Tuesday, January 28, 2020

A Study About TK Maxxs Commerce Essay

A Study About TK Maxxs Commerce Essay The first T.K. Maxx opened in Bristol in 1994.[2] T.K. Maxxs United States parent company, T.J. Maxx, adopted the name T.K. Maxx to avoid confusion with the existing but separate discount chain T J Hughes[citation needed]. TK Maxx is part of TJX Europe headed by Paul Sweetenham as SEVP Group President. TJX Europe is split into four divisions: TK Maxx UK Ireland headed by Susanne Given, TK Maxx Germany headed by Gino Barrera, and HomeSense UK headed by Dave Alves. The fourth division is Shared Services which as the title suggests consists of shared services between the three trading divisions such as distribution, logistics, buying and finance. Each trading division has their own Human Resource, Marketing Loss Prevention departments to meet the individual needs of each division. In 2007, TK Maxx began a slowing down of new store openings within the UK. Focus was given to revamping older inner city stores or relocating them. Some of the chains first stores such as Bristol and Reading have been expanded and extensively refurbished while others such as Southampton, Cardiff and Hull have been relocated to bigger sites. As part of the businesses slow down of new stores, TK Maxx confirmed that they were only interested in opening stores averaging 30,000 sq ft. This decision saw the creation of the Maxx Maxx concept, a new department store format that saw TK Maxx get away from its pack it high, sell it cheap reputation into a large store format that sees a much larger product offer. Examples of Maxx Maxx store are Leeds The Headrow, Cardiff, Birmingham Bull Ring, Hammersmith, Manchester Market Street, Dundee Cork. We make daily deliveries to our stores and its essential that our fleet of trucks is as efficient and environmentally responsible as possible. Were working hard on innovative solutions to make our delivery process as green as it can be and here are just some of the ways were doing this already. For the first time ever, we have joined forces with Sainsburys to sell the exclusive Sport Relief T-shirt designed by the whole Beckham family and yes, that includes Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz. So far, over our 5 year partnership weve raised  £6.3 million for Comic Relief through Red Nose Day. Supporting Sport Relief through selling the T-shirt gives us both another opportunity to contribute financially to this fantastic cause and to grow an even stronger partnership. Half of the money from each T-shirt goes towards helping some of the most vulnerable people in the world so please visit us instore or online to buy your very own fantastic Sport Relief T-shirt. Welfare to work is a scheme designed to get people who have been out of work for a long time back into the workforce. Weve had an initial Education to Employment trial with Action for Children and we are now in the early stages of rolling out a specific programme to further develop this. Weve also extended our five year relationship with Remploy and continue to remain committed to making our own workplace more accessible for people with disabilities. P4 The fundamental economic problem in any society is to provide a set of rules for allocating resources and/or consumption among individuals who cant satisfy their wants, given limited resources. The rules that each economic system provides function within a framework of formal institutions (e.g., laws) and informal institutions (e.g., customs). What and how much will be produced? Literally, billions of different outputs could be produced with societys scarce resources. Some mechanism must exist that differentiates between products to be produced and others that remain as either unexploited inventions or as individuals unfulfilled desires. How will it be produced? There are many ways to produce a desired item. It may be possible to use more labor and less capital, or vice versa. For whom will it be produced? Once a commodity is produced, some mechanism must exist that distributes finished products to the ultimate consumers of the product. The mechanism of distribution for these commodities differs by economic system. P5 Until ten years ago the term Welfare Work was a phrase without meaning in the industrial world. Today it stands for a definite policy on the part of employers which may bring about the solution of many of the vexed problems of labor and capital. The leaven of this policy already has begun to work. A branch of welfare work through which the company has had a great influence on the people and the surroundings of the neighborhood is that of landscape gardening. At the time when welfare work was started the surroundings of the factory were like those of most industrial plants—anything but attractive. After the company has made its own property beautiful with lawns, shrubbery and vines, it taught the people of the neighborhood, by lectures and demonstrations, the principles of landscape gardening. As a result of this campaign of education the factory neighborhood has been change from a region of tumble-down houses, ash heaps and tin cans to a neighborhood of beautiful homes and well kept yards. P6 The impact of Macro-economic (Monetary and Fisca)l Policy on the economy There are some differences in the economic effects of monetary and fiscal policy, on the composition of output, the effectiveness of the two kinds of policy in meeting the governments macroeconomic objectives, and also the time lags involved for fiscal and monetary policy changes to take effect. We will consider each of these in turn: Effects of Policy on the Composition of National Output Monetary policy is often seen as something of a blunt policy instrument affecting all sectors of the economy although in different ways and with a variable impact. In contrast, fiscal policy can be targeted to affect certain groups (e.g. increases in means-tested benefits for low income households, reductions in the rate of corporation tax for small-medium sized enterprises, investment allowances for businesses in certain regions) Consider as an example the effects of using either monetary or fiscal policy to achieve a given increase in national income because actual GDP lies below potential GDP (i.e. there is a negative output gap) Monetary policy expansion: Lower interest rates will lead to an increase in consumer and business capital spending both of which increases national income. Since investment spending results in a larger capital stock, then incomes in the future will also be higher through the impact on LRAS. Fiscal policy expansion: An expansion in fiscal policy (i.e. an increase in government spending) adds directly to AD but if financed by higher government borrowing, this may result in higher interest rates and lower investment. The net result (by adjusting the increase in G) is the same increase in current income. However, since investment spending is lower, the capital stock is lower than it would have been, so that future incomes are lower. In UK lots of multinational organization are operating, Many people from different part of the world also visited in UK for different purposes, if the global economy fall the business of UK based company also fall down. As a result they faces difficulties to earn profit and ultimately the shareholders suffer. P7 Perfect Competition: A market is said to be perfectly competitive when firms perceive that they individually have no noticeable influence on market price. The outcome in such an industry is efficient in the sense that the cost of the last unit of output (marginal cost) would just equal what consumers would be willing to pay for that unit. Perfect competition is a regarded as a benchmark market structure for evaluating other market structures. Market Structure and Competition: The market structures tells us about the environment within which an enterprise functions and the nature of external pressure on the enterprise. The elements of market structure that we look at are concentration ratio, stability of market shares, conditions of entry and exit of firms. FDI Policy Stability of Markets Shares A limitation of the above summary measures of concentration is that they ignore the dynamic changes in the market shares of individual firms. Market shares of dominant firms may increase or decline over time. Greater churning of market shares in given market suggests greater intensity of competition. P8 Market forces and organizational Response: Organizations always responses positively toward market forces. P9 Company Summary: This section presents the key facts figures, business description, and products services offered by the company. Major Competitors: This section first selects the competitors based on assets, sales, focus of business, or geographic reach. Then all the competitors are profiled. Key Business Strategies of Each Competitor: It talks about the current and future strategies of each company. All business, marketing, financial and organizational strategies are discussed here. Comparative SWOT Analysis: Our comparative SWOT analysis is a valuable step in assessing your companys and you competitors strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. It offers powerful insight into the critical issues affecting a business. Comparative Financial Analysis: This section compares the recent financials of the company and its competitors. The financial performance of each segment of all the companies is also discussed here. The objective is to evaluate the financial health of the company vis-à  -vis its competitors. The stock price comparison helps us in evaluating the performance of the company position versus its competitors from an investors viewpoint. There is an important role for tobacco control advocates in the policy development process in regulatory agencies. P10 The buying and selling of goods and services across national borders is known as international trade. International trade is the backbone of our modern, commercial world, as producers in various nations try to profit from an expanded market, rather than be limited to selling within their own borders. There are many reasons that trade across national borders occurs, including lower production costs in one region versus another, specialized industries, lack or surplus of natural resources and consumer tastes. One of the most controversial components of international trade today is the lower production costs of â€Å"developing† nations. Both the United States and the European Union have imposed severe restrictions on imports from Asian nations to try to stem this tide. Clearly, a company that can pay its workers the equivalent of dollars a day, as compared to dollars an hour, has a distinct selling advantage. P11 Consultation with UK SME representative bodies on domestic and European matters consistently shows that the main issue for their members is regulation. The 2007 EU Observatory Survey found that 36% of SMEs within Europe reported that regulations acted as a constraint or had presented difficulties in the previous two years. Whilst progress has been at the EU level, for example on the promotion of the â€Å"Think Small First† principle and the European Commissions commitment to reduce administrative burdens by 25%, we believe a much more ambitious set of measures should be introduced Another important issue is access to finance, where we believe action should be focused on improving the demand side, in particular investment readiness, and the supply of modest amounts of finance for entrepreneurs who, for various reasons, are deemed to be a higher risk. In order to grow, SME must also have access to new markets. Generally, exporting firms have been found to benefit from greater productivity growth than non-exporters. P12 The UK has to make a decision on membership of EMU in the next two years. The monetary and fiscal regimes in the Euro Area and in the UK do not differ greatly. However, we argue that membership of EMU will increase the stability of the economy and the credibility of the policy framework, and hence will enhance the prospects for growth and higher incomes and employment.

Sunday, January 19, 2020

The Divine Comedy: Dante Essay examples -- essays research papers

The Divine Comedy: Dante   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The character of Dante in The Divine Comedy who descended into the inferno caused me to stop and think about this awful place. As the reader I got to take an imaginary journey with Dante to a horrible place where I do not care about going. While Dante descended into hell I plan on ascending into heaven someday. Dante had a choice to make whether or not to get back on the right path. It came down to heaven or hell - choose.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I think it was willed for Dante to see this place while he was still living. By seeing hell while he was alive Dante could be sure and make the right choices to find his way back to the straight path. Being on the right path in his lifetime would ensure he would not spend eternity in such a miserable place. I believe the whole purpose of this journey into hell was to let Dante see the anguish there and choose. Perhaps this was a divine warning. In Canto 2, Beatrice, the symbol of Divine Love, an angelic spirit was sent to help aid Dante from his error and help him return back. This is purely love and compassion at its best. Sending someone into hell to rescue another person out of there. Great lengths were taken to help Dante return back to the straight way. I do not believe such action was taken if Dante was to end up in hell all along.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For some reason midway in Dante's life's journey he had gone astray and at this point was searching for...

Saturday, January 11, 2020

A Contemporary Critique on Murasaki Shikibu’s The Tale of Genji Essay

The Heian court and the social structure it provided is a compelling aspect of Japanese history. The 21st century reader is intrigued by such an era and its artistic representations because the general norms, collective conscious, and interpersonal relationships seem to be in clear contrast with the social practices of today. At face value, it appears that Murasaki Shikibu’s discontentment with the aforementioned characteristics of court life manifested itself within the pages of The Tale of Genji. The acclaimed Russian novelist Vladimir Nabokov once stated, â€Å"A masterpiece of fiction is an original world and as such is not likely to fit the world of the reader. † Thus, although Murasaki Shikibu’s work is deeply rooted in exposing the pretense associated with Heian court social rank, marriage practices, and feminine submissiveness, she managed to create a world for Genji which tested the limits of his emotional threshold and, by default, relatable with modern/epic protagonists. Moreover, because the modern audience can at times feel sympathetic toward Genji by relating to his emotional range (i. grief through ecstasy) and psychological abnormalities, The Tale of Genji’s status as a timeless masterpiece is merited. Had Genji been a detached lover with no emotional and psychological depth, Murasaki Shikibu’s work and reputation would not have seen the light of day outside of the court she was heavily critiquing. This essay will compare the qualities depicted in The Tale of Genji with other works that are highly regarded as masterpieces while shedding light on the differences which can be seen as a more direct jab at Heian readership. There is a notion in philosophical theory that is used to show that the ‘robber and the robbed’ share a mutual existence dictated by past events. Their meeting, the robbery, is the climax of their distinct lifelong plots. The idea that humans are simply ‘victims of circumstance’ applies directly to Genji as can be seen through his decisions and amorous plight. Through the first few chapters of Murasaki Shikibu’s tale, the audience can infer on the surface that the plot revolves around the development of the protagonist’s Oedipus complex. Upon meeting young Murasaki whose resemblance to Fujitsubo was ‘astonishing’, the author specifies Genji’s yearning for Fujitsubo as the reason he was brought to tears (Murasaki 71). Although inquiries of Genji’s psychological state are not without merit, the bond between Murasaki’s work and Sophocles’ Oedipus the King delves much deeper. The growth and development of Genji’s character and traits do a bit more than clarify his current actions: should one have started reading at the â€Å"Lavender† chapter, it provides an insight to a past riddled with complexity. Through Genji’s dialogues and decisions regarding dilemmas of the heart the readership is given a man who, involved with the particular situations Genji had experienced, would most likely act in a similar fashion to Genji. Every act through Oedipus the King paints a picture for the reader of the power that emotional disposition has over Oedipus and his quests, which is not at all unlike Genji himself. After hearing about the crimes he was to commit, how can a reader not feel sympathetic towards his pursuit for independence from the oracle? In similar fashion to this masterpiece, Murasaki utilized the tool of plot reappearance across characters and time settings to give readership the sense that Genji was predisposed to repeat past deeds. After the death of Genji’s mother, the emperor (Genji’s father), was in mourning and grief and seeking to fill the void left over. After coming across the remarkable beauty of Fujitsubo and in an effort to bring her in, the emperor stated that he would â€Å"treat the girl as one of his daughters† and adding that given Genji’s resemblance to her, she â€Å"could pass for his mother† (Murasaki 22). As previously mentioned, this father-like quality resurfaced in Genji’s admiration for Murasaki. However, a distinct difference is that Genji’s paternal instinct is more or less a fabrication resulting from the impediment, put in place by Murasaki’s nurse, of his unyielding desire to make her his future lover: â€Å"It is you who do not understand. I see how young she is, and I have nothing of the sort in mind. I must again ask you to be witness to the depth and purity of my feelings†¦How can she bear to live in such a lonely place? (Murasaki 95). At this point, one can see the psychological abnormalities developed in Genji which were not corrected by his upbringing; in fact, witnessing his father’s adamant love for this exact model of beauty might have amplified the effect on his behavior. When Oedipus proclaimed the total expulsion of the murderer who was still unknown (practically accepting Jocasta, his mother, as his wife), the knowledge of the f oreseeable future which the readership possessed allowed one to feel the helplessness which Oedipus embodied. Much to the same effect, is the reader supposed to feel that Genji does not have the ability escape fate? One can infer that Murasaki’s response to this is a resounding â€Å"No†. Although the similarities between the two works are many, the major difference lies in two factors: Oedipus’ fate was sealed, and, prior to his emotional endeavor regarding the oracle’s prophecy, he was an exemplary combination of leadership and intelligence which suited a king well. Even though Murasaki gave Genji an emotional depth, she left out the qualities of critical thought and consideration for others. Doing so, Murasaki left Genji at the mercy of his circumstances without his fate being set in stone, and, thus continuing the chauvinistic characteristic of male aristocrats of the time. Through her literary prowess, Murasaki subtly but effectively proclaimed that high rank/position did not equate to intellectual superiority nor did it predetermine that all aristocrats in those positions were fit to rule as can be witnessed by Genji’s preoccupation with his love affairs and not the further betterment of court reputation or intellect. Another ubiquitously renowned masterpiece with similar sexual deviance from its protagonist is Homer’s The Odyssey. Odysseus’ journey to return home to his wife is juxtaposed with temptation by utmost beauty which ultimately leads him to succumb to the latter. In academic circles, the reunion with his wife is seen as one of the most romantic scenes in literary history; yet, there seems to be a lack of uproar regarding his adventures with Calypso and Circe. On the other hand (with critical awareness of the social norms of the time), Genji is met with great disdain by the general audience. In comparison to The Tale of Genji, the similarity lies with the degree of sympathy the protagonists evoke more so than the actual plot: although both characters had multiple extramarital affairs, does Odysseus’ long term physical displacement conjure up a greater forgiveness from the readership s oppose to Genji’s emotional dissatisfaction with his current state of affairs? The fact that Murasaki’s work, more specifically her protagonist Genji, is able to invoke an amount of emotional response from contemporary audiences comparable to that of The Odyssey without relying on 20 years of desolation from its main character in itself should merit the reputation it has received. In regards to the previously mentioned question, Murasaki would probably be displeased with Odysseus’ affairs. Although universally accepted justification would never be reached, his unfading love for Penelope goes without question. The major difference between the two protagonists lies in their response to utmost beauty. Facing Calypso, Odysseus admits that she is far more beautiful than his wife who is a mere mortal, but that he â€Å"pines† all his days to see his return to her (Lawall et. al 265). Genji, on the other hand, falls ‘prey to the female’. Murasaki’s commentary on relationships lies in the deliberate absence of discernment in Genji and his state of being out of touch with reality. Moreover, his narrow focus on beauty does not allow him to see the combination of flaws and qualities that all women possess; thus, his longing for the specific mold of beauty he yearns for seen in the beginning of Murasaki’s work holds no merit and thus, true sympathy fails to reach Genji’s amorous quest. This notion is exemplified by Murasaki’s narration describing Fujitsubo’s beauty: â€Å"There was no one else quite like her. In that fact was his undoing: he would be less a prey to longing if he could find in her even a trace of the ordinary† (Murasaki 86). Furthermore, Murasaki leaves no indication that Genji exhausted all possibilities in an attempt to make love work with Aoi (or even Rokujo); this would at least add some credibility to his dissatisfaction with them. Instead, he utilizes their unfavorable idiosyncrasies as further incentive for his extramarital adventures. Murasaki expresses her own dissatisfaction with marriage practices/relationships, in essence, by making the case that male aristocrats at court lack the judgment and intellect (which is supposed to be innate to them given the hierarchal structure of the society at the time) to fully comprehend and appreciate the complexity of women and lack the consideration to take into account that their actions affect not only hemselves. All in all, the clearest insight to Murasaki’s critique of Heian structure, rank, and interpersonal outlook comes directly from Genji and it sounds as if Murasaki implied to state the true intentions of Heian male aristocrats: â€Å"I am weak and indecisive by nature myself, and a woman who is quiet and withdrawn and follows the wishes of a man even to the point of letting herself be used has much the greater appeal. A man can shape and mold her as he wishes, and becomes fonder of her all the while† (Murasaki 62). Lastly, Heian era Japan was not the only male dominated civilization and this type of society has not yet disappeared. The fact that one can use the same critiques Murasaki masterfully made about Heian court to dispute manifestations of chauvinism in certain aspects of society today solidifies The Tale of Genji as a masterpiece which stood the test of time.

Friday, January 3, 2020

Slavery in the Uncle Toms Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe Free Essay Example, 2500 words

It is evidently clear from the discussion that the factor that makes the slave life quite miserable is that there are no recognized standards of ethics that slaves themselves may follow. When Eliza wanted to escape Shelby s plantation taking Harry with her, she offered Uncle Tom to accompany her and enjoy a freed life. However, Uncle Tom chose not to do so, when he could have done it if Eliza did it. The fundamental reason behind his refusal to join Eliza in her attempt to flee from Shelby s plantation was that Uncle Tom felt, his loyalty towards his master would become questionable if he consented with the offer of Eliza. If we consider Uncle Tom s perspective, he was not wrong in his decision. It is not that he did not like freedom or was happy being loyal to a master who would betray him and sell him over to another person just for the sake of some money. Instead, Uncle Tom chose to adopt the ethical course of action and to him , it was the demand of ethics to remain with his ma ster. We will write a custom essay sample on Slavery in the Uncle Toms Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page He submitted himself in the hands of inconsiderate masters. It was, perhaps , his wrong choice that led him to a bad ending and he embraced death after severe weakness, or else, he dies because he was destined to die at that time. Because of their ownership, masters naturally hold a right over the slaves they buy. On the other hand, it is also not wrong of slaves if they tend to escape their masters given every human being is born independent of any ownership. If the analysis has to be unbiased, a slave has just the same rights as those of a master.