Zara Retailing Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Zara Retailing Analysis - Essay Example Key competitive advantage Among of Zara’s competitive advantages are its manpower and human resource management. It is noted that 80% of its employees were engaged in retail sales in stores and 8.5% were involved in manufacturing, design, logistics, distribution, and the remaining were part of headquarters’ activities. This only implies that Zara is good at optimizing its entire operation especially on its supply chain management. Zara is also aggressive in its expansion program considering that 80% of its capital expenditures is appropriated to new store openings, 19% on refurbishing and 10% on logistics. This is one of its competitive advantages because its renowned international competitors are not that aggressive in their expansion program. Zara is also known to consider great savings on employment. It tries to gain more in its manpower expenses by choosing personnel with substantial experience in the clothing industry but with a relatively cheap labor. This is one of the reasons why Zara is generating much competitive income in its operations compared to its competitors. The three international leading competitors of Zara are the Gap from the United States, Hennes & Mauritz from Sweden, and Benetton from Italy. Geographically speaking, it is an advantage for Zara because apparel disposal in 2000 is higher in Europe which is 34%, and followed by the United States which is 29% and in Asia which is 23% (Case 32: Zara: Fast fashion). Zara is based in Europe and this is an advantage on its part because of its proximity in the profitable market for apparel in the world. The proximity is an advantage because this has something to do with other strategic advantage when it comes to culture and understanding customer’s needs at the deepest level. In fact, it is in line with this that Zara has continuous innovation based on customer’s desires. Inditext’s financial comparison Shown in Table 1 are some of the indicators of the financi al performance of Inditex, Benetton, H&M, and Gap. Gap has the highest net operating revenue among the three other retailing companies which is an indication that it may either has more retail outlets than the other or it is really at its best in stimulating needs or demand for its product offerings. Next to Gap is H&M followed by Inditex and finally Benetton. The net revenue can be an indication of market share and in this case, Inditex is not far behind the Gap and H&M. The same trend goes on from gross profit margin until operating efficiency. The operating efficiency is the operating expenses as a percentage of net operating revenues. The above indicators are not enough to tell which among of the four companies have higher profitability. When it comes to profitability, Inditex is more profitable compared to Gap, H&M and Benetton. Inditex has 10.5% net profit margin which is an indication that it has substantially generated more profits. This is the effect of maximizing its opera tion and resources. In fact, its PPE (property, plant and equipment) as percentage of net operating revenue is also higher than the other retailing companies. This is another indication that Inditex has substantially maximized its operation and resources to the fullest compared to the other retailing companies. Table 1. Financial performance of Inditex and its three international competitors Operating results (â‚ ¬ Millions) Gap H&M Benetton Inditex Net operating revenue 15,559 4,269 2,098 3,250 Gross margin 4,656 2,204 909 1,687 Operating efficiency 27.4% 37.8% 29.7% 30.2% Net profit margin -0.05% 9.6% 7.1% 10.5% PPE (% of net operating revenue 30.2% 15.9% 34.3% 37.8% Zara’s fast response model Zara’s fast response model contributes to its competitive advantage. The market for young

Enewsletter analysis Essay Example for Free

Enewsletter analysis Essay The e-newsletter I chose is the daily newsletter from Saint Louis University that is sent to all students, faculty, staff and alumni via email. The university just started sending this newsletter to students this year, as previously it just went to the faculty and staff. Overall, the content of the newsletter is more pertinent to the faculty, staff and alumni. But with the inclusion of student readers the newsletter now makes some room for student news. The layout of this newsletter has â€Å"News Announcements† at the very top with â€Å"Today’s Events† and â€Å"Upcoming Ongoing Events† right next to it. Something very effective of this newsletter is the picture right below the â€Å"News Announcements† title, as it draws in the attention of the reader right away. Below the event listings is â€Å"SLU in the News†, where it lists blips of SLU and its professors in various media outlets. I thought this was also very effective as it give the readers (people of the SLU community) a reminder that people in their community are doing great things and that the readers ought to be proud of the SLU community. This newsletter doesn’t actually have the article right on there, but has links to the â€Å"full story† underneath each title. Each title also has a teaser to intrigue the reader into reading further and clicking the link, but one cannot read the articles right there on the newsletter. This may be a good strategy if the reader has a short attention span and is only glancing through the newsletter, but I think it lessens the quality of the newsletter overall as the newsletter doesn’t provide much information at face value. An interesting thing about this newsletter is that at the very bottom readers can click a link and â€Å"submit news†. This allows readers to be interactive with the newsletter and with what’s happening in their community. The color scheme just reflects the school colors of the university, and aren’t really anything interesting or creative. Article Revision The article I am revising for a blog/social media announcement is the one entitled: Volunteer for Campus Kitchen Through Mid June. I thought that this article would be the one most likely rehashed onto a blog or social media cite. Need something to do for the summer? Help is still needed throughout the month of June at Campus Kitchens. Shifts are available on Sundays between 1-3 p. m. and Wednesdays between 4-6 p. m. Volunteers can cook or pick up food, organize meals and deliver meals. Call (314) 977-3881 or e-mail Jenny at [emailprotected] org to sign up! Volunteer for one shift or for the whole month of June, it doesn’t matter. People are just needed till the summer volunteers arrive in July. A big thanks to the ITS department for volunteering for every Monday shift! Thank you for your time and hard work.

Community Policing in Extremely Depressed Areas Essay -- Policing Hot

To residents of the suburbs, all economically distressed districts of the city may seem dangerous and threatening, however, to residents of these poor districts, it is just home. The local residents know the truly crime-ridden areas of each district. This essay will refer to these crime-ridden areas within poor communities as "hot spots" or "skid-row". Skid-row is generally an area of the economically distressed community that is plagued with vagrants, criminals, drug abusers and other individuals thought to be of exile from normal society (Bittner, 1967). This is an area where law abiding, poor citizens do not wish to venture (Bittner, 1967). Due to this stigma, skid-row is an area that is patrolled by police, who generally take on the role of a peacekeeper. Their role of peacekeeper is driven by their ability to apply a great deal of discretion in their law enforcement duties, as well as their need to contain the criminal activities specifically found in the skid-row are as. The police are given a great deal of discretion in performing their duties. They make decisions on a daily basis, whether to arrest an individual on more minor offenses, or to give an individual a warning and promise to â€Å"keep an eye† on the person or area in the future (Bittner, 1967). When the officers make such decisions to not effect an arrest for a violation, they are essentially taking on the role of peacekeeper. The officer is trying to influence the actions of individuals, such as those in skid-row areas, to not commit further crimes (Bittner, 1967). The discretion not to arrest for certain crimes is likewise an attempt to contain the criminal activities to a specific area, as to not affect others (Bittner, 1967). Bittner (1967... ...aining crimes to certain areas, has proven effective (Eck and Spellman, 1986). References Bittner, Egon. (1967). The police on skid-row: A study of peace keeping. American Sociological Review, 32 (5): 699-715. Brown, Michael K. (1981). Nonenforcement: Minor violations and disturbances. In Working the Street Chapter 7 (pp. 182-220). New York: Russell Sage Foundation. Eck, John E. and Spelman, William (1987). Who ya gonna call? The police as problem busters. In Crime & Delinquency, 33: 31-52. Fyfe, James J. (1993). Good policing. In Brian Forst (ed.), The Socioeconomics of Crime and Justice Chapter 12 (pp. 269-289). Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe Nowicki, Dennis E. (1998). Mixed messages. In Geoffrey P. Alpert and Alex Piquero (eds.), Community Policing: Contemporary Readings. (pp. 265-274). Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press, Inc.

A Mission or Personal Vision Statement (VV1) Essay

We begin this seminar with the development of a personal mission or vision statement. We use this statement in this seminar to emphasize that your time at the UW begins with dreams and visions you hold for the life that is still ahead of you. We ask you to write a mission statement that is reflective of who you are and what your sense of calling, purpose, vocation, or meaning of life. Mission statements are helpful for many reasons, but primarily they are used as a tool to encourage you to consciously reflect on who you are and what you are doing at the UW. As you progress through your educational experience here, you will find that you will take many side roads, you will wander off the path, hurry ahead of yourself, and even become unsure and hidden in the brambles. We have found that a personal mission statement is helpful when the way becomes cloudy; to return to a written statement of your essence and purpose in life can often help you forge your chosen path. Definitions[1]: †¢ â€Å"Values: ‘Concepts, principles, or standards that drive one’s decisions and actions. ’ Examples of values are honesty, persistence, dependability, self-sufficiency, and faith. † †¢ A vision statement: ‘A statement of three or four sentences describing a desired future – not a predicted future. ’ Here is an example of a vision statement (stated as if the vision has already been achieved, so that it is positive and powerful): ‘I am a person who is peaceful and an example to others of that peace, which comes from faith in God. I am considered to be an inspirational teacher of great integrity. I lead a simple life style that includes plenty of time for myself, my family, and my friends as well as service to others. ’ †¢ A mission statement: ‘A succinct, easy-to-remember statement that provides direction for one’s life. ’ Here is an example of a very short mission statement developed from the sample vision statement quoted above: ‘I am committed to living in accordance with my faith in God, maintaining a happy marriage, and being a loving and supportive parent. In my professional life, I seek to empower high school students by providing quality teaching while adhering to my religious principles. I want to live a simple life style. ’ Note that a mission statement may be lengthier if desired, but brevity is important. During this process it is critical to ensure consistency between values, the vision statement, and the mission statement. If these three components are not consistent, it is not possible to devise a workable plan. † To get you thinking about the development of your mission statement, please spend some time thinking about the following questions: Why are you here today? What are the life values that you hold most near to your heart? What is it you are most passionate about? What hopes do you have for your UW experience? What hopes do you have for your life beyond the UW? The answers you develop through these activities and exercises will be the basis of your personal mission and vision statement. Most are 1 page or less in length. We also see this mission statement as highly fluid. As you continue your education, we hope that some of your initial ideas and longings remain the same and we also hope that you will be changed. To this end, the personal mission statement is a malleable document that begins today, will be submitted formally at the end of the seminar, and will continue to represent you and your becoming while at the UW. The following worksheets are a guide to help you answer some of those significant questions in an organized format. Creating or Revising Your Personal Vision[2] by Dr. Linda Phillips-Jones It’s good to create or revise the â€Å"personal vision† you have for your life. A compelling vision can help you succeed, be more satisfied with your life, and get the most out of your all relationships and experiences. Following is a tool for doing that. Importance of Having a Personal Vision Numerous experts on leadership and personal development emphasize how vital it is for you to craft your own personal vision for your life. Warren Bennis, Stephen Covey, Peter Senge, and others point out that a powerful vision can help you succeed far beyond where you’d be without one. That vision can propel you and inspire those around you to reach their own dreams. I’ve learned in my own life and in working as a psychologist that if you don’t identify your vision, others will plan and direct your life for you. I’ve worked with too many individuals who late in their lives said, â€Å"If only. . . .† You don’t have to be one of them. Senge defines vision as what you want to create of yourself and the world around you. What does your vision include? Making a vital change in an area such as health, technology, or the environment? Raising happy, well-adjusted children? Writing a book? Owning your own business? Living on a beach? Being very fit and healthy? Visiting every continent? Helping others with their spiritual development? What are you good at? What do you love to do? What aren’t you good at now, but you’d like to be? All of these important questions are part of identifying your personal vision. |Things I Really Enjoy Doing |What Brings Me Happiness/Joy |The Two Best Moments of My Past |Three Things I’d Do If I Won | | | |Week |the Lottery | | | | | | | | | | | | | |. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Issues or Causes I Care Deeply |My Most Important Values |Things I Can Do at the |What I’d Like to Stop Doing or | |About |(Circle) |Good-to-Excellent Level |Do as Little as Possible | | |Having integrity | | | | | | | | | |Serving/pleasing a higher being| | | | |or calling | | | | | | | | | |Being fit and healthy | | | | | | | | | |Having a nice home | | | | |and belongings | | | | | | | | | |Leaving the world a better || | | |place | | | | | | | | | |Having fun | | | | | | | | | |Learning and improving myself | | | | | | | | | |Making others’ lives easier or | | | | |more pleasant | | | | | | | | | |Enjoying my family | | | | |Others? (Add) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ———————– [1] The 1995 Annual – Volume 1 Training, Pfeiffer & Company, Sand Diego, CA, p. 63. [2] Printed by permissions from: http://www. mentoringgroup. com/html/articles/mentee_1. html CCC/THE MENTORING GROUP, www. mentoringgroup. com, 13560 Mesa Drive, Grass Valley, CA 95949, USA, Phone: 530. 268. 1146 Fax: 530. 268. 3636 e-mail: info@mentoringgroup. com.

Racial bias in the criminal justice system Essay

Numerous study have found widespread racial bias in US criminal justice system. A new report issued by a coalition of civil rights organizations calls the â€Å"massively and pervasively biased† treatment on blacks and Hispanics by the US police and courts the major civil rights problem of the twenty-first century entitled â€Å"Justice on Trial : Racial Disparities in the American Criminal Justice System.† The study finds that minorities in the US face discriminatory treatment at every stage of the judicial process, from arrest to incarceration. The 95 page report was issued by the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights based in Washington DC. It’s findings show that blacks, Hispanics and other minorities face unfair targeting by police and other law enforcement officials, racially biased charging and plea bargaining decisions by prosecutors and discriminatory  sentencing by judges.In a report released from Washington DC- Amnesty International criticized Us Federal and state justice systems as riddled with racial discrimination. The report, Racism and the Administration of Justice, cites  as evidence the disproportionate rate of minorities incarcerated, sentenced to death, and executed in the US. In its report, Amnesty International cited cases of racial profiling, unlawful use of force, unlawful shootings, and  deaths in custody affecting minorities from at least 10 states in the US. African Americans and other minorities suffer disproportionate rates of incarceration, accounting for 60 percent of the 1.7 million people currently in jail or prison in the US. African American men are imprisoned at more than eight times the rate of white men, and one third of all young African American men are in jail or prison, on parole, or on probation. African American women are imprisoned at eight times, and Hispanic women at four times, the rate of white women.The overwhelming majority of victims of police brutality, unlawful shootings and deaths in custody are members of racial minorities. A study of 2,000 murder cases in Georgia found that the odds of a death sentence in cases in which blacks murdered whites were s much as 11 times higher than when whites murdered blacks. A study found that in Philadelphia a black defendant is four times more likely to receive a  death sentence than a white defendant. Racism that perverts the course of justice is a daily fact of life for many in the US, yet this plague of bias is over looked, ignored or openly tolerated by police chiefs , prison wardens, judges and our political leaders.Today a full two-thirds of America’s two million prisoners are people of color. One million are African American and 400,000 are Hispanic/  Latino. People of color represent one third of those arrested for drug crimes, but two-thirds of those sent to prison. Whites and racial minorities live in  completely different worlds when it comes to the American criminal justice system.. Since as far back as the 1920’s minorities have been ov er-represented in federal and state prisons. Minorities were then 25% of all prisoners while only about ten percent of the total population.The Kerner Commission warned in its report: â€Å"Our nation is moving towards two societies, one black, one white-separate and unequal.Coramae Richey Mann, Unequal Justice, suggests that white Americans view the classic rapist as a â€Å"black man,† the typical opium user as a â€Å"yellow man,† the archetypal knife wielder as a â€Å"brown man,† the â€Å"red man† as a drunken Indian, and each of these people of color as collectively constituting the â€Å"crime problem†. The race or ethnicity of the stereotyped perpetrator varies between African American, Hispanic, or Native American depending on the nature of the crime or the section of the country.These prejudicial images provide a social-psychological under girding upon which many of the discriminatory aspects of the criminal justice system are  constructed.Racial Discrimination is defined as including any distinction or impairing the exercise of a person’s human rights. The discriminatory treatment of people of color in the criminal justice system fits squarely under  this standard.