Institutional Framework of Federal Acquisitions Research Paper

Institutional Framework of Federal Acquisitions - Research Paper Example risk in case of unpredictability of the market prices since the burden of the extra cost will be shouldered by him and not the other contracting party but also in case of a reduction in the price, the contractor will be on the benefitting end. This therefore provides the incentive for the contractor to do the planning work not only efficiently but effectively as well observing time and being accountable for each and everything as there is fear of bearing loss. The work being contracted on will therefore be completed mostly according to the budget and time (Feldman, 2012). 2. Discuss the importance of cost reimbursement contracts in creating effective, efficient and accountable acquisition planning. Support your discussion with FAR regulations. This type of contract is important to use in case the prices or the cost of what is to be acquired is uncertain. It therefore protects both parties (the contractor and the contacting party) from risks of price increase and therefore rendering t he planning useless in the process or slowing down the project. The benefactor in this type of contract is the contractor as he is reimbursed all the costs he incurs the way specified in the contract unless they exceed the agreed upon price â€Å"These contracts establish an estimate of total costs for the purpose of obligating funds and establishing a ceiling that the contractor may not exceed†¦( General Services Administration, Department of Defense, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 2005)† This therefore provides a motivator and an incentive for the contractor to seek only the best of the materials and hence making the planning process and the final product effective. The contractor is also accountable for each and everything since there is reimbursement to be made. The contract type also requires justification on the part of the contractor for the decisions and materials included in the planning â€Å"the contracting officer shall document the rationale for selecting the contract type in the written acquisition plan and ensure the plan is approved and signed at least one level above the contracting officer† and the final work and hence making this a very efficient and effective type of contract to be entered into by especially non-profit organizations which often have financial and time constraints and pressure of accountability to the last cent. 3. Discuss the importance of time and material contracts in creating effective, efficient and accountable acquisition planning. Support your discussion with FAR regulations. This type of contract as stipulated in clause 16.601 is one of the most cost-effective, efficient and with the highest rate of accountability for both the contractor and his officers and also for the contracting party. This is so because it avoids any wastage of time or money and materials through uncertain estimates and no party for this matter may have to bear the loss of increase in the ceiling when planning. This is so because in this contract, the contractor is paid once the work is completed and according to

Golds Gym Essay Example for Free

Golds Gym Essay Gold’s gym has been the authority in fitness since 1965 dating back to the original Gold’s Gym in Venice, California. It was the place for serious fitness. Thereafter, Gold’s Gym quickly became known as â€Å"The Mecca of bodybuilding†. In 1977, Gold’s Gym received international attention when it was featured in the movie ‘Pumping Iron’ that starred Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno. Today, Gold’s Gym has expanded its fitness profile to offer all of the latest equipment and services, including group exercise, personal training, cardiovascular equipment, spinning and yoga, while maintaining its core weight training tradition. With 3.5 million members worldwide, Gold’s Gym continues to change lives by helping people achieve their individual potential. Mission Statement: To enhance the quality of life in the communities we serve, through our fitness philosophy, facilities, programs, and products; and to instill in the lives of people everywhere the value of health and fitness. We are committed to exceeding our members fitness goals by utilizing our rich history established over the last 42 years of superior training, information, support and guidance provided by the largest and the best fitness organization in the world. Service excellence is our golden rule. Vision: To inspire, support, and lead every member in their effort toward a healthy, productive, and fun life, and to provide a safe, fun, energetic, rewarding, and fair working environment. We are the inspiration and the leadership that will guide the Wenatchee Valley to be the fittest community in America. We are the Customer Care benchmark. We are passionate about helping others. We are a great company for which to work.   Core Values: Respect – Have regard for others’ beliefs and viewpoints. Candor – Speak openly and honestly. Integrity Don’t â€Å"act† as though you have values – Be your values. If you really don’t care about other people, PLEASE don’t work here. Learning and Knowledge Sharing – Intellectual capital is our most valuable treasure. Share what you learn and be open to learn from others. Teamwork – This isn’t about you or me. It is about us. Make everyone around you look good. Humility – We are all equally important†¦.and equally unimportant. Accountability – True accountability is the process of constantly asking yourself; â€Å"what else can I do to make things better?† While it may have started out as a humble hard core training gym, Golds Gym has grown into a fitness empire. So does big mean bad? Or can corporate gyms still be a good place for independently minded personal trainers? With hundreds of locations across the world, the mega fitness employers of hour fitness, Bally Total Fitness and Golds gym are going to be tempting places where personal trainers can get almost guaranteed employment. The Personal Training Job Board is packed with entry level jobs. Golds Gym International, Inc. is an international chain of co-ed fitness centers commonly referred to as gyms. Each gym features a wide array of exercise equipment, group exercise classes and personal trainers to assist clients. Its headquarters are in Irving, Texas Today, Golds Gym claims to be the largest chain of co-ed gyms in the world, with more than 750 locations in 42 states and 30 countries. Golds Gym has a membership of more than three and a half million, split almost equally between male and female patrons. Golds Gym locations are equipped with cardiovascular and strength training equipment and offer group exercise classes such as group cycling, Pilates, Latin dance yoga and stretching through the company GGX (Golds Group Exercise) program. Many gyms also offer basketball, swimming pools and boxing studios. Golds Gym is privately owned. It was acquired from its previous owner, private equity firm Brockway Moran Partners, by Robert Rowlings TRT Holdings in 2004 for approximately $158 million. Brockway Moran had acquired the company in 1999. The current chief corporate officers include President and CEO Jim Snow, David Fowler as senior divisional vice president, and Aaron Watkins as senior vice president of finance and accounting. Average Golds Gym Salaries: As of May 30, 2012, the average salary for golds gym jobs is $41,000 USD. Average golds gym salaries can vary greatly due to company, location, industry, experience and benefits. This salary was calculated using the average salary for all jobs with the term golds gym anywhere in the job listing. Jobs: Employees must be at least 18 years of age. Gold’s Gym is an equal opportunity employer who recognizes the value of having a diverse workforce. It seeks and encourages qualified applicants regardless of gender, ethnicity, or other cultural or physical characteristics. Fitness Sales Manager Our Sales Managers are responsible for consistent improvement of club sales and operations through effective planning, implementation, use and exercise of independent judgment and discretion in determining how to best maximize profits, contain costs, and hold club employees accountable. Personal Training Sales Manager Personal Training Sales Managers are responsible for selling training packages for our certified personal training staff and holding Personal Training Sales Counselors and Personal Trainers accountable. Fitness Sales Counselor A Membership Sales Counselor will actively pursue enrollment of new members through self-generated and Company-sponsored programs, promotions and referrals. This includes establishing and maintaining lead boxes; calling on new businesses for corporate accounts, obtain leads from existing members, give club tours and membership presentations, utilize computer programs to track appointments and sales. Personal Training Sales Counselor A Personal Training Sales Counselor will actively pursue enrollment of new members into Gold’s Gym Pro Results Personal Training packages by providing introductory training assessments, and utilizing computer programs to track appointments and sales. Operations Manager The job of our Operations Managers is to ensure that our members receive exceptional service from a happy, friendly staff in a clean and well-maintained facility. Operations Managers hire, train, and supervise all fitness, babysitting and janitorial staff, resolve all membership issues, update past due accounts, manage payroll and supplies budget, and uphold company standards Club Staff The job of our club staff is to meet, greet and check-in members and guests of Gold’s Gym, provide excellent customer service and update member’s account information using various computer applications and be assertive, enthusiastic and punctual. Group Fitness (Aerobics) Group Fitness Trainers are enthusiastic, professional, motivated, experienced individuals who enjoy teaching group fitness. They have experience in teaching one or several of the following formats: Cycling, Step, Latin, Hip Hop, light weight dumbbells, Kick box Cardio, Aqua, Mat Pilates and yoga. Personal Trainer The main responsibility of our Personal Trainers is to design and implement programs for our personal training clients. They are expected to treat all clients in a professional and compassionate manner and be prepared to advise clients of what to do during their â€Å"off day† when they are exercising on their own. In general, the trainer position requires you to be a positive fitness role model for all our clients and club members Building Maintenance The Building Maintenance personnel must have experience in at least one of the following specialties: wood floor refinishing, tile work, HVAC, painting, CPO, plumbing, electrical. Janitor The Janitor maintains the cleanliness and beauty of the club by cleaning the locker rooms, mopping floors, emptying trash containers, wiping off counters, cleaning equipment, cleaning mirrors and windows, etc. Equipment Technician The Equipment Technician must have a solid experience troubleshooting electrical, electromechanical and mechanical systems. Job Descriptions Tasks: Operate office machines, such as photocopiers and scanners, voice mail systems, and personal computers. Answer telephones, direct calls, and take messages. Maintain and update filing, inventory, mailing, and database systems, either manually or using a computer. Communicate with customers, employees, and other individuals to answer questions, disseminate or explain information, take orders, and address complaints. Open, sort, and route incoming mail, answer correspondence, and prepare outgoing mail. Compile, copy, sort, and file records of office activities, business transactions, and other activities. Compute, record, and proofread data and other information, such as records or reports. Type, format, proofread, and edit correspondence and other documents, from notes or dictating machines, using computers or typewriters. Complete work schedules, manage calendars, and arrange appointments. Review files, records, and other documents to obtain information to respond to requests . Greets each member and guests promptly, enthusiastically and with a smile to create a friendly positive entrance into the gym. Says â€Å"Hello† to all incoming guests and says â€Å"Good-bye† to all outgoing guests. Provides security and control to the front door area of the facility. Checks each member into the gym using the proper check-in procedures. Monitor check-ins to identify delinquent accounts and notifies Gym Operations Supervisor. Register all guests into the gym using proper registration procedures. Ensures that guests and appointments are directed to the appropriate fitness consultant in a prompt, professional manner. Answers phone by the third ring in a professional and courteous manner and uses proper phone greeting techniques. Addresses callers’ requests and/or takes appropriate messages. Registers all telephone inquiries in the TI register in the Master Production Binder and transfers the call to the appropriate Fitness Consultants. Responsible for following up on telephone inquiries to ensure that the appointment was booked properly. Responds immediately to member requests, inquiries and concerns. Maintain neat appearance and wear proper uniform attire with nametag while on duty. Distributes keys, towels and other materials as needed. Reserves time/makes appointments for tanning, special classes or other activities sponsored by the gym. Tools: Franking or postage machines — Postage machines Photocopiers — Photocopying equipment Scanners — Data input scanners Computers — Laptop and Desktop computer Technology: Accounting software — Billing software; Bookkeeping software; Intuit QuickBooks software Data base user interface and query software — Alpha Software Alpha Five; IBM Check Processing Control System CPSC; Microsoft Access; St. Paul Travelers e-CARMA Document management software — Filing system software; Records management software; Transcription system software Spreadsheet software — Microsoft Excel Word processing software — Microsoft Word Knowledge: Clerical —Word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology. Customer and Personal Service — Providing customer and personal services; including customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction. English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar. Accounting Principles — Understanding of basic accounting principles and cash processing procedures. Skills: Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. Reading Comprehension — Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents. Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively. Social Perceptiveness — Being aware of others reactions and understanding why they react as they do. Time Management — Managing ones own time and the time of others. Writing — Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience. Service Orientation — Actively looking for ways to help people. Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. Abilities: Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. Written Comprehension — The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing. Speech Recognition — The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person. Written Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand. Information Ordering — The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern, according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations). Work Activities: Interacting With Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information. Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form. Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. Communicating with Persons Outside Organization — Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail. Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data. Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work. Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. Requirements: Education This occupation requires a high school diploma. Related Experience Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public. Job Training Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations. Job Zone Examples These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include sheet metal workers, forest fire fighters, customer service representatives, physical therapist aides, salespersons (retail), and tellers. Tasks: Observe participants and inform them of corrective measures necessary for skill improvement. Instruct participants in maintaining exertion levels to maximize benefits from exercise routines. Offer alternatives during classes to accommodate different levels of fitness. Plan routines, choose appropriate music, and choose different movements for each set of muscles, depending on participants capabilities and limitations. Teach proper breathing techniques used during physical exertion. Evaluate individuals abilities, needs, and physical conditions, and develop suitable training programs to meet any special requirements. Monitor participants progress and adapt programs as needed. Explain and enforce safety rules and regulations governing sports, recreational activities, and the use of exercise equipment. Provide students with information and resources regarding nutrition, weight control, and lifestyle issues. Administer emergency first aid, wrap injuries, treat minor chronic disabilities, or refer injured persons to physicians. Tools: Balance beams — Balance boards; Balance disks Exercise balls — Medicine balls; Weighted exercise balls Fitness weights — Fitness jog belts; Free weights; Water ankle weights; Weighted swim vests Microphones Technology: Calendar and scheduling software — Appointment scheduling software; Contemporary Web Plus Appointment-Plus Data base user interface and query software — BioEx Systems Exercise Expert; DietMaster Systems DietMaster Medical software — BioEx Systems Nutrition Maker Plus Project management software — BioEx Systems Fitness Maker; Get Physical! Software Personal Trainer Pro; Natural Fitness Concepts The Trainers Edge; Vesteon Software Personal Trainer-PDA Knowledge: Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction. Education and Training — Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects. English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar. Psychology — Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders. Skills: Instructing — Teaching others how to do something. Service Orientation — Actively looking for ways to help people. Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively. Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. Learning Strategies — Selecting and using training/instructional methods. Monitoring — Monitoring individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action. Coordination — Adjusting actions in relation to others actions. Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. Judgment and Decision Making — Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one. Abilities: Gross Body Coordination — The ability to coordinate the movement of your arms, legs, and torso together when the whole body is in motion. Stamina — The ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath. Trunk Strength — The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without giving out or fatiguing. Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. Extent Flexibility — The ability to bend, stretches, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs. Dynamic Strength — The ability to exert muscle force repeatedly or continuously over time. This involves muscular endurance and resistance to muscle fatigue. Speech Clarity — The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you. Static Strength — The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects. Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. Work Activities: Performing General Physical Activities — Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials. Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. Thinking Creatively — Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions. Coaching and Developing Others — Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills. Assisting and Caring for Others — Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients. Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. Training and Teaching Others — Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others. Requirements: Education Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associates degree. Related Experience Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job. Job Training Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations. Job Zone Examples These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include food service managers, electricians, agricultural technicians, legal secretaries, interviewers, and insurance sales agents. Sales Manager Tasks: Manage, hire, train and develop sales staff. Generates sales leads through companys sponsored events while coordinating with the regional marketing function locally. Oversees lead generation for sales team through Company’s sponsored (walk-ins) and employee sponsored (outreach and promotions). Motivate sales staff and monitor their production levels by using the established protocols and sales system programs. Hold daily production meeting with sales team. Establish and maintain the standard company protocol for sales tours and price presentation. Maintain and direct training development of the gym sales staff. Establish and maintain an active referral system with the sales team. Establish and maintain a lead box/lead bowl system and monitor on a monthly basis. Develop and retain corporate client relationships through the sales team on a monthly basis. Audit sales team on a monthly basis. Maintain acceptable level of personal sales production. Submit monthly game plan for training, promotions and department meetings to General Manager and Area Manager. Create, implement and promote special events for the gym with regional marketing to generate new member sales. Answers phone by the third ring in a professional and courteous manner and uses proper phone greeting techniques. Addresses callers’ requests and/or takes appropriate messages. Registers all telephone inquiries in the TI register in the Master Production Binder and transfers the call to the appropriate Fitness Consultants. Responsible for following up on telephone inquiries to ensure that the appointment was booked properly. Responds immediately to member requests, inquiries and concerns. Maintain neat appearance and wear proper uniform attire with nametag while on duty. Distributes keys, towels and other materials as needed. Technology: Calendar and scheduling software — Contact management software; Scheduling software Customer relationship management CRM software — Eden Sales Manager; FrontRange Solutions Goldmine software; Salesforce.com Salesforce CRM; Vanguard Software Vanguard Sales Manager Data base user interface and query software — Data entry software; Microsoft Access Electronic mail software — Email software; IBM Lotus Notes; Microsoft Outlook Spreadsheet software — Microsoft Excel Knowledge: Sales and Marketing — Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. Administration and Management — Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources. English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar. Personnel and Human Resources — Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems. Economics and Accounting — Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data. Psychology — Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders. Education and Training — Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects. Mathematics — Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications. Skills: Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively. Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. Coordination — Adjusting actions in relation to others actions. Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. Monitoring — Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action. Service Orientation — Actively looking for ways to help people. Judgment and Decision Making — Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one. Management of Personnel Resources — Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job. Abilities: Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. Written Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand. Problem Sensitivity — The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem. Speech Recognition — The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person. Deductive Reasoning — The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense. Fluency of Ideas — The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity). Written Comprehension — The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing. Work Activities: Selling or Influencing Others — Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions. Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. Communicating with Persons Outside Organization — Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources; in writing, or by telephone or e-mail. Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates — Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance. Developing and Building Teams — Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members. Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. Developing Objectives and Strategies — Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them. Coaching and Developing Others — Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills. Requirements: Education Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelors degree, but some do not. College degree preferred. High school diploma and some college courses completed is required Fitness certifications. Related Experience A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified. Previous experience in the fitness area as manager or sales head. Job Training Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training. Internal sales training at the fitness center. Job Zone Examples Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include accountants, sales managers, database administrators, teachers, chemists, environmental engineers, criminal investigators, and special agents. Job Evaluation Point Method Analysis Defining Compensable Factors 1. Effort: earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something through the exertion of physical or mental power. 2. Skill: ability and capacity acquired through deliberate, systematic, and sustained effort to smoothly and adaptively carryout complex activities or job functions involving ideas (cognitive skills), things (technical skills), and/or people (interpersonal skills) 3. Contact with Others: reaching out to or being in touch with another person, business or entity. For example, a salesperson may contact another person or business for a potential sale. 4. Complexity of Duties: Condition of having many diverse and autonomous but interrelated and interdependent components or parts linked through many dense interconnections. 5. Decision Making: Degree to which judgment is required to address typical problems associated with the position, and the impact that these decisions will have on the business Effort This factor evaluates physical and mental requirements of the job. It considers the amount of detail work, diversity of tasks, deadline pressures, and emergency situations. Degree Description of Characteristics 1 Minimal effort required (e.g., tasks are simple and routine, and use well-defined procedures) 2 Limited effort required (e.g., tasks are simple but varied, with some limitations set by standard practices and procedures) 3 Moderate effort required (e.g., tasks have some variation and complexity,with work governed only by broad instructions and objectives) 4 Substantial effort required (e.g., tasks are highly varied and complex, involving analysis and evaluation of many complex and important factors) 5 Extreme effort required (e.g., tasks are highly varied and extremely complex, involving analysis and evaluation of many complex and important factors) Skills This factor evaluates the ability to exercise cognitive skills, technical skills, and/or interpersonal skills. Degree Description of Characteristics 1 Little skill required (e.g. use of reading and writing, adding and subtracting; following of instructions, computer literacy and proper speech, with basic health and fitness skills) 2 Limited skill required (e.g. use of simple use of formulas and formulation of schedules; operation of equipment and machines; checking of reports, forms, records, and comparable data, with fitness training skills) 3 Moderate skill required (e.g. use of different methods of analysis; interpretation of data, equivalent to 1 to 3 years’ applied training in a particular or specialized occupation with fitness training skills) 4 Substantial skill required (e.g. use of advance methods of analysis and interpretation, all varieties of measuring instruments, equivalent to complete accredited apprenticeship in a recognized occupation; or equivalent to a 2-year health, nutrition or fitness college education and skills) 5 Extreme skill required (e.g. use of higher application of principles and the performance of related practical operations, together with a comprehensive knowledge of the theories and practices, health, fitness, management and other related fields. Equivalent to completing 4 years of health, nutrition or fitness college or university education and skills) Contact with Others This factor evaluates personal interaction with others outside direct reporting relationships (e.g. employees from other departments, customers, vendors/suppliers, the general public, etc.) and the degree to which the employee works with or through other people to achieve organization goals. It includes internal and external contacts and evaluates the frequency of the contact, the nature of the contact (informational vs. influencing), and the degree of impact the contact has on the organization. Degree Description of Characteristics Has little or no interaction with others (less than 20% of work time) and contact is internal, limited to co-workers and the direct supervisor for the purpose of supplying or obtaining information on routine matters. (Seeking and exchanging information, engaging others in conversation, and responding to questions) 2 Has moderate interaction with others (21% to 50% of work time) and contact is internal with other departments and superiors in other areas, for the purpose of supplying or obtaining information, but may require some influencing skills, tact and discretion. (Interpreting and explaining information, outlining alternative actions, and or gaining information from others) 3 Has frequent interaction with others (more than 51% or work time) and contact is both internal and external to the organization, for the purpose of supplying or obtaining information, and may require minimal influencing skills, tact and discretion. (Interpreting and explaining information, outlining alternative actions, and gaining information from others) 4 Contact is both internal and external to the organization, for the purposes of influencing and persuading in order to carry out company policy or goals. Requires communication skills, tact, discretion, persuasion, and an awareness of dynamics and organization goals with respect to external contacts (customers, suppliers, government entities, the community, or others) to gain cooperation. (Convincing other people, resolving disagreements, leading group activities, making presentations, or counselling) 5 Contact is both internal and external to the organization, primarily with top management levels, for the purposes of influencing and persuading in order to carry out company goals. Requires an awareness of strategy and timing. May involve difficult or sensitive negotiations requiring considerable tact, discretion, communication skills, and persuasiveness. (Formal or informal negotiations, resolution of complex situations, formalized debates or presentations) Complexity of Duties This factor evaluates the complexity of duties with regards to the degree of independent action, standardized job duties, exercise of judgement, job decisions, exercise of discretion, resourcefulness, or creativity in devising methods, procedures, services or products. Degree Description of Characteristics Little Judgement: Understands and follows simple instructions. 2 Some Judgement: Follows detailed instructions and standard procedures to perform repetitive or routine duties. 3 Simple Analytical Judgement: Plans and performs varied duties requiring an extensive knowledge of a particular field. Uses a wide range of procedures. 4 Complex Analytical Judgement: Plans and performs a wide variety of duties requiring a broad knowledge of company policies and procedures in addition to extensive knowledge of a particular field. 5 Advanced Analytical Judgement: Plans and performs difficult work without set precedent or procedures. Involves highly technical or involved projects that have new or constantly changing problems. Decision Making This factor evaluates the thought process of selecting a logical choice from the available options. When trying to make a good decision, a person must weigh the positives and negatives of each option, and consider all the alternatives. For effective decision-making, a person must be able to forecast the outcome of each option as well, and based on all these items, determine which option is the best for that particular situation. Degree Description of Characteristics Requires few decisions and duties are usually very standardized. 2 Exercises judgement to analyze facts or conditions to determine what action should be taken using standard practices. 3 Requires minor decision making. Requires outstanding judgement and initiative to deal with complex factors not easily evaluated. Makes decisions based on precedent and company policies. 5 Ingenuity and exceptional judgement necessary to deal with not easily evaluated factors and to interpret results. Makes decisions that involve a great deal of responsibility. Job Description for Customer Service Representative/Front Desk Processes orders, prepares correspondence, and fulfills customer needs to ensure customer satisfaction. Requires a high school diploma or equivalent and 0-3 years of experience in the field or in a related area. Has knowledge of commonly-used concepts, practices, and procedures within a particular field. Relies on instructions and pre-established guidelines to perform the functions of the job. Works under immediate supervision. Primary job functions do not typically require exercising independent judgment. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager. Customer Service Representative I U.S. National Averages The median expected salary for a typical Customer Service Representative I in the United States is $30,380. This basic market pricing report was prepared using our Certified Compensation Professionals analysis of survey data collected from thousands of HR departments at employers of all sizes, industries and geographies. Additional Information: O’net Source: Median wages (2011) $13.07 hourly, $27,190 annual Job Description for Fitness Instructor Coordinates all fitness programs for a facility. Organizes and instructs exercise classes for all fitness levels. Ensures that all participants are properly trained on the use of the facilitys exercise equipment. Responsible for making sure that the exercise area and equipment are safe and clean. May require a bachelors degree in area of specialty and 2-4 years of experience in the field or in a related area. Familiar with standard concepts, practices, and procedures within a particular field. Relies on experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. Performs a variety of tasks. Works under general supervision. A certain degree of creativity and latitude is required. Typically reports to a supervisor. Source: HR Reported data as of June 2012 The median expected salary for a typical Fitness Instructor in the United States is $47,240. This basic market pricing report was prepared using our Certified Compensation Professionals analysis of survey data collected from thousands of HR departments at employers of all sizes, industries and geographies. Job Description for Sales Ensures the maximum effectiveness of the sales force by developing and implementing training programs. Designs and delivers training sessions on company products, business practices, and other topics as needed. Monitors and reports on the effectiveness of training programs and may conduct initial needs analysis. Requires a bachelors degree in a related area and 0-2 years of experience in the field or in a related area. Has knowledge of commonly-used concepts, practices, and procedures within a particular field. Relies on instructions and pre-established guidelines to perform the functions of the job. Works under immediate supervision. Primary job functions do not typically require exercising independent judgment. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager. Directs and oversees an organizations sales policies, objectives, and initiatives. Sets short- and long-term sales strategies and evaluates effectiveness of current sales programs. Relies on extensive experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. Conclusion Recent industry compensation surveys state that employees remain in their jobs for 1 year or more. Though employee motivation is strongly derived from an individual’s passion for his or her work, compensation plays a major role in satisfaction and retention. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, fitness instructor’s average salary is $20.25 per hour, while rates for specialty instructors, yoga/Pilates instructors, group fitness instructors and personal trainers range from $23.75 to $30.50 per hour, on average. Knowing how fitness jobs are positioned within the wider employment market can help keep the industry competitive. However, with increasing numbers of career fitness professionals, progressive salary changes within the industry are perhaps equally important. Gold’s Gym follows a lag policy and although it has remained in the industry for the past decades, it is still one of the most criticized gyms in America unfavorable reviews. Reference: http://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/personal-trainer-salary-SRCH_KO0,16.htm http://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/fitness-trainers-and-instructors.htm http://www.careerbliss.com/salary/golds-gym-salaries-284979/ http://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/fitness-trainers-and-instructors.htm http://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/43-9061.00#AdditionalInformation http://swb.salary.com/salarywizard http://www.simplyhired.com/a/salary/search/q-golds+gym http://www.lafitness.com/pages/employment.aspx http://www1.salary.com/Personal-Trainer-salary.html http://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/LA-Fitness-Salaries-E12445.htm

The Need for Change Management in Coca Cola

The Need for Change Management in Coca Cola The company was established by Dr. John Stith Pemberton -a local pharmacist in Atlanta on May 8, 1886. It was first sold in Jacobs pharmacy for 5 cents per glass. Initially, Coca-cola was sold as a drug for curing minor diseases like dyspepsia, morphine addiction, and headache. Asa Griggs Candler acquired a stake in Pembertons company in 1887 and incorporated it as the Coca-Cola Company in 1888. Now, Coco-cola is one of the largest manufacturer, distributer and marketer of non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups in the world. Coca Cola products bearing the companys trademark are now being sold in more than 200 countries around the world. The company owns or licence more than 450 brands, including diet and light beverages, waters, enhanced waters, juice, teas, coffees, and energy and sports drinks. The company step on blending raw material, packaging in canisters and shipping the finished products to bottlers. The bottling partners of coco-cola range from international and publ icly traded business to small, family owned operations. The bottling partners hold 90,500 associates to carry on the product to more than 200 million customers. The company had introduced at least 29 new lines of products from October 2004-August 2007 alone In 2009, the company generated revenue of $31billion with $6.8 billion net income. This company has fully understands the importance of innovation in business is the Coca-Cola Company Introduction Change management is a continuous process and it is followed by many organisations on a routine basis (Schroeder and Self, 2008). This process aims at attaining successful strategies, manpower and process for an organisation. The management of an organisation usually goes for a change mainly because of its stiff competition in market due to globalisation factor, technological innovation and demographic trend. Quite few people disagree with the concept but few say that the organisation is performing well by managing the major changes inside the organisation. Greenwood Hinings, 1988 state that organization needs to survive and in order to do so they anticipate and adapt to these changes through strategies including organizational redesign. This adoption of strategies leads to the change in the culture of the organisation. (Schroeder and Self, 2008 cite Collins, 2001) stating that organizations which fail to adapt or do not respond to the changes required in a timely fashion are prone to the risk of losing their market share to competitors, the further implications could be that they might lose key employees or lose the support of the shareholders and in extreme situations even demise. They also outlined two major challenges that the organisations face. The first would be to recognize the need for change and the second which is more significant is how to deploy strategies formulated to implement the changes recognised. If the change implementation is planned properly, then the chances of the failures are reduced a lot and it could also prevent the aftermaths of the failed change process such as reduced employee morale or diminished commitment. Need for strategic change in an organisation Coco-cola Company is one of the popular manufacturer and distributor of Non-alcoholic beverages.   It operates in many parts of the world and provides services to different customers. Today, many companies are using new approach for their products to reach more target market and to ensure that they can survive with the globalisation challenge. For this, the company needs to develop a new change process for sustaining in world market and facing the stiff competitors. The current state of Coca Cola stores in Hong Kong is pretty good and it is still one of the top distributors of soft drinks in Hong Kong. However, if it will be compared to other Coca Cola convenience stores in the world the marketing, inventory, and performance of workforce is not equivalent to other Coca Cola company. For that, the company decides to increase the efficiency of the marketing and inventory, as well as the productiveness of workforce through implementing change management programmes for maintaining stan dards and sustaining in world market. If the changes are applied within the management then in future there would be an increase in the company output. Factors driving the change: The main aim of Coca-Cola is to meet and satisfy the needs of customers with excellent product manufacturing and distribution.   The change management of this company is very fragile since they predicted that there are some marketing challenges in the near future that they need to face.  In-order to access the changes in Coca-Cola Company, there should a concrete identification of issues attached with company. The radical change process will affect the employees and other stakeholders of Coca-Cola Company. Basically, the route of the change is towards the development of workforce and not on the services. Since, the company has already established a reputation of delivering good services in the market. The change is also about the possible financial problems that the company may face in the near future.   From this discussion, the following figure shows the force-field analysis of the change management procedures suggested to the application of change management within Coca Cola Company. Force-Field Analysis From this analysis, it is clearly seen that the computed forces to change is much higher compared to the forces against change.   Force-field analysis is one of the most important tools used in change management (Bass, I. 2009). Meaning to say, the plan is quite logical with respect to possible opposition.   Actually, change management is basically defined as the formulation and assimilation of change in a methodical process (Kotter, J. P., Schlesinger, L.A. 1979). Meaning, the major objective of change management which is the introduction of new systems in the work organisation therefore the change project is normal to companies engaged in change management. Similarly, this can be compared to the adoption of new marketing strategies. Businesses like Coca-Cola Company must normally undergo change in order to evolve to a higher level of for instance, stability, management or production. Coca- Cola Company always wanted to have an extreme development. The Chief Executive Officer o f Coca-Cola may include changing the companys mission, reforming business operations, application of new technologies, major group efforts, or adoption of new programs.   Usually, the organisation is encouraged on settling on change management due to external influences, usually termed as the environment (Nickols, 2004). Thus, change management can alternately be defined as the response of different business to changes brought about by environmental influences in which organisations have minimal or absolutely no control over. Perhaps the space between the new organisation design and implementing it into reality is the whole coverage of organisation change and development. However, certain skills must be present from the initiators of change so as to successfully implement their project. Thus, managers need to have the necessary abilities not only on detecting what needs to be changed but also how to introduce the change effectively. System to involve stake holders The change process are relied on the whole organisation, which means various parties likely affected by change involving the increase in efficiency of marketing and inventory, as well as the effective work-force of employees. Stakeholders pertain to the parties linked to the business firm who stand to experience benefits or adverse effects from the change (Friedmand, 2007, p. 172). Identifying the stakeholders and the respective interests is important to develop ways of wining over these various stakeholders who are likely to contribute to the success of the planned change. Determining stakeholders or the parties affected by the change together with the impact of the change to these parties is also important in prioritizing stakeholder interests as well as the resolution of issues faced by the stakeholders. (French Delahaye, 1996, p. 22) Involving stake holders in change management strategies There are a number of stakeholders in the planned change falling under either internal or external stakeholders. First is top management of the organization who decide on the change, direct strategy implementation, and carry accountability for the outcomes of the change. Second are middle managers who are minimal affected by the change and comprise implementers of the tasks constituting change. Third are employees also affected by the change and serve as the movers in process of change. These three stakeholders also constitute internal stakeholders as they form part of the organization and directly experience and participate in the change process. Fourth are bottlers associates of the company who could be affected by the change of product. Fifth are investors and investment parts providing capital needed in the change process. Sixth are customers for whom the change is directed and from whom the impact of change is assessed. These last three stakeholders comprise external stakeholders by not being part of the organization. These stakeholders influence the change indirectly but could influence the success of the change management activity. The most important tool is the analytical tool is the resource dependence theory (Frooman, 1999, p. 191) that classified the relationship between the firm and stakeholders into four types, which are 1) firm power, 2) high interdependence, 3) low interdependence, and 4) stakeholder power. The nature of the relationship determines the issues requiring resolution to manage effectively stakeholders. The core idea of this analytical tool is the recognition of the limited self-sufficiency of business firms so that they have to rely on their environment to address difficulties. Firm-Stakeholder Relationship Stakeholders Firm Power Middle Managers, Employees, Stakeholder Power Customers, Top Management High Interdependence Investors and Investment Parties Low Interdependence Suppliers The implementation of this analytical tool shows the stakeholder priority of the organization in achieving the planned change in the context of resource accumulation. Since the company has strong dependence on investors and investment parties as source of capital and investors also rely on the company to experience returns. This means that the company should develop mutual positive relationship with investors and investment parties. Since the power of stakeholder is high in the case of customers and top management, which means that the company should consider the important roles of top management in directing change policy and customers in justifying the area of change.    Resistance to change The main success of implementation the change is achieved by identifying and understanding the factors which block the implementation process. Kotter (1996, p. 3) described blocks as the entirety of the hindrances and issues experienced by business firms in the course of implementing change. The unaddressed resistance may lead to severe delays, accumulation of additional costs and even failure in implementing the change. Resistance finds explanation through the transition curve (Fisher, 2001). The resistance for establishing the changes in marketing, inventory and performance of personal in Coco-cola Hong-Kong will rely entirely on managers and employees of the organisation. It also restructures the organisation by making some changes in the management by removing some employees or position or by adding some more employees or reassignment employees. This situation builds up a fear in the minds of employees and managers. The change also includes in hiring new employees, which can be perceived as a threat by existing employees. In particular, there are many sources which could resist the planned change. The employees have some fear on their employment status if any changes are implemented. So, the initial response of employees will be on fighting against the change to prevent their actual positions. On the other hand, it can create a positive attitude on employees that the new change will secure their position after implementing the changes. Employees experience more safety by improving their skills and knowledge and in order to finish their work effectively. Still another is the different perspectives of managers and employees towards the purpose and impact of the planned change. The different in opinion could divide support for the change. Last is the adverse perception towards the change because of lack of consultation. The implementation of change without sufficient consultation, based on the perspective of managers and employees, could develop negative regard towards the change. Kotters model of change Kotters model provides eight reasons why process of change in an organization fails. It means that if these eight reasons for failure is removed or their impact is minimized a successful change process is possible. These eight steps can broadly divided into three categories as preparation (steps 1-4), action (steps 5-7) and grounding (step 8). So Kotters model can be used to assess the change process in Coco-cola Company: 1.) Establish a sense of urgency: The senior management of coco-cola realised that a change in their system of operations was necessary in order for them to grow in business. Hence the coco-cola Hong-Kong firm did not delay in addressing the issue and realised the need for technological innovation and new marketing strategies required in the company operations. These were the internal factors that the company was sorting out after reviewing the financial report of the convenience stores. All in all, it can be said that the sense of urgency was established. 2.) Form a powerful guiding coalition: The second step is to create a strong guiding coalition. The management of coco-cola formed a team of experts to help in guiding the change process of the management. 3.) Creating a vision: The expert team appointed by the management presented a new vision for favouring the success and growth of the organisation. They also suggested some strategies to achieve the vision on a short period of time. 4.) Communicating the Vision: The management created a vision for the change and it is very important for the company to communicate the vision to its employees. The company planned to increase the productiveness of work force. So, this may create a conflicts or misunderstanding between management and employees of the company in communicating vision. The top management should properly guide the employees in how to respond that change. 5.) Empowering others to act on the vision: In this step the Coco-cola management was completely failed because they didnt empower employees to implement that vision. Employees werent encouraged to take any risks without the approval of the management and they were not allowed to take decisions at their own. Even management never used to welcome any new ideas from the employees during the branch meetings. 6.) Planning for and creating short term wins: Here management needed to motivate its staff members by creating short-term targets for them with a degree of low failure. But this wasnt the case. There was no short-term win strategy planned by the management and it was more focused on achieving the yearly targets of profit. So employees were totally neglected in the change process and nothing was done to motivate them like salary increase, bonuses, etc 7.) Consolidating improvements and producing still more change: For implementation of new vision the top management needs to change the systems and policies of coco-cola which didnt support that change. But this wasnt done. The employees who were more responsible to implement change were neither promoted or the company didnt hire any additional people for carrying on the vision. Coco-cola tried to execute change with help of the existing employees 8.) Institutionalizing new approaches: Coco-cola had realised the need of new strategies to implement change and also introduced incentives for the employees who would implement the change successfully. The company also saw to it that they communicated what they wanted from the employees successfully through conferences, emails and meetings. Overcoming Resistance to change In change management, the resistance of employees in firm is usual expected. However, overcoming the resistance is important in order to implement the required changes in the management strategies. According to Kotter and Schlesinger (1979) there are six approaches that an organisation can use in dealing with the resistance by the workforce and these are: Education and Communication- In order to overcome the resistance in Coca-Cola the employees should be educated and informed regarding the changes within the company before implementation and also to prevent incorrect information that will surround the work area. Participation and Involvement- employees should be involved with planned changes in management programmes of the company because once they become involved the employees will not resist but instead will participate in the changes that will be undertaken. Facilitation and Support- Some employees will resist the changes because they are unable to adjust with the new programmes implemented by the management to avoid resistance the management must support the employees that are having a hard time with the changes, establishing a support system will help and assist the employees to adjust quickly. Negotiation and Agreement- Coca-Cola should talk and negotiate with employees, and during the talks the management must discuss the incentives they will receive once they accepted the changes in the management strategies. Manipulation and Co-option- if the other approaches didnt work inviting the union leader to participate and be a representation in the change process will aid in overcoming the resistance to change. Explicit and Implicit Coercion- if all approaches didnt work then the last step would be forcing them to accept the implemented changes and threaten them that if they will not comply the employees will lose their jobs.   Conclusion Change management is basically defined as the formulation and assimilation of change in a methodical process. The major objective of change management is the introduction of innovative means and systems in the work organisation. This can similarly be compared to the application of certain information technologies in the company or the adoption of new marketing strategies. Businesses must normally undergo change in order to evolve to a higher level of for instance, stability, management or production. Appointing a new head officer, for example, can greatly enhance his subordinates based on his management principles and personality.   From these discussions, we may conclude that change management is a process in which all companies undergo. This is an important procedure because it enables the organisation to make decisions that will be advantageous and beneficial to the company. In addition, organisations that are open to change are generally more successful compare to companies tha t resist it. In a globalise market, new technologies and procedure are emerging rapidly, in order to keep up with this progress a company must be willing to adapt to management changes. The international, as well as, the local market has a very stiff competition, therefore in order to be on top change management must be utilised by companies. Coca-Cola is one of the best examples of companies that utilised change management efficiently and have yielded positive results. The evidence is the dominance of Coca-Cola in the soft drink industry not just in Asia but all over the world.

Clockwork Orange And The Age Of Mechanical Reproduction Essay -- essay

Clockwork Orange and the Age of Mechanical Reproduction For Walter Benjamin, the defining characteristic of modernity was mass assembly and production of commodities, concomitant with this transformation of production is the destruction of tradition and the mode of experience which depends upon that tradition. While the destruction of tradition means the destruction of authenticity, of the originally, in that it also collapses the distance between art and the masses it makes possible the liberation which capitalism both obscures and opposes. While commodity fetishism represents the alienation away from use-value and towards exchange-value, leading to the assembly line construction of the same--as we see relentlessly analyzed by Horkheimer and Adorno in their essay The Culture Industry. Benjamin believes that with the destruction of tradition, laboratory potentialities are nonetheless created. The process of the destruction of aura through mass reproduction brings about the "destruction of traditional modes of experience through shock," in response new forms of experience are created which attempt to cope with that shock. "Even the most perfect reproduction of a work of art is lacking one element: its presence in time and space, it’s unique existence at the place where it happens to be. This unique existence of the work of art determined the history to which it was subject throughout the time of its existence. The authenticity of a thing is the essence of all that is transmissible from its beginning" when substantive duration ceases to matter, he says, the authority of the object is threatened. (Think, for example of Alex's response to high art...) "technology has subjected the human sensorium to a complex kind of training. There came a day when a new and urgent need for stimuli was met by the film. In a film, perception in the form of shocks was established as a formal principle. That which determines the rhythm of production on a conveyor belt is the basis of the rhythm of reception in a film." (Motifs in Baudelaire) Benjamin distinguishes between two kinds of experience: Erfahrung something integrated as experience, and Erlebnis, something merely lived through. Erlebnis characterizes the modern age and refers to the inability to integrate oneself and the world via experience. Erlebnis, then, ... ...lus (a "very important piece of art," ritualized and de-politicized) is made into a weapon, and the scene of her death is a nearly subliminal orgy of modern-art. Whereas she, as with the use of all high-art among the Bourgeoisie, finds only exchange value in the phallus, phallus as pure sign, Alex initiates the violent reversal of that commodification. He turns it into a tool, here a tool of violence; what she has done is to inject exhibition value into forms of art which have only exchange value, the work of art in the hands of the Bourgeoisie is reinjected with a type of aura, which only lead it further in the direction of losing control (like the reinjection of aura in the robot --Maria's aura--in Metropolis). Control is lost and the phallus becomes a weapon, a violent recontextualization by Alex. He proves to understand well this process. There are also similarities here with the State's control of his mind through conditioning. The state attempts to gain control by turning Alex into a robot (a clockwork orange), thus commodifying him (isn't this the struggle at the end for control of Alex--the liberals and state?). His use-value is a fun ction of his exchange-value.

Mr Bean

Mr Bean is a series of fourteen shows based around the character of Mr Bean, a grown man who seems to have been born yesterday. The character is played by the versatile comedic star Rowan Atkinson. The programmes were filmed between 1990 and 1995, with the franchise also spawning a number of short specials, an cartoon version, and two feature-length films. Bean is supposedly a grown man but is outstandingly childish; his juvenile behaviour brings him into trouble with alarming regularity.He bumbles along in life with great abandon and seems oblivious to the havoc he causes. Moreover, in a childish way, everything is exciting, and everything must be played with. Even (especially? ) those things that he shouldn't, like the Christmas displays in Harrods! Whilst he rarely speaks (visual humour being the main strength of this sitcom), his occasional vocal offerings expose his voice to be as socially unacceptable as his behaviour, and as amusing as his trademark tweed blazer.Bean's residen ce alters between different episodes, but he never progresses beyond a small, one-or-two room grubby flat, which he shares with his sole friend; Teddy, his teddy bear, who rather worryingly Bean seems to think can communicate with him! He also has a long-term (and long-suffering) girlfriend, Irma Gobb (although whether or not he understands the concepts of romance and intimacy is uncertain).Other people he encounters, he tends to quickly worry with his eccentric behaviour. Indeed, the title sequence might suggest that he's an extra-terrestrial; he finds it difficult to cope with everyday situations, and seems to be learning how to live life each time he does something which to most people would be quite simple (like sit an exam; go to church; stuff a turkey etc. ). The fact that his presence disturbs TV reception would support this theory.The thing which makes Bean so worrying to those who encounter him, and so intriguing and hilarious to we the viewers, is that it's very difficult to work out who he actually is; it could, of course, just be that he lacks social skills, but we don't know what actually motivates him; what his hopes and dreams and fears are; what makes him tick. The fascination as we watch this peculiar specimen go about his daily existence is often captivating and constantly hilarious.

Assigment

Individuals in the work field are legalizing that developing good skills helps in the workforce and many concepts of project management helps with everyday lives. Advantages: Better control of financial, physical, and human resources Improved customer relatives Shorter development times Lower costs and improved productivity Higher quality and increased reliability Higher profit margins Better internal coordination Positive impact on meeting strategic goals Higher worker morale What is a project and what are the main attributes?How is a project different from what most people do in their day-to-day jobs? What is the triple constraint? A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result. Projects are not operations. Projects end when objectives are reached or had been terminated.Attributes of a project are the following: A project has a unique purpose A project is temporary A project is developed using a progressive elaboration A project requires resources, often from various areas A project should have a primary customer or sponsor A project sponsor provides direction of funding the project A project involves uncertainty As stated above projects are temporary and every day operations is work one in organizations to sustain the business.Triple constraint means scope, time, and cost. Successful projects must consider these objectives. Some consider quadruple constraint because quality is a key factor too, so scope, time, cost and quality. What is project management? Briefly describe the project management framework, providing examples of stakeholders, knowledge areas, tools and techniques, and project success factors.Project management is â€Å"the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements. † Elements of ramekin are stakeholders- people involved in or affected by project activities and include project sponsor, project team, support staff, customers, users , supplies and opponents of project. Knowledge areas managers must develop. For core knowledge areas are project scope, time, cost, and quality management. These lead to specific project objectives.Project management tools and techniques assist managers and their teams in carrying out work in all nine knowledge areas: Knowledge- Integration Management- tools- project management software, change request, lesson earned reports, Scope Management- scope statements, work breakdown structures, requirement analysis, Time Management- Gaunt charts, Cost Management- net present value, return investment, payback analysis, earned value management, project portfolio, cost estimates, cost management plans, cost baselines, Quality Management, quality metrics, checklist quality control charts, diagrams, fish bone diagrams, maturity models, statistical methods, Human Resources Management, motivation techniques, emphasize listening, responsibility assignment, matrices, project organizational charts, resources castigator, team building exercises, Communication Management, kick off meetings, progress reports, Risk Management, risk management plans risk registers, probability, impact matrices, risk rankings, Procurement Management, make or buy analyses, contracts, requests for proposals or quotes, source elections, supplier evaluation matrices. Project Success Factors: The project met scope, time, and cost goals The project satisfied the customer or sponsor The results of project met its main objective, such as making or saving a certain amount of money providing a good return investment or making the pompons happy. What is a program? What is a project portfolio? Discuss relationships between projects, programs, and portfolio management and contributions they each make to enterprise success. Program is a group of related projects managed in a coordinated way to obtain benefits and control not available from managing them individually.Infrastructure Application Development User Sup port Portfolio Management is organizations group and manages projects programs as portfolio investments. Program managers coordinate the efforts of project teams, functional groups, suppliers, and operations staff purporting projects to ensure that project products and processes are implemented to maximize benefits. Also responsible for not only delivery of projects but they are change agents. Responsible for success of products and processes produced these projects. Portfolio managers help organization make Wise investments decisions by helping to select and analyze projects from strategic perspective.Important principles make sure your projects are driven by strategy and engage stake holders. Portfolio management allows viewing and managing all projects at the enterprise level. These can be Rosen down into categories venture, growth and core of IT projects. Many organizations use specialized software Enterprise or portfolio to organize and analyze all types of projects data into p roject portfolio. What is the role of project manager? What are suggested skills for all project managers? Why is leadership so important for information technology project managers? Project managers can have different job descriptions which can vary from industry to organization but all they all have similar tasks.Skills for project managers are the following: The project management Body of Knowledge Application area of knowledge, standards and regulations Project environment knowledge General management knowledge and skills Soft skills or human relation skills Very important for IT project managers must be willing to develop more than their technical skills to be productive team members and successful project managers. â€Å"Leaders determine vision and managers achieve the vision. † â€Å"You lead people and manage things. † Ten key trades: People skills Leadership Listening Integrity, ethical behavior, consistent Strong at building trust Verbal communication Strong at building teamsConflict resolution Conflict management Critical thinking problem solving Understand, balances priorities Careers for information technology project managers are in demand. Although the new approach will be populated with versatility those with technical backgrounds will also need to know business sector inside and out. The IT project manager will need to architect and carry out IT plans that will add business value and can cultivate relationships both inside and outside company. IT executives listed the skills predicted would be most in demand in the next two five years. Project program management come first, followed by business process management, business analyst and application development.Briefly describe some key events in history of project management. What roles do the Project management Institute and other professional societies play in helping the profession? 191 7 Henry Gaunt developed famous Gaunt charts for scheduling work for factories. Now used for displaying project schedule information by listing project activities ad there corresponding start and finish date. Now used with the aid of computers. Military key holders for refining several project management techniques as well as critical path which are the longest path through a network diagram that determines the earliest completion of a project. Manhattan project key to modern project management.PM was founded in 1969. A large percent of members work in information technology field and because there are so many people working on projects in various industries, PM has created GIGS. Specific Interest Groups that enable members to share ideas about project management in particular application areas and other societies are available on PM website. They also offer certifications that continue to rise to higher demand. For a project manager or student it is important for a person to become member. What functions can you perform with project management software? What are some popul ar names Of low-end, mid-range, and high-end project management tools?

Benetton Family Essay Example

Benetton Family Essay Example Benetton Family Paper Benetton Family Paper a shoe manufacturer and distributor; Galli Filati S. p. A. , a producer of woolen yarn; and Columbia S. p. A. and Altana Uno S. p. A. , both licensed to produce and market under the Benetton trademark. To integrate group logistics, Benetton also acquired Azimut S. p. A. , Benair S. p. A. , and Benlog S. p. A. To enhance global production and marketing, Benetton built a factory in Argentina to add to facilities built the year efore in Brazil; acquired, incorporated, or sold marketing companies in various countries; opened stores in Warsaw, Moscow, and Cairo; listed on the New York and Toronto Stock Exchanges; planned to expand Benetton Cosmetics, which had operated in North America and Europe for the last three years, into the Japanese and South American markets; and entered into a joint venture with the Japanese trading company Marubeni, creating Benetton Shoes Corporation, to sell shoes in the United States and Canada. Negotiations also were made with Toyobo on joint plans to enter both the Japanese and Brazilian markets, and with Seibu-Saison to convert its license to a production and marketing joint venture. These developments were representative of Benettons strategy to first use licensees to gain wide exposure in new markets and then to convert the license into production and marketing joint ventures. Accordingly, growth also was accelerated by granting licenses to producers in noncompeting industries. The Home Colors trademark was developed by acquiring an interest in Eliolona S. p. A. , which was to produce linens under license agreements in Brazil and Israel and to sell them in European markets. A new joint venture called United Optical was formed between H. J. Heinz and the Italian manufacturer Anser to produce spectacles. Furthermore, W. I. D. E. Corporation was incorporated in the United States as a joint venture with Avendero S. p. A. to manage international forwarding and customs clearance operations. By 1989 exports rose to 65. 5 percent of total annual sales. To finance this expansion, Benetton aimed to attract investors in the United States, Canada, Japan, and Europe by making a capital issue of 24 million shares. In that year, Benettons holding company, Edizione Holding, reinvested its funds from the sale of financial services by buying Nordica, a ski equipment firm, for $150 million and soon acquired several other retail sports lines. Moreover, the trademark United Colors of Benetton was adopted. In the meantime, the Federal Trade Commission conducted a preliminary investigation to determine whether Benetton had violated federal statutes by failing to file as a franchiser but dropped the inquiry after Benetton asserted that contracts are negotiated by independent sales agents and that store owners pay no fees or royalties, even though they are required to follow stringent merchandising rules. In the late 1980s, Benetton gained additional competitive advantage by implementing global networking to connect sales and production. A oint-of-sale computerized program, which linked the shops to headquarters, was designed to handle order management, cost accounting, production control, and distribution support. Thus agents began booking 80 percent of each seasonal order six months in advance; the remaining orders were placed midseason and relayed to headquarters by computer. The point-of-sale program was replaced by late 1989, and Benettons decentralized operations were linked by a gl obal electronic data interchange network, which also included freight forwarding and customs applications. Although sales grew by 24 percent in 1990, Benetton lost $6. 6 million in the United States that year, and another $10 million in 1991, a loss of 28 percent since 1987. Thus in 1991 Benetton started to consolidate its stores in the United States as well as Europe, replacing the clusters of smaller stores with the megastore concept, which carried the full Benetton line. In addition, Benetton turned its marketing and sales efforts once again to developing markets in the Near and Far East and to Eastern Europe, and halved its dividend to have more funds for expansion and acquisition. In December, Benetton signed a joint manufacturing agreement with Alexanian in Egypt in light of plans to open 30 stores in that country, and in 1992, 12 stores were opened in Poland. A joint venture agreement was signed for manufacturing facilities in Armenia, which was to produce apparel for the Soviet market under the United Colors of Benetton trademark; future expansion plans came to a halt, however, owing to lagging productivity at this plant. To beat the worldwide recession and increase market share, in 1992 Benetton developed strategies to achieve the following goals: to improve operating margins, reducing prices by about 15 percent, increasing production volume, improving product mix, and taking advantage of the devaluation of the lira; to improve operating efficiency, reducing number of styles of its collection from 4,000 to 2,600, and acquiring and integrating the operations of four key former subcontractors; and to improve cash flows, refinancing short- and medium-term debt. The mix of items was improved by introducing sophisticated classic professional apparel through shops dedicated to these higher-margin product linesAnd for dress shirts, Di Varese for shoes, and Benetton Uomo and Benetton Donna for mature men and womenand by continuing to expand into the sporting goods market. By mid-1992, Benetton bought the remaining interest in Galli Filati and consolidated interests in four suppliers of woolen and cotton materials; now about 68 percent of the cost of production was represented by charges from subcontractors, compared with 87 percent in 1991. As a result, 1992 group sales rose 10 percent. By early 1993, Benetton had continued to close stores in the United States and, for production and marketing reasons, ceased operations at the Rocky Mountain plant in North Carolina. A technologically advanced factory opened at Castrette, Italy, which was designed to expand manufacturing capacity to 20 million pieces per year with about 15 people, using sophisticated robotic technology. Goods were now exported in greater numbers from Italy, where Benetton benefited from the abolition of the wage indexation system and the devaluation of the lira following its withdrawal from the exchange rate mechanism of the European Monetary System. At this point, Benetton had 32 factories, of which 27 were in Italy, and license agreements in 13 countries. In addition, Benetton decided to expand in developing countries, forming a joint venture with a major Indian manufacturer to produce linens and stationery, opening its 7,047th store, in Cuba, and transforming Benetton Mexico from a sales subsidiary to a manufacturing operation for the North American market. These developments, particularly the continued effort to rationalize production, resulted in Benettons stock reaching a five-year high. Consolidated revenues increased in 1993 by about 10 percent compared with the previous year, and net income rose 39 percent since 1990. Benettons global advertising campaign succeeded in generating a mix of praise and criticism and, ultimately, a fair amount of free publicity since about 1989. The ads, which were initially product-oriented campaigns on themes of multinational and multiracial harmony, eventually focused on institutional-oriented campaigns that featured documentaries on AIDS, sexuality, the environment, interracial relationships, and the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Although many of the ads became the subject of controversy and were withdrawn or banned throughout the world, the United Colors of Benetton ad campaign, which hinged on racial diversity, won Benettons art director Oliviero Toscani the UNESCO Grand Prix award. Despite the ad controversy, Benetton managed to maintain a sterling corporate image during Italian government kickback investigations conducted in 1993 that involved more than 5,000 of the countrys political and business elite. In fact, Luciano had gotten involved in national politics as part of a movement to overthrow the old system, and n 1992 was elected to the Italian Senate as a member of the Republican party. In 1994, however, Luciano retreated from politics, believing that the Italian government had met its objective, to devote himself to the family business. In early 1994, Palmieri diversified Benetton by planning substantial acquisitions of either well-known brands or companies in the developing world. One such expansio n was a joint venture agreement signed with Timex and Junghans Uhren to produce watches and alarm clocks. In addition, Palmieri planned to double turnover by 1996. To fund these ambitious plans, he placed 11 million shares in foreign markets. This issue was expected to raise the float from 20 to 30 percent, with the remaining stock controlled by the Benetton family. In the mid-1990s, Benettons efforts to crack the U. S. market appeared to run out of steam. While the companys clothing continued to attract European consumers, American shoppers turned away from the brand and its all too controversial advertising campaigns. The companys attempts to enter the Asian and Eastern European markets met with similar indifference on the part of consumers. In the meantime, the 1990s saw the rise of a new breed of trendy designer-retailers who soon were beating Benetton at its own game. Such names as HM, Zara, The Gap, Diesel, and many others began drawing consumers from Benetton stores. With its apparel sales in a slump, Benetton also faced a crunch from its effort to crack the sporting goods market. Since the late 1980s, the Benetton familys Edizione holding had been building up a portfolio of sporting goods companies, starting with its purchase of Nordica in 1989. By the late 1990s, the company had tennis manufacturer Prince, racquetball equipment maker Ektelon, the United States Rollerblade, and others, including golf equipment from Langert, skis from Kastle, and mountaineering boots from Asolo. These holdings were placed under a new unit, Benetton Sportsystem, which was then sold to Benetton S. p. A. between 1997 and 1998, for $300 million. Yet the sporting goods division never jelled with the company, and after years of posting losses, Benetton began selling off the sporting goods division. This process was completed in large part by 2003, with the sale of Nordica. In the meantime, Benettons problems with its clothing division deepened. The late 1990s saw the company attempt a massive licensing scheme, placing its brand name on items ranging from condoms to mineral water to wallpaper. As one consultant told Forbes: That is not a good sign. Its usually an indication that a brand is over the hill. Benettons desperation to recapture its former glory was highlighted by a distribution agreement reached with staid U. S. department store group Sears, Roebuck and Co. in 1998. The hoped-for sales never materialized. Worse, Benettons advertising campaign inspired only revulsion in the United States, when it launched its We, On Death Row campaign featuring prison inmates. The resulting controversy convinced Sears, Roebuck to pull out of its distribution agreement. Benetton continued to struggle into the 2000s, with a lack of focus and little enthusiasm for its clothing designs. The company appointed a new CEO, Luigi de Puppi, who was replaced in 2003 by Silvano Cassano, a former Fiat executive. At the same time, the Benetton family announced that it planned to draw back from the day-to-day operation of the clothing company. Cassano installed new management and led a revamp of the companys clothing designs and a redesign of its retail stores, with a focus on the groups 166 megastores. The company also launched a new brand, Sisley, featuring trendier, edgier youth fashions. By the end of 2003, as the companys sales continued to slipback to $2. 3 billion, Cassano announced plans to spend nearly $530 million on an effort to revitalize the companys retail offer. As part of that strategy, the company intended to introduce a new range of higher-quality goods, and diversification into cosmetics, accessories, and home furnishings. Benetton hoped to recapture the flair that had made it one of Italys major fashion success stories. Principal Subsidiaries Benfin S. p. A. ; Bencom S. p. A. ; Galli Filati S. p. A. ; Fabrica S. p. A. ; Benetton Fashion S. p. A. ; Benlong S. p. A. Benetton Services Ltd. (U. K. ); Benetton U. S. A. Corporation; Benetton Capital Investments N. V. (Netherlands); Benetton Holdings N. V. (Netherlands); Benetton International N. V. (Netherlands). Principal Competitors Industria de Diseno Textil S. A. ; The Gap Inc. ; Hennes Mauritz AB; Vivarte; Gruppo Coin S. p. A. ; Kiabi S. A. ; La Redoute; Charles Vogele Holding AG; Peek und Cloppenburg KG; Somfy International S. A. ; Cortefiel S. A. ; Mango S. A. Further Reading Benetton, Luciano, with Andrea Lee, Io e i miei fratelli: La storia del nostro successo, Milan: Sperling and Kupfer Editori, 1990. Benetton to Sell Rollerblade, WWD, January 7, 2003, p. 16. Camuffo, Arnaldo, and Giovanni Costa, Strategic Human Resource ManagementItalian Style, Sloan Management Review, Winter 1993, pp. 59-67. Carlson, Scott, Benetton Write-Offs Add Up to Loss, Financial Post, April 1, 2003. Cento Bull, Anna, and Paul Corner, From Peasant to Entrepreneur: The Survival of the Family Economy in Italy, Oxford: Berg Publishers Limited, 1993. Dapiran, Peter, BenettonGlobal Logistics in Action, International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management, volume 22, number 6, 1992, pp. -11. Edmondson, Gail, Has Benetton Stopped Unraveling? , Business Week, June 30, 2003, p. 76. Gallagher, Leigh, About Face, Forbes, March 19, 2001, p. 178. Harvard Business School, Benetton S. p. A. : In dustrial Fashion (case study), Boston: HBS Services, 1987. How Benetton Has Streamlined and Branched Out Worldwide in Casual Clothing Market: Case Studies from Academia, International Management, May 1985, pp. 79-82. Kaiser, Amanda, Benetton Invests $526m to Expand Range of Product, WWD, December 10, 2003, p. 2. Ketelhohn, Werner, An Interview with Aldo Palmieri of Benetton: The Early Growth Years, European Management Journal, September 1993, pp. 321-31. , An Interview with Aldo Palmieri of Benetton: The Return As CEO, European Management Journal, December 1993, pp. 481-84. Lee, Andrea, Profiles, New Yorker, November 1986, pp. 53-74. Pepper, Curtis Bill, Fast Forward, Business Month, February 1989, pp. 25-30. Stillit, Daniel, Benetton: Italys Smart Operator, Corporate Finance, June 1993, pp. 30-39. Vergani, Guido, A Family Affair, Harpers Bazaar, December 2002, p. S16. - Marina L. Rota; Updated by M. L. Cohen Sponsored Links Benetton Family Latest World News from the International source- FT. com FT. com Benetton Perfume Major Brand Names Perfume, Make up Cosmetics 50% off. Free Shipping. www. strawberrynet. com Biography: Benetton Benetton, founded in 1965, and initially producing fine colorful knitwear, expanded to become the largest apparel network in the world. Benetton Groups diversification into a wide range of products and activities and its often controversial advertising techniques made the Benetton name a household word. The Benetton clothing line was created by three brothers and their sister in a small knitting shop in Ponzano Veneto, Italy. When their father died, Luciano (born 1935) left school to work in a clothing store in order to support his mother, sister Giuliana, and younger brothers Gilberto and Carlo. Luciano developed promotional and commercial expertise as a clerk in a textile store in Treviso. Later, as a representative of small textile establishments, he built up contacts with the Roman knitting magnates who were helpful when the family expanded its operation. As president of the Benetton Group, Luciano led the expansion of family holdings, particularly in the 1990s. He served as a senator of the Italian Republic from 1992 to 1994. Luciano is the father of four children, including Mauro Benetton, marketing director of the Benetton Group. Giuliana Benetton (born 1937) gained her experience from ten years of handicraft work in knitting for women. She created new knitwear collections and oversaw product lines. Giuliana served on the board of directors of both Edizione Holding, the family owned financial holding company and Benetton Group. She is married and has four children. Gilberto Benetton (born 1941), vice-president of the Benetton Group, president of Edizione Holding, and president of Benetton Sportsystem, also handled all Benetton sponsorships of athletic events. Through the Benetton Foundation, he created a sports complex in Treviso, Cittadella dello Sport, which was open to the public. Gilberto is married and has two children. Carlo Benetton (born 1943) was involved with the manufacturing component of Benetton. He was responsible for production at headquarters and abroad. Carlo served as vice-president of Edizione Holding and was on the board of directors of the Benetton Group. He is the father of four children. Mauro (born 1962), eldest son of Luciano, began working for the Benetton Group as a student and later managed a shop in Paris. In 1985 he moved to Benettons headquarters in Ponzano, where he took charge of the relaunch of one of the Groups main lines, which then experienced a period of record growth. Mauro was appointed marketing director of the Benetton Group in 1992, at the age 30. The Benetton family combined and optimized their expertise in marketing (Luciano), production (Giuliana), management and finance (Gilberto) and technical know-how (Carlo). They aimed at the casual wear market with color to catch the eye, first only in woolens but later in cotton. When regional small plants producing stockings came upon hard times, the Benettons bought their equipment at bargain prices. Now they were ready for a spectacular expansion. Between 1972 and 1976, they expanded into all types of clothing, from jeans to gloves to a complete Benetton wear model. Going into the 1990s there were 14 family members in the business. The Benettons aimed to transform the fashion-fractionalized small handicraft style into an industry with minimum risks. To achieve this, they expanded in variety and size and decentralized production and distribution. They purchased large quantities of materials in raw form, benefiting from quantity discounts and controlling the processing (especially color) from its rawest form. However, 80 percent of production was performed in plants not owned by Benetton but controlled by the family. In distribution, various attempts were made to control all stores. At the beginning they would go into partnership with a friend who would in turn find others interested in having a Benetton store. Later, with international expansions, the holdings model was adopted, with the Benettons always having an exclusive contract. As a practical characteristic, the stores were about 400 square feet (while the competition was usually 1,500 square feet) and 50 percent of all working hours were dedicated to sales (the competition, 22. 5 percent). This is probably why Benettons productivity was four times greater than the competition. Still, the success of the Benetton model is due to their trust. They wanted the stores to be exclusively Benetton, but allowed the owners to have 51 percent of the holdings. The Benettons have always preferred to be partners with their producers and distributors rather than to seek vertical integration (where the managers of stores were salaried people with no direct share in the operation). The incentive was to make every representative a majority partner in his particular operation so that, as owners, they would strive to increase sales and profits. In the 1980s, the little 400-square-feet stores developed a turnover more than twice as large as those of competing companies. Specialization and standardization are the main instruments that allow high productivity. The Benettons found a happy mixture of personal incentives: outright ownership by each unit and overriding control of operations and a quality/product mix to conduct market penetration at low risk with high profitability. The family entered into other business ventures assisted by loans from financial institutions. They eventually purchased the large well-known shoe manufacturer, Varese. In time, they allowed larger store units, depending on the sales as calculated pieces per square foot. The 1980s saw a decline in the number of shops in the United States, but expansion into other global markets. Benetton increased the number of stores in the Far East and boasted 50 stores in China alone. By 1996 Benettons presence was felt in over 100 countries, with 7,000 sales outlets for their main brands of United Colors of Benetton, Sisley, and 012. The sales network included 80 branches and 800 staff responsible for independent stores in specific geographic areas. In 1996 the largest store opened for business in London, England. The Benetton magazine, Colors, was introduced, using multicultural messages the company had featured in its ad campaigns of the 1980s. In addition to their clothing lines, Benetton diversified into a variety of other enterprises through Edizione Holding. Acquisitions included Rollerblade, Prince tennis rackets, Nordica ski boots, Kastle skis, and Asolo hiking boots. Benetton, along with partners, also acquired Euromercato, Italys leading superstore chain and interests in GS-Autogrill markets and restaurants. Other product lines included watches, stationery, cosmetics, linens, eyewear, books, the Twingo Benetton car (in collaboration with Renault), and a line of pagers through an agreement with Motorola. By 1995 Benetton sponsored sports teams in volleyball, basketball, and rugby. Benetton team Formula One World championships include the 1994 and 1995 World Drivers championship and the World Car Makers championships. In the 1990s Benetton came under criticism for its use of controversial images in its advertising campaigns, including those depicting war, AIDS, racism, violence, and homelessness. While Benetton was pressured into removing offensive ads from billboards, the same ads were critically praised for their sociopolitical statements. A number of lawsuits were filed against Benetton by shopowners who claimed that the ads had caused a drop in sales, but these charges were difficult to prove. A downturn in the European economy impacted sales during this period. The images used in the ad campaign have been included in museum collections around the world and continue to spark debate. Benetton, independently and in conjunction with other groups and organizations, contributed to many initiatives aimed at social problems. Examples include a 1995 campaign aimed at generating AIDS awareness in India. Support for War Child, a charity that helps children in war zones around the world, has also been praised. Autographed Toscani posters were offered to visitors at a clothes show event in exchange for donations to War Child. The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations invited Benetton to create a communications campaign for the first world food summit held in Rome. Benettons use of information technology facilitates the management of the global business from Ponzano Veneto. Students from around the world study at Fabrica, Benettons arts and communications research center near Treviso, learning communications in all its forms and using the new technologies that will take them, and Benetton, forward into the future. Further Reading Additional information on the Benetton family can be found at their official Web site, ; in Business Month (February 1989); Business Week (March 5, 1990; April 10, 1995); Los Angeles Times (January 23, 1994; April 21, 1996); New York Times (November 23, 1993; March 20, 1997); Washington Post (January 21; August 29, 1995); and in Italian language references: P. Calvani, Perche tutti copiano il modello Benetton Espansione (1986); Giuseppe Nardin, La Benetton (1987); E. Rullani and A. Zanfei, Benetton: invenzione e consolidamento di un sistema internazionale, Bolletino Ospri (1984); G. Turani, Benetton sbarcheraa Milano e Wall Street, La Repubblica (December 15-16, 1985). Sponsored Links Musto Nautica on-line Cerate, accessori, maglie, HPX Spediti con 9 euro, garantito! www. ilmarinaio. com/Musto Benetton Find Solutions for your Business. Benetton, Info. Registration! www. KnowledgeStorm. com Modern Design Dictionary: Benetton (established 1966) By the early 21st century the Italian multinational company Benetton had become one of the largest retailers in the world with outlets in more than 120 countries. The company markets four different brand identities: United Colours of Benetton casual wear for the family; Sisley for older consumers; 012 baby and toddler clothing; and Playlife sportswear. Within a dozen years of its establishment this clothing manufacturing company, founded near Venice by Luciano Benetton, commenced its programme of international expansion. This was helped by the standardization of the companys retail outlets, which were designed in such a way as to show off Benetton products in an alluring manner. Benetton was quick to utilize computing systems in the automation of its operating processes, both in the manufacture of clothing and in the monitoring of stocks and sales. As such, the company was an early exponent of the Just in Time production and distribution system, a philosophy that a number of progressive manufacturer-retailers adopted in the late 20th century. In northern Italy in the early 1990s Benetton built two new factories that utilized advanced computing technology in the linking of production controls with an efficient ordering and distribution system. Benetton became widely known for its dramatic, and often controversial, advertising campaigns directed by the fashion photographer Oliviero Toscani. These centred on themes such as ‘All the Colours of the World’ (1984), ‘United Colours of Benetton’ (1990), and ‘HIV Positive’ (1992). The company also captured tremendous publicity through its involvement in Formula 1 motor racing, televised throughout the world. Sponsored Links Il Tuo Bazar on Line Acquista in sicurezza da casa tua con un semplice gesto! www. mercatissimostock. com Bedava Video Benetton Milyonlarca Videoyu Izleyin ve Paylas? n! 4dh. com/Video Modern Fashion Encyclopedia: Benetton Spa (Italian sportswear firm) Founded: by Giuliana (1938- ), Luciano (1935- ), Gilberto (1941- ), and Carlo (1943- ) Benetton, in Treviso, in 1965 as Maglificio di Ponzano Veneto dei Fratelli Benetton. Company History: First Benetton outlet opened in Belluno, Italy, 1968; first shop outside Italy, in Paris, 1969; launched major European expansion campaign, from 1978; first U. S. store, New York, 1979; first Eastern European shop, Prague, 1985; went public in Milan, 1986; formed Benetton Sportsystem SpA, 1989; opened huge stores in Paris, London, Barcelona, Lisbon, Frankfurt, Vienna, Prague, and Sarajevo, 1994; opened 50 shops in China and factory in Egypt, 1995; opened London megastore and New York flagship, 1996; bought sports group from parent company, 1997; formed Benetton USA with Sears, 1998; introduced Playlife stores, 1998-99; dumped by Sears, 2000; concentrated expansion in U. S. , 2001. Company Address: Via Chiesa Ponzano 24, 31050 Ponzano Veneto, Treviso, Italy. Company Website:www. benetton. com. In recent years the Benetton Group of Italy has become better known for controversial advertising campaigns than for the brightly-colored knitted sweaters with which the company was founded in 1965. As part of a well defined global strategy to make the Benetton name as well known as McDonalds or Coca-Cola, the sibling members of the Benetton family- Gi uliana, Luciano, Gilberto, and Carlo Benetton- created a multibillion-lire business with an ever growing cadre of shops in 120 countries worldwide. The company is a leading producer and retailer of casual apparel and sports-related goods, as well as licensed accessories such as cosmetics, toys, swimwear, eyeglasses, watches, stationery, underwear, shoes, and household items. Benetton collections are aimed at young people and children, but over the years have been adopted by consumers of all ages. United Colors of Benetton attempts to transcend gender, social class, and nationality by manufacturing knitwear that exemplifies a philosophy of life. This was explicitly reflected in longtime creative director Oliviero Toscanis 1983 advertising campaign Benetton- All the Colors of the World. The campaign depicted groups of children representing all walks of life wearing colorful Benetton garments. Subsequent campaigns commented on political and social issues including religion, sex, terrorism, race, AIDS, and capital punishment, without depicting actual Benetton garments. A number of controversial campaigns were banned by advertising authorities, fueling unprecedented media coverage. Similar in attitude to the California-based Esprit company, Benetton epitomizes the values of a generation of young, socially aware consumers. Garments are designed to be fun, casual with an easy-to-wear cut. Inspiration is often drawn from past sentiments but produced with a contemporary twist, like 1950s ski fashions in high-tech synthetic ice-pastel fabrics, 1960s tailored suits in herringbone, 1970s disco garments with sequins and leather combined. Other collections have been based on themes such as the Nordic for little girls, designed in new fabrics like fleece, and Riding Star, drawn from the world of horseback riding. In keeping with the companys cosmopolitan attitude, collections have also been drawn from Benetton family travels. In the beginning, Benetton sweaters were hand-knit by Giuliana in bright colors which distinguished them from existing English-made wool sweaters. The first collection consisted of 18 pieces, the most popular item being a violet pullover made from cashmere, wool, and angora. Todays apparel, of course, is produced on a much grander scale, using high-tech manufacturing and innovative marketing strategies. Benetton is certainly one of the most progressive clothing manufacturers in the world; yet its rapid rise has not come without a price. Profits fell off sharply after a lower-price initiative backfired in 1994; the European recession forced the closure of nearly 600 stores; its cosmetics division produced dismal results; then came family squabbles, and court battles with a group of German retailers who refused to pay for merchandise after another of Benettons controversial ad campaigns (eventually resolved in Benettons favor). By 1995 a seemingly wiser Benetton had toned down its often offensive ads, belatedly realizing the shockwaves cost the firm time and money in having to defend its position. Instead, the firm concentrated on making money and much of it came from the expansion of sister firm, Benetton Sportsystem SpA, which unabashedly pursued its intention of becoming the worlds largest sports equipment and accessory company. While Sportsystem was busy acquiring Rollerblade, Nordica, Langert, Prince, and others, Benetton was fielding major losses in the U. S. market. By the end of the century, Benetton had opened a factory in Egypt and built megastores in London, New York, San Francisco, Moscow, Riyadh, Berlin, Hong Kong, and elsewhere. In a slick move, Benetton purchased a majorty stake in its sibling, Sportsystem, effectively segueing into the sporting goods and activewear industry, then introduced and stocked a chain of sporty stores called Playlife. To bolster its U. S. presence, the firm formed a joint venture with Sears (Benetton USA) and saw that alliance collapse after another provocative ad campaign (We, on Death Row) enraged everyone from consumers to politicians in 2000. Benetton had finally gone too far with its shockvertising- not only did it lose the lucrative contract with Sears and part ways with creative director Toscani after 18 years, but was forced to issue a formal apology to the families of those murdered by its poster-boy Death Row inmates. Ironically, a newer, gentler Benetton arose in 2001, surprising everyone with its low-key ads similar to those made popular by Gap. Generally panned, Benetton, as usual, ignored its critics and set about doing what it did best- selling Benetton. With new stores planned for a multitude of high profile cities in the U. S. , Carlo Tunioli, executive vice president for Benetton USA, promised a bit of the old-style advertising in the near future. Benetton will always be loyal to its brand DNA, which means social statement, Tunioli explained to Womens Wear Daily (20 March 2001). Benetton will keep working in that direction, but much will be focused on product. It may be controversial, but were not going to be controversial in the way you used to see Benetton. Time will tell if that holds true. Publications On Benetton: Books Baker, Caroline, Benetton Colour Style File, London, 1987. Belussi, Fiorenza, Benetton: Information Technology in Production Distribution, Brighton, 1987. Aragno, Bonizza Giordani, Moda Italia: Creativity and Technology in the Italian Fashion System, Milan, 1988. Mantle, Jonathan, Benetton- The Family, the Business, and the Brand, New York, 1999. Articles Bentley, Logan, The Tightknit Benetton, in People, 15 October 1984. Lee, Andrea, Being Everywhere: Luciano Benetton, in the Ne wYorker, 10 November 1986. Coleman, Alix, A Colourful Career, in the Sunday Express Magazine (London), 20 September 1987. Fierman, Jaclyn, Dominating an Economy, Family-Style: The Italians, in Fortune, 12 October 1987. Finnerty, Anne, The Internationalisation of Benetton, in Textile Outlook International (London), November 1987. Alessandro Benetton, in Interview, April 1988. Fuhrman, Peter, Benetton Learns to Darn, in Forbes, 3 October 1988. Griggs, Barbara, The Benetton Fratelli, in Vogue (London), October 1988. Tornier, Francois, Les 25 ans de Benetton, in Elle (Paris), 1 October 1990. Baker, Lindsay, Taking Advertising to Its Limits, in The Guardian (London), 22 July 1991. Kanner, Bernice, Shock Value, in New York, 24 September 1992. Waxman, Sharon, The True Colors of Luciano Benetton, in theWashington Post, 17 February 1993. Rossant, John, The Faded Colors of Benetton, in Business Week, 10April 1995. Forden, Sara Gay, Luciano Benetton Sees a Rosy Future Despite Cloudy Days, in W omens Wear Daily, 20 April 1995. Levine, Joshua, Even When You Fail, You Learn a Lot, in Forbes, 11 March 1996. Rossant, John, A Cozy Deal at Benetton, in Business Week, 28 July 1997. Edelson, Sharon, Benettons U. N. Mission, in Womens Wear Daily, 3 April 1998. Sansoni, Silvia, The Odd Couple, in Forbes, 19 October 1998. Seckler, Valerie, Benettons Global Game Plan, in Womens Wear Daily, 1 July 1999. Garfield, Bob, The Colors of Exploitation: Benetton on Death Row, in Advertising Age, 10 January 2000. Sears Drops Benetton, in Womens Wear Daily, 17 February 2000. Gallagher, Leigh, About Face, in Forbes, 19 March 2001. Moin, David, Megastore Buildup: Benettons Game Plan for U. S. Recovery, in Womens Wear Daily, 20 March 2001. TealTriggs SydonieBenet Sponsored Links Benetton Fragrances Top brands at cheap prices Fast delivery of genuine products www. CheapSmells. com/Benetton Mujeres sexy en el chat Iniciar ahora gratis ? No necesitas registrarte! www. sms-contactos. es Wikipedia: Benetton Group Benetton Group TypePublic (NYSE: BNG) FoundedTreviso, Italy (1965) HeadquartersVilla Minelli, Ponzano Key peopleLuciano Benetton, Chairman Giuliana Benetton, Director Gilberto Benetton, Director Carlo Ben etton, Deputy Chairman Industry Clothing Products Complete list of Benetton brands Revenue â‚ ¬1,8 billion (2005) Employees 7,987 (2005) Website www. benettongroup. com Benetton Group S. p. A. (NYSE: BNG) is a global clothing brand, based in Treviso, Italy. The name comes from four members of the Benetton family who founded the company in 1965. Benetton Group is listed on the Borsa Italiana, the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange. The career began in 1955 when Luciano Benetton, the eldest of four children, was only 20 years old and working as a salesman in Treviso. He saw sales for colourful clothes. He sold a younger brothers bicycle in order to buy the first second-hand knitting machine, and began to market a small collection of sweaters to local stores in the area of Veneto. The positive reaction to his designs was only the beginning of a solid start. Soon after, he asked his sister and his two younger brothers, Giberto and Carlo, to join him. In 1968, the Benettons opened their first store in Belluno and the year after in Paris, with Luciano as chairman, his brother Giberto in charge of administration, their younger brother Carlo running production, and Giuliana as a chief designer. Its core business is clothing with the casual line marketed as the United Colors of Benetton, a fashion-oriented Sisley division, Playlife leisurewear, and Killer Loop streetwear brands. Their products include womenswear, menswear, childrenswear and underwear and they have recently expanded into toiletries, perfumes, exclusive watches and items for the home such as kitchen accessories and baby products. The United Colors publicity campaign originated when photographer Oliviero Toscani was given carte blanche by the Benetton management. Under Toscanis direction ads were created that contained images unrelated to any actual products being sold by the company; a deathbed scene of a man (AIDS activist David Kirby) dying from AIDS, a bloodied, unwashed newborn baby with umbilical cord still attached, two horses mating, close-up pictures of tattoos reading HIV Positive on the bodies of men and women, a collage consisting of genitals of persons of various races, a priest and nun about to engage in a romantic kiss, and pictures of inmates on death row. The companys logo served as the only text accompanying the images in most of these advertisements. Criticisms Benetton has faced criticism from Mapuche organizations, including Mapuche International Link, over its purchase of traditional Mapuche lands in southern Argentina. [1] Benetton aroused suspicion when they considered using RFID tracking chips on clothes to monitor inventory. A boycott site alleges the tracking chips can be read from a distance and used to monitor the people wearing them. [2] Issues of consumer privacy were raised and the plan was shelved. PETA launched a boycott campaign against Benetton for buying wool from farmers who practiced mulesing. Benetton has since agreed to buy nonmulesed wool and has further urged the wool industry to adopt the PETA and Australian Wool Growers Association agreement to end mulesing. [3] Most Benetton locations in Canada and in the United States do not stock any of their mens collection or will carry only a small fraction of the col lection. Unlike comparable clothing retailers such as Gap, Banana Republic, J. Crew, Abercrombie Fitch and Eddie Bauer, Benettons does not list prices for their merchandise on their official websites. See also Benetton family Benetton Formula Benetton Basket basketball club Benetton Rugby Sisley Treviso volleyball team External links United Colors of Benetton FABRICA (Benettons center for design research) regimbald. ca/Benetton/index. html oot. it 21investimenti. t Benetton vs. Mapuche: land recovery in Patagonia Benetton brands= Sisley Playlife Killer Loop Undercolors This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer) Donate to Wikimedia Sponsored Links Free PowerPoint Templates 300 Ready for You to Download Now, Make Your Presentations Look Great! PowerBacks. com publicite benetton Medias Publicite : lActualite Audiovisuel Cinema sur Le Figaro