Sunday, October 6, 2019
Formal Proposal on Pensions for Public Employees Research
Formal on Pensions for Public Employees - Research Proposal Example There are different types of pension plans and this report suggests the public organizations to use and implement ââ¬ËDefined benefit pension planââ¬â¢ as this would be beneficial for most of the employees working in public sector. Pension plans are of many types. Retirement plan, state and social pension plan, and disability pension are some of the types. It is mandatory for permanent employees that they should be given payment after their retirement in the form of pension. If it is not paid then it should be mentioned in the contract of the employees. Pension is defined the amount that an employee gets on his retirement through the contribution of employees and investment returns. This amount is received on a regular basis by the employee. Membersââ¬â¢ contribution is deducted from their payroll throughout their duration of service (Davis, 1998). Generally, the amount of pension is predetermined and based on a defined formula. This formula may vary from one organization to another however the formula is based on employeeââ¬â¢s history of earnings. In America, Public employee pension plan is suffering and the employees at the public organizations are not satisfied with the existing plan. One of the reas ons for this is that government is exploring more unusual investments in order to feed the Public employee pension plan. OCER has invested 10.9 billion dollars in funds. Out of these funds, only 4% is from assets (Reicher, 2014). According to figure 1 presented in the appendix section, all public plans are funded in a well-mannered way and contributions from the employers are found lower in pension plans (Basich, 2011). This report presents a proposal for the pension of public employees. Pension is an important aspect of the workplace as it provides funds at a stage when the person does not have the ability or energy to work appropriately for 40 hours in a week. Senior management has an important role and they have to take part
Saturday, October 5, 2019
Ethics and Risk Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words
Ethics and Risk Assessment - Essay Example 2), the form will be submitted to the appropriate Programme Administrator. Specific deadlines may apply: check on the School student intranet or with the Programme Administrator. After submission of the form, students may still change the title of their project with the agreement of their supervisor. If a change to title has ethical or risk implications however then the form should be resubmitted, this should also be indicated. Family Name First name(s) Registration Number Programme/Degree Name of Supervisor or Course-unit Leader Section 1. Confirmation of Title and Description of Project Title Child Abuse in the Catholic Church: Interview with an abused Attach a separate sheet with a description of your proposed project, max. 500 words. This should not be a theoretical or intellectual rationale, nor a detailed methodology. It should specify the location(s) and duration of your project and describe, as far as possible, who you will work with and what your interactions with research p articipants will consist of (i.e. what you will actually do with them and in what contexts) and what kind of data you will collect. Section 2. Risk Assessment Please tick (?) one box (there is no need to print out or submit a copy of the generic assessments): The proposed research does not involve any fieldwork but complies with the School Generic Risk Assessment C: On Campus Working. I confirm I have read and understood this assessment. The proposed research does include a period of fieldwork, but complies with the School Generic Risk Assessment A: Off Campus work in the UK. I confirm I have read and understood this assessment. ? The proposed research does include a period of fieldwork, but complies with the School Generic Risk Assessment B: Off Campus work overseas. I confirm I have read and understood this assessment. The proposed research does include a period of fieldwork, but falls outside of the Schoolââ¬â¢s Generic Risk Assessments and therefore I have completed and attac hed a full risk assessment for approval. Section 3. Ethical Considerations Question 1 YES NO Will the research for your project involve you in gathering or holding data from living human participants in any form (i.e. interviews, surveys, observation)? Yes or No, please tick (?) one box ? If you answered No to Question 1, then you are free to undertake your research, but if your research alters at any time before submission to involve the gathering of information from or holding of data from living human participants then you must recomplete and resubmit this form. If you answered Yes to Question 1, please continue onto Question 2 Question 2 Please confirm that you have read and understood the Schoolââ¬â¢s template for Ethics Approval for Student Research Projects with Consenting Adults and that your project falls within the parameters described in the template. Yes or No, please tick (?) one box YES NO ? If you answered Yes to Question 2 then you are free to undertake your resea rch providing you abide by the following conditions. You must work to the information contained in the Schoolââ¬â¢s template for Ethics Approval for Student Research Projects with Consenting Adults, regarding use of participant consent forms and participant information forms, and regarding the safe collection, storage and handling of data. If your research alters at any time before submission to depart from the Schoolââ¬â¢s template for Ethics Approval for Student Research Projects with Consenting Adults, then this approval is revoked and you must speak immediately to your supervisor. You must complete and submit with this form a sample participant infor
Friday, October 4, 2019
Ethical Observations Essay Example for Free
Ethical Observations Essay Unethical accounting behavior and the resulting practices of it within businesses today is a very hot topic since the Enron accounting scandal of 2001. One might ask how does a scandal of this proportion come to be and can it happen again? What situations could lead to unethical behaviors and practices in accounting today that might cause history to repeat itself? The author intends to answer these questions and shed light on some insight of accounting ethics today. By the end of 2001 investors and the public needed something to restore confidence in the way businesses handled accounting and reporting practices. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act was passed into law in July 2002 with the intent of protecting investors by improving financial reporting accuracy and reliability as a result. Ideally, fraud will be prevented through SOX by increased internal controls and greater transparency in accounting practices. The theory is based on the logic that managers who engage in fraudulent activity will be discovered and punished by fines or imprisonment. This theory has mixed reviews as of today. Some argue that SOX does not do enough to prevent managers from manipulating earnings or hiding assets. Others maintain that SOX has improved the level of ethics awareness and concern from what it was in 2001. Most will agree, however, that the law is a step in the right direction and that ethics is a major concern and becoming a more discussed topic of top management in larger corporations today. One might consider why more firms do not have ethics codes or policies in place to prevent the conduct described when in fact Enron did have an ethics code supposedly based on respect, integrity, and communication. One of the problems was that of leadership failure and The point is that an ethical culture must be maintained within an organization at the corporate level and fostered with each new employee from the top down. Although a situation such as Enronââ¬â¢s is not as likely to happen the same way again, when management places extreme emphasis on earnings and promotes activities that might cause earnings to appear inflated, possibilities exist for an unethical situation to occur. (Conroy Emerson, 2006) When a corporationââ¬â¢s culture supports risk taking without regard for consequences, and it uses employee performance appraisals to undermine their position, there is the likelihood that unethical accounting practices will be needed to cover up such activity. Additionally, as with Enronââ¬â¢s case, internal controls were weak or simply not present at all to maintain good accounting as with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) while divisional business units were kept in the dark from noticing what was going on in the overall sense of the scheme. When looking at how important it is to identify unethical behavior in accounting, consider the recent U.S. Housing Market collapse of 2008. Simple mistakes in identifying financial fraud caused some mortgage companies to be over-valued in return allowing investors to lose billions. (BBC News Business, 2011) Unfortunately, in some cases, employees that bring unethical behavior to managementsââ¬â¢ attention, risk criticism or worse job loss if deemed a whistle blower. Past cases have indicated that there may be no incentive from management to bring attention to questionable accounting practices in this way. Without managements support and leadership to instill good ethical culture within the workplace, it will be difficult to see positive changes in the future. In conclusion, a greater emphasis on accounting ethics is being seen since the days of the Enron scandal. Ethics is being taught at schools and universities with goals in mind to recognize when situations occur that may be questionable. Ways of dealing with accounting uncertainties and ethical dilemmas are being taught with a sense of moral obligation instilled. New accounting students are developing the abilities to deal with moral issues that relate to accounting and auditing practices. Most business leaders will agree that the improved regulations provided by SOX have made an impact and caused firms throughout the U.S. to review their own accounting practices and at least attempt to comply. References Bannon, S., Ford, K., Meltzer, L. (2010). How to instill a strong ethical culture. The CPA Journal, 80(7), 56-58. http://search.proquest.com/docview/637267174?accountid=35812 BBC News Business. (September 26, 2011). Deloitte Touche sued for $7.6bn in mortgage fraud case. Retrieved from http://bbc.co.uk/news/business-15069976 BBC. (May 17, 2003). The Enron Affair. Retrieved from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/business/2002/enron/default.stm Conroy, S. J., Emerson, T. N. (2006). Changing Ethical Attitudes: The Case of the Enron and ImClone Scandals. Social Science Quarterly, 87(2), 395-410. Liu, C., David, Y. (2011). An Analysis of the Impact of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act on Earnings Management. Advances In Management, 4(6), 25-31.
Thursday, October 3, 2019
The Purpose Of Study English Language Essay
The Purpose Of Study English Language Essay Functional Grammar was introduced by Halliday (1994) based on the assumption that language is a set of meanings. Language which is a means of communication is used to negotiate and exchange meanmgs. He states that a language is interpreted as a system of meanings accompanied by forms through which the meanings can be realized. Halliday (1994) adds Functional Grammar lean towards text, which is a semantic unit, rather that sentence. So, Functional Grammar which was developed based on meanings uses text as the unit of analysis. Functional Grammar has been adopted to become one of the subj ects in the English Department of UNJ since 2002. Statements related to Functional Grammar as subjects can be quoted as follows: Mata kuliah mi bertujuan mengembangkan wawasan eksplisit tentang teori bahasa dan segi fungsinya (tekstual, interpersonal, experiential) untuk menunjang pengembangan kemampuan dan ketrampilan berkomunikasi lisan dan tulisan dalam bahasa Inggnis secara benar dan baik. (Pedoman Akadeniik 2004/2005:100) Functional Grammar 1 aims at developing the explicit knowledge of the theory of language based on the thnction (textual, interpersonal, and experiential) to support the development of ability and skills to communicate both written and spoken well and correctly. (Own translation). Mata kuliah mi bertujuan mengembangkan kemampuan dan ketrampilan menganalisa teks dalam bahasa Inggris dilihat dan segi fungsinya (tekstual, interpersonal, experiential) untuk menunjang pengembangan kemampuan dan ketrampilan berkomunikasi lisan dan tulisan dalam bahasa Inggris secara baik dan benar. (Pedoman Akademik 2004/2005:100) 1 Functional Grammar 2 aims at developing ability and skills to analyze text in English based the function (textual, interpersonal, and experiential) to support the development of ability and skills to communicate both ritten and spoken well and correctly. (Own translation) In keeping with the description, both Functional Grammar 1 and 2 have the basic purpose that is to support the development of ability and skills to communicate, both written and spoken, well and correctly. As a matter of fact, a number of students complain about the subjects. They have difficulties about the subjects. No study was conducted relevant to the condition. Realizing the need of improvement, the researcher is interested to conduct a study about English Department students perception towards their knowledge, comprehension, and ability to apply Functional Grammar in analyzing text and writing. B. Focus of Study The research is initiated by the fact that some students have problems in understanding Functional Grammar concepts. Learning the condition, the researcher is interested to conduct a study related to English Department students perception towards their knowledge, comprehension, and ability to apply Functional Grammar in analyzing text and writing. C. Research Questions Based on the background above, the research questions that are identified in this study are: What is English Department students perception towards their knowledge of Functional Grammar concepts. 1 2 What is English Department students perception towards their comprehension of Functional Grammar concepts. What is English Department students perception towards their ability to apply Functional Grammar concepts in analyzing text. What is English Department students perception towards their ability to apply Functional Grammar concepts in writing. I). Purpose of Study The purpose of the study is to identifi English Department students perception towards their ability to apply Functional Grammar in analyzing text and writing. Using Blooms Taxonomy of Educational goals, students knowledge and comprehension of Functional Grammar are included in this research. E. Benefit of Study The result of this study is expected to give input related to English Department students perception towards their knowledge, comprehension and ability to apply Functional Grammar in analyzing text and writing. 3 CHAPTER II LiTERATURE REVIEW To provide the basic theory of the research related to English Department students perception towards their knowledge, comprehension, and ability to apply Functional Grammar in analyzing text and writing, this chapter discusses Traditional Grammar, Functional Grammar, Functional Grammar as a subject in the English Department, Ability to apply, Writing, and Perception. 1. Traditional Granmiar A number of experts such as Harmer (2001), Thombury (1999), and Gerot and Wignell (1994) have defined traditional grammar as a set of rules of a language. Harmer (2001) describes the grammar of a language as the description of the ways in which words can change their forms and can be combined into sentences in that language. Thombury (1999) explains grammar as a description of the rules for forming sentences. While Gerot and Wignell (1994) point out Traditional Grammar is focused on the rules for producing coffect sentences. They add sentence becomes the unit of analysis. So, based on the discussion, Traditional Grammar is focused on rules and sentence becomes the unit of analysis. Further, Gerot and Wignell (1994) explain that Traditional Grammar labels elements of the clause in terms of the word class that are nouns, verbs, prepositions, adverbs, and adjectives. Criticizing towards the weaknesses of Traditional Grammar, Thombury (2002) argues that there is 4 no one-to-one correspondence between grammatical form and communication function such as making a request, offering something, etc. 2. Functional Grammar Functional Grammar was introduced by Halliday (1994) based on the assumption that language is a set of meanings. Language which is a means of communication is used to negotiate and exchange meanings. Halliday (1994) believes that when one communicates, he exchanges the meanings with other people. He further states that a language is interpreted as a system of meanings accompanied by forms through which the meanings can be realized. To be different from Traditional Grammar that is focused on rules and sentence as the unit of analysis, Functional Grammar is focused on meanings and text as a whole becomes the object of analysis. Further, Halliday (1994) explains that Functional Grammar discusses the notion of a clause as a unit in which meanings of three different kinds are combined. The three aspects of meaning of the clause are clause as representation, clause as exchange, and clause as message. 1). Clause as Representation The first aspect of the meaning of the clause is Clause as Representation. Based on Hallidays assumption, Gerot and Wignell (1994) note it concerns with human beings experiences. Clause as representation is related to human beings experiences. As human 5 beings experiences vary, it is possible to identify the types of those experiences. Halliday (1994) describes the most powerful impression of experience is that it consists of goings-onhappening, doing, sensing, meaning, being, and becoming. Halliday (1994) then proposes there are three semantic categories that are processes, participants, and circumstances. à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¢ Processes Based on Hallidays assumption, Gerot and Wignell (1994) notice processes are realized by verbs. à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¢ Participants Halliday (1994) writes participants are realized by nouns. à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¢ Circumstances Halliday (1994) describes circumstance is realized by adverbial group or prepositional phrase. Based on Hallidays assumption, Gerot and Wignell (1994) note circumstances answer such questions as when, where, why, how, many, and as what. Halliday (1994) further explains the different types of processes that are built into the granmiar of English are material process, mental process, relational process, behavioral process, verbal process, and existential process. A. Material Process: processes of doing Based on Halliday, Gerot and Wignell (1994) state material processes are processes of material doing. Halliday (1994) notes they express the notion that entity does something which may be 6 done to other entity. This process consists of these particular participants-an obligatory actor, and optionally also a goal. Based on Halliday, Gerot and Wignell (1994) explain the entity who or which does something is the Actor. The entity which may be done to is the Goal. B. Mental Process: processes of sensing Halliday (1994) explains mental processes are processes of feeling, thinking, and seeing. The two participants in mental process are senser and phenomenon. The senser is conscious being that is feeling, thinking, or seeing. The phenomenon is that which is sensed, felt, thought, or seen. C. Relational Process: processes of being There are two different modes that are attributive and identifying. a. Intensive processes: attributive Based on Halliday, Gerot and Wignell (1994) refer attributive processes as processes which assign a quality. Halliday (1994) notes the quality is labeled the attribute, an entity to which it is ascribed is the carrier. b.Intensive processes: identifying Based on Halliday, Gerot and Wignell (1994) refer identifying processes as processes which establish an identity. Halliday (1994) adds the process has an identity assigned to it. The terms are given the x-element and the a-element, that which is to be 7 identified, as identified, and the a-element, to which serves as identity, as identifier. D. Behavioral processes Halliday (1994) explains these are processes of physiological and psychological behavior like breathing, coughing, smiling, dreaming, and staring. The participant who is behaving is labeled behaver. E. Verbal processes Halliday (1994) refers to these are processes of saying. The term sayercan be interpreted as a subject (it may be someone or something) that says something. There are three participant functions that are the receiver, verbiage, and target. a. The receiver is the one to whom the saying is directed at. b. The verbiage is the function that corresponds to what is said. c. The target is the entity that is targeted by the process of saying. F. Existential processes Halliday (1994) notes these represent that something exists or happens. That object or event which is being said to exist is labeled, simply, existent. 2). Clause as exchange The second aspect of the meaning of the clause is clause as exchange. Halliday (1994) explains clause as exchange has two components that are Mood and Residue. 8 a. Mood Element Halliday (1994) proposes it consist of two parts: (1) the subject, which is a nominal group, and (2) the finite operator, which is a part of verbal group. Based on Halliday, Gerot and Wignell (1994) add the finite element is one of the small numbers of verbal operators expressing primary tense, modality and polarity. Halliday (1994) explains primary tense means past, present, or future at the moment of speaking. Finite verbal operators Temporal Past present future Did, was does, is will, shall Had, used to has would, should Modal: Low median high Can, may will, would must, ought to Could, might is to, was to need (dare) has to, had to (Halliday 1994:74) Halliday (1994) refers to modality as the speakers judgement of the probabilities, or the obligations, involved in what he is saying such as may, will, can etc. He adds polarity is the choice between positive and negative, as in is/isnt, do/dont. 9 b. Residue Halliday (1994) explains the Residue consists of functional elements of three kinds, that are, predicator, complement, and adjunct. a Predicator. It is realized by a verbal group minus the temporal or modal operator. b. Complement. A complement is an element within the Residue that has the potential of being subject but is not. It is typically realized by a nominal group. c. Adjunct. An adjunct is an element that has not got the potential of being subject. It is typically realized by an adverbial group or prepositional phrase. 3). Clause as message The third aspect of the meaning of the clause is clause as message. Halliday (1994) states a message consists of a Theme combined with a Rheme. As general guide, the theme can be identified as that element which comes in first position in the structure. The analysis of the Theme of the clause is rather complex. Halliday (1994) explains in this case, complex clause is called a multiple Theme. In a multiple theme, there are certain complements which have their orders. Halliday (1994) points out the typical ordering is textuaYinterpersonaVexperiential. The textual theme is any combination of continuative, a structural theme, and a conjunctive theme. 10 (i) Continuative is one of small set of discourse signalers, yes, no, well, oh, now. (ii) A structural Theme is any of the obligatory thematic elements such as conjunctions and W-H relative. (iii)A conjunctive Theme is one of the conjunctive adjuncts. He refers conjunctive adjuncts are those which relate the clause to the preceding text such as also, meanwhile, soon, finally, etc. Halliday (1994) further describes the interpersonal theme that is any combination of (i) A vocative is any item, typically (but not necessarily) a personal name, used to address; it may come more or less anywhere in the clause and is thematic if preceding the topical Theme. (ii) A modal theme is any of the modal adjuncts. He describes that modal adjuncts are those which express the speakers judgment regarding the relevance of the message such as maybe, usually, occasionally, surely, honestly, etc. (iii) A mood marking theme is a Finite verbal operator, if preceding the topical Theme; or a WHinterrogative (or imperative lets) when not preceded by another experiential element (i.e. when functioning simultaneously as topical Theme). The last order is experiential. Halliday (1994) explains the experiential element is referred as topical theme. This means that the Theme of a clause ends with the first constituent that is either participant, circumstance, or process. 11 3. Functional Grammar as a subject in the English Department, State University of Jakarta Functional Grammar has been adopted as a subject in the English Department since 2002. The subject must be taken by the students when they are in the fourth semester for Functional Grammar 1 and in the fifth semester for Functional Grammar 2. Both Functional Grammar 1 and 2 consist of three semester credit units. Referring to Academic Guidelines 2004/2005 of Faculty of Languages and Arts, it is stated that the three semester credits unit have 24 meetings. Each meeting takes 100 minutes. It has two kinds of tests that are mid semester test and final semester test. As stated in the Academic Guidelines 2004/2005 of Faculty of Languages and Arts, Functional Grammar as a subject is described as follows: Mata kuliah mi bertujuan mengembangkan wawasan eksplisit tentang teori bahasa dan segi fungsinya (tekstual, interpersonal, experiential) imtuk menunj ang pengembangan kemampuan dan ketrampilan berkomunikasi lisan dan tulisan dalam bahasa Inggris secara benar dan baik. Functional Grammar I aims at developing the explicit knowledge of the theory of language based on the function (textual, interpersonal, and experiential) to support the development of ability and skills to communicate both written and spoken well and correctly. (Own translation) Mata kuliah mi bertujuan mengembangkan kemampuan dan ketrampilan menganalisa teks dalam bahasa Inggris dilihat dan segi fiingsinya ( tekstual, interpersonal, experiential) untuk menunjang pengembangan kemampuan dan ketrampilan berkomunikasi lisan dan tulisan dalam bahasa Inggris secara baik dan benar. Functional Grammar 2 aims at developing ability and skills to analyze text in English based the function (textual, interpersonal, and experiential) to support the development of ability and skills to communicate both written and spoken well and correctly. (Own Translation) 12 In keeping with the description, both Functional Grammar 1 and 2 have the basic purpose that is to support the development of ability and skills to communicate, both written and spoken, well and correctly. 4. Ability to Apply In discussion about ability to Apply, Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English (2001) describes ability is something that one is able to do, because one has particular mental or physical skill. Longman Dictionary of English Language and Culture (1998) notes ability is the fact of having the skill, power, or other quality that are needed in order to do something. Websters New World Dictionary of American English (1998) adds ability is skills, expertness, or talent.. Bloom (1956), cited in Elliot et a!. (2000) proposes classification of educational goals. There are six major classes in the cognitive taxonomy of educational objectives: 1. Knowledge is the recalling specific facts. 2. Comprehension is understanding what is communicated. 3. Application is generalizing and using abstract information in concrete situation. 4. Analysis is breaking a problem into subparts and detecting relationship among the parts. 5. Synthesis is putting together parts to form a whole. 6. Evaluation is using criteria to make judgments. 13 In accordance with the development, the three classes of educational goals that were analysis, synthesis, and evaluation were then revised to become analyze, evaluate, and create. Arend (2004) describes six classification of the cognitive process dimension: 1. Remember is retrieving relevant knowledge from long-term memory. 2. Understand is constructing meaning from instructional messages, including oral, written, and graphic communication. 3. Apply is carrying out or using a procedure in a given situation. 4. Analyze is breaking material into constituent parts and determining how parts relate to one another and to overall structure or purpose. 5. Evaluate is making judgments based on criteria and standards. 6. Create is reorganizing elements into a new pattern or structure. In keeping with Blooms theory and the purpose of this study that is to identify English Department students perception towards their knowledge, comprehension, and ability to apply Functional Grammar in analyzing text and writing, ability to apply should be developed after the steps of knowing and understanding. Referring to the explanation above, ability to apply Functional Grammar is to be developed through the steps of knowing and understanding. The questionnaire will also include identifying not only the knowledge and understanding but also ability to apply Functional Grammar in analyzing text and writing. 14 5. Writing Writing as described by Leki (1998) is communicating. Meyers (2003) notes writing is a process of discovering and assembling ideas, putting them on paper, reshaping, and revising them. To be acceptable, Windshuttle and Windshuttle (1998) state good writing should have correct grammar and precise and clear content. Diyanni (2001) adds good writing is coherent. Readers can follow and understand it easily. Hughes (2001) describes underlying writing ability is a number of sub abilities such as control of punctuation. Considering the important points above, it can be concluded that good writing covers the aspects of grammar and coherence. 6. Perception Perception is defined by Elliot, et all (2000) as the giving of meaning to the discrete, meaningless stimuli that initially arouse awareness. Barkhuizen (1998) notes perception refers to feelings and views of the students. Students perception is important in language learning as Barkhuizen (1998) claims that it is important for teachers to discover their learners feelings and beliefs about their language learning process. He believes it can give input and consequently review and possibly change their teaching process. 15 Referring to the purpose of this study that is to identify students perception towards their knowledge, comprehension, and ability to apply Functional Grammar in analyzing text and writing, questionnaire will be used to identify students views and feelings of their levels of cognitive domaim lb CHAPTER ifi METHODOLOGY This chapter discusses the methods used to conduct the study which is related to identifying English Department students perception towards their knowledge, comprehension, and ability to apply Functional Grammar in analyzing text and writing. The first part discusses the issue of the study which is then followed by Study Design and continued by the Implementation of the study. A. Issue of Study This study is related to identifying English Department students perception towards their knowledge, comprehension, and ability to apply Functional Grammar in analyzing text and writing. The researcher is interested to conduct this study because of the fact that some students express their difficulties while attending Functional Grammar classes. It is expected that findings of this study can be used as input concerning with students perception towards their knowledge, comprehension, and ability to apply Functional Grammar. B. Study Design This study was designed to employ survey The instruments employed were questionnaire and interview. The questionnaire was used to identify English Department students perception towards their knowledge, comprehension, and ability to apply Functional Grammar in analyzing text and writing, whereas the interview was used to gather more detail data. This was to anticipate the possible weaknesses of questionnaire. This study employed stratified sampling as the 17 selection of respondents planned was based on their academic entrance. The data then were analyzed by clustering educational goals from Bloom (1956) and the aspects of Functional Grammar from Halliday (1994). It was designed that the respondents of questionnaire were 100 students and the respondents of the interview were 10 students. 1. Method of Study It was planned that survey was chosen to conduct this study. Brown and Rodgers (2002) state surveys are any procedures used to gather and describe the characteristics, attitudes, views, and opinion. The purpose of a survey as described by Nunan (1992) is generally to obtain snapshot of conditions, attitudes, and / or events at a single point in time. Based on the discussion above and the purpose of this study that is to identify English Department students perception towards their knowledge, comprehension, and ability to apply Functional Grammar in analyzing text and writing, survey can be seen as the appropriate method. 2. Respondents it was planned that the respondents of this study were 100 students. They were English Department students of State University of Jakarta. The students were both from Educational and Non- Educational Programs who had completed Functional Grammar 1 and 2. The sampling procedure that was planned to be used in this study was stratified sampling. Bums (2000) describes stratified sampling is sampling in which groups or strata within the population are each sampled randomly. He adds that a population can be divided on the basis of social class membership, sex, level of intelligence or level of anxiety. The researcher planned to conduct this technique of sampling as Burns (2000) notes that sampling error is reduced by stratification for the sample can not differ from the population with respect to the stratifying factors. The respondents of this study were planned to be divided based on the Academic Entrance that is 2002,2003, and 2004. 3. Site and time This study was planned to be conducted in the English Department of State University of Jakarta in the second semester of Academic Year of 2005/2006. It was between 6 March 2006 and 13 March 2006. Referring to the purpose of study that is to identify English Department students perception towards their knowledge, comprehension, and ability to apply Functional Grammar in analyzing text and writing, the researcher chose English Department of UNJ as the site of the study. It was designed that this study was conducted in between 6 March 2006 and 13 March 2006. This choice was made by considering the availability of time that the researcher had. It was also the time in which students were effective in the process of attending teaching-learning activities. 19 4. Instruments As mentioned in the previous section, this study was designed to employ survey. Questionnaire and interview were chosen to become the instruments of collecting data. In keeping with Blooms Taxonomy, both instruments were designed to include knowledge, comprehension, and ability to apply Functional Grammar. Detail description about the instruments is given in the following section. a. Questionnaire Questionnaire was chosen as one of the means to collect data used in this study. Questionnaire as discussed by Nunan (1992), is relatively popular means of collecting data. The questionnaire used for this study was designed to gather information and to identify English Department students perception towards their knowledge, comprehension, and ability to apply Functional Grammar in analyzing text and writing. The total number of questionnaires is 36 items which represent students perception towards their knowledge, comprehension, and ability to apply. Each number of questionnaires consists of five different choices of answers that represent the scale of excellent, good, average, poor, and very poor. The questionnaire was designed to use Bahasa Indonesia in order to avoid misunderstanding of the respondents to answer each statement. To answer the questionnaire, the respondents were asked to choose only one answer of each number that represents knowledge, comprehension, and ability to apply Functional Grammar. 20 There were 7 questions prepared before conducting the interview. The questions covered the identifying students perception towards their knowledge, comprehension, and ability to apply Functional Grammar. The interview is to anticipate the possible weaknesses of questionnaire as described by Burns (2000) who proposes there is no opportunity to acquire supplementary observational data. Also, the respondents motivation for answering the questionnaire is unknown. C. Implementation of Study The research was uutiated by the fact that some students express their difficulties while attending Functional Grammar classes. Following such problems, the researcher was interested to conduct the study. It covered questionnaire and interview. This study was implemented by following the steps of the research procedures. 1. Data Collection Process Questionnaire and interview were used as means to collect the data. The data collection process lasted for 1 week that was between 4 May and 12 May 2006. The implementation of data collection was not as it was planned. This was because the process of making the questionnaire took longer time. At the same time, the researcher had to follow PPL program In addition, as the result of data of interview did not clearly present the specific area of writing that can be developed by applying Functional Grammar, the additional interview was again conducted that was between 14 July 2006 and 16 July 2006. 22 a. Collecting Data by Means of Questionnaire The set of questionnaire was given to 54 students who had completed Functional Grammar 1 and Functional Grammar 2. Before conducting the study, the researcher introduced herself to the respondents. The researcher also gave information about the purpose of the study to respondents. The distribution of questionnaire was done after classes that were on 4 May and 12 May 2006. The completion of the questionnaire took between 3 and 4 minutes. The questionnaire consists of 36 items which represent students perception towards their knowledge, comprehension, ability to apply Functional Grammar in analyzing text and writing ability. Items number I until 6 represent knowledge of clause as representation. Items number 7 until 12 represent comprehension of clause as representation. Items number 13 until 24 represent applicability of clause as representation. Items number 25 until 26 represent knowledge of clause as exchange. Items number 27 until 28 represent comprehension of clause as exchange. Items number 29 until 32 represent applicability of clause as exchange. Item number 33 represents knowledge of clause as message. Item number 34 represents comprehension of clause as message. Items number 34 until 36 represent applicability of Functional Grammar. To rank their abil ity, this study employed Likert scale. There were 5 scales used in this questionnaire namely excellent, good, average, poor, and very poor. The respondents were asked to choose one scale of each item. 23 I b. Collecting Data by Means of Interview The interview was held between 11 May and 12 May 2006. Since some students felt reluctant to express ideas of such problems and due to considering the limitation of time, the researcher decided to interview 6 students. The additional interview was conducted between 14 July 2006 and 16 July 2006. The researcher conducted the additional interview because the result of the previous interview did not cover the specific aspects of writing such as language and/or content aspects that can be improved by applying the concepts of Functional Grammar. There were three additional respondents interviewed. The previous and additional interview was conducted face-to-face discussion individually. The respondents for this interview were selected based on their various scores of Functional Grammar I and Functional Grammar 2. Respondent 4 and 7 who had completed Functional Grammar 1 and respondent 5 and 8 who had completed Functional 2 got A. Respondent 1, 2, 3, 5, and 8 who had completed Functional Grammar I and respondent 2, 3, 4, 7, and 8 who had completed Functional Grammar 2 got B. Respondent 6 and 9 who had completed Functional Grammar 1 and respondent 1 and 9 who had completed Functional Grammar 2 got C. The interview used Bahasa Indonesia. The reason was to avoid the possibility of different perception in understanding the questions. The use of Bahasa Indonesia for the interview was also to make the respondents understand and answer the questions easily. The questions of interview were related to identifying English Department students perception towards their knowledge, comprehensi on, and ability to apply Functional Grammar in analyzing text and writing. The specific areas of writing ability that could be improved by 24
Wednesday, October 2, 2019
Rates of Reactions :: GCSE Chemistry Coursework Investigation
Rates of Reactions Aim: I am going to investigate how the rate of the reaction between sodium thiosulphate and hydrochloric acid depends on the concentration of sodium thiosulphate. The reaction rate of a chemical reaction is the speed of production of products from reactants. Sodium thiosulphate + hydrochloric acid ==> sodium chloride + sulphur dioxide + water + sulphur Na2S2O3 (aq) + 2HCl (aq) ==> 2NaCl (aq) + SO2 (aq) + H2O (l) + S(s) The solid sulphur (S(s)) formed in this reaction makes the colourless solution go cloudy. Factors: The factors I believe that will affect what happens in the investigation are: * Catalyst- A catalyst s a substance which alters the rate of a chemical reaction but is chemically unchanged at the end of the reaction. - A catalyst speeds up a reaction; an inhibitor (a substance) slows it down. * Concentration- The more concentrated the faster the rate (note in some cases the rate may be unaffected by the concentration of a particular reactant provided it is present at a minimum concentration). Remember for gasses, increasing the pressure simply increases the concentration so that's the same thing. * Surface area- greater surface area and since the reaction occurs at the surface we get a faster rate. * Temperature- Usually reactions speed up with increasing temperature ("100C rise doubles rate"). The collision theory: Particles need to collide with each other to react and the collision theory is all about this. The can be affected by the temperature of the particles, the concentration of the particles, whether a catalyst is used or the surface area (if the particles are solid). Temperature affects the rate of a reaction because if particles are cold, they move slowly and there are few collisions between them. But when they are heated up they move much faster or you can also say they have more kinetic energy. When the move faster there is more of a chance of a collision. More collisions means that the reaction goes faster - its rate increases. Concentration of the acid used also affects the rate because when there is a higher concentration (more acid) there are more particles to collide with each other-more collisions means that the reaction goes faster. A catalyst is a substance that can speed up a chemical reaction without actually being used up in the reaction. It gives the particles a surface to stick to so they can collide with each other there - more collisions. Again when there are more collisions this causes the reaction to go faster. Surface area also affects the rate of a reaction if the particles are
Women in Art Essay -- Arts Females Gender Artistic Painting Essays
Women in Art Throughout history many artistic works have been deemed "great" and many individuals have been labeled "masters" of the discipline. The question of who creates art and how is it to be classified as great or greater than another has commonly been addressed by scholars and historians. The last quarter of the 20th century has reexamined these questions based on the assertions that no women artists have ever created or been appreciated to the level of "greatness" that perpetually befalls their male counterparts. The position that society has institutionalized on women as unable to be anything but subordinate and unexpressive is a major contributor to this claim. Giving a brief history of gender discrimination in the art field, examining different theories in regard to why women have been excluded from art history throughout the ages, and finally, discussing the contributions and progress that women artists and historians have achieved in the past two decades, will help to better under stand the complexity and significance of women artists. The early years of the 1990's mark the 20th anniversary of the women's movement in art. The exact date of the movement can not be ascertained due to the fact that there was such an immense number of things happening for the Women's Liberation movement at that time. Nevertheless, the achievements of the 1970's women's art movement were enormous and it is one of the most influential movements of that decade. Twenty years later, the struggle for representation in the arts continues. In 1990, a U.S. study was conducted on Gender Discrimination in the Artfield. The results are as follows: 50.7% of all visual artists are female and women hold 53.1% of the degrees in art,... ...Feminist Art. Harry N. Abrams, Inc, 1994. Chadwick, Whitney. Women, Art, and Society (revised edition). Thames and Hudson Inc., 1996. Freud, Sigmund. "Femininity." Feminist Frameworks. Ed. Jaggar and Rothenberd. McGraw-Hill, 1978. 91-98. Morse, Marcia. "Feminist Aesthetics and the Spectrum of Gender." Philosophy East & West 42(April 1992) 287-289. Nochlin, Linda. "Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?" (1971). In Women, Art, and Power, and Other Essays. Harper & Row, 1988. Portwood, Pamela. "Feminist Views; Schapiro helps female artists shed their cloaks of anonymity." The Arizona Daily Star. 19 Feb, 1999. Starlight 6E. Strawter, Lisa Marie. "Facts About Women in the Arts: Women Artists Archive" [Online] Available. http://libweb.sonoma.edu/special/waa/, (accessed April 19, 1999).
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
Canada Goose
Canada Goose has shown excellent performance and numbers ever since Dani Reiss took over as CEO of the company in 2001. In the decade since, the company has registered an astounding 4000% growth leading many in the industry to deem Reiss as a visionary. Canada Goose has established strong markets in many European countries, especially the Scandinavian ones in addition to its home base in Canada.What is more surprising is that the company has been able to achieve such phenomenal success at the most meagre of marketing budgets ââ¬â marketing including salaries accounted for 10% of Canada Gooseââ¬â¢s total revenue. Organic marketing, including word of mouth marketing were the companyââ¬â¢s biggest draws and speak volumes about the well-established brandââ¬â¢s loyalty and value amongst its customers. I would give the brand an excellent score of 9 on a 1 to 10 scale of brand strength.Through proper brand management, the company has been able to establish an aura of exclusivit y around the brand ââ¬â this is even more impressive when you consider that the brand had initially started out as a utilitarian brand, nowhere close to high end, luxury jacket manufacturers out there. By effectively using marketing tools, Canada Goose has indeed now become more of a status symbol for many and the demand for these sought after products has always outstripped supply by a mile.An example of how the management effectively were able to establish Canada Goose as a high-end, authentic brand is as follows ââ¬â before Dani took over the company utilized product placement and would give bouncers outside bars who had to stand in the extreme cold all night their jackets but now the company has signed a sponsorship deal with Fairmont Hotels and outfits all the bellhops, greeters and doormen at every Fairmont Hotel in Canada Goose jackets. Not only does it help to strengthen the brandââ¬â¢s association with exclusivity but it also bolsters the association that Canada Goose has with Canadian Heritage and History.The fact that Canada Goose jackets never go on sale, even during big shopping events during Christmas, is proof of the brandââ¬â¢s tenacity. Like other luxury brands, for example Louis Vuitton ââ¬â who has famously never gone on sale ââ¬â Canada Goose jackets as well have never been sold for a discount. They are instead often sold at a premium by many of its retailers. The fact that there have been numerous attempts by large national retailers to order the companyââ¬â¢s jackets, which were all turned down by the company is testament to the brandââ¬â¢s forte.Consistently good sales and a general increase in brand awareness has led the management to rethink its strategy and start stocking at national retailers as well. Canada Gooseââ¬â¢s ability to combine jackets that were chic yet fully functional is the companyââ¬â¢s differential advantage. The industry has many competitors, both high end brands which sell jackets at higher price points than Canada Goose and others that were driven by functionality and sold for lower prices. However the company felt unthreatened by both.An unlikely indicator of brand strength for Canada Goose would be the fact that the company is plagued by piracy and counterfeit issues. Although by itself it is a bad thing but it speaks volumes about the fact that the brand is popular and has a high enough demand that pirates want to mint money by using Canada Gooseââ¬â¢s iconic brand. à The fact that these jackets are made in Canada are another aspect that add to the brandââ¬â¢s strength. This appeals to the locals by inciting patriotism and for international customers it adds to the products authenticity ââ¬â who would no winter outerwear better than Canadians?Once a brand has orders coming in, products being sold at higher prices than the MSRP, repeat orders during one season and organic band expansion to international markets it means that the brand is fully developed on a sound and stable footing. Canada Goose has achieved just that. Brand loyalty is at an all-time high, people think itââ¬â¢s chic and fashionable to wear the companyââ¬â¢s jackets and even the companyââ¬â¢s round logo with a map of the Arctic is extremely popular.Reiss and his team have indeed developed an enviable brand in Canada Goose and from here there is only one way to go to ââ¬â forward. Question 2 Canada Goose is truly at an enviable position at this point in time. The brand commands excellent sales, has immense awareness and demand for its products actually is far more than the supply. There are certain advantages that come along with such brand strength, Iââ¬â¢ll discuss three of these in what follows.Ability to Innovate The company has shown excellent numbers ever since Reiss took over as CEO andà is financially in a position to reinvest profits into developing new product lines. Indeed innovation has been the hallmark for the brand and the company has consistently developed products that are not only technologically at the cutting edge but also are up to date in terms of fashion as well. Premium Pricing Since the demand for the brand has traditionally outstripped supply, the company can easily and without loss charge a premium from its customers. As mentioned the company sells its products at a 100% markup and which in turn translate into increased revenues.Selection of Distribution Channels Canada Gooseââ¬â¢s impressive numbers lend to it a semblance of autonomy. The company is in a position to dictate its terms and conditions to distributors, rather than the other way round. Traditionally the company has used only curated small independent retailers, which helped the company establish the brandââ¬â¢s exclusivity but is now in a position to leverage the Canada Goose brand to nationwide retailers and reap the benefits of increased research.Increased Brand Awarenessà Brand awareness is at an all-time high. The brand is usually assumed to be synonymous with Canadian heritage and culture and at a 2010 G8 conference the then Finance Minister present Canada Goose jackets as souvenirs to visiting delegates from member countries. Owning a Canada Goose is considered to be a privilege by its customers and loyalty translates into increased brand awareness. This added flexibility can help the company cut down marketing costs and hence focus on product development.Question 3The company is at a juncture where it has to decide to either go forward with nationwide sales or stick to its current strategy of local retailers, which has brought the company so far. However saying no to either of the two orders would be suicidal for the company. Stagnation The company has a potential to use the brandââ¬â¢s current standing to lure more sales and increase its customer base widely. However if they continue to do business as usual, there is a risk of the company peaking out sooner and dying down. Increasing C ompetitionExtreme weather outerwear is a very fiercely competitive industry. If the company refuses to expand, there is a very strong risk of some of its closest competitors, most likely The North Face to overtake Canada Goose and gain some of its market share. Increasing competition translates into decreasing market share. Promote Counterfeits Expansion of the companyââ¬â¢s sales net is one way to rid Canada Goose of the menace of piracy. When there is only a limited number of retailers, currently localized by geography, customers who want their products but canââ¬â¢t find them will be easier to con by pirates.This is especially true for online retails because currently the company just has two third party retailers online and unsuspecting customers can be easily lured to buy counterfeit products. In essence, changing the way the company does its business can be an indirect solution to the companyââ¬â¢s piracy issues. Question 4 Canada Goose has a number of options which i t can avail if it chooses to expand. However there is always the risk of brand dilution due to saturation of the market with Canada Goose products, which obviously would be detrimental to what the company desires.However saying no to any of these opportunities is like rejecting growth. In addition, the company had recently had its first experience at retail chain distribution by stocking at Ontario-based Atheltic Legends. This experience had been very successful and Atheltic Legends had placed larger reorders. In what follows, I will discuss and compare all of the possible expansion opportunities that the company has based on market breadth, depth and share criteria. Option 1: Asmunââ¬â¢s Menswear Asmunââ¬â¢s Menswear has approached the company with the offer of a long term contract.Asmunââ¬â¢s is a 170 year old Canadian retail store with 10 branches nationwide, it stocks several of the best high end brands and is usually frequented by affluent women and men. It is perfectl y suited to the aspirations that Canada Goose has of becoming into a full-fledged luxury goods manufacturer. However that being said the current order by Canada Goose raises certain concerns, in my opinion, which should at least be evaluated before making a decision. Asmunââ¬â¢s has placed an order for four or five womenââ¬â¢s jackets only and that too in their choice of colors and styles.I think this foretells the rigidity that the established retail giant has or will have once Canada Goose gets into relationship with them. No company wants an over bearing distributor. To make matters more difficult, Asmunââ¬â¢s had requested Reiss that they be allowed to use Canada Gooseââ¬â¢s products in storeââ¬â¢s print advertisements. Since these advertisements went out to almost anyone who signs up with them and also since Canada Goose had as a principle never used advertising as a marketing tool, went against Canada Gooseââ¬â¢s current marketing strategy.There is always the chance that this increased used of advertisements and other variations in the marketing mix, could lead to brand dilution ââ¬â something that the company so dearly wants to avoid. Freedman, Asmunââ¬â¢s representative has also told Reiss that if they stock menââ¬â¢s products in the future ââ¬â Canada Goose will have to be exclusive to them. I would consider this to be a veiled threat, since what they are doing is that not only are they dictating terms of this contract but also of future contracts.If Asmunââ¬â¢s offer to eventually begin stocking menââ¬â¢s merchandise as well does materialize, Asmunââ¬â¢s would be a good alternative in terms of market breadth. The retailer is frequented by affluent women over the weekdays and has an equal split between men and women over the weekends. These customers have the budgets to afford Canada Goose jackets. Also since the store has a veritable history stretching 170 years, they certainly will have loyal customers who pr efer to shop only at Asmunââ¬â¢s.This means that repeat purchases (market depth) will be most likely possible here, provided Canada Goose gives the customers monetary incentives as well to come back and buy again. However market share is where this option seems to lack. Because currently theyââ¬â¢ll only stock womenââ¬â¢s clothing and also because the average customer for Canada Goose is anywhere from 18 to 60 years of age, the younger lot wouldnââ¬â¢t frequent the shop very often. Also the companyââ¬â¢s 10 outlets pale in comparison to the other option 20. Upfront however both the options will represent 5% market share of Canada Gooseââ¬â¢s business.Option 2: Levineââ¬â¢s Menswear Levineââ¬â¢s Menswear like the other option, is an established retail chain specializing in the ultimate high end premium menââ¬â¢s brands. It too has a heritage associated with its 50 years history and has 20 retail locations across Canada ââ¬â and they also have plans to e xpand by 20 more in the near future. Levineââ¬â¢s was synonymous with high quality menswear and stocked the best luxury brands from across the world. It is well suited with the companyââ¬â¢s plans of furthering strengthening its status as a premium brand.This order, in my opinion offered Canada Goose a lot more flexibility. Unlike Asmunââ¬â¢s, they werenââ¬â¢t overbearing on ordering decisions and placed a larger upfront order of 8 to 10 different jacket styles, with the possibility to increase the number in subsequent orders. Also the average customer at Levineââ¬â¢s was a working male, who had enough disposable income and didnââ¬â¢t necessarily care about cost when making a buying decision. In addition to being exposed to these affluent customers, Levineââ¬â¢s had given the go ahead to Canada Goose that theyââ¬â¢ll stock the companyââ¬â¢s newer prototype models as well.This was the first time any distributor had favorably responded to prototypes the comp any developed. The biggest drawback in terms of market breadth that this offer has is that the retailer is completely men-centric. This means that although the number of male customers would definetly rise, womenââ¬â¢s sales wonââ¬â¢t be growing at much the same rate. Again since these store were frequented by affluent males, Canada Goose might be missing out on its younger customers. Another advantage that this option offered is that they are a much larger chain of stores then Asmun.40 stores in the near future means that there will be 3 times as many customers to serve as Asmunââ¬â¢s. If managed effectively, the greater number of stores can translate into increased sales. Like Asmunââ¬â¢s, the store has a veritable history and loyal clients. In addition, these clients have the ability to pay a premium for the same products sold at another competing stores just because of its excellent customer service and brand reputation. Market depth will be maximized by going for th is option.Market share is bound to increase as well because these stores will offer Canada Goose a much larger client base, in addition this client base has the capacity to pay for these products. Option 3: Going for Both If the company is able to strike out a deal with Asmunââ¬â¢s to accept menââ¬â¢s products even when the company is stocking at Levineââ¬â¢s Menswear or if they divide their men and women product lines between these two stores, the company can achieve maximum benefit. In terms of market breadth, the company will now have the most varying type of customers and the numbers for both the stores will definitely add up.However there is a chance that repeat purchases (or market depth) might suffer as a result of going for both the options. There is a chance that the market may become saturated by the sudden influx of Canada Goose products at two giant national retailers leading retailers to make less frequent purchases because they arenââ¬â¢t able to get their existing inventory out of the stores. In the off chance that this does happen, Canada Goose needs to devise an effective strategy to tackle this ââ¬â which can probably mean allowing discounts, something that is against the nature of the company.However by stocking at two national retailers with their own set of loyal customers, market share would definitely increase. These stores with their extensive network of retail outlets and efficient supply chain systems will be able to sell more products quickly than say for instance, the small independent retailers. The common threat from the first three expansion strategies is that of brand dilution. Since the brand will now be sold it more locations, if not managed well, there is a chance of it loosing that brand exclusivity that the company has nurtured so far.Also to successfully go and tap international markets, the company needs to carry out extensive market research that will aid in product development. The product will need to b e modified for regions, for instance, where the winters may not be as severe as they are in Canada. Option 4: International Expansion/Buying back Distribution Rights Canada Goose already has established sales in 28 countries. In fact, Scandinavian countries were the ââ¬Ëearly adoptersââ¬â¢ of the brand as a high end, chic and fashionable product rather than the home base in Canada.The companyââ¬â¢s success in the European market proves that a market for Canada Goose exists internationally and that the company can effectively manage international distribution by giving distributorââ¬â¢s in the new countries full autonomy over product placement. This will not only increase sales and revenues but provide the company with valuable market research. For instance, Canada Gooseââ¬â¢s distributor in Japan ââ¬â Empire of the Sun Distribution Company Limited used its extensive knowledge about Asian tastes to guide the company to modify their products to suit local tastes.The Chilliwack bomber with its fitted design was an outcome of this collaboration and has gone on to become a market leader for the company in not only in Japan, but in other countries including Canada as well. Market breadth, depth and share all will definitely increase as a result of this expansion. The companyââ¬â¢s already burdened supply chain will need to be upgraded to support this international expansion. A marketing department which can coordinate all these international ventures will be needed, as well as opening satellite offices in countries where sales are going really well (for instance, in Sweden).The risk associated with this move will be that there is a possibility that the over-reliance on third party distributors might lead them to become too powerful so as to pose a significant threat to company policy. A company wants to keep control of how its products reach the end user. To mitigate this risk, Canada Goose might consider Buying Back Distribution Rights in coun tries where sales are really well. So for instance in the Scandinavian countries the company can buy out the third party distributors and hence gain the maximum benefit from that market.This will also be a way to curb the threat posed by exceedingly autonomous distributors. Option 5: Increased Online Presence Canada Gooseââ¬â¢s closest competitor, The North Face, has a much more wider audience online. Canada Goose can reach to a much wider customer base by selling its products to a greater number of third party retailers. However, there is a risk to doing this. Stores selling counterfeit jackets will become harder to discriminate by the customer ââ¬â this threat is also posed by international expansion.Increasing piracy, an issue which underscores the fact that the brand is doing well, is a menace for the company and increased online sellers make it easier for pirates to con people. To mitigate this, the company can adopt a two pronged approach. Start a campaign to effectivel y teach customers on how to differentiate between genuine and fake products and second to file high profile public law suits to deter any potential pirates from copying your products. Question 5 If I were lucky enough to be in Dani Reissââ¬â¢s place, I would start a tactical program to expand into new markets.Brand awareness and recognition is at an all-time high and the company has raked in enormous profits over the last decade. It is in a position of strength and has the ability to expand its business, in an effective way all the while maintaining its image of exclusivity and high-end fashion. Considering all the options discussed above, I suggest the company to deliver products to both the nationwide retailers Asmunââ¬â¢s and Levineââ¬â¢ Menswear. A good strategy would be to revise the contracts by talking to both the retailers and giving them incentives to do business on Canada Gooseââ¬â¢s terms.To placate Asmunââ¬â¢s demand for exclusivity in the menââ¬â¢s bus iness, an appropriate strategy for the company would be to give the two stores distinct product lines. The company is in a position of strength and has exceptional innovation capabilities and coming out for distinctive product lines shouldnââ¬â¢t be too hard. By stocking at both the nationwide retailers, the companyââ¬â¢s market share is bound to increase however this new development will definitely draw some ire from its current small independent retailers. These larger nationwide retailers can use their economies of scale to effectively price out the small retailers out of business.Canada Goose, as a socially responsible company, and also since these small retailers grouped together had significant bargaining power wouldnââ¬â¢t want to disappoint them. Multiple channel distribution is one of the most discussed topics in Marketing Strategy. While it is usually necessary and beneficial for a company to have multiple channels for distributing its products to the end customer ; it is at the same time tricky to manage this situation in a way where all the parties get along harmoniously. Canada Goose currently relies only on small independent retailers to deliver itsà products and selects them after a thorough investigation to ensure that the retailer matches the brandââ¬â¢s persona.The companyââ¬â¢s strategy to start stocking its product at national chains is bound to draw ire from its current customers, as is already visible in the email from Westboro Downtownââ¬â¢s owner. However it is not uncommon for companies to do business with both small retailers as well as retail chains; North Face as has been mentioned in the case is effectively harvesting both these channels. In the MM Micromotors Simulation as well we learned on how to balance multiple distribution channels.To allay concerns by small retailers, which when combined can pose a potent threat to the companyââ¬â¢s sales, communication can be the most effective weapon in Canada Gooseâ â¬â¢s arsenal. A good idea will be to bring together all the small business owners, or at least the most prominent amongst them, and have them meet with Dani Reiss so that their concerns about being priced out can be addressed. Canada Goose can give them guarantees that they wonââ¬â¢t do business with large retailers who engage in unfair discounting or using the economies of scale card in any harmful way.Effective, clear communication can go a long way in solving many of the conflicts with smaller retail stores. Another common way to manage conflicts between large and small distribution channels is to use pricing effectively. Marketers can use implements such as discounting from the ââ¬Ëpricing toolkitââ¬â¢ to offer, for instance, bigger discounts to smaller retailers so that they can charge a higher markup and still sell at a price that is competitive with what the big national retailers are offering.What it means is that Canada Goose sells its products at a lower price to small retailers, so that they can earn larger profit per jacket. The big retailers can use the volume of sails to their advantage. Also since the company has already shown immense potential in international markets, a very potent part of the strategy would be to further develop international sales. The US, despite its geographical closeness, accounts for only 10% of all sales of the company ââ¬â compared with Europeââ¬â¢s 40%!Adapting products for less severe winters, while still maintaining its prestige and roots can spell guaranteed success for the company. Product development will be key here. The company has to continue to evolve their designs to adapt to local tastes in these new markets because, for example, bulky winter wear isnââ¬â¢t necessarily the first choice for many in Asia where the climate is much warmer. Company owned retail stores can be a great asset for Canada Goose. A trend started very successfully by Apple, is now being replicated by any brand that wants to expand sales yet keep that feeling of exclusivity and class.The North Face has 28 company operated retail locations in the US that stock North Face outlets exclusively. These stores can be used as a tool to add to the brandââ¬â¢s premium feel. Louis Vuitton, for example, only follows this business model and sells only through its own stores. That being said, retail is a whole new ballgame unlike anything Canada Goose has done before. Theyââ¬â¢ll need to hire a new team to manage these operations, implement a revamped supply chain strategy and otherwise is very resource intensive.
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