Women in Politics in the Progressive Era Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ladies in Politics in the Progressive Era - Essay Example Toward the finish of nineteenth century ladies were viewed as the ethical gatekeepers and the defender of the home. During the dynamic time, female reformers utilized philosophy that so as to completely ensure the home, females should move to the open degree where they could rehearse their moral control over issues, for example, open cleanliness and training which in the long run impactsly affected the homes (Schneide and Schneider 106). Before reserving the privilege to cast a ballot the ladies took part in the political field by joining chipping in associations to work for changes in the nation. Endeavors started to create at the grassroots level and stretched out to the state and national level. These ladies did explore, executed program, and pushed for the governing body to investigate social, political, and monetary issue. White collar class club ladies and settlement laborers were to sort out and address issues concerning instruction, human services, and political defilement while working ladies got composed in their own and in association with working class ladies to raise government assistance compensation and improve working conditions in America. African American ladies were in association to battle prejudice and offer shared help. The status of ladies was starting to change quickly in this period, for most part white collar class white wedded ladies thou they despite everything didn't work outside their home. Working ladies were basically youthful and single, widow or divorced people or poor wedded lady. Most ladies kept working in agribusiness as local hirelings particularly the African American ladies. Notwithstanding, new openings were opening up and most ladies started to look for occupations in retail establishments. Mid-class ladies had the option to secure positions as administrative specialists for example typist, representative, phone administrator, and a couple exceeded expectations as legal advisors, specialists, writers, and researcher (Schneide and Schneider 146). During the 1930s some transformed ladies in the time were at that point in

Employee Handbook Free Essays

string(57) commitment to know and follow this â€Å"chain of command. Martino Landscape Contractors, Inc. Worker Handbook for Field Personnel TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT 3 MISSION STATEMENT 3 LETTER FROM THE OWNERS 4 PURPOSE OF THIS HANDBOOK NOTICE 5 SUPPLEMENTS/CHANGES 6 DEFINITIONS 6 EXCEPTIONS 6 Section I: EMPLOYMENT Organization Chart 7 Employment-at-Will 7 Equal Employment Opportunity 8 Affirmative Action Plan 8 Immigration Reform Control Act of 1986 9 Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) 9 Section II: PERSONNEL STATUS Employment Classifications 10 Tardiness and Absence 11 Personnel Records 12 Work Rules and Performance Standards 13 Section V: GENERAL INFORMATION Open Door Policy 26 Injuries/Accidents 26 Sexual Harassment 27 Alcohol, Drugs, and Controlled Substances 29 Prohibited Items 29 Drug Testing 30 Moonlighting (Outside Activities) or Conflict of Interest 32 Personal Credit References 32 Driving Records 33 Personal Loans and Pay Advances 33 Media Relations 34 Use of Company Vehicles, Property, Equipment, Etc. 34 ATTACHMENTS Employee Statement of Acknowledgment Substance Abuse Testing Consent and Release Overtime 24 Disciplinary Form 24 Execution Evaluations 25 Job Descriptions 25 INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT Welcome to Martino Landscape Contractors, Inc. We will compose a custom paper test on Worker Handbook or on the other hand any comparable subject just for you Request Now This Employee Handbook †Field applies to all representatives of Martino Landscape Contractors, Inc. It is planned to give rules and outline data about the company’s staff arrangements, techniques, advantages, and rules of lead. It is significant that you read, comprehend, and become acquainted with this Employee Handbook and consent to the norms that have been built up. It would be ideal if you talk with your quick director on the off chance that you have any inquiries or need dditional data. The principles set out in this Employee Handbook are as finished as we can sensibly make them. Notwithstanding, they are not really comprehensive since conditions that we had not foreseen may emerge. Some as of now unexpected conditions may warrant the utilization of control, including end. Also, Martino Landscape Contractors, Inc. maintains whatever authority is needed to adjust, supplement, cancel, or reexamine any strategy, advantage, or arrangement every once in a while, with or without notice, as it esteems important or suitable. Statement of purpose Coming up next is our statement of purpose at Martino Landscape Contractors, Inc. Martino Landscape Contractors, Inc. is focused on accomplishing the most elevated conceivable degree of absolute consumer loyalty. We will probably make the earth more secure and progressively appealing. The entirety of our partners are devoted, persevering individuals that have been prepared and prepared to perform work in a right and safe way. We are focused on development, dependability, and giving important business. At Martino Landscape Contractors, Inc, we carry out the responsibility ‘RIGHT. † LETTER FROM THE OWNERS Welcome to the Martino Landscape Contractors family! This Employee Manual answers a portion of the significant and central inquiries you may have about your work with Martino Landscape Contractors, Inc. In it, you will discover portrayals of Company strategies and rules identified with your business. Should you have inquiries concerning your work here, kindly don't spare a moment to examine them with your prompt director. We anticipate a long and commonly useful relationship. ______________________________ _____________________________ Roberto Martino Motivation behind THIS HANDBOOK This Employee Handbook is expected to be a specialized device to educate representatives about the arrangements, rules, advantages, and work rehearses that influence their work with Martino Landscape Contractors, Inc. It will assist you with understanding your obligations to Martino Landscape Contractors, Inc. also, the Company’s duties to you. This Employee Handbook isn't planned to, and ought not be deciphered as, making an agreement of work. While Martino Landscape Contractors, Inc. elieves that perhaps the most ideal approaches to build up an employee’s trust and trust in the Company is to act in a steady way, understand that changes to our every day practices may once in a while be fundamental. Consequently, Martino Landscape Contractors, Inc. maintains whatever authority is needed to change, alter, erase, or add to any of the approaches and practices recorded in this, as per management’s best judgment. We necessitate that you read the entirety of this Employee Handbook cautiously. You are additionally urged to take it home to your family so they can likewise get comfortable with it. You ought to allude to this manual first when you have any inquiries. In the event that you despite everything are not sure, it would be ideal if you contact your prompt director. NOTICE The strategies in this Employee Handbook are to be considered as rules. Martino Landscape Contractors, Inc, at its sole alternative, may change, erase, suspend, and end any piece of its strategies in this Handbook with or with no earlier notification. Any such activity will apply to existing, just as future, representatives, with proceeded with business being the thought between the business and the worker. Nobody other than the President of Martino Landscape Contractors, Inc. may change or alter any of the strategies in this Employee Handbook. No announcement or guarantee by an administrator, supervisor, or division head might be deciphered as an adjustment in approach, nor will it comprise a concurrence with a representative. Should any arrangement in this Employee Handbook be seen as unenforceable or potentially invalid, such finding doesn't nullify the whole Employee Handbook, yet just the subject arrangement. DEFINITIONS This Employee Handbook manages Field staff. Field staff incorporate those representatives whose work is performed mainly in the Field. This incorporates the accompanying: †¢ County Supervisors †¢ Tractor Operators or Crew Members †¢ Lawn Care Crew Members †¢ Weed Whacker Crew Members This Employee Handbook likewise covers Field work force who are brought to the Main Office or the Shop on a case by case or impermanent premise . Special cases at times exemptions can be made to arrangements recorded in this Employee Manual. Much of the time exemptions won't be permitted. Just the President can make special cases to expressed Company approaches. Special cases are NOT naturally in truth, and not very many will be conceded. On the off chance that you demand a special case, it is your obligation to give defense to the President to give an exemption. Area I: EMPLOYMENT ORGANIZATION CHART Martino Landscape Contractors has a formal, useful association diagram. This association outline exhibits the â€Å"chain of command† at Martino Landscape Contractors. It is your commitment to know and follow this â€Å"chain of order. You read Representative Handbook in class Papers † According to this graph, you have just one chief. Your supervisor is the person who furnishes you with all business related directions. You ought to ask this individual, and this individual just, pretty much all business related inquiries. On the off chance that, after the finish of this conversation, you are not fulfilled, let your quick boss realize that you might want to talk about this issue with their prompt manager. That individual will set the ideal opportunity for such a gathering after conversation with their prompt boss (See the Section on â€Å"Open Door Policy. †). You may talk about close to home issues with the President, or any individual from the board, at your shared comfort without first examining these sorts of issues with your prompt chief. Work AT-WILL Employment is with the common assent of you and Martino Landscape Contractors. Thusly, Martino Landscape Contractors reserve the option to fire the business relationship whenever, with or without cause or notification ahead of time. This work freely relationship will stay as a result all through your work with Martino Landscape Contractors, except if it is explicitly altered by an express composed understanding marked by the President of Martino Landscape Contractors. All Field workers will have an Introductory Period of at least 60 days. After the effective finish of this period, they may get considered as changeless workers. This business freely relationship may not be changed by any oral or suggested understanding. This Employee Handbook doesn't establish a worker contract. Lateness AND ABSENCE You are a piece of a group. Much of the time, the advancement and profitability of the activity relies upon every one of its colleagues acting together. Thusly, it is significant that representatives work their alloted plans as reliably as could reasonably be expected. Nonetheless, Martino Landscape Contractors comprehends that in view of ailment or crisis circumstances you might be not able to come to work. On the off chance that you can't answer to work in any way, shape or form, you should bring in to your quick chief before your planned time of appearance with the accompanying data: †¢ If you will be late, you should state why and when you hope to be in. †¢ If you will be missing, you should state why and to what extent you hope to be out. In the event that your quick boss has a phone, you should call that individual legitimately. It is your obligation to stay with the educated every day during a transient nonappearance. With the exception of on account of a crisis, representatives must have their supervisor’s authorization to go home before they are normally planned to do as such. Being (late) or missing is considered â€Å"excused† just when you call instantly and the late or nonappearance is for a convincing explanation. The Company saves the right, at its sole tact, to figure out what establishes a convincing explanation. A late or nonappearance for a non-convincing explanation, and neglecting to bring in acc

Miranda vs. Arizona Case Brief Essay [ Free Example ]

Miranda vs. Arizona Case Brief Essay Case Facts: Ernesto Miranda was arrested and locked up in a Phoenix police station on March 13, 1963 where he was identified by a complaining witness (Samaha, 2012).   Law enforcement officers took him to an Investigation Room where he was questioned before the two officers came out with a written confession that he signed.   During the questioning, Miranda was not notified that he had a right to an attorney and was notified of the need for voluntary confession after making his oral confession.   The written confession was then admitted into evidence at his trial before a jury despite objections from the defense counsel.   The court then found him guilty of kidnapping and rape and sentenced him to 20 to 30 years in prison for each count, with these sentences running simultaneously.   This ruling was upheld by the Supreme Court of Arizona following Miranda’s appeal on the basis that his constitutional rights were not violated since he did not specifically request coun sel. Issue: The issue was whether police officers should notify arrested defendants of their constitutional rights against self-incrimination under the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution before interrogation. Arguments or Objectives of the Parties: The defense counsel representing Ernesto Miranda objected the admission of the written confession into evidence on the basis that Miranda was not notified of his constitutional rights under the Fifth Amendment. This argument was based on the fact that police officers admitted that they did not advice Miranda of his right to an attorney and read out his right to voluntary confession prior to obtaining an oral confession from him.   Therefore, the objective of the defense counsel was to stop the admissibility of the written confession into evidence.   On the contrary, the State of Arizona contended that Miranda’s Fifth Amendment Constitutional rights were not violated because he did not specifically request counsel.   This argument was made to help ensure that the written confession was utilized as evidence to incriminate Miranda for his crime. Holdings: In a split 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that law enforcement officers need to advice arrested persons of their Fifth Amendment constitutional rights before interrogation.   Arrested individuals need to be notified of their right to remain silent, right to have an attorney or counsel appointed to represent them, and an explanation that any utterances could be used against them in a court of law. The absence of such notification/explanations implies that any confessions by an arrested individual during interrogation will not be admissible into evidence. The dissenting judges led by Justice Tom Clark contended that Due Process Clauses in constitutional amendments are applicable to interrogations.   Additionally, they argued that the provisions of the Fifth Amendment relating to self-incrimination are never geared towards prohibiting any and all efforts towards self-incrimination.   These judges also argued that the majority was making new laws because of the lac k of historical support for wide application of the Fifth Amendment (Samaha, 2012). Rationale: The Court’s decision was based on the fact that the Fifth Amendment is applicable to situations outside criminal court proceedings and seeks to safeguard individuals across all settings where their individual liberties could be restricted in any major way by being forced to self-incrimination.   In this regard, the prosecution’s use of inculpatory or exculpatory statements obtained from custodial interrogation as evidence in a court can only be allowed if effective procedural and legal safeguards are utilized to protect an individual against self-incrimination.   The failure to use such safeguards significantly undermines and/or interferes with the individual’s will to resist and may force him/her to speak in a situation where he would prefer to remain silent or have an attorney/counsel representing him/her. Reference Samaha, J. (2012). Criminal procedure (8th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. View or Download this full document in (.docx) format. --> Open Full Document Open full document and source list OR Order A Custom Written Essay Order a one-of-a-kind custom essay on this topic

Water Conservation - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 9 Words: 2836 Downloads: 9 Date added: 2017/09/13 Category Advertising Essay Did you like this example? IMPORTANCE OF WATER CONSERVATION With only 1% of water available for human consumption, doesnt it make sense that we should treat our water supply with more respect? Water conservation should not be considered an option any longer. Current circumstances require our full attention if we hope to thrive as a civilization. If these statements sound dramatic, it is because much of the world is currently suffering due to a lack of clean water. Importance of Conservation of Water / Stats Statistics around the reveal that our fresh water supply is practically nonexistent. That is why it is so important to seek out, find and start using all the innovative water conservation solutions and methods that are available today. Whether you live in Australia or China or the US, it is time to wake up and take responsibility. It is easy to practice water conservation in the home, but there is more to be done. Our world needs help on a commercial level as well so that our waste can be controlled in such areas as agriculture and irrigation. Water Conservation ideas are cropping up in exciting legislation. Thats why our participation in the voting process is so important. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Water Conservation" essay for you Create order Lets act now, so our kids will have a brighter, greener future. Demands are increasing every year for water while resources are becoming more and more limited. Since many individuals are unaware (or, sadly, just dont care) that this issue needs attention, it is up to more informed and proactive individuals and companies to take up the slack. A 40% increase is expected in water demand over the period of next two decades. The increase in water demand is a contribution of various factors including growing population, increased agricultural needs, industrial use of water and water needed for electricity production. The problem of water waste is severe in countries where people are using the same inefficient methods for irrigation of agricultural land. Water needs are increasing every year and the proven fact is that clean water is not available to 1 out of 5 people on earth. Solutions are clearly needed. The increased demand in water combined with the pollution of water has had many adverse effects on the environment, growth and economy of many countries. Importance of Conservation of Water / Consequences of Not Conserving Increased expenditures on pipeline development, sewage and other infrastructure to supply the water to the households and industries †¢ Investment to build more dams to fulfill the water demands and increased electric supply †¢ Huge amounts of money going out every year for recycling, cleaning and purification of the water †¢ Large amounts of industrial pollutants dumped in the rivers which are responsible for destroying and upsetting the ecosystem of the whole planet †¢ Rising instances of erosion of land because of increased demand of agricultural land and irrigation Importance of Conservation of Water The problem of water is local as well as global. The resources of water on earth are limited and are reducing every year. Due to the effects of global warming the frequency of rain has become unpredictable. In some parts of world there is rain throughout the year, while in other parts individuals are suffering the consequences. Widespread dry spells are occurring over much of Europe and Asia, Canada, western and southern Africa, and eastern Australia. And in parts of the world where rainwater is available, major problems are still prevalent because of a lack of proper systems to clean the water. Pollutants like oil, cigarette butts and other impurities make the percentage of usable water practically nonexistent. Methods of water conservation must be implemented in these areas if our planet is to continue to sustain itself. The United Nations has predicted that by the next two decades there will be 17% more demand of water compared to resources available. The unpleasant fact is that the most people remain careless and do not recognize the importance of water conservation. Huge campaigns are conducted every year by many government organizations and NGOs to spread awareness of the importance of water conservation. As citizens of this planet it is our individual responsibility to take an active role in water conservation. The simple tasks we perform every day like gardening, tending to laundry, washing our cars, etc. are opportunities for us to make a difference. Change begins with us, and if we lead by example, others are more likely to follow. I sincerely believe the consciousness of the planet is changing. And even though some statistics may appear grim, other stats reveal a growing awareness. There has actually been a decrease of water consumption in some areas due to more water efficient toilets and appliances. And this is due to companies meeting the demands of the public. Adopting an attitude of caring, and placing a premium on awareness is contagious. Try it, and you will see what I mean. Water Conservation Methods As the population of the world grows exponentially, our drinkable water supply remains at about 1 percent of the total water present on Earth. These statistics may not seem real to you if you are fortunate to live in an area that has the resources to supply your needs. But the truth is millions of living souls are suffering because of a lack of this vital resource. Water consumption, whether it be in the household, through industry and manufacturing or in agriculture, must be given the consideration it deserves. And although special programs are conducted every year to increase the awareness of conservation, we as citizens of this planet, need to participate in water conserving activities if we hope to sustain our way of life. Water Conservation Methods / For the Household Huge amounts of water are lost every year due to unattended faucet leaks, using outdated appliances, excessive clothes washing, showering, washing cars, gardening, and other everyday household activities. Water Conservation Methods / What You Can Do †¢ Turn off water while you are brushing your teeth and open it when you need to rinse your mouth. †¢ Take shallow baths and plug the drain before you run water. Keep showers short with pressure at low force. Re-use bath water to water your lawn or shrubs or for heavy cleaning jobs like floors or cars. †¢ Install Dual Flush toilets in the home more on this below. †¢ Buy the washing machines or dishwashers that have AAA ratings and that are ranked as energy efficient. †¢ Get rain tanks and collect the rainwater in them. That water can be used for gardening and washing cars. †¢ Use mulch around the trees and plants in your lawn. This keeps in moisture longer so that use will need less water to keep your lawn and plants healthy. Water Conservation Methods / The Matter of Irrigation There is also a need to conserve water while irrigating land. Many people are still using obsolete methods for irrigation that waste huge amounts of water. Some solutions to stop water loss in irrigation are: †¢ Buy improved irrigation hardware and equipment that is optimized for water conservation while covering larger areas at the same time. Pressurized systems, improved furrows and sprinklers can be used in farms to save huge amounts of water. †¢ Devise proper scheduling systems and improved water management techniques to irrigate depending upon the type of crops, predictions about the weather and type of land. †¢ Use better canal systems since they contribute towards water conservation. Saved water can be used later. Water Conservation Methods / How Industries Can Help Water conservation also needs to be addressed at an industrial level. Some of the ways that can be implemented in industries to conserve water are: Conduct regular surveys and examinations to find out the ways for conserving water. Also conduct awareness programs at an employee level. †¢ Don’t use water where it is unnecessary like, washing driveways, washing trucks frequently, etc. These things can be done with less water or without using any water. †¢ It is a good idea to install high-pressure but low volume spray nozzles on spray washers. †¢ Reuse water when it is discharged from various processes. †¢ Check the efficiency of your water equipment on regular basis. I hope that by following these methods you will begin to examine your level of water consumption. By doing so, the adverse effects that others are already suffering from will begin to recede. Spread awareness by acting with consideration. Water Conservation Methods / Dual Flush The United States, like Australia and many other countries are experiencing more erratic weather that places a significant strain on water resources. This can no longer just be ignored. Any house hold that still uses an old toilet flushing cistern, should give very serious thought to converting to dual flush. A dual flush system is probably the single most significant water saving invention to date. The Dual Flush toilet that was developed 25 years ago in Australia is such a success story that it has been mandatory throughout Australia for many years, and most of the country has been retrofitted with Dual Flush, significantly reducing the strain on their fresh water supply. They are now available around the world from different manufacturers. Water Conservation Methods / Toilet Tank Bank †¢ Worry-free water savings for the lifetime of the toilet. Displaces 0. 8 gallons per flush. Easy-to-fill, patented air lock and fill valve no water evaporation †¢ The Tank Bankâ„ ¢ is the easiest device to use to save water fill to top, snap to close and hang in toilet tank †¢ Every flush saves water with maintenance-free toilet tank displacement bag; up to 0. 8 gallons per flush! †¢ Constructed of non-corrosive materials that resist microbes fungal growth †¢ Anti-evaporat ion snap/airlock means the bag never needs refilling and prevents odours. Water Conservation Devices / Intro Water conservation should not be considered an option any longer. Current circumstances require our full attention if we hope to thrive as a civilization. If these statements sound dramatic, it is because much of the world is currently suffering due to a lack of clean water. Statistics around the reveal that our fresh water supply is practically nonexistent. That is why it is so important to seek out, find and start using all the innovative water conservation solutions and methods that are available today. Whether you live in Australia or China or the US, it is time to wake up and take responsibility. It is easy to practice water conservation in the home, but there is more to be done. Our world needs help on a commercial level as well so that our waste can be controlled in such areas as agriculture and irrigation. Water Conservation ideas are cropping up in exciting legislation. Thats why our participation in the voting process is so important. Lets act now, so our kids will have a brighter, greener future. Water Conservation Devices / Find the products that make a difference Throughout the past few years, developments in water conservation technology have produced a number of devices as the importance of conservation of water has risen. These include a wide variety of water conservation products including those for plumbing, cleaning, gardening, and pool maintenance as well as entire systems for water recycling and rainwater harvesting. Water Conservation Devices / Rain Harvesting Rainwater harvesting is a technology used for collecting and storing rainwater from rooftops, the land surface or rock catchments using simple techniques such as jars and pots as well as more complex techniques such as underground check dams. The techniques usually found in Asia and Africa arise originate from practices employed by ancient civilizations within these regions and still serve as a major source of drinking water supply in rural areas. Commonly used systems are constructed of three principal components; namely, the catchment area, the collection device, and the conveyance system. As civilizations have become more technologically advanced, more efficient methods are now available throughout the world. One of the best known and respected companies for rainwater harvesting kits and accessories is Aqua Barrel. Water Conservation Devices / Showerheads Features: †¢ (1. 5 GPM) Powerful, two-setting massage spray showerhead that does not sacrifice performance for efficiency †¢ Flow control technology: greater force at low pressure! †¢ Rated #1 showerhead by leading industry organization †¢ Conserves water and saves money while enhancing pressure, performance and appearance! †¢ 9-jet turbo massage is adjustable: gentle needle spray to forceful jet †¢ Saves 40% more energy water †¢ Non-removable flow compensator Non-aerating spray means less temperature loss with maximum energy savings †¢ Pressure-enhancing construction †¢ Consistent flow rate regardless of water pressure †¢ Self-cleaning and maintenance-free †¢ Installs easily by hand and without tools †¢ Corrosion-resistant, high-impact ABS thermoplastic body †¢ Meets or exceeds ANSI specifications †¢ California Energy Commission-certified †¢ 10-year guarantee Water Co nservation Devices / Teflon Tape This product is used to quickly seal indoor and outdoor leaks, thereby saving lots and lots of water. For use with threaded fixture installations. ?† x 60†. Teflon tape makes quick work of sealing and lubricating male pipe threads of all sizes. Some kits include a leak detection tablet and tips, two moisture-resistant packets containing FDA-certified, and nontoxic dye tablets that are used to detect leaks in toilets. Instruction card also includes useful tips to fix leaky faucets. Tablet detects leaks in large or small toilets darker color for easier detection. Easy to follow instructions are included printed in both English and Spanish. Water Conservation Devices / Tankless Water Heaters A tankless water heater provides hot water only when needed. It heats water on demand. Heres how it works: You turn on the hot water tap, the system rapidly heats cold water (which travels through a pipe into the unit), and hot water flows to your tap as long as youd like. That means you wont run out of hot water in the middle of a shower. Because of the energy efficient capabilities of tankless water heaters you will notice big savings in your monthly utility bills. Just be sure to choose these devices wisely. Our research indicates that tankless water heaters supplied through the Low Energy Systems will yield good results. Water Conservation Devices / Bathroon Aerators Bathroom aerators usually are chrome plated or brass. They provide a more projected and pressurized spray than most kitchen aerators. And bathroom aerators generally cost even less, ranging anywhere from $2 to $5 each. Bathroom faucets without these attachments can use anywhere from 2 to 4 gallons of water per minute. New low flow bathroom aerators use as little as 1 to . 5 gallons per minute and all without reducing water pressure. Water Conservation Devices / Flow Meter Bag This kit bag doubles as flow meter bag to identify water wasters throughout the home. You can see for yourself how many gallons per minute you are saving with your new, energy-efficient showerheads and aerators. Water Conservation Devices / Toilet Tank Bank †¢ Worry-free water savings for the lifetime of the toilet. Displaces 0. 8 gallons per flush. †¢ Easy-to-fill, patented air lock and fill valve no water evaporation †¢ The Tank Bankâ„ ¢ is the easiest device to use to save water fill to top, snap to close and hang in toilet tank †¢ Every flush saves water with maintenance-free toilet tank displacement bag; up to 0. 8 gallons per flush! Constructed of non-corrosive materials that resist microbes ; fungal growth †¢ Anti-evaporation snap/airlock means the bag never needs refilling and prevents odors. Water Conservation Devices / Toilet water Saver Fill Cycle Diverter A patented, fast and easy water saver, this product takes exsscess water from the bowl and diverts it to the tank to reduce water consumption. (This is NOT a flow-restrictin g device). Inexpensively saves up to 75% of the fill cycle water up to ? gallon per flush Save up to 2,700 gallons of water per year, installs in minutes, no tools needed. Conclusion Reduce, Reuse and Recycle is a accustomed mantra. When it comes to attention water, it is important to accept the bulk of these efforts. Because of waters basic importance, we charge to ensure that our safe accumulation lasts. By attention water, we can save energy, abate costs and assure the ecosystem. Every time baptize runs bottomward the drain, it becomes decay water, defective analysis in adjustment to be acclimated again. The operations of baptize analysis accessories are costly, and massive amounts of activity are acclimated to about-face decay baptize into cooler water. When we abate the bulk of baptize that needs to be treated, we conserve activity and money. The environments rivers, groundwater reservoirs and underground aquifers accommodate our beginning water. Although baptize shortages and droughts account our area to become and our autos to abide dusty, a abridgement of baptize additionally affects fish, fowl, flora and added wildlife that depend aloft it for their survival. When baptize runs low, it has a absolute appulse on the absolute ecosystem. According to UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the action for heating hot baptize in our homes involves anchored emissions that absolution abutting to 35 actor tonnes of greenhouse gases anniversary year. When we abate the bulk of hot baptize we use for domiciliary affairs and bathing, we abate the bulk greenhouse gases that are emitted. With the allowances that appear from attention water, every accomplishment can accomplish a difference. Careful application of the way baptize is acclimated can aftereffect in a convalescent environment, a safe and abounding baptize accumulation and a stronger economy

Sentimental and Frontier Adventure in The Last of the Mohicans Movie Review

Essays on Sentimental and Frontier Adventure in The Last of the Mohicans Movie Movie Review The paper "Sentimental and Frontier Adventure in The Last of the Mohicans Movie" is a good example of a movie review on visual arts and film studies. The film is a very interesting historical film. It was set up during the French and Indian War in 1757. During this war, the French called on allied Native American tribes to battle with the tough British in the region (Cooper, 24). Apart from the plot, the film offers many themes and the most interesting question that arises is: How does The Last of the Mohicans draw together elements of the syrupy novel and the frontier adventure story? Fact oneCooper incorporates and entangles elements of the sentimental novel, such as marriage and love and sentiments of the frontier adventure, such as racial conflict and warfare. Cooper develops psychological tensions and friendship among the characters that are basically of both genres.Fact twoApart from friendship and psychological tensions, Cooper utilizes female characters to establish the narrative weight of sentimentality. In addition, he introduced these women characters into the struggling state of affairs that define the frontier venture. In this film; Cooper creates a warfare environment characterized by emotions and dramas, through permeating it with syrupy elements of romance (Cooper, 65). Fact threeCooper heightens the film’s drama by demonstrating the Indian culture as good, Uncas, as opposed to the Indian figure of evil, Magua, as revealed in the contest for the love of Cora Munro-the white girl (Cooper, 45). He uses Magua and Uncas’s interracial aspir ations, so different in tone and intent, to incorporate psychological depth to the or else simple antagonism that exists between Indian and white. Conclusion While Cooper sees the elements of civilization as important, he feels that there is a trace of savagery in all humanity. He, therefore, develops a hybrid genre, frontier romance, through linking war and sentimental (Cooper, 105).

Saint Francis Of Assisi Essay Example For Students

Saint Francis Of Assisi Essay This biography had a lot of information on St. Francis of Assisi. He was a verygenerous man who founded the Friars. Along the way he accomplished many gooddeeds. He gave all that he had to the poor so that they could live a betterlife. The only things he needed were food, shelter, and companionship. St. Francis of Assisi was born in September of the year 1182. He was born to a richmerchant named Pietro di Bernardone. In 1202 he was held prisoner for severalmonths over a dispute between Assisi and Perugia. This was followed by a periodof illness. He didnt like the way his life was going so he turned to prayerand service for the poor. In 1206 he officially turned down his fathers fortune. To help bring his life to good he decided to become a hermit. This attractedmany followers. He preached about the idea of having a simple life of followingthe Gospels. When Pope Innocent III found out about his good works Francis wasordained a deacon. His followers increased in population and were called friars,which is a lower form of Francis name. In 1212 he got help from Saint Clareand established a branch for women called the Poor Clares. In 1221 Francis madea new edition for the lay people called the Third order. After a long life ofhard work he finally retired from leading the friars. At this time he was giventhe stigmata or imprint of the wounds of Christ on his own body. He also wrotethe Canticle of Brother Sun. He died October 3,1226. He was canonized a Saint in1228 and his Feast day is October 4. This book taught me that Francis was a richman before he converted his life. I thought that he was always poor and he wasshowing appreciation for the things around him. This act of kindness makes methink of him as even a better person. This book also taught me that he didnthave that many followers at first. When he started it was just him. In 1221 hehad eleven. Over more than ten years he hadnt made many followers. This booktaught me that Francis not only gave up his fortune but he firmly believed inbeing poor. Not for one second would he have thought that being rich would havehelped him more. From his point of view he had all he needed with him. This booktaught me that people made fun of him for what he did. How could you make fun ofsomeone that is doing such a great deed? He wasnt hurting anyone. He was justhelping people. This book taught me that he made more than a Franciscan order. He also made an order for women and for lay people. His teachings were for allpeople, and not only religious people. I liked this book because it got deepdown into St. Francis life and showed all of the good points. It sends out agood message to all people that read the book. I didnt like the book becauseit had a lot of stories that made the book kind of boring. They talked too muchabout rules instead of talking about what he did. The book was also to my likingbecause they used more action than normal biographies do. Normal biographies areusually all facts. This one had some stories and some neat quotes. St. Franciswas a great man that teaches us a great lesson in courage. He gave up all thathe had to just to help other people. These days that is very rare. People justdont want to follow in his example anymore. All Catholics should imitate histeachings.

The Red Apple Country that Changed Gertrude Simmons Bonnin Essay Example

The Red Apple Country that Changed Gertrude Simmons Bonnin Paper Gertrude Simmons Bonnin or Zitkala-Sa (known in Dakota’s village as Red Bird) is one of the most talented and highly educated Native American woman. She struggled and fought for the Native American culture during the time of severe oppression prevailed among them by the Euro-American civilians. Her contributions especially in literature, music, and politics changed the insights and beliefs upon their title of sinful savages and to which she strongly challenged this white mans boastful claim of having the best culture. The aim of her works was to understand the white dominant culture from Native America, and her Impressions of an Indian Childhood, The School Days of an Indian Girl, and An Indian Teacher Among Indians is an example of some of the insights of the existing differences(Bonnin). Her objective was to criticize impelled doctrines and dedicated her life to scrap cruelty as what described into her essay. Her work is basically based from her own personal encounter and experiences which would be well understand by merely reading the three essays because each are connected and complement to one another. Her essay which is a question among the conservative administrators at Carlisle provokes bewilderment. Zitkala-Sa portrayed the negative effects of boarding schools to children of Native American. Aside from the pains from the â€Å"iron routine† in the school and the difficulty to adopt and learn to the English language, the separation from her mother for four years is a tough task to adjust with(Giese). The change in the environment is the focus of the story to which several questions arises from the new world making her self totally uncomfortable and not at ease to stay and play with. The author is trying to show her disagreement to the boarding school approach upon their teaching in homemaking and agriculture. Religion on Christianity was forced and so far, they are leading them to the Indian culture and language eradication. She visions for a higher learning and privilege for academic subjects where in Indians could be capable on it and not just limited to vocational training(Kroeber). As an added catch of the purpose of the story, she burly disapproves the military discipline and the manual labor program imposed. We will write a custom essay sample on The Red Apple Country that Changed Gertrude Simmons Bonnin specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Red Apple Country that Changed Gertrude Simmons Bonnin specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Red Apple Country that Changed Gertrude Simmons Bonnin specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer To my own perspective , the day she started school is also the start of the change of her life to which she took it for granted ( because of the Red Apple Country), for at a younger age her destiny begins even though still unconscious of it. Schooling means to the Euro-American is civilization and survival, so that’s what she grabbed because the sooner or later if no one among them will be intelligent enough to analyze the minds of this Euro-American, they will be just a subordinate to them, making them aliens or worst slaves of their own region(Minnesota). From the words of the author she mentioned that, â€Å"I give outright the varying moods of my own evolution, those growing pains which knew not reason while active, to stir up views and earnest comparisons of theories was one of the ways in which I hoped it would work a benefit to my people, no one can dispute my own impressions and bitterness and perhaps a reason may be assigned to† (Minnesota). So, she then clearly emphasized the bitterness and hatred of the Euro-American cultures in condemning their rights specially those days at school that is vastly different from the world they are supposed to be wandering, also a different views that compel to them for not being treated as equally to the kids of the new community they went for.

Juveniles and the death penalt essays

Juveniles and the death penalt essays Today it is very difficult to turn on the TV or pick- up a newspaper without hearing about someone being killed or someone on trial for killing. With the increasing number of people committing crimes it is not surprising to read that an increasing number have been committed by children. Tragedies such as those that occurred in Littleton, Colorado and Little Rock, Arkansas, have generated heightened concern over bloodshed amongst Americas young. The anger and pain provoked by these highly publicized displays of juvenile violence have been reflected in the words and deeds of politicians who call for tougher approaches to crime and increasingly severe criminal sanctions. As a result, the juvenile justice system, founded on the idea that childhood is a distinct stage of life, has slowly been dismantled. The century-old notion of children and adolescents as less culpable and more amenable to rehabilitation has given way to a harsher reality where child criminals are frequently indisting uishable from their adult counterparts. Since 1992, forty-five states have passed or amended legislation making it easier to prosecute juveniles as adults (Childrens Rights; Speaking for Children. P. 2). Not only are more children being transferred out of the juvenile system and into the adult criminal system, but also today, more juveniles are receiving the ultimate sanction-the death penalty. In January 2000 three juvenile offenders were put to death. As of October 2000, seventy-four more awaited their fate on death row (Msn:Death Penalty Info Center; p.8). . The United States crossed a significant barrier in 1999 when Sean Sellers became the first sixteen-year-old offender executed in over forty years. Explaining this increase in juvenile death sentences and executions, Texas juvenile delinquency expert Billy Bramlett noted that death sentences suit the citizenry fed up with the expense of crime, the fear of crime, the d...

Corporate Social Responsibilities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Corporate Social Responsibilities - Essay Example Through a commitment to CSR, organisations play a role in solving economic, social and environmental problems. On the other hand, the internal forces that can contribute to CRS include pressure from shareholders and employees (Alessia et al. 2009). While, external forces contributing to CRS in organisations include consumer demand, government policies, technological advancement and social activism. In the contemporary business environment, the reputation or image of firms depends on the disclosure of their activities to the public. In this regard, CSR reports made available to the public allows internal and external stakeholders to examine the contribution of firms towards CSR activities. The growing consumer awareness has also increased pressure on corporations to publish annual CSR reports (Obserseder et al., 2014). These reports mainly focus on how firms are dealing with societal concerns regarding environmental pollution, climate change and resource depletion. Conversely, while t here is debate concerning the importance of corporate self-reporting, the emergence of international guidelines and standards suggests that consumers are increasingly basing their purchase decisions on such information (Alessia et al. 2009). This paper examines corporate social responsibilities report of three companies that include BMW, Adidas and Shell. In the modern business environment, CSR reports are important because they help to enhance the image of firms in the public domain. Through these reports, firms are in a position to highlight on their business activities. Since the consumers are becoming aware regarding sustainable development, it is in the interest of companies to disclose their CSR activities. Such activities may include, for instance, community initiatives, safety at the workplace, stakeholder engagement, corporate governance and

Compare and Contrast Herbal medicine and Nutritional therapy Essay

Compare and Contrast Herbal medicine and Nutritional therapy - Essay Example In addition, complementary medicine incorporates alternative medicine applied for curative and therapeutic purposes, instead of the western medicine (Robson, 2003). Other important component of complementary medicine according to Robson, (2003) includes indigenous practices and medicines traditionally used for medical intervention in addition to integrative medicine, which involves using both western medicine and complementary medicine to cure diseases. In view of these dimensions, Robson (2003) argues that complementary medicine is an inclusive term, incorporating both complementary medicines and therapies. In health care, Mark and Brown (2007) note that the major concerns of complementary medicine are maintenance of health and curing diseases. Therefore, different medicines and therapies not regarded by mainstream medical practice are included in the practice. These include herbal medicine, acupuncture, reflexology, aromatherapy, nutritional therapy, hypnotherapy, massage therapy, yoga, homeopathy, osteopathy among others (Mark, & Brown, 2007). According to Blackman, et al. (2009), many health care professionals are increasingly applying both complementary and conventional medicine and therapy in their practices and this has resulted to high incidents of overlap between the two. In this regard, Fass (2001) formulated four domains of complementary medicine considering the existence of some intersections while applying medical practices. These domains include mind and body medicine, practices based on biological applications, energy medicine, and body based (manipulative) practices (Fass, 2001). Mind - body medicine in complementary medicine involves the application of diverse methods intended to improve the power of the mind to affect the functions of the body and symptoms (Damery, et al. 2009). Examples of mind-body

Macbeth Diary Entries Essay Example for Free

Macbeth Diary Entries Essay I am weary and suspective of Macbeth as he questions much of my movement with Fleance that afternoon. I really feel something amiss. Maybe it is just Macbeths insecurity for all i know. It is late and Fleance is waiting for me in the woods. I must go now. Macbeth and I just had just came back from a battle. A great one indeed. We had came ashore and were proceeding back to Forres when we came upon this desserted and gloomy heath where we were most shcoked to be greeted by three witches that had long beards strecthing from their ragged cloaks. I was uncertain what gender they were, but i knew something was wrong. At first sight, the three creatures greeted Macbeth Thane of Glamis. They then started chanting prophesis that concerned Macbeth and me. The first witch chanted,All hail,Macbeth! Hail to thee,Thane of Glamis followed by the next All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee,Thane of Cawdor and the last of which chanted All hail, Macbeth ,that shalt be king hereafter! Hail they chanted three times together and continued prophesising. Lesser then Macbeth, and greater. the first witch chanted. Continued the second Not so happy, yet much happier. Thou shalt get kings ,though thou be none So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo. Chanted the last of witch. I was overwhelmed by suspision when i heard those prophesies whilst Macbeth was, I should say rather engrosed and interested in their prophesies. Macbeth wanted them to stay but in a blink of an eye, they suddenly disappeared into thin air. Macbeth was furious. Stay you imperfect speaker s, tell me moreMacbeth Was truely interested in these creatures prophesy, but i just got a bad feeling about this. Dear Diary, The news my cousin brought filled me with an unimaginable grief. My family, brought to the graves by such feeble means, so defenceless and alone while I was off in England arguing with Malcolm about my loyalty, which how dare he question it! Only a monster would kill innocent children and women, there was no reason for it! How can they live with themselves? As I write I am miles away from Fife for how could I stay when that atrocity happened in the place where I would have rested? I can never forgive myself for what happened that day, that fateful day which has brought me nothing but pain. I lay in my bed last night feeling alone and confused. My thoughts were in flux; I had ranged between crushing, overwhelming depression, during which I had shed countless tears onto my blankets, and anger so volatile I got up to put on my armour and immediately head to Fife (thrice), in hopes of catching the perpetrator only to remember my family, take off my armour, and lay back down. My wife would not have liked me to be dwelling on avenging their deaths but it is the only thing my mind has been set on. I have thought of killing myself, taking away the pain but I cannot do that! What would people think? I have no heir to my title or wealth, they would think I killed my family myself! Then I think of that assassin and him off gallivanting killing more innocent people and breaking other peoples hearts and I know hes got to be finished. If I ever find out who has killed my loved ones, I will be the death of them or they be the death of me. Macduff I am writing this entry, sitting at a desk in Scone. I have recently witnessed my dear friend Macbeth crowned King of Scotland. I am still in shock after the strange happenings of the past few days, so I am not yet overcome with neither joy nor grief. I should be happy for Macbeth, yet I feel that something inside me will not allow me to be so. These events, I fear, have not happened by chance, but that something evil, something supernatural is at work. Macbeth and I felt immense pride, on that fateful day as we rode, victorious, over the moor. We had just defeated the ghastly Norwegians, though by uncivilized means. Macbeth rightly said So foul; and fair a day I have not seen. Not far into our journey, we came upon three weird sisters. They all hailed Macbeth Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, and king hereafter. True, he was Thane of Glamis, but we were puzzled, to say the least, about the other two statements. As I was intrigued, I questioned them about my future. In reply, they told me that my sons would me kings, and that I would be Lesser than Macbeth, and greater. This confuses me greatly, for had they not just said that Macbeth would be king? Of course, I chose not to believe these instruments of darkness. Amazingly, minutes after the sisters had vanished, Macbeth was announced Thane of Cawdor. We were both quite taken aback, for the beings had foretold that very thing. I think our minds both raced towards the third prediction, All hail Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter! I believe that Macbeth began to think about how to make the third prophecy a reality. We spoke no more about it. Surprisingly, Malcolm was named Duncans successor, though Macbeth was firm favourite in my mind, at least.

Computer Usage in Schools Essay -- Technology Education Learning Essay

Computer Usage in Schools A computer is, â€Å"a programmable electronic device that can store, retrieve and process data† (Merriam-Webster). This tool once predominately used in homes and offices is making its way into our educational system. Technology is a growing part of our society today. We are beginning to see the use of computers in classrooms more and more. The increase of computer usage in schools, primarily elementary, has enhanced student learning. The study I looked at recognized the importance of technology in education, but then examined teachers’ educational background and knowledge of technology and its effect on their integration of computers and computer software into classroom curriculum. It also researched the impact and effectiveness of such technologies on student learning. Both Alex Pan and Stuart Carroll, the authors of the study, are professors of elementary and early childhood education at the College of New Jersey in Ewing. Alex’s specialty is in the area of the effectiveness of the use of educational technology. So this study was right up their alley. They decided to use a combination of surveys and observation to gather their data. They did a study they call The Magic School Bus Project, in which they selected 45 first- to fifth-grade students from an elementary school in an urban district. All had some experience with computers, but none were familiar with the Magic School Bus Software. 22 college sophomores who were enrolled in the Analysis of Teaching class were also chosen. First, the college students examined and evaluated the Magic School Bus CD-ROMs. They used an evaluation form to rate them based on their own observations and perceptions. Some of thes... ...ne Dictionary. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. 2003. http://www.m-w.com. Pan, Alex C.; Carroll, Stuart Z. â€Å"Preservice Teachers Explore Instructional Software with Children.† The Educational Forum v. 66 no4 (Summer 2002): 371-9. Sava, Samuel G. â€Å"Electronic Genie: Will Computers Serve Schools, or Run Them?† Vital Speeches of the Day v. 6 no2 (Nov. 1997): 55-57. Sefton-Green, Julian. â€Å"Computers, Creativity, and the Curriculum: the Challenge for Schools, Literacy, and Learning.† Journal of Adolescents and Adult Literacy v. 44 no8 (May 2001): 726-8. Solomon, Gwen. â€Å"Digital Equality: It’s not just about access anymore.† Technology and Learning v. 22 no9 (Apr. 2002): 18-26. Vann, Allan S. â€Å"Debunking Five Myths about Computers in Schools.† Principal (Reston, Va.) v.77 (Jan. 1998): 53. Winans, Dave. â€Å"Techno Hype-or Help?† NEA Today v.15 no4 (Nov. 1996): 4-5.

Nordstrom: a Marketing Analysis Essay

Over the years Nordstrom has created individual departments that focus on the individual lifestyles of the customers. The company nor only provides its customers with a wardrobe, but also a countless line of accessories, cosmetics, and fragrance. Over the past few years, the company has added new brands to its product line to satisfy its customer needs. In order to give the best possible service to the customer, the company plans on continuing to update the product line as new customer desires evolve. The employees are extremely focused on creating an environment of customer service within the store as well. The employees are not only focused on meeting the company standards, they are also focused on reaching the standards they have set within their own department as well. Each employee is trusted by the store managers to make good decisions and represent the company well. This trust has built confidence in the employee and enables them to focus all of the energy toward the customer. The atmosphere of the store also shows evidence of the company mission. The store is easy to navigate through, specific soothing colors are well placed throughout the store, and there is always a piano that can be heard playing in the background. These three things create a soothing and comfortable atmosphere for the customer. Nordstrom’s mission of providing customer service, quality, selection and value to its customers is carried out in every aspect of the company. The company employees, store atmosphere, and product line all display extraordinary qualities of service. The Mission Statement of Nordstrom is definitely evident in its day to day operations. Situation Analysis (SWOT Analysis) Internal Strengths and Weaknesses History (Sales, Profits, Organizational Philosophies) Nordstrom was co founded 1901 by a 30 year old man named John W Nordstrom and his partner Carl Wallin. At age 16, John W of Sweden left his home and moved to Alaska where he struck gold. While in Alaska, he met a man named Carl Wallin, â€Å"who owned a shoe repair shop in downtown Seattle† (Nordstrom Employee, 2006). The two decided form a partnership and open a shoe store entitled Wallin & Nordstrom. Right form the start, the business philosophy was â€Å"based on exceptional customer service, selection, quality and value† (Nordstrom Employee, 2006). Focusing on this philosophy helped Nordstrom develop a competitive advantage in the shoe market. Due to their success, the company opened a new store in 1923. The company was soon taken over by John W’s sons. Under their management it â€Å"grew to become the largest independent shoe chain in the United States. By the 1960’s the current market had started to reach maturity and the company began to look â€Å"for new ways to spread its wings† (Nordstrom Employee, 2006). In an attempt to diversify itself, and gain greater market penetration, Nordstrom took on a new name, â€Å"Nordstrom Best†, and ventured into the clothing market. Now, upon entering a Nordstrom store, â€Å"customers were greeted with a selection of both shoes and fine apparel† (Nordstrom Employee, 2006). Now for the first time in history, Nordstrom offered a diverse product mix, something no other competitor offered. In 1971, under the third generation of management, the company decided to go public. Two years later Nordstrom reached a critical point in its business, surpassing $100 million in sales, making it the largest volume specialty store on the west coast. Profits were growing, market share was increasing, and Nordstrom’s marketing plan seemed to be working. Even though Nordstrom was experiencing tremendous success, the management was not satisfied. There was still room to grow. In order for Nordstrom to retain its competitive advantage, the company needed to revise its marketing strategy and further its market penetration. The company decided to take action. By 1975 the company penetrated into the markets of Alaska and California and by the late 80’s, the company opened up the first Nordstrom Rack in the mid 70’s. This store was a â€Å"clearance center for full-line store merchandise† (Nordstrom Employee, 2006). The higher prices in the regular store targeted the upper segment of society, while the Rack enabled Nordstrom to orient itself to a completely new crowd. Today, more than 100 years after its establishment, Nordstrom maintains the same focus of offering â€Å"the customer the best possible service, selection, quality, and value† (Nordstrom Employee, 2006). This is evident in the product line and store ambience. Nordstrom has created a unique store atmosphere designed to enhance the shopping experience of the customer. â€Å"Instead of categorizing departments by merchandise, Nordstrom† has â€Å"created fashion departments that fit individual’s lifestyles† (Nordstrom Employee, 2006). Focus on serving the market (or customer’s needs and wants) has helped Nordstrom grow from a small shoe store in Seattle â€Å"into a nationwide fashion specialty chain† (Nordstrom Employee, 2006). Nature of Firm/Current Situation Aside from Nordstrom’s customer service, one of its most influential qualities is the store atmosphere. Immediately after walking into a Nordstrom, one experiences a sense of calmness that is not experienced when walking into other department stores. At Nordstrom, â€Å"careful attention has been given to achieving an esthetically pleasing atmosphere†, a Nordstrom customer commented (Bee H, 2006). Nordstrom has put a lot of research into testing different layout scenarios within each store. Every time the layout of a department changes, a diagram is made and a record of sales is kept for that layout. From this information, Nordstrom has been able to develop the most economical and profitable layout for the customer and the organization. The Nordstrom colors are also carefully selected. Deep earthy colors present customers with a comfortable and desirable atmosphere. Deep red, brown (wooden floors), blue, purple and green are used to color the store. Every color is strategically placed throughout the store to enhance the shopping experience. Nordstrom has put a lot of research into effects that color has on the human psyche. For example red is chosen because it produces feelings of â€Å"energy, desire, and attention† (Bear , 2006). Purple is another color that is placed in distinct locations throughout the store. It brings about feelings of self assurance, dignity, high aspirations, royalty, sophistication, wealth, ambition, fame, luxury, and power. These two colors are used to promote confidence and feelings of satisfaction within the customers as they shop. During sales, employees are also given a tie to wear which almost always includes the color purple. Purple is also found near the more expensive items in the store. The color scheme is critical in creating a store atmosphere that is desirable to customers. Aside from the colors, the product layout also plays an essential role in providing a even-tempered atmosphere. Nordstrom has separated its products into different departments for men and women. This helps provide better service as each department can cater to the specific needs and wants of the customer. Within each department the clothes are either laid out on hanging racks or on tables. Organization is the primary focus when setting up the departments. Clothes are always neatly folded and clothing racks are well separated. A general rule of thumb is that if two people can not walk side by side between two fixtures, they are too close together. To produce an even cleaner look, jackets and heavier clothes are always hung on wooden hangers instead of plastic. The most famous contribution to the atmosphere of Nordstrom is the Piano. Nordstrom has created a â€Å"partnership with Levine School of Music† where it hand selects students to work for the company upon graduation. The partnership is working; â€Å"the dude playing the piano just adds to the calm shopping atmosphere† commented one man after a day a day of shopping (Bee H, 2006). To provide even more relaxation, comfortable couches are usually found somewhere around the piano for tired shoppers to sit down and for men to wait while their wives shop. Andrew Cooper, a computer design major at North Park University in Chicago said â€Å"these couches are a great place for me to relax while my wife spends all my money†. Resources of the Firm Finance: Nordstrom uses a verity of resources to help attract new customers and retain its current customer base. By far, one of its biggest resources is in the area of finance. Nordstrom recently â€Å"reported third-quarter earnings of $135. 7 million† (Portland Business Journal , 2006). These earnings jumped unexpectedly and are up from $107. 5 million earlier this year. The financial resources of Nordstrom are an essential part of the companies marketing plan. This money has given Nordstrom the ability to put on expensive training programs for employees, purchase personal book (a customer database program), send out bulk mailings to customers (such as catalogs, promotions, etc. , build new stores, and create a customer friendly in-store atmosphere. Human: Nordstrom’s employees and management are the company’s most valuable resource. An article written in the Seattle PI describes exactly why this is true. It states that, â€Å"Nordstrom salespeople make decisions as if managing their own business; they are trusted to do what is right. Everyone else in the company is ther e to help the sales staff make the sale and please the customer† (Mulady, 2001). The way the employees are treated and valued is a perfect portrayal of the company’s mission of providing the best possible customer service and value to the customer. Even though the sales person is the front man for the company (being put in positions of direct contact with the customer), the human resource and management team act as the glue that holds the company together. The president of the company, Blake Nordstrom, says that people in support positions â€Å"like myself or someone in human resources that isn’t on the floor manning a register,† needs to understand that their job is to use the â€Å"energy and the activities they’re doing (to) contribute to a better customer and employee experience† (HR Magazine, 2006). It is therefore extremely important that the workers in the HR department stay connected to the selling process in order to stay connected with the employees. It is this connection that helps the employees â€Å"take care of their customers†. It is not unusual for employees to go in on their days off to meet a customer that is in need of a new suit or pair of shoes. The manager of the men’s suit department at the Tacoma Nordstrom comes in regularly on his days off. In an interview he commented that if a customer is in need â€Å"I will find them the suit, get it altered for them so they can have it in time† (Mulady, 2001). The sales employees have a tremendous amount of trust in the tailoring shop. One employee comments: â€Å"We rely heavily on the tailoring shop; they are great† (Mulady, 2001). In one situation, a baseball player needed a special shirt for a conference that Nordstrom did not have. To solve this problem, the sales person took a few shirts up to the tailor shop and used the material to make a brand new shirt. The shirt was then delivered to the player’s hotel room that afternoon. The employees of Nordstrom are what keep the company going. The trust built between employees is critical in helping Nordstrom provide the excellent service it does. Without trust and support of all the company’s workers, Nordstrom would be just another company. Physical: Currently Nordstrom operates â€Å"156 US stores located in 26 states† (Nordstrom Staff, 2002). Of these stores, there are 99 full line retail, 49 Nordstrom Racks, 5 Faconnable boutiques, 1 free standing shoe store, and 2 clearance stores. Even with all of these stores, the company is not satisfied, and is seeking to expand its physical existence even further. Nordstrom is currently in the process of establishing a store in Kenwood, Cincinnati. When interviewed about this decision, president, Erik Nordstrom, exclaimed â€Å"there is still much more opportunity to increase our presence around the country where our customers live and shop† (Fasiq, 2006). Nordstrom has also planted stores internationally where it operates 35 Faconnable boutiques, primarily in Europe. Customers of Nordstrom can even enjoy a unique shopping experience without setting foot in the store. The company has developed a unique online and mail order catalog designed to reach those customers who are interested in its products, but may not have the time or desire to come into the physical store. These resources are extremely important to the company. The two contrasting stores (online and physical), reach two diverse crowds. The physical stores provide a tangible place that customers can relate to all across the country, while the online stores take advantage of the stores reputation. They reach customers who have heard good things about the store but do not like to shop. Policies and Objectives of firm Nordstrom has established many different policies designed to keep employees on track with its mission. The use of good judgment is the number one guiding principle for the employees of Nordstrom. The first page of the employee â€Å"Code of Business Conduct and Ethics† states â€Å"at Nordstrom, we expect you to use good judgment when it comes to taking care of our customers. But we don’t expect you to do it without help from us† (Nordstrom Management, 2006). This policy lets the sales people know that the management stands behind them at all times. Aside from the standard company policies reguarding sexual harassment, stealing, drugs or alcohol, and preventing theft; the company also has some policies that make it unique. Employees are not allowed to accept gifts from anyone with whom they do business. This policy was instilled to uphold Nordstrom’s reputation of acting fair, honest, and professional. Accepting a gift can create the inkling that the gift inappropriately influenced the business transaction. The code of Ethics also tells employees that the company expects its employees to use personal book (a database that includes customer’s information such as purchases, sizes, etc. ) on a daily basis. This policy was designed to help the company keep their â€Å"reputation for excellent follow-through and service† (Nordstrom Management, 2006). However, since this in personal information, the company states that, â€Å"Personal Book and its contents are confidential and†¦ should be used in accordance with the Confidentiality and Nondisclosure Expectation† (Nordstrom Management, 2006). When an employee ends his/her career with Nordstrom, their personal book is closed off to them and returned to Nordstrom. All of these policies help keep Nordstrom on track with its mission. Almost all of the sections in the handbook for employees end with a line about using good judgment. This shows that Nordstrom has confidence in their employees. Nordstrom truly believes that if the employees use good judgment, the customers will get the best possible service the company can offer. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Nordstrom provides many benefits to its employees. The company provides time off with pay for personal and family needs. It also provides paid time for observed holidays. Each employee is also provided with a twenty percent discount at all Nordstrom locations. Nordstrom employees also have many long term benefits available to them. These Benefits include a 401(k) and profit sharing plan, where an employee can divert 50 percent of his/her compensation on a pretax basis, and an Employee stock Purchase Plan where the employee can purchase stock at a 10 percent discount. Full medical/vision and dental coverage are also provided by the company. Basic short term and long term disability coverage, as well as basic life insurance and long term care are also included in the standard benefit package. These benefits help the employee find meaning in their work and promote a positive attitude throughout the organization. A complete list of all the benefits provided by Nordstrom can be found on page †¦ in the back of this report. External Opportunities and Threats Social Social factors play a big role in what the way the company operates. For example, in Belleview Nordstrom offers a more upscale product line such as Gucci and other upper echelon brand names. This difference in product lines is evident in the Nordstrom in Tacoma as well. The Tacoma store is located in an area surrounded by many different social classes. Because of this, the store carries a more neutral line of products such as Calvin Cline, Cole Hann, Polo, Northface, and Tommy Bahama. These brands are brands that all of the target market of Nordstrom considers being very nice. To reach the outer limits of the Tacoma population, the store also sells products ranging form Coach and Burberry (reaching the wealthier population), to the Nordstrom brand (reaching the less wealthy consumer). Nordstrom is also a company that strongly believes in diversity. On its webpage under the diversity section it says â€Å"One of the best ways we can provide excellent customer service is by working to reflect the communities we serve† (Diversity Affairs Team, 2006). The company believes that an atmosphere encouraging diversity helps the employees as well as the customer. It is â€Å"deeply committed to cultivating an environment where the contributions of every employee, customer and vendor are respected† (Diversity Affairs Team, 2006). Creating a diverse company is an important step that Nordstrom has taken to broaden its customer service. Demographics Demographic issues are a big an important issue at Nordstrom. This is shown not only in the mission of the company, but in the physical store itself. Now days a majority of women in the United States enter the workforce after college. Nordstrom has created distinct departments to reach these women. In these sections of the store, women can find suits, and other more expensive dress clothes that Nordstrom would have not carried 20 years ago. The American family has also changed dramatically in the past decade. Because of this Nordstrom has changed its focus toward the individual. Ten years ago, it would not be a common sight to see moms shopping with their children, or dad’s waiting on the couch by the escalator with their children. Now days, it is almost unheard of to see families walking around the store. Teenagers, women, and men all come alone or with their significant other. The every store use to give balloons to children, employees all over the store would stop and talk with them and a lot of the mannequins were placed together (a man with a woman, or a child). Now the mannequins are all placed individually around the store, and it is rare enough to see a kid, let alone a kid with a balloon. In order to retain market share Nordstrom has shifted its focus more toward the individual. It has downsized its youth departments and added more upscale departments. Competition Nordstrom is dealing with competition on many different levels. It is competing with higher end stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and Barney’s. It is also competing with second tier stores such as Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s. Because of the diverse competition, Nordstrom constantly stays one step ahead with its unprecedented customer service. Saks Fifth Avenue: Saks Fifth Avenue can be categorized as a mini version of Nordstrom. It has similar products, but targets a smaller market and carries less variety. To make it unique, Saks â€Å"focuses on other products such as bridal† (Nordstrom comparative analysis). In comparison to Nordstrom, Saks is slightly more expensive and is well known for its â€Å"much higher brand names† (Nordstrom Comparative analysis). There is also a difference in the store layout at Saks. Unlike Nordstrom, which it is categorized by department and where popular trendy goods are on the main floor, Saks â€Å"bottom floor consists of shoes, make up and teen clothing, and the upper floors are bridal and much higher priced brands and products† (Nordstrom comparative analysis). However, the major difference between the two companies is not in the layout of the store, the products offered, or the price of the goods. The major difference is the focus of the company. The mission statement of Saks is completely different from that of Nordstrom. Saks says the focus of their company is â€Å"to be a great place to shop, a great place to work and a great place to invest† (Nordstrom comparative Analysis). Money is what seems to be the number one marketing objective of Saks. On the other hand Nordstrom focuses on the treatment of the customer. It does not have a formal mission statement but the company’s core values can be summed up by the statement â€Å"through these doors pass the most courteous people in the world†. This statement is found at the employee entrance of almost all Nordstrom stores across the country. Bloomingdales: Bloomingdales might just be one of the most famous stores in the world. Bloomingdales is known for its â€Å"Big Brown Bag† which is something that all avid shoppers like to be seen carrying around. The mission of Bloomingdales is â€Å"to seek and create†, which is a statement that is well carried out by the company (Nordstrom comparative analysis). The company has a hand picked product development team that travels to Europe looking for new fashion ideas. If they do not find what they are looking for they create it. The extreme focus on product development and diversity has made the company famous for having a tremendous product mix. However, some stores rather cluttered. The Layout seems to have no structure and Bloomingdale’s pricing ranges form being competitive with Foley’s to stores far more expensive than Nordstrom. On the other hand, Nordstrom has a focused store with individual departments and consistent prices. Its does not have as much variety in its stores, but it can special order and create any product that a customer desires. This creates more satisfaction for the customer because they can easily find what they are looking for. Bloomingdales website also reflects its store atmosphere. It is a full line of goods which overwhelms the customer. The website lacks structure and is confusing to sift through. Nordstrom’s website also reflects it’s in store characteristics. The site is user friendly and easy to navigate through. Macy’s: Macy’s seems to have a similar strategy as Bloomie’s (Bloomingdales). The company is all about selling their name, not their service, unlike Nordstrom. Macy’s also focuses on having a tremendous product width as well as depth. This focus like Bloomie’s has also led the store to look cluttered. Some customers even suggest that â€Å"Macy’s looks more like discount store every year rather than a department store† (Nordstrom comparison analysis). This is again where Nordstrom gains a competitive advantage. It offers a smaller product mix in stores to help keep the customer from getting confused and overwhelmed. Macy’s offers a larger selection of home products than Nordstrom. It has a separate department for home furnishings. This department is so large that many times it is located in its own building next to Macy’s. However, Macy’s has a good selection of home products in its retail stores as well. Again, it is the focus of Macy’s that sets them apart from Nordstrom. The specialization of household products and cheaper prices keep Macy’s competitive in the market. However, Nordstrom’s focus on the customer and the employee gives them the competitive advantage in the industry. Technological In the 1900’s the information systems of Nordstrom â€Å"lagged behind many retailers†, such as JC Penny, Federated Department Stores, Dillard’s, and Belk. (Levinson, 2005) The CFO of Nordstrom commented on the lagging information systems, saying, â€Å"our people at one time were our information system† (Levinson, 2005). During this time the company was reluctant to consider IT â€Å"for fear that it would come between the store and its customers† (Levinson, 2005). A sales slump in the year 2000 was enough to convince Nordstrom that it was behind the times. The threat of other companies gaining a heavy advantage with new technology was too much to handle. Looking at the other models around them, Nordstrom became an early adopter and began buying IT technology. â€Å"Over the past four years†, Nordstrom has spent a total of $350 million on IT products and has found â€Å"that technology has improved, not degraded, the customer service in which it takes such pride† (Levinson, 2005). Nordstrom has integrated two major systems into the company within the last five years. The systems are personal book and a new inventory system at the cash registers. These two systems have helped bring Nordstrom’s customer service to a new level. Personal Book: Personal book is new computer software designed to help companies keep track of customer information. It can track what the customer bought, their size, how much he/she spent, who sold them what, their birthday and other valuable information that sales people need to enhance sales. This is a valuable tool because the sales people can create a more â€Å"personal† relationship with the customer. One former employee quotes â€Å"the personal book was a very useful tool and instilled in me the importance of building and maintaining customer relationships† (Palma, 2006). This quote describes exactly what puts Nordstrom in a class of its own. Adding a personal touch is the difference between good and great companies. The implementation of personal book has dramatically increased sales at Nordstrom. After its introduction in 2005, Nordstrom’s first quarter sales increased â€Å"7. 7 percent to $1. 7 billion, compared with $1. 5 billion† in the first quarter of the previous year. Levinson, 2005) Total sales for the second quarter also rose 7. 8 percent. CFO of Nordstrom Michael Koppel reported that â€Å"approximately a third of all sales are a result of interactions between sales associates and customers facilitated with personal book† (Levinson, 2005). Nordstrom analysts also have reported that 68 percent of the business from the top sales people is g enerated from personal book customers. More information about personal book can be found on page †¦. Inventory System: The new inventory system has proven to be â€Å"a tremendous home run† (Levinson, 2005). The new system is based around an electronic inventory management system and an automatic replenishment function. Before this new system was installed in 2003, inventory was counted by hand. This old system was definitely â€Å"not the most accurate way to [manage inventory], and certainly wasn’t very quick†, commented Peter Nordstrom during a conference call. This created a problem for the company. The distribution departments could not tell how much inventory was needed in each store, which resulted in a lot more discounts than the company should have had. This loss of money led Nordstrom to purchase an inventory management system. The new inventory system was an electronic system which took a lot of the work load off of the Nordstrom staff. It helped the company determine the demand for each product by using historical sales and fashion trends. Now it could allocate the proper amount and type of merchandise to each store. It also kept track of in store inventory. Every time a product was rung up at the register or returned to the store, the in store inventory went up or down accordingly. This helped the distribution department immensely. They could now replenish the inventory of each store when it was actually needed. This also helped the sales dramatically increase customer service. When a customer wanted to purchase a product, a sales person could look it up on the computer to see how many were in the store, and how many were available at other locations. The results of this new system worked wonders for Nordstrom. Koppel stated that the inventory in 2003 (they year the system was integrated), went down $15 million or 1. 6 percent† (Levinson, 2005). Likewise, inventory continued to go down in 2004, decreasing by 5. 3 percent. Inventory was also turned 10 percent more in 2004. This increase showed the company there was still a lot of room to grow in their current market and that other department stores had good reason to switch to this way of inventory. Marketing Strategy Target Market In each Nordstrom store there is the potential for one consumer to encounter upwards of 30 different departments. For women’s clothing alone, there are 14 clothing options ranging from teenage apparel, to elegant ballroom attire. The multiple departments within the Nordstrom store cause the target market for a single Nordstrom store to range across a broad spectrum of potential buyers. While each of the target markets differs substantially depending on the department, the members of each of these markets do have a main connecting quality. Each customer, no matter the department in which they are shopping, is looking for a quality product that they know will be guaranteed by Nordstrom for a lifetime. Each consumer knows that while the products offered may not be the cheapest, they are quality made products that come with an implied warranty by Nordstrom. Nordstrom does not have a return policy, which will be addressed later in the paper, to ensure that consumers can return any product at anytime, for any reason. Consumers are also looking for a product that is not only well made, but that is usually contemporary in relation to current fashion trends. This makes Nordstrom’s overall target market homogeneous in respect to the demographic and psychographic segments. A person’s income and lifestyle can be the deciding factor of whether they can afford to shop at Nordstrom or not, or whether the products that Nordstrom offers are even of interest. For the sake of space, this paper will look at the target markets of three specific departments within Nordstrom that embody a large number of Nordstrom’s clientele: Brass Plum for juniors, Point of View for women, and Men’s Sportswear. Brass Plum (B. P. ) is Nordstrom’s only junior’s department, targeting young women, ages 16-22 in the middle or upper class. B. P. offers the latest fashion trends for the younger women at a price that is more reasonable than high-end boutiques and department stores. While that price is more reasonable than some places, it still is not as cheap as some other department stores, which is why the target market is the middle and upper class. Those ‘other department stores’ however, do not insure their products as well as Nordstrom’s does, nor is the quality of product comparable either. Lastly, the reason for the target of the middle and upper class is because fashion trends do not usually last for more than a season. Most people of a lower class cannot afford to buy new, trendy clothes every season to match what is popular, which is the only type of clothing that B. P. offers. Point of View has a target market of women in their twenties to early fifties. The age is not clearly defined because more specifically, Point of View has a target market of the working professional woman. While some clothes within Point of View are casual, they still uphold a classy and refined look suitable for a ‘dress down’ day at the office. Most of the selection within Point of View however, is professional attire for the working, middle to upper class woman. The clothes are priced comparable to other high-end department stores, but are backed with the quality guarantee Nordstrom provides all of its products. The one major difference between the selection in Point of View, and other high-end department stores, is that Point of View tries to offer a selection of business wear for the younger working woman that has a trendier edge. This helps to capture the twenty-something market that is usually skipped over in other department stores. It allows young women to look professional, while still looking their age. While carrying this younger professional attire, Point of View still carries the classic suits and shirts that appeal to the more conservative thirty to fifty year old professional women. The last department is the Men’s Sportswear department, which like Point of View, targets men in their twenties to early fifties. The word sportswear might evoke thoughts of soccer or football to some, but in this department sportswear are the clothes worn by the middle to upper class while they sail, golf, or simply lounge around at their beach house. This department is intended for the professional male, who in his daily life must dress in professional attire and would like that to translate into his causal wear as well. This casual wear consists of clothes that portray an image of success and prosperity without a suit and tie. The target market is middle to upper class within this department because of the intended uses of the clothes that are sold. Many of the clothes are intended for sailing and golf, leisure activities that the middle and lower class might not be able to afford. The size of the men’s sportswear department is small in relation to some of the women’s departments, but this can be attributed to men’s desire for consistency and ease when shopping. The prices within the men’s sportswear department are comparable to other high-end department stores, but once again the clothes are backed by the Nordstrom guarantee of quality. While each of the departments have a target market that separates itself from the rest of the store, it can be seen that within all of the heterogeneous factors there are three homogeneous factors that can be found. First, in all departments, the consumer is looking for a quality product that will suit their clothing needs. Second, no matter what their clothing needs, the consumer is looking for clothes that portray a specific image of their choosing, such as an established professional or a young trendsetter. Lastly, throughout all of the clothes offered at Nordstrom each consumer is expecting the Nordstrom, guarantee of quality that ensures the consumers happiness with the product – no matter the circumstances. Marketing Mix Nordstrom seeks to achieve the retention of the previously stated target markets through the use of coordinated marketing activities. These include the use of product, place, price, and promotion inside and outside of the store. These four aspects embody the marketing mix, and their objectives and roles are clearly specified through different offerings and outlets. Product The products that are offered within a single Nordstrom store compliment each other very well. On one shopping trip a family is able to buy clothes and accessories for everyone. Women are able to complete an outfit from Point of View by getting the perfect pair of shoes from the Women’s Shoes department, accessorize the outfit in fine jewelry, accessorizes and handbags, and can shop her favorite makeup line in the makeup department, all in one trip. These products are enhanced by a multitude of factors including their warranty, return policy, customer service, and the internal workings of any Nordstrom. Each transaction within Nordstrom comes with an implied warranty of the goods purchased by the consumer. If the consumer is unhappy with the product at anytime, even after the tags are removed, the product has been worn, or the receipt has been lost, the consumer is more than welcome to return the product back to the store for a full refund or exchange – no questions asked. This return policy is exemplified through the mythical story that circulates throughout Nordstrom stores and their competitor’s outlets. It has been said that a woman tried to return a set of snow tires that she claimed she bought at her nearby Nordstrom store. When the employee was unsure of what procedure to follow since Nordstrom did not sell tires, the employee contacted the store manager. The manager told the employee to take back the tires and offer a full refund of the standard price for snow tires to the woman. So while it is obvious that Nordstrom might not appreciate consumers returning goods from other stores, they are dedicated to customer service and their guarantee of quality. Nordstrom wants to carry quality items that consumers will love, and if the consumers decide they do not, they are able to return them at anytime. This allows Nordstrom to have an absent return policy to ensure that a return is bound by no limits. Aside from offering their products for free, customer satisfaction within a Nordstrom cannot be better guaranteed in any other way. By knowing that every purchase is basically guaranteed for life, a consumer’s satisfaction is not bound by any measures on behalf of Nordstrom. Along with such a liberal return policy, Nordstrom offers a range of other amenities for consumers to enjoy and enhance the value of the product to the customer. For instance, with anything that you purchase from Nordstrom you can have it altered for free. Upon trying the clothes on, a person from the alteration department will come to your fitting room and measure your clothes according to your needs. The altered clothes are usually available within a week’s time. Also, in the lingerie department, women can receive a free and accurate bra fitting. Unlike other popular lingerie stores, employees within the lingerie department must attend class and earn the right to do bra fittings. This ensures each consumer an accurate fitting. In the shoe department, if a pair of leather shoes is too tight on a consumer’s foot, the Nordstrom employee will stretch the shoes out at no cost. Also, when trying on clothes there is no limit to how many pieces of clothing a consumer is allowed to take in, and a consumer is never expected to clean out their dressing room when they are finished. Any purchase that is made can also be complimentary gift wrapped. While these factors may seem miniscule, it does help consumers reduce shopping time and have a more enjoyable shopping experience. So while the consumer might only be in and out for a white t-shirt, they know that if needed all of these amenities are available for their use, enhancing the value of the product for the consumer. Along with these externally obvious factors of product value to the consumer, there are also internal functions within Nordstrom that ensure that customer service is ideal in any situation. Quality customer service is Nordstrom’s main competitive advantage against its competitors. Nordstrom has focused itself since 1901 on the basis that superior customer service is the first and foremost important aspect of the company. While other companies have a chain of command when dealing with customer service issues, Nordstrom is void of any such rules. When hired at Nordstrom, the new employee is greeted with an employee folder that includes a welcome packet, employee expectations, rewards, benefit information and information about the specific Nordstrom store the new employee will be working. On the very front of each folder is a 5Ãâ€"7 card that states: â€Å"We’re glad to have you with our Company. Our number one goal is to provide outstanding customer service. Set both your personal and professional goals high. We have great confidence in your ability to achieve them. Nordstrom Rules: Rule #1: Use your good judgment in all situations. There will be no additional rules. Please feel free to ask your department manager, store manager, or division general manager any question at any time†. Nordstrom’s idea is to put the employees in control of every situation so that the consumer feels a sense of security at all times within the store. While specific instances might dictate manager involvement, employees are granted the right to deal with consumer situations based on their judgment. These words ring loud within any Nordstrom store because they are printed in the employee entrance and in the backrooms of most departments. Through out the hiring process Nordstrom ensures that customer service is always handled in a way that upholds their reputation. Nordstrom is able to supply a quality product based on the judgment of the consumer, while also providing a trusted and quality environment by empowering the judgment of the employees. Place/Distribution The next factor of the marketing mix is to coordinate the marketing activities for the retention of the target markets through place and distribution. Nordstrom currently has 157 stores located in twenty seven states. These include 99 full-line stores, 50 Nordstrom Rack stores, five Faconnable boutiques, one free-standing shoe store and two clearance stores. Nordstrom also operates 35 international Faconnable boutiques in Europe. Faconnable is a men’s clothing line developed by Nordstrom for the more upscale shopper to accommodate their business and leisure clothing needs. Nordstrom’s popularity is based on the west-coast, primarily because of its headquarters and flagship store in Seattle, Washington. Mainly, the Nordstrom stores are located in shopping malls which usually provide a heavily populated central area which contains a portion of their target market. Since Nordstrom is located within a mall, access is relatively easy for consumers. Even if consumers do live some distance away from the faculties, coming to the mall is more acceptable because they will not only have the option to visit Nordstrom, but will have the ability to shop at other stores as well. This justifies their traveling time, which would not happen if Nordstrom had only free-standing stores. While access to Nordstrom facilities is relatively easy on the west coast, there is room for major improvement by Nordstrom on the east coast. In New Hampshire, Maine, South Carolina, Vermont, West Virginia and Massachusetts, there is not a single Nordstrom store to date. There are two stores in North Carolina and New York; and one store in Pennsylvania, Missouri, Michigan, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. This is compared to the thirty two California stores, nine Washington stores, five Oregon stores and two Hawaii stores. However, this lack of access to facilities by consumers on the east coast will soon be partially remedied. Nordstrom plans to open twenty five new stores in the next five years. Out of these twenty five stores, it plans on opening four in Massachusetts, two in Michigan and one in Missouri. Once Nordstrom has established a stronger base on the east coast, I believe they will gain an even better reputation and have the ability to fine tune their marketing and customer service strategies. Along in place and distribution is not just the physical outlet that Nordstrom has, but also the atmosphere in each of the outlets. Since we are at the peak of the holiday season, it is a good time to look at the atmosphere within a Nordstrom store. Garland and decorative curtains decorate each entrance into the store. Holiday music played live in each store on the well known Nordstrom piano echoes through the departments on speakers. A giving tree accompanies the bottom side of each escalator, and on weekends the tops of the escalators have live carolers. Each department has holiday specials, and pictures with Santa are held every year. This atmosphere helps to evoke the holiday spirit within the consumers, and also provides them with a place to shop that is enjoyable during the busy holiday time. When it is not a holiday season, front window displays are changed bi-weekly, and in store decorations and manikins are changed multiple times each week. Also, a night cleaning crew makes sure that all the carpets, mirrors and dressing rooms are kept in pristine condition. This type of atmosphere allows the consumer to shop at ease without heaps of clothes in a mess, or stained carpets. Instead, they can go to a place where the only thing they notice is the clothes and the quality of the presentation. Promotion The next factor of the marketing mix is to coordinate the marketing activities for the retention of the target markets through promotion tactics including advertising, public relations, personal selling, and sales promotion. Nordstrom does not engage in heavy advertising. TV commercial spots are few and far between, and only usually take place on major televised events. Instead, Nordstrom does most of its advertising through print. Local newspapers usually contain a full page spread during Nordstrom’s half yearly and anniversary sales. During the holidays, Nordstrom also has featured spreads as well. These spreads are hung in the employee entrance area so that employees are aware of what consumers are looking for, if they come in and refer specifically to that advertisement. Also, Nordstrom puts out two catalogues per month that premiere a few new items within each department. They also feature gift ideas during the holidays, and include an easy way to order straight from the catalogue. Anyone that has a Nordstrom account will receive this catalogue, along with anyone that registers online Advertising: Nordstrom has also engaged in some other intense advertising campaigns in the past few years. Most of these have been directly related to online advertising. In 1999, Nordstrom started to campaign heavily to gain consumer awareness of their new website, Nordstromshoes. com. Nordstrom claims the site is the world’s biggest shoe store. It is titled ‘Make Room for Shoes’. The name was selected to entice users not only to their main website which was linked on the new shoes site, but also to educate users on the broad selection of shoes that Nordstrom offers. In 2005, Nordstrom debuted NordstromSilverscreen. com. The website combined music and pop culture with shopping. Visitors of the site were able to be a DJ and mix up songs recorded by artists specifically for the site. The visitors mixed the song, by mixing up clothes on a corresponding manikin. This allowed visitors to see new fashion trends and learn how to mix and match clothes to find their very own style. Visitors of the site could also ‘shop’ the site, by clicking on any the clothes worn in the video made exclusively for Nordstrom. Anything that the artist was wearing in the video was available for sale at Nordstom. com. Nordstromsilverscreen. om was one of the first attempts by a retailer to mix shopping and interactive media making Nordstrom an innovator in this new market. While Nordstromscilverscreen. com is no longer available to visit, the launch of this new and innovative platform says a lot of Nordstrom. This company is willing to take risks to advertise and capture a new and different consumer, and to evolve and be ahead of other department stores in the advertising industry. Aside from these new websites, Nordstrom. com is still a large, comprehensive site that allows visitors to see everything that Nordstrom has to offer. Visitors are able to search by brand, in-store department, or by age and gender. Along side every choice that the visitor views, is a selection of other clothes that are closely related to the current viewing. Also, if a consumer has provided Nordstrom with their e-mail address, Nordstrom sends out weekly e-mails that highlight new items, and special discounts. Lastly, the newest advertising campaign that Nordstrom embarked on was for the Nordstrom MOD card. The MOD card is a debit card that is set up through a consumer’s personal bank and checking account. The MOD card is specific to Nordstrom, and allows Nordstrom to track what is bought and how much consumers spend. This way, consumers can gain points like what is offered with the traditional Nordstrom’s credit card. For every dollar that is spent, the consumer earns a point; and during promotional events, they can earn twice the points for every dollar spent. Once the consumer reaches a certain level of points, they get a gift certificate in the mail redeemable at any Nordstrom. Nordstrom realized that not everyone wants to hold a credit card at Nordstrom, which led them to the idea of the MOD card. This way, consumers can buy from Nordstrom using cash, and still receive the points they deserve. Nordstrom has heavily advertised the MOD card and the rewards that a customer gains from having a Nordstrom account. Through these advertising activities, Nordstrom is better able to promote their stores in a positive and controlled manner. Public Relations: The next segment of promotion is public relations. Nordstrom is equipped with a public relations representative, who is located at Nordstrom’s headquarters in downtown Seattle, Washington. Consumers are able to find out about public relation activities on their website under investor relations, or in their annual report. On the Nordstrom website consumers are able to find out about new store openings, upcoming events, stock information, news, and press releases. Nordstrom also relies on customer word of mouth. While other competitor department stores deal with union battles, and declining sales, the quality and outstanding customer service is rarely questioned by consumers. Consumers know by personal experience and word of mouth that Nordstrom is dedicated to its customers. Nordstrom also engages in public relations activities through the promotion of some of their clothes. Most recently, Nordstrom has taken an active role in the â€Å"ONE† campaign and formed a partnership with the company Edun. Edun is selling a t-shirt with the word ‘ONE’ across the front. This promotes the idea that if the United States government allocated just one percent of its budget to health, education, and medication for underprivileged countries, the United States could save millions of lives. For every shirt sold Edun contributes ten dollars to the Apparel Lesotho Alliance to Fight Aids (ALAFA). The ONE shirts are made in Lesotho, Africa. Upon selling the ONE shirt within their stores, Nordstrom donated $100,000 to ALAFA. Nordstrom is also a yearly sponsor in the Race for the Cure, hosted by the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation to raise money for breast cancer research and awareness. Nordstrom exclusively hosts the Beat the Bridge to Beat Diabetes marathon in Seattle, Washington. The proceeds benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. So far in 2006, the Beat the Bridge marathon donations have raised $855,078. 57. Through not only their exceptional reputation, but also through involvement in philanthropic activities Nordstrom is able to enhance their public relations. These positive public relation activities in turn influence consumer perception and decision making. Personal Selling: The next section of promotion is personal selling. Personal selling is defined as a purchase situation in which two people communicate in an attempt to influence each other (Lamb, et al, 2006). Personal selling is the basis of Nordstrom’s philosophy and mission statement. Personal selling emphasizes the relationship that is developed between a salesperson and a consumer. Within any department at a Nordstrom store, a consumer will be able to find numerous employees who are knowledgeable about the products they offer, and who are also eager to help them find whatever it is they are looking for. When a consumer is shopping within a department, a single salesperson will usually help them through the entire purchasing process. If what the consumer is looking for happens to be in a different department, that same salesperson will go to that other department and get whatever it s. The salesperson will find sizes, colors, and styles from other stores if what the consumer is looking for is not available at that specific store. Salespeople also can take payment on Nordstrom credit cards at their payment station, and can hold clothes for the consumer. Salespeople are endowed with the ability to manage customer service situations, so if one consumer feels comfort able with a specific salesperson, basically all of their needs can be taken care of through that salesperson. This created a very strong relationship between the salesperson and the consumer. If the consumer knows that when they go to Nordstrom they can count on someone being there that they know and trust, they will be more likely to ask more questions and try on more things. Nordstrom has made personal selling even easier through their new system of Personal Book. Personal Book allows a salesperson to enter in consumer information such as their address, phone number, birthday and recent purchases. During sale times, salespeople are asked to call at least fifty people from their personal book to the consumer know that they are excited to see them at the sale. Having this information also enables the salespeople to send out thank you cards which are supposed to be done a daily basis by a salesperson. The thank you cards are mailed out to the consumer, and add a personal finishing touch to the purchase, which also enhances the bond between the consumer and the salesperson. Personal Book also can keep track of what a consumer has bought, so when Nordstrom has a big sale, some of the consumers who have purchased the most throughout the year are invited to shop the sale prior to anyone else, and to preview what is going to be offered. Personal Book also allows for promotional materials to be sent out pertaining to certain events that occur within a department that a consumer frequently shops. All of these benefits from Personal Book enhance the personal selling aspect of promotion. Consumers are not seen as a target market within the store, but are rather seen as individuals with specific needs and wants that are catered to be the Nordstrom employees. Sales Promotion: The last component of promotion is sales promotion. Sales promotion is everything else that is not covered by personal selling, advertising, and public relations. Usually sales promotions are a quick tool that immediately increases consumer demand of a product. Nordstrom does not offer a lot of the one day sales, or door buster sales that other department stores offer. Instead, Nordstrom focuses all of their attention on their three major sales per year. These include the half yearly sales, in June and November, and their Anniversary sale in August. These attractions are not just a sale, they are an event. Special promotions, rewards and deals are offered. A kick-rally prior to the doors opening helps to hype up the employees for the coming busy weeks. Consumers line up outside of Nordstrom’s doors hours prior to opening. They enter a newly decorated store from the previous day, with new displays, merchandise and prices. Nordstrom focuses on these events for the purpose of showing the consumer that they do not just want to push inventory in and out of the store. They want to offer quality products that consumers enjoy, and reward consumers for their purchases through major discounts at these sales. Lastly, another important factor of these sales is that they have created a tradition. Women and their daughters take time off school and work to attend the first day of the sale. At the sale they go Christmas shopping, school shopping personal shopping. This is important for Nordstrom because their limited numbers of sales are not only seen as a time to get a good deal, but they have penetrated the culture and created more than just a sale. Price: The last factor of the marketing mix is to coordinate the marketing activities for the retention of the target markets through price. Nordstrom strives to provide the most quality product for the cheapest price allowable. However, Nordstrom does cater to an upper and middle class target market which does raise their prices from other lower department stores. Each department within Nordstrom, as stated earlier, has a different target market which does vary the range pf prices immensely within one store. In the St. John department catered to upper class wealthy women, a consumer can buy a suit jacket for $2,000. In Point of View, targeted toward the more middle class women who want to look professional without spending as much, a suit jacket is available for seventy dollars. Through this, it can be seen that the department a consumer goes to will determine the price they will pay. Whatever the dollar price of the purchase, Nordstrom tries to justify that price through their personal selling efforts and their product guarantee. A sale is not just a sale, as proven earlier in the personal selling section. Consumers and salespersons are able to establish a relationship which enhances the consumers purchase experience. Because the consumer knows that no matter what they buy, whether it is a pair of socks, or a mink coat, the quality of that purchase is indefinitely guaranteed by Nordstrom.