Kmart and Sears Marketing :: Business Analysis

A focused cost leadership strategy would be appropriate, in other words, a attention to consumers. Cost focus is a strategy that will focus on a particular buyer groups or a geographic market and attempt to serve only that place, to the exclusion of others. When looking at cost factors, there are very few options available to K-Mart in developing a pricing strategy to compete with Target or Wal-Mart. Therefore, K-Mart would not have many price strategy options available. However by using a cost focus strategy, and matching the quality of well known brands but keeping cost low by eliminating advertising and promotional expenses will save K-Mart money. Should Kmart and Sears keep their own identities and have unique competitive strategies, or should they be combined in some way with a new overall corporate competitive strategy? Please defend your answer. The key issues for K-Mart strategies are finding the right cost level for an opportunity to be aggressive, and differentiating the product for consumer in terms of different consumer and different intangible product attributes. K-Mart and Sears should be combined with a new overall corporate competitive strategy using a cost focus. This may turn out to be the only sensible strategy, and the one which best describes the strategy adopted. Strategies of cost leadership and product differentiation are often described as if they were mutually exclusive you can either pursue one or the other, but not both. You can either minimize cost or you can aim for the highest quality of product and customize according to the requirements of the market place. Some products are by their nature standardized. However it is impossible to differentiate the product in the mind of consumer. This tends to put all the emphasis on cost and therefore on prices. There is no point in the consumer paying extra for the same products. However by K-mart and Sears should use strategies like changing the location of stores in a more appealing destination. Both would need development of new name brand products, ones that would be lower cost and a higher quality for customers. Question 2 Read the short Kmart case study on pages 161-162 carefully and answer the following questions: What business competitive strategies were used by each of Kmart’s major competitors? Wal-Mart follows a lower cost competitive strategy and cost leadership. For Wal-Mart, strategic thinking is the process of continuously redefining its objectives. Competitive advantage over its competitors both actual and potential and management of risk to levels regarded as acceptable by the corporation’s main stakeholders.

Common Foreign & Security Policy (CFSP) of the European Union :: Politics Government Europe Essays

The sovereign nations of the past can no longer solve the problems of the present; they cannot ensure their own progress or control their own future. The essential thing is to hold fast to the few fixed principles that have guided us since the beginning: gradually to create among Europeans the broadest common interest, served by common democratic institutions to which the necessary sovereignty has been delegated.  ¨CJean Monnet, Memoirs In his book After Victory, John Ikenberry examines what states do with the power that comes after winning major wars. He believes the desire to maintain power encourages the states to seek ways to limit their own power to keep other states happy. Increasingly these limits are found in international institutions used to create  ¡Ã‚ °strategic restraint ¡Ã‚ ± on power. Ikenberry believes increasing reliance upon institutions causes the postwar order to increasingly take on constitutional characteristics. In this paper I am primarily interested in the institutions of the European Union. More specifically I would like to examine the European Union ¡Ã‚ ¯s struggle to develop its own institutions for maintaining international order. These are collectively known as its Common Foreign and Security Policy. Europe's Collective Security The Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) of the European Union (EU) was officially established by the Maastricht Treaty and became operational in 1993. However, the European Union has been concerned about collective security since its humble beginnings as an experiment in integrated economy in post-World War II Europe. After the conclusion of World War II, Europe as well as the rest of the world struggled to determine what Germany ¡Ã‚ ¯s future should be. Some nations wanted to strip Germany of its industry and turn the entire country into farmland. Fortunately, there were those with the foresight to realize the only way to keep Europe safe was to rebuild Germany and work together to build a European Community. These men included Robert Schuman, Konrad Adenauer and Jean Monnet. Their vision of Europe was one where individual nations would share some of their sovereignty in exchange for a chance for peace. According to Pascal Fontaine,  ¡Ã‚ °success depended on limiting objectives to specific areas, with a major psychological impact, and introducing a joint decision-making mechanism which would gradually be given additional responsibilities. ¡Ã‚ ± The first area that was chosen for Franco-German integration was steel and coal production. European Coal and Steel Community

Eulogy of Mrytle WIlson

Wilson is more affected by Myrtle's death than he lets on. Therefore, I wrote this eulogy as Wilson for Myrtle to show the depth and complexity of their relationship. I tried to show Willow's feelings for Myrtle, rather than a ‘spiritless' man as depicted through the things he did for Myrtle. Including the things Myrtle did for Wilson shows his appreciation and love for her. Due to the lack of information In the novel, some of the content was crafted based on scenes In the novel and from my thoughts of their relationship.By Including the deep relationship between the couple, It allows the readers to better understand why Wilson killed Gatsby and himself. The vocabulary used is simple, as Wilson was uneducated. The use of constant repetition and similar sentence structure shows that Wilson was a simple man and that he did not know how to express himself clearly. It also emphasizes on the extent of his love and guilt. Short sentences are used to depict Willow's passive and shy na ture. There is a use of dramatic irony by showing how happy Wilson was when Myrtle spent the weekend with her friends, and when she wore nice dresses she ‘bought tit her savings'.Wilson is oblivious about the affair, unlike the audience. This shows how the American Dream Is flawed. Although Wilson worked hard and shower Myrtle with love, Myrtle still chose Tom. It also shows how materialistic people were back then. Myrtle chose Wilson merely on his appearance and now wants to be with Tom for his wealth. This eulogy is written in the first person perspective to show intimacy between the two. Instead of using a second person perspective to describe Myrtle, It shows Willow's deep attachment to his dead wife. 300 words) Good morning, I am George Wilson, Myrtle's husband. I would like to start off by thanking every single one of you for your presence today. Myrtle would be happy If she were still here. Myrtle, you are the love of my life. You entered my life on a fateful Friday 15 years ago, wearing a pink-laced dress, topped with a cream hat. You danced with such beauty, elegance and grace. However it wasn't your beauty that set you apart from the others. It was your bubbly and outgoing personality, your vitality that caught my eye.I knew that you were the one, I knew that I wanted to be yours, I knew that we courage to take the first step to talk to you. I wanted to look my best for you, I wanted you to notice me, I wanted you to like me. I worked very hard day and night at the garage. I was hoping to get a decent piece of clothing. The day of the gathering drew closer and closer. I still had yet to get enough money for a suit. I asked God continuously for help, and He answered my prayer. I was able to borrow a suit from a customer after begging him for it. The quality of the silk tie I bought came with a hefty price, but it was all worth it.I never once regretted all the hard work put in to get that suit, because it brought me a step closer to you, y dear. I remember the Joy on your face, that unspeakable Joy, when I proposed. I remember how your face turned crimson. I remember the 20 graceful steps you took down the aisle, towards me. You wore a hand crafted pristine white gown, fitted with laces and frills. It was exactly the one you told me about, the one you dreamed of since young. I remember how my heart skipped a beat when you stood beside me. I remember how your hands were gently holding on to mine. At that moment, I Just wanted to be yours.Seeing that pure Joy in your eyes when we were pronounced husband and fife was worth so much more than all the extra hours spent working, all the meals forgone, all the sweat and blood shed to make our wedding perfect. Nothing mattered more to me than you, Myrtle. I love you. Working at the gas station isn't an easy Job, but all was worth it. You always told me I work too much as compared to what I earned. But I know the little that I earn can one day bring you happiness. I know you want to get out of this place. I want to be the one leaving with you. Myrtle, you always looked forward to the weekends spent with your friends.Seeing oh smiling from ear to ear when you return brings me so much Joy. It means the world to see you happy. Although your friends have rich husbands and live in big houses, you never uttered a word of complaint. You never looked down on me. You never compared me to the others. You never leave my side. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for staying by my side. Thank you for being happy, so I would be happy too. I love you. Myrtle, you bring color to my dull life. You always wear colorful dresses. You always doll yourself up. You always try to look your best for me. I know you are aware hat I don't earn much.I know you never once asked me for money. I know you have always used your savings to get yourself what you want. You always think of me. You always share the burden with me. You always put my needs above yours. Thank you, my dear, for being so selfless. I wish I could be more like you. The last words you said were asking me to beat you. You are the apple of my eye, you are a precious gem to a peasant like me. Why would I want to hurt you? I love you, my coward. Yes, I am a coward. But that's because I Just wanted to be yours, to listen to what you say, to obey your every command. Myrtle, I love you.I always question myself why did you choose me, I am poor, I am not that good looking, I am useless. Despite all my shortcomings, you loved me Just the way I am, and you gave me all that I needed and wanted. I want to earn more. I want you to see the world. I want to spend more time with you. I want to shower you with love. I failed to do so. Now, it is too late. I'm sorry for not showing my love Just like how you showed yours. I'm sorry for not giving you the life you always wanted. I'm sorry for not showering you with clothes. I'm sorry for all the suffering you had to go through.I'm sorry for being overprotective at times. I'm sorry for being a coward. I'm sorry dear, I'm sorry, and I'll love you, for all eternity. Myrtle is not perfect, but I love her Just the way she is. She accepted me for who I am and forgave me for all my faults, and I will do the same. To all those Judging onlookers, Myrtle does not deserve to be criticized, for she is perfect to me, and that is all she needs to be. Myrtle dear, your imperfections are what I love most about you, and it is your imperfections that I will miss most. Goodbye and take care, my dear. I will always love you.

International Trade, Comparative Advantage and Protectionism

Group D INTERNATIONAL TRADE, COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE AND PROTECTIONISM 1. According to the table above determine which country has the absolute advantage in corn and which in soybeans. In addition, determine which country has the comparative advantage in corn and which in soybeans. Make sure to support your answer by deriving the opportunity costs of each. Ans. A producer with absolute advantage over the other in the production of a good or service is if it can produce that product using fewer resources. Therefore; Canada has absolute advantage in Corn and Mexico in Soybean.Comparative advantage is the producer with the lowest opportunity cost. Opportunity cost is the  cost of an alternative that must be forgone in order to pursue a certain action or the benefits you could have received by taking an alternative action. For example, the opportunity cost of going to college is the money you would have earned if you worked instead. On the one hand, you lose four years of salary while ge tting your degree; on the other hand, you hope to earn more during your career, thanks to your education,  to offset the lost wages. Canada O/C for corn 8/2 = 4 soybeansCanada O/C for Soybean8/2 = 0. 25 Corns Mexico O/C for corn2/10 = 0. 2 Soybeans Mexico O/C for Soybean10/2 = 5 Corns Canada has comparative advantage in soybean and Mexico has comparative advantage in corn. 2. According to the table above, would there be trade flows in both directions if the exchange rate were $1 = 1 peso? Ans. The USA would gain by exporting  plastic and importing pesos from Mexico. At an exchange rate of 1:1, it now only has to give up $1 worth of plastic to obtain 1 pesos, whereas before trade it had to give up $4 for 8 pesos.On the other hand the USA would not benefit from trade on paper because at the inception USA was getting a good rate on paper at $1 to 3 pesos. 3. If a lower exchange rate spurs exports then why wouldn’t it be a good idea of policymakers to intervene to push the ex change rate as low as they can? Ans. It is not a good idea for policy makers to intervene to push the exchange rate as low as they can because importers sometimes would not benefit or get value for their money. The exchange rate would also affect the quantity of goods received. . What is protection as it refers to international trade? Ans. Protectionism is restraining trade between countries through methods such as tariffs through imported goods, restrictive quotas, and a variety of other government regulations designed to allow fair competition between imports and goods and services produced domestically. 5. Explain the law of comparative advantage and why it is important in international trade? Ans. The concept of comparative advantage is an integral part in achieving increased gains in international trade.The concept, first introduced by David Ricardo in 1817 states comparative advantage exist when a country has a â€Å"margin of superiority† in the production of a good or service, where the marginal cost of production is lower. He explained how trade can benefit all parties such as individuals, companies, and countries involved, as long as goods are produced with different relative costs. The net benefits from such activity are called gains from trade. This is one of the most important concepts in international trade.According to the principles, benefits of trade are dependent on the opportunity cost of production. Opportunity cost is measured in terms of what you give up of another other. A country with no absolute advantage in any product, i. e. the country is not the most competent producer for any goods, can still be benefited from focusing on export of goods for which it has the least opportunity cost of production. When countries specialize and trade based on comparative advantage consumers pay less and consume more and resources are used more efficiently.Countries which are open to trade grow faster over the long run that those that remain cl osed. Increased trade benefits consumers and producers, through lower prices and access to a wider variety of goods. This is due to specialization which lowers cost and competition. Trade helps countries in allocating resources as efficiently as possible; it also allows countries to accumulate resources more quickly. 6. Distinguish between a tariff and quota? Explain the effect of tariff/quota on domestic consumption, prices and output. Ans. Tariffs and quotas are tools implemented to protect domestic industries.To distinguish between both we need to explain what a tariff and a quota is. A tariff is a tax or duty placed on imported goods by a domestic government and does not apply to sales of domestically produced goods and a quota is a limit on the quantity of imported products. Base on the explanations above we can note that tariff is imposed to make goods imported from foreign countries more expensive as it raises the price of an imported good, making it more expensive than simil ar domestic goods which protects domestic producers from dumping by foreign countries.As outlines on businessdictionary. com ‘dumping is exporting goods at prices lower than the home market prices’. The rational is to increase demand for domestic products while reducing the quantity of imports. Tariffs are a benefit to domestic producers who faces reduced competition in their home market. The reduced competition causes prices to rise. Sales of domestic producers should also rise, all else being equal. With the increase in production and prices this will cause increase employment and a rise in consumer spending.The tariffs also increase government revenues that can be used to the benefit of the economy. Once the price of the good with the tariff has increased; the consumer is forced to either buy less or of some other good. The price increase will cause a reduction in consumer income. A quota sets a limit on the quantity of goods that can be imported during a particular period. Quotas are employed to protect new industries and keep market entry costs low for domestic producers. They also protect domestic jobs by ensuring that foreign products are not imported in sufficient numbers to meet current demand.This will ensures a percentage of the existing market share is retained by domestic companies. Once there is an increase in imports quotas are more protective than tariffs. Quotas benefit the government by protecting domestic corporations to keep people employed. 7. â€Å"Economists have demonstrated that imports benefits consumers while causing losses to producers and exports benefit producers while causing losses to consumers. In the balance then international trade neither benefits nor hurts a nations as a whole. † Evaluate this statement. Ans.International trade is the exchange of capital, goods, and services across international borders territories. The international trade accounts for a good part of a country’s gross domestic pro duct. It is also one of important sources of revenue for a developing country. The trade which exists between countries consists of buying goods that are produced at a lower cost elsewhere. Individual and countries have different abilities in producing their goods; taking the advantage of these differences in order to have efficiency will enable each to experience gains from trade. . If the Bank of Jamaica suddenly switches to a more expansionary policy, explain the effects it will have on the exchange rate and balance of payments of Jamaica. According to investopedia (2012),an expansionary policy is a macroeconomic policy that seeks to expand the money supply to encourage economic growth or combat inflation (price increases). One form of expansionary policy is fiscal policy, which comes in the form of tax cuts, rebates and increased government spending.Expansionary policies can also come from central banks, which focus on increasing the money supply in the economy. The bank of Jama ica cab increase money supply in two ways. These are; * By reducing the policy interest rate * Open Market Operations due to the purchase of certificate of deposits Reducing the policy interest rate and Impact A reduction in the interest rates will result in Commercial banks and other Deposit taking institution extending more funds to individuals and businesses.In other words the increased ability to borrow funds due to a reduction in policy interest rates will cause more Jamaica dollars to be in circulation. The excess supply of money will result in pressure on the Jamaican dollar resulting in a depreciation of the Jamaican dollar. The pressure that is exerted on the Jamaica dollar due to an expansionary policy will cause a widening of the balance of payment deficit. The Jamaica economy is heavily dependent on imports and therefore it would cost more to import product and services ******

Amy Tan’s “Mother Tongue” and Gloria Anzuldua’s “How To Tame A Wild Tongue” Essay

â€Å"Identity is the essential core of who we are as individuals, the conscious experience of the self inside† – Kaufman (AnzuldÏ a 62). Coming to America and speaking more than one language, I often face similar situations as Gloria AnzaldÏ a and Amy Tan. Going to high school where personal image is a big part of a student’s life is very nerve racking. American Values are often forced upon students and a certain way of life is expected of them. Many times, in America, people look down on people who do not accept the American Way of Life. The struggle of â€Å"fitting in† and accepting the cultural background is a major point in both essays, _Mother Tongue_ by Amy Tan and _How to Tame a Wild Tongue_ by Gloria AnzaldÏ a, which the authors argue similarly about. Both essays can be related to my life as I experience them in my life at home and at school. High school also has an unparalleled reputation of students trying to â€Å"fit in† with their peers and peer-pressure causing people to accept values different to their own, which is similar to AnzaldÏ a’s case. In AnzaldÏ a’s essay, she reflects on the situation that many people face in a contact zone of many different cultures. She begins by explaining how she felt unaccepted by all groups, Americans, Mexicans, and other Spanish speakers. Many people are also forced accept certain cultures over the other. AnzaldÏ a â€Å"was accused by various Latinos and Latinas† of a being a â€Å"‘Pocho, cultural traitor'†. AnzaldÏ a was rejected by many Latinos and did not mix well with Americans either. Gaining respect of peers is also very hard in high school. Living with parent that speaks â€Å"broken English† is similar in all households and presents similar hardships. In _Mother Tongue_, Amy Tan mainly focuses on the hardships of adapting to American culture. Tan also avoids to being in situations where her mother tries to express herself. Amy is â€Å"red-faced and quit† while her mother â€Å"was shouting at [the stockbroker’s] boss in her impeccable English† (Tan 317). Amy is often embarrassed of her mother’s â€Å"broken† English and avoids speaking up in those situations. In both essays, the authors explain the consequences of foreign language  speakers face in an American predominant society. AnzaldÏ a is usually afraid to express herself truly because many times the outcomes discourage her to do so. AnzaldÏ a recalls â€Å"being caught speaking Spanish at recess [which] was good for three licks on the knuckles with a sharp ruler† and â€Å"being sent to the corner of the classroom† for â€Å"trying to tell [the teacher] how to pronounce [her] name†. The outcome of trying to express herself in her true nature often got her punished severely. Tan feels less fortunate to have been in an immigrant family because many of her opportunities were taken away because of that. While growing up, Tan believed that because her â€Å"mother’s English †¦had an effect on limiting [her] possibilities in life† (Tan 318). Amy Tan thought that while living in fear of not â€Å"fitting in†, the opportunities were taken away from her. The stunted language skill development, in immigrant families, could affect their success in school and other achievement tests (Tan 318). The essays differ from each other because in Amy Tan actually accepts parts of American culture, while AnzaldÏ a resists including the American lifestyle into her own completely. AnzaldÏ a is bitter about the fact that she is forced to accept the American culture. She claims that â€Å"required†¦two speech classes†¦to get rid of [the] accent [were] a violation of the First Amendment† (AnzaldÏ a 54). But Amy Tan struggles to incorporate the American lifestyle at many times. Tan fights the stereotype â€Å"Chinese students go into engineering† and struggles to excel in English rather than engineering (Tan 319). In conclusion, in America, foreign language speakers often feel disadvantageous to Americans that have more resources to exploit. But both authors still agree that preserving their heritage is important and should it should not be lost while trying to â€Å"fit in†. While speaking many languages and going to high school in America, the essays are closely related to my own life. I realized that gaining some new culture and losing some of the old culture is best to adapt to the new a country and different people. Balancing the cultures and languages forms our identity.

Kant on Milgram’s Perils of Obedience

Stanley Milgram conducted a study through a laboratory set-up to evaluate the perils of obedience of different subjects and participants of the study. One of significant results of his study entails that ordinary people, his participants, actively performs his or her job without any hostility and regard in their participation on something wrong done. (Milgram, 1974). To some evaluated participants, the case describes their disobedience with the standards of morality given the provision of a governing or instructing authority. Participants who were made to do wrong at some point, would derive satisfaction from the wrongness by knowing that they obeyed the authority commanding their actions. Milgram mentions that obedience can be defined as the ability of an individual to disassociate his responsibility on the wrong act because he only granted his authority’s wishes (Milgram, 1974). Moreover, a subordinate would feel shame or pride depending on how he has followed an authority’s instructions. The reality this reflects in the society maintains that loyalty, duty and discipline are significantly strained with the emotional and obedience conflicts. A subordinate’s defined role is does not necessarily instill his morale, but rather socially construct his role based on the social provisions, including defiance of his role in the perspective of his authority. Obedience in some cases also reflects a defense for people to do wrong things, as explained in the article, many participants who became the teacher in the set-up, punished the learner because they were following the instructions of the experimenter, and assured of no responsibility with the learner. People heeds to authority without discerning their own stance or the consequences of their actions. Based on Kant’s model of society, all disobedience from the supreme legislative power, or the authority and law, is considered as the greatest and most punishable crime of mankind because it inhibits the very foundations of society. Kant’s position on obedience does not allow the challenge of authority, and rejects the right of revolution or rebellion. (Williams, 1983) The evidence is shown through the study conducted by Milgram. Kant strictly attributed authority with the same governing laws and constitution of a society, thus disallowing any form of disobedience. Realized through Milgram’s article is the conflict which arises from following the authority with personal moral issues within an individual. Kant’s philosophy on this maintains the duty of all individual to hope for both moral and positive law to be achieved. (Williams, 1983) Kant defined obedience as a requirement of pure reason from individuals and makes them coerce with the law of an authority, while maintaining their freedom within and among their fellows. (Williams, 1983) The system of an authority demands strict adherence from the subjects of the state, because that makes individuals be the subject of authority. However, Kant subjects a restriction to an individual to resist conflict of the morality of one’s own, with his adherence to the authority. The arguments resolved by Milgram on his study entails how individuals refer to their morality with obedience to authority. Evidently, emotions and moral issues comes in conflict with being submissive to authority, but in the end, people act even in contrast with their emotion because the pride and satisfaction of doing what can be considered as wrong, comes from following the directives of the authority.

Feminist Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Feminist - Assignment Example The devaluation of nurturan work is one of the most widespread forms of the feminization of poverty, and encompasses a wide array of different issues. The most simple of these is the simple fact that nurturant work, though highly skilled in many respects, provides only minimal income to people practicing it. Often nurturant work is given to people too young to legally work, for instance, in the form of baby-sitting, and thus often usually pays far below minimum wage because of its unregulated aspect, as well as the fact that the people engaging in this form of work often cannot find other work due to their age and are willing to take very low paying jobs. The pattern of nurturant work being undervalued, however, is not simply limited to young people making less than minimum wage, but continues in all stages of life. Nannies and operators of daycare are often highly skilled people with years of experience, needing to hold certification in infant CPR, early childhood development and so metimes education, yet despite these facts are often paid significantly less than someone doing unskilled hard labor such as construction, and far less money than other skilled trades such as carpentry or plumbing. The simplest way nurturant work is devalued is simply the fact that people are unwilling to pay the amount for it that its skill level demands. While the underpayment of people employed in nurturant work is one of the simplest ways nurturant work is undervalued, nurturant work’s devaluation within the welfare system is far more sinister and dangerous in the long term. Despite wide-spread knowledge of the importance in properly raising children (conservative governments who slash welfare systems are often the most ardent defenders of the needs for women to raise children) welfare systems consistently refuse to recognize the raising of one’s own children as a valuable form of work to society. Many welfare systems around the world have a form of â€Å"work req uirement† based on the notion that if people were not forced to work long hours at useless jobs at below minimum wage to be able to get their welfare check, they would simply stop working and enter the welfare system out of sloth. These systems, however, tend to make no recourse for parents raising children of their own, forcing them to spend long hours away from home, making it impossible for them to raise their children as they want to. Through these systems governments are essentially saying that nurturant work is not actually work, and not actually valuable to society in any way. Though these types of oppressive welfare systems obviously affect parents of all genders, as women tend to be parents and single parents at a higher rate than men welfare systems tend to be disproportionately oppressive towards women. Emerging as they do from hetero-patriarchal governments that dominate the world, it is unsurprising that welfare systems intrinsically devalue nurturant work, one of the definitive forms of feminine work. Even for women who do not have to rely on the welfare system, however, systems of oppression operate to devalue nurturant work and force women to, because of nurturant roles, have significantly less earnings potential and stay in or close to poverty. The United States is one of the worst countries in the world in enforcing equity for people who must provide nurturant care, only forcing employers to grant