Free Essays on Business Organization

The demands of the 21st century will require business organizations to become more customer and stakeholder focused, using employee talent to create, share, and utilize information as part of a broadbased competitive strategy. Another part of this transition will see organizations undergoing significant structural change, developing horizontal networks of taskfocused teams leading to "delayered," flatter organizational structures. The horizontal organization will be (1) organized around processes rather than tasks, (2) driven by customer needs and inputs, and (3) dependent on team performance.1 As networks of teams replace traditional hierarchies, knowledge becomes the main organizational resource.2 As part of the rapid, often tumultuous, change in the global business world, organizations will, therefore, have to speed up their learning processes, learning how to adapt faster and faster to the world around them. Teams, as well as teams of teams, will need to learn how to develop such knowledge bases, in essence learning, how to learn together, effectively sharing, information and building, on each other's knowledge to create generative rather than simply adaptive learning patterns.3 Accordingly, open communication creating shared meaning and understanding among team members as well as among, teams will be one of the most critical skills for organizational members. The ability to facilitate such teams and create an organization that can effectively use them will also be an important management skill.... Free Essays on Business Organization Free Essays on Business Organization The demands of the 21st century will require business organizations to become more customer and stakeholder focused, using employee talent to create, share, and utilize information as part of a broadbased competitive strategy. Another part of this transition will see organizations undergoing significant structural change, developing horizontal networks of taskfocused teams leading to "delayered," flatter organizational structures. The horizontal organization will be (1) organized around processes rather than tasks, (2) driven by customer needs and inputs, and (3) dependent on team performance.1 As networks of teams replace traditional hierarchies, knowledge becomes the main organizational resource.2 As part of the rapid, often tumultuous, change in the global business world, organizations will, therefore, have to speed up their learning processes, learning how to adapt faster and faster to the world around them. Teams, as well as teams of teams, will need to learn how to develop such knowledge bases, in essence learning, how to learn together, effectively sharing, information and building, on each other's knowledge to create generative rather than simply adaptive learning patterns.3 Accordingly, open communication creating shared meaning and understanding among team members as well as among, teams will be one of the most critical skills for organizational members. The ability to facilitate such teams and create an organization that can effectively use them will also be an important management skill....

Heat of Vaporization Example Problem

Heat of Vaporization Example Problem Heat of vaporization is the amount of heat energy required to change the state of a substance from a  liquid into  a vapor or gas. It is also known as enthalpy of vaporization, with units typically given in joules (J) or calories (cal). This example problem demonstrates how to calculate the amount of energy required to turn a sample of water to steam. Heat of Vaporization Problem What is the heat in joules required to convert 25 grams of water into steam? What is the heat in calories?Useful information: Heat of vaporization of water 2257 J/g 540 cal/g Note:  You wont be expected to know enthalpy or heat values; they will be given in a problem or can be looked up in a table. Solution You can solve this problem  using either joules or calories for heat. Part IUse the formula  q m ·ÃŽâ€Hvwhereq heat energym massΔHv heat of vaporizationq (25 g)x(2257 J/g)q 56425 JPart IIq m ·ÃŽâ€Hfq (25 g)x(540 cal/g)q 13500 cal Answer The amount of heat required to change 25 grams of water into steam is 56425 joules or 13500 calories. A related example illustrates how to calculate the energy when water changes from solid ice into steam.

Lady Gaga's public image Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Lady Gaga's public image - Thesis Example In most cases, a positive public image dominates in the society. A public image is very significant in business and international relations. People with good public image are highly trusted as compared to those with a bad public image. A good public image is thus an incentive in any industry. However, in the entertainment industry, a public image does not have to be good to attract sales. Whether this will demean their public image or not, does not matter to them. Indeed, many celebrities have made huge earnings by jeopardizing their public image. However, a bad public image will always cost somebody, even in the celebrities’ world. Actually previous literatures can confirm how bad public images have led to imprisonments, low sales and even loss of entertainment careers. This paper will compare and contrast the pros and cons position on Lady Gaga’s public image. In doing so, the paper will consider five articles on Lady Gaga’s public image. Lady Gaga is a secular music artist and music director who in the recent past has generated a lot of controversy. A group of designers known as Haus of Gaga designs her public image.  This ranges from her flashy mode of transport, her unique hairstyles, makeup  and weird dressing, and her huge support for gay rights. This controversy has fostered public debate on her public image from the mainstream media, paparazzi, and the public. Many have argued that her public is dwindling because of her controversial way of life. She has seven tattoos with different meanings (Hombach 14). Additionally, there are many questions about Lady Gaga’s sexuality. Some want to know if she is subverting sexual norms and if she is a hermaphrodite (Mr P Web). Lady Gaga has actually lost a lot in the public image as perceived by her music enemies, religious groups, fellow musicians like Christina Aguilera, and even political leaders. In fact, when Lady Gaga met Obama in a human rights campaign f undraiser,

Women's studies - Gender, Culture and Technology Essay

Women's studies - Gender, Culture and Technology - Essay Example Sex stereotypes are defined as â€Å"socially shared beliefs that certain qualities can be assigned to individuals, based on their membership in the female or male half of the human race† (Lips, 1993, pp. 2). The individual tends to conform to the roles defined or constructed by the society. Individuals are so influenced by the socially specified categories that they tend to organize themselves according to these categories. A woman speaks in one way when she is speaking to another woman, and in a different way when she is speaking to a man. She may behave differently when she is working with a group of men than when she is working with a group of females. This is because the woman has learnt through modeling, practice and reinforcement, to behave differently in situations that differ only in relation to the gender of the partner or the group. Her role vis-à  -vis to the gender she is interacting with has already been prescribed and defined by society. Bohan (1993, pp.6) suggests that the differences between boys and girls and men and women can be explained by two different perspectives – Essentialism and Constructionism. Essentialism locates the origin of the gender qualities within the individual whereas Constructionism locates these gender qualities outside the individual as a component of the acts and actions of the individualism. Gender is therefore made external to the self. It is not intrinsic. It is only in what the actions of the individual. Gender qualities, from this perspective, are not intrinsic characteristics based on biological sex. Bohan argues that gender is not something that the individual possesses but something that the individual does. Essentialism on the other hand locates gender within the individual as intrinsic. The constructionist perspective actually locates gender in the social realm. It defines gender in terms of ‘doing’. West and Zimmerman (1993, pp. 380) define gender itself as â€Å"a routine, methodical and

Ap Biology Notes Cellular Communication Essay Example for Free

Ap Biology Notes Cellular Communication Essay Cell-to-cell communication is essential in multicellular organisms. They must communicate to coordinate activities such as growth and development, and reproduction. In addition unicellular organisms communicate with each other. Signals may use light, or touch but we will focus on chemical signals. 1. External signals are converted to responses within the cell a. Evolution of cell signaling i. In yeast a cells and ÃŽ ±cells both secrete chemicals, which can only be received by the alternate type yeast. This signals the two cells to join via fusion 1. The process by which the signal on the surface of the cell is converted to a series of steps by the cell in response is called a signal transduction pathway ii. Signal transduction pathways are very similar in yeast and in complex multicellular organisms 2. This leads scientists to believe that this pathway evolved first in ancient prokaryotes b. Local and long distance signaling iii. Local signaling 3. Adjacent cells of plants and animals may communicate through cell junctions a. Signaling substances dissolved in the cytoplasm travel between cells i. Plants = plasmodesmata ii. Animals = gap junctions 4. Animal cells may use the following b. Cell-to-cell recognition iii. Direct contact between membrane-bound cell-surface molecules iv. Important in embryonic development and immune response c. Paracrine signaling v. Uses local regulators which are released and travel only a short distance to nearby cells vi. Ex. Growth factors target nearby cells to grow and divide d. Synaptic signaling vii. Electrical signal along a nerve cell triggers a chemical release across a synapse to trigger response in target cell viii. Ex. Nerve cells iv. Long- distance signaling 5. Both plants and animals use hormones e. Animals (endocrine signaling) cells release hormones which travel in the circulatory system to target cells f. Plants hormones travel in vessels or by diffusion through the air as gas g. Hormones vary in size and shape 6. Nervous system signals can also be long distance c. The three stages of cell signaling: A preview v. Reception: when the target cell detects a signaling molecule. The signaling molecule binds to a receptor protein on the target cell’s surface vi. Transduction: After binding the receptor protein is changed in some way, this converts the signal to a form that will bring about a specific cellular response 7. May occur in a single step or a series of changes vii. Response: The transduced signal triggers a specific cellular response. 8. Catalysis of an enzyme, rearrangement of the cytoskeleton, activation of a specific gene 2. Reception: A signaling molecule binds to a receptor protein, causing it to change shape d. To ensure signals are sent to the correct cell signaling molecules act as a ligand. viii. Ligand- molecule that specifically binds to another (usually larger) molecule ix. The receptor protein then usually changes shape x. May be located on the membrane or inside the cell e. Receptors in the plasma membrane xi. Water-soluble signaling molecule binds to receptor on the membrane causing it to change shape or aggregate. f. Intracellular Receptors xii. Found in cytoplasm or nucleus of target cells 9. Signaling molecule must be hydrophobic enough or small enough to pass through the plasma membrane h. Steroid hormones, thyroid hormones, nitric oxide | Examples| Pathway| Other| G-Protein Coupled Receptors| Yeast mating factors, epinephrine, hormones, neurotransmitters| 1. signaling molecule binds to the g-protein receptor 2. receptor changes shape and the cytoplasmic side binds to the inactive G protein 3. GTP then displaces to form GDP and activates the protein 4. Activated G protein diffuses along the membrane to an enzyme altering the enzyme to trigger the next step| Bacteria such as whooping cough, botulism and cholera disrupt this pathway| Receptor Tyrosine Kinases| Enzymes that catalyze the transfer of phosphate groups| 1. binding of two signaling molecules to two tyrosine chains causes the two to associate with each other forming a dimer 2. dimerization activates the tyrosine kinase region to add a phosphate from and ATP to each tyrosine in the polypeptide 3. each tail can now bind to and activate a different specific relay protein within the cell| One receptor may activate ten+ pathways. Absence can result in cancer| Ion Channel Receptors| Nervous system| 1. signaling molecule binds to the ion channel in the membrane 2. protein changes shape creating a channel through the membrane 3. specific ions can now flow through the membrane which may cause a change in the cell or trigger another pathway| Some ion gated channels are controlled by change in voltage rather than binding of a ligand| g. Intracellular Receptors xiii. Ex. Testosterone 10. Hormone passes through the plasma membrane 11. Testosterone binds to a receptor protein in the cytoplasm activating it 12. The hormone-receptor complex enters the nucleus and binds to a specific gene 13. The bound protein acts as a transcription factor, stimulating the transcription of the gene into mRNA 14. The mRNA is translated into a specific protein 3. Transduction: cascades of molecular interactions relay signals from receptor to target molecules in the cell h. Protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation xiv. Proteins can be activated by the addition of a phosphate group (often broken off of ATP or GTP) 15. Phosphates are transferred from ATP to a protein by a general group of enzymes known as protein kinases i. Phosphorylation often causes the protein to change shape j. This happens because the added phosphate group interacts with polar or charged amino acids within the protein xv. Protein phosphatases are enzymes that remove phosphate groups from a protein 16. Mechanism for turning off signal transduction 17. These also allow for turning off and reusing pathways i. Small molecules and ions as second messengers xvi. Molecules other than proteins act as second messengers 18. Small and water soluble such as ions k. This allows them to rapidly spread throughout the cell via diffusion 19. Second messenger refers to anything after the first messenger which is the extracellular signaling molecule that binds to the membrane 20. Most common second messengers are cyclic AMP and Ca+2 xvii. Cyclic AMP as a second messenger in response to the hormone epinephrine 21. Epinephrine binds to receptor molecule protein activates adenylyl cyclase which can catalyze the synthesis of many molecules of cAMP l. Adenylyl cyclase catalyzes the conversion of ATP into cAMP ix. cAMP usually activates a serine/threonine kinase known as protein kinase A which phosphorylates many other proteins m. cAMP is converted back to AMP by phosphodiesterase xviii. Calcium ions and inositol tripohosphate 22. Increasing calcium concentration causes responses such as muscle contraction, secretion of substances, and cell division in animals, and greening in response to light in plants 23. Calcium is usually in high concentrations outside of the cell and in the ER but in low concentrations in the cytosol 24. Pathway n. Signaling molecule binds to receptor   o. Phospholipid pinches off membrane IP3 is released as second messenger p. IP3 binds to receptor on ER causing protein channel to open q. Ca+2 is released into cytosol 4. Response: Cell signaling leads to regulation of transcription or cytoplasmic activities j. Nuclear and cytoplasmic responses xix. Pathways lead to the regulation of one or more cellular activities 25. Regulate protein synthesis r. Turning specific genes on or off (calls for the synthesis of mRNA from DNA) 26. Regulate protein activity s. Cause a shape change to turn a protein on or off 27. Regulate overall shape change of cell 28. Release of mating factors 29. Cell division k. Fine-tuning of the response xx. Signal amplification 30. Enzyme cascades amplify effects by increasing the product at each step t. Enzymes stay active long enough to work on multiple products before becoming inactive xxi. The specificity of cell signaling and coordination of the response 31. Different types of cells are programmed to respond to only certain types of signals u. Some cells will respond to the same signals but in different ways v. This is because different cells have different collections of proteins xxii. Signaling efficiency: scaffolding proteins and signaling complexes 32. Scaffolding proteins increase the efficiency of the response w. A large protein with multiple protein kinases attached x. Decreases the time of the response because diffusion between proteins is not needed 33. Pathways are not linear, in fact the same protein may act in multiple pathways 34. Relay proteins serve as branch points where the signal may go in one of two directions xxiii. Termination of the signal 35. Each step in the pathway lasts only a short time, this makes the proteins ready for a new signal 36. When the signaling molecule leaves leave the receptor it reverts to its inactive form and the relay molecules follow

Personal Narrative in Game Maplestory Essay -- Online Roleplaying Game

Warriors: Wizards :: Mushrooms: Pigs The sun shone brightly as I stared off into the distant grass, swaying unrelentingly as the winds lashed upon it. But within the silky surface of the monotonous sea of green, I spotted an interruption – a staccato in the melody of the breeze. From afar, I could see only see a vague outline, but I knew it was approaching me, mindlessly yet fervently as if I were a light and it were a bug. And so it began. I tightly wielded my club. I could feel the coarseness of the wood beneath my battle-worn fingers. I lifted the weapon and situated it in front of me, grasping it firmly with both hands. I was a warrior, ordained by the venerable Chief Sitting Bull under the auspices of the proud tribe of Perion; I was not going to disappoint them. Honor above life, and killing enemies above all. Yeah†¦ I painfully watched my brother play his third hour of Maplestory, an online interactive game made by Korean programmers where the whole purpose is to defeat monsters to acquire new levels, magic, items – stuff you want, basically. He had just started what was soon to be his utmost craze and had just spoken to Chief Sitting Bull, an elderly man who appeared to be Native American, as he was adorned with elaborate feather-work and his clothing was of tanned skin. He was the typical Native American, you might say, and everything seemed to be in place. Almost too perfectly in place – except for the random black people that sporadically appeared among members of the Perion tribe. â€Å"Why don’t you head south east?† Perion was located in the northwest, and, seeing as he had a lot more training to do, I suggested that he explore the vast world. He headed south towards Henesys, which was a small uneventful, unimp... ...that it logically looked completely harmless – I was not ready to underestimate it because of my preconceptions. In this world, it was either kill or be killed. I swung at it with the heavy club, and, within moments, it closed its eyes serenely and dissolved. Works Cited Barash, David P. â€Å"Sociobiology and Behavior 2nd edition†. Elsevier: New York, 1982. Boehm, Christopher. â€Å"Hierarchy in the Forest : The Evolution of Egalitarian Behavior†. Harvard University Press: Cambridge, 1999. Breuer, Georg. â€Å"Sociobiology and the human dimension†. Cambridge Press: Cambridge, 1982. â€Å"racism.† Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica. 2007. Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica Online. 16 Oct. 2007 . Tseng, Roger. Personal Interview 10 Oct. 2007. Willson, Peter J. â€Å"The Domestication of the Human Species†. Yale University Press: New Haven, 1988.

Ann Taylor

Table of Contents |Executive Summary |2 | |Company background & Current Marketing Situation |3-7 | |Marketing Objectives |7-8 | |Opportunity & Issue Analysis |8-13 | |Marketing Strategy & Actions taken |13-16 | |Appendix 1 & 2 |17-20 | |Bibliography |21 | Contributions (write ups only)Executive Summary, Company background & Marketing Strategy- Priyanka Chigurupati Marketing Objectives& Marketing Strategy- Maira Braga Opportunity & Issue Analysis- Judy Seng & Yui Yasuda Executive Summary Ann Taylor Stores Corp. has been one of the largest apparel and accessories firms in the fashion industry for a long time. It has four divisions; Ann Taylor, LOFT, Ann Taylor Factory and LOFT Outlet each of which caters the same category of apparel and accessories, i. e. work related clothing to different markets.The introduction of Dan Taylor; our challenge has been positive and we feel that this division for men’s clothing would reap benefits for the company primarily because the men’s market is a growing one. Also, Dan Taylor can capitalize on Ann Taylor’s reputation of being amongst the top few brands customers pick for work related, casual yet chic clothing. Our product line will follow along the path of LOFT; catered to men instead of women. Although there are several threats the company might face, we strongly believe that the opportunities will outweigh the risks.Dan Taylor will use promotional tools that Ann Taylor never used but in terms of overall advertising, Dan Taylor will follow Ann Taylor’s path. The company’s overall goal is to improve the bottom line growth of both the divisions (Ann Taylor & Dan Taylor). If successful, Ann Taylor Store Corp. will be one of the highest grossing companies in the United States. COMPANY BACKGROUND & CURRENT MARKETING SITUATION Ann Taylor Stores Corp. has been one of the most popular women’s clothing company in the United States for the past few decades.Founded in 1954 by Richard Liebeskind , the company was named â€Å"Ann Taylor,† because â€Å"Ann,† was considered a very New England name and â€Å"Taylor,† evoked an image of tailored clothing. Ann Taylor has four divisions; Ann Taylor, LOFT, Ann Taylor Factory and LOFT Outlet. Ann Taylor caters to working women with classic clothing that is polished, refined and versatile. The fashions offered at Ann Taylor stores are for affluent career women. With price points between $40 (for a basic top) and $430, Ann Taylor falls in the â€Å"better,† category.LOFT was established in the late 90’s and offers more casual and relaxed fashions for relatively younger customers. Priced anywhere between $20- $90 and $200 for suits (two separates), it falls under the â€Å"upper moderate,† category. Ann Taylor Factory and the LOFT outlet are extensions of the brand (Ann Taylor and LOFT) in the outlet division. Ann Taylor Stores Corp. ’s product line (width) includes â€Å"Apparel,† that includes tops and blouses, sweaters and knits, dresses, pants, skirts, suits, jackets and coats, denim and accessories among all four divisions (based on different price points).The depth of the accessories includes shoes, jewelry, handbags, belts, scarves and shape wear. Ann Taylor has an exclusive line of Bridal wear that is an one stop shop for all wedding needs for women including wedding dresses, bridesmaids dresses, shoes and accessories at an affordable range of $38 (accessories) to $495 (wedding dress). LOFT, being the more casual between the two has an exclusive line of lounge wear ranging between $20 and $60. The extensive product line is available for Ann Taylor and LOFT in brick and mortar stores, on the internet (ecommerce) and in catalogues.Ann Taylor’s strengths lie in the fact that it caters to a strong and growing market, i. e. primarily to the working sector of people. Ann Taylor’s target market primarily comprises of ages between 30 years and 60 years to whom, the company offers a plethora of work related apparel and accessories. LOFT’s target market comprises of 18 to 34 year olds who have a wide variety of casual work related (can be used for other purposes) apparel and accessories. Although the two divisions cater to different target markets, their primary purpose is to provide to the ‘working customer. Ann Taylor’s expansion into value based divisions (LOFT and its clearance centers) has captured the value market. The pricing at LOFT is about 30% lower than its sister concept, Ann Taylor. The outlets too, have captured the market that comprises of consumers seeking deeper value over traditional pricing and stores. The corporation added more value to these â€Å"clearance centers,† by creating private labels for the outlet centers. All the three divisions have proven to be a success among consumers. A third strength of the company would be its marketing strategies through celebrity associat ions.Some of the biggest celebrities like Heidi Klum, Milla Jovovich, Rachel Bilson are the faces of the company. The brand equity of the company, i. e. the image of the company in the minds of the consumers is enhanced because of positive perceptions. To further enhance this, the company is specifically targeting different markets by using different celebrities for each type of market. For example: Christina Hendricks, known for her curves is a face of the company. Although not directly done this speaks to the relatively more curvy women, a huge upcoming market.Also, since Ann Taylor has been associated with ‘luxury products,’ its reputation has trickled down to its LOFT brand and customers have started to consider LOFT as affordably luxurious. One of the biggest weaknesses of the company (in disguise) is also a blessing for the company, i. e. its LOFT division. The LOFT brand has been growing rampantly with 506 LOFT stores as compared to 291 Ann Taylor stores in 2009. The reason for this growth has been the demand for value oriented ‘luxury,’ products offered by LOFT.When LOFT was set up in the late 90’s, it was oriented towards casual clothing. Today, with the shift towards more casual clothing even in the working environment (casual Friday), LOFT unwittingly turned into Ann Taylor’s direct competitor with a better value proposition. Ever since the economy has been in the throes of a recession, Ann Taylor’s performance like that of most other companies has spiraled downwards. Since 2008, the company has been spiraling downwards with net sales of $2. 4 billion in fiscal 2008, $2. 2 billion in fiscal 2009 and $1. 8 billion in fiscal 2010.The net loss went down considerably from $333,906,000 in fiscal 2009 to $18,208,000 in fiscal 2010. The company has been facing tough competition from its major competitors like White House Black Market, Chico’s, Anne Klein, Talbots, Banana Republic, J Crew and Cold Water Creek for Ann Taylor and The Gap, AK Anne Klein, New York & Co. and INC International Concepts (Private Label at Macy’s), a few among others. In terms of advertising, Ann Taylor promotes it products mainly through catalogs, television and magazine ads. It uses a combination of Institutional advertising, i. e. dvertising done to promote the company’s image and Promotional advertising, i. e. advertising that highlights an item or a category of items to get an immediate response. [pic] [pic] Institutional Advertising Promotional Advertising In 2009, Ann Taylor partnered with Proctor & Gamble due to the economic downturn, and handed out free samples of detergent and coupons to customers who buy machine washable clothes. In addition, Ann Taylor created an eight-page magazine, available for free in stores that provided tips on how to keep clothes looking fresh.Of course, due to the partnership, they require Tide or Downy Total Care, which are both Proctor & Gamble products, but this was one of the many successful promotional strategies implemented by Ann Taylor. In an effort to utilize maximum amounts of different media in order to integrate the customer with the promotion strategies, Ann Taylor partnered with CFDA/ Vogue fashion fund in which the selected stylists were asked to put together a full look for Ann Taylor that would suit today’s working woman. This brought out not only increased exposure but also offers a fashionable, vivacious look to the brand.MARKETING OBJECTIVES Given the current market situation, Ann Taylor should be looking to expand and conquer any new potential clientele to drive profits up. Sale trends still place the retailer amongst the top two competitors of its US Top Women’s Apparel Division, giving the brand a leadership position within its industry. Although product offerings are fairly uniform amongst such brands, very few of Ann Taylor’s direct competitors are currently in the Men’s clothes div ision (primarily department store private labels).Furthermore, as was once predicted of Contemporary and Young Designer fashions, Menswear is the next â€Å"white space† of the industry, offering high rates of growth and return for early entrants. This provides Ann Taylor a high incentive towards accepting the risk of being an early-mover and adding a menswear line to its current offerings. Ann Taylor’s previously existent mill and factory relationships will also conduce towards seamless integration of the production of a menswear line for select stores. Furthermore, despite harsh economic times, Ann Taylor shows clear signs of recovery, having started to post profits of $18. million in the second quarter of 2010, over $260 million to finance expansive efforts. Another trend that has been identified within a more general Apparel market is that women make up to 80% of all of all shopping for a family. This would indicate that for a large portion of the male population, it is in fact their female counterparts that are making the calls in regards to many purchasing decision. Large portions of these women are wives of family households as well as long-term partners. Nationally, nearly 50% percent of the entire population is comprised of married couples – a broad base for a core target audience.This buying behavior creates an untapped potential market for the Ann Taylor brand. Since women would already be in the store, this is a process of adding on to their current purchases, adding not only profit, but value to the Ann Taylor brand by having the client associate stores with convenience and multi-level shopping. This was already proven successful with strategic integration of home furnishings and accessories to select flagship stores. The target male consumer for these groups was a relatively simple process of reexamining our current demographics under a different lens.Most evidently, the targeted age group would be a similar 18-34. This age g roup makes up 23. 5% of the American consumer base as a whole, with over 23 million potential male customers. The ideal â€Å"Dan Taylor† is a middle classed, working male aged 18-34 either with, or thinking about a family who makes $75-99,000 a year, and is looking for workable, affordable, well-constructed clothes that speak to a tailored, New England look. Nationally, this corresponds to 12% of American households with a corresponding range of disposable income, with slight variations across regions of the country.Furthermore, in a more generic view, 78. 6% of the population consists of private wage and salary workers who would maintain the targeted aesthetic of the Dan Taylor line. Considering the harsh economic times, many higher income group clients would also be looking towards lower end options for their everyday work wear. This comprises an additional 31. 7% of the population that would be well within means to shop at Ann Taylor. With further research into specific r egional demographics, initial expansion of the Dan Taylor line would be limited to the Northeast area.As will be detailed, this capitalizes on maximum saturation of target market as well as core following of brand lifestyle and traditional aesthetic. The Northeast region shows the highest rate of educated males with a bachelor’s degree or higher educational attainment at 32. 5%. This figure is well above any other regions and is a full 4 points higher than the national average at 28. 4%. The Northeast also has to the second highest percentage of private wage and salary workers at 79. 5% or workforce, only behind the Midwest at 81. 1%. This category corresponds to the key lifestyle psychographics of the Dan Taylor customer.The area also corresponds to the second highest percentage of households within the targeted $75-$99,000 income level with 12. 6% and leads in terms of households making above $75,000 dollars, at 37. 6%, a full six points above the national level. Another co mpelling factor in terms of income is the Northeast’s mean male yearly earnings is a full $10,000 above the national level and is by far the highest of all regions. This higher income level means this population has a greater willingness to spend from discretionary income, particularly during harder economic times.Another great value in early investment in the Northeast of the United States is the historical association of the Ann Taylor brand with the region. As previously mentioned, the brand’s name is already associated with the area. The label’s look, comprising fashionable day and work wear for the active woman is also in key target with the ambiance and feel of the Northeast region. Color stories of Ann Taylor lines are also frequently associated with this area; pastels, khakis and navy are proven a timeless classic to locals of the area.This mix of ideal target market as well as a value-conscious higher income customer that is not only accustomed, but a f ollower of the Ann Taylor aesthetic creates an ideal marketing position for the Dan Taylor line. If success is seen within the Northeast sector, analyzed demographics then suggest the Western region of the United States as being the best to serve, followed by the Midwest and finally the South. OPPORTUNITY AND ISSUE ANALYSIS Opportunities 1. Growing Menswear Industry Men nowadays have become more aware of their appearance, and therefore, their spending on apparels also increased.According to Data Monitor (Table 1 & Figure 1- Appendix 1), from year 2004 to year 2008, the market value of the menswear market has a steady growth rate from around 3% to 5 %, its market value has also grown from $82. 6 billion in 2004 to $98. 2 billion in 2008. Data Monitor also forecasted that by 2013, the market value would grow to $118. 3 million dollars, an increase of 20. 4% since 2008. If we take a look at Table 3, our target customers who are among the age group of less than 25 years old and 25 †“ 34 years old, have a total of 27,919 thousand (7875 + 20,044) customers.Their added annual expenditure will be $76,413. Compared to women, men spend less on apparel. This may seem to be a discouraging data, however; it also proves that the menswear market is still catching up, and that Ann Taylor can utilize its edge of having the existing loyal female customers to expand to the menswear market. By introducing Dan Taylor in the Loft store, it is expected that our female customers would purchase menswear merchandise for their male friends and husbands.Some of the men may not like to spend too much too much time shopping around and may leave the styling job to their girlfriends or wives. This becomes a strong edge for the launch of Dan Taylor because this approach helps Loft to reach to a new group of male customers through our existing female customers. It is certain that the menswear market is still growing, and therefore Dan Taylor will seize this growing market to obtain some market share in the menswear industry for more profits in the future.By making the first move, Dan Taylor will have the first mover’s advantage. 2. Product line and Price Points The chart below includes the product lines of each of our competitors and their price points. Department private labels such as Alfani, INC and Izod have a narrow product line and a relatively lower price point. They place their focus on business clothing with items such as t-shirts, polo, shirts (casual and formal), sweaters, and trousers. However, for each assortment, they only offer a few styles. Compared to competitors, such asGap and Express, Dan Taylor positions itself as more for the same; we provide better quality but offer the same price points. This positioning allows us to fit in the white space between low to medium priced and medium priced specialty stores. Although our quality is comparatively lower than what medium priced brands such as Kenneth Cole and J. Crew offer; our price points a re much lower and therefore, Dan Taylor provides better value. In addition to the demographics qualities, we are also targeting customers that look for consistent qualities and values.Our goal is to establish a long-lasting relationship with our customers by offering great quality, details, and a wide variety of products with affordable price. We believe in values, and so do our customers. It is expected that customers from our competitors will be drawn to our store because of our promising value and quality. 3. Strong Brand Image Ann Taylor Loft has been in the women specialty retail market since 1983. Currently, we have around 900 stores in the United States, including the labels Ann Taylor, Loft, Ann Taylor Factory, as well as Loft outlet stores.Within these 900 stores, there are 509 LOFT stores because Loft has outperformed Ann Taylor by using a more moderate pricing strategy. Loft targets to a slightly younger group who has a more relaxed lifestyles at work and at home. Our cus tomers are value-conscious and are loyal; this allows us to introduce Dan Taylor (which will have LOFT’s price points and quality) which targets to a similar group of men. Our approach is to first introduce the menswear to our existing Loft customers. It is common that women will buy gifts for their boyfriends or husbands during special occasion such as holiday seasons or birthdays.Therefore, it will be a great opportunity to launch Dan Taylor since our well-known values and quality will draw our existing customers to purchase our menswear’s’ products as gifts for their spouses. This approach allows us to reach our potential male customers and provide them exploration to our products. 4. Online Opportunities The online U. S retail market is growing tremendously in the recent years. According to industry reports by Data monitor, ‘the US online retail market grew by 16. 6% in 2008 to reach a value of $186. 7 billion. in 2013, he US online retail market is fo recast to have a value of $325. 2 billion, an increase of 74. 2% since 2008†. This trend leads many of the retailers setting up their own websites, providing customers an easy access to their newest campaigns and other information related to the company. This approach helps the customers to have a better knowledge of the company. Some of these companies also set up an online store where customers can purchase directly online. Images, measurements and other details are shown to give customers a better visual idea of the merchandise.Today, with such busy lifestyles, people who do not have enough time to shop at the virtual store can now have the option to shop online. Therefore, Ann Taylor should keep focusing on the online sales channel to drive margins because e-commerce is the fastest growing and high margin segments which currently representing nearly a 25% of the company’s revenue base. 5. Collaborations with designer labels and international markets Today, the trend of retail stores collaborating with high-fashion brand labels is more popular than ever.Some of these examples would be H&M and Lanvin, as well as Uniqlo and Jil Sander. Regardless of it the partnership being short term or long term, this approach has always been successful. Long queues are found lining up outside the store on the launch date, and most of the limited merchandises in the collaboration collections are gone in less than a few hours. This not only creates instant buzz about the company but the other customers who come to shop the designer collections might end up looking at the other merchandize as well.Aside from advertising purpose, the limited merchandise brings in some differentiation and freshness to the company and attracts a new group of customers. A further opportunity derived from these collaborations is the recognition in the international markets. While Ann Taylor High-end designer labels now mainly focus on the domestic U. S market, the collaboration with d esigner labels can help promoting Ann Taylor Loft and Dan Taylor throughout the world. Getting the name out to the global market will be a stepping-stone for the company to launch new stores in new markets.Threats/ Issues 1: Effects of recessionary environment will continue impacting consumers spending habits The economic condition might be one of the most serious threats for Ann Taylor. We haven’t come out of the recession yet, and consumers in the US are suffering high unemployment and lower disposable income. Consumers are reluctant to pay for anything that is not on sale or with some sort of down pricing. Rising unemployment further reduces consumers’ ability to spend, which might be a threat to Dan Taylor although the economy is slowly recovering from the recession.Rising unemployment also means less people are at work – the precise demographic of the Ann Taylor and Dan Taylor aesthetics. Increased pursuit of everyday/ lounge wear from high unemployment tre nds could show significant damage to Dan Taylor’s future success. 2: Increased regulations on cards issued by the retailers will affect the appeal of these cards adversely A new act called the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 was passed which enforces several restrictions for retailers while issuing the credit cards.Several norms that originally contributed to the rising popularity of the retailer cards, have been identified as the reasons that later left the consumer with high debt. The new set of rules will benefit the customers, but will nevertheless restrict retailers and the earlier growth in retailer credit cards. Additionally, retailers rely on offering loyalty programs through these cards. The decline in the card base will negatively impact the success of these promotions. Ann Taylor issues its own branded and co-branded charge card for its customers.This will expose the company to high risk of default, higher regulations and compl iances. The new act further imposes higher restrictions and this might lead to less popularity of the cards impacting the cards business adversely. The new regulations might also make it more difficult for the company to issue new cards to the customers. 3: Rising of private label has affected the sales of national brands seriously Due to the recession, customers care now about price more than they did before. As customers became more price-oriented, large retailers filled that gap with lower priced private labels.Their close ties with factories allow these clothes to sit at a very low price point while still offering profit to the retailer. As a result, Macys, which is one of the largest department stores in the world and other companies have begun to focus on their private brands (Alfani, INC and IZOD for Macy’s, Aqua for Bloomingdales) and launched various types of clothes with reasonable prices for men and women of all ages. In addition, many discounted supermarkets such as Wal-mart and Target collaborated with designers and launched fashionable collections with reasonable prices as well.The popularities and sales of these brands increased rapidly. This might be another potential threat to the moderately priced Dan Taylor. 4: Rising apparel costs and labor costs in China are pressurizing margins Dan Taylor’s major production will be in China where the costs are estimated to inflate in the near future. This will increase costs for the company and pressurize margins. The prices of cotton, which typically comprise 40-45% of the price of a garment, were up 25% year in one year. Higher energy costs and rising labor costs in China will contribute to the increase in import cost of the apparel as well.The relative cost of manufacturing in China will almost certainly rise as the labor costs rise. Wage increases, coupled with higher costs for cotton, oil and freight will also push up prices. This cost increase is particularly troubling when taking into consideration the rise of private labels and increased competition within the industry to keep prices down. 5: A men’s brand in a women’s store might inhibit men from walking in Ann Taylor, being the feminine store it is might often prevent men from walking into the store.A large portion of men, even while shopping with their partner, prefer to wait outside or visit a different store, rather than shopping alongside the woman. This moderate level of interest shows a threat to the Dan Taylor line, however, it is also provides room for growth. By changing promotional efforts in-store, management can captivate the attention of such idle shoppers and transform their boredom into profits. MARKETING STRATEGY & ACTIONS TAKEN Ann Taylor’s primary advertising strategies will be â€Å"combination advertising,† including both Institutional and Promotional advertising.The promotion strategies will be divided into two phases. Stage 1 will involve bringing the companyà ¢â‚¬â„¢s name out to the public and creating loyalty from Ann Taylor’s female consumers thereby exposing their partners to the line in a passive manner. Stage 2 will be dependent upon the first stage’s success and will encompass the creation of the actual ‘Dan Taylor,’ stores and shifting shopping responsibilities from the woman to the man. Product line |Tops |Bottoms |Jackets & Coats Accessories | |T shirts |Pants/ Trousers |Suit Blazers |Ties | |- Polos |- Flat front |- Suit jackets |-Boleros | |- Henley |- Pleated |- Sports blazers |-Neckties | |- Sleeveless | | |-Bow ties | | | | |-Ascots | |Sweaters |Denim | |Cufflinks | |-Vests |- Relaxed | |- Double faced | |-Crew neck |- Straight leg | |- Chain | |- Full sleeved |- Skinny | |- Snap on | |- Boat neck |- Boot cut | |Belts | |- V neck | | |- Casual | | | | |- Formal | |Shirts |Shorts | |Socks | |- Dress shirts |- Cargo | |- Ankle length | |- Cufflink shirts |- Chino | |- Low cut | | |- Bermuda | |- Mi d calf | Stage 1: At this stage, Dan Taylor’s promotional efforts will be limited to news papers, magazines, in store promotions and social media. Given the economic difficulties of the Ann Taylor stores at the moment and the high-risk nature of adding a menswear line, these forms of advertising were chosen due to their maximum exposure to both men and women. Although newspaper advertising is a slowly dying medium, it still has the maximum exposure at minimum cost.This is an efficient medium to get the â€Å"Dan Taylor,† name out there to people who read newspapers that are not fashion related. In addition, trade publications like Women’s Wear Daily and other national and local magazines in the North East Region will feature advertisements for both Ann Taylor and Dan Taylor with both male and female models. Social Media, a highly upcoming medium for advertising will be taken advantage of as well. Dan Taylor will feature on facebook and twitter. These social netw orks will be constantly updated with new arrivals, sales and other promotions. These are excellent tools for reaching out to a mass audience that is specifically interested in the brand.Particular focus will be placed on these tools before the launch of the first Dan Taylor line to reach a wide audience and create massive hype. By using such a medium the brand can create an interaction and communication with the fan base, sponsoring loyalty and a following before the label is even launched. To introduce line on a grand scale, the company will have a launch party for the Dan Taylor line. Social media will be heavily used to publicize and to create excitement over the brand before said opening. Much emphasis will be placed in public relations and in creating hype for the launch. One such effort will be a competition on the Dan Taylor website (which is a part of the Ann Taylor website). Links to the website will be available on the facebook and twitter pages.The competition will involv e men dressing their girlfriends or wives in Ann Taylor clothing and accessories and then submitting their entries. Visitors of the website will get a chance to vote for their favorite outfit and the top three couples will win free flight tickets, hotel accommodations and be featured at the launch party of the Dan Taylor brand. At the party, the winners, along with three celebrity couples will be highlighted as the event’s main feature. Each couple will be given an exclusive look into the Dan Taylor line and the woman will be given the opportunity to style their man. At the party, both the contest winners as well as the celebrity males will be asked to walk down a runway. Outfits will later be featured in editorials in a major fashion magazine.The celebrity couples will be chosen directly from previously existent Ann Taylor spoke models including Rachel Bilson, Heidi Klum and Christina Hendricks. Fortunately, all three women have famous actors as their boyfriend or husbands, which would translate seamlessly with raising awareness of the brand in a fun, star studded manner. Once the line is in store, promotional efforts will be rampant. Campaigns will appear primarily in newspapers and magazines. Adverts will always feature both a man and a woman, posing together in some manner to suggest a relationship. Emphasis will be placed on the novelty of the line as well as on how shopping the line makes the female reader a better wife or girlfriend.Ads will play on the idea that one uses gifts to demonstrate their love, adding that now woman can shop for men – while they shop for themselves! This activity will be depicted as pleasurable and an enjoyable addition to a woman’s afternoon shopping trip. The Dan Taylor line will be available in all Ann Taylor Loft outlets within the Northeast region. As previously detailed, this region shows highest rates of employment and of brand loyalty. It will be a perfect smaller test market to see whether the lin e has potential for future success. Loft stores were chosen due to their history of higher sales and lower price point. By limiting distribution of the product, we will also create a greater sense of demand and urgency for the label when stage two moves distribution nationwide.Stage 2: At this point, there will already be some sort of general awareness within the market of the Dan Taylor brand. Depending on the success of the first stage we will move directly into constructing brick and mortar Dan Taylor retail outlets. These will most likely be connected to Ann Taylor stores, much in the vain of Gap’s strategy. In addition to the print campaign, television ads will start being used specifically for the Dan Taylor line. Also, Dan Taylor print campaigns will no longer always feature a both a woman and a man. Campaigns should have similar feelings as Tod’s campaigns, with very manly, dark colors and a restrained sense of humor. We want a sleek sophistication in our ads t o go in line with the product.We will increase product offerings to match the larger retail space, with products no longer being exhibited simply in racks within already existent Ann Taylor Loft outlets. A large launch party will be offered for both the Ann and Dan Taylor lines. The ultimate goal is to have both men and women’s wear lines have equal stature within the corporate structure. We will have created a one-stop shop for the power couple family unit, creating a comfortable environment for both the man and the woman. Conclusion The company’s overall goal is to improve the bottom line growth of both the divisions (Ann Taylor & Dan Taylor). If successful, Ann Taylor Store Corp. ill be one of the highest grossing companies in the United States.Appendix 1 [pic] [pic][pic][pic] Appendix 2: [pic][pic] [pic][pic][pic][pic] [pic][pic][pic][pic] [pic][pic][pic] Bibliography †¢ Karr, Arnol J. â€Å"Ann Taylor Update Leads Retail Rally. † Women's Wear Daily 3 F eb. 2010,199th ed. , sec. 23: 14. Print. †¢ Moin, David. â€Å"Ann Taylor Moves to Profit in 2nd Qtr. † Women's Wear Daily 23 Aug. 2010, 2000th ed. , sec. 39: 10. Print. †¢ Moin, David. â€Å"Ann Taylor Swings to Pofit in 4th Qtr. † Women's Wear Daily 15 Mar. 2010, 199th ed. , sec. 56: 2. Print. †¢ Romano, Anthony M. â€Å"How Ann Taylor Put Strategic Sourcing on the Management. † Supply Chain Management Review October (2006): 32-40. Print. U. S.Censs Bureau, 2009 American Community Survey †¢ Datamonitor | the Home of Business Information. Web. 22 Nov. 2010. http://www. datamonitor. com/ †¢ EBSCOhost – Worldaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Foremost Premium Research Database Service. Web. 22 Nov. 2010. . †¢ Macy's| Department Store, Dept Store , Department Stores, Clothing, Apparel, Accessories. Web. 22 Nov. 2010. . †¢ J. Crew – Cashmere, Sweaters, Women's Clothing ; Dresses, Men's Clothing, Children's Clothing ; Kids Clothes. Web . 22 Nov. 2010. . †¢ Web. 22 Nov. 2010. . †¢ Web. 22 Nov. 2010. . †¢ Web. 22 Nov. 2010. . †¢ Web. 22 Nov. 2010. . †¢ Web. 22 Nov. 2010. . †¢ Web. 22 Nov. 2010. . †¢ Web. 22 Nov. 2010. .

Reasons Women Live Longer Than Men

Reasons why women live longer then men It is an accepted fact of life that men enjoy certain physical advantages over women. Men are stronger, taller, faster and less likely to be overweight, but they have then tendency to die before their female counterparts. Their date rate is higher than women in many different societies. Women, as a group, live longer than men. In all developed countries and most undeveloped ones, women outlive men, sometimes by a margin of as much as 10 years. In the U. S.   life expectancy  at birth is about 79 years for women and about 72 years for men. The gender discrepancy is most pronounced in the very old: among centenarians  worldwide, women outnumber men nine to one. The gender gap has widened in this century as gains in female life expectancy have exceeded those for males. The death rates for women are lower than those for men at all ages–even before birth. Although boys start life with some numerical leverage about 115 males are conceived for every 100 females. Their numbers are preferentially whittled down thereafter. Just 104 boys are born for every 100 girls because of the  disproportionate rate of spontaneous abortions, stillbirths and miscarriages of male fetuses. More boys than girls die in infancy. And during each subsequent year of life, mortality rates for males exceed those for females, so that by age 25 women are in the majority. The reason women live longer than men can be explained from a biological, psychological and social view point. There are physiological, psychological and social factors that can account for longevity of women. The reason women live longer than men is because they have better cardiovascular endurance, they have two x chromosomes which further delays aging, men are more engaged in risky behaviors that can cause death, and another reason is that men are more likely to die from depression women. Women have an advantage over men in terns of cardiovascular endurance; disease such a heart attack and stroke are less likely to affect women than men. Woman develop these diseases later in life at about their 70s and 80s while on the other hand male normally get these types of disease about ten years younger in their 50s and 60s. A woman’s heart can become more active than men. A major contributor to biological age  is one’s heart activity; when the heart is more active and  healthier a person’s biological age can be reduced  because of how the heart is still working in a proper way. A woman’s heart tends to be more active primarily because of how the menstruation process causes the heart to exercise and to work at a greater level. One proposed reason for this is the menstruation process which causes a woman’s heart to become active by the release estradiol hormone in the woman’s body during the process. Estradiol will work to give the woman’s heart a greater amount of energy because this is an especially powerful form of estrogen that can cause her heart to be more active. It is more powerful than other types of estrogen that can be found in a woman’s body. Because of the workout that is given to the heart during the menstruation period the heart will be able to work at a better rate and as a result to help with getting one’s biological age reduced. Another reason for the delay in cardiovascular disease in women is that women are relatively iron deficient in comparison to men. This is due to the loss of blood during menstruation; it is especially active in young females. Iron play a very active role in reaction within our cells that produce damaging free radicals which attach unto the cell membrane and DNA, and may translate into aging the cell. A second possible reason for why women live longer than men is the difference in genetic make up. The existence of a second X chromosome in women while men have an X and a Y chromosome is a proposed reason for the longevity of women. When there is damage caused to the cell variations, women have back-up chromosome variations that men do not have. The assumption is that since men only have one X chromosome, they have a greater chance of aging more rapidly. Chromosomal differences between men and women may also affect their mortality rates due to diseases. Chromosomes carry genetic mutations that cause a number of life-threatening diseases, including muscular dystrophy and hemophilia. Because women have two X chromosomes, a female with an abnormal gene on one of her X chromosomes can use the normal gene on the other and thereby avoid the expression of disease even though she is still a carrier of the defect. Men, in contrast, have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome, and so they cannot rely on an alternative chromosome if a gene on one of the sex chromosomes is defective. If a man has a defect in this gene, his body's ability to repair the mutations that arise during cell division could be severely compromised. The accumulation of such mutations is thought to contribute to aging and disease. The second X chromosome as a longevity factor in and of itself. Although one of the two Xs is randomly inactivated early in life, the second X seems to become more active with increasing age. It may be that genes on the second X activates and compensate for genes on the first X that have been lost or damaged with age. A third reason for the mortality rate be higher for males is the fact that men are more likely to engage in risky life-threatening behavior thus raising the mortality rate among them. While this is a more social reasoning it can be explained using biological terms. The male specie experience what is known as â€Å"testosterone storm† in their late teens and 20s. At this stage the level of this hormone is in high quantity and it induce some dangerous behavior and bring out an aggressive nature in men. Some male dominated sports such as drag racing, motorcycling, sky diving, mountain climbing and even boxing are dangerous sports that have caused death of the participants. They may also engage in reckless behavior such as smoking, abusing alcohol, poor dieting and driving without a seat belt. These reckless behavior can cause death in the long run by death or immediately by accidents. The homicide rate of men is much higher than that of females. Men are more involved in violent and illegal activities that most of the time result is death due to violence. Such activities include scamming, drug dealing, gang involvement, gun trafficking, among others. In Jamaica murder is one of the leading cause of death for men in early adulthood, and some of the time these victims are perpetrators of this same crime. As the saying goes â€Å"live by the gun, die by the gun†. A forth and final reason is that men are more likely to die from depression that females. Depressing is higher among male that females. While many females will go to seek help for their depression, male are more reluctant to actively seek help from a counselor or even a friend. They would prefer to keep it inside and they may hold the motion that as long as it is not visible then its fine. Many men are harboring emotional distress and torment that cause depression. Depression and grief and affect one's health and further cause death. Depression can lead to suicide; men are more likely to die from attempted suicide than females. This is because male tend to use more fatal methods to carry out the action, for example, a woman would probably try to kill herself by overdosing on pills or medication while a man would jump off a ten story building. Overdose of pills can be remedied if detected early enough but if when a person jumps off a building there is no turning back or pause, they are heading at full speed ahead to the ground causing immediate death. In conclusion, the mortality rate for men is higher at all ages than female; it is almost as if women have a natural adaptation for survival. There are biological, psychological and social reasoning for this phenomenon which are hormonal difference, difference in genetic make up, psychological healthiness and the social on look on risk taking and dangerous activities.

Film Study Essay

Film Study Essay Film Study Essay INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL FILM SEMESTER I 2009-2010 BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN vs. PLEASANTVILLE Number of words: 1048 Battleship Potemkin is a 1925 silent film, whereas Pleasantville is a 1990’s movie based on a story that is set in the 1950’s . Many different techniques have been used in order to create special effects outlining the main ideas of both movies. The purpose of this essay is to compare and contrast the use of colours, sounds and the movements of the cameras that suggest the political theme in both films. Firstly, I am going to be discussing the different colours used in both movies. Its use is fundamental in putting across the basic message of the films: In Pleasantville it suggests that change is an indispensable part of life, whereas in Battleship Potemkin the use of only black and white colours emphasizes the fact that it is an old movie. It is entirely a black and white production that shocked for its use of violence, but also a silent one that â€Å"reaches the emotions on a visual level†(Mayer, 1990). It explains the story of the crew of the Russian battleship Potemkin that revolted against their executives representing the Tsarist system. This sequence suggests the desire for freedom and autonomy of the Russian empire. In Pleasantville, the director, uses colours to show the differences between two worlds. Black and white images represent a world of morality where people must respect the law. For example, the idea of sex is meaningless to them. Colours are used to express a world of opportunities: an exciting place where rules are broken and new things are discovered, like the pleasure of reading. Colours also represent the modern society, while black and white are related to the traditional society, ruled by strict conventions. Once the two siblings (Bud and Mary) appear, the pleasant world, presented in a TV sitcom becomes to change. They bring new conceptions into the world converting the black and white background and people into enriched ones, contrast that defines aspects of human conditions. In the clip that shows the court case, the people in black and white have power whereas those that are portrayed in colour are segregated in the upper part of the room. This can be seen as discrimination and racism, a common problem in the world today, too. The court case was caused as a consequence to the fact that the pleasant world started to change and rules began to be broken. . More and more people started to do something they desired and this desire went beyond the limits of society. By discovering the joy of life or the feeling of a disappointment they turned coloured. Those that didn’t accept any change in their lives, like the mayor, saw this as an immoral and unusual fact. Different colours that are used have different meanings. For example, in this clip of the court case Bud wears a blue T-shirt, which could be associated with a reasonable and confident person, qualities that help him say what he thinks in front of some of the citizens of Pleasantville. This relates to the political theme of the movie by presenting all the important people in the town that take decisions gathered altogether. Secondly, the use of camera and the editing play important roles in making movies. In Battleship Potemkin, the director expresses his own theory, known in film language as â€Å"montage†. The so-called â€Å"the Soviet montage† could be clearly seen in the most famous scene in the film, known as Odessa steps. It shows the mass execution of the citizens of Odessa by the Tsar’s representatives, as an episode of the Russian Revolution. This clip has a dramatic effect on viewers; its purpose is to portray Russians as a powerful and influential nation, after a catastrophic loss in the First

An Effective Teacher Evaluation Includes Questions

An Effective Teacher Evaluation Includes Questions The most effective method for evaluating a teacher effectively is dual, mutual involvement and ongoing collaboration in the evaluation process.  The teacher, being guided by the evaluator, is consulted and involved throughout the evaluation process. When this happens, the evaluation becomes a tool to springboard true growth and ongoing improvement.  Teachers and administrators find authentic value in this type of evaluation process. The biggest drawback is that it is a time-consuming process, but ultimately it proves worth the extra time for many teachers. Many teachers feel like there is often a disconnect in the process because they are not involved enough. A first step in actively involving teachers in the process is to have them answer questions about the teacher evaluation. Doing so before and after the evaluation gets them thinking about the process that naturally makes them more involved. This process also gives both sides some critical talking points when they meet face-to-face as some evaluation systems require the teacher and evaluator to meet before the evaluation takes place and after the completion of the evaluation. Administrators can utilize a short questionnaire designed to get the teacher thinking about their evaluation. The questionnaire can be completed in two parts.  The first part gives the evaluator some prior knowledge before they conduct the evaluation and helps the teacher in the planning process. The second part is reflective in nature for both the administrator and teacher. It serves as a catalyst for growth, improvement, and future planning. The following is an example of some questions you can ask to improve the teacher evaluation process. Pre-Evaluation Questions What steps did you take to prepare for this lesson?Briefly describe the students in this class, including those with special needs.What are your goals for the lesson? What do you want the student to learn?How do you plan to engage students in the content? What will you do? What will the students do?What instructional materials or other resources, if any, will you use?How do you plan to assess student achievement of the goals?How will you close or wrap up the lesson?How do you communicate with the families of your students? How often do you do this?  What types of things do you discuss with them?Discuss your plan for handling student behavior issues should they arise during the lesson.Are there any areas you would like for me to look for (i.e. calling on boys vs. girls) during the evaluation?Explain two areas that you believe are strengths going into this evaluation.Explain two areas that you believe are weaknesses going into this evaluation. Post-Evaluation Questions Did everything go according to plan during the lesson? If so, why do you think it went so smooth. If not, how did you adapt your lesson to handle the surprises?Did you get the learning outcomes you expected from the lesson? Explain.If you could change anything, what would you have done differently?Could you have done anything differently to boost student engagement throughout the lesson?Give me three key takeaways from conducting this lesson. Do these takeaways impact your approach moving forward?What opportunities did you give your students to extend their learning beyond the classroom with this particular lesson?Based on your daily interactions with your students, how do you think they perceive you?How did you assess student learning as you went through the lesson? What did this tell you? Is there anything that you need to spend some additional time on based on the feedback received from these assessments?What goals are you working towards for yourself and your students as you prog ress throughout the school year? How will you utilize what you taught today to make connections with previously taught content as well as future content?After I finished my evaluation and left the classroom, what immediately happened next?Do you feel that this process has made you a better teacher? Explain.

Communication and self-concept Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Communication and self-concept - Essay Example When I was six years old, I was so much interested in drawing and painting. This is because my elder brother was an artist and I enjoyed what he used to do. I used to see him spend countless hours in his room drawing and painting. Although my paintings did not mean so much to me at the time, I enjoyed drawing. My early interest in drawing and painting was increased by the communication in the family. My parents, relatives, and family friends would always talk of drawings and paintings that my brother used to draw and therefore, my world became centered in drawing. They gave me the direct definition by nicknaming me the baby painter. As I continued to grow, the concept of particular others came into play. I began being influenced by my peers and role models on television shows. This increased my passion for soccer. I saw myself in the eyes of favorite soccer players. I wanted to be one of the best football players and this became part of my life. I played football all through my adolescence until I reached age 17. Some of the life scripts that determined my passion for soccer changed and began working against me. Playing soccer was an acceptable and expected way of life for teenagers in my neighborhood. For example, my parents used to tell me that all work without play makes jack a dull boy. They always taught me to socialize with other people of my age through social activities such as soccer. They believed that socialization makes people to be successful in life. However as I reached age 17, the expectations of the society changed. I was expected to behave in a more mature way by performing well in academics. According to the society, people who have good academic certificates enjoy a higher social status than those without one. The theory of social comparison came into play this time. This happened at the time when I moved to U.S for my studies. I feel that I need to do good academically in order to be successful in the society. After viewing

Botlton Claims that Emotion Work can be Viewed as a Distinctive Form Essay

Botlton Claims that Emotion Work can be Viewed as a Distinctive Form of Skilled Work and Employees as a Multi Skilled Emotion Ma - Essay Example Emotion labour as defined by Payne is the work that involves trying to feel the appropriate feeling for a given job (2006, p.2). The emotion labour is common in the service industries. Payne states that, the workers have the obligation to carry out emotion work in the form of politeness, enthusiasm or remaining calm even when under intense pressure. This forms an integral part to achieve customer satisfaction. Payne agrees with Bolton’s argument that emotion work is a distinct highly skilled labour. Bolton’s argument is because emotion work shares some emotion features that prove its ability to be categorised as skilled labour.. Emotion labour requires that employees practice some level of discretion complexity and worker control (2004, p. 20). The complexity in emotional work comes from the explanation by Goff man that the everyday social interaction by employees in emotion work requires a person with the capability of switching through numerous feelings. Bolton states that, employees in the service field should have emotional managerial skills that will allow them to carry out their duties effectively. The workers should be able to distinguish the various emotional displays desired for a given task in their work. Bolton gives an example that the employees could utilise humour as a way of building rapport with the customer or as a means of defusing customer aggression. Emotion workers have to be able to control their interactions with customers to avoid unnecessary exchanges with their customers. In this case, the customer gets the right to display discontent and anger that are not available to the worker (2005c, p.26). Bolton further describes the emotion worker as an active and controlling force in the labour process. The emotion worker subverts the organisational feeling rules imposed to them by management. An example is the Disneyland operator who offers to be of assistance to customers by separating them into different rides despite the resi stance by customers. Bolton tries also to explain how a customer does benefit from the employees act of resistance (2004b, p. 29). An employer, despite his tight schedule, may take his time to help a customer who happens to be in dire need of help. The employee in this case violates the company’s regulation to help the customer. Emotion work, according to Bolton’s observation is indeed a skilled work in that it is through the employees’ interaction with the customer that the image of the company is portrayed and, therefore, serves as a marketing strategy. Emotion labour is a skilled labour, yet the many of emotion labour are low paying jobs with a low status. Bolton observes that the jobs need to be considered as skilled labour, and employees be provided with their rightful payment as skilled workers. The difficulty in categorising emotion labour arises because the traditional systems of certification find it hard to quantify emotional skills. Then again, the em otional skills are part of the worker this makes the skills to be easily dismissed as personal traits. Then it is argued that most of the workers involved in emotion labour are women. Philips and Taylor say that emotion work involves elements of people work and caring for others this trait is seen as an innate feminine quality (1986, p.55). They argue that women have a natural gift when it comes to handling emotional skills. Korczynski observes the scepticism that surrounds the description of emotion labour skills as real skills. Many believe