Pro Gay Marriage Essay - 807 Words

Imagine if you couldnt marry the person who you were in love and wanted to spend the rest of your life with because it was seen morally, socially and religiously wrong. For millions of people all around the world that’s the harsh reality. Times are changing in the world that we live in today however discrimination against gay and lesbian couples is still a frequent issue with only 13 countries that fully legalise and recognise gay marriage with full equality. The most common argument for people being against gay marriage is that it’s â€Å"not natural† for two people of the same sex to have a marriage. Opponents of gay marriage make out that the natural world that we live in created marriage however this is wrong as us the humans did. How†¦show more content†¦Everybody has the right to live the life they want to and by restricting the freedom of people who want to be married to someone who’s the same sex is out of order. A topic that opponents of gay marriage find very controversial and seen as morally wrong is gay or lesbians wanting to have children. Opponents are said to think that gay married couples who want to have children will â€Å"harm the children†. They argue that that children need both a mum and dad to succeed in life. Despite this, several studies have shown that there’s no difference between a child’s well-being from being raised by an opposite sex couple compared to a child whose been raised by a same sex couple. I find opponents that argue that same sex couples shouldnt be allowed to have children extremely frustrating. When people get married the next step for most couples is to start a family however this is seen as a controversial concept for same sex couples to do. Why shouldnt everybody be giving the right to have children and raise them into the world being the best parent they can be protecting and nurturing them? I also find it very baffling when opponents against same sex coup les having children think that same sex couples arent as good of people to be a parent to a child compared to a same sex couple. Just because you’re not straight doesnt not mean that you’re a bad person in anyway and thatShow MoreRelatedThe Pros and Cons of Gay Marriage1370 Words   |  6 PagesThe Pros and Cons of Gay Marriage LP 3: Argumentative Essay Patty Waters NAU Composition II Sue Cochran, Instructor Sunday, March 24, 2013 Abstract This essay covers the pros and cons concerning gay marriage. You will discover some new laws and amendments that are about to happen in our country, and some things that people are against. There are many issues that will be covered from rights and benefits to getting married legally. You will read reports, stories and articles from lawyersRead MorePro Gay Marriage Argument1386 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Pro Gay Marriage The United States is currently embroiled in a battle over issues regarding civil rights of its citizens and what rights are constituted by that term. In the past, civil rights issues have been fought over womens rights and those of African Americans among others all in the name of seeking equality. Perhaps the most vocal group discussing civil rights in the United States at present are gay marriage activists who are fighting for same-sex couples to be able to marry. These individualsRead MoreThe Pros And Cons Of Gay Marriage1367 Words   |  6 Pagesdefinitions of marriage. Some say the definition of marriage is between a man and a women, while others say its about two people no matter the sex that commit their lives together because they love each other. There are many different definitions of marriage and it all depends on simply whom you are talking to about it. In past generations many people thought the definition of marriage was just so that they can reproduce children. Debate Content: Cons: The institution of marriage has traditionallyRead MoreEssay on A Pro-Gay Marriage Argument836 Words   |  4 Pagesdropping economy, marriage is no longer a priority to some. Still to others, overlooking the fact that many no longer see marriage as crucial, they are determined to save what they consider constitutes the model for marriage. For years, marriage opportunities for homosexuals has been an ongoing debate, and it still continues today. Many critics of the ordeal pose the argument that the allowance of same-sex unions would single-handedly demolish the already fragile structure of marriage (Head). They goRead MoreEssay on The Pros and Cons of Gay Marriage1019 Words   |  5 Pagessame-sex marriage. Is this a good thing? Homosexuality is illegal in many countries. Leaders punish their own citizens by jail, or even death, for being gay. In the United States, however, many states allow gay marriage. Some people approve of it, but also, some do not. Society also plays a big part in the gay marriage legalization process. Same-sex marriage is a major controversial issue in the United States; specific examples would be the views of Americans, pros and cons of same-sex marriage, andRead MoreGay Marriage: Pros and Cons1152 Words   |  5 PagesMarriage Is Not Equal For All Gay Marriages Mikaela Acosta â€Æ' Gay marriage has been subject to taboo because our society has this conformed and learned version of marriage; marriage is only held between a man and a woman. Although this is more common today to hear of gay couples, in the first couple centuries in America this was almost unacceptable to general society. Beginning in 2001 was when gay marriage began to become much more widespread starting in Canada, Norway, Belgium, ArgentinaRead MoreGay Marriage Should Be Legal1434 Words   |  6 PagesGay marriage has slowly become a significant factor amongst individuals of today’s society. On June 26, 2015, it was ruled out by the U.S. Supreme Court that gay marriage was now legal. The first thing that I thought was that â€Å"Wasn’t it already legal in the United States?† Well, apparently no it has not been legalized in the United States! (Dumb me.) The U.S. is known to be a nation of equality and gives everyone the freedom of the speech, but it is actually a nation fu ll of racism, sexism, and homophobiasRead MoreDid We Go Too Far?1383 Words   |  6 PagesWalker Did We Go Too Far? Same-sex marriage continues to be a very high debated issue in our society without a firm foundation to base our beliefs on, leaving most of us trying to find answers still. Now that the Supreme Court of the united states has rules that the constitution guarantees a right to same sex marriage’ What was known as â€Å"marriage†, the union of a man and a woman only, is starting to diverge. The Oxford Dictionary of English definition of marriage reads â€Å"the formal union of a man andRead MoreShould Same Sex Marriage Be Legalized in the United States Essay1399 Words   |  6 PagesDebate Paper Should same sex marriage be legalized in the United States? In some of our states laws have already been passed to allow same sex couples the freedom to get married, while other states are still resisting for one reason or another. As with everything else there is more than one side, more than one argument supporting and more than one argument resisting the changes being proposed. There are religious reasons, moral reasons, constitutional reasons and financial reasons being used by bothRead MoreGay Marriage Should Be Banned From Marriage986 Words   |  4 Pagespurpose of this article was for the author, Emily Heyer, to express her thoughts and opinions for gay marriage, and to share her views on why Iowa should have been pro gay marriage in 2011. This article is a straight woman’s view on gay marriage and why Iowa should have voted in favor for gay marriage in 2011. The author gives examples of times when Iowa voted towards equality. She argues that if gays are not allowed t o be married because they can’t procreate that women who are unable to have children

Computer Or Network File Server - 1189 Words

original files are saved onto the computer or network file server. The administrator sets up the schedule for periodic backups to reduce the amount of information lost if an incident strikes. One concern that comes with backups is the price and space of the server. With continuing information being created daily, the storage will be used faster than ever until there is no more. Usage of Information Getting the maximum value from stored information can be hard to do. In the creation phase we have placed the documents in the proper location for use. If we are not getting the use out of the information then why do we have it? With compliance toward data management increasing the use of documents created is becoming a problem. When a company has so much digital information that not used, it becomes a flood of digital waste. â€Å"Electronic discovery can be a debilitating expensive and may turn up difficult-to-explain documents or emails that the company had no obligation to save prior to the litigation. Once litigation is foreseeable, disposing of potentially relevant data can result in court ordered sanctions or even a default judgement† (Reuters, 2016). Use of documents is a problem itself, the document needs to be a legalized use of data. If the documents being used are not permitted then there could be regulatory or contractually constraints. While using the information you must monitor who is gaining access to the information as well. The institution must implement controlsShow MoreRelatedComputer Network Platforms And Network Operating Systems935 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction A computer system that allows exchange of information, data and resource between two or more computers is called a computer network. The most common computer network architectures are peer-to-peer, client-server, and virtualisation. As programming and software, advancement has enhanced in the course of recent decades, so have computers turned out to be better at communicating on a network system. Network operating systems are designed primarily to support user administration, securityRead MoreApplication Of A New Computer Network Linking All Of It D s Premises1682 Words   |  7 Pagescommunication between computers possible by a network connection. Networking allows for many possibilities, such as accessing the internet, file sharing, file transferring and system communication. Throughout this assignment I will be attempting to provide information to facilitate the introduction of a new computer network linking all of ITD’s premises. In order to do this I intend to analyse the options available to assess which one, in my opinion is their best option in terms of both network system andRead MoreA Brief Note On P2p Vs. P2p1651 Words   |  7 Pagespeer-to-peer (P2P) network is created when two or more PCs are connected and share resources without going through a separate server computer. A P2P network can be an ad hoc connection—a couple of computers connected via a Universal Serial Bus to transfer files. Peer-to-peer (P2P) networking is the networking between the same type of devices. Peers are equally privileged. P2P is an alternative network model to that provided by traditional client-server architecture. 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The most common types of web servers are used to host websites and also used to host gaming servers and also handling e-mails. The use of a web server is to store, process and deliver websites to clients. Generally the communication is between the server and the client byRead MorePhysical Network Design : A Network Topology1740 Words   |  7 PagesI. Physical Network Design A. Network Topology Business Needs UMUC management is in need of a reliable network that will be able to provide enough security of their data and any intellectual property within the servers. Data loss or manipulation may be as a result of data being intercepted during its transfer between computers. When a good network is deployed, they believe that faster and secure data traffic will be maintained. 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The company Gadgets INC. has many file and print servers that they would like to remain online in the newly done network. This network has 100 workstations. With the workstations they have 20 Windows 8 computers, 60 Windows 7 computers, 20 Windows XP computers and four Windows Server 2003 machines. We have been told from the ISP our internetRead MoreRelated Literature of Pos1016 Words   |  5 Pagesenhancements were made to the cash registers until the early 1970s, when the first computer-driven cash registers were introduced. The first computer-driven cash registers were basically a mainframe computer packaged as a store controller that could control certain registers. These point of sale systems were the first to commercially utilize client-server technology, peer-to-peer communications, Local Area Network (LAN) backups, and remote initialization. In the late 1980s, retail software basedRead MoreFigure 1 show a simple diagram of wide area network (WAN) connected with few local area networks900 Words   |  4 Pages Figure 1 show a simple diagram of wide area network (WAN) connected with few local area networks (LAN). WAN is a network that covers a large geographical area. Internet is one of the best example of WAN has the largest area network over national region and worldwide connected to let devices located at everywhere connect to each other through this enormous network area. LAN allows connecting to computers and devices in a limited geographical area, LAN normally build in small area such as home, office

Professional Auditing Kresta Holding Limited

Question: Discuss about theProfessional Auditing for Kresta Holding Limited. Answer: Key Information Gain an Understanding of the Client The auditors should understand the needs and different factors associated with the operations of Kresta Holding Limited. The main function of the process is to examine the risk of material misstatements in the financial statements due to: The business nature of the client The client conduct its own business in the industry Competition in the industry Consumer and suppliers of the client The regulations and policies that need to be followed by the client The auditors should achieve the understanding of the client and then evaluate its stages; those are entity level, economic level and industry level (Berk and DeMarzo, 2007). At an entity level, the business operation of the client needs to be determined and evaluated. Kresta Holdings Limited is a retailer and manufacturer of window furnishing. The entity is engaged in the manufacturing, retailing and distribution of window coverings components and treatments. The firm manufactures and sales window covering segment and the aim is to provide quality products to their customers (Brigham and Houston, 2004). The customers are loyal and paying the client on time as the company provides quality products. The suppliers are supplying high quality products and services (Elliott and Elliott, 2008). The company is having the ability to adjust with the changes in technology and other trends. If clients business operation does not adapt with the technological changes then there will be a risk of l osing the share in the market (Fifield and Power, 2011). The market share of the company is average and its competitors are Hillarys Blinds and horizon Window Treatments. The analysis of external business environment of the company will help to determine and analyze the position of the client in the market. The business environment changes all the time and the business organizations have to adapt with the changing environment (Helbk, Lindest and McLellan, 2010). The main objective of the company is to provide quality products and services to their customers and it is also consider as an important factor for the development of the company. At industry level, the client can be understood by examining the competition level, demand of product and services, rules of the government and reputation of the client (Hillier, 2010). The Kresta Holdings Limited provides quality product and the market demand is high. The competition in the market for the company is high which imposes significant impact on the business operations. The company has adopted different strategies to achieve competitive advantage such as decreasing the price of the products (Holton, 2012). The competition in the market is increasing day by day and all the organization has to compete in the market with the adoption of innovative strategies and techniques (Moles, 2011). The rules and regulations are followed by the company that is implemented by government. The increase in profit margin will help the company to grow in the market and generating maximum returns for the shareholders (Paramasivan and Subramanian, 2009). At economic level, the situation of the client can be understood by examining the economic conditions that affects the business operation which includes financial crisis, change in interest rates and shareholders expectation to increase profitability (Smart, Megginson and Gitman, 2004). The fluctuation in the currency rates, economic downturns affects the business operation of Kresta Holdings Limited. However, the company has the ability to manage economic pressures. The organization has performed well in comparison to its competitors and improves its profitability in order to maximize returns for the shareholders (Spiceland, Sepe and Nelson, 2011). During the upturns, the company remains under pressure to perform and increase its profit margin in order to maximize returns for the shareholders. During downturn, the profit of the company decreases in order to increase its write offs. In financial crisis, the net profit margin of the company decreases and faces several threats (Stittle and Wearing, 2008). In this situation, the company adopts strategies in order to fulfill the demand of the customers. The changes in the interest rates, fluctuation in currency and economic conditions imposes significant impact on the business operation of the company (Wink and Corradino, 2011). The financial report of Kresta Holdings Limited provides significant information regarding performance of the company during a specific period of time. The income statement shows the profit or loss, balance sheet show assets and liabilities and cash flow statement shows the inflow and out flow of cash (Wolf, 2008). The determination and evaluation of the financial statement help to analyze the market value of the company during a specific period of time. The financial statements show the financial performance of a company as well influences the decisions of the investors (Zopounidis, 2008). Therefore, the analysis of the financial report of the client will help to evaluate the actual value as well as financial performance of the company. Identifying Significant Account that are Most at Risk of Being Misstated The accounts of the financial report of Kresta Holdings Limited that can be misstated are account payable, debenture account, expense account, account receivable and sales account. The misstatements in the account impose significant impact on the value of the company (Berk and DeMarzo, 2007). The value of the accounts can be misstated if the account enters wrong entry and other factors associated with that. The material will lead to increase or decrease in debt level, increase or decrease in expenses, increase or decrease in sales and account receivable of the company. The accounts of Kresta Holdings Limited are at risk of misstatement and can result in solvency or liquidity risk. The value of current assets can be affected with the increase or decrease in the account receivable. It is misstated with the change in the value of receivable from clients. The changes in the debenture issue affect the capital structure. The debt level can be examined with the help of financial leverage ra tio, debt equity ratio and current ratio (Fifield and Power, 2011). The debenture issue is misstated due to change in the value of issue and amount received from debenture holders. The auditor plays a significant role in analyzing the accounts in the financial statement. The net profit margin of Kresta Holdings Limited is affected by change in the sales and cost of goods sold. The return on assets shows how much efficient is the company in utilizing its assets and return on equity shows the ability of the company to generate returns from the shareholders funds (Helbk, Lindest and McLellan, 2010). The account payable is misstated and affects the value current liabilities. The account payable is misstated due to change in the payable value. The risk in the accounts can be examined with the help of financial ratios such as liquidity ratios and profitability ratios. The sales and expenses account are misstated due to change in the value of received amount and cost of goods sold. The inv estment and capital ratio affects the value of share capital of Kresta Holdings Limited. The ratio shows the profitability and liquidity level of the company and differences in the value means that there is material misstatement (Elliott and Elliott, 2008). The investment decision of the stakeholders and shareholders depends on the total value of the company. The current assets can be misstated with the change in the value of items in the current assets. The financial report shows the profit, expenses, liabilities, assets and flow of cash within a period of time. The operating expense can be affected by the changes in the use of resources for production (Hillier, 2010). It is the responsibility of the auditor to determine the differences in the accounts as well as profitability and liquidity level. If the profit margin of Kresta Holdings Limited varies then it shows misstatement in the accounts. If there is large difference then it shows ineffective and inappropriate estimation of the accounts (Holton, 2012). The changes in the budget at the end of the accounting year show inefficient management and it should be determined and analyzed by the auditor. The trends in the ratio will show the performance as well as profitability and liquidity of the company. Set Planning Materiality The planning of materiality helps to examine the financial situation of Kresta Holdings Limited. It helps to provide significant information to the investors and shareholders (Moles, 2011). The investors invest funds into the organization and support in the future development. The audit firms implement strategies to set materiality and analyzing the risk of Kresta Holdings Limited. The estimation of materiality is done as per the guidelines described by AASB 1031. The auditor has to select appropriate base for the calculation of materiality misstatement (Paramasivan and Subramanian, 2009). The auditor has to make judgment on basis of the knowledge and skills of the client. The profit margin should be appropriately estimated on the basis of sales and cost of goods sold. The revenue and asset is used as the base for estimating the value of Kresta Holdings Limited. The material percentage is to be calculated on the profit margin of the company. The analysis of the market environment hel ps to evaluate the value of the company during a period of time. The capital structure should be prepared appropriately to issue debt. The material used in the production process should be examined appropriately (Smart, Megginson and Gitman, 2004). The items of the current assets and current liabilities should be appropriately valued in the balance sheet. The materiality planning helps the administration to attract the investors to invest into Kresta Holdings Limited and auditors to know the financial statements. The materiality of Kresta Holdings Limited is estimated 0.25%. The materiality level of the company is as follows: Materiality level= 0.25% * $95.93 = $239,828 The planning materiality amounts help the accounts department to determine and analyze the risk associated with the company (Spiceland, Sepe and Nelson, 2011). The misstatement in the financial statement will increase or decrease the value of the company. Audit Risk Assessment The manipulation of the account payable, debenture issues, account receivable, sales and expenses can alter the value of the company. The value of Kresta Holdings Limited can either increase or decrease during a specific period of time (Wink and Corradino, 2011). It is the responsibility of the auditor to determine misstatement in the financial statements of Kresta Holdings Limited and taking appropriate steps to solve it. The presentation of inappropriate value of the financial report can influence the decision of the investors and shareholders. The act of presenting wrong value is an illegal act and the court can take serious action against the company. The misstated values can be correct with the help of appropriate auditing strategies. The values of account payable, debenture issues, account receivable, sales and expenses should be corrected with changing and putting the correct values in the accounts. The misstatement in the current liabilities will affect the debt level of the organization as well as total liabilities of Kresta Holdings Limited. The misstatement in the current assets and current liabilities will affect the asset value (Wolf, 2008). The asset value of a company is very much important as it shows the ability of the company to pay off its due amount from the assets. The changes in the operating expenses will increase the expense and share capital will affect the investment value of Kresta Holdings Limited. The changes in the sales will affect the profitability and correcting value will help to show appropriate value. The shareholders and investors analyses the financial statement of the company in order to evaluate the actual value of the company. In case, the accounts are manipulated then the financial performance will either increase or decrease imposing significant impact in the market (Braiotta, 2004). However, auditors play a significant role in determining the misstatements in the financial statements and showing exact value of Kresta Holdings Limited. References Berk, J. and DeMarzo, P. (2007).Corporate finance. Boston: Pearson Addison Wesley. Brigham, E. and Houston, J. (2004).Fundamentals of financial management. Mason, Ohio: Thomson/South-Western. Elliott, B. and Elliott, J. (2008).Financial accounting and reporting. Harlow: Financial Times Prentice Hall. Fifield, S. and Power, D. (2011).Managerial finance. [Bradford, UK]: Emerald. Helbk, M., Lindest, S. and McLellan, B. (2010).Corporate finance. New York: McGraw-Hill. Hillier, D. (2010).Corporate finance. London: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Holton, R. (2012).Global finance. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Moles, P. (2011).Corporate finance. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley. Paramasivan, C. and Subramanian, T. (2009).Financial management. New Delhi: New Age International (P) Ltd., Publishers. Smart, S., Megginson, W. and Gitman, L. (2004).Corporate finance. Mason, Ohio: Thomson/South-Western. Spiceland, J., Sepe, J. and Nelson, M. (2011).Intermediate accounting. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Stittle, J. and Wearing, B. (2008).Financial accounting. Los Angeles: SAGE Publications. Wink, G. and Corradino, L. (2011).Intermediate accounting demystified. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Wolf, M. (2008).Fixing global finance. Baltimore, Md.: Johns Hopkins University Press. Zopounidis, C. (2008).Managerial finance. [Bradford, England]: Emerald. Braiotta, L. (2004).The audit committee handbook. New York: Wiley.

Brand Analysis and Sourcing Plan free essay sample

.Ralph Lauren is one of my personal favourite brands and the reason to why I have chosen to write about this fashion company. To me it feels natural to think about the brand as an affordable yet fashionable brand, since it is quite common to see many shirts or other R. L. apparel on the streets of my hometown Gothenburg in Sweden. During the process of learning more about fashion and fashion sourcing, I have however come to realise how much more that lays behind the reasons why I chose to wear this brand and how much more diverse the company’s product portfolio really is. The first part of this paper is going to present a brief outline about the history of the company, the company’s market share and positioning. The main focus will however be on how they try to convey the message of meaning to its customers. The second part presents a suggested sourcing plan for three different product lines, discussing routes, different natures of relationships and how to perform production activity control in the different types of manufacturing processes. Part 1: Ralph Lauren More than just a Brand Company background The Polo Empire began in the late 1960’s when the creator Ralph Lauren decided to create his own line of ties. At the start everything did however not go all smoothly. In the beginning Lauren went to a variety of stores to present his product, but was many times rejected. At Bloomingdale’s he was told that he should make them narrower and remove his name from the label. Lauren luckily refused and soon after Bloomingdale’s saw how successful the brand was doing and agreed to start retailing his products under his conditions. ehow. com/about_5114046) Even though the design of Ralph Lauren may have been seen as something slightly unconventional at the very beginning, it certainly found its niche early. To quote renowned fashion critic Bernadine Morris: Hes acquired a certain reputation for clothes that are, you know, with it. But not too with it. Not enough to shock the boys at the bank. (http://www. fundinguniverse. com/company-histories/PoloRalph-Lauren-Corporati on-company-History. tml) This approach led to his designs being perceived as sophisticated, distinctly American and just enough fashionable to attract a large group of customers. After the first successful collections Ralph Lauren moved on and started to open up his own clothing stores and to create apparel for women. Today the company includes many different categories of brands and have grown to become one of the worlds largest fashion businesses. Company information Polo Ralph Lauren operates within three different segments: Wholesale, Retail and Licensing. As can be seen below in the table presenting the company’s revenues Wholesale and Retail accounts for almost fifty percentages each with the Licensing making out roughly three percentages. The reason for the licensing making out a much smaller proportion could have to do with the fact that Ralph Lauren prefers to have more control over its value chain and therefore refrains from licensing a too great proportion. Source: Polo Ralph Lauren annual report 2011-05-26, p. 2 (http://investor. ralphlauren. com/). During this era fashion was usually created by these selected few and then spread to other parts of the population through the so-called trickle-down effect (Brandchannel. com). Many things have however changed since then and today we can see a huge variety of different luxury brands that are pertaining to different categories, targeting different customers. This has been enabled by different factors out of which I consider the emerge of a mass class of relatively wealthy people to be the most important one (Brandchannel. com). This has also had the consequence of fashion being able to spread in a new manner both from above and below. I consider Ralph Lauren to be a part of the middle segment of the Luxury brands. The brand aspires to be a prestige and luxury brand but they are targeting a much wider group of customers. It is hard to define exactly who the target consumer of Ralph Lauren is since they have such a huge variety of different brands. Some would perhaps say that it is a middle-aged man, pertaining to the upper middle class who likes to associate himself with the classic yet innovative fashion of Ralph Lauren. I think this might have been the case when the company first started its endeavours to attract a group of customers but many things have changed since then when it comes to the content of Ralph Laurens product portfolio. Today Ralph Lauren has a wide arrange sub-brands (only the clothes brands totalling seventeen different ones), constituting different product lines directed towards both men and women, such as: Polo Ralph Lauren, RRL, RLX and the premium Purple Brand. In this way the company has managed to expand their customer target group to include more people, even children. The pricing is different for each brand, ranging from 50â‚ ¬-450â‚ ¬ for a shirt to give but one example. (ralphlauren. com) In this way they manage to capture a wider range of customers. Looking at the target consumer from a demographic point of view we can see that even though it is an American brand its consumers can be found all around the world. The Target customers are often wealthy, professionals, people from affluent communities, or people that sail, ride horses or participate in other sports associated with the upper class. However, not every customer is part of this group. What makes them still purchase the brands products is something pertaining more to the psychological level. They all value, quality, style and the exclusivity of the brand and they all aspire to be wealthy, sophisticated and admired (Isidro, I. , 2012). Positioning the story told by the brand What attracted me and what I still like about the brand, is the casual yet well-dressed apparel that they offer. To me it is a brand that communicates that message through their collections that manages to be both modern and at the same time remain in contact with their classical American style. According to Ralph Lauren himself he stated that he had a dream of fashion being able to be timeless, with natural quality and seamlessly matching life with lifestyle (Biographyshelf. com). I think that the brand has successfully managed to communicate this original intention through always offering products of good quality and by being a trendsetter without being too innovative. By this I refer to that the main attributes of their products could be considered being slightly more timeless but yet successfully managing to stay in tune with the latest trends. One example of this is their dress shirts previously having been considered as being rather oversized, but know appearing just as often in a slim-fit version. A basic apparel in both men’s and women’s wardrobe that needed a renewal to stay in time (Askmen. com). More than just clothes Ralph Lauren is of course more than only polo shirts and other clothing apparel. In the company’s repertoire can be found perfumes, home furniture and even towels and bed linens. What it all boils down to is peoples desire to be able to express themselves through the use of tangible items. Ralph Laurens success was not merely based upon his skills as a designer, but also by knowing this fact that it is the intangibles that matter just as much. Packaging and presentation of the articles are just as important when it comes to make the purchasing decision for the consumer as to the feel and look of the garment (infomat. com). The hardest part when it comes to design clothes and other fashion products I believe is to be able to convey the message that you as a designer are trying to infuse into the product. Ralph Lauren has been celebrated as a being successful in this manner by taking the inspiration from the world that surrounds him and transferring that into tangible fashion wear. It could be a pillow design inspired by a Navajo (Native indian tribe) blanket, or the patina of a Jeep that gets turned into a sweater (oprah. com). I believe this is a good example of how creativity is developed within the brand. I do not consider Ralph Lauren to be a brand that stands for novelty and originality, but I believe that they manage to imbed their products with a feeling of usefulness. Through offering products with high quality that appeals to the customer and managing to take familiar themes from the surrounding world, transforming them into fashion products, the brand expresses its fashion consciousness in a more subtle way. Another aspect when it comes to communicate the feeling of your brand is the use of symbols. This could take form in either portraying your products in a certain environment, using celebrities to promote your products, or by the use of logotypes. What most people associate the name Ralph Lauren with is perhaps a certain logotype. The creation of the Ralph Lauren Polo logo is a great example of how the essence of the gentleman sport of Polo can be imbedded in a piece of fabric. By selecting this symbol Ralph Lauren has been able to give a special meaning to the garment. As a consumer you do not buy certain products only because of the quality of the garment or the fit of the cut, you buy the concept of the story that is being conveyed. The reason why I believe that Ralph Lauren has managed to become and stay successful is their ability to keep telling the same story, transmitting feelings to the consumers. Just think of all the advertisements that the company use, portraying handsome models in idealized environments, by the side of the pool or outdoor having a picnic with majestic mountains rising in the backgrounds (Girvin. com). These images I believe are not only portraying the American dream of living a rich and successful life but also a Global one, able to attract customers from all over the world. By aligning itself to different relevant sporting events, the Ralph Lauren brand has been successful in reaching out to a broad international audience. In sponsoring the Wimbledon tournament they managed to create a connection to their Polo Ralph Lauren brand that felt natural and appealing. This is just one example of how the brand makes subtle yet recognizable appearances in other ways than through advertising and sends out a message of being a supporter of the same things that many of their target customers like. (Girvin. com) Last but not least it is important to not forget the creator himself. The Brand being his own name tells you a lot of what kind of person he really is; a true icon embodying the story created by him. While many brands seems more focused on copying the creations of others, Ralph Lauren has stayed true to his own ideals of continuously innovating his brand. (Girvin. com) Timelessness with all due respect, but no one can argue that the brand is not being innovative after having checked out the Ralph Lauren 4D commercial that was being projected on some of the company’s flagship stores in 2010. (vimeo. com) Position from a value chain point of view In order to be economically successful, being in control of the total value chain is one of the key drivers. Ralph Lauren makes a good example of a company that manages to achieve that control, even without owning all the parts of the different functions. (Bokus. com) Even though Ralph Lauren’s main focus of the value chain is at the top, where they create, design and market their products (Fundinguniverse. com), I believe that a large part of their success lies in the company’s ability to manage the retailing of their product at the very end of the chain. The fact that Ralph Lauren does not own all the channels through which their sales are made does not mean that they have left anything to chance. In order to control the retailers that are selling the Ralph Lauren brand in department stores, the company has dictated very strict guidelines. By maintain good relationships with big department stores like Macy’s and Dillard’s Ralph Lauren can rest assured that its demands are being understood. How the products are being presented and offered to the customers is very important to the customer experience and by carefully regulating this, Ralph Lauren manages to control even this last part of the value chain (http://whatsnextretail. om/owning-the-retail-value-chain-like-lululemon-and-ralph-lauren). The consequences on range development A common phrase when it comes to targeting and positioning for a company is that you can’t be everything to everyone and that such a strategy is usually very expensive and not as efficient at attracting a solid group of customers (Isidro, I. , 2012). It could however seem that this is something that Ralph Lauren tries to achieve co nsidering the wide arrange of customers that they are including into its marketing mix. In order to not confuse the consumer by using only the brand name Ralph Lauren for all their products they have created many different sub-brands over the years, as previously mentioned. In this way they can develop new product ranges that are targeting more directly a narrower range of consumers. One example of this was when Ralph Lauren launched their new brand Rugby in 2010 in order to attract the younger generation. In this way they can retain most of the values already associated with the Ralph Lauren brand, while at the same time being able to customize the products to better suit the specific needs of the consumer. My only concern when it comes to this approach is whether it is a durable approach in the long run. If to many different sub brands and product lines are created under the Ralph Lauren name it could lead to a dilution of the story told by the original brand and the values that it stands for. So far Ralph Lauren has however managed to be successful in this balance so I believe that they will be able to continue this delicate balance act in the future. Part 2: The Sourcing plan Sourcing Location To determine how to develop a sourcing plan for a specific product it is important to keep in mind the demand characteristics for each specific item. Depending if the type of product is a continuity, seasonal or short seasonal product different aspects are more or less important to prioritize to assure that the final consumer gets the maximum amount of value out of their purchase. For a continuity item the customer is not willing to pay as much as for a short seasonal one and the latter product needs to incorporate the latest trends on a whole other level than the first type of product. This leads to some fundamental very important traits to account for when it comes to choosing the origin of where to produce an item. The first point we have to address is whether we want to source it domestically or globally. Depending on the type of product there is a trade-off between managing the complexity of the fashion content and the complexity of managing the supply chain. By producing closer to the final point of sale the complexity of managing the supply chain is reduced which enables the company to focus more on managing the fashion content (Guercini G. , Et al, 2004). Continuity product When it comes to a continuity product one of the most important traits is cost saving. The product has a longer life cycle and the fashion content is not as high as for the other product types. Time is therefore not the most important factor (logisticsbureau. com). Since a large proportion of the cost of producing apparel comes from the assembly process, the labour cost becomes a significant concern. It is however important to not only consider the cost saving on labour, but also keep in mind other factors that are imperative for when it comes to create value for the consumer. I would suggest that a factory located in the costal regions of China, like Shandong, should be used. The location is situated close to a large harbour, which is important for the logistics to Europe, and the area contains many different factories that are specialized in the production of apparel. Even though the labour cost might be lower in other countries like the Philippines or Cambodia, these other aspects are just as important. Since Chines manufacturers are more used to this type of production they have the know-how and the machines to be able to do it efficiently. Another aspect when it comes to sourcing from China is the proximity to raw materials, like cotton, and the abundance of textile manufacturers. This reduces the time and cost associated with connecting these parts of the supply chain to the manufacturing of our product (Chinasourcingblog. org). Even though this might be true for the current situation I believe that this might soon come to change when it comes to China. The cost of labour is steadily rising and the governments attempt to even out the income disparity has already lead to problems of labour shortage in some of these coastal areas. As China is also trying to move away from these lower added value types of production we might need to consider other countries as better alternatives for when it comes to source even this type of continuity products in the future (Chinasourcingblog. org). Seasonal product When it comes to Seasonal products much stated above for when it comes to choose allocation and what is important when selecting a manufacturer is still true. The importance of time is however more significant than before. Since the Seasonal product is only going to be offered for sale during a thirteen-week period the fashion content is higher than that of a continuity product and the relationship with the supplier needs to be more flexible to be able to adapt the products characteristics and the quantity with shorter notice. Shipping from China takes about four weeks, which leaves less time for the company to able to change anything. The choice to produce this product type at this location is therefore a riskier decision than for the continuity one. I believe however that the fact that China has a broad network of experienced manufacturers can weigh up the negative implications of distance. Working with an experienced manufacturer decreases the friction of problems with explaining the product qualities that could be the issue if working with a supplier that has a lesser understanding of fashion. Short-Seasonal product For sourcing the Short-Seasonal product the supply chain becomes even more important, due to the product life cycle being only six weeks. Cost and fficiency is still important but since the product will be produced for the European market it is wise to consider nearby regions for the manufacturing. The main reason to keep the producer close to the sales point is due to the uncertainty of demand of the product (Bergvall-Forsberg, J. et al, 2002). In order to be flexible in the design, until the very last stages of committing the order and to adapt the quantities according to demand, placing such production in a far off country like China is not a good option. A good solution could therefore be to situate the production in a nearby region. Morocco is a cheap country in comparison with many other European alternatives when it comes to labour cost, but with the right knowledge and technology to be able to offer good quality and service. There are many reasons for why I consider Morocco to be a good alternative to choose as the sourcing destination for the short seasonal product. The extra costs with manufacturing in Morocco in comparison with China, is widely outweighed by the benefits of meeting the demand more precisely and being able to match the fashion content better due to the time frame for decision making being wider when sourcing from a nearby region. Besides all the advantages with the sourcing location being located closer, Morocco presents many other incentives to why it is a good choice. The local government has since years been investing in the infrastructure and created special zones for the sole reason of facilitating production for export. The country also posses good human resources to function as a qualified work force in the manufacturing of our short seasonal product (Executive-magazine. com). To summarize and make the whole supply chain more visible the different supply routes are visualised in the table below. Supply Chain Process| Yarn| Fabric| Garment Manufacturer| RDC| Retail Store| Continuity| China| China| China| Europe| Europe| Seasonal| China| China| China| Europe| Europe| Short-Seasonal| China| China| Morocco| Europe| Europe| Supplier Relationships Depending on which type of product that we are going to sample, different kind of relationships can be developed with the suppliers. Depending on how complicated the product is to produce, the complexity of the fashion content and the supply chain management needed, different levels of commitment can be applied. One aspect that should be taken into accounting, no matter the type of product or the relation with the supplier, is the use of multiple manufacturers to avoid getting over dependent upon the performance of one supplier (Cabusinessadvisor. com). By not sourcing more than fifty percentages from any single source, the company will be able to avoid getting the whole delivery delayed or other negative impacts from affecting the whole production. This can also put some positive pressure upon the suppliers, since they are aware of their performance being compared with a competitor. Continuity product For the Continuity product the fashion content is lower than for the other types of products, the planning and production is therefore also easier to achieve in comparison, since the demand is easier to predict. I would suggest that a short-term relationship should be used since the greatest need to satisfy considers lean aspects to cut costs. The product design is easier to explain and should not require any changes, which enables us to disclose less sensitive information. It is important that the factory we chose to work with are able to easily understand the design and produce a good quality product, but the vital point is that they can commit the capacity needed as efficient as possible. Since less contact with the supplier is needed when engaged in this type of relationship, the costs in time and money to explain and monitor the production are reduced. The product lifecycle is calculated to one year and the main consideration for the stock intake should be how to achieve a steady flow of products in accordance with the calculated steady demand. Looking at the WSSI-sheet I think the initial commitment could be kept at its current level of almost 50% due to the lower risk of the forecast. If possible I would however like to include the possibility to change the total quantity in the contract, to be able to increase or decrease the order amount when making future calls. It would be unnecessary to gamble the chance, although small, of having made a wrong initial forecast, if it would be possible to ad this extra security of flexibility into the contract. Seasonal product If lean production reducing cost was the key driver for the relationship with the manufacturer of the continuity product, service level and agile production is the recipe to use for our seasonal counterpart. Since we only have thirteen weeks to sell the product, demand is harder to calculate due to the higher fashion content, and the fact that our manufacturer is located in China; a high level of responsiveness is needed. These points all indicate that we should choose to engage in a closer working relationship. My suggestion is therefore that a totally committed relationship should be applied. Time is the driving factor and makes every part of the supply chain more important. Through engaging in a closer relationship we can get a better overview of the suppliers of fabric and even all the way down to the source of the raw material. By ascertain that the chances of disruptions in these parts are minimal we can focus on the communication with the manufacturer. The content of the details that we need to share with the manufacturer is containing more sensitive information we need to ascertain that no intellectual property is transferred to any competitor. It is thus important to make good design not only for the product but also for the contract. By having a buyer office located relatively nearby the region of the factory we can facilitate the frequent communication that is needed. Due to changes of different factors, as a drought affecting the cotton harvest or a change in the consumer demand, having a fast responsive manufacturer is a must. In the WSSI-sheet I would suggest that the initial commitment should be lowered slightly to 24’000 units instead of 26’000, since I consider 60% to be enough to start with, before we have had time to see how the demand will be. By postponing the delivery of the second shipment to w. 8, we gain another week to measure the performance of the sales in store and can make the call w. 4 instead and thus hopefully being able to make a better decision based upon more statistics. I am aware of the risk being slightly higher for the possibility of running out of stock if the product were to sell exceptionally well, but consider the risk of ending up with to much jackets to be greater. Short-Seasonal product All the critical issues discussed above for the seasonal product is applicable in an even higher degree for the short-seasonal item. Even though the location of the factory being located much closer to the point of sales, the need for an agile and responsive producer is greater still. Since the raw materials and the fabrics are still coming from China the importance of these suppliers are greater than before. The delivery time of the finished product, from Morocco to the RDC in Europe, should be feasible to perform in less than one week. The fabrics still need around four weeks to arrive, stressing the importance of the quality and reliability of the Chinese supplier. This risk of this could however be reduced by negotiating the terms of the Moroccan suppliers level of commitment, so that they acquire the sufficient amount of material well in advance before starting the production. The demand for the short–season product is very hard to determine. I believe it is possible to plan for the suggest dates in the WSSI-sheet without further changes, since the delivery time is shorter, enabling future changes if the need should occur. In order to accurately gather the information from the stores where the product is being sold, the need for an advanced information system is greater than for the calculation of the other product types. By implementing this we can make a better, more accurate decision for the important second call. Production Activity Control In order to ensure that the products arrive in store on time and that they fulfil all the qualities needed to bring value to the end consumer, it is important to manage the process of the production activities. As previously discussed; it is central to be aware of how the whole value chain functions but it can be hard and inefficient to try to be everywhere at once. There are thus some parts of the value chain that we need to focus more on, the main one being the manufacture of the finished good and the shop floor control. By using Production Activity Control we can manage to ensure that we receive the greatest possible worth out of the production process for each different product type (mcts. com). By designing a production plan together with the manufacturer we can ensure that we have a possible way to measure the standard of the production and what is expected in terms of, capacity, speed, quality, timing and so forth. Once a plan has been agreed upon and the production has started, we need to be able to carefully manage the process. By using an efficient system it is possible to monitor each stage of the manufacturing process and possible to make a rapid change, should anything be inadequately performed. Such systems that I would recommend includes, work in progress monitoring, where supervisors calculate the amount that each production line has produced, in combination with randomly performed quality controls to see that not only quantity is being achieved. Depending on which type of product that is produced, different focuses needs to be applied to the process to create the maximum possible value. For the continuity product the focus should lay on making the process as fast and efficient as possible in order to reduce as much waste as possible. Quality should be given and more easily achieved due to the lower fashion content of the item (and due to our choice of factory), enabling an enhanced focus on capacity and volume. Cost and dependability are the key drivers that we want to achieve through the monitoring of this process, since we need a steady stream of products coming into store at a low price. For the products with a higher fashion content, the seasonal and short seasonal products, another important aspect becomes important: Flexibility. Due to changes in demand and product modifications it is important to include a fast and efficient system to be able to communicate and implement these alterations as smooth and rapid as possible. Having a manufacturer that is agile in these terms and able to provide the best possible service is what creates the highest value in the manufacturing process. Quality is important for all the product types but essential for the short-seasonal item. In the production of all the product types a Golden sample should be used to measure the quality. This is however not a guarantee for a satisfying result. In order to make sure that the manufacturer fully understands what is intended we need to include many specific details describing the product and carefully monitor the production at each stage (Asiaqualityfocus. com). Of particular concern is the final check that needs to be made before the products are packed for shipment and put on a lorry bound for the harbour. After the products have left, little can be done to change the status of the products. This is not only of importance due to quality issues but also, to ensure that all the paperwork is in order to guarantee a safe passage through customs, in particular when it comes to China (Importsoriental. com). For the seasonal and short-seasonal products where we have established closer working relationships with the manufacturers it is important to not forget the value of feedback. Since we are going to work with these suppliers for a longer time, much can be gained from having an after action review of the process.