Factoring Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Figuring - Essay Example Despite the fact that, it was not profoundly evolved in the early hundreds of years, significant enhancements have occurred in the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth hundreds of years. The calculating of Greatest normal variables was created in a mounting way, with the pioneers grasping it. Considering was an illustrious game which, Kings supported illuminate regarding challenges, and the ones who developed best in Europe went from court to court to show their abilities. Procedures of trinomial calculating were insider facts that were firmly watched, and subjects of disloyalties and interests. As indicated by Mano, (pg 16) it was likewise evolved on the grounds that it helps in demonstrating hypotheses in the cutting edge number hypothesis, for example, extraordinary factorization. It additionally made the calculation of GCD of huge numbers increasingly productive since it doesn't require a larger number of steps in division than multiple times the digits number (base 10) of the lesser whole number. Trinomial calculating is by and large planned for improving complex basic activities and making them less difficult. In clinical fields, Fractional trinomials have been recommended in considers including plagues to examine utilitarian types of nonstop indicator factors. In centers, it has been increasingly attractive arrange patients into different forecast gatherings. For example kids, adolescents and grown-ups, or conclusion gatherings .E.g. ulcer, tumor and malignant growth. Clinical distributional estimates like lower, center and upper quartile is generally done in characterized age gatherings (for example 15-20, 21-25†¦). It makes medical clinic tasks including numbers simpler than when done in different manners. Man, Carlos. The History of Polynomial Factoring | eHow.com. eHow | Articles and More - Discover the master in you. | eHow.com. N.p., n.d. Web. Nov. 2012.

Animal Farm- Themes / Language and Meaning free essay sample

Topics Language and Meaning In Animal Farm, his purposeful anecdote of the Soviet Revolution, Orwell analyzes the utilization of language and the disruption of the importance of words by demonstrating how the ground-breaking control words for their own advantage. As a columnist, Orwell knew the intensity of words to serve whichever side the essayist sponsored. In the novel, Snowball is a fast talker who can generally clarify out of any circumstance. At the point when the feathered creatures item to the proverb, Four legs great, two legs awful, that the pig shows the sheep, he clarifies that the flying creatures wing is an organ of impetus and not of control. It ought to in this way be viewed as a leg. The winged animals don't generally comprehend this clarification, yet they acknowledge it. Orwell especially remarks on the maltreatment of language with his character Squealer, a splendid talker, who goes about as an informal head of promulgation for the pigs. Like Joseph Goebbels, who bore the title of Nazi gathering clergyman of purposeful publicity and national edification during World War II, Squealer could transform dark into white. This is additionally suggestive of the official paper of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Pravda, which was frequently used to rework the past. (Unexpectedly, its title implies Truth. ) When an awful winter powers a decrease in food apportions to the creatures, Squealer considers it a correction. In an extremist state, language can be utilized to change even the past. Squealer discloses to the creatures that Snowball had neverâ€as huge numbers of them had accepted hithertoâ€received the request for Animal Hero, First Class. God and Religion In the novel religion is spoken to by Moses, the agreeable raven. The ministry is introduced as an advantaged class endured by people with great influence on account of their capacity to appease the majority with guarantees of remunerations in the after? life for enduring suffered on Earth. Moses is managed unique treatment not accessible to different creatures. For instance, he is the main creature not present at the gathering called by Old Major as the book opens. Afterward, the peruser is told different creatures detest the raven since he doesn't accomplish any work, truth be told, the pigs give him a day by day proportion of brew. Like Lenin, who roclaimed religion was the sedative of the individuals, Orwell considers sorted out to be as another corruptible foundation which serves to keep the majority serene. Moses lectures the presence of a secretive nation called Sugarcandy Mountain, to which all creatures went when they passed on; in that removed land it was Sunday seven days every week, clover was in season all the all year, and bump sugar and linseed cake developed on the supports. Human Rights In Animal Farm, Orwell remarks on the individuals who degenerate the possibility of human rights by indicating how the animals manage the issue of equity. In section one, Old Major interferes with his discourse engaging the creatures for a Rebellion against the people by requesting a decision on whether wild animals, for example, rodents and hares ought to be remembered for the announcement All creatures are confidants. In spite of the fact that now, the creatures vote to acknowledge the rodents, later qualifications between various kinds of creatures become so typical that the seventh decree of Animalism is authoritatively changed to peruse, All creatures are equivalent, yet some are more equivalent than others. Various social orders have truly casted a ballot that parts of their populaces were not equivalent in light of their confidence, their skin shading, or their heritage. Class Conflict Orwell saw first? hand how being an individual from a lower class singled him out for maltreatment at St. Cyprians, a school which pulled in the greater part of its understudies from the British privileged. He had additionally perceived how the Br itish decision class in Burma had mishandled the local populace. In Animal Farm the animals start by declaring the uniformity all things considered. The awkward society before long gets separated as particular treatment is given to the pigs. To begin with, only they are permitted to devour the milk and the apples which Squealer claims they would prefer truly not to take, yet should to safeguard their quality. Afterward, different creatures are informed that they should stand aside in the event that they meet a pig descending a way, and that all pigs had the benefit of wearing green strips on their tails on Sundays. At this point, not in any case a clarification from Squealer is fundamental; the progressive system in thesociety is well? built up. A sharp comment by Mr. Pilkington of Foxwood, who speaks to Great Britain in Orwells parody, puts the creators aversion for classes in context. At the point when Mr. Pilkington and different ranchers meet with Napoleon in the books last scene, Pilkington gags with entertainment as he says to the pigs, If you have your lower animals to battle with, we have our lower classes. Orwell realized that with power came the maltreatment of intensity and just a watchful populace could forestall such maltreatment. Legislative issues Orwell utilizes Animal Farm to communicate his profoundly held political feelings. He expressed in his 1946 paper, Why I Write, each line of genuine work that I have composed since 1936 has been composed, legitimately or in a roundabout way, against despotism and for Democratic communism Although the novel is written in direct reaction to his severe frustration that the Russian Revolution, rather than setting up a people groups republic, set up a basically extremist express, its proceeded with importance is conceivable in light of the fact that his analysis remains against any authoritarian systems. The main insurance the normal resident has against a comparable oppression creating in his own nation is his refusal to aimlessly follow the group (like the sheep), the revocation of every single false clarification by purposeful publicity sources (like Squealer), and persistent consideration regarding all administration action, rather than steadfastly following people with significant influence (like Boxer). Truth and Falsehood In the novel, the creatures are frequently compelled to look at the importance of truth in their general public. Over and over, truth turns out to be essentially what Snowball, and later Squealer, lets them know. Any inquiries regarding past occasions that don't appear to coordinate the pigs form of those occasions are either limited or clarified away. For instance, when a portion of the creatures are executed after they admit to different wrongdoings against Napoleon, a portion of those left alive recall that the Sixth Commandment of Animalism was No creature will slaughter some other creature. At the point when Clover asks Muriel to peruse the rule, be that as it may, it is found that it peruses, No creature will execute some other creature without cause. By one way or another or other, the storyteller remarks, the last two words had sneaked out of the creatures memory. So also, when the pigs get into an instance of bourbon and become inebriated, Muriel gazes toward the outbuilding divider where the Seven Commandments had been composed and sees that the Fifth Commandment peruses, No creature will drink liquor to overabundance. She figures the creatures more likely than not overlooked the la st two expressions of this charge too. She comes to accept that the first occasion of the composition of the charges on the divider didn't occur the manner in which she and different creatures recall it. With this subject Orwell challenges the Soviet statesâ€and any authoritarian statesâ€method of controlling general conclusion by controlling reality and, specifically, revising history. Animal Farm Style Point of View The third? individual perspective customarily utilized for tales and fantasies is the one Orwell decides for Animal Farm, his story of an animal defiance to people where the pigs become the incredible world class. The narrator for this situation, as is additionally run of the mill of the tale, tells the peruser just what is expected to follow the story and the absolute minimum about each character, without plain discourse. Orwell centers around the bewilderment of the straightforward beastsâ€the ponies, flying creatures, and sheepâ€in the substance of their control by the pigs, evoking compassion from the peruser. Setting Animal Farm happens at a vague time on a British homestead close Willingdon, a town that is referenced uniquely in passing. The homestead is first called Manor Farm, later renamed Animal Farm and, at long last, Manor Farm again. Manor†which can mean the land regulated by a ruler, the place of a master, or a mansionâ€associates the ranch with the upper, or administering, class. Orwell centers totally around exercises occurring at the homestead, aside from a concise scene in Willingdon when Jones requests that his neighbors help him. By maintaining a thin center, Orwell makes the area in England irrelevant. Storyteller The storyteller in the novel capacities as a narrator, telling a tale Orwell gives the tale amusing hints by utilizing a credulous storyteller, one who will not remark on occasions in the novel that the peruser comprehends to be bogus. After Muriel discloses to Clover that the fourth precept of Animalism peruses, No creature will rest in a bed with sheets, the storyteller announces: Curiously enough, Clover had not recollected that the Fourth Commandment referenced sheets; however as it was there on the divider, it more likely than not done as such. Both the peruser and the storyteller know reality of the matterâ€that the expressions of the decree have been changedâ€but the storyteller doesn't let it be known. The strain between what the storyteller knows yet doesn't state and what the peruser knows is emotional incongruity. Sensational Irony With sensational incongruity a crowd of people, or peruser, comprehends the distinction between reality of a circumstance and what the characters think about it, while the characters stay uninformed of the disparity. For example, Squealer clarifies that the van wherein Boxer was taken to the medical clinic once in the past had a place with a pony slaughterer. He further clarifies that the veterinarian who presently utilizes it didn't have the opportunity to cover up the pony slaughterers sign on its side, so the creatures ought not stress. The storyteller says: The creatures were gigantically eased to hear this. The peruser, who accepted reality when the van initially seemed to divert the pony, feels doubly offended by Squealers clarification Fairy Tales The pixie story, o

4 Strategies to Eliminate Your Ego and Become Productive

4 Strategies to Eliminate Your Ego and Become Productive “Ego trip: a journey to nowhere.” â€" Robert HalfWe, humans, are creatures of vanity. It’s impossible to carry over our gifted innocence that we were born with. By the time we are full grown adults, we fill our world with idealistic desires and an inflated personality. The result is our very own creation â€" Ego.The famous Austrian neurologist, Sigmund Freud defined the ego as “a coherent organization of mental processes”. In simple terms, what he meant was â€" Ego controls our actions, the way we feel about others and our emotions sway towards a negative direction such as hostility, arrogance, bossy, boastful, etc.Suffering from ego isn’t a disability, there are effective strategies to combat them. Let’s first breakdown and understand how ego emerges in a human being and later, you’ll learn the effective strategies to deal with it.WHAT IS EGO AND HOW CAN IT AFFECT YOU NEGATIVELY?Phrases such as “The son will turn out just as egotistic as his father” are plain rub bish. Egotism isn’t passed on genetically. It isn’t a medical condition but rather a psychological one. Researchers at “Society for Personality and Social Psychology” came out with an interesting theory. The subjects that were tested were introduced to games of chance (Blackjack, Roulette, etc.) or where gambling was involved. The study proved that egotistic people never backed down when losing and end up depleting their finances just to avoid being a failure in public. Hence, entertaining egotism in your life has a greater chance of bringing you to ruin during a challenge.Humility and egotism can’t exist in the same plane of thought. Either you’re humble or a showoff. Egotism can manifest as a self-defense mechanism for many depressed individuals. While others have ego due to their inability to feel empathy towards lesser successful individuals than themselves. An egotistic human is generally self-obsessed and doesn’t understand logical statements. To better understan d egoism, here are two examples.You’re out with a group of friends for a football match. One of your friends starts chatting up about how he knows the star striker of the home team. Gradually, the conversation begins to center around how your friend knows all the powerful people around town. By the end of the football game, your friend is now self-obsessed about receiving maximum attention on himself rather than focusing on having a good time with friends. Here’s another great example â€" an affluent politician running for president promises his people that he would improve the state of living if he’s elected into power. After being elected, he forgets his duties and begins to misuse his power for his own benefits. This is a classic case in modern society!The following two examples make it certain that a person with an ego creates an invisible barrier between themselves and their followers. Eventually, people will not stand for all the negative hostility emanating from the ego istic individual. They will begin to distance themselves. Psychologically, an egotistic person feels on the top of the world when he boasts of his accomplishments but the negative effect it has is quite disastrous. Take this questionnaire to know if you’ve got an egotistic mind.Do you consider yourself the smartest person around when you’re out with friends?Every time you shop, do you have a habit of posting about it to your friends and family on social networking sites just to feed on the envy of others?Do you boast to people you’ve just met for the first time about your personal or career-based achievements?Have you posted an image of a loved one online even though you promised them that it would remain personal between the two of you?Do you silently sulk inside when your best friend just made the cut in the school’s football team?If you were to win second prize at the local beauty contest, would you storm out without congratulating the winner?Do you constantly gossip abou t other people’s flaws with your friends and family?Have you constantly set impossible goals for yourself in your life and feel frustrated for not reaching them? Do homeless people on the streets bother you?For every “No” that you’ve answered, give yourself 1 point. For every “Yes”, remove 1 point. Start at a count of 0. Depending on the number of points, your results are listed below.Below 2 points = Extremely Egotistic. People don’t enjoy being around you.2 â€" 4 points = Somewhat Egotistic. Only your family and close friends may let you off the hook.4 â€" 6 points = Barely Egotistic. Some traces of negativity. May offend strangers but not everyone.6 â€" 8 points = Favored Egotistic. You’ve got the right mix of ego that others find you appealing.9 points â€" Humble as a child. People love conversing and being around you for being such a sweetheart.How Ego Affects Our Mental State and RelationshipsOften without our knowledge, our own ego hurts our loved ones the mos t. Carl Jung, a Swiss psychologist, stated that “The first half of life should be devoted to forming a healthy ego, the second half is going inward and letting go of it.” Allowing ego to manifest in a relationship creates a tug-of-war between your own mental state and the emotion for your loved one. It’s not just the personal relationships that ego destroys but also professional ones. Imagine if you refused to help your co-worker solve a problem when he or she needs your help the most just because you thought the task was too trivial to be bothered with. To better understand if you’ve got the signs of egotism, here are a few ways of finding out â€" 1. Blaming everyone around you constantlyOf course, people make mistakes and it’s okay to point it out to them occasionally. But lately, have you stopped appreciating people’s talents and picked on their nitty-gritty mistakes often? If so, you might be suffering from a case of egotism. Most egotists deny any responsibility for their actions and usually blame others for their downfall. Ego makes people feel like they are perfectionists and aren’t justified in committing a single mistake. There’s a thin line that separates egotism and narcissism. Let’s take an example. Your friend and you have decided to hit the casino on a Friday night. Both of you decided to try the roulette machine and after winning a few rounds, both of you are ecstatic. Your friend says it’s time to leave and asks you to cash out your winnings, but you decide to play on and by the end of the night, you lose all your money. You now pick an argument with your friend stating that gambling is wrong and it was his fault for encouraging you. A non-egoistic mind would have taken the loss just as well as the winnings but being egotistic you just can’t handle defeat. Seeing all your money go has set off an internal alarm â€" your friend was a victim of your ego. In this simple case, you just lost a valuable friendship that might have lasted a lifetime.Do any of us reflect a time in our lives, where had we taken responsibility for our actions, we could have still saved a valuable relationship? That’s right, that’s ego manipulation right there.2. Exceptionally high levels of prideUsually, pride and ego are the two best friends that enable an individual to attract a lot of enemies. “I’ve been a lieutenant in the army for 3 years before I was discharged, what have you been doing with your life?” is usually self-centered and portrays you as a valuable person to society and others have done nothing meaningful. If you’re at a party and ask people to constantly take photographs of yourself more than your group, you certainly suffer from a bad case of pride and egotism. You’ve undoubtedly seen plenty of examples of egotistic friends that crop out an entire group photo to have their face-centered before putting it up on social media for the whole world to see. This demonstrates that they want people to see and appreciate them over their friends.3. Egotistic people spend more time in the fantasy worldIt goes without saying, an egotistic mind creates elaborate stories where it presents yourself as the savior of humanity and how you’ll achieve great deeds in the future. In fact, individuals that spend more time dreaming about achieving something don’t achieve it. Don’t believe us? Here’s a research story by Wealth Research Group to support this theory.The study states 98% of the subjects failed to achieve their dream because they spent more time in their fantasy world rather than in real life. Ego always looks at success through a narrow vision and forgets that failure is part of life. An egotistic mind can’t accept defeat and usually gives up on long-term goals as soon as there’re signs of failure. To get a reality check on yourself, ask yourself these questions and write your answers on a sheet of paper â€"Do you know your friends on a personal level?When was the last time you socialized?What was the last goal that you achieved in life that you set your mind on?Have you been arrogant to anyone in the past month? If so, list the names.Have you written down your goals on paper instead of just thinking about them?What methods have you utilized to achieve your goal?When was the last time you sought forgiveness with someone?What are the three best qualities in yourself? What is the one destructive quality that you’d like to eliminate from your life?What’s stopping you from achieving a successful career and a healthy social life?Ensure you write your answers down and don’t just think about them. Written answers can help you reflect later and you’ll hold yourself accountable in the future. An egotistic mind is usually blind to all the above answers until you list them down and read them once a week. Letting Go of EgoReleasing your ego is liberating to the mind and the soul. Ego is like a driver that has been driving our mental state for years on a ba d stretch of road without a break. Finally, when we’ve removed ego, we take back control of the steering wheel and begin to take a journey into a blissful part of town that we’ve never ventured before. If you’re ready to take up this journey and shed your ego, the next section is filled with effective strategies that will assist you in situations where your ego usually manifests. The idea of these strategies is to fully enjoy life’s experiences without blocking them. In short â€"It’s time to get back to our childlike innocence. 4 TECHNIQUES TO MANAGE YOUR EGO AND ENABLE PRODUCTIVITY IN YOUR LIFE1. Practice Forgiveness “Why should I be the one to apologize, it was her mistake! Why should I do it first?” Statements such as these are often heard because ego maneuvers us to behave in this fashion. If the other person doesn’t apologize, we end up hating them. And once we hate someone, we have them in our mind forever causing us mental harm every time the conversation of this person is brought to light. By forgiving people, we don’t just build relationships, but we also learn to release the mental pain that could’ve brought us further harm. Forgiveness isn’t just for the other person, it’s also for your own mind and soul. A single act of forgiveness can release the pent-up negative energy caused by ego and will make your day seem much better than it is. Try this simple exercise to see how uplifting forgiveness can be â€"If you haven’t been talking to a friend or colleague for a long time due to a misunderstanding caused. Pick up the phone and call them and ask for their forgiveness. Once you’ve gotten through the hardest part of letting go of your ego, you’ll realize that it’s easier to forgive and to ask for forgiveness. After you’ve successfully completed your first act of asking for forgiveness, it’s time to forgive someone that’s done you wrong in the past. Once you’ve understood what it’s like to forgive and to be forg iven, you’ll truly feel liberated from the mental pain that’s been agonizing you for years. Speaking of which, we’ve provided 8 valuable quotes below and an explanation behind their hidden meaning to help rid yourself of ego and practice a forgiving and meaningful life.1. We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.   â€"   Martin Luther King, Jr.In this quote, we learn that human beings are capable of selfish deeds a well as great deeds. A single act of arrogance doesn’t necessarily dictate an individual’s entire life. Hence, by forgiving, you show your act of compassion and every day, you wake up you’ll know that you’ve been the better man or woman to forgive others.2. The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgi veness. â€" Honore de BalzacThe mother’s heart has no limits to how much she can forgive her own child for every little mistake he commits. We too should find the bottomless pit of forgiveness in us and forgive people until our ego sheds itself and shatters.3. The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. â€" Mahatma Gandhi The act of forgiving takes courage to forget the past and look towards the future. It’s easier to stop talking to someone once they’ve hurt us but it’s incredibly hard to allow them back into our lives by forgiving them. Hence, forgiveness is a trait of strength.4. When you forgive, you in no way change the past but you sure do change the future. â€"   Bernard MeltzerWhen you absolve someone of their sins, you undoubtedly change the future for both your lives. Instead of having a silent future, the other person can share your happiness once again. The power to change the future, topples an egotistic mind.5. There is no love with out forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without love. â€"   Bryant H. McGillYou don’t fully love someone if you don’t have the power to forgive them. When you love someone unconditionally, you should also possess the power to forgive them for their wrongdoings. Without forgiveness, there exists no love.6. To err is human; to forgive, divine. â€"   Alexander Pope Every human is bound to commit a mistake but a human that can forgive someone’s errors is truly a magnificent being. Simple message yet powerful.7. Always forgive your enemies nothing annoys them so much. â€"   Oscar WildeYour enemies will expect you to hate them after their wrongdoings. It’s time to surprise them by openly forgiving them and seeing their disappointed faces. No one expects people to forgive them so easily, when you do it unconditionally, you’ll be a walking miracle.8. Inner peace can be reached only when we practice forgiveness. Forgiveness is letting go of the past and is, therefore, the mea ns for correcting our misperceptions. â€"   Gerald Jampolsky Imagine walking around with a huge rock on top of your head for several years. It’s torturous. That’s what happens when we carry around hate and contempt for other people’s wrongdoings. By forgiving them, we aren’t just absolving them of their sins and moving towards the future, but we also throw away the rock we’ve been carrying for so long and experience a blissful existence.These quotes alone won’t affect your life if there isn’t any meaningful action from your side. Practice shedding your ego every day, if you receive the chance to forgive someone, do it. The next time you find out your pet dog has made the house a mess, don’t scream at the little one but instead and pet him to show that your forgiveness isn’t just limited to humans. 2. Gain ConfidenceEgotistic individuals lack self-esteem and are extremely insecure in nature. They show a false sense of confidence to keep up appearances. If you feel l ike keeping up a perfect image for the sake of your own ego is exhausting, then it’s time to surrender your selfishness and begin to act like the person you are underneath. Get started on a journey towards attaining self-confidence. Here are some warning signs not to mix up self-confidence with egotism.Listen but never follow the adviceEgo causes you to think you’re already following the best advice. And reading an article such as this is bad information. Sadly, it’s up to you to decide whether you need advice or would like to live a life based on mental suffering at every turn due to your own ill-informed advice. It’s important to put action to the words you’ve heard. To keep your ego in check, you’ll need to evaluate the feedback you’re receiving about your behavior and take immediate action. If you’ve heard a friend pass a comment such as “Stop being so full of yourself.” It means you’ve been hijacking the conversation with your achievements the whole time. Give others a chance to talk. Always respect another people’s opinion even if you don’t share it. Everyone has the right to speak and offer their validated response, don’t spend time arguing about why you’re right, instead try to find a solution to why you’re wrong. You do everything yourselfSelf-help is great if you can perform the task efficiently. Trying to fix a leak in your bathroom instead of calling a professional plumber is a sign of ego. In the end, you’ll end up worsening the situation. Also, egotistic individuals self-medicate instead of seeking medical help, this can be disastrous and even fatal. Don’t be obsessed with how much you know, instead seek help during a problematic situation. 3. Be GratefulGratitude is a sign of recognition and keeps your ego at check. When one is filled with gratitude, it’s impossible to be filled with ego at the same time. Hence, it’s necessary to practice forms of gratitude even if you aren’t used to it. Here are some wa ys to start. Maintain a Gratitude JournalWrite down a list of experiences of the whole day and what brought you deep levels of happiness and fulfillment in this journal. Encourage questions such as â€"What inspired me the most today?What is the happiest moment of my life?What brought me comfort in times of distress?Who is the one person that I’d like to thank today?Did I show gratitude to my mom and dad for their selfless affection?Is there someone that I haven’t thanked but should have thanked in the past?This journal should only keep happy thoughts and all the things that you’re grateful for. Every time you open the book, it’ll fill your life with positivity. Add more things to the journal as time goes on. Another great idea is to add images to the journal of happy moments you experienced in life. Maybe you met your spouse for the first time?A winning moment during your sporting days?or you met your best friend for the first time? A special image can be attached to the jou rnal to remind you of these wonderful times. Take a Gratitude Walk Every Weekend A gratitude walk is a special time that you spend between yourself and your mind to think of all the things you’re grateful for. Think of all the loving relationships you’ve made along the way. Stop and look around the world and be thankful for being alive today. Pay special attention to your senses and be grateful for your job, your home, your family, your parents, and special occasions. Do maintain a gratitude walk every week without missing out on it. A routine such as this breaks down the ego into little bits and pieces, never to see them again. Additionally, you’ll be filled with positive energy after the walk and will be in a much happier mood. Write a Thank-you Letter to Your Special OnesGratitude is a powerful form of expression. When someone receives gratitude, they are overwhelmed by emotions. Take the time out of your day and write a hand-written letter to a friend that was with you thr ough your tough times. Show gratitude to your professor or teachers from your high school that helped you shape your life. Utilize words of expression in your letters and don’t forget to include a moment that was special between the two of you. With gratitude, you can make them feel special and you’ll get rid of any trace of egotism in the long run of things.It’s a good idea to attach a small gift to the letter to show your sincerest gratitude for the time they’ve been with you. It doesn’t need to be an expensive gift, just pick out something that the special someone would prefer, this demonstrates that you remembered their favorite choices and it creates a special bond.4. Alone TimeTo understand yourself better, take a day out in search of adventure. Ego settles only when we allow it to. Go outdoors, grab your camera, sunscreen, and take pictures of nature such as pine trees, birds, buildings, and other beautiful exotic objects. What this activity does is show you that li fe isn’t bottled around a small incident and that life can be much more if you allow it to. If you don’t know what you should be doing by yourself. Here are some fun activities to considerPractice selfless love. Promise yourself that you’ll do at least one generous act like feeding a homeless person or spending time doing 30 minutes of community serviceSpend time feeding the homeless at a homeless shelter. This experience will surely break your ego to understand how unfortunate people areTake time off from work for your family. Most egotistic individuals are workaholics and refuse to spend time with their familyDestress yourself by hitting the local bar or listening to some music. Don’t let your head fill itself with negative thoughtsPhysical exercise is a great way to allow positive energy into your life. Hit the local gym or go cycling Meditating is another powerful source to understand your inner self better and shed the ego identity. The art of meditation is believed to bring you back to your true conscious state without living in fantasy. Meditation destresses the mind and allows you to think of solutions to your problems. Here’s a simple step-by-step meditative technique to help you with your ego fix.Step 1: Place a yoga mat on the floor, and simply lie down comfortably with your hands apart. Remain in this position for a full minute.Step 2: Close your eyes and begin to take deep breaths. Don’t focus on anything but the flow of your breath. Do this for 2 minutes. Step 3: Observe the movement of your body with every breath you inhale and slowly exhale out. Step 4: Stop deep breathing and return to your normal breathing phase while keeping your eyes closed.Step 5: Lie down for an additional 2 minutes with your eyes closed and visualize yourself in a happy moment from the past. Gently relax your facial muscles and smile as wide as you can. Step 6: Open your eyes and slowly get back up. And that’s it. Repeat this exercise every time you feel an xious, anger, or frustration. It will calm you back to your true self. The meditative process takes less than 8 minutes to complete and will fully connect you to your inner self and will gradually reduce negative energy. Within a month’s time, you’ll understand the benefits of humility and conscious living.CONCLUSIONEgo is like a house of mirrors, in every direction you’ll see a reflection of you staring back at you. When someone is obsessed with themselves to the point he or she sees nothing else, they will be desperate for attention in every discussion. This false sense of superiority always creates a comparison with others and you’ll end up the undisputed winner in all arguments. Remember to shatter the mirror of egotism and embrace others as your equal. The true spirit of living lies in humility, appreciation, and forgiveness.

A Main Character Of Odyssey - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1401 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2019/04/01 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: Odyssey Essay Did you like this example? In Odyssey, the main character Odysseus leaves his land and family to battle at Troy. He spends a decade later trying to return home, battling various ills and evils so that he may eventually be able to return home. In his long absence, his wife Penelope has the battle of her own to resist the suitors congregating in her home in an attempt to marry her. Their son Telemachus battles a mostly internal war in both missing his father and the suitors who are ruining his home and overtaking his life. In O Brother, Where Art Thou?, the three main characters Everett McGill, Pete Hogwallop, and Delmar O’Donnell escape from a prison chain. Everett convinced his fellow inmates that he has hidden a treasure that must be recovered before his hometown is flooded from the progress of the creation of a dam. Unaware to his companions until close to the end of the film, he is actually in prison for unlawful practice of law, and the treasure does not exist. The trio travels back to McGill’s hometown, with many interesting adventures along the way, including meeting a blind man who foretells their future, McGill’s attempts to win over his wife Penny, and becoming a famous singing trio who receive a pardon for their crimes due to their immense popularity. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "A Main Character Of Odyssey" essay for you Create order Homer’s epic The Odyssey and Ethan Coen and Joel Coen’s movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? are very similar despite several large differences. The most notable differences between the two are the setting, the number of primary characters, and the history and story of the main character(s). There are many similarities including an array of adventures, and the pursuit of material reward. In Homer’s epic, the story takes place centuries ago, while the Coen’s movie takes place in the 1930’s. These differences bring with them different cultures and values. In Odysseus’ time, honor was valued above nearly everything. Homer shares a story of men who were highly valued when they died in battle, which was considered a good, respectable death. In the time period McGill, Hogwallop and O’Donnell lived, honor was not as valued. Rather than being men who were very well off, who left home to do battle, these three are escaped convicts. They hold no honor, something that is very evident when Everett McGill finds that his wife is engaged to another man and has lied to their daughters, preferring to tell them that their father was hit and killed by a train than to tell them he has been jailed. Odysseus’ wife Penelope waits for him for ten years, remaining faithful to him at all costs. She also shares her husband’s good name with their son Telemachus, and they both refuse to fully accept the possibility that Odysseus is dead without irrefutable proof. In contrast, McGill’s wife Penny tells their three daughters that he was hit and killed by a train, to avoid the shame associated with him having a criminal record. The girls believe their mother, as they have no reason not to, and Penny becomes engaged to another man rather than remain faithful to her husband. Despite these differences, both McGill and Odysseus do what they must to get their wives back from the suitors. While McGill takes a much less violent stance, by punching his wife’s fiancà © and then finding her original wedding band (his requirement to take her hand again), while Odysseus murders all the suitors in his home. These two men have different family dynamics, but the same dedicat ion to their wives and children. In the Odyssey, there is one main character. While there are three central characters, Odysseus, Telemachus, and Penelope, the story only follows one at a time, with Odysseus ultimately being the main character. In O Brother, Where Art Thou? there are three main characters. McGill, Hogwallop and O’Donnell are together at almost all times. This story also has one main character that it follows, McGill, instead of following the stories of the three most important characters. The characters also have different stories and histories. Odysseus is a noble, often given the title â€Å"godlike,† and lives on a large property that supports his in-laws and allows him room and wealth for many flocks of animals, workers, and servants. Odysseus is well-respected, and his name is well known due to his high social status. The three in O Brother are criminals, without more than the possessions of the average middle to low class person during the time – at least before they were jailed. Their names are originally only known because of their failures to obey the law, and because they are escaped criminals. Later on, they are known because of their hit singing ability, but that is not even under their own names, but their â€Å"band† name. While Odysseus is known for his good deeds, McGill, Hogwallop and O’Donnell are known for their misdeeds. The similarities between the two stories are extensive, so I will only focus on a few. There are similarities not only in plot and the adventures the characters embark on and are involved in. In both tales, the main characters are following the strong theme of want/need to return home. Odysseus is battling gods, monsters, even visiting Hades to help him return to his family. McGill convinces two others to break out of a chained roadside jail so that he can return to his wife and daughters. In addition, both stories begin with our â€Å"heroes† in captivity when they are first introduced. Odysseus is on an island with Calypso, and the three in O Brother are jailed. Both escape captivity, though through different ways. Though at opposing ends of the story, Odysseus, McGill, Hogwallop, and O’Donnell end up floating on driftwood. For Odysseus, the waters are so intense because he had angered the god of the sea, Poseidon earlier in the story. Poseidon did everything in his power to keep Odysseus from getting home, though he was unable to kill Odysseus because of Zeus’ direct orders. As a result, Odysseus raft torn to pieces, and he floats on broken pieces until he finally attempts to swim to land. McGill and his inmates were left floating on their own coffins after the valley they were in was flooded to create a dam. They also narrowly avoided death by those who wanted to kill them, the local sheriff and his men who wanted to hang them (which was why their coffins were there). In other parts of the stories, they both have their future foretold by a blind clairvoyant (in O Brother, the clairvoyant is the blind man who gives them a ride on the handcart, in Odysseus it’s the prophet Theoclymenus). All four characters are seduced by sirens, though they take very different approaches to the water-loving singers. Also in line with the sirens, only one character becomes seduced by them, with Odysseus tied to the mast of his ship and Hogwallop is basically kidnapped for ransom. Another similarity would be when Odysseus and his crew meet, are terrorized by, and escape Polyphemus, the Cyclopes. In O Brother, the men meet and are mugged by Big Dan Teague, another large man who also lures them in with food (though Polyphemus lure isn’t intentional) and they certainly cannot beat with strength alone, and kills one of their men. There were many similarities between these two stories. It seems almost as if they are the same story, and I am honestly shocked with the wide array of similarities. Odysseus’ adventures today seem impossible, especially as most people now discount Greek mythology as nothing more than interesting stories from the past. By putting similar happenings in a modern context it was fun to watch and read. Although it has a some of events that can be considered fake(such as correct predictions of future events by others). By doing this paper, I now look for similarities between Homer’s and in other media I see. A lot of modern versions of epics and tales show similar plot and adventure. Also, the success of the movie and epic both show the interest that the general population has in an epic tale that includes plenty of â€Å"action† and a tale of romance. In the end there is many similarities and differences between the movie and epic.

Essay on Portrait of the Artist as A Young Man and The Wall

The Artist in Joyces A Portrait of the Artist as A Young Man and Pink Floyds The Wall Foragers, the people who live in hunter-gatherer societies, have no artists. It is only when society becomes complex enough to support a division of labor do artists emerge-first as shamans, then as the painters, singers, writers, etc., that we usually think of today. Society, then, creates the artist, but it can also destroy him. In A Portrait of the Artist as A Young Man, James Joyce describes the particular development of Stephan Dedalus that led to his becoming an artist. Pinks development in Pink Floyds The Wall, mirrors that of Stephen yet concludes in the destruction of the artist. An important similarity between them is†¦show more content†¦Pink Floyd makes this separation into the metaphor of the brick wall that plays a role though out the rock opera. Pink Floyd focuses entirely on its destructive side while James Joyce only touches on its negative aspects as he portrays the artists development and concludes with the constructive side of the separation. The separation begins in both artists while they are very young and becomes most evident in their interactions with their peers and members of the opposite sex. A contributing factor to the development of their separation is the manner in which they were educated. School, a place that is supposed to nurture the minds of children, has devastating effects on the young artists. The teachers, who are supposed to guide their students in unlocking their potential, are harsh and authoritative. Stephen is punished unfairly for having broken his glasses, and Pinks poetry is mocked before the class. 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Bringing Out the Best in Others Free Essays

string(24) " stuck with an impasse\." When I arrived home after being promoted as the CAD (Computer-aided design) Manager of our company, I had great difficulty going to sleep. It felt as though I was on top of the world and the exhilaration I felt was intensified as I looked back to the years when I first set foot in America. I was an eighteen-year-old lad then and I was very anxious to get assimilated into American society. We will write a custom essay sample on Bringing Out the Best in Others or any similar topic only for you Order Now My entire family and clan had high hopes that somehow I would make it good in a foreign land. Fear of failure probably gave me a head start as my drive and determination to climb the corporate ladder was so strong: I immersed myself in the study of American English and culture more than my other compatriots did. I worked and studied at the same time hoping that my academic credentials and relentless drive to succeed would open doors for me. Fortunately, I was not disappointed. One after the other, the doors of opportunity began to open. I found work to finance my schooling and when I was through with my schooling I immediately found work as CAD Drafter. Little by little, my superiors took notice of my technical and programming skills. Perhaps, over and above these skills, what really made my superiors realize that I was intent on moving up was my refusal to give up when the team seemed to have run into a blank wall. I always kept trying to figure a way out of the problem long after the others in the team had already given up. Indeed, there were a lot of instances when my plain stubbornness solved a difficult problem. Now, as a CAD Manager, I am determined that this same persistence could again one day give me another shot at a higher position. Besides, I am convinced that I have to be particularly quick to recognize the existence of the same trait in my subordinates. I know that a worker with a drive similar to mine would make a difference in the accomplishment of tasks. After literally burning the lines breaking the news back home through an overseas call, I sat in my apartment and asked myself, now what? I realized that having been promoted is not the end of the road. Instead, I was given another uncertain road to trek. This time, the rules are different; the expectations are higher and the demands are also certainly harder. That very night, my elation slowly gave way to apprehension. Even then, I congratulated myself for a job well done and steeled myself for another formidable challenge to be hurdled. I took stock of the team assigned to me and wondered if I could really be an effective leader considering that I have risen from the ranks. Immediately, Mr. Tom Higen came to mind. Like me, he rose from the ranks such that he knows virtually everything about CAD. I silently resolved that I would pattern my management style after his. Mr. Higen would be my role model and mentor. To lead the team effectively, I knew that I had to know the members of my team on a deeper level. John Maxwell (2001) writes that successful people-developers make the right assumptions about people, ask the right questions about people and gives the right assistance to people (p. 143). I felt that Mr. Tom Higen demonstrated this trait in his dealings with us. Indeed, he is a very focused worker and yet found time to bond with us, his subordinates. It is true that in my other jobs, I also had superiors who would ask how I was doing almost every time they met me in the lobby or elevator. Yet when one is not sincere, the phony nature of the question somehow gets through and I often had the feeling that they would ask what I was doing not because they really cared about what I was doing but because they could not find any other statement to break the ice. When Mr. Higen asked how I and my other colleagues were doing, I could immediately sense that he was not mouthing a perfunctory, one-liner as some sort of lip-service to what they call corporate bonding. I could feel that he was sincere in asking the question and without much reservation or hesitation, I and my colleagues could discuss with him our personal problems and eventually we would move on to discussing with him work issues and difficulties. While the presence of other superiors would make us uneasy, Mr. Tom Higen’s presence would be a welcome treat as we found in him an ear that was ready to listen. Realizing that I should also try to establish a strong bond with subordinates, I made it a point that in our weekly meetings, I would ensure that I would arrive at the conference room 30 minutes ahead of schedule. While waiting for the other team members to arrive, I would ask how one’s child was doing or how one was coping with a new-found hobby or sports activity. In these sessions, I was able to gauge whether a subordinate’s performance is being affected by a domestic problem. Once, Matt Cavaness, a Senior CAD Specialist who is an exuberant guy suddenly became withdrawn and failed to meet a deadline twice. It is in one of these pre-conference talks that he disclosed that his 1-year-old daughter kept getting ill and the doctors could not give a final diagnosis. I remarked, â€Å"Now I see why you aren’t your usual self. I will pray that no serious illness has befallen your daughter. I think he was so touched and relieved by my statement that his concentration at work was restored. Now, when the two of us have one-on-one discussion about production issues, we would outdo each other in saying, you are not your usual self, when we are stuck with an impasse. You read "Bringing Out the Best in Others" in category "Papers" I would say I started to gain the trust and loyalty of Matt by that thoughtful remark. It is indeed surprising how such a seemingly insignificant gesture could pave the way to a strong bond of professionalism and friendship. I think that in this instance, I took the step in making the right assumptions about people as John Maxwell suggested. I discovered what is valued by my team mate and knowing what he values, I use it as a means of connecting with his inner self. I began to see him in a different light and became more understanding of his previous lapses. Another positive result of my pre-conference talks with my subordinates was the fact that whenever I set a meeting or discussion, nobody would get late as what happens in other departments. Since they all know that I always arrive at the venue 30 minutes ahead of time, they either arrive at the venue 30 minutes ahead of schedule or be at the meeting place at least 10 minutes before the sessions. They surely find it embarrassing to keep me waiting. Since I want all meetings and all outputs to be delivered on time, I must ensure that I myself demonstrate this demand in my very own work ethic. This management practice bolstered my integrity, a quality which Maxwell regards as the most important ingredient of leadership (p. 49). Taking off from such a fruitful pre-conference talks with Matt, I also resolved to know the other members of the team in a deeper way: Gunilla and Miguel, the Senior CAD Specialists and Ramon and Olive, the Project Cad Specialists. By knowing a lot about their personal circumstances, I believe that I could sincerely engage them in conversations that would delve on both the personal and professional aspect of the employee. I familiarized myself with the personal background of my teammates. I even took pains to memorize the number of children that my subordinates had and ensured that I could at least remember their names. When an employee would come in to refer an issue, I would make it a point to begin with a small talk about the employees current personal undertakings. This went on for quite some time until one of them remarked, â€Å"You’re bent on becoming a Mr Higen, aren’t you? † I was dumbfounded by the man’s perspicacity. With that I suddenly came to realize that perhaps my aping Mr. Higen was being counterproductive. Instead of seeing me as a superior who is as caring and concerned as Tom, I was coming across as phony and a copy-cat. Surprisingly, when I ceased trying to become a clone of Mr. Higen, I suddenly became more relaxed in my conversations that the spontaneity and warmth of my concern as a superior showed through. My co-workers began to like me and began opening up to me as a person and as a professional. My inhibitions and my mental cues to be like Mr. Higen eventually gave way to a more relaxed and natural way of dealing with my subordinates. I began to have a very caring attitude towards my subordinates. I have begun to accept that I am who I am in my own unique way and not through the ideal of some other person. While I am resolved to pay forward the kindness of my superior, I am also obliged to remain true to my identity. This is the only way I could safeguard my identity as a unique individual. After having impressed my subordinates about my concern for their personal and professional welfare, I was dead-set on ensuring that they would throw in their unconditional support in the attainment of our goals. I believed that one sure way of motivating them towards this managerial objective of mine is to gather the input of each member in how to attain the goal in the best and fastest way possible. Again, meetings were in order. The first two projects that were finished in this manner truly went fine and ahead of schedule. However, when each team member became less inhibited in voicing his opinion, we eventually came to a point when we could no longer agree as to which is the best course of action to take. As the leader, I would moderate and resolve issues and made sure that the exchange of ideas did not become a clash of personalities. It came to a point when I could no longer reconcile opinions that in one project, we were at a gridlock and time was running out. I eventually realized that even when management principles require the input of subordinates, my role as the manager would have to be exercised with firmness and finality to avoid such impasse. Nonetheless, to soothe feelings that might have been hurt by my choice of a course of action over another, I would announce that a particular course of action is what we ought to follow as an exercise of my management prerogative but once it would not turn out to be the best, we would resort to another suggestion later. I realized that even when inputs are sought from subordinates, I, the manager, still have the final say as to the direction that we would take. By doing this I take on accountability and responsibility if anything goes awry and not the subordinate who offered the suggestion. Indeed, decision-making remains my call in spite of the fact that suggestions from subordinates have been solicited. I am technically proficient in all the programs related to drafting and I keep abreast of all the modern software related to CAD. Thus, my co-workers could always count one me to give them the correct and updated technical advice. I relished being the perennial technical point person until I realized that my availability and dependability on the technical side of our work has become counter-productive. I eventually sensed that as the CAD Manager, I should be focusing on other aspects of production. In fact, I should not bother myself too much with the technical work as an employee was already assigned to specifically attend to it. I must have made myself too available for consultation than I should that Olive kept coming to me for inputs for projects assigned to her. Her importuning consumed a considerable amount of time and having become aware of this I made sure that it somehow has to end. The next time that Olivia came for the usual technical consultation, I pretended that I was on my way out for a business lunch with a client. Throughout the day, I made sure that I could not be contacted by her. As the project was due at 5 pm on that day, Olivia was forced to study the technical material herself. In doing so, she was able to solve her problem. I believe that after two other unsuccessful attempts to get my opinion on a project she was doing, Olivia finally resolved to finish the project all by herself. From then on, realizing that her attempts to consult me midway through a project was merely time-consuming, Olivia finally decided to do her work on her own as well. I realized that by making myself too available, I was not leading my team. I was in fact pitching in for the work that they should have been doing in the first place. Besides, the practice has not resulted in Olivia being able to do the project all by herself. I was teaching her but I did not intend the process to be a repeated activity as she had to be weaned from my constant supervision. I wanted her to be a self-directed or independent employee who is able to reach her goal with minimal or without supervision. This must be what Maxwell had in mind is his admonition to give the right assistance to people. The assistance I was giving Olivia at the start was not the right kind as it had the tendency to make her complacent and dependent. Looking back, I also became aware that my Transition Skill was inadequate. Catapulted to a managerial position, I realized that I would have to go beyond the technical and programming skills and instead hone my managerial skills. I have to make sure that my technical skills are as impeccable as my managerial skills. I needed to learn fast how I could best bring about the best in my five subordinates. Due to the fact that I sometimes had to go on business trips that would take at least a couple of days of absence, I had to delegate some of my tasks. In delegating selected tasks, I would see to it that the job that is delegated is the area where the employee excels. However, I rely on Matt to make the crucial decisions when decisions have to be made immediately. I once thought that delegating tasks is not liked by most subordinates as it would seem to be an additional burden. I learned that in delegating tasks, I have to make the other person realize that delegation is an affirmation of my trust and confidence. I would begin my delegation spiel with the phrase, â€Å"This is a vital process which, I believe, is best done by you. † This statement makes the person warm up to the idea of the responsibility and he would gladly accept the task without much hesitation. Although I do delegate certain tasks, I still ensure that I am still on top of everything by periodic calls or when absolutely needed, I would have those with delegated tasks discuss matters with me via teleconference. Going back to the admonition of Maxwell about making the right assumptions about people, I found that I have unstated assumptions about people and no matter how I try hard not to make an assumption for fear of being prejudiced, the human mind is always classifying or making categories about things and about other people. For example, I treat my two Filipino subordinates, Miguel and Ramon, the way I treat myself. That is, as immigrants like me, I know that like me, they are in a make or break situation such that no matter how adverse the circumstances may be, they will gladly pitch in to help. With this in mind, I give them work that is at times higher or more demanding than that being done by the rest. These two Filipinos always deliver quality work on time. Indeed, people have a way of living up or down to your opinion of them (Maxwell, 147). While assigning work to these two individuals, I always ensure that I are to listen to what is going on with their families. Aware perhaps that I always seek the best for them and their families, I am amply rewarded by their efforts to always bring out the best in themselves. Maxwell says further, â€Å"People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care† (147). The same holds true for Matt and Gunilla. I found that even if they are hard-pressed for time, they would normally respond with enthusiasm to a new project once I had recognized their needs both on the professional and the personal level. For Matt, mere mention of his CD rock collection would send him rattling off album titles since he knows them by heart. I once bought a rock CD for him and he was beside himself with joy. That I should bother with my time to go looking for his type of music was such a profound joy for him. Gunilla on the other hand, loves gardening. Although I do not have much time for late night meetings, I gave her an unexpected visit. I found her busy puttering in the garden. She was ecstatic when I gave her a book about gardening. By the way she enthusiastically responded to my questions, I knew right there and then that I could count on her when it was time to get things done. While I was quite successful with the first four team members, I was a dismal failure when it came to Olivia. It was not because I couldn’t find anything that would make her respond with enthusiasm or anything that would be a common hobby at the stage of her life. Whenever her attention was called to certain lapses, she would accept it with a stony face, pout and then start working on a new task. At first I secretly resented it. However, I eventually confronted her about it and she had a litany of woes as an excuse. To ensure that she is able to produce as much as her fellow employees, I paired her off with Matt Cavaness. Nonetheless, she would not change her habits. Before I could think of another technique to make her more productive, she transferred to another company. My experiences with these people have so far been fruitful. In order to bring out the best in them, I need to show them my best side as well. I am a veritable role model in the department where I work. Aside from this, I must show them my utmost concern for them. By working together and at the same time valuing one another, synergy is achieved and more work is done or accomplished. REFERENCE Maxwell J. C (1971). Developing the leader within you. Nashville, Tennessee: Nelson Publishers How to cite Bringing Out the Best in Others, Papers

Marks Spencer Group Anaylsis free essay sample

Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 2 Marks and Spencer Group plc Company Overview COMPANY OVERVIEW Marks and Spencer Group (MS or the company) is one of the leading retailers of clothing, foods and homeware in the UK. The company operates in more than 40 countries across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. It is headquar tered in London, the UK and employs 78,169 people. The company recorded revenues of ? 9,740. 3 million (approximately $15,158. 8 million) in the financial year ended April 2011 (FY2011)*, an increase of 2. 1% over FY2010. The operating profit of MS was ? 836. million (approximately $1,302. 5 million) in FY2011, a decrease of 1. 8% compared to FY2010. The net profit was ? 612 million (approximately $952. 5 million) in FY2011, an increase of 16. 3% over FY2010. *The financial year ended April 2, 2011 was a 52-week period whereas the financial year ended April 3, 2010 was a 53-week period. KEY FACTS Head Office Marks and Spencer Group plc Waterside House 35 Nor th Wharf Road London W2 1NW GBR Phone 44 20 7935 4422 Fax Web Address http://www. We will write a custom essay sample on Marks Spencer Group Anaylsis or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page marksandspencer. com Revenue / turnover 9,740. 3 (GBP Mn) Financial Year End April Employees 78,169 London Ticker MKS Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 3 Marks and Spencer Group plc Business Description BUSINESS DESCRIPTION MS is the holding company of the Marks Spencer Group of companies. The company is one of the UK’s leading retailers, with more than 21 million people visiting its stores each week. MS offers clothing and home products, as well as foods, sourced from about 2,000 suppliers globally. It operates through both wholly owned stores and franchise stores. As of FY2011, the company operated 703 stores in the UK. MS operates over 361 owned and franchised stores in over 42 territories. Though the company primarily repor ts its revenues in terms of geographic segments (UK and international), its operations can be categorized under two divisions: food and general merchandise. The food division concentrates on four main areas: fresh, natural, healthy food; special celebration products; authentic ready meal ranges; and exceptional ever yday food such as Oakham chicken. It operates a chain of 163 Simply Food owned stores and 202 Simply Food franchise stores in high streets, motorway service stations, railway stations and air por ts in the UK. The general merchandise division of the company is categorized into two segments: clothing and home. The clothing segment offers womens wear, mens wear, lingerie, childrens wear, and accessories and footwear. Some of the prominent brands offered by this segment include Autograph, Limited Collection, Collezione, Blue Harbour, Girls Boutique, Per Una, Ceriso, Adored, and Truly you. The home segment offers homeware and home accessories, kitchen and tableware, lighting, and furniture products. In addition to selling products through regular stores, the segment also offers catalogue services. MS offers its products and services online as well as through flagship stores, high street stores, retail park stores, MS outlets, Simply Food stores, and Simply Food franchised stores. Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 4 Marks and Spencer Group plc History HISTORY MS was founded in 1884 as a stall in an open market in Leeds, the UK. Then known as Marks Penny Bazaar, it was the household goods, haberdasher y, toy, and sheet-music business of Michael Marks, a Jewish refugee from Poland. In 1894, he took Thomas Spencer as a business par tner. In 1903, MS was registered as a private limited company. Although a clothing design depar tment had first been set up in 1938, it was not until after the Second World War that it became fully developed under a leading designer. In 1973, the company entered Canada, and bought Peoples Depar tment Stores and DAllairds, a national womens wear retailer, both of which it later sold. The company also had direct retailing investments in Canada. It tried to move south of the border in 1988 with the purchase of Brooks Brothers, but the US operation never took off as the company had hoped. Five franchised stores were closed down in Turkey in 1999 when the franchise par tner Turk Petrol Holding couldnt meet its bank obligations and collapsed. Later in the year, Marks and Spencer Canada, after 25 years of business, closed its 38 stores. The company sold its US clothing chain Brooks Brothers for $225 million in 2001. In 2003, MS announced the launch of its more credit card. Alongside this, Marks Spencer Financial Services was re-branded Marks Spencer Money. In 2004, MS completed the sale of Marks Spencer Retail Financial Services Holdings (MS Money) to HSBC. During the course of 2005, the company opened 31 Simply Food stores as well as closed the Lifestore project in the UK. MS expanded the Simply Food format with the acquisition of 28 stores on a leasehold basis from Iceland Foods for a consideration of ? 38 million (approximately $76. 3 million) in 2006. In the same year, MS sold Kings Super Markets, its only non-MS branded business to a US investor group consisting of Angelo, Gordon Co, MTN Capital Par tners and Mr. Bruce Weitz for $61. 5 million in cash. In 2007, MS and two of its long-term suppliers decided to star t the development of MS first eco-factories, pioneering innovative methods of sustainable manufacturing. One factor y in Sri Lanka would make lingerie and two factories in Nor th Wales would manufacture furniture upholster y. In the same year, the company launched its own branded LCD widescreen TVs. This range was in addition to the existing collection of Sony TVs currently available at MS. Fur ther in the year, MS launched school wear made from recycled plastic bottles. The companys first standalone home store in Lisburn, Nor thern Ireland was launched in 2007. In the same year, MS launched Big Tall, an exclusive online mens wear offering more than 450 items online ranging from tailoring to knitwear to casual shir ts and trousers. Also in 2007, MS reduced saturated fat level as much as 82% in more than 500 companys products. The company reduced saturated fat levels in products including sandwiches, ready meals, crisps and savor y snacks. Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 5 Marks and Spencer Group plc History Towards the end of 2007, a new Made to Measure shir ts ser vice was launched by MS, which allowed customers to design a tailor-made shir t within 21 days. The company added new products to its mens wear por tfolio in FY2008. MS also launched climate control underwear featuring temperature regulating technology developed by NASA, expanded Collezione brand collection by introducing new shoes, wool and cashmere mix trousers. MS reinvigorated its Blue Harbour brand to attract 35 to 44 year old men. Also in FY2008, the company star ted to freeze its ready meals for international sale and launched a range of 70 lines in eight countries. Later, the company also launched a 25-piece capsule collection called GD25 from Per Una. In 2008, MS removed ar tificial colors and flavorings from its entire food and soft drinks range. In the same year, the company improved the quantity of space in a number of major out of towns and city centre stores through store extensions and also added 35 stores to its Simply Food por tfolio, including 25 BP franchised stores. A new flagship store in new Westfield Centre at White City, West London was opened at the end of 2008. To fur ther progress in Asian markets, the company opened its first 38,000 square feet store in Shanghai. MS then entered into a par tnership with Scottish and Southern Energy, as per which MS Energy would supply electricity and gas to domestic customers and reward them with MS store vouchers for helping the environment by reducing their energy usage. MS announced plans to close 10 of its Simply Food stores in 2009. The company opened Food to Go outlets in Hong Kong in the same year. Also in 2009, MS announced plans to enter new categories in the Indian market, with the launch of luggage and footwear for men. The company introduced a Ramadan and Eid fashion collection in all the 13 stores throughout the Middle East in the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman in 2009. Fur ther in the year, MS launched personalized greetings cards business online. The company also announced to open its second mainland store in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province in southern China. MS also launched a beer and cider range to complement its wine selection. MS launched a revamped version of its website in 2009, the first major update since 2007. Fur thermore, in 2009, the company began to offer its online international deliver y service to 73 more countries as par t of a drive to grow annual sales of MS Direct. The company began its offering within the homeware sector in 2009. MS announced plans to open a store in Marbella, Spain by the end of 2009. In the same year, MS and India-based Reliance Retail planned to open approximately 50 stores in India in the following five years under the banner of their joint venture company Marks Spencer Reliance India. Later in the year, the company outlined plans to cut costs by ? 50 million (about $150 million) by optimizing its supply chain and IT systems. MS also announced plans to open a new store at the Swords Pavilions shopping center in the Dublin Airpor t, Ireland, in 2009. The company opened its new 22,000 square feet store at Morpeths Sanderson Arcade in the same year. MS decided to launch Simply Food in Western Europe. Fur ther in 2009, the company announced plans to sell a sel ected range of around 400 branded grocery and household products in all of its UK stores, following a 16-month trial in its stores in the Nor th East and South East of England. In 2010, MS launched a new Home Energy Service division that would offer customers a suite of energy efficiency products and services. Building on the success of MS Energy, which was servicing Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 6 Marks and Spencer Group plc History over 125,000 homes, the company would roll-out a number of new products including bespoke energy advice, renewable energy solutions such as solar panels and heat pumps, and energy efficient heating solutions. In the same year, MS announced a program to be the worlds most sustainable retailer by 2015, launching 80 major new commitments under MS eco and ethical plan, Plan A. The new commitments will mean that the company ensures all MS products become Plan A products with at least one sustainable quality. This program will also enable the companys 2,000 suppliers to adopt Plan A best practice and encourage MS customers and employees to live greener lifestyles. Fur ther in 2010, MS launched a new version of www. marksandspencer. om designed specifically for use on mobile phones and mobile devices—the first mobile site from a major UK high street retailer. Through this, the company aims to expand its multi-channel offering. During the same year, MS launched England Football team suit exclusively in MS stores, to take advantage of the football World cup spending. The company opened its new 1. 1 million square feet distribution centre at ProLogis Park Bradford in the UK in 2010. This war ehouse in the UK will serve all the companys stores with furniture products and store equipment. Later in 2010, MS launched a range of Solar PV and Solar Thermal water heating solutions. Fur thering the sustainability initiatives, the company also announced that it will use polyester made from recycled PET drinks bottles instead of virgin polymer to make more than 300 million clothing care labels a year. Towards the end of 2010, MS announced plans to move into rail distribution to reduce its carbon footprint. More than 300,000 general merchandise products per week would move from road to rail distribution. The company also opened a new shopping center in Vilnius, Lithuania at the end of year. In April 2011, MS opened its greenest ever store at Ecclesall Road in Sheffield. This is the first store of a number of new Sustainable Learning stores planned by the company as par t of its drive to become the worlds most sustainable major retailer by 2015. The company opened 20 stores in the UK during FY2011, including 17 Simply Foods. In international, MS opened 49 new stores and closed 15 stores. During the same period, the company entered the Egyptian market with a 28,000 square feet store in the Dandy Mega Mall in Cairo. The company, in July 2011, launched a new iPad application for its investors. This application will provide investors with latest MS financial news. In the following month, MS signed a traceability deal with Historic Futures. As per the deal, Historic Futures will provide the company full traceability on ever y single clothing and home product it sells. MS is the first major retailer to commit to full traceability for non-food products. In September 2011, MS opened a new store at Westfield, Stratford City with the latest ‘Only at Your MS innovations and customer experiences. In the following month, MS launched its new French website, http://www. marksandspencer. fr/, marking its first international transactional website. Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 7 Marks and Spencer Group plc History The company, in November 2011, opened its new flagship store at 100 Avenue des Champs-elysees in Paris. MS, in February 2012, launched its outlet format on its website at www. marksandspencer. com/outlet. MS Outlet will permanently offer a selection of more than 1,300 quality MS clothing products with up to 40% off the regular high street and online prices. In the same month, the company recalled four products (Crispy Prawn Wonton, Crispy Vegetable Balls, Prawn Baguette Toast, and Prawn Siu Mai Selection) from its Chinese range due to mistake in ‘use by’ date. In March 2012, the company, announced plans to launch a new website for its Irish customers, http://www. marksandspencer. ie/. In April 2012, MS announced that it will accept secondhand clothes at UK outlets in order to recycle into other fabrics or reuse overseas by the Oxfam charity in an aim to cut waste. Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 8 Marks and Spencer Group plc Key Employees KEY EMPLOYEES Name Job Title Board Marc Bolland Chief Executive Officer Executive Board 975000 GBP Alan Stewar t Chief Finance Officer Executive Board 550000 GBP Kate Bostock Executive Director, General Merchandise Executive Board 590000 GBP John Dixon Executive Director, Food Executive Board 540000 GBP Steven Sharp Executive Director, Marketing Executive Board 655000 GBP Laura Wade-Gery Executive Director, Multi-channel E-commerce Executive Board Amanda Mellor Group Secretar y and Head of Corporate Governance Executive Board Rober t Swannell Chairman of the Board Non Executive Board Vindi Banga Director Non Executive Board Miranda Cur tis Director Non Executive Board Jeremy Darroch Director Non Executive Board 85000 GBP Steven Holliday Director Non Executive Board 85000 GBP Mar tha Lane Fox Director Non Executive Board 70000 GBP Jan du Plessis Director Non Executive Board 70000 GBP Clem Constantine Director, Proper ty Senior Management Tanith Dodge Director, Human Resources Senior Management Dominic Fr y Director, Communications and Investor Relations Senior Management Jan Heere Director, International Senior Management Nayna McIntosh Director, Store Marketing and Design Senior Management Steve Rowe Director, Retail Senior Management Darrell Stein Director, Information Technology and Logistics Senior Management Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Compensation 450000 GBP Page 9 Marks and Spencer Group plc Key Employee Biographies KEY EMPLOYEE BIOGRAPHIES Marc Bolland Board: Executive Board Job Title: Chief Executive Officer Since: 2010 Mr. Bolland has been the Chief Executive Officer at Marks and Spencer Group since 2010. Previously, he was the Chief Executive Officer at Morrisons Supermarkets from 2006 to 2010. Prior to this, Mr. Bolland worked at Heineken for 20 years in various management roles, including Executive Board member and Chief Operating Officer, and responsibility for operations and business development in the US, France, Italy, Spain, the Caribbean and Latin America. He also ser ves as a Director at Manpower. Alan Stewart Board: Executive Board Job Title: Chief Finance Officer Since: 2010 Mr. Stewar t has been the Chief Finance Officer at Marks and Spencer Group since 2010. Before joining the company, he was the Chief Financial Officer at AWAS, an aircraft leasing company. Mr. Stewar t spent 10 years at HSBC Investment Bank before joining Thomas Cook in 1996, where he held various senior roles, including Chief Executive at Thomas Cook UK. Mr. Stewar t joined WH Smith in 2005 as Group Finance Director. He also ser ved as a Non Executive Director at Games Workshop Group. Kate Bostock Board: Executive Board Job Title: Executive Director, General Merchandise Ms. Bostock is the Executive Director of General Merchandise at Marks and Spencer Group. She joined the company in 2004. Previously, Ms. Bostock was the Product Director for Childrenswear at Next from 1994. She also ser ved as the Product Director for the George brand covering all areas of clothing and footwear at Asda. John Dixon Board: Executive Board Job Title: Executive Director, Food Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 10 Marks and Spencer Group plc Key Employee Biographies Since: 2009 Mr. Dixon has been the Executive Director of Food at Marks and Spencer Group since 2009. He joined the company as a Store Management Trainee. Mr. Dixon held various senior roles at the company for over 20 years, including Executive Assistant, Chief Executive, and Director of Home and MS Direct. Steven Sharp Board: Executive Board Job Title: Executive Director, Marketing Mr. Sharp is the Executive Director of Marketing at Marks and Spencer Group. He joined the company in 2004. Previously, Mr. Shar p served as the Marketing Director at Asda, the Bur ton Group, Booker, and Arcadia Group. Currently, he is a Non Executive Director at Adnams. Laura Wade-Gery Board: Executive Board Job Title: Executive Director, Multi-channel E-commerce Since: 2011 Ms. Wade-Gery has been the Executive Director of Multi-channel E-commerce at Marks and Spencer Group since 2011. Prior to this, she worked at Tesco and held a variety of senior roles, including Chief Executive Officer of Tesco. com and Tesco Direct. Ms. Wade-Ger y also held various roles at Gemini Consulting and Kleinwor t Benson. She has also been a Non Executive Director at Trinity Mirror since 2006. Amanda Mellor Board: Executive Board Job Title: Group Secretary and Head of Corporate Governance Ms. Mellor is the Group Secretary and Head of Cor porate Governance at Marks and Spencer Group. She joined the company in 2004 as the Head of Investor Relations. Ms. Mellor spent her early career in investment management at James Capel before becoming a Director within its Corporate Finance team. She then served at Rober t Fleming, Investment Banking prior to joining The Bur ton Group as the Director of Cor porate Relations and Investor Relations. Robert Swannell Board: Non Executive Board Job Title: Chairman of the Board Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 11 Marks and Spencer Group plc Key Employee Biographies Since: 2011 Mr. Swannell has been the Chairman of the Board at Marks and Spencer Group since 2011. He joined the company in 2010 as a Non Executive Director. Prior to this, Mr. Swannell was a Senior Independent Director at The British Land Company, and 3i Group. He spent over 30 years in investment banking at Schroders/Citigroup. Mr. Swannell was previously the Vice Chairman at Citi Europe and Co-Chairman at Citis European Investment Bank. Vindi Banga Board: Non Executive Board Job Title: Director Since: 2011 Mr. Banga has been a Director at Marks and Spencer Group since 2011. He is currently a Par tner at Clayton Dubilier Rice, a private equity investment firm. Prior to this, Mr. Banga spent 33 years at Unilever, where he held several senior positions, including President of the Global Foods, Home and Personal Care businesses, and was a member of the Unilever Executive Board. He also serves as a Non Executive Director at Thomson Reuters and Maruti Suzuki India. Miranda Curtis Board: Non Executive Board Job Title: Director Since: 2012 Ms. Cur tis has been a Director at Marks and Spencer Group since February 2012. She is currently the Chairman at Waterstones, and a Non Executive Director at Liber ty Global. Ms. Cur tis has also been a Non Executive Director at National Express Group since 2008. She also serves on the Boards of the Institute for Government, the Royal Shakespeare Company, and Camfed (the leading African girls’ education charity). Jeremy Darroch Board: Non Executive Board Job Title: Director Since: 2006 Mr. Darroch has been a Director at Marks and Spencer Group since 2006. He also ser ves as the Chief Executive at British Sky Broadcasting. Previously, Mr. Darroch ser ved as the Chief Financial Officer at British Sky Broadcasting. Prior to this, he was the Group Finance Director and Retail Finance Director at Dixons Retail (formerly DSG International). Marks and Spencer Group plc MarketLine Page 12 Marks and Spencer Group plc Key Employee Biographies Steven Holliday Board: Non Executive Board Job Title: Director Since: 2004 Mr. Holliday has been a Director at Marks and Spencer Group since 2004. He is the Group Chief Executive Officer at National Grid. Prior to that, Mr. Holliday served as the Director of UK and Europe and was responsible for the UK Elect ricity and Gas businesses. He is also the Chairman of the UK Business Council for Sustainable Energy. Prior to joining National Grid, Mr. Holliday was an Executive Director at British Borneo Oil and Gas. Previously, he held several senior positions at Exxon Group. Martha Lane Fox Board: Non Executive Board Job Title: Director Since: 2007 Ms. Fox has been a Director at Marks and Spencer Group since 2007. She is the UK’s Digital Champion, the Chairman of Race Online 2012, and a Non Executive Director at Channel 4 Television. Ms. Fox is founder and Chairman of Lucky Voice, and of her own grant-giving foundation, Antigone. She was co-founder of lastminute. com. Jan du Plessis Board: Non Executive Board Job Title: Director Since: 2008 Mr. du Plessis has been a Director at Marks and Spencer Group since 2008. He is the Chairman at Rio Tinto. Previously, Mr. du Plessis was the Chairman at British American Tobacco and a Non Executive Director at Lloyds Banking Group. He also ser ved as the Chairman at RHM from 2005 to 2007. Mr. du Plessis was previously the Group Finance Director at Richemont, a position he held until 2004. Clem Constantine Board: Senior Management Job Title: Director, Proper ty Mr. Constantine is the Director, Proper ty at Marks and Spencer Group. He joined the company in 2006. Mr. Constantine was appointed the Group Proper ty and Retail Planning Director at Arcadia Group in 1999. He was appointed to his first finance directorship in 1993, for the IS brand at the Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 13 Marks and Spencer Group plc Key Employee Biographies Bur ton Group, and moved through several other finance directorships with variable responsibilities including systems and retail. Mr. Constantine was trained as a Char tered Accountant at Stoy Hayward, and joined Debenhams in 1989 as a Financial Analyst. Tanith Dodge Board: Senior Management Job Title: Director, Human Resources Since: 2008 Ms. Dodge has been the Director, Human Resources at Marks and Spencer Group since 2008. She was formerly the Group Human Resources Director at WH Smith since 2003. At WH Smith, Ms. Dodge was also responsible for Public Relations, Communications and Post Office Operations. Prior to this, she was the Senior Vice President Human Resources for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) at InterContinental Hotels Group. Ms. Dodge also served as the Human Resources Director at Diageos two business divisions. She was also the International Human Resources Manager at Prudential Corporation. Dominic Fry Board: Senior Management Job Title: Director, Communications and Investor Relations Mr. Fry is the Director, Communications and Investor Relations at Marks and Spencer Group. He joined the company in 2009. Prior to this, Mr. Fr y ser ved at Tulchan Communications. In 1996, he was appointed the Communications Director at J Sainsbury and ser ved in the same role at ScottishPower from 2000 to 2005. In 1989, Mr. Fr y became the Communications Director at ATT in the UK before moving from there to head up communications at the Channel Tunnel in the mid 90s. He star ted his career in 1982 working in PR consultancy at Traverse-Healy Regester and then Charles Barker. Jan Heere Board: Senior Management Job Title: Director, International Since: 2011 Mr. Heere has been the Director, International at Marks and Spencer Group since 2011. He joined Inditex in 2002 where he held a several international roles, most recently as General Manager for Inditex Russia. During 2000–02, Mr. Heere held various senior management roles at Zara, Groupo Inmobiliario Lupaco, and Charanga. He began his career at Manpower in Spain in 1997. Nayna McIntosh Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 14 Marks and Spencer Group plc Key Employee Biographies Board: Senior Management Job Title: Director, Store Marketing and Design Ms. McIntosh is the Director, Store Marketing and Design at Marks and Spencer Group. She joined the company in 2005. Prior to this, Ms. McIntosh was par t of the Management Team that set up the per una brand in 2001. Previously, she served as the Sales and Marketing Director for the George brand at Asda stores. Before joining George, Ms. McIntosh was at Next for four years as a Divisional Executive for the South of England. Steve Rowe Board: Senior Management Job Title: Director, Retail Since: 2008 Mr. Rowe has been the Director, Retail at Marks and Spencer Group since 2008. He joined the company in 1989 and held a variety of positions in store management, having previously worked at Topshop as a Store Manager. Mr. Rowe joined Head Office in 1992 as a Merchandiser for Menswear. In 1998, he was promoted to Category Manager in the Furniture Depar tment. In 2001, Mr. Rowe led the team developing the Home Growth Strategy, working with McKinsey Consultants, and became Head of Home categories in 2003. He was promoted to the Director of Home a year later in 2004. From 2004 to 2008, Mr. Rowe was also responsible for Beauty and New Business Development. Darrell Stein Board: Senior Management Job Title: Director, Information Technology and Logistics Mr. Stein is the Director, Information Technology and Logistics at Marks and Spencer Group. He has been working in IT for 17 years star ting his career at the company in 1990. Mr. Stein re-joined MS in 2006 as the IT Director. From 2001 to 2006, he ser ved at Vodafone, becoming IT Director for Vodafone UK in 2004. Prior to this, Mr. Stein was Vodafones UK Network Director and Global IT Strategy and Architecture Director. From 1996 to 2001, he ser ved at Ernst Young, leading a number of major IT and Change Programmes in the financial services, retail and utility sectors. In 1994, Mr. Stein joined Mars as a Project Manager. Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 15 Marks and Spencer Group plc Major Products and Services MAJOR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES MS is one of the leading retailers of clothing, foods and homeware in the UK. The companys key products and services include the following: Products: Womens wear Mens wear Lingerie Childrens wear Footwear Food and grocery items Homeware and home accessories Kitchen and tableware Lighting Furniture products Services: Credit cards Car, home, travel, and pet insurance Personal loans Brands: Autograph Limited Collection Collezione Blue Harbour Girls Boutique Per Una Ceriso Adored Truly you Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 16 Marks and Spencer Group plc Revenue Analysis REVENUE ANALYSIS Overview The company recorded revenues of ? 9,740. 3 million (approximately $15,158. 8 million) in FY2011, an increase of 2. 1% over FY2010. For FY2011, the UK, the companys largest geographic market, accounted for 89. 7% of the total revenues. MS generates revenues through two business divisions: food (51. 5%% of the total revenues in FY2011), and general merchandise (48. 5%). Revenues by division* During FY2011, the food division recorded revenues of ? 4,499. 4 million (approximately $7,002. 4 million), an increase of 1. 9% over FY2010. The general merchandise division recorded revenues of ? 4,233. 6 million (approximately $6,588. 8 million) in FY2011, an increase of 2% over FY2010. *The revenue breakdown by division is only for the revenues from the UK market. Revenues by geography The UK, MS largest geographical market, accounted for 89. % of the total revenues in FY2011. Revenues from the UK reached ? 8,733 million (approximately $13,591. 2 million) in FY2011, an increase of 1. 9% over FY2010. International operations accounted for 10. 3% of the total revenues in FY2011. Revenues from international operations reached ? 1,007. 3 million (approximately $1,567. 7 million) in FY2011, an increase of 4% over FY2010. Marks an d Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 17 Marks and Spencer Group plc SWOT Analysis SWOT ANALYSIS MS is one of the leading retailers of clothing, foods and homeware in the UK. The company has expanded its food product offering significantly in the recent years. New products launches, focus on expanding healthy products, promotions, and competitive prices are all helping the company attract customers in a highly competitive market. However, surge in shoplifting could negatively impact the cost structure for MS. Strengths Weaknesses Expanding food offering Strong market position in the clothing segment Geographical expansion to increase the addressable market and reduce vulnerability to mature UK market MS etched a highly effective CSR strategy MS legacy stores and systems are a ompetitive disadvantage Declining general merchandise division sales due to inadequate stocking Opportunities Threats Online channel continues to boom and will enable MS to boost revenues Focus on China and India can lead to expansion in two of the fastest growing markets Surge in shoplifting losses costs the retailers and customers Weak consumer spending in the UK Rising labor cost in the UK Strengths Expanded food offering The company has expanded its food product offering significantly in the recent years. In 2009, MS consistently highlighted it is cheaper than Waitrose on a basket of 1,200 items by about 2%. The company, in 2009, decided to invest in its margins in order to provide its customers better value. As a result of this, MS saw improved perceptions of value by its customers. The company, in FY2011, launched around 1,800 new products in food and positioned itself as the UK’s leading high quality food retailer. The key product launches of the company include Taste Italia, and Made Without Wheat range of gluten-free bread and cakes, With the success of Made Without Wheat product range, the company launched gluten-free sandwiches, sausages, stuffing, and crisp bakes. As of FY2011, the company offered 125 gluten-free products. MS also became the UK’s second largest favorite health food brand with the launch of its Simply Fuller Longer range which encourages customers to manage their weight with a menu plan. The gross margin of food division increased by 20 basis points to Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 18 Marks and Spencer Group plc SWOT Analysis 30. 8% in FY2011. This was mainly driven by better management of promotions and waste. Fur ther, in the four th quar ter of FY2012 ended March 2012, MS launched 500 new products in the food division. The sales in this quar ter increased by 3. 1%, The company’s promotions such as roast dinner for ? 5 ($7. 8), Dine In, etc offered its customers with great value solutions for special occasions. MS’ food division has been performing well in a ver y competitive market and against tough competitors. By launching innovative products and with an expanded food offering, the company has been able to attract the customers in a highly competitive market. Strong market position in the clothing segment MS has a strong market position in the clothing segment. With more than one in 10 clothing items bought from MS, the company ranks amongst the three largest clothing retailers in the UK. According to a repor t released by Verdict (Datamonitors retail arm) in May 2012, MS is known for its product quality. The company was ranked first with a score of 49 for its product quality above the market average of 23. According to another repor t released by Verdict in April 2012, MS enjoys highest conversion rate of 50. 7% and is very successful in conver ting visitors to loyal main users through its varied product offer, in-store service and garment quality. This indicates that MS is a trustwor thy brand, which all main users would return to knowing that the quality, fit, and ser vice are reliable and consistent. The retailer has recognized that its core market of predominantly mature customers has been especially hard hit by rising core costs of living, falling interest on savings and worse prospects for pensions, and in reaction has lowered its entr y prices to compete more effectively with high street/value operators and supermarkets, helping to maintain the loyalty of its main users and prevent them from shopping elsewhere. Verdict, in its repor t in March 2012, ranked, MS seventh in the global depar tment store market with a share of 3. 2%. This market leadership enabled MS to excel throughout the economic downturn, while other mid-market retailers are pressured from the ever expanding value players. Leading market position indicates access to a large customer base and also popularity of MS offering in the clothing segment. Going forward, this market position would enable the company to drive revenues as consumer spending recovers. Geographical expansion to increase the addressable market and reduce vulnerability to mature UK market With a por tfolio of over 361 owned and franchised stores in 42 territories MS continues to grow its international business. This mix of ownership models and countries enabled the company to perform well in FY2011, even when individual markets were weak. Fur ther, during FY2011, the company entered the Egyptian market with a 28,000 square feet store in the Dandy Mega Mall in Cairo. MS international business grew by 4% in FY2011 despite tough economic situation. As an established retailer in a mature market, it is going to be hard for MS to continually deliver significant increases in UK sales. However, in the long run, its international business offers an oppor tunity for high growth. By generating much higher volumes, it can deliver margin benefits with suppliers. With production costs rising, this will be an advantage in the UK. International expansion will enable the company to access multiple sales points for most of the product ranges. This is especially relevant for clothing and homewares segments. Also, through expansion in the international markets MS can reduce Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 19 Marks and Spencer Group plc SWOT Analysis vulnerability to mature UK market. The company can also par ticipate effectively in some of highest growing markets such as China and India. All these factors would enable the company to reduce the overall business risk and facilitate increased revenues. MS etched a highly effective CSR strategy MS has to its credit an effective corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy. CSR has been gaining prominence not just among the stake holders and governments but the consumers as well. The company has the highest propor tion of consumers believing it to be a responsible retailer and this can largely be attributed to the success of its Plan A, a ? 200 million (approximately $320. 3 million) 100-point plan launched in 2007 with five areas of focus: climate change, fair par tnership, health, sustainable raw materials, and waste. In FY2011, the company included two more areas in its Plan A: involving customers, and making Plan A how we do business. In the last few years, initiatives launched under the Plan A banner include launching the companys first eco-store, encouraging suppliers to set-up eco-factories, removing hydrogenated fats from its ready meals, increasing the propor tion of organic food, reducing the salt content of its produce, cer tifying a larger percentage of its fish as originating from sustainable populations, and beginning to sell recycling and composting bins. It is the high profile presence of Plan A in adver tising campaigns, product labeling and store signage that gives MS one of the best consumer perceptions of a retailer for social responsibility. The campaign works not just as a direct to consumer channel, but also because of the positive coverage it creates. Perhaps more impor tantly, it has publicized all of these initiatives extensively. In 2008, MS launched a TV adver tising campaign focusing on its ethical, environmental and health-conscious credentials, highlighting that it only uses free range eggs and that its products are now free from ar tificial colors and flavorings. Other, more innovative, ideas have included a joint venture with Oxfam to promote the recycling of old clothes. In addition, more controversially, the retailer introduced a 5p charge for carrier bags at all of its food depar tments in 2008. Though many consumers resented this charge, it has undoubtedly boosted MS reputation as an ethical retailer. Overall, sculpting its CSR strategy into such a high publicity campaign, divided into such clear action points and highly visible benefits, has seen the company move to the forefront of responsible retailing. In FY2011, the company launched Indigo Green, its first range of clothing made using more sustainable fabrics. In April 2012, the company announced to accept secondhand clothes at all the UK outlets except Simply Food stores, to recycle them into other fabrics or to reuse them in order to cut waste. Plan A has seen CSR become core to MS principles in the eyes of the consumer and it has reaped the benefits of this, gaining shoppers as a result and repor tedly saving more than ? 70 million (approximately $108. 9 million) in efficiencies gained in FY2011 compared with ? 50 million (approximately $77. 8 million) in FY2010. In addition, MS improved energy efficiency in its stores by 23% and warehouses by 24% in FY2011 compared to FY2007. It also improved the fuel efficiency of its deliver y fleets by 20% and total carbon emissions have been reduced by 13%. The company now recycles 94% of all the waste it generates from its stores, offices and warehouses. The total waste is down by more than a third. MS also met its sustainable standards by sourcing 90% of wild fish in FY2011 (62% in FY2010) and 76% of wood in FY2011 (72% in FY2010). Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 20 Marks and Spencer Group plc SWOT Analysis By actively promoting a products greener attributes (for example fewer, more recognizable and natural ingredients), retailers such as MS have positioned products as improving ones personal environment while benefiting the global environment too. Many of their successes have come from emphasizing the former rather than the latter, especially as consumers often associate ethics with a sense of wellbeing. In terms of the issues that concern consumers, the sustainability of natural resources is a major fear, as are climate change and the fairness of sourcing arrangements. Consumers are also attracted to products with health benefits and there is a clear trend that consumers can be persuaded to par t with more money in return for products with a positive impact, not just to them personally, but also to wider society. Indeed, differentiating between products becomes harder and harder to achieve, Verdict expects consumers to turn to auxiliary considerations such as ethicality and sustainability to guide their choices. Consumers are no longer purely satisfied with how a product looks and functions; they want assurances over aspects such as nvironmental impact, hygiene, safety, and fairness. In light of the above mentioned trends where the customer choices are increasingly guided by the sustainability issues, MS will benefit due to its reputation of being a responsible retailer. Weaknesses MS legacy stores and systems are a competitive disadvantage MS suffers some competitive disadvantages compared to Tesco, which has been able to drive earnings before int erest and tax (EBIT) growth even in the mature UK market. Tesco benefits from supplier power and state-of-the-ar t IT, supply chain and systems compared with MS legacy systems. The supermarket retailer has been able to break up the demand cur ve with metro, express and big box store formats out of town and on the high street. Moreover, Tesco stores have been carefully designed with consistent store layouts in order to facilitate store navigation. Extra back room store space has also been allocated to allow for smooth execution of its picking and distribution model. Tesco sells both own label and branded goods (food and non-food) in a bid to drive up footfall and sales conversion. MS legacy stores are inconsistent in terms of layout. Store size tends to dictate product availability, while a lack of back room store space does not facilitate the same style supermarket pick and delivery model. The legacy systems and stores of MS are constraining effective servicing of customer demands on a consistent basis. This is placing the company at a clear competitive disadvantage compared to a formidable opponent, Tesco. Declining general merchandise division sales due to inadequate stocking The company’s general merchandise division sales declined in recent times, MS’ general merchandise division sales decreased by 2. % in the four th quar ter of FY2012 ended March 2012. This was mainly due to shor tage of stock in its stores, Due to this, the company was also not able to meet customer demand for 300,000 knitwear garments under the MS Woman label. It only sold Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 21 Marks and Spencer Group plc SWOT Analysis 100,000 knitwear garments during this period. Fur ther, in times of high demand, inadequate stock could hamper the sales of the division and result in loss of sales to competitors. This not only affects the revenues of the company but could also result in shift of customers to its competitors. Opportunities Online channel continues to boom and will enable MS to boost revenues Online retail sales in the UK have grown significantly over a period of time. According to Office for National Statistics, non-seasonally adjusted average weekly value for internet retail sales in the UK was ? 414 million (approximately $644. 3 million) in Februar y 2010, this increased to ? 573. 6 million (approximately $892. 7 million) in February 2012, representing an increase of 18%. Internet sales accounted for only 8% of the total retail sales (excluding fuel) in Februar y 2010. This figure increased to 10. 7% in February 2012. The growing desire for convenience is seeing shoppers buy more online, especially in the category of food and grocery. Consumers have also become savvier, using the internet more to get the best deal they can. Voucher codes, and cashback sites have been instrumental in this. Additionally, improved deliver y and fulfillment options have been encouraging consumers to shop more online. The company operates in the internet channel through MS Direct where the products are offered through website and newly launched Shop Your Way facility, a new ordering service that has been rolled-out in 444 stores (including 151 in Simply Foods stores) during FY2011, allowing customers to place orders either in stores, online or over the phone, for deliver y to either a nominated address or free of charge to their nearest store. MS Direct’s sales increased from ? 413 million (approximately $642. 8 million) in FY2010 to ? 543 million (approximately $845. million) in FY2011, an increase of 31. 5%. Fur ther, in the first half of FY2012, MS Direct’s sales increased by 11. 7% with more than three million visitors per week. Thus, by leveraging its online presence, MS can cater to the requirements of a growing number of customers who are looking for convenience and better deals over the internet. Focus on China and India can lead to expansion in two of the fastest growing mar kets China and India are two economies which are recording highest growth rates which, in turn, are expected to aid the retail market growth in these two countries. Asias retail sales are estimated to increase with China driving the growth. According to the preliminary estimation, the gross domestic product (GDP) of China was CNY47,156. 4 billion ($7,285. 7 billion) in 2011, a year-on-year increase of 9. 2% at comparable prices. The fast pace economic development in China coupled with the rise of the middle class income group and their increasing disposable income have fur ther pushed up the demand for several consumer goods. According to National Bureau of Statistics of China, the total retail sales reached CNY18,391. 9 billion (approximately $2,841. billion) in 2011, representing a year-on-year nominal growth rate of 17. 1%. Fur ther, according to industr y estimates, the countr ys total retail sales are expected to increase from approximately CNY20 trillion ($3 trillion) in 2012 to approximately CNY26 trillion ($4 trillion) in 2016, representing an increase of about 30%. Strong Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 22 Marks and Spe ncer Group plc SWOT Analysis underlying economic trends, population growth and the increasing wealth of individuals are key factors that contribute to the retail market expansion in China. The retail industry in India is large owing to a large population and is set to grow as several factors contribute. According to the industry sources, the retail sales in India are forecast to grow from around $411 billion in 2011 to $804 billion by 2015. The key factors behind the forecast growth include strong underlying economic growth, population expansion, increasing wealth of individuals and the rapid construction of organized retail infrastructure. Also, as middle and upper class consumer base expands, there will also be oppor tunities in Indias second and third-tier cities. The greater availability of personal credit and a growing vehicle population are to improve mobility which will also contribute to a trend towards retail sales growth. MS is strengthening presence in India and China as par t of its geographic expansion and for some time to come, these countries would be the key contributors to the companys international expansion strategies. The company in with par tnership with Reliance Retail, an established retailer in India, can tap into this lucrative market while expansion in China also continues. Indian and Chinese markets would provide a huge potential revenue base for MS. Threats Surge in shoplifting losses costs the retailers and customers The UK retailers are exposed to increased costs of shoplifting. Shoplifting has assumed massive propor tions in recent times. According to industry estimates, retail crime costed UK stores ? 1. 4 billion ($2. 2 billion) in 2011. There are about two million thefts per year, which concludes to an average of more than one per minute. According to another industr y repor t, the thefts across the UK stores increased from ? 4. 2 million ($6. 5 million) in 2009 to ? 5. 1 million ($7. 9 million) in 2011, an increase of 20%. Long-term trends also show the figure is likely to continue rising. As a result, retailers have been increasing their surveillance spend. This is increasing the costs for retailers as well as for the end consumers. The shoplifting losses are adding to the costs for the retailers and the customers have also been bearing the brunt. The surge in shoplifting could negatively impact the cost structure for MS as well. Weak consumer spending in the UK The UK market is suffering from weak consumer spending. The European debt crisis added more downward pressure to the growth prospects of the UK. According to Eurostat, the UK economy grew by 0. 7% in 2011 and is expected to grow by 0. 5% in 2012. In addition, the UK has witnessed high unemployment rate. According to the Office of National Statistics, the unemployment rate for the three months period November 2011 to January 2012 was 8. 4% with 2. 67 million unemployed people in the UK. Increasing unemployment rate is expected to fur ther put pressure on the economy of the UK. High inflation, led by the increase in VAT to 20% and public spending cuts reduced disposable Marks and Spencer Group plc MarketLine Page 23 Marks and Spencer Group plc SWOT Analysis income, leading to a fall in consumer spending on discretionary items. Consumers have been cautious with their spending especially due to soaring petrol prices, tax increases and uncer tainty over jobs. The UK is the key market for MS. In FY2011, the UK accounted for 89. 7% of MS total revenues. Thus, the sluggish consumer spending and high unemployment rate in the UK could affect most of the non-food retailers and lead to reduced sales volume or shrinking profit margins. Rising labor cost in the UK Labor costs are rising in the UK. In recent times, tight labor markets, increased over time, government mandated increases in minimum wages and a higher propor tion of full-time employees are resulting in an increase in labor costs, which could materially impact the companys results of operation. The National Minimum Wage (NMW) Regulations came into force in 1999 and since then the NMW rates have been increased annually. The national minimum wage increased from ? 5. 93 per hour ($9. 23 per hour) in October 2010 to ? 6. 08 per hour ($9. 46 per hour) in October 2011. Fur ther, the national minimum wage is expected to increase to ? 6. 19 per hour (9. 63 per hour) from October 2012. In FY2011, MS employed 78,169 people. Increasing labor costs can adversely affect the companys operating costs as its wage bills would escalate. This, in turn, could impact its margins adversely. Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 24 Marks and Spencer Group plc Top Competitors TOP COMPETITORS The following companies are the major competitors of Marks and Spencer Group plc ASDA Group Limited Debenhams plc H M Hennes Mauritz AB J Sainsbury plc NEXT plc Selfridges plc Tesco PLC Gap, Inc. , The French Connection Group Plc House of Fraser Group Plc John Lewis Par tnership plc Arcadia Group Limited Home Retail Group Plc Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 25 Marks and Spencer Group plc Company View COMPANY VIEW A statement by Rober t Swannell, the Chairman of the Board at Marks and Spencer Group, is given below. The statement has been taken from the company’s Annual Repor t for FY2011. I feel ver y privileged to be Chairman of this unique company and at such an exciting time in our evolution. Since joining Marks Spencer in October and assuming the role of Chairman in Januar y, I have spent much of my time getting to know the business better – meeting our employees, shareholders, customers and suppliers. I first became deeply involved with MS during the unsolicited takeover attempt in 2004, when I led the advisory team that helped put the MS case to its shareholders. It was then I learned first hand about this unique company: about the extraordinarily strong relationship it has with its many stakeholders and about its very special ethos. This ethos is a reflection of the high standards our customers expect from MS – trusting us not only to deliver great value, great quality products but also to do the right thing – socially, environmentally and ethically. We know that putting Plan A at the hear t of how we do business is not just the right thing to do; it is also fundamental to our long-term success. Performance In a challenging marketplace MS has continued to grow, with underlying profits up 12. 9% on the year. We delivered this by staying true to our heritage of quality and innovation, reminding our customers what makes MS special. This year Marc Bolland set out a clear medium-term plan for the business, after extensive discussions with colleagues and us, the Board. This is covered in detail in Marc’s review. From day one, I have been struck by the passion and commitment of our people. I am delighted that this year we are paying a bonus to all employees to thank them for their energy and enthusiasm in what has been a difficult trading environment. Dividend We are committed to delivering consistent returns for our shareholders. To this end we have adopted a progressive dividend policy, with dividends broadly covered twice by earnings. We intend to pay a final dividend of 10. 8p per share (last year 9. 5p) in respect of the 2010/11 financial year. Governance Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 26 Marks and Spencer Group plc Company View This year we returned to the traditional governance structure of a separate Chairman and Chief Executive, providing clarity between Marc Bolland and me, with regard to our respective roles. Put simply, I run the Board and Marc runs the business. The Board has a wide range of responsibilities. There are three that I think are par ticularly impor tant for the success of the business: first, to debate and agree our strategy and hold the executive team accountable for its execution; second, to ensure that we have the most talented team to execute this strategy and that we plan effectively for succession; and third, to set the tone for governance, which is par ticularly impor tant at MS where ‘doing the right thing’ is an integral par t of our ethos. My ob is to ensure the Board has the right mix of skills and talents and to ensure that it works effectively as a team towards shared goals with the right mix of enquir y and suppor t of the executive directors from the non-executive directors. During the year we commissioned a formal Board evaluation from an independent consultant, the findings of which are outlined in the Governance section. This process highlight ed the real enthusiasm of the directors in suppor ting a shared ambition: to guide MS to the ver y best future. We know that you expect high standards from MS; it’s our responsibility to learn how we can improve. This review was an impor tant par t of that journey. As stated in our 2009/10 Annual Repor t, we reviewed the senior remuneration structure this year. Following extensive shareholder consultation, we believe we now have a framework that is both relevant to today’s MS and fully aligned with our strategy. The Board Over the last year the Board has been strengthened by a series of executive appointments. In May 2010 Marc Bolland joined the business as Chief Executive, assuming the day-to-day running of the business from Sir Stuar t Rose in July. In October Alan Stewar t joined as Chief Finance Officer and in February we announced the appointment of Laura Wade-Gery as Executive Director, Multi-channel E-commerce; she will join the Board in July. Whilst the Board features some new faces, these changes have taken place around a core of executive and non-executive directors that has remained stable over recent years. I would like to pay par ticular tribute to Sir Stuar t Rose. When he became Chief Executive in 2004, MS was at a low ebb. He restored confidence in MS, re-established its values and built a strong business. The solid platform from which Marc is now implementing his plan is a credit to Stuar t’s energy and tireless commitment to MS over the last seven years. The smooth management transition – the meticulous handover to me and the suppor t of Marc – is also a credit to Stuar t. In that connection, I would also like to thank Sir David Michels, and the Nominations Governance Committee he led, for managing a change of leadership over the past year that was accomplished quietly and effectively. David has decided to step down from the Board at the end of his second term in February 2012, but I am delighted that he will continue his role as Deputy Chairman until then. Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 27 Marks and Spencer Group plc Company View I must also thank Louise Patten for the significant contribution she has made over the last five years, playing an impor tant role in each of our Board Committees. As Louise reaches the end of her second three year term on the Board, she has decided not to seek re-election at the upcoming AGM. Looking ahead Our priorities for the year ahead are clear. We have a plan and it is now our collective job to make it happen. The Board will concentrate on delivering exemplary governance at the highest level to enable our executive team to drive this strategy forward. The economy still gives us reason to be cautious. Yet in difficult times, our core values of Quality, Value, Ser vice, Innovation and Trust matter more than ever to MS customers. These values remain at the hear t of our strategy and I therefore look forward to the future with confidence. Marks and Spencer Group plc  © MarketLine Page 28 Marks and Spencer Group plc Locations and Subsidiaries LOCATIONS AND SUBSIDIARIES Head Office Marks and Spencer Group plc Waterside House 35 Nor th Wharf Road London W2 1NW GBR P:44 20 7935 4422 http://www. marksandspencer. com Other Locations and Subsidiaries Marks and Spencer International Holdings Limited Great Britain GBR Marks and Spencer (Nederland) BV NLD Marks and Spencer (Ireland) Limited IRL Marks and Spencer (Asia Pacific) Limited HKG Marks and Spencer Simply Foods Limited Great Britain GBR Marks and Spencer Marinopoulos Greece SA GRC Marks and Spencer SCM Limited