Deisel Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Deisel - Essay Example Since Diesel lies in the luxury sector, the products and services provided to the clients in the United States are on the high-end wealth spectrum. These groups are insensitive to prices and prefer spending their income and time on clothes as well as other accessories that portray opulence as opposed to necessities. For these reasons, the prestige and luxury brands that Diesel provides its clients in the United States have attracted an unwavering and illogical loyalty from consumers (Trebay). In the United States today, the luxury scene has been influenced by a variety of factors. A mass class of rich people has developed in different regions across the country. This is due to social, economic, and technological breakthroughs. In addition, Diesel has been forced to introduce a broad range of luxury brands in the company in order to eliminate the barriers that have dominated the industry for some time. It has also provided the different groups of consumers with more choice in order to succeed in the market. Furthermore, the rapid growth being witnessed in information, digital, and communication technology has allowed Diesel to give its consumers in the U.S. more variety in terms of luxury products. In this case, the company is able to view choices as well as lower switching costs particularly in the Internet. This has made it possible for clients to be more experimental, individualistic and bold enough to combine luxury as well as high-street fashion to a single outfit (T rebay). To continue operating successfully in the United States, Diesel has manipulated its marketing mix strategies, which have allowed the company to christen its fashion brands for it to be similar to other luxury brands in the country. Furthermore, the prevalence of mass-premium brands is prevalent in best locations, such as New York. In this case, the company is now capable of acting as well as speaking as a high-end brand that has set the trend in the country. Diesel has managed

Business Research Methods & Tools Final Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business Methods & Tools Final - Research Paper Example To ensure suitable standards of living, people have to engage in productive activities. Working is a daily and normal routine for any average human being who dreams of ever having a good life for his/her families. According to United States Congress House (2011), people go to different work places, working under different working conditions/environments. Do people ever look at the safeties at the work place? Do the conditions people work in appear safe to them? If not, what have they done or what are they doing to ensure a safe work place? I work in a power plant and I cannot guarantee that the working environment is entirely safe based on a number of reasons. Based on this, the immediate team was given the task of conducting a research on the safety risks on the site and pinpointed the key solutions to detected risks. This research paper is aimed at looking at the various risks that employees are exposed to in the workplaces, narrowing down the research to focus on power plant risks, exploring their possible causes and how these risks can be addressed for maximum workplace safety. To kick off the research, it was critical to put in place suitable plans to arrive at solutions to our problem. The first step was to identify the safety hazards in the organization, which involved collection of relevant data from different employees including the managerial team. This is a crucial step as it gives the different platforms on which to base the research. This was in regards to the views of the employees and the management although employees’ views are hardly similar in any organization. These facts were to help in the definition of the problem so as to start the research on how to solve the problem, and truly, they were productive (Spear 1999). Approximately 300 people globally die owing to electric faults, leaving thousands injured (Revae 2010). These faults may be minor, and in some

Designers and performers Essay Example for Free

Designers and performers Essay After deciding that we was going to focus on the musical genre in the 1920s America period, we wrote down a list of films, musicals and music that could linked to our oncoming performance. For example, Chicago, Bugsy Malone and Christina Aguileras new album. We chose the films/musicals Chicago and Bugsy Malone because they were set at the same time period as our performance and we chose Christina Aguileras new album as she has sung all her songs in the style of the 1920-30s jazz era and thought it easily fitted into the style we were trying to create. I have seen the musical Chicago on stage and on film, and even though they are both based on the same storyline, contain the same characters, music etc, they are both different with the fact one is performed on stage and the other was filmed on a set. They have both influenced us, especially the stage version where limited space is used compared to the film as they use different locations, whereas a stage is very limited where the same space has to be used to create different locations. This helped us how to use the space effectively and use to our full advantage and still make the performance effective. The music within the musical Chicago gave us ideas of what sort of music and themes to focus on and research, as we didnt want to use the exact same music as Chicago because the music is fairly popular and we didnt want the audience to compare our performance to Chicago, which is why we included a major twist within our story, so people wouldnt compare both performances. We decided to use Chicago as a source to gather information within that time period, which meant costumes, characters, setting, lighting, colours for setting and lighting and music used within the performance. Even though we werent going to use their music we needed to get an idea of what style of music to look for and include. We were able to watch what the time period back in the 1920s was really like, rather than researching on the internet and reading about it in books, even though we did get help from these sources we found by watching the film more reliable and enjoyable. We could actually see what colours were popular for costumes and lighting used. For costumes we used a lot of bright colours, a part from the male characters who just wore a black and white suit, as this went with the time period. For the woman, black and red costumes were worn as this is worn a lot in Chicago and it looked and worked with the lighting colours we wanted to include as well. We found that black and red was really popular so we decided to use this for our lighting, as well as blackouts, spot light effects and using red lighting to show what scenes are serious or for the performance scene which is quite flirtatious. These colours worked well within our performance and worked well with every scene that we included this in. We took these ideas from Chicago and linked them into our own performance. The film Bugsy Malone also gave us ideas towards our performance. The character of Bugsy helped me develop my character as Jack Murray in our performance. Bugsy Malone is set in the same time period we were setting our piece and when thinking about how to play and portray my character as Jack Murray I automatically thought of Bugsy. He influenced me by the way he acted as the character of Bugsy seemed to always be up to something behind your back and you never quite knew if he was coming or going type of character. He influenced my character in that way as Jack Murray was up to something but the audience didnt quite know what. The character of Busy also seemed to be a bit of the jack the lad sort of person and I feel that this defiantly influenced me for my character and is shown well when playing Jack Murray. The characters of Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey were influenced by the two real lives of Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey. We researched information about them both and found out that Ma Rainey use to be violent and bossy towards Bessie Smith and we created the characters from there. We found Christina Aguileras new album very relevant for our performance. Her music was inspired by the 1920-1930s style of music. We felt by using some of her music for our performance we are still including music relevant to the time period and at the same time people will recognise her music and still making our performance relevant to today. Instead of only focusing the music within our performance on Christinas music we also researched actual artists from the 1920s. We found music from famous artists such as Billy Holiday, Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong and we actually included one of his songs for one of our performance pieces but actually sung by one of the actors instead of it being a voice over like we had done so far for our singing performances. We thought this looked better in our piece as only one verse was being sung without any music, compared to the previous performance scene where most of the song we performed we thought it looked better if the two actors didnt actually sing the song. Music can influence a scene massively and an example of this is the detective scene. As the detective is trying to find out who really murdered Bessie Smith, we included flash backs about who could of murdered her. For the first flash back we decided to include Charleston themed music as people are really familiar with this tune and by using this music it became quite comical and thought this was brilliant as the next flash back would be the complete opposite. We found it very different difficult to find music for the next flash back because even though this didnt actually happen, at this point during the story the audience are meant to think Starlet did murder Ma Rainey and the music heavily influences that. When listening to music from Chicago we found the beginning of one song that fitted into the mood we was trying to create. We only wanted to use the beginning so we repeated this tune over and over again for this certain flash back and it gave the impression that Starlet really did murder Ma Rainey because compared to the previous flash back this one was much more serious and this is what we wanted to create. A lot of multi-rolling was used in our performance and we was influenced by John Godbers work. I was influenced by his playwrights, Teechers, Bouncers and Shakers where multi-rolling is used throughout these pieces. They was so effective and cleverly done and performed, for the use of multi-rolling within our play we looked at these plays and looked at how he made it look effective. Costume is one of the main concerns when multi-rolling, if you didnt change your costume the audience would think you were still playing the character you were playing when they last saw you on stage. We made sure an obvious change was made when changing characters, if it was as simple as a coat, walking stick or a wig. An obvious change had to be done and made noticeable to the audience. Godber also made sure there was a change in voice as this would also help show the audience that the actor is now playing a different character. Multi-rolling is shown effectively throughout our piece as we used this through most of our play. Example, when I change into my character as Jack Murray I deepen my voice slightly to show I am playing a man, and the read all about it scene where everybody is involved, we change into different characters buying a newspaper in a busy street, we put on a simple piece of costume each such as a hat, coat, scarf as well as changing our voices to show we are playing different characters. All the films/ musicians/ singers/ practitioners influenced our piece in many ways that I have already discussed. The musicians and singers helped us decide what style of music to include that would make our piece a success and would link in well with our story. The films influenced the development of some of our characters such as Jack Murray, and they also influenced our costumes, in what styles to go for and colours as well. The practitioner, John Godber helped us make multi-rolling really work within our performance by reading and looking at his other work and how to make multi-rolling a success within your performance, which I think made our piece really successful. We tried to make our performance very different to ones people would had seen before so we tried not to get too heavily influenced by other playwrights, directors, films and musicals. Especially with the storyline as this is what seemed too happened at first when deciding on a storyline. Instead we were only really looking for ideas to help us on the design side of the performance, and when researching characters and music for our performance.

Owning A Guinea Pig As A Pet

Owning A Guinea Pig As A Pet ABSTRACT Have you ever owned a guinea pig as a pet? These small animals make a perfect family pet and enjoy spending quality time with their owners. Snuggling, eating, and playing are all things that guinea pigs generally love doing. With some knowledge of guinea pigs and how to care for them, owning a pet guinea pig can be a very enjoyable experience for both you and your pet. GLOSSARY Diagnose: to determine the  identity of a disease or illness by a medical  examination Gastrointestinal tract: the stomach and intestine as a functional unit Homeostasis: the tendency of a system, especially the  physiological system of higher animals, to maintain internal stability, owing to the coordinated response of its parts to any situation or stimulus tending to disturb its normal condition or function. Husbandry: the science of breeding, rearing, and caring for animals. Neuter: having no organs of reproduction; without sex; asexual. 1 INTRODUCTION Just like any other domestic pet that we see today, guinea pigs have a long history of domestication. Guinea pigs are a member of the rodent species, but have their own unique physical and behavioral characteristics that set them apart from other rodents. There are a lot of special needs that guinea pigs share to maintain a happy and healthy life. Good husbandry is the best way of assuring that a pet will live to its full potential. Understanding guinea pigs is a great start to a long fulfilling relationship between an owner and their special little pet. HISTORY OF THE GUINEA PIG Origin Guinea pigs, also known as cavies, originated from the Peru region of the Andes Mountains where it is referred to as cuy (Forstadt, n.d., para.7; para. 9). It is here that the familiar rodent can be found roaming freely in the wild just like our everyday squirrel. The wild guinea pig prefers a variety of habitats including rocky, swampy, and woody areas. Being most active at night, they prefer to rest in their burrows during the day (Forstadt, n.d., para. 6). They live in colonies usually with one male and six to seven females. In a wild guinea pig colony, the presence of more than one male usually leads to the males fighting to the death (Hirst, n.d., para. 4). Why They Were Domesticated Domestication of the guinea pig is thought to have begun around 5000 years B.C.; however, some parts of their history are a little blurry. Physical records have been found showing evidence of guinea pig domestication as early as 900 B.C. (Forstadt, n.d., para. 7). In their native land, guinea pigs are used for many different purposes, but seldom kept as pets. The people of the Andes Mountains rely on breeding guinea pigs for meat. In most cases, a mating pair of guinea pigs will be gifted to a newlywed couple and then cared for mostly by the women and children of the family(Forstadt, n.d., para. 11; para. 12). By raising them personally, an Andes Mountain family can usually produce approximately twelve pounds of meat per month (Hirst, n.d., para. 5). Though meat is their main purpose to the Andes Mountain people, guinea pigs are also used in religious and other cultural ceremonies. They are also used in medicine, both to diagnose and treat those considered to be ill or weak. Though they are bred mainly for food, guinea pigs are crucial to, and respected in, the Andes Mountain culture (Forstadt, n.d., para. 14). How They Became Pets After domestication in its native land, the guinea pig was later introduced in Europe where it became popular as a household pet. The cause of its popularity is said to be Queen Elizabeth I keeping one as a pet. From this point on, domestication of the guinea pig continued turning the small rodent species into a very popular choice of pet in many parts of the world (Forstadt, n.d., para. 8). CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GUINEA PIG Behavior From personal experience I can inform you that guinea pigs make excellent pets. Unlike other domestic rodents, guinea pigs are naturally timid and love companionship. In the wild, guinea pigs are very social animals and they require the same companionship when they are kept as pets (Social life, n.d., para. 2). There are many distinct behavioral characteristics that guinea pigs share that set them apart from other rodent species. Their unique vocalizations, humorous actions, and cuddly nature are sure to amuse any pocket pet lover. Guinea pigs seem to have their own unique language. There are many different sounds that can be heard when in the presence of these small rodents and all of these sounds have different meanings. Knowing what these sounds mean will help the owner to better understand their pet and assist in building a stronger relationship between them (McLeod, n.d., para. 1). One of the most common vocalizations of the guinea pig is called wheeking, this habitually corresponds with excitement for food or attention (McLeod, n.d., para. 3). Another sound that is frequently heard from a content guinea pig is called purring, this sound signifies that the animal is having a pleasurable experience, usually when being petted or while cuddling (McLeod, n.d., para. 4). If you ever hear teeth chattering it usually means that the animal is annoyed or angry and this is sometimes followed by showing of the teeth or a bite. Though it is uncommon for a guinea pig to display this type of aggressive behavior toward a person, it sometimes occurs when introducing two males. If this behavior occurs during an introduction, then the two males should be separated before one gets a chance to attack (McLeod, n.d., para.6). When guinea pigs are extremely frightened or hurt they will project a sound called shrieking. This is a very loud, high pitched, repetitive sound and if it is ever heard then the guinea pig should be thoroughly examined for any signs of injury (McLeod, n.d., para. 9). There are many other sounds that a guinea pig can produce, but they are heard less frequently or, in some cases, not at all. Guinea pigs also communicate by using body language that sometimes goes hand in hand with the distinct sounds they produce. Some gestures signify playfulness, whereas others may be a warning. Whatever the gesture may be, knowing what these actions mean will also help an owner to understand their pet. One gesture frequently observed is called popcorning. With a well deserved name, the animal will pop itself up into the air, often repeatedly, while tossing their head upward and kicking their hind legs back. This gesture is most frequently seen in younger guinea pigs and it signifies a very happy and playful animal (McLeod, n.d., para. 13). Among many other playful gestures that may be observed, there are also some behaviors that are intended to warn when a guinea pig is upset. When agitated, a guinea pig may stiffen its legs and head while rising its body up higher than usual, this is usually a good time to back off and let the animal have some space. Any number of aggressive behaviors may be combined depending on the severity of annoyance. Some of these behaviors include, but are not limited to, hissing, fluffing of the fur, and showing of the teeth (McLeod, n.d., para. 17). Once an owner has an understanding of their guinea pigs personality, both parties will share a very healthy and happy relationship. Appearance Guinea pigs usually grow to lengths of approximately ten inches long and weigh one to two pounds (Hirst, n.d., para. 2). They have stout bodies with a large and elongated head that is equivalent to approximately one third of their entire body length. Guinea pigs do not have tails and their ears are large and rounded (Pavia, 2005, p. 18). They have short stubby legs and small padded feet. Though guinea pigs may have little variance in shape and size, their coats come in a variety of colors, texture, and length. The wild cavy is usually only found in shades of gray or brown and generally have short to medium length fur. Through years of domestication, an outburst of different colors and coat types has been created (Forstadt, n.d., para. 6). There are many different breeds of guinea pigs but only 13 are recognized in the United States (Nash, n.d., para. 1). Each having their own unique physical characteristics, some breeds are Skinny, American, Coronet, and Texel. Ranging from almost hairless to very long hair, these breeds all have similar body types but look very different. The Skinny guinea pig is almost completely hairless but may have some patches of fur (Guinea pigs, 2008, para. 16). The American guinea pig is shorthaired and has a very smooth looking coat (Guinea pigs, 2008, para.8). Coronet guinea pigs have an extremely long coat that has a smooth appearance and requires special grooming, and the Texel guinea pig has a long coat that is very crimpy and wavy (Guinea pigs, 2008, para.4; para. 5). Seeing all of the different breeds that have been genetically mastered through intricate breeding portrays the passion that people have for these small pocket pets. GUINEA PIG HUSBANDRY Housing Providing an adequate clean space, a fresh wholesome diet, and meeting grooming needs are all essential for keeping a happy and healthy guinea pig. Guinea pigs are social animals, having a cage mate can do a lot for their health. It is recommended that males are not kept with other males; however, if they are litter mates they may get along nicely. Females and males get along great, as do females with other females. Guinea pigs can reproduce rather quickly, unless neutering is an option, it is not recommended to house a male and female together (Guinea pig care, n.d., para. 4). A minimum of four square feet should be kept for each guinea pig in the cage. They need room to exercise and get away from each other if they need too (Guinea pig care, n.d., para. 5). Guinea pigs sleep the best if they have their own covering to crawl in, providing some sort of cubby or dome for each animal in the cage is essential for good health. Besides providing a cage mate, hiding spaces and toys appropriate for guinea pigs in their habitat may help keep them from getting too bored (Guinea pig care, n.d., para. 8). It is essential to keep their environment as clean as possible with good ventilation. The bottom of a guinea pig cage should be solid with no wire or mesh lining; these types of surfaces are good for sanitation but can injure the animals feet. Glass aquariums do not provide enough ventilation, a solid plastic or metal base with a wired top is a great guinea pig environment (Guinea pig care, n.d., para. 5). The bedding used in a guinea pig cage should not be cedar or pine. Both of these woods contain oils that are bad for the animals health. Other types of wood shavings, hay, or grass may be appropriate (Guinea pig care, n.d., para. 7). Personally, I use an all natural paper bedding which, in my opinion, is the most safe and comfortable. It is thick and cotton ball-like and it produces little to no dust. Supplying everything in the guinea pigs cage to keep them comfortable and entertained is crucial. Diet Guinea pigs love to eat and they have some special needs when it comes to their diet. They have sensitive gastrointestinal tracts and providing an unlimited amount of timothy hay or orchard grass aids in their digestion (Vital vittles, 2009, para. 4). Commercial pellets should be fed everyday; however, only one eighth of one cup should be provided (Vital vittles, 2009, para. 2). Approximately one cup of a fresh leafy green mixture should be served daily as well as small amounts of fresh fruit and other fresh vegetables (Guinea pig feeding, 2009, para. 4). Some leafy green vegetables that should be offered on a daily basis are kale, mustard greens, spinach, romaine, and parsley (Vital vittles, 2009, para. 14). Vegetables that are good to feed, but less frequently, are carrots, celery, and sweet potatoes (Vital vittles, 2009, para. 15). Fruits should not be offered in large quantities because they contain excess amounts of sugar. Fruits are usually served as a treat and may include app les, pears, blueberries, kiwi, and strawberries (Vital vittles, 2009, para. 17). Not all fruits and vegetables are healthy to a guinea pig. Some foods that are not good for a guinea pigs health are iceberg lettuce, seeds, nuts, collard greens, bok choy, and beans (Vital vittles, 2009, para.16; para. 20). Guinea pigs need a lot of vitamin C to support their immune system, adding a supplement to their water and supplying vitamin C to their everyday diet is crucial for maintaining homeostasis (Vital vittles, 2009, para. 5). Grooming Grooming branches off into different things that prevent certain conditions that could potentially affect the animals health. Having continually growing teeth, the guinea pig lays at risk of a very painful condition. If proper materials to help wear down their teeth are not provided, their teeth can become over grown and possibly grow into other areas of their mouth. This condition could also prevent the animal from eating, resulting in starvation (Guinea pig pet care, n.d., para. 6). Personally, I provide things such as untreated wood blocks, toilet paper rolls, and a daily supply of hay to help keep the teeth a healthy length. In some cases, providing these items for the guinea pig may not work well enough and manual filing may be required. Just like the teeth, toenails can also become overgrown and uncomfortable. Toenails may be worn down naturally if a hard surface is provided in the cage, but sometimes they have to be trimmed manually (Guinea pig pet care, n.d. para. 5). Having a hairless or short haired guinea pig is less demanding then having a long haired guinea pig. They are generally clean animals and bathing is not required often; however, longhaired guinea pigs require frequent brushing to prevent knots from forming in their fur (Guinea pig pet care, n.d. para. 9). CONCLUSION Despite their original purpose in their native land, guinea pigs make excellent family pets. Their wacky gestures, unique sounds, and stout appearance are sure to make anyone crack a smile. Guinea pigs are the happiest when paired with another guinea pig. Providing good husbandry will reduce the risk of disease in any animal. While caring for a guinea pig does have some special demands, it is worth it.

Horatio in Shakespeares Hamlet Essay -- Custom Essays Hamlet

Horatio in Hamlet      Ã‚   In Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet, the closest friend of the hero is a fellow-student from Wittenberg (Granville-Barker 93), an intelligent and understanding young man by the name of Horatio. This essay seeks to carefully present his character.    Marchette Chute in â€Å"The Story Told in Hamlet† describes Horatio’s part in the opening scene of the play:    The story opens in the cold and dark of a winter night in Denmark, while the guard is being changed on the battlements of the royal castle of Elsinore. For two nights in succession, just as the bell strikes the hour of one, a ghost has appeared on the battlements, a figure dressed in complete armor and with a face like that of the dead king of Denmark, Hamlet’s father. A young man named Horatio, who is a school friend of Hamlet, has been told of the apparition and cannot believe it, and one of the officers has brought him there in the night so that he can see it for himself. The hour comes, and the ghost walks. (35)    Horatio, frightened, futilely confronts the ghost:    What art thou that usurp'st this time of night,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Together with that fair and warlike form   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In which the majesty of buried Denmark   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Did sometimes march? by heaven I charge thee, speak! (1.1)    Maynard Mack in â€Å"The World of Hamlet† maintains that Horatio’s words to the spirit â€Å"are subsequently seen to have reached beyond their contexts. . . (244). So Horatio and Marcellus exit the ramparts of Elsinore intending to enlist the aid of Hamlet, who is home from school. Hamlet is dejected by the â€Å"o’erhasty marriage† of his mother to his uncle less than two months after the funeral of Hamlet’s father (Gordon 128). Soon Horatio and Ma... ... Frank Cass & Co., Ltd., 1964. p.14-16. http://www.freehomepages.com/hamlet/other/essayson.htm#demag-ess N. pag.    Pitt, Angela. â€Å"Women in Shakespeare’s Tragedies.† Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Rpt. from Shakespeare’s Women. N.p.: n.p., 1981.    Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 1995. http://www.chemicool.com/Shakespeare/hamlet/full.html    West, Rebecca. â€Å"A Court and World Infected by the Disease of Corruption.† Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. from The Court and the Castle. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1957.    Wilkie, Brian and James Hurt. â€Å"Shakespeare.† Literature of the Western World. Ed. Brian Wilkie and James Hurt. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1992.   

The Home Depot Essay -- GCSE Business Marketing Coursework

The Home Depot Introduction Retailing building supply stores have become a popular retail industry sector due to increased public awareness and the need of many homeowners for the home improvement products. Back in the 1970s, long before warehouse stores ruled home improvement land, do-it-yourselfers shopped at â€Å"home centers.† These 30,000 square foot stores offered cheaper prices and wider selection of products, about 25,000 more than local hardware stores and eliminated the extra trip to the lumberyard. The dependence of many of these retailers upon the homebuilding industry for much of their business has also been reduced and the warehouse superstores, such as Home Depot, have become more important. The smaller companies in the retail building supply industry are facing economic difficulties as the industry leaders continue to dominate and warehouse super centers are becoming more evident. Company Overview Founded in 1978, The Home Depot is the world largest home improvement retailer and the third largest retailer in the United States followed by Lowe’s Companies, Inc. At the end of fiscal year 1999, the company was operating 930 stores, including 854 Home Depot stores, 15 Expo Design Center stores and 2 Villager’s Hardware stores in the United States; 53 Homes Depot in Canada; 4 Home Depot stores in Chile; and 2 Home Depot stores in Puerto Rico. In addition, they operated wholly owned subsidiaries Apex Supply Company, Georgia Lighting, Maintenance Warehouse and National Blinds and Wallpaper. They approximately employed 201,000 associates at the end of the year. The company has been publicly held since 1981. In 1978 when Bernard Marcus and Arthur Blank, executives with Handy Dan Home Improvement Centers, found themselves out of work after a corporate takeover at Handy Dan. Joined by Ronald Brill another Handy Dan employee; and Pat Farrah, former owner of Homeco, the world’s first home improvement warehouse, they mapped out plan for a bigger and better store catering to the needs of do-it-yourselfers. These Warehouse type stores, each averaging about 130,000 square feet, stock 40,000 to 50,000 home improvement products and are aimed mainly at the do-it-yourself trade. The stores however also attract many professional-building contractors. Products include lumber, floor and wall covering, hardware, paint, plumbing supplies, and tools. Home... ...eferences Lowe’s Companies, Inc. Declares Cash Dividend, PR Newswire, June 12, 2000 In an Expansion Mode, Lowe’s Sharpens its Customer Focus, The Weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network, June 5, 2000 p19 Lowe’s Companies Inc., The wall Street Journal, June 1, 2000 Lowe’s Outlines Focus on Customers at Annual Meeting, Pr Newswire, May 26, 2000 Lowe’s Eyes Markets for Growth, Corporate Financing Week, April 17, 2000, p3 Retailing building supply industry, The value Line Investment Survey, April 14,2000, p881 Lowe’s Annual Report, Fiscal Year 1999, Available at: http://www.Lowes.com/ Home Depot Annual Report, Fiscal Year 1999, Available at: http://homedepot.com/ Customer Service that is above and beyond, Philadelphia Business Journal, April 7, 2000 p42 We’re No.1 The Market Loves Top Dogs. Should you?, Fortune, March 6,2000 p446 The Home Depot reports 29% Increase in First Quarter Net Earning; Comparable Store Sales up 7%, PR Newswire, May 16, 2000 The Home Depot Looks to Floor Industry; Test Store Opens in Dallas this Summer, The weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network, March 27, 2000 p1 Carving a New Niche, Do It Yourself Retailing, September 1999, p49

Informations Management

Systems and Management Contents Executive Summary The reports sets about assessing HA Loge's current business operation both in the UK and India, this done by utilizing three analysis tools, SOOT analysis, PESTLE analysis and Porters Fiver Forces analysis. From the SOOT analysis the reports highlights several key points, which includes the potential of overseas sales in emerging economies and the benefits of having manufacturing faculties in India.The lack of developed e-commerce and the poor utilization of information technology advances have been highlighted as one of the biggest weakness of HA Loge's. The PESTLE analysis has shown that while traditional consumer (local councils) have less money to spend and sales may decline In the short term, the opportunities from a new ‘Affluent Achievers' market holds great promise. The desire for going ‘green' In both social attitudes and wider environmental laws is also an opportunity that can be exploited for HA Loge's gains.Por ters Five Forces has highlighted that threat of new entrants is high because the Entry barrier is high as many competitors try to earn market share in the business of street furniture. The bargaining power of buyers mains high due to councils trying to get the lowest price possible and high number companies who are sharing / or trying to enter the same market. Threat of substitute products remains low because of the high saturation of competitors producing similar products. Bargaining power of suppliers is also low thanks to the adduce of manufacturers offering highly competitive prices and low specialization within the market.A new IT portfolio has also been recommend for HA Loge's to implement, this includes a complete overhaul of the current ageing IT systems and new website as long as an active social media engagement. A new ERP is vital for HA Loge's future and it has been recommended that SAP be implemented across the company and a new website that will help increase sale with in the ‘Affluent Achievers' market. The risks of implementing such changes has also been factored in and explored in details, with the potential of possible issues occurring, such as staff training and skills.The effect that the new portfolio will have on both the suppliers and customers of HA Loge's has also been explored and in conjunction with the implementation timeshare, has highlighted the need for a well organized and structured phasing to the new systems. The recommendation is that HA Loge's take a multi phased approach to implementing the new systems that includes a pre-stage of evaluation of staff and their ability to use the new systems and a comprehensive training program .This will be followed by a trial run of the new systems, a soft and partial changeover and then finally a complete switch to the new system, whilst keeping the old systems for 2-3 months as a backup. Following the situational analysis of HA Loge's current business and the assessment of its IT req uirements, our recommendations on what HA Loge's requires for the future will allow it to succeed ND grow into new markets and remain profitable for the following years. 1 . Situational Analysis and Strategic Direction 1. 1 . SOOT Analysts 1. . 1 Strengths As it can be seen from the above table, H. A Logon & Sons, are in an advantageous situation compared to other companies, especially in the United Kingdom. The fact that the company was established since 1952 and has shown stability economically through time allows the opportunity to create a very strong and powerful name. The brand potential can allow immediate expansion and takeover of the U. K market rely due to its relationship with the local councils and the existing top of quality product range they have.The market is growing and the low competition may allow the company to become market leaders. The Polls group have conducted a market analysis which shows that a lot of the street furniture companies are under immediate dange r (Pillions, 2014). The possession of the Indian factory reduces the cost and provides a better advantage on the pricing of the products since they can be offered at lower prices. The weaknesses described in the SOOT analysis can be fully exploited and used to the company's advantage.The creation of a website and use of social networking will allow easier market penetration and provide easier and cost effective means to reach the target segmentations. It is however noteworthy that the relationship between the H. Q. In India and U. K should be worked on, as this can be beneficial to the client. Better organizational behavior would effectively mean a better working environment and consequently more efficient production. The operations management could be well benefited from such a change. . 1. 3 Opportunities The opportunities created since the budget for immediate reformation came into existence are extensive in various directions. By creating a patriotic slogan, it will enable the e nhancement of the company's image, thus gaining an advantage over other competitors, especially since the major clients of the investigating market are the councils. One can argue that here is no better way to spend the tax payer's money to a native company with a lot of history of consistent quality and relations.The Lugubrious University can be funded in PhD to offer extensive research on LED Lighting. Especially since LED lighting market is about to increase by 20% McKinney&Company, 2012) and surpass 20 billion USED by 2020 (Technology, 2014). Biding may be done in the Chinese projects ready to be released in 2017. This is due to the fact that the Chinese government had a problem with the already installed LED Lighting and are expected to replace the lighting introduced. 0-15 to street lighting companies will be able to bid on the project (Magazine, 2007-2014). There is the chance to enter the Chinese market with an upgraded and more professional image. A more environmental frien dly approach will attract attention. 1. 1. 4 Threats Even though threats may not be originated from the immediate environment, a company that is trying to expand globally needs to evaluate any potential threat worldwide. The growing expertise of U. S and China on LED lighting may be proven difficult to reach.However with effective research, the knowledge can be obtained and surpass the existing threats. There is growing competition in the Far East and these companies may be favored and correctly encountered. In conclusion, H. A Logon & Sons can expand in other markets such as the Chinese market. They can reach the market segmentation ‘affluent achievers' through proper marketing and anally they can even expand in the direction of street advertising with minimum costs but great profits.This can be achieved because street furniture is already sold in the local councils. Advertising is a very powerful tool for expansion as it can provide instant change in profits and promotion of the company. This idea is already exploited by Caduceus, a French company Caduceus, 2014) and the market is suspected to reach 35. 5 billion USED by 2016 (Edition, 2014). Key factors for this increase are arbitration, meliorating global economy and digital out of home advertising. 1. 2. PESTLE AnalysisTechnological Technological Improvements Company's spending on R (PhD) Access to newest technology Social Media (development & Usage) Socio-cultural Educational Level CEO – friendly habits Turning into Charity Organizations 0 Corporate Social Responsibility (Eunice or other corporations) New market Different culture organizational Culture (India Manufacture) Population growth Attitudes towards saving and investing ‘Affluent Achievers' Attitudes towards product quality and customer service Political Government regulations Economic policies Tax policy Trade restrictions Economic Inflation rateI-J is growing economically so more spending to normal products. (Business Economi cs) China ready to offer projects (LED lights? ) Exchange rates (entering global market) Fiscal policies (India) Growth rates Labor cost minimized Trade flows and patterns (PhD) Environmental Recycling Waste management Attitude toward ‘green' or ecological products Legal Law that affects the business environment in Asia Vs. law in the UK Industry specific regulations e-commerce From deducting a PESTLE analysis three major points can be derived and should be exploited. Firstly, countries nowadays are trying to be as CEO-friendly as possible.The CEO-friendly awareness is increasingly more popular, therefore the company should follow an environmental approach. By producing street furniture or more products in particular street lighting that indeed are environmental friendly, the company can attract buyers. Entering an CEO-friendly mode will show sensitivity company. Thus the councils will be more attracted to the company's products since they will benefit from the CEO-friendly ap proach. Secondly, the current recession is fading away and the coming years will be marked with an economic boom since England is recovering effectively from the economic crisis (Oxalate, 2013).The increase in income will provide increase in demand as there is a positive relationship between the two variables. This would inevitably mean that the market of the ‘affluent achievers' will also increase and this is the market that Loge's should concentrate on. A report by the ALGA shows that between 2011 and 201 5 spending cuts will amount to 33% in real terms. It is clear to see that the previous strong consumer base in local councils may falter and as a source of revenue may not be growing, least not in the short term. Therefore Loge's should be more aggressive with contract bidding.This also leads to a secondary point that out cash flow in the short term maybe less and more opportunities must be sought out, as well as a better financing (Association, 2013). Thirdly, political fa ctors are defined as political issues which can occur in the company, in the areas where the company is operating, both nationwide and worldwide. The effect on business and legislation can be done by political changes and globalization. Government regulations, tax policy and trade restrictions are the main factors that should be taken into notice.Finally, technology is rapidly developing, especially in countries as USA and China hat are more advanced in markets of LED lighting or even street advertising. By investing in technology and creating Research and Development support teams, the company may expertise in LED Lighting sector and can increase its product range such as including interactive panels, which allow advertising to occur. The company may not be directly involved with the advertising but they can actually sell or rent the panels to the local councils.The councils can choose whether to advertise events or other companies for personal profit. The PESTLE analysis did not r aise any flags to any legal concerns or any other matter of the type. 1. 3. Porter five forces The threat of new entrants is high. The company is a market leader in I-J and competitors abroad, bigger companies that have better technological equipment and are trying to earn market share in the business of street furniture. They also have better relationships with councils abroad, since Loge's company has relationships mainly in UK and isn't established long enough abroad.Furthermore, these companies can take advantage of their bigger brand awareness and make agreements more easily than Lagan's company. However, Supply -Side economies of scale are exploited for Loge's since they own their supply factory. This spreads the fixed costs over more units. This deters entry by forcing the ‘aspired entrant' to come in the industry on a large scale production or accept a cost disadvantage. Finally incumbency advantages are independent of size. This effectively means that H. A. Loge's are not easily threatened by potential entrants due to their geographic location Cobber, 2010).The bargaining power of suppliers is low. The company has the opportunity to collaborate with many manufacturers as suppliers, which allows the company to easily make an agreement with another supplier. There is sufficiency f raw materials, which doesn't allow suppliers to have monopoly on them. Bulk buying can be used and this will result in having discount in price during purchasing. The bargaining power of buyers is high due to the large volume of business agreements between the company and the councils for a wide range of products. Failing at the negotiations with the councils can result in losing a wide range of business projects.Their high power gives them the allowance to force down prices and the Loge's company shall accept it since there is the threat of their competitors. The threat of substitute products is low. All companies in the street furniture business manufacture almost the same products and there are no known substitutes. LED lights and panels could be characterized as substitute products, but there aren't brought in the East Midlands market yet (assumption). In the case that the substitutes are considered high, Loge's should distance itself from substitutes through product performance and marketing.The threat of intense segment rivalry is high. In UK during the last years many companies were obliged to exit the street furniture market because of the economic crisis. The companies that survived Loge's company), managed to dominate in the I-J market, but as it seems lately there is an increasing number of big companies from abroad that are trying to enter and invest in this market. â€Å"Rivalry is especially destructive to profitability if it gravitates solely to price because price competition transfers profits directly from an industry to its customers†.The new market of ‘affluent achievers' will likely draw new entrants due to the chan ce of exploitation. Care should be considered to avoid the above statement. Although H. A Loge's will be the first to enter they should do so in a manner that will allow them to establish their network with brand recognition, excellence in customer service and price stability (E. Porter, 2008). 2. Metrics,'Kip At H Logan, attention has always been paid mostly to their financial metrics as opposed to the inputs that drive the numbers.In this section, other possible performance metrics will be discussed according to the new proposed strategy plan. Financial metrics are like descriptive statistics and says something unique about a characteristic of the whole body of data that might not be obvious from merely reviewing individual finance figures (Tax, 2009). Firms and management require an objective way to measure performance so more often than not, it's easier to go straight into the result and forgetting to measure also what led to those results.Financial metrics are useful but should n't be used on its own because financial performance is a result or consequence of something else (Tax, 2009). Operating metrics are the inputs that correlate or drive the desired outcome, if more attention is paid to the operating metrics then financial outputs wouldn't be a big issue for the organization. Examples of these operating metrics include customer satisfaction, customer repetition, customer referral rate, quality of product etc. This is the aspect of metrics this report will focus on (Tax, 2009). 2. 1 . New Proposed Strategy for H.Logan More friendly environmental products(CEO-friendly products) Exploitation of the ‘Affluent Achievers' market Investment in research and development team Extension/Reduction in product line Adequate HER staff to deal with staff issues/concerns especially the issue between the Indian office and the WHQL Set clear goals and objectives Encourage customer and staff feedback Possible reduction in staff from both branches(the I-J and India) and training the Taft removed from the office to become call centre staff where they can deal with customer enquiries, queries, complaints and orders (e-commerce) Provision of services, e. . Offering delivery and installation services etc. Website, proper marketing strategy Introduction of new IT software (SAP software) 2. 2. Potential New Metrics for H. Logan Metrics are used for a variety of reasons. Metrics such as market share, sales increases, margins, and customer satisfaction surveys enable firms to take stock of where they are now and where they want to be in the future (Houses & Katz, 1998). Hauser and Katz, 1998 suggest that every metric will affect actions and decisions whether used mainly to influence behavior, to evaluate future strategies, or to take stock.An ideal metrics system should be tied to overall profit, apply to all employees and be designed to encourage extra effort, however if stretched to the limit can result in counter-productive actions. Relating these metrics back to H. Logan, below is an ideal list of what metrics should be measured in their company. Measurement of how their products and services are perceived in the market- this an be done by market research to determine if people view their products as high end luxury or affordable but quality products etc.Measure how much these ‘affluent achievers' are willing to spend on lighting and how often they purchase household goods. Organization views it as well. Find out what the customers want- by measuring how often they repeat orders, refer the organization's products to their friends and family, or how often they cancel orders, and how many customers never return to H. Logan to buy goods. The Voice of the Employee- this can be measured by finding out what the employees ant, what they value. This can lead to enabling employees make decisions and take actions that they know are going to be necessary to achieve their metrics-based goals.A balanced score card system will be im plemented in the next part to get fair balance of the new metrics to be measured. 2. 3. Balanced Scorecard A balanced scorecard is a strategic management system used to align business activities to the vision and strategy of the organization, improve internal and external communications, and monitor organization performance against strategic goals (Kaplan & Norton, 2007). The balanced scorecard is a management system that enables organizations to clarify their vision and strategy and translate them into action.It provides feedback around both the internal business processes and external outcomes in order to continuously improve strategic performance and results. When fully deployed, the balanced scorecard transforms strategic planning from an academic exercise into the nerve centre of an enterprise. The balanced scorecard suggests that we view the organization from four perspectives, and to develop metrics, collect data and analyze it relative to each of these perspectives which inc lude: The learning and growth perspective- This entails employee training and corporate cultural attitudes related to both individual and corporate self- improvement.It is the most essential foundation for the success of any organization. The business process perspective- this allows the managers to know how well their business is performing and if it matches their customer requirements. This system should be implemented by those who know the system inside and out. The customer perspective-customer focus and perspective is important in any organization and most organizations are beginning to realize the importance of their customers. If customers aren't satisfied, it is likely that they will find those suppliers/ organizations that satisfy them.So measuring what customers want and like the type of customers they are and the processes that need to be followed is essential. The financial perspective- this is the traditional way of measuring metrics but still useful in measuring the ad ditional financial-related data, such as risk assessment The learning and Growth perspective The business process Perspective The customer The financial goals. Measurement of how much the ‘affluent achievers' are willing to spend on lighting ND how often they purchase household goods.Measurement of how their products and services are perceived in the market place by carrying out a market research to determine if people view their products as high-end luxury or affordable but quality products etc. Do the consumers view the products ‘attributes as the same attributes the organization views it as well. Find out what the customers want by measuring how often they repeat orders, refer the organization's products to their friends and family, or how often they cancel orders, and how many customers never return to H.A. Loge's to buy goods. How much is available to spend on the new strategy and development. If there isn't adequate funding, how will the organization source for fun ds. How much profitability lies in the development of the new developments/ strategy/plan. Measurement of how much the new systems will cost and how to priorities the funding of the new system. Measurement of the cost of training staff, R costs and risk assessment. Measurement of the cost of marketing and developing new website. . Portfolio of Systems 3. 1 . Portfolio Enterprise Resource Planning can be crucial to a business, especially one as out- dated as this. As in any other business, processes essential to its success include inventory and order management, accounting, human resources and customer relationship management. At its most basic level ERP Software ‘integrates these various functions into one complete system to streamline the process and information across the entire organization' (Devonshire, 2014).First and foremost the company needs to invest in the current website as it is over 10 years old. In today's technological age, online content is more vital than eve r so as not to fall behind. The Internet is the way most potential customers will search for H. A Logon & sons and if market emphasizes their greater need to invest in this part of the business. Loge's finds itself under intensive pressure from new competition abroad, so they must have some sort of product differentiation to really show prospective customers what they are all about.They should also look to add a separate section to the website specifically for the home solutions potential market. They are what kept the business going when their competitors disappeared and it fits in very well with the strategy to exploit the ‘Affluent Achievers' market. This is a new market opportunity and one that must be seized so H. A Logon & sons can progress to the next level. Due to the cost and long-term maintenance of the website, it would be appropriate to outsource the website production and maintenance too professional company.The company will also need to invest in new IT systems b ecause what exists has been running for over 35 years and has become increasingly unstable. It is important to realize that ‘an ERP system that is not the right fit tends to weigh down the entire organization' (lyre, 2012), this is why we have taken special care in narrowing down possible systems the company could use such as Oracle, Sage and SAP. Oracle represents more of an integrated system, while Sage pride themselves on the ease of use but the most suitable system for H. A Logon & Sons is the ‘SAP business objects solutions' system.This we believe brings a far more holistic process to the table and helps solve some of the problems they have now and reduce the overall cost that comes with implementation. SAGE and Oracle might be better at certain aspects but the SAP system is more consistent across the board as the feature analysis (table 1 below) depicts. ‘The evaluation of the ERP process must consider usability as a critical success factor' (lyre, 2012) and this is what the SAP system ensures. It provides an intuitive means to unify the information that business users need for their daily activities.It eliminates the need to access multiple applications, providing relevant information form a central location'. This as we can see will already eliminate the problem the company has had over the years where they have to input the same data several times because some systems aren't integrated. It comes with ‘Large Scale information distribution', which is very useful as the company has bases in both England and India. This helps because the platform supports distribution of content o up to 1 million recipients and allows the workers have all they need available to them.The most important integration this system brings is helping the company make decisions based on the whole picture. As mentioned earlier, ERP integrates many aspects such as HER, operations etc. The problem with this is that we tend to gain individual views based on the se aspects but the SAP system gives a ‘unified view of the businesses and enables its users to gain fresh new perspectives. Using the Package approach is beneficial as it's cheaper and can be tailored to the needs of the company. Weightings SAP SAGE Oracle