Impact of Swedens Integration to the EU

Impact of Swedens Integration to the EU The Geography of European Integration Alexandrou Efstratia-Celia Category A Sweden and its experience from the process of integration and enlargement The enlargement process has been a top priority for the European Union during the first years of the 21th century. Sweden’s accession was in 1995 along with Austria and Finland, when these countries became members of the European Union. However, even before this accession, Sweden –as well as the other two countries- followed a path of increasing commitment to the European integration process – from a free trade arrangement, via the European Economic Area (the EFTA states’ affiliation to the Internal Market), to full EU membership. Moreover, Sweden’s economy was highly internationalized, and at the same time quite similar to its EU neighbors when it came to income and structure. Keeping this in mind, joining the EU in 1995 was not an actual large step. At the turn of the year 1991- 1992, Swedish economy –along with others- had been facing a downturn for about two years. The Maastricht negotiation was in its final stage but the Internal Market Program was also a central theme on the political agenda, in the European Community as well as in the EFTA (European Free Trade Association) states. In 1992 the Internal Market was formally accomplished and the EEA (European Economic Area) agreement was signed. It was after the collapse of the Communist bloc that made neutrality a problem and full accession to the EC had become a primary political objective. In the end of 1992, the Swedish currency fell dramatically, with a variety of consequences on exports (Central Bank, Sweden, 1996). Following the above, a period of low inflation began. In January 1994, Sweden entered the Internal Market through the EEA agreement. The same year, a referendum brought EU issues to the public debate, and in January 1995 Sweden became members of the EU. While entering the European Union, notable expectations were held, both in positive and negative terms. Firstly, the situation for small and medium – sized enterprises (SMEs) and the people working for them could be of particular interest concerning the integration process. Secondly, from EU’s point of view, as well as from Swedish policy makers’, small firms were relied upon to create employment and a dynamic economy (Commission of the EC, 1995). At the same time, the Internal Market is a project of increasing scale, in markets and in production. However, when it comes to smaller firms they could be more vulnerable, as their capacity to detect and respond to environmental and societal change could be low or inadequate (d’ Amboise and Muldowney, 1988). So in order for integration not to be beneficial for large firms only, measures have been taken aiming to improve the situation for SMEs in the Internal Market. In spite of smaller firms’ resource sit uation being critical -having to do with distances, languages, cultural and administrative differences etc-, nevertheless, integration measures could also be beneficial for them as they can reduce crucial thresholds. In the field of manufacturing, the actual degree of integration, for example measured as the importance of international transactions, is relatively high. Although numerous types of obstacles to transactions between member states of the EU are reduced, while preconditions for economic activity are harmonized, there is a strong potential for further integration that we can’t overlook. Therefore, following a country’s entry into a common market, trade was expected to achieve certain increase as well as competition would be able to reach new areas of the economy. According to Bonnedahl’s questionnaire, when it came to consequences from integration, more firms concerned competition more often as a threat rather than as an opportunity. Furthermore, distribution issues, including goods handling and certification were characterized as facilitated regarding business within the EU, whereas business with third countries had become more difficult or costly. In addition to the above, competition from low cost producers in Eastern Europe is an important issue with many firms tending to move their production in lower cost countries outside Sweden. The beneficial part had to do with the business interaction with the EU as it was after the integration more positive (Bonnedahl, 2004). Additionally, in 1996 –already- the firms had higher sales to EU markets, which means that when integration measures succeed in reducing differences between countries there a decrease is expected in the need for a successive build-up of resources and experience. Another consequence is that some of the possibilities for protection on the domestic market will be weakened. Last but not least the endurance of certain differences could be an advantage in smaller firms, whereas in large multinational firms is no problem at all as they can make more out of a single market. In conclusion, although responses to the general question of whether consequences from integration suggest that the Internal Market’s impact has been positive and negative at the same time and while economic stability difficulties have arise we should not overlook the main advantage which is the increasing commitment to foreign markets, of which some could be attributed to the formal integration process as well as the attitude to EU trade which has also become more positive. References Abrams, R.K. et.al. (1990). The Impact of the European Community’s Internal Market on the EFTA. IMF, Washington, dec. Barnes, I. Barnes, P.M. (1995) The enlarged European Union. Longman, London. Blomstrà ¶m, M. Lipsey, R.E. (1994) Norden i EU Vad sà ¤ger ekonomerna om effekterna? SNS, Stockholm. Bonnedahl, K.J. (2004) The Integration of Sweden to the European Internal Market: A process examined through data from small and medium sized firms 1992, 1996 and 2004 Bonnedahl, K.J. (1999) En fà ¶retagsstrategisk analys av ekonomisk integration: Konsekvenser av Europas inre marknad fà ¶r svenska mindre tillverkande fà ¶retag. Dissertation: Umeà ¥ university. Central Bank (Riksbanken). Penning- och valutapolitik 1/1996. Stockholm, 1996. Commission of the EC. (1995(a)) COM(95) 502 final. Hantverkssektorn och smà ¥fà ¶retagen nyckeln till tillvà ¤xt och sysselsà ¤ttning i Europa. Brussels. Commission of the EC. (1995(b)) CSE(95) 2087. SMEs: a dynamic source of employment, growth and competitiveness in the European Union. Brussels. Commission of the EC. (1996) COM(96) 98 final. Att till fullo utnyttja de europeiska smà ¥ och medelstora fà ¶retagens mà ¶jligheter till sysselsà ¤ttning, tillvà ¤xt och konkurrenskraft. Brussels. There is determinism in the integration experience of EU economies: less advanced will be affected negatively by competition, more advanced will be favored. The phrase economic integration could be described as a way by which countries aim to increase their level of welfare. Regional economic integration may appear in different forms based on the degree of integration between countries. The four main types of regional arrangements are: free trade agreements, customs unions, common markets and single markets. Free trade agreement is a preferential trade arrangement in which taxes – fees among members do not exist. In a customs union, members additionally opt for a common external tax. Common market is about members permitting free, or at least, greatly increased, factor mobility within the market. The single market is the highest form of economic integration, stipulating that all producers and consumers are governed by exactly the same rules, implying that they must be treated equally in all parts of the market. An even deeper level of integration is reached if countries within a single market agree to coordinate their economic pol icies (Economic Union) or if countries within a single market agree to common policies in almost every sector (Political Union). When observing the process of European economic integration the first thing that pops up is that cohesion countries have moved considerably closer to Community average in terms of per capita GDP and then -following the economic crisis moved away- again. Typically, the EU measures cohesion as inter-regional differences in labour market conditions and average income per head. This approach is not without its problems. Firstly, such a focus can overlook the extent of intra-regional inequalities (Collier, 1994), for instance, has pointed out that per capita income requirements for a region can be close to EU average but can hide quite marked intra-regional differences. Secondly there is a fundamental problem in defining and measuring cohesion by reference to â€Å"regional indicators†: measures of interregional inequality depend on the regional boundaries which are selected (O’ Donnell, 1993). The economic performance of some regions improved significantly during the 1980’s. However, there is no evidence proving there is a trend towards the elimination of disparities. Indeed, disparities between member states such as Spain, Italy and the UK have increased significantly over recent years. Regional inequality remains entrenched in Europe and seems to be growing rather than diminishing. The problem is to put into perspective when it is recognized that regional GDP per capita disparities in the EU are twice as high as in the US and unemployment disparities three times higher than in the US (CEC 1991). These spatial disparities are supposed to be tackled by the EU’s various Structural Funds, which grew in size and importance during the 1980s. The accession of the UK and Ireland extended the scale and nature of the regional problem within the EU. In particular the UK brought with it a number of crisis – hit industrial regions. The UK’s problems in this regard were particularly acute, but similar problems of concentrated industrial decline emerged in most northern member states during the 70’s and the problem of converting regions in industrial decline became an important task of the ERDF. During the 1980s the accession of Greece and later Spain and Portugal brought new concern with cohesion, as did intensifying problems in the declining industrial regions. The Structural Funds were reformed in 1979 and 1984 as the Commission sought to increase the available resources and to improve the effectiveness of the funds. A more far-reaching reform of the Structur al Funds occurred in 1988. This reform differed from the previous ones in so far as it was one aspect of the renewed impetus to economic integration, represented by the signing of the Single European Act. Another problem when it comes to EU’s approach to cohesion is the faith it places in market forces to stimulate growth and see to its â€Å"trickle down† to the less developed regions. A wise expression of the EU approach to cohesion is the one given by Delors (1989) who rejected the idea that there are inevitable winners or losers in the process of integration. Peripherality, for instance, is no longer described as a serious problem on the terms that transport costs are becoming, gradually, less important regarding the location of industrial production. New developments in telecommunications and increased capital mobility are seen to represent an opening up of the firms’ choices relative to the aspect of location, with the implication that this may benefit the less favoured regions. Delors concludes that the most important factor determining the distribution of industrial activity is effective supply-side policies, and for this readon he rejects regional employm ent and capital subsidies. The former, he argues, may give the wrong signal to those responsible for labour comptetitiveness while the latter may encourage inefficient investment. In conclusion, the question is not whether the proposals above are good or bad –few would oppose them- but whether they are good enough in order to close the regional gap in Europe. It has to be asked, also, whether any positive gains resulting from EU regional policy in facilitating cohesion are complemented by EU policy actions designed to enhance European competitiveness. In my opinion, the evidence until now shows us that larger firms and advanced regions are being favored. Let’s hope that eventually the opposite will happen. References Delors, J., (1989). Report on economic and monetary union in the European Community. Committee for the study of economic and monetary union. European Cohesion Policy 2014-2020. European CommisionCategory B Department of Planning and Regional Development Alexandrou Efstratia-Celia

Behaviour Modification Case Studies

Behaviour Modification Case Studies BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION SOPHIA A. JOHNSON 24 year old Marla suffers from extreme fear of social situations, she is employed to an advertising firm where she is expected to interact in multiple social setting as a means of networking. Marla is afraid if she does not get help she may lose her job. Marla is suffering from a fear of social situations, the operant behavior is her inability function in a social setting such as maintaining eye contact, she holds her head down, eyes lowered and her words are often inaudible. She often displays a slight nervous shaking almost in a trembling manner and her palms also becomes moist and sweaty making it socially inappropriate to shake hands. A flushed complexion also results from being in any social situations. This extreme fear of social situation is overcome by Marla escaping or engaging in an avoidance response known as the operant behavior, which is exhibited when the fear producing-stimulus (social settings) is present. In this case study Marla’s respondent behavior we see where she is unable to function in any social situation and prior to being employed she was able to avoid attendance to social events or gatherings. When Marla is in a social situation or functions this known as the CS (conditioned stimulus) that causes the CR (conditioned responses) which is fear or anxiety. Respondent behavior aids in the development of an anxiety problem by how the fear is able to be developed through conditioning as a result of the response received when the fear is encountered. Such as Marla avoiding going to parties or attending functions or public events. Systematic and in-vivo desensitization are from a list of techniques used to modify the behavior of those suffering from fear or anxiety. Systematic desensitization was developed by Joseph Wolfe and â€Å"practices relaxation while imagining scenes of the fear producing stimulus†, (Miltenberger, 2012, p. 480). There are three steps for a successful systematic desensitization technique to be effective, learnt relaxation skills, hierarchy list of fear producing stimuli’s and use of both relaxation and fear producing stimuli’s being repeatedly shared with the client until the fear is extinct. In-vivo desensitization differs in that it moves beyond imagining to actually exposing the client to that which he/she fears, the client must then learn to remain relaxed and use the substituted reaction while engaging in the experience of fear or anxiety. One advantage of systematic desensitization is its ease and convenience for the client, not an immediate interaction with the fear. The disadvantage is that the client may be able to maintain composer while imaging the fear but is unable to follow through of maintaining the relaxation technique when faced with the real stimuli. (Miltenberger, 2012, p. 485), notes that the most effective of the two are usually in-vivo desensitization, the advantage of choosing this method is the encounter is real and allows for the fear to be addressed on the spot and any adjustment to the relaxation technique can be noted or corrected. The disadvantage however, is it is difficult depending on the type of fear and can be time consuming and expensive for both client and therapist. Marla’s Behavior Modification Procedure Relaxation techniques deep breathing, head up and maintain eye contact she will learn to take (rapid, shallow breaths that come from her chest and quietly exhales to decrease her heart rate and calm the nervousness). Create a list of Marla’s fears with rating scale for effectively facing fears and utilizing respondent techniques starting with family gatherings (20), school functions (20) office gatherings (20), and work functions (40). Practice the relaxation techniques by doing a mock function at the therapy center, then have Marla host a small party at home for family and friends, attend office gatherings and move unto the business functions). Using the in-vivo desensitization behavior modification procedure to help Marla deal with her fear of social situations, this procedure was chosen because it was time sensitive for the client to have her fear under control as if affected her job functioning. The hierarchy was chosen by first using a familiar surroundings and group to give her the support and opportunity to practice the relaxation techniques without fear of incidents, then she would move on to less comfortable situations as she gained confidence she would finally be allowed to attend a business function and face her biggest platform for her fear. It is expected that through each mock stage the alternative response will replace the fear response. Other ABA-based treatment that can be used to decrease fear and anxiety are flooding which is the process of â€Å"exposing the individual to the feared stimulus at full intensity for a prolonged period†, there is also modeling which is used with children it allows a â€Å"child to observe another person approaching the feared stimulus or engaging in the feared activity, which hopefully helps the child to then be more likely to engage in similar behavior† (Miltenberger, 2012, p. 486) The different procedures are dependent on the type, level and degree of fear as well as the age of the person being treatment, often times multiple treatment options may have to be used to successfully help the individual overcome their fear. 6 year old Jon has a hair pulling habit/ self-stimulatory behavior, he is of normal intelligence and is known to only engage in the behavior while being inactive, this can be while watching television, quiet time in school, or waiting in line with his parents. Target behavior of hair pulling defined as the fingers-to-hair contact with or without a pulling motion and twirling. It also includes taking hand to head and grabbing a hand full of hair in a continuous downward motion. (Miltenberger, 2012), defines a behavior excess as an â€Å"undesirable target behaviorthe person wants to decrease in frequency, duration, or intensity†. In the case of Jon, we would like to decrease or eliminate the number of times he engages in hair pulling while inactive. Short-term implications that may affect Jon is that he may have headaches from the continuous pulling of his hair or scalp irritation may occur. He may also engage in pulling the hair of others causing harm. The long-term implications are bald spots or trichotillomania. (Functional Analysis and Treatment of Chronic Hair Pulling in a Child with Cri du Chat Syndrome: Effects on Co-Occurring Thumb Sucking, 2008) Since the sensory stimulation from manipulating his hair between his thumb fingers reinforces Jon’s behavior, a recommended habit reversal inclusive of â€Å"awareness training, a competing response training, social support, generalization strategies, and motivational strategies† (Miltenberger, 2012, p. 516) will be used. Based on the information share we are aware of the times that the hair pulling occur, we now need to engage Jon and his caregivers into becoming aware of the moments leading up to the hair pulling. Once awareness training has been established we can engage in a competing response training using the differential reinforcement method of reinforcing Jon non-hair pulling with praise and a token system. Social support of his caregiver using cues such as hands from hair, or no pulling of hair, or giving him a book to color while they wait in line, or hands in lap as he sits during quiet time will help to reinforce the desirable behavior. Use of motivational strategies such as letting him know how neat and nice his hair looks can help to dissuade him from engaging in hair-pulling. If Jon had an intellectual disability and was unable to comprehend why pulling his hair is bad, I would utilize a different habit reversal procedure to increase its effectiveness, I would suggesting keeping his hair short to alleviate his hair pulling action. Since hair pulling is often maintained due to automatic reinforcement using other appropriate methods of removing the stimulation received from the action will aid in reducing behavior. References Functional Analysis and Treatment of Chronic Hair Pulling in a Child with Cri du Chat Syndrome: Effects on Co-Occurring Thumb Sucking. (2008). Retrieved from Association for Behavior Analysis International: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2846574/ Miltenberger, R. (2012). Behavior Modification: Principles and Procedures. 5th Edition. Wadsworth.

The Effects of the Atomic Bomb :: essays research papers

The Atomic Bomb: Effects on Hiroshima and Mankind   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The nuclear bomb was the most devastating weapon ever created by man. It was developed between 1942 and 1945 during the second World War. The project to build the worlds first atomic weapon was called The Manhattan Project. The nuclear bomb was based on the idea of splitting an atom to create energy, this is called fission. Three bombs were created, â€Å"Trinity†, â€Å"Little Boy†, and â€Å"Fat Man†. â€Å"Trinity† was dropped on a test site in New Mexico on July 16, 1945, proving the theories, engineering and mathematics of the bomb to be correct. Shortly after that, not more than 2 months, the U.S. performed the first actual nuclear attack in the history of war. The bomb â€Å"Little Boy† was dropped on the town of Hiroshima, instantly killing thousands. â€Å"Fat Man† was dropped shortly after on the town of Nagasaki. After the bombing almost all scientist involved with the creation of the bomb regretted its construc tion and spoke out against the abolishment of nuclear weapons.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Manhattan Project was led by American physicists J. Robert Oppenheimer and directed by General Leslie Graves. The project employed over 130,000 people and the total cost by the end of production was nearly 2 billion dollars, 20 billion dollars in today’s currency. Oppenheimer’s early education was at the Ethnical Culture School in New York. He took classes in math and science and many languages such as Greek, Latin, French, and German. He learned Dutch in only six weeks to give a speech in the Netherlands. He was also interested in classic and eastern philosophy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1939 rumor came to the U.S. that Germans had split the atom. The threat of the Nazis developing a nuclear weapon prompted President Roosevelt to establish The Manhattan Project. Oppenheimer set up a research lab in Los Alamos, New Mexico and brought the best minds in physics to work on the problem of creating a nuclear weapon. Although most the research and development was done in Los Alamos, there were over 30 other research locations throughout the project. After watching the first nuclear bomb test Oppenheimer was quoted as saying simply â€Å"It works.†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Now that the atomic bomb was proven to work the next question was where to drop it. Specialists in many fields were called on by the U.S. Army to help them decide on the best target for the atomic bomb. They considered many things while selecting the target such as the range the aircraft had to carry the bomb, the morale effect on the enemy, military importance of the target, and the geography of the target.

Physics :: essays research papers

Electricity has three features that include current, voltage and resistance. Current is the flow of electrons round a circuit that is measured by the ammeter in amps (A). Whilst the voltage, refer to as potential difference, is the driving force that circulates the current around the circuit that acts like an electrical pressure. The unit of measurement for this is Volts (V), which is measured by a voltmeter. Resistance is a force that slows down the current; consequently it slows down the flow of current. This is measured in Ohms (W). Between the voltage and resistance there is equilibrium, where the voltage impels the current, whereas the resistance is opposing this electrical pressure. The relative sizes of the voltage and resistance decide how big the current will be. Increasing the voltage allows more current to flow, whilst increasing the resistance would decrease the amount of current flowing round the circuit. Discovered by George Ohm in 1826, the current is in direct relative amounts to the potential difference. If the temperature is kept constant as well as other conditions, Ohms law is obeyed. The graph on the side illustrates the current through a resistor is proportional to the voltage. V=IR gives the formula for Ohms law. In order for current to flow it requires electrons to carry the electric current. The electrons are the negative charge that can freely move about. Within metals there are a sea of electrons that can carry the electric current, which is reason why they conduct so well and are used for many purposes, such as wires. Factors During the investigation there will be many factors that will affect the resistance in a wire. These factors include:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Length of wire – If the wire length increases, the distance for the electrons to pass through would take a longer period of time since the electrons collide more with atoms of the wire. As a result there is an increase in resistance as the number of collisions cause the electrons to flow slowly, which justifies the term for resistance. Conversely if the length of the wire is shortened, the time taken for electrons to travel is reduced given that there are not as many electrons colliding with atoms. As results there are a small number of collisions, hence reduces the resistance.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Thickness of wire - A wider breadth of the wire causes atoms within the wire to expand a small distance between each other.

The Internet Increases Social Isolation Essay -- Internet Technology a

Inside the majority of American households rest the unlimited territory of the internet. The unlimited and always advancing possibilities have unlocked powerful new tools in communication and socialization. Tools such as: long distance visual communication, international circulation of personal thoughts, and massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG) have all led to a closer but more distant community of people. The positive side can attribute to the fact that the younger generation seems more in tune with their international counterparts. Youth have the ability to anonymously communicate with others through various message boards, mostly governed by one policy, freedom of speech. The anonymity of the internet has created a community where social outcasts mingle freely with others; a society where jocks can converse with geeks without fear of reprisal. This community releases people from the bounds of their own flesh. Yet, technological advances have pus hed society into the next dimension of communication and socialization that seemingly override traditional and more personal vessels of communication. The internet, initially developed by researchers at MIT and UCLA, had first purposes as a communications system between participating Universities. Walt Howe, Director of Libraries at Babson College, explains that the use of the system was limited to engineers, scientists, and those with the complex knowledge of computer operating systems. Because of the complexity involved many attempted to create a more user efficient system, one that home users could adopt. The most modern and user friendly system was pioneered around 1991 at University of Minnesota as a tool to access files and information local... ...ally socializing face-to-face. The technological shield inhibits proxemics and makes it impossible for those communicating to see the involuntary body movements of their counterpart, leaving a dislocated and artificial feeling. But, increases in online networking will lead to social skill atrophy. By increasing online networking, people will become left experiencing life vicariously. Works Cited Hall, Edward T. "A System for the Notion of Proxemic Behavior." American Anthropologist: 65. Web. 28 Oct. 2014. Howe, Walt. "A Brief History of the Internet." Walt Howe's Home Page. Web. 24 Mar. 2015. . Massik, Sonia and Solomon, Jack. â€Å"You-Topian Dreams: Myspace, Yourspace, and the Semiotics of Web 2.0.† 2014. 426-7. Simpson, Joanne Cavanaugh. â€Å"Multitasking State of Mind.† 2006. Massik and Solomon. 469-71. The Internet Increases Social Isolation Essay -- Internet Technology a Inside the majority of American households rest the unlimited territory of the internet. The unlimited and always advancing possibilities have unlocked powerful new tools in communication and socialization. Tools such as: long distance visual communication, international circulation of personal thoughts, and massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG) have all led to a closer but more distant community of people. The positive side can attribute to the fact that the younger generation seems more in tune with their international counterparts. Youth have the ability to anonymously communicate with others through various message boards, mostly governed by one policy, freedom of speech. The anonymity of the internet has created a community where social outcasts mingle freely with others; a society where jocks can converse with geeks without fear of reprisal. This community releases people from the bounds of their own flesh. Yet, technological advances have pus hed society into the next dimension of communication and socialization that seemingly override traditional and more personal vessels of communication. The internet, initially developed by researchers at MIT and UCLA, had first purposes as a communications system between participating Universities. Walt Howe, Director of Libraries at Babson College, explains that the use of the system was limited to engineers, scientists, and those with the complex knowledge of computer operating systems. Because of the complexity involved many attempted to create a more user efficient system, one that home users could adopt. The most modern and user friendly system was pioneered around 1991 at University of Minnesota as a tool to access files and information local... ...ally socializing face-to-face. The technological shield inhibits proxemics and makes it impossible for those communicating to see the involuntary body movements of their counterpart, leaving a dislocated and artificial feeling. But, increases in online networking will lead to social skill atrophy. By increasing online networking, people will become left experiencing life vicariously. Works Cited Hall, Edward T. "A System for the Notion of Proxemic Behavior." American Anthropologist: 65. Web. 28 Oct. 2014. Howe, Walt. "A Brief History of the Internet." Walt Howe's Home Page. Web. 24 Mar. 2015. . Massik, Sonia and Solomon, Jack. â€Å"You-Topian Dreams: Myspace, Yourspace, and the Semiotics of Web 2.0.† 2014. 426-7. Simpson, Joanne Cavanaugh. â€Å"Multitasking State of Mind.† 2006. Massik and Solomon. 469-71.

Marks and Spencer

Abstract Currently, the retailer Marks and Spencer (M&S) is not only well-recognized among the UK citizens, although its branches are well established across the globe with many product categories available. During recent years, it has been found that the sales growth of Marks and Spencer’s merchandising, which has been its oldest and most important sector, has been in decline while the growth of M&S’s food sector has increased at an impressive pace. This study will attempt to find the factors responsible for the declining sales in clothing and the rising growth in food of Marks and Spencer, and hope to shed some lights on which areas the company should focus on to fix this decline in sales. The method will rely on the literature reviews of article from credible sources as well as published books. The paper will be analysed in two sections: factors affecting a sales slump in clothing, and factors affecting the rapid sales growth in the food department. 1. Introduction Established in 1884, Marks and Spencer has grown from a single-market company to a multinational corporation that has many branches around the world, including in England, the United States, and Thailand (www.marksandspencer.com, 2014). Not only has the 130-year-old corporation expanded across the globe, but it has also increased its product diversity as well. Although it began as a merchandising business, M&S currently sells a range of products, including women’s lingerie, sportswear, cosmetics and food. However recent sources, including Ahmed (2014), Ficenec (2014) and Pinnington (2014) have observed that the sales of the clothing division of M&S has been declining in recent years while that of the food department has increased; for instance, Ahmed (2014) at the BBC found that clothing has gone down by 1.5 percent in 2014, while a like-for-like sale of food has gone up by 1.7 percent in this time. Ficenec also added that the decreasing sales in the clothing department has be en going on for up to three years. As of late 2013, the sale of food accounted for more in the total sales of clothes, with 55 percent against 45 percent respectively (Ruddick, 2013). For the clothing department, this event could be classified as relative product failure (Dibb et al., 2006). Though one may argue that the drop in sales might be an industry trend for that year, Primark was found to receive a 5 percent like-for-like increase in sales during this time (Ruddick, 2013). Therefore, marketing problems in M&S’s clothing department have emerged as an interesting research topic. This report will discuss several marketing factors that could account for the widening sales gap between Mark and Spencer’s food and clothing divisions, focusing primarily on the UK. The study is divided into two discussions of the factors affecting the sales slump in clothing and will discuss the factors affecting the rapid growth in sales for the food department. Elements analysed in this paper include marketing variables, such as: target markets and customer profiles, price, quality and product positioning. Finally, a conclusion on the relevance of the examined factors towards the sales diversion will be made. 2. Literature review Marketing strategy can be defined as an organisation’s strategy that combines all of its marketing goals into one comprehensive plan. A good marketing strategy should be drawn from market research and focus on the right product mix in order to achieve the maximum profit potential and sustain the business. According to the Business Dictionary (2014), the marketing strategy is the foundation of a marketing plan. Marks & Spencer is one of the oldest supermarkets in the UK. Established in 1884 by Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer in Leeds, the company became the first British retailer to make a pre-tax profit of over ?1 billion. It has delivered to more than 30 countries from its UK site and has 8 International websites and 644 UK stores (www.marksandspencer.com, 2014). Various sources, including Ahmed (2014), Ficenec (2014) and Pinnington (2014) have observed that Marks & Spencer as a company has been expanding and diversifying its products so that it includes foodstuffs as well as clothing and plastic materials. 3. Methodology This study took place in Middlesex University on the pre-sessional programme in August 2014. It was completed by a group consisting of three people from the pre-sessional course, these were: Mohammed, Maram and Buk. We chose Marks and Spencer Company from FTSE 100 because M&S is one of the most popular and oldest companies in the UK. It also offers a wide range of products such as food or clothes. Once we had selected this company, we performed research in the library to find out the factors that made sales grow for Marks and Spencer, and why this was greater for food than clothes. After that, the researchers interviewed others at Middlesex University. We performed secondary research by using websites and search engines, like Google scholar. We also looked at a database of Middlesex University as well as library catalogue to find sources that were related to our research and supported our ideas towards answering this question. We found many credible sources such as journals articles, books, newspaper and website. ? 4. Findings The researcher explored for sources that would be useful for this report. Three articles were found that are used in this report and were widely useful because they provided updated information. Further information was extracted from the company website, which was cited as particularly useful for historical information about the company and its origins, and also its subsidiaries. Moreover, it was found that book were used to provide general information and the views of academic sources. From these sources, it was identified that there is clear disparity between the sale of food and sale of clothing in Marks and Spencer Company. This was observed from various sources, including Ahmed (2014) who notes that while food sales were on the rise, clothing sales were falling. Ahmed from the BBC found clothing sales have dropped by 1.5 percent in 2014, while like-for-like sales of food rose 1.7 percent. However, there are several reasons for this disparity which will be explored in the foll owing section. 5. Discussion and Analysis There is a clear disparity between the sale of food and clothing in Marks and Spencer Company. Various sources such as Ahmed (2014) from the BBC saw that while food sales were on the rise in M&S, clothing sales were falling. Ahmedfound that the sale of clothing dropped by 1.5 percent in 2014, while like-for-like sales of food rose 1.7 percent. However, there are several reasons for this disparity. The first factor, or the reason for the success of the food sales in M&S, is the diversity of items in the food range and also the quality of the food. These were identified as the most important reasons that helped promote the sale of food products at M&S. The company’s success in the sale of food can also be attributed to the popularity of microwavable foods, which have provide to be the most popular product in the food sales (Tresidder, 2010). A further reason that can be attributed to the success of the food sales in M&S is due to the marketing campaigns surrounding them. The advertising for the food can be seen as one of the primary reasons for the success of the food sales in M&S. The adverts appear on websites, television and marketing texts and all have an effect on promoting the M&S food products to consumers. As a result, the company actually relies on the M&S logo to attract consumers along with the company slogan – â€Å"this is not just food.† Kress (1996) and Van Leeuwen (2001) describe how this could be a good way to market the product and is a modern way to attract consumers. Furthermore, this marketing campaign can contribute to create effective promotional images on the TV which will lead on to higher sales of M&S food. Among the factors that have helped the growth of sales of food products is the location and quality of the product. These are all factors that have been cited as attributing to the increase in sales of food products; however, the decline of the sale of clothing products is not entirely associated with the success of the food products but, more so, poor handling of the clothing line. For example, it has been argued that M&S clothing range has been guilty of poor product positioning, both in stores, shop windows and in marketing texts (Tresidder, 2010). Furthermore, the clothing department website has been criticised for being overly complicated and difficult to navigate (Ahmed, 2014). Therefore it could be suggested that the M&S clothing department learn the lessons of effective pricing, advertising and use of branding tools, such as slogans, used by the food department, to halt this decline and reverse the movement of their sales growth. 6. Conclusion In conclusion, M&S has faced several issues in the Department of clothing, as sales fell dramatically; yet the sale of food products continue to rise. Several contributing factors to this pattern have been discussed, including effective branding, marketing for the food products, and poor product positioning of the clothing items. However, 7. Bibliography Ahmed, K. (2014) â€Å"M&S chief Bolland says results ‘not good enough’†, BBC News Business, 8 July 2014. Accessed online at: http://www.bbc.com/news/28205935 [accessed 03/08/2014]. Dibb, S. (2006) Marketing: Concepts and Strategies, Houghton Mifflin Company: ISBN. Ficenec, J. (2014) â€Å"Question share tip: Hold Marks & Spencer on strong food sales†, in The Telegraph, 9 July 2014. Accessed online at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/10955632/Questor-share-tip-Hold-Marks-and-Spencer-on-strong-food-sales.html [accessed 03/08/2014]. Marks and Spencer, Official Website. Accessed online at: http://corporate.marksandspencer.com/?intid=gft_company [accessed 18/08/2014]. Marks and Spencer Abstract Currently, the retailer Marks and Spencer (M&S) is not only well-recognized among the UK citizens, although its branches are well established across the globe with many product categories available. During recent years, it has been found that the sales growth of Marks and Spencer’s merchandising, which has been its oldest and most important sector, has been in decline while the growth of M&S’s food sector has increased at an impressive pace. This study will attempt to find the factors responsible for the declining sales in clothing and the rising growth in food of Marks and Spencer, and hope to shed some lights on which areas the company should focus on to fix this decline in sales. The method will rely on the literature reviews of article from credible sources as well as published books. The paper will be analysed in two sections: factors affecting a sales slump in clothing, and factors affecting the rapid sales growth in the food department. 1. Introduction Established in 1884, Marks and Spencer has grown from a single-market company to a multinational corporation that has many branches around the world, including in England, the United States, and Thailand (www.marksandspencer.com, 2014). Not only has the 130-year-old corporation expanded across the globe, but it has also increased its product diversity as well. Although it began as a merchandising business, M&S currently sells a range of products, including women’s lingerie, sportswear, cosmetics and food. However recent sources, including Ahmed (2014), Ficenec (2014) and Pinnington (2014) have observed that the sales of the clothing division of M&S has been declining in recent years while that of the food department has increased; for instance, Ahmed (2014) at the BBC found that clothing has gone down by 1.5 percent in 2014, while a like-for-like sale of food has gone up by 1.7 percent in this time. Ficenec also added that the decreasing sales in the clothing department has be en going on for up to three years. As of late 2013, the sale of food accounted for more in the total sales of clothes, with 55 percent against 45 percent respectively (Ruddick, 2013). For the clothing department, this event could be classified as relative product failure (Dibb et al., 2006). Though one may argue that the drop in sales might be an industry trend for that year, Primark was found to receive a 5 percent like-for-like increase in sales during this time (Ruddick, 2013). Therefore, marketing problems in M&S’s clothing department have emerged as an interesting research topic. This report will discuss several marketing factors that could account for the widening sales gap between Mark and Spencer’s food and clothing divisions, focusing primarily on the UK. The study is divided into two discussions of the factors affecting the sales slump in clothing and will discuss the factors affecting the rapid growth in sales for the food department. Elements analysed in this paper include marketing variables, such as: target markets and customer profiles, price, quality and product positioning. Finally, a conclusion on the relevance of the examined factors towards the sales diversion will be made. 2. Literature review Marketing strategy can be defined as an organisation’s strategy that combines all of its marketing goals into one comprehensive plan. A good marketing strategy should be drawn from market research and focus on the right product mix in order to achieve the maximum profit potential and sustain the business. According to the Business Dictionary (2014), the marketing strategy is the foundation of a marketing plan. Marks & Spencer is one of the oldest supermarkets in the UK. Established in 1884 by Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer in Leeds, the company became the first British retailer to make a pre-tax profit of over ?1 billion. It has delivered to more than 30 countries from its UK site and has 8 International websites and 644 UK stores (www.marksandspencer.com, 2014). Various sources, including Ahmed (2014), Ficenec (2014) and Pinnington (2014) have observed that Marks & Spencer as a company has been expanding and diversifying its products so that it includes foodstuffs as well as clothing and plastic materials. 3. Methodology This study took place in Middlesex University on the pre-sessional programme in August 2014. It was completed by a group consisting of three people from the pre-sessional course, these were: Mohammed, Maram and Buk. We chose Marks and Spencer Company from FTSE 100 because M&S is one of the most popular and oldest companies in the UK. It also offers a wide range of products such as food or clothes. Once we had selected this company, we performed research in the library to find out the factors that made sales grow for Marks and Spencer, and why this was greater for food than clothes. After that, the researchers interviewed others at Middlesex University. We performed secondary research by using websites and search engines, like Google scholar. We also looked at a database of Middlesex University as well as library catalogue to find sources that were related to our research and supported our ideas towards answering this question. We found many credible sources such as journals articles, books, newspaper and website. ? 4. Findings The researcher explored for sources that would be useful for this report. Three articles were found that are used in this report and were widely useful because they provided updated information. Further information was extracted from the company website, which was cited as particularly useful for historical information about the company and its origins, and also its subsidiaries. Moreover, it was found that book were used to provide general information and the views of academic sources. From these sources, it was identified that there is clear disparity between the sale of food and sale of clothing in Marks and Spencer Company. This was observed from various sources, including Ahmed (2014) who notes that while food sales were on the rise, clothing sales were falling. Ahmed from the BBC found clothing sales have dropped by 1.5 percent in 2014, while like-for-like sales of food rose 1.7 percent. However, there are several reasons for this disparity which will be explored in the foll owing section. 5. Discussion and Analysis There is a clear disparity between the sale of food and clothing in Marks and Spencer Company. Various sources such as Ahmed (2014) from the BBC saw that while food sales were on the rise in M&S, clothing sales were falling. Ahmedfound that the sale of clothing dropped by 1.5 percent in 2014, while like-for-like sales of food rose 1.7 percent. However, there are several reasons for this disparity. The first factor, or the reason for the success of the food sales in M&S, is the diversity of items in the food range and also the quality of the food. These were identified as the most important reasons that helped promote the sale of food products at M&S. The company’s success in the sale of food can also be attributed to the popularity of microwavable foods, which have provide to be the most popular product in the food sales (Tresidder, 2010). A further reason that can be attributed to the success of the food sales in M&S is due to the marketing campaigns surrounding them. The advertising for the food can be seen as one of the primary reasons for the success of the food sales in M&S. The adverts appear on websites, television and marketing texts and all have an effect on promoting the M&S food products to consumers. As a result, the company actually relies on the M&S logo to attract consumers along with the company slogan – â€Å"this is not just food.† Kress (1996) and Van Leeuwen (2001) describe how this could be a good way to market the product and is a modern way to attract consumers. Furthermore, this marketing campaign can contribute to create effective promotional images on the TV which will lead on to higher sales of M&S food. Among the factors that have helped the growth of sales of food products is the location and quality of the product. These are all factors that have been cited as attributing to the increase in sales of food products; however, the decline of the sale of clothing products is not entirely associated with the success of the food products but, more so, poor handling of the clothing line. For example, it has been argued that M&S clothing range has been guilty of poor product positioning, both in stores, shop windows and in marketing texts (Tresidder, 2010). Furthermore, the clothing department website has been criticised for being overly complicated and difficult to navigate (Ahmed, 2014). Therefore it could be suggested that the M&S clothing department learn the lessons of effective pricing, advertising and use of branding tools, such as slogans, used by the food department, to halt this decline and reverse the movement of their sales growth. 6. Conclusion In conclusion, M&S has faced several issues in the Department of clothing, as sales fell dramatically; yet the sale of food products continue to rise. Several contributing factors to this pattern have been discussed, including effective branding, marketing for the food products, and poor product positioning of the clothing items. However, 7. Bibliography Ahmed, K. (2014) â€Å"M&S chief Bolland says results ‘not good enough’†, BBC News Business, 8 July 2014. Accessed online at: http://www.bbc.com/news/28205935 [accessed 03/08/2014]. Dibb, S. (2006) Marketing: Concepts and Strategies, Houghton Mifflin Company: ISBN. Ficenec, J. (2014) â€Å"Question share tip: Hold Marks & Spencer on strong food sales†, in The Telegraph, 9 July 2014. Accessed online at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/10955632/Questor-share-tip-Hold-Marks-and-Spencer-on-strong-food-sales.html [accessed 03/08/2014]. Marks and Spencer, Official Website. Accessed online at: http://corporate.marksandspencer.com/?intid=gft_company [accessed 18/08/2014]. Marks and Spencer Case Study: Marks and Spencer, Ltd. (A) Marks and Spencer has a reputation of greatness and quality in the U. K. Their five tenets of operating principals are the cornerstone of the company’s strength in the industry. They fostered strong human relations with its customers, suppliers, and staff through offering selective range of high-quality merchandise at reasonable prices, encouraging suppliers to use top-notch modern technology, growth, and cooperation to enforce the highest standard of quality.Breaking down Porter’s Five Forces identifies the competitive forces in Mark and Spencer: 1) Suppliers: M&S is not dependent on suppliers as other stores are, due to M&S producing and selling its own branded products. Raw products are supplied, which is an advantage for its margins. They have an astounding and long (some relationships dating back to 40 years) reputation with their suppliers, which allows for discounts. 2) Buyers: Buyers have a substantial influence by shoppin g around, forcing M&S to continue in supplying high quality garments and food products at reasonable prices. ) Threat of Entry: Even though M&S has a very loyal customer base, online shopping was just at the early stages in the early 1990’s along with other super markets establishing a one-stop shop for all customers’ needs. 4) Substitutes: Threat of substitutes is high due to buyers’ looking for cheaper alternatives in other competitive outlets. Also, because M&S focused on essential clothing, and less on fads or trendy lines, competitors were quicker to react in offering more trendy clothing lines. ) Competitive Rivalry: M&S has fierce competition from other food, clothing, and home wares retailers; such as supermarkets Tesco, Asda, and J. Sainsbury. Due to M&S commanding market strength in the U. K. , M&S expanded overseas. They had shared success in other countries, but also were also presented with challenges. For instance, France viewed M&S brand as old-fa shioned. Looking at Exhibit 13, the market share of clothing and footwear by age group were as followed: 15-24 age group (5. 9%), 25-44 age group (13. 9%), 45-64 (21. 3%), and 65+ (23. 6%).M&S focused on getting more of those younger buyers into the stores where they see first-hand the service they provide; but if M&S focused less on fad and trends (which is attractive to the younger demographic) the efforts in marketing are wasted. Out of the five locations in France, only Paris was showing promising performance. With M&S strong performance in U. K. , it can’t expect its brand presence in U. K. to spill over to other countries. As noted, M&S never reached its full potential even though it acquired/purchased interests of other department stores.What if M&S invested more into marketing and â€Å"perusing the public to buy† instead of just relying on the products to sell itself? What if M&S invested more into clothing lines that follow trends and fads, to tap into the yo unger demographic? For instance, take chains such as H&M or Forever 21: offering affordable trendy clothing that cater to younger buyers. M&S can still offer well-designed and quality clothing lines, but now attract the younger and older buyers that are into trendy fashions; but it is very crucial they don’t abandon their loyal customer base.What if M&S closed stores that had small market share and minimal profit (some territories in Austria and West Europe), and invested more into extending the market share in other countries? Also, during the 90’s, the world-wide web came into existence along with online shopping, allowing M&S to extend its services and marketing (which I was surprised there was no mention of it in the case). Source: Marks and Spencer, Ltd. (A) (1994). HBR 9-391-089, by Cynthia A. Montgomery Marks and Spencer Case Study: Marks and Spencer, Ltd. (A) Marks and Spencer has a reputation of greatness and quality in the U. K. Their five tenets of operating principals are the cornerstone of the company’s strength in the industry. They fostered strong human relations with its customers, suppliers, and staff through offering selective range of high-quality merchandise at reasonable prices, encouraging suppliers to use top-notch modern technology, growth, and cooperation to enforce the highest standard of quality.Breaking down Porter’s Five Forces identifies the competitive forces in Mark and Spencer: 1) Suppliers: M&S is not dependent on suppliers as other stores are, due to M&S producing and selling its own branded products. Raw products are supplied, which is an advantage for its margins. They have an astounding and long (some relationships dating back to 40 years) reputation with their suppliers, which allows for discounts. 2) Buyers: Buyers have a substantial influence by shoppin g around, forcing M&S to continue in supplying high quality garments and food products at reasonable prices. ) Threat of Entry: Even though M&S has a very loyal customer base, online shopping was just at the early stages in the early 1990’s along with other super markets establishing a one-stop shop for all customers’ needs. 4) Substitutes: Threat of substitutes is high due to buyers’ looking for cheaper alternatives in other competitive outlets. Also, because M&S focused on essential clothing, and less on fads or trendy lines, competitors were quicker to react in offering more trendy clothing lines. ) Competitive Rivalry: M&S has fierce competition from other food, clothing, and home wares retailers; such as supermarkets Tesco, Asda, and J. Sainsbury. Due to M&S commanding market strength in the U. K. , M&S expanded overseas. They had shared success in other countries, but also were also presented with challenges. For instance, France viewed M&S brand as old-fa shioned. Looking at Exhibit 13, the market share of clothing and footwear by age group were as followed: 15-24 age group (5. 9%), 25-44 age group (13. 9%), 45-64 (21. 3%), and 65+ (23. 6%).M&S focused on getting more of those younger buyers into the stores where they see first-hand the service they provide; but if M&S focused less on fad and trends (which is attractive to the younger demographic) the efforts in marketing are wasted. Out of the five locations in France, only Paris was showing promising performance. With M&S strong performance in U. K. , it can’t expect its brand presence in U. K. to spill over to other countries. As noted, M&S never reached its full potential even though it acquired/purchased interests of other department stores.What if M&S invested more into marketing and â€Å"perusing the public to buy† instead of just relying on the products to sell itself? What if M&S invested more into clothing lines that follow trends and fads, to tap into the yo unger demographic? For instance, take chains such as H&M or Forever 21: offering affordable trendy clothing that cater to younger buyers. M&S can still offer well-designed and quality clothing lines, but now attract the younger and older buyers that are into trendy fashions; but it is very crucial they don’t abandon their loyal customer base.What if M&S closed stores that had small market share and minimal profit (some territories in Austria and West Europe), and invested more into extending the market share in other countries? Also, during the 90’s, the world-wide web came into existence along with online shopping, allowing M&S to extend its services and marketing (which I was surprised there was no mention of it in the case). Source: Marks and Spencer, Ltd. (A) (1994). HBR 9-391-089, by Cynthia A. Montgomery

Arnott

Problems exist through the current limited business scope to make ends meet. It also appears that the move to expand (diversify the business is meeting with â€Å"opposition† from ‘long -time employed' staff, major ‘obstacles' to the company's growth through diversifying the activities by introducing a new project have been identified and must be dealt with as far as possible and as quickly as possible by employing the strategies mentioned in my recommendations. A satisfactory resolution can only bring about a much more stable working environment and hopefully, greater profitability and business expansion.Background details: The main parts of the problems, from the company's historical background and the current situation, have come about as a result of the economic recession and the anti-change attitudes of the present staff-in particular of the inconsiderateness of the Project Manager. The business suffered significantly as a result of the drought years; the need for new grain silos diminished and resulted with a negative impact on the Company. The Managing Director correctly saw the need for expansion and diversification – especially when the company's infrastructure and staff expertise could be utilizes for the purpose.An opportunity presented itself when Christine met an old friend, Philip Thomson, who had successfully done an engineering project overseas. Another opportunity for expansion also came when It was found that a new Freeway Infrastructure was to be built using steelwork beams which the Arrant engineering firm could produce using skills Like those possessed by Phillip Thomson. The bid for the production of the beams was successfully made, with a time frame of six-months for completion. However, problems arose immediately: there were staff resentments, â€Å"unnecessary' delays occurred, and it appeared staff were â€Å"sabotaging† he project.The â€Å"old-timers† within the staff resisted change, and were resentful of the fact that they were not consulted- and used the excuse that Instructions were not ‘clear enough, that correct specifications for constructing the curved steel beams were not clearly explained to the staff, in particular, to the designer. As a result, two beams became ‘useless' and three weeks of time wasted. Major Recommendations: I would suggest Immediate action be taken to halt further production of the steel beams, In order to avoid additional losses through labor and material costs.The Motor Vehicle Freeway Infrastructure Project Authority should be contacted to inform them that there in some slight problem being experienced with the construction of the steel beams and there might be a minor delay with the completion of the 12 bridge support beams. However, your company will do its best to complete the work on time. Provide updates frequently. If necessary, suspend all bonuses to staff, with survival would be greatly, if not totally, reduced or elim inated. Have a meeting with the three senior staff members: the Project Manager, David Dobson, the QualityAssurance Manager, Heath Jones, and Philip Thomson, the new Project Manager in charge of the steel beams manufacture. Impress on them the need for the successful completion of the project as specified, and on time. If this doesn't happen then all will be lost, and most likely the Company will fold up and go under. The survival of the company is paramount; it is more important than the resentment of an individual or the unchanging views of a few. The result will affect all staff members. Success would bring greater opportunities for expansion and progress- of the Company and its staff.Mention that the current industry (the production of grain silos) has reached saturation point. Expansion and diversification is vital to industries, big or small, if they want to survive and be competitive. Seek ‘contributory remarks' and suggestions as to how the company can complete the new project work on time. The involvement would no doubt be seen as a Joint decision-making exercise, and would be more acceptable to the other staff members. Suggest that the new project must be considered more urgent, and in need of total support and commitment. All â€Å"surviving† companies have had to diversify in order to expand and prosper.Consider, when, or if the new project is successful, about establishing new â€Å"departments† within the company, so that the existing staff can be incorporated into either the ‘old' grain silos production section or move to the newer project areas whatever they may be in the future. Also consider the re-training of existing staff if seen appropriate. As well (and in complete confidence) the removal or retrenchment, of a trouble- maker' may be necessary, for the sake of the company's survival. Suggest that any further delays or ‘sabotaging of the Project would result in closure – and the end of all benefits.