Strategic Management in Handling Turbulence

Introduction Business environments are described or analysed in various ways based on disparate important dimensions. However, the concept of turbulence is ambiguous. This confusion touches on the varying orientations in studying organisational environments and the diverse methods that are used to measure it.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Management in Handling Turbulence specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This paper will define environmental turbulence and give its three major dimensions. The paper will consider a case study of Tesla with specific emphasis on the types and sizes of batteries used in the company’s electric cars. Tesla innovation will be discussed by considering how it has dealt with turbulence. Definition of environmental turbulence Environmental turbulence underscores the extent of change and degree of complexity in a business environment. Changes in technology, statutory regula tions, or environmental factors are some of the examples that constitute environmental turbulence (Carman, 2003). Therefore, a turbulent environment is dynamic, expanding, unpredictable, and fluctuating. In addition, such an environment displays high levels of interconnectedness with the business. Turbulence is a complex interaction of several dimensions that are related to change where some elements dominate others or overlap each other at times (Grant, 2003). The figure below shows the configuration of the main dimensions of environmental turbulence. Intensity of Changes Dynamism Environmental Turbulence Frequency of Changes Number of elements Complexity Relatedness of elements Availability of information Predictability Predictability of changes Fig: 1 – Dimensions of environmental turbulence. Dynamism If the components of the tasks of the environment are highly variable, the business needs to be flexible. Dynamism in this case refers to the extent to which the components of the environment of a business unit remain constant or changing over a given period. Consequently, this dimension varies from static to dynamic.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For instance, a dynamic environment may be defined by technological changes, varying customer preferences, and frequent entrance and withdrawal of competitors (Mason, 2007). In environmental dynamism, the frequency of environmental change is not differentiated from the intensity of the changes. However, changes in the business environment can occur very fast, but with low intensity. A good example of this scenario is how demand sometimes fluctuates on a daily basis. Similarly, there can be substantial changes happening with less frequency. From this description, the dynamism dimension of environmental turbulence has frequency and intensity of changes as its two sub-dimensions. Complex ity The complexity of an organisation’s environment is subject to the number of elements in that particular environment. The environment has a large number of elements that are involved in its complexity (Rigby, 2001). The complexity dimension applies well to the organisations with a sizeable range of special products, which receive various types of clients and have markets spread over wide geographic areas. The interaction of the environmental elements leads to environmental complexity (Mason, 2007). In a case where the environmental components have few interdependencies (interaction), it is easy to subdivide them into homogeneous groups. As an example, a business that has varied clients, like domestic consumers, industrial, or governmental clients, could segment them into distinct groups. This aspect reduces the complexity of handling the clients. However, segmentation is not possible if there is a strong relationship amongst the many business environmental elements (Quist, 2009). Therefore, the environment is very complex. Therefore, the complexity of the organisational environment depends on the number of elements involved coupled with how they are related. Predictability Predictability or uncertainty covers the two dimensions discussed above. The business environment can be very dynamic and complex, but predictable at the same time. Unpredictability reflects the â€Å"degree to which the relationships between the cause and effect concerning the environmental elements are incomplete† (Carman, 2003, p. 91).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Management in Handling Turbulence specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More When the variability of the environmental elements is linear or cyclical, this dimension can help the management to predict future developments by extrapolating the available trends. Nevertheless, in many business environments, data regarding future developments is not clear. The data available might show discontinuities in business trends, but fail to show when these will occur and in what direction. This aspect might force the management to ignore certain data, which may be relevant. Therefore, such an environment is relatively unpredictable (Danneels Sethi, 2011). In such unpredictable environments or where data is unavailable, the management has to be flexible. The predictability dimension has two sub-dimensions, viz. predictability and the availability of information about the changes in the environment. Case Study This paper is going to take a case study of the storage battery industry, which has the potential of becoming a multi-billion dollar industry. Innovations in this industry could help customers in times of power outages and as alternative power sources during peak hours. The greatest challenge facing this industry is the pricing of the batteries and making a scalable package (Collantes Sperling, 2008). The demand for these batteries depends on the market coverage and statutory regulations. For instance, these batteries could form alternatives to solar panel users who can sell excess kilowatts to their local grids. In some markets, utility providers try to push back extra surcharges, thus causing resistance to users. These storage batteries could succeed in markets experiencing high prices in energy.  The highest adoption of storage batteries is expected among large commercial buildings and the residential sector. The large commercial buildings suffer from the demand charge that is levied by power generating companies, which charge proportionally to their peak consumption. For these users, the batteries could help them because they can be charged during off-peak and be used during the peak. This move could help them to earn incentives from demand response programs offered by utilities. An example of demand-response program participants is the University of Pennsylvania. When electricity prices increa se, the regional transmission operator calls to inform the university. The University responds by switching off heavy energy devices like chillers. Therefore, batteries are a good alternative to respond to energy spikes. Battery technology could bring a paradigm shift in how people think of energy.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In response to this emerging opportunity, several battery manufacturers are forming joint ventures in a move to come up with a lithium-ion battery technology. There have been advances in this direction, which has reduced the cost/kilowatt hour from $1850 in 1999 to $500 in 2006.The industry players expect that with the technological and manufacturing improvements, highly compact models will be produced to cover various markets. The increased optimism about the future of storage batteries has attracted many start-ups in the battery manufacturing industry with expanding variety of lithium ion technology. However, as the future uptake of batteries for storage is not very clear, as manufacturers are not aware of the capacity levels. Therefore, the future success of the industry remains a function of the resulting interplay amongst the dynamics in the battery industry (Sierzchulaa, Bakkerb, Maatb Weea, 2012). Using the models of environmental turbulence, the industry is summarised below Environmental Turbulence -The Macro environmental issues include technology, government regulations, and customer preferences Dynamism Model – Battery technology is expanding and customer preferences are changing with these technological improvements in electric vehicles. Manufacturers have to comply with local and international regulations Complexity Model -The governments are offering incentives to promote as well as restrictions to control the industry. These incentives are motivating new entrants and the existing players to work towards meeting the changing customer expectations. The interaction of these factors is complex Predictability -The future of storage batteries is not clear. Even though it is predictable that the governments will continue promoting and controlling the industry, it cannot be predicted how the technological changes will influence the customers’ preferences. Tesla Innovation Tesla has set up its research and development labs where it is developing batteries and recharging technology. Therefore, Tesla has an important edge in changing the environment of the storage battery industry. It has an innovative technology in battery making and recharging, which has given it a competitive advantage in manufacturing affordable batteries, which can recharge quickly. This aspect is helping the company to lower its cost as opposed to the competitors. The following section highlights how Tesla has dealt with environmental turbulence.  Tesla has manufactured the Powerwall Brand batteries that cost $3000 for 7KwHr and $3500 for 10KwHr. These batteries are designed for use as power backups when there are power cuts in residential setups. This brand is also suitable for commercial buildings as an alternative source of power, which underscores how Tesla deals with the aspect of dynamism. Consequently, the highest adoption of storage batteries is expected among large commercial buildings and residential sector. The large commer cial buildings suffer from the demand charge that is levied by power generating companies, which charge proportionally to their peak consumption. For these users, the batteries could help them because they can be charged during off-peak and be used during the peak. This move could help them earn incentives from demand response programs offered by utilities. The Tesla’s Powerwall brand is a compact battery as compared to the ordinary batteries. In a bid to deal with complexity, the company is using lithium-ion batteries, which are the size of AA batteries. The new battery has a reduced cost/kilowatt hour. By choosing these cylindrical cells, Tesla saves on production costs. The company also uses the most energy dense materials because the smaller and compact cells are safer. This move towards energy density means that Tesla wires together many separate cells, as opposed to hundreds of large cells. Another innovative product in this category is their cooling liquid that flows b etween the cells, thus cooling them so that a problem in one cell does not affect the rest. Competitors are watching what Tesla is doing and moving fast to keep pace. On predictability, Tesla knows that these changes towards a safe environment will undoubtedly be the way forward in the industry, and thus it has positioned itself optimally to be the market leader. Conclusion and implications Environmental turbulence has three dimensions. Dynamism refers to the extent to which the components of a business unit environment remain constant or changing over time. The environment that has a large number of elements involved becomes more complex. The business environment can be very dynamic and complex, but at the same time, predictable. From the case study, some organisational environment elements are causing turbulence in the storage battery industry. These elements include technology, governmental regulations, and customer preferences. Technology is changing continuously. For instance, Tesla is using energy-density lithium ion cells. This aspect means that it uses thousands of small cells as opposed to other automakers who are using hundreds of large batteries. Governments are promoting storage batteries by offering incentives that encourage entrants into the battery manufacturing. The interaction of these environment factors creates a complex business environment. However, the future uptake of batteries as storage options is not very clear. The success in the future remains a function of the resulting interplay amongst the dynamics in the battery industry.  Tesla is moving very fast with innovations in battery manufacturing, and this aspect could affect other industries such as electric cars. Tesla has reduced the size of batteries by using energy density materials. The success of the Tesla’s innovations on batteries could affect the electric car industry and energy storage in residential and commercial buildings. The greatest implication is that the ele ctric car industry could become more practical. This assertion holds because as per the Tesla’s plans, there will be recharge stations nationwide delivering up to 256 miles in thirty minutes. As other competitors are watching, there could be an emergence of other technologies from competitors, thus sparking a fast growth of the industry. There could be also diversification to other market segments such as energy storage in residential and commercial buildings. References Carman, R. (2003). The Relationship among Environmental Turbulence, Strategic  Behaviour, Competitive Posture, and Performance: The Case of State and Federally Chartered Credit Unions. San Diego, CA: Alliant International University Press. Collantes, G., Sperling, D. (2008). The origin of California’s zero emission vehicle  mandate. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 42(10), 1302-13. Danneels, E., Sethi, R. (2011). New Product Exploration under Environmental  Turbulence. Organ isation Science, 22(4), 1026-1039. Grant, R. (2003). Strategic planning in a turbulent environment. Strategic Management  Journal, 24(6), 491-517. Mason, R. (2007). The external environment’s effect on management and strategy: A  complexity theory approach. Management Decision, 45(1), 10 – 28. Quist, A. (2009). Credible Leader for Turbulent Times: Examining the Qualities  necessary for leading into the future. Journal of Strategic Leadership, 2(1), 1-12. Rigby, D. (2001). Situational strategies: A management tool for turbulent times. Strategy   Leadership, 29(6), 8 – 12. Sierzchulaa, W., Bakkerb, S., Maatb, K., Weea, B. (2012). The competitive  environment of electric vehicles: An analysis of prototype and production models. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 2(1) 49– 65. This essay on Strategic Management in Handling Turbulence was written and submitted by user Hadley Hendricks 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.

Counseling Theories essays

Counseling Theories essays This essay will critique the efficacy of Psychodynamic and Cognitives of practical techniques will be explored to illustrate the therapeutic effectiveness and expected outcomes of each model. Finally, it will be demonstrated that both the psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioural counselling theories, in the hands of trained, professional helpers, occupy important roles in the spectrum of counselling philosophies. An irrefutable element in contemporary psychological and counselling practices is the seminal work of Sigmund Freud, who originally conceptualised the notion of the unconscious and its effect on human behaviour (Kovel 1987: 96-98). A core principle in Freuds theories espoused that unpleasant or traumatic childhood experiences - if suppressed in the unconscious and denied by means of defence mechanisms - could subsequently surface as inexplicable thoughts or behaviours in adult life (Geldard 1998: 12-13). Corey (1991: 96-99) succinctly describes the three systems that make up the structure of personality as the biological (id), psychological (ego), and social (super-ego), and that ego defence mechanisms whilst having the potential to warp reality, are normal processes operating on an unconscious level to protect the ego from being overwhelmed. Psychodynamic therapy, whilst firmly established in Freud&a...

Nature as a Construct in Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nature as a Construct in Art - Essay Example Since the beginning of time, nature always takes part and affects the way humans express themselves, and from its inspiration, nature becomes part of our culture and personal identity1. This trend of inspiration continues to survive and generation passes it onto the next generation where it gets improvement, or rather alteration, further distancing it from nature. Natural forests are disappearing, man no longer lives in the jungle, water masses are drying up, pure air is diminishing, wildlife getting extinct, and this authentic of world are being represented in a very new way2. Different regions of the world have embarked on trying to resurrect that diminishing era, which due to its rareness is of great value where found. Nature-man interdependence is at a risk due to the conflict brought by man as he sidelines nature in quest for his own gains, a gap that is widening with the day 3. The environment plays a great role in inspiring contemporary artists. Artists use or include elements of the environment such as naturally occurring stone or wood in coming up with pieces. For instance, Andy Goldsworthy, a famous environmental artist mostly uses ice, vegetation, or snow to create ephemeral artworks such as the Midsummer Snowball project in which large snowballs amounting to thirteen decorated the streets in 2001. Since it was summer, their melting held surprises inside; wool from sheep, pine seeds and berries, rarely seen elements in London streets4. Another artist, Rivane Neuenschwander, draws her inspiration from scenes in her homeland in Brazil where torrential rains mark its wet season and the people align to it. She has a work, Chove Chuva of 2002, where buckets with holes and containing water hang in mid-air letting the water drip into buckets below. This she uses to represent the rains. Sunlight as nature puts it literally dulls and fades color exposed to it- a situation one describes as destruction. However, sculptor Tonico Lemos Auad from Brazil did a piec e (Sunset Seven Seas) in 2007 where he exposes colored card to sunlight and lets part of it fade. The sunlight’s effect, in addition to helping him achieve his piece largely corresponds to his theme. In addition to nature’s role in helping him achieve the Sunset Seven Seas, Tonico directly collaborates with nature when he uses bananas to come up with unique pieces. He gets yellow ripe bananas and makes outlines on them using sharp pins. As the dented pores rot out resulting in black colored spots, they create illusions on the banana skins as per the outlines drawn. During live performances, the feeling of reality comes to life by use of backdrops with representations of real scenes painted or printed on them. For instance, when a play entails war, the backdrops usually have scenes like destroyed buildings, billows of smoke or military equipment. This engages the audience more; giving them the near reality of what a war scene looks and feels like. On the same, playing m usic or applying corresponding sound effects during the performance further brings the audience closer to the real events that occur there. Contemporary artists employ nature in achieving more sensational, realistic art that one can experience being within. Naturally occurring trees, water masses, and stones do not give the impression art to most people. However, some artists bring together naturally occurring elements such as vegetation and stones to create visually appealing scenarios. A good example is Robert Irwin’s maze garden in Getty Center that is a combination of stones, trees, and water that form a maze where visitors can ‘experience’ art. They can touch the elements and experience touchable art, the vegetation has color that appeals to the eye, and the flowers give off

Que Onda Urban Youth Culture and Border Identity Essay - 1

Que Onda Urban Youth Culture and Border Identity - Essay Example There are also the issues of changing economic conditions where Mexicans are seen as the main economic contributors yet; they do menial and inferior jobs. There is also lack of upward mobility by the inferior ethnic groups, who immigrate across the border. The history and geopolitics of the groups determine the social capital each group is going to enjoy, and whether the group is going to assimilate easily. For instance, Chicanas/os are adapted to youth experimentation and popular culture in the United States and their parents put â€Å"fewer restrictions to them† than the Mexicanas/os parents do to their youths (45). The other lines of politics are projected along the legal and policy context of their immigration status (14). This way, the Mexicanas/os and Chicanas/os are made to feel inferior based on their ethnic grouping and social hierarchies (46). These politics is also perpetrated by the issue of whiteness as the top hierarchy and the fact that â€Å"without the social capital and social networks and English skills, immigrant youths cannot succeed in the United States education† (14). This also triggers identity politics where Chicanos use English, the language of America, while Mexicans use Spanish but at their own detriment. The teaching of different languages leads to a division in these two ethnic groups, which share the same ethnicity. In this case, the politics are too heavy for them as students from both sides â€Å"harbor ill feeling towards each other† because of border politics as â€Å"bantering over each other’s style, language, class, and gender and citizens status† (119). The political Chicano movement does not bar the youths from identifying themselves with inferior ascriptions, as opposed to the perpetrated positive proscriptions (46). Therefore, the book bounds all these issues among others to show the value of each aspect in the lives of Mexicanas/os and Chicanas/os in a way that can be viewed non-hege monically. It is because of the bonder politics and race wars that saturate our society that Mexicanas and Chicanas experience discriminations from one another and others (45). What factors influence identity development for Latinas/os along the border region? Many factors have been established, by the book, as influencing identity development for Latinos along the border region. For instance, Latino youths use â€Å"aspects of Mexicana/os, Chicana/os and American culture to create their alternative youth cultures† (96). In this case, the identity of Latinas/os is influenced by the Mexicana/o and Chicana/o youth who share many characteristics. There is also the factor of language where English is considered to be the dominant class language. For this case, the Latinos are influenced to identify with American culture by learning English language. Even though the American pop culture has appropriated Latino culture, this does not bar it from identifying itself with top social c lass in the hierarchies (96). There is also the issue of boundary or geographical position of the Latinos. This is closely linked to their immigration status and proximity to the Mexican border. Those who are close to the border experience extreme discrimination and less social property than those who are far away. On the other hand, those who migrated to the United States earlier have

Organisational Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

Organisational Behaviour - Essay Example Of course, monetary rewards for performance also come into the equation as do the effects of leadership since a good enough leader can motivate a lot more people than a below average leader (Senior, 2002). To better understand this correlates of motivation, it would be useful to examine them individually with practical examples of their use in real world situations. In terms of psychology, it is understood that certain personality types are better at handling certain positions than others and even though personality itself is rather complex to define but the generally accepted notion has been the collection of emotional and behavioural properties as well as the thoughts and ideas of a person (Erdogan, 2005). This idea points towards the notion that certain individuals can be better managers and leaders based on their personal life experiences while others could find it difficult to work effectively if placed in a situation which requires leadership skills (Rosenfeld & Wilson, 1999). The earlier work in the field of personality study is attributed to Jung which was later on expanded by others. While we may say that person X has a cheerful personality, scientists prefer to classify personality in three different models including Factorial models, typologies and circumplexes which are directly connected with how they perform in given situations (Clarke & Robertson, 2005). Depending on the needs of an organisation, certain personalities and behavioural tracts can be more useful for the company than others. A personality evaluation profile can be created to screen candidates for some positions but there is a negative point associated with such a procedure since the ethics of such an approach can be questioned. There is a significant amount of research and information which shows that there is a definite link between personality and certain job roles. Of course much of the evidence presented is based on anecdotes and observations by individuals

Evaluation of Burberrys Market Position

Evaluation of Burberrys Market Position Critically evaluate Burberrys market position relative to that of its competitors. What has been the impact on their position in choosing Emma Watson for their latest advertising campaigns ? Burberry : Finds a position among the Top Ten Luxury Apparel Brands and Emma Watson proves to be a catalyst . Burberry is a iconic brand best known for its â€Å"Britishness† , in recent years has undergone a image overhaul having been described as ‘an outdated business with a fashion cachet of almost zero by leading fashion analysts in 1998 (Finch and May, 1998). By 1997, the annual profits of Burberry had gone to  £25 million from  £62 million (Moore, C., Birtwistle, G., 2004) . Over past few years, Burberry has become in themselves the sign of reinventing and extending product lines to adapt to the taste of times.â€Å" Our objective was to distil what the Burberry brand stood for and determine how to make it relevant for todays consumer† Bravo stated (Alderman, 2002). However, changes focused on brand repositioning turned revenues of  £427.8 million in 2001 into  £715.5 million in 2005 (Burberry Group, 2005). Burberry adopted a strategy to create a market position to explain its growth and extend the customer base by offering â€Å"Accessible Luxury† when most other brands were struggling to acquire a broader clientele. Burberry repositioned themselves and opened a flagship store on Bon Street in London (Moore, C., Birtwistle, G., 2004) placing it store among Gucci, Versace, Prada and Chanel. Approximately, Burberry operates in the global luxury sector to about  £145bn (Burberry Plc, 2009c). Jaeger recently bought Aquascutum and the annual turnover for both brands together was  £300m. Whereas, Burberrys current capital is about  £ 2.1bn. Burberry is considered among the top ten luxury brands. Burberrys competitors differ through its categories and price ranges or diffusion lines. Burberry is positioned between Polo Ralph Lauren and Armani considering apparel and Coach and Gucci for Accessories. Giorgio Armani, Coach, Donna Karan, Escada, Gucci, Max Mara, Polo Ralph Lauren, To ds, Hermes, LVMH, PPR, Prada, Chanel and Richemont are a few among Burberrys competitors (Burberry Plc,2009c). However, even after the recession hit Burberry has achieved to increase sales up to  £1,202m by 31st march 2009. In 2008/09 there was a sales increase through retail by 14%, 2% in wholesale and 9% decline in licensing which contributed to overall 7% revenue increase from the previous year (Burberry Plc,2009a). Comparing with the market Burberry Prorsum competes with Armani Black Label, Gucci and Prada. Burberry London Women is placed between Armani Collezioni and Ralph Lauren. Burberry London Men is between the gap of Zegna and Ralph Lauren. Tommy Hilfiger, Armani Jeans and Polo Jeans are the competitors for Thomas Burberry. Most of the Japanese brands like Ozoc, Michel Klein are a tough competition to Burberry Blue while Paul Smith competes with Burberry Black. In recent years Burberry has expanded its product lines which helped to improve on brand standing and growth. Many other fashion brands are following the same strategy to stand the competition like Armani extension into Armani Casa, Armani hotels etc. According to the top 15 luxury brands listed by Interbrand (2009) Burberry is eleventh in the list and among top ten if only apparel brands are considered. Also, comparing the brand values for the year 2008 and 2009, it can be concluded that competitors brand values declined. Only Hermes managed to get a 1% increase in their brand value AND Polo Ralph Lauren is not listed among top 15. Most of the brands managed to climb the ladder on global ranks, Burberry achieved 98th rank in top 100 global brands 2009. The market brand position of Burberry in terms of valuation can be compared through below segments : †¢ European Apparel Brands: companies like Escada, Hugo Boss, HM and Benetton are competitors in terms of product mix and the business model. Though few companies work on lower price range, few brands are tough to compete in terms of the value they offer to consumers. †¢ US Apparel Brands: Polo Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger competes on basis of product mix and has more mature business. †¢ Luxury Goods Brands: brands like Hermes, Coach, LVMH, Tods . Performing better than competitors and beating analyst expectations, Burberry sales rose by 4.6 % to  £ 343m by September. Share price for Burberry doubled during the past year providing a good defense against competitors. Its market position is mainly in the fashion oriented mature sectors focusing on ready to wear and some accessories peers. Burberry continually tries to consider the cost effectiveness in maintaining the quality and enhance the product while trying to achieve competitive pricing and improving efficiency in sourcing the goods. Even in recession it continues expansion in other markets, for instance the launching kidswear store in US. Also, tailoring the merchandise mix according to the climate to attract more customers, some products are displayed only in selected stores for instance, the New York store provides service for customized trench coat, Beverley hill store contains light weight products etc. Comparing revenues below, 33% of non-apparel to 67% of apparel is a correct balance for a brand to display its products and innovations to provide their customers a wide variety. Where brands like Armani, Channel and Polo Ralph Lauren gain most revenues through apparel while others like Coach depend on the accessories. Burberry trench coats were worn by Hollywood stars like Humprey Bogart in Casablanca, Peter Sellers in The Pink Panther (Jackson and Shaw 2009, p.77).Burberry strongly believes that marketing and management are very critical to its success hence, it focuses on coverage in Editorials, advertising, fashion shows both domestically and internationally and has a website, twice yearly ad campaigns focusing on leading lifestyle and fashion publications and fashion shows in Milan. In order to reflect the essence of the brand ,create brand awareness and sustain brands aura, Luxury brands often feature models, celebrities or famous personalitys as they help wield an enormous power in fashion circles and help in making up or destroying a brand. Burberry uses a lot of images of London to represent it English lifestyle with a British celebrity. Burberry had renowned personalities like Stella Tenant, Rachel Weisz, Agyness Deyn, Lily Donaldson and Kate Moss endorsing the brand. Kate Moss was the most popular and high profile face Burberry had. While, other celebrities like Jerry Hall, Nicole Appleton, Jarvis Cocker and Beckhams also contributed. The beautiful, elegant Emma Watson â€Å"the Harry Potter ‘actress, a leading style icon is the new face of Burberry. Advertising campaign images of Burberry featuring Emma Watson as the face of Burberry were unveiled on 9th Jun 2009. Chistopher Bailey ( Burberrys Creative Director) who said â€Å"Having known and admired the lovely Emma Watson for some time, she was the obvious choice for this campaign†. â€Å"Emma has a classic beauty, a great character and a modern edge. Her charm, intellect and brilliant sense of fun made the whole shoot feel like a picnic on the Thames† he added.( Craik, L. ,2009). The advertising campaign was shot by renowned fashion photographer Mario Testino in Westminster, central London which is the global Headquarter of Burberry and directed by Bailey who considered Watson to strong enough and came up with the idea of presenting only girl surrounded by the young Cool British guys. The images in this campaign capture Watson wearing the classic trench coat looking winsome, accompanied by male models Tom Guinness, Charlie France and Douglas Booth. The images represent the rich history associated with the brand as well as the modernity of Burberry which emphasises on the beauty, timelessness and strength of the brand noteworthy at present. Emma Watson has been globally very popular due to her Harry Porter movies for years now. Watsons popularity and appeal as a leading style icon she has a huge fan following, which the brand uses to target a new young set of customer. Watsons high profile catwalk at the London fashion week in September 2009, helped the company to raise its profile in UK .It can also be assumed that the new ad campaign helped the brand to attract more customer base and resulting in sales increase which is evident from the sales figures for 2009. Burberry mentioned the increase in the second quarter sales climbing from 4.6pc to  £343m.Finacial Analyst and business advisors have forecasted that the tax profits will increase towards  £190m ( Hall, J. 2009) The linkage of Emma Watson as the face of Burberry has also helped the brand to increase the sales of handbags and pull on scarves called snoods. The analysts were proposed rise in the profits due to the increase in sales which helped Burberry to beat the market expectations in second quarter of financial year .However, It seems to a bit risky decision for Burberry as she is bound to get a bit older. To conclude, Burberry is an example of complex channel and distribution for luxury fashion ( Moore and Birtwistle, 2004 ) and proved its potential to be a tough competitor by making positive growth of brand value even when economic scenario is not very supportive. Burberrys decision of choosing Emma Watson for their ad Campaigns has proved beneficial for them to increase sales and profits, also, she reflects the same charm and personality as the brand. However, brand understands that the real task is to implement effective strategies in business that can develop and manage a brand. It is not only celebrity that brings success to the brands. Burberry proves to be approachable as the products not only have good aesthetics but also due to durability, functional and practical proving to be inclusive yet offering friendly prices. This results in higher brand value and brand appreciation. REFERENCES: Alderman, E. 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Hampshire : Palgrave Macmillan, pp.15-25, 30-37, 132-67, 173-78, 227, 260, 278-83, 310 ONeill, L. (2009) From Hogwarts to Burberry: Actress Emma Watson graduating into high fashion as new face of label. NYDaily News.com [Internet] 9 June 2009. Available from Accessed on 17 December 2009. Pringle, H. (2004) Celebrity Sells. India :John Wiley Sons ,LTd. Satherley, J. ( 2009) Emma Watson unveiled as Burberry Babe [ Internet] 9 June 2009. Available from ile:///C:/Users/Admin/Desktop/burberry/research/Emma%20Watson%20unveiled%20as%20Burberry%20babe%20%20%20Metro.co.uk.htm> . Accessed on 16 December 2009.. Vine, S. ( 2009) Coppy Emma Watsons Burberry Look. The Times-TimesOnline [Internet] 10 June 2009. Available From Accessed on 17 December 2009. Werdigier, J. ( 2009) Burberry Looks Online for Ways to Gain Customers. The New York times-Global Business [Internet] 9 November 2009. Available from . Accessed on 12 December 2009. 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Discrimination Against Gay Adoption Essay -- adoption by same-sex coup

Note: This paper has a very long Annotated Bibliography. In recent years, same-sex relationships have become more encompassing in US society. State legislation is changing such as accepting gay marriages, enforcing anti-discrimination laws, and legal gay adoptions; the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community is becoming public. Gay-headed families, like heterosexuals, are diverse and varying in different forms. Whether a created family is from previous heterosexual relationships, artificial insemination, or adoption, it deserves the same legal rights heterosexual families enjoy. Full adoption rights needs to be legalized in all states to provide a stable family life for children because sexual orientation does not determine parenting skills, children placed with homosexual parents have better well-being than those in foster care, and there are thousands of children waiting for good homes. The argument sexual orientation interferes with ones parenting skills is common belief that Charlotte J. Patterson identifies as myth in her work, Lesbian and Gay Parents and their Children, suggesting the belief that â€Å"lesbians’ and gay men’s relationships with sexual partners leave little time for ongoing parent–child interactions.† In the Who is Mommy tonight? case study, how 18 lesbian adoptive parents, 49 lesbian parents who formed their families biologically, and 44 heterosexual adoptive parents experience and perceive their parenting role, how they respond when their children seek them or their partner for particular nurturing, and how the parents negotiate the cultural expectation of a primary caregiver (Ciano-Boyce & Shelley-Sireci, 2002) is looked at. The empirical data found proposes lesbian parent couples were more equ... ...df This study examined associations among family type (same-sex vs. opposite-sex parents); family and relationship variables; and the psychosocial adjustment, school outcomes, and romantic attractions and behaviors of adolescents. Participants included 44 12- to 18-year-old adolescents parented by same-sex couples and 44 same-aged adolescents parented by opposite-sex couples, matched on demographic characteristics and drawn from a national sample. Normative analyses indicated that, on measures of psychosocial adjustment and school outcomes, adolescents were functioning well, and their adjustment was not generally associated with family type. Assessments of romantic relationships and sexual behavior were not associated with family type. Regardless of family type, adolescents whose parents described closer relationships with them reported better school adjustment.

A Detailed Description of the Kipande House Essay

Hope, a word used all too commonly but not defined very clearly. When someone hopes for something, they wish for it, but they have some idea that their wish might happen. Many things have been accomplished because of hope, people resort to hope when they have nothing else to go to. People hope their mother’s gets better, people hope they get the Job, they hope for many things and do not even realize that they make these things happen. People are hope, they determine the outcome of their wishes most of the time, they Just have to go out and do something. There are any things that go along with the word hope, most people think of hope as a wish, but this is far away from the actual truth. People might say â€Å"l hope everything is fine† or â€Å"l hope I get this car†, but for these things to happen, a person needs to do something serious about it. In most cases the person who is hoping for something actually goes and does something to his situation. For example, I hope my brother gets an excellent GPA, so to help the situation I try and tell him at least once a day to work hard, also if he crosses any difficulties he can depend on me. In many ways such as that where I gave my prime example, it would be one of the ways in which I can influence what I hope would happen. Sometimes things may take a while or they may not even get a chance to have time pass by them, but I am actively trying to always influence the outcome, whether or not everything goes the way I want. A lot of people knew how to use hope in their favor. They had only one choice, and this choice was to take the path of hard work where hope was its fuel that makes it run. There is no one better to give an example for rather than Oprah Winfrey. In the long days when her mother was absent from the inner city apartment, young Oprah was molested by her male relatives. Her abuse lasted till she was 13 years old. She began her professional life at the age of 17. After hard work in the field of media and entertainment, Oprah Winfrey began a new show called â€Å"The Oprah Winfrey Show’; which has captured the hearts of millions in the North American continent and the entire world. The Oprah Winfrey Show had its special theme. This show helped in employing people and bringing out sensational stories to the viewers so that the eople could learn and gain pure morals from these stories which are real and happen in our daily life. Oprah’s persistent character made the regular citizens voices reach the governments brain so that the government could find a way to solve the citizen’s problems. Oprah also is a native in the field of public and worldwide services. She has contributed with all she had so that she could revive the concept of â€Å"hope† in the souls of those who really need it, and that was the secret of Oprah’s success. Oprah is a true example of hope in the era we are living in. The word hope paints a different picture in every persons mind. A lot of people think of angels and messengers but I think of people working hard and giving effort on something and then depending on the angels and gods will to fall on it. There are also many meanings people think of when the word hope is said like promise, trust, faith etc. People look for hope in times of despair, but in times of despair they also work hard to finish what they were hoping for. That is why the only meaning that best suits the word hope is effort or hard work. In the end we can finally reach to a point that hope â€Å"treasure† of hope. Hope is viewed as the battery for the spirit, but hope is not the hing that gives people this feeling, it is also the people around you and the community that you live in. The people are they who create the sense of â€Å"hope† by encouraging you to work hard and give effort in the task you have, or the project you are obliged to do, and even with doing your home work. Hope is also seen as a child because this child will grow up to do things to help others and help spread the right- of-hope, even if it was in a simple or a massive way. In my opinion, I see that hope is a Holy right that should be available at any time to who deserves it. We live in a world hat was created with laws and orders so that people could have their rights equally. Hope is the golden key that truly opens the gate for a better life. A Detailed Description of the Kipande House By Charity-Nyange Kipande house. It is a colonial architecture building that was built in the early 1900. It was designed by gurdit Singh and was the tallest building in Kenya before city hall was built in 1935. The building has a clock tower that is 65ft high and is a one storey affair. It is located on Kenyatta avenue opposite GPO, general post office building and currently ouses the Kenya commercial bank KCB as do other colonial style buildings on Kenyatta avenue. It is made of grey building rock with a beautiful hand dressed finish which allows it to have sharp defined edges. It has an arc above the main door and the two windows next to it while other windows are rectangular. The labour for this was provided by slaves in Kenya. Historically, this building as the name suggests was where Kenyans went to get their Identity cards. Culturally, the kipande played a very important role in the Kenyan man’s life and history. This building that still stands eminds us of our not so pleasant past and sheds light on the progress we have made as a people since independence. There’s no more slavery. For some, however, it reminds them ofa horrible past. In my opinion, the building is beautiful. In its form, I see a use of line that is magnificent. There are curves, arch’s around the door and windows and also as the clock tower begins. From its structure we can see shadows and highlights depending on where the light falls. The colour of the building, grey gives it a sense of age and antiquity. It is unique. Its edges are interesting. The in and ut placement of the bricks gives it a beautiful finish. My conclusion is that this building was built to last. It has stood for a century and does not wield a single crack. I recommend that architects today design buildings that can stand the test of time. Jommo Kenyatta statue. It is an intricate double life-size, 12ft seated statue of president Jommo Kenyatte in 1969 with every detailed aspect to a birthmark on the presidents face and his trademark peep toe sandals. It was sculpted by James Butler and unveiled in 1973 when the Kenya international conference centre was opened to mark 10 years of independence.

Good Nutrition for Teenagers essays

Good Nutrition for Teenagers essays This article is about a good nutritional diet for growing teenagers. It is very important for teens to eat a certain amount of a certain type of food each day. When girls are almost done fully growing, they start to add some fat padding. But for boys, they begin to gain muscle and increasing the volume of blood. These changes often encourage girls to diet so that they will stay slim. Boys end up overeating to satisfy their appetites. Both of these could end up leading to health problems in the future. Healthy eating does not mean that you can not have your favorite foods. The Dietary Guidelines advise teens to be selective and limit the total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium intake. Animal products and hydrogenated vegetable oils are out main source of saturated fat. Only animal fat provides cholesterol. And sodium mostly comes from salt added to foods during processing, home preparation, or at the table. Fats are our most concentrated source of energy. Scientist know that eating too much fat, especially saturated fat and cholesterol, increases blood cholesterol levels, which then increases your risk of heart disease. Too much fat also may lead to overweight and an increase for your risk of some cancers. Most people like the taste of table sugar. There are sweeteners that are hidden in foods like honey, dried foods, concentrated fruit juices, and ingredients such as corn syrup that are added to cookies, soft drinks and lots of other processed foods. Very active teens with high-energy needs can use sweets as an additional source of calories. But these foods contain a limited amount of nutrients and both sugars and starches can contribute to tooth decay. When teens exercise heavily and sweat a lot, they can deplete their sodium reserve, unbalance their body chemistry, and possible become dehydrated. In extreme cases of a lot of sweating a dilute glucose-el ...

Form Over Content in the Film Mystic River (2004) essays

Form Over Content in the Film Mystic River (2004) essays The content of the movie Mystic River (2004), directed by Clint Eastwood, demands the form, but in a unique, creative way that is far more interesting and fresh than the typical form of the average whodunit murder mystery. The formalistic elements of Mystic River are in fact very non-tr5aditional, in terms of containing not just the typical beginning; middle, and end elements of a whodunit murder mystery. Instead, Mystic River begins with Dave being picked up by child molesters posing as city officials while his friends Sean and Jimmy watch helplessly. This opening scene sets the stage for all the rest that follow, as Eastwood then shows the ways that this early horrible experience forever marks, and in various distinct ways interferes with, the separate lives of all three of these childhood friends when they become adults. In terms of both cinematic style and distinctive shots and camera angles, Mystic River (2004) also contains many imaginative elements of the film noir genre, e.g., smoky bars; dirty rooms; dark alleys, which suit this film in particular very well (but are not usually elements found within the typical whodunit film). These film noir elements within Mystic River, however, add significantly to the films overall mood and atmosphere, of inevitable doom combined with deeply disturbing creepiness and psychological angst on the part of all three major characters; their wives, and others. In fact, these various film noir elements in particular, combined with the automatic suspense of a more typical whodunit that Eastwood also manages to inject into this film, create extra measures of suspense and dread within the films audience as well. Some of the more memorable camera shots and angles occur in the epiphany bar scene, in which Jimmy; Sean; and Dave sit talking, with increasing uneasiness together as suspicion slowly builds, especially...

Graduate nursing program application form question Essay

Graduate nursing program application form question - Essay Example I am currently in my 3rd and final year in the University of South Australia studying for a nursing degree. In the course of my studies, I have acquired competencies in the theoretical and practical aspects of nursing practice. I was privileged to undertake my first placement at Oaklands Park Residential Care Facility, and second clinical placements at the Ashford Private Hospital. In the two placements, I learned a lot of clinical nursing skill in the real situation. In the first placement, I acquired skills in taking care of the aged, as well as identifying and assessing their needs to improve their quality of life. While working in the surgical ward in my second placement, I acquired skills in caring for patients prior to and after operation.  I believe that my experience and qualifications will enable me to offer quality services while working in your organization. I am enthusiastic about hearing from you. Once you offer me the opportunity to work for the organization, I will devote a considerable amount of my time and efforts to maintain its reputation. I believe that my contribution together with that of the other employees within the organization will contribute to the accomplishment of organizational goals. I will highly appreciate your consideration. My short term career goals are to develop put the skills I have acquired in my nursing studies in order to emerge as an expert in the profession, and to gain exposure to the real situation in the place of work through interacting with patients and the hospital’s management. These short term goals will help me accomplish my mission and long term goal of assisting the public through provision of quality healthcare. This will satisfy my desire to be in a position to help people regain good health and live good quality lives. I have shown commitment personally and professionally by

A Discussion and Analysis of the Seven Sins of Memory Essay

A Discussion and Analysis of the Seven Sins of Memory - Essay Example Whereas the memory is a complex process that each and every human being possesses, the fact of the matter is that it cannot succinctly be described in general terms. Rather, understanding he unique ways in which different types of memory and memory loss relates to the individual is a fundamental step in attempting to grasp a further understanding of the way in which memory is governed and integrated within the human being. Remembers as a means of drawing inference from the discussion of these seven distinct types of memory loss. The first of these which Schacter introduces to the reader is that which is termed transient memory loss; or the type of memory loss that relates to a particular memory fading over a period of time. In this particular type of memory loss, the subject is able to recall a great deal more with relation to recent events than with regards to those that took place a long while ago. As the author notes, this particular type of memory loss is especially related to episodic memory in the fact that each and every time a particular episode is recalled it is, re-written, as it were; thereby altering the memory and making it more difficult to recall within the future (Renk et al, 2007). This type of memory loss most specifically affects the hippocampus. The second sin of memory, as the author dubs these failings, is that of absent mindedness. This is perhaps the most widely discussed and well known of the memory loss issues as it relates to attention span and issues with the memory interface. This type of memory loss most intimately affects the short term memory and can of course be exhibited in situations such as forgetting where one placed the remote control, leaving one’s keys inside the car, or forgetting about important dates or appointments.