Making sure that your answers are concise yet complete Essay

Making sure that your answers are concise yet complete - Essay Example According to Daniel Bell, the postindustrial period heavily relies on the intellectual class that has the inclination in scientific, managerial, and administrative faculties to sustain the stable operation of the economy. He argued that knowledge was drastically included as a commodity (Bell as cited in Kivisto, 1999: p. 40-41). To augment Bell’s premise, C. Wright Mills formulated the class structure of advanced industrial societies which hosted the new middle-class or the white-collar professional; this latest social class does not execute manual labor unlike the blue-collar workers, instead they employ mental labor to a large extent (Mills as cited in Kivisto, 1999: p. 37-38). The outcome of this reallocation of consumer demands is the exclusion of the importance of high-paid manufacturing jobs such as Ford Company’s auto workers and others that rely on mechanized services. This recent economic trend elevated the significance of the service sector vis-Ã  -vis indust rial economies (Smart 28-29). Another concept, which is closely related to post-industrialization, is also discerned by some economists as the underlying factor behind the reductions of employment in manufacturing. Some analysts assume that deindustrialization is the end product of globalized capitalism and the increasing trade between the global North and South (Rowthorn para 5). The invention of the microchip increased the deep-seated automation of the global economy. As chips were produced on a dramatic scale which therefore boosts output, the importance of human labor decreased (Chomsky, 2008: para 13). Furthermore, free trade between the North (advanced societies) and the South (developing nations) displaced the workers of the North due to the rapid growth of painstaking labor in the manufacturing industries of the South (Rowthorn para 1). Playing between the boundaries of post-industrialism and

The Attitude of the Youth towards Classical Music Essay

The Attitude of the Youth towards Classical Music - Essay Example There is a need o discuss the opinions of the youth on the subject.  .  Personal preferences and liking have  a strong link to the field of consumer behavior. Personal choices of the consumer depend on the background they come from and the life style they lead. Music is enjoyed by almost all segments of the population. Each segment has their own tastes of music, they may vary from soulful to rock, pop and even classical music. The section liking classical music is reducing and especially in the younger generation. we don’t find many people that like classical music.  According to Philip Hart  (1973), the data available of the entire mass of the American orchestra depicts that the information is less concrete considering any aspect related to its audience. The symphony orchestra has diversified instruments; with time the composers have to work with complex things and their works written are more intricate that are suitable to the artistic needs required (Unger-Hamilton et. al 1988).Traditional music has become obsolete in today’s lifestyle, and the essence of music is focused more towards the bodily rhythmic movements  and the catchy notes  that provides, rather than the main influence  and quintessence of the form o f classical music. The need for classical music has been eradicated and the thirst for pop music is both commanding and influential.  Classical music is considered as the most primitive form of music. Sadly, the youth today gives no importance and holds no desires to learn classical music.  In many cultures the study of classical music was a must but youth nowadays are losing interest in learning this genre of music. In this chapter the topic of classical music will be introduced giving an introduction related with the younger generation.  The history of classical music will be observed and its quintessential nature will be brought into discussion.   

The Internationalisation Of Luxury Fashion

The Internationalisation Of Luxury Fashion Chapter 1. 1.0 Introduction Phau and Prendergast (2001) defined luxury brand has these characterises that are evoke exclusivity, have a well know brand identity, enjoy high brand awareness and perceived quality, and retain sales levels and customer loyalty. For the Chinese economy, it has been increased at an average rate of 13 percent per year (wgsn-edu.com, 2002). In 2004, a total of 236,000 Chinese became millionaires (Merrill Lynch Cap Gemini, 2005). As for luxury consumption, 37% of luxury goods are purchased in Asia (Chadha and Husband, 2006). In China Chinese luxury consumer population is 300,000 millionaires. That means Chinese consumers are playing the important role for the luxury brands as Chinese market will make or break the luxury products factors potentially (Okonkwo, 2007). Therefore, the customer usually would like to have different choices of purchasing fashion products. According to Howard and Herbig (1996) noted that People can perceive value is a major determinant of product success: qual ity images are far more important than product value; high prices portray high quality. Bake (2003) indicated that some factors could influence the retailer companies entry on the other markets, for example, legal and language. Therefore, the retailers in order to get most profit from products from foreign markets, they will use two ways that are the methods for the company of entry into foreign market and have a choice of distribution channels in each foreign market (Terpastra Sarathy, 1997). In international marketing, the entry method is very important for the fashion retailer to enter foreign markets. According to the global luxury consumption, it is indicated the luxury brands are successfully in the world and also in the global luxury market growth per year (Verdict, 2009). By using the theory of internationalisation and using the process of internaionalisation example of Burberry. It has strategically penetrated the Chinese market to comprehend the Chinese market. The market will have a great positive impact on the consumption of fashion goods and by highlighting their British origins and positioning themselves towards the aspirational consumers. Chapter 2. 2.0 Literature Review This literature review aims to address that the concept of retail internationalisation, its impact upon luxury fashion brands and the strategic operations of British luxury brands with Chinese retail market by using the examples of Burberry. Hines and Bruce (2001) noted fashion retailers were the most prolific and successful when it came to foreign market expansion. Unsurprisingly, the rise in academic interest reflects the increase of retail internationalisation activity as more companies seek to expand their operations overseas (Moore et al 2000). According to Alexander and Akehurst (1995) there are six key subject areas for researchers to thoroughly address all issues concerned with the process when discussing the internationalization of retailers; What is the internationalisation of fashion retailing? Who are the international fashion retailers? Where do fashion retailers internationalise? Why do fashion retailers internationalise? How do fashion retailers internationalise? When does fashion retailer internationalisation occur? 2.1 Definition of the luxury fashion brand Kapferer and Bastien said: Luxury is in fashion, and the fashion is for luxury. (Kapferer and Bastien, 2009) Luxury brands have the power of branding, which means they can influence cultures, societies and generations potentially. Traditionally, luxury brands have main core characteristics that are brand strength, exclusivity, creative, innovation, product craftsmanship, differentiation and precision, premium pricing and high quality (Okonkwo 2007). Furthermore, the other core characteristics for the true luxury brand are global reputation, strong brand image, emotional appeal, tightly controlled distribution and visibility (Jackson and Haid, 2006). For example, Gucci, the results of the strong brand image of Gucci are in several of brands products being back-ordered to two years. The brand value has an important relationship with consumers. 2.2 Whats internationalisation of retailing? The internationalisation of retailing is defined Treadgold (Wigley et al, 2005) as having visible and invisible dimensions. The Invisible dimension has been defined as the international sourcing of products and services and the cross-border transfer of management expertise in the form of managerial policies or technical skills (Kacker, 1997). That refers to the intangible facets as opposed to the physicality of opening overseas stores. On the other hand, for the visible dimension, the fashion retailer internationalisation is the operation of retail shops within foreign markets (Hines and Bruce, 2001). Consequently, the luxury fashion brands are visible in the market. From the report of clothing retailing UK (Mintel, 2003), there are 18 out of 20 top-selling clothing retailers have presence outside of domestic market, for instance, Burberry, it has 236 stores around world (BBC, 2010). At 30 June 2010, Burberry globally had 139 retail stores, 140 concessions (excluding Spain), 44 outlets and 97 franchise stores (Burberryplc, 2010). In China, Burberry has opened stores in 30 cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Wuhan (Burberry, 2010). According to Baker (2003, p.799), he indicates that because of the legal, language and logistical problems, the most successful retail is difficult to enter other markets. Even though the retail companies could be slow and difficult entry the other countries, however overseas expansion is a significant process for development of retailers. Liu and Mcgoldrick (Bcaker, 2003) indicated that the long history of international product sourcing has facilitated foreign retailing operations because relationships have already b een construct with the foreign destinations that is easier to instigate the process of internationalisation. 2.3 Who are the international fashion retailers? According to the British fashion council, the editors of the international fashion magazines, journals and fashion experts, who define characteristic of the international fashion retailers such firms: Have an international profile in the fashion industry as evidenced in their having bi-annual fashion show in one of the international fashion capitals, e.g. Paris, Milan, London Have been established in the fashion design business for at least two years Named their own label merchandise Retail merchandise either via outlets bearing the name of designer or within other outlets with two or more countries (Moore et al, 2000) From other definition, following Hines and Bruce (2007) the international fashion retailer can be defined into the four types: The product specialist fashion retailers narrow product range, clearly defined customer base The fashion designer retailers internationally recognized brand, exclusive positioning The general merchandise retailers mix of fashion and non-fashion products and large stores The general fashion retailers- broad range of products and accessible pricing (Hines and Bruce, 2007) Moore and Doherty (2007) defined luxury fashion retailers as: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ those firms that distribute clothing, accessories and other lifestyle products which are: Exclusively designed and/or manufactured by/or for the retailer; Exclusively branded with a recognised insignia, design handwriting or some other identifying device; Perceived to be of a superior design, quality and craftsmanship; Priced significantly higher than the market norm; and Sold within prestigious retail settings. Retailer that conform to this characterizes include Chanel, Giorgio Armani, Hermes, Burberry, Prada, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Versace and Mulberry. 2.4 Chinese retail cultures and economy For this stage, it will indicate the Chinese luxury fashion history, retailers and exporting in the world. By examining Chinese economy in the luxury fashion, China is playing an important role in the world of luxury fashion. Chinese have great history, but to date most of people have not exhume it or they reclaimed it by their own understanding. Once China has recovered its culture and confidence in itself, there is no uncertainty factor that great Chinese luxury brands will appear, recreating the link with the past such as shanghai Tan (Chadha and Husbands, 2006) $1.4 trillion economy of China is the sixth largest in the world and gross domestic product is forecast to increase 7.9% over the next five years (wgsn-edu.com, 2004). Since the 80s, Chinese economy has increased at an average rate of approx 13per cent per year. In some coastal cities growth has been as high as 35%. (Wgsn-edu.com, 2002. Sep 04). World trade in clothing and textiles is about $350 billion. In China, employment figure range from an estimated 19 million employed Textile and Clothing manufacture in 2005 up from 14 million in 1995 to 17963 in Mauritius. That is from the table, it also indicates employment in clothing manufacture in some countries from 1995 to 2005 (see figure 1) (Hines and Bruce, 2007). There is a reason for it that the Chinese textile and retail industries have cheap labour. On the other hand, China and Hong Kong China are the leading exporters which are significantly higher than others (see figure 2) (WTO, 2005) However, China and Hong Kong China are being relatively small importers in the table. Twenty years ago, there was no middle class in China but now, the middle class has been more than 100 million. Currently, China represents 12% of global luxury goods purchases and will grow 26 per cent per quarter for the next four years. The current of Chinese luxury consumer population is 300,000. The number of people who can afford the luxury products will grow up 1.3 billion in the next five years. That means the Chinese consumer is important for luxury brands as Chinese market will have make or break the luxury products factors potentially (Okonkwo, 2007). The high growth rate of the Chinese economy is an amazing market for the luxury fashion products industry. Chinese luxury market is the second largest to Japanese in the Asia-Pacific region and will grow 28 per cent annually in 2010 (Wiederhecker, 2007). Furthermore China will likely play influence role in the world of fashion. The effective of the rising Chinese designers will be increased in the next decades (Okonkwo, 2007). 2.5 Market entry Strategies Fashion retailers as the most prolific of international retailers can be are consistently recognised (Wigley and Moore, 2007). Luxury fashion brands have attracted more consistent attention and form the basis of the current work while the general fashion brands have been the focus of some academic attention (Laulajainen, 1992; Fernie et al., 1997; Moore et al., 2000; Moore et al., 2004). From Root (1987) summaries the definition of entry methods is as institutional arrangement that makes possible the entry of a companys product, technology, human skills, management or other resources into a foreign country. Traditionally, entry methods can be classified into along risk or control continuum (Teradgold and Davies, 1998; Dawson, 1994; Dotherty, 200). According to Alexander and Doherty (2009), international retailers will use more than one method to develop their markets when they face a number of methods for international expansion. There are main methods for international retailing dev eloping their markets: Flagship stores: company owned, large in scale to show case the brand Organic growth: internal expansion, likely new store develops within the existing or an integrated organization framework Merger and acquisition: the acquisition of control over a firm in the international market Joint venture: between a company in the host country and an international firm or two firms enter into a joint venture and enter the host market Franchising and licensing: a business gives the authorities to the international franchisee to operate the brand. Licensing, such like a agent Exporting/ wholesaling: products sold to an international market without really stores Concessions: a shop within a shop, usually a department store, in the host market Within each of these methods has advantages and disadvantages, which is chosen by a retailer on basis of its product portfolio, corporate confidence and has consequent set up cost and operational control, which a retailer needs to take into consideration (Burt, 1993; Dawson, 1993; Moore and Fernie, 2004; Quinn and Doherty, 2000; Sparks, 1996; Treadgold, 1991; Treadgold and Davies, 1988). Burt (1993). Following Simpson and Thorpes (1996) PLIN model the companies successful in foreign markets because their heritage provides them with niche differentials and internationally appealing brands as highlighted. This model suggests that retailers should do differential advantages via product, lifestyle, image and niche differentials from their competitors. The factors of internationalization entry methods Goodhow and Hanz (1972) indicate that companies need to consider five factors to start planning for foreign market entry: The environment of market- policy decision is affected by the environment of political and economic factors of the foreign market The competitiveness of the company- affected by the scale of company, technological level and experience of internationalisation The characteristic of the product- influenced through specialty of the production or different of production life cycle The consideration of companys capital and budget- it is affected by the limitation of companys capital. The cognition of inner company- the decision maker of company has the opinion towards the scale of risk for the demands of expansion foreign market The luxury fashion company, Burberry, says it is going to buy out its franchisees in Mainland China at beginning of September (Independent, 2010). Burberry will pay  £70 million ($108 million) to take full control of 50 stores in 30 cities in China, which include 9 stores in Beijing and 4 stores in Shanghai, from its franchisee Kwok Hang Holings of Hong Kong (BBC, 2010). The reason for Burberry to buy out its local franchise partner is that it will give more Burberry company control over the merchandise and how it is marketed. The chief financial office of Burberry said: We believe we can drive more productivity with those stores. and Burberry was looking to double the number of shops in the country. She also said the country would be a double-digit growth driver(Independent, 2010). Furthermore, for the development of retailer expansion in the foreign country, SWOT analyses can provide they with an outline of their strengths, Weakness, opportunities and threats, which can assist in direction when they entry into international markets (See figure 3). Burberry operates flagships in four markets that are London, New York, Tokyo and Barcelona (Moore and Doherty, 2007). Therefore Burberry did not use the flagships store method entry into China. However, for the one of the entry methods, concessions, nowadays, Luxury players have held out longest in Europe against locating in malls, which has been anathema to the retailers. However this has been preferred route to market in regions, such as China in Asia (Verdict, 2009). Similarly in Beijing both Shingkong Place and ST Plaza big department malls anchoring many luxury brands. Burberry operates concessions within these department stores throughout China. However, Burberry will operate the flagship store in Beijing in 16th December. That flagship store will be the most great in Asia (ELLEChina, 2010). 2.6 International expansion direction Some studies examined that the direction of expansion of specific fashion retailers is largely determined by their market position (Hind and Bruce). According to Hollander (1970) found that a focus on capital city expansion was a common trait of the internationalising luxury fashion retailers and termed the strategy the New York, London, Paris syndrome. In the 1990s, as a consequence of the hardly competitive conditions within the European Union and as a result of the opportunities afforded by the demise of the USSR. Therefore Fashion retailers have focused on their international expansion to emerging markets includes China, Russia (Fernie et al., 1998) The place of distribution refers to the areas that are make products and services available to customers. Retail channels are most effective when they meet the consumers expectations in terms of location, convenience and product assortment (Okonkwo, 2007). For luxury brands, there is the additional task of brand protection in the distribution areas choice such as licences or franchises. However, as early mention in previous chapter, in China, luxury retailers entry the market for the place of distribution via another choice. For an instant, The British luxury brand, Burberry, has 47 stores in Mainland China. In Beijing, Burberry operates eight stores. Chapter 3. 3.0 Luxury brands in the world 3.1 Global luxury consumption During the last few years, the luxury market has sustained growth. The luxury market has grown from $20 billion to $68billion from 1985 to 2000 in spite of the September 11 attacks and other events disruptive to global trade (The Economist, 2002). Even though some factors can influence the consumption of luxury brand in the market, which include image, quality, store atmosphere (Deeter-Dchmelz et al, 2000). However, Global consumers spend on luxury brands still grow 102.5% over 2003 to 2008 in $. In the euros, the global luxury market grew by 41.8% to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬224.5bn over the 2003 to 2008, with a growth slowdown becoming evident in the latter half of 2008 because consumers expenditure on luxury brands slowed under the impact of the global financial crisis (see figure 4) Furthermore, the luxury goods sector has become increasingly more internationalised in recent year (see figure 5) (Verdict, 2009). 3.2 Burberry in China Thomas Burberry created Burberry in 1856 in Basingstoke, England when he opened a store to sell mens outwear, soon becoming known for the development of a fabric called gabardine. During the First World War, Burberry continued to develop the officers raincoat named the Trench coat(Moore Britwistle, 2004). Burberry is a global luxury brand with a distinctive British heritage, core outerwear base and one of the most recognized icons in the world. In China, after Burberry bought its franchisee back from Kwok Hang Holdings of Hong Kong (BBC, 2010). According to Burberry Group PLC (2010) Burberry plans to open about 10 stores in China in the current financial year when applying global marketing, retail, merchandising and IT disciplines to drive store productivity. From Angela Ahrendts, Chief Executive Officer commented: The acquisition of Burberrys store operations in mainland China will allow us to further leverage our proven brand and business strategies in this high growth luxury region. With a solid foundation of 50 stores across 30 cities, operational expertise and strong brand momentum, this is an optimal time for Burberry to integrate this business. Chinese market is an exciting market for the British luxury brand, Burberry. Furthermore, Burberry also plans to add 66 stores and 44 Chinese outlets in China by 2012 (Independent, 2010). In the other hand, According to Burberry annual report (2009) the revenues of Burberry were up 30% in Asia-Pacific and in 2009 to 2010, the retail and wholesale revenue were 24% in Asia-pacific includes China. (see Figure 6) Chapter 4. 4.0 Methodology 4.1 Introduction This chapter will definite the relevant methods of research that proceeds to give the most accurate findings for the aim and objectives of the project that have already been discussed. A vary of research methods will be examined at individually. After identify all the methods a few approaches will be selected for examining the retail internationalisation of British luxury fashion brands into Chinese market. 4.2 Research approaches According to Proctor (2000) indicated Qualitative research examines the attitudes, feelings and motivations of products users. Qualitative research is characterised by small samples and this has always focus on criticism. Qualitative research has advantages to grow in popularity. Firstly, it is much cheaper than quantities research. Secondly, an understanding of customer attitudes and motivations is produced a good mechanism by Qualitative research. Thirdly, it can improve quantitative research efficiently. Otherwise, qualitative research cannot provide samples for representative of the target population of the research. Quantitative research is focused with measuring elements of a market or the population of consumers marking up the market. This contains soft phenomena such as consumer attitude as well as market size, brand shares and purchase frequencies etc (Hague and Jackson, 1999). Quantitative research is a large sample size and it use statistical to analysis (Proctor, 2000). 4.3 Sampling The definition of sampling is from Chisnall (2001), it is concerned with the study of the relationships exiting between a population and the samples drawn from it. Proctor (2000) indicated sampling, some so-called census information is in fact obtained via sampling. That means computer assisted statistical procedures make it possible to obtain useful information about the population through questioning only a selected sample of persons. There are two main types of sampling methods according to Chisnall (2001) Probability samples- it is different between the sample value and the true value of the population surveyed. Non-probability samples- it require certain percentages of the sample to be women or men, housewives under thirty or a similar criterion. 4.4 Survey The primary data is indicated that asking people questions about their knowledge, attitudes, preferences and buying behavior (Kotler et al 2002). According to Proctor (2000) explored some of the various method of primary data through surveys: Postal surveys Personal interviews Telephone surveys Completely self-administered surveys Panels Omnibus studies 4.5 Questionnaires A Questionnaire is an important stage of the total research methods and its preparation and administration demand considerable professional expertise. It obtains specific information about a defined problem so that data result in a better appreciation of the problem after analysis and interpretation Chisnall (2001). According to Hague and Jackson (1999) noted purposes for the questionnaires. Firstly, primary role is to draw accurate date form respondents. Secondly, they provide structure to interviews. Thirdly, a questionnaire is to provide a standard form on which facts, comments and attitudes can be written down. Finally, questionnaire facilitates data processing. Question can be classified into two types that are open-ended question and closed questions. Open-ended question is also known as free answer or free response. The respondent is considerable freedom in phrasing an answer, which may be lengthy and detailed, and in his or her own words. On the other hand, closed questions are identified as calling for responses, which are strictly limited. That means he or she can choose alternative replies from they are expected to select an answer corresponding their on a particular subject (Hague and Jackson, 1999). Survey questionnaires are applied in different ways such as telephone interviews, formal structured personal interviews and self-administered studies (Proctor, 2000). 4.5 Observation According to Proctor (2000) indicated observation is a drawback of the survey method. It obtains much of the information is based on interviewees statements describing what they have done or expect to do in the future. Observation includes the personal or mechanical monitoring of selected activities. Chisnall (2001) said observation may be either participative or non-participative as indicated in the receding section. Participative observation would seem to have very limited application in marketing research. On the other hand, non-participative widely used in scientific studies and termed the classical method of investigation has several applications in marketing research. Hague and Jackson (1999) noted that observation is used in shopping studies, especially in stores. It is used to find out how things are done in practice. Observation can classified into these stages for the in-store environment: Distribution Shelf price Shelf facings -reported in number and share Shelf location Display activity Presence of point-of-purchase material (Proctor, 2000) 4.6 Focus group A focus group is a common form of a group interview. The aim of focus group is to learn and understand what people have to say about a topic and understand their arguments. The purpose is to discover how it forms part of their lives and how they feel about products, idea or organization. Focus group can be classified into three types that are exploratory groups, clinical focus group and employing focus group. Exploratory groups method is often used by focus group and helping to define the problem precisely. Clinical focus groups are used as true motivations and feelings of a person are subconscious. Employing focus groups provide information and data about problem by the mechanism of group dynamics. (Proctor, 2000) 4.7 Interviews According to Chisnall (2001) defined as a conversation directed to a definite purpose other than satisfaction in the conversation itself. An interview concerned with a purposeful exchange of meanings and interaction between the interviewer and the respondent. The quality of the interview depends on the interviewer developing a relationship with the answers, which will encourage good communication. 5.0 Conclusion Tungate (2008) indicated luxury brands have identified opportunities in Asia as a whole, everyone wants to talk about China. And also, Dickson Poon, the Hong Kong entrepreneur who owns Harvey Nichols, said: China definitely has the potential to become the largest luxury goods market in the world. Poon says that a number of Chinese with the wherewithal to buy mid-price consumer goods has reached 300 million. The Chinese is already worth an estimated US$550 billion. The people frequently travel for shopping not only to Hong Kong, they will go to further afield such as Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, as there place is a new wealth. Therefore, British luxury brand, Burberry successful entry into Chinese market. According to the data and information as mentioned in previous sectors indicated Burberry is good example of British luxury brand in Chinese market even though Burberry spent  £70 million ($108 million) to take full control of 50 stores in 30 cities in China. Like Angela Ahrendts, Chief Executive Officer said: Chinese market is an exciting market for the British luxury brand.(Burberry Group PLC 2010) So, Burberry is developing in Chinese market constantly, and they will open the most largest flagships store in Beijing soon as mentioned in previous sector. The aim of this project is to understand the retail internationalisation of British luxury fashion brands into the Chinese market. Therefore, objectives will be achieved by using both primary and secondary research methods to examined the retail internationalisation of British luxury fashion brands into the Chinese market. The literature review includes extensive secondary research from published authors of books, journal articles etc. to provide an examination of theoretical work. However, this project would benefit from the following methods of research have been selected as the best approaches to gain the most accurate findings. Index. Figure 1. Source from: Bruce M. and Hines, Fashion Marketing contemporary issues, pp. 3 Figure 2. Source from: Bruce M. and Hines, Fashion Marketing contemporary issues, pp. 5 Strengths Gross margin increased from 52.1% in 2008/09 to 59.7% in 2009/10 Annual sales of  £1280m Retail revenue is  £749m Authentic British heritage Its founding in 1856 by Thomas Burberry Globally recognized icon portfolio e.g. trench coat, trademark check Top 100 global brands Weaknesses Profit fell from  £62m to 25m in1998 The foreign group out of control Over-reliance on a number of key product suppliers Burberry over-relies upon licensees Opportunities Enhance consumer responsiveness Operate more efficiently and effectively Upgrading existing stores Execution of the global buy Threats Competition from other luxury global brands such as Chanel, Gucci Burberry could suffer it is supply chain is unable to produce Burberry may be unable to control its wholesale and licenseesFigure 3 Burberry SWOT analyses Figure 4. Source from: Verdict (2009), Global luxury retailing, pp.23 Figure 5 Source from: Verdict (2009), Global luxury retailing, pp.24

Richard Iiis Presence In Black Adder; The Foretelling :: essays research papers

The good guys always win. We know this because Hollywood has taught us that. We also know this because history has taught us this. But when people take into account and acknowledge history’s teachings, most fail to also consider history’s hypocrisy. Every day, all through our lives we become softened and comforted with drugs, fed gradually and continuously by our trusted media. We are overwhelmed by the goodness of our rulers. Wherever there is evil, it is always won over by the forces of good. America – saviour of democracy, has defeated the evil communist empires. Australia is a more civilised and developed country now that it is in the capable hands of the Europeans. Israel with the help of America (our favourite knight in shining armour) is winning the battle against Islamic terrorists so that they can secure their â€Å"democratic interests†. Again and again we are reminded that history, after all, is written by the winners. The Black Adder episode; The Foretelling, attempts to remind us of history’s hypocrisy by studying the events of the War of the Roses an texts from literature depicting this, and illuminating them in humorous light. Special treatment is given to Shakespearian accounts of the war. It provides a ridiculously different version of event, mocking us for respecting Shakespeare as a historian. The writer does this by making continuous appropriations to Richard III through similar but humorously modified phrases, the inconsistent use of Elizabethan language, familiar names but with different characters and by depicting similar events. The story starts off with good king Richard III addressing his group of merry men by saying, â€Å"Now is the summer of our sweet content made overcast winter by these Tudor clouds.† Words from that famous opening soliloquy, recited by theatre’s most well known Machiavellian villain, modified to have a ridiculously contrary meaning that we find humorous. Hah, we say in disbelief, Richard a nice guy? We find that hard to take in because we listen and accept what Shakespeare tells us. The essence of The Foretelling’s humour is derived from many such allusions to Richard-III. Richard is not the only victim of such characterisations. Innocent sweet little Edmund is potrayed as the evil traitor; the Black Adder ad is given a particularly daft hairstyle! The knight Richmond – champion of goodness, servant of god – is now the vile enemy, accused of rewriting history for his own sake.

Films Present Psychosocial Disabilities Essay

A number of films feature psychosocial disabilities simply because some people suffer from these illnesses in real life. Through analyzing films, one can comprehend the attitudes of society toward people with these disabilities. It can be a special emphasis on their capabilities or a barrier on their participation in the community. Since these individuals have to relate with society in order to grow and mature as individuals, films try to convey their stories to the audience. Through film, the societal attitudes and on how these affect the lives of people with disabilities are explored. These may be strategies that either help or delineate the societal attitudes on those who have psychosocial disabilities. (De Leon, 352) Therefore, it helps to examine and understand the contributions of these societal attitudes and theories of personality in order to comprehend the relations of those who have psychosocial disabilities to society. The way they cope with their illness and react to loss is slowly observed and from there, the method to relate is determined. It is important to describe the developmental concepts of the person suffering from the illness. His regard on body image and self-concept are factors on how he adjusts with his disability. By reviewing the psychosocial models of adaptations to the disabilities and emphasizing on the patient’s experiences, behaviors, reactions and phases, it is easier to come up with the conclusion on how he can adjust to society. A technique films use in presenting psychosocial disabilities to audience is to figuring out the patient’s commonalities that are both personal and transpersonal to society. By observing the experiences and the reactions from these events, the onset and root of the disability is discovered. (Farrington, 135) Films dealing with psychosocial disabilities increase the understanding of society to what people with these disabilities have to go through. Some will say that these are just movies; however, these movies are inspired by real life. By becoming familiar with the psychosocial adaptations of both the patient and society, counseling and therapeutic procedures will benefit those who need it more because their techniques in coping and adjusting have been tried and tested. This paper will discuss three films that show psychosocial disabilities: 1. ) autism in â€Å"The Rain Man†, AIDS/HIV in â€Å"Philadephia† and mental retardation in â€Å"There’s Something about Mary†. All three films are popular and have been watched by most Americans, therefore it is easier to cite examples in these movies on this paper. For coherence, this paper will present how the disability was represented in the film by describing the patient’s functional limitations. It will also discuss how the disability affects the patient’s body image and self-perceptions. Then it will proceed to the reactions, as well as the coping strategies of the patient with his disability. At the same time, the paper will indicate how society’s reaction towards the patient and his ability affect his attitudes. †Rain Man† (1988) follows Charlie Babbit (Tom Cruise) and his transformation from a selfish yuppie to a selfless brother. This is because of the days he spent with his older brother Raymond (Dustin Hoffman) who is the benefactor of their father’s financial assets but is autistic and has difficulties in communicating. Charlie’s initial reaction to their father’s decision of leaving $3 million to his autistic brother is general as that of most people. He believes that Raymond does not understand the whole concept of money. Therefore, Charlie was determined to get his share. He goes on a road trip with Raymond, only to be annoyed by his neurotic habits. It even gets to the point that he thinks Raymond is pretending to be autistic in order for Charlie to not get his share of the fiscal assets. Autism is a brain development disorder that affects communication and social interaction. It results to repetitive and restricted behavior. In the film, Hoffman does acts that autistics usually do. An example is the memorization of details which most â€Å"normal† people do not pay attention to. In one scene, Charlie and Raymond are supposed to fly to California but the latter resists. He then cites knowledge from both media reports and the encyclopedia on airline accidents and crashes. Raymond creates a scene when Charlie forcefully drags him to the terminal. (Stowe, 12) This is only the beginning of the sling of Raymond’s eccentricities which Charlie has to adjust with. Charlie uses the two-lane highways because Raymond is convinced that highway driving is fatal. He also refuses to go out when it rains. The whole road trip annoys Charlie because he wants to get his inheritance as soon as possible. On the other hand, the people who meet Raymond are amazed of his uniqueness. In a restaurant, one waitress is baffled on how Raymond knows her name and her home phone number. Apparently, he has read up and memorized the directory. The same waitress drops a box of toothpicks on the floor. Raymond calculates the number of toothpicks on the floor and gets the right number. Autistic patients often prefer to do things in order. In the film, Raymond wants maple syrup served before the pancakes. When he does not get his way, he throws a tantrum which brings Charlie to a boiling point. He grabs Raymond’s neck and says, â€Å"Stop acting like a retard! † Autistic patients also like to keep notes. In the movie, Raymond carries a red spiral notebook where he jots down â€Å"squeezed and pulled and hurt my neck in 1988. † Charlie’s relation with his brother Raymond is an allusion of society’s interaction with autistics. Initially, there are feelings of annoyance and irritation. Eventually, these strong quasi-hateful emotions will soften. Like Charlie, society has a growing sense of responsibility to protect autistics from the negative aspects of the world. (Turnbull) †Philadelphia† (1993) tackles HIV/AIDS. The main character is Andrew Beckett (Tom Hanks) who is a University of Pennsylvania law-school graduate. He works for a large law film in Philadelphia. He has not come out of the closet. Also, he has AIDS. It gets to the point where his condition has developed Kaposi’s Sarcoma. This is a form of cancer that is apparent because it comes in multiple tumors on the skin and the lymph nodes. Through a scheme that involves the deleting of the files on the case he has pondered on, he is fired from his job. In the library people leave immediately as soon as they see Andrew with the blotches on his skin. Witnessing the discrimination Andrew has to go through, Joe changes his mind and takes on the case. HIV or Human Immunodeficiency Virus is a retrovirus that results to AIDS or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. The immune system fails to function properly. This leads to life-threatening infections in the human body. Throughout the film, Andrew and Joe establish respect and trust for one another. Joe’s homophobia is not an issue. Despite the shock of the Pennsylvanian population, Joe presents to everyone that Andrew is not a virus in society. He berates Andrew’s boss of perjury by humiliating Andrew claiming that he is incompetent, simply because he is finding a reason to let him go. In the end, Andrew wins his case and he receives a total $4,240,000. This win makes a statement on sexual discrimination in Philadelphia in terms of preference. Unfortunately, for Andrew, the news is bittersweet as he stays in a hospital with his family around him. He undergoes medication to lessen the seizures. There is a moment in the movie wherein Joe approaches Andrew and helps him with his oxygen mask. In that act, Joe’s fingers touch Andrew’s face. This is the complete opposite of how he reacted in the earlier part of the film – when he shook his hand and wiped it clean, after knowing he had AIDS. Released in the early 90s, â€Å"Philadelphia† signaled the move for Hollywood to depict homosexuals realistically. Since then, movies and TV shows feature gays and lesbians, which is a breather to those who are open-minded. (Gary, 224) Schools require sex education in order for teenagers to be informed and knowledgeable on HIV and AIDS. (Green, 42) †There’s Something About Mary† (1998) is a comedy directed by Bobby and Peter Farrelly, collectively known as the Farrelly brothers. Unlike â€Å"Rain Man† and â€Å"Philadelphia,† the psychosocial disability in â€Å"There’s Something About Mary† does not have an entire effect on the film. As opposed to the fact that Charlie and Raymond’s relationship are affected by Raymond’s autism and it is Andrew’s HIV that begins the case in the first place, the psychosocial disability in â€Å"There’s Something About Mary† is Warren’s mental retardation. Warren, played by W. Earl Brown, is the older brother of Mary (Cameron Diaz). He has stunted language and motor skills and has an intellectual capacity as that of a child. In the movie, he gets mad whenever strangers touch his ears. Thus he always has to have these covered. People who are mentally retarded have slow developmental abilities. They have a delay in their learning and development. In the movie, Ted Stroehmann (Ben Stiller) tries so hard to take care of Warren in order to show Mary how much he cares for her, that he is willing look after her brother. Warren in the movie has a hard time speaking. He also finds it hard to remember things and cannot understand the social rules. Whenever Warren does not get his way, he threatens people with his baseball bat. He also has a trouble thinking logically and throws tantrums. The common bond among autism, AIDS and mental retardation is that these are disabilities and are not diseases. Unfortunately, there is no cure to any of these. The only way the family of the patient can help is to support and be physically present as the individual goes through this hard phase. In the United States, there are agencies which assist people with psychosocial disabilities. It is operated by the state and is non-profit. There are departments that provide housing to the staff of the nurses and doctors who care for the patients. An example is the institution Raymond is staying in. Apparently, in real life, there are also institutions such as these. Another social issue that was previously taboo is homosexuality. Thanks to the participation of media, gays and lesbians are given a voice through the characters in movies and TV shows. A stereotype on homosexuals is that they are the ones who have AIDS/HIV. Apparently, straight men like Magic Johnson can also get the disability. Through information technology, people are informed on the 411 of HIV. People with psychosocial disabilities may take several medications but it will not lessen the complications. Therefore, society must participate in special programs that will enlighten them on how to care for those who have these disabilities. It may take some time to accomplish this but the finish line is for â€Å"normal† people and those who have psychosocial disabilities live together, without annoyance and prejudice. (Farber, 124) The prejudice and the exclusion by society of people with these disabilities result to the factors of recognizing those who are intellectual, physical and psychologically smarter, despite their illness. This is what films featuring these disabilities have brought forth into the real world. It may be entertainment, but it is interesting to note that both â€Å"Rain Man† and â€Å"Philadelphia† were somehow inspired by real life stories. Raymond was inspired by Kin Peek while Andrew Beckett’s inspiration was the real-life attorney Geoffrey Bowers who also sued his law firm. One of the current concerns of society is equality. There will always be the struggle for equality, especially in marginalized parties. The equal rights give individuals the ability and the power to make their own decisions. Unfortunately, autistic and those who have mental retardation cannot do as such. Therefore, the social model of disability has been created. This requires a change in society. This motivates people to be more positive toward those with the disabilities. The former must not underestimate the latter’s behavior and traits for the very reason that these may be potential qualities of a contributing citizen. There are social support organizations that deal with the resources, barriers and discrimination of people who have disabilities. (Patricia, 243) Lastly and most importantly, just as like that of HIV/AIDS, these organizations inform the general society what they must know about autism and mental retardation. Just because a loved one is not suffering from the psychosocial disease, it does not mean that one family will stop caring. Films encourage us to care. By letting us into the world of which we are not familiar with, we take in the knowledge that we can, be it the side comedy provided by the supporting character Warren in â€Å"There’s Something About Mary†, or the side story of the courtroom drama in â€Å"Philadelphia† or the best example out of all three, the very reason for two brothers to re-discover one another. Works Cited De Leon, George, Community As Method: Therapeutic Communities for Special Populations and Special Settings, Praeger Publishers, 1997 Farrington, David P. , Early Prevention of Adult Antisocial Behavior, Cambridge University Press, 2003 Stowe, Matthew J, â€Å"Tools for Analyzing Policy â€Å"On the Books† and Policy â€Å"On The Streets†, Journal of Disability Policy Studies, Vol 12, 2001 Turnbull, Rutherford III, â€Å"I Have Six Kids Who Are Autistic†, The Mirror, March 12, 2005 Green, Philip, Cracks in the Pedestal: Ideology and Gender in Hollywood, University of Massachusetts Press, 1998 Arnold, Gary, â€Å"’In’ Fails To Keep Out Incoherent Plot Twists†, The Washington Times, September 19, 1997 Farber, Bernard, Mental Retardation: Its Social Contexts and Social Consequences, Houghton Mifflin, 1968 Ainsworth, Patricia, Understanding Mental Retardation, University Press of Mississippi, 2004

The American Indian and the Problem of Culture Essay

The Native Americans are perhaps the most culturally storied and richly diversified culture in the America. Indeed, the historical narrations of the Indian culture, way of life and lifestyle are narrated as rich in strife, struggle as well as triumph. In fact, a majority of the modern ways of life and lifestyle in the United States are directly or indirectly inherited or borrowed from the ancient Indian cultures of centuries ago. Yet, most Americans take for granted the many familiar symbols that trace their origin from the Native Indian Americans. The purpose of this paper is to describe the culture of the American Indians. The American Indians used various symbols that interwove the tapestry of their lifestyle. Integral symbols such as the totem pole, the teepee, the moccasins and the peace pipe formed a special cultural trait of the American Indians life (Barrett, 2004). Native animals and plants as houses and weather had a special cultural relationship with the American Indians. For instance, the American Indians revered animals for spiritual believes and ties in spite of their hunting practices. Animal hides and skins made drums and clothes while the meat was preserved and never wasted to nourish the community. The American Indians believed that the spirit of the animals killed lived through the community by inhabiting the tribe’s minds. The American Indians cultivated and later harvested various plants for different reasons and seasons such as making blankets and dyes (Biolsi & Martin, 1989). Weather elements bore cultural meanings, attachments and endearments to the community, as well. For instance, the American Indians believed that the sun and the rain were supernatural powers and represented a change in the Indian’s seasons. Totem poles formed a special part of the America Indian’s culture (Hallowell, 1957). For instance, they believed that every person’s spirit in the community was attached to particular animal’s spirit. Therefore, the community believed that, at death, a person’s spirit was absorbed by his or her attached animal to live on or regenerate as another person at birth. As a tall and large wooden carving, the totem pole was framed to represent various animals with a certain animal representing a cherished but deceased member of the family. Today, it is easy to observe a dangling dream catcher hanged from rearview mirrors on cars driving in the United States’ roads. However, people rarely know or acknowledge the significance of the dream catchers. Indeed, this symbol traces back to the Lakota tribe’s legendary stories (Hallowell, 1957). It is a symbol of holding onto dearest things in a person’s life. In addition, the perforated holes in a dream catcher serve to filter ill feelings and thoughts. Another Interesting aspect of the American Indian’s culture is smoke signaling. The American Indians used smoke signals to send and relay messages over long distances and bore a proud heritage amongst the American Indians. The American Indians also believed in spirits and depended on them for the well being and nourishment of the society (Barrett, 2004). Spirits were tied to various outcomes in the society such as bumper harvest, natural disasters and tragedies and community health. As a result, the spirits were kept pleased to see to the survival and good harvest in the tribe. Sacrifices and offerings were made at sacred places to the spirits. For instance, the Pueblo tribes regarded various plants as sacred while the Aztecs offered human sacrifices to appease the spirits. References Barrett, C. A. (2004). American Indian culture. Pasadena, Calif.: Salem Press. Biolsi, T., & Martin, C. (1989). The American Indian and the Problem of Culture. American Indian Quarterly, 13(3), 261. Hallowell, A. I. (1957). The Impact of the American Indian on American Culture. American Anthropologist, 59(2), 201-217. Source document