Gothic and Romanesque Cathedrals Essay -- Architecture History Essays

Gothic and Romanesque Cathedrals The Romanesque style transformed into the Gothic style during the Middle Ages. This happened for many reasons. The Romanesque period was a time of trial and error while the Gothic period was a time of advancements in inventions. Religion was an important factor in the shift between Romanesque and Gothic. The locations of the two types of cathedrals also contributed toward the change between Romanesque and Gothic, as well as the power of the relics and the community to raise funds for the Gothic cathedrals. There are several reasons the architecture of the cathedral changed from Romanesque to Gothic in the Middle Ages. The Romanesque period lasted from 1000 to 1200 AD. Today's France was the center of Romanesque architecture and the birthplace of one of the most beutiful features of medieval architecture, the ambulatory with radiating chapels. "Romanesque is the name we give to christian architecture in Western Europe from the end of the Roman Empire to about the close of the twelfth century. It is the architecture of a long period of struggle, suffering, and invenion leading to two centuries of glorious achievement." There are many reasons that the Romanesque cathedrals were built. They were built not only as a place of worship, but also to house the shrines of the relics brought back from the Holy Land by the Crusades. The remains of saints and martyrs attracted thousands of pilgrims seeking pardon from sins or miraculous cures or wished simply to pay homage to a favorite saint. The Romanesque period was an age of new and experimental architecture. One advancement in construction was the shift to all-stone structure that replaced the timber ceilings that caused many churches to burn down. One experimental architectural style was the use of stone barrel and groined vaults in the early Romanesque church. The stone vaulting let the architects build on a larger scale than before. The Gothic style emerged out of architectual style of the Romanesque cathedrals. The Gothic style started in northern France and spread throughout medieval Europe. The two styles of architecture were similar in many ways but also "The difference between Gothic and Romanesque architecture is the spiritual approach. In Romanesque,the emphasis was on transcendental and feudalistic systems whereas in the Gothic this approach was humanized and... ...le. They were successful at accomplishing this that not only did the cathedral serve its purpose of providing church services for the people, but also began to symbolize a commanding position in the lives of men and women. In conclusion, the Romanesque period of architecture transformed into the Gothic period of architecture for amny reasons. The shift occurred because of the inventions that the Gothic architects created, the locations of the two different styles of architecture, the raising of money for the cathedrals, and the competitiveness between the communities to havea better, bigger cathedral. Works Cited: Brooks, Chris.The Gothic Revival. London:Phaidon Press Ltd.,1999. Erlande, Alain. The Cathedral:The Social andArchitectual Dynamics of construction.New York:Cambridge University press,1994. Simson von,Otto. The Gothic Cathedral: Origins of Gothic Architecture and the Medieval Concept of Order. Princeton:Princeton University press,1988. Cathedrals. Kristen Schank. 5 dec. 1995. http://www5.palmnet.net/eschank/cathedral.html Gothic Architecture in England:The cathedrals. Amy Johansen. 9 may 1999. http://members.tripod.com/gothic_architecture/index.html

My Head Is Spinning

50PsychSim 5: My Head is Spinning PsychSim 5: MY HEAD IS SPINNING Section: PSYC 101 – D22 LUO Date: 11-15-2012 This activity provides some background information about thinking with verbal concepts versus thinking with mental images. Conceptual Thinking †¢ What was your train of thought as you navigated the picture of the candle? Initially seeing the candle I was not aware of what needed to be done until the mouse was moved and I saw the match. I then preceded to drag the mouse to the candle, placed the match on top of the candle and lit the flame. The two images, the cande and the match, created a likely outcome.Cooper & Shepard’s Results †¢ In the Cooper & Shepard experiment (1973), participants were asked to decide whether a stimulus (a letter) was normal (simply rotated in the picture plane) or backwards (flipped to its mirror image before the rotation). Reaction times were graphed and increased as the letters were rotated away from 0 degrees. Interestingl y, reaction time decreased after 180 degrees. Can you explain why this might occur? Reaction time increased as the the letters were rotated away from zero because there is a greater angle the closer you get to 180 degrees, taking longer to mentally roate the images .The decresed reaction time occurs because an object rotated beyond 180 can be flipped the other direction, taking less time to mentally rotate it. Rotating the images mentally takes more time per degree of rotation. Mental Rotation Experiment †¢ After completing the Mental Rotation experiment and viewing your data, how would you describe the pattern of your results? Do you think that your results fit the pattern of results from the Shepard experiments? I do believe my results fit Shepard’s experiment.It took me longer to contemplate the images when they reached 180 degress compared to zero degrees. The backward images had an increased response time due to manipulating the image. My time decreased at 240 degre es to 360 degrees. For example: Normal: Zero = . 57 sec. 180 degrees = 1. 70 sec 360 = . 56 sec Backward: Zero = . 85 sec 180 degrees = 1. 40 sec 360 = . 85sec †¢ After comparing the graphs of your results and the results of the Cooper & Shepard (1973) study, how similar are the two graphs?Did your results show a clear increase in reaction time as the ori- entation moved away from the vertical? Did your results show a decrease in reaction time as the orientation moved from 180 degrees back to the vertical? My graph was considerably similar. There was an increase in reaction time as the letter moved away from the vertical shape. My graph showed a heightened response time when the rotation reached 180 degrees and decreased as the letter returned back to its vertical shape mimicking my time for zero and sixty degrees.

Target Strategic Analysis

Corina Nava Pelton Strategic Management March, 2013 Chris Canolis I. Target Corporation American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Target is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Wal-Mart. The Target chain discount stores range from 95,000 to 135,000 square feet. Super Target chain hypermarkets are approx. 174,000 sq. ft. Target’s beginnings During the Panic of 1893 which caused a decline in retail estate prices, the Westminster Presbyterian Church burned down, and because its insurance wouldn't cover the cost of a new building, the church was looking for revenue.Its congregation appealed to Dayton to buy the empty corner lot next to the demolished building from the church so it could rebuild. Dayton bought it and eventually constructed a six-story building on that corner lot in downtown Minneapolis. 1902, Dayton, looking for tenants, convinced Reuben Simon Goodfellow Company to move its nearby Goodfellow department store in to his newly-erected building. Goodfellow retired and sold his interest in the store to Dayton. The store's name was changed to the Dayton Dry Goods Company in 1903. 923, Dayton's 43 year old son David died, prompting George to start deferring parts of his business to another son, Nelson Dayton. 1938, George Dayton passed away and Nelson Dayton assumed the role of president of the Dayton Company, a $14 million business. 1944, it offered its workers a retirement policy, becoming one of the first stores in the United States to do so. 1962 the Dayton Company, using John F. Geisse's concepts,(American Business Man who launched successful retail chains), opened its first Target discount store located at 1515 West County Road B in the Saint Paul suburb of Roseville, Minnesota. 969, in the same year, Target’s parent company, Dayton, merged with JL Hudson Company of Detroit and became Dayton-Hudson Corporation. 1978, the company acquired Mervyns and became the 7th largest general mer chandise retailer in the United States. Target Stores opened eight new stores that year. 1982, it expanded into the West Coast of the United States. 1986, the company acquired 50 Gemco stores from Lucky Stores in California, allowing Target Stores to become the dominant retailer in Southern California as the chain grew to a total of 246 units. 988, Target Stores expanded into the Northwestern United States. 1989, it expanded to the Southeastern United States where it entered Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina to a total of 399 units in 30 states with $7. 51 billion in sales. 1990, it acquired Marshall Field's from BATUS Inc. 1995, Target Stores opened its first Super-Target hypermarket in Omaha, Nebraska. It launched the Target Guest Card, the discount retail industry's first store credit card. 1999, Dayton-Hudson acquired Fedco and its ten stores in a move to expand its Super-Target operation into Southern California. 000, Dayton Hudson Corporation changed its nam e to Target Corporation and its ticker symbol to TGT; by then, between 75 percent and 80 percent of the corporation's total sales and earnings came from Target Stores; Dayton's, Hudson's, Marshall Field's, and Mervyns were used to fuel the growth of Target, which expanded to 977 stores in 46 states and sales reached $29. 7 billion by the end of the year. 2001, it launched its online gift registry. 2004, Target Corporation announced its sale of the Marshall Field's to St. Louis, Missouri-based May Department Stores.Target Stores expanded to 1308 units and reached $46. 8 billion USD in sales. 2005, Target began operation in Bangalore, India. It reached 1397 units and $52. 6 billion in sales. 2006, Target completed construction of the Robert J. Ulrich Center in Embassy Golf Links in Bangalore, and Target planned to continue its expansion into India. 2009, Target expanded outside of the continental United States for the first time. Two stores were opened simultaneously on the island of Oahu in Hawaii, along with two stores in Alaska. 2010, Target announces its goal to give $1 billion to education causes and charities by 2015.Target began a nationwide closing of its remaining 262 garden centers, reportedly due to â€Å"stronger competition from home-improvement stores, Wal-Mart and independent garden centers. 2011, Target announced its first ever international expansion, into Canada, when it purchased the leaseholds for up to 220 stores. The first City-Target opened in 2012. City-Target is the name for a smaller-format, downtown Target store aimed at the urban market. The assortment will be edited towards urban living, but will carry many of the same products.The stores will still look and feel like Target but many will be multilevel stores in existing landmark buildings, not the usual strip mall or stand-alone locations. _____________________________________________________________________________________ II. Company’s Statements 1. Mission Statement Our m ission is to make Target your preferred shopping destination in all channels by delivering outstanding value, continuous innovation and exceptional guest experiences by consistently fulfilling our Expect More. Pay Less brand promise. 2. VisionTarget envisions vibrant thriving communities that they help, in which all residents have access to social and financial equity to ensure constant growth and a long term plan to sustain success. 3. Values * Design for all It's our belief that great design is fun; energetic, surprising and smart should be accessible and affordable for everyone. When we talk about our dedication to good design, we don’t just mean how something looks, but also how it satisfies a need, how it simplifies your life, and how it makes you feel. * Great guest serviceIn stores or online, we work hard to ensure your Target shopping trip is always enjoyable and exciting. How do we do it? Friendly service from team members ready to assist with your list, fully stocke d shelves and a speedy checkout process—and that’s just the start. * More for your money We think a lot about your budget and how to give you the best value every time you shop with us. In addition to our already low prices, we offer other ways to save you money; including price matching in our stores and an additional 5%. * Fun and rewarding place to workOur team is our greatest asset, so we invest in the growth and development of all team members, and have fun in all we do. And we’re committed to building a team that does the right thing for our communities, our shareholders and, above all, our guests. * Legacy of giving and service Community giving is—and always has been—a cornerstone of our company. We give our time, talent and business strengths to make our communities strong, healthy and safe. We invest in career development and well-being of our team. And from the start, we’ve given 5 percent of our income, a commitment that does not waver based on the economic climate. . Goals * To incorporate diversity into every facet of their business. * To make sure that the diversity of their employees mirror the diversity found in the communities in which they are located. * As a company: To search for and find the most qualified applicants who are high-performing, highly motivated, and bring with them diverse experiences and talents. * The goal of the councils is to jointly help individuals to further develop their careers at the same time as improving the Target work environment as a whole. To respect and value the individuality of all their team members and guests. Target today * Target stores tend to attract younger and more educated and affluent customers than Wal-Mart, among other competitors. * The median Target shopper is 41 years old, the youngest of all major discount retailers that Target competes directly against. * The median household income of Target's customer base is roughly $63,000. * Roughly 76% of Targ et customers are female. * More than 45% have children at home. * About 80% have attended college and 48% have completed college. 97% of American consumers recognize the Target Bulls eye logo. ________________________________________________________________________________________ III. External Analysis 1. Environmental Analysis: a. Economics b. Demographics c. Governmental 2. Industry 3. Competition 4. Opportunities and Threats ________________________________________________________________________________________ 1. Environmental Analysis: a. Economics * Target plans to have between 100 and 150 stores open in Canada by 2014. The company has also launched a new store concept plan called City-Target.These stores are aimed at urban shoppers who live in cities, so these stores won’t carry big bulky items customers can’t carry. The corporation has also done remodeling to stores so they now have fresh produce and grocery items. All these new additions to the Target Corpor ation have been an aid in the growth of the company in the past years. * Target can access helpful economic trending data compiled by the Organization for Economic Cooperation & Development (OECD), including economic forecasts for growth, weakness, instability, as well as GDP and aging indexes. Target stores are rapidly growing and opening in almost every city in America and show no signs of downsizing. * To boost sales, the company has increasingly promoted its company issued credit & debit card. * As the economy has faltered, more consumers have become price-conscious and Target has adapted to such needs by creating $1 bins, offering bulk paper product and household goods, and scaled back on home decor items. b. Demographics * Target shoppers have a median age of 46 — the youngest among major retailers. The median household income of Target guests is $55,000. * Forty-three percent of Target shoppers have completed college. More than half of Target guests are employed in pro fessional or other managerial positions. * Eighty to ninety percent of Target guests are female. * Thirty-eight percent of guests have children at home — or in a red shopping cart with them. This figure is consistently more than any other discount store’s customer profile. c. Governmental * Long-standing commitment to equal opportunity Employment has increased the diversity of the work force. In 2005, Target became the first national retailer to voluntarily decide to place all cough, cold and allergy products containing pseudo ephedrine behind the pharmacy counter. In stores where we do not have a pharmacy, products containing pseudo ephedrine will not be sold. * Target does not sell real guns, or toy guns that can be mistaken for real guns. * Refrain completely from use of child labor. Child labor as being below the minimum legal working age according to local law, or under the age of 14, whichever is greater. Wage calculations are done in all factories to verify that the workers are being paid according to local labor law as well as for all of the time worked. 2. Industry Target Corporation operates in the Services industry, specifically in the Discount, Variety Stores sector. Target remains a high performer, with a market capitalization of 43. 2 billion dollars, second only to Wal-Mart. Market Positioning Analysis Industry Classification = Discount Department Store. Categories * Household * Pharmacy, beauty, personal care * Toys * Electronics * Music, movies, books Sporting goods Apparel * Apparel for women, men, boys, and accessories * Food and Pet Supplies * Dry grocery, dairy, frozen food, beverages * Home Furnishings, Furniture * Lighting * Kitchenware, small and Decor appliances, home decor * Bath and bath accessories. * Automotive 3. Competition Target faces strong competition from wholesalers such as Wal-Mart and Costco as well as department stores like Macy’s and Sears Holding Company. Nevertheless, it has secured a strong posit ion in the market, holding a 33. 4% department store market share while the Super Target represents 3. % of the Warehouse Clubs & Super Centers in the US. a. Barriers to Entry: Despite the expansive network of suppliers needed to become a viable company in this sector, successfully adding a company to the mix in order to compete against the likes of BJS, Costco, Wal-Mart and Target is highly unlike. Especially because of the nature of the business- to provide all types of quality items at a low cost, unless one angles to come in as niche discounter (like with the 99 cent/Dollar stores), there are enough barriers to entry in place to keep most companies out of the discount retailer competition. b.Substitutes: There are very few substitutes for discounted retailers, thus making it a profitable industry. Either consumers shop at traditional retail outlets with higher prices, or stay within the industry itself. c. Buyers: Though feeling the pinch of a weakened economy, are still looking towards Target and its peer competitors for the best products at the lower prices. While demand in the sector has slowed little, Target continues to perform well above industry. d. Suppliers: Individual discount retailers have a vast network of suppliers from all over the globe and even under their own private label.Target has its own label for furniture and home goods that operates in Minnesota. Many of its competitions, including the Family Dollar Chain and the 99 Cent chain also have networks of suppliers, mostly in Asia, in addition of their own in-house suppliers. 4. Opportunities and Threats e. Opportunities * Global Expansion * Entering untapped US Markets * Continued growth in private label products * Financial Services- (credit cards) * Demand for Top quality, luxury, comfort * Demand for organic products * Technology (Internet, credit cards, reservations) f. Threats * Costco and Wal-Mart are heavy competition. U. S. Economy * Economic forces effect many areas negatively, but are expected to improve. * Interest rates are rising * Increase in online shopping * Decreased Customer Spending ______________________________________________________________________________________ IV. Internal Analysis 1. Target’s Strategic Business Units: a. The Stores: i. Target Discount Stores Is a chain of discount stores that are about 95,000 to 135,000 square feet, and carry hardliners, soft lines (clothing), and a limited amount of groceries, mostly non-perishable. Specifically, Target stores carry lothing, shoes, jewelry, health and beauty products, electronics, compact discs, DVDs, bedding, kitchen supplies, sporting goods, toys, pet supplies, automotive supplies, and hardware supplies. They also carry seasonal merchandise such as patio furniture during the summer and Christmas. ii. Super-Target Is a chain of hypermarkets that are about 174,000 sq. ft. (16,200 m2) and feature double entrances on one-story stores. These stores offer everything found in a regula r Target as well as a full grocery selection, fresh produce, bakery and deli, with most locations having a Target Optical.Many Super Targets feature Starbucks Coffee, Pizza Hut Express, Taco Bell Express, Target Pharmacy, The Studio @ Target (a portrait studio), Target Photo, Target Mobile (a Wireless kiosk), and a Wells Fargo Bank or U. S. Bank. iii. Target City: The Chicago store allocates approximately 55,000 sq ft (5,100 m2) to its sales floor. City Target stores carry groceries, prescriptions, cosmetics, clothing, electronics, toys, and apartment essentials such as furniture, linens, and kitchen utensils. Certain items too bulky for urban apartments or for customers to carry are not stocked in City Target stores. v. Target Greatland Is a chain of general merchandise superstores, with a size of about 150,000 square feet, they carry a larger selection of general merchandise than basic Target store; however, they do not have a full-line of groceries like meat, bakery, deli, produc e and dairy. b. Financial and Retail Services (FRS) Formerly Target Financial Services (TFS): issues Target's credit cards, known as the Target RED card (formerly the Target Guest Card), issued through Target National Bank (formerly Retailers National Bank) for consumers and through Target Bank for businesses.The Target Debit Card withdraws funds from the customer's existing checking account, and allows for up to $40 â€Å"cash back. † The debit card allows customers to save five percent of each purchase, as well as designate a school for Target's Take Charge of Education program, and accumulate pharmacy rewards. c. Target Sourcing Services (TSS): This global sourcing organization locates merchandise from around the world for Target and helps import the merchandise to the United States. TSS has 27 full-service offices, 48 quality-control offices, and seven concessionaires located throughout the world.TSS employs 1,200 people. d. Target Commercial Interiors: Provides design se rvices and furniture for office space and originated in the home furniture department at Dayton’s. Currently, Target Commercial Interiors has an unusually high market share of Fortune 500/1000 business customers, and are expanding to attract small to medium sized businesses, as well as home offices. e. Target Brands: Owns and oversees the company's private label products, including the grocery brands Archer Farms and Market Pantry. f. Target Forensic ServicesTarget also operates two sophisticated criminal forensics laboratories, one at its headquarters and the other in Las Vegas. Originally, the lab was created with the role of investigating internal instances of theft and fraud and other criminal actions that have occurred on its own properties. Eventually, the company began offering pro bono services to law enforcement agencies across the country. Target's Forensic Services has assisted agencies at all levels of government, including federal agencies such as the United Stat es Secret Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.The labs have become such a popular resource for law enforcement that Target has had to restrict its assistance to violent felonies. g. Target. com: Owns and oversees the company's e-commerce initiatives, such as the Target. com domain. Founded in early 2000 as target direct. 2. Financial Analysis (Also Attached) 3. Strengths and Weaknesses a. Strengths: * Strong Marketing Initiatives * Brand Quality * Leading Market Presence * â€Å"Going Green† Trend * Online shopping with free shipping to the local store * Design-trend * Innovative Marketing Techniques * Active Social Media * Favorable Real Estate Locations Size and Cost Advantages * Customer Loyalty at Target is Essential * Target Has Efficient Operations * In Store Credit Card b. Weaknesses * High employee turnover at store level * Food margins lower than general merchandise * Stores vary little by region * Their store bran d can be the same price as well-known brands item * None or no enough self-service register * No whole sale. c. Financial trends and projections Target Corp. (TGT) may represent one of the best choices in the retail sector. There are many pluses to consider regarding this retail stalwart given today’s rapidly changing retail environment.Target is much more than its 1,787 retail stores in the United States and Canada. Target’s credit operations and rapidly evolving online presence both offer strong prospects for growth. From a fundamental perspective, Target appears attractively valued on many fronts. Although the company trades at a below-market valuation, even more importantly it currently trades at a strong discount to the quality premium that the market has historically awarded their shares. As a result, Target Corp. offers an above-market dividend yield of 2. 1%. That has grown on average, by close to 20% per annum since calendar year 1999.During the five yearsâ₠¬â„¢ time frame, the earnings growth of 10. 6% remains consistent with Target’s longer-term historical growth achievements. The fact that Target’s price (the black line) is touching its intrinsic value (the orange line) illustrates that there exists good value in their shares. Projections The consensus of 19 analysts reporting to Standard & Poor’s Capital IQ expect Target to grow earnings at the rate of 10% in fiscal 2013, 15% in fiscal 2014, and 12% thereafter out to calendar year 2018 (see Chg/Yr at the bottom of the graph).If these estimates were to prove true, then a current position in Target offers the potential to generate returns in excess of 13% per annum over the next five years. d. Strategic key factors (SKFs) Compared together, Wal-Mart and Target are very close competitors. They are all retail-variety discount stores making their existence known throughout the world, except Target, is newer in the global market. These companies are constantly vying for the reputation as the lowest priced retailer.In the competitive profile matrix, the most critical success factor would be advertising Target does a lot more advertising then Wal-Mart and Kmart. Price competitiveness, Wal-Mart, remains above all competitors. Product quality, Target’s products tend to be top brand products. Customer loyalty many people prefer better products no matter how much it costs, especially if they get other benefits they might not get elsewhere, such as, customer service, store cleanness, more visual organization appeal, etc. _____________________________________________________________________________________ V. Long Term Objectives and Strategies 1. Objectives * The company’s long-term objective is to attain $100 billion or more in sales and $8. 00 or more in earnings per share by 2017. * Target plans to donate more than $500 million by the end of 2015 to support education, doubling its support to-date, for a total of more than $1 billion. The financial commitment is part of Target’s new reading initiative, Target Read With MeSM, aimed at helping more U.S. children read proficiently by the end of third grade. As part of the initiative, Target also announced a reading pledge, a donation of up to 2 million books to kids in need, and plans for an innovative reading center that will reach communities across the country through a physical and virtual presence. 2. Strategies * Target has partnered with other fast-food chains like Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, again to cater to consumer desires for food while they shop, hoping to increase same store sales.The fact that Target has been able to infiltrate the urban market at a much better rate than Wal-Mart has helped to make these strategic partnerships successful. * Target’s efficient marketing, multi-channel strategy, product innovation, compelling pricing strategy, and new merchandise assortments, should drive comparable-store sales and operating margins in the lo ng term. We expect the company to gain market share, and believe that more focus on consumable items should boost sales and earnings in a sluggish consumer environment. ______________________________________________________________________________________ VI.Implementing Strategy Integral to the success of the corporate strategy is what the company prides itself in the most, it’s pioneering nature in store design. Target designs their stores to be easy and intuitive to shop, with related departments conveniently placed next to each other (decor next to home improvement, toys next to sporting goods) and a â€Å"racetrack† central aisle to speed you on your way. They also work hard to make sure the shopping experience is consistently enjoyable, with a clean environment, friendly team members and feel-good details on all sides. This commitment to excellence, to stylish and chic, yet affordable items presented with the user in mind has allowed the company to gain and maint ain a strong foothold in the industry, carving out its own niche and distinguishing it from competitors. The company’s strategy has also allowed Target to remain flexible and able to change significantly with its consumers, allowing it to seek substantial growth opportunities in various branches and extensions of the brand. Targets performance can be attributed to many things, including a corporate decision to follow a path of brand extension and cautioned expansion.Target has created a corporate culture conducive to a constant call of innovation and a group of people who are committed to the success of the brand. Target employees praise the â€Å"flexible† corporate structure that offers â€Å"frequent chances for promotion. 1. Functional Areas a. Management Most directors have established a good working relationship with one another through previous business dealings. They are educated and successful business people and all directors and staff. Strong Management Lea dership in Target Corporation’s executive office that provides leadership for all divisions.The divisions are encouraged to share advances in technology and coordinate purchasing and financial management. Target Corporation has experienced accelerated growth in sales and earnings under the management leadership of Robert Ulrich, Chair ; CEO. b. Marketing The Marketing Planning team identifies marketing opportunities and develops integrated marketing campaigns. Additional responsibilities include writing creative blueprints, developing media plans, overseeing project execution and managing budgets.The Marketing Creative team communicates the Target brand through various advertising media and campaign strategies including in-store marketing, promotions and packaging. c. Human Resource Target’s philosophy is an example of the resource based perspective of strategic human resource management (HRM), in which a firm’s collective human resources are believed to have im plications for firm performance and provide a unique source of competitive advantage that is difficult to replicate. The formal mission of Target’s HR organization is to â€Å"drive company performance by building a fast, fun, and friendly team committed to excellence. To fulfill this mission, over the past four years the HR function has translated Target’s competitive strategy into four core HR strategies and processes in the following areas: * Organizational culture * Staffing * Employee development * Employee retention d. Strategy and Research The Strategy and Research group explores new business opportunities, strengthens existing business relationships, and applies consumer insight to marketing messages. The Market Research team analyzes shopping behavior through focus group interviews and observation.The Strategy team uses the resulting data along with other tools to recommend changes regarding product mix, content, display and marketing. Target gives back to th e community * Target ranked No. 22 in Fortune Magazine's â€Å"World's Most Admired Companies† for 2010, largely in part to the donation efforts of the company as a whole. * Target donates around 5 percent of its pre-tax operating profit; it gives over $3 million a week to the communities in which it operates. * Target gives a percentage of charges from its Target Visa to schools designated by the cardholders.To date, Target has given over $150 million to schools across the United States. * Target House complex in Memphis, Tennessee, a long-term housing solution for families of patients at the city's St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The corporation led the way with more than $27 million in donations, which made available 96 fully furnished apartments for families needing to stay at St. Jude over 90 days. * Target donates to local Salvation Army chapters through its grant program and annually to the United Way of America. * During disasters, Target has been a major benef actor for relief efforts.It also allowed its store properties in the affected area to be used as command centers for relief organizations. * Target will often donate its unused, returned or seasonal merchandise (particularly clothing) to Goodwill Industries. Bibliography â€Å"Capstone Analysis: Target. † Capstone Analysis: Target. N. p. , n. d. Web. 25 Mar. 2013. Carnevale, Chuck. â€Å"Target Corp Offers Solid Value And An Above Market Yield. † Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 15 Mar. 2013. Web. 27 Mar. 2013. â€Å"Corporate Fact Sheet. † Fact Sheet: Quick Facts About Target. N. p. , n. d. Web. 4 Mar. 2013. â€Å"Target Corporation. † Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 23 Mar. 2013. Web. 23 Mar. 2013. â€Å"The History of Corporate. † Target Corporation. N. p. , n. d. Web. 23 Mar. 2013. â€Å"Target Corporate: Social Responsibility, Careers, Press, Investors. † Target Corporate: Social Responsibility, Careers, Press, Investors. N. p. , n. d. Web. 24 Mar. 2013. â€Å"Target Corporation: Company Analysis and Evaluation. † Yahoo! Contributor Network. N. p. , n. d. Web. 25 Mar. 2013. â€Å"WikiWealth. † Target (TGT) SWOT Analysis -. N. p. , n. d. Web. 24 Mar. 2013

12 Angry Men

12 Angry Men Essay Many movies start with promising premises that end up only partially fulfilled, but 12 Angry Men Essay never disappoints. The rich drama with minimalist sets occurs almost completely within the confines of a jury room. The incredibly strong ensemble cast for the jury includes: Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, Ed Begley, E.G. Marshall, Jack Warden, Jack Klugman, Edward Binns, Joseph Sweeney, Martin Balsam, George Voskovec, John Fiedler and Robert Webber. To further minimize distractions, we never learn most of the jurors names. We know them by their opinions, backgrounds and weaknesses. They have their juror numbers, and that is considered sufficient labeling. As the story opens, a bored judge in a capital murder case is reading his charge to the jury. When he comes to the part about a reasonable doubt, he repeats it with such an emphasis that he seems to be suggesting that any doubt they may have in their minds about the defendants guilt is probably not reasonable. Indeed everyone, including the defendant, seems to think the case is hopeless. The accused, played with big, soulful eyes by John Savoca, never speaks, but his sunken, despondent demeanor says it all. The evidence in the case is clear, and as we find out later, his attorney apparently was pretty inept. Before the jurors start their deliberation, they idle away their time arguing over whether the case was dull or not and over how well the attorneys performed. If you didnt know better, you could assume they were reviewing some movie they had seen. None of them seems to be concerned in the least that the defendants life is at stake. Into this sure and certain world comes a voice of caution, someone who is willing to demand that the jurors put a halt to their headlong rush to judgment. This voice of reason comes from a juror played by Henry Fonda, giving a resolute and perfect performance that should have at least gotten him an Academy Award nomination for best actor, but didnt. Fondas character votes not guilty on the first ballot, not because hes sure the defendant is innocent, but because he wants to get his fellow jurors to stop and reconsider the merits of the case. The other jurors are aghast that he seems to have forgotten the sure and certain facts of the case that prove the defendants guilt. Now these are facts, barks an angry juror played by Lee J. Cobb. You cant refute facts. Everyone brings their differing lifestyles into the jury room. E.G. Marshall plays a prim and proper Wall Street stockbroker. He ticks off the facts in the case as if he were reading closing stock prices from the newspaper. His studious and ever-stern glare cuts down those who disagree with him. And he is the only one who keeps his coat on the entire time-he claims he never sweats, even in the stiflingly hot jury room. His bankers glasses, one of the films few props, turn out to be key to the cases solution. With superciliousness, he bemoans slum dwellers such as the defendant, only to find out that another juror, played by Jack Klugman, grew up in the slums and resents the brokers remarks. Although most jurors are known by the intensity of their convictions, Robert Webber plays someone who works in advertising and views serving on a jury no more seriously than he would concocting a laundry soap jingle. He tries using advertising lingo such as run this idea up the flagpole and see if anybody salutes it. After ridicule and scorn by his fellow jurors, Henry Fondas character suggests a startling compromise. He will abstain from the second ballot, and if they all vote guilty, so will he. But if he has garnered any support for the defendant, then the rest of the jurors have to agree to stay awhile and discuss the case with him. After he wins that round, one by one, the other jurors begin to fall in line behind him, but even if the conclusion is obvious, the way they get there constantly surprises and fascinates. The beauty of Roses script is that we come to know each of the jurors by the end of the deliberations. Most writers would gloss over some of them to concentrate on a few, but Rose gives each a unique personality and background. extroverted marmalade salesman, who made $27,000 last year and has tickets to tonights ball game burning in his pocket. He wants to vote .

Effect of Material and section shape in bending Lab Report

Effect of Material and section shape in bending - Lab Report Example It is therefore a complicated endeavour. In selecting materials for beams, various properties other than the cost and the availability, are taken into consideration. These properties include the Type, Yield Strength, Ductility, Youngs Modulus, Hardness, Poissons ratio, and behaviour in low or high temperatures (Charles, Crane & Furness, 1997, p. 43). Yield strength is the amount of stress at which deformation of a material starts to occur. The Youngs modulus is the measure of a beams resistance to deformation. Materials show different behaviour at low and high temperatures. The strength of material reduces with increasing temperature. For example the Youngs modulus of copper is at room temperature and at almost 100Â °C. The selected material should be able to withstand all the applied forces without failure. A beam under bending stress experiences a negative strain on the side whereby force is applied, and a positive strain on the opposite side (Dupen, 2012, p.68). This results in the change of size on either side. The st iffness of beam under stress depends on the product of modulus of elasticity () and the second moment of area (), that is (Krenik, 2001, p.27). For a simply supported beam, the deflection () of beam is determined by the following equation, that is When the load () is increased, the defection () also increases and if the length is increased, greater deflections are obtained as a result of the cubed term. An increase in the modulus of elasticity and the second moment of area results in a decrease in the deflection. The stiffness of a material is determined by the Youngs modulus, which is expressed by rearranging the deflection equation as . A graph of load plotted against the has a gradient equal to the Youngs modulus . The stiffness is derived by plotting the load against deflection. It is the slope of the graph. The three point

Advanced Portfolio Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Advanced Portfolio Management - Research Paper Example Efficient market hypothesis works on the assumption that on the average the investors have rational expectation. With available information individual investor’s reactions are random and follow a normal distribution pattern. This in turn implies that no individual investor can outperform the market on a consistent basis. Individual investors may over or under react; individual investors may outperform or underperform for a short period. But all the deviations are random in nature and will self-correct in a short period. Thus market will always be right (Copeland and Weston, 1988). Among the three forms of efficiency, the weak form efficiency hypothesizes that the current market price does not reflect fair value and only reflects the past prices. Since it does not adapt to a change in current information, the future price cannot be predicted from past or current prices. Empirical evidence does not always support weak form efficiency of a market. There have been noted differences between stock market behavior in developed and developing countries. However research findings in different markets are not universally accepted (Elango & Hussein, 2010). Many comparative studies have been done to examine performances of many different stocks and variables results have been observed (Solink, 1973; Cooper, 1982; Urrutia, 1995; Dahel & Laabas, 1999; Rao & Shankaraiah, 2003). To compare the performance of stock markets in a rapidly changing economic scenario worldwide, it was decided to check for weak form efficiency in two developed countries and in two countries belonging to Gulf Co-operation Council for a considerably long period of time in very recent past. Four countries, the names of their stock indices considered and time periods chosen given below. Every week trades take place on 5 days of the week and the other two days are excluded from the analysis. However, given that the countries have different customs,

Operations Management Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Operations Management - Coursework Example This study will firstly reflect upon the strategic business focus of both these firms. Nando’s and WAGAMAMA have different business strategy and target market. Their operations are mainly related to acquiring raw materials from suppliers, processing food, taking order from customers, delivering food items, checking payment details and maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction. These internal operations are similar for both the firms. Lead time is another issue discussed in this particular study. It has been stated that lead time should be less in case of restaurant business since it affects the operation flow. Quality management has been indicated as the prime focus for both the firms. Nando’s and WAGAMAMA take proper actions to sustain high quality level ranging from dealings with suppliers to product delivery. A process flowchart has been drawn for both the firms including a physical layout for the selected restaurants. The study also includes certain recommend ed solutions for the firms which shall help to address certain operation management issues witnessed by Nando’s and WAGAMAMA. Main focus of the study is on inventory control, demand planning and importance of safety stock in restaurant business. Operations management is a kind of management associated with controlling, overseeing and designing production process. It involves redesigning wide array of business operations in production of services and goods. The concept encompasses responsibility of ensuring that there is efficiency in business operations. Optimization of resources is a major concern in dimension of operations management. Fulfilling customer requirements is also taken into consideration in this approach. Operations management is concerned with managing the overall process through which inputs are successfully converted into outputs. Inputs are usually in the form of raw materials, energy and labour. Output is in the form of services or products.