...Detecting Media Bias I decided to talk about the economics in my local community. As a resident of Jacksonville TX the outlook for the East Texas economy looks positive, according to area leaders who attended an economic summit in Nacogdoches last week. So knowing where our town stands, so everything was mainly made clear. Some information were pointed out at the beginning, but not all was said until the end and that was when City officials from Jacksonville, Bullard, Rusk and around East Texas flocked to Nacogdoches on a Thursday for the 2012 East Texas Economic Development Summit in Nacogdoches to put all the facts out on the table. Gov. Rick Perry and State Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, were two of the officials who spoke at the summit about the economic status of Texas and East Texas in particular. The news did eventually make it close to worldwide, when all of our police from that city was taken off duty. So our town went a couple of months without officers due to the funds that was not available to keep them. After several months, Darrell Prcin, Jacksonville Economic Development Corp. president, said it was a very good possibility that the police force would be returning due to the economic changes that was made during that meeting. According to Prcin, Ray Perryman, president of The Perryman Group, an economic and financial analysis firm headquartered in Waco, presented a report. “For almost two years, the U.S. has faced historic economic challenges...
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...Paulo Freire Introduction I think it is important—for my own sake as well as the reader’s—that we try, at the very outset, to clarify some points fundamental to the general understanding of my ideas on education as cultural action for freedom. This is all the more important since one of the basic aims of this work, where the process of adult literacy is discussed, is to show that if our option is for man, education is cultural action for freedom and therefore an act of knowing and not of memorization. This act can never be accounted for in its complex totality by a mechanistic theory, for such a theory does not perceive education in general and adult literacy in particular as an act of knowing. Instead, it reduces the practice of education to a complex of techniques, naively considered to be neutral, by means of which the educational process is standardized in a sterile and bureaucratic operation. This is not a gratuitous assertion. We will later clarify the radical distinction between knowing and memorizing and the reasons why we attach such importance to the adult literacy process. But first, some words about the socio-historical conditioning of the thinking presented here, as well as an explanation of the necessity for critical reflection on such conditioning. From a non-dualistic viewpoint, thought and language, constituting a whole, always refer to the reality of the thinking subject. Authentic thought-language is generated in the dialectical relationship...
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... What most people think is the two stores are supposed to be marked towards the same market, but really they are not design to please the same kind of customers, the Home Depot is concentrated more to provide hardware for contractors and professionals, with this in mind is easy to say the majority of males are constructors or contractors specialists and prefer shop at Home Depot their hardware. The company is positioning itself to benefits from the industry of sales products to do-it-yourself (DIY) customers. On the other side Lowe’s competes extremely well against Home depot head to head. I would say they had been more concern in the store layout and design, the stores are brighter and more user friendly than Home Depot and this normally attracts more female shoppers, who are making an increasing percentage of home improvement decisions. Lowe’s positioning itself to benefits from a industry segment of do-it-for-me (DIFM) customers, this segment is growing much more than the do-it-yourself (DIY), for this reason Lowe’s is offering more services including installations, repair and home improvements. 2 – Explain the differences in men’s and women’s attitudes about product selection and pricing at Lowe’s and Home Depot. 3 – Discuss whether Lowe’s should have distinct merchandising strategies for men and women shoppers. 4 – Explain the criteria that Lowe’s should...
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...Home Depot popular concept of “do it yourself” for clients seeking to build, repair and improve their homes. Home Depot stores were equipped with a wide range of home improvement products and knowledgeable staff are ready to help customers choose the right products, tools and materials, and even explain how to use them. To some extent, Home Depot store managers “do it yourself” as well. For the first 20 years, Home Depot has been known for its entrepreneurial spirit and launched, and unofficially. Store managers who wanted to be an expert in home improvement, made their goods-planning decisions and have considerable autonomy in running their shops. Purchase was decentralized. As it grew in size, many companies believe that a more disciplined approach to operations will be important for future growth. In 2000, the company has hired Bob Nardelli, a former executive GE, to bring change. As chairman and CEO Nardelli centralized sales and purchases and brought technological discipline to store operations, simplification and standardization of processes and product implementation Six Sigma quality methodology. Nardelli changes led to higher profitability. However, the stock Home Depot has remained almost unchanged during his term in office, and some aspects of customer service significantly affected. These results raise an important issue not only for Home Depot, but also for other companies in which employees perform as routine associated with the production of non-standard measures...
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...Your Home is a Good Place, Inc. 1. Does YHGP have a viable market? Are there enough customers as envisioned by Norwalk to support his vision? Examine the tabulated US Census data and prepare supporting documentation for your answer. * Uniqueness of industry may help Norwalk gain success. * There are 33,353/319,290 households that have an income of 100k or more. Norwalk wants to obtain five customers a month that clear 100k a year to pay 10k or more on projects; that only requires 60 households for Norwalk’s idea of success. 2. Are there customer groups that Norwalk is omitting from his target group? If so, why should Norwalk consider expanding his market base? * Anyone under yearly income of 100k, age, demographics. * Create more business and marketing to himself and contractors involved 3. Norwalk has chosen to approach female customers as the decision makers. Is this limiting his abilities to expand his business? * Discussion SITUATION (OVERVIEW): Bill Norwalk is an entrepreneur in his 50’s that has a background in marketing and wants to launch a new industry that satisfies homeowner customer needs. BACKGROUND (OVERVIEW OF CASE): Norwalk’s construction experience taught him that traditional home improvement was an iffy proposition for both contactors and home owners. YHGP was attended by homeowners, contractors, and other service providers in the “one stop” environment that emphasized convenience as a marketing strategy. Norwalk knew...
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...enter the Indian market, and describe our strategy for how Home Depot might successfully expand globally into India. We believe that Home Depot can gain great value from entering India following our strategy. Introduction and Background Home Depot was founded in 1978 by Arthur Blank and Bernie Marcus. They originally started with two stores in the Atlanta area with about 60,000 square feet each. These stores dwarfed the competition in not only size but also in product offering and availability. They started off offering over 25,000 different SKU’s to customers in everything from power tools to simple easy to use items such as tape and glue (Home Depot). The goal was, as a company, to target and create a market for the “Do it Yourself” or “DIY” market. Until the arrival of Home Depot there was such a market but only local mom and pop shops competed. Home Depot provided a place where they could provide a one-stop shop for DIY and could also provide the “know-how” necessary to complete these home projects. Home Depot associates undergo rigorous training and education in their perspective departments in order to provide the best customer service possible (Home Depot). Home Depot was an overnight success and in 1981 went public on NASDAQ then subsequently moved to the NYSE in 1984. Home Depot was the fastest growing US retailer at the time opening up its 100th...
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..."The Home Depot NYSE: HD, headquartered in Vinings, Georgia, is a home improvement retailer that aims for both the do-it-yourself consumer and the professional in home improvement and construction. It is the second largest retailer in the United States, behind Wal-Mart; and the third largest retailer in the world, behind Wal-Mart and French company Carrefour. The Home Depot operates about 1,900 stores across North America. The company operates stores in the United States (including the 50 states, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands), Canada, and Mexico. The Home Depot also operates EXPO Design Center stores in select U.S. markets, providing high-end home design products and services. Its 2004 sales totaled US $73.1 billion. It was ranked #13 on FORTUNE magazine's FORTUNE 500 The Home Depot also owns a chain of higher-end home decorating and appliance stores. The Home Depot employs over 325,000 people." The company was founded in 1978 in Atlanta, Georgia by Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank, and grew rapidly, with sales topping $1 billion annually by 1986. From the moment of its foundation, HD has continued to grow constantly by targeting strong markets with many new homeowners and young people such as New Orleans. Home Depot managed to grow fast by quickly adapting to change and continued to be successful by holding fast to the culture and values of the organization. The constant renewal and the work to sustain culture that produces good products, employees, and customers...
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... _______________________________________________________________ Report Information from ProQuest 06 March 2014 07:55 _______________________________________________________________ Archives & Bibliothèques de l'Université Libre de Bruxelles 06 March 2014 ProQuest Table des matières 1. Home Depot exits China............................................................................................................................... 1 06 March 2014 ii ProQuest Document 1 sur 1 Home Depot exits China Lien de document ProQuest Liens: Vlink Texte intégral: DIY giant Home Depot is to pull out of China as it plans to close its remaining big-box stores after failing to find the right store format and do-it-yourself culture in the country. The retailer is shuttering its last seven stores in the country, resulting in 850 job losses.The closures follow that of its final store in Beijing in January. Home Depot will keep two speciality shops in Tianjin selling paint and flooring and home decoration.Home Depot chief executive Frank Blake said: "Closing stores is always a difficult decision. We are thankful for the dedicated service of our store associates in China, and we wish them all the best during this transition."According to retail analysts, Home Depot did not find the right business format for one of the world's most difficult home improvement markets, said the Financial Times.Analyst at China Market Research group in Shanghai James Roy said: "Home...
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...* Taking care of people * Giving Back to our communities * Doing the right thing * Excellent Customer Service * Creating Shareholder Value * Building Strong Relationships * Entrepreneurial spirit * Respect of All People HOME DEPOT VALUES MISSION IS IMPROVING HOMES SWOT ANALYSIS Strengths * Improving home quality with reasonable prices * team leadership WEAKNESSES * In 2011, home depot lowered prices to keep it customers. * MSC money reported that in the 1st quarter in 2011 same store sales went down to 0.6% * New York times indicated that n 2011 4th quarter sales went up to 5.7% * MSC money reported that in the 1st quarter in 2011 same store sales went down to 0.6% * New York times indicated that in 2011 4th quarter same store sales went up to 5.7% Opportunities * In 2013 spring season they plan on hiring more people, more than 80,000 according to cnn money website. * With this added on plan, home depot expects to not only supply jobs but develop great workers who will hopefully increase profit for the spring THREATS * Their competitor lowes Business strategy * Pricing strategy to create values to the customer, do not repeat promotions from previous years GENERAL ENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS * EconomicNature and direction of the economy in which a firm competes or may compete. * Economic recession- home improvement industry categorized as recession proof product * Housing market * Increased restrictions...
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...American Vinyl Products, AVP, is a small manufacturer of vinyl and plastic products, such as vinyl car products, plastic after-market products, and decals for the recreational market. AVP’s customers can be divided into three groups: do-it-yourselfers (DIY), professional users, and large corporate accounts, such as American Performance Car. American Performance Car has sent the president of AVP a letter that points out AVP’s lackluster customer service and has given them an ultimatum to provide an acceptable resolution or they will leave and find another supplier. I recommend AVP to upgrade their phone system. Currently, all three different customer types go through the same phone system even though their calls are usually vastly different from one another. The DIYs call in the most per day and lasts the longest, the large corporate accounts call in the least per day and lasts the shortest, while the professional users are in between. AVP should upgrade their phone system so that it splits into three lines in order to expedite the process. They should also hire more staff, divide them up, and train them appropriately to accommodate for this. The con to doing this is that it will cost a lot of money, but I believe the revenue saved and earned from this will overtake the costs in the long run. More staff also means that even during the two hour break for lunch there will be a sufficient number of representatives. Changes should be focused on improving the experience for...
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...Home Depot Business Environment The Home Depot is the world’s largest do-it-yourself home improvement retailer that was founded over thirty years ago in Atlanta Georgia by Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank (The Home Depot, 2011). Through the lifespan, The Home Depot expanded from a two store operation into the fourth largest grossing retail store as reported by the Fortune 500 listings (CNN Money, 2012). Strategies like price matching, environmentally friendly supplies, introducing Home Depot brands and services, and offering clinics to patrons assisted in Home Depot dominating the do-it-yourself home improvement market. Throughout the lifecycle of Home Depot there have been numerous changes; markets, consumers, direction, and leadership to name a few. Home Depot made adjustments along the way and endured the constant waves of change and in the process developed the orange blooded culture enjoyed by employee and customer. Things change and the Home Depot understand this simple value, but constant is the orange apron and everything it stands for. To date the Home Depot remains a sound corporation even through the recession and unfavorable markets and is in a prime position to generate stronger ROA, ROIC, and ROE measures relative to their closest competitor Lowe’s (Sozzi, 11/2). The pages that follow will analyze The Home Depot and examine what differences it has from the closest competitors. Taking a brief look into the culture behind the store, how Home Depot...
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...Marketing Mix Lowe’s Companies MKT/421 Marketing April 12, 2012 Marketing Mix Lowe’s was founded in 1946; Lowe’s has developed from a small hardware store to the second leading home improvement retailer worldwide and the 7th largest retailer in the United States (Lowe’s History, 2012). Lowe’s runs more than 1,745 stores in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. In 2011, Lowe’s received numerous distinguished industry awards, including number 50 on the Fortune 500 list, and three- time winner of the Energy Star Excellence Award in Retail (Lowe’s, 2012). Lowe’s sells a wide-range of home improvement products in its large, warehouse-style stores ranging from appliances to tools, paint, lumber, and nursery products. Lowe’s stocks 40,000 products in 16 categories (Lowes, 2012). Besides the products on hand they also offer hundreds of products by special order – offering. Lowe’s also offers installation services for some of their products as well. They offer installation services to more than 40 products. Examples of their installation products are appliances, bath, kitchen, plumbing, flooring, windows, doors, window treatments, lighting, and insulation among others (Lowe’s 2012). The installation service targets various customers. Customers in the older group and also people who are not DIY (do- it- yourselfers) as well as women and people on the go, which have no time. Lowe’s carries numerous brands in each product...
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...HOME DEPOT Home Depot is the world’s largest home improvement chain and second largest retailer after Wal-Mart. The giant home improvement retailer leads the DIY industry that is followed by Lowe’s. Stores are located in the U.S, Mexico and Canada. Is it necessary for home depot to emphasize both the DIY and contractor markets to build and maintain economies of scale? Home depot continues to focus on the DIY customer. Meanwhile, contractor sales comprise one-third of the total sales. It is necessary to pay attention both markets since there are some people, who don’t have time to do the work themselves. These people want a service that will do all the installation for them. Providing this service will lead the company to differentiate themselves among their competitors. Moreover, it will maintain a strong cash flow by selling high volume of units to the contractors. However, the service provided by the contractors must fulfill customer satisfaction. Therefore, Home Depot should also provide information to the contractors about the products and their installations. These key points will build and maintain economies of scale. Is competitive pressure from Lowe’s causing Home Depot to modify its competitive strategy? Competitive pressure by Lowe’s has caused Home Depot to aggressively upgrade its old stores. Lowe’s has a store layout strategy that focuses on women customers. They see women as a decision maker of a renovation of the houses. Hence, Home Depot has to modify...
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...Eminem – Lose Yourself After analyzing ‘Lose Yourself’ by Eminem, I’ve understood Eminem’s emotion in this song. He raps about taking a chance at success and being able to take it without anyone stopping him. He also refers to the movie 8 mile, where he failed his first chance and knew that his second opportunity he had to succeed. Analyzing the lyrics, with all the expression he has on him he’s starting to lose his desire and momentum of being an artist. At one point he says “A normal life is boring, but super stardom's close to post mortem” which means that having a normal life is boring, but being a superstar is almost being dead. Eminem feels like being a superstar is a lot of pressure and the expectation levels are very high because you need to keep producing content that is bigger and better which he said in this sentence “It only grows harder, only grows hotter”. He’s been through tough times in his career and tries his best to gain respect from other rappers in the industry. My final thoughts on this analysis would be that this song is about his tough times and what he goes through in his career and he truly does a great job expressing it in ‘Lose Yourself’. Everyone in life goes through tough situations and I can reflect on this when it comes to school grades. As I explained in the following paragraph “It only grows harder, only grows hotter” means you have to produce better content for better results is something I can reflect on. It’s never easy to get good...
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...Misunderstood and Technologically Savvy Drawing up the blueprints for an attention-grabbing commercial isn’t an easy task. Commercials air often and it can be easy to forget the thirty-second ad. Consequently, television commercials are working hard to keep you intrigued by the different approaches and designs. The technological powerhouse known as Apple flourishes in business thanks to the versatility in its commercials. Apple’s advertisements vividly portray the impact and view of technology alongside American values and culture. From the invention of the telephone to computers, technology is advancing at a faster pace than the average individual sees. The IPhone, sitting somewhere between the telephone and the computer, seems to be one of the most sought after pieces of technology today. There is practically nothing a phone can’t do nowadays and everywhere you look, including in commercials, someone has an IPhone on hand. Throughout history in America, technology is the medium by which we are getting things done. It has transformed how we approach situations and how individuals act in society. Different generations rely on technology differently. While older generations didn’t have such advanced technology and aren’t accustomed to it being around so often, this generation grew up with it in his or her life. It is often dubbed as rude to have phones out while with family and while out with friends. This commercial is taking the image...
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