Art Auctions: Grotesque Artwork
Posted by admin in Uncategorized on January 15th, 2010
That there is an overwhelming number of pieces that represent this particular grouping of artwork seems false to believe, but this is happens to be on the rise as we get further into the new millennium, and realize the shedding of our culture’s skins time and again. Grotesque artwork pulls us back into the human forms we have been born into, and truly seems to give us a reaffirming sense of who we are. There are many artists, though part of other artistic movements, which have proven to fill the criteria for this grouping of concepts. Grotesque art from the past ranges from varying degrees of mood and theme, but always seem to draw from those factors that are widely considered by most to be taboo or dark in nature, adhering to some of the most brutal and thought-provoking events in history. All these things have come together to create a body of works that jump between particular eras, but seem interrelated in the subject matter that they portray, creating works that define the morbid attentions that we seem to take from our history as a whole. Through the works of such famed artists as Picasso and Goya, the light within the darkness of our own human condition can be revealed to us, and these reflections of our culture are seeds to the future as the culture has evolved. Many differing movements each seem to donate their own unique spin when considering these peculiar models of work, and the theme of horror and terror can be interpreted by my different people many differing ways, no matter whether today or some era further behind us. For some cultures, it is a way to evacuate fear, and express it without harm to one’s emotional health. Though morals may seem to be too constrictive today, there are still points where society converges on points that break past the emotional barriers that many people construct, and this art is very much a mirror for evoking an honest reaction at the reflection that stares back, a response that cannot be replicated any other way. These images more than affect the rest of the present day world, as can be heard in many recent dimensions in music, and related themes can even be found in today’s popular attraction towards the horror films and novels which sell more than ever now. It is when you consider the works of artists possessed by a certain vision, one that evokes pain as well as passion along with the other contradictions in life, and it is then that historic works like those of Hieronymus Bosch and even modern designs of H. R. Giger can be learned in equal measure of value. Their predilections towards breaking the taboos enforced by their surroundings, has helped to guide us steps into the future of our own acceptance and appreciation for our world, and the layers of depth can be revealed when one takes the time to find those elements that appeal to the sense of artistic worth. To take control of your knowledge of this kind of artwork can better equip you for finding the particular works that you would be most enthusiastic to own, and though most of the more famous works can only be bought as prints, there are still many artists today who practice a style that intrudes upon that thin layer on the surface that reveals the most visceral layers underneath that. When looking for the right work to suit your tastes, a good deal respect must be given to those that attempt to translate their thoughts onto canvas, and you can come to better understand this category of art when approached with an open mind. Today, some works by the artist Joe Coleman have more recently pushed the boundaries further back, and smashed a lot of preconceptions of artistic will. His approach includes the use a single horse hair brush, and detailing so fine that many layers can be found after viewing the paintings and prints dozens of times over, creating a new perspective on it with each consecutive viewing of the work. It is these layered degrees that artists strive for time and again to reveal insights into the nature of what it is to be human, and allow us to get in touch with sides of ourselves previously unknown or held back.
Innovations in Education - Knowledge Management
Posted by admin in Uncategorized on January 12th, 2010
INNOVATIONS IN EDUCATION – KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ABSTRACT This paper seeks to identify knowledge management concepts that relate to the implementation of Knowledge management Practices in education and also in collaborative arrangements. It also discusses about the challenges facing in higher education in India and the concept of Knowledge management in education and the new trends of education. It also explains about the Knowledge management and types of Knowledge management and their trends and new innovations of Knowledge management in current education scenario. Educational trends and tasks are towards more learner- centered materials. In response to these trends, colleges and universities are offering new courses at a distance and forms traditional delivery. The effort to share the most recent understandings about Knowledge management in education is the changing roles and challenges for higher education. The increased productivity required by faculty are driving forces for the development of more diverse and efficient teaching method. INTRODUCTION: Knowledge management in education is the collection of processes that govern the creation, dissemination and utilization of knowledge. In one form or another, knowledge management has been around for a very long time. Practitioners have included philosophers, priests, teachers, politicians, scribes, Liberians etc. , Knowledge management is not “A technology thing” or a “Computer thing” if we accept the premise that Knowledge management is concerned with the entire process of discovery and creation of knowledge then we are strongly driven to accept that Knowledge management is much more than a “Technology thing” and that elements of it exist in each of one Jobs. Knowledge management comprises a range of practices used by organizations to identify, create, represent and distribute knowledge. It has been an established discipline since 1995 with a body of university courses and both professional and academic journals dedicated to it. Knowledge management is frequently linked to the idea of the learning organization . Knowledge management refers to a range of practices used by organizations to identify the higher levels of innovations in education. The sharing of knowledge in industry, colleges , universities and, almost any institution in this country will make reference to the capturing of knowledge. DEFINITION “Knowledge management is the discipline of enabling individuals, team and entire organizations to collectively and systematically create, share and apply knowledge to better achieve their objectives” Knowledge management education is the process of constructivity using the information and knowledge that is inherent to any organisation –be it a school, university or multinational company. In order to enhance its performance, its management and its operations. This process of learning to know what we know is one that has brought great benefits. Particularly to many commercial organizations. MAARTEN SIERCHUIS: - Knowledge analysis: In knowledge analysis we model a knowledge source in such away that we can analyse its usefulness, its weakness and its appropriateness within the organization. Knowledge analysis is a necessary step for the ability to manager knowledge. Within knowledge Analysis we can use knowledge modeling and knowledge acquisition techniques. ROBERT TAYLOR:- The vital importance of knowledge in business has always been recognised but, up until now, organisations haven’t felt able to manage it because they understood neither the problems and the opportunities nor the strategies and solutions. This picture is gradually changing as models, methods, tools and techniques for effective knowledge management are becoming available and as organisations realise the importance of knowledge and thinking to their capacity to adapt to the changing world. WHAT IS KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT? : - A proposition that responsiveness and innovation can be improved through the leveraging of collective wisdom and experience. “Knowledge Management (KM) is an effort to increase useful knowledge within the organization. Ways to do this include encouraging communication, offering opportunities to learn, and promoting the sharing of appropriate knowledge artifacts. ” This proposition is supported by: New process specific to the management of knowledge Organizational structures that create accountability for km Applications that support km processes Enabling technologies THE CHALLENGES FACING HIGHER EDUCATION IN INDIA : - Expansion of Higher Education in India : The success stories of ‘green revolution’, ‘space technology’, ‘nuclear energy’ and ‘information technology superiority India has achieved’ - we owe these all to the higher education system as it evolved during 60 years of India’s independence. It can not be denied that it is Indian higher education system that to a significant extent has contributed to India rising to become the World’s second fastest growing economy, the World’s third largest economy, fastest growing mobile phone market, owner of the largest bandwidth capacity and contributing second largest portion of scientists and engineers in the world. Expansion with Equity : India has experienced appreciable growth in the number of institutions of higher education during last six decades and particularly since 1990. This growth has already been because of expansion of number of State Universities and institutions deemed to be Universities. The period since 1990 has also seen the emergence of private Universities. The expansion of central universities has rather been slow and skewed in terms of regional distribution. It also mentioned that a significant majority of Universities, particularly managed by the state governments ate affiliating in nature. Given the current number of universities in the country the burden of affiliating colleges per University is unmanageably high and incongruous, in some cases the number of colleges affiliated to a University runs as high as many hundreds. Thus despite appreciable growth in number of universities there is scope rather need for further expansion in the number of universities and also colleges. Inclusiveness and Equality : The participants in the Diversity, Inclusiveness, and Inequality track represented a great deal of diversity themselves and included faculty and students from a rich variety of research institutions, private liberal arts colleges, and community colleges. While participants engaged issues and strategies in each of the three substantive area—diversity, inclusiveness, and inequality in education (DIIE)—the bulk of our conversations focused on diversity and inequality. Quality and Excellence : Ensuring quality education demands structural and institutional reforms in addition to committing enhanced financial resources. Imparting quality education would entail better infrastructure; greater use of ICT; teaching and learning in smaller groups; granting autonomy to the faculty, department and individual teachers. But more than that, imparting quality education requires ‘faculty development’ or what many call ‘faculty recharge programmes’ so that the faculty does not go stale, it retains its vibrancy and dynamism in doing research, in learning, and innovating and in devising new methods of teaching. In the modern technological world quality education has become a necessity. Governments all over the world are appointing committees and commissions to bring in excellence in education. Curricular are being revised and improved to include more and more relevant knowledge in the curricula of schools and colleges. Funding of Higher Education : The importance and need of setting up these new institutions of higher and professional education can hardly be ignored, but investing in existing facilities and institutions should be no less a priority. Fee hike suggested by many can hardly bring the required resources. We by no means are suggesting that fee need not be rationalized. In addition it is suggested that there is need for building a robust and strong private – public partnership for funding and improving the quality of higher education. We have no hesitation in endorsing the suggestion as we see the practical and mutual advantages to private houses, industries on one hand and the higher education institutions and recipients of higher education on the other. For example, the Universities and research institutions can do the research and innovations which may provide competitive edge to Indian industry and industry may provide on the site based experience to students. Academic and Administrative Reforms : Unlike expansion, equity/inclusiveness and quality/excellence, where efforts are in making, the policies concerning reforms in the arena of academics, administration and governance are already well formulated and publicity announced. While these recommendations about credit system, semester system, more of international assessment and less written examination component, teachers evaluation by students, inter-institutional mobility etc have been generally accepted, quite a few of them have not been implemented and operationalised as yet. Some of these have been tried and failed while some others have been implemented on selective basis. As a result there is a lot of institutional variations in admission, examination, faculty and governance related practices. Role of Private Education : The spread of higher education was achieved through active state support whereby public funding was considered necessary in order to provide equitable opportunities of higher education to all. It has, however, been a proclaimed policy of the country to also encourage private investment in higher education so long as they are driven by charitable and non-profit motives. While universities have largely been in the public domain, India has had a history of having large number of colleges established and maintained by private management. In recent times, the private self-financing institutions colleges and other degree awarding institutions have gained prominence. At the same time, there has also been witnessed a tendency among the public funded institutions to start and run courses on self-financing basis. More recently, the private universities, either under state legislature or through the deemed university mode have also come to be established. Internationalization of Education : The issues concerning internationalization of higher education can be discussed into two broad heads, which represent two broad dimensions of the issue. The first aspect deals with the demand for opening Indian higher education for international service providers while the second aspect deal with the internationalization of Indian higher education. Going abroad for higher education has long been the most cherished goal for students of underdeveloped and developing countries. While most foreign students were known for their diligence and dedication and were often a source of pride for their universities, they were seldom seen as a source of revenue. But things have changed a great deal in the post WTO/GATS regime. Developing countries are now seen as a market for higher education and foreign universities from other countries are competing each other to increase their market share. As the demand for opening the higher education sector in India for international service providers is increasing, the issue of providing appropriate regulatory framework for international education providers is under consideration of the government. Effective regulatory mechanism is required to ensure quality higher education with equity and accountability. It was also felt that Indian universities and colleges should be permitted to form strategic alliances with international universities and other institutions of repute and that universities in India should be permitted to take up collaborative research with foreign universities but the arrangements should be such where Indian counter parts share Pattern Rights and copyrights. CONCEPT OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT IN EDUCATION: - Education for Knowledge Education for Information Education for Skills Education for Employment Education for Livelihood Education for Empowerment Education for Social and National Development KEY TASKS INVOLVED IN EDUCATION FOR: KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT A. MICRO-LEVEL MANAGEMENT OF TASKS: Course structuring and study material preparation Distribution and presentation of study materials Communication between educational actors (student-faculty, student-student) Performing instructional assignments, either alone or group-based Performance assessment B. MACRO-LEVEL MANAGEMENT OF TASKS: Organisation of the whole educational process Organising and managing information and knowledge flows within the educational organisation Keeping track of performance of students, faculty, courses, curriculum, and of the (allocation of) available knowledge resources Monitoring results in terms of goals and standards Dynamic changing of the educational program as feedback to discrepancies between goals and standards and obtained performance results. KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT FOCUS : “The focus on knowledge management is on ‘doing the right thing’ instead of doing things right’. It provides a framework within which the organization views all its processes as knowledge processes and all business processes involve creation, dissemination and application of knowledge towards organizational sustenance and survival”. KNOWLEDGE TYPES: It contains two types they are ; Explicit knowledge Tacit knowledge EXPLICIT KNOWLEDGE Objective, rational, technical Easily documented Easily transferred / taught / learned TACIT KNOWLEDGE Subjective, cognitive, experiential learning Hard to document Hard to transfer / teach / learn Involves a lot of human interpretation KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT PROCESS : - The process of Knowledge Management applicable to schools, colleges and universities. Some would argue that sharing knowledge is their reason of being. If that is the case, then the higher education sector should be replete with examples of institutions that leverage knowledge to spur innovation, improve services, or achieve operational excellence. However, although some examples exist, they are the exception rather than the rule. Knowledge Management is not a new field, and experiments are beginning to mature in higher education. I believe there is tremendous value to higher education institutions that develop initiatives to share knowledge to achieve business or organizational objectives. What are the basic concepts of knowledge management, how the trends, and how it might be applied in higher education and whether higher education is ready to embrace it or not, we will know through this article. NEW TRENDS IN KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT: - Several trends will shape the field of knowledge management in the not-too distant future (even now): Emerging technology solutions The convergence of knowledge management with e-business The movement from limited knowledge management projects to more enterprise wide projects Increasing use of knowledge management to enhance innovation Increasing use of tacit knowledge (rather than explicit knowledge) INNOVATIVE SKILLS OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT IN CURRENT EDUCATION SCENARIO: - Using knowledge management techniques and technologies in higher education is as vital as it is in the corporate sector. If done effectively, it can lead to better decision-making capabilities, reduced “product” development cycle time (for example, curriculum development and research), improved academic and administrative services, and reduced costs. Consider the number of faculty and staff who possess institutional knowledge. For example, what institution does not have a faculty member who has led successful curriculum revision task forces? Or a departmental secretary who knows how to navigate the complex proposal development or procurement processes? Or a researcher who has informal connections to the National Science Foundation? Or a special assistant to the president who has uncovered (or generated) useful reports that individual deans or department chairs could use to develop their own strategic plans? Relying on the institutional knowledge of unique individuals can hamper the flexibility and responsiveness of any organization. The challenge is to convert the information that currently resides in those individuals and make it widely and easily available to any faculty member, staff person, or other constituent. An institution wide approach to knowledge management can lead to exponential improvements in sharing knowledge—both explicit and tacit—and the subsequent surge benefits. Is higher education ready to embrace knowledge management? A key ingredient in an institution’s readiness to embrace knowledge management is its culture—the beliefs, values, norms, and behaviors that are unique to an organization. Informally, it is the unwritten rules or “how things really get done. ” Higher education is moving from the old culture that considers, What’s in it for me?” to a new culture that says, “What’s in it for our peoples?” And it is developing a culture that is ready to embrace knowledge management. CONCLUSION: - Innovations in knowledge management will improve the standards of all the institutions, develop the performance of students in all faculties and by which the progress of a nation can be viewed nakedly. Knowledge management refers to a range of practices used by organizations to identify the higher levels of innovations in education. The sharing of knowledge in industry, colleges, universities and, almost any institution in this country will make reference to the capturing of knowledge. By developing the knowledge management, the nation’s economy increases and can compete in the global scenario. Article by: X. Queen Shanthana Mary M. Phil Scholar, Department of management studies & research, Karpagam University,
A Divided Self in Line with Nietzsche: 19th Century Theory Intersects with 21st Century Consciousness Studies
Posted by admin in Uncategorized on January 11th, 2010
Nineteenth Century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) had a pet theory: That although Christianity and its morality were bankrupt, and its promise of heaven empty, there could yet be a new morality which would rise from the ashes, based on the body and science, and which would be keeping with the modern theories and advances. The problem: What of heaven? Then it came to him, in a flash of theoretical genius: We might live a life exactly like this human and flesh bound one we know and cherich, through a series of “recurrences”. Thus was his “Eternal Return” theory born. He defended it and treasured it, and fussed over it like a new born infant. Over a century after his death, Mr. Anthony Peake just may have proven it. Through his theoretical essay, ”Cheating the Ferryman”, published by the Journal of Near Death studies in 2005, Anthony Peake (b. April 1954, Wirral, England) gained entry throught the portals where science and academic humanities disciplines converge to create new alchemical entities. Now, in 2009, with 2 globally well-received books under his belt, Peake is something of a Nietzschean philospher’s dream: He has crafted a philosophically and scientifically sound theory, using neurology, brain studies, quantum physcis, the Implicate Oder of David Bohm, and cognitive psychology, which supports Nietzsche better than anyone else’s work has done to date. Acedemics or laymen who find this fascintating should seek out his texts, which are discussed on his website: http://www. anthonypeake. com/. Or better yet, come hear him lecture. His next appearance in the U. S. is in a free public lecture and recption at the Roosevelt Hotel in Midtown, on Monday August 3 @ 6 p. m. Open to press and public, admission is free.
Emerging Trends in Retail Marketing strategy
Posted by admin in Uncategorized on January 10th, 2010
Emerging Trends in Retail Marketing strategy Retail Marketing The essence of retail marketing is developing merchandise and services that satisfy specific needs of customers, and supplying them at prices that will yield profits. Thereby the concept is a philosophy, not a system of retailing or retail structure. In today’s CRM landscape the old analogy comparing the rifle and shotgun approaches to message and / or offer delivery is perhaps more appropriate than ever, as more retail organizations struggle to achieve one-to-one marketing-communications with customers and prospects. Targeting allows a retail enterprise to channel its marketing budget4ere there is the greatest (and fastest) possibility of Return On Investment (ROI) Retail Marketing mix Retail Marketing mix is the term used to describe the various elements and methods required to formulate and execute retail marketing strategy. The mix may vary greatly according to the type of market the retailer is in, and the type of products / services. Marketing strategy A marketing strategy is a process that can allow an organization to concentrate its limited resources on the greatest opportunities to increase sales and achieve a sustainable competitive advantage’. A marketing strategy should be centred around the key concept / that customer satisfaction is the main goal. A strategy consists of a well thought out series of tactics to make a marketing plan more effective. Marketing strategies serve as the fundamental underpinning of marketing plans designed to fill market needs and reach marketing. Plans and objectives are generally tested for measurable results. Today’s retail Marketing Managers Must : Understand the connections between the lifestyle and expenditure characteristics of customers, their propensity to purchase one product or brand over another, and leverage this understanding for competitive advantage. Improve direct marketing response by ensuring they are targeting the right households at the right time, using the right media with the right message. Leverage current consumer data to make better strategic decisions about products, marketing and locations. Increase customer loyalty and retention with a scientific, data driven approach to analytical CRM. Retail marketing managers can implement the following projects to understand their customer, market and store locations better; achieving a very strong ROI for their retail marketing efforts in the process. Customer and Market Potential Estimates: Estimate the revenue potential of your customers to determine their current, potential and life-time value • Estimate your market potential for more effective acquisition initiatives • Quantity and qualify your market opportunities. Customer and Market Profiles: • Develop more effective communication strategies through a better understanding of who your customers are • Identify your market potential through a better understanding of your targets. Customer and Market Segmentation: • Develop more effective communication strategies through a better understanding of different customer groups and your market segments • Customize your product offers by different customer and market segments. The nature of retail Marketing: The key aspects of retail marketing is an attitude of mind. In making retail marketing decisions, retailers must consider the needs of the customers. Retail marketing decisions are driven by what the shoppers need and want. Retail marketing is therefore a philosophy and is all about satisfying the customers What the customers regard as value and what they buy is decisive. What the customers buy determines the nature of the retailer’s business. The essence of retail marketing is developing merchandise and services that satisfy specific needs of customers, and supplying them at prices that will yield profits. Retailers must take the customers’ needs into consideration in retail operation. Retail marketing is stimulating, quick-paced, and influential. The retail marketing concept is the acceptance by the retailer that it is the “customer” and not “demand” that lie at the core of the retail organization. The Emerging Sectors: Retailing, one of the largest sectors in the world economy, is going through a transition phase, not only in India but the world over. For the long time, the corner general store was the only choice available to the customer, especially in the urban areas. This is slowly giving way to global format of retailing. The emergence of new retail sector have accomplished by changes in existing formats as well as the beginning of new formats. The changing Retail Environment: Profound changes are taking place, and will continue to occur, in the retail industry. In terms of sales, the retail landscape is moving away from specialty stores and department stores toward discount retailing. Although the future is difficult to predict, forthcoming trends in retailing will focus on demographics, geographic convenience, time convenience increased food expenditure away from home and rapid changes in information technology. In addition, retailers will find a convergence of electronic methods and traditional methods of Retailing. Five pillars of Retailing: Heoxard Berry describes five important actions for Retailers. These actions, demand pillars, sound simple but are often difficult to implement. Solve customer’s problems. Treat customers with respect. Connect with customer emotions. Set the fairest (not the lowest) price. Save customer’s time. Retailers should always keep these pillars in mind when conducting business. As the work force becomes more diverse and the retail environment continues to changes, consumer’s needs are rapidly changing. Retailer’s Responses To the changing customer: Retailers will need to alter their way of thinking to adjust to the changing customer. v Retailers that convey the appropriate level of respect will experience an increase in customer loyalty and sales. v Retailers must dig deep to learn who their customers are, so they can develop Niable customer segments. v The old marketing concept will need to be modified from “satisfying” customers to “wowing” customers. Global retailing: The world has entered the digital information age. Retailers in a variety of industries are now using advanced computer systems to enhance their ability to understand, communicate with and evaluate their market place and to anticipate and respond to their customer’s needs, Retail shops are using bar code scanners at their check out point to gauge the types of product their customers are buying. E-tailing: Retailing on the net is known as E- tailing. Internet has changed the way we do shopping. It has brought the commerce will play a crucial role in shaping the future of Indian retailing. The real challenge for retailing would be laurching and managing a highly irnovative click business that works along with a more stable bricks business. For shoppers and retainers it is increasingly a hybrid world. Merchants that reach consumers through different sales channels, stores, websites catalogues, find that they enjoy key advantages over competitors that operate in just one world. E-tailing is still a nascent business model all over the world and it is to be seen how it emerges in the future. E-tailing will also work best as an adjunct and supplement to brick and mortar set up. On the flip side, retail stores can make consumers more comfortable with internet shopping since most traditional merchants allows customers to return on-line purchase to their offline stores. E-commerce in Retail marketing: “With Electronic – commerce, we have reached the flash point” – says Ferguson. The internet throws many exiting trends under an are light and accelerates the transformation to web years. There is an occupational hazard in the world of electronic commerce. There is an existing and confusing time. In some ways electronic commerce has already had profound impact – just the Wall Street brokers who have been watching their private clients flock to online discount brokers. Retailing in India – Trends and Opportunities: Retailing – no marks for guessing this is the most active and attractive sector of the last decade in India. While the Retailing industry itself has been present through history in our country, it is only the recent past that has witnessed hordes of players leaping onto it. The Emergence of Retailing in India has more to do with the increasing purchasing power buyers, esplically post- liberalization increases in product variety and the increasing economies of scale with the aid of modern supply and distribution management solutions. The current retailing revolution has been provided an impetus from multiple sources. The “Revolutionaries” include many commotional stores upending themselves to modern Retailing, compainces in competitive environment entering the market directly to ensure exclusive risibility for their products and professional chain stores coming up to meet the need of manufacturers. Attractiveness, accessibility and absorbability seen to be the key offering of the Retailing chain. Emerging Trends: The single most important evolution that took place along with the Retailing evolution was the rise and fall of the dotcom companies, more importantly, the very nature of the customer segment being addressed was almost the same. The computer – Sawy individual was also a scale- sector of the store. Internationally, the concept of net shopping is yet to be proven. Now ever, the size of the direct market industry is too limited to deter the Retailers, for all comenience that it offers, electronic retailing does not suit products where “look” and “see” attributes are of importance. Retail Strategy: According to the wheel of retailing theory, retail innovators often appear as low – price operators with a low-most structure and low-profit margin requirements. Over time, these innovators upgrade the products and become high price orators. This meant enlarging the sales force, improving locations, upgrading fixtures, carrying lower thrower merchandise and granting credit etc… These improvements lead to higher cost which tern lead to higher prices. Retail image: Image refers to how a retailer is perceived by customers and others succeed, a firm must communicate a distinctive, clear and consistent image. Once its image is established in consumer mind, a retailer is placed in a riche relative to competitors. Future of Retail in India : Customers are also looking for convenience in shopping. This would continue more strongly in the next couple of years. In future the more dual income families, the consumer’s ability to spend will increase, but at the same time it is predicted that the time available for shopping will go down, in such scenario, the retailers will have to take steps to develop shopping as an experience, though the more successful retailers will be those that will provide faster service. Thereby to succeed in retailing, current and future retailers must be able to adopt a constantly changing environment, successfully retailers are able to anticipate and adapt to change. Thus retail marketing strategy would not only yield benefits for consumers. Manufacturers and wholesalers but also creates economic utility. Conclusion: Retailing is a technology – intensive industry successful retailers today work closely with their renders to predict consumer demand, shorter lead times, reduce inventory holding and thereby save cost. Wale-mart pioneered the concept of building a competitive advantage through distribution and information systems in the Retailing industry. The traditional Retailers will always continue to exit but organized retailers are working towards revamping their business to obtain strategic advantages at various levels – market, cost, knowledge and customer. It would be important to note, however that the retailing industry in India is still a “protected industry”. Given the current trend in liberalization, it will not the long before the Retailing sector also thrown open to international market. This will see a further segregation of international retailing brands. Author : C. PAVITHIRA M. Phil Commerce,Periyar university, Salem-11 Address for Communication : 57, Appasamy Street, Shevapet, SALEM – 2. Cell : 98425 - 50487 E-mail: pavithira01@yahoo. co. in
Does Jewelry Really Say, I Love You?
Posted by admin in Uncategorized on January 9th, 2010
Of course jewelry does not say, ?I love you??. it is an inanimate object and if you hear jewelry saying anything you should see a doctor immediately! Jewelry may not say, ?I love you?, but it has become a symbol of love. Even before there is a lifetime commitment of love, jewelry is often given at the time the initial promise to marry is made. When jewelry is given between a man and a woman, it is usually a sign that the relationship is serious. The main course of a relationship is the daily interactions that a couple has. It is the simple little things that are meaningful, memorable, and stands out. The little things that can mean a lot can be things like the following: ? A call or text during the day from you when you remind her that she?s on your mind and that you love her ? Remembering a favorite treat and bringing it home when she doesn?t ask ? Taking the time to do some extra cleaning so she doesn?t have to ? Bringing the kids with you on an errand so she has a few minutes to herself of peace and quiet ? Flowers, cards, or a plant given randomly instead of only at gift giving time or after an argument ? Reminding her of the good qualities you see in her and that she is beautiful to you ? PDA (public displays of affection)-it doesn?t have to be a grand gesture, it can be hold hand holding, a hug, or a quick kiss at the mall or around the house ? Putting her favorite CD on the stereo when she is busy with tasks around the house If you find yourself near a gift giving time and want to give jewelry and you haven?t been doing the little things that really say, ?I love you?, then start right away. The secret to making sure she feels loved after you give her a beautiful necklace, sparkling earrings, or the perfect ring, will be continuing to do the little things after the jewelry is given. It will be the extra care given show her how you feel afterwards that will keep the gift of jewelry in perspective?it is the desert! The best part is, no calories to work off!! To find the perfect necklace, earrings, or other piece of jewelry for a gift, stop into Gray and Sons Jewelry showroom in Miami, Florida. If you live in other parts of the country, you can shop online from their catalog. Have jewelry that is going unused? They will buy used jewelry, watches, and diamonds. You can use that money to purchase a piece of jewelry that will be worn and cherished by the one that you love.
Top Cosmetic Surgery Picks For Men And Women
Posted by admin in Uncategorized on January 8th, 2010
While cosmetic surgery has sometimes been seen as a predominantly female domain, an increasing number of men are choosing to go under the knife - or the syringe - in a bid to rejuvenate their appearances. Many men have seen the benefits of cosmetic surgery in action and have decided that they don’t want to be left behind by their female counterparts. Once only an option for the rich and famous, cosmetic surgery is now available to the average person. This means that more people than ever before are turning to cosmetic surgeons in search of the confidence boosting treatment that they hope will change their life. From non-surgical treatments such as wrinkle relaxing injections to liposuction, the choice offered by cosmetic surgery clinics has increased exponentially in recent years and many new introductions to the market have grabbed a lot of media attention. However, there are a number of treatments that remain steadfastly popular no matter what is currently splashed on the fashion pages. For example, breast augmentations are consistently the most popular cosmetic surgery option for women, with tummy tucks and liposuction remaining near the top despite the recent attention treatments such as Botox have garnered. Liposuction is also among the top cosmetic surgeries chosen by men, and breast augmentation procedures for men are currently on the increase as men realise that there is a treatment designed to help them eliminate ‘man boobs’. There are also a range of cosmetic surgery procedures favoured almost exclusively by men, such as pectoral implants. Another area in which the top cosmetic surgery choices for men and women converge is in cosmetic surgery for the face. Eye bag removal and nose re-shaping are popular for both sexes, as are Botox jabs and fillers, as men and woman choose to rejuvenate their appearance with procedures that typically take less recovery time than traditional methods. These treatments prove even more popular during times of financial struggle as, not only do they tend to offer a cheaper alternative, but are also chosen for their age-defying qualities as people vie for jobs in a tough market. While the top cosmetic surgery choices for men and women are in some ways similar, it is clear that a divide between the sexes does remain. However, the number of men choosing to undergo cosmetic surgery continues to rise and as more men experiment with cosmetic surgery we could find that this divide is reduced.
Volkswagen U.S. Market Assessment
Posted by admin in Uncategorized on January 7th, 2010
Volkswagen North America is projecting tripling its sales in the United States (U. S. ) market over the next five to eight years. This ambitious plan is the brainchild of the newly installed CEO Stefan Jacoby, who already made major waves by deciding to move Volkswagen North American headquarters away from the “Motor City” in state of Michigan to the more business friendly state of Virginia. With sales numbers already off pace for previous years is Volkswagens (VW) projected growth feasible, and if so what can VW do to reach this goal (Robinson, 2009, pp. 11-1) Moving the company is a smart business move, many automotive and other businesses have had to leave Michigan for a number of reasons. Michigan’s poor economy is a major one; but attracting educated and skilled staff is another. Michigan’s poor economy and quality of life has been the main factor in causing over fifty percent of University of Michigan graduates seek opportunities elsewhere. They head for urban centers such as Chicago, New York, Washington D. C. , and Seattle. Currently there are three times more Michigan State graduates living in Chicago, than in Detroit, many graduates citing quality of life as a major factor in leaving the Detroit metro area (French, 2009). However, for VW there is another major reason for the move, Virginia is offering VW six million dollars in economic incentives, a number that Michigan cannot match. As well as positioning the company in one of its historically strong markets along the east coast. Indicating that attracting qualified staff was another reason for the move, Jacoby said “he did not think it would be difficult to find qualified auto executives and senior staff in the Washington area, given the educational levels in the region” (Press, 2007). I know that when I was considering working for a major automaker, I did not consider any with offices in Dearborn, Detroit, or other parts of Michigan, as having lived in Michigan for a short time, and visited a number of times for business, that it is not a place I would consider moving to. I instead worked with companies with design centers in California, and even applied to the Audi division in Virginia before deciding to stay in California for a few more years. Moving the company will result in the loss of about 400 jobs, and has been met with sharp criticism by the employees who feel that the German company has failed them by not offering products tailored to the American Market. Jacoby accepted this failure on the part of the company, and VW seems to have taken it to heart designing vehicles specifically for the U. S. market. Joe Ivers, of JD Power and Associates says VW suffers from a cultural divide between Germany and the USA. “VW is more apt to design a feature like a radio or a dashboard with cost and their own sense of taste in mind instead of what the consumer actually wants” (Kiley, 2004). VW’s is also plagued with a reputation of poor quality that is emphasized when compared to Asian imports such as the automotive powerhouse Toyota (Robinson, 2009, pp. 11-2). In order to reach the lofty goal of 700,000 units a year VW overcome its reputation of poor quality that it has rightfully earned. As someone that has worked in the automotive industry, I have seen VW’s decline in quality over the years. VW in the 1990s was known for producing vehicle that suffered from a number of minor problems, from faulty wiring to interior panels detaching while driving. This is not just my opinion it is backed up by the automotive research firm J. D. Power and Associates. In the J. D. Power Initial Quality Study, based on complaints in the first three months of ownership, VW sank 15% to next-to-last among all brands, while the industry as a whole improved 11%. Over three years of ownership, in the survey by J. D. Power used to gauge reliability, VW ranked 33rd out of 37 brands and was still dropping. This is costing VW one of the automotive industries most prized consumers, repeat customers. One buyer who does not plan to re-up with VW is Sandy Goroff, a Boston book publicist and disgruntled owner of a 2004 Passat wagon. Her car often lurches as if it has been hit from behind after she exits a highway and drives slower on suburban streets. VW officials do not deny the issue exists but have not been able to fix it and at one point suggested, she was driving the car too conservatively. A former Audi owner, she has been negotiating for a replacement. “They’ve done about everything they can to negate my brand loyalty,” Goroff says. Owners of more finicky front-drive Rabbits and Quantums reported electrical problems, blown engines and fragile window regulators and windshield wipers. That, combined with rising prices, almost forced VW to leave the U. S. market (Kiley, 2004). Another criticism that VW North America has faced is that its advertising has been confusing and misdirected in the 2000s. Even with legendary advertising firm Crispin, Porter & Bogusky at the helm, the message as seemed unfocused. This did not escape the automotive press one writer said of VW “Sign THEN Drive” campaign that; “Neither of these commercials tells me anything about VW cars or why I would want one. The humor is crass, insulting, and juvenile. Along with VW’s recent spate of commercials that show VW drivers constantly getting into accidents, VW seems to have an extremely low opinion of its buyers. Then again, given VW’s poor reliability, high cost of maintenance and repair, and high price points, maybe VW knows exactly what it’s doing” (Ferng, 2008). Jacoby admits that the ad agency should not have been tasked with creating the overall message for the company. “One thing I know is that the ad agency can’t be expected to guide the brand if we don’t know where we are going” (Robinson, 2009, pp. 11-3). In review, newly appointed VW CEO Stefan Jacoby plans to move the company to a new state in hopes to gain a more competitive advantage in executive labor force, retool the U. S. vehicle lineup, focus on a new corporate message of VW, all with the hope of selling 700,000 vehicles in the USA annually in less than eight years. Implementation of this plan is going to be a monumental task, and the projection of tripling sales is a major commitment. VW may be able to achieve this if the plan of growth by following a strict yet flexible plan. Strict in the since that its goals are unchanging, flexible in that over time the product, processes, and message may be altered to fit the current market conditions. Strengthens, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (S. W. O. T. ) analysis is a common way to capture a snap shot of a proposed plan. I have applied this process to the VW plan for U. S. below: Strengthens 6 Million Dollars in incentives Cost Savings in staffing cut U. S. control over U. S. Products Weaknesses Poor Quality Reputation Lack of Brand Loyalty Exchange Rate effects profits significantly Opportunities Connecting to consumers Better Employee Pool Development of U. S. Products Threats Economic Downturn Continued Quality Issue New Competition in the U. S. Market While VW North America has a number of strengths within its restructuring plan including the financial incentives of moving its headquarters to Virginia, and taking more control over its U. S. product design and marketing. There are several other advantages to centralizing control in the U. S. instead of having to rely on governance from from Germany. Creating a more nimble organization that is better able to respond to the needs of the unique U. S. market. This plan also shifts the overall organizational structure and creates a new chain of command that is more autonomous than the previous structure. The company has moved from being a multinational structure to a multidomestic structure. In place of management decisions coming from Germany, they are directed from the U. S. management team that reports to the parent company. VW was still attempting to push its original business model “of one car for all markets” that had been successful in the 1960s, but by the 1980s VW was in major trouble in the U. S. market. VW stumbled badly in the 1970s and ’80s with products buyers could not relate to after decades of mechanically simple and durable rear-drive Beetles and Microbuses (Kiley, 2004). In 1987 VW was forced to shut down it’s only U. S. manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania, and moved all production back to Germany (Buchholz, 2009). Creating vehicles that were specifically tailored to the U. S. market such as the Tiguan crossover SUV, is a major step towards becoming competitive in the largest car market in the world; the 1980’s and 1990’s saw the departure a of a number of European automotive brands attempting to survive in the U. S. market. Companies like Peugeot, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, MG, Triumph, Renault, and several others pulled out of the U. S. market. VW builds cars that compete with those brands in Europe, South America, and Asia, and for many years, they have been attempting to complete again U. S. and Asian carmakers with the same product. VW has shifted to accept that the competition in each market is vastly different; other carmakers have realized this fact a number of years ago, such as Ford Motor Company that employed a multidomestic structure since the 1960’s. Ford created four regional companies, Ford North America, Ford South America, Ford Europe, and Ford Asia, each with its own leadership, vision, and vehicle line directed to their markets (Briscoe, 2004). This is likely to change in the future as the world continues to shrink and markets begin to converge, BMW has shown us that they build a product that is globally recognized be it the new MINI or a M3. There has even been talk at companies like Ford, Fiat, and others to combine global vehicle production on universal platforms that can be tailored to each companies exterior styling, while remaining mechanically identical, such as the new Ford KA, Mazda 1, and Fiat 500 sharing the majority of their parts creating collaborations that have never been done before. Quality management is another vital determiner of VW’s short and long-term success in the U. S. market. VW has a program that they themselves describe as a quality management system known as “Volkswagen Excellence” that has lead to lower frequency of defects in their products. VW takes a holistic approach to quality management. Not only are the physical products a target of quality management, but also the consumer’s interaction with the company as a part of the quality management process. From creating supplier conventions to reinforce cooperation in development and supply chain; to launching, a quality assurance organization within to react faster to consumer concerns VW is focused on the consumer (Volkswagen AutoGroup, 2006). Volkswagen will need to implement this plan and stick to it, the one major factor that is out of their control is the economy. At the time of this writing U. S. car sales are at their weakest in decades. This plan was put into place in 2007, and the move was made in April 2008. Jacoby upped the figure in an interview given at the 2008 North American Auto show in Detroit, by projecting that VW would sell 800,000 cars annually in the U. S. by 2018. When pressed on how the company would reach a goal such as this in such a short time, considering that in 2007 VW sold 230,000 vehicles Jacoby said, that they were setting up the target so that the whole organization knows what the mission is. It is also to drive the product planning, design and supplier constituencies. They want to pressure the whole system (Kiley D. , 2008). Now just over a year later the overall sales for VW North America decreased 3. 2 percent a company spokes person said “Despite these economic conditions, 2008 was still a good year for Volkswagen. We relocated our North American headquarters to Herndon, Virginia bringing us closer to our customers, we announced an all-new North American production facility will be built in Chattanooga, TN vehicle that allowed Volkswagen to buck the economic downturn as our sales remained close to our 2007 totals. Volkswagen of America has a plan in place for a successful future here in the U. S. ” (Volkswagen North America, 2009). It’s seems that VW has been implementing its plan without adjusting for the current economy, it will be interesting to see how it plays out over the next several years of the plan. With the current economic condition, federal regulations for gas mileage and green house gasses, and a globalizing of platforms, VW may find itself rethinking its plan sooner than expected. Works Cited Briscoe, D. &. (2004). International Human Resouce Management. New York: Routledge. Buchholz, D. P. (2009). Case Study: Volkswagen: Pining For The Gentleman Caller. CFED . Ferng, J. 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