NTUC FairPrice Co-operative Limited Essay Example

NTUC FairPrice Co NTUC FairPrice Co-operative Limited Essay NTUC FairPrice Co-operative Limited Essay NTUC FairPrice Co-operative Limited is one of Singapore’s largest chains of supermarkets, department stores and convenience stores. It was founded in 1973 by the Singaporean labor union with the objective of influencing Singapore’s high cost of living through the implementation of regulated pricing on many everyday consumer goods. Currently, FairPrice’s vast 130-outlet supermarket chain includes concepts like FairPrice Finest, Fairprice Xtra and Fairprice Supermarkets. Meanwhile, Fairprice also maintains two convenience store lines namely: FairPrice Express and Cheers- with both having a combined network of more than 150 branches. In response to the growing demand for online shopping, the company has also launched FreshPrice Online- a web platform that enables shoppers to buy their groceries online and have them delivered straight to their homes. FairPrice’s multiple and diverse selling channels enable them to serve more than half a million customers on a daily basis (FairPrice, 2017). According to Bloomberg (2017), FairPrice’s outlets offer mainly products like food items, beverages, frozen goods, fresh produce, alcohol, toiletries, health and beauty items and other similar merchandise. Aside from its regular retail and grocery operation, the company also maintains warehousing, trading and distribution businesses. PESTEL Analysis Political Factors Political factors pertain to the degree of influence and capacity of governments to intervene in the operations of businesses through public policy, tax laws, import and export restrictions and other trade regulations (Aguilar, 1967). Singapore, being a largely commercial and highly urbanized country, is mostly unable to grow its own agricultural products that are needed in the production of food and beverage goods. This being the case, the country is largely dependent on international trade with countries like the United States, Australia, a large part of Europe and the Middle East. The country maintains a relatively open economy- being able to conduct business with the aforementioned countries with minimal sanctions and restrictions. In fact, the Singaporean government does not impose any import taxes on most food and beverage products with the exception of tobacco and alcoholic goods. The government’s openness on international trade may implicate a great advantage for FairPrice whose merchandise are primarily imported food and beverage goods (USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, 2015). Economic Factors Economic factors pertain to key trends concerning consumer’s disposable income, general unemployment levels, interest rates, inflation rates and other economic indicators that can affect a populace’s willingness and ability to buy and to consume goods (Aguilar, 1967). According to Tang (2017), despite the general slowdown of the Singaporean economy in the recent years, the country achieved higher than expected economic growth in the final quarters of 2016. In fact, Singapore’s economy expanded by 1. 8 percent from 2015 to 2016. The country’s gross domestic product also grew by at least 9. % during the final quarter of the year. While this proves to be a positive sign for the economy, he still warns that 2017 may be marred with dismal business growth and a lack of consumer confidence as the Singaporean economy may get affected by the continued weakening of the Euro, the slowdown of the Chinese economy and the protectorate stance of the Trump administration. These events along with the fact that Singapore continues to be one of Asia’s most expensive cities to live in can cause great concern for customers and may seriously affect their ability to spend on consumer goods. Social Factors Social factors primarily pertain to the general behavior and mindset of a group of consumers. Particularly, it can pertain to their current set of preferences as dictated by their demographic profile, psychographic dispositions and the presence of new trends in the market (Aguilar, 1967). Singapore’s populace is generally characterized by a highly productive and fast-paced workforce. In fact, Singaporeans are known to clock in an average of 46 working hours per week- one of the highest in the world (Ministry of Manpower, 2015). This may have led many customers to develop of culture of convenience- opting for activities and services that can help them save time and be more productive. Firstly, this could mean a sustained increase for demand of instant and easily prepared food items. Secondly, it could also mean that more and more users are open to trying and subscribing to their online platform. Technological Factors Technological factors pertain to the advancements that can significantly improve a business’ internal and external operations. They may pertain to new discoveries that can help create new products or services or to new innovations that can streamline systems and costs (Aguilar, 1967). Being a highly urbanized society, the Singaporean market has become highly dependent on technology. This includes grocery shopping. In a study conducted by Shandwick (2014) about general grocery shopping behavior, more than 60% of the respondents claimed to prefer buying instant and readily prepared meals and goods. In the same year, more than 200,000 shoppers bought their groceries online to be able to save time and effort in shopping for their everyday needs (Jenner, 2016). This could imply a huge opportunity to grow FreshPrice Online. Environmental Factors Environmental factors pertain to the general attitude of customers and the stance of the government when it comes to preservation of the natural environment. The company may be affected by laws on waste management, energy consumption regulations, general environment protection sanctions and even the public’s perception on a company’s responsiveness to environmental issues. According to National Environment Agency (2017), Singapore’s daily solid waste output has reached 8,400 tons a day- marking an eight-fold increase from its waste output from the 1970s. This continuously increasing trend has forced the Singaporean government to implement a more systematic public waste collection scheme and a more stringent illegal dumping law. Being one of the largest producers of solid food waste in the country, FairPrice took a proactive stance and led the implementation of the Food Waste Index that essential measures and tracks the waste the company produces on a periodic basis. It is the first step towards the implementation of other key initiatives (Zero Waste Singapore, 2015). Legal Factors Legal factors pertain to the stringency of the government and other governing bodies in key aspects of business operations. These factors may cover employment regulations, workplace safety requirements, product testing procedures, anti-trust laws, competitive regulations and other similar factors. According to Shaffer (2013), Singapore’s fairly controversial position of limiting the influx of foreign laborers in the country had significant detrimental effects on many food and retail establishments. Since as much as 40% of Singapore’s population can be considered foreigners, the government’s stance has cut businesses’ access to affordable labor- hampering their ability to expand swiftly. Porter’s Five Forces Analysis Threat of New Entrants (Low) The threat of new entrants in any industry implicates the possibility of losing market share to new players, hence having to split returns and profits amongst many competitors (Porter, 1985). In the case of FairPrice, the threat of new entrants can be considered low. Firstly, entering the supermarket and grocery industry requires substantially large capital to be devoted to the purchase of expensive real estate, building and infrastructure requirements as well as the different facilities and fixtures used in day to day operations. The business will also require huge investments in inventories, warehousing and wages for the labor force. Bargaining Power of Buyers (Moderate) The bargaining power of buyers implies the customer’s influence and capability to put pressure on the company to make changes in their strategies (Porter, 1985). In the case of FairPrice, this can be considered only moderately threatening. For instance, individual customers purchase in relatively small quantities which create a fairly insignificant portion of the company’s total sales. The decisions of one customer may prove immaterial in the long run. However, in the unlikely scenario where FairPrice decides to increase prices or suffers from the poor service of their personnel, it is not impossible for customers to opt for different supermarkets. Bargaining Power of Suppliers (Low) Likewise, the bargaining power of suppliers pertains to their ability to put pressure and influence the strategic decisions of a company. Because of the scale of FairPrice’s operations, the bargaining power of suppliers can be considered significantly low. Suppliers may prove to be very careful in negotiating and doing business with a client of over a hundred branches as they may be easily replaced with a different brand. In fact, FairPrice may have enough leverage to demand the lowest prices and the biggest margins from its many suppliers. Threat of Substitutes (Moderate) The threat of substitutes pertains to the propensity of current customers to try out alternative products and services (Porter, 1985). In the case of FairPrice, this can be considered as a moderate threat. On one hand, online shopping has yet to capture a significant portion of the market to be considered highly threatening. However, the threat for substitutes can be considered relatively high in some product lines that FairPrice is carrying such as alcoholic beverages, hair care products, cosmetics and others similar goods. Customers may easily opt to purchase them in other shops such as liquor shops, drugstores and the like. Competitive Rivalry (High) FairPrice has equally popular and trusted competitors in the likes of Dairy Farm Singapore, Sheng Siong and Cold Storage (Singapore Business Review, 2012). Because the prices for consumer goods are relatively transparent and easily comparable, small variations in pricing can cause customers to prefer a competitor over another. Besides the proximity of the grocery stores from their residences or offices, there is very little motivation to keep customers loyal to a single line of grocery. Management Recommendations Prioritization of FairPrice Online While it can be said that there is still minimal demand for online grocery shopping, the steadily increasing adoption rates and customer usage suggest that the channel can be a significant contributor to sales in the next few years. If FairPrice could occupy and dominate the online grocery shopping market first, it may help avert tight competition in the future. It may be an opportune time for FairPrice to invest heavily in marketing their platform through the use of social media, in-store advertising through their shops and subsidized promotions amongst many other options to try and raise the adoption level amongst Singaporeans. Creating and Improving Customer Loyalty Programs The Five Forces Analysis reveals that while FairPrice can be considered one of the stronger players in the grocery market, it is still susceptible from losing customers due to tight competition. One way to address such an issue is improve the already-existing NTUC Plus Card which entitled frequent buyers to rebates. Instead of just offering rebates, allowing loyal customers to choose from a wider range of rewards like free travel, discounted spa treatments, and other lifestyle-based rewards could prove compelling. In addition, FairPrice could tie up with leading electronics, luxury or fashion brands and have them offer exclusive deals to the most loyal customers. Maximizing Environmental Programs FairPrice’s proactive stance on environmental programs could be a source of sustainable competitive advantage. FairPrice may invest in a full-blown department solely devoted in studying its environmental and waste footprint and finding ways to reduce them through technology. Firstly, such an investment can pay off in savings from avoiding waste products. Secondly, FairPrice can strengthen the reputation of its brand. Reinforcement of Concepts’ Branding While the FairPrice brand remains popular and distinct, the concepts under it like FairPrice Xtra and FairPrice Fresh amongst others may benefit from further brand building. By differentiating and specializing each one, they could occupy different spaces in the market and further reinforce the market leadership of FairPrice. A good start could be the launch and maintenance of separate marketing communications campaigns for each one. Conclusion The PESTEL Analysis reveals a relatively favorable external environment for the continuous growth of Fair Price. Despite the underperformance of the economy, the Singaporean government remains very supportive of major business activities like importation and exportation. Technological advancement has made it easier to cope with an ever-changing changing customer profile and preference. And by taking a proactive stance, FairPrice is able to manage most environmental and legal issues surrounding their business. On the other hand, the Five Forces Analysis reveals the innate strength of the FairPrice brand and organization. With the large scale and span of its operations, FairPrice is susceptible to few risk factors aside from the perennially tight competition amongst players.

Personal Responsibility

Personal Responsibility Personal Responsibility and College SuccessCorinne BunceGen/200October 20, 2014Dale McCurdyPersonal Responsibility and College Dropouts PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 1 PAGE 5Personal Responsibility and College SuccessCorinne BunceGen/200October 20, 2014Dale McCurdyPersonal Responsibility and College DropoutsAccording to The National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, 45.5 % of students in colleges in the U.S. don't finish a bachelor' degree in under 6 years (2014). It may be easy to speculate why they don't; however, in this essay I plan to present the idea that lack of personal responsibility is the main factor that leads to college dropouts, and having personal responsibility leads to success in college as well as careers. Some people are generally nervous to take blame for shortcomings or weaknesses for fear of being criticized. When you take personal responsibility for your actions you leave room for growth and success. Personal responsibility is the key to college success.Personal responsibility is the key to college success.Personal responsibility to me is being able to hold yourself accountable to things that are within your power.US Navy 090610-N-8848T-551 Navy Junior ROTC cadets...For instance, if you do not meet a deadline do to poor planning and receive a unsatisfactory grade, someone that takes personal responsibility would learn from their mistake and plan ahead next time. College success takes motivation, organization, and a willingness to grow from mistakes. Researchers for the Association of American Colleges and Universities did a survey of 23 campuses, including over 23,000 undergraduate students and over 9,000 campus professionals on personal responsibility. They used the "Personal and Social Responsibility Institutional Inventory" (PSRII) in Fall 2007 to assess the campus environment along five dimensions of personal and social responsibility: (1) Striving for excellence; (2) Cultivating personal and academic integrity; (3) Contributing to a larger community; (4) Taking seriously the perspectives of others; and (5) Developing competence in ethical and...

Blog Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 9

Blog - Essay Example Janissaries were a formidable fighting force of the Ottomans which gave the Ottomans enormous advantage over the European forces. Gradually, firearms, infantry drill, muskets, grenades and hand cannons were introduced which further strengthened the Janissary corps. However, the original organization was strong enough to adopt these advancements. There were infantry and cavalry soldiers. The infantry was divided into seven groups: janissaries, recruits, armorers, artillerymen, artillery carries, bombardiers and sewermen. All of these groups, formed by Turkish yongmen, were strong enough to provide the military with a tough corps. Hence, it is concluded that the military should have a robust organizational structure first of all, so that it is resilient enough to adopt newer ways, tools and equipment. Although, it is also true that without the introduction and adoption of firearms, muskets, and etcetera, the Janissaries would have ended up much sooner than they did, however, the import ance of organizational structure cannot be denied as with any other field of

Alternative Methods of Involvement of Employees in Decision Making Essay

Alternative Methods of Involvement of Employees in Decision Making - Essay Example Managers today are under pressure to engage employees in all aspects of their jobs. Generally, they must find ways to engage employees so they will stay working in the organization. Without engagement, many employees begin to slack in their duties (Farndale, van Ruiten, Killiher & Hope-Hailey, 2011; Gupta, 2011; Liu, Listen-Heyes & Ko, 2010). Companies are pressed to find alternative ways of engaging employees to motivate them to stay. Part of this engagement happens when employees have a voice in the decision making process. When they have a voice and understand that their ideas and opinions are valued and often taken into consideration when large decisions are made, the individuals have a better time of staying with the organisation. Employee Decision Making and Retention One of the ways to retain employees is to give them an opportunity to provide information about change and opportunities for advancement. Many employees bring their most creative and innovative ideas when they fee l they have the opportunity to be heard. Chen, Ployhart et al. (2011) studied the issue of employee turnover and why this often happened. They found that an employee’s job satisfaction is central to whether they stay in on organisation or whether they leave. Part of job satisfaction came from the employee’s perception of their control within their job. Control was often felt by the opportunity to take part in specific decisions as they happened. ... (2011) add to this discussion on voice because they suggest that employees have more commitment to the organisation when they perceive that their voice is being heard. They also found that this perception was directly related to whether employees developed trust in senior management. The authors state that the employee must have a psychological attachment to the organization and its values. This means that employees must be actively involved with decision making and there must be an â€Å"exchange relationship† which means a â€Å"one party provides a benefit to the other, thereby causing an obligation to respond by providing something beneficial †¦ â€Å"(Farndale et al., 2011, p. 115). In an exchange relationship in the organisation, employee voice is heard on a regular basis. The positive aspects of treating employees as stakeholders is that it makes them feel valued, makes them create a stronger commitment to the organisation and motivates them to contribute (Wilkin son and Fay, 2011). With employees as active participants in the decision making process, the managers would become more accountable in their financial practices as well as in their accounting of what they were charged to do (Chilosi and Damiani 2007). Some of the challenges to this method include that some employees may feel they do not have to work as hard because they are important to the organisation, and this attitude can lead to a lessening of productivity. Also, employees involved as stakeholders could create a challenge for outsiders who come into the firm to bring their assistance because they would know as much as the insiders. In some cases, managers can become disgruntled because they may perceive that they do not have as much power because all employees have a say (Chilosi and Damiani 2007).

Quest for Manhood Malcolm X Essay Example for Free

Quest for Manhood Malcolm X Essay Manhood is when a boy takes the leap from being a child to a true man. People say that leap happens at different times for every boy. People can tell it happens because they stop acting foolishly and deal with matters by themselves. The four stories The Autobiography of Malcolm X, â€Å"The Ethics of Living Jim Crow†, â€Å"The Man Who Killed a Shadow†, and â€Å"Almos’ a Man† all deal with African American boys and them becoming true men. The literature of Richard Wright and Malcolm X illustrate how African American males encountered much difficulty in asserting their manhood while living within the racist society of the 1930’s and 1940’s. Racism denied African American males the opportunity to gain economic power. In â€Å"The Ethics of Living Jim Crow†, the young African American boy gets a job in a factory. He works with white men and wants to learn more. One day he is told that the factory is â€Å"a white man’s work†¦and [he] better watch [him] self! † (241) The white men feel he is threatening their job even though he is just trying to support his family. They threaten him and make him quit his job. Unlike the young boy who already has a job, Malcolm X moves to Boston to search for a new job. During Malcolm X, Malcolm decides his life would be better if he moves in with his sister. He was walking through the city and noticed these people were â€Å"only a big city version of those successful Negro bootblacks and janitors back in Lansing† (42). Janitors and bootblacks were considered successful jobs for African Americans where that job for a white man would be around middle to lower class. Blacks don’t even have a chance at a good job like a lawyer or doctor. â€Å"The Man with a Shadow† is about an African American man growing up in life. He is working as a janitor and his boss has legs spread wide open and her panties showing. He is embarrassed and refuses to clean under her desk. The boss becomes angry and screams, â€Å"‘You’re being paid to clean, You black nigger†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (232). The black man feels real embarrassed and gets yelled at for not cleaning the same area again. He feels as if he is being treated like a slave. Also being called the N word is real offensive for African Americans. He has to quit because he accidentally killed the librarian. Economic power is one step in leading men to manhood, but exercising one’s freedom is also an important step. Racism prevented African American males from exercising their autonomy. In â€Å"The Ethics of Living Jim Crow†, the young African American boy has a job and is making a delivery. He is on his back to the store when â€Å"a police car, swerving toward [him], jammed [him] into the curbing† (244). Blacks in this time period were treated unfairly. He is just trying to do his job and even the cops wouldn’t let blacks exercise their own independence. Whites put fear into blacks in all different kinds of settings during this time period, from work places to social settings. During Malcolm X, Malcolm is in a theatre watching a show. When the show started, Malcolm â€Å"was the only Negro in the theatre†¦[and] felt like crawling under a rug† (33). People go to theatres all the time and shouldn’t be forced to feel uncomfortable while in them. Malcolm wants to watch the show, but since the country was so racist and he was the only black, he felt weird and wanted to leave. Later on in the book, Malcolm is thinking about what he wanted to do for his job. â€Å"Lansing certainly had no negro lawyers or doctors,† something he may have wanted to be (38). He wants to be successful in life, but as he recalls there are zero lawyers or doctors in Lansing. This quote shows that because of race alone, blacks can’t use their autonomy and get a job they aspire to be. Finding their independence was hard enough, but trying to protect each other was even harder. Racism would not allow African American males to defend themselves or others. The young boy in â€Å"The Ethics of a Living Jim Crow† is at a store working when an old woman gets beat. â€Å"They would not beat me if I knew enough to keep my mouth shut† even though they beat that old black lady (243). The white workers beat an old black lady for not paying her bill. He could not defend the old lady because he knew the whites would hurt him if I tried to help her. Later on in the story, a security guard slaps a fellow black female employee on the butt. The African American man feels embarrassed for letting his friend get slapped on the butt. The employee who got slapped says, â€Å"‘Don’t worry, you couldn’t help it†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (246). This quote shows that blacks had no chance to defend others because if they did, the whites would just beat them even more. The girl knows they can’t do anything about it and tells him not to worry. From white security guards to racist groups such as the KKK, whites could do basically whatever they want to do to blacks at this time. At the very beginning of Malcolm X, the KKK is at Malcolm’s house. They were surrounding the house, â€Å"brandishing their shotguns and rifles† (1). The KKK is around the house with weapons wanting Malcolm’s father to leave town. He had no way to defend himself because they had all weapons. Many people and organizations in town, and even the police are corrupt and don’t like the blacks. Part of being a man is defending others and the whites would not let them do this at this time. The four stories show how black males had different obstacles to overcome in gaining their manhood while living in the racist society during the mid 1900’s. The boys in all the stories had problems they encountered on their way to finding their manhood. They couldn’t gain economic power, exercise their autonomy, or defend themselves and others. The 30’s and 40’s were a bad time for African Americans to live in, but as the years have gone on, minorities have gained more rights in America. With the help of groups such as the NAACP, blacks have more rights than ever. Barack Obama, the United States President and Tiger Woods, the world’s most popular athlete are both examples of how far African Americans have come.

Creation Science and Intelligent Design :: essays research papers

There continue to be numerous efforts to introduce creationism in US classrooms. One strategy is to declare that evolution is a religion, and therefore it should not be taught in the classroom either, or that if evolution is a religion, then surely creationism as well can be taught in the classroom.[1] In the 1980's Phillip E. Johnson began reading the scientific literature on evolution. This led to the writing of Darwin on Trial, which examined the evidence for evolution from religious point of view and challenged the assumption that the only reasonable explanation for the origin of species must be a naturalistic one, though science is defined by searching for natural explanations for phenomena. This book, and his subsequent efforts to encourage and coordinate creationists with more credentials was the start of the "Intelligent Design" movement. Intelligent design asserts that there is evidence that life was created by an "intelligent designer" (mainly that the physical properties of an object are so complex that they must have been "designed"). Proponents claim that ID takes "all available facts" into account rather than just those available through naturalism. Opponents assert that ID is a pseudoscience because its claims cannot be tested by experiment (see falsifiable) and do n ot propose any new hypotheses. Many proponents of the ID movement support requiring that it be taught in the public schools. For example, the Discovery Institute and Phillip E. Johnson, support the policy of "Teach the Controversy", which entails presenting to students evidence for and against evolution, and then encouraging students to evaluate that evidence themselves. While many proponents of ID believe that it should be taught in schools, other creationists believe that legislation is not appropriate. Answers in Genesis has said: "AiG is not a lobby group, and we oppose legislation for compulsion of creation teaching ... why would we want an atheist forced to teach creation and give a distorted view? But we would like legal protection for teachers who present scientific arguments against the sacred cow of evolution such as staged pictures of peppered moths and forged embryo diagrams ..."[2] Opponents point out that there is no scientific controversy, but only a political and religious one, therefore "teaching the controversy" would only be appropriate in a social studies, religion, or philosophy class. Many, such as Richard Dawkins, compare teaching intelligent design in schools to teaching flat earthism, since the scientific consensus regarding these issues is identical.

Gay and Lesbian Advertising

Advertising â€Å"Out† of the Box In 1994, Ikea created a wave of controversy when they became one of the first companies to market to the gay community on mainstream daytime television. Despite the initial backlash; this ad eventually sparked countless other companies jump on the â€Å"Gay and Lesbian Advertising Bandwagon†. But what is the motive behind advertising specifically to this community, do the businesses take a genuine interest in the gay community or is it strictly for expanding business?Additionally, once a business decides to advertise using gay content, what is the appropriate way to go about doing so, and how does their strategy differ between gays and lesbians? Only 4 to 10% of the population identifies themselves as gay or lesbian. (Okenfull, 50) So why are businesses so concerned with gaining the support of this demographic? One of the biggest reasons being their buying power. While they don’t make more than heterosexual couples, a large major ity are not raising children, so they have more disposable income.Thus, they have even been referred to as the â€Å"Dream Market† with a potential buying power of $641 billion annually (Okenfull, 49). Because this is the foremost reason why advertisers go after the gay community, this makes us question whether they have a genuine interest in the gay community. â€Å"We market to gays and lesbians for business reasons because we want to sell out product to consumers. It doesn’t get more complicated than that. â€Å" -Miller beer spokeswoman (Sender, 2) It is common knowledge that the only point of advertisement is to drive in more business.However, analyzing the overall impact of advertising on society, it seems as if there is more that comes into play than just a business decision. In fact, regardless of the company's motive to produce advertisements that have gay content, the overall impact of infiltrating gay content into mainstream media has actually helped advan ce and liberate the gay community. Big corporations not only reflect society’s current values, but they are also largely responsible for shaping society's values. If there are more gay and lesbian imagery in the media, society will adapt he perception that they are everywhere and normalizes gayness. Also, having large corporations back a minority-based cause, will make the majority more accepting and make the people in opposition to the cause seem more ignorant. Essentially, even just the facade of a company publicly declaring their support for gayness makes a powerful statement to society. Not only is appearing to be in support of gay rights is something that will boost your business, but to have any anti-gay statement or claims can detrimentally hurt your company as well. In 1977, Coors was accused of firing gays, along with several other minority groups. Journal of Community Research) Not long after much controversy, chairman Pete Coors adopted an Gay-Friendly policy and a lso extended benefits to same-sex couples. In 2000, Coors hiked up their spending on gay advertising, putting them in the number two spot for most money spent on gay advertisements. (Chura, 1) After a company becomes seen as anti-gay, it is evident that they must fight desperately to overcome this stigma just to stay in the game. Beer is a prime example of a product that's advertisements have saturated the gay market to the extent of which if you do not participate, then you’re stance on gay rights is questioned.There is a very positive outcome for the many companies that show their support to the gay community as well as a negative outcome for companies that don’t. Despite this; it still leaves many consumers skeptical of their motives. Many advertisements, in a failed attempt to show acceptance, have become the target of gay critics. The harshest of backlash of these ads are in ones in which they depict obvious and offensive gay stereotypes. It is evident that advert isers must handle these types of ads with care, depicting gay stereotypes can lead to further segregation rather than promoting equality.Gay consumers are very skeptical to how a company presents gay advertisements, but perhaps the biggest obstacle is to still keep heterosexual consumers that are turned off by or blatantly opposed to homosexuality. When Ikea first ran their ad on daytime television, there was a positive response from gay consumers. However, during this time period it still created enough controversy that outweighed the benefits of appealing to that market. This is when agencies quickly realized that limiting their advertisements to the confines of strictly gay and lesbian print media such as OUT magazine was a safer route for the time being.Although the initial reaction by heterosexuals to this first commercial was negative and controversial, this was also a time in history where the attitude around gay media was at a turning point . Gay shows became less of a niche market, and more mainstream. â€Å"More recently, gay-oriented shows such as the L Word, Will and Grace, Ellen, Queer as Folk, and Queer Eye for a Straight Guy have increasingly pushed the boundaries of cultural accepatnce of homosexuality and have diminished the risk of backlash for firms who are percieved to be â€Å"gay friendly. † (Okenfull, 50)Shows dealing with this content presumably have made the hetereosexual community more understanding to this type of lifestyle and generationally speaking, the current generation became much more likely to support the gay rights movement. Thus, integrating gay ads into mainstream television and print media was back on the table. Because the decision for advertisers to target the gay community is still a very controversial subject for both straight and gay consumers, it is imperative to acknowledge the vast differences in how to effectively target this audience.First, it is important to recognize gay male consumers and lesbian fema le consumers as a very different audience. Additionally, it is important to assess how strong their gender identity is. The strength of one’s gender identity is based on several different factors, such as how strong their involvement and sense of belonging is to the gay community. Gay males that are identified as having a high degree of sexual identity, are more attracted to ads that display explicit gay content. (Okenfull, 54) To illustrate an ad that is â€Å"explicitly† gay, (refer to picture 1), I chose Virgin Mobiles â€Å"Hook up Fearlessly†.The ad almost positively insinuates that the two males depicted in the ad are gay, if not gay, then extremely turned on by the a gay act. This type of explicitness would be most attractive to males who have a high gay identity rather than low. There is a large power construct in this advertisement. The male with wings is forcefully holding down the other male to kiss him while the male on bottom, while he does seem sub missive, he is still enjoying the act taking place. I personally like this ad; mostly because of the actual relevance to the buying process.Consumers always have an apprehension to buying products, let alone a phone contract. This ad is conveying to the potential consumer to just give in and try it. While the male on bottom might have been apprehensive about the kiss, just as â€Å"You’ll Love Us† guarantee gives you the freedom to chose without â€Å"strings attached†. It is a â€Å"Just try it! † ad, and while hooking up in an office space is taboo; doing it with with a gay angel is even more controversial and daring, and you might just â€Å"Love It†. I like this ad because it communicates the point fluidly, and replaces any uncertainty with a sense of empowerment and fearlessness.While ads like these are very effective in communicating with the demographic who have a strong sense of gender identity, low identity gays and lesbians are more respo nsive to a less explicit type of advertising. Generally, gays and lesbians who have a low sense of gender identity want to define themselves by traits other than just their sexual preference. By being less explicit, they get the opportunity to read between the lines, not feel alienated by their gender identity, and not have their identity to be oversexualized. To target this audience, advertisers indicates gayness without actually using a lesbian or gay couple.Instead they use implicit gay imagery which uses symbols and phrases that indicates gayness such as rainbows, pride, and being â€Å"out†. (Okenfull, 55) To illustrate an add that does this, I chose Chevy’s electric car ad (refer to ad 2). There are a mother and father car facing their child car. The caption says â€Å"Mom, Dad, I’m electric. † The bottom of the page uses a thin bar that is intended to look like a rainbow. The copy at the bottom is â€Å"So, whatever revs your engine, we support yo u 100%, Happy Motor City Pride from the entire Chevrolet family. † This is another ad that I think is done beautifully.They used a social norm of what society knows as the â€Å"coming out scene†. The electric car is declaring that it is not just any old car, just as a gay or lesbian would have to come out to their parents that they are not just another heterosexual. What also intrigues me about that ad is the italics on â€Å"I’m electric†. This is presumably a play off the upbeat â€Å"It’s electric† song. The car is excited to tell its parents that he is gay, conveying a sense of empowerment and excitement, instead of how we typically think of this moment, which can often be a shameful and intimidating moment for many children.I also really like the ad for it’s relevance to the gay community. According to a recent survey, only ? of hetereosexuals admitted to being concerned about the environment while 55% of gays and lesbians identi fied that they are more likely to â€Å"go green†. (Koretzky). It is targeting consumers that are interested in their message, while also encouraging acceptance and becoming empowered. While even high identity lesbians are most attracted to implicit gay imagery, their liking towards explicit lesbian imagery comes secondary (before explicit gay imagery).But interestingly enough, lesbian imagery is extremely underrepresented. It was reported that in one of leading gay and lesbian magazines, The Advocate, lesbian-targeted imagery accounted for only 3% of the magazine advertising. Why is this? (Okenfull, 65) Not only do lesbians have typically just as much buying power as gay males, but heterosexual consumers are even more comfortable with lesbian imagery over gay imagery, which lowers the risk of heterosexuals being offended or turned off from a product. In general, lesbians are less discriminated than gays. his is something that shows up in the workplace; according to a recent study, gay males make 23% less than straight males, lesbians make about the same as straight women. (Williams Institute) Perhaps society taking a particular favoritism to lesbianism is the very reason that advertisements that depicting lesbians couples in ads targeted towards lesbians are more underrepresented. There is a oversexualization attenuated by the heterosexual community of how lesbians are viewed. I chose an ad that was apart of a campaign for a swiss Italian ski resort (picture 3).A website was commenting on the success of this ad with the title of the Article â€Å"Lesbians Good for Ski Business. † the comment on this ad stated, â€Å"Seems some brilliant ad agency came up with a campaign to promote the Swiss Italian ski resort Airolo by featuring two women about to kiss (pictured above). We’re going to hazard a guess that the intended demographic was not lesbians. They were probably targeting lager louts looking for a good stag party getaway now that Prag ue has kicked them out. † (Get Outdoor Blog) The imagery does not have any clever tagline, or anything to empower lesbains.In fact, one of the main centerpieces of the point of this ad is the male in the background completely enamored and excited by the thought of two girls kissing. The comment on the article even states that â€Å"the intended demographic was not lesbains. † and makes the point that this ad was to promote a party scene. In fact, most viewers probably would not even assume the two girls in the ad as lesbians. By no means does the ad seem to support the gay community, it rather just sexualizes the fantasy of watching two women make out.A sexual lesbian experience can be arousing to straight men and women, conveying a â€Å"party† type of experience while if the couple was actually a gay couple about to engage in a kiss, this ad would most likely be only arousing to gay men, and convey the message that â€Å"We are a gay friendly place† rath er than a â€Å"Party Place†. Another advertisement that depicts the sexual objectification of women is the Nikon ad. There is a hand holding up a camera in which he captures the image of two women in lingerie on top of each other. While the gender of the person taking the photo is not identified, it appears to be a male.Because of the interest in the (presumed) male figure, this ad makes it very evident that the relationship between the two women is not a committed lesbian relationship. It is portrayed to be just a sexual one with an objective to please the male. The copy at the bottom states that the Nikon S60 detects up to 12 faces. When you look closer at the ad, you can spot four males in the adjacent apartment building watching the girl-on-girl action. Many consumers were very upset with this ad, believing it to be both sexist and delegitimizing to lesbian relationships. They made the argument that, the advertisement is sexist relies heavily on the notion that the lesbi ans are unwitting, innocent subjects violated by a voyeuristic male glaze. † (Turnbell) The writer refutes this argument by stating that the two women made the conscious decision to objectify themselves by leaving the curtains open, as well letting another male to capture their (not-so) intimate moment on a camera. Additionally, the ad is relevant to the product because it successfully communicates in a clever way that that even though the faces are so far away, the camera is advanced enough to still detect the voyeurs faces.Personally, I completely agree with the writer's argument. However, I would also argue that these types of ads do present a problem to the lesbian community. How can advertisements tastefully depict a lesbian encounter that meaningfully supports and empowers the lesbian community? Also, how can you conveys that the two women are legitimately homosexual, rather than a sexualizing their experience? This objectification of the lesbian relationship is likely w hy many lesbian advertisements are underrepresented.In general, they are most comfortable to advertisements that use implicit hints of sexuality rather than involving males or females (such as the car commercial). Some argue that â€Å"lesbians are female versions of male sexuality†, but this argument is scrutinized because lesbians describe their experience to be completely different. Typically, lesbians are more socially accepted than gay males are. However, they have to fight harder to convince society that their identity is more than just a sexual desirability of a female. One company that has successfully done so is JC Penny’s.In 2012, they released their â€Å"Freedom of Expression† ad (See Picture 5) that features two mothers and their daughter. While a group called â€Å"One Million Mothers† presented backlash to this ad, the overall response was positive. There is no overt sexual nature in this picture, it is just depicting a family photo with tw o mothers. â€Å"As jcpenney focuses on becoming America’s favorite store, we want to be a store for all Americans. In celebration of Mother’s Day, we’re proud that our May book honors women from diverse backgrounds who all share the heartwarming experience of motherhood. † -Eric Bovin (ABC news)In conclusion; advertisers have recognized the great importance of tapping into the gay market. Not only is establishing your company as being in support of this cause positive, but in some markets; it is necessary. Overall, Advertising to the gay and lesbian community is not one-size-fits-all. It are also specific precautions that you must take in entering into this type of market. Not only are you going up against the criticisms of anti-gay groups, but you are also up against the scrutiny of whether your advertisement is legitimate or whether you are using the leverage of the gay community to seem more accepting and grow your consumer base.There are Advertising Agencies must take into account the way in which homosexuals identify themselves in terms of their involvement as well as the how males and females differ in what appeals to them. Works Cited Hilary Chura, â€Å"Coors hikes spending on gay ads, March 27, 2000 Katherine Sender, Business Not Politics: The Making of the Gay Market, New York: Columbia University Press, 2005, 331 pp. , â€Å"The Dynamics of Brand Legitimacy: An Interpretive Study in the Gay Men's Community (PDF)†.Journal Article, Journal of Consumer Research, University of Chicago Press. JSTOR 10. Going Green, Going Gay? Micheal Koretzky, Jan 13, 2011 The Williams Institute, â€Å"Documented Evidence of Employment Discrimination and Its Effects on LGBT People† (July 2011). Get Outdoors Blog, â€Å"Lesbians for Good Ski Business† (Decemebr 21,2007) James Turnbell, â€Å"A Sexist Advertisement? Lesbians and the Politics of the Male Glaze† (December 13, 2008) ABC News, â€Å"JC Penney Features Same Sex Couple in May Catalouge†, (May 12, 2012)

A Critique of Frye’s, Jordan’s, and Miller’s Feminist Theories Essay

Marilyn Frye’s feminist theory is based on a mix of art and philosophy as well as a presentation of her own ideas in the context of the world. Frye’s theory stresses among other things, the fact that the power of feminism is embedded in the capability of making women’s lives and their experiences understood by a vast majority of the people (Frye, 1983). On the other hand, Jordan’s feminist theory lays emphasis on the woman’s self with reference to her relational well-being (Jordan, 1991). Closely related to this, Miller’s theory is based on the view that there is need to address women’s experiences and make the world understand them better. Thus, Miller suggests that in order to understand women, there is need to understand their lives and values (Miller, 1987; Davis, 1999). This paper will examine and appraise the aforementioned theories and draw a conclusion based on the flaws or incongruence depicted by the theories, and will thus suggest whether the theories can be used together or as separate entities. Frye’s Feminist Theory Frye affirms that in order to understand women fully, that is in terms of their feelings, motivations, ambitions and how they are likely to react to different situations, there is need to understand their driving forces, which are the determining factors in various responses (Frye, 1983). Frye’s feminist theory thus presents an attempt to explain the forces and how they apply to different women. While it may be true that there are deciding forces behind every woman’s response to different situations, it is also evident that the forces cannot be studied conclusively. This viewpoint is instigated by the fact that women live in different conditions, and these conditions are likely to affect how they react to different circumstances. Thus, a generalization cannot be used to describe women’s attitudes. In view of sex and sexuality, Frye notes that sex roles have inhibited men and women from being in charge of their choices since the activities involved in sex are already predetermined (Hoagland & Frye 2000). However, this supposition fails to address the sex drives involved among same-sex partners. Thus, even though Frye notes that women are sexually oppressed, it is difficult to concur with the argument since sexual freedom has increased tremendously in the world over the past few years. Frye’s likening of women to a birdcage in which if one observes one wire of the cage, she or he is likely not to see the other wires present in the cage (Davis, 1999) presents an interesting point of discussion. This is true given that in there are instances when women are ignored, for example in restaurants when waiters expect men in company of women to pay the bills. This implies that much attention is paid to men, who are perceived to be a superior sex. Jordan’s Feminist Theory This theory emphasizes the connections among different aspects of women’s lives, which are developed through relationships. It dwells on factors such as sexism and heterosexism, which separate women and alienate them from the rest of the society, thus subjecting them to a lot of suffering (Jordan, 1991). In view of this, while it is true that women are more affected by issues that concern sex it is also imperative to note that such issues are not just limited to women. Concisely, men also suffer from issues related to sex. Jordan’s theory also dwells on the self-condition of women in relation to their relational wellbeing. Jordan emphasizes that most Western psychological theories tend to point too much on the woman’s self rather than her relations with others (Jordan, 1997). Along this line, Jordan asserts that men have subordinated women and view them as their subjects, thereby undermining women’s relation capacity. This presumption has some substance with reference to how women were treated in the past. However, it may loose significance in the contemporary world where women have taken more leadership positions and have better control of their undertakings. Jordan addresses desire by relating it to adolescent sexuality, noting that it arises from people’s integration with others and creation of relationships (Jordan, 1997). This is true in the context of what people commonly refer to as â€Å"real love† that develops between men and women through their continued association. On the other hand, since relationships commonly break, there is an indication of a flaw in Jordan’s theory. Nevertheless, Jordan’s point of challenging the tendency by men to be dominant over women (Jordan, 1991) stresses the need for equality between men and women. Miller’s Feminist Theory Miller focuses on the concern of men’s domination over women and their tendency to subordinate them (Miller, 1987). She asserts that the propensity by men to be dominant over women causes conflict between the two sexes because men fail to understand women. Miller also notes that in dealing with conflict, women, who are usually the subordinates revert to overt conflict, a phenomenon that is prevalent in the present day (Miller, 1987). Miller therefore questions why men should be dominant over women yet women have equal capabilities do what men can do. Miller’s feminist theory is important in addressing gender disparity in the world. It also supports women in having voices to do what pleases them irrespective of what men think about them. However, its flaw lies in the fact that it fails to address why men have higher propensity to be dominant over women and why women usually revert to overt conflict when dealing with men. Conclusion The feminist theories by Frye, Jordan and Miller all address issues that though not congruent are closely related. Frye’s theory is centered on understanding women; Jordan’s theory recognizes the woman’s self worth and the importance of women’s participation in relations; whereas Miller’s theory in centered on understanding women and why men should not treat them as subordinates. All these issues are closely related since they address the status of women and their role in the society, which is paramount in eliminating injustices against them. Hence the theories should treated together to achieve the objective. References Davis, F. (1999). Moving the mountain: The women’s movement in America since 1960: Chicago: University of Illinois Press Frye, M. (1983). Politics of reality: Essays on feminist theory. New York: Ten Speed Press Frye, M. (1992). Willful Virgin: Essays in Feminism, 1976-1992. New York: The Crossing Press, Inc. Hoagland, S. L. & Frye M. (2000). Feminist interpretations of Mary Daly. Pennsylvania: Penn State Press Jordan, J. (1991). Women’s growth in connection: New York: Guilford Publications, Inc Jordan, J. (1997). Women’s growth in diversity. New York: Guilford Press Miller, J. (1987). Toward a new psychology of women. Boston, MA: Beacon.

Heian Period the Fujiwara

During the Heian Period the Fujiwara was not a family who cared too much for war. The extent of the fighting during this period was done mainly by the trained clan warriors, the uji fighting men. As a result there was little political power held by warriors. However, the following period was nearing the opposite side of the latter. The Kamakura Period received its name from the power that the warriors held in Kamakura. The warriors of the Kamakura Period were unlike warriors from previous periods. The warriors, otherwise known as bushi, were expected to hold character traits that exceeded the normal warrior or citizen. Among the traits were reliability, sincerity, to live a frugal and strenuous life, and to worry not about personal gain or profit. These warriors were known as samurai. The list of traits was used as a model on judging the worthiness of men. However, the samurai were expected to go even further than just living up to the standards set for them. To avoid dishonor or demonstrate his sincerity or underline a protest, he should be ready to commit ritual suicide by disembowelment, also known as seppuku. The enormous emphasis put on honor is apparent. Although the gesture could be viewed as admirable then, it is absurd to think about now. Although one never wants to injure pride or honor it is not necessary to go to such an extreme end to salvage it. Still, honor and pride were not the only factors that would drive one to end their life. Loyalty to ones lord or emperor was also a virtuous reason to commit suicide. This is evident in The Tale of Genji while Genji is speaking with an old man in regards to another man and that mans daughter. The old man states, If he dies with his grand ambitions unrealized she is to jump into the sea (Murasaki, 69) . The daughter is to remain loyal and take her own life unless her father lets her know otherwise. It appears that one could not live ...

How to Use Social Media When Job Hunting With Expert Kathy Bernard

How to Use Social Media When Job Hunting With Expert Kathy Bernard Since the economy took a plunge in 2009, we’ve all heard horror stories of people spending months and months submitting application after application and not getting any responses. But what about those people who have jobs where they’re overworked and underpaid?â€Å"I think the biggest challenge for job seekers today is the unrealistic expectations of many companies,† says Kathy Bernard, creator of Getajobtips.com. â€Å"They often expect a person to do the work of three people, and they want to pay them terribly at the same time.†Bernard, who hopes to help both the unemployed and miserably employed through her site, says that today many job seekers are having to learn to adjust to working multiple jobs at poverty income. And the situation is especially frustrating because in many cases, large companies are raking in record profits and could pay fairly.â€Å"They can get away with paying horribly because people need a job so badly,† she says.At the same time, Kathy says it’s tough for small businesses that often can’t afford to hire people because of all the expenses and taxes they must pay.Kathy offers great insight on landing a job in today’s market. Here’s what she had to say:  What advantages do today’s job hunters have?Job seekers have many advantages today that earlier generations did not. The biggest advantage they have is LinkedIn, which gives them a way to establish a strong brand, research companies, reach out to recruiters, re-connect with former coworkers, get recommendations, and much more.How important are social media sites- especially LinkedIn- to job hunters?LinkedIn is huge for the job search! According to ERE.net and other sources, 94 percent of recruiters use LinkedIn to find or vet candidates for their open positions. For most job seekers, it is also beneficial to have a basic understanding of all of the major social media sites (particularly LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitte r, and Pinterest) so that you can talk knowledgeably about them in interviews and use the sites (if required) for business purposes.What are some best practices for using social media when you’re searching for a job?Fully complete your LinkedIn profile. Particularly pump up your LinkedIn headline and past and current job titles. Pack each job entry with relevant duties to impress hiring companies looking for people with your background.Also, have an established account on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. It is easy to establish profiles on these sites, and just taking such a simple step gives you an easy answer if recruiters ask about your social media experience.Don’t express controversial views on Facebook and don’t post messages so frequently that you annoy people. Realize that your profiles can be seen by recruiters and that your past postings can hurt you.What are good habits that every job seeker needs to get into in order to land a job faster?Don’ t isolate yourself. Attend job-networking groups, set up networking coffees, participate in skills-building workshops and webinars, pump up your LinkedIn profile, and ask people for help (and prepare them to help you as effectively as possible). If your resume and LinkedIn profile aren’t pulling well for you or if you are continually not getting job offers after interviewing, enlist professional help to transform your application materials and prepare for interviews.

Psychoanalytic Treatment Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Psychoanalytic Treatment - Case Study Example At the time of the beginning of the writing, he was in his late 60's. Despite this, and the rather difficult demands which travelling to see the doctor placed on Piggle and her parents, the patient herself often demanded to see the doctor, and from an early fate, she talked to him (and he to her) as though Winnicott was a familiar part of the family; Winnicott himself described the parent's visits, and Gabrielle's later insistence on seeing him, as "Psychoanalysis on Demand" (Winnicott, 1991 page XV). This treatment system is relies upon the patient's own demands for help, as and when it is required by them. Winnicott also noted the problems with this system, particularly where the patient cannot be accommodated: The difficulties of being available to the patient, while not simply a puppet to be called on a whim, may present and interesting dilemma, as the system does depend on the whims of the patient, but Winnicott felt that this was a better solution to the needs of the patient than a weekly session "of doubtful value, falling between the two stools and preventing really deep work from being done" (Winnicott, 1991, page 3). The progress of Winnicott's treatment of Gabrielle, with an apparently happy outcome is a very interesting tale from a psychoanalytical perspective. Firstly, Winnicott did not see Gabrielle in a series of fixed sessions, but according to Gabrielle's own desires, and Winnicott describes their last session as "More like a visit from a friend to a friend" (Winnicott, 1991, page 195). Secondly, the treatment appeared to satisfy the parents, who received back the child they had seemingly lost; and Gabrielle herself seemed very satisfied with the treatment, and the troubles which she had had at the beginning were apparently ended through the analysis. This, of course, was not a course proscribed by the doctor; indeed, three years seems a very much longer period than that taken by Freud in the treatment of his patients; and no-one would suggest that the return-visit by Dora, for example, was the visiting of a friend to a friend. The gradual development of the girl, from someone who clearly exhibited a number of anxiety responses, including bad dreams and depression, to a schoolgirl who was seen at the age of 5 as very happy, at age 8 as 'very competent at her work" (Winnicott, page 200), and with what were seen as proper feminine ambitions: to be a teacher, to grow plants; however, and her parents consider that Her inner independence of judgement, and also perhaps a way Of being in touch with people on many wave-lengths, make Me wonder whether thesatisfying experience of being Understood on a deep level may not be continuing. (Winnicott, page 200). However, her conceptions about what were actually happening in the analysis may not have been that of an adult patient; Gabrielle clearly did not feel "Under Analysis", instead, she described her visits to the doctor as occurring when he was writing his autobiography, and that "He used to write and I used to play" (Winnicott, page 201). It may be an interesting question to consider whether the child benefited so much from psychoanalysis as the chance to play and talk away from her

Southwest Air lines Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Southwest Air lines - Term Paper Example But unfortunately issue arises when management fails to achieve the best for their company. The perception to design an infrastructure usually depends upon the project managers who are responsible to implement that. The adverse circumstances arise when the company already lacks in building a strong network. Airline business just not only depends upon issuing tickets and running aero planes, it also depends upon the background affairs and other businesses in the company. It includes marketing, information technology, corporate affairs, logistics and flight services etc. The management has to look over all the areas and their task is to bring all on one page. Southwest Airlines is a company that has highlighted its passions for three factors, â€Å"performance, people and planet†. To accomplish the objective of the company, what needed is to make strategies which provide a roadmap to the company to follow a specific plan that results in setting performance goals, deliver valuable service to customers and to be successful in the market. However making strategies is not all, following the plan is more important. The airline has prospered in every domain but the most important area that overlooked and ignored is Human Resource Management. The ultimate goal of any company is to earn revenue from their business processes. These processes need alignment of company objectives with human resource to run them smoothly (R. Michael), but when company disregards human resource aspect while planning strategies for the company, they will ultimately suffer a business loss. Company’s objective is to add value to business. For doing this, they need to align Information technology with business strategies, improve processes and most importantly take care of critical asset i.e. Human Resource (OPM). This is covered when management does not only focus on business processes but also need to centre employee’s