Saturday, November 30, 2019

Personal Responsibility free essay sample

Task Personal Responsibility Thesis Rough Draft Many people have different complex ideas of what the definition of personal responsibility is, I feel mine is simple. My definition of personal responsibility is, when someone takes accountability for their obligations. To me this means that if someone accepts to do a particular project or assignment they are responsible and accountable to make sure it gets done. College success very closely relates to personal responsibility in that, in order to be successful in college you have to take personal responsibility to complete your assignments and courses on time in order to graduate when you are scheduled to. I am going to put aside time each night and find a spot in my house where I can study without distractions to complete my course work on time. To be specific, having personal responsibility means you have to be accountable for your actions. When people are holding themselves accountable for their actions they tend to work harder to complete the task correctly. We will write a custom essay sample on Personal Responsibility or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page They also will be certain to turn it in when it is due. Another part of the equation is taking responsibility for yourself. Being responsible means you do your assignments on time. It also means you did them correctly. By being responsible you show others you can be depended upon to fulfill your part of the task. The final portion of my definition is feeling a sense of accomplishment. Finishing a task on time and correctly gives a person a great sense of accomplishment. Being able to contribute to the team goals and be acknowledged for it makes a person feel good. I know I take a sense of pride when I am able to accomplish something I’ve been tasked with and finish it to the best of my ability and the rest of the team is happy with my efforts. In conclusion, although some people rather let others handle things, people need to be accountable for their actions for three main reasons. First, if people keep themselves accountable they will do a better job and complete their tasks on time. Second, it gives a person a sense of accomplishment and they feel good about themselves. But most importantly, it shows the other members on the team that they will do their part and can be relied and depended upon and complete their portion of the work. Personal Responsibility free essay sample This week, using the Center for Writing Excellence resources, provide the hoses statement and informal outline for your Personal Responsibility Essay assignment, due in Week Five. Thesis Statement: Personal Responsibility means taking accountability for my own actions, accepting whatever consequences come from my actions, and then understanding how to improve or make necessary changes. By staying organized, setting personal goals, keeping my stress level to a minimum, and staying focused, can achieve college success. Informal Outline: l.Intro II. What personal responsibility means a. Accountability for my own actions b. Being organized c. Setting goals; both personal and academic Ill. Tools for personal responsibility d. Having time management skills e. Setting personal goals f. Keeping my stress level to a minimum g. Staying focused V. What I will hold myself academically accountable for h. Attending all classes I. Reading all materials j. Doing all assignments and turning them in on time k. We will write a custom essay sample on Personal Responsibility or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Raytheon vs Nortel essays

Raytheon vs Nortel essays Two companies taking similar actions that are obtaining very different results What is happening to the debt position? Nortel Networks engaged in several acquisitions in 1998. The effect on their income statement was staggering. Despite $17.575 billion in revenues (a $213 million increase from 1997), Nortels net income before taxes was negative $537 million. ROE was negative 4.64% compared to the industry average of 13.8%. Acquisitions, mergers, and partnerships have become a major strategy of many companies in the telecommunications industry. Nortel frequently participates in acquiring other companies in order to expand their business units, products, and lines. In 1998, Nortels largest acquisition occurred when they acquired Bay Networks for an estimated US$9.1 billion. In looking at the 1998 financials (I mention these because of the large dollar amount spent on acquisitions that year), Nortel's Debt/Equity ratio was interesting. Looking at the balance sheet, total liabilities increased by $1.1 billion (15%). The Statement of Cash Flows shows that Nortel repurchased approximately $1 billion of outstanding stock. Looking at these two numbers, one would expect the debt/equity ratio to increase but it actually decreased by 58%. And from 1997 to 1999, it has decreased from .41 to .16. The 1998 Income Statement also showed a large increase (144000) in the number of outstanding shares. The large increase was due to the conversion of outstanding Bay Networks shares and to exercise stock options by Bay Networks executives. The operating earnings number on Nortels 1999 annual report shows two figures on page 1, GAAP earnings ($-0.15/share) and operating earnings ($1.28/share). What's behind the difference? The cost of all the Nortel acquisitions: purchased IPRD (intellectual property research goodwill worth $639MM. That's about $2 billion i...

Friday, November 22, 2019

A Comparative Study of the Similarities Between The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah and the Traditional Folk Tales

A Comparative Study of the Similarities Between The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah and the Traditional Folk Tales The Nightingale as a mistaken folktale. The Nightingale has many similarities to a traditional folktale story but it also differs in many ways. The similarities and differences are commonly found in the beginning, middle and ending of the story. Some of the similarities are the introduction to the story, the use of three repetitions, helper figures, and the resolution of conflict at the end of the story. It is evident that there are more similarities than differences and The Nightingale could easily be mistaken for a folktale. First of all, the story of The Nightingale starts off by creating a distant setting that happened long ago and makes it known that its an old story. Folktales, that are also known to be old stories, are characterized by the way the author introduces the story such as â€Å"once upon a time, in a far away kingdom†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Another common characteristic of a folktale that The Nightingale has is the plot and the beginning, middle, and end. In The Nightingale the beginning of the story focuses on creating an imaginary landscape, one that is a world of magic and beauty. This story creates an obstacle right from the start where the chamberlain is in search of the nightingale at the emperor’s request. In this part of the story, the conflict fell into the repetition of three’s, which is another characteristic of a folktale. Here, the chamberlain hears the cow mooing and thinks it is the bird, next he hears the frogs croaking and also thinks it is the bird, finally, he hear s the real nightingale bird. Another similarity between the traditional folktale and this story is that the story includes helper figures. The Nightingale has three—the chamberlain who helps find the nightingale bird for the emperor, the kitchen helper who takes the chamberlain to the forest to find the bird, and the nightingale bird itself, as it sings for the emperor to bring him back to good health. In the middle of the story, there wasn’t a main conflict like a traditional folktale would have. The conflict in the story also followed the sequence of three’s—the search for the bird, the bird that has escaped, and the sick emperor. The action in the story comes quickly such as the time when the emperor became ill. After the climax of the story, the end of the story approaches quickly much like the plot that happens in a folktale. A well-known characteristic of a folktale is that they have heroes who usually resolve the conflict/obstacle near the end of the story, which creates the usual happy ending. In The Nightingale the nightingale bird is recognized as the hero since he is the one who saves the emperor’s life. The bird resolves the conflict in the empire entirely because it suggests informing the emperor in the future about all of the things he did not know, such as who is rich and happy, who is hurt and poor etc. and the bird also volunteers itself to forever be there for the emperor, to sing to him, to keep him happy and in good health. Once the agreement is made between the emperor and the bird, the villain is defeated and the hero is rewarded. This creates the happy ending in the story, which is another characteristic in a folktale. It is evident that The Nightingale has many similarities with the traditional folktale. There are more similarities than differences and The Nightingale can easily be mistaken for a folktale. It has many of the characteristics identified in a folktale such as a villain, a hero, the sequence of three’s, a beginning that creates an imaginary landscape, a middle that has three different conflicts, and a happy ending where there is a resolution.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

History of the English Language Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

History of the English Language - Essay Example did not take place overnight since the language developed over hundreds of years with influences from many different languages therefore it has interesting origins. The English language began to form with the arrival of three Germanic tribes who invaded Britain in the fourth century. The three tribes were the Angles, the Saxons and the Jutes and came from the northern areas of Germany. The Celtic language speakers of Britain were repelled by the invaders to areas of Wales and Scotland (Wells, 1982). At the same time, the language of the Angles tribe became the predominant language of the region from which the words England and English are taken (English Club, 2006). The language developed into what we know as ‘Old English’. This language would be difficult if not impossible for us to understand since there would be many more modifications to the language before it would develop into modern English. Even so, many of the words we use in English today have their roots in Old English. For instance words like Strong and Water come from Old English even though they are in common use today (Wells, 1982). In 1066, the same tribes were conquered by William the Conqueror who came from the area of Normandy which is in modern day France. He and his forces spoke a version of French which was used in the royal court while the lower classes spoke English with a mixture of French words. This version of English came to be known as Middle English and was used by Chaucer to write his Canterbury tales. It is difficult for modern speakers of English to understand or read this language but it does show how French words came to be accepted in English use (English Club, 2006). Modern English as we see it today has two distinct periods of development, the first is the early period which lasted from 1500-1800 where changes were made in pronunciation, character use and many more words were added to English. With the coming of the Renaissance, words from classical languages found

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Marketing Strategy and Implementation Plan Essay

Marketing Strategy and Implementation Plan - Essay Example This essay describes the Absorb Rite Tissues and Towels, Inc. company, that is a successful manufacturer of dairy paper products, enjoying for many years the loyalty of its customers. Competing in the private labels industry for many years, the company is currently facing a down-ward slope in its sales and overall profits due to the shift in customer (retailers) demands. The emergence and development of grocery and super store chains have ultimately pushed prices down; a fact that has caused a lot of pressure to Absorb Rite as it merely produces ‘on the line’ of breaking even. In addition to that, a loss of some of the major clients has considerably further reduced the profits gained. The company has been focusing on manufacturing an innovative product that has a dual utility; the products have already gone through the R&D department and have been tested to sample markets with positive feedback and reviews. The overall strategy of Absorb Rite Tissues and Towels, Inc. sho uld be directed towards marketing and promoting the innovative new products that have already been designed in the R&D department and researched in test markets. To this extend, Absorb Rite needs to redirect its strategy and objectives towards promoting this new line and eventually penetrating the market while capturing largest portions of the market. This marketing plan effectively offers a complete action plan for the necessary activities that need to be implemented towards restoring the position of the firm and increasing total sales.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Linguistics research Essay Example for Free

Linguistics research Essay 1. Linguistics: Linguistics is generally defined as the scientific study of language. 2. Phonology: The study of how sounds are put together and used in communication is called phonology. 3. Syntax: The study of how morphemes and words are combined to form sentences is called syntax. . 4 Design features: it referred to the defining properties of human language that tell the difference between human language that tell the difference between human language and any system of animal communication. 5. Psycholinguistics: The study of language with reference to the workings of mind is called psycholinguistics. 6. Language: Language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication. 7. Phonetics: The study of sounds which are used in linguistic communication is called phonetics. 8. Morphology: The study of the way in which morphemes are arranged to form words is called morphology. 9. Parole: it referred to the actual phenomena or data of linguistics. V. Answer the following questions as comprehensively as possible. Give examples for illustration if necessary: 1. Language is generally defined as a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication. Explain it in detail. First of all, language is a system, because Elements of language are com ­ bined according to rules. Secondly, language is arbitrary because there is no intrinsic connection between form and meaning, or between the sign and what it stands for. Different languages have different words for the same ob ­ject in the world. This fact is a good illustration of the arbitrary nature of language. This also explains the symbolic nature of language: words are just Symbols; they are associated with objects, actions, ideas, etc. by conven ­ tion. Thirdly, language is vocal because the primary medium is sound for all languages, no matter how well developed their writing systems are. The term human in the definition indicates that language is possessed by human beings only and is very different from the communication systems of other living creatures. The term â€Å"communication means that language makes it possible for its users to talk to each other and fulfill their commu ­ nicative needs. 2. What are the design features of human language? Illustrate them with examples. 1) Arbitrariness As mentioned earlier, the arbitrary property of language means that there is no logical connection between meanings and sounds. For instance, there is no nec ­ essary relationship between the word elephant and the animal it symbolizes. In addition, different sounds are used to refer to the same object in different languages, and even within the same language, the same sound does not refer to the same thing. However, language is not entirely arbitrary. There are words which are created in the imitation of sounds by sounds, such as crash, bang in English. Besides, some compound words are also not entirely arbitrary. But the non-arbitrary words are quite limited in number. The arbitrary nature of language makes it possible for language to have an unlimited source of expressions. 2) Productivity Language is productive or creative in that it makes possible the con ­ struction and interpretation of new signals by its users. This is why they can produce and understand an infinitely large number of sentences, including sentences that they have never said or heard before. They can send messages which no one else has ever sent before. Productivity is unique to human language. Most animal communication systems appear to be highly restricted with respect to the number of different signals that their users can send and receive. 3) Duality The duality nature of language means that language is a system, which consists of two sets of structure, or two levels, one of sounds and the other of meanings. At the lower or the basic level, there is the structure of sounds, which are meaningless, discrete, individual sounds. But the sounds of language can be combined according to rules into units of meaning such as morphemes and words, which, at the higher level, can be arranged into sentences. This duality of structure or dou ­ ble articulation of language enables its users to talk about anything within their knowledge. No animal communication system has duality or even comes near to possessing it. 4) Displacement Displacement means that language can be used to refer to things which are present or not present, real or imagined matters in the past, present, or future, or in far-away places. In other words, language can be used to refer to contexts removed from the immediate situations of the speaker. Animal calls are mainly uttered in response to immediate changes of situation. 5) Cultural transmission Human beings were born with the ability to acquire language, but the details of any language are not genetically transmitted or passed down by instinct. They have to be taught and learned, but animal call systems are genetically trans ­ mitted. 3. How do you understand the distinction between a synchronic study and a diachronic study? The description of a language at some point in time is a Synchronic study; the de ­ scription of a language as it changes through time is a diachronic study. A synchronic study of language describes a language as it is at some particular point in time, while a diachronic study of language is the study of the historical development of language over a period of time. 4. Why does modern linguistics regard the spoken form of language as primary, not the written? First, the spoken form is prior to the writ ­ ten form and most writing systems are derived from The spoken form of lan ­ guage. Second, the spoken form plays a greater role than writing in terms of the amount of information conveyed and it serves a wider range of purposes finally, the spoken form is the medium through which we acquire our mother tongue. 5. What are the major distinctions between langue and parole? The distinct, ion between langue, and parole was made by the famous Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure early this century. Langue refers to the abstract linguistic system shared by all the members of a speech community, and parole refers to the realization of langue in actual use. Langue is the set of conventions and rules which language users all have to follow while parole is the concrete use of the conventions and the application of the rules. Langue is abstract; it is not the language people actually use, but parole is concrete; it refers to the naturally occurring language events. Langue is relatively stable, it does not change frequently; while parole varies from person to person, and from situation to situation. 6. (1) What if there were no language? (2) What if there were only one language the world over? (3) What can we learn from this Bible story? Language is powerful as a tool of human communication. 7. (1) What measures do you suggest for protecting dialects as well as languages? (2) Do you think that someday people all over the world will speak only one language, or someday no dialect will exist? 8. Can our pets learn human languages? Why or why not? No. They are genetically not endowed with the 9. What role does body language play in language commun

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Human Trafficking Essay -- Legal Issues, Human Rights

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 was created to prevent human trafficking, to protect the victims of human trafficking, and to prosecute traffickers. Although it was well crafted, the TVPA is ineffective in achieving its purpose. Since its enactment, only a small percentage of victims have received help, and the prevalence of human trafficking in the U.S. has not decreased. In fact, human trafficking may be on the rise in Arkansas. Therefore, although amending the TVPA would make more people eligible for social services, not amending the TVPA would be an act of support towards organized crime, the spread of diseases like AIDS and TB, and modern slavery. Before the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 was enacted, traffickers were only punished for â€Å"the components of the offense† (Lack 156). The TVPA aimed to prevent human trafficking by funding programs that would educate the public about this issue. In order to protect the victims, the law established the T-visa program. This allows victims â€Å"to become temporary residents of the U.S.† (U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services 1). Victims that have been certified ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬those who have proved that they are victims of human trafficking, assisted in the prosecution of their traffickers, and received their T-visas—are eligible for social services. The TVPA also made harsher punishments for human traffickers. For example, traffickers who attempted to murder, kidnap, or sexually abuse their victims could be sent to prison for life (U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services 2). Sexual exploitation of children under 14 could also result in a life sentence. In addition, the TVPA â€Å"broadened the definition of coercion,† by including both physical and psychological coercion (La... ...activities† (FBI 1). This shows that Arkansas cannot be overlooked when trying to prevent human trafficking. Although it is not highly prevalent, it is still possible that human trafficking has infiltrated Arkansas. Maybe traffickers are just rarely brought to light here. Local authorities may not be as familiar with this issue because it has not been a problem in the past. The products of human trafficking cannot be ignored. Human rights are being violated, diseases are being transmitted, and the current laws are ineffective in preventing human trafficking and protecting its victims. Although there are many victims now, it may increase exponentially in the future, creating bigger problems. Before the number of victims increase and before more people start to lose faith in the U.S. government, it is imminent that the Trafficking Victims Protection Act be amended.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Racine’s Phaedra

Phaedra, a tragic play created and popularized by Jean B. Racine is an account of the possible pros, cons, and eminent ills or frailty experienced by love-stricken people depicting their own strength and weaknesses. The play implicitly showed different types of love that are prevalent in reality where there could be a kind of self-giving and sacrificial love that makes a person stronger and pushes the lover to exert one’s best and do good in life (that love of Hippolytus to Aricia); the self-centered, selfish, and possessive love (the kind of avenging love showed by Phaedra with respect to his unfaithful husband, Theseus; and her incest love for her stepson, Hippolytus); and last but not the least, the disloyal and unfaithful love of Theseus to his wife, Phaedra. Body Racine presented in this play the different attitudes of men when under the spell of love: it is implied as that â€Å"it makes or breaks a person†. At best, love could not only make a person (the lover) to attain one’s full potential of doing good due to the inspiration attained from the object of love; but also, at worst, love can lead to hatred and vengeance once the expected love is not returned or is abused by pain-crashing disloyalty. Moreover, as love’s pros and cons are demonstrated by the author in this literary piece, good and evil was also portrayed by effects and consequences of each kind of love discussed in the aforementioned statement. Conclusion Love thus, follows the principle that â€Å"You reap what you sow†; if used as a weapon to avenge the painful sorrow, it may bring and lead to one’s own destruction and further injury (bad karma). Once love is used and treated as inspiration, it has good results and it motivates (good karma). However, if one feigned against love, treachery would be its same cost.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

The Simpsons vs South Park

By contrast South Park relies on our knowledge of subjects outside the realm of elevation. South Park's humor is heavily dependent on the fact that its audience is consuming media and observing culture outside of traditional television shows. The Simpson family is, literally, a middle American family. The town in which they live, â€Å"Springfield† Is constantly shown to be In the center of the country in any of the shows maps. The family consists of Homer and Marge, he's an overweight, undereducated couch potato and she's the long suffering loving wife.Together they have three children Bart, Lisa and Maggie. The trouble-maker, straight a student and doodler respectively, just the composition of this family shows that the creators are seeking to lampoon the average American family. The stupidity of Homer and the children's antics and the ridiculous nature of the world around them are strictly for laughs. In show advertisements mock sexism and religion in American culture. With in the show, the television often reflects criticism of news and popular action movies and issues of children and violence.But for all this satire, there is not much bark to the Simpson bite. The show itself must depend on advertisement revenue. Its network, FOX, Is one of the Top 4 networks In the country. In the late ass's, the Image of Bart Simpson was synonymous with Butterfingers candy bars. There were two music Cad's released with official music videos, that would play at the end of the episodes. It's parody too point. And Its parody that many American's are well aware of already. It's as if the creators wink and nudge at the audience and say ‘You're smart and we know it.Now please, buy our products. † South Park attempts to do something beyond just simple parody of our consumption and violence. Trey Parker and Matt Stone attempt to create new meaning out what we have already viewed. The very meaning of the parody is derived from what you already know of the target of ridicule. This is what Jerkiest and Fiske refer to as intellectuality. They attempt to relate the Simpson to this dynamic but I believe this realm is where South Park is actually operating.The Simpson may use this intellectuality when playing with genre, but South Park uses it when conveying the very meaning of the parody. Even this season alone, South Park had covered the topics of social media sites Like Faceable, celebrates and sex scandals and the hypocrisies of the media concerning such events, and marijuana legalization debate. All of these topics are lampooned by critiquing the media's covered and both sides of the social and political debate on TV.You have to be critically aware to understand the finer points of South Parks humor that lies beneath the crude language and crass Jokes. The irony is that those that think Homer Simpson is a cutting edge satire of American life, are most likely a carbon copy of Homer himself. It's easy to criticize South Park on the surface, b ut those that are media literate will â€Å"get the Joke† more than its critics. The Simpson are entertaining but ultimately, too safe.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

First Contact essays

First Contact essays The topic of ethics has been around since the understanding that science needs to be a testable discipline. In order for a theory to be counted as relevant in science it must be falsifiable, meaning it must be able to be proved wrong. This is where ethics come in. A scientist must insure the physical, psychological, and emotional well being of the subject is not compromised. These ideas have not always been considered. Modern day laws and policies detour unethical experiments to humans and animals. This determent not only is apparent in the sciences but also in the world of lay person. In the movie, First Contact, we see the lack of ethics in the prospectors journey for gold. The prospectors are hardly to blame for their actions. They are results of the era they grew up in, the lack of knowledge about the Aboriginal people, and most importantly, these men were not scientists looking for a discovery. They happened upon the native people and used what instinct and little knowledge they had at the time. The movie takes us back to a time when liberties of freedom were only taken in by those who had the money to buy them. Poor people had no say, especially foreign poor people. In the 1930s there were few understandings of what ethics really were. During this time shock therapy was a popular treatment for mental disorders, and psychological testing was being done that would never be allowed now days. If scientist did not have the concept of it, how were the lay people expected to? The time era this discovery took place did not really set the stage for ethical beliefs. After all, World War II was just around the corner. It would take the most unethical experiments and observations of our time before the recognition of ethical treatment would be laid out. Those extreme cases discussed at the Nuremburg Trials would lay the ground work for future laws in all aspects of life. The prospecto ...

Monday, November 4, 2019

Proposal to Write a Research Paper on Climate Change Mitigations

To Write a Paper on Climate Change Mitigations - Research Proposal Example The economy is affected due to the reduction of agricultural outputs that are caused by soil degradation and loss of other resources that are of economically important. People’s social lives are affected by climate change. For instance, when there are floods some people are usually relocated and others left homeless. Many people develop skin cancer due to global warming that is caused by climate change (Department of Ecology State of Washington, 2009). My readers will be the environmental and business students in my school. I have chosen them since they know about the impacts, causes and the mitigations of climate alteration. They also think that atmospheric change is a serious issue and solutions have to be found. In my research, I will use several sources like books and articles to find information about climate change. I will also interview people in our school and my neighborhood using questionnaires about the climate change issues. I will use the following as one of the s ources to study on my research topic. This topic meets the standards for a relevant topic in my future career. Firstly, I have sufficient interest in the topic. As a business and environmental enthusiast, I have realized that mitigating climate alteration effects will bring positive effects to the social and economic aspects in our country. I am deeply interested in the mitigation measure that other environmentalists have practiced. Secondly, the topic meets standards since it can be searched quickly. A computer search in the library has shown numerous sources accessible on this topic. Moreover, our college library has a wide array of possible sources that I believe will produce a unique project. For my project, please allow me to research the ways of mitigating climate change. If you have ideas concerning the changes on this topic, please notify me.  

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Retail Marketing (Marks & Spencer) Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Retail Marketing (Marks & Spencer) - Case Study Example The group's merchandise includes clothes, household goods and food sales, with their clothing line contributing half the revenues. It has also diversified into financial services that include accounts cards, pensions, loans, and life assurance and contributes about 5% of its total revenues. Marks and Spencer divides its operation as UK retail, International retail and financial services. The UK Retail division is its major chunk of the business and contributes the most to the turnover. It sells Women's wear, Men's wear, Lingerie, Children's wear, Beauty products, Household goods, and groceries. The International Retail business prevailed from Europe to North America to the Far East a well. The Financial services division offers personal insurance, personal loans and store cards. Until the late 1990's Marks & Spencer was largely successful and Marks & Spencer recorded highest profit growth in the years, 1997 and 1998. In 2000, Marks and Spencer launched lingerie outlets in Paris, Hamburg and Dusseldorf that met with considerable success. It is a leading seller of lingerie in the UK with a 20% market share. It introduced the "Per Una" clothing range designed by George Davies in 2001 that was received moderately well. However, strong competition from other retailers was a big problem for Marks and Spencer. Marks and Spencer had built its business by ensuring customers that the high quality of its products, warranted the higher price paid by the consumer. Its business model was to maintain UK sourcing for its products. Consequently when competitive retailers sourced from low cost Asian suppliers, Marks & Spencer found its core business model a great liability. Its margins would not let it keep up. Ultimately, when it had to be done, the strategy came a little too late. It also lost its appeal to the consumers. Product quality deteriorated and customer dissatisfaction caused it to lose a lot of its base. Its target segment was traditionally women aged 35 and above. However, statistically, the younger generation invest in fashions and styles than the target segment it was aiming at. Therefore Marks & Spencer also lost valuable potential target base in its marketing efforts. Its image as a mid priced company for the middle-aged segment drove these younger consumers to the rival high street retail fashion boutiques offering great discounts. The company did attempt measures like revamping the business model and opening the stores on Sundays, but the results were not good enough. Internal management issues It had serious internal issues and this instability led to low profit margins and loss of customer satisfaction. Sir Richard Greenbury who headed the company has often been blamed for the debacle. The style of management was supposed to be autocratic and feedback from the employees was not encouraged. The lack of input from the actual employees who were in touch with the consumers on a daily basis was a great disadvantage. There was no transparency in communication and therefore Marks & Spencer had no finger on the customer's pulse. It lost valuable information that should have driven its strategy. Managers had no decision making power and were unable to implement even small changes without top management approval. The top management had no perception of the external environments in which the stores operated and was