Publix Case Essay

Identify the relevant marcroenvironmental factors. What impact do these issues have on the focal organization? Level I: The Global Business Community The macroenvironment consists of the global business community, focusing more on the external environment of an organization. The macroenvironmental factors that are relevant to Publix and its industry includes society, demographics, economic, natural, political/legal, and technological. I.Society: Publix serves over 1 million customers every day. This consists of individuals being influenced by others, organizations, society, and the subcultures, which they identify with. Publix is based in the United States, initially being founded in Florida. In places such as Atlanta, Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee, where Publix has presence, consist of a melting pot of cultures that have come to the â€Å"land of the free† for convenience and freedom of choice. Due to this, there are many subcultures that have their own preferences. Some only eat Kosher, organic, or specialty products, that may only be found in certain supermarkets; alternatively, consumers may just be looking for the best deal they can get their hands on. Customers, both men and women, are becoming more knowledgeable about products and are more demanding on quality in the goods they purchase, therefore being more involved in company’s decision making process. â€Å"Nutritional conscious supermarket shoppers are checking labels as never before†(Mujtaba et al, 2012). II.Demographics: The growth rate of the population, the age distribution, and household patterns all account for many of Publix’s’ innovative ideas. In Florida, Atlanta, South Carolina, and Tennessee, all have a strong student population, as well as dual employed family homes. In such a fast paced society, a majority of this population can be categorized as time impoverished customers. They opt for already pre-cut food and prepared cooked dinners. Studies show that 37% of households buy prepared products at least once a week, a major increase from 27% in the previous year(Mujtaba et al, 2012).This is the reason why Publix was one the first to incorporate self-checkout within their stores to cater to this market. Similarly, Publix tried to penetrate the online market due to the trends of customer behaviors  to buying goods online. â€Å"By 2007, 20 million households in the United States will purchase groceries, goods, and other household items online†(Mujtaba et al, 2012). This is an approximate expenditure of $85 million dollars for mainly good items. The pattern of most household shows that individuals, families, and any other consumers in the supermarket industry, on average, live in a geographical area for about 10 years. This means that the average revenue spent by consumers every year have a lifetime value of ten years, and that relationship needs to be nurtured. Despite educational level, since the recession of 2008, many individuals have felt the effects not only in their bank account, but also within their daily lives. Therefore, in general, the United States has shifted to a â€Å"bargain shopping† way of purchasing goods. However, those living in the United States also seek the full package, and want to be taken care of [customer service], at a reasonable price. Therefore, there has been a trend showing cost- conscious customers turning away from premium brands towards individual store brands. III.Economic: Fortunately for all in the food industry, US food spending is on the rise. However, unfortunately for Publix and other supermarket retailers, they are not capturing their fare share of that market. Instead those penetrating the available market are alternatives to supermarkets, such as supercenters, warehouse clubs, and drug stores. When regarding the food industry in the United States it is a market-based economy, where there is currently an oversupply in choices available to the consumer. It has been 5 years since the recession hit consumers, thus companies all over the United States, and the average customer now spends $50,000 dollars as a lifetime value over ten years. However, due to recent trends, the average income of online target customers would deliver a higher profit those regular shoppers. IV.Natural: Over the last decade, there has been a lengthy move toward environmentalism. In the past, environmentalism would not have much to do with the food industry, but this view is incorrect. Generally speaking, most companies are expected to have a corporate social responsibility towards the environment, its well being, and the well being of its stakeholders. According to the food industry, across the board, consumers believe that corporations should  have their best interest in mind and provide foods that are of quality and are not detrimental to the human body. Global activists group have arisen such as Greenpeace, who have formed two other coalitions, including True Good Now and GE free Markets. V.Political/ legal: As mentioned, as customers obtain more knowledge and want a voice ion what is in the goods that they purchase, food safety is becoming a major issue in the grocery industry. Therefore, there have been many laws and regulations that have been enforced to ensure this. For example, seven of the nations largest grocery stores have admitted to re-dating meats and fish that had already reached their original sell by date. VI.Technological: Due to technology, 20000 new items are hitting the market every year across the board. The on-going innovations brought forth by technology are bringing changes and new procedures in all industries, not just food retailers. Therefore, the value of understanding and anticipating changes in consumer preference cannot be overestimated. Technology is a major success factor in the food industry and plays a major role in efforts to offer more value for the customers needs. It’s a new force in the environment that should not be reckoned with. It enhances the competitive position offering better service to the time- impoverished customer, and even those customers seeking convenience. Level III: The Focal Organization Each successive level is part of the preceding one. This is why macroenvironmental factors affect the focal organizations.   The fact that Publix serves over 1 million customers in America, does not mean that all of these consumers are similar in behavior, values, or associated subcultures. America has become a melting pot of cultures with various beliefs and household patterns. Due to the fact that these customers are becoming more demanding, it is important to have an environment that takes care of their employees, customers, suppliers and community that they serve, to bring increased value to the customer. This results in better quality and more needs that are satisfied. Their mission is to become the premier quality food retailer in the world. Customers are delighted with their shopping experience because Publix is responsive to the wants and  needs of customers, such as already prepared food, due to their Customer Intimacy Programs. To cater to the wide range of subcultures and demographics, Publix had to employ the Deliver plus 1% philosophy. You must meet the customers shopping needs, plus exceed it by 1%.   Despite the cost- conscious consumers, they get the full package they seek at Publix, that they would not find at another competitor such as Wal-Mart. Publix supermarkets are ranked third among 46 chains, nationwide. As their prices are slightly higher than some of its competitors, Publix received neutral ratings on prices but excelled in checkout speed, service, and cleanliness. This shows that the customer perceived value was higher than the customer perceived cost of paying slightly higher prices for high quality goods. Consumers do not mind spending a little extra to shop at Publix, once their ‘full package’ service is satisfied, with clean stores staffed with trained and friendly front line employees. Environmentally, Publix does their part. They are a caring employer, and are known for being socially responsible in the community. By adhering to the needs of consumers and abiding by safe and clean environments, this becomes a major strength of the Publix brand. Last but not least, technology is a major force that has aided Publix get to where it is today. They were one of the first companies to have water fountains, self- service shopping, shopping carts, and computerized scanning technology. These are all innovations that add to the Publix brand, where shopping can truly be a pleasure. Self-service checkouts cater to the time- impoverished customers, and the computerized scanning technology that assists in keeping shelves stocked. Technology has also allowed Publix to explore the online market, founding PublixDirect. Even though they did not do well, it is a start to discovering a whole new market, where opportunities for major profit exists. All Macroenvironmental factors have had a direct influence on Publix’s operations, as described above, especially technology. 2.Discuss the market factors. How do collaboration, competition, supplier, and regulators affect the performance of the focal  organization? Level II: The Market The market consists of the microenvironment. This includes all factors such as collaboration, competition, suppliers, and regulators. I.Collaboration: At Publix, †where shopping is a pleasure†, everything revolves around pleasing the customer. This philosophy does not change, and should never be compromised. To do this associates are encouraged to interact with their customer on a daily basis, resulting in immediate and local feedback. The advantage of this information is that Publix can better determine customers needs, wants and desires. To allow customers to enjoy shopping at Publix’s clean facility, management believes employees should also conduct work in a place â€Å"where working is a pleasure†. Publix offers their employees world class training programs, especially for their perishables department like the deli, bakery, produce and seafood. With over 1,000 stores, Publix has retained the largest employee- owned supermarket chain in the United States because it has a loyalty and commitment to employee training. In an industry that can be categorized with having high turnover, most of their employees have been working with them for 10 or more years. Associates are taught to understand that they are not just in the grocery business, but also in the people business. Through this world class training program, Publix has created its Publix Customer Intimacy Program that enables managers to keep their fingers on the pulse of the customer on a daily basis (Mujtaba et al, 2012). This is not only a phrase, but has turned into a philosophy. This allows Publix to get both information from their own consumers, and also from their competitors. Another program implemented in its stores is called the Associate Voice Survey (AVS), and Quality Improvement Process (QIP). The focus is not on the customer, but instead their associates. The fact that Publix is constantly rewarded for 100 Best Companies to Work For, Employers of Older Workers, and Employers of Choice, speaks a lot to the way they treat their employees, results in quality improvements and assures that front line employees carry out Publix’s philosophy. II.Competition: Despite the strong competition in the supermarket industry, Publix has no immediate plans to expand internationally at this time. Whether Publix is being undercut or imitated, they are not willing to concede its customers to  the competition. The idea is that â€Å"only [they] can give [their] customers a reason to shop elsewhere. As long as [they] take care of [their] customers better than anyone else, [they] will defeat [their] competition†( Mujtaba et al, 2012). Wal-Mart is one of their top competitor, similarly challenging other industries across the globe. They are number one retail grocer in the world and opened major supercenters throughout Florida, and in many other countries(Mujtaba et al, 2012). Due to economies of scale, they are able to successfully compete on price by undercutting almost all of their competitors. Therefore focus is beginning to shift to differentiation and performance improvement versus pricing, as no profits come from matching Wal-Mart prices. Within the food Industry, Safeway and Kroger Co. take second and first place as competitors, doubling and almost tripling their revenues, respectively, in 2009. Other companies such as Lacklusters financial performance has plagued some supermarket players in recent years, and also Walgreens, a food and drug store is one of the most admired companies. Whole foods, is a close runner up, which has achieved one third of Publix’s sales, and should be considered competition. Publix is still small relative to other giants in the food industry. However, it consistently ranks highest among its competitors. To stay among these ranks, Publix retains their customers by benchmarking by studying the best practices of their competition; find gaps between customer needs and availability, thus, trying to fill them. Despite major profit possibilities, none of the major grocery chains have mastered the online arena. III.Suppliers As with most companies, the suppliers that distribute to Publix are not noted in the case. However, Publix prides itself on a corporate culture of an organization that creates superior value, but also high quality goods. Suppliers are likely to have a relationship with Publix, such as the one they have with their employees. Its about quality products at good prices, with a good shopping experience. Offering â€Å"functional foods† that are fortified with popular herbs, vitamins, and healthy additives implies that Publix must have a healthy relationship with their suppliers to supply this. Also, with the rise of cost- conscious consumers, Publix offers their own brand to cater and retain them. With private label branding continuing to  grow, Publix must have their own supplier, which differs from all others, which supply their individual local brand. Private label branding grew 10.2% from 2007, and accounts for 25%( Mujtaba et al, 2012). 64% of shoppers said they often or always buy a store brand versus a national brand (Mujtaba et al, 2012), which has major implications for supermarkets and their own suppliers. IV.Regulators Mentioned previously, food safety has become a major concern. Therefore, in the food industry, leaders are paying more attention to ensure that the food products are in a safe and clean environment. They are required to constantly look at all risks that are associated with providing good quality as well as good safety, while attempting to get rid of them. Level III- Focal organization: Embedded in Publix’s business culture is that everything revolves around the customer, and servicing them with a smile. Their value proposition for customers clearly states that its customers want more than just groceries. Customers must be satisfied, delighted, and excited every time they visit or shop at your store. Some try to copy Wal-Marts style of providing low cost goods to customers, and almost guarantee a re-purchase. However, studies show that this is not an easy task, and is not likely favorable to those retailers. Hence the reason Publix strives for differentiation. How do they maintain this competitive advantage whole competing with supermarket giants? Through the different programs at Publix, such as the Customer Intimacy Program and the AVS, employers are able to provide customers with value. They have created cross-functional and ad hoc teams to discuss opportunities for improvement that prove the fact that â€Å"two heads are better than one†. That is a competitive advantage in itself, being equipped with front line employees committed to making the arena a better place for the company’s consumers. They are committed to satisfying the needs of its customers better than their competition. This is why they passionately focus on customer service, because only they can give their customers a reason to leave, and attracting  new customers is about five to six times more costly than retaining the ones they. Service is what Publix built its reputation on. As a result, Publix is ranked third among 46 chains, nationwide. Collaboration and Competition are the major factors regarding the microenvironment that affect their focal organization.

Comparatve Essay on the Fat Black Womans Poems, Sula and Wide Sargasso Sea Essay

â€Å"These writers explore both the social roles that confine them and the bodies that represent the confinement†. In light of this quotation, compare how the writers explore gender. ‘Wide Sargasso Sea’, by Jean Rhys, and ‘Sula’ by Toni Morrison are both novels that respond to the issues of women that are confined to their social roles. Grace Nichols’ book, ‘The Fat Black Woman’s Poems’, supports and also contrasts the views of both Rhys and Morrison. All three texts question gender roles and oppression in society. While Nichols is very outspoken and doesn’t let her gender confine her, the main character in Wide Sargasso Sea, Antoinette, is restricted by social and historical roles in her society. Characters like Sula are a threat to the rigid stereotype of the serving woman, and Morrison contrasts the role of Sula with Nel, a girl who embraces the conventional belief of society that a woman should marry and settle down and serve her family. All three texts explore gender by emphasising the importance of a woman’s voice. Nichols uses her voice to focus on her identity, and to portray her confidence. In her poem ‘Love Act’, she says â€Å"Her sorcery cut them, like a whip, she hide her triumph, and slowly stir the poison in†. This shows that Nichols knows that women aren’t weak, and have their own kind of power and intelligence, and she challenges the oppressive men that surround her. Her use of simple English and Creole reinforce her Creole identity. For example, in the poem Skin-Teeth, she says ‘Massa’ (Master) and in The Fat Black Woman Goes Shopping, she says ‘de weather so cold’. Her use of colloquial language shows us that even though she lives in the Western world, she still speaks as they do in her homeland, and she will not change the way she speaks to conform to society’s ways. The title ‘Love act’ acts as an ironic euphemism for the degradation derived from forced sex with the planter, but one critic claimed that the rest of the poem shows that â€Å"this situation allows the slave to enter the Big House as the white planter’s mistress and then use the power of her African magic against the white family†. 1] The confident tone in her voice leads us to believe that despite being a slave, stuck in her role, she is battling against the social figures that confine her. Much like Nichols, Rhys also emphasises the importance of a woman’s voice. She gives Antoinette a voice in her novel, even though Antoinette has a mental problem. Her pathological suffering means that her mental stability can be questioned, and Rhys gives her a voice in order for us to understand Antoinette’s complex thoughts and emotions. For example, Antoinette tells Rochester, â€Å" I hate [the place] now like I hate you, and before I die I will show you how much I hate you. Rhys allows us to understand, through this quote, that Antoinette once loved her home. Interestingly, Antoinette and Rochester never express their love to each other, which shows Antoinette is more ready to express her love for a place than for a person. However, Rhys giving Antoinette a voice does not change the way women are treated in the reality of the novel. Antoinette is still personified as an entrapped wife. She is trapped in patriarchal social structures of exploitation; her husband takes her to England, where she is locked away in the garret room of her husband’s house, under the watch of a servant. This truly portrayed Antoinette’s vulnerability and confinement as Rochester’s wife, and this influences how Rhys portrays women to the readers who are familiar with the restraints on women. Nichols and Rhys use the first person narrative to reveal the character’s thoughts and to give the reader an insight into the psychological and physical problems the characters encounter. For instance, in WSS, Antoinette’s husband Rochester says, â€Å"I was tired of these people. I disliked their laughter and their tears, their flattery and envy, conceit and deceit. And I hated the place†(P141). Because Rhys has used first person, it discloses Rochester’s most personal thoughts, and he has become a more complex and psychologically interesting character. He suffers a certain paranoia around Antoinette and her ‘family’, and this paranoia can only be truly revealed using his thoughts. Rochester, as a white male, does not connect with his surroundings, he sees it as alien, and to overcome this infamiliarity, he asserts his power and regains control over his wife. For Antoinette, her first person narrative account of her story is a key way of the reader being able to understand her pains as a lonely Creole woman. Both Wide Sargasso Sea and The FBW’s poems give a strong voice to otherwise marginalized women and transforms them both from original tragic demise into a kind of triumphant heroism. Nichols uses humour as the main deconstructive strategy to be an efficient tool for subverting the myths that have oppressed black women. The woman’s body acquires relevance, as the poems focus on a black immigrant woman within a context of white supremacy. Nichols creates persona who she uses to represent the black female body and she constitutes a challenge to black women’s objectification in the Western (British) society, in which she is exiled. The writer occasionally speaks in the first person, has no name, so the third-person poetic voice refers to her as ‘the fat black woman’. The fat black woman refuses to be a victim and, therefore, rejects all the traps laid by racist and sexist society by means of stereotypes that aim at constricting her into limiting roles. It is her that dictates in her poem ‘Holding My Beads’: â€Å"The power to be what I am†¦ a woman†¦ charting my own futures†¦ a woman†¦ holding my beads in my hand. : This particular quote allows us to understand that she is proud to be a woman, and she feels a certain type of strength because of her identity. Her ‘beads’ symbolise that she believes she herself has power over her future. Nichols’ Black woman uses her body, her voice and her song to maintain her sense of selfhood, to support others and to subvert the structures that oppress her. [2] She refuses to accept the stereotype of the long-suffering black woman. She shows that she is strong and full of fight in her poem The Fat Black woman’s Motto On Her Bedroom Door. She says â€Å"It’s better to die in the flesh of hope, than to live in the slimness of despair†. This tells us that she has hope and is not going to live in despair, in the suffering stereotype she is given. Much like the Fat Black Woman, Sula also rejects the stereotype, and leaves The Bottom to explore, and in doing so, she shows her community that she is not going to suffer like every other black woman. Morison has said that she wanted to help create a canon of black work, and therefore portrays Sula as more than just a wife or worker. Morrison’s work highlights the timeless and universal themes that exist within this specific struggle of gender confinement, and Sula’s character is a rebel this stereotype, and she leaves her oppressed community to explore the world. When she returns from her ten year absence, she is â€Å"accompanied by a plague of robins†. The plague of robins symbolizes the evil that she brought with her, and how it would affect those who lived in The Bottom. The attire she returns in shows the reader that Sula has totally rebelled the stereotype of â€Å"the poor black girl†, and she was â€Å"dressed in a manner that was close to a movie star as anyone would ever see†. She is dressed in a Western style, perhaps American, and her attire alone portrays her attitude that she has no longer allowed society to confine her to the role of a reserved woman, she is now more westernized. Morrison explores the mythic power of femininity in a poor, and isolated rural black community, where women rule as mothers, warriors, witches and storytellers†¦ one of the most compelling writers at work today. [3] It has been argued that women in the community act as protectors of the community, and are stuck in the domestic role. Sula’s grandmother Eva Peace is a perfect example of this. Although she was abandoned by her husband, she kept her family away from starvation and became a matriarch in her busy household. She cares for everyone who stays in her house, and as a mother, she helps her own son to die, in order for him to be at peace. This shows the ultimate sacrifice and reassures the reader that Eva is exactly what a woman was like in post-colonial times – a mother, housewife and helper. Rhys starts the novel with Antoinette and her family in isolation from the rest of society; they are ex-slave owners and after the Emancipation Act of Slaves in 1833 and the death of Antoinette’s father Mr Cosway, the family are left to fend for themselves. Kenneth Ramchard described the role of the Creole in the novel as a ‘fictional statement’, that cannot ignore ‘areas of social and historical information’. [4] This quote shows that Antoinette’s portrayal is being restricted by the social norms of society, as she is a Creole female. Antoinette’s mother spends little time with her, so she is looked after by the servant Christophine. Antoinette’s social role of a daughter of ex-slave owners force her to be alone throughout much of her life, and she learns to enjoy her own company. Christophine acts as a surrogate mother to Antoinette, as her own mother is confined to herself. Antoinette’s earliest memories of her mother shows signs of madness and melancholy, and throughout book she is abandoned after the fire and humiliated by the couple who look after her. This shows that Anotinette’s mother is never really a proper mother figure to her, as she is disregarded so easily by Mr Mason. It is Christophine’s voice that opens the novel, as she explains Antoinette and her family’s exclusion from Spanish Town society. Although Christophine is a woman, she still is a figure of authority, which would have been unusual in those times, as men were the primary sources of authority. Christophine’s narrative glides from French Patois, to a Jamaican dialect, back into English, and her command of language corresponds to her powerful role in the novel. In â€Å"Three Women’s Texts†[5] Spivak identified that the novel provides us with Christophine’s perspective as an ‘Other’ while at the same time being careful to not â€Å"contain† her in the novel†. This tells us that Christophine is a strong character, who should be allowed to freely speak her mind, and not be ‘contained’. Western writings about the Orient depict it as an irrational, weak, feminised ‘Other’, contrasted with the rational, strong, masculine West. 6] Said claimed that there was a need to create a difference between the East and the West, but in WSS Christophine’s authority rejects the usual stereotype of women being weak and reserved. Therefore, Said’s claim could be argued with, as in Christophine’s case, there is not much difference between the authority she has, and the authority Western women have. Christophine instructs Antoinette that â€Å"woman must have spunks to live in this wicked world. † and ultimately advises Antoinette to leave her increasingly cruel husband, citing her own independence as an example to emulate. This just ensures us of her strength, as she has gotten by her whole life without a male dominating her. The burning of Antoinette’s family home (by the freed black people) acts evokes sympathy in the reader, for the Creole family, and we realise how ill-fitted they are in the society they live in. All three texts are concerned with women’s sexuality and the body that represents social confinement. Sula, much like her mother, loves â€Å"maleness. † They both have short, frequent affairs with whichever men they take a liking too. Helen, Sula’s Mum, is resented by the wives of these men but no body hates her. However, Sula, who ends up stealing her best friend Nel’s husband, is resented by the whole town. The contrast in attitudes towards mother and daughter allow us to understand that while her mother was kind and generous, Sula does have an uncaring side to her. For example, when asked by Nel why she chose to sleep with Nel’s husband, Sula merely replies with â€Å"there was this space in front of me, behind me, in my head†¦ and Jude filled it up†¦ that’s all’. Sula does not feel any remorse in breaking up her best friend’s marriage, and even at her old, frail age she does not ask for forgiveness. This shows that Sula just used sex as a tool to occupy her loneliness, and probably did not respect herself a great deal. Nel, however, is more respectful of her body. Her grandmother was strict and religious and this had a positive effect on Nel’s values. Sula grew up around numerous, strange men and this probably made her view her behaviour as normal, just like she witnessed as a child. In Wide Sargasso Sea, Antoinette also links her happiness to sex. She submits to her husband sexually and begins to hunger for sex as much as he. Afterward, Antoinette seems more lost, crying when Rochester whispers, â€Å"You are safe. He feels no real tenderness for her, and this shows that once again, the woman is left suffering and stuck in a situation that she is unable to break free of. Also, Rochester has sex with Amelie (a servant who accompanies Antoinette and her husband), while Antoinette is next door. He does this to exert his power over Antoinette and to belittle her. Amelie, like Antoinette is lonely, and this sexual act with Rochester is the only way she feels wanted. Although she knows Rochester does not love her or even have feelings for her, she is content with the fact that she is wanted for single moment. She uses sex to fill the void of loneliness, much like Antoinette does. Unlike Rhys and Morrison, Nichols demonstrates her sexuality and confidence in her body. In her poem Invitation, she says â€Å"Come up and see me sometime.. † and she repeats this four times throughout the poem. Her use of repetition puts emphasis on her confidence and we realise that she is flirtatious, and uses her sexuality as a tool of power. There are also graphic and amusing descriptions of her breasts, thighs, front and bum, such as â€Å"My breast are huge exciting amnions of watermelon, your hands can’t cup†¦my thighs are twin seals, fat slick pups†. This shows us that she is happy and proud of her body, although some may not agree. In the poem Small Questions Ask by the Fat Black Woman, she refers to Eve committing a Sin in the Garden of Eden, and says â€Å"Will like Eve†¦ be tempted one again’. She is portraying herself as a sin, and a temptation to resist, which symbolises her confidence in her self, she knows men are lustful towards her. While Nichols focuses solely on portraying the character of a black woman, Sula also explores the male characters in the texts, and how social roles confine them. The typical male is regarded as the provider for the family, but Morrison takes this typical male figure, and demonstrates how they are dependant on woman and incapable of raising a family, and they have an insatiable hunger causing them to commit adultery. In all of the men that Sula, her mother and Eva sleep with, they are willing to cheat on their wives to fulfill their needs. There is usually a punishment for adultery, but the women use their own personal strength and respect for each other, and they let the men get away with adultery. While many will argue that forgiving their husbands is a sign of weakness, really it is the men that are weak for giving in to temptations. Female domination is also present with Sula and Jude (Nel’s husband), as he sleeps with her despite the fact that â€Å"she stirred a mind maybe, but not his body†. Contrary to the typical male provider role, men are incapable of raising a family in Sula. Eva was left alone to fend for her children, and Sula’s father died when she was a child, and Sula also failed to find a suitable male to start a family with. Men were unfaithful to their wives and they even left their family, in the case of Nel and her husband. Nel’s father, although married happily to his wife, was always working away at sea, leaving Helene to raise her daughter alone. Though they are physically strong, men need women in order to be effective, and they frequently fail to be a father figure. To conclude, all three texts explore gender, through the social roles that confine them and the bodies that represent the confinement. It can be argued that Nichols and Morrison offer a more confident, free portrayal of women, compared to Rhys’ Wide Sargasso Sea. The use of first person emphasises the turmoil faced by the characters in Wide Sargasso Sea and also The Fat Black Woman. Unlike Nichols, Morison and Rhys use narrative techniques to show how women are both emotionally and psychologically confines in the post-colonial world. Nichols offers the fat black woman freedom and happiness, while Rhys ends Antoinette’s story with her in captivity, foreshadowing Antoinette’s next actions. All three writers effectively present their characters battling the confinement that being a woman brings; Sula and Nichols remain rebels while Antoinette fails to break free of her confinement.

BSc Accounting Programme -- Management Accounting -- Absorption vs Essay

BSc Accounting Programme -- Management Accounting -- Absorption vs Marginal Costing - Essay Example more value at lower cost.† In absorption costing apart from the direct costs which are allocated to the cost centers and the units produced, indirect costs are apportioned to the cost centers and the units produced on equitable basis. In the marginal costing system, the fixed and variable costs are segregated for ascertaining the effect of changes in volume on profit. The marginal cost will be very useful in taking management decisions. There are advantages as well as disadvantages in both the types of costing techniques. But, it is important to note that a good cost accounting system will be useful in identifying the unprofitable activities in an organization and inefficiencies in the system in any form. Variance analysis made by using cost accounting will be useful in highlighting the deviations from the planned performance for taking suitable management action. Absorption costing or marginal costing is used depending upon the purpose of the management activities. Wherever material, labor and expenses could be identified with the cost centers they are directly allocated to them. Indirect materials, labor and expenses which could not be directly allocated to the cost centers are apportioned to the cost centers on equitable basis. â€Å"Full absorption costing is a costing method that accounts for all costs to the units produced by the activities of an organization through cost drivers.† (Galang-Manalo & Valenzuela-Manalo, 2011, 1.8.4) Materials, labor and expenses which do not form part of the finished products are known as indirect material, labor or expenses as the case may be. These are collectively called as overheads. The overheads are subdivided into production overheads, administration overheads, selling overheads and distribution overheads. Cost apportionment involves apportionment of the indirect costs to various cost centers on an equitable basis. For example, Works Managers salary needs to be apportioned to various departments such as

Representatives of American Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Representatives of American Culture - Essay Example The choice of design and color for the flag tells a story in itself. The blue and red colored flag with prominent stripes and stars represent the union of fifty states spanning the North American landscape. Beyond this basic symbolism, the flag has been associated with the nation’s progress in science and technology. For example, when Neil Armstrong and his colleagues in NASA successfully landed on the moon, it was the planting of the American Flag which served as the token purpose of the mission. At that time, the world was divided in two as a result of the Cold War. (Jolene & Couper, 2003, p.328) The flag also represented the country in its military endeavors. Irrespective of political conditions and arenas of conflict, the flag has always been at the forefront of American military operations going back to the Declaration of Independence (Goode, 2002, p.13). At the same time, it has been used by American citizens to express their dissent. For example, the mass demonstrations that followed American participation in the Vietnam War saw instances of flag burning. The same kind of protestation against American government’s policies is being repeated at present with respect to the issue of invasion of Iraq. In this case, it is an expression of dissent. It will not be an exaggeration to state that the American people are obsessed with the flag. (Jolene & Couper, 2003, p.328) Disney world is a relatively recent entrant into the collective consciousness of American people. While it was started by Walt Disney to be an amusement park for children, gradually it had metamorphosed into a recreational center for the entire family. A lot can be discerned by studying what it offers to visitors. The most famous of its mascots, the Mickey Mouse, is a household name in America. The numerous animated cartoons produced by Walt Disney Incorporation, including a few iconic series, are a rite of passage

Free Market System and Arguments in its Favour Assignment

Free Market System and Arguments in its Favour - Assignment Example In the fee market system, prices are also set by supply and demand, and there is no government intervention. Resources are allocated based on demand of those resources and their supply. The term ‘free market’ refers to the freedom from governmental control and regulations. Market forces set regulation themselves through supply and demand. Arguments given in favour of free market system will be discussed in this section. It is important to understand the concept of supply and demand if we want to understand free market system of resource allocation. Supply refers to the quantity of product that can be supplied by firms. Demand refers to the quantity of product demanded by the consumers. The place where demand and supply curves intersect is called equilibrium price. In free market system resources are allocated through supply demand curves only with no intervention of government. Source: www.learngoldcoins.com Proponents of free market system argue that markets balance or correct themselves and there is no need for any government intervention. According to Adman Smith, an invisible hand balances supply and demand forces and maintains equilibrium (Smith, 1776, Book IV). Invisible hand refers to the ability of the market to balance itself without government intervention, and this is the essence of free market system of resource allocation. ... If a business is profitable other firms will enter into that business driving the profits down and therefore monopolies cannot exist in a free market system. This is one of the biggest advantages of a free market system of resource allocation. Absence of monopolies and cartels is the first argument given in favour of free market system. Efficiency is another advantage of free market system. When price setting is left to market forces, firms operate efficiently using all their resources to produce at lowest possible prices. Increased efficiency is the direct outcome of competition and free market system promotes competition. All firms are free to enter into any business they want and consumers also have a wide range of products and services to go to. There is no government help or intervention therefore firms have to work out a production system that maximizes output and lower costs. This is how free market system of resource allocation promotes efficiency. Another advantage of free m arket system is that consumers have access to a variety of products and services. Whenever there is a demand it is met with supply and this allows consumers to get a wide range of products and services. When production and investment decisions are made by market forces instead of government, resource allocation is done in such a way that benefits the whole society. People generally make economic decisions that are in their interests and therefore through free market system of resource allocation an equitable system is created which benefits the overall benefit of the society. It is argued that people, and not government, know what is in their best interests and therefore resources should be allocated through free market system. In free

Why is it important for the marketer to distinguish between customer Essay

Why is it important for the marketer to distinguish between customer acquisition, conversion, and retention when developing marketing strategies - Essay Example The dynamics of the three aspects are also very different, so telling them apart makes it easy for the marketer to develop an effective marketing strategy. Another important point is that all three concepts are methodical and systematic, meaning they have to be conducted in an orderly manner. Customer acquisition is always the first activity to be carried out, because customers cannot be acquired or retained if they do not exist. A marketer who can distinguish the three concepts is also more likely to understand that they must be conducted in an orderly fashion (Tracy 47). An ability to distinguish the three aspects gives the marketer the impetus to implement them effectively, and make the whole marketing strategy effective. Finally, distinguishing these concepts allows the marketer to identify possible mistakes made during the development of the marketing strategy. For example, if customer acquisition is not done effectively, the marketer can pinpoint the areas of weakness and develop appropriate measures to eliminate

Nielsen Nugget Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nielsen Nugget - Case Study Example Also, according to competitiveness, it has the lowest yet it constitutes of the large amount spent by consumers compared to other segments. Therefore more targets to this attitudinal group will help the company to take the advantage of the slight growth in the market. Based on the behavior of different consumer under different conditions, among those who use the Premium people type of coffee, the old singles and couples would be appropriate to target with promotions. This is because they compose of the largest population in the market and by attracting them to use premium people more sales will be realized and hence awesome beans would be able to take the advantage of the slight growth in the coffee market. Some of the promotion strategies that could be used in this demographic segment includes: better and enhanced packaging, better distribution strategies, direct marketing, advertising, publicity and sales promotion. This will ensure that the target demographic group has all the information regarding the product, hence they will consume more of it. These promotions will also make the product more competitive and hence the profitability of the product will be enhanced. The other demographic group to target with promotions would be young families because this comprises of the second largest consumers in the market, if most of them could turn to the use of the product, more profits would be realized. Know about the composition of the population and their income trends in the global market and how they affect marketers. This will help in selecting the best strategy of marketing and the channel of distribution of the product Premium people. It is important to consider and understand how the population growth is shifting in different areas and for different age groups. This will help the awesome bean company to plan for the future. It will also help to cope with competition as demand changes with a change in population. Distribution