The Benefits of Local Farming Essays -- Food Science

It used to be that fine dining establishments featured imported ingredients on the menu. These days, many chefs in high quality restaurants take pride in featuring locally grown, seasonal items. Even some large chain grocery stores now offer meat and produce from local farms. While most Americans probably would not feel the need to be as close to their meat as Makenna Goodman describes in â€Å"Ever Wonder if You Could Kill What You Eat? We Did the Other Night†, there is growing support for Goodman’s ideas that being closer to the food results in better food quality (246). Many Americans seem to concur, as they are now willing to pay more for locally grown and organically raised food. Having seen countless local farms plowed under to become housing developments or shopping malls, and having dealt with several epidemics of tainted food, Americans are more conscious of the ‘support your local farmer’ movement. If this new ‘food fashion’ cont inues to grow in popularity, it will help strengthen local farms that in past years have suffered at the expense of large commercial farming enterprises. According to Michael Pollan federal policy has promoted industrial agriculture, or agribusiness, since the Nixon era in the belief that keeping food costs low by obtaining maximum production of commodity crops (corn, soybeans, wheat, and rice) was in the best interest of the national political agenda (186). In â€Å"Farmer in Chief†, Pollan asks President Obama to change federal policy and instead promote local farming, asserting that how Americans grow, process, and eat food impacts the health care crisis, energy independence, and climate change (187). Goodman, Pollan, and others agree that more local, small-scale, farming will be better for th... ...ge.html?res=9500EEDC143EF936A15757C0A9619C8B63>. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7 Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). EPA, 17 Jan. 2012. Web. 07 May 2012. . Goodman, Makenna. â€Å"Ever Wonder if You Could Kill What You Eat? We Did the Other Night.† Acting out Culture: Reading and Writing. Ed. James S. Miller. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2011. 246-248. Print. Pollan, Michael. â€Å"Farmer in Chief.† Acting out Culture: Reading and Writing. Ed. James S. Miller. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2011. 186-203. Print. Sustainable Table. GRACE Communications Foundation. Web. 07 May 2012. . United States Department of Agriculture. Agricultural Marketing Service. USDA, 2012. Web. 07 May. 2012. .

Book and Popular Essay

1. Introduction Popular Holdings is a Singapore-based company that is listed on the Singapore Exchange. Popular is best known for its chain of Popular Bookstores under the Retail and Distribution unit. The Group currently carries out its publishing activities through subsidiaries operating in countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and Canada. Its bookstore operations have a network of over 90 Popular Bookstores and 360 Popular managed bookstores with its core businesses in retail, distribution, publishing and e-learning. 2. History of the Company |1924 |Popular started in Singapore under the trade name of Cheng Hing Company, established by the late Mr Chou Sing Chu. It distributed | | |Chinese storybooks. | |1930 |Established World Book Company in Singapore to distribute Chinese books and later moved into the publishing business. | |1936 |Established Popular Book Company in Singapore to sell Chinese books. | |1949 |Incorporated World Publishing Company in Hong Kong to publish magazines and Chinese books for both local and Asian markets. | |1952 |Set up United Publishing House Pte Ltd in Singapore and Malaysia to publish textbooks. | |1975 |Started offering English titles in Singapore and was positioned as â€Å"The Bilingual Bookshop†. Business grew dramatically. | |1984 |Opened the first bilingual bookshop in Malaysia. | |1990 |Introduced the POPULAR Card to cultivate customer loyalty. | |1993 |Expanded the business scope by retailing music products and audio accessories under the brand name of â€Å"CD-RAMA†. | |1997 |Listed Popular Holdings Limited (â€Å"POPULAR†) on the Singapore Exchange. | |2000 |Set up joint venture, EdnoLand (HK) Limited, to provide interactive learning programmes to preschool children. This signified the start | | |of the Group’s e-learning initiatives. | |2002 |Entered the e-learning market of Mainland China | |2003 |Incorporated a wholly-owned subsidiary, Popular Digital Products (Shenzhen) Ltd in January, leaving the first footprint in Mainland | | |China’s publishing market. | |2003 |Ventured into Taiwan publishing market. | |2006 |Successfully organized the inaugural BookFest@Singapore and BookFest@Malaysia, drawing over 400,000 visitors. | |2008 |Successfully organized the inaugural BookFest@Hong Kong 2008. | |2009 |Launched â€Å"UrbanWrite†Ã¢â‚¬â€a lifestyle stationery concept store that goes beyond the basics. | |2009 |Opened a new concept bilingual bookstore { prologue } at ION Orchard. | |2010 |Celebrated the 5th anniversary of BookFest@Singapore and BookFest@Malaysia. Both BookFests managed to achieve record turnouts of over | | |half a million visitors each. | 3. Management Structure Popular Holdings has a centralized organizational structure. Mr Chou Cheng Ngok is the Executive Chairman of the Board. In view of the Group’s single leadership structure, Mr Vangatharaman Ramayah was appointed as the Independent Director to lead and coordinate the activities of non-executive directors in circumstances where it would be inappropriate for the Chairman to serve in such capacity. The Independent Directors, Mr Vangatharaman Ramayah and Mrs Lim Soon Tze ensure that there is a good balance of power and authority to enable independent exercise of objective judgement of corporate affairs. All major decisions made by the Chairman are reviewed by the Audit Committee (chaired by Mr Vangatharaman Ramayah). The Nominating Committee (chaired by Mrs Lim Soon Tze) reviews his performance periodically and the Remuneration Committee (chaired by Mr Vangatharaman Ramayah) reviews his remuneration package. Hence, the Board believes that there are adequate safeguards against an uneven concentration of power and authority in a single individual. For management purposes, the Group is organised on a worldwide basis into business units based on their products and services, and has four operating segments as follows: Retail and Distribution, Publishing and E-Learning, Property Development and Corporate. Ms Lim Lee Ngoh and Mr Poon Chi Wai Ponch are the Executive Directors who are in charge of the performance of the businesses. [pic] 4. Markets Served 4. 1 Countries Served As of 30 April 2012, Popular had 148 bookstores – 63 in Singapore, 70 in Malaysia and 15 in Hong Kong. Popular is the biggest book retailer in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong (Chairman’s Statement, Annual Report 2012). Popular is making fast and extensive inroads into the Greater China market, especially in China and Taiwan. There have been marketing offices and subsidiaries set up in Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Taipei. 4. 2 Customer Groups Served Due to the various branches in its core business and the variety of products offered at retail stores, Popular serves different customers of all ages, including students who constitute a large portion of their customer base. Popular’s customers range from individual consumers to corporate groups. 5. Products Offered Popular has its core businesses in retail, distribution, publishing and E-learning. As stated in the 2012 Annual Report, â€Å"though the book business is often labelled a sunset industry, retail and distribution [of books] are one of Popular’s strong core businesses†. Popular’s bookstores have products such as books (textbooks, assessment books, storybooks, reference books), CDs, DVDs, educational software, computer accessories, art materials, stationery, electronics, toys, games and gifts. 6. Recent Performance of the Company Popular Bookstore has been achieving increasing turnovers for 3 consecutive years. As seen in Fig 1. 1, Popular achieved a turnover of S$439 million in 2011 in its Retailing and Distribution sector, improving from the past results of 2010 and 2011. The increase in turnover in the Retail and Distribution segment is mainly due to 9 new outlets opening in various locations in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong and the book voucher programme held in Malaysia, where Malaysian students were each given a book voucher worth RM$200 each as part of Malaysia’s government budget in the education sector. Also, the increased turnover is due to reduced costs – In 2010, Popular reduced costs by reducing its retail store space from15200m2 in 2009 to 13700m2 in 2010. Its Publishing and E-Learning sector is doing well as well, with its turnover increasing from S$69 million in 2011 to S$72 million in 2012. Go-Easel is one of Popular’s initiatives which led to this increase in turnover. Go-Easel features digitalised assessment books which provides instant marking and step by step solutions. It gained popularity among students and parents due to its convenient and effective way in helping students academically. [pic] Profits before tax (PBT) in the Retail & Distribution of Popular Bookstore experienced a positive growth as shown in Figure 1. 2, with PBT of S$29 million in 2012, improving from S$19. 1 and S$10. 9 million in 2011 and 2010 respectively. However, there was a drop in PBT in the Publishing & E-Learning sector, decreasing about 24. 7%, from S$9. 7 million in 2011 to S$7. 3 million in 2012. This was due to the closing of one of its magazine distribution business due to restructuring. However, because this closure is only a one-off cost, the prospects of the Publishing & E-Learning sector in Popular Bookstore still remains hopeful for future growth and greater profits. [pic] 7. Macro-Environment Analysis 7. 1 Political Forces Education policies implemented by the government can improve Popular’s sales. For example, in Malaysia, as part of the budget allocated by the government in 2012, every student in Malaysia received a one-time book voucher worth RM$200. This policy led to greater spending in bookstores by the Malaysian community. Popular was the biggest bookstore company with 70 bookstores in Malaysia, and so Popular experienced an increased turnover in 2012. However, governmental regulations may limit demand and reduce profit for Popular Bookstore. The Media Development Authority in Singapore prohibits any import of books, publication, audio materials that contains content that may be â€Å"objectionable on moral, racial or religious grounds, or deemed detrimental to Singapore’s national interest. † (MDA, 2011) Thus, Popular Bookstore is restricted in their range of books and media as it has to comply with these regulations, causing it to lose some of its competitive edge to online E-books retailers. Book readers in Singapore may be able to purchase the restricted materials from these retailers, as these retailers are based overseas and are not restricted by the Singapore law. 7. 2 Economic Forces The relatively high inflation rate in Singapore (4. 1%) and Hong Kong (4. 0%) in 2012 and the bleak global economic outlook is fortunately, not much of a stumbling block for Popular Bookstore, with it achieving positive growth in its Retail and Distribution sector. This could also be attributed to the items that Popular sells, which are mostly books (Eg. Assessment books, textbooks)and stationery. The demand for these items has a small, positive value of income-elasticity because they are necessities and normal goods for students. Hence, a decrease in incomes due to poor economic conditions results in a less than proportionate decrease in demand for Popular’s books , thus Popular has not been badly affected. 7. 3 Social Forces In today’s world, many deem education as an important tool towards a better paying job and a better life. Thus, the spending on education, which includes spending on textbooks, stationery and assessment books, is increasing. For example, in Singapore, the consumer spending on education has been increasing at a steady rate, from US$ 84. 1 million in 2008 to US$155. 4 million in 2011. (GMID,2012). This shows that Singaporeans are increasing willing to spend on education-related items, such as textbooks and assessment books, to supplement the learning. As a bookstore with a niche product market of assessment books and textbooks, Popular Bookstore is able to benefit from this trend of increased spending in education. With the relatively high inflation rates, especially in Singapore and Hong Kong, consumers are becoming more value conscious. Popular Bookstore has done well to cater to the demands of the consumers and projecting a ‘value for money’ image, by offering membership cards and promotions on their items on a regular basis. One of such promotions is the back-to-school promotion, allowing students and their parents to purchase stationery and books at discounted prices. 7. 4 Technological Forces The increasing connectivity of the Internet island wide (e. g. 4G mobile network and OpenNet in Singapore) has led to more online consumers. The size of the online shopping market is large, reaching S$1. 1 billion in 2010, and is expected to reach S$4. 4 billion in 2015. (Techinasia, 2011). This could possibly mean that customers who usually purchase from brick-and-mortar shops like Popular would now shop at online bookstores such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble. While Popular does have an online bookstore, it is not well-known or often-used. Thus, the presence of well-established international online bookstores become a substitute to Popular Bookstores. Also, the affordability of e-books can pose a threat to Popular’s sales of hardcopy books. The price of Kindle Fire, an e-book reader manufactured by Amazon, dropped to US$159, making it more affordable for consumers. Amazon uses the pricing strategy of loss leader, which involves setting the price of Kindle Fire at cost price, and making significant profit from the sale of e-books. Therefore, e-books have now become a substitute of hard-copy books, such as those sold by Popular. 7. 5 Legal Forces The introduction of the Lemon Law in Singapore in September 2012 could affect Popular Bookstores. With the lemon law, consumers can ask for an exchange or even a full refund if goods â€Å"do not meet standards of quality and performance. † (CASE, 2012). This could mean decreased earnings for Popular Bookstore if consumers keep returning to the bookstores to exchange their purchased goods. Without proper enforcement or monitoring, the Lemon Law could even be abused by consumers who repeatedly demand for an exchange or refund, leading to a loss of efficiency and profits. However, Popular is unlikely to be threatened by the Lemon Law, as it already has an exchange policy in place, where it allows its customers to exchange faulty products within 7 days of purchase. 7. 6 Impact of Macro-Environment Forces on Popular Bookstores Popular Bookstore still remains a strong name in the book industry. The fact that it has the majority of the market share in Singapore and that the company’s PBT has been steadily increasing proves that the company has been staying competitive despite the huge number of macroenvironment factors it faces. 8. Market, Industry and Competitive Analysis for Book Buyers in Singapore Our selected market is the market of book buyers in Singapore. These include customers who buy books from both physical bookstores and online bookstores. 8. 1 Market Size The market for book-buyers is that of an oligopoly, with few incumbent firms. Hardcopy book format is still a multi-million dollar industry in Singapore going strong in the face of stiff competition from online book stores. The total market size of brick-and-mortar stores is worth around $165million. In 2011, Popular Bookstores hold about 62. 5% of the total market share, with Kinokuniya (25%) and Times Bookstores (12. 5%) as Popular’s main competitors. 8. 2 Market Trends. Popular Bookstores is still experiencing a growing trend as its value sales grew from $4,106 million in 2006 to $5,107 million in 2011. This may be due to the growing affluence of the Singaporean population, resulting in higher demand for books for both leisure reading and education. However, this trend might not continue in the future. This is in light of stiff competition faced from e-books and online stores such as Amazon, Book Depository. Fortunately, Bookstores like Borders and Page One have all exited the Singapore market and thus there is less competition from these large, well-established firms with Popular Bookstores. 8. 3 Industry SWOT Analysis for Book Buyers in Singapore | |Positive Effect |Negative Effect | |Interna|Strengths |Weaknesses | |l |Popular has a widespread chain of stores throughout Singapore, |Low variety of books as compared to other bookstores such as | |Factors|especially in the heartlands. This makes it very accessible and |Kinokuniya | | |convenient for the customers. |Lack of awareness of its online bookstore | | |Wide range of textbooks and stationery with very strong monopoly power |â€Å"Limited choice† of books on its online bookstore (e.g. Twilight, | | |over assessment books and textbooks |Lord of the Rings, Animal Farm) | | | Existence of { prologue } and Epilogue ( a book cafe located in { |â€Å"Poor interface† (Survey, 2012) of online bookstore | | |prologue } ) to provide an alternative book-buying experience: ‘a novel|Absence of a proper feedback system on its online bookstore | | |brand of book retail therapy, distinctively designed to give a bespoke |Under-utilization of Facebook page resulting in inactivity and | | |multifaceted lifestyle experience’. |unresponsiveness | | |{ prologue } was awarded the Premium Service GEM Award for the Books | | | |and Stationery Category by the Singapore Retailers Association in | | | |recognition of POPULAR’s effort in delivering excellent customer | | | |service. (Chairman’s Statement, Annual Report 2012) | | |Externa|Opportunities |Threats | |l | Growing incomes of book-buyers lead to greater demand for books for  |Local brick-and-mortar competitors such as Kinokuniya are trying | |Factors|leisure and education |to improve their presence by setting up a fourth store in Jurong | | |Many of the target audience are tech-savvy but have yet to purchase |East MRT (JEM) to reach out to more customers. | | |e-book readers such as Kindle or Nook |Due to technological advancement, the Popularity and accessibility| | |Well-established firms like Borders and Page One have previously left |of online bookstores (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository) and| | |the Singapore market, reducing the amount of competition |e-books is decreasing the demand for hardcopy books at physical | | | |stores | | 8.  4 Detailed Industry Analysis of Bookstores | | |Physical Stores |Online Stores | | |Kinokuniya |Second-hand Bookstores |Amazon/Barnes & Noble |Book Depository | |Description |Kinokuniya bookstores are located in central city |Various second-hand bookstores in Singapore |Both Amazon and Barnes & Noble are American online retail |Book Depository is a UK-based | | |locations, with its flagship store located at Ngee Ann |sell many classic and contemporary titles at |giants specialized in selling books in both hardcopy and |independent online bookstore | | |City. Kinokuniya offers a wide range of titles and also a |extremely cheap prices. |e-book formats. They are grouped discussed together in this |which sells mainly hardcopy | | |cafe within its store. |There are many second-hand bookstores in Bras|table due to their similar characteristics. |formats. | | | |Basah Complex. (Eg. Evernew Bookstore, Pro | | | | | |Saint Bookstore, Book Point, Knowledge Book | | | | | |Centre) | | | |Strengths |Offers a wide selection of titles in various languages | Extremely cheap prices will attract |They own an ecosystem of their own through their Kindle and |Provides free shipping services, | | |including English, Chinese, Japanese, French, and German |consumers looking for a good read. |Nook tablet products that allow readers to buy e-books and |which allows prices of books to | | |Successfully marketed itself as a premium bookstore in |Good for casual reading, if the reader is not|download it to their tablet reader immediately. |remain cheap | | |Singapore with majority of its stores in the city area. |looking for a particular title |Online stores result in decreased operational fixed costs such|Occasional discounts of up to 90%| | |Niche market focus on casual book readers | |as rental charges and staffing costs compared to |makes books very cheap | | | Premium membership strategy i.e. More expensive membership| |brick-and-mortar stores. Therefore, they are able to sell | | | |card ($21) offering limited discounts to entice consumers | |both e-books and hardcopy formats at a discounted rate. | | | |to purchase more titles to get back their money’s worth. | |Extremely wide collection of titles. | | | | | |It is easy to search for titles because the search process is | | | | | |automated. | | |Weaknesses |Books are priced higher than its competitors due to its |Limited range of titles, especially newer |Penetration of their respective ecosystems are not widespread |It is relatively unknown to the | | |premium branding and higher rental costs in the city |titles, consumers looking for specific books |in Asia |crowd in Singapore. | | |Limited market penetration due to its limited number of |may not be able to find what they want. |Shipping costs and waiting time negates the benefits of online| | | |stores. | |shopping as price of shipping from America is usually high. | | | | | |Asian titles are not as diverse / rich as they are | | | | | |America-based. | | 8. 5 Competitive Analysis –Using Porter’s Five Forces 8. 5. 1 Threat of New Entrants The threat of new entrants in the physical bookstore industry is relatively low because there are low barriers to entry. This is due to strong customer loyalty to established players like Popular and Kinokuniya dominating the market, high sunk costs and economies of scale setting in late. Also, the book industry is also deemed as a â€Å"sunset industry†, which is less attractive to firms as this is associated with low profitability, so firms are less likely to enter the market. However, these low barriers to entry only apply to the industry of physical bookstores. Popular still faces a different kind of competition from online bookstores, which are close competitors with physical bookstores. 8. 5. 2 Degree of Substitutes There is a high degree of substitutability. In terms of physical bookstores, book buyers in Singapore have many alternatives to turn to – such as big industry players like Kinokuniya and Times and second-hand stores at Bras Basah Complex. Kinokuniya and Times are strong competitors because they offer a greater variety of books from different countries, and have marketed themselves as premium bookstores due to their location in the city area. Second-hand bookstores at Bras Basah Complex (Eg. Evernew Bookstore, Pro Saint Bookstore, Book Point, Knowledge Book Centre) are also a threat because they offer very cheap books. Besides physical stores, online bookstores like Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Book Depository are dominating the book-buying market in Singapore. These online bookstores offer a quick and easy way to purchase books without being physically at the store, and the benefit of having purchases delivered to customers’ doorsteps. E-businesses can also offer more competitively-priced books than Popular because there is no need to pay for rental, which takes up a huge proportion of fixed cost. For example, Amazon sells a book titled â€Å"Act of Valour† at $9. 99, whereas Popular sells the same book at $17. 00. Furthermore, with an increased access to fast and free internet services such as those offered by Wireless@SG, and the availability of safe and convenient electronic payment, e-businesses are becoming closer substitutes to physical bookstores than ever before. 8. 5. 3 Bargaining Power of Buyers The bargaining powers of buyers are relatively low in terms of physical book stores. They have little access to information such as the prices of books, because physical bookstores do not openly publish their prices online, except when there are promotions. Also, most bookstores located in a certain region would sell books at similar prices, so customers who are unwilling to travel would have a low tendency to switch to other physical bookstores if the switching cost exceeds the savings gained from only slightly cheaper books. However, the increased popularity of online bookstores is likely to increase the bargaining power of buyers. Buyers become less dependent on existing channels (ie. Physical bookstores) and can now switch to purchasing books online instead. 8. 5. 4 Bargaining Power of Suppliers There is low bargaining power of suppliers. In terms of the book-buying market, Popular Bookstores’ suppliers are mainly publishing firms. Because there are many suppliers in the market that engage in publishing work, there is a low supplier to firm ratio. This means that Popular Bookstore can switch suppliers easily. Furthermore, there is low switching costs for Popular because they can easily turn to their own subsidiaries such as Novum Organum Publishing House Pte Ltd and Educational Publishing House Pte Ltd. Also, there is low supplier competition because it is hard for suppliers to vertically integrate and sell the products to buyers directly. Therefore, suppliers have a low bargaining power, which strengthens Popular’s position and authority. 8. 5. 5 Degree of Market Rivalry Amongst Existing Competitors There is a strong intensity of market rivalry amongst existing competitors like Times, Kinokuniya, and second-hand bookstores. This is because there is a lot of room for differentiation in terms of the four elements in the marketing mix. Product differentiation can come in the form of the variety of books, in terms of the subject matter and country of origin. Price differentiation can also be present as some bookstores have higher priced books due to their well-known brand name or location. Place differentiation can be in terms of the store environment and store location, while promotion differentiation can be in terms of level of advertising, frequency of discounts, customer access to publicity materials and staff service standards. Therefore, bookstores face much competition amongst themselves because there are so many ways that they can differentiate themselves in providing the optimal book-buying experience for book-buyers in Singapore. 9. Customer Analysis and Segmentation for Book Buyers in Singapore 9. 1 Customer Profile: Book Buyers in Singapore The selected market of focus for Popular is book buyers in Singapore. Potential book buyers are any literate customers in the country, from 6 years-old onwards (Stuart, 2010). This customer base is continuously growing, albeit at a slow rate due to the low fertility rate in Singapore (Wong, 2012). Majority of Singaporeans are literate (Department of Statistics Singapore, 2012) as they have basic primary education which is mandatory for all citizens (Ministry of Education Singapore, 2011). In addition, an influx of foreign talents from other countries to support Singapore’s infrastructure and economy (Yeoh & Lin, 2012) also increases the number of book buyers in Singapore. The incomes of book buyers can be inferred from the Singapore Department of Statistics. The average monthly household from work including employer CPF contributions among resident employed households in 2011 was S$9,618, while the average monthly household income from work per household member including employer’s CPF contributions among resident employed households was S$2,925. These incomes have a generally increasing trend from past years, and were the highest in 2011, reflecting the increasing affluence of book buyers. Because books are normal goods, an increasing income of customers would increase the demand for books. However, since the selected market of focus is solely referring to individuals, businesses or organizations are not included and revenues are not considered. To develop an effective marketing strategy, it is essential to understand the targeted customer base and its segments. Comprehensive profiles of a company’s target customers are often required, and this is done by expending resources to segment these target customers. Book buyers can be segmented according to demographic and psychographic factors. 9. 2 Demographic Segmentation Popular segments its market by key variables such as gender, age, education, race, nationality and the family life cycle. For the identification variable of gender, books relating to beauty and the domestic sphere such as recipe books cater more to women, while the genre of sports and cars appeal more to men. In terms of age, segmentation is characterized by one’s life cycle, as exemplified by pre-school books, children books, teenage fiction and magazines, adult fiction and self-help books, etc. The company’s philosophy of knowledge and education (Chua, 2010) has been manifested in the common sentiment that Popular’s niche is in assessment books and textbooks (Survey, 2012) and is a large portion of the customer base of book buyers. This demonstrates how the market is segmented by education, as books are tailored to the needs of students in each stage of education – primary, secondary and tertiary, and also for students in different disciplines – business, finance, management, etc. The market is also segmented by race, as there are books in different languages such as English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. The variety of books in the Singapore & South East Asia and Asian Collections also show that the market is simultaneously segmented by nationality as well. Finally, the family life cycle is also an important variable as Popular’s books cater to the needs of different families at different parts of the cycle, providing books on sports and leisure for families without children, and books on parenting and health for families with children, etc. 9. 3 Psychographic Segmentation The identification variables of personality, lifestyle and social class also come into play for the selected market of book buyers. Based on the variety of genres provided by Popular such as fiction, classics and literature, comics and humour, astrology and new age and self-improvement, it can be seen that Popular designs its catalogue to appeal to different people with distinct personalities. Likewise, in the culturally diverse Singapore with an inherent cosmopolitan lifestyle, Popular recognizes the importance of suiting the needs of various individuals by offering a selection of books for every lifestyle, such as books on cooking or food and wine, outdoors and nature, photography, travel, etc. The different social classes have also led  to Popular’s expansion in the market, as illustrated by the novel brand of book retail therapy seen in { prologue } (Popular Holdings Limited, 2009) to cater to the higher-income class, which has an â€Å"upscale identity† that is â€Å"quite different from the family-oriented, fluorescent-lit heartlander look and feel that Popular bookstores have come to embody† (Lui, 2009). 10. Marketing Objectives Popular’s main objective is to establish a strong regional presence by becoming a Central Clearing House for both English and Chinese books in the Asia Pacific Region (Popular’s Strategic Vision 2012). As such, their marketing objective is to offer a wide variety of books with relevant, unique, and good quality content at value-for-money prices. (Popular’s Strategic Vision, 2012). Next, Popular aims to differentiate itself from both brick-and-mortar bookstores and online bookstores which both serve the same book-buying market. This is especially important because Popular is in an oligopolistic market and faces strong competition. These brick-and-mortar bookstores include the well-established Kinokuniya, Times and Big Bookshop, and second-handbook stores, while online bookstores include Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Thus, Popular’s marketing objective is to capture a larger market share through differentiation. Lastly, in terms of the variety of books, Popular aims to be the largest and most innovative publisher of bilingual books (Popular’s Strategic Vision, 2012). It attracts publishers like Seashore Publishing (M) Sdn. Bhd. to Singapore, which dominates the market for bilingual cookbook and general-interest Mandarin books. Through its books, Popular also intends to promote the Chinese language, heritage and culture. For instance, Popular organised the National Chinese Creative Reading Competition during the BookFest@Singapore 2011 to ‘make students more aware [of] and stimulate their interest in Chinese culture and heritage through creative reading’ (Chairman’s Statement, Annual Report 2012) 11. Marketing Strategy / Mix 11. 1 Branding and positioning Popular portrays an image that it is a one-stop station where consumers are able to find whatever they need. This image is especially relevant since Popular’s main target group is the masses who usually read best-selling books written by well-known authors. To capture a larger consumer market and establish a strong regional presence, Popular has also ventured into overseas markets such as Malaysia, Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. 11. 2 Price Popular has adopted different pricing strategies for Popular and Prologue. Prologue has adopted a premium price position for their products. This strategy of prestige pricing is appropriate as Prologue is targeted at the higher end consumers who would be willing to pay higher prices. On the other hand, Popular has adopted mainstream price position for their products. The products offered by Popular is at a rather affordable price since it is mainly targeting the majority of the population. Furthermore, Popular offers products at competitive prices compared to other bookstores. With its membership card, Popular offers further discounts on the prices of its products and this further enhances its competitiveness in the industry. In addition, Popular’s membership card can be acquired at a low cost (e. g. $20 for 3-year membership for students), as compared to other bookstores, such as Kinokuniya ($55. 60 for 3-year membership). 11. 3 Product  Popular believes that in order to stay relevant with changing consumers’ taste and preferences, they should continue to innovate by selling new products. Hence, in 2009, Popular opened ‘UrbanWrite’ and ‘{ prologue }’. UrbanWrite, â€Å"a lifestyle stationery concept store that goes beyond the basics†, offer slightly different products such as scrap book materials, stationaries that are not available at Popular Bookstore. With new concept stores under Popular, such as { prologue } and UrbanWrite, it is pertinent to ensure that Popular does not lose its identity as a one-stop station to avoid confusion amongst its consumers.      

The Comitatus Relationship in Beowulf Essays - 602 Words

Throughout history rulers have always been protective of their kingdoms. In hopes of always being in control of their territory, rulers develop special relationships with the people to protect them. This relationship was usually achieved by of instilling fear into the minds of their warriors, or instilling respect between each other. In the story Beowulf the relationship between the ruler and his thanes is that of honor, friendship, and respect. In Anglo Saxon stories, the relationship between the ruler and his thanes is known as comitatus. The comitatus relationship requires that the thane swear to defend a lord to their death, while he provides them with the protection and a share of his wealth and weapons. This sounds like a typical†¦show more content†¦Similar in structure to many other protection relationships, the bond between the lord and his thanes was often family oriented. This always seems to be the case in a protective situation in which a lords life depends upon the dependability of his/her warriors. Because Grendel is a descendent of Cain, and Cain being the most notorious brother slayer, shows that Anglo Saxon culture look very poorly upon a person going against his family. In Beowulf, the comitatus relationship is seen between Hrothgar and his retainers and between Beowulf and his men. The comitatus also extended to a long-standing bond between the Geats (Beowulf?s people) and the Danes (Hrothgar?s people). Because of this bond, Beowulf and his men left their homes and traveled to the lands of the Danes to help them in time of need. This social tie within the society makes the comitatus relationship even stronger. Furthermore, the lord and Thane relationship is represented well in Beowulf. In the first part of the story, the thane Beowulf protects the lord Hrothgar, Beowulf believes in what Hrothgar stands for and is willing to fight for him. Not only does Hrothgar give Beowulf treasures, but he also puts his trust into him: Now Beowulf, best of men, I will love you in my heart like a son, keep to our new kinship from this day on(Crossley, 32). This is an excellent portrayal of the lord and thane relationship, and shows how much appreciationShow MoreRelatedBeowulf Analysis1236 Words   |  5 PagesKnowing Your Place In the poem Beowulf, the author shifts from Beowulf being an orphan to being a king, by incorporating underlying themes such as strength and skill, identity, and shift in power to demonstrate the importance of social structure and the adherence to the comitatus code between noblemen and thanes. The most important literary element that the poet utilizes is strength and skill for the reason that the better you are in combat the more respected you are and the greater your rewardsRead MoreBeowulf : The Epic Of Beowulf1027 Words   |  5 Pages To begin, Beowulf the poem has a unknown author, Beowulf is an epic poem. In Beowulf he is challenged by the murderous monster Grendel, Grendel is eating and slaughtering Hrothgar the King of the Danes men and people, the king needs Beowulf s help in defeating Grendel, Beowulf ends up killing the monster and is now tormented by the monster s mother that is much larger, she is no match for Beowulf and he kills her as well, lastly it is Beowulf†™s last battle after he has been king of Geatland forRead MoreComparing The Epic Of Beowulf979 Words   |  4 Pageswarriors defending their community and their king. The society reflects these values and Beowulf symbolizes this era and its aspects very accurately. The epic of Beowulf is structured around oral writing, the concept of comitatus, Pagan-Christian tension, and warriors. At the time, there was no form of writing meaning all the stories were orally composed, which leads to certain mechanisms and strategies being used. Beowulf was originally composed in Old English and in rhythmic meter to make it easier toRead MoreThe Theme of Father/Son Relationships in Beowulf the Song of Roland1680 Words   |  7 PagesThe Theme of Father/Son Relationships in Beowulf The Song of Roland Thomas Lazzaro Professor Fisher Literary Patterns of European Development Paper #1 2/6/97 The representation of father-son type relationships in early Medieval literary works is a key theme early authors used to give their works more depth and meaning. Two works that use the theme of father-son relationships are Beowulf and The Song of Roland. In Beowulf, the relationship between Hrothgar and Beowulf is one in which there isRead MoreTheme Of Death In Beowulf1097 Words   |  5 PagesBeowulf is an anglo-saxon epic that details the life of Geat warrior Beowulf and his dealings with 3 monsters. The society surrounding this epic is one that values lineage, glory, and success. Although these values are perceived as positive, they are often the root causes of the more malicious aspects of this society: blood-feud and tribal war. It should be duly noted that the poem is bookended with two very meaningful deaths. At the beginning of the poem the death of Scyld Sheafson, founder of theRead MoreOral Tradition And The Middle Ages1163 Words   |  5 Pages The epic of Beowulf was successful in defining Anglo-Saxon culture. War was noteworthy in unifying the tribes because it played a major role in keeping the comitatus strong. The comitatus was part of the Germanic tribal organization based on war bound. The leader, the center of the comitatus, had one main goal, to provide pro tection for his fighters and their families. Pillaging villages and waging war on nearby enemies accomplished this goal. By doing so, members of the comitatus pledged theirRead MoreEssay about Gift-Giving in Beowulf and the Odyssey1707 Words   |  7 PagesGift-Giving in Beowulf and the Odyssey Literature has always been an immensely helpful resource when discerning cultural values in societies past and present. Through the study of noteworthy historic fictional and factual, texts we are able to distinguish parallel characteristics present through many different cultures and time periods. These distinguishing characteristics are one of the main things that help us to determine when and how a society, or world culture as a whole changes as timeRead MoreArchetypes And Ideals Of Beowulf And King892 Words   |  4 Pagesdoes something noble and valiant so they want their readers to follow in his footsteps. The Anglo-Saxon Beowulf and Medieval Christian King Arthur display many archetypes and ideals to shape the story and make it exciting. The Beowulf and King Arthur storytellers use archetypes to create stories with suspense and have their heroes display values of loyalty to their respective listeners. Beowulf, king of the Geats, engages in battles in order to protect his community from physical creatures while KingRead MoreBeowulf: The Canonization of Anglo-Saxon Literature into Modern Popular Culture769 Words   |  4 Pages The cover of the November, 1975 comic book Beowulf: Dragon Slayer features a red-haired, horn-helmeted Beowulf swinging a large broadsword at a purple-caped villain also bearing two razor-sharp swords. As Beowulf rears up on his steed, a bikini clad woman, cloth slightly aside to reveal the shadow of a buttock is drawn falling, face filled with terror. In the background, a rising full moon and silhouetted gothic castle keenly set an atmosphere of dread and foreboding. Above the emboldenedRead MoreThe Roles Of Women During The Time Of War And Hate1287 Words   |  6 Pages In the story of Beowulf, there are several themes that can be extrapolated from the heavy influence of Anglo-Saxon culture. However, one stands out as an important and interesting theme, which is the roles of women during the heavy comitatus bonds of men in the time of war and hate. What may be easily glossed over as subservience and serving as the shadows of the male characters in the time of Beowulf is in ac tuality an important facet of Anglo Saxon culture. The societal expectations of these

Prostitution Is The World s Oldest Profession Essay

â€Å"Prostitution is said to be the world’s oldest profession. It is, indeed, a model of all professional work; the worker relinquishes control over himself†¦ in exchange for money. Because of this passivity it entails, this is a difficult and, for many, a distasteful role.† (Szasz) Prostitution is accompanied with criminalization and the stigma of impurity and danger. â€Å"The National Task Force on Prostitution suggests that over one million people in the US have worked as prostitutes (3).† (Toth) Through time it has been attempted to be eradicated from existence to no avail. The government has worked on behalf of society for its protection against an evil by placing laws that would terminate it. For centuries only the unfit aspects of prostitution have been brought to light while the benefits of the legalization of prostitution have been overlooked. The legalization of prostitution in society has many benefits that overshadow their opposition. It is fo r the greater good of society that prostitution came out of the shadows and be legalized. The practice of prostitution is considered a sin from a religious position. It is deemed as an immoral act that taints the institution of marriage and opposed the word of God by the sale of the body for sexual pleasure. In Canada, in order to preserve the institute of marriage passed a law which in turn discriminated against the â€Å"impure.† (Abrol) Additionally, it is associated as a crime that promotes human trafficking and involves violence.Show MoreRelatedProstitution : The World s Oldest Profession3535 Words   |  15 Pagesâ€Å"Writing is like Prostitution. First you do it for love, and then for a few close friends, and then for money.† People for the legalization of prostitution believe prostitution can create positive outcomes for numerous people. However, other people believe legalizing it will hurt more people than it would help. Therefore, many people believe legalizing prostitution will create numerous benefits, however, others believe legalizing prost itution will produce negative outcomes. Prostitution has been aroundRead MoreProstitution : The World s Oldest Profession895 Words   |  4 PagesProstitution, sometimes referred to as â€Å"the world’s oldest profession† (Henslin, pg. 54), is defined by James M. Henslin as â€Å"the renting of one’s body for sexual purposes† (pg. 54). This arrangement, though illegal and socially deviant in most parts of the world, exists universally in many different forms (pg. 54). As a matter of fact, types of prostitutes range greatly in variety from call girls – who are said to be â€Å"the elite of prostitutes† (pg. 58), to streetwalkers – â€Å"who have the lowest statusRead MoreThe World s Oldest Profession For Nothing1613 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Prostitution isn t inherently immoral, any more than running a company like Enron is inherently immoral. It s how you do it that counts. And the reality is that it will happen anyway. It s not called the world s oldest profession f or nothing. Why not make it, at the least, safe and productive?† -JEANNETTE ANGELL of A Wellness Perspective on Prostitution, Freedom, Religion, and More, Seek Wellness, Apr. 30, 2005. Prostitution, known as the world s oldest profession, and it exists everywhereRead MoreThe Legal Acceptance Of Prostitution1608 Words   |  7 PagesThe Legal Acceptance of Prostitution Prostitution is often called the oldest profession in the world. One of the First forms is scared prostitution supposedly practiced among Sumerians. In ancient sources (Herodotus, Thucydides) there are many traces of scared prostitution, starting perhaps with Babylon where each women had to reach once a year the sanctuary of Militia and have sex with a foreigner as a sign of hospitality for a symbolic price. Prostitution is the sale of sexual services (typicallyRead MoreProstitution Is A Single Right Definition For Prostitution1167 Words   |  5 PagesProstitution is something that has and always will be existent. It’s legal in many parts of the world and it has always been debated whether or not it should be legalized here in the US. There are many aspects to look when determining whether it is the right or wrong thing to legalize prostitution. But first we have define what exactly is prostitution. There’s not a single right definition for prostitution. We could look at the dictionary definition that’s the transfer of money for sexual activityRead MoreThe Moral Issues Of Prostitution1585 Words   |  7 Pageshistory, yet Mary was a prostitute. Is it time that the U. S. Department of Justice legalize the worlds oldest profession in America? Could economic, health and safety reasons outweigh the moral issues of prostitution in a society that is now taking stances o n issues that were once taboo? Prostitution in the United States has always had the moral stigma of being unacceptable in the eyes of its citizens, yet welcomed when prostitution has been used throughout our history to accomplish great thingsRead MoreShould Prostitution Be Legalized?1725 Words   |  7 PagesProstitution Should Be Legalized Some say prostitution is the world s oldest profession. Yet, only a small percentage of the world’s government allows it. The legalization of prostitution is a very controversial topic due to many people’s moral beliefs. Prostitutes all over the world are treated as outcasts. A reason for people to be against prostitution could be due to their religious beliefs, moral standpoints, or lack of knowledge over the subject. Many religions state that sex outside of marriageRead MoreAdvantages of Legalizing Prostitution1749 Words   |  7 PagesProstitution is known as the oldest profession and has been around for millenniums, dating back to Roman, Byzantine, Greek and Egyptian empires (Baldwin, 2004). The ancient cultures of those empires dealt with the needs of the group and consequently developed protocols for dealing with sexual relations that have propagated throughout time to the modern era. As a result, prostitution is prominent in society today. When analyzing the s ex trade, the factors of cultural precedence, philosophy, religionRead MorePro-Prostitution (The Advantages of Prostitution)1469 Words   |  6 PagesProstitution is the act or practice of engaging in sexual activities in the exchange of money (Dictionary.com). Prostitution is believed by many to be the world?s oldest profession with its roots tracing back to ancient times (Otchet). It is a common belief that prostitutes are only women, but the truth is that prostitutes are predominantly of the female gender. In today?s modern society prostitutes are frowned upon by society because they see it as being on the same category as drug addiction andRead MoreWhat is Prostitution?1838 Words   |  7 Pages According to the 2014 Merriam-Webster dictionary, prostitution is defined as â€Å"the act of having sex in exchange for money† (â€Å"Prostitution†). In the United States, the trafficking of sex sales has been illegal since the early 1900’s, with the exception of the 49th state, Alaska (Head). The trade was deemed unethical by the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, also credited with the ban of drug use and the elimination of alcohol in the 1920’s. Today, in all but two states, the buying and selling of

Globalisation Has Revolutionised International Business Essay

Critically examine how globalisation has revolutionised international business and evaluate impacts of this on changing view towards Corporate Social Responsibility. Introduction Globalisation has been a prevalent issue and a wide trending discussion topic. It is defined as, â€Å"a complex economic, political, cultural, and geographic process in which the mobility of capital, organisations, ideas, discourages, and peoples has taken on an increasingly global or transnational form.† (Moghadam, 1999, p. 376). This globalisation phenomenon has built the interrelationship between national markets and industries into worldwide arena. Thus, the trend towards global markets, global production and global competition has been occasioned by the interdependence growth between national economies (Brooks, Weatherston Wilkinson, 2004). Therefore, in consequence of emerging globalisation, it has impacted the international business organisations; the way international business operating the business practises has changed. The nature of macro-environment based on political, economic, technological, environmental and legal areas is required to be measured and analysed by business organisation, specifically for international firms in order to set the strategy and look for the opportunity and threat. One of the elements of globalisation changes is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The concept of CSR nowadays is becoming more crucial as many international business organisations have beenShow MoreRelatedTeaching And Learning Of The 21st Century1098 Words   |  5 Pagescentury is not just about technology or skill for the global economy. Today teachers must be innovator, mentors, entrepreneurs, motivator, illuminators and catalysts. Supporting future-oriented learning and teaching – a New Zealand perspective Report has been prepared for the Ministry of Education in 2012. Hon Hekia Parata (2012) Ministry of New Zealand Education ensured in the introduction that â€Å"Current and emerging technologies play an important enabling role in creating new learning opportunitiesRead MoreThe Consequences of Globalization in Australia1293 Words   |  5 PagesWhat factors are involved and consequences of globalisation for Australia? Much discussion has been conducted on the topic of globalisation of the world of economy. Globalisation may be defined as the increasing economic and financial integration of economies on a global scale. Factors enabling globalisation include the change in technology which is the socialised knowledge of producing goods and services, as well as the reduction in the protection of the world economy such as the successive reductionRead MoreImpact Of Globalization On The Media2634 Words   |  11 Pagesthat the Globalisation of the media has increased our access to information about people and events around the world. However, during the process it has also shifted issues on what should or should not be in the public domain due to media ownership led by Western media corporations. The media shape is reconstructing itself, forming a singular global body playing an essential part in our democracy socially, politically, economically and culturally. Due to this, the effects of globalisation towardsRead MoreImpact Of Globalization On The Media2634 Words   |  11 Pagesthat the Globalisation of the media has increased our access to information about people and events around the world. However, during the process it has also shifted issues on what should or should not be in the public domain due to media ownership led by Western media corporations. The media shape is reconstructing itself, forming a singular global body playing an essential part in our democracy socially, politically, economically and culturally. Due to this, the effects of globalisation towardsRead MoreGlobalization Nestle Essay3797 Words   |  16 PagesInternational Business Q1. Using one specific company with which you are familiar, examine the actual and potential impacts of globalisation on that company. Explain the reasoning behind the points you make. Evaluate possible strategies going forward which the company might use to respond to the impacts of globalisation you have identified. Table of contents 1. Introduction 2. Definition of globalisation 3. Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s Background 4. Impact possible strategies 4.1 Porter`s genericRead MoreStarbucks Globalization And Globalization1816 Words   |  8 Pagesthem to hold the side of exploitation, modern slavery and deforestation. Starbucks has evolved and itself become an icon of globalisation, symbolising the role of corporations in combatting the consumerist society that is the West and exploiting the rest of the world, particularly the vulnerable and poverty stricken Global South. Thus, the contention of this essay is to highlight that the new globalised world has resulted in the exploitation of the Global South, in order to fulfil the consumeristRead MoreManagement Accounting Case Study2102 Words   |  9 PagesExecutive Summary Management accounting over the years has really emerged very significantly in the field of banking and finance. There are numerous objectives and significance that has been reflected in numerous literatures mentioning the primary strategic and management significance management accounting has brought to the table in the field of international finance. As mentioned by many academic and financial scholars, management accounting has today emerged as the most important financial tool whichRead MoreE-learning Essay1460 Words   |  6 PagesE-learning has come to dominate the strategic thinking of employers over the past decade in several countries. Only in recent years in India, there has been focus on e-learning, this is due to the recent development in MNC, BPO and IT concerns. This is widely seen due to the connected economy, become intangible and fast growing among organizations. Due to emerging MNC’s, globalisation has become one of the most important criteria to increase f lexibility of communications, and hence become vitalRead MoreTelevision And The Digital Age1777 Words   |  8 Pagestelevision was once an essential part of the social sphere, advancements in the internet has developed flexible Streaming Videos On-Demand services such as Netflix and Stan which displace some of the demand for cable and free television. The different temporalities of both mediums changes the way consumers use these services and thus transforms its relationship to public life. HISTORY OF TELEVISION Television has been an crucial part of the household since the 20th century, as a medium for traditionalRead MoreThe Future of Globalization5305 Words   |  22 Pagesof Globalization† What exactly is globalisation? Before I talk about the future of globalization it is first of all important to understand what it truly means. From my research on the topic I feel that the following definition by the IMF is the most accurate. They describe globalization as the â€Å"growing economic interdependence of countries worldwide through the increasing volume and a variety of cross-border transactions in goods and services and of international capital flows and also through the

Shakespeare’S The Merchant Of Venice Essay Paper Example For Students

Shakespeare’S The Merchant Of Venice Essay Paper Although Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice is considered a comedy, cruelty runs rampant throughout the entire text of the play. Most of the characters exhibit some form of cruel behavior toward one another, including Lancelot who is cruel to his father Gobbio when he runs into him on the street. He engages the old man in belittling word play because his father has very poor eyesight and cannot tell that he is actually speaking to his own son. Everyone is cruel to Shylock; in fact, he is viewed as the outsider and often referred to as the devil. Shylock is the Jewish moneylender who makes a huge profit by lending money with exorbitant interest rates to the Christian population of Venice. I will not touch on the theme of racism and prejudice in the play, but it is common knowledge that Jews were not seen in a positive light in Elizabethan England at the time when Shakespeare wrote The Merchant of Venice. Shylock hates the merchant Antonio in particular, for Antonio lends money to his fellow Christians without charging any interest on the loans, thus he takes away from Shylocks livelihood. I am going to center my discussion of the theme of cruelty to two of the characters in the play-Shylock and Portia. Although both characters are guilty of egregious and cruel acts, Portias cruel acts against Shylock are seen as more acceptable for a couple of reasons. One reason is that Portia is motivated by her love for Bassanio, and another reason is that Shylock is Jewish, and heartless in his own right. Therefore, it is more socially acceptable to be cruel to him. Love makes the difference between Portias scheming and Shylocks, between his litigation and hers, between his exercise of power and hers (Hobson, 201). In the beginning of the play, we find Portia lamenting about the situation her deceased father has created for her. By my troth, Nerissa, my little body is aweary of this great worldBut this reason is not in the fashion to choose me a husband. O, me, the word choose I may neither choose who I would nor refuse who I dislike. So is the will of a living daughter curbed by the will of a dead father (Act 1, Scene 2). He has willed it so that she may not marry anyone but the one suitor who picks correctly from three caskets, one casket is made of gold, one is made of silver and one is made of lead. The man who picks correctly will find a picture of Portia inside, and he will be the one to marry Portia. Portia is frustrated that she has absolutely no say in whom she will marry-she cannot refuse the suitor who chooses correctly. Another aspect of this cruel arrangement is that if a suitor does not choose correctly, he will be forever banned from marriage. He may not ever ask another woman to marry him, and he will die without an heir. Thus Portias dead father has left a cruel legacy involving his daughter and her suitors. It seems that Portia is lucky in this lottery however. Bassanio chooses correctly from the three caskets and is to marry Portia, and she is happy with the circumstance. This is when the couple learns of Bassanios friend Antonios plight. Antonio had borrowed money on behalf of Bassanio, promising to pay it back when his ships came into port with their cargoes. It seems that Antonios ships were shipwrecked, and he cannot pay back the bond held by the lender, Shylock. Shylock is very adamant about receiving his payment from the doomed Antonio, which calls for a pound of flesh, and therefore death, if the bond is forfeited. As I stated earlier, Shylock possesses a hatred for Antonio fueled by the fact that Antonio lends money without charging interest. I hate him for he is a Christian, but more for that in low simplicity he lends out money in gratis and brings down the rate of usance here with us in Venice. If I catch him once upon the hip, I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him ( Act 1, Scene 3, line 41). Portia tells her newly wedded husband to rush off to the aid if his friend, Antonio, before the marriage is consummated. It seems that Portia has a plan to disguise herself as a young lawyer and she will also go to help Antonio herself. When Shylock enters the Venetian court to ask for justice, the Duke reproaches him when he addresses Antonio-I am sorry for thee. Thou art come to answer a stony adversary, an inhuman wretch. Uncapable of pity, void and empty from any dram of mercy (Act IV, Scene 1, line 3). A little further in the scene the Duke further reproaches Shylock with Shylock, the world thinks, and I think so too, that thou but leadest this fashion of thy malice to the last hour of act, and then, tis thought, Thoult show thy mercy and remorse more strange than is thy strange apparent cruelty; and where thou now exacts the penalty, which is a pound of this poor merchants fleshWe all expect a gentle answer, Jew (Act IV, Scene 1, line 18). Portia furt her condemns Shylock when she is disguised as Balthazar, a young lawyer dispatched by the learned Bellario. She opines that Shylock should be merciful to Antonio because it is the right and Christian thing to do. She more or less tells Shylock that he is wrong because he is Jewish. Portia as Balthazar entreats him repeatedly to forget the bond and take the cash that is offered instead. Shylock adamantly refuses, and stubbornly appeals that he should be shown the same justice such as any other man with a forfeited bond would. He exclaims My deeds upon my head! I crave the law, The penalty and forfeiture of my bond (Act IV, Scene 1, line 213). Portia gives in and agrees with Shylock that he has a right to a pound of flesh at the expense of Antonio, but she then tells him that he cannot shed one drop of Antonios blood. Her cruelty towards Shylock intensifies at this point, because even after Shylock agrees to forgive the bond and take the money as payment, she tells Shylock not only wi ll the court not honor his bond, but that the court will persecute him for his attempt at Antonios life. Tarry, Jew. The law hath yet another hold on you. It is enacted in the laws of Venice, if it be proved against an alien that by direct or indirect attempts he seek the life of any citizen, the party gainst which he doth contrive shall seize one half of his goods; the other half comes to the privy coffer of the stateDown, therefore and beg the mercy of the Duke (Act IV, Scene 1, line 361). Antonio adds further insult to injury when he says that he doesnt want Shylocks money, but that his share should be given to Lorenzo, who married Shylocks daughter Jessica. When Jessica married Lorenzo, she willingly converted to Christianity. It is also demanded of Shylock that he immediately convert to Christianity, which is by far the cruelest act in the play. It is further decreed that upon Shylocks death, all of his possessions should be given to his son-in-law, Lorenzo. Portia has defeated Shylock with her clever and literal interpretation of the law. Shylocks life just drains away from him Nay, take my life and all, pardon not that. You take my house when you do take the prop that doth sustain my house; you do take my life when you take the means whereby I live (Act IV, Scene 1 line 390). Shylock agrees to the contract, but asks that he may leave the court as he has taken ill. Defeated, Shylock leaves the courtroom. .ucda5f6b95ffe090169df157a0d717065 , .ucda5f6b95ffe090169df157a0d717065 .postImageUrl , .ucda5f6b95ffe090169df157a0d717065 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ucda5f6b95ffe090169df157a0d717065 , .ucda5f6b95ffe090169df157a0d717065:hover , .ucda5f6b95ffe090169df157a0d717065:visited , .ucda5f6b95ffe090169df157a0d717065:active { border:0!important; } .ucda5f6b95ffe090169df157a0d717065 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ucda5f6b95ffe090169df157a0d717065 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ucda5f6b95ffe090169df157a0d717065:active , .ucda5f6b95ffe090169df157a0d717065:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ucda5f6b95ffe090169df157a0d717065 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ucda5f6b95ffe090169df157a0d717065 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ucda5f6b95ffe090169df157a0d717065 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ucda5f6b95ffe090169df157a0d717065 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ucda5f6b95ffe090169df157a0d717065:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ucda5f6b95ffe090169df157a0d717065 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ucda5f6b95ffe090169df157a0d717065 .ucda5f6b95ffe090169df157a0d717065-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ucda5f6b95ffe090169df157a0d717065:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Technology 2 EssayIn the previous pages, I have attempted to discuss the theme of cruelty in The Merchant of Venice, paying particular attention to Portia and Shylock. Both characters have not only been the victims of cruel acts, but they have also dealt their fair share of cruelty to others. Portia is seen as a keen and intelligent woman who wielded cruelty in the name of love, specifically to help her new husbands best friend. Shylock is seen as cruel without reason other than the fact that he is not a Christian. Shakespeare Essays

Scope of Outsourcing in Business-Free-Samples-Myassignmentshelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Advantages and Disadvantages of Outsourcing Business Function. Answer: Introduction Outsourcing is defined as a work or a part of business function which is delegated to another entity or person by a company. It can involve delegation of a service or a part of a manufacturing process or any other aspect of a business(Yeboah, 2013). The processes or segments of work which are outsourced to a firm may be carried on the site, i.e. within the premises of the organisation, such as in case of heavy equipment handling ; or outside the business area according to the contracted conditions. The primary factor encouraging outsourcing is cost reduction and flexible terms (Pellicelli, 2012).It can involve simple processes such as packing of goods, transportation services or more complex aspects like manufacturing spare parts, handling of IT support, or marketing. Companies from diverse sectors like telecom, e commerce, transport companies, law firms, food chains, restaurants, and many others outsource some of their work to keep their costs under check while focussing on their ma in segment. The process of outsourcing has been gaining popularity with time, despite some of the uncertainties related to it. For example outsourcing companies may let down during tight schedules and any delay can result to be costly for a firm. There are many conservative organisations that prefer an integrated approach and refrain from outsourcing. With the help of research done, analyses have been made for business owners regarding pros and cons of outsourcing function in business.(Iqbal, 2013) Literature Review Outsourcing is fast becoming a regular feature for any business regardless of its size. Increasing number of organisations is choosing to outsource one or many parts of their work which has enabled them to utilise their manpower and expertise for their core task. It is emerging as a regular summit in the business community and has become a point of discussion for researchers(Kahrovi?, 2015). The need for outsourcing may arise due to a variety of factors which vary from business to business. The major motivating factors for outsourcing are time saving, cost efficiency, and business strategy of the company. Small or big businesses are motivated commonly due to the time and cost factors.(Anon., 2017) Any small or medium organisation are susceptible to cost fluctuations as they do not possess economies of scale , so they have to opt for outsourcing whenever a suppliers costs for a particular service is competitive and quicker than the current alternative. In todays connected economy, one cannot limit its scope to a small region, a company has to deploy strategic management skills which can help them to grow their business and outsourcing provides the most effective answer. By eliminating hiring of managerial personnel, a company can significantly reduce its fixed expenses (Sonfield, 2014).Even when outsourcing is being vastly adopted by many organisations, it must be deployed with caution as if an outsourcing job is not carried correctly, it may cause loss of face and even customer loyalties; therefore there is no assured success when a company outsources its tasks(Kremic, 2006). Sometimes heavy cost cutting results in cost escalations later on. Thus, research literature and academic theory has to be employed to review the scenario correctly, so that it can generate the desired results for companies and their products/services. Scope Of Outsourcing In Buisness People are getting more attracted in getting in house value added services along with strategic management due to which outsourcing has gained much popularity nowadays. Various service sectors like law firms, doctors, hospitals, colleges, etc. are adopting outsourcing for delegating works to others and maximise their use of expertise. Business sectors which provides outsourcing are IT firms that outsources its technical supports to other firms, labour contractors provides labour to factories and related firms, transportation companies provides transport to many companies, lawyers provides legal advice to the companies etc. In currier companys, lots of people are required as the parcels or product needs to be delivered in many areas, sometimes to other countries also(Bucki, 2017). Outsourcing its work to firms in other cities and countries reduces its cost of setting its firm in those areas and also provides efficiency in service. Call centres and computer based programming services a re outsourced by business companies to reduce costs. Human resource tasks are one of the functions which are also outsourced by large number of companies which provides employees benefit program and payroll function. In computer manufacturing firms, parts are purchased from another sources and then assembled. Outsourcing of components can provide cost reduction in parts which would otherwise prove expensive for the company to manufacture of its own along with reasons for higher quality purchase(Robe, 2017). IT department services which earlier were managed in house by self employed staff like Cloud computing, software designing, web designing, online shopping are few examples of IT services that are outsourced by the companies nowadays which provides them with the enhanced computer service tool along with better efficiency. Therefore it can be said that in some or the other way each business firms are depended on each other and has to outsource few of its function as it is not possi ble for a single owner or firm to be good at everything. (Pine, 2017) Objectives Of Outsourcing Companies utilize outsourcing function in order to reduce its time and money by delegating few of its work to others. Along with it there are many services like information provider service, labour, financial consultants, manufacturing parts, etc. which are provided through outsourcing.(Syluancia, 2009) Outsourcing benefits companies with constant growth along with improvement according to present scenario provided the outsourced firm is not outdated, and hence is essential part to keep the company in flow with todays market. Many companies outsource in order to release some of its internal function which can be utilized for further development of the company and also save time and energy.(Riley, 2010) With the growth of business, risks also rise and can sometimes prove to ruin the entire firm or the owner. In order to avoid its fallback on one person or entity, the risks are shared with the outsourcing firms and thus help in dividing concentration risks among them. The reasons behin d outsourcing are many and therefore it is sometimes adopted by firms without looking into its drawbacks which results in its failure. Thus in order to have successful outsourcing function in a business, all the advantages along with disadvantages must be keenly observed.(Kremic, 2006) Advantages Of Outsourcing In brief, advantages of outsourcing can be said as a tool which helps in freeing of cash, facilities, personnel, and time factor in business. Advantages of outsourcing can be various and to understand it precisely various theories have been provided by researchers to explain the uses and factors that are related while deciding upon an outsourcing function. (Konstantopoulos, 2014)Transaction Cost Economics is the theory in which decision regarding task to be outsourced is made. This theory assigns its execution function at the management phase and at change phase.(Bucki, 2017) The useful aspect of the theory is that it can be utilised for the selection of outsourcing convention, which sometimes proves to be complicated. Agency Theory is another theory in which company hires other company agency to perform particular part of work. This helps to reduce time of performing those works in a company and with the help of expertise agency, increases efficiency. For example, in big hotels, cle aning and delivery department is mostly done by outsourcing agencies and thus the hotel saves its energy and cost of hiring full time staff for it. By engaging more people, the work becomes completed faster. Economy of Information Theory is another important theory in which the company engages expert advisors in their management and with the help of their intellectual gets benefitted with enhanced management. Core Competencies Theory is another popular approach in academic literature which is related to utilizing technology in the firm. With its help company can outsource its work to online websites for technological guidance or advertising purpose which is very necessary in todays business(Shah, 2016). Again, sharing tangible and intangible materials is very necessary to overcome difficulties in smooth running of business. With the help of Social Exchange Theory, human interaction is created and inter-connectivity among business organisations is made which helps in sharing technolo gies and resources among each other. These are few among other theories which can justify the advantages of outsourcing in business.(Smith, 2012) In any business time is an important factor which requires to be given into the business and with the help of outsourcing, self liberty is developed which can be utilised for its core development. The risk sharing advantage gives moral support to the owners as it helps in sharing risks at appalling times, thus provides assurance of hold. It can also benefit in cost saving from taxes, labour cost, and reduction in cost of production. By outsourcing managerial part to professionals, efficiency increases along with scope of diversification and expansion of business. Company can also outsource to avoid government regulations by outsourcing legal advisors and hence saves taxes without breaking business moral code.(Niccolls, 2016) Disadvantages Of Outsourcing Disadvantages of outsourcing are also necessary to be looked at while implementing it in business without which the expected result may become unfavourable. Since it delegates its work to outer agencies and people outside the firm, it results in loosing owners control over few of its business parts. After delegation, the performance of the work is controlled by others and chances of its fall back become high if the delegated agency is suspicious. The most important disadvantage which lies in delegation of work is that sometimes the freelancers or external agencies gets motivated for their profits only.(Stevenson, 2009) It then reduces the overall quality of work or job as they are engaged with many firms and does not concentrate in enhancing quality. Outsourcing agencies can also cheat by making the delegating team sign contracts which are unfavourable. Mostly the documents are lengthy with fine prints, it affect the business delegators in getting ripped off. Another disadvantage out sourcing has that it might have hidden costs which are not made clear before handed and thus creates a fallback in business if not recognised properly while making decisions. Thus the management needs to tread cautiously before reading contracts and signing it to outsource functions to others(Riggins, 2017). Outsourcing increases security risks as personal data is often shared while outsourcing internal managerial areas which also lead in risking safekeeping of data. Few agencies or professionals do not maintain timeline and delays the work by not synchronising time schedules with the delegators and remains busy with other clients. Outsourcing business functions to other countries is another major problem which mostly results in loosing public morale and thus taken negatively in many countries. Along with it other disadvantage outsourcing has that it sometimes becomes very complex and lengthy and can consume lot of time and entails unnecessary time consumption. From the entire disad vantage mentioned in the research it is clearly understood that although need for outsourcing is increasing; the disadvantages related are also becoming well-known and should be taken into consideration to avoid fallback.(Mol, 2009) Conclusion Outsourcing has become core in todays business world and cannot be exempted. Although there are few companies who still believes in working under its own area and restricts outsourcing, but then the chances of their diversification and social engagements becomes less.(Slowik, 2016) With the growing competencies, it has been taken as a positive approach by researchers which can help business grow in shorter period of time. But then consequences are also important to be recognised to avoid adverse affects and hence require deep concentration. If outsourced with proper detection, benefits can be recognised and the proprietors are freed to reinvest their time and energy for other important functions in the business. With a team of skilled professionals, the work becomes more strategic and in flow along with cost control by reducing full time staff. Thus with the help of analysis, it can be concluded that outsourcing if done with caution can prove to be advantageous and is unavoidable fun ction of business. References Anon., 2017. 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