Sunday, December 29, 2019

Essay female juvenile crime - 736 Words

Traditionally, there has been little research on or interest in the impact of female crime in modern society. In addition, juvenile crime rates are on the rise, which combine for a void of research or information on female juvenile offenders. In general, crime rates for women offenders have risen since the 1990s. Increasing numbers of young women are also offending at higher rates. In a 1996 U.S. Department of Justice Report, the number of arrests of young women had doubled between 1989 and 1993. Twenty percent of all juvenile arrests were committed by girls, an increase of 87 percent. However, according to The National Study of Delinquency Prevention in Schools, males are far more likely to admit to criminal involvement than are†¦show more content†¦Chesney-Lind believes that women are faced with special issues, including the prevalence of abuse that female offenders endure. The American Correctional Association found that A) 61.2 percent of female inmates were physically a bused B) 50 percent were physically abused 11 times or more C) 54.3 were sexually abused, and D) 33 percent were sexually abused 11 times or more. This environment creates a group of young women that are running away from home and breaking curfew to escape the abuse in the home. Unfortunately, these young women are then punished by the juvenile justice system for escaping this harmful situation. Since 1985, status offenses of young women have risen by 18 percent and curfew by 83 percent (FBI, 1995). These same young women are often placed in treatment facilities, only to escape shortly before they are to be released, to avoid returning to the abuse. Women may also turn to gangs as a surrogate family, only to engage in ever increasing levels of dangerous crime. This lifestyle often leads to substance abuse, and girls and boys use drugs for different reasons. Women are most likely to use drugs as an escape or self-medication. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;What are the problems facing the treatment of female juveniles? First, treatment have been develop and implemented using the same techniques for both men and women. This type of general approach does not take into consideration the different responses of men and women. Women mayShow MoreRelatedCrime Statistics And Juvenile Crime951 Words   |  4 PagesJuvenile Crime Statistics The paper will focus and highlight some details of the statistics of juvenile crime statistics and juvenile crime itself. Is an aim to evaluate the reduction in national juvenile arrest, narcotics offenses, minor assaults, and the allegations regarding minor females, with the incousion of ethnic and racial classes. Additionally, data will be shown on the increase in arrest for minor females, the contrast in decrease for their male delinquent counterparts and voilent crimesRead MoreThe Need For Risk / Needs Assessment1731 Words   |  7 Pagesvalidity rate of juvenile offenders. There are many different instruments used to help classify delinquent youths and their likelihood of reoffending. Risk / needs assessment were primarily designed to the male population. Many researchers have examined gendered differences and feel as if there should be a â€Å"different need† approach that should be in place for women (Stephane M. Shepherd, 2012). Further researchers have found that fem ales commit crime just as harsh and harmful as male juvenile offendersRead MoreJuvenile Crime Statistics878 Words   |  4 PagesJUVENILE CRIME STATISTICS PAPER Juvenile Crime Statistics Paper CJA/374 September 19, 2012 The information in this article gives statistics of juvenile crime in America ranging from the late 1980’s to 2008. Its purpose is to take the information provided in these studies over the past 20 years or so to guide efforts and address the disparities among the youth to combat and prevent juvenile delinquency to better the lives of our children and for the future of our nationRead MoreJuvenile Crime Statistics Essay931 Words   |  4 PagesJuvenile Crime Statistics William Scott Bennett CJA/374 September 24, 2012 LeDetra C. Jones Juvenile Arrests 2008 Data is collected by law enforcement agencies within the United States and submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigations for tracking purposes. These numbers are used by analysts at the FBI to indicate trends in crime and to possibly develop alternative policing methods. A statistician can manipulate numbers to show what they feel is relevant, but aside fromRead MoreComparing Male And Female Juvenile Delinquency874 Words   |  4 PagesComparing and Contrasting Male and Female Juvenile Delinquents The article titled Profile of Incarcerated Juveniles: Comparison of Male and Female Offenders (Martin et al., 2008), effective methods of identifying potential juvenile offenders are discovered and reviewed. The discoveries made will help develop prevention programs at the state and national levels. The juveniles examined are offenders in a large juvenile justice system. The participants are of multiple races and live in a MidwesternRead MoreJuvenile Crime Statistics Paper765 Words   |  4 PagesJuvenile Crime Statistics Paper University of Phoenix CJA374 May 10, 2011 Juvenile Crime Statistics Paper This paper will address and summarize four different points from the juvenile arrests bulletin from 2001. Such points included in the summary are the overall decrease in juvenile arrests, the increase in drug offenses and simple assaults, implications for juvenile females and minorities, and last an assessment of the tracking of juvenile arrests as a method of measuring the amountRead MoreThe Impact of Gender and Family on Juvenile Delinquency in the United States888 Words   |  4 PagesJuvenile delinquency is of great concern in the United States. In 2007 over 2 million arrests were juveniles. There are two types of juvenile delinquency. The first type of offense is a behavior that would be a criminal violation for an adult. The other offense is called a â€Å"status† offense. Status offenses are delinquent actions that do not apply to adults, like running away and truancy. This paper will discuss the impact of gender and family on delinquency and the treatment by gender in the juvenileRead MoreThe Theories Of Crime Causation Essay1414 Words   |  6 Pages Theories of Crime Causation Dolores Jackson Williams Colorado Technical University Juvenile offender 1. Biological theory states that the individual will have certain traits will be transmitted from parent to children through genetics and not from social learning. Along with the juvenile having similar facial characteristics, which some believe also predisposes them to criminal behavior (Palmerin, 2012). 2. Rational choice theory states that the person will make sensible and reasonableRead More Juvenile Crime Essay example975 Words   |  4 Pages Juvenile Crime Introduction nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Every year, millions of juveniles are involved in criminal activities. According to statistics, as of 1999, the arrest rate for juvenile crime has dropped from its peak in the mid-1990’s. Statistics about juvenile crime have shown a steady increase of juvenile arrests from 1987 to 1994. Although overall crime rates have decreased since 1994, they are still above what they were in 1980. The following paragraphs and charts show the crime ratesRead MoreJuvenile Crimes And Juvenile Crime1620 Words   |  7 PagesJuvenile Crimes Juvenile crime occurs when a person violates the criminal law under the age of majority (in most states it’s 18). The juvenile system is way different than the adult system. When a juvenile commits a crime there are legal consequences for their actions depending on what he/she did. Sometimes the system can put them in rehabilitation or a detention center. If the offense is minor, the juvenile could be released to the custody of a parent or legal guardian. In the United States

Saturday, December 21, 2019

Trade in the Iron Age Essay - 2449 Words

Distinguishing between the many diverse archaeological periods is typically done in two ways. The first way to differentiate between two periods is to notice if there is a clear boundary or separation among the archaeological remains. The second way is by looking at the periods from a historical standpoint, and noting any major historical event that led to a significant social and/or political change. Though there are other ways to do this, these are the two most common and useful methods. Both of these techniques make it possible to recognize the differences in archaeological time periods. In Palestine, the transition from the Late Bronze to the Iron I period is marked by a noticeable â€Å"widespread destruction of the Canaanite city-states†¦show more content†¦The Iron Age was heavily influenced by the cultures of Egypt, which was seen through the pottery and building styles found during that time. Egyptian culture and Canaanite culture played a large role in the creation of pottery and architecture, as well as the formation of cities, during the Iron Age and beyond. The area now known as the Levant is a region consisting of Canaan, Transjordan, and Syria-Lebanon. International routes connecting Mesopotamia, Egypt, Asia Minor, and the Aegean ran straight through this area. As a result of the ideal geographic location, the Levant served as a crossroads for trade and exchange throughout a great deal of antiquity. This area was repeatedly under the control of hostile dictators, and it played host to foreign merchants as well as â€Å"giving birth to native traders who journeyed to far-flung destination and returned with exotic goods† (Cline 360). Although international exchanges of everyday and exotic materials had been going on for hundreds of years before the reign of King Solomon, the most well known period of trade and exchange is the period during the time of his reign. These international exchanges continued for more than a millennium after his reign as well (Cline 360). Really significant international relations between the Levant and the outside world began in the second millennium BCE. Some epigraphic and textual documentation exists that complements the material goods and evidence from this period.Show MoreRelatedInterpretation Of Africa s History Through Maps1493 Words   |  6 Pageswide range of geographic conditions to establish societies based on family ties, religion, iron technology, and trade. Today Africa is a continent made up of 54 independent countries, and it’s the world’s oldest populated area. Africa’s is more than three times the size of the United States, and over time there has been a great deal of trade and movement of goods and people including transatlantic slave trade. The following maps show the changing relationships of Africa to the rest of the world andRead MoreClassical Societies : China, Athens, And Rome Essay876 Words   |  4 PagesConfucian values that emphasized obedience of the wife to husb and. China’s emphasis on family ancestors. Roman empire emphasis on family was called paterfamilias. Unlike China and Rome, Greece men were separated from women in military barracks until age 30; women had relative freedom. In all three civilizations, wealth based on land ownership and slavery existed. The social structures of China, Rome, and Greece, was hierarchical the slaves were at the bottom. In China, there was a big social divideRead MoreWhy Was Britain The First Nation?1479 Words   |  6 Pagesof work which presented the factories and mines jobs with a large workforce and a healthier one, too. Britain’s resources such as iron, cotton and steel helped the country prosper and flourish. The empire was rich with raw materials in which gave her the capital to fund improved transport, bigger factories and new technology through exports and trade. Coal and Iron were seen as the most important raw materials in the process of industrialization. Initially, charcoal was used instead of coal. HoweverRead MoreAfrican Slaves And The Slave Trade995 Words   |  4 Pagesslave trade was at its peak. Many believe that only Europeans benefited from having Africans as slaves, but they are wrong. Africans of different tribes would destroy settlements, capture the villagers, and sell them at the market as they were a baked good at a farmer’s market in today’s society. Europeans and Africans both played a major role in the slave trade and are both to blame for the capturing and selling of African slaves. African’s played a much bigger role in the Atlantic Slave trade thanRead MoreThe History Of The Industrial City1054 Words   |  5 Pagesyou decide to work there as well. We also have three linen cloth fields scattered horizontally down near our south border. Plus how else could an industrial city enlarge without iron. Which is why we have an iron extraction location found right below our coal field. In case we need to expand and make more machines, that iron extraction has got our back. Yet with all this resources a worker needs a factory to work at. We have a total of six factories. Three up north, and three down south. Since we happenRead MoreSteel and Corrosion1175 Words   |  5 Pagesespecially of protective metal coatings, and of the influence of manganese in the rusting of steel. ï‚ · Alford, H. Carroll: Corrosion of iron and its prevention. 2,200 w. 1901. (In Proceedings of the St. Louis Railway Club, v. 5, April 12, p. 9.) Theory of rust formation and preventive measures. ï‚ · American Society for Testing Materials: 1,800 w. 1906. (In Iron age, v. 77, p. 2057.) Abstracts of papers at ninth annual meeting of the society; corrosion of tube steel, corrosion of wire fencing, electrolysisRead MoreEssay on the vikings1628 Words   |  7 Pages Viking age has long been associated with uncontrolled piracy, when bandits swarmed out of the northlands in their ships to burn and pillage their way across civilized Europe. During this period much progress was achieved in terms of Scandinavian art and craftsmanship, marine technology, exploration, and the development of commerce. It seems the Vikings did as much trading as they did raiding. The title quot;Vikingquot; includes a wide description of Nordic people; Danes, Swedes, and NorwegiansRead MoreThe Old Man And The Library949 Words   |  4 Pagesprovide the reader or listener with an image that requires reflection for the individual and the society from which it originates. The African proverb, â€Å"when an old man dies, it is as if a library has burned down† illustrates the importance of wisdom, age, and experience. This proverb highlights the necessity from preserving historical knowledge and the devastation that comes with losing that knowledge. Libraries are symbols of education and information typically containing works of written history whereasRead MoreEconomy in Ancient Greece Essay921 Words   |  4 Pagesfamily needed money, they might sell one of their children into slavery. If this was done, they usually sold the daughter because the sons were needed to help out with the chores or on the farm. The price of the slave would depend on their appe arances, age and attitude. If the slave was healthy, attractive, young and submissive he or she could sell for the equivalent of $180.00. If the slave was old, weak, and stubborn he or she might cost about the equivalent of $9.00. House slaves were always supervisedRead MoreThe Olmecs, Aztecs And Mayans988 Words   |  4 Pagesmammals and reptiles. For the Aztecs, trade was an important part of their life. Aztec economy was relying on farming and agriculture a lot. They grew many things while farming some things like avocados, squash, hemp, tobacco, peppers, and there most important crop was corn. Besides the fact of their old ways and farming tools they could supply food not just for themselves but for the entire city. The Aztecs used different types of money and all of this trade took place in the marketplace which was

Friday, December 13, 2019

Sales Report Hema Free Essays

string(87) " executives believe that the formula they offer is a good product and could go global\." TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION3 COMPANY ANALYSIS (external + internal + SWOT)4 INTERNAL EXTERNAL ANALYSIS4 HISTORY OF THE COMPANY4 HEMA’S STRUCTURE4 VISION OF THE COMPANY4 MISSION STATEMENT5 TARGET GROUP5 HEMA’S STRATEGY POSITIONING6 FINANCIAL POSITION COMPETITION7 PRODUCT-MARKET COMBINATION8 MARKETING MIX8 TRENDS IN RETAIL9 SWOT ANALYSIS10 STRENGHTHS:10 OPPORTUNITIES:11 THREATS:12 MARKET RESEARCH13 THE 7C’S OF EFFECTIVE WEBSITE DESIGN13 QUALITATIVE RESEARCH15 SALES PROPOSAL17 Executive Summary17 Our understanding17 YOUR COMPANY17 YOUR NEEDS17 DESCISION CRITERIA18 Our Solution19 FOOD SECTION CLEANLINESS IMPROVEMENT19 PRODUCT RESTOCKING19 Conclusion19 COST AND BENEFIT ANALYSIS20 REFERENCES23 MYSTERY SHOP REPORTS24 NATALIA ROJAS24 VICTORIA TORRES24 MAIKE BOUWER24 ANNA ZAJAC25 CELIA BAUMGARTNER26 ANOUK VAN NULAND26 INTRODUCTION In September 1926, the dream of  two Jewish entrepreneurs  Arthur Isaac and Leo Meyer  opened their first store on the Kalverstraat. The company became a part of the Maxeda group, which renamed from Vendex KBB. It owns Bijenkorf, Hunkemoller, VD, Praxis, Plan-it and Brico, Dixons and many other stores. We will write a custom essay sample on Sales Report Hema or any similar topic only for you Order Now In 2007 Maxeda sold HEMA to a British company called Lion Capital LPP. The company primarily focuses on leveraged buyout  investments in Europe. HEMA has expanded into other European countries, with stores in  the  Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and France. In this report we made a sales analysis of the Hollandsche Eenheidsprijzen Maatschappij Amsterdam, HEMA. HEMA is a Dutch discount retail chain that is characterized by relative low pricing of standard housewares, which are mostly made by the chain itself in beautiful and innovative designs. HEMA offers a very wide variety of products, from books and housewares to food. HEMA is located all around the Netherlands, with in total 445 branches and thousands of employees by March 2011. We analyzed HEMA from different standpoints; we analyzed the housewares product section and also the food section. We visited in total 12 different stores all in different locations of the Netherlands from Amsterdam to Maastricht and we did qualitative research by analyzing the company’s external and internal environment. The goal of this report was to find out what HEMA can do to improve sales. COMPANY ANALYSIS (external + internal + SWOT) * INTERNAL EXTERNAL ANALYSIS HISTORY OF THE COMPANY HEMA is a company with long tradition. The first store was opened on Kalverstraat on 4th of November 1926. Two Jewish entrepreneurs, Arthur Isaac and Leo Mever who have witnessed the hardest economic crisis of that century, conceived the idea. They have seen a lot of people struggling and having difficulties to make ends meet so their concept was to create a shop with different household items of affordable price but still maintaining a high quality. Thanks to Alfred Goudsmit, the director of Amsterdam-based Bijenkorf, this dream became reality and Hollandsche Eenheidsprijzen Maatschappij Amsterdam (known better as HEMA) was set up. The formula was so successful that recently new stores were opened in Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and France. Additionally, in 2007, HEMA was sold to a British company called Lion Capital LPP. * HEMA’S STRUCTURE HEMA’s structure has changed over the years, as two different groups have owned it, and each one of them had a different way of handling their operations. The Dutch company identifies itself as an adapter, because wherever they open a new store they try to fit into the new environment and implement products that are applicable for the target audience they are pursuing. Additionally, the CEO  and shareholders play an important role in all forms of decision making for the company’s processes and changes, being constantly informed of any new ventures being pursued. * VISION OF THE COMPANY HEMA has clearly stated that what drives them toward attaining goals is the need to adapt to what consumers really want, in this constantly changing environment. We are driven by our business goals in everything we do. Consumers’ needs are changing and we continually adapt to those needs†. Over the time HEMA has been developing its brands, and now have more products than what they had when they opened their very first store. MISSION STATEMENT According to official website, HEMA’s mission statement consists of the following: à ¢â‚¬Å"The HEMA style can be summarized in two words: ‘exceptional simplicity’, by which we mean that our products are both simple and exceptional. Long before the term ‘home brand’ was invented, we were creating and manufacturing our own products†. This concept should be applied not only to products they offer but also to services. HEMA’s mission is to turn day-to-day products into something exceptional and yet affordable. Another aspect is to recognize the continuously changing customers’ need and satisfy them. TARGET GROUP Originally, HEMA’s market segment was mainly the middle-low class with its consequent medium range income. However, over the years HEMA has attracted more individuals with a higher income, due to the guaranteed quality their products offer at a very affordable price. HEMA states that its target group are men and women of all ages and socio-economic classes as everyone can find there something for himself. However, different surveys have shown that the majority of the audience  is mainly  between the ages of 14-32, identifying young  parents,  and students as part of this segment. Lately we can note HEMA’s tendency to focus more and more on younger customers by different promotion techniques and actions. For example, they recently made a contest for students that were studying any form of design, inviting them to create a new HEMA product with their own fresh ideas. In this digital age, all companies must be aware that if they truly want to succeed they must reach their target group through up-to-date methods. Therefore, HEMA reaches most of its customers through TV commercials, Internet, magazines and even direct mail. The most important of these, in this modern time and age, has to be its main website, which not only allows customers to shop online but also provides all the information necessary on current promotions and activities. HEMA’S STRATEGY ; POSITIONING As said above, HEMA’s aim is to make people’s life a little more convenient, independently of where they live. That is why the company is planning on expanding across Europe and probably also further. HEMA’s executives believe that the formula they offer is a good product and could go global. You read "Sales Report Hema" in category "Essay examples" The company’s strategy is to captivate new trends and adapt to customers. To be so successful it is essential to have motivated and dedicated staff. To achieve it the relationship of trust and commitment must be created. That is why all decisions, which are being made, are based on belief that all employees are entitled to respect for dignity, individuality and diversity. The positioning of HEMA is based on the distinctiveness of its designs, which are done in-house by HEMA designers, and all the products at HEMA are HEMA branded (in most cases), which makes it stand out in the market by being immediately recognizable to customers. The competent price is another factor HEMA sells as a positioning point, although competition has made its low prices seem relative in comparison to all the other options now offered at the same price range or at even lower prices. HEMA often underlines its will to act with social responsibility. Thus, also the way of producing and delivering goods to customers is of high importance. The corporation uses a â€Å"naturally HEMA’’ approach to protect the environment. Whenever it is time to change the uniforms of their employees, they recycle and use them for something else, instead of throwing them into the garbage can. Moreover, in each one of their stores they practice a recycle culture and waste collection programs. FINANCIAL POSITION ; COMPETITION HEMA has been one of the most favourite Dutch stores in the Netherlands, and gradually is gaining hearts of other markets abroad. In the Dutch market, HEMA has 445 stores, in Belgium 62, Germany 8, Luxembourg 3 and France 7. In total HEMA has 10,000 employees, of which 80% are women and the remaining 20% are men. Currently the company is participating in a project called â€Å"return to sender†. However, it does not seek to make a profit by selling these products; it rather strives to support fair trade in third-world countries making sure that profits return to the manufacturers by means of development projects and education in the regions of origin. Hema achieved quite good results in the year 2011 especially if we take into consideration the challenging conditions. It had to face declining non-food retail spending, increasing competition, higher raw material prices as well as declining consumer confidence. Compared to 2010 (loss of 18. 3 â‚ ¬mln), net sales increased by 3%, and so did the net profit rising with â‚ ¬11 mln, mainly because of lower financing costs. According to the statements released by HEMA, the share in all categories improved. The company continues on investing, in 2011 spending â‚ ¬57 mln (amount comparable to 2010). However, the profit margin suffered (0. 5% lower in comparison to 2010) due to increase in price of oil, coffee and cotton. Total capital after the acquisition by Lion Capital is estimated on â‚ ¬1. 4 billion, of which 35. 4% is financed by shareholders. As far as competitors go, HEMA has found its largest competition against Jumbo Groep Holding B. V and Koninklijke Ahold B. V. , which comprises itself of Albert Heijn, Etos, and Gall ; Ga. , among others. Additionally, other competitors in retail include Kruidvat, D;A, and Zeeman. PRODUCT-MARKET COMBINATION Hereby is sum up of the best and the worst of HEMA’s products, according to each box/category of the matrix: STARS-â€Å"Le Lapin† tea kettle| QUESTION MARKS-HEMA Beauty| CASH COWS-Sausage (worst)| DOGS-| MARKETING MIX Price Based on an overview of the online website, www. hema. nl, the price of products ranges from as little as . 50 to as much as 250 euros, specifically for the bicycles. However, most products range under the 20 euros or less mark, especially when it comes to its office supplies, cosmetics, beauty products, and foods beverages. They also use many discounted product prices to boost sales. Product The products offered at HEMA are of a great and wide variety, and are divided into clothing, accessories, cosmetics, skincare products, office/school supplies, domestic appliances, home items, textiles (curtains, duvets, etc. ), food beverages, and finally, its photo printing service, exclusive to only some HEMA stores. According to the principles of its product mix, the products themselves are not necessarily all consistent with each other, as their diversity is large. The depth of some of the products is also not as varied, though HEMA tries to have in most cases at least two different variations, mostly in price range/quality or color presentation, of the same product. Promotion HEMA is avid in its promotion of products, especially those that are discounted from week to week and new to the store. They use, as mentioned above, TV advertisements, billboards, employ the use of social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Google+ and Pinterest, and as well as Internet advertising through their online website. Place HEMA products are sold at HEMA stores and online at www. hema. nl. There are several variations of a HEMA store, ranging from very large warehouse style to small outlets in train stations and airports. Also, specialized stores are popping up recently, such as HEMA Foto’s, HEMA Beauty, and a HEMA with only its ready-made food, in a similar â€Å"to go† style as its competitor Albert Heijn. The products are sold directly, passing on from HEMA’s own suppliers in Hong Kong and Shanghai to the stores for selling. TRENDS IN RETAIL For 2012, several trends were present in the retail business in general. Firstly, the investment in mobile applications and services has increased enormously over the past year. Customers are now able to find store locations, prices, customer reviews and eventually order said products all through their mobile phone. With the continued modernity of cellphones, it is no doubt this trend will keep on climbing and showing its importance in the retail business. Another trend this year has been the stagnant sales due to the low economy in recent times. Customers are spending more on necessary products rather than retail, and it is of great importance for retail companies to find a way to demonstrate the added value and worthiness of the product they are selling, as well as placing it in a competitive price range. Additionally, globalization has taken over the world and influenced greatly on retail. More and more retail companies are encouraged to expand themselves abroad, giving them the competitive edge they need to succeed. Lastly, another trend related retail is that economic times and high prices are forcing stores to become more compact, which has actually been well received by customers, who do not wish to wander in a thousand square meters to get the one product they need. SWOT ANALYSIS * STRENGHTHS: Dutch citizens have been acquainted with HEMA since 1926, which means that a large quantity of the population is attached to their brand. They have one of the most important  advantages that a company can have: loyal customers. * HEMA can be proud of its customer-oriented and committed staff, people who do their best every day achieving at the same time high customer satisfaction. * Contrarily to majority of retailers, HEMA sells its own original brand. The company has its own design dep artment, where highly educated employees come up with new ideas and improved products. What is more, HEMA involves its customers, among them, young talented design students who are given chance to participate in new-product creation. * Own laboratory where all the products are being strictly tested before arriving on store shelves. * Highly creative marketing team often coming up with interesting actions and promotions attracting new customers and retaining the old ones. * Good advertising and multi channel communication with customers. HEMA broadcasts its own TV commercials, distributes leaflets, sends e-mails, newsletters and of course has a well organized website where web shopping is available 24h/24. Ability to track new tendencies and adapt them in a short period; introduction of innovative fashion or an incorporation of a cafe/restaurant into stores is one of many examples. * HEMA takes into consideration the environment during production and logistics processes. It strives to reduce amount of energy used for transportation as well as production, limits packagin g to minimum, takes care of material used and the possibility of their recycling. * Offers a great diversity of household products at quite affordable prices. * Great attention toward a customer and putting his satisfaction first. Thus, each customer that is not satisfied with service provided can claim for refund. * HEMA stores expand with a high rapidity, even monthly. * Demonstrated support for various initiatives such as FAIR TRADE, Return to Sender etc. WEAKNESSES: – Although HEMA claims to produce its products in an ecofriendly manner, still a considerable number of products are made of hardly recyclable material. This aspect should be reviewed by HEMA departments and new solutions should be implemented and comply fully to company’s mission of social responsibility. Based on the market research made, HEMA product quality is not the highest in most cases, especially if comparing it to other products with the same price tag. – HEMA is currently in the process of suffering from the so-called â€Å"commodity trap†, in which its fellow competitors are selling the same comparable products HEMA does, at lower prices. – In reference to our surveys, the cleanliness and neatness of the HEMA stores can be improved upon, as well as a better control of restocking products that are being sold. HEMA’s great range of products, though a great strength, is also a great weakness, as the management of all these products can become overpowering, and the previously mentioned quality and cleanliness control become more difficult to handle. * OPPORTUNITIES: – Its current owner, the London-based private equity firm Lion Capital, has been trying to sell the company since 2011, but there are still plans to, in a year or so, retry its selling proposal. The main stakeholder in this would be Royal Ahold NV, who currently is the owner of the biggest chain of supermarkets in the Netherlands, Albert Heijn, amongst other investments. Pairing up AH and HEMA to sell their products together could prove itself as an incredibly profitable business synergy of brands. -As mentioned before in the retail trends, HEMA could take advantage of the recent mobile phone apps boost, and include an app version of their online store for mobile users to buy the products directly on the go. They already offer their HEMA Photos services online, but could work more on this growing trend to improve sales. -Even though HEMA has a claim on the Corporate Social Responsibility as a company, they could move even further with their actions by actively timulating sustainability amongst their suppliers. Not only does this actively pursue good, it provides a new selling point for customers who believe in sustainability as an added value to a product purchase. Sustainability in companies itself is a growing trend, considering all the education new generations have had over global warming and the threat of the carbon footprint. * THREATS:  œ With the recent economic crisis in 2012 with the European Union and the budget cuts, retailers in general in the Netherlands, with HEMA included, are suffering from these cuts. The Dutch government will boost the highest value added on consumer goods to 21% from 19% before the austerity measures were in place. This will affect most businesses who handle goods that are not foods or beverages, and even though HEMA does have a part of its business focused on that, it is mostly a mixed retailer. – Dutch consumer confidence has hit an all-time low since 2003, notably dropping 1. 3% in February 2012. – Due once again to the austerity, Dutch households are facing stagnant salaries with higher retail prices, which means the consumer spending will be reduced. As mentioned before in the opportunities, its current owner, Lion Capital, has been trying to sell the company since 2011 but has so far been unsuccessful to reach its desired 1. 5 billion euro asking price. There are still plans to, in a year or so, retry its selling proposal, which would provide instability within HEMA due to the change of ownership. Of course, it can not be determined whether t his change will be beneficial or not, but it most certainly would be an adjustment to the company, and sales might suffer from it. MARKET RESEARCH This section consists of an extensive and thorough market research analysis of HEMA, a multinational retail chain that caters several products in different areas of Europe. The report begins an explanation of its target group. Consequently, there is an analysis of the 7 C’s of web, and a final conclusion is provided. The overall objective is to obtain a full understanding on the views, and behaviors from HEMA’S customers, and how these influence within their purchasing decisions. TARGET GROUP Originally, HEMA’s market segment was mainly the middle-low class with its consequent medium range income. However, over the years HEMA has attracted more individuals with a higher income, due to the guaranteed quality their products offer at a very affordable price. The audience  is mainly  between the ages of 14-32, identifying young  parents,  and students as part of this segment. HEMA is focusing more and more on younger customers by different promotion techniques and actions. For example, they recently made a contest for students that were studying any form of design, inviting them to create a new HEMA product with their own fresh ideas. Moreover, they are also reaching youngsters through their parents, personalizing their own product is a key advantage to them. In this digital age all companies must be aware that if they truly want to succeed they must reach their target group through up-to-date methods. Therefore, HEMA reaches most of its customers through TV commercials, Internet, magazines and even direct mail. The most important of these, in this modern time and age, has to be its main website, which not only allows customers to shop online but also provides all the information necessary on current promotions and activities being organized. THE 7C’S OF EFFECTIVE WEBSITE DESIGN In order to look into the 7 C’ S, a required observation of HEMA’s main website (http://www. hema. nl) was necessary to regard how each one the forms of effective design were implemented. Context- The site’s layout and design is dynamic, very colorful and appealing to the senses, making it an effective tool for marketing. Content- Varied is the most proper way to describe their content. Community- HEMA allows customers to interact with each other by participating in contests, activities and promotions, as well as allowing them to voice their suggestions and complaints. Customization-Since customers can subscribe themselves and create themselves an account, it is possible to have their own customized web page, because the web site will display their most recent purchases and tailor itself automatically each single time. Communication-Their web page uses a two-way communication Connection-The site is linked to other web pages, such as YouTube, Twitter and Facebook. This enables the user to check HEMA’s account in these 3 web sites and to show their most recent acquisitions by uploading pictures of the items. It creates a special bond between the customer and the corporate. Commerce- When there is a purchase of items, the options on payment are several, and allowing the customer to decide what is his or her best option. In acknowledgement of the before stated reasons, HEMA does make a full use of the 7 c’s. QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH SURVEY ANALYSIS The questionnaire will probe the following 9 questions: 1-Do you ever shop at HEMA? 2-If yes, how often? 3-Do you like HEMA, neither like it nor dislike it, or dislike it? 4-How clean are HEMA stores? 5-Compared to its competitors are HEMA’S prices more reasonable, less reasonable or about the same. -In terms of quality, how good are HEMA’S products 7-Description of HEMA in 3 words 8-On a scale from 1-10, which overall grade would you give HEMA 9-In a maximum of 3 words, please tell us on what you would like HEMA to improve After a survey collection and thorough analysis took place, the results were the following: 1-Do you ever shop at HEMA? 95. 2% of the people interviewed admitted to have e ver shopped at HEMA. 4. 8% had never shopped at HEMA before. 2-If yes, how often? From the 95. 2% whom claimed to have ever shopped at HEMA, had 94. % purchase goods at the store once a week, the remaining 5. 6% went to the store at least 3 times a week. 3-Do you like HEMA, neutral, or dislike it? 19% of the interviewees likes HEMA a great deal, 47. 6% like it a moderate amount, 14. 3% like it a little, 19% are neutral 4-How clean are HEMA stores? 19% believe the stores are clean, 61. 9% say they are moderately clean, 14. 3% state that it is slightly clean, and 4. 8% think it is not clean at all. 5-Compared to its competitors are HEMA’S prices more reasonable, less reasonable or about the same? 47. 6% believes the prices are reasonable, and a 52. % that they are less reasonable than the ones of the competitors. 6-In terms of quality, how good are HEMA’S products *90. 5% said the product quality was good, a 9. 5% said they were awful. * QUALITATIVE RESEARCH For the qual itative research, we went on a field trip to several HEMA’s to get a few in depth interviews with their customers. At the quantitative research, we mostly ask fixed answer questions to get structured answers and get clear statistics from it. The qualitative is quite the contrary, we ask open question thus not trying to persuade the customers by giving them several options as answers. We asked the following questions that are relative to the marketing research: 1. What are your experiences when shopping at HEMA? The majority of the interviewees were more than positive about their experiences. Not one had a negative experience at one of the HEMA’s. One claimed that they even have everything in the little HEMA’s in the small villages outside of the big city: â€Å"It is unbelievable (and quite scary) how accurate they know us, costumer! † Another costumer: â€Å"The employees are always friendly and helpful, even though they cannot satisfy our needs as costumers. † 2. How would you describe the quality of the products? Here again, the majority is very satisfied about the quality of the products. â€Å"The price/quality ratio is fairly good. I know what to expect from the products. Let’s take a their china for example, I know their bowls won’t last a lifetime. If I want bowls that last a lifetime I will shop at Georg Jensen. This way I can change my china more often and get a fresh new look in the kitchen. † All the interviewees were satisfied with the products bought, though most of them take inconsideration that the products are not the best on the market. 3. What is your opinion about the tidy/cleanness of the stores? Positive feedback: â€Å"The stores look clean†, â€Å"Well organized†, â€Å"Good structure of the placement of the products† Negative feedback: â€Å"Too many products cramped into too little space†, â€Å"Quite mess at the sales shelves†, â€Å"The floors are dusty, though this problem appears in most shops†. The opinions on this question are fairly divided. The bigger shops seemed to have more negative feedback, due to its large variety of products. The overview was lost and the employers were having troubles keeping the shelves organized and the store clean. Response Summary Criteria-8 people were individually interviewed for more in-depth findings, and 40 answered a survey. SALES PROPOSAL * Executive Summary For HEMA a Dutch discount retail chain, which is characterized by relative low pricing products mainly made by the company itself, the customer’s opinion and view about the company is the most important. Time by time, the company has been including new products and ideas to the company trying to make it more attractive to buyers, and then is when the food section came to HEMA becoming its pride with products such as â€Å"rook worst’, Tompouces and pies. However, after having done some research in different locations of HEMA, we found out that even though customers like the food of HEMA, most of them think that the cleanliness of the food section is not positive. Another fact is that since HEMA is characterized by having all kind of self developed articles concentrated on daily necessities, people like to go there whenever they need something especially â€Å"urgent†. According to our research, it happens often that products are not being restocked frequently. This leaves the client with a sense of emptiness after having travelled the whole store in search of that needed product. Our understanding YOUR COMPANY HEMA is a company that makes life fun and easy in an inexpensive way. In HEMA you will find the remarkable combination of â€Å"only the best items for everyday life, with its own especial design, for surprisingly low prices† and with a staff that is always ready to help you with pride, commitment and with love fo r their company. YOUR NEEDS HEMA is a store where customers go mostly when they need to find something in particular, for example house ware products, school accessories or to have the 1euro breakfast. Customer who go to HEMA, mostly know what they are looking for and what they can find at HEMA. Therefore, HEMA needs to be always prepared to receive these customers, by knowing and having in advance what they are looking for. HEMA needs to create an especial importance to restocking of products. Since most HEMA’s is a large store, where you mostly spend more time than in a particular store, clients do not like to go there, looking for something they know HEMA provides and not finding it because of restocking issues. Makeup, stationery, and house ware tools are some of the sections that have to be always filled. HEMA has a rather small food section, however it is famous for the good taste and low price of their products. The 1euro breakfast, the famous worst and the pastry attract fixed buyers day by day to the store. However, after our research we found out that clients were not especially happy with the cleanliness of this section. Most of the time workers who receive money are the same ones that fixed or deliver the food, this without changing or wearing hand gloves. There must be in HEMA a clear differentiation between the person who is handling the cash and that who is touching the food. In the case that this is the same person there should be a imminent use of hand gloves for each of those actions. Prioritized list of needs: More frequently restocking of HEMA products. * Improvement of cleanliness in the food section. DESCISION CRITERIA Key Decision Criteria| Importance(High, Med, Low)| 1. Product Restocking| Med| 2. Food Section Cleanliness Improvement| High | * Our Solution FOOD SECTION CLEANLINESS IMPROVEMENT * For the food section the solution is the implementation of gloves for all employe es; enough gloves to be changed after a certain amount of time. Another solution is the distinction of the person working at the register and the person handling and preparing the food. There should not be one person who can use cash and prepare food at the same time. If necessary and for the variation there could be shifts so the employees can also perform different activities, however for one employee the shift should not chance more than once daily. Example: Natalia receives payments from 9 to 12 and then from 12 to 5 she prepares food. PRODUCT RESTOCKING * For the restocking problem, there could be more frequently revisions of the products that need to be restocked, maybe once a week. Then the making of a product criterion should be made, recognizing which products are the most sold and therefore have to be always available. After the identification of those products, there should be made an agreement that within certain time (for example 2 weeks) those products will be delivered to the store, regardless of the already in store stock of that product. * Conclusion Our group chose HEMA as company for the importance of the store to the Dutch market. HEMA is a story with many years of experience and long trajectory in the market where customers go to purchase good quality products, with personal and innovative designs all for average low prices. Even though we did not find almost any negative points of the company and we were very leased with many aspects of HEMA such as the employees treatment towards customers or the large scale of products they offer, we all agreed on the fact that there are many times that the desired product by the customer is not in stock or the low use of gloves and cleanliness when attending the food section. These two are aspects that are rather easy to improve and that could increa se the customers experience and loyalty for HEMA, of course also growing sales of new and fixed clients. COST AND BENEFIT ANALYSIS Last year HEMA obtain great results in an downsizing economie. It has maintained their position within the retail industry by winning the ‘best retail yearprice by ING’ again! Ronald Putting, CEO: â€Å"I am very proud that I can tell you that we, despite a tough economic year, have been continuing our strong line of growth. During the past year HEMA celebrated its 85th anniversary! Thus we have the recent openings of Gare du Nord and Gare Saint Lazare and next to those we already have several successful stores in France. HEMA has grown into an international retail company that continues to grow, with a strong brand that is appreciated by our customers both at home and abroad. This appreciation was once more when the consumer Netherlands HEMA in 2011 chose to best store. In 2011, market conditions were challenging and are expected to deepen the crisis in 2012. Consumers will have more need of a shop where they can rely and which also continues to surprise. A shop where the staff is ready to help consumers with special designed products of good quality and for a low price. So every day we try to make the daily lives of our customers a little bit more fun and easier. † A few figures of the year 2011 – Consumer sales went up to EUR 1. 02 million – Net sales increased just as in 2010 by more than 3% to EUR 1,150 million – The market share of HEMA in all categories improved – The operating result (EBITDA) remained virtually unchanged (euro 155 million) – 47 new stores were opened: 33 in the Netherlands, 8 in Belgium, 2 in Germany and 4 in France. Improvements that can be made In our sales proposal you can read that the m ost important thing we think that HEMA can improve are: 1. Product restocking 2. Food section cleanliness improvement Lets start of with the product restocking. To sum up the stocks in the store are not at neat as it should be. Some products are placed in the middle of the corridor, which gives a messy appearance of the whole store. In our opinion the manager who is responsible for the product division and visual standards should be educated about this particular subject. HEMA could decide to give those managers some extra training. For improvement of the HEMA food section employees can be trained by a dutch company called HACCP Direct. This will cost HEMA â‚ ¬69,- per store and they will receive a HACCP certificate that is needed to sell food in Holland. Because HEMA is already licenced to sell food the certificates are not necessary to obtain again. But we do think that some extra training is needed and can be obtained by following an online course. This course will obtain the following subjects: 1. The importance of hygiene and the HACCP method 2. Personal hygiene 3. Cleaning, waste and vermin 4. Temperature Control 5. Furnishing of business premises 6. Purchasing, Storage and shelf life 7. (For) preparing, presenting and serving After these two points of improvement we believe that HEMA is right where they want to be, HEMA wants to be number one. The best in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, France and beyond. HEMA believes that the traditional Dutch success formula of special simplicity with everyone. Anywhere in the world: from city to countryside, from Amsterdam to Tokyo. ING Retail Year price HEMA was chosen by the public overall winner and may have a year long Retailer of the Netherlands’. With an average score of 7. 50 won HEMA in October 2011 even though the audience in the category Baby Children. HEMA scored during the first round of the high aspect Value (7. 92) and Price level (7. 83). During the second round of voting – where the public could vote only on the 26 category winners – HEMA earned fifteen percent of the total number to earn points. HEMA won this award in 2003 and in 2008. In 2005 won the Jury HEMA Price Retail. Special HEMA Beauty shops HEMA opens two beauty shops named HEMA Beauty. HEMA Beauty has been opened the 12th of October 2012 in Amsterdam’s Kalverstraat and the day after the opening of the HEMA beauty store in the Barteljorisstraat in Haarlem took place. Now HEMA customers can come in for all their makeup, skincare, inspiration and personal advice. REFERENCES ttp://www. hema. nl/hema/over-hema. aspx http://www. hema. nl/SiteCollectionDocuments/HEMA_corporate_EN. pdf http://www. hema. nl/SiteCollectionDocuments/HEMA_corporate_EN. pdf http://www. hema. nl/hema/about-hema. aspx http://www. hema. nl/SiteCollectionDocuments/HEMA_corporate_EN. pdf http://www. returntosender. nl/en/about/partners http://www. hema. nl/hema/voor-de -pers/persberichten. aspx http://www. retail-business-review. com/companies/hema-b http://www. sas. com/news/sascom/2012q1/industry_spotlight. html http://berenschotstrategies. wordpress. com/2011/04/06/hema-in-de-commodity-tra/ ttp://www. marketwatch. com/story/dutch-retailer-hema-no-longer-on-block-sources-2011-06-22 http://edepot. wur. nl/167998 http://www. bloomberg. com/news/2012-05-08/dutch-retailers-face-profit-blow-as-taxes-chill-spending. html http://www. hema. nl/hema/over-hema. aspx http://www. psbydila. com/hema-beauty http://www. haccpdirect. nl/haccp-cursus/ http://perssupport. nl/apssite/persberichten/full/2012/03/27/HEMA+rapporteert+positieve+resultaten+2011 * MYSTERY SHOP REPORTS NATALIA ROJAS Maastricht and Leiden Comparing the two HEMA stores that I visited, I came to different conclusions. First it was appealing to me that both stores were clean and were being cleaned at the moment, so in both cases was the cleaning good. In the food counter in Leiden, even though I bought a closed product, which is a bottle, I did not see any of the employees wearing gloves at any moment, at Maastricht I passes by the food counter as well in the breakfast hour, but I did not see anybody with gloves either. That means in both Leiden and Maastricht the employees were not clean enough in terms of food. In Leiden I was looking for a whiteboard, I asked a girl if they had it, and she said that not in the moment. She knew about what I was talking about so she was acquainted with the store products which is good. the product I was looking for was not there but they had a similar option. In Maastricht I bought a blanket and in the casa I asked the girl if she knew if the blanket was good enough for the Winter to which she responded good enough saying that it has a level 3 which means that it is pretty good for pretty much all seasons, so I was satisfied with my blanket. In Maastricht though the girl in the casa was trying to get rid of people fast because it was pretty much a rush hour and there were a lot of people on the line. However I was satisfied with the product information and personal service at both locations. In conclusion I would say that HEMA employees are well trained and know enough about the products and the store, even though all the products that I needed were not there that is something that can happen everywhere. However probably the cleaning in the food section should be improved at all times and everywhere. VICTORIA TORRES Kalverstraat and hemareguliersbreestraat After analyzing patterns from one HEMA to another, we conclude that; hygiene should become more of a priority. Both locations shared the same pitfall, which was not wearing gloves when in contact with food nor when touching money from the customer. However, employees are well trained and able to answer questions about their product line, for instance the materials used to fabricate such product or its’ origin. Moreover, the answers were quite well formulated in acceptable English, bearing in mind that this is not their mother tongue. In a nutshell, the personnel are competent enough, yet sanitization is not as efficient as it should be. MAIKE BOUWER Vleuten and Utrecht Vleuten is a small town right outside Utrecht. Only recently it has opened a HEMA store where the basics are being sold. There were two employees working in the store when I entered. The first one greeted me right when I entered the store. The second employee was busy filling the shelves but still managed to say good morning when I passed by. Both staff members were wearing a HEMA shirt with black pants. The first employee helped me find the duvet covers, knew exactly where they were placed and which one I needed. Though observing the first employee helping another customer at the ‘food section’ she did not wash her hands, neither was the use of cloves involved. Overall the HEMA in Vleuten is a neat store where everything is in place and the employees are friendly. They know the store very well, reasoning that the store is fairly small and has fewer products than the big stores in large cities. The food section, which one hardly can call a section, was not very hygienic. HEMA could improve their hygienic matters by using cloves or wash their hands before touching the food products. Though the employee used a tang to take the sausage and did not get in contact with the sausage self. In general, the small HEMA in Vleuten is a well-organized store with well-trained staff. In comparison with the HEMA in Vleuten, the HEMA in Utrecht is huge. The store is two stories high and is very elaborated. While walking around for a while through the shelves, none of the employee bothered to greet me. Even though I had not received a good morning, the employees looked neat and were all wearing the same outfit. The food section in Utrecht is quite large though the hygiene is not well thought through. No cloves were used when I ordered my sandwich. Wondering if it was a coincidence, I stayed around the food section to observe the others ordering their food. None of the employees washed their hands in my time of observing. The other sections of the store were clean and organized however the food section is certainly a weakness. They could improve by wearing cloves and changing them regularly. Another advice I would give HEMA is to introduce freshly prepared food instead of pre-rolling sandwiches. ANNA ZAJAC Amstelveen and Schiphol The HEMA stores I decided to visit are situated in two different places. One is Amstelveen, peaceful outskirts of Amsterdam and the other, International Airport – Schiphol. I was curious if there could be a difference in service delivered by the employees. As my report demonstrates, I have encountered a major interest, help and friendliness in the store situated in Amstelveen. In both situations the employees were kind and eager to help me. The first one helped me to find a model of a product I was searching for while the other prepared something that I probably should have done on my own. Both had no problem with speaking English with me and made me feel comfortable from the first moment. What is more, I was surprised by a discount I got at the checkout. The store overall was rather clean and kept in order. When it comes to the second store my impressions are a little less positive. The stuff was less cheerful and in some cases they could not answer my questions at all! The level of English was surprisingly lower than that of Amstelveen’s employees. It should be other way around considered that every day thousands of tourists pass through Schiphol Airport. Aspects I would like to seen improved are the employees’ awareness of the products they sell (FairTrade, for example), their readiness to deal with the customer and nicer attitude as well as better command of foreign language. There should be more pressure on keeping food fresh (it could be kept in special containers or coverages). CELIA BAUMGARTNER Bijlmer Arena and Ferdinand Bolstraat The HEMA chain and concept is a wonderful idea that has spanned great success overtime. However, there are some points that could be worked on based on the day-to-day administration at their shops. The store has a very self-serviced mindset, but perhaps if they worked towards improving their availability to customers, they would be able to improve their sales even more. Also, training employees is of great importance, and it would be nice to see a consistency in the quality of employees working at HEMA, considering it is rather jarring to have good and bad experiences from the same brand store. Product placement is ideal, and we know HEMA is aware of this, as they go to great lengths to display products on â€Å"discount† (they simply happen to be that price the whole time, but they make the customer feel as though they are buying something less expensive). It would be greatly improved if they would work on becoming more neat in their display arrangement, and once again, have more staff on hand to do all the arrangements, the same way AH is always stock full any time of the day. Not only would the displays look more lively and inviting, but it would give HEMA a greater opportunity to sell if their products are actually there to purchase. ANOUK VAN NULAND Kinkerstraat and Nieuwendijk I have visited two stores one in the Oud-West area of Amsterdam and one in the city center. To start of when I entered the store there was nobody to great me. They were all busy with doing their own tasks and were focused on that and on talking with each other. Even tough that’s not what you expect when you come in to a store, in store like this it is fine by me. It just a feeling you get when you are in a store they are very friendly when you ask something and they enjoy their job. I think that’s the most important thing there is. Next to the atmosphere in the store there are some practical things I would like to point out. The division of the stores is not really practical. Some large articles do deserve a bit more place and in the middle of the walk there were lots of items on display which gives the stores a messy appearance. The foodarea of the HEMA in the Kinkerstraat was a bit messy. Different kind of ingredients on the same work plate. Nevertheless the food tasted fresh and with good ingredients. The sales person was wearing plastic gloves when she picked up the food, but unfortunately she also received my money with that same hand. I do not think that’s quit hygienic. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. http://www. hema. nl/SiteCollectionDocuments/HEMA_corporate_EN. pdf [ 2 ]. http://www. hema. nl/hema/about-hema. aspx [ 3 ]. http://www. hema. nl/SiteCollectionDocuments/HEMA_corporate_EN. pdf [ 4 ]. http://www. returntosender. nl/en/about/partners [ 5 ]. http://www. hema. nl/hema/voor-de-pers/persberichten. spx [ 6 ]. http://www. retail-business-review. com/companies/hema-b [ 7 ]. http://www. hema. nl/SiteCollectionDocuments/HEMA_corporate_EN. pdf [ 8 ]. http://www. sas. com/news/sascom/2012q1/industry_spotlight. html [ 9 ]. http://www. sas. com/news/sascom/2012q1/industry_spotlight. html [ 10 ]. http://www. sas. com /news/sascom/2012q1/industry_spotlight. html [ 11 ]. http://berenschotstrategies. wordpress. com/2011/04/06/hema-in-de-commodity-tra/ [ 12 ]. http://www. marketwatch. com/story/dutch-retailer-hema-no-longer-on-block-sources-2011-06-22 [ 13 ]. http://edepot. wur. nl/167998 [ 14 ]. How to cite Sales Report Hema, Essay examples

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Labour Management Relationship in Singapore

Question: Discuss about theLabour Management Relationship in Singapore. Answer: Introduction of LMR Labour Management Relations (LMR) is the most complicated set of relations that has to be dealt with a human resource manager. The study of labour management relations refer to the policies and rules that are established and implemented to develop a harmonious environment in the organization. The increasing competitiveness in the business environment mounts pressure on the businesses to accomplish strategic goals (Croucher Wood, 2015). The aim of this report is to assess the labour management relations in Singapore. The labour management relations are a dynamic and developing concept as the structure and environment of industries in Singapore changes. The main purpose of labour management relations is to maintain a healthy and harmonious relationship between labour and management. The emphasis of such relation is to enhance cooperation and resolve problems (Seow, 2016). The term industrial relations explain the relationship between management and employees that stems from union-management relationship. Healthy industrial relations lead to uninterrupted production as the resources are fully utilized. Good industrial relations lead to reduction in conflicts and disputes. There is reduced wastage and increase in recognition with maximum protection of national interest (Sheldon, Gan, Morgan, 2015). A few problems that are common in the organization are workers participation in the management, collective bargaining, grievances and its redress, ethical code and discipline and standing orders (Croucher Wood, 2015). The report determines the role played by the four players- government, unions, management and employees. Further, an analysis of the players and the manner in which Singapore experiences competitive advantage through LMR is conducted. Role of Four Players To maintain effective labour management relations in the Singapore industries, the four players- government, unions, management and employees play a significant role. The role of each player is studied in detail below- Government The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) mission is to develop a competitive workforce in the global environment while performing regulatory and promotional roles. They makes the laws and regulations such as establishing the working hours, labour protection, determining the working conditions, social insurance, minimum wage standard and welfare system (Prosser Perin, 2015). The government also engages to promote employment to the ones who are unemployed. The government abolishes the outdated policies and updates with new policies for mutual benefit. Also, the state plays the role where it protects labour rights. They take the responsibility to settle relations based on labour rights and human rights. They establish the Employment Act where the employers and employees can understand their rights (Sheldon, Gan, Morgan, 2015). Further, the government plays the role of a balance maker where it settles conflicts arising between employers and employees. When there are differences between employers and employees, there could be social instability and negative impact on economic development. Therefore, the government adopts a measure that can balance power between both the sides. Usually, the pressure is made on the union side as they are significantly powerful. In this manner, the government plays a role in protecting the interests of both the employers and employees (Croucher Wood, 2015). Union The trade union in Singapore has The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) as their national confederation. The main objective of the NTUC helps Singapore in staying competitive and enhances the social status of the employees. The trade union is also responsible for the workers to remain employed for life. The trade unions grant employees with collective bargaining empowering with a greater voice. The union also successfully fights for better working conditions and terms for the employees. The unions represent employees interests by securing higher wages and balanced life (Prosser Perin, 2015). The unions give workers dignity at the workplace. Also, they facilitate welfare and healthy standard of living for the Singapore workers. The labour unions also keep a check on the unfair labour practices of employers. Under the Part III of the Criminal Law Act, there are temporary provisions for preventing lock-outs (Chong et al., 2012). The trade union also work to enhance the productivity of employers, employees and overall Singapore economy. If the employer conducts any of the prohibited acts as specified in the legislations, the union plays a role of representing with the board on behalf of the employees (Croucher Wood, 2015). They can also lodge appeals in the court if the management does not respect board decisions. The unions monitor if the laws and regulations are well implemented and followed by the management (Chew, 2014). Management A healthy industrial relation can be established by the management as they consider avoiding conflict. The Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) is a trade union that helps employers achieves excellence. The management must understand the interests and expectation of the employees. The management plays a significant role of motivating the employees to accept the challenge. The employees must strive for better output without engaging in conflicts. The management role is to avoid discrimination at work and treat every individual as one (Platt et al., 2016). As the management have the right to hire and fire workers, they control the economic destiny of the employees. The management plays a role in affecting interests by exercising their right to close, relocate or merge a factory and integrate technological changes (Chong et al., 2012). The employers negotiate individually and through their associations for settling the terms and conditions of employment. The management plays a role of being available and accessible to the employees so that the employees can walk up to the management in times of need. The hierarchy must not be complex to create confusion and dispute among employees (Owusu-Kodua, 2014). The higher level of management communicates with employee organizations while relying on human resources. The lower level of management communicates with employees on an individual basis. The management gets involved with employees to develop policies and compensation packages (Mitlacher et al., 2014). Employees The employees have certain obligations and rights towards the organization in maintaining industrial relations. The employees are expected to act ethically and responsibly. The employees must be punctual as it is difficult for the management to deal with unpunctual and unpredictable attendance as the burden falls on the other employees. Further, the employees are expected to conduct ethical behaviour while dealing with customers and suppliers (Leong, 2015). The employees must not cause conflict of interest or fraudulent activities. Further, the employees must be obedient and carry the work assigned to them that does not go against the law. The employees play the role of acting responsible and following legal safety regulations (Owusu-Kodua, 2014). Analysis of Competitive Advantage to Singapore through LMR Singapore has an edge over other competitive countries through its labour management relations. They are superior in certain aspects that help them achieve a favourable position in the global world. The ranking of Singapore international competitive index is 5.72 where it stays 2nd for sixth year (Brinded, 2016). The stock of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Singapore amounted to $1,255.5 billion as at end of 2015 (Singstat.gov.sg, 2017). However, the productivity growth in Singapore is termed sluggish. Nomura attributed the drop in productivity to a higher employment share of lower-productivity sectors, as well as increased hiring of part-time and older workers, who tend to be lower-skilled (Leong, 2015). Tripartism in Singapore Tripartism refers to the collaboration of three players- unions, the Government and the employers in Singapore. The strong tripartite relationship between the MOM, SNEF and NTUC has been a key of competitive advantage in Singapore (Mom.gov.sg, 2017). There are harmonious labour-management relations as the economic competitiveness is underpinned. The tripartite partners have implemented fair and progressive employment practices. They have increased the effective retirement age for the workers. There is scope for job re-creation along with implementing flexible wage system (Mom.gov.sg, 2017). The tripartism model in Singapore adds to competitive advantage. This can be justified as the nation has seen only two major strikes in the recent decades. In 1986, the shipyard workers went for a strike which as sanctioned by Ong Teng Cheong, NTUC secretary general (Chuan, 2014). Another strike was made by 150 Chinese national bus drivers in 2012 by Singapore Mass Rapid Transit (SMRT) (Siddique, 2012). National Wage Council (NWC) The NWC was established in 1972 to formulate wage guidelines for ensuring long-term social and economic development (Tripartism.sg, 2017). Singapore workers are not subject to a minimum wage. The wage depends on the negotiation between employer and individual or employer and trade union (Mom.gov.sg, 2017). The NWC focuses on workers with low wages who earn up to $1,100 monthly (Ho, 2016). The NWC recommended a hike of $50-$65 despite tough economic conditions (Ho, 2016). The increment leads to growth in Singapore economy. This wage hike leads to increase in growth and skill development of workers. According to a survey, the Singaporean workers are paid less than the workers in London and New York. However, the Singaporean workers are paid more for similar jobs than workers in Jakarta, Hong Kong and Shanghai. The rising wages has not dented the competitiveness of the nation yet (Seow, 2016). Flexible Wage System The flexible wage system grew in popularity in 2015 as 90% of the workers were in favour of it (Economist.com, 2015). The flexible wage system is one in which there is a variable component allowing the companies to adjust wage costs rapidly in situations of critical business downturns. The companies can reward the employees with high bonuses when the company experiences good times. Further, the wage system also helps adjust and manages wage cost in cases of business downturns. The flexible wage system adds to competitive advantage as the employees gain reassurance about the being able to retain jobs even in times of economic uncertainty. With the implementation of flexible wage system, the companies are able to attract and retain talent (Mom.gov.sg, 2017). As stated earlier, the unemployment level of Singapore is low as they enjoy a resident employment rate of 72.3% (Chan, 2014). However, the nation faces challenges as the income inequality is rising. The median wages are not performing very well. The wealth gap in Singapore is rising and has the widest gap of 0.478 among developed nations (Chan, 2014). The egalitarians are under trouble as there are thousands of low-paid foreigners. The Government is taking measures to improve the lives of Singaporean workers. The plans are outlined for improvement and taking the country forward with better jobs and lives. Singapore can maintain its position in the relentless competition only if they continuously upgrade their plans and policies. Singapore workforce remains ahead of others as the management provides with adequate training unlike the case of Port workers in Hong Kong who pay for their own training. The Singapore Government invests heavily in education that helps in growing economy, expanding exports and drawing foreign investments (Mfa.gov.sg, 2017). Conclusion Conclusively, Singapore has an edge over other competitive countries through its labour management relations. The increasing competitiveness in the business environment mounts pressure on the businesses to accomplish strategic goals. The government abolishes the outdated policies and updates with new policies for mutual benefit. When there are differences between employers and employees, there could be social instability and negative impact on economic development. The trade unions grant employees with collective bargaining empowering with a greater voice. If the employer conducts any of the prohibited acts as specified in the legislations, the union plays a role of representing with the board on behalf of the employees. The management plays a significant role of motivating the employees to accept the challenge. Further, the employees are expected to conduct ethical behaviour while dealing with customers and suppliers. The strong tripartite relationship between the MOM, SNEF and NTUC has been a key of competitive advantage in Singapore. The nation has seen only two major strikes in the recent decades. The wage depends on the negotiation between employer and individual or employer and trade union. The unemployment level of Singapore is low. The Government is taking measures to improve the lives of Singaporean workers. The tripartite partners have implemented fair and progressive employment practices. References Brinded, L. (2016).The 31 most competitive countries in the world.The Independent. Retrieved 27 February 2017, from https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/the-31-most-competitive-countries-in-the-world-a7335231.html Chan, R. (2014).Income + wealth inequality = More trouble for society.The Straits Times. Retrieved 27 February 2017, from https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/income-wealth-inequality-more-trouble-for-society Chew, S. (2014). IMPACT OF TRADE UNIONS ON ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE: THE CASE OF SINGAPORE.The Singapore Economic Review,59(04), 1450035. https://dx.doi.org/10.1142/s0217590814500350 Chong, S., Vaingankar, J., Abdin, E., Subramaniam, M. (2012). Mental disorders: employment and work productivity in Singapore.Social Psychiatry And Psychiatric Epidemiology,48(1), 117-123. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00127-012-0526-5 Chuan, T. (2014).Shipyard workers talked out of strike by advocacy group.The Straits Times. Retrieved 27 February 2017, from https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/shipyard-workers-talked-out-of-strike-by-advocacy-group Croucher, R. Wood, G. (2015). Tripartism in Comparative and Historical Perspective.Business History,57(3), 347-357. https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00076791.2014.983479 Economist.com,. (2015).The rich are always with us.Economist.com. Retrieved 27 February 2017, from https://www.economist.com/news/special-report/21657611-we-dont-them-much-rich-are-always-us Ho, O. (2016).National Wages Council recommends $50-$65 pay hike for low-wage workers earning up to $1,100 a month.The Straits Times. Retrieved 27 February 2017, from https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/manpower/national-wages-council-recommends-50-65-pay-hike-for-low-wage-workers-earning-up Leong, G. (2015).Singapore productivity growth sluggish: Nomura.The Straits Times. Retrieved 27 February 2017, from https://www.straitstimes.com/business/economy/singapore-productivity-growth-sluggish-nomura Mfa.gov.sg,. (2017).Straits Times: PM's goal: Better workers, jobs and lives.Mfa.gov.sg. Retrieved 27 February 2017, from https://www.mfa.gov.sg/content/mfa/media_centre/singapore_headlines/2014/201405/headlines_20140502.html Mitlacher, L., Waring, P., Burgess, J., Connell, J. (2014). Agency work and agency workers-employee representation in Germany and Singapore. International Journal of Employment Studies, 22(2), 6. Mom.gov.sg,. (2017).Paying salary.Ministry of Manpower Singapore. Retrieved 27 February 2017, from https://www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practices/salary/paying-salary Owusu-Kodua, D. (2014). The role of trade unions in creating sustainable inclusive growth: Ghana and Singapore. International Journal of Employment Studies, 22(1), 77. Platt, M., Baey, G., Yeoh, B., Khoo, C., Lam, T. (2016). Debt, precarity and gender: male and female temporary labour migrants in Singapore.Journal Of Ethnic And Migration Studies,43(1), 119-136. https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1369183x.2016.1218756 Prosser, T. Perin, E. (2015). European tripartism: chimera or reality? The new phase of the European social dialogue in the light of tripartite theory and practice.Business History,57(3), 376-397. https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00076791.2014.983481 Seow, J. (2016).Wages in Singapore are competitive, survey shows.The Straits Times. Retrieved 27 February 2017, from https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/manpower/wages-in-singapore-are-competitive-survey-shows Sheldon, P., Gan, B., Morgan, D. (2015). Making Singapore's tripartism work (faster): the formation of the Singapore National Employers' Federation in 1980.Business History,57(3), 438-460. https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00076791.2014.983484 Siddique, H. (2012).Singapore's first strike in 25 years shines spotlight on racial tensions.the Guardian. Retrieved 27 February 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/nov/28/chinese-bus-drivers-strike-singapore Singstat.gov.sg,. (2017).Statistics Singapore - FAQ on Foreign Direct Investment.Singstat.gov.sg. Retrieved 27 February 2017, from https://www.singstat.gov.sg/educational-corner/faq-on-foreign-direct-investment Tripartism.sg,. (2017).National Wages Council. Retrieved 27 February 2017, from https://www.tripartism.sg/page/National-Wages-Council/ Wembridge, M. (2015).Singapore ruling party takes flak over wealth gap.Ft.com. Retrieved 27 February 2017, from https://www.ft.com/content/9cfa3000-560f-11e5-a28b-50226830d644

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Conservatism in America

Conservatives in the United States of America have made a great contribution to the politics since the end of the Second World War. Gregory Schneider identified the following features belonging to conservatives, â€Å"respect for tradition, republicanism support, Christian religion and the upholding of the rule of law† (Schneider 19).Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Conservatism in America specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There are social conservatives and liberal conservatives as well. Conservatives have a firm admiration for the founding fathers of the nation. Most conservatives are for the status quo and against any form of revolutionary change. It has been noted that the American Revolution disrupted all the forms of conservative links and regimes (Schneider 19). Hartz attempted to provide a practical explanation for the liberal tradition of America by relating it to the history of the Europeans. This relation, according to him, primarily relied on the absence of feudalism in the United States of America and secondarily on critical influence of European ideas, particularly those of John Locke. Hartz revealed a great deal about the current state of the liberal American tradition and customs that America could give rise to the concept of liberal society. He saw a liberal tradition as a central one to the American experience home and abroad. Hartz’s liberal tradition in America has continued to influence how Americans think about their history and traditions. The conservatives and the radicals have embraced Hartz’s analysis to support their devotion to defense of property rights and individualism. The liberal tradition in the United States of America is a historical document that is inadequate in analysis because it is too static and flat. Hartz dwelt much on the matters of psychology and democracy and ignored the roles played by ethnicity, race, religion and demo cracy in the history of America. Hartz’s thesis was considered a single-factor analysis characterized by two dimensions, namely: ,the presence of a liberal idea and the absence of feudalism (Kloppenberg 460). Hartz’s thesis argued that since the US had been found, it remained inherently liberal. This thesis was the subject of various criticism, debate and controversies. Some scholars argued that this thesis was unable to explain the politics of exclusion, but it captured the real political identity of America.Advertising Looking for term paper on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In his argument, Hartz posited that American politics was shaped by distinct social and political theoriesy that were devoid of feudalism and monolithic creed emanating from history. The thesis provided explanations for various social and political outcomes in the US like the failure of socialism, the rise and fall of M cCarthyism and the absence of European-like welfare states (Stears 2). Hartz was a consensus theorist because of his argument that American ideas were influenced by the colonialists who were motivated by political principles. Consensus theorists’ argument was centered on Lockean liberalism, which argued that the founding generation of Americans had been motivated by the primacy of the government’s role in protecting them and their natural rights. Hartz agreed to the argument that Lockean ideas dominated the American political thoughts. Hartz found that political conflict with the colonialists as unproductive since it was not motivated by direct engagement with the core principles of their competitors, and he concluded that as long as the liberals did not renounce capitalism, and the conservatives did not renounce equality, the alternatives that they articulated would collapse (Teles and Glenn 351). The relationship between the ideas of Crick and Hartz was that Crick fo llowed Hartz’ ideas in the absence of class and ideological conflict. Fundamental agreement on values was an important symptom and cause of the principle agreement on the primary political values that re-linked with liberalism hegemony. Both scholars were in the same vein of argument since they both argued that American conservatism was romantic though politically ineffective, and hence it was considered to be un-American. According to Crick, the development of conservatism was considered to be one of the great post war developments in the United States of America. He posited that conservatism was a respectable social and political philosophy. On American conservatism, Crick argued that there was a confusion between conservatism and traditionalism; this confusion was only realized in the United States of America, and he attributed it to conservatives like Russell Kirk (Aughey, Greta and Riches 5). Other prominent conservatives in the United States of America were Strauss, Hal lowell, Voeglin and Hayek.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Conservatism in America specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Voeglin who provided answers to philosophical questions while Strauss preferred to be considered an academic conservative who could enhance the ability of students to critically think. Hayek utilized the label Old Whig to define individual freedom against the policies that were supported by the liberals. Though Hallowell referred to himself as a conservative, he did not want to be associated with the movement (Schneider 6). Federalist can rely on a document considered as a product of minority views, which were reconciled. It treated the constitution as a document that forced all the people to be under law. Carey argued that conservatism provided no support for establishing the individual rights that were advocated by the modern liberals. The federalists reasoned deliberations and recognized hi gher sources of law founded on the power of the legislature. I agree that the federalist document is not considered a conservative one because it formed a basis for a democratic government, and the conservatives do not subscribe to the tenets of democracy. To the conservatives, the federalism did not embody the character of American because the last is to guarantee the citizens their rights and offer modalities of power distribution. Unlike Cray who argued that the federalist document was the principal document that dictated and directed how the society was to be governed, Hartz argued that the constitution did not guarantee minority rights in any liberal society, but it was the dynamic of ideas. Federalists were committed to preservation of civil liberties, and they upheld the traditional opinions that had been adjusted to the American nature. In his argument, William Buckley was considered as a galvanizing force of the American conservative movement. Kendall in his turn defined cl assification as one of the conservative thinkers. Kendall argued that there should have been decentralization of power in the society; conservatives agreed that power had to be dispersed from the centre. He argued that power was not to be concentrated in hands of the federal government, but the local government was to be granted a high degree of autonomy. That implied that the amount of power wielded by the government was to be circumscribed and shared by many people.Advertising Looking for term paper on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Conservatism in the USA had not manifested itself until 1790 when there was a revival of public consciousness and increase in the number of people opposing the forces of conservatism. In the United States, the American Revolution was considered to be stir up by the conservatives. Edmund Burke is meant to be the founder of conservatism. President Reagan utilized his views and was among the presidents who solidified their political support by supporting the conservatives and demanding for their wishes. Reagan was considered to be the conservative standard of economic, foreign and social policies. This gave place to the coining of the historical phrase Reagan era. Russell Kirk was the most vocal opponent to liberalism. He argued that both modern and classical liberalism theories focused a lot of attention on financial matters and consequently ended up failing to meet the human desires. Kirk was against libertarian ideas because he considered them a threat to conservatism (Schneider 4). The views of Kirk and Weaver, who stood in the ranks of the traditional conservatives, were considered moral transcendence and a form of natural law that was advocated by minority of conservatives in the United States of America. Traditional and neoconservative opinions varied based on ultimate principles. Meyer was considered as one of the prominent conservatism fusionists who thought that neo- and paleo-conservative positions could be reconciled. This was because according to him, they shared common assumptions, particularly about human dignity and the inherent importance of an individual and the significance of virtue, order and value which he argued were much geared towards placing a limitation to the power of the state. The two opinions from the two schools of thought were on collision regarding the choice between stressing freedom over the need for order and justice in the society. The effort to unify the two positions was made difficult by the emergence of mass men who lacke d strong communal organizations and families (Schneider 4). Neo-conservatives supported an assertive and interventionist foreign policy as long as its intention was to promote democracy and American values abroad. Dick Cheney, Robert Kagan and Bill Kristol were among the prominent neo-conservatives and directly linked to foreign policies of the Bush era. Paleo-conservatism developed during the 1980s as a reaction to neo-conservatism. It placed a lot of emphasis on tradition, particularly religious or rather Christian tradition and the importance of the society and family. Its key proponents like Huntington Samuel argued that a society that was multiethnic or multiracial was not stable. Paleo-conservative supporters were isolationists and wary of foreign influence (Farmer 3). The variation in American conservatism was brought to prominence during the rule of President George Bush. It was considered to be a perspective or a persuasion and not a movement. Neo-conservatism denoted the r eaction against the champions of village welfare, idealist foreign policies, affirmative action and radical liberationist values. Irving Kristol was the godfather of the neo-conservatism and argued that patriotism was health and natural sentiment that was to be encouraged and promoted in America because the USA was a home to immigrants, thus that issue was to be the greatest sentiment. Neo-conservatives were wary of international organizations that would cause the creation of the world government and to them, it would result in tyranny. They argued that Americans were to be ready to defend any democratic nation that would be attacked by an undemocratic one. Traditional conservatives, on the other hand, claimed that that perspective by neo-conservatives was imprudent while the laissez-faire considered that argument as militarism. Laissez-faire applied the standards of natural law to the social issues while the libertarianism utilized laissez-faire in all the issues. Traditional conse rvatives considered freedom distorted and burdensome. They argued that the authority of the ancestral institutions was to be protected. Furthermore, according to them, the rule of law was to be employed in the protection of liberties and fostering rational choices; individuals were to be considered and taken care of in the social context. During the period of the Cold War, the conservatives were kept intact because of the anti-communism sentiments; this was because they were championing in the Cold War since they were against any intrusion or humiliation of the United States of America (Deutsch and Fishman 11). American conservatism affirmed that God and capitalism were inherent values in the American society just as social stability and economic ferment. Religion resonated with the values of the Protestant ethics in the culture of America, which considered the pursuit for wealth sanctioned and inspired. The tension between the Christian societies made the conservatives affirm that it was a process of symbolic differentiation that characterized the American colonial experience. During the period of the 1950s, conservatives placed a lot of emphasis on the roots of Judeo-Christian; in this regard, they considered the projection of a man as a consuming and producing animal. During his rule, Ronald Reagan stressed Judeo-Christian values as the much-needed ingredients in fighting communism, Belief in the superiority of Western Judeo-Christian traditions led conservatives to downplay the aspirations of Third World and to denigrate the value of foreign aid. Since the 1990s, the phrase â€Å"Judeo-Christian† has been primarily used by conservatives. Evangelicals had been politicized in the 1920s, battling to impose prohibition and to stop the teaching of evolution in the schools (as in the Scopes Trial of 1925), but had largely been political. The emergence of the â€Å"religious right† as a political force and part of the conservative coalition dates fr om the 1970s and was a response to secularization and Supreme Court rulings on school prayers. (Deutsch and Fishman 11) I agree with Abbott’s argument. This is because all the arguments on liberalism and tendencies concerning liberal views were analyzed in a paradoxical and confused state. Political theorists reflected the difficulty of defining liberalism in a manner that its relevance was not to be established or inadequate. Philosophers only speculated on such issues as religion, economics, family and foreign policy and other changes in liberal ideas, but none of the theorists sought to define the purpose and the direction of American liberalism, and only through the arguments and the opinions of Hartz, the American liberalism can be renewed, and the entire history of America can be explained through symbols and cadences of Hartz (Abbott and Levy 3). Conclusion Conservatives are interested in the perpetuation of the status quo. Though they believe that change is possible, they strongly argue that it should happen gradually. They are opposed to radical changes in the society and view radicalism as disorderly in the society. According to them, change should be supported by the existing customs and institutions. Conservatives are skeptical about any society that is devoid of order and justice or the one that lacks constraints; conservatives clash with liberals on matters of expansion of human rights and the usefulness of societal institutions. Works Cited Abbott, Philip, and Levy Michael. The Liberal Future in America: Essays in Renewal. Westport, NY: Greenwood Press, 1985. Print. Aughey, Arthur, Greta Jones, and Riches William. Conservatism in Britain and America. Rutherford, NJ: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 1992. Print. Deutsch, Kenneth, and Fishman Ethan. The Dilemmas of American Conservatism. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2010. Print. Farmer, Brian. American Conservatism: History, Theory and Practice. Newcastle: Cambridge Scholar s Press, 2005. Print. Kloppenberg, James. â€Å"In Retrospect: Louis Hartz’s: The Liberal Tradition in America.† Reviews in American History 29.3 (2001): 460-478. Print. Schneider, Gregory. Conservatism in America since 1930: A Reader. New York, NY: New York Univ. Press, 2003. Print. Stears, Marc. â€Å"The liberal tradition revisited.† Wisconsin University, n.d. Web. Teles, Steven, and Glenn Brian. Conservatism and American Political Development. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2009. Print. This term paper on Conservatism in America was written and submitted by user Annika Garcia to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

A Birth of a Nation essays

A Birth of a Nation essays Birth of a Nation is the single most important and key film of all time - it contains many new cinematic innovations and refinements, technical effects and artistic advancements, including a color sequence at the end. It became a formative influence on future films and has had a recognized impact on film history and the development of film as art. In addition, at almost three hours in length, it was the longest film to date. Its pioneering technical work includes: the special use of subtitles graphically verbalizing imagery, the introduction of night photography, the use of outdoor natural landscapes as backgrounds, the definitive usage of the still-shot, the technique of the camera "iris" effect (expanding or contracting circular masks to either reveal and open up a scene, or close down and conceal a part of an image, moving, panning camera tracking shots, the use of total-screen close-ups to reveal intimate expressions, the use of vignettes seen in or iris-shots in one portion of a darkened screen, high-angle shots and the abundant use of panoramic long shots, the dramatization of history in a moving story, an example of an early spectacle or epic film with historical costuming, staged battle scenes with hundreds of extras, extensive cross-cutting between two scenes to create excitement and suspense, and the cumulative building of the film to a dramatic climax. Many of these techniques are now standard features of films, but they were first used in this film. However, it still provokes conflicting views about its message. First off, there are questions about whether or not the government should give funding to preserve this film. Next, because the film is explicitly racist and is used for Ku Klux Klan recruitment one must question whether the film is suitable for today's society. The government should give funding for this film to be preserved. It is a piece of history in two senses, one, ...