Gender, Culture and the Media Essay Example for Free

Gender, Culture and the Media Essay Media, in the context required, is a term used to define an interactive transmission that is visualized and then especially designed to reach a large audience, for e. g. a whole nation. These audiences, however, are very different from one another, depending on their culture and gender identities. The variance in culture and sexual identities, have an obvious impact on media which is why there is a dire need for exploring the relationship between the two. The most important tool in exploring and understanding the relationship between media and culture is communication. This is because communication plays a very effective role in the manner through which interaction is carried out with the masses (Gaunlett, 2002). For this purpose, extreme emphasis is given to the cultural differences that may occur. Such is the case of international campaigns or chains of restaurants; whenever they want to promote any product, they have to consider the differences, and keeping these differences in mind, they alter their product accordingly for e. g. , McDonalds in India, do not usually serve their people beef burgers as cow is sacred to them. Likewise, Indian people can relate more to it than others who are just viewing this product on an Indian channel. On this note, I would like to add that it is also a TV channel’s responsibility to be aware of the ethics with regard to culture. Although, media is known to show us situation and relationships from other people’s point-of-view, the impact is originated from a certain culture or social class, for that matter. However, it has been changing from time to time with the global development. So, we can say that the relationship between media and gender today, is different from how it was years ago. The reason is because people’s thought have changed in the passing years, the role models have changed and the attitudes of people have changed, which without doubt influences media. It is for these contemporary audiences that the media has to alter whatever it promotes, in the manner that is much acceptable to them. The rest is mere perception on the audience’s part. Talking about the perception of various people and how they interact with things like talk shows, MTV, the Internet, soap operas, television sitcoms, dramatic series etc. , it is very likely to notice that the people interact with the media on the basis of their culture and gender identities (Dines, 2008). An example is that of Lorillard’s Newport cigarettes, introduced in 1957, which after its struggle period in the early stages of introduction, became very popular with the African American crowd. Another comment on the same example is that Newport cigarettes contain menthol, which is supposed to be associated with women mostly. Relating this with media, the advertisements for this brand also focused on African American people in the beginning, as they had identified them as their target market. With the change in society and changing views of people, Newport gained its market recognition and broadened their target market and today it owns a most coveted place in the tobacco industry. In the society that we live in today, people dedicate a lot of time to television, magazines, surfing the net, and other publications. As a result, it is very inevitable to say that they come across culture and advertising almost everyday. Among these people, a large segment belongs to the younger generation, who are particularly sensitive and relatively effected much easily by the same. Childhood culture is an inter-textual universe which connects TV programs to movies, videogames, toys, T-shirts, shoes, games, crayons, coloring books, bed linens and towels, pencil cases, lunch boxes etc. This is where the impact part comes into play, which media has on children and that which the children have on the media (Geertz, 1977). One of the greatest impacts of the above stated example on media is that when a television program (for kids) is produced, a lot of things have to be taken into consideration. Not too much violence, abusive language or false imagery should be used. As far as sexual identity is concerned, men and women have different views, likes and dislikes, regarding different things. Women are more likely to read magazines like Gourmet, Culinary Trends, Bon Appetite, Food and Wine etc. Lately, men have also developed a similar trend in reading magazines but there choices are those like Extreme Sports, Chicago Sports, and Sports Illustration etc. Another aspect is that of men leading the global scene. When it comes to voiceovers, men dominate, regardless of the product. Men continue to work in their late ages on screen whereas women tend to disappear in their late thirties. Facial lines and grey hair are considered to be signs of maturity in males, while the same would pronounce females ‘old’ and not fit for TV (Buikema, 2009). On the other hand, it is also reported to have said that with the developing sense of equality with regard to sexes, the Times magazine cover wondered if feminism was dead in June 1998. To sum up, the media shows us situations and relationships from other people’s point-of-view and we begin to think that we can now see ‘how the world works’, in lives other than our own. Soap-operas showing how neighbors, friends and lovers interact with each other are not behaviors that the media has created by itself. It is the likes of people that have affected media to follow the same. That too, varies from culture to culture. Some counties believe in open cultures while others observe closed culture where too much intimacy and involvement is not look upon as appropriate. People claim that the reference points for them are film and TV but actually it’s the way round- people, their cultures and genders influence upon the way they interact with the media. References: Buikema, R. , Tuin I. , (2008), â€Å"Doing Gender in Media, Art and Culture†. Routledge Dines G. , McMahon J. , (2008), â€Å"Gender, Race, and Class in Media: A Text-reader†. Sage Publications Gauntlett D. , (2002), â€Å"Media, Gender, and Identity: An Introduction†. Routledge Geertz, C. (1977). The Interpretation of Cultures. Basic Books

Importance of the Handicraft Industry

Importance of the Handicraft Industry Introduction Handicrafts are unique expressions and represent a culture, tradition and heritage of a country. The Handicraft Industry is one of the important productive sector. Various attempts have been made to define this broad and diversified industry. The following definition strives to cover diversity and complexity of Handicraft Industry. Defining Handicrafts: Definition According to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization/Information Technology Community (UNESCO/ITC) International Symposium on Crafts and the International Market: Trade and Customs Codification, Manila, Philippines, October 1997:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Products which are produced either completely by hand or with the help of tools. Mechanical tools may be used as long as the direct manual contribution of the artisan remains the most substantial component of the finished product. Handicrafts are made from raw materials and can be produced in unlimited numbers. Such products can be utilitarian, aesthetic, artistic, creative, culturally attached, decorative, functional, traditional, religiously and socially symbolic and significant. Definition according to Govt. of India: Product which is made by hand; should have some artistic value; they may or may not have functional utility. The Importance of Handicrafts The Cultural Importance: Handicrafts play very important role in representing the culture and traditions of any country or region. Handicrafts are a substantial medium to preserve of rich traditional art, heritage and culture, traditional skills and talents which are associated with peoples lifestyle and history. The Economic Importance: Handicrafts are hugely important in terms of economic development. They provide ample opportunities for employment even with low capital investments and become a prominent medium for foreign earnings India is a country of rich culture, history and traditions. India is one of the major producer and supplier of Handicrafts products in the world. India has been major producer and supplier of handicrafts products since very long time. Before the industrial development, this art and industry was a potential economic advantage for the country. During recent years, the importance of handicrafts has been surged due to their cultural and financial values. The small scale industries including handicrafts can play a major role in the development of the economy of both developed and the developing countries equally. The 90-95% of the total industrial products of the world are produced in small workshops run by less than 100 people. For instance, Japan, which is at the peak of the economic development, has considered 84% of the its industries as small and medium scale industries. In countries such as India and China, handicrafts are as high as the mechanized products in quality and volume, and are a major source of their foreign earnings. These countries are focusing on the development of handicraft industry, in order to strengthen the economy. The Indian handicrafts industry is highly labor intensive, cottage based and decentralized industry. The industry is spread all over the country mainly in rural and urban areas. Most of the manufacturing units are located in rural and small towns, and there is huge market potential in all Indian cities and abroad. Handicraft industry is a major source of income for rural communities employing over six million artisans including a large number of women and people belonging to the weaker sections of the society. The Handicraft sector is highly creative sector and produces large variety of crafts products. This industry is localized segment of the domestic and international market. In India the production of craft products are done on both large and small scale. Because of low capital investment people can start their business on small scale. Through this flexibility the demand and supply can be managed. Though Indian Handicraft industry is considered a cottage industry, but it has evolved as one of the major revenue generator over the years. There has been consistent growth of 15% over few years and the industry has evolved as one of the major contributor for export and foreign revenue generation. There is huge demand for the Indian Handicraft products in both national and international market. To match the demand and supply with quality, there is need to have greater technological support and innovativeness with the uniqueness in industry. Key Facts Of Indian Handicrafts Industry Indias rich cultural diversity and heritage provides a unique and huge resource for developing craft products. The Indian Handicraft Industry is showing continuous growth rate of 20% every year. Handicrafts industry is one of the important segment of decentralized sector in India. Major parts of industry operates in rural and semi urban areas throughout the country and has potential Indian and International market with around 67000 exporters to tap the market. According to the national census of handicrafts, undertaken by the National Council for Applied Economic Research the value of handicrafts produced last year were of Rs.26,213 Crore. This Industry provides huge employment opportunities to artisans that include women and people belonging to backward and weaker society. This is one of the major source of income there. The Indian Handicraft Industry is a $100 billion industry worldwide. Indias contribution in world market is 1.2% The total exports of crafts items: Rs. 13412.92 Crore. Industrys share in Indias exports:- 1.51 % In spite of having diversified products, some part of Indian market are still untapped and market is price sensitive. Products are high priced in big and metro cities, which are beyond, reach of people belonging middle and lower middle class. Craft producers have to compete on price, quality and delivery for different segments. There is poor promotion for craft products in national market. There is lack of awareness about new traditions and among craftsmen and there is need of technological support and training. Classification Handicrafts industry comprises diversified products portfolio and there is large variety available in market. Handicrafts products can be distinguished into following: Metal ware, Wood ware, Hand printed textiles, Embroidered and crocheted goods, Shawls, Carpets, Bamboo products Zari goods, Imitation jewellery Paintings, Earthenware, Jute products, Marble Sculpture, Bronze Sculpture Leather Products and other miscellaneous handicrafts. Handicraft industry in India is spread throughout the country with greater concentration in rural and suburban areas of country. Metal ware and Bronze sculpture: Major Manufacturing units are located in Moradabad, Sambhal, Aligarh, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Delhi, Thanjavur, Jagadhari etc. Wooden artware and sculpture: Major Manufacturing units are located in Sharanpur, Nagina, Hoshiarpur, Srinagar, Amritsar, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bangalore, Mysore, Behrampur etc. Embroidered item: Manufacturing Units are located in Kutch, Jaisalmer, Baroda, Lucknow, Jodhpur, Agra, Amritsar, Kullu and Srinagar. Marble and soft stones crafts:Agra, Madras, Bastar and Jodhpur are famous for these craft products. Paper Crafts: These manufacturing units are located in places of Kashmir and Jaipur. Terracotta: Terracotta units are located in state of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Bastar. Hand printed textiles and scarves:Amroha, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Farrukhabad, Bagru and Sanganer consist of manufacturing units. Zari Products: Zari and zari products are manufactured at units located at Surat, Agra, Varanasi and Amritsar. Imitation Jewelry: Parts of Delhi, Moradabad, Sambhal, Jaipur and Kohima consist of manufacturing units for these jewelry products. Political View Industrial Policy: There are no restrictions regarding location for establishing manufacturing units. All producers of handicrafts are exempt from obtaining Industrial License to manufacture. The delicenced undertakings, however, are required to file an Industrial Entrepreneur Memoranda (IEM) in Part A with the Secretariat of Industrial Assistance (SIA), and obtain an acknowledgment. No further approval is required. Trade Policy: Handicraft products fall under the ITC (HS) code 97. Paintings, drawings and paintings, domestic articles of wood etc. which come under 9701 Original engravings falling under 9702 Original sculptures categorized under 9703 Products under the code 9704 are freely importable. Imports of items in 9705 are restricted. Characteristics of Indian Handicrafts for exports; as defined by Govt. of India are: They are quota free and neutral to fiber content or composition, barring 100% silk. They include Garments, Made-up and clothing accessories. Are produced in cottage industries. Should not have zippers. Must be ornamented using any one or more of the following Indian folk styles. Hand painting, Hand printing, Batik, Tie and Dye, Kalamkari. Hand embroidery, Crocheting. Appliquà © work of sequins, wooden or glass beads, shells, mirror, ornamental motifs of textiles materials. Extra wrap of welt ornamentation of silk, art silk or zari threads. Should conform to shape and styles of each item as defined in the agreed list of different countries. Should satisfy the dimensional aspects. Tariff-non-tariff Policy: Except for 9704, all the items under 97 attract a total import duty of 35.2 per cent. This includes a basic duty of 35 per cent and a special additional duty of four per cent. Items under 9704 do not attract any import duty. In India, handicrafts are distributed through following major Distribution Channels: Retailers/Direct Sales: This is the most common distribution channel for selling handicrafts in India. In India there are large number of retailers who provides wide range of handicrafts products. Wholesalers/Distributors: Apart from retail and direct sales channels, wholesalers and distributors also provide large range of handicraft products. Wholesalers can keep product stock in bulk and can sell direct to final consumer or retailer. E-Commerce: Internet has emerged as a one of the promising distribution channel for selling the handicrafts products. It is estimated that internet will be one of the major channel for the distribution of handicrafts products through E-Commerce. Export And Foreign Earnings Handicraft Industry has evolved as one of the major contributors for Export and foreign earnings: Exports of handicrafts including hand knitted carpets during 2005-06 were Rs.13412.92 Crore. Export items- Art Metal wares, Wood wares, Hand printed textiles, Embroidered and Crocheted goods, Shawls as art wares, Zari goods, Imitation jewelry, Carpets, Leather products, Jute products, Paintings, Bamboo products, Earthen ware, Marble Sculpture, Bronze Sculpture etc. Indias major export markets are USA, Germany, UK, France and Japan, Saudi Arabia, Canada, and Italy etc. Indian Handicraft Industry contributes very important role in Indian economy. For the proper functioning and operation of industry it is very essential to have some policies and regulation in place. In India, the Ministry Of Textile is responsible for the formulation of policy, planning, development, export promotion and regulation of the Handicraft Industry. There are several other bodies and organizations which help to formulate and execute these policies. All policies should be implemented for the greater development of the whole industry so that it can help to strengthen the economy. Industrial Policy: There are no restrictions regarding location for establishing manufacturing units. All producers of handicrafts are exempt from obtaining Industrial License to manufacture. The delicenced undertakings, however, are required to file an Industrial Entrepreneur Memoranda (IEM) in Part A with the Secretariat of Industrial Assistance (SIA), and obtain an acknowledgment. No further approval is required. Trade Policy: Handicraft products fall under the ITC (HS) code 97. Paintings, drawings and paintings, domestic articles of wood etc. which come under 9701 Original engravings falling under 9702 Original sculptures categorized under 9703 Products under the code 9704 are freely importable. Imports of items in 9705 are restricted. Characteristics of Indian Handicrafts for exports; as defined by Govt. of India are: They are quota free and neutral to fiber content or composition, barring 100% silk. They include Garments, Made-up and clothing accessories. Are produced in cottage industries. Should not have zippers. Must be ornamented using any one or more of the following Indian folk styles. Hand painting, Hand printing, Batik, Tie and Dye, Kalamkari. Hand embroidery, Crocheting. Appliquà © work of sequins, wooden or glass beads, shells, mirror, ornamental motifs of textiles materials. Extra wrap of welt ornamentation of silk, art silk or zari threads. Should conform to shape and styles of each item as defined in the agreed list of different countries. Should satisfy the dimensional aspects. Tariff-non-tariff Policy: Except for 9704, all the items under 97 attract a total import duty of 35.2 per cent. This includes a basic duty of 35 per cent and a special additional duty of four per cent. Items under 9704 do not attract any import duty. In India, handicrafts are distributed through following major Distribution Channels: Retailers/Direct Sales: This is the most common distribution channel for selling handicrafts in India. In India there are large number of retailers who provides wide range of handicrafts products. Wholesalers/Distributors: Apart from retail and direct sales channels, wholesalers and distributors also provide large range of handicraft products. Wholesalers can keep product stock in bulk and can sell direct to final consumer or retailer. E-Commerce: Internet has emerged as a one of the promising distribution channel for selling the handicrafts products. It is estimated that internet will be one of the major channel for the distribution of handicrafts products through E-Commerce. Easily availability on global basis and cost effective way has made Internet a good marketplace to buy, sell, and promote the products. Strengths: Large, diversified and potential market. There is large product variety and range is available because of diversified culture. It has strong, diversified and supportive retail infrastructure. Diversified product range that service different market. Cheap labor rates that result to competitive price. Need low capital investment. There is flexible production flexibility. Low barriers of new entry. Advantages and Critical Success Factors: Easy creation and development of production centers. There is no need for macro-investment. Industry provides potential sources of employment. Products are high value added, and handicrafts have various applications. It is the potential source of foreign revenue because of higher export. Weaknesses: Lack of infrastructure and communication facilities. Unawareness about international requirements and market. Lack of co-ordination between government bodies and private players. Inadequate information of new technology. Inadequate information of current market trends. Less interest of young people in craft industry. Lack of skilled labor. Still confined to rural areas and small cities and untapped market. Lack of promotion of products. Opportunities: Rising demand for handicraft products in developed countries such as USA, Canada, Britain, France, Germany, Italy etc. Developing fashion industry requires handicrafts products. Development of sectors like Retail, Real Estate that offers great requirements of handicrafts products. Development of domestic and international tourism sector. e-Commerce and Internet are emerged as promissory distribution channels to market and sell the craft products. Threats: Competition in domestic market. Balance between high demand and supply. Quality products produced by competing countries like China, South Africa. Better Trade terms offered by competing countries. Increased and better technological support and RandD facility in competing countries. Inspite of having diversified products, some part of Indian market is still untapped and market is price sensitive. Products are high priced in big and metro cities, which are beyond the reach of people belonging middle and lower middle class. Craft producers have to compete on price, quality and delivery for different segments. There is poor promotion for craft products in national market. There is lack of awareness about new traditions and among craftsmen It is difficult to balance the cultural and commercial value of handicraft products. Inadequate supply chain management and distribution reduces the sectors commercial viability and economic sustainability. Lack of Technological support and training. Lack of Research and development for key handicraft sectors like, ceramics, paper making etc. There is shortage of skilled craftsmen and labor to match the competition. Lack of ability to produce in large scale and create economies of scale. Inadequate material testing and performance measurement. Inappropriate energy supplies to rural and sub-urban areas. Untapped and inaccessible market due to poor transportation infrastructure. There are inadequate training centers to develop skilled craftsmen The primary objective is to create an environment that helps the industry to compete on the global basis. To build the environment that will focus on: Wealth Creation, Infrastructure Development, Training, Technological Development, and Poverty Alleviation etc. to enhance the sector performance. Awareness should be increased among craftsmen and customers through Trade Events, Seminars, Craft Forums and advertisements. More training centers should be opened to provide proper training to craft persons. There should be more trade shows to facilitate craft producers to access the market. Transportation infrastructure should be improved to access the untapped market that would be beneficial to reduce the transportation cost. Promotion of cultural tradition and heritage. Promotion of Indian Tourism to attract the foreign customers. Developing technologies to recycle natural resources to produce new products and ensure waste minimization, product durability and reliability. Promoting Partnership and collaboration with private sector. There should be market platform for craft producers belonging to rural areas to market their products. Development of electronic platform by using internet to provide information, database, and marketing and distribution solution. Increased Private participation in industry. There should be optimized distribution network and supply chain management. Through improving labor productivity in a high labor intensive and price competitive market. There should be proper balance between cultural and commercial value of craft products to sustain business opportunities. Through using low cost production methods the sustainability of small business can be improved. By implementing following model, the performance of Handicraft Industry can be improved and the greater Value addition can be done: Identify the Potential Market Making Effective Business Plan and Refinement in existing business Test Marketing to test the initial potential of new products in market Effective Operational and Technological Upgradation Hiring skilled manpower, provide training and awareness about latest technology and market trends and effective management. Hiring skilled manpower, provide training and awareness about latest technology and market trends. Cost Effective Production, Maintain Quality Standards, and Packaging. Set the Costing and Pricing with Quality taken to be consideration Cost Effective Distribution Development using both Physical and Electronic Distribution Channels (Internet, e-Commerce) Both National and International Market Development for better Export and Foreign Revenue. All India Handicrafts Board: The All India Handicrafts Board was established in 1952 to suggest various solutions for improvement and development in Handicraft Industry. Formulation of Plans, Assistance to State Govt. for planning and execution of schemes, and providing assistance for Marketing, Financial, and Organizational aspects of Handicrafts Industry. State and Union Territories: Every State and Union territories has different department for the development of Handicrafts Industry. Marketing, Promotion, Financial Aid to Small Scale Industries, and other programs are the functions of State level corporations. Central Corporations: The Handicrafts and Hand looms Export Corporation of India: It was established in 1962. Exports Promotion, Development of potential market execution of Whole Sale and retail Orders are major functions of organization. The Central Cottage Industries Corporation Pvt. Ltd.: It is a registered society that runs Central Cottage Industries Emporium in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai to sell the Handicrafts products. The All India Hand loom Fabrics Marketing Cooperative Society Ltd.: This Cooperative Society is supported and promoted by All India Hand loom Board. It has various hand loom emporiums in all metro cities, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad etc. and few branches in New York, Singapore etc. All India Organizations: All India Textile Handprinting Industries Federation: 1106 Prasad Chambers, Swadeshi Mill Estate, Mumbai, India. All India Federation of Zari Industry: Safe Deposit Chambers, Surat, Gujarat, India. All India Carpets Manufacturers Association: Post Box No. 63, Bhadohi, District Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. Export Promotion Organizations and Councils: The All India Handicrafts Board (West Block VII, R.K. Puram, New Delhi- 110022): This organization is responsible for Export Promotion, Market Development, and Arranging Exhibitions etc. The Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (D-15, Commerce Centre, 4th Floor, Tardeo Road, Bombay- 400001): This Organization is responsible for the promotion of Jewellery, Diamond, Stones, Pearls craft of the country. The Handicrafts and Handlooms Export Corporation of India (Jawahar Vyapar Bhavan, Anex-I, Tolstoy Marg, New Delhi 110001: It is Govt. undertaking and responsible for exports efforts of private sector promote Indian Participation in International Exhibitions. The Handloom Export Promotion Council (123, Mount Road, Chennai- 600006): It works for the export promotion of Indian Handlooms in the country. The Indian Institute of Foreign Trade: It provides Training Courses and publishes various survey reports. The Trade Development Authority of India: (Bank of Baroda Building, 16 Parliament Street, New Delhi- 110001). The Export Credit Guarantee Corporation (Express Towers, 10th Floor, Nariman Point, Bombay-400001): It provides exports credit intelligence, covers against various risks. The Export Inspection Council (14/1-b Erza Street, World Trade Centre, Calcutta- 700001): It is responsible for Quality Control Issues, and Pre-shipment Act. The Federation of Indian Export Organization (Allahabad Bank Building, 17 Parliament Street, New Delhi-110001) The Trade Authority of India (Pragati Maidan, New Delhi-110001): It was started in 1977 and works for exports and trade promotion and development. The Indian Handicraft Industry stands a unique place among all other industries. It represents the rich culture, tradition and heritage of India. Indias rich cultural diversity and heritage provides a unique and huge resource for developing craft products. The Indian Handicraft Industry is showing continuous growth rate of 20% every year and it is one of the most important segment of decentralized sector in India. Most of the part of industry operates in rural and semi urban areas throughout the country and have large and potential in Indian International market. Indian Handicraft Industry provides wide range of products because of countrys diversified culture, traditions and heritage. There is huge demand of Indian Handicraft products in international market. Industry provides ample opportunities for employment to people belonging to backward and weaker classes of society. However, Indian Handicraft Industry has the status of cottage industry in India, but it has shown promising growth and evolved as one of the major revenue generator over the years. It has shown continuous growth at the rate of 15-20% over the years and contributes major role for export and foreign earnings. Low capital investment, Cheap and skilled labor, Diversified product portfolio, Flexible Production are few important features of Indian Handicraft Industry. However, Lack of Infrastructure Technological support, Lack of awareness of international and new trends and Poor Promotional campaigns are a few drawbacks of industry which needs to be overcome. It is estimated that Handicraft Industry in India is all set to grow with rapid rate in future and contribute its share towards economic development handsomely. The model so called Model 5 forces developed by Michael E. Porter is the one used mostly among many authors who try to recognize industry in which there is manufactures. These Five Forces Analysis or Porters model of competitors forces is often used with PEST analysis to determine a position and possibilities on a market: strength of competition among manufactures that operates within fashion industry sophisticated technology, highly qualified personnel, greater capital for buying modern sewing machines (CAD/CAM) and positive influence of market growth, existence of other producers of garments who are ready to enter a market, investment in technology and development, emotional connection with fashion industry and an easy strategic movement ahead, customers start to change fashion products sophisticated technology, necessary training of personnel and on the other side global accessibility of some products by internet, consumers negotiation ability -a large demand and sophisticated technology and suppliers negotiation ability sufficient great and growing market and a global access by internet. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The problem that exists in our garment industry is that we analyze and follow trends that have already taken place on the fashion scene so while a collection is being accepted and the preparation for production is getting completed a new fashion demand is here, and the old one hasnt got accustomed yet. Fashion companies that do not invest in the development of products and production technology get into danger and cant keep place with fashion trend although they try hard. Markets researches, consumers wishes, requests, and criterium mean inevitable and dominant task for a producer of garments, because by obtaining all these information a production can be directed, business planned with advanced defined aims and strategies. Marketing enables greater flexibility and better organisation for more successful reaction to market demands. Market analyses are perhaps difficult procedures for fashion industry, because they need time to see strong sides and opportunities although they are too eager to identify weaknesses and threats. It is important to be aware that once when weaknesses are identified, some steps to change them can be taken by training, so there is possibility to make it a strong side. Thats why SSC and SWOT are useful techniques used to find out strong and weak points in a fashion industry. The way Levi Strauss Company succeeded by their own efforts to impose a new product LEVIS ENGINEERED JEANS (redesigned denim trousers that follow contour of a body ergonomically), it is an example how to use BCG matrix and GAP analysis that show us how market methods and techniques can be also used in our garment industry in order to meet demands of flexible production. Retailers in India have already started the concept of co-branded credit cards. A current example would be the aggressive salesperson in any Spencers store showcasing the HSBC-Spencers offering. Another vivid example would be the Future Group credit card which had TV ads across channels for quite some time. The response though had been lukewarm. With organized retail sales looking downward over the last year, especially in Q3 and Q4 of 2008-09, these offering had disappeared from the table. But, Q1 Q2 of 2009-10 have been particularly good, with around 15% growth in the sector on the back of a successful festive season. The new buzz word that is coming up in Retail circles is the Gift card, which is basically gift vouchers/certificates in the form of smart cards. They will be profitable for retailers as it will breed loyalty through repeat purchases. There will also be a significant portion of card value (10% in America: Economist) which are never redeemed. Retailers in India are still nascent when it comes to maintaining a comprehensive customer database, and this will be a small, yet significant step towards the same. The future for gift cards will yield many innovatively packaged offerings similar to the trends in America. A few examples from the Economist: Target: Gift cards that double as wind-up toys Gift cards through email Best Buy: multiple people can contribute small amounts for

The changing face of UK Fashion retailing market

The changing face of UK Fashion retailing market The clothing retail industry has been and is undergoing significant changes resulting from processes of globalisation, changes in consumer demand as well as changing corporate activities in terms of strategic marketing decisions. The UK clothing retail industry has experienced significant growth which has focused attention on studies in the field with this sector being considered as the one of the most competitive markets in Europe. This is primarily as a result of the concentrated power of larger retailers such as Marks Spencer. One prime issue as a result of globalisation is that there are more and more retailers sourcing globally aiming to provide competitive prices and quality products in the market. Marks Spencer as such then is challenged by this trend particularly from rival discount and supermarket competitors. Research Method The basis of the primary research conducted in this brief was delivering a questionnaire based survey delivered at four retail outlets two of which were Asda and two of which were Marks and Spencer. Opportunistic sampling was used in that customers were approached in the store as they entered and left the premises and asked would they participate. A target of 100 questionnaires to be completed at each store was decided on to achieve a healthy sample size yielding useful results for the analysis. The questionnaire had four sections. The first of these sought general demographic information such as age and sex, the second section sought information related to the frequency of shopping at the stores as well as frequency of shopping elsewhere. The third section sought altitudinal information related to reasons for purchasing in the respective stores while the fourth section and the fourth section sought information on preferences in terms of shopping specifically related to the variables of quality, price and the retail environment. Data was entered into SPSS and analysed according to the objectives of the study. Permission to conduct the questionnaires were sought be local managers in the first instance though for two of the stores further permission had to be sought be regional managers. All respondents were advised of the anonymity of participating in the research and the results of the research were also offered to the managers involved in order to increase the chances of successfully gaining permission to conduct the research. Surveying was conducted during a weekday and at a weekend time in order to enhance the representativeness of the sample in terms of people working and varying their shopping times. Comparison of marketing mix in George at Asda and Marks Spencer Overall 412 questionnaires were completed but 12 of these were discarded due to incomplete or incorrect completed parts. Of the 400 68% were female and 32% male. The age breakdown of the sample showed that some 38% of the total was between the ages of 26-32 or over although in the case of Marks and Spencer shopper the proportion of shoppers in this age group was higher being 49%. Also Asda had a higher proportion of shoppers between the ages of 18-21 than Marks and Spencer the figures being 19% and 9% respectively. Over 90% of the total sample had shopped more than once in each of the stores within the previous month with 45% shopping at least twice a week in either Asda or Marks and Spencer. Of interest was the result that 40% of Marks and Spencer customers indicated that they would shop there regularly (at least once a week) while the figure for Asda was 29%. This may be an indicator of stronger brand loyalty for Marks and Spencer in some respects but given further results examined below may be under threat given attitudinal results related to price and quality. Product The UK clothing retail industry has grown in recent years and reached a value of $38.7 billion in 2004 which represented an increase of 3.7% over the previous year. Womens wear was one of the fastest growing areas in the sector (Datamonitor, 2005). However it is claimed that the growth in revenues within this industrial sector will slow down mainly due to the impact of discount and value adding retailers offering clothing goods at lower prices forcing prices down overall within the industry. Clear indications of this trend can be seen in this case study in that George at Asda and its range achieved significant growth and success compared to overall declining profitability within Marks and Spencer. Since the introduction of clothing ranges by the supermarket in 1990 its product categories have expanded to include womens wear, mens wear and infants-wear. Marks Spencer has operated in the marketplace for decades and offers similar product ranges. While 49% respondents indicated a preference for shopping in Asda for womens clothes 51.2% of customers chose Marks Spencers to purchase womens products. It is obvious that there is slight difference in the choice of product range yet the results also suggest that there a significant percentage (60%) of customers chose George at Asda primarily to buy childrens clothes and in particular to buy items such as school uniforms. One of the main reasons for this arguably can be explained by the lower price yet reasonable quality design of the Georges range. Especially for younger children where school uniforms would be discarded in a relatively short time due to the children growing the price of products offered by Asda can be said to be a significant attractive featuring influencing purchasing decisions. It has been reported that the childrens wear sector in the UK grew by 3% and reached a value of $4.7 billion in 2004. This phenomenon is perhaps attributable to the success of discount stores and supermarket operators who are able to provide cheaper childrens wear at reasonable quality levels (Datamonitor, 2005). From a macro perspective however the decline of birth rates in Britain has resulted in the expectation of a future decline in childrens wear sales. Hence arguably over the longer term it may be the case that with possible future declining sales that this sector will become even more competitive and quite feasibly the number of operators will be reduced in retailing childrens wear. Evidence from this case study suggested that childrens wear product ranges represented 27% of customers purchases in Asdas compared to 10% in MS. Additionally supermarket as generally a daily shopping preference for food provided a relatively convenient shopping environment for women and in particular working women to purchase childrens clothes. This was indicated by some 59% of respondents at the Asda stores stating they had or were intending to purchase items other than clothes as well. It is reasonable to say that as a result of changing roles for women in both social and economic contexts there is increasing pressure such as reduced times available for shopping for women as discussed in literature review. These new consumer behavioural characteristics have resulted in changing retailing forms in the clothing industry to which new entrants such as supermarkets like Asda have capitalised on and responded to quickly as they emerge. In addition more men have become involved in clothing buying behaviour illustrated by the mens wear sector growing 5% in 2004 (Datamonitor, 2005). It was interesting to examine the results of this case study in the comparison of consumer preferences towards mens wear at Asda and MS. In this research 46% chose MS when purchasing mens wear as opposed to 33% in Asda. It is useful to look at this trend in understanding the changing features of the UK clothing retail market bearing in mind major impacts on consumer behaviour within the sector. Firstly Mark Spencer have exploited a branding strategy which established a reputation for high quality goods for a considerable period of time. As a result of price wars between supermarkets and value adding discount stores MS has aimed to focus on quality in order to differentiate it from rivals and position the store further in terms of exclusive designs as well as quality products. However its advertising campaign with the tagline ‘exclusively for everyone’ which was launched five years ago has been demonstrated to have mostly failed with customers turning away from the retailer because of its high prices to lower cost offerings in other retailers (Gardner, 2004). The high figure though mentioned above for MS respondents relating to whether they would shop in the future in the stores perhaps indicates that MS still retains a sizable customer base from which it could build on. However the validity of this assumption can be challenged given the size of the sample of this research and would need further investigation on a larger sample to confirm or deny. As such while MS seems to have failed in maintaining competitive advantage through emphasising quality its supermarket rival Asda has also introduced designer ranges and positioned itself in terms of good design as well as lower price offerings. It is fair to argue then perhaps that MS will not improve its performance by challenging its supermarket rival on pricing and volume. Hence one response has seen MS switching to a branding strategy. Secondly as outlined in the literature review purchasing clothing products should not be seen as indicative of normal commodity buying behaviour because it is to a large extent it is linked with extrinsic factors such as culture and social status which in turn makes the value of brand names an essential element of clothing goods (Entwistle, 2000). Davies (1998) claims that the marketing of own brands is a feature of modern multiple retailing which can also be seen in this case study. Retailers such as Marks Spencer have created brand images by advertising their own products and in the meantime transferred this brand equity into the physical products in their stores. The costs of branding to the retailer are lower than that of marketing other manufacturers brands. This contributes to an understanding and explanation of attitudes towards mens wear purchasing behaviour which in this case saw the brand name of Marks Spencer as a quality clothing producer helping the retailer maintain a critical market share in the mens wear sector. It perhaps also demonstrates that men are less sensitive about price in purchasing clothing goods than female consumers in that brand name and perceptions of quality influence their decision making processes. Jobber (2001) argues that price is often used as an important indicator by customers during the decision making process hence it is useful for fashion retailers who exploit pricing tools to create impacts on customers at the perception and evaluation stages of the purchasing process. As Britains biggest clothing retailer Marks Spencer has established its brand image traditionally on the basis of providing quality clothing goods reflected in higher pricing justified as being good value for money given the quality of the product. In contrast competition at the discount and value adding clothing segment of the market has generated significant threats to MS not only from discount retailers such as Primark but more importantly from new supermarket operators. In this case study George at Asda was chosen in order to provide a useful point of view in understanding the changing environmental contexts of clothing retailing. With a turnover of  £8301.5 Marks Spencers is one of the major clothing retailers occupying a commanding position in the middle market level (FAME, 2005). It is reported though that Marks Spencer has continuously lost market share due to intense competition in the UK clothing retail industry as well as from threats posed by new entrants such as George at Asda which has proven to be a highly successful entrant with the company reporting revenues of $26 billion by the end of January 2005 a significant increase of 19.8% compared to 2004 (Datamonitor, 2005). In contrast to George at Asda, Marks Spencer saw a decrease of 2.6% in revenues with operating profits falling to $1.3 billion in 2005 (Datamonitor, 2005). According to this research customers switched from Marks Spencer to cheaper retailers where quality levels were perceived as being relatively high with George at Asda being for 61% their first choice. The extremely low price of designer products helped Asda penetrate the clo thing retail sector successfully and effectively. It is fair to say that international sourcing and effective supply chain management contributed to a significant degree to the competitive prices in its clothing sector in the same manner as its grocery section. It is also interesting to note that although more than 40% of customers believed that Marks Spencer maintained a better quality level for clothing product ranges based on its reputation and effective quality control programs only 31% respondents considered clothing products at MS as good value for money. As such then the price war between supermarkets and discount stores have driven down the market price for clothing products while improvement of quality in both retailing sectors has become essential in the overall value adding process. As a result as one of the main middle market players Marks Spencer has been threatened both at price and quality levels. A strong financial background enabled Asda to achieve economies of scale and benefits from its integrated supply chain. The power of Asda as a retailing giant helped it negotiate with global suppliers for lower costs which as a result lowered final prices for consumers. Particularly in recent strategies by employing designers the creation of brand name and image of George at Asda contributed to its competitive capabilities. This point of view corresponded to earlier research discussed on consumer behaviour towards clothing buying which suggested that customers are particularly sensitive to price regardless of brand names yet in considering any extra value perceived in a brand name with the purchase customers became less sensitive to this element. This is able to help explain the strategic decision for Asda in building the brand name George at the initial stages of entering this very competitive market. Reflecting this it has been reported that MS had lost its place as the UK’s biggest clothes retailer to its supermarket rival Asda. with MS’s volume share of the clothing and footwear market remaining static at 9.1% while Asda’s George label increased its share from 7.3% to 9.4% in 2004 (Barnes, 2004). As a result the supermarket has grown to be Britain’s biggest clothing retailer after figures produced by Taylor Nelson Sofres which pointed to the volume of the George range at Asda rising to 9.4% compared with MS’s share which was static at 9.1%. However in terms of sales by value MS is still the market leader beating the Wal Mart-owned supermarket by  £3 billion pound (Gardner, 2004). It is thus expected this represents a significant change in the retailing market particularly in consideration of the middle to value adding discount clothing market. This corresponds closely to arguments reviewed in the literature section which suggests that further casualties in the Mid-market and Value Clothing sector are expected driven by increasing competitive levels (Collins, 2005). Supply Chain Management: franchising, merchandising and distribution Since the mid 1990s there has been an evolution in the UK clothing retail industry which has seen increases in both offshore sourcing and international expansion (Jones, 2002). In terms of local apparel manufacturers sales are focused on a few large buyers and Lustgarten (1975) has found that concentration ratios of major buyers have a significant impact on profit margins in the industry. In the case of Marks Spencer its strong position in the supply chain gave them strong negotiation abilities in the sourcing process but the trends of offshore production and overseas sourcing by other retailers has created crucial threats and challenges. The fast fashion strategy introduced by George at Asda in 1990 depends on effective supply chain management especially in the management of sourcing abroad to reduce production costs. Additionally the Wal-Mart owned supermarket enjoys economies of scale from its large number of suppliers globally and as a result good design and fast fashion goods c ould be transported to supermarkets rapidly as with its grocery products. However for Marks Spencer as one of the UK’s leading retailers the franchising group acts in a revolutionary capacity in seeking to respond to these trends effectively (Whitehead, 1991). Marks Spencer has attempted to reduce stock hold by improving the efficiency of its logistics management in terms of lead times through promotional sales for stock goods (Benady, 2005). However the results here were disappointing particularly in relation to womens wear. Market share fell by 5% and UK retail sales fell by 1.7% (Benady, 2005). The problematic aspect of this can be found in the supply chain where too complex a design in the production process and inefficient management strategies resulted in the decrease. Results in this research shows that respondents believed merchandise in the basic sales floor in MS was characterised by a lack of a clear marketing image and that the product ranges were too complex. The retailer has sought to cut down on its sub-brands and volume of stock held in order to introduce fashionable products at competitive prices in a shorter time. However it has been a point of concern that the management of its supply chain relied on management consulta nts rather than sales figures and marketing research on customer preferences. Consequently while UK womens wear sales grew by 4.9% Marks Spencer suffered decreases in terms of market share and operating revenues leading to reduced profitability. Due to the changing nature of the UK clothing retail industry there are revolutionary changes occurring in the supply chain sector. The most important element here can be seen as the increasing amount of sourcing activities from cheaper overseas suppliers such as Eastern European countries as well as far Eastern regions. Additionally bearing in mind the key features of clothing products the principle of shortened response is an integral element of the sector. This is to say lead times in terms of design, production, transportation as well as merchandising have become shorter. In turn benefiting from significant declines in stock holding numbers as well as risks linked with mark down sales clothing retailers are able to provide new ranges products within several weeks with maintained profit margins. As Porter (1980) suggests industrial performance is largely influenced by levels of competition and this is the case for the UK clothing retail sector. The position of Marks Spencer is no t only challenged by competitors within the same market level such as Next but also from rivals in the value adding discount marketplace including Primark, New Look. Entrants such as Asda into this industry have likewise created evolutionary changes in terms of marketing strategies as well as revolutionary supply chain management changes. The existing retail environment in which 72.5% clothiong sales went through larger retailers since 1998 is expected to continue however the battle for market share and sales among large retailers has become more intensive (Retail Intelligence, 1999). The tables below suggest that while the price of clothing is approximately the same in considering inflation prices of clothing have decreased. The speed element linked with purchasing has also decreased dramatically. This reflects both the new characteristics of modern consumers who have less time for shopping but who are also more demanding in terms of price, quality and style and the strategic choice by retailers in introducing fast fashion and effective supply chain management in order to meet this new demand.

Sponsership Speech :: essays research papers

Sponsership Speech   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In which direction does the future lead us? What obstacles will we have to overcome to survive? Many of these questions and many others are pondered and weighed by scientists and economists throughout origins around the world. They have described that slowly, but surely, our beautiful planet will come to it?s end. Our polution and destruction of the ozone layer has caused a great deal of damage to to life on earth, from plants to animals. Certain causes of destruction include vehicular polution, forrest fires and other related causes, leathal and nonleathal gasses produced by factories and other objects, and many others. It is slowly reducing the percentage of servival, yet it is a well known fact that the world is becoming overpopulated. For every minute that passes by, more and more infants are brought into this world. Our ambition to expand and grow may very well bring us to our end.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It has been said time and time agian that every parents dream is to see their children grow old and have children of their own. What if the world enforces a law that restricts the sexual activity between males and females? Will there be a planet left to continue lives of our own as well as the lives of our future loved ones? These reasons have lead us to believe that our bill should be enforced allowing increased funding and focus on space exploration to find a new home; allowing us to begin anew.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The era through this time period has been intellegent names by our scientists as ?Mankinds Future Iinto Space.? It has been shown through current budget proposals for the year 2002, made by President Clinton, that more will be spent towards the NASA Corporation rather than environmental protection agencies. An increase from 14.3 billion dollars to 14.5 billion dollars towards NASA will be on of the drastic changes pleading to take place. A decrease of .5 billion dollars will be given to environmental agencies giving them only 7.3 billion dollars. Billions of dollars alone have been put towards the recovery from the terrorist attacks on the United States. Also, more money has been wasted by the attack on Afganistan due to the fact of expensive and unnecessary bombing. [Description of Visual]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many of the devices made by our Federal and Executive branches of government are going to play key rolls in our future. Our research and development team will also play a key roll in the future we wish to have. This is because they will determine if it is Sponsership Speech :: essays research papers Sponsership Speech   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In which direction does the future lead us? What obstacles will we have to overcome to survive? Many of these questions and many others are pondered and weighed by scientists and economists throughout origins around the world. They have described that slowly, but surely, our beautiful planet will come to it?s end. Our polution and destruction of the ozone layer has caused a great deal of damage to to life on earth, from plants to animals. Certain causes of destruction include vehicular polution, forrest fires and other related causes, leathal and nonleathal gasses produced by factories and other objects, and many others. It is slowly reducing the percentage of servival, yet it is a well known fact that the world is becoming overpopulated. For every minute that passes by, more and more infants are brought into this world. Our ambition to expand and grow may very well bring us to our end.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It has been said time and time agian that every parents dream is to see their children grow old and have children of their own. What if the world enforces a law that restricts the sexual activity between males and females? Will there be a planet left to continue lives of our own as well as the lives of our future loved ones? These reasons have lead us to believe that our bill should be enforced allowing increased funding and focus on space exploration to find a new home; allowing us to begin anew.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The era through this time period has been intellegent names by our scientists as ?Mankinds Future Iinto Space.? It has been shown through current budget proposals for the year 2002, made by President Clinton, that more will be spent towards the NASA Corporation rather than environmental protection agencies. An increase from 14.3 billion dollars to 14.5 billion dollars towards NASA will be on of the drastic changes pleading to take place. A decrease of .5 billion dollars will be given to environmental agencies giving them only 7.3 billion dollars. Billions of dollars alone have been put towards the recovery from the terrorist attacks on the United States. Also, more money has been wasted by the attack on Afganistan due to the fact of expensive and unnecessary bombing. [Description of Visual]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many of the devices made by our Federal and Executive branches of government are going to play key rolls in our future. Our research and development team will also play a key roll in the future we wish to have. This is because they will determine if it is

Listening for Understanding Essay -- Communication

Listening for Understanding Listening is an important form of communication. Unfortunately, many people who do not know how to listen believe they can listen well. They often say "I have been doing this all of my life of course I can listen". Listening is not inherited, or a personality trait, it is a skill that must be worked on and practiced. Anybody can become a good listener if they are committed to learn how and are willing to work hard. The first mistake that people tend to make when listening is to not make any type of comments while listening. They tend to just stand there and listen while the speaker talks. This can become very frustrating for the speaker and the listener. While the speaker may feel like he isn't being listened to, the listener may find some parts of the speakers talk confusing and hard to follow. Without comments, his concerns and confusion are never addressed. The simplest way to help a speaker along and show that you are listening is with subtle cues such as "hum", and "uh", "huh". While this is not a complicated form of listening it shows the speaker that you are paying attention to them. This is also good to way to show the focus of your attention is on the speaker. These subtle terms can be increased in effectiveness by adding good posture, proper facial expressions and eye contact to show the speaker that you are paying attention. Not only will this make the speaker more at ease, but it gives you a chance, as a listener, to help clarify the conversation such as "You don't say," "what?" etc. These comments can show the listener not only that you are listening but that you might have questions concerning what is being said. To be a good listener, one must always keep from becoming ... ...listened poorly or misunderstood the speaker than he is given the chance to correct any misunderstandings at that time. One of the most useful times to use paraphrasing is when someone is complaining to you. You always feel better when you feel like you have been truly listened too. It has the effect of calming you down and makes you feel much more important. Even if you are unable to fix the problem completely you feel like someone has tried to help you. Bibliography: Works Cited Adler Ronald B. and Elmhorst, Jeanne Marquardt Communicating at work McGraw- Hill, Companies, Inc, 1999 Anastasi, Thomas E. Listen! Techniques for improving communication skills CBI Publishing Company, Inc, 1982 Bone Diane The business of Listening Crisp Publications, Inc, Los Altos California, 1988

Individuals and Their Discoveries Are Not Enough to Bring Medical Progress Essay

Individuals and their discoveries are not enough on their own to bring medical progress. Explain how far this statement applies to Jenner and his work. Jenner’s discovery of the link between cowpox and smallpox was significant to the development of a vaccine for smallpox. However, it can be argued that Jenner and his discovery were not enough on their own to bring medical progress. The factors Scientific thinking, Government Communication and Changing attitudes played a major and important role to bring medical progress. One reason as to why the statement applies to Jenner and his work is because the Government worked in Jenner’s favour to bring medical progress. In 1802 and 1807, Parliament gave Edward Jenner  £30,000 to develop his work on vaccination. This clearly indicates that without the help of Parliament, Jenner’s work would not have shown as much signs of advancement; hence he would not have had the money to progress. In addition to this, fifty years later vaccination was made compulsory in Britain which led a dramatic drop in smallpox cases. This evidently shows that without the help of the Government, Jenner’s work would not have been as widely spread and used by the people as much; therefore the government did play a significant role his Edward Jenner’s development of Vaccinations. A different explanation as to why the statement is relevant to Jenner and his work is because of the communication. This factor is seen to have an impact on the medical progress of Jenner, is because without the spread of Jenner’s discoveries, people would not be aware of vaccinations. In 1798, Jenner published his own accounts of his discover, spreading the details of his methods worldwide. Consequently, that people could see his work but scientists in particular were able to see his work and they could learn from his work. This is evidence that by spreading his work worldwide, it brought medical progress; it was not just Edward Jenner alone brought medical progress to the development of a vaccine for smallpox. A different factor as to why the statement applies to Jenner and his work is because of the changing attitudes. Due to many people who had begun to think in a more scientific way, this meant that they were more open into accepting Jenner’s theory for Vaccinations. This implies that if people’s attitudes were similar to people who had supernatural beliefs, they would not have accepted the theory, therefore without the changing attitudes, Jenner’s work would not have caused a huge medical progression. Another reason which explains how the statement is relevant to Jenner and his work is because of the scientific thinking. Edward Jenner was able to use scientific method and experimentation in his research which is a clear indication his work can be considered trustworthy and it is likely to be accurate. Jenner also tested out his theory on a small boy which proved his theory to be correct but also on twenty-three other people. This shows that without the scientific methods and experiments, Jenner would not have reached the conclusion that his hypothesis was correct; therefore this is evidence for medical progress. Jenner’s scientific thinking is a key factor because without it, scientists would not have been able to see his work. Also his work would not have been as widely spread; people would not trust his work if it hadn’t been tested accurately, therefore people would not use his work. Another explanation as to why the statement applies to Jenner and his work is because of the individuals. Jenner himself had the insight to realise the link between cowpox and smallpox was important. If Jenner was not a determined individual and did not carry and publish his research, the theory of vaccination would most likely not exist today. Jenner had carried on, despite opposition and criticism which indicates with Jenner’s determination, he brought medical progress. In addition to this, Jenner also tested his theory of vaccination on twenty three people, including his six month old baby which shows he is a very dedicated individual. To conclude, there are many factors to support this statement: Government, Communication, Changing attitudes and Scientific thinking all bring medical progress, alongside the individuals and their discoveries. However, Scientific thinking caused the biggest impact on the medical progress because without whilst his methods and experiments, people would not trust his work, therefore people would not use his work.

Final Teen Pregnancy College Essay Essay

There are many short phrases that can impact a person’s life from â€Å"will you marry me† to â€Å"I love you† all the way down to â€Å"I’m pregnant† but when you’re a teenager hearing the last phrase is something that will change your life in a scary and shocking way. Nearly one million teen girls experience this shock each year when they come to find that their pregnancy test is positive. In our society today teenage pregnancy isn’t just a problem but an epidemic. Unfortunately I have seen all stages of the situation unfold recently when my best friend who is almost like a sister to me found out she was having a baby. At the age of seventeen a normal teenage girl is deciding what dress to wear to prom or where they want to apply for their first job. But for my best friend Anna the first big decision she got to make was whether she should keep her baby or not. This choice lead her into a deep depression as different people in her life pressured her to make different choices. While her close friends told her to keep the baby the father of her baby and his family wanted her to abort it. After a long month of fighting over what to do she chose the baby’s life over the â€Å"love† of her boyfriend who ended up leaving after finding out she was not going to get an abortion. Sadly enough she is not the only one who has experienced this, unfortunately more than half of girls who become pregnant in their teens have to go down this path alone without the father of the baby in the picture. It is apparent that becoming pregnant changed Anna’s life and her future as a whole. This happens to every teen mom weather they decide to keep the baby, get an abortion, or give their baby up for adoption their life is still changed forever. Theses girls went from a life where their parents made decisions for them to a life where they have to make parental decisions themselves. Overall teenage pregnancy is a social issue because it affects many aspects of life like economic wellbeing, the mother’s wellbeing, and the child’s wellbeing. If teenage pregnancy were reduced all of these problems would be reduced as well. Each year the United States is spending around eleven billion dollars as an affect of teen pregnancy. The US has to spend this much money because eighty percent of teen moms are on welfare. Economic wellbeing contributes to the reasons so many teen moms have to be  supported by the government. At such a young age these teens can not meet the demand for education in the job world while still caring for their new born. The national campaign sites that almost ninety percent of teens who did not get pregnant finish high school where as only fifty percent of teen moms get a high school diploma. The children of these mothers end up being affected by their mother’s struggles. From conception odds are against these children to succeed. At birth a teen mothers baby is at risk of low birth rate and infant mortality. Once the child gets passed these odds they have to deal with the struggles of being less prepared when they enter kindergarten because their mothers are less experienced on how to prepare their child. In later life sons of teen mothers are two times more likely to end up in prison than sons born to mothers over the age of twenty-one, this may be because of the absence of a father figure in their lives. Studies have also concluded that daughters of teen mothers are three times more likely to have a baby in their teens. Teen pregnancies disturb our society today by using our tax dollars and affecting the success of our future generation. Not only is teenage pregnancy seen at school and in other public places it is also all over the television. Some say that the popular television shows sixteen and Pregnant glamorizes teen pregnancy and I would have to agree. Why should girls get rewarded for becoming pregnant as a teen and even become famous because of it? The answer is that they shouldn’t but in our world today sadly these girls hardships our becoming our generations entertainment. But it is not much of a loss to them as they are being paid a â€Å"reported $60,000 per season† according to OK magazine. Many teens who see the show sixteen and pregnant or see other pregnant teens think that it will never happen to them. The fact of the matter is that my best friend was one of those people. Teenage pregnancy is not an issue that is going away in our society. Preventing teenage pregnancy will not only help our countries teenagers to have a more successful life but it will also help the children that will be our countries future to have a better life. The United States needs to stop putting this problem on the back burner and accepting it as â€Å"normal† and start to take action. In the world today the United States has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates doubling that Canada and five times the rate of Japan. American teens that are sexually active are becoming more and more careless. Some suggest that these teens become pregnant because of  the lack of education or lack of positive parental influences in teens lives. I think some teens just become so consumed with how â€Å"in love† they feel that they are with their boyfriend or girlfriend that they forget the consequences of their actions. America as a whole needs to find better ways to control teen pregnancy weather it be through education of the consequences or education of birth control. Because the true fact of the matter is that pre marital sex leads to broken homes, high school dropouts, and tough financial situations. These teens our still children themselves and should not make a decision that leaves them with the responsibility of another child’s life.