Self Knowledge And Happiness In Pride And Prejudice, by Jane Austen Ess

Pride and Prejudice written by Jane Austen is centred on characters that either gain self awareness and knowledge or possess none at all. Happiness is found even when one has no understanding of selfhood but the most happy and satisfied people in the novel are those who have self knowledge. People that possess self knowledge understand their strengths and weaknesses and characters that gain self knowledge are able to decipher these characteristics and act upon them. As marriage was seen as a great achievement for women in their society, happiness in Pride and Prejudice relates to whether one is happy or unhappy in their marriage. Lydia, Mr WIckham and Lady Catherine de Bourg have no self awareness and are unhappy in the novel. The marriage of Lydia and Mr Wickham is one of the unhappy marriages. Mr Wickham and Lydia are both very similar and are both unaware of their faults; they are both careless with money and see no problem with asking their relatives for money. Lydia as the youngest daughter is well accustomed to having other people look after her and she is dependent on other people. Lydia’s lack of self awareness doesn’t affect her greatly; she is happy and claims that she loves Wickham. She is very fond of him but he is not fond of her and quickly loses interest, â€Å"Wickham’s affection for Lydia, was just what Elizabeth had expected to find it; not equal to Lydia’s for him.† Lady Catherine de Bourg has no self knowledge. She is full of herself and sees herself very highly; it is obvious she is lacks self knowledge. She makes discourteous comments about other people without thought to their opinions and she also enunciates comments about how she views herself. Lady Catherine de Bourg is unhappy because she is disappointed ... ...ejudice and realizes her faults she develops towards Darcy and is then prepared for a more fulfilling happy marriage. People with self awareness can be both happy and unhappy. Mr Bennet has self awareness but he is unhappy because he finds no satisfaction in his family. Elizabeth and Darcy come to know themselves and develop towards each other and so their marriage has the capacity to hold the greatest happiness. Also, happiness can be found when you have no self awareness. Charlotte has self awareness and knows what she wants and needs and so she is content in her marriage to Mr Collins. Mr Collins has no self awareness but is happy because he has a wife and this is what he aspired to. Ultimately, people who have the most self awareness and knowledge who can grow and learn their weaknesses and faults are the people who will have the most happiness in their lives.

An Analysis of Rebellion in George Orwell’s 1984 Essay

As a new society unfolds, so do new values and authority. In 1984, George Orwell presents a futuristic vision of the power of government as well as its social conventions. Primarily, Orwell uses Winston Smith to exhibit the effects that government control can have on morality. Winston lives in Oceania where â€Å"The Party† exploits its complete power by controlling people emotionally and mentally. However, this disturbs Winston who subsequently challenges The Party and is provoked into becoming a rebel. He recognizes that he is at the point of no return; consequently, he marches blindly ahead in the hope of defeating The Party. However, Winton’s defiant nature is quickly extinguished after he is caught and tormented for committing subversive acts. The once rebellious Winston is then forever changed, as he becomes a loyal subject of Big Brother. Winston’s challenge of Oceania’s imposed values and beliefs demonstrates humanity’s need and subsequent p ursuit of freedom. In Oceania, The Party is seen as the ultimate power; it imposes its authority and fear over its citizens with the use of technology. From the street corners to Winston’s living room, the telescreens are used to monitor the thoughts and actions of its people. â€Å"It was even conceivable, that they watched everybody all the time. But at any rate they could plug in your wire whenever they wanted to. You had to live- did live, form habit that became instinct- in the assumption that every sound you made was overhead, and, except in darkness, every movement scrutinised.† (Orwell 5). By not knowing which move is being watched or which words are being listened to, all privacy and freedom of speech is eliminated from their daily lives. The telescreens are used as a source of control and power rather than communication. They also display propaganda from the Ministry of Truth to support the Party’s actions and power. The Party also uses the media as a tool for manipulation. Posters, slogans, and advertisements display messages such as â€Å"BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU† and â€Å"WAR IS PEACE; FREEDOM IS SLAVERY; IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH†. These slogans, in addition to presenting Big Brother as a symbolic figure, work together to complete the manipulation and control of its citizens. However, altering the history and memory of Oceania also enforces political control. History books opportunely reflect the Party’s ideology which forbids individuals from keeping mementos such as photographs  and documents from their past. As a result, the citizens have vague memories of their past and willingly believe whatever the Party tells them. â€Å"Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past† (Orwell 32). By controlling the past, The Party ensures that they control the future, and through false history, the psychological independence of peopl e is controlled. By stealing people’s privacy, manipulating and manoeuvring their lives, and presenting altered history, the Party is able to exploit its power. Winston, a man with a conscience and a sense of right and wrong has no choice; he must fight for his beliefs. Big Brother, a symbolic figure for power, agitates Winton’s morality. Although a member of the Party, he disagrees with the conventions of The Party. At first, Winston demonstrates his defiance using a diary as a secure place to keep his thoughts. â€Å"DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER† (Orwell 20). Here, Winston expresses his feelings about the party. He is aware that having or expressing thoughts against Big Brother is viewed as a thought crime in Oceania; nevertheless he also knows that he cannot sit back and accept their philosophy. â€Å"Thought crime does not entail death: thought crime IS death† (Orwell 30). Winston has the good sense to be extremely careful when writing in his diary; he is paranoid about being caught and places himself away from the telescreen where he hopes he will not be detected. This action demonstrates his unwillingness to simply accept the party line and the government’s control. Another equally serious offence against the Party is his love affair with Julia. Well aware of the Party’s stand on pleasurable sexual activity, Winston, nevertheless, can not and does not suppress his desire for her. He also discovers that he is not the only one with these forbidden feelings. â€Å"That was above all what he wanted to hear. Not merely the love of one person, but the animal instinct, the simple undifferentiated desire: that was the force that would tear the Party to pieces† (Orwell 132). With the knowledge that he is not alone in this battle, Winston is even more committed and empowered to continue his defiance against the system. He recognizes that he must act cautiously and, in order to continue his affair without being caught, Winston rents a room above Mr.Charrington’s shop. Another subversive act is Winston’s communication with O’Brien, a leader in the Party. Winton bases his trust of O’Brien through the voices in  his dreams, the eye contact between them during hate meetings, and when O’Brien turns off his telescreen when the two meet. â€Å"Between himself and O’Brien, and of the impulse he sometimes felt, simply to walk into O’Brien’s presence, announce that he was the enemy of the Party and demand his help†(Orwell 159) Trustingly, Winston reveals his views to O’Brien, hoping that in the future, others will also join in the defeat of the Party. O’Brien convinces Winston that he is member of the Brotherhood; Winston eagerly joins. The authority the Party enforces over Oceania’s citizens seizes Winston’s morality and gives him the courage to increase the momentum of his rebellious acts. Unfortunately, a power far greater than his is watching his every move. As Winston continues his treasonous acts, he realises there is no way out; his optimism for a better future has him stride blindly into shark-infested waters. Winston realizes that by writing in his diary it is only a matter of time before the Thought Police capture him. â€Å"Whether he wrote DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER, or whether he refrained from writing it, made no difference. Whether he went on with the diary, or whether he did not go on with it, made no difference† (Orwell 21). Intellectually, Winston realizes that he will probably get caught, but he cannot turn back. His affair with Julia boosts his ego and so he continues with the hope that other rebels will unite with him against the Party. Unfortunately, in his dream of defeating Big Brother, Winston becomes careless and his acts against the Party take him down a dangerous path, leading him into torturous consequences. Winston allows himself to take unnecessary risks, such as trusting O’Brien. Unknowingly, the room he rents above Mr. Charrington’s shop to meet with Julia is under surveillance. Mr. Charrington, a member of the Thought Police, uses the telescreen to capture Winston’s sexual affair with Julia. As a member of the Thought Police, it is his duty to turn them in, and he does. He has the two arrested and they are sent to the Ministry. Winston’s carelessness now comes back to haunt him. In his eagerness to find others who loathe the system, he trusted O’Brien who led him to believe that he shares his hatred for Big Brother. However, Winston soon learns that O’Brien’s intentions are quite different. When Winston is caught, O’Brien visits him to â€Å"help† him through this wretchedness. However, Winston’s misplaced trust is exploited when  O’Brien preys on his biggest fear. He is taken to Room 101 where he is tortured both physically and mentally with his ultimate revulsion: rats. Winston’s fortitude collapses, changing his perspective. â€Å"†¦it was all right, everything was all right. The struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother.† (Orwell 311). Winston’s physical pain and mental anguish help him to now embrace the unquestionable power and wisdom of the Party. The irony is evident: Winston’s determination to defeat Big Brother is defeated†¦ by Big Brother. In Winston’s pursuit to gain independent thought, he struggles against the absolute power of the Party, thus demonstrating the battle between him and his government. In Oceania, the Party controls the people physically, mentally and emotionally in order to maintain their supremacy. However, the Party’s abusive power subverts Winston’s morality, aggravating him into rebellion. Once started, Winston realizes that he cannot turn back from his revolt, even though, intellectually he acknowledges that his battle could cost him far more than his freedom. He is driven to continue. Winston’s fervour for change comes to an immediate halt after he is caught and punished for his disloyalty to the Party. A man forever changed becomes a loyal supporter of Big Brother. Orwell’s 1984 is a frightening journey of a man’s fight for freedom of thought and expression. In 1948, when the book was written it was considered a futuristic view of society. Today, many o f the events have already become a reality. Big Brother is indeed watching! Works Cited Orwell, George. 1984. New York: Penguin, 1964

Comparison of Rosemary Hills-Lyttonsville Local Park and The North Lynnwood Neighbourhood Park

1 Chapter FOUR ANALYSIS, FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS 4.1 Introduction This chapter will be discuss and explains about the analysis and findings which from two mention surveies every bit good as the literature reappraisal through comparative analysis. The facets that will be used to compare are site background, end and design attack, design layout, comfortss, hardscape and softscape choice, handiness and circulation every bit good as the activities. Those aspect are considered the dependable from literature reappraisal to be portion of urban park design planning. This chapter will stop up with treatment of analysis between both park which are Rosemary Hills-Lyttonsville Local Park every bit good as The North Lynnwood Park 4.2. Site Background Both of Rosemary Hills-Lyttonsville Local Park and The North Lynnwood Neighbourhood Park are different type of park but those park are similar in using Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design ( CPTED ) rules which seeks to hold a nothing offense in the park. Table 4.1 shows the comparing of basic background for both Parkss. Table 4.1 Comparison of site background for both Parkss.Rosemary Hills-Lyttonsville Local ParkThe North Lynnwood Neighbourhood ParkEntire country: 17 estates.Built by Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission ( M-NCPPC ) Parks in 1962.Include community centre, features resort areas, a softball field, two multiuse Fieldss, four tennis tribunals, a football or association football field and a picnic country.Entire country: 6 estates.Developed in 1970 and initiated by Lynnwood Elementary School instructors, every bit good as the pupils.Include big active drama, picnic country, an out-of-door public presentation infinite, spray Parkss and new drama equipment known as â€Å"Dragon Park† .Based on the tabular array above, both Parkss attract public because it’s operation as a topographic point for socialize every bit good as there are besides provided several diversion installations for recreational activities. The Rosemary Hills-Lyttonsville Local Park consist of several installations within the park which may be used by batch of people in one clip. As compared to the Nort h Lynnwood Neighbourhood Park, it is besides consist of installations as usual for a park, but the figure of user may be somewhat different. 4.3 Goal and design attack Goal and design attack is of import and considered in design planning because of peculiar Parkss must lies on that facet. These facet is based on how the end will be achieved through the selected attack in developing a good park. From both mention surveies, it seem that both park have their ain end but used the same attack which is CPTED to accomplish a good park. For Rosemary Hills-Lyttonsville Local Park, it want to make a successful park every bit good as the unfastened infinite system in the hereafter through the devising of bing Parkss and unfastened infinites as utile and attractive as possible and besides making the right every bit good as suitable of new comfortss and linkages within the park. The North Lynnwood Neighbourhood Park besides have about the same purpose which is to supply appropriate new diversion installations every bit good as redevelop the bing 1s and make a new out-of-door public presentation infinite for Lynnwood Elementary School pupils and occupants. But, both Parkss have to accomplish the purpose through several aims that might be different. Table 4.2 The difference aims used by both Parkss to accomplish the end.Rosemary Hills-Lyttonsville Local ParkThe North Lynnwood Neighbourhood ParkI. Supply more visibleness to other installations in the park such as the resort area, hoops and others. two. Better a better entree control in covering with vehicular and prosaic traffic. three. Supply better natural surveillance for those who entered the park.I. Supply installations for diversion activities based on the user needs. two. Develop recreational resources and chances that are built-in in the landscape and outdoor atmosphere that may include walking, jogging, biking every bit good as continuing the natural countries.Harmonizing to the comparing of two mention surveies, both park are taking about the same end but different manner to accomplish it but still based on CPTED rules. The Rosemary Hills-Lyttonsville Local Park is indirectly giving a comfy and secured atmosphere for the users as to allow the relaxation for better natural surveillance and supply more visibleness to other installations. Compared to The North Lynnwood Neighbourhood Park had intended to repair up the installations with the new one within the park to make better atmosphere as the park is used by the school kids every bit good as the occupants which to maintain out fright of offenses. 4.4 Design Layout A good park design is due to the planning of a good layout puting which is the right and suited combination of workss every bit good as the characteristics will make a pleasing visual aspect and an environmentally friendly layout which mean a safer park. Through the two mention surveies, the design layout was compared to find the design which sing the offense bar schemes. Table 4.3 The difference design layout of two mention surveies.Rosemary Hills-Lyttonsville Local ParkThe North Lynnwood Neighbourhood ParkRosemary Hills-Lyttonsville Local Park was networking within the park linked to each other of the pathway and the cycleway every bit good as the planting strategy. These are the possibility to make hiding infinite within the full layout of the park.The Gwendolyn Coffield Community Center becomes a focal point of the park since the installations provided are around the centre.The installations that are provided is designated to be at the border of the park margin to guarantee the natural surveillance within the park.The North Lynnwood Neighbourhood Park is designed by positioning the looping pathway at the center of the park to be the focal point. The prosaic paseo was created to buffer by trees and other plantings.The design of the park every bit good as the external layout supplying more inclusion of corners that can hide people by twenty-four hours or dark.The planting strategy gives the obstructor of public’s position as the st ructural planting is planted at the margin of the park every bit good as to deny entree to offense marks and to make a perceptual experience of hazards to wrongdoers.Based on the tabular array above, the circulation and pathway every bit good as the cycleway is appropriate to the design counsel for both Parkss as a good park design. These is designed to let walking within the park every bit good as such a desire lines for the users. Planting strategy besides played the same function of circulation, pathway and cycleway due to the CPTED rules which is the natural entree control. Apart from that, both park have their ain focal point which is a topographic point that people will garner or play around. For Rosemary Hills-Lyttonsville Local Park, the community centre shown in Figure 3.6 act as a focal point of the park because the installations provided are around the centre which is to guarantee the natural surveillance within the park. While focal point for the North Lynnwood Neighbourhood Park is the looping pathway because of its place which is at the center of the park. The focal point is one of the facet for a good park design that act as natural surveillance. 4.5 Comfortss, hardscape and softscape choice Comfortss and hardscape choice of urban park is sensible to be compared with looking at the offense bar facet as these provided in those park is influence to make societal interaction among the users. For softscape choice every bit good as landscaping played function to heighten the natural agreeableness in the park. It is of import, nevertheless, to guarantee that heavy leaf and inappropriate planting does non take to chances for privacy and possible offense. Table 4.4 Comparison of comfortss, hardscape choice for both Parkss.Rosemary Hills-Lyttonsville Local ParkThe North Lynnwood Neighbourhood ParkA big unfastened space/ resort areaA multi-use football and association football fieldA baseball fieldTwo tennis tribunalsOne and a half hoops tribunalsCommunity centreSecurity illuming within the parkSpray parkReservable field day installationsLarge active drama countriesPlay EquipmentBasketball CourtOutdoor Stages/Performance AreaPublic toiletsParkingBased on the tabular array 4.4, the comfortss every bit good as the hardscape provided in Rosemary Hills-Lyttonsville Local Park are accessible in footings of security facet as the characteristics is accommodating security component as the comfortss and the infinite provided can make a societal atmosphere. Harmonizing to Cranz ( 1982 ) , people will utilize the park for their sociable infinite where people get to utilize ephemeral scene, run into friends do other recreational activities. Compared to The North Lynnwood Neighbourhood Park, the park provided good comfortss, but the hardscape characteristics of the park is rather unequal to back up the safety environment. Table 4.5 Comparison of softscape choice for both Parkss.Rosemary Hills-Lyttonsville Local ParkThe North Lynnwood Neighbourhood ParkThe park encompasses about 70 % of plantings. This is possible to do a fly-by-night country every bit good as to supply screen for related and suited activities.The planting choice need to suit the local ecology and recreational context.The workss choice is making a form which is covering at the border of the park.The usage of workss are to give and supply the coloring material every bit good as the texture of planting.Based on the tabular array 4.5, softscape choice is an of import component in a park which it’s played different function due to the local surrounding. This is because each seting strategy will be reflecting the image of the park. 4.6 Accessibility and circulation Accessibility and circulation aspect played function in developing a good and better park. The design fundamentally to heighten the existent and perceived safety of paseo users, by avoiding from taking people into unsafe state of affairss or countries. Table 4.6 Comparison of the handiness and circulation of both Parkss.Rosemary Hills-Lyttonsville Local ParkThe North Lynnwood Neighbourhood ParkThe handiness or street layout provided to take the motion of the users within the park is clearly where it is connects to the whole country.The form of park’s handiness or street layout is more to make the natural way scene and the circulation of the way design is excessively loopy.Based on table 4.6, both Parkss seem to give and allow the users enjoy the different atmosphere of the park through different form of handiness every bit good as circulation. Unfortunately, both circulation design is beliing to the design counsel of park. . The design of pathway should be more in the direct desire lines because the direct entree will allow in making more concealed topographic points ( Qolcuhoun, 2004 ) . 4.7 Activity Basically, each park will supply public societal infinite, lawn country every bit good as recreational installations as a topographic point that signifiers and creates activity for the societal and environmental wellness of communities. These will indirectly give some basic counsel for offense decrease within the park ( Singapore National Prevention Council, 2003 ) . Table 4.7 Activities of both Parkss.Rosemary Hills-Lyttonsville Local ParkThe North Lynnwood Neighbourhood ParkRosemary Hills-Lyttonsville Local Park supplying a batch of infinite for activities that may include athleticss, fittingness, dance, music, art, or the chance to fall in together with friends and neighbors for a particular jubilation or societal assemblage which to guarantee the park is full used.The North Lynnwood Neighbourhood Park supplying out-of-door public presentations infinite which include two phases, amphitheater seating and a big mounting bowlder for the intent of making other activities to do the park more energetic.Based on the tabular array above, both Parkss somewhat supplying the same activities which to maintain and guarantee the Parkss utile to the users every bit good as the occupants. Through the development of unfastened infinite programs which to heighten ocular agreeableness of an country do non hold the possible to endanger the safety of the users ( Christiansen, 1977 ) . So, the more ocular comfortss are provided within the park, there more activities will be occurred. 4.8 Drumhead From the comparative analysis made between Rosemary Hills-Lyttonsville Local Park and The North Lynnwood Neighbourhood Park, it can be concluded that the chief consideration of forestalling offense in urban park are site background, end and design attack, design layout, comfortss, hardscape and softscape choice, handiness and circulation every bit good as the activities aspect. These should go the design guidelines during the spacial design in developing successful urban park based on CPTED rules. Both Parkss shown a good attacks in using the CPTED rules through those aspect. Hence, the design guidelines for urban park should see the strengths from both Parkss order to make a zero offense environment every bit good as a comfy and safer atmosphere within the park. MentionsMcCormick, J. ( 2006 ) .Design Against Crime. National Recreation and Park AssociationDrakakis, S. and David, W. ( 1981 ) .Urbanization, Housing and the Development Procedure. London: Croom Helm.Jamil bin Abu Bakar ( 2002 ) .A Design Guide for Public Parks in Malaysia. Johor Darul Ta’zim: Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.Singapore National Crime Prevention Council ( 2003 ) .Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design Guidebook. Singapore: Singapore Public Affairs Department.

Case History on Best Buy

Best Buy, Inc. Case Study: Case History Clayton Bender, Justin Swanson, Kaitlyn Krause, Michelle Chambers, Elmon Tanielian Company Background: Best Buy Co. , Inc. operates as a multinational retailer of consumer electronics within the services industry. Founded in 1966 under the name Sound of Music, Inc. , Best Buy underwent a name change in 1988. It was founded by Mr. Richard M. Schulze and is headquartered in Richfield, Minnesota. Best Buy operates under a Board of Directors but is a publicly traded company owned by stockholders.The company operates retail stores and call centers and conducts online retail operations under a range of brand names such as Best Buy, Best Buy Mobile, The CarPhone Warehouse, Five Star, Future Shop, Geek Squad, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales and The Phone House. Best Buy is the 11th largest online retailer worldwide and ranks #468 on the Forbes Global 2000 (Global 2000 Leading Companies, 2012). The mission of Best Buy, though not directly outlined a s such, can be summed up by a quote from the CEO. Our formula is simple: we’re a growth company focused on better solving the unmet needs of our customers—and we rely on our employees to solve those puzzles. Thanks for stopping† (About. com). Best Buy’s vision is, â€Å"To make a meaningful and lasting impact on the quality of life in the countries and communities we serve. † Best Buy has four primary values that govern decision-making processes; unleash the power of our people, learn from challenges and change, show respect, humility and integrity, and have fun while being the best (Code of Business Ethics, 2013).Best Buy’s Market Philosophy: Best Buy operates in all 50 states, districts and territories within the United States. Various brand names under the Best Buy Inc. umbrella exist throughout the geographic area including Best Buy, Best Buy Mobile, Geek Squad, Magnolia Audio Video and Pacific Sales (Best Buy 10k Report, 2012). In the US alone, Best Buy reaches nearly 1 billion consumers each year in stores, on BestBuy. com and on m. BestBuy. com or the mobile shopping website. Out of the $165 billion per year spent on electronics in the U. S. , more than 6% of that is at Best Buy —ahead of Wal-Mart Stores (12%), Amazon. com (5%), Costco (3. 5), and Target (2. 5%) (On Best Buy Media Network, 2011). Within the domestic market, store development is aimed at multi-channel retail points of presence that focus on a given local environment, while simultaneously decreasing overall store square footage. To do this, the company anticipates closing approximately 50 large format U. S. Best Buy branded stores in fiscal year 2013 to explore other options, as well as downsizing to appeal to increasingly popular online shopping trends.They have also decided to close all Best Buy branded stores in the UK, Turkey, and China. They instead chose to focus their attention on their Five Star branded stores in China, and their Car Phone Warehouse, and Phone House stores in Europe. Best Buy’s international market is comprised of operations in Canada (Best  Buy, Best  Buy Mobile, Cell Shop, Connect Pro, Future Shop and Geek Squad), Europe (The CarPhone Warehouse, The Phone House and Geek Squad), China (Five Star), and Mexico (Best Buy and Geek Squad) (Best Buy 10k Report, 2012).These varied brands allow the company to include several lines of consumer retail products such as mobile phone products, entertainment products, appliances and related services that are tailored to appeal to each niche market. In 2012, international markets generated 26% of Best Buy’s revenue (Best Buy 10k Report, 2012). In the Canadian market, Best Buy is the fastest-growing specialty retailer and â€Å"e-tailer† of consumer electronics, PCs, and entertainment software.Best Buy focuses on children and communities, attempting to â€Å"help youth develop their skill set, discover their talents, and sustain a las ting interest in education† (About Us, 2013). Best Buy has decided to close their large-format Best Buy branded stores in China, Turkey, and the United Kingdom in order to reach areas that offer the best growth opportunity to particular locations (Best Buy 10k Report, 2012). Competitive Environment: Best Buy’s competitors range between online retailers (Amazon), big box retailers (Target and Wal-Mart), club stores (Sam’s Club and Costco), pecialty electronic retailers (Apple), and home improvement stores (Home Depot and Lowes). Some Best Buy rivals compete purely on price, while others compete on experience. Best Buy believes that online retailers will have their price advantage reduced as state governments around the country re-evaluate sales tax laws that allow some online competitors to offer lower prices. Additionally to combat price wars Best Buy also has price matching policies for other brick and mortar retailers and during this last holiday shopping seaso n even matched some online retailers’ prices (Best Buy to Match Online Prices, 2012).With the elimination of Best Buy’s biggest rival, Circuit City, they are left to focus on competitors such as Amazon, Wal-Mart, and Home Depot. None of these stores compete directly with Best Buy in every segment, but each of them offers products that compete directly with Best Buy. As shown in Exhibit 1, while Best Buy does compete with Home Depot and Lowes, the effect of appliances on Best Buy’s sales is quite small, accounting for only 5% of sales in 2011.Because there are no stores which offer a value proposition exactly like Best Buy, it presents a problem when analyzing financial statements of Best Buy’s main competitors (Best Buy 10k Report, 2012). See Exhibits 2-5 for detailed copies of Amazon and Wal-Mart financial statements. Trends- Best Buy competes in the electronics stores and consumer electronics industries. The industry overall is heading into new territor y as online shopping continues to take over the market. Recently, traditional big box stores such as Best Buy have been threatened by an increase in online consumption tendencies.Often, consumers will use stores such as Best Buy as a showroom to test new products, make a purchase decision, but then go home and find a cheaper price online. With many established, online retailers of consumer electronics on the web, retailers must find a new way to attract customers. The various methods of promotional channels such as large and small structured stores, websites, and kiosks, are all ways the company is tailoring to the market they are attempting to reach. Marketing: Products and Services- Best Buy specializes in technological goods and services.This includes home office, consumer electronics, appliances, and entertainment software. Best Buy is an ideally suited ‘one-stop-shop’. Best Buy offers Geek Squad Technical Support to consumers to aid with any difficulties or defects , to ensure customer happiness, and build loyalty. Also offered is a low-price-guarantee, where Best Buy will match the price if you find a lower price on an identical available product at a local retail competitor's store, a local Best Buy retail store or BestBuy. com (Best Buy 10k Report, 2012).As Best Buy is not a manufacturer of unique products, the main differentiating factors would be their low-price-guarantee and the in-home service â€Å"The Geek Squad†, which offers personalized technical support. In addition, there are many products that are exclusive to Best Buy, such as certain televisions, video games, and computer devices. Distribution- Best Buy sells products through both its 1,103 retail locations and their website bestbuy. com. Domestic Distribution- Inside the U. S. , most Best Buy products are shipped directly from the manufacturers to the regional distribution centers.The exceptions to this method are large TV’s and appliances which are shipped from producers to specific satellite warehouses in each major market. In certain cases, where release dates play a large role in a product, the item will go directly from the producer to individual Best Buy stores (Best Buy 10k Report, 2012). Products purchased online are either picked up in store, or shipped directly to consumers via the same regional distribution centers the stores receive their products from. International Distribution-In Europe, Best Buy’s two small cell phone stores have their products shipped from manufacturers to regional distribution centers and then to the stores. Individual stores hold only immediate stock requirements while distribution centers hold additional merchandise. Best Buy stores in Canada and Mexico follow the distribution method used in the U. S. (Best Buy 10k Report, 2012). Promotion- The customer base is primarily centered on high income earners (75,000+), 24-54 aged males who have children (ad example targeting this listed in exhibit 6).B est Buy shoppers are viewed as mobile, technically savvy, advanced digital users, who are highly engaged in learning about technology as well as encourage their children to learn about technology, too (On Best Buy Media Network, 2011) (promotion example targeting this listed in exhibit 7). Including selling, general and administrative expenses, promotional costs were $995,000,000 in fiscal year 2012, $862,000,000 in 2011, and $709,000,000 in 2010 (Best Buy 10k Report, 2012).Best Buy has traditionally focused on media involving print, television, large-scale events, and is now shifting gears more towards digital advertising for promotional efforts due to consumer changes in shopping habits. Best Buy spends most of the promotional budget during the holiday season in response to high sales during Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas (Best Buy 10k Report, 2012). A detailed list of quarterly expenses can be found in exhibit 8. One of the largest and most expensive prom otional efforts undertaken by Best Buy is the commercial segments aired during the Super Bowl.Best Buy has utilized this tactic for the past three years. In 2011, the commercial featured the celebrities Justin Bieber and Ozzy Osbourne. In 2012, it featured mobile innovations such as Instagram and the popular game, Angry Birds. For this upcoming Super Bowl, Best Buy will feature the comedian Amy Poehler. These are significant decisions considering this year’s thirty-second ad placement cost $4 million and is projected to reach over 100 million viewers (The Associated Press, 2013). Leadership:Best Buy’s Board of Directors, elected by the shareholders, is responsible for overseeing the business and affairs in order to manage the long-term interests of the company (Best Buy, Inc. , 2013). The Board of Directors is in charge of selecting and evaluating the performance of senior executives. There are four distinct committees structured within the Board: Audit Committee, Comp ensation and Human Resources Committee, Finance and Investment Policy Committee, and Nominating, Corporate Governance, and Public Policy Committee.A detailed visual of the organizational structure can be viewed in exhibit 9. Organizational Culture: Traditionally, Best Buy has been known for enforcing strict policies and encouraging employees to work overtime. In 2003, however, the corporate culture was radically changed to a system designed by two of the company’s own human resource department employees, Cali Ressler and Jody Thompson (Brandon, 2007). This system, known as ROWE or the results-only-work-environment, allows personnel to come and go as they please.Many corporate employees have no official office or work schedule. Similar systems have become popular in the advanced technical industry, including companies such as IBM, but no such corporate culture existed in a large retail company before Best Buy. The system is working to meet their goals, as employee turnover dec reased drastically after implementation. However, recently, employee satisfaction has suffered as a result of a decrease in company profitability (Conlin, 2006). Stakeholders:The primary stakeholders are the stockholders; the individuals that have an active interest in the company’s successes and failures because their personal investments are directly impacted. Additional stakeholders include employees (who rely on the company to stay in business and guarantee their employment), consumers (who depend on the products and services of the company), and the surrounding community which Best Buy is committed to serving in their values. Currently, a general concern of stakeholders is the increasingly competitive nature of the of the electronic retail market.With e-retail and internet stores becoming more significant players in the market place, Best Buy seems to have become a place of research and testing by the consumer, rather than actual purchasing. Stakeholders are calling for innovative and differentiating factors to emerge for Best Buy to remain a key player in the consumer electronic market. In addition, as typical of most companies, the stakeholders of Best Buy want increased sales and profit margins, to hopefully lead to increased stock prices as well. Financials: Balance Sheet-Best Buy currently has approximately $16 Billion in assets, $12 Billion in liabilities, and $3 Billion in stockholder equity. Over the past three years, total assets and stockholder equity have been decreasing while total liabilities have been increasing. (Best Buy Balance Sheet) A detailed balance sheet can be found in exhibit 10. Income Statements- Best Buy had a loss in net income during FY 2012 of $1. 2 billion compared to net earnings of $1. 3 billion in 2011. A detailed balance sheet can be found in exhibit 11. Objectives ; Performance Strategy:Best Buy competes in a competitive retail industry constantly affected by the current state of the economy and consumer confiden ce. Such an industry presents difficulty in predicting consumer behaviors and corresponding sales. These tough times have forced Best Buy to begin transforming the company and hone in on strategies they believe will â€Å"offer the best opportunities to improve returns† (Best Buy 10k Report, 2012). Best Buy has committed to focusing on four main initiatives all revolving around that transformation and improving financial performance. Multi-year Cost Reductions-Best Buy aims to lower the cost structure of various areas of their business through improvements in efficiency as well as current investments designed to provide long term earnings benefits. These changes will include closing 50 of their large, brick-and-mortar stores within fiscal year 2013. In addition they aim to decrease the costs of goods sold as well as reduction in corporate and support structures (Best Buy 10k Report, 2012). U. S. Store Format Improvements- Best Buy will be revising their store formats in order to â€Å"increase points of presence, while decreasing overall square footage†.These changes will occur through increasing the number of their Best Buy Mobile stand-alone stores, decreasing their large-format stores, and to remodel key market Best Buy stores into their smaller, leaner, â€Å"Connected Stores (Best Buy 10k Report, 2012). Growth Initiatives- Best Buy will execute growth initiatives in e-commerce, connections, services, and China. They will approach growth in e-commerce with â€Å"more competitive online pricing, broader use of free shipping, the expansion of our online assortment, and further development of Best Buy Marketplace†.There will be a focus on increasing all mobile connection expertise, all product services, and store locations in China. Improved Customer Experience- Best Buy believes that they differentiate themselves from competitors through careful and persistent attention to the experiences their customers have. Through programs such as t heir â€Å"Perfect Match Promise† which provides customers with a 30 day period of full technical support, hassle-free returns, and competitor price matching as well as their Reward Zone loyalty programs, they desire to provide their customers with an incomparable experience as they shop at Best Buy.Finally, Best Buy aims to increase their enhanced training for employees in order to meet these customer service goals (Best Buy 10k Report, 2012). Works Cited Global 2000 Leading Companies. (2012, April). Retrieved from Forbes: http://www. forbes. com/companies/best-buy/ Best Buy Balance Sheet. (n. d. ). Retrieved from Yahoo Finance: http://finance. yahoo. com/q/bs? s=BBY+Balance+Sheet;annual Best Buy Income Statement. (n. d. ). Retrieved from Yahoo Finance: http://finance. yahoo. com/q/is? s=BBY+Income+Statement;annual Best Buy, Inc. (2011, January 23).On Best Buy Media Network. Retrieved from Best Buy Media Kit: http://www. bestbuymediakit. com/assets/files/Media_Kit_Presentati on. pdf Best Buy, Inc. (2012). Best Buy 10k Report. Richfield: Best Buy. Best Buy, Inc. (2013, January 22). About Us. Retrieved from Best Buy Canada: http://www. bestbuy. ca/en-CA/about-best-buy-canada. aspx? path=9825360f7559258208ae2438cb28c580en99 Best Buy, Inc. (2013, January 22). Code of Business Ethics. Retrieved from Ethics Point: https://secure. ethicspoint. com/domain/media/en/gui/32565/code. html? 3 Brandon, J. (2007, April 4).Rethinking the Time Clock. Retrieved from CNN Money: http://money. cnn. com/magazines/business2/business2_archive/2007/03/01/8401022/index. htm Conlin, M. (2006, December 10). Smashing the Clock. Retrieved from Bloomberg Businessweek Magazine: http://www. businessweek. com/stories/2006-12-10/smashing-the-clock Kerrigan, H. (2012, April). Results-Only Work Environment Goes Public Sector. Retrieved from Governing: http://www. governing. com/topics/public-workforce/gov-results-only-work-environment-goes-public-sector. html The Associated Press. (2013, J anuary 22).Best Buy Super Bowl branding spot will focus on humor, enlists Amy Poehler. The Washington Post, p. 1. Zimmerman, A. (2012, 10 12). Best Buy to Match Online Prices. Wall Street Journal. Exhibit 1: Best Buy’s Domestic Sales Allocation (Best Buy 10k Report, 2012) Exhibit 2: AMZN Income Statement Exhibit 3: AMZN Balance Sheet Exhibit 4: WMT Income Statement Exhibit 5: WMT Balance Sheet Exhibit 6: Promotional Ad Example Promotional Ad Source Exhibit 7: Promotion Example-Scholarship Program Promotion Example-Scholarship Program Source Exhibit 8: US Promotional Focuses Broken Down in Quarters On Best Buy Media Network, 2011) Exhibit 9: Organizational Chart Exhibit 10: BBY Balance Sheet Exhibit 11: BBY Income Statement Here are my thoughts†¦ The purpose of this Case History is to provide data for the next document, the Case Analysis. You should examine your Case History to ensure that it contains sufficient data for a complete Strategic Analysis—an Environment Analysis and a Company Analysis. For example, do you have sufficient data to conduct a PEST Analysis? Do you have sufficient data for conducting a complete Competitive Forces Analysis?On page 5, you do not provide data under the heading of â€Å"Leadership†. On a more comprehensive scale, does the Case History tell the story of Best Buy, or is the Case History a collection of different pieces of data? Does the sequence of the data facilitate a story? From the Heading â€Å"Balance Sheet Analysis† to the end of the document’s text, you seem to be presenting an analysis. The purpose of the Case History, though, is to present data. The analysis should be saved for the next document, the Case Analysis. Midnight- Sunday, February 3rd Other points to Add: 5 Forces Model Highlights: Risk of Entry by competitors- * Low everyone is in that wants to be * Intensity of Rivalry * High * Bargaining power of buyers * High price and experience dictate where we go * Bargaining power of suppliers * Low buyers took control * Closeness of substitutes * No idea what a substitute would be †¦ * Power of complement providers * †¦ PEST Analysis: * Political * * Economic * disposable income levels affect the amount people want to spend on these goods * Social * Trending products * Technological * whoever continues to provide/produce the newest gadgets

Selective Media Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Selective Media - Lab Report Example Selective media has a limited number of microorganisms it can support in growth because the particular component inhibits most other microorganisms by either limiting their growth or production of toxic substance that inhibit growth of non-selected microbes hence appropriate in the selection of target microorganisms during diagnosis. Diagnostic procedures utilising growth characteristics of enteric microorganisms is one of the cheapest and the easiest microbiological protocol that can be adopted in any low-income laboratory or a facility with high throughput diagnostic equipments. During the diagnosis of enteric medical conditions, use of growth media in the diagnosis of microorganisms gives reliable information that guides subsequent diagnostic studies that aims at targeting a particular pathogen. However, the growth of microorganisms is a characteristic of the media used in the assessment of growth. All media do not support the growth of all pathogens. In fact, only nutrient agar can support the growth of most microorganisms. Therefore, utilising a particular media that targets an individual pathogen is a crucial phenomenon in bacterial culture laboratory practices. Media are made selective for a particular microorganism by the incorporation of growth enhancement component that targets a particular pathogen as well as growth limiting component that inhibits the growth of unwanted organisms. Such media is referred to as selective media because it either enhances or inhibits the growth. Using selecting media makes it easy to discriminate most unwanted pathogens that arise from environmental contamination and likely to give false positive diagnosis. This report assessed the growth, morphology characteristics, differential colony features of the four selected microorganisms (E. coli, Salmonella tyhimum, Shigella flecked, and Staphylococcus spp) on five selected selective media (Phenylethyl alcohol – PEA; Hektoen enteric agar- HEK;

Assignment #1 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

#1 - Assignment Example His work can be used by the central banks to curb inflationary expectations appropriately. 2005: Robert J. Aumann and Thomas C. Schelling: They received the award for their research of conflict and cooperation through game-theory analysis. Schelling applied the concepts of game-theory to international relations. Prof. Aumann’s work focused on the issue of effect of continued repetition of games on co-operation. 2004: Finn E. Kydland and Edward C. Prescott: They received the Noble prize for their research on effects of business cycles on international trade. They examined the driving forces behind business cycles, and analyzed the temporal consistency of economic policy 1998: Amartya Sen: Prof. Amartya Sen received the Noble prize for his work on welfare economics in case of famine, and suggestions to prevent it. His work focused on the human development theory, the underlying mechanism of poverty, and political liberalism. The Oxford English dictionary defines theory as â€Å"an idea or set of ideas that is intended to explain something† (â€Å"Theory†). Formulation of a theory is a step-by-step scientific process, starting from an opinion to stating the final theory. The starting point of a theory is an observation of a particular process. The interest created by this observation then leads to the formulation of an opinion regarding the process. This opinion is based on the available information regarding the same process, and the researcher’s beliefs. These opinions are also a reflection of the researcher’s expectations regarding the outcome of the enquiry. These opinion and observation then lead to the formulation of hypotheses. Hypothesis is a possible theoretical explanation of the observation made by a researcher to fill the gaps in the research previously done on the subject matter. This is followed by collection and classification of the data. Data collection is followed by the formulation of invariance