Retail Management Essay

Bobcat India Limited revolutionized footwear selling in India. The company hit upon the idea of reaching customers through exclusive retail stores way back in 1932 and set up its own outlets, which numbered around 1,200. it was no mean task setting up such a large network of retail outlets, especially when 90% of them were owned and operated by the company, the rest being dealer-owned and operated. This chain store format identity has been a strong differentiating factor in the Indian retail sector, being the first of its kind. Combined with the high quality of the footwear, the brand soon had top-of-the-mind recall and stayed there for many years. Until a few years ago, the name ‘Bobcat’ Was synonymous with organized retailing in India, the only one of its kind. The Chain Store Format The Bobcat chain store format had its own credo a signature store-design with exclusive signage and windows in order to facilitate easy association in the minds of the Indian consumers. At present there are only two major categories of store in the Bobcat Chain Store format: a) Bobcat Family Stores b) Bobcat Bazaar a) Bobcat Family Stores These are sub-divided into two formats again, based on the size of the stores. They are: I) Super Stores, generally more than 5,000 sq.ft. catering to customers in the footwear category. II) High-street stores that are anywhere between 500 and 1,500 sq.ft., found in busy shopping areas. b) Bobcat Bazaar Bobcat Bazaar stores sell the company’s planned economy product lines and market- down merchandise round the year. Known as R-pair stores, their performance depends heavily upon the availability of marked-down merchandise. Such markdowns are done on products that have suffered quality accidents, are shop-soiled, lines that are closed-out etc. Recent Format Developments New retail formats have begun to supersede conventional ones. Independent big-box multi-brand department stores have started selling footwear as a category, especially in metros and cities. Malls are another new shopping format that is growing rapidly in the metros. Many upcoming footwear retailers are obtaining space inside the malls as mall partners to take advantage of the ready footfalls available. For the existing independent Bobcat stores it is expensive now to run campaigns and promotions to attain the required footfalls and expected conversions. Merchandising in Bobcat Family Stores The exclusivity of the ‘Bobcat’ brand to the Bobcat retail stores was the differentiating factor for customers until recently. However, a few years ago the company decided to sell Bobcat branded goods through its channel sales wing called Bobcat Wholesale. Hitherto, the wholesale channel had a different brand for itself called BSC. This wholesale channel supplies merchandise to footwear retailers across India through its authorized distributors. The brand Bobcat has now been extended to this wholesale channel too, which means that Bobcat branded goods are available in every other local footwear store. The exclusivity of the brand to its own outlets has come to an end. And, even as the sales of the wholesale division remain stagnant, what compelling reasons can a customer have to visit a Bobcat Store now? A peculiar feature of the Bobcat store was its odd price points: Rs 149.95, 199.95, etc. Merchandise Presentation and Visual Merchandising Bobcat pioneered the concept of show window displays in India with a style that was unique to the company. It was professionally managed, with an exclusive team handling the motif and the design. Every month the direction to decorate the show windows were given by a mailer prepared by special decorators. Sales personnel in each store were trained to be window decorators too. Recently, these windows had to be done away with because the company thought that they should follow the contemporary practice of free-access retailing, where all merchandise pairs are displayed in open shelves to enable customers to help themselves. Remember, in India footwear is always tried on a footstool and bought after considerable service extended by the salesperson personally. Free-access retailing may work when there is adequate space inside a store to move around. The effect of such ‘pigeon-hole’ free access is that they give an impression that they are Bobcat’s R-Pair outlets. What can now entice the customer into entering a bobcat store? Customer Service Though Bobcat faces tough manpower challenges (the store sales personnel and managers have separate labour unions), the sales personeel who are on its permanent rolls are trained in selling footwear. However, there is a large proportion of untrained temporary hands. Further, salespersons do not wear any uniform and hence customers can hardly identify them. There is as yet no loyalty programme to create customer stickiness to any store or the brand, and most of the stores are not connected by a central information system or ERP (enterprise-wide resource planning) as the organization has its limitations when it comes to investing in such initiatives. Organized retail companies need to have non-negotiable standards of customer service or they will lose customers to its competitors. The company is now losing its market share despite its strong position in categories like men’s footwear, children’s uniform shoes, etc. However, the number of stores it has around the country is around the same, at 1,200. The company now needs to put together a plan for both its survival and growth on a war footing. The top Management is revisiting its strategies in every functional area to turn the company around.

Transportation regulation and public policy by land, sea, and air due Essay

Transportation regulation and public policy by land, sea, and air due to the Deregulation Act of 1978 - Essay Example (Moses, 1989) One of the main reasons for passing regulatory reform bills was to make the lawmakers realize that increased competition would lead to more efficient operations that would not only lower rates in the air, land and sea industries but would also not compromise upon safety issues or quality of service. "Some changes in quality of airline service were, in fact, hoped for. It was commonly believed that after deregulation 1978, the suppression of price competition by the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) would foster competition in service quality variables that would be highly uneconomical, such as too early replacement of aircraft and departures at major airports that were excessive in light of existing load factors. It was also asserted that such quality competition would drove the costs up, which would led to proposals to the CAB for relief in the form of fare increases. However, the positive effects of such increases (which were almost always granted in the past before deregulation) on t he profitability of airline operations were soon dissipated by another round of quality competition and increased in costs of operation". (Moses, 1989) In the rail industry, nevertheless, the essence of the regulatory transition problem was never summarized and the expectations were not fulfilled. Presently, the rail industry is subject to substantial sunk costs, since assets are long-lived and specialized to certain geographic markets. Much of the traffic is subjected to effective competition from competing railroads, modes of transportation, origins and destinations, or products. Some shippers, however, are successful in transporting commodities for which rail have a substantial competitive advantage over competing modes, even if they are available in principle. Further, after 1978 deregulation Act these shippers have sunk considerable costs in specific locations or signed contracts with customers or vendors, which make them captive to individual railroads. The difficult problem in the transition is to permit maximum leeway for competitive forces while maintaining a substitute for the regulatory protection that was relied upon by captive shippers when they sank costs. These long-term investments were initially made by the shipper with the presumption of continued regulation and thus without the usual contractual protections against "opportunistic behavior" by the carrier in such circumstances". (Baker et al, 1991, p. 12) "In the rail industry, after 1978 the ICC does not now assume jurisdiction over rates unless it has made a determination that the rail carrier possesses market dominance over the traffic. Section 4 addresses issues in market dominance determination, particularly the role of the revenue/variable cost ratio". The history of railroad regulatory policy may be largely summed up as an attempt to resolve the conflicting objectives.

MANAGING PEOPLE IN RETAIL Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

MANAGING PEOPLE IN RETAIL - Essay Example If a specialist candidates is required, a job agency has the expertise to attract the right person; many also agencies specialize in the candidates they attract e.g. accountancy, haulage. Agencies take the worry out of the employment headache, and for the small business this can save a lot of time. But, unfortunately, they are unable to gauge the exact needs of each individual company. As the agency interviews all candidates, they cannot detect subtle personality requirements, which would help the candidate settle in. If the candidate is found to be unsuitable, this means more lost time. Finally, agencies also charge a fee; so if we are going to use an agency, check their fees, as they could prove quite expensive. Many Job Centres offer recruitment services for companies who use them to recruit. For example, many will offer a room to interview potential candidates; others will help to draw up a short list based on our job specification. Above all, this service is free. Needless to say, this will save a small business quite a lot of time and money when recruiting. This is an effective method as it reaches a large audience in a short space of time, often resulting in a significant amount of interest. We can also target an area or specialist profession, as there are a multitude of magazines and newspapers on offer to choose from. However, we may find that the more specialized or selective we become, the more we have to pay to the advertisement, so it can work out quite expensive. Additionally, if we want to attract the right candidate, we need to have some publishing skills to produce an attractive advertisement. We can of course use a specialist publishing company to design the right ad, but this will again cost us money. Our company is a modern fast growing young retail business. We have a wide net of hypermarkets. We have many branches of our business worldwide and have built up a good reputation within our field of trade. We are

Stuttering and the Brain Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Stuttering and the Brain - Term Paper Example Also the auditory cortex remains affected where the action remains low as compared to the cortex of non-stammerers. Moreover, researchers have also drawn connections between the functioning of the brain to produce speech and stammering which indicates the patterns of slow speech and the processes behind the distorted speech. On one hand where processes in certain parts of the brain are slowed down, on the other hand other parts of the brain become hyperactive for instance, the Valsalva Manuever. However, the proposition that stammering results from poor parenting, or causes other problems such as grammar or language tasks is merely a myth. Moreover, career choices for stutterers remain low as compared to those not suffering from this syndrome. For instance, a career as an aircraft pilot isn’t suitable for a stutterer since they won`t be able to handle situations under pressure and the lives of many people would be at stake, as even a minor miscommunication due to stammering wi ll lead towards major chaos. Stuttering or stammering is a condition found in some of the people where they aren’t able to cope up with the normal speech and either the speed is slowed down or in the quest for catching up with the normal speed they miss out on words or distort the pronunciation of various words (Mowrer 1980). This created a barrier in normal communication which, if not treated properly, severs with time and creates other disorders, including lack of confidence and inability to perform in pressure situations. Due to the intensity and complexity of the issue, people from various fields are trying to dig up into the causes behind the problems in order to find convenient and effective solutions. One of the most reliable discovery in this matter however is that the stuttering is found to be affecting men more than it effects women (Williams 2006). Moreover, various experiments have allowed the researchers to come up with a clearer picture regarding

Utilitarian Issues Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Utilitarian Issues - Case Study Example The final utilitarian issue to be explored is whether the company should just honour the obligations of its shareholders and stop the contract with the pacemaker company. Utility Test The utility test looks into several factors in choosing the best approach to solving a dilemma. Using the utility test we have to deduce the outcomes of the decision to be undertaken by the board of directors of the transistor company. Several solutions will be put forward for consideration and the best decision that will be chosen will concentrate on the happiness of all stakeholders. Step 1: In the case of the transistor company and the pacemaker company. Several solutions exist and we have to choose the best alternative other than the suggested solution. The first step would be for the directors to analyze the results of their intended decision. In this case, we take a look at the three solutions put forward by different directors. The main criteria to be used in deciding the best solution will facto r in happiness, the directors’ preferences and the cost of undertaking the decided solution (Mill 66). Step 2: Using the utility test, we look at the solutions brought forward by the different stakeholders. The first solution will analyze the effect on the company being bought and on its shareholders and employees. ... However, the transistor company has the intention of annulling the contract since it is not happy with undertaking business with the pacemaker company. Step 4: The decision undertaken by the directors of the transistor company had different ideas on the best solution. Moreover, there was no policy guideline on how to make the correct decision. There were no policies to guide on making the correct decision since the pacemaker technology was quite new in the medical field (Mill 172). As a result, the directors had to look into the ethical implications of their decision and the effect happiness of all stakeholders. Alternative solutions have to be developed in accordance with the utility tests and these decisions will consider the groups that the alternative decision would affect. In the case of our company, the best alternative solution would be to an acquisition by the pacemaker company. This alternative would save the pacemaker company from going under and at the same time help in th e continuous production of pacemakers (West 83). However, this solution would disadvantage the company and its other customers other than the pacemaker company. Rights Test A rights test is conducted with the main aim considering the respect of human rights. In the case of the Pacemaker Company and Transistor Company the rights of different stakeholders are analyzed. Step 1: The directors of the pacemaker company have the right to property and they make decisions on behalf of the company. However, while exercising their rights the directors cannot infringe the rights of the directors and employees of the pacemaker company from making a living. Patients who receive the pacemakers also have a right to life and good healthcare and thus their rights also have to

Management accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 4

Management accounting - Essay Example A purchase of Raw Material Stocks equaling 36,000 must have been made. The issue that caused this was probably due to decreased efficiency in using materials. When Raw Materials must be purchased beyond what is budgeted this means there is an unfavorable variance of 36,000. In order to correct this issue the company must come up with a standard of how much Raw Material stocks to use and then if costs allow, use a supervisor to ensure this standard is upheld. We can assume based on these numbers that the company added more debt from creditors of about 36,000 since inventory had been bought through creditors the balance increased by the amount of increase in the Raw Material Stock balance. Therefore since the ending balance of creditors was less than the beginning we can see that the company must have paid off creditors in excess of the added debt. That excess is equal to the beginning balance of 66,000 plus added debt of 26,000 minus the ending actual balance of 51,000, which means the company paid toward what was owed creditors, which was 51,000. The issue that may have occurred is that current debts might have become due and therefore these debts had to be satisfied. Thus payment was made to the creditor decreasing working capital. In order to prevent this from happening again debt should be kept to a low amount, paid in a timely manner and cash should be kept in order to satisfy debt. Due to the fact that the company paid creditors 51,000, that amount must come out of the Bank balance since there is no cash on hand. The beginning balance was only 4,500 and the ending balance was negative 39,000 therefore the company must have added 7,500 to the bank account. Where did that 7,500 come from? The issue is that there is an overdraft of the bank account. This has happened due to the purchases of Raw Material Stocks

Roles, Responsibilities, and Relationships in Lifelong Learning Essay Example for Free

Roles, Responsibilities, and Relationships in Lifelong Learning Essay Roles, Responsibilities and Relationships in Lifelong Learning In this assignment I will be addressing the role of a teacher, their responsibilities to their learners and the relationships a teacher has with other professionals. I will also look at my own role and responsibilities in the lifelong learning sector and how I can meet the needs of my learners while working within the boundaries of the role of a teacher. This assignment will explain how to meet the needs of learners through referral to specialist professionals and how to promote appropriate behaviour in a safe and supportive learning environment which values equality and diversity. Government legislation dictates certain behaviour and actions to be taken by a teacher in given situations. The Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Act 2001 (SENDA) provides legal rights for disabled students whom are at a ‘substantial disadvantage’ that the responsible bodies require reasonable steps to be taken to prevent that disadvantage. These steps could include physical changes to the educational establishment, delivering course material relative to the needs of the learner and providing learning material in different formats. The Equality Act 2006 was passed to establish the Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR). The CEHR has a statutory remit to promote and monitor human rights; and to protect, enforce and promote equality across the nine protected grounds age, disability, gender, race, religion and belief, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership, sexual orientation and gender reassignment (EHRC 2013). This makes sure that discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief within public functions, education and several other areas. They also place a duty on public authorities to promote equal opportunities between men and women. These legislations, along with many more, place responsibility on me as a teacher to be able to deliver the same criteria to learners regardless of gender, social background and ability. Working in a young offender’s institute I only deliver lessons to males aged 15 to 18. These young people however are at different levels of education, have varied social backgrounds and ethnicity. It is my responsibility to ensure these learners can all complete the necessary tasks to achieve a qualification. If I do not feel I have the resources personally to meet the special needs of an individual learner then I can refer them to any of the more specialized staff within the establishment such as SenCo for special educational needs or YOT for help getting the learner into further education when their sentence is fully served or during their sentence if possible. The learners can display negative attitudes towards other young people or staff of differing social backgrounds or ethnicities. It is my responsibility to challenge these negative attitudes in an attempt at changing the perception the learner has about these people by discussing the effects that their opinions have on individuals. If I feel I am not reaching the learner and their views are not changing I can refer them to the chaplaincy or their keyworker who can provide relevant courses that are aimed at these specific areas. It is important that I promote the relevance of equality to the learners so that they feel comfortable sharing a work space with others of differing race or gender. Through this the learners will then learn to value and respect diversity in people and what a person from differing backgrounds can offer, rather than use it as a barrier to their own learning. In my role as a teacher it is my responsibility to identify and meet the needs of my learners. I can identify some of their needs before I have any contact with them by asking for any information ESS or SenCo have about any learning needs I should be aware of such as dyslexia so I can adapt learning material for them. Once I am aware of the learner’s specific needs then I can talk to them about achievable targets to set which they agree to and set these targets out in their ILP (Individual Learning Plan). I find that learner’s are more receptive to targets that they have agreed to rather than targets they have forced upon them. This can help if a learner has problems with authority as they see they are working with the teacher towards their own goals. Everyone wants structure in their lives, and no more so than your most poorly behaved students (Cowley 2005). Keeping problems from inappropriate behaviour to a minimum is important for all in the class as it is disruptive for all learners. It is important that I set out what is appropriate behaviour once a learner has started on my course. We discuss what they think is expected of them and what I expect of them and sign an agreement which outlines these expectations. Now the learner is aware of how they should behave during their time with me I positively reinforce their good behaviour with praise during the lesson for good work, at the end of the lesson I point out a few things they did well and at the end of the week I have well done slips I give to learners who have produced good work and behaved well all week. These slips allow the learner points to spend on items from the shop on their wing and when issued are recorded as positive behaviour on C-Nomis to make other professionals aware that the learner has performed well. And if your students do choose to push the barriers you have given them, you must be prepared to sanction them accordingly (Cowley 2005). However if a learner is misbehaving during lesson time I will remind them of the agreed behaviour expected of them, if their behaviour fails to improve I will ask them if they have any issues outside of class that could be causing them to ‘act out’ and if I cannot help with these issues I will refer them to another professional who can help such as their personal officer. If their poor behaviour continues I can record this on C-Nomis to make other professionals aware that this behaviour needs addressing. In teaching in a prison keeping on top of learner behaviour helps maintain a safe learning environment as if I allow certain poor behaviour to go unchallenged it could lead to dangerous situations. Also each learner is made aware of various health and safety issues they may face during class time as when they start the course they need to complete a health and safety unit. This covers areas such as spotting hazards, using fire extinguishers and working on portable access equipment safely. Involving the learner in identifying risks and hazards within the class environment helps them realise these dangers. Within a safe learning environment each learner can focus on their individual tasks and I can focus on their individual needs. When each learners needs are being met and the learners feel they can ask for help from their teacher a supportive environment has been achieved. As a teacher in the lifelong learning sector I must be responsible for having the relevant skills and qualifications to fulfil their role. Having appropriate levels of skill in literacy and numeracy means I can produce materials for the learners to use and keep record of the progress the learners are making. Most worksheets and lesson plans are produced using a personal computer; this would not be possible if I was without the necessary ICT skills. Various interpersonal and life skills are required to be a good teacher such as; being adaptive, committed, confident, creative, decisive, diplomatic, enthusiastic, focused, honest, intelligent, patient, organised, positive, professional, reliable, responsible and supportive. These skills and many more enable me to create a positive learning environment where learners can achieve their potential and as I evaluate myself I can ever improve the learning experience. When teaching a subject it is important that I have the relevant skills, qualifications and experience within this subject to be able to deliver quality lessons. It is imperative that I identify the needs of each individual learner so the learners feel valued and can receive appropriate tutorials and assessment for their level of ability as they achieve. I must also meet the needs of the organization I work for by following the code of conduct the organization has produced. I will continue to attend CPD (Continual Personal Development) events to further develop and expand my skills to the benefit of my learners. In my role as a teacher I have a responsibility to other professionals to keep my lesson punctual so it does not over run into another teacher’s lesson and that I inform other teachers or colleagues of any behavioural problems with specific learners so appropriate measures can be applied to remedy this. While I like to keep my learning environment relaxed and friendly it is important to be aware of the boundaries in my role as a teacher. These boundaries mean I should not become over familiar with my learners which could be detrimental to the learning environment and deal with learner’s emotional problems in a professional manner referring them to other professionals who are there to accommodate these needs. These boundaries differ from other professionals as they are specific to a teaching role and are vital for keeping a teacher safe in their practice. In summary a teacher has many important roles and responsibilities to learners choosing to continue their personal development in lifelong learning and must always strive to improve the learning environment within current legislation.