 Zaidi L, (2013). Proceeding from International Conference on Technology and Business Management.

The Battle of New Orleans: Jimmie Driftwood Essay -- heroes, trials, g

Throughout history courageous, unselfish, sacrificial acts have described ‘heroes’ as unique individuals that served their communities above and beyond the norm. Song lyrics from the 1930s to 1970s have praised and denounced heroic actions found in songs by Jimmie Driftwood, The Battle of New Orleans (1936), and Mitch Murray and Peter Callander’s, Billy Don’t Be A Hero (1974) along with songs like John Henry (1870), John Brown’s Body (1861), and many others. Humanity craves heroes regardless of the culture or worldview people need to have something or someone to worship, admire, emulate, or detest; Joseph Campbell attempts and succeeds in describing in detail the arduous journey one must survive and endure to be reborn through the world navel and become the hero. Whether the hero is a favorite sports figure or singer/song writer or movie/television star or just a simple mom/dad trying to do the best they can for their children each has undergone mom ents of despair while in the dark valleys or exaltation of the mountain top to become the hero in the eye of the public or within the soul of themselves. â€Å"And so every one of us shares the supreme ordeal---carries the cross of the redeemer—not in the bright moments of his tribe’s great victories, but in the silences of his personal despair† (Campbell, 337). As can be seen in the story of Jonah as related in the second chapter of Jonah in the King James Version: â€Å"Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly, 2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. 3 For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows a... ...ous and barbaric by our genteel Methodists, yet by those noble ‘savages’ their gods were beautiful beyond measure. â€Å"Hence the figures worshiped in the temples of the world are by no means always beautiful, always benign, or even necessarily virtuous. Like the deity of the Book of Job, they fare transcend the scales of human value† (Campbell, 35). Earnest Their of Rockwood, Tennessee stated: â€Å"One man’s junk is another man’s treasure.† Same could be applied to the faces of the gods or heroes. Trials and tribulations, what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, in for a penny in for a pound, and dynamite comes in small packages are a few idioms from the lexicons of the people of earth describing the ordeals one must faithfully endure to overcome in the end and join the ranks of the heroes with a thousand faces. Works Cited Campbell, Joseph The Hero with a Thousand Faces

How Is Being An American Related To Young Goodman Brown? :: Free Essay Writer

Young Goodman Brown and Endicott and the Red Cross and two short stories that, I believe, have many subliminal messages. The author of both, Nathanial Hawthorne, uses symbolism many a time to bring across these messages along with his personal beliefs of life, and the people of the 17th century. Religion is the basis of both stories. Both men go against religion. So what is an American? Not necessarily someone that goes against religion, but stands up for their rights, for what they want.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The biggest symbol in Young Goodman Brown is the idea of faith. Before he goes on his â€Å"errand,† he is talking to his wife, promising he will come back, but in actuality he is talking to his faith, as in religion. He subconsciously knows he is going against his faith on this errand, but will return. â€Å"My love and my Faith,† replied young Goodman Brown, â€Å"of all nights in the year, this one night must I tarry away from thee. My journey, as thou callest it, forth and back again†¦Ã¢â‚¬  When Brown says later in the story â€Å"I am losing my Faith†, he is not only about his wife, (which is shown through her pink ribbon in the tree), but more about his religion, which is flashing before his eyes. This errand was a test of Goodman Brown’s faith. When Brown hears people singing hymns in swears, it is a symbol of the corruption of the church. The name Goodman Brown I think is very ironic. Is he a good man after this errand?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The sword in Endicott and the Red Cross is a symbol of the ideas of the Puritans. When Endicott thrust his sword through the flag, he was using their new idea to get rid of those of the English. When he pointed at people with the sword when he was talking, he was referring to his beliefs. â€Å"But Endicott, in the excitement of the moment, shook his sword wrathfully at the culprit†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This is showing how he put his ideas in the face of Williams and the English. The Red Cross represents the English power and religious ideas forced upon the citizens of the colonies. When Endicott cut the red cross out of the flag, he was ridding his people of the English power. This was going against religion, a common theme among Hawthorne’s writings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What is an American? After reading these two passages, I would have to say that we are a people that religion is not really a big thing.

Introduction to Matlab

CHAPTER-5 SOFTWARE SPECIFICATION MATLAB is a high-performance linguistic communication for proficient computer science. It integrates calculation, visual image, and programming in an easy-to-use environment where jobs and solutions are expressed in familiar mathematical notation. Typical utilizations include:Math and calculationAlgorithm developmentModeling, simulation, and prototypingData analysis, geographic expedition, and visual imageScientific and technology artworksApplication development, including graphical user interface edificeMATLAB is an synergistic system whose basic information component is an array that does non necessitate dimensioning. This allows you to work out many proficient calculating jobs, particularly those with matrix and vector preparations, in a fraction of the clip it would take to compose a plan in a scalar noninteractive linguistic communication such as C or FORTRAN. The name MATLAB stands for matrix research lab. MATLAB was originally written to supply easy entree to matrix package developed by the LINPACK and EISPACK undertakings. Today, MATLAB uses package developed by the LAPACK and ARPACK undertakings, which together represent the state-of-the-art in package for matrix calculation. MATLAB has evolved over a period of old ages with input from many users. In university environments, it is the standard instructional tool for introductory and advanced classs in mathematics, technology, and scientific discipline. In industry, MATLAB is the tool of pick for high-productivity research, development, and analysis. MATLAB features a household of application-specific solutions called tool chests. Very of import to most users of MATLAB, toolboxes let you to larn and use specialised engineering. Toolboxs are comprehensive aggregations of MATLAB maps ( M-files ) that extend the MATLAB environment to work out peculiar categories of jobs. Areas in which toolboxes are available include signal processing, control systems, nervous webs, fuzzed logic, ripples, simulation, and many others. The MATLAB System The MATLAB system consists of five chief parts: Development Environment. This is the set of tools and installations that help you use MATLAB maps and files. Many of these tools are graphical user interfaces. It includes the MATLAB desktop and Command Window, a bid history, and browsers for sing aid, the workspace, files, and the hunt way. The MATLAB Mathematical Function Library. This is a huge aggregation of computational algorithms runing from simple maps like amount, sine, cosine, and complex arithmetic, to more sophisticated maps like matrix opposite, matrix characteristic root of a square matrixs, Bessel maps, and fast Fourier transforms. The MATLAB Language. This is a high-ranking matrix/array linguistic communication with control flow statements, maps, informations constructions, input/output, and object-oriented scheduling characteristics. It allows both â€Å" scheduling in the little † to quickly make speedy and soiled throw-away plans, and â€Å" scheduling in the big † to make complete big and complex application plans. Handle Graphics ®. This is the MATLAB artworks system. It includes high-ranking bids for planar and 3-dimensional informations visual image, image processing, life, and presentation artworks. It besides includes low-level bids that allow you to to the full custom-make the visual aspect of artworks every bit good as to construct complete graphical user interfaces on your MATLAB applications. The MATLAB Application Program Interface ( API ) .This is a library that allows you to compose C and FORTRAN plans that interact with MATLAB. It include installations for naming modus operandis from MATLAB ( dynamic linking ) , naming MATLAB as a computational engine, and for reading and composing MAT-files. DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT Introduction This chapter provides a brief debut to get downing and discontinuing MATLAB, and the tools and maps that help you to work with MATLAB variables and files. For more information about the subjects covered here, see the corresponding subjects under Development Environment in the MATLAB certification, which is available online every bit good as in print. Get downing and Discontinuing MATLAB Get downing MATLAB On a Microsoft Windows platform, to get down MATLAB, double-click the MATLAB cutoff icon on your Windows desktop. On a UNIX platform, to get down MATLAB, type matlab at the operating system prompt. After get downing MATLAB, the MATLAB desktop opens – see MATLAB Desktop. You can alter the directory in which MATLAB starts, specify startup options including running a book upon startup, and cut down startup clip in some state of affairss. Discontinuing MATLAB To stop your MATLAB session, choice Exit MATLAB from the File bill of fare in the desktop, or type quit in the Command Window. To put to death specified maps each clip MATLAB quits, such as salvaging the workspace, you can make and run a finish.m book. MATLAB Desktop When you start MATLAB, the MATLAB desktop appears, incorporating tools ( graphical user interfaces ) for pull offing files, variables, and applications associated with MATLAB. The first clip MATLAB starts, the desktop appears as shown in the undermentioned illustration, although your Launch Pad may incorporate different entries. You can alter the manner your desktop expressions by gap, shutting, traveling, and resizing the tools in it. You can besides travel tools outside of the desktop or return them back inside the desktop ( docking ) . All the desktop tools provide common characteristics such as context bill of fare and keyboard cutoffs. You can stipulate certain features for the desktop tools by choosing Preferences from the File bill of fare. For illustration, you can stipulate the fount features for Command Window text. For more information, snap the Help button in the Preferences duologue box. Desktop Tools This subdivision provides an debut to MATLAB ‘s desktop tools. You can besides utilize MATLAB maps to execute most of the characteristics found in the desktop tools. The tools are:Current Directory BrowserWorkspace BrowserArray EditorEditor/DebuggerCommand WindowCommand HistoryLaunch PadHelp BrowserCommand Window Use the Command Window to come in variables and run maps and M-files. Figure 5.1: Basic Window of Matlab Command History Lines you enter in the Command Window are logged in the Command History window. In the Command History, you can see antecedently used maps, and transcript and execute selected lines. To salvage the input and end product from a MATLAB session to a file, use the diary map. Runing External Programs You can run external plans from the MATLAB Command Window. The exclaiming point character! is a shell flight and indicates that the remainder of the input line is a bid to the operating system. This is utile for raising public-service corporations or running other plans without discontinuing MATLAB. On Linux, for illustration! emacs magik.m invokes an editor called emacs for a file named magik.m. When you quit the external plan, the operating system returns command to MATLAB. Launch Pad MATLAB Launch Pad provides easy entree to tools, demos, and certification. Help Browser Use the Help browser to seek and see certification for all your Math Works merchandises. The Help browser is a Web browser integrated into the MATLAB desktop that displays HTML paperss. To open the Help browser, snap the aid button in the toolbar, or type aid browser in the Command Window. The Help browser consists of two window glasss, the Help Navigator, which you use to happen information, and the show window glass, where you view the information. Help Navigator Use to Help Navigator to happen information. It includes: Merchandise filter– Set the filter to demo certification merely for the merchandises you specify. Contentss check– Position the rubrics and tabular arraies of contents of certification for your merchandises. Index check– Discovery specific index entries ( selected keywords ) in the Math Works certification for your merchandises. Search check– Expression for a specific phrase in the certification. To acquire aid for a specific map, set the Search type to Function Name. Favorites tab– Position a list of paperss you antecedently designated as favourites. Display Pane After happening certification utilizing the Help Navigator, position it in the show window glass. While sing the certification, you can: Browse to other pages– Use the pointers at the tops and undersides of the pages, or utilize the dorsum and forward buttons in the toolbar. Bookmark pages– Chink the Add to Favorites button in the toolbar. Print pages– Chink the print button in the toolbar. Find a term in the page– Type a term in the Find in page field in the toolbar and chink Go. Other characteristics available in the show window glass are: copying information, measuring a choice, and sing Web pages. Current Directory Browser MATLAB file operations use the current directory and the hunt way as mention points. Any file you want to run must either be in the current directory or on the hunt way. Search Path To find how to put to death maps you call, MATLAB uses a search way to happen M-files and other MATLAB-related files, which are organized in directories on your file system. Any file you want to run in MATLAB must shack in the current directory or in a directory that is on the hunt way. By default, the files supplied with MATLAB and Math Works tool chests are included in the hunt way. Workspace Browser The MATLAB workspace consists of the set of variables ( named arrays ) built up during a MATLAB session and stored in memory. You add variables to the workspace by utilizing maps, running M-files, and lading saved workspaces. To see the workspace and information about each variable, use the Workspace browser, or utilize the maps who and World Health Organization. To cancel variables from the workspace, select the variable and choice Delete from the Edit bill of fare. Alternatively, utilize the clear map. Array Editor Double-click on a variable in the Workspace browser to see it in the Array Editor. Use the Array Editor to see and redact a ocular representation of one- or planar numeral arrays, strings, and cell arrays of strings that are in the workspace. Editor/Debugger Use the Editor/Debugger to make and debug M-files, which are plans you write to run MATLAB maps. The Editor/Debugger provides a graphical user interface for basic text redaction, every bit good as for M-file debugging. You can utilize any text editor to make M-files, such as Emacs, and can utilize penchants ( accessible from the desktop File bill of fare ) to stipulate that editor as the default. If you use another editor, you can still utilize the MATLAB Editor/Debugger for debugging, or you can utilize debugging maps, such as dbstop, which sets a breakpoint. MANIPULATING Matrixs Entering Matrixs The best manner for you to acquire started with MATLAB is to larn how to manage matrices. Start MATLAB and follow along with each illustration. You can come in matrices into MATLAB in several different ways:Enter an expressed list of elements.Load matrices from external informations files.Generate matrices utilizing constitutional maps.Create matrices with your ain maps in M-files.Start by come ining Durer ‘s matrix as a list of its elements. You have merely to follow a few basic conventions:Separate the elements of a row with spaces or commas.Use a semicolon, ; , to bespeak the terminal of each row.Surround the full list of elements with square brackets, [ ] .5.6 Matlab DIP Toolbox Instructions Matlab digital image processing tool chest is able to execute a big assorted image processing undertakings. There are two of import I/O instructions ( imread and imwrite ) to lade and salvage images with assorted extensions. Usual data type of images is 8 spot unsigned whole number which is non conventional for matlab. Major portion of maps deal with dual type variables. accordingly, it is recommended to change over image matrix to duplicate informations type utilizing dual direction. Instruction manuals as imshow and use signifier purely obey such dynamic scope restraints. three types of images are defined in matlab: colour, grey and indexed. For each pel of a colour image, 3 bytes are dedicated to colour constituents. It is possible to transform good known colour infinites withmakecformandapplycform. A particular instance of grey images is black and white images with merely two strength degrees. The last image type is indexed image in which each pel has an index umpiring to an spec ific colour in associated colour map. Color infinite transforms are besides applicable to colourise maps while colour maps besides obey dual and uint8 dynamic scopes. except for pull outing colour image from grey or BW images ( which has its ain ambiguity ) , there are maps to change over other images. The often used Image Processing tool box instructions are shown below: ImshowDisplay image ImreadRead image from artworks file ImwriteWrite image to artworks file ImfinfoInformation about artworks file ImnoiseAdd noise to image ImcropCrop image ImresizeResize image ImrotateRotate image ImsaveSave Image Tool MakecformCreate colour transmutation construction ApplycformApply device-independent colour infinite transmutation gray2indConvert grayscale or binary image to indexed image ind2grayConvert indexed image to grayscale image mat2grayConvert matrix to grayscale image rgb2grayConvert RGB image or colour map to grayscale ind2rgbConvert indexed image to RGB image label2rgbConvert label matrix into RGB image multithreshMultilevel image thresholds utilizing Otsu ?s method im2bwConvert image to binary image, based on threshold graythreshGlobal image threshold utilizing Otsu ‘s method graysliceConvert grayscale image to indexed image utilizing multilevel thresholding im2doubleConvert image to duplicate preciseness im2int16Convert image to 16-bit signed whole numbers im2java2dConvert image to Java buffered image im2singleConvert image to individual preciseness im2uint16Convert image to 16-bit unsigned whole numbers im2uint8Convert image to 8-bit unsigned whole numbers imadjustAdjust image strength values or colormap imcontrastAdjust Contrast tool imsharpenSharpen image utilizing un crisp cover histeqEnhance contrast utilizing histogram equalisation adapthisteqContrast-limited adaptative histogram equalisation ( CLAHE ) bwmorphMorphological operations on binary images bwareaArea of objects in binary image bwulterodeUltimate eroding bwareaopenRemove little objects from binary image imcloseMorphologically close image imdilateDilate image imerodeErode image imfillFill image parts and holes imopenMorphologically unfastened image imcloseMorphologically close image strelCreate morphological structuring component ( STREL ) subimageDisplay multiple images in individual figure immovieMake film from multiframe image implayPlay films, pictures, or image sequences imwarpApply geometric transmutation to image imdisplayrangeDisplay Range tool imdistlineDistance tool imroiRegion-of-interest ( ROI ) base category impixelregionPixel Region tool imellipseCreate draggable oval impolyCreate draggable, resizable polygon imrectCreate draggable rectangle imfreehandCreate draggable freehand part imlineCreate draggable, resizable line impointCreate draggable point RoipolySpecify polygonal part of involvement ( ROI ) poly2maskConvert part of involvement ( ROI ) polygon to part mask roicolorSelect part of involvement ( ROI ) based on colour roifillFill in specified part of involvement ( ROI ) polygon in grayscale image roifilt2Filter part of involvement ( ROI ) in image imshowpairCompare differences between images Introduction to Matlab Lab 1 Introduction to MATLAB and Simulink Objectives: 1. The student should be able to understand the used of Matlab simulation package for analysis. 2. The student should be able to understand the used of simulink tool to analyse a given system. Part A: Matlab programming 1) Use MATLAB to generate the transfer function G(s) = 5(s+15)(s+26)(s+72) s(s+55)(s+47)(s+56)(s+89) in the following ways: The ratio of factors (i) (ii) The ratio of polynomials (b) Test the transfer function for (i) Stability Step response. Peak time? Settling time? % Overshoot? (ii) (iii) Steady state error for a unit step input 1 Part B: Simulink tool. ) Find the transfer function T(s) = C(s)/R(s) for the system shown in Figure 1. Given that G1(s) = 1/(s+7), G2(s) = 1/(s2+2s+3), G3(s) = 1/(s+4), G4 = 1/s G5(s) = 5/(s+7), G6(s) = 1/(s2 + 5s+10), G7=3/(s+2) and G8 = 1/(s+6). {Hint : Use the connect and blkbuild commands in MATLAB's Control System Toolbox} (a) Analyse the system for stability, steady-state error a nd time response to a unit step input, a unit ramp input and a hyperbolic input. (b) Connect the blocks in SIMULINK and verify for the time response obtained in (a) . G8(s) G6(s) R(s) G1(s) + + + G3(s) + G7(s) + G2(s) + + G4(s) + C(s) G5(s) Figure 1 2

Violence and Tragedy in Romeo and Juliet

Violence in The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet In The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet there are many scenes of dramatic irony throughout the play. The dramatic irony in the play adds suspense because you know something the other characters in the play does not know. This play if filled with many examples of dramatic irony and that creates suspense in the plotline. The first example of dramatic irony in the play is when a Capulet servant was sent my Lord and Lady Capulet to invite guests to their party.At the same time Romeo and his cousin Benvolio are standing in the streets and the servant comes up to them because he cannot read and asks them to read the names on the list. In return the servant says â€Å"Now I’ll tell you without asking. My master is the great rich Capulet, and if you be not of the house of Montagues, I pray come and crush a cup of wine. Rest you merry! †(Shakespeare 1:1, 82-84) this is a prime example of dramatic irony because the servant does not know that Romeo and Benvolio are Montagues but the audience does.This creates suspense because the audience is nervous about what is going to happen at the party. Another great example of dramatic irony is when Tybalt has challenged Romeo to a duel because he disgraced the Capulet name, and Romeo does not want to fight him. The reason Romeo does not want to fight is because he and Juliet just got married which means that him and Tybalt are now related. Romeo tries to stop him from fighting by telling him that he â€Å"love thee better than thou canst devise, till thou shalt know the reason of my love† (Shakespeare 1:1, 70-71).Tybalt does not know that Romeo is married to his cousin so he does not realize why Romeo is trying to reason with him and tell him he loves him. This is yet another example of how the dramatic irony adds suspense; the audience is waiting to see how the duel will play out and to see how Romeo will handle this situation. The third and final example of dramatic iro ny in the play is when Lady and Lord Capulet have decided to allow Count Paris to marry their daughter Juliet.She says â€Å"Marry my child, early next Thursday morn, the gallant, young, and noble gentlemen, The County Paris, at Saint Peters Church. †(Shakespeare 3:5 112-114) This would be great, but Romeo and Juliet have just gotten married, secretly at that. Nobody in Juliet’s family know about their marriage except for Nurse, which means that she has to decide if she is going to marry Paris and leave Romeo, or she could run off with Romeo.The dramatic irony in this scene play an important role in creating suspense in the fact that the audience want to know what will happen next, they want to know what Juliet will do or will she chose Paris over Romeo. As stated earlier The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is filled with dramatic irony and here are just some of the many examples that give the play great suspense and make it an ancient classic. The suspense in this play is important to creating much suspense making it a great play.

Target Corp Strategic Recommendation

Target Corp. Strategic Analysis MAN4720 Section 22 -Wednesdays 7:30pm Team: Risky Business Christine Majewski Jake Morgan Kristin Stearker Cory Verez Executive Summary ?The purpose of this analysis is to inform the board of team Risky Business’ strategic proposal related to Target Corporation’s Health & Wellness category. Target is already a multi-million dollar company, but after analyzing the company, our team has come up with a few strategic recommendations to aid in the continued success of Target.We have found that Target strives to combine top of the line innovation, excellent customer service, and unparallel value at attractive prices to customers using their Expect More. Pay Less ® brand promise. The Target Corporation has many strengths that will help our recommendation succeed including a wide scope of products and brands, strong internal logistics, convenience of online shopping, and an already strong brand and financial position. We feel that Target create s a sustained competitive advantage by leveraging the different aspects of their integration strategy to attract customers.Target is able to keep volumes high, driving costs down to offer lower prices on the differentiated products that Target’s guests have grown to love and expect. ?Team Risky Business’s strategic recommendations for the Health & Wellness sector include expanding initiatives and educational programs associated with organic and gluten free lifestyles. Target already has brand exclusive organic lines and our team recommends making consumers more aware of the products offered as well as benefits their guests can reap from changing their lifestyles.We suggest increasing advertising in order to promote these product lines to a market that is increasingly more health conscious than ever before. As with any strategic option, there are fall out risks associated to this plan that include increased costs and a potential lack of interest or demands. The full ana lysis gives a more in depth look at the current position of the company and future problems it could face along with the strategic recommendations we have chosen, and potential fallout risks associated with our solutions.Identify your client’s current vision and mission and analyze your client’s strategy ? Target’s ultimate goal is to become the most favored shopping destination for customers throughout all existing channels. The company plans to achieve their overall vision by continually being a top innovator in the industry, delivering outstanding customer experiences and terrific value at attractive prices, and by constantly fulfilling their brand promise of Expect More. Pay Less ®. Target tries to live up to their statements and this can be seen throughout many areas of the company.In March, 2013, Target received one of only 13 ratings of â€Å"excellent†, the highest available, from the Forrester Customer Experience Index, which measures customer experiences by survey (Target Brands, Inc. , 2013). As far as innovation is concerned, Target has made a positive imprint within the industry. Target has received many awards for its innovative excellence and is continuously reinventing its stores, layouts, and product assortments to better serve the ever-evolving needs of their guests (Target Brands, Inc. , 2013b). Target sells high-quality, trendy merchandise, at affordable prices which allows guests to â€Å"Expect More.Pay Less ®Ã¢â‚¬  when they shop at Target. Target combines innovation, value, and commitment to their brand promise through their actions, such as partnering with popular fashion designers to create affordable lines specifically for Target. This combining of differentiated products with lower prices is one way that Target incorporates its mission statement into their everyday operations. Target is still working on reaching its end goal of becoming the preferred outlet, as shown by its #2 market share position in the discount department store industry. Target is surpassed in market share only by Wal-Mart at this time (Biesada, 2013). Three segments are operated by Target; US Retail, Canadian, and US Credit Card. Two branded credit cards, the Target Card and the Target Visa, and one Target branded debit card, offer credit to customers through the US Credit Card segment (Reuters, 2013). In 2012, the total REDCard penetration was 13. 6%, up from 9. 3% the prior year. Although more people are signing up for credit, the total revenue generated from this segment has been declining since 2010 (Target Corporation, 2013). See Exhibit 1 for US Credit Card segment details. The Canadian segment includes the recently acquired Zeller’s, Inc. tore locations in Canada. Start-up costs for this segment were $272 million in 2011 and $74 million in 2012 (Target Corporation, 2013). ?The US Retail segment includes Target’s online business, its general merchandise stores, and SuperTargets (Reuters , 2013). Target. com is designed to allow guests to purchase products directly from online and/or to assist them in locating the product in a store near them. To aid in differentiating themselves, Target uses the web platform to sell not only its general merchandise, but also to introduce six brands sold exclusively through this medium (Target Brands, Inc. 2013c). The online presence aids in the vision of the company by offering multiple channels through which a customer can interact with Target. The brick and mortar stores of the US Retail segment offer general merchandise and groceries through the discount chain. Target and SuperTargets differ in that SuperTargets offer a larger line of food assortments. Target’s product mix includes household items, electronics, apparel and accessories, food and pet supplies, and home furnishings (Reuters, 2013). Exhibit 2 shows the percentages of sales each category holds. Within the retail segment, a portion of Target’s sales are generated through a mix of nationally branded goods, as well as private-label brands. In addition to general merchandise, Target also generates revenues from facilities in store â€Å"†¦such as Target Cafe, Target Clinic, Target Pharmacy and Target Photo, and from leased or licensed departments such as Target Optical, Pizza Hut, Portrait Studio and Starbucks† (Reuters, 2013). Target Corporation generates the majority of its sales revenues from the US Retail segment and revenues have been increasing since at least 2007 according to the company’s past 10K forms.Even through the 2008 recent recession, Target’s sales revenues have continued to increase within this segment (Target Corporation, 2013). Sales revenue overall, including all three segments, also has been rising since at least 2007. Although revenues continued to increase through the recession, net earnings dropped from $2,849 million in 2007 to $2,214 million in 2008. Target’s net earnings rec overed and have been increasing every year since the recession (Target Corporation, 2013).In addition to increasing sales revenue and net earnings, Target’s stock prices have also been above both the S&P and Dow Jones indexes for the last 10 years (Target Brands, Inc. , 2013d). See Exhibit 3 for US Retail Segment sales figures and Exhibit 4 for other selected financial data. ?The Target Corporation currently operates 1,784 of these SuperTarget and Target stores in the United States, as well as their online site, Target. com. Target recently began expansion into Canada; 24 stores are operational at this time (Target Brands, Inc. , 2013b).Target plans to continue with its growth tactics through 2013, bringing its Canadian fleet up to 100-150 stores (Biesada, 2013). At the same time that Target is expanding into new markets, the company is also penetrating further into existing markets with plans to remodel more of its store formats and to include additional food assortments. Ac cording to Hoovers, â€Å"nearly 900 Target stores (up from 462 last year) now feature expanded food assortments†¦In fiscal 2013 Target plans to remodel an additional 230 general merchandise Target stores †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Biesada, 2013).The remodeled stores, with better food assortments and innovative design changes, seem to be part of a strategic effort to stay competitive with the only company out-performing them, Wal-Mart. ?Finally, the Target company operates using an integration strategy, and is one of few companies that has found success using this type of strategy. As IbisWorld states, â€Å"Target offers daily essentials and consumables at discounted prices; however, the company has carved out a niche market by focusing on selling fashionable and trendy products† (IBISWorld, 2012).Target is unique because it has successfully managed to operate with low costs while providing differentiated products that satisfy their customers’ needs and wants. Being able t o continuously offer quality, innovative products while keeping costs low lays a foundation for the company to create competitive strengths on. Analysis Strengths: ?A couple of strengths that we found Target is posting is their large variety of product and brands. They offer a wide arrangement of goods that can attract an excessive amount of consumers to come through the store.Another strength that Target holds is a strong internal logistics structure. Their 37 distribution centers located across the US gives them a strong chance to open more stores, and reach more potential customers. (Target Co. ) They also offer the convenience of online shopping for all of their customers, not only offering ease of shopping, but also allowing those who may not have a target nearby still enjoys their goods. We also found that Target is in a unique position in respect to their current sales, over the last few years they have consistently posted growth in revenue, and gross profit.Weaknesses: ?A we akness that was found through our research was a decrease in liquid capital over the last 2 years, potentially making it difficult to manage working capital and operational needs. Furthermore, they have increased the total debt that they are obliged to, making the lack of current assets evermore detrimental. Another possible weakness is their lack of exposure to countries other than the US, they are currently only operating inside the US which could pose many problems due to their dependence on one market. Target Co. ) Opportunities: ?There are plenty of opportunities for Target when it comes to the expansion of their company into new markets. In 2013 Target will take its first step into an international market when they expanded in to Canada, creating Target Canada Co. (Target Co. ) Target has opportunities to expand their products, and broaden the breadth of their goods, especially the expansion of private label brands. Threats: ?The largest threat to target is that it is in a hig hly competitive market.There are a plethora of other stores selling the same goods, as well as the threats of counterfeit goods in the industry. (Target Co. ) Another threat is the potential of change in consumer preferences, creating a lack of demand for Targets goods. Threat of Substitute Products: ?We feel the threat of substitute products is high, there are many stores that offer similar goods that could be considered more attractive than buying from target; usually this is derived from the desire to obtain private label goods. Intensity of competitive rivalry in the Industry: The competitive rivalry within the industry is high, there are many companies competing against each other for the same customers, and market share. On top of the brick and mortar traditional shopping, there are now arising e-commerce competitors that intensify the competition within the industry. Threat of new Entrants: ?Considering the wide arrangements of goods offered by Target, we believe that the thr eat of new entrants is high. It’s also a highly competitive market, will low barriers of entry, so the combination of those two things creates an ease of entry for new ventures.Power of Buyers: We find that the power of buyers is high at Target, while they may not have much negotiating power within the store; they do have many options on where they are going to buy the particular good, which gives them the power to shop around and find the price that they like. Power of Suppliers: ?The power of suppliers at Target is low, since there has been a decrease in import barriers that has caused an increase in competition between suppliers. So the power of the suppliers to name the price has nearly been eliminated.Sustainable Competitive Advantage ?To operate effectively in the discount retail industry you need to be able to master some key functions, not only to achieve competitive advantage, but also to make it sustainable. Target displays a couple features we have noticed, that we feel allows them to obtain a sustainable competitive advantage. These SCA factors consist of the ability to manage and perform off a highly effective supply chain and the ability to achieve high economies of scale, due to their huge market presence and mix of private branding. One of the factors that helps Target obtain an effective supply chain is the wide geographical coverage of their distribution centers. They currently control and operate 37 distribution centers ranging from the West Coast of Lacey, Washington all the way to the North East location of Wilton, New York. By having multiple disperse locations they have allowed themselves the opportunity to expand across the whole country. They have the capabilities to service any of their 1,700 plus stores in a timely manner.This in turn creates a larger geographical market to operate in effectively that some of their smaller competitors may not have the means to. ?A second important factor that Target masters is its offering of diverse products coupled with high economies of scale. Target offers product lines in departments such as; household, hardline goods (non-informational goods), apparel and accessories, home furnishings and food and pet supplies. By doing this they create a one stop shop effect which holds a high convenience factor in the eyes of consumers.In 2010, the highest percentage of sales was in household goods at 24%, the lowest percentage was food and pet supplies at 17% (Target 2012 10k). These statistics support the idea that Target is not just specialized in one department, but has been able to offer a wide variety of products, all of which hold a high demand. Coupled with the wide diverse product range, Target has been able to do this while achieving high economies of scale. They have incorporated 30 plus mixed and licensed brands which helps keep their operating cost low, giving them a higher profit margin.In addition, Target outsources their goods to multiple countries which helps gen erate lower costs. They currently have 27 offices in 18 different countries. Problems Moving Forward ?Looking forward, Target may continue to see problems in a couple areas. They currently face the struggles of competing with Wal-Mart internationally, driving traffic through their store/ online website and the ability to implement quality control. ?The biggest current problem is competing with their largest competitor, Wal-Mart, at an international level and depending solely on the American market.It is known that the American economy has taken a hit in the recent past and that can be reflected in Target’s recent profits. Being solely dependent does not allow them to mitigate their risk, which Wal-Mart has done by tapping into different countries. This may not be an existing problem for long. Target is exploring the Canadian market and expects to have 125 of 135 stores remodeled and opened in the years 2013-2014. This shows some promise because over 30,000 Canadians currently hold Target’s REDcard, which shows a strong brand presence (FOX). A second problem Target faces is driving consumer traffic through their stores and website. With the new emerging strategy of E-Commerce, consumers now have the ability to shop online in the comfort of their own home. This adds more competition to the market that Target already faced and these new entrants have the option to operate at a minimal cost. ?The last pressing issue Target may face for the future is quality control. Dating back to the start of 2012 and currently into the 2013 year, Target has recalled over 55 products sold.This damages the image of Target and the products it offers. We do not believe this should hinder their operations too heavily but it is something to take notice of and work on fixing for the future (Target). Strategic Recommendation Our strategic recommendation for Target is to implement a comprehensive, multi-pronged, in-store advertising campaign that focuses on organic and all natural products sales and promotions. Target’s commitment to healthy living and high wellness standards is consistent with the benefits of this growing organic market.Target is able to add to their bottom line by tapping into this already established market, stealing market share from other retailers, and creating a new demand with non-organic users. Organic food sales in the U. S. comprise nearly half of global organic food sales. The global organic market reached $54. 9 billion in 2009, more than triple the $18 billion recorded in 2000 (Organic Agriculture in Wisconsin). Target has met the needs of the rapidly growing demand of healthier foods, more effective forms of exercise, and a booming interest in organic products, but have not taken full advantage of the market opportunity.Recently Target and Harris Interactive carried out a survey that polled American families and found that consumers are confused about how, why and where to shop for organic foods. Many families ar e unfamiliar or even unaware of the benefits of the organic foods and products. For instance the study showed that, â€Å"one-third (34 percent) of consumers surveyed believe that organic foods are superior to non-organic foods, but nearly two-thirds (61 percent) want to be better informed on the value of where it pays to buy organic† (Organic Consumers Association).It is not enough to just offer organic food and natural products, Target needs to educate their consumers and persuade them to buy those products offered at Target. â€Å"People want to know more about organic products and where to best spend their money on them,† says Dr. Susan Mitchell, registered dietitian and SuperTarget Health and Nutrition Expert. â€Å"Target provides their guests with product choices for the whole family; products that enhance their lives in an affordable and accessible way.When it comes to feeding your kids, certain conventional choices are fine, but parents should be informed on where organic is the better bet. With the new Archer Farms organic product, Target has made it easy for parents to make better decisions on what to feed their families† (Organic Consumers Association). Not until recently have a vast percent of our generation been diagnosed with allergies related to gluten, wheat, soy, etc. This is growing allergies are found to be passed on through genetics, and is only treatable through dietary changes.This means that the market will only continue to grow in future generations, not only by people who have the allergies, but also chose to limit their nutritional diet by choice for health reasons. Many companies now carry gluten free and organic food lines permanently and these product lines are continually growing. â€Å"a 2011 survey by the Organic Trade Association found that more than three-quarters—78 percent—of U. S. families are buying organic food, up from 73 percent in 2009. Forty percent of families say they are buying more organic food now than they were a year ago† (Organic Trade Association).In order for Target to fully tap into this growing market, they will need to continue expanding their current food departments in Target stores or convert them into Super Target stores. Target invested $500 million in 2010 in a new push on groceries, retrofitting some of its general merchandise stores with full-blown food sections. Sales and traffic at stores with the new grocery areas are about 6 percent higher than at similar stores without them, the company says (NY Times) Last year, nearly 1,000 Target stores offered an expanded food layout.At these Target stores, approximately 10,000 square feet is dedicated to a vast array of fresh food choices, including a curated assortment of fresh produce, fresh packaged meat and pre-packaged baked goods, in addition to dry and frozen offerings. By the end of 2012, more than 1,100 Target stores offer the expanded fresh food layout compared to 450 in 2010 (Ta rget Press Release). Annette Miller, Target’s senior vice president for grocery, said she expected an expanded food department to move into most Target stores eventually.While the gross margins of the grocery business are about 18 percent, well below those of retail, which are about 30. 5 percent, groceries both drive visits and make existing stores more profitable, said Colin McGranahan, an analyst with Sanford C. Bernstein (NY Times). Target and Super Target carry many private labels and brands that specialize in healthy lifestyle and organic products. The Archer Farms brand offers organic products while remaining exclusive to Target, and continues to expand their brand with new product introductions regularly.Both Super Target and Target stores will continue to offer a variety and vast selection of organic products to meet the needs of all their consumers (Organic Consumers Association). Since Target Corp. has been successful with the launching and selling of their exclusi ve organic product lines, as well as mainstream brand organic products, we feel they need to focus on this demand instead of starting a new venture. â€Å"Target is committed to helping guests see the value of organic products and their role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle,† says Greg Duppler, senior vice president, Target. We want our guests to have one-stop access to the healthy products they need without sacrificing the convenience and value that Target consistently delivers through our owned brands† (Organic Consumers Association). There is a lot more opportunity in this market than they have tapped into and we feel they should expand their educational programs and initiatives for them to fully take advantage of the organic product demand. Since Target Corp. already has the brand equity and brand awareness, we want to make their consumers more aware of the benefits and facts about living a healthy lifestyle and using organic and all natural products.Although Targ et has different advertisements and programs about healthy lifestyle, we feel they could incorporate a greater amount of product promotion and educational programs to increase their both their sales and brand image. Target Corp. needs to focus some of their advertising dollars on promoting these organic product lines. Not only the food and produce, but also the organic body care lines, and organic cleaning and household products. Organic is not just food. Over 2 billion worth of organic fiber, cosmetic, and household products were sold last year (Consumer demand for organic food boosts sales).They should increase and reposition their in-store signage and displays to create buzz and inform the shoppers of what organic products they carry. Similar to Publix â€Å"GreenWise† organic section in their store, Target should group their organic products together in each department of the store with attention grabbing, easy to read signage. Each department will include an organic aisl e or section with end-cap aisle displays. Within these displays they will include informative, educational facts or promotional videos explaining the benefits of the organic products versus the non-all natural products.Larger signage and end-cap aisle displays will increase awareness and curiosity. Many people do not want to take the time to research the information about organic products, but if Target offers it in the store, the consumers will be more likely to read it and become interested in the product lines. ?Many shoppers associate organic products and food to Publix and Whole Foods, but we want consumers to also include Target in this category. This advertising boost is more of an initiative than a campaign, to increase awareness and drive profitability in the all-natural product market.We want to enhance Target’s brand image by incorporating more healthy lifestyle programs. Target would build and enhance their â€Å"wellness† section of their website for consu mers to educate themselves on everyday wellness tips including organic foods and product ads, recipes, articles regarding the benefits of all-natural products. This would also include fitness tips, Target ads for exercise related products, vitamins, and more. We will focus this initiative towards mothers or heads of the households who do the family shopping. Why do people buy organic food? Parents tend to be motivated by health concerns.The Organic Trade Association found that nearly half of parents surveyed—48 percent—were motivated to buy organic food because they believe it is healthier for themselves and their children. Other motivators for parents include concerns over the effects of pesticides, hormones and antibiotics on children, and avoidance of highly processed food and artificial ingredients (Haumann). Many organic consumers are mothers who care about the wellness of their children and families, so we will focus mainly on healthy lifestyles for families. We will also offer special shopping lists and recipes for food allergies.Many mothers already shop at Target for their everyday needs and we want them to also buy any of the food products they can while they are there, especially organic. Based on these numbers, the organic food and beverage industry presents an opportunity for growth in both revenue and jobs during the downturn. Target has a huge advantage with their Red-card, that shoppers who have this credit or debit card receive 5% off their entire purchase every time they shop at Target or Super Target. This is another discount on top of Target’s everyday low prices compared to Whole Foods, Publix, and World Market.No other grocery store offers a credit card that allows a discount every time they shop, on top of sales and promotional items. With this Red-card, we suggest Target offers additional discounts, like Win-Dixie does with their shopping card. The consumers would receive Bo-Go discounts, weekly promotional prices o n certain items and more when they use their Red-card to buy groceries. This would increase their credit card sales, total purchases, and especially grocery and food sales (exhibit). The marketing and advertising of this wellness and organic initiative will cost about $3. million for four months of in-store promotion and an additional $500k for enhancing Target’s website design. Remodeling an existing store to include the expanded fresh food layout requires an investment of around $1. 5 – 3 million, of which about 60 percent is related to merchandising initiatives like the expanded food selection and transformations in Beauty, Home, Shoes and Baby (Target Summary Financials) Our expanded fresh food layout offers around 90 percent of the food categories found in a Super Target with about 60 percent of the items, in approximately half of the space devoted to food in a Super Target (Target Summary Financials).With every store Target remodels to expand their grocery depart ment, they increase their revenue by at least 6 percent. The advertising and in-store promotions will increase revenue by at least 4 percent within 6 months after we begin the initiative and increase total organic food sales by 12 percent within the year. This is a perfect time to start the in-store organic promotional campaign for Target. Summer and early fall is the highest revenue time for organic produce. Since the advertising and promotional collateral will mainly stay in-store and online, we can start right away and be ready to launch within 45 days.The website can be enhance as soon as possible, as well as the start of training for the current employees. Exhibit 7 in the Appendix shows a proposed timeline for our strategic recommendation for Target Corporation. Fallout and Summary These are the risks associated with our recommendation 1. Higher prices for organic food and products 2. Lack of demand and interest in organic food and products 3. Increase in a. operation costs fo r training of employees on education of organic benefits etc. and additional employees b. dvertising/marketing costs for signage and promotional advertising of organic product lines and foods c. costs associated with updating website content d. costs associciate with creating and expanding educational programs and sponsorships that promote organic products and food and healthy life styles References: 1. Organic Consumers Association. Another Big Box Chain, Target, Jumps Onto Organic Bandwagon. 28 Sept. 2006. Web. 05 Apr. 2013. . 2. Biesada, Alexandra. Target Corporation. 2013. Web. 5 April 2013. . 3. Clifford, Stephanie. â€Å"Big Retailers Fill More Aisles With Groceries. The New York Times, 16 Jan. 2011. Web. 6 Apr. 2013. . 4. Organic Agriculture in Wisconsin. â€Å"Growing Demand for Organic Food: A Bright Spot in a Tough Economy. † N. p. , Feb. 2012. Web. 06 Apr. 2013. . 5. Haumann, Barbara. â€Å"Seventy–eight Percent of U. S. Families Say They Purchase Organic Foods. † 2011 Press Releases. Organic Trade Association's Organic Newsroom, Nov. 2011. Web. 09 Apr. 2013. . 6. IBISWorld. Major Companies. 2012. Web. 5 April 2013. . 7. Reuters. Profile: Target Corp (TGT). 2013. Web. 5 April 2013. . 8. Target Brands, Inc. orporate fact sheet. 2013. Web. 5 April 2013b. . 9. Target Brands, Inc. shop Target's exclusive online-only brands. 22 January 2013. Web. 5 April 2013. . 10. Target Brands, Inc. stock information. 2013. Web. 6 April 2013. . 11. Target Brands, Inc. Target tops for customer experience. 5 March 2013. Web. 5 April 2013. . 12. Target Corporation. â€Å"Form 10K. † 10K. 2013. PDF. 13. Target Corporation – Financial and Strategic Analysis Review. 5-Nov-2012. Web 5 April 2013. reference code: GDRT33397FSA . 14. â€Å"Target Remodels 90 Stores to Expand Fresh Food Selection. Press Room. Target Corporation, 24 Apr. 2012. Web. 09 Apr. 2013. . MAN4720 Section 22 -Wednesdays 7:30pm Team: Risky Business Christine Majewski J ake Morgan Kristin Stearker Cory Verez Executive Summary ?The purpose of this analysis is to inform the board of team Risky Business’ strategic proposal related to Target Corporation’s Health & Wellness category. Target is already a multi-million dollar company, but after analyzing the company, our team has come up with a few strategic recommendations to aid in the continued success of Target.We have found that Target strives to combine top of the line innovation, excellent customer service, and unparallel value at attractive prices to customers using their Expect More. Pay Less ® brand promise. The Target Corporation has many strengths that will help our recommendation succeed including a wide scope of products and brands, strong internal logistics, convenience of online shopping, and an already strong brand and financial position. We feel that Target creates a sustained competitive advantage by leveraging the different aspects of their integration strategy to attra ct customers.Target is able to keep volumes high, driving costs down to offer lower prices on the differentiated products that Target’s guests have grown to love and expect. ?Team Risky Business’s strategic recommendations for the Health & Wellness sector include expanding initiatives and educational programs associated with organic and gluten free lifestyles. Target already has brand exclusive organic lines and our team recommends making consumers more aware of the products offered as well as benefits their guests can reap from changing their lifestyles.We suggest increasing advertising in order to promote these product lines to a market that is increasingly more health conscious than ever before. As with any strategic option, there are fall out risks associated to this plan that include increased costs and a potential lack of interest or demands. The full analysis gives a more in depth look at the current position of the company and future problems it could face alon g with the strategic recommendations we have chosen, and potential fallout risks associated with our solutions.Identify your client’s current vision and mission and analyze your client’s strategy ? Target’s ultimate goal is to become the most favored shopping destination for customers throughout all existing channels. The company plans to achieve their overall vision by continually being a top innovator in the industry, delivering outstanding customer experiences and terrific value at attractive prices, and by constantly fulfilling their brand promise of Expect More. Pay Less ®. Target tries to live up to their statements and this can be seen throughout many areas of the company.In March, 2013, Target received one of only 13 ratings of â€Å"excellent†, the highest available, from the Forrester Customer Experience Index, which measures customer experiences by survey (Target Brands, Inc. , 2013). As far as innovation is concerned, Target has made a posit ive imprint within the industry. Target has received many awards for its innovative excellence and is continuously reinventing its stores, layouts, and product assortments to better serve the ever-evolving needs of their guests (Target Brands, Inc. , 2013b). Target sells high-quality, trendy merchandise, at affordable prices which allows guests to â€Å"Expect More.Pay Less ®Ã¢â‚¬  when they shop at Target. Target combines innovation, value, and commitment to their brand promise through their actions, such as partnering with popular fashion designers to create affordable lines specifically for Target. This combining of differentiated products with lower prices is one way that Target incorporates its mission statement into their everyday operations. Target is still working on reaching its end goal of becoming the preferred outlet, as shown by its #2 market share position in the discount department store industry. Target is surpassed in market share only by Wal-Mart at this time ( Biesada, 2013). Three segments are operated by Target; US Retail, Canadian, and US Credit Card. Two branded credit cards, the Target Card and the Target Visa, and one Target branded debit card, offer credit to customers through the US Credit Card segment (Reuters, 2013). In 2012, the total REDCard penetration was 13. 6%, up from 9. 3% the prior year. Although more people are signing up for credit, the total revenue generated from this segment has been declining since 2010 (Target Corporation, 2013). See Exhibit 1 for US Credit Card segment details. The Canadian segment includes the recently acquired Zeller’s, Inc. tore locations in Canada. Start-up costs for this segment were $272 million in 2011 and $74 million in 2012 (Target Corporation, 2013). ?The US Retail segment includes Target’s online business, its general merchandise stores, and SuperTargets (Reuters, 2013). Target. com is designed to allow guests to purchase products directly from online and/or to assist th em in locating the product in a store near them. To aid in differentiating themselves, Target uses the web platform to sell not only its general merchandise, but also to introduce six brands sold exclusively through this medium (Target Brands, Inc. 2013c). The online presence aids in the vision of the company by offering multiple channels through which a customer can interact with Target. The brick and mortar stores of the US Retail segment offer general merchandise and groceries through the discount chain. Target and SuperTargets differ in that SuperTargets offer a larger line of food assortments. Target’s product mix includes household items, electronics, apparel and accessories, food and pet supplies, and home furnishings (Reuters, 2013). Exhibit 2 shows the percentages of sales each category holds. Within the retail segment, a portion of Target’s sales are generated through a mix of nationally branded goods, as well as private-label brands. In addition to general m erchandise, Target also generates revenues from facilities in store â€Å"†¦such as Target Cafe, Target Clinic, Target Pharmacy and Target Photo, and from leased or licensed departments such as Target Optical, Pizza Hut, Portrait Studio and Starbucks† (Reuters, 2013). Target Corporation generates the majority of its sales revenues from the US Retail segment and revenues have been increasing since at least 2007 according to the company’s past 10K forms.Even through the 2008 recent recession, Target’s sales revenues have continued to increase within this segment (Target Corporation, 2013). Sales revenue overall, including all three segments, also has been rising since at least 2007. Although revenues continued to increase through the recession, net earnings dropped from $2,849 million in 2007 to $2,214 million in 2008. Target’s net earnings recovered and have been increasing every year since the recession (Target Corporation, 2013).In addition to incre asing sales revenue and net earnings, Target’s stock prices have also been above both the S&P and Dow Jones indexes for the last 10 years (Target Brands, Inc. , 2013d). See Exhibit 3 for US Retail Segment sales figures and Exhibit 4 for other selected financial data. ?The Target Corporation currently operates 1,784 of these SuperTarget and Target stores in the United States, as well as their online site, Target. com. Target recently began expansion into Canada; 24 stores are operational at this time (Target Brands, Inc. , 2013b).Target plans to continue with its growth tactics through 2013, bringing its Canadian fleet up to 100-150 stores (Biesada, 2013). At the same time that Target is expanding into new markets, the company is also penetrating further into existing markets with plans to remodel more of its store formats and to include additional food assortments. According to Hoovers, â€Å"nearly 900 Target stores (up from 462 last year) now feature expanded food assortme nts†¦In fiscal 2013 Target plans to remodel an additional 230 general merchandise Target stores †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Biesada, 2013).The remodeled stores, with better food assortments and innovative design changes, seem to be part of a strategic effort to stay competitive with the only company out-performing them, Wal-Mart. ?Finally, the Target company operates using an integration strategy, and is one of few companies that has found success using this type of strategy. As IbisWorld states, â€Å"Target offers daily essentials and consumables at discounted prices; however, the company has carved out a niche market by focusing on selling fashionable and trendy products† (IBISWorld, 2012).Target is unique because it has successfully managed to operate with low costs while providing differentiated products that satisfy their customers’ needs and wants. Being able to continuously offer quality, innovative products while keeping costs low lays a foundation for the company to create competitive strengths on. Analysis Strengths: ?A couple of strengths that we found Target is posting is their large variety of product and brands. They offer a wide arrangement of goods that can attract an excessive amount of consumers to come through the store.Another strength that Target holds is a strong internal logistics structure. Their 37 distribution centers located across the US gives them a strong chance to open more stores, and reach more potential customers. (Target Co. ) They also offer the convenience of online shopping for all of their customers, not only offering ease of shopping, but also allowing those who may not have a target nearby still enjoys their goods. We also found that Target is in a unique position in respect to their current sales, over the last few years they have consistently posted growth in revenue, and gross profit.Weaknesses: ?A weakness that was found through our research was a decrease in liquid capital over the last 2 years, potentially making it difficult to manage working capital and operational needs. Furthermore, they have increased the total debt that they are obliged to, making the lack of current assets evermore detrimental. Another possible weakness is their lack of exposure to countries other than the US, they are currently only operating inside the US which could pose many problems due to their dependence on one market. Target Co. ) Opportunities: ?There are plenty of opportunities for Target when it comes to the expansion of their company into new markets. In 2013 Target will take its first step into an international market when they expanded in to Canada, creating Target Canada Co. (Target Co. ) Target has opportunities to expand their products, and broaden the breadth of their goods, especially the expansion of private label brands. Threats: ?The largest threat to target is that it is in a highly competitive market.There are a plethora of other stores selling the same goods, as well as the threats of counterfeit goods in the industry. (Target Co. ) Another threat is the potential of change in consumer preferences, creating a lack of demand for Targets goods. Threat of Substitute Products: ?We feel the threat of substitute products is high, there are many stores that offer similar goods that could be considered more attractive than buying from target; usually this is derived from the desire to obtain private label goods. Intensity of competitive rivalry in the Industry: The competitive rivalry within the industry is high, there are many companies competing against each other for the same customers, and market share. On top of the brick and mortar traditional shopping, there are now arising e-commerce competitors that intensify the competition within the industry. Threat of new Entrants: ?Considering the wide arrangements of goods offered by Target, we believe that the threat of new entrants is high. It’s also a highly competitive market, will low barriers of entry, so the combination of those two things creates an ease of entry for new ventures.Power of Buyers: We find that the power of buyers is high at Target, while they may not have much negotiating power within the store; they do have many options on where they are going to buy the particular good, which gives them the power to shop around and find the price that they like. Power of Suppliers: ?The power of suppliers at Target is low, since there has been a decrease in import barriers that has caused an increase in competition between suppliers. So the power of the suppliers to name the price has nearly been eliminated.Sustainable Competitive Advantage ?To operate effectively in the discount retail industry you need to be able to master some key functions, not only to achieve competitive advantage, but also to make it sustainable. Target displays a couple features we have noticed, that we feel allows them to obtain a sustainable competitive advantage. These SCA factors consist of the ability to m anage and perform off a highly effective supply chain and the ability to achieve high economies of scale, due to their huge market presence and mix of private branding. One of the factors that helps Target obtain an effective supply chain is the wide geographical coverage of their distribution centers. They currently control and operate 37 distribution centers ranging from the West Coast of Lacey, Washington all the way to the North East location of Wilton, New York. By having multiple disperse locations they have allowed themselves the opportunity to expand across the whole country. They have the capabilities to service any of their 1,700 plus stores in a timely manner.This in turn creates a larger geographical market to operate in effectively that some of their smaller competitors may not have the means to. ?A second important factor that Target masters is its offering of diverse products coupled with high economies of scale. Target offers product lines in departments such as; hou sehold, hardline goods (non-informational goods), apparel and accessories, home furnishings and food and pet supplies. By doing this they create a one stop shop effect which holds a high convenience factor in the eyes of consumers.In 2010, the highest percentage of sales was in household goods at 24%, the lowest percentage was food and pet supplies at 17% (Target 2012 10k). These statistics support the idea that Target is not just specialized in one department, but has been able to offer a wide variety of products, all of which hold a high demand. Coupled with the wide diverse product range, Target has been able to do this while achieving high economies of scale. They have incorporated 30 plus mixed and licensed brands which helps keep their operating cost low, giving them a higher profit margin.In addition, Target outsources their goods to multiple countries which helps generate lower costs. They currently have 27 offices in 18 different countries. Problems Moving Forward ?Looking forward, Target may continue to see problems in a couple areas. They currently face the struggles of competing with Wal-Mart internationally, driving traffic through their store/ online website and the ability to implement quality control. ?The biggest current problem is competing with their largest competitor, Wal-Mart, at an international level and depending solely on the American market.It is known that the American economy has taken a hit in the recent past and that can be reflected in Target’s recent profits. Being solely dependent does not allow them to mitigate their risk, which Wal-Mart has done by tapping into different countries. This may not be an existing problem for long. Target is exploring the Canadian market and expects to have 125 of 135 stores remodeled and opened in the years 2013-2014. This shows some promise because over 30,000 Canadians currently hold Target’s REDcard, which shows a strong brand presence (FOX). A second problem Target faces is dri ving consumer traffic through their stores and website. With the new emerging strategy of E-Commerce, consumers now have the ability to shop online in the comfort of their own home. This adds more competition to the market that Target already faced and these new entrants have the option to operate at a minimal cost. ?The last pressing issue Target may face for the future is quality control. Dating back to the start of 2012 and currently into the 2013 year, Target has recalled over 55 products sold.This damages the image of Target and the products it offers. We do not believe this should hinder their operations too heavily but it is something to take notice of and work on fixing for the future (Target). Strategic Recommendation Our strategic recommendation for Target is to implement a comprehensive, multi-pronged, in-store advertising campaign that focuses on organic and all natural products sales and promotions. Target’s commitment to healthy living and high wellness standard s is consistent with the benefits of this growing organic market.Target is able to add to their bottom line by tapping into this already established market, stealing market share from other retailers, and creating a new demand with non-organic users. Organic food sales in the U. S. comprise nearly half of global organic food sales. The global organic market reached $54. 9 billion in 2009, more than triple the $18 billion recorded in 2000 (Organic Agriculture in Wisconsin). Target has met the needs of the rapidly growing demand of healthier foods, more effective forms of exercise, and a booming interest in organic products, but have not taken full advantage of the market opportunity.Recently Target and Harris Interactive carried out a survey that polled American families and found that consumers are confused about how, why and where to shop for organic foods. Many families are unfamiliar or even unaware of the benefits of the organic foods and products. For instance the study showed that, â€Å"one-third (34 percent) of consumers surveyed believe that organic foods are superior to non-organic foods, but nearly two-thirds (61 percent) want to be better informed on the value of where it pays to buy organic† (Organic ConsumersAssociation). It is not enough to just offer organic food and natural products, Target needs to educate their consumers and persuade them to buy those products offered at Target. â€Å"People want to know more about organic products and where to best spend their money on them,† says Dr. Susan Mitchell, registered dietitian and SuperTarget Health and Nutrition Expert. â€Å"Target provides their guests with product choices for the whole family; products that enhance their lives in an affordable and accessible way.When it comes to feeding your kids, certain conventional choices are fine, but parents should be informed on where organic is the better bet. With the new Archer Farms organic product, Target has made it easy for parent s to make better decisions on what to feed their families† (Organic Consumers Association). Not until recently have a vast percent of our generation been diagnosed with allergies related to gluten, wheat, soy, etc. This is growing allergies are found to be passed on through genetics, and is only treatable through dietary changes.This means that the market will only continue to grow in future generations, not only by people who have the allergies, but also chose to limit their nutritional diet by choice for health reasons. Many companies now carry gluten free and organic food lines permanently and these product lines are continually growing. â€Å"a 2011 survey by the Organic Trade Association found that more than three-quarters—78 percent—of U. S. families are buying organic food, up from 73 percent in 2009. Forty percent of families say they are buying more organic food now than they were a year ago† (Organic Trade Association).In order for Target to full y tap into this growing market, they will need to continue expanding their current food departments in Target stores or convert them into Super Target stores. Target invested $500 million in 2010 in a new push on groceries, retrofitting some of its general merchandise stores with full-blown food sections. Sales and traffic at stores with the new grocery areas are about 6 percent higher than at similar stores without them, the company says (NY Times) Last year, nearly 1,000 Target stores offered an expanded food layout.At these Target stores, approximately 10,000 square feet is dedicated to a vast array of fresh food choices, including a curated assortment of fresh produce, fresh packaged meat and pre-packaged baked goods, in addition to dry and frozen offerings. By the end of 2012, more than 1,100 Target stores offer the expanded fresh food layout compared to 450 in 2010 (Target Press Release). Annette Miller, Target’s senior vice president for grocery, said she expected an e xpanded food department to move into most Target stores eventually.While the gross margins of the grocery business are about 18 percent, well below those of retail, which are about 30. 5 percent, groceries both drive visits and make existing stores more profitable, said Colin McGranahan, an analyst with Sanford C. Bernstein (NY Times). Target and Super Target carry many private labels and brands that specialize in healthy lifestyle and organic products. The Archer Farms brand offers organic products while remaining exclusive to Target, and continues to expand their brand with new product introductions regularly.Both Super Target and Target stores will continue to offer a variety and vast selection of organic products to meet the needs of all their consumers (Organic Consumers Association). Since Target Corp. has been successful with the launching and selling of their exclusive organic product lines, as well as mainstream brand organic products, we feel they need to focus on this dem and instead of starting a new venture. â€Å"Target is committed to helping guests see the value of organic products and their role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle,† says Greg Duppler, senior vice president, Target. We want our guests to have one-stop access to the healthy products they need without sacrificing the convenience and value that Target consistently delivers through our owned brands† (Organic Consumers Association). There is a lot more opportunity in this market than they have tapped into and we feel they should expand their educational programs and initiatives for them to fully take advantage of the organic product demand. Since Target Corp. already has the brand equity and brand awareness, we want to make their consumers more aware of the benefits and facts about living a healthy lifestyle and using organic and all natural products.Although Target has different advertisements and programs about healthy lifestyle, we feel they could incorporate a greater amount of product promotion and educational programs to increase their both their sales and brand image. Target Corp. needs to focus some of their advertising dollars on promoting these organic product lines. Not only the food and produce, but also the organic body care lines, and organic cleaning and household products. Organic is not just food. Over 2 billion worth of organic fiber, cosmetic, and household products were sold last year (Consumer demand for organic food boosts sales).They should increase and reposition their in-store signage and displays to create buzz and inform the shoppers of what organic products they carry. Similar to Publix â€Å"GreenWise† organic section in their store, Target should group their organic products together in each department of the store with attention grabbing, easy to read signage. Each department will include an organic aisle or section with end-cap aisle displays. Within these displays they will include informative, educational fac ts or promotional videos explaining the benefits of the organic products versus the non-all natural products.Larger signage and end-cap aisle displays will increase awareness and curiosity. Many people do not want to take the time to research the information about organic products, but if Target offers it in the store, the consumers will be more likely to read it and become interested in the product lines. ?Many shoppers associate organic products and food to Publix and Whole Foods, but we want consumers to also include Target in this category. This advertising boost is more of an initiative than a campaign, to increase awareness and drive profitability in the all-natural product market.We want to enhance Target’s brand image by incorporating more healthy lifestyle programs. Target would build and enhance their â€Å"wellness† section of their website for consumers to educate themselves on everyday wellness tips including organic foods and product ads, recipes, article s regarding the benefits of all-natural products. This would also include fitness tips, Target ads for exercise related products, vitamins, and more. We will focus this initiative towards mothers or heads of the households who do the family shopping. Why do people buy organic food? Parents tend to be motivated by health concerns.The Organic Trade Association found that nearly half of parents surveyed—48 percent—were motivated to buy organic food because they believe it is healthier for themselves and their children. Other motivators for parents include concerns over the effects of pesticides, hormones and antibiotics on children, and avoidance of highly processed food and artificial ingredients (Haumann). Many organic consumers are mothers who care about the wellness of their children and families, so we will focus mainly on healthy lifestyles for families. We will also offer special shopping lists and recipes for food allergies.Many mothers already shop at Target for their everyday needs and we want them to also buy any of the food products they can while they are there, especially organic. Based on these numbers, the organic food and beverage industry presents an opportunity for growth in both revenue and jobs during the downturn. Target has a huge advantage with their Red-card, that shoppers who have this credit or debit card receive 5% off their entire purchase every time they shop at Target or Super Target. This is another discount on top of Target’s everyday low prices compared to Whole Foods, Publix, and World Market.No other grocery store offers a credit card that allows a discount every time they shop, on top of sales and promotional items. With this Red-card, we suggest Target offers additional discounts, like Win-Dixie does with their shopping card. The consumers would receive Bo-Go discounts, weekly promotional prices on certain items and more when they use their Red-card to buy groceries. This would increase their credit card sales, total purchases, and especially grocery and food sales (exhibit). The marketing and advertising of this wellness and organic initiative will cost about $3. million for four months of in-store promotion and an additional $500k for enhancing Target’s website design. Remodeling an existing store to include the expanded fresh food layout requires an investment of around $1. 5 – 3 million, of which about 60 percent is related to merchandising initiatives like the expanded food selection and transformations in Beauty, Home, Shoes and Baby (Target Summary Financials) Our expanded fresh food layout offers around 90 percent of the food categories found in a Super Target with about 60 percent of the items, in approximately half of the space devoted to food in a Super Target (Target Summary Financials).With every store Target remodels to expand their grocery department, they increase their revenue by at least 6 percent. The advertising and in-store promotions will increase revenue by at least 4 percent within 6 months after we begin the initiative and increase total organic food sales by 12 percent within the year. This is a perfect time to start the in-store organic promotional campaign for Target. Summer and early fall is the highest revenue time for organic produce. Since the advertising and promotional collateral will mainly stay in-store and online, we can start right away and be ready to launch within 45 days.The website can be enhance as soon as possible, as well as the start of training for the current employees. Exhibit 7 in the Appendix shows a proposed timeline for our strategic recommendation for Target Corporation. Fallout and Summary These are the risks associated with our recommendation 1. Higher prices for organic food and products 2. Lack of demand and interest in organic food and products 3. Increase in a. operation costs for training of employees on education of organic benefits etc. and additional employees b. dvertising/marketing costs for signage and promotional advertising of organic product lines and foods c. costs associated with updating website content d. costs associciate with creating and expanding educational programs and sponsorships that promote organic products and food and healthy life styles References: 1. Organic Consumers Association. Another Big Box Chain, Target, Jumps Onto Organic Bandwagon. 28 Sept. 2006. Web. 05 Apr. 2013. . 2. Biesada, Alexandra. Target Corporation. 2013. Web. 5 April 2013. . 3. Clifford, Stephanie. â€Å"Big Retailers Fill More Aisles With Groceries. The New York Times, 16 Jan. 2011. Web. 6 Apr. 2013. . 4. Organic Agriculture in Wisconsin. â€Å"Growing Demand for Organic Food: A Bright Spot in a Tough Economy. † N. p. , Feb. 2012. Web. 06 Apr. 2013. . 5. Haumann, Barbara. â€Å"Seventy–eight Percent of U. S. Families Say They Purchase Organic Foods. † 2011 Press Releases. Organic Trade Association's Organic Newsroom, Nov. 2011. Web. 09 Apr. 201 3. . 6. IBISWorld. Major Companies. 2012. Web. 5 April 2013. . 7. Reuters. Profile: Target Corp (TGT). 2013. Web. 5 April 2013. . 8. Target Brands, Inc. corporate fact sheet. 2013. Web. 5 April 2013b. 9. Target Brands, Inc. shop Target's exclusive online-only brands. 22 January 2013. Web. 5 April 2013. . 10. Target Brands, Inc. stock information. 2013. Web. 6 April 2013. . 11. Target Brands, Inc. Target tops for customer experience. 5 March 2013. Web. 5 April 2013. . 12. Target Corporation. â€Å"Form 10K. † 10K. 2013. PDF. 13. Target Corporation – Financial and Strategic Analysis Review. 5-Nov-2012. Web 5 April 2013. reference code: GDRT33397FSA . 14. â€Å"Target Remodels 90 Stores to Expand Fresh Food Selection. † Press Room. Target Corporation, 24 Apr. 2012. Web. 09 Apr. 2013. .