Andre’s Mother

1. Discuss the many symbols in the play and what they represent. Andre loved to play the role of Hamlet, a character in Shakespeare’s play. This symbolizes Andre’s character. In Hamlet, Prince Hamlet struggled in deciding whether or not to avenge his father’s death. This situation was similar to Andre’s. Andre, as a homosexual, had personal struggles regarding gender issues. Specifically, he struggled in terms of whether or not to tell his mother about his conditions. Cal provides a direct symbolism of the balloons he brought to the scene. The balloons represent the souls of departed loved ones. As the balloons rose in to the sky, the souls of the departed loved ones were slowly unbound from their earthly ties. Arthur, Cal’s father, called Andre â€Å"Mensch† which means a person of integrity and honor (Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, 2008). Andre may have AIDS or be homosexual, but still he is a good man. In Yiddish, it also means â€Å"nice guy. † This symbolizes that Arthur has accepted Andre’s condition. He sees Andre as a family. 2. Who is to `blame` at the end of the play? Andre’s mother has to be blamed for her son’s agony. Andre died in grief and pain, knowing that her mother would never accept his condition. Being homosexual and having AIDS, Andre suffered the tremendous disapproval of the society. The only person left for Andre to ask for help is his mother. In the play, McNally, Andre’s mother, seems to be a person of few words. In Cal’s monologue, he described Andre’s mother as someone like Lulu’s mother, anonymous in her remoteness. Her remoteness severed her relationship with Andre. Her silence messed Andre’s thoughts. Andre died in fear of her mother’s disapproval, and death was the only way for him to be accepted. 3. What are McNally’s themes about friendship, unconditional love, and respect? McNally provided a concrete description of love through Cal and Andre’s relationship. McNally’s theme of friendship, unconditional love and respect, was shown through Cal’s attitude towards Andre. In the play, Andre had AIDS and was homosexual, a condition which was not easy for Cal to accept, but he still did. It surpassed the love a mother could give her son. It is hard for Andre to gain any respect from anyone, but Cal respected him unconditionally. As the play reached its end, the monologue given by Cal proved that he was not just a friend but family to Andre. He was enraged by the silence of Andre’s mother. This emotion heightened the theme of unconditional love.

So close to the Border

Pavel lay in the frost frozen. The frost spitting and eating away at the skin on his face and hands. Too dangerous to move. Undressed, just the upper body covered with a think pyjama like shirt, sleeves too small only reaching just below the elbows. The shirt soaked though with icicles dangling off the edges. He lay there motionless with no thought about how cold it was, just concentrating on those guards, standing there wrapped in their thick coats smoking slowly. With no moon this night there is only two faint body like structures with two orange circles floating in the air. Not much longer to wait for the change of guards. These eager but nerve racking moments, with the urge to just to run from the camp but thinking if he could just wait a few moments. Freedom was waiting for him just over the border. The scent of waffles wafting through the air making his stomach really churn. With the wire cutters in his hands, which were buried at least a foot into the snow just waiting†¦ All it needs is a few snips and there's a whole in the thick barbed wire. He lay there watching as the guards threw away their cigarettes. He had precisely 3mins to get out of the camp to a small amount of safety. He knew that he would only be safe once he had crossed the border. Pavel had no idea what date it was, he could only tell that it was probably about 7:00 for the sun had set along time ago. Now was his only chance. He began cutting away at the wire, panicking. Finally the hole is cut. Crouching low so that he doesn't give away his silhouette, he slowly moves across an open plain, which goes on for about 75 yards. Once he reached the brush he gets out his secretly hidden map. It is sewn in on a handkerchief, which his Uncle gave him just before he died. He could not see the map. He knew that the direction he was heading in was south which was the general direction he was going in. He could tell that he was going south for the south wall was where the people who were going to be gassed had to line up before being taken away. He had escaped from the direction of the south wall. Pavel is a seventeen-year-old boy. He was born through a Christian family but adopted by a Jewish family about 14 years before the war broke out. They counted him as Jewish even though he had not been circumcised because he was found in a Jewish temple and his records were found of his life and about being adopted. He was straight away sent to the camp in Auschwitz and sentenced to death after a few years of labour. He escaping for it almost time for him to meet his death and he wants to find the rest of his family. He was caught in the church. His family got away. I am frozen with fear now. I had got the main part done which was getting out of the camp. I can't think what to do. I lay still, huddled up on the ground, just staring out into the night. It's a big country, but now made small for there are troops stationed everywhere. The sirens might even go of back at the camp in about 30 minutes. I started walking when a German sentry walked on to a path directly coming my way. I could tell there was no news of an escape; otherwise these soldiers would be looking a lot more alert. They rifles were slung up on their shoulders and dangling while they were smoking calmly. I waited for them to move past me. I didn't want to give myself away already. The footsteps died out in a just a matter of seconds. I struggled to get back up and when I did I staggered in the brush along the path in the southern direction. I was walking for about an hour now and had past quite a few machine gun posts. My aim was to get to Hungary, I don't know how but I was going to do my best. I heard noises and smoke from the chimney of a hut. For a moment a thought it was just drunk soldiers. I crossed the path and came close up to an open window. The soldiers were not drunk. I saw them loading rifles and magazines with bullets and from my faint knowledge of German language they were talking about an escape from Auschwitz. I knew this was I. I waited for the Germans to go. I heard their motorbikes revving up and watched them leave up the windy path. I didn't have a clue where I. I went close to the light coming out from the window and I took out my handkerchief. I found the area that I was in. I was astonished by how good this map was to me. It had fooled the guards at Auschwitz and now it was going to get me past the border. I realised I sill had around 100 kilometres to go before I reached the border. It sounded a long way. I saw nobody inside the hut. I could see German trench coat near the window and I reached across to grab. A voice suddenly in a gentle tone said, â€Å"Food? † I didn't reply. I was paralysed with fear and a turned around after a few seconds. Again came the voice of a young man, â€Å"Would you like some food? † I replied, â€Å"You're Polish? † His accent seemed a bit funny but I assumed he was a decent person. â€Å"Yes†, said the man, â€Å"You have runaway haven't you. You're Jewish aren't you? Would you like some food? † Ignoring the offer I carried on the conversation. † I am. Do you think there is any way I could get to the border quickly? My feet have worn out. I have no shoes. Will the Germans be coming back here? † † They will, but don't worry your safe here. You must be so tired and cold. You can stay in my cellar; the Germans think this will be the last place someone would stay. I have wine going to the Germans a the border, you might be able to hitch a lift. † I didn't yet know if I could trust this man and his ideas for me. â€Å"Could I have some food and some shoes? † I asked. He stood there thinking. † I don't have shoes but I do have some food. Here. † He lay down some bread and butter. I was happy. There was about half a loaf. In Auschwitz we only got about 3 slices of bread without butter a day. I had suffered bad symptoms. I kept on fainting. I finished eating all I could and got up. I was being very cautious of this man. He led me outside the hut and there was a little door entering the ground. I jumped in. His last words ever to me were, â€Å"You can stay here for the night. The delivery truck will beep when he gets here so you will hear it and wake up. I will tell him of the situation. † â€Å"Thank you. Thank you so much. † The door shut and me last glimpse of light faded to nothing. BEEP! I heard the sound of the truck and there was light coming through the cracks of the door. I opened the door slightly and peered out through the gap. There was a black truck there. I knew what to do. I climbed out and jumped into the back. There were some empty cargo boxes and full ones. The full ones were at the back of the truck and the empty were towards the front. I jumped into an empty box. I was worried. I didn't know who was driving, what if it was a German in disguise and this whole thing was a set up to get me returned back to the camp. The engine started off and the vehicle started moving. I never realised it but there was food in the box. There was some bread and cheese. I thought this was a luxury. The truck had been driving for about half a day. I thought we were lucky because we had not been stopped once. The truck glided gently into a halt and I heard some voices. I heard the driver explaining that we have wine for the officers on the border. The back of the truck opened up. I could see a German officer through the holes in the box. He stepped into the back and opened up a box. I could tell by his face that he was satisfied. He took two bottles and gave thumbs up to somebody. I heard the back door slam and the truck started off again. The driver gave a tap to the wall between the front and back of the truck. I assumed this was my call to get out. I slipped out of the box into the night. I could see the watchtowers and there were lights moving all over the fields. The place was swarming with Germans. I thought this was going to be the last of me. I knew I wasn't going to make it. I heard the truck go off and I started to make my way out of the area because it could be the centre of attention to the Germans. I was trundling my way through deep snow when I spotted a German post. I avoided it and found my self in the middle of a spotlight. My instincts were just to run. I heard bullet fire. I then got shot in the back. I was just at the barbed wire and I started hacking away at it with my wire cutters. At this moment Pavel was shot in the back of his neck. He carried on cutting through. Eventually a hole was made. Shots were landing all around him from MP40 fire. He jumped through the barbed wire and his ragged trench coat got stuck on the wire. He tried to set himself free and got shot in the back. There was just a little whole in his back but the round exploded in his stomach as it came out. HE carried on trying to set himself free when six German soldiers approached with their rifles locked into their soldiers. Each of them aimed at Pavel and fired. Pavel lay there strewn along the barbed wire. He did not know this but he died two days before his eighteenth birthday and his family had all died in concentration camps. This is not based on a true story but this would have happened a lot in the world war two in Poland.

Bipolar Disorder Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Bipolar Disorder - Article Example Bipolar Disorder It also seeks to give a relevant case study, as well as the historical and policy issues that have been put in place to handle cases of bipolar disorder. It is absolute that examining the issues surrounding bipolar disorder will help in understanding ways through which it can be mitigated and how people can learn to live with those affected. 1.1 Mental Health According to the World Health Organization (WHO), psychological well being is an imperative aspect in life. In the year 2002, it was estimated that around 450 million people across the globe were suffering from behavioral, as well as mental disorders in which around 150 million of them suffered from severe depression. Mental health has serious profound impacts on families and individuals affected as far as their physical, social and economic life is concerned. Since psychological disorders often tend to affect communities as well as the families of those affected, it is essential for people to understand the major effects of men tal illness on both the social systems as well as on individuals. Consequently, this will help in improving the mental care systems and ensure effective development of related mental health programs. It is alleged that mental health covers a vast range of compulsions often affecting the elderly (Nash, 2010). The American Nursing association is focused on collaborating with the health policy makers to enhance the restoration of universal access to mental health care among the US families. Although there has been extensive efforts aimed at enhancing the world mental health, the World Health Organization has stressed on the need to have a comprehensive definition of what mental health is, and to ensure that this extends beyond the presence or absence of diagnosed disorder to include autonomy, self efficacy, well being and competence (World Health Organization, 2013). One of the common mental health issues that has been widely debated on, and that I have had a personal interaction with is bipolar disorder. In this case, it is important to give a synopsis on the historical and policy issues that surrounds, it as well as other essential factors such as its treatment. 1.2 What is Bipolar Disorder? Scholars define bipolar disorder as a manic depressive mental health state in which a person exhibits bidirectional fluctuations from a depressive to a euphoric state. Other common symptoms are irritability, a sense of hopelessness, grandiosity, low self esteem, insomnia, racing thoughts, distractibility, agitation and suicidal thoughts (Friedman, 2001, pp.165-166). Research also shows that the sleeping patterns of persons suffering from bipolar disorder often vary with the severity, the clinical state, as well as the stage of the disorder. For instance, when depressed, bipolar patients tend to sleep excessively and when in a manic state, they sleep less or not at all (â€Å"The Biology of Mental Disorders,† n.d, p.88). In the US, it is estimated that more than two m illion people suffer from bipolar disorder. One of the main reasons behind its unprecedented rise is complications that hinder appropriate as well as accurate diagnosis. Research shows that half of all the respondents reported visiting more than three mental health experts before having a correct diagnosis (Calibre, n.d, pp.1-2). According to Torrey and

Historical Fires School Fire New London, TX Research Paper

Historical Fires School Fire New London, TX - Research Paper Example The question was raised that where did the ignition come from? It probably is believed to have accumulated from any of the laboratories or places where shop work was going on. This incident allowed authorities to criticize school’s construction. (USFA, 2011) The Incident The richest and most finest schools of the country United States were located in New London, Texas in 1937 on the northwestern side of Rusk County where the residents of this community were immensely proud of the magnificent, modernized, E-shaped, steel-framed school building located on the Eastern Texas oilfields. In the afternoon of March 18, 1937, 18 students were preparing for Inter-scholastic meet which was scheduled next day in Houston. The Parent Teacher Meetingmet at the gymnasium. The manual training coach, Mr. Lemmie R. Butler switched on a sanding machine which comprised of a combination of air and gas but was not known to him. As he turned on the switch, it gave an ignite to the mixture of air and gas and took the flame into an almost trapped space situated underneath the building up to fifty-six feet wide and 353 feet long.(Hilliard,2012) Soon after that, everyone noticed that the building actually rose into the air and subsequently crashed into the ground. All the walls of the building smashed. The roof of the building came out and so all the students and the teachers lie there dead in a huge corpus of steel, brick and concrete. The remains of the explosion were thrown almost to a distance of 200 concrete slabs where it destroyed Chevrolet 1936. Everyone living atleast 200 feet away from the building witnessed the explosion. After fifteen minutes of the incident, the news was covered by all Western Union lines and telephone lines as well. Bewildered, all the parents at the Parent Teacher Meeting hurried to the building of the devastated school. Roughnecks from the oilfields of Eastern Texas carrying their equipment of high-duty and residents of the community came rushing by . Texas Rangers as well as the highway patrol was sent for the rescue and assistance of the injured, wounded people by Governor James Allred in an hour of the incident. (Hilliard,2012) Medical supplies and doctors were called upon from nearby Scottish Rite Hospital for Disabled Children and Baylor Hospital from Dallas and from Wichita Falls, and Nacogdoches as well. Furthermore, United Army Air Corps were brought in from Barksdale Field which is located in Shreveport, Louisiana. All these helpers were aided by the deputy sheriffs from Henderson, Overton, and Kilgore. They were also assisted by the Boy Scouts, the Salvation Army, the American Legion, the American Red Cross, and also volunteers joined from Gulf Pipe Line, Humble Oil, the International-Great Northern Railroad and Sinclair. The debris was searched by workers who began looking for the sufferers. The rescue operation was continued till the night fall and for convenience, floodlights were put up in there. Soon after the in cident, almost after seventeen hours all the wounded people as well the wreckage was taken to some other place. Dedication ceremonies were cancelled at the Mother Francis Hospital to help the wounded. Twenty five embalmers were sent in by the Directors of Texas Funeral.(Hilliard,2012) Almost 298 people died in the incident out of the staff of forty teachers and 500 student body. Out of the 202 people left, there were about 130 students who did not receive fatal injury. Some student and teachers were in desperate

International operation and risk management of ICAP plc Essay

International operation and risk management of ICAP plc - Essay Example The company is a public limited company and is listed on the London Stock Exchange. The company was founded in the year 1986 and has more than 5000 employees who provide the risk services in the company. The company focuses mainly on the key principles of leadership, Integrity, entrepreneurship as well as respect for control. Performance - Financial Trend A ratio analysis has been conducted for ICAP in order to understand the financial performance of the company. Ratio Analysis       2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 Liquidity Ratios Current Ratio 1.026 1.004 1.003 1.002 0.999       2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 Cash Ratio 0.089 0.017 0.016 0.025 0.014                Profitability Ratio Gross Profit Margin 0.990 0.989 0.984 0.765 -       2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 Operating Profit Margin 0.145 0.160 0.163 0.176 0.191       2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 Net profit Margin 0.030 0.083 0.109 0.074 0.117 Leverage Ratio Debt Ratio 0.939 0.985 0.984 0.981 0.966       2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 Debt Equity Ratio 15.31 66.19 60.37 48.89 28.68                Profitabilty Indicator Ratio Return on Assets 0.09% 0.17% 0.49% 0.24% 0.55%       2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 Return on Capital Employed 0.41% 0.33% 0.40% 0.58% 1.78% Liquidity The current ratio of the company has increased by 22% over the last one year from 1.004 in 2012 to 1.026 in the financial year 2013. The inventory of the company for all the years is equal to zero. This means that for ICAP the current ratio and the quick ratio are the same (Atrill and Mclaney, 2008, pp. 142-178). The increase in the current ratio means that the company has efficient cash management and that the company can meet its short term debt obligations quite comfortably (Kieso, Weygandt and Warfield, 2007, p. 738). Thus ICAP has sound liquidity position. Profitability The profitability levels of the company can be estimated from the profitability ratios as shown in the table above. The gross profit margin for the compa ny has increasing steadily from 2011 to 2012 and then from 2012to 2013. The gross profit margin for the year 2013 is 0.939 which means that the company has been able to use the different resources that it has in the most appropriate way (Williams, Haka, Bettner and Carcello, 2008, p. 266). Source: ICAP 2013, p. 03 The operating profit margin for the company fell almost more than one percent in the year 2013. Thus it shows that the company has not been able to achieve economies of scale for the last one year but the steady figure over the years reflects the efficiency of the company in maintaining the scale of operations (Gallagher, 2003, pp. 94–95). The different compositions of the operating profit of ICAP as per the different businesses have been shown in the dough nut chart as above. This means that most of the operations of the company are equally prosperous and has been able to achieve the desired scale of operations for the long term (Weston and Brigham, 1990, p. 295). The return on assets for the company is 0.09% in 2013 as compared to 0.017% in 2012 and 0.27% in 2011. Looking at the steady level of net income of the company it shows that the company has increased its assets over the phase of 3 years which has resulted in a declining ROA (Tracy, 2004, p. 173).

Ethical Decision Makin Process Speech or Presentation

Ethical Decision Makin Process - Speech or Presentation Example The father of the child is also a stakeholder because as a father, he needs to provide for his child. But in cases where the father leaves the mother, as in abandonment or a crime like rape, the father does not have any responsibility to the child as his choice. But the major stakeholder of the situation is the mother of the child. The mother is the host of the child. The fetus is a child, and it is quantified as a person for the pro-life movement and as just another organism for the pro-choice movement. The child, according to a New Jersey Superior Court, â€Å"If a fetus is a person, it is a person in very special circumstances – it exists entirely within the body of another much larger person and usually cannot be the object of direct action by another person.† With pregnancy, the mother is put at risk because childbirth is a potentially fatal process. Pregnancy also leeches the mother of her health as the fetus needs a lot of nutrients that it can’t directly get its nutrients from food. The stake is enormous for the society and the mother. The quote, â€Å"It takes a whole village to raise a child† applies here. The society is also responsible for the nurturing of the child in terms of providing the societal needs of a person: social needs, jobs, etc. The mother also has a huge stake when it comes to pregnancy and abortion. The mother, when deciding to have an abortion, would be judged as a murderer in most cases. Most mothers undergo abortion because of reasons that typically pressure the mother into choosing abortion, like her low economic status, unstable job, genetic anomalies, etc. This is because, naturally, if the mother had a lot of resources, she would not undergo abortion. Politically, the mother also has a lot of stake put on it because the debate on the legality and morality of abortion is still widely debated and the legalities of it are still very difficult to grasp, because of the moral and ethical issues associate d with it. Stage Three: The pro-abortion argument is valid because the mother has her own right on her body. It is her own and she should have the right to use her body and decide for it. Her body is being compromised because of the pregnancy. Other arguments for the pro-abortion movement is most conceptions are naturally unsuccessful and are naturally aborted within a month, making abortion natural and therefore, not criminal (because it is natural). Thus, criminalization of abortion implies criminalizing a natural act. However, anti-abortion arguments are also quite valid. They argue that a fetus is a person, and it can feel pain. When that happens, when you intentionally get rid of a person (fetus) it is murder, and therefore should be treated as a crime. The anti-abortion argument can be a bit confusing because the proponents of this argument do not really want to incriminate the mothers who decide to have abortion performed on them. These proponents actually want to incriminate the doctors who have â€Å"brainwashed† the mothers in order to get money from them. However, these are not quite convincing because if indeed it’s a crime, it is indeed murder because it is premeditated. Then again, these pro-lifers do not want extreme methods of punishment performed on the mother. For me, abortion should be legal but it should have conditions in order for it to be performed

Dosage and Calculation Mistakes with Medication Essay

Dosage and Calculation Mistakes with Medication - Essay Example At two months of age, the infant was been admitted to the healthcare facility to undergo a pyloric stenosis repair. The attending physician ordered a 0.2-0.4 mg morphine sulfate to help alleviate the post-operation pain. The administering nurse normally uses the 5mg/ml morphine sulfate. However, due to the absence of the usual 5mg/ml vial, she decides on using the 10mg/ml vial but at a reduced quantity of 0.04ml as per her calculations. She double-checks her calculation and dosage with another nurse for a second opinion. However, the over prescription error occurs during the administration of the morphine sulfate when she draws 0.4ml instead of the intended 0.04ml (Keyes, 1998). Shortly after the administration of the ten times high dose, the infant suffers from respiratory difficulty in his mother’s arms. Further inspection by the nurse reveals that the infant is experiencing a respiratory arrest. The nurse if forced to administer a narcotic antagonist and resuscitate the infant. However, after successfully stabilizing the infant, the medical team does not realize that the cause of the infant’s respiratory arrest was a direct result of the high morphine sulfate dosage. They make an incorrect assessment of the course of the respiratory arrest. The infant suffers another respiratory failure because of receiving a high dose of morphine sulfate again. The administering nurse and the medical staff are forced to take the infant for further observation and diagnosis. They later realize that there was an over prescription of the infant’s medication. Therefore, they had to change the high dose to a correct one. The infant was later discharged i n good health. The healthcare facility handles the conduct and act of its staff who are on duty. Therefore, the parents of the infant sued the hospital for malpractice and negligent cause of emotional stress (Keyes, 1998). Medication

Human Activity and Climate Change Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Human Activity and Climate Change - Assignment Example Carbon dioxide has been described as one of the most anthropogenic greenhouse gas. That is it is caused by human activity and the influence that they have on the environment. The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased from 280 parts per million (ppm) before the industrial revolution to 379 ppm3 in 2005. Additionally, the concentration of to carbon dioxide in the atmosphere in 2005 was much greater than the natural range of 180 to 300ppm over the last 650,000 years. This information has been determined from ice cores spanning thousands of years. Continuous measurements show that during the ten years spanning 1995 to 2005 the annual growth rate of the concentration of carbon dioxide was 1.9ppm and this is more than that for the period 1960 to 2005 when the concentration was 1.4ppm. The use of fossil fuel has been found to be the main source of the increased concentration of carbon dioxide ever since the pre-industrial period which dates from 1900 to 1926 with annual emission increasing from an average of 6.4 GIC per annum in the 1990’s to 7.2 per year during the period 2000 to 2005. Greenhouse gas emissions that have been attributed to the change in the way land is used has been found to be significantly less when compared to greenhouse gas emissions from carbon dioxide at a rate of 1.6 GtC per year throughout the 1990’s. However, these estimates According to California Energy Commission, there are three major forms of fossil fuel – coal, oil and natural gas. They have formed millions of years ago during the Carboniferous period which is part of the Paleozoic Era. Carboniferous comes from the word carbon and carbon is the basic element that makes up coal, oil and natural gas. Coal is used to fuel power plants and other factories.

Private sector bank Essay Example for Free

Private sector bank Essay 1. Difference of recruitment Public sector banks recruit mainly through bank exams and public notices. Private banks, on the other hand, prefer campus placements and referrals. For entry level jobs too, private banks usually go through campus placements. You would seldom find a public notice issued by a private bank for recruitments. 2. Difference of vacancies Public sector banks go by the vacancy rules laid by the government. There is a certain portion of vacancies reserved for OBCs and SC/STs. There are no reservations in private sector banks. The reservations make it harder to find a job in a public sector bank. 3. Difference in growth One of the banes of public sector banks is slow growth. If you get recruited at the entry level in a public sector bank, you would take forever to reach the higher levels. There are certain rules for promotion and salary is fixed according the level you are working at. Promotions in public sector banks are usually not done on merit, but other criteria laid down by the government. On the other hand, growth can be fast and robust in a private sector bank job. In the private sector, you get promotions on merit, and if you are good, sky is the limit for you. 4. Difference in working environment Largely, the working environment of private and public sector banks is the same. However, private sector banks are largely more competitive than the public sector banks, although that situation is changing fast. In a private sector bank, you usually have to meet tough targets, and adhere to the deadlines. You could be working longer hours very often in private sector banks in order to meet your targets and deadlines. The environment is more relaxed in a public sector bank, but that by no means implies you do not have work in the public sector. 5. Difference in pay scale Largely, the pay scale in private and public sector banks is the same. However, according to recent studies done on the field, it has been seen that public sector banks pay more compared to private sector banks, when the working hours are taken into consideration. However, since the growth in public sector banks can be slow, the advantage of higher pay scale is usually negated. As for the question, whether to work in a private sector or a public sector bank, the difference between both the sectors is fast diminishing. If you have a choice, go for a bank that offers opportunities for growth, which could be a public sector bank or a private sector bank too.

Randalls Department Stores Essay Example for Free

Randalls Department Stores Essay Department stores encountered a quandary surrounding their pricing strategies: Should they continue to pursue Every Day Low Pricing strategies coupled with frequent promotions or determine a narrow focus on one or the other? If this is preferable, then which one will reap the biggest benefits for the department store? Competitors were aggressively promoted their established brand promotions with more fervor than ever, and Randall’s was slipping in market dominance. A decision had to be made regarding their pricing policy henceforth. Sales data shows that Every Day Low Pricing was not a preferable strategy. Armed with this knowledge, Randall’s must execute a strategy of changing prices so that there is no confusion with the consumer as to what they can provide: Quality products at consistently low prices. With the elimination of erratic and deeply discounted promotions, Randall’s can begin a new era of consistent sales cycles and profitable returns in a marketing environment which is receptive to this development. #1 – There are several distinct advantages to having a more stable and single-level pricing structure. A commitment to this would mean a significant decline in store promotions, but it can be argued that the benefits outweigh the detriments. First, the money that could be saved on largely eliminating sales events accumulates to become a substantial savings pot for the company per year. Secondly, staff members would not be so taxed. Process adjustments borne by the need to honor their guarantee of matching a competitor’s price or paying back the difference if they were to reduce their own requires extra staff that is unnecessary under a stable pricing structure. Another benefit of this strategy is a better inventory turnover ratio. Daily sales can be better predicted and more consistent when the prices to not fluctuate constantly. The cost of residual merchandise to be sold in clearance events at the end of the season is too great when Randall’s is forced to mark these down at even deeper price discounts. This strategic advantage also spawns another: a lesser chance of stockouts. These occurred when a popular item was discounted unnecessarily. The item sold so fast that there were no more left to sell, and those products would have sold regardless without a significant discount. Stockouts can be recognized as revenue forgone when a stable pricing strategy is not implemented. This strategy enables the merchants to be able to dedicate more time and effort to planning their calculated assortment coupled with enhanced service measures. With this comes the success experienced when loyalty to the Randall’s brand is fostered through excellent customer care and superior product presentation established. A store-wide adoption of stable pricing could allow Randall’s to establish a reputation for good value, even in the sea of competitors who continued their fierce promotions. #2 – The introduction of a more leveled pricing was largely unsuccessful in many categories, but successful in certain others. The children’s clothing department enjoyed a relative price inelastic demand structure. This department enjoyed great success derived from implementing Everyday Low Pricing (EDLP) because the children’s merchandise sold carried a lower initial mark-up than formerly and was scarcely promoted at discount prices, if even once a season. The reason EDLP fell flat in many other areas, including jewelry and men’s suits, is because the quality perception of jewelry and suits can be compromised when prices are low from the outset with peripheral promotions going on, consumers anticipate similar discounts on these premier items when they are already at low prices. #3 – In the future, Randall’s should try to stabilize prices going forward. This recommendation comes in light of the fact that the only department which thrived under was Children’s. But there has already been too much damage done in the perceptual minds of the Randall’s consumers – their image has been compromised. The confusion as to whether Randall’s is a more like a Marshall’s or like a JC Penny’s. With a consistent commitment to lower-level initial mark-ups with few discount promotions, the short surges in revenue seen by sales events will not be as great as the steady revenue brought by the sales of a consumer confident in the quality and competitive price of the Randall’s item. Randall’s can’t follow in the footsteps of high-profile competitor Prescott’s and run aggressive sales events if they are not committed to promoting as hard, if not harder than this competitor. The sales will fall short every time and leave Emily ; Caroline Randall back where they started – riding the promotion wave, with the breaker close on the horizon. Please see Appendix A for a detailing of the specific plan of execution for Randall’s executives to changes prices and stabilize them store-wide. With this plan of action, Randall’s can be armed for an era of consistent pricing and steady sales cycles – at no expense to their quality perception.