Survival of the Fittest

Survival of the Fittest His sweaty palms clutch a few coins. The bus line moves forward. Ticket paid for, a quick glance to the back of the bus. They wait, feeding off his panic and distress as he walks to his seat. Fiona Dove investigates teen bullying. Survival of the fittest has been a notion well accepted by society when applied to animals. The strong and the weak battle it out to determine who will be supreme. Does this theory apply to bully behaviour? If three-quarters of Australian households have at least one person affected by bullying are our children fighting a battle, which will determine how they conduct their lives? The Education of Queensland Child Protection Act defines bullying as â€Å"The abuse of power with the intention of causing distress to other person(s)†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Bullying is a poisonous weed within society. Research shows that children who bully at a young age have a higher risk of committing felonies as an adult and becoming a criminal. Indeed victims of bullying have experienced psychological damage so severe it lead to suicide. Chanelle Rae was fourth student from Western Height College in Geelong, Victoria to commit suicide in a five-month period. Chanelle was a zealous supporter of the Geelong cats. Her idol Corey Enright a cats team member was pallbearer at her funeral. However on the 17th of July in 2009 Chanelle committed suicide after a brutal cyber bullying attack. [pic] It's natural, so what’s wrong with this Picture? With technology constantly advancing this generation has much more choice in torturous devices than 20 years ago. Mobile phones, Internet physical violence and smear campaigns are all weapons in a bully’s arsenal. With all this at a bully’s disposal victims are in a constant state of trepidation unsure as to which direction the blow will come from. Television programmes preach that only those who fit the stereotype of a â€Å"Nerd† are bullied in society; the reality is that a bully can target anyone. Insecurities, fear and jealousy are the underlying emotions that bullies deal with by intimidating and antagonizing others. As a consequence of young people being herded together for extended periods of time, the instinct to overpower and â€Å"bully† others is natural. As caregivers we should be asking ourselves whether bubble wrapping and shrouding children from the public domain mean that they have insufficiently developed social skills? Are we, ironically, making children revert back to the battle for supremacy? With one in five students having been harassed at school and at least one in three children bullied almost daily, only a fool would say that bullying in schools is a minor problem. â€Å"Bullying will always be a part of school culture,† agrees Alison Heder a school bus driver. To change the bullying culture children need to be told from a very young age that telling a trusted adult, whether it may be a school counsellor or a parent in OK and not â€Å"tattle-telling†. Rather than being sheltering children should be out learning how to behave. Instead of being thrown straight into the sharks at the age of six when school starts, the transition from home to school would be less of an ordeal for children if the basic foundations of good communication were already in place. Queensland Government Department of Education and Training, Code of School Behaviour requires that schools provide a safe and supportive learning environment. When asked about her thoughts on this in regards to the current bullying issues Alison exclaimed â€Å"It’s not the schools fault! Parents need to teach their children acceptable behaviour through example† Studies have shown that with effective communication between the school and home in most cases is able to stop the bully and help the students move forward. On the other hand when the student is too afraid to reach out for help the result can be fatal. On the 15th of February 2010 a young boy encountered a terrible fate. Elliot Fletcher, at just 12 years old was stabbed in the chest. This story was met with shock Australia wide as the reality of bullying in schools was realised. The well-established Catholic school, St. Patrick’s College, recorded 380 absences out of 1100 after the news of Elliot’s passing had spread. The reputation of all Private schools was further tarnished as several more violent attacks were reported. Parents are now questioning how the government is handling the bullying epidemic. Alison Heder concurred that the government’s current handle on the bullying situation is as ineffectual as it is inadequate. Whilst bullying may never be truly eliminated from society the aim of new bullying campaigns is to inform the victims of bullies of the various resources each school has to help them stop the bullying and move on from the traumatic experiences. Hotheaded, savage and ungovernable; dread, panic, terror; from covert and subtle to openly ridiculing. Natural or not, bullying is not something to be pushed away to the sides where it festers and thrives. The culture of society must first change if we are to eradicate this practice. Bibliography Personal Interview †¢ Heder, Alison. 1961. Working. Local School Bus Driver, interviewed 19th February 2010. Newspaper Articles †¢ Tomazin, Farrah. â€Å"3/4 of Australian Households have at least one Person who has been Bullied†, The Age, 20th March 2010. †¢ Ironside, Robyn. Vogler, Sarah. â€Å"Boy, 12, dies after being stabbed at St. Patrick’s College Shorncliffe†, The Courier Mail, 20th March 2010. †¢ Scott, Edwina. â€Å"Hundreds Gather for Suicide Teen’s Funeral†, The Courier Mail, 20th March 2010. †¢ Chilcott, Tanya. â€Å"School Bullying Shame: Three Children a Class Bullied Daily†, The Courier Mail, 20th March 2010. †¢ Ironside, Robyn. Chilcott, Tanya. â€Å"Pupils Struggle with Heartbreak after Boy Stabbed to Death in Brisbane School†, The Herald Sun, 20th March 2010. Websites †¢ Anon. 2000. Code of School Behaviour. http://education. ld. gov. au/studentservices/behaviour/bm-codebehav. html. (Accessed 20th March. 2010) †¢ Anon. 2007. Child Protection Act 1999. http://www. childsaftey. qld. gov. au/legislation/child-protection/child-protection-act-1999. html. (Accessed 20th March. 2010) †¢ Field, Evelyn. 2003. Bully Blocking. www. bullying. com. au/school-bullying/. (Accessed 21st March 2010) ———————– â€Å"Children are terrified to go to the school guidance counsellor because they are afraid that the bully will find out they’ve been tattle-telling,† tells Alison Heder Survival of the Fittest Survival of the Fittest His sweaty palms clutch a few coins. The bus line moves forward. Ticket paid for, a quick glance to the back of the bus. They wait, feeding off his panic and distress as he walks to his seat. Fiona Dove investigates teen bullying. Survival of the fittest has been a notion well accepted by society when applied to animals. The strong and the weak battle it out to determine who will be supreme. Does this theory apply to bully behaviour? If three-quarters of Australian households have at least one person affected by bullying are our children fighting a battle, which will determine how they conduct their lives? The Education of Queensland Child Protection Act defines bullying as â€Å"The abuse of power with the intention of causing distress to other person(s)†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Bullying is a poisonous weed within society. Research shows that children who bully at a young age have a higher risk of committing felonies as an adult and becoming a criminal. Indeed victims of bullying have experienced psychological damage so severe it lead to suicide. Chanelle Rae was fourth student from Western Height College in Geelong, Victoria to commit suicide in a five-month period. Chanelle was a zealous supporter of the Geelong cats. Her idol Corey Enright a cats team member was pallbearer at her funeral. However on the 17th of July in 2009 Chanelle committed suicide after a brutal cyber bullying attack. [pic] It's natural, so what’s wrong with this Picture? With technology constantly advancing this generation has much more choice in torturous devices than 20 years ago. Mobile phones, Internet physical violence and smear campaigns are all weapons in a bully’s arsenal. With all this at a bully’s disposal victims are in a constant state of trepidation unsure as to which direction the blow will come from. Television programmes preach that only those who fit the stereotype of a â€Å"Nerd† are bullied in society; the reality is that a bully can target anyone. Insecurities, fear and jealousy are the underlying emotions that bullies deal with by intimidating and antagonizing others. As a consequence of young people being herded together for extended periods of time, the instinct to overpower and â€Å"bully† others is natural. As caregivers we should be asking ourselves whether bubble wrapping and shrouding children from the public domain mean that they have insufficiently developed social skills? Are we, ironically, making children revert back to the battle for supremacy? With one in five students having been harassed at school and at least one in three children bullied almost daily, only a fool would say that bullying in schools is a minor problem. â€Å"Bullying will always be a part of school culture,† agrees Alison Heder a school bus driver. To change the bullying culture children need to be told from a very young age that telling a trusted adult, whether it may be a school counsellor or a parent in OK and not â€Å"tattle-telling†. Rather than being sheltering children should be out learning how to behave. Instead of being thrown straight into the sharks at the age of six when school starts, the transition from home to school would be less of an ordeal for children if the basic foundations of good communication were already in place. Queensland Government Department of Education and Training, Code of School Behaviour requires that schools provide a safe and supportive learning environment. When asked about her thoughts on this in regards to the current bullying issues Alison exclaimed â€Å"It’s not the schools fault! Parents need to teach their children acceptable behaviour through example† Studies have shown that with effective communication between the school and home in most cases is able to stop the bully and help the students move forward. On the other hand when the student is too afraid to reach out for help the result can be fatal. On the 15th of February 2010 a young boy encountered a terrible fate. Elliot Fletcher, at just 12 years old was stabbed in the chest. This story was met with shock Australia wide as the reality of bullying in schools was realised. The well-established Catholic school, St. Patrick’s College, recorded 380 absences out of 1100 after the news of Elliot’s passing had spread. The reputation of all Private schools was further tarnished as several more violent attacks were reported. Parents are now questioning how the government is handling the bullying epidemic. Alison Heder concurred that the government’s current handle on the bullying situation is as ineffectual as it is inadequate. Whilst bullying may never be truly eliminated from society the aim of new bullying campaigns is to inform the victims of bullies of the various resources each school has to help them stop the bullying and move on from the traumatic experiences. Hotheaded, savage and ungovernable; dread, panic, terror; from covert and subtle to openly ridiculing. Natural or not, bullying is not something to be pushed away to the sides where it festers and thrives. The culture of society must first change if we are to eradicate this practice. Bibliography Personal Interview †¢ Heder, Alison. 1961. Working. Local School Bus Driver, interviewed 19th February 2010. Newspaper Articles †¢ Tomazin, Farrah. â€Å"3/4 of Australian Households have at least one Person who has been Bullied†, The Age, 20th March 2010. †¢ Ironside, Robyn. Vogler, Sarah. â€Å"Boy, 12, dies after being stabbed at St. Patrick’s College Shorncliffe†, The Courier Mail, 20th March 2010. †¢ Scott, Edwina. â€Å"Hundreds Gather for Suicide Teen’s Funeral†, The Courier Mail, 20th March 2010. †¢ Chilcott, Tanya. â€Å"School Bullying Shame: Three Children a Class Bullied Daily†, The Courier Mail, 20th March 2010. †¢ Ironside, Robyn. Chilcott, Tanya. â€Å"Pupils Struggle with Heartbreak after Boy Stabbed to Death in Brisbane School†, The Herald Sun, 20th March 2010. Websites †¢ Anon. 2000. Code of School Behaviour. http://education. ld. gov. au/studentservices/behaviour/bm-codebehav. html. (Accessed 20th March. 2010) †¢ Anon. 2007. Child Protection Act 1999. http://www. childsaftey. qld. gov. au/legislation/child-protection/child-protection-act-1999. html. (Accessed 20th March. 2010) †¢ Field, Evelyn. 2003. Bully Blocking. www. bullying. com. au/school-bullying/. (Accessed 21st March 2010) ———————– â€Å"Children are terrified to go to the school guidance counsellor because they are afraid that the bully will find out they’ve been tattle-telling,† tells Alison Heder

Journal Entry for Stephen Crane’s, An Episode of War Essay

This short piece of American literature is a descriptive prose depicting a scene in the American Civil War. An unnamed lieutenant is wounded at his right arm while resting with the rest of his troops during an active battle. The story enables the readers to take part on the lieutenant’s perceptions on what is happening and how the battle was shaped and he is a participant or a victim of a battle unknown to him. The battle is fierce and tumultuous; it was able to take the innocent lives and anything on its way. All of this thinking happened while the lieutenant passed the line of the battle, while he was in search of the field hospital.  At the hospital, the wounded officer had a brief and unpleasant encounter with a surgeon who is rude and lied to him, saying that his arm will not be amputated. The story was able to envelop the soft and meek side of an army officer in a few lines of dialogue of having his right arm amputated. In the end, the lieutenant went along with the surgeon for a medical procedure but end up losing his arm. The army officer felt ashamed when he got home to his family and showing an empty sleeve. He was a victim of a war that could have been avoided and he will not have to lose his arm.

The Samantha Runnion Case

The Samantha Runnion Case On July 15, 2002, 5-year-old Samantha Runnion was playing with her friend, Sarah Ahn, outside of her home. A man approached, asking if they had seen his chihuahua. Samantha spoke to him briefly and then he grabbed her and pulled her into his car. Samantha, while fighting to get free, screamed out to her friend, Help me! Tell my grandmother! Sarah ran and told her mother what had happened and the massive manhunt for little Samantha Runnion began. Sarah, who was the same age as Samantha, was able to provide the police with a description of the man and the details about his car. Other witnesses confirmed details for the police. They were looking for a Hispanic man with slicked-back black hair and a thin black mustache, possibly driving a light green Honda or Acura. On July 16, a  man called 911  and reported that he found a little girl’s nude body along rural Highway 74 in neighboring Riverside County.   The  Riverside County Sheriffs Department confirmed that the body found was Samantha Runnion. An autopsy determined that Samantha was sexually assaulted, suffered physical trauma, and was asphyxiated sometime on July 15. Authorities reported that the killer spent several hours with her before murdering her. Orange County Sheriff Michael Carona delivered a strong message to the killer: Dont sleep. Dont eat. Because were coming after you. We will take every resource thats available to us to bring you to justice. The Investigation A tip line was set up and by July 18, caller’s tips lead the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI)  to Alejandro Avila, 27, a production line supervisor from nearby Lake Elsinore. Avila reportedly denied any involvement in the murder, telling the police that he was 30 miles away on the day of the abduction. Phone and credit card records did not support his alibi. The FBI learned that Avila had previously been to the apartment complex where Samantha lived during 1998 and 1999. His ex-girlfriend’s daughter lived in the same complex as the Runnion family. His relationship with the woman ended in 2000. In 2001, Avila was charged with molestation of her 9-year-old daughter and another young girl, but he was acquitted on all charges. An Arrest Is Made On July 19, 2002, Avila was arrested and charged with the murder, kidnapping, and two counts of forcible lewd acts on Samantha Runnion. Detective Carona reported having evidence from the two crime scenes found outside of Samantha’s home where she was kidnapped and where her body was found, and what they obtained from Avila’s home and cars. Samantha Runnion’s funeral was held at the Crystal Cathedral and a crowd of over 5,500 mourners attended. Mourners received a program with a drawing of Samantha’s – a little girl in a red dress, a house and a heart under a bright blue sky with her favorite saying written, Be Brave. The DA Seeks the Death Penalty District Attorney Tony Rackauckas from Orange County announced that because the murder occurred after the kidnapping and the crime involved lewd acts with a child, the prosecutors would seek the death penalty against Alejandro Avila pleaded not guilty. Public Defender Denise Gragg was turned down by an Orange Country Superior Court judge after she requested a delay in the arraignment of Avila for at least a month. The judge also scheduled a pretrial hearing for Sept. 16. Erin Runnion on Larry King Live The day after the funeral for Samantha Runnion, her mother, Erin Runnion, discussed Samanthas murder on the Larry King Live program. She expressed anger toward the jury that let Alejandro Avila go when he was on trial for a previous charge of molesting two young girls: I blame every juror who let him go, every juror who sat on that trial and believed this man over those little girls, I will never understand. And that is why he was out. And that is why his sickness was allowed to do this. Erin Runnion Faces Daughters Accused Killer Larry King interviewed Erin Runnion a few days after she faced her daughter’s accused killer for the first time in person at his pre-trial hearing. Erin Runnion told Larry King, I tried to prepare myself for it, but there was no way I could. It was awful. It was awful. I dont know what it is for everybody else, but I just- I want so much from that person. I want him to undo what he did. And I want to see some remorse. I want him to know the magnitude of what happened. And we cant get that, and so I was just instantly flooded with tears. Joyful Child Fund in Memory of Samantha Runnion Erin Runnion and her partner Ken Donnelly established the foundation out of a commitment to turn Samantha’s tragedy into something positive. The foundation’s focus is on proactive approaches in dealing with the difficult issues of violence against children while celebrating the gift that is every child.

Guilty by Suspicion, a Film essays

Guilty by Suspicion, a Film essays Guilty by Suspicion, a Film of Turmoil. After watching the film Guilty by Suspicion and reading historical information about the same era: the Red Scare in the 1950s, I am beginning to be disgusted with our so-called perfect America. I know that this may be dissident, and some people may consider that I am jumping to conclusions, however, I am not going to adhere to the atrocious reality of what America has turned out to be on several occasions. The United States of America has been dubbed the land of the free, but is all that just a sham to falsely glorify our own country in order to adopt preeminence over other countries? I was educated for 11 years, and am continuing my education for years to come, and it is sad to see that so far into my education that I have just begun to realize that I have only learned what my country wants me to learn, not what I could have learned. Time has shown that those who are the winners of that historical event write history, if you can really call them winners after killing so many people to reach to a goal that seems void once they attain it. Tell me, is it worth fighting for the people, if all the people had to be killed in order to succeed in reaching your goals? There are very few sources of information about our history that condemn American actions. In the film I just watched, it didnt force me to believe what they were trying to portray, the film had only helped me envision that our country is not exactly the sensation that we have come to adopt under a blanket of deception. History has not been my favorite subject throughout my education, I cannot slap a reason on why I do not like it, it may be the fault of my teachers, or that I just dont like reading about George Washingtons wooden teeth. However, a plausible reason may be the fact that I am jaded with the repetition of how wonderful America is, and how lucky you are able to be i...

28 Lighthearted Quotes From the Harry Potter Novels

28 Lighthearted Quotes From the Harry Potter Novels Despite the sinister plot in author J.K. Rowlings Harry Potter stories, each book has its funny moments. Characters Ron, Fred, George Weasley, and many others add funny quips along with Harry Potters witty jabs, which easily lightens up some very serious situations. And what they have to say reveals a lot about each characters personality too. We have made sure to get at least one quotation from each of the seven  books from the Harry Potter series. Test your memory: Can you recall what was going on at the time of the quote? These quotes are also great as a starting point for book discussions too. Book 1: Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone (Note: published as Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone in the United Kingdom.) Dudley Dursley: They stuff peoples heads down the toilet the first day at Stonewall. Want to come upstairs and practice?Harry James Potter: No, thanks. The poor toilets never had anything as horrible as your head down it - it might be sick. Fred Weasley 1st Twin: Oh, are you a prefect, Percy? You should have said something, we had no idea.George Weasley 2nd Twin: Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it. Once - Fred Weasley 1st Twin: Or twice - George Weasley 2nd Twin: A minute - Fred Weasley 1st Twin: All summer - Percy Ignatius Weasley: Oh, shut up! Professor Minerva McGonagall: Well, thank you for that assessment, Mr. Weasley. Perhaps it would be more useful if I were to transfigure Mr. Potter and yourself into a pocket watch. That way, one of you might be on time. Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore: I was unfortunate enough in my youth to come across a vomit-flavored one, and since then I have rather lost my liking for them. But, I think I could be safe with a nice toffee. (eats it)...Hmm, alas, earwax. Hermione Jean Granger: (in the Devils Snare) Stop moving, both of you. This is a devils snare! You have to relax. If you dont, itll only kill you faster! Ronald (Ron) Bilius Weasley: Kill us faster? Oh, now I can relax! Harry James Potter: So light a fire!Hermione Jean Granger: Yes... of course... but theres no wood!Ronald (Ron) Bilius Weasley: HAVE YOU GONE MAD! ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT! Book 2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Ronald (Ron) Bilius Weasley: A Study of Hogwarts Prefects and Their Later Careers. That sounds fascinating. Fred Weasley 1st Twin: Oh get out of the way, Percy. Harrys in a hurry.George Weasley 2nd Twin: Yeah, hes off to the Chamber of Secrets for a cup of tea with his fanged servant. Ronald (Ron) Bilius Weasley: Why spiders? Why couldnt it be follow the butterflies? Ronald (Ron) Bilius Weasley: Can you believe our luck? Of all the trees we couldve hit, he had to get one that hits back. Draco Lucius Malfoy: Sure you can manage that broom, Potter?Harry James Potter: Yeah, reckon so.Draco Lucius Malfoy: Got plenty of special features, hasnt it? Shame it doesnt come with a parachute in case you get too near a Dementor. (Crabbe and Goyle sniggered)Harry James Potter: Pity you cant attach an extra arm to yours, Malfoy. Then it could catch the Snitch for you. Book 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Ronald (Ron) Bilius Weasley: Right, youve got a crooked sort of cross†¦ (consulting Unfogging the Future) That means youre going to have trials and suffering - sorry about that - but theres a thing that could be a sun†¦ hang on†¦ that means great happiness†¦so youre going to suffer but be very happy†¦Harry James Potter: You need your Inner Eye tested if you ask me†¦ Professor Remus  John  Lupin: Now repeat after me - without wands please - repeat after me, Riddikulus.Class: Riddikulus!Professor Remus  John  Lupin: And again!Class: Riddikulus!Draco Lucius Malfoy: This class is ridiculous. Hermione Jean Granger: Ancient Egyptians used to worship cats, you know.Ronald (Ron) Bilius Weasley: Yeah, along with the dung beetle. Professor Sybill Trelawney: The study of Divination will give you the rare gift of SIGHT! (stands up, and promptly bumps into her table) Professor Sybill Trelawney: Would anyone like me to help interpret the shadowy realms within their orb?Ronald (Ron) Bilius Weasley (whispering to Harry James Potter): I dont need help. Its obvious what this means. Theres going to be loads of fog tonight. Ronald (Ron) Bilius Weasley to Peter Pettigrew (with revulsion): I let you sleep in my bed! Book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Fred Weasley 1st Twin: Anyone can speak Troll. All you have to do is point and grunt. Ronald (Ron) Bilius Weasley: Dont talk to me.Hermione Jean Granger: Why not?Ronald (Ron) Bilius Weasley: Because I want to fix that in my memory forever†¦Ronald (Ron) Bilius Weasley (his eyes closed): Draco Malfoy, the amazing bouncing ferret... Percy Ignatius Weasley: I shudder to think what the state of my in-tray would be if I was away from work for five days.Fred Weasley 1st Twin: Yeah, someone might slip dragon dung in it again, eh, Perce?Percy Ignatius Weasley: That was a sample of fertilizer from Norway! It was nothing personal!Fred Weasley 1st Twin: (whispering to Harry Potter): It was. We sent it. Hermione Jean Granger: You seem to be drowning twice.Ronald (Ron) Bilius Weasley: Oh, am I? Id better change one of them to getting trampled by a rampaging Hippogriff. Ronald (Ron) Bilius Weasley: Poor old Snuffles. He must really like you, Harry†¦ Imagine having to live off rats. Book 5: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Luna Lovegood: No, I think Ill just go down and have some pudding and wait for it all to turn up... It always does in the end. Book 6: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore: Let us not deprive Molly any longer of the chance to deplore how thin you are. Book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Peeves: We did it, we bashed them, wee Potters the one. And Voldys gone moldy, so now lets have fun! Fred Weasley 1st Twin: He can run faster than Severus Snape confronted with shampoo. Enid Smeek: Shes nutty as squirrel poo. Auntie Muriel Weasley: You there, give me a chair, Im a hundred and seven!

Web accessibility and the Internet - Cultural Issues Essay - 1

Web accessibility and the Internet - Cultural Issues - Essay Example The general perception of the internet based information dissemination is often mixed. Some of them are of the view that these initiatives could bring significant benefits to the viewers while the other group are of the opinion that the internet medium could be very "annoying or intrusive" (Pacheco, 2008). Most of the commercial operators opinion that t he internet based operations would be the future gold mine. Also, the viewers feel that the medium of the internet gives them an unique opportunity to get any information in the most quicker and cost effective manner. The studies that explores the importance of views and reactions on the acceptability of internet and web content would certainly help to initiate steps to enhance the teachability of wen content. This exercise is inevitable considering the potential applications the internet have in all the vital domains of human interaction. The studies have been undertaken extensively to assess the qualitative features of the web content that primarily results in their acceptability. On the research undertaken to analyze the aforementioned factors considering the web advertisement as the core aspect have given significant information. The factors like the volume of the content, the type of graphical illustration, the gender and age of viewers, colour and type of fond and artwork are considered in the investigation. The opinion from one such researcher was on the impact that the animation pictures have on the viewers (Zhang, 2006). The researcher was of the opinion that the animation always created displeasure among the viewers as even if the viewer is not inclined to see them they were forced to observe the content. But on the aminated banners positioned on the internet sites it was observed that these had resulted in the quicker reaction times and faster recall than the

Business Strategy Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Business Strategy - Coursework Example This is also because of the growing demand of UK retail products all around the world and advent of ecommerce facilities (Ethical Consumer, n. d.). When it comes to calculating the maximum retail spending, London is the most popular shopping centre of the country. Though during recession, UK's retail industry faced a heavy blow, but this did not affect their international rankings among the largest retail sectors of the world (Gordon, 2011). UK has been always the hub for clothing and high quality fabrics. The high street fashion industry in London is estimated to be about ?450 billion. This clearly signifies the contribution of the retail apparel stores in UK's economy. The citizens of the country spend about ?1,054 million on clothing and also on footwear in 2009. Overseas also the retail industry of UK earn about ?7.3 billion revenue, which includes countries like USA, China, Russia, Japan, Italy, etc. Internet retailing is also quite prevalent in the country. The top retailers in UK are Tesco, Sainsbury, Morrison, Asda, Marks & Spencer, Alliance Boots, Home retail group and many more (Oxford Said business school, 2011, p. 9-10). Strategic Group Analysis of Marks & Spencer Company Overview The study is all about the strategic group analysis of Marks & Spencer. Marks & Spencer is one of the leading retailers of UK. The retail shops of Marks & Spencer receive about 21 million visitors every week. The retailer provides an attractive range of clothing, food, wine, and home products to its customers. There are around 78,000 employees in the company round the world, including UK. The retailer have about 700 retail store in UK and further plans for expansion is on progress. Marks & Spencer is number one retailer of lingerie and women wear in the country. It is also striving to become number one in menswear, kids wear and home products. The clothing and the home product department of Marks & Spencer generates 49 percent revenue, while other 51 percent revenue is gen erated from the food and wine department. The company has also declared itself carbon neutral and has created a five-year eco plan for the company. The company was started by Michael Marks as a penny stall in the year 1880. He was soon joined by Tom Spencer, who was a cashier of the supplier. The company aims to focus mainly in their core business area that is the clothing section and improve the range of their products. The company also want to work upon their sub-brands. Their motto for the food and wine segment is to present the British flavour to the world. Michael Marks had certain principle, based on which he wanted to develop his retail store. The principles formulated for the day to day business operation were: They wanted to offer their customers high-quality products at an affordable price. They wanted to encourage their suppliers to use the most advance technologies for production. The company wanted to work with the suppliers to ensure highest quality of products offered to the customers. They wanted to provide a friendly atmosphere in the store, helpful services and an excellent shopping experience to the customers. The retailer wanted to improve their efficiency by simplifying their operations. Lastly, the company wanted to maintain a good relationship with the customers, employees and suppliers. Strategic Group This term is mainly used in strategic management. It simply signifies the companies in the same industry have