Compare & Contrat (ancient) greece &rome Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Compare & Contrat (ancient) greece &rome - Essay Example There are lot of similarities and differences between these two ancient civilizations. This paper briefly explains the similarities and differences between these two great civilizations of all time. Both Greek and Rome civilizations originated in cities. Greece was situated near the coastal area whereas Rome was located in the geographical middle of a generally north-south plain bordered on the east with mountains and on the west by the sea (Comparisons Between the Ancient Greeks and Romans) Both the ancient Romans and the Greeks enjoyed recreational activities a lot. Many of the sports and games at present are the modifications of the ancient Greek and Rome recreational activities. For example the current form of wrestling and boxing has originated from these civilizations. In fact these civilizations can be considered as the originators of recreational activities in the world. Ancient Greeks were succeeded in inventing Olympic Games for the recreational purpose. Every city in Greece and Rome had at least one gym during this period. Both the civilizations were well aware of the need of physical workouts to keep the health intact. Moreover, the women community also had their own ways of recreation. Music, drama, dance, and poetry were some of the common items among the women community for recreational purposes during this period (Ancient Greece) The Flavian Amphitheater or Colosseum Was Erected by Flavian Emperors in Rome for recreational activities during this period. The purpose of the Colosseum was to provide entertainment to the public and the Roman emperors.  The games included were gladiatorial contests, wild-beast hunts, and reenactment of battles the Romans had fought. Collosseums were constructed in oval shape in order to give all the spectators a clear view of what was going on inside. The modern construction technology of modern football grounds can be attributed to the

Sociology Chaper One Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sociology Chaper One - Essay Example Employees at Walmart stores are in the beginning stages of forming a union as well, working toward getting more equitable pay and benefits. 2. With all research methods listed here except participant observation, there is a certain degree of separation between the researcher and the subject. This varies, of course, by the type of research being conducted. This is both a strength and a weakness. While this separation enables the researcher to reach conclusions based upon the facts as they are uncovered by the research method, none of these methods enable the kind of comprehensive understanding of a group of people that can be reached through participant observation, which is why participant observation is used most often in sociology. At the same time, participant observation poses the risk of the researcher becoming too intimately involved with the group. 3. Obesity in America is getting worse because of sociological issues. Entire groups of people are going to work two and three jobs just to make ends meet or sometimes to be able to afford the kinds of extras they perceive as necessary. Their children, sitting along watching TV commercials that equate happiness and fun with eating junk food, continue to snack and gain weight while the adults, constantly eating fast food on the run between one job and another, also gain weight after having also made similar associations between food and fun, joy, and companionship. 4. The symbolic interactionism theory is interesting because it focuses on the individual levels that contribute to the greater social system. Without symbols, we would be unable to understand each other. Thinking about those times when I’ve had to communicate with someone who does not speak English, it is the symbols we use that facilitate the conversation. Even when the same language is spoken, though, it is the use of symbols that help us determine how we feel about others and how

Poetic Reflections on Mortality and Ephemerality Essay Example for Free

Poetic Reflections on Mortality and Ephemerality Essay Have you ever hypothetically pondered the details of your own fatality? Everyone covets a bit of certainty that not many realities allow, but mortality -while a glum concept- is a definite fate we will all ultimately encounter in our respective lifetimes. â€Å"Nothing is more predictable than death. Each of us will die without any need to take adventuresome risks. † (Kelly, 1986). This is likely the reason prolific poets Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost have created quite similar themed poems using dissimilar imaginative slants in which they optimistically convey the topic of human transience. Death is a disheartening, tragic matter that not very many individuals readily wish to discuss. Because ephemerality is, however, an extremely ordinary notion to countless expressive artists, it is vital to notice the literary elements these renowned authors applied which set such works apart from less potent pieces. The symbolism, tone, assonance, rhythm, and other literary techniques behind the elegies â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† (Frost, 1969) and â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death† (Dickinson, 1893) fervently beg for further exploration. No matter which approach authors apply to such deviations, one truth remains; the amount of life contained in the works by Frost and Dickinson is somewhat ironic to say the least. If you envision the scenery described in literary pieces you read as if you are a participating, fictional character, you exceptionally possess â€Å"The human power that shapes artistic expression † (Clugston, 2010 a). Put in simpler terms, you clearly have a vivid imagination! Prodigious writers can and will effortlessly incorporate such imagery into their work by imploring the implicit values of society and culture(s). Nothing Gold Can Stay† by Robert Frost (1969) is unquestionably far from the exception as he connects the way leaves grow, change, and die to our eventual demise with ease. Frost wrote, â€Å"Natures first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. † (Frost, 1969). With the introduction of this allusive writing technique, he develops a clear yet slightly ambiguous mental picture for his readers to envisage. Of course, we know nature is not a person nor does have hands in which it could literally grasp a color. Hence, the meaning of Robert’s words is symbolic and figurative. Sure, Mr. Frost could very well have written something resembling â€Å"Beings age like leaves change colors. † Instead, this brilliant poet was aware of the fact that generating embodiment versus the aforementioned simile delivers the most enticing reading experience to the audience. In â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death† (Dickinson, 1893), the author similarly dishes out a full serving of powerful metaphors making this another comparable aspect to personification found in Frosts’ poem. At the very beginning, Emily Dickinson refers to unescapable, human cessation as a chivalrous gentleman when she states, â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death, He kindly stopped for me;† (Dickinson, 1893). The author is actually being extremely facetious as a deliberate, artistic maneuver in order to give life to the darkest of subjects. She selects to represent passing away in a more graceful process. It is a steady flowing motif continuing throughout the body of this work to form a concise, elucidating theme. From centuries beyond the grave, the narrator describes the peaceful process of her passing, in which Death is personified and escorts her in his carriage. During the leisurely ride, she passes many ordinary sights: a school house, fieldsbut finally realizes that the ride will last for all eternity. † (Chen Aull, 1993). Dickinson’s apparent intention in this poem is depiction via exemplification. Her language is a quintessential representation of an all egory with more thought provocation than verity. Again, readers should prepare themselves to observe a nonliteral or rhetorical scenario and focus on ascertaining the seriousness hidden behind a much more abstract meaning. Symbolism is another conceptualized, literary element featured in both stories despite being more prevalent in â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† (Frost, 1969). Frost used the typical colors of nature (green and gold) imply symbols of spring, that progress as the remaining cycles of nature seasonally occur. Furthermore, he hints at a deeper meaning behind death— a period of transformational change. In order to appreciate this impression, â€Å"Recall Socratess argument: ‘the state of death is one of two things: either the dead man wholly ceases to be and loses all consciousness or, as we are told, it is change and a migration of the soul to another place’. † (Deppman, 2000). He picked the color gold to symbolize the fragility and eventual insignificance of even our most valuable physical and emotional possessions. By his statement, â€Å"Then leaf subsides to leaf, So, Eden sank to grief. † (Frost, 1969), Frost selects to demonstrate the sorrow felt after loss of life as well as depicting an analogous allusion to the biblical Creation story. Whereas in â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death† (1893), Emily Dickinson poses a more unconventional attitude toward her own demise. In lines five through eight, she writes, â€Å"We slowly drove, he knew no haste, And I had put away, My labor, and my leisure too, For his civility. † (Dickinson, 1893). When the speaker refers to ‘his’ â€Å"kindness† and â€Å"civility†, she is articulating death as a slow, patient, and compassionate. â€Å"She progresses from childhood, maturity (the gazing grain is ripe) and the setting (dying) sun to her grave. The children are presented as active in their leisure (strove). The images of children and grain suggest futurity, that is, they have a future; they also depict the progress of human life. † (Unknown Author, 2009). Thus, the carriage ride actually symbolizes the act of abandoning her life and the memories it contained. She humbly revers death as the calm, quiet finally of incarnation. Dickinson even insinuated the harsh reality of visiting of her own grave when she wrote, â€Å"We paused before a house that seemed, A swelling of the ground; The roof was scarcely visible, The cornice but a mound. (Dickinson, 1893). Aging to the point of loss of life does remain the central theme inside both poems, but representations are a tad more distinct in Frosts’ than in Dickinson’s symbolic approach. Have you ever witnessed one’s mood shift completely? Authors generally try to maintain the same theme throughout one work. It is equally as important to discern the how t he author’s tones contribute to the clarity of each piece. Sometimes, whether done by the author accidentally or with intent, we observe a change in the mood(s) of a motif. While Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost mutually demonstrate the qualities of human temporariness, their tones are also diverse. By writing, â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† (Frost, 1969), the permanent state of leaving this world is denoted in a matter of fact way. Frost does not truly elude to his personal outlook on an afterlife, but focuses more on the cycle of life itself. Dickinson not only utilizes the same facet, but also takes it a step further when she states, â€Å"Since then tis centuries, and yet each, Feels shorter than the day I first surmised the horses heads, Were toward eternity. (Dickinson, 1893). She began her countenance with succinct tenor that later becomes a bit clouded. Dickinson’s audience receives a definite resolve rather than experiencing the need to imply ideals she holds about her faith. Each of these poems is incredibly whimsical, but Frost concisely manipulates the setting of nature giving his work the currency of application to any period i n time. Sound patterns are another inspired technique both composers have exposed us to in the intricacy of their work. We automatically follow the rhythm these superb authors display. For instance, Frost uses alliteration in â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† when he writes, â€Å"So dawn goes down to day. † (Frost, 1969). The repetition of words that begin with a â€Å"d† is a strategy meant to make the thought stronger and more emphatic for readers. His rhyme scheme is comprised of modest, consonant couplets (non-alternating). Dickinson actually used the complete opposite effect. In her poem â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death† (Dickinson, 1893), she integrated the repetition of vowel sounds by presenting an alternating pattern of words known as assonance. Again, an example is unmistakable in the lines, â€Å"We slowly drove, he knew no haste, And I had put away, My labor, and my leisure too, For his civility. † (Dickinson, 1893) and more specifically the poetic harmony of the words â€Å"away† and â€Å"civility. † With the rhythm in this poem, there is rhyme, but it has a much greater reliance on pronunciation. She may have started a trend in literature as, â€Å"Assonance is frequently substituted for end rhymes in modern poetry. † (Clugston, 2010 b). The authoring style Frost exercised was extra simplistic, yet multidimensional as well. Is it not an astounding conception to think of the distinguished artistry that must have went into two ostensibly austere compositions about the matching theme of impermanence? The fact that we cannot artlessly disregard the scholarly adeptness and literate gifts of Dickinson and Frost is surpasses distinction. Even more significant than the expiry themes both versifiers applied is the presence of underlying secondary themes. Frost hints life as being â€Å"golden,† leading one to surmise he is ‘saying’ to â€Å"Carpe Diem† or â€Å"Enjoy the day. (Online Etymology Dictionary, 2010). Therein, he selects to show life has precious intrinsic worth. Even though there are purity and a biblical reference in Frost’s â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† (1969), his nature theme additionally highlights environmental/scientific characteristics. Syntax expended by Dickinson in â€Å"Because I could not stop for death† (Dickinson, 1893), in fact, alludes to a compassion and sympathy being felt for the persona. A prime example is her statement, â€Å"The carriage held but just ourselves, And Immortality. † (Dickinson, 1893). If the dramatic concentration of this author was to deliver a graceful reflection on her evolution, she was unequivocally efficacious. Some find it helpful to get an outsider’s opinion of the depressing conversational topic of human immortality. While our passing lingers as a fully common subject for individuals to contemplate spiritual principles, authors have written pieces that include a plethora of other beneficial notions worth uncovering. â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death† (Dickinson, 1893) is exquisitely illustrated by Emily Dickinson and venerated as an allegoric requiem with assonance that produced solid imagery. Likewise, Robert Frost impeccably regulated â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† (Frost, 1969) to communicate symbolism with a classic form of consonance that is painless to identify. Both literature icons fine-tuned those components with figures of speech, personification, and tone and themes, rhyme schemes, and other literary techniques all requiring immense, prior critical thought in â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† (Frost, 1969) and â€Å"Because I Could Not Stop for Death† (Dickinson, 1893). They expel an aura of chirpiness that renders as a refreshing and unique outlook encompassed in positivity. These poetic mavens wanted their audience(s) to derive a deeper message about making the most of our lives. Two notorious, inspirational pieces of literature are calling upon us to take some risks and make an impression before we take our last breathe.

LVMH_Career Development through International Mobility

LVMH_Career Development through International Mobility IntroductionTask 1 Work Force Planning Workforce planning is a process designed to anticipate and integrate the human resources response to an organizations strategic plan. [Strategic Workforce Planning PDF]. The plan is projected to help in staffing in terms of short as well as long term. Through Workforce Planning organisations gain insight into what people the organisation will need, and what people will be available to meet those needs. In creating this understanding of the gaps between an organizations demand and the available workforce supply, organizations will be able to create and target programmes, approaches and develop strategies to close the gaps. The plan should: †¢ Depend on the staffing and the competencies predicted for the future. †¢ Asses the present work force †¢ Identify gaps which exist between the present workforce and the future requirements †¢ Develop strategies to acquire the workforce needed in the future †¢ Evaluate from time to time the effectiveness of the plan. Work Force Planning in LVMH In a global organization like LVMH, work force planning faces a lot of constraints. The plan has to take into consideration the growing number of 71000 staff who are spread across 2000 of the companies stores. Displaying an organic growth of 7% per annum it is essential that LVMH has the right and sufficient talent to compensate its future requirements. Another constraint would be the facts that the plan should incorporate fifty different autonomously run companies which are constantly growing alongside the addition of newer companies. The main aim here would be to develop the workforce in line with the business strategy. The plan should be constantly evolving taking into account the various changes affecting the organization. From the outset LVMH was an international business and had drawbacks in its work force plan which is evident from the fact that the human resource department lacked international experience and many managers were not fluent in English. The skills required were not predicted well enough to ensure the competency levels of the employees was in co-ordination with the organizations needs at that point of time. The group is headquartered in France but has to be multicultural due to the scale of its international operations. Subsequently an effective work force plan enabled LVMH to identify the competency levels it needed from its employees in line with its business strategy. This lead LVMH to develop global managers with international expertise through International Mobility. Looking towards the future, the importance of work force planning at LVMH can be related to the following global trends: †¢ Change in market trends †¢ Scarcity of skilled workforce in certain countries †¢ Changes in legislations which may collide across operating countries †¢ Older population †¢ Changes in the retirement age of the younger generation of employees †¢ Advancement in technology to change the HR function An effective work force plan which takes into consideration the growth and the staffing constraints in the operating as well as prospective business zones would equip LVMH to maximize its growth opportunities. Task 2 Recruitment Recruitment refers to the process of attracting competent prospective employees for vacancies at an organization or firm. Recruitment may be done internally or externally. External recruitment is the process of attracting employees from outside the organization whereas internal recruitment is where internal labor is used for filling vacancies. The rapid globalization of the markets combined with a constant shortage of skilled staff and advances in technology have resulted in large scale changes to recruitment practices throughout the world. A survey spanning more than 2000 companies conducted by Intelligence Group in association with StepStone, revealed that 42% prefer to recruit internationally for their operations. International Recruitment from the Perspective of LVMH There are many advantages associated with LVMH recruiting internationally to cater to its workforce needs, some of which have been outlined below: †¢ Moving from Ethnocentric to Geocentric 50% of the Senior Executives and 40% of the managerial staff are French even though they only account for 37% of the employees in LVMH. These figures portray an ethnocentric orientation of the firm. An ethnocentric orientation in a global organization can lead to a lack of understanding of the host countries differences that may require a different approach to marketing and management. Here a common belief is that the head quarters way of managing is better or more preferred than any other way of managing practiced outside. As a global organization aiming to grow internationally an ideal approach would be a geocentric orientation as cited by Levitt(1983). This would be achievable by recruiting talent internationally which would gradually reduce the ethnocentric influence and develop a pool of global managers needed by LVMH. †¢ Reduced Influence of Labor Market Conditions in Specific Countries LVMH would have a larger people base to recruit from and it will not be limited by work force scarcity in any particular country. The influence of changes in any particular countries labor market conditions would be reduced. †¢ Larger Talent Pool Recruiting employees from the countries where LVMH has presence would add to the talent pool within the organization. These new recruits would have local knowledge of the culture and fashion trends in the country of their origin. At the international level they would bring into the organization a fresh set of skills which may benefit LVMH. For example: A designer recruited in India may create an ethnic accessory which can be marketed and sold not only in the country of origin but may have a huge potential internationally. †¢ Cost Saving Recruiting internationally would reduce the need for expatriation to fill a vacancy. This would naturally lead to saving the expenditure involved. It would also reduce the work load on the International transfer team. The internationally recruited employees could be taken through intensive training to understand the expectations from management. †¢ Less Dependence on Expatriates Many expatriates are unwilling to take on certain international assignments due to various reasons. Recruiting internationally would therefore reduce dependence on Expatriates. †¢ Government Legislation LVMH operates through more than 50 stores which are spread worldwide. Recent trends have shown that governments require companies who conduct business in their country to develop the talent of the local workforce so that they hold key management positions over a period of time. Certain countries also have legislations which require a certain percentage of the staff to be locally recruited. Task 3 International Mobility International Mobility has grown with the increase in globalization of companies and the opportunities of operating in markets across the world. This expansion in business created a need for leaders and employees with global expertise to manage operations across national borders. Human resource departments are facing a growing demand on their resources in order to manage the mobility of this new type of work force. LVMH has the advantage of developing this form of work force early and now it can reap the benefits of the pool of Global Managers. Benefits of International Mobility LVMH stands to gain from the following benefits of International Mobility: †¢ Availability of skilled labor Changes in technology have created a shift in the labor market. There is a noticeable shift towards the demand for skilled labor. Shortage of labor caused in certain countries due to this demand can be counteracted with the help of mobility. †¢ Distribution of knowledge In this age, technology progresses at a very rapid pace. In the face of eminent competition it is important for LVMH to be technologically ahead and implement development in a very short span of time. International mobility of competent work force would enable the rapid distribution of knowledge within the organization. †¢ Global Competence Since the expatriates in LVMH are travelling extensively and engaged in international assignments they develop a knowledge base and skill sets. They may include an understanding of different countries market trends, culture differences, local languages, management of multi cultural teams. More globalized managers would lead to a globalized top management who will guide its international operations. This global competence of the workforce gives LVMH an advantage over its competitors. †¢ Adaptability Recent trends show that products need to be constantly evolving and be customer specific. Mobility develops an adaptive and flexible culture in LVMH and thus it can benefit by keeping in pace with the customer requirements.

Essay --

Discussion In nature, there are a group of proteins which are known to produce a universal response that is the production of stress proteins namely heat shock proteins (Hsp70), expressed in response to external stimuli. They are expressed in normal state conditions hence aiding in the native polypeptides folding and its translocation to different cellular compartments (Feder and Hofmann, 1999; Hartl and Hartl-Meyer, 2002). Iwama et al. (2004) worked on whether Hsp70 are a molecular marker for indicating stressed states in fishes. Ammonia which is a common pollutant has been seen and known to interfere with cellular proteins and in turn interfere with amino acid homeostasis (Cooper and Plum, 1987). As a result of ammonia toxicity, Hsp70 protein gets enhanced and in turn helps in inducing proteotoxicity. Our observation proves that the ability of these fishes (M. cuchia) to tolerate such high concentration of NH4Cl is mainly due to the ability of Hsp70 to induce proteotoxicity, an ability to rep air partly denatured proteins caused due to ammonia toxicity. Similar observation of expression of Hsp70 was seen in brown trout (Salmo trutta f. fario) exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of ammonia (Luckenbach et al., 2003). Immunocytochemical analysis clearly demonstrated the localized expression of Hsp70 in liver, kidney and brain of M. cuchia during exposure to 50 mM NH4Cl for 7 days with a slight fall of expression in 14 days 50 mM NH4Cl tissues (Fig. X). Immunopositivity to Hsp70 antibody has been detected in control as well as in 7 and 14 days 50mM NH4Cl treated tissues. In the unstressed cells Hsp70 helps in maintaining cellular homeostasis (Fink and Goto, 1998). In liver, the expression of Hsp70 was more predominant in hepatic sin... ...l red skeletal muscle of paddleï ¬ sh. To add to our observation, Poltronieri et al. (2008) also found Hsp70 immunonegativity in control tissues of carp (Cyprinus carpio) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) along with absence of immunopositivity in stressed states. The fall in immunoreactivity which was observed in 14 days of NH4Cl treated tissue might be mainly due to slight acclimatization at the end. Therefore, one needs to find out the possible implications of Hsp70 in this fish, M. cuchia, which is known to tolerate high ammonia concentrations. As Hsp70 is known to act as an important candidate for identification of stresses and also an important biomolecules acting as sentinels of contamination exposure, this stress proteins, Hsp70 might give a better understanding of how these fishes adapt themselves to such concentrations of environmental ammonia toxicity.

Andrew Carnegie, Eugene V. Debs, and Horatio Alger Essay -- essays res

Andrew Carnegie, Eugene V. Debs, and Horatio Alger During the late nineteenth century rapid industrialization paved the way for extreme economical wealth of many business. In accordance with the overflowing wealth in the nineteenth century many individuals held similar but yet contrasting views toward the wealth that was created in the United States. Among these individuals were Andrew Carnegie, Eugene V. Debs, and Horatio Alger. One of the best-known philanthropists was the American industrialist Andrew Carnegie, who devoted the latter part of his life to giving away most of the huge fortune he had amassed in the steel industry. Following the principles laid down in his essay â€Å"Gospel of Wealth† , Carnegie returned over $300 million to society, primarily through foundations and trusts. Debs believed that wealth is predestined and that god gave him his wealth. Although different in ideas Carnegie perform what Eugene V. Debs believed in: the distribution of wealth. Eugene Debs began working on the railroads at age 14, and in 1893, at age 38, he founded the American Railway Union. The union dissolved after a violent strike in 1894. Debs served a six-month jail sentence for his participation in the strike and turned to radical politics soon after being released. Despite persecution for his political beliefs, Debs ran as the Socialist candidate for president five times. He collected 6 percent of the vote in 1912. The socialist doctrine demands state ownership and control ... Andrew Carnegie, Eugene V. Debs, and Horatio Alger Essay -- essays res Andrew Carnegie, Eugene V. Debs, and Horatio Alger During the late nineteenth century rapid industrialization paved the way for extreme economical wealth of many business. In accordance with the overflowing wealth in the nineteenth century many individuals held similar but yet contrasting views toward the wealth that was created in the United States. Among these individuals were Andrew Carnegie, Eugene V. Debs, and Horatio Alger. One of the best-known philanthropists was the American industrialist Andrew Carnegie, who devoted the latter part of his life to giving away most of the huge fortune he had amassed in the steel industry. Following the principles laid down in his essay â€Å"Gospel of Wealth† , Carnegie returned over $300 million to society, primarily through foundations and trusts. Debs believed that wealth is predestined and that god gave him his wealth. Although different in ideas Carnegie perform what Eugene V. Debs believed in: the distribution of wealth. Eugene Debs began working on the railroads at age 14, and in 1893, at age 38, he founded the American Railway Union. The union dissolved after a violent strike in 1894. Debs served a six-month jail sentence for his participation in the strike and turned to radical politics soon after being released. Despite persecution for his political beliefs, Debs ran as the Socialist candidate for president five times. He collected 6 percent of the vote in 1912. The socialist doctrine demands state ownership and control ...

Best Buy Essay

Best Buy is one of the world’s largest multinational consumer electronics retailers with stores in Canada, China, United States and Mexico. Richard M. Schulze and Gary Smoliak founded Best Buy in 1966, but it was established as a company in 1983. The company’s stores offer video products, audio products, musical instruments, mobile electronics, home & office products, and networking equipment as well; it also provides service contracts, warranties and repair services; therefore, it operates as a retail store, online retail and call center. Best buy has been facing the increase in competition from online retailers and discount stores however the company has been reorganizing its e-commerce offerings and making other site upgrades. An effective communication is important for managers in the organization so that they can perform their jobs and responsibilities. A manager would need the basic functions of management that are planning, organizing, leading and controlling. Customers turn to Best Buy for purchases and answers to their technology questions; this company gives their clients the opportunity to communicate, learn with all different benefits that Best Buy has to offer. Today, we have become more dependent on technology. We live in a society that is called â€Å"technologically civilized†, meaning that every small work we do, is technology dependent. Every person is carrying a device or gadget that is technically advanced. Ultimately we can say that in this technical world of today, we are much dependent on technology. Gadgets make it easier for communication to take place when someone needs to reach out to other people in different countries. We also use technology to work, purchase things online and basically do almost everything. As a company, Best Buy strives to reach out to their local community to provide new and creative programs to serve the community. Best Buy will train their employees to educate shoppers on hand held devices and walk them through purchase and activation. In the customer support section, shoppers can ask Best Buy employees what they can do when something goes wrong with a hand held device, as when the screen breaks. Marketing strategic plans Best Buy is one of the largest specialty retailers in the United States. It is the 10th largest online retailer in the U.S and Canada and it is also number one in customer service. All employees are committed to helping deliver the technology solutions that provide knowledge, values, and ideas whether online, via mobile device or in stores. It also provides variety of services which makes them one of the leading retail and consumer merchandise companies. With each visit, Best Buy offers the customers an inviting and inspiring experience. Best Buy sets high-quality standards of communication and uses different marketing strategies to reach the public. It appeals to a diverse public and makes sure whoever enters their stores, feels comfortable enough to approach one of our employees when they need help. Best Buy’s communication aims to build a reputation with best quality brand and service. Best Buy sells a wide variety of products that appeal to all ages and gender types. They are an electronic store that sells DVDs, CDs, video games, iPod and mp3 music, phones and TVs. There is a music section that appeals to musicians, where you can get music albums and musical instruments. You can find phone sections for those who need or would like to have the latest phones. You can also pick up a computer or laptop for personal use or work. Television lovers have a big section as well. Best Buy has a lot more to offer for the younger audience, there are toys and video games. For the older audience there are appliances, suc h as TVs, home theater systems, car accessories, office supplies and more. Overall Best Buy target audience is not specific due to their variety of products. Best Buy’s  target market is the general consumer; the one that continuously visits their stores and that are satisfied with their product quality. In order to get a hold of their customers, Best Buy mostly advertises the latest phones, such as the Apple iPhone, and Samsung’s Galaxy. Phones are an everyday necessity and Best Buy has made it their main product to advertise. There are seasonal promotions where Best Buy has summer sales for back to school and Christmas sales for the winter. Best Buy takes a hold of their customers by doing this. Customer loyalty is not a problem due to their variety of product. Customer loyalty programs/Customer Service Best Buy has different strategies to keep customers coming back and buying their products. When school is back in session, usually around August 1st they commence their back to school deals on electronics such as laptops, tablets, cameras, phones, TVs and any other sort of devices students need or like to buy, which is their way of getting people’s attention by lowering the prices of their favorite electronics. Best Buy’s slogan on the back to school deal is â€Å"Deal today. Gone tomorrow. Limited quantities.† They have free in-store pick up, which will allow the customers to pick it up at the store, avoiding shipping and delivery charges. Aside from having back to school deals, Best Buy works on developing customer loyalty by having the lower price guarantee, which is finding a lower price and matching it. The way it works is if the customer finds an item at local competitor retail store or Mayor Company online with a lower price than Best Buy, they will do their best to match that price, both in stores and online. It is their way of keeping the customers committed to their stores and to keep them from buying an item at another store. â€Å"Deal of the day† is also a method used to keep customers engaged and to improve customer-driven service quality. Best Buy puts popular items up for sale. They have weekly offers, texts alerts and emails to alert you when there’s a sale going on and customers will have the chance to buy quality items at a more reasonable price. When you order online, they have free standard shipping on sale items and no minimum purchase required. These deals improve customer loyalty an d customer satisfaction. Product Quality and prices When you want to buy an electronic, the first place you think of is Best Buy. You look for Best Buy because is a familiar place and you trust that you can get a quality product along with great prices. They have owned up to their image by building up to customer loyalty along with customer satisfaction and customer engagement. With the merging of different operating systems all in one place, Best Buy promises the latest devices and services, knowledgeable employees, impartial advice, competitive prices, ability to shop online as well as in stores and support for the life of the products. In order to keep those promises, Best Buy offers a variety of exclusive services to make the most of the mobile technology. They have upgrade checker, where buyers are able to know whether or not they are eligible for a new phone. They also have a program called â€Å"trade-in† where customers trade in their mobile phone and in return they get a $200 Best Buy gift card. The â€Å"Geek Squad protection† is a service that Best Buy provides from within the store. They have a section with letters written on top spelling out â€Å"Geek Squad† in orange, black and white. Their slogan is, â€Å"Go ahead. Use us.† It covers accidental damage from handling battery replacement to repairing electronics. They also have an app that customers can access the Geek Squad and get protection benefits. Best Buy also offers phone activation and transfer all of your contacts to your new phone. They call it the â€Å"walk out working† program. They can set up your phone as soon as you buy it and will throw in a Bluetooth set up. And to ensure that you get the best service, they offer a Best Buy rewards card. You pay no interest and you are able to earn rewards as long as you use it. As for product prices, best buy has the most popular operating system, all in one store. They sell the Windows Phone, Blackberry products, iPhone products, Android products, Bose electronics, Beats products, and many more. Prices range from $49.00 to $ 399.99 for phones. And that’s including new phones. They put newer phones at a lower price when the customer signs a service contract. The lower prices help lure the customers in the store, resulting in greater revenue. SWOT Best Buy specializes in consumer electronics, home office products, entertainment software and household appliances, therefore is one of the largest specialty retailers, providing a diverse customer service. Best Buy gives a major importance to the Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) that the company may face. Some of the strengths are that it operates more than 1,150 stores in the United States and abroad. Its revenues are $16.26 billion and profit of $651 million. It also leads U.S retailer offering a wide market mix of services in computers, televisions, tablets and cameras. The weaknesses of the company are primary reducing prices to match competitors, it established image as a lower quality retailer and some impacts from the past of class action lawsuit. The opportunities for Best Buy are primarily to grow in sales of mobile phones and tablets, extended store hours, hiring highly trained sales consultants so that they can assist with technical issues, improving inventory management through long term relation with supplier, as well as outsourcing items to China which will lower production costs. The threats that Best Buy encounter are the online and retail competitors. Its current competitors are Staples, Office Depot, Wal-Mart, Costco, Sam’s club and Amazon. Another threat would be the pressure to reduce prices because of the competitors and rising labor wages. Competitors around 5th Ave Store Its competitors around 5th Ave store (between 43rd St and 44th St) are H and B Digital (located on 46th St between 5th Ave and 6th Ave), RadioShack (located on 42nd St between Madison Ave and Park Ave), and Barnetts Computer Warehouse (located on 5th Ave between 38th St and 39th St). Other than these, there are many electronics retailers on 5th Ave within 10 blocks from 36th St to 46th St all of which have its own competitive advantages to survive in this area. For example, RadioShack retails a wide range of products, from cables to cameras. They offer technology products, accessories, mobile devices, and power supplies. Therefore, competition in this area is also intensive, as many competitors that have their own competitive advantages and strengths surround the store. Competitors in general Major competitors for Best Buy CO., Inc. are Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Dell Inc., RadioShack Corp., Target Corp., etc. The leader of this market is Wal-Mart Stores, which has 252.14 billion market capitalizations. Wal-Mart’s strengths are that large scale of operation and word-wide, which is 3,615 stores in all over the world, and low cost performance. RadioShack Corp. also has 4,453 stores in the United States and Puerto Rico, according to its official web site. Therefore, the electronic retailing market has very intensive competition. How Best Buy survives in this competition is that they have their original loyalty program, which is called â€Å"Reward Zone†. With this program, customers get 1 point for every $1 spending on purchase at Best Buy stores and 250 points is going to be $5 reward certificate. They also e-mail customers when the reward certificates are available. The customers print their reward certificates online or access it with Reward Zone mobile app. Overall Appearance Upon walking into a Best Buy, one can notice the effort they go into keeping their store looking presentable at all times. Not much seems out of place when considering the overall appearance and sanitation of the store, with the few exceptions of items out of place because of customers themselves placing merchandise on the wrong shelf when the item is not needed. This is definitely a place where one can feel comfortable shopping because of its clean and organized environment. When it comes to talking about controversies, Best Buy is no stranger to the issue. Connecticut State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is investigating Best Buy after it was discovered that some locations throughout the country were using a secret website identical to the public website that everyone can access through www.bestbuy.com, to deny customers of the advertised prices when shopping at the locations. Essentially customers would search for deals on their website and decide what they wanted to buy howe ver; when they arrived at the store to buy the item they were denied the price when a store associate would show them a different price on their secret website. The website looked the same as the public one, but only store associates had access to it, with which they could manipulate customers into paying the higher price. It was also found that locations in New Jersey and Ohio were selling used merchandise as new when they would repackage it, as well as not fulfilling customer  rebates. Controversies such as this show an unprecedented market unfairness not often seen with a major U.S. retailer such as Best Buy. One would think a company as big and with so few competitors such as Best Buy would stray away from bad business practices, but the reality is different. Reflections It is interesting how much we, as a collective team, have learned about Best Buy over the course of our many visits, interviews and research. We have come to the conclusion that Best Buy truly is a force to be reckoned with when talking about electronics. From the customer service, their loyalty programs, variety of products, and down to their reasonable prices. As a group we understand the value of these great qualities, and despite the controversies, we stand as loyal customers to this great brand. Best Buy is a great place to shop for electronics. They have several quality brands customers can chose from. Their products are not an issue in this organization, something they should focus is on is their service. New customers walk in and do not immediately know where everything is. In order fix this issue Best Buy should have a staff member that greets the customers and ask if they need any assistance such as help with looking for a certain brand and product, information on current sales and who to speak with in case of any questions on a product. Cleanliness is not a major issue with the stores, but customers sometimes look through the store items and don’t replace them where they belong so staff should improve on their cleanliness and organization of the items. Recently one of our teammates bought a computer to Best Buy, and being an existing customer she expected to receive good service; however she notices that most of the employees did not help each other and there was a long line at the cashier. No one wanted to help until one employee came up to her and asked her if she needed help. He had confessed to her that no one wanted to do anything because the employees found out that they were not receiving commission anymore. There was a lack of communication with employees and with customers. There were a few employees giving the service, the rest were walking around watching the game. Overall, as far as we have come to know Best Buy, we learned that it is a store with a variety of high quality products. Of course it has its flaws, but which business doesn’t? Best Buy does its best to keep their  reputation as the number one retail store, and provides the consumers with their needs and wants. Best Buy is recognized as the number one store for electronics. When you think of buying an electronic, the first store you think of is Best Buy.