Saturday, March 14, 2020

The History of How Shoes Are Made

The History of How Shoes Are Made In most early civilizations, sandals were the most common footwear, however, a few early cultures had more substantial shoes. But shoes in ancient- and even not so ancient- civilizations had some major design differences than their modern-day counterparts. In fact, as late as the 1850s, most shoes were constructed on absolutely straight lasts (foot-shaped forms on which shoes were constructed and repaired), which meant that the right and the left shoes were pretty much the same. On the upside, that would make them interchangeable. On the downside, they were likely a lot less comfortable. Shoes in the BC In Mesopotamia, circa 1600 to 1200 BC, mountain people living on the border of Iran wore a type of soft shoes made of wraparound leather that was similar to a moccasin. Egyptians began making shoes from woven reeds as early as 1550 BC. Worn as overshoes, they were boat-shaped and had straps constructed of long, thin reeds covered by wider strips of the same material. Shoes in this style were still being made as late as the 19th century. Meanwhile, in China, shoes made from layers of hemp, circa the final century BC, were made in a process similar to quilting and featured decorative as well as functional stitching. Circa 43-450 AD Roman sandals are believed to be the first footwear specifically designed to fit the foot. Constructed with cork soles and leather straps or lacing, sandals were the same for men and women. Some military sandals known as caligae used hobnails to reinforce the soles. The imprints and patterns they left behind could be read as messages. Circa 937 AD Foot binding was a practice introduced in the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) that became increasingly popular in China during the Song dynasty (960-1279 AD). Starting at age 5 to 8, the bones in girls feet were broken and then tightly wrapped to prevent growth. The ideal for womens feet was modeled after the lotus blossom and was decreed to be no more than three to four inches in length. Girls with tiny, highly arched feet were prized as prime marriage material- but the crippling practice left many of them barely able to walk. These tiny feet were adorned with dainty shoes constructed of silk or cotton and richly embroidered. Chinese women of the upper classes were often buried with many pairs of such shoes. While several bans were imposed on the practice (the first by Emperor Chun Chi of the Manchu dynasty in 1645 and the second by Emperor K’ang Hsi in 1662), foot-binding remained a common practice in China into the early 20th century. 12th Century Pointy-tipped Poulianes (â€Å"shoes  in the Polish fashion†) became popular in the middle ages and continued to come and go until the early 15th century. Circa 1350 to 1450 Pattens were overshoes worn to protect them from the elements and filthy street conditions. They were similar in function to more modern galoshes, except that pattens were made in the same shape as the shoes they were fitted over. 1450 to 1550 During the Renaissance, shoe fashions evolved from vertical lines favored by Gothic styles to become more horizontal. Nowhere was this more evident than in the toe shape. The richer and more powerful the wearer, the more extreme and broad the squared toe became. However, while squared toed shoes were prevalent, during this time, round-toed shoes began to emerge. Round-toed shoes were considered a more practical choice for children, however, even some adult shoes of the Tudor period featured the round profile. 17th Century During the mid-17th century, shoe fashions for men were mostly square-toed, however, it was at this time that the fork toe design debuted. Chopines, backless shoes or slippers featuring high platform soles, became popular throughout Renaissance Europe thanks to a revival in ancient Greek culture. The most notable examples from the period come from Spain (where the platforms were sometimes constructed from cork) and Italy. Men, as well as women, wore slip-on indoor slides known as mules, which were available in a variety of materials and colors and featured a slightly flared heel. In 1660, with the restoration of Charles II to the throne of France, fashions from the French courts grew in popularity across the Channel. Red heels, a style allegedly created for Charles himself, came into vogue and remained there well into the next century. 18th Century In the 18th century, shoes for upper-class women, such as salon mules, initially took shape as boudoir fashion but evolved into day and even dancewear. The erotically charged footwear was favored by Madame de Pompadour, mistress of Louis XV of France, who was in huge part responsible for the trend. Unfortunately, elegant shoes of the day were constructed of materials such as silk that rendered them inappropriate for outdoor use and as a result, pattens  (also known as clogs) made a big comeback, especially in big cities, such as London, that had yet to deal with the unsanitary conditions of its streets. Fast Facts: Shoe Laces Prior to shoestrings, shoes were commonly fastened with buckles.Modern shoestrings, which employed strings laced through shoe holes and then tied, were invented in England in 1790 (first recorded date, March 27).An aglet (from the Latin word for needle) is a small plastic or fiber tube used to bind the end of a shoelace, or similar cord, to prevent fraying and to allow the lace to be passed through an eyelet or another opening. In the 1780s, a fascination with all things â€Å"Oriental† led to the introduction of shoes with upturned toes known as Kampskatcha slippers. (While billed as an homage to Chinese fashion, they more closely resembled Juttis, the upturned slippers worn by affluent female members of the court of the Mughal Empire.) From the 1780s through the 1790s, the height of heels gradually decreased. With the approach of the French Revolution (1787-99), excess was seen with increasing disdain, and less became more. 19th Century Styles In 1817, the Duke of Wellington commissioned the boots that would become synonymous with his name. Streamlined and free of ornamentation, â€Å"Wellies† became all the rage. The rubberized version, still popular today, was introduced in the 1850s by the North British Rubber Company. In the following decade, the family shoemaking firm of C J Clark Ltd was founded and remains one of Englands leading shoe manufacturers. Prior to 1830, there was no difference between right and left shoes. French shoemakers came up with the idea of placing little labels on the insoles of shoes: â€Å"Gauche† for the left, and â€Å"Droit† for the right. While the shoes were still both straight in shape, since the French style was considered the height of fashion, other countries were quick to emulate the trend. In 1837 by J. Sparkes Hall patented the elastic side boot, which allowed them to be put on and taken off much more easily than those that required buttons or laces. Hall actually presented a pair of them to Queen Victoria, and the style remained popular through the end of the 1850s. By the 1860s, flat, squared-toed shoes featuring side lacing were de rigeur. This left the front of the shoes free for decoration. Rosettes were a popular embellishment of the day for women’s shoes. In the mid- to late-1800s unassembled shoes made with flat sheets of woven straw were produced in Italy and sold across Europe and in America to be put together as shoemakers saw fit. In the mid-1870s, the Manchu people of China (who did not practice foot binding) favored platform shoes that were the precursors to 20th-century fashion styles. Hoof-shaped pedestals afforded increased balance. Women’s shoes were taller and more intricately decorated than those for men. 19th Century Innovations in Shoe Manufacturing 1830s: Plimsolls, canvas-topped shoes with rubber soles, first manufactured by the Liverpool Rubber Company, make their debut as beachwear.June 15, 1844: Inventor and manufacturing engineer Charles Goodyear receives a patent for vulcanized rubber, a chemical process that uses heat to meld rubber to fabric or other components for a sturdier, more permanent bond.1858: Lyman Reed Blake, an American inventor receives a patent for the specialized sewing machine he developed that stitches the soles of shoes to the uppers.January 24, 1871: Charles Goodyear Jrs patents the Goodyear Welt, a machine for sewing boots and shoes.1883: Jan Ernst Matzeliger patents an automatic method for lasting shoes that paves the way for the mass production of affordable shoes.January 24, 1899: Irish-American Humphrey OSullivan patents the first rubber heel for shoes. Later, Elijah McCoy (best known for developing a lubricating system for railroad steam engines that did not require trains to stop) invents an im proved rubber heel. Keds, Converse, and the Evolution of Sneakers In 1892, nine small rubber manufacturing companies consolidated to form the U.S. Rubber Company. Among them was the Goodyear Metallic Rubber Shoe Company, organized in the 1840s in Naugatuck, Connecticut, the first licensee of Charles Goodyears vulcanization process. While Plimsolls had been on the scene for nearly six decades, vulcanization was a game-changer for rubber-soled canvas shoes. From 1892 to 1913, the rubber footwear divisions of U.S. Rubber were manufacturing their products under 30 different brand names but the company decided to consolidate their brands under a single name. The initial favorite was Peds, from the Latin for foot, but another company already owned that trademark. By 1916, the choice had come down to two final alternatives: ​Veds  or Keds. The k sound won out and Keds were born. The same year, Keds introduced their Champion Sneaker for Women. Keds were first mass-marketed as canvas-top sneakers in 1917. Henry Nelson McKinney, a copywriter who worked for the N. W. Ayer Son Advertising Agency, coined the word sneaker to connote the quiet, stealthy nature of rubber-soled shoes. Other shoes, with the exception of moccasins, were noisy while sneakers were practically silent. (The Keds brand was acquired by the Stride Rite Corporation in 1979, which was in turn purchased by Wolverine World Wide in 2012). 1917 was a banner year for basketball shoes. Converse All Stars, the first shoe specifically designed for the game, were introduced. Soon after, Chuck Taylor, an iconic player of the day, became the brand ambassador. The design has remained pretty much the same over the years, and remain firmly ensconced in the cultural landscape today.   Early 20th Century Styles As at the close of the 19th century, low-heeled shoes began to fall increasingly out of favor and as the new century dawned, higher heels made a huge resurgence. However, not everyone was willing to suffer for fashion. In 1906, Chicago-based podiatrist William Mathias  Scholl  launched his eponymous brand of corrective footwear, Dr. Scholl’s. By the 1910s, morality and fashion were increasingly at odds. Nice girls were expected to play by a stringent set of rules, including those instituted with regard to the heel height of women’s shoes. Anything over three inches was considered â€Å"indecent.† Spectator shoes, the two-toned Oxfords commonly worn by British patrons of sporting events gained huge popularity among the well to do in England at the close of WWI. In America, however, spectators became part of the counterculture instead. By the ’40s, spectators often accompanied Zoot suits, the over-the-top outfits sported by African American and Hispanic men in defiance of the fashion status quo. One of the most innovative shoe designers of the 20th century, Salvatore Ferragamo, rose to fame in the 1930s. In addition to experimenting with unusual materials including kangaroo, crocodile, and fish skin, Ferragamo drew on historic inspiration for his shoes. His cork wedge sandals- often imitated and reimagined- are considered one of the most important shoe designs of the 20th century. Meanwhile, in Norway, a designer named Nils Gregoriusson Tveranger was looking to create a shoe that was truly comfortable and fashionable. His unisex innovation, a slip-on shoe called the Aurland moccasin was inspired by Native American moccasins and slip-ons favored by Norwegian fishermen. The shoes took off, both in Europe and in America. Not long after, the Spaulding family based in New Hampshire launched a similar shoe called The Loafer, which would eventually become the generic term for this slip-on style. In 1934, G. H. Bass debuted his Weejuns (a play on the word â€Å"Norwegian† as a nod to the homeland of the original designer). Weejuns had a distinctive strip of leather across the saddle featuring a cutout design. Kids who wore them started putting pennies or dimes into the slot, and the shoes became known as- you guessed it- Penny Loafers. The boat (or deck) shoe was invented by American boater Paul Sperry in 1935. After watching how his dog was able to maintain stability on ice, Sperry was inspired to cut grooves into the soles of his shoes and a brand was born. Post World War II the Latter Half of the 20th Century WWII was the crucible for a number of shoe trends. Doc Martens, combining comfortable air-cushioned soles with durable uppers were invented by Dr. Klaus Maertens in 1947. In 1949, Brothel creepers, the brainchild of British shoemaker George Cox, transformed the sole of an army boot into a thick exaggerated wedge made their debut. Loafers had long been considered a shoe of the hoi polloi in America but when the style was reinvented in 1953 by the House of Gucci, it became the shoe of choice for formal occasions for affluent fashion enthusiasts of both genders and remained so through the 1980s. Stiletto heels (whose name was a nod to a Sicilian fighting blade) became increasingly popular in the 1950s as the curvy female hourglass figure came back into vogue. Designer Roger Vivier of the House Dior is credited as having the most influence on shoes of this style from the period. While they’ve existed for more than 6,000 years in some form or other, the Y-shaped rubber sandals known as flip-flops became pretty much ubiquitous in the 1960s. The Birkenstock family have been making shoes since 1774, however, it wasn’t until 1964 when Karl Birkenstock transformed the arch support inserts for his shoes into soles for sandals that the company became a household name. During the 1970s disco craze, platform shoes became hot, hot, hot. Taking a leaf from Salvatore Ferragamo’s designs from four decades earlier, men and women hit the dance floor in outrageously high shoes.  One of the most popular brands of the era was Candie’s, a clothing brand that launched in 1978. Ugg boots debut in 1978. Uggs were originally made of sheepskin and worn by Australian surfers to warm up their feet after being in the water. In 1978, after Brian Smith imported Uggs to California under the label UGG Australia, the brand took off and has remained a fashion staple ever since but knockoffs in a variety of synthetic and cheaper materials have flooded the market. With the 1980s came a fitness craze that changed the shape of footwear. Designers such as Reebok increasingly took branding and specialization to heart in hopes of raising both profile and profits. The most successful athletic brand to cash in on this trend is Nike’s Air Jordan, which encompasses basketball shoes and athletic and casual style clothing. The brand was created for five-time NBA MVP Michael Jordan.  Designed for Nike by Peter Moore,  Tinker Hatfield, and Bruce Kilgore, the original Air Jordan sneakers were produced in 1984 and were solely for Jordan’s use, but were released to the public later that year. The brand continues to thrive in the 2000s. Vintage Air Jordans, especially those with some special personal connection to Michael Jordan, have sold for exorbitant prices (the highest recorded as of 2018 was in excess of $100,000). Sources â€Å"Timeline: A History of Shoes†. Victoria Albert Museumâ€Å"History of the Penny Loafer†. Tricker’s EnglandAcedera, Shane. â€Å"The Most Expensive Air Jordans†. SportOne. May 18, 2018Cartwright, Mark. â€Å"Foot Binding†. Ancient History Encyclopedia. September 27, 2017

Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Human Resources for Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Human Resources for Industry - Essay Example Moreover, it has become a more complicated task to find and utilise workforce for highly specialised positions. Thus, there is more importance of human resource management in organisations than ever before. This paper will try to analyse the importance of HR management, the present day challenges faced by HR management in common, the different ways the HR managements usually adopt to cope up with the changes, the changing nature of workplace, and some modern studies into HR management. The Role and Importance of HR management One can undoubtedly say that the role of HR has increased tremendously in all organisations. The role of Human Resource Management in the 21st century starts from the board room to the market place. The challenges before HR managers in the twenty-first century, according to Bohlander and Snell (2007, p.5) are going global, embracing new technology, managing change, managing talent or human capital, responding to the market, and containing costs. In recent years, more attention is paid to how the human resource management affects organisation’s overall performance than to what practices are adopted in human resource management. ... For example, the Vodafone Company, started in England in 1982 has now operations in Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East, Africa, and the Americas. In addition, the GlaxoSmithKline has its origin and headquarters in UK, Consumer Products headquarters in Pennsylvania, and major centre for biopharmaceutical products in Germany, Canada, and USA. It sometimes becomes necessary to assess the skill of a foreign workforce, translation of some materials into regional languages, training for foreign workforce, and many a time, deciding the compensation for foreign employees. The onslaught of new technology The advent of technology made it possible for organisations to store, retrieve and analyse data easily. As a result, the nature of the workplace changed a lot. Instead of the large number of workforce of the past that required only little knowledge, today, the job positions require considerable amount of skill and the present jobs involve a lot of planning, decision making and problem solving. In addition, the present workplace more often requires retraining of employees when they are displaced. Human Resource Management too has changed considerably through the use of technology. The first and foremost development is the adoption of human resources information system (HRIS), thus making response times, decision making, and customer service faster and easier. In UK, the National Health Service has started implementing the Electronic Staff Record, a national, fully integrated payroll system. Many other UK firms too have same form of HRIS in use. The first advantage of this system is greater efficiency and reduced cost. For example, Cisco Systems have developed an intranet system which helps them save about

Monday, February 10, 2020

Terrorism Case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Terrorism Case - Essay Example Its international relations with the Arab world would change immensely after the war as America tried to identify the perpetrators of the violence. Presently, the US Congress faces the challenge of how to protect, finance, and adequately respond to terror threats on airlines across the United States. Ideally, terrorist attacks tend to interfere with commerce and travel industry in that investors develop fear pertaining to the consequences of the launched attacks. Evidently, the terror attacks of September eleventh in 2001 have made airlines adopt stringent policies that have enabled the airline companies to reassure passengers of their safety abode their airplanes. With the attacks, Congress moved swiftly in a move to prevent future attacks on American soil as it passed the Act on Aviation and Transportation Security that saw the establishment of the Transportation Security Administration. With this act in place, security screeners had the authority to inspect the luggage of their prospective clients as part of the routine security checks (Conser, Paynich, & Gingerich, 2013). As per the act, airline security personnel had an entitlement to advanced screening equipment that could detect any security threat at any distance. As part of the checks, passengers also had to submit their identification details for scrutiny against the terrorist database as a way of limiting the ferrying of terrorists to other destinations and on terrorism. Cargo also did not fall short of the screening aspect in that cargo had to undergo intense checks to prevent the ferrying of terrorist merchandise. With this, the security levels in aircrafts and airports in general have strengthened although not to the highest intended level (Lee, 2013). Ideally, land, air, and marine systems of transport are the systems that have witnessed intense utilization in both America and other developing economies. They

Thursday, January 30, 2020

Eu Law Synopsised Judgment of Marshall Essay Example for Free

Eu Law Synopsised Judgment of Marshall Essay The case of Marshall v Southampton and South West Hampshire Area Health Authority (Teaching) (Marshall (No.1)) [1986] 1 C.M.L.R. 688 arose in the United Kingdom. It concerned a Miss Marshall who had been employed as a Senior Dietician with the Southampton and South West Hampshire Area Health Authority (Teaching) from the 23rd of May 1974 until her dismissal on the 31st of March 1980, that is to say four weeks after she reached the age of 62. Since 1975 the Southampton and South West Hampshire Area Health Authority (Teaching) had a written policy of that in general, its female employees should retire at 60 while its male employees should retire at 65. The policy stated that â€Å"the normal retirement age will be the age at which social security pensions become payable†. The policy was an implied term of Miss Marshall’s employment contract. Miss Marshall’s employers waived this general policy in the case of Miss Marshall. If her employers had not done this, then she would have been dismissed on the 4th of February 1978 (upon reaching the age of 60) but was in fact employed until the 31st of March 1980 (four weeks after she reached the age of 62), therefore her employer waived they’re general retirement policy in respect of Miss Marshall for two years. The applicable pension legislation in the United Kingdom at the time of the dismissal stated that men were eligible to receive a state pension at the age of 65 and that women were to receive state pensions from the age of 60 (Section 27 (1) of the Social Security Act 1975). However this legislation does not impose any obligation to retire at the age at which the state pension becomes payable and when a person continues in employment after the date when their state pension becomes payable, the payment of the pension is deferred. According to the order of reference, the sole reason for the dismissal of Miss Marshall was the fact that she was a woman who had passed the retirement age applied by her employer to women. In view of the fact that she suffered financial loss consisting of the difference between her earnings as an employee of her employer and her pension and also since she lost the satisfaction she got from her work, Miss Marshall instituted proceedings against her employer in the Industrial Tribunal. She contended that â€Å"her dismissal at the date and for the reason indicated by her employer which was that she was a woman who had passed the retirement age applied by her employer to women constituted discriminatory treatment by her employer on the grounds of sex and ,accordingly, unlawful discrimination contrary to the Sex Discrimination Act and Community law†. Her claim was dismissed by the industrial tribunal as it was based on the â€Å"infringement of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, since section 6(4) of that Act permits discrimination on the grounds of sex where it arises out of provision in relation to retirement ; the Industrial Tribunal took the view that the employers general policy constituted such provision† but her other claim that the principle of equality of treatment laid down by directive 76/207 had been infringed was upheld by the industrial tribunal. Miss Marshall appealed this case to the Employment Appeals Tribunal and they upheld the decision of the Industrial Tribunal as regards that the claim was based on the infringement of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, since section 6(4) of that Act permits discrimination on the grounds of sex where it arises out of provision in relation to retirement but in relation to the second question, the Employment Tribunal set aside the question of whether the dismissal violated the principle of equality of treatment laid down by Directive 76/207, because although it did violate directive 76/207, the Employment Appeals Tribunal said that an individual could not rely on an infringement of a directive before a United Kingdom Court or Tribunal. Miss Marshall appealed the decision of the Employment Appeal Tribunal to the Court of Appeal of England and Wales. The Court of Appeal stated that Southampton and South West Hampshire Area Health Authority (Teaching) was â€Å"constituted under section 8(1)A(b) of the National Health Service Act 1977 and was therefore an â€Å"emanation of the State†Ã¢â‚¬ . The Court of Appeal of England and Wales referred two questions to the Court of Justice for a preliminary ruling, for an interpretation of European Union law. These questions were; 1. Whether the dismissal of Miss Marshall after she was sixty and on the grounds that she was a woman who had passed the retirement age applied by the Southampton and South West Hampshire Area Health Authority (Teaching) to women was discrimination which was prohibited by the Equal Treatment Directive 76/207. 2. If the answer to question one is yes, can the Directive 76/207 be relied upon in this case in national courts or tribunals in spite of the fact that there may be inconsistencies between the Directive and section 6 (4) of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975. The appellant (Miss Marshall) and the European Commission considered that the first question must be answered in the positive. The appellant argued that the said age limit falls within the term â€Å"working conditions† within the meaning of articles 1 (1) and 5 (1) of Directive 76/207. Furthermore the appellant argues that the discrimination on the grounds of sex is one of the main reasons for having fundamental human rights and therefore the general principles of EU community law, and the exceptions to these principles must be interpreted strictly, moreover the exception provided for in Article 7(1) of Directive 79/7 is not relevant. The respondent (Southampton and South West Hampshire Area Health Authority (Teaching)) maintains as regards the first question, that the laying down of different ages at which you can compulsory terminate a contract just reflects the minimum ages stated by the State Social Security Scheme in the U.K. The respondent also considers that the state pension does not fall under directive 76/207 but is an aspect of social security and therefore falls under the directive 79/7 in which member-states can impose different ages to entitlement. The Court of Justice decided on the first question that the directive it fell under was Directive 76/207 as the question it was referred concerns the fixing of an age limit as to when to terminate employment following a general policy of dismissal. The question therefore relates to the conditions and rules governing dismissal. The court further stated that Article 5 (1) of Directive 76/207 provided that men and women are entitled to equal treatment in working conditions which includes conditions governing dismissal meaning that men and women are guaranteed the same working conditions without discrimination on grounds of sex. Following a policy of compulsory dismissing workers even if they get a retirement pension still falls under the term â€Å"dismissal†. The Court summed up the answer to the first question in saying that article 5 (1) of Directive 76/207 must be interpreted in meaning that having a policy whereby you dismiss a person for the reasons being that she is a women who has reached the age of qualifying for a state pension, when the age is different for men as it is to women, constitutes discrimination on the grounds of sex, contrary to Directive 76/207. The Court of Justice realised that since the answer to the first question was yes, then it is necessary to consider whether the appellant can rely on Directive 76/207 specifically Article 5 (1) of that directive in national courts and tribunals (Direct Effect). The appellant stated in their argument that â€Å"directives are capable of conferring rights on individuals which may be relied upon directly before the courts of the member-States; national courts are obliged by virtue of the binding nature of a directive, in conjunction with Article 5 of the EEC Treaty, to give effect to the provisions of directives where possible, in particular when construing or applying relevant provisions of national law†. The appellant also stated that articles 2 (1) and 5 (1) of Directive 76/207 was sufficiently clear to let the courts apply them, a view which the commission shared with the appellant. The respondent stated in its argument that the directive should not have direct effect as directives can never impose obligations on individuals and that it can only confer obligations on a member state in its capacity as a public authority and not as an employer and finally it would be improper to put persons employed by the state in a better position than those employed by a private employer. The respondent also stated that the articles in Directive 76/207 were not clear and unconditional enough to give rise to direct effect. In answering the second question, the Court of Justice stated that it does not matter whether the state is an employer or a public authority when an individual is relying on a directive against a member state in legal proceedings. This is necessary to prevent the state taking advantage of its own failure to comply with community law. The Court of Justice stated that the articles in the Directive 76/207 are sufficiently precise and clear in that they prohibit â€Å"any discrimination on grounds of sex with regard to working conditions, including the conditions governing dismissal, in a general manner†. Where a state fails to implement a directive by the end of the time period given, and if the provisions of the directive are unconditional and sufficiently precise, the Court of Justice ruled that the directive may be relied upon against the state, because otherwise it would not be compatible with Article 189’s binding nature on directives. The Court of Justice answered the second question in saying that Article 5 in Directive 76/207 which â€Å"Prohibits any discrimination on grounds of sex with regard to working conditions, including the conditions governing dismissal may be relied upon as against a state authority acting in capacity as an employer†. The Advocates General’s opinion concurred with the judgement of this case. The legal significance of this case is that an individual may only rely on a directive in a national court when suing a public body but the term public body has been given a wide interpretation by the European Court of Justice. Although Direct Effect was founded originally in the Case 26/62,Van Gend en loos [1963] ECR 1, in the Marshall case we have just looked at, the vertical nature of the directive meant that Marshall could take advantage of it, although an employee in the private sector would not have been able to. This would seem to give public sector employees an unfair advantage over their private sector counterparts, but this glitch in EU law was fixed by the subsequent Case 14/83 Von Colson Kamann v Land Nordrhein-Westfalen which established the doctrine of Indirect Effect which is a mechanism of effectively using indirect means, to give a directive horizontal effect for all employees. Bibliography Cases 1. Judgement of Marshall v Southampton and South West Hampshire Area Health Authority (Teaching) (Marshall (No.1)) [1986] 1 C.M.L.R. 688 [ 1 ]. Judgement of Marshall v Southampton and South West Hampshire Area Health Authority (Teaching) (Marshall (No.1)) [1986] 1 C.M.L.R. 688 page 3, line 11. [ 2 ]. Judgement of Marshall v Southampton and South West Hampshire Area Health Authority (Teaching) (Marshall (No.1)) [1986] 1 C.M.L.R. 688 page 11, line 37. [ 3 ]. Judgement of Marshall v Southampton and South West Hampshire Area Health Authority (Teaching) (Marshall (No.1)) [1986] 1 C.M.L.R. 688 page 11, line 36. [ 4 ]. Judgement of Marshall v Southampton and South West Hampshire Area Health Authority (Teaching) (Marshall (No.1)) [1986] 1 C.M.L.R. 688 page 11, line 51. [ 5 ]. Judgement of Marshall v Southampton and South West Hampshire Area Health Authority (Teaching) (Marshall (No.1)) [1986] 1 C.M.L.R. 688 page 15, line 37 [ 6 ]. Judgement of Marshall v Southampton and South West Hampshire Area Health Authority (Teaching) (Marshall (No.1)) [1986] 1 C.M.L.R. 688 page 17, line 2. [ 7 ]. Judgement of Marshall v Southampton and South West Hampshire Area Health Authority (Teaching) (Marshall (No.1)) [1986] 1 C.M.L.R. 688 page 17, line 19.

Wednesday, January 22, 2020

Margin Call Directed by J.C. Chandor Essays -- film analysis

Margin Call (2011) Margin Call is a 2011 film that seeks to give viewers a deeper perspective of the financial crisis that hit the United States in 2008. The film was written and directed by J.C. Chandor. It s depiction of the happenings on Wall Street has been described as the closest to the actual happenings during the financial crisis. In this film, the main characters are faced with a moral challenge and they act according to their personal world views. Personal financial needs are put before the clients needs. The questionable manner in which the characters act put the employees on Wall Street on a cross road. It is a difficult balancing act between protecting oneself and protecting others. The decisions made by characters in this film create an opportunity for people to discuss the balancing act between self preservation and killing the dreams of the masses. From the beginning, the film is filled with controversial decisions. First, the firm that is depicted in this film decides to lay off most of the employees in the firm leaving only 20% of the workers. However, the firm’s managers do not lay off the workers personally but hire another firm to do this. Without prior warning, the mass layoff takes place in a rather insensitive manner with employees expected to leave immediately. First, the decision by the company to lay off the people without warning is a questionable decision. Though they are offered a severance package, the employees are traumatized by the lay off. Having reported to work just like a normal day, none of the employees expect that they are going to lose their jobs on this particular day. Therefore, it is a surprise when the hired human resource team comes in and explains to the employees that they no long... ...ce of money at whatever costs. At the end of the day, the managers watch as more people are laid off as the crisis continues. In conclusion, I disagree with the decisions made by the main characters in this film. Their predicament is tough to say the least, but it does not warrant the decisions they make. They choose to follow a route with the full knowledge of the problems it will cause to other people. The decisions made are motivated purely by money and the need to self preserve and protect. The drive behind the sale of worthless assets is for the company to remain afloat even when clients suffer losses. It is dangerous to make decisions driven by money and selfishness. It leads to guilt as it causes endless pain to other people. Therefore, these characters could have chosen the alternative option of protecting their clients as opposed to protecting themselves.

Tuesday, January 14, 2020

Zara & Pandora Recommendations

Zara case Zara uses a vertically integrated system (VMS): In this system, wholesalers, retailers and distributors work as a unified system. One channel owns the others. They have a corporate VMS system, because Zara has managed to build a system that is controlled from the headquarters and it allows a quick response to decide and solve problems. Inditex, Zara’s parent company owns most of the resources to design, produce and distribute.Recommendations: Instead of doing everything themselves, Zara could train their managers in the local stores to already make quick decisions than to just send many ideas to the main headquarters in Spain and let them decide what is best. So spread the decision making process among their local stores. Zara’s vertical integration has many advantages, but there is a drawback for Zara as they focus distributing small batch quantities and do not receive any discounts on manufacturing large quantities. PandoraValue Chain Analysis describes the activities that take place in a business and relates them to an analysis of the competitive strength of the business. The activities of a business could be grouped under two headings: Primary Activities – those that are directly concerned with creating and delivering a product. -Inbound logistics: All the raw materials are collected from their distributors and in Pandora’s case these are the songs from musicians. – Operations: is transforming the raw materials into a finished product and service.Pandora’s software gets smarter through the listener’s inputs of likes and dislikes and marks them as unique playlist for that same user. – Outbound logistics: All those activities associated with getting finished goods and services to buyers. Pandora has pushed the music service into a variety of channels, including apps for smart phones and tablets as well as through home entertainment systems such as video game players, DVD players and Internet ra dios. – Marketing & Sales: Essentially an information activity – informing buyers and consumers about products and services (benefits, use, price etc. Pandora informs their listeners firstly through web page, and then music has become more mobile. Pandora has formed strategic partnerships to push their music service into different channels, such as apps for smartphones and tablets, as well as through video game players, DVD players and Internet. Since listening to music goes through the radio, Pandora has also collaborated with new car brands. – Service: All those activities associated with maintaining product performance after the product has been sold. The service plays musical selections of a certain genre based on the user's artist selection.The user then provides positive or negative feedback for songs chosen by the service, which are taken into account when Pandora selects future songs. Recommendation: The client should have more possibilities to have an o pinion on the music instead of likes and dislikes. So after each opinion they have, they get a small questionnaire. Global market The activity of buying or selling goods and services in all the countries of the world, or the value of the goods and services sold. Global marketing is sometimes used to refer to overseas expansion efforts through licensing, franchises, and joint ventures. Zara got stores all over the world.If the designers design new clothes, it will come in all the stores. Zara does most of the things by themselves, like making their own fabric, produce their own clothes and having their own designers. Recommendation Zara could create a joint venture with distributors in the markets such as Asia or the US, to produce the products for them. Support Activities, which whilst they are not directly involved in production, may increase effectiveness or efficiency. Procurement: When the raw material is purchased together with other inputs to create value to the product and su pport the value chain activities.In the case of Pandora the raw materials purchased are the songs from musicians. – Technology development: Includes research and development, process automation, and other technology development to support the value chain activity. For Pandora they have an automated software-driven machine that discerns the types of music and places them in genres. – Human Resource Management Using people as a resource to support the value chain. Young analysist analyze of the music by a professional musician to analyze and decode them in different genres.Young analysts sit together with senior analysts to encode the music and add features to differentiate its service. – Firm Infrastructure Includes activities such as finance, strategic planning and control, general management, etc. Pandora is mostly focused on strategic planning ; control, because they have to critically analyze their songs they get delivered from musicians. This takes a lot of time and need be planned strategically. Strategic planning is then linked to general management. Recommendation: Pandora can hire more junior analyst which can be trained to become senior analyst so that the work is divided.

Monday, January 6, 2020

Victorias Secret Marketing Plan - 6238 Words

Victoria’s Secret Dominika Wolfova dominickaaa@yahoo.com MK 300 – Principles of Marketing Ivan Ã… ½Ãƒ ¡ry Marketing Plan Jun 4, 2010 Table of Contents Executive Summary Marketing Objectives Products or Services Resources Needed Projected Outcomes Company Description Strategic Focus and Plan Mission/Vision Goals Core Competency Situation Analysis Internal Focus Strengths Weaknesses External Focus Opportunities Threats Industry Analysis/Trends Competitor Analysis Company Analysis Customer Analysis SWOT Analysis Summary Market – Product Focus Marketing and Product Objectives Target Markets Points of Difference Positioning†¦show more content†¦Projected Outcomes Victoria’s Secret goal is to increase its profits by 10% and also to maintain and gain customers’ loyalty and their satisfaction. Company’s main goal is to maintain existing customers and gain new ones. Victoria’s Secret is very profitable and well-known brand all over the world and especially in US. Therefore, by launching this new line, Victoria’s Secret does not necessarily aims for enormous increase in profitability but increase in customer-company relationships. Company Description Victoria’s Secret is a retail store, which offers a wide range of lingerie, beauty products, clothes and accessories. Victoria’s Secret is owned and run by the Limited Brands Company. It accounts for more than 50% of Limited Brands’ corporate profits. Victoria’s Secret owns more than 1000 stores all over the United States. It is the most popular brand of lingerie in the US. Roy Raymond in the area of San Francisco founded Victoria’s Secret during the 1970s. Roy Raymond had an idea of turning the classic underwear into luxurious and stylish fashion. Victoria’s Secret underwear differed from classical department stores’ underwear because of its color, material, pattern and style. Victoria’s Secret is very popular in the United States. 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