Fashion Conscious Creme

These are lines often heard in the fashion conscious creme de la creme of Indian society. The story is the same in almost any commercially ‘happening’ city in the world except that the names of the designers keep changing. This does not mean that the national designers have not made a dent in the world market! The Indian fashion world got global attention after Miss Sushmita Sen and Miss Aishwarya Rai won the much coveted Miss Universe and Miss World titles respectively in 1994. Critics look upon these victories as a multinational conspiracy to promote European and American products in post-liberalisation global India.But the reality of the Indian fashion world having made a name for herself cannot be denied. ‘Fashion’ refers to that which is in vogue. It is usually related to one’s dress sense and personality traits. In today’s global village, everything from the colour of your hair to the designer brand of your shoes is a part of your fashion statement. There is a natural desire in all of us to look good and our fashion sense essentially roots from there. This desire to look good is a primal instinct and should be respected because looking good is feeling good.The appearance factor also plays a very important role in the job sector because a good look obviates a sense of refinement and culture and communicates the right kind of values in one’s upbringing. The modem obsession with designer products sold at ludicrous prices, however, beats understanding. Some young man with multiple partings in his spiked hair sporting a loud T-shirt with torn jeans in perfect ‘harmony’ with the pierced eyebrows, nose, lip and navel is not sporting any attitude; he is simply epitomising the fall of man to a level of vulgarity which is worse than bestial. Fashion should not be confused with arrogance or impudent disrespect for traditional norms and the values of our seniors. Fashion â€Å"The Craze Among Youth†.E very person is fashion conscious. Fashion is very popular among the school boys and girls. They do it in a competitive spirit to look smart, up-to-date  and attractive. Students like actors and actresses. Some of them see a film to copy the latest fashion. It is mostly the college students who look upon fashion as the very stuff of their conscience. Being fashionable is the only real passport to high society and popularity in the college. Students put on expensive and fascinating clothes of the latest cut, color and design. The students spend a lot of money on clothes and other things in life for sake of variety.They do not realize that they are wasting their precious time and energy in this effort. In addition, they waste the hard-earned money of their parents. Students have become crazy after fashion. But this is all being done at the cost of their studies. They are wasting the precious time of their life. Sometimes, poor parents are burdened with fashion bills. 853 Words Free S ample Essay on FashionThus, every one should try to have some leisure and make the best use of it by taking to some good hobby or the other. Great caution should be exercised; in choosing a hobby. We should choose a hobby which recoups our energy and provides relaxation and recreation. Young people all over the world are becoming more and more fashion conscious. Young students, whether boys or girls, are crazy about it they want to look smart and beautiful by wearing dresses of the latest designs.In order to boost the sales of their dresses, leading cloth mills and dress ¬making firms engage reputed fashion designers and beautiful models. Fashion parades and shows are held in big five star hotels to exhibit the latest dresses. Fashion is no longer the monopoly of women. Even men have great fancy for it. In fact, the latest uni-sex dresses like shirts and jeans can be worn both by the girls and the boys. Today, the biggest centers of the latest fashions in the world are Paris,†¦

Oil and Gas Accounting Test Review

Natural gas, and natural gas liquids which geological and engineering data demonstrate with reasonable certainty to be recoverable in future years from known reservoirs under existing economic and operating conditions Proved Developed Reserves- reserves that can be expected to be recovered through existing wells with existing equipment and operating methods. Proved undeveloped reserves- reserves expected to be recovered by new wells on underlined acreage, or from existing wells where a relatively major expenditure Is required for recompilation Phases Encountered In upstreamOperations Pre-license prospecting Geological evaluation of relatively large areas Mineral right acquisition/contracting Activities related to obtaining from the mineral rights owner the legal rights to explore, develop and produce OLL In a particular area Production sharing contracts- arrangement by which companies obtain rights from the government to explore, develop and produce Exploration Evaluation and apprais al Development Drilling additional wells necessary to produce the commercial reserves, constructing platforms and gas treatment plants, constructing equipment and facilities necessary or getting the oil to the gas for processing and constructing pipelines. Production Extraction and treatment. Closure CHAPTER 4 Pre-license prospecting and nondrying exploration Identifying areas that may contain oil and gas reserves US Successful efforts- G&G costs expensed as Incurred Entry: Db Expense car cash (before or after license calculations) overhead costs with G&G activities Successful efforts- expensed as incurred. Successful Efforts Geological and Geophysical costs must be expensed as incurred. Doesn't matter if costs are Incurred before or after the license Is acquired.G costs and contract counting If operation is conducted under Lease or concession agreement, it is unlikely that the contract would contain provisions that would permit cost recovery of these costs If the operation Is condu cted under a SC or risk service agreement, the contractor may be permitted to recover G related expenditures incurred after license acquisition and possibly G costs Incurred before license acquisition Support equipment and faculties depreciation or operating costs become an exploration, development or production cost, as appropriate. Entries: Db G expense -depreciation Car Accumulated Depreciation Db G expense-operating costs Car Cash Reprocessing Seismic How to account for cost of re-evaluation or reprocessing of the data? If the reprocessing relates to the search for oil then it should be accounted for according to SE provisions regarding prospecting and nondrying exploration costs. If the purpose is to determine how best to develop the reserves in the field, then they should be capitalized as development costs.License acquisition costs Costs of evaluating business environment, signature bonus, negotiating, etc should be capitalized Entry: Db Intangible assets-unproved property Ca r Cash Development and production bonuses If the payment is actually a deferred signing bonus, the appropriate accounting treatment is to capitalize the development bonus as a license acquisition cost. Accrue once the operations are apparently proceeding to the development phase. Entries: To record signature bonus: Db Intangible Assets – unproved property Car Cash To transfer unproved property costs to proved due to commercial discovery: Db Proved property Car unproved property To record accrual of production bonus: Proved property Car production bonus payable To record payment of production bonus: DbProduction bonus payable Car Cash Internal costs relating to acquisition Can allocate capitalized costs to individual licenses acquired, on an acreage basis or an a potential licenses basis Costs of carrying and retaining unproved properties Costs relating to maintaining unproved properties be charged to expense as incurred Ex: delay rentals paid on lease mineral properties until specified work is commenced, property taxes, accounting costs, legal costs Impairment of unproved property Impairment has occurred if there is some indication that the capitalized cost of an unproved property is greater than the future economic benefits expected to be derived from the property. Under SE, loss should be realized. Negative G data and dry holes would typically suggest that part of the property's historical cost has expired and impairment should be recognized Db Impairment expense Car Allowance for impairment FAST permits impairment of individually insignificant properties on a group basis. Apply the impairment percentage to the total cost of the group of individually insignificant unproved properties. This determines the desired balance in the allowance for impairment account. Next the difference between the current balance and the desired balance is recognized as impairment expense.Entry: Impairment Expense Car Allowance for impairment, group basis Abandonment of unp roved property Full abandonment: When an individually significant license area is abandoned, its net capitalized acquisition costs should be charged to surrender and abandonment expense Ex: Db Surrender and abandonment expense (equal to acquisition cost) Db Allowance for impairment (balance) Car unproved property Partial Abandonment or Relinquishment the future economic benefit of the property, then the entire property should be assessed for additional impairment. Unproved property classification An unproved property should be reclassified too proved property status if and when commercial reserves are discovered on the property. Ex: Db Tangible Assets- proved property (acquisition costs) Db Impairment Allowance (balance) Car In tangible assets- unproved property Sales of unproved property If the property was individually significant, a gain or loss should be recognized on the sale.Ex: Db Cash (sale price) Db allowance for impairment (balance) Db/Car(gain or loss) Car unproved proper ty If the property was individually insignificant, a gain would be recognized only if the selling price exceeds the original cost of the property. Loss recognition is not allowed. CHAPTER 5 Accounting for Exploratory Drilling and Appraisal Costs Under SE, general nondrying exploratory costs are to be charged to expense as incurred; exploratory drilling type costs are initially capitalized. Exploratory Well- well drilled to find and produce oil or gas in an unproved area to find a new reservoir in a another reservoir or to extend a known reservoir.Stereographic test well- drilling effort to obtain information pertaining to a specific geological condition. Exploratory type† if drilled in a proved area, â€Å"development type† if drilled in a proved area. Exploration well- well drilled to discover whether oil or gas exists in a previously unproved geological structure Appraisal well- well drill to determine the size, characteristics, and commercial potential of a reservoir by digging an exploratory well. Classifying Drilling costs Separate intangible drilling costs (DC) from equipment costs. IDS deducted in year incurred for US tax law. Equipment costs may be depreciated over 7-10 years. Besides tax purposes, distinction has no significance Targeted DepthWhen evaluating after drilling : if commercial reserves have been discovered, the drilling in progress account balances are transferred to another type of asset account that will be subject to depreciation The first successful exploratory well's cost will be reclassified from an unproved to a proved property account If well is unsuccessful, plug and abandon hole and charges these costs to dry hole expense, net any equipment salvaged from well. If the license area is also relinquished, the net carrying value must be written off. Capitalized G SE- G costs are to be charged to expense as incurred. Current methods may capitalize AD and AD seismic methods used to determine drill sites.Time Limit on explor ation and evaluation or appraisal costs In order for cost to be capitalized in SE, there must be identifiable future benefit. IF an exploratory well has found oil reserves in an area requiring major capital expenditure to be classified as proved. In this case, the cost of drilling the exploratory well shall continue to be carried as an asset as long as 1. The well has found a sufficient quantity of reserves to Justify its completion and 2. Drilling of the additional wells is under way or planned for the near future All other wells, shall not be carried as an asset for more than one year following completion of drilling Post- balance Sheet Period GAP provisions that relate to information about conditions that existed at the financial statements are issued.If well is determined dry, capitalized costs are written off to dry hole expense If commercial reserves are found, the capitalized drilling costs are transferred to the wells and equipment accounts All the capitalized costs of an ex ploratory well are typically reclassified as dry hole expense or as wells ND related equipment Cost approval, budget and monitoring APE- Authorization for expenditure CHAPTER 6 Drilling And Development Costs- US SE Development costs- costs incurred to obtain access to proved reserves and to provide facilities for extracting, treating, gathering and storing the oil and gas. More specifically, development costs, including depreciation and applicable operating costs of support equipment and facilities and other costs incurred to: Gain access to and prepare well locations for drilling, including surveying, draining, road building, etcDrill and equip developmental wells, including costs of platforms Acquire, construct and install production facilities such as lease flow lines, separators, etc Provide improved recovery systems Development well- well drilled within the proved area of an oil or gas reservoir to the depth of a stereographic horizon known to be productive Service well- comple ted for the purpose of supporting production in an existing field. Development type stereographic well- stereographic test well drilled in a proved area Capitalization of Development-Related G Exploration Costs Requires capitalization of G in development activities. Unless it is performed on a development land area but to an unknown structure- expensed. If ad seismic is being used to study the reservoir and perhaps where addition development wells should be drilled, theoretically the cost should be capitalized to the field as development cost.Overhead As a general rule, all G is expensed, however where the company has a defined method for allocation is permitted to capitalize these costs as part of development Capitalization of Depreciation of Equip and Facilities Depending on nature, costs can be expensed or capitalized Capitalization of Financing Costs Capitalization of Interest† requires that a portion of interest costs incurred during the construction phase of assets shoul d be capitalized as a part of the cost of the self-constructed asset. Interest capitalization only applies to qualifying assets: 1 . Assets that are constructed or otherwise produced for an enterprise's own use 2.Assets intended for sale or lease that are constructed or otherwise produced as discrete projects (ships or real estate developments) Amount to interest to capitalize- the portion of interest costs incurred during the period when the asset is being instructed that could have been avoided if the spending on the asset had not been made. Capitalization period shall begin when 3 conditions are met: Expenditures for asset have been made Activities that are necessary to get the asset ready for its intended use are in progress Interest cost is being incurred Sole Risk or Carried Interests If an asset requires a period of time in which to carry out the activities necessary to bring it to that condition and location, the interest cost incurred during that period as a result of expen ditures for the asset is a part of the historical cost of acquiring the asset. CHAPTER 9 Production Costs Costs of labor to operate the wells and related equipment and facilities Repairs and maintenance Materials, supplies, and fuel consumed and services utilized in operating the wells and related equipment and facilities Property taxes and insurance applicable to proved properties and wells and related equipment and facilities Severance taxes Depreciation, depletion and amortization Accounting for Production Costs All costs relating to production activities, including workers costs incurred solely to maintain or increase levels of production from an existing completion interval, shall be charged to expense as incurred.An expenditure that enhances original performance of the well should be capitalized Materials and supplies- capitalize if used in drilling or development. If used in repair or maintenance, they should be expensed. Recompilations- typically involve entering an existing well and deepening or plugging back in order to achieve production in a new formation or a zone in an existing formation. In a currently or previously producing formation or zone should be treated as an expense since the purpose is to restore production without an increase in commercial reserves If the objective is to develop reserves in a new urination or find new reserves, the activity would be new drilling. Drilling costs could be exploratory or development rather than production) Costs should then be capitalized or expensed depending on SE or FCC and on outcome of drilling Taxes (severance or production) should be expensed as production costs Crude Oil Production 1 Barrel = 42 gallons of oil at 60 degrees F API gravity (measure of density) of oil = the higher, the lighter the oil All crude contains BBS&W- basic sediments and water Disposition: outright sales, direct supply, indirect supply, exchanges, prefacers, or oil seed in operations Gas measurement Measurement in Mac is af fected by temperature. , pressure, compressibility, gravity etc Standard pressure is 14. 73 pounds per square inch at 60 degrees Fahrenheit Pre Acquisitions Acquisition Exploratory 0 Development 0 Production List the four Oil & Gas Agreements used on a worldwide basis and describe each one. 1 .US Domestic lease agreement- an oil and gas lease grants to the oil and gas company the right and obligation to operate a property. This includes the right to explore for, develop and produce oil and gas from the property and also obligates the many to pay all costs. (Company is a working interest owner). All costs, all risk. Agreement- encountered in operations outside the united states where the mineral rights owner is the local government. Sometimes the government is involved with a joint working interest. Payment of a bonus by the oil company to the government at the time the contract is signed. Payment of a royalty to the government. Responsible for paying all of the costs incurred in dev eloping. 3.Risk service agreement- oil companies reform workers aimed at restoring or stimulating production including application of current technology to currently producing fields. Bonus to national government at contract signing. Government retains ownership of reserve. Oil company incurs all costs and risks. Operating and capital costs incurred are recovered through payment of operating and capital fees. Government may participate in operations as a working interest owner. 4. Production Sharing contracts- companies obtain the rights from the government to explore for, develop and produce oil and gas. Company pays bonus to national government at contract date. Pays royalties to government. Government maintains ownership of reserves. Companies incur all risk and costs.Company required to spend a predetermined amount of money, which is recoverable from future production. 2. ) Describe the life cycle (Phases) of an Oil & Gas Project. Include the Accounting Treatment (ii. Successful Efforts or Full Cost Pool) for each phase. 1. Pre-license prospecting- geological evaluation of relatively large areas before acquisition of petroleum rights. Analyzing G&G data. Successful Efforts (SE) Method The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FAST) has issued FAST Statement No. 19 dealing with the successful efforts method. Under the SE method, costs incurred in searching for, acquiring, and developing oil and gas reserves are capitalized if they directly result in producing reserves.Costs which are attributable to activities that do not result in finding, acquiring, or developing specific reserves are charged to expense. The cost center for the SE method is a lease, field, or reservoir. The various types of costs are treated under the SE method as follows: 1 . Acquisition Costs: They are capitalized to unproven property until proved reserves are found or until the property is abandoned or impaired (a partial abandonment). If adequate reserves are discovered, the property is reclassified from unproven property to proven property. For tax purposes, acquisition costs are handled the same way except the cost cannot be partially written off as an impairment expense.The property must be abandoned before any cost may be written off. 2. Exploration Costs: They are recorded in two different ways, depending upon the type of costs incurred. A. Nondrying Costs: Examples of these type of costs are geological and geophysical (G & G) costs, costs of carrying and retaining undeveloped properties, and dry hole and bottom hole contributions. These types of costs are expensed as they are incurred. For tax purposes, nondrying costs are capitalized to the applicable b. Drilling Costs: They are treated differently depending on whether the well drilled is classified as an exploratory well or a developmental well. An exploratory well is a well drilled in an unproven area.A developmental well is a well drilled to produce from a proven reservoir. 1) If an exploratory well is a dry hole, the costs incurred in drilling the well are expensed. If the exploratory well is successful, the costs incurred in drilling the well are capitalized to wells and related equipment and facilities. ) The costs incurred in drilling developmental wells are capitalized to related equipment and facilities even if a dry hole is drilled. The costs associated with tangible well equipment and facilities are capitalized, regardless of the type of well drilled. For tax purposes, certain costs associated with such equipment are eligible for treatment as deductible ‘DC.Tax depreciation methods usually allow for a more accelerated rate of depreciation than book or financial depreciation. Also, book depreciation will be computed on 1-1 The developmental dry holes and IDS which are capitalized for book purposes but expensed for tax purposes. Therefore, an M-1 adjustment will be required on the difference between the amount of book and tax depreciation. 3. Production Costs: These c osts are expensed as incurred, which is the same treatment used for tax purposes. It should be noted, however, that many taxpayers erroneously expense overhead attributable to either acquisition or exploration activities as production costs.Overhead attributable to acquisition and exploration costs must be capitalized. 4. Depletion: This usually requires an M-1 adjustment. Although the cost depletion formula is the same for book and tax purposes, the mount for the basis used in the computation of cost depletion will vary due to the difference in capitalization. In addition, many taxpayers will be allowed to use a larger percentage depletion deduction Full Cost Method Under the FCC method, all costs incurred in exploring, acquiring, and developing oil and gas reserves in a cost center are capitalized. 1. Geological and geophysical (G & G) studies, successful and unsuccessful, are capitalized for book and financial purposes.For tax purposes, successful G & G costs are capitalized and unsuccessful G & G costs are expensed. An M-1 adjustment is required for the amount of unsuccessful G & G costs expensed. 2. Delay rental costs are capitalized for book and financial purposes. 3. 4. Exploratory dry hole costs are capitalized for book and financial purposes. For tax purposes, all dry hole costs (exploratory or developmental) are capitalized unless the taxpayer elects to expense them. Since most taxpayers expense these costs for tax purposes, an M-1 adjustment is required. 5. Impaired or abandoned property costs remain capitalized in the cost center for book and financial purposes.For tax purposes, no deduction is allowed unless a property is totally worthless. An M-1 7. General and administrative costs which are not associated with acquisition, exploration, and development activities are expensed. However, overhead that can be associated with acquisition, exploration, and development activities is capitalized. The costs are handled the same way for tax purposes. 8. D epletion usually will require an M-1 adjustment. In many instances, taxpayers may be able to claim a larger percentage depletion deduction in lieu of cost depletion. Even where cost depletion is claimed for book and financial purposes because of the different capitalization rules, the amount of cost depletion allowable will vary.

History of international systems Essay

On 5 October 1954 representatives of the United States, Britain, Italy, and Yugoslavia signed Trieste settlement in London. According to its terms military government was to stop in the two zones of the FTT, and Italy and Yugoslavia would presume governing authority on their respective sides of the new frontier. The agreement was approved promptly by the governments concerned and came into effect a few weeks later. Captivatingly, the Soviet Union accepted the Trieste settlement without dissent. The American embassy in Moscow accredited this reaction to the Kremlin’s â€Å"wish not to take sides in [the] matter or endanger its current efforts to regularize relations with Yugosalvia.† The issue also no longer held worth as a source of anti-Western propaganda once an Italo-Yugoslav agreement had been protected. As there were no other potential objectors of any implication, realization of the agreement proceeded smoothly. Though the departure of the Anglo-American garrison on 26 October 1954 ended almost a decade of direct United States contribution in Trieste. For various reasons, including bad weather and rumors of a plot to eliminate General Winterton, the formal ceremony to hand over authority from AMG to the Italians did not take place as planned. Winterton did, however, issue a public declaration on the morning of 26 October declaring that â€Å"the Allied Military government of the British and United States Zone of the Free Territory of Trieste is hereby finished.† In the afternoon thousands of Triestines crowded into Piazza Unità   in pouring rain and a howling bora (the notorious Triestine gale) to see the Italian tricolor once again rose over their city. As far as American policymakers were concerned, the Trieste disagreement had been decisively resolved. In terms of international law the settlement was in fact â€Å"provisional† in that a permanent, formal taking apart the FTT would have forced revision of the Italian peace treaty — an act needing the consent of all the signatory nations to that document. As a real solution, however, the London agreement was final as both the Italian and Yugoslav governments renowned it as a practical — if not ideal — cooperate and they wanted it to endure. The two Western powers helped make certain the effective decisiveness of the memorandum of understanding by making obvious they would support neither Italian nor Yugoslav claims to the territory now in the other’s sovereignty (Conrad Allison Alan. 1956). In the wake of a brief diplomatic erupt of the dispute in 1974, Italy and Yugoslavia ultimately decided to celebrate the provisional solution by concluding the alleged Osimo accords of 10 November 1975. These agreements meant that Italy given up its claims to Zone B while Yugoslavia officially recognized that Trieste was Italian territory. There were also prerequisites for protection of national minorities and for local economic collaboration between Italy and Yugoslavia. The two governments accordingly advised the United Nations Security Council, the United States and Great Britain that â€Å"the 1954 London Memorandum which recognized the situation prior to the present agreement is now void.† After more than two decades the â€Å"provisional† de facto settlement which had been so cautiously engineered in 1954 had lastly given rise to a permanent de jure elucidation of the Italo-Yugoslav boundary dispute. It is extremely unlikely that the Trieste question will be reopened in the predictable future. Though, throughout its history Trieste has shared the fortunes of a larger area known as the Julian Region, which has been of long-standing meaning in European political geography. For two thousand years this area at the head of the Adriatic was a strategic thoroughfare or frontier zone where the clash of competitor expansionist forces caused numerous changes in sovereignty. Since the nineteenth century it has also been the setting for a conflict between opposing national and political ideologies which would close in the struggle for Trieste and close by territories after World War II. One significance of these rivalries and shifting sovereignties has been that the area in question — now alienated between Italy and Yugoslavia — is difficult to define. Italians came to call this region Venezia Giulia (Julian Venetia), while Croats and Slovenes adopted the term Julijska Krajina (the Julian March) to portray an almost equivalent territory. In English, the area became known as the Julian Region. Physically, the Julian Region comprises a natural doorway between the Italian plain of the Po Valley and the Danubian Basin, in large part as of the excellent mountain passes found at the meeting point of the Julian Alps and the Dinaric Range. Its shores mark the point where the Adriatic reaches on the way to the landlocked states of Central Europe, and the Gulfs of Trieste and Fiume (Rijeka) on the two sides of the Istrian peninsula represent the most suitable northern outlets to that sea. In effect, the area is a natural crossroads between the Italian peninsula, the Balkans, and Central Europe. The strategic and economic allegations of this geographical setting prompted frequent conflict amongst nearby states for its control. The character of the Julian Region as a â€Å"zone of strain† was further resistant by the fact that it was one of the few points of direct contact between all three of Europe’s major ethnic groupings: Latins, Slavs, and Germans. It is barely surprising that all through history this area has been directly affected by the broader power struggles in the lands around it. The strategic and economic implication of the Julian Region was obvious as early as Roman times. After conquering the Illyro-Celtic peoples who initially inhabited this area, the Romans used the Julian Region as a major military and commercial thoroughfare. While the Roman Empire falls apart the area became a chronic battlefield and an open corridor into Italy for successive waves of invaders: Byzantines in 394; Goths in 400; Huns in 454; Ostrogoths in 488; and Lombards and Avars in 568 (Heim Keith Merle, 1973). By 811 the whole Julian Region had been integrated into the Carolingian Empire but was soon broken up into diverse feudal holdings whose rulers continuously intrigued against each other. After the tenth century the region became the focal point of a broader rivalry between the determined Venetian Republic and the rising Habsburg Empire. The two powers clashed continually in the area until the eighteenth century, when the Habsburgs finally dislodged the Venetians from their last footholds on the western Istrian coast. Excepting a brief break under French rule throughout the Napoleonic era, the Julian Region remained under Habsburg control until the First World War. In case of Yugoslavia, A secret British initiative in early 1941 provoked the first broader international contemplation of postwar revision of the Italo-Yagoslav boundary. At a time when Britain’s wartime situation was at its lowest ebb, Prime Minister Winston Churchill became persuaded that Hitler was preparing an advance into the Balkans. The British began considering diverse expedients to harden local resistance to German penetration, hoping particularly to persuade the Yugoslavs and Turks to enter the war. In the case of Yugoslavia, one measure was to promise postwar territorial compensations in the Julian Region. In January 1941 the Yugoslav minister in Moscow, Milan Gavrilović, suggested that â€Å"it might assist the Yugoslav government to strengthen their own position, and through them that of their neighbors against the Germans,† if Britain were to hold up Yugoslav claims in the Julian Region. Officials in the British Foreign Office noted that the proposal spanked of â€Å"bribery† and was reminiscent of the 1915 Pact of London but, in order â€Å"to be armed at all points,† they requested Arnold Toynbee’s Foreign Research and Press Service to study the Yugoslav case for frontier rectifications. A report was appropriately produced in early February concluding that Yugoslavia had sound claims on racial grounds to most of Istria and the Italian islands off Dalmatia, but not to the cities of Trieste, Gorizia (Gorica), Rijeka, and Zadar (Zara). The Foreign Office only desired cabinet approval â€Å"to hold out this bait to the Yugoslavs.† But the British war cabinet showed little interest while the subject was raised, and there the matter might have rested. Only days later the Yugoslav stance became more vital when the war cabinet decided on 24 February to send British forces to Greece. The Foreign Office now recommended that, in spite of the British policy of not discussing territorial changes during the war, â€Å"the verdict of the Yugoslav Government at the present juncture is of such importance that it would be valuable to disregard this rule on this occasion if by doing so we could persuade Yugoslavia to mediate forcibly on behalf of Greece† (Lees Lorraine Mary, 1976).   The cabinet concurred. At the time Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden was meeting with the Yugoslav government. The cabinet informed him that if he thought it â€Å"necessary or useful† he could indicate that â€Å"his Majesty’s Government are studying with consideration the case for revisions of the Italo-Yugoslav frontier which they are disposed to think could be recognized and advocated by them at the Peace Conference.† Notwithstanding the importance placed on Yugoslav support, the cabinet specified that British policy on the matter must not move beyond this vague formula, which did not entrust Britain to a precise frontier line. British representatives in fact mentioned the territorial issue to the Yugoslavs, but the entire question became irrelevant in April while Italy and Germany invaded Yugoslavia (Kay Robin., 1967). Though inconclusive, the British initiative initiated the pattern according to which Allied policy on the Italo-Yugoslav boundary issue would open out throughout the war. The British had intentionally limited themselves to a vague proposal for approving consideration of Yugoslav claims in the Julian Region and were cautious not to suggest a specific location for an ethnic state line. While eager to tack somewhat, they did not believe the issue justified a major deviation from the policy of not committing themselves on postwar boundaries. In 1941 British interest in Italo-Yugoslav frontier rectifications was based on immediate military expediency. It was of a piece with historian Elisabeth Barker’s general account of British wartime policies in southeastern Europe as â€Å"a story of last-minute inventiveness and the undertaking of commitments without the resources to fulfill them. Policies, if that is the right word for them, were mainly dictated by negative outside factors.† (Black Gregory Dale, 1973) Insofar as Allied policies impinged on the Italo-Yugoslav fight for the Julian Region during World War II, their influence would usually remain indirect, a reverberation of broader military and political ideas of the different Allied nations. This early British incursion into the boundary dispute also prefigured later Anglo-American disagreements on military and political goals in southeastern Europe. Rumors of â€Å"secret agreements† on the Julian Region prompted concern amongst American policymakers, who were supporting an even more accurate policy of no political or territorial settlements throughout the war — partly because of experiences during World War I with secret accords such as the Pact of London. In July 1941 President Franklin D. Roosevelt queried Churchill about â€Å"the stupid story that you promised Trieste to Yugoslavia.† Recalling that in 1919 there were severe problems â€Å"over actual and alleged promises to the Italians and others,† Roosevelt asked Churchill to think stating publicly â€Å"that no post-war peace commitments as to territories, populations or economies have been given.† (Modisett Lawrence, 1981). At the Atlantic Charter discussions in August, Sir Alexander Cadogan, the British permanent in secretary of state for foreign affairs, assured Sumner Welles, the American under secretary of state, that Britain had made no such obligations, with the possible exception of an oral declaration to the Yugoslav government that at war’s end â€Å"the subject of jurisdiction over Istria was a matter which might well come up for reassessment!† Cadogan added that this statement noticeably did not constitute â€Å"a firm commitment† and that Trieste or Gorizia had not been mentioned. â€Å"Heartened† by this assurance, Welles underlined that the United States wished to evade repeating the problems caused in World War I while secret accords concerning Great Britain were disclosed. The British did not officially disavow secret treaties but Washington’s distress about their territorial agreements, which had been sparked by the â€Å"secret agreements† with Yugoslavia, was somewhat allayed by the signature on 14 August 1941 of the Atlantic Charter. The first two points of that document affirmed that neither Great Britain nor the United States sought â€Å"aggrandizement, territorial or other† and that both countries wished â€Å"to see no territorial changes that do not pact with the generously expressed wishes of the peoples concerned.† (Samuel Rosenman, 314). Despite this assertion of Anglo-American unity, the chance appearance of the Julian issue had already evinced differences in the two nations’ fidelity to a method of no wartime agreements on politico territorial questions. British interests in southeastern Europe would guide to further wartime disagreements with the United States on such matters. The withdrawal of American troops from Trieste in October 1954 marked the conclusion of nearly a decade of American participation together with Great Britain in the â€Å"temporary† management of the disputed city. Throughout that period the United States became the foremost partner in the occupation and provided the lion’s share of the funds needed to maintain AMG operations. Thousands of American soldiers spent some time in Trieste between 1945 and 1954, and a few even gave their lives whilst serving there. The United States, moreover, was the key actor in posing a lasting resolution of the dispute. United States was drawn into the Trieste disagreement as a by-product of the more general process throughout which wartime intervention in Europe led to American entanglement in the Cold War with the Soviet Union. After 1945 American policymakers at all levels came to view the Trieste question in terms of broader Cold War objectives — especially with revere to Italy and Yugoslavia. In one sense American policy on this issue was conquered by fundamentally negative goals: preventing Yugoslav control of the city and thereby restraining communism on the southeastern border of Western Europe. Yet the American presence in Trieste also symbolized the positive declaration of the principle of self-determination in accord with a fundamental liberal internationalist ideology which predated the initiation of the Cold War. The story of the American experience in Trieste can be viewed on the whole as the conjuncture of two historical developments. The first of these was the persistence into the twentieth century of the Julian Region’s momentous function as a barometer of broader pressures in European international politics. After 1945 Trieste was not just a localized focal point of national and ideological conflict but also became a deliberately important point on the edge of an increasingly sharp dividing line between two opposing systems of global order. If Trieste had not been a piece of disputed ground on that demarcation line between East and West, there would have been little motive for a major American presence there (Rabel Roberto. 1984). The other applicable historical development was, certainly, the rise of the United States to global power and its enthusiasm to exercise that power to encourage a liberal, internationalist world order. Under Woodrow Wilson’s leadership the United States first sought to use its power to this end in Europe throughout and after World War I, but with little success. As the United States became entangled in a second European war in the 1940s, it acted much more vigorously to achieve its wartime and postwar objectives, even though several of the latter were indistinctly defined. On both occasions American policymaking was a direct result of more general American aims in Europe. Throughout World War II, however, there was an absolute gulf between Washington’s general postwar aims as proclaimed in the Atlantic Charter and its efforts at developing a feasible policy mechanism to accomplish them in the Julian Region. American wartime policy toward the Julian dilemma was positively based on the hope of solving it according to Atlantic Charter principles, but policymakers in Washington failed to define the United States’ interests in the area and did not expect any significant postwar commitment there. Certainly, although American statesmen were concerned to avoid an armed clash with any of their allies, they made no pragmatic attempt to put up Yugoslav objections to Anglo-American plans for the occupation of the Julian Region. Until the crisis of May 1945 there was, quite purely, no coherent strategy for implementing American objectives in the Julian Region. When World War II ended Trieste was not yet a Cold War issue. It was throughout the crisis of May 1945 that an origin of Trieste as such first really began to take hold amongst leading policymakers in Washington. Winston Churchill and Alexander Kirk had long been urging that Anglo-American policy on the Julian Region be viewed as part of a broader anticommunist strategy, but their exhortations had not been observed by Roosevelt or the State Department. Certainly, the State Department had idealistically continued to assert its commitment to the policy of installing AMG throughout the Julian Region, as remaining cautious in practice and taking no practical steps to execute it. In the face of Yugoslav occupation of Trieste, the United States finally had to face the fact that its existing policy was vague and idealistic. Unable to rely on platitudes or to put off the issue for reasons of â€Å"military necessity,† policymakers in Washington chose to combat the Yugoslav occupation of Trieste in the name of liberal principles. State Department officials, of whom Joseph Grew was the most influential, now began to see the issue in terms of broader collective aggression. The new American president, Harry S Truman, appeared to coincide in their conclusion. However, the Americans did not wish to be too aggressive and were pleased to resolve the crisis with a working concession: the Yugoslavs withdrew from Trieste, while the United States and Britain inaudibly put aside their official policy of imposing AMG on the whole Julian Region. That outcome represented an accomplishment for the tacit spheres-of-influence approach to East-West relations which the Truman administration would take on in the immediate postwar period. In itself, Trieste was not an inner issue in the Cold War, and after the May crisis it had very little impact on the describing of the Cold War in general. It only came to prominence on occasions such as the discussions on the Italian peace treaty or the 1948 Italian elections, as the United States resurrected the issue for the opportunistic motivation of assuring a victory for the Christian Democrats. though not very important in itself, the Trieste case is of interest as an instance of the way in which Cold War politics unfolded in an area where the United States and the Soviet Union were not openly in confrontation. The deadlock between the powers that barred the establishment of the Free Territory of Trieste was a striking case of the way in which all kinds of issues were reduced to simplistic terms of direct East-West confrontation in the postwar world. For a time the predicament of Trieste became a small pawn in the great game of Cold War politics and, particularly, was locked into the more general American strategy of containment. Dispensable in the long run, pawns can nonetheless serve significant short-term functions. From the American perspective, Anglo-American control of Trieste was useful for numerous reasons: it prevented â€Å"communism† expanding into another part of Europe; it helped retain Italy as a stable member of the Western coalition; it justified an Anglo-American military presence in a potentially significant strategic point; it enabled the United States to appear as the champion of liberal principles; and, on the local level, it provided Trieste with an effectual and comparatively impartial administration. Whether laudable or self-serving, none of these American objectives was overtly related to the task of achieving a lasting, long-standing solution of the Trieste problem that Italy, Yugoslavia, and the Triestines could all believe. Ideally, the United States would have liked the return of the entire Free Territory of Trieste to Italy, but did not think that goal to merit the risk of an armed clash with the Yugoslavs. Short of that outcome, Washington usually viewed Trieste as a controllable issue and seemed ready to maintain a military presence there indefinitely. In Cold War terms there was little reason for importance in attempting to reach an eternal resolution of the dispute. After the Soviet-Yugoslav split of 1948, though, the advantages of retaining the status quo in Trieste gradually reduced. The United States now had a concern in keeping Tito out of the Soviet fold as well as sustaining the Italian government. In the past Italy’s Christian Democrats had productively played on American fears of Italian domestic instability to ensure a moderately pro-Italian line on Trieste, because Washington viewed Italy as a Cold War ally while Yugoslavia seemed a stalwart member of the Soviet bloc. Once Yugoslavia’s international status became more indefinite, Belgrade was in a position to play a similar game. The United States found itself in a perturbed situation where, because of past commitments, it lacked the autonomy to maneuver it would have liked on the Trieste issue. It is hard to assess the success of United States policy in Trieste from World War II to 1954 as that policy was often unclear in its explicit objectives. Yet there can be little doubt that American intervention â€Å"saved† Trieste for Italy — and, therefore, for the West (Kardelj Edvard. 1953). The American existence served as a stabilizing force in the area and assisted demonstrates the strength of the American commitment to Western Europe (and to the containment of communism on its borders). On the local level it helped make certain relatively impartial and efficient direction of the area until a permanent settlement could be agreed upon. Though the American stay in Trieste was needlessly prolonged, by 1954 the United States had determined the problem enduringly and at a minor cost. In Cold War terms American policy in Trieste might be termed a restrained success. That success did not essentially attest to the perspicacity of American Cold War policy in general but was in large measure due to circumstances unusual to the Trieste case. The United States would certainly not be generally as successful in the Cold War. Negotiations had been followed intimately in Washington from the moment Trieste was liberated. Certainly, the week or so during which Alexander sought a contract with Tito was a critical period in the development of American policy toward the problem. Throughout this time some American policymakers came to view the Trieste situation as an instance of totalitarian hostility and demanded firm opposition to it. The course of American policy after 10 May is particularly noteworthy in view of the mood in Washington throughout the final days of the military â€Å"race† for Trieste. Despite Kirk’s stress on the political necessity of establishing AMG in as much of the Julian Region as probable, Stimson’s caution had originally prevailed. Officials in Washington had seemed to recognize that perhaps only Alexander’s operational requirements could be met. Grew had even notified Kirk on 1 May that, if the Yugoslavs opposed the expansion of AMG, â€Å"we cannot consider the use of American troops to enforce this policy† (Harris, 1957). This apparent refutation of the State Department’s own policy stemmed largely from the fear of unsafe clashes with the Yugoslavs if they controlled the majority of the Julian Region. Trieste’s liberation on 2 May had complicated the state of affairs insofar as an armed clash was now possible even in satisfying Alexander’s minimum operational requirements. Officials in Washington continued to retort cautiously, recognizing that direct contact between the two armies at Trieste could be more volatile than the contingencies hitherto foreseen. The War Department advised stoutly against risking an armed clash, and Stimson repeated to grow his usual line that â€Å"the American people would not continue our getting entangled in the Balkan s.† Stimson believed that the problem was â€Å"another case of these younger men, the subordinates in the State Department, doing dangerous things.†(Coles Harry L., and Albert K, 1964) Grew was unrevealing, but the State Department risked no major initiatives as Alexander negotiated with Tito. Even with a crisis intimidating and Anglo-American control of Trieste itself uncertain, the State Department did not eagerly abandon its unrealistic AMG policy. While Alexander tried to safe a working compromise, Kirk continually warned his superiors in Washington of radical consequences in Italy if the original AMG strategy were set aside. The Italian government also dissents to the Americans, urging total AMG control of the Julian Region as promised. State Department officials were not adamant to these arguments. H. Freeman Matthews, Director of the Office of European Affairs, told Grew on 2 May that â€Å"when it becomes overtly known that Tito’s forces are assuming control in that area we might expect serious outbursts both in Italy and on the part of our large and significant Italian-American population here.† Grew himself expressed similar views to the president, suggestive of those American troops might have to be used to keep order in northern Italy if Yugoslav occupation of the Julian Region endured. Some State Department officials would have favored to maintain the original AMG policy but their hands were tied by Stimson’s and Truman’s antagonism as well as by Alexander’s insistence on securing only necessary military requirements. The president’s reluctance to use armed force at last brought them face to face with the basic discrepancy of having a forcefully articulated policy but no pragmatic means of implementing it. There is evidence, additionally, that the State Department was not content simply to await the outcome of the Tito-Alexander negotiations. The department wished to confer with the Soviet Union in the hope that Moscow might influence the Yugoslavs to withdraw from the Julian Region. Such a hope was predicated on the supposition already evident among American policymakers — that Stalin could manage Tito. It was of a piece with Washington’s faith in the effectiveness of summit-level negotiations amongst the great powers as a means of neutralizing local conflicts, assuring inter-Allied harmony and, presumably, securing the achievement of Atlantic Charter principles. Both Matthews and Ambassador Patterson in Belgrade suggested sounding out the Soviets even though Moscow had not yet replied to the earlier notification of American intentions in the Julian Region. When Alexander’s negotiations with Belgrade broke down on 9 May, the basic basics of the State Department’s postwar policy on Trieste were in place (Clissold Stephen, 1975). They were in large measure a rational extension of wartime goals but they also accepted intimations of an emerging Cold War atmosphere. Trieste policy would be directed by three major concerns, to be given conflicting emphases at appropriate times. Trieste itself remained in limbo as negotiations were proceeding. It was not surprising that the abrupt aftermath of war would be accompanied by displacement and tension in a city which had been the center of intensely challenging ethnic, ideological and strategic interests. In this particular case those problems were aggravated by the fact that the Yugoslav and Anglo-American contingents, both of which were resistant after 2 May, were systematically intermingled and lacked clear explanation of their respective lines of authority and accountability. Trieste’s value as a pawn in the Cold War had been approximately eliminated. It gradually became obvious to American policymakers that the Trieste question was now merely a needless source of tension between an appreciated ally and a would-be opponent of the Soviet Union. Although it remained convenient, the prospective existed for an awkward crisis and the United States became increasingly keen to reach a compromise resolution. The pressures to be purge of this occasionally exasperating problem were heightened by the local unrest and the Italo-Yugoslav tensions of 1952. By then the expedition for a Trieste settlement had become an ever more annoying challenge to Washington’s skills in alliance management. as a result, even if Clare Boothe Luce had not taken a strong personal interest in the matter, the Eisenhower supervision would still have acted much as it did to make certain that a lasting settlement was reached in 1954 by initiating four-power negotiations and by using political and economic control on Italy and Yugoslavia to bring about a final conformity. It is notable that the United States ended its presence in Trieste simply after the area had lost all effectiveness as a Cold War pawn. The United States began to work in intense for a conclusive settlement of the Trieste question after 1949. Shifting American objectives in Italy and Yugoslavia had eliminated Trieste’s worth as an instrument of Cold War policy for the United States. By the early 1950s Italy had become decisively integrated into the Western camp and was a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as Yugoslavia remained outside the Soviet bloc. The unresolved problem of the FTT’S future was thus an unnecessary source of tension between two countries the United States believed important. Trieste was clearly no longer a Cold War problem in the sense that it had been before the Soviet-Yugoslav break. American policymakers justifiably accomplished that it was pointless to retain indefinitely a military and economic binder which now held few strategic or political advantages for their country. The United States had played a key role in the â€Å"provisional† declaration of the Trieste dispute, which had proved so annoying for so many years. Speaking in New York after the signing of the London memo of understanding, Dulles recalled that â€Å"when I became secretary of state, I made a list of the more significant problems which needed to be resolved in the interests of world peace and security. Trieste was in the top bracket of that list.† Of course, the â€Å"top bracket† also integrated more pressing and weighty problems such as Korea, Berlin, Germany, and the EDC. Alongside these issues the situation in Trieste did not seem to demand instantaneous attention and appeared â€Å"manageable† (Bass Robert, and Elizabeth Marbury, 1959). The Eisenhower administration did not actually take meaningful action on its intention to resolve the Trieste problem until provoked to do so by the threat of local violence and Luce’s potent and melodramatic reports from Italy. Thereafter, however, the American government acted more dynamically. After several false starts the United States thriving in initiating the three-phase negotiating process to evade the domestic pressures which had prevented Italy and Yugoslavia from reaching a solution. It was the United States, moreover, which ensured the success of these talks by taking advantage of its political influence in both countries, supplement by the economic force that had become a characteristic instrument of its Cold War policies in Western Europe. American policymakers did not trail a Trieste settlement simply for its own sake. It is true that after 1949 Trieste itself was no longer a central point of direct confrontation between the Western and Soviet blocs. Certainly, it was this development which made a solution potential by removing the perceived need for an enduring Anglo-American presence in the area. The Trieste issue had thus become a specific predicament in Washington’s relations with Italy and Yugoslavia. However, as had been the case since 1945, the interests of the United States in Trieste on the broadest level were still expressed in terms of the Cold War. The only change was that the larger purposes of the United States in the Cold War were now given out by terminating its commitment in Trieste. Eisenhower’s own reaction to the decree of the Trieste dispute exemplified this more general concern: â€Å"Now the way was open for Italian participation in the Western European Union and for success in negotiations for defense bases. The Communist threat to Italy had been avoided, and that nation now trod on firmer ground. And the risk of an explosion had passed.† Dulles was even more liberal in describing the implications of the Trieste settlement in October 1954: â€Å"A grave cause of dissension and unrest has been removed, so that all of South Europe can breathe more easily. Primarily, a demonstration had been given of the capability of the nations which are free of Soviet domination to resolve differences which abate them and divert them from the greatest issue of our time.† In short, the abolition of the Trieste problem was significant for the Eisenhower administration as it removed a needless distraction in Italo-Yugoslav relations, enabling both nations to stand more efficiently alongside the United States in its global confrontation with the Soviet Union. In that sense the important role of the United States in ending the dispute in 1954 marked the consummation of its policy of approaching the Trieste issue as a part of a broader Cold War strategy. Examined from today’s perspective, over fifty years after its declaration, the Trieste dispute seems at first glance to be of little implication in that broader struggle. For the United States it had been just one of the many skirmishes in the Cold War that did not involve direct American-Soviet military confrontation. Yet the Cold War has been an extensive series of such skirmishes, and Soviet and American armies have not met in face-to-face fighting in the postwar era. Basic strategies can have been conceived and approved in Washington and Moscow, but the key points at issue often concerned areas such as Trieste and concerned third parties. Viewed from that perspective, the story of American involvement in the Trieste dispute from World War II to 1954 is certainly that of the Cold War in microcosm. References: Bass Robert, and Elizabeth Marbury, eds. â€Å"The Soviet-Yugoslav Controversy, 1948-58: A Documentary Record†. New York: Prospect Books, 1959. Black Gregory Dale. â€Å"The United States and Italy, 1943-1946: The Drift towards Containment†. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Kansas, 1973.   Clissold Stephen, ed. â€Å"Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union, 1939-1973: A Documentary Survey†. London: Oxford University Press for the Royal Institute of International Affairs, 1975.   Coles Harry L. and Albert K. Weinberg. Civil Affairs: Soldiers Become Governors. Washington, D.C.: Office of the Chief of Military History, Department of the Army, 1964. Conrad Allison Alan. â€Å"Allied Military Government of Venezia Giulia and Trieste — Its History and Organization†. M.A. thesis, University of Maryland, 1956. Harris C. R. S. Allied Military Administration of Italy, 1943- 1945. London: Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, 1957. Heim Keith Merle. â€Å"Hope without Power: Truman and the Russians, 1945†. Ph.D. dissertation, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1973.   Kardelj Edvard. Trieste and Yugoslav-Italian Relations. New York: Yugoslav Information Center, 1953.   Kay Robin. â€Å"Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War, 1939-1945: Italy†, Vol. 2, From Cassino to Trieste. Wellington: Historical Publications Branch, Department of Internal Affairs, 1967. Lees Lorraine Mary. â€Å"American Foreign Policy towards Yugoslavia, 1941-1949†. Ph.D. dissertation, The Pennsylvania State University, 1976. Modisett Lawrence E. â€Å"The Four-Cornered Triangle: British and American Policy towards Yugoslavia, 1939-1945†. 2 vols. Ph.D. dissertation, Georgetown University, 1981. Rabel Roberto. â€Å"Between East and West: Trieste, the United States and the Cold War, 1943-1954†. Ph.D. dissertation, Duke University, 1984. Samuel Rosenman, ed., Public Papers and Addresses of Franklin D. Roosevelt, vol.10 (1938-1950), 314.

Employment at Will Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Employment at Will - Article Example Employee Inability to learn and acquire new skills and competencies In any workplace environment, expectations must be met while maintaining professionalism at all times (Osborne & Wennerberg, 2010). In this particular situation Jennifer fear learning new skills to enhance her performance. This emotional reaction can be countered by the manager initiating the following procedure. Ask for questions and concerns: the manager should validate the legitimate concerns and the negative effects that Jennifer is expressing. Jennifer will automatically reveal where the problem really lies and what is making her not to effectively acquire the needed computer skills and competencies (Osborne & Wennerberg, 2010). Ask for feelings and opinions: Jennifer seems withdrawn from what she is required to learn, in this regard the manager should reassure her that what she is feeling is common and it is safe and better to express her concerns. The manager can for instance also express the importance of com puter skills and how they are vital to the company (Osborne & Wennerberg, 2010). Resist becoming defensive: the mistrust between the manger and Jennifer is detrimental and must be addressed. The manager should not be defensive but rather make an effort to listen to Jennifer instead of arguing with her. He/she should encourage communication to win Jennifer’s trust (Osborne & Wennerberg, 2010). Be visible and involved: it is the duty of the manager to make sure that he/she is visible and accessible to Jennifer. The fear of the unknown in Jennifer will be alleviated only by the present and transparent management style. The manager should spend some time with Jennifer to encourage her to learn the needed skills (Osborne & Wennerberg, 2010). Provide information: the constant provision of information will help Jennifer manage her learning and working processes. The current facts should be made available to her; this will help Jennifer understand what is required of her and work har d enough to meet her expectations (Osborne & Wennerberg, 2010). Management, behavior and performance In this particular circumstance, the manager should follow the following disciplinary procedure to address Jennifer’s situation. Establish the facts: the manager should carry out an intensive investigation to establish Jennifer’s gross misconduct. The investigation can be conducted by different people thus allowing the manager not to rely on evidence from one person in the disciplinary hearing. Similarly Jennifer can be summoned to an investigatory meeting and if possible she should be suspended to allow for thorough investigation (Freelance Advisor, 2008). Inform the employee of the problem: if Jennifer is found to have a disciplinary case to answer, she should be notified through writing, where the notification contains enough evidence of the alleged misconduct; in this case lateness to work, poor performance, and unruly behavior. The notification letter also provides the employee with details of the time and venue where the disciplinary meeting will be held and her right to be accompanied at the meeting (Freelance Advisor, 2008) Hold the meeting to discuss the problem: the disciplinary meeting should be held without any delay and also Jennifer should be allowed enough time to prepare. Both the manager and the employee must be present. The manager

The European Union is being successful in spite of itself and its Essay

The European Union is being successful in spite of itself and its skeptics - Essay Example Napoleon and Hitler had no better success than the Roman Empire and the staggering costs of the last two world wars was motive enough to inspire another more democratic solution. The fact that nations continue to apply for acceptance into the European Union (EU) and the fact that only one EU member has ever renounced its EU citizenship speaks for the effectiveness in unifying diverse and autonomous nations. This combined with the lack of war on the European continent despite major differences and the fall of the Soviet Union, demonstrates the pacifying influence of the EU. While the world wide press continues to coin gleefully cynical terms like Euro-Skeptics, Europhobiles, Euro-pessimists and Euro-cynics, the unification of Europe is an idea whose time has come. This union is maintaining peace. Regardless of all of the sovereignty issues, problems with democracies and economies...its fundamental reason for conception has been more or less maintained by standing as a pillar uniting the Continent of Europe rather than allowing it to dissolve into war. One of the ways that this peace has been maintained is through the creation and acceptance of European wide rules of law and economic criterium. The source of some criticism comes from younger ages groups disenchanted with unemployment issues. Seeking easy answers to their plight they have blamed the European Union on their situation. One potential pitfall to the unification of Europe is changing demographics of the continent as those with vivid memories of war pass on business and political leadership to a generation that doesn't remember what a real air raid drill was all about. The memory and fear of world war had a lot to do with the creation of the EU. New treaties and agreements will have to go beyond peaceful co-existence and address employment and social issues more directly than the original organizing policies have done if long term stability is to be maintained. With post World War II reconstruction proceeding to return Europe to a functioning collection of individual nations, the idea of a unified Europe rose to the top of the continental discussion as it had after World War I. "A number of European leaders in the late 1940s became convinced that the only way to establish a lasting peace was to unite the two chief belligerent nations - France and Germany - both economically and politically"(U.S. Central Intelligence Agency 2006). The Treaty of Amsterdam on the European Union (EU) which came into force on 1 May 1999 states that the EU: must be maintained and developed as an area of freedom, security and justice; (an area) in which the free movement of persons is assured; in conjunction with appropriate measures with respect to external border controls, asylum, immigration and the prevention and combating of crime. (Directorate-General for Justice, Freedom and Security of the European Commission, 2006) The European Commission has gained the ability to resolve international disputes peaceful because member nations have given up some of their autonomy for the greater benefits afforded its members in politics, economics as well as social structure. The EU -15 as they were referred to seem to have come to the Union for economic reasons according to most

Motion against Provision of Aid to Developing Nations Coursework

Motion against Provision of Aid to Developing Nations - Coursework Example They will not develop the resources they have because they know they will get aid when they need it. Secondly, most of the aid given does not accomplish its task. It is lost in corrupt deals. Governments swindle the money meant for development of infrastructure and put it into different uses other than the expected ones (Wilkinson & Pickett, 2009:350). The goal is to have the money reach the poor, but in most instances, the poor remain poorer. Thirdly, the countries giving aid will place the recipient countries under too much pressure. These countries have to change their political and economic policies to suit the needs of their donating countries, and this shows that the recipient country owes the donating country a favor (Wilkinson & Pickett, 2009:351). Fourthly, the donating countries may have it as a condition that foreign companies need to manage the funds given, denying the hosts a chance to make their decisions. Since the developing nation needs the money, it is very easy to have them agree to such terms, but it will hurt its economy owing to the amount sent abroad rather than invested in the country (Wilkinson & Pickett, 2009:352). The fifth point is that the amount of money sent or the form of aid given could benefit large-scale projects while the common citizen who can only handle the smaller projects remains a spectator. The goal is to develop the lowest earning person to become self-sufficient, but the use of aid denies them this chance (Wilkinson & Pickett, 2009:350).

Homework Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Homework - Research Paper Example ‘Government Study of Marijuana Sees Medical Benefits’ by Strolberg presents a research directed by the government in a bid to understand the effects of marijuana on humans. In this regard, the research outcome indicated that marijuana is very beneficial when used carefully under close supervision. In this regard, it is pointed out that some of the current medication do not contain some elements such as cannabinoids, which has very high medicinal value. Moreover, the article pinpoints that there is no probability of the use of marijuana by persons who use it for medical purposes later in life. In addition, the article points out that there is no link between the use of marijuana and other hard drugs; use of marijuana does not lead to the use of hard drugs later in life. Since there has been regulations restricting the use of marijuana, the fact that the research was directed by the government, and found results that indicated the merits derived from medicinal marijuana, t hen the outcome was observed as a big blow to the current regulation. The second article, ‘Legalizing of Marijuana Raises Health Concerns’ by Rabin, Roni present an issue on legislation on the use of marijuana for recreation purposes by various states in the United states of America. In this regard, the two articles addresses the issue of legislation of marijuana, which might lead to an increase in the number of people using the drug. In addition, the two article agrees that the use of marijuana with no supervision might have negative effect on the health of the consumers; â€Å"Increased potency may be having unforeseen consequences. The human brain’s cannabinoid receptors are typically activated by naturally occurring chemicals in the body called endocannabinoids, which are similar to THC. It is revealed that, there is a high density of cannabinoid receptors in parts of the brain that affect pleasure, memory and concentration. Some research suggests that these areas continue to be affected by marijuana use even after the â€Å"high† dissipates† ( Rabin, 2013 para 8) and â€Å"Marijuana smoke, they said, is even more toxic than tobacco smoke, and can cause cancer, lung damage and complications during pregnancy† (Strolberg 1999, para 9). According to Reni’s findings, teenagers are more vulnerable to additions, especially those that begin the smoking habits at a tender age get exposed to higher risks because young people who staring smoking early tend to smoke more and often. According to Roni’s records, researchers have pointed that users that develop such additions cannot quit and even when they quit, some negative impacts affect them greatly. This is because withdrawal symptoms; lack of appetite, mood swings, depression, anxiety, troubled sleep, and irritability revolves around their life. This becomes difficult for them to bear and many of them go back into smoking to gain energy and overcome the sympto ms. Such young people end up unproductive and thus, it qualifies the in posing of such regulations that government use of the drug. In some states, regulations have been passed to try to control the age at which legal marijuana can be used. For instance, in Washington, only adults aged twenty-one and above are allowed legally to use the drug for creational purposes. On the other hand, experts have different views about marijuana because the stigma associate with it has slowly eroded away and more and more

Perspectives on Organisational Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Perspectives on Organisational Change - Essay Example Structural/Functional Perspective: Firstly, the structural/functional perspective grew from the age of industrialism. This was a time of modernism where defined inputs equalled to defined outputs. The total was the sum of the parts. Cause was based on effect; measurement was a rigid and mathematical science that was believed could properly define every level of an organisation. During this period of modernism, the ideas of people such as Henry Ford and others helped to further regiment the organisation and labour processes that helped to define them. As Grieves states, â€Å"(Functionalism) was able to look at an organisation as a control mechanism: that is to say, to understand the important structural components and to articulate the functional interrelationships between he parts...because it is a model for controlling operations, this model is therefore mechanistic. It tends to ignore the motivations, behaviours, attitudes, and values that contribute to effective performance† (Grieves, 2010). As such, this approach, born out of rationalism, defined the unit as a sum of its component parts. This extremely scientific and methodical approach tended to miss the mark with regards to who and what actually made up the backbone of an organisation. Such thinking is doubtless one of the causal factors that made institutions such as the League of Nations such short-lived experiments. Doubtless, there is a distinct need for exactness and measurability when analyzing the inner workings of industry. ... It tends to ignore the motivations, behaviours, attitudes, and values that contribute to effective performance† (Grieves, 2010). As such, this approach, born out of rationalism, defined the unit as a sum of its component parts. This extremely scientific and methodical approach tended to miss the mark with regards to who and what actually made up the backbone of an organisation. Such thinking is doubtless one of the causal factors that made institutions such as the League of Nations such short-lived experiments. Doubtless, there is a distinct need for exactness and measurability when analyzing the inner workings of industry. This is not to say that there is no place for such regimentation and cold precision; however, this type of analysis is dangerous in that it does not take into account the human factor at any level whatsoever. At its core, any organisation, any unit, any work group is comprised of people; as such, it only stands to reason that by completely ignoring the effec ts that the individual will have on any process or change dynamic, one is in danger of oversimplifying the organisation as a sum of its mechanistic parts (Kotter, 2012). As such, sole use of the functional/structural perspective will likely lead to an oversimplification of the organisation and will result in faulty and/or incomplete information being relayed back to the management. Indeed, the text states the following concerning the functional/structural perspective: â€Å"Structural theory assumes that organisations are amenable to change – because organisations are rational and should seek to better themselves and achieve their objectives† (Grieves, 2010). Due to the very nature of change, the known effects of culture, the very real threat of resistance to change within an organisation,

Two approaches to parenting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Two approaches to parenting - Essay Example On the other hand, authoritarian parenting is unresponsive and totalitarian in nature. This implies that while authoritative parenting is indulgent or permissive, authoritarian parenting is neglectful. While authoritarian parenting features child-focused approaches that have high anticipations of maturity, authoritative parenting understands how children feel and teaches how to regulate the feelings (Bernstein 38). Authoritative parents also encourage independence but still limits and controls children’s actions. While children are required to follow rules in the two styles, failure of which results in punishment, the authoritarian style is less democratic than the authoritative style (Bernstein 69). This is because punishment in authoritarian parenting is not explained, meaning children may not know exactly what they were punished for. On the other hand, authoritative parenting is more responsive to children, ready to listen to and answer questions and explain the purpose of punishment. Further, authoritative parents are more likely to forgive and nurture their children rather than punish them in the event of not following rules. Finally, children brought up in the authoritarian style are likely to develop less social competence than those brought up in the authoritative style because they lack self-confidence. On the other hand, authoritative parenting will most likely build higher self-esteem and develops democratic values (Bernstein

Romanticism in Frankenstein Essay Example for Free

Romanticism in Frankenstein Essay Romanticism was an intellectual movement that took hold in Europe during the late 18th century. Romanticism was born out of a direct opposition to Enlightenment views that emphasized reason, science and knowledge. The Enlightenment had evolved as a response to oppression by the church. During the Enlightenment Europeans began to question the laws of the church and state that were deemed biased and unfair. As a result to this oppression Europeans began to seek out knowledge and the philosophers of the time were seen as political thinkers and leaders. In contrast, Romanticism was a movement that opposed political norms that were the foundation of Enlightenment thinking. Romanticism placed emphasis on feelings, love, individuality and imagination to name a few. Romanticism touched all facets of art, literature and music during the late 1800s. Many writers during this time produced works that help to define the era of Romanticism by creating characters that were individualists with a keen sense of â€Å"self-definition and self-awareness† (Brians). Mary Shelley is considered one of the great novelists of the Romantic period even though she is only credited with writing one novel that falls within the Romantic genre. Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein: or The Modern Prometheus, in 1818 as part of a writing competition held by Lord Byron in Geneva. It was originally published under an anonymous author and Shelley’s name did not appear on the novel until a second edition was released in 1823. Frankenstein was Shelley’s most famous work and it is said that the idea for the novel came to Shelley in a dream. In her dream Shelley observes a scientist piecing together parts of mans body, only to be horrified in the end by the unnaturalness of his creation. Frankenstein is considered the first work of science fiction and also a novel that contains ideas central to the Romanticist and Gothic movements (www.egs.edu). In Frankenstein, the main protagonist Victor Frankenstein is the embodiment of Shelley’s romanticist ideals. Victor’s ambition is to create a living, breathing being out of the innate materials in his laboratory. Victor reiterates his relenting passion for creating an artificial being by stating that no single person can â€Å"conceive the variety of feelings which bore me onwards, like a hurricane.† This statement shows that Victor wants to surpass his human limitations to create a new life form. Victor Frankenstein is considered a romantic character because he embodies the Romantic ideals of imagination and innovation. He is a dreamer, who is obsessed with impossible standards and ideals. In this sense, he embodies Romantic traits of unrelenting ambition and is therefore seen as one of the great Romantic characters. Ironically, in Victor’s passionate pursuit of perfection he creates a monster that is the embodiment of imperfection (Shelley). Other examples of Romantic themes in the novel appear when Shelley incorporates vivid descriptions of nature. Throughout the novel, Shelley uses lyrical language to describe the awesomeness of nature which is the backdrop of the story. Shelley’s characters recount their inner feelings and these inner feelings often mimic the state of nature around them. For example, the barren and icy descriptions of the land in which Walton forges into and where the monster ultimately retreats to emphasize the experiences of the monster who fights against the isolation he feels as a result of his monstrous form. The barren landscape can also mirror the isolation that Walton must have felt when he foolishly travels into this cold and foreboding land in the book’s opening scenes. Another example of nature mimicking feelings is the scene in which Victor awakes with much regret after creating his monster. He reflects that the morning is â€Å"dismal and wet† and he fears encountering the creature around every bend. Shelley keeps this common theme throughout the novel so that when the protagonist is scared or upset the weather conditions parallel what Victor is feeling or thinking (Shelley). With emphasis on nature and unrelenting passion, among many other Romantic themes in the novel, Mary Shelley allows her characters to express their deepest desires, even if those desires are seen as unattainable to the reader. These elements of descriptive nature, along with a myriad of emotions that are expressed by the characters help to solidify Frankenstein as one of the great Romantic novels of its time. Works Cited Brians, Paul. Romanticism. Romanticism. Washington State University, 11 Mar. 1998. Web. 10 Feb. 2013. Mary Shelley Biography. Mary Shelley. The European Graduate School, n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2013 Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft, and Maurice Hindle. Frankenstein, Or, The Modern Prometheus. London: Penguin, 2003. Print

Uniqlo Clothing Analysis

Uniqlo Clothing Analysis Introduction Japanese clothing brand, Uniqlo, specialises in stylish casual-wear which is both high quality and affordable. It is the predominant brand of the Japanese company Fast Retailing Company Limited and accounts for 90 per cent of companys total sales (UNIQLO UK). The first Uniqlo store opened its doors in Japan in 1984 and there are now over 760 stores across the country. Now a global brand, Uniqlo began international expansion with the opening of the first UK store in 2001, and it is Uniqlo UK which will be the focus of this report. After introducing itself to the UK, it was not long before Uniqlo had 23 stores across England. However, the brands simple designs did not prove popular and within two years 18 stores were closed (Marketing, 2007). Since its relaunch in 2007, Uniqlo UK has been gaining momentum, but it still has a long way to go towards becoming a leading fashion retailer in Britain. Consequently, this report aims to further this momentum through the development of a new integrated marketing communications campaign which would be implemented in 2010. Summary Context Analysis Customer Context Segment Characteristics Uniqlo currently targets a very wide audience, describing its key demographics as: Male and female; Fashion-conscious; Cost-aware; and aged between 16 and 96! (UNIQLO UK) Calgary Avansino, Executive Fashion Editor of Vogue magazine, has personally experienced the wide appeal of the Japanese brand. She said, â€Å"the store is for a young customer but at the same time I went with my mum who is 60 and she bought the skinny jeans in taupe and burgundy† (The Independent, 2009). However, the lack of focus which comes with having such broad segmentation results in an unclear brand identity, thus making it harder for Uniqlo to stand out. Brand Awareness, Perception Attitudes Awareness Every single one of Uniqlos 14 UK stores are concentrated in and around London. Current marketing communications are therefore focussed mainly on the London area, and as a result awareness of the brand outside this region is low. Include brand awareness pie chart + sentence about where theyre from. Perception Uniqlo is generally perceived as â€Å"deliver[ing] true value quality and style at a fair price† (Inside Retailing, 2009). Attitudes A random selection of Uniqlo shoppers on Oxford Street, London, were asked their opinions of the brand earlier this year. Eighteen-year-old student Rafaela commented on the versatility of the designs, stating they are â€Å"easy to mix and match†, and twenty-year-old textile design student Holly similarly said, â€Å"you can make the clothes look your own with more individual accessories. I love the massive range of colours.† Twenty-seven-year-old visual effects artist Nick liked â€Å"the fact that there are no naff slogans or logos†, and twenty-year-old textile student Iona appreciated Uniqlos â€Å"simplicity† (The Independent, 2009). Level of Involvement Involvement is relatively low when it comes to Uniqlos products. This is because it offers basic, inconspicuous clothing designs, none of which visibly feature the Uniqlo logo, and prices are reasonable which lowers risk. Business Context Market Positioning â€Å"Clothes that can be worn by anyone, any day†; â€Å"Uniqlo †¦ focuses on quality and value with a broad demographic appeal, though it has aimed at attracting young trendsetters by collaborations with designers and artists.† (Mintel, 2008) Current Marketing Mix Product Basics Simple, plain designs for both men and women, in a wide variety of colours. Items include t-shirts, outerwear, knitwear, jeans, trousers, and accessories, as well as dresses and skirts for women. HEATTECH Uses unique material, developed by Uniqlo and Toray Industries, which retains body heat. +J Collection made especially for Uniqlo by designer Jill Sander, released 1st October 2009. In the words of Calgary Avansino, â€Å"Her look is classic and simple, but also cutting edge in the way she cuts and presents her clothes† (The Independent, 2009). UT Uniqlo T-shirts (a sub-brand); Limited edition collections of t-shirts created by designers and artists from all over the world; UT has a different image to the rest of Uniqlos products and the t-shirts are promoted and sold separately. It will therefore not be included in the IMC campaign this report seeks to create. Price Basics Jeans roughly  £25, t-shirts  £8- £14, cashmere around  £25- £45 (Mintel, 2008); HEATTECH From  £6.99 (UNIQLO UK, 2009); +J Outerwear  £49.99- £99.99, bottoms  £24.99- £29.99, shirts  £24.99, jersey and sweats  £14.99- £29.99, knitwear  £19.99- £29.99, cashmere  £59.99-99.99, accessories  £14.99-79.99 (F.Tape, 2009). Place Physical stores: Currently 14 Uniqlo stores in the UK, including global flagship store on Oxford Street in London. The other stores are also all situated in the south of England, in and around the capital. Online store: Uniqlos comprehensive UK online store is an important distribution channel, allowing the rest of the country access to the brand. Promotion Advertising Uniqlo UK generally avoids overt TV advertising, but it has recently released a TV commercial for its HEATTECH range (see Appendix ?). Uniqlo mainly invests in press (newspapers and magazines), and outdoor (billboards, in the subway, and on buses). Look to Appendix C for a table detailing Uniqlos advertising spend, Appendix? for examples of Uniqlos recent print advertising and Appendix ? for examples of their outdoor advertising. This summer Uniqlo launched a global ad campaign for their new casual sportswear, featuring well-known models Agyness Deyn, Luke Worrall and Gabriel Aubry (see Appendix ?). Public Relations UT Cannes Lions Grand Prix 2010 Part of the Cannes Liones International Advertising Festival; Annual t-shirt design competition held by Uniqlo; The top 20 designs will be made into Uniqlo products, and the overall winner gets $10,000 (US); Semi-finalists announced November 2009, finalists announced February 2010. Uniqlo Jump Collection of photographs of Uniqlo employees from around the world (UK, USA, Japan, China and South Korea) mid-jump, and wearing Uniqlo clothing. Uniqlo Paper (Uniqlos online and in-store magazine) Articles in magazines/newspapers Sales Promotion Partnerships with specialised discount websites (www.vouchercodes.co.uk, www.hotukdeals.com); Since January 2008, Uniqlo has been involved in an affiliate programme with LinkShare which has resulted in a partnership between Uniqlo and Marie Claire magazine. The Japanese brand received editorial exposure on Marie Claires website, which featured ten exclusively discounted Uniqlo products (Revolution, 2009). Interactive Marketing Communications Uniqlock Online clock which can be set to any time zone; Features continuous rhythmic music, short clips of Japanese dancers wearing Uniqlo clothes every five seconds, and extended dance sequences every hour; Users can post a mini version of the clock to Facebook, Bebo, Myspace or their personal blog, or they can download it as a screensaver or as an iPhone/iPod Touch application. Uniqlo Calendar (similar idea to Uniqlock) Uniqlo Introduction Flash page attached to uniqlo.com; Gives a sense of Uniqlos brand identity and the range of clothing available. In short, Uniqlo currently has a wide and varied marketing communications mix, and a lot has been done below-the-line to engage the consumer. However, the communications are far from integrated: the advertising campaigns are all rather individual, could quite easily be for HM or Zara, and do not match the quirky, fun and distinctly Japanese character of many of the below-the-line communications. Competitor Analysis Competition within the clothing retail market is fierce, especially given the recent economic downturn, and Uniqlo has many well-established and similarly-positioned competitors to contend with. See Appendix C for a table comparing Uniqlos annual sales total with those of its competitors. According to this table, Uniqlos three most significant competitors are American clothing brand GAP, Spanish Zara and Swedish Hennes Mauritz (HM). Gap â€Å"Clean, classic, American designs† with mid-market stance (Mintel, 2009); Has lost its distinctiveness and sales are falling (Mintel, 2008). Zara â€Å"Fast-moving fashions at affordable prices, inspired by the catwalks† (Mintel, 2009). HM â€Å"Quality at the best price† (Mintel, 2008); â€Å"[S]omething for everyone from modern basics to cutting-edge fashion †¦ Although the UK customer base is heavily skewed to 15-24-year-olds (and women), it †¦ appeals across the socio-economic spectrum.† (Mintel, 2009); Number of high profile designer collaborations in the past, plus recent release of shoe collection from Jimmy Choo; â€Å"Very strong identity in face of competition from other young fashion brands and potential for expansion.† (Mintel, 2008). External Context Stakeholders See Appendix A for a diagram of Uniqlos main stakeholders. One of Uniqlos most significant stakeholders is their suppliers. All Uniqlo products are made in the Far East, mainly in China. Fast Retailing does not own any factories but works closely with the same manufacturers year after year, thus developing loyalty and ensuring its products are of the highest quality (The Independent, 2009). PEST Analysis Political Factors Globalisation has brought the UK and Japan closer together and, as a result, the two countries are increasingly acknowledging mutual interests and concerns (Embassy of Japan in the UK, 2000). Economic Factors After the recession, UK customers have become much more price-conscious. Customers are thus more likely to look for clothes of better value with greater longevity. Socio-Cultural Factors Japanese culture is very different to that of the UK, but elements of Japanese culture, particularly food, fashion and design, have already had a great impact in the West. It has been said that, in general, â€Å"Japan is increasingly the epicentre of cool with Tokyo its style capital† (Inside Retailing, 2009). Technological Factors E- and M-commerce are both growing rapidly, and the internet is becoming increasingly central in the worlds of business and marketing. Internal Context Organisational Identity Fast Retailing, the parent company of Uniqlo, strives for excellence and efficiency in all it does, and, above all, it always put the customer first. See Appendix B for the corporate statement, mission statement, values and principles which constitute the details of Fast Retailings organisational identity. Marketing Expertise After the store closures in 2003, Uniqlos Marketing Chief at the time, Dominic Chambers, lost his job. In 2006, the former Merchandising Director for Dorothy Perkins joined Uniqlo and Marketing Manager, Amy Howarth, as part of a new team (Marketing, 2007). SWOT Analysis The following SWOT analysis has been constructed in order to highlight and summarise the main issues within the Context Analysis. Strengths High quality clothing; Clothes are easy to mix and match; Sophisticated textile technology; Comprehensive online store; Japanese identity; Reasonable prices. Weaknesses Low brand awareness among target market in UK; Brand identity inconsistent and does not stand out against competitors; Uninspiring website design. Opportunities Popularity of Japanese culture; High growth of E-commerce and M-commerce. Threats Economic recession (consumers with less disposable income); Numerous strong competitors. Objectives Business Objectives Open more stores across UK; Before the store closures in 2003, Uniqlo (UK) had branches in the North West of England, the Midlands, Manchester, Liverpool and Coventry, and original plans had been to have 50 UK stores by 2004 (Times Online, 2003). Despite its increasing success, Uniqlo still only has 14 stores in the UK, and they are all located in or around London. In 2007, Chief Operating Officer Simon Coble stated, â€Å"We would like to be trading in all the major towns and cities in UK† (Marketing, 2007). Of course it would not be wise to try and open too many new stores too quickly as this approach failed the first time around, so a realistic target might be to have one or two new stores open in 2011, perhaps in Leeds and Glasgow. Increase UK online stores sales volumes; Currently the Uniqlo website is the only access Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and most of England have to the brands wares. Therefore, until more stores are opened across the UK, the online store is vital. A 20% increase in online sales by 2011 would be a realistic target. Increase market share. Because the market is saturated, this will involve taking market share from competitors. A realistic target would be a 1.5% market share by 2011. The reason this percentage is so low is because Uniqlo does not even appear in Mintels table of estimated market shares of leading retailers in womenswear from 2002 to 2007. Further, this table shows that Uniqlos strongest competitor, HM, only had a 1.2% share of the womenswear retailing market in 2007 (Mintel, 2008). Communication Objectives Increase consumer awareness and engagement among target audience across UK; The brand is currently relatively unknown beyond London. In terms of the DRIP Model, this objective fits with the key task of informing the consumer. Of course, awareness is not enough on its own: the consumer needs to be engaged. Uniqlo already engage their consumers through such means as Uniqlock, but engagement efforts need to be furthered as awareness increases. Differentiate from competitors through development of distinctive brand identity. Analysts concluded that Uniqlos initial losses after coming to the UK were due to the brand â€Å"fail[ing] to offer clothes that were sufficiently distinctive from rivals such as Gap, Zara, HM and the recently revitalised Marks Spencer† (Times Online, 2003). In terms of the DRIP Model, this objective fits with the key task of differentiating in the mind of the consumer. Marketing Communications Strategy Segmentation Targeting Look to Appendix E for a table of possible market segments for Uniqlo to target. This IMC campaign will use Segment 2 as its primary target. Because Positioning Positioning Strategy This IMC campaign will be based on a pull-positioning strategy, as objectives are to increase awareness and encourage involvement, and messages are to be directly targeted at end-user customers. A consumer-driven campaign fits with the value Fast Retailing places on approaching issues from the customers perspective. Key Message The key message will be that Uniqlo provides the consumer with fashionable but simple clothing which is easy to mix and match and therefore allows each customer to create their own unique look. Uniqlo does not simply reproduce catwalk trends which result in everyone wearing the same thing: Uniqlo encourages individuality. The brand already promotes a similar idea on their rather isolated online introduction, which can only really be stumbled upon as it is not linked directly from the main website. It states: â€Å"Were not a brand that dictates a total lifestyle. To us, clothes are items the individual chooses to express a personal lifestyle† (UNIQLO INTRODUCTION). The aim of this campaign is therefore to make more of a feature of this message, and make it consistent across the rest of their marketing communications. It will be called the YOUniqlo campaign. Communications Mix The tag-line which will appear throughout our campaign is Uniqlo. Mix it up. It is concise, funky, and vague enough to apply to all our communications tools. It conveys the idea of doing things differently and, more specifically, relates to the fact Uniqlos clothing is easy to mix and match. Advertising Advertising will significantly contribute to a rise in brand awareness and the development of a more definite and unique brand identity. It should also drive further business to the online store from across the UK as well as to the actual shops in and around London, and ultimately increase Uniqlos market share. It is important to remember, however, that our target audience is advertising and marketing literate and will not be patronised by clichà ©s and blatant selling techniques. The YOUniqlo campaign must avoid the overt, and instead offer quirky and entertaining ads which engage the consumer and, furthermore, project a consistent brand identity. Print: Magazines Magazine advertisements are good for creating impact and demanding readers attention. Further, the sheer quantity of different genres and titles means it is easy to target a specific audience (Fill, 2009: 715). Judging by primary research, the chosen target market segment tend to read magazines such as Vogue, Cosmopolitan and Elle (). Particularly since these magazines contain extensive style advice, it would be wise to put print advertisements in them. The YOUniqlo print campaign will use unknown, friendly-looking models who will be much more relatable than the likes of Agyness Deyn. This should bring the brand and the consumer closer together. The adverts will illustrate the mix it up message through featuring one model superimposed three times in the same image. Each version of the model will be in a different pose and wearing a contrasting outfit. The outfits will all look very different but there will be some overlap in individual items, thus demonstrating the mix and match aspect. Appendix ? shows a mock-up of the womenswear ad, though the real ad would be portrait rather than landscape and have a plain white background. There will also be a version for menswear. Outdoor: Transit Shelter Poster The age group being targeted by the YOUniqlo campaign, in particular the students living in and around city centres, are unlikely to have cars. Therefore, advertising at bus stops would be a good idea. Ten classic, relatively unisex Uniqlo items will be selected to make a series of transit shelter posters, with one item being used on each. They will each be nicely photographed front-on and look as though they are being worn, and will be shown life-size on a transparent background, positioned to match where they would sit on an average-sized person. Some interesting and amusing accessories will also be shown in order to create humour appeal. See Appendix ? for mock-ups of the posters. Involvement will then occur as people can pose behind the poster and have it look as though they are wearing the items featured. Since only one Uniqlo item will be shown on each poster, individuals will all look different as the items mix with their own outfits. This therefore expresses the mix it up message. Bus stops on central streets and around university campuses in major cities will be ideal locations for reaching the target audience and attracting attention. Interactive Marketing Communications Website As acknowledged in the SWOT analysis, one of Uniqlos strengths is their comprehensive online store. It is a great functional tool with easy navigation and simple checkout process. However, it currently gives no sense of brand identity, with the main page launching straight into new releases and current offers. Earlier this year Uniqlo collaborated with 4Ps Marketing, a search engine marketing agency, and through customised Search Engine Optimisation and Pay Per Click campaigns Uniqlos only revenue has since increased by 30.76% (4Ps Marketing, 2009). It therefore seems wise to mould and expand the website into a demonstration of the brand as well as its actual clothing. This would add greater interest and individuality to the site, thus helping to differentiate the brand in the mind of the consumer. It would further engage the consumer, and ultimately help fulfil the business objective of increasing online sales volumes. As stated by Terence A. Shimp, websites â€Å"can be considered the centrepiece of companies online advertising efforts† (Shimp, 2007: 443). The general feel of the website should match that of the physical stores, which have a very streamlined look and give a firm but not clichà ©d sense of Uniqlos Japanese identity (see Appendix ?). There should also be the option of signing up to a members section, which will add users to a mailing list and give them access to extra features and exclusive deals. Sponsored Facebook Group Many retailers around the world already use sponsored Facebook groups as a way of directly marketing towards Generation Y, a new type of consumers highly influenced by the internet. Such online groups give marketers the ability to target a particular audience by using a ‘member list to message people and inform them about new collections or events. As part of the YOUniqlo campaign, the sponsored Facebook group will operate in line with the PR activities, and messaging can be tailored depending on the location of the user in relation to that of the event. Consumers can also become more involved through use of the discussion board. Public Relations Organisation of a large-scale PR event would greatly help fulfil the brand awareness and engagement objective. It would not only grab the target audiences attention, but also that of the media, thus generating further publicity for the brand. The YOUniqlo event will revolve around a nation-wide art competition, called Uniqlo Masterpiece appropriate as Uniqlo clothing appeals to artistic, creative people. Consumers will be attracted to a Competition section of the re-launched website, where they can use a Flash application to create their own artwork using small graphics of Uniqlo clothing items in a wide variety of colours (see Figure 1). This will emphasise Uniqlos wide range of items and colours, and it fits with the Mix it up concept as it encourages users to mix Uniqlo clothes to create something truly unique. Entrants must be: Aged 18-25; UK residents; Signed up as member of the Uniqlo website. After the competition closes, twenty semi-finalists from across the UK will be chosen by Uniqlo. Website members will then be able to vote for their favourite from the final twenty, thus creating further involvement and engagement. After the vote closes, five finalists will be revealed and invited down to London for the main event (travel expenses paid), where they will create a real version of their artwork using Uniqlo clothes on one of five big white canvases. The event will take place in the courtyard in front of Somerset House (see Appendix), and big screens will be present to show how the artworks look from above. Each finalist can compete as part of a group of up to four people. The event will have a DJ, be hosted by a local celebrity, and have a judging panel present to decide the winner at the end of the afternoon. PRIZES? + Donation of clothes to Oxfam? which adds CSR into the mix. Scheduling and Implementation Table 1: Media schedule for 2010 YOUniqlo campaign Taking the workings of the fashion industry into consideration, the print and outdoor campaigns will run in accordance with the release of new ranges at the beginning of each season. Pre-Event 01/02/10 Re-launch of Uniqlo website together with opening of Uniqlo Masterpiece competition. 01/02 31/03/10 Online entry using Flash application. 07/04 30/04/10 Online public vote from list of 20 semi-finalists. 07/05/10 Top 5 announced. Event 05/06/10 Final event in London. Table 2: Timetable for Uniqlo Masterpiece competition The competition has been timed so that the main event lands comfortably on Saturday 5th June. Nice weather is important for an outdoor event, and most students will have finished their exams by then. Publicity for competition on website and through sponsored Facebook group. + Use Bluetooth on day of event to attract passers by. Resources The proper execution of the YOUniqlo campaign relies on Uniqlos resources. This resource has evolved to become a strategic function that perceives the association between talented people and the success of an organization. Uniqlo needs to have the strength of extensive man power to establish a successful marketing campaign. The human resource involved in the campaign includes the professional team which comes up with innovative print ads, the efficient PR team which has the ability to host an event by capturing the audiences attention and a tech savvy team which creates breakthrough in internet advertising. The proper execution of a campaign depends on the financial resources available to support it. Uniqlo‘s most recent annual report available (2006) depicts that it has sufficient funds to carry out an extensive media campaign. The costs involved in conducting a campaign include the venue hiring costs, the cost of publishing print ads in magazines and the cost of publicizing the event through various websites. Uniqlo must treat this expenditure of conducting a campaign as an investment to create awareness about their brand and its uniqueness. Justify cost of PR event + prizes by fact that theyve already paid for supermodel Agyness Deyn + various celebs at Uniqlo flagship store opening. Evaluation, Control Feedback Precisely, several post-testing tools will be applied (tracking studies and likeability test) to create reliable and validated feedback (Fill, 2009). Deciding on the scope of the evaluation, it is logical to refer back to the communication objectives and assess to what extent they were achieved. Tracking studies will give the company a good view of communication campaign impact on brand awareness in the targeted regions of the UK. Interviewing a large number of people in these areas on a regular basis will also provide significant data on how their attitude and perception of Uniqlo has being influenced by all marketing efforts of the company. The awareness of the Uniqlo.co.uk will be easier to track by the number of hits from UK users. However, awareness on its own is not so important for the brand performance, unless level of engagement is also high. Youniqlo campaign was designed to create customer engagement with the brand and likeability analysis will aim to assess its success. The method will examine the level of entertainment/enjoyment people received from, for example, PR event or bus stop advertisements. A good showing here will also be the number of pictures uploaded to the company website. The likeability analysis will also demonstrate how well company has managed to differentiate itself from the competitors in consumers minds. QUALITATIVE. Recall tests. Conclusion Corporate Statement Changing clothes. Changing conventional wisdom. Change the world. Group Mission To create truly great clothing with new and unique value, and to enable people all over the world to experience the joy, happiness and satisfaction of wearing such great clothes; To enrich peoples lives through our unique corporate activities, and seek to grow and develop our company in unity with society. Values Approaching issues from the customer perspective; Embracing innovation and challenge; Respecting and supporting individuals to foster both corporate and personal growth; Committing to ethical standards and correctness. Principles Do everything possible for our customers; Pursue excellence and aim for the highest possible level of achievement; Achieve strong results through the promotion of diversity and teamwork; Move speedily and decisively in everything we do; Conduct business in a very real way based on the current marketplace, products and facts; Act as global citizens with ethics and integrity. (Fast Retailing, 2008) Appendix C: Uniqlos Advertising Spend, 2006-7 Total Spend Cinema Direct mail Internet Outdoor Press Radio TV  £m % % % % % % % 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 25.3 74.5 0.2 0.0 Uniqlos total advertising spend and media used, year to end May 2007. Source: Nielsen Media Research/Mintel (Mintel, 2007). Appendix D: Total Annual Sales of Uniqlo and Its Competitors Company Name (Flagship Brand) Country Fiscal Year End Sales ( ¥ Billions) GAP USA Jan. 2008 1723.7 INDITEX (ZARA) Spain Jan. 2008 1517.5 HM Sweden Nov. 2007 1342.1 Limited Brands USA Jan. 2008 1108.2 NEXT UK Jan. 2008 666.2