Promoting fashion brands through social media

Promoting fashion brands through social media The purpose of this study has been to research possibilities of promoting a fashion brand through social media, specifically Facebook. It would analyse its advantages as well as disadvantages towards fashion business. The social media is an Internet platform where people are free to discuss and communicate through different blogs and websites. The critical question is how consumer decisions are affected by other consumers recommendations. It is very important that businesses intending to join the online environment should thoroughly understand the online consumer market. For the marketing purposes, social networks represent unique opportunities of a constant contact with the consumers. Sales over the Internet have increased drastically over the last decade in both USA and Europe (Forrester Research, 2000). In December 2002, Europeans reportedly spent $ 15.8 billion in 2002, Whereas North Americans spent $15.7 billion. The rise in Internet sales was mostly effected by the sales of gar ments and toys (Blauw Research bv, 2003). Outlaw Freelancers is a small Amsterdam based fashion brand, and is a good example of the micro business. Their sales are done only through Internet, at their main web page (www.outlawfreelancers.com). Outlaws have decided to use new marketing ways, and advertise their brand through social network such as Facebook. In order to find out how the big brands on the market manage social media exposure, interview with NIKE and HM representatives was accomplished. From the interviews it can be seen that companies operate almost with the same structure, except geographically targeting consumers. In comparison with Outlaws, both NIKE and HM, have already established an image, and therefore in no need of a new one. The study has shown that social media power is not enough to push the brand on the market. After a 4 months observation of Outlaw Freelancers it was clear that social media was not enough to push the sales. However, it is crucial for established companies like NIKE and HM to use social media to communicate with its consumers. Due to the time limit, it was unfeasible to continue the Outlaws research of 4 months which could possibly lead to better results. The observation is relatively small and could have led to different outcome if the period was longer. The study has shown that for a new brand on the fashion market it is crucial to mix the use of traditional marketing as well as new Internet ways. Acknowledgements I would like to express my appreciation and thank to all those involved in accomplishing this thesis, including individuals and various organizations that will be mentions throughout the process. Thanks to my parents, Mr. And Mrs. Kaminskiy, for their unfailing support during the period of my entire course. Special thanks to my dear friend Louisa Chiejina, who stayed encouraging and positive through the whole process, and believed in me. 1.1Introduction Outlaw Freelancers is Amsterdam based fashion brand, which is represented by a collaboration of fashion and graphic designers who worked with the worlds largest fashion brands in previous. The brand was established in spring 2010, and represented by a simple but highly effective designs. The collection is entitled, Run, the old world is behind you! Inspired by the 1968 Paris student protests features a 12 piece line on mens t-shirts with the Outlaws signature bold, iconic imagery. At the moment the brand is concentrating only on online sales, which will follow by retail in the near future. The Vision of the brand can be refereed to as a glocal lifestyle and take inspiration from popular culture: art, music, design and modern European living. Outlaw Freelancers consumer are masculine, work and socialize in stylish fashionable cities. Their personal style is intuitive and daring, reflecting an independence of spirit. Creative provocative and rebellious, always modern. Being a new brand the company is trying to find a suitable marketing strategy. In the industry there are many marketing strategies that a company could use to promote its brand awareness such as: advertising, public relations, personal selling, direct marketing, sales promotion and word on mouth marketing, which all belong to the marketing communication mix, also known as a promotional mix. The six elements help companies to achieve customer loyalty and rise in sales. The marketing communication mix model was created Philip Kotler, whos knowledge is being used all around the world. Every element of the mix represents a different approach, which will be explained in the literature review. Outlaw Freelancers have adopted some of the strategies from the marketing mix, such as word of mouth, for its future success. Despite the use of marketing mix, the brand has decided to use the Internet also known as Web 2.0. Companies have widely recognised the power of the internet and broad scope it offers . The interactivity provide retailers with the potential to transform their customers shopping experience (Evanschitzky et al., 2004; Wol ¬Ã‚ nbarger and Gilly, 2003), and in so doing, strengthen their own competitive positions (Doherty and Ellis-Chadwick, 2009; Levenburg, 2005). The company uses the internet through social media sites like Facebook, to communicate with its consumers and prospective customers. Primarily, social networks were aimed to build communities on the Internet, of people with similar interests and/or activities. Social networking existed since 1995 and started up with www.Classmates.com. The project came out quite successful, and in the next few year there was a number of duplicates with the same content. But the official social networking success started in 2003-2004 with the networks such as: LinkedIn, Myspace and Facebook. The advantages of networking can also involve finding people with the same interest, finding the desired web page or any other information that can interest you related to your hobby or work. Usually, the web site allows you to post information about yourself (e.g. Date of birth, school or university you attended, hobbies etc.) from which other users can find you, and relate if needed. There are different types of profiles, you can either have your own private profile, or make a group which will be visible for everybody. As competition in the fashion markets intensifies globally, companys seek other and new strategies to capture both the interest and loyalty of consumers. Because the business environment is changing and is very dynamic in the fashion sector . Apparel companys would have to build their image and brand with supporting marketing strategies which will lead to growth in the long run and survival of the brand and what it represents (Marguerite Moore, 2003) For the marketing purposes, social networks represent unique opportunities of a constant contact with the consumers. It became a usual activity to talk about different companies and preferences, which either can break the companys reputation, or make it stronger. Social media marketing platform is growing extremely fast, therefore it attract spending more budget by the companies on advertisings that can be placed on these web pages. The major goal of Marketing is undoubtedly to satisfy the customers needs and make a profit along the way. Unfortunately, the needs of customers can differ tremendously from industry to industry. Therefore different approaches are required to meet all the different needs. Positioning the brand is about finding the right spot in customers minds in order to create the desired association. (Kotler, 2001, p.172) The thesis mostly concentrates Facebook as a form of social media network. It would analysis its advantages as well as disadvantages towards businesses and their marketing strategy. Nowadays news about Facebook appears very regularly, this is one of the fastest growing social networks and the most popular one. Launched 6 years ago, Facebook was a closed network for students only, allowed to sign in only with a student email address belonging to certain universities. Nowadays anybody around the world can join the network. The main advantage for marketing purposes, that ensured success of Facebook, is the transformation from the usual social network into a platform with web applications. Developers have created a program that allows anyone to create an addition to Facebook. Currently, there are more than 5000 web-based applications, among them games and promotions which are quite useful for enhancing the performance of services and advertising. After a convenient research Outlaw Freelancers have decided to use the social media website such as Facebook as a marketing strategy to take on helping promote the brand. (Salzer-Morling and Strannegard 2004) define the brand as the organisations principal asset and the core business activity. It is more than just a name or symbol and can be used to differentiate a retailer from its competitors . having a strong brand is a powerful marketing strategy to reduce uncertainty about evaluation of product and to increase the purchase intentions of online shoppers (Collins-Dodd and Lindley, 2003). Today more and more retailers use their websites and social media to establish their brand presence on the web and communicate with key audiences. The main purpose of this thesis is to find out whether social media, such as Facebook, can influence the Outlaw Freelancers brand awareness, and sales in a long run. There are a lot of surveys mentioning that traditional advertising methods are losing power, compare to the online word of mouth, therefore it is interesting to use a real life example such as Outlaw Freelancers, to observe whether Facebook can be effective. The remainder of this study/research is organised as follows. Chapter 2 looks at the literatures relative to the subject , while chapter 3 looks at the methods used to convey the research . Chapter 4 looks at the analysis gotten from the survey and finally chapter 5 will conclude the research. Aims and Objectives I. To find out if the social media such as Facebook can affect online sales of the small brand such as Outlaw Freelancers. Compare the use of Facebook of a big company like NIKE to a small brand such as Outlaw Freelancers. Find out what are the lessons that small business can apply. Analyze if it is effective to use only social media during the growth of the new brand. 1.2 Significance of study The purpose of this study is to explore how a small fashion brand tries to engage in the market using social media techniques. Upon completion of the study , the Researcher would have an additional knowledge in analysing how social media works and most especially in what kind of businesses. The study will identify problems that might occur using this form of marketing strategy. With research , interviews, sent out questionnaires and the presence of a focus group. The study will show in detail the impact of social media network such as Facebook on the business and its brand. The recommendation on findings made in the study will help Outlaw Freelancer, its owners and potential small businesses, more aware and knowledgeable on external factors out there that could endanger or improve their business future. Limitation of study Time constraints due to time it was unfeasible to have more personal interviews with managers of mostly fashion companies. Also questionnaire could be as extensive as the researcher would have preferred. Limited Research present research/survey available still represent a diminutive fraction of the individuals on social media site; Facebook and fashion companies that promote their brands through this medium. The sample is relatively small and might have a different outcome if the sample was larger. Limited response Some of the interviewees have busy lives hence are limited to a short time and would only be able to answer a restricted amount of questions. Data availability Some of the respondents were reluctant to provide some of the information. Chapter 2 Literature Review As the internet continues to grow more and more consumers organise their regular lives around the web. From education(online learning to shopping for groceries or in this context fashion goods. Over the years consumers have seem to increase their online purchase of fashion merchandises. That status has generated a body of research allied with fashion e-tailing. (Marchiniak, R. and Bruce, M. 2004) summarise in a chapter about e-tailing, they highlight that an ample amount of study done in the area shows cross channel shopping behaviour and issues with consumer behaviour. However further research show essentials like web site design , quality and fashion are most retailers approach to online strategy (Neil F. Doherty Fiona Ellis 2010). The aspect of web design is important to any fashion branding especially the Outlaws; a brand coming straight into the e-tailing market. In the terms of web site design, issues like the page design , interactivity level , and inconsistency across the si tes get consumers concerned and react ( Siddiqui, N., OMalley, A., McColl, J.C. and Birtwistle, G. 2003). In different literature , there are aspects that are needed for any company looking to promote its brand through the web or social media websites. Aspects like branding, promotions, and web design mentioned above. Branding is crucial to the final vision of any fashion company, whether big or small. Park and Stoel (2005) investigated the familiarity with brands on the internet alongside with previous experience of shopping. They suggest that this familiarity and knowledge about brands is likely to influence the way consumers react and most especially their purchasing power. It also influences their perceptions on the risk associated with shopping online. In other words there is some evidence that brand familiarity may stimulate engagement with online shopping (Jennifer Rowley 2009). In a research model by Park, he made up a hypotheses that, People who are exposed to a well-known brand name will perceive (a) higher value and (b) more positive store image, as compared to people who are exposed to a website with an unfamiliar brand name ( Minjung Park 2009) . The diagram in Appendix ( diagram from journal). goes on to show how Park describes the links between the brand, promotion, perceived value, purchase intention and store image. Although in the case of the Outlaw Freelancers there is not a store image. Moving on to promotions, which are very useful in cognitive evaluations when deciding on the product to purchase (Raghubir, P. 2004). They are important ways of keeping consumers informed about products and trends. They create a sort of awareness value to the retailer, let consumers know about their activities which might eventually lead to their loyalty and encourage them to revisit (Minjung Park 2009). Several research have shown and proven that promotions such as price promotions like discounts have a positive impact on the customers behaviour towards products.(fit it somewhere) However despite the increase in online sales of fashion apparel, research from scholars suggest that many individuals especially those in Europe are more reluctant to shop for garment over the internet. No doubt that issues like trying the apparel on and feeling the fabric hinges this process enormously . (Rene P. Spijkerman 2008) shows in details investigation from several resources (E buyersGuide.com, Kwon et al., 1991; Jasper and Quelette, 1994). He goes on to highlight the percentage and issues involving shopping on-line. In the same research conducted by Rene P. Spijkerman which intended to answer his main research question: How do Dutch fashion retailers use Internet sites (2004 2007) and if Dutch consumers appreciate web sites selling apparel? The research investigation includes the web presents of Dutch apparel retailers having at least up to 55 shops in the town/city. It was to no surprise that majority of the shops could be identified using the google search engine, althou gh others had to be searched through other websites or links. This highlighted a notable part to the researcher that the web presence of any retail business (fashion brands) and easy access was a crucial element, more over as companies like Outlaws intend to grow and be known, the ability to make its presence on the web would be a tough but promising challenge if successful. Finally at the end Rene comes to a conclusion that some Dutch retailers do sell on the Internet on their own site but the majority do not, despite the fact that they obviously put money and effort into their web sites. Others like Doherty et al. (1999) support Rene and suggest similar, proposing that the Internet adoption might not be a viable strategy for all retailers, as the likelihood of an organisation succeeding in their investment decision would be dependent upon the retailers specific internal and environmental inhibitors and facilitators. When all seems to fail, Word of mouth (WOM) is always another marketing strategy for firms to use. It has a greater impact on judgements and decision making than formal methods of marketing communications. Research has showed that this method helps attract new customers . even though others emphasis on branding and promotions Chapter 3 Methodology Research methodology A research process that includes a systematic set of steps and actions to answer certain questions, which usually include information from academic journals, books, different publications and web sites. A right set of methods will lead to the development of the answers. In this thesis few methods will be used to answer the main question. The most important field research is the actual observation and working with the firm Outlaw Freelancers a brand on the social media strategy, for the period of 4 month. It is crucial to observe the process as it goes, paying attention from the very start. The brand is a good example of micro business and it will be interesting to compare its use of the social media, to the big company like NIKE and HM, and the way they operate through Web 2.0. However, it needs to be taken into consideration that big companies already have an existing image, and in no need to build a new one. Their task is to represent the image in its best, and communicate with the consumers, making them a part of a social media building process. Small new brands, on the other hand, have an opportunity of building their image through social media and the word of mouth, which does not involve as much costs like marketing campaigns. An interview will be conducted with NIKE HM representatives, from the social media section, their answers are summarised in the analysis. The NIKE interview will be done in person, to increase the response of the interviewee. The questions will be very open and would be more like a conversation. The HM interview will consists of 7 questions, the questions will be set as an open questionnaire they will open questions with no fixed answers and seek to solicit opinions on particular issues. This questionnaire can be seen in Appendix. It will be interesting to find out how long the companies used social media, if they analyse the outcome and the reaction of users, if there are any costs involved in the process and how many people in the company are involved in the process of managing the Web pages. In order to find out if the users of Facebook pay attention to the fan pages of the fashion brands, another questionnaire will be conducted and sent to 50 users. The questionnaire is closed, with a set of questions in a fixed order, which generally requires the correspondence to respond by selection of one or more multiple choice options. The method ensures a rapid response, easy quantification, coding of data, and consequent comparability of response and guarantees coverage of the area of the interest to the research ( Brewerton et al, 2001. p.70) It will be interesting to see from the user prospective, if there is any attention paid to the updates and information that companies post. (See Appendix) After gathering responses from the following questionnaires, one might be able to compare the use of Facebook of a big company like NIKE to a small brand such as Outlaw Freelancers and find out if the social media such as Facebook can affect online sales of the small brand such as Outlaw Freelancers, which are the aims and objectives (I and II) of this project. All interviews, observations and questionnaires will help to examine and explore the links between the company, its branding and its promotions within social media context. All research, observation and scholars have shown that this elements are very essential ingredients to any company that wishes to participate in e-retailing and make its web presents. However, certain limitations may obstruct the collection data. The interviewees and recipients of the questionnaire are extraordinarily busy. They may not respond or complete the surveys independently. Chapter 4 Analysis 4.1 Analysis Outlaw Freelancers To answer the aims and objectives of this study, the observation was conducted with the Outlaw Freelancers brand. During the period of 4 months the researcher was given an opportunity to work on the social media strategy and advertise the Outlaws mainly through Facebook. Social media gives companies an opportunity of free marketing, the main difference between traditional media and social media are the costs of it. Traditional media have existed long before Internet took over. In a lot of cases it is still relevant, depending on the product and the company. It includes radio, television, newspapers, magazines, books and most print publications. Outlaw Freelancers is a good example of micro business, therefore it was interesting to observe the growth of it. Most of the main objectives that were created in the beginning of the observation were met. Creating a Facebook fan page was a first step. To attract the users to become fans came out as a difficult task, due to the lack of the name recognition. After some time mostly the friends of the brand started to notice, and adding the brand to their profiles. Another important trick that was used in order to grow fan base, was Facebook advertising on the right side of the page. Facebook advertising is meant to be paid for, and the price is depending on the location, occupation and ages that you are targeting, etc. The advertising helped the brand to grow up to 1300 online fans, targeting countries such as Netherlands, France, Belgium, USA and United Kingdom, people who are working in the fashion industry or are related to it by any means. To target different countries gives a brand an opportunity of the immediate international presents, which is important in the long run. Outlaw Freelancers Fan page: New posts of the brand are sent to the fans through the Facebook updates (the posts on the main wall) and message updates. The main web shop (www.outlawfreelancers.com) is linked with Facebook profile which is shown in the information box on the wall of the profile. The fans were constantly indulged in the conversations, which is an important part of the social media strategy. Facebook users like to feel important and noticed. The communication that is done by a brand needs to represents its tone. Preferably the selling part is better to leave to a costumer, which can decide for himself. The post were representing the Outlaws identity, they included different fashion and music events, art exhibitions, inspiring images as well as any kind of updates on the main web shop page. The right balance was accomplished from the beginning, therefore users felt comfortable to comment and take part in discussions. The calendar for updates was made in order to be more strategic, in this way users do not forget about the existence of the brand. To analyse the fan pages, Facebook created an overview graphs, which show the traffic that was drawn by users The main aim of the Facebook fan page is to draw more traffic to the main web-shop (www.outlawfreelancers.com) and increasing sales. The website analysis did not show much change in the first 2 month, where after that period traffic increased and t-shirts were selling, but in very small quantities. This 4 month observation has showed the first signs that the fan pages on Facebook might not be enough to advertise the brand, therefore traditional needs to also be used. Outlaw Freelancers SWOT analysis Strengths Individual networking Word of mouth communication Immediate Internet presence through social media Quality product Weaknesses Lack of name recognition Advertising only through social media Competition with established brands No guarantee of sale through social media Opportunities Rise in sales Brand expansion to wider range of products (e.g. pans, jumpers, ladies wear) Developing international presents Retail sales Threats Getting the right message across to the right target group Becoming price competitive Shifting trends 4.2 NIKE Field research: Interview with Lauren Jane McBridge who is working on Brand Communication within Northern Europe at NIKE, dealing with brand marketing through social media. Aim of the interview: In this interview researcher would like to find out the way big company like NIKE operates within the social media in comparison to a small company like Outlaw Freelancers. Lauren McBridge was contacted, who is being responsible for brand communication within Nothern Europe to find out the information the researcher was looking for. Social media at NIKE: At the NIKE headquarters in Hilversum, Brand communication department is responsible for social media in Europe, all the other parts of the world are covered in different headquarters such as United States of America and Russia. Lauren McBridge is mostly responsible for covering Northern part of Europe and countries such as: Denmark, Belgium, Sweden, Norway, Netherlands and Finland. NIKE uses few social media networks such as Twitter, Facebook and Hyves in Netherlands. The main network that is being frequently used is Facebook. Laurens main tasks include monitoring Facebook fan pages, analysing responses of the users, and overall looking at the success of different social media campaigns. The analysing process is made through graphs and responses on the fan pages, which calculate the number of visitors in the certain period, feedbacks and the highest ratings. After analysing the feedback the information is calculated and can be used in the next campaign, considering the information that have gotten the highest response. The success of the social media campaigns is also calculated through sales in stores as well as online. For example when a product is posted on a Facebook page, with a link to a web shop, NIKE is watching the response of the consumer online, as well as comparing it to the number of sales of that particular item. Taking into consideration that NIKE is a major publicly trade sportswear and the worlds leading supplier of athletic shoes and apparel, every country that NIKE is represented in needs a different approach in social media networks. Everything depends on the culture and sport events that are taking place. At NIKE there are usually one or two people who are involved in social media for each country, who update public profiles and give responses to the public when it is needed. This is relatively different approach that that of HM, where there is only one existing Facebook fan page. It contrast to NIKE here which admits on having various different fan pages, one for each country. NIKE Facebook pages can be updated quite frequently, sometimes even more then once a day, depending on the current situation with events. The content calendar is used in order to balance the posts. It is important not to be pushy or concentrating on sales as well as to keep the posts high quality, as every socia l media page carries the reputation of the global brand. Facebook users like to feel special, so the main task is to inform and generate interactions. Sometimes the response might come out negative, in which case it is important to reply in the right way, which will give the brand more credibility. A very similar method, is used by HM. It was demonstrated in the questionnaire, sent to the employee, when she was asked in question 5 about the companys reaction or response to negative comments. Her answer was as follow, If theres a need, we always do our best to respond. Facebook vs. Twitter and Hyves: The main social media website that NIKE is involved with is Facebook. It seems to be the most convenient network for the brand, with the biggest amount of users. Twitter, on the other hand, was used in the case of a big event (e.g. World Cup) which added the account a lot of followers, but did not come out as successful as Facebook. For the company the outcome is important, the attention of users, and Twitter did not show as much enthusiasm. Hyves, is the most popular social network site in the Netherlands, with mainly Dutch visitors, therefore it was essential to make a Hyves account for NIKE. Hyves is being used quite frequently and the content is different from Facebook, to keep the user interested. But then again, Facebook pages seems to draw more interest. A lot of countries all over the world have their own social networks, where they use mother tongue as the main language. The examples of those networks are Vkontakte in Russia and Mixi in Japan. Representatives of NIKE that work for social media for those countries monitoring the pages that are specially made for users of more localized networks. NIKE has few Facebook fan pages, depending on the audience they want to attract, for example male or female. The voice behind every post needs to be relating to the consumer. Therefore it is important to consider user differences in social network. Costs As much as social media can be considered a free of charge marketing, in the big companies like NIKE costs can be involved from time to time. There are special agencies that can be used to maintain Facebook fan pages, which includes clearing spam walls and any old tabs that are not used any more. It is important to include those agencies when the big events are coming up (e.g. Sponsoring Football games). Professional marketeers are able to figure out when is the best time to post certain information to get the best outcome. Most of the images that are used in the social media campaigns are sent from the global office in the United States, with the correct description. Here is the example of the new product post from NIKE Woman Facebook fan page : To summaries the post, it is clear that NIKE is trying to advertise the product, but after reading the information below the image, you become more informed where you can use the product, and relate to a sprinter like Allyson. Another marketing trick that NIKE used in this post is communication with the Facebook users. They are asking a question, and asking consumers to be creative with the ways to wear a product. By answering users feel important, and waiting curiously for the results, if their answer was the most creative one. This trick is used by a lot of companies who want to get on a more personal level with their consumers. Analysis 4.3 HM Following the interview of

Stefan’s Diaries: Bloodlust Chapter 32-33

Chapter 32 Stefan,† a disembodied voice whispered. I was in the labyrinth back at Veritas, the lush green hedges rising higher than my head, the sun beating down upon my shoulders. My collar was itchy and constrictive–for some reason I was in my Sunday best. From around the bend Damon approached, his blue eyes wide and innocent. â€Å"Want to race, brother?† he challenged. Of course I accepted. Suddenly, we were sitting on the porch swing, with Katherine wedged between us, mischief in her dark eyes, as she plucked petals from a daisy. Her leg was so close I felt it grazing mine. As her gaze shifted back and forth, I realized the game she was playing: The flower would determine which one of us she would choose. When she reached the final petal, her eyes locked onto mine, and I knew that I was the victor. She leaned in to kiss me, and I closed my eyes, anticipating the soft touch of her lips. But instead I felt a stake plunge into my heart. My eyes fluttered open, and there stood my brother, laughing as he dug the wood yet deeper into me, the flower petals crushed beneath my prone form. My head lolled to the side, and my eyes snagged on the girl who was bleeding to death next to me on the grass. Her hair was fire-red, and her skin was moon-pale beneath her freckles. Callie!I tried to shout. But Damon snatched up my words in his fist before sinking a knife over and over into Callies back. â€Å"Stefan!† a voice called again, louder this time. I recognized the lilting alto.Lexi. â€Å"Nooo † I moaned. I couldnt allow Damon to kill her, too. â€Å"Go away!† â€Å"Stefan .† She came closer still, kneeling down beside me, holding a goblet to my lips. â€Å"No,† I said again. She shook my shoulders violently. My eyes popped open. The walls around me were painted with cracked red paint, and I saw a gilt-edged portrait on the opposite wall. I sat up, touching my face with my hands, then glancing down. I was still wearing my ring. I touched the stone. It felt very real. â€Å"Lexi?† I asked thickly. â€Å"Yes!† She smiled, clearly relieved. â€Å"Youre awake.† I glanced down at my body. My arm still throbbed, and there was dried blood underneath my fingernails. â€Å"Am I alive?† She nodded. â€Å"Just barely.† â€Å"Damon?† â€Å"We didnt get him,† Lexi said darkly. â€Å"He ran off.† â€Å"Callie?† I asked. I didnt want to hear, but I needed to know. Lexi looked down at her fingernails for a long moment, then lifted her amber eyes to mine. â€Å"Im sorry, Stefan. We tried Even Buxton tried to save her â€Å" â€Å"But she was too far gone,† I finished for her. My head throbbed. â€Å"Where is she now?† Lexi pushed my matted hair off my temple. Her fingers were cool against my burning skin. â€Å"In the river. The whole citys looking for her † Lexis voice trailed off, but I understood everything that she wasnt saying. â€Å"Before you rest, you need to drink,† Lexi murmured, helping me sit up again. â€Å"Its your favorite, goats blood,† she said with a sad smile. I put my lips to the goblet. The brackish liquid tasted nothing like sweet, full-bodied human blood, but it was warm. And it contained something human blood never would: a dull spark of redemption. The more of this I drank, the less human blood would run through me. I wasnt naï ¿ ½ve, though. Guilt would always flow through my veins. Id killed too many in my short time as a vampire, destroyed too many lives. Whether or not I drank from her, Callies death was on my hands as well. I should have turned my back on her, told her I never wanted to see her. But Id been weak. â€Å"Good boy,† Lexi murmured as I finished drinking from the cup. I didnt feel good. I felt sick and scared and unsure of what to do. Damon was still out in the world, somewhere, and Callies blood was running through his veins. My stomach tightened. â€Å"I dont know what to do,† I admitted, searching Lexis eyes for answers. But Lexi was silent. â€Å"I dont know what to tell you,† she said finally. â€Å"But I do know youre a good man.† I sighed, ready to point out that I wasnt a man at all, I was a monster. But Lexi stood up and gathered the mugs from the night table. Chapter 33 When I woke up, I could tell from the light streaming through the crack in the curtains that it was daylight. I swung my feet onto the hardwood floor and grabbed the neat pile of clothes from the shopping trip with Lexi. It seemed like a lifetime ago. I put on a new shirt, slicked my hair back, and put the rest of the clothes in a makeshift carrying case formed from my tattered shirt from Mystic Falls–the only item I still had from my old life. I glanced around the room, my eyes taking in the familiar layers of dust in the corners. I wondered how many vampires had passed through this house and whether Lexi would find another young vampire to take under her wing. I hoped, for his sake as well as hers, that hed have a better time in this city of sin than I had had. Lexi was sitting in the living room. In her hands was the portrait of her brother. As soon as I stepped in, she glanced up. â€Å"Stefan,† she said. â€Å"Im sorry,† I cut in. And I was, for all of it. For coming to New Orleans. For disrupting her life. For bringing danger to the tiny spot of security the vampires had managed to carve out. â€Å"Im not. It was a privilege to have you.† Her gaze turned serious. â€Å"Im sorry about Callie–and about your brother.† â€Å"Hes not my brother anymore,† I said quickly. Lexi set down the portrait on the coffee table. â€Å"Perhaps not anymore. But as you said yourself, he was for your whole human life. Can you remember that and forget the rest?† I shrugged. I didnt want to remember Damon. Not now, not ever. Lexi crossed the room and put her hand on my arm. â€Å"Stefan, missing humans and your human life hurts. But it does get easier.† â€Å"When?† I asked, my voice cracking slightly. She glanced back at the portrait on the table. â€Å"Im not sure. It happens gradually.† She paused, then laughed, the sound so innocent and lighthearted that I wanted to sit down and stay at the house forever. â€Å"Let me guess. You want it to happen now.† I smiled. â€Å"You know me well.† Lexi frowned. â€Å"You need to learn to slow down, Stefan. You have an eternity ahead of you.† A silence fell between us, the wordeternityclanging in my ears. With a jerk, I pulled Lexi into a hug, inhaled the comforting aroma of our friendship, then sped out of the house without a glance back. Once outside, I chastised myself for my sentimentality. I had much to atone for, and feeling sorry for myself was self-indulgent. I paused at the spot on the street where Callie had died. There was no bloodstain, nothing to mark the fact that shed even existed. I knelt down, glancing over my shoulder before I kissed the pavement. Then I stood up and began to run, faster and faster. It was dawn, and the city was just waking up. Messenger boys zipped by on delivery bikes, and Union soldiers marched through the streets, their rifles nestled in their arms like infants. Vendors were already setting up on the sidewalk, and the air smelled like sugar and smoke. And, of course, like the tangy scent of blood and iron. I quickly reached the train station, where the platform was already bustling. Men in morning coats sat on worn wooden benches in the waiting area, reading newspapers, while women nervously clutched their purses. The entire station had an air of festive transience. It was the perfect hunting ground. And before I could help it, my fangs protruded from my gums. Bowing my face into my hands, I counted to ten, fighting the hunger that raced through me and waiting for my teeth to click back into their human form. The whistle blew, and the train roared into the station, kicking up a cloud of dust and breaking me out of my reverie. I followed the soldier on board, wondering if he and his lover would experience a happy ending. I took solace in knowing, at least, that should they not, it would not be because of me. I entered the coach compartment. â€Å"Ticket, sir?† a conductor asked, holding out his hand. I locked eyes with him, my stomach turning with disgust at having to rely on my Power. Let me pass.†I showed it to you,† I said aloud. â€Å"You must have forgotten.†

Genetically Engineered Potato

NAME:  SHIZA ALI CLASS:  BS III TOPIC:  GENETICALLY MODIFIED POTATOESGENETI CALLY ENGINEERED POTATO A genetically designed potato could be a potato that has had its genes changed, exploitation recombinant DNA technology. Objectives of modification contain presenting pest-fighting, amendment the number of some chemicals fashioned by the plant, and to avoid staining of the potatoes. Multiplicities changed to reap a good variety of starches could also be accepted for industrial usage merely, not for diet. THE PROCESS OF GENETIC ENGINEERING:  Genetic engineering is wide employed in scientific research. Mouse models ar designed for medical specialty studies, bacterium are designed to supply medications like internal secretion, and crops are designed for agriculture. All of those product of gene-splicing were created exploitation identical basic steps: 1. Distinguishing an attribute of interest. 2. Uninflected that genetic attribute. 3. Inserting that attribute into the order of a desired organism. 4. Growing the designed organism. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has quite recently given the thumbs up for ranchers to begin industrially growing a few distinctive hereditarily changed potatoes. The potatoes, which come in Russet Burbank, Ranger Russet, and Atlantic Varieties, have been built to create less of a fixing that can transform into a growth causing operator when seared. The potatoes additionally oppose wounding, a typical event in gathering and transport which can lessen their esteem or considerably render them unsellable.The new assortments, which have been named â€Å"natural† potatoes, were created by Idaho based biotech organization JR Simplot. The potatoes are joining another age of GM substances that are intended to profit both the ranchers and the shoppers, instead of simply the cultivators as herbicide or pesticide-safe assortments would. A few GM apple assortments, for example, were as of late made which take more time to dark colored when cut, in spite of the fact that these â€Å"Cold apples† presently can't seem to get the endorsement.To achieve the upgraded attribute, Simplot analyst added charming characteristics to the tubers that are ordinarily found in other created and wild potatoes. The characteristics encode a system that results in deceased age of amino destructive (the building square of proteins) called Asparagine. Regardless of the way that Asparagine is found in various foods, it's conveyed in high obsessions in a couple of groupings of potatoes. Exactly when warmed to high temperatures, for example in the midst of singing or warming, it can shape a manufactured called Acrylamide f the right sugar particles are accessible. French fries and potato chips have been found to contain particularly a lot of acrylamide when differentiated and diverse sustenance. Lab examinations found that the inborn potatoes delivered between 50 to 70% less Acrylamide when fricasseed than non-designed assortments, however by and large the levels of different supplements were unaffected. In spite of the fact that it's realized that acrylamide is a poisonous concoction, the advantages of these potatoes to shoppers are murky at this stage.Since the Innate assortments were made by including qualities from different potatoes, instead of various creatures, Simplot is cheerful that shoppers will be all the more inviting of the yields. In any case, sensibly it's impossible that this will influence hostile to GMO supporters, and some have just whined that the innovation has not been enough controlled and hence endorsement ought not to have been conceded this early. One gathering has additionally squeezed McDonald's to not utilize the potatoes, regardless of the way that Simplot has been a noteworthy provider of solidified French fries to the chain since the 1960s.

Essay about The Theme of the Suffering Innocent in...

The Theme of the Suffering Innocent in Blakes London The poem London by William Blake paints a frightening, dark picture of the eighteenth century London, a picture of war, poverty and pain. Written in the historical context of the English crusade against France in 1793, William Blake cries out with vivid analogies and images against the repressive and hypocritical English society. He accuses the government, the clergy and the crown of failing their mandate to serve people. Blake confronts the reader in an apocalyptic picture with the devastating consequences of diseasing the creative capabilities of a society. Choosing the first person form in the first and fourth stanza, the poet reflects his personal†¦show more content†¦The tempo increases in the second stanza due to short and choppy vowel sounds, while the mood changes to an active outrage against oppression. The consonant y replicates the sounds of cries, recreating the experience of audible pain that the people and the poet suffered. Repetitions and alliteration of the word every creates an urgency and a common bond between the different elements of society. The responsible adult every man, the infant, a symbol of innocence and helplessness, every voice, the writers, and every ban, the rebel, all these members of society experience oppression. The common bond is expressed metaphorically in the mind-forged manacles?, giving us the horrifying sound of clanking iron chains, which were so common and terrifying in those days. But is not simply sound, it is the image of manacles, cuffs, hammered into the minds of people, as a blacksmith beats the iron into shape, that completes the picture of subtle and effective oppression, killing thoughts before they are even spoken. The reader can almost feel the physical hurt which is implied by these images that accuse the government of brainwashing and repressing creative expression. In the first line of the third stanza the poet introduces a sharp accusation against the church andShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Songs Of Innocence And Experience By William Blake1208 Words   |  5 Pages London in the late 18th century was full of poverty and corruption, according to poet William Blake. It was a city with no hope for poor people, and the government and church did little to help this. Among the poor were children working in slave-like conditions to feed their families and going to charity schools. Blake puts these children at the center of his piece to show the hypocritical nature of the church and how innocent people are suffering from it. He takes on two angles from the same topic:Read More William Blakes London Essay example995 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Blakes London Works Cited Not Included William Blakes London is a representative of English society as a whole, and the human condition in general that outlines the socio-economic problems of the time and the major communal evils. It condemns authoritative institutions including the military, royalty, new industries, and the Church. Blakes tone creates a feeling of informative bitterness, and is both angry and despondent at the suffering and increasing corruption of LondonsRead More The Songs of Experience - Explication of London Essay1043 Words   |  5 PagesExplication of London nbsp; William Blake published, in 1794, a collection of poems entitled The Songs of Experience. This collection works in collaboration with an earlier collection of the authors poems called The Songs of Innocence. The works of 1794 bring to the reader a more realistic or even pessimistic view of the authors native England, in comparison to the poems in The Songs of Innocence. One of the works in the more realistic collection is simply titled London. In this workRead MoreEssay about William Blake’s Poetry1541 Words   |  7 PagesWilliam Blake’s Poetry William Blake was one of those 19th century figures who could have and should have been beatniks, along with Rimbaud, Verlaine, Manet, Cezanne and Whitman. He began his career as an engraver and artist, and was an apprentice to the highly original Romantic painter Henry Fuseli. In his own time he was valued as an artist, and created a set of watercolor illustrations for the Book of Job that were so wildly but subtly colored they would have looked perfectly at home inRead MoreWilliam Blake in Contrast of Songs of Innocence and of Experience1452 Words   |  6 Pagesthrough his many poems. Blake lived in London most of his life and many fellow literati viewed him as eccentric. He claimed to have interactions with angels and prophets, which had a great influence on his outlook of life. Blake believed all prominent entities, those being church, state, and government had become sick with greed and hatred; and Christianity had somehow failed. According to Jeffery Bell in Industrialization and Imperialism, 1800 – 1914 â€Å"Blake’s simple language and use of vernacularRead MoreAn Analysis of William Blakes Poem London Essay1852 Words   |  8 Pages In London, William Blake brings to light a city overrun by poverty and hardship. Blake discards the common, glorifying view of London and replaces it with his idea of truth. London is nothing more but a city strapped by harsh economic times where Royalty and other venues of power have allowed morality and goodness to deteriorate so that suffering and poverty are all that exist. It is with the use of three distinct metaphors; mind-forgd manacles, blackning Church, and Marriage hearse,Read MoreThe Poetry of William Blake1806 Words   |  8 PagesThis essay will aim to show the relationship between Innocence and Experience in William Blakes Songs. Both Songs of Experience and Songs of Innocence serve as a mirror Blake held up to society, the Songs of Experience being the darker side of the mirror. Blakes Songs show two imaginative realms: The two sides to the human soul that are the states of Innocence and Experience. The two states serve as different ways of seeing. The world of innocence as Northrop Frye saw it encapsulated theRead MoreEssay on The True, the Beautiful and the Good1967 Words   |  8 Pageswho upholds personal revolts as â€Å"Byronic Hero†. Although these romantic poets are known for the colorful imagination in their works, the source of their inspiration always came from reality, which is embodiment of the True. To begin with, William Blake’s Songs of Innocence, majorly praising the happiness in childhood, can be seen as the songs of ideality. In the poem, Blake summarized, â€Å"And I wrote my happy songs / Every child may joy to hear†, which clearly describes a free, naive, joyful environmentRead MoreRossetti Manuscripts and Innocence and the Songs of Experience1873 Words   |  8 Pagespoetry: the Songs of Innocence and the Songs of Experience. In his own day, he was widely believed to be quite mad, though those who knew him best thought otherwise. Today, few of us take Blakes madness seriously, either because we dont believe in it or because it no longer matters. Blakes fundamental concepts speak mainly about the human condition and emotion; and within the realms of this paper, I would like to persuade my readers that William Blake uses simple language and metaphorsRead MoreEssay on William Blake1879 Words   |  8 PagesNov. 28, 1757 to a poor Hosier’s family living in or around London. Being of a poor family, Blake received little in the way of comfort or education while growing up. Amazingly, he did not attend school for very long and dropped out shortly after learning to read and write so that he could work in his father’s shop. The life of a hosier however was not the right path for Blake as he exhibited early on a skill for reading and drawing. Blake’s skill for reading can be seen in his understanding for and

Child Abuse And Its Effects On Children - 895 Words

Abuse is an issue that has been and is still currently prevalent in our society today. Abuse is defined as, â€Å"the use of force in order to try to dominate a child, to compel him/her to do dangerous things that he/she does not want to do, expose him/her to hazardous situations perceive by him/her as dangerous† (Rus Galabeaza, 2013). Child abuse in particular, is a common issue that occurs in families of all backgrounds. There are several types of abuse, which include: physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. When it comes to impact abuse can have on children, it was stated that, â€Å"abused children suffer from anxiety and depression more frequently than other children and often show a very low level of self-esteem (Rus Galabeaza, 2013). Physical abuse is considered to occur, â€Å"when a child undergoes or presents with a serious risk of being subjected to physical violence or when he or she is faced with unreasonable disciplinal methods† (Fontaine Nolin, 2012). â€Å"Since physical abuse is a violent action, it is often believed that its effects are easier to detect† (Fontaine Nolin, 2012). This particular article also compared physical abuse to neglect. The article stated that, â€Å"Neglect is defined as a lack of action or attention, and is the most common form of child maltreatment† (Fontaine Nolin, 2012). Another article defined physical abuse as, â€Å"the use of physical force against children and subjecting them to hard work that exceed their capabilities, actions that result inShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Child Abuse On Children935 Words   |  4 PagesChild abuse has been an issue in America since the beginning of time, but lately there has gradually been an increase in reporte d incidents of abuse. There are several types of child abuse that are present in today’s society. The different types of abuse include physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Of the different maltreatment types, four-fifths (78.3%) of unique victims were neglected, 17.6 percent were physically abused, 9.2 percent were sexually abused, 8.1 percent were psychologically maltreatedRead MoreChild Abuse And Its Effects On Children Essay1489 Words   |  6 Pagesindividuals corrected. However, there are cases that have not been solved or not stopped by the law. Child abuse is common. Child abuse can be caused by a variety of reasons. Scientist have been studying and they have some ideas on what prompt people to harm children (Ian Hacking). They are trying to end child abuse, but there is so much they can do. Many children abuse incidents are not reported. Child abuse may have many causes as in way the abuser does it. One specific factor is the background of theRead MoreChild Abuse A nd Its Effects On Children913 Words   |  4 Pagesseveral types of abuse, there’s physical, emotional, verbal and several others abuses. But the abuse I would like to focus on is child abuse. Domestic violence towards children is important because there is a way to prevent it from happening. Typical parents and caregivers do not intend to abuse their children. Abuse is mainly directed toward the behaviors that are given off towards one another. Author David Gil defines child abuse as an occurrence where a caretaker injures a child, not by accidentRead MoreChild Abuse Is An Effect On Children1657 Words   |  7 PagesIn 2010 according to the census bureau there were 74,100,000 U.S children between the ages of 0-17 being abused and 3.3 million referrals. This effected on average 1-10 U.S families and children, there were more than 32,200,000 U.S families with children under the age of 18 according to the 2010 census bureau. From the 3.3 million hotline calls in 2010 there we re less than 475,000 sustained cases (2010 NCANDS: 436,321 sustained +24,976 indicated = 461,297 total) resulting in about 15% of hotlineRead MoreChild Abuse And Its Effects On Children1317 Words   |  6 PagesChild abuse has long been an ongoing social problem; this abuse has been one of the repeatedly difficult accusations to prove in our criminal justice system. Child abuse causes many years of suffering for victims. Children abused suffer from chemical imbalances, behavioral issues and are at high risk for becoming abusers or being abused in adult relationships. This cycle of learned behavior and suffering will be a hopeless reoccurring problem unless the criminal justice system and protocols for abusersRead MoreChild Abuse And Its Effects On Children1488 Words   |  6 Pages â€Æ' In addressing child abuse we are confronted with a series of problems. On the one hand, there is a lack of the true extent of the phenomenon because no data are available and that the issue, often refers to the most intimate spaces of family life. Furthermore, cultural and historical traditions affect the way each society faces this problem. Finally, there are varying opinions as to its definition and classification, as well as the consequences of child abuse may have and its subsequent therapeuticRead MoreChild Abuse And Its Effects On Children1263 Words   |  6 Pages Child Abuse Child abuse is any behavior which, by action or omission, produces physical or psychological damage to a person less than 18 years, affecting the development of his personality. In homes, it is believed that the most effective way to educate children is using the abuse. This form of punishment it used as an instrument of correction and moral training strategy as it is the first and most persistent justification of damage and maltreated mothers parents inflict on their children. SocietyRead MoreChild Abuse And Its Effects On Children1160 Words   |  5 PagesMost parents and other caregivers do not intend to hurt their children, but abuse is defined by the effect on the child, not the motivation of the parents or caregiver. Tens of thousands of children each year are traumatized by physical, sexual, and emotional abusers or by caregivers who neglect them, making child abuse as common as it is shocking. Most of us can’t imagine what would make an adult use violence against a child, and the worse the behavior is, the more unimaginable it seems. ButRead MoreChild Abuse And Its Effects On Children1227 Words   |  5 Pagesreports of child abuse are made involving more than 6 million children. The United States has one of the worst records of child abuse losing 4-7 children a day to the abuse. Abuse is when any behavior or action that is used to scare, harm, threaten, control or intimidate another person. Child abuse is a behavior outside the norms of conduct and entails substantial risk of causing physical or emotional harm. There are four main types of child abuse; physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, andRead MoreChild Abuse And Its Effects On Children1132 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Child abuse takes many different forms. Including physical, sexual, emotional, or neglect of a children by parents, guardians, or others responsible for a child s welfare. Regardless of the type of abuse, the child’s devolvement is greatly impacted. The child’s risk for emotional, behavioral, academic, social, and physical problems in life increase. According to the Child Maltreatment Report by the Children’s Bureau (1999) the most common form of child abuse in the United States is

The First Use Of Vehicles During The U.s. Army - 1274 Words

THE FIRST USE OF VEHICLES IN THE U.S. ARMY 1 THE FIRST USE OF VEHICLES IN THE U.S. ARMY USAACE NCOA SFC Francis C. League 15E SLC 17-003 SFC Maradol THE FIRST USE OF VEHICLES IN THE U.S. ARMY 2 Since the founding of the United States innovations and technologies have intermittently intersected providing critical direction in how we fight on the battlefield. From breech-load cannons, fully automatic machine guns, airplanes, helicopters†¦to computers, night vision goggles, and lasers; each exerted influence on the trajectory of modern warfare. However, arguably one of the greatest innovations that forever changed the battlefield landscape was the advent of the motor powered vehicle. Motor powered†¦show more content†¦ARMY 3 distance of one hundred and twenty miles on a tank of gas, (Model T Forum, 2010). This newfound speed to press an objective quickly could decisively change an outcome of a battle. In 1912, a forward thinking U.S. Army military leader, Captain Alexander E. Williams persuaded Quartermaster General James B. Aleshire, to approve an elaborate off-road military convoy operations test, (FourbyFour, 2016). The test evaluated the viability of motorized trucks as replacements for mules and wagons. Captain Williams visited several factories; Ford, Mack, Aldcn Sampson, Garford, White and the little known FWD, seeing what trucks the companies had to offer for the challenge. Of those companies only Mack, White and FWD fielded trucks that withstood the rigors of the exercise(s). A subsequent test involved supplying a provisional regiment throughout a one hundred and fifteen mile march from Dubuque, Iowa to Sparta, Wisconsin. And, although every truck that participated in the convoy broke down and needed repair at some point along the route, the exercise successfully demonstrated that trucks had a future use and purpose in the U.S. Army. In spite of this achievement, Captain Williams’s superiors were reticent in their approval to move the Quartermaster (QM) Corps into the mechanized age. Over the coming years, the events of the war in Europe laid the groundwork to the realities ofShow MoreRelatedThe Jeep Is The Father Of The 4x4 Suv And Was Made For One Reason1283 Words   |  6 Pagesonly: World War II. Army official correspondent, Ernie Pyle stated, Good Lord, I don t think we could continue the war without the jeep. It does everything. It goes everywhere. It s as faithful as a dog, strong as a mule, and as agile as a goat. It constantly carries twice what it was designed for, and keeps on going. It doesn t even ride so badly after you get used to it†(Jeep Facts). The first jeep that was ever created was really not what the army expected. The first run of the war JeepRead MoreThe Army Capabilities Integration Center1259 Words   |  6 PagesThe Need for a More Robust Armored Force in the U.S. Army in 2025 Introduction The primary issue facing the United States Army in 2025 and beyond is its ability to operate in a fiscally constrained environment. According to the Army Capabilities Integration Center’s (ARCIC) primary initiative, Force 2025 and beyond, it â€Å"Is the Army s strategy to ensure the future joint force can win in a complex world.† Furthermore, ARCIC’s initiatives will â€Å"consists of activities along three primary linesRead MoreThe Old Guard Is Responsible For The Security1608 Words   |  7 PagesWashington D.C during times of national emergency or civil disturbance. It’s also the oldest unit in the U.S. Army service since 1784. Its primary responsibilities these days were far more ceremonial than combat related, although they did rotate units in and out of Iraq and Afghanistan. It guards the tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington; it conducts memorial affairs as in participating in the burial of our fallen Soldiers. It has the Fife and Dru m Corps they are a U.S. Army marching band thatRead MoreThe World War Doctrine And Concepts1156 Words   |  5 PagesFollowing the First World War doctrine and concepts became heavily scrutinized from both sides of the war. Several advocates attempted to initiate change based off of the countless lives that were lost during the war. Many advocates’ concepts were ignored during their time as they tried to change doctrine and organization; however, their ideas still managed to set the pace for the future. This essay will discuss the influences of J.F.C. Fuller, Liddell Hart, Mikhail Nikolayevich Tukhachevsky,Read MoreThe Italian Campaign For World War II1315 Words   |  6 PagesThe Italian Campaign The Italian Campaign put Allied troops in Europe. Lesser objectives of the invasion included a chance to capitalize on the collapse of Italian resistance; to immediately use Allied forces; to engage German forces that could be sent to Russia and northern France; to take control of airfields that could be used for bombing missions; and to gain control of the Mediterranean. Casablanca Conference - Planning: Believing the North African campaign would be over quickly, American andRead MoreStrategic Leadership Of Operation Husky1543 Words   |  7 PagesThe operational level commanders, of Operation Husky, failed to provide adequate command and control and were average in their integration of the joint Allied force. The Allied Force Commander, General Eisenhower, and the 15th Army Group Commander, General Alexander, failed to apply mission command and specifically the elements of commander’s intent, mutual trust, and understanding. Furthermore, the Allied Force Headquarters, and specifically the air component commander, Air Chief Marshal TedderRead MoreThe Annual Spending On Renewable Energy1420 Words   |  6 Pagesorder to enhance the security of the American people and to address the every changing requirements of sustainability, the U.S. military is urgently trying to reduce its footprint on the world.. The military is constantly trying to produce cleaner power, reduce energy consumption, minimize waste and most importantly manage water. This covers an immense number of DoD ships, vehicles, planes, buildings, and land. The military is a large role model to the rest of the nation and the world, and most thinkRead MoreTrying out Weapons before World War II1063 Words   |  4 Pages1914 gave the U.S an opportunity to try new technology such as motorization and aircraft. However, this was strong a small conflict that did not translate to that of the First World War. The American military was not modern yet compared to other powers. The United States did not have great influence over the strategy among the allied forces. They relied on the allies for military equipment. France and Britain desperately needed more men to fight in the war. They needed U.S soldiers. TheRead MoreThe Ghost Army Of World War II1586 Words   |  7 Pages Domenico Foti Professor Richardson WOH1030 November 20th, 2015 The Ghost Army of World War II World War II was a war of many victories and losses. A battle for constant control of territories, that was ushered by greed and corruption. With this comes the persistent need to find an advantage over the enemy, and during this time Germany became the front runner in innovations and technology. This intelligence showed by the Germans had the allied forces in a scramble to help propel them on top ofRead MoreThe Evolution Of Logistics Within Warfare1164 Words   |  5 PagesWhen considering the evolution of logistics in warfare, it is important to realize that both opportunities and problems must be recognized for the former to be capitalized upon and the latter to be resolved. The first recorded war occurred in approximately 2700 BC; however, the prevailing attitude towards logistics in warfare remained largely unchanged for approximately 4,600 years, and that is a problem. Even among recognized experts in warfare, up until the 20th century, logistics was eschewed

Accounting for Business Decision Largest Supermarket Chain

Question: Describe about the Accounting for Business Decision of Largest Supermarket Chain. Answer: Introduction Woolworths Ltd. is largest supermarket chain of Australia headquartered in Sydney being established in the year 1924. It is mainly involved in food improvement, liquor and owning of petrol stations business in Australia (Annual report 2015: Woolworth). The company has a huge workforce diversity of about 111,000 people in its retail stores and distribution centers that enables it to offer high quality products and services to the customers. The company emphasizes on providing highest range of products to the customers and has established about 961 stores in the country to serve customer needs easily and instantly. Woolworths is recognized as Fresh Food People in Australia due to its emphasis in providing fresh food products to the customers. It works in close-association with Australian farmers and growers to procure fresh food ingredients for manufacturing its food products. The suppliers are considered as strategic partner by the company so that they provide highest quality raw mate rials for manufacturing best in class products for the customers (Woolworths Supermarkets, 2012). The company owns a large market share in retail sector of Australia and is second largest in terms of revenue in the county. It is recognized as largest liquor retailer in Australia. Woolworths also has a strong market presence in New Zealand retail sector. The four strategic objectives as outlined by the company are as follows: Gaining expansion in food and liquor business segments Optimizing shareholder value Developing and maintaining its growth record in newly developed business segments such as home improvements Establishing new era of growth The company aims to provide new and innovative products to the customers for meeting their changing needs and expectations. The senior managers of the company places strong focus on meeting the changing customer needs through identifying innovative ways of growth (Annual report 2015: Woolworth). As such, the company has established its various stores for home improvement and is also promoting its online sales for achieving customer satisfaction. It is investing largely in expanding its liquor and petrol business with the aim of increasing its market share in supermarket of Australia. The companys strategy also integrates on achieving sustainability through ensuring that its operational activities do not have any adverse impact on the community and environment. It has implemented effective strategies for reducing carbon and greenhouse gas emissions for supporting the development of community and environment (Mc Arthur, 2013). The company although enjoys a profitable position in the retail market of Australia but is presently declining in its financial performance. The main reason behind the declining profitability is its huge investment in home improvement sector that is not turning out to be profitable for the company. Also, it has placed large focus on developing its business in home improvement that has resulted in its less emphasis on its core segment of food products. However, it is now placing strong focus on regaining its momentum in the retail sector of the country with placing more focus on manufacturing its core food products (Woolworths Supermarkets, 2012). The present report, in this regard, examines and analyzed the financial performance of Woolworths for identifying the areas of improvement needed for enhancing its profitability in the future context. Financial Analysis of statements to accounts of Woolworths This section explains all the important items that are presented in the financial statements of the company and changes that occur in one year time period will be noted to form an opinion on the financial performance of the company (Brigham and Ehrhardt, 2011). Woolworth published its annual report every year that contains audited financial statements and for this report, annual report of year 2015 has been selected to review on. In order find out the increase or decrease in major items of balance sheet, the financial data of year 2015 will be compared to financial data of year 2014. The increase or decrease in the items will be presented in the form of percentage so that it is useful to analyze the data. The major financial statements are: Statement of Financial Position Statement of Profit and Loss Statement of Cash Flow Statement of Change in Equity Statement of Financial Position Statement of financial position is one of the most important statements among all four statements as it shows all the values of assets and liabilities presented with the company (Mumba, 2013). This statement is also known as balance sheet because this statement is based on the well known accounting equation: Assets = Liabilities + Stockholders Equity. As the per rule to make the balance sheet, all the present values of items in balance sheet are adjusted to the values at the beginning of year so that net change can be seen. The principle used in the framing the balance sheet is similar to the accounting equation and according to this equation both side of balance sheet must be equal. As discussed earlier this statement is most important among all, so it must be prepared with proper caution and high level of integrity. It helps investors and users of financial statement to evaluate the performance of organization through use of various financial tools like accounting ratio (Buckle, Bu ckle, and Thompson, 2004). In other words it can be said that this statement present the true and fair picture of organization activities. The major items present in the balance sheet are current assets, current liabilities, shareholders equity, long term liabilities and long term assets. As per IFRS, there is specific format to present the balance and it is mandatory for all the listed companies to follow that structure. As per that structure balance sheet must be drawn vertically instead of horizontally. This section will evaluate important items presented in the balance sheet of Woolworth Limited. In order to make comment on the performance of the company in year 2015, figures of year 2015 are compared with figures of year 2014 and any increase or decrease will be noted. It must be noted that every item in the balance sheet has its own importance while evaluating the performance of the company. In order to provide all necessary information to the performance of the company, notes to financial statements will also be evaluated along with primary values in the balance sheet. The following table shows all important figures of balance sheet in year 2014 and 2015: Statement of Financial Position Woolworth Limited Items 2015 2014 Increase of Decrease % Increase or Decrease in year 2015 Total Current Assets $ 7,661.00 $ 7,175.00 $ 486.00 6.77% Total Non-Current Assets $17,676.00 $ 17,030.00 $ 646.00 3.79% Total Assets $25,337.00 $ 24,205.00 $ 1,132.00 4.68% Total Current Liabilities $ 7,558.00 $ 9,169.00 $ (1,611.00) -17.57% Total Non Current Liabilities $ 5,334.00 $ 6,395.00 $ (1,061.00) -16.59% Total Liabilities $25,337.00 $ 24,205.00 $ 1,132.00 4.68% Total Equity $10,253.00 $ 10,834.00 $ (581.00) -5.36% Above table list the figures of important items in balance sheet along with the increase or decrease in value of items. The percentage of increase or decrease is calculated using the value of year 2014 as base and difference in value of year 2015 and 2014 as numerator (Buckle, Buckle, and Thompson, 2004). Through having looked at the values of various items in balance sheet it can be said that Woolworth has performed better in year 2015 as compare to year 2014. The management at Woolworth has made efforts to increase the value of current assets and non current assets in year 2015 as compare to year 2014. The value of current assets has been increased by 6.77 % and value of current liabilities got reduced by 17.57 %. This indicates that liquidity performance has got major change in year 2015 (Annual report 2015: Woolworth). The value of non current assets has also been raised by 3.79% due to purchase of new plant and machinery and other fixed for the expansion of business. The expansi on of business has been financed through issue of share capital (Brigham and Ehrhardt, 2011). The debt equity position of the Woolworth is also good as company has least amount of long term as compared to equity share capital (Buckle, Buckle, and Thompson, 2004). This shows the presence of balanced capital structure of Woolworth in both the years under analysis. Woolworth has invested more than 400 million dollars in plant and equipments in order to make major expansion in business. Company has used some part of reserves and part of net profit to finance the purchase of assets. There was decrease in amount of borrowing from financial institutions in year 2015 as compare to year 2014. Company has repaid the debt of more than 1000 million dollars in year 2015 (Annual report 2015: Woolworth). Statement of Profit and Loss The profit and loss account statement reflects the balances of sales revenue, cost of goods sold and net income earned in the particular year. This statement is important from the point of view of investors as it shows the earning efficiency of the company. Statement of Profit and Loss Woolworth Limited Items 2015 2014 Increase of Decrease % Increase or Decrease in year 2015 Revenue $60,868.00 $ 60,952.00 $ (84.00) -0.14% Cost of Goods Sold $44,345.00 $ 44,475.00 $ (130.00) -0.29% Non operating gain or (loss) $ 3,042.00 $ 3,533.00 $ (491.00) -13.90% Earning per Share $ 1.71 $ 1.97 $ (0.26) -13.20% Income Tax $ 930.00 $ 1,057.00 $ (127.00) -12.02% Finance Cost (Interest) $ 255.00 $ 278.00 $ (23.00) -8.27% Net Income $ 2,146.00 $ 2,452.00 $ (306.00) -12.48% The above table presents the values of major items present in the profit and loss account of Woolworth in year 2015 and year 2015. Along with the values, percentage increase and decrease has also been shown in order to comment on the profitability position of company in the year 2015 when compared to year 2014. Overall performance of company was good in year 2015 but when it is compared with performance in year 2014, there has been negative shift in revenue and net profit. It indicates that performance of company is not as per budget drawn for year 2015. There was 13.20% decrease in earning per share in year 2015 that indicates that market performance of company was not up to the mark (Annual report 2015: Woolworth). The negative trend in the net profit of the company itself tells whole story of the company in year 2015. It is indication of downfall of food and retail market in Australia and as per future estimates it can be said that there will be major downfall in net revenue in ne xt upcoming year (Houston and Brigham, 2009). Statement of Change in Equity Statement of change in equity points of various items that make up the value of shareholders equity such as retained earnings, change in foreign exchange reserves, value of equity etc. This statement is useful to notice the change in various value of shareholders equity over the period of time (Buckle, Buckle, and Thompson, 2004). Statement of Change in Equity Woolworth Limited Items 2015 2014 Increase of Decrease % Increase or Decrease in year 2015 Issued Capital $ 5,064.90 $ 4,850.10 $ 214.80 4.43% Number of Shares (in million) 1256.6 1248 8.60 0.69% Foreign Currency Reserve $ (37.20) $ 67.70 $ (104.90) -154.95% Retained Earnings $ 5,830.10 $ 5,423.10 $ 407.00 7.50% Non Control Interest $ 297.80 $ 272.90 $ 24.90 9.12% The above table shows important items that makes the statement of equity of Woolworth (Brigham and Ehrhardt, 2011). The table shows that company has raised $214.80 million of equity capital in year 2015 through issue of 8.60 million equity shares in the market. Looking at the adverse condition of market, company decided to increase the value of retained earnings through adding $ 407 million to the previous balance of retained earnings. The table indicates that there was increase in value of non controlled interest by $24.90 million reflecting an increase of 9.12% in year 2015 as compare to year 2014 (Annual report 2015: Woolworth). Statement of Cash Flow Cash flow statement generally gives information on the cash spent by the company in operating, investing and financing activities (Bull, 2007). Statement of Cash flow Woolworth Limited Items 2015 2014 Increase of Decrease % Increase or Decrease in year 2015 Net cash inflow (outflow) from operating activities $ 3,345.10 $ 3,472.70 $ (127.60) -3.67% Net cash inflow (outflow) from financing activities $(1,610.80) $ (1,371.90) $ (238.90) 17.41% Net cash inflow (outflow) from investing activities $(1,333.90) $ (2,031.40) $ 697.50 -34.34% Net increase (decrease) in cash during the year $ 1,333.40 $ 922.60 $ 410.80 44.53% This table reflects increase or decrease in values of major activities shown in cash flow statement of Woolworth in year 2015 as compare to year 2014. The cash flow from operating activity has decreased in year 2015 by 127.60 million dollars showing the net fall of 3.67 %. The decrease in cash inflow from operating activity indicates poor strategies used for cash collection and creditability rating. Company has used 238.90 million more dollars in year 2015 as compare to year 2014 to finance the activities related to financing such as repayment of borrowing, payment of dividend and many others activities. It can be seen from above table that company was able to generated 410.80 more cash in year 2015 as compare to year 2014 but overall performance of company has got adverse in year 2015 due slow down in market (Annual report 2015: Woolworth). Conclusion It can be summarized from the overall discussion held in the report that Woolworths need to improve its financial performance for regaining its market leader position in the retail sector of Australia. The analysis of the financial statements of the year 2015 depicted that company has improved its financial performance somewhat in comparison to the financial year 2014. It has increased the dividend paid to shareholders for maximizing shareholder value and obtaining their trust for supporting its future growth plans. The financial statements analyzed also reveals that companys capital structure incorporates large use of debt as compared to equity. However, the proportion of debt in its capital structure has reduced to a significant extent in the year 2015 as compared to the previous year. This indicates that company is focusing presently on achieving a stable financial condition and is therefore implementing effective strategies for eliminating risk in its business model. Woolworths i s divesting its non-profitable business of home improvement for generating funds in order to improve the proportion of equity in its capital as compared to the debt. The report has presented significant information about the financial condition of the company that will help the investors to make decision regarding holding or buying its shares. The main aim of preparing the report is fulfilled by developing a proper understanding of the different items of the financial statement so that performance of the company can be measured and economic decision can be drawn. Financial statements analysis has provided all the information regarding the financial position, changes in equity, performance and cash generated by the company. All these details would prove to be largely beneficial for the investors to make the opinion on investment decision and act as proper guide to them. Recommendations On the basis of findings obtained from reviewing the financial statements of Woolworths, the company is recommended to implement new growth strategies for improving its financial performance. It has been analyzed from the financial statements of the company that it is largely incorporating the use of debt in its capital structuring rather than issuing equity shares. The increase in debt structure will raise its liability therefore hampering its sustainability. The new investment of the company in home improvement business is not proving to be profitable and therefore it is recommended to divest it for raising equity capital. It should emphasize on investing its profitable business segment of food and liquor for regaining its market leader position in the retail sector of Australia. The investment in profitable business segments would lead to increased sales and revenue generation of the company. This would further support its expansion plans in food and liquor retail sector. Also, it should emphasis more on the development of online channels for reaching to its target customers easily and instantly. This would help the company to achieve increased customer satisfaction further improving the sales and profitability (Mumba, 2013). The development of online channels would also help the company to reduce its operational cost by eliminating the need of physical distribution centers for offering its wide range of products to the customers. In addition to this, the company is also recommended to enhance its reserves and retained earnings for meeting the contingency conditions. It can be seen from the review of the financial statements that company does not hold enough reserves and retained earnings that can negatively impact its future growth strategies. Thus, Woolwor ths is recommended to increase its retained earnings and reserves for meeting the occurrence of any adverse situations. References Annual report 2015: Woolworth. [Online]. Available at: www.woolworthslimited.com.au/icms_docs/182381_Annual_Report_2015.pdf [Accessed on:22 Spetember, 2016]. Brigham, E. F. and Ehrhardt, M. C. 2011. Financial Management: Theory and Practice. Mason: Cengage Learning. Buckle, M.J., Buckle, M. and Thompson, J. 2004 . The UK Financial System. 4th ed. New York: Manchester University Press. Bull, R. 2007. Financial Ratios: How to use financial ratios to maximise value and success for your business'. UK: Elsevier. Houston, J.F. and Brigham, E.F. 2009. Fundamentals of Financial Management. Cengage Learning. Mc Arthur, T. 2013. Woolworths makes progress on its strategic priorities. [Online]. Available at: https://www.fool.com.au/2013/08/29/woolworths-makes-progress-on-its-strategic-priorities/ [Accessed on: 12 September 2016]. Mumba, C. 2013. Understanding Accounting and Finance: Theory and Practice. USA: Trafford Publishing. Woolworths Supermarkets. 2012. [Online]. Available at: https://www.woolworthslimited.com.au/page/Who_We_Are/Our_Brands/Supermarkets/Woolworths/ [Accessed on: 12 September 2016].