Women Suffrage Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Women Suffrage - Research Paper Example This change was triggered by the alarming changes subsequent to the Great Depression. The Great Depression led to a fundamental change in how economies worked and challenged classical economic theories and their real life application. The increasing role of women was further enhanced by the implementation of the 19th amendment which led to greater importance of women in all fronts, leading, in turn, to increased involvement in education, military, public offices, technology and electoral processes. Women and Great Depression: The role of women during the Great Depression was in contrast to traditional modes of economic contribution. The traditional modes of contribution and work anticipate monetary rewards and compensation to justify effort, but for a significant period of time, women continued to work without expecting monetary rewards. Traditional societies viewed working outside home and serving the home at two distinct, non-overlapping activities, wherein, traditionally, men are associated with earning money by working outside the house, whereas women are expected to stay at home. During the Great Depression, economics, idealists and esteemed philosophers thought that women had to come out of their shell and take up responsibility to help the country out of an economic calamity of such magnitude. Women in the 1930s, time of the depression, had employed husbands who provided enough to help the family live on. There were times, however, where they would struggle to survive given the lack of resources at their disposal. The decade saw a study decrease in median income across all fronts leading to increased stress and survivability issues. Women and men experienced the Great Depression in different ways. Men considered themselves as breadwinners, hence when they lost their jobs; they considered themselves failures because they couldn’t provide their families with sufficient resources. Women, on the other hand, saw their significance at home increase as t hey juggled home and work responsibilities and started to play a role as breadwinners. It is interesting to note that no women lost her ‘job’ of working at home whereas their husbands struggled to earn money and find new sources of work. Challenging economic conditions challenged traditional gender roles and women slowly but surely started to move out of their role of staying at home. Women who were widowed or divorced, or single women, struggled to keep themselves afloat. They were truly living on the margins. The Great Depression is often associated with the struggling, unemployed man, however, women who were in a similar state of economic disaster, found themselves working it out on the sidelines on their own and trying to survive. Women who sought employment were often scorned as transgressors guilty of taking jobs away from deserving men. Many theorists and opinion leaders shared this view and when Norman Cousins noted that the gainfully employed number of women eq ualed the national unemployment total in 1939, he suggested that women should be fired, as they are not supposed to be working anyway, and men should be hired instead. Women were made a convenient scapegoat for the Great Depression. This was despite the fact that women had little options as they had to do something to ensure survival. Furthermore, the social segregation entrenched during those days made it difficult for men to take up jobs performed by women in any case. While men were concentrated in jobs involving heavy machinery, mining, etc. women were working in domains such as nursing, cleaning and clerical jobs. It is also essential to note that men dominated fields such as heavy industry and manufacturing were the hardest hit by the depression whereas women

Discussion on the Underground Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Discussion on the Underground Economy - Essay Example The aim of this paper is to discuss the ramifications of the underground economy in the United States and the effects that this has had on the social and economic development of the country. The most logical place to start a discussion about the underground economy is with the job market. There are a growing number of people in the United States that have found themselves out of work in recent years. Still needing money to survive, however, these people turn to jobs for individuals or companies that will pay them cash for the services that they may provide. This negates the official hiring process and enables people to keep the money that they earn. Naturally, there are advantages and disadvantages to this phenomenon. There are those that make the claim that anytime a person has cash in their pockets, it is good overall for the economy. Bills can be paid, goods and services purchased and an overall feeling of economic well being and achieved realized by those who would otherwise rema in unemployed. In some ways, those working on a purely cash basis provide an infusion of money into the economy on a daily basis. Such individuals are more likely to be daily purchasers of food and other sundry items, while being less likely to save. In addition, proponents of the underground economy point out that taxes are still being paid every time that cash is paid for an item or service in the marketplace. Many others claim that this part of the underground economy is harmful to society in numerous ways. First of all, employment and income taxes go unpaid and unrealized. Subsequently, those working in the underground economy go without benefits of any sort. If they are injured on the job for example, they will likely have no insurance with which to take care of their medical bills and their ‘employer’ will likely not claim responsibility. In addition, there are no guarantees of work, no implied sick or holiday time, and little recourse if there is an employment di spute. In essence, workers in the underground economy are left on their own and largely unregulated. Even though the jobs may pay them a daily wage, they are not legal and such workers would have a difficult time making a complaint should one arise. While so called day laborers depend on their daily jobs to survive, they are often paid a wage that is lower than industry standard. In addition, those that employ the day laborers end up saving money that should be going to pay employment, income, unemployment, and service taxes. This is billions of dollars annually that does not make its way back into society. In addition, if the cash that is made by working in the United States (or in other underground economies around the world) goes unspent, or is sent abroad, then there is no direct benefit to the country as a whole in terms of tax revenue. This would negate the argument that even day laborers benefit the overall economy because of the money they spend on goods and services. For th at argument to carry weight, there would need to be proof that the amount of cash spent outpaces the money would have been collected in taxes. Needless to say, this would be a tough argument to win. Another aspect of the underground economy in any given country can be seen in the black market. This is a marketplace where goods or services are traded in a completely illegal manner. What makes the black market a part of the under

Competition in Indias Textile Industry

Competition in Indias Textile Industry Factors behind increasing competition in Indian textile industry and strategically approach to gain competitive advantage globally. BACKGROUND INFORMATION The textile industry plays a pivotal role in the Indian economy. The country has produced legends such as Dhaka muslin, which was woven so fine and light that it could pass through a finger ring. But what is significant today is that this sector contributes substantially in providing employment and earning foreign exchange. The country is rich in natural resources such as cotton, jute and silk. The textile industry is the second largest employer, after agriculture, with a total workforce of around 35 million. India is next only to China among the worlds largest producers of textiles and garments. The industry is the largest foreign exchange earner, as the import content is insignificant compared with those of other major export products. Its contribution in exports is nearly 20 per cent. How many of us know that 85 per cent of the handlooms in the world are produced in India? The number of handlooms in the country is four million. The activities in textiles range from the production of natural raw materials such as cotton, jute, silk and wool to the manufacture of quality products such as cellulose fibre, synthetic filament and spun yarn. This is, perhaps, the only industry that is self-reliant and complete in value addition — from raw materials to the highest value-added products (Warrier, 2007). The textile industry occupies a unique place in our country. One of the earliest to come into existence in India, it accounts for 14% of the total Industrial production, contributes to nearly 30% of the total exports and is the second largest employment generator after agriculture. Textile Industry is providing one of the most basic needs of people and the holds importance; maintaining sustained growth for improving quality of life. It has a unique position as a self-reliant industry, from the production of raw materials to the delivery of finished products, with substantial value-addition at each stage of processing; it is a major contribution to the countrys economy. Its vast potential for creation of employment opportunities in the agricultural, industrial, organised and decentralised sectors rural and urban areas, particularly for women and the disadvantaged is noteworthy (www.economywatch.com). Against all these merits, an expert’s lament goes: It is difficult to find such a large-scale industry in the country that is so disorganised as the Indian textile industry. The industry is often plagued by obsolescence, unhealthy regulations and problems of labour. This emphasises the need for strengthening the management mechanism in the industry, to face the emerging international challenges. Common sense administration has its in-built constraints in a world where scientific management decides the destiny of industries in the modern global scenario (Warrier, 2007). The textile industry in India will face intensified competition in both their export and domestic markets. However, the migration of textile capacity will be influenced by objective competitive factors and will be hampered by the presence of distorting domestic measures and weak domestic infrastructure in several developing and least developed countries (www.economywatch.com). The challenges from global competition demand a scientific approach from properly trained management professionals who have specialised in this sector. Sickness and inter-sector contradictions that are a bane of the industry have to be solved through a wise approach and well-calibrated steps, to ensure healthy growth. Managers who are trained in traditional management disciplines will take a long time to get themselves familiarised with the special problems of the textile scene. A strong and competent cadre of trained mangers will help the continuous upgrading of knowledge and skills, fulfilling the need for maintaining a cutting edge in the world of intense competition (Warrier, 2007). AIMS AND OBJECTIVES The proposed research intends to examine the increasing competition in Indian textile industry by focusing on the factors that have led to intense competition in the industry and formulate strategies that would help firms in the industry to gain competitive advantage at the global level. The key objectives of the research are identified as following: to identify the factors that have increased competition in Indian textile industry; to examine the nature of competition in Indian textile industry; to develop competitive strategy and provide recommendations to firms in Indian textile industry, so as to sustain the competitive edge in the global market. LITERATURE REVIEW Competitiveness: Definition Competitiveness is a widely used term and there are many definitions of it. The approach taken to competitiveness in this report is a pragmatic one, with the general idea that competitiveness means success in markets that translates into general increases in welfare(National Competitiveness Council Secretariat, 2006, p.1). The main concerns with respect to competitiveness arise from the developments of world markets. The main tendencies in international trade include rapid growth, globalisation, the growth of regional blocks, and the growth of foreign direct investment (National Competitiveness Council Secretariat, 2006). For the company, competitiveness is the ability to provide products and services as or more effectively and efficiently than the relevant competitors. In the traded sector, this means sustained success in international markets without protection or subsidies (Porter, 1990). Indias competitiveness Over a decade has passed since India embarked on liberalisation. There has been no dearth of fervent declarations affirming Indias determination to acquire the capabilities that will add to its competitiveness and enable it to be counted among other recognised global players (Gupta, 1998). However, has India been able to cash on inherent and acquired advantages in terms of competitiveness? Three different bodies assign three different grades to India: The 1999 World Competitiveness Year Book, compiled by the Switzerland-based International Institute for Management Development (IIMD), shows that Indias ranking in international competitiveness, evaluated by applying 287 criteria, has gone up by two points from being 41st out of 46 countries in 1998 to 39th out of 47 countries in 1999 (Nancy, 1999). The survey conducted by the Geneva-based World Economic Forum (WEF) for 1999 puts India in 53rd position of 59 countries in its Global Competitiveness Report, down from 50 in 1998, and 45 in 1997 and 1996. It uses 179 indicators under eight heads (openness, government, finance, infrastructure, technology, management, labour and civil institutions). The World Bank, which appraised the competitiveness 46 countries in 1999, places India in the 40th rank. In all these three evaluations, the rankings on certain specific parameters are more worrisome than the overall figures. Indias weakest areas in all the surveys include: uncertainty in government policies; infrastructural deficiencies; unsatisfactory corporate and financial management of both private and public sector enterprises; inept corporate boards; insufficient attention to human development; low productivity; undependable quality; inadequate customer orientation; and negligible investment on RD, with special reference to information technology. India is the fifth largest country in terms of gross national product (GNP) and purchasing power parity (PPP). It constitutes one of the fastest growing markets in the world and is counted among the richest with regard to cheap skilled labour, scientific and technological resources, and entrepreneurial talents. Therefore, the above image of India is quite enviable. To improve the competitiveness of Indian organisations on product design, quality and on-time delivery it has become necessary for them to look for innovations that produce maximum efficiency both within and beyond their operations (Sahay, 2000). Supply chain management is an integrating philosophy to manage the total flow of a distribution channel from supplier to ultimate customer. It is the management of upstream and downstream relationships – both within and beyond their operations – with suppliers and customers to deliver superior customer value at less cost to the supply chain as a whole. Effective supply chain strategies for creating competitiveness revolve around the on-time delivery of competitive quality goods and services, at a reasonable cost, involving the right business partners (Easton, 2002). Business challenges in the twenty-first century The information age competition has ushered in a new set of challenges for business competitiveness (Luftman, 1996). These include: Understanding customers. There is no escaping the fact that the customer in todays marketplace is more demanding, not just of product quality, but also of service. As more and more markets become in effect commodity markets, where the customer perceives little technical difference between competing offers, the need is for the creation of differential advantage through added value. Hence, it is increasingly becoming important to understand customers needs and wants and to translate these into a unique value-added business mission. Managing time compression. Time is the primary competitive motive of business in the 1990s. This does not mean, however, that other motives such as cost, quality, and service can be ignored. In fact, these are pre-requisites to sustain competitiveness. But the winning factor is provided by time-based competition, which becomes the highest priority to gain responsiveness and flexibility. Product life cycles are shorter than ever before, industrial customers and distributors require just-in-time deliveries, and end-users are ever more willing to accept a substitute product if their first choice is not instantly available. Mastering mass customisation. The driving force behind the importance of responsiveness and flexibility is the need and the wish to respond to virtually any customer request just in time. Mass customisation offers a viable solution. It involves the delivery of a wide variety of customised goods or services quickly and efficiently at low cost. The key to making mass customisation work is highly-skilled and autonomous workers, processes, and modular units, so that managers can co-ordinate and reconfigure these modules to meet customer specific customer request and demands. Mastering mass customisation is the step towards gaining a competitive edge and is driving new business models. Undertaking globalisation. There is an increasing trend towards globalisation. Almost every sector of business is influenced by global forces due to globalisation. In the global business, materials and components are sourced worldwide, manufactured offshore and sold in many different countries, often with local customisation. The challenge for the global company, then, is to achieve the cost advantage of standardisation while still catering for the local demand for variety. This has given rise to intense competition blurring the boundaries between domestic and global markets. Business, therefore, can no longer act as an isolated and independent entity in competitive world, the real test of competitiveness takes place in international markets (Salcedo and Grackin, 2000). There is a need to create value delivery systems that are more responsive to fast changing global markets and much more consistent, focused and reliable. Competitiveness and Textile Industry Clothing manufacturing in many developed countries has almost disappeared, probably more quickly than the ATC signatories imagined. The Japan Textile Importers Association now estimates that 87 percent of clothes on sale in Japan are imported: the American Apparel and Footwear Association estimates 89 percent of US clothes. Nonetheless, the apparel industry in rich countries is fundamentally different in 2002 from what it was in 1994, and this change affects the way in which the political debate around further liberalization is likely to occur (Flanagan, 2003). The countries India and Vietnam are viewed as strong competitors in future market share of textiles and apparel. Trade relations with Vietnam were non-existent in 1993. Since that time, a desire for closure to the war sees initial trade relations established. Thus, the data may be misleading due to this fact. India has been among the largest producers of cotton fiber since the days of yore. In the past India would export low-value items such as fiber or yarn to developed nations, which produced and manufactured fabric for clothing. However, because the profit margins are highest in the fabric and assembling for the apparel supply chain, the realization dawned to integrate vertically. India has emerged as a major sourcing base of cotton clothing worldwide and most of the leading US retailers such as Gap, J.C. Penney, and Nordstrom have set up sourcing offices in India (Tyagi, 2003). As government policy has become more strongly oriented towards trade liberalization, the industries have become progressively exposed, through multi-lateral and bilateral deals, to the full force of international competition from a growing array of international suppliers. At the same time, the emergence of large, sophisticated retail groups together with intense retail competition has found retailers exercising their bargaining leverage by squeezing suppliers for lower prices, and higher levels of service and product innovation. There has also been an increasing trend among large retailers to source direct or use foreign intermediaries (Flanagan, 2004). Market needs have become more changeable and fragmented, and consumers have become more discriminating with regard to product novelty, quality and value. Technological change has resulted in a broadening and a deepening of the financial and intellectual resources textile and apparel companies need to compete. Companies have been faced with making heavy investments in new technologies against the background of poor profitability, uncertain competitive outcomes and difficulties in gaining access to capital at non-discriminatory rates (Kilduff and Priestland, 2001). METHODOLOGY Research Design The statement regarding the nature of the problem identifies concepts that have to be explored and that would influence the data collection methods, the subsequent data analysis and reporting that would influence the data collection methods, the subsequent data analysis and reporting that are required (Hakim, 1997). In the light of this assumption the researcher meets with the task of constructing a research design, and analysing and interpreting data. The design of research study is based on the purposes of the research, if explanatory information is needed then a quantitative research is likely to be undertaken and if exploratory information is needed, then a qualitative research may be taken (Schiffman and Kanuk, 2000). So far as the proposed study is concerned both exploratory and explanatory information is needed for getting the clear picture of the study problem, therefore both qualitative and quantitative research methods will be applied in the proposed study. Data Collection Methods In academic study the two most common methods of data collection are primary and secondary (Saunders et al, 2004). Therefore in the proposed study also both secondary and primary data collection methods will be applied. The sources of secondary data in the proposed study will be academic journals, trade magazines, Government of India Textile Ministry Reports, Indian Textile and Clothing Exports Association Reports, Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) Reports, Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) Reports and various other related private and public reports. The primary data collection follows the procedure of data collection through interviews, questionnaires, observation, case studies, diaries, portfolios etc. In fact, such data is called primary, because it is the initial step, which the researcher has to take in order to begin research. The researcher can use one or more than techniques specified above to collect the data in the present study questionnaire based survey technique would be applied for collect primary data (Schiffman and Kanuk, 2000). This technique is found instrumental in generating and quantitative data. For questionnaire based survey 25 managers (as sample) will be selected from Mumbai (India) based textile firms. TIME PLAN BIBLIOGRAPHY Easton, R. (2002), Seizing the supply chain opportunity in Asia, Ascet, Vol. 4. Flanagan, M. (2003), Let there be no doubt: quotas will go – almost everywhere, Apparel Sourcing in the 21st Century, pp.3. Flanagan, M. (2004), The ground rules for sourcing after 2005, Management Briefing, available at: www.just-style.com, No.February. Gupta, R. (1998), From liberalisation to liberation, paper presented at the 25th National Management Convention, All India Management Association, New Delhi, . Hakim, C. (1997), Research Design: Strategies and Choices in the design of Social Research, 5,Routledge, London. Kilduff, P.D.F. and Priestland, C. (2001), Strategic Transformation in the US Textile Apparel Industries, A Study of Business Dynamics with Forecasts up to 2010, College of Textiles, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, . Luftman, J.N. (1996), Competing in the Information Age: Strategic Alignment in Practice, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Nancy, L. (1999), World Competitiveness Year Book: methodology and principles of analysis, World Competitiveness Year Book 1999, IMD, Lausanne, . Porter, M. E. (1990), The Competitive Advantage of Nations. (New York: The Free Press). Sahay, B.S. (2000), Supply Chain Management in the Twenty First Century, Macmillan India, New Delhi, . Salcedo, S., Grackin, A. (2000), The e-value chain, Supply Chain Management Review, Vol. 3 No.4, pp.63-70. Saunders, M. Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (2004) Research Methods for Business Students, 3rd Edition, Financial Times Prentice Hall Inc., London. Schiffman, L.G. and Kanuk, L.L. (2000), Consumer Behavior, Sixth Edition, Prentice Hall of India Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi. Tyagi, R. (2003), Apparel globalization: the big picture. [Online] Available on 5th October, 2007 from URL: www.allbusiness.com/manufacturing/apparel-other-finished-products-made/4400793-1.html Textile Industry. [Online] Available on 5th October, 2007 from URL:http://www.economywatch.com/business-and-economy/textile-industry.html National Competitiveness Council Secretariat, 2006, What is Competitiveness?. [Online] Available on 5th October, 2007 from URL:http://www.wtoconsultation.ie/ncc/reports/ncc/what.htm Warrier, B.S. (2007), Weaving out managers. [Online] Available on 5th October 2007 from URL: http://www.hindu.com/edu/2007/04/24/stories/2007042400050200.htm

Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet - Friar Laurence Essay -- Romeo Juliet

Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet - Friar Laurence Friar Laurence plays a most intriguing role in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. He is a priest, and a friend to Romeo. With the absence of Montague parental scenes, Friar Laurence also becomes like a surrogate father to Romeo. Romeo seeks him out to marry him and Juliet, obviously assuming that the friar would without parental permission. The friar greets him and addresses Romeo's past love. He even tells Romeo that he mistook what he felt for Rosaline as love when it was not, and therefore not be too haste, " They stumble that run fast" (2.2.94). Therefore, not only has Romeo discussed matters of the heart with the friar, but also the friar himself feels in the position to be able to speak with Romeo on a more personal level. Friar Laurence doubts Romeo's professed love to Juliet and compares it to what Romeo himself swore he felt for Rosaline, "Young men's love then lies/ Not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes" (2.2.67-8). Bluntly, yet fatherly, he corrects Romeo's claim of love by saying (in reference to Rosaline), "For doting, not for loving, pupil mine" (2.2.82). Still, he agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet without thinking twice. In fact, his greater preoccupation is not whether or not they truly do love each other, but how their love could end the feud between their families, as he states, "For this alliance may so happy prove/ To turn your households' rancour to pure love" (2.2.91-2). Friar Laurence also doubts Juliet's love for Romeo. Before she even enters the scene the Friar notes that moderate love is best because it does not overwhelm or become consumed by itself as a rash love would (2.5.10-15). Ironically enough Juliet enters the scene "somewhat fast" (... ...ave to face responsibility for his death. Thus, he leaves Juliet alone in a vault filled with dead ancestors, as well as recently dead Romeo and Paris, and she kills herself. This is not say that Friar Laurence does not feel responsible for Romeo and Juliet's deaths, he recounts his tale to the Prince and offer his life as a sacrifice if their deaths are his fault (5.3.228-68). In every step of deceiving Romeo and Juliet's parents, the government, and everyone who thought Juliet to be dead, Friar Laurence was attempting to: end a great feud between two families, help Juliet keep her marriage vows (by helping her out of marrying Paris), keeping Juliet alive, keeping Romeo safe from imprisonment or death, and ultimately, protecting the lovers' love from outside influences. He sees his acts as acts that are working for the greater good, and therefore they are just.

Nike’s CRM Essay

Nike manufactures shoes also athletic clothing such as shorts, shirts, jackets and under armors; wristbands, bag packs, jerseys and socks are also sold by Nike (Rao, 2012). The Nike slogan, Just Do It, have placed it’s brand in the mind of consumers, through the recognition of it’s products and promotional tools used worldwide (Rao, 2012). Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is focusing on meaningful, long term relationships and not immediate profit with the customers (2010, p.202). According to the research, in 2012, Nike launched a new business division called Nike Digital sport (NDS). The objective of NDS was designing to develop technologies that allow the users to track their personal performance while Nike collected and stored data relating to customer needs. Because of NDS, Nike has been able to communicate more effectively with customers about their needs. Nike also has it’s own social networking service called Nike+ (Rao, 2012). This social networking service focuses on building social networks and relationships among people and communities. Nike has built relationships between the company and customer by understanding the customer’s needs and preferences. CRM programs implemented by Nike are mainly operational and strategic. For example, Nike Fuel enables customers to record their progress through the use of Nike Plus devices. These devices are designed to update customers on the latest Nike sports trends and insights, and allow them to communicate with Nike. Another CRM program implement by Nike is Nike + Connect apps. It is a free app developed by Nike that uploads customer’s Nike+ data from plus devices to their accounts. Nike also created a Nike+ running app that enables customers to share their experience on social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook. According to the research, Nike reaches over millions of fans every day in an interactive dialogue, rather than having to rely on big sponsored events to reach this number (Stokes, 2012). The massive volumes of freely shared user data produce meaningful brand insights, lead to product innovations, and allow the brand to get closer to consumers. Effective CRM has enabled Nike to collaborate with customers, drive business processes, maximize Return on Investment (ROI) and support brand development (Stokes, 2012). Nike promises to stand behind all of the company’s products for both consumer and retail accounts (Nike, 2014). Nike’s web site enables its customers to use the search function to search for information related to Nike’s customer service policies. The answers are provided by the use of intelligent automates response technology. The website also provides customers with answers of Frequently Asked Question (FAQ). Through the implementation of this program, Nike is able to have an open communication line with and a better understanding of customers. Customer facing process results in a product or service that is received by an organization’s external customer (Stokes, 2012). In 2010, Nike created a division called Nike Digital Sport (DS). DS provides skilled resources, budget, and coordination across the enterprise (Cendrowski, 2012). Nike’s goal was to create a combined consumer experience that shapes responds to the evolving preferences of consumers (Cendrowski, 2012). Nike DS leads most customer-facing digital projects, releasing products under the Nike Plus brand. Personnel, designers and a team of marketers work together to develop new digital innovations. Together, they work to find new ways to mine large amounts of highly accurate customer data, which is a key strategic asset for marketing and product development in the highly competitive digital space. Nike plans, in the future, to become ever-closer to each of its customers around the world. I think in the future, Nike should considering incorporating a link similar to zapdata.com to the Nike web site. Customers can click on the link and contact Nike in real time via text-chat software hosted by a second party such as a live person. Customers can click on a text-chat button and the  site launches a new window and have questions answered by a live representative. Customers can continue to browse Nike while a support representative answers their question(s). If after asking the question a customer is still having difficulty finding the information, the representative from Nike online can simply send the page to the customer with the information that he or she was seeking for. This might impose a high cost to Nike starting out, but the increase in sales will quickly cover the expenses and further enhance the company’s customer support and satisfaction. Reference 1. Cendrowski, S. (2012). Nike’s new marketing mojo. Fortune Magazine. Retrieved on June 17, 2014 from: http://fortune.com/2012/02/13/nikes-new-marketing-mojo/ 2. Naveed, H. (2012). Nike, Inc. Website Analysis. Website Analysis. Retrieved on June 16, 2014 from:https://sites.google.com/a/email.vccs.edu/bus100hnaveed/home/website-analysis. 3. Nesbitt, S. (2011). Measuring the ROI of Social CRM. Social Technology Review.Retrieved on June 17, 2014 from:http://www.socialtechnologyreview.com/articles/measuring-roi-social-crm 4. NIKE, INC. (2014). Business Overview. Nike Global Growth Strategy. Retrieved on June 17, 2014 from: http://nikeinc.com/news/nike-inc-introduces-2015-global-growth-strategywww.nikeresponsibility.com/report/content/chapter/business-overview 5. Rao, A.S. (2012). Digital Marketing at Nike: From Communication to Dialogue. IBS Center for Management Research. PDF Document.

America in Black and White

Langston Hughes was an important and defining figure of the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920’s up to the 1930’s, a decade of great activity in the African-American arts scene. Hughes was known for the rhythm, jazz and blues, of his poetry. The theme of his poetry is mostly on the life experiences of the African-American. In his Theme for English B, Hughes expresses the reality in the disparity – of being Black among Whites. In the first stanza, the professor’s assignment was specific and defined which was to write a page about oneself. It was a deviation from the usual rigid English lessons, like classical poems.Writing about oneself was more loose and relaxed. Hughes used iambic quatrain to taunt the rigidity of the instruction. Hughes made it known from the beginning that student and professor were different. The student thought the assignment over, and wondered if it was easy writing about oneself. Hughes used the free-verse style on rest of the poem to c ontrast the earlier quatrain. Alliteration and Assonance in Line 7, â€Å"I am twenty-two, colored, born in Winston-Salem† had the jazz sounds of Harlem. Here, Hughes bared that the student was Black and therefore the professor was White.When he combined two vowel sounds in Line 10, â€Å"I am the only colored student in my class† Hughes indicated how strongly the student felt about being Black. Hughes used metaphors to denote Black with Harlem, 8th Avenue, 7th Street and Harlem Branch Y, places where there was heavy African-American population. There was a noticeable change in the order of the [I] from Lines 6, 7, 8 and 10, such as, â€Å"I wonder†¦ / I am twenty-two †¦ / I went to school there †¦ / I am the only †¦Ã¢â‚¬  to Lines 12-14 â€Å"†¦ then I cross †¦/ †¦ and I come †¦ / †¦ where I come †¦ /. † The [I] used to start off the lines, they now end off the lines.Such reversal was a symbolical of the place the Black took in society. The symbolism of coming from African-American places going upwards to the school on the hill and taking the elevator to his room at the Y told of the student’s efforts to reach the level of the Whites. It must be recalled in Line 6 that the student had doubts â€Å"I wonder if it’s that simple? † referring to the assignment. Now at Line 16, he was sure that â€Å"It is not easy to know what is true for you or me. † Hughes at this point now came with the â€Å"you† together with the â€Å"me.† With â€Å"I feel and see and hear, Harlem, I hear you:† â€Å"hear you, hear me – we two – you me, talk on this page† (Lines18-19) the student was not just writing about himself but of the whole African-American people. The sound of the assonance was strong like the clamor for equality. In Lines 21-26, the student cried out that he, in many ways, was like a white man with the same wants and aspira tions in life. Hughes’ metaphors for gifts like â€Å"pipe† to mean growing old, â€Å"Bessie† for Blues, â€Å"Bop† for Jazz, and â€Å"Bach† for the classical and Baroque music.The student wrote that the African-American also wanted the things the White man enjoyed. Hughes subtly presented the issue of racism by completely leaving out the assonance, instead, the student was introspective when he asked â€Å"So will my page be colored that I write? † (Line 27). Despite the absence of the assonance, Hughes was still able to convey what the student wanted – to experience life, like the Whites do, until he is old when he smokes his pipe and listen to good music. The professor and the student were a contrast from the start, with conflicts in between.Hughes found a common ground in Lines 31-33 â€Å"You are white — / yet part of me, as I am part of you. / That’s American. † He followed it up with Lines 37-38 â€Å"As I learn from you, I guess you learn from me –† Hughes tried to make his readers see that the equalizer comes in both their being Americans. Theme for English B gives a very light treatment, being a free verse, of a compelling issue such as racism. The readers are able to internalize the poem through its rhythm. The tone of the poem is reflective as it is assertive with the use of the poetic voice of â€Å"I† coming as it is from someone who has a personal stake on the issue.Hughes was excellent in the use of a page for a composition in an English B class, where the student would use black ink to write on a white sheet of writing paper. The symbolisms accurately portrayed the issue in the poem – that Blacks and Whites despite their difference should not be opposing colors of America. They will both write history and define their future as Americans. References Hughes, L. (1951). Theme for English B. Retrieved April 25, 2009 from http://www. eecs. harvard. edu/~keith/poems/English_B. html

Build your Author Street Team in 4 Simple Steps

Build your Author Street Team in 4 Simple Steps Authors: Build Your Street Team in 4 Simple Steps Last updated: 2017/12/07â€Å"No man is an island,† as the old poem goes. In much the same way, you don’t get to become a successful writer without some help along the way.  When you're marketing your book, companies like  Reedsy can certainly give you access to experienced freelance marketers – but in time you must also learn to rely on your Street Team.2. Finding your ‘first gangers’ Even if you end up with a fabulous book deal down the line, your street team will remain amongst your most important allies during the process of marketing your book. By staying on their radar and not wasting their time with spam, you can keep your street team happy and ready to help you the next time you release a book. Have you put together a street team before? Where did you find them and how did they help you promote your book? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.