St. Quiteria Essay

St. Quiteria John 15:13 â€Å"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. † Are you willing to lay down for your life for your brothers and sisters in Christ? St. Quiteria and her sisters were not afraid to risk their lives to free Christians and wage war to stop others from being persecuted. St. Quiteria was born in the 2nd century in the city of Minho, Portugal to a mother that had nine daughters and was discussed by this.The mother had ordered the maid to kill her children but she disobeyed and sent them to a nearby village where they grew up and became good Christians. At this time in the 2nd century many Christians were being persecuted and many killed for their religions beliefs by Roman rule. In the 2nd century Rome ruled almost all of Europe and part of the Middle East. Later in life St. Quiteria and her sisters were brought before their father, who wanted them to marry Roman officials. They refused, which enraged their father who impr isoned them in a town.The sisters eventually broke out of the tower and freed all the persecuted Christians inside. Then waged a guerilla war against the Romans. St. Quiteria and her sisters were later caught and executed. I believe we need more people like St. Quiteria still today to fight persecutions here in America and other countries. I believe people should stick up for others who are being bullied and persecuted. I believe we need to fight for what we believe in and not let others fight us and do nothing about it.

Target Audience

Define your target audience. What are some characteristics associated with your target audience? One of the main drivers of Anheuser-Busch’s success over the past 150 years has been its ingenuity and innovation in advertising and marketing. As times changed, Anheuser-Busch always has created new ways to connect beer drinkers with its products (Marketing and Advertising, 2011). With the merge between Anheuser-Busch and Grupo Modelo we want to appeal to a broader range of people. Combined we hope to be the number one beer company in the world.Our goal is to appeal to the energetic young crowd and the business savvy older crowd. In the U. S. , beer is generally marketed to adult males. It is also closely associated with sporting events in which men represent over 80% of total US beer sales. Here at Anheuser-Busch and Grupo Modelo we do not want to alienate our broader consumer base. We will be sure to capitalize on the consumers that each company can bring individually but put ou r main focus on obtaining new consumers. Right now our target audience would consist of men and women between the ages 21 to 44 that are all over America and Spanish countries.Although our range is quite large there are separate target audiences with different characteristics for different beers. We are glad that we can target different ages and types of people through different beers. We feel it is important that we have a different types of beers for any palette. Our consumers are the ones that keep us alive and we make sure we conduct all our market research to give them what they want. The characteristics of our audience are very different for each beer. Budweiser is a very popular beer amongst males between the ages 21-34.Young adult males that are die hard sports fans are the largest population of beer drinkers. Budweiser serves their needs by providing them with top quality beer they enjoy as well as providing products such as apparel that intertwines with their sports team / person they enjoy (Quincy, S. , 2010). Corona is a very popular beer amongst males ages 21-35, and more now then ever before, females are becoming avid beer drinkers with the likings of Corona Lime. They are confident, fun people who don’t take life too seriously. They are past needing their buddies’ approval of the beer they drink.They believe that the mainstream beers everyone else is drinking don’t match the person they are–or the person they want to be. They’re open to change. They want a beer that reflects their personality. And they appreciate what Corona offers: an escape from the ordinary (Corona Extra: Miles Away From Ordinary. , 2006). Stella Artois is another popular beer, but it is popular amongst the older crowd. The consumer age range for this beer is 25-44. Beer drinkers age 25-34 are eighty-one percent more likely to drink Stella than other consumers in the projected population.Those between the ages 35-44 were eighteen percent mor e likely than the projected population to drink Stella Artois. Education seems to be a large factor in the Stella consumer. Data shows that the higher education a person has, the more likely they are to drink Stella. The typical Stella consumer is most often well educated with at least a college degree, if not a Masters Degree or higher. This audience consists of professionals such as doctors, lawyers, bankers, etc. (Ali, A. , & Smith, K. (2011). Appealing to so many different types of people is one aspect that we feel will make us successful in the long run.References Marketing and Advertising. (2011). Retrieved July 15, 2012, from http://anheuser-busch. com/s/ index. php/our-heritage/history/marketing-and-advertising/ Quincy, S. (2010). Budweiser: A Marketing Analysis. Retrieved from http://www. rantrave. com/Rave/ Budweiser-A-Marketing-Analysis. aspx Corona Extra: Miles Away From Ordinary. (2006). Retrieved 2012, from http://s3. amazonaws. com/ effie_assets/2006/367/2006_367_pdf_ 1. pdf Ali, A. , & Smith, K. (2011). Stella Artois Campaign [Powerpoint slides]. Retrieved July 15, 2012, from http://www. slideshare. net/KDSdesign/stella-campaign

Symbolism in The Tell Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe Essay

Symbolism in The Tell Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe - Essay Example As he tells his frequently bizarre and frightening tales, Poe presents his readers with symbol-rich imagery and descriptions based on binary oppositions to help build the suspense and horror of his tale. As Mowery explains, binary oppositions are things such as hot and cold, male and female, dark and light. â€Å"It is in the subtle shifts in our expectations of the character that tension and conflict are developed† (1997). This concept is frequently illustrated in terms of the madness that comes upon characters as they experience deep feelings that had potential to overwhelm. In â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart,† Edgar Allan Poe uses madness and symbolism to convey love and hate. Poe employs two primary objects in â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart† to illustrate the cause of his narrator’s madness. The old man’s eye is the first of these symbols to appear within the text of the story. As the narrator attempts to explain why he felt led to murder, he says, It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain; but once conceived, it haunted me day and night. Object there was none. Passion there was none. I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult. For his gold I had no desire. I think it was his eye! yes, it was this! He had the eye of a vulture – a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold; and so by degrees – very gradually – I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye for ever. (156). Basic medical knowledge to the modern reader quickly identifies this condition as symptoms of a cataract, a film that gradually creeps over the eye of an elderly person, eventually rendering him or her blind while also changing the color of the eye to a pale bluish color. It is this encroachment that seems to so bother the narrator, â€Å"it was not the old man who vexed

Media Meanings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Media Meanings - Essay Example Whether we care to admit it or not, there is a great deal of truth behind the statement that we are what the media tells us we are. â€Å"Much of what we share, and what we know, and even what we treasure, is carried to us each second in a plasma of electrons, pixels and ink, underwritten by multinational advertising agencies dedicated to attracting our attention for entirely nonaltruistic reasons† (Twitchell 468). This is achieved to great extent through the process of semiotics. Essentially, ‘semiotics’ is a term used to indicate the process of sign analysis in a given culture for indications of meaning at varying levels. â€Å"Semiology therefore aims to take in any system of signs, whatever their substance and limits; images, gestures, musical sounds, objects, and the complex associations of all these, which form the content of ritual, convention or public entertainment: these constitute, if not languages, at least systems of signification† (Barthes, 19 64). Thus, it refers to any combination of contextual clues, such as language, image, color, shape, expression or placement, that are combined together in order to communicate a specific sense of meaning to a particular cultural group. Understanding the language of semiotics and myth, advertisements such as Intel’s advertisement for its Duo Core 2 processor can be analyzed for their more subtle communicative effects. Primary elements included in any discussion of semiotics include signifiers, signified and sign. The sign is the end product created through the combined forces of the signifier and the signified. The signifier can be described as â€Å"the form which the sign takes† (Chandler, 2006). This is different from the signified, which refers to â€Å"the concept it [the signifier] represents† (Chandler, 2006). Basically, the signifier is the most basic idea – the physical presence of a flower. The

Evaluate the role of the internet for a college student Essay

Evaluate the role of the internet for a college student - Essay Example Internet has become increasingly essential to virtually everyone in the worldpeople try to become one global village.Internet has proved to be of a great significance to college peers and it has become a part of their daily lives. Internet assists students as they go on with their studies and researches. Due to the wide range of information present in the internet, it makes it easy for students to conduct research using internet libraries such as Proquest, Ebsco, and Emerald Insight among others. For instance, a student may have a task of doing a research on topic in which they cannot interact with the subject of research due to geographical or financial constraints. Professionals have concluded that, â€Å"Internet is a wide range of supporter by providing all contacts requirements and all types of information, searching facilities with its various digital tools† (Isman Web.). By visiting the internet, the student may gather vital information that will assist the student in t he research about the topic. Due to rapid advances in technology, experts came up with an internet learning programs that enable an individual to learn at the place of their comfort.For instance, e-learning has made it possible for students across the world to learn through virtual classes. Internet is now a common and globally used medium of communication. This makes the students keep in touch with the significant partieswho are of substantial help to them. Incase a student has some query it is easier to contact someone who will help them sort out the issue at hand through the internet.For instance, the student may contact tutorsor friends who may help in solving an academically related issue.Communication platforms such as Skype, Facebook video calling, and Google+ among others have made it possible to video conference. Students can take advantage of such communication platforms to enhance their studies through collaboration with other students and education experts across the wor ld. Certainly, â€Å"Internet has become such an integral part everywhere and a potent communication tool† (Kashif-Ur-Rehma et al 48).This is evident through social media whereby students are able to gather vital information from different parts and from different individuals around the world, which might be of great assistance to the student. Due to the purposes of relaxation, internet offers a wide range of services to facilitate the student as they relax after their studies. Internet games, music, videos, and other forms of entertainmentare widely available in the internet. Whereas such forms of entertainment can be potentially damaging, wise use of internet entertainment can be of great use to students. Games such as chess and scramble, helps the students in sharpening their brains. For instance playing chess, which is considered as the game for genius, may improve ability to focus and think critically.There are games such as crosswords or Sudoku, these games helps to the student to construct vocabularies thus making it easier for them to comprehend easily what they are taught. Whereas the world has increasingly become busy, parenting has become equally challenging. Students more often than not opt to use internet as solution finder to most of social and personal issues such as relationships. It is argued, â€Å"Teens may be too embarrassed to seek information on sex from parents†

The Development of a Proposal for Organisational Research Essay

The Development of a Proposal for Organisational Research - Essay Example f service to the customers.1 However, the increasing number of â€Å"lay-offs† which resulted from globalization makes it a challenge for HR managers to maintain employees’ commitment and loyalty.2 For this reason, the HR personnel acknowledge the need to introduce effective initiatives that could motivate employees to perform their best at work. The best solution to increase employees’ working motivation is to minimize stress barriers related to work and personal lives.3 Most people believe that this can be done by allowing them to enjoy flexible work arrangements since implementing long working hours or the traditional 8 or 9 to 5 workday job requirement could result to a detrimental effect on employees’ work satisfaction and level of productivity.4 In line with the positive remarks of Flexible Working Arrangements in the world of business, the researcher aims to test whether the implementation of the said program within a school setting. For the purpose of this study, a short literature review will be discussed to give the readers a better insight about the benefits of promoting a balancing work and other aspects of employees’ life. In line with answering the research question and meet the objectives of the study, the researcher suggests the use of a semi-structured interview as well as qualitative and quantitative survey questionnaires as part of the methodology. Along the way, the researcher will discuss the underlying philosophies behind the chosen methodological approaches; the sample frame that will be used for the study; data collection processes including the proposed analysis of the gathered data; estimated cost of the study; and the ethical consideration on data gathering. Eventually, a detailed time frame for each research stages will be discussed. recruitment process of competitive human resources as well as its existing employees’ absenteeism and work performances. By creating a more attractive and suitable work place for the

Lidl in the UK Market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Lidl in the UK Market - Essay Example It has presently 500 stores in the UK with a turnover of 44 billion Euros.   Due to the recession of 2007-2010 Lidl has gained a lot of foothold in 2010.Due to the credit crunch available in the market because of recession, people look to reduce their budgets in the food and household items. This is where Lidl comes in. It provides quality products to the customer at very low prices and has been able to give a challenge to established retailer stores in the UK such as Tesco. Lidl has gained its reputation as a no-frills supermarket ( others in this category are Aldi & Netto) that sell food, drink, and non-food products at extremely low prices but no extras are offered to the customers at a Lidl store. They do not provide even free carrier bags. No help is provided to pack your shopping and its stores are marked by the absence of any service counters. The success of Lidl has been primarily based because of the reason that it provided value for money to the people in the times of recession. This document analyzes the Lidl stores from the point of view of se rvices marketing   Along with the four traditional Ps that are associated with regular marketing – Product, Place, Price, Promotion; three other Ps are essential features for a services product which consists of People, Physical evidence, and process. (Donnelly, 1981)   Many researchers are of the view that the basics of marketing like the need to have a well-defined marketing strategy, targeting the markets best suited and the proper positioning for this target segment is essential in the marketing of both – goods and services.

MGT A3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

MGT A3 - Essay Example This is because while money may motivate some individuals according to their preferences, it may leave others out especially if they are motivated by other factors such as power and autonomy. As such, managers must understand the different personality types of the employees (George & Jones, 4). Since personality is more permanent and hence difficult to change, they should embrace the different employee personalities and develop them by considering the most important motivational factors to each employee. There are five personality traits that may dictate what an individual considers as the best motivational factors. These traits include extraversion, neuroticism, agreeableness, consciousness and openness. These traits result in individual differences that make individuals unique, making money an insufficient motivational factor for all individuals in an organization. Other personality traits related to organization behavior include locus of control, self-monitoring and need for achievement. Individuals with a personality trait of locus of control may be motivated better by increasing his span of control and supervision (George &Jones, 8). The person with a need for achievement will be motivated by availing a challenging work environment where they can solve problems successfully. Yet the person with a need for affiliation is motivated when he interacts and networks more, and maintains healthy relationships. Therefore, focusing solely on money as a motivation factor leaves out people who are motivated by other factors other than money. Most employees in an organization despite their individual differences work hard to acquire higher status. Organizations assume that promotion is the only way to elevate a person’s status. However, there are other no-monetary methods to achieve the same objectives such as recognition of a person’s daily achievement and developing an employee’s personality. For example,

Paper on THE KORAN and how it deals with 3 issues listed below Research

On THE KORAN and how it deals with 3 issues listed below - Research Paper Example According to the Muslims the words of The Koran are indisputable and can never be changed by a human being. Various researches, conducted across the world, showed that the words of The Koran are the same as they were at the time of revelation i-e fourteen hundred years ago. The Koran covers many themes but we are going to discuss three chief subjects discussed in The Koran. They are Suicide, Holy War (Jihad) and the use of Alcohol. By going through the various verses of The Koran, we find it lucid and apparent that the suicide is austerely banned in The Koran and there are no exceptions to it. The philosophy of The Koran Says that life is a beautiful thing and it is the gift of Almighty Allah to the human being. It furthers describes that only Allah has the right to take his gift back. No human being is allowed to do so. And if he does, he will face the Wrath of Allah. Not only this that particular human being will never be allowed to enter the paradise. As the Last Prophet Muhammad Says Though it is clear that suicide is strictly forbidden in Islam, but sacrificing life in the Holy war (Jihad) is allowed in Islam. In fact according to The Koran one who fights for the prosperity and the advancement of the religion and sacrifices his life, he will not only be given direct entrance to the paradise but he will also be blessed by the Almighty Allah. â€Å"And fight them on until there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in Allah; but if they cease, let there be no hostility except to those who practise oppression.† [Al-Qur’an 2:192-193] It should also be noted that Allah has allowed this Holy war only against the forces of terror and corruption not against the normal and innocent human being. It does not matter to which religion they belong. There are various type of Jihad described in Islam. Jihad varies from pen to

Programming and Commercial Effects on Children Essay Example for Free

Programming and Commercial Effects on Children Essay Many parents are not aware that commercial programming can have the same effect on childs cognitive learning as the programming the children are watching. The Merriman-Webster (2012) dictionary defines cognitive as, Of relating to, being, or involving conscious intellectual activity (as thinking, reasoning, or remembering). Research has been done on childrens programming as well as commercial television to show the effects on todays youth. Even though suggestive adult humor can be found in childrens programming, the impact commercials have toward children is just as important to watch. Television can provide opportunity for children to learn however it should not be a teacher or babysitter for todays youth. Questions like, If a program is scheduled at all hours of the day and into the night, does this make it appropriate for younger children to watch? should be just one of the many parents should ask when allowing children to watch specific television programming. Intentional or not, programmers use television to influence todays youth. With todays ability to view childrens programming on a multitude of different stations and different channels for each station, it is amazing on how much of todays programming for young children have hidden layers of adult humor. Television writers put subtle instances of adult humor in to childrens programming which allows for them to draw in ratings from a wider range of viewers. Rice (2009) conducted a study on popular childrens cartoon SpongeBob SquarePants in which it states the show is directed toward an age group of approximately 2 to 11 year olds, however research shows that it has a variety of audiences in all age groups. Nearly a quarter (22%) of the viewers ranged from ages 18 to 49. Along with this research, Rice also notes on the schedule of the show to emphasize how it is directed toward a large range of viewers. The show was slotted to air between early morning hours to even later hours, up until close to midnight which by then most of the targeted age group would ave been in bed for a few hours by the time of airing. Rice also recorded subject analysis data for several age groups. In information collected from high school students, the majority of them seem to identify with the shows side kick known as Patrick Star. A large majority of respondents say they watch the show because it is funny, entertaining, and hilarious (Rice, 2009, paragraph, 46). On the other hand, when college students were polled they more or less chose to watch because it helped them unwind from a stressful day, possibly like a treat for their bran after a hard day of class work. If a show that is targeted for a much younger age group has a relaxing type of effect, it would be interesting to see how it influences the target age group. When childrens programming is actually aimed towards a large range of viewers how adults choose what their children should watch could have an important impact on how they develop. In recent, years television networks an writers have taken a more proactive approach in educating youth through television programming. Some of this can be seen by the creation of junior channels. Channels like Nick Jr. or Disney Jr. ave created programming geared toward preschoolers and toddlers that use colors and characters to peak their interests. One of the more influential television stations that support child develop has been the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). PBS has had constant influence in child development with shows like Sesame Street and Barney Friends and now offer new programming like Bob the Builder, Teletubbies and Thomas Friends. These shows focus on learning in the early stages of a preschoolers development by reaching the alphabet, numbers, dancing, singing and even emotional responses. According to The Journal of Media Literacy (2012), To capture and hold viewer attention, each Dora episode features a linear narrative shaped around a high-stakes adventure with serious consequences. It calls upon viewers to interact with the television to help Dora overcome a series of structured challenges. When children hear that they did a good job or a positive response, they tend to want to interact more and thus keeps them interested in the programming. Along with current programming on television, networks have started developing DVDs to sell to parents when current programming might not peak a childs interests. Big Companies like Disney, the Brainy Baby Company and Sesame Workshop have started developing age specific programming. When a large company starts to invest in developmental programming, it gives a better sense of satisfaction as the brand is well known. DVD series like Baby Einstein, Brainy Baby and Sesame Beginnings all have their own niche and targeted age range however all promote development and learning. Kikorian, Wartella, and Anderson (2008) state shows like Baby Einstein target viewers from as young as one month old and covers a wide range of topics such as music, art, language and poetry while Sesame Beginnings targets children starting at six months of age. This show features younger versions of the Muppets of Sesame Street and promote interaction between children and their caregivers. Kikoran et al. (2008) also discussed the unique effect of television on children under the age of two and suggests that some research shows that exposure to television during the first few years of life may be associated with poorer cognitive development. This question could be geared toward the overall television experience which includes commercials and the actual programming. With the importance of what is appropriate for children to watch in television, parents seem to be more concerned with actual programming then what is played in between. However, studies have shown that these commercials can be just as influential to our youth. With promotion of movie trailers, current television shows and video games violence is in pure view for children to see and it is less monitored then the actual program. In order to track this data, the authors in an article in the Journal of Advertising had to define how children and their parents viewed violence. For the children defining violence was much more broad as one child responded with, Violent is fighting with weapons, with swords, blood, and gore and another stated, Violence is bleeding really bad. Sometimes its when somebody falls down and theyre scratched or bleeding really bad (Brocato et al. 2010). Parents were more unified with defining violence with violence consisting of blood, gore and death. Children seem to think that it is the mother that stresses the importance of them not watching while the fathers feel it is alright as long as they are watching it with them. Both parents shared a common theme in that the commercials are not the issue but the actual programming. Parents also shared that by being present they could address sensitive issues like violence when it happens. Reading through the study it was surprising to see possible limitations that could have address more issues. Parents could have been asked while being present when the issue arose how did the child react to the situation. Another question that might have been asked is how did the child react to the actual discussion about the topic. Was the child more interested in the programming or on what the parents had to say. Ultimately the article had a good basis for what were the more glaring issues and how both the parents and children valued what was played in commercials. Intentional or not, programmers use television to influence todays youth. This could be from how they act from watching their favorite television program, to desiring a new toy or video game that was currently seen on a commercial. Parents should take the time to watch what their children are watching. One way to see how a childs favorite program can affect them is to watch the program without the child and then with the child. When watched alone write down instances that might be inappropriate or that draw questions. As the child sits through the program watch how they react to certain situation and then discuss with them on what is positive and what is negative. With correct supervision and discussions, parents have the ability to be a part of the education process with todays youth.

A Case Study Of Telenor Management Essay

A Case Study Of Telenor Management Essay 1. Introduction This study endeavors to develop comprehension of how transformational leadership style of top management affects innovation at the organizational level. The topic is of paramount importance because of the ever increasing pressures of modernization and innovation on todays global economy. It has become indispensable to practice a leadership style that makes firms innovative and adaptive to change. Firms are shifting their focus from knowledge economy to creative economy, where corporations will compete on the basis of imagination, innovation and creativity (Oke, Munshi Walumbwa, 2009) Boston Consulting Group Inc surveyed over 900 senior executives and identified innovation as the key driver of top-line revenue. Analysis of firms transforming due to innovation provides evidence for this statement. For example, the highly successful iPod of Apple Inc.s, that earned devastating revenues for the company; the role of Blackberrys success in the transformation and emergence of Research in Motion; process innovation at Southwest Airlines Co. that transformed it as an economical and triumphant airline; and Procter Gamble Co. outperforming its competitors by focusing on design innovation. Innovation aims at bringing about change in the status quo. It can be defined as discovering (creative thinking ideas) and commercializing those discoveries (implementing the creative ideas). Creativity new idea generation alone are insufficient for innovation; implementation is also a cornerstone of the innovation process. (Oke, Munshi, Walumbwa, 2009) Plentiful studies have led to the identification of factors that can stimulate innovation at the organizational level. In broad terms, innovation is the adoption or execution of unaccustomed and convenient ideas by individuals in organizations (Amabile Conti 1999) p.360). Factors that are known to have an influence on innovation include leadership (Mumford Gustafson, 1998; Amabile, 1998), a work environment that is conducive for innovation (Amabile, 1998; Oke, Munshi Walumbwa, 2009), CEO salary (Markman, Balkin and Gomez-Mejia, 2000), organizational culture and climate (Mumford Gustafson, 1998; Jung, Wu Chow, 2008; Oke, Munshi Walumbwa, 2009), environmental attributes (Jung, Wu Chow, 2008), learning capability and intra-organizational networks (Tsai, 2001) and job complexity type of supervision (Oldham Cummings, 1996). Among these abundant factors, the leadership behavior of managers has been spotted as one of the most important of all (Amabile, 1998; Jung, 2001; Mumford, Sc ott, Gaddis Strange, 2002). Leadership was merely a concept before the 19th century and it was in the start of the 19th century that it emerged as a word in English language (Davis Cushing). Over the years, leaders and leadership have been distinctly defined by various scholars. Leadership is a process whereby a leader changes the course of action of another group, due to the interaction of his personality characteristics and those of the group (Bogardus, 1934). Leadership is the direction of human collaborators for the accomplishment of a goal. A leader successfully guides his human assistants for the achievement of particular ends. (Prentice, W.C.H. 1961). Leadership is a goal directed endeavor with the aim to influence the activities of followers through communication process. (Donelly, J.H. Ivancevich, J. M. Gibson, J.L. 1985 Leadership is the situational effort towards goal achievement by the process of influencing the individual or group activities. (Hersey, P. Blanchard, K, 1988). Leadership is the f ormulation of a transparent and complete system of expectations for the purpose of identification, arousal and utilization of strengths of all the resources of an organization, the most important of which is human resource (Batten, J.D. 1989). Leadership is the art of influencing individuals to yield their best output/ performance for the accomplishment of a goal, project or objective. (Cohen, W.A. 1990). Leaders are the people who obtain commitment from a working group of individuals and then motivate them to accomplish the outcomes of a pre-planned direction. (Conger, J.A.1992). Leadership is a process in which a leader sets the goal for an individual or group of individuals and takes all of them together with him or her with proficiency and devotion (Jacques E. Clement, S.D. 1994). Leadership is an unrealizable trait that cannot be distinctly defined. This in fact is a good phenomenon, because if the followers were aware of the definition of leadership, they would probably overr un their leaders. (Scott Adams, 1996). Effective leadership is about enabling ordinary people to deliver extraordinary results in the face of challenge and change and to constantly turn in superior performance to the long-term benefit of all concerned (Charlton, 1993). The more recent definitions conceive leadership in terms of influence relationships, power differentials, persuasion, influence on goal achievement, reinforcement, role differentiation, initiation of structure, and perceived attributions of behavior that are consistent with what the perceivers spotted leadership to be. Recently, many management scholars and gurus have identified adaptive leadership as the key enabler to cope with the ever increasing challenges of the corporate world. (Bass, Avolio, Jung Berson, 2003). So the adaptive leadership behaviors that have proved to be more effective than other leadership styles in organizational innovation have been labeled as transformational. (Lowe, Kroek, Sivasubramaniam, 1996; Gardner Avolio, 1998; Howell Avolio, 1993). Transformational leadership capabilities continue to be the hallmark of innovative firms. Successful leaders like J.R. Immelt, CEO of General Electric; A.G.Lafley, CEO of P&G; Ratan Tata, chairman of Tata Motors Tata Group and Steve Jobs of Apple are the prominent figures who have fostered innovation by their adaptive behaviors. Transformational leadership holds four theoretically discrete dimensions: charisma or idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation and individual consideration. Idealized influence reflects the degree to which followers admire and hold their leaders as role models. Leaders exhibiting idealized influence are ethical, consistent, share risks with followers and prefer the needs of their followers above their own needs. Inspirational motivation points to the degree motivation of followers by delineating new opportunities, providing meaning and challenge to followers work and articulating a strong, realistic and shared vision of the future. Intellectual stimulation refers to the ability of a leader to question the assumptions and thinking of followers, reframe problems, stimulate intellectual curiosity, approaching problems in new ways, soliciting creativity and innovation from followers through novel approaches and avoiding open criticism for individual errors. Finally, leaders who provide individualized consideration pay attention to individual needs for growth, development, support and achievement. They act as coaches or mentors and establish a favorable environment for innovation; where values are diversified and learning opportunities are created (Bass Avolio, 1993) (Some versions of Bass Full-Range Leadership Theory identify 5 components of transformational leadership by breaking down idealized influence/ charisma into idealized influence or attributed charisma. For the sake of simplifying this research, idealized influence and charisma have been grouped together in this study). 2. Research Design 2.1 Main Objectives The aim of this study is to probe the following objectives: To discuss the philosophy, attributes and elements of transformational leadership and innovation To spot the existence of transformational leadership style at Telenor Pakistan To the asses the level of organizational innovation Telenor Pakistan To identify the effect transformational leadership style on organizational innovation 2.2 Hypotheses to be tested The objective of this study is to spot the presence of attributes of transformational leadership i.e. idealized influence, inspirational motivation, individualized consideration and intellectual stimulation, estimate the level of organizational innovation and examine the effect of transformational leadership on organizational innovation. The working hypothesis within this context will be as under: H0: Transformational leadership has no effect on organizational innovation. H1: Transformational leadership has strong effect on organizational innovation. 2.3 Scope of the study The range of application of this study is limited to the telecommunication sector in Pakistan with specific focus on Telenor (Peshawar). Transformational leadership style will be judged on the basis of four dimensions, that is, charisma or idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation and individualized consideration. Furthermore, the effect of transformational leadership on organizational innovation will be analyzed. 3. Review of Literature (Burns, 1978) stated that transformational leaders stand above the common place. They indulge in a mutual interaction with their followers that raises the understanding, goals and mission that results in the ultimate arousal and transformation of both the leader and the followers. (Bass, 1985) At the other end to transformational leadership lies transactional leadership; where the leaders try to maintain the status quo. Followers are motivated on the base of extrinsic rewards, such as promotion and monetary benefits. It is an everyday terrestrial transaction of value, where leaders only provide needed value to individuals in exchange for their services. (Jane. M. Howell, Christopher A. Higgins, 1990) The most successful leaders are gifted with qualities of transformational leadership and charisma. They are far more influential and innovative than the leaders having style other than transformational. (David A. Waldman, Bernard M. Bass, 1991) linked the themes of nurturant and persistent leadership with transformational leadership theory. Furthermore, the role of transformational leadership behavior in various stages of successful innovations was clarified and implications were presented regarding the proposed model. (Dougherty Hardy, 1996) Transformational leaders intellectually stimulate their followers. This fosters unaccustomed and creative thinking and working processes that pave the way for new technology and knowledge, which are necessary for organizational innovation. Amabile, Conti, Coon, Lazenby, and Herron (1996) have spotted the damaging effects of transactional leadership on creativity. Bono Judge (2004) have supported this proposition in their recent meta-analysis. (Sosik, Avolio Kahali, 1997) Transformational leaders easily adapt to exploitative and exploratory thinking processes which in turn yield creative ideas and effective solutions to problems. The effectiveness of transformational leadership at stimulating unconventional and innovative thinking of followers is far greater than that of other leadership styles. (Bass, 1985; Gardner Avolio, 1998) proposed that transformational leaders have the ability to create personal and professional commitment from their followers towards satisfying upper-level needs like self-actualization and self esteem. (Oldham Cummings, 1996; Amabile, 1998; Zhou, 2003) added to this research finding by suggesting that this commitment boosts the inherent motivation of followers, which is considered to be an essential driver of individual creativity and organizational innovation. (House Shamir, 1993; Jung Avolio, 2000; Mumford et.al, 2000) Leaders possessing transformational attributes have the ability to regroup the values and norms of their followers in a better way. They encourage the progress of personal and organizational changes and facilitate their followers to go beyond their initial performance expectations. (A.Oke, 2002) was part of a study carried out on the organizational innovation of AXA insurance, Ireland. It was revealed that due to the transformational leadership style of John. ONeil, the CEO, a non-innovative firm was transmuted into an innovative one. To achieve this level of creativity, the physical spaces were decorated with eye catching colors and employees from all levels and functions were made to work together in order to stimulate creativity. The results of this transformational behavior were soon evident in the form of 150 new business ideas during 6 months. (Shin Zhou 2003) found that positive relation was discovered between transformational leadership and creativity of subordinates on the basis of a study conducted on 290 employees and their supervisors belonging to 46 Korean companies. (Jung, Wu, Chow, 2008) concluded in their research that a positive relation has existence between the transformational leadership of CEO and organizational innovation. This effect is moderated by variables such as organizational structure, culture and external environment. These results are agreed upon after testing multi-sourced data from 50 Taiwanese electronics and telecommunications companies. (Oke, Munshi, Walumbwa, 2009) found that transformational style of leadership strongly enhances creativity and innovation regarding exploratory (creating something of a totally new and radical nature) and exploitative innovation activities (incremental improvements and refinements to something that already exists). These leaders have the ability to transform or change, which makes them the main drivers for innovative processes. (Lale Gumusluoglu, Arzu IIsev, 2009) suggested that transformational leadership style has strong influence on both the individual and organizational innovation. Individually, transformational leadership is positively related to the creativity of employees. Furthermore, transformational leadership and organizational innovation are spotted to have a positive association between them. These results are the outcome of a study conducted on 163 managers and RD personnel from 43 Micro and small sized software development companies from Turkey. (Khan, Rehman and Fatima, 2009) studied managers from telecommunication sector in Pakistan and explored the positive effects of transformational leadership on organizational innovation. (Mariana Makri, Terri A.Scandura, 2010) identified the strong relation of operational leadership (the dimension of leadership which reflects the ability of a CEO to refine the existing paths to growth or tapping new paths by reframing and extending the boundaries of the firm to products and markets) and creative leadership (the ability of a leader to contribute to the social, human and knowledge capital of his firm) with the quantity and resonance of innovation. The hypothesis was tested over a sample of 77 high technology firms. 4. Research Methodology 4.1 Sources of data This research will make use of both primary and secondary data. Transformational leadership style will be judged on the basis of primary data obtained through interview and questionnaire. The level of organizational innovation will be assessed by primary data obtained through questionnaire and secondary data gathered from the companys publicly disclosed financial statements. 4.2 Research instruments Questionnaires and structured interviews will serve as instruments of this research. The extent of transformational leadership will be measured using Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (Bass and Avolio, 1995) (Annexure-A). MLQ is a well validated measure of transformational leadership and has been used extensively in prior research (Awamleh and Gardner, 1999). Each respondent will be asked to rate five aspects of his/her leaders/ top-managers behavior related to each of the four dimensions of transformational leadership (idealized influence/charisma, inspirational motivation, individualized consideration, intellectual stimulation). The responses will be anchored by a 5-point response scale (1-not at all, 2-once in a while, 3-sometimes, 4-fairly often, 5-frequently, if not always). While measuring organizational innovation, a composite measure will be used to capture the broad aspects of innovative activities (Balkin et als, 2000). Two measures will be used to tap into different aspects of innovation. First is the annual RD expenditure as a percentage of sales revenue over three years prior to this study (i.e.2008-2010). This ratio indicates a firms emphasis on innovation (Hitt, Hoskisson and Kim, 1997; Balkin et al, 2000). These figures will be obtained from the companys publicly disclosed financial statements. Second, different respondents actively following the telecommunication industry will be contacted. The reason is to include different fruits of innovation such as process and service improvements. Each respondent will be offered two sets of questions about the sample firm. The first set includes a single question regarding his/her familiarity with the company. The possible answers will be 1-not familiar with the company at all, 2-somewhat familiar with the company, 3-very familiar with the company. Only the respondents with responses 2 and 3 will be considered. The second set comprises of 20 questions (4 questions each for scanning five types of innovative activities i.e. product innovation, process innovation, marketing innovation, strategic innovation and organizational climate innovation) in order to rate the level of organizational innovation (Annexure B). The 5-point Likerts Scale (1-strongly disagree, 2-disagree, 3-neither agree nor disagree, 4-agree, 5-strongly agree) will be used to anchor the responses. 4.3 Sampling design (a) Universe / population There are many national and multinational telecommunication companies operating in Pakistan. All these national and multinational firms collectively form the population/ universe of this research. Results will be generalized and recommendations will be forwarded considering all these firms. (b) Sample size and selection This research will adopt a case study approach by focusing on Telenor (Peshawar) as the sample firm. A simple random sample of 30 employees of low, middle and top-management of the company will be selected with the aim of assessing transformational leadership. Furthermore, organizational innovation will be judged by studying a random sample of 30 respondents that are directly or indirectly associated with the telecommunication industry in Pakistan.

The Use of Variola major in Bioterrorism Essay -- Biological Terrorism

Variola major: its symptoms and the possibilities of its use in bioterrorism Smallpox is a virus that was pronounced eradicated in 1990 by the World Health Organization (WHO). Prior to its elimination through the coordinated efforts of several international agencies, it was considered one of the most dangerous threats to the prolonged existence of the human race. Its effects, especially those of the hemorrhagic strain, are comparable to those of such agents as the Zaire Ebola virus, Lassa hemorrhagic fever, and Marburg virus. EPIDEMIOLOGY Smallpox (Variola major) spreads through either direct physical contact or prolonged proximity to an infected individual. The disease begins in the lungs, spreading from there to the rest of the body. Men and women are equally susceptible to the disease, as are all ethnicities. Of those who came in contact with the disease, few survived. The mortality rates are these: Discrete ordinary smallpox: 34% Confluent ordinary smallpox: 59% Hemorrhagic smallpox: 94% Smallpox was known to nearly wipe out entire populations, and often decimated communities, cities, and countries. POSSIBLE BIOWARFARE USES FIRST USE The first recorded use of smallpox as a biological weapon was in 1756. Sir Jeffrey Amherst and other members of the British colonial army gave blankets that had previously belonged to smallpox victims to American Indians, causing them and their tribes to contract the disease previously unknown to them. In some areas, more than 50% of the population perished. WORLD WAR II During the second world war, the Axis decided to begin the usage of biological weapons in order to assure that the war went in their favor. This task was assigned to Japanese Military Unit 731, which recruited numer... ...(2005) Biological weapons defense: infectious diseases and counterbioterrorism. New York: Humana. Smallpox. (2006, July 30.) Retrieved July 30, 2006 from http://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Smallpox Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2006) What you should know about a smallpox outbreak. Retrieved July 30, 2006 from http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/ smallpox/basics/outbreak.asp United States Department for Health and Human Services. (2006) Smallpox: About the disease. Retrieved July 30, 2006 from http://www.hhs.gov/smallpox/About Disease.html World Health Organization. (2006) Smallpox. Retrieved July 30, 2006 from http://www.who.int/csr/disease/smallpox/en/ World Health Organization. (2006) Report from the Secretariat: Smallpox eradication - destruction of smallpox virus stocks. Retrieved July 30, 2006 from http://www.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EB117/B117_33-en.pdf

Behavioral Genetics Essay examples -- Psychology

Is behavior learned? It is inborn? What of aggression, intelligence, and madness? There is a crucial relationship between the behavior of humans toward their own kind and the view of life they hold. Interest in behavioral genetics depends on wanting to know why people differ. According to Jack R. Vale, in Genes, Environment, and Behavior, recognition of the importance of hereditary influence on behavior represents one of the most dramatic changes in the social and behavioral sciences during the past two decades. A shift began toward the more balanced contemporary view that recognizes genetic as well as environmental influences on behavior. Behavioral genetics lies in its theory and methods, which consider both genetic and environmental sources of behavioral differences among individuals. Behavioral genetics is simply the intersection between genetics and the behavioral sciences. Behavior is a phenotype that is, an observable characteristic we can measure. On the other hand, behavior is not just another phenotype. According to Robert Plomin in Behavioral Genetics, â€Å"Because behavior involves the action of the whole organism rather than the action of a single molecule, a single cell, or a single organ, behavior is the most complex phenomenon that can be studied genetically. Unlike some physical characteristics, behavior is dynamic, changing in response to the environment indeed, behavior is at the cutting edge of evolution text, because its focus is on the complexity of behavioral phenotypes†(2). Obviously, there can be no behavior without both an organism and an environment. For a particular behavior, what causes differences among individuals? For example, what causes individual differences in c... ...al; Human Studies. Boston: Little, Brown, 1970. Print. Eaves, Lindon J., Judy L. Silberg, Joanne M. Meyer, Hermine H. Maes, Emily Simonoff, Andrew Pickles, Michael Rutter, Chandra A. Reynolds, Andrew C. Heath, Kimberly R. Truett, Michael C. Neale, Marilyn T. Erikson, Rolf Loeber, and John K. Hewitt. "Genetics and Developmental Psychopathology: 2. The Main Effects of Genes and Environment on Behavioral Problems in the Virginia Twin Study of Adolescent Behavioral Development." Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 38.8 (1997): 965-80. Print. Plomin, Robert, J. C. DeFries, and G. E. McClearn. Behavioral Genetics: a Primer. New York: W.H. Freeman, 1990. Print. Rothstein, Carson. Behavioral Genetics. Baltimore: John Hopkins UP, 1999. Print. Vale, Jack R. Genes, Environment, and Behavior: an Interactionist Approach. New York: Harper & Row, 1980. Print.

Animal Testing is Animal Cruelty :: Animal Testing

Animal Testing is Animal Cruelty We, as humans, have made numerous advancements in the world. We have firmly established the scientific evolution, but in doing so, it seems that our ethics and morals have failed to progress as well. The knowledge we have acquired is remarkable, but with it comes responsibility to use it wisely and ethically. We torture and heartlessly kill creatures that we arrogantly consider lesser beings simply at our disposal. For something as simple as eye makeup animals are tortured and blinded by tests performed at the laboratory. Where they are hardly fed, often forced to live in filth, and sometimes have their vocal cords removed to keep them quiet (CAAT). We are systematically cutting down the last forest that provides their shelter to farm cattle; we dump toxic chemicals and sewage into the waters in which they live; we wear and display the tusks of the last few of their species in our homes, and we pour cosmetic products into their eyes and body parts to determine the harmful effects the y might cause on humans, even though the physiological differentiation between humans and the animals they use is drastic. On a daily basis most people do not see their own degree of unintentional support towards this global dilemma, but when compiled on paper one must question how mankind can, with conscience, commit these acts which shame us as human beings. Animals possess the same kinds of feelings and emotions as human beings, and without anesthesia, they are subjected to the pain as well. Mankind often fails to give animals the respect and rights they deserve, they are treated as lifeless, unfeeling scientific specimens and items that we may manipulate at our own convenience and for vanity’s sake. The Facts of Animal Tests - Laboratory research involving animals is cruel and merciless treatment of helpless creatures. No law requires that cosmetics and household products be tested on animals. Nevertheless, every day hundreds of animals will have had their eyes, skin or g astrointestinal systems unnecessarily burned or destroyed (PETA). Two of the most common animal tests are the Draize, or eye irritancy test and the LD50 (Lethal Dose 50). The Draize test is performed almost exclusively on albino rabbits, such as the Forida White, because they are cheap, docile, and are not â€Å"equipped† with tear ducts to wash away the chemicals. During the test the rabbits are immobilized in a stock with only their head protruding and a solid or liquid is placed in the lower lid of one eye of the rabbit; substances vary from mascara to aftershave and even oven cleaner.

Procedure to Deal with Accident, Emergency and Illness

AWARENESS OF ILLNESSES Common illnesses: †¢Looks pale†¢Dark rings around eyes †¢Quiet or irritable†¢Lost appetite †¢Has a rash or looks flush†¢Appears more tired or lethargic Serious illnesses: †¢Severe bleeding †¢Chocking †¢Unconsciousness†¢Epileptic seizure †¢Suspected fractures†¢Breathing difficulties †¢Head injuries†¢Disorientation ACCIDENT PROCEDURES Immediate action should be taken as follows: †¢Reassure the child †¢Do not move the child unless it is absolutely necessary If children are unconscious they should be put into the recovery position †¢Do not give the child any food or drink †¢Keep the child warm †¢Ensure other children in the area are not at risk of being hurt †¢assistance will be sought from one of the appointed persons responsible for first aid. †¢Parents will be contacted in the event of illness or serious accident. †¢In addition to contacting of parents an ambulance will be called if required. †¢At the close of a serious incident the school should review its handling of the situation to see if there needs to be change to its procedures. Reporting accidents/injuries: Accidents/injuries need to be recorded in the accident books in the first aid box and a letter should be sent to parents. †¢All bumped heads should be recorded and a letter sent to parents. †¢Very serious incidents, e. g. where an ambulance is called need to be recorded on an accident report form, available in the office FIRE EMERGENCY Anyone discovering fire or smoke should raise the alarm by breaking the glass at the nearest alarm point. On hearing the alarm: †¢Direct children to walk quietly to the nearest exit and then walk quietly in single file to the assembly points on the playground. †¢Children will line up in register order. Ensure that the classroom is empty before leaving. †¢Everyone on site, children and adults, must leave by th e nearest exit. †¢Two designated members of staff will check the children's toilets are empty. †¢Classes should stand still and quiet until asked to re-enter the building. †¢School Bursar or Admin Assistant will call the fire brigade and check that the medical room is empty. Admin staff will also unlock the playground gate to allow access for the fire brigade. MISSING CHILD PROCEDURE Child goes missing on the school premises †¢As soon as it is noticed that a child is missing report to the teacher responsible. Responsible teacher will organise a thorough search of the school building and grounds. †¢The register is checked to make sure no other child has also gone astray. †¢Doors and gates are checked to see if there has been a breach of security whereby a child could wander out. †¢If the child is not found, the parent is contacted and the missing child is reported to the police. †¢The responsible teacher contacts the Executive Head Teacher and reports the incident. †¢The Executive Head Teacher, with the Governing Body, carries out an investigation and may come to the setting immediately.Child goes missing on the off school premises: †¢The Group Leader must ensure the safety of remaining pupils. At least two adults must stay with them. †¢One or more adults should immediately start searching for the child. †¢The Visit Leader should contact school to alert them. †¢If the child is not found within 5 minutes, the Group Leader must contact police by telephoning 999. †¢The Group Leader should alert school that the police have been contacted and school will make arrangements to notify parents.

Victoria`s Secret Economic Environment

IntroductionThe apparel industry faces various supply chain challenges, many due to the fact that the major part of apparel manufacturing activity for the United States market has moved outside the country to low-labor-cost countries in the Far-East. Thus, due to long physical distances, apparel companies in the US are continuously challenged to quickly respond to changing trends, to reduce long lead-times, to execute collaborative product development with suppliers using effective communication and to ensure total supply chain visibility. Moreover, fickle consumer preferences and shortening of the product life cycles make the apparel industry very challenging from a supply chain perspective.The Victoria's Secret business provides a case study representative of most supply chain challenges faced by the apparel industry as a whole. Victoria's Secret is a multi-channel retailer selling its products through physical stores located throughout the United States, as well as through a colle ction of printed catalogs and an online shop. Its major product offerings lie in the category of intimate apparel, sleepwear, beauty, apparel, shoes and swimwear. For the purpose of this research, we focus on the intimate apparel segment of Victoria's Secret. Intimate apparel represents the largest portion of Victoria's Secret business and is sold through all the retail channels described above.Company HistoryAccording to company lore, after a disagreement with his father in 1963 over the operation of the family store (Leslie's), Leslie Wexner, then 26, opened  the first Limited store in Columbus, Ohio, with $5,000 borrowed from his aunt. Leslie Wexner's desire was to focus on moderately priced fashionable attire for teenagers and young women (Hoover's Online). The Limited went public in 1969 with five stores. Rapid development of large malls spurred Limited's growth to 100 stores by 1976.Two years later, The Limited acquired Mast Industries, an international apparel purchasing an d importing company. In 1982, Limited purchased Lane Bryant (a plus size brand) and Victoria's Secret (lingerie). In March 2002 the so called The Limited changed its name to Limited Brands. Limited Brands is currently focusing on its star players, Victoria's Secret and Bath and Body Works.Company StrategyThe company strategy has evolved over time. Prior to 1995, the company's strategy was primarily driven by a knock-off design, shop-and-copy system. During this period, the company's merchants searched for forthcoming fashion designs, all over the world, especially in Europe, and produced merchandise inspired by these designs. Their strategy involved speed sourcing of the products and selling them out even before the original brand could actually be launched. By the early nineties, there remained little competitive advantage in this approach, as the rest of the world had figured out similar ways to do business (Limited Brands Presentation, 2005), between 1995 and 1998, the company st rategically planned an overhaul, focusing on developing a distinct brand identity.The Limited became the largest employer of apparel designers in the world (as mentioned by a top executive). The company re-positioned itself to operate like an upscale consumer package company. With aspirations to be a large powerful brand that controlled its own retail distribution channels and seeking a consistent repeatable business, the company soon incorporated vertically integrated capabilities into its supply chain. In its quest to narrow its portfolio and create a distinct brand image, the company closed all of its poorly performing businesses, including the sale of its bank, and spun off or sold Abercrombie and Fitch, Lane Bryant and six out of seven Henri Bendel stores (Limited Brands Presentation, 2005).Financial PerformanceVictoria's Secret Business UnitWithin Victoria's Secret, all three channels – Victoria's Secret Stores, Victoria's Secret Beauty and Victoria's Secret Direct â₠¬â€œ are experiencing revenue growth as well as profitability. As of august 2013, Victoria`s Secret stores sales increased 3% on top of a 9% increase last year. Increase was primarily driven by strength in bras and panties. Victoria's Secret Direct, the catalog and online business, also experienced growth. Direct enjoyed a 3% increase in sales in 2013. The growth came from improved clothing assortment at more competitive prices and growth of its intimate apparel category, especially of panties and sleepwear.Direct now represents approximately a third of Victoria's Secret sales. A 2001 â€Å"share of drawer† analysis indicated that one-third of the typical customer's lingerie drawer comes from the Victoria's Secret brand. Most of the drawer, however, consists of daily wear lingerie products, of which Victoria's Secret is a relatively lower percentage. Thus, the trend for the new product introductions will likely be toward more pretty, yet every day, styles like the Body by Vic toria sub-brand, a line of everyday intimate apparel.Victoria's Secret StoresVictoria's Secret (VS) is the most profitable as well as the biggest revenue generating brand for Limited Brands. Its net sales for the year 2013 were $ 271 million correspond of 16.7% of the total % of sales. Victoria's Secret comprises 3 sub-businesses: Victoria's Secret Stores (VSS), Victoria's Secret Beauty (VSB) and Victoria's Secret Direct (VSD) network of stores. VSD sells VS lingerie, sleepwear as well as 3rd party brands in the categories of apparel, shoes and accessories through its online store and catalogs. This case study focuses on Victoria's Secret's lingerie business.ProductsVictoria's Secret sub-brands or collections can be said to focus on a central theme. For example, the most recently introduced Victoria's Secret sub-brand called ‘Pink† is a new collection of intimate apparel aimed at a 19 year old  woman (Limited Brands Interview, 2005), and the â€Å"Victoria† is t he new glamorous fragrance launched that build on its fragrance business. Each of these collections is offered in a variety of different styles based on the extent of coverage given by the bra, the configuration of the bra strap or even its entire silhouette.Overall, the products carried by Victoria's Secret Stores can be divided into 3 broad categories: Launch Fashion Products, Non-Launch Fashion Products and Basic Products. About 60% of units in store are basic, 25% non-launch fashion and the remaining 15% are launch products. Basics consist of products which sell all year round and have styles and colors which can be sold in all seasons and for the most part, never go out of style. Beige Dream Angel's bras, white and black bras from the Body by Victoria collection are examples of basic products.Fashion products are loosely defined as items with styles, colors or silhouettes which typically sell for one season (1 season = 6 months) and then shift to regular replenishment. Launch p roducts are fashion items which are heavily promoted and may even announce the introduction of a completely new category. These products involve special planning and are typically launched two times per year, in spring and fall. An example of a highly successful recently launched product is the new The Close-Up ®. The company also engages in about fifteen annual reconfigurations of its stores also termed as â€Å"floorsets†. A floorset may or may not involve a launch.Customer SegmentsVictoria's Secret Stores is trying to be the dominant, young, sexy and sophisticated lingerie and beauty brand in the world. Victoria's Secret serves a wide range of customers with varied psychographics and demographics. On a household income scale, the VS customer loosely lies between 30-75 percentile ranges. With presence in almost all major malls in the United States, VSS aspires to become a destination brand, which means that a customer would be tempted to visit the malls just to see the VS store. With the Pink ® sub-brand, the space Victoria's Secret is trying to fill as â€Å"young and casual†, a category which had been previously overlooked  by Victoria's Secret.Pink was developed in response to the fast growing Abercrombie & Fitch brand, which was once a part of The Limited. Out of the three key words describing the overall target customer above, â€Å"young† is the most important. The goal is clearly to target a young demographic. Finally, the company sees VS as an â€Å"aspirational† brand, and as such, older women may be encouraged to buy Pink  ®' products as well, as a 40 year old is likely to aspire to look like 30 rather than to look.Demand Forecasting and PlanningOn the demand planning and forecasting front, the Catalog and Web businesses are governed by separate strategies. This is primarily because the drivers of demand for the two channels are different. For the catalog, the demand forecast is mapped against the curve of the pr oduct life cycle from the point the catalog is mailed to when 98% of the product is sold. Moreover, circulation of printed books is the primary driver of sales. Within a catalog, dynamics related to location of the display of product, and to the model selected for the display, are sales drivers. Once Direct has visibility as to the actual product layout of the catalog, it re-forecasts the demand several weeks before it is mailed, and subsequently adjusts its purchase orders.For the web, on the other hand, the forecast is based on individual item performance on an hourly, daily or weekly basis. One of the key metrics that Direct uses to monitor its sales is given by the Net-Growth Ratio. This ratio measures for every $1 of demand generated, how much was generated for sales after accounting for returns, cancellations and failure to fulfill back-orders. Victoria's Secret Direct, especially the catalog business, has additional levers in the way that offer a wider breadth of fashion asso rtments. This is because the marginal costs of carrying fashion versus basics product in Direct is governed by different dynamics in comparison to stores, as the stores have huge fixed costs due to real-estate.Moreover, it is possible for Direct to leverage assets between the catalog and web operations such as common photography. About 400 million catalogs are mailed in a year; approximately one fresh book a week having anywhere between 60 to180 pages and including between 250 and 600 items. About 95-98% of the Direct products are sold in US. Semi-annual sales are  tied together with Victoria's Secret Stores and a sale period is comprised of 8 weeks, requiring approximately 8 mailings during this time (Limited Brands Interview, 2005). Last, but not the least, if a product doesn't perform well in one media, it is not introduced in the other.Sourcing and ProductionVictoria's Secret Direct utilizes the Mast network, as do the Victoria's Secret Stores. Direct is able to maintain accur ate data about customer preferences and buying patterns due to the online nature of its business. It is therefore able to quickly translate this information to its vendors, making it much more responsive to changing customer needs than the Victoria's Secret Stores. This allows Mast to adopt a sourcing strategy based on the vendors' ability to deliver smaller and more frequent orders. Smaller orders mitigate risk of over-stocking and frequency allows the company to react closer to the demand and to get the right product out to market in time.Distribution and FulfillmentOn the distribution front, Direct uses its own distribution center in Columbus, Ohio, separate from the Victoria's Secret Stores' distribution center. Both web and catalog share this DC. The process of picking in distribution centers is different from stores, as these products are picked as single items based on orders, whereas in the Victoria's Secret Stores' operations the products are picked and shipped in cases. Th e average time it takes to get to customers is about two days. The online business is well integrated to inventory systems at the DC level, but is not integrated with Victoria's Secret Stores. With only about 15-20% of overlap in SKUs between the stores and Direct, this is not an immediate need (Limited Brands Interview, 2005).Direct keeps a close watch on its inventory and maintains fairly accurate item levels as well as order level data. For example, the current percentage of service level that Direct operates shows an 88% in stock and 12% back-order at the item level. This level of data integrity allows Direct to be much more responsive than Victoria's Secret Stores and  as a result allows them to make dynamic changes to order quantities, pre-packs and size-curves based on latest selling patterns. In contrast to placing large orders with Mast, as do Victoria's Secret Stores, Direct can thus place smaller and more frequent orders. Moreover, Direct doesn't require excess inventor y for the purpose of its floor and window displays as do Victoria's Secret Stores.Goals and ChallengesAs a part of the INSIGHT project, Victoria's Secret Direct is working closely with its production team to create a library of fabrics and raw materials to make a choice matrix such that lead times can be reduced dramatically. They are also a part of the same initiative to reduce concept to market lead times from 72 to 40 weeks.The challenge for the company is in the area of returns. Currently, returns amount to approximately 25% of demand and are primarily driven by the Swim and Apparel categories; however, a considerable part of returns are put back in stock. These are products which are in reasonable condition to be resold. The return rate for lingerie is negligible. One of the challenges that Victoria's Secret faces overall is in the category of fringe sizes. Fringe sizes are the ones which are on the tail-end of the demand curve and whose demand patterns are harder to predict. C ustomers looking to buy these sizes typically feel the need to try them on before purchase.If these products are carried by Direct, there is potential for reduced customer service levels. On the other hand, if Victoria's Secret Stores decides to carry these sizes to provide better customer service, they will be faced with challenges of less predictable demand patterns for these sizes, leading to over or under stocking of product. Therefore, the company has to work a delicate tradeoff between providing better customer service levels and the subsequent financial impact of this service. A survey about multi-channel retailing tactics used by retailers, conducted by Forrester research, showed that 87% of retailers allowed purchases made online to be returned to stores.Limited Brands fully integrated Victoria's Secret with its Direct business. This involves large logistical challenges for the brand but have a  positive impact of customer satisfaction levels as the customers are able to return goods purchased online to Victoria's Secret Stores, and are even able to order products in stores which they purchased online and have them delivered to their house with no additional cost.Victoria's Secret's Supply Chain FrameworkVictoria's Secret's business strategy has evolved from a shop-and-copy system to a branded concept, that of selling innovative, technologically advanced products at reasonably high profit margins. The Victoria's Secret brand is positioned to be the dominant, young, sexy and sophisticated lingerie and beauty concept, targeting young customers who appreciate the value of possessing innovative lingerie. At the same time, the company is somewhat risk averse.It does not rely solely on its fashionable bra launches for all of its sales. It distributes risk by having a mixed assortment of fashion and basic goods. However, having this mixed assortment adds complexity, in that the brand has to operate two supply chains; one for each of these types of products . Below I underlined the operating model, operational objectives and important tailored business activities that drive sustained competitive advantage within the Victoria's Secret supply chain and align with the overarching business strategy.Complementary Operating ModelThe operating model at Victoria's Secret Stores is to achieve desired brand recognition through innovative product development, glamorous bra launches and high shelf availability of its products. Most of the Victoria's Secret Stores' new product introductions are offered in both fashion (items with less predictable demand) as well as basic (stable demand) styles. This mix of fashion and basic items helps Victoria's Secret to distribute risk, to ensure profitability and to offer compelling value to customers. The company identifies that there is not a single all-in-one supply chain solution for both of these categories of products and therefore it maintains two different types of supply chains for each.The supply chai n for Victoria's Secret's fashion items is driven by â€Å"Speed-to-Market† to ensure responsiveness. This is reflected in the company-wide initiative to shorten its â€Å"Concept-to-Market† calendar. This supply chain is further governed by a sourcing strategy that requires a set of suppliers with an excellent record of product innovation, value-adding capabilities and no minimum volume requirements. Due to the prioritization of speed over low labor cost, these items are made in the most capable factories in the world, wherever they may be, and are consistently air shipped to the company's distribution center in Columbus, Ohio.On the other hand, the supply chain for Victoria's Secrets basic items is driven by factors like asset utilization and supply chain efficiency. As a result, basic goods are manufactured in vertically integrated factories which provide close control over capacity utilization and productivity. These factories run at full capacity and provide econo mies of scale (Limited Brands Interview, 2005). Mast holdings have an equity stake in two of Limited Brands' largest factories in India and Sri Lanka. This is a strategic decision in order to maintain tighter control and better supply chain visibility.Operational ObjectivesThe help of Limited Logistics Services (LLS), Victoria's Secret has drafted a Service Level Agreement that defines various performance metrics for services to Victoria's Secret Stores. This agreement also defines the role of the Victoria's Secret Stores in successfully meeting these objectives. The performance metrics are divided into three broad categories as defined below.Customer ResponseThese metrics are customer-focused and customer-facing. They include a set of distribution metrics as well metrics related to store performance such as responsiveness, floor-set, business priorities, new stores, Value Added Services (VAS), meeting cadence, reporting, and air shipments.EfficiencyThese are internal metrics. They are productivity and cost-related and include a set of metrics at the manufacturing as well as distribution center level such as Auditing/Cycle Counts, Through- Put, Network Productivity, DC Metrics, DC Throughput, and Store Throughput.Asset Utilization These metrics are also internal-facing and largely focus on maintaining economies of scale. They include: Capacity Utilization and Inventory Turns.Objectives Balancing FrameworkThe focus placed on each of the metrics mentioned, varies by whether the product is basic or fashion. For example, in the category of basic products, asset utilization metrics like capacity utilization and efficiency objectives like supply chain costs and productivity carry more weight than responsiveness. The factories making these products run at full capacity with two shifts per day to efficiently deliver these products to market at minimum possible cost of production. These products generate moderate margins for the company in comparison to the fashion pro ducts.On the other hand, in high-margin product categories of fashion goods, particularly in highly promoted launch-related fashion goods, which are most often a result of innovative product development and have relatively short-product-lifecycle of just one season, responsiveness metrics are seen to carry more weight overall. The focus in this model is to increase in-season product availability to reduce lost sales and maximize margins.Tailored Business ActivitiesAt the operational level, there are a set of three tailored business activities that provide significant competitive advantage to the Victoria's Secret supply chain and place Victoria's Secret in a unique position in comparison to its competitors. These activities are aligned to the overarching strategy, which is to deliver an assortment of innovative  fashion products and less risky basic products. The first tailored activity emanates from the company-wide open innovation model. The decentralized design culture within V ictoria's Secret adds unique capabilities to its supply chain design.Product Innovation can come from the supplier, from in-house development or through design inspirations from external concepts. This creates the possibility of inter-company operating ties with outside suppliers. For example, if Limited Design Studios in New York initiates a design concept, it can go to a preferred supplier to be further developed and even changed. This relationship during the design process adds flexibility, which is hard to replicate.The second tailored activity has to do with the sourcing model that Limited has adopted as a whole. The presence of Mast Industries as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Limited Brands is of tremendous value to the company. Mast carefully selects its vendors based on capabilities to manufacture and deliver fashion versus basic products. Mast works with a set of vertically integrated factories as well as raw material suppliers to create a product that is hard to replicate.V ertical integration helps the company to control the production process from fiber to garment. On one hand, this leads to greater manufacturing efficiency required for producing basic products, which generate relatively lesser profit margins than fashion items. On the other hand, vertical integration also helps to speed the product development process essential for new and fashionable products.Finally, the role of Limited Logistics Services' (LLS) â€Å"shared service model† in the smooth operation of its supply chain is indispensable. As mentioned earlier, the Service Level Agreement with each of its brands, including Victoria's Secret, not only defines the detailed performance metrics but also defines the role of each brand in order to carry out the objectives on time. LLS consistently benchmarks itself against outside logistics providers and has been able to provide higher service levels to its brands at competitive costs. The dynamic ability of LLS to constantly evaluate and re-evaluate its performance against external agencies, helps Victoria's  Secret to stay ahead of the competition. In its logistics design, LLS incorporates the fact that whether a product being delivered is fashion or basic.For example, in most cases, fashion lingerie is air-shipped from Asia to Columbus, OH and basic products are ocean-shipped. This is because the fashion products, which have relatively higher margins, are less expensive to transportation costs per unit. Fashion and launch products may also have to go through a customized value-added service process in order to cater to the requirements of the individual stores to which they are shipped. These value-added services are performed at the DC level and the company claims to perform them more cost effectively and efficiently than an outside third party logistics provider. MarketMonopolistic competition is a form of imperfect competition where many competing producers sell products that are differentiated from one a nother (that is, the products are substitutes, but, with differences such as branding, are not exactly alike). In monopolistic competition firms can behave like monopolies in the short-run, including using market power to generate profit. In the long-run, other firms enter the market and the benefits of differentiation decrease with competition; Textbook examples of industries with market structures similar to monopolistic competition include restaurants, cereal, clothing, shoes, and service industries in large cities, which the company Victoria`s Secret fit perfectly.The â€Å"founding father† of the theory of monopolistic competition was Edward Hastings Chamberlin in his pioneering book on the subject Theory of Monopolistic Competition. Joan Robinson also receives credit as an early pioneer on the concept. Monopolistically competitive markets have the following characteristics: There are many producers and many consumers in a given market, and no business has total control over the market price. Consumers perceive that there are non-price differences among the competitors' products. There are few barriers to entry and exit.Producers have a degree of control over price.

Comparison and Analysis of the use of Camerawork in Friends and The Office

The Office has a â€Å"docusoap† format, this is supported by ingenious camerawork, shots are often shaky, and frames are crowded. The raw documentary style is engrossing, the camera often moves with uncertainty as if it is not known what will happen next. The camera often pans quickly and unsteadily in order to obtain reaction shots. There is little consideration to position of elements within the frame, this all adds to the raw docusoap style. Zooming is often done shakily in order to catch reactions. The Office is made up of many two shots and the camerawork is unsteady, also characters often slightly slip out of frame momentarily and the camera must quickly adjust when this character becomes active. Friends is found in stark contrast to the office, it optimises exceptional quality camerawork. Many medium close shots are to be found, with all characters held neatly within the frame. The group shots are framed perfectly with all elements positioned appropriately. Everything is more calm and neat hich demonstrates the high quality of the programme. Editing Firstly the title sequence of The Office has several cross-fades to set the location of Slough. The edit technique used most frequently is the cut, often to catch reactions it also maintains a pace to the episode. Commonly an establishing pan-shot around the office is used before turning focus to a particular interaction between characters. Friends however optimises the cross-fade for transition between establishing hots of city buildings and actual shots of characters. All edit points are dealt with smoothly, little snippets of music often signify a change of scene and add to the general flow of the episode. Application of the Above When Gareth is in the â€Å"Invetigation Office† talking to Glen, the camera shot is really unsteady and is through a set of blinds, this gives the feel that you shouldn't be watching this happening, it zooms in beyond the blinds to see reactions but always zooms back out to remind you of the blinds being a barrier.

Antivuris Programs Essay

Today, people rely on computers to create, store, and manage critical information, many times via a home computer network. Information transmitted over networks has a higher degree of security risk than information kept in a user’s home or company premises. Thus, it is crucial that they take measures to protect their computers and data from loss, damage, and misuse resulting from computer security risks. Antivirus programs are an effective way to protect a computer against viruses. An antivirus program protects a computer against viruses by identifying and removing any computer virus found in memory, on storage media, or on incoming files. When you purchase a new computer, it often includes antivirus software. Antivirus programs work by scanning for programs that attempt to modify the boot program, the operating system, and other programs that normally are read from but not modified. In addition, many antivirus programs automatically scan files downloaded from the Web, e-mail attachments, opened files, and all types of removable media inserted in the computer (Karanos 201-205). One Technique that antivirus programs use to identify a virus is to look for virus signatures, or virus definitions, which are known specific patterns of virus code. According to Shelly and Cashman (Antivirus Programs), many vendors of antivirus programs allow registered users to update virus signature files automatically from the Web at no cost for a specified time. Updating the Antivirus program’s signature files regularly is important, because it will download any new virus definitions that have been added since the last update. Methods that guarantee a computer or network is safe from computer viruses simply do not exist. Installing, updating, and using an antivirus program, though, is an effective technique to safeguard your computer from loss.

Management Accounting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Management Accounting - Assignment Example Vision matched the idealism of TC's founders (students of a great drama teacher). Vision also reinforced the mission "to entertain our audiences with plays produced from the Canadian and international repertoires, and to develop the theatrical community." Mission and vision are summarised in Principles that combine artistic excellence, financial stability, and organisational sustainability. Objectives are clear, developed and refined with inputs from everyone (Board all the way to customers). Annual strategic and budget planning sessions inspire commitment to TC's purpose, core values, and vision. TC is in a creative business and has a system in place to get inputs from the creative/production side, including inputs to the budgets and planning system. However, there is no clear answer to "how does TC create value for customers" beyond the sentimental ones (tradition, legacy, culture, etc.). TC has to think of a better answer to the question, because this would help solve its revenue-generation problem. McCabe had an ambitious performance goal: increase subscribers threefold. Backed this up with performance standards, codes of conduct, and incentive systems to motivate, inform, and align staff with the organisation's objectives. Sales teams were given freedom to be creative within limits, and titles changed from "ticket clerks" to "customer service teams". However, strategic boundaries seem incomplete. The case lacks details on defined market position, which affects the theatre's capacity to generate sufficient revenues to cover costs and wipe out deficits. TC has to define what business it is in, who competitors are, whether pricing strategies are competitive, and how to generate loyalty amongst customers. Of course, there are idealistic supporters ready to contribute cash to bridge deficits, but unless TC develops a plan to widen its market base, it cannot sustain profitability. And whilst it evaluates its current customer base, it needs to find ways to target new customers, new age groups (below the present 40 to 65 age group), develop the right pricing for each, and develop new materials to compete with other providers in the market (how can TC compete with video games, peer group activities, extreme activities, etc.). TC has to look to the future, instead of only learning from the past. Related to this is the need to determine which amongst its existing customer groups (the 45-60 years age group is one generation!) are profitable, and whether it can increase their numbers or generate higher profits from those who can afford to pay more. TC may be too concerned with survival, but it has to learn to cut down its level of risks using its accounting system to identify where profitable and sustainable opportunities exist. Interactive Controls (Monitoring, Key Uncertainties) TC has internal control systems, a way of monitoring sales and expenses, getting the

Efficient Data Mining Classification Technique Essay

Efficient Data Mining Classification Technique - Essay Example Therefore, the concept-evolution problem would be effectively addressed in this thesis along with data reduction and class balancing issues. This research project aims to study the shortcomings of existing novel class detection, data reduction, and class balancing data mining techniques in terms of their accuracy, efficiency, and applicability to real life applications of multi streaming data. The aim of the research is also to provide alternate solutions to overcome those drawbacks. My thesis aims to propose a general model and algorithm that will be tested on synthetic data and well known real data sets e.g. KDD Cup 99 network intrusion detection (KDD), Auslan [Kad02], and EMG [Kol05]. Classification, clustering, and aggregation are some of the data mining hot topics that are of extreme value in all engineering and scientific areas, such as, biological, physical and bio-medical sciences. Diversified nature of escalated data along with its composite aspects and multiple autonomous sources is a major issue in data mining that leads to the need for the development of real life applications. The motivation behind this study is offered in the following paragraphs: The first issue the thesis is going to address is that of evolving data, which represents a challenge for classification. The effective and efficient methods are needed by the growing and dynamic data streams, which are considerably different from the static data mining methods. The concept drift and infinite length are considered to be the well-studied features of data streams. Across data stream mining, to address the infinite length [Fan04] and concept-drift[Cha07][Kol05] [Wan03], diverse methods have been suggested in the literature. Yet, the data streams have two another challenging characteristics, known as, feature-evolution and concept-evolution, which are ignored by the present methods.

The Implementation of the Critical Success Factors Case Study

The Implementation of the Critical Success Factors - Case Study Example After original implementation, a stabilization stage happens when implementation challenges are predetermined and organizational performance gets better. Ross comments that nearly all organizations stay in the stabilization stage for many months and occasionally years. The constant improvement of the procedure follows and lastly major process transformation is facilitated. Few organizations get to the transformation stage even though most prepare to. Ross observes that big ERP system implementations might engage different series through the procedure model for every separate unit in the ERP system. In another case study, Markus and Tanis designed a four-stage ERP implementation procedure model. The stages are chartering, plan, shakedown, and onward and upward. The chartering stage comprises expansion of the business case, the assortment of the ERP package, classification of a project executive, and endorsement of the financial plan and to-do list. The project and shakedown stages are very alike to the implementation and stabilization stage in the Ross model above. The onward and upward stage entails the continuous business development and transformation consequent to the very last two stages of Ross’s model. Environmental and cultural issues play a significant part in the ERP implementation achievement.Without a doubt, ERPs have also shown challenging to put into practice, even in Western organizations, frequently due to an underrated requirement for change management and the relocation of roles and their significance for actors. Most organizational practices are subjective not only by societal features but as well as by the reflections suitable within an organizational sector, public or private. Private organizations are different from public organizations at three separate levels.

Research Diary 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Research Diary 5 - Essay Example I therefore, think that by correctly addressing the letter and using language that is non-offending and is able to send the desired message are important principles of writing business letters. Using rhetoric approach in business writing has emerged as critical issue because it exploits the tenets of human psychology to ensure that the basic purpose of writing business letter is accomplished with high success. Rhetoric enables individuals to use persuasive language that adds to the effectiveness of written discourse. According to Aristotle, the three appeals of rhetoric are ethos, pathos and logos (2011). Ethos conveys writer’s credibility, pathos appeals emotionally and logos use rationalization to emphasize their points. The three paradigms of writing are therefore vital ingredients that significantly lend credibility to the writer and the written discourse. Consequently, business writing exploits rhetoric principles to communicate effectively one’s intended message to persuade the reader and exhort desired response. These are essential benefits of rhetoric approach in business writing. The various methods of persuasion become highly crucial imperatives as they tend to provide information and send appeal in manner that clearly rationalizes the issues so that reader is convinced. If the business letter lacks conviction and strong logical explanations, the reader is not able to understand the points raised and fails to respond appropriately or as desired. Thus, the very purpose of writing business letter fails and writer is not able to achieve his/her goal. As such, effective business writing becomes important for communicating the desired message in manner that requires least effort in understanding the core issue by the reader/ audience. The success of project completion relies heavily on effective teamwork and strong communication channels within team members.

In the United States, we do not need to plan for retirement. Social Essay - 2

In the United States, we do not need to plan for retirement. Social Security will cover our needs when we are retired - Essay Example However, this program is under scrutiny as it is estimated that in the next decades, as more and more citizens of the Baby Boomers generation retire, the payouts would be higher than that of the benefits. The current stress on the economy along with an uncertain future about the Social Security program adds further concerns. The wide speculation is that the benefits gained out of this program would not be enough for retirement and there is a need to look at additional investment options such as IRA and 401K. Hence, relying on Social Security program would not be enough to suffice for the entire retired life. Retirement planning in the United States is essential and Social Security program is not enough to cover all the needs post retirement. The social security program came into existence in 1935 and has undergone several amendments since then to include many different social welfare clauses. This program works through the payroll taxes, where the individual pays a certain amount and the employee also adds that amount. This constitutes a fund that is released at the time of retirement along with the interest amount added to it. Hence, the goal Social Security is to work as a unique program where citizens do not have to undergo financial stress to save money for retirement. For a participant of the Social Security program, the benefits are given out in the form an annuity, which is paid for the rest of the beneficiary’s life. The benefits are also adjusted according the level of inflation in order to make sure that the benefits are not less as time passes by (Brown et al, 2009). In addition, this program also has benefits for the spouse and the dependents to support the family even in an event of death. Hence, this program aims to provide real benefits to the retiree. The social security program was designed in such a manner that it should cover all the needs for a retiree and there should be no need of an additional investment in terms of retirement plan ning. However, in the recent times, there have been apprehensions about whether social security would be enough to cover all the needs during retirement. There are some main reasons that are causing this concern among the American citizens and forcing them to consider other factors. They are the funds of the Social Security program getting exhausted, weak economy and demographic trends. One of the main concerns is how the social security program would be drained out of all its funds in the years to come. This would happen because a huge chunk of population, the Baby Boomers generation would retire in the next decade, causing a huge deficit on the funds of social security. In 2010, the total income that was earned through the tax payroll was $781.1 billion, where as the amount that was paid through the taxes were $721.5 billion. Hence, there was a total increase in assets of only $68.6 billion (Whibey, 2011). According to the estimation done by Ohlemacher, this fund would totally dra in out by the year 2037. In 2011, it is projected that social security would collect around $45 billion less in payroll taxes than what it would pay out during retirement (Ohlemacher, 2011). Therefore, according to the rate at which the Social Security funds are getting exhausted, it would be impossible to sustain this program without any legislative intervention. It