Saturday, December 28, 2019

13 beneficios por entrar al Ejército de Estados Unidos

Entrar  en cualquiera de las ramas del Ejà ©rcito de los Estados Unidos lleva aparejado, ademà ¡s del sueldo, una serie de beneficios y, en ocasiones, incentivos suculentos. Este es un asunto de interà ©s para los latinos, nacidos ya en Estados Unidos o migrantes, porque cada vez mà ¡s un mayor nà ºmero se alista para a servir en cualquiera de las ramas del Ejà ©rcito de los Estados Unidos. En la actualidad son el 14 por ciento del total de militares en servicio activo, pero la cifra sube al 16 por ciento si se cuentan sà ³lo las nuevas incorporaciones. Y es que el Ejà ©rcito en todas sus ramas –Army (Tierra y Guardia Nacional), Navy (Marina), Air Force (Aire), Coast Guard (Guardia Costera) y Marine Corps (Marines)  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ parece  como una buena alternativa para labrarse un futuro. Las estadà ­sticas indican que esta opcià ³n resulta incluso un poco mà ¡s atractiva para las latinas que para los varones hispanos. En la actualidad. el Ejà ©rcito de Estados Unidos es el tercero mayor del mundo en cuanto a personal, solamente despuà ©s de los de China e India. Tiene un total 1.281.900 millones de soldados y oficiales en servicio activo y 801.200 en las 7 Reservas. A todos aplica una serie de beneficios y, en algunos casos, notables incentivos. 13 beneficios por ingresar al Ejà ©rcito de los Estados Unidos Los beneficios son para todos los miembros, aunque algunos especà ­ficos pueden variar segà ºn la rama en la que se ingresa y son los siguientes: 1. Educacià ³n. Existen varios caminos que permiten a los miembros del Ejà ©rcito cursar  estudios universitarios mientras forman parte activa del Army o incluso si se realizan dentro de los 10 aà ±os siguientes a la finalizacià ³n de la relacià ³n con el Ejà ©rcito.   Los programas que permiten esta educacià ³n son: GI Bill, Tuitition Assistance, College Reimbursement Plants e incluso la obtencià ³n de crà ©ditos universitarios por entrenamiento realizado en el Ejà ©rcito.   2. Vacaciones. Tanto soldados como oficiales pueden disfrutar cada aà ±o 30 dà ­as de vacaciones pagadas.   3. Promociones. Una vez que se està ¡ en el Ejà ©rcito es posible ascender de rango mediante promociones. Cuando mayor es el rango, mayor es el sueldo. Hay que tener en cuenta que cada una de las ramas militares tiene su propio sistema y que incluso se le puede llamar a los rangos de distinta manera. Sin embargo, el sueldo es igual para cada nivel, sin importa cà ³mo se le llame o si se trata de Marines, Marina (o naval), Aire, Guardia Costera o Tierra. 4. Seguro mà ©dico y dental. Està ¡ plenamente cubierto mientras se permanece en servicio activo. 5. Tiendas en las que no se pagan impuestos. Se llaman Commissaries o Exchanges. Existen tres tipos: AAFES, para Aire y Tierra, Nexcom para la Marina y el Marine Corps Exchange. Siempre supone un ahorro, particularmente con artà ­culos caros. 6. Actividades de Recreacià ³n, Moral y Bienestar. Es lo que se conoce como MWR, por sus siglas en inglà ©s. Son actividades que se brindan a los militares y a sus familias. Lo cierto es que son muy variadas y difieren notablemente entre las distintas bases y la rama del Ejà ©rcito en la que se sirve.   7. Inmigracià ³n. Servir en el Ejà ©rcito puede tener beneficios migratorios para la persona que se alista  y tambià ©n para sus familiares. Para el soldado u oficial, destacan la posibilidad de adquirir la ciudadanà ­a por naturalizacià ³n en condiciones ventajosas, si se trata de un residente permanente. Ademà ¡s, los familiares indocumentados de un ciudadano que sirve en el Ejà ©rcito podrà ­an beneficiarse del programa Parole in Place para obtener los papeles. Sin embargo, los migrantes indocumentados no deben, bajo ningà ºn concepto, buscar ingresar a una base militar. Se està ¡n dando casos de arrestos y los migrantes quedan a disposicià ³n de las autoridades migratorias. Tener siempre presente quà © extranjeros se pueden alistar  en el Ejà ©rcito y que el programa MAVNI para profesionales extranjeros presentes legalmente en Estados Unidos està ¡, en estos momentos, no activo. Ademà ¡s, en ningà ºn caso, los migrantes indocumentados pueden enrolarse en ninguna de las ramas militares de Estados Unidos. La excepcià ³n que existà ­a para los muchachos con DACA aprobado llega a su fin con la terminacià ³n del programa por orden ejecutiva del presidente Donald Trump. 8. Bono por firmar, que en la actualidad tiene un mà ¡ximo legal de $40.000. Es decir, en ningà ºn caso puede ser superior a esa cantidad. Los Marines y el Ejà ©rcito del Aire son los que menos incentivos al firmar ofrecen y, tambià ©n, los de menor monto. Sà ³lo el Ejà ©rcito de Tierra (Army) ha ofrecido incentivos por la cantidad mà ¡xima legal. Ademà ¡s, puede haber bonos complementarios. Por ejemplo, en el Ejà ©rcito de Tierra se podrà ­a calificar para un bono extra por un mà ¡ximo de $16.000 por incorporarse en menos de 30 dà ­as a partir de la fecha de enrolarse o un mà ¡ximo de $8,000 por incorporarse entre el dà ­a 31 y el dà ­a 60 despuà ©s de haber firmado. Una à ºltima palabra sobre este tema: si no se cumple todo el periodo para el que se firmà ³ es obligatorio devolver la cantidad que corresponda al tiempo no servido. 9. Pago de prà ©stamo  a estudiante. Todos los servicios excepto los Marines y la Guarda Costera brindan la posibilidad de pagar todo o parte de los prà ©stamos estudiantiles. 10. Rango avanzado, o Advance Enlistment Rank para las personas que tienen crà ©ditos universitarios o han participado en programas como Junior ROTC en High School. 11. Programa Buddy, cuando dos personas del mismo sexo se enrolan juntas se les puede prometer a travà ©s de este programa que estarà ¡n juntas durante el entrenamiento bà ¡sico. Incluso si posteriormente entrenan para el mismo trabajo, tambià ©n se harà ­a conjuntamente. 12. Programa Split Option en el caso de Guardia Nacional o Reserva, para alargar en el tiempo el entrenamiento bà ¡sico.   13. Otros beneficios, como bonos por incorporarse a la reserva, reenganche en ocupaciones especiales, alistarse tras acabar los estudios secundarios, comprometerse a servir en activo por dos aà ±os seguidos por otros dos aà ±os en la reserva, etc. Dà ³nde informarse sobre los beneficios por servir en el Ejà ©rcito Cuando una persona se alista por primera vez o repite firma un contrato con el Departamento de Defensa que se conoce como Form 4/1. Si ademà ¡s el alistamiento es para el servicio activo, se firmarà ¡, a mayores, otro contrato. Lo importante a destacar es que realmente no importa lo que haya prometido el reclutador, si no està ¡ en el contrato, no existe. La à ºnica excepcià ³n son los beneficios que se explicaron anteriormente que le corresponden a todas las personas por servir en el Ejà ©rcito: seguro mà ©dico, salario base, GI Bill, alimentos, etc. Pero en el contrato final con el Departamento de Defensa tienen que estar especificados todos los demà ¡s posibles incentivos,  que son opcionales.   Quà © beneficios no se tienen por alistarse en el Ejà ©rcito Es muy comà ºn creer los siguientes 2 errores: En primer lugar, que se puede elegir el servicio. Esto no es asà ­. Es cierto que se tendrà ¡n en cuenta las preferencias del soldado u oficial pero al final se acabarà ¡ en el servicio que decide el Ejà ©rcito. Y en segundo lugar, no es correcta la creencia de que los veteranos que en el pasado sirvieron en el Ejà ©rcito tienen cubierto al 100 por cien el seguro mà ©dico. Esto no es asà ­ aunque son muchos los reclutadores que asà ­ lo manifiestan.   A tener en cuenta sobre el Servicio Selectivo En la actualidad, servir en el Ejà ©rcito de los Estados Unidos es voluntario, es decir, no hay obligacià ³n de prestar el servicio militar.   Sin embargo, todos varones ciudadanos e inmigrantes entre los 18 y los 25 aà ±os de edad sà ­ que deben registrarse para el Servicio Selectivo. Esto afecta a grupos tan variados como los indocumentados presentes en Estados Unidos como a los ciudadanos estadounidenses que residen habitualmente en otro paà ­s.   Este es un artà ­culo informativo. No es asesorà ­a legal.

Friday, December 20, 2019

The Serial Killers Ted Bundy - 1438 Words

Ted Bundy, also known as the campus killer, is one of the United States top known serial killers. This twisted man assaulted and murdered many young girls during the 1970s. Bundy captured his victims by his charismatic and handsome and would win their trust by traits he had. He would act injured or as an authority figure before he murdered and assaulted his victims. After the girls died, Bundy would visit the bodies’ hours later and do sexual things to the corpse until animals would finish the girl completely. Twelve of his victims he beheaded and kept the heads in his freezers in his apartment as mementos. This sick guy never received help and he died in an electric chair since he killed so many young, innocent girls. November 24, 1946, Theodore Robert Cowell, later known as Ted Bundy, was born in the Elizabeth Lund Home for Unwed Mothers in Burlington, Vermont. Growing up Ted lived with his grandparents, Samuel and Eleanor Cowell, who told Ted that they were his parents and his mother was his sister. His real mother went by Louise, but his father is unknown. But his grandparents lied to Ted to prevent social sigma since having a child out of wedlock was deeply frowned upon. Bundy found his birth certificate himself in 1969 and had a lifelong resentment for his mother lying and not telling him. His grandfather was an insane man and his grandmother was very depressed, so his real mother took him with her to Tacoma, Washington. Louise met a hospital chef, Johnny CulpepperShow MoreRelatedTed Bundy : A Serial Killer Essay895 Words   |  4 PagesTed Bundy Theodore Robert Cowell, known as Ted Bundy, is one of the most famous serial killers in US history. He was born on November 24, 1946, to Eleanor Louise Cowell, known as Louise. Louise was ostracized by those around her because she was single and pregnant. Louise traveled from Philadelphia to a home for unwed mothers in Burlington, Vermont, to give birth to Ted. In 1950, Louise and Ted moved to Tacoma, Washington, to stay with her uncle Jack, a man of whose education and intelligence TedRead MoreSerial Killer : Ted Bundy1492 Words   |  6 Pagesa feared serial killer, Ted Bundy, disseminated terror throughout the United States. He was connected to at least thirty-six murders, although some believed he had committed more than one hundred murders. Bundy confessed to killing thirty women in seven states before his execution by electric chair on January 24, 1989. Ted Bundy appeared as a successful and an attractive gentleman, who seemed to have a lot going for him. Nevertheless, ingrai ned was the heart of a serial killer! Ted Bundy was a psychopath;Read MoreSerial Killers : Ted Bundy2109 Words   |  9 Pages Ted Bundy By Kim LaShomb Criminal Psychology Theodore Robert Cowell, aka â€Å"Ted Bundy† is one of the most well known serial killers in United States history. His reign of terror went on from 1974- 1978 when he was arrested and charged with numerous crimes. These crimes include first degree murder, kidnapping, rape, sodomy, unlawful sex with corpses, resisting arrest, and the list goes on from there. It was said that he had over 300 victims, but he wouldRead MoreTed Bundy : A Serial Killer2536 Words   |  11 PagesTed Bundy is one of the most famous serial killers in United States History. There are many theories behind what made him become a serial killer. Many believe he was born that way, with a darkness inside of him to which he could not control. Others believe he is a victim of circumstance and had no chance from the very beginning of life. Ted killed fourteen plus women and girls, his earliest victim thought to be when he was just fifteen years old, with only one known survivor. I believe Ted madeRead Mo reTed Bundy: Unlikely Serial Killer1415 Words   |  6 PagesTed Bundy: Unlikely Serial Killer Americans were shocked in the 1970s when authorities began reporting a string of disappearances of young women from Washington, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Florida and Oregon. The man behind these crimes was Theodore (Ted) Bundy. Many people still consider him to be one of the most notorious serial killers of all time and was once one of the FBI’s most wanted. He was officially tied to 36 murders, however he is believed to have committed more than one hundred. TheRead MoreTed Bundy : The American Serial Killer Essay2285 Words   |  10 PagesTed Bundy is known as the American serial killer, rapist, and a necrophilia (a person who has sex or is sexually attracted to the dead or a corpse) that murdered young women during the 1970s. He confessed to 30 homicides, committed in seven different states between 1974 and 1978. He has been connected to at least 36 murders, but is thought he could be responsible for about a hundred or more. Theodore Robert Bundy was born Theodore Robert Cowell born on November 24, 1946, in Burlington, VermontRead MorePersonality Analysis Of Serial Killer : Ted Bundy2153 Words   |  9 PagesPersonality Analysis of a Serial Killer: Ted Bundy Described as â€Å"THE execution† (Lyons Trei, 1989, p. Ia) serial killer and rapist Ted Bundy was put to death by the State of Florida at 7.16 A.M. January 24, 1989. During his life he had been convicted of the 1978 rape and murder of a 12 year old, Kimberly Leach in Lack City; and the death of Lisa Levy and Margaret Bowman, sorority sisters at Florida State University. Just two days before his execution Bundy also admitted to killing a number ofRead More Ted Bundy was a brutal serial killer Essay611 Words   |  3 PagesFebruary, 1989 p. 44-51. Gerdes, Louise. Serial Killers. San Diego: Greenhaven Press Inc.2000. Knappaman, Edward W. Great American Trials. Detroit: New England Publishing, Associates, Inc. 1994. Ted Bundy was a brutal serial killer. He was also very charming and handsome to the ladies, which made it easier to prey on them. He admitted to killing over twenty people just before his execution. Many families were relieved when he was finally executed. Ted Bundy thought of himself as very smart, becauseRead MoreSerial Killers, Ted Bundy And John Wayne Gacy1588 Words   |  7 PagesKEISER UNIVERSITY Killer Stories H.H. Holmes, â€Å"Ted† Bundy John Wayne Gacy Faraz Garcia 10/16/2017 â€Æ' Abstract When you tell children scary stories they shouldn’t be able to come true but unfortunately for the people victimized by the vicious killers in this paper those horror stories did come true. Traveling and staying in a â€Å"Hotel† owned by a wealthy â€Å"doctor† got them tortured, experimented on and ultimately killed, helping a seemingly helpless man put things in his vehicle lead themRead MoreSearching for Answers to a Serial Killer, Ted Bundy Essay1162 Words   |  5 Pagestake you on a journey. You will learn who â€Å"Ted Bundy† is and why he chose to live a double life. Ted was a special individual who only killed women he had a soft spot for them. Ted Bundy was like a tiger in the wild and women was his prey. When he went out he always went for vulnerable women. Ted would sweet talk them until they trusted him then he would wait until their alone and he would kill them. In the following paragraphs you will learn about Ted Bundy’s past where he came from, what type of

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Case Study Macys free essay sample

However, in the declining market for the department store industry, Macy’s consolidated stores, established a national department store and continues to make a steady profit. It is usually the time to divest, sale, or change product mix of a company when a company enters in a mature or declining phase in business. The marketing strategies used to do the analysis were the PEST and product life style. PEST examines the political, economic, social and technology of a firm to determine a company’s strengths, weaknesses and position in the industry. In the future, the Affordable Health Care Act will affect Macy’s in additional costs, which is political. The economic conditions will continue to be an issue as disposable income levels are not at the levels of 2006 prior to the recession. The social norm is to not like change. As Macy’s changes to improve sales, cut expenses and maintain its competitive advantage, some customers may not just care for it and shop online or in a discounted store. And, the technology for Macy’s to implement will be accepting debit cards from a hand held device vs. cash register, to be able o advertise as a customer walks in the door with their phone and in corporate user friendly replenish of inventory if an item is sold out. The product life cycle of the department store is mature and declining, due to declining sales. Furthermore, according to estimates, market share has eroded to 7 per cent, which is far below the 15 per cent desirable rate (Johnson, 2011, p. 3). Although, Macy’s during the declining phase has implemented strategies to maintain competitive advantage, create value for their customers and is staying afloat in the industry. In conclusion, the three marketing strategies Macy’s could use in the mature department industry are harvesting, defender and maintenance. The harvesting strategy requires raising prices and cutting costs. Defender strategy builds on what Macy’s has such as brand image, strong management team, competition being low to moderate and the stability of technology used. And, maintenance strategy is to maintain market share. Introduction The case study is Macy’s Department Store Repositioning. The key problem is that the traditional department stores sales and profits are declining, and the traditional department store is obsolete. Yet, Macy’s consolidated stores in an attempt to differentiate a new company from its competitors at the same time and remain a traditional department store. The marking strategies used to do the analysis was PEST and product life style. The solution presented is a combination of the defender, harvesting and maintenance strategies to create value and maintain a competitive advantage in a declining market of the traditional department store. Key Problem The key problem in the article, Macy’s Department Store Repositioning, is that Macy’s is that traditional store sales and profits are declining, and the traditional department store is obsolete. Yet, Macy’s consolidated stores in an attempt to differentiate a new company from its competitors at the same time and remain a traditional department store. The consolidation was completed two years prior to the economic recession of 2008. However, sales and profits had already begun to decline. The consolidation was done o establish Macy’s as â€Å"a national brand with national advertising, and lowered the cost structure considerably through volume purchasing and centralized administration (Johnson, 2011, p. 5)†. Analysis The marketing strategies used to do the analysis were PEST and product life style. PEST is the political, economic, social and technology economic environmental factors that affect the product or in the case the department st ore industry. The political analysis looked to the future and the additional health care costs that will be imposed on companies and fully implemented by 2014. The additional costs will be passed on to the consumer, and the amount will have an impact on the return on equity ratio, which is already below the industry desirable rate. The economic factors considered were the continued recession, increase in the coast of gas and cotton, the threat of substitutions and the life cycle of the department store industry. All the above economic factors will impact the cost of the products to the customers and further make the other stores appealing with less disposal income to spend on luxury items purchased in a department store. The other stores would be Wal-Mart, Target or other discounted stores. As with any change, change is hard to accept and customers will likely complain, find fault and decide not to shop at the department store. It is the social norm. However, once the regional company’s were converted to Macy’s, customers saw the price increases, which in turn caused them not to shop at Macy’s. Again, change and increase in cost are not easy for customers to accept or want to accept. Also, they can find similar products for less at discounted stores. Therefore, the threat of substitutions is very high. Lastly, technology is affecting the way stores do busy. Smart phones are allowing customers to shop with their phones inside stores; credit cards are accepted via phones vs. cash registers. Technology brings online shopping vs. in store shopping. And, advertising is popping up on smart phones as electronic messages as customers shop based on their location. Service is defiantly the key to keep a customer coming into a department store. The product life style of the department store is in the mature or declining phase of its product life style, because of the declining sales. Furthermore, according to estimates, market share has eroded away to 7 per cent, as of 2010, and is far below the desirable rate 15 per cent (Johnson, 2011, p. 3). Also, the brand image is being heavily relied upon and the bottom line is not showing significant increase in the years presented in the journal article. Macy’s is afloat due to a strong management team and the aggressiveness to deal with problems as they arise. For example, continuing to adjust its portfolio of stores, focusing on fashion, and developing private labels in bedding, outerwear, ‘tween’ clothing, increase national advertising and using celebrities. Additionally, Macy’s advertising is combining the national department store image with July 4 and the Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, which appeals to the American citizen. Solution The three marketing strategies for Macy’s to pursue are the harvesting, defender and maintenance strategies. As described in the text book, the harvesting strategy is to generate cash quickly by maximizing cash flow over a relatively short term (Walker amp; Mullins, 2014, p. 271). This is done by raising prices and/or reducing operating expenses. It was shown in Exhibit 2 that selling and general and administrative expenses ranged from a low of $8,062 million to $8,678 million. Those costs can be reduced by closing stores, reducing inventory levels, and modifying other expenses, thus increase the bottom line given that sales remain above $23,000 million. Also, given the strength of the name brand recognition, the existing marketing for any holiday and Macy’s are anchor stores in shopping malls; customers may not miss the extra advertising. The customers are attracted to the familiarity of the Macy’s for most of the household needs. The defender strategy should be used in a mature market by a leading company in the industry, which describes Macy’s situation in the department store industry (Walker amp; Mullins, 2014). The external factors influencing the strategy are industry and market, technology, competition, and business’s relative strengths. The industry is in mature stage, technology is stable with a few modifications, competition is small to moderate, and the strengths for Macy’s are in quality, marketing, sales, distribution and customer service. Lastly, due to the uncertain of future volume, the maintenance strategy should be implemented for the leading company, Macy’s, to maintain market share. The maintenance strategy would be implemented till the future becomes more predictable (Walker amp; Mullins, 2014). In general, customers associate price with quality. The higher the price for a product equates to a better product. For example, I expect the clothes I purchase at Macy’s to last longer than the clothes I buy at Target. Thus, spending a little more for a durable product is an option for customers. The defending strategy is an adequate plan to implement due to the established customer service offered by Macy’s, the brand image and the differentiation of products offered all in one location for the customer. Also, Macy’s dominant position in the industry is national and alluring to the customers. And, the maintenance strategy will allow Macy’s to maintain market share by continuing to increase sales, control expenses and maintain competitive advantage through strong customer service. Appendices PEST Analysis The PEST analysis was used to look at the environmental factors affecting Macy’s. PEST stands for the following: P is for political, E is for environmental, S is for social and T is for technology. The political analysis will perhaps become more of an issue for Macy’s as the Affordable Health Care Act is fully implemented by 2014. The above will mean additional health care costs to all employers, which will most likely be passed on to customers by price increases for merchandise. The return on equity (ROE) is a typical measure of profitability. As stated in the journal article, â€Å"In 2010, the ROE of the traditional department store industry was around 9 per cent-far lower than the 15 per cent range, which was considered desirable (Johnson, 2011)†. The economic factors to consider are: the continued recession, increase in the price of gas, cotton prices and threat of substitutions and the decline and/or maturity phase of the traditional department store industry. Exhibit 1 of selected financial data for years 2006-2010 for Macy’s, in the journal article, reflected revenue from $27. 0MM to $25. MM and low of $23. 0MM for 2009, gross margin fluctuated between $9. 0MM to $10. 0MM, other selling, general and administrative expenses were static at $8. 0MM, and net income was below $1. 0MM for all years except 2008, which was lt;$4. 8MMgt; (Johnson, 2011, p. 5). Also, exhibit 2, the sales industry segments in the retail sector from 1992 to 2006, in the journal article; reflect an increase in all the other categor ies presented category specialist stores, other general merchandise stores and electronic shopping and mail-order stores (Johnson, 2011, p. ). The inference from above is that consumers are not shopping in traditional department stores and look for substitutions to the shopping experience to fit the disposable income levels. Furthermore, the increase in gasoline effects costs related to delivery of merchandise, and the increase in cost of cotton effects costs related to clothing. This costs effect the bottom line and will further increase the cost of the product, which gets past to the customer. Therefore, the additional costs make the product more of a luxury item vs. need or a want that can be purchased at a lower end retail location. The social norms and patterns post consolidation have seen customers complaining that the quality and service has deteriorated, and the former regional chains found prices higher and reluctant to shop the new Macy’s (Johnson, 2011, p. 6). Addi tional problems post consolidation was the standardized merchandising strategy and the Everyday Value program. Macy’s found that they could not stock all the stores with the same products and those customers’ needs and preferences were different by location (Johnson, 2011, p. 7). Also, â€Å"Everyday Value program encountered problems, during the recession† (Johnson, 2011). Therefore, Macy’s abandoned the Everyday Value program and followed what the industry was doing with per cent off promotions. The interesting part of the PEST analysis was technology. In the journal article it mentioned that, The traditional department store contributed directly and indirectly to the adoption of numerous technological and managerial innovations such as credit purchases, inventory control, promotional techniques, store merchandising, hiring practices and data-processing procedures (Johnson, 2011, p. ). Today technology has improved issuing gift cards, just in time inventory controls, promotion techniques through the use of internet, e-mail or tests delivered to a smart phone, portable cash registers (phones) and collecting big data on customers to improve service for the customers. And, online shopping is trending to be the norm of many customers. However, in my opinion, there will be those trips to a department store for the shopping experience around special occasions. The question will be will the department stores still be around for those special occasions? Product Life Cycle The product life style has four stages which are the introduction, growth, maturity and decline. The first half of the 20th century the traditional department store was the dominant retail scene (Johnson, 2011, p. 1). Furthermore, it was designed to be a one stop shopping unique experience. The traditional department store had many departments and carried a wide variety of goods to satisfy the needs and wants of customers. However, the purchasing power held by the buyer is disposable income, which is effected by the economic environment. It was in the 1990s that â€Å"most analysts identified that traditional department store industry as being in the mature phase or even the decline phase, because of the decline in sales† (Johnson, 2011, p. 2). The Federated Group implemented the Macy’s store reposition in 2005-2006. Also, traditional market share was declining. The estimates for the traditional department store market share was 30 per cent in 1950s, 17 per cent in 1990 and to about 7 per cent in 2010 (Johnson, 2011, p. 3). It was still being discussed whether the repositioning was a bad move or was it a strategic move to improve sales and profit when the article was written. Given the above, it is possible that the traditional department is a dog vs. a cash cow, in terms of marketing, and it is time to divest the company or find a new market. References Johnson, H. H. (2011). Macys Department Store Repositioning. Richard Ivey School of Business The Univerisyt of Western Ontario, 1-8. Walker, J. O. , amp; Mullins, J. C. (2014). Marketing Strategy Eighth Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Lights cigarette. Inhales lustily Essay Example For Students

Lights cigarette. Inhales lustily Essay She is reluctant to continue our conversation. I dont want to lose my job, she murmurs into the phone. We are discussing an incredibly sensitive topic: smoking in the theatre. She is a nonsmoker and a playwright who makes her living in theatre administration, and she like a number of People I spoke with while preparing this article wishes to remain anonymous, fearing reprisal from directors, producers or bosses who would rather not bother with someone who is bothered by cigarette smoke. This is such a tough profession to get paid in that when you do have to raise this issue, youre taking a big risk, she says. One stage manager who is allergic to cigarette smoke but often spends his days painfully engulfed in it believes that complaining about smoking becomes a deeply personal thing. Its not about smoking, its about the smoker and your relationship with him or her. Thus, many nonsmokers working in the theatre choose to suffer in silence, breathing in the secondhand smoke that the Environmental Protection Agency declared a Class A carcinogen last year (meaning that someone elses smoke is as lethal to you as asbestos, radon, benzene and arsenic, all of which are illegal in the workplace). A symbol of something else   Worse still, some actors must become smokers for the rehearsal and run of a show when a playwright or a director demands it, all the while risking addiction. Theatre people are not alone in their discomfort and danger, of course every industry has a boss in a private office who smokes with the door open, thus rendering the nonsmoking outer office or public area a fantasy of local lawmakers. But the theatre is one place where cigarette smoke finds a peculiar justification in artistic expression; the cigarette is the theatres favorite prop, a shorthand for a vast array of emotions and behaviors that might otherwise require a little work on the part of playwrights, directors and actors. Alyssa Rallo, artistic director of the Column Theatre and Studio. in New York, believes that such shorthand is not only fraudulent, but also presents an ethical dilemma: Now that we know smoking is horrible for you, we cant as artists truthfully use it as a symbol something else. We are not treating cigarettes as a drug or as a killing substance, and thats a crime. Rallo has founded Actors Directors for Smokefree Theatre, Film and Television, whose goal is t o draw attention to the silent partnership between artists and tobacco conglomerates. Unlike television, where nobody lit up at the Cheers bar through an entire decade, there are no industry guidelines that limit or restrict smoking on stage. Of course, cigarettes pose no immediate harm to television or film audiences but can cause considerable problems for theatre audiences, especially in small venues. Stage actors have it worst of all, smoking or breathing others smoke, not just through a few takes, but night after night, matinee after matinee. Actors Equity Association, a union famous for fussing over the health and welfare of its largely unemployed membership, offers little comfort to the actor who does not wish to smoke. While there are guidelines for nudity, getting wet and walking on a raked stage, there is no such thing as a cigarette rider to the basic Equity contract, although the union is aggressively looking into the health problems associated with special effects smoke. We get letters   The use of fake (non-tobacco) cigarettes is not widespread, although the technology has been around for years and the simulation of smoking can be quite realistic, and relatively harmless. Miming smoking, or smoking an unlighted cigarette, is universally perceived as absurd much harder to pull off than collapsing in a drunken stupor or injecting heroin and the whole artifice of the stage is called to attention in the absence of smoke. .u656584bdb8fec80783e30f1965dbb20a , .u656584bdb8fec80783e30f1965dbb20a .postImageUrl , .u656584bdb8fec80783e30f1965dbb20a .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u656584bdb8fec80783e30f1965dbb20a , .u656584bdb8fec80783e30f1965dbb20a:hover , .u656584bdb8fec80783e30f1965dbb20a:visited , .u656584bdb8fec80783e30f1965dbb20a:active { border:0!important; } .u656584bdb8fec80783e30f1965dbb20a .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u656584bdb8fec80783e30f1965dbb20a { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u656584bdb8fec80783e30f1965dbb20a:active , .u656584bdb8fec80783e30f1965dbb20a:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u656584bdb8fec80783e30f1965dbb20a .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u656584bdb8fec80783e30f1965dbb20a .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u656584bdb8fec80783e30f1965dbb20a .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u656584bdb8fec80783e30f1965dbb20a .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u656584bdb8fec80783e30f1965dbb20a:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u656584bdb8fec80783e30f1965dbb20a .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u656584bdb8fec80783e30f1965dbb20a .u656584bdb8fec80783e30f1965dbb20a-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u656584bdb8fec80783e30f1965dbb20a:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Scenes from an Execution EssayLawmakers in many communities have stopped short of banning cigarette smoke from the stage (while forbidding it in all other public areas of the theatre building), but individuals have sometimes gone a lot further in attempting to discourage smoking in performance, a fact which makes many nonsmokers wary of being accused of artistic tampering or branded tobacco McCarthyists. Michael Wilson, associate director of Houstons Alley Theatre, remembers being approached prior to rehearsals for his production of Terrence McNallys Lips Together, Teeth Apart by a board member who said: |Well, Michael, in this production youre about to direct for us youre not going to have anyone smoke, are you? It was conveyed to me that this would make everyone happy, Wilson recalls. dont know how far they would have gone to enforce it. Wilson, a nonsmoker, ignored the board member but ultimately delivered a smoke-free production: It was the choice of the process rather than the dictate. The Alley usually receives a number of complaints for its productions which contain smoking, according to Wilson, and Susan Medak, managing director of Berkeley Repertory Theatre, acknowledges the same: It never fails that we get letters. When we did Caryl Churchills Mad Forest we actually had quite a few comments. Director Mark Wing-Davey felt strongly that the play, set in contemporary Romania, should include abundant cigarette smoke for the sake of realism. We worked on a ventilation system to move the smoke out of there, Medak says, but this was not sufficient: What I find is only a small percentage of the problem is people really smelling the smoke. It is the perception that is all. But what about the actors who have to smoke, or breathe in the immediate proximity of cigarettes? I dont believe that weve ever made anybody smoke, Medak says, but we do insist that they hold cigarettes and that they puff. In the case of Mad Forest, it was something we discussed with actors before th ey even auditioned. Such discussion is cheap currency to those nonsmokers who desire to make a living in the theatre and stay healthy while doing it. The allergic stage manager compares a smoke-filled theatre to riding the subway and listening to someones panhandling speech. Theres nowhere you can go. Its just not right that you can be trapped and forced into something like that. I think the theatre should be provocative; it should move you, it should make you angry, it should maybe make you run screaming from the theatre. But it should not endanger your health.