Poetry Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Poetry Analysis - Research Paper Example Take the church money out and head cross town to my friend girl's house where we plan our round. We meet our men and go to a joint where the music is blue and to the point. Folks write about me. They just can't see how I work all week at the factory. Then get spruced up and laugh and dance And turn away from worry with sassy glance. They accuse me of livin' from day to day, but who are they kiddin'? So are they. My life ain't heaven but it sure ain't hell. I'm not on top but I call it swell if I'm able to work and get paid right and have the luck to be Black on a Saturday night.   Interpretation & Analysis: Being the most visible voice among contemporary African American women, Maya Angelou’s works deal with subjects such as racism, sexism, civil rights, etc. She has also embraced various literary forms and genres to convey her creative thoughts. While ‘I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings’ and its sequels are autobiographical novels, she has also written numerous pl ays and poems. Her poems are known for their rhyme, metric and the tone of informality. The poem chosen for this analysis is titled Weekend Glory, a discussion of which follows. Weekend Glory is, in short, a celebration of work and life and the ideal balance between the two. Angelou contends that many people slog away at their office desks on weekdays and beyond, only because they lend themselves to be participants of a consumerist culture. For example, they buy expensive condo apartments, luxurious cars, etc, which places them in a perpetual debt cycle. The lines â€Å"posin’ and preenin’; and puttin’ on acts† conveys the author’s attitude toward such people, whom she sees as being ignorant and having misplaced values. Driven by an anxiety to move up socially, they seem to lose out on innocent joys of a simpler lifestyle. The author contrasts this typical modern lifestyle to her own life as a factory worker. While admitting that her own standard o f living is not top notch, she asserts that she lives a more colorful life than those fixated with career advancement. And nothing captures the author’s sense of success than her forays across town during the weekends – she gets her hair done, meets up with her friends, goes to a bar and enjoys the music and the experience there. This way she could spruce herself up for the new week of work at the factory. This sort of weekend glory may only be a consolation for the monotonous, boring nature of work awaiting her at the factory, but at least she revels in its rewards. More importantly, she is free of debt or illusion – which usually results from constantly comparing oneself with the Joneses. As for the technical aspects of the poem, it is written in a tight, compact form. This is typical of Angelou’s poetic works, which take after African American musical-lyrical tradition. The lines are short and crisp and are rhythmical throughout. But the size of stanza s are not consistent, ranging from 2 to 8 lines in length. Angelou usually gives emphasis to tone and flavor in her poems even if it compromises other metrics. And Weekend Glory is no exception to this. The tone is informal yet assertive and succeeds in capturing the author’s intended meaning. The overall effect is one of criticism towards work and careerism, while also showing empathy towards people. Works Cited: Angelou, Maya, Weekend Glory, poem from , first posted in January,

Person Centred Approach Essay Example for Free

Person Centred Approach Essay The definition of person centred values is treating and seeing people in a care setting as equals, who are involved in decision making to promote an independent way of life and to ensure that the care that is provided is appropriate to their needs. It takes into account service users views and needs and places them, along with their family at the centre of all decision making. Working in a way that embeds person centred values is important to meet the needs of my service user. With my clients it helps to build relationships with them and their family members to ensure a good quality of life and provide the best possible quality of care. This ranges from me attending to my service users personal care needs in a respectful way and to support them to achieve tasks on their own, to choices of what activities they would like to do that can help them to express their individuality or help them to create new relationships and overcome any feelings of social exclusion or devaluation. I also believe it’s important to respect any religious or cultural beliefs that they may have and support the individual to follow their chosen faith. Read more:  Person Centred Care Firstly I would look at the way in which I communicate with my service user. If they are verbal the simplest way I find out about the individual is to talk directly to them as it allows them to fully express themselves and make their own decisions. If non verbal then I would communication methods such as makaton, picture cards and visual aids to learn of their likes and dislikes. Another way is to speak with siblings as they could provide information the client may be unaware of or may have forgotten but also so they are included in the building of the care plan and it helps me build an understanding and a relationship with them. Talking with social workers, previous support workers, doctors or any other professional involved in the clients care an also provide information about their preferences and anything that may be important to the individual. With these methods it helps me find as much information as possible about my service user. In order to take into account the history, preferences, wishes and needs of an individual when planning care and support I would refer to the principles of person centred care. Rather than just supplying a service, each person should be treated as an individual by offering a personalised service specific to their needs and preferences. For example if an individual enjoyed an activity such as walking but needed support to do so I would plan a time for a walk so that the individual would get enjoyment from doing activities they choose and feel valued. Also, they should be treated them with the same dignity and respect you would want for a member family of your own. Refer to support plans to ensure the highest level of person centred care is maintained. Each individual’s care plan outlines and details the service user’s preferences and day to day requirements so that they receive the specific care and daily support they require from the level of support required with an individual’s personal hygiene and how to do it in a respectful way to what food and activities they like. The information is centred on the individuals wants and needs to ensure independence and choice rather than control, choice should always be offered regardless of importance of the activity or task, therefore each individuals care plan contributes to working in a person centred way. The term consent means giving permission to do something or agreement to an action and in a care setting consent is needed for a number of things. With my clients I need to ask for consent for administering medication, for help with bills, finances and banking, help with certain type of care such as bathing and personal hygiene. It’s important to gain consent for all activities as lack of it could be deemed as abuse as I would forcing someone to perform or to take part in a task or an activity they don’t want to be involved in. Consent however should not just be gained, but the client must fully understand what they are consenting to and any possible implications that the action or task can imply. It is also essential for protecting myself from any legal challenge. There are a few ways to establish an individual’s consent but it depends upon the individuals preferred communication. The methods I use with my clients are verbal, written notes, visual aids such as picture cards, makaton, some individuals communicate physically with body movements such as a nod or through a representative or advocate. Any of these are forms establishing consent that i would look to use with my clients. Establishing consent will vary as each individual’s capacity to consent is assessed. If consent cannot be established first steps would be to not carry out the task and document the information. If a person is mentally incapable of providing consent then you should refer to the individuals care/support plan that may have been established at a time when they were capable of making informed decisions. If this fails, consent can be given by next of kin or an advocate however I would ensure my client must be involved as much as possible to adhere to person centred values. Active participation is a way of working that allows an individual to be completely involved in every aspect of their lives. This could be what my service users have to eat, what they wear when they go out or go to work in, or it could be planning tasks and activities for the week ahead, deciding on where to go such as day trips out or holidays, arranging appointments to the doctors or the dentists and active participation in services that relate to their own care. Helping to be in control of their lives rather that a passive recipient. Active participation helps individuals by benefitting them in a number of ways. I believe it gives them independence and makes the service user feel in control of their own lives rather than having decisions made for them or having few choices. There are many benefits I’ve noticed such as growth in confidence in social situations, a sense of well being, a sense of achievement of taking control of their lives and I’ve noticed the mental and physical stimulation it also brings. Also encouraging individuals to participate in the planning and arranging of their own care increases their self confidence, independence and it is empowering. There are many ways to reducing barriers of active participation. In order to reduce any barriers to active participation you have to look at what the barriers could be. They could be lack of confidence or self esteem, a lack of opportunity to activities, difficulty in communication and lack of patience of others. To overcome these barriers I support my service users by offering them choices and in every aspect of their day to day lives and offering them opportunity to plan and do activities they enjoy which improves their confidence. I think it’s very important to have the patience to listen to service users and take time to understand how they feel and I find by discussing why they feel like this and talking through it can increase their feeling of self esteem. Communication barriers can be overcome by staff development and training, language and makaton are tools that can be learnt, but there other ways like picture cards and hand gestures I use with some service users to offer choices and to make decisions when they are non verbal. The method I find best to encourage active participation is by communicating and offering choices and then giving praise and encouragement to service users to increase their confidence to then go on to make more decisions in different aspect of their lives for themselves. I find it’s good to look for local events or if they show an interest in a hobby you could find out about local groups that would be prepared to support the individual to participate. You should always highlight the benefits of the activity and getting family members to join in with activities can make a big difference to encouraging participation from individuals. I would support an individual to make informed choices by giving the individual the full information regarding that decision. I would explain the positive and the negative effects of that decision regardless of my beliefs or views as my personal view should not influence an individual’s choice. The choices and decisions can be as simple offering the full information on items when supporting individuals with shopping, giving information on price and helping to find offers or decisions that may require risk assessments to make the individual fully aware of the any risks that may be involved. I believe all staff in a care setting should help to  empower their client by offering the information, knowledge and confidence to make informed decisions. I think risk taking can be part of an individual’s choices because there is risk in many day to day things that we do. Due to the nature of an individual’s disability, a simple task could be deemed a risk and would need risk assessing to make them fully aware of any potential dangers or threats to the individual’s safety. It’s important to make individuals aware of any risks or hazards Risk assessment processes are used to make an individual aware of the positive and negative consequences involved when for example taking part in an activity, we look at and record the risks and hazards involved and then decide if the risk is worth taking. However there are benefits that have to be taken in to consideration as new activities promote confidence and empowers individuals to live more independent lives. Having choice is an individual’s right, risk assessments provide support for them to make decisions in the safest way possible. I believe a worker’s personal views should not influence an individual’s choices because that is taking away their right to make informed choices. My views for example are not fact and should not be used to influence any decisions or life choices. I could inform an individual if a certain food was bad for them and suggest a healthier option however whatever they decide is their choice. Another example is religious or cultural choices and beliefs, my views are my own and I would support them to attend religious or cultural services and acknowledge religious holidays.

Color Blindness in The White Boy Shuffle, by Paul Beatty Essay

Generally speaking, â€Å"color blindness† is understood to be the best way to engage racial problem. This concept is revealed and discussed in Paul Beatty’s novel, "The White Boy Shuffle". The novel portrays a young African American Gunnar’s life story that mainly focuses on his experiences and identities in different places. In the part of Gunnar’s childhood life in Santa Monica when mostly surrounded by white individuals, he is continuously indoctrinated with the idea of â€Å"color blindness† which is widely advocated by people in this community in order to alleviate racism. However, with massive exposure of â€Å"color blindness† ideology and application in Mestizo Mulatto Mongrel Elementary, the novel addresses color blindness is not a practical method for dealing with racism by exhibiting awkward contradictions it creates between â€Å"color† ignorance methodology and color detectable eyesight of human nature. Based on the encou nters from Gunnar in the novel, massively using the concept of â€Å"color blindness† will not change people and society’s perspective toward colored races. The superficial and ineffectiveness from this idea stress the difference between races. Implicitly, it is a new mode of racism. The only way to eliminate color-oriented issues is by acknowledging the difference between races and all amalgamate into one homogenous group. The novel firstly shows the idea of â€Å"color blindness† by staging of a teacher’s T-shirt, the T-shirt has words â€Å"black†, â€Å"white†, â€Å"red†, â€Å"yellow†, â€Å"brown† and â€Å"human† on it, which means that color of the skin is an ignorable fact under the definition of Human being. (28) To make this idea seemingly sound to students, Ms. Cegeny further addresses it by writing â€Å"Eracism-The sun doesn’t care what color you... ...he sacrifice is necessary. These two words indicate the current status of our society’s transformation. The process maybe painful, but the payoff will be worthwhile. The final equilibrium and balance between individuals can be accomplished by acknowledging difference without dividing races like grey harmonious elephants. These passages are based on the development of Gunnar’s comprehension and vision about colorblindness. From a believer to a critic, from a listener to a questioner, from the above discussion incorporated, this novel rebuts toward the effectiveness of colorblindness and illustrated about the new type of racism it creates. Lastly, through Gunnar’s reading about black and white elephants, advocated an idea of combing and bonding instead of dividing. Works Cited Beatty, Paul. The White Boy Shuffle, Henry Holt and Company :New York, 1996. Print.

Only ten sort story annotation Essay

The author of the short story Only Ten hooks the reader in on the first couple sentences because of the mystery of The Shah and the way he describes him. He starts off the story with showing how difficult it can be for refugees to adapt and fit in in another country. As it shows in the orientation it is not uncommon for these people to have a hard time fitting in and opening up in the new place. This can happen to any person not just a refugee but it can be especially hard for them because of them being different. The author shows this by describing The Shah in a certain way that we use what we know of immigrants and apply it to him. Because of refugees being different they could be picked on and even attacked. The author uses similes such as â€Å"Bruce leaped at The Shah with a wild yell, swinging his ruler above his head as if it was a sword† to show violence. Later on it shows that not all countries are as fortunate as us in the way that The Shah was overjoyed that something was actually growing which is an example of the author using vocabulary. The author uses a technique called a metaphor to keep the readers interested. An example of this is when The Shah was playing footy he suddenly curled up like a ball to protect himself thinking that the ball was something other than a ball. Most probably being a bomb. Showing that he has been around bombs before when they go off or seen the devastation of the aftermath of the bomb. The author of the short story Only Ten is very creative in ways of saying what he wants to say. He leaves vague hints and little bit of evidence that throughout the story the reader has to piece together. Then the author offers a big bit of info at the end to provide a means to fully understand to hints and evidence scattered throughout the text. The title is a good choice as it refers to The Shah’s life as he had to become a child soldier and fight, get hurt and even kill people. The title refers to the fact that he is only ten. The setting is well chosen as it does actually happen a lot in real life and it is set up so throughout the story it is easy to give bits of evidence away. The main complication in the story is that The Shah is hesitant to reveal any information the author uses many techniques to show this one way is a series of short sentences to build suspense, foreshadowing and a few other techniques. In my life I have met many people that come from other countries to live in Australia although none of them are refugees they still face some of the same problems that refugees face such as bullying and not being able to fit in well. Most of these problems were overcome by the victims just being so friendly that people found it hard to pick on them and still keep their reputation. The story is well written and very creative it hooks the reader in the first few sentences through the use of mystery. The story then goes on to build on that mystery and add suspense and tension throughout the story. The author writes in a way that a reader can connect to the text on some level and even understand what the fictional characters are going through. Throughout the story he drops bits of evidence to keep the reader interested then right at the end drops the information that the readers have been trying to figure out leading to a very satisfying read.

The fires of jubilee by Stephen Oates

This is a book seeks to explain the rebellion of black slaves in the Southampton city in Virginia. Before this rebellion, the slaves had been subjected to poverty and were being treated with a lot of cruelty by their masters. The author brings to light all the sufferings which the blacks were subjected to by their masters and as a result of these sufferings, there rose a feeling of hopelessness among the blacks and this led to the rise of a rebellion . In fighting for the rights that had been denied, the blacks took the law into their hands and the writer tries to make acceptable the disgust and desperation that led to these rash measures. In all this, the author intends to justify the course of action that was taken by the slaves in fighting for their rights. It brings into light the bloody results of the rebellion and death which came afterwards. From the first paragraph, the historian Stephen B. Oates  Ã‚   tries to bring into light the sufferings which the black slaves were subjected to by their white masters in the Southampton county of Virginia. He clearly gives a detailed description of the object poverty experienced by the slaves as well as cruelty of their and also the feelings of hopelessness felt by the slaves. He clearly sets the stage for the introduction of the main character of the book; Nat Turner becomes the root or the leader of the rebellion of the slaves. He is able to show clearly or demonstrate the level of oppression suffered by the blacks and goes on to show how they develop the feeling that they had no other option left for them other than to take the law into their own hands. All these resulted into the rise of a revolt and its clear that the writer succeeds in laying the foundation as well as making the readers understand the kind of sufferings that the slaves suffered and hence the need for the rash measures taken by the slaves. References 1. William Styron   (1966) , The Confessions of Nat Turner , (New York: Random House)

5 Great Short Story Tips for Writers - Proofeds Writing Tips

5 Great Short Story Tips for Writers - Proofeds Writing Tips 5 Great Short Story Tips for Writers Short stories are a great way to hone your writing skills before setting to work on your long-planned novel. They’re also an art form in themselves. Whatever your motivation for writing, though, we have some great short story tips for authors. Read on to find out more! 1. Some Stories Are Shorter than Others A short story will typically be between 1,500 and 7,500 words long. However, some are longer and others are as short as a single sentence. It is up to you! You can see how different short stories are sometimes classified, as well as how these compare to a novel, below: Fiction Format Average Length Microfiction Under 100 words Flash fiction 100 to 1,000 words Short story 1,000 to 7,500 words Novelette 7,500 to 17,500 words Novella 17,500 to 50,000 words Novel 50,000 words or more Before you start writing, think about which format to use and set yourself a word limit. This can work as a guideline when planning your story. 2. Work with Limitations To make sure your short story doesn’t accidentally grow into a novella, set some limitations on the plot as well as the word count. These could be physical (e.g., a story that takes place in a single room) or time based (e.g., a story that takes place in a single day). You could even set a limitation on the number of characters or â€Å"scenes† that your short story will involve. Whatever limitation you choose, working with a narrower scope will help you focus on the core of your story. 3. Think About the World of the Story The best short stories feel like they belong to a larger, lived-in world. You won’t have space to explain this world fully, but you can think about how it would shape the tale you are telling. Make notes about the history of your characters and the world they belong to before you begin writing. This can give you a better sense of what they are like and how they would interact with one another. You can even hint at this by alluding to your characters’ pasts in your writing. 4. Edit Ruthlessly! Thanks to the limitations of a short story, you will almost certainly write too much on your first draft. This is completely fine. The key is to take what you’ve written and then refine it. Think about cutting anything that isn’t essential to the story you’re telling. And remember the old advice about showing, not telling: i.e., that it is better to use action to show how a character feels than telling the reader directly. In a short story, this can also help cut down on unnecessary narration. 5. Look for a Publisher If you are proud of your short story, you might want to share it with the world! Check out some of the many magazines and blogs that feature short stories. Once you find one that carries the same type or genre of writing as your own, look up their rules for submitting stories and follow these closely.

Free Essays on Homosexual Adoption

â€Å"Everyone with the potential to successfully parent a child in foster care of adoption is entitled to fair and equal consideration regardless of sexual orientation or differing life style or physical appearance.† - North American Council on Adoptable Children (March 14, 1998) Through adoption, foster care, and artificial insemination, the United States, in the past 10 years, has experienced an increase in the number of lesbians and gay men shaping families and households. Estimated research shows that the total number of children being raised by at least one homosexual parent in the United States today includes anywhere from six to fourteen million adolescents. States all throughout the country are working to save the best interests of children with gay parents. At least twenty-one states have allowed gay and lesbian parents the right of second-parent adoptions. This process grants children the right to benefit having two legal parents. It principally keeps adolescents under the supervision of a legal guardian, should one of their parents die or become incapacitated. However, many parts of the country still do not allow homosexual men and women to become legal parents. Though adoption agencies may be full of children in desperate need of a home, many organizations do not believe that gays and lesbians are fit to parent children in the United States. Several states have used an individuals’ sexual orientation to deny them custody, adoption, visitation rights, and foster care for children. For example, in Florida and New Hampshire, laws have been accepted that ban lesbians and gay men from ever legally adopting children. In addition, Arkansas has just taken on a new policy that prohibits homosexuals and their families from allocating as foster parents. Many people will openly admit to believing that homosexuals are not fit to be parents. The ignorant misconception of many is that, in order for a child to grow up to b... Free Essays on Homosexual Adoption Free Essays on Homosexual Adoption â€Å"Everyone with the potential to successfully parent a child in foster care of adoption is entitled to fair and equal consideration regardless of sexual orientation or differing life style or physical appearance.† - North American Council on Adoptable Children (March 14, 1998) Through adoption, foster care, and artificial insemination, the United States, in the past 10 years, has experienced an increase in the number of lesbians and gay men shaping families and households. Estimated research shows that the total number of children being raised by at least one homosexual parent in the United States today includes anywhere from six to fourteen million adolescents. States all throughout the country are working to save the best interests of children with gay parents. At least twenty-one states have allowed gay and lesbian parents the right of second-parent adoptions. This process grants children the right to benefit having two legal parents. It principally keeps adolescents under the supervision of a legal guardian, should one of their parents die or become incapacitated. However, many parts of the country still do not allow homosexual men and women to become legal parents. Though adoption agencies may be full of children in desperate need of a home, many organizations do not believe that gays and lesbians are fit to parent children in the United States. Several states have used an individuals’ sexual orientation to deny them custody, adoption, visitation rights, and foster care for children. For example, in Florida and New Hampshire, laws have been accepted that ban lesbians and gay men from ever legally adopting children. In addition, Arkansas has just taken on a new policy that prohibits homosexuals and their families from allocating as foster parents. Many people will openly admit to believing that homosexuals are not fit to be parents. The ignorant misconception of many is that, in order for a child to grow up to b...

An In-Depth Look at the Lightning Thief

An In-Depth Look at 'the Lightning Thief' The first book in Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, The Lightning Thief, was published in 2005. This book is an entertaining introduction to a world of half-bloods, heroes, and Greek mythology. From the hilarious chapter titles (â€Å"We Take a Zebra to Vegas†) to the action-packed and thrilling text, to the strong narrative voice and compelling characters, readers of all ages (especially those ages 10 to 13) will find themselves immersed in Percy’s world. Many readers are unable to put the book down. Story Synopsis The books protagonist is 12-year-old Percy Jackson, who has dyslexia. He cant seem to keep himself out of trouble. He has been kicked out of a lot of boarding schools, but the last thing he wants to do is get kicked out of Yancy Academy. Things go horribly wrong on a field trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art when he and his best friend Grover are attacked by their math teacher, who has turned into a monster. Percy narrowly escapes this monster, then learns the truth about why his teacher attacked him. It turns out that Percy is a half-blood, the son of a Greek god, and there are monsters trying to kill him. The safest place is at Camp Half-Blood, a summer camp on Long Island for the children of the gods. Here, Percy is introduced to a new world of gods, magic, quests, and heroes. After a series of page-turning events where Percys mother is kidnapped and Zeuss master lightning bolt is stolen, a crime for which Percy is being blamed,  he sets out on a quest with his friends Grover and Annabeth. They want to find the lightning bolt and return it to Mount Olympus on the 600th floor of the Empire State building. Percy and his friends mission takes them in all sorts of odd directions and on adventures around the country. By the end of the book, Percy and his pals have helped restore order among the gods, and his mom is set free. Why Its Worth Reading While the plot sounds needlessly complicated, it works as a whole to keep the reader engaged. There’s an overarching story that holds all the smaller pieces together. The smaller side plots introduce various Greek gods and myths that make the story so much fun to read. Riordan knows his Greek mythology and understands how to make these stories interesting for kids. The Lightning Thief is appealing to both boys and girls, as the book is peppered with strong male and female heroes and heroines. The Lightning Thief provides a fantastic start to a fun series. Its highly recommended reading for children aged 10 to 13. About Author Rick Riordan A former sixth grade English and social studies teacher, Rick Riordan is the author of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, the  Heroes of Olympus  series, and The Kane Chronicles  series. He has also been a part of The 39 Clues series. Riordan is an outspoken advocate of books that are accessible and interesting to read for kids with dyslexia and other learning disabilities. He is also the author of an award-winning mystery series for adults. Sources: Riordan, R. (2005).  The . New York: Hyperian Books.Lightening Thief Rick Riordan. (2005). Retrieved from http://rickriordan.com/

Investment analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Investment analysis - Essay Example Hedge Fund is an investment partnership of limited wealthy investors or institutions. The minimum investment requirement for entering a hedge fund is much higher than many other investment options. It is also a highly illiquid investment as the fund stays invested at least for a period of one year. Hedge fund is as similar as a mutual fund but differs in quantum of its investments and number of its participants. It is also less regulated than a mutual fund. Hedge funds are managed by a team of experts headed by portfolio managers. Most of the investors will have a say in the management of the fund. This essay will give a brief idea about the strategies adopted by hedge funds for managing funds and the implication of its operations in the overall financial sector. Hedge funds and its mode of operation Hedge funds operate in various methods to handle investment risk. There are several strategies being adopted by Hedge Funds to minimise the investment risk. Some of the most important st rategies are Long/Short Equity, Global Macro, Event Driven, Emerging markets, Equity Market-Neutral, Convertible Arbitrage, Fixed-Income Arbitrage, Short Sellers and Managed Futures. These strategies will be dealt in detail further. Long/short equity: As the name implies this strategy involves taking both long and short positions on stocks. The core concept of this strategy is to go short on overvalued stock and long on undervalued stocks. This strategy is adopted to make profit irrespective of whether the market rise or fall. It is used by hedge fund managers to make profit on both sides. The undervalued stock will increase in value to make profits while at the same time the value of overvalued stock will come down thus making profit on its short positions. â€Å"Thus, the goal of any equity long-short strategy is to minimise exposure to the market in general, and profit from a change in the difference, or spread, between two stocks.† (Barclay Hedge, 2011) Global Macro: Glob al Macro is a more sustainable investment strategy in the sense that it is based on top down analysis or the fundamentals. As the name signifies, this strategy considers the macro economic variables. Company specific investments are also based on factors like management quality, market share, company profits, market competition, financial position, and the like. This strategy also invests in all kinds of investment options like equities, commodities, currencies, etc. Hedge fund managers also hedge such portfolio with the use of necessary derivatives and other instruments. This has been proved to be one of the most successful strategies adopted by Hedge Funds. Event Driven: â€Å"An event-driven investment manager is typically looking to invest in situations where there is some form of corporate activity or catalytic change taking place.† (Leary, 2004) The events include mergers and acquisitions, bankruptcy, asset sales, or any other restructuring pertaining to a particular co mpany. Hedge fund managers predict the movement of the share price based on the nature of the event related to the company. For example a possibility

Asian history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Asian history - Essay Example se reading of the text could represent many thousands of different truths, such an interpretation and discussion would be too broad for the scope of this particular assignment. In this way, the following discussion will be mainly concentric upon three core interpretations that this author has determined to be of the greatest overall worth with regard to understanding Asian history. These are: the impact of religion upon the norms of society, the degree and extent to which international interaction took place within Asia, and the formative impact that non-violence played in determining social and political order within the ancient societies of Asia. Through such an analysis, it is the hope of this author that the reader will gain a more informed understanding of the relevance that this particular chapter has to Asian history as well as a more specific interpretation of the actual events that culminated in the period in question. Further, although the impacts of nonviolent movements have been powerfully felt within the 20th and 21st centuries, this particular form of expression was not something that was unique to individual such as Mohandas Gandhi or Martin Luther King. By much the same token, the nonviolent resistance was not something that was initially â€Å"thought up† near Walden Pond. Instead, the chapter helps to denote the fact that nonviolent protest play a powerful role in affecting a political change within ancient Chinese culture. Naturally, it would be foolish to assume that the text in question provides one of the first historical accounts of nonviolent resistance. However, notwithstanding this fact, it must not be ignored that nonviolent resistance in such a period was something that far exceeded the norm that could have been found elsewhere throughout the world. Says the text: â€Å"Seeing that he would be obtained by force and opposition to his original design, [Xuanzang] declared with an oath that he would eat nothing, in order to affect the

Obama Re-Election Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Obama Re-Election - Annotated Bibliography Example Management is a process by which the elements of a group are integrated, coordinated or utilized so as to effectively and efficiently achieve organizational or individual objectives while leadership refers to a process that helps direct mobilize people and their ideas. Management is a process by which the elements of a group are integrated (Bernard, 1985), coordinated or utilized so as to effectively and efficiently achieve organizational or individual objectives while leadership refers to a process that helps and directs people and their ideas. Some of the aspects of leadership that are fundamental for success in the project are challenging existing process and systems, motivating and inspiring (Bernard, & Bruce, 1994). The concept of Leadership assessment helps an organization or a project to work more effectively with other members for cohesive working environment. The best methods of leadership assessment are Self evaluation methods. Finally some of the best leadership aspect include; mentoring, reflex action and networking (Edgar, 2010). Management is a process by which the elements of a group are integrated, coordinated or utilized so as to effectively and efficiently achieve organizational or individual objectives (Edgar, 2010). It is a process that is ongoing; it does not constitute an end in and itself. Management is directed towards achieving and attainment organizational goals. It involves planning, setting short time goals and budgeting. Leadership refers to a process that helps and directs people and their ideas. Leadership involves on organizations symbols, rituals and culture. It also deals with challenging existing process and systems and motivating and inspiring project members. Challenging existing process and systems: Leadership focuses on the future of the project and immerse themselves in the culture of their project. Motivate and inspiring: It is concerned with motivating project members and enabling them to act by

MGT230 question Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

MGT230 question - Assignment Example However, any motives could be considered universally defensible because people act rationally. This means that since whistle-blowing is a rational choice, then one can substantially universally defend it as a good act or choice. Thus, this is a means to an end, because Kantian theory argues that people act something because that is the rational thing to do. Whistle-blowing could be a way to solve conflict or expose the truth for the benefit of every concerned. This makes this act a means to achieving the desired end. The end, which is the output of a rational choice, would still remain universally defensible because it is part of the rational choice itself. Considering that people act on rational motives, then the rational thing to do is act on duty. Knowing that whistle-blowing is a rational choice, then doing so is acting on duty or on the basis of a good will. Thus, it is clear therefore that Kantian ethics finds whistle-blowing ethical, as far as it is acted on duty, a rational c hoice or a means to an end. 5. Is it unrealistic to imagine that there will be no sexual interaction between individuals in the workplace? Why/why not? Can a policy that prevents workmates from having an intimate relationship be morally justified? Then provide your reasoning (e,g, if you argue that it is unreasonable, you might argue that owing to long working hours, many people do not have very much time to socialize outside of their workplace and/or that when individuals work together closely, it is natural for bonds to form. If you argue that it is reasonable, provide your reasoning e.g. adults should be able to control themselves in the workplace, if they are aware of the rules, they should either comply or find alternative employment - there are plenty of other arguments for/against the premise of the question). Finally, answer the last part of the question –

JP Morgans Financial Risk Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

JP Morgans Financial Risk Management - Essay Example ures established by the bank to control the credit derivatives trading carried out by the chief investment office were insufficient to shield the bank from the external material risks that arose from the trading strategies and positions adopted by the CIO; The risk management model adopted by the bank lacked adequate processes and procedures to monitor, measure understand, and control the risk arising from the credit derivatives trading activities of the chief investment office; and The valuation procedures used by the chief investment office lacked adequate and effective assessment as the credit derivatives trading strategy adopted by the CIO increased the CIO’s risk based on the Value at Risk model adopted by the bank. This resulted in the CIO adopting a new Value at Risk model, which increased its risk but continued to use the risk limits used in the earlier ‘VaR’ model (Belshaw, 2013). Belshaw, G. 2013. Department of the Treasury: Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Consent Order. Consent Order. Accessed February 11, 2014

Home Retail Group Financial Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Home Retail Group Financial Analysis - Essay Example The essay "Home Retail Group Financial Analysis" presents the financial analysis of Home Retail Group, one of the best home and general item retailers in the UK and provides its readers with financial, strategic and stock market information of Home Retail group. The information collected pertaining to above-mentioned areas would be manipulated into meaningful information so that the stakeholders of the company can analyze where the business is standing currently and where it should be in the future. Technological advancements are bringing rapid change in the style of business decision-making. Due to the rapid technological advancement, businesses have to be flexible in developing strategies to allow flexibility of operations. Moreover, the changing environment also causes a business to stay alerted while making decisions, which increases the efficiency of the business. The social scenario of UK further supports for retail businesses as the customers in the UK prefers to make purchasing from one place. Home Retail Group in this aspect is focusing on making its presence visible in every county and city of UK in order to make customers’ experience of shopping in a convenient and highly checked and balanced environment. Though Home Retail Group is facing intense competition from the likes of Tesco and Sainsbury’s but the presence of the business throughout the country and the increasing demand for its products and services allows Home Retail Group to incur less cost of production and earn more than its competitors.

JP Morgans Financial Risk Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

JP Morgans Financial Risk Management - Essay Example ures established by the bank to control the credit derivatives trading carried out by the chief investment office were insufficient to shield the bank from the external material risks that arose from the trading strategies and positions adopted by the CIO; The risk management model adopted by the bank lacked adequate processes and procedures to monitor, measure understand, and control the risk arising from the credit derivatives trading activities of the chief investment office; and The valuation procedures used by the chief investment office lacked adequate and effective assessment as the credit derivatives trading strategy adopted by the CIO increased the CIO’s risk based on the Value at Risk model adopted by the bank. This resulted in the CIO adopting a new Value at Risk model, which increased its risk but continued to use the risk limits used in the earlier ‘VaR’ model (Belshaw, 2013). Belshaw, G. 2013. Department of the Treasury: Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Consent Order. Consent Order. Accessed February 11, 2014

Research method Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Research method - Assignment Example The bank presents different offers to Super Cars; the option to receive payment after three months of entering the deal, or receiving the payment after one year. By unleashing these contrasting offers, the bank wants to also shield itself from the effects of uncertainties in the international market, thereby offering Super Cars minimum cushioning from the same. The Super Cars’ resolve to opt for the three-month payment duration presents better value for the firm, and subsequently affirms greater exposure to risk for HSBC. Finally, HSBC evaluates two options with the foreign currency it acquires: to either convert the currency to dollars immediately or after one year. This is done through examining strategies to mitigate effects of currency value fluctuations that the bank could use. The USA Super Cars sells luxury sports cars to buyers in different destinations around the world. Over the next one year, the firm will be expected to supply the UK, Japanese, Canadian, South African and the local US markets with sports cars. In order to determine the expected prices of the products at the time they will be shipped to requested destinations (the cars will be required exactly one year from now), the firm has taken forecasted estimates of the dollar’s exchange rates against the foreign currencies in the target markets. This way, it is possible to fairly estimate the amount of revenue expected from the sales, considering both the lower and upper bounds for the same. This report examines the value of the offer presented by HSBC to USA Super Cars, its ability to cushion the latter from expected risks and the ability to generate a profit for HSBC. Note: In these calculations, the totals are subsequently divided by n = 27 (the number of cars that have been ordered by the domestic and foreign buyers) in order to work with the formula for z-scores. = (81,481.48 – 113,011.1) / 16,491.40 = -1.912, equivalent to the

Microwave Power Transmission Essay Example for Free

Microwave Power Transmission Essay Microwave power transmission (MPT) is one of the applications of microwaves to transmit power from one place to another place without the need for wires. It is the type of the Electromagnetic Radiations, one of the wireless energy transfer methods. Introduction: Firstly, we will talk about the term Microwaves, Microwaves can also be termed as Radio waves having wavelengths ranging from one millimeter to one meter and the frequencies from 300MHz to 300GHz. These are also known as millimeter waves. These waves can also be used for power transmission in such a way, by converting DC power to microwaves and then by using antenna, these are transmitted, and after that rectenna receive those waves and converts them into DC again which can be further inverted into AC. The basic components include microwave source, an antenna for transmission, and a rectenna as a receiver. It has many applications such as it is used for power supply purpose in orbital lift space ships. Discussion: After the World War II, we saw the development in high-power microwave emitters, also known as Cavity magnetrons, and this lead to the idea of using microwaves for power transmission. In 1964, William C. Brown demonstrated the working of rectenna in helicopter as it converts microwave power into electricity, and is capable of achieving high efficiencies – over 90%. Now it is commonly used for transferring energy to the surface of earth from solar power satellites. Numbers of researches are made. In 2008, an experiment of long range power transmission was performed and successfully transmitted 20 watts up-to 92 miles. Conclusion: Microwave Power Transmission is very efficient way of transferring power from one place to another, wirelessly. With the passage of time, its applications in daily life are increasing because of its efficiency. It is also perceived by the people that microwaves are very dangerous as they are used in microwave ovens but, it would be safe enough as the power level would be equal to the leakage but slightly more than the leakage from the cell phones. It has been also researched on multiple generations of animals by exposing them to microwave radiations of high intensity but no health issue was found.

Don Quixote Essay -- English Literature

Anyone who reads Don Quixote for the first time inevitably has some preconceptions about it, beginning with the dictionary def MIGUEL DE CERVANTES SAAVEDRA was born in Alcala de Henares in Spain near Madrid in 1547. Nothing is certainly known about his education, but by the age of twenty-three, he enrolled in the army as a private soldier. He was maimed for life in the battle of Lepanto and was taken captive by the Moors on his way home in 1575. After five years of slavery, he was ransomed; and two or three years later, he returned to Spain. He settled in Madrid and began a moderately successful literary career, in which he wrote poetry, published a pastoral romance, La Galatea(1585), and had some twenty to thirty plays performed without, as he puts it, â€Å"offerings of cucumbers or other throwable matter.† Failing to attain financial success, he obtained an employment in the Government office as a commissioner of food supplies for the Armada expedition. He later became a tax collector, a position that he held until 1597, when he was imprisoned for a shortage in his accounts due to the dishonesty of an associate. The imprisonment on this occasion lasted until the end of the year, and, after a period of obscurity, he issued, in 1605, his masterpiece, El Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quijote de La Mancha (The Ingenious Hidalgo Don Quixote of La Mancha). Cervantes confesses to having ‘engendered’ Don Quixote in the prison. Its success was great and immediate, and its reputation soon spread beyond Spain. The enthusiastic reception of Part à Ã¢â‚¬   spurred him to unchecked literary activity until his death- a gloriously creative old age in which he completed Don Quixote Part à Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬   (1615), his twelve Exemplary Novels (1613), ... ...’ position, the female characters such as Marcella and Dorothea in Don Quixote speak forcefully in defense of women's rights. Loose in structure and uneven in workmanship, it remains unsurpassed as a masterpiece of witty humor, as a picture of Spanish life, as a gallery of immortal portraits. It has in the highest degree the mark of all great art, the successful combination of the particular and the universal: it is true to the life of the country and age of its production, and true also to general human nature everywhere and always. With reference to the fiction of the Middle Ages, it is a triumphant satire; with reference to modern novels, it is the first and the most widely enjoyed. In its authorÂ’s words: â€Å"It is so conspicuous and void of difficulty that children may handle it, youths may read it, men may understand it, and old men may celebrate it.†

backstreet boys :: essays research papers

Backstreet Boys   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In a world full of imitations, the Backstreet Boys are definitely not just another fabricated, bubblegum-pop boy-band, but are a multi-talented group of real musicians. With each Backstreet Boy having his own unique experiences in such areas as: acting, singing, modeling, and playing instruments, it is obvious that it would add flavor to their phenomenal voices, and lead them to fame and fortune. â€Å"Honestly, looking at them for the first time with their country, down to earth, all American boy image, I thought they were out of their heads. Eventually, their vocal abilities and their passion for music changed my mind,† stated their former manager, Johnny Wright on VH1 Music Television. Although it may seem as if success was easily handed over to them, these five regular guys from Orlando, Florida experienced many struggles on their bumpy road to the top.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"They are liked and have such a huge following because of the diverse group of boys represented,† Kayla Jones stated in a personal interview. Despite their success in being number one in thirty-eight different countries, each member had his fair share of struggles before reaching his status in the Backstreet Boys (Gold Collector’s Series Entertainment Magazine). Leaving their mark on the world was not as easy as it may seem. Each member comes from a different background with influences ranging from Latin to even Blackfoot Indian (Krulik, 11). What brings such a young and talented group of guys together is their love and passion for music and the stage. Ashufta 2 Nicholas Gene Carter, better known as Nick from the Backstreet Boys, was born in Jamestown, New York on January 28, 1980 (Golden 61). Being born in the same hospital as Lucille Ball, it was inevitable that he was destined for a career in show business. Shortly after his birth, his family moved to a dream house in Orlando, Florida. It was there that Nick truly developed his skills and desires for the entertainment world. He experienced the different aspects of show business including: singing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers halftime shows, acting in Phantom of the Opera, winning talent shows, and even working for Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel (Golden 64). Despite of his accomplishments, he was still unsatisfied and was determined to discover his ideal job in the spotlight. The rebel of the Backstreet Boys, Alexander James (A.J.) McLean was born on January 9, 1978 in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Classification of the Tea Party Movement Essay

The Tea Party movement appears to be a rather unique entity. There is much confusion as to the exact classification of the Tea Party movement. Are they a political party, an interest group, or a social movement? Even after countless internet searches a definitive answer was seemingly nowhere to be found. There are three possible classifications of the Tea Party movement that will be explored. As well as information on which of the three systems would be the more effective route for the movement to take and why that route would be the most effective. This should paint a clearer picture of the Tea Party movement and their actual classification. The first look will be at whether or not the Tea Party is a political party, an interest group, or a social movement. And then at what would have been the more effective approach and why that approach would have been more effective. The hope is that by the end of this, the reader will have a better idea of the Tea Party movement’s positio n as a social movement and why a becoming a separate political party would have been their most effective approach. Is the Tea Party movement a political party, an interest group, or a social movement? Power and Choice: An Introduction to Political Science defines a political party as â€Å"a group of officials or would be officials who are linked with a sizable group of citizens into an organization. A chief objective of this organization is to ensure that its officials attain power and are maintained in power† (Shively, 2012, p. 251). The Tea Party movement clearly has a group of officials that they wanted to place into power. However, with no centralized leadership and little to no attempt to separate from the Republican Party one would be hard-pressed to argue them as a political party. Also, Ron Paul, who is often referred to as the godfather of the Tea Party movement, is currently running for the republican nomination. The republican candidates are frequently campaigning for the votes of the Tea Party voters. Along with, seemingly every news outlet constantly mentioning how the republ icans are fighting for the Tea Party vote the line between the two parties continue to blur. A Washington Post article states, â€Å"at a 2012 presidential forum in New Orleans in June, (Michelle) Bachmann estimated that the tea party consists of 60 percent republicans, 20 percent independents and 20 percent democrats† (Blake, Aaron â€Å"Tea party democrats do exist.† Washington Post. July 6, 2011. Web. March 7, 2012). This tells me that the Tea Party movement is a branch of the Republican Party that has differing views on some major issues, but still identifies themselves as republicans. Therefore, no, by this evidence the Tea Party movement is not a political party. The Tea Party movement, however, also is not an interest group. According to Power and Choice: An Introduction to Political Science an interest group is an â€Å"organized group of citizens that has one of its goals ensuring that the state follows certain policies† (Shively, 2012, p. 251). Historically groups such as Greenpeace, the National Rifle Association and the Air Force Sergeants As sociation have been classified as interest or â€Å"pressure† groups. These groups use their organization as a means to represent public opinion to government officials. Looking at the definition of interest group one could possibly deduce that the Tea Party movement must be an interest group. Do they want to ensure that the state follows certain policies? Yes. They demand lower taxes, call for the elimination of deficit spending, and insist the government abides by the Constitution and the institution of fiscally conservative policies to eliminate the national debt. Just like with the democratic and republican political parties, the Tea Party movement shares some similarities with interest groups. One could easily consider the Tea Party movement an interest group. Especially if they have read the Encyclopedia definition of interest group, â€Å"also called special interest group or pressure group, any association of individuals or organizations, usually formally organized, that, on the basis of one or more shared concerns, attempts to influence publi c policy in its favor. All interest groups share a desire to affect government policy to benefit themselves or their causes. Their goal could be a policy that exclusively benefits group members or one segment of society (e.g., government subsidies for farmers) or a policy that advances a broader public purpose (e.g., improving air quality). They attempt to achieve their goals by lobbying† (interest group (2012) In Encyclopedia Britannica Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/290136/interest-group). After reading that definition it seems that the Tea Party movement is an interest group, they do fit the definition extremely well. However, there is one other option. The last possible classification to be explored is the social movement. Does the Tea Party movement fit the mold of a social movement? A social movement is defined as â€Å"loosely organized but sustained campaigns in support of a social goal, typically either the implementation or the prevention of a change in society’s structure or values. Although social movements differ in size, they are all essentially collect ive. That is, they result from the more or less spontaneous coming together of people whose relationships are not defined by rules and procedures but who merely share a common outlook on society† social movement (social movement (2012) In Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/551335/social-movement). The Tea Party movement came to be in 2009 and 2010 with distrust in elected officials and wanting to remove them from power. They believe that the government has ignored the constitutional order of America (Shively, 2012, p. 309). To a person who is sparsely active in politics, the Tea Party movement may seem to be spontaneous and out of nowhere. But it could be easily argued that the political activist involved carried their feelings for many years prior to organizing the movement. But to an outsider they may have appeared to burst onto the scene. The Tea Party movement seems to be searching for a change in what they believe to be unconstitut ional actions of the United States government, as well as trying to prevent the invasion of constitutional rights. Earlier, it was stated how one could see classifying the Tea Party movement as an interest group. However, after further research they seem to fit the mold of a social movement slightly more. Since the Tea Party movement is a social movement and not an interest group or political party, it needs to be determined which one would have been the best course of action for the movement to take. The best move the Tea Party movement could make would be to become a separate political party. As a political party they would be able to run on a platform consisting completely of their own views. Why attempt to ride the coattails of the Republican Party? If the views differ enough to rally and callout the current elected officials, regardless of party, then new ones. The new party won’t have to worry about being held back by the differing views of the party of which they chose to attach themselves. If the numbers quoted earlier from Michelle Bachmann are correct (60 percent republicans, 20 percent independents and 20 percent democrats) they should have a rather good chance at winning some elections. Mike Gallagher, a Fox News Contributor, stated in a 2009 interview with Bill O’Reilly that, he’d â€Å"happily trade is republican card for a tea party card, if there was such a thing.† Now, obviously this doesn’t state how many hardline Tea Party voters there are, but it says that they appeal to some members of both major parties as well as the independents. Maybe running separately would give them a better chance of pulling more voters from the other parties and uniting their followers even more. After first comparing the Tea Party movement to interest groups, and then social movements and finally political parties, the evidence showed that they are more of a social movement than the other two. The Encyclopedia definition cited earlier was what led to this conclusion. Although it is strictly an opinion, the Tea Party movement would be better served as a political party. This is mainly because they could focus their time and efforts on a campaign consisting of their views. Would they get my vote? No. But at least they would be able to round up all of their supporters into one basket. Works Cited Encyclopedia Britannica. (2012). Retrieved March 19, 2102, from encyclopediabritannica.com: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/551335/social-movement Encyclopedia Britannica. (2012). Retrieved March 19, 2012, from encyclopediabritannica.com: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/290136/interest-group Shively, W. P. (2012). Power & Choice: An Introduction to Political Science. New York, New York: McGraw-Hill.

Zara Supply Chain

A network and flow explanation to Zara’ success Angel Diaz and Luis Solis Instituto de Empresa, Maria de Molina 12, 5 °, Madrid 28006, Spain E-mails: angel. [email  protected] edu; luis. [email  protected] edu Abstract Zara is a Spanish fashion manufacturer and retailer that has known swift success. Spaniards have become used to visiting Zara frequently, as there is always a new product. Zara launches 100 different collections every year, with over 11000 models, none lasting more than five weeks in production and with an average lead-time (design to store delivery) of four weeks. Inditex, the group to which the brand Zara belongs owns five brands with over 1000 stores in more than 30 countries. Although its global sales are still one sixth those of Gap, its sales have increased at an average 30% per year over the last three years, with net benefits over sales of close to 12% in the same period. In this paper we examine Zara’ production and distribution systems, looking for clues to its mass-customization capabilities. We argue that the key to Zara’ success is its Supply Chain (network and flows) approach. The production network is made of a tightly integrated net of product specialized factories, intensive in capital and run under Toyota’s principles, and a secondary network of over 400 micro enterprises, tightly controlled by Inditex but independent. All these are located in the same small geographical area, Galicia (northwest Spain). The swift flow is facilitated through advanced automation and logistics systems, with emphasis on postponement. We compare these network and flow approaches to those of Benetton and Gap, and argue that the key to Zara’ success is this combination of a tightly integrated local network coupled to the most advanced flow systems. A final consideration is the sustainability of these orderwinners over time. Keywords: Key words: Zara, logistics network, flow, fashion Introduction Intense competition in the global marketplace is forcing organizations to consider new practices by which they could enhance and sustain their competitive capabilities. Network configurations and alliances is such one option through which an organization can leverage its resources to compete effectively against fast and nimble competitors. Furthermore, the emphasis on supplier integration in supply chain management has contributed to the growing interest on strategic supplier alliances by companies around the world. Strategic network alliances are innovative and interesting forms of relationships between buyers and suppliers, however, successful supplier alliances have proved to be very elusive for the most part (Landeros and Monczka, 1991). Despite that academic and practitioner literatures have devoted considerable attention to supply network alliances issues, its dynamics has yet many unanswered questions. Furthermore, most of the literature has focused on cases in few developed countries like USA. There is a need to expand our understanding about international cases since more and more global supply chain networks are becoming more important. The study of the ZARA supply chain network in Spain is a contribution in this direction. The Spanish integrated manufacturer-retailer of apparel Zara has been defined as the Armani for the masses. Although sales of Zara (close to two billion dollars, comparable to Benetton) are much lower than that of the clothing retailer leader Gap, its financial performance has been bright. Net profits of Inditex in 2001 were 340,4 million â‚ ¬, 31% more than the previous year, out of sales of 3. 249,8 million â‚ ¬, a growth of 24% with respect to 2000. Zara launches over 100 collections per year (11. 00 new garments) and has a total design-to-store cycle time of less than 4 weeks. Every garment will be on sale for a maximum of 5 weeks, after which is removed and sent to discount stores or destroyed. Zara invests close to zero percent of its sales in advertisement (5% of sales for Gap), relying instead on keeping customers perpetually interested in finding new surprises (Zara? s customers visit the conveniently located stores an average 17 times a year). While Gap brands, Zara i ntrigues. We argue in this paper that the success of Zara is explained by a business approach in which a highly automated and largely local production and distribution network facilitates very fast response times as the key competitive advantage, and that this design can be due to cultural and market characteristics of Spain. History The founder of Zara, Amancio Ortega started a small garment factory in La Coruna, Galicia in 1963. In 1975 Ortega integrated downstream by opening his first store, Zara. By the end of the decade six stores with that name were located in Galicia. The eighties saw important changes. Ortega created the parent company of Zara, Inditex (stands for Textile Design Industry) announcing a movement toward integrated designfabrication-retail operations. Also in this period an ex-IBM salesman, Jose Maria Castellano, the actual Vice-president of Inditex, imposed a vision of time-based competition sustained on the intensive use of technology that was to dominate the holding in the future. By the end of this decade Zara had 82 stores in Spain and six abroad. In the nineties the group developed the quick response, integrated logistics network described in this case. An important milestone was the adoption at the beginning of the decade, and well ahead of other Spanish companies, of Just in Time and lean production practices, with knowledge provided by Toyota, Japan. By the end of the century, Inditex added four new brands, each for a different market niche and with their own distribution channels. At the closing of the 2001 exercise the group had 1080 stores (449 of Zara, that represents almost 80% of total sales) in 33 countries, over 20. 00 employees and the impressive profitability and growth figures mentioned in the introduction. Networks and Alliances Researchers have provided some evidence that companies relying on strategic network alliances are more profitable since closer buyer-supplier relationships may offer many technical, financial, and strategic advantages over spot market transactions and vertical integration (Mohr and Spec kman, 1994). Furthermore, strategic alliances provide an effective alternative to improve economies of scale and scope. Different scholars have studied the antecedents that lead to different forms of network alliances. These studies suggest that assets type involved will impact the type of relationships (Dwyer, Schurr, and Oh, 1987). A different stream of research has studied the relationship between environmental uncertainty and resource interdependence with the nature of relationships. Handy, 1995; and Mohr and Spekman, 1994, have conducted empirical exploratory studies on the formation and evolution of inter-organizational elationships. Production and logistics are largely regional at Inditex, with much less outsourcing than is common in this sector. Why the network evolved into this configuration can be due to cultural characteristics of Spain. There exist a rich literature on collaboration. According to this Industry Networks, a set of organizations that have developed recurring ties when serving a particular market, is a variation of the old idea of industrial districts (Ebers & Jarillo, 1998). The drivers for collaboration have been extensively analyzed in the literature and can be synthesized in strategies of coespecialization; the search for mutual learning to support fastest product developments, better information and product flows (resulting in cost and time reductions, a dominating theme in logistics); the creation of virtual scale and scope economies; and in the creation of entry barriers, among others (Cervilla and Lorenzo, 2000). Hofstede characterizes Spain? culture as risk avoidance, hierarchical inclined (Granell, 1997). Solis et al. (2000) show that in Spain companies, integration and closer relationships with local and global suppliers in critical processes are becoming paramount. Strategic network alliances require time and resources to be built and sustained. In getting the benefits of integration and synchronization with suppliers, building trust represents the most critical issue for supply network managers. Important for successful strategic supplier alliances is the communication expected behaviour, particularly the quality of information and participation, and the extent to which relevant information is transparent to suppliers. No less important for alliance success is the existence for a formal purchasing commodity selection process and a formal supplier assessment and selection process. These factors plus a comparatively low degree of outsourcing activity in Spain can explain the formation of this type of network. Factories Inditex owns 25 factories, each dedicated to capital-intensive activities (dye, cutting) and the production of a family items. The large majority of these are located in La Coruna. Inditex has additionally developed a network of external micro-companies, many households, that provide labor-intensive services, mainly sewing, which has proven difficult to automate. According to Mr. Castellano the local work force has higher labor cost but also faster reaction time (than outsourced production in a low-cost area). Distribution Inditex owns a single logistics center in La Coruna. This large facility (400,000 square meters) is largely automated, with 2 carrousels for fold garments (60,000 per hour) and 200 kilometers of elevated tracks. Products are transported directly to stores using outsourced but dedicated carriers (Azkar for land transportation –some 80% of deliveries in 2000, and different airlines for exporting, all taking-off from local Galician airports). Flows Two distinct flows can be appreciated at Inditex. One consists of long-term cycles, i. e. purchasing of raw materials and the other a short-term cycle, i. e. , design, fabrication and distribution. The long cycle starts three to six months before each fashion season and consists in the acquisition of two thirds of the raw materials required, mainly cloth (90% of which is sourced from India, China, Morocco, Mauricio, Korea, Italy Germany and Turkey –the remaining one third is supplied during the season), and of one h alf of all garments (15%-20% is acquired in advance, 50%-60% at the beginning of the season and the rest during the season). These are those items that are thought to be stable, i. e. , basic products for which demand is fairly predictable. The rest of the garments (those thought to have a higher risk) are produced inhouse in the short cycle described bellow. The short cycle start with design. This is totally an in-house affair in which over 200 designer work simultaneously on three season collections, the current one for modifications and improvements and the next two (winter 2002 is being currently worked on in the Spring of 2002). Target pricing and low scale customer acceptance trials are usual practices at this step. Patterns are scanned and sent electronically to the manufacturing plants. Here capitalintensive activities such as dying and cutting are performed, while sewing is manually done by the micro-companies described above. Processes in the plants are kept flexible using lean production principles such as multi-skilled and flexible work forces (with an enviable strike record) and simple Japanese-like control systems. Production is thus pushed into the stores (15% at the beginning of the season, the rest according to demand), where the manager uses hand-held devices (currently Cassiopeia PDAs) to send feedback in close to real time about what moves and what doesn’t (colors, sizes, models), allowing for fast adjustments to the production plan. Replenishment to stores is done twice or three times a week, with a lead-time for existing (or subject to slight design modifications) items of two weeks, and of five weeks for new products. Comments It is interesting to compare the strategy of Zara/Inditex to that of Benetton (a similar sized competitor) and of the market leader Gap. Of the three the more integrated, both upstream and downstream is Zara/Inditex. Benetton produces through a network of mainly regional subcontractors, distributes from a centralized, automated warehouse and retails through franchises. Gap subcontracts production to a network of global producers (over 3000 in more than 70 countries) and has a network of global warehouses and distribution centers. Design Zara Benetton Gap Own- continuous Own-periodic Own-periodic Production Distribution 0% own regional factories Centralized D. C. 50% subcontractors Own stores Regional subcontractors Global subcontractors Centralized D. C. Franchises Decentralized warehouses and D. C Zara/Inditex model is not a fashionable global, outsourced network. It evolved as a probable consequence of limitations in the Spanish market, but has proven that a vertically integrated l ocal network when linked to advanced manufacturing and information technology practices can result in quick response times with little stock or waste, a by-product of the synchronization of offer and demand that the integration nature of the process allows. Postponement of the (in-house) fabrication of fashion items considered of high uncertainty, plus the flexibility and quick response implicit in the lean and automated process results in low levels of stock (40% less than Gap, is proportion to sales) An important question is now whether the organization of Mr. Ortega and Castellano can maintain its characteristics and stellar performance as global growth takes place. Due to European expansion a new distribution center is being built in Zaragoza, close to the French border and facilities for production in Mexico are being considered. Labor shortages in the small Galician area have also been reported. The organization could then decide to play in a niche market position and remain as it is, duplicate the actual local Galician network in other regions (e. g. , Mexico) or move towards a global and more externalized network. If the last, and arguably most probable option is pursuit, the challenge for Zara/Inditex will be to maintain their current flexibility. References Cervilla y Lorenzo (2000): â€Å"Redes de empresas y tecnologias de informacion: copciones para el desarrollo de la PYME†. Debates IESA. Vol. 5. No. 1. Dwyer, F. , Schurr, P. , & Oh, S. (1987). â€Å"Developing buyer-seller relationships† Journal of Marketing, vol. 51 (2), 11-27. Ebers, M. y C. Jarillo (1998). â€Å"The construction, forms, and consequences of industry networks† International Studies of Management & Organization. Vol. 27. No. 4 Granell, E. (1998). Managing cluture for success. Ediciones IESA, 1997. Handy, C. (1995). â€Å"Trust and the virtual organization† Harvard Business Review, vol. 73(3), 40-50. Landeros, R. , & Monczka, R. (1991). â€Å"Cooperative buyer/seller relationships and a firm? competitive posture†. International Journal of Purchasing and Materials Management, vol. 11, 2-8. Mohr, J. , & Spekman, R. (1994). â€Å"Characteristics of partnership success: Partnership attributes, communication behaviour, and conflict resolution techniques†. Strategic Management Journal, vol. 15(2), 135-152. Solis, L, & Escobar, D. , (2000). â€Å"The Management of Successf ul Strategic Alliances in Supply Chain Management Networks: An Empirical Study of Success Factors in Spain† Proceedings of XXXV CLADEA Annual Meeting, September, Barcelona. Zara Supply Chain A network and flow explanation to Zara’ success Angel Diaz and Luis Solis Instituto de Empresa, Maria de Molina 12, 5 °, Madrid 28006, Spain E-mails: angel. [email  protected] edu; luis. [email  protected] edu Abstract Zara is a Spanish fashion manufacturer and retailer that has known swift success. Spaniards have become used to visiting Zara frequently, as there is always a new product. Zara launches 100 different collections every year, with over 11000 models, none lasting more than five weeks in production and with an average lead-time (design to store delivery) of four weeks. Inditex, the group to which the brand Zara belongs owns five brands with over 1000 stores in more than 30 countries. Although its global sales are still one sixth those of Gap, its sales have increased at an average 30% per year over the last three years, with net benefits over sales of close to 12% in the same period. In this paper we examine Zara’ production and distribution systems, looking for clues to its mass-customization capabilities. We argue that the key to Zara’ success is its Supply Chain (network and flows) approach. The production network is made of a tightly integrated net of product specialized factories, intensive in capital and run under Toyota’s principles, and a secondary network of over 400 micro enterprises, tightly controlled by Inditex but independent. All these are located in the same small geographical area, Galicia (northwest Spain). The swift flow is facilitated through advanced automation and logistics systems, with emphasis on postponement. We compare these network and flow approaches to those of Benetton and Gap, and argue that the key to Zara’ success is this combination of a tightly integrated local network coupled to the most advanced flow systems. A final consideration is the sustainability of these orderwinners over time. Keywords: Key words: Zara, logistics network, flow, fashion Introduction Intense competition in the global marketplace is forcing organizations to consider new practices by which they could enhance and sustain their competitive capabilities. Network configurations and alliances is such one option through which an organization can leverage its resources to compete effectively against fast and nimble competitors. Furthermore, the emphasis on supplier integration in supply chain management has contributed to the growing interest on strategic supplier alliances by companies around the world. Strategic network alliances are innovative and interesting forms of relationships between buyers and suppliers, however, successful supplier alliances have proved to be very elusive for the most part (Landeros and Monczka, 1991). Despite that academic and practitioner literatures have devoted considerable attention to supply network alliances issues, its dynamics has yet many unanswered questions. Furthermore, most of the literature has focused on cases in few developed countries like USA. There is a need to expand our understanding about international cases since more and more global supply chain networks are becoming more important. The study of the ZARA supply chain network in Spain is a contribution in this direction. The Spanish integrated manufacturer-retailer of apparel Zara has been defined as the Armani for the masses. Although sales of Zara (close to two billion dollars, comparable to Benetton) are much lower than that of the clothing retailer leader Gap, its financial performance has been bright. Net profits of Inditex in 2001 were 340,4 million â‚ ¬, 31% more than the previous year, out of sales of 3. 249,8 million â‚ ¬, a growth of 24% with respect to 2000. Zara launches over 100 collections per year (11. 00 new garments) and has a total design-to-store cycle time of less than 4 weeks. Every garment will be on sale for a maximum of 5 weeks, after which is removed and sent to discount stores or destroyed. Zara invests close to zero percent of its sales in advertisement (5% of sales for Gap), relying instead on keeping customers perpetually interested in finding new surprises (Zara? s customers visit the conveniently located stores an average 17 times a year). While Gap brands, Zara i ntrigues. We argue in this paper that the success of Zara is explained by a business approach in which a highly automated and largely local production and distribution network facilitates very fast response times as the key competitive advantage, and that this design can be due to cultural and market characteristics of Spain. History The founder of Zara, Amancio Ortega started a small garment factory in La Coruna, Galicia in 1963. In 1975 Ortega integrated downstream by opening his first store, Zara. By the end of the decade six stores with that name were located in Galicia. The eighties saw important changes. Ortega created the parent company of Zara, Inditex (stands for Textile Design Industry) announcing a movement toward integrated designfabrication-retail operations. Also in this period an ex-IBM salesman, Jose Maria Castellano, the actual Vice-president of Inditex, imposed a vision of time-based competition sustained on the intensive use of technology that was to dominate the holding in the future. By the end of this decade Zara had 82 stores in Spain and six abroad. In the nineties the group developed the quick response, integrated logistics network described in this case. An important milestone was the adoption at the beginning of the decade, and well ahead of other Spanish companies, of Just in Time and lean production practices, with knowledge provided by Toyota, Japan. By the end of the century, Inditex added four new brands, each for a different market niche and with their own distribution channels. At the closing of the 2001 exercise the group had 1080 stores (449 of Zara, that represents almost 80% of total sales) in 33 countries, over 20. 00 employees and the impressive profitability and growth figures mentioned in the introduction. Networks and Alliances Researchers have provided some evidence that companies relying on strategic network alliances are more profitable since closer buyer-supplier relationships may offer many technical, financial, and strategic advantages over spot market transactions and vertical integration (Mohr and Spec kman, 1994). Furthermore, strategic alliances provide an effective alternative to improve economies of scale and scope. Different scholars have studied the antecedents that lead to different forms of network alliances. These studies suggest that assets type involved will impact the type of relationships (Dwyer, Schurr, and Oh, 1987). A different stream of research has studied the relationship between environmental uncertainty and resource interdependence with the nature of relationships. Handy, 1995; and Mohr and Spekman, 1994, have conducted empirical exploratory studies on the formation and evolution of inter-organizational elationships. Production and logistics are largely regional at Inditex, with much less outsourcing than is common in this sector. Why the network evolved into this configuration can be due to cultural characteristics of Spain. There exist a rich literature on collaboration. According to this Industry Networks, a set of organizations that have developed recurring ties when serving a particular market, is a variation of the old idea of industrial districts (Ebers & Jarillo, 1998). The drivers for collaboration have been extensively analyzed in the literature and can be synthesized in strategies of coespecialization; the search for mutual learning to support fastest product developments, better information and product flows (resulting in cost and time reductions, a dominating theme in logistics); the creation of virtual scale and scope economies; and in the creation of entry barriers, among others (Cervilla and Lorenzo, 2000). Hofstede characterizes Spain? culture as risk avoidance, hierarchical inclined (Granell, 1997). Solis et al. (2000) show that in Spain companies, integration and closer relationships with local and global suppliers in critical processes are becoming paramount. Strategic network alliances require time and resources to be built and sustained. In getting the benefits of integration and synchronization with suppliers, building trust represents the most critical issue for supply network managers. Important for successful strategic supplier alliances is the communication expected behaviour, particularly the quality of information and participation, and the extent to which relevant information is transparent to suppliers. No less important for alliance success is the existence for a formal purchasing commodity selection process and a formal supplier assessment and selection process. These factors plus a comparatively low degree of outsourcing activity in Spain can explain the formation of this type of network. Factories Inditex owns 25 factories, each dedicated to capital-intensive activities (dye, cutting) and the production of a family items. The large majority of these are located in La Coruna. Inditex has additionally developed a network of external micro-companies, many households, that provide labor-intensive services, mainly sewing, which has proven difficult to automate. According to Mr. Castellano the local work force has higher labor cost but also faster reaction time (than outsourced production in a low-cost area). Distribution Inditex owns a single logistics center in La Coruna. This large facility (400,000 square meters) is largely automated, with 2 carrousels for fold garments (60,000 per hour) and 200 kilometers of elevated tracks. Products are transported directly to stores using outsourced but dedicated carriers (Azkar for land transportation –some 80% of deliveries in 2000, and different airlines for exporting, all taking-off from local Galician airports). Flows Two distinct flows can be appreciated at Inditex. One consists of long-term cycles, i. e. purchasing of raw materials and the other a short-term cycle, i. e. , design, fabrication and distribution. The long cycle starts three to six months before each fashion season and consists in the acquisition of two thirds of the raw materials required, mainly cloth (90% of which is sourced from India, China, Morocco, Mauricio, Korea, Italy Germany and Turkey –the remaining one third is supplied during the season), and of one h alf of all garments (15%-20% is acquired in advance, 50%-60% at the beginning of the season and the rest during the season). These are those items that are thought to be stable, i. e. , basic products for which demand is fairly predictable. The rest of the garments (those thought to have a higher risk) are produced inhouse in the short cycle described bellow. The short cycle start with design. This is totally an in-house affair in which over 200 designer work simultaneously on three season collections, the current one for modifications and improvements and the next two (winter 2002 is being currently worked on in the Spring of 2002). Target pricing and low scale customer acceptance trials are usual practices at this step. Patterns are scanned and sent electronically to the manufacturing plants. Here capitalintensive activities such as dying and cutting are performed, while sewing is manually done by the micro-companies described above. Processes in the plants are kept flexible using lean production principles such as multi-skilled and flexible work forces (with an enviable strike record) and simple Japanese-like control systems. Production is thus pushed into the stores (15% at the beginning of the season, the rest according to demand), where the manager uses hand-held devices (currently Cassiopeia PDAs) to send feedback in close to real time about what moves and what doesn’t (colors, sizes, models), allowing for fast adjustments to the production plan. Replenishment to stores is done twice or three times a week, with a lead-time for existing (or subject to slight design modifications) items of two weeks, and of five weeks for new products. Comments It is interesting to compare the strategy of Zara/Inditex to that of Benetton (a similar sized competitor) and of the market leader Gap. Of the three the more integrated, both upstream and downstream is Zara/Inditex. Benetton produces through a network of mainly regional subcontractors, distributes from a centralized, automated warehouse and retails through franchises. Gap subcontracts production to a network of global producers (over 3000 in more than 70 countries) and has a network of global warehouses and distribution centers. Design Zara Benetton Gap Own- continuous Own-periodic Own-periodic Production Distribution 0% own regional factories Centralized D. C. 50% subcontractors Own stores Regional subcontractors Global subcontractors Centralized D. C. Franchises Decentralized warehouses and D. C Zara/Inditex model is not a fashionable global, outsourced network. It evolved as a probable consequence of limitations in the Spanish market, but has proven that a vertically integrated l ocal network when linked to advanced manufacturing and information technology practices can result in quick response times with little stock or waste, a by-product of the synchronization of offer and demand that the integration nature of the process allows. Postponement of the (in-house) fabrication of fashion items considered of high uncertainty, plus the flexibility and quick response implicit in the lean and automated process results in low levels of stock (40% less than Gap, is proportion to sales) An important question is now whether the organization of Mr. Ortega and Castellano can maintain its characteristics and stellar performance as global growth takes place. Due to European expansion a new distribution center is being built in Zaragoza, close to the French border and facilities for production in Mexico are being considered. Labor shortages in the small Galician area have also been reported. The organization could then decide to play in a niche market position and remain as it is, duplicate the actual local Galician network in other regions (e. g. , Mexico) or move towards a global and more externalized network. If the last, and arguably most probable option is pursuit, the challenge for Zara/Inditex will be to maintain their current flexibility. References Cervilla y Lorenzo (2000): â€Å"Redes de empresas y tecnologias de informacion: copciones para el desarrollo de la PYME†. Debates IESA. Vol. 5. No. 1. Dwyer, F. , Schurr, P. , & Oh, S. (1987). â€Å"Developing buyer-seller relationships† Journal of Marketing, vol. 51 (2), 11-27. Ebers, M. y C. Jarillo (1998). â€Å"The construction, forms, and consequences of industry networks† International Studies of Management & Organization. Vol. 27. No. 4 Granell, E. (1998). Managing cluture for success. Ediciones IESA, 1997. Handy, C. (1995). â€Å"Trust and the virtual organization† Harvard Business Review, vol. 73(3), 40-50. Landeros, R. , & Monczka, R. (1991). â€Å"Cooperative buyer/seller relationships and a firm? competitive posture†. International Journal of Purchasing and Materials Management, vol. 11, 2-8. Mohr, J. , & Spekman, R. (1994). â€Å"Characteristics of partnership success: Partnership attributes, communication behaviour, and conflict resolution techniques†. Strategic Management Journal, vol. 15(2), 135-152. Solis, L, & Escobar, D. , (2000). â€Å"The Management of Successf ul Strategic Alliances in Supply Chain Management Networks: An Empirical Study of Success Factors in Spain† Proceedings of XXXV CLADEA Annual Meeting, September, Barcelona.

Game Changer

Game-changer essay EDD8102–Foundations of Leadership and Management II Introduction Establishing a disciplined, repeatable, and scalable innovation process, creating organizational and funding mechanisms that support innovation, and demonstrating the kind of leadership necessary for profitable top-line growth as well as cost reduction is essential for sustainability. Whether in the business arena or the world of education, life as an organization depends on the people that are served by the organization.Teachers need to be providing each individual student with opportunities for relevant and rigorous academic growth based on their abilities–this is why the student is boss. A students needs, abilities, and prior knowledge will dictate to a dedicated teacher how and what they need to teach. Administrators are there to ensure teachers have the resources they need, but also to pacify unsatisfied or belligerent parents. The P & G principle of â€Å"Customer is Boss† G one are the days of selling by yelling and distraction over attraction. The challenge of today’s organization is to be connecting and be connected with emotion.It’s not enough to embrace or touch – that’s a one way street. An organization has to cross the center line now and go deep. One will have to live with consumers. At P&G, â€Å"Making the consumer the boss is a promise to identify with her, to respect and serve her, and to take her needs and wants seriously. † (Charan, R. , & Lafley, A. G. 2008) At P&G they are not just conducting â€Å"bubble in the circle that best reflects how you feel† surveys. The folks at Proctor and Gamble are stepping outside of their lives and comfort zone to experience the reality of their consumer.Often times, this means going to a different part town or of the world and going into a lower socioeconomic class to discover the consumers wants and needs. Advertising is a small part of schematic—making t he product appealing to the consumer is important, but P&G is moving beyond that to create new products especially for the needs of the consumer. This concept of molding to the needs of the consumer, is what effective teaching with differentiating strategies is all about. â€Å"Customer is Boss† in an educational settingTeachers have a professional responsibility to identify their learners' needs and develop appropriate pedagogical responses. Pedagogical responsibilities require teachers to have the necessary professional knowledge and skills, and teachers are also accountable to their students. That accountability is inherent in the teacher/student relationship. Some teachers are, no doubt, unskilled and uninformed. Some may abuse their power; however, that is not because they have students and not clients. Calling students â€Å"clients† will not change in any way the relationship they have with their teachers.Teachers have power. How they wield it has nothing to do with the label attached to all those faces in front of them. Teachers must insist on learner-centeredness. The educational organization must insist on qualified and effective instructors using current methods and materials. Regular monitoring of learner progress and regular feedback to learners on their progress is essential to growth and serving the student. The public school as an organization takes learners the community, and does not make decisions on the basis of their ability to pay. Nor can they â€Å"cream† and select only the best students.Challenges and risks If the â€Å"Consumer is the Boss† is really an organization’s mantra, how can they be challenged to think ahead? Breakthrough innovation would not happen. Customers, and students, are thinking about â€Å"now†Ã¢â‚¬â€œthe problems they are experiencing on a day to day basis. Indeed that is important for companies and teachers to think about, however the â€Å"Change the World† opport unity of breakthrough innovation stems from idealizing customers and envisioning problems and better solutions. Place the customer center stage, but stretch your imagination about making them stars.The â€Å"school grade† method of accountability has led to increasing commercialization of the educational undertaking which is also reflected in the culture at large. Allowing parents to remove a student from their designated school because of a low school grade and enroll them into another was supposed to be a way to motivate teachers and administrators into doing a â€Å"better† job. Instead, this competitive component has added a level of paperwork, stress, and mandatory extracurricular for instructors handed down by stressed out administrators that do know how to solve the problem.In most contexts, the learners lack power, because of age or socioeconomic status. In state or private educational institutions, parents pay the state (through taxation) or the private school , which then pays the teachers – making it difficult to connect learners with the pay check. The state system in particular creates the illusion of free education – which takes even the parents out of the financial-transaction picture. Because of this, teachers may feel that they are answerable only to the school or the educational system, and in some cases they may even feel free to pursue their own personal version of ‘education'.In the same contexts, teachers have the power to award grades, write reports and pass/fail students. The view of learners as clients radically re-adjusts the balance of power. For those who have had freelance experience and have taught professionals, either one-to-one or in-company, this view is self-evident. For those with school-type experience, the shift in balance may come as a shock. The potential risk arises, just as some teachers have abused their power, so will some learner-clients.But this doesn't change the fact that teachers provide a paid service, which makes the recipients of this service, and their ‘sponsors', clients. The way to go about it is for some sort of contract to be drawn, so that both sides can assume their responsibilities and exercise their rights. Opportunities and rewards At P&G, employees take the opportunity to live with the consumer. From an educational point of view, knowing your customer intimately is essential to classroom success and can assist a teacher with creating an appropriate, holistic academic plan for each student.Effective teachers scaffold students reading and writing (Tompkins, 2010) comes from the idea there are different support levels that teachers offer to students. This support is based on the individual student’s zone of proximal development. In interactive writing, the teacher helps groups of students compose and write text together. With guidance from the teacher, individual students take turns writing, as classmates offer ideas and suggestions. Students practice writing strategies and skills modeled by the teacher, including letter formation, phonemic awareness and phonics, and concepts about print.One reward of creating a differentiated academic plan based on student need is watching their growth and success rates accelerate as they can handle more challenging content without getting frustrated. Another reward of having intimate knowledge of a student’s life is knowing how to help them. Is there violence at home? Is the student responsible for taking care of younger siblings? Is English the primary language spoken at home? Does the student have access to homework/study help?Also, there is a difference in the teacher that is a parent who has lived through homework on the same night at the kids’ ballet or baseball practice than the teacher who is single and wondering why Wednesday night’s homework was not done and the student is sleepy at school on Thursday. Letting the student’s abilities and p rior knowledge guide how and what you teach them, will reduce a lot of frustration for both the student and teacher. Giving a student work that is too challenging or beyond them will create tension and feelings incompetency. Keeping a student appropriately engaged and challenged will allow them the most success.Conclusion Self-Assessment I am the first teacher that students meet when they are ushered into the public school system. I personally feel that it is my job to catch the lower students and close the achievement gap before it becomes an overwhelming problem in later years. Purpose and Rationale As a new teacher, I would like to take this opportunity to research different teaching methods and techniques and the impact on my students. This is a great time to conduct such research because I will have a fresh batch of students waiting for me to excite and inspire them.I will collect data such as a beginning assessment and monitor progress, keeping a log of how students respond to different interventions. Part of the process will be to research what interventions are available to me. References Charan, R. , & Lafley, A. G. (2008). The customer is boss. Tn The Game-changer: How you can drive revenue and profit growth with innovation (pp. 33-68). New York, NY: Crown Books. ISBN: 9780307381736. Tompkins, G. E. (2010). Literacy for the 21st century: A balanced approach (5th ed. ). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.