Zzzz Best - 919 Words

Ernst amp; Whinney had an obligation to be independent, objective and with due care.Objectivity requires that an auditor should be skeptical and obtain independent evidence to verify information from the client. Ernst amp; Whinney failed to meet this obligation when they did not require corroboration of the insurance restoration contracts from independent third parties. When Ernst amp; Whinney resigned from the audit engagement,they had a professional obligation to disclose the reason for the withdrawal. Due care requires that an auditor discharges professional responsibilities with competence and diligence. It imposes the obligation to perform professional services to the best of the auditor’s ability with concern for the best†¦show more content†¦It imposes the obligation to perform professional services to the best of the auditor’s ability with concern for the best interest of the public. 1. I think that auditors should be held liable for failing to discover fraud. There are many ways the fraud could have been discovered over the years if the auditors performed an objective audit that followed rules and regulations. It is an auditor’s obligation to perform an audit with objectivity, skepticism, independence, and objectivity. Ernst amp; Whinney failed to meet these criteria. The auditors did not follow professional skepticism because when Minkow asked them to sign a confidentiality agreement to not follow up with any contractors, insurance companies, or building owners. This is not something to simply accept from Minkow. Ernst clearly did not perform a thorough audit and did not perform the necessary tests for reasonableness. 2. Ernst and Whinney should have seen a red flag from the start because there was an unreasonable growth in his company and he lived an extremely extravagant lifestyle. Minkow also had problems meeting his loan debt and there were many i nconsistencies in ZZZZ invoices. I think that the relationship between Ernst and ZZZZ did influence the risk assessment and the work done in the audit. Because Ernst did not want to lose ZZZZ as its biggest client, the work was not done objectively. There was a bias because Ernst wanted to keep the â€Å"wiz† of wallShow MoreRelatedZzzz Best987 Words   |  4 Pagesextending $ 7 million to ZZZZ Best Co. I agree with court’s decision because Ernst Whinney never issued an audit opinion on financial statements it was just a review report which was disclosed. However, I do not justify Ernst Whinney because the auditors besides from failure to notice ‘red flags’ had done few mistakes which lead to the law suit. The first mistake that the auditors made involved Mr. George Greenspan during the 1986 audit. This was the first audit since ZZZZ Best became a public companyRead MoreZzzz Best3065 Words   |  13 PagesCase 4-6 ZZZZ Best* The story of ZZZZ Best is one of greed and audaciousness. It is the story of a 15-year old boy from Reseda, California who was driven to be successful regardless of the costs. His name is Barry Minkow. Minkow had high hopes to make it big – to be a millionaire very early in life. He started a carpet cleaning business in the garage of his home. Minkow realized early on that he was not going to become a millionaire cleaning other people’s carpets. He had bigger plansRead MoreZzzz Best Case 1.9577 Words   |  3 Pages1. Ernst Whinney never issued an audit opinion on financial statements of ZZZZ Best but did issue a review report on the company’s quarterly statements for the three months ended July 31, 1986. How does a review differ from an audit, particularly in terms of assurance implied by the auditor’s report? A review and an audit report are both a form of an attestation engagement. A Review, however, is less in scope so it provides a moderate level of assurance on the financial statements. It is consideredRead MoreZZZZ Best Company: The Backlash Essay845 Words   |  4 PagesCase 1.9 ZZZZ Best Company, Inc, 1. Ernst amp; Whinney audit firm suffered tremendously from the backlash of ZZZZ Best’s case. One of the issues stemming from ZZZZ Best’s case is the difference between a review and an audit as evidence by civil suit filed by a California bank against the firm. The bank claimed that its decision to grant ZZZZ Best’s loan was based on the opinion of Ernst amp; Whinney review of ZZZZ Best’s financial statements period ending July 31, 1986. The case was ruled in favorRead MoreEssay on ZZZZ Best Case: Questions801 Words   |  4 PagesACG 4632 ZZZZ Best Case Questions (40 points) 1. Identify the primary audit objectives that auditors hope to accomplish by: * Confirming a client’s year-end accounts receivable, and (Balance related existence) * Performing year-end sales cutoff tests. (transaction-related objective timing) (5 points) 2. Ernst amp; Whinney never issued an audit opinion on financial statements of ZZZZ Best but did issue a review report on the company’s quarterly statements for the threeRead MoreAccounting Frauds: ZZZZ Best Company, Inc1022 Words   |  5 PagesZZZZ Best company is one of the biggest examples of Accounting Frauds. The founder of ZZZZ best was Barry Minkow. He was a very smart young entrepreneur when he started the company. He was involved in credit card forgeries prior to starting his own carpet cleaning business â€Å"ZZZZ Best Company†. Minkow began his business with small carpet cleaning jobs and he became a multimillionaire in a very short period of time. Minkow met a person named Tom Padgett at Los Angeles Health club. This was the beginningRead MoreZZZZ Best Company, Inc: An Analysis3666 Words   |  15 PagesZZZZ Best Company Inc. Introduction This paper explores the ZZZZ Best Company which was begun by a 16 year old individual who was able to pull the wool over the eyes of many customers, investors and auditors. This paper will define the difference between review and audit when it comes to financial reports, comments on the procedures provided with regard to the management assertion of occurrence, verification of payments for jobs and how they can lead auditors to improper conclusion, the purposeRead MoreZZZZ Best Case Study: Understanding Audit and Review1205 Words   |  5 Pagesresponses to inquiries by obtaining corroborating evidence through inspection, observation or any other audit procedure. It can point out significant matters of the financial statements but does not provide assurance of their accuracy. The issue with ZZZZ Best case is that the auditors review was not sufficient enough to review any misstatements on the financial statements. Ernst Whinney never questioned the internal control, reviewed contra ctual agreements or made comparison of the previous statementsRead MoreZZZZ Best Company Fraud: Case Study1772 Words   |  8 PagesZZZZ Best Company Fraud Case Study 1) At an early age, Barry Minkow was introduced to the carpet cleaning industry by his mother who worked part time as a telephone solicitor for a small carpet cleaning company. This insight of the industry allowed Minkow to understand that the carpet cleaning industry was one which had very few barriers to entry, no licensing requirements, and required only a small amount of capital to enter. Also, because of these few barriers to entry, the industry has historicallyRead MoreCase Analysis : Zzzz Best Company, Inc.1688 Words   |  7 Pages 1. Read Case 1.9, ZZZZ Best Company, Inc. in your text. Answer questions #1, 2, and 4 found at the end of the case. Question # 1 A review is like an audit yet is less in extension and just gives restricted affirmation with respect to the financial statements. This varies with an audit that gives sensible affirmation that no material mistakes or illicit acts are detected. The goal of an audit is to give a sensible freedom of expressed opinion the money related proclamations taken all in all. A

The Struggle Of The Former Slave Equiano - 1992 Words

Enzo Fernandez ENG392 -1702 Prof. Marino October 16, 2015 â€Å"The Struggle of the former Slave Equiano† Why practice a religion or claim to have some sort of moral standards and beliefs when yourself behavior contradicts your religion. There are numerous religions with many roles, some have similarities and many have their differences. What really matters is remaining loyal and devoted to your religion, by not using religion as a source for power and wealth; follow by the cruelty, mistreatment and injustice actions to other human. In this essay ill will analyze and demonstrate in how work exposes hypocrisy in institutionalized race relations by using supportive information from the following text The interesting life interesting life of Olaudah Equiano. This text is an autobiography of a former African slave who was kidnapped and forced to serve as a slave, throughout Equiano s serving experiences he encountered several worshippers who engaged in the hypocrisy of slavery; As Equiano travels from place to place encountering diffe rent cultures, moral, and behavior, Equiano learns to read and write and as he travel he started to distinguish the true Christianity. As Equiano went along he compares all religions to the one he was first introduced as a child, he compares their morals, behavior, beliefs; after all his comparison he decides to convert to the religion that best suited him. Hypocrisy has been define as imitating merit in a false pretense of being virtues,Show MoreRelatedThe Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa, the African938 Words   |  4 PagesBorn in 1745, Equiano was born a member of the Igbo tribe in a village called Essaka in the kingdom of Benin. He describes Essaka as a remote and fertile village where slavery is a part of life. Born into a family of seven, Equiano is the youngest of six sons and the greatest favourite of his mother. One day, when he and his sister were left to mind their house while their people were gone to their work, they were both kid napped and enslaved, violating the unwritten rules that slaves should onlyRead MoreOlaudah Equiano s Narrative Of Slavery1061 Words   |  5 PagesOlaudah Equiano was one of the most famous black men in the history of slavery who was fortunate enough to purchase his own freedom. In addition, Equiano becomes extremely popular by writing his first slave narrative in 1789. In his autobiography named The interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano he emphasized various aspects of slavery throughout the entire book. In the narrative, he establishes his perspective about himself, God and Slavery. He was definably a man of motivation forRead MoreThe Interesting Narrative Life of Olaudah Equiano and Amistad604 Words   |  3 Pagesnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; CoMpArE and CoNtRaSt nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Both, â€Å"The Interesting Narrative Life of Olaudah Equiano† and â€Å"Amistad† are important stories about slavery in pre-civil war america because they both address the issues of slavery. These gentlemen in the story made a difference in the slave trade. In â€Å"The life of Olaudah Equiano†, Olaudah was sold on a slave ship that came to the Barbados. Olaudah worked for his freedom, and in the end became efficient in American language. HeRead MoreA Motley Crew in American Revolution 1 Essay713 Words   |  3 PagesA Motley Crew in the American Revolution – Vectors of Revolution In the chapter â€Å"A Motley Crew in the American Revolution† authors Peter Linebaugh and Marcus Rediker imply that sailor, slave and labor revolts set the stage for the American Revolution. Throughout this chapter of the book â€Å"The Many-Headed Hydra† the authors listed and cited historical facts to support their claim that a †Motley Crew† (multiethnic, multiracial and organized group of people with a common goal) not just inspiredRead MoreTranscendentalism : An American Artistic And Philosophical Movement1823 Words   |  8 Pagesadmired the former great thinkers of the world from Aristotle and Jesus to Copernicus and Newton for their confidence and persistence in the face of opposition. The movement encouraged many in the United States to express their creativity and live originally. Ralph Waldo Emerson was a leading Transcendentalist writer, who advocated for confidence, originality, honesty, and freedom for all people, and his essay called â₠¬Å"Self-Reliance† summarizes his views of nonconformity. Former slave and abolitionistRead More Adaptation of Modern African-American Writers814 Words   |  4 Pagesconditions that plagued Africans during slavery and the slave trade. By reading the actual words, thoughts, and feelings of these enslaved Africans, modern writers receive information from the perspective of the victimized. Lucille Cliftons slaveship is a vivid example of a contemporary writer borrowing from the past to depict another account of the slave trade. The fact that Cliftons father told her stories about her familys struggle and she, herself, traced her lineage back to Dahomey, WestRead MoreSelfdom in Slavedom: Gustavus Vassa1503 Words   |  7 PagesFrom Africa, to Barbados, to Virginia, to a ship that travels the British Empire, if a steady location were the basis of identity, Olaudah Equiano would surely have none. However, he still develops a specific identity throughout his narrative, a striking task as he is ripped away from the family and culture he is born into and then never remains in one place for too long. In contrast to this, Harriet Jacobs develops an identity based largely on the family and community that surround her. Jacobs andRead MoreEssay about Influences of the Revolutionary Era1587 Words   |  7 Pagesactions of numerous individuals of the past. Three highly influential individuals of seventeenth century America were Abigail Adams, the second first lady of United States; Benjamin Franklin, an innovator and political powerhouse; and Olaudah Equiano, a slave that acquired his freedom and went on to write an autobiography of his journey. Abigail Adams â€Å"Abigail Adams became one of the revolutionary era’s most articulate and influential women† (Foner, 2012, pg. 211). The second child of William SmithRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Upon The Burning Of Our House 1279 Words   |  6 Pagesvarying tendrils) has helped unify our nation for centuries. The founders of what is today the United States of America came over to this continent avoiding persecution for their religion from European powers. While there have been plethora wars and struggles across Europe over religion, thankfully they have never showed their face in America, although it is most certainly a part of our heritage. However, it can not be said that Christianity is the only influence that has been exerted on the AmericanRead More Interpretations of Slavery Essay3734 Words   |  15 Pagesare present in all forms of slavery. Slaves were property and objects, not subjects of the law. Slaves had few rights, always fewer than their owners. Slave were also limited to few social activities and were not allowed to participate in political decisions. Finally, any earnings aquired by slaves by law belonged to their master. Also, slaves were prevented from making their own choices regarding physical reproduction. Western slavery took each of these slave characteristics to a new level and as

Being Human free essay sample

Bow down to your princess. Those were the silly fancies of a seven-year-old child. Ten years ago I dreamed of talking animals, dolls that could turn alive, and magic. My world revolved around fantasies that oftentimes emerged from the alternate universe of books. I wholeheartedly bought into the illusion that anything is possible and dreams do come true. So while other kids my age rejected the idea of the Tooth Fairy and jolly old Saint Nick, I firmly stood my ground. If anything was possible then a chubby old man could fit into the chimney and a fairy could exchange a tooth for a gift. Ten years later I realized how absurd my beliefs and dreams were. Santa does not exist and the gift under my pillow came not from the Tooth Fairy but, rather, from my mom. Not all dreams can come true and not anything is possible. Despite that realization, however, I still dream. We will write a custom essay sample on Being Human or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Of course, I no longer dream of absurd fantasies; unicorns, wizards, Chuckie—the killer-doll—they no longer dominate my mind. I dream, rather, of success. To me, what matters most is the ability to dream. Dreams are what make us human. Dreams are what keep us striving everyday to improve our lives. Without dreams we would be nothing more than robots living in an endless cycle of repetition. Each day would be a routine. Wake up, brush teeth, go to school, eat, sleep. There would be no yearning, no desire, no want. Dreams allow me to differentiate myself from you; because our dreams differ, our path in life and beliefs will also differ. You and I, we may reach for the same sky, but we don’t reach for the same stars. We both inhabit Earth, but so long as we dream different dreams you can proudly say that you are you and I can honestly say that I am me. I do not want to wake up one day only to realize that I am nothing more than an automaton. I want to be unique. I want to be an individual. I want to be human. To fill the shell, that is my body, with my own special soul I will continue to dream.

Reed Supermarkets

Case Briefing The case involves Reed Supermarkets Company, which constitutes a regional grocery store with a considerable market share of the local industry. The supermarket chain has 192 stores operating in two regional distribution centres in the same country. The centres have employed more than 20,000 individuals in the United States (Carlson and Quelch 1).Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Reed Supermarkets specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, the case is focused on the company’s target market in Ohio, specifically in Columbus, which makes its largest market (Carlson and Quelch 1). Despite considerable growth being observed in the Columbus market, the market share for Reed Supermarkets is reported to have decreased in this region over the last half a decade. The entry of new companies in the market has meant new competition for Reed with a stagnating the market share. Some of the factors in the market that have made the company underperform include changes in the customer preferences. Their customers have different preferences for value and quality from those that existed in the last few years. The company has not responded adequately to these fundamental changes. The chief executive officer has noted that the reason why Reed is stagnating is due to the poor strategies in place. Therefore, he has tasked the executives in the company to concoct a new strategy that will help the company achieve a revenue growth of 2% (Carlson and Quelch 1). Problem Statement The company and the individuals face a number of problems to which they must offer solutions. The challenge that these individuals face is how to increase the market share from the current 14% to 16% without making customers change the high brand image that they perceive of the company (Carlson and Quelch 1). However, the individuals who are tasked with increasing the market share for Reed Supermarkets will feel a numbe r of challenges. The first thing is that the company faces significant competition from the existing and new market players. The market is also fragmented. It will be difficult for Reed Supermarkets to secure a fast increase in the market share under these conditions. Therefore, the executives must devise creative ways of achieving this goal. The other challenge that they face is in the operating margin. The operating margin is at 2.1%. This means that the strategies they employ must be effective enough to ensure that the company uses the least possible resources. The third constraint that the company faces is in the expansion plan. The poor strategies that have been employed in the past have been insufficient to allow the expansion of Reed Supermarkets.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This applies for the financial year of 2010 (Carlson and Quelch 1). Despite the desir e to increase the market share, the company has not set up an investment plan that will oversee the increase in the number of stores that it operates in the region and in the county in general (Carlson and Quelch 1). Therefore, the problem is to achieve the increase in market share for Reed Supermarkets with the limited resources and poor past strategies. SWOT Analysis Strengths Reed has several strengths that are important in the realisation of the planned strategies. According to Sarin, Challagalla, and Kohli (566), the strengths of a company are important in the evaluation and assessment of the success that the strategies it puts in place will be achieved. One of the strengths that Reed has is that it has significant experience in handling private label merchandise (Carlson and Quelch 1). This strategy is important in the improvements for the customer selection practices that will lead to better performance. The other strength is that the area of Ohio that Reed Supermarkets has e stablished itself is rich in high-income consumers. This observation is strength to the company because it will lead to the promotion of high-end products that are recognised as beneficial to the company’s performance (Carlson and Quelch 1). The executive officers also recognise that Reed is a renowned brand whose awareness by people comes from the quality products that it offers (Carlson and Quelch 1). Therefore, it might be easy to promote the company and its operations and hence significant improvement in the market share. Weaknesses Despite the existence of the above strengths, there are also several weaknesses in the company and its strategies. The main weaknesses include the limited product selection that customers have from the organisation (Carlson and Quelch 1). According to Carlson and Quelch (1), the product selection that an organisation manages to adopt is crucial to its performance in the market. For Reed Supermarkets, product selection may be improved through a n increase in the experience that the company has in private label merchandise (Carlson and Quelch 1). The second weakness for Reed Supermarkets is the customer perception that exists on its products. The supermarket chain is perceived to have low-value products, which this may affect its performance (Carlson and Quelch 1). This weakness may be corrected through the change of perceptions of customers, although this move will require adequate marketing and promotion.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Reed Supermarkets specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Opportunities Reed has processed some opportunities in the development of a strategy that will see a 2% annual growth in market share for the company. The first opportunity is the increasing growth in the local economy. The area is said to be emerging from poor economic performance that has been present in the last few years. Therefore, the purchasing power of the residents is likely to improve. Improvement in purchasing power means improvement for the retail companies in the area. Hence, this outcome translates to improved performance for Reed Supermarkets. The second opportunity is the improved international economy, which means that the company may engage in international expansion to improve its performance. Carlson and Quelch (1) claim that a company that aims to increase its local dominance in an area must also focus on other markets. The company also has labour as the other opportunity that it can utilise in its expansion and improvement agendas. The large number of employees may be trained on how to increase efficiency and to achieve individual and organisational improvement. Threats The main threat that the company faces is the increased number of competitors in the market. This increase is likely to bring intensified competition to the company in addition to the aspirations of increasing its market share. The other threat to this c ompany’s strategy of having an increase in the market share is the perception of customers about the company’s products. The company’s customers view Reed as a high-end company. This means that some of them are not able to purchase items. However, this situation may be changed through price modifications. Position Mapping Reed has a good position in the market. Thus, it manages to stay ahead of most of its competitors in the area. Some of the companies that are important to consider while positioning the company include Wholefood, Delfina, Costo, Family Dollar, and Trade Joe’s (Carlson and Quelch 1).Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In the positioning of quality, the company may be positioned above Costo, Family Dollar and Trade Joe’s. Wholefood is the only company to offer a higher quality than Reed in the area. In the pricing category, the company also performs better than Family Dollar, Costo, and Trade Joe’s, with a higher price for its items. However, Delfina has higher prices compared to Reed, with Wholefood ranking highest in the category. The product positioning is compatible with the company’s performance. It is renowned for high quality products, products that have been imported from other nations and natural and organic products (Carlson and Quelch 1). The challenge will be to maintain the product positioning while ensuring an increase in the same over the period within which the strategy is to be implemented. The pricing of the products in the organisation has to take the consideration of customers. This means that prices have to be according to the value that is accorded to the m by the customers. Perceptual map for Reed Supermarkets and competitors Source: (Reed Supermarkets 11) Alternative Solutions Apart from the suggested solutions to the problems described at Reed Supermarkets, other possible solutions include increased efficiency at the company, creation of a loyalty programme for customers and the introduction of products whose prices are in the mid-range. These alternative solutions along with their advantages and disadvantages will be discussed in this section. Increased Operating Efficiency The operating efficiency of an organisation affects its overall performance, and improvements in efficiency often result to increased performance (Peattie and Notley 333). Reed can increase its efficiency through the increase in employees and/or process efficiency. This move entails motivating employees to work towards the achievement of organisational goals. It can be done through training and rewards (Valeriu, Tudor, and Andrei 732). The organisation can al so engage in a restructuring process where the occurrence of role duplication among employees is tackled. It needs to maintain an effective staff team that is devoid of inefficiencies. The other area that can be changed to improve efficiency is the supply chain. Reed operates in an industry where the supply chain is important in the success of a company. Supply chain management practices that can be employed to improve efficiency include automation and the use of technology. The company also needs to engage positively with key stakeholders, including suppliers and retailers who buy the company’s goods. The optimisation of performance through the improvement of the supply chain is an effective way of increasing performance. The main advantage of increasing operating efficiency in the improvement for Reed is that it is less costly compared to other methods. It is also easier to implement. Besides, it can be achieved within a short period. The disadvantage is that it will lead t o the organisation retrenching some of its employees, especially those who are deemed less effective. This reduction in the workforce may work negatively on the company, thus leading to fewer improvements in services. Creation of a Loyalty Programme The loyalty programme is a means of rewarding customers that are loyal to the organisation through the provision of special benefits. The creation of a loyalty programme is an effective way of ensuring that an organisation attracts and retains customers. Varadarajan (122) stated that a loyalty programme works by making customers associated to an organisation, and hence contributing to its success. When an organisation offers rewards for customers that purchase a given product or a given quantity, they encourage them (customers) to purchase the products. Providing rewards for customers who frequent a store makes them return to the same store to buy other products. This strategy improves the company’s performance. This option is ass ociated with several advantages over other forms of interventions for Reed. One advantage is that the company can increase its performance through the incentives provided to its customers. The development of a loyalty programme also means that the company can establish a genuine client base, which it can use to promote its products and services. The disadvantage to the use of loyalty programme is that it creates dependence on customers. Mid-Range Pricing Reed is known for offering high-end items, which are accompanied by the high-end pricing and customers (Carlson and Quelch 1). This strategy has helped the company in terms of performance, with profitability being experienced as a result. A sizeable number of potential customers is unable to afford the products that are on offer at the retail company. The company can realise considerable growth and increase in market dominance if it develops a special price package for the ordinary customers. The sales volumes can also increase, thu s leading to profitability. The advantage of this solution is that it has the potential of increasing the number of customers visiting the organisation. As a result, it causes growth in sales and market share. The main disadvantage of using this strategy is that the company’s image as a high-end retail organisation may be diminished. Reed has used this plan to create its strategy. Answers to Case study Questions This section looks at some of the questions that are important to answer in the case study on Reed Supermarkets. Reed’s Position in the Columbus market Reed Supermarket can be defined as a market leader in the Columbus market. It occupies a favourable position in the market. It is ahead of most of its competitors in Columbus. Some of the companies that offer stiff competition to Reeds include Wholefood, Family Dollar, Delfina, Costo, and Trade Joe’s (Carlson and Quelch 1). In terms of quality of services, Reed is better than Family Dollar, Costo, and Tra de Joe’s. However, Wholefood is the only company that offers better quality services compared to Reed. Reed is also a high-end company offering high-priced items at its retail outlets. In terms of pricing, Reed performs better than Trade Joe’s, Family Dollar, and Costo by offering higher end items compared to these companies. Wholefood is the highest-ranking company in this highest in the category, with Delfina performing considerably better than Reed Supermarkets. The company currently has a market share of 14%, with the CEO aiming to improve this figure to 16% market share. The main customers visiting the company are those that demand high-end items. The company can be said to offer the same services. How the Supermarket makes Money Reed makes money through the sale of items in its retail outlets. The items are high-end and highly priced to ensure that customers who visit the organisation are wealthy and can afford these items. Like most other retail outlets, Reed ge ts goods from suppliers who get them from the manufacturing industries, or directly from the manufacturers. The source of Reed’s products is mainly the international market. The company imports most of the products at its outlet. The importation is associated with high quality goods. High-end customers prefer the imported goods. After these goods arrive at any of the two warehouses, they are priced conveniently so that their sale brings maximum returns to the company. These products are then marketed through the appropriate channels for the organisation. The marketing campaign is targeted to the high-end customers. The company makes money when customers purchase items from its stores. It also proceeds to ensure that all the other costs are properly controlled. Effective strategy for Reed moving forward: Is it Defensible? The most effective strategy for Reed Supermarkets will be to concentrate on the profit margin for the items that it sells. The company should improve on the profit margins by reducing the operational costs and the losses that occur out of inefficient processes. The profit margins can also be improved through a lean and efficient workforce. This strategy may necessitate an audit of the human resource for the organisation. Reed should also embark on optimisation of the profits through the retention of the profit margins that it currently enjoys. The company is known for providing high-end items, which are offered at a high price compared to other retail centres in the area. This character of the organisation means that most of the customers visiting its outlets are those that can afford to buy the items. Therefore, the company has managed to create a brand name for itself through offering these high priced and high-end items. The dollar coupon is not an effective strategy for the organisation since it will erode the image created over a long time as a high-end company. The depreciation of the brand image may also result in the customers l eaving the brand loyalty (Varadarajan 122). The new strategy for Reed should be focused on the assurance of customer satisfaction, which is the main reason why organisations exist aside from making profits (Carlson and Quelch 1). It should be more customer focused, meaning that the products offered are relevant to the needs of customers. Therefore, the strategy is defensible based on the effectiveness that it may bring to the organisation. Seriousness of the threat posed by Dollar Stores and Aldi The threat by Dollar Stores and Aldi is not very significant to Reed Supermarkets. The reason behind the low threat from the companies is that they offer different services to different customers. Reed has managed to position itself as a high-end company while the Dollar Stores and Aldi serve customers on the lower markets. The only threat that these stores offer to Reed is in the fallout because of favourable pricing. Customers that are unable to afford the goods offered at Reed are likely to run to these stores in search of better pricing. Reed has managed to maintain its brand image through pricing and quality of goods as stated above. Loyal customers have remained loyal even in the presence of dollar stores. Therefore, they are attracted by the brand (Carlson and Quelch 1). These customers are unlikely to migrate to these stores from Reed. Hence, the Dollar Stores and Aldi pose little threat to the company. Over the past few years, competition between Reed and other companies has often been on the pricing platform, with the competitors purporting to offer better prices compared to Reed Supermarkets. Should Collins continue the Dollar Specials campaign The dollar specials campaign at Reed Supermarket was meant to make some of the goods affordable for the average and mid-range customers. The campaign led to some increase in the number of sales. However, the overall effect from this campaign is a reduction in revenue. The opinion is that Collins should stop the dolla r specials campaign immediately and revert to the traditional pricing method that the company employs. The brand positioning and equity that Reed has been able to attain over the past is based on high pricing of high-end products. The dollar campaign was going against this plan (Carlson and Quelch 1). There were also financial losses associated with the dollar campaign, with a net loss of 76% on all the discounted items (Carlson and Quelch 1). The company’s operating profits for 2010 are said to be lower in relation to those of the previous year, with 0.4% of the reduction being attributed to the dollar campaign (Carlson and Quelch 1). Since some of the dollar stores are located close to the Reed Supermarket stores, the information on the dollar stores is causing the regular customers to change their loyalty. Financial Impact of the Decision The financial impact of stopping the dollar campaign with immediate effect at Reed will be positive and negative with reference to the o rganisation. However, the effects will be dependent on whether the period is immediately after or long after the disbandment. In the first few months after the dollar campaign is abandoned, the number of customers in the company is not likely to change. This means that the profit margins are likely to be sustained over the same period. The 76% loss in profit from the items that were in the programme is likely to be corrected, with the company regaining its market share in terms of revenue. The company had a net gain of about 3% in the number of customers in the period over which the campaign was in place. This was not significantly large compared to the losses that the company was incurring in the form of revenue. With the withdrawal of this programme from the organisation, the additional customers are likely to move away from the organisation, thus taking with them part of the revenue that the company makes. However, the revenue saved through the cancellation of the programme will compensate this loss in revenue. Collin’s Action Plan for Reed for 2011 Collins should have an efficient plan for Reed for the year 2011, with this having the objective of reducing the operational costs and ensuring an increase in the market share in keeping with the company’s aspirations. Several recommendations are possible a highlighted below. The first recommendation that is stated in the previous section is that the company should stop the dollar special campaign that it has in place (Carlson and Quelch 1). The reason behind the recommendation is that Reed has cultivated a culture that is part of its brand name. The company has traditionally dealt with high-end pricing and products. This plan has been important in the creation of the brand image and loyalty. Most of the existing customers are a result of this image. However, the dollar campaign is eroding it. There are also no significant gains from the programme, with the net value being a loss. There is only an increase of 3% for customers to the institution. These customers are mainly looking for bargaining and hence of little value to the organisation. The profits for the previous year are also said to have reduced by about 0.4% because of the introduction of the special dollar campaign. Therefore, the first strategy should be the cancellation of this programme. The next step that Collins should take is to increase the sales target for Reed Supermarkets. According to Varadarajan (122), the sales targets are an important aspect of any organisation with the strategy of being successful in any industry. The current market share of 14% has stagnated over the last financial year. This situation has not been received well by the CEO and other stakeholders. This assertion is the basis of the targeted increase by 2% for the current financial year to make the market share about 16% (Carlson and Quelch 1). The target that the organisation has in increasing the market share to 16% is a general incr ease of 95 million dollars to a sales total of $775 million for the year 2011 (Carlson and Quelch 1). The target is reasonable. With the achievement in market share, the revenues for Reed Supermarkets will increase significantly. The current market for all companies stood at $4.74 billion (Carlson and Quelch 1). In the targeted increase in market share for Reed Supermarkets, the assumption that the executives and other individuals involved in the plan is that the total market share remains constant over the same period. This assumption is valid, although the devised strategy should allow the achievement of more market share. The market share, being the first target in the assessment of the company’s improvement, should be monitored throughout the implementation of the strategy to allow for the establishment of the effectiveness of the strategy that is in place. The other strategy that Reed Supermarkets should adopt is the maintenance of the target segment and an increase in t he customer wallet share (Carlson and Quelch 1). Varadarajan (122) states that the retail outlets such as supermarkets are especially affected by the wallet share of their customers. Reed has focused on the affluent in the society as the main customer base. This strategy has made the company operate with the brand that it has created. The other individuals that the company has targeted as its important customers are the older individuals in the society. These customers have a considerably smaller household size (Carlson and Quelch 1). Collins should maintain the target population in his strategy to increase the market share for the company. The wallet share for the current customer base for Reed Supermarkets is 8.93%, which is smaller than the wallet share that exists in other types of supermarkets that are in competition with Reed Supermarkets (Carlson and Quelch 1). Therefore, Collins should target to increase the wallet share for customers of the organisation by at least a percen tage a year. The increment in the wallet share for the customers will mean a better performance for the company. The average wallet share for supermarket customers in the region in general is 10%, with this figure being above what is calculated for Reed’s customers (Carlson and Quelch 1). A percentage increase in the customer wallet share for Reed Supermarkets will result in an increase of about $79 million a year. This outcome will cause the company to regain its position in the market and increase its market share. The next strategy that Collins should put in place is to maintain the brand positioning that the company has maintained to construct. Reed has maintained a culture of serving high-end customers, with the prices that are offered being relevant to this population of customers. This strategy has worked well for the company, with the current advantage that it is enjoying over other institutions being because of it. Therefore, a suggestion is that Collins should maint ain this strategy even as the company aims to increase its market share. The maintenance of the high-end market means that the brand name and the image created over the past few years will be maintained, and that the company will be able to retain its regular customers. The company may use many ways to maintain its brand positioning. One example is that Reed should specialise in the provision of quality services and goods to customers, with these services and goods being better in relation to those of its competitors such as Delfina and Wholefoods. The customer experience at the stores should also be improved, with the provision of better lighting, faster check out, and longer opening hours for the stores. The provision of improved services will also lead to improved competition, and consequently increased market share for the company. The next strategy that Collins should use to improve the performance of the organisation and lead to an increase in market share is the provision of improved product mix (Carlson and Quelch 1). According to Kurt and Hulland (58), companies that provide a wider variety of goods often perform better than those providing a limited range of products. The retail chain offers private labels in its product line. This move is considered an important contributor to the revenues of the company. A way of improving the sales from these products is to increase the private labels with the introduction of new ones. The proportion of private labels to the other products should be increased to 25%. This increase should be accompanied by maintenance of the SGA and the Gross margin (Carlson and Quelch 1). The company can use intelligent means of countering competition by the use of this method. Another way of killing the competition that Reed should use is to sell two types of goods in each of the categories on offer, with three quarters of these goods being premium goods while the other share goes to private label products that are offered at che aper prices. This move affects competition in that the competitors such as Aldi will be warned against entering the high-end market (Carlson and Quelch 1). Reed should ensure that it rolls out food-containing and beverage-containing bundled products since this strategy will also lead to an increase in the market share for the company. A significant proportion of Reed’s customers buys organic pets food. The company should ensure that it maintains a hold on this proportion of its customers. The current proportion of customers that are involved in the purchase of organic pets’ food stands at 20%. This figure is a significant proportion of the customers for the organisation (Carlson and Quelch 1). Therefore, Collins should ensure that these customers are retained in the company even with the changes that are likely to take place. The other strategy that Reed should adopt is to increase the customer base that it relies on. Any increase in the customer base will translate to an increase in the market share for the company. Therefore, it is paramount that Collins focuses on an increase in the customer base if he wants to achieve the increase in market share. Galaxy Stores Company presents a good example of one of the companies that Reed Supermarkets may attract some of the customers. Galaxy Stores Company is said to be in the verge of losing a significant proportion of clients, with this situation being driven by the poor location of its retail stores. They are unable to sustain the promotions (Carlson and Quelch 1). Reed Supermarkets can attract customers from Galaxy Stores through the provision of more private labels and a convenient location of Reed’s stores (Carlson and Quelch 1). Reed should also add more stores, increase the quantity of prepared food, and establish a good relationship with customers who are willing to buy from the stores as an option for Galaxy Stores (Carlson and Quelch 1). With any percentage increase in market share that Reed is able to attain through the grabbing of Galaxy’s customers, the company stands to gain an excess of $47 million (Carlson and Quelch 1). The increase in market share will be in keeping with the strategy put in place by Collins while the increase in revenue will be beneficial to the company. In the price strategy, the only change that is suggested is the scrapping of the dollar special in the organisation (Carlson and Quelch 1). The move to eliminate this programme, as stated above, will be important in guaranteeing of positive performance of the organisation. Collins should not adopt new strategies to improve the prices for the moment apart from this suggested scrapping of the special dollar programme. As Varadarajan (122) says, the pricing of a commodity for any organisation should be done after consideration of several factors such as the market value, the production process, the utility of the product, and the demand. In the case of Reed Supermarkets, the pricing fo r its products is based on the brand image that it intends to maintain. The prices are adequate after the elimination of the special dollar campaign. The next strategy that Collins should adopt for the success of Reed in increasing the market share is to embark on a promotional drive for the company. The company should utilise the various media types in existence to ensure that it expands its brand image (Varadarajan 122). Promotion and marketing constitute some of the most efficient ways to increase the sales of a company. Collins should adopt these measures to increase the performance of Reed Supermarkets. The promotion should be carried out on the media, including the internet and print media. The internet is the most effective and efficient method of running advertising campaigns for the supermarket chain. The traditional media types such as the television and print media (Varadarajan 124) should complement it. The company should ensure that while carrying out the advertising ca mpaigns, there is an emphasis on the type of clients that the company serves and the type of products that it is offering (Varadarajan 125). The company should target the high-end market. Hence, its advertising campaigns should be specific to this group. It should sponsor events that are often attended by the high-end individuals with the aim of boosting the image of being a classic company with its interests in mind. The adopted marketing campaign should be effective in the promotion of the company. With this move, the market share for Reed should increase. The other strategy that Reed Supermarket should adopt to achieve an increase in the market share is the use of e-commerce in its operations. Varadarajan (122) states that with the developments in the telecommunication age, companies cannot afford to ignore the role played by the internet and other forms of technology in their success. Therefore, Collins should ensure that the company has a strong presence on the internet, with d evelopment of a working website and the use of internet advertising. The use of e-commerce at the retail centres should allow the company to stay ahead of its competitors, with the customers being able to transact using the online services. In organisations where the internet has been applied as a form of e-commerce, significant improvements in revenues for the organisations have been recorded. Reed Supermarkets should implement the same plan where customers can shop from different parts of the state at the comfort of their sitting rooms. The other areas where Collins should focus on improving is the supply chain, which is an important part of an organisation operating in this industry. The supply chain should be automated with the introduction of different strategies such as effective inventory management (Barbu and Ionescu 296). The last suggestion for Collins in terms of to increase the market share for Reed in 2011 is to maintain the existing stores, with no addition of new ones . Although the other companies that are indirect competition with Reed such as dollar stores have increased their stores, they have only managed to realise a small increase in the number of sales and market size of share (Carlson and Quelch 1). The current stores that Reed operates are located in favourable places. An addition of more stores will affect the company’s image, as these new stores will be located in inaccessible areas for customers. The other reason behind the advice of not increasing the number of stores for Reeds is based on the strategies that the company has over the next year. Reed plans to increase its market share over the next year. This move will lead to the consumption of most of the available revenue. The company is also reported to have limited revenue that is available for expansion in the financial year. Therefore, expanding and opening of new stores will not be financially feasible. The other reason behind the dissuasion for Collins to open more st ores is that the new stores will also be a liability for the company. If implemented, the above measures will be effective strategies for Reed that hopes to increase its market share by 2% points over the next year. Works Cited Reed Supermarkets. Reed Supermarkets, 2014. Web. Barbu, Andreea, Mihaela, and Florin Ionescu. â€Å"Conceptual Model Of Marketing Strategic Planning Specific To Public Organisations.† Annals Of The University Of Oradea, Economic Science Series 21.2(2012): 795-800. Print. Carlson, Carole, and John Quelch. â€Å"Reed Supermarkets: A New Wave of Competitors.† Harvard Business School Cases 1.1(2011): 1. Print. Kurt, Didem, and John Hulland. â€Å"Aggressive Marketing Strategy Following Equity Offerings And Firm Value: The Role Of Relative Strategic Flexibility.† Journal Of Marketing 77.5(2013): 57-74. Print. Peattie, Kenneth, and David Notley. â€Å"The Marketing And Strategic Planning Interface.† Journal Of Marketing Management 4.3(19 89): 330-349. Print. Sarin, Shikhar, Goutam Challagalla, and Ajay Kohli. â€Å"Implementing Changes in Marketing Strategy: The Role Of Perceived Outcome- And Process-Oriented Supervisory Actions.† Journal Of Marketing Research (JMR) 49.4(2012): 564-580. Print. Valeriu, Catalin, Ionescu Tudor, and Popescu Andrei. â€Å"The Premises Of Strategic Marketing Planning Implementation Within Small And Medium Sized Enterprises.† Annals of The University Of Oradea, Economic Science Series 20.1 (2011): 730-735. Print. Varadarajan, Rajan. â€Å"Strategic Marketing And Marketing Strategy: Domain, Definition, Fundamental Issues And Foundational Premises.† Journal Of The Academy Of Marketing Science 38.2 (2010): 119-140. Print. This case study on Reed Supermarkets was written and submitted by user Kyra T. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Essay on Evolution of Technology in Western Civilization

Essay on Evolution of Technology in Western Civilization Essay on Evolution of Technology in Western Civilization Essay on Evolution of Technology in Western CivilizationThere is no doubt that Western civilization has caused a unique industrial revolution in life of the world, which has become a science and technology revolution. Transformation of nature on the planet has entered a new stage, which is characterized by avalanche unpredictable progress.Since the beginning of mankind, there is a constant scientific and technological progress due to the development of the human mind. If we consider the development of man from the beginning, we will notice a trend. Initially, human was engaged in gathering, ie, he gathered berries. Humans used and gathered what was grown by nature, not by him. Then people discovered that they could grow any grains and legumes to provide themselves with food. He began creating special tools to cultivate the land. Later, people began to create a variety of tools for farming, hunting, etc. (Zsinka, 2014).With the development of crafts, people have got more opportunities for existence, they could provide themselves with everything they needed: food, dishes, clothes, etc. The same trend can be observed during the development of industry. With the development of industry, people have improved their achievements. They create better goods that meet the needs of humanity. People constantly improve themselves and everything around to simplify the life.In the 20th century, science and technology began to play the role of the main engines of economic and social development. Scientific-technical revolution became a support vector of historical dynamics. For those who enjoyed it to the maximum extent, it gave strength, which at the end of the 20th century was the measure of success of the country and the people. Economic and military power of the state, complemented by a high standard of living, which are based on NTP, actually puts it ahead in the forefront, provides advantages in the global arena (Perl, 2011).Western civilization is a special type of civil ization (culture), which historically emerged in Western Europe and in the last century endured a specific process of social modernization (Bowden, 2011). Western civilization is associated with the progressive development and constant changes in a persons life. It appeared in ancient Greece and ancient Rome. The first stage of its development, called ancient civilization, was marked by the emergence of the core values of the Western type of society: private ownership, private industry, market-oriented; the first sample of democracy democracy, however, was limited; republican form of government. It created the foundations of civil society to ensure the rights and freedom of the individual, as well as a system of social and cultural principles that contribute to the mobilization of creativity and development of the individual.The next stage in the development of Western civilization is connected with Europe and Christianity. The Reformation gave rise to a new trend in Christianity Protestantism, which became the spiritual foundation of Western civilization. The main value of this civilization is the individual freedom of choice in all spheres of life. It was directly connected with the development of specific European type of personality that emerged during the Renaissance. â€Å"The individual becomes tragically responsible not only for approximation and removal from the Supreme, but also for the choice of what he, that individual, considers the Supreme† (Fitzgerald, 2002).According to Weber, rationality became the most important independent value of the West. Public consciousness is rational, free of religious dogma in solving practical problems, pragmatical, but the scope of application of Christian values is a social morality of not only his personal life, but also of business ethics (Zafirovski, 2011).In the era of geographical discoveries and colonial wars, Europe extended its type of development in other regions of the world. For the first time, mankind, due to the global spread of Western values and institutions (16-19 centuries), was really integrated into the framework of the world-embracing system of connections. By the end of the 19th-early 20th century, these values and institutions became dominant in the world and continued to define the main features of the face of the Earth in this century until very recently.The main content of civilization process in the 20th century was the tendency to the formation of the historical structures of the universal world civilization. Processes taking place in the 20th century in the West became global, directly affecting all nations, all other civilizations, who were forced to seek an answer to the historical challenge of the West. That challenge was perceived in a particular form of reality as an imperative of modernization. In this situation, the question of the relationship between modernization and westernization became central to the vast majority of humanity of non-Western w orld (Lin, 2010).In the second half of the 20th century, the world was developing under the influence of scientific and technological revolution (STR), which is usually understood as a qualitative transformation of modern productive forces on the basis of science and technology. STR began in the 30s of the 20th century and received a powerful acceleration during the Second World War and the Cold War.There were found new sources of energy nuclear, solar-powered, wind power plants. People started using new artificial materials nylon, plastic, etc. Automation has changed the nature of work and the place of man in the production process. The emergence of cybernetics has created logistical base for the scientific management of social processes. Industries such as electronics, petrochemicals, nuclear energy, the overall mechanization and automation of production came to the fore. People started exploring space and underwater world. STR has led to the release of new types of products, in troduction of new technologies and new tools. Dissemination of scientific and technological revolution was not confined to industry, transport, communications, and energy. STR rapidly invaded other areas of life, such as trade, monetary system, education, management (Milke, 2012).Today technology intrudes into all areas of society: from economics to sports and leisure, it affects interpersonal relationships, changes the structure and hierarchy of values, and determines characteristics of the modern individual.With the help of technology people create a new world, both real and virtual, make technical objects (car, computer) the main objects of attention, replacing natural communication with their people. Technology has multiplied power and possibilities of man. At the same time, it has brought a host of new problems, spawned sharp contradictions, has become one of the causes of the crisis of civilization (Hunt, 2008). Public opposition to the construction of nuclear power plants, ch emical, pulp and paper mills can be considered a reaction to the scientific and technological progress. Sometimes they are expressed in a very extravagant form. For example, American farmers Mennonites abandoned agricultural machinery and plow with the help of horses (Zsinka, 2014).Technical progress can not be stopped. Ultimately, it defines the socio-economic development of society and the standard of living. Development of civilization depends on how rapidly scientific and technological progress develops. Enhancing the role of science and technology in modern society actualizes the moral responsibility of the scientist for the consequences of his discoveries. It is known that many nuclear scientists involved in the development of atomic weapons, warned the world about the catastrophic consequences of its application.In our time, humanity has great losses, both human and material, as a result of technical failures and accidents. Though, not only technique is to be blamed. People c ontrolling it usually make mistakes, which lead to tragedies. The root cause of the negative impact of technology on the human need should be looked for not so much in it, as in man, in social relations, in the ways of solving economic and other issues, ways to meet social and individual needs.Mankind has invented drugs and alcohol, which are widely used in medicine and industry; but they also created the conditions for such phenomena as drug addiction and alcoholism, providing mass human losses comparable with wars (Huff, 2014).Transformation of science into a direct productive force of society does not mean that science is transformed into its fourth element. This only shows that science most significantly and positively affects every element of the productive forces of society, thereby converting and amplifying them. Results of research eventually lead to the improvement and the emergence of innovative instruments and objects of labor, raise the level of knowledge and skills of t he workforce, which in turn provides the basis for the transformation and growth of the productive forces of society, and ultimately for economic development.As to such a feature of modern scientific and technological revolution, as the priority development of science in comparison with the equipment and technology, it is of fundamental importance in the present conditions. Countries and large economic entities gain the possibility to predict and plan the creation of such equipment and technology, which will ensure the implementation of strategic plans in the field of economic development and solving social problems.Acceleration of STP has great economic and social importance for any country in the world. Perhaps there is no more powerful and strong factor, which has such a significant effect on all economic and social processes.

Nathaniel Alexander, Inventor of a Folding Chair

Nathaniel Alexander, Inventor of a Folding Chair On July 7, 1911, an African-American man named Nathaniel Alexander of Lynchburg, Virginia patented a folding chair. According to his patent, Nathaniel Alexander designed his chair to be used in schools, churches, and other auditoriums. His design included a book rest that was usable for the person sitting in the seat behind and was ideal for church or choir use.​ Fast Facts: Nathaniel Alexander Known For: African-American patent holder for a folding chairBorn: UnknownParents: UnknownDied: UnknownPublished Works: Patent 997,108, filed March 10, 1911, and granted July 4 the same year Little Biographical Data Alexanders invention is found on many lists for black American inventors. However, he has escaped having much biographical information known about him. What can be found confuses him with an early governor of the state of North Carolina, who was not a black American. One says he was born in the early 1800s in North Carolina and died several decades before the date of the patent of the folding chair. Another one, which is written as satire, says he was born the same year as the patent was issued. These seem obviously erroneous. Patent 997108 is the only invention on record for Nathaniel Alexander, but on March 10, 1911, his application was witnessed by two people: James R.L. Diggs and C.A. Lindsay. James R.L. Diggs was a Baptist minister from Baltimore (born in 1865), who was a member of the Niagara Movement, and holder of an MA from Bucknell University and a PhD in Sociology from Illinois Wasleyan in 1906- in fact, Diggs was the first African-American to hold a Sociology Ph.D. in the United States. The Niagara Movement was a black civil rights movement led by W.E.B. DuBois and William Monroe Trotter, who assembled in Niagara Falls, Ontario (American hotels barred blacks), to discuss Jim Crow laws following the Reconstruction. They met annually between 1905 and 1910: in between 1909 and 1918, Diggs corresponded with DuBois about a possible history of the movement, among other things. There may have only been a passing connection between Alexander and Diggs. Foldable Chairs for Churches and Choirs Alexanders folding chair is not the first folding chair patent in the United States. His innovation was that it included a book rest, making it suitable for use in places where the back of one chair could be used as a desk or shelf by the person seated behind. This would certainly be convenient when setting up rows of chairs for choirs, so they could rest music on the chair ahead of each singer, or for churches where a prayer book, hymnal, or Bible could be placed on the reading shelf during the service. Folding chairs allow the space to be used for other purposes when there is not a class or church service. Today, many congregations meet in spaces that used to be large big box stores, supermarkets, or other large, cavernous rooms, Using folding chairs set up only during services, they are able to quickly turn the space into a church. In the early part of the 20th century, congregations likewise might have met outdoors, in warehouses, barns, or other spaces that didnt have fixed seating or pews. Earlier Folding Chair Patents Folding chairs have been in use for thousands of years in many cultures, including ancient Egypt and Rome. They were even commonly used in churches as liturgical furniture in the Middle Ages. Here are some other patents for folding chairs that were granted prior to that of Nathaniel Alexander: M.S. Beach of Brooklyn, New York patented a folding chair for pews, U.S. Patent No. 18377 on October 13, 1857. However, this design appears to be a drop-down seat such as an airplane jump seat rather than a chair you can fold, stack, and store away.J.P.A.  Spaet, W.F. Berry and J.T. Snoddy of Mount Pleasant, Iowa were granted U.S. Patent No. 383255 on May 22,  1888, for a folding chair designed to look much like a regular chair when in use. It could be folded up to be stored away and save space.C. F. Batt patented a folding chair for steamers on June 4, 1889, U.S. Patent No. 404,589. Batts patent notes that he was seeking improvements on longstanding folding chair designs, especially avoiding having a hinge at the side arms that can pinch your fingers when folding or unfolding the chair. Sources Alexander, Nathaniel. Chair. Patent 997108. 1911.Batt, C.F. Folding Chair. Patent 383255. 1888.Beach, M.S. Char. Patent 18377. 1857.Pipkin, James Jefferson. James R.L. Diggs. The Negro in Revelation, in History and in Citizenship: What the Race has Done and is Doing. St. Louis: N.D. Thompson Publishing Company, 1902Spaet, J.P.A., W. F. Berry and J.T. Snoddy. Folding Chair for Steamers. Patent 404,589. 1889.WEB DuBois Correspondence with J.R.L. Diggs, Special Collections, University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Romans 12 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Romans 12 - Essay Example This is a powerful appeal. We receive from the Lord every day the fruits of his mercy. It is acceptable to God a reasonable service, which we are able and ready to give the reason for, and which we understand. Conversion and sanctification are the renewing of the mind; a change, not of the substance, but of the qualities of the soul. The progress of sanctification, dying to sin more and more, and living to righteousness more and more, is the carrying on this renewing work, till it is perfected in glory. The great enemy to this renewal is, conformity to this world. Take heed of forming plans for happiness, as though it lay in the things of this world, which soon pass away. Paul encourages us not to fall in with the customs of those who walk in the lusts of the flesh, and mind earthly things. But work with the Holy Ghost first begins in the understanding, and carried on to the will, affections, and conversation, there is a change of the whole man into the likeness of God, in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness. That is to be godly, is to give up ourselves to God. Roman 12:3-8 explain how pride is a sin in us by nature; we need to be careful with it and armed against it. All the saints make up one body in Christ, who is the Head of the body, and the common Centre of their unity. In the spiritual body, some are fitted for and called to one sort of work and others for another sort of work. We are to do all the good we can, one to another, and for the common benefit. If we duly thought about the powers we have, and how far we fail properly to improve them, it would humble us. But as we must not be proud of our talents, so we must take heed lest, under a pretense of humility and self-denial, we are slothful in laying out ourselves for the good of others. We must not say, I am nothing, therefore I will sit still, and do nothing; but, I am nothing in myself, and therefore I will lay out

Discussion Topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Discussion Topic - Essay Example The rise in technological advancement and the sophistication of the war crimes simply means that some of the principles of war adapted in the ancient warfare will certainly become obsolete. Thus, principle 4: Economy of force is one of the principles of war that is likely to change. This is because, this principle was formulated based on the ancient conditions of warfare which emphasized more on combat than unconventional warfare, thus requiring that minimum essential combat power should be allocated to secondary efforts (Paret, et al., 1986). However, owing to the technological changes and the sophistication of the networking of the enemy, there is a need to allocate more resources and combat power on the secondary efforts. This would become an effective deterrence strategy, which will serve the current warfare situation better than the battlefront confrontations with the enemy. Thus, new principles could appear that are aligned to the technological sophistication of the modern warf are. However, it is never possible that war will become obsolete since social conflict is a constant occurrence through

No Child Left Behind vs. Inequalities Essay Example for Free

No Child Left Behind vs. Inequalities Essay The American educational system suffers from a wide disparity between the poor and rich schools in the country. Race relations is a prominent cause of the problem wherein the white-dominated school districts get the most funding and government support while non-white children live in poverty, academic underachievement, indifferent government officials and hopelessness. The No Child Left Behind Act seeks to lessen this disparity by equalizing governmental funding, ensuring a competent teaching workforce and instilling a system of accountability. However, like many other laws, No Child Left Behind has its shortcomings and needs re-examination and/or fine tuning to ensure its effectiveness. No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and the Issues in Jonathan Kozol’s Book Through the book Savage Inequalities: Children in America’s Schools, Kozol (1991) made several noteworthy points such as (1) many schools in poverty-stricken areas have non-white children comprising the majority of their student populations, (2) poor, run-down schools in non-white neighborhoods view themselves as serving those children who have little value to the country, (3) students, school administrators, public officials and community residents have a shared feeling of hopelessness for their plight and nobody is willing to be accountable for the problem, and (4) increased funding for the poorest schools in America can make a difference if this is accompanied by a change in the society’s attitude (pp. 82, 114, 243). Former US President George W. Bush signed â€Å"The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001† into law on January 8, 2002 as part of his educational reform agenda (â€Å"No Child†, 2007). The Act sought for immense transformation in America’s K-12 education by underscoring four principles: (1) greater accountability for results, (2) increased flexibility and local control, (3) expanded options for parents, and (4) an emphasis on proven and effective teaching methods (â€Å"New Jersey†, 2006). The four principles are aligned with the areas of racial inequalities among schools as identified by Kozol (Check, 1992, p. 1) which include funding, governmental assistance, political support, buildings upkeep, quality of educators, availability of and funding for school supplies, extra-curricular facilities, overcrowding and accountability system (Warner, 2002, n. d. ). Extent of Effectiveness of the Act Some of No Child Left Behind’s remedies are more pronounced in student academic performance. Thompson and Barnes (2007) cite that albeit slow progress, NCLB yields favorable results in strengthening student academic achievement. For example, scores in mathematics among 4th and 8th graders from 2003 to 2005 increased nationwide with scores for Hispanic and African American students showing significant improvement in the same period. Further, 4th graders’ national average scores in reading improved while achievement gap between African American and Hispanic 4th graders narrowed slightly from 2003 to 2005 (p. 16). More than two-thirds of the states also reported that test scores disparity in terms of race, income, or language background has lessened or stayed the same (Rentner et. al. , 2006 as cited in Thompson and Barnes, 2007, p. 16). On the contrary, the mostly debated shortcomings of the law fall in three areas. First, its stringent assessment and reporting requirements forced educators to allocate instructional time in preparation for assessment thereby suppressing creative learning in the classroom. Secondly, the Department of Education has failed to immediately ensure and monitor that the states comply with the NCLB’s teacher quality provisions; this being done only two years after the effectivity of the law. Lastly, fund disbursements in some states primarily devoted to professional development were done without full consideration of effectiveness or content quality of the trainings (Thompson and Barnes, 2007, pp. 19-20). Conclusion In summary, the NCLB has laid the foundations for educational reform and academic equality but continuous evaluation is essential to make the law work for all. References Check, J. (1992). Book Review: Savage Inequalities: Children in America’s Shools, by Jonathan Kozol. The Quarterly, 14 (3). Retrieved April 10, 2009, from http://www. nwp. org/cs/public/print/resource/1139 Kozol, J. (1991). Savage Inequalities: Children in America’s Schools. New York: Harper Collins New Jersey No Child Left Behind. (2006). Retrieved April 10, 2009, from http://www. nj. gov/education/grants/nclb/

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Systematic use of black slaves in New Netheriands began in1626,when the first carge of 11 Africans was unloaded by the Dutch West India Company. The company had been founded in 1621,and it operated both as commerical company and as a military institution with quasi-state-like powers.the company had originally tried its colonial experiment in New Netherlands with agricultural laborers from Holland,but this plan went nowhere.Most ofthe Dutch who came to America sought to pile up money in the lucrative fur trade and then hurry back to the comforts of Holland to enjoy their wealth.So the company increasingly turned to slaves,which it was already importing in vast numbers to its Caribbean colonies. From the 1630s to the 1650s,the WIC "was unquestionably the dominant European slave trader in Africa." In 1644 alone,it bought 6900 captives on the African coast.Most of these went to the company's colonies in the West Indies,but the company also imported slaves to New Netherlands to cut the forests.buld roads, constructs house,and grow food.It was company-owned slave ...

Kellogg Book Essay

This book is intended to be a resource for members of the Kellogg School of Management Class of 2005 as they look for summer internships in the consulting industry (as well as for general management internships) for the summer of 2004. The book will also be useful to current first-year students during the fall of 2004 as they look for full-time postKellogg consulting jobs, as well as to the yet-to-be-admitted Kellogg Class of 2006 in their summer and full-time job searches. While we hope this document results in more Kellogg students reaching their employment goals, we are also confident that using this resource to prepare for case interviews will reduce the stress associated with the interviewing process. Additionally, students will find this document to be a useful reference for Kellogg’s core strategy course, MGMT 431, regardless of whether or not they plan to interview for consulting jobs. This introduction will provide an overview of the different sections of the book, recommend how it is to be used, and offer general thoughts of how this fits book in to the bigger picture. To this last point, the book is not intended to be the only resource that Kellogg students will need during the recruiting process for consulting. Rather, it is meant to be a central body of work that provides a complete and thorough introduction to the process, offers its reader a road map of the basic toolkit needed to succeed in these interviews, and also points him or her to other resources that may be helpful. Background on this book and acknowledgements can be found in Appendix A. 2004 Kellogg Consulting Club Case Book 2 Sections This book is divided into six sections, plus five appendices. Section I is this introduction, whose goals are stated above. Section II provides an overview of the case interviewing process and offers general advice on how to perform magnificently during the interviews. (It is adapted primarily from the Fleischmann, Fong, and Marciano article that is alluded to in Appendix A, and has been reorganized into seven sub-sections. ) Section III provides ten sample cases. The first seven of these are meant to be solved in a 30-to-45 minute interview; the first six contain slides. The last three cases are shorter and attempt to emulate the 10-to-15 minute case nterviews that are used by some consulting firms. After all of the practice cases, Section IV discusses fit interviewing, which is a typically smaller, but no less important, part of the overall process. Again, this section is adapted primarily from the earlier work of Fleischmann et. al. Section V provides one-page overviews of each of the eleven consulting firms that are currently planning to in terview Kellogg first-years for jobs during the summer of 2004. Of special interest in this section are the interview formats used by various companies. Students who are interviewing should use this information to customize their case practice and preparation, based on the formats used by the companies that are most of interest to them. Finally, Section VI provides some concluding thoughts and attempts to synthesize the key â€Å"take-away† points of the book. How To Use The Book We would like to conclude this introduction by orienting the reader as to how we envision this book being used. We have mentioned previously that it is not designed to be the only available or necessary resource on the subject. Students who attempt to use it in this way are doing themselves a disservice. Instead, it should be used in tandem with the many other 2004 Kellogg Consulting Club Case Book 3 resources that are available, such as case books from other business schools, Kellogg Career Management Center (CMC) counselors, students at Kellogg who have worked in consulting or are planning to, company representatives and literature, and the rest of the list of resources that is summarized in Appendix B. As for this book, sections I, II, IV, and VI are written to be read straight through (not necessarily in only one sitting). Section III provides practice cases that should be used or studied one at a time. Section V provides thumbnail data on companies that are interviewing at Kellogg, and is meant to be a quick reference for students who are interviewing in those firms. Particular attention should be placed on the various interview formats used by each different company. To maximize results, candidates should study cases that most closely mimic the ones that are given by the firms that they are planning to interview with and/or most want to work for. It is our hope that the combination of this book and of other available resources will maximize the effectiveness of Kellogg students during the winter quarter 2004 interviewing process. If anyone has any questions about the book or the process, they should feel free to directly contact me, either of the Associate Editors, Prof. Marciano, the Kellogg CMC, or any of the 2003-2004 Kellogg Consulting Club co-chairs1. We are all here to help Kellogg first-years get as many summer consulting job offers as possible. Best of luck in the process! Edwin Van Dusen Editor, 2004 Kellogg Consulting Club Case Book Evanston, Illinois December, 2003 1 The co-chairs are Leo Castro, Ami Fadia, Hanna Norfleet, Jason Greenwald, Brian Oxley, and Ojas Wadikvar, all from the Kellogg Class of 2004. 2004 Kellogg Consulting Club Case Book 4 II. How to Ace Case Interviews2 Overview of Section This section provides a complete and comprehensive overview of the case interview process and is probably the single most important section in the book, along with Section III on practice cases. It offers advice on how to best navigate the process, and is divided into seven sub-sections to make the material easier to understand and digest: 1. Sub-section one provides an overview of the case interviewing process. 2. Sub-section two discusses the use of frameworks, and the need to strike a balance between a structured approach and the pitfalls of an overly regimented analysis. 3. Sub-section three walks through a step-by-step illustration of a case interview and is in turn sub-divided into five parts. 4. Sub-section four reviews several common case situations and how to handle them. These include public math, how to get unstuck, and the infamous estimate questions. 5. Sub-section five reviews seven common types of cases that are frequently found in case interviews. 6. Sub-section six goes through some overall tips on how to handle the process. Please do not be put off by the â€Å"laundry list† format of this section, for it contains some important nuggets of advice and wisdom. 7. Finally, sub-section seven provides some concluding thoughts about the process. 2 As mentioned in the Introduction, the text in this section has been primarily adapted from the 2001 Fleischmann, Fong, and Marciano article, although some of the content and wording are new. They, and we, would like to give special thanks to Jason Moss and Chris Riley (both members of the Kellogg Class of 2001) for their invaluable contributions to the initial document, from which this section is primarily adapted. 2004 Kellogg Consulting Club Case Book 5 We have endeavored to distill the most important aspects of the case interview process into this section while keeping it to a manageable length. Obviously, since entire books have been written on this subject, it was not possible for us to include every detail or every opinion on the matter. Students should probably begin by reading this section to get the major points, and then can consult some of the additional resources listed in Appendix B if they feel that they still need to get more depth and detail. Sub-Section One of Seven – Overview of Case Interviews This section will describe the format and structure of case interviews, discuss the various types of cases that one may encounter, and provide practical tips and advice on enhancing one’s chances for success. Fit interviews will be discussed in Section IV later in this book. The consulting interview process may be unlike any series of interviews that a person has been through before Kellogg. While each consulting firm has its own distinct style and method of interviewing, virtually all screen candidates using a combination of â€Å"fit† and â€Å"case† interviews. Understanding and being prepared for both of these types of interviews improves one’s chances of obtaining a position in the field and also reduces the angst associated with the process. The framework is simply a tool to help you structure your response, so do not get too hung up here and waste valuable time that you could be using to advance the discussion. Your initial framework should be a broad sketch, not a detailed blueprint, of how you intend to go about solving the case problem. The details of your analysis should evolve interactively with the interviewer as you progress through the interview. Based on the framework you have developed, you should be able to identify several possible paths towards addressing the case issue. For example, consider a case about Firm X whose profits declined last year. Firm X’s reduced profits could be due to sagging revenues, rising costs, or both. Given that your interview time is limited, it is important to prioritize the issues you will investigate in the case. Investigate the most likely solution to the problem first, followed by the second most likely, and so on. The initial information that you have been given 2004 Kellogg Consulting Club Case Book 14 may steer you towards a particular path. Take cues (subtle or overt) from your interviewer about which paths hold the most merit. For example, if you were told that Firm X recently altered its product mix, you might want to start by examining the prices of its various products. Based on the information you have received, and the framework you have developed, you should formulate an initial hypothesis about the case problem you are evaluating. In the parlance of case interviews, a hypothesis is what you believe to be the central issue of the case, or the solution to it. With regard to Firm X, your initial hypothesis could be that the root cause of its declining profits is that it is selling relatively more low price/low margin products than it had in the past. You may not be given enough information at the onset of a case to develop a reasonable hypothesis from the start. If that happens, progress through your framework, elicit information from the interviewer, and develop a hypothesis as soon as you can. If your initial hypothesis turns out to be wrong, which is often the case, try another one. It is not an automatic â€Å"ding† to not guess the answer correctly on the first try. But it is a likely â€Å"ding† to give up or to lose sight of the main issue, which is to eventually solve the client’s problem. Some firms are more or less receptive to hearing an interviewee, very early on, state a hypothesis for analysis. The key lesson here is to know the firms that you are interviewing with. If you are interviewing with a firm that conducts its cases/engagements with an â€Å"Answer First† approach, then you should probably state a hypothesis early and then relate findings to it as the case progresses: â€Å"this supports my initial hypothesis†¦Ã¢â‚¬  or â€Å"that seems to refute my initial belief, my revised working hypothesis is now†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . Other firms may conduct their work by doing much more detailed data collection before forming a hypothesis. In this case, strive to form a hypothesis, but hold back on stating it until you have collected more data: â€Å"OK, I think I now have enough information to form a hypothesis – based on facts A, B and C, it looks like X might 2004 Kellogg Consulting Club Case Book 15 be happening. Here’s how I would evaluate whether X is truly going on†¦Ã¢â‚¬  With these firms, you may look like you’re jumping to conclusions if your hypothesis isn’t fact-based. Ask members of the firm about their firm’s preference prior to your interview (that’s what all those cocktail receptions are for). Step Three of Five – Articulation After you have developed your analytical framework, prioritized potential solution paths, and formulated your initial hypothesis, the next step is to articulate them to the interviewer. In the case of Firm X, it might go something like this: â€Å"Given that Firm X has experienced a decline in profitability, I am going to begin my evaluation by investigating the various elements that make up profit, namely revenues and costs (framework). Since you mentioned that Firm X has seen its product mix change over the past year, I will begin by analyzing the firm’s revenues, focusing first on pricing (prioritization). It could be that a decline in Firm X’s average price is causing its profits to suffer (hypothesis). If that turns out not to be the case, then I will look at changes in the company’s cost structure. † It is critical in case interviews to demonstrate a structured, logical, and thorough thought process. If you do not verbalize your thought process to the interviewer, (s)he will not be able to evaluate your performance. In addition to talking through your thought process, you may find it beneficial to sketch out your analysis framework on your note pad. Writing down your framework will help you to organize your thoughts, and to regain focus if you get stuck or your analysis becomes very complicated. Just as importantly, an illustrated framework shows the interviewer that you are thinking in a structured manner, and makes it easier for him or her to guide you. Many successful consulting interviewees extol the importance of â€Å"paper management† in case interviews. Interviewers often encourage candidates to take notes, and some even keep 2004 Kellogg Consulting Club Case Book 16 those notes to help remember the path that the interviewee took during his or her case. Whether or not this happens to you, your notepad is an excellent communications medium during your interview. Consultants are generally graphical thinkers – even if they didn’t start this way, they now communicate in slides, charts, and graphs. Speak their language – sketch out your thoughts on your paper, write large, and show the interviewer what you are doing. It is not uncommon for an interviewer to look under an interviewee’s shoulder onto his or her notepad, and comment on it and/or ask questions about its contents. For example, â€Å"I see from your notes that you have come up with five reasons why Firm A should acquire Firm B, and the first one is distribution synergies. What do you mean by that? † Draw out your framework so that the interviewer can see where you’re going, and steer you accordingly. Many interviewees divide their paper into three sections. In the first section, they note facts about the situation (both those given in the initial situation explanation as well as facts uncovered through questions). In section two, analysis is performed, and in section three key findings/conclusions are noted (this section is especially helpful when the candidate is asked to â€Å"sum up† at the close of the case). Note: this does not have to all occur on the same page – feel free to use multiple sheets of paper; the clearer your actions are to the interviewer, the better. Be as graphical and as structured as possible whenever you seek to convey concepts like organizational structure or whenever you do quantitative analysis. Quantitative analysis, in particular, should be laid out in rows and columns â€Å"Excel-style† (ideally with the equation noted above the columns) so that interviewers can follow your calculations. Doing fancy math in your head is great, but it’s more important to illustrate to the interviewer how you are coming to your numbers than to wow them with calculation speed. Your arithmetic may be correct, but your equation may be missing a critical variable. Drawing out your thoughts helps the interviewer 2004 Kellogg Consulting Club Case Book 17 identify this and correct your course. This is far preferable to leaving the interviewer wondering why your number does not match the number that is given in the case solutions. To err is human, but to do so in a way that leaves the interviewer wondering about whether the problem was with your arithmetic or your thought process is likely to prove fatal. Step Four of Five – Analysis: Ask Questions, Gather Information, and Test Hypotheses Having articulated your framework and initial hypothesis, you are ready to move into the analysis phase, which should be the bulk of the interview. In the analysis phase, you should ask questions, synthesize the information provided, and draw conclusions based on the facts. By asking questions and bringing to light new information, you will be able to determine whether your initial hypothesis was valid or invalid. If the data proves your hypothesis to be invalid, systematically follow your framework and progress to the issue with the next highest priority. In addition, based on new information you receive, develop a new hypothesis as soon as possible. For example: â€Å"Based on what I’ve learned so far, it appears as though Firm X’s product mix and revenues are not the most important cause of its declining profitability. So now I’ll move on to investigate the firm’s costs (transition to next branch of the framework). You mentioned that Firm X recently signed a new agreement with its unions, so I’ll start by examining its labor costs. It could be that an unfavorable union contract has inflated the firm’s labor expenses and negatively impacted its profits (new hypothesis). † Asking questions, collecting information, and developing and testing hypotheses is an iterative process, and constitutes a good case interview. As you receive answers to your inquiries, you should be able to hone in on the solution to the problem, and the interviewer may point you in the right direction. Even if all of your hypotheses are ultimately proved invalid, if 2004 Kellogg Consulting Club Case Book 18 you have solicited relevant facts and drawn conclusions in a structured, logical manner, you will have done well. Do not forget that it is important to verbalize your thought process throughout the entire interview. Avoid long periods of silence — the interviewer is attempting to evaluate how you think, and mute introspection precludes this. When doing calculations, tell the interviewer everything that you’re doing. This maximizes the interviewer’s ability to coach you and illustrates your thought process. It takes practice to be able to do this with aplomb, but it is a skill well worth developing. Asking questions is a fundamental part of the process, but remember to do so within the context of your framework, as opposed to firing off questions in no particular order. As you work through the case, it is a good idea to verbally summarize where you are, what you have learned, what the information means in diagnosing the problem, and where you are headed next. Summarizing can also be a useful technique to buy yourself time to think if you become stuck. Take caution not to summarize too frequently, however, because it takes away from the time that you should be using to analyze the case issue. Step Five of Five – Summary and Recommendation When you feel you have covered all the bases in your analysis, or when you have run out of time, end by summarizing the situation and providing a recommendation. If at all possible, always end your interviews with a succinct recommendation. Try not to recap the path of analysis that you have just performed. Instead, draw on key facts to give a clear answer to the central question of the case. For example, â€Å"I do not recommend that the firm enter the market, given that the industry in question is characterized by low barriers to entry, intense rivalry, and significant supplier power† (all of which you discovered through your analysis). 2004 Kellogg Consulting Club Case Book 19 You might also add next steps or additional considerations, as appropriate, to make your analysis more balanced and thorough. For example, â€Å"Based on the discussion that we had today, I would not recommend at this point that the firm enter the market. However, I would also want to know more about the regulatory trends in the market, and about the industry’s distribution channel mix, before making a final decision in a real situation. † Remember, cases are usually complex. If you imply to the interviewer that you have completely addressed the issue in 30 to 45 minutes, you may be perceived as short-sighted or arrogant. It’s much better to state what you’ve found and can reasonably infer, and then identify the areas that you’d like to further penetrate (if given more time) and the assumptions that you’ve made that you think your conclusions are most sensitive to. An important point to keep in mind is that even if you are dead wrong, if you have approached the problem in a logical, structured, and thorough manner, you have done well. You will likely encounter the â€Å"elevator test† at the end of some of your interviews. It typically goes something like this, â€Å"We’re out of time. Sum this up in 30 seconds so I can tell the client our major findings. The purpose of this exercise is to see whether you can identify the most important elements of the case, distill complex issues into concise, easily understandable terms, and maintain your poise when thrust into a stressful situation.