Legally Blonde Essay Example for Free

Legally Blonde Essay Stereotypes are assumptions made about a group of people based on commonalities shared among that group. These assumptions normally have to do with religion, ethnicity, cultural values, and even outward appearances. One of the common reasons stereotypes exist is that it is easy to identify individuals without interacting with them. A person can identify a face and immediately categorize him or her based on information derived from upbringing, past experiences, and the media. Some labels have the capability of harming individuals who are judged based on appearances or nationality. These stereotypes can lead to the mistreatment and prejudices against a particular group of people. For example, after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, a religious group called the Sihks have been attacked on numerous occasions because they were mislabeled as terrorists (NPR). Stereotyping can start at a young age when children are taught to make assumptions. For example, a mother will caution her child not to talk to any strangers. This can lay a foundation for future stereotypes. The child may grow up to be a person who stereotypes and who is prejudice. The child may not know that the assumptions being made rarely apply to each member of a group. Even though there are examples of dumb blondes, many intelligent blondes do exist. Diane Sawyer is a prominent figure in the world of news. In 1984, she broke new ground as the first woman to work as a correspondent on the award-winning news magazine 60 Minutes (Bio. True Story). She also has blonde hair. This proves that stereotypes do not apply to everyone of a certain group. Some common examples of stereotypes are people who wear glasses are nerds or all Asians are very intelligent. One of the most commonly known stereotype is the dumb blonde persona. It has been presented in film, music and even in literature. Not only is the blonde stereotype being represented in the media, but also in marketing. There is a shampoo made by Bed Head called Dumb Blonde. The blonde’s label states that the lack of intelligence is based on hair color. This leads the blonde to be depicted to rely on looks rather than intelligence to be successful in life. Many jokes are made based on the stereotype as well. An example is â€Å"What do you call a fly buzzing inside a blondes head? A Space Invader. † (Cracked. com). In the sitcom Three’s Company, a blonde character named Chrissy is ditzy and gets a lot of attention from many groups of men. She is easy to confuse and is quick to fall for men. The media takes the blonde label and dramatizes it with the persona of Chrissy. One of the most famous blondes that seems to fit the stereotype is Paris Hilton. She has been quoted as saying many outrageous statements such as, â€Å"I don’t really think, I just walk. † (Brainy Quote). She is successful at exploiting the dumb blonde persona. Another statement said by Hilton is, â€Å"I get half a million just to show up at parties. My life is, like, really, really fun. † (Brainy Quote). Hilton uses her dumb blonde character in order to get farther in life. With an in depth look into Paris Hilton it may be found that she possesses more intelligence than what she portrays. It is known that she is an American heiress, socialite, television personality, fashion designer, model, actress, producer, author, and singer. Paris Hilton is a good example of the dumb blonde. She gives people the idea that all blondes are like her, when in reality, they are not. From the sitcom Three’s Company in 1977, to the rich and famous Hollywood star Paris Hilton, the dumb blonde can be found almost anywhere. However, the media is taking small steps to counter represent the blonde. In the 2001 movie Legally Blonde, the main character Elle Woods evolves from the stereotypical blonde to a Harvard Law graduate. In the beginning, she was the president of her sorority, had a pet Chihuahua and majored in fashion merchandising. She states, Two weeks ago I saw Cameron Diaz at Fred Segal, and I talked her out of buying this truly heinous angora sweater. Whoever said orange was the new pink was seriously disturbed! (Legally Blonde). She then applied to Harvard Law School with an application video that showed her in a bikini with her and her friends. Surprisingly, she was immediately accepted and later graduated with high honors. In Legally Blonde, Elle displays her intelligence by solving a murder in an unconventional way. This movie does show the classic stereotypes of blondes in the beginning but then turns it around to make the blonde an intelligent honors student who goes on to be a successful attorney. Stereotypes can be stopped by preventing assumptions or getting to know someone instead of pre-judging them. It should be understood that stereotypes rarely apply to everyone of that group. The media can reduce stereotypes by ignoring them instead of marketing them. By making characters who portray their stereotype, audiences come to believe that the label applies to everyone in a particular group. If the stereotype is not represented at all, it can help the general public forget that stereotypes ever existed. Everyone has the capability of putting stereotypes to rest, it is just a matter of having an open mind. An example can be set to others and soon stereotypes will come to an end. Works Cited â€Å"Diane Sawyer. † Bio. True Story. Web. 3 August 2013. Inskeep, Steve. â€Å"Sikhs Face More Attacks Since Sept. 11 Tragedies. † NPR. Web. 3 August 2013 Legally Blonde. Dir. Robert Luketic. 2001. Film. Paris Hilton Quotes. Brainy Quote. Web. 4 August 2013.

Visual Merchandising In Apparel Industry

Visual Merchandising In Apparel Industry Visual merchandising is the activity of promoting the sale of goods, especially by their presentation in retail outlets. This includes combining products, environments, and spaces into a stimulating and engaging display to encourage the sale of a product or service. Visual merchandising starts with the store building itself. The management then decides on the store design to reflect the products the store is going to sell and how to create a warm, friendly, and approachable atmosphere for its potential customers. Many elements can be used by visual merchandisers in creating displays, including colour, lighting, space, product information, sensory inputs such as smell, touch, and sound as well as technologies such as digital displays and interactive installations. The main principle of visual merchandising is that it is intended to increase sales. Visual merchandising is one of the final stages in trying to set out a store in a way that customers will find attractive and appealing and it should follow and reflect the principles that underpin the stores image. Visual merchandising is the way one displays goods for sale in the most attractive manner with the end purpose of making a sale. If it does not sell, it is not visual merchandising. Especially in todays challenging economy, people may avoid designers/ visual merchandisers because they fear unmanageable costs. But in reality, visual merchandisers can help economize by avoiding costly mistakes there by saving time and money. It is important to understand that the visual merchandiser is there, not to impose ideas, but to help clients articulate their own personal style. Visual merchandising is the art of implementing effective design ideas to increase store traffic and sales volume. VM is an art and science of displaying merchandise to enable maximum sale. VM is a tool to achieve sales and targets, a tool to enhance merchandise on the floor, and a mechanism to communicate to a customer and influence his decision to buy. VM uses season based displays to introduce new arrivals to customers, and thus increase conversions through a planned and systematic approach by displaying stocks available. Recently visual merchandising has gained in importance as a quick and cost effective way to revamp retail stores. Apparel Industry The influence of fashion clearly, fashion has also played an important role in shaping apparel consumerism. As lifestyles change, fashion in India is becoming more stratified, as in the West. Technology, ideas and lifestyles are moving concurrently, and quickly. Companies and brands that offered monotonous, mundane products for years have now tripled their product ranges and new appealing shapes and forms are being launched each season. Top-notch fashion professionals came together four years ago to form the Fashion Design Council of India. Under the aegis of the Union textile ministry and in tandem with National Institute of Fashion Technology, FDCI now provides professional inputs for designing labels and is now working towards developing the fashion supply chain through backward linkages with suppliers and mills, and forward linkages with the retail and distribution network. The boom in domestic apparel, nevertheless, tells only part of the story. India has huge potential as a market for foreign clothing, given its large population and growing household incomes. A few significant foreign players-such as Levi Strauss, Benetton and Lacoste-have been selling their branded apparel in India for a number of years. But now, just like their Indian counterparts, global apparel brands are setting up their own apparel outlets, instead of just selling through departmental stores. Ralph Lauren, for example, has a limited range exhibited in generic department stores located in metro cities. Yet it has now set up its own stand-alone stores, which showcase all the companys brands. Now, with the governments proposal to let in branded retail players- brands like Benetton and Lacoste currently sell mostly through the franchise route-investments in Indias apparel sector are likely to go up substantially. Indian Apparel Industry- an Overview: The apparel industry is one of Indias largest foreign exchange earners, accounting for nearly 16% of the countrys total exports. The 1996 Indian textile exports approximately amounted to Rs.35,000 crores of which apparel occupied over Rs14,000 crores. Source: http://apparel.indiamart.com/lib/garments/indian07251998.html It has been estimated that India has approximately 30,000 readymade garment manufacturing units and around three million people are working in the industry. Today not only is the garment export business growing, enthusiasm in the minds of the foreign buyers is also at a high. Today many leading fashion labels are being associated with Indian products. India is increasingly being looked upon as a major supplier of high quality fashion apparels and Indian apparels have come to be appreciated in major markets internationally. The credit for this goes to our exporter community. Consistent efforts towards extensive market coverage, improving technical capabilities and putting together an attractive and wide merchandise line has paid rich dividends. But till today, our clothing industry is dominated by sub-contractors and consists mainly of small units of 50 to 60 machines. Indias supply base is medium quality, relatively high fashion, but small volume business. Recent recession in Europe and the South Asian currency crisis have also contributed their own bits to the decimating Indian exports. Though these are expected to fizzle out soon, there is no reason for complacency on the part of Indian exporters or of the garment industry. The industry will be soon faced with open competition shorn of quotas or tariffs. Thus the need of the hour is to enlarge both manufacturing as well as the marketing base. Inculcation of a spirit of innovation by way of research and development and tapping new markets especially in South Africa, Central Africa, CIS, East European countries, Latin America and Australia is also mandatory for export growth. In India, clothing retail accounts for 36% of organized retail business. It is the largest sector. Ready-made apparel accounted for an estimated 20% of domestic clothing sales in 2005. With growing working women wearing western wear to work, and pressed for time, market for good readymade clothes is likely to grow. India is a film-crazy nation, and the largest producer of films, with more than 1,000 every year. They provide entertainment and an escape from reality for Indias masses, and set the popular fashion trend. Bollywood fashions have become pan Indian. They affect various sectors of the market including clothing, footwear, weddings and fashion accessories. With the advent of modern format retailers and the growth of plastic cards, affluent urban Indian women are shopping like never before. Source: www.ibef.org They spend mornings browsing in stores looking for deals or latest styles. There are designer clothes that incorporate Indian motifs, ethnic fabrics and are a fusion of western and Indian styles. In the large urban centers, apparel retailers, like Shoppers Stop, Westside and Pantaloon have popularized their private labels, which have attracted urban shoppers. Westside carries only its own private labels, while for the other stores, 20-30% of their apparel turnover is from private labels. Customers have loyalty to a store rather than any particular garment brand. This has led to a thriving unbranded or local brand market for ready-to-wear clothes leading to severe competition. Hence organized retailers like Lifestyle, for instance, has a loyalty programme called `The Inner Circle, while Pantaloons offers a `Green Card Rewards programmes, Westside has `Club West to Woo the customers. Customers look to design and fit of the clothes, and use the shops name as a quality standard. About the Companies: Allen Solly Allen Solly was founded in 1744 by a company called William Hollin and Co Ltd. The brand was purchased some time in the 90s by a new company called Madura Garments which was a part of Madura Coats. Madura Coats was a big producer of threads. The Vision Of Allen Solly : The company aimed to emerge as a brand which was totally new and did not stick to conventions. Friday Dressing was introduced to give the company a stronghold. Initially the Indian markets was not open to experimental apparel for men. Friday dressing by Allen Solly gave Indian corporates an oppurtunity to transform their wardrobes. The new formal wear was relaxed and not boring. The Aditya Birla Group took over Allen Solly in 2001 . Allen Solly brings together people from different walks of life and unites them in the matters of style and attitude. The innovative garments of Allen Solly give people an identity in the work place, while chilling out. Source:http://www.mapsofworld.com/referrals/brands/mens-brands/mens-accessory-brands/allen-solly.html Max Max, a part of Landmark Group, is a fashion and footwear retailer in the Value segment. Max retails its own label clothing for men, women and children, as well as footwear and house ware. Max is opening around 100 stores across India, is a division of Lifestyle International Pvt Ltd., which is a part of US $ 1 billion Landmark Group. Landmarkgroup is one of the largest retailers in the Middle East with over 500 stores across 8 countries, directly employing 10,000 people. We have already opened stores in Indore, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Delhi-Rajouri Garden, Agra, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Mumbai Noida and Delhi Laxminagar. A good shopping experience and a great value at Max translate into making customers Look good and Feel good to the maximum Source: http://company.monsterindia.com/lsiplin/ Kazo Kazo is a young international brand that has made its way into the centre of the fashion industry within a short span of time. Kazo launched its first showroom in Delhi on 07th july, 2007 under the directorship of Mr. Deepak Aggarwal. The idea of Kazo came into being with the aim of amalgamating international trends and fashion at a value that would be affordable for the woman of today. The garments designed are phenomenally fashionable with a high wear ability and practicality quotient. The main asset of the collections is that it is highly affordable which enables customers an access to the latest designer wear, giving a chance to every woman to feel great in her skin, right to her soul. Source: http://www.kazo.com/cmspages/index/1 Bizarre The bizarre label was first introduced in 1987, to fulfill self-expression. They entered this new age with a change in recent years and a person so assertive, they all have set the womens sights glouriously higher. With the buzz of a new girl on the block. Source: http://www.bizarreindia.com/company.html Globus Launched in January 1998, Globus is a part of the Rajan Raheja group. The company opened its first store in 1999 at Indore followed by the launch of its second store in Chennai (T-Nagar). The Globus has a Privilege Club card which is very unique in a way that Members are immediately rewarded for purchases at any of their stores, in addition to a host of other privileges such as exclusive tie ups, promotion and special shopping hours. To each his own individual needs vary. This is why Globus offers 2 different card categories, each with it own benefits designed to suit the needs of the customers. Source: www.globus.in Pantaloons This Company was incorporated on October 12, 1987 as Manz Wear Private Limited. The Company was converted into a public limited company on September 20, 1991 and on September 25, 1992 the name was changed to Pantaloon Fashions (India) Limited and in the same year the Company made an initial public offering. Later they changed their name to Pantaloon Retail (India) Limited on July 7 1999. Pantaloons believes in managing customer expectation by offering them all the requirements for their entire family under one roof is the key to being a successful retailer, and hence have built their business model around Family focus rather than individual focus. Pantaloons clearly define Lifestyle products under Private Labels and third party brands. They have a loyalty card programme with a name of Green Card. It is divided hierarchically into one star, three star and five star. Every point generated at all the levels is equivalent to Rs.1 It also stays in touch with its loyal customers through Mailers, SMSs E-mails and Telephone informing them about the developments and promotions. Source: 1) www.scribd.com/doc/47945/McKinsey-MGI- india-consumer-full-report 2) www.pantaloon.com/companyinfo.asp LITERATURE REVIEW Gaynor Lea-Greenwood, (1998) in his paper Visual merchandising: a neglected area in UK fashion marketing? outlines recent research which demonstrates that the re-naming of display as visual merchandising has led to centralization and professionalism of the function. Centralization of visual merchandising has given the function a strategic profile which has to date been neglected within the literature. The move towards centralization and therefore increased professionalization and sophistication of the creative process is discussed and includes the following benefits outlined by the respondents: (1) communicating a cohesive brand image; (2) differentiating the offer from the competition; (3) integrating promotional effort across the brand; (4) increasing availability of technology to facilitate the process. The paper concludes with future research avenues and recommendations. The article in Fibre to fashion on The art of visual merchandising talks about Visual Merchandising is the art of displaying merchandise in a manner that is appealing to the eyes of the customer. It sets the context of the merchandise in an aesthetically pleasing fashion, presenting them in a way that would convert the window shoppers into prospects and ultimately buyers of the product. A creative and talented retailer can use this upcoming art to breathe in new life into his store products. Passion for design and creativity are essential to be a good visual merchandiser. A perfect design process and the ability to create ideas that are different are required. Awareness of happenings in fashion world is needed so as to keep up-to-date with the dynamics of the market constantly. Components of Visual Merchandising: Make merchandise the focal point Right choice of colours is vital Display themes to appropriately support the product Thus visual merchandising is all about how to attract the customer to buy merchandise. Jerry Gelsomino in his article on Basic Tips for Better Visual Merchandising states that Great store presentation and product merchandising is like a good book. Its got an alluring cover to entice, an interesting first chapter to tell the reader theyve made the right choice, and a satisfying conclusion to get the audience to want more. The tools used to achieve these attributes are based on creating the most satisfying experience for the shopper, turning browsers into buyers. Storefront Identity and First Impressions the entrance reflects the personality of the store and gives a glimpse of the merchandise available inside. Design a distinctive store logo that communicates your mission. The way merchandise is displayed in show windows also has a lot to do with enticing the guests into the store. Whether you have a store in the mall or on the street, the customer has only a few seconds to view and be attracted by your displays. Your visual philosophy should replicate a billboard: make it bold, colorful, and simple. Store Layout In developing an effective store design, a most critical element is how the store is organized for a logical unfolding or discovery of merchandise by the browser. Is your store easy to shop? In this article on The importance of Visual Merchandising posted in Financial Express (2 November, 2002) it talks about the importance of VM in stores. It majorly focuses on aspects like: Walls Layout Shelving Colour Lighting Space Odour etc. Visual merchandising is the activity of promoting the sale of goods, especially by their presentation in retail outlets. This includes combining products, environments, and spaces into a stimulating and engaging display to encourage the sale of a product or service. It has become such an important element in retailing that a team effort involving the senior management, architects, merchandising managers, buyers, the visual merchandising director, designers, and staff is needed. This information on VM also contains: History Plano-gram Window Display Merchandising etc. Bill Gerba (19 October, 2006) In his article on Five visual merchandising tips for your in-store network the author explains Merchandising, as commonly used in marketing, means the promotion of merchandise sales, as by coordinating production and marketing and developing advertising, display, and sales strategies to increase retail sales. This includes disciplines in pricing and discounting, physical presentation of products and displays, and the decisions about which products should be presented to which customers at what time. Five tips: Dont bother force-feeding your network name to consumers: Do promote your host retailers brand and core values: Do work closely with the retailers store marketing department Do use your displays to complement the retailers other marketing strategies Do make your content valuable to shoppers This article on Retailing (2006) talks about the attitudinal shift of the Indian consumer in terms of Choice Preference, Value for Money and the emergence of organised retail formats have transformed the face of Retailing in India. With a growth over 20 percent per annum over the last 5 years, organised retailing is projected to reach US$ 23 Billion by 2010.The Indian retail industry though predominantly fragmented through the owner -run Mom and Pop outlets has been witnessing the emergence of a few medium sized Indian Retail chains, namely Pantaloon Retail, RPG Retail, Shoppers Stop, Westside (Tata Group) and Lifestyle International. Given the attractiveness of the Indian retail sector, foreign retailers like Wal-Mart, Carrefour SA, Europes largest retailer and Tesco Plc, the UKs largest retailer, were keen to enter this growing market, despite the Indian retail sector being closed to foreign direct investment (FDI). Himanshu Vaidya in her report on Visual Merchandising Concept and Concern talks about various aspects in VM and their importance Also the points where attention needs to be given. Some of the areas discussed are: Aim of VM Effect of VM Merchandise Seasons-Plans and schedules Life expectancy of Visual Displays Types of Visual Merchandise Displays VM problem in India etc. Preeta H Vyas in his IIMA journal (2 November, 2007) on Sales Promotion Practices in Apparel Retail Sector and Challenges Ahead, clearly explains that Indian organised retail industry is poised for growth. Apparel sector in particular has a great opportunity with alignment of Indian economy to globalised markets. With the widespread use of sales promotions- short term activities which provide material inducements to consumers and trade it becomes imperative for managers to understand such practices and understand challenges. This study investigates sales promotion activities of six apparel stores in Ahmedabad market and compares them on various dimensions. It presents major findings and provides insights on consumer behaviour. Ulla Harrison, Sebastien Retaillieux,, Laurence Hugon Ellen Verburg in their article on Visual Merchandising: Seeing is Buying (2008), talks about the various modes of visual display in apparel sector, it also gives a basic idea regarding: Window Display Entrance of a store Props and its use Types of displaying the merchandise: By family By colour By Product group etc. Zilka, Carlain their article on Dressing Down The Business Model; The apparel industry has been hard hit during the recession, and the industrys cost-cutting measures may be out of fashion(17 April, 2009), they state in detail the condition of the apparel sector and the exhausted strategies of cost cutting measures used by them and suggests new measures as well. This article answers the question as to how can companies truly understand their organizations health, especially when visible symptoms may or may not be obvious. Global Luxury Apparel Retailers Eyeing Indian Markets, (Edit Article | 13 Jan, 2010) mostly talks about the situation of the apparel sector and regarding the International Majors that are in talks With Indian players to target aspirational but Value-Conscious Consumers. Especially regarding Shoppers stop and how they are planning to bring in more foreign brands. This research paper posted by an anonymous person on Research Paper on Retail Industry (21 May, 2010), provides a detailed research on the organized retail sector of India. A brief introduction and evolution shows how the organized retailing changed its gears over the period from Panwala dhukan to chain stores across the length and breadth of India. The market size and related details gives a statistical view of increasing market in a few major areas of retailing. The major market players who enlivened the present caricature of retail sector are presented briefly along with statistics. The changing scenarios of Indian consumers give a proof to the potential opportunity in the retailing arena. SWOT analysis of retail industry and its future prospects. Major lifesaver of the Indian retailing is the advertising and promotional strategies and Visual Display; which comes out with innovative ways to win consumers over and keep them permanently happy. Gupta and Swati, (23 July, 2010) in their wonderful article on Deviant Displays New Trend in Window Fashion speak about the new trend that has started, where the deviant window displays are created to look creepy to grab attention. the article gives detailed information on what, how, when and Dos and Donts of deviant display. Hemanth Y. In his paper on Reshaping the Apparel Business, focuses briefly on the recent trends which are followed in Apparel retailing. Retail business in India has transformed from traditional mom and pop stores to big retail chains. We can witness the fact in this article what factors are going to bring about a change in the retail sector with special reference to Apparels. The paper gives a thought towards new trends followed in Apparel Retailing. Tappal Babu in his paper on Visual Merchandising states that Visual merchandising is a comparatively new career field in which has sprung up with the growing popularity of window and floor displays. Visual merchandisers main area of work is to create impossible window displays. They can find employment with fashion boutiques, shopping malls, euphoria etc. They are also engaged as shop floor mangers. They can also do freelancing on contract basis for windows displays in exhibitions, fares, and other places. Other career options under this head are production coordinator, quality control supervisor, fashion retailer, export manger etc. This paper discusses importance and potential for visual merchandising professionals. 1. PROBLEM STATEMENT To study the effectiveness of Visual Merchandising in Apparel Industry 2. OBJECTIVES To study the visual Merchandising of the stores covered under my research. (Max, Globus, Pantaloons, Allen Solly, Bizarre and Kazo.) To analyse the efforts put in by the stores in Visual Merchandising. To check the effectiveness of their current visual merchandising on the customers. To propose a new or modified Visual Merchandising for the store that has least effect of VM over its customers. 3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.1 Research design Research Design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project. It details the procedures necessary for obtaining the information needed to solve the marketing research problems. Research Design can be classified into 2 major categories: Exploratory : The objective of this research is to explore or search through a problem or situation to provide insights and understanding. Conclusive: The objective of this research is to test specific hypothesis and examine specific relationships. A conclusive research is further sub-categorized into: Descriptive: The objective is to describe something-usually market characteristics or functions. Causal: The objective is to obtain evidence of cause and effect relationship. In this research of apparel industry, including Globus, Max, Pantaloons, Kazo, Bizarre and Allen Solly, I adopted a Conclusive research as I was working on a specific hypothesis and was examining the validity of that hypothesis. Within the conclusive research I have selected Descriptive research as I am trying to determine the effectiveness of Visual Merchandising in apparel industry (Globus, Max, Pantaloons, Kazo, Bizarre and Allen Solly). A Descriptive research requires a clear specification of the six Ws. So the specification of Six Ws in case for my research are: Who: Who should be considered as the patron for the research? Any one who is a customer of all or any of the stores considered in my research (Globus, Max, Pantaloons, Kazo, Bizarre and Allen Solly). What: What information should be obtained from the respondents? Information related to Customers feeling or view towards the display of all or any of the stores considered in my research (Globus, Max, Pantaloons, Kazo, Bizarre and Allen Solly). Information about changes required in the Visual display of all or any of the stores considered in my research (Globus, Max, Pantaloons, Kazo, Bizarre and Allen Solly).. When: When should the information be obtained from the respondents? After they have shopped from the stores. When customer is free and fills the questionnaire mailed to them. Where: Where should the respondents be contacted to obtain the required information? Outside the stores Online through mail. Outside the stores if they are not busy for a while. Why: Why are we obtaining the information from the respondents? To decide as to whether the visual merchandising of all or any of the stores considered in my research (Globus, Max, Pantaloons, Kazo, Bizarre and Allen Solly) is effective or not. Way: In which way are we going to obtain the information from the respondents? Direct survey through questionnaires. 3.2 Source of information In case of this research though I have gone through the few articles published on all or any of the stores in my research (Globus, Max, Pantaloons, Kazo, Bizarre and Allen Solly). I have not considered those information, my source of information for this research is Primary data collected through questionnaires. 3.3 Sample size In my research I have used the Statistical Approach to determine the sample size and in it I have used Sample size determination through proportions. I have considered this approach because I am interested in estimating the effectiveness of visual merchandising in the apparel industry. In my research: Confidence Level (CL) wanted is 95% Level of Precision required (S) is  ±0.02 so s= 0.02 Thus : Formula for n sample size is Zà ³p = s : Zà ³p = 0.02 The Z value associated with 95% CL is 1.96 So Z=  ± 1.96, 1.96à ³p = 0.02 Now à ³p = à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡pq/n, So 1.96à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡pq/n = 0.02, à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡pq/n = 0.02/1.96. à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡pq/n = 0.0102 By squaring on both sides we get: Pq/n= 0.0001 Hence pq = n x 0.0001, Thus n = pq/ 0.0001 Now we assume the parameter p, though ideal is 0.5 we considered p as 0.0168 And q = 1-p thus q = 1- .0168= 0.9832 Replacing p and q we get: n = (0.0168)(0.9832)/0.0001 = 165.18à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‹â€ 165. Thus our sample size is 165. 3.4 Sampling Technique In my research I have used Non Probability Sampling technique. Judgmental: As in this technique the researcher chooses the respondents on the basis of his/her judgment as to who will be the best suitable representative of the population. I mailed the questionnaire to all those whom I felt could be the customer of all or any of the stores in my research (Globus, Max, Pantaloons, Kazo, Bizarre and Allen Solly . Snowballing: In this technique a initial group of respondents is selected and after their response they are asked to identify others who belong to the target population of interest. I selected few respondents in Amity Hostel and my other friends after their response I asked them to name few more in the hostel or their friends whom they know are the customers of all or any of the stores considered in my research (Globus, Max, Pantaloons, Kazo, Bizarre and Allen Solly). 3.5 Hypothesis of the research H0 : There is no significant impact of Visual Merchandising in Apparel Industry. HA: There is significant impact of Visual Merchandising in Apparel Industry. 4. DATA ANALYSIS From the data that I collected for the research, I posted them in SPSS and got t-test and k-test results.. As I have considered 95% as my confidence level. The result (ÃŽÂ ±) of each question has to exceed 0.05, so that Null Hypothesis could be accepted. The result of each question is as follows: Are people attracted towards eye catching window display. As ÃŽÂ ± is 0.000 which is less than 0.05. So Ho is rejected. While passing through the racks, people tend to look through the clothes nearby. As ÃŽÂ ± is 0.000 which is less than 0.05. So Ho is rejected. People tend to buy the merchandise on display featuring a new style or design. As ÃŽÂ ± is 0.000 which is less than 0.05. So Ho is rejected. People are attracted towards sales or clearance signage. As ÃŽÂ ± is 0.000 which is less than 0.05. So Ho is rejected People are attracted towards promotional signage in the store. As ÃŽÂ ± is 0.000 which is less than 0.05. So Ho is rejected. Result of comparing the apparel stores (Globus, Pantaloons, Max, Bizarre, Kazo and Allen Solly) on the basis of there Visual Merchandising H0: There is no significant difference amongst the mentioned stores in the minds of customer in terms following attributes. Ha: There is significant difference amongst the mentioned stores in the minds of customer in terms following attributes As per preference of shopping H0: is rejected as ÃŽÂ ± is less than 0.05, so Ha s accepted 5. CONCLUSION From the market research on the effectiveness of the Visual Merchandising of Ap

Best Buy Managing For Competitive Advantage Commerce Essay

Best Buy Managing For Competitive Advantage Commerce Essay The paper is a critical examination of Best Buy managing for competitive advantage. The essay brings forth strategies Best Buy uses as well as how these strategies are put into action in order for it to gain competitive advantage over its competitors. Competitive advantage refers to set of strategic advantages a business have adopted that make it be in a better position to compete or even out shine its rivals. Thus attaining Competitive Advantage fortifies and places an organization in a better position within the competitive business world. According to Pfeffer 21, this theory of competitive advantage was brought forth by Porter Michael back in 1990. He suggested that business entities as well as other non-profit institutions need to adopt some policies, procedures and plans that will help it to develop very high quality goods and services that can be sold at higher prices to consumers. With the fact that almost all kind of business entities do meet very stiff competitions there is thus need for each and every organization to adopt the best strategies that will help them cut themselves an edge in this competitive world of business, Best Buy not being an exception. However various business and management scholars have come to a conclusion that having these strategies is not important unless they are adequately managed; hence competitive advantage management (Pfeffer 142). This refers to set of mechanisms and plans that not only places and organization at an upper hand as compared to its competitors but making it stand out in the business environment. The paper recognizes Best Buy competitive advantage as being it customer-centricity this implies delivering modified and extremely personalized service to clients. All this has been attained by automating the services it provides to customers by using online services. Best Buy customer centered strategy It has been argued out that once an organization clearly understands the need, wants and aspiration of its customers, there is nothing that will block it from excelling provided it takes corrective actions towards attaining the same. Additionally, research as shown that business entities that focus or are customer oriented do have higher chances of securing a competitive advantage which in most cases translates to higher revenue generation, price earnings ratio, highly satisfied customers thus creating customer loyalty. This concept seems to have been well mastered by Best Buy. For instance, since the plan was rolled out, the profit margin for the organization rose by almost 3% (Jaynie Flanagan 122). It is worth mentioning that the strategy has been successful thanks to technological innovation that has allowed customers to even buy good 24/7 even during the holidays. It is important to note although this strategy was recently launched, the organization adequately trained and educated its store-level workforce so that they could be in a position to have in mind the varied needs of the customers on the basis of how they were segmented. One strategy that was a milestone in taking the business where it is to day is customers segmentation. Best Buy segmented its customers into five different levels which include; small-business customers that utilize the business services and products to foster increased profits in their business, busy mothers leaving in suburban that aim at enriching their kids way of life with technological innovation especially in entertainment,, men having families that are in quest of bettering their general way of living through entertainment and other ways, young men who are is thirst of technological innovation and finally very rich professionals that seek the best in terms of entertainment as well as other life experiences. It is worth noting heretthat this I in line with the notion brought forth by Mentzer in his article titles Achieving Competitive Advantage through Supply Chain Management he suggested that not all customers are created equally because there are those that are very crucial to success of any organization while some are not as crucial as other and thus need to be treated by using a different approach. This has been adequately addressed by Best Buy by segmenting its customers (Mentzer 3). According to Mentzer 1 after successfully carrying out a survey, which included slightly over thirty of its stores, Best Buy started rolling the strategy of computerizing the quote-to-order process aimed at making it possible for customers to buy in a 24/7 hour basis even if it is on holidays. In total over hundred of the companys store adopted this strategy. Reports suggested that the company financial result could be boosted and indeed it was and that less cynical outcomes are expected as well as development of a stable link between the company and its customers. Additionally, it is important to remember that for any organization to be prosperous even in its best strategies, the part played by its workforce is of paramount, it is evident that the company did provide education and training to its employees so that they could be well equipped with knowledge to help customers. An example where customer centricity was attained through the efforts of store employees is in Pasadena store in which there was a reconfiguration of the place to appeal to suburban mothers (Peppers Rogers 4) It entailed transferring small electrical appliances to a low rack situated on the walk way of the store from high shelves, this boosted sales of the same to almost two folds. Generally speaking, the company strategy fundamentally rests on viewing its initiatives from the customers point of view, clearly understanding what they need as well as trying its best in meeting these needs (Jaynie Flanagan 211). According to the vice chairman and CEO of the company, this is what gives them a cutting edge in the business environment. On the same note, the company has adopted a way of distributing its goods that is inline with customers demand and aspirations. This has time and a gained been managed by using enterprise resource planning system that seem to have successfully synchronized the need of clients. Additionally, the company best strategy is also its ability to harmonize it various chains of supply together with what its stores need; (Peppers Rogers 2) this has resulted to those employees who work as sales representative having at their disposal a variety of products that meet the needs of those customers that are dear to the company. Similarly, it is worth mentioning that Best Buy has successfully adopted technological innovation whereby customers need not to come to their stores to select or see those appliances they plan to buy. This carries with it a number of advantages for instance convenience and lack of being pressurized by sales persons to buy (Pfeffer 164). Additionally, it give one enough time to scrutinize the features one desire to have in a given appliance. Conclusion From the review of competitive advantage management of Best Buy Company, it is evident that technological innovation adoption and focusing in customer and empowering its employees are among the strategies that have played a better part in shaping the company. What make the company different is that it has clearly understood what its customers need and have taken serious steps towards attaining those things desired by the customers. It is thus no doubt that the company has thrived despite stiff competition from other well known business organizations such as Wal Mart, Dell among other. In my view, every organization must adopt a set of strategies to help it thrive now and in future.

Field Study At Alcoholics Anonymous Essay -- Research Alcoholism Drink

Field Study At Alcoholics Anonymous On Wednesday March 15 and 22 I attended meetings of the Serentiy Group, a local meeting group of Alcoholics Anonymous that were held at the Congregational Church in East Bridgewater. The meetings started around 8:00 pm and went until each member was given the opportunity to speak, or to share their feelings in some way. There was a total of 15 people present, including myself and my companion. The group was primarily made up of males, there was one female aside from my companion and I. The age of the group members was pretty much middle age (late 30s to 50s).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Before attending the meeting I was very apprehensive about going, for many reasons. The main one was that I did not know what to expect. I was unsure of who was going to be there, if I would know anyone, or if anyone would know me. I felt as though I was going to be invading the privacy of those in attendance. Upon arrival at I felt very extremely uncomfortable for two reasons, the obvious age difference, and the male to female ratio. The uneasiness passed quickly as the members of the group welcomed us in, and made us feel as if we were a part of the group. I think that part of my initial nervousness was due to the fact that I did not know what to expect, I was unsure as to what a drunk would look like. Once I arrived I realized that they do not look any different than anyone else. My initial impression was that the meeting would be very depressing, a ...

Little Fugue and Morning Song by Sylvia Plath Essay -- Sylvia Plath Po

A relationship is an emotional connection to someone involving an interaction between two or more people. There are many types of relationships, some functional and others far from being workable. I will demonstrate this through my texts of; Little Fugue, and Morning Song both poems written by Sylvia Plath; the movie, Love Actually; and the book, Trickster’s Choice by Tamora Pierce. Little Fugue by Sylvia Plath is my first example of how we all perceive our different relationships. This poem is about Plath talking of her father and herself and the lack of communication between the two. Throughout the poem, Plath contradicts herself, saying, ‘I was seven, I knew nothing’ yet she constantly talks of the past, remembering. Her tone is very dark and imposing, she uses many images of blindness, deafness and a severe lack of communication, ‘So the deaf and dumb/signal the blind, and are ignored’. Her use of enjambment shows her feelings and pain in some places, in other places it covers up her emotional state. She talks of her father being a German, a Nazi. Whilst her father may have originated from Germany, he was in no way a Nazi, or a fascist. He was a simple man who made sausages. ‘Lopping the sausages!’ However she used this against her father, who died when she was but eight, saying that she still had night mares, ‘They color1 my sleep,’ she also brings her father’s supposed Nazism up again, ‘Red, mottled, like cut necks./There was a silence!’. Plath also talks of her father being somewhat of a general in the militia, ‘A yew hedge of orders,’ also with this image she brings back her supposed vulnerability as a child, talking as if her father was going to send her away, ‘I am guilty of nothing.’ For all her claims of being vul... ...r child being an alien, she still stumbles from bed ‘cow heavy’ at a single cry from the child. Morning Song is literally the cry of a baby, as it calls for it’s mother. The relationship between mother and child is strong although Plath seems to view her child as something totally unchildlike. She doesn’t seem to be able to connect with her child in any way. I have learned that relationships are diverse and can change from one moment to the next. I have learned that not all people share the same views as I do when it comes to the people I hold dear. The world around me is a very different place to my perceived ideals. Relationships are like diamonds, with many sides and facets. It can be perfect and clear, or cloudy and distorted. It is life. 1American spelling used as it is a direct quote 2Corus is the capital city of Aly’s home country, Tortall

Keeping Close to Home Essay

Bell Hooks essay â€Å"Keeping Close to Home†, describes her struggles after she was accepted at Stanford University to further her self-realization. In this essay Hooks talks about her journey to educate herself and no losing her sense of where she came from as African American woman from a working class background. Hooks parents wanted her to go to a school close to home, a non-diverse like Stanford was. They wanted her to go to a school no just close to home but were the majority were black too. Her family biggest fear was her daughter changing her mind or losing her values and the connection with them. They knew college change people. However Hooks found the way to keep close to home by visiting every year, sometimes when she couldn’t go home because she didn’t have the money to travel, she had to stay at school, she expresses in a passage how her family wasn’t happy or supportive about her decision about her going to Stanford. As she said â€Å"My pa rents had not being delighted that I had been accepted ad adamantly opposed my going so far from home. At the same time, I did not see their opposition as an expression of their fear that they would lose me forever, â€Å"Like many working-class folks, they feared what college education might do to their children’s even as they unenthusiastically acknowledge its importance† (101). Most kids have a very strong knowledge about were they come from like Hooks was, opposite to some others which doesn’t, this make them to be weak, they could change their values and they might forget about their families and community. . When kids go to college they are in touch with many different people from different backgrounds. It is normal that their parents could be afraid of their kids changing their minds afterwards they will be living away from home and this could happen. This changes depend on how strong their roots are. Having no contact with no contact with their families that could happen, like Hooks explains on her essay when she said â€Å"Often I tell students from poor and working-class backgrounds that if you believe [that] what you have learned and are learning in schools and universities separates you from your past, this is precisely what will happen. It is important to stand firm in the conviction that nothing can  truly separate us from our pasts when we nurture and cherish that connection† (108). The best way to maintain the values our family gave us when we go away from home either to college or to live far from our families is keeping in touch with them for this purpose talk to our families once in a while will be good also never forget were we came from. When I read Hooks essay, this send me back in time to the year of 1979 when I graduate from High School. As I was reading her essay I felt that Hooks and I had the same struggles. Before I graduate from High School I had my mind set about going to college. My family was very poor. My mother was always a very hard worker woman, she ironed all the neighborhood clothing. I am very proud of my mother being a single mother she was capable to race my little sister and I all by herself after my dad past away when I was twelve years old Hooks’s talks about how proud she was about her father too when she said â€Å" â€Å" I never knew how poor we were until I needed to go to college. I knew I will need to find a job to fu rther my education. Hooks reveals all the pain and struggles she had after she was accepted at Stanford, how her parents were not supportive. I had the same exact struggles. My mother was very upset when I told her about my decision on going to school, she argues with me about how her friend’s kids never came back to their homes and how they stop visiting their parents after they went to school. My mother was not being very supportive like Hooks parents were. She teaches us to how to be loving, caring, how to respect each other in the family and everyone else. She wanted for me just to find a job close to my house, she even talked with the owners of this pharmacy on the corner of my house to give me a job as a cashier. She said I should stay home and help her with the house chores, she never thought I could be anything more than a housekeeping. We lived in a very small town called Villa Canales which was eight hours away from the college I decided to go. That was the most painful decision I had ever made. After all I was the first generation going to college. My family was very tight with very strong values. My sister and I used to spend all our summers vacations at my grandma’s house when we were little, we loved to listen all the stories she had to tell us, while we grow up. This made my family very similar to Hooks’s family. However my mother was afraid of me being far from her and my little sister and forget about them which didn’t happen. Even when the communication was not easy in Guatemala where I grow  up, I did all my efforts maintaining communication with my family. Distance was not enough reason for me to stop keeping in touch with them the same and never forget about all the instructions she gave me. The same way Hooks never stopped her contact and communication with her family. The purpose of her essay is to argue about that students coming from a working class background should not be ashamed where they come from nor either forget about their families. Going to school far from home shouldn’t change people, at least no their values. To keep this values intact people needs to keep the connection as Hooks did by keeping in touch with her family and community. Universities separates families this should not happen because the only way we keep our values is being tight with our families.

Language Learning in Early Childhood Essay

Early childhood education and early schooling for young children usually starts at the age of three; however, language learning for all human begins at the very early age. Many new born babies start to communicate with meaningless words like pa and ba; perhaps, it is the first stage they want to begin learning how to speak. The question arises with a grappling impression of why it happens, and what pushes them to superfluously generalize those meaningless sounds. The reason behind this amazing issue is what has engaged many psychologists and linguists all over the area of language research projects around the world. Beginning to simply answer this question, Lightbown and Spata (2010), state that in very early stages children produce a specific group of repeated words to convey their thoughts: for example, a comfortable baby frequently repeats cooing and gurgling; however it is not the case with a hungry child. Moreover, they assert that the process of learning to communicate falls into different sequential stages, which is the focus of this paper. According to Lightbown and Spata (2010), as children grow up, the sense for communication eagerly start to discover many features of the language that gives them the idea of how meaning relationships are created through the language. A twelve years old month baby exactly knows the meaning of cookies; he/she is still unable to use an appropriate language to ask questions about that. To state the matter differently, the linguistic cognitive development gradually unfolds the puzzle of how language is manipulated to express ideas. Many children who could not produce correct grammatical utterances, they would learn that in later years as they hear complete sentences from the environment they live. Vygotsky (1976) (citing Lightbown and Spata, 2010), believes that a great deal of children language is acquired through interactions with families and friends; however, B. F Skinner, and American psychologist, explain the acquisition of language in term of behaviorism that marks learning of a language as practice of reproducing what children hear or receive in daily conversation. In addition to these two theories, Noam Chomsky, a well-known figure in linguistics; argue that children are innately capable of learning language; though, the surrounded environment provides them with fundamental contributions that help them learn the basic language rules. Although learning a language is a natural process, but things get worst if we think about negative aspects of language acquisition. In attachment with some biological types of obstacles in acquiring a language like deafness, articulatory problems, and dyslexia, there is one last hurdle oppositely functioning in course of language learning, which is called bilingualism. Children who face a different language during school periods, it is too difficult for them to maintain their first language, and they often lose the normal range of their native language. In this case, children are said to be caught in a confusing dilemma. They haven’t completely learned their native language not have been learning the other one. â€Å"To deal with the problem, we suggest the maintenance of the first language while a second language is being learned† (Lightbown and Spata. 2010, p 26). Indeed, it is concluded that language learning is a series of interconnected stages which is progressed within the first three years of child’s age. Many psychologists and Linguists have presented different ideas about language acquisition; however, they only partially understand about how language is learned. Besides, since Language is a social phenomenon, it must be the result of some interactive means of communication between human beings. Children have some kind of innate capacities that predispose them not only learn their native language but also enables them to learn languages that are spoken in the place they live.