Zara Fast Fashion

1. Features of Zara’s business model that affect its operating economics: †¢Zara owns much of its production and most of its stores, while competitors Gap and H&M own all of their stores but outsource all of their production. Benetton, on the other hand, owns all of its production but goes to market through licensing agreements. †¢Zara places more emphasis on backward vertical integration. Production runs are short and inventory is strictly controlled. This is in contrast to industry trends of high volume production. Zara's product cycle time from the design phase to the manufacturing phase is 4 to 5 weeks while the industry average is 6 to 9 months. The short cycle time enables Zara to commit to a bulk of its product much later than its competitors. 85% of Zara's in-house production occurs after the season has started in contrast to 20% in-house production of traditional retailers. †¢Zara's pricing is lower than its competitors, but profit margins are higher du e to direct efficiencies gained from a shortened, vertically integrated, supply chain. At Zara, a high inventory turnover rate results in minimal obsolescence costs, clearance sales or mark downs. Zara estimated 15%-20% of total sales as markdowns/close-outs vs. 30% to 40% for its competitors. This helps to preserve a strong profit margin and bolster market image as a â€Å"must buy now† destination. †¢Zara's advertising expenses are minimal (avg. 0. 3% of revenue) compared with 3% to 4% for other specialty retailers. These helps lower expenses and preserve strong profit margins. Zara, in turn, invests more money in renovating its storefronts and buying prime real estate for store locations. At Zara, 75% of display merchandise is turned every 3 to 4 weeks which corresponds to the average time between customer visits. The average Zara shopper visits the chain 17 times a year. In contrast, the competition records an average of 3 to 4 customer visits per year. Zara's image creates a â€Å"sense of urgency† and forces loyal customers to check in frequent ly for the latest fashions. 2. Zara’s Quick Response Capabilities – Upstream and Downstream activities: †¢Zara's quick-response capability is based on improving coordination between retail stores and product manufacturers. This coordination allows Zara to respond faster to fashion trends, thus creating a competitive advantage for Zara. Effectively utilizing information technology and vertically-integrated manufacturing facilitates Zara's quick response capability. Upstream Activities: †¢Design Teams continuously track customer preferences via data sent electronically from individual storefronts. Additionally, sales data is sent upstream from the stores to give instant feedback on Zara's new product lines generating replenishment orders for sold product. This instant upstream feedback, coupled with Zara's rapid product development gives Zara a compelling market advantage. †¢Zara sources fabric and finished products from external suppliers using purchasing offices in Europe and Hong Kong. 50% of the fabric remains undyed to facilitate in-season updating via Comditel, a subsidiary of Inditex that manages the dyeing and patterning of unfinished fabric. Delaying production of unfinished fabric allows information flowing upstream to influence Zara's production. 40% of all garments are manufactured internally or by subcontractors located near Zara's headquarters. This 40% represents the most fashionable, time-sensitive garments that Zara considers risky. Zara's local production network facilitates flexibility and risk-taking on fashion trends. Downstream Activities: †¢Zara owns its own distribution center in Arteixo. All merchandise from both internal and external suppliers passes through this distribution center. Shipments occur twice a week to each store. Items move through the center very quickly. For example, a vast majority of items are at the center only a few hours and no item stays at the center for more than three days. †¢On average, Zara spends 0. 3% of its revenue on media advertising, which is focused on opening season and end of season sales. †¢Product cycles through the stores rapidly, with new designs arriving every three weeks. This fast turnover results in a significant reduction of discounted merchandise. †¢Display shelves are sparsely stocked creating a sense of urgency (â€Å"buy now†) in the minds of shoppers, resulting in immediate sales. Location is critical for Zara to attract repeat customers. Stores are occasionally relocated in response to ever-shifting popularity of shopping districts and traffic patterns. 3. Why might Zara fail? Zara could fail due to falling into what is known as the â€Å"growth trap. † In the beginning, Zara established itself as selling medium-quality fashion clothing at affordable prices. Zara went on to gain a competitive advantage in the industry by developing a quick response capability while at the same time maintaining low customer pricing. As Zara begins to expand internationally, the potential to lose their competitive advantage increases. For example, in South America, Zara had to present a high-end rather than a mid-market image. This goes against the image of medium quality fashion at affordable prices that Zara had built and maintained since their inception. As Zara continues to grow, their stores may eventually be found on every street corner around the world. As a result, Zara runs the risk that their products may become less unique in the eyes of the consumer. According to the â€Å"growth trap,† efforts to grow can blur uniqueness, create compromises, reduce fit, and ultimately undermine competitive advantage. In the end, Zara runs the risk of becoming an ordinary retail chain as they lose sight of their competitive advantage and become more like every other retail player. In order to maintain their market share, Zara should remember their roots and focus on the excellence of their existing chain with very minimal increases in selling space. Zara Fast Fashion Inditex – Zara: Fast fashion Case analysis Company Structure and Goals Overview Zara’s vision on growth and global strategy -Building up fixed assets -Vertical integration -No advertising, creating premium stores -Fashion follower – QR to fashion trends -Strongly customer oriented -Stable growth -Markdowns half the average (15% as supposed to 30% ) -Pricing market based Business model: -Vertical operations and downstream activities -Multi-chain concept -Creative design team -Competitive advantage – Sustainable growth As attachment: Porter’s Five forces; Company structure; Financials) Problem Statement Growth challenge – 20% per annum expected, 76% of equity value implicit on Inditex’s stock price was based on expectations on future growth. Failure to deliver expected growth results might cause a serious offset in company’s market capitalization. Room for non-local growth – in average a retailer was present in 10 countries while e. g. a pharmaceutical company averaged operations in 125 countries. Problem statement is: In what geographical area(s) should further Zara expansion follow? Should there be another logistics-distribution centre created as increase of operations might cause dis-economies of scale? Should it acquire additional chains given the complexity of managing those and the risk of own-product-replacements? Preserve the margins; (visible threat to the sustainability of Index’s competitive advantage) Evaluation of the alternative solutions 1. Growth challenge: Notes: not much potential on the local market; -different markets require different positioning -though costs grow as distance grows, prices also change (margins are kept) -50% of all export is to developing countries -Zara shopper visits the store 17 times a year, average is 2-4 times -Creating a climate of scarcity and opportunity in stores Evaluate growth options in different markets: Spain Europe str4 – production in North Africa, turkey and East Europe. US – production in Mexico and the Caribbean subjected to retailing oercapacity, less fashion-forward than Europe, demands larger sizes and exhibits considerable internal variations Japan – no quotas to restrict imports, produced in China. – teenage market segment considered as the trendiest in the world Italy – fashionable, visit stores frequently and spend more on clothing 2. Change in marketing strategy Current: Three types of entering a market: company owned stores, joint ventures, franchising Strategy is standard across the countries -No adv -One big shop central city (capital) Followed by smaller ones (spreading around the country) -Shop windows used excessively -Products do not differ much from country to country -Model is downstream -No knowledge is shared -From design to stores within 4-5 weeks , industry average 9 months -Due to product testing, failure rate only 1% compared to industry average of 10% 3. Change in pricing strategy Current: Prices vary on the different markets, due to transport costs (all supplied from the base in Galicia) – this changes positioning Lower mark-down than industry average Zara: Fast Fashion The Spanish retail chain Zara has unique supply chain management practices that enable it to gain a competitive advantage over other fashion retailers in the industry. Zara’s rapid response time enables the firm to quickly respond to changing fashions while deliberately under producing products. This strategy, which is supported by competencies in logistic management, design and information systems, allows the company to maintain less inventory and higher profit margins and is a key factor to Zara’s success. The firm should continue to add value by seeking new opportunities to expand in the retail market and maintain their sustainable growth. Financial Analysis Being aware of a company’s financial health and profitability of its competitors is highly essential for everyone interested in engaging in business with Inditex. In this part of the paper, through analysis of 4 key ratios and return on invested capital, we are going to discover some of the company’s drivers of sustained competitive advantage. The 4 key ratios will focus mainly on company’s liquidity, activity, solvency and profitability, while ROIC will show how well the company manages the capital invested in operations of the business. In order to measure ability of Inditex to meet its short term obligations and to assess liquidity, it is important to calculate current ratio. As shown in exhibits section below, in 2001, Inditedx had 1. 02 million in current assets, while Gap and H&M had 1. 48 and 3. 4 million Euros in current assets for every Euro in short-term debt. This indicates that Inditex’s main competitors demonstrate greater ability to meet current payments of debt; therefore liquidity is not one of the company’s success drivers. When it comes to comparing company’s sales to various assets categories it is significant to take a look at the total assets turnover. This ratio indicates how efficiently assets are being used to support sale. From 1999-2001, this ratio increased by 1. 2%; however it was still below industry performance. Currently Inditex is industry leader with total assets turnover of 1. 8. This shows that company’s recourses are being well managed and that company is able to realize high level of sales from its investments in property, plant and equipment such as manufacturing facilities. Debt to equity ratio is used for solvency evaluation. The main purpose of this ratio is to show company’s ability to repay long-term creditors. As shown in exhibits section, this ratio decreased from 1999-2001, however, when compared to its rivals, Inditex confirmed to have the best leverage among them. When it comes to company’s financial flexibility and profitability it is highly essential to calculate Net Profit Margin ratio. This ratio measures how successful a company has been at the business of making profit for each euro earned. As presented in the exhibits section, Inditex was and still is an industry leader with Net Profit Margin ratio of 10. 6% in 2001 and 13. 10% in 2010 which means that company has currently â‚ ¬. 3 of net income for every dollar sale. In addition, according to Inditex’s income statement, we could see that company is delivering higher net income due to its ability to keep operating expenses and COGS much lower than competitors. Furthermore, the company is able to gain sustained competitive advantage by making its own products, efficiently covering lower advertising expenses and maintaining cost-effective number of employees per store. In order for Inditex to maintain continuous growth it is important to keep its profit margins at the high level. Last but not least ROIC (Return on Invested Capital) gives a good judgment on how well a company is using its money to generate returns. Inditex ROIC varied through past couple of years but is currently able to earn around 7% on each euro invested. From the exhibit table below, we could conclude that the company is making wiser investment decisions than its competitors. SCP Analysis Zara competes in a monopolistically competitive industry due to the number of players. No business in this type of industry has total control over the market price and there are no barriers to entry and exit. Because of its monopolistically competitive playing grounds, Zara’s conduct is to increase its market power by producing demand for its heterogeneous products. Through differentiation and cost leadership, Zara attempts to increase market demand by offering new items weekly while keeping a low inventory, thus making its products unique and attractive to consumers. Because of its backward vertical integration model, Zara creates a strong synergy throughout its production process. Zara has sustained a competitive advantage globally by expanding into new markets and becoming more efficient. In a onopolistically competitive industry, Zara is expected to make profits in the short run but will break even in the long run because demand will decrease as average total costs increase. This means in the long run, a monopolistically competitive firm, such as Zara, will make zero economic profit (AmosWEB, 2001). Porters Five Forces Barriers to Entry: Due to the recent recession and weak economic market, many new players have avoided entering the retail industry. Zara has taken advantage of this opportunity to be the first to enter into many markets across the world before its competitors. With the economic future improving, Zara will be facing more and more competition especially in the United States. Rather than implementing new strategies on how to differentiate itself even more, Zara will need to focus more on creating brand awareness and staying on top in the game. Zara has been the odd ball in the industry with its creative business model but with more and more retailers quickly catching on and critiquing their business model to match the economy changes, Zara faces intense competition. Unlike other retailers, for example Gap and H&M, Zara needs to fight threats around the globe. In the states, Zara competition is intensified with American retailers because many customers still do not know who Zara is or what it offers. In Europe, Zara is like a Macys for us in the states so the brand awareness is there but competition is still also high. Many retailers in Europe offer the same products as Zara, at the same or similar prices; therefore Zara needs to find ways to keep ahead of competition. Bargaining Power of Buyers: Zara is famous for its business model of just in time inventory. No other retailer can produce a garment from scratch and have it hanging in the stores within weeks than Zara. Zara also distributes large number of shipments to its stores around the world twice a week. All merchandise is shipped from Spain and all stores receive shipment on the same days, Monday and Thursday. Zara produces nearly 16,000 new designs a year which is much more than leading competitors. With the constant changing apparel Zara keeps its inventory levels extremely low. Zara customers know that if they see something in the store to buy it right then and there because tomorrow that garment will not be there. US customers are still adapting to this quick turnaround time. With their advanced technology, Zara knows what its customers want and will deliver that to them within 2 weeks’ time. Bargaining Power of Suppliers: Zara manufactures all its clothing in house. This way it has control of the entire process and can make changes more quickly and efficiently when needed. After the garments are cut and ready for assembly, Zara sends out the fabric to different sewing companies to assemble the pieces. There are many competitors that Zara can choose from when deciding where they want its clothes put together which makes the bargaining power weak. Zara also took control of this process by taking over Comditel. Comditel is in charge of nearly the entire garment process. Once the garments are ready and fully assembled they are then stored in Zara's own distribution centers. From the distribution centers they are then shipped around the globe to the thousands of Zara stores. Like many other aspects of Zara's business model, the distribution center moves even more quickly. Once the garments are in the distribution centers, they only stay there for a maximum of 3 days before be sent out to the appropriate destination. Substitutes: Some may describe Zara as a higher end replica of fashion forward items. The items featured on Prada, Chanel, and St. John runways will be replicated in 2 weeks in Zara stores at a much more affordable price but poorer quality. Therefore, there are not many substitutes that customers can use because a majority of the products are out of the price range of many customers. This is a huge benefit for Zara because its customers are willing to pay a much less price for a lesser quality replica. Competition: Zara's direct competitors include H&M, Gap, and Benetton. H&M offers nearly the same products as Zara to its customers, but a much lower quality and price. For those customers who are price sensitive, H&M would be their choice of retailer. The Gap possesses more competition in the states because it has been around longer and has its loyal customer base which is hesitant to shop elsewhere. Even though these retailers give Zara a run for its money, none of them can keep up with Zara’s business model. Other retailers do not have in house production like Zara and ship their production to other countries for the cheap labor costs. This does save money but it increases time. Time is money so while others are still in production stage, Zara is already selling out of the garment. VRIO Analysis We can use the VRIO framework to determine the competitive potential of Zara’s resources and capabilities. As we analyze Zara’s resources and capabilities, it is evident that Zara has built a highly effective, self-reinforcing business system. Three elements in particular – (1) extensive vertical integration, (2) the company’s flat management structure, and (3) exceptional communication and coordination throughout the business system – allow Zara to successfully execute its â€Å"Very Quick Fashion Follower† business model. Each of the three make the grade of being Valuable, Rare, costly for competitors to Imitate, and for which the company has Organized to take advantage. Extensive Vertical Integration: Zara prides itself in its vertical integration, with near full control over its value chain through to the end-user. The company owns or closely controls its manufacturing and distribution facilities, manages its own logistics and transportation, and wherever possible owns its own stores (except for in markets with high risk or barriers to entry). This integration brings value primarily through speed-to-market, as Zara has achieved significantly shorter cycle times than its peers. Full vertical integration is rare in the apparel industry, which typically sees companies foregoing direct involvement in elements of the value chain (e. g. , H&M outsourced all of its production, and Benetton sold the bulk of its production through licensees). It would be extremely costly for a competitor to imitate Zara’s vertical integration, and even if they were able to do so it is unclear how much or how soon they would profit from it, as much of Zara’s advantage comes from the degree to which it has developed its integrated organization over many years. Flat Management Structure: While the drive, insight, and guidance provided by founder Amancio Ortega and other top executives have obviously been crucial to the success of Inditex, it is the structure and incentives they have put in place that truly drive Zara’s exceptionality. Zara’s management structure is very flat, with autonomy and significant incentive-based compensation for store managers, thus closely aligning their interest with that of the company. This structure adds value to the company through diligent hands-on management at the local level, something so rare that Zara’s CEO noted that the availability of store managers capable of handling these responsibilities was â€Å"the single most important constraint on the rate of store additions. † The structure would be highly difficult for ompetitors to imitate, as it has been built into the culture and processes of the company over several decades. Zara has certainly proven that it is able to organize around the flat structure model – in fact many of the company’s business processes depend on the communication and input of enabled employees at the edges of the business system. Exceptional Communication and Coordination: From early on, Zara developed a focus on com municating and coordinating activities up and down the value chain and across functions. This capability focused on speeding important information on customer preferences and trends to the store network, and feedback on successful and unsuccessful products back up the line to headquarters. Exceptional communication and coordination are crucial to maximizing the value derived from Zara’s vertical integration and flat management structure. A look at the more disjointed businesses systems of peers such as The Gap and Benetton demonstrates how rare it is for all of a company’s capabilities to simultaneously reinforce each other, and how difficult it would be for them to imitate Zara. Zara has successfully organized to coordinate its activities around the fast communication of accurate information – about designs, customers, competitors, and micro- and macroeconomic factors – both up the line to top management and to the edges of the network where store managers and employees interact with its customers. Each of these three capabilities passes the VRIO test, indicating that they are indeed key competencies for Zara. Four Actions Framework In order to understand how Zara created a new value for both the buyer and the company, we utilize the Blue Ocean 4 Forces Analysis. Starting with what factors Zara raised above standard, we see what is also Zara’s key resource, the company’s application of vertical integration. While Zara is involved in both backward and forward integration, what sets it apart is precisely its backward integration into manufacturing. For instance, its competitors Gap and H&M are both practicing forward integration and unlike Zara, outsourcing their production. Zara is also constantly in communication with employees at the edges of its business system such as store managers in order to better identify and track customer preferences and trends. The company encourages increased frequency of customer visits with its short cycle times; customers flock to the stores in order to catch the current fashion trends and product lines. In addition, the company also raised responsibility and accountability for store managers by hiring experienced employees promoted within which the CEO believed was a necessary judgment especially for store additions. Zara increased market saturation leading to better economies of scale thus significantly cutting costs and raising higher awareness and increasing sales. On the other hand, Zara reduced several factors well below the industry standard in order to cut costs and increase customers’ willingness to pay. For instance, the company decreased the failure rate for new products with its intensified product testing program which included store-level personnel in the process. Zara also reduced its cycle time for design which enabled the company to offer the customer new designs in four to five weeks and existing products in two weeks; the industry standard for this process was six months for design and three months for manufacturing. A pioneer in its industry, Zara proudly enjoyed engendering revenues at full price with only 10%-15% of its sales generated at discount prices compared to its European industry at 30%-40%. Lastly, Zara reduced its ad spending below industry standard at 0. 3% of its revenue while its competitors advertised 3%-4%. Although it is relatively unlikely for an apparel company to create factors that its industry has never offered, Zara formed a distinct vision among its competitors. The company was the first within its main rivals to saturate international markets as fast as it did. Zara is a global apparel retailer with a truly international scope. While from 1980’s to 2011 H&M added eight countries to its international expansion, and Gap five, while Zara was at thirty two countries. In the competitive apparel industry, Zara managed to eliminate what its competitors continuously took for granted. The company focused on a flat management system which allowed capturing trend preferences directly from the customer and applying to mass markets. Eliminating the separation between merchandising and manufacturing was especially beneficial to a fast and productive design team. Strategic Vision Based on our analysis, Inditex has proven to be financially stable and can successfully manage its capital invested in its operations. Therefore, to maintain their sustainable growth and continue to add value, Inditex should use their commercial team’s micro/macro evaluations to seek new country market opportunities. They should to continue to use one of the three modes of entry; company-owned stores, joint ventures, and franchises, to open additional stores in European countries that have high apparel markets. Italy, Germany and United Kingdom are markets that show promise, especially Italy because of its high per capita spending on apparel. As discussed in our analysis, one of Zara’s core competencies is its extensive vertical integration, and because the case mentioned a second distribution hub already being built in Zaragoza, Spain, it can support additional European stores without being subject to diseconomies of scale. Increasing the density of Zara’s store locations in Europe will achieve logistic efficiencies. Zara keeps transportation costs low on the supply side, since most of the production takes place in Spain. Efficient distribution and inventory systems help Zara minimize costs. Demand based production means there is very little inventory in Zara’s supply chain, which results in lower working capital requirements and lower supplier opportunity costs. Another market that has potential is the United States. With changing consumer behaviors as a result of globalization, there are growth options available for specialty retailers like Zara. For example, Gap’s current ratio of 2. 18 is higher than Zara’s 1. 71; however Zara’s 13. 10% net profit margin is preferred over Gap’s 8. 21% (as illustrated in Exhibit A-1). Therefore, as long as Zara can maintain its low production and overhead costs, which are high for its competitors, they should be able to compete in the US market. Inditex should invest in prime locations in major cities such as New York, Chicago and Los Angeles to maintain its positioning strategy. Zara should most likely develop a second central distribution center in America. Zara can strategically locate its central distribution center in or near countries where manufacturing can be done with cheap labor cost, such as Mexico. The close proximity of the distribution center to the American market will decrease logistics and help maintain Zara’s model of fast fashion and economies of scale. Internet retailing is another market opportunity that Inditex should consider. Zara can reach consumers faster and easier in the countries they are trying to expand into. This method can also help gauge consumer preferences from country to country. The internet retailing market will increase sales revenues and has a very low business risk considering the products are already being produced for the retail stores. Zara’s online shop would complement its stores, adding an extra level of service for its customers. It would also expand its customer base to reach areas where stores are not located. Patrons can shop from anywhere in the world and at any time of day or night. This essentially means more shoppers and more sales for the business. Based on our analysis, the monopolistically competitive industry structure is not the key factor driving Zara’s significant performance. Zara has leveraged its key resources to combine low price with product differentiation to create value and succeed in this industry structure. Zara has been able to increase the customer’s willingness to pay by constantly rotating its merchandise and creating a climate of scarcity and opportunity for customers. In conclusion, Zara has the potential for sustainable growth due to its competitive advantage and its ability to increase customer’s willingness to pay while decreasing its opportunity cost. The company keeps its operating income high, has a solid business model with unrivaled synergy and has various opportunities for expansion in the retail industry. Zara must continue to re-invent their image in order to stay fresh in the apparel industry and as long as they maintain their core competencies, they will continue to succeed. Zara Fast Fashion Inditex – Zara: Fast fashion Case analysis Company Structure and Goals Overview Zara’s vision on growth and global strategy -Building up fixed assets -Vertical integration -No advertising, creating premium stores -Fashion follower – QR to fashion trends -Strongly customer oriented -Stable growth -Markdowns half the average (15% as supposed to 30% ) -Pricing market based Business model: -Vertical operations and downstream activities -Multi-chain concept -Creative design team -Competitive advantage – Sustainable growth As attachment: Porter’s Five forces; Company structure; Financials) Problem Statement Growth challenge – 20% per annum expected, 76% of equity value implicit on Inditex’s stock price was based on expectations on future growth. Failure to deliver expected growth results might cause a serious offset in company’s market capitalization. Room for non-local growth – in average a retailer was present in 10 countries while e. g. a pharmaceutical company averaged operations in 125 countries. Problem statement is: In what geographical area(s) should further Zara expansion follow? Should there be another logistics-distribution centre created as increase of operations might cause dis-economies of scale? Should it acquire additional chains given the complexity of managing those and the risk of own-product-replacements? Preserve the margins; (visible threat to the sustainability of Index’s competitive advantage) Evaluation of the alternative solutions 1. Growth challenge: Notes: not much potential on the local market; -different markets require different positioning -though costs grow as distance grows, prices also change (margins are kept) -50% of all export is to developing countries -Zara shopper visits the store 17 times a year, average is 2-4 times -Creating a climate of scarcity and opportunity in stores Evaluate growth options in different markets: Spain Europe str4 – production in North Africa, turkey and East Europe. US – production in Mexico and the Caribbean subjected to retailing oercapacity, less fashion-forward than Europe, demands larger sizes and exhibits considerable internal variations Japan – no quotas to restrict imports, produced in China. – teenage market segment considered as the trendiest in the world Italy – fashionable, visit stores frequently and spend more on clothing 2. Change in marketing strategy Current: Three types of entering a market: company owned stores, joint ventures, franchising Strategy is standard across the countries -No adv -One big shop central city (capital) Followed by smaller ones (spreading around the country) -Shop windows used excessively -Products do not differ much from country to country -Model is downstream -No knowledge is shared -From design to stores within 4-5 weeks , industry average 9 months -Due to product testing, failure rate only 1% compared to industry average of 10% 3. Change in pricing strategy Current: Prices vary on the different markets, due to transport costs (all supplied from the base in Galicia) – this changes positioning Lower mark-down than industry average

50 Fun Things to Do in Supermarket

50 Fun Things To Do In A Supermarket 1. Take shopping carts for the express purpose of filling them and stranding them at strategic locations. 2. Ride those little electronic cars at the front of the store. 3. Set all the alarm clocks to go off at ten minute intervals throughout the day. 4. Start playing Calvinball; see how many people you can get to join in. 5. Contaminate the entire auto department by sampling all the spray air fresheners. 6. Challenge other customers to duels with tubes of gift wrap. 7. Leave cryptic messages on the typewriters. 8. Re-dress the mannequins as you see fit. 9.When there are people behind you, walk REALLY SLOW, especially thin narrow aisles. 10. Walk up to an employee and tell him in an official tone, â€Å"I think we've got a Code 3 in Housewares,† and see what happens. 11. Tune all the radios to a polka station; then turn them all off and turn the volumes to â€Å"10†. 12. Play with the automatic doors. 13. Walk up to complete stranger s and say, â€Å"Hi! I haven't seen you in so long!†¦ † etc. See if they play along to avoid embarrassment. 14. While walking through the clothing department, ask yourself loud enough for all to hear, â€Å"Who BUYS this junk, anyway? â€Å"15. Repeat Number 14 in the jewelry department. 6. Ride a display bicycle through the store; claim you're taking it for a â€Å"test drive. † 17. Follow people through the aisles, always staying about five feet away. Continue to do this until they leave the department. 18. Play soccer with a group of friend, using the entire store as your playing field. 19. As the cashier runs your purchases over the scanner, look mesmerized and say, â€Å"Wow. Magic! † 20. Put M;M's on layaway. 21. Move â€Å"Caution: Wet Floor† signs to carpeted areas. 22. Set up a tent in the camping department; tell others you'll only invite them in if they bring pillows from Bed and Bath. 23.Test the fishing rods and see what you can  "catch† from the other aisles. 24. Ask other customers if they have any Grey Poupon. 25. Drape a blanket around your shoulders and run around saying, â€Å"†¦ I'm Batman. Come, Robin–to the Batcave! † 26. TP as much of the store as possible. 27. Randomly throw things over into neighboring aisles. 28. Play with the calculators so that they all spell â€Å"hello† upside down. 29. When someone asks if you need help, begin to cry and ask, â€Å"Why won't you people just leave me alone? † 30. When two or three people are walking ahead of you, run between them, yelling, â€Å"Red Rover! 31. Make up nonsense products and ask newly hired employees if there are any in stock, i. e. , â€Å"Do you have any Shnerples here? † 32. Take up an entire aisle in Toys by setting up a full scale battlefield with G. I. Joes vs. the X-Men. 33. Take bets on the battle described above. 34. Nonchalantly â€Å"test† the brushes and combs in Cosmetics. 35. Hold indoor shopping cart races. 36. Dart around suspiciously while humming the theme from Mission: Impossible. † 37. Attempt to fit into very large gym bags. 38. Attempt to fit others into very large gym bags. 39.Say things like, â€Å"Would you be so kind as to direct me to your Twinkies? † 40. Set up a â€Å"Valet Parking† sign in front of the store. 41. Two words: â€Å"Marco Polo. † 42. Leave Cheerios in Lawn and Garden, pillows in the pet food aisle, etc. 43. â€Å"Re-alphabetize† the CD's in Electronics. 44. When someone steps away from their cart to look at something, quickly make off with it without saying a word. 45. Relax in the patio furniture until you get kicked out. 46. When an announcement comes over the loudspeaker, assume the fetal position and scream, â€Å"No, no! It's those voices again! 47.Pay off layaways fifty cents at a time. 48. Drag a lounge chair on display over to the magazines and relax. If the store has a food court, buy a soft drink; explain that you don't get out much, and ask if they can put a little umbrella in it. 49. Hmm†¦ only 48 things so far 50. Naaawwww, go in the next supermarket and ask an employee for the 2 Missing fun things to do in his supermarket. 51. Submitted by Eeyore002: Get you some popcorn and a comfy seat and plant yourself in the movie section and watch whatever movie is on, if you can't conquer the VCR's control

Prada Case Essay

From the financial point of view, the Italian luxury brand- Prada, which was known for its design innovation, can’t claim itself successful. Although it has the ability to keep its revenue over 1.5 billion euros for three consecutive years, it also contains more than 1 billion euros of debt maturing within 12 months sitting on its balance sheet. One of the best solutions for Prada to solve this problem is to raise capital in the stock market, which we could refer as IPO. Given the current market conditions, listing in Hong Kong might appears to be the best choice after all. But, before we go further in details about the pros and cons about listing in Hong Kong, we should first discuss the reasons why we choose IPO over Debt and Strategic partnership. Compare to issuing debt, an IPO will not add any more burden to the company’s balance sheet, which for Prada, was already showed a sign of insolvency and over leveraged. Another issue is that no firms in this industry have ever raised money in US bond market. Although â€Å"dim sum bond† – a Chinese Yuan denominated bonds issued in Hong Kong could be the best alternative to this situation, however, the short life and the exchange risk it involved are its most disadvantages. How about sale some portion of the firm to the private equity firms to raise capital? For this deal, it seems that they will not only offer a sizeable premium to the family, but also to offer some important positions on the board too. But, compare to IPO, it will not increase Prada’s publicity through this method. And also, an IPO in Hong Kong will give the company more opportunity to expand their Asia market, especially in China and Japan. Choosing a Strategic Partnership would be just like giving that huge potential profit away. So, the next question is how do we actually apply the IPO strategy?

English Property Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

English Property Law - Essay Example Intellectual property is also integral to property law. One of the reasons for the promulgation of the law is the need to create distinction between real property and personal property (Worthington 2000 92). Of course, one of the most important goals of those that promulgated the law is to ensure that the conflicts that arise on the ownership of property will be reduced as much as possible. One of the instances that can be used to truly certify that the English property system is more pragmatic than theoretical is the manner in which judges give judgement in cases, precisely those that pertain to property law. Instead of strictly following what the statutes say, most judges would rather rely on logic. Locke’s theory of property also seems to reiterate this point. This is because Locke begins his arguments my stating that, at inception, property was personal—meaning that there were no individual owners. However, the persistence of this state of thing will mean that no on e would be able to use land, for example, for individual or communal benefit. Locke recognizes that there is the need to create a system in which individuals can lay claim of ownership to what was hitherto communally owned (Tully 1980 34). This aspiration would be impossible if one desires to get the assent of every member of the community. It can only happen when individuals begin to exchange something in return for what they desire. At the very inception, it was their bodily sweat; later, it was valuable property; and finally it became money. The introduction of money meant that the yardstick for separating the wealthy from the poor had been established. By interpretation, one could assume either of these two opinions. First, one could conclude that the flexibility, rather than the rigidity, of the English property law has really helped to limit the level in which every Tom, Dick and Harry who is a capitalist would be able to turn personal property into real property. Secondly, on e may conclude, on the other hand, that flexibility of the English property law (which is best established in the practical sense) has helped to materialize the desire of the capitalist to convert most of what was formerly owned communally into real property. On the whole, one would discover that Locke’s property theory favours capitalism as against communalism. What Locke defends is that money can be the solution to all problems (Tully 1980 52). Even in England, this seems to be true because if anybody is rich enough to employ the services of a proficient lawyer, the case is close to being won already even before any judgment is pronounced. The lawyer would be able to also turn the odds to favour their client. The English property is very fluid in nature. Most lawyers, hence, take advantage of this. They have been able to make the English property law, which to an average person would appear as one of the most rigid laws ever, into one that has become very flexible (Worthing ton 2000 97). For instance, there is really no clear distinction between real and personal property again. This is because lawyers have been able to interchange them, through interpretation, to suit the demands of their case. What lawyers have been able to accomplish may not really be as a result of their ingenuity but as a result of the fact that the law itself has created the lapses. For example, normally, the English statute would recognise an estate owned by a family as

Liberal Democracies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Liberal Democracies - Essay Example People themselves do not form an individual identity. If it really so happens, there will be chaos and disorder everywhere. Everyone as 'people' and people's representative will have to form a smaller network or group to act like a "Vanguard" of the people interacting one with another as committed members of the so-called democratic government and State. Democracy inherently is self-defeating in effect. Democracy just cannot be there in its full and complete form - where no one exploits one's co-citizen; fulsome equal opportunities are there for each and every human being; dignity, self-respect and freedom for each individual at all levels of a social and political system are readily available; and where Prime Minister of United Kingdom and President of United States can freely roam amongst their citizens and electorates. Democracy is not just freedom of expression and partial right to life. It also involves justice to each and every individual. These imperatives of a liberal democracy in particular do not appear to exist in any of the modern liberal democracies in the world. Liberal democracies are becoming dominance of one person, group or system over another. Electoral politics is further helping divide people through racism, ethnicity, culture and language and sex etc. These forces function like an Italian Mafioso or 'God Fathers' working through their 'clout' way up upon the political ladder ahead. Media and information technology are fur... P Snow's 'corridors of power' in a very effective and subtle fashion quite like power brokers in politics. This is how an inner mafia networking is taking place in every democracy in the world. Media, political leaders and Industrialist are the top actors for evolving an Ariadnae's Thread all around the people to bring them into their fold or web of so-called 'democracy'. As such, democracy is becoming a way to lure people through 'glittering media', 'political promises' and 'money power' - away from vicissitudes of people's routine difficulties and stresses of daily life. This is not democracy. Quite a few select people use and abuse power at the cost of billions and billions of people. Democracies, dictatorships and fundamentalists alike are churning out terrorists today. What else is all this other than an attempt to bring about disorders after disorders in the larger social and political ethos Security of common citizens is also not assured. People cannot rule by themselves. Their leaders - all the Prime Minister's men - rule the roost. It is the people who suffer the most. State Force In view of terrorism emerging as a global threat to apparently more peaceful democratic part of the world, State as an institution and protector of democratic regimes is emerging as ever more forceful and intensely violent variable and actor. The question of security of State is being given the top most priority specially to plunge in the 'war on terrorism' on a fuller and more massive scale. This increasing aggressiveness of the State is resulting in a great and continuous threat to established traditions of democracy - even in such States like United States and United Kingdom. These aspects of violence and 'State Terrorism' are all spoiling various democratic norms

Annotated Bibliography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Annotated Bibliography - Essay Example Cairncross, G. and Kelly, S. (2008) Human Resources Development and ‘casualisation’ in Hotels and Resorts in Eastern Australia: Getting the Best to the Customer. Journal of Management and Organization 14 (4), 367 ff. This article acknowledges the rising trend of casual employment in the tourism industry in Australia and reports of fieldwork with 15 hotel locations. The authors recommend that strategies like succession planning, job sharing, team performance pay and higher levels of empowerment be considered in order to lower turnover rate and improve performance. Donaldson, L. and Scannell, E. (2000) Human Resource Development: The New Trainer’s Guide. Cambridge, MA: Perseus. As the title suggests, this book looks at HRD from the trainer’s point of view. It approaches the subject in a chronological order, starting with the need for a trainer to organize his or her own self-development and then work out a strategy for establishing what the organization needs in terms of training. It moves to the design and planning of training inputs, obtaining the necessary resources, and specifying different objectives such as training, structural and behavioral objectives. Chapters 5-8 provide practical detail on lesson types, training methods and the use of techniques and technology. Some teaching theory on communication, learning, motivation and skills building is also provided. The last few chapters give guidance on meetings and dealing with â€Å"problem participants†. Elkeles, T. and Phillips, J.J. (2007) The Chief Learning Officer: Driving Value within a Changing Organization Through Learning Development. Burlington, MA: Elsevier. This book explains the origins and nature of the â€Å"Chief Learning Officer† role. This is a concept which is used in commercial companies, and it describes a senior position which aims to add value by linking strategic goals with the competencies of the personnel. It stresses learning rather than tra ining or development, and includes a drive to improve performance. A useful set of comments from industry professionals is included at the end. Flaherty, J. (2010) Coaching: Evoking Excellence in Others. (3rd ed.) Burlington, MA: Elsevier. This book explains how coaching differs from other types of learning approach. It stresses the relationships between coach and client and explores how to build trust and respect, what techniques to use, and what kind of models to use for assessment. There are long sections (Chapters 7 and 8) on speech act theory and â€Å"the coaching conversation† which highlight how HRD professionals can improve their skills in dealing with clients one a face to face basis. Follis, E. (2001) Organization development & Human Resources: Planning for the future. Organization Development Journal 19 (2), 37ff. This article explores the tensions between the organization development and human resources sections of some companies. It reports on empirical research involving 48 individuals participating in structured interviews and concludes that there is still work to be done in ensuring that these two areas of expertise work effectively together and over come problems like turf wars and differing perspectives. Garavan, T.N. (1991) Strategic Human Resource Development. International Journal of Manpower 12 (6), 21-34. This article presents

Ethics in Scientific Journals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ethics in Scientific Journals - Essay Example Ethics is very important in scientific journals. It is very important to note that when reporting any scientific information, care should be exercised. Over the recent past, scientific journals have gained a lot of popularity. Currently, there are journals for scientific research, where scientific researchers would publish their reports, especially those that are either urgent or not large enough to make a book. There are occasions where scientific research is reported in the main media channels. It is very important to ensure that when reporting scientific information, correctness is maintained. This would ensure that any misleading information is eliminated; hence they do not reach the masses. Whether published in the scientific journals or main mass media, there would always be a review done to ensure that ethics, among other factors, are maintained in the report. Scientific reports, unlike other reports, are having a greater impact. Rollin (12) says that scientific reports are de pended upon by many professionals for application in various fields. The reports are always subjected to peer review because of the consequences with which they have when misinterpreted. Aristotle (23) says that scientific journals would be peer-reviewed before publication to ensure that any misleading information is completely eliminated. This scholar gives an example of a medical report. The world has witnessed the emergence of many new health complications that have necessitated research. Some of the existing stubborn diseases like HIV/AIDs have also called for scientific research to unravel the mystery behind them. When a report about such diseases is made, medics would always rely on them in their normal duties. This is an issue about someone’s life. If any information is given about them, then it would be putting the lives of many people at risk. This will not only be a criminal offense, but also a very unethical term. The same is the case with other professionals like engineering because the consequence would result in bodily harm. Unlike political reports that are always full of speculations, scientific reports would not always sustain any speculations. There are no rumors in a medical report. The report must be precise and without any form of doubt. If there is a need for further research because some parts of the research are not conclusive, it should be made clear so that this part needs further research. As such, any person using this material would know that the research is not conclusive in other sections. When applied, the person would know that the material is not conclusive and therefore would know the limits within which the report would be valid Scientist should therefore keenly review media reports about their studies and work to correct any misleading statements. It is a common phenomenon that journalists would be interested in reporting various facts about scientific research.

Bell Hooks Class Matter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Bell Hooks Class Matter - Essay Example Regardless of these movements, classism continues to exist in society and many authors are trying to create awareness by discussing the topic. This essay analyses classism in contemporary America as discussed by Bell Hooks in her novel, ‘Where We Stand: Class Matters’. The essay has further discussed measures that can be taken to counter socioeconomic oppression that is brought about by classism. Bell Hooks discusses the theme of classism in contemporary America by addressing issues concerning racism, gender and white-supremacist ideologies. Hooks introduces the book by discussing her poor upbringing. Her story is that of transformation from modest roots upper class echelons. Through Hooks’ biographical narrative, we are able to comprehend her beliefs concerning racism, classism and gender bias. Classism is a dominant theme through the novel, and has been highlighted by racism since racism is used in society to propagate classism. In contemporary America, whites are generally of a higher class while African-Americans and other non-whites are generally considered of being of a low class. Hooks discusses how whites from various classes try their best to assist African –Americans and non-whites of a lower class so that they are able to maintain the status quo (Mahony & Zmroczek 46). Gender has been discussed by the author in association with the theme of classism. Hooks has explained the role that gender has played in the society in various capacities. In her initial tale, Hooks explains about her patriarchal family, her serious relationship and the liberation movement of women. Hooks asserts that patriarchal exists in various homes and classism/ racism exist in many movements of women. When Hooks combines these issues, she concludes that white women are generally victimized by the social system and the general population (Mahony & Zmroczek 46). Hooks has asserted that almost American neighborhoods have undergone class and racial segregation

Air Jet Best Parts Inc Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Air Jet Best Parts Inc - Coursework Example The reason for it is the lower effective annual rate which Regions Best as offered the company. Their EAR is fifty basis point lower than National First which is a substantial ground to make this decision. When the coupon rate increases, the yield to maturity will rise. The bond will be attractive for the investors which will push the demand for bond upwards and the price of the bond will rise. This will result in decreasing yield to maturity to the point that it matches your required rate of return. When the YTM decreases, the investors will not find it lucrative to hold the bond as their required rate of return would be higher than the YTM. This will lead to increased supply of the bond which will eventually result in decreasing prices. When the date to maturity increases then the maturity risk is subsequently increased. This will increase an investor’s required rate of return for an investor. Therefore, it will result in a decrease in the price of the bond to push YTM up and match the increased required rate of return. Bond prices are depended on the interest rate prevalent during the period. An investor’s required rate of return is dependent on the interest rate level during the period. Bond prices are inversely proportional to the interest rates. As interest rate rises, the bond prices will fall and vice versa. For Greece, the interest rate is high in that region which has pushed the required rate of return higher and subsequently decreased the yield to maturity. In order to match the required rate of return, the bond prices should be low. On the other hand, Germany has kept their interest rates lower in comparison to Greece. This has reserved the investor’s to demand a lower return for their investment. The lower required rate of return pushes the yield to maturity upwards and hence, the bond prices will surge in that

Manufacturing Strategy Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Manufacturing Strategy - Case Study Example The second strategy this company used in its manufacturing is a balanced approach in investment. Most of manufacturing companies in Far East did close their factories and shifted their product production in other countries. The companies that shifted their manufacturing production from one-way flow utilized a balanced approach of investing and reinvestment in other nations. Hammond and Ramman (2006) posit that the company allocated more new production territories in Hong Kong. It also allowed subcontractors to start new plants in Guangdong in China. That was based on the fact that the cost of labor in China was extremely low as compared to the cost in the Far East plant. The third strategy used by Sport Obermeyer was maintaining a careful financial discipline. This company embraced a shareholder value added system in order to determine the difference between the operating profit of the organization and the associated cost of production. The company approximates cost of production before going through a critical analysis to establish whether it could effectively compete. The company got more information on production by allowing more groups to generate forecast demand of retailers on its products. The company then used that group efforts to produce the New Year’s production line. Besides, the company used several home markets and export strategies. While some manufacturing companies typically locate manufacturing plants in a given place to satisfy customers’ demand, Sport Obermeyer Ltd embraced a double approach where it considered the demand in many markets even those found overseas. The management of the company implemented various product strategies. The first one was delivery of matching product collections to its esteemed retailers. That enabled the customers to concurrently view and buy those items simultaneously. Secondly, the management allowed

Coursework 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Coursework 2 - Essay Example The project must be delivered within the stipulated time and within the projected budget cost. Such expectations with time require strict operation and ultimate discipline especially with procurement and implementation. Considerations when Accepting a Contractor’s Work Programme When evaluating the possibility of accepting a contractor’s work programme in regard to a construction project, various points must be considered. Ashworth (2006) asserts that the key concerns towards the acceptance of the programme will be considered in the pre-construction conference. During this conference, I as the contract administrator will verify whether the contractor has been able to provide pre-requisite documents as required for the project before issuing the Notice to Proceed. These documents include certificates of insurance, letters of credit as bond for the project cost which should be 40% of the project cost, building permits and contractor’s license. This process ensure t hat third party liability and accidents surrounding the project are adequately covered thus ensuring the safety of the project. The contractor’s license will give an assurance towards the eligibility of the contractor and give an indication into his experience to carry out the stipulated works (Chappell 2006). Further to the contractor complying with the documentation and security and safety measures, it is important to ensure that the contractor will be able to accomplish the project requirements within the time lines. In this regard, the proposed programme provided by the contractor is to be evaluated to ascertain practicability. The programme should ensure that the construction works are completed in good time to allow for inspection and mitigation where issues could arise (Stoll & Reilly 2006). The programme provided by the contractor in this project does not include road improvement and cabling works. However, this programme runs into the expected time for completion of the entire project. Though the cabling works is a separate contract by another contractor, it is clear that the road improvement and electricity cabling works should come after the construction of the production units and so the contractor should have allowed enough time for such related works. In light of the above, as the Contract Administrator, I will not be able to approve such a programme due to the risk of not being able to deliver the project within the time deadline. Advice to Help Complete the Construction work earlier From the initial contract agreement, the lead contractor is to take charge of the construction of the factory units and the improvement of the service lane as well as the junction with the dual carriageway. The other works of diversion of electrical cabling is to be undertaken by a different contractor but one who must start work after the construction of the factory unit and the service lane. Therefore, to ensure that all the project deliverables are achieve d within the deadline of 1st June, the construction of the factory units and the service lane must be completed before then. Consequently for the construction work to be completed by mid May, the employer has three options to pursue: a. The employer may have to bring forward the commencement date so that the actual construction work begin two weeks earlier. This could mean the works beginning by mid December as opposed to 1st January. This is likely to be impossible because of the

Sample Reflection Assignments Essay Example for Free

Sample Reflection Assignments Essay Written assignments are of two types: Reflections and Project Reports. Reflections: An essential element for student learning in service-learning courses is written and oral reflections on the field study experience, as well as on other elements of the course. To have an experience isn’t enough to ensure learning; you need to intentionally and thoughtfully reflect upon the experience and what you learned from it to ensure that learning occurs. As T.S. Eliot once wrote (The Four Quartets, New York: Harcourt Brace, 1943, p. 24), you can â€Å"have the experience but miss the meaning.† Towards this end there are eight written reflections required in this course. These reflections are intended to help you focus in on what you are learning (or not learning), identify issues or concerns on your mind, explore an idea more deeply, or in other ways enhance your learning about the course topics, yourself, and others. According to the North Carolina State Service-Learning Program (Reflection and Articulating Learning, Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning. NC State, 2004) â€Å"the best reflection follows a simple three step model: (1) describe the experience(s) objectively, (2) analyze the experience(s) in terms of the categories of service-learning objectives (personal, civic, academic), and (3) articulate (express) the learning that results. We will go over these steps as part of our first reflection exercise. These reflections should be approximately two pages long (500 words). They will be graded. The best six out of eight grades will be used towards your final grade. Evaluation of reflections will use a set of criteria (rubric) to be distributed and discussed in class. Project reports: There will be a series of written assignments related to your service-learning project. In preparation for the write-up of the final project report for the community partner (along with other possible final products like videos, curricula, maps, etc.), students will prepare a written work plan and two progress reports (schedule to be provided). All of these written assignments will be graded and become part of the final grade. Details on all of these written assignments will be provided and discussed in class. COURSE: Cultural Health Care (NURS 105) INSTRUCTOR: Rycki Maltby PhD, RN, FRCNA Final Paper (25%) The purpose of this paper is to synthesize your learning over the semester. The paper should be 8-10 typed (word processed) pages, 12 cpi, and follow the attached guidelines for written assignments. Using the service-learning project, the cultural self-study, and the in-class reflections, discuss what you have learned. What surprised you? Has your thinking/perspective about particular issues changed? Did you become aware of the subjective nature of value judgments? Why or why not? Can you find any support in the literature for your position? Provide evidence of at least four articles. What is the next step for you in learning about cultural health care? Be sure to provide examples from your practice and tie in literature. Guidelines for Written Assignments ‘A’ Level 1. Introduction is comprehensive, gives reader good direction, ‘sets the scene’, and is followed throughout paper. 2. Summary/conclusion is thoughtful and relevant. 3. Fundamental issues addressed in depth with original arguments and critical judgements, demonstrating insight and creativity. 4. Current and classic primary literature sources are utilized. 5. Writing style shows evidence of individuality, unity and fluency. 6. Overall presentation of the paper is  professional with no errors in syntax, spelling, etc. (i.e. Proper English language usage), and follows APA format. ‘B’ Level 1. Introduction gives reader direction and is addressed throughout the paper. 2. Summary/conclusion is clear and concise. 3. Fundamental issues addressed with evidence of some original arguments and critical judgments. 4. Current literature sources utilized (primary and secondary) 5. Writing style is fluent with evidence of individuality and clarity. 6. Overall presentation of paper is neat and well organized with few minor errors in syntax, spelling, etc. (i.e. Proper English language usage), and follows APA format. ‘C’ Level 1. Introduction gives reader direction. 2. Summary/conclusion is clear and concise. Fundamental issues described but limited originality of arguments and few critical judgments. 3. Limited literature sources are utilized (current and/or classic). 4. Writing style is fluent and some evidence of individuality and clarity. 5. Overall presentation of paper is neat and minor errors in syntax, spelling, etc. (i.e. proper English language usage), and follows APA format. COURSE: Adv. Development Sem.: Communities and Human Development (PSY 366) FACULTY: Lynne Bond Final Writing Assignment: At the end of the semester, you will be assigned a final writing assignment. The purpose of that assignment will be to help you integrate the reading, writing, discussion, and data gathering, analysis and interpretation we have done during the semester. The exact format of that assignment will be shaped, in part, by the development of our community-based project. As we progress throughout the semester, we will work together to develop more explicit guidelines for this project. COURSE: Community Psychology (PSY 295) FACULTY: Lynne Bond Analytical/Critical Reflection (2 pages): These brief papers are to focus specifically upon the week’s reading assignment and its relation to our community field work, other readings, and personal experience and observations of your own. Your goal is not to summarize the readings. Rather, you should analyze and reflect critically upon a couple significant issues raised in the readings. To reiterate, ideally you will critically reflect upon these readings by linking them with other material we have covered in our course (readings/discussion), community field work you have done, and other aspects of your experience and knowledge (e.g. personal history, issues observed in media, other courses†¦etc.). We will discuss and practice â€Å"reflection† activities in class at the beginning of the semester to help you feel more comfortable and prepared to complete these reflection papers. Intro to the Nonprofit Field (Carrie Williams Howe) Final Reflection Assignment: WHAT? What have you learned through this course? What stands out to you, feels new to you, excites you, or challenges you? SO WHAT? Why does this learning matter? Why does it stand out to you? Why is it important to you personally or in the bigger picture? NOW WHAT? What do you do from here? How will you take this learning with you? Does this learning change your perspective, your career goals, or your interests? Your reflection should be 3-5 pages long and should dig deeply into this experience to reflect on your learning. It should connect to academic concepts and critically examine your own development through this learning. You will be graded based on the reflection rubric provided in your syllabus. During Service Reflection: Critical Analysis Papers (9): You will be asked to write a brief critical analysis paper for each topic we cover in this course. These papers should thoughtfully connect your experience at your nonprofit to what you are learning from readings and course notes. These reflections should be about 2 pages and will be graded based your ability to integrate the following: Information about your Nonprofit – the actual information about your nonprofit in relation to the topic we are studying (list of board members, for example), and an examination your own experience in learning about or being involved with this element of the agency. Your synthesis, interpretation, and analysis of the above factors with course information (for example – does it align with the reading? Does it seem effective? Might you suggest changes or improvements?).

Comparison of Traditional and Activity-Based Costing Systems

Comparison of Traditional and Activity-Based Costing Systems   Introduction: It is paramount for all types of firms to invest into a costing system. Cost management enables a firm for continued progression to enable its budget to be more vigorous and ultimately more cost effective. This essay aims to outline the framework for the main two costing systems that determine the costs and predict the activities that are consuming the most resources. To retrieve these cost values, a firm can use one of the traditional cost allocation method or the activity-based costing method. Whilst scrutinising each methods opportunities and challenges, its benefits and drawbacks will also be analysed. Traditional Cost Allocation (opportunities and benefits): The traditional cost allocation method has been described as the absorption of production overheads (excluding selling and administration overheads) into product costs for stock valuation (Letza and Gadd, 1994). The premise of this costing method is to calculate the indirect costs of a manufacturing business, with the notion of assisting managers make decisions beneficial for the organisation in terms of both costing and profitability. This is rendered by using only one overhead rate. Commonly, the machine hours or labour costs as these are directly relevant to the units produced, which can be shown by the following equation (Atrill and McLaney, 2015): As there is only one overhead rate, there is an arbitrary allocation of excess costs to its total volume base. The CIMA Technical Services (2001) mentions the traditional costing system relies upon three stages to formulate its costs: 1. Accruing of all the costs within a department 2. Designate the indirect costs to the departments that are functional, from the total costs 3. The indirect costs calculated should then be applied to products and services. These 3 stages allow for the costing system to align itself and be in accordance within the guidelines of the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) (Johnson, 2014). Moreover, for firms that produce only 1 product, this system allows for a quick and smooth implementation process. This is because the total volume allocation base will only cover the volume for the sole product in the firms entire production line (Hansen Mowen, 2006). Flaws of Traditional Cost Allocation inception of ABC: Over time the use of this traditional costing system has had its limitations and drawbacks. Whilst being in accordance with the guidelines of the GAAP, the traditional system for costing omits the costs created by customers. To use the results of costing in external financial reports, it excludes selling and administration overheads. The use of only one overhead rate eliminates many other potential costs associated within a firms entire production line, which can lead to unembellished imprecisions. (Atrill and McLaney, 2015) In the past, the traditional approach in determining product costs has worked reasonably well. Overhead rates were typically of a much lower value for each direct labour than the rate paid to direct workers as wages or salaries. However, it is now becoming increasingly common for overhead rates to be between 5-10 times the hourly rate of pay due to the increased significance of overheads (Horngren et al, 1999). Even an insignificant change in the amount of direct labour worked on a job could massively affect the total cost deduced due to direct labour hours on the overhead cost loading. Moreover, overheads are still typically charged on a direct labour hour basis; overheads may not be closely related to direct labour however. (Atrill and McLaney, 2015) Principles like these in the traditional system reduces the accuracy of the model, questioning the legitimacy of this costing approach. As a result, what arose was the opportunity for an alternative technique to overcome these flaws. This led to the inception of Activity-Based Costing (ABC) Activity Based Costing: The inception of an alternative costing system had been brought about in the early 1980s by Robert Kaplan the first advocator of Activity-Based Costing. It was his aim to use more cost drivers to reduce the inaccuracies and inadequacies of traditional costing systems (Singer Donoso, 2008). Activity-based costing is an accounting practice by which costs are allocated on the basis of a firms activities. The implementation of this costing system is explicated by a chronological, 5 stage template process, which Figure 1 shows. The major amendments made to the traditional costing system are the multiple cost drivers and overhead rates that are identified. Identifying cost drivers holds as the imperative component towards a successful ABC system, for a more accurate and wholly reflective costs within a firm. The cause and effect relationship with activity costs acts as a basis for attaching these costs to a product or service (Atrill and McLaney, 2015). Created to forecast future costing, forward planning places managers in a more prominent position to assess the likely effect of new products and processes on activities and costs, leading to wider opportunities for firm managers (Horngren et al, 1999). Activity-Based Costing Opportunities and Benefits Activity-based costing offers a wide plethora of diverging opportunities. Significantly, the system has been taken on and been made more relevant to service industries. In the absence of a direct material element, a service businesss total costs are more likely to be predominantly composed of overheads. A survey conducted investigating 176 UK businesses (from varying industries) with annual sales revenue greater than  £50 million found overheads represent 51% of total cost for service providers. This is in stark contrast to 25% for manufacturers. These statistics certainly point towards the fact that ABC is an appealing proposition to adopt for firms that sell services rather than products (Atrill and McLaney, 2015). ABC can be used as a powerful tool for continuous rethinking and dramatic costing improvement in not only the services and products, but also market strategies and processes (Jinga et al, 2010). When Chrysler was placed in a period of financial turbulence, it exalted its costing system to ABC in 1991 in attempts to catch up to its formidable competitors, Toyota and Ford Motor Company. Previously, the true costs of Chrysler were made to be 30 times larger than what had been calculated (Meador, n.d.). Post-ABC (after short-term struggle through inevitable transitional difficulty) Chrysler recovered to a competitive standpoint; the automotive firm claimed they have saved hundreds of millions of dollars to date. (The Economist, n.d.) Similarly, the previously publicly-owned Royal Mail endorsed the ABC system to discover the cost of making postal deliveries, they identified 340 separate activities and subsequent cost drivers (Atrill and McLaney, 2015). The implementation of ABC can present a strenuous challenge, but with astute and correct execution, a firm can reap fruitful benefits. Within 5 years of implementation of ABC, Dutch firm Wavin made this system part of its day-to-day management culture, playing a significant role in their management excellence programme. Wavin introduced ABC by linking it to a practical business application profitability management which considered an ideal pilot area for learning about ABC, as well as establishing a deeper understanding for the relationship between product and customer profitability (Horngren et al, 1999). However, by treating ABC as a short-term concept, Wavin ran into trouble. By operating on a day-to-day management culture, they concluded every effort should be made to calculate ABC for all products. The caveat was that their real emphasis should be placed in ensuring the decision-making processes would lead to the accuracy of ABC attributed to both customers and products. Consequently, with its products Wavin used a two-phased approach whereby customers were classified into separate cost drivers. This approach generated an overall cost/customer matrix which was utilised as a foundation for its managerial decisions, representing the most significant part of the companys business (Horngren et al, 1999). Wavins implementation of ABC showed the relative unease for a firm to change its costing system, whereby the system has had many critics on its complex nature. Criticisms/Shortcomings of ABC: In spite of its main objective being to add accuracy and precision into costing schemes, from its inception ABC contained flaws. Analysing multiple overheads to identify cost drivers is time-consuming and costly. The cost of setting up the ABC system, as well as costs of running and updating it, must be incurred. The more overheads and cost drivers that are identified, the greater potential is associated with higher maintenance costs (Horngren et al, 1999). Should the firms operations be more complex and involve many activities and cost drivers, the longer the time spent to maintain this scheme. Thus, higher expenses should be paid towards its maintenance.The implementation of this costing system also presents challenges. Managers need to be taught and prepared to facilitate these new schemes, which comes with external and additional training. Once more, the complexity of mastering the scheme can be taxing in terms of time consumption. Many firms have found it problematic to implemen t ABC to existing, traditional costing systems, where it is argued that it is more manageable for start-up firms to commence with ABC (Horngren et al, 1999). Furthermore, each firm looking to take on this scheme must have all its business components broken down into its discrete components to identify all potential cost drivers. Perfecting the art of this scheme requires prolonged training, which again is an expensive measure (The Economist, n.d.). Comparing TCA to ABC: Traditional cost allocation has been around since the 1870s, where its use as a system has been going for many more decades than its alternative ABC: its inception was in the early 1980s (Ben-Arieh Qian, 2003). Interestingly a study claims that ABC is an additional costing system, not an alternative. When comparing different firms financial situations, it is highly likely that these firms do not have the exact same costing system. Some firms may use a traditional system with only one activity and cost driver associated to it, whilst others using ABC will have multiple activities and cost drivers: adding onto what the traditional system has (Narong, 2009). ABC includes labour or product parts that can be identified whereas the traditional method arbitrarily accumulates salaries, expenses, and depreciations. (Blocher, 2006) For estimating costs, ABC is a more precise system as it nurtures managers in becoming more knowledgeable of the indirect resources which identifies and removes cost drivers that are of no marginal value. It also gives managers an insight into existing parameters that have generated demands. (Jones Dugdale, 2002) The traditional approach sees its overheads as rendering a service to cost units, the cost of which must be changed to those units. ABC on the other hand views overheads as being caused by activities, like operating a store to house the cost units. Since it is the cost units that cause these activities, it is thus the cost units that must be charged with the costs that they cause. A reason for the inception of ABC is within the way overheads are organised. The traditional approach has the overheads apportioned to product cost centres, whereas ABC has its overheads analysed into cost pools, with one cost pool for each cost-driving activity. (Atrill and McLaney, 2015) The intention of ABC was neither to measure short-term variable costs nor provide a day-to-day guidance on process quality. With its forward planning nature, using ABC to predict short-run costs overlooks the fact that costs are the results of spending decisions (Horngren et al, 1999). To its disadvantage, the traditional system, on the other hand, does not present non-financial information concerning the Small and Medium Enterprise (SMEs), perhaps displaying a slight negligence (Hilton, 2006). Conclusions: Whilst in theory there are two major approaches to choose from for a firm to undertake its costing decisions, there is no politically correct or preferred choice. Each costing system presents altering opportunities and challenges, where a firm ultimately has to choose dependent upon factors such as the firms industry. There has not been a major swell of manufacturing firms converting to implement ABC. Costing systems in the manufacturing sector are far more complexed, needing to convert materials into work in progress, than finished goods. However, large-scale manufacturing firms such as Siemens, Philips, Volvo and Ericsson made the brave decision in the 1990s to implement ABC. (Horngren et al, 1999) Yet 2 of these firms in Siemens and Philips have in todays climate have lost a significant market share to they once had; whether this is attributed to ABC is another question. It is important to note that the intended objectives of an ABC system at the time of implementation are likely to differ from its resulting consequences. The methodology behind ABC sets a company in a superior platform in terms of precision and accuracy, allowing managers to make more informed and knowledgeable for a firms long-term future. References Atrill, P. and McLaney, E. 2015. Accounting and finance for non-specialists. 1st ed. Harlow [etc.]: Pearson Education, pp.282-306. Ben-Arieh, D. and Qian, L., 2003. Activity-based cost management for design and development stage, International Journal of Production Economics, 83,169-183 CIMA Technical Services. 2001. Activity-based management an overview. [pdf]. CIMA Technical Briefing. Available from: www.cimaglobal.com/technicalreports [Accessed 23 March 2017] Hansen, D. and Mowen, M. 2006. Cost management: accounting and control. Mason, OH: London: Thomson/South-Western. Hilton, R.W. 2006. Cost Management: Strategies for Business Decisions, 3rd Ed. McGraw Hill, New York Jinga, G., Dumitru, M., Dumitrana, M. and Vulpoi, M. 2010. Accounting systems for cost management used in the Romanian economic entities, Accounting and Management Information Systems, 9(2), pp.242-267. Johnson, R., 2014. Traditional Costing Vs. Activity-Based Costing | Chron.com. Available at: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/traditional-costing-vs-activitybased-costing-33724.html [Accessed March 24, 2017]. Jones, T. C. and D. Dugdale. 2002. The ABC bandwagon and the juggernaut of modernity. Accounting, Organizations and Society 27(1-2): 121-163. Letza, S. and Gadd, K. 1994. Should Activityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  based Costing be Considered as the Costing Method of Choice for Total Quality Organizations?. The TQM Magazine, 6(5), pp.57-63. Martin, J. (n.d.). ABC vs TOC. [online] Maaw.info. Available at: http://maaw.info/ArticleSummaries/ArtSumHolmen95.htm [Accessed 28 March 2017]. Meador, D. (n.d.). ABC: Initiating Large-Scale Change at Chrysler The Systems Thinker. [online] The Systems Thinker. Available at: https://thesystemsthinker.com/abc-initiating-large-scale-change-at-chrysler/ [Accessed 28 Mar. 2017]. Narong, D.K. 2009, Activity-Based Costing and Management Solutions to Traditional Shortcomings of Cost Accounting, Cost Engineering, 51, 8, pp. 11-22, Business Source Premier, EBSCOhost, [Accessed 26 March 2017] Singer, M. and Donoso, P. 2008. Empirical validation of an activity-based optimization system, International Journal of Production Economics, 113, pp.335-345 The Economist. N.d. Activity-based costing. [online] Available at: http://www.economist.com/node/13933812 [Accessed 26 Mar. 2017]. ABC WordPress. (n.d.). Activity-Based Costing (ABC). [online] Available at: https://allearth.wordpress.com/education/cost/abc/ [Accessed 30 Mar. 2017].

Petty Officer Of The Navy Commerce Essay

Petty Officer Of The Navy Commerce Essay Responsibility, authority, and accountability always go hand in hand. Its known that the more authority one has then the need of being more responsible and accountable. Figures in authority have to bear a lot of responsibility and with the weighty decisions they make they have to be we see the need of all that. Petty officers also commonly know as the PO is a leader with authority in the navy. They are involved in the decision making process and the delegation of duties to the naval crew. They come up with the strategies and they are responsible for all the actions being executed. Being a leader you always have to lead by example and be willing to teach and take the necessary corrections when the need arises. The PO has a lot to do concerning corrections. They are charge with the responsibility of warning and reprimanding the personnel. They also put the personnel on the report if there are any mistakes they have done in line of duty. Tasks given to them might not be easy to undertake but they come as part of the responsibility they have. There is the utilization of the principle of delegation of authority in the workforce. This authority is the responsibility of the officers since they are the ones who are responsible for the actions of their juniors. Everyone who has been assigned a particular task has the obligation of accomplishing it, hence there is completion of the tasks. In the navy cases of bad behavior are always there. One can say that you cannot expect every one to behave exceptionally well given that they were all brought up differently and in different environments. Many things can bring up the negative side of an individual. Depending on the conditions and the environment a person is in, the character of the given person is expected to show up though the same person may try as much as possible to hide it. In the navy for example, the sailors always go on expeditions which can last for several months without one having to step on land. Many sailors will experience sea sickness while others may develop psychological problems. The most important thing when this happens is if the affected officer will cope with what is affecting there them. Carrying naval officers on board who are not in their correct state of mind can prove costly especially in circumstances such as during war. Every marine on board should be able to think exceptionally well and perform a given task as needed. Whenever the sailors achieve anything good they all take credit for it and do the same when everything does wrong they dont point fingers at any of them because they are a team. Whom do we blame when things go wrong? Some can say its the people who were assigned the task, others can argue that its the leaders or simply those put oversee the complete of the task. Both sides could be right but they could also be wrong. Different circumstances result in different measures being taken to correct them. When instructions are given it is upon the person giving them out to ensure that they are all followed and also the person given to follow them as needed (Stavridis Girrier, 2004). Importance of good behavior Military schools and academies are said to give the best training towards a persons character. They mould them into dependable people whom their countries have much expectation on. When they leave the academies, one can easily tell whop has changed or not. Others might not be able to change at all. While on the navy there are those who tend to break the rules. The petty officer is charged with the responsibility of ensuring that the regulations set are followed. Whenever something goes wrong he will be answerable many things the crew has done. We find that the behavior of any given officer a matters a lot. Some incidents can bring diplomatic rows, others may be detrimental to the force but for a force to stand its ground there should be mechanisms which are in place to correct any irregularity when it arises. Thought its not at a high level of command the position held by the petty officer plays an important role by correcting mistakes made. OP is tasked with ensuring the safety of his crew. Excising ones authority over grownups can be challenging having in mind that the person you are in-charge is the same age as you or could be even older. One has to be responsible and accountable. The example you set may make someone to respect or despise you as a leader. Disciple is an important aspect of any military unit. There is no exception when it comes to the navy as well. For order to be their, there has to be discipline within then people concerned. People have to behave. Many sailors exhibit high sense of discipline. They do as they are ordered to do by those above them in the chains of command. You find that orders given are done as needed with few doing the opposite of that. Some orders may come from the highest order of command. When such an order is given and it has to be done by the most junior person in the command line its the sole responsibility of those who have been delegated the order to ensure that the task is c ompleted and if not it would be against the military discipline that you always have to followed orders from your superiors and ensure that they are done. When a junior officer misbehaves and a petty officer is around the PO has to punish the misbehaving officer or he will be reprimanded. All the petty officers are charged with the responsibility of chain of command. There must be indication to all of them that one is punishable incases of any instances of inappropriate behavior in the chain of command. When they do the punishment they are assuming their moral of authority and undertaking his responsibility. Punishment is another way of instilling discipline. Depending on the seriousness of the rules broken the type of punishment also varies. If there is a fight and a petty officer is present it is his responsibility to punish the responsible offenders. The authority given to the petty officer has to be used where needed. Accountability is a quality that a petty officer must also have. When you punish a person for a mistake he/she has done you should be able to give an account of what the person had done to warrant such a punishment. Some punishments can be too harsh and when the person being punished complains you have to take the explain reasons why you think the punishment is the right one and that you are not biased against the person. Being a petty officer, it could be a hard thing making decisions which are right or even making any given decision. Being a human being can sometimes make life hard for us. This happens when making decisions which can change a persons life forever. An example is writing a report which could lead to someone being sacked. No one would like to see a person suffer after losing a job. Being in such a situation is tough even for a PO but one has to choose between doing your job and giving the person another chance. On being given the rank of the petty officer it came with a responsibility that requires one to do the job as is expected. The person who committed the offence is guilty as charged because he had the option of not committing the offence in the first place. The person did not behave as expected prompting action to be taken against him. A mistake by one officer of a naval unit may bring an internal conflict within the unit and when there is a conflict; coordination between the officers cannot be at its best. This can raise a security situation depending on what activity the navy was involved in though there has to be unity every time and also the reason we find the need of positions like that of the petty officer. Effects of disrespect to authority Respect is a virtue that has to be earned. It is not something that one can demand for. To get respect one has to earn it. One can earn respect just as easily as one can lose it. Its one of the military core values. Officers in military have to respect each other so that discipline can prevail. Senior officers in the military are to ensure that junior soldiers respect one another. Like in the navy the petty officers are among those who are tasked with ensuring that junior officers respect each other. They as leaders try to do their best at enforcing respect and discipline within the officers. Disrespect on the other hand can be termed as that the show of indifference towards figures in authority. Within the navy there are cultures and courtesies to be observed. When a naval officer does not observe these courtesies it can be termed as disrespect. It is hard sometimes to tell when someone shows disrespect to a person unless someone speaks up while in some cases signs of disrespect can be easily noted. For example not making the customary salute to a superior officer when you are supposed to do so is a sign of disrespect. Being rude to your superiors is also termed as disrespect. Another example of disrespect is using uncouth language in the presence of your superior or when referring to the officer while using the same language. The superior officer does not have to be there for it to be considered disrespect. The military runs smoothly on trust but trust cannot exist if there is no respect. It always takes a lot to earn a soldiers trust then respect. Why would an officers respect a superior officer they cannot trust? As a leader a petty officer need to have the ability to guide direct and influence the people who are his juniors. This is leading by example. There have been many cases of disrespect within the military. When such a thing happens those involved usually have a case to answer to the superiors. It is said if you cant respect anyone in authority then at-least respect the position the person is holding. Any disrespect towards the authority is usually punishable in many countries. Military units are not left out of this. When a soldier in a military unit is punished, the person doing the punishment should have in mind that the officer must not be demoralized but instead take the punishment positively and not to repeat the same mistake. Perception of respect varies for different people. Something might be perceived as disrespect by one party but another party can perceive it differently. The perception usually has an effect on the kind of punishment given. Some punishments can be termed as harsh while others lenient. People have been imprisoned for disrespecting those in authority. Many of these cases are undertaken by dictatorial regimes. In countries with open democracy imprisoning a person because of disrespect are not common. Signs of disrespect cannot be taken kindly in military institutions. People are sometimes suspended pending investigation. When the investigation is complete some loose their jobs, some are transferred to different stations while others continue in their suspension. When a very junior officer in a military unit disrespects another one with very senior position, blame may be directed towards the immediate superiors of the officer and it assumed that they allowed such a behavior to develop by not taking any action to correct that same mistake that the officer showed. Rarely do we find junior officer disrespecting their seniors but few cases occur. As part of the responsibility of a petty officer, it is part of their work to instill discipline on the junior officers. They should also be accountable when a junior officer shows disrespect to those superior to him and even those on the same rank (Montor, 1998). Before any punishment is given to any officer it has to be approved by a court- martial and the maximum punishment would be being discharged because of inappropriate behavior, going without pay and allowances and detention for a year. Unauthorized absence of a sailor from his post There are many forms of absenteeism. The sailor might not go to the place of duty at all or that he goes to his post then leaves it to go somewhere else without any authority or reason given for absenting oneself. The unauthorized absence means that the sailor knew he had to be at the specified place at that time or, he had been ordered to be there but failed to be there. The punishment for not being at the intended place at a given time will be determined by a court martial. Before any punishment is given out it has to be proven that the accused knew that he was supposed to be there and had absented himself from certain exercises he knew of. They always depend on circumstantial evidence for this. Unauthorized absence can be through motivated forms of the same like a situation where one leaves his post with the intention of leaving it untended. One may not really have the intention of unauthorized absence while being held by civilian authorities for a crime he committed or might not have committed. One is punished is if he is found guilty of that crime. The duration being held does not matter that much. Whether one was on leave or not and is being held by civilian authorities it does not give a person an excuse of being absent neither can it be said that it was intentional. Conviction does not also give the person an excuse not return to his post as what happened is was a result of his own intentions. The only situation where one is found to be innocent is if he is released by the authorities with no trial being done or if the person was on leave when he was arrested but was later proven innocent after hearing the case. Sometimes sickness, lack of transport facilities make one absent from his post and is part of unauthorized absence but when reviewing the offence committed by the person it should be given careful considerations before judgment is passed (Mack, Seymour McComas, 1998). After unauthorized absence there are ways where the unauthorized absence can be written off. When one is been arrested by civilian authorities before the navy gives any request, informing the navy of the arrest makes the absentee available for return to navy control. While under military control the absence is terminated. Surrendering oneself to military authority and notifying them of your unauthorized absence shows that you are wiling to submit yourself to there control. This also brings to an end illegal absence. Other ways which the unauthorized absence can be terminated are when the absentee is personally arrested by the navy and arrest of the absentee at the request of the navy. In some cases one can be found to be absent more than once under a single specification. Unauthorized absence by the naval officer from his post is punishable but the punishment usually depends mostly on how long the sailor had been absent. For the naval officer or sailor if he fails to go to his post for a time not more than three days he will have to go without two-thirds of his monthly income for a period of one month and will also be confined for the same duration of time. If the sailor absents himself for a period of less than thirty days but more than three days he will just be earning a third of his usual monthly in come and will be confined for half a year. For an absence of more than thirty days the sailor will not get his pay but also go into detention for one year. He will also have a dishonorable discharge. If the sailor is arrested after being absent for more than a month the sentence would be the same but he will be detained for six more months. For other forms of absence like absence from his post as a guard and absence as a guard but with the will of bein g absent, he would get the following sentences respectively: being detained for a quarter of a year while he earns a third of his salary. The other sentence would be going without pay, will be detained for half a year and be discharged from the force for bad-conduct. We can now determine that the absence of the sailor from his post would be punishable unless it is proven that it did not happen out of his own will. In conclusion every one in the force has to be responsible and accountable in whatever they do as any action undertaken has an effect which can either be positive or negative.