Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Bipolar Disorder Research Paper

Bipolar Disorder Research Paper Bipolar Disorder can be a very scary thing for people to go through. You can go from being extremely â€Å"happy†; to extremely upset within seconds, which is due to the serotonin levels in your brain. Bipolar disorder causes people to have mood swings which most of the time have nothing to do with anything going on in their lives. This disease is exactly that, a disease. People who get it cannot help it, just as people with cancer cannot help what they have received. Another name for bipolar disorder is manic depression, which is a very effective definition of the disease. Bipolar means 2 poles, in this case meaning mania and depression. When you have an increased level of serotonin on your brain, you are said to be hypomanic. When you have a low level of serotonin in your brain, you are depressed state. Bipolar patients have both of these going on at the same time throughout their lives, possibly even many times a day if they are what they call a rapid cycler.People with bip olar disorder may try to commit suicide or do things to harm themselves. Such things may include cutting themselves, drinking, using drugs, most popularly marijuana. People with this disorder, to relieve the symptoms of pain and stress, supposedly use marijuana. Although marijuana does have antidepressant properties, it can cause amotivational syndrome. This occurs when people who use it begin to perform at a very low level, lower then they were before using the drug. The person may feel relief from their symptoms but this may be just an illusion.When bipolar people are in a manic state, they begin to think in a frenzy.All of there muscles will tense up, and their shoulder blades and jaw will begin to ache. Their heartbeat speeds up. Physical activities become effortless and they feel very strong, yet doing simple things like tying their shoes becomes difficult. They begin to feel twitchy and want to move around a lot. People during mania often talk to themselves, or if talking to o thers, they repeat the same thing over and over. Often times, they over react to things or blow things way out of proportion, and tend to have short tempers. Driving while in a state of mania is one of the most dangerous things for them to do because they forget about the mental pictures of other cars and believe they are the only ones on the road. Even if things are irritating to others, they will continue to do them, such as poking people, interrupting others, or ignoring. The dreams manic people have are so vivid they feel as if they have lived them. Speech often speeds up and may be unintelligible to others. Productivity soars during this time, but they get easily confused if given more than one thing to do. When he or she is hypomanic, they are very good at lyrics and poetry, being able to come up with songs and things very easily. As you can se, many things can happen when you are in a hypomanic state. Although you may be asking yourself, besides the few obvious ones like dang erous driving, what could be so bad about this? The answer to that question is suicide. A little know fact is that surprisingly, more bipolar people commit suicide during hypomania rather than depression because they feel like they are on top of the world and nothing will hurt them, while as depression causes you to mope around.On the other end of the spectrum falls depression. People begin to lose understanding of what they should be doing next. They tend to wander around in a daze. Things begin to stay undone. Even the people he or she is around all the time begin to make them nervous. They can fight it for a while, but when it hits hard, everything becomes a burden to do. It’s a battle that is always lost because they cannot help it. By the time they realize they need help, the depression ahs taken over, and they cannot communicate clearly enough with others to tell them. They often stay inside and never leave and their sleep patters become odd, often staying awake for 20 or more hours. These people become so afraid of others that they disappear and go driving, sometimes for hours. The purpose is to escape and put their body somewhere else that is safe and comfortable to escape the terror. Days are spent with almost completely blank minds. Just enough of them is alive to make sure they eat and act as though others know nothing of the disease.In my surveys, I found the results kind of surprising. Almost exactly half of the 50 people surveyed knew someone who was bipolar, which I found amazing. A good thing about this is that the people who didn’t know anyone who had manic depression said that they would try to calm them down and be a good friend to them. The sad thing is that most of the people who knew someone knew of times they had tried to kill themselves.I chose to write about manic depression because a close friend of mine is bipolar and it is so hard sometimes to deal with him. But I do because I love him, and I know that without me, some times he would feel as if no one cared. He started out young doing the typical things that boys do, like drawing bloody pictures and stuff like that.He always thought about killing the person he was mad at as child, even though it was trivial at the time, to him it was important. But in no way is he ‘a crazy psycho that needs to be in an asylum,’ as one of my friends put it. He is a human being and just like any other, he should be treated fairly and not looked down upon. I have realized in the past few years that I’ve known him, most, if not all, of the symptoms he has displayed that I thought were just ‘him’, were really signs of mania and depression. He feels comfortable talking about his disease, so soon after we met, he told me. I was confused at first and wasn’t sure how to handle him. But then I realized that he should be treated the same, I just have to be careful of what I say around him, because bipolar people tend to get their feeli ngs hurt or their nerves set off very easily. Luckily, he was diagnosed at 18, which seems like a lifetime ago for him. He is 21 now, and takes medication to help control the masked killer we call manic depression, which affect 2-3 million people in the U.S. I believe he is on the right track now; all he needs is the right motivation, and people to stand by him.I recently read a book by Danielle Steel, entitled â€Å"His Bright Light: The Story Of Nick Traina†, which was about her 19 year old son who was bipolar and killed himself. This has become my favorite book, and I love the way she told the story. What she says in the intro of the book almost brought me to tears because it is how I feel sometimes about my friend. She said: â€Å"There is no denying that it is a hard, hard road loving someone with bipolar disease. There are times when you want to scream, days when you think you can’t do it anymore, weeks when you know you haven’t made a difference but only wish you could, moments when you want to turn your back on it. It is their problem, not yours, and yet it becomes yours if you love the person suffering from it.You have no choice. You must stand by them. You are trapped, as surely as the patient is. And you will hate that trap at times; hate what it does to your life, your days, your own sanity. But hate it or not, you are there, and whatever it takes, you have to make the best of it.†Bipolar disorder is something that cannot be cured, but controlled, if in the right environment. I hope if I have taught you anything at all today, it is this: if you know someone who is like this, please, don’t turn your back on them. Stand by them and support them, because this is something that they will have to deal with for the rest of their life.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

How to Find a Job After Being an Entrepreneur

How to Find a Job After Being an Entrepreneur Jason Alba, creator of JibberJobber.com, has literally written a book on how to make your own niche in the working world as a self-employed entrepreneur, but he also knows that being your own boss isn’t the best option all of the time. Sometimes it’s a question of timing, prioritizing a stable paycheck over following your bliss, family crisis taking precedence, or a market crash, etc. And he has some reassurance for you. It’s ok! You can quit one enterprise and seek out a job in someone else’s employ, without being a quitter or giving up on your dream. Take it from someone who’s lived it:Whether you are a cog in someone else’s wheel, or you create the next Facebook, you have value. Â  And as I mentioned earlier, circumstances change. Â  Maybe your role as cog today will lead you to successful entrepreneur in the future. Â  Or maybe you’ll be a great cog, with a great career, with financial stability and all the joys that can come fr om having a fulfilled life.Shuttering your small business, with all the blood, sweat, tears, and time you’ve sunk into it, can feel like failure–but it doesn’t have to. You too may have the heart of an entrepreneur, but thanks to timing and external circumstances, it may be just what you and your family need to take down that shingle and exchange it for a company ID. It doesn’t mean you’re done inventing, planning for the future, or directing your own life. Be ready for the right opportunity when it calls, and trust that you’re doing your best. Document all your responsibilities, risk-taking and successes in your next stellar resume, and take that confidence into your next job interview. Entrepreneurship will be waiting for you when you get back.When an Entrepreneur Quits and Has to Find a JobRead More at Jibberjobber

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Land Law Contentious Situations Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Land Law Contentious Situations - Case Study Example The best course of action is to have the sellers remove the rubbish. This will enable the company to begin operating with a clean slate. The rubbish must be coming in the way of cleaning up the premises. It has to go and the sooner it is gotten rid of the better. In case the seller obliges the buyers and gets rid of the rubbish, it is fine. In case the seller prevaricates or even declines to oblige the buyers, then the buyers have little option other than taking legal action or clear the rubbish themselves. In the instructions, there is no mention of the conditions under with the land was purchased. In the absence of the conditions under which the property was purchased it is not possible to give a clear answer. Generally when a property is purchased the buyers make an appraisal of the things that are there on the property premises. When a company buys land and buildings, it is mandatory to have a complete list of the buildings and the men and material within each of those buildings. It is not possible to make changes or modifications without this list. ... It is not possible to make changes or modifications without this list. Even if the purchasers are intending to make changes in the buildings to cater to their field of operation, it is necessary to get such a list so the purchasers have a clear understanding of the contents in each building and where they need to make changes. In the present circumstances, there is no such information. It is hoped that the company has not made the complete payment. If there is any balance in the payment to be made, it is easier to get the sellers to carry out cleaning operations and also make needed restorations.  

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Smiling Might Not Be Such a Safe Way to Treat Safeway Customers Essay

Smiling Might Not Be Such a Safe Way to Treat Safeway Customers - Essay Example Management realizes this predicament. More precisely, the management of Safeway Supermarkets understands the importance of this issue. This is why management introduced the â€Å"Superior Service† policy. The intentions of this policy were very clear, but in reality, there are some challenges that prevent the policy from staying in place over the long term. Now that some workers are complaining against the policy, Safeway Supermarkets will have to revisit this policy and try to change it in a way that suits the privacy needs of its employees but also makes sure that the customer is being looked after. Main Issues The main issue here is that these are unionized workers and they are being forced to do something that they are uncomfortable with. The Union Food and Commercial Workers Union should focus on the point that the policy introduced by Safeway Supermarkets encroaches on the privacy of some of its privacy. Put more specifically, it is not the actual policy that causes this , but rather the actions of those customers who misinterpret friendliness for something else. As a Safeway Supermarkets produce clerk, Richelle Roberts, testifies: â€Å"†¦hit on every day by men who think she is coming on to them† (Associated Press, 2012). This confirms that it is the actions of the employees that are being misinterpreted rather than the actual policy encouraging this kind of behavior. Analysis This is a strange case because both the employees and management do not share sole responsibility for this situation. From the management’s point of view, they have every right to expect that their employees are courteous and polite to customers. No one would expect anything less. Also, using undercover shoppers to try and catch employees out is legal because it can be considered as a type of performance review. The employees working in the customer sales department need to be tested on their ability to interact with customers, since this takes up a large part of their job. On the other hand, employees should have the power to selectively choose when to smile at a customer and when not to. If a timid female employee noticed a large, overpowering man, then she might feel uncomfortable by smiling towards him. Employees should not be punished if they choose not a smile at a certain customer. If an employee feels intimidated or scared in any way, then they should not have to make friendly gestures towards that particular person. Of course, if it was discovered that an employee was not being friendly to any customers, then management would have the right to pull them up on it. Methods There needs to be a discussion between the management of Safeway Supermarkets and The Union Food and Commercial Workers Union about how a compromise can be reached. As discussed above, employees should not be forced to smile at every customer, and there should be no punishment for not doing so. On the part of the employees, they should have to be polite to a t least 75 percent of the customers who walk into a store on any given day. Of course, it would be up to the individual employee to choose who to smile at and who not to. This way, employees do not have to feel threatened by customers and also a friendly image is being displayed by the company for the most part. Conclusion Issues

Sunday, November 17, 2019

The Banking Concept of Education Essay Example for Free

The Banking Concept of Education Essay In the banking concept of education Freire explains how the relationship between students and teachers suffer from narrative sickness (Freire). Freire describes the bond between students and teachers as if the student is like a bank where they are the depositories and the teacher are the depositors hint the â€Å"banking concept†. Another term that stuck out to me is how he say that learning should have something to do with your past experiences. He compares two concepts of education, banking and problem posing; in the banking concept teachers assume students don’t control what they learn. In his theory of the banking concept he fells some teachers feel like students are empty vessels that need to be filled. Both concepts can be true but, no two finger prints are alike. Everyone doesn’t learn the same. So the theory of banking or problem posing being better or worse depends on the student and teacher. Freire goes further to express how he feels banking is a negative way for students to learn. How â€Å"banking† is composed and based upon just memorization and not really learning; in this concept students are receiving, memorizing, and repeating. Also in the banking concept students aren’t able to put to use any of what they have learned to use in every day life. â€Å"The more a child or students can apply and adapt to situations that allow them to use what they have been taught the better the student will manage.†(Freire). Freire also talks about authentic thinking. The teacher cannot think for you nor can he/she force you to think or see as he or she does. Problem posing opposed to banking is a way for both the student and the teacher to learn at the same time. For example asking questions in class and engaging in classroom conversations, but at the same time allowing the teacher to know that the student is understanding the information. Freire describes problem posing as the better solution to aiding the students in learning. Problem posing is a way for students to establish mutual respect. What Freire trying to say is when a student understands the material instead of trying to memorize he/ she will be more successful in life. For example in grade school you learn basic math. The child then goes to the next grade to learn multiplication, division, adding, subtracting etc. When a child grasps the concept early on they are able to build on what they have learned in a previous setting. With the knowledge they have acquired they will be very successful in math that requires more steps to get to the answer. Now on the other hand you may have a child that did not understand math early on so he or she may struggle because he or she memorized what was needed to pass, not building on what he or she should have learned. In today’s education system some can agree with problem posing because you need to have an education to get somewhere in life. So pursuing your education after high school is in a sense almost mandatory to obtain a high paying job. So gaining knowledge in high school by allowing teachers to help you learn will only prepare you for college and then the real world. I agree with Freire theory on education only from self-experience. But I have experienced both sides. Banking and problem posing; Banking because there have been times when I memorized key terms for a test and left the classroom and not remembered anything. Problem posing because there have been classes where engaged in the conversation and really understood what it was the teacher was trying to help the class understand. Freire makes a huge point when it comes to education because you cannot survive on memorization along. It is necessary for you to know and understand information to really acquire knowledge.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Essay --

Introduction Children of the 21st century are facing brand new health challenges. We are witnessing epidemic levels of new childhood disorders within the most recent generation of U.S. children. These children are also experiencing a higher percentage of familiar diseases and disorders, such as obesity, diabetes, cancer, asthma, attention-deficit diagnoses, intestinal problems, and even mental disorders, than any other generation of the past. There is certainly a health crisis in America, one that can make or break the very foundation of our health as a nation of capable citizens. As our country prepares to launch the Affordable Care Act, with the government entering into managing part of the health care industry, the time is now to take matters into our own hands to ensure the well-being of our families. America’s kids are in a full-blown crisis; they are under attack, losing out on their quality of life before they can even enter adulthood. The U.S. infant mortality rate has worsened significantly. In 2009, the mortality rate ranking dropped from 28th in the world to 41st in the world. More of our children are dying during the first four weeks of life than ever before. At 4.3 neonatal deaths per 1,000 live births, the U.S. now shares the 41st spot with Croatia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. There is a huge rise in the number of children affected with these conditions: ADD/ADHD, autism, asthma, digestive problems, and anxiety and general â€Å"mood disorders.† A report released in 2012 revealed that one in every 54 boys in the U.S. has been diagnosed with autism, and the number of children with autism is expected to double every five years. A health epidemic is no longer on the horizon; clear evidence reveals that it is here... ... quickly, and his coloring is healthy, not pallid and grey. He thinks more clearly and sleeps more deeply. He is no longer malnourished. He is relaxed, and he smiles a lot. Had no one corrected the core problem, the allergy to wheat, the boy would’ve been facing a lifetime of discomfort and crippled health. A proper diet is critically important for the body’s rapid growth that occurs throughout each year of childhood, when a person is developing the intricate systems that must last them for a lifetime. You can easily establish a solid base of well-being for your child, knowing that this gift will last them for a lifetime. Even during such challenging and busy times, the solution for optimum wellness is within your reach, you just need to know where to start. It’s time to build them up! You’ve got the power and the ability to change the world, one child at a time.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Deception Point Page 9

Now she had gotten as close as anyone could get. Gabrielle recalled the night she had spent with Sexton in his plush office, and she cringed, trying to block out the embarrassing images in her mind. What was I thinking? She knew she should have resisted, but somehow she'd found herself unable. Sedgewick Sexton had been an idol of hers for so long†¦ and to think he wanted her. The limousine hit a bump, jarring her thoughts back to the present. â€Å"You okay?† Sexton was watching her now. Gabrielle flashed a hurried smile. â€Å"Fine.† â€Å"You aren't still thinking about that drudge, are you?† She shrugged. â€Å"I'm still a little worried, yeah.† â€Å"Forget it. The drudge was the best thing that ever happened to my campaign.† A drudge, Gabrielle had learned the hard way, was the political equivalent of leaking information that your rival used a penis enlarger or subscribed to Stud Muffin magazine. Drudging wasn't a glamorous tactic, but when it paid off, it paid off big. Of course, when it backfired†¦ And backfire, it had. For the White House. About a month ago, the President's campaign staff, unsettled by the slipping polls, had decided to get aggressive and leak a story they suspected to be true – that Senator Sexton had engaged in an affair with his personal assistant, Gabrielle Ashe. Unfortunately for the White House, there was no hard evidence. Senator Sexton, a firm believer in the best defense is a strong offense, seized the moment for attack. He called a national press conference to proclaim his innocence and outrage. I cannot believe, he said, gazing into the cameras with pain in his eyes, that the President would dishonor my wife's memory with these malicious lies. Senator Sexton's performance on TV was so convincing that Gabrielle herself practically believed they had not slept together. Seeing how effortlessly he lied, Gabrielle realized that Senator Sexton was indeed a dangerous man. Lately, although Gabrielle was certain she was backing the strongest horse in this presidential race, she had begun to question whether she was backing the best horse. Working closely with Sexton had been an eye-opening experience – akin to a behind-the-scenes tour of Universal Studios, where one's childlike awe over the movies is sullied by the realization that Hollywood isn't magic after all. Although Gabrielle's faith in Sexton's message remained intact, she was beginning to question the messenger. 10 â€Å"What I am about to tell you, Rachel,† the President said, â€Å"is classified ‘UMBRA.' Well beyond your current security clearance.† Rachel felt the walls of Air Force One closing in around her. The President had flown her to Wallops Island, invited her onboard his plane, poured her coffee, told her flat out that he intended to use her to political advantage against her own father, and now he was announcing he intended to give her classified information illegally. However affable Zach Herney appeared on the surface, Rachel Sexton had just learned something important about him. This man took control in a hurry. â€Å"Two weeks ago,† the President said, locking eyes with her, â€Å"NASA made a discovery.† The words hung a moment in the air before Rachel could process them. A NASA discovery? Recent intelligence updates had suggested nothing out of the ordinary going on with the space agency. Of course, these days a â€Å"NASA discovery† usually meant realizing they'd grossly under budgeted some new project. â€Å"Before we talk further,† the President said, â€Å"I'd like to know if you share your father's cynicism over space exploration.† Rachel resented the comment. â€Å"I certainly hope you didn't call me here to ask me to control my father's rants against NASA.† He laughed. â€Å"Hell, no. I've been around the Senate long enough to know that nobody controls Sedgewick Sexton.† â€Å"My father is an opportunist, sir. Most successful politicians are. And unfortunately NASA has made itself an opportunity.† The recent string of NASA errors had been so unbearable that one either had to laugh or cry – satellites that disintegrated in orbit, space probes that never called home, the International Space Station budget rising tenfold and member countries bailing out like rats from a sinking ship. Billions were being lost, and Senator Sexton was riding it like a wave – a wave that seemed destined to carry him to the shores of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. â€Å"I will admit,† the President continued, â€Å"NASA has been a walking disaster area lately. Every time I turn around, they give me yet another reason to slash their funding.† Rachel saw her opening for a foothold and took it. â€Å"And yet, sir, didn't I just read that you bailed them out last week with another three million in emergency funding to keep them solvent?† The President chuckled. â€Å"Your father was pleased with that one, wasn't he?† â€Å"Nothing like sending ammunition to your executioner.† â€Å"Did you hear him on Nightline? ‘Zach Herney is a space addict, and the taxpayers are funding his habit.'† â€Å"But you keep proving him right, sir.† Herney nodded. â€Å"I make it no secret that I'm an enormous fan of NASA. I always have been. I was a child of the space race – Sputnik, John Glenn, Apollo 11 – and I have never hesitated to express my feelings of admiration and national pride for our space program. In my mind, the men and women of NASA are history's modern pioneers. They attempt the impossible, accept failure, and then go back to the drawing board while the rest of us stand back and criticize.† Rachel remained silent, sensing that just below the President's calm exterior was an indignant rage over her father's endless anti-NASA rhetoric. Rachel found herself wondering what the hell NASA had found. The President was certainly taking his time coming to the point. â€Å"Today,† Herney said, his voice intensifying, â€Å"I intend to change your entire opinion of NASA.† Rachel eyed him with uncertainty. â€Å"You have my vote already, sir. You may want to concentrate on the rest of the country.† â€Å"I intend to.† He took a sip of coffee and smiled. â€Å"And I'm going to ask you to help me.† Pausing, he leaned toward her. â€Å"In a most unusual way.† Rachel could now feel Zach Herney scrutinizing her every move, like a hunter trying to gauge if his prey intended to run or fight. Unfortunately, Rachel saw nowhere to run. â€Å"I assume,† the President said, pouring them both more coffee, â€Å"that you're aware of a NASA project called EOS?† Rachel nodded. â€Å"Earth Observation System. I believe my father has mentioned EOS once or twice.† The weak attempt at sarcasm drew a frown from the President. The truth was that Rachel's father mentioned the Earth Observation System every chance he got. It was one of NASA's most controversial big-ticket ventures – a constellation of five satellites designed to look down from space and analyze the planet's environment: ozone depletion, polar ice melt, global warming, rainforest defoliation. The intent was to provide environmentalists with never before seen macroscopic data so that they could plan better for earth's future. Unfortunately, the EOS project had been wrought with failure. Like so many NASA projects of late, it had been plagued with costly overruns right from the start. And Zach Herney was the one taking the heat. He had used the support of the environmental lobby to push the $1.4 billion EOS project through Congress. But rather than delivering the promised contributions to global earth science, EOS had spiraled quickly into a costly nightmare of failed launches, computer malfunctions, and somber NASA press conferences. The only smiling face lately was that of Senator Sexton, who was smugly reminding voters just how much of their money the President had spent on EOS and just how lukewarm the returns had been.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Stereotypes of Mexicans and Illegal Immigrants

Stereotypes of Mexicans and Illegal Immigrants All Mexicans are landscapers or construction workers and all Mexican women are housekeepers and maids. There are lots of different stereotypes associated with Mexicans. These stereotypes originated when Mexicans began to illegally cross the border from Mexico into the United States. Mexicans wanted to come to this country and live the â€Å"American Dream†. Unfortunately when they arrived here they found it nearly impossible to find a high paying, steady job because no company would hire an illegal immigrant which led them to work into manual labor.Since the majority of Mexicans coming to the United States at that time were illegal immigrants working in manual labor, this is where the stereotype that all Mexicans are landscapers or construction workers came from. Also, that all Mexican women are housekeepers and maids. I was born here in the United States, however my mom is from Guatemala and my dad is from Mexico. Hearing these k inds of stereotypes can be offensive and sometimes even hurtful to me coming from a Mexican background.Years ago my parents had illegally crossed the border from Mexico into the United States by trying to escape from all of the drug trafficking and terrible living conditions that were going on in their countries. It wasn’t easy for them to find a job here since hardly any company would hire an illegal immigrant. After a long time of searching, my dad finally found a job working as a painter at some fancy apartments, and my mom as a housekeeper. Both my parents work hard for what little they earn. Sadly neither of them finished graduating high school due to lack of money.Now it is up to me to make a difference and be the first in my family’s generation to graduate high school and college and live a successful life. I think society has taken a major downturn because of the way stereotypes affect people and how people react to being grouped into one stereotype or another. Today we are very quick to judge others after we find out where they are from, what race they are or how much money they have. I believe this society needs to work on stopping that habit before it goes any further and gets worse.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Strategic Analysis of Zara The WritePass Journal

Strategic Analysis of Zara Executive Summary Strategic Analysis of Zara , when a journalist published a report looking at the treatment of shop staff, across the company, and found several instances of abuse. Again, Zara acted quickly to put in place an internal investigation and stated that abuse of this nature would not be tolerated. Although the company seems to be working with unions, in order to improve the position, the report clearly had an impact on the way in which the company was viewed, with concerns now being shown over the treatment of staff, as well as the treatment of individuals in developing countries who are producing the products, in the first place (Balchin 1994). It is, however, noted that other organisations operating in a similar way to Zara have also suffered similar problems, with Primark being the main example of concerns over conditions for suppliers and the workers in the developing countries. Strategic Analysis Pulling together both the external and internal factors impacting on Zara as an organisation, it is then possible to establish a strategic plan for the future, in order to ensure the ongoing success of this substantial fashion retailer. Corporate Strategy The overall strategy for the company, referred to as the corporate strategy, looks at the general approach which the company should take, before going on to consider, in more detail, the business level strategy that can be used to achieve ongoing success (Doherty, 2004). The corporate level strategies which Zara needs to focus on are doing what it does best, and where it has achieved the greatest efficiency, in recent years. One of the key reasons that Zara has managed to achieve this success is down to its efficient supply chain, which is critical to the current demands of the fashion industry at to meet consumers demand regular updates of products and new and innovative fashion, on a regular basis. Zara has managed to ensure that it has a first mover advantage by being able to bring the product to the market, within two months, and this unique selling point needs to be exploited further, if consumers are going to be prepared to pay slightly more, in order to gain access to new products before others (Coyne and Sujit Balakrishnan 1996). It is suggested that Zara needs to retain a cost base element, in terms of strategy, as it has gained a large amount of support from high street customers who are looking for fast fashion, at a disposable level. By maintaining this price position, the company can then encourage consumers to renew their fashion products, regularly, thus offering continuous revenue for the company. Business Level Looking more specifically at the business level strategy, it is suggested that certain product lines need to be focused on, in order to keep the look within the high street stores fresh, as well as looking towards new opportunities for improving the supply chain, particularly given the recent PR crisis associated with its supply chain choices. It has been identified that one of the major advantages and strengths of the company is the fact that it can achieve a very rapid link to the market. Whilst it is currently the case that Zara has an unrivalled supply chain, it should not be accepted as the forever position and continuous efforts need to be made to improve the supply chain and to form alliances with appropriate third parties. Technology plays a huge role in this, and therefore having a strategic business unit which is entirely focused on technology and the use of technologies to create internal efficiencies, needs to be one of the primary business level strategies (Murphy, 1990) . A greater focus also needs to be placed on the team that is responsible for producing the designs which will ultimately make it onto the high street. Zara has achieved a position within the market that encourages individuals to look towards the brand as a means of gaining cutting-edge fashion, at a low cost, and the design of these products is therefore critical, if this position is to be maintained. Continuous evolution within this area is a necessary part of retaining the position and also looking towards cutting costs, by altering product designs to take into account the cost of production (Finch 2004). Future Strategies Several future strategies are now suggested for Zara, moving forwards. Economic pressures are likely to remain substantial, across the whole industry. Therefore, cost reduction needs to be critical and continuous, without potentially putting the company in a position where it may face questioning in relation to the ethics of third party suppliers, particularly when it looks towards outsourcing into the developing regions. Several other competitors within the market have suffered negative press, due to the use of suppliers associated with unethical practices. This presents Zara with a real opportunity to set itself apart from other low-cost retailers, by developing a specific ethical strategy that will enable it to retain a relatively low cost, but also allow it to sell itself as an ethical producer (Okumus 2003). The company, therefore, needs to look towards other opportunities, for example, by changing the design of the product to reduce production costs, or looking at creating efficiencies in the supply chain, by transporting goods to a central warehouse that can then reduce the cots of transportation, overall. A substantial focus needs to be placed on the design team and ensuring that it is continuously developing new products which are able to be produced at a relatively low cost. This will enable the company to retain its position for supplying fast fashion within the high street and continuing to attract customers into the store, on a regular basis. Implementation and Evaluation Throughout the implementation of the business strategies, it is necessary to continuously evaluate whether or not certain avenues of activities are successful and whether alterations are necessary, in order to establish greater efficiencies. For example, the supply chain needs to be monitored, on an ongoing basis, in order to identify any losses, either in time or money, so that these can then be reduced or even removed (Grundy, 1993). The decision in relation to which products to design and produce is very much customer driven; therefore, it is suggested that customer reviews are obtained, on a regular basis, so that, where the customer is not being provided with a product that they choose, or are unmotivated to revisit the store, these instances are captured and dealt with, in the future. Finally, evaluation needs to look at the ethical issues which Zara is now tackling, in order to set itself apart from other low-cost fashion producers, with regular reviews and reports being undertaken, not only to ensure that ethical practices are being followed, but also to allow the public to see that Zara is taking its ethical responsibilities seriously (Johnson Scholes, 2002). Conclusions Zara is in a particularly strong position within the fashion market, having established itself as a brand name that produces cutting-edge fashion ahead of its rivals, and at a low-cost. Despite this, it is important that the organisation recognises the forces that are impacting on the external market and uses its own internal strengths to ensure that it retains a competitive advantage, thus enabling it to maintain its position within the market, as one of the brand leaders. A particular emphasis should be placed on the strengths within the supply chain, as this enables the organisation to bring products to the market, at a particularly rapid rate. Furthermore, cost pressures are also being placed on the organisation, which requires the design team to become more efficient when creating designs that can be turned into garments, at the lowest possible cost, without sacrificing ethical standings. Simply put, it is argued that Zara needs to continue to do what it is doing, currently; however, it needs to do it better, with greater emphasis being placed on ethical behaviour, meeting customer demands for new and innovative fashion, while at the same time retaining low-costs, across every aspect of its operation. References Acur N. and Bititci U. (2004) A balanced approach to strategy process, International Journal of Operations Production Management, Vol. 24 issue 4, pp.388-408; Balchin A. (1994) Part-time workers in the multiple retail sector: small change from employment protection legislation?, Employee Relations, Vol. 16 Issue 7, pp.43-57; Bigelow, J. (1980) Strategies of Evolutionary and Revolutionary Organizational Change, Academy of Management Proceedings, Carter, D. E. (1999), Branding: The Power of Market Identity, Watson-Guptill, New York. Coyne, K.P. and Sujit Balakrishnan (1996),Bringing discipline to strategy,  The McKinsey Quarterly, No.4 De Toni A. and Tonchia S. (2003) Strategic planning and firms’ competencies: Traditional approaches and new perspectives, International Journal of Operations Production Management, Vol. 23 Issue 9, pp.947-97 Doherty, A. M. (Editor) (2004). Fashion Marketing: Building the Research Agenda. UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Finch P. (2004) Supply chain risk management, Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, Vol. 9 Issue 2, pp.183-196; Grundy, T. (1993) Managing Strategic Change, Kogan Page, London UK. Johnson, G. Scholes, K. (2002) Exploring Corporate Strategy: Text and Cases 6th edition, FT Prentice Hall, UK Kumar and Linguri, (2005), Zara: Responsive, High-Speed, Affordable Fashion, the European Case Clearing House. Lopez, C and Fan, Y (2009) Internationalisation of the Spanish fashion brand Zara, Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, Vol. 13 Iss: 2, pp.279 – 296 Mittal, B. (1988), The role of affective choice mode in the consumer purchase of expressive products, Journal of Economic Psychology, 9, pp. 65 499-524. Moran, R. T. and Riesenberger, J. R. (1994), The Global Challenge: Building the New World-wide Enterprise, McGraw-Hill, London. Murphy, J. M. (1990), Brand Strategy, Director Books, Cambridge. Okumus F. (2003) A framework to implement strategies in organizations, Journal of Management Decision, Vol. 41 Issue 9, pp.871-882; Porter, M.E. (1979)  How Competitive Forces Shape Strategy,  Harvard Business Review, March/April 1979. Porter, M.E. (1980)  Competitive Strategy, Free Press, New York, 1980.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

4 Career Tips All Successful Millennials Utilize

4 Career Tips All Successful Millennials Utilize You’re coming of age in a different world than your parents’ world. The job market is very different and rewards very different things. The market, for example, seems to reward passion more than it ever has, and above most other things. Successful millennials understand this and adapt accordingly. With that in mind, here are 4 unconventional tips for any millennial starting out in their career.1. Take the time to travelThis is definitely not the standard starting-out advice, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t good advice. So if you’re interested in other countries or other cultures, take a year and travel. Expose yourself to life in third-world and developing countries. Volunteer. No employer will look down at you for having taken that time to learn and expand your worldview, especially if you can build it into a broader narrative of what kind of career you’re looking for.2. Go by who you are, not what you earnTake a career test to figure out wha t you enjoy doing the most and what you’re best (or worst) at. Then, once you know, don’t set yourself up for misery or failure at a job doing something you’re just not suited for. No amount of money will make you happy in a bad situation. Do what you like and what you’re good at, and the rest will fall in place.3. Now is the time to go for brokeYou’ll never be as free to take financial risks as you are now, while you don’t have children or a mortgage. Use this time to start businesses or pursue new ideas (or travel). Even if they fail, you’ll learn an immense amount that can make a huge difference in the rest of your professional career.4. Be an entrepreneurAgain, now is your time to take risks. So many people want to be entrepreneurs and never give themselves a chance to try. If you’re an idea person, go for it. Worst case scenario: your venture fails. It will teach you something valuable about the next!Keep in mind youâ€⠄¢re in an amazing place in your life and career. Don’t waste your moment being too careful or risk averse. Go after what you want while you have time!

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Assignment Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Assignment - Case Study Example They can manage their products from one area to the next and capitalize on the most viable opportunities present in the industry. When doing the feasibility study, it found out that the retail business was growing at an exponential rate (Hill and Jones, 2013). This means it has a chance to capitalize on it and use the acquired knowledge over the years to meet its goals. Despite the financial crisis that triggered a price discount for its products, the expansion after the recovery of the economy will be a good way of dealing with an increased demand that will open up new markets both at the retail and wholesale sections. If the company escapes from continued need to expand, it will miss out on opportunities that would have cemented its position in the market. As such, it should proceed with its plans and capitalize on the expected vibrancy of the market. This will also streamline its efficacy in dealing with its supply chain management process in whichever area they operate in. the expansion, therefore, was a good economic and strategic opening for the