Bata Case Study Essay Example

Bata Case Study Essay Example Bata Case Study Essay Bata Case Study Essay The restructuring and re-engineering of the Company was largely possible due to the continuous and sustained efforts put in by Mr. Villagran. He glanced through the report he had presented to his team a year ago. â€Å"Operational Restructuring† was the title he had given it. Closing cash drain stores, renovating few existing ones and large scale expansion was suggested. Mr. Villagran could sense the changing market. He knew he had to do something to give a boost to this 80year old company. The outcome of this decision was its opening of 69 new stores and renovation of 40 of its existing ones. The company also closed 73 stores that were not performing well. Now the count was 1250 stores. In the quarter ended June 2010, the company’s net sales increased by 13. 4 per cent and net profit by 41. 1 per cent over the corresponding quarter of the previous year. The operating margins also improved to 13. 4 per cent from 11 per cent. The team was delighted with the results but Mr. Villagran just smiled. He knew it was just the beginning. There is a lot more to be done. The competition in the Indian market had grown exponentially. The Indian customer was getting very demanding in terms of style and availability. The customer had more options. He sipped his coffee as he contemplated on how this success could be sustained. Indian Footwear Retail Industry Footwear is a necessity to every person and at the same time is now a lifestyle as also a performance enhancement product; and is thus a segment with vast potential. The Indian footwear market is estimated to be worth Rs. 14,000 crores (approximately) and constitutes just about one percent of Indian retail. About 37. percent of retail footwear is in the organized segment, which qualifies it as the second most organized retail category in India, next only to Watches. Footwear is expected to comprise about 60% of the total leather exports by 2011 from over 38% in 2006-07. Presently, the Indian footwear market is dominated by Mens footwear market that accounts for nearly 58% of the total Indian footwear retail market. By products, the Indian footwear market is domi nated by casual footwear market that makes up for nearly two-third of the total footwear retail market. As footwear retailing in India remain focused on mens shoes, there exists a plethora of opportunities in the exclusive ladies and kids footwear segment with no organized retailing chain having a national presence in either of these categories. The Indian footwear market scores over other footwear markets as it gives benefits like low cost of production, abundant raw material, and has huge consumption market. The footwear component industry also has enormous opportunity for growth to cater to increasing production of footwear of various types, both for export and domestic market. BATA-GLOBAL Bata Ltd. is a privately owned global shoe manufacturer and retailer headquartered in Ontario, Canada. Bata is organized into four business units. Bata Canada, based in Toronto, serves the Canadian market with 250 stores. Based in Paris, Bata Europe serves the European market with 500 stores. With supervision located in Singapore, Bata International boasts 3,000 stores to serve markets in Africa, the Pacific, and Asia, Finally, Bata Latin America, operating out of Mexico City, sells footwear throughout Latin America. All told, Bata owns more than 4,700 retail stores and 46 production facilities. Total employment for the company exceeds 50,000. The Bata Shoe Organisation consists of 96 independently run companies in 90 countries throughout the world. BATA-INDIA Bata India Limited was incorporated at Calcutta in 1931. The Company manufactures and markets of all types of footwear, footwear components, leather and products allied to footwear trade. Bata was originally promoted as Bata Shoe Co Pvt Ltd. It became a public limited company in 1973 and the name was changed to Bata India Ltd. A retail network of over 1250 stores gives Bata a reach unmatched by any other company. The Bata Shoe Store is amongst the most recognizable and favoured landmark in any major market in India. Bata continues with its strategy of retail expansion, with 60 new Bata Shoe Stores opened every year, and existing stores being renovated during the year. The focus is on growing its Retail business continued with the opening of almost 2 new/renovated Bata Shoe Stores every week. All the new stores are in large format, with an average size of 3000 sq. feet and offer an unparalleled footwear shopping experience to the customer. An extensive retail network of owned and franchised stores enables the Company to reach out to consumers across the length and breadth of the country. Being a part of the Bata Shoe Organization gives the Company access to new designs, brands and production technologies. India is a very large market and offers good demand potential for footwear which is an item of mass consumption . A continuous focus on consistent quality and a constant endeavour to provide quality products at affordable prices is been one of the strength’s for the company. The Company has been in existence for more than seven decades and faces a challenge in switching to new production technologies. The Company faces competition from the unorganized market which is able to sell footwear at low cost due to lower overheads and manufacturing costs. Opening of the Indian market to imports has resulted in the Company facing competition from cheap imports. It is also a fact that the need for the product differentiation in the current market has become very important. There is an immense growth in the need of new fashioned footwear and the women are becoming more fashion oriented in India. So a need arises to satisfy them with a lower cost product with unique features. All the new stores are in large format, with an average size of 3000 sq. ft. and with a growing focus on training of store staff, the new Bata Shoe Store delivers the best footwear shopping experience to the customers. The layout of Bata stores is as per Bata international standards and is designed to offer the most effective display and provide the maximum convenience to the customers. Bata’s Wholesale Division It consists of 14 depots located across the country selling Bata products through 150 distributors and over 20,000 independent shoe dealers. The focus is on selling volume products catering to complete family needs. Bata Industrials is a specialized division of Bata India Limited catering to footwear needs of various industries. Whilst safety and durability are essential properties of these footwear, Bata also provides special features like impact resistance, heat resistance, oil resistance, lightweight etc. depending upon specific industry requirements like steel, oil gas, cement, automobile, heavy engineering etc. Bata Institutional Sales Division It focuses on direct sales to various institutions such as hospitality, airlines, retail, hospitals, etc. For corporate offices, it offers a selected range of regular wear occupational shoes for management level people working in an industry or construction environment. In addition, it provides excellent quality canvas shoes, hunter shoes, miners shoes etc. to meet specific requirements of army, police forces and mining industry. Branding Division is a new division and it consists of 15 distributors located in major metros selling footwear under Hush Puppies and Dr Scholls brands to departmental stores, footwear chains, specialty stores and high street dealers. Milestones (post 1985) In 1988 an agreement was arrived at with Adidas of West Germany for manufacture and marketing of sports and special application footwear, sports goods and sportswear in India and the products were launched in December, 1989 for sales through wholesalers and independent retailers. In 1990 a highly versatile sample 18-station bicolour injection moulding plant was installed in the Bangalore factory for production of `State-of-the-art injection moulded shoes with synthetic and textile uppers and specially developed PVC compounds as sole material. In 1992 the workers at Batanagar factory went on strike from 3rd January, to 23rd May, which resulted in a substantial loss of production during the initial 6 months of the year. The Company undertook to set up a green field export oriented unit at Hosur in Tamilnadu with the State-of-the-art technology. Over the years, the Company with the collaboration of Bata Development, Ltd. , London, U. K. , and its association with Bata Ltd. , Toronto, also built up its own well-equipped and up-to-date RD organisation. 1993 the Company undertook to expand and modernise its existing plants to optimize capacity and to become cost efficient on a global basis. Apart from this it also undertook expansion and up gradation of its retail stores. In 1995 they resolved their labour issues by signing The Long Term Agreement with the Bata Mazdoor Union representing employees of Batanagar and Calcutta Offices at bipartite level satisfactorily without any disruption of work. As a result of all these efforts, Indias largest shoe company Bata India (BIL) performed admirably to stage a remarkable turnaround for the year ended December 1996. The companys debt-equity ratio also improved dramatically to 0. 60:1 from 1. 90:1 in December 1996, and 2. 06:1 in December 1996. Bata also entered into a marketing tie-up with Nike wherein the latter’s products were offered from select Bata outlets. In 1998, every Bata outlet, 1,000 owned and over 600 joint ventures started selling Hush Puppies, Marie Claire and Adidas. In 1999 they decided to launch new products on a regular basis by expanding its womens range, and move into the premium segments it had vacated. Also, Batas Faridabad factory workers union finally reached an agreement with the company management, ending the nearly eight-month-old lock-out at the unit the same year. In 1999 Bata India aimed to achieve a 15 per cent growth in turnover and profits, to reach the target set out in the Vision 2001 plan drawn up by Compass, the international board of the Bata Shoe Organisation (BSO). By 2000, Bata India (Bata) emerged as the largest footwear manufacturer and produces a wide range of footwear such as canvas, rubber, leather, plastic and so on. In 2000, Bata India becomes India’s largest footwear manufacturer. In 2003, Bata repositions itself as a marketing firm. Bata faced some major issues. One, a major reason for the rise in costs and fall in sales is because of Batas recurring labour problems. Second, while Bata continued to be a dominant organised player in the domestic footwear market, it faces competition from the unorganised sector. This, to a large extent, was on accou nt of the fact that Batas target market is also catered to by the unorganised sector. This sector appeared more competitive as it had the benefit of being unorganised and, thus, does not have to pay tax. This threatened Batas margins. The industry, especially the lower middle-class target market, was highly price-sensitive. High margins were virtually impossible as rising costs exert pressure on them. Turnaround Story Things started looking up in 2005, when old loyalist Marcelo Villagran was made MD. New collections, a tiered store structure, specialised manufacturing bases and stores kept time with mall culture. They started focussing on concept-based designs, and paid attention to the smallest of things: keeping stores open till late and displaying all our shoes in pairs. New designers and changing collections also helped. No-frills school shoes gave way to chic high-heeled numbers and the customers returned. Bata planned to open 70 stores that year and was expecting a 10 per cent increase in sales. The Company initiated a retail restructuring program, which enabled the Company to keep the shops open for longer hours and seven days a week. With voluntary retirement schemes in place to reduce excess manpower, closing down of 70 unviable shops, lucrative incentives to staff and better stock management helped Bata to turnaround fast. By 2006, sales started picking up and so had the bottomline. It started generating enough cash from operations to plonk down small sums on fixed asset expansion. Sensibly enough, it had also quickly moved in to reduce it borrowings. To cope with the expansion in volumes, the companys distribution network and computerised distribution and inventory systems were revamped. Inventory build-up was a problem, and the periodic sales in select outlets were a strategy to clear slow-moving articles. STP Segmentation: Bata has segmented the market on the basis of segmentation variables like Demographic –They have segmented the market on the basis of Age, Sex, Income and Occupation by providing products catering to the needs of customers across this segment. Psychographic –Readiness stage: Life style, Personality, Benefits sought, User status, Usage rate, Loyalty status. With the changing customer mindset, Bata is trying to bring in newer designs for the new generation customers who are style conscious and consider footwear as a style statement. Earlier Bata was seen as a durable and value for money brand and had little to worry about the design and style. But now people seek style and functionality together. Target Customers Bata had traditionally been targeting the middle strata of the society in India. In precise terms they were focused more on the lower middle and middle classes. Due to the changing market dynamics the competition had started undercutting their prices and Bata was thinking of shifting its focus towards the higher premium end of the market as well. This basically resulted in it pursuing practices, through which it could not focus its efforts. As of now they have a variety of products wherein they have casual and formal shoes, slippers and sandals. This is available for kids, men and women. The price range is from Rs 130 to more than Rs 3500. Value Proposition for the Customers If analyzed for the value that Bata was providing to its customers their value proposition may be categorized as follows. ?Reasonable quality at low or reasonable price ?Footwear for the entire family ?Footwear catering to various functional needs e. g. sports, casual footwear, formal-semi formal ? Conveniently accessible outlets in various parts of the country ? Prior to entry of local players and the Chinese imports, some sort of social visibility could also be associated with Bata, as it was one of the two major brands in the country then. 4Ps Product: Bata footwear is trusted for quality. Product Variety, Quality, Features, Options, Style, Brand Name, Packaging, Sizes etc are things which are Bata known for. Bata is trying to concentrate on customer buying experience now. As a part of this initiative Bata has introduced the concept of flagship stores to provide complete and unique shopping experience at par with their stores abroad. Bata’s brand new collection of highly fashionable international range of ladies footwear under the Marie Claire brand will be one of the major attractions at this flagship store These retail stores will also showcase top-of-the-line brands including the latest international collection from Weinbrenner, Hush Puppies, Bubble Gummer, Dr Scholls and Bata Tech shoes. Brands like Nike, Reebok and Adidas will also be available. Place: International trends, relaxed ambience, great products, and courteous staff at the new-look Flagship store are all a part of Bata’s new marketing strategy. These stores will additionally offer trendy accessories like caps, T-shirts and other lifestyle products making it a complete one-stop shopping experience for its customers. Earlier Bata concentrated on mass marketing and its nation-wide distribution network is the one factor which contributed to its popularity and accessibility for its customers. Promotion: Bata has tried to promote the brand by stressing on comfort and toughness. Recently there have been efforts to position it as a youth brand by bringing in shoes for girls and advertisements depicting youngsters and fun. Bata has gift vouchers in convenient denominations, redeemable on all Bata products, acceptable over 800 stores all over India and with 6 months validity Price: The price range of Bata footwear products varies from Rs. 130 to Rs. 3500. The product caters to lower middle class, middle class and upper middle class segments. But the range of upper middle class customers of Bata are less as it does not attract the young affluent population. Porters Value Chain BATA Factories-a network of almost 40 shoe production facilities, tanneries and engineering workshops in 25 countries. Procurement- B. I. P. C (Bata International Procurement Centre) has been established to satisfy the procurement needs of individual companies for finished products and components. Through strict controls of the supply chain management process, B. I. P. C ensures exclusive products and shoe production line development with superior quality and comfort at very competitive prices. Operations and Reach – Opening of new stores and shutting down of unprofitable stores. Widest network with 1250 stores spread across the nation Marketing and Sales- All BATA showrooms had well trained employees in uniforms to assist sales. The sales process was made more professional to reach out the the expectations of the new customer. Services – Exclusive outlets with an avg, space of greater than 3000 square feet. Good ambience. Improved online presence and e-commerce. Porter’s five force COMPETITOR ANALYSIS ADIDAS: Adidas ltd is a German sports apparel manufacturer and part of the Adidas group, which consists of Reebok sportswear company, Taylor Made-Adidas golf company, and Rockport. Adidas is the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe and the second largest sportswear manufacturer in the world. The elements of the strategy are to target the brand to urban youth with brand proposition from ‘competition to lifestyle’ using the authentic sports platform and build and reinforce credibility through relevant brand ambassadors and grassroots sports marketing programs. Further, it would target principal consumption centres, namely metros and build significant stand-alone exclusive store presence in significant locations. Liberty: Liberty shoes ltd. is a leading leather shoes brand and is engaged in the manufacturing, supplying and exporting of the footwear’s. It is the only Indian leather shoe brand that occupies fifth ranking among the top shoes manufacturing companies in the world. Liberty’s strategy over the years is to create multi-brands under one umbrella label, plug existing gaps in consumer demographic profiles, and broad base pricing to a large extent. Force 10, Libertys first sub-brand, was born in August 1990. While theres Force 10 for casual sports, theres Geo Sport in the performance shoe slot. Windsor and Fortune are mens formals, Senorita and Tiptop comprise the womens range, Footfun is for kids, and sandals and chappals fall under the Gliders and Coolers labels. Although the prices are mass-oriented, it has image of a fairly upmarket imagery. Relaxo: Relaxo entered into footwear industry in 1976. It started off with the manufacturing of Hawaii slippers and subsequently diversified into manufacturing casuals, joggers, school and leather shoes. Relaxo has the capacity to manufacture over 100 million pairs, per annum. It has the customer base of around 100 million Nike: Nike, Inc. is the biggest manufacturer worldwide of both athletic footwear and apparel in terms of sales. It specializes in the production and sale of athletic footwear, apparel and equipment. For the fiscal year 2009 it announces revenues of about $19. 2 billion. Net income in the third quarter of 2010 is almost double in the net income in the same period of the previous year bringing it up to $496 million. Nike’s strategy in this front is to develop a premium brand associated with high quality product that satisfies customer needs. Nike’s brand is associated with an aggressive attitude portrayed by, â€Å"you don’t win silver, you lose gold,† which clearly suggests that winning is vital. Nike built its brand around sports, attitude and lifestyle. COMPARISON OF COMPANIES: Average Growth Rate (2005- 08) Nike 10. 5% Adidas 22. 46% Bata 7. 8% Liberty 11. 16% MARKET SHARE OVER YEARS Ansoff Model Bata in India caters to a large segment of the population. Earlier, before the markets opened, it was seen as a good quality, value for money brand with shoes that catered to various segments. Earlier it focused on good quality leather chappals and sandals that the middle class Indian could wear, be it to work or at home. Over a period of time it has diversified into the sport shoes segment, colourful sandals for the youth and the high range formal leather shoes. Bata has used all the 4 ways possible in the Ansoff matrix to grow over a period of time. In the early 90’s it used the market penetration strategy where they offered high quality leather products at a cheap rate. Lately, it has opened various new outlets all over the country with a special focus on tier 2 and tier 3 cities. It has also brought in a wide variety of brands from slippers, sandals, sports shoes and formal shoes. They also sell shoes for school kids. They basically cater to all the different kinds of footwear that is available in the India market. SWOT Strength Worldwide presence Offers customer best value and great possible service Manages retail presence in 50 countries High demand in foreign market Weakness Losing competition because of the other big players like adidas, nike, woodland etc Not too much stylist so it is losing the attraction of the customer, specially in the youth segment They don’t have any powerful brand ambassador to promote their brand They haven’t promoted themselves thoroughly, invested very less in their add campaign Opportunity Bata India Limited has undertaken initiatives to improve the companys cost structure and margins. The company has initiated a financial restructuring exercise to down its interest cost Financial re-engineering: The Company has tightened controls on costs in all areas of and is looking at global sourcing for raw materials and other inputs Bata India is also exploring third-party manufacturing units in Assam and Jammu Kashmir as these enjoy tax holidays Bata Shoe Organization (BSO) has decided to give a breather to its 51 per cent subsidiary. Threat Introduction of new brands in the market. Lagging behind in terms of technological factors. Young generation is attracted to the other branded shoes like adidas, nike, woodland etc. Final inferences and recommendations BATA shifted its focus from lower middle class to upper middle class and premium though it is still catering to the lower segment. Its exclusive retail outlets are doing well in attracting the upper middle segment but it is not friendly and inviting to the lower segments. This segment still prefers the shop type format as against the mall. The main competition for BATA in catering to this segment is the unorganized sectors which are easier to walk in and are located in the prime local market area. However, BATA’s strength has been a strong lower segment and it enjoyed strong loyalty from this segment. This shift in focus might lead to a loosening the grip of BATA in this market. The new Indian consumer with growing economy has become more informed, style and quality conscious. He is willing to pay a higher premium for the latest internationally styled footwear. Urban women who believe in changing their footwear with the changing season demand variety in style at affordable rates. BATA can leverage on their good distribution in the country and collaborate with more international brands and sell them via exclusive outlets only in tier 2 and tier 3 cities. Their strategy of these collaborations with Hush Puppies and like is actually a good move and might help them grab the attention of urban style conscious customers. However, they should maintain their small entry level shops to cater to the lower middle class. Even for the lower segment it is facing stiff competition from unorganized players because of the variety they offer. To maintain their foot hold they should come up more varieties and change their basic style to suit the needs of the new customer. BATA in the minds of the customer is still affordable price, low variety brand with no frill stores catering more to school children and men. This image can be changed only by advertising more about its international brands and new footwear categories. The store ambience should also meet the expectations of customers walking in to buy these brands from a BATA outlet. It should focus on more customer friendly store services, better feedback mechanisms and trained and knowledgeable sales personnel to assist sales. References thehindubusinessline. com/iw/2009/04/19/stories/2009041950421100. htm moneycontrol. com/company-facts/bataindia/history/BI01 http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Bata_Shoes

Ludwig Von Mises essays

Ludwig Von Mises essays Ludwig Von Mises was born in 1881 in Austro- Hungarian city of Lemberg. Ludwigs father was a successful engineer, which is where Ludwig found his inspiration to work hard. When he turned nineteen Mr. Mises enrolled in the University of Vienna. Here with the great learning atmosphere of the University he studied economic greats Carl Menger, who is the founder of the Austrian school and also attended the seminar of the great professor at the school Eugen Von Bohm-Bawerk. Ludwig Von Mises received his doctorate at age 27. In 1912 after receiving his PhD Mises started his first piece of work, The Theory of Money and Credit. Mises, unlike other Austrian economist that came before him, which followed the classical school in separating money from the rest of the economy, and analyzed it in separate theoretical terms. Mises argued that just as the price of any commodity is determined by supply and demand, so is the purchasing power of money, its price. Mises showed in his work that prices increase faster or slower than the money supply, the amount and speed of price increases depending on peoples desire to hold cash. He also argued that because prices increase only relative to one another, monetary inflation brings about redistribution of wealth, from savers and earners to banks and government and its connected interested groups. Even more damaging are the business cycles of booms and busts that monetary inflation causes. In broad outline, when government inflates, it lowers the interest rate below the p roper market level, which depends on saving. The artificially low interest rate misleads businesses onto making uneconomic investments and creates an inflationary boom. When the credit expansion slows or stops, investments errors are revealed and bankruptcies and unemployment result. Central Banks like Federal Reserve will inevitable create the business cycle. What is to be done to stop the cycle? Mis ...

The Industrialization of American West and its Impact to the East Term Paper

The Industrialization of American West and its Impact to the East - Term Paper Example Yet skeptics were proven wrong as this ‘wilderness’ gradually expanded and metamorphosed into a booming industrial sphere and provided a promise that would last a lifetime. True enough, wherever opportunity springs, people swarm. This catapulted the growth of population in the US West and prompted the creation of more industries in the area, affecting not only the other side of the country but also some parts of the world. Evidence The construction of the transportation systems that link the nation’s East to West saw the dawn of great migrations within neighboring states. The Cumberland Road (1811) and the Erie Canal (1825) paved the way for people to explore far-flung areas in the West. This made people, especially those from the East who saw the level of opportunity in the area insufficient, realize that the vast land only waited for their attention and promised them an unspeakable prize. The California Gold Rush of 1849 â€Å"attracted people from all over the world to venture on the mining industry† (â€Å"The California Gold†). As time went by, however, gold deposits in California depleted, so expedient merchants immediately looked for other resources. Some of them ventured into another business while others still believed in the promise of mining. The gold mines in Colorado (1858), South Carolina (1860) and Dakota (1874) rewarded the faith of numerous miners. Several of them explored other natural resources of the West such as coal, copper, ore, and iron. Then the quest for precious minerals began and struck the entire nation with awe and fervor. Decades ago before these, the invention of the cotton gin also revolutionized the industry of farming in the United States during that time. Production of the crop increased and offered a competitive advantage for farmers. The area became a large-scale and respected supplier to the world. Not only that this yielded satisfactory income to workers and immense profits for businesspe rsons, but also contributed much in the revival of a feeble domestic economy. Accordingly, machines and tools were already invented to support industrial productions, especially in textiles and light metals that contributed to the export capability and competitiveness of the country. Generally, the agriculture, mining and construction industries actively facilitated the boost into the economy of the US since this era. The Americans of the East, the West, the natives, and even the immigrants saw these as an amazing turn-of-events. This period of American history, according to the academic Frederick Jackson Turner speaks about the â€Å"virtue of discovery, the courageous determination to trail new paths and an objection to the dogma that because an institution or condition exists, so it must remain† (Turner 35).  

Investment and Portfolio Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Investment and Portfolio Management - Essay Example The political turmoil in Libya is one of the most crucial among them. Asian markets were one of the most performing ones in the year 2010. The political unrest in Libya has casted a significant impact on the performance of Asian markets. â€Å"Asian currencies completed a weekly decline, led by the Taiwan dollar and South Korea’s won, as an uprising in Libya pushed up oil prices and sapped demand for emerging-market assets.† (Teso, 2011) Due to the serious political unrest in Libya crude oil climbed at a higher rate to $103.41 a barrel. This lead to fall of many Asian stocks as investors withdrew much higher than before. The situation impacted the currency market more than the stocks. It is very much evident that crude oil prices are one of the most important elements of market movement. Many developing nations’ market, especially in Asia is highly depended on the crude oil prices. Therefore, the future of Libya crisis is one of the most important concerns for in vestors across the world. Environmental issues: One of the greatest environmental factors that had affected the market recently is the earthquake in Japan. The fact that Japan is the world’s third largest economy will make the impact even worse. â€Å"The most direct impact is likely to be seen in Japanese exporters, like Honda, Toyota and Sony, whose production facilities will face disruption in the coming days.† (Schlesinger, 2011) Apart from the impact on major Japanese Automakers, the earthquake will impact the liquidity of many insurance companies. All largest insurance companies in Japan will be impacted heavily as they will now have to fund the insurers. As Japan is one of the largest economies in the world, big companies from across the world... This essay stresses that based on the analysis the above three are some of the alternative strategies for Philip Capital. All the three portfolios have their own unique nature. The first strategy is moderate as it has equal distribution of equity and other instruments. The second strategy is aggressive in which the percentage of equity is higher. The third strategy is mainly aimed at risk reduction. On a growth perspective, alternatives 1 and 2 are the best for Philip Capital. Philip Capital should still make a decision about where they should make and active investment and where they should make a passive investment. Generally speaking a passive strategy is useful when the broader market is expected to perform well compared to performance of individual stocks or sectors. The report has given a deep insight into the current issues in investment environment. Investment environment will always be prone to some challenges. The winners are those who come out of such challenges successfully. In terms of Philip Capital, the challenge is a volatile and unpredictable market situation. Based on the analysis of the market conditions, Philip Capital can adopt the two strategies that are mentioned in the previous section. The existing portfolio of Philip Capital has more than 50% of exposure towards UK equities and debts. This percentage is reduced in the two recommended portfolios because the UK market is not expected to perform well in 2011. Philip Capital will thus have a better return on investment from the new portfolio.

Gender and Sexual Identity

Gender and Sexual Identity Stacey Obispo Gender and Sexual Identity Understanding gender and sexual identities and the functions and effects of gender roles is important because it allows one to understand themselves and how to relate to others. The creation of gender identity is a complex process involving biological, cultural, and psychological elements (Yarber Sayad, 2012). A person’s gender identity is the deepest feelings one has about their gender and is expressed by the way they behave feminine, masculine, neither or both (Planned-Parenthood, 2015). For most individuals gender identity is not much of a concern (Yarber Sayad, 2012). Gender roles on the other hand are of much concern to people (Yarber Sayad, 2012). Gender roles tell one how to act as either a man or woman in their culture. In fact, many people question whether they are sufficiently feminine or masculine (Yarber Sayad, 2012). Not only does culture relate to gender identity and gender roles it also relates to sexual identity development. For instance, the world around a person helps shape their sexuality and the ways it is expressed (Yarber Sayad, 2012). Sexual identity is realized in adulthood when one identifies with a sexual identity such as; heterosexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender (Yarber Sayad, 2012). This paper will analyze sexual and gender identity relating to how they evolve throughout ones’ lifespan and influences that contribute to their development. Analysis of; how gender identity contributes to sexual expression, functions and effects of gender/role stereotypes and their effects on relationships will be discussed. Additionally, the author will also contribute final thoughts on what male gender roles should be changed to reflect female roles. Gender and Sexual Identity Evolving through Lifespan When one is born, assignment of gender is given based on anatomical appearance (Yarber Sayad, 2012). This assignment tells others how to respond affecting the individual’s social and cultural development (Yarber Sayad, 2012). As development occurs through early childhood the individual is able to identify themselves as boy or girl based on what is internalized from what others have told them coupled by factors that are not yet understood (Yarber Sayad, 2012). The feeling of either femaleness or maleness is the individual’s gender identity and is developed between the ages of 2 or 3 (Yarber Sayad, 2012). During this stage some children may believe that they can change genders by changing their clothes or hair length (Yarber Sayad, 2012). By the age of 6 or 7 children begin to understand that gender is permanent and it is not something that can be altered or changed by clothes (Yarber Sayad,2012). Gender identity evolves with how we feel and express our gender and gender roles (Yarber Sayad, 2012). These expressions are linked to culture and are expressed through clothing, behavior, and personal appearance (Planned-Parenthood, 2015). Although gender identity is established by seven years of age gender identity expression is communicated and it evolves over time through changes in society and culture (Yarber Sayad, 2012). Different pressures from birth through childhood to conform to ones gender are expressed through learning gender roles (Yarber Sayad, 2012). In infancy throughout childhood a girl may be given dresses to wear, have long hair, and may be prescribed to wear colors such as pink (Yarber Sayad, 2012). Conversely boys may be prescribed to wear pants and blue colors. Parents begin assignment of gender roles based on a child’s gender which shapes the formation of their gender identity (Yarber Sayad, 2012). Parents deploy the use of manipulation from infanc y onward by treating girls gently, telling her she’s pretty (Yarber Sayad, 2012). They tell boys they are strong and tell them that boys do not cry (Yarber Sayad, 2012). Channeling is used by directing children’s attention to objects that are gender specific such as dolls for girls and cars for boys (Yarber Sayad, 2012). Parents during childhood also use verbal appellation to describe the same behavior with different words for boys and girls (Yarber Sayad, 2012). Activity exposure is another way parents expose their children to gender roles (Yarber Sayad, 2012). For instance boys are discouraged from imitating their mothers while girls are encouraged to be there mother’s helper (Yarber Sayad, 2012). Throughout childhood and adolescence teachers and peers are socializing agents that also provide standards for gender-role behavior (Yarber Sayad, 2012). Sexual identity/orientation evolves throughout childhood, adolescence and adulthood. In childhood and early adolescence there is most often sex play or sexual experimentation with members of the opposite sex and same sex (Yarber Sayad, 2012). When these exploratory experiences begin there is uncertainty in terms of sexual orientation (Yarber Sayad, 2012). When late adolescence begins and in young adulthood both male and females are confronted with the importance of developing and establishing intimacy (Yarber Sayad, 2012). The need to be able to develop intimacy places pressure on young adults to conform to a sexual identity and in order to establish intimacy in a relationship one needs to solidify with a sexual orientation (Yarber Sayad, 2012). By late adolescence or young adulthood most individuals develop a heterosexual identity (Yarber Sayad,2012). For those who are attracted to the same sex it can take longer to accept their sexual identity because of societal taboos (Yarbe r Sayad,2012). In middle adulthood individuals may question intimacy and commitment due to divorce (Yarber Sayad, 2012). During this stage some people may reevaluate their sexual identity because one’s philosophy continues to evolve (Yarber Sayad, 2012). Influences Contributing to Gender and Sexual Identity Development Parental influence contributes towards gender and sexual identity development. Gender identity is influenced by gender roles which parents instill in the children from birth through childhood (Yarber Sayad, 2012). Sexual identities are influenced by parents through the child observing their parents behaviors and family dynamics and characteristics (Yarber Sayad, 2012) Peers influence gender identity through providing information about gender role and norms through play activities (Yarber Sayad, 2012). Peers provide standards for gender roles by granting or withholding approval with others by deciding what games to play, what television shows to watch, what types of foods to eat, and what music to listen to. Peers influence sexual identity by passing information about sex to each other (Yarber Sayad, 2012). Furthermore, peer influence places sexual pressure on boys to be sexually active even if they are uninterested or unprepared (Yarber Sayad, 2012). Media influences gender identity through the information they provide on gender roles and perceived norms (Yarber Sayad, 2012; Wood). Females on television are attractive, thin, well groomed and most often under 40 (Wood). In contrast, males are most often aggressive, solve problems and rescue others from danger (Wood). The media influences sexual identity by bombarding adolescents and children with sexual images (Wood). The exposure increases teen’s willingness to experiment with sex (Wood). Religiosity influences gender identity development through information they provide on gender roles and norms (Yarber Sayad, 2012). The information religion provides shapes adolescent sexual behaviors (Yarber Sayad, 2012). This in return influences the choices adolescents and young adults will make regarding their sexual orientation (Yarber Sayad, 2012). Gender Identity and Sexual Expression As mentioned earlier gender roles influence the adaptation of one’s gender identity (Yarber Sayad, 2012). The relationship of gender roles and gender identity is also linked with sexual expression (Yarber Sayad,2012). One will sexually express themselves through gender roles that are learned as well as through social and cultural roles which offer sexual scripts that provide rule, acts, and expectations associated with a particular role (Yarber Sayad,2012). The sexual scripts in American culture strongly influence sexual expression in both men and women. Sexual scripts and gender roles may be different for those that are bisexual, transgender, lesbian and gay (Yarber Sayad, 2012). Sexual scripts organize one’s sexual expression (Yarber Sayad, 2012). There is a cultural component to sexual scripts which emphasizes heterosexuality, places sexual intercourse first, and discourages masturbation (Yarber Sayad, 2012).Within cultural scripts there are specific male and f emale scripts that are encouraged by society to be practiced (Yarber Sayad, 2012). Male sexual scripts include; men should not have or express certain feelings, performance is only what counts, the man is in charge and already know what the woman wants, a man is always ready for sex and wants it, all physical contact leads to sex, all erotic contact leads to sexual intercourse, and sexual intercourse leads to orgasm (Yarber Sayad, 2012). Female sexual scripts include: sex is both good and bad, sex is for men and love is for women, men should know what women want, women should not talk about sex, women should look like models, a man’s desires should be over hers and his orgasm over hers, and only through penile penetration can a woman have an orgasm (Yarber Sayad, 2012). Interpersonal scripts deal with shared conventions and signals expressed by a couple signaling sexual behaviors. Intrapersonal scripts deal with the physiological states that lead to or identify sexual arou sal (Yarber Sayad, 2012). Gender Role Stereotypes There are four different types of gender role stereotypes. The first category of gender role stereotype is personality traits (Planned-Parenthood, 2015). Male gender roles include specific personality traits. For instance in America there are specific personality traits related to the traditional male role. Male gender role traits include; aggressiveness, independence, emotional toughness, feelings of superiority, and decisiveness (Planned-Parenthood, 2015). For females gender role stereotypes include: passivity, compliance, physical attractiveness, and being a wife and mother (Planned-Parenthood, 2015). The second category of gender stereotypes is domestic behaviors (Planned-Parenthood,2015). Males are regarded as being best at doing household repairs while females are regarded as being best at caring for children (Yarber Sayad, 2012). The next category of gender role stereotypes involves occupations (Planned-Parenthood, 2015). Most doctors and construction workers are males and un til recently most secretaries and nurses were female (Planned-Parenthood, 2015). The last category of gender role stereotype is physical appearance (Planned-Parenthood, 2015). Men are expected to be strong, broad shouldered and tall and women are expected to be graceful and small (Planned-Parenthood, 2015). Supporting and Refuting Gender Role Stereotypes Evidence that supports the reason why these gender role stereotypes are fulfilled is presented in the article, What is Stereotype Threat?   (2015). In the article gender role stereotypes are thought to be perpetuated not because one agrees with the gender role rather because one perceives the threat as a risk to conformity which inadvertently leads the individual to self-handicapping strategies that in return preserves the stereotype that was being avoided (â€Å"What is stereotype threat?†). Another reason why gender stereotypes are fulfilled is because of the discomfort they cause the individual. For instance gender role stereotypes can also cause an individual enough discomfort to go against the gender role that they cause the individual to alter or redefine their professional career paths (â€Å"What is stereotype threat?†). Evidence that refutes gender stereotypes is that they do not apply to all ethnicities and socioeconomic classes (â€Å"What is stereotype th reat?†). The majority of research on gender roles has been based on research on White and middle class which are mostly college students (â€Å"What is stereotype threat?†). The roles in other words, are not true to all socioeconomic classes or ethnicities. In addition there is evidence which supports that traditional gender roles are no longer valid because there are new ones which have evolved. Traditional gender role stereotypes are evolving from traditional hierarchical roles to ones that are egalitarian and androgynous (â€Å"What is stereotype threat?†). Additionally, scholars have challenged masculine and feminine gender roles and have found that they are unhealthy and fail to reflect the real world (â€Å"What is stereotype threat?†). Functions of Gender Role Stereotypes The overall functions of these stereotypes is to make multiple associations between gender and other non-sex linked qualities such as strength (male) and affection (female), the next function of gender stereotypes is to is to create a basis for social norm, status, taboos and privileges (Yarber Sayad,2012). The problem with gender role functions is that they categorize people and undervalue the uniqueness of individuals (Yarber Sayad,2012). Gender Roles: Affecting Relationships and Sexual Interactions Gender roles affect relationships because they aid in creating sexual scripts for both males and females (Yarber Sayad,2012). These roles are then telling both male and females how to behave in their relationships and what sexual script each should adhere to (Yarber Sayad,2012). The sexual script in return tells each gender how to participate in sexual acts (Yarber Sayad,2012). Conclusion Gender role attitudes and behaviors of the male sex I would like to see become more like my own include men looking like models and being constantly attractive. I think if this same standard was mentioned or even enforced culturally and by media standards there just may be consensus between both males and females that such standards are not ideal and is ridiculous. Another gender role stereotype that would be nice to see in the male sex is for men to become nurturers. It would be nice to see more males make sacrifices for the partner’s careers or the children’s needs even if it may inconvenience them form what they may want . The on taking of this role may help make roles androgynous. The final role behavior I would like to see more like my own is for males to be caregivers of children. Men becoming caregivers of children may allot women more opportunities within the workplace because they have the peace of mind knowing their counterpart is taking care of their child. References Planned-Parenthood. (2015). Sexual orientation and gender are fundamental parts of who we are. Retrieved from http://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/sexual-orientation-gender What is stereotype threat? (2015). Retrieved from http://www.reducingstereotypethreat.org/definition.html Wood, J. T. (n.d.). The influence of media on views of gender. Retrieved from http://www.udel.edu/comm245/readings/GenderedMedia.pdf Yarber, W., Sayad, B., Strong, B. (2012). Human sexuality: Diversity in contemporary America. (8th ed.) New York: McGraw-Hill.

Interpretation of the short story “Yellow”

Interpretation of Yellow The short story â€Å"Yellow by Peter Carry Is about being Insecure and how lack of self- esteem can lead a person to suicide. It Is also about changing as a person by gathering enough courage to do It. The story revolves around the mall character Jon, a second-string writer on a London listings magazine, who has been forced on a learn-to-scuba-dive trip in Egypt. Jon is an insecure, overweight man with no willpower, pushing forty and dealing with a midlife crisis. There are also two minor characters in the story, Beret the scuba diving instructor and Brian the other student n Beret's group.The story is told over a few days and mainly takes place in the ocean, the diving school and his hotel, though the hotel is used for nothing more than drinking liquor. The story is told by an omniscient third person narrator that gives us a better impression of Son's way of thinking so we can tell why he in the end chooses to drown himself. Jon is lonely on the trip, the editor didn't pay for his girlfriend to come with him and he Is envious of the other student Brian. â€Å"But he envied Brian his calm, the methodical way he assembled and clambered Into the ear. † (p. 1, l. 9-20) Brian Is a calm, methodical person who Is In control of his own life, unlike Jon. They do not have anything In common besides knowledge of alcoholic beverages, and all conservations just lead nowhere. Son's relationship with his girlfriend does not go well either, â€Å"The silences between them had multiplied, then lengthened into an empty continuum. † (p. 2, l. 54-55). The primary reasons for Son's mid-life crisis are his not-so-well relationship and his suppressed frustration over always being called â€Å"Yellow, a term meaning coward. He thought of his fear and became angry. Well, this would show them he wasn't yellow. (p. 2, l. 128-129). He is sick and tired of his life and tries to drink his misery away but even the alcohol is not on his side, â€Å" He poured more gin, but no matter how much he swallowed it was never enough. † (p. 1, l. 57). In the end, he could only numb his pain by drinking water. Jon actually clings to life at one point, refusing to die. â€Å"Beret grabbed him and thrust in a mouthpiece just before Jon broke the surface, gasping for life, clawing in air. † (p. 3, l. 99-100). This shows that he is not completely ready to let go of his life, even though having contemplated suicide a number of times.He finally transform in the end, he gathers up courage to prove that he is not a coward and let go of his old self. He starts drinking of the ocean water and look back up at himself from below. â€Å"Well, this would show them he wasn't yellow. Then he was calm again and looked back up at himself from below. † (p. 2, l. 128-129). He finally experiences the calm which symbolizes the transformation to his new self. He has left the old ‘Jon' behind and has come the new, free and Ideal ‘ Jon'. Longboats Hughes' â€Å"Suicide's Note†, where the calm face of the river asks for a kiss, fits Jon perfectly, as he accepts the river's kiss of death. Heir nothingness part of an immeasurable emptiness, as if they has shows how he thinks of the depths as an opportunity to leave his life behind. In William Wordsmith's poem, â€Å"Lines composed a Few miles Above Tinder Abbey', where he feels freed by natures living air, blue sky and round ocean Just like how the ocean is Son's beautiful escape way, which releases him from his depressed thoughts ND frees him of his misery. Man vs.. Nature William Wordsmith is a poet who lived during the Romantic era and was heralded as a genius and was the source of inspiration to many.In his poem, â€Å"Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tinder Abbey', he is saddened by man's inferiority when compared to natures many wonders such as the beauty of a sunset, a raging waterfall and the living air. William Wordsmith felt that nature was an everlasting source of inspiration that knew no boundaries and is astounded by Mother Nature hat fills people up with calming and positive thoughts whereas the human mind chains people with stressful and negative thoughts aiming to hurt and dominate the mind of the individual.Jon and William Wordsmith share the same love for nature because it is their source of inspiration. Jon has grown tired of the Job, his life and the cruel and the indifferent society he lived in. Jon was inspired by the oceans deep dark abyss and felt like this was the place he could get away from it all, the place where he could be at peace.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth: Rhetorical Analysis In Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth, he focuses on the harm global warming does to our planet. He wants to persuade people that global warming is real, and that they should contribute to the effort of slowing, even completely stopping, global warming. Gore uses a variety of ways to appeal to pathos and logos. One of the first things he does, is explain global warming, he them proceeds to show a short, funny cartoon to describe global warming. While this short is not exactly accurate, and looks like it is taken from The Simpsons cartoon, it is comical, and he uses this short to intrigue his audience. After drawing us in, he keeps us attentive by sprinkling these little emotional holds into his argument. Gore tells us in the beginning about his son being hit by a car when he was five years old. This anecdote causes an overwhelming sense of sympathy and alarm but also wonder of how this relates to the argument. Then, Gore tells us tells us that the awful accident made his realize he wanted to do something important, wanted to do something to change the world, and that something was to spread the â€Å"global warning. †Almost fifty percent of the facts Al Gore uses also carry an emotional appeal, but they also are appealing to logos. Such as, if only half of Greenland and half of Antarctica melted water would cover so much land, including the 9/11 memorial, that the world maps would have to be redrawn, and he also tells us that global warming causes intense weather conditions, including hurricanes. Gore provides an audio track of a man describing hurricane reports that were coming in after making this point, and in the track the unknown man repeats â€Å"I can’t take it anymore, the water is up to my neck,† creating guilt in the audience. We contributed to that. Al Gore does a great job of presenting an appeal to pathos and logos. Al Gore uses more than just humor and anecdotes to relay information, however. He also uses expert testimony, and quantitative data by presenting a variety of charts, graphs, and pictures created by scientist, to prove his point. Gore uses a chart that shows how carbon dioxide and temperature correlate. When carbon dioxide rises, so does the temperature. At the time of the documentary, the carbon dioxide level was higher than it has ever been. He also uses a chart to show the ten hottest years in history, at that point in time, they all occurred within 14 years before. He places a higher thought of the two charts and other unmentioned, by saying that they were before unseen by the public. In addition to humor, anecdotes, expert testimony, and quantitative data to prove his point, he also throws just a few plain old facts at us. For example, Gore tells us that 200 towns and cities in the west have broken temperature records, and that science textbooks have had to be rewritten because it was before thought impossible for a hurricane to take place in the South-Atlantic, but then there was one. The hurricane was caused by warming of waters ocean wide. Al uses his variety of vehicles to present information to his advantage. While Al Gore does do a nice job of making his point, it would all be somewhat of a waist without established ethos. If he had no ethos, we would not take anything he said into consideration. When Gore introduces himself, he says, â€Å"I’m Al Gore and I used to be the next president of the United States. †Some people think that this may hurt him, but it is very untrue. He has to be a highly intelligent and well thought of man to run for president, and the votes were said to be â€Å"too close to count. Gore also establishes ethos through his dress; he is very well put together and professional. Al Gore has also written a book about global warming, and he would not be well enough equip to do so if he did not know a vast amount about it. This little piece of ethos helps him most to be taken seriously and for his audience to know that he knows what he is talking about. His audience is almost important to his ethos, and his audience is simply everyone in the world. Global warming is an issue for everyone who lives on this planet and Gore makes sure that he gets the word out. He even said that he knows that he has given his speech over one thousand times worldwide. Al Gore’s high level of ethos helps him to better appeal to the people of the world to spread the word on global warming. Al Gore was highly successful in furthering his message. When you take everything that he says and the methods he used to relay information, there is no doubt that he did. If he tells a small, or large, group of people about global warming, they are going to tell people they know about it and the word will spread. The way Gore gives his message was key. Everything he says is easy to follow and understand. He avoids anything that could cause confusion and backs up everything he says with something that correlates. For instance, the frog animation. Some people do not believe in global warming because it is gradual, but when you put a frog in water and slowly raise the temperature it also is unknowing. This example can turn skeptics into believers. Everything Al Gore says and does in his documentary adds to the success in thoroughly presenting his message. In Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth, he uses an appeal to people’s logos and pathos through various techniques to persuade his audience that global warming is here and harming. His high level of ethos and knowing his audience well helps him to be taken seriously on this matter and over all being successful in giving his message to the world.