Augmentative Suffixes in Spanish

Augmentative Suffixes in Spanish Augmentative suffixes - word endings added to nouns (and sometimes adjectives) to make them refer to something that is large - are less common than the diminutive endings, but they nevertheless provide one way that the Spanish vocabulary can be flexibly expanded. And just as the diminutive suffixes can be used to indicate that something is endearing (rather than small), so can the augmentative endings be used in a pejorative way to indicate that something is awkward or otherwise undesirable. The most common augmentative and pejorative suffixes (feminine forms in parentheses) are -à ³n (-ona), -azo (-aza) and -ote (-ota). Less common ones include -udo (-uda), -aco (-aca), -acho (-acha), -uco (-uca), -ucho (-ucha), -astro (-astra) and -ejo (-eja). Although nouns usually maintain their gender when put in an augmentative form, it isnt unusual for the words, especially when they come to be thought of as words in their own right, to change gender (especially from feminine to masculine). Theres no way to predict which ending (if any) can be attached to a particular noun, and the meanings of some suffixed words can vary from region to region. Here are the main ways in which these endings are used: To Indicate Something Is Large When used in this way, the suffixes can also indicate something is strong or powerful or has some other quality often associated with size. Examples: mujerona (big and/or tough woman), arbolote (big tree), perrazo (a big and/or mean dog), librazo or librote (big book), pajarote (large bird), casona (large house), cabezà ³n (big-headed person, literally or figuratively), cabezota (stubborn, stubborn person). To Indicate Intensity Such suffixes indicate that something has more of the inherent quality than such objects usually have; the resulting word can, but doesnt have to, have a negative connotation. Sometimes these endings can be applied to adjectives as well as nouns. Examples: solterà ³n (confirmed bachelor), solterona (old maid), favorzote (a huge favor), un cochazo (one heck of a car), grandote (very big), ricachà ³n (filthy rich, filthy-rich person), grandullà ³n (overgrown). To Form New Words Sometimes words with augmentative endings can take on meanings of their own and have only a loose connection with the original word. Examples: padrote (pimp), ratà ³n (mouse), tablà ³n (bulletin board, thick board), fogà ³n (stove), cinturà ³n (belt), camisà ³n (nightgown), serrucho (handsaw), hacer un papelà ³n (to make a spectacle of oneself), cajà ³n (drawer), cordà ³n (shoelace), lamparà ³n (grease stain), llorà ³n (crybaby), humazo (cloud of smoke). -Azo to Indicate a Blow or Strike The suffix -azo can be applied somewhat freely to nouns to indicate a blow or strike; coined words using this suffix are sometimes found in journalese. Words formed in this way are always masculine. Examples: hachazo (blow or chop with an ax), martillazo (blow with a hammer), puà ±etazo (punch with a fist), cabezazo (head butt), codazo (jab with the elbow), plumazo (the stroke of a pen), huevazo (a blow from a thrown egg), misilazo (missile strike), sartenazo (a blow from a frying pan).

Time for Writing How to Make Time to Write in Your Busy Life

Time for Writing How to Make Time to Write in Your Busy Life Time for Writing: 8 Steps to Become a Weekend Writing Warrior Carving out the time to write a book requires planning, persistence, and at times, a lot of caffeine. Even with all the right elements in place, making time for writing is a major undertaking, especially when your days are filled with commitments to work, family, and social activities. So, you have a dream to write that book, but you’re locked into a schedule that’s keeping you from pursuing your dream.I know the routine: Get up, work all day, come home and make dinner, and look after the kids (or unwind in front of the TV) and then you fall into bed, exhausted, before you have to do it all again the next day.When the weekend comes, you just want to kick back, take it easy, and put the week behind you. Then Monday comes around and the rat race starts all over again.Soon you can hear yourself making excuses for all the reasons why you didn’t write:â€Å"I was so busy this week I just didn’t have time†Ã¢â‚¬Å"I’ll do it next week when I’m more organized†Ã¢â‚¬Å"I’ll start writing when I’m feeling more motivated†Ã¢â‚¬Å"I’ll get to it once I quit my day job and have more time†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But as you know by now, there’s never a perfect time.We’re always busy with something.And if we don’t take action when we can, the excuses will keep coming until we run out of time forever.Don’t let your dream die. I’m going to help you get your book done.NOTE: We cover everything in this blog post and much more about the writing, marketing, and publishing process in our VIP Self-Publishing Program. Learn more about it hereTime for Writing: 8 Steps to Becoming a Weekend Writing Warrior By becoming a weekend writing warrior, you can get it done. I know because I’ve done it. In this post I’ll share with you my 8 step strategy for writing a book on the weekends even if your week is crazy busy.#1 Start With Intentional Planning Habit FormingWhen it comes to getting your writing done, strategy is everything. Without a plan, you drift; and when you drift, you end up back where you started, wasting more time while procrastinating.The key to writing a book on your weekends is to get plan out how you will use your writing time and develop a writing habit. If you know ahead of time what you’ll be focusing on, where you’ll be writing and for how long, when it comes time to start writing, you’ll show up ready for keyboard action. Our intentional planning model should consist of:Researching topics, articles, and interviewsChapter mind mappingCrafting an outline A good craftsman always shows up to create with his best tools. As writers, we need to spend time preparing to write before showing up at the keyboard. You want to do any necessary research outside of your writing time, not during it.Stopping just to check that â€Å"one thing† breaks your writing flow (and often sends you off into the wilds of the internet , never to return).During my writing sessions, if I get stuck and need to check on something, I’ll make a note in the paragraph like CBL [Come Back Later].You can set up your chapters as well by doing brief mind maps for each. If you have crafted your book’s outline already, this should be easy. Take a few minutes each day during the week to do a quick outline for each chapter.You don’t have to write anything until the weekend, but at the very least, make some notes about what you’re going to write when the weekend comes so you’re prepared.#2 Setting Up Your Writing Space Your writing environment has a huge influence on how your writing sessions flow. Will you write in a coffee shop? A quiet room? Under the stairs?Locked in a closet with just your laptop and a light bulb? Wherever you choose to write, it should be at least comfortable and a place you can stay focused for long periods of time.My writing space consists of my computer, motivational q uotes, and mind maps for my books.Heres a table detailing what a good writing space looks like.How to Start Writing TipExecutionMinimize Distractions- isolate yourself from family/friends/even the family dog - remind everyone it's YOUR time - Turn your phone off - Close ALL web browsers - Close your emailGet Comfortable- invest in a GOOD chair - or resort to using a stand-up desk for more energy - fill the area with motivational quotes - make sure you're physically comfortable for the next 30 minutes or an hourChoose Beneficial Background Noise- turn off all sounds if it distracts you - turn on lyric-less music to help you concentrate - choose energizing music to help you focusDecorating your writing space adds to inspiration, but also serves as a reminder: This is where you write. Make it a place that you can enjoy creating in. But does it have to be just the one place? Of course not. You can change writing locations and have two or three designated spots.I would recommend having a primary spot you write in consistently, but have another place set up that you can get to just in case you need to change locations. Try out several places and see what works best.Take note of how you feel working in your creative element.Is it comfortable?Are you comfortable?Is it an energetic spot or, do you feel irritated and restless?Do you work better in a place that’s quiet [private room] or super noisy [Starbucks]?On days when I spend all day writing, I’ll break it up into two different locales: one is my writing room, and the other is a coffee shop. If the noise is a problem, I’ll wear headphones and tune out everything with some mellow writing music.#3 Keep Your Mindmap and Book Outline HandyI have shown up many times to write only to realize I had no plan for what I was writing. This leads to procrastination and then I look for something else to occupy my time.Know what you are going to write by planning beforehand. Developing your mind map or a book outline is the surest way to start cutting into the pages. Before you become a weekend writer, you’ll need your mind map and outline.If you start writing without having done these important steps first, you’ll eventually end up stuck. Make sure you have your book fully mind mapped and a general working book outline.Use your outline as a checklist to get your words down on paper with purpose. Each of your writing block sessions should have a clear purpose as to what you are going to write.#4 Eliminate Internet Distractions Excuses One of the biggest obstacles writers face is being pulled out of their â€Å"writing zone† by message indicators, vibrations, pop-ups, and a whole list of writing excuses.This includes notifications that â€Å"you’ve got email† or, better yet, someone that you don’t even know has just liked one of your comments on Facebook and you feel that need to check it out right away.My advice: unplug yourself from all thing s connected to the Internet. Here is what you do: Option 1: Unplug yourself completely from the internet. Turn off Wi-Fi or physically unplug your network cable. This is the best option to separate yourself from the internet during your writing time. This is the â€Å"zero tolerance† method that I use as my number one choice for getting things done.Option 2: Use productivity apps to eliminate or cut down on time spent checking certain sites. Use an app such as RescueTime to block the sites that distract you by choosing the amount of time you need to focus. RescueTime send you updates via email to let you know how much time was spent on certain websites. This is good to know, because the next time you catch yourself saying â€Å"I didn’t have time to write† but you spent three unproductive hours on a certain site, you can channel this time into your weekend writing schedule.Two more apps I recommend: Cold Turkey and SelfControl [for Mac]. Both apps are designed t o reduce or eliminate wasted time, and this means higher focus and more time targeted for writing words fast. In a nutshell: Sit Down. Unplug. Focus. Write.#5 Establishing a Writing Schedule Time Slots When time is limited, it’s important to be strategic in how you use it. In the previous step, we took action by cutting off our interaction with the Internet during our writing time.The next thing we want to do is decide:How long are your writing sessions going to be? 25 minutes? 40 minutes? One hour?How many writing sessions are you doing today? For example, I’ll do three one-hour sessions in a day. I’ll write for one hour, take a ten-minute break, repeat. During the break, get up and move around, stretch or grab some coffee.How to Set Up Your Writing SessionOne option is to use the Pomodoro Technique.Self-published author Steve Scott, who has written close to 70 books, utilized the Pomodoro Technique to structure his writing time.Set your timer for 25 minutes and write. Take a five-minute break, and repeat. This system works really well and is great for getting focused and writing in short bursts. If you want to go longer, set your timer for sixty minutes. I use the timer on my iPhone.Set it for the time you are committed to writing and GO. You should focus only on your writing during this period.No research, editing, or breaking the writing flow, unless there’s a house fire. Just write.Set a goal for yourself to crank out one thousand words in an hour. These are longer stretches and can be tough for some people so if you are struggling, start with the Pomodoro System and ease your way into doing longer sessions.#6 Set Your Word Count TargetMany people get overwhelmed when they think about writing a book. But if you write 3000 words a day on the weekends, you can be done with the first draft of your book in a month.  All you have to know is how many words will be in your novel and you can work backward from there.If you plan ah ead and set your writing goal at a pace of 800-1200 words per hour, you’ll be done in thirty hours of writing time.This might seem like a lot but think about it: How much time do you spend watching TV in a week?How much time do you spend at the office?How much time do you spend checking email or on social media?It can be done, and you can do this!Set a daily word count targetfor yourself. Be strategic about this and take a rough guess how long your book is going to be. If I know I’m planning to write a 25,000-word novella, if I crank out 6000 words per weekend, I can complete a draft in a month. If your book is shorter or longer, you can adjust to fit your target deadline. You can easily track your word count in Scrivener. You can also use a Google spreadsheet or a simple Excel spreadsheet. By tracking your progress, you have a clear indication of how close you’re getting to your goal.It’s also highly motivating to know you’re making progress.#7 R eward Yourself There’s a famous proverb that says: â€Å"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.†I have no idea who Jack was, but I do know that if you spend your entire weekend writing, you’re going to need some RR at the end of it. This is a critical stage.If you spend week after week putting in time at work and then working more on the weekend, even if it is a passion project like writing your novel, you’ll get burned out and feel less inspired when the next weekend comes around. You deserve a break.Do something for yourself. Go to a movie. Take your friends out to dinner. Get away from the manuscript.I usually end the weekend by engaging in some fun activities such as:Watching a movieSpending time with the kidsTaking a long walk or runningTaking a long drive and thinking about future goals and what I accomplished this weekendMeditating or working out#8 Plan Your Next Writing Weekend There’s one more stage after you have wrapped things up a t the end of your writing weekend.This is an important step. Before you pack it up, take ten minutes to draft a quick action plan for the week. This consists of the book research, chapter outlining, and anything else you need to do outside of the book writing process. I do this step Sunday night before bed. Then, when the week starts I know exactly what work on to set myself up for success the following weekend. The alternative to this is to spend five minutes each night writing down what you’ll do the next day.Do you need to outline your next chapter? Tighten up your overall book outline? Reach out to any online influencers about your next book release? This step is part of the intentional planning phase that will keep you focused.So even while you are busy in the week with your other commitments, having a shortlist to refer to makes your mission clear.The weekend is nearly here again. Are you ready? Don’t make excuses- get your book written. You can do this. If you f ollow the 8-step plan, three months from now you can be celebrating the publication of your next book.The next time someone asks you the question: â€Å"How do you find the time to write?† You can now tell them: â€Å"Oh, it’s easy. I write books on the weekends.†What to do NextNow its time to cut the reading and get to learning.If youre ready to write a book and self-publish it, inthenext90days,join your free training!

Community Map Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Community Map - Essay Example Each map misses something important as when I compare my map with that of my neighbors I realize that I forget to draw a lot of stuff, but it does not matter because it shows how each of us envision our community (Glenn, 2004). It also shows how each person expresses his or her own interpretation of a community on his or her map. In my community, my neighbors are very close to one another because the majority of us are Haitians, which makes us strong. We speak of the similarity of language, eat same food and dress the same way. In contrary, we do not support each other as they do in Haiti. I personally did my own research about community economics. In order for a community to be powerful, each of us must practice group economics that means patronize each other businesses so our money can be osculated within our community. An example is, we need to control more businesses and resources in our community instead of having someone else that comes from a different community that has a different culture ruling all of us (Glenn, 2004). We can buy out politicians or at least rent them out so they can implement a new law that would benefit us in the long run. Anybody thinks by voting you automatically control your politicians; you are delusional. By having a business in your community, you can afford to write a cheque to your local politicians and support them in their next campaign (Glenn, 2004). Next time you decide to ask for a favor, someone you would be ready to answer to your

DQ Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

DQ - Assignment Example In this case, the implementation of such decisions is usually very difficult and sometimes, they do not come to be. To be able to survive in such organizations, one needs to work closely with the managers and follow their day to day instructions in accomplishing their tasks (Banutu & Shandra, 20007). This way, it will be easy for employees to learn and know what the new implementations are according to the new decision made. The main leadership of an organization should be responsible for driving change in the organization. According to Diab (2014), organizations can fail due to various reasons such as lack of enough preparation, inadequate resources, ill-conception and others (Diab, 2014). However, the main hindrance to organizational change, he says, is the behavior of leaders. Leaders can fail in the effective management of change as well as showing worse behavior that are not change friendly. When those leading change agree with the change and become ready to embrace it, it I very easy for the change to be implemented in the organization. However, the style of leadership can also create a barrier in the way the organization will receive the change. Leaders can create a culture in an organization that totally cannot tolerate change (Ford, 2005). At the same time, they can decide to involve the employees in change management by letting them know the part they need to play to hasten the implementation process. When they decide not to support the change, their style of leadership will be act to create a barrier for the change not to take course. Diab, S. M. (2014). The impact of leadership styles on selection the areas of organizational change (an empirical study on the jordanian pharmaceutical companies). International Journal of Business and Management, 9(8),

Chipotle Mexican Grill Essay Example for Free

Chipotle Mexican Grill Essay I. Key Problem What Steven Ells began with a small taqueria in Denver, Colorado in 1993, one may not have foreseen this venture to become the fastest growing restaurant chain in the last decade. By 2006, Ells’ idea made its initial public offering with 535 restaurants throughout the world. Things were going tremendously well for CMG until late afternoon on October 18, 2012 when Ells finished receiving the company’s third quarter results. While data indicated an overall satisfactory outcome, it was the competition from Yum Brands’ Taco Bell and their recent launch of the Cantina Bell menu that would result in what seemed to be the onset of a major problem. Taco Bell had now become a major competitor to Chipotle since the launch of their new Cantina Bell menu allowing them to enter into the fast-casual segment in offering similar ingredients and items as Chipotle had. At the same time CMG paid a significant amount more for their products forcing them to charge a higher price on their menu items. Taco Bell, however, now offered similar items for half the price. The bottom line: competition was the root of this problem. The fact that Chipotle menu prices were higher as compared to that of Taco Bell’s new menu would lead to consumers or normally loyal customers to give the Cantina Bell menu a try. After the launch of the Cantina Bell menu in the summer of 2012, CMG stock significantly declined just after third quarter results were announced. To add insult to injury, Jeff Einhorn, a hedge fund leader, presented at the Value Investors Conference in New York City proclaiming that CMG was an attractive stock for short-sellers because of the considerable competition from Taco Bell. He further stated, â€Å"23% of Chipotle customers had already tried Taco Bell’s Cantina Bell menu†¦and two-thirds of those customers indicated they would return. What’s more, the customers most likely to return to Taco Bell were also those most likely to eat at Chipotle, a dynamic that indicates to me that Chipotle is most at risk of losing its frequent customers.† This message led to CMG’s stock falling by more than 4% within hours of the conclusion of the presentation. The announcement of projected increases in food costs on the part of CMG also contributed to the competition between them and Taco Bell. While Chipotle stood by its belief that it is â€Å"Food with Integrity† because of better ingredients, the Cantina Bell menu produced something similar while lowering the cost a customer would have to pay for a meal, therefore, causing further competition between the two. II. Relevant Theory By looking at the items offered on the Cantina Bell menu versus those on Chipotle’s menu, I determined that they both have a competitive advantage. Chipotle is a premium product offered at a higher price where it reaches a broader market share that is willing to pay more money. On the other hand, Taco Bell’s main strategic course is cost leadership which enables them to reach a broader market share with a lower price for the desired item. As shown on Example 1 the Competitive Advantage and Economic Value Created are somewhat different between the two companies. Since Chipotle offers a better quality of ingredients, consumers are willing to pay a higher price. As a result, creating a higher Value (V) for a burrito is at the same time creating a greater economic value (Value-Cost.) Meanwhile the economic value created by Taco Bell is smaller since the value of their product is less and consumer’s maximum willingness to pay will be lower. Example 1 Since Yum Brands launching of the new Cantina Bell menu, this new organic ingredient-driven list of selections has been a pretty obvious attempt to compete with fast casual giant Chipotle. This is what has become the major concern for Chipotle where competition is becoming fierce and for practically half the price the Cantina Bell menu is a definite value. However, you do get what you pay for and the overall quality and taste of Chipotle still has a slightly greater edge over Taco Bell. The value someone will be willing to pay for a Taco Bell burrito will be less than the value Chipotle has created with their better quality ingredients, hence creating a greater economic value. III. Assessment of Alternatives How could Chipotle effectively approach their key problem which is Taco Bell’s new Cantina Bell menu? What seems to be the main concern for Chipotle is that Taco Bell is trying to provide a similar product for half the price. Some of the alternatives available to Chipotle to are: †¢ Buy low cost goods to reduce prices using Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) †¢ Another option could be to offer a smaller burrito for a smaller price, or to include less amounts of meat as Taco Bell does †¢ Continue doing what they do best and differentiate themselves Should Chipotle buy low cost goods to reduce prices using Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs), it would allow them to offer menu items at a lower cost to the consumer providing greater competition between them and Taco Bell’s Cantina Bell menu. However, in doing so would contradict their philosophy of providing the best quality ingredients in their food. In doing so, it will change CMG’s strategy from being a premium product and higher price to a cost leadership strategy and at the same time reducing the value of its product. Another option could be to offer a smaller burrito for a smaller price, or to include less amounts of meat as Taco Bell does in its Cantina Bell menu. This would also allow for cost effectiveness on both the consumer and Chipotle’s side, however, it would go against CMG’s mission statement of being â€Å"Food with Integrity†, lower its value and become a cost leadership strategy as opposed to being a premium product and higher price. A third alternative is for CMG to continue to compete effectively by doing what they already are doing which is differentiation based on quality and sustainability. This approach supports its philosophical message of better food for the consumer and community as well as being environmentally conscious. This allows CMG to maintain its values and remain within their strategy segment. On the contrary, this alternative force Chipotle to increase their menu prices while reducing its consumer surplus. IV. Suggested Course of Action After carefully analyzing the different alternatives, the best course of action is to continue to compete effectively on differentiation based on quality and sustainability given the mounting competitive and sourcing challenges. Even thought Taco Bell’s new menu seems like a significant threat they are far from creating the same value and reputation Chipotle has created since it opened its first restaurant in 1993. Not only does Chipotle provide the freshest and best ingredients with a bold flavor, they are setting themselves apart from any other restaurant chain and main competitor since they continuously are working toward better practices. They continue to push to sustainable sourcing like getting their meat form non Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) while at the same time contributing to the promotion of good animal health and fighting against animal abuse. In addition, CMG buys products from local farms, builds restaurants to be eco friendly and LEED certified (leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) while trying to keep the cost and price of other items down. As their value statement proclaims, â€Å"Food with Integrity† is a mission of serving good quality food with inputs sourced using sustainable farming practices. Even thought new threats like Taco Bell’s Cantina Bell menu are presenting a challenge there will always be competition. CMG upholds strong beliefs to do what is best for the environment and for its communities in order to provide the best products to its consumers. This is precisely why they have grown so fast from the opening of their first taqueria, to the capital infusion from McDonald’s, to its initial Public offering (IPO.) They have been the fastest growing chain in the last decade and just like any fast growing business, regardless of their success, they will reach a slower growth as they approach maturity. There will still be opportunity for expansion. Chipotle is certainly heading toward a different direction than their competitors making them stand out and become a lot harder to imitate. This alternative is truly the only logical option for Chipotle as it continues to enforce its philosophy of providing â€Å"Food with Integrity.† There will always be competition between companies and products, however, if Chipotle chooses another route for combating this rivalry with Taco Bell, it would not allow itself to differentiate from them. V. Key Takeaways Before reading this case, I knew nothing about Chipotle but after reading it I am quite impressed by the approach CMG has taken choosing to go a different route most companies are afraid of doing because of higher cost prices. I was equally impressed they choose organic products, to buy from local farms, being against massive animal feeding as well as animal cruelty and that they are eco friendly and are looking to make all their restaurants like this. Of course, I should also mention that one knows one will be eating the best ingredients and most fresh available foods. I am confident as the values of this company are brought to the attention of more of the public, Chipotle will reach a bigger market share as the public demand will rise. I would also predict other companies and restaurants will follow similar suit. As mentioned earlier, there will always be competition in business, but a firm must find their differentiation advantage. As individuals become more educated and understand the factor facing the environment people will be willing to make a change and help make a difference.

Caste System In India Essay -- essays research papers

The caste system, or Varna, of India, came about when the Aryan speaking Nomadic groups came to India about 1500B.C.. The Aryan priests divided society into a caste system with four parts. This system determined Indian occupations. The priests and teachers were the highest caste. The second in rank were rulers and warriors, with merchants and traders third in rank. Last were the workers and peasants who were born to be servants to the other three castes. People could not change their caste. They had to marry and socialize with people from their own caste. This is very different from the class system of America.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the United States class is determined by how much wealth you have, not usually by your occupation. The three classes are the upper class, middle class, and lower class. Most Americans fall into middle class or lower class with the very wealthiest people in the upper class. There is one section of the upper class, which is considered old money. These are families that have inherited fortunes from their relatives and are a small part of what is called high society. In American society you are not forced into one class. You can work in any job to make your fortune and are not stopped from performing any job that you would like to do just because you were born into lower or middle class. Our system is also not based on religion like the Indian caste system is.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another group in India’s caste system are the ...

Firm value and share price strategy Essay

BAE facing challenges on Intensive competition and budget defence cuts by their major customers should focus on increasing shareholders’ equity by reduction of costs, adapting capabilities to the changing priorities of their customers and improve their Programme execution. Directors should monitor working capital expenditures to ensure that unnecessary further debt would be incurred that inevitably has an effect on book values. Higher book values (stockholders’ equity) act as a positive in a buyer’s assessment of purchase price, to some extent providing at least the illusion of a floor in value (Nation’s Business 2006). 4) Recommendations dealing with corporate governance Currently BAE Systems has faced problems facing its shareholders due to its criticism received on corporate governance and ethical conduct (Daily Mail 2010). As a recommendation, BAE should follow the financial reporting council (FRC) proposition on putting greater emphasis on the principles of UK’s corporate governance code, and apply the annual shareholder re-election. This would have a significant impact a wider engagement for the company’s shareholders. A necessary midyear review process should be conducted by an external facilitator to help in the evaluation process, metrics such as board effectiveness by dealing with issues in a timely manner should be considered. Having a wide and complex set of operations, information dissemination in a timely manner is very important to ensure appropriate decisions. Key performance Indicators should be the guideline across all the managing directors and their performance will be evaluated by comparison of their actual results from targets. 5) Critical evaluation of the model used Using financial models can provide actual figures for projection analysis that can create awareness for a company’s board of directors (Palmgren 1999). The Residual Income Model can be used as a valuation of the firm, based on its total book value and residual income (Financial Education 2010). During recent years it has been used as the primary valuation method due to its measurement of internal corporate performance and feasible estimation of the intrinsic value of common stock. The difference between a residual income and traditional financial statements are for the latter its purpose of preparation is to reflect earnings available to its owners, charges incurred for equity capital and dividends are not included, while the former adds the component of cost of equity capital for its calculation (Dodd 2001). Another limitation of the traditional income model is that it may not actually reflect the value of certain business activities. Such in our case with BAE system’s numerous acquisitions, on its accounting model it seems that BAE have significantly improved profitability on its strategies, however this could not be all false, but using the residual income approach some of the acquisitions doesn’t have the kind of effect, due again to the cost of equity capital (Bild, Guest,Cosh and Runsten 2002). 6) Conclusion BAE Systems being in an industry where intense competition exists should apply necessary strategies to ensure profitability in the coming years both for continuous operation and maximizing shareholders equity. Their current strategies for acquisition may have benefited them but the cost of violation of regulation procedures have definitely impacted over all operations. Using financial models like the residual income model, the board of directors can see, what would happen if they continue with their current policies on corporate strategy and governance, it has shown a negative impact on present firm’s value, thus the recommendation for consideration of a new effective strategy to be implemented across the board. List of References BAE Systems (2010) Annual Report 2009.[PDF] Available from < http://bae-systems-investor- relations-2009. production. investis. com/results-reports-and-presentations. aspx> [09 May 2010]. Brylawski, M. (1995). Developing a circumstance-based Innovation Strategy for a Midsized Aerospace Manufacturer:Fostering Entreprenuership, Opening Boundaries and Seeding Disruption. [PDF] Available from . [09 May 2010]. Bild, M. , Guest,P. , Cosh, A. , and Runsten, M. (2002). Do takeovers create value? A residual income approach on UK data. [PDF] Daily Mail (2010). BAE flies into storm with shareholders. Available from . [09 May 2010]. Dodd, J. (2001). Operating income, residual income and EVA: Which metric is more value relevant. Journal of Managerial Issues. Financial Education (2010). The Residual Income Valuation Model. Available from < http://financial-education. com/2007/10/30/the-residual-income-valuation-model/> [09 May 2010]. Financial Times (2010). FT Market Data BAE Systems. Available from < http://markets. ft. com/ft/tearsheets/analysis. asp? s=BA.:LSE>. [09 May 2010]. Nation’s Business (1996). 10 ways to increase your firm’s value – Net Worth. Available from < http://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_m1154/is_n11_v84/ai_18818240/>. [09 May 2010]. Palmgren, B. (1999). The Need for Financial Models. Available from < http://www. ercim. eu/publication/Ercim_News/enw38/palmgren. html>. [09 May 2010]. Smith, T & Frost,L. (2008). BAE Buys Tenix Defence to Double Sales in Australia. [Online] Available from [09 May 2010]. Wachman, R. (2010). BAE Systems hit by defence cuts. Available from < http://www. guardian. co. uk/business/2010/mar/22/bae-systems-defence-spending-cuts> [09 May 2010]. West, K (2010). BAE goes top of the global arms league. [Online] Available from [09 May 2010]. Appendices Appendix 1 Five year Summary Income Statement of BAE Systems. Source: retrieved 9 May 2010 Extract from Annual Report 2009 http://bae-systems-investor-relations-2009. production. investis. com/financial-information/five-year-summary. aspx Appendix 2 Group Income Statement. Source: Extract from Annual Report 2009 for the year ended 31 December. Retrieved 10 May 2010 http://bae-systems-investor-relations-2009. production. investis. com/financial-information/group-income-statement. aspx Notes 2009 ?m Total 2009 ?m 2008 ?m Total 2008 ?m Continuing operations Combined sales of Group and equity accounted investments 3 22,415 18,543 Less: share of sales of equity accounted investments 3 (2,041) (1,872) Revenue 3 20,374 16,671 Operating costs 4 (20,060) (15,386) Other income 5 465 415 Group operating profit excluding amortisation and impairment of intangible assets 2,038 2,003. Amortisation 11 (286) (247) Impairment 11 (973) (56) Group operating profit 779 1,700 Share of results of equity accounted investments excluding finance costs and taxation expense 233 132 Financial (expense)/income of equity accounted investments 6 (7) 44 Taxation expense of equity accounted investments (23) (37) Share of results of equity accounted investments 14 203 139 Goodwill impairment in respect of equity accounted investments 14 – (121) Contribution from equity accounted investments 203 18 EBITA1 excluding non-recurring items 2,220 1,897 Profit on disposal of businesses2 9. 68 238 Pension curtailment gains2 261 – Regulatory penalties3 (278) – EBITA1 2,271 2,135 Amortisation (286) (247) Impairments (973) (177) Financial (expense)/income of equity accounted investments 6 (7) 44 Taxation expense of equity accounted investments (23) (37) Operating profit 3 982 1,718 Finance costs 6 Financial income 1,573 3,380 Financial expense (2,273) (2,727) (700) 653 Profit before taxation 282 2,371 Taxation expense 8 UK taxation (105) (351) Overseas taxation (222) (252) (327) (603) (Loss)/profit for the year (45) 1,768 Attributable to: BAE Systems shareholders (67) 1,745 Minority interests 22 23 (45) 1,768 (Loss)/earnings per share 10 Basic (loss)/earnings per share (1. 9)p 49. 6p Diluted (loss)/earnings per share (1. 9)p 49. 5p Appendix 3 Group Balance Sheet as at 31 December. Source: Extract from Annual Report 2009. Retrieved 10 May 2010 http://bae-systems-investor-relations-2009. production. investis. com/financial-information/balance-sheet. aspx Notes 2009 ?m 2008 Restated ?m Fixed assets Tangible assets 2 4 5 Investments in subsidiary undertakings 3 7,070 5,663 7,074 5,668 Current assets Debtors due within one year 4. 7,468 9,339 Debtors due after one year 4 14 3 Other financial assets due within one year 262 703 Other financial assets due after one year 5 179 478 Cash at bank and in hand 5 2,804 1,988 10,725 12,511 Liabilities falling due within one year Loans and overdrafts 6 (37) (49) Creditors 7 (14,490) (12,873) Other financial liabilities 5 (255) (598) (14,782) (13,520) Net current liabilities (4,057) (1,009) Total assets less current liabilities 3,017 4,659 Liabilities falling due after one year Loans 6 (233) (258) Creditors 7 (3) (6) Other financial liabilities 5 (327) (574). (563) (838) Provisions for liabilities and charges 8 (61) (120) (2,393) (3,701) Capital and reserves Issued share capital 10 90 90 Share premium account 12 1,243 1,238 Statutory reserve 13 202 202 Other reserves 12 119 164 Profit and loss account 12 739 2,007 Equity shareholders’ funds 2,393 3,701 Appendix 4 Group Cash Flow for the year ended 31 December. Source: Extract from Annual Report 2009. Retrieved 10 May 2010 http://bae-systems-investor-relations-2009. production. investis. com/financial-information/cash-flow. aspx Notes 2009 ?m 2008 ?m (Loss)/profit for the year (45) 1,768. Taxation expense 327 603 Share of results of equity accounted investments 14 (203) (139) Net finance costs 700 (653) Depreciation, amortisation and impairment 1,600 755 Gain on disposal of property, plant and equipment 4, 5 (17) (33) Gain on disposal of investment property 5 – (5) Gain on disposal of businesses 5 (68) (238) Cost of equity–settled employee share schemes 52 51 Movements in provisions 52 (115) Decrease in liabilities for retirement benefit obligations (657) (272) Decrease/(increase) in working capital: Inventories 6 46 Trade and other receivables 52 (5). Trade and other payables 433 246 Cash inflow from operating activities 2,232 2,009 Interest paid (250) (249) Interest element of finance lease rental payments (2) (5) Taxation paid (350) (261) Net cash inflow from operating activities 1,630 1,494 Dividends received from equity accounted investments 14 77 89 Interest received 66 156 Purchases of property, plant and equipment (483) (520) Purchases of intangible assets (42) (32) Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment 36 44 Proceeds from sale of investment property – 5 Purchase of subsidiary undertakings 27, 29 (357) (1,078). Cash and cash equivalents acquired with subsidiary undertakings 27 33 2 Purchase of equity accounted investments 27 (1) (12) Proceeds from sale of subsidiary undertakings 9 2 131 Cash and cash equivalents disposed of with subsidiary undertakings – (60) Proceeds from sale of equity accounted investments 9 70 16 Net proceeds from (purchase)/sale of other deposits/securities (209) 164 Net cash outflow from investing activities (808) (1,095) Capital element of finance lease rental payments (13) (18) Proceeds from issue of share capital 5 16 Purchase of own shares (25) (43) Equity dividends paid 28. (534) (478) Dividends paid to minority interests (5) (11) Cash inflow/(outflow) from matured derivative financial instruments 36 (440) Cash (outflow)/inflow from movement in cash collateral (11) 106 Cash inflow from loans 920 – Cash outflow from repayment of loans (133) (306) Net cash inflow/(outflow) from financing activities 240 (1,174) Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 1,062 (775) Cash and cash equivalents at 1 January 2,605 3,046 Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents 11 334 Cash and cash equivalents at 31 December 3,678 2,605.

Where the US Economy Will be a Year from Now

The US economy was growing steadily for the past years. Currently, however, the US is facing challenges pertaining to the economy. Some troubles began to manifest as early as 2006 when a sharp decline in the housing starts was first observed. The subprime mortgage crisis occurred. Stock market crashed and investors fleed. The economic slump continued and the dreaded recession occurred. US officially announced it was in recession in December 2008. Deflationary House Prices in the US Once the economic crisis sets in, households at the lower income bracket felt the pinch the most. People with no savings have no fall back option. They are paying money for home mortgages but money becomes scarce. Consequently since they are unable to pay the mortgage and their houses get foreclosed. Another effect of the deflationary house prices in the US is that foreclosed homes now created a growing list of unsold houses either old or new inventories. This situation is more pronounced in certain markets such as urban Florida, California, Nevada, Atlanta and others. The lack of buyers for these houses cause the prices to stabilize or in most cases, they go down. Once residential markets experience this problem, potential homebuyers will not commit to buying a house. This is because they want to hold on to their money until the home prices go down to its lowest level. Thereby giving their money a lot of leverage. What can be bought in hundreds of thousands dollars before could be bought in a much lower amount now. With the homebuyers holding on to their money for as long as possible and the house inventory growing by the minute due to foreclosures, a dilemma ensues. This is the biggest reason why homebuilding industry is the one most affected by the economic crisis America is facing today. 2010 Economic Outlook Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke announced some good news on May 5, 2009 that the three year economic slump the US has been experiencing is showing tell-tale signs of recovery. He projected that the recession could end late 2009, if US will not experience relapse on credit problems. Bernanke spoke before Congress saying economic indicators are hinting to a possible recovery towards the end of the year. But the climb out of the proverbial tunnel will be nothing but easy. Bernanke projected that unemployment cases will go even higher even after the recession is over. Unemployment is actually believe to reach its peak in 2010. Also, growth will be slow. The said forecast is based on the effects of the continuous repair of the economic system. The government has taken some steps to stall the effects of the crisis like injecting economic stimulus and lowering interest rates and the results are now showing. If a relapse occur in the financial situation could drag the economic recovery efforts down. U. S. stock markets have shown a lot of promise recently. The Standard & Poor's 500 index grows to 35 percent since March which indicates that consumer spending has steadied and the decline in the housing starts have slowly stopped. Bernanke’s forecast that US will peg an economic growth at 2 percent in 2010 and 4 percent in 2011. Excess economic slack or the increase in amount of idle plant and equipment would keep inflation low. Also, the US Central Bank will maintain minimal interest rates for an extended period. Economists believe that the United States will recover from the recession faster than Europe, due to the Federal Reserve's quick action on the situation. The International Monetary Fund announced in April 2009 that Europe's recession might continue in 2010. Deflation and Inflation The deep economic recession felt all over the United States has led to an all-time low in consumer confidence. It has also affected negatively the banking system. These factors have increased the risk of deflation. To counter the deflation risks, policy makers and the Federal Reserve have to adopt measures that are not commonly practiced in order to ward off deflation by increasing the amount of money being circulated. Policy makers had to expand fiscal spending. And the nominal interest rates are currently pegged at almost 0% since December 2008 to ease up credit and its availability. This has saved the country from being on the brink of deflation. But the same solution could create problems later as the huge increase in base-money has caused a number of people to believe that Fed’s actions could lead to inflation later. Inflation is not a problem as of the moment because households have decreased spending to a minimum and the money are hidden in bank vaults. Excess economic slack or the increase in amount of idle plant and equipment would also keep inflation at bay. The unused factories and growing unemployment do not permit businesses to increase prices of products and wages of employees. Once economic recovery begins and economic slack levels off, increase in money supply would eventually give way to increase in prices of commodities and wages. To prevent this from happening, the Fed must withdraw the money it has infused to the financial system while in a recession. If the Feds cannot implement this quickly, rampant inflation would ensue. Hyperinflation Hyperinflation occurs when the prices will go up as the currency falls. This is the next challenge that US might face. This dilemma however could contribute to some advantages to the businessmen. Selling US dollar and Japanese yen – the two currencies that will devalue after recession – would be highly profitable. Before hyperinflation could go full blast selling dollars and yen would bring a lot of money to traders. Once dollar value goes down. The value of the dollar sold would probably be twice its value during hyperinflation. Effect of the Dollar's Valuation Dollar and Euro currencies are recently on a see-saw battle for supremacy. US dollar declined against the Euro in the past years until recently. The current global economic slump has caused the Euro to devaluate against the US dollar. Should the tide turn in favor of the Euro again, a decline in the US dollar could actually bring some advantages: – lower dollar could mean more opportunities for export since the goods being sold from the US are relatively cheaper now compared to the Euros. – the discounted US dollar will lead to a foreign investment boom that would eventually slow down investments being poured in the European countries. – Decrease external trade deficit Disadvantages of a declining dollar rate vs Euro – going or visiting to Europe would mean paying higher amount for goods and services – American importers would pay more for imported goods – Rising inflation – American credit becomes less attractive to foreign investors – Interest rates will go up to be able to finance budget deficit Countries to Invest In The Euro is not the only currency that is rising against the US dollar: the Australian Dollar, and the Canadian Dollar both hold some promise. The Euro is a good alternative currency to the US dollars for investors. Also, there is a possibility that difference in interest rates in the US and Europe may increase and since returns usually increases along with interest rates, the Euro will then be more profitable to investors. If the devaluation of dollar occurs, countries that hold large amounts of US dollars may shift to using the Euro currrency in their reserves. Some countries have already shifted to Euro reserves such as Russia, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela. Iran even wants to use Euro in quoting its Oil Exchange. If this scenario develops what might become of the US economy? One likely scenario is that foreign investors who bought a huge chunk of shares of stocks might sell their shares particularly the S&P 500 stocks. The results could not be certain though because the effects of financial instruments could not be easily determined. Currency levels depend to a large extent on the demand for the country’s currency which is the result of economic activities and interest rate differential. Most likely, US will experience inflation making imports more expensive. On the bright side, this would also decrease external trade deficits which is good for US economy. Foreign investors however will be hesitant to borrow from American banks or financial companies. The Federal Reserve might need to increase interest rates to be able to fund budget deficits which would affect the economy adversely. For those who want to invest in the market for currencies or the foreign exchange market or currency trading there are a number of options available. These include: forex futures, currency ETFs, export-benefiting equities as well as precious metals related instruments (such as mining stocks). It is good to invest in precious metals. Investing in the BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) would also be advisable. BRIC or BRICs is an acronym for the current notably fast growing developing economies – Brazil, Russia, India, and China. Goldman Sachs in 2001 declared that the combined economic development in these places could overshadow the economies of the richest countries in the world. There has been ongoing speculations as evidenced by proofs that the BRICs countries are planning to form an alliance to create greater power. Investing in these places therefore would provide a better alternative to US investments since these countries development are greater compared to other countries. Invest wisely by focusing on Indian and Chinese companies that do not rely on American market to be able to buffer fluctuations in the US economy. According to economist Stanley Roach, China will recover faster than the rest of the world. This is because the structure of China’s economy is very open. Export and import shares in this country accounts for a very high percentage of the world’s total. The recession certainly affected its export markets negatively. Also, the Chinese government reacted aggressively to the situation and instituted some reforms immediately. According to Roach, China's economy will recover more swiftly if the country becomes more assertive in its implementing plans to encourage local private consumption at the same time they should find ways to decrease its heavy reliance on exports. Another country that holds a lot of promise would be Canada. Before the recession, Canada’s economy reached parity with the US dollar on September 20, 2007. Western Canada particularly is gaining a lot of strides in the economic department. But Eastern Canada hardly lagged behind. Employment rates was at its 30-year-low. Ontario is backed up by its knowledge-based businesses and Toronto’s investment sector was doing well. Western Canada’s economic boom was brought about by the world commodity markets particularly China. The â€Å"mega-boom† conditions in Alberta and Saskatchewan were due greatly to its oil reserves in the Oil Sands of Alberta. The reported oil find in Alberta’s sands deposits is believed to be able to cater to the world’s demand for a century or so. The excitement for the ‘black gold’ discovery brought about by the pouring in of billions of dollars in infrastructure has spurred Alberta and Saskatchewan industries. The provinces’ economic success has trickled down on its neighbors British Columbia and Manitoba as these two cities have experienced â€Å"mini-booms† of their own. This is one particular reason why Canada particularly Alberta and Saskatchewan would always be attractive to investors. Oil commodity is very valuable and would not be greatly affected by recession. The currency movements in the U. S. and Canada have opposite implications when it comes to the effects of general price inflation in both countries. In the U. S. , import prices are climbing because the dollar value is falling. In Canada, it is the opposite. Furthermore, in Canada, the impact of any future rise in commodity prices (which are usually specified in U. S. dollars) will be blunted. With a stronger dollar, however, Canadians need to lower down the prices of goods and services in order to compete with other countries selling same export commodities. Also, Canada needs to address an important inconsistency with the Chinese Yuan. The Yuan, since it floated in mid-2005 has been appreciating versus the U. S. dollar. But it has spiralled down versus the Canadian dollar. The irony therefore is that Chinese goods are getting cheaper in Canada and costlier in the US. Foreign Exchange Market or Currency Market Foreign exchange market or the currency market is all about trading currencies. Even in these difficult times in the economy, there is always one currency or two that is growing. The stock market is in a slump right now. It is the currency market that has remained liquid which means it is possible to make money even under tough times. The US dollar, as a matter of fact, had gone up as the S&P 500 went down. Investors in the currency market have earned a lot of money in the past months. Currency market is one safe investment that most investors. Why does US dollar rise even if US is in recession? This is because during economic recession, investors put thier money where they consider is safer. The stock market is simply too volatile and uncertain at this point. So investors turn to look for the more stable options such as the moderate currency market by investing in US Treasuries. US treasury securities are debt financing instruments issued by the US Department of the Treasury. These include four types: treasury bills, treasury notes, treasury bonds and treasury inflation protected securities (TIPS). All of these are very liquid and can be traded in a secondary market or the aftermarket. This is the reason why when the stock market crashed and panic sets in, investors sought the more liquid and safer US treasuries. The surge in demand for US Treasuries buoyed the value of the dollar. Forex markets or FX markets is also another good way to invest money. FX is where one can trade currencies. FX serves to ease trade and investment among international currencies such as US Dollar, UK Pounds, Japanese Yen and other currencies. In this money market, currencies are traded against each other. Forex is the biggest financial market today with more than $3 trillion daily turnover. Speculators market one currency for another in order to gain a profit. Financial traders are drawn to this market because it is available 24 hours daily, five days a week. Forex market can be found in four cities: New York, London, Sydney and Tokyo. Investment in foreign exchange can be done in several ways: 1). buying curency shares ETFs. The method is similar to buying stock. 2). Open a bank accont with local bank that accepts foreign currencies. 3). Buy foreign currency from online brokers and 4). Use online forex trading platform such as eToro, iForex and others. In tough times, it is always good to diversify the investment portfolio. The adage â€Å"don’t put all your eggs in one basket† proves to be true now more than ever. Since the stock market suffers great losses now, it would be good to offset it with investments that would surely create gains which the US Treasury provides. Since the currency market represented by the US Treasury securities are not associated with the stock market, investing in the currency market would serve as hedge investments and a good way to diversify investment portfolio.

Pepe Jeans Brand Management Essays

Pepe Jeans Brand Management Essays Pepe Jeans Brand Management Paper Pepe Jeans Brand Management Paper This report aims to evaluate the brand image, positioning and brand value of a popular denim brand Pepe Jeans. Pepe is a renowned brand in the apparel industry and is amongst the top international jeans and casual wear brand. This report will also discuss the philosophy and essence of the brand, what it stands for the USP (Unique Selling Point) of the brand and how Pepe Jeans is perceived in the consumer mind. The purpose of researching the brand extensively is to help us understand the strengths and weaknesses of the brand from the point of view to verify its effectiveness. Pepe offers a wide range of products to its consumers and tries to cover the intended target market through its advertising and promotions. The brand is present across the globe in almost 100 countries with numerous loyal customers. A Brief History Headquartered in Madrid, Spain Pepe Jeans London, was started in a small market stall running only on weekends in West London by three brothers from Kenya Nitin, Arjun and Milan Shah in the year 1973. The brothers wanted to set up a British brand of jeans that would be known globally. The jeans that they sold were of good quality and fitting and within no time, the business started to boom. The brand was inspired by London street-wear style and was called Pepe because it was a short two syllable word that was really fast to remember. Pepe was the first brand which enforced that jeans should not be sold hung like a trouser for which they even had to fight with the retailers. By 1980, the brand was competing against the big rival brands like Levis, Lee, etc. for the No. 1 place in U.S. Pepe became UKs most successful jeans brand and even had Jason Priestly and the popular band The Smiths featured in their advertising campaign. Some of the campaigns were censored as Pepe ads usually t eased the boundaries of socially acceptable imagery and norms. This helped them gain the attention of the consumers in the ever expanding world of advertising. Pepe is the fastest growing label in the world and has grown to be more than a $500 million denim and casual wear brand. Brand Image According to Kotler (1988) and Herzog (1963), brand image is the perception of the brand regarding the values it carries in the mind of the consumer. Denims are perceived as a casual wear and the wearer carries an attitude whilst wearing it. Pepe has managed to make denim a style statement. Pepe Jeans is perceived as a premium and international brand which houses casual wear with the heart of London in the brand. The products offered are contemporary and innovative and the impression it leaves, is never missed. The brand image is not a thought on its own, it is engraved in the consumer mind by the marketers through the use of various marketing tools. Some other researchers like Ditcher (1985) define that the impression that the product creates as a whole and not by its individual characteristics is what forms the image of the brand. Pepe offers a whole wardrobe solution from jeans to skirts, to jackets, t-shirts, shirts, cargos, capris and a wide selection of accessories like caps, bags, wallets, belts and even socks. In the case of Pepe Jeans, the marketing and pricing has made the brand appealing to primarily youngsters. The brand has been practicing aggressive pricing i.e. they are competitively priced to their competitors and other international brands. The campaigns reflect that the brand is young at heart and promotes a rebellious attitude through its advertising. The concept is to be bold and ambitious which has helped the brand create a connection with both the sexes globally. As per Abraham (2005), to save the brand legal issues, the brand name should always be unique and distinct. The brand is called Pepe because it was a short two syllable word that was easy to remember and fast to sign on a cheque. Brand Positioning Positioning of a brand can be observed by evaluating how the brand appears when seen in contrast with its competitors. Brand positioning is controlled by the company and its marketing team. They concentrate on delivering and positioning the product in the right way to the intended target audience. All the efforts put together create the brand image of the company. (Park et. Al., 1986) Since its inception, the positioning of the brand was that, Pepe Jeans is all about international premium jeans and casual wear. To be a successful brand, the brand must keep in mind the offering its makes to its consumers and makes the product exclusive to set itself apart from the competitors (Friedman, 1993; Muse Hartung, 1973). The brand continuously developed new fabrics and silhouettes which all had a perfect finish. Pepe used this as a P.O.D. (Point of Difference) to promote itself as The premium jeans, inspired by Londons street wear. For a consumer to feel associated with what the brand wants itself to be perceived as, it is important for the brand to first build a relationship with the consumer (Aaker, 1991). All the retailers in the category are characterised in terms of maturity, capacity, and difference in price which leads to the common factor in all stores (Standard Poor, 1995). Pepe has differentiated itself by keeping the promise of being committed to quality products. They have strived to be best in the commercial aspect and by being the most service oriented. Brand positioning comprises of three important elements namely identifying the possible competitive advantages, leverage the strongest advantages and communicate them in an effective manner and lastly make sure that the message has reached the target group, all these factors combined together influence the buying behaviour of the consumer (Kotler, 1988). In connection with the brand, Pepe whilst positioning itself clearly identified themselves as a premium denim brand which the consumer would crave for and branded themselves with the same proposition. They created their USP from the simple fact that they manufactured the best quality denims which were inspired from London street wear. The brand stands for the youth and talks about being young, cool, creating a style statement, independent and self confident which exudes an attitude of the person who is wearing it. The second element is to identify their own strength which was inspired from Londons energy and street wear styles, every garment exudes an attitude and promoted this through their advertising. The third element is to segment the market and identify the appropriate target audience, having in mind what are the elements of your brand that are able to satisfy their needs and how you are related to this group. Pepe managed to identify and connect with all the three elements ma king it one of the most successful international brands. A successful brand should create an image for its product that, in the consumers mind is associated with the quality, the Unique Selling Point of the product and the superiority towards the competitor. (Vranesvic and Stancec, 2003) Brand Equity and Value A brand is the representation of ownership and product segregation manifested through names, logos and trademarks (Chernatony and Riley, 1998; Hankinson and Cowking, 1993). In the American Marketing Association (1960), the definition of a brand is a name or term, a symbol or design, or maybe a combination of the two which is intended to identify the product or service of the seller and enable them to differentiate it from its competitors. Brand equity expresses the value of a product compared to as if the same product didnt have a brand name. Therefore brand equity is based on the added value of the product because of the brand name. Equity consists of brand awareness and brand image (Aaker, 1991; Ailawadi et.al, 2003). Pepe over the years has successfully established itself in the consumer minds by constantly delivering high quality products and numerous advertising campaigns. Pepes brand value has been focused and been a trademark in the category recognised for the commitment and s ervice provided to the consumers. The brands are seen as corporate assets which have to be taken care of, invested in and have to be nurtured to grow. The brands are conceptualised as value enhancers which has led to the development of the concept of brand equity (Wood, 2000). Pepe has been marketed keeping a target audience in mind and has managed to create a bond of trust and a relationship with the consumers. Pepe as a brand name through the consistent performance and every growing demand in the market by opening new stores and a modern youthful urban image has created a sense of comfort in the consumer mind. As per Biel (1993), the concept of brand equity is very consumer-centered and it said that the consequence is focused more on output rather than input. The brands differentiating factor is that Pepe is much more than just a denim company, it offers a complete casual wear line with knits, wovens, non-denims and accessories under its umbrella. Pepe Jeans takes pride on the fashion forecasting abilities and setting trends with every collection they offer to their consumers. The consumers perception of the quality of the brand is what helps create brand equity.

The 1860s Boshin War in Japan

The 1860s Boshin War in Japan When  Commodore Matthew Perry  and the American black ships showed up in Edo Harbor, their appearance and subsequent opening of  Japan  set off an unpredictable chain of events in  Tokugawa Japan, chief among them a civil war that broke out fifteen years later: the Boshin War. The Boshin War lasted only two years, between 1868 and 1869, and pitted Japanese samurai and nobles against the reigning Tokugawa regime, wherein the samurai wanted to overthrow the  shogun  and return political power to the emperor. Ultimately, t he militant pro-emperor samurai of Satsuma and Choshu convinced the emperor to issue a decree dissolving the House of Tokugawa, a potentially fatal blow to the former shoguns family. First Signs of the War On January 27, 1868, the shogunates army - numbering over 15,000 and primarily comprised of traditional samurai  - attacked the troops of Satsuma and Choshu at the southern entrance to Kyoto, the imperial capital. Choshu and Satsuma had only 5,000 troops in the fight, but they had modern weaponry including rifles, howitzers, and even Gatling guns. When the pro-imperial troops won the two-day-long fight, several important daimyo switched their allegiance from the shogun to the emperor. On February 7, the former shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu left Osaka and withdrew to his own capital city of Edo (Tokyo). Discouraged by his flight, the shogunal forces gave up their defense of Osaka Castle, which fell to imperial forces the following day. In another blow to the shogun, foreign ministers from the western powers decided in early February to recognize the emperors government as the rightful government of Japan. However, this did not prevent samurai on the imperial side from attacking foreigners in several separate incidents as anti-foreigner sentiment was running very high. A New Empire is Born Saigo Takamori, later famed as the Last Samurai, led the emperors troops across Japan to encircle Edo in May of 1869 and the shoguns capital city surrendered unconditionally a short time later. Despite this apparently quick defeat of the shogunal forces, the commander of the shoguns navy refused to surrender eight of his ships, instead heading north, hoping to join forces with the Aizu clans samurai and other northern domain warriors, who were still loyal to the shogunal government. The Northern Coalition was valiant but relied on traditional fighting methods and weaponry. It took the well-armed imperial troops from May to November of 1869 to finally defeat the stubborn northern resistance, but on November 6, the last Aizu samurai surrendered.   Two weeks earlier, the Meiji Period had officially begun, and the former shogunal capital at Edo was renamed Tokyo, meaning eastern capital.   Fallout and Consequences Although the Boshin War was over, fallout from this series of events continued. Die-hards from the Northern Coalition, as well as a few French military advisers, tried to set up a separate Ezo Republic on the northern island of Hokkaido, but the short-lived republic surrendered and winked out of existence on June 27, 1869. In an interesting twist, Saigo Takamori of the very pro-Meiji Satsuma Domain later regretted his role in the Meiji Restoration. He ended up being swept into a leadership role in the doomed Satsuma Rebellion, which ended in 1877 with his death.

Friction Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Friction - Lab Report Example A proof of an increase or decrease in mass of the Newton’s experiment is determined by the force and acceleration achieved from the experiment. Goals: The goal of the experiment is to verify the existence of Newton’s second law by finding the coefficient of static friction, Â µs and the coefficient of kinetic friction, Â µk. using the experiment stated below. Introduction: Have you wondered the make-ups of mechanics? Well Newton’s second law breaks it down into simple understandable terms by providing a means of translating directly between the acceleration and force acting towards a given mass or object. Theoretical background: The experiments are based on the concepts of force and Newton’s Laws of Motion, particularly Newton’s Second Law which states that: the acceleration of a body is directly proportional to the net force acting on the body, and inversely proportional to the mass of the body. From this definition, the equation Net Force = Mass x Acceleration (Fnet = mass x acceleration) is derived. Air tracks were used to reduce friction; the little amount of friction that remains in the system is negligible in the data. The suspended mass was subject to gravity which has a constant acceleration of -9.81 m/s2. The variables were solved to include: acceleration of the sled, velocities of the sled at each photo-gate, net force acting on the string, and the time taken from release to the first photo-gate and between the photo-gates. Acceleration was calculated using the formula: Acceleration= Velocity/ Time. The experiment is commonly used in mechanics fields to determine the acceleration acti ng towards a given mass or object. ... Theory: The variables to be used in the experiment and their explanation involves F used to show the force, m used to show the mass being used and a used to show the acceleration of the object. The variables used by Newton’s lay emphasis on the net force used exerted on the experiment in question. The relationship between force and motion was initially discussed by Aristotle (384-332B.C). He proposed that the natural state of an object was during rest, and force was required to put an object into motion, therefore, a continuous force was necessary to keep the body in motion. Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) argued that a body at rest is a unique case of a more broad case of constant motion. He noted that in the absence of friction acting on a body to slow it down, the body might continue to move in a straight line forever. He proposed that bodies remain at rest or in a state of constant motion unless an external force acts on them to change this motion. Frictional force is a force unlike other forces which accelerate or slows down a moving body (Lerner & Lawrence, page 51). Isaac Newton (1642-1727) sanctified the relationship between force and motion by proposing that the acceleration of a body is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to the mass of the body. This law is summarized by the formula F=ma which is verified quantitatively in this experiment. Work done i.e. physical work defined in terms of physical quantities is expressed as a product of positional change multiplied by the component of force Fx in the displacement direction dx. W = Fx ?x = F?xcos? Where ? is the angle between the direction of displacement and the direction of force. This relationship can be written in the vector dot product form W = Fx The