V. Bank Of America Corp Essay - 935 Words

All companies with greater than 15 employees in the United States must adhere to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This act prohibits discrimination in employment-related matters and is administered by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) (Canas Sonkak, 2014). In Calibuso et al. v. Bank of America Corp. et al. Judy Calibuso filed a complaint against Bank of America with the EEOC in January 2007. Case Law Overview Calibuso et al. v. Bank of America Corp. et al. was a gender case that was filed in U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York in 2007. Five women filed a lawsuit alleging that Bank of America and Merrill Lynch intentionally discriminated again them by awarding pay, client allocation, referrals, professional and marketing support to male brokers (Stempel, 2013). In addition, the bank was accused of retaliating against female brokers who complained and providing a cumulative advantage that widened earnings disparities between genders (Stempel, 2013). The bank agreed to settle the claim for $39 million and the award was payable to 4,800 current and former female financial advisors and trainees at Bank of America and Merrill Lynch specifically. However, with the settlement, the bank did not admit any wrongdoing and provided a statement that the settlement will enrich our existing diversity, inclusion and development programs, providing even more opportunities for women to suc ceed as financial advisers (Bank of America, 2013).Show MoreRelatedThe Case Of Calibuso Et Al V. Bank Of America Corp Essay1563 Words   |  7 PagesThe case of Calibuso et al. v. Bank of America Corp. et al. began in 2010, when female financial analysts (FAs) filed charges in in several states and with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) claiming that the Bank of America (BoA) used discriminatory pay practices against them in violation of state laws and the U.S. Equal Pay Act of 1963 and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (DiMarco, 2014; Calibuso, 2012). These laws forbid inequalities in pay (Schrimsher Fretwell, 2012)Read MoreDiscrimination At The Modern Civil Rights Era Essay1539 Words   |  7 Pagesmore open to one’s interpretation (Canas Sondak, 2014). One example of a recent discrimination case is of Calibuso et al V. Bank of America Corp. et al. Nature and Brief of the Case This particular case began in 2010 when a group of female financial advisors, which was led by Judy Calibuso, who filed a complaint of alleged systemic discrimination against Bank of America who had just acquired the Merrill Lynch unit (Dimarco, 2014). The plaintiffs’ of the case claimed that that the policies andRead MoreKraft Foods Board of Directors Essay1072 Words   |  5 PagesDonnelley amp; Sons Co., Navistar International Corp., Con-way, Inc., Pfi Group Llc | E. Follin Smith, 53Independent Director | Ryder System, Inc., Kraft Foods Group, Inc., Darden School Foundation, Davidson College, Discover Financial Services, Centerstage | Terry J. Lundgren, 61Independent Director | Macys, Inc., National Retail Federation, Procter amp; Gamble Co., The Partnership For New York City, Kraft Foods Group, Inc., Federal Reserve Bank Of New York | Mackey J. McDonald, 66Lead IndependentRead MoreEssay on Countrywide Financial Home Loans Failure1300 Words   |  6 Pagesoperated through Countrywide bank and Countrywide Warehouse lending (CWL). Countrywide bank’s product offering included residential mortgage loans, deposit products (CDs and money market, checking and savings accounts), investment products and other businesses (annuities and mutual funds), and document custody services. The Countrywide bank, through its subsidiary, ReconTrust Company offered mortgage foreclosure. By the end of fiscal 2006, about 65 of the Countrywide banks Financial Centers held depositRead MoreGender Discrimination Against Bank Of America876 Words   |  4 Pagesgender discrimination against Bank of America and what could have been done to prevent this from happening. Calibuso et al. v. Bank of America Corp. et al. In 2010, a group of female financial advisors filed a national class action lawsuit against Bank of America and Merrill Lynch under gender discrimination. The main plaintiff, Judy Calibuso, worked in the Miami, Florida office since 1995 (Lieff Cabraser Heiman Bernstein, 2010). In the lawsuit, Bank of America is accused of favoring male brokersRead MoreOSHA ´s Whistleblower Protection Program Essay examples1003 Words   |  5 Pagesmay file a complaint with the secretary of labor to request an investigation by OSHAs Whistleblower Protection Program (OSHA, 2011). Foster filed a Sarbanes-Oxley Act whistleblower complaint with OSHA because of her wrongful termination from Bank of America. She worked previously as an internal investigator at Countrywide at the corporate level and a witness for the governments Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission for Countrywide (Benoit, 2011). In September 2011, OSHA ruled that Foster had beenRead MoreRelief, Recovery, Regulation - the New Deal1341 Words   |  6 Pagespeople. Let us all here assembled constitute ourselves prophets of a new order of competence and of courage. This is more than a political campaign; it is a call to arms. Give me your help, not to win votes alone, but to win in this crusade to restore America to its own people. 1 These words might have been just platitudes, uttered by another progressive candidate who would have altered the relationship between the Government, business and citizens incrementally. I had always thought that the aboveRead More Federalism From Its Beginning To The Present Essay643 Words   |  3 Pagesindividual states together under one national government. There were two very important court cases in early federalism. One was McCulloch v. Maryland in 1819. This case upheld the powers of the federal government. It also denied the states the right to tax the bank. This allowed later cases to uphold the expansive powers of the federal government. The other case was Gibbons v. Ogden in 1824, this ruling upheld broad congressional power over interstate commerce. Soon after we moved into the era of dual federalismRead MoreTen Publicized Audit Failures1655 Words   |  7 PagesSecurities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had sued Parmalat for in 2003. It all began when Parmalat defaulted on a bond payment worth $185 million. This raised a flag for auditors and banks, which then began to closely examine company accounts. According to Parmalat, 38% of their assets were apparently held in a Bank of America account, part of a subsidiary of Parmalat in the Cayman Islands, worth $4.9 billion dollars. This was later found to be untrue and no such account ever existed. Furthermore, assetsRead MoreThe Great Depression : A Lesson1532 Words   |  7 Pagessaw the depression as passing incident that America can easily overcome. Hoover even stated that it would end in about 60 days (PBS, 1). He believed that no help should be given to the people in poverty. Hoover was blamed for being the cause of the Great Depression, he was made of fun, his name was disres pected all over America. Franklin D. Roosevelt took fast action in trying to save the economy and pull it out of the depression. He declared a four day bank holiday, congress passed the Emergency Banking

The Tale Of Dracula, Or The Son Of The Dragon - 1777 Words

Countless times the fictional story of the infamous Count Dracula has been told in treatises, playwrights, novels, and also films. Dracula as a character has such an arduous lifestyle that it is difficult to decipher between truth and myth. Although the narrative of Count Dracula is viewed as only fiction, there is accuracy behind the legends. Vlad III’s legacy sparked the lore of Count Dracula because of the scarring childhood he endured, the torturous agony he caused upon others, and a gruesome war. Vlad III was born in November 14, 1431 in Sighisoara, Transylvania to Vlad Dracul and Princess Cneajna of Moldavia. He had an older brother, Mircea, and a younger brother, Radu. In 1431, Vlad Dracul was inducted into the Order of the Dragon,†¦show more content†¦In addition, he directed his loathing to his father and older brother, Mircea, for their unfaithfulness to the Order of the Dragon. Similarly, he was angry at Radu for leaving Christianity and converting to the Islamic faith. The years Vlad III spent in captivity taught him many ways of torture and in one way shaped him into the man he eventually came to be, Vlad the Impaler. While Vlad Dracul was still on the Wallachian throne, John Hunyadi the Hungarian King, demanded that Vlad Dracul shall promise to join the crusade against the Turks, but wanting to stay neutral he sent Mircea instead. â€Å" The Christian army was utterly destroyed in the Battle of Varna, John Hunyadi managed to escape the battle under inglorious conditions. From this moment forward John Hunyadi was bitterly hostile to Vlad Dracul and Mircea†( Vlad 4). In result to John Hunyadi’s animosity, in 1447, he raided Wallachia and assassinated Vlad Dracul and Mircea with help of boyars and merchants. Fearing the Hungarians would gain too much influence in Wallachia after the death of Vlad Dracul,the Ottoman Turks forged ahead to Wallachia and put Vlad III on the throne as a puppet so the Sultan could pull the strings. Yet within only reigning two months, John Hunyadi forced him into exile in Moldavia. â€Å"Vlad III’s successor to the throne...unexpectedly instituted a pro-Turkish policy, which John Hunyadi found to be unacceptable†( Vlad 4). John Hunyadi turned shockingly to Vlad III, the son of his oldShow MoreRelatedVlad the Impaler1447 Words   |  6 Pagesdescribing Vlad Dracula, otherwise known as Vlad the Impaler. [The middle ages have produced numerous legends and heroes that remain very much a part of our contemporary culture; one need only to refer to the Tales of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table or of the outlaw Robin Hood,†¦Amidst the struggle to halt the Ottoman onslaught in Southeastern Europe the historical figure of Vlad Dracula arose to become a legend in his own time] (Treptow, 2000, p.7). Vlad the Impaler or Dracula was a veryRead MoreEssay about Bram Stoker1449 Words   |  6 Pageshundred years ago. One could hardly imagine that his creature of the night would delight and inhabit the nightmares of every generation between his and ours. Count Dracula has become an icon of evil, and is perhaps the most widely recognized bogeyman in all of world literature. To date, there have been over one hundred films made about Dracula or other assorted vampires, not to mention countless novels, comic books, nonfiction works, toys, clubs and societies—even a children’s breakfast cereal celebratingRead MoreLiterary Review of Bram Stokers Dracula Essay1230 Words   |  5 PagesReview of Bram Stoker’s Dracula Prior to the creation of the literary classic â€Å"Dracula†, Bram Stoker spent his time managing the Lyceum Theatre and legendary actor Henry Irving. According to Jennifer Dorn, when the novel was first published in 1897, critics regarded it as a â€Å"pulp fiction potboiler† (Dorn). The novels declaration as a literary masterpiece came many years later. A graduate of Trinity college, Stoker came from a middle class Irish family, the son of a civil servant. The publication

Environment Issues Are Destructive Effect From Human...

Environment Issues and Pressures Environment issues are destructive effect from human activity on the nature. In the day ages, there are many types of environment issues in the Earth. Most countries focus on environment issues and there are more pressure when government solving these problems. Earth s environment is an important factor in the survival of mankind and environmental issues that affect human life. Therefore, Protecting the environment is human responsibility. And Equal protection of the environment to protect ourselves. Global warming, shortage resources and ocean pollution are major environment issues and pressure around the world. The number of reasons and influence of these environment problems and pressures will be given. Global warming is a severe challenge to human survival and development. Angell (1999) describe that there are four approach show no signs of global warming in the past 1000 years. However, according to Gray (2009) the most reliable global temperature measurements since 1979. And the this measurement no only checked average temperature, it also recorded the any temperature in anyplace. This way made by NASA satellites, using Microwave Sounder Units. The most important evident of global warming is that increased temperature where is human live (Karl, 1998). Obvious, the remote place no this issue. There are many natural disaster happen on account of global warming, for instance, raises the sea level, brings drought in tropical regionsShow MoreRelatedEssay on Role of Human Activities in Causing Climate Change1072 Words   |  5 PagesAs humans approach a future of uncertainty, enigmas are unraveling all around the globe. Climate change is one of the most influential concerns to human kinds, since there seems to be a dramatic change in the Earth’s climate such as noticeable increase in temperature.According to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), climate change may be defined as the change in atmosphere that results from indirect or direct contribution to the climate by humans in which affect the modificationRead MoreHumans Are to Blame for Global Warming Essay1561 Words   |  7 PagesHumans Are To Blame For Global Warming Kevin Odhiambo Ogwa Lake Michigan College Abstract Every human activity has a particular effect on objects surrounding his or her environment, be it physical, mental, or social. But notably, the most evident might be the effect of human activity on global warming. Global warming is quickly becoming a major topic of concern worldwide, and has been stirring up controversy everywhere with its adverse effects seen all over the world. It causes rise of theRead MoreThe Effects Of Bullying On The Workplace925 Words   |  4 Pagesmishandling. Bullying effects on victims and other employees in an organization Harassing is most successive in work environments with negative and unpleasant workplace (a). Furthermore, focuses of harassing frequently need social backing from collaborators and chiefs (b), and it has been shown that apparent low social backing is identified with misery and burnout, for an occasion, in the connection amongst directors and subordinates (c). This is sad that the supporting environment is by all accountsRead More Drilling Alaska: America Needs to Adopt Conservation Practices!1645 Words   |  7 Pagesrecently read an article in Scientific American (May 2001) titled â€Å"the arctic oil wildlife refuge.† The article addresses the issue of whether or not science has the ability to clarify the potential economic benefits and the ecological risks of drilling into the nation’s last great coastal wilderness preserve. What I began to wonder after reading the article is, if we humans should continue our scientific and technological petroleum endeavors eve n though we are causing irreversible harm to our earthRead MorePower Of Myth : Joseph Campbell Calls The Movie Theater1255 Words   |  6 Pagesthe didactic nature of movies. According to its co-director Fricke, Baraka was intended to be a journey of rediscovery that plunges into nature, into history, into the human spirit and finally into the realm of the infinite (Fricke). It is a visualization of the interconnectedness humans share with the earth. Furthermore, Baraka dives into the didactic elements of archetypes and images that instruct the soul. Although Baraka does not use words, there is a clear message of humans and their worldRead MoreIn The Last 100 Years, The Amount Of Greenhouse Gases In1405 Words   |  6 Pagescausing a phenomenon known as the greenhouse effect. Human activities such as industry, transport, energy generation and deforestation all produce these greenhouse gases. In the last 20 years, concern has grown that global warming is inevitable and now consi dered most probably caused by man-made increases in greenhouse gas emissions. In this essay, I will analyze Dr. Chukwumerije Okereke’s claims of intersectional oppression and domination of the environment concerning distributional injustices causedRead MoreThe Rime Of The Ancient Mariner1246 Words   |  5 Pagesstate of our planet has increased. It has become increasingly apparent that humans leave a destructive impact on the world. â€Å"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner† uses a religious tone and symbolism to discuss the implications of human interference with nature. It is undeniable that humans leave a lasting impact on the world. The need to progress and improve has lead to the destruction of the environment. The catch-22 of humans need to progress is that they are inadvertently destroying their planet. OneRead MoreAn Argument For Community Change1265 Words   |  6 Pagessuch a beautiful scene is in serious jeopardy! The quality of our waters is degrading at an alarming rate; the human race contributes to the problem daily, often without realizing it. Water pollution in Florida is reducing pure water sources at a drastic rate, destroying natural beauty, and severely impacting the survival of local wildlife. Human actions are a major contribution to this issue, therefore citizen awareness is the highest workable solution to diminish the threat and improve the degradationRead MoreThe Alarming and Troublesome Global Warming Issue 1407 Words   |  6 Pagesregular or ordinary weather in an environment consists of patterns like seasons and tempe rature. Climate patterns play such an important role in constructing an essential ecosystem, human economies and cultures that rely on them has raised the surface of the worlds oceans in recent decades by melting glaciers and causing seawater to expand as it warms. In addition, thermal expansion from current and future greenhouse gas desolation and increasing mass losses from the glaciers and ice sheets due toRead MoreEssay on The Ecological Consequences of Global Economic Growth1426 Words   |  6 Pagesextinction’, caused by the actions of humans.† (Cock and Hopwood, 1996:17) In the following I’m going to look at the positive and negative effects of the ecological systems of global economic growth and the effects on economic loss, and briefly discuss the concept of ‘risk’, and the consequences of ‘population growth’. I would also like to pay attention to the negative and positive effects of economic growth, such as the effects caused by ‘deforestation’, and the

China s One Child Policy - 1631 Words

The One Child Policy China has had the new population control for almost 36 years, composed by the one-child policy and prohibited excess reproduction. The birth control plan has received praise on reducing the population, but also received criticism over the late 20th century. In 1979, couples were forced to pledge not to give second birth or bear any more children (Feng, 2014). From 1979 to 2015, while the population growth rate has reduced substantially, this implementation has been tremendously restructured how Chinese families value family structure, child preferences, marriage, parenting, living arrangements, and eldercare. This one child policy has transformed into a problematic system for the Chinese family to maintain their traditional value, and also introduced new problems to the family. Family Size and Structure As an immediate outcome of the one child policy effective on 1979, the fertility rate has cut more than 50% of its total fertility rate in 1970, six births, to 2.3 births by 1980 (Coale Chen, 1987). A survey data of 1,293 families in Hubei Province has shown 80 percent of their family size were three, and out of all the three-member families, they were all only-child families (Feng, 2014). This new family structure was very different from the baby boomers generation (the parent), and both sides of the parent have introduced their families into a â€Å"four-two-one† structure, which is four grandparents, two parents, and a child. Before the implementation ofShow MoreRelatedChina s One Child Policy1000 Words   |  4 PagesChina’s One Child Policy. This is something that I am against. I do not think you should limit a family to one child. There are many problems with this policy that I do not think were thought about when the policy was created. I have not found many go od things about this policy. The only positive thing I have found about this policy is that it creates many chances for adoption. But most of these children who are up for adoption do not get adopted. So I do not support China’s one-child policy. One reasonRead MoreChina s One Child Policy1745 Words   |  7 PagesChina’s One Child policy is a policy that the Chinese government introduced in 1979 to try and solve the problem of overpopulation. The Policy’s main purpose was to make sure that China could support its large population with facilities such as healthcare, education, housing, good jobs and most importantly, food. The aim was to reduce poverty and to improve overall quality of life for the people. China’s one-child policy has led to unintended and negative consequences, such as a diminishing laborRead MoreChina s One Child Policy1227 Words   |  5 PagesThe one child policy in the Peoples Republic of China has recently been lifted to allowed families to freely have two children rather than one. This policy, introduced to China in the late 1970’s, was due to a massive baby boom which had taken place in the 1960’s. In the early to late 1950’s the Chinese government had encou raged its citizens to produce children at a rapid rate in the hope of building a larger work force (Managing Population Change Case Study: China). In order to counteract this boomRead MoreChina s One Child Policy1925 Words   |  8 Pagespeople. It is the most populous country in the world and it is only increasing. The Chinese government has spent more than 40 years trying to slow their population growth. They have done so through their controversial one child policy. There is no denying that China’s one child policy changed the lives of Chinese citizens when it the Chinese Communist Party [CCP] in 1979 as a way of controlling population. Under Mao, the government encouraged families to have as many children as possible, believingRead MoreChina s One Child Policy964 Words   |  4 PagesThus, by 1975, the Chinese government had reversed their policy on population growth (Clarke), adopting the slogan â€Å"Later, Longer, Fewer.† This campaign urged couples to have tw o to three children and to begin reproducing at a later age, as well as promoting improved sanitation and healthcare to as to increase life expectancy (â€Å"5 Things to Know About China’s 1-Child Policy†). In 1979, the Chinese government introduced the One-Child Policy, which consisted of a set of regulations governing the approvedRead MoreRepercussions Of China s One Child Policy883 Words   |  4 PagesChina’s One Child Policy â€Å"China Will Have another Major Demographic Problem,† is an article on About.com written by Matt Rosernberg. It explains the great imbalance between man and women due to China’s One Child Policy, and how this situation will disturb the stability and development of China because the high numbers of bachelors tend to damage community by doing crimes and violence. The policy says that a couple could only have a child. This was created as a temporary solution since China was overpopulatedRead MoreChildren Of The Dragon : China s One Child Policy1298 Words   |  6 PagesChildren of the Dragon: China’s One-Child Policy The earth’s growing population is a global concern. Both developed and third-world countries, are experiencing shortages of food, water and access to adequate healthcare. Although the poorest are hardest hit, even powerful countries like the United States and Great Brittan have been affected. Recent shortages of medication and fuel are contributing to speculation and concern. Governments the world over are turning to alternative energy and sustainableRead MoreUnintended Consequences Of China s One Child Policy1907 Words   |  8 Pagescontradicts the one-child policy implemented in China. The one-child policy was a program designed to restrict Chinese families to only one child, with severe consequences lined up for those who disobeyed. It was met with harsh opposition, from Chinese citizens as well as from other countries. The policy succeeded in creating smaller families, but it unleashed a slew of unintended consequences, including a higher crime rate and an increase in the elderly population, who only have one child to supportRead MoreChina s One Child Policy : Destructive Or Constructive?2001 Words   |  9 PagesChina’s One-Child Policy: Destructive or Constructive? Classical Argument Essay China’s one-child policy has created a wide range of debates as to whether it is helpful or detrimental to the country due to the conditions it holds. In 1978, China discussed a law stating married couples could only have one child within their lifetime. This policy was eventually applied a couple years later, in 1980, after they discussed the various terms of the policy. After several years of action, China added flexibilityRead MoreChina And Indi Driving Forces Of Overpopulation712 Words   |  3 PagesEmre Can AydÄ ±n Writing Assignment 104A 03/15/2015 China and India: Driving Forces of Overpopulation According to BBC, India s population reached nearly 1.21bn (India census: population goes up to 1.21bn). China is also has the population of 1.36bn according to Chinese Government (China Statistical Yearbook-2014). That s almost the half of the Earth s population. There are negative outcomes of this situation like poverty, depletion of resources and disturbed cultural structures. Actually

HM market free essay sample

HM (Hennes Mauritz AB) is the world second largest retail-clothing company. It was founded in 1947 in Sweden. In recent years, it has expanded rapidly, about 3,000 branch stores existing over 50 countries which include in Asia, Europe and America. As a â€Å"fast fashion† clothing company, HM’s business concept is offering latest popular design and good quality at the best price. The HM Group offers fashion from the HM, COS, Monki, Weekday, Cheap Monday, Other Stories and HM Home brands. Therefore, its product line is various, including not only clothes but also shoes, cosmetics, home supplies and accessories. Customers of any age group are able to select suitable products, no matter young or old, men or women. However, the main marketing target is young people between 15 to 30 years old who chase fashion but cannot afford to buy luxury clothes. Based on Fast-Fashion concept, the biggest characteristic is that the time of the whole process including designing, producing, delivering and selling is very short, and all can be done even in only 21 days (Fahy Jobber, 2012). We will write a custom essay sample on HM market or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Compared with its competitor, ZARA, although they have similar fashion designs, HM has lower price of about 30 per cent to 50 per cent than ZARA (Figure 1) (Boyu-linen, 2011). Moreover, it usually cooperates with world famous designers or super stars, such as Karl Lagerfeld in 2004 and Madonna in 2007, to design its products (HM. com). Product life cycle Product life cycle theory was proposed by Raymond Vernon, a professor of Harvard University, in 1966. Most product life-cycle curves are presented as bell-shaped including four stages: introduction, growth, maturity and decline (figure 2) (Baines, Fill Page, 2013). In introduction, when a products is brought to market, sales growth is slow and profits are virtually nil because of heavy introduction expenses. While the new product is accepted in the market, it could generate improvement of profit in growth. In maturity, the demands of market are of stabilization and saturation, and the profits stabilize or decrease due to higher competition. In decline, with the development of science and technology, new products or new substitutes appear which will make the customers turn to other new products. As a result, original product sales and profits decline rapidly. The products are entered into a recession (Kotler Keller, 2012). However, there are three special categories of product life cycle, style, fashion and fad (Kotler Keller, 2012). As a â€Å"fast fashion† clothing industry, the main feature is fashion and fad, so HM belongs to the life cycle of fashion and fad (figure3), its life cycle is very short. Generally, it takes only 21days to get a product from the design to a retail store and its products are updated about every two weeks (Fahy Jobber, 2012). 2. 4 Competitive positioning According to Kotler Keller (2012), all of marketing strategies would be based on STP concept, segmentation, targeting and positioning (Appendix 4). HM is a clothing retailer, who focuses on â€Å"fast-fashion† in clothing industry. It has numerous competitors including Gap, Top Man and Uniqlo. As a founder of â€Å"fast-fashion†, ZARA, part of the Inditex Group, HM’s key and most similar rival (Ganesan, 2012). By the end of the financial year 2012, HM had a total of 2,776 stores in 48 countries. In China, it has 134 stores and its sales (include Vat. ) was 5,411m (SEK) (HM annual report, 2012). Facing the fierce competition of clothing industry, HM has got its own competitive advantages. According to Kotler (1997), positioning is the act of designing the company’s offering and image so that they occupy a meaningful and distinct competitive position in the target customer’s minds. It means that the company need to concern with how customers in different parts of the market perceive the competing companies, products, services and brand (Hooley, Piercy Nicolaud, 2012). Competitive advantage According to Best (2014), a company competitive advantage could is divided into three main parts to analyze from differentiation, cost and marketing (Appendix 5). 2. 4. 1 Differentiation advantage It includes product quality, service quality, brand image and relative price. 2. 4. 1. 1 Product quality and relative price HM business concept is fashion and quality at the best price. Although HM usually stuck in problems of product quality in China, its quality is good comparing with its competitors ZARA (People’s daily online, 2012). Therefore, its relative price got 6 score and quality got 4score (Appendix). 2. 4. 1. 2 Brand image and product service The brand of HM is well known to most people in China, especially young people who live in first-tier cities. When HM opened new store, many people queued to get into the store (WantChinaTimes ,2011 EChinacities 2010). Although the brand image of HM is good, its service is not approved. For example, as the clothing size of HM is followed with European’s, so the trousers may be too long for Asian customers. Therefore, many trousers have to be cut short, but this service is not offered in China. By contrast, its competitor, Uniqlo, offers it for free, customers could get suitable trousers only with waiting for two hours (Uniqlo. cn, 2013). 2. 4. 2 Cost advantage It is an essential factor that enables HM to keeps a lower price in competition. 2. 4. 2. 1 Unit Cost and Transaction Cost It does not own any factories; instead, the company buys its products from approximately 800 independent suppliers (HM annual report, 2012). HM has own unique supply chain system. In order to reduce cost, it uses double supply chains. One is fast reaction chain to manage and control epidemic goods in Europe, primarily in Turkey, about 50 per cent of its products are produced here, and the process of production within no more than 4 weeks. The other is an efficient chain to manage and control production of basic style in Asia, primarily in China and Bangladesh. The process of production has long period, about 6 months. That is to say, one is European quick supply chain; the latter is Asian efficient one. The important point is about 30 per cent suppliers are based in China (Fahy Jobber, 2012). Therefore, the unit cost of HM is lower than other competitor’s. In contrast, ZARA has its own 22 factories in Spain, in order to ensure â€Å"fast-fashion† concept, most goods are produced in Europe, with higher product cost. Consequently, HM is able to keep lower price than its competitors in China. Compared with ZARA, the average price of HM is lower 30 per cent to 50 per cent. Some prices of basic clothes are lower than Uniqlo (Boyu-linen, 2011). Therefore, for the unit price, HM has more competitive advantages. Base on its mature supply system, the transaction cost is also lower than its competitors. 2. 4. 2. 2 Marketing expenses and overhead expenses To consider the marketing expenses, ZARA almost does not pay to advising. In comparison to other retailers, who spend 3 percent to 4 percent of revenues on big brand-building campaigns, Zara only spends 0. 3 percent (Kotler Keller, 2012). HM spends a hefty 4 per cent of revenues on marketing. It usually cooperates with top name designers, such as Karl Lagerfeld, Chanel’s designer, in 2004 (Jobber, 2010). Therefore, its marketing expenses are higher than ZARA. However, HM has not its own factory, which lead to reduce its overhead expenses. 2. 4. 3Marketing Advantage 2. 4. 3. 1 Market Share and Sales Coverage By the end of the financial year 2012, HM has 134 stores in China, a little more compared with ZARA’s 121 stores, and it had 0. 2 market share, ranking 36th (Hansegard Burkitt 2013). On the other hand, for the sales coverage, ZARA’s and HM’s are approximate 80% and 73% respectively in China, HM is lower (HM annual report, 2012 and ZARA annual report, 2012). 2. 4. 3. 2 Brand Awareness and Distribution The brand of HM is well known to most people in China, especially young people who live in first-tier cities. However, its brand awareness is lower than its competitors, such as ZARA Uniqlo (Appendix 6) (Aip, 2011). The distribution has been referred to the part of cost advantage, which has two supply chains to produce its products from suppliers. In addition, there are three main channels for its customers in the world, physical stores, catalogues and the internet (Fahy Jobber, 2012). However, HM has not only physical stores in China, but ZARA and Uniqlo both have online shop. Although HM has a better supply chain system, if it cannot appreciate online shopping, it will lose marketing share.

Global Marketing Market Opportunities Developing

Question: Discuss about the Global Marketing for Market Opportunities Developing. Answer: Introduction The study consists of finding market opportunities while developing a country-product opportunity brief. International market opportunities in Austrian market will be determined in the study. The Australian company chosen for international expansion in Austria is Donut King. Donut King is the biggest doughnut franchise in Australia that does not have any presence in the Austrian market. The company will expand its business operations in Austria. The Fast food market is competitive in nature. Donut King has a high reputation in the Australian market. However, the fast food market in Austria has a high prospect of growth in the coming years. A strong value in CAGR is noticed in the year 2015. Hence, it is forecasted that big business of fast food will find many opportunities in the market. The revenue collected from the restaurant and fast food companies in Austria is projected to reach 10.2 billion U.S dollars by 2016. Therefore, Donut King will have enough opportunities for earning h uge revenue from the Austrian market. The study consists of different types of internal and external market opportunities of Austrian fast food industry. The Australian organization before entering into a new market will conduct extensive market research regarding much information like customer trend, buying behavior, political risks, etc. to expand their business operations. Situation Analysis Business environment Description of business climate will include analysis of microenvironment and macroenvironment. The microenvironment of Donut King includes customers, competitors, public, suppliers, employees and marketing intermediaries. Microenvironment factors usually create a different level of impacts on various companies. Competition of Donut King refers to the fast food chain present in Austria Subway, KFC, Dunkin Donuts, Burger King, McDonalds, Au Bon Pain, Taco Bell, etc. Customers refer to the target group of customers in Austria (Stender et al., 2014). Clients of Donut King include people from all ages. Youngsters are also fond of donuts, softies, ice creams. While the adult consumes all types of food items served by the company. Suppliers include the raw material providers of Donut King in Austria. The company has to maintain a good supplier relation that will help in the smooth flow of business operations. Public of Donut King includes the customer segment of Austria. It has a responsib ility of serving quality products to the community as a whole (Schermer, 2015). In this way, goodwill is maintained. Marketing intermediaries of the company include all the business houses and individuals that are responsible for promoting the brand name of Donut King in Austria. Employers include the people of Austria associated with the organization. Donut King has to formulate employee benefits and HR policies as per the regulations of Austrian government for them. Macro environment analysis of Donut King refers to PESTEL analysis of Austria. Political: the Political scenario of Austria is very stable. From the year of 1955, the democracy of Austria is at peace. The country is ranked sixth by World Competitive Yearbook 2010 among 58 industrial companies. The company on its business expansion will not face any political disturbance. Economical: Market economy of Austria is well developed. The country has a high standard of living. The economy of the country is tied to the economies of European Union. Regarding GDP, Austria is recognized as one of the fourteenth richest countries of the world. After 2009, the growth of GDP in Austria is seen to be increasing by 2% in the year 2010. The International financial crisis created some impact on the financial institutions of Austria. Largest banks in Austria at that time faced some issues in providing loans to the national companies of Austria. Donut King will not face any economic issues in Austria (Geppert et al., 2016). Social: Social factors include nature of the people of Austria. Donut King is an Australian company. However, Austrian people will have different taste preference compared to Australian customers. Spending habits, buying habits, decision-making procedure of Austrian people will fall under the social factors. Cultural: European culture is prevalent in Austria. High standard living along with classic living, shopping habits, etc. is prevalent in Austrian culture. In 2009, Austria was ranked as no. 1 in lifestyle quality (DeVoe et al., 2013). Technology: Dearth of using modern techniques by Austrian company is very high. Environment: Industrial pollution and transit traffic in the connecting road link between north and south Europe are the environmental issues in Austria. Legal: Labor organizations along with labor laws are unyielding in Austria that creates vital impact in businesses. (Figure: Created by Author) Market Analysis Customer segmentation of Donut King is based on demographic and geographic, psychographic and behavioral segmentation pattern. Demographic factors of segmentation include age and income. Donut King will target people of all age groups belonging to middle and higher income group. Geographic factors of customer segmentation include place of work and living area of the customers. Psychographic factors are one of the most vital areas of segmentation of customers in Austria (DeVoe et al., 2013). They are a lifestyle, social class and personal characteristics of the consumers of the food in Austria. Donut King targets people with high lifestyle standards and social class. Personal characteristics include the person who is prone to have an affinity towards doughnuts, coffee, ice creams and other fast foods in the market. Behavioral segmentation includes factors of usage pattern spending habits and desired benefits. The usage pattern of foods refers to the frequency of consumption of fast fo ods by Austrian people (Reisch et al., 2013). Desired benefits mean the expectations of the consumers from the company or the benefits enjoyed by the customers of the enterprise. The global fast food market is very saturated in nature. The Same trend is followed in Austrian market also. Many fast food retail chains in Austria are selling different kinds of foods and drinks in the market. The foodservice market is expected to grow by 2.0% during the tenure of 2014 to 2019 (Sunde Siebert, 2014). The economy of Austria is booming that enhances the growth of the market at a very fast pace. Customers are segmented according to the nature of the market as well as different trends of consumer behavior. Donut King will earn a huge profit, as there is a huge craze of fast foods among the people of Austria. However, the company has to struggle in its initial phase to uphold its brand in the Austrian market (Kelly et al., 2012). Competitive Analysis As it is already mentioned that global fast food industry is almost saturated in most of the developed countries of the world. Many companies of fast foods are running their business operations in Austria. As per sales volume, McDonalds, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, Dunking Donuts, Wendy's, etc. acquire a good position in the global market. However, Donut King is one of the largest doughnut franchisees of Australia (DeFranco, 2014). These are the global companies of fast foods. Local fast food restaurants of Austria have a dominant presence in different places of Austria. People so prefer in eating and dining in local restaurants of the nation. SNockerl, Pommes Boutique, Wurstland Martina Verma, Balkan Grill Walter, Littly Italy, Stocker Metzgerei, etc. has a dominant landscape in the market. Researches had forecasted that McDonalds among all the other companies ranks 1st in the market regarding revenue and market share in 2015. Several major latest trends of innovation in food s, especially in burgers, help in upholding competition among the competitors (Yoder et al., 2016). However, Burger King has also portrayed a significant growth in Austrian market with the increase of franchise in the market. Revenue of global fast food industry is $581bn. Annual growth rate of the sector from 2011 to 2016 is 2.6%. People are becoming conscious about their diet habits. They are shifting their taste preferences from junk foods towards healthy foods. It is a reason for the decline in sales of the fast food companies around the world (Ibisworld.com, 2016). The European market is a vast market. There are many countries in Europe where people are consuming less fast food. Many businesses that can sustain in the market follow innovation. Organizational Analysis Donut King is the largest doughnut franchise in Australia. The company has managed to maintain a vital position among the Aussies. The company is famous not only for the adults but also brilliant for the kids. Donut King has a separate category of products for children that is an added advantage for the company. Nowadays, many companies have started the strategy of manufacturing some food items, especially for kids (Donut King :: About DK, 2016). However, the company has promotional strategies that increase the brand awareness of the company in the Australian market. The quality of the product along with its unique taste is the main competitive advantage of the company against other competitors in the target market. In Australia, many other fast food companies are specialized in selling the same ranges of products sold by Donut King in Australia (Czinkota Ronkainen, 2013). However, the company is successful in maintaining its number one position in the market. Following this strateg y, the company can earn a good reputation in the Austrian market. It is critical for Donut King to gain a clear idea about the trends and preferences of customers in Austria. Few modifications in the product can be done by the enterprise that would match the taste of local flavors of Austria. A hint of local flavor in the foods of Donut King will help the industry in gaining a greater competitive advantage in the market (Xu et al., 2015). The company attracts its customers by its vibrant bright, iconic pink color in the designing bold elements associated with the products such as packaging, containers, etc. The branding strategy of the company is energetic and playful in nature. It expresses the small actions of its customers as well as the performance of the enterprise (Akaka et al., 2013). Clients of Donut King like the designs of the donuts as it is intended in a creative way. SWOT Analysis The SWOT analysis of the company is formulated according to the situation analysis of the company in the perspective of Austrian market. The study will help the business to manage the risks of its target market i.e. Austria. Strengths: Strengths of Donut King includes its strong brand image in the Australian market, high quality of the products especially doughnuts and coffee, the unique design of the products, etc. Apart from this, the company is focused on excellent customer service along with improved promotional strategies and customer retention process. Weaknesses: Despite having a strong brand reputation in the market, Donut King still not have adopted globalization process in the global markets. The company can increase its range of products that can attract more customers. Opportunity: Fast food market of Austria has the immense possibility of growth of the enterprise. Donut King by its uniqueness in product designing and quality will be able to maintain its high predefined brand image in the market. People of Austria have strong preferences over fast foods that have unique taste and features in it. Threats: Apart from having many opportunities, there are many risks present in the Austrian market. Fast food market of Austria is occupied with many competitors like Dunkin Donuts, Mc Donalds, Starbucks, etc. These are the direct competitors of the company. Possibilities are there people may prefer doughnuts of these companies rather than Donut King. As it is new in the market and Conclusion The study consists of different competitor analysis and situation analysis of Donut King in the Austrian market. The company has to face many risks while adopting internationalization process such as risks in cross-cultural, commercial, financial, political and legal aspects. Donut King has to overcome these risks by following strategies of globalization in the Austrian market. It has to focus on technological dearth, change in management orientation, and communication transport. Extensive market research should be conducted while formulating strategies in different departments of operations to cope up with the problems that may come in the process of business operations in Austria. Donut King by following the above-mentioned analysis in a detailed way will successfully manage its globalization expansion in Austria. By keeping in track about the activities of rival companies of Austria, Donut King can formulate its new strategies in Austria that would increase the profitability of t he company in its Austria branch. References Akaka, M. A., Vargo, S. L., Lusch, R. F. (2013). 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