Fashion management

Shade Kennel & Partisanship Katharine Fashion Management Final assignment- Business plan and Management process Lecturer- Squamish Gandhi Submission date: 30th November 2013 Executive Summary This report is a study of management process for a retailing company – Bluishness – that was launched in February 2010. The 1,750 sq. Feet store is located in Juju, Iambi, India where it caters to kids wear between the ages of 2-10. With the concept of fast fashion and short lead times, the company also provides an exclusive Personal Shopping service that is new to the market and is the future of retail.Few techniques utilized in this business plan included – Market Research, SOOT analysis, PEST analysis, Product Positioning charts and various financial tools. The report begins with a brief background of the brand as of to how it started, the company ownership, the goals and missions of the company. A detailed description of the company's product lines and services has been mentioned that includes in-house licensed bags, shoes and accessories. The services include memberships and gift cards and the USPS of the brand will be the Personal Shopping Services that will be available in person as well as online.Due to the high level of competition in the market the pricing of the products are fairly put with an average price of INNER 1,500. Also, the store is located on Juju Tara Road as there are no major fashion retailers for a distance of 4. 8 SMS from Shopper' Stop Ltd. Uh) to Ever Mood (Sanctuary). Prior to the launch of the brand – there will be certain abstract ads that will not entirely give information about the brand but will be a key in creating curiosity among public. This research however focused primarily on the Indian market (Iambi).Statistics ay not be entirely accurate due to the limited sample size in the primary research and second-hand information. Table of Content To give a start to the work process it was important to sketch cloth ing line. Careful attention was paid at the way children dress and get a feel for the trends, then sit down and do a full color sketch of each piece of clothing that was needed to be includes in the line. And once the designing part was done it was decided to approach a fashion unit where these designed collections could be stitched and viewed practically.One of the most common downfalls of small retailers is that they tie up so much cash in inventory and overheads in the beginning. In order to use small amount of capital a decision was made to, concentrate on getting select quality merchandise. As our business grows and our customers increase, we can then afford to increase our inventory. We avoided buying expensive fixtures at the start, as customers will come to our store because of our merchandise, not so much the ambiance of our store.Before opening the doors of our shop for business, we tried to learn as much about he demographic of our area as possible. Whether we will be lea sing a space at the mall or opening a small boutique, knowing the population characteristics of our area – their income, age, population brackets – can assist in our decision making process. If our area is composed of high-income population, we wanted to purchase brand names and pricier merchandise. It was rightly decided to study the thinking power capabilities and needs of mothers for their kids.If the area is a retirement community, we wanted to look for a new location for our kids clothing store. The success of our clothing store will in large part depend on the right product mix. This depends on our store concept, finances, space, and the expected turnover rate. We made sure to select our merchandise carefully to meet our market's needs, and keep up with fashion trends by attending trade shows. At the start of our business, it may be smart strategy to buy specific items from within several product lines.By offering a wider selection, we could protect ourselves in case a line does not sell as expected. It was made sure that all the merchandise delivered to us by our suppliers is inspected thoroughly and is of acceptable quality.Because of our appeal to a relatively select group of people, chances were we wouldn't have hundreds of customers in the shop at any one time. We made an effort to know our customers by name, and even call big spenders when we get in a shipment with merchandise Just right for them. Our advantage over the larger stores is the extra attention we can lavish our customers.

Conflict Analysis Essay

‘When conflict arises, it is impossible not to take a side. Everyone has a role’ Expository Essay: One of the great myths of conflict is that is can always be contained. Whether it is encountered in the personal or political sphere, conflict will often spread beyond the main combatants. History demonstrates that wars escalate in a world where connections between individuals and states are so complex and it is so difficult to come to a definite conclusion. An argument between friends will generally force those on the perimeter to choose sides. Conflict by its very nature creates polarities. Even when conflict is internal, it rarely remains so. When a dispute begins, the world is viewed in black and white terms with no middle ground. Attempts to reconcile differences are often misinterpreted as tacit support for one side or the other. Conflict is defined by incompatible positions that force individuals to take sides. War constructs an environment in which on a political level, everyone is on a side. However, in another sense, everyone is doing what they can or must to survive in their particular situation. Throughout their time as prisoners of war, the women in the camp always disregard the Japanese as their enemy. For some, this is because of nationalistic allegiances, but for other it is because of the way they are treated. Their battle is not against Japan, but against humiliation and the use of brutality to degrade and harm others. The Japanese impose many acts of humiliation upon the women in the camp, such as forcing them to bow and scramble for food, to haul water for Japanese baths, to rise upon order and to assert the supremacy of the Japanese Empire over the British. This humiliation is explained as a reversal of the humiliation to which the Japanese felt the Europeans were subjected colonised Asian people. Hence, why divisions in individuals are experienced during war and consequently force oneself to choose a side. Conflict can rarely be contained and it inevitably spreads beyond the original dispute. Class prejudices often causes disputes between individuals  demonstrating how support and unity is essential in times of conflict. Sometimes the women in the camp are surprised to discover themselves degrading attitudes that they despise in their captors. Prejudices based on class and race must be confronted if conflict is not to destroy all hope and dignity. However, the women do not last long living under the pressures of camp life and soon they are all equal in scrambling for food and bowing to the Japanese flag. Cultural and educational backgrounds have a more profound impact on the relationships formed within the group and arguments raised between individuals. When a racially motivated fight breaks out over a lost bar of soap, it threatens to undermine the unity and strength of the women. This demonstrates the immense importance to disregard social class for these women. The middle ground can be the most dangerous place in a conflict because both sides may regard this position with suspicion. Margaret (Daisy Drummond) frequently seeks to mediate between the Japanese and their victims. Her bravery and compassion and her unshakeable belief in the basic goodness of individuals, puts her life at great risk. Her bravery is evident when she marches out with water for Susan who is weakening from her torture. This action may have led to similar punishment for herself. Sometimes conflict is like a bushfire it spreads and spreads until everyone is forced to take some kind of action. It does not respect those who wish to stay out of its way, anymore than it does those who try to encounter it head on. Arguments, disputes and battles of all sorts are an undeniable part of the fabric of human existence. The goal is always to look for a way to end the fighting and heal the wounds. It is thus crucial not to underestimate the momentum that develops so quickly when conflict arises. Persuasive Essay: We sang wonderfully today. The concert was a huge success! Even Captain Tanaka clapped at the end. This would have been unthinkable a few months ago. Maybe the Japs are beginning to think we are humans after all. Well I don’t think I could ever think of them that way. Adrienne and Daisy were talking about that after the concert. The interpreter asked them to perform a traditional Japanese song. Daisy looked like she was about to agree, but Adrienne said â€Å"NO!† straight away. Adrienne admitted she hates the Japs, but Daisy said the worse they acted the most sorry she felt for them. I’ve been thinking about that a lot. It seems Daisy doesn’t see things like most of us do. She doesn’t see us as innocent and the Japs as evil. She just doesn’t take sides like that. It is easer to wonder if Daisy is like this because she is just too soft-a pushover who will help anyone-maybe just to be liked. I knew some girls like that back at school, they’d get bullied all the time but still hang around with the bullies. But that’s not Daisy. She is the bravest of us all. She marched straight out in front of the soldiers with water for Susan that horrible day and she bargained for Susan’s release too. But that’s it, she wanted to help Susan, but she never wanted to hurt the Japs. For her it isn’t us against them, she feels compassion for everyone. That’s amazing but I don’t know anyone else like Daisy. Most of us are like Adrienne. We have to take sides because the war puts us on a side. I don’t understand how anyone could possibly feel compassion towards the Japs; they have put us through extraordinary challenges, where I personally have had to test my morals. But I have to put aside my morals for the time being, if I want to survive in this corrupt environment. I often relate my thoughts back to Daisy’s, she is so compassionate and highly respected though the camp. Does this mean she accepts the behaviours of the Japs, humiliating us? Daisy was in the missionaries, maybe she feels a sense of understanding towards the Japs? ‘When conflict arises, it is impossible not to take a side. Everyone has a role’ Expository Essay: One of the great myths of conflict is that is can always be contained. Whether it is encountered in the personal or political sphere, conflict will often spread beyond the main combatants. History demonstrates that wars escalate in a world where connections between individuals and states are so complex and it is so difficult to come to a definite conclusion. An argument between friends will generally force those on the perimeter to choose sides. Conflict by its very nature creates polarities. Even when conflict is internal, it rarely remains so. When a dispute begins, the world is viewed in black and white terms with no middle ground. Attempts to reconcile differences are often misinterpreted as tacit support for one side or the other. Conflict is defined by incompatible positions that force individuals to take sides. War constructs an environment in which on a political level, everyone is on a side. However, in another sense, everyone is doing what they can or must to survive in their particular situation. Throughout their time as prisoners of war, the women in the camp always disregard the Japanese as their enemy. For some, this is because of nationalistic allegiances, but for other it is because of the way they are treated. Their battle is not against Japan, but against humiliation and the use of brutality to degrade and harm others. The Japanese impose many acts of humiliation upon the women in the camp, such as forcing them to bow and scramble for food, to haul water for Japanese baths, to rise upon order and to assert the supremacy of the Japanese Empire over the British. This humiliation is explained as a reversal of the humiliation to which the Japanese felt the Europeans were subjected colonised Asian people. Hence, why divisions in individuals are experienced during war and consequently force oneself to choose a side. – Conflict can rarely be contained and it inevitably spreads beyond the original dispute. Class prejudices often causes disputes between individuals demonstrating how support and unity is essential in times of conflict.  Sometimes the women in the camp are surprised to discover themselves degrading attitudes that they despise in their captors. Prejudices based on class and race must be confronted if conflict is not to destroy all hope and dignity. However, the women do not last long living under the pressures of camp life and soon they are all equal in scrambling for food and bowing to the Japanese flag. Cultural and educational backgrounds have a more profound impact on the relationships formed within the group and arguments raised between individuals. When a racially motivated fight breaks out over a lost bar of soap, it threatens to undermine the unity and strength of the women. This demonstrates the immense importance to disregard social class for these women. -indigenous Australians. The middle ground can be the most dangerous place in a conflict because both sides may regard this position with suspicion. Margaret (Daisy Drummond) frequently seeks to mediate between the Japanese and their victims. Her bravery and compassion and her unshakeable belief in the basic goodness of individuals, puts her life at great risk. Her bravery is evident when she marches out with water for Susan who is weakening from her torture. This action may have led to similar punishment for herself. Daisy demonstrates that in times of conflict we can have courage to not comprise our convictions even in the direst circumstances. Her strength comes from her authentic faith. When the observation is made following an incident of nauseating brutality that she doesn’t hate the oppressors, Margaret responds, â€Å"I just can’t bring myself to hate people. The worse they behave, the more sorry I feel for them.† This powerful character illustrates that in times of serve conflict our morals do not have to be compromised if we have the strength to do so. Sometimes conflict is like a bushfire it spreads and spreads until everyone is forced to take some kind of action. It does not respect those who wish to stay out of its way, anymore than it does those who try to encounter it head on. Arguments, disputes and battles of all sorts are an undeniable part of the fabric of human existence. The goal is always to look for a way to end the fighting and heal the wounds. It is thus crucial not to underestimate the momentum that develops so quickly when conflict arises.

Institutional investor double standards led to 'new economy' Essay

Institutional investor double standards led to 'new economy' businesses receiving near limitless funding for investment whil - Essay Example This current scenario appears to point to a deep change in the way investment institutions think with shifts from traditional approaches and a new economy. However, it is not a certainty that these new economy businesses will lead to an economic heaven. The dawn of the new economy threatens the values that were inherent in the old economy. To investors, it now seems that all companies need to be new economy businesses or no businesses at all. This has been deciphered as a challenge to all companies to move towards new economy businesses via lowering costs, redefining supplier and client relationships, as well as entry into new markets (Edison & Slok, 2011: p22). Institutional investor double standards led to ‘new economy’ businesses receiving near limitless funding for investment while ‘old economy’ companies restricted investment. This paper seeks to show how the difference in funding has distorted the corporate strategy and performance of these economies I t is obvious that strategies that were successful in the old economy are no longer successful in supporting the new economy. In the old economy, businesses relied on growth and development as currency to attract investment for companies like manufacturing with significant plant capacities (Keha & Singh, 2009: p44). Businesses defined their economy by their infrastructure and the way they could accumulate old capital like lending capacity, land, and equipment. Potential employees, therefore, followed the jobs. Due to the high outlay of capital and the planning involved, which was a long term, to establish business facilities, the communities were able to keep the economic activities that they possessed. In old the economy businesses, keeping business costs low was a vital strategy since low wage communities and minimum taxes were more competitive (Keha & Singh, 2009: p45). The oversight of companies and people were based on the notion of control and management. The employee market wa s regional with community competition also being low, as was the talent market. However, the new economy has turned the old economy strategies on its head. Talent as economic growth’s major currency has replaced manufacturing plants. This talent is fungible; it is exchangeable like currency. Talent is driven by various factors, including diversity and tolerance, as well as innovative environments. Sustainability is also more embedded in the new economy business than it was in the old economy (Keha & Singh, 2009: p52). Therefore, economic development in the new economy does not come, necessarily, at the expense of social inequity and depleted resources, unlike the old economy. The new economy businesses are founded on the recognition that success and economic competition is now determined on a global scale. While the elements of the new economy businesses are not all global, the ones that will have the greatest importance in coming years are. For instance, most of the employme nt opportunities lost in the State of Michigan have been lost to the service industry. The service sector seeks to meet local needs, employee services, as well as resident care (Keha & Singh, 2009: p52). Some reasons exist as to why investment institutions are looking towards the new economy business, as opposed to the old economy businesses. The double standards in funding have seen the new economies shift to digitization, which requires higher capital

Globalization Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Globalization - Coursework Example This leads to major liberalization in 19th century which was termed as globalization. The rising extent of globalization can be identified with a number of trends started after World War II. It includes global movement of commodities, money, information, innovation and also people. Global development of technology, legal systems, organizations and infrastructure are the key drivers for this movement. Developed, developing and also underdeveloped nations have been enjoying many benefits through internationalization of leading businesses of many countries. International trade has been increased through multinational organizations at a faster rate overall growth in world economy. Global flow of capital has increased through foreign direct investment especially of the leading firms of developed and developing countries. International organization has developed like WTO, IMF, WIPO, World Bank etc for monitoring international transaction of goods and services. Outsourcing of different serv ices has increased dramatically in first decade of 2000 century and it has benefited the MNCs by reducing cost of business operation (Kox, 2001, p.90). Businesses’ engagement in CSR Increasing extent of globalization is nearly proportionate to internationalization of leading firms of many countries. Development in infrastructure, income level of people mainly disposable income and technology advancement is the key motivational factors for internationalisation of firms. There are many entry strategies that the leading firms have identified. Corporate social responsibilities of firms in domestic countries enhance the reputation and goodwill in... This essay stresses that it has been observed that the China has been grown rapidly in last two decade. This is due to Foreign Direct Investment inflow to China has increased in major extent. It has become one of the leading business hubs in the continent of Asia to the leading MNCs in the world especially the MNCs of developed markets. At the same time, outward foreign direct investment is also substantial contributor in economic development of this nation. Generally, economic growth of a country is quantitatively measured by gross domestic production of the country. China holds huge resources for businesses including natural resources like agriculture base products, infrastructure, technology and obviously availability of manpower for all level of work. This paper makes a conclusion that the liberalization of some of the developing countries has not translated into qualitative gains. The gains from trade in less developed countries are still not sufficient. The costs of globalization driven by trade may be unsustainable and therefore the inequalities will tend to rise further which is indeed a matter of concern. As a result the countries are becoming prone to external shocks. In order to benefit from globalization a sustainable environment is needed to be created in the context of differentiated trade policy and development landscape. The international trading system has witnessed several changes under the globally recognized challenges. The trading system has recognized the structural as well as the economic challenges that are faced by the developing countries.

Ethics within the British armaments industry Essay

Ethics within the British armaments industry - Essay Example One industry facing this ethical dilemma is armaments. On one hand, the development, production and sale of armaments are an extremely profitable business, serving national strategic, economic, and defensive purposes (Havemann 1998, pp.241-242). On the other hand, it carries unintended consequences - promoting war and violence - whose effects cannot be easily avoided short of halting business activity altogether (Havemann 1998, pp.242-243; Gowri 2004, p.33). Thus, while it is sufficient for most enterprises to act ethically by ensuring that their actions comply with the minimum standards of avoiding harmful practices and exercising good conduct, such criteria seems inadequate in evaluating the ethical responsibility of businesses involved in armaments production, which produces foreseeable, but unintended harm regardless of good business practices (Mahoney 1990, p.545; Gowri 2004, p.33). For the UK, these issues are magnified in scope and intensity because apart from having one of th e largest armaments industries in the world, with its leading company BAE Systems, the growing interconnectedness of economies, cultures, and governments worldwide implies a global societal impact. Given the benefits and harm associated with armaments production, can its development, construction and sale be a fully justified business activity As this essay will argue, these activities, although not inherently good acts are morally indifferent business practices. Hence, using the principle of double effect and Gowri's (2004, pp.40-41) concept of moral externalities, the development, production and sale of armaments can be considered a fully justified business activity. Nonetheless, it is the responsibility of businesses to ensure that they manufacture armaments only within legitimately accepted circumstances. The Business of Armaments AND Britain Occupying a sizeable share of the British manufacturing sector, the armaments industry's importance for the country is undeniable. As Havemann (1998, p.242) notes, for a medium-sized economy that is highly dependent on trade such as the United Kingdom, armaments constitutes a significant part of the economy, with major players like BAE Systems, ranking 4th globally in the world in 2004 (Dunne and Surry 2006, p. 421) and UK arms production amounting to $19.2 billion in total sales in 2000, alone (Stockholm International Peace and Research Institute [SIPRI] 2003). Economically speaking, these statistics translate to several macroeconomic and microeconomic benefits to the United Kingdom (Havemann 1998, p. 242). First, given its large share within manufacturing, the armaments industry has been reported to provide a significant amount of jobs, with 155,000 workers directly employed in arms producing activities and 150,000 indirectly working within the arms production supply chain (SIPRI 2003). Armaments production also helps boost the country's export performance, with companies like BAE Systems exporting 80% of its total sales, British arms exports generated $6.7 in 2000 (SIPRI 2003), significantly contributing to the UK's annual trade balance. Furthermore, with supply chain links in related industries such as information technology, systems integration, aerospace, and metallurgy, as well as the oil and gas sectors, it is clear that arms producing ac

Jacob Riiss How the Other Half Lives Research Paper

Jacob Riiss How the Other Half Lives - Research Paper Example Riis, a Danish immigrant, photojournalist, police reporter and perhaps, most notably, a pioneer in the field of social reform presents the different accounts in a fascinating manner. This is primarily ascribable to the fact that he narrates the stories from an older immigrant’s perspective, infusing the experience with some level of identity and believability. From the onset, Riis singles out standardization of living quarters and unregulated immigration, as the principal factors contributing toward overpopulation, overcrowding and deterioration of living standards in nineteenth century New York City. This is clearly a notion with which one can identify; given the rampant immigration that characterizes the contemporary American society and results in congestion of diverse environs. Just like is the case in present day America, majority of immigrants during Riis’s time escaped their home countries in search for a better life in America. For example, the Jewish people were escaping persecution in European countries, Africans were running away from strife in their continent, while the Irish were seeking a peaceful environment away from their war torn country. Majority of other immigrants simply sought the rags to riches American dream. However, as Riis indicates, majority of these new immigrants were forced to start their lives from gr ound up, with many becoming disoriented and staying right where they began. Riis further takes note of the propensity of ethnic groups to stay together.

Marx's View of Material Abundance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Marx's View of Material Abundance - Essay Example Karl Marx demonstrates extremely negative attitude to the bourgeois type of society. He points out that the bourgeoisie has turned ordinary people, in particular workers in goods because they have has a market value and can be sold:In proportion as the bourgeoisie, i.e., capital, is developed, in the same proportion is the proletariat, the modern working class, developed—a class of labourers, who live only so long as they find work, and who find work only so long as their labour increases capital. These labourers, who must sell themselves piece-meal, are a commodity, like every other article of commerce, and are consequently exposed to all the vicissitudes of competition, to all the fluctuations of the market.The bourgeoisie can be seen as a huge mechanism that destroys all that hinders its market trade and the accumulation of capital. In this respect, Marx drew attention to the fact that the strengthening of the bourgeoisie led to the fact that society has become divided into two classes: a class of the poor and a class of the rich. The rich exploit the simple workers and as a result, they increase their capital and become even richer. In turn, the workers do not have the opportunity for capital accumulation, since they give their work and in return receive lower wages. Marx criticizes the unequal distribution of wealth because he believes that the society should be fair. This justice requires equal opportunities for all people as well as the removal of any social oppression that is observed in bourgeois society.

Microlending helps small entrepreneurs start businesses Essay

Microlending helps small entrepreneurs start businesses - Essay Example Kiva is different from those of its traditional counterparts in the sense that it allows individuals and organizations to borrow and lend money online. What this means is that people do not have to go to a physical location to borrow money from Kiva or lenders. While many micro-lending institutions depend on money deposited by their members or bank loans to serve their customers, Kiva depends on lenders spread across the world for funds and has partnered with various local micro-finance organizations to disburse funds to loanees. While many micro-lending organizations are profit oriented, Kiva is a non-profit organization. The business model adopted by Kiva may not work with larger loans owing to the risks involved. In the event that the organization gave a large loan to a person or organization that is not formally established and without committing an asset as collateral, the organization (Kiva) may experience a huge loss in the event that the loanee defaults in payment of the loan. This means that lenders would not be able to recover their funds leading to loss of confidence in the organization. Without confidence or good will, the organization would ultimately fail or

The chuseok Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The chuseok - Essay Example Culture is very important to the people of the world. According to the dictionary, culture is defined as â€Å"the totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products of human work and thought† (The American Heritage ® Dictionary). Culture allows people to experience the world and carry out daily functions based on their traditions. We often learn our culture from the people in our environment, such as family members, close friends, and our community. Culture consists of the foods that we cook and eat, our living arrangements, communication with society, and our behavior. In order to get a full picture of Korean culture in my speech today I am going to give you a glimpse into a celebration that is called Chuseok or Korean Thanksgiving! I first learned of this holiday when an acquaintance of mine travelled overseas to Korea. When I learned more about Chuseok, I realized just how close the similarities were to our Thanksgiving holiday. Chuseok is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. It is the most important holiday to the Korean people. It is a time in which they honor their ancestors and give thanks for the fall harvest. Although there are no pilgrims in Korea, ancestors are similarly valued. Students and parents alike rarely take time off in Korea but during this holiday everything shuts down. People join their families to celebrate, bearing harvest fruits or vegetables. The celebration begins in the morning when food and wine is offered to the spirits of the late ancestors. (Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica. 2010) After this the families often go to visit the graves of their ancestors and care for the site. I recently interviewed a young Korean about the celebrations. He told me the following: â€Å"All Korean children look forward to Chuseok as one of the funnest times of year. The food is delicious and the fact that you are surrounded by brothers and sisters and

Diverse Culture- Guleri and Veronica Essay Example for Free

Diverse Culture- Guleri and Veronica Essay Compare and contrast the female characters Veronica in Veronica and Guleri in A Stench of Kerosene. In this essay both female characters in Veronica and A Stench of Kerosene will be examined for similarities and differences in their culture and traditions. When you read these two stories the three things that stand out is their culture, tradition and the theme of love. The story teaches us that sometimes tradition gets in the way of life. It can sometimes control your life or sometimes not. In both the stories, the women hold on tightly to their traditions. The authors are not just talking about their family traditions but the global tradition of fertility and obedience. The main characters in these stories are Veronica and Guleri. This essay portrays about the roles of women. Although there are a lot of similarities between them on the surface but there are more concealed. In both the stories, the main belief in the female characters is their culture. Throughout the stories it shows us how important their culture is to them and how their society forces them to do certain actions that occasionally leads to a persons death as seen in A Stench of Kerosene. Veronica and Guleri both live in male dominated countries, which make females seen by everyone as inferior. The story of Veronica is told in first person by Okeke who is Veronicas childhood friend and the I in the story. The story of A Stench of Kerosene is told in third person by an omniscient narrator. The author of Veronica is Adewale Maja-Pearce and he was brought up in Nigeria, the same place as Veronica was. Maja- Pearce later returned to London, as this was his place of birth so that he could supplement his education. In Veronica, the person narrating the story, Okeke can be compared to Adewale Maja- Pearce as he grew up in the same surroundings as him and also the same education and they lead similar lives. The author of A Stench of Kerosene is Amrita Pritam and she was brought up in India which later became Pakistan, then she moved to New Delhi so that she could begin writing in Hindi. She had very unhappy experiences of marriage and divorce, this links with Guleri in A Stench of Kerosene as Guleri can not have any children and her husband marries again agreeing to his mother so that he can have children and this makes Guleri depressed and broken hearted which then leads to her gruesome death as her mother-in-law controls everything that goes on with Manak and Guleri. Manaks mother is an important force, though scarcely comes in as character. Veronica and Guleri both grew up in fairly rural areas of the country where they were reasonably poverty and war. But the only dissimilarity in their surroundings is that Veronica is in the country with troubled political history. The country has been torn apart by divisions between tribes and political groups, suffering massacres and civil war. As a result, financial development within the country has been limited and the rural areas have been badly affected by poverty. The characters in these stories have much resemblance in their personalities in the way they lead their lives even though both stories are set in very different countries. The author use comparable and diverse techniques to present and show their characteristics. Veronica is a very unfortunate woman who grew up in her native village. She lived with her susceptible mother, abusive and alcoholic father and other young siblings who have not been mentioned much throughout the story. On the other hand, Guleri lived in the village in India with her husband Manak and her mother-in-law. She had no children but was content with her life. Manak and Guleri had a much fulfilled marriage until her mother- in-law interfered by forcing her son to marry another woman so that she accomplishes her vision of being a grandmother and ruining Manak and Guleris life. The central theme of the story is the conflict between a mans love for his wife and the obligation to have children. The major cultural issue concerns a man taking a second wife in order to do this. The author tells us that this practice of burning oneself for escapism is not unusual in certain parts of India but was very prominent. Guleri lives with her husband and her moth-in-law. It was pointed out that Manak was satisfied with his fate and didnt want to marry again as most people around the country would have. Veronica cooked and served for her family. She married at a young age to a soldier and lived happily. Later on, she gave birth to a son. She is a very strong-willed person and is very content with her life. The physical appearances of both the female characters are not quite similar. Okeke describes Veronica, as no great beauty she still had a certain attractiveness that I knew would appeal to men. This is a very uncertain view as no one can be good looking and unattractive at the same time, they contradict with each other. Veronica being described as shabby may have been because of her surroundings and her lifestyle that has influenced her to be that way. Guleris physical features are barely described throughout the story. But when it reads they had bartered their hearts to each other an assumption that can be made from this is that Guleri must have been a very attractive woman as no one falls in love at first sight if the woman is unappealing. Also, as Guleri has never given birth before, she must have had a slim figure. Veronica is very comfortable with her life accepts the fact that shes married to a soldier rather than being in the city with Okeke. She lives in the same hut as she used to when she grew up and she had never changed. She is like a slave first to her father and then to her marriage to her husband. She is pleased with what she does and doesnt complain about it much but if she had the opportunity to raise her voice she would have probably had a say in what she desires to accomplish in life. They are my family and this is enough, this is a line of Veronicas low expectations. She feels her family is everything she needs and nothing else would have the same satisfactory. Guleri on the other hand is very childishly stubborn and always wants everything her way. She is portrayed similar to a little girl. Guleri is a happy go lucky person and loves her life. Manak and Guleri are expressed as a happy couple and care about each other. In Veronica culture is a main portion of her life. Her life was about tradition. When she refuses to go to the city with Okeke and says that it will be harder for her as she is a woman and she isnt educated enough. God blessed us with a son. Is that not enough? this explains that Veronica is always the same after a long period of time that the two have been apart. She is still surviving in the squalor of a village of which Okeke had once lived. The low expectations of Veronica have for herself, compared to the high expectations Okeke has for himself throughout for story, shows us that this is a male dominated country. The social expectations demonstrate this too. Veronica is very stubborn and it shines through the story. Veronicas life was all about the tradition. Guleris dignity is the main view of her life. Her life was all about Manak and her parents village. She always liked being the centre of attention. After Manak got married again, Guleri couldnt believe the situation she was in the middle of. She did not have to express her distress and jealousy in words. The look on her face was enough. But her husband Manak did not do anything about the circumstances. Her husband pulled out his hookah and closed his eyes. Hookah is a tobacco pipe with a long, flexible tube by which the smoke is drawn through a jar of water and thus cooled. He seemed as if he either did not like the tobacco or that he could not bear to face his wife. In this short story, Guleris character shines winning the sympathy of the readers. Guleri, a cheerful girl coming from a well-to-do family and her marriage to Manak, her failure to give Manaks family a son, creates a terrific situation for her tragic end and the readers immediate sympathy is with the heroine of the story, Guleri. She was the pleasant young girl who ended her life with an extremely disastrous manner. Indian culture is such that a married woman should bring a son to the family. If a woman fails to fulfill this role, she is not successful, in marriage and therefore rejected. Thus Manaks mother escapes a reasonable percentage of getting accused for bringing a second wife for her son, Manak. Not that she hated Guleri, but Indian culture had influenced her to extremes of believing in the gift of a son to the family. On the other hand, Guleris family was rich and wanted a man from a good family, for their daughter. But Guleris father was prosperous and lived in cities. He had sworn that he would not take money for his daughter, but would give her to a worthy man from a good family. Guleri failing to give Manaks family a son and having to wait seven years and even the sad end to her life could have been sad even from the early days of her marriage. In India, the mother is supposed to be the representation of Indian culture. A mother enjoys an important place, if she is able to fulfill a mothers part meeting with the expectations of motherhood; these being the customs and traditions of Indian culture. Manak playing his flute as they walked or were at the fair, made Guleri feel that the music brought her joy, taking her closer to Manaks heart. Thus the flute standing as a symbol of joy in their lives. He looked at her sadly. Then putting the flute to his lips blew a strange and anguished wail. Striking the signal of the tragedy and anticipating the tragic end. Bhavani announcing the sad end of Guleri, when she heard of your second marriage she soaked her clothes in kerosene and set fire to them. Manak getting mute with pain. He stared a long time uncomprehending, his face as usual expressionless. Therefore the death of Guleri could be called cultural violence in Indian society, though not recognized as violence; in reality it is a violent act leading to death of a person. In the short story, A Stench of Kerosene the writer, point out in simple diction the theme of the theme of violence present in the culture of Indian society. Amrita Pritam gives a clear picture of the episodes with the appropriate choice of a family setting and the intended aim and view of marriage in typical Indian society. The family setting of the extended family, this can be compared to Veronica as her father beats her and was bullied by her father while she was growing up. In Veronica, Okeke felt responsibility for his death, as so feels an extreme guilt as he did not come back to her from the cities more often and persuade her more to go with him and if he had done this enough, she would have agreed at some point to go to the city. Manak with this haunting event trapped in his mind leaving every joyful moment with his new wife feeling guilty instead of happiness after the tragedy of his former wife and the manner and circumstances he had married her. Amrita Pritam shows us how this guilt has not only affected his life but his mind and senses at the same time as it reads in the last line of the story when he holds the new born baby of his second wife when it is given to him, he says; Take him away! He stinks of kerosene! this portrays that the baby symbolizes the death of his former wife and the baby being brought to this world has made his former wife leave it. In both the stories we should pity Veronica and Guleri, as they were just victims of death. Veronica physically dies against her own rule and Guleri mentally felt that she could not live no more. Therefore, the main two women, in both the stories suffered the main tragedies. The reader may also have felt pity that Veronica was unable to prevent being born into a sexist and poor culture, which caused her to live her life with the tragic ending. Manak was also a victim, not of death but of guilt as he was taunted by the events of his wife and the evidence at the end of the story proves this as he thinks his child smells of kerosene, which is the liquid that caused his previous wife to burn to death. This proves that his future with his new wife will be very hard to cope with.

Hubspot Case Study Analysis

Hubspot Case Study Analysis Inbound Marketing- an innovative marketing strategy founded by the Hubspot creators, was developed on the concept that to get customers to be interested in your product, pulling them in by use of Web 2.0 technology was much more effective than using traditional methods of marketing that pushed products and services to target audience who may be unwilling or uninterested in the offer at the particular time. Hubspot created software products that enabled its customers to market their products/services with the use of new age tools like Search Engine Optimization(SEO), Social Media, Blogs, Podcasts and social networking websites like Twitter, Facebook etc. This effectively replaced the traditional marketing strategies used by them. Hubspot is challenging the Marketing world by implementing new rules through a new age platform. And this is not without achieving results. Marketing Platform :- Inbound Marketing, a term coined by Hubspot is in itself is a dramatic shift from previously followed Marketing principles and guidelines. It focuses on the insight that customers who need a service/product will do relevant information search through all the available sources of knowledge to find out the best fit for their requirements. This search platform was the Internet and its ubiquity. All a firm had to do was make its presence on the web felt through informative, interesting and interactive ways to get the consumers attention. Traditional Marketing methods place negligible importance on these methods, concentrating mostly on television commercials, print ads and OOH. Strategy used :- The strategy used by Inbound Marketing pulls interested customers by making available relevant information and disseminating data based on customer search processes. Instead of going and hunting for customers, interrupting their everyday lives through telemarketers and direct selling, Hubspot realized the simple efficiency of being there for the customer to find you. Instead of aggressive marketing, Inbound marketing focuses on sensible marketing. Hubspot created blogs with useful content which made interested consumers visit the websites to know what was being said. Traditional marketing principles however, consider direct selling, telemarketing and other means of advertising that create brand awareness by using advertising and promotion tools more effective in todays dynamic world. Interactive :- Inbound Marketing tools provided the benefit of the consumer interacting actively with the company as well as with each other. With Hubspot practicing what it preached, it realized the unique advantage of having knowledge of word-of-mouth publicity of its product and services. It created entertaining YouTube spoofs and videos like Cold calling is for losers to attract consumers interest. It received 35000 hits. This itself points to the fact that not only was it liked by a large number of people, but this strategy also made the effective audience exposure measurable. This included only those viewers who saw the video due to their own interest and not as a disinterested viewer seeing a TVC that interrupted their favourite soap/movie on air. The online buzz created enabled the marketing effort to be a two way street between consumers and Hubspot. Questions were asked about content provided and relevant answers were given. Feedback oriented: Hubspot also created communities where customers using their products could comment on their experience with Hubspot softwares and add their feedback to it. This earned Hubspot credibility in the consumer minds, about its reliability and usability. Although it can be said with reasonable conviction that the traditional rules of marketing are being challenged, some of it still stand true. Hubspot uses an eclectic mix of both inbound as well as outbound marketing practices. It uses inbound marketing to draw customers towards it. However, to retain such customers Hubspot uses traditional marketing methods like advertising (YouTube and Podcasting), encouragement of employee enthusiasm towards customer service and implementation of differentiated market strategies to suit different target segments. Is Hubspot finding and serving the right set of customers? Hubspot differentiated its customers based on two broad parameters. Small Business Owner customer vs. Marketing professional customer The small business owner or Owner Ollie was the entrepreneur heading a business ranging in between 1 to 25 employees. The cost of acquiring these customers was $1000. Their primary objective was to create maximum leads for their businesses. OOs are busy with all the functions of the organization and rarely have a defined marketing department. Paucity of time and resources enabled them to focus on the top of the customer funnel to generate maximum possible leads. OOs were less knowledgeable of the Web 2.0 technology and have great use for the training and guidance that comes along with the Hubspot software package. They make up for 68% of Hubspots customer portfolio. However, the churn rate for OOs is 4.3% (Table A) per month. This meant that the OOs were not sustainable customers despite having great usage potential for Hubspot software products and services. The marketing professional, or Marketer Mary are trained marketing professionals working in companies, often supported by a team and answerable to senior management. They are knowledgeable about marketing tools and new age practices. What MMs were looking for in Hubspot was the analytics and reports it provided. MMs had the potential to invest heavily in Hubspots products since they not only had the need for tools to design robust in-practice inbound marketing programs but also the financial resources. The churn rate compared to OOs are lesser at 3.2%. However, the selling cycle was considerably of a longer time period than with OOs. The cost of acquiring was also higher at $5000 i.e. 5 times higher than acquiring an OO. MMs constituted 31% of Hubspots consumer portfolio. Analysis Hubspot, taking into consideration the differences between these two consumer segments, has accordingly designed diverse product portfolio to suit each individual target segment of OO and MM. Hubspots pricing strategy includes differential pricing for different customer segments i.e. Owner Ollies (OO) and Marketer Marys (MM). Since the cost of acquiring an OO is one-fifth of that of a MM, Hubspot could afford to charge a lesser monthly fee to OOs ($250 per month as compared to $500 per month charged to MM). Also, since OO as consumers were more in number than MM, the reduction in the monthly price charges was made up for by economies of scale. Therefore, Hubspot has identified its customer segments and serves it according to the returns expected from them. However, with the increase in number of small and medium sized business (Table C), it is recommended that Hubspot place more emphasis in increasing the percentage of OOs in its customer portfolio. Although the churn rate is high, it is these firms which have more use for Hubspots products and services. With the right informational content persuading these customers the churn rate can be reduced and profit generated through OOs can be maximized. B2B customer vs. B2C customer The B2B customer had meager experience with Web 2.0 technology. They required the consultancy services that Hubspot provided along with the effective ingratiation of the software in their business models. B2B companies generally provided complex products that made it necessary for their consumers to have a thorough understanding of their product before investing in it. This made Hubspot the perfect product to fulfill the needs of B2B customers. B2B customers needed the support of Hubspots technicians and software during start-up and later on as well. B2C customers however found that Hubspot content and templates were too rudimentary for their needs. They seemed to derive much lesser value than B2B customers. B2C customers dealt with products/services which already required them to have strong online presence. Most of them had engaged Web 2.0 consultants and agencies to work for them already. Analysis Here, it is recommended that Hubspot place more importance on acquiring and retaining B2B customers taking into account the above mentioned points. Also, the churn rate of total B2B customers is almost half of that of B2C customers. (Table A) This fact holds true since B2C customers have low utility for Hubspot products. Therefore, catering to B2B customers will maximize profit for Hubspot. Is Hubspot being too stubborn by not doing any outbound marketing? What do you advise to Halligan and Shah? Hubspot coined the term Inbound Marketing. It sold the marketing strategies which it itself devised. Hubspot faces a dilemma of principles here. If it uses Outbound Marketing, how should it justify selling Inbound Marketing solutions to its clients? It becomes a marketing paradox which may prove harmful to the companys stellar image. Outbound Marketing would involve infusing more financial resources into marketing. In this case the cost per lead generated is much more than Inbound marketing. One key issue that hampers current marketing strategy of Hubspot is that since they pull customers to them, it becomes very difficult to determine the correct strategy to implement before they know what segment of customers are finally getting attracted towards them. It creates a Catch-22 situation where knowing the strategy to implement depends on knowing what particular customer segment the strategy should be implemented on and the latter cannot be determined until the former is implemented. In this, Outbound marketing has a huge advantage over Inbound marketing since, strategies are formulated and implemented after deciding the target audience. This kind of marketing also tends to attract a larger and more diverse set of customers. Hubspot current marketing strategies filters out customers who have a greater potential to buy and narrows their focus to target them. This eliminates almost 50% of the customers from the top of the customer funnel. However, all the above concerns about Inbound Marketing can be addressed pertinently. According to Volpe, the market we are going after is very, very large and today our product is a small, small fraction of what it needs to be. Table C shows the market potential of Small and Medim Sized Businesses. Almost all of these are Owner Ollies ( half of them being B2B) which are Hubspots greatest customer base. Therefore, the growth potential in terms of profit maximization is immense. Hubspot is not being stubborn in using Inbound Marketing. Rather, it is an ingenious method of marketing which generates measurable results and makes optimum use of financial resources. Recommendations for Halligan and Shah Web content and social media promotion techniques should be given importance over traditional marketing techniques. Depending on the type of customer segments the marketing tools should be modulated accordingly. This is tough for the organization to carry out since it has such a diverse set of customers. However, what Hubspot can do is put more efforts on Owner Ollies and B2B customers since they are our largest customer base with the biggest growth potential. As per Volpe, Hubspot is yet to develop its product to suit the new emerging market scene. This also forms a factor to take into consideration for the future growth and development of Hubspots market share. It being a software sector, the more up-to-date its products are the better its chances to generate revenues. However, Outbound Marketing should not be completely dismissed. It is advisable to use traditional mode of marketing to retain existing customers. In the case of B2C and Marketer Marys which have a high churn rate, the upgradation of the product will suitably satisfy their needs. Using traditional modes of marketing such as direct marketing and personal selling will be effective in such cases.