Analysis Of The Fall Of Ferdinand Marcos Essay

October 10, 2001 Word Count: 2466 Research Question: How did Ferdinand E. Marcos eventually fall from power? INTRODUCTION Ferdinand E. Marcos was the longest reigning Philippine president in history. His rule spanned 20 years, beginning in 1965 up to his downfall in 1983. He was the first and only president re-elected so far (first in 1969 and second in 1981). After his second term, corruption in his administration was rampant. For 20 years he ruled the Philippines with an iron fist, and amassed a personal fortune. According to all sources, he managed to prolong his term for so long through his â€Å"private military† (Sonia M. Zaide, 217) that crushed or silenced opposition against him. His attempts to prolong his term however, were also responsible for the dissatisfaction of his people and the growth in opposition and against him which eventually led to his downfall, after the assassination of Benigno Aquino on 1983. BACKGROUND ON MARCOS’ RISE TO POWER Marcos came from a rich and politically prominent family in Ilocos, a province in the northern part of the Philippines. He began his political career in 1949, being elected to the House of Representatives as congressman of Ilocos. In 1965, he was elected as President of the Senate. He then (as a Nacionalista, one of the 2 main political parties) ran for president and gained victory over the incumbent president, Diosdado Macapagal. Marcos promised to â€Å"make the nation great again,† and during his first term of 6 years Marcos gained widespread popularity through his extensive economic and political achievements. In 1969 Marcos became the first (and up to the moment, still the only) re-elected president of the Philippines. During his second term however, Marcos lost popularity due to the extensive graft and corruption of his favoured cronies, and the human rights violations of the Marcos administration when he proclaimed Martial Law on September 21, 1972. He lifted Martial La w in 1981 after reducing the opposition by intimidation. During his second re-election in 1981, Marcos had only one opponent, Alejo Santos of the Nacionalista party, because Senator Benigno Aquino (who was his only credible opponent) was living in exile in the United States. During the next years, the Philippine economy was considered â€Å"the sick man of Asia† (Time Magazine). In 1982, Marcos was sickly and he was absent in many official ceremonies. During this time, his wife (Imelda Marcos) and her  cronies were unofficially running the country. It was during this time, when on August 21, 1983, his long time rival, Benigno Aquino (wife of Benigno Aquino), returned to the Philippines. He was assassinated in broad daylight in the Manila International Airport by one of the government military escorts and this incident was captured by camera (Don Lawson, 1). This infuriated the Filipino people, which was the final blow to his rule. After days of mass rallies and demonstrations all over the country, he called as snap election as part of his strategy to maintain his credibility in the international body. He was declared the official winner because of massive vote buying and cheating and intimation. The mass rallies and demonstrations continued nationwide which paralyzed the government operations † for example, banks were closed and transport services were on strike, and part of the military rebelled, and all these led to the now popular EDSA Revolution (also known as â€Å"People Power†) on February 16, 1986 which toppled Marcos’ rule. ANALYSIS OF THE CAUSES OF MARCOS DOWNFALL The causes of Marcos’ downfall can be divided into two parts † long term causes and short term causes. Marcos’ acts of corruption which include: his attainment of large sums of money from the Philippine treasury during his reign, abuse of military power to suppress opposition and maintain a firm grip on presidency, and his political schemes to prolong his rule were responsible for creating an atmosphere of hatred and discontent on Marcos’ rule, under the overriding atmosphere of fear created by the resulting suppression of any threats to his power. These doings cultivated the seeds of dissatisfaction which soon developed into unified hatred towards Marcos’ reign. There was widespread discontent, but this discontent was still silent. The short-term or immediate cause of Marcos’ downfall was the Assassination of Ninoy Aquino. The â€Å"assassination brought Philippine’s economic shambles to world attention† (Fred Poole and Max Vanz i, 244) and lead to Marcos’ fall from power after the EDSA revolution. MARCOS’ MILITARY The military was the initial basis of Marcos’ power. Marcos’ military control provided him with a huge political advantage. Marcos used the military to create an atmosphere of terror, to discourage opposition and  eliminate any threats to his power to enable him to continue his rule over the country. During his reign, bribery and intimidation of voters during elections was rampant. As the corruption in the Marcos administration became widespread, demonstrations occurred as student activism rose, but were quickly suppressed by his military. An example of this is the â€Å"Battle of Mendiola† on January 1970, in which demonstrators tried to storm in the gates of the Malacanang Palace (the Philippine Presidential building, similar to the White House). It was the most violent of the student demonstrations (Florida C. Leuterio, 151). Due to the increase in violence Marcos imposed martial law in 1972. According to all sources consulted, there may have been a possibil ity that some acts of violence were planned by Marcos to ensure the legitimacy of his declaration of martial law. Since the constitution limited his presidency for merely two terms, he was due to step down on December 30 1973. However, upon the proclamation of martial law, he would be able to perpetuate his rule over the Philippines, because the 1935 constitution had not stated the limitations for the length of martial law (Florida C. Leuterio, 153). Marcos then used the military to detain Filipinos suspected of subversion. This included all critics/activists (ranging from students to professionals), and potential political opponents. They were tortured by their captors and many were then held in military detention camps. Marcos’ â€Å"military establishment tightened its grasp into a stranglehold through increased terror† (Fred Poole and Max Vanzi, 208). Although POLITICAL SCHEMES TO PROLONG HIS TERM AND GAIN POWER For more than 20 years Marcos was able to prolong his term. Through his political schemes and manipulations, Marcos was able to continue with his presidency despite the limitation of only eight consecutive years, the decline of his country’s economy, and the harsh conditions suffered by the majority of its citizens. Even before the presidential elections of 1965 Marcos received numerous military decorations which made him one of the most decorated heroes of World War II. Through this, Marcos gained popular American support, and gained an edge in the 1965 Elections. Sterling Seagrave (author of The Marcos Dynasty) states that Marcos had merely invented the feats made the Philippines most decorated World War II hero. Don Lawson (author of Marcos and the Philippines) however, does not state that Marcos has invented those feats. During 1971 a Constitutional Convention was held to rewrite the 1935  constitution which would then enable Marcos to continue in power under the new constitution. On 1973 he enforced the new constitution which would give him both the powers of a president and a prime minister (until one is elected). The constitution was ratified through citizen assemblies by raise of hands. Due to the prevailing atmosphere, the people adopted to the new constitution. During elections, Marcos engaged in massive fraud to ensure his victory. ILL-GOTTEN WEALTH According to Australian investigator Reiner Jacobi the Marcos rule was economically disastrous for the Philippines. Financial he discovered showed that Marcos had â€Å"systematically looted his country for over 20 years.† He states that the Marcos’ taken at least $5 billion in â€Å"ill-gotten wealth† and that there is other material suggesting that Marcos took even more. Marcos â€Å"used his favourites†Ã‚ ¦ to take charge of the nation’s natural and human resources and its big economic ventures.† Journalist Ron Whittaker goes on to prove that as Marcos and his family amassed a personal fortune, through stealing from the Philippine treasury. He states that â€Å"Despite the hundreds of millions of dollars from the United States each year, Marcos’ government was falling increasingly into debt; and, even as his personal fortunes rapidly escalated, the majority of his people were living in poverty.† Although Marcos succeeded in intimidating his opposition and prolonging his term, his abuse of power exposed his corruptness to the people, which thus created an atmosphere of discontent towards him which continued to build up and would eventually cause his downfall. However, due to the atmosphere of fear Marcos has created, there was still a lack of motivation to call for reform and stand up against the threat of Marcos’ military. THE AQUINO ASSASSINATION AND THE EVENTS THAT FOLLOWED The final blow happened when Benigno Aquino, his only credible opponent, was assassinated by his military escorts, with this incident captured in video tape and broadcast in the foreign media. The event shocked the not only the Filipino people, but the whole world, as footage of the assassination was aired internationally (Sonia M. Zaide, 217). The Assassination was the last act of injustice that the people would take from Marcos. This infuriated the Filipino people, who  became bold because of their outrage. Benigno Aquino was transformed into a national idol (Florida C. Leuterio). It created anger in the Filipino’s that was able to supersede the atmosphere of fear. His death awakened the Filipinos to the â€Å"Evils of Marcos.† In addition to this militant groups (the August Twenty-One movement, Justice for Aquino, Justice for all, and BAYAN† were organized. They staged demonstrations calling for an end to Marcos’ rule. Aquino’s death caused a ch ain reaction of events that eventually forced Marcos out of power. As the Philippine economy deteriorated the Filipinos became poorer and poorer. Anti-Marcos demonstrations cause the decline of the tourism industry. Rampant corruption discouraged foreign investors. High oil prices, and the price decline of traditional exports caused a slow down in economic activity. The government was forced to borrow from the IMF, World Bank, the US and its foreign creditors pressured Marcos to implement reforms as a condition for granting him economic and financial assistance. Their actions were like a vote of no confidence to the Marcos rule and legitimacy as the living conditions of the Filipino’s had furthermore worsened (Florida C. Leuterio, 165). Their actions resulted in further depreciation of the Philippine Peso. As many businesses slowed down, there were mass layoffs which, in turn, caused more poverty and the further disenchantment of the people. Marcos’ effort to survive by calling and winning the snap elections on 1986 failed because of the massive cheating, and the people truly believed Cory Aquino was the true victor. Doubt and scepticism on Marcos furthermore threatened his rule. A group of reformist lead by Fidel V. Ramos, and Juan Ponce Enrile made plans to face the Marcos loyalist and overthrow Marcos. In an attempt to prevent a bloody civil war Cory Aquino launched civil disobedience nationwide in a movement which became known as EDSA or â€Å"People Power.† The Filipinos made a human barricade that prevented the two forces from attacking each other. US senator Paul Laxalt advised him to â€Å"cut, and cut clean.† Marcos was forced to exile in Hawaii on February 25, 1986. According to Dr. Florida C. Leuterio (author of Philippine History and Government), despite the hopelessness of the situation, Marcos had not yet  give up and attempted to impose martial law once again. The plan was code-named â€Å"Everlasting.† He was to send soldiers dressed in civilian clothing to spread violence and terror. This incident would eventually give him an excuse to once again impose martial law and thus, furthermore prolonging his term. However, before he could put his plan into act, the EDSA revolution took place. This truly exposes the corruptness of Marcos’ and furthermore proves his unjust nature and his illegitimacy as president. Sterling Seagrave adds that just before the inauguration of Cory Aquino, Marcos had contacted Enrile offering to set up a provisional government were Cory Aquino, Enrile, and Marcos would rule. This goes to show Marcos’ sheer determination to retain his presidency and prolong his term. ROLE OF THE MEDIA IN THE DOWNFALL OF MARCOS Ron Whittaker (a journalist who studies the effects on Media in politics) believes that the media has had a crucial role in contributing to the downfall of Marcos (both in exposing his corruption, and also in helping organize the EDSA revolution) and that Marcos might have retained his presidency if it were not for the media. He states that because of Marcos’ control over the media, the international community was not aware of the situation in the Philippines because unless certain attention is required, the â€Å"international media take their cues from local press coverage.† I strongly support this and believe that the media was essential in the downfall of Marcos. The assassination of Benigno Aquino was a key factor and the immediate cause of Marcos’ fall from power. It was the event that fuelled the Filipino’s angers and made them take action. It was the event that caused international eyes to observe the situation in the Philippines. This in turn, forced Marcos to think twice before carrying out his military abuses. CONCLUSION The Marcos experience teaches us that power corrupts and creates a situation which ultimately impoverishes the country and its people. The main cause of Marcos downfall is the suffering and poverty he created during his rule. Not even his control of the military can sustain him forever. Eventually he lost major support of the people, the church, and part of the military mutinied. (Unlike Lee Kuan Yu of Singapore who was also an  authoritarian leader, but he was perceived as honest and he was able to improve the economy of Singapore and the standard of living of his people. Even up to now Lee Kuan Yu is still active as a senior minister and highly respected all over the world, a sharp contrast to what happened to Marcos). Even if Marcos did not commit the fatal mistake of assassinating Benigno Aquino, I believe that it merely hastened the process and it would be only a question of time, before he will replaced by the people in a popular election or uprising. In this world of modern television and CNN, a corrupt leader like Marcos would not be able to sustain his image as a legitimate leader of his people. In many ways, the experience of Soeharto, who also had complete control of the military, also proves that a leader today cannot survive if there is widespread corruption and poverty in his country. With the help of the pouring international media, Marcos not only gained opposition locally, but abroad as well, and as a result of this Marcos was eventually forced to step down from power.

LOUIS VUITTON enter CHINESE MARKET Essay

Luxury product sales boost in the emerging marketing like China, which has extraordinary growth and strong potential consumers for the development of luxury goods in the China market. With gradually lower and lower increase of revenue in the European countries, Louis Vuitton (abridged as LV in the following sections) commits itself to set up more stores in China. However, LV is faced with the problems of declining profits in China, which urges it to adjust its entry strategy into the China market. In this case, this report will focus on distinguishing the factors that influence LV’s development in China and laying out schemes for LV’s entry into China market by initially examining the internal and external environment for LV; analyzing the operational plan for LV’s entry into China based on the environment examination, and generating an action plan for LV’s entry strategy at the end of the report. Introduction Louis Vuitton (abridged as LV in the following sections) is planning to set up more stores in the China market. However, it is now faced with the problems of declining profits in China, which urges it to adjust its entry strategy into the China market. In this case, this report is to lay out schemes for LV’s entry into the China market by distinguishing the internal and external factors that influence LV’s development from the perspectives of country factors and internal advantages of LV with reference to the SWOT analysis model; analyzing the operational plan for LV’s entry into China based on the environment examination and including suggests on firm strategy, organization structure and management, entry strategy and modes, manufacturing management, marketing plan, and accounting as well as finance management; and generating an action plan for LV’s entry strategy at the end of the report according to the specifications of the business operational plan. Research Methods The research method of literature searches is adopted to generate this report. This method is chosen because there are plenty of existing studies  on the development of luxury goods, which makes it possible for abundant literature searches. Also, there are a great many resources on the annual reports of Louis Vuitton available which offer insights into the financial performance of this company. Anyway, luxury goods are indeed possessed by the majority of people, which makes direct interviews or surveys less available. External and Internal Environment The internal and external factors that influence LV’s development will be examined in this section from the perspectives of country factors and internal advantages of LV. A SWOT analysis will be involved in this section, which aims to find out the strength, weakness, opportunity and threat of the company according to analysis on the internal conditions of the company and the external environment the company is faced with (Johnson & Scholes, 2002, p122). External environment: Country factor analysis The external environment for LV’s entry into China will be discussed in terms of the politics and government policy of China, the economy and the China market, the social culture and transportation of China, and will be concluded from the perspectives of opportunities and threats for LV’s entry into China. In terms of politics and government policy, China is now actively opening up to the world and enhancing trade relationships with world brands since the reform and opening up policy. In terms of the economy and the China market, according to Yuval and Vinay and Cathy (2011), the analysts of Mckinsey quarterly, China has increasing booming urban cities including the second- and third-tier cities and the world second-largest GDP which means strong purchasing power the China consumers for luxury goods and great market potentials (para 8). They also pointed out that by 2015, Chinese consumers will account for more than 20 percent of the global luxury market. On the other h and, the large market potential has drawn a host of luxury-goods companies to enter the China market, which makes the competition fiercer and fiercer. And it is troublesome for LV that there are plenty of fake goods imitating LV’s style prevailing in China, which are actually not likely to reduce LV’s high-end consumers, but would exert negative influences on consumers’ impression and awareness of LV. I  terms of social culture, for one thing, the China consumers are attracted by middle- and high-end products and somehow more attracted by French luxury goods, and they believe that the higher the price, the better the quality (Yuval, Vinay and Cathy, 2011, para7) (Exhibit 1). For another thing, the traditional virtue of thrift is rooted in the mindset of the Chinese, with which some of the rich in China indicate that they would not spend a large sum of money to get a product. (Exhibit 1) In terms of transportation, airlines are increased like the Emirates group which launched air routines in the main cities of China, and railway transportation as well as road transportation is more and more available, making it convenient and fast for cross-national transportation. Therefore in conclusion, the opportunities for LV’s entry into China can be concluded as China’s encouraging policies on foreign brands’ entering into China; China’s booming urban cities and increasing middle- and upper- class consumers with strong purchasing power; Chinese consumers’ purchasing preference for French high-end products; and the more and more convenient cross-national transportation in China. While the threats for LV’s entry into China entail the fierce competition from the peer companies and brands; the trouble coming from increasing produced counterfeit products imitating LV in China; China consumers’ cautious traditional views on luxury goods purchasing. Anyway, when it comes to China consumers’ rational attitude towards luxury goods purchasing, it may be an opportunity for LV if it succeeds in drawing out their desires and needs for LV’s products, otherwise it may turn out to be a threat for LV’s expansion in China. Internal environment based on national level The advantages of internal environment for LV on national level lie in the its preference and prospect to greatly expand its business in China, its experiences of operating in China market for about twenty years, and its strong influence on and temptation to the China consumers, as well as customer loyalty for it. On the contrary, the disadvantages lie in its high price which will greatly influences China consumers’ will to purchase the products, and in its could-be easily imitated appearance and style which is made used of by some China manufacturers in producing fake goods. Internal environment based on firm level The nature of LV’s products Dubois and Czellar and Laurent (2001) delineated Luxury goods as products with extraordinary quality as well as high price, rareness and uniqueness, aesthetic appeal, respectful long history, and the sense of being superior to others (p156). Yacine and Johnathan and Motohiro (2004) argued that luxury goods manual crafting and diligence should be involved into the manufacturing and designing of luxury goods (para 2). Based on these studies, the nature of LV’s products can be abstracted as unique, rare, and excellent-quality, and extraordinary. I ndustry characteristics of luxury goods Kapferer (1996) suggested that luxury industry distinguishes the needs and demands of the wealthy people like prominent social figures, and produce unique superior products for them, which acts like a status symbol for the rich (p251). While Heine (2010) stated that the luxury industry is also fashion-oriented and high-quality guaranteed. And it is closely associated with the needs of the wealthy. Judging from these studies and the advancement of luxury products nowadays, the industrial characteristics of luxury products can be concluded as extraordinary quality with high guarantee, extremely personalized with unique designed style, strong brand recognition and customer loyalty, and highly profitable sales based on its high price. Advantages and disadvantage of internal environment for LV on firm level The advantages of LV on firm level mainly lie in its good brand image, abundant product portfolio, wide expansion in the China markets covering most of the first- and second-tier cities, and its control on the designs of products. This can be told from the following aspects. Above all, LV enjoys a good reputation of high quality and excellent services that it has occupied the first place of the 2012 Hurun Ranking of the Top ten luxury brands in the world (see Appendix 1), in which LV beats Hermes, the second in the list by nearly 43%. Also, LV offers manual crafting designed products which are special for certain customers. What’s more, it offers permanent after-sale serves to its customers (Paul, 2012, p79). The disadvantages of LV mainly lie in its lower production rate and high price which leaves it less price elasticity. It possessed relatively lower production rate, for it takes certain time and manual efforts to make a high-quality products (Jill & Glenn & Taro, 2009, p122). It sets high prices for its products based on the quality and meanwhile aims to distinguish market segmentation, which however makes the price too high from the perspectives of the majority of China consumers. Marketing potentials In recent years, the China government has made adjustments towards Foreign Direct Investment. It cancelled the extra bonus policy which had existed since the 1980s when China actively encouraged investment on foreign enterprises (Dan, 2009, para1). Anyway, the general tendency of attracting foreign companies to enter into China is still unabated. Therefore, government policies and regulations are still positive for LV’s advancement in China, which indicates that China remains great market potential for LV if it adjusts itself to seek advantages and avoid disadvantages according to the environment. Based on the external and internal environment analysis, an operational plan to help LV enter and compete effectively in the China market will be generated in the following section, which includes consideration to firm strategy, organization structure and management, strategy and modes of LV’s entry into China, manufacturing management, overall marketing plan, and accounting and Finance management of LV facing the entry. Corporation strategy helps direct the future development of firms, including differentiation strategy and low cost strategy (Gerry & Keven & Richard, 2008, p245). The firm strategy suggested for LV to compete in the China market is to differentiate itself from other luxury companies and brands, and the strategy to lower its costs. Apart from the regular introduction of new products or the quality control of products like most luxury companies may do, LV is supposed to give extra care to its customer services, delivering extraordinary experience to customers, like regular special consultancy for every customer to lead the their needs and help them realize personal values relative with LV’s values. As for methods to lower costs,  it can be achieved through managing the operational cost of LV and through cost control in the supply chain of LV. For example, to integrate its resources and improve its supply chain by cooperation with fixed partners who professionally manage logistics in order to get a price discount, which may lower the costs of transportation and save time for product updates. Organization Structure and Management Organizational structure management is for accomplishing certain goals effectively Gerry & Keven & Richard, 2008, p137). For LV as an international company, the organization form of departmentalization is rather appropriate. With human resources gathered and organizational structure formed through departmentalization, the process of delegation is to be introduced. Delegation is to delegate certain authority and responsibility to the staff and achieve harmony and trustworthiness among leaders and staff (Robbins & Mary & Nancy, 2005, p165). LV has a big number of stores in China, and it will be better if the headquarter delegates authority for the managers in the branches in China, who are then able to manage the stores more practically and efficiently. Based on the managing form of departmentalization and the method of delegation, the form of decentralization can be adopted. If the business of a company is in fast pace and tend to change quickly, and is operated in diversified different areas, it should choose the form of decentralization (Robbins & Mary & Nancy, 2005, p165). As an international luxury company with operating areas in all geographic parts of China, LV values timeliness and adaptability towards the quickly changing fashion world, which makes decentralization suitable for LV’s development in China market. Entry strategy and modes The entry modes for international companies entail strategic alliance, exporting, licensing or franchising, joint venture, a new wholly owned subsidiary, and acquiring established enterprises (David & Cynthia, 2004, p147). As for LV, a luxury brand which is positioned as high-end, unique and high-price, it would be better for it to establish its own stores in the targeted country (Giacalone, 2006, p33). Since LV has its own stores in China, it adopts the wholly owned subsidiary method of entry so as to hold  its characteristic of unique and independent, and to pursue global standardization. Where to enter into is essential for LV’s operation in China. LV has already set up stores in all the geographical areas of China (Exhibit 2), and most of its focus is the first-tier cities and less second-tier cities. For example, nearly 33% of LV’s stores in China are located in Hongkong, Macau and Taiwan (Exhibit 2), while there are a great many second-tier cities where many wea lthy people inhabit in mainland China. According to the table of index of China’s cities for luxury product operation (Exhibit 3), second-tier cities like Shenyang, Dalian, Hangzhou, and Chengdu have great potentials for luxury product operation. Moreover, second-tier cities like Dalian, Hangzhou and Chengdu are among the most popular tourism cities in China, where tourists are more likely to purchase luxury products when they are in their pleasant holidays with planned shopping lists. Also, the renting rate of second-tier cities is much cheaper than first-tier cities like Beijing and Shanghai. As for LV, whose stores often cover a large amount of space, second-tier cities will save it considerable amounts of costs. Therefore, second-tier cities should be the primary choices of LV’s operation in China market. Manufacturing management Manufacturing management is associated with production for global markets, outsourcing and logistics management (Philip & Gary, 2009, chap13). As for LV, its production is unique and enjoys good reputation among consumers for they are produced in France, labeled as high-quality and high-level. Therefore in this case, production activities of LV are supposed to be located in France. In terms of logistics, it will be better for LV to outsource the management of logistics to companies that are professional in this field, for LV has no experiences in logistics and it should focus on the production and sales of products instead. Marketing plan Marketing Strategy can be formulated with references to the following aspects: Product attributes, Distribution methods, communication approaches, and pricing strategy (Alan and Simon, 2012, p399). Apart from the four aspects listed above, marketing strategy is influenced primarily by market  segmentation (David & John, 2012, p102). With regards to age, socio-cultural factors, economic development and the psychological factors, LV narrows its target market in China to the young and adult generations who are under the age of forty. Anyway, the primary focused consumers are adults. In this case, LV is supposed to give more care to the young, who are the right future potential customers for LV. Besides, the young of the rich families in China can often easily win parents’ compromise and financial support to purchase luxury products. Therefore, emphasis on unique products for the young is highly profitable in return and may also bring vigor to the growth of LV. In terms of product attributes, it is critical for the development of products, for it the product attributes satisfy the customer’s needs, the product will definitely boost sales (Alan and Simon, 2012, p399). LV’s product attributes as products with extraordinary quality as well as high price, rareness and uniqueness, aesthetic appeal, respectful long history, and high-class awareness greatly meet customers’ needs for supreme experience and extraordinary taste. Therefore, it should focus on product designs that can differentiate its products from those of other brands to keep its customer loyalty. As for distribution methods, LV should stick to its strategy of selling its products directly to consumers through its stores, for it has independent stores and distribution system. Anyway, it is possible for LV to set up online stores under the circumstance of the China market. In terms of internet shopping, which is now prevailing in China, and the electronic commerce of China is gradually become mature. Amazon and China’s T-Mall online shopping has reached high turnover in recent years (The Economist, 2011). In terms of China consumers, who prefer to shop online especially the young and the adult, with internet becoming more and more available for the Chinese people, China online market has high potential for LV’s attempt at online stores. In terms of communication approaches, LV is involved more in direct selling, and advertising. In terms of direct selling through stores, it creates opportunities for deepening the communication between consumers and the staff of LV. In terms of advertising, LV focuses on delivering its value and product attributes to consumers and it choose its spokesperson cautiously. Selecting spokesmen for LV is quite a good choice for the development in China, especially for attracting the young. For example, the newly selected and the only spokesman  for LV in China, Bingbing FAN is quite appropriate for the disposition of LV, unique, independ ent and elegant, which has become a big piece of news in China and has intensified the public focus on LV recently. Therefore, the right choice of spokeman will benefit LV in the China market. Anyway, the country-of-origin effect takes effects on the Chinese people who deeply believe in French luxury products (Glamheden, 2006, p35). In terms of pricing strategy, it will be better for LV to keep the same price in different countries, which means the amount of money consumers spend in a LV store in China is the same as that in France in value. This is because that some Chinese prefer to fly to France to get the LV products for it’s cheaper in France. In order to boost sales in China market, it’s better to apply the same pricing strategy. Accounting and finance management As for accounting management of LV in China, LV has to pay great attention to the inflation conditions of the China market, which has been rising in recent years both in food and non-food prices (Jay and Azhar, 2011, para2). LV should adjust its pricing strategy and accounting management according to the inflation conditions of China, for if inflation goes high, assets will be depreciated and the original price cannot represent the real value of LV’s products (Mankiw, 2011, p643). Mankiw states that inflation results to the value depreciation of money, which will benefit the export of the home country and make it disadvantageous for the import from foreign countries’ import to the home country. This explains the significance for LV to adjust its price according to the inflation conditions in China market. In order to create and maintain a competitive advantage, LV’s financial management should be involved financial control and money management (Alan & Simon, 2012 , p423). Now that LV has already decided to invest in the China market, financial decisions and the money management are to be focused on. In terms of financial decisions, according to Alan and Simon’s theory (2012) on financing decisions, LV may prefer local debt financing in the China market, where local currency has recently depreciated. In terms of money management, LV should try to reduce the transaction costs, which is generated when a firm transfers cash from one currency to another (Alan & Simon, 2012, p433). Recommendations- action plan With the help of the discussion of the China market environment for LV, and the analysis and conclusion of the operational plan for LV’s entry into China in the previous sections, recommendations for action plans for LV will be given as follows. As for formulating firm strategies, LV is supposed to take the differentiation strategy by distinguishing itself from other luxury companies by emphasis on high quality and exclusive customer services, and to adopt the cost reducing strategy by integrating resources of its supply chain and reducing transportation costs through the long-term cooperation with professional partners of logistics fields. As for organization structure and management, the organization form of departmentalization with a combination of functional forms, product, consumer service and geographic area is recommended. Next, the method of delegation can be introduced for LV so as to delegate authority for the managers in the China stores. Last but not least, it will be better for LV to implement the form of decentralization, which will improve the effectiveness and efficiency of LV’s operation in China. As for entry strategy and modes, with wholly owned subsidiary, LV should cautiously select its targeted locations in China. Apart from the first-tier cities, second-tier cities where there is considerably strong purchasing power and lower renting costs would be appropriate for LV to set up new stores. As for manufacturing management, production activities of LV are supposed to be located in France, for effect of country-of-origin works on China consumers who believe that goods produced in France would be more reliable and high-end. In terms of logistics, LV is supposed to outsource its management of logistics to companies that are professional in this field. As for marketing plan, LV should continue to highlight its product attributes like high quality and exclusive design to consumers, to apply the communicatio n approach of advertising using the spokesman strategy, and to keep price nearly the same in different countries without dramatically change. As for accounting and finance management, LV should adjust its pricing strategy and accounting management according to the inflation conditions of China, and to focus on its financial decisions, and money management decisions. Specifically, LV may adopt local debt financing in the China market, and try to reduce the transaction costs. References Alan M. & Simon C. (2012). International business. London: Pearson. Dan H. (2009). Foreign direct investment in China-the times has changed. Retrieved from: http://www.chinalawblog.com/2009/04/foreign_direct_investment_in_c_1.html David C. & Cynthia M. (2004). Corporate strategy. New York: McGraw-Hill. David J. & John F. (2012). Foundations of marketing. New York: McGraw-Hill. Dubois, B., Laurent, G. & Czellar, S. (2001). Consumer rapport to luxury: analyzing complex and ambivalent attitudes, Retrieved from: http://ideas.repec.org/p/ebg/heccah/0736.html Gerry J., Kevan S. & Richard W. (2008). Exploring Corporate Strategy, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, p245-p266. Giacalone, J. (2006). The market for luxury goods: the case of the Comità © Colbert, Southern Business Review, 32(1), 33-40. Glamheden A. (2006). Country-of-origin effects and consumer attitudes towards luxury brands, Doctoral thesis. University of St. Gallen. Retrieved from: http://www.gbv.department/ Heine, K. (2010). The personality of luxury fashion brands, Journal of Global Fashion Marketing, 1(3), p88. Jay H. & Azhar I. Does China have an inflation problem? Wells Fargo Securities. Retrieved from: http://www.realclearmarkets.com/blog/ChinaInflation_03292011_final%5B1%5D.pdf Jill G., Glenn B. & Taro I. (2009). Art, fashion and architecture. New York. Publisher: Rizzoli. Johnson, G & Scholes, K. (2002). Exploring corporate strategies. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Kapferer, J. (1996). Managing luxury brands. The Journal of Brand Management, 4(4), 251-260. Mankiw G. & Mark P. (2011). Economics.2nd Revised ed. UK. New York: Cengage Learning. Paul G. P., (December 1, 2012), Louis Vuitton: the birth of modern luxury. U.S.A. New York: Abrams. Philip K. & Gary A. (2009). Principles of marketing. U.S.A. Washington: Pearson Education. Robbins p. & Mary C. & Nancy L. (2005). Management. 8th ed. Canada. Washington: Pearson Education. The Economist Journal, (2011). E-commerce in China: the great leap online. . Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/node/21540260 Yacine A., Johnathan A. & Motohiro Y. (2004). Luxury goods and the equity premium, The Journal of Finance, Vol. 6, No. 6, p46. Yuval A., Vinay D. & Cathy W. (2011). Tapping China’s luxury-goods market. Mckinsey quarterly. Retrieved from http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/Tapping_Chinas_luxury-goods_market_2779

Implementing Sustainability in Certain Profession Essay

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Parent Child Relationship Essay Example for Free

Parent Child Relationship Essay Abstract This paper is about showing your children that you love them by promoting boundaries. It will explain what kids really want their parents know and understand. This paper also gets down to the basics of how to be a beacon of hope in this dark world. Show how to help our children maneuver through troubling situations by giving them positive values to fall back on. Love is the common thread which binds us together and without love, boundaries and discipline would not succeed the way it is meant to. This paper looks at different ways to be active at home, how to have a joy-filled home, and how to show the ones who mean the most to you how you feel. It also shows how emotions can affect how we parent. It takes us on a journey through our childhood, so many of our parenting tactics come from how we were parented whether it was good or bad it is what we based our parenting on. How Parents can Better Love Understand Their Kids In this paper we will be discussing different techniques and methods practiced to make home the safe haven it is supposed to be. Some tips are given on how to bring fun and understanding into the home. Family White (1998) states, â€Å"if your family are the most important people in your life†¦show them, make your family your priority—strip away the non important things that take away time from them (p. 5). Kids just want to be loved and cherished. They need to feel like they belong somewhere and are special. Parents need to slow down and spend time with their children. We need to be good role models for our own kids. We need to have fun households to show the kids there is more to their music and TV, they can have a good time with the family (p. 37-41). Talk about goal setting as a family, â€Å"everyone has an opinion so everyone is included in pitching ideas of they would like to see the family accomplish, positive comments only. Then you need to clarify and organize your agreed-upon goals, and write down ways to accomplish each goal. You should designate a specific time to reflect and reevaluate your efforts as a family† (White, 1998, p. 41-42). White (1998) teaches a listening technique which was taught to him. â€Å"You begin by telling the person you are going to ask three questions and you will repeat them several times, but they need to give a different response each time. The goal is to get them to discover the solution and work toward applying it (p. 60-61). We need to be mindful of how we perceive things each person has his or her own view, and it may not match your personal view but we need to realize there is more than one way to do a task. Also, White (1998) speaks to us about time and how we cherish the moments with our loved ones, making sure our kids are confident secure in who they are will help them be able to say no to certain things. We need to build up the kids by focusing on the positive and by letting them know they are loved (pp. 85-93). Not only is it our responsibility to build up our children, but we need to help them dreamhave vision, and help them get to their dreamsdon’t be a dream crusher. We may not believe what they do but we need to be supportive. How to be Positive â€Å"Your thinking directly affects your performance get rid of negative thinking. â€Å"You are what you are, and where you are because of what has gone into your mind† (Ziglar, 1989, pp. 18-20). Ziglar says, â€Å"When you change the input you change the output. We need to stop being so negative –if a task is too hard we say we can’t do it, we need to encourage our kids and ourselves to push through the tough times (p. 24). â€Å"A successful life starts with having a loving and stable relationship with our family. Your attitude affects your outlook on life; qualities to strive for to have success in life are: dependability, friendliness, honesty and a sense of humor† (Ziglar, 1998, pp.41-42). Ziglar also said, â€Å"A solid foundation for children involves a solid moral base† meaningyou need to practice what you preach. â€Å"You need to look for and expect good from your children, stop looking at the bad and negative things and look for the good and positive in them and they will bloom† (Ziglar, 1998, p. 51). Be specific when you find something good in your child, tell them what it is exactly and continue to lift them up. Being Available as an Emotion Coach According to Gottman (1997), We need to help our kids deal with their emotions by being their emotion coaches and we do that with five steps 1) by being aware of their emotion, 2) recognize the emotion as a time for intimacy and teaching, 3) listen to them and validate their feelings, 4) help label the emotion with words and 5) set limits while finding ways to solve the problem (p.24). In step one, the focus is on recognizing when you are feeling an emotion, you can identify the feelings, and you are able to be sensitive to emotions in others (p. 76). Step two, when parents can use a negative experience to bring forth bonding with their children it builds intimacy and it teaches them how to deal with their feelings (p.93). During step three, two things take place, listening empathetically and validating the child’s feelings. Gottman suggests that this may be the most important step in emotion coaching! Not only are you listening with your ears, but you are using your eyes to look for physical confirmation of the child’s emotions. Parents also use their imagination to see things from the child’s perspective. They repeat back what they hear to help the child put words to his or her emotions. Lastly, they use their most precious gift of heart to feel what their child is feeling (p. 94). Step four is putting words to their emotions. Studies have shown that labeling emotions has a soothing effect on the nervous system, aiding the child to bounce back quicker from upsetting incidents (pp. 99-100). The final step is setting limits and problem solving. This step entails empathizing with the child’s feelings as well as discussing what is right and wrong behavior, and then coming up with alternative ways to handle their emotions (p. 101). Generally speaking, according to Gottman (1997), Children who have parents that practice â€Å"emotion coaching† have better physical health and score higher in academics. They seem to get along better with others and have fewer behavioral problems. Also noted, these children are less prone to act violently and seem to experience fewer negative feelings and more positive ones, and are considered to be healthier on an emotional level (p. 25). â€Å"There are results that show when parents use emotion coaching with their kids; there are buffering effects on children whose families are having difficulty and/or divorce. Another find from research shows that fathers who incorporate emotion coaching in parenting have an extremely positive impact on their children’s emotional development† (Gottman, 1997, p. 26). There are four types of parenting styles; depending on your style as a parent the effects can be detrimental to the child’s well-being. The styles are being dismissive, disapproving, laissez-faire, and the emotion coach. In the dismissive style, the child’s feelings are thought of as not important or trivial. The effect on the child is that he or she learns that their feelings are wrong or not valid. They feel that something is wrong with them as a person because of how they feel (p. 50). The disapproving style, judges and criticizes the child’s emotional expression as well as view emotions as weakness. The effect on the child is that he or she learns that their feelings are wrong or not valid. They feel that something is wrong with them as a person because of how they feel (p. 51). The laissez-faire style, does not teach the child about emotions, and offers little guidance on behavior. The effect on the child is he or she does not learn how to regulate their emotions and they have trouble making friends and getting along with others (pp. 51-52). The emotion coach style, does not feel that they have to fix every problem for the child and they respect the child’s emotions. The effect on the child is he or she can trust their feelings, solve problems, and get along well with others (p. 52). Parents need to take their time with their children, get to know them and understand their point of view. By learning to be empathetic listeners, parents can help their children learn to problem solve for themselves, enable their child to soothe themselves and become more well-rounded individuals. Showing empathy is like showing your child your heart. If you can let them know that you understand how they feel, they won’t feel down and they will feel confident that their parents care about them at the core of their emotions. How Love Heals In understanding the dynamic of parent and child Hendrix Hunt (1997) use a metaphor describing the relationship as â€Å"a tapestry of life, meaning they are woven together by the threads and stitches of their interactions with one another† (p. 7). They use this to describe the delicate bond between the parent and child. If not careful you can tear and damage that bond. â€Å"These tears happen when you are not paying attention to the moment, or when you are experiencing emotional pain yourself† (Hendrix Hunt, 1997, p. 8). The focus of the message given by Hendrix Hunt (1997) is on being conscious in your parenting. This means â€Å"you are to meet the needs of your child by providing safety, support and structure as your child moves through each stage of development† (p. 38). Hendrix Hunt (1997) mentioned â€Å"most parents are unconscious, but they are still good, kind, caring and committed people. They have been wounded and just have not healed into a greater self-awareness and self-acceptance† (p.45). According to Hendrix Hunt (1997) there are five characteristics to unconscious parenting, â€Å"it cuts, it cuts the connection between parent and child. It is an inheritance, parents are parenting from their fears and wounds. It is unaware, these parents don’t realize what they do to their kids, and they felt cheated so the cycle continues. It causes exaggerated reactions, parents over or under react to what their child says or does. Lastly, it is ignorance, the parent doesn’t realize he or she is overreacting to the child’s normal behavior† (pp. 48-51). When a parent is ready to become a more conscious parent they need to learn how to listen and talk to their children. Hendrix Hunt (1997) calls this â€Å"intentional dialogue; this includes mirroring, validating, and empathizing† (p. 106). According to Hendrix Hunt, mirroring is when you have listened and repeat back what you believe you heard back to the person. Validating is when you let the speaker know that what they are saying makes sense. Empathizing is shown by recognizing the feelings of others as they explain their point of view (1997, p. 107-108). There needs to be a commitment on the part of the parent to be open to conscious parenting. Conscious parenting offers safety, support, and structure. The parent needs to create an environment that 1) is physically safe, 2) is emotionally supportive to the child’s growth, and 3) is structured to limits and boundaries (Hendrix Hunt, 1997, pp.141-142). According to Hendrix Hunt (1997), physical safety is the primary requirement of every living thing. The most important way to support a child is by validating how he or she feels. A conscious parent provides clear boundaries and sets limits to reinforce the child’s sense of safety and support (pp. 142-143, 153). No One Gets Me Dr Sachs is corresponding with one of his patients via letters being mailed to one another in, When no One Understands. This book was his response to what his patient wrote to him. This young lady was troubled and had tried a suicide attempt which is how they met. During their sessions she remained quiet she did not like to communicate by talking and because Dr. Sachs knew she was creative and a good writer so he decided to offer an alternative to the typical session. This brought her out of her shell a little to where she would talk to him in some sessions but the bulk of the treatment came through their letters. She did grow to trust him more and opened up to him regarding some things she felt her parents just were not â€Å"getting†. Encouragement and Self Discovery In, Taste Berries for Teens book series, is chock full of very touching letters from different teens going through different emotional trials. Youngs Youngs do a great job at reaching out to the youth and giving them an outlet to share their feelings. â€Å"The purpose of this series is focused on â€Å"liking† yourself. A chance for getting to know and understand yourself on a deeper level. It tells of change and how one changes from year to year† (Youngs Youngs, 2000, p.3). Boundaries Cloud Townsend (1998) brings honest thought to mind when they discuss what kind of future is being created for your child if they are wild and reckless? We are preparing our children for the future (p. 14). There are three roles to being a parent, 1) guardian, 2) manager and 3) source. The guardian is legally responsible for the child and is his or her protector. The manager makes sure things get done and goals are reached, this role is a disciplinarian one. The source, the parent is the source of all good things (Cloud Townsend, 1998, pp. 19-21). According to Clod Townsend (1998) parents need to teach reality principle, which introduces true reality consequences such as not going to a movie because the room was not cleaned; it does not include negative relational consequences such as nagging or fussing. The child needs to â€Å"feel† the consequences not the parent (pp. 58-61). Setting Limitations Clinton Sibcy talk about overprotecting, overindulging and over controlling your kids and how these can harm the child. Parents need to exercise balance we are to protect our children but when we over protect we damage their spirit and deter them from becoming the strong, independent adult they should be. Over controlling parents mean well, they want their child to succeed, but they push them to perfectionism and these children are afraid to fail. The over indulging parent may suffer from feelings of guilt but children need structure and in this case the child can become insecure, irritable and bored (p. 9-13). There is a healthy balance and it is the parent’s job to find it. Honestly it begins with love and respect, some have to learn that but it is give and take. If you don’t show the children these qualities, they cannot give it back to you. Conclusion I would just like to conclude by saying that I enjoyed this research and this topic were fun to delve into and I hope to use some of these techniques in my own home to help improve my relationship with my family communication is so important but the most important thing that I emphasize is that it all must be done in love and with love to work. You can bark orders and commands all day long but you and your children will suffer from the lack of love and respect. References Clinton, T., Sibcy, G. (2006). Loving your child too much: Staying close to your kids without overprotecting, overindulging, or overcontrolling. Nashville, TN: Integrity Publishers. Cloud, H. Townsend, J. (2001). Boundaries with kids. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. Gottman, J; (1997). The heart of parenting. New York, NY; Simon Schuster Hendrix, H; Hunt, H; (1997). Giving the love that heals a guide for parents. New York, NY; Pocket Books. Sachs, B; (2007). When no one understands. Boston, MA; Trumpeter Books. Youngs, B; Youngs, J; (1995). Taste berries for teens #3. Deerfield Beach, FL; Health Communications, Inc. White, J; (1998). What kids wish parents knew about parenting. West Monroe, LA; Howard Publishing Co, Inc. Ziglar, Z; (1989). Raising positive kids in a negative world. New York, NY, Ballentine Books.

Overture to “William Tell” by Gioachino Rossini Essay Example for Free

Overture to â€Å"William Tell† by Gioachino Rossini Essay 1. Date: 2-3-13 2. Place: Pope Joy Hall 3. Name of ensemble(s) performing: Albuquerque Youth Symphony included string ensembles of the Violin, Viola, Cello, String Bass, and. The Woodwinds Ensemble included the Flute-Piccolo, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon; Brass Ensemble included the French horn, Trumpet, Trombone, and the Tuba. As well as the Percussion ensemble. As well as a Keyboard ensemble the Harp 3. Describe the concert venue and where you sat (i.e.: balcony): I took my twelve-year-old stepdaughter with me and we stood out side for about five minutes waiting in line to purchase tickets. Upon entering Pope Joy Hall, we were greeted by an information booth that was filled with flyers and pamphlets and programs to all different venues of art, from orchestras to plays. Lindsey asked me wide eyed; do all these things mean that this is what is showing or playing here? I looked at her and smiled and replied, yes this is Pope Joy Hall, UNM Center for the Arts and they have a variety of things going on all the time. We grabbed some information on what we would like to come and see and headed to the first theater on the left. We walked up to the entrance doors to the theater and were greeted by two very friendly greeters, who handed us our programs. Then, we entered the double doors and were greeted by an eager usher who politely guided us through hand and arm gestures to go down the left isle. Therefore, Lindsey and I sat together in the lower level on the left side middle end row seats. Once seated, I realized that this theater is set up like a small sized concert hall that would typically be set up for an indoor classical music venue. It was very nice and cozy every one was dressed casual to semi-formal and Lindsey was in awe, she had never experienced anything like this before. 4. Were there any spoken remarks about the concert? Yes? No?: Yes If yes, describe generally, what was said: They started with announcements by that first welcomed everyone to the Albuquerque Youth Symphony, and to state that they are audio and video recording the event and we can if we haven’t already signed up for a copy, we can still do so out side the double doors during intermission or after the concert. Then they went over the program pointing out the fundraiser and the new solar panels that are going to be installed in the near future. Thirdly, they made an announcement about a very special Concertos’ Cellist Kayla Mathes, and announced that she was chosen to be a part of the National Youth Orchestra, in New York this summer and touring to Moscow and London with the group. Lastly, they went over the sponsors and then introduced the symphony. 5. Which genres of music were performed? i.e.: symphony, concerto etc.: The Albuquerque Youth Symphony performed an Overture to â€Å"William Tell† by Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868), Triumphal March from â€Å"Aida† by Guiseppe Verdi (1813-1901), Prelude and Liebestod from â€Å"Tristan and Isolde† by Richard Wagner (1813-1883) as well as the Concerto for Violoncello and orchestra in E minor by Edward Elgar (1857-1934). 6. Were any of the works programmatic (music with literary or pictorial? Associations)? Yes No: Yes. If yes, which compositions were programmatic? : Overture to â€Å"William Tell† by Gioachino Rossini a beautifully written piece of music especially of considerable size and complexity. As well as, the Concerto for Violoncello and orchestra in E minor by Edward Elgar, which was filled with raw emotion. 7. Choose two complete works from the program and fill in the blanks: Composition #1: Name of Composer: Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868) Composition Title: Overture to â€Å"William Tell† Movements/ Tempo markings, if through-written, just leave blank: I. III. II. IV. Historical Era of Work: Rossinis’ Overture to â€Å"William Tell† is a mixture of baroque from (1600-1750) classical from (1750-1820) and romantic from (1820-1900). Choose from: Medieval pre-1450, Renaissance – 1450-1600, Baroque 1600-1750, Classical 1750 – 1820, Romantic 1820 – 1900, 20th Century 1901 – 2000, 21st Century 2001 Present Name any solo voice or featured instruments: None Composition #2: Name of Composer: Edward Elgar (1857-1934). Composition Title: Concerto for Violoncello and orchestra in E minor. Movements/ Tempo markings, if through-written, just leave blank: I. III. II. IV. Allegro Historical Era of Work (see description above): Romantic from 1820-1900 and 20th Century from 1901-2000. Name any featured (solo) instruments or vocalists: Kala Mathes solo Cellist. In the space below legibly write a brief narrative summarizing the two pieces listed above. If you prefer, you may attach a typed summary to this page. Choose among these items to discuss: Describe mode, meter, tempo, dynamics, texture. Was the music more consonant or dissonant? Did it have frequent accents, syncopation or modulation? Did the melodies move more in conjunct or disjunct motion? Was there a voice or instrument timbre that affected you emotionally? Rossini’s overture starts with a dawdling introduction and spry melodies invariably leads to an immense crescendo passage, in which Rossini replicates a motif several times, adding instruments and volume with each repetition. Then out of the stillness, a single cello rises sorrowfully from a low E along an arpeggiated cord through an E-minor chord to a high B, 2 ½ octaves higher, while the other cellos lend their harmony in E-minor. Slowly the first cello leads us toward a brighter atmosphere of E-major. Then adds a few pizzicato beats to lend influence and a fragile yet graceful rhythmic emphasis. While adding an overlap of a new, whirling motif by the violas and second violins, as they ask the question and it is answered with three detached chords from the piccolo, flute and oboes. As the tempo hastens the storm begins. I can hear and see the fickleness of falling rain in my mind and through syncopating the raindrops, it drops off the driving beat of the pizzicato double basses. I can feel the harmony as it darkens, mystifying, drawing me back to the ever so moody E-minor. With a monumental arrival of gestures from the violins and woodwinds, the storm unleashes its wrath over rolling the timpani’s, pounding bass drum and a fortissimo piece from the brass chords. Then the descending motif asks in a desolate torrent, that is answered by an equally and majestically ascending motif of the double basses, bassoons and trombones. The climax of cymbals cascading among the whirlwind motif of the flute, piccolo and violins leads into a beautiful breath taking G-major. This then overlaps with the trumpets blaring in E-major with the joining of horns and drums that hold on to a resonant B-major chord that resounded into a galloping anapestic rhythm. This unleashes the contrasting middle section in C-sharp minor that is dominated by a presto line for the strings and woodwinds. Then we find ourselves back to a galloping anapestic measure in E-major that again builds the excitement into the release of the finale. When the hair on my arms were raised, eyes were tear filled, knowing the story behind the music, the life of two brothers who never knew each other, met only once. As one bows down to the other in realization that the other is worthy of praise, honor and recognition, then honors him with an inspiring piece that succeeds to top the ending in triumph. Edward Elgars’ Concerto for Violoncello and orchestra in E minor was alive as it unfolded as an enthusiastically structured, requiem-like a constant outpouring of deep undiluted emotions. The opening of this piece begins with a characteristic of decently and nobly designing the score, is a flourish for the soloist Kala Mathes, and recurs throughout the concerto. The unmistakable main melody-at once was reflective, inspirational, beautiful, and transcendent emerged almost immediately with the violas, before Kala began to play the Cello. Throughout the piece of the movement the theme winds its way through various keys, A, C, G and E minor, while the secondary thematic notes emerge from the clarinets. Then Kalas’ opening flourished as it transformed into a pizzicato passage that appeared in staccato semiquavers. Then in the key of b flat, the Adagio seemed to make time stand still as the beautiful melodious musical lines sang its music of undeniable heartbreak. The symphony at this point was reduced to strings, clarinets, bassoons, and horns as Kala weaved in and out of the symphony fabric in an ever so eloquent song without words, this is where I had goose bumps all over, tears rolling down my face, the power and emotions were overwhelming, for even Lindsey was even crying. The finale nestled back into E minor and had a rondo-like feel to its main theme that echoed the opening. However, nothing could hide the fact that the core of the concerto as a whole is a disposition of acceptance, forbearance and finality. The Albuquerque Youth Symphony played with such passion; it was as if each person and their instrument were one moving in perfect harmony, rhyme, rhythm, body, mind, and spirit. One fluid entity or deity that entranced anyone within ear shot. It was beauty and serenity that was tremendously unbelievable.

Human Resource Management of HM

Human Resource Management of HM This is a case study on HM, from a Strategic Human Resource Management perspective, based on publicly available details of HM, which has been analyzed and presented within the context of the perspective. This case study was prepared to meet the requirements of an academic exercise. HM was established in Vasteras, Sweden in 1947 by Erling Persson. HM sell clothes and cosmetics in around 2,000 stores around the world operates in 37 countries and has 76,000 employees all working to the same philosophy: to bring you fashion and quality at the best price. HM is a hugely successful multinational company. The success of HM is primarily based on the business model of entire design being done internally and centrally, manufacturing totally outsourced, but quality ensured and local retailing with hired places, local staff and local shop managers empowered to take decisions. The success, business growth and expansion plans were possible because HM have formatted their HR strategy in line with the corporate strategy. As evident from their Annual Report (2008), when they expand into new markets they do not lose sight of their core values. They have succeeded to manage all components of HRM effectively to ensure that core values are upheld in all parts, regardless of country and cultural differences. Their strategic and coherent approach in recognizing that the organizations most valued assets are the people working there, INTRODUCTION COMPANY STRATEGY: Hennes Mauritz (HM) was established in Vasteras, Sweden in 1947 by Erling Persson. HM offers fashion and quality at the best price and offers fashion for women, men, teenagers and children. The collections are created centrally by around 100 in-house designers together with buyers and pattern makers. HM also sells own-brand cosmetics, accessories and footwear. The stores are refreshed daily with new fashion items. In Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Germany and Austria HM offers fashion by Internet and catalogue sales. HM does not own any factories, but instead buys its goods from around 700 independent suppliers, primarily in Asia and Europe. HM has about 16 production offices around the world, mainly in Asia and Europe. The turnover in 2009 was SEK 118,697 million. HM primarily operates in Europe, North America and Asia, and have around 2,000 stores spread over in 37 countries. The company is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. HM has grown significantly since it s beginnings in 1947 and at the end of the financial year had around 76,000 employees. The average number of employees in the Group, converted to fulltime positions, was 53,476 (53,430), of which 4,874 (4,924) are employed in Sweden. Around 79 percent of the employees were women and 21 percent were men. Women held 77 percent of the positions of responsibility within the company, such as store managers and country managers (AR2 2009). HMs strategy is to offer fashion and quality at the best price. HMs annual report (AR1 2009) emphasizes that quality relates to both. HMs products exceeding customer expectations, and also customers being satisfied with the company itself. The report states Taking responsibility for how our operations affect people and the environment is also an essential prerequisite for HMs continued profitability and growth. HM is driven by strong values such as commercial mindset, simplicity, constant improvement, cost consciousness and entrepreneurship states in annual report (2009:13). The World of HM (HM 2010) Long-term strategic plan goals of HM HM which is in the fashion retail industry. HM has stores in 37 different countries and employs over 76,000 people. The business concept of HM is very clear. It is offering to clients qualitative fashion clothing for low price. The company has its own team of designers, its own interior designer team, its own production factories, production partners and team for purchasing other brands production. It usually stock up HM cosmetics supply, making sure that those products will be cheaper than in other stores. Long term objectives are strategic plans company make for future five years. These objectives are set in seven key areas- productivity, profitability, competition, employee development, employee relations, technological leadership and public responsibility and show were company wants to be when they are achieved. Long term objectives have to be motivating, flexible, measurable, suitable, understandable, realistic and acceptable by employees. Three main strategic goals for HM for the next five years would be linked with profitability, competition and technological leadership. HM has reported a rise in sales and profits and sales for the three months to 31 August. Net profit for the third quarter of 2009 rose 4.1% to 3.46bn Swedish crowns from 3.33bn crowns last year. Sales, excluding sales tax, increased by 13% to 23.6bn crowns. So first LTO is to maintain financial stability HM has achieved. HM plans to increase sales revenues by 20% and earnings per share by 30% till 2015. Secondly as main strategy of HM is expansion, LTO in competition is to increase number of stores by 10% to 15% every year. Today HM has as 1840 stores up from 1618 at the same time last year. New stores will be open in the cities HM already has stores and also in completely new markets. In the Annual Report (2008:7), HM, CEO Rolf Ericsson states that the long term goal is to Make fashion available to everyone, give the customer a fashion experience that strengthens HM brand. They also state the goal of a 10-15% increase in the number of stores every year, which would be funded internally (2009). The aim to increase sales in existing stores, while focusing on quality and continued high profitability. How does HM want to get there? To execute its strategy HM focuses on 3 main aspects of its business concept in the annual report of 2009. Price, which is controlled by limiting the number of middlemen, buying in large volumes, relying on its in-depth, extensive expertise within the design, fashion, and textile industries, buying the right merchandise from the right production markets, being cost-conscious at all levels and maintaining effective distribution procedures. Design: Products are designed in-house and production is completely outsourced. Quality: Central emphasis on quality with extensive testing and ensuring least environment damage. Merger and Acquisitions: Acquisitions (like FaBric Scandinavian, the Swedish design company), and Design Collaborations (collaboration with Mathew Williamson) are adopted. SWOT Analysis (S)trengths One of the main reasons for HMs popularity is because of its trendy items for such a low price. This store offers quality clothing at department store prices which is rare for many retailers today. Strength for this company is their overall delivery time. It only takes 12 weeks to get an item from the design to its retail state which is very impressive for a worldwide, low price retailer. The average for retailers is usually about 6 months which is double the time that HM uses. They also manage to keep the stores brands fresh with guest designers coming in for different lines in the store. Some of these have been Madonna and Robert Cavalli. They also keep the prices affordable by using very few middlemen and buy large volumes cost consciously. But with these strengths come weaknesses as well. (W)eaknesses One of the strengths I mentioned above can also be a weakness for this company. Buying large volumes means that there is no real guarantee that all the items will be sold. This means that theyre already low prices may have to be lowered in order to make room for the next collection. This means that if these items are not sold in time, then the company will have to pay more for extra storage for the items not sold. Another weakness could be its wide range of customers this brand provides for. The range is for men between the ages of 18-45. This is not including the childrens clothing and maternity wear and the huge wide range of different styles they provide depending on what store you go into. This can be difficult to manage especially in a vertical company because there is no real focus on a target customer and gets more expensive to provide machinery for all these different groups of people. But with these huge leaps there are many opportunities for this company flour ish. (O)pportunities One good opportunity would be for HM is to have matching clothes for mothers and children. I think this would be a good opportunity because there are also maternity wear and childrens clothes and I think that it would appeal to a larger crowd. They would like to dress their children like them in the same styles. (T)hreats since HM is a brand that is very unique it has very few threats as far as retail chains go. One of these stores would have to be the clothing chain called ZARA. This is a store that also has fairly reasonable prices but is most famous for its rapid delivery time. It only takes two weeks for the design to make it into retail stores. Even with HMs time which is 50% faster than most retailers, cannot even compete with that time. The second threat to HM is Gap just because of their quality at reasonable prices and their wide range of people they reach as well with their vertical company as well. There is a market for babies as well as men and women Human Resources HMs corporate strategy is to expand on a continuing basis, and as a consequence, employee strength also increases continuously. The growth target is 10-15 percent new stores each year, which means that 6,000 -7,000 new jobs each year. Their staff is spread across approximately 37 countries and come from different cultural backgrounds. Their strategy is to recruit locally whenever a new store opens as stated in the annual report (2008). The main area for which HM may have clearly articulated policies are listed below. The policy areas are based on the categorization by Armstrong (2006). Overall Policy and Values: HMs website indicates that their objective is to be a good employer, including in those countries whose laws and regulations fall short of their own requirements. To quote the Head of HR In order to meet peoples expectations of HM as an attractive employer, the company develops global guide lines on diversity, equal rights and against discrimination (AR1 2008).At HM, HR activities are guided by a fundamental respect for the individual. This applies to every aspect from fair wages, working hours and freedom of association to the opportunity for growth and development within the company. This also indicates that the company has specific policies for areas such as Equal opportunity, Managing diversity, and Employee development, Health and Safety, among others. Employee Relations and Voice: HM has an open door policy granting all employees the right and the opportunity to discuss any work-related issue directly with management (AR1 2008). They also support their employees right and ability to organize and to decide who should represent them in the workplace (AR1 2008). HM has positive experience of open and constructive dialogue with the trade unions and they welcome such relations wherever they operate. They consider such cooperation to be essential if they are to become even better. Examples of collaboration on staffing issues include their agreement with UNI (Union Network International) and the work they do with the EWC (European Works Council). Promotion: In the annual report of HM (2008:34) the Head of HR quoted Internal recruitment and job rotation enable the company to grow quickly. This statement indicates that HM has policies related to promotion. Employee Development: To quote Mr. Par Darj, Head of HR at HM I tell employees, if you do not grow neither will HM (AR1 2008:34). This indicates that policies exist for this area. Rewards: According to the annual report (2008) HM focuses on rewarding people by providing more opportunities and responsibilities, and not through a promotions and job titles. This indicates that HM has policies for this area. Other areas with clearly defined policies might exist, but these are not evident from available sources. Organization Behaviour and Structure Structure: Corporate management is based at HMs head office in Stockholm. Stockholm is also where the main departments for design and buying, finance, accounts, expansion, interior design and display, advertising, communications, IR, HR, logistics, security, IT and CSR and environment are located. HM has around 16 country offices that are responsible for the various departments in each sales country. HM also has around 16 production offices which take care of contacts with the approximately 700 independent suppliers that HM works with. There are nine production offices in Europe, eleven in Asia and one in Africa. Behaviour: HM operates in 37 countries and has a work force belonging to these 37 countries because they recruit locally. HMs espoused values are stated to be the foundation for a multinational company in a multi cultural market where great respect is paid to the individual. Interviews with the CEO and Head of HR in the annual report indicate a participative culture where everyone is made to feel like a part of the companys success (AR1 2008:34). Par Darj (Head of HR) stated in the annual report the key word for continual growth is responsibility and commitment. We have committed employees and we are prepared to delegate responsibility at every level. The company encourages what it calls the The HM spirit employees committed to their work and prepared to take on new challenges, common sense, hard work and team spirit are encouraged. All their operations are typified by an essential respect for the individual; including reasonable wages, reasonable hours, and opportunity to grow, and develop within the company (AR1 2008). Quotes from employees about the organizational climate indicate that the values above are values in use. These quotes can be found on the career section and in the annual report of HM. Based on this information; the prevalent culture appears to be primarily task oriented (Schein 1985). Such a culture can support HM HR related strategies and policies (like Open door, job rotation, freedom of association etc.). They also have a significant impact on HR aspects; Recruitment needs to focus on finding candidates with the right fit to the organizational culture irrespective of local culture, facilitating expatriation of experienced staff when new stores are opened, facilitating rewards schemes aligned with organizational culture, enabling HRD that can empower employees to take on new challenges and work in new teams. At HM, a lot of importance is given to personality development and for opportunity for the employees to grow within the organization. Various practices empowering the employees; like a Shop Manger being allowed to take independent decisions, and managing the business like an entrepreneur etc. are designed to increase employee loyalty and commitment to the organization and are great motivators (AR1 2008). The HR strategy for employee motivation; total reward with emphasis on Intrinsic Motivation (Armstrong 2006), has been proven, to be directly related to forming the success of the organization. All their operations are typified by an essential respect for the individual; including reasonable wages, reasonable hours, opportunity to grow and develop within the company (AR1 2008) The prevailing organizational culture at HM encourages team work, supports effective leadership and provides adequate growth opportunity for employees. These HR strategic initiatives in turn make significant co ntributions to the organizational goals of continuing growth and profitability. Organization Culture HMs strong corporate culture the spirit of HM has existed ever since the days of HMs founder, Erling Persson. This strong culture is of great value and is a contributory factor to HMs successes over the years. The spirit of HM: The spirit of HM is based on a number of values that describe in simple terms how we want to work. These are in turn based on our business concept, fashion and quality at the best price. The fundamental values behind the spirit of HM are among other things common sense and own initiative. HM provide room for people to make their own decisions and take responsibility, and co-workers get regular feedback on their performance. An important part of HMs culture is to delegate responsibilities to the stores. Strong commitment and involvement are important, and co-workers are encouraged to take their own initiatives within a defined framework. Creativity and job satisfaction increase when there is a good working environment. Co-workers commitment makes a major contribution to HMs successes. HM believe in the abilities of the individual and encourage co-workers to develop further. Respect for the individual is a fundamental value at HM. This applies to everything from fair pay, reasonable working hours and freedom of association to the opportunity to grow and develop with the company. Job rotation is common at HM. In the stores, for example, duties may vary between the cash desk, fitting rooms, unpacking, display and follow-up of advertising and campaigns. Working in the store provides very important experience and is a way of getting to know HM from its very foundation. Attracting and retaining skilled staff is important for HMs success therefore HM work constantly on skills development and all training is carried out within HM. However, the biggest knowledge gain is made through active learning on the job. Information System HM has employee-scheduling system to improve its use of staff resources and maximise time spent by staff on the shop floor. The Swedish clothing company implemented. 30,000 employees swipe in and out with smartcards at the beginning and end of their shifts. The system reduced administration by recording shifts electronically and helped improve sales by scheduling shifts to coincide with the busiest times in stores. The scheduling application is linked to HMs human resources and payroll systems, which lets the retailer control staff costs more accurately. The Workforce Management application from software supplier Work Place Systems will be hosted at a data centre in Stockholm. Motivation at HM HM is a flat organization, which might give the impression that its hard to move up within HM, the organization is constantly evolving and is growing fast, thus providing more opportunities to its employees. Employees are motivated by providing new challenges; in another department, another role or, another country. HM encourages employees to try many different roles within their organization stated in annual report part 1 and 2 (2008). HM recruitment advertisements indicate possibilities like: working abroad, furthering education and learning new things. Their websites promotes that many in management today, actually started on the shop floor. HM also provides a comprehensive benefits package. HM fulfils employee aspirations by providing opportunities to take more responsibilities. Individual development versus organisational development. HMs annual report (AR1 2008) and website (Careers website), emphasize that working at HM is about commitment, both from the individual and the organization. HMs Head of HR emphasizes that organization can grow only if the individuals grow. HM wont make a career plans for their employees, but will provide them with tools to go as far as they possibly can on their own. This indicates that at HM, individuals are expected to drive their own development, within the framework that the organization provides. The organization appears to facilitate and promote cross-functional and cross-boundary development opportunities for individuals, which is aligned with their own development and growth strategies. To quote PÃ ¤r Darj, (Head of HR), We have committed employees and we are prepared to delegate responsibility at every level. I tell employees, if you do not grow neither will HM, (AR1 2008:34). This indicates that HM treats individual development and organizational development as tightly linked areas. Selection Recruitment The HR strategy, which is closely aligned with the organizational strategy to achieve continuing growth and profitability, envisages recruitment of people every year to run the new stores scheduled to be opened. For example, as per their Annual report (AR1 2008), about 6000 7000 employees are to be recruited during this financial year, to meet the requirements of the 225 new stores being opened worldwide. The planning and recruitment is based on the HR policy to recruit locally when a new store is opened. Future employees are evaluated and chosen according to certain criteria practiced by HM and based on the companys culture. They look for people with personality who can perform well within the culture, growth and motivational framework provided at HM. Par Darj, Head of HR stated, At HM, great grades and all the university credits in the world are no guarantee of a job or a fast-track career. Of course, we do welcome those things, but what we are really looking for, more than anything, is people with the right personality. This is based on the belief that one can always gather skills as you go along, but personality and attitude cant be taught. Either youve got it or you dont. One of the most important things we look for is drive (AR1 2008). HM values personal qualities much more than formal qualifications. Since HM is a fast company and the tempo is always high, they need employees who are self-driven and capable of well direct communication. Hence HM recruits people who like responsibility and decision-making also it indicates that a love of fashion combined with a focus on sales is perceived as an adva ntage. These appear to form the basis for HMs recruitment requirements (and person specifications), programmes and drive its selection processes. At HM selection interview approach is usually face to face and mostly structured situational based According to Armstrong (2006) In a situational based interview the focus in on a number of situation or incidents in which behaviour can be regarded as being particularly suggestive of succeeding performance. This is followed by panel interviews and aptitude/work sample tests. It appears that candidates are filtered at each stage of the process in HM. Sources of candidates: Internal Recruitment: This is their first choice for a new job opening. External recruitment is considered only if no internal options are available. External recruitment: Potential recruits (minimum age is 16 years) are encouraged to apply directly to the local store, from the careers website. HM does not offer summer jobs or work experience placements. Buying is centralized in Stockholm, and so is the recruitment for the same. HM recruits locally to its new stores (AR1 2008). Organisational learning and management development in HM. The average numbers of training days per employee in 2008 are, 10 for new sales staff, 1 for existing sales staff and 5 for existing management positions. HM usually conducts all training in-house (classroom, stores and one to one), written and produced by HM staff. External training has been considered for some areas like buying. E-learning has also been initiated for a few subjects (AR 2008). However, indications are that HM today focuses more on on-the-job, just- in time, hands on learning. For example, when they opened their first HM store in Japan, locally recruited employees were sent to Norway and Germany for gaining experience in existing operations. Also, during the sales intensive opening phase of a new store, colleagues from other countries are brought in temporarily (AR 2008). The head of HR quoted in annual report (2008:34) As an employee of HM, you can be an entrepreneur and you will be given responsibility early on. HM claims to provide structured opportunities for on-the-job, hands on and work place based training. To summarize, it appears that HM focuses on experiential Self-directed learning today as defined by Armstrong (2006), however, they are moving towards incorporating a blended approach with including simulation and e-learning. Ensuring Learning and Development opportunities for its employees is an integral part of the HR strategy at HM (AR1 2008), and these essential ingredients contribute significantly to the success of the organization. Human Resource Development is a continuing process at HM, the new recruits being sent to already existing shops for gaining valuable experience, experienced employees being brought to new shops to support the new local recruits during the intensive opening period activity etc. This is critical to the process of organizational learning and helps them climb the learning curve faster. Keeping employees highly motivated is essential to the success of HM, due to the nature of its business of dealing in high fashion consumer goods. The various concepts that can be adopted to increase performance (like job satisfaction as a reward management tool) are very effectively employed and as the employees themselves state, they are happy to be there and every day is a challenge (AR1 200 9). Expectancy Theory, which states that if individuals feel that the outcome of learning is likely to benefit them, they will be more inclined to prove it (Armstrong 2006) has been proven on the shop floors of HM. The HR practice of giving responsibility to the employees early on in their career, treating them as entrepreneurs rather than just employees is a definite and positive step towards their development. Considering the employees as capable of shaping its results and improving it in big and small ways and is key to HMs approach to learning and development. Reward Management The reward management process of HM and its potential influence on human resource management. HMs careers website indicates that the company offers a comprehensive benefits package, which includes staff discounts, incentive bonuses, company sick pay, private health care a pension scheme. Share options are not provided. The head of HR, indicates that they do not consider titles and pay structures as motivational tools. Opportunities to fulfil an employees aspirations by wanting more responsibility, as a means of getting on with in the organization quickly, are provided. Apart from these, as stated by different categories of employees on the careers site and the annual report, the main reward is the job satisfaction they derive. Thus, HM appears to provide a total reward framework, with greater emphasis on relational rewards even though transactional rewards are provided (Armstrong 2006). HMs reward management is consistent with other HR areas, including organizational culture, recruitment/selection etc. and is also in sync with the overall HR strategy of open doors, job rotation etc. which is essential to fulfil HMs strategy of fast growth. HM has implemented the concept of Total Reward Management very successfully. Apart from the financial compensation, job satisfaction as a reward has motivated the employees to perform and contribute their maximum to ensure customer satisfaction and business success through increased sales. This is evident in the statements by the employees from various levels on the HM website. As a stated policy, there is more emphasis on personality development through delegated authority in the decision making process and greater autonomy to local elements of the organizational structure. Being a multinational company with employees of different cultures, this decentralized decision making process and empowerment of employees have proven direct impact on the success of HM (AR1 2008) Various techniques associated with basic motivation have been given more importance and priority than the extrinsic aspects. Work environment related parameters like leadership, employee voice, recognition, achievement etc. have been built in to the HR policy and practiced to leverage the critical business goals of continuing growth and increased profitability. Performance Management HM has adopted a strategic and integrated approach to achieve organizational success through improved performance of its employees. HM employees have been told that the growth of the employees and the organization are closely linked (AR1 2008). The practice of Shop Managers going through a process of reviewing that days business with their subordinates on a daily basis is part of the performance management activity. This underlines the fact that HM has recognized the importance of such a practice, and built in that process by which managers and their subordinates work together, agree on what needs to be done and how it is done. They are able to plan, prioritize and develop their sales team in a customer-focused environment (AR1 2008). At HM a shop manager is in charge of the daily running of the store like running their own business. The HR strategy of delegating authority for managing the shops activities is a key factor contributing to the success of the organization. Managing Diversity in teams and groups HM is expanding its business to open new shops in countries where they are currently not present. By their HR policy and procedures, when a new shop is opened the staff recruited locally. They also have the practice of job rotation and movement of employees from one location to another based on internal recruitment (promotions). This brings together people of different cultural back grounds together in the same team, and successfully managing such a team is crucial to the success of the organization. The HR strategy is, not to have very rigid procedures, and the corporate culture of respect to the individual. As stated in their Annual Report (AR1 2008), the HR strategy ensure the following: 1. In order to meet peoples expectations of HM as an attractive employer, company develops global guide lines on diversity, equal rights and against discrimination. 2. HMs objective is to be a good employer, including in those countries whose laws and regulations fall short of their own requirements. The whole of their activity is shaped by a fundamental respect for the individual. This applies to every aspect from fair wages, working hours and freedom of association to the opportunity for growth and development within the company (AR1, 2008). 3. HM has positive experience of open and constructive dialogue with the trade unions and they welcome such relations wherever they operate. They consider that cooperation is essential if they are to become even better. Examples of collaboration on staffing issues include their agreement with UNI (Union Network International) and the work they do with the EWC (European Works Council). (AR 2008) HMs success in executing their strategy of continuous international growth and expansion, while maintaining its Swedish organizational culture, indicates that its HR practices have contributed to the successful management of diversity in teams and groups. Recommendations Conclusion Issue and challenge at HM could be: nurturing and maintaining a balanced relationship with employees. Line managers may need good awareness of their reporters aspirations, to enable motivation by providing responsibilities and opportunities al