Affirmative Action: Racial Inequality

Michael Parkes Professor Minichillo Writing 1020 25 March 2013 Affirmative Action: Racial Inequality After many years of immigration, the United States has become a melting pot for people all over the world with a wide-range of races and ethnicities. Although American culture emphasizes diversity and equal opportunity, its unique history of immigration has shown that people of different races are not created equal. The White race is dominating throughout all aspects of the American society.Fact: â€Å"White males are 33% of the population, but 80% of tenured professors, 90% of the U. S. senate, 97% of school superintendents, and 100% of U. S. Presidents† (Jackson 9). What happens to the rest of the American races? Where are the Blacks, Latinos and Asians? Some experts believe that, people who belong to those groups are grossly misrepresented. In 1964, racial inequality in American was being recognized as a problem that needed to be addressed on a national level. A systematic s olution was urgently needed to address the racial inequality.Affirmative action was thus born in 1964 with the ideal of creating a better society with equal chances of success for people from different backgrounds and races. Broadly defined, affirmative action refers to efforts to increase educational and employment opportunities for minorities and women. More specifically, it applies to various policies and programs designed to increase the number of minorities and women hired by government and industry and admitted into colleges and universities. As good as the ideal sounded, we have encountered many obstacles implementing the idea into reality.For many decades, because of its impact on individuals, races, and social economic classes, affirmative action has become a source of controversy and a focus of many heated debates. In his book, Hunger of Memory, Richard Rodriguez expressed his belief that affirmative action has devalued the achievements of people of color, and that a syste m that prefers one race over another is nothing more than another form of racism. For some individuals of minority the existence of affirmative action is a threat rather than an aid to their personal success.They believe that affirmative action undermines their personal achievements. Granting certain privileges to minority groups creates the perception that their positions were given to them rather than earned and that minority people are incapable of competing with white people. Richard Rodriguez testifies to this with his personal experience. Growing up in a poor Mexican immigrant family, he has invested a tremendous amount of effort to achieve the academic level of a scholar. To him it was a scholarship boy's dreams come true (Rodriguez 164). However, his academic success was always associated with his minority status.Mr. Rodriguez speaks his unpleasant feelings towards such an association. Mr. Rodriguez was extremely sensitive about the issue. He believes that being â€Å"label ed† as a â€Å"minority† has put him in a position that he can never compete with other people without prejudice. Meanwhile, the supporters of affirmative action believe that being racially conscious is merely acknowledging one's social identity. Understanding one's own social identity means recognizing the differences as well as the advantages and disadvantages of being an individual in a diverse society.Affirmative action simply gives people who are socially disadvantaged a â€Å"leg up† so that they can compete equally with rest of the society. In an 800-meter race, the runner at the outermost lane gets to start ahead of the runner at the innermost lane, simply because it is a longer run to complete the race at the outer lane than the inner lane. This analogy can be applied to the racial disadvantages of minority students as well. Because of their lack of educational resource and unfavorable study environment, they have to endure many more difficulties to achi eve the same academic goals of the majority.Affirmative action is simply putting them ahead of the starting line to finish the longer run. Not all minority races are on an equal ground. Statistics show that about 12 % of Whites, 15% of Asians, and 30% of Blacks and Latinos are under the poverty line; 42% of Asian, 25% of White, and only less than 14% of Black and Latino adults finish college. The numbers clearly show that Asian Americans are way ahead of other racial minorities with respect of income and education, despite the fact that Asian Americans have the least amount of population and shortest history of immigration among the key minority races in the United States.Some people question that, Asian Americans have made it without affirmative action so why can't everyone else? It is a recognizable fact that Asian Americans have extraordinary performance on their educational achievements; they are nowhere near being misrepresented in higher educational institutions. Thus, Asian A mericans have sometime been imaged, as model minority by opponents of affirmative action to perpetuate the idea that affirmative action is unnecessary for racial-class advancement.However, if we step back from the campus and look at the bigger picture, we cannot overlook the reality that the racial discrimination still exists in all aspects of modern society. Asian people as a minority group are no exception as victims of a much broader system. At government jobs and management level jobs in large corporations, Asian Americans are in no doubt under the confinement of the â€Å"glass ceiling. † Because Asian Americans continue to be subjected to racist stereotyping and scapegoating, there is still a need for affirmation action to break the â€Å"glass ceiling† and make it a fair game for all.While the ideal of affirmative action is to assist the disadvantaged, and give them an aid in the race of social competition, the racially based system certainly could not accuratel y identify the poor and socially disadvantaged from a few elite individuals within the same racial group. Eighty five percent of African Americans are under the poverty line, while two percent of them have a yearly income over 150K. There are also a considerable number of Whites who are categorized as under-class. The priority given to race over class has inevitably exacerbated white racism.Purely race determined preference does not justify the purpose of affirmative action on many occasions. The reverse discrimination seems to have a firm ground at some higher educational institutions, which practice affirmative action on their admission processes. Cases like those of University of Michigan have certainly heated up the smoking controversy. Jennifer Gratz, a White university applicant sued the University of Michigan for denying her application because of the school's racially conditioned admission policy.At the University of Michigan as well as many other universities around the cou ntry, minority group students receive 20 extra points when they apply. This gives them a considerable jump to their chances of being accepted over White students with same academic level. It may sound disturbing to many people: one person may be accepted by the top university over another person just because of his/her race. In an effort to improve the current affirmative action, many scholars have proposed that we should consider social class as a determining factor instead of race. Among them,Richard Rodriguez believes that a class based, as opposed to a racially based system may be a better solution to help the disadvantaged. By judging an individual based on his or her class instead of race, schools and other social institutions can assist those who are really are in need. As good as the idea sounds, still others believe that class oriented affirmative action is misleading. Affirmative action was designed to help racial inequality with respect to class stratification, not to res olve class inequality. The class stratification is a by-product of a capitalistic economic system.It exists now, and will exist for as long as the capitalist society persists. Social class stratification is universal to all countries with capitalist economic systems in varies of degrees, even in â€Å"racially pure† countries like the UK, France, and Japan. When race is not a factor, the hierarchical structure of class stratification remains the same, but the people that make up the class may change over time without the barrier that concerns about their race. This forms a dynamic, stable class system. However, when race is being introduced into the matter, there are physical features to stereotype people's class allocation.Discrimination becomes institutionalized. It prevents class movement for colored people. The systematical solution – affirmative action thus was designed to compensate for these discriminating factors that are inevitable in a diverse society such as ours. After hearing all the voices, both satisfied or disappointed, enthusiastic or pessimistic, it is evident that affirmative action is certainly an exciting and yet elusive topic. It is far from perfect, and flawed in many aspects, but the goals and ideals of affirmative action are unquestionably encouraging.Like all grand missions over history, its goal of creating a utopia of equal opportunities for people of all backgrounds and colors is no doubt a difficult one, if not impossible. Democracy does not come overnight, and it is under constant challenge, debate, and amendment. Therefore, I believe that we should not abandon such a policy, but to embrace it, perfect it, and apply it to all areas of social institutions where discrimination is evident. While living in a diverse society, we should accept our differences, and not conserve our compassion for people in need.We should let all people who value freedom and the idea of equal opportunity share the â€Å"American Dream. â⠂¬  Works Cited Bender, David. Affirmative Action. San Diego: Greenhaven Press Inc, 1996. King, Sabrina. Racism and Racial Inequality : Implications for Teacher Education. Washington, D. C. : American Association Of Colleges, 2002. Web. Rodriguez, Richard. Huger of Memory The Education of Richard Rodriguez. New York: Bantam Books, 1982. Rosenblum, Marc. Racial Inequality. Seattle, WA: Monthly Labo Review, 1986. Print.

A Case for Active Euthanasia

Death is deeply personal, generally feared, and wholly inescapable, but medical technology now can prolong our biological existence virtually indefinitely, and, with these advances, comes the question of whether we should pursue the extension of life in all cases. Most people would agree that, under certain circumstances, it would be preferable to cease our hold on life. Nearly everyone can agree that there are situations when terminally ill patients have the right to call for a halt to life-extending treatments, and that their physicians will have the moral obligation to comply.What appears to be quite difficult for us as a society to come to terms with is the thought that someone would actively intervene in the â€Å"natural† process of the death of another human being. Why is it tolerable, even desirable, to intervene in the â€Å"natural† process of death when it results in extending life, but intolerable and morally abhorrent when we act to speed the patient to his or her unavoidable death? In this paper I am going to argue that active euthanasia should become legal in certain circumstances.To do this I will argue that, in the situation of terminal illness, active euthanasia allows for the patient to end the suffering and should therefore be permissible. Secondly, I will examine a case where someone has survived a life-changing accident and wishes they had given a choice to live or die. Perhaps the most important issue at hand is the patient's right, willingness, and desire to die. For the most part, any random, healthy individual would most likely be unable to imagine or comprehend the type of pain and anguish that a terminal illness will cause.Therefore, the decision to live or die under the presence of certain, and probably painful, death should be left in the hands of the individual that is suffering. Taking its name from a Greek term meaning â€Å"the good or easy death,† euthanasia should represent exactly that. The decision to l ive or die does not belong to anyone but to the person whose life it is. According to Kantian ethics, autonomy is based on the human capacity to direct one’s life according to rational principles. Autonomy is where people are considered as being ends in themselves in that they have the capacity to determine their own destiny and must be respected.Having one's entire life slowly drained from oneself is frequently considered the most excruciating of tortures. Yet somehow the right to bring peace to oneself through a slightly unconventional method is repeatedly denied. It has been assumed since the dawn of the medical profession that the doctor's place is a healer, as the ones to cure all illnesses. A physician is seen as the one who is supposed to maintain and prolong ones health, as best as they can until no more can be done. This means that, if all treatment fails, the physician should be allowed to assist in avoiding the unnecessary agony.James Rachels’ article, calle d â€Å"Active and Passive Euthanasia,† uses the equivalence thesis. He believes that killing and letting die are equally as bad, that there is no real moral difference in certain circumstances. He distinguishes killing as active euthanasia and letting die as passive. I am going to argue that, in most cases, passive and active euthanasia are equally as â€Å"bad,† and sometimes passive is more morally wrong than active euthanasia. Rachels argues that there may be times when active euthanasia is more merciful than passive.This is often in cases with incurable cancer or disease that, if you were to stop the treatment, the patient would die within a few days. I am going to argue that active euthanasia can be more merciful by giving an example of an incurable disease. Imagine that an elderly woman is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. The doctor tells her that although it is incurable, there is medicine that can help lessen the symptoms. Imagine that when it is fir st starts, things like relaxing, reading a book, and sitting still are no longer relaxing, as a tremor that has started in her hand, arm, or leg.Soon her muscles become rigid and what used to seem like an easy task is no longer so. As the disease progresses, the medicine required to keep the muscles from going rigid has a side effect of dyskinesia (involuntary movement of the body). This becomes a balancing act – she must be able to tolerate the dyskinesia in order to be able to still move her muscles. As the disease advances more, she has spouts of dementia that will soon take over completely; trouble swallowing (often choking on food) and talking, and she can no longer stand or walk on her own.She needs help going to the bathroom and is often humiliated by the need to depend on someone else entirely. As the dementia comes and goes, she able to tell her family how unhappy she is and that she no longer wants to live. The family understands and wishes for her to no longer suff er, however, for this to happen, she must suffer without medicine with no promise to immediate death, just complete rigidity of her muscles. All of these symptoms seem horrifying to those not experiencing it, and humiliating and frustrating for those that are.The life she used to live is completely gone and she rarely remembers what her family members do as a living and is stuck remembering the past. Would it not be torture to put her through staying alive, realizing that every time she becomes lucid she hates her life and realizes she has no control over it? However, stopping medicine in this case will not kill the patient, and will only result in rigidity of the muscles and inability to move. What choice is she left with? In this situation active euthanasia should be permissible. Often in times like these the family is also suffering due to the pain of their family member.When the person has an incurable disease, knows that they are not happy and that things will get worse, it wou ld be unfair to keep them alive due to selfishness and what we believe is â€Å"right. † It is ultimately the person’s choice and should be kept this way, as it is their life. One might argue that in this case the dementia prevents the patient from being fully reasonable and therefore autonomy cannot be used in this situation. I argue that when she lets her family know she is unhappy and does not want to live this way, she is coherent.Shouldn’t this person be given the right to make this choice when they are still capable, before people start speaking and making choices for their life? Furthermore, it is often argued that the side effects (such as how it will effect the family and friends, Glover) of death are what really influence a decision. In John Hardwig’s article â€Å"Duty to Die,† Hardwig argues that there are times when a person has a duty to die. His argument covers what many of us believe to be a reason for someone to stay alive- for our own well-being.A duty to die is permissible when the burden of caring for someone seriously compromises the lives of those that love us (Hardwig). In the Parkinson’s situation, the family will need to help the woman often and if not themselves, will need to hire someone to care for her all the time as the disease progresses. This can be a large financial burden on the family. There are many cases out there where autonomy was not respected. One great example is the Dax Cowart case. Dax was involved in a terrible accident in 1973 when he was twenty-five years old.He was critically injured in a propane gas explosion that killed his father and left Dax with burns to over sixty-five percent of his body including both eyes, ears and hands, which were damaged beyond repair. Large doses of narcotics were required for minimal pain relief. For more than a year, he underwent extraordinarily painful treatments. From the day of his accident, Dax expressed a desire to die, to leave the ho spital and to end his suffering. He pleaded with his caregivers to be allowed to die, and also stated several times that he wanted to kill himself.The physicians turned to his mother to obtain consent for all his treatments, even though she was not appointed his legal guardian and Dax was determined by psychiatric evaluation to have full decision-making capacity. Ultimately, he recovered from the burns, although severely mutilated. He successfully sued the oil company responsible for his burns, which left him financially secure. He eventually finished law school and married. He says he is now relatively happy, but still believes the doctors were wrong to follow his mother’s wishes over his. The case advanced respect for patient autonomy all around the country.The case of Dax Cowart illustrates the complexity of issues such as autonomy, paternalism, and quality of life. In an interview of Dax twenty-five years after his accident, Dax is absolute that he would still want the sa me choice if he were to be put in the same situation he was in. He stated, â€Å"Another individual may well make a different decision. That’s the beauty of freedom; that’s his or her choice to do so† (â€Å"Please Let Me Die†). Unfortunately, while the attitude remains the same about active and passive euthanasia, nothing will change for those who are fighting for the right to end their lives.One should have the right to autonomy without being violated and should be allowed to decide when it is their time to go in cases that include terminal illness. How is it morally just to make someone suffer a disease that is killing them just because we may not think it’s right to die? I hope that throughout this paper you have been able to see a different side to what active euthanasia can bring (peace to those suffering). Glover, Johnathan. â€Å"Sanctity of Life. † Bioethics: An Anthology. By Helga Kuhse and Peter Singer. Oxford, UK: Blackwell, 1999 . 66-75. Print. Hardwig, John. â€Å"Duty to Die? † Duty to Die? Hastings Center Report, n. d. Web. 07 Oct. 2012. ;http://web. utk. edu/~jhardwig/dutydie. htm;. â€Å"Please Let Me Die. † Interview by Robert White. Literature, Arts, and Medicine Database. NYU School of Medicine, n. d. Web. 3 Oct. 2012. ;http://litmed. med. nyu. edu/Annotation? action=view;annid=10105;. Rachels, James. â€Å"Active and Passive Euthanasia. † Bioethics: An Anthology. Ed. Helga Kuhse. By Peter Singer. 2nd ed. Oxford, UK: Blackwell, 1999. 288-91. Print.

Indie media and popular cultural Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

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Sir alex Ferguson case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sir alex Ferguson case - Essay Example Claim that Fergusson prioritized youth player development may not actually define his preference and style of football. With the likes of Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and the transfer of Robin Van Persie from Arsenal football club, who according to football profession, was not a young player are some of the indications that Fergusson did not prioritize youth development. In fact youth development should not be linked with his success. Instead, Fergusson preferred quality players and it can therefore be said that he was a manager who fully understood the kind of employees he wanted to keep the fire burning. Nevertheless, Fergusson literally succeeded in the English Premier League by making Manchester United club scoop nineteen league titles and two champions’ league trophies (Elberse & Dye 2-5). Sir Alex Fergusson’s success in the football world can further be measured in terms of the fierce rivals he faced both in the English Premier League and globally. Actually, knocking out clubs like Liverpool football club was not an easy task but through hard work and better strategies, Fergusson managed to topple Liverpool. He was also faced by clubs whose owners had very strong financial muscles such as their neighboring Manchester City and the Russian’s billionaires, London based Chelsea football club. It therefore apparent that Sir Alex Fergusson’s strategies were superior to the finances and some great football styles played by clubs such as Arsenal. Indeed, Fergusson achieved what may not be easy for any manager to achieve in the football world (Elberse & Dye 4-8). Football is really the most popular sport in the world with a good number of players, viewers and heavy financial investment. Additionally, English premier League is regarded superior to other League’s globally because of the ability to contribute a lot of revenue as well as the popular support it enjoys worldwide. English premier League football clubs have a larger worldwid e support thus increasing their global viewers. on the other hand, the Champions League is the most lucrative tournament which, for sure, earned Manchester united $72 million in prize money for being runner up in the 2010-2011 season. Nonetheless it was not easy for Fergusson to successfully and simultaneously win both the Champions League and the English Premier League. Fergusson claims that Pressure and competition placed on him by the local clubs and tribalism to be the main reason behind the inability to win more Champions League trophies as he won English Premier League titles. This may not be genuine reason behind failure to severally capture the most lucrative global football tournament (Elberse & Dye 5-9). Other football clubs like Barcelona and Bayern Munich have managed to reach the peak of the tournament or even win the Champions League titles and their local League trophies easily. It is obvious that the main hindrance was the intense competition from other European club s. Fergusson’s role in Manchester united was wider than any other football manager because his degree of control was wider. He also allowed open communication with the Manchester united director as a way of getting things done smoothly and efficiently. He had his own policies and beliefs that guided his actions and eventually great performance in Manchester United (Elberse & Dye 4-7). Fergusson is an individual who learned from his previous mistakes and improve of his

The Effects of Postural Changes, Exercise and Cognitive Stress on Essay

The Effects of Postural Changes, Exercise and Cognitive Stress on Human Arterial Pressure and Pulse Rate - Essay Example High blood pressure turns out to be silent killer which many people fail to detect, since it does not have any easily identifiable symptoms. The Circulatory System, which plays a major part in coronary health, functions mainly in the transportation of blood carrying nutrients and oxygen to all parts of the body. However, the Circulatory System is subjected to various pathological conditions. Pathological conditions may result from the abnormality of any component or processes in the Circulatory System. Heart disease results when coronary blood vessels are damaged and cannot provide adequate circulation of blood to the supporting cardiac muscles and tissues, thereby affecting the overall functionality of the systemic arterial blood pressure. According to the World Health Organization, 17 million people die of Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs) including strokes and heart attacks annually (WHO, 2011). High blood pressure, specifically, has been identified as a major risk factor for most CV Ds and therefore, it should be monitored. The primary importance of studying the components and the processes of the circulatory system is to understand the relationship between the functions and the structures, and for proper diagnosis of the diseases affecting the Circulatory System. Normal blood pressure (BP) is generated when the blood flows through the arterial blood vessels. During systolic contraction, blood pressure peaks at 120 mmHg and drops to 70 or 80 mmHg during the diastolic phase. Essentially, blood pressure can be used as an indicator for abnormalities in processes or in structures within the Circulatory System. For example, changes in the elasticity of the arterial walls as in the case of arteriosclerosis can be identified by the increase in pulse pressure; however, it is the mean arterial pressure (MAP) that is important clinically. MAP is the main pressure that drives blood for systemic circulation. It is regulated to ensure that sufficient amount of blood is prop elled to the tissues, but the pressure would not be high enough to cause extra workload for the heart. As the blood passes through the arterial walls, the arteries expand to accommodate the amount of blood pumped by the heart.  

Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead - Essay Example Roughly a hundred pounds overweight, stuffed with steroids and ill with an encumbering autoimmune illness, Joe Cross is unable to find hope. Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead is an inspirational and a moving documentary film that records Cross personal undertaking to gain back his fitness and health. With doctors and medication incapable to provide lasting help, Cross is left with no choice but to rely on the body's capability to cure itself. He throws the junk food out of the window and travels all across America with a juicer and generator, declaring to drink only fresh fruit and vegetable juice for the following two months. Lugubriously overweight and so close to death’s door, Phil Staples starts his personal journey to live a normal healthy life once again. What arises is astoundingly remarkable, an inspirational story of recovery and human relationship. Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead present an exceptional and heartening tale of two individuals from two different worlds that, with a c ommon goal, unite. This movie has undoubtedly opened my eyes to the reality of obesity in our society. It is a serious condition and has serious effects. There are so many people in this world right now who are suffering from overweightness. They must take action right away before their downhill path gets any worse. The consequences of obesity are great and sometimes, irreversible. Sickness and illnesses, susceptibility to heart diseases and cancer are far greater than people with a healthy weight. Discipline and the determination are the key aspects that will surely help one in regaining their health and the many years they have lost due to obesity. Your lifestyle is of utmost importance because it determines your everyday life. It defines who you are and what you are capable of. However, most importantly, your lifestyle determines how long you will live.

Ethics in the Police Service Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Ethics in the Police Service - Assignment Example The interview conducted involved a male and a female officer from Texas, but these two officers do not know each other and each was not informed of the identity of the other interviewee. They preferred not to have their names mentioned to preserve the confidentiality of their views. Both officers are in their middle ages; the male officer is 38 years old and has served for seven years, whereas the female officer is already 42, and has served for 11 years. Both officers expressed devotion to their sworn profession. The interview was conducted online via Skype, thus ensuring a relaxed and free atmosphere with the interviewees situated at the comfort of their homes. However, there were some limitations due to the lack of personal contact of the interviewer with the two law enforcers. To note, the interviewer was not able to note down gestures and facial expressions to fully grasp the sincerity of the interviewees. Nevertheless, the eagerness of the interviewees in answering the question s helped a lot to achieve the primary goals of the interview. The interviewees responded to the following main questions: 1. Why are ethics and character so important in the field of law enforcement? 2. Do you feel that police are more ethical today, or were they more ethical ten years ago? 3. Why do police officers become involved in misconduct? ... Why are ethics and character so important in the field of law enforcement? 2. Do you feel that police are more ethical today, or were they more ethical ten years ago? 3. Why do police officers become involved in misconduct? 4. Do you feel that there is enough training offered in ethics at the police academy level? If not, why is that? .Should ethics training be offered as an on-going process for law enforcement officers? 6. Do you feel that education and/or training in ethics would reduce incidents of police corruption? In addition to the questions provided above, some follow up questions were asked to help clarify thoughts of the respondents. Such questions are labeled as FQs. The responses of the male interviewee are labeled as Respondent 1 (R1), and the responses of the female interviewee are labeled as Respondent 2 (R2) .The interview with the respondents lasted for less than 15 minutes each, and the recorded answers were transcribed in this paper. Q1. Why are ethics and characte r so important in the field of law enforcement? R1: ethics and character are very important in our profession. We, law officers, follow some ethics and rules like any other citizen but we are more obliged to show others what’s right and what’s wrong, we serve as role models. Part of the requirements in being police is to be a good citizen of this country, respect the law, show concern for the people, and always bring pride to that uniform you’re wearing each day. R2: Ethics and character are basic requirements in being police officers to ensure that they can be trusted to serve the people without self-interest and greed. An aspiring police officer needs to possess desirable character and traits that are aligned to the code of ethics and mission of the

Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 19

Management - Essay Example The company’s mission/vision is to conquer the market for science-based imaginative products that could be used at various places of human endeavors. (ii) Weakness: The Company’s major weakness is marketing thousands of imaginative products at a time (3M Corporation, 2009a). This would prevent concentrated effort to develop a unique brand that would only be associated with the company. (iv) Threats: The main threats to the success of the 3M are the local companies in the countries where 3M operate or sell its products. There would be cost advantage for the local companies when compared with 3M The company is an equal opportunity employer: that is, there is no discrimination based on race, color, age, gender and religious affiliations. And an international company, it supports all the rules given by International Labor Organization (ILO) for fair and equitable treatment for all 3M employees worldwide. The remuneration for 3M workers are one of the best in the United States; and the company doesn’t discriminate based on employee’s race, color, religious affiliations etc. There are generous benefits those working for 3M Corporation could enjoy: these include health policy, education financial aids and pensions. The Company prides itself on values, ethics and integrity. Interested applicants that would like to work for 3M are always encouraged to turn in their resumes through post or apply online. The selection criteria reveal that 3M values experience and skill acquired by the applicant rather than their physical appearance. One of the good attributes of 3M Corporation is that it offers encouraging incentives and monetary rewards to retain its best employees, and develop them through routine training, workshops and seminars to let them be abreast of the latest information in the industry. Quality assurance

Observational essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Observational - Essay Example nt will take forever but when these new students see a familiar starbucks coffee shop in the campus it makes them realize that the environment is not that different. I sat at the Starbucks on campus for three days and observed people in the evening. Starbucks is a very clean and nice place in the university to spend some time. I observed that sometimes its environment get very crowded and they use dividers in order to make a zigzag pattern of lines for managing the crowd. At times Starbucks on campus service can be very fast especially at a time where there is no line at all and other times the crowd as to wait for several minutes to get their order. The sitting arrangement and the environment within this coffee shop is highly comfortable which attracts people to go there and interact with many different people. I have observed that Starbucks on campus was a place of relaxation for students. They use to come there tired, sit, spent some time for relaxing and then get back to the tough routine of the university. One of the major events that I have observed during my three day observation is that there was a student who uses to come to Starbucks on campus as a regular student. His class was very near from the shop so he had a great chance of having coffee daily in the morning at one of the most well known coffee shops at his school. Initially everything was going fine but on the last day of the observation I realized that the student was in a hurry and wanted a coffee. He had some important work to do but the line was moving very slowly. He waited for the turn for around half an hour and soon after some time I heard him screaming that Starbucks on campus is a waste of time. He was screaming and saying that it is better to order a pizza somewhere instead of waiting here for so long and that all for a cup of coffee. Other than this one event my observation for Starbucks on campus went very smoothly and problem free. Starbucks on campus is a place where students can

Implications for the Improvement of Practice Research Proposal

Implications for the Improvement of Practice - Research Proposal Example It is critical for educationalists to distinguish between concerns connected to academic motivation and individual needs linked to students’ disabilities that are unrecognized by a range of classroom teachers. Accordingly, many talented special needs students have failed to realize their potentials. The underachievement of talented and gifted student has troubled both educators and parents. Frequently, special need students who demonstrate great academic potential fail to perform at a level commensurate with their capabilities. The underachieving special need students lack self-efficacy, self-regulation skills and goal-directedness (Siege & McCoach, 2001). In addition, some students that achieve less suffer from hidden or obvious disabilities. Moreover, others may underachieve in reaction to inappropriate educational conditions and environments. The number of underachieving special needs student presently remains unknown besides the academic gap between the number of such students with hidden talents and abilities. Subsequently, it is time for further study and inquiry in this topic so that special needs students that are underachieving can receive shifted focus and programmatic interventions. Also, it is mandatory to explore a number of reasons for high ability students’ underachievement if the educators are serious in assisting to combat underachievement amongst the special needs students. There is need for intensive investigation by practitioners to determine whether student’s underachievement stems from; (1) A mismatch between the student and his school environment; (2)A personal characteristic such as low self-motivation, low self-efficacy and low self-regulation; (3)More serious physical, emotional or cognitive issues. Accordingly, educators need to design appropriate intervention mechanisms that address the particular area of need depicted by the individual special need students. Educators must recognize the need to distinguish the interventions

Rubbish Has No Value Essay Example for Free

Rubbish Has No Value Essay †¢ Introduction, explaining what rubbish is? Explaining what assignment is about. †¢ One wastefulness and affluence, how this affects rubbish, consumer society †¢ Two Thompsons Theory, recycling (one man’s trash is another man’s treasure), Jordan’s Junk art. †¢ Three – Stevegraphs/supply Demand †¢ Four – environment and rubbish †¢ Conclusion, do not introduce any new material!! Sum essay up. Remember word count and references. ‘Rubbish has no value’. Identify the arguments for and against this view. It can be argued that rubbish is a thing that has no worth; it is what nobody wants, it is disvalued, so it is worthless and has zero value (Brown, 2009, p105). ‘Value’ can be a complex term. Items have value because people value them. What is rubbish to one person may have value to another. Rubbish is seems can be quite contradictory! Throughout this essay it will be argued whether rubbish does in fact have no value. Your immediate thoughts on rubbish might be something straight forward like an empty crisp packet, you have eaten the crisps inside so now the packet is surplus to requirements and has no more use; it is now rubbish has no value and will be disposed of. But rubbish covers more than just this. There is also wasting, uneaten food is wasted, televisions left on standby is wasted electricity. Rubbish is the invisible part of consumption, the growth of mass consumption due to rising affluence and prosperity has contributed to the increase of rubbished produced. The rise in disposable income has allowed us to buy goods easier than ever before, this in turn has caused a huge rise in the manufacturing of consumer goods. We are living in a consumer society, it is now cheaper to replace goods rather than repair, and we have become a throwaway society. In 1983/84 the amount of household rubbish per person was 397 kg, in 2006/07 this increased to 508kg (Brown, 2009, p107). With this rise, the amount of rubbish we produce as a nation, for example packaging, outdated and broken items. These discarded items may no longer hold value to us as an individual but provides a lucrative business for the waste disposals business and recycling plants. It is not just household rubbish that is a problem, rubbish from shops; businesses supermarkets, manufacture, construction and agriculture cause a greater proportion of rubbish (Brown, 2009, p134) Michael Thompson wrote a book ‘Rubbish Theory: The Creation and Destruction of Value’. He categorises objects into three: †¢ Transient objects which are planned for ordinary use and their value fall over time for example clothing and mobile phones †¢ Rubbish which is items like worn out clothes obsolete phones, these items has zero value. †¢ Durable items are items where the value increases over time, such as works of art and jewellery. (Brown 2009, p122) Objects are produced for either transient or durable categories, items can move from transient into durable via the category of rubbish and are then revalued. Items lose and then gain value. An example of this would be Stevengraphs, silk woven pictures popular in 1828-88, many were made and sold but by the middle of the twentieth century they had become unsalable. It was during the 1960’s and 1970; s they were again being sold and as collectors’ items for vast amounts of money thus making them now an item of value. Their increase in value can be attributed to their aesthetic revaluation. The aesthetic judgement of the few caused the Stevengraphs to be revalued. Consequently there are items that can only be described as rubbish with no value which will end up at land fill. Other items start life with value but over time due to the changing fashions and improvements in technology they lose value and there are items that start life with a relative normal value lose their value and then increase value. The value of items can also rise or fall according to supply and demand, †¢ Price rises when demand increases relative to supply. †¢ Price falls when demand fall relative to supply. (Brown, 2009, p128) With regard to the Stevengraphs, their price fell due to lack of demand, the price or value increased years later due to a new demand for them. Other examples of items moving from the transient to durable category are vintage toys, at the time of production they would have been priced according to demand, then becoming surplus to requirements and having no value, years later the lack of supply or now supply as no longer produced along with an increase in interest would again give them value. Aesthetic and economic valuations are inevitably linked to some degree, and this tends to hold generally (Brown, 2009, p131) another form with aesthetic value which can also be described as rubbish is junk art. This type of art uses discarded objects which most would describe as rubbish in such a way they then become art. Chris Jordan makes photographic artworks that are computer-assembled from smaller photographs, these photographs are shots of mass consumption, plastic cups tin cans plastic bags cigarette ends (Brown, 2009, p131) – this is transforming rubbish into art. Using rubbish as art can be described as a form of recycling, what was once rubbish is now art? This also shows that the old saying of ‘one man’s rubbish is another man’s treasure’ still holds true today. Recycling is a relatively new initiative for households, a few years back everything we no longer required went into one bin which was then collected and dumped at a land fill. Now we separate plastic, cardboard, food waste, tins and glass. These items are recycled and used or made into many different things such as new cardboard, fertilizer. This is giving new value to items that were once thought of as rubbish. The UK has come a long way with recycling but we are still lagging behind the rest of Europe. The financial value of rubbish may change, to those in the rubbish collection and recycling business dealing with rubbish provides employment and income thus giving value to rubbish. The downside to this is the cost to each nation, the disposal of rubbish has to be paid for. Aside from the financial side to rubbish the environmental side needs to be considered. Rubbish can either go into landfill or be incinerated, this in turn causes pollution, complete disposal is hard to achieve. Consideration is needed towards our environment, if as a nation we continue to increase with mass consumption there will continue to be an increase in rubbished produced. The environment will not be able to sustain this. Global consideration is needed for future generations. In conclusion it would appear that rubbish does and does not have value. Our first impression of unwanted/discarded items would be they are rubbish and are sent to land fill thus having no value. However using junk art and recycling as examples it is clear that certain type of rubbish can have value. Items from household rubbish are recycled into new items. Other items that one might believe to be rubbish can be interpreted as art, bringing value to rubbish. For those in rubbish disposal, rubbish has financial value, but the cost to society and the environment show the negative financial value of rubbish. Items can change from having little or no value to items of collectable status with immense value. So in essence rubbish can have both, value and no value depending on the situation it is in.

Information System of Retail Shop

Information System of Retail Shop Prepared by: Travis McEachron Shakil Kamran Muhammad Tanvir Hasan Fabrice Hecdivert Rhea Farrell The objective of the class project is to investigate and evaluate an information system of GAP Inc. GAP Inc. is a retail organization that is comprised of stores nationwide as well as being internationally based. They are mainly branded as Athleta, GAP, Old Navy, Intermix and Banana Republic. Its first store opened in the year 1969 and now spans across the United States of America and many other countries. Over the years, the organization has grown into large businesses with numbers of franchises. In addition to its onsite stores, it provides an e-commerce platform for its large customer base. The information system we decided to base our project on is GAPs Supply Chain Management System. Our team looked at the Supply Chain Management System used by GAP. Throughout, this report shows the findings, summary and recommendations for GAPs organization. The main goal of this research is to identify how GAP operates and how does the Supply Chain Management System play a role in this. It goes into further details about competing with its competitors, and identify how GAP is performing in the apparel market. According to Thomas Wailgum (2007), Supply chain management (SCM) is the combination of art and science that goes into improving the way your company finds the raw components it needs to make a product or service and deliver it to customers. The Global Supply Chain at Gap Inc. is employed with thousands of individuals around the world whereby creating the right product, made well and delivered at the right time. Gap praise its size and scale, as it continues to change the retail industry, its Global Supply Chain is the instrument of innovativeness.- Gap Inc. Careers. GAP Inc. is one of the largest for pr1ofit, American specialty retail corporations. GAP was first started by Donald and Doris F. Fisher in 1969. Art Peck is currently the President and CEO of GAP Inc. Their headquarters is located in San Francisco, California. GAP specializes in selling apparel: clothing, shoes and accessories.  The company has about 40 franchise suppliers, and also has over 3,700 stores worldwide. It operates in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and several locations in Europe. GAP has a hybrid organizational structure. GAP started as a single store in San Francisco, California and now has a chain of companies, including Old Navy, GAP, Banana Republic, and many more. The company offers products such as clothing, accessories, and care products for men, women, and children. GAP offers its services worldwide. Its Omni-channel supply chain allows GAPs many branches to stay interconnected. It also provides an e-commerce division, known as Growth Innovation Digital (GID), thus being able to expand its market over the years. GAPs main shipping carriers include FedEx, United States Postal Service, and United Parcel Service. In addition, GAP sales revenue for 2016 was 15.8Billion; however, there was a decrease in sales growth at -3.88%. GAP Inc. competes with other large retailers, such as Macys, Wal-Mart, Target and other major stores. Unlike some companies, GAP only provides apparel, where companies like Wal-Mart sell apparel, furniture, house appliances and so forth. Mission Statement GAP Inc. is a brand-builder. We create emotional connections with customers around the world through inspiring product design, unique store experience compelling marketing.   Ã‚   Organizational Structure Information Systems Gap Inc. is large business that does business which includes retailers, such as Banana Republic, Old Navy, Athleta, Intermix, etc. Therefore Gap Inc. uses a cloud computing infrastructure in order to support their global business. Gap Inc. uses an omni- channel technology which allows and ensures customers get the products they when and where they want it. Gap Inc. also developed a Business Intelligence Group which allows the organizations to stay on a unified platform data which makes Big Data accessible supporting the companys strategic decision making. With this knowledge, I was able to decipher that this organization uses a decision support system (DSS) mainly because Gap Inc. has an automatic loop systems that fits customers needs with any other concerns. There is a 24hrs (automated) customer service operator unless the concern is urgent, customers will then be transferred over to customer relations specialist that best fits that category of the customers concern. This company d oes have an IT support team that is only accessible to Gap Inc. employees. Technical Information Any companies software and Hardware they buy depends so much on the size, sophistication, and budget of the retailer. The applications include merchandising systems, demand forecasting, replenishment, allocation, price management, price optimization, sourcing, product lifecycle management, inventory control, point of sale, sales analysis, merchandise planning, location planning, markdown optimization, store operations, e-commerce, analytics and business intelligence, customer relationship management, and so on. GAP Inc. is a retail chains company, so they usually used apparel retailers software. Apparel retailers tend to have different systems needs from hardlines retailers or grocery retailers. GAP also use Dressing Room apps. Its available in Apple and Android both. This app was created to assist customers virtually. This tool came with a try on clothing capability and can be performed using smartphone, Augmented Reality experience. The Dressing Room by GAP app was created in association with Avametric technology, to deliver accurate shoes and texture of each clothing. GAP Inc. top priorities is continuing to improve their technical knowledge around how the fabric stretch, drape and feel impact the sensation of fit. Technology gives customers incredible autonomy around the shopping experience and its companys opportunity to explore new ways to make customers shopping experience effortless and find different solutions that will add value to a customers experience. The Dressing Room by GAP pilot app is just one element of our longer-term strategic plan in this space. The GAP Inc. is taking advantage of software-defined (SD) networking, which is used to connect its several stores through the internet in the corporate network. It can now route traffic through the public Internet using encrypted connections. The company is installing new software-defined routers from Viptela Inc. at each store to build a more cost-effective WAN to connect store branches. Network upgrades or changes can all be done remotely, which makes GAP work easier. The routers allow GAP to segment its network as security technique. GAP Inc. is currently using the SCMS PO application to manage purchased orders. In loyalty marketing, data and technical infrastructure are critical. At GAP Inc., marketing owns the customer database, which offers a true 360-degree view of the customer. GAP Inc. uses third party service providers to manage the site and assist with business needs. Gap Inc. may share personal information with service providers in order to deliver the site and services as described in this Privacy Statement. These third parties include Taleo. Third party providers who are receiving personal information are expected to apply the same level of privacy protection as contained in this Global Privacy Statement. Also, they are required to keep personal information confidential for any purpose other than as originally intended. Global-Technology Platform GAP Technology uses the DevOps principle. The DevOps principle refer to a set of practices which emphasize the collaboration and communication of both software developers and information technology professionals. The DevOps tool uses Holistic system thinking, no silos, Rapid and useful feedback and automate drudgery away. Ecommerce Technology GAP is comprised of 5 different e-commerce sites GAP, Old Navy, Banana Republic, Athlete and Intermix. With serving customers on a global customer base the E-commerce technology is needed. Growth Innovation Digital (GID) is the award-winning e-commerce division of GAP Inc. The Multi-brand shopping platform drives the web and mobile experience and multi-channel capabilities. Open source technology such as chef and OpenStack also plays a large role the online based websites to manage large jobs. Open Source Technology GAP uses Open Source technology such as chef which is used for writing system configurations. With many plugins and features at a low-cost savings is key for large businesses such as GAP. Chef is used to streamline the task of configuring and maintaining a companys servers and can integrate with cloud-based platforms such as Chef OpenStack, Amazon EC2 etc., Chef is able to manage large jobs on any infrastructure no matter the size. They enable services and features to deployed and update more frequently with small chances of down time. All at a respectable price range. Openstack is a free and open source software platform for cloud computing. The platform is made up of related components which control diverse, multi-vendor hardware pools for processing, storage and network resources through a data center. Omni-Channel Technology Logistics Omni-channel technology and logistics uses a Global-Technology Platform. An Omni-channel supply chain uses a central stock pool to control a number of factors such as pricing, fulfilment, sales, stock management and ordering. These orders are fulfilled from numerous retail channels such as concessions, franchises, catalogue, web, stores and mobile. The central stock pool is the heart of all these operations. The supply chain is now on the front line thanks to Omni-channel. Omni-Channel interrelates everything from sales to your connected. The online store connects to the mobile store which connect to a retailor store. Such as you creating an order online and being able to go get that product from the store. It creates an interlock of transactions which is smarter and give the customer multiple choices of how to interact and get the required products they need. Enterprise Platforms GAP uses a custom J2EE enterprise ecommerce platform. J2EE stands for Java 2 Enterprise Edition. The Java Centric environment with a set of services, API, and protocols that provide the functionality for developing multitude, web based applications. Security being implemented and Privacy and Ethical concerns with current laws GAP was founded on doing business honestly, responsibly and ethically so corporate compliance is critical and taken very seriously. GAP has developed a Code of Business Conduct (COBC) where it gives employees an overview on what is acceptable use of GAP Inc. data and what is not tolerated. Each employee and director is responsible for complying with GAP Inc. COBC. GAP Inc. has created Global Integrity Department to implant the companys existing compliance infrastructure. The Global Integrity Department works with Human Resources, Global Corporate Affairs, Internal Audit, Loss Prevention and Corporate Security to raise code awareness within the company, to monitor and audit Code compliance and to investigate all suspected code violations. For customers GAP Inc., has implemented a Customer Bill of Rights which is a basic customer policy on the rights you are entitled to as a GAP Inc. customer such as profiling being prohibited with any GAP Inc. facility, as well as unreasonable searche s of customers by any employee. However the policy also includes rules on how GAP Inc. will react in case of any serious matters as stated A person may be detained only in a reasonable manner and for not more than a reasonable time to permit investigation or questioning, provided an authorized employee has reasonable grounds to believe that the person so detained was guilty of criminal possession of an anti-security item or was committing or attempting to commit shoplifting on the premises (New York State General Business Law, Section 218). Security is also implemented physically by the presence of security guards to assure the safety of employees as well as shoppers within every GAP Inc. facility. Business Information The business aspect of GAP Inc. is focused on three major stages: creation, integration and impact. Creation is when they first act or develop an innovative approach to creating social or environmental change. Once they demonstrate that the efforts bring benefits both to the people and communities they serve, as well as to their business, they move on to integration. Integration leads them away from a model in which sustainability is a separate function and toward one in which a much broader group of actors drives change. The result of this strategy is impact on a bigger scale and in a way, that is sustainable for the long term. A prime example of how business integration can help the company move forward involves their efforts to improve working conditions for the people who make their clothes. They have been expanding these efforts for more than two decades and have played a leading role in multi-stakeholder innovations such as the Better Work program, a collaborative approach to monitoring factories. While they have made significant progress through the work of our sustainability team, they recognize that to create lasting, widespread change, their sourcing team and brands also need to play active roles. These teams are finding new ways to collaborate every day, including the setting of shared sustainability goals. They are also taking an integrated approach to measuring the performance of our suppliers across all dimensions that are important to them, from working conditions to environmental performance. The technology is integrated through the use of machinery that stitches together the fabrics to make a certain piece of cloth. Nowadays its more computerized than before so when a layer of fabric is done the other departments can see the status of the job as they can have an expected ETA of when the clothing would be boxed, packaged and ready to go. They see the retail brick n mortar as costly, and Gap sees it actually as a way to connect the two areas of physical and non-physical stores. Reserving in store for quicker pick up is helpful, but it also drives foot traffic. Having the reverse ability to limit in-store products drives people online. Having it done through one seamless inventory makes sense. GAP must have a global assortment. So far, Old Navy, the outlets and GAP are all global ass ortment, and Banana Republic is mostly a global assortment with some changes. The assortment then goes to universal fit, so Old Navy is a universal fit, outlets are a universal fit. The retailer can now ship a unit from a store to satisfy an online customer and that process will become seamless. The Information System and Competition GAP Inc. is one of the many businesses in the retail market, which include a number of competitors such as Aeropostale, Macys, J.C Penney and many more. All of the aforementioned stores sells clothing, shoes and many different products. They all compete to sell the best quality of designer outfits all priced differently. As businesses continue to compete for a larger customer base and target groups, branding and pricing are two major factors for its growth. The advantages are providing better customer service, providing longer training periods for new employees and providing incentive programs. A well-known company as GAP faces little threat to new retail businesses just entering the market. These businesses will initially have a hard time competing with Gaps larger customer base, global presence, their ability to sell their apparel at a lower cost, their multimedia advertising, and their large-scale production market, which are parts of the Supply Chain Management. Competing on a Global Scale GAP Inc. is one of the leading international retail companies with five different brands in the United States of America, France, Canada, United Kingdom and so forth. Their supply chain franchise spans across 40 countries, in Asia, Australia, South America and Africa. Its employees play a huge role in sourcing, making, and delivering these many products. It also combines stores, outlets and multiple franchises. This allows it to compete with many retailers on a global scale. With its international presence on six continents. GAP Inc. has a huge advantage in attracting customers and making its large presence around the world known. Over the years, GAP Inc. through its many stores has provided its customers with an e commerce online market to buy products. Competing on Quality and Design GAP Inc. has a large customer base and has to create up-to-date trends for its customers. To reiterate, GAP Inc. is franchised in many places around the world. It provides high quality designs at reasonable prices. It has managed to add an abundance of stores to differentiate its brand from other retailers: Intermix and Banana Republic are just a few. They have also expanded their markets to attract teens, while keeping their existing customers. For example, Old Navy has added a baby department. Competing on Business Processes GAP works to reorganize and redesign its organizational structure of its business to help expand its company and increase its customer base. Big data plays a huge role in this goal. Companies such as GAP collect huge amounts of information to see what customers want and need. With this, large data is analyzed based on consumer trends on a day-to-day basis. This allows them to change their market strategy and increase productivity in order to deliver more value to its large customer base. Also, GAP keeps track of what its competitors are doing to see how it can improve service. Furthermore, GAP is focused on providing quality products to the market by changing its planning and allocation processes, its operation, and its process design. GAP continues to improve its global growth, customer relationships and speed. The company is using the Business Process Redesign (BPR) to exploit technologies to reconstruct its organization, two of these technologies are Omni-channel technology and e- commerce. Porters Five Competitive Forces When addressing how GAP competes with other businesses, it is essential to refer to Porters five competitive forces. The following shows an analysis of Porters five competitive forces based on GAP Inc. and highlights the view of a competitive retail industry. When looking at GAPs competitive analysis differentiation, operational effectiveness, innovation and customer orientation strategy is essential to GAPs goals and approach to compete with other businesses. The threat of entry of new competitors The threat of entry of new competitors is low. There is an abundance of retail stores worldwide who compete with GAP on a daily basis. These stores often sell substitute apparel to GAP and at a lower cost. However, advertising and the promotion of a brand name are risky for new competitors and gives GAP an advantage when new competitors are trying to enter. New customers will find it hard to compete with GAPs large customer base located in over 3,700 countries worldwide, including the United States and England. The bargaining power of suppliers The bargaining power of suppliers is low. GAP purchase its products from factories in almost 40 countries, including Asia and South America. The fact GAP does not dependent on a single supply makes it easier for them to bargain with its franchises. It is equally important for suppliers to kept businesses with GAP because of its high demand of orders. The bargaining power of customers (buyers) The bargaining power of customers is high. GAP provides to a huge customer base in countries, such as Canada, Japan, North America and the United Kingdom. With the large retail market customers have the ability to choose from an abundance of retail stores worldwide, including HM, American Eagle and Aeropostale. However, some customers look at brand image and choose to buy at a particular store. This gives GAP an advantage because of advertisement and its many locations. The threat of substitute products and services The threat of substitute products and services is high. Gaps multiple brands have become some of the most recognizable labels within the apparel industry. Many retail stores sell the same apparel as GAP, including clothing, accessories and shoes. GAP Inc. is able to compete with other companies because it is large and has the ability to sell products at a low cost. However, because GAPs brand name it makes it easier for them to perform with companies who sells the same products. The rivalry among existing firms in the industry The rivalry among existing firms in the industry is high. As it relates to this competitive force GAPs main competitors include business such as JCPenney, Aeropostale and American Eagle Outfitters. However, despites GAPs presence in the apparel market, it holds just about 5% in market share, when compared with Macys and Wal-Mart who holds 9% and 7% respectively. GAP competes with companies on a national and international scale. Over the years, GAP has been able to expand its market to reach a larger customer base, for example, adding its e-commerce market. Also, it has been able to sell its products at a lower cost to compete with other businesses. It was found that, GAP does not have a large market share, however, GAP has the ability to maintain its competitive status. In addition, GAP is using Porters five competitive forces to strategically compete with other businesses. Statistics also shows that GAP has been decreasing with sales, in 2016 it showed that there was a decrease in sales growth of -3.88%. Also, GAP has been able to keep its a large customer base. With GAPs geographic presence and the help of its e-commerce market, the company has been able to expand over the years. GAP offer customers the opportunity to shop online from anywhere in the world. Customers are able to return products bought online directly to the store. GAP e-commerce presence allows for its continued growth, increase customer base and increase productivity. Furthermore, GAP has been able to compete with new and existing businesses. Since GAP is not the only company who sells apparel, they are often challenged to fluctuate prices, and maintain a quality brand name. Using Omni-channel technology has also helped GAP significantly. This has allowed the corporation to connect its branches with a single supply chain management system to improve efficiency. There are many recommendations unheard of by the public or consumer side of the market by GAP. Inc. Ways to make a such highly praised company such as GAP increase profit and gain more loyal customers who see more than just a brand name. Innovations that can create an unstoppable marketing and ecommerce business to bring them all the way to the top. All the competitors of GAP are thinking of new ways to beat out the company by making their market on top of the rest. Which is why clothing retail being such a hotspot due to the constant demand for clothing. A new business based Omni-channel where they adding such devices and application to technology such as smart TVs, Smartwatches and even a new device that allows to you order distinctly from their retailers such as Banana Republic, Athleta, Old Navy, and Intermix would be nothing but genius. This device would also include for those who shop at these of branches coupons, giveaways, discounts etc. The device would be free but would require you to be a valued customer with a GAP account for a certain number of months, years etc. This is a new idea seeing that not many retailers within the clothing company own their own device to do such a thing. It is a concept in the making and just an idea but an innovating idea at that. New innovative ideas can help GAP tremendously. GAP has the ability to sell new products that is not offered by other and improve its original brand. I recommend that GAP provides its on customer on a high level of professional development by offering their customers extreme value, for instance, keeping up with the latest trends. In addition, the organization should provide customers with high quality product in order to distinguish itself from its competitors. GAP has begun productivity improvement whereby they will a number of their locations worldwide and expand its brand to North America. Also, GAP must be focused on its customer base. This means that it should us collected data to see what customers are buying on daily basis. GAP is using a cloud based optimization system to focus on its inventory. This will allow GAP to strategical positon its many businesses. GAP certainly has the ability to improve the business operations. The company can improve their e-commerce market by integrating their e-commerce platform and physical store. Overall, the GAP must improve productivity along with its profit margin. GAP Inc. Logo  GAP Inc. Market Share   GAP Inc. Many Locations Worldwide  Ã‚  Omni-channel Logistics References Ahmed, R. R. (2014). Case Study Report: GAP Inc. Supply Chain Managment. Retrieved February 20, 2017, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.academia.edu/7583705/Case_Study_Report_GAP_Inc._-  Supply_Chain_Managment Corporate Compliance. (n.d.). Retrieved March 1, 2017, from http://www.gapinc.com/content/gapinc/html/investors/corporate_compliance.ht  ml Customer Bill of Rights. (n.d.). Retrieved March 10, 2017, from http://www.gapinc.com/content/gapinc/html/aboutus/customer_rights.html Gap Inc Careers. (n.d.). Retrieved February 20, 2017, from https://jobs.gapinc.com/global-supply Gap Inc. (n.d.). Retrieved March 9, 2017, from http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/gps/financials Gap Inc. (2017, March 15). Retrieved March 5, 2017, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gap_Inc. Gap Inc. Porters Five Forces Analysis: A Highly Competitive Industry with Immense   Buyer Bargaining Power. (2016, October 23). Retrieved March 7, 2017, from   http://research-methodology.net/gap-inc-porters-five-forces-analysis-a-highly-  competitive-industry-with-immense-buyer-bargaining-power/ Osmanay, A. (n.d.). Gap Inc.: Marketing Strategy Analysis of the Company. Retrieved   Ã‚  February 21, 2017, from   Ã‚  http://www.academia.edu/19985431/Gap_Inc._Marketing_Strategy_Analysis_of_  Ã‚  the_Company Our Sustainability Strategy. (n.d.). Retrieved March 11, 2017, from http://www.gapincsustainability.com/strategy/our-sustainability-strategy Shop By Department. (n.d.). Retrieved March 8, 2017, from http://www.gap.com/browse/info.do?cid=80004 The worlds favorite for American style. (n.d.). Retrieved February 10, 2017, from http://www.gapinc.com/content/gapinc/html/aboutus.html Wailgum, T. (2007, March 19). Supply Chain Management Definition and Solutions.   Retrieved February 21, 2017, from http://www.cio.com/article/2439493/supply-  chain-management/supply-chain-management-definition-and-solutions.html !company_name! | Company Profile from Hoovers. (n.d.). Retrieved March 5, 2017, from   http://www.hoovers.com/company-  information/cs/companyprofile.the_gap_inc.5b8839480138c8d6.html

How Graphic Design Affects Culture Cultural Studies Essay

How Graphic Design Affects Culture Cultural Studies Essay The culture of the world is highly dynamic. The rapid change that is experienced has been attributed to many factors. In order to fully understand the extent to which graphic design influences the culture, it is important to understand what the term culture means. Culture can be taken to loosely mean the way of life for a particular group of people. However, there have been more detailed definitions of the term. This study seeks to provide an insight into how culture inter- relates with graphic design while mainly inclining on the impact of graphic design on culture. The paper addresses the topic by first understanding the two variables; culture and graphic design, and then reviewing the various instances when the culture has been influenced by graphic design. The study also touches briefly on the dependency of graphic design on the culture of the people. There exist numerous studies that has been conducted on the issue of the inter-relationship between culture and graphic design. In the studies, various definitions befitting graphic design are prominent. A study by Phill Meggs concentrates on tracing the history of graphic design. In this work, graphic design is traced back to the cave men where there were drawings of the animals they hunted for food. The study also brings out the development of the alphabet as having descended from symbols (Meggs 1998a). A paper by Helfand (2001) reviews the work of Richard Hollis who shows that graphic design dates back to the industrial revolution of North America. Further, he claims that the first individual to have used the term graphic design was William A. Dwiggins in a 1922 article titled New Kind of Printing calls for New [Type of] Design (Soar 2003, page 20). This implies that graphic design has been in existence or rather in practice for a long time and has evidently shaped the human way of life over time. Graphic design can be attributed to various forms of art. In a study by Helfand (2001), the words of a prominent designer, Milton Glaser stands out. In the definition, graphic design has been interpolated in the particular cultural setting and has been seen as to comprise various disciplines. It places such disciplines as typography, images and other forms of media with the aim of conveying a particular message. The purpose of graphic design is to pass a message with the aim of giving instructions, persuading the targeted group to either perform some activities. . As emissaries of communication, they visualize solutions for the presentation of abstract data, turning ideas into things: They create books and magazines, posters and packaging, exhibitions and Web sites, logos and film titles (Helfand 2001, p. 6). We can therefore conclude that graphic design is a communication form that utilizes the visual aspect of communication to transmit certain ideals or to stimulate particular feelings and emotions from its audience. This message has mainly been put across by a two-dimensional setting that is articulately aimed to convey a specific type of information. A study of Lorenzo London underground attributes graphic design with the attainment of aesthetic attributes of presentations or in construction. In order to point out how culture has been influenced by the practice of graphic design, we need to generate its definition. In a study by Sun Kang (2007), culture is shown to mean the pattern of human daily activities mainly reflected in their music, art, fashion and food. The study gives culture some different aspects on which we can be able to deduce how graphic design impacts on it. The three aspects of culture are derived from what is referred to as the core of culture. It is constituted of the values which are defined as the cultural meanings [that] are conveyed through practices which relate to the various communication forms [and] may include human behaviors, actions, and all other visible performances that people create and act in everyday life (Sun 2007, page 08). In concluding the Hofstedes theory, Sun (2007) points out that culture cannot be separated from the aspect of conveying the various cultural meanings. He posits that the core of culture; values, is transmitted through symbols and systems of symbols by different communication behaviors (page 8). In a different paper by David Carlson in the David Report (2011) culture has been attributed to the more complex ways of living [that incorporates] value systems, traditions, beliefs and habits; including knowledge, morals, law and customs, acquired by those within that Society (Page 8). David (2001) further claims that these attributes are the symbols of the integration of the beliefs of different individuals in a society that shares a common culture. They are therefore used as the cultural values or the cultural objects with which the standard way of living for the society is mirrored upon. We can therefore take the culture to refer to the ordered way of life of a particular society based on their established and accepted values. In this paper, I will tackle the topic of how graphic design influences culture based on various aspects of the culture. These aspects stand out prominently as defining the culture of a society. They are communication. Consumption patterns as well as the ways in which people present the literary works. In settling for these three aspects, the study aims to capture almost all spheres of human relations as well as their lives. It is important to note that these aspects have been taken as umbrella factors which cover a wide range of other aspects of the human life. It is true that graphic design has been in existence for a long time in the history of mankind. It has undergone many changes which have been attributed to many factors, the cultures of the society standing out prominently. Many studies have been conducted on the influence of culture on graphic design. The facts that have been presented are able to show that indeed there is a correlation between graphic design and the culture. However, the direction of the causation may not necessarily be in the direction they have dutifully established. It is for this reason that this study is appropriate. The paper does not, however, aims to dispute the established causation theories but rather seeks to indicate the existence of causation in the different direction. A study by Forty (1979), points out the impact of graphic design on culture through its influence on visual communication. When designers convey messages through visual media like specialized packaging, business logos and posters they are able to convey information not just to about the product but also about what it means to be associated with the brand. It is therefore common to find people who associate with a particular brand. Political views have also been greatly influenced by graphic designs. The evolution of graphic design has seen many changes in how designers presented their ideas. The Avant-garde movement was however, considered to be the inception of the contemporary work. Jan Tschichold was one of the designers of the time who is reputed to have used typography and images to stimulate changes in political polarization and instability (Owen 2008). This implies that not only has graphic design shifted the world on how we communicate but also on how we relate with each other which constitutes the politics of a society. Through the use of asymmetrical design as well as sans serif typefaces, he was able to capture the peoples emotions thereby influencing how they lived with each other. In another study, Lavin (2001), as quoted in Helfand (2001) shows how todays designers have failed to bring out the realities but rather wraps the mess in a clean envelop (page 31). Further, the study points the historical and contemporary track record of graphics in making powerful political statements, in functioning as intriguing personal creations, and in consciously influencing cultural norms (Page 31). There is also the factor that Lavin further blames the designers for failing to use the potential that they have to shift the political attitudes. Additionally, the study also points out the need for graphic designers to critically influence the culture. It is clear that the designers are perceived to have veered away from the course of positively influencing the societys culture. Perhaps it is time that the designers stopped concentrating on the corporate product designs to creation of art that invokes emotions in the society. As quoted by Helfand (2001), the failure of todays designers to positively influence the societys culture can be attributed to the inherited preoccupations of history and criticism (analyzing design products, compiling designer biographies, and developing a historical narrative of style influences (page 31). Further, as put across by Mills (1963), as quoted by Helfand (2001), between the human consciousness and material existence stand communications and designs, patterns and values which influence decisively such consciousness as they have. The mass arts, the public arts, the design arts are major vehicles of this consciousness (page 32). With the use of expressions, a designer is able to shift the conscious of their audience through employing various styles of graphics, colors, and material. The combination of graphic design and advertisement has been seen as the sure way of influencing the culture of the people. In this light, Soar (2002) has looked upon the use of artists and the elite group of the society largely seen as mass consumers with comfortable jobs. When the advertisements are aimed at this group, they employ the use of well known personalities who have been known to have a substantial following. In this way, the artists used are seen as having taken serious mass cultural products and converted them to popular cultures among the people. The end result is that the people adopt behaviors that are in close relation to their favorite celebrated personalities. Consequently, this influences the individuals way of life and therefore, their culture. There is a pedagogic function, then, in advertising and design, in which private codes are disseminated to a broader cultural mass via the [creations]. Indeed, their own cultural readings are highly attuned, being perfect consumers operating in a particularly rarefied social milieu (Soar page 14). As shown by Barchas (2003) there has not been an instance that graphic designing has not inter-related with the culture. He points out the case of Mr. Fary who is able to discredit the purchase Bohee tea especially on account that it was overpriced. By using poetry, he was able to influence the way the foreign Bohee tea was perceived thereafter. Indeed, Barchas points out that the Bohee tea became the new symbol of decay in the eighteenth century. The use of graphic design in advertising such products as the Bohee tea and displaying them as superior will surely influence peoples lifestyles. It was seen to be perpetrating materialism in the society. The retailer took advantage of the great influence that the advertisement had on the society to overprice them as well as to sell them substandard products. The culture is seen to be influenced given that such work influenced not just how people think, but also how they act afterwards (page 4). When we view the mode of presentation of the various works of art, they also have had an impact on the worlds perceptions of literary work. Barchas shows how the various changes in the print culture affected not just how the text was disseminated but also how it was interpreted. In his review of Eisenstein work, he shows how the changes in the print culture to include the presentation of literary work in book form influenced verification and legitimization of the work (Barchas 2003, page 8). This work has been viewed as the artifact that not only has value in its content, but also in the way it had portrayed history and culture. It had influenced how today the scholars present their work as well as the recognition of not just the material used in the presentation but also the layout as well as the design. Graphic design has been influenced by cultures across the world over time. People from different regions, cultures and ages are mesmerized by the nature of art displayed by designers. Art on the other hand is influenced by different cultures. The artist generates an item based on the environment that they have been exposed to. It is then possible to link different cultures through art. When a graphic designer makes a logo that reflects their culture for an event or for a corporate, then their audience becomes bigger. Such a logo may influence the lifestyles of people from different societies with different cultures.

Essay --

According to Partnership for a Healthier American, the United States spends $150 billion dollars annually to treat people with obese related conditions; while childhood healthcare costs are inflating this amount tremendously (Facts About Childhood Obesity). In the past 30 to 40 years, the percentage of obese children and adults has nearly doubled and tripled respectively. If the federal government mandated schools to establish and promote programs centered on healthy living, the overall percentage of obese children and adults would decrease vastly. These programs would have to involve every aspect of a healthy lifestyle to in turn have a decrease in obese children and adults. To achieve this goal, schools would have to implement and require a certain amount of physical activity in and out of school, offer healthier food options along with educating children on how to eat healthier and why it is so important, and would also need to have the children’s parents become active in t he process. If these three key ideas are attained the overall number of obese children and adults would see a large reduction. â€Å"The increase in childhood obesity is partly attributable to an increasingly sedentary lifestyle and poor nutrition† (Galson). It has been found that television, computer and video game use replace vigorous physical activity in children. If schools were to intervene by implementing physical activities not just in school, this issue could be resolved. For this to be possible, schools would first need to set up a system where physical activities are present in educational and entertaining activities. One educational activity that could implement physical movement would be the game SPARKLE; if a student incorrectly spells out a word, i... ...h the sole efforts at the school or another organization it requires a multifaceted community – wide effort, but schools are in a unique position to play in promoting healthy lifestyles and helping to prevent obesity† (School-based Approaches for Preventing and Treating Obesity). Providing healthier food options, educating children and parents on how to live a healthier lifestyle, and implementing activities that are more physically rigorous, will provide an effective method to curb childhood and adolescent obesity. If schools implement programs that require students to take part in more physically demanding activities and offer healthier food options, the goal will be achievable and attainable. For a child to lose weight, he or she must eat healthier and do a large quantity of physical activity. And with school intervention, this goal is even more obtainable.

Radioactive Isotopes Essay -- Chemistry Atoms Energy Essays

Radioactive Isotopes I never thought nuclear energy would play a role in my life, but that was until two years ago when my family was hit with horrifying news. A close friend of ours was diagnosed with breast cancer. Because of a new technology called radiation therapy or radiotherapy, my mother’s best friend is alive today. Radiotherapy is produced by a form of nuclear energy called radioactive isotopes. The class EGEE 101 has educated me about the subject of nuclear energy, but I wanted to take it a step further and discover how nuclear energy plays a role in medicine. Radioactive isotopes are radioactive atoms of common elements like carbon, cobalt, phosphorus, or sodium. Radioactive isotopes are located in â€Å"atomic ash† that is left behind after uranium atoms are split in a â€Å"nuclear pile.† Some radioactive isotopes are produced from the exposure of common elements to powerful radiation inside a nuclear reactor during fission (Nuclear Energy 2005). Fission occurs when an atom’s nucleus splits into two or more smaller nuclei, producing a large amount of energy. Radioactive isotopes release radiation in the form of beta and gamma rays. The strength of the radiation is relative to the rate where radioactive material decays. Because of this, different radioisotopes can be used for different purposes, depending on their strength. (Nuclear Energy 2005). Radioactive isotopes have led to what some are calling â€Å"nuclear medicine.† This type of medicine uses the radioactive isotopes to prevent, diagnose, and treat many diseases. During nuclear medicine diagnosing methods, a small amount of radioactive matter is penetrated into the body. The radioactive materials are attracted to cer... .... Radioisotopes in Medicine. May 2004. Uranium Information Centre Ltd. 4 Apr. 2005 . â€Å"Nuclear Energy.† Britannica Student Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia Britannica Online 4 Apr. 2005 . â€Å"Nuclear Engineering.† Encyclopedia Britannica. 2005. Encyclopedia Britannica Online 4 Apr. 2005 . Schenter, Robert. Nuclear Medicine Research Council. 18 Nov. 1998. Nuclear Medicine Research Council. 4 Apr. 2005 . Schenter, Robert. What Is Nuclear Medicine. 21 Sept. 1999. Nuclear Medicine Research Council. 4 Apr. 2005 . What Is Radiation Therapy. Dec. 2003. Your Medical Source. 4 Apr. 2005 .

Comparing Symbols and Symbolism in Young Goodman Brown and The Lottery :: comparison compare contrast essays

Symbolism in Young Goodman Brown and The Lottery      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The authors, Shirley Jackson and Nathaniel Hawthorne, both frequently use symbols within their stories "The Lottery" and "Young Goodman Brown."   Symbols are utilized as an enhancement tool to stress the theme of each story. Hawthorne uses names and objects to enhance the theme, and Jackson mainly utilizes names to stress the theme, although she does have one object as a symbol of great importance to the theme.   The stories both contain symbols describing evil. The majority of Hawthorne's symbols describe religion (both good and evil), but Jackson's symbols reflect the evil nature within society as a whole.   There exists symbolic acts in each story.   The short stories both share the use of symbols, but the symbols are   used to express different thoughts in ones mind while reading them.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The stories "Young Goodman Brown" and "The Lottery" both use names as symbols.   Hawthorne uses the names Young Goodman Brown and Faith to portray nice, descent people.   The name Faith alone implies a faithful and Christian individual as stated  Ã‚   "And Faith, as the wife was aptly named," (211).   Jackson uses the name Mr. Graves throughout her story, he is the coordinator of the lottery. She needs not give any explanation to the name, as it speaks for itself (a symbol of death).   Various other names are used as symbols within each story, however, these mentioned are the most significant names to the theme.   The stories each contain names, objects, and acts as important symbols.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hawthorne uses the names to stress good people, but relies heavily on objects to portray Satanism.   The object of obvious Satanism   is the staff (a cane) mentioned throughout the story.   It is clearly identified when the old traveler throws it down in the sentence "it assumed life, being one of the rods which its owner had formerly lent to the Egyptian Magi" (215).   According   to the Bible. sorcerers with magic powers change their rods into serpents.   Jackson uses the black box throughout her story as a symbol of   tradition not to be changed as stated "Every year, after the lottery, Mr. Summers began talking about a new box, but every year the subject was allowed to fade off without

Negotiation Simulation Essay

ISLAND CRUISE Introduction In this exercise you will participate in a negotiation about a cruise ship and its rights to visit a tropical island. You will role-play this negotiation as either the director of the cruise ship or the mayor of the island. The issues to be discussed during the negotiation include the number of visits per year that the ship can make, the length of individual visits, and the volume of passengers allowed to disembark from the ship on each day when it visits. This simulation provides a rich context for a business negotiation in which economic, cultural, and ecological factors all come into play. Background Information The Island Queen is a privately owned and operated luxury cruise ship. Cruise ship passenger demand has steadily fallen over the past few years due to the poor economy, fear of worldwide terrorism, and recurring cases of the Norwalk virus on cruise ships. Norwalk-like viruses, which have afflicted hundreds of passengers on several cruise ships, cause diarrhea, stomach pain, and vomiting. The Island Queen’s operations department has decided that adding a new exotic destination to the standard 16-day itinerary will help stimulate passenger demand. While many islands in the region are possible candidates, Tropical Island is its first choice due to the island’s reputation as an exotic and pristine locale. Tropical Island Tropical Island is part of a chain of lush Pacific islands in one of the most remote spots on earth. At 10 miles wide by 38 miles long, the island is not large. However, it is home to an extensive array or rare and endangered  plant and animal species, many found only on Tropical Island. The traditional rural and native culture of the island has remained relatively unchanged over time, earning it the nickname â€Å"The Last Unspoiled Island†. The island is a wonderful combination of rain forests, desert lands, waterfalls, and black-and whitesand beaches. Weather on the island is pleasant year round, with maximum daytime temperatures ranging from 88 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer (May to October) to 80 degrees in the winter (November to April). Night-time temperatures rarely fall below 60 degrees. As a result, the island’s tourism, though considered minimal, remains almost constant year-round, at about 70,000 visitors per year. Approximately 60 percent of the island’s 7,000 residents have true Pacific Island ancestry. This makes Tropical Island the only one in the region where true natives are the majority. These natives continue to practice the region’s old traditions while trying to minimise the influence of the rampant commercialism found on other islands. The two closest islands are more than 25 miles away and are far more commercialised than Tropical Island. MGB225 – Negotiation Simulation 3 (Assessed) – Island Cruise Compared to the other islands in the region, Tropical Island is a quiet and pristine world of breathtaking beauty, where one can easily escape to peaceful solitude or participate in a myriad of outdoor activities. In addition, prices on the island are generally lower than on surrounding islands. As a result, many visitors are actually repeat customers, re-immersing themselves in the idyllic lifestyle they know they will find on the island. Typical island activities include surfing, kayaking, fishing, and hiking. Snorkeling and scuba diving are especially spectacular due to the abundance of giant sea turtles. The island is also home to the longest barrier reef in the region, which stretches 28 miles. Guided hiking tours of the island’s extensive rain forests allow visitors to learn about the flora and fauna unique to the region. For the less sure-footed, guided mule rides down the  highest oceanfront cliffs in the world offer dramatic views of the unspoiled coastline. With only one movie theatre, one public restroom, and no stoplights, the island takes pride in its lack of development. A weekly Saturday morning farmer’s market offers a vibrant taste of the rich local heritage. In addition, the island’s macadamia nut farm, coffee plantation, and kite factory provide abundant opportunities to explore the island’s unique character. Dining options cover the full spectrum from inexpensive eateries to extravagant gourmet feasts, complete with traditional native entertainment. In addition to tourism, major industries on the island include fishing, farming, and retail sales. With the collapse of the sugar and pineapple industries in the 1990s, the island has moved to replace these once dominant industries with more diversified aqua-culture and agriculture. Tropical Island is governed by an autonomous council. Residents elect a mayor, who serves a three-year term with a two-term limit, and an eight-member island council with two-year terms. The island council, with current mayor Gil Egan as its representative, is responsible for making all decisions regarding the island community. Decisions are made by majority vote of the council. The mayor performs the function of â€Å"tie-breaker† when necessary. There are five public and two private schools on the island serving 2,000 students from kindergarten through twelfth grade. Residents seeking a college-level education typically move off the island for the duration of their studies. These students rarely return to live permanently on the island. This has been a major concern of the islanders, who wish to reduce the loss of native residents. Therefore, construction of a local community college is under consideration. Current means for tourists to access the island include small aircraft and small sea vessels. There are also two inter-island flights per day between Tropical Island and the surrounding islands, with each flight carrying about 50 passengers. On any given day, about 200 tourists arrive or depart  Tropical Island, with a total of 500 tourists on the island at any given time. Electric cart rentals are available at the airport for transportation around the island. Marine ecological studies performed on Tropical Island by the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization Agency indicate that for each day a cruise ship operates in Tropical Island’s sensitive coastal waters, at least two weeks of undisturbed marine environment must be maintained afterward to avoid permanent ecological damage. Each additional day of operation requires two additional weeks of recovery. The ecosystem, however, is not able to sustain more than five consecutive days of abuse. These figures assume no intentional damage to the ecosystem, such as removal of coral or wildlife as a result of cruise ship-related tourism. During the time that a cruise ship is anchored near the island, and for four days following its departure, local residents are advised not to fish or swim within a two-mile radius of where the cruise ship had been anchored because of potential health hazards. The island’s only natural harbour is the best location for anchoring cruise ships. Unfortunately, this two-mile-wide bay is also the island’s most productive fishing spot. The Island Queen At 971 feet in length and weighing 91,000 tonnes, the $400 million Island Queen is the largest cruise ship ever to service the Tropical Island region. It accommodates 2,200 passengers and 1,100 crew members. Operation of the Island Queen is handled through Island Queen, Inc., a private corporation. Captain Stuart (Stu) Bing is the director of cruise ship operations for the Island Queen. While he has sole responsibility for negotiating all contracts governing the vessel’s operation, he ultimately answers to the CEO and the board of directors of Island Queen, Inc., regarding all corporate matters. With 10 distinctive restaurants and 14 separate lounges and bars, the Island Queen has a venue for the most discriminating guest. Passengers who desire the excitement of gambling will enjoy the lavish Grand Casino with its glass  elevators, floating staircases, stained glass domes, and ocean view windows. The magnificent Riviera Deck, adorned with sparkling pools, bars, hamburger grill, ice cream bar, gymnasium, and spa, is the perfect spot for outdoor activities and food. The Island Queen sets a new standard for luxury cruise ships with its unique alternative 24-hour dining in the panoramic Horizon Court, two theatres, computerised golf, and a library featuring â€Å"listening chairs† for music and audio books. Industry standard venues and amenities such as buffet meals, theatres, and gyms are included in the price of the cruise. Dining in the more exclusive restaurants and some personal services such as massages and beauty treatments are an additional expense billed separately to the passenger. The standard Island Queen cruise is 16 days and 15 nights. The itinerary consists of five days sailing to the island region, six days visiting various tropical islands, and five days returning to its home port. An island visit generally involves passengers disembarking at 8am and returning to the ship by 8pm. On more popular islands, the ship will remain in port for two days. At these ports, passengers may elect to spend the night on the island, but they must return to the ship by 8pm the following evening when the ship sets sail for the next port. Island Queen, Inc., has provided luxury cruises to the island region for over 20 years, but Tropical Island has never allowed cruise ships to visit. For economic reasons, Tropical Island is now considering offering exclusive visitation rights to a cruise line company. Though other cruise line companies are vying for the right to add Tropical Island to their itinerary, the Island Queen is the most luxurious prospect. An agreement with the Island Queen is expected to provide greater income per tourist for the island than an agreement with any of the other cruise lines because of the Island Queen’s wealthier clientele. During one-day port visits, about half of the ship’s passengers typically disembark. As the length of stay increases, fewer passengers disembark per day. Those who remain on the ship are an important revenue source as they continue to patronise onboard facilities including the casino, shops, and  restaurants. Island disembarkation agreements are negotiated in increments of 100 passengers. Thus an agreement for 500 passengers per day would include any number of visitors up to 500. There are currently no island visits longer than two days because this would not leave enough time to visit all the other popular ports. However, a visit longer than two days is certainly possible given sufficient demand. Because there is no suitable deepwater dock on Tropical Island, cruise ships will have to anchor in the ecologically sensitive coastal waters surrounding the island. A smaller vessel must then make multiple trips ferrying passengers back and forth between the ship and the island. The island’s harbour area is considered the best location for anchoring cruise ships due to its proximity to the main island community. Tropical Island and Island Queen Concerns Large cruise ships, like the Island Queen, can severely impact the local marine ecology during their stay. According to one environmental group, typical cruise ships â€Å"produce massive volumes of waste, including sewage, nonsewage wastewater or gray water, ballast water, oily bilge water, air  pollution, solid waste, and hazardous waste, each of which may harm sensitive marine ecosystems like the island’s through the addition of harmful pathogens and chemicals, or the introduction of alien species.†1 There are, however, international environmental standards under which cruise lines must operate. These standards, set forth in international conventions, create strict guidelines for all commercial vessels, including passenger vessels, to prevent ship-generated pollution for oil, garbage, and waste .2  Still, the island community has strong reservations about allowing cruise-based tourism because of the industry’s dismal record of environmental compliance and poor enforcement of laws regarding ship pollution. There is also concern that a sudden increase in tourism will adversely affect the social makeup of the quiet rural island. Environmentalists point to small islands and towns in Alaska and the Caribbean whose local lifestyle, culture, and economy become crowded out by foreign visitors. The island council’s community plan defines its primary economic focus as agricultural industries. Tourism is to be limited to a level that will not adversely affect the community’s traditional, social, economic, and environmental characteristics. An agreement between the Island Queen and Tropical Island must take into account the impact it will have on the traditional lifestyle and customary rights of the native inhabitants. The main reason cruise ship companies have been hesitant to add Tropical Island to their itinerary has been the lack of island infrastructure to support the needs of a typical cruise ship visit. Too many cruise tourists descending upon the island all at once may overwhelm existing island facilities, resulting in an unpleasant experience for everyone. The fact that there is only one public restroom on the island is enough to dissuade even the most optimistic tour operator. Limiting the number of tourists disembarking will help preserve the island’s natural character and benefit the cruise ship since remaining passengers will spend their money on board the ship. Conclusion Traditional island culture and mores, as well as island law, forbid council members, and Mayor Gil Egan as their representative, from accepting any form of financial incentives, such as bribes, from the cruise lines to gain commercial access to Tropical Island. A respectful and mutually beneficial relationship between Tropical Island and the Island Queen is desirable. Any agreement between Tropical Island and the Island Queen should take into account the current economic environment, existing resources and infrastructure, expected tourism income for both parties, and any damage to local ecology and native culture resulting from added cruise line tourism. International maritime law requires that any agreement between the parties remain in force for six years following its adoption, so it is important to consider anticipated trends with any agreement since renegotiating in the  near term will be very difficult, if not impossible. CONFIDENTIAL ROLE INFORMATION FOR CAPTAIN STUART BING (From the Island Queen, Inc. Board of Directors) As the director of cruise ship operations for Island Queen, Inc., the Board of Directors has authorised you to negotiate with the mayor of Tropical Island, Gil Egan, to secure exclusive anchoring and disembarkation rights to the island. In order to add Tropical Island to the standard 16-day Island Queen cruise, you must remove a current port from the itinerary. This is not a problem because one port is no longer popular among passengers due to recurring outbreaks of a particularly virulent strain of Hansen’s Disease (Leprosy) on the island, which has afflicted a number of previous passengers. You are aware that one of your competitors, Island Maid, Inc., has made inquiries to Mayor Egan regarding access to Tropical Island. However, this is a smaller company with an older, less luxurious ship. More importantly, its clientele are mostly middle-class retirees on fixed incomes, who would typically generate less revenue per tourist for the island. On 16-day cruises, an island visit typically lasts only one day. The ship anchors by 8 am, and leaves the same day at 8 pm. Visits to especially popular islands may last two days. Since Tropical Island will be new and unexploited, it is expected to quickly become very popular. An island visit of more than two days is quite rare, but would be a valuable option for the future. While not the most important consideration, you want to be sure people have enough time to really appreciate this beautiful island and feel the cruise was unique and worthwhile. Regardless of the length of a port visit, at most only half of the passengers  disembark per day. Remaining passengers are an important revenue source for the ship because they continue to patronise the ship’s casino, shops and exclusive restaurants. This is fortunate, because the ferry to the island can only accommodate about 1,100 passengers per day. Thus, there is little value in negotiating daily disembarkation rights for more than this quantity. If a port does not draw more than 200 passengers per day, it is removed from the itinerary in favor of a more popular destination. It is critical for you to negotiate a deal that allows you to have the ideal number of passengers disembark – not too many, nor too few. In fact, this is the most important issue for you. The Island Queen is the only one of Island Queen, Inc.’s vessels licensed to operate in the Tropical Island region. Because it takes about two weeks to prepare the ship for another voyage after a two-week cruise, the maximum trip rate is 12 trips per year. Therefore, there is no benefit to negotiating an agreement for more than 12 visits per year. Because demand fluctuates based on the season, economy, and travel fads, the number of visits to the island per year is not that important to you. As long as each trip is profitable (which it will be if the right number of passengers disembark) you will be satisfied with your agreement. Desert Island is another island in the region that you are considering if you cannot negotiate an acceptable agreement with Tropical Island. While Desert Island is not nearly as pristine and breathtaking as Tropical Island, it does have some redeeming qualities. Like Tropical Island, Desert Island is one of the least commercialised islands in the region and there are currently no cruise ships visiting it. Since the mayor of Desert Island wants cruise tourism to play a significant role in the island’s economy, you expect he will be very accommodating regarding the volume of cruise tourism permitted, but he will probably not grant exclusive visitation rights. Unfortunately, Desert MGB225 – Negotiation Simulation 3 (Assessed) – Island Cruise Island has less tourism infrastructure than Tropical Island and few financial  resources to remedy this situation. Your business development department has indicated that it is realistic to expect an agreement with Desert Island for monthly two-day visits of 700 passengers. But, the desolate nature of the island will preclude it from ever attracting enough demand to justify more than just a one-day visit. Since international maritime law makes it nearly impossible to renegotiate agreements for six years from their effective date, you must be careful to ensure that any agreement is flexible enough to accommodate both current and future anticipated passenger demand. Evaluation: In order to evaluate the viability of adding Tropical Island to the ship’s itinerary, the Board of Directors has developed the following guidelines to help you understand their concerns regarding the various options. Your objective is to negotiate the most beneficial agreement for the company. Comment Because of the logistics and expense of adding Tropical Island to the ship’s itinerary, it is not viable to schedule less than three visits per year. This would also not provide enough opportunity for expansion should passenger demand exceed expectations. Planning fewer visits per year with more passengers per visit could be a solution. However, the island’s limited  infrastructure precludes allowing an excessive number of passengers to disembark per visit. If enough passengers were permitted extended stays of two or more days on the island, this option might be acceptable, because it could accommodate anticipated passenger demand for the island. Increasing the number of allowed visits will increase the value of an agreement, because it provides you with greater flexibility to meet current and anticipated passenger disembarkation demands. The maximum trip rate is 12 trips per year. While current demand may not warrant a trip every month, it is valuable to have this option in order to meet potential future demand. Comment While most port visits are currently only one day, market research indicates that passenger demand for Tropical Island will probably exceed the capacity that the island can reasonably accommodate in a single day. The option of a two-day port visit to Tropical Island should meet our anticipated requirements for the next six years considering the island’s limited infrastructure. While these options provide additional flexibility, they are not especially valuable because we do not expect passenger demand to justify such extended port visits. MGB225 – Negotiation Simulation 3 (Assessed) – Island Cruise Issue #3: Number of passengers on shore per day (in increments of 100 passengers) Passengers Comment 100-200 300-600 700-1000 This level of disembarkation is very restrictive and would require a longer visit many more times a year in order to accommodate anticipated demand levels. The idea of many passengers remaining on the ship to provide additional revenue is tempting. However, if passenger demand were this low, we would remove the port from our itinerary since it is obviously not an attractive destination. While less restrictive, these options are still not ideal considering our anticipated passenger demand. Such a small allocation would require multi-day visits at the expense of other ports. Until we have actual experience with the demand created by Tropical Island, it would be foolish to lock ourselves into such low numbers. Typically, about 700 passengers disembark per day during a two-day port visit. However, these levels would not support anticipated demand for single-day visits. 1100 This would be the most valuable option because it should be sufficient for all anticipated levels of demand for the foreseeable future. 1600-2000 This level of disembarkation has some value since it provides additional flexibility. However, there is little value in negotiating such a large  number at the expense of the other two issues, since it is not realistic to expect we will exercise this right in the foreseeable future. About half of our passengers typically remain on-board during port visits to patronize casinos, spas, restaurants, and other revenue centers. This provides a valuable source of income for the ship and we want to maintain this level of ship-board activity. Also, such a large number of passengers disembarking onto the island will likely degrade the facilities making the port less enjoyable for future passenger visits. 1200-1500 These options provide additional flexibility, yet experience shows it is rare for more than half of our passengers to disembark on a given day for a one-day visit. The Board of Directors requests that you negotiate an agreement providing a realistic and flexible path to meet anticipated demand, while accounting for current economic conditions, and the island’s lack of infrastructure to support expanded cruise tourism. An acceptable agreement would include monthly two-day visits for 1,100 passengers. Negotiating such an agreement can be expected to ensure your promotion to commodore, and earn you a coveted seat on the Island Queen, Inc. board of directors. If you are unable to secure an agreement with Mayor Egan that adequately addresses our corporate interests, then you are authorized to pursue a dialog with the mayor of Desert Island in order to secure an agreement more beneficial to Island Queen, Inc. Note: Negotiations must be based solely upon information provided in this simulation and no external sources. At the completion of your negotiation, please fill out one negotiation summary worksheet per negotiating pair and return it to your instructor for discussion.