Professional Ethics in Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Professional Ethics in Education - Essay Example To what extent should teachers use their power? Cases of teachers misusing their powers have risen. Some teachers may use their powers to exercise their personal interest. For instance, a teacher may favor a specific student for financial support or relationship favors. In an argument by Ryan (2012), many favors students do for teachers are not willingly. They do the favors in fear of consequences they might face. This is an example of misuse of power by teachers. However, in recent years, student bodies have been established which are aimed at minimizing cases of teacher ­- student manipulation. Another power experience in teaching is the ability to make decisions without being questioned. Sometimes teacher make decision without the consideration of the students needs. This is a breach to the rights of the students. In decision making all the concerned parties should be part of the deliberation (Higgins, 2011). With teachers taking advantage of their power and make decisions students have the right to protest the decisions. In every school there should be other bodies which help I the decision making in schools. With the neutral party, fairness and consultation is guaranteed (Robinson, 2005) The management of power among teachers should be recommended. With growing concerns on the ethics of teachers, stakeholders should ensure the code of ethics I teaching profession is followed to the letter. Management of these powers means that teachers’ responsibilities and rights should be controlled. The rights of the students should also be outlined. To oversee the adherence to the rules, there should proper consequences for any breach (Higgins, 2011. With the outline of the rights of students the power in the teachers’ hands will be well managed. It will also give students’ the voice to air their grievances without manipulation by the teachers. The management of the teachers will

Introduction and Motivation Essay Example for Free

Introduction and Motivation Essay The following chapter provides the foundation for this thesis. It begins with a scope clarification including a definition of the Supply Chain 2020 research initiative, and this thesis position within that overall project. Additionally, this chapter discusses the motivation and methodology behind this paper as well as provides an outline for future chapters. The Supply Chain 2020 Project is a multi-year project initiated by the Center for Transportation Logistics (CTL) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The major research goal for the Supply Chain 2020 Project is to identify the components that will constitute excellent supply chains in the year 2020. In identifying the strategies, processes, and metrics that will comprise excellent supply chains, Supply Chain 2020 hopes to assist companies in multiple industries in developing strategies to remain competitive in the future. The academic year 2004-2005 is Phase I of the Supply Chain 2020 Project. The scope of the initiative for Phase I is to identify and research excellent supply chains in the aerospace, apparel, automotive, communications, computer, consumer products, distribution, pharmaceutical, resources, and retail industries. Specifically, the scope of this thesis is the retail industry. We will focus on the strategies, operating models, network designs, and supply chain processes that constitute an excellent supply chain in the retail industry. In looking at the components listed above, the existing best practices will be analyzed with respect to how they support and promote the business strategy of the specific companies being analyzed.

Free Admissions Essay - Healing Old Wounds :: Medicine College Admissions Essays

Admissions Essay -  Healing Old Wounds    Modest one-room houses lay scattered across the desert landscape. Their rooftops a seemingly helpless shield against the intense heat generated by the mid-July sun. The steel security bars that guarded the windows and doors of every house seemed to belie the large welcome sign at the entrance to the ABC Indian Reservation. As a young civil engineer employed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, I was far removed from my cubical in downtown Los Angeles. However, I felt I was well-prepared to conduct my first project proposal. The project involved a $500,000 repair of an earthen levee surrounding an active Native American burial site. A fairly inexpensive and straightforward job by federal standards, but nonetheless I could hardly contain my excitement. Strict federal construction guidelines laden with a generous portion of technical jargon danced through my head as I stepped up to the podium to greet the twelve tribal council members. My premature confidence quickly disappeared as they confronted me with a troubled ancient gaze. Their faces revealed centuries of distrust and broken government promises. Suddenly, from a design based solely upon abstract engineering principles an additional human dimension emerged - one for which I had not prepared. The calculations I had crunched over the past several months and the abstract engineering principles simply no longer applied. Their potential impact on this community was clearly evident in the faces before me. With perspiration forming on my brow, I decided I would need to take a new approach to salvage this meeting. So I discarded my rehearsed speech, stepped out from behind the safety of the podium, and began to solicit the council members' questions and concerns. By the end of the afternoon, our efforts to establish a cooperative working relationship had resulted in a distinct shift in the mood of the meeting. Although I am not saying we erased centuries of mistrust in a single day, I feel certain our steps towards improved relations and trust produced a successful project.    I found this opportunity to humanize my engineering project both personally and professionally rewarding. Unfortunately, experiences like it were not common. I realized early in my career that I needed a profession where I can more frequently incorporate human interaction and my interests in science. After two years of working as a civil engineer, I enrolled in night school to explore a medical career and test my aptitude for pre-medical classes.

Stories Told Halfway :: Personal Narrative Sleeping Papers

Stories Told Halfway When I was sick I slept all day, in the shifting patch of sun on my bed. I woke up after fourteen hours and I saw that I had taken Sleep into me. And I thought, I understand why they called Sleep a god, why they gave him a face. If you sleep long enough, you let him in. You can feel the way he lifts your limbs and lets them fall again till they learn to hang, loosely, just so. You can feel the way his hands push down on the back of your neck, gently, and the lazy halo he brushes over the crown of your head with his fingers. You can understand why today he likes Sun, who paints a quiet coat of warmth onto your faded yellow sheets. You can feel him blink and stretch and curl up softly and let Sun paint him golden. And you can also understand why mostly he likes Night, who comes more quietly, dressed in cool gowns, trailing her nets and nets of stars to trap him in. You can see through his eyes, when you have just woken. Things come into your understanding slowly and you are content t o know them only halfway. You do not struggle for meaning. You can see how he blurs shapes into roundness. You can see how he breathes out quiet through you where you go, and you know he is there in the sleepy tilt of your head. And the people around you, when you have just woken, will see Sleep smiling in the lazy lines of your walk. This is Nick's favorite dream: He was being chased. He was all fear. He ran until he started to run on four legs. He felt the spring and the power and the motion that is a wolf running. It was daytime, morning. He followed a rough trail that wove through the woods. He ran and it was not strange. He did not even stop to think, I am a wolf. Only he was. The trail turned cleaner, shafts of new white light urging him on to the east. He was not feeling afraid anymore. He hadn't for a long time. The chase fell away and he was just running, all motion and speed. He came to a place deep in the forest where the trees were narrow and dense.

Target Corp Strategic Recommendation

Target Corp. Strategic Analysis MAN4720 Section 22 -Wednesdays 7:30pm Team: Risky Business Christine Majewski Jake Morgan Kristin Stearker Cory Verez Executive Summary ?The purpose of this analysis is to inform the board of team Risky Business’ strategic proposal related to Target Corporation’s Health & Wellness category. Target is already a multi-million dollar company, but after analyzing the company, our team has come up with a few strategic recommendations to aid in the continued success of Target.We have found that Target strives to combine top of the line innovation, excellent customer service, and unparallel value at attractive prices to customers using their Expect More. Pay Less ® brand promise. The Target Corporation has many strengths that will help our recommendation succeed including a wide scope of products and brands, strong internal logistics, convenience of online shopping, and an already strong brand and financial position. We feel that Target create s a sustained competitive advantage by leveraging the different aspects of their integration strategy to attract customers.Target is able to keep volumes high, driving costs down to offer lower prices on the differentiated products that Target’s guests have grown to love and expect. ?Team Risky Business’s strategic recommendations for the Health & Wellness sector include expanding initiatives and educational programs associated with organic and gluten free lifestyles. Target already has brand exclusive organic lines and our team recommends making consumers more aware of the products offered as well as benefits their guests can reap from changing their lifestyles.We suggest increasing advertising in order to promote these product lines to a market that is increasingly more health conscious than ever before. As with any strategic option, there are fall out risks associated to this plan that include increased costs and a potential lack of interest or demands. The full ana lysis gives a more in depth look at the current position of the company and future problems it could face along with the strategic recommendations we have chosen, and potential fallout risks associated with our solutions.Identify your client’s current vision and mission and analyze your client’s strategy ? Target’s ultimate goal is to become the most favored shopping destination for customers throughout all existing channels. The company plans to achieve their overall vision by continually being a top innovator in the industry, delivering outstanding customer experiences and terrific value at attractive prices, and by constantly fulfilling their brand promise of Expect More. Pay Less ®. Target tries to live up to their statements and this can be seen throughout many areas of the company.In March, 2013, Target received one of only 13 ratings of â€Å"excellent†, the highest available, from the Forrester Customer Experience Index, which measures customer experiences by survey (Target Brands, Inc. , 2013). As far as innovation is concerned, Target has made a positive imprint within the industry. Target has received many awards for its innovative excellence and is continuously reinventing its stores, layouts, and product assortments to better serve the ever-evolving needs of their guests (Target Brands, Inc. , 2013b). Target sells high-quality, trendy merchandise, at affordable prices which allows guests to â€Å"Expect More.Pay Less ®Ã¢â‚¬  when they shop at Target. Target combines innovation, value, and commitment to their brand promise through their actions, such as partnering with popular fashion designers to create affordable lines specifically for Target. This combining of differentiated products with lower prices is one way that Target incorporates its mission statement into their everyday operations. Target is still working on reaching its end goal of becoming the preferred outlet, as shown by its #2 market share position in the discount department store industry. Target is surpassed in market share only by Wal-Mart at this time (Biesada, 2013). Three segments are operated by Target; US Retail, Canadian, and US Credit Card. Two branded credit cards, the Target Card and the Target Visa, and one Target branded debit card, offer credit to customers through the US Credit Card segment (Reuters, 2013). In 2012, the total REDCard penetration was 13. 6%, up from 9. 3% the prior year. Although more people are signing up for credit, the total revenue generated from this segment has been declining since 2010 (Target Corporation, 2013). See Exhibit 1 for US Credit Card segment details. The Canadian segment includes the recently acquired Zeller’s, Inc. tore locations in Canada. Start-up costs for this segment were $272 million in 2011 and $74 million in 2012 (Target Corporation, 2013). ?The US Retail segment includes Target’s online business, its general merchandise stores, and SuperTargets (Reuters , 2013). Target. com is designed to allow guests to purchase products directly from online and/or to assist them in locating the product in a store near them. To aid in differentiating themselves, Target uses the web platform to sell not only its general merchandise, but also to introduce six brands sold exclusively through this medium (Target Brands, Inc. 2013c). The online presence aids in the vision of the company by offering multiple channels through which a customer can interact with Target. The brick and mortar stores of the US Retail segment offer general merchandise and groceries through the discount chain. Target and SuperTargets differ in that SuperTargets offer a larger line of food assortments. Target’s product mix includes household items, electronics, apparel and accessories, food and pet supplies, and home furnishings (Reuters, 2013). Exhibit 2 shows the percentages of sales each category holds. Within the retail segment, a portion of Target’s sales are generated through a mix of nationally branded goods, as well as private-label brands. In addition to general merchandise, Target also generates revenues from facilities in store â€Å"†¦such as Target Cafe, Target Clinic, Target Pharmacy and Target Photo, and from leased or licensed departments such as Target Optical, Pizza Hut, Portrait Studio and Starbucks† (Reuters, 2013). Target Corporation generates the majority of its sales revenues from the US Retail segment and revenues have been increasing since at least 2007 according to the company’s past 10K forms.Even through the 2008 recent recession, Target’s sales revenues have continued to increase within this segment (Target Corporation, 2013). Sales revenue overall, including all three segments, also has been rising since at least 2007. Although revenues continued to increase through the recession, net earnings dropped from $2,849 million in 2007 to $2,214 million in 2008. Target’s net earnings rec overed and have been increasing every year since the recession (Target Corporation, 2013).In addition to increasing sales revenue and net earnings, Target’s stock prices have also been above both the S&P and Dow Jones indexes for the last 10 years (Target Brands, Inc. , 2013d). See Exhibit 3 for US Retail Segment sales figures and Exhibit 4 for other selected financial data. ?The Target Corporation currently operates 1,784 of these SuperTarget and Target stores in the United States, as well as their online site, Target. com. Target recently began expansion into Canada; 24 stores are operational at this time (Target Brands, Inc. , 2013b).Target plans to continue with its growth tactics through 2013, bringing its Canadian fleet up to 100-150 stores (Biesada, 2013). At the same time that Target is expanding into new markets, the company is also penetrating further into existing markets with plans to remodel more of its store formats and to include additional food assortments. Ac cording to Hoovers, â€Å"nearly 900 Target stores (up from 462 last year) now feature expanded food assortments†¦In fiscal 2013 Target plans to remodel an additional 230 general merchandise Target stores †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Biesada, 2013).The remodeled stores, with better food assortments and innovative design changes, seem to be part of a strategic effort to stay competitive with the only company out-performing them, Wal-Mart. ?Finally, the Target company operates using an integration strategy, and is one of few companies that has found success using this type of strategy. As IbisWorld states, â€Å"Target offers daily essentials and consumables at discounted prices; however, the company has carved out a niche market by focusing on selling fashionable and trendy products† (IBISWorld, 2012).Target is unique because it has successfully managed to operate with low costs while providing differentiated products that satisfy their customers’ needs and wants. Being able t o continuously offer quality, innovative products while keeping costs low lays a foundation for the company to create competitive strengths on. Analysis Strengths: ?A couple of strengths that we found Target is posting is their large variety of product and brands. They offer a wide arrangement of goods that can attract an excessive amount of consumers to come through the store.Another strength that Target holds is a strong internal logistics structure. Their 37 distribution centers located across the US gives them a strong chance to open more stores, and reach more potential customers. (Target Co. ) They also offer the convenience of online shopping for all of their customers, not only offering ease of shopping, but also allowing those who may not have a target nearby still enjoys their goods. We also found that Target is in a unique position in respect to their current sales, over the last few years they have consistently posted growth in revenue, and gross profit.Weaknesses: ?A we akness that was found through our research was a decrease in liquid capital over the last 2 years, potentially making it difficult to manage working capital and operational needs. Furthermore, they have increased the total debt that they are obliged to, making the lack of current assets evermore detrimental. Another possible weakness is their lack of exposure to countries other than the US, they are currently only operating inside the US which could pose many problems due to their dependence on one market. Target Co. ) Opportunities: ?There are plenty of opportunities for Target when it comes to the expansion of their company into new markets. In 2013 Target will take its first step into an international market when they expanded in to Canada, creating Target Canada Co. (Target Co. ) Target has opportunities to expand their products, and broaden the breadth of their goods, especially the expansion of private label brands. Threats: ?The largest threat to target is that it is in a hig hly competitive market.There are a plethora of other stores selling the same goods, as well as the threats of counterfeit goods in the industry. (Target Co. ) Another threat is the potential of change in consumer preferences, creating a lack of demand for Targets goods. Threat of Substitute Products: ?We feel the threat of substitute products is high, there are many stores that offer similar goods that could be considered more attractive than buying from target; usually this is derived from the desire to obtain private label goods. Intensity of competitive rivalry in the Industry: The competitive rivalry within the industry is high, there are many companies competing against each other for the same customers, and market share. On top of the brick and mortar traditional shopping, there are now arising e-commerce competitors that intensify the competition within the industry. Threat of new Entrants: ?Considering the wide arrangements of goods offered by Target, we believe that the thr eat of new entrants is high. It’s also a highly competitive market, will low barriers of entry, so the combination of those two things creates an ease of entry for new ventures.Power of Buyers: We find that the power of buyers is high at Target, while they may not have much negotiating power within the store; they do have many options on where they are going to buy the particular good, which gives them the power to shop around and find the price that they like. Power of Suppliers: ?The power of suppliers at Target is low, since there has been a decrease in import barriers that has caused an increase in competition between suppliers. So the power of the suppliers to name the price has nearly been eliminated.Sustainable Competitive Advantage ?To operate effectively in the discount retail industry you need to be able to master some key functions, not only to achieve competitive advantage, but also to make it sustainable. Target displays a couple features we have noticed, that we feel allows them to obtain a sustainable competitive advantage. These SCA factors consist of the ability to manage and perform off a highly effective supply chain and the ability to achieve high economies of scale, due to their huge market presence and mix of private branding. One of the factors that helps Target obtain an effective supply chain is the wide geographical coverage of their distribution centers. They currently control and operate 37 distribution centers ranging from the West Coast of Lacey, Washington all the way to the North East location of Wilton, New York. By having multiple disperse locations they have allowed themselves the opportunity to expand across the whole country. They have the capabilities to service any of their 1,700 plus stores in a timely manner.This in turn creates a larger geographical market to operate in effectively that some of their smaller competitors may not have the means to. ?A second important factor that Target masters is its offering of diverse products coupled with high economies of scale. Target offers product lines in departments such as; household, hardline goods (non-informational goods), apparel and accessories, home furnishings and food and pet supplies. By doing this they create a one stop shop effect which holds a high convenience factor in the eyes of consumers.In 2010, the highest percentage of sales was in household goods at 24%, the lowest percentage was food and pet supplies at 17% (Target 2012 10k). These statistics support the idea that Target is not just specialized in one department, but has been able to offer a wide variety of products, all of which hold a high demand. Coupled with the wide diverse product range, Target has been able to do this while achieving high economies of scale. They have incorporated 30 plus mixed and licensed brands which helps keep their operating cost low, giving them a higher profit margin.In addition, Target outsources their goods to multiple countries which helps gen erate lower costs. They currently have 27 offices in 18 different countries. Problems Moving Forward ?Looking forward, Target may continue to see problems in a couple areas. They currently face the struggles of competing with Wal-Mart internationally, driving traffic through their store/ online website and the ability to implement quality control. ?The biggest current problem is competing with their largest competitor, Wal-Mart, at an international level and depending solely on the American market.It is known that the American economy has taken a hit in the recent past and that can be reflected in Target’s recent profits. Being solely dependent does not allow them to mitigate their risk, which Wal-Mart has done by tapping into different countries. This may not be an existing problem for long. Target is exploring the Canadian market and expects to have 125 of 135 stores remodeled and opened in the years 2013-2014. This shows some promise because over 30,000 Canadians currently hold Target’s REDcard, which shows a strong brand presence (FOX). A second problem Target faces is driving consumer traffic through their stores and website. With the new emerging strategy of E-Commerce, consumers now have the ability to shop online in the comfort of their own home. This adds more competition to the market that Target already faced and these new entrants have the option to operate at a minimal cost. ?The last pressing issue Target may face for the future is quality control. Dating back to the start of 2012 and currently into the 2013 year, Target has recalled over 55 products sold.This damages the image of Target and the products it offers. We do not believe this should hinder their operations too heavily but it is something to take notice of and work on fixing for the future (Target). Strategic Recommendation Our strategic recommendation for Target is to implement a comprehensive, multi-pronged, in-store advertising campaign that focuses on organic and all natural products sales and promotions. Target’s commitment to healthy living and high wellness standards is consistent with the benefits of this growing organic market.Target is able to add to their bottom line by tapping into this already established market, stealing market share from other retailers, and creating a new demand with non-organic users. Organic food sales in the U. S. comprise nearly half of global organic food sales. The global organic market reached $54. 9 billion in 2009, more than triple the $18 billion recorded in 2000 (Organic Agriculture in Wisconsin). Target has met the needs of the rapidly growing demand of healthier foods, more effective forms of exercise, and a booming interest in organic products, but have not taken full advantage of the market opportunity.Recently Target and Harris Interactive carried out a survey that polled American families and found that consumers are confused about how, why and where to shop for organic foods. Many families ar e unfamiliar or even unaware of the benefits of the organic foods and products. For instance the study showed that, â€Å"one-third (34 percent) of consumers surveyed believe that organic foods are superior to non-organic foods, but nearly two-thirds (61 percent) want to be better informed on the value of where it pays to buy organic† (Organic Consumers Association).It is not enough to just offer organic food and natural products, Target needs to educate their consumers and persuade them to buy those products offered at Target. â€Å"People want to know more about organic products and where to best spend their money on them,† says Dr. Susan Mitchell, registered dietitian and SuperTarget Health and Nutrition Expert. â€Å"Target provides their guests with product choices for the whole family; products that enhance their lives in an affordable and accessible way.When it comes to feeding your kids, certain conventional choices are fine, but parents should be informed on where organic is the better bet. With the new Archer Farms organic product, Target has made it easy for parents to make better decisions on what to feed their families† (Organic Consumers Association). Not until recently have a vast percent of our generation been diagnosed with allergies related to gluten, wheat, soy, etc. This is growing allergies are found to be passed on through genetics, and is only treatable through dietary changes.This means that the market will only continue to grow in future generations, not only by people who have the allergies, but also chose to limit their nutritional diet by choice for health reasons. Many companies now carry gluten free and organic food lines permanently and these product lines are continually growing. â€Å"a 2011 survey by the Organic Trade Association found that more than three-quarters—78 percent—of U. S. families are buying organic food, up from 73 percent in 2009. Forty percent of families say they are buying more organic food now than they were a year ago† (Organic Trade Association).In order for Target to fully tap into this growing market, they will need to continue expanding their current food departments in Target stores or convert them into Super Target stores. Target invested $500 million in 2010 in a new push on groceries, retrofitting some of its general merchandise stores with full-blown food sections. Sales and traffic at stores with the new grocery areas are about 6 percent higher than at similar stores without them, the company says (NY Times) Last year, nearly 1,000 Target stores offered an expanded food layout.At these Target stores, approximately 10,000 square feet is dedicated to a vast array of fresh food choices, including a curated assortment of fresh produce, fresh packaged meat and pre-packaged baked goods, in addition to dry and frozen offerings. By the end of 2012, more than 1,100 Target stores offer the expanded fresh food layout compared to 450 in 2010 (Ta rget Press Release). Annette Miller, Target’s senior vice president for grocery, said she expected an expanded food department to move into most Target stores eventually.While the gross margins of the grocery business are about 18 percent, well below those of retail, which are about 30. 5 percent, groceries both drive visits and make existing stores more profitable, said Colin McGranahan, an analyst with Sanford C. Bernstein (NY Times). Target and Super Target carry many private labels and brands that specialize in healthy lifestyle and organic products. The Archer Farms brand offers organic products while remaining exclusive to Target, and continues to expand their brand with new product introductions regularly.Both Super Target and Target stores will continue to offer a variety and vast selection of organic products to meet the needs of all their consumers (Organic Consumers Association). Since Target Corp. has been successful with the launching and selling of their exclusi ve organic product lines, as well as mainstream brand organic products, we feel they need to focus on this demand instead of starting a new venture. â€Å"Target is committed to helping guests see the value of organic products and their role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle,† says Greg Duppler, senior vice president, Target. We want our guests to have one-stop access to the healthy products they need without sacrificing the convenience and value that Target consistently delivers through our owned brands† (Organic Consumers Association). There is a lot more opportunity in this market than they have tapped into and we feel they should expand their educational programs and initiatives for them to fully take advantage of the organic product demand. Since Target Corp. already has the brand equity and brand awareness, we want to make their consumers more aware of the benefits and facts about living a healthy lifestyle and using organic and all natural products.Although Targ et has different advertisements and programs about healthy lifestyle, we feel they could incorporate a greater amount of product promotion and educational programs to increase their both their sales and brand image. Target Corp. needs to focus some of their advertising dollars on promoting these organic product lines. Not only the food and produce, but also the organic body care lines, and organic cleaning and household products. Organic is not just food. Over 2 billion worth of organic fiber, cosmetic, and household products were sold last year (Consumer demand for organic food boosts sales).They should increase and reposition their in-store signage and displays to create buzz and inform the shoppers of what organic products they carry. Similar to Publix â€Å"GreenWise† organic section in their store, Target should group their organic products together in each department of the store with attention grabbing, easy to read signage. Each department will include an organic aisl e or section with end-cap aisle displays. Within these displays they will include informative, educational facts or promotional videos explaining the benefits of the organic products versus the non-all natural products.Larger signage and end-cap aisle displays will increase awareness and curiosity. Many people do not want to take the time to research the information about organic products, but if Target offers it in the store, the consumers will be more likely to read it and become interested in the product lines. ?Many shoppers associate organic products and food to Publix and Whole Foods, but we want consumers to also include Target in this category. This advertising boost is more of an initiative than a campaign, to increase awareness and drive profitability in the all-natural product market.We want to enhance Target’s brand image by incorporating more healthy lifestyle programs. Target would build and enhance their â€Å"wellness† section of their website for consu mers to educate themselves on everyday wellness tips including organic foods and product ads, recipes, articles regarding the benefits of all-natural products. This would also include fitness tips, Target ads for exercise related products, vitamins, and more. We will focus this initiative towards mothers or heads of the households who do the family shopping. Why do people buy organic food? Parents tend to be motivated by health concerns.The Organic Trade Association found that nearly half of parents surveyed—48 percent—were motivated to buy organic food because they believe it is healthier for themselves and their children. Other motivators for parents include concerns over the effects of pesticides, hormones and antibiotics on children, and avoidance of highly processed food and artificial ingredients (Haumann). Many organic consumers are mothers who care about the wellness of their children and families, so we will focus mainly on healthy lifestyles for families. We will also offer special shopping lists and recipes for food allergies.Many mothers already shop at Target for their everyday needs and we want them to also buy any of the food products they can while they are there, especially organic. Based on these numbers, the organic food and beverage industry presents an opportunity for growth in both revenue and jobs during the downturn. Target has a huge advantage with their Red-card, that shoppers who have this credit or debit card receive 5% off their entire purchase every time they shop at Target or Super Target. This is another discount on top of Target’s everyday low prices compared to Whole Foods, Publix, and World Market.No other grocery store offers a credit card that allows a discount every time they shop, on top of sales and promotional items. With this Red-card, we suggest Target offers additional discounts, like Win-Dixie does with their shopping card. The consumers would receive Bo-Go discounts, weekly promotional prices o n certain items and more when they use their Red-card to buy groceries. This would increase their credit card sales, total purchases, and especially grocery and food sales (exhibit). The marketing and advertising of this wellness and organic initiative will cost about $3. million for four months of in-store promotion and an additional $500k for enhancing Target’s website design. Remodeling an existing store to include the expanded fresh food layout requires an investment of around $1. 5 – 3 million, of which about 60 percent is related to merchandising initiatives like the expanded food selection and transformations in Beauty, Home, Shoes and Baby (Target Summary Financials) Our expanded fresh food layout offers around 90 percent of the food categories found in a Super Target with about 60 percent of the items, in approximately half of the space devoted to food in a Super Target (Target Summary Financials).With every store Target remodels to expand their grocery depart ment, they increase their revenue by at least 6 percent. The advertising and in-store promotions will increase revenue by at least 4 percent within 6 months after we begin the initiative and increase total organic food sales by 12 percent within the year. This is a perfect time to start the in-store organic promotional campaign for Target. Summer and early fall is the highest revenue time for organic produce. Since the advertising and promotional collateral will mainly stay in-store and online, we can start right away and be ready to launch within 45 days.The website can be enhance as soon as possible, as well as the start of training for the current employees. Exhibit 7 in the Appendix shows a proposed timeline for our strategic recommendation for Target Corporation. Fallout and Summary These are the risks associated with our recommendation 1. Higher prices for organic food and products 2. Lack of demand and interest in organic food and products 3. Increase in a. operation costs fo r training of employees on education of organic benefits etc. and additional employees b. dvertising/marketing costs for signage and promotional advertising of organic product lines and foods c. costs associated with updating website content d. costs associciate with creating and expanding educational programs and sponsorships that promote organic products and food and healthy life styles References: 1. Organic Consumers Association. Another Big Box Chain, Target, Jumps Onto Organic Bandwagon. 28 Sept. 2006. Web. 05 Apr. 2013. . 2. Biesada, Alexandra. Target Corporation. 2013. Web. 5 April 2013. . 3. Clifford, Stephanie. â€Å"Big Retailers Fill More Aisles With Groceries. The New York Times, 16 Jan. 2011. Web. 6 Apr. 2013. . 4. Organic Agriculture in Wisconsin. â€Å"Growing Demand for Organic Food: A Bright Spot in a Tough Economy. † N. p. , Feb. 2012. Web. 06 Apr. 2013. . 5. Haumann, Barbara. â€Å"Seventy–eight Percent of U. S. Families Say They Purchase Organic Foods. † 2011 Press Releases. Organic Trade Association's Organic Newsroom, Nov. 2011. Web. 09 Apr. 2013. . 6. IBISWorld. Major Companies. 2012. Web. 5 April 2013. . 7. Reuters. Profile: Target Corp (TGT). 2013. Web. 5 April 2013. . 8. Target Brands, Inc. orporate fact sheet. 2013. Web. 5 April 2013b. . 9. Target Brands, Inc. shop Target's exclusive online-only brands. 22 January 2013. Web. 5 April 2013. . 10. Target Brands, Inc. stock information. 2013. Web. 6 April 2013. . 11. Target Brands, Inc. Target tops for customer experience. 5 March 2013. Web. 5 April 2013. . 12. Target Corporation. â€Å"Form 10K. † 10K. 2013. PDF. 13. Target Corporation – Financial and Strategic Analysis Review. 5-Nov-2012. Web 5 April 2013. reference code: GDRT33397FSA . 14. â€Å"Target Remodels 90 Stores to Expand Fresh Food Selection. Press Room. Target Corporation, 24 Apr. 2012. Web. 09 Apr. 2013. . MAN4720 Section 22 -Wednesdays 7:30pm Team: Risky Business Christine Majewski J ake Morgan Kristin Stearker Cory Verez Executive Summary ?The purpose of this analysis is to inform the board of team Risky Business’ strategic proposal related to Target Corporation’s Health & Wellness category. Target is already a multi-million dollar company, but after analyzing the company, our team has come up with a few strategic recommendations to aid in the continued success of Target.We have found that Target strives to combine top of the line innovation, excellent customer service, and unparallel value at attractive prices to customers using their Expect More. Pay Less ® brand promise. The Target Corporation has many strengths that will help our recommendation succeed including a wide scope of products and brands, strong internal logistics, convenience of online shopping, and an already strong brand and financial position. We feel that Target creates a sustained competitive advantage by leveraging the different aspects of their integration strategy to attra ct customers.Target is able to keep volumes high, driving costs down to offer lower prices on the differentiated products that Target’s guests have grown to love and expect. ?Team Risky Business’s strategic recommendations for the Health & Wellness sector include expanding initiatives and educational programs associated with organic and gluten free lifestyles. Target already has brand exclusive organic lines and our team recommends making consumers more aware of the products offered as well as benefits their guests can reap from changing their lifestyles.We suggest increasing advertising in order to promote these product lines to a market that is increasingly more health conscious than ever before. As with any strategic option, there are fall out risks associated to this plan that include increased costs and a potential lack of interest or demands. The full analysis gives a more in depth look at the current position of the company and future problems it could face alon g with the strategic recommendations we have chosen, and potential fallout risks associated with our solutions.Identify your client’s current vision and mission and analyze your client’s strategy ? Target’s ultimate goal is to become the most favored shopping destination for customers throughout all existing channels. The company plans to achieve their overall vision by continually being a top innovator in the industry, delivering outstanding customer experiences and terrific value at attractive prices, and by constantly fulfilling their brand promise of Expect More. Pay Less ®. Target tries to live up to their statements and this can be seen throughout many areas of the company.In March, 2013, Target received one of only 13 ratings of â€Å"excellent†, the highest available, from the Forrester Customer Experience Index, which measures customer experiences by survey (Target Brands, Inc. , 2013). As far as innovation is concerned, Target has made a posit ive imprint within the industry. Target has received many awards for its innovative excellence and is continuously reinventing its stores, layouts, and product assortments to better serve the ever-evolving needs of their guests (Target Brands, Inc. , 2013b). Target sells high-quality, trendy merchandise, at affordable prices which allows guests to â€Å"Expect More.Pay Less ®Ã¢â‚¬  when they shop at Target. Target combines innovation, value, and commitment to their brand promise through their actions, such as partnering with popular fashion designers to create affordable lines specifically for Target. This combining of differentiated products with lower prices is one way that Target incorporates its mission statement into their everyday operations. Target is still working on reaching its end goal of becoming the preferred outlet, as shown by its #2 market share position in the discount department store industry. Target is surpassed in market share only by Wal-Mart at this time ( Biesada, 2013). Three segments are operated by Target; US Retail, Canadian, and US Credit Card. Two branded credit cards, the Target Card and the Target Visa, and one Target branded debit card, offer credit to customers through the US Credit Card segment (Reuters, 2013). In 2012, the total REDCard penetration was 13. 6%, up from 9. 3% the prior year. Although more people are signing up for credit, the total revenue generated from this segment has been declining since 2010 (Target Corporation, 2013). See Exhibit 1 for US Credit Card segment details. The Canadian segment includes the recently acquired Zeller’s, Inc. tore locations in Canada. Start-up costs for this segment were $272 million in 2011 and $74 million in 2012 (Target Corporation, 2013). ?The US Retail segment includes Target’s online business, its general merchandise stores, and SuperTargets (Reuters, 2013). Target. com is designed to allow guests to purchase products directly from online and/or to assist th em in locating the product in a store near them. To aid in differentiating themselves, Target uses the web platform to sell not only its general merchandise, but also to introduce six brands sold exclusively through this medium (Target Brands, Inc. 2013c). The online presence aids in the vision of the company by offering multiple channels through which a customer can interact with Target. The brick and mortar stores of the US Retail segment offer general merchandise and groceries through the discount chain. Target and SuperTargets differ in that SuperTargets offer a larger line of food assortments. Target’s product mix includes household items, electronics, apparel and accessories, food and pet supplies, and home furnishings (Reuters, 2013). Exhibit 2 shows the percentages of sales each category holds. Within the retail segment, a portion of Target’s sales are generated through a mix of nationally branded goods, as well as private-label brands. In addition to general m erchandise, Target also generates revenues from facilities in store â€Å"†¦such as Target Cafe, Target Clinic, Target Pharmacy and Target Photo, and from leased or licensed departments such as Target Optical, Pizza Hut, Portrait Studio and Starbucks† (Reuters, 2013). Target Corporation generates the majority of its sales revenues from the US Retail segment and revenues have been increasing since at least 2007 according to the company’s past 10K forms.Even through the 2008 recent recession, Target’s sales revenues have continued to increase within this segment (Target Corporation, 2013). Sales revenue overall, including all three segments, also has been rising since at least 2007. Although revenues continued to increase through the recession, net earnings dropped from $2,849 million in 2007 to $2,214 million in 2008. Target’s net earnings recovered and have been increasing every year since the recession (Target Corporation, 2013).In addition to incre asing sales revenue and net earnings, Target’s stock prices have also been above both the S&P and Dow Jones indexes for the last 10 years (Target Brands, Inc. , 2013d). See Exhibit 3 for US Retail Segment sales figures and Exhibit 4 for other selected financial data. ?The Target Corporation currently operates 1,784 of these SuperTarget and Target stores in the United States, as well as their online site, Target. com. Target recently began expansion into Canada; 24 stores are operational at this time (Target Brands, Inc. , 2013b).Target plans to continue with its growth tactics through 2013, bringing its Canadian fleet up to 100-150 stores (Biesada, 2013). At the same time that Target is expanding into new markets, the company is also penetrating further into existing markets with plans to remodel more of its store formats and to include additional food assortments. According to Hoovers, â€Å"nearly 900 Target stores (up from 462 last year) now feature expanded food assortme nts†¦In fiscal 2013 Target plans to remodel an additional 230 general merchandise Target stores †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Biesada, 2013).The remodeled stores, with better food assortments and innovative design changes, seem to be part of a strategic effort to stay competitive with the only company out-performing them, Wal-Mart. ?Finally, the Target company operates using an integration strategy, and is one of few companies that has found success using this type of strategy. As IbisWorld states, â€Å"Target offers daily essentials and consumables at discounted prices; however, the company has carved out a niche market by focusing on selling fashionable and trendy products† (IBISWorld, 2012).Target is unique because it has successfully managed to operate with low costs while providing differentiated products that satisfy their customers’ needs and wants. Being able to continuously offer quality, innovative products while keeping costs low lays a foundation for the company to create competitive strengths on. Analysis Strengths: ?A couple of strengths that we found Target is posting is their large variety of product and brands. They offer a wide arrangement of goods that can attract an excessive amount of consumers to come through the store.Another strength that Target holds is a strong internal logistics structure. Their 37 distribution centers located across the US gives them a strong chance to open more stores, and reach more potential customers. (Target Co. ) They also offer the convenience of online shopping for all of their customers, not only offering ease of shopping, but also allowing those who may not have a target nearby still enjoys their goods. We also found that Target is in a unique position in respect to their current sales, over the last few years they have consistently posted growth in revenue, and gross profit.Weaknesses: ?A weakness that was found through our research was a decrease in liquid capital over the last 2 years, potentially making it difficult to manage working capital and operational needs. Furthermore, they have increased the total debt that they are obliged to, making the lack of current assets evermore detrimental. Another possible weakness is their lack of exposure to countries other than the US, they are currently only operating inside the US which could pose many problems due to their dependence on one market. Target Co. ) Opportunities: ?There are plenty of opportunities for Target when it comes to the expansion of their company into new markets. In 2013 Target will take its first step into an international market when they expanded in to Canada, creating Target Canada Co. (Target Co. ) Target has opportunities to expand their products, and broaden the breadth of their goods, especially the expansion of private label brands. Threats: ?The largest threat to target is that it is in a highly competitive market.There are a plethora of other stores selling the same goods, as well as the threats of counterfeit goods in the industry. (Target Co. ) Another threat is the potential of change in consumer preferences, creating a lack of demand for Targets goods. Threat of Substitute Products: ?We feel the threat of substitute products is high, there are many stores that offer similar goods that could be considered more attractive than buying from target; usually this is derived from the desire to obtain private label goods. Intensity of competitive rivalry in the Industry: The competitive rivalry within the industry is high, there are many companies competing against each other for the same customers, and market share. On top of the brick and mortar traditional shopping, there are now arising e-commerce competitors that intensify the competition within the industry. Threat of new Entrants: ?Considering the wide arrangements of goods offered by Target, we believe that the threat of new entrants is high. It’s also a highly competitive market, will low barriers of entry, so the combination of those two things creates an ease of entry for new ventures.Power of Buyers: We find that the power of buyers is high at Target, while they may not have much negotiating power within the store; they do have many options on where they are going to buy the particular good, which gives them the power to shop around and find the price that they like. Power of Suppliers: ?The power of suppliers at Target is low, since there has been a decrease in import barriers that has caused an increase in competition between suppliers. So the power of the suppliers to name the price has nearly been eliminated.Sustainable Competitive Advantage ?To operate effectively in the discount retail industry you need to be able to master some key functions, not only to achieve competitive advantage, but also to make it sustainable. Target displays a couple features we have noticed, that we feel allows them to obtain a sustainable competitive advantage. These SCA factors consist of the ability to m anage and perform off a highly effective supply chain and the ability to achieve high economies of scale, due to their huge market presence and mix of private branding. One of the factors that helps Target obtain an effective supply chain is the wide geographical coverage of their distribution centers. They currently control and operate 37 distribution centers ranging from the West Coast of Lacey, Washington all the way to the North East location of Wilton, New York. By having multiple disperse locations they have allowed themselves the opportunity to expand across the whole country. They have the capabilities to service any of their 1,700 plus stores in a timely manner.This in turn creates a larger geographical market to operate in effectively that some of their smaller competitors may not have the means to. ?A second important factor that Target masters is its offering of diverse products coupled with high economies of scale. Target offers product lines in departments such as; hou sehold, hardline goods (non-informational goods), apparel and accessories, home furnishings and food and pet supplies. By doing this they create a one stop shop effect which holds a high convenience factor in the eyes of consumers.In 2010, the highest percentage of sales was in household goods at 24%, the lowest percentage was food and pet supplies at 17% (Target 2012 10k). These statistics support the idea that Target is not just specialized in one department, but has been able to offer a wide variety of products, all of which hold a high demand. Coupled with the wide diverse product range, Target has been able to do this while achieving high economies of scale. They have incorporated 30 plus mixed and licensed brands which helps keep their operating cost low, giving them a higher profit margin.In addition, Target outsources their goods to multiple countries which helps generate lower costs. They currently have 27 offices in 18 different countries. Problems Moving Forward ?Looking forward, Target may continue to see problems in a couple areas. They currently face the struggles of competing with Wal-Mart internationally, driving traffic through their store/ online website and the ability to implement quality control. ?The biggest current problem is competing with their largest competitor, Wal-Mart, at an international level and depending solely on the American market.It is known that the American economy has taken a hit in the recent past and that can be reflected in Target’s recent profits. Being solely dependent does not allow them to mitigate their risk, which Wal-Mart has done by tapping into different countries. This may not be an existing problem for long. Target is exploring the Canadian market and expects to have 125 of 135 stores remodeled and opened in the years 2013-2014. This shows some promise because over 30,000 Canadians currently hold Target’s REDcard, which shows a strong brand presence (FOX). A second problem Target faces is dri ving consumer traffic through their stores and website. With the new emerging strategy of E-Commerce, consumers now have the ability to shop online in the comfort of their own home. This adds more competition to the market that Target already faced and these new entrants have the option to operate at a minimal cost. ?The last pressing issue Target may face for the future is quality control. Dating back to the start of 2012 and currently into the 2013 year, Target has recalled over 55 products sold.This damages the image of Target and the products it offers. We do not believe this should hinder their operations too heavily but it is something to take notice of and work on fixing for the future (Target). Strategic Recommendation Our strategic recommendation for Target is to implement a comprehensive, multi-pronged, in-store advertising campaign that focuses on organic and all natural products sales and promotions. Target’s commitment to healthy living and high wellness standard s is consistent with the benefits of this growing organic market.Target is able to add to their bottom line by tapping into this already established market, stealing market share from other retailers, and creating a new demand with non-organic users. Organic food sales in the U. S. comprise nearly half of global organic food sales. The global organic market reached $54. 9 billion in 2009, more than triple the $18 billion recorded in 2000 (Organic Agriculture in Wisconsin). Target has met the needs of the rapidly growing demand of healthier foods, more effective forms of exercise, and a booming interest in organic products, but have not taken full advantage of the market opportunity.Recently Target and Harris Interactive carried out a survey that polled American families and found that consumers are confused about how, why and where to shop for organic foods. Many families are unfamiliar or even unaware of the benefits of the organic foods and products. For instance the study showed that, â€Å"one-third (34 percent) of consumers surveyed believe that organic foods are superior to non-organic foods, but nearly two-thirds (61 percent) want to be better informed on the value of where it pays to buy organic† (Organic ConsumersAssociation). It is not enough to just offer organic food and natural products, Target needs to educate their consumers and persuade them to buy those products offered at Target. â€Å"People want to know more about organic products and where to best spend their money on them,† says Dr. Susan Mitchell, registered dietitian and SuperTarget Health and Nutrition Expert. â€Å"Target provides their guests with product choices for the whole family; products that enhance their lives in an affordable and accessible way.When it comes to feeding your kids, certain conventional choices are fine, but parents should be informed on where organic is the better bet. With the new Archer Farms organic product, Target has made it easy for parent s to make better decisions on what to feed their families† (Organic Consumers Association). Not until recently have a vast percent of our generation been diagnosed with allergies related to gluten, wheat, soy, etc. This is growing allergies are found to be passed on through genetics, and is only treatable through dietary changes.This means that the market will only continue to grow in future generations, not only by people who have the allergies, but also chose to limit their nutritional diet by choice for health reasons. Many companies now carry gluten free and organic food lines permanently and these product lines are continually growing. â€Å"a 2011 survey by the Organic Trade Association found that more than three-quarters—78 percent—of U. S. families are buying organic food, up from 73 percent in 2009. Forty percent of families say they are buying more organic food now than they were a year ago† (Organic Trade Association).In order for Target to full y tap into this growing market, they will need to continue expanding their current food departments in Target stores or convert them into Super Target stores. Target invested $500 million in 2010 in a new push on groceries, retrofitting some of its general merchandise stores with full-blown food sections. Sales and traffic at stores with the new grocery areas are about 6 percent higher than at similar stores without them, the company says (NY Times) Last year, nearly 1,000 Target stores offered an expanded food layout.At these Target stores, approximately 10,000 square feet is dedicated to a vast array of fresh food choices, including a curated assortment of fresh produce, fresh packaged meat and pre-packaged baked goods, in addition to dry and frozen offerings. By the end of 2012, more than 1,100 Target stores offer the expanded fresh food layout compared to 450 in 2010 (Target Press Release). Annette Miller, Target’s senior vice president for grocery, said she expected an e xpanded food department to move into most Target stores eventually.While the gross margins of the grocery business are about 18 percent, well below those of retail, which are about 30. 5 percent, groceries both drive visits and make existing stores more profitable, said Colin McGranahan, an analyst with Sanford C. Bernstein (NY Times). Target and Super Target carry many private labels and brands that specialize in healthy lifestyle and organic products. The Archer Farms brand offers organic products while remaining exclusive to Target, and continues to expand their brand with new product introductions regularly.Both Super Target and Target stores will continue to offer a variety and vast selection of organic products to meet the needs of all their consumers (Organic Consumers Association). Since Target Corp. has been successful with the launching and selling of their exclusive organic product lines, as well as mainstream brand organic products, we feel they need to focus on this dem and instead of starting a new venture. â€Å"Target is committed to helping guests see the value of organic products and their role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle,† says Greg Duppler, senior vice president, Target. We want our guests to have one-stop access to the healthy products they need without sacrificing the convenience and value that Target consistently delivers through our owned brands† (Organic Consumers Association). There is a lot more opportunity in this market than they have tapped into and we feel they should expand their educational programs and initiatives for them to fully take advantage of the organic product demand. Since Target Corp. already has the brand equity and brand awareness, we want to make their consumers more aware of the benefits and facts about living a healthy lifestyle and using organic and all natural products.Although Target has different advertisements and programs about healthy lifestyle, we feel they could incorporate a greater amount of product promotion and educational programs to increase their both their sales and brand image. Target Corp. needs to focus some of their advertising dollars on promoting these organic product lines. Not only the food and produce, but also the organic body care lines, and organic cleaning and household products. Organic is not just food. Over 2 billion worth of organic fiber, cosmetic, and household products were sold last year (Consumer demand for organic food boosts sales).They should increase and reposition their in-store signage and displays to create buzz and inform the shoppers of what organic products they carry. Similar to Publix â€Å"GreenWise† organic section in their store, Target should group their organic products together in each department of the store with attention grabbing, easy to read signage. Each department will include an organic aisle or section with end-cap aisle displays. Within these displays they will include informative, educational fac ts or promotional videos explaining the benefits of the organic products versus the non-all natural products.Larger signage and end-cap aisle displays will increase awareness and curiosity. Many people do not want to take the time to research the information about organic products, but if Target offers it in the store, the consumers will be more likely to read it and become interested in the product lines. ?Many shoppers associate organic products and food to Publix and Whole Foods, but we want consumers to also include Target in this category. This advertising boost is more of an initiative than a campaign, to increase awareness and drive profitability in the all-natural product market.We want to enhance Target’s brand image by incorporating more healthy lifestyle programs. Target would build and enhance their â€Å"wellness† section of their website for consumers to educate themselves on everyday wellness tips including organic foods and product ads, recipes, article s regarding the benefits of all-natural products. This would also include fitness tips, Target ads for exercise related products, vitamins, and more. We will focus this initiative towards mothers or heads of the households who do the family shopping. Why do people buy organic food? Parents tend to be motivated by health concerns.The Organic Trade Association found that nearly half of parents surveyed—48 percent—were motivated to buy organic food because they believe it is healthier for themselves and their children. Other motivators for parents include concerns over the effects of pesticides, hormones and antibiotics on children, and avoidance of highly processed food and artificial ingredients (Haumann). Many organic consumers are mothers who care about the wellness of their children and families, so we will focus mainly on healthy lifestyles for families. We will also offer special shopping lists and recipes for food allergies.Many mothers already shop at Target for their everyday needs and we want them to also buy any of the food products they can while they are there, especially organic. Based on these numbers, the organic food and beverage industry presents an opportunity for growth in both revenue and jobs during the downturn. Target has a huge advantage with their Red-card, that shoppers who have this credit or debit card receive 5% off their entire purchase every time they shop at Target or Super Target. This is another discount on top of Target’s everyday low prices compared to Whole Foods, Publix, and World Market.No other grocery store offers a credit card that allows a discount every time they shop, on top of sales and promotional items. With this Red-card, we suggest Target offers additional discounts, like Win-Dixie does with their shopping card. The consumers would receive Bo-Go discounts, weekly promotional prices on certain items and more when they use their Red-card to buy groceries. This would increase their credit card sales, total purchases, and especially grocery and food sales (exhibit). The marketing and advertising of this wellness and organic initiative will cost about $3. million for four months of in-store promotion and an additional $500k for enhancing Target’s website design. Remodeling an existing store to include the expanded fresh food layout requires an investment of around $1. 5 – 3 million, of which about 60 percent is related to merchandising initiatives like the expanded food selection and transformations in Beauty, Home, Shoes and Baby (Target Summary Financials) Our expanded fresh food layout offers around 90 percent of the food categories found in a Super Target with about 60 percent of the items, in approximately half of the space devoted to food in a Super Target (Target Summary Financials).With every store Target remodels to expand their grocery department, they increase their revenue by at least 6 percent. The advertising and in-store promotions will increase revenue by at least 4 percent within 6 months after we begin the initiative and increase total organic food sales by 12 percent within the year. This is a perfect time to start the in-store organic promotional campaign for Target. Summer and early fall is the highest revenue time for organic produce. Since the advertising and promotional collateral will mainly stay in-store and online, we can start right away and be ready to launch within 45 days.The website can be enhance as soon as possible, as well as the start of training for the current employees. Exhibit 7 in the Appendix shows a proposed timeline for our strategic recommendation for Target Corporation. Fallout and Summary These are the risks associated with our recommendation 1. Higher prices for organic food and products 2. Lack of demand and interest in organic food and products 3. Increase in a. operation costs for training of employees on education of organic benefits etc. and additional employees b. dvertising/marketing costs for signage and promotional advertising of organic product lines and foods c. costs associated with updating website content d. costs associciate with creating and expanding educational programs and sponsorships that promote organic products and food and healthy life styles References: 1. Organic Consumers Association. Another Big Box Chain, Target, Jumps Onto Organic Bandwagon. 28 Sept. 2006. Web. 05 Apr. 2013. . 2. Biesada, Alexandra. Target Corporation. 2013. Web. 5 April 2013. . 3. Clifford, Stephanie. â€Å"Big Retailers Fill More Aisles With Groceries. The New York Times, 16 Jan. 2011. Web. 6 Apr. 2013. . 4. Organic Agriculture in Wisconsin. â€Å"Growing Demand for Organic Food: A Bright Spot in a Tough Economy. † N. p. , Feb. 2012. Web. 06 Apr. 2013. . 5. Haumann, Barbara. â€Å"Seventy–eight Percent of U. S. Families Say They Purchase Organic Foods. † 2011 Press Releases. Organic Trade Association's Organic Newsroom, Nov. 2011. Web. 09 Apr. 201 3. . 6. IBISWorld. Major Companies. 2012. Web. 5 April 2013. . 7. Reuters. Profile: Target Corp (TGT). 2013. Web. 5 April 2013. . 8. Target Brands, Inc. corporate fact sheet. 2013. Web. 5 April 2013b. 9. Target Brands, Inc. shop Target's exclusive online-only brands. 22 January 2013. Web. 5 April 2013. . 10. Target Brands, Inc. stock information. 2013. Web. 6 April 2013. . 11. Target Brands, Inc. Target tops for customer experience. 5 March 2013. Web. 5 April 2013. . 12. Target Corporation. â€Å"Form 10K. † 10K. 2013. PDF. 13. Target Corporation – Financial and Strategic Analysis Review. 5-Nov-2012. Web 5 April 2013. reference code: GDRT33397FSA . 14. â€Å"Target Remodels 90 Stores to Expand Fresh Food Selection. † Press Room. Target Corporation, 24 Apr. 2012. Web. 09 Apr. 2013. .

Japanese Martial Arts Essays - Japanese Martial Arts, Danzan-ry

Japanese Martial Arts Essays - Japanese Martial Arts, Danzan-ry Japanese Martial Arts The Martial Arts of Japan The martial arts have influenced Japan in many ways. Many of these arts have been passed down from ancient times and are still even practiced today. In my report, I will examine the major Japanese arts and tell how they have influenced Japan. First, however, I will give a little background for these arts. The original word for Japanese martial arts was bujutsu, or art of the military. This had more to do with physical techniques than philosophical and mental. The physical, mental and philosophical techniques were combined to create budo, or way of the military. Budo was also used to describe the code of the samurai in feudal days. Karate is actually a Japanese word meaning empty hand.(Nakayama 80) This applies that no weapons other than the hands are needed to attack or defend. Karate is categorized into four parts physical conditioning, self-defense, mental conditioning, and sport. A typical Karate tournament would include demonstrations of breaking, weapons use, self-defense techniques, tradition and open forms and the most exciting competition, sparring. Nobody is quite sure when Karate was created, but we do know that an Indian priest, Daruma, a brilliant doctor, Hua T'o, and a popular general of the Sung Dynasty, Yuen Fei, are considered its forefathers. We also know that it was developed in Okinawan islands from Chinese techniques and local innovations as a system of self-defense. In the 1920's, Gichin Funakoshi, an Okinawan schoolteacher taught a method of karate to Japan which caught on. Figure 1 - Sumo Warrior seen meditating before a battle Sumo in its early days tended to be violent with no holds barred. During the reign of Emperor Saga (r. 809-23) the practice of sumo was encouraged as a martial art and rules were established and techniques cultivated. It is impossible to determine whether the art of sumo is a completely native sport or whether similar forms of grappling from other parts of Asia and Eurasia influenced it. Grappling is a rather basic, instinctive sport practiced mostly by men. In fact, the first grappling match ever described went as so, 'lowly mortals grappled for quite a while until one finally rendered some devastating kicks to the other's stomach and solar plexus. The one who was kicked was mortally wounded, and the victor went cheered.'(Newton 103) The earliest written mention of sumo is found in the Kojiki (Record of Ancient Matters), a book from the year 712. According to the book, about 2,500 years ago, the gods Takemikazuchi and Takeminakata grappled along the Japan Sea coast in what is now Shimane-ken, until the latter finally lost. Takemikazuchi, who is said to have established the imperial family from which emperors could trace their roots, gave control of the archipelago to the Japanese people. The Japanese did not keep any written records until the 8th century. This means it is impossible to know, aside from the legend, exactly when the art of sumo first developed in Japan. However, ancient wall paintings indicate the origin is very old. Jujitsu is a 3,000-year-old martial art. It originated from a blending of native sumo and fighting techniques in Japan with the soft aspects of Kung Fu from China. Jujitsu incorporates empty hand defense and offense as well as bone setting and healing techniques for use by the instructor to fix any injuries occurring during training. It is also the predecessor of Aikido and Judo. One popular style of jujitsu is Danzan Ryu (the Cedar Mountain System.) Seishiro Okazaki founded Danzan Ryu Jujitsu. He got tuberculosis and sought to build his strength in martial arts. Affecting a cure due to the 6 days per week workout, massage and healing by his sensei, he dedicated his life to study of Budo & healing. Another style of jujitsu is ninjitsu. Ninjitsu is the art of invisibility. Along with its jujitsu background, it can also be traced back to Chinese spying techniques. Ninjas were used in the sixth century to gain information about the enemy and sabotage his operations. However, we now call ninjas anybody who practices this art. Ninjas can be both male and female, but must possess three abilities. They must be a hunter, a wizard and a warrior. As with

Ching China essays

Ching China essays In the 17th and 18th centuries, China appeared to be the superpower of the world. China possessed a strong government, a rich cultured way of life and noble leaders. The countrys population was bursting; their art and gardens were envied, and yet had very little contact with western civilization. Ching China had achieved the mandate of heaven and was flowered with gifts from the gods. The mandate in Heaven was achieved if the emperor was a good man with his power. The country would prosper and be free of bad events. Although not all parts of the country appeared to be in great elation. There was still suffering. Even the richest country in the world, still had the poorest of the poor. Emperor Kang-hsi had the love of his people. He was an admiral emperor and ruled for over 50 years. Kang-hsi once stated be considerate to officials and act as a father to the people, protect the state before danger comes and govern well before there is any disturbance, be always diligent and always careful, and maintain balance between leniency and strictness, between principle and expediency, so that long-range plans can be made for the country. ( Emperor of China pg. 114) This is one of the many powerful statements the emperor had made in his years under the throne. He appeared to possess the ideology of Ying and Yang, the idea that universe is made up of opposing forcers, good and evil, etc. The emperor was often willing to listen to criticism from his disciples and in the San Fran War of 1673-1681, accepted responsibility for his actions and admitted the war was his fault. (Emperor of China pg. 37) The Ching government was very strong and powerful at this time. No wars or succession had plagued the Ching dynasty. (World History pg. 550) The inherited the same system from the Ming dynasty before them. (World History pg. 551) The Ching dynasty created upward mobility through the ex ...