Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Outline Of Grendel And The Green Knight - 1013 Words

Outline Grendel and the Green Knight I. Introduction II. Grendel’s Malicious Ways a. Why He Does What He Does b. Grendel’s Demise c. Symbol Grendel Wishes To Represent III. Green Knight’s Ways a. The Challenge at Hand b. Results of the Conflict c. Sir Gawain’s Repentance of Shame IV. The Unseen Pattern a. Beowulf’s Lesson? b. Sir Gawain’s Lesson c. Who gets more out of the Journey? V. Conclusion Russ Williams 19 September 2015 Dr. Daniel Pigg Out of Class Essay #1 Grendel and the Green Knight After going over the tales and the moral of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and the herculean tales of the legendary Beowulf, the process of discovering brought out the interesting characteristics and actions of the antagonists of both of these tales. These antagonists seemed to have at least some form or way of trying to make a point or statement to a group of people or just one person. For example, in Beowulf, Grendel was hinted at being related to the devil after his bloodthirsty hunt of trying to eliminate the people of Heorot and even trying to kill Beowulf after being lead to all the noise from his nest. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the Green Knight had put Sir Gawain to the test to see if Sir Gawain was the â€Å"worthy† knight that King Arthur and the Round Table had made Gawain to be after he was able to chop off the Green Knight’s head in front of everyone during Christmas time. This essay will talk about what they have in c ommon and what they represent in theirShow MoreRelatedComparing Beowulf And Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Essay1555 Words   |  7 Pagesone value loyalty? Among the many values of the Anglo-Saxons, such as bravery, truth, and honor, above them all stands loyalty. Through an archetypal analysis, one may view how two major works of the Middle Ages, Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, both reflect attributes of loyalty, specifically the testing of one’s loyalty and the consequences of disloyalty, which reflect the behavior and values shared by the Anglo-Saxons and the people of the Late Medieval era. When analyzing loyaltyRead MoreChildrens Literature13219 Words   |  53 Pagesand his hold on life in a world without family or more than term-time security; and we know that Voldemort himself was abandoned by his Muggle father in childhood when he found out that his wife was a witch. But he is also the alien, the monster Grendel outside the feast hall, the creature of night whose one thought is to let me rip you ... let me tear you ... let me kill you ... (Chamber, 92). Voldemort is the culmination of the portrayals of malice and threat to identity in earlier 1990s fantasy

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Mba Statement of Purpose - 973 Words

Running head: PERSONAL STATEMENT TO PURSUE AN MBA Personal Statement to Pursue an MBA My personal statement begins with my American journey. A journey of faith and courage in the face of adversity that has taken me to where I am today. And it remains still a work in progress. And an MBA will surely help accelerate that. I was sixteen years old when my family left the Philippines, my birthplace and migrated to the United States to pursue the American dream that many in the world aspire for. Like all beginnings, I struggled with my first few steps and had mixed feelings about my new home. I was excited over the great promise of an American dream. But I felt unsure if I could adapt to a new culture and be truly†¦show more content†¦With the ongoing changes in my industry, I believe that acquiring an MBA will greatly enhance my skills as a pharmaceutical sales representative by learning advanced theory and application. With an MBA, I hope to accomplish two goals: (1) career advancement within my company with the end in view to taking on specialty sales or new leadership roles; (2) Open new opportunities within the medical field sales. With these goals in mind, I am well focused on building a solid and successful career in health care management. I believe my considerable work experience and the life’s challenges I have had to grapple with has provided the maturity and stability I need to be able to appreciate and fulfill the requirements of an MBA program. And since I am performing consistently well on my present job, now is the best time to pursue an MBA that I feel I am ready for and will find manageable. After doing my research on graduate schools, I found your university’s mission and program best suited for me. The school’s reputation, faculty, location, and great value are the main reasons why I decided to attend University of Phoenix. With my diverse background and inherently strong people skills, I can share my experience in global marketing classes and knowledge in how business is conducted in the Asian culture. I will be more than happy to contribute and share my sales knowledge, hard work and proven success with my classShow MoreRelatedStatement of Purpose Mba4301 Words   |  18 PagesSample Statement of Purpose: MBA The term â€Å"globalism† has become overused, and often misused. In fact, we might say that it has actually been devalued to the level of the everyday language of buzzword-brandishing marketing pundits. Such freewheeling usage has perhaps prompted many a CEO (or future CEO) to launch into a global plan or strategy without proper con sideration of the demands and dynamics of the international marketplace. Many would-be globetrotters neglect the acquisition of language skillsRead MoreStatement of Purpose for Mba1409 Words   |  6 PagesSTATEMENT OF PURPOSE â€Å"Complexity is your enemy. Any fool can make something complicated. It is hard to keep things simple.† Richard Branson Simple is hard, especially when it comes to websites and there are so many aspects which need to be treated with care and attention, that are seen in the end as an â€Å"easy to use website†. I constantly congratulate myself on my luck that I have experienced, and will continue to experience, a colorful life. Enamored of electronics and communication engineeringRead MoreMba Essay - Statement of Purpose1019 Words   |  5 PagesSTATEMENT OF PURPOSE â€Å"So many of our dreams seem impossible, then improbable, then inevitable†, Quotes the famous former film star, Christopher Reeve, bedridden with paralysis, giving hope and a new dimension to people in distress to look up to fulfil their dreams despite the many roadblocks in front of them. When one pursues the dreams relentlessly, the dreams do become inevitable and accessible. I have also taken inspiration from these brave words and feel one can achieve anythingRead MoreEssay about Statement of Purpose for MBA Program555 Words   |  3 Pagesbuild upon my education and experience base. I think a management course will add dimensions to my perspective. When looking at a problem I will be able to see it from more than one dimension, leading to better decision making capabilities. The MBA program at NMIMS will equip me with basic courses of Micro economics and statistics, group and organization dynamics along with electives such Business process management, e business and Information Security. This will open new horizons and add scopeRead MoreWhy I Learned Fundamental Accounting And Finance Courses845 Words   |  4 Pagesall the MBA courses that I have taken, it has become clear to me that the knowledge that I have obtained through these courses was significant in that it allowed me to efficiently understand the challenges and subsequent strategic decisions would have on an organization such as Big Rock. More specifically, in terms of quickly understanding the current challenges facing Big Rock, my accounting and finance courses were crucial in allowing me to quickly review Big Rock’s financial statement, which subsequentlyRead MoreMy Personal Action Plan For 20171464 Words   |  6 PagesPersonal Action Plan for 2017 are several goals that I need to achieve in order to reach my long-term personal objectives. They include, earning a promotion to Vice President, saving $3.5 million for retirement, maintaining my health, and attaining an MBA degree. All four long-term objectives are specific, relevant to me, in line with my life goals, and time-bound. Most importantly, they are attainable, so I can set new goals once these are met. Furthermore, I am cognizant of the temporal and financialRead MoreIndia Bulls,1072 Words   |  5 PagesREQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF DEGREE OF MBA 2O11-13 SUBMITTED BY GUIDED BY CHETAN SAPRA MS. SONALI MBA (FINANCE amp; MARKETING) DHARAMADHIKARI ROLL NO. 30 CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY This is to certify that the project report entitled â€Å"FINANCIAL ANALYSIS: A COMAPRATIVE STUDY OF INDIABULLS HOUSING FINANCE LTD.† Submitted to Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University, Pune in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of the degree of MBA is an original work carried out byRead MoreThe Mba Decision1525 Words   |  7 PagesThe MBA Decision Getting an MBA is one of these decisions that people at one point thought of as a level of education only few are able to attain. In time that perspective has changed and in recent calculations the number of MBA graduates has increased by 250% (Articlesbase, 2006). In the closing case, we address the questions below to help Ben with his MBA decision. Question 1 How does Ben’s age affect his decision to get an MBA? Time plays a huge factor in Ben’s decision to get his MBA and toRead MoreInternational Awareness And Intercultural Competence1574 Words   |  7 Pagesexperience (Lewin, 2009; VandeBerg, Paige, Lou, 2012). This is because study abroad is generally an undergraduate phenomena, and is much rarer at the graduate level. Graduate business education, particularly within MBA programs, is an exception. The proliferation of travel programs within in MBA programs, with the goal of teaching students the skills needed to be successful working in the global marketplace, can be directly linked to close relationship between Business Schools and multinational corporationsRead More7-11 Case Study Essay1010 Words   |  5 PagesAssignment #1 – MBA Choices in Finance Assigned Class 2 – Due 11:55pm on Sunday Week 4 75 Points – two page paper David Jetter graduated from college six years ago with a finance undergraduate degree. Although he is satisfied with his current job, his goal is to become an investment banker. He feels that an MBA degree would allow him to achieve his goal. After examining schools, he has narrowed his choice to either Prentice University or Mount Alliance College. Although internships are

Sunday, December 8, 2019

The Architecture and Design of Walter Gropius free essay sample

He was born in Berlin Germany on 18th May 1883 as the third child of Walter Adolph Gropius and Manan Auguste Pauline Scharn Weber. He studied in Technical Universities in Munich and Berlin. He started his career in 1908 as an architect with Peter Behrens who was a German Architect and designer. Noted architects Ludwig Mies and Le Corbusier were his colleagues there. Gropius continued there for two years and left Behrens in 1910and started private practice at Berlin together with Adolf Meyer. From here Gropius began to grow as a pioneer Architect and designer. In 1914 when the 2nd World War started Gropius was called to serve as a reservist as Sergeant Major and in the war front he was severely injured and reached near dying. But he came back to life. In 1919 Gropius was appointed as the Master in Grand Ducal Saxon School of Arts and Crafts in Weimer which he transformed into the famous ‘Bauhaus’ School. At Bauhaus he introduced new and innovative method of teaching. For about 15 years Gropius continued with Bauhaus. Many innovative structures and designs started to come out from Gropius in this period. He designed the housing projects Karl Sruhe in Berlin and Dessau. In 1934 Gropius left Germany for England and worked there for three years and went to USA. The house he built at Lincoln Massachussetts for him which said to be a prelude to the growth of international modernism in USA. Gropius subsequently joined Harvard Graduate School of design as a faculty in 1938 and continued there till 1952 (Walter Benjamin Research – www. question. com-waler Benjamin). In 1944 he became a naturalized citizen of America. In 1945 he founded the firm ‘The Architects Collaborative’ together with 7 other architects. Because of the financial problems TAC was officially closed in 1995. Walter Gropius was a man with enormous talents in architecture and design. He began designing buildings with innovative ideas and modern structure. Whatever structures and designs he created were an example to modernism. From 1910-1911 to 1967-69, Gropius has done many projects which are exemplary to modern architecture and design. The following three major projects done by Gropius depicts the architectural talents and modern vision in construction. Fagus Factory Fagus Factory built in 1911-13 is a shoe last factory in Germany. It stands as a reflection of the modern architecture. The building was designed by architect Eduard Werner and its Facades were designed by Gropius and Meyer. Gropius got the opportunity to design the Facade of the building consequent to the displeasure of the owner the factory building Carl Bencheidt with the design of Werner. The construction started in 1911 on Werner’s plan and the owner wanted to run the factory in the same winter. To a certain extent this was achieved. While the Facade work was in progress the owners decided to build a small building but it necessitated double the surface due to expansion of the business and the owners decided to go in for a major expansion and Gropius entrusted with the contract for the construction. Now Gropius and Meyer became the sole architects of the project. The expansion work started in 1913 but was interrupted due to the First World War. After the War the work was restarted and completed. With the assistance of Bauhaus students and teachers the interiors were designed. The main building is referred to as the Fagus building constructed in 1911 according to Werner’s plan but the glass Facades redesigned by Gropius and Meyer and they expanded in 1913. The interiors contained mainly offices. Production hall and ware house were in the other two buildings on the site. The production hall is a one storey building and the ware house a four storey building with few openings. Fagus factory was Gropius’ first major project. Gropius started the work of this building on the already existing plan. According to the inner functions, the whole operational procedure was reconceived and three-dimensional form was articulated. ‘Gropius designed an attractive Facade for this building in a special way by means of a projected steel skeleton which pulled the function of support to the inside, thereby making possible a broad dissolution of the exterior envelop into glass walls; the idea of curtain wall was at this point first expressed in a consistent manner’ (Udo Kulter Mann – architecture of the 20th Century – page 32,33). The Glass Facade gave an impression that the main building was made of concrete and steel but it was not like that. The design of the building was in such a way that though it was different unit, it appeared a unified whole. The use of floor to ceiling glass windows on invisible steel frames around the corners of the building made this look. The use of black bricks on the base of all buildings at a height of 40 cms and the use of yellow bricks for the rest gave a feeling of lightness or ‘Etherealization’ as it was called by Gropius. The use of optical refinement of the windows, longer and taller windows enhanced the feeling of lightness. The design of the building was oriented to the rail road as the owner considered that that will give a good impression on the minds of the travelers who view it while passes there. ‘The animated fluctuation in height, the change between the horizontal structure and vertical rhythms, heavy closed volumes and light dissolved fabrics are indicators of an approach that deliberately utilized contrasts while arriving at a harmony of opposites in a manner best expressed as a pictorial of visual structure created from the perspective of the railroad tracks’ (Anne Marie Jaeggi 2000-page 38). The Fagus factory was built using a combination of masonry and steel constructions. Gropius is best known for Bauhaus the style of architecture and design but as an architect he earned fame from his first main project Fagus Factory. The design of the Fagus factory has the influence of AEG’s Turbine factory designed by Peter Behrens. The turbine and Fagus factory have corners free of supports. The Bauhaus The Bauhaus is a School in Germany that existed for imparting education in Art, Architecture, Painting and sculpture. Bauhaus started consequent to the merger of the Grand Ducal School of arts and crafts school. The Bauhaus style of architecture became one of the most sought after styles in the architecture scenario. The Bauhaus could influence the future developments in art, architecture, graphic design, interior design, industrial design and typography. The period between the end of o1st World War and Hitler assuming power in 1933 saw the birth of modern architecture in Germany (Eck Hard Bernstein page 177). Walter Gropius and Ludwig Mies, the two German Architects, were the power in revolutionizing the architecture. The Bauhaus; the architectural and design School where Walter Gropius and Mies are taught, altered the look of things like the chair, the tea cup, the wall paper, the coffee grinder and silver ware in the kitchen, the lamp in the study etc. (Eck Hard Bernstein page 177). Gropius founded Bauhaus in 1919 in the city of Weimer. The very purpose of Bauhaus existence was to bring a radical concept to re imagine the material world to reflect the unity of arts. Gropius explained this re imagination as the combining of architecture, design, painting and sculpture into a creative expression. The aim of Bauhaus was ‘Unity of art and Technology’ to give artistic direction to industry. The Bauhaus style of architecture became one of the influential forces in the modern architecture and design. The Bauhaus curriculum consisted in preliminary courses and practical training in the workshop. The school functioned in three German cities examples are, Weimer from 1919 to 1925, Dessau from 11925 – 1932 and Berlin from 1932-1933 under the directorship and three directors. From 1919 to 1927 Gropius was the Director. The frequent changes in the venue adversely affected in focusing on the important functions of the school. The school continued till 1933 when it was closed by Nazi regime. Gropius founded the School in Dessau and he announced that he intends to combine architecture, arts and drafts. Gropius designed the building for Dessau School. The facilities combined teaching, student and faculty members’ housing, an auditorium and office spaces. ‘The Pin Wheel Configuration when viewed from the air represents in form the propellers of the air planes manufactured in the Dessau area. This complex embodies various technological and design oriented advancements including a pet chance for glazing, the creation of architecture of transparency with the supporting structure rising behind the facing skins. It was a radical structure populated by progressive minds touting a unique group – oriented approach to learning’ (Darlene Levy page 54- 56). Due to its location Bauhaus School at Dessau is compared to a Ship Captains’ command bridge. The school and workshop, the administrative block, the architects private office rooms are just like connected wings or bridge. The technical construction of the school building reveals the utilization of the latest technological development of the time. The whole construction consisting of a total area of 32450 cubic meters was completed for a cost of 902500 marks (Udo Kulter Mann page 37-38). In the new construction technique the separating function of the wall as in a brick built house was abolished and the space saving construction transferred the whole load of structure to steel or concrete frame work. The new construction technique reduced the role of the wall just to screens preventing rains, cold or noise. The architecture technique brought by Gropius changed the patterns of windows. The changes brought in provided the building flat roof giving space for useful purposes, avoided timber rafters, gave prove provision for additional constructions, eliminated unnecessary surface giving chance for wind and rain to act Walter Gropius – page 25-30). Dessau school’s construction is considered to be one of the finest works of Gropius which brought in a new concept in architecture. Gropius’ architectural mode was very simple avoiding extensive ground decoration and exclusive use of glass. The Bauhaus school did not offer architecture till 1927. Gropius and Meyer found no distinction between the output of their office and that of the school. Gropius approached the study of design education in different way that allowed combining designing with technology. Students received basic training on craft to acquaint with materials and processes. The new training gave the students much insight into the production process and the high awareness brought in revolutionized the design. The most important thing about Bauhaus school is that it accelerated modernism in architecture and Industry in Germany. Another important contribution of Bauhaus is in the field of furniture design. The cantilever chair and wassily chair are two examples. Gropius wrote in the Bauhaus manifesto that the ultimate aim of visual arts is building. Visual arts are no more decorative pieces. The visual arts now exists in isolation are to be brought together for the building for which there must be conscious efforts on the part of architects, sculptors, painters and designers. Bauhaus’ school at Dessau became an example for this. Architects, sculptors, painters, designers assembled there and became a training centre and production centre. Gropius House Gropius house was the residence of Gropius when he settled in USA. It is located in Lincoln, Massachusetts. This was his first architectural project in USA. It was built in 1938. It remind as his home till the end of his life. The construction system for this building was wood, frame and vertical wood siding. The construction system of the building highly influenced the American architecture. The Gropius house was constructed on an international style. The simplicity of the style, well designed and mass produced fittings used for the construction have the root of principles applied in Bauhaus. Gropius house is designed to work theatrically as a whole. The lighting in the house is like in an art gallery and the exterior flood lights illuminate the trees in the garden. The color combination of the house has got some peculiarities. Only minimalist color scheme is used in the house as whole. Black, white, pale grey and earth colors with red splashes sparsely are the colors used. The house when it was built caught the attention of many. The total simplicity and the landscape the around the building were planned for maximum efficiency. The house stands on one of the most charming places of USA in the midst of an orchard having 90 apple trees. The structure of the house consist of the traditional materials like wood, brick and field stone and light wood frame covering with white painted clap board siding vertically (S. Giedion – page 71). The house was built keeping in mind utmost economy and the total construction cost came to only 18000 pounds. The pieces of furniture used in the house were design by Marcel Breur; the Hungarian born, American Architect and furniture designer. On the structure and design of the house its creator Gropius opined that the process of building is splitting into shop production materials and the assembly of such parts on the site. The importance of pre fabricated building components is coming up high rather than the old houses. Terming construction of the house as international style, Gropius commended that he built the house in his own concept mixing with the New England architectural tradition and that he would never build such a house in Europe where the climatic and the technical backgrounds are entirely different (Walter Gropius scope of total Architect 1956). Walter Gropius is regarded as one of the great Architects in the modern world. He has designed and built a number of buildings in Germany, England and America. He was not only an Architect but he was an educationalist as well. As an educationalist, his greatness was in that he did not put forward any dogmatic policies but he acted as a balance between the rational and aesthetic views. Gropius made innovative building designs using modern technology and he believed in industrial production of building materials and pre fabrications of house materials. He transformed building construction into a precise mathematical calculation. Gropius married Alma Mahler, the widow of Gustav Mahler; the noted Orchestral and operatic conductor and a daughter -Manon- was born to them. Gropius and Alma divorced in 1920. Three years later he married Ise Frank and that relation lasted till the end. Gropius died in 1969 at the age of 86.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Strategic operations management Macys Inc

Introduction Operations management is an approach to the management practice in which executives of the firm plan, supervise and control all the business processes (Bowman, 2009). The management process is also concerned with redesigning as well as realigning the operations of the firm to attain the specific goals.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Strategic operations management: Macy’s Inc specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The process of designing and realigning involves coming up with various strategies including business strategies, operations strategies as well as corporate strategies that are critical in the attainment of the organizational goals (Chase et al., 2007). In essence, strategic operations management encompasses strategies and procedures that the firm undertakes to achieve its goals. The paper examines the way organizations apply strategic operations management processes, in particul ar, the business and operations strategies. Macy’s Inc is one of the companies that have utilized strategic operations in the management processes. The paper critically examines Macy’s operations and business strategies. In the analysis, the paper will examine the linkages between operations strategy and business strategies in the attainment of the organizational goals through the application of various analytical tools including PESTEL, porter’s five forces, BCG, supply chain and the value chain. In addition, the paper will also examine various technological applications that are critical in the supply and value chain applied in the operations strategies. The link between operations and business strategies Operations strategies and business strategies Operations strategies refer to an organization’s layout detailing the decisions that the business utilizes to achieve the set targets (Cigolini et al., 2004). Operations strategies involve designing, superv ising and control of the business processes in order to attain the set goals and objectives. On the other hand, business strategies entail practices that businesses utilizes to achieve the long-term objectives such as growth, allocation of resources and globalization (De Treville et al., 2004). In addition, business strategies encompass the way a business carries out its accomplishments compared to the rivals. In other words, business strategies involve processes that contribute to competitive advantage. The company, mission and vision Macy’s, Inc, a subsidiary of Macy’s company, is one of the leading national retailers dealing in a variety of products including furniture galleries, clothing, jewelry, beauty products, accessories as well as footwear among others. The firm was founded in 1929 and has corporate headquarters in New York and Cincinnati. In addition, the company operates over eight hundred departmental stores as well as furniture arcades in over forty state s. The company currently has over 170,000 personnel.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Macy’s Inc. vision is to be an Omni-channel retailer that provides iconic trademarks in its stores as well as through dynamic online websites worldwide. Further, the firm’s familiarity with the needs of clients is critical in maintaining unique identity and focus to the consumers. The mission of the firm is to achieve augmented sales levels of products. Further, the corporation strives to expand profitability, enhance return on capital as well as maximize the returns on equity. The company strives to maintain and expand its share in the retail chain market by offering merchandise of high value to the consumers through the combination of fashion and quality at economical prices. As such, the firm seeks to undertake a number of strategic issues to maintain its position i n the retail chain market. In addition, in order to offer the customers the best shopping experiences, Macy’s Inc. is developing skills in its retail operations. Actually, the personnel of the company is recruited based on skills and strength. The firm has also increased the focus on the needs of the millennial clients that account for the largest proportion of the nation’s populace. In essence, the company plans to improve sales and profits by offering products to the customers between the ages of 13 and 30 years. Macy’s Inc. operations focus on the satisfaction of the customer needs. As such, through the talented and the experienced personnel, the company undertakes aggressive execution of customer-centric tactics to the attainment of competitive edge of rivals. In addition, the company’s openness and honesty in conversing with the stakeholders ensure proactive transfer of information between stakeholders updating the personnel, suppliers, company analy sts and media on current invaluable operational developments. The skills, judgment and talents of Macy’s Inc. personnel are significant in the operations of the corporation. In other words, the employees work to enormous extents in ensuring the achievements of the strategic goals of the firm. In fact, the workforce is essential in the attraction and retention of clients, thereby gaining competitive advantage. Macy’s Inc. business strategy The firm’s business tactics encompass My Macy’s localization, multi-channel integration and MAGIC selling strategies. The business strategies play significant roles in propelling sales levels. To begin with, through My Macy’s localization strategy, Macy’s molds the merchandise as well as the shopping experiences in specific stores to the customers frequenting such stores. Through, this strategy, the firm has gained significant competitive advantages over rival firms since Macy’s is capable of providi ng customers with exact products in the right localities and at the precise moment (Evans Berman, 2001). In addition, the firm’s â€Å"My Macy’s 2.0.† internal initiative has augmented sophistications the company service delivery to the clientele.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Strategic operations management: Macy’s Inc specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Secondly, the multi-channel strategy has enhanced the company’s sales in a number of ways. For instance, the tactic incorporates the stores to the internet as well as mobile gadgets that allow the delivery of stock to customers in any locality. Additionally, the strategy utilizes online fulfillment centers that deliver merchandise to clients in different regions leading to improved customer shopping experience. Third, MAGIC selling strategy allows the firm to meet and engage clients through asking questions, giving op tions and pieces of advice as well as inspiring the clients to purchase the firm’s products. Further, the MAGIC selling process has ensured customer contentment leading to increasing sales (Gunasekaran et al., 2004). Strategic operations The company strategic operations revolve around reaching the target clients at the shortest time possible, in the most convenient way and at the least cost possible. As such, the company strives to create a channel of distribution that endeavors to attain the major operational goals. The strategic operations are based on the company mission of providing value to the customers. The strategic operations of the company include modernized supply chain, customer-oriented management and the corporate strategies that are supported by suitable technological applications. The company is currently focusing on offering satisfying customer shopping experience in all its stores. As such, the company aims to streamline and harmonize operations in all its r etail stores as well as supply chain processes in order to respond speedily to the needs and requests of the customers. The significant program in the retail store’s operations is to discover and disseminate best-in-class practices, procedures and measures to guarantee continuous implementation of novel and innovative standards. Technology is the major driver to attain the required standards. The company’s regular guide will provide comprehensible and viable course of action for the retail store’s development, illustratable supply of products as well as in-store communication procedures to set up perfect implementation and operational excellence. In addition, the company has continued to adapt system landscape, supply chain as well as exchange demanding scheduling procedures. The adaptation of the business processes will enable the firm to enhance in-season flexibilities experienced in the fashionable products, attain increased responsiveness to varying trends a nd to accomplish the economies of scale in all the retail activities.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Essentially, all the company operations are focused on fulfilling the consumer needs. As such, the company has adopted the sell-through oriented perspective or pull model in the strategic operations. The current strategic operations of the firm can be observed in increased capital investments on the development and improvement of its stores. For instance, the company has developed Herald Square store in New York to combine all the products under one roof, increasing the growth of the company sales. The diversification processes of the operations require that the firm’s supply chain reflect the customer needs as well as vision and mission of the company. Moreover, the company is also focusing on the supply chain design that mirrors the client needs to enhance the sourcing of distinctive merchandise to the stores. The adaptation of the appropriate supply chain design results in increased competitive advantage. Environmental analysis Porter’s five forces The analysis of t he retail chain industry in which Macy’s operates exploits the application of five forces model developed by Porter. The model provides the necessary tools that are critical in the appraisal of the competitiveness of the companies within the retail chain industry (Heikkilà ¤, 2002). Most importantly, the model offers analytical tool on how the external environment has influenced the strategic operations and business strategies. The buyers bargaining power The consumers can effortlessly surrogate the products and services offered by Macy’s company in the retail industry through purchasing the products provided by other companies in the industry. As a result, the organization’s share of the market can be abated. Therefore, the buyers have high bargaining power in the industry. Bargaining power of sellers Companies within the retail chain trade control higher proportion of the market. As a result, the firm engages large number of suppliers in business. The control of larger segments of the market gives power to the Macy’s since the firm can create scarce strategies to the suppliers by switching to other potential manufactures and wholesalers effortlessly and cheaply. In principle, the suppliers in the retail industry enjoy low purchasing power. Threats of new market entrants The ever-increasing competition in the retail chain industry due to the mushrooming of other industries in the trade compels the firms to incur additional expenses. Actually, Macy’s incurs the additional costs in sustaining trademark devotion as well as marketing of products. Most importantly, the presence of outstanding delivery chains, localities, and trademark as well as the financial capital of the companies provide the advantage of warding off potential competitors Competitive rivalry in the industry Companies operating in retail industry are very aggressive. However, due to the market leadership capabilities of Macy’s in the industry, establish ment of the operations in the industry is uncomplicated. In other words, the company utilizes its technological advancements as well as financial strengths, thereby increasing the competitive edge over the other firms. In addition, the increased competition in the trade reduces the share of market controlled by corporation. In this industry, competition is high. Threat of substitute products The players in the retail chain industry offer similar diverse products. The existing firms in the industry offer convenience and low prices, thereby augmenting substitute threats. Moreover, consumers are embracing online shopping due to price benefits gained from the companies by passing savings to buyers. The sprawling of various alternatives presents the Macy’s with frantic operations. As a result, the corporation ventures Boston Consulting Group (BCG) analysis The BCG is an invaluable framework utilized in the appraisal of Macy’s trademarks portfolio strategic position (Hansen Birkinshaw, 2007). Further, the tool is important in comprehending the investment decisions that Macy’s Inc. should undertake. BCG MATRIX Relative market share Stars The stars entail the products that do better than the rivals in the market operations do (Shanahan, 2002). In Macy’s Inc., online sales are classified under stars since they provide greater prospects for increasing the company’s proceeds. Therefore, the firm should increase investments and development of online sales. In fact, over 40% increase was realized in online vending in 2011. Therefore, online sales are invaluable in the lasting achievement of Macy’s. Cash Cows The cash flows represent the goods that enable the company to attain leadership position in the market. However, the goods bear minimal growth prospects in the future. The over 800 departmental stores continue to provide constant flow of returns that can be ventured in Stars. Question Marks The products with low proportion of the market but have high prospects for growth in the market is accounted for by the Question marks (Langabeer, 2000). Private labels brands such as clothing designs have the potential of capturing the market share through the provision of funds for innovation to make the brands attractive to the consumers. Dogs Dogs refer to the goods with a low proportion of the market and are not attractive as well as have low growth prospects (Porter, 2000). Macy’s warehouse stores fall under the Dogs category since the company does not sell products in bulk compared to competitors such as BJ’s and Costco wholesale clubs. In essence, the company should not invest further in warehouses. PESTEL analysis Political aspects Macy’s Inc. recognizes the significant role played by the political environment in ensuring trust and success in the operations. For instance, the friendly and stable political environmental enables smooth operations of the firm. Economic aspects The firm cont inues to experience growth in the operations as well as sales in America through the utilization of multi-channel stores. Additionally, the firm’s returns on invested capital and cash flows have increased over the years leading to enhanced shareholder value. Socio-cultural aspects Culture influences the performance and productivity of Macy’s in a number of ways. First, the corporation recognizes the worth of its personnel’s ideas and beliefs without prejudice. The company also satisfies its client social assurance by the provision of high-quality goods and services Technological aspects The utilization of contemporary technology enables efficiency and competitiveness of Macy’s. For instance, the company’s online shopping experience has increased the company’s sales as well as proceeds. Further, the utilization of computer tablets and hand-held gadgets has increased competitiveness and efficiency. Environmental aspects The company recognizes the significance of environmental sustainability. As such, the firm improves the environment through the elimination of wasteful undertakings as well as utilizing the scarce resources efficiently. Legal aspects The flexible legal requirements in the US provide an environment that is conducive for Macy’s operations. Further, the company adheres to the legal regulations concerning quality, safety and job conditions of the employees. Supply chain management and service delivery The delivery of products at Macy’s focuses on the improvement of its transportation channels such as cubes and containers (Yu, 2012). The firm also supplies products through online sources, mobile as well as stores. Further, through the company’s multi-channel delivery approach, the products of the firm are provided to the consumers in incorporated and holistic channels. The link of operational strategy to business strategy The achievement of the company’s optimal targets depends on t he relationship between the strategic operations and the business strategies (Smith, 2002). For instance, the multi-channel integration, MAGIC selling and localization operation strategies of the firm must adhere to the conditions dictating the business environment such as political, economic, socio-cultural, technological, environmental and legal aspects. In addition, the firms operations including the delivery series and service delivery to customers must de designed in such a way that counter the threats that may jeopardize the operations of the firm in the market such new competitive rivalry in the market, ease of product substitution as well as new market entrants (Irwin, 2003). Moreover, the layout of business choices that are critical in the attainment of objectives must consider the performance of the firm’s products in the market to aid in the development of framework for appraising brand portfolio in trade. Strategic appraisal of strategic operations Supply chain an d value chain analysis Macy’s Inc. has managed to create efficient distribution channels for its products as well as increased worth of operations through the utilization of technology leading to increased sales and precise inventory (Lakshminarasimha Vijayan, 2008). For instance, through the utilization of Electronic data interchange (EDI) and bar code scanning, the company is capable of effectively tracking stocks in delivery locations. Further, the utilization of the departmental stores for brick-and-mortar sales and fulfillment centers have increased the efficiency in the delivery of orders made through the web. Moreover, with the adoption of the Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, the firm can read the various inventory tags delivered at a distance. Actually, the use of RFID has led to augmented levels of sales and delivery of inventory as well as efficiencies. The technology has also ensured reduced expenses. In principle, the RFID expertise has enabled M acy’s to achieve value through improving the accuracy of the firm’s inventory. In other words, the expertise enables the incorporation of warehouse management structure and bar code scanning processes as well as standard cycle inventory calculations in the supply centers, thereby increasing stock accuracy by over ninety percent. Moreover, the technology is invaluable in increasing sales and reducing costs through pushing the tagging of inventory to the vendors. Exploitation of value chain and quality Macy’s Inc. has undertaken various steps to organize its operations through the integration and cooperation of communication as well as production chambers to ensure increased value and satisfaction for clients (De Treville et al., 2004). The firm also utilizes the value chain to increase efficiency in the distribution of inventory. Macy’s Inc. majorly utilizes technology in its activities to operate efficiently as well as offer quality products to the consum ers. For instance, the use of RFID technology has enabled augmented sales through stimulating the multi-channel strategy. In fact, the technology has led to increased online sales by over forty percent. The expertise also increases consumer satisfaction through provision of assistance in the selection of products. In addition, the denim fit finder and beauty shop have enabled the selection of perfect brands across multiple brands. Moreover, the use of RFID expertise has enabled precise placement of inventory according to insignia, magnitude and fashion accelerating delivery and efficiency. Essentially, values in operations are undertaken to add more value to the products the company offer to the consumers. Conclusion In conclusion, the strategic operations of Macy’s Inc depend on its operations tactics and business strategies. The firm employs multi-channel, localization and MGIC selling strategies in the operations. The operations strategies depend on the macro-environment f orces such as competitors, technological, political, socio-cultural, and economic aspects as well as well as customer needs in industry that Macy’s operates. In addition, the provision of high-quality products to the customers is paramount the firm. Moreover, the utilization of innovative expertise is critical in ensuring the attainment of effective value and effective inventory delivery channels. 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