Cost Control and Cost Reduction

PRINCIPLES OF COST CONTROL 1. 1 Introduction Cost is important to all industry. Costs can be divided into two general classes; absolute costs and relative costs. Absolute cost measures the loss in value of assets. Relative cost involves a comparison between the chosen course of action and the course of action that was rejected. This cost of the alternative action – the action not taken – is often called the â€Å"opportunity cost†. The accountant is primarily concerned with the absolute cost.However, the forest engineer, the planner, the manager needs to be concerned with the alternative cost – the cost of the lost opportunity. Management has to be able to make comparisons between the policy that should be chosen and the policy that should be rejected. Such comparisons require the ability to predict costs, rather than merely record costs. Cost data are, of course, essential to the technique of cost prediction. However, the form in which much cost data are recorded limits accurate cost prediction to the field of comparable situations only.This limitation of accurate cost prediction may not be serious in industries where the production environment changes little from month to month or year to year. In harvesting, however, identical production situations are the exception rather than the rule. Unless the cost data are broken down and recorded as unit costs, and correlated with the factors that control their values, they are of little use in deciding between alternative procedures. Here, the approach to the problem of useful cost data is that of identification, isolation, and control of the factors affecting cost. . 2 Basic Classification of Costs Costs are divided into two types: variable costs, and fixed costs. Variable costs vary per unit of production. For example, they may be the cost per cubic meter of wood yarded, per cubic meter of dirt excavated, etc. Fixed costs, on the other hand, are incurred only once and as additional units of production are produced, the unit costs fall. Examples of fixed costs would be equipment move-in costs and road access costs. 1. 3 Total Cost and Unit-Cost Formulas As harvesting operations become more complicated and involve both fixed and ariable costs, there usually is more than one way to accomplish a given task. It may be possible to change the quantity of one or both types of cost, and thus to arrive at a minimum total cost. Mathematically, the relationship existing between volume of production and costs can be expressed by the following equations: Total cost = fixed cost + variable cost ? output In symbols using the first letters of the cost elements and N for the output or number of units of production, these simple formulas are C = F + NV UC = F/N + V 1. Breakeven Analysis A breakeven analysis determines the point at which one method becomes superior to another method of accomplishing some task or objective. Breakeven analysis is a common and important part of cost cont rol. One illustration of a breakeven analysis would be to compare two methods of road construction for a road that involves a limited amount of cut-and-fill earthwork. It would be possible to do the earthwork by hand or by bulldozer. If the manual method were adopted, the fixed costs would be low or non-existent.Payment would be done on a daily basis and would call for direct supervision by a foreman. The cost would be calculated by estimating the time required and multiplying this time by the average wages of the men employed. The men could also be paid on a piece-work basis. Alternatively, this work could be done by a bulldozer which would have to be moved in from another site. Let us assume that the cost of the hand labor would be $0. 60 per cubic meter and the bulldozer would cost $0. 40 per cubic meter and would require $100 to move in from another site.The move-in cost for the bulldozer is a fixed cost, and is independent of the quantity of the earthwork handled. If the bulldo zer is used, no economy will result unless the amount of earthwork is sufficient to carry the fixed cost plus the direct cost of the bulldozer operation. Figure 1. 1 Breakeven Example for Excavation. If, on a set of coordinates, cost in dollars is plotted on the vertical axis and units of production on the horizontal axis, we can indicate fixed cost for any process by a horizontal line parallel to the x-axis. If variable ost per unit output is constant, then the total cost for any number of units of production will be the sum of the fixed cost and the variable cost multiplied by the number of units of production, or F + NV. If the cost data for two processes or methods, one of which has a higher variable cost, but lower fixed cost than the other are plotted on the same graph, the total cost lines will intersect at some point. At this point the levels of production and total cost are the same. This point is known as the â€Å"breakeven† point, since at this level one method is as economical as the other.Referring to Figure 1. 1 the breakeven point at which quantity the bulldozer alternative and the manual labor alternative become equal is at 500 cubic meters. We could have found this same result algebraically by writing F + NV = F' + NV' where F and V are the fixed and variable costs for the manual method, and F' and V' are the corresponding values for the bulldozer method. Since all values are known except N, we can solve for N using the formula N = (F' – F) / (V – V') 1. 5 Minimum Cost Analyses A similar, but different problem is the determination of the point of minimum total cost.Instead of balancing two methods with different fixed and variable costs, the aim is to bring the sum of two costs to a minimum. We will assume a clearing crew of 20 men is clearing road right-of-way and the following facts are available: 1. Men are paid at the rate of $0. 40 per hour. 2. Time is measured from the time of leaving camp to the time of return. 3. Total walking time per man is increasing at the rate of 15 minutes per day. 4. The cost to move the camp is $50. If the camp is moved each day, no time is lost walking, but the camp cost is $50 per day.If the camp is not moved, on the second day 15 crew-minutes are lost or $2. 00. On the third day, the total walking time has increased 30 minutes, the fourth day, 45 minutes, and so on. How often should the camp be moved assuming all other things are equal? We could derive an algebraic expression using the sum of an arithmetic series if we wanted to solve this problem a number of times, but for demonstration purposes we can simply calculate the average total camp cost. The average total camp cost is the sum of the average daily cost of walking time plus the average daily cost of moving camp.If we moved camp each day, then average daily cost of walking time would be zero and the cost of moving camp would be $50. 00. If we moved the camp every other day, the cost of walking time is $2. 00 lost the second day, or an average of $1. 00 per day. The average daily cost of moving camp is $50 divided by 2 or $25. 00. The average total camp cost is then $26. 00. If we continued this process for various numbers of days the camp remains in location, we would obtain the results in Table 1. 1. TABLE 1. 1 Average daily total camp cost as the sum of the cost of walking time plus the cost of moving camp.Days camp remained in location| Average daily cost of walking time| Average daily cost of moving camp| Average total camp cost| 1| 0. 00| 50. 00| 50. 00| 2| 1. 00| 25. 00| 26. 00| 3| 2. 00| 16. 67| 18. 67| 4| 3. 00| 12. 50| 15. 50| 5| 4. 00| 10. 00| 14. 00| 6| 5. 00| 8. 33| 13. 33| 7| 6. 00| 7. 14| 13. 14| 8| 7. 00| 6. 25| 13. 25| 9| 8. 00| 5. 56| 13. 56| 10| 9. 00| 5. 00| 14. 00| We see the average daily cost of walking time increasing linearly and the average cost of moving camp decreasing as the number of days the camp remains in one location increases.The minimum cost is obta ined for leaving the camp in location 7 days (Figure 1. 2). This minimum cost point should only be used as a guideline as all other things are rarely equal. An important output of the analysis is the sensitivity of the total cost to deviations from the minimum cost point. In this example, the total cost changes slowly between 5 and 10 days. Often, other considerations which may be difficult to quantify will affect the decision. In Section 2, we discuss balancing road costs against skidding costs.Sometimes roads are spaced more closely together than that indicated by the point of minimum total cost if excess road construction capacity is available. In this case the goal may be to reduce the risk of disrupting skidding production because of poor weather or equipment availability. Alternatively, we may choose to space roads farther apart to reduce environmental impacts. Due to the usually flat nature of the total cost curve, the increase in total cost is often small over a wide range o f road spacings. Figure 1. 2 Costs for Camp Location Example.

How Homework can Help with Your Academic Success Essay

Homework is an important part of the academic curriculum and it also plays a major role in ensuring academic success for the students. Let us talk at length about how homework can help in bringing about academic success. Homework primarily helps in building five skills which assist in attaining academic success. Those skills are as follows: Organization: Being organised is an essential ingredient in the recipe of academic success. One has to be meticulous in planning a study routine to ensure that all topics of all subjects are paid equal attention. Also, enough time for practice should be baked in the routine. It is this aspect that homework helps with and gives enough opportunity to a student to practice his/her lessons, which then paves the way of gaining mastery over a topic or subject. In addition keeping track of one’s homework makes a student more organized. Time management: Optimum utilization of time is the key to success in the field of academics. Often at times, one feels flustered and overwhelmed with the vast study syllabus or curriculum. Therefore, dividing one’s time efficiently and as per one’s strength and weakness is a matter of great importance. Homework provides the student with an opportunity to manage time. While doing the homework of a subject which is one’s weak area, he is devoting more time to that subject, which will help him in understanding the concepts better, thereby saving the student’s time as he need not revisit this subject again and can spend the rest of his time in doing other activities or can devote to other subjects. In addition, learning to plan his work well in order to submit the assignment or homework on time will help him/her build time management skills. Prioritization: The skill of being able to prioritize one’s task does not only help with academic success, but is a skill which will come handy throughout your life. If a student is confronted with multiple assignments or homework in multiple subjects, he/she needs to prioritize it based on some factors like submission date, the complexity level of the work, his/her proficiency level with the subject etc. While doing so, they will learn to identify elements based on the urgency and importance levels. Concentration: Undivided attention and wholehearted commitment to one’s study time are per-requisites for academic success. While doing one’s homework with complete focus, a student has to ensure that he is cut off from any kinds of distractions or interruptions and should devote all his stamina and attention in completing the homework effectively. Such single minded focus on completing one’s homework helps a student build his concentration, which proves to be very useful while studying during the time of the assessments or exams. Motivation: A student has to believe in self and has to remain motivated all the time to be successful in academics. Self-confidence is of prime importance for academic success and it can be built and retained only if an individual is motivated to achieve success. If one does his/her homework successfully and wins accolades for the same back in school, then he/she will be motivated to do well consistently, as nothing attracts success more than success itself. To summarize, if homework is done with seriousness and sincerity, then it can prove to be a very useful tool in achieving academic success.

R – 7 Scandal – Boston Post Magazine

The breakthrough of the century could have been the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) or more commonly termed as R – 7. With two and a half years of research, Dr. Cliff Bannaker has worked on this virus from its very conception up to its ‘coming out’ at Glass-Mendelssohn laboratory. This particular drug is banked on as the possible cure to cancer. The Glass-Mendelssohn laboratory is at the heart of Harvard University’s Philpott Institute. The Director is Dr. Sandy Glass, whose given name is Sam Glazeroff, who is a descendant of Eastern European Jews. On the other hand, his co- director Marrion Mendelssohn, is a product of Franz Applebaum at Columbia. This is also where she met her husband Jacob, who in turn was a researcher – turned professor, now teaching microbiology at a local college. Dr. Cliff Bannaker is one of the most promising young doctors from Stanford. He was under the mentoring of the deceased Professor Oppenheimer. He is a son of Los Angeles store owners, who are both are college degree holders. He has been in the laboratory for three years being hired under the recommendations of Professor Oppenheimer. The laboratory is staffed with a few post – doctorate degree holders and two laboratory technicians. The doctor’s are Dr. Robin Drecker, Dr. Xiang Feng, Dr. Prithwish and the man who created the virus Dr. Cliff Bannaker. Their qualified laboratory technicians are Aidan and Natalya. The RVS was first introduced by Bannaker during his entry in the laboratory. He was given the opportunity to do his research. Such project initially showcased high potential for turning cancer cells into normal ones but it is worthy to note that this was not the only research done within the laboratory. However, even if this one has the highest prospect, there was a failure on the initial experiment with live subjects. With such, the directors had advised Bannaker to stop his experiment on RSV and work with fellow doctor Drecker, who is also Bannaker’s girlfriend. However, with intractable spirit (or frankly insubordination), Bannaker continued to inject live subjects, in this case- mice, with the virus. The RSV’s second attempt found several nude mice, which are those that do not have hair due to some disorder, that did not have the cancerous tumors after the injection of RSV. This was found by Dr. Feng who is the laboratory’s record keeper and the co-director Mendelssohn. The initial reaction is to ‘hide’ this from the director Glass. Nevertheless, this was also subsequently revealed. The restless but close to unproductive laboratory, with contagious glee probably from their director, eagerly proceeded with an announcement. With whirlwind speed, the research findings were published in a scientific journal, Nature. The laboratory gained publicity and funding for the venture. Consequently, the laboratory started its own quandary. The doctors who tried to replicate the results were unsuccessful. Thus, suspicion ignited in each in every doctor who tried unsuccessfully. The suspicions of the issue went into a full-blown investigation complete with Congressional hearing, wherein one of the doctors of the same laboratory became, so to speak, the whistle-blower of the whole charade. Drecker was also accused of holding professional jealousy against the people who strongly (though baselessly) believed in the work of Bannaker. At the same manner, such actions of the laboratory elicited commentary from the whole medical field. Not to mention, those in politics, in business as well as all people connected with what happened and the general public. How the ‘R – 7 Scandal’ violated Ethics in Research The whole ‘R – 7 scandal’ is composed of ethical and moral violations that deserve to be scrutinized both from the researchers’ ethical standards and from the perspective of the general public. Researchers have ethical standards that are built as a two way shield, as a protection for the general public and as flight leverage for the researchers. When researchers conduct certain studies, there are sets of ethical guidelines that should be followed. Although different field of studies have different sets of guidelines, there are still parallelism in such that every research should follow. Bannaker is probably an honest researcher who did not have the heart for a failed research. Honesty is a major ethical issue with the ‘R – 7 Scandal’ where the truth about the whole issue may never be entirely given light, or perhaps there will still be doubts as to the real occurrence of the whole fiasco. Not only did Bannaker twisted honestly but it also has something to do with the directors, Mendelssohn and Glass. Mendelssohn and Glass are the directors of the laboratory and their honesty is a very crucial for the integrity of the researches done under their leadership. They have the bestowed responsibility to make sure that the results are not manipulated in a dishonest way. Such actions have compromised not only themselves, but all the past and current researches done by the staff under their command. This leads to yet another issue of carefulness. Whether the scandal is a product of carelessness or dishonesty, all that are responsible have still forgotten to take into consideration this ethical virtue. As a result, irresponsible publication is observed. Responsible publication should be in line with the researchers’ openness to the results of their studies, as well as, to gear towards advancement of the field. Bannaker have apparently underestimated Drecker where some reports have said that prior to the deemed termination of Bannaker’s RSV, he was already asked to help Drecker in her research. However, Bannaker refused for unconfirmed reason where he thinks of her research as not ambitious enough. That alone is a breach of research ethics in terms of respecting one’s colleague in terms of their work. Responsible mentoring, that should also been practiced by Mendelssohn and Glass, have also failed miserably. They have forgotten to follow procedures like replicating the study just to make sure that the results are both conclusive and reliable. Apparently, key players of the scandal have all been seduced by the fame, honor and the seemingly ‘infinite’ grants for the laboratory. At the same time, Drecker, whether her intentions are due to integrity or to professional jealousy, her respect for the truth is ambiguous. In addition to this, researches now also possess legal values. Remember that anything anyone does is under laws and regulations. Consequently, such actions should be appended with legality. The same is true for those who are soliciting for grants or funding from various institutions. How the general public is mislead The public who had high hopes of finding the cure for cancer has been disappointed. In UK alone, there are approximately 289,000 people who are diagnosed with cancer every year, according to Cancer Research UK. Furthermore, there are 150,000 cancer deaths each year which actually boil down to an estimated one death every four minutes. Imagine how many people became disheartened by the revelation that the RSV is a hoax. Social responsibility is a research ethic that should have been treated with respect. Lives are being played at as well as emotions, not only of the people with cancer but the families and friends as well. Thus, nobody have the right to have been as irresponsible as what have happened in the research failure. Clearly, people have expected more ethics from doctors. Generally, people do not condemn any doctor who are ‘not producing’ any results for their studies. Most are even understanding of such, and in turn are more conscious, respectful and appreciative of those trying to come up with advances especially in the medical field. The general public has such high respect of people who have dedicated their lives for the advancement of our lives. Without such people, the conveniences that are enjoyed today may never have come into being. Nevertheless, with such trust, the doctors – researchers should always take into consideration the people, patients and families alike, they serve and not their personal gains. The actions of the individuals from the Glass-Mendelssohn laboratory have affected the lives of many around the world. The gain only belonged to those who have received the fame, grants and all other benefits associated with it, but the suffering is left to those who had tried to hold on for the sake of the ray of hope shed by the results of the failed study. Indeed, such actions have left more scars of frustrations for the people suffering from cancer as well as their families. Lesson Learned Doctors are also human beings that have rooms for mistakes. The ‘R- 7 Scandal’ is a result of carelessness, hasty decisions and hidden agendas. The whole mess serves as a wake up call both for researchers, politicians, grant agencies and the general public. The world of research should be focused on ethical and moral bases. Grant agencies, on the other hand, should be able to create a reliable system of negotiating with research organization on how these organizations can achieve support from them. Politicians should also be able to find more ways for some research laboratories to have funding so that such laboratories would not depend on grants. Thus, less pressure on ‘producing’ results just to acquire funds for continuing research. The general public should also carry at least an ounce of skepticism to avoid the disappointment brought about by failed researches. Looking into the bright side, the study only reached global fame in terms of the research scandals. However, it has not sickened the otherwise, already sick patients, or worse killed them. Far more damage and responsibility could have been the result of such. Therefore, the whole ‘R – 7 Scandal’ should be a reminder of how every single agency and group of individuals should, at least, carry common honesty, careful planning, untainted agenda and uncorrupted social responsibility in making conclusions. Probably, the next time researchers have discovered a cure for cancer or anything resembling such, they would be more responsible and critical.

LGBT Lifestyle and the Issuses Faced Today Research Paper

LGBT Lifestyle and the Issuses Faced Today - Research Paper Example In today’s world, fornication is not a crime and one can live the way they want without any judgment. This brings major questions as to why it been easier for the people to change in other matters that affect our lives such as stoning people to death yet it is so hard for us to accept that some people are born different to love the people of the same sex. Do the LGBT have the same rights as other people? Or are there some rights that are not given to the LGBT? Characterized by a lot of disguise and dangerous activities, the LGBT lifestyle is one of the major challenges that the gay community face today. Being accepted by the society is a major challenge; it is very hard for gay people to openly introduce themselves to the members of the society due to the prejudice that is associated with their lifestyle. It is a well known fact that many parents have publicly disowned their children due to their sexual orientation. It is therefore hard for the gay people to public express the ir love life as they risk sabotaging their life. It is for this reason that they usually hide themselves so that no one can know about them. Acceptance is therefore a major issue. In the movie rent, Maureen and her lover Joanne as well as Collins and Angel are both HIV positive and live a very difficult and dangerous lifestyle. As one watches the movie, the first impression that they get is that people who are gay are associated with drugs and diseases (Rent, 2005). This is very discriminatory since there are various respectable members of the society who are gay and whose sexual orientations do not stop them from performing their duties. This movie is therefore discriminatory on the gay people. Most of the people in our world today believe that being gay is associated with dirt, discrimination and drugs. It is for this reason that many people do not want to come out and say that they are gay. However if we are able to create a society that is non discriminatory of one’s sexu al orientation, and that can judge people not based on their sexual preference rather by the content of their brains then we would have done a lot of justice to the gay community (Rent, 2005). Marriage and child adoption by gay parent is another major challenge in the lives of the LGBT. Whereas it is common and legal for the heterosexual to marry and have children of their own, for centuries it has always been illegal for people of the same sex to get married and share their lives together. There is no natural law that dictates that only people of the opposite sex can marry; rather each and everyone can marry whoever they want. It is a well known fact that in some countries declaring that one is gay can be fatal in some instances. For example, the South African public burnt gay couples in early 2006 saying that they were a disgrace to the society. In the Middle East, it is also a well known fact that declaration that one is gay can be a life sentence (Alsenas, 2008). What do we have to do as a society to ensure that even the gay people have justice and that they are able to practice their fundamental human rights? Since gay couples are not able to have their own children, adoption is the only alternative left for them to have children. However, most states do not give these couples the right to adopt as other couples do. It is therefore hard for these parents to express their love to a child or even extend a helping hand to a child in need. There are lots of orphaned children as well as

Case Study 2 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

2 - Case Study Example According to this vision of the WTTC new tourism industry should: have positive impact on natural, social and cultural environments; be more attractive for a skilled workforce; introduce innovations through adoption of new technologies, and stimulate consumer demand for sustainable growth (WTTC, n.d.). There are three strategic priorities identified in the WTTC’s blueprint. There priorities are: The first priority is based on the idea to ensure that people have freedom to travel across the borders in efficient and safe way. This concept means that there should be made focus on smarter visa processes, trusted traveler programs, and more visa waiver agreements (WTTC, n.d.). WTTC states that facilitation of visa is an ongoing priority for the organization as this measure should encourage inbound tourism, create millions of new jobs, and generate billions to national economies (WTTC, n.d.). Thus, for example, according to the assumptions given in the WTTC/UNWTO report 2013, visa facilitation on APEC region could lead to increase of tourists by 57 million and growth of GDP by $89 billion, and add 2.6 million jobs (WTTC report, 2014). Policies for growth can have significant impact on the travel and tourism industry. WTTC promotes creating of a tax regime, as well as campaigns government to plan and invest into infrastructure development. Policies that will make business environment healthy and favorable for private sector will stimulate development of tourism and travel industry (WTTC, n.d.). WTTC reinforces the role of government in this process and focuses on reduction of the tax burden on the tourism sector (WTTC, n.d.). Tourism for tomorrow addresses the challenges which travel and tourism sector is more likely to face because of its growth and development. This third strategic priority implies a necessity to balance three integral elements: people, profits and

RISK MANAGEMENT & EMPLOYEE RELATIONSHIIPS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

RISK MANAGEMENT & EMPLOYEE RELATIONSHIIPS - Essay Example â€Å"Risks need to be properly identified, evaluated and addressed† (Sharp, 2009). Managers of the companies focus properly on identifying and assessing the risks, which the companies are likely to face at some point in future employee security, workplace safety, and computer systems security. An effective and well-organized mechanism is required in order to analyze the risks while achieving the balance between identified risks and the operational necessities of the companies. Let us now talk about employee relationships. Employee relationships refer to the efforts to maintain good relationships among employees of a company. The importance of maintaining employee relationships relates to its contribution in the success of a company. There is a specific employee relations department in most of the companies, which assists concerned authorities in different matters, such as, job training, mediation, employee support, and handling misconduct complaints. It is the responsibility of the employee relations department of a company to foster healthy and resourceful relationships between employees in order to make them productive for the company. Prior to this class, I would have handled the risk management and employee relationships issues somewhat differently that I can do it now as the manager of employee relations department. I would not have made a good use of my skills and abilities required to perform my job. This class made me aware of my exact roles and responsibilities as the manager. Before I took this class, I did not have a clear idea of the exceptions to the employment-at-will. I was not fully aware of three key issues, which included public policy, implied contract, and good faith and fair dealing. After the class, I became aware of the concept of employment-at-will properly. Without having an understanding of these concepts, I

Open Source Versus Closed Source Software Essay

Open Source Versus Closed Source Software - Essay Example Currently, there are a huge number of categories of the open source software that include but not limited to the Application Software, Operating Systems, Programming Languages and Server Software. Under each category there are many items / applications, for example, the application software include: Mozilla Firefox – a web browser, OpenOffice – an office suit, Eclipse – an integrated development environment, 7-zip – a file archiver or compressor etc. The operating systems include: the Linux, Android – a mobile OS, FreeBSD etc. The open source computer programming languages include: PHP – a scripting language used to develop websites, Perl, Ruby etc. The open source server software include: Apache – a web server, Joomla – a web content management system etc. Closed Source Software Closed source software also known as proprietary software is computer software which is only available without source code and licensed under limited l egal right as per provided by the copyright owner. The buyer of the propriety software is permitted to use the software having restrictions on modifications, redistribution, update / upgrade or reverse engineering and it is typically owned by a single organization. The vendors usually provide an executable or compiled form of the software application’s source code so that only the central processing unit of the computer can understand the machine language that cannot be converted into the source code. The propriety software is not allowed to redistribute or sharing the software with others, in case anybody else wanted to use the proprietary software it is required to purchase another unique license of the software. In other words, the proprietary software is the property of the owner / developer / publisher that cannot be copied or modified, with an appropriate price and need to comply the license agreement (National Taiwan University, 1991). Like the open source software, th e proprietary software has much more categories of the software include: Operating System, Computer Programming Languages, software applications, public domain software, private software etc. There are several examples including Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Programming languages – ASP.Net etc., Microsoft Office etc. Open vs. Closed Source Software – Advantages and Disadvantages For every advantage there exists disadvantage, therefore, both types of software have there exist advantages as well as disadvantages. Let’s talk about the advantages of both types, the advantages of the open source software include: free of cost, right to modify and redistribute the source code, the technology neutral or the open source software can be used with other software, freedom and flexibility of having multiple vendors, high security, quality, customizability, interoperability and audibility. "Open Source software tends to be free of dependency on related products. Purchasers of ten perceive that the product works best with other products from the same manufacturer. Open Source software offers its users greater freedom to purchase other products, avoiding lock-in to particular manufacturers." (QinetiQ, 2001) There are many disadvantages of the open source software as compared to the closed source software that include but not limited to the less availability of support, updates, less reliability as anyone can change / edit the code and

Management Information and Communication System Essay - 1

Management Information and Communication System - Essay Example In order to achieve the constant supply of raw materials and the supply of goods and services to the consumers, a business firm should ensure that their supply chain management systems are effective. In this case, only an effective supply chain management system can enhance the firm’s responsiveness to its customers’ needs and utilisation of its resources. In effect, the supply chain management system enables a firm’s coordination during the processes of planning, production, and logistics with the suppliers. Business Benefits of Supply Chain Management Systems A business should be able to evaluate the status of its supplies and resources while maintaining an inventory system along the supply chain. Bowersox, Closs and Cooper (2010, p. 133) called this visibility, which is the ability of a business to track its resources and inventory along the supply chain while evaluating and managing any information regarding the resources and inventory. In effect, supply chai n management systems benefits a business by using the information in the supply chain to plan against any potential problems along the supply chain. Consequently, the evaluation of these problems enables businesses to manage any potential risks, which enhances the responsiveness of a business towards its consumers’ needs. ... In addition, a business will benefit by planning for the consumers’ constraints such as transportation and storage capacities, raw materials required, and the amount a firm should produce in order to meet the consumers’ demands. Supply Chain Management Systems and Coordination of Planning, Production, and Logistics with Suppliers As earlier indicated, one business benefit of supply chain management systems to a firm is the ability of a firm to remain responsive to its consumers’ demand. In effect, an effective system will enhance a firm’s planning of its production to meet the market demand, which is the process of demand management. Bowersox, Closs and Cooper (2010, p. 133) noted, â€Å"Demand management develops the forecast that drives anticipatory supply chain processes.† The importance of the â€Å"anticipatory supply chain processes† in a business firm is to establish the amount of products to produce and the raw materials required in t he production of the products. In effect, an organisation maintains a steady contact with the suppliers of raw materials based on the firm’s projections and stock available. A supply chain management system enables a business to identify the goods that require production in a firm. In this way, a firm will be able to balance between its ability in terms of resources available and the manufacturing stock. It is important to point out that these resources include the most significant resource of human capital. Bowersox, Closs, and Cooper (2010, p. 135) called this product planning and noted, â€Å"It uses the statement of requirements obtained from demand management in conjunction with

Target Costing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Target Costing - Essay Example Target costing in the initial stage allows business to control the design, specification and development technique to control the overall cost. TC provides business with other than basic costing processes. Chen and Chung (2002) discussed the benefit that TC lends by enabling manager to indentify the fraudulent as well as corruption practices in involved departments. Swenson, Ansari, Bell and Kim (2003) identified most important benefit of the TC. Swenson, Ansari, Bell and Kim (2003) state that TC system is originally a market driven system and therefore, forces business to follow market trends in order to control cost instead of relying only on internally developed metrics. Hence, results in market and customer focused processes. DEMERITS Davila and Wouters (2004) criticized the target costing for being extensively detail oriented resulting in bureaucratic procedures and hence consuming time at length. TC to be successfully implemented requires entire supply chain components to play respective part; business employing procedure in isolation cannot fetch the due benefits. In case of excessive cost control measures without coordination, TC can result in contradictions among business functions pointing fingers upon each other functions. Jackson and Lapsley (2003) discussed that TC to be implemented successfully require businesses to develop coordinated system with other techniques that have been limited employed in businesses; reducing the level of benefit. DIFFERENTIATION OF TARGET COSTING FROM OTHER CONCEPTS: All costing techniques are designed to get maximum benefit to business; however, differences in focal attention substantially differentiate each technique with other. The basic difference between TC and other costing methods is that TC puts emphasis in designing stage whereas other methods trenches cost reduction from entire production process (Garrison, Noreen, & Brewer, 2003). Given below is the discussion of point of differences of TC with other costing techniques: FULL COSTING/ABSORPTION COSTING: Absorption costing traditionally uses cost ascertainment for the product by simply including both fixed and variable cost and charges entire cost to production. The price of the product is determined based on accounting the production cost in total. In contrary to this, in target costing system the price of the product is signaled by the market. Manufacturer of the products nets the price fixed by market and develops plan to produce the product within the left out portion of prices. This leads to cost reduction in the production plan and design unlike other costing systems that bargain cost in operational constituents of the product. Hence, the difference between the two systems lies in former deciding price based on cost whereas in latter system price and required profit margin determines the costing decisions (Garrison, Noreen, & Brewer, 2003). VARIABLE COSTING: In variable costing techniques, cost of manufacturing includes only those c ost components that vary in the given period for the

Dream My Dream Essay Example for Free

Dream My Dream Essay Without dream, there can be no courage; without courage, there can be no action. What Wim Wenders said indicates the importance of the dream, which no one can deny. Most people’s dream is not stable and changes with the time going by, but the critical point is that they do have a dream. I’m the person with a dream. I once romantically dreamed to be an excellent diplomat at early age and later, I was looking forward to teaching undergraduates in a historical university. But now, I’m considering starting my business after finishing my school in 3 years. There is no doubt that the rapid growth of economy and the fast development of electronic commerce have brought not only the pressure of the heated competition, but also valuable opportunities for entrepreneurs who start with empty hand. This is exactly the source of my dream. Every dream deserves action and a try; otherwise it is only a daydream. A month ago, after overcoming various difficulties, I managed to open up an on-lion shop with the help of a friend. The on-shop whose address is huo1314. taobao. com is now on regular business. This shop mainly sells fashion clothes of both ladies and gentlemen, daily necessaries together with accessories of electronic devices. Nevertheless, no dream can be fulfilled overnight without any struggling. I know it clearly that my on-lion shop is just a touchstone and that there is still a long way full of challenges ahead of me. What an outstanding entrepreneur needs is not only talents, but more importantly, a strong personality. It is always the determined will that helps entrepreneurs go though all tough times and finally makes them stand out among others. This is what I’m lacking for. There is no denying that in the world only a few people achieve their dreams at last. Most folks give up their dream when they are to face the hardness or when their desire changes with the time going by. I have dropped many dreams like them since my childhood, but this time, never will I do it again. Maybe all the efforts are ruined and nothing is gained at last, but when looking back, without any regret, I can at least proudly say I once do had a dream and I do have tried my best.

The Work And Impacts Of Gertrude Wilson Social Work Essay

The Work And Impacts Of Gertrude Wilson Social Work Essay When pursuing a degree in social work, a student experiences equal exposure to group work and individual case work. The curriculum set out by the Council for Social Work Education (CSWE) requires that a healthy mixture of the two be taught in order to grant a degree in social work (CSWE, 2010). Every person becomes involves with different groups during their life, but within social work, groups are a tool for helping bring people together and solve problems, not only for recreation. One of the people responsible for the foundation of group work education in America was Gertrude Wilson. Gertrude Wilson was born in 1895, three years before the first course on social work was available at Columbia University in 1898. She was raised in a town with fewer than 200 people in Dana, Illinois (Chambers, 1986). Miss Wilson grew up seeing women like Jane Adams and Frances Perkins having an impact on the social fabric of America through the settlement house movement. She entered Illinois Womens College in 1915, but ended up receiving a Bachelors degree in Philosophy from the University of Chicago (Chambers). After two years of teaching high school, she became a secretary for the Young Womens Christian Academy (YWCA) in Pennsylvania. Ten years later, she returned to Chicago as the administrator of the new Women in the Workforce branch of the YWCA. Miss Wilson has stated that her experience with the YWCA opened her eyes to the ability of groups to influence peoples lives for the better (Greenwood, 1985). It was during her time with the YWCA that she met Grace Coyle, a sociologist, who convinced her to leave the YWCA and take a position teaching at Western Case University in Cleveland, Ohio in 1935. Wilson attended the University of Chicago part time while teaching in Ohio and received her M.A. from its School of Social Service Administration in 1938 (Chambers, 1986). She became a member of the American Association for the Study of Group Work (AASGW) and assisted Coyle with some of the first research done on groups in social work. Shortly after receiving her degree, Wilson moved to the University of Pittsburgh. It was here that she published her first two, and what many believe, most influential books (Weil, Southerland, Chou, 1991). Her first book, Case Work and Group Work was published in 1941.When Wilson began writing, the field of social work was dominated by case work, a more individual based approach that applied methods of psychoanalytic theory rather than examine environmental factors. Along with Coyle, she was among the first to argue that personal problems were not solely internal, but also found in external sources such as family organization and interaction. She advocated an integrated approach that involved both case work and group work to treat separate issues together rather than individually (Wilson G. , Case work and group work, 1941). Case Work and Group Work was not written with the intent to make group work seem more important than case work. In the first few pages of Case Work and Group Work, Wilson decried the short-visioned little cults of method and function that claim their superiority at the expense of healthy clients (Wilson, 1941). Hers was an argument to consolidate the two approaches rather than create separate disciplines. Group social work existed, but still lacked any single academic foundation for study. She presented the book before the AASGW, the Psychiatric Social Workers Association (PSWA), and multiple schools of social work around the country. At the National Conference on Social Work in 1942, Gertrude Wilson further expanded on what she began discussing in Case Work and Group Work. Wilson believed that group work could bring about changes in the values of individuals and society as a whole. She argued that a worker could dynamically influence the environment of the group for the better by directing certain processes towards specific social goals (Wilson G. , 1942). At this conference she defined three different ways in which the worker might influence the group by à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦directing the process toward the accomplishment of a social goal conceived in a democratic philosophy. They are 1) developmental, as it provided for normal social growth; 2) protective or corrective, in that it could be offered to people without groups; and 3) instrumental in achieving of socially desirable ends. (Wilson) Her view put forth the idea that the good of the one and the good of the many were dependent on each other and social workers had a social responsibility to address both in order to build society (Weil, K., Southerland, 1991) After several years at Pittsburgh University, Miss Wilson and her colleague Gladys Ryland published Social Group Work Practice. Group work had lacked this academic foundation for so many years. It offered a systematic method of applying group work for social work practice. As the first book to actually offer a process for applying group work, it became the first textbook for group work and was used in schools of social work across the United States. It was called the Green Bible due to the color of its cover and size (Weil, Southerland, Chou, 1991). Many still consider it the most influential book on group work in social work history (Chambers, 1986). The 700-page book can be divided into two sections: practice methods and case studies. The first half of the book described group work methods and theories about groups. For the first time, a social group work method was described. This was based on Wilson and Rylands experience with groups and Grace Coyles research. Miss Wilson expressed the key goal of group workers as such: The workers aim is to help the members of groups develop the capacity to carry on their own group life and achieve goals (Wilson, 1949). This goal is still considered important and appears in the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics to this day NASW, 2009). The second half of the book contained analyses of different groups, their specific activities and how the social group work method applies to them. Miss Wilsons research over the years is seen here in the detailed case studies included in this section. The case studies cover groups from preschool to retirement, reflecting the extent that Miss Wilson went to in researching the book. Significantly, much of the case study material was drawn from work in recreational and informal educational agencies because group social work was not practiced often in a clinical setting at that time (Weil, Southerland, Chou, 1991). The case studies included in Wilsons book may be dated, but the concepts of group work that they represent have withstood the test of time. The last half-century has seen a great deal of social change and numerous group work textbooks since Social Group Work Practice, but Wilsons original ideas about group work have remained largely unchanged and few modern texts can refer to group work without referencing the work of Gertrude Wilson, especially this book. One of the most tempestuous times in Gertrude Wilsons life was during the time that she and Gladys Ryland were putting Social Group Work Practice together at the University of Pittsburgh. During the late 1940s, anti-communist politicians began attacking the field of social work because of its progressive views and support of New Deal policies to assist the needy (Andrews Reisch, 1997). One of the main targets was Marion Hathaway, the director of the School of Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh (Reisch Andrews, 2001). Wilson was among the several educators and students that supported Hathaway and her support (along with many other faculty members) caused friction between the School of Social Work in Pittsburgh and the university chancellor (Wilson, 1978). Wilson was one of the many professors who resigned from the college in 1950 under pressure (Wilson). Ryland was terminated after refusing to resign a few months after Wilson left (Andrews Reisch). Wilson did not let this controversy stop her career. She joined the School of Social Welfare at Berkeley in 1951. It was here that she developed a professional education program focused on training new social workers. Originally known as the Certificate Program in the Social Services, it contained specific courses over a two-year period that ended with a two-week seminar on campus (Greenwood, 1985). The Council on Social Work education (CSWE) in 1952 adopted this program as the model for national accreditation (Weil, Southerland, Chou, 1991). At Berkeley, Wilson taught courses in both theory and practice in group work. She was a frequent speaker at seminars and conventions all over the United States and she guest-lectured at the Columbia, Smith, and Tulane Schools of Social Work. Even after retirement, she served as a consultant to social agencies, schools of social work and professional associations. Wilson used her own experience to constantly refine what she considered a dynamic aspect of social work (From practice to theory: a personalized history, 1976). Wilson wrote dozens of conference papers, journal articles, chapters in books, and monographs although she will most likely always be remembered for Social Group Work Practice with Gladys Ryland in 1949. She was one of eight social work pioneers chosen for the NASW Oral History Project in 1978. Each participant took part in a 1-2 hour interview that was recorded and placed in the Library of Congress. Berkley performed a similar interview on videotape in 1982. Both recordings are very difficult to obtain. Although she officially retired from Berkeley in 1963, the college was very gracious following her death from cancer in 1985 (Greenwood, 1985). Gertrude Wilson was an amazing woman who pushed social barriers as an educator and activist. She was one of very few women with a full professorship in the 1930s. Her work in the first half of the 20th century still influences social work today in the 21st. She had a passion for helping people that encouraged her to study a field of practice that was barely recognized until the 1940s. Not only did she pursue that field, she made it possible for others to do so as well by writing the first textbook on the practice of group work. Her certificate program at Berkley was the foundation for modern undergraduate social work curriculum in universities across the nation. These are all accomplishments she made in her field that show her impression on the practice, theory and future practitioners of social work. Personally, I am inspired by her resolve to follow her passion even though there wasnt a road to follow; she dug it out herself so that she could reach her destination and so that others could follow her. It is this attitude that inspires me in my pursuit to implement school social work in Oklahoma. It will never exist in Oklahoma if people do not fight for it and have a practical way to practice it once it does.

Historical background of Marks and Spencer

Historical background of Marks and Spencer Marks Spencer Plc started in a stall in 1884 by Michael Marks in a Leeds market after which he was joined by a partner Tom Spencer. They both had a reputation of selling only British made goods in the 20th century, a policy discontinued in 2002.Marks Spencer Plc is seen as the British Retailer that sells clothes, gifts, home furnishing and food formerly under the name of St. Michael but rebranded as Marks Spencer in United Kingdom, Europe, Far East and the Americas. Marks Spencer Plc has made itself widely known in the UK with over 450 stores and its largest store at Marble Arch, London. By 1975 they had moved to Europe and Canada where they are fully established. Marks Spencer Plc which initially functioned under the name St Michaels had an unlimited time period on their return policy as long as the customer could produce a receipt, this policy was later reviewed to 90 days in 2005 and a further review to 35 days in 2009. Marks Spencer Plc returns policy is seen as the most generous on the British High Street. By the end of the 1990s Marks Spencer Plc had a problem as their profit plunged because of the rising cost of using British Suppliers as rival retailers were importing their goods from lower cost countries and also because of the fact that Marks Spencer Plc did not accept other credit cards except their store cash cards amongst a host of other reasons. During their downturn period, Marks Spencer Plc refused to budge in switching to overseas low cost suppliers as it was seen as a n act which undermined a core part of its appeal to the public. All these fac tors constituted to Marks Spencer Plc sudden slump which caught the company, its shareholders, retail stores and the general public by surprise as not only did their share price fall more than two thirds of the original market price so also did their profit. In 2001 with drastic changes in its business focus such as accepting other credit cards, introduction of new range like per una , indigo etc, reengineering of its business model and strategy, restructuring and redesigning their store, providing adequate changing room etc, Marks Spencer Plc fought its way back into the UK market. Source: http://corporate.marksandspencer.com/aboutus/ourhistory TASK 1 1.1 Importance of external factors [P1] External factor plays a very important role in Marks Spencer Plc. No organisation can escape from the external factors of a business. It is the key that drives helps focus on what is most important to explore the different ways in which the business environment might change. These external factors are Political, Economic, Social Culture, Technological, Environment and Legal. This is known as the PESTLE ANALYSIS. The external factor helps to know and under study the political factor the company is operating in. The external factor helps to know the social life style of my customer. The external factor helps to know the technological situation I find myself inn. The external factor helps the organisation to understand the business environment It also helps the business to understand the business circle, exchange rate, economic growth rate etc. It also helps the business to know more about the legal standard of the economy such as health and safety, legislative constraints etc. It helps the business to understand and know their competitors The external factor also helps the business to understand the social influences such as changing culture and demographics Business that looks on the solution of the external factors will run its business properly. Oxbridge writers on Marks and Spencer corporate objectives: Full text [online] http://www.oxbridgewriters.com/essays/marketing/marks-spencers-corporate-objectives.php [END OF P1] 1.2 The needs and expectation of stakeholders [P2] A stakeholder is any person, group or institution that has an interest in an activity or project. This definition includes intended beneficiaries and intermediaries, winners and losers, and those involved or excluded from decision making processes. (Bryson 1995) The stakeholders who have got an interest in Marks and Spencer are: Their banks, Shareholders, Employees, Customer, Suppliers Stakeholders Needs of stakeholder Expectations Customers To provide good customer services To provide low price To provide good product To provide local source of product Provide community program Customer loyalty Promotion and activities Employee To provide pay raise Job retention Job training To provide a comfortable working environment Give bonus Provide education Rotation of job Shareholders Provide adequate communication Increase in share prices Increase in dividends To keep them informed Good turn over Good return on investment Banks Inflow of cash Loan lending Suppliers Increase in supplies Local sourcing of product Turnover increase Want to sell goods in volume at good prices. Source: By student from lecturer lecture note Managers need to be conscious of the financial impact on various stakeholders of the strategies they are pursing or planning to pursue. They also need to understand how the capability to meet these varied expectations could enable the success of some strategies whilst limiting the ability of an organisation to succeed with other strategies. [END OF P2] 1.3 Major change taking place in the external environment [P3] Political situation: The government plays a very important role within the operation of manufacturing these productions in terms of regulation. There are potential fines set by the government on companies if they do not meet a standard of laws. The changes in laws and regulation, including changes in accounting standards, taxation requirements,(including tax rate, new tax laws and revised tax interpretations) and environment laws in domestic or foreign regulations e.tc. This law has affected Marks and Spencer in different ways especially in the increase in Vat. This will increase the prise of their product and reduce the market sell of their product. Economic situation: The economic plays another important role in the business. However, things changed. Most economists loosely define a recession as two consecutive quarters of contraction, or negative GDP growth. Marks and Spencer s customer don t spend allot anymore instead there save their money. The ongoing recession has brought down their market sale and put them in a stage of looking for a better strategy to fight the recession. Social situation: Many people are practicing new lifestyles in the economy. The social culture of an environment can affect Marks and Spencer in a different ways. The government are cutting down medical budget. In this case, they are trying to educate allot of people to do exercise and those from the age of 37 to 55 will also increasingly concern with nutrition. Majority of the people are now looking after their health and doing much exercise to slim their body down. So this has affected Marks and Spencer because they will need to get better and fitted cloths for their customer to make sure there meets up their customer expectation. Technological situation: This can also affect the business especially now most organisation are introducing the online services, home delivery, virtual sales etc. This will reduce Marks and Spencer sales because it will depend on how fast the organisation will deliver a customer goods that will encourage the customer to be more attracted to them .And even where they have alot aged; most of the worker won t be able to operate this new technology. They will have to go through training process and this will cost the company to spend more. Most of this technology can be misused and might cause problem in the company. Environment situation: Studying the environment is another important way to prevent some environmental problems like, weather, transport problems, competitive problems, customer choices, customer queries etc. Marks and Spencer always make sure they are in the right position to provide for the customer the best services ever. Changes in weather affect seasonal products of Marks and Spencer so they always try to find the best strategies to make sure their goods are been sold out at a particular season. Legal situation: This can also affect Marks and Spencer in term of adjustment of the legislation. But the company try to make those changes in a way that their customer will be retain and their services will be increase. Sources: Morrison, M (2008) Pestle Analysis. CIPD Factsheet.RapidBi Marks and Spencer (2010) investor s Full text [online] http://www.marksandspencer.com/ [END OF P3] TASK 2 2.1 The current position of Marks and Spence [P5] INTERNAL EXTERNAL Product: The company offer stylish, high quality, great value clothing and home product, as well as outstanding quality foods. Political: This is an important factor that drives the strategic of many organizations to change. The change of constitution of politics affects the strategic of an organization. The changes of government affect the strategic of organization to change. The shift of political power from government to global organization affect the organization affects the organization strategy. Many organizations always try to change their strategy to fit the political view of the economic. Staff: The company provide good staffs that help improved the customer services. They also retain their staffs and provide them with training that will increase their services toward their customer. Economic: This concerns the financial structure, objectives and constrains place upon the organisation. This relates to both the external(that is, the levels of profit and turnover generated and the extent to which this is viable and able to sustain current and envisaged levels of activity) Market: MS have a high interest in the market. They always try to provide the best customer service and provide the best quality product that will enable them to gain competitive advantage. Social culture: This is another important factor that the organizations need to look into properly. The way the people lives, expectations, pattern of work, job, occupation and career patterns, changes in patterns of earnings etc. The social lives of most economy changes every year and organizations need to set up new strategic that will suite the social life of the economy. Promotion: Marks and Spencer introduce a promotion to keep their customer happy and to gain more customers. Technology: This factor affects the social, economic and business activities. Rendering many occupations and sectors obsolete; creating new occupation and sectors, opening up new spheres and location of activity. Organization should make sure there have the right technology to improve the organization works. Price: MS provide the best price to their product to gain competitive advantage. Environment: this is looking at what is happening within the environments where MS operate. Place: MS is located in a nice place where their customer can get a good car parking and quicker way to shop. Legal: this is looking on the changes in the legislation and how it s affecting MS. that is, the employment, access to material, quotas, resources, import/exports axations.etc. People: MS also provide the best people that will serve the best customer service to keep their customer happy. A good customer approach is very important in any business environment. Marks and Spencer (2010). Full text [online] http://corporate.marksandspencer.com/aboutus/student_info [END OF P5] 2.2 The strength and weakness of MARKS and SPENCER [P6] STRENGHT ? Strong balance sheet ? Increase in turnover and trading profit ? Strong cash flow position ? Good human resources ? Brand awareness ? Leading premium quality food retailer OPPORTUNITIES ? Capability to turn resources into advantages ? Market shift to globalisation ? New product ? Customer demands changes to more value for money ? Diversification ? Develop overseas supply chain WEAKNESS ? Perception on high price ? Customer disinterest ? Environment issues(pollution) THREAT ? New and existing competitors ? Economic recession ? New legislation volatility of raw material ? Takeover bids ? Market shift to globalisation ? Low cost retailers Source: Marks and Spencer http://corporate.marksandspencer.com/home [END OF P6] 2.3 Tools used to analyse the effects of the current business plan [P4] ? Ansoff growth matrix ? Value chain ? BCG matrix ? Core competences ? Porter generic matrix ? Porter 5 forces ? Product life circle ? The gap analysis ? Marketing Mix The Ansoff s product/market matrix Existing Product New Product Market Penetration Product Development Market Development Diversification The Ansoff growth matrix can be used to identify directions of Marks and Spencer strategic development. The Ansoff growth matrix provides direction for strategic option available to MS in terms of product and market coverage. Market penetration is the name given to a growth strategy when a business focuses on selling existing products into existing markets. And these penetrations seek to achieve increasing the market share of current product, i.e. by combination of competitive pricing strategies, advertising, sales promotion and perhaps more resource dedicated to personal selling. This has help Marks and Spencer to secure dominance of growth markets. It restructures Marks and Spencer market by driving out competitors and it also increase patronage of their existing customer. Market development is the name given to a growth strategy where the business seeks to sell its existing products into new markets. Marks and Spencer has develop their market in so many different ways by providing a new distribution channel, new product dimensions or packaging, new geographical markets (for example exporting the product to new country), different pricing policies to attract different customers or create new market segments. Product development is the name given to a growth strategy where a business aims to introduce new products into existing markets. Marks and Spencer brought up a strategy that may require the development of new competencies and requires the business to develop modified products which can appeal to existing markets. Diversification: Marks and Spencer has diversified alot to introduce new products into new markets. Even as there are more risks in it but they still get the right strategy to win their competitor who was there before them THE FIVE FORCES MODELS Porter explains that there are five forces that determine industry attractiveness and long-run profitability of MS and the food retailing industry Threat of new entrants: The new entrants to an industry can raise the level of competition. The threat of new entrants largely depends on the barriers to entry and the market is also sensitive to reputation. The key barriers to entry include; the economics of scale, capital investment requirement, customer switching cost, access to industry distribution channels. In Marks and Spencer business line, the threat of new entrants is easy and high but the most important issues is to win your competitors and maintain the business. Threat of substitutes: substitute product can lower industry attractiveness and profitability because they limit the price level. The threat of substitute product depends on buyers willingness to substitute, the relative price and performance, the cost of switching to substitute. In Marks and Spencer the threat of substitute s product is low because majority of the customer who have been with them for a very long time enjoy their products and are still enjoying it. Bargaining power of suppliers: suppliers are very important in a business. They supply the company with raw material and other product. The cost of the item bought from supplier can have a significant impact on the organisation profitability. If the supplier has high bargaining power over the organisation, then the theory industry is less attractive. The bargaining power of supplier will be high when there are many buyers and few dominant suppliers, also when there are high valued product, when the supplier threaten to integrate forward into the industry (example brand manufacturing to set up their own retailer outlet), when the buyer does not threaten to integrate backward into supply Bargaining power of buyers: These are people who create demand in the organisation. The bargaining power of buyer is greater when there are few dominant buyers and many sellers, when the product are standardised, when the industry is not a key supplying group for buyer. In Marks and Spencer, the bargaining powers of buyers are not great Intensity of Rivalry: This will depend on the structure of the industry cost, the structure of competition, degree of differentiation, switching cost, strategic object, exist barriers. There are alot of competitor surrounding marks and Spencer but their customer still remain with them because of their old time being. All works above sources: Porter,M.E.(2008) How competitive forces that shape strategy, Harvard business review, p86-104. [END OF P4] Task 3 3.1 The modelling tools to develop strategic option are [P7-8] ? Ansoff growth matrix ? Value chain ? BCG matrix ? Core competences ? Porter generic matrix ? Porter 5 forces ? Product life circle ? The gap analysis ? Marketing Mix POTER GENERIC MATRIX Micheal porter suggested four generic business strategies that could be adopted in order to gain competitive advantage. Differentiation Focus Differentiation Cost focus Cost leadership Narrow Broad Scope of business activities Strategy Differentiation: This strategy involves selecting one or more criteria used by buyer in a market-and then positioning the business uniquely to meet those criteria. This strategy is usually associated with charging a premium price for the product- often to reflect the higher production costs and extra value-added features provided for the consumer. Differentiation is about charging a premium price that more than covers the additional production cost, and giving customer clear reasons to prefer the product over other, less differentiated products. The Price of Marks and Spencer products are cheap compare to Tesco and Asda that have very cheap prices on the product. But yet Marks and Spencer customer still remains because to the quality of their products. Strategy-cost leadership: with this strategy, the objective is to become the lowest-cost producer in the industry. Many (perhaps all) market segments in the industry are supplied with the emphasis placed minimising costs. If the achieved selling price can at least equal (or near) the average for the market, then the lowest-cost producer will (in theory) enjoy the best profits. This strategy is usually associated with large-scale businesses offering standard product with relatively little differentiation that is perfectly acceptable to the majority of customer. MS by cheap product/ clothing line and sell in a cheap price to meet competitors. Strategy- differentiation focus: in the differentiation focus, a business aims to differentiate with just one or a small number of target market segments. The special customer needs of the segment mean that there are opportunities to provide products that are clearly different form competitors who may be targeting a broader group of customer. The important issue for any business adopting this strategy to ensure that customer really do have different needs and wants. Marks and Spencer also deal on the older market (45-65 of age) which makes them different from other retailer shops like Tesco and Asda. They also used their brad to meet the needs of the olds. Strategy-cost focus: Here a business seeks a lower-cost advantage in just on a small number of market segments. The product will be basic- perhaps a similar product to the higher-priced and featured market leader, but acceptable to sufficient consumer. Such products are often called me too The Micheal Porter generic strategies are been used in many organisations including Marks and Spencer, either become the lowest cost retailer or different product and services in such a way that its valued by customer to the extent that they will pay a premium price. By Appling this strength in either a broad or narrow scope, the four generic strategies result: differentiation focus, differentiation, cost focus, cost leadership. Mark and Spencer core products are foods and clothing and it implement a focus generic strategy as it concentrate differentiation from Tesco, Asda, BHS, Top shop etc. Source: Porter,M.E.(2008) How competitive forces that shape strategy, Harvard business review MARKETING MIX The marketing mix is very important in an organisation. This is the elements that are associated with the product(s) that affect whether the consumer decide to buy or not. They are four main factors that will decide if a consumer wants to buy or not. Prices: Marks and Spencer charges premium prices through its differentiation strategy. Product: Marks and Spencer markets its product based on superior quality and reliability. Place: Mark and Spencer products are sold through its large numbers of stores in city and town centres. MS has also expanded in sales and distribution channels through internet via it website (online shopping) Promotion: MS integrated marketing communication is delivered through media in various form, advertising, TV, national newspaper and magazines as well as website [END OF P7-8] 3.2 Option to form the basis of future organisation strategy [P9] Having analyse this models one which I believe would be able to help the company will be The Ansoff s product/market matrix Existing Product New Product Marks and Spencer Market Penetration Marks and Spencer Product Development Marks and Spencer Market Development Marks and Spencer Diversification The Ansoff growth matrix can be used to identify directions of Marks and Spencer strategic development. The Ansoff growth matrix provides direction for strategic option available to MS in terms of product and market coverage. Under the market penetration, MS provide a good and quality service that has driven the organisation into a large market penetration. Marks and Spencer now introduce a product development by increasing the quality of their products and developing their product to enable them to develop their market. The market developments have also encouraged marks and Spence to employ the right staff with the right skills that will help reach the company objectives and achieve the organisation goals. Marks and Spencer diversification has also help the organisation in different ways. They started with cloths, and move to foods and drinks. The diversification has also enabled the organisation to stand up to their feet again and push forward to gain their goals. I will fully recommend the Ansoff matrix for marks and Spencer as they have been using it already in gaining in market penetration and development. [END OF P9] 3.3 Stakeholder mapping [P10] A stakeholder is any person or institution that has an interest in an activity or project. This definition includes intended beneficiaries and intermediaries, winners and losers, and those involved or excluded from decision making processes. There are different ways in which stakeholder mapping can be used to gain an understanding of stakeholder influence. The approach to stakeholder mapping here identifies stakeholder expectations and powers and helps in understanding political rarities. The stakeholders who have got an interest in Marks and Spencer are: Their banks, Shareholders, Employees, Customer, Suppliers Level of interest (A)Meet their needs Increase their effort Increase their level of interest (B)Key players Educate them on the company Engage and update the regularly Involve them in decision making (D)Least important Keep informed Try to communicate Let them know of any change (C)Participation Show consideration. Keep informed Participate in the company Try to increase the level of interest. Source: computed by student from lecture note Stakeholder mapping might help in understanding better some of the following issues: In determining purpose and strategy, which stakeholder expectations need to be most considered? Whether the actual levels of interest and power of stakeholders properly reflect the corporate governance framework within which the organization is operating. Who the key blockers and facilitators of a strategy are likely to be and how this could be responded to- for example, in term of education. Whether repositioning of certain stakeholder is desirable and/or feasible. This could be to lessen the influence of a key player or, in certain instances, to ensure that the key players who will champion the strategy. Source: Bryson,J.M (2004) Stakeholder Identification and Analysis techniques. Minnesota. Rouledge [END OF P10] TASK 4A 4.1 Criteria for reviewing a strategy are: [P11] ? Feasibility ? Suitability ? Acceptability ? Cost effectiveness ? Interest of other stakeholder ? Customer ? Competitors ? Nature of the product and services Customers: The customers of Marks and Spencer are very important to the organisation. MS customers find it hard to shop at another retail shop because of the old time relationship with the organisation. Customer satisfaction is very important to the organisation and MS always make sure that they provide the best customer services to their customer especially the aged. Interest of other stakeholder: the stakeholder is another important strategy MS love to use. The interest of their stake holders is how to develop and plan for the organisation growth. They love to stay close the stake holders, give them the right information there need to know and provides them with updated about the running of the organisation. Competitors: Marks and Spencer love to look at their competitor so as to get the strategy they are using and try to provide a better strategy to over shadow their competitor strategy. Competitors have been a big issue for Marks and Spencer and the always try to make their products as cheap like their competitor to attract more customer and to keep the own customer happy with no complains. Nature of the product and services: The nature of the product and services is always at a high level because they provide good quality products to their customer to show a differentiation between them and other competitors. They services they provide to the customer are very much enjoyable because they are always there to help u out and show u the best product u needs to have. The strategy plan for MARKS and SPENCER ARE [continuation of P11] PRESS RELEASE EXTRACT: 29 MARCH 2001 Source: From Marks and Spencer s Website 15/04/2002 PLAN 1, TOTAL FOCUS ON UK RETAIL 100% OWN BRAND: The company will return to selling only own brand products and brands exclusive to marks and Spencer so it can guarantee customers the quality, value and service they have come to expect. Central to the recovery plan is the delivery of significant improvement in product appeal, availability and value thereby rebuilding the relationship with core marks and Spencer customer. IMPROVED SEGMENTATION OF CLOTHING: Marks and Spencer will concentrate first on regaining the loyalty of core customer, who prefers classically stylish clothes. This is the priority. The company has plans to regain the confidence of its customer in the quality and fit of its clothing. It will sharpen price by rebalancing the price architecture, extending the range of entry-price merchandise and communicating this clearly to customers. BUILD ON SUCCESS IN FOOD: Marks and Spencer a food continues to perform well and has earned customers trust for providing quality, innovation and convenience. The business is a key platform for future growth and the company is considering opportunities to expand its reach through new locations and selling channels. DEVELOP HIGH-GROWTH AREAS OF HOME AND BEAUTY: the home business is growing strongly, with home furnishings and gifts the fastest growing product areas. Beauty, albeit relatively small, is also growing rapidly. Both of these areas offer promising opportunities for development and will be expected. ACCELERATE STORE RENEWAL PROGRAMME: Mark and Spencer will accelerate the rollout of the successful elements of its new concept format under a plan to refurbish more stores faster and at lower cost. Two thirds of its retail space (120 stores) will be completed by the end of the coming financial year, benefiting the majority of Marks and Spencer s customers. MORE INTENSIVE USE OF SPACE: Selling space will be reallocated to higher growth product areas to maximise returns per square foot. In total, 600,000 sq ft will be reallocated within the year to areas such as the new clothing range supplied by George Davies, Home, 50 new Beauty shops, and 30 new coffee shops. IMPROVE THE SUPPLY CHAIN: The Company continues to see substantial benefits from the reconfiguration of the supply base, being shown in a clothing primary margin that is rising strongly. The priorities now are to eliminate duplication and increase transparency. By re-establishing closer working relationships with its supply partners, historically and unique strength, marks and Spencer will achieve further improvements in quality, value, product appeal, and availability. Financial Services: Plans for the future include developing the Marks and Spencer store card as an essential partner to the growth of retail sales; a stronger presence for financial services in stores; continued growth of the credit business; and faster rates of growth of non-credit areas, which may involve bringing in external partners. PLAN 2 VALUE REALI

Social Mobility :: essays research papers

Forrest Gump coined the phrase â€Å"Life is like a box of chocolates† from the movie Forrest Gump, released in 1994. In 2001, I am putting a spin on it in terms I understand: The M&M class structure. Growing up, red candies were the most coveted of all the candy-covered chocolate treats. Once the Mars Chocolate Company introduced the blue M&M in ‘96, in became instantly popular. Even though they were not around as long as the others, they still took over the throne as the ruling upper class in the M&M world. The orange and green were a step down in the upper-middle and lower middle classes respectively. Last, and definitely least, were the yellow and brown ones: The lower class candies that no one cared about and had no fair chance of making it big. M&M’s serve as a parallel to what it is like to live in America and many other countries alike. There are many different social classes in America: The primary upper class, which have the most influence and power of all the classes. Then there are the corporate and working middle-classes. Thirdly there is the lower class. Upon being labeled within that specific group it is particularly difficult to move up the socioeconomic ladder, and obviously achievable to move down it. Once in a while, people can make leaps and bounds up the ladder (though it’s quite unlikely). A one famous television theme song depicts: â€Å"Movin’ on up.† The purpose of the research in this paper is to define these classes, explain what seems to be the reason mobility it is so difficult throughout these classes, and how and why these classes are formed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For the purpose of this paper it is important to properly define exactly what a socioeconomic class structure is. One definition that has been accepted more often than, according to Parkin is that class is a concept that allows us to organize our differences by grouping things or people in categories based on their resemblance, or non-resemblance to each other in accordance with a certain criteria (4). We are free to choose whatever criteria we like. Class is not a new subject. Social and economic groups have been around since man has been dominating the earth. In medieval and roman times right through until the industrial, status was defined by to how much land a person owned. Nevertheless, classes are made to categorize people: whether it is how much land a person owns or how big their SUV is.

Benjamin Franklin :: Biography Biographies

benjamin franklin Ben Franklin was one of the most amazing men history has recorded. Throughout his lifetime he continued to increase his already genius-level intelligence. He had a high quality of life, was a popular political figure, and he strongly believed in his thoughts, beliefs, and ideas. While he wasn’t perfect, that was what he struggled to attain. Ben’s achievements are very numerous. Apart from being a genius after only 2 years of schooling, his other achievements show that he was an overachiever. Some of Ben’s achievements are literature-based. For example, he printed the first novel published in America. He also started the first circulating library in America. Also, year after year, he wrote and published Poor Richard’s Almanac. Those weren’t his only achievements though. He organized the first hospital, started mail delivery, organized the first "fire company", that is, firefighters; and was a city representative, too! All this is just more proof of him being an overachiever. Because of Franklin’s many inventions and experiments, our lives today are better. Ben made the first copperplate printing press in America, a chair with a built in table for writing, and a chair that turned into a step ladder for his library. He also invented the odometer, a heating unit called the "Pennsylvania Stove", the lightning rod, bifocals, an electricity generator, and the armonica. By experimenting, he proved that dark materials absorb more than light materials, proved lightning was electricity, and did many more experiments with static and regular electricity. He also introduced artificial fertilizer and discovered lead poisoning. We all should be grateful for how he has improved our lifestyle today. Ben’s childhood started out like anyone else’s, but when he became around age 10, he started to become different. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1706. The 15th of 17 children, school was not cheap, so he only got to go for 2 years. He started out making soap and candles, but after expressing that he didn’t like that, he would like to write, he became apprenticed to his brother, James, who was a printer. James wouldn’t publish Ben’s work, so he submitted it under the name Mrs. Silence Dogood. When James found out, Ben ran away to Philadelphia, Where he would marry and live the majority of the rest of his life.

With Close reference to Broagh, Anahorish and Anew Song, write about Heaney’s use of language as a way of celebrating his Irish identity

In all three of the poems the first line has a very significant link with either the Irish language or the geography of Ireland. For example in Anahorish the first line explains what the title means. He says † my ‘place of clear water' â€Å", the reason he uses the word my during this is so that the poem is seen through his eyes and gives the reader a first person view of what he is seeing and doing and why what he has written is so significant to him. It also shows by using this that he feels comfortable in this place and it is as if it was a safe haven for him, thus showing how he feels when he is in Ireland, safe and secure. But in Broagh the same thing happens he firstly shows what the title of the poem means and in this case it means riverbank. This way of writing is significant because it is showing that he is proud of Ireland and that he is proud to teach others about his culture and what it means to be Irish. In ‘A New Song' the first line again has a direct link with Ireland, but this time it is not linguistic as in the other two poems but it is geographical. He states † I met a girl from Derrygarve†, this obviously being a place in Ireland. But notice must again be shown to the way in which the sentence is written. The use of â€Å"I† showing that it is again in first person, the significance of this is therefore that he is proud to tell others about where he comes from and what it is like in Ireland for those who have never been thee before. Much of the content in all of the poems is about how Heaney perceived the world around him, especially the geographical world when he was a child. Examples of this in Anahorish are â€Å"the first hill†, â€Å"springs†, â€Å"Shiny grass† and â€Å"vowel – meadow†. These are all ways in expressing his identity and are about him growing up, for example â€Å"vowel meadow† is used. I believe that this has a dual purpose in the poem, firstly it is used to show how his use of language progressed as he grew older and also how Gaelic has many different uses for vowels therefore contrasting it with the English language which has a fairly regular vowel pattern. An example of this in Broagh is â€Å"The garden mould†, this shows Heaney's sense of belonging to Ireland, as mould is something, which belongs to the garden, and with out it would not feel correct. So therefore it is a metaphor, Heaney representing the mould and the garden representing Ireland. This meaning that he was so much a part of Ireland that it would not seem right if he was not there. A piece of geographical imagery in ‘ A New Song', which shows Heaney's Irish identity, is † But our river tongues must rise†. This is about how the Irish language must keep on going and not be forgotten. He says this because if it does the Irish will not be able to be identified any more and might as well just be English which he would not want as Heaney wishes to remain separate from the rest of the United Kingdom. Also during the poems he often hints and metions how people who are not Irish i. . the English find it very difficult to speak the Gaelic language. This is most outstanding in Broagh, † like that last gh the strangers found difficult to manage†, here it is evident that Heaney is proud of his language and puts forward the point that not many people are able to speak it correctly. This therefore separates the Irish from the English. You can also clearly see this in ‘A new song' when it says â€Å"to flood with vowelling embrace', this means that he would like to see Gaelic spoken more widely maybe through out the world or maybe just Ireland.

Auditors Third Party Liability Essay

On 1979 the court established the principle of third party liability as foreseen’ in Federal Supreme Court (sixth civil senate) 1 regarding the case of a German branch of a bank provided wrong information to its potential investors and because of that one of the potential investors suffered a big loss and later sued the bank. But in November 1983 in Federal Supreme Court (fourth civil senate)2, death negligence in reporting in a case where buyer of a properly sued the valuer because of the wrong valuation. Court stated that if third party is under protected effect then there are some general principles on professional third-party liability for negligent misstatements under contract towards third parties. In the first case (1979) The Federal Supreme Court stated that the bank knew that the information which was provided would have been showed to potential investors In the case court maintained that the person, to whom the bank provided the relevant information could be identified and are part of a calculable group. And in the second case (1983) court says, there is no need for the professional to know either who the third parties are. The professional’s negligent performance must have determined the plaintiff’s decision which eventually led him to suffer a loss. Court found out that because of the lack of knowledge both buyer and dealer needed the expert opinion of the valuer was needed. Court widened the scope of the liability and liability of auditor to third party moved from Foreseen to reasonable foreseeability. After that case Federal Court continued this broader scope of liability in both cases in Federal Supreme Court (third civil senate) 10 November 19943 & Federal Supreme Court (third civil senate) 2 April 19984 On 2001 in its most recent case, the Federal Court of Justice handed down a new decision regarding the liability of experts towards third parties (Reg. No. X ZR 231/99). The Court rejected the plaintiff’s claims, holding that the contract concluded between the commissioning banking authority and the expert did not extend to the plaintiff. So, the plaintiff was not, covered by the contract drawn up between the commissioning authority and the auditor. The court reject the information contract between the expert and the third party a stated that without a direct contract no liability is considered to have arisen. The court then changed the scope of liability form reasonably foreseeable to Privity or Near Privity in between.

Hope Essay

And when we lose meaning, we lose hope. Nick Vujicic has found his purpose in life. He encourages people all around the world to never give up. It is frame of mind that shapes a person’s future. Nicholas James â€Å"Nick† Vujicic was born 4 December 1982. He is a Serbian Australian evangelist and motivational speaker born with tetra-amelia syndrome, a rare disorder characterized by the absence of all four limbs. As a child, he struggled mentally and emotionally as well as physically, but eventually came to terms with his disability and, at the age of seventeen, started his own non-pr ofit organization, Life Without Limbs. Vujicic presents motivational speeches worldwide, on life with a disability, hope and finding meaning in life. He also speaks about his belief that God can use any willing heart to do his work and that God is big enough to overcome any and all disabilities. Quotes: â€Å"There’s no point in being complete on the outside when you’re broken in the inside. I have the choice to be angry in God for what I don’t have or be thankful for what you do have. † â€Å"When the time comes, I may not be able to hold my wife’s hand – but I will be able to hold her heart. † â€Å"If I fail, I try again, and again, and again. If YOU fail, are you going to try again? The human spirit can handle much worse than we realize. It matters HOW you are going to FINISH. Are you going to finish strong? † â€Å"I encourage you to accept that you may not be able to see a path right now, but that doesn’t mean it’s not there. † â€Å"Life without limbs? Or life without limits? †

Being a Blonde Haired Girl

Throughout my life many times I have heard the common snickering of†¦. â€Å"What do you call a blonde with half a brain? †Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. â€Å"Gifted! †, or â€Å"What do a blonde and a coke bottle have in common? †Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ â€Å"They are both empty from the neck up! † Although, yes, many times people find themselves cracking up at these dumb ‘harmless’ jokes, they are unconsciously supporting the stereotype that blondes are stupid. Even though these jokes are meant to be inoffensive; to some they remain stereotypical and inevitably discriminative.It is common in our society, no matter what the situation is, for a person to involuntarily judge another primarily based on their outward appearance before they obtain any knowledge of what kind of person they are. Universally, Blonde women are denounced as dumb, before they have even released a breath, or even spoken a word to give an acquaintance a mere hint of their intelligence leve l. Despite the fact that many blondes ‘hate’ to be perceived as dumb, our society is making it incredibly hard to avoid with the use of celebrities, actresses, movies, and tabloids.Being a blonde woman has put me in a group whether I like it or not. Being blonde has negative and positive effects on a person with this hair color. First of all, let's take a little look at where this whole â€Å"dumb blonde† idea comes from. One theory is that the ancient. Greeks and Romans so admired their flaxen-haired neighbors to the north, they would bleach their hair to make it blonde. Seeing as they didn't exactly have the health standards we have today, a considerable amount of bleach repeatedly placed on the scalp and being inhaled could have some effect on one's mental status.Another theory is that in the Middle Ages, while the lords and ladies pranced around and shaded their delicate features, common people worked outdoors in the fields and became tanned and their hair gr ew lighter. As the lower classes didn't usually have a formal education, tan skin and blonde hair became associated with unintelligent, lower class people. Then there is the ever famous book by Anita Loos and the movie based upon it, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, starring Marilyn Monroe. Released in 1953, this story about two showgirls-a clueless blonde and a sassy brunette.While perhaps highlighting the â€Å"fun† side of blondes (in fact, brunette women held a demonstration protesting the movie, showing that brunettes could be just as much fun), this certainly did nothing to showcase their intelligence. â€Å"In a study conducted by a psychology professor at the University of Coventry in Britain, 120 men and women assessed photographs of a 21-year-old woman wearing a brown, red, natural blonde or platinum wig. The platinum blonde was rated less intelligent by the participants, particularly by the men. (McGinn) Blonde hair in women has been considered attractive and desirable a nd secondly, the belief that a blonde woman makes little use of her intelligence and relied more on her looks. This stereotype is a combination of historical stereotype, bad press, and human nature. Starting with history, blonde hair is a recessive trait, and therefore somewhat rarer than brown or black hair. Traditionally, this has made it more attractive and desirable. Hence blonde haired woman are perceived to be more beautiful than dark haired women.This can be deemed as a positive stereotyping. However, there is a negative stereotype as well. The dumb blonde is a popular-culture derogatory stereotype, intended to portray the blondes as very beautiful but dumb. Dumb blonde stereotyping entered the American culture in 1900s. Blondes are stereotyped as â€Å"beauties without brains†. This image of the blonde has been exploited in culture, literature, advertising and movies. These, in combination with other forms of media have given the ever-lasting perception of blonde-ster eotypes.The blonde-haired women have been portrayed as dumb-blondes. For example, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, a novel, a Broadway musical and a film, exploited the idea of blonde's charm. Many blond actresses have played stereotypical â€Å"dumb blondes† in movies and sitcoms and this has further caused the people to stereotype blondes. â€Å"As a naturally blonde woman I find that I? m defending myself on a daily basis, having to assure people that I? m not an idiot and remonstrate my own common sense against their assumptions of my stupidity.People either assume that anyone with blonde hair must unquestionably be a ‘bimbo’ or if not, feel that they have the right to make jokes to the same effect at your expense. I agree completely that the many young, attractive women who dye their hair blonde and morph into tanned, plastically enhanced Barbie dolls to compensate for their lack of intellectualism, while not making them any less deserving of defense, does give wo men who just happen to be born with blonde hair a bad press. † (Littlemore) Blonde jokes are set to be banned in Hungary after a group of women staged an angry demonstration outside parliament. The protesters handed in a petition claiming they were being discriminated against in every walk of life by bad taste blonde jokes. Their spokesperson Zsuzsa Kovacs said: ‘Blondes face discrimination in the job market, in the workplace and even on the streets. ’† (Unknown) â€Å"Blonde-haired women earn seven percent more than women with other hair colors researchers claim, suggesting looks are worth more than intelligence if stereotypes are correct.The Telegraph reports that the study found that not only do blonde women earn more than darker haired counterparts in the workplace, that they also marry wealthier men, who earn an average of six per cent more than the husbands of other women. The study in the journal, Economics Letters reported that having blonde hair bo osts pay by $3,000 a year for a woman earning the average salary. † (Olsen) The power and control attached to this specific hair color can be useful for any individual. Sometimes it can get a person out of a tricky situation.For example, if a blonde does something stupid, she can pass it off as a so-called â€Å"blonde moment. † Instead of making fun, people will think, â€Å"Aww, cute. That was so silly. † Jessica Simpson made her fortune on this type of situation. Or say a blonde wants to really wow others. She could, with a little persistence, play the dumb blonde for a while. The setup may take quite some time, but when the conversation turns to a topic she knows well or has a strong opinion on, she can unleash all the intelligence she's been hiding.Being blonde has negative and positive effects on a person with this hair color. The dumb blonde stereotype will probably never go away. It hurts sometimes when being referred to as a dumb blonde when in fact that isn’t the case. No matter what the hair color, everyone has a â€Å"dumb blonde† moment every now and then. Also, blondes stick out in a crowd and are noticed more which is nice when it comes to meeting guys or when you’re competing for a job. Also, playing a dumb blonde can even get you what you want without anyone really knowing. Personally, I love that I’m a natural blonde.I currently am trying a new hair color but am finding that it still doesn’t compare to being blonde.Work Cited Littlemore, Vikki. â€Å"The Wrong Blonde Joke. † American Chronicle. Ultio, LLC. , 05 Jun 2009. Web. 8 Nov 2010. . McGinn, Dave. â€Å"Office blonde jokes no laughing matter. † The Globe and Mail. CTVglobemedia Publishing Inc. , 24 Nov 2009. Web. 8 Nov 2010. . Olsen, David. â€Å"Blonde Women Earn More Despite ‘Dumb' Stereotype. † Dynamic Business. Dynamic Business, 06 Apr 2010. Web. 8 Nov 2010. . Unknown. â€Å"Blonde Discrimination is n o Joke in Hungary. † IOL News. Independent Online, 24 Nov 2004. Web. 8 Nov 2010. .