Market research is the key to success Essays

Market research is the key to success Essays Market research is the key to success Essay Market research is the key to success Essay p9) It might also have used customer interviews or questionnaires, focus or user groups, surveys or panels as one of the sources in order to have a general consumers overview. There are several advantages associated with field research. Tesco could aim questions directly at research objectives, derive latest information from the marketplace and assess the psychology of the customers. Moreover, the relevant data could be a competitive advantage as other rivals will not have had access to it. As for the drawbacks, it can be costly, time-consuming and at the same time Tesco taking risk of bias questionnaires and interviewer. In additions, the research findings may only be usable if comparable backdata exists (Marcouse, 2008, p144). On the contrary, desk research uses secondary data that already exists. If Tesco carried out desk research, it could collect data via internal and external resources. Internal resources may consisted of company accounts, internal reports and analysis, retail data (e. g. loyalty cards) and stock analysis (Biz/ed, n. d. ); whereas external resources may comprised rivals marketing literature, government-produced data, trade press and the internet (Marcouse, 2008, p143-144). Desk research often obtained a wide range of data without high cost, and usually based on actual sales figures or research on large samples which increase accuracy of the data. A further advantage is allowing Tesco to have a good overview of the market. However, the data may not be updated regularly and not tailor-made to companys need. Similarly, the reports may be expensive to buy on various marketplaces (ibid, p144). Market research data could be numerical or psychological, namely, quantitative or qualitative (Marcouse, 2008, p143). If Tesco used quantitative research, it concerns with gathering hard data on large sample of people and presenting information on statistical basis, such as diagrams that could be used to analyse the information. It usually interrelated with data on the market size, shares and growth. Three key perspectives to be considered by Tesco, that are sampling, writing an unbiased questionnaire that meet the research objectives, and assessing the validity of the results (ibid, p146). If Tesco used qualitative research, they could understand consumers behaviour, attitudes and perceptions in some depth but not statistics data. It usually conducted by psychologists and takes two main forms which are focus groups and depth interviews. Focus groups conducted with psychologists and a group of consumers; whereas depth interviews only between a psychologist and a consumer, which is better as to avoid risk that group opinions will be swayed by certain influential person (ibid, p145). It is at best if Tesco combined both research types as one because if only one research type being conducted, Tesco would not get a whole picture of consumers behaviour, attitudes and perceptions. Sampling means selecting people as representative of the whole of a population which their view will be taken as representative of all first-time buyers. There are three main sampling techniques that Tesco might have used. If Tesco used random samples, it ensures everyone in the population has an equal chance of being selected. It would be effective, but costly and time-consuming, and may have chosen those not in the right group. If Tesco chosen quota sampling, it selecting interviewees in proportion to the consumer profile within the target market (ibid, p146). It aims at obtaining a sample that represents the overall population (tutor2u, n. d. ). It is relatively cheap, effective and most commonly used. However, it is not random thus enduring some risk of bias. If Tesco opted stratified sampling, it only involved interviewees with key characteristic required for the sample. Within this stratum of population, individuals could be found indiscriminately or by setting quotas based on factors such as region (Marcouse, 2008, p143). Although it still random, it is more focussed, relevant and may be more cost effective. It is important for Tesco to consider the sample size and response rate as these could lead to serious issues such as launch of product flopped. Generally, a sample of 100 respondents is far more meaningful if the results are clear-cut. A sample of 1000 respondents is possible but costly. Survey methods may have influence in response rate and built-in bias rate. Database-driven research, for instance, may be the most accurate and reliable resource as it information bases upon current or ex-customers. Market research helps firms to plan ahead rather than to guess ahead (The Times 100). Large established companies such as Tesco have huge advantages over new smaller companies as their knowledge of consumer attitudes and behaviour constructed from years of market research conducted. However, it may not be the only factor that determines the success of a business. Test marketing, for instance, could provide more accurate data than marketing research, thus allows more accurate sales forecasts and identify a weak link; howsoever, it is far costly, acquire large-scale of production and allows rivals to foreseen. Besides, innovation enables company to distinguish themselves from rivals and even interrupt the product life cycle by extend the product maturity. Furthermore, external factors such as economic and environment could be the main issues. As an example, global recession is claimed by Tim Mason to be one of the factors that caused Tescos losses in US stores (Finch, 2009). Taking everything into consideration, certain conclusion can be drawn. Tesco which has strong home branding and in a very good financial health, that Fresh and Easy strategy would be far more effective and accurate if Tesco conducted both primary and secondary marketing research which combining both qualitative and quantitative research in specific locality of their United State stores. It appears probable that marketing research may be fairly important as one of the factors that determine the success of a business but may not be the only crucial factor.

The Chevron USA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Chevron USA - Essay Example In this connection, the EPA framed regulations in 1981 enabling the nonattainment states to adopt a ‘bubble approach’ to comply with the prescribed standards of air quality. The bubble concept treats the entire plant with multiple sub-plants as one single bubble and permits variations in emission levels as long as the total emissions do not exceed the permissible levels. The moot point is what stationery source means. Whether each subunit is a stationary source or all of them in an industrial grouping? The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) opposed the bubble concept in the Court of Appeals alleging that the bubble concept was unlawful. Although the Appeals Court agreed with the NRDC’s stand, the Supreme Court where in Chevron an affected party impleaded itself along with the EPA, held that since there was no particular reason adduced in the legislative history of the relevant provision of the Clean Air Act, EPA’s interpretation in a reasonable manne r cannot be found fault with by the judiciary. The Supreme Court held that the â€Å"bubble† theory was a matter of policy which should be rather addressed to legislators or administrators and not the judiciary. The decision is considered a land mark in the administrative law since it allows greater flexibility for the administrative agencies to interpret law which until the decision was the job of judiciary alone. Post Chevron, government agencies enjoy greater freedom in interpreting the law which the Congress has left any issue unexplained or ambiguous (Shultz). The Administrative Procedure Act (APA) 1946 is a federal law governing the manner in which the federal agencies frame regulations and it provides for judicial review of agency decisions. (BarnesGreenBook). Section 706 (2) (A) of the APA provides for the reviewing court to hold any decision as â€Å"arbitrary capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law†. (BarnesGreenBook) The C hevron case is not only a land mark decision in administrative law but also in the domain of ‘separation of powers’. The case which dealt with the issue of meaning of ‘stationary source’ has now become an oft-cited decision ever since. The bubble concept or plant-wide concept has resulted in calculation of plant emission as a whole instead of calculating the emission of pollutant from each pollution-emitting equipment. This enables industrial units having more than one source of pollutant emitting devices to sustain an increase coming from one device through a corresponding reduction in another device within the same industrial unit. It has been rendered possible due to the Apex court’s examining the bona-fides of an agency through a two-step test. First step is to check whether the legislative history speaks of Congressional deliberations on the precise question at issue. If the legislative intent is clear, the Court must give effect to the Congress ional intent which is unambiguously clear. If not, instead of arriving at its own conclusion, the Court should see whether the agency’s interpretation is ‘based on a permissible construction of the statute’. Thus in the instant case, Justice Stevens examined the statutory text of the Clean Air Act and its legislative history. He found there was no evidence to show that the Congress had

English Literature lesson 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

English Literature lesson 4 - Essay Example It is difficult to maintain a reasonable attitude when only one half of the argument is presented with only an appeal to hold yourself blameless as a newborn baby. This is the crux of my dispute with you regarding our relationship and estrangement. I continue to try to communicate with you as openly as I can, accepting my faults as a father and acknowledging where perhaps I may have had negative affects on you, but you continue to accept no blame or fault in yourself – not in truth. You mouth all the correct platitudes, but you continue to blame me for your character. You say I am not guilty of causing your distress and so you are correct in that I had no control over the way in which you reacted to my personality. This personality is the result of the choices I have made, the thoughts I have entertained, the knowledge I have gained and the beliefs I have accepted. As my child, I had no reason to expect your personality to be so much different from my own. You are my child and raised by my hand from your birth so you should respond in much the same way to the world as I respond myself. But you refused to do this. You were a sickly and crying baby and you seemed to cringe at the slightest kindness. Throughout your childhood I attempted to find ways of interacting with you that would not interfere with your development. I took you places with me and showed off your skills to my constituents. To boast about your skills in front of you would have been to unduly inflate your sense of yourself and make you an impossibly spoiled child. Just the fact tha t I took you should have demonstrated to you the pride I had in you as my son. I have acknowledged previously that I do have a short temper and tend to say things I do not mean when I’m angry. This was the example of my father and, as you learned, of other shopkeepers and

Influence of Bollywood on Fashion and Film

Influence of Bollywood on Fashion and Film Film, Fashion, and Beyond: The Influence of Bollywood. The relationship between the world of fashion and the world of cinema is complex and intertwined. Film allows us the opportunity to escape for a few hours into lives that are not our own—lives that may be, in fact, quite different from our own. In a similar vein, fashion gives us the opportunity to re-invent ourselves by constructing our external appearance to accommodate the shift in self-image. These shifts in image often reflect the icons we admire in the movies. Perhaps we cannot become them, but we can become like them. One way in which we do this by following their lead: by adopting the distinctive fashion styles associated with them. Sometimes, this can be something simple, such as buying a new pair of designer jeans. At other times, this can mean embracing a culture that may be foreign to us. This is how Hindi styles have begun to take hold in mainstream fashion. The latest word in film—and in fashion—is Bollywood. Bollywood is used informally to refer to the film industry in India. It was coined as a shortened form of Bombay plus Hollywood. Bombays name has since changed to Mumbai, but the name Bollywood is here to stay—as is the industry: The film industry in Bombay. . . is the biggest in the world. It makes almost double the number of movies and sells a billion more tickets each year than Hollywood (Boyk 2004). The influences of Bollywood are ubiquitous; they can be seen in everything from haute couture fashion to music, often blurring the line between high and low art. In addition, the popularity of Bollywood movies has led to a high demand for the kinds of clothing worn on the big screen. Traditional Hindi dress has become a sought-after commodity all over the world.   The fact that Indian-style clothing has become so in-demand is quite a contrast to years past. Until Indian films became popular, western clothes were the preferred attire, and they dominated the fashion world. Western-style clothing was most often what was worn in movies, and mainstream culture responded to that. Hindi garments, on the other hand, were considered unattractive and out-of-date. This began to change when Mumbai-based movies began to receive acclaim. The stars of these movies wore Indian garments, and this made Hindi-style clothing seem glamorous. Bollywood fashions are no longer regarded as gaudy or unstylish, because there’s top talent working behind the scenes (Melwani 2005). This is a clear example that demonstrates the power of celebrities. Many celebrities are idolized by their fans. Because of this exalted status, the clothing they wear takes on positive associations. Thus, fans who admire them will naturally want to emulate them. They do this by using the same products the stars endorse. At times celebrities will publicly endorse a product, by appearing in a magazine advertisement or a commercial. At other times, however, they do not need to make an effort to sell the product or style of clothing. The mere fact that they are wearing or using it is considered by many to be endorsement enough. Each time one of these stars appears in a film, the clothing they wear becomes a desired commodity. This includes accessories, footwear, and jewelry. In addition, the way they wear the garment can become a trend in itself. For example, if they do something different or daring, chances are that this, too, will be copied by their fans. In fact, it has been asserted that each film is a brand in itself, and as each film releases we have a fresh new brand of fashion and lifestyle products pushing fashion among the masses (Bansal 2005). It seems clear that the film industry is closely intertwined with the world of fashion. After all, selling fashion products is a perception game. While the product needs to be inherently good and wearable, the aspiration value comes from its association with a leading personality who the masses idolise and look up to (Bansal 2005). It is through the subliminal—and not so subliminal messages of film that we grew accustomed to designer names like Tommy Hilfiger or Fubu. The increasing popularity of Hindi films has had a similar effect on our likes and dislikes, as the fashions associated with them have become highly marketable. The most popular role models of Bollywood include such superstars as Bipasha Basu, Madhu Sapre, Katrina Kaif, Dino Morea, and John Abraham The movies themselves are popular for a variety of reasons. First of all, they are usually entertaining, with compelling scenery and appealing musical backgrounds. In addition, they are the types of movies that allow viewers to escape from their own lives and be wrapped up with what is on the screen. Generally they have a plot line that is some variation on the rags-to-riches theme. There is usually some sort of romance, and of course, the boy always gets the girl in Bollywood. These movies also have an appeal that reaches all ages as well as all ethnicities—perhaps because most people like a happy ending. However, Bollywood films may appeal to young Indians on a deeper level. The actors who star in them are true role models, because the films mirror issues that are specific to them: Increasingly these films are about the schizophrenic worlds that contemporary young Indians live in, the worlds of airplanes, blended cultures and the east-west embrace (Melwani 2005). Thus, young people recognize and respond to this. They, too, want to be strong and independent. They express their admiration by modeling themselves after their icons; in addition, they tacitly express their aspirations by emulating the very people who embody them. The explosion of Bollywood fashion has also increased cultural knowledge, as new terms for specific garments filter into other languages. The sari (also spelled saree) is an unstitched piece of cloth that is draped around a womans body; this, of course, the most well known. Other words have cropped up as well, such as salwar-kameez and dupatta. The salwar-kameez refers to a womens suit that usually consists of a kameez (tunic), a salwar (pair of loose pants), and a dupatta (matching scarf worn in various ways). These garments, traditionally worn by women of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, are now becoming globally known. In fact, the fashion world within India itself has undergone a transformation. According to fashion designer Ritu Kumar, in India, the fashion scenario was in confusion as it was a turbulent period of conflicting ideologies, when the consciousness of an Indian national identity was beginning to find political expression and the struggle for Indian independence was getting momentum.   Fashion trends prior to Bollywood were dictated by higher echelons of society. This, in turn, was strongly influenced by the British. In addition, the body image of the femme fatale of Hindi women has undergone a similar transformation. Formerly voluptuous and wide-hipped, a new standard has become the rule. The desirable image is now sleek and slim: the high visibility of the indigenous fashion industry also changed the look of the screen siren and shaped a new body image (Rao 2003). The influence of film has played a huge role in changing that. Film clearly has a symbiotic relationship with fashion. What is shown on the silver screen often makes its way into our own lives on some level. There are a number of dynamics at work here. As Entwistle has asserted, dress is tied up to social life in more than one way: it is produced out of economic, political, technological conditions as well as conditions shaped by social., cultural, aesthetic ideas (2000:111). The link between cinema and mainstream fashion is easily apparent. What is seen on the silver screen by movie viewers one day, will often end up being a popular commodity the next. Movies provide an outlet for viewers—a chance to step out of their own lives and into the lives of other—usually glamorous—people. Fashion does this in a similar way, allowing its adherents the freedom to re-invent themselves. Often, the selves they try to emulate are those of the icons they admire in film; therefore it seems natural that they emulate the style of dress of those they consider role models. As Joanne Entwistle has so aptly stated it, fashion opens up possibilities for framing the self, however temporarily (2000:139).   The establishment of the Indian cinema also proved to be the strongest influence on the fashion in the decade.Due to the western influence, the use of angarkhas, choghas and jamas diminished considerably by this time,although the ceremonial pagri,safa and topi were widespread as ever. References Bansal, Richa. 2005. Styling a fashion-propelled retail trail. http://www.imagesfashion.com/Cover_story_styling_jan05.html Accessed November 25, 2005. Boyk, David. 2004. Bollywood for the Skeptical. http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~dboyk/bollywood/#blurb Accessed November 24, 2005. Entwistle, Joanne. 2000. The Fashioned Body: Fashion, Dress, and Modern Social Theory. Cambridge: Polity Press. Rao, Maithili. 2003 A Decade of Dizzying Changes. Humanscape Magazine, Vol. 10, Issue 11. Melwani, Lavina. 2005. Bollywood is getting some well-earned respect, finally. http://littleindia.com/august2003/Bollywood%20Graduates.htm Accessed November 25, 2005.

Chemistry Honors Titration Lab Essay

A Titration is a process of the concentration of one solution being determined by its reaction with either a standard solution or a known quantity of solid dissolved in solution. It may also be used to calculate the molar mass of an unknown acid or base. Purpose: I. Prepare a standard solution of sodium hydroxide II. Standardize a sodium hydroxide solution by using potassium hydrogen phthalate (KHP) III. When given whether the acid is monoprotic, diprotic, or triprotic , determine the molar mass of the unknown organic acid. IV. Calculate the Molarity of the Soft drink. Materials: * 50 mL Buret * Beaker * Erlenmeyer Flask * Sodium Hydroxide * Water * Balance * Unknown Acids (A, B, C) * Calculator * Soft Drink (Ginger Ale) Procedure: A – Preparation of NaOH (standard solution) 1. With portions of water, rinse a 2L bottle. 2. To make 2L of a 0.1M solution, determine the amount of grams of sodium hydroxide that are needed and then weigh out the correct number of grams when showing the calculation. 3. To a container that is  ½ to 1/3 full of water, add the pellets of sodium hydroxide. Shake to mix or speed up the dissolving of the pellets and fill to the top with water. Label your container with your name and date. B – Standardization of NaOH (Determine the actual concentration of the standard solution) 1. Drain the 50 mL buret and remember to fill the buret with water at the end of each lab. 2. To rinse the inside of the buret, pour a small amount of NaOH into it. Drain the buret through the stop cock. Rinse the buret more than once. (Remember to do this before you start th lab experiment to clean the buret.) 3. Fill the buret with the NaOH solution and to remove any air, allow a small quantity to pass through the stopcock. 4. Rinse a 250 mL Erlenmeyer flask and then make sure the bottom of the flask is dry. To get the mass of only the solute, rezero the flask on the scale. 5. Add about 0.20 to 0.30 grams of KHP (acid) to the flask. Measure precisely to the 100ths place and record the mass. Add approximately 60-70 mL of water to dissolve KHP and add 2-3 drops of phenolphthalein indicator. Shake or swirl the flask to speed up the dissolving of the KHP. 6. Record the level of NaOH in the buret (to the 100ths Place). All volumes should be to the 100ths place (0.00). Carefully add the NaOH to the flask containing the acid solution. Throughout the experiment, rinse the inside of the flask with water from a water bottle and stop adding NaOH and then swirl the flask to mix the solution. 7. Stop adding NaOH when a light pink color persists (when neutralization occurs). Record the final reading of NaOH that’s in the buret and find the final volume. 8. Calculate the molarity of the NaOH solution and then complete all 12 titrations before beginning to solve the calculations. Expand your calculations to 4 decimal places and accept only the values that are within 0.005 of each other. 9. Of the accepted molarity readings, take the average. This is known as the molarity of your standardized base solution, which will be used to calculate the molar masses of the unknown acids and molarity of a soft drink. C – Calculating the Molar Masses of Unknown Acids 1. Repeat the same steps 1-4 from Section B to prepare for the titration of the unknown acid solution. 2. Repeat the same steps 5-7 substituting the unknown acid for KHP. The unknown acids are in labeled jars A, B, and C. It will be indicated whether the acids are monoprotic, diprotic, or triprotic. 10 titrations should be completed for each unknown acid. 3. From the equation on the first page, calculate the molar mass of the acid using your average molarity. Find the molar mass based on the number of protons in each acid. 4. Accept the values that are within 1.0 of each other. Calculate the average of all the acceptable values and then repeat for the remaining acids. 5. When back in the classroom, you will receive the correct molar mass of the acids so you can calculate the percent error. D- Calculation of Molarity of a soft drink solution 1. Repeat steps 1-4 from Section B to prepare for the titration of the soft drink solution. 2. Take the soft drink solution from a buret on the back lab table recording the initial and final volume from the soft drink buret. Add approximately 40 mL of the soft drink to your flask. Make sure you record the exact volume to the 100ths place. Do not add water to your flask. 3. Each group should have 3 titrations completed. Accept the values that are within 0.01M of each other. Calculate the average of all the acceptable values. Conclusion: In this lab experiment, overall, I learned how to titrate. The concentration of one solution was determined by its reaction with a standard solution. The molar mass of unknown acids were also calculated. While learning to titrate, I learned several other skills in the process. I learned how to prepare a standard solution of sodium hydroxide, how to standardize a sodium hydroxide solution by using potassium hydrogen phthalate (KHP), how to find the molar masses of unknown organic acids when given whether the acid is monoprotic, diprotic, or triprotic, and how to calculate the molarity of a soft drink. At the same time, other skills were practiced. Skills such as calculating molarity, molar mass and percent error were exercised. The molarity was calculated for part B, the standardization of sodium hydroxide. After all of the molarities were calculated, five of them were accepted and the average came out to be 0.0935, which was the number that would be used throughout the lab to help calculate the molar masses of the unknown acids and the molarity of a soft drink. The molar mass was calculated for the unknown acids A, B, and C. Molar mass is grams of solute divided by the average molarity multiplied by the total amount of liters. In acid A, five molar masses were accepted and the average came out to be 180.0440. In acid B, only three molar masses were accepted and the average came out to be 154.5841. In acid C, there were four of the the molar masses accepted and the average came out to be 180.6426. The percent errors of the unknown acids were relatively small with the exception of acid C. For acid A the percent error was 2.22%, for acid B it was 2.99%, and for acid C it was 13.54%. The percent error for acid A and B is small because of how much NaOH was used. The amount was always less than below 40.00 grams except for once, and most of the time the amount of NaOh was in the 20’s or below. During the trials for acid C, the amount of NaOH used was no less than 33.90 grams for each trial. In Part D of the experiment, the molarity of a soft drink solution was calculated. Ginger Ale was mixed with NaOH solutions. This titration resulted in a pink, dark peach and a dark, dark peach color. Of three molarities recorded, all three were accepted. The averages of the accepted molarities of Ginger Ale were 0.0311.

Case Holt Renfrew Essay

Inactive suppliers: HR had approximately 3000 different suppliers, only about 1000 suppliers were used. Suppliers’ management was inefficient. The inactive resulted in waste of resources including human resources, files management, Information system overload, etc. Inactive SKUs: HR had approximately 500,000 SKUs, only about 50 per cent were active at any given time. Huge inventory carrying costs happened when almost 50% inactive SKUs stayed in the DC or warehouse. Dull and Repeating Work for Employees: staff spent a lot of time on the phone expediting shipments to stores, and confirming and adjusting previous orders with suppliers. Employees’ career development would be retarded by the dull job. It would made the high turnover rate and it would be costly to hire and train the new employees. Suppliers’ Mismanagement: Suppliers just delivered the products to the DC without prior notification. We were not able to anticipate what to expect daily. It would cost time and human resources to confirm and adjust the  orders with the suppliers. Lack of Communication with Merchandiser: staff did not get any information from merchandiser. They were constantly pushed by stores to follow up on orders delivery and transportation service providers. The unsmooth communication and unequal information increased the staff burden and made them involved in a vicious cycle. Unclear Purchasing Process: The receiving staff did not know what merchandises would arrive with quantity and quality. The unclear process made the staff confused what they were going to do, which lower their morale. They would be likely to shirk their responsibilities when ad-hoc happened. Disordered DC: Inventories were in everywhere in the DC – underneath the conveyers and scattered across aisles. It was hard to find rooms for unload trucks and process merchandise. Also it was difficult to find the right merchandise. The disorganized DC would decrease the productivity directly. It seemed overloaded and needed the overtime or temporary staff, which affected the morale of the employees. The misplacing inventories could have potential hazard to the employees. Stock outs at stores: Store managers constantly complained the stock outs was caused by the DC. Customers cannot get what they need on time and will most likely to lost sales and possibly lost customers. The fashionable products would be outdated and probably return to the secondary warehouse to increase the inventory cost. Problem Statement: How can HR redesign the DC layout and improve process flow to solve the congestion in two warehouses so as to reduce the warehouses costs and to make great profit? Analysis: SWOT Strengths – HR belongs to Wittington Group headed by Canadian business leader Galen Weston who is listed as the second wealthiest in Canada with an estimated net worth of $US 8.9 billion. The parent company can support HR to complete the improvement. Weaknesses – The problems of the business process, DC layout, warehouses congestion, human resources, stockouts caused high expenditures. Opportunities – The fashion demand would be increase as the increased tourisms would eager to purchase the luxury products in Canada. Threats – The competitors like Saks Fifth Avenue could threaten to HR within the following years. Qualitative For HR, how to work out some solutions to redesign the DC layout and improve process flow to solve the congestion in two warehouses had been put forward on agenda. We would consider the following factors. 1. Merchandising Process? (belongs to logistics?) Merchandising is a specialized management function within the fashion industry. It is the business that moves the world fashion from designers’ showroom to retail sales floor and into the hands of consumers. It is the internal planning that takes place within HR in order ensure adequate amount of merchandise are on hand to be sold at prices that the consumers are willing to pay to ensure a profitable operation. These processes involve in the followings: 1) Analysis: is required because HR needed to understand the needs and wants of our target audience. 2) Planning: It is necessary to plan since the merchandise to be sold in future must be bought in advance. It contains sales forecasts, merchandise budgets, and model stock plans. 3) Buying: Merchandise to be sold in HR, needs to be procured from others. It still needs the process like industrial procurement including supplier evaluation and selection, negotiation, and ordering. 4) Distribution: It is vital to determine where merchandise is needed and ensure that the merchandise reaches the required location at the right time and the right condition. It consists of transport, receiving, markings, and handling. 5) Control: As the function of retailing involves spending money for acquiring of products, it necessary to control the amount of money spent of buying. It comprises stock turnover, financial management, and operational control. 2. DC or warehouse Warehouses emphasize the storage of products and their primary purpose is to maximize the use of storage space. In contrast, distribution centers emphasize the rapid movement of products through a facility and thus attempt to maximize throughput (the amount of product entering and leaving a facility in a given time period). Since the incoming goods were to be immediately processed and shipped to the stores, DC was designed reasonable. HR’s secondary warehouse was designed to remain the merchandise until  shipped to Last Call. Merchandise was returned again to the secondary warehouse until satisfactory arrangements for disposition were made. Whether closing the secondary warehouse depended on the cost, space utilization in DC and so forth. 3. DC process flow Cross-docking can be defined as a process where a product is received in a facility, occasionally married with product going to the same destination, then shipped at the earliest opportunity, without going into long-term storage. The 80,000 square-foot DC was designed as a flow-through warehouse. If we combine DC and warehouse, the cross-docking could be designed to resemble a motor carrier terminal—rectangular, long, and as narrow as possible or could be on one wall or placed at 90 degrees to one another. 4. DC layout design Before we reconfigurae DC layout, merchandise should be studied in terms of its special properties. We also should pay more attention to the trade-offs. Many trade-offs are inevitable when designing the structure as well as the arrangement of the relevant storage and handling equipment. Some trades-offs could be considered according to HR’s situation. 1) Build out versus build up It is cheaper to build up than build out. Building out develops horizontally and requires more space. However, as one builds higher, building costs decrease, while warehousing equipment costs tend to increase. 2) Fixed and variable slot locations A fixed slot location refers to a situation where each SKU has one or more permanent slots assigned to it. We probably could store inactive SKUs or the merchandise from the secondary warehouse if we decided to combine DC and warehouse. Fixed slot systems may result in low space utilization and generally need to be larger than a variable slot facility. Whereas a variable slot location involves empty slots being assigned to products based on space availability. We could apply it to the merchandise in DC. 3) Conventional, narrow, or very narrow aisles Compared to conventional aisles, narrow aisles can store 20% to 25% more  products, while very narrow aisles can store 40% to 50% more products. Yet the handling equipment like forklift would be special designed. 4) Order-picking versus stock-replenishing functions. When order pickers and stock replenishers are allowed to work in the same area, fewer managerial personnel may be needed but it may also lead to congestion due to the number of workers in a relatively limited space. One suggestion is for the two sets of workers to use different aisles for their activities, but this requires a superior information system. 5. Human resources allocation We had 2 shifts in DC, and 2 supervisors and 10 hourly employees. The human resources strategies would be changed if closing the secondary warehouse. Dealing with the 12 employees should comply with the Contract Law and other regulations. 6. Stockouts and congestion The improved merchandising process and the resigned DC would solve the issues correspondingly.

Reality and Illusion in Arthur Miller’s Death of a...

Reality and Illusion in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman In Arthur Miller’s play, Death of a Salesman, a major theme and source of conflict is the Loman family’s inability to distinguish between reality and illusion. This is particularly evident in the father, Willy Loman. Willy has created a fantasy world of himself and his family. In this world, he and his sons are men of greatness that â€Å"have what it takes† to make it in the business environment. In reality, none of them can achieve this greatness until they confront and deal with this illusion. Willy is convinced that being well liked is the key to success, exclaiming â€Å"Be liked and you will never want...† (Klotz, A 1998). It is unclear whether Willy’s†¦show more content†¦All the while telling him that stealing will get him no where. This behavior continues as Willy encourages Biff to cheat off the neighbor, Bernard, for his Regents exam, and again when he asks both Biff and Hap to steal lumber from the construction site for the front porch. This eventually leads to both Willy’s infidelity and Biff’s habitual stealing, which is responsible for his continued failure in business. Willy was so intent upon teaching his sons how to be successful, but his inability to deal with reality and his twisted sense of morals were actually responsible for their failure. Some literary experts were critical of Arthur Miller’s character, Willy Loman in â€Å"Death of a Salesman†, insisting that â€Å"Willy was a ‘little man’ and therefore not worthy of the pathos reserved for such tragic heroes as Oedipus and Medea†. In contrast, it could be argued that most of us cant even imagine life as characters such as Oedipus and this allowed the majority of society to identify more closely with the woe’s of a person such as Willy Loman. Willy is an elderly failing salesman whose salary has been taken away and now works on commission. Finally, after thirty-four years, the company has no further use for him and discharges him. As he has grown older, he has trouble distinguishing between illusion and reality. He is continually lost in the past andShow MoreRelated Illusion and Reality in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman Essay785 Words   |  4 PagesIllusion and Reality in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman       In Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, Willy is depicted as living in his own world. The play centers around the end of Willy’s life, when the real world comes crashing through, ruining the false reality he had created for himself and his family. Throughout the play, Willy Loman uses the concept of being well liked to build a false image of reality, as shown through his teachings to his son, what he considers successful, and hisRead MoreDeath Of A Salesman: Illusion In An American Tragedy Essay1738 Words   |  7 PagesWhen the realities of life become too harsh, humankind has a natural tendency to choose the most convenient solution to his problem: illusion. They build dreams and fantasies to conceal the more difficult truths of their lives. In his play Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller portrays the hold of such illusions on individuals and its horrible consequences. 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