Book and Popular Essay

1. Introduction Popular Holdings is a Singapore-based company that is listed on the Singapore Exchange. Popular is best known for its chain of Popular Bookstores under the Retail and Distribution unit. The Group currently carries out its publishing activities through subsidiaries operating in countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and Canada. Its bookstore operations have a network of over 90 Popular Bookstores and 360 Popular managed bookstores with its core businesses in retail, distribution, publishing and e-learning. 2. History of the Company |1924 |Popular started in Singapore under the trade name of Cheng Hing Company, established by the late Mr Chou Sing Chu. It distributed | | |Chinese storybooks. | |1930 |Established World Book Company in Singapore to distribute Chinese books and later moved into the publishing business. | |1936 |Established Popular Book Company in Singapore to sell Chinese books. | |1949 |Incorporated World Publishing Company in Hong Kong to publish magazines and Chinese books for both local and Asian markets. | |1952 |Set up United Publishing House Pte Ltd in Singapore and Malaysia to publish textbooks. | |1975 |Started offering English titles in Singapore and was positioned as â€Å"The Bilingual Bookshop†. Business grew dramatically. | |1984 |Opened the first bilingual bookshop in Malaysia. | |1990 |Introduced the POPULAR Card to cultivate customer loyalty. | |1993 |Expanded the business scope by retailing music products and audio accessories under the brand name of â€Å"CD-RAMA†. | |1997 |Listed Popular Holdings Limited (â€Å"POPULAR†) on the Singapore Exchange. | |2000 |Set up joint venture, EdnoLand (HK) Limited, to provide interactive learning programmes to preschool children. This signified the start | | |of the Group’s e-learning initiatives. | |2002 |Entered the e-learning market of Mainland China | |2003 |Incorporated a wholly-owned subsidiary, Popular Digital Products (Shenzhen) Ltd in January, leaving the first footprint in Mainland | | |China’s publishing market. | |2003 |Ventured into Taiwan publishing market. | |2006 |Successfully organized the inaugural BookFest@Singapore and BookFest@Malaysia, drawing over 400,000 visitors. | |2008 |Successfully organized the inaugural BookFest@Hong Kong 2008. | |2009 |Launched â€Å"UrbanWrite†Ã¢â‚¬â€a lifestyle stationery concept store that goes beyond the basics. | |2009 |Opened a new concept bilingual bookstore { prologue } at ION Orchard. | |2010 |Celebrated the 5th anniversary of BookFest@Singapore and BookFest@Malaysia. Both BookFests managed to achieve record turnouts of over | | |half a million visitors each. | 3. Management Structure Popular Holdings has a centralized organizational structure. Mr Chou Cheng Ngok is the Executive Chairman of the Board. In view of the Group’s single leadership structure, Mr Vangatharaman Ramayah was appointed as the Independent Director to lead and coordinate the activities of non-executive directors in circumstances where it would be inappropriate for the Chairman to serve in such capacity. The Independent Directors, Mr Vangatharaman Ramayah and Mrs Lim Soon Tze ensure that there is a good balance of power and authority to enable independent exercise of objective judgement of corporate affairs. All major decisions made by the Chairman are reviewed by the Audit Committee (chaired by Mr Vangatharaman Ramayah). The Nominating Committee (chaired by Mrs Lim Soon Tze) reviews his performance periodically and the Remuneration Committee (chaired by Mr Vangatharaman Ramayah) reviews his remuneration package. Hence, the Board believes that there are adequate safeguards against an uneven concentration of power and authority in a single individual. For management purposes, the Group is organised on a worldwide basis into business units based on their products and services, and has four operating segments as follows: Retail and Distribution, Publishing and E-Learning, Property Development and Corporate. Ms Lim Lee Ngoh and Mr Poon Chi Wai Ponch are the Executive Directors who are in charge of the performance of the businesses. [pic] 4. Markets Served 4. 1 Countries Served As of 30 April 2012, Popular had 148 bookstores – 63 in Singapore, 70 in Malaysia and 15 in Hong Kong. Popular is the biggest book retailer in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong (Chairman’s Statement, Annual Report 2012). Popular is making fast and extensive inroads into the Greater China market, especially in China and Taiwan. There have been marketing offices and subsidiaries set up in Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Taipei. 4. 2 Customer Groups Served Due to the various branches in its core business and the variety of products offered at retail stores, Popular serves different customers of all ages, including students who constitute a large portion of their customer base. Popular’s customers range from individual consumers to corporate groups. 5. Products Offered Popular has its core businesses in retail, distribution, publishing and E-learning. As stated in the 2012 Annual Report, â€Å"though the book business is often labelled a sunset industry, retail and distribution [of books] are one of Popular’s strong core businesses†. Popular’s bookstores have products such as books (textbooks, assessment books, storybooks, reference books), CDs, DVDs, educational software, computer accessories, art materials, stationery, electronics, toys, games and gifts. 6. Recent Performance of the Company Popular Bookstore has been achieving increasing turnovers for 3 consecutive years. As seen in Fig 1. 1, Popular achieved a turnover of S$439 million in 2011 in its Retailing and Distribution sector, improving from the past results of 2010 and 2011. The increase in turnover in the Retail and Distribution segment is mainly due to 9 new outlets opening in various locations in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong and the book voucher programme held in Malaysia, where Malaysian students were each given a book voucher worth RM$200 each as part of Malaysia’s government budget in the education sector. Also, the increased turnover is due to reduced costs – In 2010, Popular reduced costs by reducing its retail store space from15200m2 in 2009 to 13700m2 in 2010. Its Publishing and E-Learning sector is doing well as well, with its turnover increasing from S$69 million in 2011 to S$72 million in 2012. Go-Easel is one of Popular’s initiatives which led to this increase in turnover. Go-Easel features digitalised assessment books which provides instant marking and step by step solutions. It gained popularity among students and parents due to its convenient and effective way in helping students academically. [pic] Profits before tax (PBT) in the Retail & Distribution of Popular Bookstore experienced a positive growth as shown in Figure 1. 2, with PBT of S$29 million in 2012, improving from S$19. 1 and S$10. 9 million in 2011 and 2010 respectively. However, there was a drop in PBT in the Publishing & E-Learning sector, decreasing about 24. 7%, from S$9. 7 million in 2011 to S$7. 3 million in 2012. This was due to the closing of one of its magazine distribution business due to restructuring. However, because this closure is only a one-off cost, the prospects of the Publishing & E-Learning sector in Popular Bookstore still remains hopeful for future growth and greater profits. [pic] 7. Macro-Environment Analysis 7. 1 Political Forces Education policies implemented by the government can improve Popular’s sales. For example, in Malaysia, as part of the budget allocated by the government in 2012, every student in Malaysia received a one-time book voucher worth RM$200. This policy led to greater spending in bookstores by the Malaysian community. Popular was the biggest bookstore company with 70 bookstores in Malaysia, and so Popular experienced an increased turnover in 2012. However, governmental regulations may limit demand and reduce profit for Popular Bookstore. The Media Development Authority in Singapore prohibits any import of books, publication, audio materials that contains content that may be â€Å"objectionable on moral, racial or religious grounds, or deemed detrimental to Singapore’s national interest. † (MDA, 2011) Thus, Popular Bookstore is restricted in their range of books and media as it has to comply with these regulations, causing it to lose some of its competitive edge to online E-books retailers. Book readers in Singapore may be able to purchase the restricted materials from these retailers, as these retailers are based overseas and are not restricted by the Singapore law. 7. 2 Economic Forces The relatively high inflation rate in Singapore (4. 1%) and Hong Kong (4. 0%) in 2012 and the bleak global economic outlook is fortunately, not much of a stumbling block for Popular Bookstore, with it achieving positive growth in its Retail and Distribution sector. This could also be attributed to the items that Popular sells, which are mostly books (Eg. Assessment books, textbooks)and stationery. The demand for these items has a small, positive value of income-elasticity because they are necessities and normal goods for students. Hence, a decrease in incomes due to poor economic conditions results in a less than proportionate decrease in demand for Popular’s books , thus Popular has not been badly affected. 7. 3 Social Forces In today’s world, many deem education as an important tool towards a better paying job and a better life. Thus, the spending on education, which includes spending on textbooks, stationery and assessment books, is increasing. For example, in Singapore, the consumer spending on education has been increasing at a steady rate, from US$ 84. 1 million in 2008 to US$155. 4 million in 2011. (GMID,2012). This shows that Singaporeans are increasing willing to spend on education-related items, such as textbooks and assessment books, to supplement the learning. As a bookstore with a niche product market of assessment books and textbooks, Popular Bookstore is able to benefit from this trend of increased spending in education. With the relatively high inflation rates, especially in Singapore and Hong Kong, consumers are becoming more value conscious. Popular Bookstore has done well to cater to the demands of the consumers and projecting a ‘value for money’ image, by offering membership cards and promotions on their items on a regular basis. One of such promotions is the back-to-school promotion, allowing students and their parents to purchase stationery and books at discounted prices. 7. 4 Technological Forces The increasing connectivity of the Internet island wide (e. g. 4G mobile network and OpenNet in Singapore) has led to more online consumers. The size of the online shopping market is large, reaching S$1. 1 billion in 2010, and is expected to reach S$4. 4 billion in 2015. (Techinasia, 2011). This could possibly mean that customers who usually purchase from brick-and-mortar shops like Popular would now shop at online bookstores such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble. While Popular does have an online bookstore, it is not well-known or often-used. Thus, the presence of well-established international online bookstores become a substitute to Popular Bookstores. Also, the affordability of e-books can pose a threat to Popular’s sales of hardcopy books. The price of Kindle Fire, an e-book reader manufactured by Amazon, dropped to US$159, making it more affordable for consumers. Amazon uses the pricing strategy of loss leader, which involves setting the price of Kindle Fire at cost price, and making significant profit from the sale of e-books. Therefore, e-books have now become a substitute of hard-copy books, such as those sold by Popular. 7. 5 Legal Forces The introduction of the Lemon Law in Singapore in September 2012 could affect Popular Bookstores. With the lemon law, consumers can ask for an exchange or even a full refund if goods â€Å"do not meet standards of quality and performance. † (CASE, 2012). This could mean decreased earnings for Popular Bookstore if consumers keep returning to the bookstores to exchange their purchased goods. Without proper enforcement or monitoring, the Lemon Law could even be abused by consumers who repeatedly demand for an exchange or refund, leading to a loss of efficiency and profits. However, Popular is unlikely to be threatened by the Lemon Law, as it already has an exchange policy in place, where it allows its customers to exchange faulty products within 7 days of purchase. 7. 6 Impact of Macro-Environment Forces on Popular Bookstores Popular Bookstore still remains a strong name in the book industry. The fact that it has the majority of the market share in Singapore and that the company’s PBT has been steadily increasing proves that the company has been staying competitive despite the huge number of macroenvironment factors it faces. 8. Market, Industry and Competitive Analysis for Book Buyers in Singapore Our selected market is the market of book buyers in Singapore. These include customers who buy books from both physical bookstores and online bookstores. 8. 1 Market Size The market for book-buyers is that of an oligopoly, with few incumbent firms. Hardcopy book format is still a multi-million dollar industry in Singapore going strong in the face of stiff competition from online book stores. The total market size of brick-and-mortar stores is worth around $165million. In 2011, Popular Bookstores hold about 62. 5% of the total market share, with Kinokuniya (25%) and Times Bookstores (12. 5%) as Popular’s main competitors. 8. 2 Market Trends. Popular Bookstores is still experiencing a growing trend as its value sales grew from $4,106 million in 2006 to $5,107 million in 2011. This may be due to the growing affluence of the Singaporean population, resulting in higher demand for books for both leisure reading and education. However, this trend might not continue in the future. This is in light of stiff competition faced from e-books and online stores such as Amazon, Book Depository. Fortunately, Bookstores like Borders and Page One have all exited the Singapore market and thus there is less competition from these large, well-established firms with Popular Bookstores. 8. 3 Industry SWOT Analysis for Book Buyers in Singapore | |Positive Effect |Negative Effect | |Interna|Strengths |Weaknesses | |l |Popular has a widespread chain of stores throughout Singapore, |Low variety of books as compared to other bookstores such as | |Factors|especially in the heartlands. This makes it very accessible and |Kinokuniya | | |convenient for the customers. |Lack of awareness of its online bookstore | | |Wide range of textbooks and stationery with very strong monopoly power |â€Å"Limited choice† of books on its online bookstore (e.g. Twilight, | | |over assessment books and textbooks |Lord of the Rings, Animal Farm) | | | Existence of { prologue } and Epilogue ( a book cafe located in { |â€Å"Poor interface† (Survey, 2012) of online bookstore | | |prologue } ) to provide an alternative book-buying experience: ‘a novel|Absence of a proper feedback system on its online bookstore | | |brand of book retail therapy, distinctively designed to give a bespoke |Under-utilization of Facebook page resulting in inactivity and | | |multifaceted lifestyle experience’. |unresponsiveness | | |{ prologue } was awarded the Premium Service GEM Award for the Books | | | |and Stationery Category by the Singapore Retailers Association in | | | |recognition of POPULAR’s effort in delivering excellent customer | | | |service. (Chairman’s Statement, Annual Report 2012) | | |Externa|Opportunities |Threats | |l | Growing incomes of book-buyers lead to greater demand for books for  |Local brick-and-mortar competitors such as Kinokuniya are trying | |Factors|leisure and education |to improve their presence by setting up a fourth store in Jurong | | |Many of the target audience are tech-savvy but have yet to purchase |East MRT (JEM) to reach out to more customers. | | |e-book readers such as Kindle or Nook |Due to technological advancement, the Popularity and accessibility| | |Well-established firms like Borders and Page One have previously left |of online bookstores (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository) and| | |the Singapore market, reducing the amount of competition |e-books is decreasing the demand for hardcopy books at physical | | | |stores | | 8.  4 Detailed Industry Analysis of Bookstores | | |Physical Stores |Online Stores | | |Kinokuniya |Second-hand Bookstores |Amazon/Barnes & Noble |Book Depository | |Description |Kinokuniya bookstores are located in central city |Various second-hand bookstores in Singapore |Both Amazon and Barnes & Noble are American online retail |Book Depository is a UK-based | | |locations, with its flagship store located at Ngee Ann |sell many classic and contemporary titles at |giants specialized in selling books in both hardcopy and |independent online bookstore | | |City. Kinokuniya offers a wide range of titles and also a |extremely cheap prices. |e-book formats. They are grouped discussed together in this |which sells mainly hardcopy | | |cafe within its store. |There are many second-hand bookstores in Bras|table due to their similar characteristics. |formats. | | | |Basah Complex. (Eg. Evernew Bookstore, Pro | | | | | |Saint Bookstore, Book Point, Knowledge Book | | | | | |Centre) | | | |Strengths |Offers a wide selection of titles in various languages | Extremely cheap prices will attract |They own an ecosystem of their own through their Kindle and |Provides free shipping services, | | |including English, Chinese, Japanese, French, and German |consumers looking for a good read. |Nook tablet products that allow readers to buy e-books and |which allows prices of books to | | |Successfully marketed itself as a premium bookstore in |Good for casual reading, if the reader is not|download it to their tablet reader immediately. |remain cheap | | |Singapore with majority of its stores in the city area. |looking for a particular title |Online stores result in decreased operational fixed costs such|Occasional discounts of up to 90%| | |Niche market focus on casual book readers | |as rental charges and staffing costs compared to |makes books very cheap | | | Premium membership strategy i.e. More expensive membership| |brick-and-mortar stores. Therefore, they are able to sell | | | |card ($21) offering limited discounts to entice consumers | |both e-books and hardcopy formats at a discounted rate. | | | |to purchase more titles to get back their money’s worth. | |Extremely wide collection of titles. | | | | | |It is easy to search for titles because the search process is | | | | | |automated. | | |Weaknesses |Books are priced higher than its competitors due to its |Limited range of titles, especially newer |Penetration of their respective ecosystems are not widespread |It is relatively unknown to the | | |premium branding and higher rental costs in the city |titles, consumers looking for specific books |in Asia |crowd in Singapore. | | |Limited market penetration due to its limited number of |may not be able to find what they want. |Shipping costs and waiting time negates the benefits of online| | | |stores. | |shopping as price of shipping from America is usually high. | | | | | |Asian titles are not as diverse / rich as they are | | | | | |America-based. | | 8. 5 Competitive Analysis –Using Porter’s Five Forces 8. 5. 1 Threat of New Entrants The threat of new entrants in the physical bookstore industry is relatively low because there are low barriers to entry. This is due to strong customer loyalty to established players like Popular and Kinokuniya dominating the market, high sunk costs and economies of scale setting in late. Also, the book industry is also deemed as a â€Å"sunset industry†, which is less attractive to firms as this is associated with low profitability, so firms are less likely to enter the market. However, these low barriers to entry only apply to the industry of physical bookstores. Popular still faces a different kind of competition from online bookstores, which are close competitors with physical bookstores. 8. 5. 2 Degree of Substitutes There is a high degree of substitutability. In terms of physical bookstores, book buyers in Singapore have many alternatives to turn to – such as big industry players like Kinokuniya and Times and second-hand stores at Bras Basah Complex. Kinokuniya and Times are strong competitors because they offer a greater variety of books from different countries, and have marketed themselves as premium bookstores due to their location in the city area. Second-hand bookstores at Bras Basah Complex (Eg. Evernew Bookstore, Pro Saint Bookstore, Book Point, Knowledge Book Centre) are also a threat because they offer very cheap books. Besides physical stores, online bookstores like Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Book Depository are dominating the book-buying market in Singapore. These online bookstores offer a quick and easy way to purchase books without being physically at the store, and the benefit of having purchases delivered to customers’ doorsteps. E-businesses can also offer more competitively-priced books than Popular because there is no need to pay for rental, which takes up a huge proportion of fixed cost. For example, Amazon sells a book titled â€Å"Act of Valour† at $9. 99, whereas Popular sells the same book at $17. 00. Furthermore, with an increased access to fast and free internet services such as those offered by Wireless@SG, and the availability of safe and convenient electronic payment, e-businesses are becoming closer substitutes to physical bookstores than ever before. 8. 5. 3 Bargaining Power of Buyers The bargaining powers of buyers are relatively low in terms of physical book stores. They have little access to information such as the prices of books, because physical bookstores do not openly publish their prices online, except when there are promotions. Also, most bookstores located in a certain region would sell books at similar prices, so customers who are unwilling to travel would have a low tendency to switch to other physical bookstores if the switching cost exceeds the savings gained from only slightly cheaper books. However, the increased popularity of online bookstores is likely to increase the bargaining power of buyers. Buyers become less dependent on existing channels (ie. Physical bookstores) and can now switch to purchasing books online instead. 8. 5. 4 Bargaining Power of Suppliers There is low bargaining power of suppliers. In terms of the book-buying market, Popular Bookstores’ suppliers are mainly publishing firms. Because there are many suppliers in the market that engage in publishing work, there is a low supplier to firm ratio. This means that Popular Bookstore can switch suppliers easily. Furthermore, there is low switching costs for Popular because they can easily turn to their own subsidiaries such as Novum Organum Publishing House Pte Ltd and Educational Publishing House Pte Ltd. Also, there is low supplier competition because it is hard for suppliers to vertically integrate and sell the products to buyers directly. Therefore, suppliers have a low bargaining power, which strengthens Popular’s position and authority. 8. 5. 5 Degree of Market Rivalry Amongst Existing Competitors There is a strong intensity of market rivalry amongst existing competitors like Times, Kinokuniya, and second-hand bookstores. This is because there is a lot of room for differentiation in terms of the four elements in the marketing mix. Product differentiation can come in the form of the variety of books, in terms of the subject matter and country of origin. Price differentiation can also be present as some bookstores have higher priced books due to their well-known brand name or location. Place differentiation can be in terms of the store environment and store location, while promotion differentiation can be in terms of level of advertising, frequency of discounts, customer access to publicity materials and staff service standards. Therefore, bookstores face much competition amongst themselves because there are so many ways that they can differentiate themselves in providing the optimal book-buying experience for book-buyers in Singapore. 9. Customer Analysis and Segmentation for Book Buyers in Singapore 9. 1 Customer Profile: Book Buyers in Singapore The selected market of focus for Popular is book buyers in Singapore. Potential book buyers are any literate customers in the country, from 6 years-old onwards (Stuart, 2010). This customer base is continuously growing, albeit at a slow rate due to the low fertility rate in Singapore (Wong, 2012). Majority of Singaporeans are literate (Department of Statistics Singapore, 2012) as they have basic primary education which is mandatory for all citizens (Ministry of Education Singapore, 2011). In addition, an influx of foreign talents from other countries to support Singapore’s infrastructure and economy (Yeoh & Lin, 2012) also increases the number of book buyers in Singapore. The incomes of book buyers can be inferred from the Singapore Department of Statistics. The average monthly household from work including employer CPF contributions among resident employed households in 2011 was S$9,618, while the average monthly household income from work per household member including employer’s CPF contributions among resident employed households was S$2,925. These incomes have a generally increasing trend from past years, and were the highest in 2011, reflecting the increasing affluence of book buyers. Because books are normal goods, an increasing income of customers would increase the demand for books. However, since the selected market of focus is solely referring to individuals, businesses or organizations are not included and revenues are not considered. To develop an effective marketing strategy, it is essential to understand the targeted customer base and its segments. Comprehensive profiles of a company’s target customers are often required, and this is done by expending resources to segment these target customers. Book buyers can be segmented according to demographic and psychographic factors. 9. 2 Demographic Segmentation Popular segments its market by key variables such as gender, age, education, race, nationality and the family life cycle. For the identification variable of gender, books relating to beauty and the domestic sphere such as recipe books cater more to women, while the genre of sports and cars appeal more to men. In terms of age, segmentation is characterized by one’s life cycle, as exemplified by pre-school books, children books, teenage fiction and magazines, adult fiction and self-help books, etc. The company’s philosophy of knowledge and education (Chua, 2010) has been manifested in the common sentiment that Popular’s niche is in assessment books and textbooks (Survey, 2012) and is a large portion of the customer base of book buyers. This demonstrates how the market is segmented by education, as books are tailored to the needs of students in each stage of education – primary, secondary and tertiary, and also for students in different disciplines – business, finance, management, etc. The market is also segmented by race, as there are books in different languages such as English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. The variety of books in the Singapore & South East Asia and Asian Collections also show that the market is simultaneously segmented by nationality as well. Finally, the family life cycle is also an important variable as Popular’s books cater to the needs of different families at different parts of the cycle, providing books on sports and leisure for families without children, and books on parenting and health for families with children, etc. 9. 3 Psychographic Segmentation The identification variables of personality, lifestyle and social class also come into play for the selected market of book buyers. Based on the variety of genres provided by Popular such as fiction, classics and literature, comics and humour, astrology and new age and self-improvement, it can be seen that Popular designs its catalogue to appeal to different people with distinct personalities. Likewise, in the culturally diverse Singapore with an inherent cosmopolitan lifestyle, Popular recognizes the importance of suiting the needs of various individuals by offering a selection of books for every lifestyle, such as books on cooking or food and wine, outdoors and nature, photography, travel, etc. The different social classes have also led  to Popular’s expansion in the market, as illustrated by the novel brand of book retail therapy seen in { prologue } (Popular Holdings Limited, 2009) to cater to the higher-income class, which has an â€Å"upscale identity† that is â€Å"quite different from the family-oriented, fluorescent-lit heartlander look and feel that Popular bookstores have come to embody† (Lui, 2009). 10. Marketing Objectives Popular’s main objective is to establish a strong regional presence by becoming a Central Clearing House for both English and Chinese books in the Asia Pacific Region (Popular’s Strategic Vision 2012). As such, their marketing objective is to offer a wide variety of books with relevant, unique, and good quality content at value-for-money prices. (Popular’s Strategic Vision, 2012). Next, Popular aims to differentiate itself from both brick-and-mortar bookstores and online bookstores which both serve the same book-buying market. This is especially important because Popular is in an oligopolistic market and faces strong competition. These brick-and-mortar bookstores include the well-established Kinokuniya, Times and Big Bookshop, and second-handbook stores, while online bookstores include Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Thus, Popular’s marketing objective is to capture a larger market share through differentiation. Lastly, in terms of the variety of books, Popular aims to be the largest and most innovative publisher of bilingual books (Popular’s Strategic Vision, 2012). It attracts publishers like Seashore Publishing (M) Sdn. Bhd. to Singapore, which dominates the market for bilingual cookbook and general-interest Mandarin books. Through its books, Popular also intends to promote the Chinese language, heritage and culture. For instance, Popular organised the National Chinese Creative Reading Competition during the BookFest@Singapore 2011 to ‘make students more aware [of] and stimulate their interest in Chinese culture and heritage through creative reading’ (Chairman’s Statement, Annual Report 2012) 11. Marketing Strategy / Mix 11. 1 Branding and positioning Popular portrays an image that it is a one-stop station where consumers are able to find whatever they need. This image is especially relevant since Popular’s main target group is the masses who usually read best-selling books written by well-known authors. To capture a larger consumer market and establish a strong regional presence, Popular has also ventured into overseas markets such as Malaysia, Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. 11. 2 Price Popular has adopted different pricing strategies for Popular and Prologue. Prologue has adopted a premium price position for their products. This strategy of prestige pricing is appropriate as Prologue is targeted at the higher end consumers who would be willing to pay higher prices. On the other hand, Popular has adopted mainstream price position for their products. The products offered by Popular is at a rather affordable price since it is mainly targeting the majority of the population. Furthermore, Popular offers products at competitive prices compared to other bookstores. With its membership card, Popular offers further discounts on the prices of its products and this further enhances its competitiveness in the industry. In addition, Popular’s membership card can be acquired at a low cost (e. g. $20 for 3-year membership for students), as compared to other bookstores, such as Kinokuniya ($55. 60 for 3-year membership). 11. 3 Product  Popular believes that in order to stay relevant with changing consumers’ taste and preferences, they should continue to innovate by selling new products. Hence, in 2009, Popular opened ‘UrbanWrite’ and ‘{ prologue }’. UrbanWrite, â€Å"a lifestyle stationery concept store that goes beyond the basics†, offer slightly different products such as scrap book materials, stationaries that are not available at Popular Bookstore. With new concept stores under Popular, such as { prologue } and UrbanWrite, it is pertinent to ensure that Popular does not lose its identity as a one-stop station to avoid confusion amongst its consumers.      

Develop Goals Essay

As the course of weeks of planning have interpose realizing a campus improvement plan is an essential item for any growth of a learning environment. Modifying our processes, teaching practices and student learning is vital to notice in order to make our action plan become successful. We must not forget the fact that our action plan is intertwined with the vision and mission set up by the administration team for the campus. Following this will be a chart as a draft of a school improvement plan based on the data acquired from Del Castillo Elementary. It includes a summary of the feedback and goals set by my principal mentor and several other stakeholders from the campus. Through positive collaboration, teamwork from all stakeholders and the correct support the plan can be implemented in a successful manner for continuous improvement. Strategies Set up lessons and assessments based on the TEKS tested for each grade level. Match readiness and supporting standards set up on the TEA blueprint to meet weekly assessments given in class. Provide training for teachers based on best practices and test taking strategies to be used by students. Goals: (See Figure 1.1) The results of the 2014 STAAR test demonstrates a need for improvement in 4th grade writing, 3rd grade reading and math, and 5th grade reading and math subjects. Resources: Journeys Reading Program (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), Empowering Writers (J. Mariconda), Pearson Envision, Campus Reading Coach, Campus Dean of Instruction, STAAR Workbooks (varies by grade level) Target Barriers: In 2014 the 4th grade percentage for the writing STAAR test was at 47 percent meeting standard, this will need to increase to  70 percent. For 3rd grade reading it was at 37%, it will need to increase to 50%. 3rd grade math was at 41%, it will need to increase to 50%. For 5th grade reading it was at 36% it will need to be raised to 60%, and for math it was at 42% and it will need to be raised to 67%. Action: Data reports of TEKS mastered will be used by teacher to provide interventions for each of the above subject mentioned, to target each learner’s area of difficulties. Provide questionnaires to several stakeholders to improve the structure of testing. (See figures 2.1, 2.2, 2.3) Personnel Responsible: Classroom teachers, reading coach, dean of instruction. Evidence of Completion: District Benchmark (1 for the fall semester (November) see Figure 1.2, 1 spring semester (February).) Percentages, 2015 STAAR results taken in April 2015. Figure 1.1 2014 STAAR Results (Percentage of Students Meeting Standard) Figure 1.2 2014 District Benchmark (November) Figure 2.1 Student Questionnaire Purpose: To improve a testing experience for our students to increase the percentage of students meeting the standards of the standardized test. 1) What grade levels have you attended Del Castillo Elementary? 2) Do you enjoy having no physical education time or pullout time during testing days? 3) Would snacks during testing break help you focus on the test? 4) Do you enjoy incentives provided for passing your benchmarks? 5) How many brain breaks do you believe you should receive during a testing day? Figure 2.2 Parent Questionnaire Purpose: Parents are knowledgeable of testing procedures and improve motivation from parent to student at home. 1) Do you express confidence in your son/daughters campus to teach the skills necessary to meet the standard of the standardized test? 2) Do you prefer public schooling or private schooling? 3) Would you like extra services to teach your child not to have test anxiety? 4) Do you prefer for classroom teachers to teach to test or have enviroment rich activities? 5) Do you believe standardized testing creates a negative impact on your child? 6) If a teacher does not have a good percentage of students passing the STAAR test, would you judge that teacher as a â€Å"bad† teacher? 7) How many years have your children attended Del Castillo Elementary? 8) Are you satisfied with the kind of motivation the campus promotes to your child to motivate them to pass the STAAR test? 9) How many of your children attend Del Castillo Elementary? 10) Are the STAAR scores important for you? 11) What do you consider more important your child’s STAAR scores or report card grades? Figure 2.3 Teacher Questionnaire Purpose: Promote motivation within teachers to increase passing percentages. 1) What is your position at Del Castillo Elementary? 2) How many years have you been teaching in this campus? 3) Would you prefer to work a private school campus that does not require students to take a state mandated standardized test? 4) What do you think should be the student to teacher ratio for the testing grade levels? 5) What kind of motivation rewards should be offered to students that meet the standards on benchmarks and on the STAAR test? 6) Are the resources provided useful to your instruction to teach all TEKS tested in your grade level? 7) What supplemental aids should be provided on a yearly basis to increase the percentage of students passing the STAAR test? 8) Do you feel that you have to â€Å"teach to the test†? 9) Does the emphasis on improving state standardized test scores impact your classroom positively or negatively? 10) How much emphasis did your school place on students’ state standardized test results to evaluate your performance? 11) Has the use of state standardized test scores and outcomes  led you to consider leaving the profession? 12) During the last school year, how much pressure did you feel from school administrators to improve state standardized test scores?

What are the arguments for and against focussing on skilled migration Essay

What are the arguments for and against focussing on skilled migration In answering this, specify who are the winners and losers What are the limitations of the Governments skilled immigration policy - Essay Example In 2005 for example, remittances figured $223 billion which was more than twice the rank of international aid. Public perceptions of migration and migrants play a major role in determining policy choices available to governments. The share of migrants in the global population may not be as high but its presence and visibility in terms of social, economic and political terms is felt. Migrants flow have shifted greatly in recent years with changing poles of attraction for labour migration for instance Asians find job opportunities within Asia while the Latin Americans are moving to Europe. There is a high labour participation in Europe, US and Australia. This shows that economic incentives remain high for migration to these market economies. UN confirms significant contribution of migration to population growth in Australia, US and some European countries. Immigration has been a difficult subject to government officials. This is because it raises moral choices about whom to let in the country, for how long and by what means. According to Levi (1999, p. 675) regulating entry means deporting or excluding people whose aim is to earn a living. The limitations of the government policy include one, it is impossible to influence the number of nationals entering the country it can only regulate them from accessing legal employment. Some of the nationals restricted include the Romanians and Bulgarians. The other limitation of the policy is that policy put towards asylum refugees and dependants of British system is greatly determined by considering human rights. These rights in clude rights to freedom from persecution and the right to family reunion. Consideration of these rights is beyond the governments limit though they can be modified. It is also impossible for a nation to control immigration and employment of migrants. This is because most come as visitors but overstay. Governments are therefore unable to regulate all

CONTRACT LAW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

CONTRACT LAW - Essay Example According to Sir Frederick Pollock, contract is â€Å"A promise or set of promises which the law will enforce2 In the general conclusion of a contract, we can understand that various elements are essential in the creation of a contract which includes an agreement, consideration, and intention to create legal relations, form, capacity, legality and other such. â€Å"A valid contract requires: (1) an agreement; (2) an intention to create legal relations; and (3) consideration (unless the Contract is made by deed). Whilst each of these three requirements receives separate treatment, they must in reality be looked at together.3 When all these are in existence, we understand that a contract is in operation. â€Å"In addition, a contract consists of various terms, both express and implied. A term may be inserted into the contract to exclude or limit one partys liability (the so-called â€Å"small print†). A term may also be regarded as unfair. A contract may be invalidated by a mistake and where the contract has been induced by misrepresentation the innocent party may have the right to set it aside.† 4 This is an enforceable law the violation of which is considered serious offence and, thereby, requiring penalty and consequences. â€Å"If one party has made a statement to the other about the subject matter of the contract, in some systems he may become liable for breach of contract (non-performance) if what he says turns out to be incorrect.† 5 Therefore the party that violates the contract is normally bound to receive its consequences. â€Å"A non-performance which is not excused may give the aggrieved party the right to claim performance, recovery of money due, or specific performance, to claim damages, to withhold his own performance, to terminate the contract and to reduce his own performance.† 6 In this background let us consider the two cases given for discussion. To consider the first case of contract violation

The Public Register Online Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Public Register Online - Assignment Example Coca Cola used a traditional approach in its annual report since the report is written in black and white. The annual report of Dr. Pepper Snapple Group is more visually appealing due to the fact the annual report is written using color ink with graphics and photos. The annual report of this company is easier to read as the information is not a cluttered as in the Coca-Cola annual report. The way the Coca-Cola annual report is presented detracts from value of the information that is presented. To me it seems as if Coca-Cola wrote the report thinking only about its obligation with the SEC, instead of realizing the importance of the annual report for the investor community. One good attributes about the format used by Coca Cola is that as you move through the report in the left side there are links itemizing the topics which helps the user jump to different topics within the report instantly. The 2010 Coca Cola annual report has all the necessary components that an annual report is supposed to have and is well structured, but the report lacks the ability to connect with the reader. The Dr Pepper Snapple Groups annual report uses several techniques business professionals use to make the presentation of financial and business data easier to understand and more fun to read. The Dr Pepper Snapple Group management team presents a positive outlook in the annual report. The company has been able to penetrate the non-soda beverage market very well with a market share of 40.4% largely in part to the booming sales of the Snapple natural beverages (Annual Report: Dr Pepper Snapple Group, 2010). The Dr Pepper brand has achieve six consecutive years of sales growth and the firm has increased its customer reach through its distribution of the product at over 14,000 McDonald’s establishments. The annual report of this firm focused on the domestic market since 89% of the firm sales are in the United States with additional international revenues coming from

John Rawls - Political Liberalism - Choose 1 out of 2 suggested topics Essay

John Rawls - Political Liberalism - Choose 1 out of 2 suggested topics - Essay Example The idea explains political liberalism in a democratic society. It is evident that, in a democratic society, each person’s world view is valid and acceptable. The confusion here is that, if each person’s opinion of the world is diverse, it is a miracle how they live in the same society, sharing common laws. The idea of public reason explains how the society is able to maintain political liberalism. It shows that the public reason plays an important role in ensuring constitutional democracy. Below is a description of the connection between public understanding and political liberalism, which also illustrates its role in the constitutional democracy. Rawls’ political liberalism is all about the liberal conception of the role of justice. Rawls argues that because the society has competing conceptions of the good, the government should be neutral when it comes to support such conceptions. This is where he develops the idea of public reason, to explain the existence of political liberty even with the existence of different people with different views and beliefs. A political liberty comes with a democratic society, but within a democratic society, people still have to be coerced to specific laws. One law for so many people, yet they have differences. Rawls uses public reason to explain how it ensures constitutional democracy (Rawls 213). In order to understand how public reason helps a society achieve political liberty, it is important to describe what it is, as conceptualized by Rawls. It is also essential to comprehend what a democratic society means. A democratic society is a free society. A free society is composed of citizens with dissimilar worldviews. People have different conceptions about what is wrong or right; people have different religious beliefs, and people value various forms and pursuits of interpersonal relations. Democratic people will have different aims in life and will want to act according to their beliefs, yet in a

Rolls-Royce Corporation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

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Business Models and Planning Chapter Questions Assignment - 1

Business Models and Planning Chapter Questions - Assignment Example This saw poorly thought out business models become the downfalls of many dotcoms. On the other hand, however, business model is said to date back to the earliest days when business just begun and merely used to describe how a company generates it money. There is a variation in simplicity or complexity of a business model. For this case, business model can be either simple or very complex. Looking at an example of a business model, a restaurant’s business model is described as to make money through cooking and serving food to the hungry lot of customers. This is an example of a simple business model. A television’s business model may seem to be not clear as it is not very vivid how they make their money. Some make money through advertising for other companies while others get money by selling particular products. This makes this kind of business model to look very complex. 2. What does it mean to innovate the business model? Sometimes a business can reach a stage where it does not make any positive proceeds anymore. Mostly, this takes place at a stage in a business known as decline stage. At this point, the business has lost competition in the market to new entrants or aggressive competitors. The level of revenues has reduced and the business is nearing its end time of closure. To enable the business stay alive and regain its competitive edge so much that it makes profit once again and stimulate company growth, the management must reinvent the business. By this, new strategies must be put in place and all such strategies must be aimed at a major element which is customer satisfaction. This is process of business reinventing itself to regain competitive edge and improve business growth is what is known as business model innovation. When working on a business innovation model, the management needs to consider factors such as the weakness of the current business. This gives the management a point of action in order to improve competitive edge by working to

Strategic Marketing Plan Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Strategic Marketing Plan - Case Study Example From its humble beginnings in 1980, Applebee International, Inc. has risen to become the largest casual dining restaurant chain in the United States based on size, market share, and revenue. Applebee is founded by Bill and TJ Palmer with their first restaurant TJ Applebee's Rx for Edibles and Elixirs changing the name to Applebee's Neighborhood Grill and Bar in 1986. Two years later, franchisees Abe Gustin and John Hamra bought the rights to the Applebee's concept from W.T. Grace. With the pursuit of its growth strategy, Applebee International is established, growing into 54 restaurants in 1998 when it opened for franchising Today, Applebee operates 1, 900 casual dining restaurants all over the world operating with the commitment of providing "attractive, friendly, neighborhood establishment featuring moderately priced, high-quality food and beverage items, table service and a comfortable atmosphere that speaks to all ages" (Company Overview, 2007). Applebee's global operation is headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas. The United States is the company's largest market where develops and operates 1,841 restaurants within 49 states and one U.S. territory while it also has 89 restaurants in 16 international counties. Of the 1,900 restaurant chains in the world, 1,409 (74%) are franchised operated leaving only 521 (26%) restaurants in its sole management. Specializing in casual dining, Applebee restaurants offer lunch and dinner made up of entrees of beef, chicken, pork, seafood and pasta dishes, desserts and appetizers which the company changes from time to time in response to the patrons' tastes and preferences. (Fast fact, 2007). The price of an average meal is $11. Aside from providing dine-in services, it also introduces Carside To Go which allows customers to consume their orders outside the store premises. Recognizing the clamor for a healthier lifestyle, it has teamed up with Weight Watchers International in offering the Weight Watchers selections. Geographically, it has the small market segment in rural areas under 25,000 in population while cornering larger market segments in the cities. (Horovitz, 2003). Under the leadership of Lloyd L. Hill, who became chief executive officer in 1998, the company has posted positive net earnings, despite a fluctuating growth trend in total operating revenues in the past ten years (Hoovers, 2007). The company's operations are grouped into three business divisions: 1. Company restaurant sales which is comprised of the sales of food and beverages; 2. Franchise royalties and fees from its franchisees (franchise royalty are generally 4% of the franchise restaurant's monthly gross sales while franchise fees are typically

Green Buildings in China and Europe Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Green Buildings in China and Europe - Article Example According to John Echlin, an architect who is American, public and culture drives building the design in Europe. The buildings are also constructed for permanent basis unlike in China that considers space and cost as the determinant factor in the construction of the buildings, especially in urban centers. Most of the architects in Europe are aware of the impact of the green building constructions towards the reduction of energy unlike those in China. The owner of the Chinese’s private reserve in Zhejiang province ensured that food required by the reserve is grown at the site and reduced overdependence on energy and water from the surrounding environment. Such was just an example of the green building in China but since then more and more building focusing on energy reduction and being environmental friendly have come up. An example of such a building in Europe is the Doxford solar office found at a park near Sunderland. The building design was energy responsible with the aim of saving energy which is of increased concern in Europe. Green buildings are also considered a profitable venture in Europe and China. It is, however, true that there are more buildings in Europe than in China. Unlike in Europe where public benefit and culture drives the design of the building to be constructed, Chinese constructions are based on costs and profit maximization. It is the reason that has resulted in less number of green buildings in Chi na, especially in urban centers. Multinational Corporation, hotel numbers, and large Chinese companies have however employed the practice in their buildings (Lehmann, 2010). China’s recent plans aim at reducing carbon dioxide emission and overall energy use. Regulators have been forced to focus on establishing buildings that are green and energy efficient as a way of being in line with the government’s energy reduction plan. Europe on the hand has come up with a strategy that will ensure all public houses become carbon neutral by the year two thousand and sixteen.

Type of clothing line Essay Example for Free

Type of clothing line Essay PINK TARTAN Kimberley Newport-Mimran is the president and head designer of Pink Tartan, . The New York Pink Tartan showroom opened in 2004, and the line is now carried at Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s, Holt Renfrew and The Bay as well as specialty stores across North America, Dubai and Seoul. Newport-Mimran studied fashion merchandising and manufacturing management eventually moving into a career in the buying office at the Hudson Bay Company, North America’s oldest retailer. Her style philosophy was clear: â€Å"simplicity is the secret to elegance. † Newport-Mimran went on to product development and merchandising and specialized in denim and menswear at Club Monaco, where she learned the importance of structure and tailoring. â€Å"Execution is key† became her lifelong mantra. Newport-Mimran later moved to Caban where she further exemplified that sourcing is an art: finding fabric and manufacturing makes the difference in luxury design. There she met and married the CEO, Joe Mimran. Today the pair is viewed as Canadian fashion royalty; Mimran launched the Joe Fresh mass fashion phenomenon after the selling of Club Monaco to Ralph Lauren. Womenswear NARCES (The designer is Nikki irthensohn.) Nikki is a Canadian of Persian heritage who was born in Austria, and grew up in Iran and the UK. She holds a Masters degree in Business from Canada/The Netherlands. Her design education comes from growing up in the industry by learning from her mother an accomplished tailor who worked for Victor Edelstein who designed for the British Royal Family, including some of the most iconic gowns of Princess Diana. With NARCES, Nikki combines her very successful business career with a talent and love for fashion design. Womenswear specializes in after-five and evening wear THRESHOLD FT: RANK BY RANI Emerging designer Rani Kim is re-conceptualizing men’s fashion and modernizing the new era of menswear through her brand, RANK BY RANI. Beginning her fashion education at Ryerson University, Kim was trained to appropriate utilitarian design by redefining the structures of masculine menswear. Referencing her Danish design education from her exchange to Teko Design School in Denmark, Kim began developing designs for the modern international man. Her latest collection shown at Toronto Men’s Fashion Week is a strong example of her attention to detail and minimalist execution, which are strong elements of her brand. menswear KLAXON HOWL Since opening Klaxon Howl in 2005 owner and designer Matt Robinson has drawn inspiration from the archives of his legendary collection of the early to mid 20th century. These important, relevant pieces, books and films are studied and echoed in each design The entire Klaxon Howl collection is produced by hand, locally and in small batches using construction techniques rarely seen in modern North American manufacturing. Matt works with quality fabrics that lend them selves to each design. Most are woven on looms in Japan and cut and sewn with pride right here in Toronto. vintage militaria, workwear and sportswear BEAUFILLE Beaufille is founded by sisters Chloe and Parris Gordon. Beaufille is a contemporary line that references historical design elements within a modern context to create a sophisticated tough girl aesthetic. Beaufille represents the girl who has an eye for sophisticated construction, and who appreciates the juxtaposition between old and new. The Gordon sisters attended the Nova Scotia College Of Art And Design in Halifax, and through their exposure to all forms of art, including painting, drawing, filmography, design, photography, textiles, jewelry and fashion, joined up to create a brand that draws on their collective experiences. womenswear

An Analysis Of Proposed E Commerce Strategy Commerce Essay

An Analysis Of Proposed E Commerce Strategy Commerce Essay The rapid enhancement in the field of technology has necessitated businesses to consider the implication of technology in performing their business activities. The technological development along with the need for pursuing higher growth by way of internationalizing the business activities in international markets is highly in demand for the businesses to stay in the market. The higher level of competition has fostered businesses to make use of digital technology in their operational activities in effectively meeting their customers need. Most of the businesses are indulging in e-commerce practices in effectively performing their operations across boundaries. E-commerce is an important medium of presenting the business offerings to customers, as it involves the usage of technology that aids businesses in reaching wider markets easily. E-business is considered as new mantra for businesses in the modern world as it not only facilitates the development of business activities worldwide bu t also allows them to advertise their products and services in a more effective and efficient manner (Plant 2000). This report is aimed at performing a preliminary analysis of the proposed e-commerce strategy for ABC organization which has been to expand its reach to international markets and serve a wide range of customers globally. The organization presently deals in electronic products that cater to the needs of electronic items for a large number of customers. ABC organization is in immense need of expanding its operation in the international markets particularly because of increasing competition from the local competitors in Australia. As a result, the e-commerce strategy in the form of achieving expansion in the international market would allow ABC to cope up with the intense level of competition and achieve sustainable growth. The strategy of ABC is to develop a website through which it can be possible to offer its products and services in the international markets. In performing the preliminary analysis of the e-commerce strategy, this report makes an evaluation of the environmental analysis through the application of important marketing tools such as porters competitive forces analysis. Apart from this, the report will also include an assessment of the potential of e-commerce strategy in meeting its strategic goals and objectives. The role of website in satisfying its key stakeholders along with the major risks that ABC has to face in expanding its business in the international market will also be critically assessed in this report. Environmental Analysis of the Proposed E-Commerce Presence The assessment of the ABC organization implies that it is currently based in Australia and company is planning to expand in the international market. For instance, the target market as decided by the company for expansion is Indian market. This is because; the Indian market is growing one for the electronics products which can offer large opportunities for higher growth of the organization. Thus, the proposed e-commerce presence of the company can be identified as the Indian market through the integration of technology in its existing operations. A complete environmental analysis of the proposed e-commerce presence of the company has been performed below: Value proposition of the e-commerce strategy: The proposed e-commerce strategy of expanding to Indian market by ABC for its electronic products through website would likely to provider higher value to its target customers. The major benefit to customers from its expansion to international markets in India is the accessibility to a wider range of electronic gadgets offered by the company. The company specializes in providing higher quality electronics product at reasonable rates and as a result, it becomes a better opportunity for the customers to avail the extra benefits offered by the company. The e-commerce strategy will not only be effective in delivering value to its customers in the Indian markets in terms of making a wide variety of electronics products for Indian customers, but it would also enable the organization to outperform the competition easily and sustain its business effectively. Further, it will be a new experience for the customers in the Indian markets as the e-commerce strategy by ABC organization will enable them to have access to wide range of electronics products. Another important feature of electronics product by ABC that will create value for its customers is the faster delivery of products to the customers after the order is placed. This will be made possible through an effective supply chain management (Currie 2004). Core competencies that can be enhanced through e-commerce presence: The e-commerce presence will help ABC organization in enhancing its core competency of quality electronics product at reasonable prices because the volume of sales would automatically increase from expansion to Indian market which will allow the company to attain economies of scale. The ultimate efficiency can be achieved in terms of reduced cost of products which can easily be transferred to final consumers for the purpose of value creation for them. Core competencies are usually critical to an organization and an improvement over the core competency leads to the attainment of competitive advantage. In case of ABC, the e-commerce presence in the international market allows an opportunity to enable the development of core competency of enhancing the supply chain management functions of the organization, as it aimed at ensuring quicker delivery of electronics products to its international customers (Epstein 2004). Market analysis and trends of expanding to Indian markets: In case of the given proposed e-commerce strategy of expansion of electronics business of ABC organization to Indian market through website, it becomes essential to perform a market analysis of such market so that better expansion and ultimately, improved growth can be achieved from such strategy. Market analysis implies the analysis of all the major factors present in the proposed market so that necessary strategies can be developed and the potential for success in such market can also be identified (Doole and Lowe 2008). The market of India for the proposed e-commerce strategy is considered to be effective as the trends and statistics shows that the internet users are growing at a rapid pace in the Indian market. For instance, the statistics shows that India accounts for 2% of the e-commerce in the Asia pacific region, but the increasing population and literacy rate in the country has increased the number of users base for such e-commerce from $2.1 billion in 2008 and is expected to increase $6 billion by 2011 (Where Does e-Commerce Stand in India 2011). Despite having the payment challenges, the market for e-commerce is expanding at a rapid pace in India. For instance, the facts shows that India has the number of people transacting online in India will likely to increase to 39 million by 2015. With respect to e-commerce market in India, the estimated online transaction will improve and there is expected a growth to $24 billion by 2015 from the current state of $6.3 billion (Indian e-commerce Market Estimated to Grow to $24 billion by 2015 from the Current $6.3 billion 2011). This signifies that the e-commerce activities will be performed at a rapid pace in such markets which will provide opportunities to the e-commerce dealers in achieving higher growth (Charman-Anderson 2011). This shows an increasing trend for e-commerce related practices in the country which would be highly beneficial for the proposed e-commerce strategy of ABC organization. Overall, the market analysis and trends for e-commerce in Indian markets shows a positive trend which would likely benefit the traders who performs their business activities over internet. E-commerce strategy evaluation through Porters five forces model: The porters five forces model is highly useful in performing an analysis of the overall industry. The five forces model includes the assessment of the industry from five different points that would be highly beneficial in the given case of making an assessment of the proposed e-commerce strategy of expanding to Indian markets for electronics products by ABC organization (Turban, 2010). An evaluation using the important five forces model for electronics industry in India is performed as follows: Â · Bargaining power of buyers: Buyers are those who purchases thee products and services offered by the company. The buyer power is considered to be large when there are few dominant buyers in the industry. In case of e-commerce for electronics products, the buyers are considered to be the final consumers as there are no such major buyers that account for larger sales of electronics products in India. This implies a lower buyer power for electronics products in India which will benefit the proposed e-commerce strategy of ABC organization. Â · Bargaining power of suppliers: Supplier power is considered to be moderate in the sense that there are various online suppliers of electronics products in India such as LG electronics, Samsung, Nokia, E-bay and many more. As there is no one major players accounting for most of the supplies for electronics product, the supplier power is considered to be moderate (Singh and Anand 2010). Â · Threat of rivalry among existing firms: As far as the threats of rivalry among existing firms, it is considered to be higher because of the presence of large number of suppliers of online electronics product in India. Apart from major e-commerce dealers for electronics products such as e-bay, Amazon etc and various global companies such as Samsung, Sony, Microsoft etc, the Indian market comprises of large number of local retailers that provides cheap electronic gadgets at reasonable rates and thereby intensifies the level of competition. Â · Threat of substitutes: In case of electronics industry in India, the threat of substitutes is considered to be lower because the substitute product for electronics is not available. Consumers have to purchase the electronics products as the need for such electronics product cannot be satisfied through any other product alternative. Â · Threat of new entrants: Although the threat of new entrant is higher because of existence of large numbers of electronic dealers in the country and also higher infrastructure cost, but by way of considering electronic medium of doing business, the threat of new entrants can be eroded. For instance, the proposed e-commerce strategy of ABC organization will not likely to face the problem of new entrants. Overall, the porters five forces analysis for electronics products in India shows the availability of large number of suppliers which intensifies the competition and as a result, ABC organization need to consider the development of effective strategies for its expansion to such markets. Strategic Goals and Objectives of ABC The proposed expansion to Indian markets through the development of website will be helpful in addressing a wide range of strategic objectives and goals of the organization. For instance, the major strategic goal is to pursue expansion to international markets so that higher growth can be achieved. Further, such international expansion also allows the opportunity for sustenance of the organization as ABC is facing the problem of intense competition in its local market in Australia from a large number of local players. Thus, the main strategic goal of ABC can be considered as achieving international expansion that can effectively be possible through its website, as the website will be designed in a manner that would be highly suited to Indian customers. In pursuing the strategic goals of international expansion, the major objectives of ABC will be: Â · To offer wider range of electronics products to its customers in Indian markets so as to allow them a choice to make a selection. Â · To offer quality products at reasonable prices so that customer can be attracted initially and a strong brand reputation can finally be developed. Â · To present the information about its offerings in its website in a manner that attracts its customer at the first instance. The attainment of all these objectives will help in the successful accomplishment of the strategic goals of achieving higher growth in the e-commerce electronics industry in India. Key Stakeholders need from website Different stakeholders have different needs from the e-commerce website. For instance, the key stakeholder i.e. customer want the availability of large number of electronics products at cheaper rates and this could easily be fulfilled through the website of the company, as it allows the company to display entire information of all its offerings and as expanding in the form of e-commerce is not highly costly for the company, the wants of customers of availing electronic products at cheaper rates can also be achieved. In addition to customer, the investors want higher return on their invested fund which can be achieved through success in the business expansion of organization through its website. The satisfaction of its key stakeholder i.e. the customer would lead to the attainment of key goals of the website of the company which has been to provide wider access to customers for electronics in India. By way of performing a rigorous marketing of website, a better reach with the customer can be established through website and thereby, a better fit between the goals of the website and the organization can ultimately be possible. E-commerce business model There are large numbers of e-commerce models that are available to businesses in performing the expansion of their business activities in international markets. In case of ABC organization, the business models that will be used for its e-commerce website is Business to Consumer model (B2C). As per the B2C model, the target of businesses is to sell its offerings to individual customers through its website. The B2C model is an important model of e-commerce that is being implemented using the web. As in case of ABC organization, the strategic goals of the organization has been to perform international expansion and to focus on the consumers for electronics in Indian markets, it can be effectively facilitated through the B2C model of e-commerce. There are various such examples that have effectively used such B2C model in achieving success globally such as Amazon, Walmart, BestBuy.com etc. B2C is internet only stores that provides offerings to its customers through internet only and as id entified, there lies an important opportunity for e-commerce in the Indian markets, and the strategic goal of achieving higher growth can be possible through the consideration of such B2C e-commerce model (Morley and Parker 2009). Potential risks from e-commerce strategy From the proposed e-commerce strategy of the organization, there are various potential risks that company has to face and thereby required to make effective considerations for all of them. For instance, the major risk is the risk of failure of such strategy because of existence of higher level of suppliers in the electronics industry in the Indian market. Secondly, the increasing threats from hackers also lead to security risks to the organization, and as a result, effective planning is essential in order to effectively deal the security issues from the e-commerce strategy. The third major risk from the e-commerce strategy to ABC organization is the lack of experience of dealing with international customers. As the company has its operation in the Australian markets presently, the lack of international experience would cause severe problems in dealing with the customers internationally. The e-commerce strategy would also pose the risk of currency exchange, as dealing with customers i n India would require ABC to make necessary arrangements for performing is operation in Indian currency. As a result, the fluctuations in the exchange rates would increase the risk of the organization and it might be possible that company has to bear losses. All these are the major threats to ABC organization from its e-commerce business strategy of expanding to Indian markets through its website.

Examining The Explanation For Juvenile Delinquency Criminology Essay

Examining The Explanation For Juvenile Delinquency Criminology Essay For decades, researchers have made numerous efforts to find a thorough explanation for juvenile delinquency. The results of these endeavors have offered possible reasons as being both biological and social (Schmalleger, Bartollas, 2008). It is still unsettled as to what causes have the greatest influence on adolescence crime, but it is undoubted that some factors clearly have an effect. Recent studies have suggested that the direct relationships a child has with concrete social elements, like his family, friends and community, are likely to give some predicate involvement in crime (Schmalleger, Bartollas, 2008). This paper will identify and discuss the environmental influences of family, peer pressure, and community and their effects on juvenile delinquency. Keywords: family, peer pressure, community, juvenile delinquency, environmental influence Much time and energy has been spent in attempting to understand the causes of delinquency. Several theoretical models have been developed to describe the relationship between variables and outcomes as it relates to delinquent behavior. Some studies have pointed to the interaction of risk factors, the multiplicative effect when several risk factors are present, and how certain protective factors may work to offset risk factors (Palermo, 2008). Also, studies have noted that the presence of certain risk factors often increases a youths chance of performing criminal actions (Megens Weerman, 2010). Individual, social, and community factors have currently been identified as risk for juvenile delinquency. Individual factors can be defined as prenatal and perinatal; and studies have revealed that approximately 80% of violent youth offenders, rated high in delivery complications (Schmalleger, Bartollas, 2008). Researchers also continue to suggest that psychological, behavioral, and mental characteristics such as low verbal IQ and delayed language development are also linked to delinquency (Schmalleger, Bartollas, 2008). Social factors, usually defined as family and peer influence are also important in the development of delinquent behavior. It is well documented that children that are maltreated and/or have delinquent friends run a greater risk of developing delinquent behavior themselves (Valdas, 2008). Finally, community factors, which are school policies that attach importance to suspension and expulsion, and youths residing in disorganized or adverse neighborhoods, have been identified as strong factors for increased risk of participating in criminal acts by juveniles (Palermo, 2009). Today, social structure theorists still offer that the cause of juvenile crime is not within the person themselves but is due to external factors. They further believe crime is created by social structures such as poverty, a peer group who believes there is nothing wrong with crime, and/or a racial imbalance in the justice system (Palermo, 2009). Current research has shown an exclusive focus on juvenile conditions in U.S. cities. The focal point continues to be on the complex nature of interdependencies between social conditions and behavior of individuals on one side and ecological context factors on the other side (Palermo, 2009). I suggest that a clear outlook on the efforts required by society, schools, and families to reduce juvenile delinquency is being revealed through these studies to show important factors leading juveniles to delinquency. Family Influence on Juvenile Delinquency Probably the strongest influence in our lives is the family we grew up in. Birth order, personality of our parents, treatment by our siblings, socioeconomic status of the family all shape who we become. These influences, also taught us what society deems as proper behavior. Small children do whatever impulse entered our heads (Regoli, Hewitt, Delisi, 2007). They do not know that it was socially unacceptable to eat with fingers, to play with the vase on the coffee table, to hit another sibling or to break toys (Regoli, Hewitt, Delisi, 2007). These rules and many other were introduced and re-enforced to most people by parents. Historic review of in the fields of humanities and science clearly put forward the family as the foundation of human society (Valadas, 2008).   There is a common joke often told to new mothers and fathers that parents always screw up their kids, it is just a matter of how bad. I suggest that there may be some truth to this adage. Recent studies show that seventy to eighty percent of families are considered dysfunctional by family therapists (Aaron Dalliare, 2010). It is must be noted that sometimes no matter how well intentioned and how well informed parents may be, they cannot know exactly the correct way to rear a particular child. However, many others are intentionally neglectful and not well informed to the detriment of the child. Much evidence supports the proposition that children who are rejected by their parents, who grow up in homes with considerable conflict, or who are inadequately supervised are at the greatest risk of becoming delinquent (Valadas, 2008).   All would agree that adolescence is a time of expanding vulnerabilities and opportunities that accompany the widening social and geographic exposure to lif e beyond school or family; but it all starts within the family (Megens Weerman, 2010).   Researchers agree that family plays a large part in delinquency; thus understanding how the family and how the juvenile within the family works gets to the core of delinquency (Aaron Dallaire, 2010).   In the realm of family functioning there is a theory known as the coercion theory, which suggests that family environment influences an adolescents interpersonal style (Aaron Dallaire, 2010).   Youth with coercive interpersonal style tend to become involved with others that have similar styles, and these relationships tend to increase the likelihood of being involved in delinquent behavior (Aaron Dallaire, 2010).   Thus, understanding the nature of relationships within the family, to include family adaptability, cohesion, and satisfaction, provides more information for understanding youth that are risk (Valada, 2008).   I propose that understanding the cohesiveness of the family may eventually be a predictor for the frequency of delinquent acts because studies have revealed that family behaviors, particularly parental monitoring and disciplining, seem to influence association with deviant peers throughout the adolescent period.    Among  social circumstances which have a hand in determining the future of an individual, I suggest that out of the many environmental factors researchers have developed to understanding the causes of juvenile delinquency, the family unit plays the greatest role. I support this conclusion with the fact that society has always placed a heavy burden on families by assigning the responsibility for childrearing to parents with little or no guidance. Individual family units must transmit values so as to lead children to accept societal rules based on their own understanding. Therefore, it should be no surprise to find that family life bears the strongest relationship to juvenile delinquency. Peer Influence on Juvenile Delinquency There is considerable evidence to support that peer relationships influence the growth of problem behavior in youth (Regoli, Hewitt, Delisi, 2007; Schmalleger, Bartollas, 2008). Peer influences can be defined as pressure either planned or unplanned exerted by peers to influence personal behavior (Schmalleger, Bartollas, 2008). Peer groups provide important developmental points of reference through which adolescents gain an understanding of the world outside of their families (Megens Weerman, 2010). Failure to develop close relationships with peers can result in a variety of problems for adolescents that range from delinquency and substance abuse to psychological disorders (Megens, Weerman, 2010). It has also been documented that higher peer stress and less companionship support from peers has been associated with a lower social self-concept in adolescents (Palermo, 2009). Research has consistently documented a high correlation between peer and youth deviance; ironically, the most common public interventions for deviant youth involve segregation from mainstream peers and aggregation into settings with other deviant youth (Chung Steinberg, 2006). Given the rise of public concern and research on this issue, there still needs to be more understanding on the conditions under which these peer contagion effects intervention, youth developmental levels, and strategies for managing youth behavior in groups. Many studies have found a consistent relationship between involvement in a delinquent peer group and delinquent behavior (Megens Weerman, 2010). Literature has noted that for youth ages 12-14, a key predictor variable for delinquency is the presence of antisocial peers (Chung Steinberg, 2006). Factors such as peer delinquent behavior, peer approval of delinquent behavior, attachment or allegiance to peers, time spent with peers, and peer pressure for deviance, have all been associated with adolescent antisocial behavior (Chung Steinberg, 2006). Conversely, research has shown reported that spending time with peers who disapprove of delinquent behavior may curb later violence (Megens Weerman, 2010). Thus, I conclude that the influence of peers and their acceptance of delinquent behavior is significant and this relationship is magnified when youth have little interaction with their parents. Community Influence on Juvenile Delinquency A dramatic way neighborhood and community environments can affect residences lives is through the influence on educational outcomes of the children. The Juvenile Justice Systems involvement with kids within the special education system is currently a hot topic (Chung Steinberg, 2006). When the federal special education law was passed in 1975, Congress found that most children with disabilities were not receiving an appropriate education, and that millions of children were excluded from school altogether (Chung Steinberg, 2006). Today, schools continue to suspend and expel students with disabilities for behaviors that are a direct result of their disabilities (Li Lerner, 2011). These children often become delinquent, feel worthless, are viewed as failures, stop trying, and/or end up in the juvenile justice system as a result of their treatment by those who are charged with educating them (Christle, Jolivette, Nelson, 2005). School policies can best be defined as various goals and assigning the proper authorities that makes school governance and management possible (Li Lerner, 2011). Studies have reviewed the impact of school policies concerning grade retention, suspension and expulsion, and school tracking of juvenile delinquency and have reported that these policies, which disproportionately affect minorities, have negative consequences for at-risk youth (Li Lerner, 2011). For example, suspension and expulsion do not reduce undesirable behavior, and both are linked to increased delinquent behavior. Studies have also revealed that large schools with formal and severe punishment structures in place had more incidents of students misbehaving (Christle, Jolivette, Nelson, 2005). Recently there has been a growth in the development and application of prevention programs (Li, Lerner, 2011). Most have been directed at adolescents and are based in schools. I suggest that there will be a continued growth in these programs because school is a key locus for intervention. This is based simply on the fact that these institutions aside from family have access over extended periods of time to most of the population of young people. There is a general consensus in the general public that juvenile delinquency is concentrated in disadvantaged neighborhoods (Chung Steinberg, 2006). Existing research has revealed a powerful connection between juveniles residing in an adverse environment and their participation in criminal acts (Chung Steinberg, 2006). Sociological theories of deviance state that disorganized neighborhoods have weak social control networks; that weak social control, resulting from isolation among residents and high residential turnover, allows criminal activity to go unmonitored (Megens Weerman, 2010). For example, according to Jane Jacobs, a writer and community activist, who has primary interests in urban decay, identified in her writings that a greater tendency for crime occurred in large publicly accessible areas created by the newer forms of urban planning (Jacobs, 1961). She also pointed out that the new forms of design broke down many of the traditional controls on criminal behavior; and us ed the example of the ability of residents to watch the street and the presence of people using the street both night and day (Jacobs, 1961). In studies of predominantly male adolescent samples, neighborhood adversity has been linked to both minor and serious forms of delinquency, to the presence of gangs, and to a broad range of criminal activities (Chung Steinberg, 2006). Research however, has largely ignored the influence of neighborhood factors on the development of delinquent behavior in girls despite the fact that issues relating to etiology or opportunities for intervention within neighborhoods apply equally often for both girls and boys (Chung Steinberg, 2006). Neighborhoods influence childrens behavior by providing the values that lead them to perceive how to act (Palermo, 2009). Communities in which criminal activities are common tend to establish criminal behavior as acceptable, because tolerance for gang activities varies by community. In neighborhoods in which gangs are respected, gang membership may generate loyalties that increase the likelihood of violence (Chung Steinberg, 2006). Studies have further re vealed that friendships among delinquents seem to involve closer ties as well as greater mutual influence than do friendships among non-delinquents (Palermo, 2009). It is thus fair to suggest that through ties of friendship, neighborhoods have multiplying effects. Conclusion Arrest records indicate that the majority of crime committed in the United States is associated with youths more than any other demographic ( Megens Weerman, 2010). The prevention of delinquency is a complex problem with no simple solutions. However, risk factor analysis offers a way to determine which youth are most likely to become delinquent (Palermo, 2009). The approach also allows practitioners to tailor prevention programs to the unique needs of individual youth and communities. Agreeing with the correlation of social factors to juvenile delinquency, I propose like many others studying in this field, that there is no single path to delinquency and note that the presence of several risk factors often increases a youths chance of offending. However, I do strongly concur with the long history of research that links family dysfunction as a major factor with future criminal offending. In part because parents monitor and provide nurturance to children, it is thought that the loosening of bonds among family members may result in more criminal involvement (Valadas, 2008). Thus, I suggest further studies on the family unit are necessary to gain more understanding on delinquent behavior. Recently researchers and policy makers have regarded juvenile delinquency as one of the worldÊ ¼s most critical social issues. Regardless of the causes, juvenile delinquency carries a high cost to the American system. These costs can be measured in terms of money spent and lost, but more importantly as the moral costs to society.

Desertification in Beijing Essay -- China Desert Environment Climate E

Chinese climatic history is colored with desertification. Desertification is the transformation of arable or habitable land to desert, by means of a change in climate or destructive land use.1 China is covered by deserts, however this becomes problematic during times of drought and aridity as the deserts expand and threaten local populations. The Gobi desert is the most threatening to Beijing, the capital of China. A study of desertification illustrates Beijing and China ’s weather, climate, and society of both the past and the present. Chinese climatic history of desertification should be taken as both a guide and a warning to scientists and policy makers concerned about current climatic conditions in Beijing. Several documented events in Chinese history hint that increasing aridity and drought associated with desertification presented problems to ancient peoples. In 1500 BC the ancient Chinese Yang-shao and Lung-shan cultures were overwhelmed by horse-riding people, invading from central Asia, a presumable signal of an early stage of increasing aridity and/or colder winters.3 A climate like the present one in China fostered great droughts around 1100 BC. This time marked a retraction of bamboo lines and disappearance of papyrus reeds hinting at a drying trend in climate.4 An analysis of trade and migrations can also be used as an indication that drought and desertification occurred and forced people from their place of origin. From 150 BC until AD 300, the Great Silk Road extended across Asia and acted as a mechanism for trade in luxuries from China.5 The Silk Road served as an avenue of cultural exposure and integration: introducing new languages, religions (Buddhism and Confucism), and commodities between the east and ... ...ngs and fences), chemical methods (bonding agents added to loose shifting sand to form a nonerodible crust), and land management practices.16 180,000 people living near Beijing will be forced to relocate, not because of immediate desertification danger, but to make room to implement these desertification stalling methods.17 Desertification has consistently haunted Chinese climatic history. However, recent evidence suggests that the Chinese might have a little more on their hands than the global climate change experienced by generations before them. While global warming and climate change are a world concern, the Chinese have an invested interest in combating the desert destruction of their capital city. If these methods prove futile and anthropogenic forces accelerate desertification, then Beijing could be the first victim in the battle against global warming.

Feminism: Pride and Prejudice Essay -- Literacy Analysis

Feminism was a subject that was rarely discussed in 19th century British society. This was mostly because the idea of equality among the sexes had not taken form in Britain’s very distinct social classes. The aspect of feminism is defined as the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes. However, the disdain for equal rights during the Victorian Era did not hinder some women writers from blatantly expressing their ideals through their writing. Some of these brave women were Elizabeth Gaskell, Charlotte Brontà «, and Elizabeth Barrett Browning. All of these authors incorporated strong feminist ideals into their writings, despite the backlash that society would thrust upon them. All of the works that these influential women wrote emphasized the power that women could possibly have one day. Two of their stories were focused on the idea of a woman rescuing a man, despite the fact that men were considered the epitome of chivalry and courage. However, a c onsiderable amount of women writers were forced to â€Å"be coy when addressing their status in society† (Lit Network). Some used hidden symbolism in their writings, while others simply wrote under a pseudonym. These drastic actions were quite necessary considering the time period these women wrote in. Many people in Victorian Britain refused to acknowledge the thought of feminism simply because of the importance of a good family name. Despite the numerous ways of oppression, one brave woman writer wrote fearlessly about how she felt women should be viewed. This writer’s name was Mary Wollstonecraft. Her newfound ideals about what women should represent shocked the upper class of Britain. She was both famous and infamous during her time period. The book that best ... ...ejudice. New York: Signet Classic, 1961. Print. Baker, William. â€Å"Mary Wollstonecraft and Jane Austen.† Critical Companion to Jane Austen: A Literary Reference to Her Life and Work (2008). Facts on File, Inc. Web. 24 April 2012. Burt, Daniel S. â€Å"Austen, Jane†. The Literary 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Novelists, Playwrights, and Poets of All Time (2008). Facts on File, Inc. Web. 12 April 2012. â€Å"Money and Marriage in Pride and Prejudice.† US-China Foreign Language 8.5 (2010): 59-63. Academic Search Complete. Web. 12 April 2012. Snodgrass, Mary Ellen. â€Å"Jane Austen†. Encyclopedia of Feminist Literature (2006). Facts on File, Inc. Web. 26 April 2012 Swisher, Clarice. Victorian England. San Diego: Lucent Books, Inc., 2001. Book. Feminism: Pride and Prejudice Essay -- Literacy Analysis Feminism was a subject that was rarely discussed in 19th century British society. This was mostly because the idea of equality among the sexes had not taken form in Britain’s very distinct social classes. The aspect of feminism is defined as the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes. However, the disdain for equal rights during the Victorian Era did not hinder some women writers from blatantly expressing their ideals through their writing. Some of these brave women were Elizabeth Gaskell, Charlotte Brontà «, and Elizabeth Barrett Browning. All of these authors incorporated strong feminist ideals into their writings, despite the backlash that society would thrust upon them. All of the works that these influential women wrote emphasized the power that women could possibly have one day. Two of their stories were focused on the idea of a woman rescuing a man, despite the fact that men were considered the epitome of chivalry and courage. However, a c onsiderable amount of women writers were forced to â€Å"be coy when addressing their status in society† (Lit Network). Some used hidden symbolism in their writings, while others simply wrote under a pseudonym. These drastic actions were quite necessary considering the time period these women wrote in. Many people in Victorian Britain refused to acknowledge the thought of feminism simply because of the importance of a good family name. Despite the numerous ways of oppression, one brave woman writer wrote fearlessly about how she felt women should be viewed. This writer’s name was Mary Wollstonecraft. Her newfound ideals about what women should represent shocked the upper class of Britain. She was both famous and infamous during her time period. The book that best ... ...ejudice. New York: Signet Classic, 1961. Print. Baker, William. â€Å"Mary Wollstonecraft and Jane Austen.† Critical Companion to Jane Austen: A Literary Reference to Her Life and Work (2008). Facts on File, Inc. Web. 24 April 2012. Burt, Daniel S. â€Å"Austen, Jane†. The Literary 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Novelists, Playwrights, and Poets of All Time (2008). Facts on File, Inc. Web. 12 April 2012. â€Å"Money and Marriage in Pride and Prejudice.† US-China Foreign Language 8.5 (2010): 59-63. Academic Search Complete. Web. 12 April 2012. Snodgrass, Mary Ellen. â€Å"Jane Austen†. Encyclopedia of Feminist Literature (2006). Facts on File, Inc. Web. 26 April 2012 Swisher, Clarice. Victorian England. San Diego: Lucent Books, Inc., 2001. Book.