HEALTHCARE ETHICS AND END OF LIFE DECISIONS Essay - 5

HEALTHCARE ETHICS AND END OF LIFE DECISIONS - Essay Example This causes an ethical challenge because decision is critical in the solving of the problem. In this regard, this essay will tear in to one ethical and moral dilemma case that will help in understanding this view. Further, the essay will focus on vital ethical principles related to the case and the process of making the ethical decision by medical administrators entangled in the case (Pozgar, 2012). In addition, the essay will provide an argument as to whether the handling of the case was appropriate then try to point out ways that would have the situation turn out differently. Therefore, the chosen case involved a sixteen-month-old baby boy whose father chose to end the life of his son at gunpoint. As per the case, hospital administrators refused to remove the boy from the respirator citing the right to life principle, as they did not agree to the father ending the life of the boy prematurely. In addition, the case presented the respect for autonomy to which the boy could not make the decision on whether to live or not because of the medical state and age of the boy (Zahedi, Larijani & Bazzaz, 2007). In this regard, the father decided to pull the plug after seeing that the boy was not getting any better hence going contrary to these two ethical principles. Ideally, siding with the request made by the parents of removing their son from the machine was not an option that the healthcare providers were willing to entertain. They stood their ground by maintaining that their hospital could not support their decision citing ethical reasons. Therefore, to them the decision was not a moral obligation rather an ethical move that they had sworn by before joining the practice. For one, every individual involved in the case acted out in a manner that they all saw fit hence justifying their deeds. Therefore, the handling of the matter was appropriate because there were injuries despite the presence of a riffle

Purpose And Significance Of The Study Education Essay

Purpose And Significance Of The Study Education Essay According to Alwright (1983), classroom-centred research is any study which investigates what occurs in the classroom; that occurrence could be related to the way a teacher interacts with his students; the way students interact with one another; the conditions which promote effective learning; or anything else related to learning in the classroom. Throughout the past five years, the majority of MA ALT research at Newcastle University has been predominantly classroom-centred Why?. Researchers have either examined and scrutinised the teaching practice, approaches and methodologies adopted in their own diverse, international teaching contexts (Aslanidou, 2005; Al-Nufaie, 2006; Abu Baha, 2007; Al-Zughaibi, 2008; Chen, 2009); or they have explored a variety of cognitive and linguistic difficulties that L2 students face when learning English, suggesting possible causes and solutions to these problems (Hu, 2005; Chou, 2006; Huang, 2007; Chen, 2008; Al-Rahbi, 2009). Although classroom-centre d research is a fundamental part of ALT and unquestionably serves its purpose; if and when research conducted external to the classroom produces new insights into effective language learning, it is equally significant; as the essential aim of all ALT research is to add to current world knowledge (Hedge, 2000). A minute number of MA ALT researchers at Newcastle University have investigated topics which are external to the classroom yet promote effective language learning indirectly (Walter, 2006; Lambton, 2006; Pelik, 2008; Michalska, 2009); surprisingly however, no researcher has ever inquired about the role EFL managers may or may not play in language learning. This is particularly surprising because global EFL institutes such as IH, Bell, and WSI all require clarify these acronyms prospective EFL managers to be MA ALT qualified. These institutes insist EFL managers possess this qualification based upon the assumption that it equips them with the knowledge necessary to be a successful EFL manager. Contrary to their belief, although an MA ALT course does present recent theories and debates regarding language learning, it fails to sufficiently address the specific needs of an EFL manager; this is most evident in the fact that there is no EFL Manager: Theory Practice type module available f or MA ALT students. Due to the lack of research about EFL management, the purpose of this study is to investigate the role of EFL managers in language learning. Although some ALT professors are intrigued by this research project and have clearly stated: this is an interesting topic (Windeatt, 2010:2); others have their doubts about its relevance and have said: I do not feel that this is remotely within my sphere of competence; the question really is whether it is within Applied Linguistics. No need for this in my opinion but u could ask him about it Essentially it deals with educational management; the fact that the product is language teaching is no more relevant than groceries are to the management of Sainsburys (Cook, 2010:3). Though everyone is entitled to his own opinion, this view towards ALT research and EFL management is arguably flawed for the following three reasons: Firstly, the Board Directors of TESOL Inc. (2005) advise ALT researchers to be diverse in their choice of research topics in order for theories about effective language learning and teaching to continuously advance. They urge researchers to explore the field of ALT from a wide variety of angles and viewpoints; and to be innovative in the type of research they conduct. To date, ALT research has demonstrated that language learning can be affected by learner styles; psychological factors; teaching methods; socio-cultural factors, and many other issues (Hedge, 2000). In spite of this, there is no published material on the influence that EFL managers may or may not have on language learning, which implies this particular project is innovative and has the potential to fill an obvious information gap. Secondly, the fact that this project is closely related to educational management, is not necessarily a negative point; on the contrary, this type of research may be part of the logical progression of ALT. Historically, ALT research has always followed a similar pattern to Education research (Grenfell, 1998). Both fields were initially predominantly teacher-centred, meaning the majority of research conducted in these fields focused heavily upon teachers, teaching theory and practice. Over time, their research became student-centred, meaning the general research focus shifted toward the student, his experience as a learner, and methods of promoting effective learning. Essentially, research in both fields has historically been classroom-centred. In recent years however, Education research has taken a step outside of the classroom by looking at how external factors such as school administration affects learning (Charles, 2010). As will become evident from the literature review, there has been a substantial amount of research conducted on school effectiveness, which indicate that second only to explicit teaching, school management has the greatest influence on classroom learning. Based upon Education research, coupled with the recent emergence of global ALT seminars on EFL Management and HE courses in EFL Management (ibid); it is reasonable to assume that future ALT research will explore the role of EFL managers in language learning more thoroughly. Thirdly, the mere fact that a world-renowned scholar of linguistics would imply there is no difference between managing a Sainsburys store and managing an EFL school is reason enough to conduct this research. If such a hypothesis is correct, then researching this topic could provide valuable information for EFL schools such as Bell and IH; perhaps they should be employing staff with general management experience and BAs in Business Studies rather than an MA in ALT? On the other hand, if such a hypothesis is in incorrect, then researching this topic could provide ALT researchers with new insights into the role management in language learning. Additionally, as pointed out by one of the participants of this study, research such as this is useful as it gives EFL managers the opportunity to reflect upon their own practice, and the way in which they contribute to a language students learning experience. Moreover, potential EFL managers, such as some of the students on this MA ALT programme , may find this research useful for the theories it presents regarding the role that they will eventually adopt. The acid test of theory in an applied discipline such as educational management [or ALT] is its relevance to practice (Bush, 2002:15). Scope Context of the Study The purpose of this study then, is to investigate the role of management in language learning; and it is arguably a significant piece of research, as it can have both academic and real-world implications for the reasons already mentioned. Initially, over a dozen private British Council accredited ESL schools throughout the U.K. were contacted and asked to participate in the study; unfortunately, all of these schools declined without providing reasons why. Based upon their unwillingness to participate, and the guidance of Windeatt Cook (2010), it was decided that the most feasible method of research would be to conduct an exploratory case-study on the ESOL department of a public tertiary institute in the North East of England. I donà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢t know According to the participants who were interviewed in this study, the purpose of ESOL departments in British tertiary institutes is threefold: 1) To provide EFL courses for international students who want to study in the UK for a fixed period of time, then return to their home countries. These students generally tend to study EAP courses in preparation for IELTS exams or entrance to a British university; however, some of them study English for business purposes, whilst others simply want a general English course. Whatever the reason, these courses are similar to the types of courses provided by schools such as Bell and IH. 2) To provide ESOL courses for people residing in the UK who want to live here permanently. These students are generally asylum seekers who have fled their own countries due to severe personal circumstances. They tend to study ESOL courses either in preparation of UK citizenship tests; or to equip themselves with the language skills necessary to communicate by English in their day-to-day lives. 3) To provide teacher training courses for native speakers of English who want to become EFL teachers; or for current EFL teachers who want to gain further qualifications. These training courses can vary from Cambridge CELTA and DELTA courses to academic Diplomas and BAs in TEFL. The ESOL department which took part in this study was composed of several managers and approximately seventy teachers. Organisation of chapters Having justified the purpose of this study and providing background information about its research context, the organisation of this dissertation essay is now presented below: Chapter 1: Introduction this chapter highlights the importance of conducting research on the role of EFL managers in language learning, and introduces background information about the context of this research project. Chapter 2: Literature Review this chapter presents key theories about educational management and specifically looks at research into the claims Education researchers have made concerning the influence managers have on learning. Based upon these claims, the role of management in an ESOL context is discussed Chapter 3: Methodology this chapter states the research question and describes the research design and procedures used in this study, including information about the participants and data collection methods employed. Chapter 4: Data Analysis this chapter provides a critical analysis of the results in relation to the literature review. Chapter 5: Conclusions finally, conclusions from the entire investigation are presented here. ______________________________________________________

Micheal Redkin and Math Basics :: essays research papers

In order to create a graph such as the one Ms. Redkin uses to calculate the depreciation of her rental house, first it must be determined which part of the information given is the dependant variable and which is the independent variable. In this case the independent variable is time (in years), and the dependent the value of the house. Next create a graph with the given data, the independent variables on the x-axis and the dependent on the y. Graph and label the given data as points (4 yrs, $64000) and (7 yrs, $52000), allow the graph to represent the house’s value from when it was new to 10 years after its purchase. Graph a line from these two points, now you may follow the line to find the approximate value of the house at certain years of depreciation. In order to find the value of the rental house after ten years, follow the line previously graphed to 10 on the x-axis. The y value you should receive should be 40,000, and if you were searching for the value of the house when it was new, the graph shows $80,000 at 0 years. Another example of how this graph may be used is in finding which year the house reaches a certain value. In order to find out which year the house’s value becomes 55,000 follow the graphed until you come upon the value of 55,000. The x value associated with the value 55,000 is 5 years, so the answer is the rental house will depreciate in value to 55,000 at 5 years. The slope of the line will be required to find many other answers to questions you may have concerning the house and its depreciation. To determine the slope of the line, use the given points of (4,64000) and (7,52000) in the equation (y2-y1)/(x2-x1), that is determine the change in y divided by the change in x which is the slope. (52000-64000)/(7-4) is the specific equation we will need for this line, the solution, -4000 is the slope of the line once simplified. One way to use the slope is to formulate an equation which will relate the value of the house to the number of years depreciated. Let V stand for the value, and t stand for the number of years it has been depreciated. To complete this equation we will also need to know the y intercept so we may use the

Jacob Essay

The story of Jacob takes place in Genesis 25-36 detailing the events of his life; however, the background setting starts with Abraham and Sarah, in Genesis 12. Jacob was the son of Isaac and Rebekah, the grandson of Sarah and Abraham. Throughout the bible Jacob is known for his trickery; however it is not until towards the end is the fulfillment of Abraham’s promise. The name Jacob actually means trickster. But in the end Jacob makes a full turn He was a very manipulative character and tricked his brother out of his birth right and final blessing. However he then is tricked by Laban. Many would call this karma. Jacob’s character and actions maybe the blame of his parents. The bible shows that his parent were quite different the Abraham and Sarah. Abraham and Sarah for the majority of the story displays them as supportive, working together relationships; however much is not told about the relationship of Isaac and Rebekah. Better yet, not much is mentioned about Isaac at all, this maybe lead to believe that he did not have a significant role in the story. Rebekah is displayed as the more aggressive one while Isaac is considered more passive. Isaac did not go out and find his own wife, his father’s servant went and found one for him; all suggesting that Isaac was passive when it came to taking initiative. During this timeframe, Jacob may have been characterized as a â€Å"momma boy†. Genesis 25:27 says that Jacob stayed in camp while his brother became a skillful hunter. This in turns causes Rebekah to favor Jacob. The relationship between Rebekah and Jacob is similar to that of Joseph and his father. Jacob was much weaker than his brother Esau. The relationship of Jacob and Esau goes beyond traditional sibling jealously; but, it is a story of deceit and robbery. This is evident at birth when Jacob is born holding on to the heel of Esau. By order of birth Esau was entitled to the birthright; however, the promise of blessings was on the life of Jacob. Jacob and Esau had two different personalities. Esau was a hairy man, while Jacob was hairless. Esau was favored by Isaac because â€Å"he had a taste for game† (Genesis 25: 28), meaning Jacob was something Isaac was not or could not have been. Esau had a more carefree personality; he did not take much serious; including his birth right. Many stories of the birthright would say that Jacob stole the birthright; however, it seems as if Esau freely gave his birthright in exchange for food. Esau did not understand the importance of his birthright, but Jacob did. Jacob realized the significance of being born first and the bible even says in verse 34 Esau despised his birthright. Jacob stole the blessing from Esau during his father’s death. Esau felt that his father favored him. He may have even felt that God favored Jacob, because Jacob got his birthright and now got the final blessing from his father. Esau eventually has enough and tried to kill him. Jacob’s relationship with God was impatient in the beginning. In the 26th chapter is when Abraham’s promise begins to be fulfilled. One might question as to why Jacob still received the promises of Abraham after all of the manipulating and deceiving he did. Even though Jacob proved himself to be unfaithful, by tricking Esau, lying to Abimelch, he still received the promises that were promised to Abraham. A famine hit the land and Jacob was still able to prosper, his crops produced one hundred fold, he was rich and even found favor with the Philistines. All these fulfill the promises of Abraham. One might say Jacob’s manipulation finally caught up with. Jacob fell in love with the daughter of Laban who in the end tricks him into marrying his eldest daughter. Laban got 7 years of work from him and then an additional seven years.

Marketing Planning Process of H&M

Contents Acknowledgements Introduction Methodology {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} Appendix Acknowledgements I would like to Thank Frances Smith and all the ladies at Invest Northern Ireland for all of their help and support throughout the process of this assignment. Their contribution has been truly appreciated. Introduction In order to understand the Marketing Planning Process it is important to first know what the term, Marketing Planning Process means. Market planning is â€Å"the process by which businesses analyse the environment and their capabilities, decide upon courses of marketing action and implement those decisions. (Jobber, 2006) It is also important to acknowledge the different stages and types of the process and which is best for the company. Methodology Information has been gathered from a wide range of sound and non-biased secondary resources. Statistical information, information on profitability of the company’s marketing environment has been sourced and analysed from sites such as Datamoniter, Mintel Oxygen, key Note and Lexis Nexus. Further Data and information has been sourced from electronic journals such as Emerald, business websites, respected newspapers and The H&M company website, from which this Marketing Planning Process will be based. Business and Marketing theories have been gathered from marketing gurus and scholars such as Jobber, Kotler and Porter. Primary research will also be gathered in the form of studying the local H&M stores. The Marketing Planning Process. Business Mission Marketing Audit SWOT Analysis Marketing Objectives Strategic Thrust Core Strategy Target Markets Marketing Mix Decisions Organisation and Implementation Control (Jobber, 2006) 1. 1- The Importance of the Marketing Planning Process. With business operating in an increasingly competitive environment, â€Å"Having a plan gives managers a focal point for decisions and actions. (Jobber, 2006) The planning process gives the company the capability to run successfully and achieve profitable sales, â€Å"It makes sense to try to bring some order to this chaos by understanding the commercial environment and bringing some strategic sense to the process of marketing products and services. † (Tutor2u, 2009) This is why the marketing planning process is very important to a business; it helps to structure tasks and processes by answering all the relevant ques tions of such as; where are we now? , how did we get there? , and where are we heading? in order to achieve the desired goal. In order to fulfill these appropriately using a method of SOSTAC will help to give a structured analysis as each element relates to an important stage within the planning process. SOSTAC is an Acronym for the 6 basic elements of the Marketing Plan: Situation Where are we now? Objectives Where do we want to get to? Strategy How are we going to get there? – The Big Picture Tactics How are we going to get there? – The Detail Actions Who is going to do what and when? Control How can we control, measure and develop the process? . 2- The Advantages of the Marketing Planning Process. The Marketing Planning Process is a great way â€Å"to provide a well defined path from generating a business mission to implementing and controlling the resultant plans. † (Jobber, 2006) The advantage of a good marketing plan is that is means that the company can h ave a clear picture of what they have achieved and what they need to achieve in order to determine if a process was successful or if a new addition will be. The planning process means no time is wasted and everyone is on the same path. 1. 3- Strategic Planning Strategic planning involves managing the direction of the business in order to maintain â€Å"a fit between the organisations objectives and resources and the evolving market opportunities. † (Mc Daniel et al, 2008) this concerns the overall direction of the company and not only the marketing sector in order to ensure the products and services provide by the company are meeting the overall objectives. This can be characterized by the Strategic triangle as shown below: Figure 1- Strategic Triangle. {draw:frame} (New-paradigm, 2000) 1. 4 Conclusion The marketing planning process puts the company’s marketing strategies into action. There are many factors concerning the process as noted. These will now be evaluated in order to ensure the most appropriate methods of the process are being use when completing the marketing plan which will be based on the company of H&M. Market Research. *2. 1- *Types of Market Research. Secondary research is divided between internal and external sources. Internal sources look at records and statistics, such as accounting records, within the whole company while external sources focus on reports and information from outside the company, such as census reports and periodicals. This gives a good indication of not only how well a product may do within the company but also helps the business to understand the market for this product and give them a competitive edge. Primary information involves getting original data directly about the product and focus groups, and online surveys. This helps to ensure that the information is directly specific to the needs to the business as it is personal to them. 2. 2- Contribution of Market Research to the Marketing Planning Process. 2. 3- Conclusion. It is now evident that market research is imperative to a good marketing plan as it collects the data that businesses need in order to succeed. It is now vital to look at the marketing audit for H&M in order to evaluate the strengths and weakness of the company for a good SWOT analysis. 3. 0- H&M background. Hennes & Mauritz is one of the largest fashion retailers to hit the high street with around 18000 stores worldwide, employing around The 73’000 people. H&M was first established in Vasteras, Sweden in 1947 by Erling Person. The company has grown strong ad now offers a team of 100 in house designers to create their lines of men’s, women’s and children’s clothing and made a turnover of SEK 104,041 million in 2008. They also sell their own brand of footwear, accessories and cosmetics. H&M do not own their own factories however; they do buy goods from over 800 independent suppliers round the world, mostly from Asia and Europe. They are also a worldwide store through their online sales and also offer a catalogue of their ranges. H&M’s concept is to offer ‘fashion and quality at the best price. (H&M, 2009) – See appendix 1 For H&M’s Mission Statement. 3. 1- Marketing Audit. The marketing audit considers both internal and external influences within the market when making the decisions arisen. There many marketing tools that a company can use when completing marketing audit such as PESTEL analysis and Porters Five Forces which deal solely on the external environme nt and SWOT analysis which looks at both the internal and external. (Marketing Teacher,2009) H&M are a company whose success is wide spread because of the company’s abilities to perform full research before they make any key decisions. H&M believe â€Å"A strong brand is increasingly important competitive advantage,† (Hennes & Mauritz, 2009). H&M aim to use their methods of communication in order to build the brand both within a long and short term bases. They hope that this enables each customer to have a full understanding of what H&M stands for and to know their way around their H&M store. However there is no mention of their concept of ‘Fashion and quality at the best price’ anywhere within their marketing campaigns. Figure2- The Marketing Environment 3. 2- Macro- Environment. Economic Environment*- The economic environment looks at the PESTEL analysis which consists of: *Figure 3*- *PESTEL* Analysis. â€Å"Before H&M decides to move into a new market, an assessment is made of the markets potential. Factors such as demographic structure, purchasing power, economic growth, infrastructure and political risk are analysed. † (H&M, 2009) Political Companies need to be informed on the polit ical structure of the countries in which they are in distribution with. These include any government policies, taxes, trading tariffs, any war or conflict as well as internal politics of the country. H&M are concerned with political restrictions and therefore analyse the infrastructure and political risks before expanding. They need to be aware of the countries laws and regulations so as not to break them or discriminate in any way, especially with their marketing tools. Things that may need consider would be the VAT reductions, recycling terms, any new laws brought into power, distribution laws and regulation hours of opening, i. e. within Ireland there is set opening hours on a Sunday from 1-6. Economic Before H&M decide on a move into a market they always do a structured analysis to assess the markets potential. Many factors must be researched here in order to determine the correct decision. Factors to consider include the economic growth of the city. They must establish the city’s interest rates as high levels may deter the investment because of costs and analyse inflation as it may provoke higher wage demands. They must also establish the need for employment within that area. This is especially important in the middle of a recession where companies need to be smart about their expansion decisions. Managing Director of H&M, Rolf Erikson states; â€Å"H&M stands strong and we are focusing on the future. The economic situation is creating great opportunities that we are going to take, for example in terms of access to new attractive commercial locations and being in a strong position to negotiate. This year we plan to open a net amount of 225 new stores and recruit 6,000 to 7,000 new employees. †(H&M Profile, 2009) Social The social and demographics of the country of city must be considered before expansion. They must ensure that there is a market for the age that they are targeting and be aware of the attitudes towards fashion and the weather within the demographic area. Lifestyles must be considered here also, with the recession it may not be wise to sell a lot of summer or swimwear within EU with the euro being so bad and less people being able to afford holidays. Also cultural lifestyles must be analysis. For example H&M would have to be careful about expansion within the Far East and how they would market themselves to suit the cultures, i. e. : in larger Muslim cities it would be unwise to sell miniskirts or ‘belly tops’. They also look at the purchasing power within that particular area to study the buying habits of the customer. Technological H&M aim to use all form of technological communication in order to keep up to date with their customer and with today’s market. Their website is their main form of communication and they feel it is what strengthens the brand. The website offers a chance to shop online, visit stores, use their virtual changing room to get an idea of how the garment will look and to establish their business concepts. It also provides information aimed at the public, media, potential employees and financial markets and shareholders. They also have their own Face book page allow other customers to view from there. They tweet on the twitter site also with updates and have their own page on You Tube to upload Fashion TV. These are great methods of communication although they do have to be careful to filter what is being written and placed on these sites as they do target to teenagers and children. They also must ensure that internet pages such as Face book do not cheapen the brand especially as they try to promote themselves as a luxury low cost brand with stores in locations such as 5th Avenue. Environmental Legal Further information on Competitive environment and Marketing Environment is available in Appendix 2 *3. – Micro*- Environment Figure 4- {draw:frame} (Learning Marketing, 2008) Micro Environmental Factors- The micro- environment is the internal factors close to the company that have a direct impact on the organisations strategy. These factors include: Customers H&M believe the satisfaction of their customer is very important. This factor is what provides them with the knowledge to target the appropriate audience which helps to maintain customer loyalty. They believe that this is true of the layout of the store in order to attract their customers. H&M Cleverly devise each store differently, making it unique to suit its surrounds. They establish this by analysing â€Å"the customers on the street, the other stores nearby and the traffic flows and relates this to the circumstances of the premises. † (H&M,2009). Although this is a clever use of analysis, it is a wonder if they always get it right and if they always cater for the best target audience available and not just the largest. A use of questionnaires, polls and focus groups would be a great way to establish their best target market rather that a factual analysis. Employees â€Å"Skilled and committed co-workers are one of the main reasons H&M has been able to grow with good profitability for such a long period of time. (H&M, 2009) H&M always strive to employee local employeeswhenever they expand. They use their experienced co- workers to help train new staff when a store first opens, For example, When they expanded into the Japanese market the new employees spent time in both Norway and Hong Kong and during this stressful time employees from othe r stores are brought inn to help launch the brand. (H&M, 2009) Today, H&M has around 73,000 employees in 34 countries. Target growth of the company’s 10-15 percent new stores every year. For 2009 this means that between 6,000 and 7,000 new jobs will be created. Suppliers H&M always strive to offer the latest, high quality garments at the best price. In order to ensue this is the case they buy in large volumes from only independent suppliers so there are only a small percentage of middle men. They demand efficient distribution and test the quality of the produce at every level to ensure it is at its highest, this is why they ensure their team has an extremely high knowledge of design, fashion and textiles. Shareholders â€Å"H&M endeavours to engage in open dialogue with the stock market, the media, customers and other stakeholders. † (H&M, 2009) Figure 5- Current share price: Date- 05/01/2010 Time- 10:43:33  © H & M HENNES & MAURITZ AB 2010 Media Figure 6- {draw:frame} (Daily Mail, 2009) (See appendix 3) The line featured in 1,500 of H&M’s selected stores and of this Rykiel commented, â€Å"The Sonia Rykiel for H&M lingerie collection is the ideal way to offer the essence of Rykiel to a great number of women around the world, and a beautiful way to close the year. † (Lexis Nexis, 2009) Competitors The fashion industry is highly competitive. H&M faces stiff competition from speciality retailers, department stores, mall-based retailers and e-retailers. The company faces strong competition in northern Europe. The following show some companies that are the major competitors of H & M Hennes & Mauritz – Marks and Spencer Group plc Otto (GmbH & Co KG) Gap, Inc. , The Arcadia Group Limited Fast Retailing This can also be described using Porter’s Five Forces as noted with Appendix 4. â€Å"The Internal Analysis of strengths and weaknesses focuses on internal factors that give an organization certain advantages and disadvantages in meeting the needs of its target market. † (Strategic Plan, 2008) In order for H&M to develop an effective internal analysis they will need to include the growth strategies, target groups and the marketing mix. There are three marketing tools they need to include within the internal analysis in order to best explain this: BCG Analysis ANSOFF Analysis 7 P’s of Marketing Mix BCG Analysis The BCG is a tool which helps the company to rate their products according to the market share and growth rate. The products are then displayed on a two dimensional map showing their position in the market. This is explained below: Figure 7- {draw:frame} (Sweska, 2009) Rising Stars- These are products with a high market share and high growth rate. These are products that use large amounts of cash to produce but are very popular and therefore generate a large amount in return. H&M’s rising stars are their collaboration collections with Designers’ and Celebrities’ such as Madonna. Dogs- These products have a low market share and low growth rates. These products are usually discontinued after a short period. Beware of these and attempt to minimize the number of dogs within the product range. These products are those H&M develop to aim to be ahead of their competitors but go a little too far and produce a product that isn’t commercially appealing. Que*stion Marks- Products with a low market share but high growth rate. These have potential to turn into rising stars in the future if it is developed correctly. These can also be dangerous for the company as they are in high demand for a short period but generate a low returns due to the low market share. These are H&M’s high fashion, seasonal pieces such as this season’s sequined jackets which were popular during Christmas party season but they are the biggest product to adorn the sale rails. ANSOFF â€Å"The ANSOFF Growth matrix is a tool that helps businesses decides their product and market growth strategy. (Tutor2u, 2009) Figure 8- {draw:frame} (Tutor2u, 2009) Market penetration â€Å"Market penetration is the name given to a growth strategy where the business focuses on selling existing products into existing markets. † Market penetration seeks to achieve four main objectives: †¢Market penetration aims to maintain or increase of the market share. In order to do this H&M must continue to look at ways to provide competitive pricing strategies in order to have an advantage over their rivalry, especially as one of the main competitors is Primark LTD. They must provide good advertising to entice their customers. At present they market themselves using their shop window, poster campaigns and the H&M website. They also cleverly market themselves by displaying the prices and any sales promotions on the campaigns however the advertising is usually spread across the whole of Europe and therefore, with their stores basing the stock of each store on their analysis of the cities customer, it is often very difficult for customers to find these items in their store. †¢ â€Å"Knowledge is power. † (Bacon, F, 1597) Market Penetration aims to assist the company in attempts to secure power of growth markets. To do this H&M must have a good knowledge of their market and who their competition is within the market. †¢ H&M use very strong promotional tactics in order to promote the company and product, their main advantage of some of their competitors is the H&M magazine. H&M magazine is used to give the consumer a good message on how the company sees fashion, offering not only clothing from the company but also inspiration for trends within both fashion and lifestyle. This is published four times per year. Market penetration looks at ways for the company to increase their number of existing customers and maintain customer loyalty. H&M give a lot of information on their website which is good for customers to have knowledge in a brand they are investing in. However, H&M could benefit from offering some version of a loyalty scheme like a store card or by providing student discount to keep them ahe ad of their competitors. Market development â€Å"Market development is the name given to a growth strategy where the business seeks to sell its existing products into new markets. (Tutor2u, 2009) There are many possible ways of approaching this strategy, including: †¢ Expanding into new geographical markets; for example H&M launched themselves into Russia in 2009 and are making plans to enter Israel and South Korea during 2010 †¢ In order for H&M to develop their marketing strategies with their products, they aim to impress their customers with trends straight from the catwalk for a low price. They aim to keep their brand edgy by re-vamping their old red and white image of the website and packaging to a more colourful and fun print. They also provide special carrier bags when they collaborate with a designer or celebrity. †¢ H&M demand efficient distribution and test the quality of the produce at every level to ensure it is at its highest, new ways of fast yet cost effective and eco- friendly distribution is something they should always attempt to find. †¢ When developing the market H&M always look at ways to change their pricing policies to attract new customers and create new market segments. Product development H&M always strive to develop their products within their existing ranges while staying true to their mission statement, â€Å"fashion and quality at the best price. † (H&M, 2009) They are also expanding existing models in Middle East using a franchise route. This may be a risky move as they will not have full control over the franchised stores Diversification In 2009 H&M launched into a new market by introducing a range of interior textiles for the home under the H&M home concept 2009. This new concept increases the company’s strong brand by offering â€Å"additional choice of lifestyle related products to its customers. In addition, this provides an opportunity for the company to cross sell its merchandise to generate incremental revenue. † (Lexis- Nexis, 2009)- See appendix 5. 7 P’s of Marketing Mix. The 7 P’s are developed in order to â€Å"produce mutually satisfying exchanges within a target market. † (Mc Daniel et al, 2008) They are very important tools for H&M to use when developing or introducing new products into the market as good knowledge of which P’s are important or may need more attention is vital in order for a product to succeed. 3. 5 Conclusion From studying the marketing audit for H&M it is apparent that the company display good methods of conducting the marketing audits. However there are changes that could be made in order to increase the brand name and develop their market growth. A SWOT Analysis will now be conducted in order to determine the best course of action for the company to take in the future. 4. 0 SWOT Analysis â€Å"SWOT is an acronym used to describe the particular Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats that are strategic factors for a specific company. (My Strategic Plan, 2008) The SWOT analysis is a marketing tool used to audit a company and its environment. The SWOT analysis is always at the first stages of the planning process, once the research has been conducted, as it helps the marketers focus on the key issues that need to be addressed. (Marketing Teacher, 2009) See Appendix 6 for a full SWOT analysis conducted on H&M. 4. 1 Conclusion In order to maintain success and enhance that success H&M must continue to provide a high level of service to their consumer market. They need to ensure that high fashion, high quality lines are being produced while remaining to be aware of their internal and external environments. In 2010 H&M need to introduce massive collaborations with themselves and other designers or celebrities as this is what keeps them ahead of the competition as well as a continued loyalty to customers to give them the confidence t shop, and shop at H&M. This can be expanded be expanded by introducing a loyalty system of perhaps a store card where the customer can but now and pay in monthly installments. H&M must do more research into the products they are producing and the fabrics used, especially in children’s wear, as recalls are not acceptable especially with the economic climate. H&M will continue to expand into new and existing markets and must remember to continue to perform high levels of research and analysis before expanding. They may also need to look at new ways to help make the decision as they cannot afford to get it wrong. The company also needs to keep a firm eye on the competition and consumer buying behavior, enhancing resources in this department to ensure a high level of awareness is maintained.