Nursing Philosophy Essay

Introduction Philosophy originates with the Greek word philosophia, which translates as â€Å"the love of wisdom†. Philosophers are engaged in inquiry concerning the search for truth, the nature of universe and the meaning of human experience. Welch& Polifroni(1999). The aim of this paper is to compare and contrast the philosophical paradigms of Realism, Antirealism, Phenomenology , Postmodernism. To relate the Empiricism, Positivism, Historicism, and Relativism to the nature of scientific truth. Moreover, to discuss the significance of truth for nursing as a profession and as a science. The various paradigms are characterized by ontological, epistemological and methodological differences in their approaches to conceptualizing and conducting research, and in their contribution towards disciplinary knowledge construction. Weaver, and Olson. (2006). Table 1 illustrate theses differences between these philosophical paradigms. Realism and Antirealism Realism has an ontology which states that the structures creating the world cannot be directly observed. Its epistemology is that appearances do not necessarily reveal the mechanisms which cause these appearances, and its methodology therefore  involves the construction of theories which can account for these appearances. Wainwright,S. ( 1997). Realism, in the Aristotelian, holds that things and individuals have existence independent of human thought and that this extra-mental world is intelligible and forms a basis for evaluating propositions about the world. Whelton,B. (2002) 2 Philosophy course –First Assignment Positivism collapses the world into a single plane of events. In contrast, realism recovers the ontological depth between the three stratified domains and thereby establishes relations of natural necessity rather than the relations of logical necessity  (universality). Wainwright,S. ( 1997). Relevance of Realism to Nursing Realism proposes a common ontology and epistemology for the natural and social sciences. Realism enables the traditional natural and social science division in subjects like geography, psychology, medicine and nursing to be bridged. Realism can therefore provide ontological and epistemological basis for nursing. Wainwrigh( 1997). On the other hand, the interest her in the causal and epistemological ingredients of scientific realism because they support the claim that explanations are important in nursing science  and practice and that the aim of scientist is to discover better and better explanations. Gortner, and Schumacher,(1992). Relevance of Antirealism to Nursing It the positivist antirealism that make their views inappropriate for nursing science. It is not possible in positivism to deal with subjective aspects of person, nor with perceived relational processes, nor with explanations without translating them into physiological states or behaviors. One of the most serious consequences of an antilrealist construction of theories is that theories cannot explain. One of the major distinction  between scientific realism and antirealism is the way in which â€Å"theoretical entities† are understood. In the language of scientific realism the term â€Å"theoretical entities† usually means unobservable entities, states, or processes. The antirealists deny the existence of 3 Philosophy course –First Assignment unobservable entities or process. Antirealist assert that the notion of truth or falsity is relevant to observation even though it is not relevant to theory. Gortner, and Schumacher,(1992). Phenomenology For Edmund Husserl, phenomenology is â€Å"the reflective study of the essence of  consciousness as experienced from the first-person point of view† Phenomenology, founded by Edmund Husserl, promotes the idea that the natural world is largely shaped by the human mind. Wikipedia, (2007). Phenomenology is philosophical movement whose primary objective is the direct investigation and description of phenomena as consciously experienced. It remains different from and in opposition to positivism because it is a theoretical, non causal, and attempts to be free of supposition. Welch(1999) P243). Postmodernism The essence of truth lies within the individual and the individual may change or  later alter that view dependent on the context and the circumstances. Thus, the postmodern worldview is that truth neither singular nor multiple; it is personal and highly individualized and contextually driven. Welch & Polifoni (1999)p-58) The Significance of Truth for Nursing as a Profession and as a Science. Science, philosophy and philosophy of science are all topics of great significance to nursing†¦the need to examine issues of what it means to know, what truth is, how we know and what can be learned from science and philosophy is central to growth in the 4 Philosophy course –First Assignment  discipline. Simultaneously, it is imperative that nurse scholars gain understanding of the divers scientific and philosophic traditions that have influenced the development of nursing knowledge in order to develop and enhance our science, our discipline and our profession. †. Welch and Polifroni (1999(p-1)) Philosophy of science in nursing seeks to understand truth, to examine prediction, causality and law, to critically relate theories, models and scientific systems. Theses goals are accomplished through the methods of philosophic inquiry of reflection and dialogue. Welch& Polifroni(1999(p-5)). In order to understand what truth is, Welch& Polifroni(1999) discussed the sources of truth ( Intuition, Authority, Tradition, Common Sense and Science)as well as the theories of truth such as correspondence theory; coherence theory; pragmatic theory; semantic and performative theory. These theories gave different interpretations for truth, for instance, correspondence theory suggests that truth is related to and correspond with reality, the truth is achieved through perceptions of the world, on the other hand for coherence theory, the truth is true if it is coherent while for the pragmatic theory the  truth is relative and related to the practicality and workableness of a solution. According to Newman, Sime and Corcoran-Perry(1991):’’ Nursing is the study of caring in the human health experience†¦nursing body of knowledge includes caring and human health experience. A body of knowledge that does not include caring and human health experience is not nursing knowledge. †. Truth can be achieved through knowing principles and causes of the natural kind behind phenomena. It is proposed that humans are the natural kind behind nursing phenomena. Thus, human nature provides proper principles (the truth) of nursing 5  Philosophy course –First Assignment practice†¦. It is proposed that it is knowledge of human nature that provides principles of human action, and thus human nature is a source of practical truth in nursing. Whelton . (2002). The realist ontological position assumes that an objective world exists independently of our knowledge, beliefs , theories or descriptions about it. This reality exists whether or not we can experience it or have conceptions of its nature. In contrast, several nonrealist positions have also been advanced, incorporating a wide variety of philosophical views pertaining to truth. These positions reject ontological and/or  epistemological realism, and therefore truth cannot be related to an external reality . Lomborg and Kirkevold (2003). However, Gortner and Schumacher (1992 )stated that ‘’ Nursing scholars can explore scientific realism for the insights it may provide for nursing science â€Å". Moreover, Gortner and Schumacher (1992) proposed that â€Å" Scientific realism is relevant to nursing science in the following ways: (1) It supports the full range of nursing theory; (2) It affirms the importance of including subjective client states in nursing theory and refutes the claim of the positivists that if it is not observable, it does not exist. ;(3) It adds the idea of the substantive content of explanations to discussion about forms of explanation;(4) It includes the notion of truth as a regulative ideal in science and claims that better theories are theories that are closer to the truth†. 6 Philosophy course –First Assignment Relate the Empiricism, Positivism, Historicism, and Relativism to the nature of scientific truth Positivism Positivist approaches are founded on an ontology that the things we experience are things that exist. Its epistemology requires that this experience is verified through the  deductive methodology of the `scientific method’ Wainwright,S. ( 1997). The positivistic philosophy of science will for example argue that scientific knowledge is objective and should be verified accordingly. Nyatanga(2005). The Relevance of Positivism to Nursing : It the positivist antirealism that make their views inappropriate for nursing science. It is not possible in positivism to deal with subjective aspects of person, nor with perceived relational processes, nor with explanations without translating them into physiological states or behaviors. One of the most serious consequences of an antilrealist  construction of theories is that theories cannot explain. Gortner, and Schumacher, (1992). EMPIRICISM Empiricism in its classical sense was a philosophical doctrine that considered observation to be the foundation of knowledge. Gortner and Schumacher(1992). Contemporary empiricism is a paradigm that has the ability to facilitate the application of the scientific facts learned from empirical methods within the appropriate context by taking interpretative knowledge into account†¦ It thus seems apparent that a broader view of scientific knowledge is required, and this is where contemporary views of 7  Philosophy course –First Assignment empiricism are more applicable to the practice of nursing. However, before reviewing the basic tenets of contemporary empiricism, there is a need to provide an overview of interpretive methods and their ability to provide a context or structure for the use of empirical knowledge. Pluralism supports the assumption of contemporary empiricism that human responses can be identified, measured and understood even considering their complex nature. Therefore, an important part of nursing knowledge acquisition includes a synthesis of the data in order to better understand the  synergistic effects of the whole, which cannot be learned simply by studying its parts. Traditional empiricism provides a basis for the study of certain types of knowledge that have made important contributions to the science of nursing. Giuliano,K. ( 2003) The strength of contemporary empiricism is that it values traditional empirical knowledge but takes interpretive knowledge into account in order to provide a context for the appropriate application of that knowledge. The pluralistic nature of contemporary empiricism gives it the ability to bridge the gap between the facts of scientific  knowledge and the use of scientific knowledge in order to facilitate the application of all types of nursing knowledge. Giuliano,K. ( 2003). HISTORICISM The main protagonist of historicism is Kuhn. He was dismayed to find that traditional accounts of the philosophy of science bore no comparison with historical 8 Philosophy course –First Assignment evidence. He then set out to establish a theory of the philosophy of science in keeping with historical evidence as he saw it (hence the term historicism). Nyatanga (2005). Relativism Epistemological relativism view of truth and falsity in general are relative. An epistemological relativist denies that anything at all can be known with certainty. According to hard core epistemological relativism, everything is a matter of opinion, including science. In this view of truth, nursing science has much knowledge that is derived from opinion and personal experience and consequently it is relative knowledge. Summary The importance and significance of the philosophical world views of realism, antirealism, phenomenology , postmodernism, positivism, empiricism, relativism and historicism for nursing science and profession were explored in this paper. However, this  area need more detailed exploration through our philosophy course in order to understand the similarities and differences between these philosophical worldviews and how we can integrate this knowledge in our practice and education. 9 Philosophy course –First Assignment References Giuliano,K. (2003). Expanding the use of empiricism in nursing: can we bridge the gap between knowledge and clinical practice? Nursing Philosophy. 2003,4, pp. 44–52. Gortner,S. and Schumacher,K. (1992). (Mis)conception and Reconceptions about Traditional Science. Advances in Nursing Science, 1992, 14(4):1-11 Lomborg,K. and Kirkevold,M.(2003). Truth and validity in grounded theory – a reconsidered realist interpretation of the criteria: fit, work, relevance and modifiability. Nursing Philosophy, 2003,4, pp. 189–200. Newman,M. , Sime, A. , and Cororan-Perry. .(1991)The Focus of the Discipline of Nursing. Advances in Nursing Science,(1991),14(1)1-6. Nyatanga, L. (2005). Nursing and the philosophy of science. Nurse Education Today (2005) 25, 670–674 Wainwright, S. ( 1997). A new paradigm for nursing: the potential of realism. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 1997, 26, 1262-1271 Weaver, K. and Olson, J. (2006). Understanding paradigms used for nursing  research. Journal of Advanced Nursing 2006 – Vol. 53 Issue 4 pages 459–469 10 Philosophy course –First Assignment Welch,M. and Polifoni,E. (1999) . Perspectives on Philosophy of Science in Nursing. An Historical and Contemporary Anthology. Copyright 1999. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins . Whelton,B. (2002) Human nature as a source of practical truth: Aristotelian–Thomistic realism and the practical science of nursing. Nursing Philosophy,2002, 3, pp. 35–46 Wikipedia, (2007). Phenomenology. Wikipedia the free encyclopedia. Retrieved October 15, 2007, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Phenomenology.

Marks ; Spencer Group Anaylsis Essay

Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 2 Marks and Spencer Group plc Company Overview COMPANY OVERVIEW Marks and Spencer Group (M&S or â€Å"the company†) is one of the leading retailers of clothing, foods and homeware in the UK. The company operates in more than 40 countries across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. It is headquar tered in London, the UK and employs 78,169 people. The company recorded revenues of ? 9,740. 3 million (approximately $15,158. 8 million) in the financial year ended April 2011 (FY2011)*, an increase of 2. 1% over FY2010. The operating profit of M&S was ? 836. million (approximately $1,302. 5 million) in FY2011, a decrease of 1. 8% compared to FY2010. The net profit was ? 612 million (approximately $952. 5 million) in FY2011, an increase of 16. 3% over FY2010. *The financial year ended April 2, 2011 was a 52-week period whereas the financial year ended April 3, 2010 was a 53-week period. KEY FACTS Head Office Marks and Spencer Group plc Wa terside House 35 Nor th Wharf Road London W2 1NW GBR Phone 44 20 7935 4422 Fax Web Address http://www. marksandspencer. com Revenue / turnover 9,740. 3 (GBP Mn) Financial Year End April Employees 78,169 London Ticker MKS Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 3 Marks and Spencer Group plc Business Description BUSINESS DESCRIPTION M&S is the holding company of the Marks & Spencer Group of companies. The company is one of the UK’s leading retailers, with more than 21 million people visiting its stores each week. M&S offers clothing and home products, as well as foods, sourced from about 2,000 suppliers globally. It operates through both wholly owned stores and franchise stores. As of FY2011, the company operated 703 stores in the UK. M&S operates over 361 owned and franchised stores in over 42 territories. Though the company primarily repor ts its revenues in terms of geographic segments (UK and international), its operations can be categorized under two divisions: food and general merchandise. The food division concentrates on four main areas: fresh, natural, healthy food; special celebration products; authentic ready meal ranges; and exceptional ever yday food such as â€Å"Oakham† chicken. It operates a chain of 163 Simply Food owned stores and 202 Simply Food franchise stores in high streets, motorway service stations, railway stations and air por ts in the UK. The general merchandise division of the company is categorized into two segments: clothing and home. The clothing segment offers women’s wear, men’s wear, lingerie, children’s wear, and accessories and footwear. Some of the prominent brands offered by this segment include Autograph, Limited Collection, Collezione, Blue Harbour, Girls Boutique, Per Una, Ceriso, Adored, and Truly you. The home segment offers homeware and home accessories, kitchen and tableware, lighting, and furniture products. In addition to selling products through regular stores, the segment also offers catalogue services. M;S offers its products and services online as well as through flagship stores, high street stores, retail park stores, M;S outlets, Simply Food stores, and Simply Food franchised stores. Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 4 Marks and Spencer Group plc History HISTORY M;S was founded in 1884 as a stall in an open market in Leeds, the UK. Then known as Marks’ Penny Bazaar, it was the household goods, haberdasher y, toy, and sheet-music business of Michael Marks, a Jewish refugee from Poland. In 1894, he took Thomas Spencer as a business par tner. In 1903, M&S was registered as a private limited company. Although a clothing design depar tment had first been set up in 1938, it was not until after the Second World War that it became fully developed under a leading designer. In 1973, the company entered Canada, and bought Peoples Depar tment Stores and D’Allaird’s, a national women’s wear retailer, both of which it later sold. The company also had direct retailing investments in Canada. It tried to move south of the border in 1988 with the purchase of Brooks Brothers, but the US operation never took off as the company had hoped. Five franchised stores were closed down in Turkey in 1999 when the franchise par tner Turk Petrol Holding couldn’t meet its bank obligations and collapsed. Later in the year, Marks and Spencer Canada, after 25 years of business, closed its 38 stores. The company sold its US clothing chain Brooks Brothers for $225 million in 2001. In 2003, M&S announced the launch of its â€Å"&more† credit card. Alongside this, Marks & Spencer Financial Services was re-branded â€Å"Marks & Spencer Money. † In 2004, M&S completed the sale of Marks & Spencer Retail Financial Services Holdings (M&S Money) to HSBC. During the course of 2005, the company opened 31 Simply Food stores as well as closed the Lifestore project in the UK. M&S expanded the â€Å"Simply Food† format with the acquisition of 28 stores on a leasehold basis from Iceland Foods for a consideration of ? 38 million (approximately $76. 3 million) in 2006. In the same year, M&S sold Kings Super Markets, its only non-M&S branded business to a US investor group consisting of Angelo, Gordon & Co, MTN Capital Par tners and Mr. Bruce Weitz for $61. 5 million in cash. In 2007, M&S and two of its long-term suppliers decided to star t the development of M&S’ first â€Å"eco-factories†, pioneering innovative methods of sustainable manufacturing. One factor y in Sri Lanka would make lingerie and two factories in Nor th Wales would manufacture furniture upholster y. In the same year, the company launched its own branded LCD widescreen TVs. This range was in addition to the existing collection of Sony TVs currently available at M;S. Fur ther in the year, M;S launched school wear made from recycled plastic bottles. The company’s first standalone home store in Lisburn, Nor thern Ireland was launched in 2007. In the same year, M&S launched Big & Tall, an exclusive online men’s wear offering more than 450 items online ranging from tailoring to knitwear to casual shir ts and trousers. Also in 2007, M;S reduced saturated fat level as much as 82% in more than 500 company’s products. The company reduced saturated fat levels in products including sandwiches, ready meals, crisps and savor y snacks. Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 5 Marks and Spencer Group plc History Towards the end of 2007, a new Made to Measure shir ts ser vice was launched by M&S, which allowed customers to design a tailor-made shir t within 21 days. The company added new products to its men’s wear por tfolio in FY2008. M;S also launched climate control underwear featuring temperature regulating technology developed by NASA, expanded Collezione brand collection by introducing new shoes, wool and cashmere mix trousers. M;S reinvigorated its Blue Harbour brand to attract 35 to 44 year old men. Also in FY2008, the company star ted to freeze its ready meals for international sale and launched a range of 70 lines in eight countries. Later, the company also launched a 25-piece capsule collection called GD25 from Per Una. In 2008, M;S removed ar tificial colors and flavorings from its entire food and soft drinks range. In the same year, the company improved the quantity of space in a number of major out of towns and city centre stores through store extensions and also added 35 stores to its Simply Food por tfolio, including 25 BP franchised stores. A new flagship store in new Westfield Centre at White City, West London was opened at the end of 2008. To fur ther progress in Asian markets, the company opened its first 38,000 square feet store in Shanghai. M;S then entered into a par tnership with Scottish and Southern Energy, as per which M;S Energy would supply electricity and gas to domestic customers and reward them with M;S store vouchers for helping the environment by reducing their energy usage. M;S announced plans to close 10 of its Simply Food stores in 2009. The company opened Food to Go outlets in Hong Kong in the same year. Also in 2009, M;S announced plans to enter new categories in the Indian market, with the launch of luggage and footwear for men. The company introduced a Ramadan and Eid fashion collection in all the 13 stores throughout the Middle East in the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman in 2009. Fur ther in the year, M;S launched personalized greetings cards business online. The company also announced to open its second mainland store in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province in southern China. M;S also launched a beer and cider range to complement its wine selection. M;S launched a revamped version of its website in 2009, the first major update since 2007. Fur thermore, in 2009, the company began to offer its online international deliver y service to 73 more countries as par t of a drive to grow annual sales of M;S Direct. The company began its offering within the homeware sector in 2009. M;S announced plans to open a store in Marbella, Spain by the end of 2009. In the same year, M;S and India-based Reliance Retail planned to open approximately 50 stores in India in the following five years under the banner of their joint venture company Marks ; Spencer Reliance India. Later in the year, the company outlined plans to cut costs by ? 50 million (about $150 million) by optimizing its supply chain and IT systems. M;S also announced plans to open a new store at the Swords Pavilions shopping center in the Dublin Airpor t, Ireland, in 2009. The company opened its new 22,000 square feet store at Morpeth’s Sanderson Arcade in the same year. M&S decided to launch â€Å"Simply Food† in Western Europe. Fur ther in 2009, the company a nnounced plans to sell a selected range of around 400 branded grocery and household products in all of its UK stores, following a 16-month trial in its stores in the Nor th East and South East of England. In 2010, M&S launched a new Home Energy Service division that would offer customers a suite of energy efficiency products and services. Building on the success of M&S Energy, which was servicing Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 6 Marks and Spencer Group plc History over 125,000 homes, the company would roll-out a number of new products including bespoke energy advice, renewable energy solutions such as solar panels and heat pumps, and energy efficient heating solutions. In the same year, M&S announced a program to be the world’s most sustainable retailer by 2015, launching 80 major new commitments under M;S’ eco and ethical plan, Plan A. The new commitments will mean that the company ensures all M&S products become ‘Plan A products’ with at least one sustainable quality. This program will also enable the company’s 2,000 suppliers to adopt Plan A best practice and encourage M;S customers and employees to live ‘greener’ lifestyles. Fur ther in 2010, M;S launched a new version of www. marksandspencer. om designed specifically for use on mobile phones and mobile devices—the first mobile site from a major UK high street retailer. Through this, the company aims to expand its multi-channel offering. During the same year, M;S launched England Football team suit exclusively in M;S stores, to take advantage of the football World cup spending. The company opened its new 1. 1 million square feet distribution centre at ProLogis Park Bradford in the UK in 2010. This warehouse in the UK will serve all the company’s stores with furniture products and store equipment. Later in 2010, M&S launched a range of Solar PV and Solar Thermal water heating solutions. Fur thering the sustainability initiatives, the company also announced that it will use polyester made from recycled PET drinks bottles instead of virgin polymer to make more than 300 million clothing care labels a year. Towards the end of 2010, M&S announced plans to move into rail distribution to reduce its carbon footprint. More than 300,000 general merchandise products per week would move from road to rail distribution. The company also opened a new shopping center in Vilnius, Lithuania at the end of year. In April 2011, M&S opened its greenest ever store at Ecclesall Road in Sheffield. This is the first store of a number of new Sustainable Learning stores planned by the company as par t of its drive to become the world’s most sustainable major retailer by 2015. The company opened 20 stores in the UK during FY2011, including 17 Simply Foods. In international, M;S opened 49 new stores and closed 15 stores. During the same period, the company entered the Egyptian market with a 28,000 square feet store in the Dandy Mega Mall in Cairo. The company, in July 2011, launched a new iPad application for its investors. This application will provide investors with latest M;S financial news. In the following month, M;S signed a traceability deal with Historic Futures. As per the deal, Historic Futures will provide the company full traceability on ever y single clothing and home product it sells. M;S is the first major retailer to commit to full traceability for non-food products. In September 2011, M;S opened a new store at Westfield, Stratford City with the latest ‘Only at Your M;S’ innovations and customer experiences. In the following month, M&S launched its new French website, http://www. marksandspencer. fr/, marking its first international transactional website. Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 7 Marks and Spencer Group plc History The company, in November 2011, opened its new flagship store at 100 Avenue des Champs-elysees in Paris. M&S, in February 2012, launched its outlet format on its website at www. marksandspencer. com/outlet. M&S Outlet will permanently offer a selection of more than 1,300 quality M&S clothing products with up to 40% off the regular high street and online prices. In the same month, the company recalled four products (Crispy Prawn Wonton, Crispy Vegetable Balls, Prawn Baguette Toast, and Prawn Siu Mai Selection) from its Chinese range due to mistake in ‘use by’ date. In March 2012, the company, announced plans to launch a new website for its Irish customers, http://www. marksandspencer. ie/. In April 2012, M&S announced that it will accept secondhand clothes at UK outlets in order to recycle into other fabrics or reuse overseas by the Oxfam charity in an aim to cut waste. Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 8 Marks and Spencer Group plc Key Employees KEY EMPLOYEES Name Job Title Board Marc Bolland Chief Executive Officer Executive Board 975000 GBP Alan Stewar t Chief Finance Officer Executive Board 550000 GBP Kate Bostock Executive Director, General Merchandise Executive Board 590000 GBP John Dixon Executive Director, Food Executive Board 540000 GBP Steven Sharp Executive Director, Marketing Executive Board 655000 GBP Laura Wade-Gery Executive Director, Multi-channel E-commerce Executive Board Amanda Mellor Group Secretar y and Head of Corporate Governance Executive Board Rober t Swannell Chairman of the Board Non Executive Board Vindi Banga Director Non Executive Board Miranda Cur tis Director Non Executive Board Jeremy Darroch Director Non Executive Board 85000 GBP Steven Holliday Director Non Executive Board 85000 GBP Mar tha Lane Fox Director Non Executive Board 70000 GBP Jan du Plessis Director Non Executive Board 70000 GBP Clem Constantine Director, Proper ty Senior Management Tanith Dodge Director, Human Resources Senior Management Dominic Fr y Director, Communications and Investor Relations Senior Management Jan Heere Director, International Senior Management Nayna McIntosh Director, Store Marketing and Design Senior Management Steve Rowe Director, Retail Senior Management Darrell Stein Director, Information Technology and Logistics Senior Management Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Compensation 450000 GBP Page 9 Marks and Spencer Group plc Key Employee Biographies KEY EMPLOYEE BIOGRAPHIES Marc Bolland Board: Executive Board Job Title: Chief Executive Officer Since: 2010 Mr. Bolland has been the Chief Executive Officer at Marks and Spencer Group since 2010. Previously, he was the Chief Executive Officer at Morrisons Supermarkets from 2006 to 2010. Prior to this, Mr. Bolland worked at Heineken for 20 years in various management roles, including Executive Board member and Chief Operating Officer, and responsibility for operations and business development in the US, France, Italy, Spain, the Caribbean and Latin America. He also ser ves as a Director at Manpower. Alan Stewart Board: Executive Board Job Title: Chief Finance Officer Since: 2010 Mr. Stewar t has been the Chief Finance Officer at Marks and Spencer Group since 2010. Before joining the company, he was the Chief Financial Officer at AWAS, an aircraft leasing company. Mr. Stewar t spent 10 years at HSBC Investment Bank before joining Thomas Cook in 1996, where he held various senior roles, including Chief Executive at Thomas Cook UK. Mr. Stewar t joined WH Smith in 2005 as Group Finance Director. He also ser ved as a Non Executive Director at Games Workshop Group. Kate Bostock Board: Executive Board Job Title: Executive Director, General Merchandise Ms. Bostock is the Executive Director of General Merchandise at Marks and Spencer Group. She joined the company in 2004. Previously, Ms. Bostock was the Product Director for Childrenswear at Next from 1994. She also ser ved as the Product Director for the George brand covering all areas of clothing and footwear at Asda. John Dixon Board: Executive Board Job Title: Executive Director, Food Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 10 Marks and Spencer Group plc Key Employee Biographies Since: 2009 Mr. Dixon has been the Executive Director of Food at Marks and Spencer Group since 2009. He joined the company as a Store Management Trainee. Mr. Dixon held various senior roles at the company for over 20 years, including Executive Assistant, Chief Executive, and Director of Home and M&S Direct. Steven Sharp Board: Executive Board Job Title: Executive Director, Marketing Mr. Sharp is the Executive Director of Marketing at Marks and Spencer Group. He joined the company in 2004. Previously, Mr. Shar p served as the Marketing Director at Asda, the Bur ton Group, Booker, and Arcadia Group. Currently, he is a Non Executive Director at Adnams. Laura Wade-Gery Board: Executive Board Job Title: Executive Director, Multi-channel E-commerce Since: 2011 Ms. Wade-Gery has been the Executive Director of Multi-channel E-commerce at Marks and Spencer Group since 2011. Prior to this, she worked at Tesco and held a variety of senior roles, including Chief Executive Officer of Tesco. com and Tesco Direct. Ms. Wade-Ger y also held various roles at Gemini Consulting and Kleinwor t Benson. She has also been a Non Executive Director at Trinity Mirror since 2006. Amanda Mellor Board: Executive Board Job Title: Group Secretary and Head of Corporate Governance Ms. Mellor is the Group Secretary and Head of Cor porate Governance at Marks and Spencer Group. She joined the company in 2004 as the Head of Investor Relations. Ms. Mellor spent her early career in investment management at James Capel before becoming a Director within its Corporate Finance team. She then served at Rober t Fleming, Investment Banking prior to joining The Bur ton Group as the Director of Cor porate Relations and Investor Relations. Robert Swannell Board: Non Executive Board Job Title: Chairman of the Board Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 11 Marks and Spencer Group plc Key Employee Biographies Since: 2011 Mr. Swannell has been the Chairman of the Board at Marks and Spencer Group since 2011. He joined the company in 2010 as a Non Executive Director. Prior to this, Mr. Swannell was a Senior Independent Director at The British Land Company, and 3i Group. He spent over 30 years in investment banking at Schroders/Citigroup. Mr. Swannell was previously the Vice Chairman at Citi Europe and Co-Chairman at Citi’s European Investment Bank. Vindi Banga Board: Non Executive Board Job Title: Director Since: 2011 Mr. Banga has been a Director at Marks and Spencer Group since 2011. He is currently a Par tner at Clayton Dubilier ; Rice, a private equity investment firm. Prior to this, Mr. Banga spent 33 years at Unilever, where he held several senior positions, including President of the Global Foods, Home and Personal Care businesses, and was a member of the Unilever Executive Board. He also serves as a Non Executive Director at Thomson Reuters and Maruti Suzuki India. Miranda Curtis Board: Non Executive Board Job Title: Director Since: 2012 Ms. Cur tis has been a Director at Marks and Spencer Group since February 2012. She is currently the Chairman at Waterstones, and a Non Executive Director at Liber ty Global. Ms. Cur tis has also been a Non Executive Director at National Express Group since 2008. She also serves on the Boards of the Institute for Government, the Royal Shakespeare Company, and Camfed (the leading African girls’ education charity). Jeremy Darroch Board: Non Executive Board Job Title: Director Since: 2006 Mr. Darroch has been a Director at Marks and Spencer Group since 2006. He also ser ves as the Chief Executive at British Sky Broadcasting. Previously, Mr. Darroch ser ved as the Chief Financial Officer at British Sky Broadcasting. Prior to this, he was the Group Finance Director and Retail Finance Director at Dixons Retail (formerly DSG International). Marks and Spencer Group plc MarketLine Page 12 Marks and Spencer Group plc Key Employee Biographies Steven Holliday Board: Non Executive Board Job Title: Director Since: 2004 Mr. Holliday has been a Director at Marks and Spencer Group since 2004. He is the Group Chief Executive Officer at National Grid. Prior to that, Mr. Holliday served as the Director of UK and Europe and was responsible for the UK Elect ricity and Gas businesses. He is also the Chairman of the UK Business Council for Sustainable Energy. Prior to joining National Grid, Mr. Holliday was an Executive Director at British Borneo Oil and Gas. Previously, he held several senior positions at Exxon Group. Martha Lane Fox Board: Non Executive Board Job Title: Director Since: 2007 Ms. Fox has been a Director at Marks and Spencer Group since 2007. She is the UK’s Digital Champion, the Chairman of Race Online 2012, and a Non Executive Director at Channel 4 Television. Ms. Fox is founder and Chairman of Lucky Voice, and of her own grant-giving foundation, Antigone. She was co-founder of lastminute. com. Jan du Plessis Board: Non Executive Board Job Title: Director Since: 2008 Mr. du Plessis has been a Director at Marks and Spencer Group since 2008. He is the Chairman at Rio Tinto. Previously, Mr. du Plessis was the Chairman at British American Tobacco and a Non Executive Director at Lloyds Banking Group. He also ser ved as the Chairman at RHM from 2005 to 2007. Mr. du Plessis was previously the Group Finance Director at Richemont, a position he held until 2004. Clem Constantine Board: Senior Management Job Title: Director, Proper ty Mr. Constantine is the Director, Proper ty at Marks and Spencer Group. He joined the company in 2006. Mr. Constantine was appointed the Group Proper ty and Retail Planning Director at Arcadia Group in 1999. He was appointed to his first finance directorship in 1993, for the IS brand at the Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 13 Marks and Spencer Group plc Key Employee Biographies Bur ton Group, and moved through several other finance directorships with variable responsibilities including systems and retail. Mr. Constantine was trained as a Char tered Accountant at Stoy Hayward, and joined Debenhams in 1989 as a Financial Analyst. Tanith Dodge Board: Senior Management Job Title: Director, Human Resources Since: 2008 Ms. Dodge has been the Director, Human Resources at Marks and Spencer Group since 2008. She was formerly the Group Human Resources Director at WH Smith since 2003. At WH Smith, Ms. Dodge was also responsible for Public Relations, Communications and Post Office Operations. Prior to this, she was the Senior Vice President Human Resources for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) at InterContinental Hotels Group. Ms. Dodge also served as the Human Resources Director at Diageo’s two business divisions. She was also the International Human Resources Manager at Prudential Corporation. Dominic Fry Board: Senior Management Job Title: Director, Communications and Investor Relations Mr. Fry is the Director, Communications and Investor Relations at Marks and Spencer Group. He joined the company in 2009. Prior to this, Mr. Fr y ser ved at Tulchan Communications. In 1996, he was appointed the Communications Director at J Sainsbury and ser ved in the same role at ScottishPower from 2000 to 2005. In 1989, Mr. Fr y became the Communications Director at AT&T in the UK before moving from there to head up communications at the Channel Tunnel in the mid ’90s. He star ted his career in 1982 working in PR consultancy at Traverse-Healy ; Regester and then Charles Barker. Jan Heere Board: Senior Management Job Title: Director, International Since: 2011 Mr. Heere has been the Director, International at Marks and Spencer Group since 2011. He joined Inditex in 2002 where he held a several international roles, most recently as General Manager for Inditex Russia. During 2000–02, Mr. Heere held various senior management roles at Zara, Groupo Inmobiliario Lupaco, and Charanga. He began his career at Manpower in Spain in 1997. Nayna McIntosh Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 14 Marks and Spencer Group plc Key Employee Biographies Board: Senior Management Job Title: Director, Store Marketing and Design Ms. McIntosh is the Director, Store Marketing and Design at Marks and Spencer Group. She joined the company in 2005. Prior to this, Ms. McIntosh was par t of the Management Team that set up the per una brand in 2001. Previously, she served as the Sales and Marketing Director for the George brand at Asda stores. Before joining George, Ms. McIntosh was at Next for four years as a Divisional Executive for the South of England. Steve Rowe Board: Senior Management Job Title: Director, Retail Since: 2008 Mr. Rowe has been the Director, Retail at Marks and Spencer Group since 2008. He joined the company in 1989 and held a variety of positions in store management, having previously worked at Topshop as a Store Manager. Mr. Rowe joined Head Office in 1992 as a Merchandiser for Menswear. In 1998, he was promoted to Category Manager in the Furniture Depar tment. In 2001, Mr. Rowe led the team developing the Home Growth Strategy, working with McKinsey Consultants, and became Head of Home categories in 2003. He was promoted to the Director of Home a year later in 2004. From 2004 to 2008, Mr. Rowe was also responsible for Beauty and New Business Development. Darrell Stein Board: Senior Management Job Title: Director, Information Technology and Logistics Mr. Stein is the Director, Information Technology and Logistics at Marks and Spencer Group. He has been working in IT for 17 years star ting his career at the company in 1990. Mr. Stein re-joined M;S in 2006 as the IT Director. From 2001 to 2006, he ser ved at Vodafone, becoming IT Director for Vodafone UK in 2004. Prior to this, Mr. Stein was Vodafone’s UK Network Director and Global IT Strategy and Architecture Director. From 1996 to 2001, he ser ved at Ernst & Young, leading a number of major IT and Change Programmes in the financial services, retail and utility sectors. In 1994, Mr. Stein joined Mars as a Project Manager. Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 15 Marks and Spencer Group plc Major Products and Services MAJOR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES M&S is one of the leading retailers of clothing, foods and homeware in the UK. The company’s key products and services include the following: Products: Women’s wear Men’s wear Lingerie Children’s wear Footwear Food and grocery items Homeware and home accessories Kitchen and tableware Lighting Furniture products Services: Credit cards Car, home, travel, and pet insurance Personal loans Brands: Autograph Limited Collection Collezione Blue Harbour Girls Boutique Per Una Ceriso Adored Truly you Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 16 Marks and Spencer Group plc Revenue Analysis REVENUE ANALYSIS Overview The company recorded revenues of ? 9,740. 3 million (approximately $15,158. 8 million) in FY2011, an increase of 2. 1% over FY2010. For FY2011, the UK, the company’s largest geographic market, accounted for 89. 7% of the total revenues. M;S generates revenues through two business divisions: food (51. 5%% of the total revenues in FY2011), and general merchandise (48. 5%). Revenues by division* During FY2011, the food division recorded revenues of ? 4,499. 4 million (approximately $7,002. 4 million), an increase of 1. 9% over FY2010. The general merchandise division recorded revenues of ? 4,233. 6 million (approximately $6,588. 8 million) in FY2011, an increase of 2% over FY2010. *The revenue breakdown by division is only for the revenues from the UK market. Revenues by geography The UK, M;S’ largest geographical market, accounted for 89. % of the total revenues in FY2011. Revenues from the UK reached ? 8,733 million (approximately $13,591. 2 million) in FY2011, an increase of 1. 9% over FY2010. International operations accounted for 10. 3% of the total revenues in FY2011. Revenues from international operations reached ? 1,007. 3 million (approximately $1,567. 7 million) in FY2011, an increase of 4% over FY2010 . Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 17 Marks and Spencer Group plc SWOT Analysis SWOT ANALYSIS M&S is one of the leading retailers of clothing, foods and homeware in the UK. The company has expanded its food product offering significantly in the recent years. New products launches, focus on expanding healthy products, promotions, and competitive prices are all helping the company attract customers in a highly competitive market. However, surge in shoplifting could negatively impact the cost structure for M&S. Strengths Weaknesses Expanding food offering Strong market position in the clothing segment Geographical expansion to increase the addressable market and reduce vulnerability to mature UK market M&S etched a highly effective CSR strategy M&S legacy stores and systems are a ompetitive disadvantage Declining general merchandise division sales due to inadequate stocking Opportunities Threats Online channel continues to boom and will enable M&S to boost revenues Focus on China and India can lead to expansion in two of the fastest growing markets Surge in shoplifting losses costs the retailers and customers Weak consumer spending in the UK Rising labor c ost in the UK Strengths Expanded food offering The company has expanded its food product offering significantly in the recent years. In 2009, M&S consistently highlighted it is cheaper than Waitrose on a basket of 1,200 items by about 2%. The company, in 2009, decided to invest in its margins in order to provide its customers better value. As a result of this, M&S saw improved perceptions of value by its customers. The company, in FY2011, launched around 1,800 new products in food and positioned itself as the UK’s leading high quality food retailer. The key product launches of the company include Taste Italia, and Made Without Wheat range of gluten-free bread and cakes, With the success of Made Without Wheat product range, the company launched gluten-free sandwiches, sausages, stuffing, and crisp bakes. As of FY2011, the company offered 125 gluten-free products. M&S also became the UK’s second largest favorite health food brand with the launch of its Simply Fuller Longer range which encourages customers to manage their weight with a menu plan. The gross margin of food division increased by 20 basis points to Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 18 Marks and Spencer Group plc SWOT Analysis 30. 8% in FY2011. This was mainly driven by better management of promotions and waste. Fur ther, in the four th quar ter of FY2012 ended March 2012, M&S launched 500 new products in the food division. The sales in this quar ter increased by 3. 1%, The company’s promotions such as roast dinner for ? 5 ($7. 8), Dine In, etc offered its customers with great value solutions for special occasions. M&S’ food division has been performing well in a ver y competitive market and against tough competitors. By launching innovative products and with an expanded food offering, the company has been able to attract the customers in a highly competitive market. Strong market position in the clothing segment M&S has a strong market position in the clothing segment. With more than one in 10 clothing items bought from M&S, the company ranks amongst the three largest clothing retailers in the UK. According to a repor t released by Verdict (Datamonitor’s retail arm) in May 2012, M;S is known for its product quality. The company was ranked first with a score of 49 for its product quality above the market average of 23. According to another repor t released by Verdict in April 2012, M;S enjoys highest conversion rate of 50. 7% and is very successful in conver ting visitors to loyal main users through its varied product offer, in-store service and garment quality. This indicates that M;S is a trustwor thy brand, which all main users would return to knowing that the quality, fit, and ser vice are reliable and consistent. The retailer has recognized that its core market of predominantly mature customers has been especially hard hit by rising core costs of living, falling interest on savings and worse prospects for pensions, and in reaction has lowered its entr y prices to compete more effectively with high street/value operators and supermarkets, helping to maintain the loyalty of its main users and prevent them from shopping elsewhere. Verdict, in its repor t in March 2012, ranked, M;S seventh in the global depar tment store market with a share of 3. 2%. This market leadership enabled M;S to excel throughout the economic downturn, while other mid-market retailers are pressured from the ever expanding value players. Leading market position indicates access to a large customer base and also popularity of M;S’ offering in the clothing segment. Going forward, this market position would enable the company to drive revenues as consumer spending recovers. Geographical expansion to increase the addressable market and reduce vulnerability to mature UK market With a por tfolio of over 361 owned and franchised stores in 42 territories M&S continues to grow its international business. This mix of ownership models and countries enabled the company to perform well in FY2011, even when individual markets were weak. Fur ther, during FY2011, the company entered the Egyptian market with a 28,000 square feet store in the Dandy Mega Mall in Cairo. M&S’ international business grew by 4% in FY2011 despite tough economic situation. As an established retailer in a mature market, it is going to be hard for M;S to continually deliver significant increases in UK sales. However, in the long run, its international business offers an oppor tunity for high growth. By generating much higher volumes, it can deliver margin benefits with suppliers. With production costs rising, this will be an advantage in the UK. International expansion will enable the company to access multiple sales points for most of the product ranges. This is especially relevant for clothing and homewares segments. Also, through expansion in the international markets M;S can reduce Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 19 Marks and Spencer Group plc SWOT Analysis vulnerability to mature UK market. The company can also par ticipate effectively in some of highest growing markets such as China and India. All these factors would enable the company to reduce the overall business risk and facilitate increased revenues. M;S etched a highly effective CSR strategy M;S has to its credit an effective corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy. CSR has been gaining prominence not just among the stake holders and governments but the consumers as well. The company has the highest propor tion of consumers believing it to be a responsible retailer and this can largely be attributed to the success of its Plan A, a ? 200 million (approximately $320. 3 million) 100-point plan launched in 2007 with five areas of focus: climate change, fair par tnership, health, sustainable raw materials, and waste. In FY2011, the company included two more areas in its Plan A: involving customers, and making Plan A how we do business. In the last few years, initiatives launched under the Plan A banner include launching the company’s first eco-store, encouraging suppliers to set-up eco-factories, removing hydrogenated fats from its ready meals, increasing the propor tion of organic food, reducing the salt content of its produce, cer tifying a larger percentage of its fish as originating from sustainable populations, and beginning to sell recycling and composting bins. It is the high profile presence of Plan A in adver tising campaigns, product labeling and store signage that gives M&S one of the best consumer perceptions of a retailer for social responsibility. The campaign works not just as a direct to consumer channel, but also because of the positive coverage it creates. Perhaps more impor tantly, it has publicized all of these initiatives extensively. In 2008, M&S launched a TV adver tising campaign focusing on its ethical, environmental and health-conscious credentials, highlighting that it only uses free range eggs and that its products are now free from ar tificial colors and flavorings. Other, more innovative, ideas have included a joint venture with Oxfam to promote the recycling of old clothes. In addition, more controversially, the retailer introduced a 5p charge for carrier bags at all of its food depar tments in 2008. Though many consumers resented this charge, it has undoubtedly boosted M&S’ reputation as an ethical retailer. Overall, sculpting its CSR strategy into such a high publicity campaign, divided into such clear action points and highly visible benefits, has seen the company move to the forefront of responsible retailing. In FY2011, the company launched Indigo Green, its first range of clothing made using more sustainable fabrics. In April 2012, the company announced to accept secondhand clothes at all the UK outlets except Simply Food stores, to recycle them into other fabrics or to reuse them in order to cut waste. Plan A has seen CSR become core to M;S’ principles in the eyes of the consumer and it has reaped the benefits of this, gaining shoppers as a result and repor tedly saving more than ? 70 million (approximately $108. 9 million) in efficiencies gained in FY2011 compared with ? 50 million (approximately $77. 8 million) in FY2010. In addition, M&S improved energy efficiency in its stores by 23% and warehouses by 24% in FY2011 compared to FY2007. It also improved the fuel efficiency of its deliver y fleets by 20% and total carbon emissions have been reduced by 13%. The company now recycles 94% of all the waste it generates from its stores, offices and warehouses. The total waste is down by more than a third. M&S also met its sustainable standards by sourcing 90% of wild fish in FY2011 (62% in FY2010) and 76% of wood in FY2011 (72% in FY2010). Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 20 Marks and Spencer Group plc SWOT Analysis By actively promoting a product’s greener attributes (for example fewer, more recognizable and natural ingredients), retailers such as M;S have positioned products as improving one’s personal environment while benefiting the global environment too. Many of their successes have come from emphasizing the former rather than the latter, especially as consumers often associate ethics with a sense of wellbeing. In terms of the issues that concern consumers, the sustainability of natural resources is a major fear, as are climate change and the fairness of sourcing arrangements. Consumers are also attracted to products with health benefits and there is a clear trend that consumers can be persuaded to par t with more money in return for products with a positive impact, not just to them personally, but also to wider society. Indeed, differentiating between products becomes harder and harder to achieve, Verdict expects consumers to turn to auxiliary considerations such as ethicality and sustainability to guide their choices. Consumers are no longer purely satisfied with how a product looks and functions; they want assurances over aspects such as nvironmental impact, hygiene, safety, and fairness. In light of the above mentioned trends where the customer choices are increasingly guided by the sustainability issues, M&S will benefit due to its reputation of being a responsible retailer. Weaknesses M&S legacy stores and systems are a competitive disadvantage M&S suffers some competitive disadvantages compared to Tesco, which has been able to drive earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) growth even in the mature UK market. Tesco benefits from supplier power and state-of-the-ar t IT, supply chain and systems compared with M&S legacy systems. The supermarket retailer has been able to break up the demand cur ve with metro, express and big box store formats out of town and on the high street. Moreover, Tesco stores have been carefully designed with consistent store layouts in order to facilitate store navigation. Extra back room store space has also been allocated to allow for smooth execution of its picking and distribution model. Tesco sells both own label and branded goods (food and non-food) in a bid to drive up footfall and sales conversion. M&S legacy stores are inconsistent in terms of layout. Store size tends to dictate product availability, while a lack of back room store space does not facilitate the same style supermarket pick and delivery model. The legacy systems and stores of M&S are constraining effective servicing of customer demands on a consistent basis. This is placing the company at a clear competitive disadvantage compared to a formidable opponent, Tesco. Declining general merchandise division sales due to inadequate stocking The company’s general merchandise division sales declined in recent times, M&S’ general merchandise division sales decreased by 2. % in the four th quar ter of FY2012 ended March 2012. This was mainly due to shor tage of stock in its stores, Due to this, the company was also not able to meet customer demand for 300,000 knitwear garments under the M&S Woman label. It only sold Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 21 Marks and Spencer Group plc SWOT Analysis 100,000 knitwear garments during this period. Fur ther, in times of high demand, inadequate stock could hamper the sales of the division and result in loss of sales to competitors. This not only affects the revenues of the company but could also result in shift of customers to its competitors. Opportunities Online channel continues to boom and will enable M&S to boost revenues Online retail sales in the UK have grown significantly over a period of time. According to Office for National Statistics, non-seasonally adjusted average weekly value for internet retail sales in the UK was ? 414 million (approximately $644. 3 million) in Februar y 2010, this increased to ? 573. 6 million (approximately $892. 7 million) in February 2012, representing an increase of 18%. Internet sales accounted for only 8% of the total retail sales (excluding fuel) in Februar y 2010. This figure increased to 10. 7% in February 2012. The growing desire for convenience is seeing shoppers buy more online, especially in the category of food and grocery. Consumers have also become savvier, using the internet more to get the best deal they can. Voucher codes, and cashback sites have been instrumental in this. Additionally, improved deliver y and fulfillment options have been encouraging consumers to shop more online. The company operates in the internet channel through M&S Direct where the products are offered through website and newly launched ‘Shop Your Way’ facility, a new ordering service that has been rolled-out in 444 stores (including 151 in Simply Foods stores) during FY2011, allowing customers to place orders either in stores, online or over the phone, for deliver y to either a nominated address or free of charge to their nearest store. M&S Direct’s sales increased from ? 413 million (approximately $642. 8 million) in FY2010 to ? 543 million (approximately $845. million) in FY2011, an increase of 31. 5%. Fur ther, in the first half of FY2012, M&S Direct’s sales increased by 11. 7% with more than three million visitors per week. Thus, by leveraging its online presence, M&S can cater to the requirements of a growing number of customers who are looking for convenience and better deals over the internet. Focus on China and India can lead to expansion in two of the fastest growing markets China and India are two economies which are recording highest growth rates which, in turn, are expected to aid the retail market growth in these two countries. Asia’s retail sales are estimated to increase with China driving the growth. According to the preliminary estimation, the gross domestic product (GDP) of China was CNY47,156. 4 billion ($7,285. 7 billion) in 2011, a year-on-year increase of 9. 2% at comparable prices. The fast pace economic development in China coupled with the rise of the middle class income group and their increasing disposable income have fur ther pushed up the demand for several consumer goods. According to National Bureau of Statistics of China, the total retail sales reached CNY18,391. 9 billion (approximately $2,841. billion) in 2011, representing a year-on-year nominal growth rate of 17. 1%. Fur ther, according to industr y estimates, the countr y’s total retail sales are expected to increase from approximately CNY20 trillion ($3 trillion) in 2012 to approximately CNY26 trillion ($4 trillion) in 2016, representing an increase of about 30%. Strong Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 22 Marks and Spencer Group plc SWOT Analysis underlying economic trends, population growth and the increasing wealth of individuals are key factors that contribute to the retail market expansion in China. The retail industry in India is large owing to a large population and is set to grow as several factors contribute. According to the industry sources, the retail sales in India are forecast to grow from around $411 billion in 2011 to $804 billion by 2015. The key factors behind the forecast growth include strong underlying economic growth, population expansion, increasing wealth of individuals and the rapid construction of organized retail infrastructure. Also, as middle and upper class consumer base expands, there will also be oppor tunities in India’s second and third-tier cities. The greater availability of personal credit and a growing vehicle population are to improve mobility which will also contribute to a trend towards retail sales growth. M;S is strengthening presence in India and China as par t of its geographic expansion and for some time to come, these countries would be the key contributors to the company’s international expansion strategies. The company in with par tnership with Reliance Retail, an established retailer in India, can tap into this lucrative market while expansion in China also continues. Indian and Chinese markets would provide a huge potential revenue base for M&S. Threats Surge in shoplifting losses costs the retailers and customers The UK retailers are exposed to increased costs of shoplifting. Shoplifting has assumed massive propor tions in recent times. According to industry estimates, retail crime costed UK stores ? 1. 4 billion ($2. 2 billion) in 2011. There are about two million thefts per year, which concludes to an average of more than one per minute. According to another industr y repor t, the thefts across the UK stores increased from ? 4. 2 million ($6. 5 million) in 2009 to ? 5. 1 million ($7. 9 million) in 2011, an increase of 20%. Long-term trends also show the figure is likely to continue rising. As a result, retailers have been increasing their surveillance spend. This is increasing the costs for retailers as well as for the end consumers. The shoplifting losses are adding to the costs for the retailers and the customers have also been bearing the brunt. The surge in shoplifting could negatively impact the cost structure for M&S as well. Weak consumer spending in the UK The UK market is suffering from weak consumer spending. The European debt crisis added more downward pressure to the growth prospects of the UK. According to Eurostat, the UK economy grew by 0. 7% in 2011 and is expected to grow by 0. 5% in 2012. In addition, the UK has witnessed high unemployment rate. According to the Office of National Statistics, the unemployment rate for the three months period November 2011 to January 2012 was 8. 4% with 2. 67 million unemployed people in the UK. Increasing unemployment rate is expected to fur ther put pressure on the economy of the UK. High inflation, led by the increase in VAT to 20% and public spending cuts reduced disposable Marks and Spencer Group plc MarketLine Page 23 Marks and Spencer Group plc SWOT Analysis income, leading to a fall in consumer spending on discretionary items. Consumers have been cautious with their spending especially due to soaring petrol prices, tax increases and uncer tainty over jobs. The UK is the key market for M&S. In FY2011, the UK accounted for 89. 7% of M&S’ total revenues. Thus, the sluggish consumer spending and high unemployment rate in the UK could affect most of the non-food retailers and lead to reduced sales volume or shrinking profit margins. Rising labor cost in the UK Labor costs are rising in the UK. In recent times, tight labor markets, increased over time, government mandated increases in minimum wages and a higher propor tion of full-time employees are resulting in an increase in labor costs, which could materially impact the company’s results of operation. The National Minimum Wage (NMW) Regulations came into force in 1999 and since then the NMW rates have been increased annually. The national minimum wage increased from ? 5. 93 per hour ($9. 23 per hour) in October 2010 to ? 6. 08 per hour ($9. 46 per hour) in October 2011. Fur ther, the national minimum wage is expected to increase to ? 6. 19 per hour (9. 63 per hour) from October 2012. In FY2011, M&S employed 78,169 people. Increasing labor costs can adversely affect the company’s operating costs as its wage bills would escalate. This, in turn, could impact its margins adversely. Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 24 Marks and Spencer Group plc Top Competitors TOP COMPETITORS The following companies are the major competitors of Marks and Spencer Group plc ASDA Group Limited Debenhams plc H ; M Hennes ; Mauritz AB J Sainsbury plc NEXT plc Selfridges plc Tesco PLC Gap, Inc. , The French Connection Group Plc House of Fraser Group Plc John Lewis Par tnership plc Arcadia Group Limited Home Retail Group Plc Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 25 Marks and Spencer Group plc Company View COMPANY VIEW A statement by Rober t Swannell, the Chairman of the Board at Marks and Spencer Group, is given below. The statement has been taken from the company’s Annual Repor t for FY2011. I feel ver y privileged to be Chairman of this unique company and at such an exciting time in our evolution. Since joining Marks ; Spencer in October and assuming the role of Chairman in Januar y, I have spent much of my time getting to know the business better – meeting our employees, shareholders, customers and suppliers. I first became deeply involved with M;S during the unsolicited takeover attempt in 2004, when I led the advisory team that helped put the M;S case to its shareholders. It was then I learned first hand about this unique company: about the extraordinarily strong relationship it has with its many stakeholders and about its very special ethos. This ethos is a reflection of the high standards our customers expect from M;S – trusting us not only to deliver great value, great quality products but also to do the right thing – socially, environmentally and ethically. We know that putting Plan A at the hear t of how we do business is not just the right thing to do; it is also fundamental to our long-term success. Performance In a challenging marketplace M;S has continued to grow, with underlying profits up 12. 9% on the year. We delivered this by staying true to our heritage of quality and innovation, reminding our customers what makes M;S special. This year Marc Bolland set out a clear medium-term plan for the business, after extensive discussions with colleagues and us, the Board. This is covered in detail in Marc’s review. From day one, I have been struck by the passion and commitment of our people. I am delighted that this year we are paying a bonus to all employees to thank them for their energy and enthusiasm in what has been a difficult trading environment. Dividend We are committed to delivering consistent returns for our shareholders. To this end we have adopted a progressive dividend policy, with dividends broadly covered twice by earnings. We intend to pay a final dividend of 10. 8p per share (last year 9. 5p) in respect of the 2010/11 financial year. Governance Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 26 Marks and Spencer Group plc Company View This year we returned to the traditional governance structure of a separate Chairman and Chief Executive, providing clarity between Marc Bolland and me, with regard to our respective roles. Put simply, I run the Board and Marc runs the business. The Board has a wide range of responsibilities. There are three that I think are par ticularly impor tant for the success of the business: first, to debate and agree our strategy and hold the executive team accountable for its execution; second, to ensure that we have the most talented team to execute this strategy and that we plan effectively for succession; and third, to set the tone for governance, which is par ticularly impor tant at M;S where ‘doing the right thing’ is an integral par t of our ethos. My ob is to ensure the Board has the right mix of skills and talents and to ensure that it works effectively as a team towards shared goals with the right mix of enquir y and suppor t of the executive directors from the non-executive directors. During the year we commissioned a formal Board evaluation from an independent consultant, the findings of which are outlined in the Governance section. This process highligh ted the real enthusiasm of the directors in suppor ting a shared ambition: to guide M;S to the ver y best future. We know that you expect high standards from M;S; it’s our responsibility to learn how we can improve. This review was an impor tant par t of that journey. As stated in our 2009/10 Annual Repor t, we reviewed the senior remuneration structure this year. Following extensive shareholder consultation, we believe we now have a framework that is both relevant to today’s M;S and fully aligned with our strategy. The Board Over the last year the Board has been strengthened by a series of executive appointments. In May 2010 Marc Bolland joined the business as Chief Executive, assuming the day-to-day running of the business from Sir Stuar t Rose in July. In October Alan Stewar t joined as Chief Finance Officer and in February we announced the appointment of Laura Wade-Gery as Executive Director, Multi-channel E-commerce; she will join the Board in July. Whilst the Board features some new faces, these changes have taken place around a core of executive and non-executive directors that has remained stable over recent years. I would like to pay par ticular tribute to Sir Stuar t Rose. When he became Chief Executive in 2004, M;S was at a low ebb. He restored confidence in M;S, re-established its values and built a strong business. The solid platform from which Marc is now implementing his plan is a credit to Stuar t’s energy and tireless commitment to M;S over the last seven years. The smooth management transition – the meticulous handover to me and the suppor t of Marc – is also a credit to Stuar t. In that connection, I would also like to thank Sir David Michels, and the Nominations ; Governance Committee he led, for managing a change of leadership over the past year that was accomplished quietly and effectively. David has decided to step down from the Board at the end of his second term in February 2012, but I am delighted that he will continue his role as Deputy Chairman until then. Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 27 Marks and Spencer Group plc Company View I must also thank Louise Patten for the significant contribution she has made over the last five years, playing an impor tant role in each of our Board Committees. As Louise reaches the end of her second three year term on the Board, she has decided not to seek re-election at the upcoming AGM. Looking ahead Our priorities for the year ahead are clear. We have a plan and it is now our collective job to make it happen. The Board will concentrate on delivering exemplary governance at the highest level to enable our executive team to drive this strategy forward. The economy still gives us reason to be cautious. Yet in difficult times, our core values of Quality, Value, Ser vice, Innovation and Trust matter more than ever to M;S customers. These values remain at the hear t of our strategy and I therefore look forward to the future with confidence. Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 28 Marks and Spencer Group plc Locations and Subsidiaries LOCATIONS AND SUBSIDIARIES Head Office Marks and Spencer Group plc Waterside House 35 Nor th Wharf Road London W2 1NW GBR P:44 20 7935 4422 http://www. marksandspencer. com Other Locations and Subsidiaries Marks and Spencer International Holdings Limited Great Britain GBR Marks and Spencer (Nederland) BV NLD Marks and Spencer (Ireland) Limited IRL Marks and Spencer (Asia Pacific) Limited HKG Marks and Spencer Simply Foods Limited Great Britain GBR Marks and Spencer Marinopoulos Greece SA GRC Marks and Spencer SCM Limited

Rand Corporation

In spite of what we see on television regarding crime scenes and detective work, detectives are more complex than what they are showing us. According to the Bureau of Labor, a police officers Job is to protect the citizens and our land(Bureau of Labor 2014). While the Job of a detective is to investigate crimes, gather facts and collect evidence, for a potential crime (Bureau of Labor 2014), there are severe types of detectives within a police department. There are homicide detectives, who work specifically on finding the person who committed the homicide.Cyber Crime detectives, and their focus is strictly on protecting the citizens from internet abuse kind computer crimes. Computer crimes would consist of fraud and identity thief. Cyber detectives also protect our youth from predators on the internet. There is also have a gang and narcotics unit, in which some of the detectives will go undercover, just to get the information they need to start an investigation. (Dempsey & Frost 2011 ). Last but not least, there is a detective unit for cold cases.These cases are asses that could not be solved, boot other detectives from different departments(Retested 2014). I believe that they should leave the policing to the police and the Investigative work to the detectives. Keeping their work separate is beneficial to the citizens and the police department. This way they can be more attentive and peduncle to the citizens in specific areas. Police are being pulled Into many different directions on a dally basis.. They are called for emergency and non-emergency situations everyday.The police wouldn't be as effective doing their day to day, If they add detective work to their plate. I believe that the detective annuls that I mentioned above are needed and should be kept separately. While I do agree that the police should do the preliminary work, but I do not agree with them doing the Investigative work as well. I don't believe the police departments wouldn't be as successful If they didn't have them separate. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2014). Police and Detective Occupational Outlook. Shinto DC: SSP suite. Dempsey, J. , & Frost, L. (2011). Police (e). Clifton Park, NY: Delmarva Retested, A. (2014).

Analysis of an Ethical case in management Research Paper - 1

Analysis of an Ethical case in management - Research Paper Example As a result, employees are becoming de-motivated at a greater extent (Wozniak, 2011), which is in turn causing job turnover to increase significantly in recent years. Because of this reason, organizations are struggling to maintain viable and strong human capital in order to effectively and efficiently achieve organizational goals. However, it is interesting to note that in advanced epoch characterized with decentralized organizational authority and flattened corporation structure, MT neglected to brief Hady about the background of his assignment. Along with this, his new boss is not taking him seriously and considering him as an incompetent individual therefore, believing Hady as someone who is useless. In the light of this observation, deployment of utilitarian approach as a source for managing human resources in MT can be implied that is an obsolete technique towards motivating employees. Because of utilitarian management, MT only compensates its employees in monetary terms and considers them as an organizational property. This typical management strategy is leading MT to have a pool of incompetent and uninspired employees. In parallel, Hady is considering himself betrayed because of the unfulfilling level of information provided about his current assignment. Additionally, Phil’s stubborn attitude is affirming Hady’s provision of betrayal. Nevertheless, MT is in need of educating its top and middle management in terms of modern managerial approaches such as participative decision-making and other similar techniques, so that they can inspire employees in considering themselves as the important part of organizational success. At the same time, MT should also integrate rights theory to provide job autonomy and friendly work environment to its employees to enhance their productivity. Conversely, Hady is a person with budding talent, which should be polished

Mental health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Mental health - Essay Example This has been affecting the people of the country for a long time and could range from behavioral to emotional problems that require psychiatric intervention. Those suffering from it, however, face serious challenges in attaining health care if they are not financially stable enough. For those who can get health care assistance, there are few policies that are in place for their advocating for treatment. In the places that there are, they are unaware or poorly informed about them. As a result, many people are forced to live their lives with these conditions. This paper shall look at the media’s role in influencing policies mental illness and how one can introduce or modify policies in their community. It will lastly, look at the effect of the changes on advanced practice nurses. The new policies being implemented by the government will allow the mentally ill patients to get the required treatment at affordable pricing and help them attain the required drugs. The media’s role in this should be to reach as many people as possible (Funk, 2003). Through advertisements, talk shows and interviews this campaign can be achieved. Given the fact that mental illness is not given priority in many places over other ailments, the media should be the driving force behind consumer awareness. A good example of such was during the 2009 policy implementations. The government was to provide Medicaid, offer affordable healthcare packages and new insurance plans (Koyanagi & Siegwarth, 2009). There were extensive debates and interview that helped inform those who were able to follow them. Through the same, certain areas of the policy that needed clarification were ironed out and areas that needed criticism were critiqued. This leaves no stone unturned in the understanding of the policy. After implementation, they should also follow up on the same to ensure that all is working accordingly. The nurses in practice also have a role in the

Financial analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Financial analysis - Essay Example The flagship Barclays Bank has around 1700 branches spread across UK and other countries (Hoovers, â€Å"Company Description†). The group has its operation across Europe, Africa, the United States and the Middle East countries. The company deals in financial products and competes within the global financial services industry. The control and authority of an organisation lies with the corporate managers. Undoubtedly, it indicates that the managers must be conversant with the accounting position of the organisation. â€Å"The term management accounting refers to accounting the management i.e. accounting which provides necessary information to the management for discharging its function† (Anbuvelan, â€Å"Management Accounting†). Management accounting provides variable assistance to the management to carry out the managerial functions with more efficiency. There are a number of tools and techniques in Management Accounting arena. The whole process includes gathering required information and analysing them to make decision making process much uncomplicated. A number of companies use ‘Activity Based Costing’ to identify and allocate the cost of the products or services. This includes identifying the cost pools or the activity centres and within the organisation and allocating cost to the activities using the cost drivers. The assignment of the cost is done based on the contribution of various activities in any particular product or service. As this costing process considers multiple cost drivers with different activities, the distortion risk is minimised considerably, providing the required cost information. As ABC indentifies each of the overhead costs with the products and services, produced and delivered to the customers, the process is more advanced than the traditional cost techniques. The significant steps in ABC are identification of the companies’ key activities, identification of related cost amount, establishment

Recomendations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Recomendations - Essay Example Introducing resources that aid patients in adhering to a recommended patient care treatment and healthy lifestyle will enable the company to have access to the members of the community, as these are the latest concerns by the users of Bright Road Health Care System services. Developing an interactive forum between the patients and the organization’s staff to allow for a question and answer session, discussion of different topics, ability to make appointments, and passing of recommendations tailored to the needs of the client to improve the resources and services (Yih, 2011). There is a need for the augmented use and realization of the benefits offered by the internet through search engine optimization and the use of social marketing. Collaborating with social engines to allow the easier location of Bright Road Health Care System on the internet and having a high presence on facebook, twitter, and instagram with frequent information update, informative pieces of information, answering questions in a timely manner. Other measures include developing marketing designs and attractive covers, and marketing the Bright Road Health Care System products on the social media platform. Another strategy is developing a mechanism on the Bright Road Health Care System where the patient’s access links to community resources and health personnel increasing the ability of the site to attract new clients looking for information on resources and personnel. Getting in touch with the patients through mail, text messages, and calls to check on their progress and benefit s of the system also allows clients to have a strong attachment and develop loyalty to the use of the systems

How To Reduce Hospital Infections Related To Invasive Devices Essay

How To Reduce Hospital Infections Related To Invasive Devices - Essay Example A very common example would be the performance of invasive procedures that use invasive devices such as urinary catheterization, naso-gastric tube insertion, and intravenous catheterization. Key words: invasive devices, invasive procedures, hospital infections, How to Reduce Hospital Infections Related to Invasive Devices Every year more lives are compromised or worst lost due to the increasing number of incidences of hospital related infections. It is very frightening to think that the hospitals and health care facilities which are supposed to save lives are the least places people would think that their health will be compromised and yet some studies point fingers on these health havens and say failure can be from the hands of the health care providers especially in handling invasive devices. Invasive devices such as catheters of different kinds are being utilized by the health care team for patients needing it—such patients needing hydration or infusion of antibiotic therap y are given IV catheter insertions. And such use of invasive devices for such procedures has been reported to have complications that put patient’s life at risk. ... terature in the use of invasive devices, the standard policies and procedures, as well as the solutions and better outcomes deemed and reviewed from published works and studies. Change Plan I. Over the years the increasing number of hospital related infections due to invasive devices increased. The use of these devices has been established to incur and help improve patient outcome by allowing better access to patients in terms of medication, nutrition, hydration and even drainage. But the increasing prevalence of complications from the use of such devices somehow places the credibility of such procedures at risk as well as doubting the ability of the nurse in performing procedures without causing further complications. The standard of safe practice in performing such procedures needs to be reevaluated and reinforced to be able to strengthen the chain of procedures without breaking the barrier to prevent infections. II. The prevalence of hospital infections due to invasive devices nee ds to be addressed. By reviewing the standard practice in the use of invasive devices, healthcare providers will be able to come up with the analysis and evaluation regarding the effectiveness of such practice in ensuring safety to patients and preventing further and additional complications. By performing such evaluation techniques the rate of prevalence of infections will be decreased and eventually totally avoided. Furthermore the review evaluation will increase the nurses’ and patients’ knowledge regarding proper procedure and care of invasive devices that will lead to better patient outcome and preventable related infections. III. Intravenous therapy is a crucial and indispensable aspect of nursing practice in acute settings, and is expanding into community care (Lavery & Smith,

Therese of Lisieux Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Therese of Lisieux - Essay Example She almost shares this trait with another woman mystic, Saint Teresa of Avila (1515-1582). As Carol L. Flinters point out â€Å"Over and over in the lives of these women, perhaps most explicitly in Teresa and Therese, we come to see the incredible strength that comes of starting with â€Å"the little things† (Enduring Grace, Introduction, PP12). These saints gave away their lives for the sake of God and for others. Saint Therese was born in France in 1873 with a strange background of parenthood. Her father wanted to be a monk and her mother a saint. Thus after marriage they decided to go for celibacy. It was a priest who convinced them otherwise and they had nine children. Five children who survived were all girls. Therese lost her mother when she was just four. Her sixteen year old elder sister, Pauline was her second mother. But she lost this mother too as Pauline joined the Carmelite convent with in five years. Later after a few months when she fell ill and when every one thought that she was dying, she prayed at the statue of Mary in her room and found that Mary was smiling at her. She got cured. Carole L. Flinters points out that, such periods of illness and solitary sufferings are seen in the lives of most of these women mystics including Saint Teresa of Avila.

Ancient Greek Ceramics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ancient Greek Ceramics - Essay Example The decorations in the so-called marine style, has the dynamic vitality typical of Minoan art. The popularity of the octopus as a decorative motif on Minoan ware can hardly be divorced from the role of the octopus in the Minoan diet and economy. But did it have another purpose Octopus are traditionally caught by lowering a ceramic vessel into the water which the octopus is likely to enter and remain in as a safe lair (Bush and Brewer). Although this jar has too narrow a neck for that purpose, one wonders if the motif did not originate on jars made for just such fishing, the image perhaps as a sort of magic charm. In the Mycenaean period between about 1450 and 1100 BC, the Minoan world came to be dominated by Greek speaking invaders who, however, did not make major changes in the society of Greece as reflected in its physical remains. The pottery of mainland Greece in this period is generally called by archaeologists late Helladic III. Many Mycenaean ceramic pieces imitate the style of Minoan pottery, though usually with an inferior and derivative execution. Others, such as the chariot krater (vessel for mixing wine and water) now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (), have much more in common with later geometric vases and show the beginning of that tradition. This piece, though manufactured in the Argolid (i.e. near Tiryns, Mycenae, Argos, or Corinth) was discovered in a tomb in Cyrus. It uses a light color of clay marked with a dark brown slip. The rendering in relatively crude but shows a definite figurative scene of two chariots being driven (the context, such as a race, or in combat, or just a pairing for symmetry, cannot be determined). But elements like spots used to decorate the figures' clothing, as well as the ox skin that covers the body of the chariot, and the crosshatching on the horses' harness, is becoming abstract. Moreover, a great deal of the otherwise empty surface of the case is taken up with geometric designs completely unrelated to the realistic depiction of space and beginning to serve as abstract geometric representation. In the Geometric period between about 1100 and 800 BC, Greek culture was disrupted by further waves of invaders and every urban center in Greece was destroyed by warfare. Greek culture became illiterate and isolated both from the larger Mediterranean world and within itself as trade and contact between isolated settlements declined. The period is called Geometric because of the abstract, regular character of its decorative arts. No exception among thework of this era is the terracotta centaur from Lekfandi on Euboea (Thomas 1999, 99-100). It shares the geometric decorations of contemporary ceramic vessels. At 36 centimeters high, this is the largest surviving Geometric sculpture. From the point of view of sculpture, the execution is somewhat cartoonish, which features that suggest rather than copy the proportions of the human face and equine body. The painted decoration departs from that of both earlier and later Greek polychroming of sculpture as well as pottery decoration in not r elating in any discernable way to features like the musculature or hair of the centaur (certainly not any form of clothing), but in showing abstract patterning that is meant to add to the decorative value of the piece rather than realistically

Salem Witchtrails Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Salem Witchtrails - Essay Example Without warning, the hysteria in the Puritan Massachusetts ended abruptly in the same manner it had erupted. (Hill 233) It was only after a review of the trials by the colonial government did the reality of the unfair trials and consequent death judgments emerge as a grave mistake. Despite the compensation offered to the families of the convicted, it did little in erasing the gross travesty of justice that had occurred. The aftermath of the hysteria left behind a myriad of questions touching on injustice and what exactly led to the widespread paranoia. To understand these fundamental questions, a brief account of the events that led to the wave of hysteria is necessary. The Christians of several centuries past had superstitious belief that witchcraft was a gift from the Devil to certain people in return for loyalty (Linder). Consequently, the witches would use their newly acquired powers for acts of evil against others. Inhabitants of Salem village were mostly displaced people as a r esult of King William’s War with the French in the American colonies (Linder). The mass influx of the displaced people to Salem resulted to strain over its resources. Consequently, this led to increase in rivalry between two opposing groups. Those who depended on agriculture and elite families whose wealth were dependent on the port of Salem. This rivalry between the two classes of groups was one of the underlying causes of the impending hysteria that would soon erupt. Moreover, tensions were also rife over control of the pulpit between the Porter and Putnam clans. The situation was father compounded after the ordaining of Reverend Samuel Parris. The people of Salem loathed him because his was greedy and rigid. Majority of the Puritan villagers blamed all the continuous bickering and quarrelling on the Devil and his witchcraft agents (Linder). The precipitating event that eventually triggered the mass hysteria was an account of some superstitious event in Reverend Parris hous ehold. During the winter period of 1692, Reverend Parris young daughter and niece, Elizabeth and Abigail respectively, succumbed to a strange illness. They were engulfed by fits of screaming, uttering strange sounds, fever, erratic running and excessive contortion of body parts. Similar strange symptoms were exhibited by another young girl Anne Putnam. Local doctors were clueless and blamed the episode on supernatural activity. The anxiety generated from the strange activity prompted magistrates John Hawthorne and Jonathan Corwin to examine the afflicted girls and identify the culprits. The girls were pressured by both magistrates to place the blame on three women. These were; a homeless beggar known as Sarah Good, a Caribbean slave from Parris’s household known as Tituba and a poor elderly woman known as Sarah Osborne. Upon interrogation of the three women, it was only Tituba who confessed to having inflicted evil upon the girl. In her confession, she gave the harrowing desc ription of the devil with explicit instructions of service. Furthermore, she stated that the devil came to her in the image of a â€Å"black man† with a book for her to sign. The book symbolized a contract of service and with the devil for the sole purpose of destroying the Puritans. Moreover, Tituba claimed that there were many more witches out there planning to inflict on the Puritans.

Factors affecting the resistance of a wire Essay Example for Free

Factors affecting the resistance of a wire Essay The graph is directly proportional (perfectly straight, through 0,0. ) There is definitely some relationship between length and resistance and there is very little chance that the points should be interpreted as a curve. I think that I can strongly conclude that increase in resistance is proportional to increase in length of wire. I would say that my graph supports this. I could use my results to conclude that the relationship is directly proportional. My conclusion can be backed up with scientific knowledge. Current is a free moving flow of electrons. Resistance reduces the flow of electrons. This resistance occurs when the electrons, that are attracted to the positive side of the cell, bump into the fixed lattice nuclei of the material that they are flowing through. This means the path of the electrons is erratic as they are changing direction. The more material there is for the electrons to flow through the more fixed lattice nuclei there are. More nuclei mean more bumping and therefore higher resistance. Increasing the length of a wire will increase the number of lattices. A larger number of lattices mean more for electrons to bump into and therefore more resistance. I could also conclude, though not as strongly, that when cross sectional area is increased resistance decreases. This means that thicker wire has less resistance than the thinner wire (Nichrome 28 the preliminary results, compared to Constantan 28) even when they were the same lengths. This would be because there is more space for the same amount of electrons to move in, so making the path of each electron less erratic. The less erratic the path the less resistance. The reason I cannot strongly conclude is that I only tried two different wire diameters. My results do not correspond exactly with my predictions, but they do match reasonably well. I predicted that the length would be directly proportional to the resistance, and I have found that this is so. Not all of my points were reasonably close to the best-fit line and I found that I had some anomalous results, e. g. at 40cm and 50cm, the points are quite far away from the points. This could be due to inaccuracy, or overheating of the wire. Then, at 60cm, the resistance increases dramatically and continues to rise quite steeply. From 60cm, I think I am able to say then only 90cm is an anomalous result. Evaluation I think that the experiment did not work very well. I say this because my graphs had some anomalous results and that my results did not support my predictions very well. I also think that my results were not reliable. My preliminary results did not give a graph of the same pattern as my proper results. I therefore would say that my results are not reproducible. If I were to do the experiment again I would just expand on what was already done. I would increase the range; the length of the wire, to say 2 meters or as high as was possible for the laboratory. I would also change the number of results for instance measuring voltage and current every 5-cm rather than every 10 cm. I would repeat results as much as possible, for instance 5 times rather than 3. I think that to say that my results are very anomalous would be untrue. Although none of the results are actually on the best-fit line, none are too far off, except for 40cm 50cm and 90cm. With all this taken into account, I would say that my results strongly support a firm conclusion. The reasons for this are that there are a reasonable amount of results taken over a suitable range and that the results have been repeated. The equipment that I used seemed suitable. The wire quite straight though not as straight as it could have been. The ammeters and voltmeters I used worked well and had good scales with easy to read markings. I would say that they gave accurate results. Also, I did not notice too much zero error on the meters (when the pointer did not go back to zero). There would be two pieces of alternative equipment that could be used. Firstly, the wire could be replaced with something thicker that would not bend as much and so would make for more reliable length measurements. Secondly, the ammeter and voltmeter could be replaced by digital versions. This would eliminate some human error as the mechanical ones that I used could be misread if looked at from an angle. Problems I had in procedure were the wire not being straight and temperature of the wire increasing. This meant the experiment was a fair test only to a certain extent. To change the non-straight wire problem I would rub it with a flat-sided object, such as a hard piece of wood. This would straighten out some of the bends. To stop temperature effecting earlier results so drastically I would take reading as quickly as possible. This would give the wire less chance to heat up. Further experiments that would extend this work could include varying cross-sectional surface area further (rather than only trying two) and seeing how different materials effect resistance. Voltage applied and insulating the wire could also be tried. Yael Levey 11JS Physics Coursework 26/04/07 Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Electricity and Magnetism section.