Policy Monitoring and Enforcement Strategy Essays

Policy Monitoring and Enforcement Strategy Essays Policy Monitoring and Enforcement Strategy Essay Policy Monitoring and Enforcement Strategy Essay The possibility of abuse of companys resources is a real risk that can lead to regulatory noncompliance Monsoons, 2011). To ensure the companys profitability and survivability would need strict enforcement of security policies. The two most monitoring and enforcement policies I would be most concerned about is, Access Control, and virus protection. The monitoring regulations I would rely on for this activity are audit trails provided by logs, and ISO 27001/27002 formerly ISO 17799:2005), ITIL and NIST SP-800 53 Recommended security controls for Federal Information Systems standards. Logs are a great monitoring tool that provides a record of events. As such, I need every occurrence to be logged, tracked and reported on. For each entry, I want to know what occurred, when it occurred, and who or what cause it. Monitoring compliance would allow me to: (1) Detect and correct violations (2) Provide evidence to support enforcement actions (3) Evaluate program progress by establishing implicate status (4) Provide case studies for staff training (The SANS Institute, 2012). At each location I would nominate SIS enforcement officers who will be held responsible for monitoring and enforcement strategies to ensure that employees act in according with acceptable use policies (Pups), set forth by management to ensure the organization assets are protected. Sigil (pronounced swell) is one of the best GUI monitoring tool around I would use that provides real time events, sessions data, and raw packet captures. It facilitates seamless analysis, as when an alert that deeds more investigation has been identified, it makes a decision on how to handle the situation. Sigil uses a backbend database for most of its data, which allows users to perform SQL queries against several different types of security events (The SANS Institute, 2012). For access control, I would use The least privilege principle whereby employees will be granted only enough privilege to accomplish assigned tasks and no more. I would also use Separation of duties principle whereby employees responsibilities and privileges would be divided to prevent a person or mall group of collaborating people from inappropriately controlling multiple key aspects of a process and causing harm or loss Monsoons, 2011). DoD business transactions rely on EPIC ADS to prevent card data being stolen. As such, we need the early detection of virus protection to detect mallard, and prevent a breach of the system from occurring. Regular patch management updates will be a mandatory requirement In all locations. Policy enforcement can be accomplished through automated or manual controls Monsoons, 2011). Some of the controls I would utilize are: (a) Authentication methods b) Authorization methods (c) Data encryption (d) Data segmentation (e) Network segmentation. According to Johnson (201 1), automated policy management tools take security policies and Implement them as configuring updates. Once the device Is configured, the automated control enforces the policy. The enforcement can be enforce is a preventative control, which would have employees changing their passwords every 30 days. To ensure monitoring and enforcement policies are adhered to, a security awareness policy would be implemented to raise awareness of these regulations.

Francis Cabot Lowell Invented the Power Loom

Francis Cabot Lowell Invented the Power Loom Thanks to the invention of the power loom, Great Britain dominated the global textile industry at the turn of the 19th century. Hampered by inferior looming machinery, mills in the United States struggled to compete until a Boston merchant with a penchant for industrial espionage named Francis Cabot Lowell came along.   Origins of the Power Loom Looms, which are used to weave fabric, have been around for thousands of years. But until the 18th century, they were manually operated, which made the production of cloth a slow process. That changed in 1784 when the English inventor Edmund Cartwright designed the first mechanical loom. His first version was impractical to operate on a commercial basis, but within five years Cartwright had improved his design and was weaving fabric in Doncaster, England. Cartwrights mill was a commercial failure, and he was forced to relinquish his equipment as part of filing for bankruptcy in 1793. Britains textile industry, however, was booming, and other inventors continued to refine Cartwrights invention. In 1842,  James Bullough and William Kenworthy  had introduced a fully automated loom, a design that would become the industry standard for the next century. America vs. Britain As the Industrial Revolution boomed in Great Britain, that nations leaders passed a number of laws designed to protect their dominance. It was illegal to sell power looms or the plans for building them to foreigners, and mill workers were forbidden to emigrate. This prohibition didnt just protect the British textile industry, it also made it nearly impossible for American textile manufacturers, who were still using manual looms, to compete. Enter Francis Cabot Lowell  (1775 to 1817), a Boston-based merchant who specialized in the international trade of textiles and other goods. Lowell had seen firsthand how international conflict jeopardized the American economy with its dependence on foreign goods. The only way to neutralize this threat, Lowell reasoned, was for America to develop a domestic textile industry of its own that was capable of mass production. During a visit to Great Britain in 1811, Francis Cabot Lowell spied on the new British textile industry. Using his contacts, he visited a number of mills in England, sometimes in disguise. Unable to buy drawings or a model of a power loom, he committed the power loom design to memory. Upon his return to Boston, he recruited master mechanic Paul Moody to help him recreate what he had seen. Backed by a group of investors called Boston Associates, Lowell and Moody opened their first functional power mill in  Waltham, Mass., in 1814. Congress imposed a series of  duty tariffs  on imported cotton in 1816, 1824, and 1828, making American textiles more competitive still. The Lowell Mill Girls Lowells power mill wasnt his only contribution to American industry. He also set a new standard for working conditions by hiring young women to run the machinery, something nearly unheard of in that era. In exchange for signing a one-year contract, Lowell paid the women relatively well by contemporary standards, provided housing, and offered educational and training opportunities. When the mill cut wages and increased hours in 1834, the  Lowell Mill Girls, as his employees were known, formed the  Factory Girls Association  to agitate for better compensation. Although their efforts at organizing met with mixed success, they earned the attention of author  Charles Dickens, who visited the mill in 1842.   Dickens praised what he saw, noting that: The rooms in which they worked were as well ordered as themselves. In the windows of some, there were green plants, which were trained to shade the glass; in all, there was as much fresh air, cleanliness, and comfort as the nature of the occupation would possibly admit of.   Lowells Legacy Francis Cabot Lowell died in 1817 at the age of 42, but his work did not die with him. Capitalized at $400,000, the Waltham mill dwarfed its competition. So great were the profits at Waltham that the Boston Associates soon established additional mills in Massachusetts, first at East Chelmsford (later renamed in Lowells honor), and then Chicopee, Manchester, and Lawrence. By 1850, Boston Associates controlled one-fifth of Americas textile production and had expanded into other industries, including railroads, finance, and insurance. As their fortunes grew, the Boston Associates turned to philanthropy, establishing hospitals and schools, and to politics, playing a prominent role in the Whig Party in Massachusetts. The company would continue to operate until 1930 when it collapsed during the Great Depression. Sources Green, Amy. Francis Cabot Lowell and the Boston Manufacturing Company. CharlesRiverMuseum.org. Accessed 8 March 2018.Yaeger, Robert. Francis Cabot Lowell: Brief Life of an American Entrepreneur: 1775-1817. Harvard Magazine. September-October 2010.Lowell Mill Girls and the Factory System, 1840. GilderLehman.org. Accessed 8 March 2018.

6.2. American Revolution art work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

6.2. American Revolution art work - Essay Example This ideology required Americans to stand firmly on their own beliefs and values. Moreover the painting depicts possible would have been battlegrounds for the revolution. Arguably, ordinary people within their day-to-day work centers conducted the revolutions. Most artists make the impression that rebel movements in remote environs conducted the revolution. The artists responsible for the paintings did not conduct through research while making the paintings. Indeed, the artists were more concerned with the artistic impression of the paintings among their audiences than their historic impression. Consequently, the artists created paintings that served the immediate society without considering their historical impacts. Indeed, the paintings were made to praise certain factions that led or were involved in the revolution. Thus, the paintings cannot be considered reliable sources of history. Moreover, the paintings are localized to the communities that they were intended for and, have little impact on the global arena. For instance, â€Å"Molly Pitcher - Battle of Monmouth 1778† shows that people from new jersey contributed more to the revolution than others

Trends in the area of biotechnology and its use in agriculture Research Paper

Trends in the area of biotechnology and its use in agriculture - Research Paper Example In addition, the sequencing of the human, selected plant, animal and bacterial genomes in the early part of the twenty-first century has led to the identification of genetic elements, and regulatory pathways and mechanism. These all resulted in products of biotechnology that were designed to understand, alleviate and cure diseases, and improve quality of life. The fields of medicine, agriculture/food and environmental protection have benefitted most from biotechnological innovations. As an example, insulin, a hormone which is either lacking or inactive in diabetics, used to be very expensive. Cost of insulin has been significantly reduced by its production using bacteria that have been genetically engineered to express in large amounts the insulin gene and subsequently, the insulin product. Other proteins with therapeutic effects have been produced in the same manner. The designs of drugs specific for different forms of a specific disease have been based on the molecular understandin g of the disease and the affected metabolic processes. Another major area that has exploited advances in biotechnology is agriculture. Traditional biotechnology in agriculture is centuries old. An example is wine-making, which utilizes certain bacteria to ferment grape extract to produce alcohol. Another traditional biotechnology is cheese-making (makes use of bacteria), and bread-making (use of yeast). Agriculture further utilized specific microbial species to kill insect pests, promote nitrogen fixation, nutrient uptake and hasten organic decomposition to produce organic fertilizers. An early type of modern biotechnology, plant tissue culture, revolutionized the asexual propagation of economically important crops like banana, pineapple, orchids and other ornamental crops. Tissue culture is also being utilized to produce disease-free planting materials, like banana

The Great Divorce Essay Example for Free

The Great Divorce Essay The Great Divorce, the narrator suddenly, and inexplicably, finds himself in a grim and joyless city (the grey town, representative of hell). He eventually finds a bus for those who desire an excursion to some other place (and which eventually turns out to be the foothills of heaven). He enters the bus and converses with his fellow passengers as they travel. When the bus reaches its destination, the people on the bus — including the narrator — gradually realize that they are ghosts. Although the country is the most beautiful they have ever seen, every feature of the landscape (including streams of water and blades of grass) is unbearably solid compared to themselves: it causes them immense pain to walk on the grass, and even a single leaf is far too heavy for any of them to lift. Shining figures, men and women whom they have known on earth, come to meet them, and to persuade them to repent and enter heaven proper. They promise that as the ghosts travel onward and upward, they will become acclimated to the country and will feel no discomfort. These figures, called spirits to distinguish them from the ghosts, offer to assist them in the journey toward the mountains and the sunrise. Almost all of the ghosts choose to return instead to the grey town, giving various reasons and excuses. Much of the interest of the book lies in the recognition it awakens of the plausibility and familiarity, along with the thinness and self-deception, of the excuses that the ghosts refuse to abandon, even though to do so would bring them to reality and joy forevermore. The narrator is met by the writer George MacDonald, whom he hails as his mentor, just as Dante did when encountering Virgil in the Divine Comedy; and MacDonald becomes the narrators guide in his journey, just as Virgil became Dantes. MacDonald explains that it is possible for a soul to choose to remain in heaven despite having been in the grey town; for such souls, their time in hell has been a period of testing, and the goodness of heaven will work backwards into their lives, turning even their worst sorrows into joy, and changing their experience on earth to an extension of heaven. Conversely, the evil of hell works backwards also, so that if a soul remains in, or returns to, the grey town, even its happiness on earth will lose its meaning, and its experience on earth would have been hell. None of the ghosts realize that the grey town is, in fact, hell. Indeed it is not that much different from the life they led on earth: joyless, friendless, and uncomfortable. It just goes on forever, and gets worse and worse, with some characters whispering their fear of the night that is to eventually come. According to MacDonald, heaven and hell cannot coexist in a single soul, and while it is possible to leave hell and enter heaven, doing so implies turning away (repentance); or as depicted by Lewis, giving up paltry worldly pleasures and self-indulgences — which have become impossible for the dead anyway — and embracing ultimate and unceasing joy itself. In answer to the narrators question MacDonald confirms that what is going on is a dream. The use of the chess game imagery as well as the correspondence of dream elements to elements in the narrators waking life are reminiscent of Lewis Carrolls Alices Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass. The narrator discovers that the vast grey town and its ghostly inhabitants are minuscule to the point of being invisible compared with the immensity of heaven and reality. This is illustrated in the encounter of the blessed woman and her husband: she is surrounded by gleaming attendants while he shrinks down to invisibility as he uses a collared tragedian to speak for him. Toward the end of the narrative the terror of the dreaming narrator of remaining a ghost in the advent of full daybreak in heaven is that of the man with his dream of judgment day in the House of the Interpreter of The Pilgrims Progress. The book ends with the narrator awakening from his dream of heaven into the unpleasant reality of wartime Britain, in conscious imitation of The Pilgrims Progress, the last sentence of the First Part of which is: So I awoke, and behold, it was a Dream. Main Characters The Narrator (it is implied that this is Lewis himself) — main focus of the narrative George MacDonald — the writer, who acts as guide to the narrator. And also many other small characters that play some pretty important roles in explaining Lewis ideas. Allusions/references to other works Lewis consciously draws elements of the plot from Dante (The Divine Comedy) and Bunyan; for example, comparing his meeting with MacDonald to the first sight of Beatrice. He also credits the idea that hell exists within heaven but is smaller than one atom of it to his scientifiction readings; travel by shrinking or enlargement is a common theme in speculative fiction, and the narrator alludes to its presence in Alice in Wonderland. In the preface, Lewis explains the origin of his idea that heaven is immutable to the ghosts from hell, referencing an unnamed science fiction work which gave him the notion of a character being unable to affect matter around him because he ha d traveled back in time to the unchangeable past.

Julius Caesar Analysis :: essays papers

Julius Caesar Analysis Aristotle was perhaps the pioneer of modern day dramas, more specifically dramatic tragedies. He first defined what a tragedy is: A drama which contained hubris, pathos and/or bathos, and the most valued element in a tragedy, a tragic hero. This was usually the main character who is noble in his deeds, yet has one flaw which causes him to fall. The tragic works of Shakespeare were no exception. In the drama, Julius Caesar the reader can clearly see many of the principles of a tragedy. That is all except for the tragic hero. Ideas as to who is the tragic hero range from Cassius to Julius Caesar himself. The trouble is all characters have material to prove and disprove them. However the hypothesis that Marcus Brutus is the tragic hero is incorrect. One element to a tragic hero is the hero has only one tragic flaw, and Brutus clearly has more than one flaw in his character. The first flaws in Brutus character is his naivete and the assumptions he makes about other characters. Through out the entire story these two flaws are reflected in many of his decisions and actions. A specific example is his view on the Roman populace. Thinking all Romans are honorable and noble it is not only incorrect, but it plagues him until the very end of the play. One instance occurred as the conspirators were meeting. Brutus stated, Lets kill him boldly, but not wrathfully...... This shall make our purpose necessary and not envious.... (Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, 2.1. 172 & 177-178). He honestly believed that all involved were going to kill Caesar for honorable reasons. Not once did he question the motives of everyone, where, in reality Brutus probably was the only involved for noble reasons. Brutus undoubtedly convinces the reader of his own naivete when he states, ... let us bathe our hands in Caesars blood... Lets all cry ^Peace, freedom, and liberty!! (3.1. 106 & 110) Just by his enthusiasm, Brutus is not aware of any other motives. He simply believes that , Peace, freedom, and liberty are the only motives. Another example was during his speech at Caesars funeral. ... not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more (3.2. 18-20). Addressing the nobility of his actions and his love for Rome, Brutus surmises that the people understand him because of their equal love for their country. This assumption is evident because he uses it as the sole reason for killing Caesar. A reason that Brutus believes the people agree with, otherwise he would not use it to rationalize such a

Challenges Facing Fashion Industry in Ghana

CHAPTER ONE BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY The environment in which the fashion industry operates the world over has become turbulent, unpredictable and therefore, difficult to exert managerial control. Cultures around the world are constantly influencing each other; hence, the world’s cultures are changing fashion constantly. Also, social, economic, political and legal factors keep changing than before. Competition in the fashion industry is so rife such that the survival of fashion organizations cannot be guaranteed (Stuart, 1995). During the last decade, the developments of new technologies all over the world and growing globalization of countries economies have produced the fastest changes ever. The fashion industry in Ghana, especially, the clothing sub sector (which is the focus of this study) has not been without the effect of economic, political, social, cultural and legal pressures brought to bear on all organizations. In recent years, protectionism has given way to globalization. With that change, Ghanaian clothing sector of the fashion industry has had to compete with imports from low wage countries. Retailers, unencumbered by protectionism, have also seized on the opportunity, often choosing to go directly to offshore manufacturers. As retailers become larger and more globally connected, they continue to build global brands marketed around the world. In doing so, they eliminate many Ghanaian clothing companies from their supply chain. The result has been major market share declines and job losses in the industry. Aug The Ghanaian clothing sector of the fashion industry faces many challenges. he rise of low-cost goods from Asia, a slowdown in consumer spending, difficulty in accessing capital, lack of innovation from entrepreneurs, relatively high prices of products due to high unit cost, poor distribution channels and inability to promote local brands. It is without doubt that low-cost Chinese imports have increasingly dominated the local fashion scene. As a result some local manufacturers, in an attempt to remain competitive, have subcontracted their production processes offsho re. The issue of access to capital for the industry is not new. For years, industry players have indicated that they feel there is a lack of support for their industry from the banking community. Under these circumstances, it is not a surprise that many companies cannot secure financing. as a result of banking formula-based lending practices, financing remains a challenge to many well-run clothing companies and small businesses in general. Brand DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN A MJOR ISSUE IN THE clothing sub sector in the fashion industry in Ghana. Many Designers have not been able to design unique Ghanaian designs that would bear their own brand name in order to project their business. However, a few creative ones have had their product design copied wrongly and produced cheaply from China, thereby destroying the brands they have developed. These and other factors have created serious marketing challenges for the clothing sub sector of the fashion industry in Ghana. This study would go into detail to look at the nature of the marketing challenges facing the industry in Ghana. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM There are growing signs Ghanaian garment and fashion industry is approaching a serious crossroad. Increasing numbers of mainland Chinese manufacturers are taking Ghana’s role of mass-producing quality fashion items at reasonable cost. Industry players, also have difficulty securing financing from other lenders. For example, asset based lenders often require substantial premium interest rates. Other larger non-traditional lending institutions and professionals that can assist prefer working with larger companies where greater fees and returns can be earned. The traditional financing problems will likely become further exacerbated as companies implement new models that do not generate assets that can be collateralized. The problems enumerated above, as well as western cultures, globalization have created internal marketing challenges for the clothing industry in the area of promotion, pricing and distribution of products. The study seeks to unravel the challenges and make recommendations to solve the problems. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY The objectives of the study were: 1. To investigate how foreign cultures have influenced the Ghanaian brands in the clothing industry. 2. To assess the challenges associated with clothing design ( product development) 3. To investigate the challenges industry players face in their pricing of products . To assess how they promote their products. RELEVANCE OF THE STUDY It is hoped that the study would benefit clothing sub sector of the fashion industry in Ghana. Also, it will serve as a pedestal upon which future researches in the area would be based. CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW Eusebio (2007) carried out a research on the topic â€Å"Internal key factors in export pe rformance: A comparative analysis in the Italian and Spanish textile-clothing sector† The purpose of this paper is to analyze the key factors in the international performance of textile manufacturing companies. The study provided a comparative study of the main factors that have affected the export performance of the Spanish and Italian clothing sub sector of the fashion businesses. A wide range of factors has been studied, such as size, dispersion of sales and export experience. In order to compare Spanish and Italian cases, the empirical study used a standardized questionnaire for collecting data. The cases analyzed were respective geographical zones with a great tradition in textile-clothing industry in their country, Catalonian (in the Spanish case) and Lombardian business (in the Italian case). It was found that international experience was the main factor in the export performance for both cases but the investment in R&D and the export experience have been the keys for explaining the major export performance of the Italian businesses. The paper explained why the Lambardian textile-clothing companies exported more, in relation to total sales, than the Catalan companies in the same sector. . Research limitations – The sample was formed basically for small textile-clothing businesses (with less than five employees). Eusebio (2007) STUDIED Top of Form Management perception and marketing strategy in export performance: A comparative analysis in Italian and Spanish textile-clothing sector The purpose of the study was to focus on the key factors in the international performance of textile manufacturing companies. In order to compare Spanish and Italian cases, the empirical study used a standardized questionnaire for collecting data. The cases analysed were respectively geographical zones with a great tradition in textile-clothing industry in their country, Catalonian (in the Spanish case) and Lombardian business (in the Italian case). Research limitations/implications – The sample was basically from small textile-clothing business (with less than 500 employees). It was found that international experience was the main factor in the export performance for both cases but investments in R&D and export experience have been the keys for explaining the major export performance of the Italian businesses. The study was of value in that it provides a comparative study of the main factors that have affected the export performance of the Spanish and Italian businesses. A wide range of factors has been studied, including characteristics of the business, such as size, dispersion of sales and export experience. Freeman (2007) carried out a survey on the topic â€Å"Fashion marketing to women in Kazakhstan†The purpose study was to explore consumer behavior regarding women's decisions concerning fashion in the emerging marketing of Kazakhstan. Literature review formed the basis of the questions asked to several focus groups and in-depth interviews of 48 Kazakhs representing the average age of Kazakhstan. The approach of the paper was exploratory as there was not a lot of research concerning the Kazakhstani marketplace. The work revealed that Kazakhstani women were becoming aware of their rights to choose clothing and location of purchase. They expected to be treated with respect. The women were value conscious, thinking brand names enhanced the value of clothing and will shop sales regardless of the actual discount. Kazakhstani women we extremely fashion conscious and looked to the media current fashions. They were wary ything coming out of China. There were five market segments into which these women can be divided. Practical implications – Kazakhstan is opening as a marketplace. In order to understand how to market in Kazakhstan, firms must understand what is wanted and this paper begins this exploration. This market is unexplored both academically and by many clothing manufacturers. This market is opening and thus information concerning the marketplace is necessary. Chong (2007) carried out a survey on the topic â€Å"Central and Eastern European countries and North Africa: The emerging clothing supplying countries to the EU†. The purpose of this study was to examine the delocalization trend of the EU's clothing production to Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs) and North Africa, focusing on the geographical shift of outsourced clothing production pattern within the two developing regions. In total, 14 CEECs and North African countries were selected and classified into 1st-tier and 2nd-tier regions according to their GDP/capita values. Clothing trade statistics were obtained from the Eurostat database, and the clothing trade pattern was examined during 1995 to 2004. Trade Specialization Coefficient (TSC) was employed to measure the international competitiveness of clothing exports of the selected CEECs and North African countries. Results concluded that the EU's clothing production had significantly delocalized to the proximate CEECs and North African regions, with further geographical shift to less-developing 2nd-tier clothing supplying countries in recent years. The TSC analysis reflected that the competitiveness of clothing industry in 2nd-tiers had outperformed the 1st-tier economies, indicating Western European firms had shifted their sourcing practices to those lower-waged countries. Koksal (2007) studied on the topic† references regarding children's clothing in Turkey† The aim of this study was to determine the factors affecting the consumer preferences and behavior in the children's clothing market in Turkey, a country where the majority of the population is under 18 years old. Whilst the study investigated the purchasing preferences and behaviour of parents, such as shopping frequency and period, type of retailer and the effect of reference groups in the children's clothing market, it also explored some children's purchasing characteristics, like shopping decision age. This study offered some academic results on consumer behaviour and preferences in the children's clothing market: There is no set shopping period; consumers prefer shopping from independent shops; in the selection of retailers, consumers consider payment conditions, pricing, and range of merchandise; in the family the parents mostly make the buying decisions for their children's clothes; the age of children making their own clothing decisions varies between six and ten; the most important factors affecting consumers' decisions towards shopping for children's clothing are the price, quality, convenience, payment conditions, and size of the clothing. Kilduff (2007) carried out a research on the topic â€Å"Analysis of comparative advantage in the textile complex: A study of Eastern European and former Soviet Union nations† This research aimed to present an exploratory investigation into ten-year (1995-2004) patterns of trade specialization among Eastern European and former Sovie t Union Nations, assessing patterns of comparative advantage across the textile machinery, man-made fiber, textile, and apparel sectors of the textile complex to determine whether these conform with both trade specialization and industry evolution theories. A revealed symmetric comparative advantage index was employed to evaluate international competitiveness for 27 Eastern European and former Soviet Union Nations over a ten-year period. A repeated measure ANOVA was used to determine the significance of the observed patterns across four income-defined groups of nations. Overall, the pattern of export development and RSCA generally reflected expectations regarding factor proportions theory and industry evolution models. The RMANOVA partially confirmed the observations. The analysis indicated that income group did not independently affect comparative advantage; however, the nature of products was the significant factor influencing national comparative advantage. According to the researchers, the established models may be better at understanding those nations which have established relatively stable political and economic environment, and been experiencing earlier stages of industry development, but appear less useful in predicting development patterns for those nations experiencing dramatic transitions from regulated to de-regulated markets. The patterns of national comparative advantage in a vertical textile complex are identified for Eastern European and former Soviet Union Nations. The dynamics of change over a ten-year period following economic reforms are revealed. Karpova et al (2007) looked at the topic â€Å"Making sense of the market: An exploration of apparel consumption practices of the Russian consumer†. The purpose of this study was to examine and interpret post-socialist consumer xperiences in relation to clothing consumption practices when consumers shop, acquire, and wear clothing and other fashion-related products. Th e in-depth interview was the primary data collection tool. Data collection was conducted during summer 2004 in St Petersburg, Russia. College students formed the sample for the study. In total, 17 students (four males and 13 females) were interviewed. The hermeneutic approach was used to interpret the meanings of the participant life experiences. In comparison to consumers in an established market-based economy, consumers in this post-socialist market have unique perceptions of clothing attributes (quality, brand name, country of origin, retail channel) critical for buying decisions. Overall, appearance and clothing play a special role in the emerging Russian market as they help construct and communicate new identities more than any other product category. Identified challenges of the Russian apparel market indicate opportunities for domestic and foreign apparel businesses. The meanings Russian consumers attach to clothing attributes can be used to develop product positioning and promotional strategies. Discussed implications of the research findings can be extended to other post-socialist emerging markets. This study explored how Russian consumers have adjusted to the new economic reality after almost fifteen years of transition from a socialist to a capitalist society from the perspective of the consumer. Whereas previous research findings were confirmed, the present study provides rationale for perceived importance of quality and unimportance of brand name in the Russian apparel market. Curran (2007) studied the topic â€Å"clothing's big bang: the impact of the end of the ATC on developing country clothing suppliers†. Prior to the liberalization of the clothing and textiles sector under the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC) fears had been expressed about the potential impact on developing country suppliers. This study sought to establish the actual impact of the liberalization of the EU and US clothing markets. Comparison of trade figures pre and post liberalization. Was the basis for the research design The research revealed that, as forecast, significant changes occurred in sourcing patterns in the EU almost overnight. The big winners were India and China. Almost all other developing countries lost market share, although often not as much as had been feared. The impact of the liberalization was mitigated somewhat by the new quantitative restrictions negotiated with China half way through the year, which resulted in a redistribution of market share to other developing countries. Comparisons with the USA indicated that trends are rather similar, although on that market more developing countries saw increases in their exports, partly canceling out losses in the EU. Johnson (2007) carried out a survey on â€Å"The role of focal suppliers in strategic networks for internationalization: Perspectives from small and medium-sized Italian and Thai silk suppliers† The purpose of this research was to examine the role of focal suppliers in strategic networks for internationalization from the perspectives of small and medium-sized Italian and Thai silk suppliers. Multiple case studies of small and medium-sized suppliers within the silk industries of Italy and Thailand were undertaken. In total, seventeen interviews and three observations were conducted with directors or managers of silk suppliers and a range of government agencies, associations and institutes involved with the silk industry, to identify significant current issues within the sector. Conceptually clustered and role ordered matrices were used as coding frameworks to reduce, structure and analyze the data. The research showed that Silk suppliers' networks may be co-ordinated by a focal supplier that assumes the role of strategic leader. The involvement of a focal and strategically-focused supplier may strengthen and integrate the resources and capabilities of silk suppliers in their networks and enable them to improve their international network development and position. Further investigation is needed on the details of specific roles of focal suppliers in strategic networks. In the view of the researchers, Silk suppliers, their customers and government agencies involved with silk suppliers should: advocate and actively support the development of focal suppliers in their networks to enhance the effectiveness of their internationalization process and strategy. The researchers also indicated that there tends to be a consensus in the literature about the influence of focal customers and larger organizations in strategic networks. This study highlighted how small and medium-sized silk suppliers adopt the roles attributed to focal firms and gain positioning advantages for themselves and other suppliers in their network. Karmenidou (2007) carried out an exploratory study on the reasons for purchasing imported high fashion apparels: The case of Greece. The purpose of the study was to examine the reasons that Greek consumers purchase imported high fashion apparel over Greek designers high fashion apparel. The specific objective of the research was to detect the underlying factors that affect their purchasing behaviour. Qualitative research was conducted through discussions with consumer focus groups, all purchasers of imported high fashion apparel. Quantitative research was undertaken by means of a questionnaire with 28 items referring to the reasons for purchasing imported high fashion apparel. The sample consisted of 200 high fashion consumers from the city of Larissa, Greece. Data analysis includes descriptive statistics, reliability, as well as factor analysis by principal component analysis with Varimax rotation. This research was exploratory in nature and employed a non-probability sampling method. Results indicated that the consumers perceive that the imported high fashion apparel have better aesthetics, a better line and are produced from quality textiles, compared to the domestic high fashion apparel. Four factors derived underpinned the purchasing reasons of imported high fashion apparel: â€Å"status and image†, â€Å"quality of the product†, â€Å"marketing reasons† and â€Å"in fashion†. This study provided a useful source of information, which can be used by Greek high fashion apparel designers regarding the reasons why Greek customers of high fashion apparel purchase imported over domestic ones. The study suggests which elements Greek designers of high fashion apparel should focus upon in order to gain a larger market share. This study was important in terms that it was the first one to explore the reasons for purchasing imported high fashion apparel over domestic ones in Greece. It highlighted 28 reasons (items) derived from qualitative research. In addition it suggested appropriate quality and marketing actions to be undertaken by Greek high fashion apparel designers. Baker (2006) looked at the topic â€Å"Fashion industry facing challenges†. According to him, the Australia’s fashion industry faces many challenges including the rise of low-cost goods from Asia, a slowdown in consumer spending and the need to respond quickly to changes in trends. crippling household debt and low-cost Chinese imports increasingly will dominate the local fashion scene. â€Å"With house prices stagnant and the ongoing threat of an interest rate rise, people are readjusting their spending habits. Having spent beyond their means for many years, the debt to income gaps need to diminish, which means shrinking the value of goods bought on credit. According to him, the clothing industry is set to bear the brunt of a consumer slowdown in spending which would spell disaster for some local manufacturers. The ability of local production to respond quickly to changes in fashion trends is also crucial for survival. In his view, manufacturers will need to build closer relationships with retailers to help them respond more appropriately to consumer demand. Another challenge came from rapidly rising imports, particularly from China which accounts for 59 per cent of industry imports. Smaller, independent operators should always be on the lookout to increase efficiencies, develop effective branding and market strategies and attack key niche segments to make financial gains. One growth area for smaller players was on line selling, or e-tail, with its low set-up costs. Online sales currently account for just two to five per cent of retail sales in Australia but predicted that figure will increase with rising levels of broadband penetration. Revenue is leaking from our fashion industry as retailers who have been slow to catch on to building an online presence are losing out to overseas labels that are selling direct to the Australian public online. A survey undertaken by logistics group DHL found that the trend for local designers to go offshore could have a negative effect on the Australian fashion industry. The Business of Fashion survey showed that 90 per cent of respondents, which included designers and manufacturers, believe more garment manufacturing is headed offshore. The survey found that the industry needs better business training and more help to export if it is to remain competitive. Kalman (1999) wrote an article on how globalization has affected the fashion industry in the West Coast. While the West Coast sewn products industry is not exempt from downward domestic production trends faced by the rest of the United States, the region continues to stay one step ahead of the game thanks to its strengths in quick-turn fashion and flexible production. Suppliers to the market are focusing on these strengths as well as the challenges facing West Coast producers – namely the lure of low-cost sourcing south of the border – as they prepare to participate in the 1999 Sewn Products Expo – Los Angeles, which takes place April 22-24 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Looking at the factors that have driven the West Coast industry's growth, Lectra Systems Inc. vice president of marketing Rick Ludolph observes, â€Å"As West Coast firms have always been more fashion-driven, they have adapted better than more traditional manufacturing regions of the country to the need for fast, flexible production. †¦ Southern California, in particular, maintains a favorable value proposition with good labor availability at relatively low labor costs when compared to other U. S. regions. † Likewise, Mike Grogan, vice president of Apparel Machinery & Supply Co. notes that despite the migration of production offshore, the We st Coast apparel industry â€Å"still [has] a good core of smaller manufacturers, particularly in the Asian community, which can offer quick response to sudden fashion trends and short production runs. † The source of most West Coast production is California, which continues to lead U. S. apparel industry employment with a 1998 work force of approximately 168,700. The state is home to some 7,400 fashion-related companies that account for $47. 7 billion in annual wholesale sales, the California Fashion Association reports. Yet the growth of manufacturing activity in Mexico has had deleterious effects on apparel jobs, even in California. â€Å"This is particularly true in the most basic product line. People on the lower-priced budget end are almost completely forced out of the U. S. It's very difficult for them to make the high-volume, low-cost products here anymore. Moreover, From anywhere in Mexico you can be anywhere in the United States on the ground in four days, so transportation issues aren't really a problem anymore either. † Tight retail margins also are driving more production to Mexico. As Byte Systems director of sales and marketing Brad Mikes asserts: Retail price points are still the defining issue. Sewn products will continue to move to Mexico because of its proximity to the U. S. , the industry growth in Mexico, and because of the labor cost reduction [associated with] manufacturing there. Still, California has assets, such as its highly skilled work force and quick-turn manufacturing capacity that Mexico has yet to match. With regard to the state's growing apparel work force, Ludolph emphasizes: â€Å"This is a result of the strong demand for skilled labor, which is required to produce much of the women's wear and sportswear that is dominant in the region. †¦ [Subsequently] the availability of skilled, efficient labor is key to maintaining the apparel industry on the West Coast. † As the region's labor pool is fueled by an influx of Latin American immigrants, it promises to have a positive impact on maintaining jobs that might have otherwise moved to Mexico. With regard to flexible manufacturing, Robison-Anton Textile Co. president Bruce Anton notes that streamlined logistics and just-in-time production are playing an increasingly important role in the success of California's apparel industry, whereas â€Å"Mexican manufacturers have not adjusted to this yet. † Isenberg adds that with fashion-oriented orders, California contractors can maintain an edge over those of Mexico, which has very few â€Å"fashion factories,† as well as Asia, which requires long lead times. While â€Å"the days of having big runs come into domestic factories are all but over,† he says, California firms can still win if they are willing to run many different styles and small cuts. Indeed, without the security of big runs, many West Coast companies have had to become more acutely attuned to the caprices of the marketplace. As Joe Hollander, president of AC/Automated Components observes: â€Å"We have noticed that some factories are downsizing their operations and gearing themselves toward smaller production runs with an emphasis on quality and quick turnaround. We also see an emphasis on the ability to make subtle changes in the product to customize it for specific stores, chains, etc. † From a financial perspective, JBA International's Joe Facenda, senior consultant for apparel and footwear, concludes: â€Å"Our region is more influenced [than others] by the constant flow of new companies. Our designers and supplier network make us the Silicon Valley of the apparel industry,† he emphasizes, and this status breeds â€Å"a great need for more capitalization† so that start-ups and established companies alike don't â€Å"stay behind the capit al curve. † AHRC (2007) IN THE STUD OF Key Challenges in Adapting to New Models in the fashion industry ASSERTED THAT While companies are managing to adapt to offshore sourcing, they are slow to become world class in other parts of the value chain. Challenges are both company specific and general to the industry. The Study indicated that most participants had â€Å"operating basics† right, including being able to produce a value for money product that meets the end consumer needs at the right quality level, delivered on-time, with the proper service that retailers demand. However, the same study noted several weaknesses. A startling 58 percent of companies did not have the financial acumen, information or general expertise to identify the true profit drivers in their company. Without this information, these companies have been unable to distinguish profitable versus unprofitable segments of their business, and thus often unable to identify the most profitable niches to grow;58 percent of companies did not have a strong management team, implying that their own internal management competencies may be preventing them from reinventing themselves;While 67 percent of apparel companies operate within a niche, 62 percent do not offer the customer anything that differentiates them from the competition. Contractors were specifically noted to have even greater internal challenges, including:Extremely weak sales and marketing capabilities: Many companies tend to be dependent on relatively few longterm customers; These companies do not have an owner or key employees with significant sales capabilities;Weak financial and costing which impede their abilities to determine profitable contracts from unprofitable ones;Poor workforce cross-training capabilities / flexibility. A World-Class Focus of Excellence Key challenges per company will also vary based on the model being pursued. In general, the following table illustrates the key challenges depending on whether a company intends to maintain an element of the value chain in-house and make it a core focus or whether it intends to outsource it: Beyond specific business model challenges as noted above, certain general challenges will impact industry players as well:Decreasing Domestic Supply Chain As manufacturing continues to move offshore, domestic apparel manufacturer suppliers (textile companies, label producers, thread companies, etc. ) will face greater challenges; In all likelihood, these suppliers will continue to face consolidation and closures; As the supply chain erodes, it will become increasingly difficult for those apparel companies wishing to manufacture domestically to do so. The 2003 AHRC LMU noted that while most industry executives were aware of the coming industry restructuring, 87 percent did not have a strategic plan to deal with the issues. The 2007 AHRC Study confirmed this still to be the cases at the onset of the program, some three years later. While the 2007 AHRC Study provided assistance to 130 apparel companies, presumably there continues to be many apparel companies without well-rounded management teams. Beyond specific value chain shortcomings, key weaknesses tend to be in the areas of strategic and financial management. Of all participants in the 2007 AHRC Study, 27 percent will face a succession issue within the next 5 years; 42 percent within the next 10 years:Most of these companies do not have succession plans;There is a strong correlation between companies that have succession plans and strategic plans; i. e. , if a company does not have a winning strategy in place, it likely does not have a succession plan;Without succession plans, many of these companies will face business continuity issues in the short to mid-term. The issue of access to capital for the apparel industry is not new. For years, apparel companies have indicated that they feel there is a lack of support for their industry from the banking community. While there may be some truth to this, it may be for good reason. As previously noted, consider that of the 2007 AHRC Study participants: 56 percent did not have a strong management team in place; 58 percent were not able to determine the true profit drivers of their business; 87 percent did not have a strategic plan that could be acted upon; 61 percent were not willing to reinvest in their businesses. Under these circumstances, it is not a surprise that many companies could not / cannot secure financing. Nevertheless as a result of banking formula-based lending practices, we believe that financing remains a challenge to many well-run apparel companies and small businesses in general. SMEs at times, also have difficulty securing financing from other lenders. For example, asset based lenders often require substantial premium interest rates. Other larger non-traditional lending institutions and professionals that can assist prefer working with larger companies where greater fees and returns can be earned. The traditional financing problems will likely become further exacerbated as companies implement new models that do not generate assets that can be collateralized. Consider: Soft cost expenditures are often required to implement new models (i. e. esigners, marketers, sales and service personnel, increased travel, training and marketing costs, These expenditures offer no collateral security to lending institutions and as a result, are difficult to finance; Inventory financing costs are increasing, often as a result of shifts to imports; Requirements to fund export receivables are increasing. To further exacerbate the issues, many executives appear to often strip equity from their companies as opposed to maintaining this capital for future reinvestment. Employment will shift from predominantly production jobs to balanced or predominantly white collar positions. New models will require companies to hire world-class talents in areas such as design, marketing and logistics. According to the 2007 AHRC Study, positions to be most in demand include: Sales professionals (sales managers, brand managers, sales representatives); Marketing professionals (marketing managers, marketing analysts, merchandising technicians); Designers (product developers and design technicians); Import / export specialists; This talent appears to be in short supply and in demand by other industries as well. Apparel companies will be challenged to recruit, train and retain these key personnel. Financing such salaries will also be a challenge to companies. According to the 2003 AHRC LMU, 87 percent of Canadian apparel companies had less than 50 employees. Less than 7 percent of companies employed more than 100 personnel. This SME industry structure partly explains the lack of management sophistication in the industry. In order to reinvent themselves, many companies will need to increase their size in order to support greater white collar needs. We believe that this will lead to: Further industry consolidation; Continued merger and acquisition activity (for companies that have established a niche but need greater volume to expand and operate on a larger scale); Partnering / allying / creating joint ventures with world class specialists in order to remain competitive. Such partnerships are likely across the entire value chain in the areas of design, marketing, manufacturing, sales, logistics and distribution. As in the banking sector, much of the professional expertise in this area (business brokers for example) may be out of reach to many SMEs. Professionals in these areas prefer to work with large organizations whereby they can generate substantial fees as opposed to the SME marketplace. There are relatively few barriers to entry in launching an apparel company. As a result, the industry is constantly regenerating. Consider that nearly one third of all participating companies in the 2007 AHRC Study were established within the last ten years. Many of these companies are being founded by new designers graduating from colleges or individuals who have identified an underserved niche. Unhindered with the baggage of yesteryear, many of these companies have viable new business models. In these cases, the challenge is often to secure adequate industry specific managerial talent and financial resources to grow the company. CHAPTER THREE METHODOLOGY 3. 1 RESEARCH DESIGN The research used the survey design. Independent variables which were assessed cultural, globalization, pricing, product design and promotion challenges in the clothing sub sector of the fashion industry. Assessment was made to see their effect on the industry. Both qualitative and quantitative tools were used for the research. The design factored in large scale fashion designers, medium scale designers and tailors/seamstresses. The stratified and simple random sampling methods were used. 3. 2 POPULATION AND SAMPLING 3. 21 Population and Sample The research targeted large scale cloth designers, medium scale designers and tailors/seamstresses in Accra. The large scale designers are those who produce on large scale for the Ghanaian market and still export some. The medium scale are those who produce for the Accra market and a few for other regions. The tailors selected were those imitate and create designs based on the specifications of others. A sample of 120 was chosen. It was made of 10 large scale, 50 medium scale and 60 tailors/seamstresses. 3. 22 Sampling Strategy The research stratified the population into 3: large scale designers, medium scale designers and tailors/seamstresses. Simple random sampling was then used to select the sample in each stratum. A List was obtained from the Association of Fashion Designer and the Association of Tailors and Seamstresses. They then given codes and put in a basket. The sample was then selected randomly through the lottery approach. 3. 3 RESEARCH PROCEDURE A letter of introduction was taken from the Methodist University College. Copies were made and addressed to the leaders of Associations to seek approval for preliminary interview to have insight into the challenges of the industry. The leaders of the associations gave out the list of members, location and telephone numbers. With the help of the leaders, 120 respondents were selected. The researcher upon meeting the respondents explained the topic under study, stated the purposes, relevance and benefits of the research. Upon the approval of the Heads, the respondents were given the questionnaires. The researcher and his research assistants used a period of four (4) weeks to collect the questionnaires from the respondents. Out of the 120 individuals identified and given the questionnaires, 108 responded to the questionnaires, representing a response rate of 90%. 3. 4 RESEARCH INSRUMENT The primary data was collected through the administration of questionnaires based on our aims and research questions The questions were in †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. The questions used in this research were two types: open-ended and closed-ended questions. The reason for the open-ended questions was to allow respondents to express their views in the way they desired. The closed-ended ones were used to ascertain specific answers. 3. 5 STATISTICAL ANALYSIS Qualitative and quantitative methods were used in this research. These two methods complement each other. Qualitative research can be used in all disciplines and subject matters and its main aim is to gather an in-depth understanding of reasons and human behaviour. It investigates the why, what, how, where and when of decisions making and human behaviour. The research used bar graphs and frequency tables to analyse the data. The researchers also used the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for the analysis. REFERENCES APPENDIX 1 METHODIST UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF MARKETING QUESTIONNAIRE INTRODUCTION I am a student of the Methodist University College, Department of Marketing, pursuing Bachelor of Business Administration. I am carrying out a research on the topic â€Å"Marketing challenges of fashion industry in Ghana: perspectives of clothing sector. in partial fulfillment for the award of the degree. It is the aim of this research to find out the challenges of the fashion industry in relation to globalization, cultural influence, product development, pricing, distribution and promotion. The information you provide would be treated with the confidentiality and anonymity it deserves. You are assured that the information would be used for purely academic purposes and nothing else. I would be grateful if you respond to this questionnaire as objectively and honestly as possible. SECTION A : Demographic Data 1. Age†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 2. Gender: Male†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Female†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 3. Educational background: Basic Education†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Secondary education†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Tertiary education†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 4. How long have you been in the fashion industry†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 5. Industry classification: Seamstresses/Tailors†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Medium scale†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Large scale†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ SECTION B: Cultural Challenges 1. Clients like European designs Yes†¦.. No†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 2. American designs have adulterated indigenous Ghanaian designs Yes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. No†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 3. Women mostly like western clothes that expose their bodies Yes†¦. No†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 4. Cheap foreign clothes are collapsing the Ghanian fashion industry. Yes†¦ No†¦.. SECTION C: Challenges of Globalization 5 Unfair global trade affects the fashion industry in Ghana. Yes†¦ No†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 6. The fasion inudtry in Ghana uses very little IT in its operation. Yes†¦.. No†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 7. Designs on the net has a lot of influence in the choice of clothes. Yes†¦.. No†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 8. Globalisation has changed the taste and preferences of consumers in the fshion industry in Ghana. Yes†¦.. No SECTION D: Product development Challenges 9. the industry has innovative designers with a sense of originality. Yes†¦. No†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 10. The clothes designed are of high quality. Yes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. No†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 11. Clothing brands do not have trademarks. Yes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. No†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 12. Designs and clothes are durable. Yes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. No†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. SECTION E: Pricing Challenges 13. Consumers compain about the prices of clothes. Yes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. No†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 14. Prices of Ghanaian clothing designs are higher than that from the west. Yes†¦. No†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 15. Chinese clothes of the same quality are less expensive than Ghanaian clothes. Yes†¦. No†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 16. Designs do not have standard prices. Yes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. No†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ SECTION F: Promotion Challenges 17. Industry players cannot afford to advertise clothes on TV. Yes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. No†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 18. Medium scale clothing producers do not take part in trade exhibition. Yes†¦.. No†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 19. Most clothing designers are not known. Yes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ No†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 20. Stakeholders do radio advert to advertise new designs. Yes†¦.. No†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. SECTION G: Distribution Challenges 21. Cloth designer do not have many sales outlet. Yes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. No†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 22. There are not many retailers who deal in made Ghana clothes. Yes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ No†¦. 23. Made in Ghana clothing designs are not easily accessible on the local market. Yes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ No†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.

Hamburger †United States Essay

A company that finds major success in one country won’t necessarily catch on in another. There are a number of fast-food chains that succeeded in America, but have failed globally. One example is the widely popular Wendy’s. Wendy’s is the third largest burger chains in the U.S. However, according to the article Wendy’s to Exit Japan, Wendy’s has recently declared that they â€Å"will not renew its agreement with its Japanese franchisee, Zensho Co Ltd, after both of them failed to reach an amicable solution on the development of Wendy’s brand in Japan.† This will result in the closure of 71 outlets located in and around Tokyo, Japan. Despite being one of the leading quick-service restaurant companies in America, Wendy’s has struggled to understand and expand internationally. It seems that they were being consistently beaten by the business that McDonald’s generates. Japan is McDonald’s largest market outside of the United States. It has nearly 4,000 restaurants there. The closure of Wendy’s marks the end of a 29-year presence in Japan, and is clearly a testament to the different tastes of the Eastern and Western countries. In October, Wendy’s attempted one final marketing strategy when they launched a $75 million campaign titled, â€Å"When It’s Real.† However, the campaign failed to boost sales and actually declined 4%. That appeared to be the last straw for the franchise. It’s difficult to succeed in the restaurant industry during a recession. People are more careful with their money so they tend to eat more at home. However, fast-food chains continue to thrive during these tough economic times because of their affordability. I do feel that what happened to Wendy’s could have been prevented. After all, McDonald’s is still succeeding in Japan, so why couldn’t Wendy’s. It’s important to remain innovative, especially during a recession. If they could have been creative and developed catchy marketing strategies during these tough times, I think they could have swung back into more prosperous times. References Schaefer, R.T. (2009) Sociology: A brief introduction (8th ed.) New York, NY: McGraw Hill. Zacks Investment Research (2009). Wendy’s to Exit Japan. Retrieved Jan. 9, 2010 from: http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewarticle/articleid/3711374

wild squid essays

wild squid essays Squid are wild and wonderful. They are believed to be remarkably intelligent because of their apparently complex communication system. They include the Vampire Squid, and the elusive and mysterious Giant Squid. I researched the Giant Squid which is the biggest animals in the sea. The giant squid lives in most of the world`s oceans and is among the biggest animals in the sea but it is rarely seen. It hunts smaller sea creatures but larger animals feed on it. It has inspired fantastic tales but the facts are even more fascinating than the ficiton. For over 2,000 years the giant squid has inspired fear, fascination, and fantastis stories. Encounters with this huge invertebrate have always been rare and distant. And only recently has there been scientific evidence to Centuries ago, people invented explanations for what their astonished eyes saw. In 1500`s, when several large unfamiliar sea creatures were stranded in Norway, people decided they were  gMermen h. A merman is a giant squid. Until the 1880`s , the giant squid was thought to be a legend. But in 1888, a giant squid 57 feet long washed ashore on a New Zealand beach. It had tentacles 35 feet long, and its eyes were each larger than a dinner plate. (It is amazing!) One captured sperm whale regurgitated two 42 foot long tentacles in an aquarium, meaning the squid they came from was roughly 66 feet long, and weighed 85,000 pounds. Scientists do not know exactly where in the sea it lives, they have not been to study it alive. The giant squid can be up to 18m (59 ft), and their weight can be up to 900kg (1980lb,nearly 1ton). In addition, They were caught everywhere in the world, especially in the North of Atlantic. Scientists suspect giant squid live mostly at depth of 200 to 700, One of the giant squid found stranded on U.S. sho ...

The Nuremberg Laws of 1935

The Nuremberg Laws of 1935 On September 15, 1935, the Nazi government passed two new racial laws at their annual NSDAP Reich Party Congress in Nuremberg, Germany. These two laws (the Reich Citizenship Law and the Law to Protect German Blood and Honor) became collectively known as the Nuremberg Laws. These laws took German citizenship away from Jews and outlawed both marriage and sex between Jews and non-Jews. Unlike historical antisemitism, the Nuremberg Laws defined Jewishness by heredity (race) rather than by practice (religion). Early Antisemitic Legislation On April 7, 1933, the first major piece of antisemitic legislation in Nazi Germany was passed; it was entitled the â€Å"Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service.† The law served to bar Jews and other non-Aryans from participating in various organizations and professions in the civil service. Additional laws during April 1933 targeted Jewish students at public schools and universities and those who worked in the legal and medical professions. Between 1933 and 1935, many more pieces of antisemitic legislation were passed at both the local and national levels. The Nuremberg Laws At their annual Nazi Party rally in the southern German city of Nuremberg, the Nazis announced on September 15, 1935, the creation of the Nuremberg Laws, which codified the racial theories espoused by the party ideology. The Nuremberg Laws were actually a set of two laws: the Reich Citizenship Law and the Law for the Protection of German Blood and Honor. Reich Citizenship Law There were two major components to the Reich Citizenship Law. The first component stated that: Anyone who enjoys the protection of the Reich is considered to be a subject of it and is therefore obligated to the Reich.Nationality is determined by the Reich and state nationality laws. The second component explained how citizenship would henceforth be determined. It stated: A citizen of the Reich must be of German blood or Germanic origin and must prove by his/her conduct that they are suited to be a loyal German citizen.Citizenship may only be conferred with an official certificate of Reich citizenshipOnly Reich citizens may receive full political rights By taking away their citizenship, the Nazis had legally pushed Jews to the fringe of society. This was a crucial step in enabling the Nazis to strip Jews of their basic civil rights and liberties. Remaining German citizens were hesitant to object for fear of being accused of being disloyal to the German government as decreed under the Reich Citizenship Law. The Law for the Protection of German Blood and Honor The second law announced on September 15 was motivated by the Nazi’s desire to ensure the existence of a â€Å"pure† German nation for eternity. A major component of the law was that those with â€Å"German-related blood† were not allowed to marry Jews or have sexual relations with them. Marriages that had occurred prior to the passage of this law would remain in effect; however, German citizens were encouraged to divorce their existing Jewish partners. Only a few chose to do so. Additionally, under this law, Jews were not permitted to employ house servants of German blood who were under the age of 45. The premise behind this section of the law was centered around the fact that women under this age were still able to bear children and thus, were at risk to be seduced by Jewish males in the household. Finally, under the Law for the Protection of German Blood and Honor, Jews were forbidden to display the flag of the Third Reich or the traditional German flag. They were only permitted to display â€Å"Jewish colors† and the law promised the protection of the German government in demonstrating this right. November 14 Decree On November 14, the first decree to the Reich Citizenship Law was added. The decree specified exactly who would be considered Jewish from that point forward. Jews were placed into one of three categories: Full Jews: those who practiced Judaism or those who had at least 3 Jewish grandparents, regardless of religious practice.First Class Mischlinge (half Jewish): those who had 2 Jewish grandparents, did not practice Judaism and did not have a Jewish spouse.Second Class Mischlinge (one-fourth Jewish): those who had 1 Jewish grandparent and did not practice Judaism. This was a major change from historical antisemitism in that Jews would be legally defined not simply by their religion but also by their race. Many individuals who were life-long Christians found themselves suddenly labeled as Jews under this law. Those who were labeled as â€Å"Full Jews† and â€Å"First Class Mischlinge† were persecuted in mass numbers during the Holocaust. Individuals who were labeled as â€Å"Second Class Mischlinge† stood a greater chance of staying out of harm’s way, particularly in Western and Central Europe, as long as they did not draw undue attention to themselves. Extension of Antisemitic Policies As the Nazis spread into Europe, the Nuremberg Laws followed. In April 1938, after a pseudo-election, Nazi Germany annexed Austria. That fall, they marched into the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia. The following spring, on March 15, they overtook the remainder of Czechoslovakia. On September 1, 1939, the Nazi invasion of Poland led to the beginning of World War II and further expansion of Nazi policies throughout Europe. The Holocaust The Nuremberg Laws would ultimately lead to the identification of millions of Jews throughout Nazi-occupied Europe. Over six million of those identified would perish in concentration and death camps, at the hands of the Einsatzgruppen (mobile killing squads) in Eastern Europe and through other acts of violence. Millions of others would survive but first endured a fight for their lives at the hands of their Nazi tormentors. The events of this era would become known as the Holocaust.

Energy-Nonrenewable,Renewable Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Energy-Nonrenewable,Renewable - Essay Example Major consumers of energy include the industrial, transportation and residential sectors (Gaudreault 683). There has been shifting trends in energy conservation. The conservation efforts involve the use of other alternative forms of energy and increasing awareness to conserve energy for use by the future generations. Oil is the fulcrum of the modern society. It is used run heavy machinery. It also continues to fuel serious political tensions. As a non-renewable resource, its continued use may result into ultimate depletion. This is because oil takes a long period to renew. It has to take organic matter to live, die and decay to form oil. Decaying plants and animals form the basis for fossil fuels. It is estimated that the process of oil formation takes 300 million years (Pfeiffer 287). The combustion of these fossil fuels provides the energy that man needs. Energy sources include oil, coal and hydroelectric power. Non-renewable resources are resources that do not renew themselves at a sufficient rate for sustainable extraction. Examples of these resources include carbon-based and derived fuel. The organic material becomes fuel oil, gas after it is subjected to varying amounts of heat and pressure. Fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas and petroleum are other examples of renewable sources. These resources contribute significantly to environmental degradation because of inability to be reused after extraction (Arthur 1510). Humans extract other non-renewable sources of energy such as minerals and metal ores since they exist within the earth’s crust. Their extraction is made possible by the natural geological processes such as weathering, heat. These processes occur due to many years of crustal recycling, tectonic subsidence and plate tectonics. The deposits of these metal ores can be extracted by humans for their economic gains w ithin the human-time

Arab and Israel Conflict Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

Arab and Israel Conflict - Essay Example al and nationalist clash over competing territorial ambitions after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and it involves the foundation of the Zionist movement and the ensuing formation of the modern State of Israel. The first conflict between the two nations, known as the first Arab-Israeli War, started on May 15, 1948, when five Arab armies invaded the one-day- old Jewish state. This war is generally divided into two phases: the first began on November 30, 1947 and ended on May 14, 1948, with the termination of the British Mandate and the second phase started on May 15, 1948 and ended on July 20, 1949, with the signing of the last of the Armistice Agreements between Israel and its Arab neighbours. Significantly, the War of Independence in 1948 was the most destructive wars that the two nations ever fought and it only marked the beginning of the Arab-Israeli conflict. â€Å"By the time the fighting was over, Israel, albeit at the exorbitant human cost of 1 percent of its population, had survived the Arab attempt to destroy it at birth and had asserted its control over wider territories than those assigned to it by the UN Partition Resolution.† (Karsh 2008, P. 6). It is essential to realise that the 1948 war was more than a war about national self-determination in the light of concept of the formation of a Jewish homeland and the displacement of the Palestinians. This chapter makes a reflective exploration of the War of Independence in 1948, outlining the balance of forces which shaped the British Mandate of Palestine between Palestinians, Arabs, and the increasing number of immigrant Jews, in order to comprehend the various aspects of the conflict such as the two-state solution provided by the United Nation. The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, which was fought between the newly declared State of Israel and its Arab neighbours, has been known in different names, and the Israelis call it as the War of Independence or War of Liberation while the Arabs name it as the